DC Extended Universe

agentsands77

New member
|ZiR| said:
Tilda Swinton as Gabriel was one of the cooler characters I've seen in a comic book movie.
We can agree on that much. She was the highlight of the film, IMO. I wasn't too impressed by much else, though.

|ZiR| said:
One thing I think that's neat about the comics are the ones which portray Constantine as an aged, bloated drunk. He's not some hot pretty boy, like in some of the comics. That's a nice change, and I wish they could've make Keanu look a little worse in the film version.
I wish they hadn't cast Keanu Reeves at all. Reeves should never get another job in Hollywood.

Ideally, Daniel Craig would have been cast as John Constantine. Maybe he still could be, if they wish to take another stab at the character. He's got a bit of the rougher edge I'd be looking for, and could make a convincing performance of a character who's been through hell.
 

DocWhiskey

Well-known member
|ZiR| said:
Ah, y'see, I wasn't a big fan of the series until after I saw the movie in theaters. I'd ideally flipped through some of my brothers copies, and while the amount of S&M/homosexuality was fun, it didn't grab me. I like both now, but I prefer the film stylistically, and Tilda Swinton as Gabriel was one of the cooler characters I've seen in a comic book movie.

One thing I think that's neat about the comics are the ones which portray Constantine as an aged, bloated drunk. He's not some hot pretty boy, like in some of the comics. That's a nice change, and I wish they could've make Keanu look a little worse in the film version.

I can fully understand why long-time fans of the series would be so let down by the movie, though.

I'm a LONG time fan of Hellblazer and I really enjoyed Constantine. I had to get over the fact that it **** on the source material, but I did enjoy it. Francis Lawrence's reason for changing the blonde brit from London to the dark haired American in LA was because he felt audiences in the U.S. wouldn't be able to relate. WTF?

But if you guys liked Constantine and want to know a little more about 'ol JC, read "All of His Engines" or "Hold Me". Beautiful stories.
 

Shortie

New member
MaxPhactor23 said:
Yah but?DC arguably has made the best movies. Quality over quantity. I'd rather them do a film every three years and have it be gold as opposed to crank them out like manufactured junk and have each one be sub par to awful.

SR sucked. I'm not even a SM fan & I know it sucked, the first one was okay but everything after sucked. The '89 BM was good, the other Burton BM was mediocre & everything after until BB sucked. I expect TDK to be better than BB, but I won't like it as much as IM or S-M2. Notice most of Marvel's crap movies came from Fox (X-M3, Elektra, DD, FF, FF2). Now that all new Marvel movie characters will be under their control I think we'll see mostly good movies.
 

TheMutt92

New member
Shortie said:
Notice most of Marvel's crap movies came from Fox (X-M3, Elektra, DD, FF, FF2). Now that all new Marvel movie characters will be under their control I think we'll see mostly good movies.

Lets pray for that!
 

agentsands77

New member
Shortie said:
SR sucked. I'm not even a SM fan & I know it sucked, the first one was okay but everything after sucked.
SUPERMAN RETURNS was far from a total loss. It was certainly uneven, but it had something that's been missing in most Marvel properties - a sense of visual poetry.

Shortie said:
Notice most of Marvel's crap movies came from Fox (X-M3, Elektra, DD, FF, FF2).
It's true. Fox was an especially bad studio. But despite public opinion, I also think that SPIDER-MAN and SPIDER-MAN 2 fail.

Shortie said:
Now that all new Marvel movie characters will be under their control I think we'll see mostly good movies.
Maybe, maybe not. They're heading down the road of mismanaging the Iron Man franchise, so Marvel may be about to shoot itself in the foot.
 

Goonie

New member
These were DC and they were good:
V for Vendetta
A History of Violence
The Fountain (ok, I'm not sure about this one, but that's what Wiki says, that it's DC)
 

Shortie

New member
agentsands77 said:
It's true. Fox was an especially bad studio. But despite public opinion, I also think that SPIDER-MAN and SPIDER-MAN 2 fail.

WHA? S-M2 was a really good movie. Why do you think that it failed?
 

Lonsome Indy

New member
i didnt like Spider-man 2 either. its okay but i prefer the original over the sequel. Harry's play with Doc Ock felt awkward. also the story itself wasnt that particularly strong. MJ got on my nerves a lot during the flick, no valid character development on her part.

the saving grace for me was Doc Ock. everything else felt as if it had already been done before. it was the same with Spider-man 3. Thomas Haden Church was the only reason i had gone and the only thing that i had liked out of it.
 

caats

New member
DC Comic Movies

Might as well get some equal representation. Though, the news is still pretty slim.

Movies way low in production-

Suicide Squad- Dan Lin (Sherlock Holmes) set to produce, with Justin Marks (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) writing.

Supermax- David Goyer's prison movie. I think Marks also re-wrote the script. Not gonna happen.

The Flash- Charles Roven recently said it's still alive. Now being written by Dan Mazeau who apparently impressed WB with his Johnny Quest script.

Wonder Woman- Recently came out that the new boss at Silver pictures Andrew Rona wants to put Wondey on the fast track. They've been listening to pitches from writers and want to get it going.

Sgt. Rock - Guy Ritchie is set to direct.

Superman Sequel - This one is probably a gimme. it's gonna happen. Legendary Studios has said so, i would definitely not say it's in "development hell" like a couple of the others. They want it to be epic and action packed like a superman flick SHOULD be.

Bats3- i think nolan is throwing around ideas already. prob 2012.

Movies with Release Dates-

Jonah Hex - Should be a sweet western starring Josh Brolin, John Malkovich and Megan Fox. i forget the exact release date. August 2010 i think.

Green Lantern- Written by Marc Guggenheim, Michael Green and Greg Berlanti. Supposed to be a great script based on a few reviews out. Directed by Martin Campbell of Casino Royale. i can't wait for this one. Still no casting. December 17, 2010.
 

agentsands77

New member
If we include the titles from the VERTIGO imprint (a company owned by DC), then there's two more projects on the backburner:

THE LOSERS. Directed by Tim Story. Script by Peter Berg and James Vanderbilt.

Y: THE LAST MAN. Directed by D. J. Caruso. Script by Carl Ellsworth.

caats said:
Supermax- David Goyer's prison movie. I think Marks also re-wrote the script. Not gonna happen.
It's actually not really a prison movie. It's a straight up Green Arrow movie (hence the title on the screenplay actually being GREEN ARROW: ESCAPE FROM SUPERMAX), complete with a Green Arrow origin. I say that 'cause I read Marks' rewrite. I wasn't impressed, though - it felt pretty derivative of a number of other recent superhero franchises.

caats said:
Bats3- i think nolan is throwing around ideas already. prob 2012.
THE DARK KNIGHT producer Charles Roven said to expect BATMAN 3 in 2011, not 2012.

caats said:
Jonah Hex - Should be a sweet western starring Josh Brolin, John Malkovich and Megan Fox. i forget the exact release date. August 2010 i think.
August 6, 2010, for sure. The only question is whether its director - a former Pixar animator named Jimmy Hayward - will really have a good enough handle on live-action film to do it right.

caats said:
Green Lantern- Written by Marc Guggenheim, Michael Green and Greg Berlanti. Supposed to be a great script based on a few reviews out. Directed by Martin Campbell of Casino Royale. i can't wait for this one. Still no casting. December 17, 2010.
Should be fun.
 

caats

New member
oh yeah, forgot about the Vertigo ones. The Losers is already casting people i think. Y: The Last Man could be cool.

Yeah for bats, they say 2011, we'll see. the problem is 2011 summer is pretty filled up already. They'd have to get moving pretty soon, but Nolan still has his Inception movie with DiCaprio to do.
 

The Man

Well-known member
caats said:
oh yeah, forgot about the Vertigo ones. The Losers is already casting people i think. Y: The Last Man could be cool.

Yeah for bats, they say 2011, we'll see. the problem is 2011 summer is pretty filled up already. They'd have to get moving pretty soon, but Nolan still has his Inception movie with DiCaprio to do.

Can't imagine it in 2011. Perhaps even 2012 is optimistic.
 

agentsands77

New member
The Man said:
Can't imagine it in 2011. Perhaps even 2012 is optimistic.
Why on earth would you say that?

Look at the jump between BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT. Three years, just like the suggested 2008-2011 jump between THE DARK KNIGHT and BATMAN 3. And they both had their intermediary films (THE PRESTIGE/INCEPTION). Should be quite doable.
 

QBComics

Active member
Back in 2006, a Deadman movie was announced to be directed by Guillermo Del Toro. It sorta disappeared...

Anyway, looking forward to Green Lantern, Jonah Hex, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Suicide Squad. I also want a Adam Strange: Planet Heist Animated DTD.

Also looking at the list, I see that 2008 was starting a superhero movie 'era' (...?).

I mean in 2008 we got Iron Man, Hulk, The Spirit, Hellboy II, and The Dark Knight. This year we get Watchmen, Wolverine, Solomon Kane (supposedly), Transformers II, & G.I. Joe. Next year in 2010 we get Ant-Man, Thor, Green Lantern, Jonah Hex, Suicide Squad, Green Hornet, & Iron Man II. Next, in 2011, we get Avengers, Captain America, and Spiderman 4. Also mentioned is the Flash, Wonder Woman, Batman III, Superman sequel/reboot.

:D That's 24 altogether.
 

A2Steve

New member
I just worry that they are going to overload the market- too much of a good thing.... granted, superhero movies benefit greatly from the technology available.... I even remember reading a "CATALOG OF THE FUTURE" when I was a kid, that predicted computer-generated characters being so realistic, they'd blur the lines between cartoon and live action. this was pre-ROGER RABBIT movies....

I hope they keep GL on a semi-serious note... there were rumors a few years ago of a comedy being planned with Jack Black as Hal Jordan.... now, Jack as G'NORT, that works. he DID keep an entire sector of space CRIME-FREE, after all! :whip:
 

caats

New member
new rumor from iesb and latinoreview, but shot down by collider, is that Chris "Kirk" Pine was offered to be Hal Jordan. i've been saying this for like a month. we'll see if it's true.
 

QBComics

Active member
DC/WB finally starting up?

From Hollywood Reporter:

In the comics universe, where characters are endlessly reborn and re-outfitted, a motto from the 1980s -- "DC Comics is on the move" -- could just as well apply to the current, hyperactive state of the publisher as it relates to Hollywood.

A year after "The Dark Knight" became a worldwide phenomenon, there are more DC Comics adaptations in the works than at any other point since the company was acquired by Warner Bros. in 1969.

Among the projects on front burners:

-- "The Losers," an action-adventure drama starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana and Chris Evans, begins principal photography this week in Puerto Rico.

-- "Jonah Hex," a supernatural Western starring Josh Brolin, Megan Fox and John Malkovich, recently wrapped production in Louisiana.

-- "The Green Lantern," Warners' next big superhero tentpole, is set to star Ryan Reynolds after a long search.

-- Fox has picked up the TV series "Human Target," starring Mark Valley, for the fall.

-- And, in a rare example of a film project that has ventured off the Warners reservation, DC has set up "Red," a spy thriller to star Bruce Willis, at Summit.

"One of the things that has differentiated us for most of the last 20 years is the depth of our library and the depth of the creative material that we've put out and the opportunities that creates for other media," DC Comics president Paul Levitz said.Still, when "Dark Knight" invaded theaters last summer, critics of DC and Warners complained there didn't appear to be a grand strategy in place to exploit DC properties.

In contrast, DC arch-rival Marvel moved quickly in the wake of its successful "Iron Man" to stake out a series of release dates for a slew of movies, branding them as part of one big Marvel universe leading to "The Avengers," which arrives in 2012.

But DC and Warners have taken a different approach, arguing that DC has a wider breadth of books than other comics companies. They insist their situation isn't comparable to Marvel, which already has licensed out to other studios a number of its biggest titles: Spider-Man is housed at Sony, and X-Men and Fantastic Four are at Fox.

With fewer marquee superheroes, Marvel works like an animation studio: It only develops select projects and makes most of what it develops, while DC is managing a much larger portfolio.

Still, in the wake of "Dark Knight," DC and Warners have made strategic moves in the superhero realm, including centralizing the way DC's titles and characters are developed. In the past, Warners optioned a property, paying DC a fee comparable to what a property could command on the open market. But while the projects ostensibly were being developed under one roof, many were spread out over a host of producers, each with different visions for how to approach each adaptation.

To bring competing approaches into sync, Levitz and DC's Los Angeles-based film exec Gregory Noveck have overseen a reorganization of the development slate. While Warners execs still drive the creative side, DC now has more input, making it an actual participant in the shaping of material.

"The creative process is by and large a true partnership," Noveck said. "They'll ask us a ton of questions, and we'll give a ton of answers. We will talk back and forth. We'll discuss writers and talent, but ultimately it's their decision."

This past fall, Warners quietly hired three of DC's biggest writers -- Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison and Marv Wolfman -- to act as consultants and writers for its superhero line of movies. The move involved taking back the reins on projects being handled by such producers as Charles Roven ("The Flash") and Akiva Goldsman ("Teen Titans").

Some agents and scribes grumbled about being forced to work with the consultants, never mind that Johns started his career as a assistant to "Superman" director Richard Donner or that Wolfman has worked in animation since the 1980s.

The moves have begun to pay off. Johns worked up a new treatment for a "Flash" script, being written by Dan Mazeau; Johns will act in a producer capacity on the project, which has not attached a director.

The projects Morrison and Wolfman are working on are in the early stages at Warners, whose execs declined to comment.

The process involves one writer taking point, though the trio do collaborate on projects, reading one another's materials while hashing out a story that will be at once accessible to nonfans yet still adhere to each character's long history. The writers also work in tandem with producers, writers and the Warners execs overseeing the projects, showing them treatments and providing notes on scripts.

Meanwhile, other superhero projects are moving forward at Warners.

The studio is taking pitches on sci-fi hero Adam Strange and the underwater-breathing hero "Aquaman," to be produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and his Appian Way shingle.

Also in the pipeline: "Bizarro Superman" being written by "Galaxy Quest" scribes David Howard and Robert Gordon; a sequel to "Constantine," with Goldsman and Erwin Stoff producing; two concurrent Green Arrow projects, an origin story and a prison-set one titled "Super Max"; and "Shazam," which was set up at New Line but has moved to Warners, with Pete Segal attached to direct.

Unsung in the lineup is Warners' line of straight-to-DVD animated movies released via Warner Premiere. "Green Lantern: First Flight," the latest entry, will premiere at this week's Comic-Con and has a July 28 street date.

These movies, produced on budgets in the $3.5 million range, apparently overperformed their targets. "First Flight" is the fifth straight-to-DVD title, with "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" in production for a Sept. 29 release.

In the home entertainmentarena, DC has overshadowed Marvel, with 2007's "Superman-Doomsday" generating $9.4 million in revenue and last year's "Batman: Gotham Knight," taking advantage of the tidal wave of support for the Christopher Nolan movie, generating $8 million, according to tracking site The-Numbers.com. "Wonder Woman," released in March, already has chalked up $4.4 million. Marvel's top seller, "Ultimate Avengers 2," has pulled in $7.7 million.

Not that all the stars in the DC firmament are aligned yet.

Warners and DC still haven't figured out how to translate "Wonder Woman" to the big screen. In part, that failure reflects the difficulties DC has had turning out a popular Wonder Women comic. Morrison, during a recent Q&A with Clive Barker at Los Angeles' Meltdown Comics, admitted he didn't have a complete handle on the character when he was writing the comic "Final Crisis."

Also, ever since Bryan Singer's 2006's "Superman Returns," a new Superman has been in limbo.

"Our hope is to develop a Superman property and to try again," Warner Bros. Entertainment president Alan Horn said in April. "What hurt us is that the reviews and so on for the Superman movie did not get the kind of critical acclaim that Batman got, and we have other issues with Superman that concern us."

On the Batman front, a sequel to "Dark Knight" also is quite a way off. Nolan is open to doing a third installment, but his next movie is "Inception," an original script he penned and is shooting for Warners.

All that has put a damper on any movie about the Justice League, whose roster includes the above-mentioned heroes as well as myriad others including Aquaman and the Martian Manhunter. DC would like to present some of the main heroes in their own movies before they are brought together for one big outing, so "League" currently is inactive.

On top of that, there could be another change in how Warners approaches the DC characters, with studio chiefs debating whether to put the operation under one super-exec.

To bring the next generation of superheroes to the screen, DC and Warners might yet have to unleash their own super powers.

Link

I personally couldn't be happier. With Jonah Hex, The Losers, & Green Lantern already in the works, I think a lot of these could get made.
 

DocWhiskey

Well-known member
Can't wait for Jonah Hex and Green Lantern. I also heard they were working on a script for Constantine 2. Even though that film pooped on the source material I still loved it.
 
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