In this edition of The Week in Spandex, we look at Justice League, Batman, Suicide Squad, The Flash, Booster Gold, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Black Lightning, Gotham, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America: Civil War, Agents of S.H.I.E.LD., Luke Cage, Legion, X-Men: Apocalypse and more…
We’ll start things off this week in the DC Extended Universe, seeing as new DC Films co-chief Geoff Johns has spoken for the first time about “course-correcting” the DCEU: “In the past, I think the studio has said, ‘Oh, DC films are gritty and dark and that’s what makes them different,” said Johns. “That couldn’t be more wrong. It’s a hopeful and optimistic view of life. Even Batman has a glimmer of that in him. If he didn’t think he’d make tomorrow better, he’d stop. We’re trying to take a really hard look at everything to make sure we stay true to the characters and tell stories that celebrate them.” Johns’ DC Films partner Jon Berg went on to reveal that the fan reaction to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice led them to “accelerate the [Justice League] story to get to the hope and optimism a little faster”, as well as stating that Zack Snyder’s next DC offering will “directly address Batman’s extreme actions in [Batman v Superman], such as torturing criminals and nearly killing the Man of Steel, rather than accept them as par for the course…”
…Johns also spoke about the recent Deathstroke reveal from Ben Affleck, announcing that True Blood star Joe Manganiello has secured the role of Slade Wilson, and was actually in the costume in the test footage shared by Affleck. Deathstroke is now confirmed for the Affleck-directed Batman solo movie, although Johns would neither confirm or deny whether we’ll also be seeing the masked mercenary in Justice League…
…While we’re on the subject of Justice League, J.K. Simmons has revealed that he’s finished up his scenes as Commissioner Gordon, and also offered up a few details on the characters he’ll be interacting with, as well as some praise for director Zack Snyder: “My part is done. They are filming that for basically most of 2016, so some of the superheroes are still at work in jolly old London, but I’m back home with my family. [I interact] mostly with Ben. In this first installment of the Justice League, Commissioner Gordon is not a particularly sizable part. We just kind of introduce him and see a little bit of his interactions with Batman — and with most of the Justice League. That was a really fun set. Zack [Snyder] runs sort of a big, happy family and it’s obviously, in many ways, a very different work environment when you’re working on a big, giant movie like that than a relatively small movie like The Meddler. But at the end of the day, the director is the one who sets the tone. And one of the things that Zack and [The Meddler director] Lorene Scafaria have in common is they’re just nice, smart, competent, fun people that you don’t mind spending a 12-hour day with…”
…Despite having lost top spot at the box office, Suicide Squad celebrated a milestone this past week as it surpassed the global haul of Man of Steel ($668 million) and has pulled in a total of $679.8 million by close of play on Thursday. It is still close to $200 million away from Batman v Superman, but it’s certainly a solid performance from the worst heroes ever, especially given that it was denied a release in China…
…Shia LaBeouf has revealed that his Fury director David Ayer wanted to cast him in Suicide Squad in the role of GQ Edwards (played by Scott Eastwood in the final film), but Warner Bros. vetoed the idea, thinking he was too “crazy”: “The character was different initially,” said LaBeouf. “Then Will [Smith] came in, and the script changed a bit. That character and Tom [Hardy’s] character [later played by Joel Kinnaman] got written down to build Will up. I don’t think Warner Bros. wanted me. I went in to meet, and they were like, ‘Nah, you’re crazy. You’re a good actor, but not this one.’ It was a big investment for them…”
…Following the casting of Dope star Kiersey Clemons as Iris West last month, it has now been reported that Billy Crudup (Watchmen) is in talks to join the cast of Rick Famuyima’s The Flash in the role of Henry Allen, father to Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen…
…If you were hoping to see Booster Gold sharing the screen with the Justice League, you may be out of luck as Greg Berlanti has revealed that: “As of right now we have no connective tissue to those worlds. [The Booster Gold movie would] be a separate thing.” Meanwhile, be sure to check out Anghus Houvouras’ op-ed ‘Why Zac Efron should play Booster Gold’, which you can read here…
…Looking back in the DCEU, and Batman v Superman production designer Patrick Tatopoulos has shared some concept art of The Dark Knight [see here], while Gal Gadot also posted a behind-the-scenes image of Wonder Woman battling Mo-Cap Man Doomsday from the film’s climactic battle [see here]…
…Batman v Superman has had its critics, and we can now add Mel Gibson to that list, with the Hacksaw Ridge director describing it as “a piece of shit” during his latest tirade: ““I look at them and scratch my head,” said Gibson when asked about the current state of Hollywood blockbusters. ” I’m really baffled by it. I think there’s a lot of waste but maybe if I did one of those things with the green screens I’d find out different. I don’t know. Maybe they do cost that much. I don’t know. It seems to me that you could do it for less. If you’re spending outrageous amounts of money, $180 million or more, I don’t know how you make it back after the tax man gets you, and after you give half to the exhibitors. What did they spend on Batman v Superman that they’re admitting to? And it’s a piece of shit. I’m not interested in the stuff. Do you know what the difference between real superheroes and comic book superheroes is? Real superheroes didn’t wear spandex. So I don’t know. Spandex must cost a lot…”
…Despite being pretty vocal when Grant Gustin was overlooked for the role of The Flash in the DC Extended Universe, Arrow star Stephen Amell has said that he “would not be upset” if Oliver Queen is recast on the big screen: “I just thought the timing [of The Flash film casting] was less than appropriate. I do not have a right to Oliver Queen. Someone played it before me, someone voiced it before me, somebody will play him after me. I don’t believe there are plans for Oliver Queen in the DCEU, based on things people have told me, but I would not be upset if that changed at all.” Click here to read the rest of Amell’s comments, including his response to the rumours that Warner Bros and DC put the block on Suicide Squad characters appearing in Arrow so as not to conflict with the feature film…
…Some set photos have arrived online this week giving us our first glimpse of the new-look Team Arrow in full costume, with Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and Diggle (David Ramsey) joined by Mister Terrific (Echo Kellum), Wild Dog (Rick Gonzalez) and Artemis (Madison McLaughlin); check them out here…
…There’s now less than a month to go before The Flash returns for its third season, and The CW has released a new extended promo entitled ‘Time Strikes Back’, which you can watch here…
…Season two of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow also kicks off next month, and the network released a batch of images from the premiere episode ‘Out of Time’, which features a guest appearance from Stephen Amell’s Oliver Queen; check them out here…
…With Supergirl set to introduce the Man of Steel in its upcoming season two premiere, producer Andrew Kreisberg has revealed that Warner Bros. and DC took little convincing to allow them to use the Man of Steel: “I think people would love to hear that we had to promise our children and there was a blood rite, and a goat was sacrificed, but the truth is we’re all partners, and we all want what’s best and so it really wasn’t a tough sell. We had our plan, and we presented it to Warner Bros. and to DC and they were totally supportive of it. It was more once they actually said yes, it was like, ‘Oh crap, now we have to do Superman!’ We have to find the right actor, and we have to write the best scripts. We have to make the suit. That was the stuff that gave us [headaches]. Actually pulling it off. But behind the scenes, everybody at Warner Bros. and DC and the CW, we’re all growing in the same direction
…Last week it was revealed that DC TV regular Greg Berlanti has been developing a Black Lightning series with Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil (The Game), and now comes word that Fox has given a production commitment to a pilot episode for the new project. Should it get picked up to series, it will join the network’s other two DC shows – Gotham and Lucifer – as well as a potential X-Men TV series…
…Fox has Gotham returning for its third season – dubbed ‘Mad City’ – a week on Monday, and the network has released three new character promos this week entitled ‘James Gordon Does What He Wants’, ‘Oswald Cobbleplot Makes His Mark’ and ‘Who is Harvey Bullock?’…
…Following the long-awaited animated adaptation of Batman: The Killing Joke, voice actors Kevin Conroy (Batman) and Mark Hamill (The Joker) appeared at Fan Expo in Canada this past week, during which they were asked which future animated movies they’d like to see. Teasing fans, Conroy turned to Hamill and said, “What do you think about doing Hush?”, with Hamill then responding, “What do you think about doing A Death in the Family…”
…U.S. fans will get the opportunity to see The Dark Knight back on the big screen for the fourth time this year in October, with Fathom Events hosting a special one night only theatrical release for the animated movie Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders, which features the voice talents of Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin) and Julie Newmar (Catwoman). The screenings will take place on October 10th ahead of the film’s Digital HD release on October 11th…
…Click below to continue on for Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America: Civil War, Agents of S.H.I.E.LD., Luke Cage, Legion, X-Men: Apocalypse and more…
