With news that Warner Bros. is pushing for their DC Comics film properties to be their next major franchise to replace Harry Potter, we can expect to hear a lot more in the near future about our favorite DC superheroes making their way to the big screen. It’s already begun with Green Lantern starting production this week (check out the set photos) and news that director Christopher Nolan and David Goyer working on both Batman 3 and the Superman reboot.

Steve Weintraub at Collider had the chance to talk to Greg Berlanti at the red carpet for ShoWest yesterday where the young director was promoting his upcoming Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl starrer, Life as We Know It. In the brief interview, they touched on what we’re really excited about; Green Lantern and The Flash. Berlanti both co-wrote the script for Green Lantern and is a producer for the big budget 3D epic. Interestingly, Berlanti is also rumored as being looked at to direct The Flash and these are the topics that pop up in the interview.

After a minute or so of discussing Berlanti’s current project, Weintraub brought up the rumor of his name popping up as a possible director candidate for The Flash and you can see from the video, his side-stepping of the question and bringing the conversation back to his current project, Life as We Know It, and a television pilot he’s working on for ABC. You can watch the video interview here and take from it what you will but I don’t doubt they’re talking with him about the project since they loved his work on Green Lantern.

What we’ve heard from the WB/DC camp in recent weeks is very exciting, especially with Green Lantern officially starting principal photography which is set to kickstart the big push for DC Comics spawning a live-action feature film franchise, comparable in scope to that of Marvel Studios’ plans with Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and their team-up epic, The Avengers.

Hopefully with Nolan’s involvement in Superman (hoping this means it ties in some way to Batman 3) and the hint of much more coming from DC from Warner Bros. Entertainment President Alan Horn at ShoWest, this will all lead to their own team-up film, Justice League. When asked about possible cameo apperances in Green Lantern, Berlanti said early drafts of the script included stuff like that – no doubt referring to the long-rumored Clark Kent/Superman cameo – but does say there will be some surprises in there for the fans and that Warner Bros. is very interested in this sort of thing now, more than ever.

Greg Berlanti

In the interview, Berlanti also reveals that he grew up a comic book fan and spent a lot of time in Hollywood trying to get a gig writing for a comic book movie and Green Lantern was the one he found. Not that it is a requirement by any means to be a fan of the comics beforehand to work on such a project, but I always like the idea that the creative minds behind such a large-scale and important adaptation is being worked on by folks who are as passionate and knowledgeable about the subject and characters as I am. Needless to say, not much research was required for him to jump right into writing the project.

The one other quick topic they touch on in the discussion is that of the new trend in 3D filmmaking. Bertlanti says he prefers shooting in 3D as opposed to doing it post (like Warner Bros. recently did with Clash of the Titans) and since we know that nearly all Warner Bros. tentpole movies going forward will be in 3D, we can assume that if the Berlanti gets the gig helming The Flash that it’ll be shot in 3D as opposed to the lesser-quality tacked-on effect in the post-production process. We still don’t know which way they’re going with Green Lantern but I expect it’s the cheaper, quicker method they used with Clash of the Titans.

The Green Lantern cast stars Ryan Reynolds as the title character, Blake Lively as his love interest, Peter Sarsgaard as the villain Dr. Hector Hammond, Tim Robbins as the villain’s father, Senator Hammond, Mark Strong as Sinestro, Taika Cohen and Temuera Morrison.

Does Berlanti fit the bill to direct The Flash? Thoughts on all of these DC Comics-based films coming 3D?

I suppose the next big question becomes, “Who’s should play The Flash?”

Green Lantern is directed by Martin Campbell and opens June 17, 2011.

Share your thoughts in the comments and with us on Twitter @ScreenRant and @rob_keyes.

Source: Collider

It looks like comic book fans have some stake in the Harry Potter franchise after all. Warner Bros. Entertainment President Alan Horn made a tiny little comment at ShoWest that’s got people in full Montgomery Burns mode (Excellent!). With four DC Comics films in the rear view mirror and at least five on the way, the snippet reported by /Film would seem obvious, but means a whole lot more coming from Horn.

“As we ease out of Harry Potter, we hope to bring you the excitement of the DC [Comics] Library.”

There you have it. Their little magician is all grown-up and it’s time to show him the door. Frankly, I’m surprised they don’t just come up with their own stories, considering WB is all out of books to adapt. Don’t be surprised if it happens sooner or later.

Regardless, this is an exciting time as I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all four DC films by WB. Yes, even Superman Returns. It’s no secret Christopher Nolan’s Batman franchise has redefined the comic book movie culture and without him we may not have daily news to report. As for Watchmen, it wasn’t a box office behemoth, but most who saw it thoroughly enjoyed it. So, let’s dissect the DC movie slate a bit and see what is coming up and what may be on the distant horizon.

2010:

Jonah Hex - Opening June 18th, this film will probably catch people off guard. He isn’t the most well-known character, but boy does it sound awesome. The synopsis reads “In the Wild West, a scarred bounty hunter (Josh Brolin) tracks a voodoo practitioner (John Malkovich) bent on liberating the South by raising an army of the undead.”

2011:

Green Lantern- Production began just this week and set photos are already out showing Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan. I’ve always been a big Ryan Reynolds fan, especially in the right role (Van Wilder, Waiting, Smokin’ Aces, marrying Scarlett Johansson). It was only a matter of time before he played a superhero (Blade 3 doesn’t count- nothing super about that). Why else would he take his shirt off so much? This adaptation of Green Lantern has big names all over it and should be a huge draw next year.

In Development:

The Flash - Probably the most beloved character in DC Universe that has not graced the big screen, The Flash is a definite future project. Rumors of potential directors have surfaced, but it has all been a guessing game. Nobody really knows what Warner Bros. has in store for the character, but check out our in-depth look at the possibilities. With this latest director rumor circling, you can expect more Flash news coming up, at least this summer at the San Diego Comic-Con.

Batman 3 - Christopher Nolan has been circling this project like a hawk, waiting for the right time to strike. The man is notoriously picky with his words, and has yet to officially announce himself as the director. We can assume it will all work out, as he’s got his brother penning a script. The core of creators that took the embarrassed superhero’s reputation and generated the best adaptation of any comic character ever, may be waiting for the right time to reveal their progress: San Diego Comic-Con?

Superman: Man of Steel – The world is calling for another reboot of the franchise, only giving the latest one film to prove itself. I actually liked the direction Singer was going in, but I understand the gripes. With David Goyer writing the latest rendition, there is hope for a darker, meaner Superman. Not to mention Christopher Nolan’s involvement. As long as they get away from Lex Luthor for once, the Man of Steel will have a chance to wow audiences and be something new.

Lobo - Some news surfaced a year ago about this sadistic character being put on film. It would sure make for one dark movie, but it’s not a character that has won over many fans. Nothing has come of this, but considering the push now, there is a distinct possibility of further news.

Deadman - Guillermo del Toro came out and announced he would be spearheading this story in a fashion similar to Crow. Considering the story is about a trapeze artist who is murdered and embodies others as a ghost to exact revenge, it may get dark and there isn’t much of a base audience, but that’s WB’s job, right?

Continue for DC/WB Movies waiting in the wings…

Rumor Patrol is still on the case of these DC/Warner Bros. movies!

My fingers are getting worn out from typing (updating and re-updating) every new rumor that pops up on the DC movie front. I started the week innocently writing about how the Superman reboot should be done – and lo and behold this whole deal about The Dark Knight team – David Goyer, Chris and Jonathan Nolan - handling the Superman reboot hits the fan!

While the facts about Man of Steel were still being sorted out, another rumor drops that DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. are eyeing a director for The Flash! Remember when it was all so simple a month ago? Batman 3 and Green Lantern were the only two DC Comics movies we had to worry about – now a whole DC movie universe seems to be springing up around us…

Our friends over at IESB have plotted the course of this new DC Universe and may have charted its final destination: that long-stalled Justice League movie that so many people would love to see. But who would helm such a monster project? Why, Chris Nolan of course!

And if the Nolan/DC dynasty wasn’t big enough already, add to the rumor pile this claim that Chris Nolan is consulting on the Superman reboot primarily because his oversight will make DCE/WB feel more comfortable about putting his brother (Batman Begins and Dark Knight co-writer) Jonathan Nolan in the director’s chair of Man of Steel. Jonathan Nolan has collaborated with this brother on just about every project with Chris’ name on it (co-writing a lot of it), so you know that skill is there.

Now, IESB is real quick to point out that this Nolan/Justice League rumor is but one of many that our old buddy, former Screen Rant writer Jamie Williams, is hearing as of late. Jamie wisely states that while he might hear a lot of things, he can’t (and shouldn’t) go running around spouting every one. That would be so second grade.

So why is this particular rumor coming at us now? Well, in a week where the improbable has become the likely, no rumor is really too crazy – especially one that involves DCE/WB tucking more and more of their cinematic universe safely under the wing of people like Goyer and the Nolans – the same guys who have brought big $miles to both comic book movie  suits and fans alike over the last few years.

Do I really have to say it? Of course it would be awesome to have Chris Nolan directing Justice League – but that happening entails a lot of good fortune (no pun) including Nolan himself being able to navigate the politics and headaches of getting both Batman 3 and Man of Steel up on the big screen, without tiring of the genre or wanting to take a departure to vent some creative juice on his own projects, such as this summer’s Inception (because this guy does like to be fresh and original, remember).

Not saying it can or even won’t happen, just saying we all better say a prayer to the fanboy gods that it does!

“Some rum for you, Joboo…”

Source: Jamie “Film Nerd” Williams @ IESB

For a few days now, Collider has been sharing a the knowledge they gained from a lengthy talk with producer Dan Lin (Sherlock Holmes, Terminator Salvation). We recently posted a snippet of Lin talking about Terminator Salvation’s ending, and today we’re going to follow the conversation into the subject of DC/WB’s slate of upcoming superhero movies, including  Justice League, which has been stopping and going and stopping again for a few years now.

The word from Lin: Justice League is still on hold. However, it may not stay that way for too long – just one of many things we should hear more about in early 2010, as we now have further confirmation that DC/WB will be unveiling their superhero movie plans to the masses!

If you think back a year or two ago (can people still remember things that far back?), you’ll recall that DC/WB had a plan to do a Justice League movie first, and then use that group movie as a springboard for individual films featuring their second-tier characters (Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkman, Wonder Woman…).

However, with the formation of DC Entertainment, the original game plan has apparently been altered and DCE/WB will now be following the Marvel blueprint. According to Lin, “it seems like they’re (Warner Bros.) building to Justice League instead of going with the team movie first and doing individual movies after that.”

Now, yesterday we heard some wild RUMORS surface about the possibility of a Hawkman movie going into the pipeline. Those same sources assured us that this rumor would be cemented as fact early in 2010, as DCE/WB was going to be making some ‘major announcements’ regarding their superhero properties. I can’t confirm the first part of that rumor (the Hawkman movie), but, according to Lin, “they’re [WB] unveiling their DC strategy in January.”

For more on Dan Lin talking about possible DC/WB projects, go HERE.

So, between what Lin has said and the rumors circling the water cooler, it seems as though we’ll know much more about the fate of the Justice League movie (and many other DC superhero movies that we’ve been anticipating) sometime early next year. Until then, let’s bust open the comment section for discussion:

What DC Superhero movies would you like to see first and foremost? And how should they approach a Justice League movie?

Source: Collider

Back when I reviewed DC Universe’s most excellent Superman/Batman: Public Enemies animated feature, my exploration of the special features uncovered a sneak preview of the next offering from DCE’s animated division, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. Taken from DC’s famous “Crisis” canon of stories, the new direct-to-DVD/Blu-ray will focus on our favorite superhero team’s perilous adventure to an alternate Earth.

Well, now an official trailer for Crisis on Two Earths has hit the web, and courtesy of IGN we have to share.

In Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, Superman (Mark Harmon), Batman (William Baldwin), Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash and Martian Manhunter are contacted by Lex Luthor (Chris North) – only this isn’t the Lex we all know and hate, but rather a Luthor from an alternate universe where the evil genius is actually a superhero and the world has been conquered by a team of super beings much like the Leaguers themselves. With no heroes left to defend his world, alterno-Lex recruits the Justice League to come to his aid.

Take a look at the trailer for Crisis on Two Earths:

Looks like another fine entry in the DC Universe Canon. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths will be overseen by animation guru Bruce Timm, while fellow DC Animation vets Lauren Montgomery ((Wonder Woman, Green Lantern: First Flight) and Sam Liu (Superman/Batman) will co-helm. The movie will be available on DVD/Blu-ray in Spring of 2010.

Oh, and yes, that’s James Woods you heard in the trailer – he plays the alterno-version of Batman, Owlman.

What did you think of the trailer?

Source: IGN

Yesterday we found out that Warner Bros. has created DC Entertainment Inc. (DCE) to better expand the DC Comics into a multimedia brand of steel . Now comes the inevitable question of “What’s the game plan?”

MTV Splash Page posted a nice piece declaring which DC properties should be put on fast-track under the DCE banner, and this being Friday and all, I thought I’d once again do a little call-and-response on the topic (I now consider Splash Page’s Josh Wigler to be something of a pen-pal).

So in response to the call, here’s my take on the DC Entertainment venture and what paths it should be considering… BIGGER PICTURE BUSINESS

DC Entertainment Inc. President Diane Nelson has already been grilled by the press and thick-skinned exec has been pretty forthright with her opinions. As she told The Wrap earlier this week:

“…I’m the first one to admit, I’m not by my nature a comic fan. It’s not what I’m bringing to the party. We have so many experts who will remain the cornerstone of DC Entertainment. What I bring to the party is a skill at moving properties and brands through Time Warner as a company… additionally it will be about how invested our content distribution is in the DC library.  If our businesses feel that they have greater access and enthusiasm for new characters to incubate.”

Now some people are going to read that quote and worry that Time Warner is going to “corporatize” (read: taint) their favorite DC properties. I’m going to keep in mind that Nelson is the same lady who helped transform Harry Potter from a lucrative book franchise into a multimedia/merchandising empire, loved by both Potter devotees and newcomers who just know the films. Nelson understands how to take what is at the resonating core of a character and/or story and fit it into the bigger profit picture.

For DC Superheroes, I suspect Nelson aims to give us more Dark Knight quality films and Arkham Asylum video games (read: ventures which transform the core appeal of the properties into commercial appeal), and fewer Catwoman disasters (read: failed ventures that tarnish both the core and commercial viability of the properties). And I see no reason at this point why she’d fail at the task.

DOING THINGS THE MARVEL WAY

No, I don’t want DC Entertainment to try to be the second coming of Marvel Studios, however, the latter did set an interesting precedent by linking all their Avengers related films – Captain America, Iron Man, Thor – in one shared continuity, complete with cinematic cameo crossovers.

Should Christopher Nolan’s Batman universe be disrupted for the sake of a Superman cameo? No. Should The Green Lantern maybe feature an appearance from Supes or (better yet) The Flash? Absolutely. And what would be the reasoning behind doing so? Remember a little project called Justice League that DC/WB tried and failed and failed and failed to get off the ground awhile back? If you want to expand your brand, getting your heroes onscreen together where everybody can revel in them is a great way to do it.

Click to continue reading about how DC Entertainment can expand its brand…

After the Disney/Marvel merger DC Comics and longtime-partner Warner Bros. had to be shaking in their boots. “The House of the Mouse” is already looking like a force that few will likely be able to reckon with.

Well, in an effort to become one of those few forces able to take on Disney/Marvel, Nikke Finke reports that Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. has launched a new division, DC Entertainment Inc., in order to better expand the DC Brand.

Marvel fanboys have already been having heart palpitations wondering what the fate of their favorite characters will be in the hands of Disney. Now DC fans can officially share in that anxiety.

Diane Nelson will be the lady in charge of DC Entertainment Inc., as announced yesterday by Warner Bros. CEO Barry Meyer, and COO, Alan Horn. The mission statement of DC Entertainment Inc. will be to “strategically integrate the DC Comics business, brand and characters deeply into Warner Bros. Entertainment and all its content and distribution businesses.” Basically that constitutes Warner Bros. taking a more hands-on approach to developing DC Comic properties into successful film and TV franchises, interactive and new platform media, etc. In the midst of all this, DC Comics will remain as is for the most part, serving as the creative cornerstone of DC Entertainment Inc.

Of course this new structure means that DC’s comic book division has officially become a limb on a much larger body. As a result, Paul Levitz, President & Publisher of DC Comics since 2002, will vacate his exec post and return to a writing position, lending his three decades of experience to the “new DC” as a contributing editor and consultant.

Said Levitz:

“After so many roles at DC, it’s exciting to look forward to focusing on my writing and being able to remain a part of the company I love as it grows into its next stage. It’s a new golden age for comics and DC’s great characters, and I hope my new position will allow me to contribute to that magic time.”

Diane Nelson (Click Image for Source)

Nelson is leaving her post as President of Warner Premiere to take on the DC Entertainment job. If you’re wondering about her qualifications and experience: in her two decades working in creative brand management, strategic marketing and content development and production, Nelson has most notably had a big hand in adapting and managing the Harry Potter franchise for WB. Taking J.K. Rowling’s beloved novels and turning them into a juggernaut (read: cash cow) movie franchise is no small accomplishment; IMO, it demonstrates that Nelson understands how to maintain the balance between being true to source material, while making the needed changes to create successful multimedia ventures – an area where DC has admittedly had some trouble (See: Superman Returns).

Said Nelson:

“The founding of DC Entertainment fully recognizes our desire to provide both the DC properties and fans the type of content that is only possible through a concerted cross-company, multi-platform effort…DC Entertainment will help us to formally take the great working relationships between DC Comics and various Warner Bros. businesses to the next level in order to maximize every opportunity to bring DC’s unrivalled collection of titles and characters to life.”

For a great in-depth explanation of all this (with more quotes from the players involved) head on over to Deadline Hollywood.

Personally, I’m not at all upset (or surprised, really) about any of this. For better or worse, comic book fans, these are chicks we raised that are coming home to roost. We were the ones who pushed for so long to see our favorite heroes grace the big and small screens; our money fed the box office and gave rise to the “Era of Geek-Chic.” And in that proud era, our favorite comic books and superheroes have had their market value shoot WAY up – they are now worldwide icons and potential cash cows. When you think about it like that, it’s only logical that the big dawgs have come a barkin’ and comic book publishers have had to answer the call by stepping up into the corporate big leagues.

But will the source material – our beloved comic books – survive and flourish under these bright neon corporate banners, or whither and be forever tainted? As the zen master says “We shall see…”

What do you think about the creation of DC Entertainment Inc.? Will it be a good way for DC to catch up to Marvel in the multimedia market, or are you DC fans worrying that this is the end of the age of innocence for your beloved universe?

(And be sure to check our list of tags below to know which DC/WB movies are currently in the pipeline . Will this re-structuring affect them too?)

Source: Deadline Hollywood

With all the hype surrounding Watchmen, and all the internet chatter about  DC Comics’ uncertain cinematic future, I found myself wondering: Why hasn’t DC had as much success at the box office as rival company Marvel?

In an attempt to answer that very question I came up with this comprehensive guide to how DC Comics SHOULD be making movies.

This week, writer/director Joss Whedon (Dollhouse, Firefly) spoke up about why he believes DC Comics has had a hard time making the transition to the big screen. According to Whedon, Batman has been a cinematic cash cow in the last few years primarily because The Caped Crusader is one of the only heroes out of the DC stable who’s whole reason for being a “hero” is an all too human anguish that makes him easily relatable to the average person.

I get what Whedon is saying on that front: I’ve always maintained that Superman Returns flopped in large part because the film was this grand meditation on why Superman is better than the average person–not just because of his god-like powers, but rather the moral strength of his character. In this day and age what moviegoer wants to pay money to see a film where they’re being told that some Superman is better than them? If Superman Unleashed hopes to revitalize the struggling franchise, I hope the filmmakers are out there right now scouring comic shops and compiling the most celebrated Superman stories they can get their hands on.

Marvel on the other hand, has always had the luxury of building their movie franchises on the backs of characters that Stan Lee purposefully created as allegories for the experiences of the common man, so that the common man would better be able to relate to them. Peter Parker is the geek who never gets the girl; X-Men are minorities who face discrimination and prejudice at every turn, etc… etc… We relate to these characters because they’ve been fashioned for us to do so. It’s easier for a fanboy to believe he can be Spider-Man than Superman; therefore it’s easier for the moviegoer who doesn’t read comics to believe the same.

However, I do think Whedon’s comments overlook an important point. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight were big $uccesses at the box office (IMHO) because the filmmakers drew their screenplays from some of the most celebrated Batman lore that is currently in print. Batman Begins borrowed heavily from Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s now-classic reimagining of The Caped Crusader’s origins, Batman: Year One. The Dark Knight’s intricately woven crime-saga was built off the comic book bones of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s noir-epic, The Long Halloween, while Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning performance as The Joker borrowed from the more dark and modern renderings of The Clown Prince of Crime such as Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s The Killing Joke.

And for those who’ve been paying close attention, DC/Warner Bros.’ next big venture, Green Lantern, has generated positive early buzz primarily because the script for the film will reportedly adhere closely to “Emerald Dawn,” one of the most famous GL stories ever told.

Do you see the pattern here?

The powers that be over at DC/Warner Bros. need to start thinking not only of which DC characters deserve a box office run, but also which famous DC Comics stories need to be told. To phrase this another way: DC, let Marvel worry about the character stuff; you worry about the many, many celebrated storylines you have at your disposal.

Watchmen is a perfect example of what I’m talking about. It’s one of the most famous Comic book stories ever told under the DC banner–now it’s poised to be one of the biggest movies of 2009. Watchmen has endured not because of people’s fascination with the particular characters (aside from maybe Rorschach), but rather because of the impact of the story as a whole. Name me one Marvel storyline (storyline, not character) that has had THAT kind of social impact.

So what other famous stories does DC have to tell? Obviously there is Frank Miller’s iconic vision of Batman’s future, The Dark Knight Returns–a subject which resurfaced once again this week, in an interview First Showing conducted with Watchmen director Zack Snyder. (Snyder would still like to tackle the project, but there’s no guarantee yet that he will. Maybe Watchmen will change that if it does well enough at the box office.)

DC/Vertigo’s The Losers is on track to becoming a feature film. The comic had only a small cult following, but many of those that read it have had good things to say about it. We’ll see how the film turns out.

If I ruled Hollywood (and I aim to), I would love to see the early Preacher storylines compiled into a film (I’m talking the “Gone To Texas” and “Until The End of Time” storylines). There’s also Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s Batman: Hush, or Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All Star Superman–arguably one of the best Superman stories I’ve read in the last decade. Another safe bet would be ANY of the stories Grant Morrison told during his run on Justice League, should a JL movie ever crawl its way out of the grave.

Of course I’m just scratching the surface here. There are many, many, great DC Comics storylines that I’m totally blanking on at this moment. But then, that’s why I have you my wonderful, knowledgeable, readers. What DC Comics Storylines do you think DC/Warner should be adapting for the big screen? Hit us back and let us know.

Sources: Slash Film & First Showing

When probed about Supermax and Justice League, Goyer had this to say.

“A lot of the DC movies at Warner Brothers are all on hold while they figure out, they’re going to come up with some new plan, methodology, things like that so everything has just been pressed pause at the moment.”

Including the two movies mentioned, Superman and Green Lantern would also be on hold. With an across the board freeze, Warner Bros. may be looking to create a cohesive DC Universe.

The follow-up question asked whether or not this was attributed to the success of The Dark Knight and Goyer continued.

“It was the double header of both ‘Iron Man’ and ‘The Dark Knight’ coming out, so more than ever I think they’ve realized, I think DC was responsible for 15% of Warner Brother’s revenue this year, something crazy like that, so they realized that comic books, it’s become a new genre, one of the most successful genres.”

Because Goyer mentions Iron Man, when he could’ve easily just agreed, Screen Rant is led to believe this decision has something to do with what Marvel has built. Perhaps this new “methodology” means tying the films together, much like the other comic publisher has been able to do.

Although Christopher Nolan has been adamant against other costumed heroes existing in Batman’s Universe, perhaps something has changed. The revealed plan of Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America that eventually leads to an Avergers‘ movie could be mirrored in the same fashion to bring about a movie for the Justice League. If Nolan were included–or dare I say, heading–the new plan, DC could create a stronger foundation than what Marvel has already started.

When porting over comic book characters, DC comics has also had a considerable advantage over Marvel. Because all the DC characters are owned solely by Warner Bros., The WB has complete control of integration between characters and a free range of when to use them. Green Lantern and Superman can easily cameo in each other’s individual films and Wonder Woman can create a presence in another property before leading in her own feature. Whatever this “new plan” or “methodology” is, Warner Bros. could turn its DC property into a cash cow and avoid their recent fiancial problems. So long as their films are on par with The Dark Knight, the 15% of revenue that DC provides could be more than a rare occurrence.

Goyer did not answer the next question about Batman. When asked “so when do you guys start writing the third,” he replied “can’t say.”

Is Warner Bros. taking a holistic approach to the DC Universe?

Source: IESB

Following the financial and critical success of The Dark Knight Warner Bros. has realized that they are sitting on a gold mine – not only from box office receipts, but also from DVD, television, video games and other sources of revenue.

Last month the company held a strategy meeting in an attempt to figure out what was needed in order for them to match Marvel Comics in the comic book movie stakes, and it would appear that they have finally come up with a plan.

Variety spoke with Warner Bros head honchos Jeff Robinov and Alan Horn who touched on topics such as the sequel to The Dark Knight (and director Chris Nolan’s involvement), the development of DC Characters movies and the chances of there ever being a Justice League movie.

It looks like the company is about to go to town on their stable of iconic characters that includes: Batman, Superman, The Flash, The Green Lantern, Aquaman and Wonder Woman.

Warner Bros chief Alan Horn said that Warner and DC were committed to turning:

“the properties into viable movie product in an intelligent way so that we introduce them like planes on a runway. They have to be set up the right way and lined up the right way and all take off one at a time and fly safe and fly straight.”

With regards to Justice League, Jeff Robinov as good as admitted that the studio almost made a terrible mistake.  Robinov said:

“We’re not off the notion of a Justice League. There’s a massive interest and knowledge in the comicbook industry and it takes time to sort of catch up and understand the characters and the history, where they’ve intersected with each other and what their worlds are. That’s part of the education that we’re going through.”

There’s a lot of B.S. that flies around Hollywood, but it’s good to see somebody own up to making a mistake – or as close to owning up as you can in the City of Angels.

That said the studio isn’t totally off the idea of the multi-character superhero film.  Gregory Noveck senior VP of creative affairs for DC Comics stated:

“These are big, iconic characters. So when you make them into a movie, you’d better be shooting for a pretty high standard. You’re not always going to reach it, but you have to be shooting for it. We’re going to make a Justice League movie, whether it’s now or 10 years from now. But we’re not going to do it and Warners is not going to do it until we know it’s right.”

With regards to the sequel to The Dark Knight, there is a deal with Christopher Nolan –  if he is interested, but Horn says: We have no idea where Chris is going with this. We haven’t had any conversations with him about it.”

I find it very hard to believe that in the month since The Dark Knight has opened and broken all sorts of box office records that the studio has not started talking to the brains behind the film. You can bet that Warner Bros. wants to get into the Nolan-Batman business but it sounds to me like Nolan is playing a bit of hard ball (echoes of the Marvel/Iron Man/Jon Favereau situation). If he does decide to do the film (and I’m pretty sure that he will) Warner Bros will be bankrolling some of his passion projects for the next few years.

There will be more announcements next month with regards to Warner and DC’s plans, but it looks like the studio has finally decided to fight back on the comic book movie front. It would appear that Marvel will finally be getting some serious competition for the superhero limelight.

Source: Variety

The guys over at Slash Film were reviewing the latest issue of Production Weekly and came across an interesting bit of news: the previously rumored Green Lantern movie seems to have been given an official green light, and is on the fast-track to light up screens in theater near you.

Here are the official production notes from Production Weekly:

STATUS – Development
PRODUCER: Donald De Line – Andrew Haas WRITER: Greg Berlanti – Marc Guggenheim – Michael J Green
DC COMICS 1700 Broadway New York, NY 10019
WARNER BROS. PICTURES 4000 Warner Blvd. Burbank, CA 91522-0001

That info seems pretty legit, considering that Berlanti, Guggenheim and Green were the same writers rumored to be attached to the project last year, with Berlanti (Dirty, Sexy Money, Eli Stone) rumored to also be directing. No official word yet on whether or not he will still be at that helm.

For those with a good memory, rapper/pretty good actor Common was rumored to be the bearer of the green ring for the now defunct Justice League movie; so does that mean Common will get the chance to star in a GL flick all by his lonesome? A plot synopsis from Production Weekly makes it seem unlikely:

Each sector of space is protected by a Green Lantern, possessing a power ring that uses a powerful green energy to do anything within the limits of the user’s imagination and will power. When the Green Lantern assigned to this sector of space finds himself dying on planet Earth, he tells the ring to find a suitable successor. The chosen replacement, hot-shot test pilot Hal Jordan, finds himself with a new job he never expected.

While I love Common as a rapper, and have even appreciated the gravity he’s brought to his roles in movies like Smokin Aces and Wanted, I can’t fault Warner Bros. for going with Hal Jordan as their Green Lantern. Jordan is the most popular GL in the comics, and his eventual transformation into the villain Parallax leaves a lot of room for a pretty sick movie franchise.

But hearing that Green Lantern is on the way raises questions about another DC Comics project that was a hot topic last year: the Justice League movie. Can it be that after its premature demise, Justice League has been revived?

Slash Film had one inside source who claimed that in an effort to catch up to the success of Marvel properties like Iron Man, Warner Bros. and DC are indeed looking to give their super group another run at the box office. However the proof, as they say, is in the casting sheet.

For now, let us know what you think about Green Lantern coming to the big screen.

Source: Slash Film

…Only to tell us more of the same.

In a recent interview, Superman Returns star Brandon Routh said that the next chapter in the Superman-reboot will indeed start filming in 2009, and that a script is still being worked on as we speak (thank you WGA strike.) Let’s pray that if the filmmakers choose to dive back into the continuity established by Superman Returns, they spend the very first scene of Man Of Steel killing off that stupid ‘Son of Superman’ character. I’m seeing a Kryptonite canister placed in a child’s inhaler… (cue the sinister laughter.)

However, there was one interesting tidbit from the interview with Routh: when asked which film Warner Bros. was planning on completing first, Man Of Steel or the much-hyped Justice League, Routh had this to say:

“I think it seems as though [the 'Justice League' movie is] not happening, it’s on the back burner right now so it’s just ‘Man of Steel’ now, I know, they’re busy writing a script and then I trust we’ll be starting next year, early next year. That’s my timeline anyway.”

Guess that quote pretty much puts a fork in any lingering rumors that Justice League will be coming to a theater near you any time soon. (R.I.P. Justice League, we hardly knew ye.) For super-group afficionados everywhere, this means their eggs of joy will now have to be placed in the basket of Marvel’s Avengers flick–or, to a lesser extent, with G.I. Joe.

Hit us back and let us know YOUR best recommendations for what the Man Of Steel script should entail. And don’t be shy: any idea you come up with can’t possibly be worse than Superman Returns.

It started as a simple question, ladies and gentlemen.

Devin Faraci (i.e. the well-known and spoken writer for CHUD) asked producer Joel Silver just how Wonder Woman would be affected by the much-rumored-about Justice League movie.

Simple, it won’t be – because Justice League “has been tabled.”

“Tabled” is basically an official, politically correct way of saying, “It ain’t gonna happen.”

So of course, some are now trying to discredit Silver.

Folks, he’s has been working with Warner Brothers for years – producing stuff like the Matrix and Lethal Weapon series.

So it’s safe to say, he knows what he’s talking about in regards to the studio and what’s going on behind-the-scenes.

Further more, I can tell you from first-hand experience that Justice League’s been toast… for quiet a while now.

A friend of mine who attended ShoWest told me that Warner Brothers executives were already talking about the project’s demise back then.

Don’t believe me? Then, look at the fact that director George Miller failed to keep the production in Australia – thus there was nowhere for it to shoot in time to make its summer 2009 release date. Rumors of moving to Canada were just that.

Not to mention, the studio let the JL actors’ contracts lapse without ever renewing them. And frankly just the overall lack of any news regarding this project is troubling.

If Justice League was really going to happen (especially for ‘09 as planned), then you wouldn’t have been able to keep the studio from shutting up.

Warner Brothers has been mum about Justice League for a reason – it’s dead.

You don’t have to like it. But you’re going to have to accept it. Granted, most people were opposed to this film from the start.

The idea of casting other actors as Supes and Bats, but still continuing with the solo franchises with Bradon Routh and Christian Bale was beyond retarded.

At least we have the Batman and Superman sequels to look foward to, folks.

And that, as they say – is that.

Source: CHUD

Hayden Christensen will play Superman in Justice League.

On the bright side (I suppose), this is about as deep into the level of rumor as you can get, but hey, it’s so much fun on even just a speculative level that I had to share it.

Cinema Blend has reported that it was overheard (are you ready?) in a Canadian bar that Christensen would be playing the iconic role in the trouble-fraught movie.

How’s that for the ultimate source for a movie rumor?

As you may have heard, the production has moved from Australia, where it was originally set to shoot, to Canada. Now reports from up north have started to trickle in. A young lady sent an email to CB stating that she ran into Adam Brody (who is playing The Flash in the movie) at a local bar. She asked him to autograph her napkin and asked what he was doing there:

“They’re in BC [Vancouver, British Columbia] to check out locations for their new superhero movie ‘Justice League is Mortal’. Brody pointed at Miller and said ‘George is our director’. He said he’s playing The Flash, Common is playing Green Arrow (or Lantern, one or the other), Armie Hammer (sounded like Arm and Hammer) is Batman, someone from ‘Mad Max’ is Martian Manhhunter (didn’t catch the name) and Hayden Christensen is Superman. Brody also nodded to the woman to his right and said ’she (he said her name but I didn’t catch it) is in it too.’”

Now even though I’m telling you about it, please take this with a monster grain of salt. For all I know it could be total B.S. If not, I’m sure that director George Miller has Brody in a head lock at this very moment and is pounding him into the ground for opening his yap after too many drinks.

Beyond that, I didn’t think there was anything that could make me want to see Justice League less – until now. As I stated in my Jumper review, I can no longer hang Hayden’s horrible performance in the Star Wars movies on director George Lucas. I had always given the guy the benefit of the doubt and figured that Lucas gave him poor direction that resulted in a flat, whiney performance – but after having seen Hayden in Jumper, under the guidance of a completely different director… I just can’t blame it on George Lucas any more.

I’m sure Christensen would put butts in movie theater seats for this, but I cringe at the thought of an unemotional yet brooding young Superman.

Source: CinemaBlend via Cinematical

Anyway, I’m glad that I held on to that play set (it’s in the attic somewhere), because now it looks like The Justice League film or Justice League Mortal as the working title would have it called is looking for a home… not only a home but a continent!

It would seem that the Justice League is just too American for Australian tax breaks.

Now there’s the ultimate super villain: The Tax Man!

Man, if I were George Miller (and I’m not) I’d drop this project ASAP, call Mel Gibson and make Mad Max: Fury Road.

Justice League appears to be a jinxed project. A project that not even comic book fans want!!

Simon Whipp; the director of the equity section of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (I have no idea what this guy does or what his title means) says:

“For the public, both in Australia and outside of Australia, it will be seen as an American film. I have tremendous respect for George and his work, which has been some of the most successful films that we have ever produced. But the studio I think in this instance is seeking to push the limits of the envelope.”

One thing is for certain about this Whipp dude: He has cajones the size of mellons if he can knock back a $200 million budgeted film like Justice League just because they speak with American accents.

As a reply to Whipp, Australian-born Miller said:

“A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Australian film industry is being frittered away because of very lazy thinking. If that’s going to be the final decision, they’re throwing away hundreds of millions of dollars of investment that the rest of the world is competing for and, much more significantly, highly skilled creative jobs.”

Miller intends to appeal this decision in the hope that he gets to make the film in his backyard. Well… not really his backyard, but you see what I’m getting at – his home country.

Is it just me or is it more fun reading about the (un)making of this film than it will be watching the final product (if it is ever made)?

Source : The Sydney Morning Herald

With the writers’ strike finally over, Hollywood must have thought that it was business as usual. However, where there are workers, there are unions. Where there are unions, there are strikes. Where there are strikes, there are signs of upheaval.

Now it’s time for the Screen Actors Guild to renegotiate their contracts in June, and just in case they have the same problems as the Writers’ Guild, the studios have decided to try and protect their tentpole films without having to cancel them or pay through the nose to bring them to the big screen.

And it would seem that some of Screen Rant’s favorite upcoming films are present in the contingency plans!

First up: Michael Bay’s Transformers 2.

It would appear that Michael Bay was able to keep the Transformers sequel on track for a June 2009 release by hammering out a storyline before the writers strike. Now he has the writers, Ehren Kruger, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci locked in a hotel room beavering away on the script! In case Bay’s three writers can’t knock out the script fast enough

Bay says:

“If there is a strike, we shut down, but shutting down isn’t that big a deal. You make accommodations, you make a deal with vending houses on equipment and on the stages where you are shooting. You hope for the best, but you can’t be incapacitated by the possibility that there will be a strike. We’ve got to get this town back to work. I can’t imagine anyone wants another strike, we’re all tired. Hopefully clearer heads will prevail.”

Next up is the follow-up to The DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons starring Tom Hanks.

The film was originally delayed because of the writers’ strike, as I wrote about previously. Now to make sure that Sony makes a huge amount of cash, the studio has made plans to shoot all the exterior scenes for three weeks starting on June 3rd. All interiors and studio-based shooting will then take place. If the strike does take place, then they will wait. If it is averted, then they will move straight into the exterior work.

Screen Rant “favorite” Justice League is also a film that Warner Bros. will have ready to go if the strike doesn’t happen. Currently Kiernan and Michele Mulroney are working away re-drafting their original script, getting ready for a July shoot. Could they be writing out Batman and Superman? I hope so. At the very least, this will now mean the Superman Returns sequel will be released in 2010.

Crazy, I’ve just penciled something into my calendar for 2010!

The long in development Tooth Fairy is a film that Twentieth Century Fox has set for an August start, depending on whether or not the strike happens. When I say that the Tooth Fairy is long in development, I’m not kidding. Arnold Schwarzenegger was attached almost 20 years ago. Now The Rock, or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will star in this family comedy, if you can believe it. The film will first go through an extensive pre-production phase before filming.

Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, is another film that will try and work its schedule around the strike (if it takes place).

According to trade bible Variety:

“(The) Crew was hired with the following deal: in the event of a strike, the paychecks stop, but nobody will be force majeured and everyone will get a plane ticket home from the Albuquerque set. The crew has agreed to fly back within 48 hours of a SAG settlement”.

The sets will be left standing, waiting for the strike to end. That way the Brothers Warner won’t have to pay the crew over the duration of the strike.

All this news is strictly hypothetical. There have been movements to try and avert the strike already, as most of the lower level Hollywood players can’t afford to be out of work. Also, the studios don’t want any more problems trying to bring their films to the big screen.

I’d bet on the strike not taking place, but I’m also the man who bet that 3000 Miles to Graceland would have a $20 million opening weekend. So, anything could happen.

I’m just hoping that Justice League finally falls apart.

Source: Variety

Like some denizen of the world of the undead, this movie just keeps coming back at us like some costumed zombie.

When I read that the Justice League movie had been given CPR yet again, and now that the writers’ strike is over, apparently for sure, I had the same idea as my pal Brad Brevet over at Rope Of Silicon:

Why in the hell don’t they let this project die?

Virtually every movie site I read on a regular basis is of the opinion that this movie should just not be made – at least not in it’s currently pending incarnation.

This project has been plagued with problems almost from the day it was announced, starting with the announcement that George “Happy Feet” Miller would be directing, leading to rumors that this would be a motion capture, Beowulf-style film (rumors have since been debunked).

Then came the announcement that this would just be called Justice League, instead of Justice League of America, which torqued many fans.

After that came news that it seemed like the casting for this was closer to that of a Teen Titans movie than Justice League, and the fact that Christian Bale and Brandon Routh wouldn’t be reprising their roles for the film.

If in the end Warner Bros. can make this work, God bless ‘em, but along with other movie pundits I just see this as an impending train wreck. If I turn out to be wrong on this, I will happily eat my words.

Actually I discussed this briefly with Jon Favreau in our soon to be published exclusive WonderCon interview and he shared his thoughts on why this (or an Avengers movie) is such a tricky endeavor.

To catch up on all of Screen Rant’s coverage of this project, click here: Justice League movie.

Source: Variety

As we all know, the decision to make JL without Christian Bale as Batman and Brandon Routh as Superman, set off a storm in the fandom world. Plus, Bale and The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan expressed their displeasure with the movie going forward.

Soon enough, director George Miller found his new cast to fill the heroic shoes (or boots), but ran into major script trouble, and with the writers strike still on at the time, no re-writes could take place. Add to that major issue that the start of production rapidly was approaching, Warner Bros. pulled the plug in Australia, where the film was to shoot.

But there may be new life in the project.

The latest reports (or rumors, if that’s what they are) say that both Batman and Superman are out of the film, but Megan Gale and rapper/actor Common are still playing Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, respectively. I’m assuming Adam Brody is still onboard as The Flash.

Now that the strike is over, WB apparently wants to make a Nolan/Bale Batman 3, they’re looking for new writers for Superman: The Man of Steel (with director Bryan Singer still onboard, along with Routh), hence no Supes or Bats in JL. The revamped JL may shoot in the late spring or early summer 2008, barring a potential actors strike when their contract expires in late June (don’t count on it), or more fan outcry.

So, what do I think? Well, as much as I didn’t want to see a Bale-less/Routh-less JL, I really don’t want to see a Batman-less/Superman-less JL. I think WB should move forward with Batman 3 (rumored to be titled Shadow of the Bat) and Superman 2, and then look into a JL movie with Bale and Routh.

At least Marvel is doing it right with its Avengers movie, which Jon Favreau wants to direct. They’ve been rumored to be signing all the major players from the individual movies, like Robert Downey, Jr. (Iron Man) and Edward Norton (Hulk) for the Avengers flick.

Only time will tell if JL moves forward, but I have a feeling we may be seeing individual DC character movies featuring Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, etc. I’m keeping my eye on this! By the way, the movie may not open until 2010, at the earliest.

Source: Justice League On Film

Does that mean the producers will try to get the cast and crew back together when the writers strike ends and the script can be fixed? Maybe, but I doubt it. We never did see Superman Lives, which would’ve starred Nic Cage as Superman, nor did we see Batman vs. Superman: Asylum, so I doubt will see this.

I say good; we need Christian Bale as Batman and Brandon Routh as Superman for a JL movie. My directing dream team? Christopher Nolan and Bryan Singer. Hey, a fanboy can dream, right?

I just hope this doesn’t hurt the Avengers movie; it sounds like Marvel Studios is doing that one right, with all actors, including Robert Downey, Jr. and others, signed on for the film. Iron Man’s Jon Favreau wants to direct. That sounds like a winner! Pay attention, Warner Bros./DC!

Source: Batman-On-Film

In related news, it looks like Bryan Singer and Routh are still onboard to bring us the action packed sequel to Superman Returns, Superman: Man of Steel. (Why not just Man of Steel, like The Dark Knight?) The release date was pushed back to 2010, and there isn’t an iron-clad guarantee Singer will be back. It looks like producers learned some lessons, and the movie will feature more action, a super-powered villain and less romantic stuff. Hey Spider-Man producers, are you reading this?? Original screenwriters Dan Harris and Michael Dougherty won’t be returning, plus the Writers Strike is delaying the start of scriptwriting on the sequel. Source: Superhero Hype!

More news after the jump.

The Golden Globes had a press conference this year, due to the Writers Strike. See a list of winners here.

Tyler Mane is out as Sabretooth? Why? I loved him in X-Men. But, amazing actor Liev Schreiber is in as the titular villain, in the upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine, due May 1, 2009. That title is a mouthful! Source: CHUD.

Wanna see some photos of The Dark Knight action figures? Click here and here!

Looks like rumors of a two parter for a Harry Potter movie are bubbling up again. A few years back, it was thought that at least part 4, Goblet of Fire, would be split up into two movies. Heck, some people complained that they chopped out so much of Order of the Phoenix, it wasn’t as good. I haven’t read the book or seen the movie yet. Anyway, Ain’t It Cool News is reporting that the final movie, Deathly Hollows, may be split into two movies to take full advantage of the last book. But I’m guessing writing it may be difficult with the Writers Strike happening. No word yet, but the movie(s) probably won’t come out until 2010, at the earliest.