New ‘Justice League’ Image Totally Fails to Impress

Warner Brother released this image to USA Today for its promotional package on “must-see” movies in 2017, and I must say, the gambit totally backfired: This doesn’t make me want to see Justice League. It makes me want to laugh and then feel sorry for DC Comics.

The photo depicts most of the Justice League, DC’s team of superheroes meant to compete on the silver screen with Marvel’s Avengers. Included here are Batman (Ben Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), the Flash (Ezra Miller) and Aquaman (Jason Momoa) — but the team’s final member, Superman (Henry Cavill), is nowhere to be seen.

That could be because Supes was killed in the abominable Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and producers are trying to keep his resurrection a scret. But I think he’s just hiding because he doesn’t want to be associated with another bloated, self-important turkey that collapses under its own weight.

“[Filming Justice League] was all about the filling-out of this massive comic-book pantheon with the biggest and coolest heroes we could,” director Zack Snyder told the newspaper.

Is Jena Malone Batgirl in ‘Batman v Superman’?

Rumors have been swirling that Jena Malone will be appearing in next year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice at least since last October, when The Hollywood Reporter “confirmed” her participation in the movie.

Thing is, everyone has been assuming that she would play Carrie Kelley, the female version of Robin from Frank Miller‘s The Dark Knight Returns, the source material for this movie. Sure, Carrie was 13 years old in the graphic novel and Jena is 30, but the character can easily be aged into her 20s, and Jena can play much younger. Bolstering the Robin assumption was the fact that Jena dyed her hair bright red, like Carrie’s.

However, Someone at Latino Review claims to have three sources confirming that Jena will instead be playing another DC Universe redhead, Barbara Gordon — but it is unknown which of Barbara’s two alter egos she will be: Batgirl or Oracle.

Facing Down Lex Luthor

The first image of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has surfaced in Entertainment Weekly, and it’s just what we expected: Lex is shaved bald and he’s glowering at the camera.

So, there’s nothing new, aside from his age.

Or is there?

Director Zack Snyder claims his version of Lex is an all-new character, telling EW:

He’s not any of the Lexes that you’ve seen, that’s for sure, other than him being a captain of industry and one person to the world and another person to himself. And bald, of course… Our Lex is disarming, and he’s not fake. He says what he believes and he says what’s on his mind. If you can unravel the string and decipher what he means, it’s all there.

BvS:DoJ opens March 25, 2016.

Presenting His Royal Highness, Aquaman!

King of the Seven Seas Aquaman made his first official public appearance on the interwebs yesterday, courtesy of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice director Zack Snyder, and I will say that while Jason Momoa does look pretty badass, he doesn’t look anything like Aquaman.

Which is not necessarily a bad thing, and certainly not unexpected — no one thought the orange-and-green color scheme from the comic books was going to be attempted onscreen, and everyone expected the director to toughen up the Atlantean royal’s look.

DC Unveils a Squadron of Upcoming Movies

Warner Bros., film company and corporate sibling of DC Comics, got all synergistic at its annual shareholders’ meeting and laid out an ambitious slate of film titles that collectively accounts for almost everyone who’s anyone in the DC Comics Universe….

Director Pulls Tarp Off the Batmobile

It seems that a leak yesterday from the set of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice prompted director Zack Snyder to Tweet what he called “a real picture” of the newest version of the Batmobile.

You may recall that Snyder first revealed Batman’s new ride back in May (while simultaneously debuting Ben Affleck‘s version of the Batcostume). The rear end of the vehicle had been teased a bit earlier.

USA Today points out that this Batmobile combines elements from previous movie Batvehicles, such as the sleek cockpit and central chasis of the Michael Keaton/Tim Burton version and the combination tank/monster truck of the Christopher Nolan/Christian Bale Tumbler incarnation.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is currently scheduled to hit theaters March 25, 2015.

Carla Gugino and Malin Akerman’s ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Director Zack Snyder challenged two of his former leading ladies, Carla Gugino (Sucker Punch) and Malin Akerman (Watchmen), to take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The ladies accepted — and decided to have a little fun with it, despite the serious subject matter.

Hey, I just remembered: Carla was in Watchmen as well, playing the Golden Age Silk Spectre, mother to Malin’s Silver Age version. So I guess that makes this a little… weird.

Ben Affleck Can Handle the Batman Flak

By now everyone is well aware of both the casting — and the blowback — of Ben Affleck to play an older, battle-hardened Dark Knight in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. And Affleck — one of the best new-ish directors around — has weathered the criticism and uninformed assumptions like a hero.

He told Entertainment Weekly:

Before I took the role, Warner Bros. gave me a bunch of past reactions to casting and said, ‘Are you sure you want to get into this? This is part and parcel of these movies now. There’s a lot of active fans with a lot of opinions. To me, having been through a certain amount of that, it doesn’t really… Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. I wouldn’t have taken the part if I didn’t trust my instincts in terms of the filmmaking. I think Chris Terrio wrote a terrific script. Zack’s [Snyder] a great visual director. And there’s an interesting take. I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t think I could do it. I have the benefit of a lot of that understanding. But also, everyone is entitled to their opinion. That’s a big part of this international sport.

So go ahead and do your worst, internet trolls. Batffleck can handle it.

And, for what it’s worth, I am totally behind Affleck on this. I think he can do the role justice.

She’s a Wonder of a Woman!

Director Zack Snyder shocked and delighted Comic-Con International: San Diego this morning (or so I hear, because I’m not there!) with teaser footage from the still-filming Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice — and the reveal of Wonder Woman!

While the 20 seconds of film footage are not available, the image of Gal Gadot in all her Amazonian glory is. What do you think? Works for me!

After so many misfires onscreen and on the page, I think somebody (Michael Wilkinson, to be exact) got a modern Wonder Woman costume right! And Gal‘s glare looks pretty convincing, too.

Batman Does Not Look Amused

This new of Ben Affleck in costume and in character as a grizzled, older Batman in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, should chill the alien blood of that careless Kryptonian killer, Superman (Henry Cavill).

The image is part of a 75th anniversary montage of Batman images created for the DC Comics booth at Comic-Con International: San Diego that shows various versions of the character over the years.

A statement from DC Comics confirmed that the image is from Zack Snyder‘s film:

Yes, as fans have started pointing out, within the dozens of photos and illustrations on the wall is a brand new image of Batman from the upcoming film Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The filmmakers wanted to include this new cinematic version of the Dark Knight in the anniversary mosaic so it could be discovered by fans.