He is Batman

The Internets are all a flutter over the announcement that Ben Affleck will be playing an older Batman who battles Superman in the upcoming Man of Steel sequel Batman vs Superman (July 2015).

The clenching of geek-sphincter all around the world has gotten out of control.



Honestly, I really don't think it matters. He'll be just as good as almost anyone else playing Batman. Lord knows we've gone through enough of them over the years. I don't recall anyone thinking Michael Keaton was the perfect person to play Batman (myself included) and he surprised us all.

Of course, people are over-reacting all over Twitter...which is actually pretty entertaining. If you want to see a great collection of the many responses to this announcement, check out this list of the 50 Greatest Tweets about Ben Affleck's casting as Batman.

This one is my favorite...

NATH @IronCoreMedia

 #BetterBatmanThanBenAffleck 

1 Paula Deen 

 2 A cats butthole 

3 Ben Affleck's mom 

4 A No. 2 Pencil 

5 Don Knotts 

6 Caulk 

7 All of China 

8 AC/DC 8:39 AM 

Oh...the kids.

It's not like the movie is a serious drama based in reality. It's Batman fighting Superman. In that reality, that fight should last about all of one minute.

• Batman punches Superman in the face.
• No affect.
• Superman punches Batman in the face.
• No face remains.
• Game over.

We all know it's not going to end that quickly...it'll be dragged out for at least a half hour or more. So why even care about the "reality" of a Superhero movie anyway. Just git yer popcorn, a giant sody pop, and sit back and enjoy.

Someone mentioned that they should cast Tilda Swinton as Lex Luthor and, as funny as that was, I would be psyched if they cast her and made Lex an Alexis Luthor.



No one in their right mind should ever mess with Tilda Swinton.

In other Superhero movie news...



Bradley Cooper is finalizing his deal to do the voice of the "Rocket Raccoon" character in the now-filming Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

I can see that. I mean, HEAR that.



And, Elizabeth Olsen is finalizing her deal to play the "Scarlet Witch" in the upcoming Avengers:Age of Ulton sequel.

Yes, she is the sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

And NO, neither of them will be in any of the movies mentioned above.

So...carry on people.

Nothing to see here...

Wonder-ful!

I'm very excited that they are adding Wonder Woman to the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie....

Warner Bros. has announced this morning that Gal Gadot, most well known for appearing in the "Fast and Furious" films, has landed the role of Wonder Woman/Diane Prince in Zack Snyder's upcoming Batman vs. Superman film. 

In a statement, Zack Snyder stated: "Wonder Woman is arguably one of the most powerful female characters of all time and a fan favorite in the DC Universe. Not only is Gal an amazing actress, but she also has that magical quality that makes her perfect for the role. We look forward to audiences discovering Gal in the first feature film incarnation of this beloved character." 

Batman vs. Superman will feature the return of Henry Cavill as Superman, facing off against Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Also starring Amy Adams, Diane Lane and Laurence Fishburne, the Zack Snyder-directed Batman vs. Superman hits theaters on July 17, 2015.

I think this indicates that Warner Bros. is FINALLY gearing up for a Justice League movie at some point soon.

It's about GD time...

via: SuperHeroHype

Really Dark Knight

The first test footage of Robert Pattinson as Batman in the upcoming The Batman movie (currently filming) was revealed today...


The Batman - Camera Test from Matt Reeves on Vimeo.

It looks like it was filmed in a very dark cave, but he looks Batman-ish.

So, there's that.

The Batman is set to open on June 21st, 2021

Adam West

Very sad news over the weekend...

Adam West, who defined the tights-wearing title role of "Batman" in the 1960s cult TV classic and remained a celebrated actor in the superhero world, died Friday after a short battle with leukemia, according to his family. He was 88. 

Born William West Anderson in Walla Walla, Washington, he made appearances in popular TV shows of the 1960s, including "Bonanza" and "Bewitched." But he shot to fame playing the wealthy playboy Bruce Wayne — Batman's real name — on the ABC series adaptation of the D.C. comic book. Although it lasted for only three seasons from January 1966 to March 1968. 

In 1966, West became the first actor to bring the masked vigilante to the big screen in a feature-length adaptation of the TV series. In "Batman: The Movie," the Caped Crusader and trusty sidekick Robin, played by Burt Ward, formed the Dynamic Duo to outwit The Joker and his goons, including The Riddler, played by Frank Gorshin, and Catwoman, played by Lee Meriwether.

West — typecast as Batman over his career — voiced characters in several "Batman" spin-offs, oftentimes lending his legendary deadpan to sidekicks instead of superheroes. He also voiced characters in animated series, including "The Fairly OddParents," and played Mayor Adam West in Fox's cartoon series, "Family Guy." 

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in April 2012.

He had a very colorful career and life and has left an ever-lasting impression in the Pop Culture world.

He will be missed, but very fondly remembered for many years to come.

Batman begins again

Production has started on The Batman, the new Robert Pattinson Batman movie.

Do we need another Batman movie?

Time will tell.

Yvonne Craig

Very sad news today...

Yvonne Craig, best known for her role as Batgirl in the iconic 1960s television series Batman, died Monday. She was 78. 

Craig was a trained dancer who had studied at the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and toured for three years. Those dancing skills came in handy when the character of Batgirl debuted on ABC's popular superhero crime-fighting series in 1967. Craig was able to perform her own stunts alongside Adam West, who played Batman. 



Star Trek fans will remember Craig's work, too. She played Marta, the green-skinned Orion slave girl who wanted to kill Captain Kirk in Season 3. 

Other roles include the 1963 movie It Happened at the World's Fair and 1964's Kissin' Cousins, both staring Elvis Presley. She also made guest appearances on popular TV shows throughout the 1970s, including Starsky & Hutch, The Six Million Dollar Man and Kojak.

I remember always looking forward to seeing Batgirl show up on Batman during that season and then, around the same time, seeing Ms. Craig show up on Star Trek (a show I've "kinda" been a fan of forever).

She was one of the last to approve a license for her Batman character for merchandising (she didn't do it until 2013), so that explains the lack of action figures out there of her likeness.

However,  it appears the wait was worth it.



A company called Tweeterhead has just completed a new Batgirl statue and it looks almost exactly like her as the character in almost every detail (right down to the eyes, which seems to be something most companies constantly get wrong when doing any kind of character figure).



I just might have to get one of these for my collection.

She will definitely be missed. However, she has left a memorable mark in the Pop Culture world and her character will live on for a very long time.

Meow

Looks like the new Batman movie now has a new Catwoman...

The Batman movie has found its Selina Kyle aka Catwoman in Big Little Lies star Zoe Kravitz. Her deal is official. The film directed by Matt Reeves comes out on June 25, 2021.

Kravitz joins Robert Pattinson who has the title role, Jeffrey Wright who is playing Commissioner Gordon and Jonah Hill who is in talks for a villain role. 

The actress follows in the path of such great big screen performers who’ve worn the Catwoman black leather suit as Michelle Pfeiffer, Anne Hathaway and Halle Berry, the latter who starred in a Warner Bros. standalone pic with the villain’s name. Kravitz boasts a big resume with feature credits that include Mad Max Fury Road, the Fantastic Beasts franchise, the Divergent franchise, X-Men: First Class, and the The Lego Batman Movie in which she played…yes, Catwoman (and all Batman fans know who Kyle is). 

This movie will either be really good or a train wreck. Time will tell and I'll definitely see it either way.

The movie opens on June 25th, 2021.

BvS

Empire Magazine's latest issue (hitting newsstands tomorrow) has a lot of new information on the upcoming Batman v Superman movie and a few new pics...



“What we are doing is ground up all the way. It is one giant story,” Snyder explains. “The first thing we had was the Justice League concept. The other movies, in a way, have to support that. That is our Wonder Woman, our Aquaman. They have their own creative concepts that supports them, but they do serve Justice League in the coming together of those heroes. I want all the other directors of the other films to be able to stretch their legs and do what they want, but at the same time there is a big interconnected universe."



“He has been Batman for 20 years. All the history is there. Was there a Robin at one time? Possibly. We want to assume that Batman has reached this point in his life and career as a superhero, and Superman represents a sort of philosophical change. He is a paradigm shift for Batman: ‘I’ve been fighting criminals all my life, trying to find justice, and now I am confronted with a concept that is transcendent to me.’ In the face of Superman, a man robbing a bank doesn’t matter. He’s having a crisis of conscience. ‘Am I really just a vigilante who stalks the alleys of Gotham?"



You can read more info on the article here.

Take it easy, Crutchy

This must be why Batman and Superman end up fighting in the upcoming Batman v Superman movie...



Batman is kind of a dick.

A super weekend

I saw a couple of good movies this weekend...



"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is very funny! I was howling at times (which I'm sure everyone around me appreciated) and, for me, that is well worth the ever-rising admission prices these days. It's about a regular guy who gets dumped by his famous girlfriend (she's a sexy detective on one of those "CSI-type" crime shows), so he decides to get away to Hawaii to get his mind off of it. But, guess who's there with her new boyfriend when he gets there? No, not Pinky Tuscadero....his ex.

I bet you never expected that, did you?

Even if you did, it's still chock-a-block full of hilarity and fun, so add it to your list of public outings.




I also saw "Iron Man", which for some reason, I keep telling people I saw "The Rocketeer" or "Iron Giant". Similar titles, but very different movies. If you're an action movie fan, then you'll definitely want to see this movie on a big screen. The story is good, Robert Downey Jr. does a great job and the effects and action sequences are top notch. Plus, it was nice to see Jeff Bridges in a movie...it's been a while.



I saw it at the Arclight theater in Hollywood, where they featured one of the "Iron Man" costumes in the lobby. It was pretty cool up close and I, along with the rest of the Hollywood riff-raff hanging out, were taking cell-phone pics as soon as we saw it (I wish I had remembered to bring my regular camera...cell pics just don't turn out as good).

Being a comic book fan, it's always exciting to see a well-produced and acted superhero movie. So often, they turn out to be cheesy messes ("Fantastic Four" or "Catwoman", anyone?) or just a CGI showcase (Something the last "Hulk" movie and, from the trailers, the upcoming "Hulk" movie appear to share). But, every once in a while, they get it right (the latest "Batman" film, the "X-Men" movies).



Debra Winger as "Wonder Girl"...a successful career (and likely new agent) soon follows.

Production values and effects have advanced so far now, that they can almost do anything. How times have changed. I used to watch all the superhero TV shows when I was a kid..."Batman", "Wonder Woman", "Isis", "Shazam", "The Flash"...even "Electra Woman and Dyna Girl". When you look at them now, they are so much cheesier than you remember, but still fun to watch for a quick stroll down memory lane. At the time, those shows were IT...they were hip/cool and worth scarfing down two bowls of Quisp in front of.

Then I remembered a 70's TV special called "Legend of the Superheroes", a primetime special with several of the popular TV heroes of that time, including Burt Ward and Adam West as Batman and Robin and one of the only live-action inclusions of the one comic book I actually collected...Green Lantern. Looking at it now, it feels like a completely different show and planet. I don't remember it having a laugh track...it was a variety show-type comedy and featured Ed McMahon? Well, if you watch this clip...you'll see what I mean.



Any show that features Ruth Buzzi making an entrance carried in by two body builders in speedos and superheroes collecting a much-needed paycheck, really is must-see TV!

Relatively speaking

The first image of Ruby Rose as Batwoman was released today.

The CW has released a first look photo of Ruby Rose suited up as Batwoman, who will first appear in the annual DC superhero crossover event, titled Elseworlds, as well as the Batwoman series that is currently in development from producer Greg Berlanti. 

Elseworlds, the annual Arrowverse crossover, will take place in Gotham City. The crossover will start with The Flash on Sunday, December 9. Arrow will continue the story on Monday, December 10, before it all comes to an end in Supergirl on Tuesday, December 11. 

This story will mark Ruby Rose’s debut as Kate Kane, a.k.a. Batwoman. While Kate is Bruce Wayne’s cousin in the DC Universe, the Batman isn’t expected to appear in this story or anywhere else in the Arrowverse any time soon. 

In the CW’s Batwoman, written by Caroline Dries based on the DC characters, armed with a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind, Kate Kane (Rose) soars onto the streets of Gotham as Batwoman, an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence. But don’t call her hero yet. In a city desperate for a savior, Kate must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham’s symbol of hope.

Another character I know nothing about. However, I always enjoy the CW crossover event each year, so am looking forward to seeing how this character blends in with the others.

I'll be especially interested to see how they explain how she's wandering around Gotham City fighting crime and her cousin, Batman/Bruce Wayne, just "happens" to not be around.

Supergirl eventually had to bring in Superman and, I'm guessing, Batman will have to come into the picture at some point, if the Batwoman show goes to series.

Time will tell.

Batfleck

The first photo of Ben Affleck as Batman (with the new Batmobile) for the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie was tweeted today by Zach Snyder.

Well…he looks like a very sad Batman.

Probably because everyone was so mean to him when it was announced that he'd be playing the role.

His bank account will definitely turn that frown upside down when the movie opens.

You can see a much larger version of this image here.

Batman v Box Office

First, the good news about Batman v Superman...

The full international weekend estimates on Warner Bros’ Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice show the superheroes capturing $254M on 40K screens in 66 markets. That makes BvS the No. 5 best opener ever at the overseas box office. Coupled with the record-breaking domestic number this frame, the worldwide total is $424.1M; that’s good for 4th place all-time global opener.

Among the records shattered offshore are: The biggest superhero opening weekend of all time; biggest March opening ever; WB’s biggest China bow ($57.3M); and WB’s biggest IMAX opening ($18M).

So...it made lots of money, which we kind of all knew would happen.

And now the not so good news...the reviews weren't good. At all.



Even though I didn't think it was THAT bad...it definitely was disappointing in many ways. Thankfully, there was one moment in the film where the audience actually clapped (including myself)...



Yep...Wonder Woman's arrival definitely helped pump some much-needed adrenaline into the lethargic lull that most of the audience had been lead into during the previous meandering two hours of the film.

Let's hope the Wonder Woman movie next June 2017 balances things out and re-sets the stage for a better Justice League movie that follows a few months later in November.

Holy Ponzi, Batman!

Seems that even TV's Batman, Adam West, isn't immune to the effects of our current economic times...



That sandwich looks really good...

Now, just me

Warner Bros. released three new individual character posters today for their upcoming Batman v Superman film...





It appears that Superman is giving his best "Blue Steel" look.

I have a feeling THAT is what will ultimately defeat Batman in the movie.

Grace Under Fire

Two new movie posters were released today and they are definitely, at least visually, going for two different vibes. The one for Allegiant: The Divergent Series is quite modern and visually futuristic, while the latest Batman v Superman has opted for a gritty, put-up-your-dukes vibe.



I'm really hoping that the actual "fight" in Batman v Superman only takes up about a half hour, so that we get to focus on other characters and plots for the majority of the film.

Otherwise, I'm gonna be very displeased.

Nobody wants that.

To the crosswalk!

The original Batman and Robin (Adam West and Burt Ward) are back together in an animated feature, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders! Here's the first full trailer...



It's got all the cheesy goodness of the original 1966 series AND the return of Julie Newmar as Catwoman.

Purrrrfect.

Super Soaker

First there was Batman, now the first look at Henry Cavill as Superman from the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie.

He looks…moist.

Comic-Con Surprises

Comic Con 2015 just ended and, with it, came the release of a few unexpected movie promotions. First off...the first full length Batman v Superman trailer, with our first look at Wonder Woman.



It looks pretty awesome and it was great to see Wonder Woman in action.



I couldn't be more there opening weekend (March 25, 2016).



Then the Star Wars team released a behind-the-scenes overview on the making of The Force Awakens, emphasizing the use of practical sets and creatures (rather than all CGI)...



It was very cool to see so many of the original cast members and locations after so many years. If this sneak peek is any indication, the movie could be amazing.



Then, after a bad pirated version was released last night online, the studio behind The Suicide Squad decided to just release a clean copy today.



I don't know much about this comic book series, but I do know that Jared Leto's creepy Joker and Ben Affleck's Batman are also in it....so that should be interesting and worth checking out.

Looking Super

DC Exclusive released a video that interviews the costume designer for Batman v Superman who discusses and shows the various details that went into making Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman look so good.