(Photo by Disney/courtesy Everett Collection. THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS.)
The latest: Marvel might just be back on a hot streak with The Fantastic Four: First Steps releasing after Thunderbolts. And DC is back with the first Certified Fresh Superman movie since Returns in 2006!
Friends of the super variety, we’ve collected every Fresh and Certified Fresh superhero movie with at least 20 reviews to assemble our guide to the best superhero movies ever, ranked by Tomatometer!
It’s been a decades-long battle towards the top in pop culture for superhero movies, and we’re featuring here all the goods, the greats, and the masterpieces made along the way. Everything from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Iron Man, Avengers) to DCEU (Aquaman, Wonder Woman), animated fare (The Incredibles, Megamind) to live-action spoofs (The Toxic Avenger, Mystery Men), comedies (Deadpool) and the super serious (The Dark Knight), and then throwing in some originals made just for the big screen (The Rocketeer, Darkman, Unbreakable).
Recently, we’ve added the meta-crushing Deadpool & Wolverine and the DCU igniter Superman!
Great leaping buggaboos! This introduction is now over! Throw up the cape, slip on that cowl, and hop into the Tomatomobile: We ride for to the best superhero movies of all time!
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UPDATED 2/26/2025
Warner Bros. Pictures’ plans for the DC Comics characters always seem in a state of flux — projects are announced and forgotten, release dates shift constantly, and any attempt to maintain a consistent universe seemingly falls by the wayside. DC’s previous small-screen Multiverse, on the other hand, appeared on firmer ground with long-running shows like Smallville and The CW’s The Flash, surprise successes like HBO Max’s Doom Patrol and Peacemaker, and beloved animated programs including Young Justice and Harley Quinn.
But things have changed. In summer 2022, DC’s new corporate parent, Warner Bros. Discovery, announced to investors a 10-year plan for the characters, with a heavy emphasis on theatrical features. The company’s long hunt for a mastermind (à la Marvel’s Kevin Feige) to take control of a brand reset for film and TV finally ended when James Gunn and Peter Safran assumed their duties as co-CEOs and chairmen at the newly formed DC Studios that November. Meanwhile, the sale of The CW television network to Nexstar Media Group seemingly ended the longstanding foothold for DC on broadcast TV. The last vestige of that era, Superman & Lois, concluded its network run on December 2, 2024.
Of course, the DC superheroes always bounce back from any crisis, so there is always hope to be found. But it is worthwhile to take stock of the series based on the characters currently airing and in development in light of WBD’s and DC Studios new plans. Will your favorites survive a seeming Zero Hour to become Legends in a new (52) environment? And what of the studio’s “Chapter One” roadmap to integrate some TV shows into the new DC Cinematic Universe (DCU)?Let’s take a look at what we know about the various DC TV series for more insight.
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Peacemaker
(Photo by HBO Max)
Status: Wrapped production; on target for a late 2025 releaseWhat We Know: The success of Peacemaker on HBO Max means its planned second season will go forward. No plot details have emerged, but it is easy to imagine Chris (John Cena) seeking to get the band back together for any number of reasons. It is also possible Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) might want to exact some revenge on the task force. And with Gunn now the co-CEO and co-chair of DC Studios, the possibility of Peacemaker continuing beyond the second season increases exponentially. In the interim, though, he admitted to journalists in January 2023 that his duties as DC Studios’ co-CEO means he had not yet written the program’s sophomore outing. A year or so later, production began with Gunn helming a few episodes. Elsewhere, he clarified that the second season will be in continuity with Superman and the other DCU projects — as will most of the first season with the notable exception of the Justice League cameo as the team does not yet exist in the new universe. It will also take place after the events of Superman. Production occurred through the later half of 2024. Per Gunn, the second season will air/stream in the late 2025.
Related: What Peacemaker Season 2 Could Hold
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The Sandman
(Photo by Netflix)
Status: In post-productionWhat We Know: Although the series was welcomed by fans, critics, and viewers when it debuted in August of 2022, its future was unknown for a distressingly long time as the Warner Bros. Television production required a green light from Netflix to continue. Word finally broke of its renewal in early November of that year. As previously reported, co-creator Neil Gaiman said on several occasions that season 2 was mapped out during the writing of season 1. Based on the structure of that debut season, the program will likely move on to the next major Sandman comic book story, “Season of Mists,” which sees Lucifer (Gwendoline Christie in the television series) making a momentous choice and Morpheus (Tom Sturridge) dealing with the fallout. Gaiman’s statement about the renewal strengthens our guess about the subject matter. “It’s time to get back to work,” he wrote. “There’s a family meal ahead, after all. And Lucifer is waiting for Morpheus to return to Hell…” Additionally, paparazzi shots of the set made it clear one shorter story, “The Song of Orpheus” will make its way to screens in the upcoming season. Production was disrupted during the 2023 Screen Actors Guild strike, but resumed that November. In May of 2024, Netflix revealed the actors playing the rest of Morpheus family: Adrian Lester as Destiny, Esmé Creed-Miles as Delirium, and Barry Sloane as a sibling known only (for now) as “The Prodigal” — although, fans of the comics will know this Endless’s name. In subsequent months, Gaiman became the center of sexual misconduct allegations and many of his television projects were cancelled or put on hold. The Sandman was added to that roster when Netflix revealed on January 31, 2025 that the program will conclude with its second season. Apparently, this was always the intention and Gaiman’s current troubles are said to not be a factor in the platform’s decision.
Related: The Sandman Season 2: What’s Next for the Dream Team
Lanterns
(Photo by Amy Sussman/FilmMagic)
Status: A go at HBO, Set for an early 2026 debutWhat We Know: Announced at a HBO Max preview day in 2019, Green Lantern was said to be most ambitious comics-to-screen adaptation ever attempted by Berlanti Productions (the company behind the Arrowverse, Titans, and Doom Patrol), but those ambitions clearly changed in late 2022. Originally set to star Jeremy Irvine and Finn Wittrock (pictured) as Green Lanterns Alan Scott and Guy Gardner, respectively, word broke in October 2022 indicating the program will now focus on Green Lantern John Stewart. Irvine and Wittrock were released from their contracts and the previously announced showrunner, Seth Grahame-Smith, exited the series. Berlanti and other executives at his company remained involved, but none of the other previous creative staff stayed on. In fact, it was unclear who was developing the John Stewart version of the series.
That lack of clarity made a little more sense in January 2023, when Gunn revealed the Berlanti Green Lantern series had been shelved in favor of a DC Studios concept called Lanterns. The “event” program will focus on Stewart, a new recruit, and Silver Age GL Hal Jordan as they investigate a “dark mystery” in American’s heartland that may or may not be related to the overall Chapter One storyline. According to Gunn, the Berlanti project was a space opera while Lanterns will be set primarily on Earth. On June 25, 2024, HBO greenlit the series with Ozark‘s Chris Mundy serving as showrunner and executive producer. Watchmen‘s Damon Lindelof and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow‘s Tom King will write alongside Mundy in addition to being executive producers on the 8-episode event alongside Ron Schmidt. In September of 2024, casting began with Kyle Chandler signing up to play Jordan and Aaron Pierre agreeing to play Stewart. Production was expected to begin in December 2024. On January 24, 2025, Banshee veteran Ulrich Thomsen joined the cast as Sinestro, the Green Lantern fated to become the Corps’s greatest enemy. Other cast members include Kelly Macdonald as Sheriff Kerry, Garret Dillahunt as William Macon, and Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe — described as a potential love interest for John.
Creature Commandos
Status: In production on season 2
What We Know: Just before the conclusion of its successful first season, Max quickly renewed the animated program for another year on December 24, 2024 — although we imagine this was in the works for sometime as scales of economy make it cheaper to produce two seasons than just the one. Task Force M will continue on with the Bride (Indira Varma) inducting new team members and finding a way to get along with the others. What that means for Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) or Frankenstein (David Harbour) is anyone’s guess. Additionally, Grillo will reportedly be seen as Flag in the live action second season of Peacemaker and this summer’s Superman.
Batman: Caped Crusader
Status: In production on season 2
What We Know: Like our suggestion about Creature Commandos above, Caped Crusader was designed with a two-season order in mind. Production began in September with voice cast excitedly announcing they received scripts for voice recording. Storylines in the new season are anyone’s guess, though, as Batman’s gallery adds a few more rogues, including Joker. Of course, if voice recording commenced last fall, it may still be awhile yet before fans can return to Caped Crusader‘s Gotham City.
Waller
Status: In development
What We Know: Viola Davis is set to star in a Chapter One live action series focusing on her morally flexible Suicide Squad character. Watchmen‘s Christal Henry and Doom Patrol‘s Jeremy Carver are writing the program with unspecified members of the Peacemaker cast set to reprise their roles. When asked about the series during a press event in February 2025, Gunn revealed the script ran into some unspecified troubles and had to be rethought once the second season of Peacemaker jumped forward in the schedule — it was originally meant to air after Waller. It is unclear if Henry and Carver remained attached to the project.
Paradise Lost
Status: In development
What We Know: This Chapter One live action series will focus on the genesis of Themyscira — Wonder Woman’s birthplace — and the political intrigue as its all-women society takes shape. In 2025, Gunn and Safran said the series remains in development.
Booster Gold
Status: In development
What We Know: Based on the popular DC Comics character, this Chapter One series focuses on a going-no-where man from the future who uses everyday technology in his era to become a superhero in ours. Will it lead to riches and brand deals or will Booster become a genuine hero with a Justice League membership? Like many other DCU projects, it awaits Gunn receiving a script he’s happy with before it can go forward. At the February 2025 press event, he and Safran said the series will go forward, although an unnamed showrunner previously interested in the superhero comedy has moved on.
Blue Beetle
Status: In development
What We Know: Stemming from the 2023 film of the same name, the adventures of Jaime Reyes continues in the realm of animation with director Angel Manuel Soto and screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer on board as executive producers. Miguel Puga will direct with Cristian Martinez writing. Also, per Gunn’s previous statement that Blue Beetle is part of DCU canon, star Xolo Maridueña will presumable lend his voice to Jaime. According to Safran at the Febrary 2025 press event, the series should get its green light soon.
My Adventures With Green Lantern
Status: Greenlit
What We Know: The first of three animated series geared toward younger viewers Gunn and Safran revealed at the February 2025 press event, My Adventures with Green Lantern will focus on Jessica Cruz — re-imagined as a high school student who gets a crash course in intergalactic heroing when a GL power ring chooses her to be its new bearer. Other debris from whatever made the ring fall to Earth will also give her trouble, as will a cohort of the Green Lantern Corps’s foes. Jake Wyatt serves as executive producer with Stephanie Gonzaga along for the journey as co-EP.
DC Super Powers
Status: Greenlit
What We Know: Taking its name and title treatment from the classic 1980s DC action figure line, the program will instead center on the Alliance School for Heroes and a batch of heroes-in-training that includes Lightning, a Flash, Plastic Man, Aquagirl, a Green Lantern, and Terra. Keeping a close eye on them as principal of the school is J’onn J’onzz — aka the Martian Manhunter — as they work hard to become the next generation of Super Friends. Matt Beans is the executive producer while Michael Chang serves as supervising producer
Starfire
Status: Greenlit
What We Know: The popular Teen Titans characters gets a spotlight of her own courtesy of executive producer Josie Campbell and co-EP Brianne Drouhard. Serving as an origin story, the series will feature the adventures of Koriand’r, a Tamaran native who leaves her planet in an ancient spaceship to see the stars. Once out in the cosmos, she meets space-bikers, plant-loving new pals, and Amythest, the teen ruler of Gemworld. Like the other newly-revealed series, it is unclear if they will be part of the DCU or their own distinct realities, a la Teen Titans GO! or Harley Quinn.
Wonder Woman Animated Series
Status: Rumored (sort of)
What We Know: In March of 2023, Gunn responded to a comment on Twitter stating he is trying to set up a Wonder Woman animated series. It is unclear if the project will part of the DCU or an “Elseworlds,” but Diana definitely deserves the Batman: The Animated Series treatment. While we would normally leave a rumored project off the list, Gunn’s comments suggest it may be something series. Then again, the executive made no mention of this potential project at the February 2025 press event, so maybe it was just a passing thought.
The Penguin Season 2
Status: A possibility?
What We Know: While The Penguin was always positioned as a limited series to lead into The Batman Part 2, its creative success — and the awards showered upon star Colin Farrell — led meany to believe another season could be in the works. At the February 2025 press event, Safran told reporters a lot of variables could stand in the way of another year. Gunn added that Farrell’s willingness to wear the make-up in a long-term production situation could be one of those factors.
Arkham Asylum
(Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images)
Status: ShelvedWhat We Know: Growing out of Reeves (pictured) and Max’s plan to develop a series centered on the Gotham City Police Department, the Arkham Asylum series was to focus on the family known for running the infamous mental institution. In October 2022, The Staircase’s Antonio Campos signed on to serve as executive producer and showrunner. In July of 2024, word broke indicating the series will not go forward.
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(Photo by WB)
After a long-running Superman series with Christopher Reeve in the iconic tights and cape (and one more with Brandon Routh), and compelling takes on Batman on both sides of the millennium, Warner Bros. put the reset on their DC Comics movies and created the DC Extended Universe. The first in this new constellation of comic book cinema was 2013’s Man of Steel, which took audiences back through the beefy boy from Krypton’s origins and his blossoming into the protector of mankind. The super-serious tone and dismissal of some of Superman’s key characteristics put off some, but this new take was bold enough to keep modern cynical audiences intrigued.
Inevitably, comparisons were incessant to the rival Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially as director Zack Snyder doubled down on the dourness with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In this day and age, fans on the internet expect an all-access pass on the production of their favorite properties, including leaks, rumors, and sneaky on-set photos. The publicly aired dirty laundry of the troubled Suicide Squad shoot colored audience perception of the film before it even released. It also wasn’t very good.
Wonder Woman, with its fleet touch and storytelling pizzazz, would become the first beacon of light for the DCEU, and its first Certified Fresh hit. Justice League followed that year, cramming huge characters into a truncated runtime (not to mention tonally inconsistent reshoots by Joss Whedon, and Henry Cavill’s phantom mustache), leading to rallying cries online of a fabled “Snyder Cut” of the movie.
It’d be more than a year later for the next DCEU entry: 2018’s Aquaman. Directed by James Wan, if the film wasn’t exactly drowning in critical praise, it at last was enough to keep the audiences worldwide satisfied and optimistic for the future. That paid off with Shazam!, a superhero comedy in the more classic vein, one that doesn’t bend over backwards to connect with the larger DC Universe. It worked there and with Birds of Prey, featuring. Wonder Woman 1984 didn’t quite continue the streak, The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker have become among the franchise’s best-reviewed.
In 2023, amidst a changing of the guard that included James Gunn now running the show with a rebooted Superman: Legacy, the company began wrapping up the DCEU with Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
See where how they all play out as we rank all DC Extended Universe movies! —Alex Vo
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Almost 15 years after Dwayne Johnson first announced interest in playing the character, he finally makes his debut as Black Adam in the DCEU this week. But is the movie, eponymously titled Black Adam, worth the wait, the promise, and the anticipation? The first reviews of the superhero spectacle are mixed, but those that get what the movie is and who it’s for praise the positives enough to disregard any shortcomings.
Here’s what critics are saying about Black Adam:
Johnson has been attached to the Black Adam role for nearly two decades… His love for the DC Universe shines through the film and his passion pays off well throughout. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
Those who have been waiting for this adaptation long since Johnson first expressed interest back in 2007 will not walk away disappointed. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film
If The Rock smashing more things than he usually can as human characters sounds like a good time, Black Adam delivers. – Fred Topel, United Press International
Given the number of years this project was in development, and how it was promoted to shift the balance of power in the DC Universe, it’s disappointing that the end result is so unremarkable. – Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend
Black Adam isn’t a full-on course correction for the DCEU, but it is an encouraging new installment in this larger universe. – Ross Bonaime, Collider
Black Adam feels like the first project in years to take from multiple parts of this universe while also focusing on setting up something big for its future. – Gregg Katzman, CBR
Though we’ve prayed DC would move on, there are more than echoes of the Snyderverse here. – John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter
A strong entry into the DCEU. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
As much as Black Adam is a darker take on Shazam, it also repeats the missteps of lesser DC movies. – Fred Topel, United Press International
It’s not awful, especially when compared to many of the other DCEU films, but it’s far from the game-changer it claims to be. – Matt Rodriguez, Shakefire
The film plays like 2018’s Venom in multiple ways, focusing on brutal action sequences and a mixed tone of dark moments and humor. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
The movie is essentially Shane on steroids, set in the Middle East instead of the Old West. – Peter Debruge, Variety
One movie that’s clearly a model for Black Adam is Terminator 2: Judgment Day. – Chris Bumbray, JoBlo’s Movie Network
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
The Rock delivers one of his best performances. He put his heart and soul into this role. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
An absolutely terrific performance by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, [the movie allows] him to flex his trademark muscular showmanship and combine that with character-driven appeal. – Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Johnson keeps up his enchanting screen presence as he lands old-fashioned one-liners and brutal action all with complete passion. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film
Johnson also breathes just enough emotion and empathy into the character. – Gregg Katzman, CBR
Johnson is grandiose as Black Adam, leaving his charismatic movie star stamp in every scene. This is perfect casting from more than a physical standpoint. – Jeff Nelson, Showbiz Cheat Sheet
No matter what one might think about this Black Adam movie as a whole, The Rock grabs your attention and keeps it no matter what he’s doing. Johnson is the man. – Todd McCarthy, Deadline Hollywood Daily
His charisma and brooding stares can only take the film so far. – Matt Rodriguez, Shakefire
Black Adam is perfect for Johnson’s action-figure frame. He just deserves a better first superhero outing than this. – Brian Truitt, USA Today
The problem isn’t that Johnson can’t act — he definitely can! — the problem is that he doesn’t want to. – David Ehrlich, IndieWire
The Justice Society of America nearly steal the movie right from underneath [Johnson] as the film gives them a satisfactory introduction, leaving us wanting more from all of them by the end. – Matt Neglia, Next Best Picture
Aldis Hodge and Pierce Brosnan’s portrayals of Hawkman and Doctor Fate are both equally brilliant. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film
Brosnan is a natural in the role of Fate and it’s a wonder how no one tapped on his talents sooner for a superhero role. Hodge is just as great in the film. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
Pierce Brosnan [is] the standout, even if his character reads like a second-rate Doctor Strange. – Peter Debruge, Variety
Brosnan steals every scene he’s a part of, and the actor is brimming with charisma. – Ross Bonaime, Collider
On the whole, members of the JSA are dealt short shrift, leaving [them] severely underdeveloped. – Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Noah Centineo and Quintessa Swindell’s Atom Smasher and Cyclone feel like they stumbled in from another movie. – Chris Bumbray, JoBlo’s Movie Network
(Photo by ©Warner Bros.)
Black Adam features a lot more action than most DC movies. – Peter Debruge, Variety
The visual spectacle just keeps coming at you for two hours, and the effects are all so stupendous that you could begin to take it for granted. – Todd McCarthy, Deadline Hollywood Daily
This movie is packed with action. When we say that, we mean it is pretty much non-stop action for the entire movie. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
Every fight sequence packs a punch, and the film gets extra creative when utilizing Doctor Fate’s powers. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film
Collet-Serra manages to make these action scenes exciting in everything from Adam wiping out large armies to a hand-on-hand fight through an apartment with Hawkman. – Ross Bonaime, Collider
There is no wit, no thrill, and no slickness to the action. – Witney Seibold, Slashfilm
The villain doesn’t do much of anything except provide us with a pretty cool battle, so we will take it — reluctantly. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
Unfortunately, there isn’t much depth to the big bad, and he’s ultimately there to offer a ton of action in the final act. – Gregg Katzman, CBR
It’s just a shame that the main villain isn’t stronger here because it does overshadow some of the bombastic action on display. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film
The single most forgettable villain in comic book movie history. – David Ehrlich, IndieWire
(Photo by ©Warner Bros.)
The screenplay is so action-orientated that it almost completely leaves out the necessary room for characters to breathe. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film
The script of Black Adam is arguably the weakest part of the film. Character arcs can feel paper-thin and predictable. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate
The character development is shallow. – Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend
The script does little to help non-DC-scholars here, briefly alluding to nanobots and relics and the Justice Society of America as if other movies had introduced them already. – John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter
The picture’s overarching themes – dealing with colonialism and our desperate need for heroes to speak out against tyranny during bleak times – are affecting and effectively crafted. – Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
There’s enough complexity in the post-colonial politics of Kahndaq to engage adults. – Peter Debruge, Variety
It’s an interesting setup: American “heroes” coming to a foreign country to stop the local hero from protecting the citizens. But if you’re hoping Black Adam will get into the complexities of that, this is not that movie. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
Moviegoers may have trouble finding escapist pleasure here, given the knotty global issues the movie raises but doesn’t fully process. – John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter
Black Adam will help DC fans restore their faith in the DCEU. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
Black Adam might not change things single-handedly, but it certainly feels like the start of a new era of DC movies. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
What it sets up for the future of the DCEU is exciting and not to be overlooked. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film
The film’s whole purpose is to give Black Adam a suitably grand introduction on the assumption that he’ll be pitted against a more deserving adversary soon enough. – Peter Debruge, Variety
Perhaps this is a new way forward for the DCEU, but do we really need them to do exactly what the MCU is doing? – Chris Bumbray, JoBlo’s Movie Network
Black Adam opens everywhere on October 21, 2022.
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(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
This week’s news from Warner Bros. Discovery has fans worried about their favorite shows and movies, from DC titles to Max Originals. The studio cancelled the close-to-completion Batgirl movie. Also going on the shelf is Scoob! Holiday Haunt. Wonder Twins, which was to star KJ Apa and Isabel May, will not be produced, and six other Max Original movies have been removed from the service, including two films starring Anne Hathaway, the 2020 remake of The Witches and Locked Down, which co-starred Chiwetel Ejiofor; An American Pickle, starring Seth Rogen; Superintelligence, starring Melissa McCarthy; and Moonshot, starring Cole Sprouse and Lana Condor.
https://twitter.com/lesliegrace/status/1555005113063931905?s=20&t=FhU4NdzygMpTgg5hWuRCjQ
On Thursday, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and more executives addressed concerns over those decisions in the company’s Q2 earnings call and reassured investors of their dedication to Warner Bros. Pictures and HBO Max projects.
“We’re going to focus on quality. We’re not going to release any film before it’s ready. We’re not going to release a film to make a quarter,” Zaslav said.
(Photo by Warner Bros.)
Zaslav confirmed his strategy to keep DC Comics as the source of theatrical movie intellectual property. Zaslav hinted at applying the same strategy Marvel has, with Kevin Feige in charge of the whole MCU, though he did not name the DC equivalent yet.
“We’re going to focus with a team with a 10-year plan just focusing on DC,” Zaslav said. “Very similar to the structure that Alan Horn and Bob Iger put together with Kevin Feige at Disney. DC is something we think we can make better and we’re focused on it now.”
https://twitter.com/RottenTomatoes/status/1554902481036931072?s=20&t=FhU4NdzygMpTgg5hWuRCjQ
Unfortunately, movies like Batgirl and Wonder Twins slip through the cracks between the previous strategy and new vision.
“The other thing is we’re going to focus very hard on quality,” Zaslav said. “We’re not going to put a movie out unless we believe in it. That’s it. Particularly with DC, where we think we want to pivot and we want to elevate and we want to focus. The objective is to grow the DC brand, to grow the DC characters, but also our job is to protect the DC brand. That’s what we’re going to do.”
HBO Max made the controversial decision to release its 2021 film slate simultaneously on HBO Max. It was a way to both grow the new streaming service, and it was a decision made when the reopening of theaters post-pandemic was still uncertain. Zaslav all but called it a mistake. He said movies are more valuable to streaming services, and other formats, when they’ve played theaters first.
“We will fully embrace theatrical,” Zaslav said. “As we believe it creates interest and demand, provides a great marketing tailwind, and generates word of mouth buzz as films transition to streaming and beyond. When you’re in theaters, the value of the content and overall viewing experience is elevated. Then when the same content moves to PVOD and then streaming it is elevated again. As films move from one window to the next, their overall value is elevated, elevated, elevated. We saw this clearly demonstrated with The Batman and Elvis.”
(Photo by HBO)
Zaslav still believes in the HBO originals. Whether for HBO or HBO Max, Zaslav has renewed head of content Casey Bloys’ contract for five years and hopes to extend beyond. The only specific show Zaslav mentioned was this month’s Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, but it bodes well for other HBO and Max hits like Hacks and Westworld.
“It’s not how much, it’s how good,” Zaslav said. “The majority of the people on Casey’s team have been locked up. Casey is here for the next five years, we hope longer. He’s truly a unicorn. His ability to relate to talent, to make content better, his leadership, you see it in what’s been coming out of HBO and how it’s affecting the culture, the energy and what people are talking about. We want it to be broader.”
(Photo by Warner Bros. Discovery)
Warner Bros. Discovery currently has two streaming services, HBO Max and Discovery+. Next year, they will join forces like a streaming Voltron. The new service could have a new name, but it will combine originals and libraries from both, as well as CNN content, including originals from the short-lived CNN+. Already, HBO Max will have some Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia shows in October, and Discovery+ some CNN originals beginning Aug. 19.
Look out Netflix! In about a year, viewers will be able to get their Ghost Adventures and Deadliest Catch in the same place as Game of Thrones and Mare of Easttown. Peacemaker and Westworld will cohabitate with American Pickers and Guy Fieri.
Company executives have also heard your complaints about the HBO Max app. The combined app they’re developing intends to fix some of those tech issues by utilizing the Discovery+ platform. When the time comes, they will offer subscription options for the combined service.
“We will have a migration plan that will allow some element, particularly you can imagine the lower-priced subscribers for some period of time to grandfather into the new product, or migrate as many as possible up to the new product,” CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games J.B. Perrette said. “That is all part of the transition plan to optimize the number of people we retain. There will be a transition plan that maximizes essentially retention.”
Warner Bros. Discovery’s goal is to launch the combined service next summer in the U.S., Latin America in fall 2023, Europe in 2024, Asia-Pacific in mid 2024, and additional markets later that year.
(Photo by Food Network)
In addition to combining HBO Max and Discovery+, Warner Bros. Discovery is looking at more economical offerings. For now, their focus is on creating an ad-lite version of HBO Max. For next year, they are exploring a free-subscription option completely supported by ads; however, the ad-supported version won’t give viewers access to the premium originals. You will still have to pay for that.
It could still be worth it, though; Warner Bros. has a library of shows that aren’t currently on any streaming service. A free version of HBO Max could be a place to offer those, Zaslav said.
“Should we just use that to develop our own ‘best of class’ free platform?” Zaslav said. “Do we sell a lot of that?”
Plans for the free service are still in development, and pricing on the ad-lite service are still under development too.
(Photo by Apple TV+)
While the DC films and streaming service have been the focus this week, Zaslav also reminded investors that Warner Bros. Discovery remains a studio about producing shows to license, too. He named Ted Lasso and Abbott Elementary as Warner Bros. shows licensed to Apple TV+ and ABC, respectively. He also cited Warner Bros.’s history of providing networks with hit shows.
“We would look in awe at Warner Bros. Television as really the greatest, largest, and highest quality production operation,” Zaslav said. “When we were at NBC, it was ‘Must-see TV.’ That’s the heritage of this company. We want to sell to third parties. It’s a very profitable business for us. We think it could be more profitable.”
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At the 2020 DC FanDome, Dwayne Johnson claimed “the hierarchy of power in the DC is about to change” while talking up his upcoming film, Black Adam. As it happens, the actor has been making proclamations about the character since at least 2014, when he was meant to play him in the film that eventually became Shazam! In 2017, Johnson and Black Adam were spun off into their own project and, for the next several years, a nebulous “next summer” was penciled in for production.
But every comic book character gets their day in the fullness of time and Black Adam’s “next summer” has finally arrived, leading to a release set for this Fall. And now that Warner Bros. has released a teaser trailer for the film, we thought it would be a good time to collect everything we know about it to see how it fits into the DC film universe and whether or not Black Adam can pose a threat to the established DC superheroes and their status quo.
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Black Adam appeared in a single 1945 issue of the original Fawcett Comics’ The Marvel Family as the Wizard Shazam’s former and failed apprentice. Seeing promise in the young Egyptian warrior named Teth-Adam, the Wizard granted him all the powers he eventually gave Billy Batson. But when the power corrupted the then “Mighty Adam,” who used his abilities to kill the sitting Pharaoh and assume the throne, the Wizard dubbed him “Black Adam” and cast him out into space some 5000 light years from Earth. Finally returning five millennia later, Black Adam extended his anger to Billy and the rest of the Marvel Family. But that first story ended with a certain finality; the character ages rapidly to death when he is tricked into saying “Shazam” and relinquishing his powers.
He became a much bigger deal when Fawcett’s Marvel Family — eventually renamed the Shazam Family — became firmly part of the DC Universe in the 1970s. Writers like Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway would take his single appearance and build on it to include a deeper history in the region, a long-lost family, and a position as Captain Marvel’s Shazam’s archfoe.
Along the way, he also became a great anti-hero. In the pages of the late 1990s/early 2000s JSA comic book, his methods would be constantly questioned, but his goals proved to be noble. And for a time, he also lead the nation of Kahndaq; granted, that rule would also be questioned by other nations and superheroes alike.
We mention all of this history as the film will convert a lot of it into a unified tale, charting Teth-Adam’s journey thousands of years ago and his emergence in the modern age. It will also feature a Justice Society of America both ready to oppose his actions and, oddly enough, listen to his message. At the same time, as Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan) tells him in the trailer, he will be presented with a choice to save the world or destroy it. But when an anger spread across thousands of years is combined with the power of Shazam, can it be quelled enough to be heroic once again?
That is the internal struggle Teth-Adam faces, of course, and it appears he will do just that even as he tussles with insurgents, well-armed militaries, and superheroes. Interestingly enough, the question of heroes killing to save the day is even present in the trailer.
Also, the Intergang crime syndicate will reportedly appear in the film. If true, it is an interesting choice, as they have strong ties to Darkseid, the alpha-predator glimpsed on the other side of the Boom Tube in Zack Snyder’s Justice League and the principle foe in Ava DuVernay’s cancelled New Gods adaptation.
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
For the moment, we’re assuming it takes place on the same Earth as previous DC films like Shazam!, The Suicide Squad, and Justice League (either version). Of course, with DC-inspired movies, film-to-film continuity is always up for debate. The Batman, for instance, does not occur in the same reality as Justice League or Shazam! Nevertheless, we’re willing to believe Black Adam was made with the intention of continuing the reality first outlined in Man of Steel – indeed, Johnson’s own comments across both DC FanDome events suggest a showdown with Superman is something he wants to do. And considering he has the powers of Shazam, Black Adam would be a genuinely formidable adversary in such a contest. At the same time, though, the trailer revealed a different looking world from the previous DC film entries.
Presuming the film is in the more constant DC movie reality, the introduction of the Justice Society further builds out the world and its history. Debuting in 1941, the first superhero team comprised DC heroes like Green Lantern, The Flash, Dr. Fate, Hawkman, the Atom and more as they united to curb the Nazi threat in the U.S. and, eventually, take part in the European Theater. As a consequence, the JSA always has its roots in World War II and we doubt that will be different here. Although, as the team is also comprised of legacy character in subsequent iterations, we imagine this version of the team will reveal almost a century’s worth of legacy, if even just in passing. Also, we imagine there will be a good reason why they are dealing with Black Adam instead of the Justice League.
From the trailer, it is easy to assume the modern day sections will take place primarily in Kahndaq — or, perhaps, an unnamed Middle Eastern country with ties to Egypt. Sadly, it appears the region is utterly destabilized.
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
As mentioned before, Dwayne Johnson stars as Teth-Adam – aka, Black Adam. We presume much of his DC Comics origin will remain, although Johnson said during the 2020 DC FanDome presentation that Adam’s journey will take him from slave to the throne, a point reiterated in the trailer. Also, it is worth noting the Wizard’s (Djimon Honsou) own mention of Teth-Adam’s failure in Shazam! when he first encounters Billy (Asher Angel). We imagine Black Adam will expand on those fleeting moments. Curiously, though, Honsou appears to be completely absent from this movie.
In the modern part of the film, Black Adam will face Justice Society members Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell). The latter two are more recent members of the team who can claim original JSAers The Atom and The Red Tornado as relatives. Hawkman and Dr. Fate, meanwhile, appear to be their Golden Age selves. Whether or not this means they were active during the DC films’ WWII is yet to be determined. One thing we can be pretty sure of: Atom Smasher will be receptive to Black Adam’s words and ideas. Back in the comics, he made a similar choice when Teth-Adam offered him a chance to make a difference in the world.
Sarah Shahi also appears in the film as Adriana Tomaz. Although the studio describes her as an archeologist, comic book fans will recognize her as the reincarnation of Teth-Adam’s long lost wife and, eventually, the superhero known as Isis. The comic book character has some rather twisty origins, though, which means older TV viewers will remember her as a different Isis (Joanna Cameron) from The Secrets of Isis Saturday morning television show – in which she occasionally encountered Shazam – while avid Legends of Tomorrow watchers will recall her connection to Zari Tarazi (Tala Ashe). We doubt those connections will come up in the film, but with a Multiverse just off-screen, anything is possible. Presumably, the film version of the character will also acquire powers. But will she be willing join Black Adam on his crusade?
Other actors set to appear include Marwan Kenzari, James Cusati-Moyer, Bodhi Sabongui, Mohammed Amer, and Uli Latukefu.
(Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images)
Since the film is something of a passion project for Johnson, he brought in some favorite collaborators to help him finally realize the film. Director Jaume Collet-Serra worked with the actor on the 2021 Jungle Cruise film. His filmography includes such films as the 2005 House of Wax remake, the Liam Neeson films Unknown and The Commuter, and the Blake Lively-starring The Shallows.
Adam Sztykiel is also a Johnson collaborator, having written the actor’s foray into video game films, 2018’s Rampage. His credits also include Due Date and Alvin and the Chimpmunks: The Road Chip. He was also slated to make his first foray into the DC Universe as a director with Wonder Twins – sadly, that project was cancelled last month.
Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani subsequently rewrote the script. The pair are new to Johnson’s troop and fairly new to features with only one film under their belts: 2021’s The Mauritanian.
Other crew include director of photography Lawrence Sher, editors John Lee and Michael L. Sale, and production designer Tom Meyer. Executive producers include Johnson, Danny Garcia, Hiram Garcia, and Beau Flynn.
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
After ten or so years of talking about it in one form or another, Black Adam will finally come to theaters on October 21. From there, though, we expect Teth-Adam will make his presence known around the ‘verse – perhaps first in a stinger scene at the end of December’s Shazam: Fury of the Gods. He has to make his presence known to Billy at some point, right?
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The Batman took a long time to take shape, but fans are finally starting to get the full picture of director Matt Reeves’ take on the character. And, soon, the full extent of The Batman will be known to all, as the film is less than a month away from release.
But at 2021’s DC FanDome event, fans of the oft-rebooted movie hero got a nice glimpse of what to expect from the film thanks to a new trailer. In it, the Riddler (Paul Dano) is taken into custody by the Gotham City Police. But that seems to have little effect on his bigger plan, which involves the Batman (Robert Pattinson), Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), and local mobster Oswald Cobblepot (Colin Farrell). Its mix of Batman ’89 theatrics and Batman Begins realism may yet prove to be the right mix for this next iteration of the Caped Crusader.”
One year earlier, at 2020’s DC FanDome, Reeves revealed the movie will take place in year two of Batman’s crime-fighting career — an assertion backed up in the trailer by the reveal of a Batsignal — a period in which he is adjusting to his new life and Gotham is adjusting to him. An HBO Max series tentatively titled Gotham P.D. will focus on Batman’s year one, and follow corrupt cops in the city’s police department.
Let’s take a look at more of what we know about the movie from earlier reveals as well as the history of how the project came together.
[Updated on October 16, 2021]
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Plans for the film began in 2014, when Warner Bros. had a massive, Marvel-style DC film universe in mind. An important pillar of that concept was Ben Affleck behind the cowl of the Dark Knight and in the director’s chair for a film called The Batman. It was to tie in to the character as he played it in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League and would follow the events of both films. Affleck teased the arrival of the DC Comics villain Deathstroke to his tale by posting a costume test with actor Joe Manganiello under the mask. The actor was later set to play the character in the film and made a brief appearance in the Justice League stinger scene. Some reports suggest the film would have taken place inside Arkham Asylum.
But then things began to unravel. Despite commercial success, Batman v Superman was perceived as a creative misfire even as cameras began to roll on Justice League – leading to a rethink of the film’s plot. Warner Bros. asked Affleck to re-write his script for The Batman as the shape of the film universe changed alongside Justice League. In January of 2017, he had stepped down as director with Matt Reeves soon taking over. He also eventually handed script duties over to Reeves and Mattson Tomlin, leaving many to wonder if Affleck would even star in the picture.
Almost a full year of speculation followed until Affleck, then dealing with a number of personal problems, set the record straight in January of 2019, announcing his complete departure from the project. And with that, the original vision for The Batman gave way to Reeves’ new take.
(Photo by Dee Cercone/Everett Collection)
Even before Affleck’s departure was confirmed, many began to speculate about the seventh person to wear the cowl in a theatrically released, live-action film. Rumors began to circle around The Lighthouse star Robert Pattinson, who emerged as the favorite and eventually took the role in May of 2019.
Over the course of the following months, a cast list began to emerge, including Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle (a.k.a. Catwoman), Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon, and Paul Dano as the Riddler, whose civilian identity in the film, “Edward Nashton,” is a one of his known aliases in the pages of DC comics. Over the Fall of 2019, Colin Farrell signed on as Oswald Cobblepot and Andy Serkis also stepped up to take over as Alfred Pennyworth from Jeremy Irons, who had played the character for Affleck’s Batman. Other cast members include John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, Peter Sarsgaard as District Attorney Gil Colson, Con O’Neill as Chief Macheknize Bock, Alex Ferns as police commissioner Peter Savage, and Jayme Lawson as Bella Reál. Teen Wolf’s Max Carver and Charlie Carver also joined the cast, leading some to suggest they may play Batman rogues Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Lastly, Eternals’ Barry Keoghan is listed among the cast as playing Officer Stanley Merkel; in DC Comics lore, Merkel was Jim Gordon’s first partner, though that may not be the role he plays here.
Behind the camera, Reeves’ crew includes director of photography Greig Fraser, editors William Hoy and Tyler Nelson, production designer James Chinlund and costume designer Jacqueline Durran. Reeves is producing the film alongside Dylan Clark while Simon Emanuel, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong, and Michael Uslan serve as executive producers. Michael Giacchino scored the film, making both the Batman and Riddler themes available to fans during the early days of 2022.
At DC FanDome 2020, Reeves teased that, just as Batman is still finding himself in the movie, so too are the “rogues gallery” of villains we meet. As seen in the trailer, when we first encounter Selina Kyle, she’s not Catwoman; ditto Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot, who’s destined to be crime kingpin, the Penguin.
From that list of cast and crew, a sense of The Batman began to emerge… as did a potential source of its story.
(Photo by DC Comics)
Though Reeves referred to the plot as an “original story” from the moment he began answering questions about the film, the number of villains and supporting characters in the cast left many to wonder if it might be taking inspiration from Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.
Set after the events of the seminal Batman: Year One storyline, it sees Batman attempting to learn the identity of a serial killer known as Holiday. It also accomplishes a few other things, like chronicling the year mobsters lost control of Gotham City to the costumed supervillains. The 13-issue miniseries was followed up by Batman: Dark Victory and Catwoman: When in Rome, which saw Loeb and Sale return to some of The Long Halloween’s ideas, including the continuing deterioration of Gotham’s organized crime families.
But the key to The Long Halloween was its expansive cast and Batman encountering a mystery he could not easily crack.
Early on, Reeves said he wanted to emphasize Batman as the world’s greatest detective – an element of the character generally downplayed in the more action-oriented Batman and Dark Knight film cycles – while also playing up the noirish elements inherent in the concept. Reeves said at DC FanDome 2020 that noirs like Chinatown have been a big inspiration for his approach to the material. Additionally, the costume test video of Pattinson in the batsuit and the Batmobile pictures clearly illustrate Batman during an early part of of his career, making the case for The Long Halloween as a primary source stronger.
(Photo by Warner Bros.)
It would not be the first time, though, the book was called upon as a source of inspiration or, indeed, the first time a Batman film used one of the better-known Batman stories in its development. The Dark Knight used one or two elements from the story while also grabbing from The Killing Joke. The Dark Knight Rises also pulled from the “No Man’s Land” story. But this should not suggest The Batman is a straight adaptation of The Long Halloween, as someone key to that story is missing from the film: Harvey Dent.
The Long Halloween is also a Two-Face origin story that sees him promoted to Gotham City DA near the start of the story and, well, somewhere else by its conclusion. In lieu of Harvey, Sarsgaard plays Gil Colson, an original character for the film. Curiously, before Sarsgaard’s role was confirmed, some suggested he might be playing Harvey Dent, while yet others noted the character’s name bares a resemblance to that of a corrupt Gotham Police officer who helped Two-Face in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series. For the moment, we’re inclined to believe Sarsgaard is, in fact, playing a wholly new character with no ties to Gotham’s most famous lawyer.
This suspicion also extends to Lawson’s Bella Reál, another new character said to be running for mayor in the film. As with DA Colson, we’re willing to accept this as the truth until presented with evidence that she is really Barbara Gordon or Poison Ivy.
Making these obscure ties less likely, though, is the trailer released during the 2021 edition of DC FanDome. Based on the story hooks teased in the newer preview, the mystery plaguing the Batman is engineered solely by the Riddler, making him the key villain in a Batman film for the first time since 1995’s Batman Forever., in which he was portrayed by Jim Carrey. Granted, he shared his murderous plot in that film with Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones). Nevertheless, it seems more likely The Batman will take thematic ideas from The Long Halloween and leave most of its plot within its pages.
(Photo by ©Warner Bros.)
As with Joker, Warner Bros. made the choice to debut The Batman’s key costume in a short video before any paparazzi had a chance to shoots pictures of it on location. Seen through darkness and red light, the suit seems to employ a more bare-bones, off-the-shelf aesthetic. The body armor continues Batman ‘89’s basic design choice, but a cowl made of fabric sets it apart from all other cinematic Batmen. Some have also speculated the bat symbol is made of the gun Joe Chill used to kill the Waynes. It’s all pretty interesting even if the video makes it look a little too much like Daredevil’s costume. Subsequent set pics also offered a better look at the cowl, which may be inspired by Silver Age comic book artists like Dick Sprang and Carmine Infantino.
At DC FanDome 2020, Reeves said that the fact this is only year two of Batman’s career heavily influenced the design of the costume: Wayne built it himself, he’s making adjustments, you can see the gashes from his scuffles on the suit.
In March of 2020, Reeves unveiled the first look at the Batmobile. Eschewing the more outlandish design conventions established in Batman ’89, this car is, in fact, a muscle car with some obvious modifications. Long-time readers of Batman comics may even recognize the broad strokes of the design as the one Batman used through most of the 1980s and into the 1990s. The new Batmobile design continues the notion that Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne merely modified existing gear instead of inventing Bat-gadgets from whole cloth and, if nothing else, is an interesting departure from the previous Batman film cycles, particularly the tankish Tumbler and Justice League Batmobile.
Ahead of the DC FanDome event in 2020, Reeves revealed even more in a Twitter post debuting the film’s logo and FanDome-specific artwork:
https://twitter.com/mattreevesLA/status/1296477749654233089
(Photo by Niko Tavernise/© 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC Comics)
Despite all the tell-tale markings of a reboot, The Batman’s place in the loose continuity of Warner Bros’s DC film slate is still up for debate. During the early phases of development, Reeves suggested it could take place out of continuity like Joker, but quickly backpedaled to say it will have some ties and maybe even a cameo or two. At the same time, recasting Jim Gordon, who was played by J.K. Simmons in Justice League, with Wright also suggests the film is in a world all its own. But then again, the DC Universe is a place where world-changing events create convenient retcons. Pattinson could simply replace Affleck’s Batman in the new DC film reality where Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) co-exists with Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and the Suicide Squad of 2021. Is all depends on whether or not Reeves would be interested in utilizing any of those ideas or, indeed, if Pattinson would want to bring his Batman to play with the other DC film heroes.
The film will be released at the beginning of a full roster for the DC film universe, which includes The Flash, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and Black Adam. We wouldn’t put it past Warner Bros. to try to connect them all to The Batman, but we won’t be disappointed if they remain separate. In the meantime, though, the principal cast is expected to return for at least two sequels to The Batman.
The Batman is currently scheduled for release on March 4, 2022.
Thumbnail image by Warner Bros. Pictures
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Saturday’s DC FanDome promises fresh looks at some of the biggest DC titles in film and television. New trailers include Doctor Who season 13 and The Shrink Next Door, which stars Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell. Learn how to make the Squid Game candy — you know, just in case you’re planning your own party. All that and more of the week’s biggest TV and streaming news.
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Watch DC FanDome now in the video above.
DC FanDome returns on Saturday, October 15, at 10 a.m. PT with news, video teasers, and first-look images at upcoming DC Comics and filmed entertainment. Films on the docket include the biggest titles to come, including The Batman, Black Adam, The Flash, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, and DC League of Super-Pets.
(Photo by © & TM WBEI & DC)
On the TV front, the one-day streaming event features DC heroes and —whatever we’re deciding to call Peacemaker. The Suicide Squad spin-off, created by the movie’s director, James Gunn, and featuring John Cena reprising his movie role, premieres on HBO Max in January, and will be one of the main spotlights of the fan event, with a new teaser trailer scheduled for release. Fingers crossed that includes a preview of the series’ opening credits, which, no spoiling, but is an opener you will never fast forward through.
On the animation front, we also can’t wait for news about season 3 of HBO Max’s Harley Quinn, with the all-star cast of voice talent that includes Kaley Cuoco as Harley, as well as Lake Bell, Tony Hale, Ron Funches, J.B. Smoove, Jason Alexander, and Alan Tudyk. When last we left the delightfully potty-mouthed and hilarious gang, Harley and Ivy rode off into the sunset after sharing their feelings for each other. But that was before the series had its season 3 renewal, so we’re guessing there could be more drama mixed in with the show’s trademark humor in the new episodes. But we need a trailer to prove it.
Among the other TV series, live-action and animated, in the line-up of the free, global, virtual Oct. 16 (beginning at 10 AM PT) fan event: Batwoman, Doom Patrol, Naomi, Legends of Tomorrow, Stargirl, Supergirl, The Flash, Sweet Tooth, Titans, and Superman & Lois for live-action previews, and Aquaman: King of Atlantis, Batman: Caped Crusader, the adorable Batwheels series for the youngest Batfans, DC Super Hero Girls, DMZ, Teen Titans Go!, and Young Justice: Phantoms for the animated series previews.
The Shrink Next Door is a limited series, inspired by true events and based on the podcast of the same name, about the decades-long manipulation and exploitation by psychiatrist Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf (Paul Rudd) and his longtime patient Martin “Marty” Markowitz (Will Ferrell). Dr. Ike is accompanied by his unsuspecting wife Bonnie (Casey Wilson) and though Marty may be defenseless against Dr. Ike’s enticing offerings, his hard-headed sister Phyllis (Kathryn Hahn) is not. The eight-episode series premieres Nov. 12. (Apple TV+)
More trailers and teasers released this week:
• The Beatles: Get Back is a three-part series directed by Peter Jackson featuring never-seen, restored footage from January 1969, including The Beatles’ last performance as a group, the writing and recording of iconic songs from Abbey Road and Let It Be. Premieres Nov. 25, 26, and 27. (Disney+)
• Doctor Who season 13, “Doctor Who: Flux,” trailer includes a preview of returning monsters — Sontarans, Weeping Angels, Cybermen, and the Ood — as well as a range of new monsters, one of whom is named Karvanista. The new season will be
• Bruised is a drama about a mixed martial arts fighter (Halle Berry) who reclaims her power, in and out of the ring, when everyone has counted her out. The movie is also Berry’s directorial debut. Premieres Dec. 24 (Netflix)
• American Veteran is a four-part series that explores the breadth and variety of the veteran experience, from WWII until now, and features interviews with more than 40 veterans from diverse backgrounds and with diverse experiences. Premieres Oct. 26 (PBS)
• Mayor of Kingstown is a drama series about the McLusky family, power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan, where the business of the local jail system is the only thriving industry. The series stars Jeremy Renner, Kyle Chandler, Dianne Wiest, and is created by Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon. Premieres Nov. 14. (Paramount+)
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(Photo by Amanda Edwards (Lewis)/courtesy Spectrum Originals and BritBox UK)
Damian Lewis and Guy Pearce are teaming up to play a pair of spies who are longtime friends in a limited series adaptation of the bestselling book A Spy Among Friends, where the twist is: one of the friends betrays the other. Emmy and Golden Globe winner Lewis, who left his lead role on Showtime’s Billions at the end of that show’s recent fifth season, will also serve as an executive producer on the six-part Spectrum Originals series, the true story of Nicholas Elliott (Lewis) and Kim Philby (Emmy winner Pearce).
Yep, it’s true: NCIS star Mark Harmon has also quit his hit drama, after 18 seasons playing Supervisory Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
The Crown Emmy nominee Emma Corrin will star in the FX limited series Retreat, playing an amateur investigator in the middle of a murder mystery at a secluded retreat. The OA creators Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij created the series, which they will write, direct, and executive produce. (Deadline)
Interview With the Vampire has cast newcomer Kalyne Coleman, who will play Grace, the sister of Louis (Jacob Anderson) in the upcoming AMC series. (Variety)
Original Head of the Class star Robin Givens has joined the cast of HBO Max’s upcoming reboot of the 1986-91 ABC comedy, where she’ll reprise her role as Darlene Merriman, who is now the mom of one of the gifted kids whose teacher wants them to study a little less, experience life a little more. (EW.com)
Hulu has cast Melanie Lynskey in the limited series Candy, about the Texas woman (Jessica Biel) who kills her friend and romantic rival with an ax. Lynskey will play Betty Gore, Candy Montgomery’s ax victim. (Lily Rabe plays Gore in Love and Death, HBO Max’s competing Candy story, in which Elizabeth Olsen plays Candy).
That ‘70s Show stars Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp have signed on to once again play Red and Kitty Forman, this time in That ‘90s Show, a Netflix sequel to the Fox sitcom, now set in Wisconsin 1995 and revolving around the daughter of original series characters Eric and Donna, who’s visiting Red and Kitty for the summer. No other cast members from That ‘70s Show, which ran from 1998-2006, have yet signed on for the spin-off, which was also created by That ‘70s Show’s Bonnie and Terry Turner.
(Photo by Mark Hill/AMC)
The fourth AMC series spin-off of The Walking Dead – an anthology series called Tales of the Walking Dead – will debut in summer 2022. Each hour-long episode will focus on a new or existing TWD character, with TWD and Fear the Walking Dead writer Channing Powell serving as the spin-off’s showrunner. Tales follows FTWD, Walking Dead: World Beyond, and the upcoming Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride Daryl and Carol drama as TWD spin-offs, while Andrew Lincoln will star in a TWD spin-off movie that will finally clue us in on what happened to Rick Grimes when he flew off in that helicopter with Anne/Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh, a new member of the World Beyond Season 2 cast).
Ted Lasso Emmy winners Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence are teaming up with Jason Segel to write the Apple TV+ comedy Shrinking, about a grieving therapist who decides to no longer follow the rules, and starts telling his clients exactly what he thinks, training and ethics aside. As a result, their lives, and his, start to change. Segel will star in the 10-episode series, and will write and produce with Goldstein and Lawrence.
Lupin star Omar Sy has signed a multiyear deal with Netflix to create, executive produce, and star in feature films for Netflix. He will next star in the action comedy movie Tour de Force, a 2022 Netflix release.
FX has ordered the comedy series The Bear, starring Jeremy Allen White (Shameless) as a chef who moves home to Chicago to run his family’s restaurant. The series will also star Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Abby Elliott, Liza Colón-Zayas, and Edwin Gibson, and Matty Matheson.
(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/2021 MTV Movie and TV Awards/Getty Images for MTV/ViacomCBS, ©Fox Searchlight, © Columbia, © Marvel / © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Amazon is planning a second installment of its year-end special Yearly Departed, with Insecure star Yvonne Orji hosting a lineup of female comedians bidding adieu to another all-too-eventful year. An exact December release date and guest list will be announced later, but topics to be covered will include “Hot Vaxx Summer, Hermit Life, Ignoring the Climate Crisis, and Zoom.”
Orji will also host My Mom, Your Dad, a dating game for single parents, who are set up by their college-aged kids. The HBO Max reality series was created by The Office creator Greg Daniels and his daughter, Haley, and will find the two ‘rents moving into a house together, unaware their children are living down the street, watching them via hidden cameras, and controlling some of their interactions. Sounds … creepy?
Some new ways for you to spend your TV-related dollars: a trip to the Peppa Pig theme park that will open in Winter Haven, Florida, next February; a slew of Netflix series merch at Walmart, from The Witcher statues to Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence posters to Queer Eye office furniture; and the books featured in the new Netflix Book Club, hosted by Orange Is the New Black star Uzo Aduba and featuring books adapted into series on the streaming service.
There will be no Golden Globes telecast on NBC in 2022, but the Hollywood Foreign Press Association does still plan to award statues for the best TV and movie performances of 2021 a source tells TheWrap.com.
HBO Max has ordered Atlas of the Heart, an unscripted series starring bestselling author and professor Dr. Brené Brown, that will “take viewers on an interactive journey through the range of emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human.” The series is named after Brown’s upcoming book, which will be released on Nov. 20.
Amazon has ordered a pilot for Once Upon a Time in Aztlan, comedian George Lopez’s first drama series. Lopez will star in and executive produce the hour-long series, about a Chicano family in the Los Angeles suburbs “as they come to terms with the falsehoods of the American dream and their ability to defy expectations,” reports Variety.
After the Oct. 17 Season 3 premiere of Succession, HBO will debut the official Succession companion podcast, with special guests like the show’s cast members, hosted by fintech journalist Kara Swisher, at HBO Max.
On Nov, 7, MSNBC will air Four Seasons Total Documentary, about the small Philadelphia landscaping company that was pulled into bumbling Rudy Giuliani’s infamous 2020 election results press conference, Variety reports the documentary is less about Giuliani, and more about “a small business in Philadelphia that was unexpectedly thrust into the national spotlight when it agreed to host a political event in the middle of the presidential election.”
Wondering how to make those honeycomb candies (known as Dalgona) that played a pivotal role in Squid Game? The video above shares the scoop. Netflix announced that the South Korean thriller has become, by the way, the streaming service’s most successful original series ever (yes, even more popular than Bridgerton), as it has been viewed by 111 million accounts since it premiered on Sept. 17.
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In one of our creepiest showdowns yet, we’re pitting two pioneering anthology series against each other: Black Mirror vs. The Twilight Zone. (And yes, we’re looking at all iterations of the Zone.) Which series performs better when it comes to the Tomatometer and Audience Score? Which gave us more iconic moments? (Both delivered big time when it came to iconic porcine moments, right?!). And which had the greatest cultural impact? Join Rotten Tomatoes Contributing Editor Mark Ellis as he travels to another dimension, and into the just-recognizable near future, to see which series takes the creepster crown in the latest edition of Vs.
As always, if you don’t agree with our choice of winner, let us have it in the comments.
Who is superhero cinema’s ultimate genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist? The wise-cracking tech head who took down Thanos? Or the reclusive, brooding, vengeful detective who looks as good in a tux as he does zipping between the buildings of Gotham? In our latest episode of Vs., Rotten Tomatoes Contributing Editor Mark Ellis is pitting the MCU’s Iron Man against DC’s Dark Knight, comparing their box office pull, Tomatometer and Audience Scores, and the quality and inventiveness of their gadgets, all to declare who is the superior super-powered scion.
As always, if you don’t agree with our choice of winner, let us have it in the comments.
The last time we polled our social media fans about the films they were most looking forward to, it was back in February, when we weren’t entirely sure how things were going to pan out after widespread stay-at-home orders went into effect. Well, here we are, halfway through 2020, and the traditional Summer Movie Season hasn’t really happened yet.
At one time, even as recently as a week or two ago, we all thought we might see the theaters spring back to life this month with the debut of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, followed quickly by Disney’s live-action adaptation of Mulan, but both of those films ultimately got pushed back, so what are we left with? A smattering of streaming-exclusive movies and VOD premieres. With that in mind, we asked our fans on social media to find out which titles on streaming and VOD they were most looking forward to seeing, so read on for the full list!
#1 pick by our Facebook, and Twitter fans; #4 pick by our Instagram fans
Premieres on Netflix on July 10
The runaway winner on two of our social media platforms (folks on the ‘Gram weren’t as impressed, apparently) was this action flick based on a comic book and starring Charlize Theron. The story revolves around a group of immortal soldiers who make up a sort of covert ops unit that has operated in the shadows for centuries, and they’re led by Theron’s “Andy.” This Netflix original movie is director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s first film since 2014’s Certified Fresh Beyond the Lights, and it’s gotten pretty decent reviews, so it’s an easy call for anyone looking for some blockbuster action.
#2 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans, #5 pick by our Instagram fans
Premieres on Apple TV+ on July 10
There was actually a three-way tie for second place this month between three vastly different movies, so let’s start with the Tom Hanks-powered World War II naval thriller. Inspired by true events, the film chronicles the efforts of a newly appointed Commander of a U.S. destroyer warship, Ernest Krause (Hanks), who leads a convoy of 37 Allied ships to safety while being pursued by a fleet of German U-boats in the early days of World War II. The film co-stars Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan, and Elisabeth Shue, among others, and it’s gotten praise for its propulsive storytelling. This was set to debut in theaters on June 12 before the coronavirus shutdowns occurred, and now it’ll debut on Apple TV+.
#3 pick by our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter fans
Premiering on Hulu on July 10
Next up in our three-way tie is this romantic comedy starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti that takes the idea behind Groundhog Day to absurd extremes. Samberg plays Nyles, a regular dude who is dragged to a wedding in Palm Springs, only to get caught in a time loop that forces him to relive the same day over and over again. The twist? One of the other guests at the wedding, Milioti’s Sarah, inadvertently gets caught in the loop with him, and together they try to make the most of their infinite — or is it? — time. The film is already Certified Fresh at 98%, and it set the record for the highest sale at Sundance by a very intentional 69 cents. The company who shelled out that money was Neon, who has a special relationship with Hulu, and that’s where the film will premiere on July 10.
#1 pick by our Instagram fans, #4 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans
Premiering on Disney+ on July 3
If you’ve paid any attention to pop culture over the past five years or so, you’re already well familiar with Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s wildly popular and successful stage musical based on the life of United States founding father Alexander Hamilton and delivered in a combination of soulful ballads and rap lyrics. And if you’ve heard of Hamilton, you’re likely also aware that tickets to the production are exorbitantly expensive and exceedingly difficult to score. Thankfully, the folks at Disney, who originally thought to release a feature-film version of the musical in theaters, have decided to release the thing on Disney+ instead, so now everyone can watch it with the best seats in the house, literally.
#2 pick by our Instagram fans, #5 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans
Premiering on Peacock on July 15
Lastly, we have something of a cult favorite in Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, the second feature-length film based on the popular TV series starring James Roday as pretend psychic Shawn Spencer and Dulé Hill as his partner Gus. The new film, which will air on NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock, sees Shawn and Gus return to Santa Barbara after Lassie (Timothy Omundson) suffers a brutal attack on the job, hoping to unravel a new, twisted mystery. Longtime fans of the series should be pleased to see a lot of familiar faces and wacky antics again.
Thumnail image by Aimee Spinks/NETFLIX
With movie theaters shuttered for the time being and prospective audiences presumably self-quarantining at home, people looking for entertainment to consume have never had more time on their hands to just sit and binge a bunch of television. With that in mind, we polled our fans on social media to find out what new shows everyone was most looking forward to in the month of July, whether it was a brand new series or a popular one returning with a new season. It’s probably no surprise that three of the top five are Netflix originals, considering the sheer volume of the streaming giant’s output, but we also got an Amazon original and a series on TNT. Read on to find out the full list!
#1 pick by our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter fans
Premieres on Netflix on July 31
Netflix’s adaptation of the comic book series created by My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way enjoyed a successful first season, earning a Certified Fresh 75% on the Tomatometer and an even more impressive 86% Audience Score. For those who haven’t had a chance to check out the show just yet, we won’t discuss any spoilers from Season 1 here, but suffice it to say that the way it ended left enough fans anxious to find out where the show might go in Season 2 to propel it straight to the top of all of our social media polls. The only bad news is that we’ll have to wait until the tail end of the month before we get to see it.
#2 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans
Premieres on Netflix on July 17
Another offering from Netflix, this fantasy series reimagines the classic legend of King Arthur by telling the origin story of the young woman who would eventually become the fabled Lady of the Lake. Based on the novel of the same name co-written by Frank Miller, it stars Kathering Langford (who also appeared in Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why) as Nimue, who travels with a young Arthur (Devon Terrell) to seek out Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgård) and help confront the evil King Uther Pendragon. This one came in just under The Umbrella Academy in both our Facebook and Twitter polls.
#2 pick by our Instagram fans, #3 pick by our Twitter fans, #5 pick by our Facebook fans
Premieres on TNT on July 19
Originally created as a limited series based on the novel of the same name by Caleb Carr, The Alienist surprised a lot of people by scoring a number of awards nominations and subsequently announcing that it would return for another go. The second season, dubbed Angel of Darkness, adapts the second novel in the series and sees the return of stars Daniel Brühl, Luke Evans, and Dakota Fanning as their characters reunite to track down a missing infant, only to uncover a more sinister threat. A lot of people are happy they’re coming back for another investigation, and there are hopes that the third and upcoming fourth novels in the series will ensure further seasons of the dark, period thriller.
#3 pick by our Facebook fans, #4 pick by our Instagram fans, #5 pick by our Twitter fans
Premieres on Amazon Prime on July 3
The first season of Amazon’s Hanna expanded on the ideas of its source material, the Joe Wright-directed 2011 film of the same name, and delivered something entirely its own, and while the reviews weren’t over the moon, the audience response was strong. Fittingly, Season 2 looks to expand that world even further, and fans who have been waiting to find out where Hanna (Esme Creed-Miles) goes next and how she will evolve will be pleased to know that, according to the critics, it’s even better than Season 1.
#4 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans
Premieres on Netflix on July 2
The third Netflix series to make it into the top five this month is another fantasy, albeit one based on modern (ancient?) religion. Loosely based on a comic book series first published in the mid-’90s, Warrior Nun centers on a young woman who is gifted with immense power and compelled to join a secret order of — you guessed it — warrior nuns who battle against supernatural evil. The series has generated interest from curious and cautiously optimistic viewers looking for another fantasy fix, and reviews indicate it’s not perfect but still worth checking out.
Thumnail image by NETFLIX
As we inch closer to the beginning of the summer movie season, we are starting to see a few more big-name properties show up on the release calendar, and March features not only a hotly anticipated sequel to a surprise horror hit, but also a new entry from Pixar and the latest live-action remake of an animated Disney classic. Beyond those titles, we also have a comic book adaptation starring Vin Diesel and a new interpretation of a Jane Austen novel just to round things out. See below for the most anticipated movies opening in March.
2,769 Want-to-See Votes
#1 pick by our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter fans
Opens March 20
Director John Krasinski had a hit on his hands with 2018’s A Quiet Place, in which he starred alongside his real-life wife Emily Blunt as a married couple with two children (after a tragic and horrifying opening scene) who live their lives in complete silence in an attempt to avoid detection by the bloodthirsty monsters who navigate by sound that have taken over the world. This month, we get the sequel, which finds Blunt’s Evelyn Abbott traveling with son Marcus (Noah Jupe), daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds), and her newborn infant until they come across other survivors and discover there’s more to worry about than just the monsters. This film made it to the top of all of our social media polls and racked up the second-most Want-to-See votes among all March releases.
3,650 Want-to-See Votes
#2 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans, #3 pick by our Instagram fans
Opens March 27
Disney released three live-action remakes of their classic animated films in 2019 — namely Dumbo, Aladdin, and The Lion King — and while none of them exactly set critics’ hearts aflutter, the latter two especially made big splashes at the box office. With that context in mind, March brings us their latest effort, Mulan, starring Liu Yufei as the titular heroine who defies her father’s wishes and joins the Imperial Chinese Army disguised as a man to represent her family. The supporting cast includes such renowned actors as Jet Li, Donnie Yen, and Gong Li, and fans on our social media accounts were excited enough about the movie to vote it into second place on Facebook and Twitter, and third place on Instagram. It also racked up the most Want-to-See votes of any March release on RT.
1,252 Want-to-See Votes
#2 pick by our Instagram fans, #4 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans
Opens March 6
Part of Mulan‘s appeal is undeniably the nostalgia factor for adults who remember seeing the animated original more than 20 years ago, but Disney offshoot Pixar is also coming out with a new animated film that’s ostensibly aimed at younger audiences but plays on some mature themes. MCU stars Chris Pratt and Tom Holland voice two elf brothers who live in a suburban fantasy world populated by trash unicorns and pet dragons where technology has pushed magic into obsolescence. When the two of them receive a magical gift from their deceased father that will allow them to resurrect him for 24 hours, and it only summons his lower half, they embark on a journey to find a way to bring back the rest of him before time runs out. This one made it into the top five of all of our social polls and garnered the third-most Want-to-See votes on RT, and on top of all that, it’s already Certified Fresh.
1,099 Want-to-See Votes
#3 pick by our Facebook and Twitter fans
Opens March 13
The vast majority of superhero movies made these days belong to either the MCU or the DCEU, but the landscape is slowly changing as other players join the fray. Enter Bloodshot, a murdered soldier who is resurrected by scientists and given superhuman abilities thanks to nanotechnology. The Valiant Comics anti-hero is played by Vin Diesel here, and reports have stated that the film is intended to be the first in its own cinematic universe. We’ll have to wait and see how that goes after the film is released, but for now, moviegoers are looking forward to seeing the big-screen adaptation of the comic, as it ranked third in our Facebook and Twitter polls.
1,391 Want-to-See Votes
#5 pick by our Facebook fans
Opens Wide March 6
The last film on this month’s list actually opened in limited release back on February 21, but it’s expanding wide in the first week of March, thanks to a positive reception. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Jane Austen’s eponymous matchmaker, who discovers that maybe she’s not as good at bringing people together as she thought she was, all while her own romance bubbles up and takes her by surprise. Director Autumn de Wilde’s debut feature is already Certified Fresh, and critics say it’s a whimsical adaptation that takes some time to get going but blossoms into a delightful treat. The film made it to fifth place in our Facebook poll and earned the fourth-most Want-to-See votes on RT.
Thumnail image by Paramount Pictures
This week at the movies, we’ve got a flock of fearsome females (Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), starring Margot Robbie and Ewan McGregor). What are the critics saying?
Talk to anyone who saw 2016’s Suicide Squad, and they’re likely to tell you the best part about the movie was Margot Robbie’s performance as Joker’s best girl, Harley Quinn. Warner Bros. clearly knew this, too, considering the studio announced a Harley Quinn spinoff even before Suicide Squad was released. Four years later, audiences finally get to see Birds of Prey, and the praise for it so far has been effusive. Working from a script by Christina Hodson, director Cathy Yan jumps back and forth in time to explain how Harley and “Mistah J” broke up, how she gets pulled into the orbit of nightclub owner-cum-sadistic crime boss Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor), and how her story intertwines with the women who would form her ragtag crew (Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, and Ella Jay Basco). Some were reasonably concerned we might have another Suicide Squad on our hands, but critics say it’s all as flamboyant, irreverent, unhinged, action-packed, and gloriously fun as one should expect from a Harley Quinn movie. That said, it does earn its R rating, with plenty of colorful language and bone-crushing violence (thanks, in part, to John Wick director Chad Stahelski, who helped choreograph the action), so it may not be the most ideal girl-power flick for young women. But anyone hoping for a loopy carnival ride of an adventure starring one of Hollywood’s most dynamic actors will likely leave the theater satisfied.
Also Opening This Week In Limited Release
The success of Wonder Woman proved women-helmed, women-led superhero movies could be immensely successful, and now Warner Bros. and DC continue to lead in that arena with Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey, with Margot Robbie reprising her Suicide Squad role as Gotham City antihero Harley Quinn. The first reviews of the comic book movie are on the positive side, emphasizing the ensemble cast (including the villains), the action aided by John Wick director Chad Stahelski, and the general fun had by all involved, especially the audience.
Here’s what critics are saying about Birds of Prey:
Rights so many of the DCEU’s wrongs, trading CGI for carefully choreographed fight scenes and breathing new life into a stagnant genre.
– Hannah Woodhead, Little White Lies
Birds of Prey looks like what you’d imagine Suicide Squad could have been under a clearer vision.
– Angie Han, Mashable
[Features] perhaps one of the most fun third acts in a DC film so far.
– James Whitbrook, io9
It’s the perfect spiritual successor to Joker in terms of the current state of the DCEU.
– Molly Freeman, ScreenRant
This is not a perfect film, nor is it the DCEU’s best. But it is immensely enjoyable.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider
No, [but] you’ll have a deeper understanding of [Harley] and DC characters like Black Mask, Zsasz, and Black Canary if you’ve watched animated DC cartoons, played popular games like Arkham City, and watched the CW’s Arrow.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider
Birds of Prey stands on its own more than most comic book movies. References to the Joker and Batman are few and far between.
– Kristen Lopez, Fansided
A superhero movie that might actually be more enjoyable for viewers who haven’t read a single comic.
– Susana Polo, Polygon
[It’s] a spinoff/sequel that requires no knowledge of its mediocre predecessor, Suicide Squad. Thank goodness.
– Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, The Daily Dot
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
[It’s] DC’s R-rated answer to Deadpool in terms of rampant cursing, in-universe commentary and clever pop-culture riffs.
– Brian Truitt, USA Today
Comparisons are going to be made between BoP and Fox’s R-rated Deadpool, which also has a fourth-wall-breaking antihero. Any similarities are only surface level.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider
It’s going for the sparky nihilist defiance… [but] Birds of Prey could have used more of the intricate cleverness of Deadpool.
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Those hoping for a Deadpool-like fusion of mayhem and wit should lower their expectations.
– John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter
Robbie reminds you why Harley is the role she was born to play.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider
The movie is a stunning showcase for Margot Robbie, who commands the screen and gives her damaged protagonist all the dimension she deserves.
– Laura Prudom, IGN
Robbie’s mayhem-fueled portrait of a mobster moll run amok is precisely tuned. She captures this unapologetic, dynamic complex woman with delirious verve and vigor.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Robbie’s shining performance cuts through the murk like a neon sign in a dark alleyway.
– Angie Han, Mashable
Birds of Prey is a true ensemble in the sense that it doesn’t work because one person or one part is excellent, but because they all are.
– Molly Freeman, ScreenRant
The main heroine ensemble actors all breathe a wonderful amount of life into little-known characters overdue for mainstream attention.
– Susana Polo, Polygon
The actresses who come together to form Harley’s posse… have presence to spare, but you wish they’d been given more to do.
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Unfortunately, the Birds of Prey are the ones who get shortchanged by the ambitious scope… you can’t help but wish [the movie] leaned a little harder into the team-up aspect of the title.
– Laura Prudom, IGN
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Huntress is the least developed of all the lead characters… but in her few appearances, Winstead steals the show.
– Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm
Fans will undoubtedly fall in love with Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Huntress.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider
Winstead’s self-serious, mafia-bred, crossbow-toting Huntress appears to be ripped out of another movie entirely.
– Kate Erbland, IndieWire
The scene-stealer is Black Canary… Smollett-Bell gives her character fire and a voice, literally, that has power.
– Kristen Lopez, Fansided
In her debut feature film role Ella Jay Basco is a force to be reckoned with. With impeccable comedic timing, the young actress holds her own.
– Britany Murphy, Geeks of Color
The film also benefits from two first-rate villains… worthy opponents to Quinn, delighting in violence for the sake of violence but crucially grounded in reality.
– Hannah Woodhead, Little White Lies
In terms of DCEU films, McGregor’s Sionis and Messina’s Zsasz are my favorite villains…[with] some of the best villain moments seen in a comic book film to-date.
– Britany Murphy, Geeks of Color
It’s McGregor who shines the brightest in Birds of Prey… he skillfully slips between the personas to create an effective counterpart to each of the heroes.
– Molly Freeman, ScreenRant
He’s the best villain in the DCEU right now… for what it’s worth, that’s not too high of a bar.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider
Victor’s obsessive desire to please his boss and Roman’s unchecked narcissism combine to create a dynamic duo who are pure nightmare fuel.
– Laura Prudom, IGN
Villains Sionis and Zsasz are left aching for a bit more oomph, or gravitas, behind their wickedness… Their unhinged nature could stand to be dialed up further.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Ewan McGregor’s Roman Sionis is likely to be divisive… He’s an extravagantly blatant example of queer-coded villainhood, to the point where it’s not really coded at all.
– Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, The Daily Dot
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Hodson has made sure internal and external character stakes are cogent. She utilizes familiar story elements, but remixes them into a refreshed product.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Hodson’s script is packed with the kind of small actions and moments of recognition that only a film made by women would ever think to include.
– Clarisse Loughrey, Independent
Hodson uses Harley’s omniscient, if unreliable, narrator to great effect in order to immerse viewers in this world and introduce the various key players.
– Molly Freeman, ScreenRant
Slight at best, convoluted at worst, but Birds of Prey rips through its hardboiled neo-noir story with such gleeful abandon that you barely notice the tired Macguffin narrative.
– Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm
The first hour of Birds of Prey is a bit confusing… Even if you’re a big DC fan, you may find yourself struggling to understand the point of the film.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider
The movie would have been so much better had it simplified its story by half.
– Alex Abad-Santos, Vox
If you think of how the narrative is being shown and just who it’s coming from, it works well… but I could see that it might not necessarily translate to the audience as a whole.
– Britany Murphy, Geeks of Color
Yan steps up to the plate without a trace of the nerves you might expect of a first-time big-budget director.
– Helen O’Hara, Time Out
Yan may be a newcomer to the big-budget blockbuster, but she brings an assured confidence to each stylistic choice.
– Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm
Directing her first studio feature, Cathy Yan keeps it all hurtling along with impeccable ferocity. Her action scenes have a deftly detonating visual spaciousness.
– Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Birds of Prey barely holds together plot-wise… That Yan directs the movie with a pinball comic energy, in scenes of action and character interaction, makes a world of difference.
– Scott Mendelson, Forbes
She has a gift for kinetic fight scenes, though there are only so many creative-kill scenarios before the death toll becomes numbing.
– Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly
Yan’s stylish direction and keen sense of comedic timing keep things lively even when the story starts to strain under the weight of so many competing storylines.
– Laura Prudom, IGN
(Photo by Claudette Barius/©Warner Bros.)
Yan’s camera [holds] on wide shots to show off the acrobatic stunts of her stars. It’s one of the best displays of fight sequences in a superhero movie to date.
– Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm
Boasts some of the most inventive fight sequences ever seen in a comic book movie… The smackdowns have a tangible, bone-crunching quality that sets them apart from the overly CGIed slugfests found in many other superhero movies lately.
– Laura Prudom, IGN
The movie’s fight scenes are like highlight reels in themselves, mashing together visual artistry with bone-crunching savagery.
– Alex Abad-Santos, Vox
Birds of Prey’s clearly shot and inventively staged action sequences feel like the first superhero movie response to John Wick’s success.
– Susana Polo, Polygon
It’s not quite John Wick, but crisp camerawork and playful choreography place Birds of Prey comfortably above the muddy CG action of an Avengers: Endgame or, God forbid, a Suicide Squad.
– Angie Han, Mashable
Rather than the paint-by-numbers girl power of Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey presents flawed, multi-faceted women as more than an afterthought in male-driven narratives.
– Hannah Woodhead, Little White Lies
The film is itself a liberation from male-led and male-created superhero comic book movies.
– Molly Freeman, ScreenRant
Not only does Cathy Yan’s female-fronted, feminist feature capture one woman’s resilience… it symbolically represents that we women can overcome our worst starts.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
All the daily joys and hurdles of a woman’s experience are deftly woven into the larger-than-life fabric of the comic-book film… this isn’t the kind of boardroom-designed, slogan-spouting style of feminism we’re used to from Hollywood.
– Clarisse Loughrey, Independent
Does the movie’s pop-feminist message need to be as consistently, cartoonishly violent as it is? Almost definitely not. But in a world gone mad, the catharsis of Prey’s twisted sisterhood doesn’t just read as pandemonium for its own sake; it’s actually pretty damn sweet.
– Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly
If there’s one thing Hollywood should learn from the experience, it’s this: Sometimes girls just want to have fun, whether they’re in superhero movies or watching them.
– Susana Polo, Polygon
The perfect Galentine’s outing.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Birds of Prey provides a perfect setup for a host of other intriguing spinoffs in the DC cinematic universe — can we request Poison Ivy next?
– Laura Prudom, IGN
You’ll be ready for a sequel with the group or more of Robbie’s take on Harley the moment the film’s over.
– Kirsten Acuna, Insider
Birds of Prey left me wanting [a sequel], which is about the most anyone can hope for in a big-screen comics adaptation.
– Alonso Duralde, The Wrap
Show[s] us just how cool Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey can be, so we’re left wanting to get back in line for their next movie.
– Angie Han, Mashable
Nothing in Birds of Prey suggests [these characters] ever merit further attention, far out in this suburb of Gotham with Batman nowhere to be found.
– John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter
Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is in theaters on February 7.
For Margot Robbie, Birds of Prey (And the Fabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) has been a passion project five years in the making. Ahead of the movie’s release, Rotten Tomatoes correspondent Naz Perez sat down with Robbie to ask why she felt so connected to this character and why she worked so hard to bring her story to the big screen. Of course, Birds of Prey is a Harley Quinn movie, but it’s no solo outing: We also spoke with the Birds themselves – Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Rosie Perez – and co-stars Ella Jay Basco and Chris Messina about working with Robbie and creating some of the DCEU’s most epic action scenes yet. Plus, director Cathy Yan talks creating a Gotham City befitting her leading lady and working with Robbie to bring out Harley’s more vulnerable side.
Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is in theaters February 7, 2020.
January has come and gone, bringing us one legitimate Best Picture contender (1917), one surprise hit (who knew Bad Boys for Life would actually be good?), and a handful of duds, which is pretty much par for the course at this time of year. As we enter the month that celebrates romance, Black history, and American presidents, the movie slate doesn’t look like it’s going to set the world on fire, but there’s still a few notable titles to consider. We’ve got the latest DC Comics movie, for starters, and a Cannes Film Festival winner, a video game-based adventure, a children’s movie based on a classic novel, and a horror remake. But what did RT users and our fans on social media vote to the top of the list? See below for the most anticipated movies opening in February.
3,681 Want-to-See Votes
#1 pick by our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter fans
Opens February 7
Margot Robbie sheds the Suicide Squad for her own marquee film — sort of — as she takes center stage as Harley Quinn in this DC Comics adaptation. Here, she and her cohort of fierce lady friends (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, and Rosie Perez) take on a Gotham City crime lord (Ewan McGregor) who’s out to get a young girl named Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco). This movie racked up the most Want-to-See votes by far and rocketed to the top of all of our social polls as the most anticipated film of the month, and early word on social media has been overwhelmingly positive. We’ll see if the film retains that heat when it opens the first week of February.
1,650 Want-to-See Votes
#2 pick by our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter fans
Opens February 14
Remember when the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog premiered and the internet did a collective spit-take at the inexplicably malformed character design? Remember when the studio then backtracked and redesigned Sonic to match the original character more closely? Whether or not it was all a clever marketing ploy (all press is good press, right?) to convince nostalgic moviegoers that the people behind the film were on their side, it’s resulted in a fairly healthy anticipation for the film, which finds the blue speedster — an alien from another planet — teaming up with his newfound human bestie (James Marsden) to take on a gleefully unhinged Jim Carrey in the form of the original game’s classic nemesis, Dr. Robotnik. This one also unanimously took second place in all of our social polls and earned the second-most Want-to-See votes on RT.
1,252 Want-to-See Votes
#3 pick by our Twitter fans, #4 pick by our Facebook fans, #5 pick by our Instagram fans
Opens February 14
Sure, the top two vote-getters in February are broadly marketed Hollywood fare, but if there was any doubt that RT users are a diverse group who flock to all sorts of films, this should help alleviate some of it. Earning a spot in the top five in all of our social polls, as well as the third-most Want-to-See votes, is this French romantic drama from celebrated director Céline Sciamma that took home both the Queer Palm and the award for Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival last year. The story follows an artist who is hired to secretly paint the portrait of a reluctant bride-to-be; as the two spend more time together, a growing attraction becomes apparent and threatens to upend both their lives.
1,009 Want-to-See Votes
#3 pick by our Facebook and Instagram fans, #4 pick by our Twitter fans
Opens February 28
H.G. Wells’ seminal science-fiction novel has been adapted or borrowed from on several occasions since its publication in 1897, most notably in 1933 as part of Universal Pictures’ stable of monster movies. Now, with the studio’s desire to update their classic horror pictures (formerly as part of a “Dark Universe”), we’re getting a new version starring Elisabeth Moss as a woman who may or may not be imagining the unseen presence of her abusive ex, a brilliant scientist who apparently committed suicide but might have actually discovered a way to turn himself invisible instead. Encouraged by a fairly effective trailer, initially skeptical moviegoers have turned the corner to cautious optimism, making the film February’s fourth-most anticipated title.
1,116 Want-to-See Votes
#4 pick by our Instagram fans, #5 pick by our Facebook fans
Opens February 21
Speaking of celebrated literature brought to the big screen, our last entry on the list adapts a Jack London masterpiece with the help of modern technology. While previous iterations of The Call of the Wild were content to work with live St. Bernards, this film stars a computer-animated Buck alongside Harrison Ford as John Thornton, who encounters the canine hero after he’s been dognapped from his domestic life in California and sold as a beast of labor in the Alaskan Yukon. This one made into the top five of our Facebook and Instagram polls, and it earned the fourth most Want-to-See votes of all movies this month.
Thumnail image by Warner Bros. Pictures
DC is on a roll with another critical hit, if the first reactions to Birds of Prey on social media are any indication. The comic book movie premiered Wednesday and squashed any concern that the all-women antihero team-up could be as disappointing as Suicide Squad. Margot Robbie stood out in that DCEU entry as Harley Quinn, and now she gets to wow audiences again, this time in a better adaptation, one that will reportedly have fans begging for more.
Here’s what critics are saying about Birds of Prey in the first round-up of social reactions:
Birds of Prey is f–king spectacular and a huge five stars from me.
– Millicent Thomas, Screen Queens
Birds of Prey is an absolute blast and undeniably fun live wire jolt of adrenaline. Delightfully devilish and deliriously wicked, this irreverent, rule-breaking riot delivers a contact high.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Absolutely BLOWN AWAY!
– Kristen Lopez, FanSided
Birds of Prey is a solid breakup movie with a soundtrack that slaps…we get a rare glimpse into the rich inner life of a female supervillain (and it actually delivers on what was promised in the trailer).
– Alison Foreman, Mashable
Birds of Prey is a totally campy and brutal carnival ride; a colorful, chaotic and cheeky blast.
– Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service
A rockin’ kick ass good time!
– Griffin Schiller, The Playlist
It’s a bonkers bananas crime comedy and a genuine party movie.
– Scott Mendelson, Forbes
I’m happy to report that it’s my favorite modern DC movie yet. Like Shazam!, it carves its own path with totally unique aesthetic, action, and tone.
– Michael Rougeau, GameSpot
This looks and feels so different than any other superhero movie I’ve seen (and I feel like many will say it’s what they wish Suicide Squad had been in execution). Full credit to Cathy Yan for that, it’s clear they had a lot of fun making something so different.
– Terri Schwartz, IGN
Leagues better than Suicide Squad.
– Alison Foreman, Mashable
As opposed to Suicide Squad, the story, characters and themes are confidently carried through by Cathy Yan’s terrific direction.
– Griffin Schiller, The Playlist
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Margot Robbie completely sells the incredibly choreographed fight sequences and their gleeful brutality.
– Terri Schwartz, IGN
Robbie is excellent.
– Germain Lussier, io9
It’s a terrific, vicious vehicle for Margot Robbie.
– Sean O’Connell, Cinema Blend
Margot Robbie is on top-form, Harley has never been quirkier and more lovable.
– Ben Rolph, Discussing Film
It’s at its best when going full Harley-vision, and Margot Robbie is clearly having a blast.
– Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend
The chemistry amongst the cast was great.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color
Robbie, Smollett, Winstead, Perez and Basco are perfection.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
It’s truly an ensemble with every woman bringing it (Rosie and Jurnee are my faves tho).
– Yolanda Machado, The Wrap
Jurnee Smollett-Bell steals the show!
– Kristen Lopez, FanSided
Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Huntress is the not-so-secret MVP.
– Angie Han, Mashable
Everyone is having a blast but Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Huntress like a supporting character from The Tick. It rocks.
– Scott Mendelson, Forbes
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
If Birds of Prey told me anything, it’s that we need a whole lot more Canary and Huntress! They are great but there’s a lot left on the bone!
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com
I would love to see more Black Canary and Huntress in the future.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color
I loved all these ladies and am looking forward to the sequel/spin-off.
– Scott Menzel, We Live Entertainment
COULD NOT get enough of McGregor’s Black Mask; hysterical, eccentric, and deliciously pathetic.
– Griffin Schiller, The Playlist
Ewan McGregor is so sinister and often hilarious.
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com
Ewan McGregor is on a different frequency, but wildly entertains!
– Sean O’Connell, Cinema Blend
FYC: Ewan MacGregor, Best Supporting Actor.
– Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service
Add Chris Messina chewing every piece of scenery in sight!!
– Jason Guerrasio, Business Insider
I would like to send a lil prayer of thanks for the costume, makeup, and hair people responsible for Chris Messina’s entire situation here because wow yes thank you.
– Angie Han, Mashable
The villains are delicious.
– Jill Pantozzi, io9
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Action sequences are capably choreographed, shot and assembled, showing off an invigorating stunt spectacular, spotlighting women as individuals and as a team.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
It is worth seeing Birds of Prey for the kick ass action and the Funhouse Fight Scene, alone.
– Sean O’Connell, Cinema Blend
The fight scenes are phenomenal.
– Jill Pantozzi, io9
Has the best choreographed fight sequences I’ve seen in a superhero movie.
– Rosie Knight, IGN
Some of the most inventive, bone-crunching fight sequences in the superhero genre to date.
– Laura Prudom, IGN
I’m pretty sure if you took the total amount of action sequences versus total screen time, this would be one of the highest percentages of action in the modern comic book movie era? Someone do the math for me later please.
– Terri Schwartz, IGN
Cathy Yan is a genius… Loved how Yan builds her masterful mayhem with visual gags and colorful aesthetics.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Cathy Yan and DP Matthew Libatique create a visually distinct and luscious film that’s badass, funny and provocative.
– Kristen Lopez, FanSided
Cathy Yan created a Gotham that I can’t wait to revisit.
– Yolanda Machado, The Wrap
Cathy Yan’s direction manages to feel intimate and thoughtful whilst also offering up the mile a minute madness that Harley and co. need.
– Rosie Knight, IGN
Well-made, shot with beautiful colour and overall, a sleek piece of grand entertainment.
– Ben Rolph, Discussing Film
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
The only fair comparison for Birds of Prey, if you want one, is Deadpool. They have a lot in common, especially their use of fourth-wall breaking and R-Ratings!
– Brandon Davis, ComicBook.com
It’s DC’s Deadpool with a dash of Tarantino.
– Griffin Schiller, The Playlist
Kinda plays like a Guy Ritchie gangster movie.
– Scott Mendelson, Forbes
The action reminded me a lot of John Wick.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color
It’s sooooooooooooo R rated.
– Sean O’Connell, Cinema Blend
It’s VERY violent in places and there are a couple of quite dark scenes (also lots of f-bombs).
– Clarisse Loughrey, Independent
Cathy Yan has created a music infused celebration of female badassery.
– Scott Menzel, We Live Entertainment
FINALLY!!!! Who actually kicks ass with long ass hair flinging around? Extra cheers for Yan and Hodson for putting that in knowing this is how women would do it!!… If the DCEU doesn’t hand everything over to women now, they are clearly out of their minds.
– Yolanda Machado, The Wrap
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Uneven tone and pacing… The girls at their best together, and they’re not together enough.
– Angie Han, Mashable
Lulls a bit in the middle and is a little on the slight side…definitely errs on the side of style over substance but the little character moments make it sparkle.
– Hoai-Tran Bui, Slashfilm
The pacing isn’t always fantastic (and at 1hr 40min some of it still dragged), but it’s worth a watch.
– Alison Foreman, Mashable
Birds of Prey isn’t a Birds of Prey movie so much as it’s a Harley Quinn movie featuring Birds of Prey, and that creates issues story-wise and in fleshing out characters.
– Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend
At times the style can be a bit too abrasive, pacing a bit jolty, and it does feel like it’s balancing two movies (Harley Quinn and Birds of Prey).
– Griffin Schiller, The Playlist
It’s tamer than expected and the basic story can get lost in the complex setups but it works more often than not.
– Germain Lussier, io9
Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn) opens on February 7.
Along with the numerous and various incarnations of Batman in film and television, comes an Alfred. Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler keeps both Wayne Manor and the Batcave in order and generally has Batman’s back. This summer, however, Alfred Pennyworth becomes the star of the show in upcoming Epix drama Pennyworth.
A new teaser just dropped Friday for the 10-episode, hour-long series, in which Jack Bannon plays Alfred Pennyworth in his 20s, as he returns to London after serving in the SAS. Alfred wants to start his own security business, but then young billionaire Thomas Wayne (Ben Aldridge) hires him to be his private bodyguard. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Gotham creators Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon created Pennyworth, which also stars Emma Corrin as Esme, Paloma Faith as Bet Sykes, Hainsley Lloyd Bennet as Bazza, Ryan Fletcher as Dave Boy, Jason Flemyng as Lord Harwood, and Polly Walker as Peggy Sykes.
In honor of Alfred getting his own series, we looked at all the movie and TV Alfreds from the classic ’60s Batman series to the films with Michael Caine and Jeremy Irons and even recent animated-movie incarnations. Heller, Cannon, and Bannon spoke with Rotten Tomatoes about Pennyworth to help us compare their vision of Alfred Pennyworth to the greats.
Pennyworth debuts on Epix this summer.
The first reviews are in for DC’s Shazam! and “Fresh” is the magic word – very Fresh, in fact. The story of Billy Batson’s (Asher Angel) discovery of his inner superhero – which critics are calling the lightest, most fun, and most kid-friendly of the DCEU offerings so far – is currently sitting at 94% on the Tomatometer with 47 reviews counted [as of Sunday, March 24, 10am PT]. Early reviews are praising director David F. Sandberg and writer Henry Gayden for creating a superhero flick that is giving off warm and fuzzy Amblin vibes while still providing the thrills that DC fans demand (and some genuinely dark thrills, thanks to Sandberg’s background in horror – he directed Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation). What are they saying about Zachary Levi as the titular hero, Mark Strong as his nemesis, and whether this might be the best DCEU movie yet? Read on to find out.
Holy superhero fatigue, Batman, Shazam! is actually good.
– Lindsey Bahr, Associated Press
“Why couldn’t that movie have been more fun?” You might have said that about some past superhero movies that have hit theaters. But you won’t be saying it about Shazam!
– Jason Guerrasion, Business Insider
Warm, witty, and bursting at the seams with great characters, Shazam! is easily one of the most fun superhero movies ever made; even after the euphoric Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, that’s still a low bar to clear, but it’s worth celebrating all the same.
– David Ehrlich, IndieWire
Written by Henry Gayden and directed by Annabelle: Creation’s David F. Sandberg, Shazam! is a lot jokier and zippier than the spandex tentpoles we’ve come to expect from DC’s often-lugubrious stable of cinematic superheroes
– Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly
Shazam! is a welcome antidote to the usual brooding DC fare, an upbeat superhero movie that feels young at heart.
– Rafer Guzman, Newsday
If the Wonder Woman and Aquaman movies represented DC Comics’ first big-screen steps away from the austere color palette of the Zach Snyder movies, Shazam! takes us deeply into primary colors in a single bound.
– Alfonso Duralde, The Wrap
Shazam has less in common with the grim, grisly world of Batman v Superman and the indulgent marine opera Aquaman, sharing more with the likes of Harry Potter and a certain teenage superhero from a rival comic book company.
– Alex Abad-Santos, Vox
Shazam! doesn’t waste a second letting you know this story takes place in the same world where Zod once brought a war to metropolis, Batman protects the nights of Gotham or even Aquaman rules the seas. Superman is chief among them, with name drops practically every few minutes.
– Sheraz Farooqi, ComicBook Debate
…there’s a great, grinning tradition of demigod-in-spandex movies that don’t take themselves seriously. But maybe the reason Shazam!, in its fluffy-tasty origin-story way, feels like a perfectly timed tonic is that the universe of comic-book movies — not just the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or the DC Extended Universe (of which this is technically a part), but the whole omnivorous universe of big-budget comic-book films that is now threatening to eat cinema, if not our souls — has grown so top-heavy with its own fateful importance.
– Owen Glieberman, Variety
For large parts of the movie, Shazam unfurls like a holiday movie spin on the genre. And in embracing earnest glee and heartfelt tenderness, Shazam allows us to fully appreciate the magical excitement and wonder that superheroes can supply.
– Alex Abad-Santos, Vox
[Director David F.] Sandberg has compared the movie to the teen-friendly Amblin Entertainment movies of the 1980s (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Goonies, Back to the Future) — the production company created by Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall — and there’s a lot of truth to that.
– Jason Guerrasion, Business Insider
OK, so it’s basically Big with superheroes and villains instead of businesspeople and girlfriends, but director David F. Sandberg has infused his film with so much heart and charm that it hardly matters.
– Lindsey Bahr, Associated Press
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
[Levi] plays the title character with an infectiously naïve, gee-whiz charisma that calls to mind Tom Hanks in Big more than anything…. Whenever Levi is on screen, wowed by his new grown-up physique (his muscles seem to have muscles) and shocked by his newly discovered powers (living lightning zaps from his fingertips), the movie soars.
– Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly
Levi’s body language is constantly inventive, as he plays a tween who still isn’t used to a grown man’s body, let alone a superhero’s.
– Alfonso Duralde, The Wrap
But the cheeky, balsa-wood trick of Levi’s performance is that he’s not making fun — he’s totally sincere. It’s just that he’s playing a superhero with a major case of imposter syndrome.
– Owen Glieberman, Variety
…for a guy not named Chris, he makes a pitch-perfect do-gooder. There’s a youthful wonder and innocence he captures as the Frito-chomping man-child hero, and he has all of the facial expressions and flossing skills (the dancing kind rather than the dental) to convey the pure excitement of a boy learning he can pretty much do anything.
– Brian Truitt, USA Today
It’s unfortunate that Levi plays Shazam even younger than Angel plays Billy, and without even a sniff of empty stoicism — it often feels like Levi isn’t possessed by a teenager so much as he’s performing at a child’s birthday party — but overemphasizing the concept of their shared character has its perks.
– David Ehrlich, IndieWire
(Photo by @ Warner Bros. Pictures)
After being the only shining part of 2011’s Green Lantern, Strong effortlessly fills the role of Dr. Sivanna. While not the strongest villain the DCEU has seen so far, the character does a solid job being an opposite to Billy Batson.
– Sheraz Farooqi, ComicBook Debate
Strong’s melodramatic performance, contrasted with Billy’s more grounded tone and humor, makes for some of the film’s most entertaining moments.
– Molly Freeman, Screen Rant
Fans of those comics might not recognize this Sivana, much taller and more handsome than the creepy mad scientist of the original, and even though Shazam! doesn’t give us any talking tigers, there are some hints that one of the series’ most ridiculous yet most beloved villains will be popping up in future installments.
– Alfonso Duralde, The Wrap
But it’s Freddy Freeman (It star Jack Dylan Grazer, giving off major Fred Savage vibes while compensating for [Asher] Angel’s comparatively flat performance) who really connects Billy to this motley crew of lost children. A sarcastic, disabled superhero fanatic who’s sadly in touch with his place in the world, Freddy would give anything to be Shazam, and Freeman marvelously conveys the bittersweet pleasures of second-hand excitement…
– David Ehrlich, IndieWire
Billy’s foster brother and resident superhero expert Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer, the clear standout of the young cast). One of Shazam!‘s most delightful surprises is its young cast, who play their characters not as precocious movie brats but as real three-dimensional individuals with their own idiosyncrasies.
– Angie Han, Mashable
The young actors assembled here are astounding, and immediately captivating, especially Grazer as Freddy and [Faithe] Herman as Darla who nearly steal the show. It’s why when the film asks you to believe that it’s really about family, and not merchandising, you’re on board.
– Lindsey Bahr, Associated Press
(Photo by @ Warner Bros. Pictures)
From the moment Billy walks in the door of Victor and Rosa Vasquez’s (Cooper Andrews and Marta Milans) crowded foster house, you hope that it will become his forever home. There’s a palpable, Hollywood-calibrated warmth to that place, and everyone under its multicultural roof is essential to the mix.
– David Ehrlich, IndieWire
The film takes seriously the challenges of childhood and adolescence, and the long-ranging effects of early traumas. Billy’s messy feelings about finding a new family, after losing his mother years ago, are given every bit as much weight as his journey toward becoming a true hero.
– Angie Han, Mashable
Shazam! works because of its emphasis on friendship and family: Mrs. Vasquez has a bumper sticker that reads “I’m a foster mom: What’s your superpower?” that sums up the film’s overall warm-hug vibe.
– Brian Truitt, USA Today
Shazam! might be the most heartwarming superhero film since Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films.
– Sheraz Farooqi, ComicBook Debate
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Sandberg has a great visual eye and it really shows. And with his horror background, he’s able to incorporate tension when needed and work in a couple of jump scares.
– Jason Guerrasion, Business Insider
Sandberg’s coherent, tactile direction also harkens back to a time before every fantasy movie was pre-vizzed within an inch of its life. Sure, there’s plenty of digital effects work, and much of it shows the strain of the movie’s relatively meager $90 million budget, but even the biggest setpieces are layered, character-driven, and littered with solid grace notes.
– David Ehrlich, IndieWire
Director David F. Sandberg made his name in horror (Lights Out, Annabelle: Creation) before helming Shazam! and it shows, in that he’s perhaps too effective at making the monsters scary. Those watching with younger or more sensitive children will want to exercise caution.
– Angie Han, Mashable
At times, particularly in the third act, the visual effects are not as polished as prior DCEU films, easily attributed to the smallest budget the franchise has seen thus far.
– Sheraz Farooqi, ComicBook Debate
Where Shazam! struggles is in some of the more dramatic moments, particularly Billy’s backstory about how he became part of the foster system and his search for his mother. It’s all necessary to his character arc, but certain scenes feel more contrived to move that emotional storyline forward than provide any real pathos.
– Molly Freeman, Screen Rant
Shazam! is basically two movies in one. One with Levi and his wiseass foster brother (a fresh Jack Dylan Grazer), the other with Strong and all his snarling, computer-generated gobbledygook. And they both have the other in a headlock, wrestling for the soul of the story.
– Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly
What a thing, these current DC movies. A movie like Justice League, which has all the “big name” characters, is atrocious. Yet movies like Aquaman and Shazam!, lower grade characters, but have some personality to them, are enjoyable. And now Shazam!, of all things – a 1940s Superman clone that, now, can’t even use his own name – sits atop the recent DC movie heap alongside Wonder Woman.
– Mike Ryan, Uproxx
Shazam! opens everywhere on April 5.
90%
The DC Extended Universe has been on a roll with solo superhero movies, and now coming off the franchise’s biggest global hit yet with Aquaman, they have another winner on their hands, according to the first reactions from critics on social media. Shazam! is smaller but arguably more fun, and it’s less connected to the DCEU than past installments, which makes it especially appealing. The real sell, though, seems to be how much heart there is in this installment. It sounds like it’s not just great but totally lovable.
Here’s what the critics are saying about Shazam!:
Shazam! is another win for DC.
– Germain Lussier, io9
DC is finally building a solid run. Shazam! is a delight!
– Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend
Shazam! is an absolute delight!
– Perri Nemiroff, Collider
I LOVED every second of it. A colorful, vibrant, vital addition to the DCEU.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
I absolutely loved Shazam! It’s my favorite DC film yet.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color
I’m gonna go out on a limb and call Shazam! my favorite DCEU movie.
– Mike Ceccini, Den of Geek
DC didn’t try and make a movie that fits in perfectly with the larger DC Universe. They just focused on making a great Shazam movie and hit a home run.
– Steve Weintraub, Collider
Shazam! is DC’s most joyful and sweet movie since the era of Christopher Reeve’s Superman… as liberated a comic book movie for DC as Deadpool was for Fox-Marvel.
– Jim Vejvoda, IGN Movies
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Shazam! is the superhero film that you never knew you needed… This is what going to the movies is all about.
– Scott Menzel, We Live Entertainment
It encapsulates the wish fulfillment and wonder of superhero comics in a way that will appeal to kids whilst being filled with non stop surprises for big comic book fans too. I loved it.
– Rosie Knight, Nerdist
It is really well balanced, gets the magical wonder of the character and his world right, and somehow never feels like it’s trying too hard.
– Mike Ceccini, Den of Geek
It doesn’t reinvent the superhero movie wheel, but it’s undeniably fun!
– Jim Vejvoda, IGN Movies
Shazam! is a super-powered Big… vivid character-driven action, heartrending central relationships and fully earned, totally satisfying emotional moments.
– Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
It’s a superhero Big. (How did it take so long?)
– Drew Taylor, The Playlist
Shazam! is parts Home Alone, parts Big, a crowd pleasing family-friendly joy-filled wish-fulfillment superhero film.
– Peter Sciretta, Slashfilm
It’s exactly what they set out to make: Big meets Superman.
– Steve Weintraub, Collider
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Hilarious and cute.
– Rachel Heine, Nerdist
It’s funny and the tone is exactly right.
– Jenna Busch, Legion of Leia
Funny yet earnest.
– Jim Vejvoda, IGN Movies
Even funnier than the trailers make it look.
– Mike Ceccini, Den of Geek
An absolute blast from start to finish, full of heart and hilarity. My face hurt from smiling so much.
– Dan Casey, Nerdist
Loved Shazam! It’s super fun, very funny (a few times people were laughing so loud I missed dialogue).
– Steve Weintraub, Collider
Sometimes feels like if Joe Dante or Robert Zemeckis made a superhero movie in 1985. It’s a family movie, but the villain and the magical stuff is just scary enough to give it that edge, and it never swings too far in either direction.
– Mike Cecchini, Den of Geek
Reminds of me of when kids’ movies were legitimately scary (in a good way).
– Dan Casey, Nerdist
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Shazam! stands out because of the emotional, family story at its center… the family stuff is dynamic and powerful.
– Germain Lussier, io9
Its familiar origin structure is forgivable because of all the new it brings to the table, primarily it’s gleeful, childlike enthusiasm and heartfelt perspective on family.
– Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend
Super vibrant, tons of heart and a great fun-loving vibe. The family element is a big charmer.
– Perri Nemiroff, Collider
Fantastic! Full of heart and pure childhood wish fulfillment.
– Jenna Busch, Legion of Leia
I was surprised at how much it wears its heart on its sleeve.
– Peter Sciretta, Slashfilm
It’s an amazing family movie with dope fight scenes and great humor! You guys are going to love it.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color
Zachary Levi as Shazam was perfect casting.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color
Zachary Levi is perfectly cast.
– Steve Weintraub, Collider
It’s the role Zachary Levi was born to play.
– Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend
Zachary Levi is terrific!
– Drew Taylor, The Playlist
Zachary Levi is perfect in the role, and so is Asher Angel.
– Jenna Busch, Legion of Leia
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
Said this after IT but it’s worth repeating: Jack Dylan Grazer is a star.
– Perri Nemiroff, Collider
The kids absolutely steal the show.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color
The real surprise is Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman. Steals the show.
– Steve Weintraub, Collider
I had some small issues with the hero/villain aspects.
– Germain Lussier, io9
Gets a bit over the top and cheesy at times.
– Peter Sciretta, Slashfilm
Excited to see more fun superhero moves from DC.
– Rachel Heine, Nerdist
DC is def on a winning streak. Bring on Todd Phillips’ Joker!
– Steve Weintraub, Collider
Shazam! opens everywhere on April 5.
90%
Warner Bros. Pictures’ new trailer for their upcoming Shazam! doubles down on the lighter tone of the first trailer, released back during Comic-Con in July, and continues to offer potential audiences a look at one of the more whimsical superheroes in his seemingly natural habitat – a coming-of-age story set in the DC Comics world of powers, magic and the Batman. But the trailer also offers a few clues into some interesting ideas layered into the story. So let’s take a look at five things we learned from the Shazam! trailer.
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
In both trailers, Billy (Asher Angel as a boy and Zachary Levi as the hero) reaches out to his friend Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) to help him with all this superhero stuff. In the earlier trailer, we learned Freddy is all about the heroes. He even tries to get Billy to admit to the superpower he wants most. And now that Billy has powers – thanks to the Wizard Shazam (Djimon Honsou) – the two explore the limits of his abilities.
In the comic books, the Shazam powers include the Wisdom of Solomon, the Strength of Hercules, the Stamina of Atlas, the Power of Zeus, the Courage of Achilles, and the Speed of Mercury. The Power of Zeus (as electricity manipulation), the Courage of Achilles (as “bullet immunity”), and the Strength of Hercules (conventional super-strength) were highlighted in the earlier trailer and a few television ads, but the new trailer finally showcases the Speed of Mercury in its purest form – Flash-like superspeed, which he uses to save Mary (Grace Fulton) about halfway through the trailer. As it happens, the Speed of Mercury is also the source of his ability to fly, although, as we see late in the trailer, it is first the means to leap great distances – just like Superman in his early days – and requires Billy’s concentration to master. We also expect the Wisdom of Solomon will be the last of the powers Billy will acquire, considering how often the trailers remind you he is just a boy.
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
The opening shot of the new trailer reveals Shazam!‘s specific geographic location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is, of course, a departure from the comics, where Billy, Freddy, and the rest of the Shazam family live in Fawcett City – itself a nod to the character’s original publisher, Fawcett Comics. But in lieu of putting another DC Superhero in another fictional city, relocating Shazam! to Detroit offers the hero a certain grounding. Which is a good thing considering just how fantastical Shazam! really is, with its mix of magic, caped superheroes, and super-genius villains. Building up a new DC city would take too much time and energy away from making Billy’s journey to a dependable hero believable and fun.
That said, we’d still love to see Hub City or Opal City featured in a DC film or television series some day.
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
One of the most interesting and recurring details across both trailers is the commercialization of the Justice League. Entering the realm of meta-commentary, we see Freddy already owns items like a Batarang replica – but then, who doesn’t at this point? – and an Aquaman logo T-shirt which looks like it came directly from a promotional event for that film.
But in the new trailer, the commercialization of the League becomes a point of comedy, as the hero uses a 1/2 scale Batman toy to hinder his opponent, Sivana (Mark Strong). The toy even says the Dark Knight’s signature line — “I’m Batman!” — before Billy launches it at his foe. It is doubtful a bit of plastic can stop the villain, but Billy has plenty of other products to pelt him with, including toy utility belts, plastic busts, fashion dolls, child-sized costumes, and even branded skateboards.
And at this point, there is plenty to poke fun at in regards to the Justice League as a toy brand. For decades, Warner Bros. has been licensing the characters and their logos for products as expensive as a recent Batman: The Animated Series Batcave playset and as cheap as paper birthday party supplies. It’s something that comics and television shows have touched upon, but it is new material for a live-action film based on the DC Comics characters.
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
And where would Shazam! be without a proper antagonist? With the character’s traditional archenemy, Black Adam, held in reserve for either the sequel or his own solo film starring Dwayne Johnson, the first film focuses on the hero’s oldest foe, Dr. Thaddeus Sivana. This version of the character, though, may not be the one comic book fans would naturally expect to see.
For most of his existence, Sivana has been a character of science, using his intellect and inventions to battle the hero and conquer the world. His attempts always, eventually, fail. In more recent years, he was revised into a scientist desperate to quantify magic, with a raid on Black Adam’s tomb giving him the ability to “see” magic in one eye — a visual cue definitely present in the trailer.
But for the purposes of the film, Sivana is a former pupil of the Wizard Shazam. And as seen in the trailer, he appears to have some of Billy’s powers as well – the Powers of Zeus, Hercules, and Achilles being the most obvious. He also deduces that Billy is much younger than his hero self, though you wouldn’t need the Wisdom of Solomon to guess that. Nevertheless, that knowledge will come in handy as Sivana and Billy become mortal enemies.
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)
And if you’ve noticed we’ve avoided referring to Billy as “Shazam” whenever possible, that’s because of the key moment in the second trailer when Freddy refers to him as “Captain Sparklefingers.” It feels important. There is also a subsequent moment, after Billy saves Mary with the Speed of Mercury, in which she awkwardly says, “you are ‘the hero.’” It tells us that for most the film, Billy will be in search of a name. It is a thematically interesting idea that corresponds to Shazam’s publishing history in a very unique way.
The character debuted in 1940 as “Captain Marvel.” His comics – published by Fawcett – soon began to outsell Superman and Action Comics. As impossible as it seems now, he was the most popular superhero of the decade. Noting the similarities to their character, DC tried to sue Captain Marvel out of existence, and after 8 years of litigation, Fawcett settled and ceased publishing Captain Marvel comics in 1953. This would lead to the creation of Marvelman in the UK comics scene – a story for another time – and eventually, Marvel Comics debuted their own Captain Marvel, making sure to file a trademark on the name in 1967. When DC finally bought Captain Marvel and the associated characters, they were forced to refer to him as “Shazam” on comic book covers while still calling him Captain Marvel in the interior pages. This practice finally ceased in 2011, when the company declared he only had one name: Shazam.
Nonetheless, people still enjoy pointing out this curious bit of comic book history, made all the more curious by the fact that Marvel’s Captain Marvel feature film and DC’s Shazam! open in theaters a month apart. It seems the destinies of all “Captain Marvel” characters are inexorably linked.
Either way, all signs point to Billy embracing the “Shazam” name by the end of the film. If that turns out to be the case, the issue of Billy’s superhero name will parallel his journey to control his powers and save the day. It’s suitably whimsical, even if the film downplays some of the character’s more whimsical elements (like a verbal tiger man called Tawky Tawny). But it leaves us wondering if Freddy and Mary – who became the heroes Captain Marvel Jr. and Mary Marvel in the comics – will go on similar journeys, should they receive powers in a sequel.
Shazam! opens everywhere on April 5.
The first appearance of DC Comics’ Doom Patrol advertised the ragtag group as “the world’s strangest heroes.” More than half a century later, those misfits have their own series on the DC Universe streaming service, Doom Patrol.
Premiering February 15, the series follows a group of very unusual characters — a human brain contained in a robot body, a former actress with the ability to stretch her body into impossible shapes, a horribly burned pilot containing an electromagnetic force, and a paraplegic genius who brings them together — as they begrudgingly embark on a mission to stop the supervillain Mr. Nobody from plunging the world into a fit of absurd madness.
“They’re all weird,” confirmed Timothy Dalton, who plays the group’s de facto leader, Dr. Niles Caulder. Also known as “The Chief,” Caulder is an avid collector of odd personalities.
“He’s obviously got a very particular kind of personality; it’s a rich and complex personality,” Dalton told Rotten Tomatoes. “But he might be the sanest one of the lot — or the most normal at times.”
(Photo by Jace Downs / 2018 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.)
While the Doom Patrol cast was previously introduced in an episode of DC Universe’s first live-action series, Titans, the characters made their first appearance in the DC Comics anthology My Greatest Adventure in 1963. The low-selling series was in danger of cancellation when writer Arnold Drake was tasked with creating a new lead feature that could potentially save the title. Drake, fellow writer Bob Haney, and artist Bruno Premiani assembled the group of very unusual characters he dubbed collectively “the Doom Patrol,” which were advertised on the cover of My Greatest Adventure #80 as “the world’s strangest heroes.”
Now, 56 years later, their creations are leading their own TV series, which is based on Drake, Haney, and Premiani’s work and later comic book stories by Grant Morrison, Richard Case, and a number of other artists.
Robotman, Negative Man, Elasti-Woman, Crazy Jane, and new recruit Cyborg are led by the Chief, whose keen analytical mind and mechanical prowess was able to save the brain of Cliff Steele (Brendan Fraser), a race car driver from the 1980s who survived a terrible accident only through The Chief’s intervention. While Cliff is still alive, the fact that he is trapped in a mechanical body means he’s without his five senses or full range of emotions — and without his full identity.
“Hubris got the best of this narcissistic daredevil race car driver who cheated in more than one way,” Fraser told RT.
But in cheating death, Cliff also became Robotman, a person only partially aware of Cliff’s life as the series begins. According to Fraser, there is a clear delineation between Cliff and Robotman that will be explored as the series progresses.
“He needs to learn to be a better human being than he ever was in a human body,” Fraser explained. “And he can only do that by being trapped in this mechanical creature.”
(Photo by Quantrell D. Colbert / 2018 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)
The nature of Cliff’s confinement, and that of fellow Doom Patrol member Larry Trainor (Matt Bomer), is obvious from their lack of human faces — Cliff’s robot face cannot mimic expression; while Larry, the former test pilot, hides his badly burned visage behind bandages — but another longtime resident of The Chief’s home uses a very different mask to hide her internal prison. The third member of the group, Rita Farr (April Bowlby), was an actress in the Hollywood studios of the 1950s. But an on-set accident turned her into a blob of stretchy gelatinous flesh that she struggles to keep in lockstep with the celluloid memory of her more glamorous appearance. While it may seem narcissistic on its surface, Bowlby said the underlying nature of her character’s identity crisis makes her all the stranger.
“I think she pushes people away, but all she really wants is people to love her,” Bowlby said. “She’s surrounded by old memorabilia of herself, obsessed with herself, and then doesn’t understand why other people aren’t.”
Also strange for Bowlby was creating two different versions of Rita. One appeared in an episode of DC Universe’s Titans last October, but the other is the one audiences meet on Doom Patrol.
“Rita [on Titans] was, I felt, very loving and kind, almost like a ’50s housewife,” Bowlby said. But when Jeremy Carver came on board to develop Doom Patrol into its own television show, he decided to rethink the characters and set it apart from Titans entirely. Bowlby abandoned the motherly Rita in favor of the one she read in Carver’s first script.
“She’s crippled emotionally,” she said of the revised character. “And she likes to protect herself from people and being outside in the world.”
(Photo by Jace Downs / 2018 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.)
The sense that she must protect herself from the world and protect the world from her abilities left Bowlby with the sense that Rita is not a hero.
“I imagine that eventually we’ll see Rita own her power, but right now it is not a power. It’s a threat to her. She doesn’t like it. She doesn’t know how to control it,” she explained. “It’s almost like she’s working against even what [the Doom Patrol is] trying to do.”
In fact, Fraser and Dalton both feel their characters are far from the hero archetype. Although Dalton joked that the Chief is somewhat heroic in giving the group a place to live, he added that the viewer should be “left in two minds about him” and his motivations. And as Fraser put it, Cliff is “not out to fight crime and make the world a better place like the Justice League.”
But there is one character on Doom Patrol is looking to be a hero: Victor Stone, also known as Cyborg (Joivan Wade). The character may be the best known of Doom Patrol’s cast thanks to his appearances on Teen Titans, Teen Titans GO!, and in the Justice League feature film. The series honors that rich media history by envisioning him as a young man anxious to get on a big superteam like the Justice League. The survivor of a horrific accident that took the life of a close family member, Vic was rebuilt with cybernetic limbs and neural implants that offer him greatly enhanced speed, endurance and a few other abilities. With his promising football career ended by the accident, Vic is dedicated “to being that superhero and protecting people and essentially giving back,” Wade explained.
“Being with the Doom Patrol is a great opportunity for him to do that and to learn,” he continued. “He gets to test out being a leader within the group and train to function within a team, which are skills he’ll need.”
But even Justice League candidates can have some strangeness to them, and Wade teased a potential oddity for the Vic.
“He’s a computer as much as he is a human,” Wade said, “so having this piece of software and the cybernetics which made his body up, there is this question of, ‘Well, it’s programming, isn’t it?’ So based on that, how does he know what’s real and what’s not real?”
While that leads to a question of identity, Wade is certain Vic’s desire to be a hero is genuine to the man and not his program.
When it comes to identities, though, Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero) has the market cornered. Created by Grant Morrison and Richard Case in the author’s seminal 1980s run on the Doom Patrol comic book, Jane is a metahuman dealing with Dissociative Identity Disorder — and each of her 64 personalities has a superpower of its own. Jane’s struggle leads to plenty of trouble at the Caulder mansion and plenty of strange happenings in the town nearby. But Guerrero said there is a very mundane and relatable aspect to Jane that viewers will connect with right away.
“Her brain’s never off,” she said. “That’s part of the reason why some people drink or take on hobbies. It’s just to quiet the mind. Something’s always constantly battling to surface.”
For Jane, the battle is containing those personalities – all with their own scruples in addition to their powers.
“Her job is to be steady and to be neutral and not to feel.” Guerrero said. It makes the character a hero in her eyes just be trying to manage it all.
(Photo by Jace Downs / 2018 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.)
Nonetheless, less heroic personas do emerge, like Hammerhead, a super strong and extremely angry person who manifests despite Jane’s best efforts to keep the anger contained.
“[Jane is] the person who has all these feelings, but doesn’t want to feel too much, and Hammerhead is just is totally OK being in that space and unapologetic,” Guerrero said. While the personality often makes life in the mansion worse, “There are situations that present themselves where you need Hammerhead’s force and anger to sort of help you through it.”
Though Hammerhead’s strength can be advantageous, it may be no match for the group’s principle antagonist in the the first season: Mr. Nobody. Played by Alan Tudyk, the character is an old foe of The Chief and someone against whom the five main characters must unite. While several members of the Doom Patrol cast question their status as heroes, Tudyk said Nobody is “embracing his villainy” as the series begins.
“He wants to hurt Niles, so he uses everything at his disposal — and so much of the world is at his disposal — to hurt him.” Unlike the others, Nobody chose his strangeness. That decision led him to a power and an understanding of the absurdity behind the world, which means he might be able to see himself as a therapist to the group but would take “too much joy in the pain it causes.” As Tudyk explained, “He would use the information you gave him as a therapist against you.”
Though Nobody’s intentions may be malicious or even heroic in some absurd way, they will change the Doom Patrol forever. As Guerrero put it, “I love how these people are forced to look at themselves — to really, really look at themselves — because they’ve all pretty much given up.”
Said Dalton, “Their potential strengths are their downfall. They don’t know how to use them in any other way than in this self-destruction, really.”
In the comics, the group eventually found a way to become heroes, as the cover blurb promised. Perhaps all their television counterparts need to do is find a way to care again, embrace their strangeness, and curb their self-destructive tendencies. It would be heroic enough of an act — at least for one season.
Doom Patrol launches on Friday, February 15, with new episodes released on subsequent Fridays on DC Universe.
Spider-Man is swinging back into theaters anew. No, we’re not getting another franchise reboot. Instead, Sony’s separate animated feature Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is kicking off something completely different, and according to the first, all-rave reviews, it’s a fresh, funny, and groundbreaking start. Focused mostly on the Miles Morales version of Spider-Man, the movie sees him joined by other incarnations from different universes, and the result seems to be as hilariously irreverent as it is moving and sincere.
Here’s what the critics are saying about Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse:
It’s pure dorky fun.
– Matt Singer, ScreenCrush
It’s terrific — a quick-witted entertainment, daring and familiar by turns, that also proves to be sweet, serious and irreverent in all the right doses.
– Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse [is] the best animated movie of the year.
– Jason Guerrasio, Business Insider
This year’s best animated movie…a great Spider-Man adventure for everybody.
– Susana Polo, Polygon
(Photo by © Sony Pictures Animation)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse isn’t just the best Spider-Man movie to date, but it’s also better than most of the Spider-Man comics I’ve read.
– Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior
[Spider-Verse] has one of the best Spider-Man movie stories ever.
– David Griffin, IGN Movies
In a wide field of Spider-Mans to choose from, it is the strength of Miles Morales’ story that makes him a standout character.
– Susana Polo, Polygon
Tragic news for anyone who’s sick of superhero movies: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse completely reinvigorates the genre.
– David Ehrlich, IndieWire
Into the Spider-Verse translates the visual language of comics onto the big screen better than any movie since Ang Lee’s Hulk.
– Matt Singer, ScreenCrush
Few recent films have embraced the comic book style and sensibility as wholeheartedly as Spider-Verse has, or enjoyed as fully the potential in combining the two mediums.
– Angie Han, Mashable
The film’s wild and contradictory aesthetic — elements of which clash against each other like some kind of dissonant cartoon jazz — dazzlingly explodes the outmoded idea that superhero movies have to look a certain way.
– David Ehrlich, IndieWire
The unique and often brilliant 3D animation style is a fantastic aspect of the movie, though it does take some time to get used to.
– David Griffin, IGN Movies
While Spider-Verse is colorful, whip-fast and full of visual references to the four-color printing process and comic book sound effects, it never overwhelms.
– Susana Polo, Polygon
(Photo by © Sony Pictures Animation)
What makes Spider-Verse an essential entry in the superhero canon is the richness of its good guys.
– Brian Truitt, USA Today
I would optimistically describe [Spider-Gwen’s] role in Spider-Verse as ‘a great setup for a spin-off,’ which isn’t quite the same as saying she gets a lot of great stuff to do in this movie.
– Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly
What distinguishes Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in the end is that it takes its mission seriously, even when it’s being transparently silly.
– Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times
[Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman[ have written a thoughtful, nuanced story that explores Morales’s uncertainty over whether he deserves the powers he has.
– Alex Abad-Santos, Vox
In the same way that The LEGO Batman Movie paid homage to and even poked fun at previous portrayals, Into the Spider-Verse follows suit.
– David Griffin, IGN Movies
Spider-Verse often feels like a weightier, more ambitious version of The Lego Batman Movie, but it’s not all irreverent wisecracks and goofball voicework.
– Jesse Hassenger, AV ClubSpider-Verse is a spiritual sidequel to the Deadpool films, another holier-than-thou snarkfest inviting you to laugh at superhero tropes without ever once challenging those tropes.
– Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly
(Photo by © Sony Pictures Animation)
[Lord and Rothman] create a deeply personal story for the infamous villain that feels more authentic than the easy ‘I want to take over the city for no reason’ approach.
– David Griffin, IGN Movies
[There’s a] version of the Green Goblin far more menacing than the live-action films ever offered.
– Peter Debruge, Variety
It unfortunately exhausts itself and its creators’ cleverness by running at least 20 minutes too long.
– Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter
The action tends to feel clunky and over-stylized.
– Peter Debruge, Variety
Stick around through the end credits…it’s worth it, trust me!”
– Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior
Into the Spider-Verse has one of the best comic-book movie post-credits scenes ever. Don’t you dare leave before the end of the closing credits.
– Matt Singer, ScreenCrush
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse opens everywhere on December 14.
97%
Just when you thought that the DC Extended Universe was sunk, that not even Wonder Woman could save it, here comes Aquaman. With Jason Momoa reprising his role as the Atlantean superhero, James Wan’s partly underwater adventure is a blast, according to the first wave of critical reactions flooding social media. It’s apparently nuts in a good way, with spectacular visuals, and you’re going to want to see it in theaters.
Here’s what the critics are saying:
Aquaman is a buckwild movie… it’s completely unafraid to just go for it.
– Meg Downey, CBR
It’s unabashedly melodramatic and over the top with the largest, most ambitious sense of scale imaginable.
– Germain Lussier, io9
It’s so inherently bonkers that you’d have to be an utter killjoy to not get caught up in it.
– Jim Vejvoda, IGN Movies
James Wan has made an unapologetically bold superhero flick, mixing adventure and fantasy elements with stunning visual effects.
– Carly Lane, SyFy Wire
It’s a good adventure movie that acknowledges exactly what it is from the start, which is a meal made almost entirely of ham.
– Spencer Perry, ComingSoon.net
(Photo by Warner Bros.)
Goofy in spots, but it’s rollicking fun.
– Sean O’Connell, CinemaBlend
It’s at its best when it’s having fun and not taking itself too seriously.
– Peter Sciretta, Slashfilm
Ambitious, campy and so much fun.
– Scott Menzel, We Live Entertainment
Aquaman is… breathtakingly beautiful.
– Andrew Dyce, ScreenRant
James Wan and company put a lot of care into designing this corner of the DCEU. Atlantis looks gorgeous.
– Mike Cecchini, Den of Geek
It is a relentless visual spectacle that knows what it is and doesn’t hold back.
– Scott Menzel, We Live Entertainment
Aquaman is the best DC movie since The Dark Knight.
– Tom Jorgensen, IGN Movies
2nd best DCU movie. YEEEAAHH!
– Germain Lussier, io9
It’s definitely one of the best DC Universe movies thus far.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color
(Photo by Warner Bros.)
It’s another step in the right direction for the DCEU and shows how different/distinct the tones of these movies can be while still existing together.
– Mike Cecchini, Den of Geek
A great step for the DCEU.
– Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend
WB should be handing the DCEU reins to James Wan, he’s proven he can, ahem, right the ship.
– Tom Jorgensen, IGN Movies
It [has] a great hero arc/performance from Jason Momoa.
– Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend
[Has] a terrific lead in Jason Momoa (who’s clearly having the time of his life).
– Carly Lane, SyFy Wire
Jason Momoa and Amber Heard are fantastic together, both bringing a ton of humor.
– Jimmy O, JoBlo’s Movie Emporium
Amber Heard and Jason Momoa are great together. They bounce off each other with such ease.
– Scott Menzel, We Live Entertainment
(Photo by Warner Bros.)
Black Manta is great villain that comic book fans will love.
– Peter Sciretta, Slashfilm
Black Manta was a dope villain and his suit looked incredible. I just wish he got a bit more love.
– Dorian Parks, Geeks of Color
Feels like a Marvel phase one movie, in a good way.
– Peter Sciretta, Slashfilm
Imagine ’80s Schwarzenegger starring in “Hideo Kojima’s Avatar” and you’re most of the way there.
– Andrew Dyce, ScreenRant
Aquaman is like an 80s cartoon, with all of the fun and the problems that come with that.
– Spencer Perry, ComingSoon.net
Aquaman is better than expected.
– Peter Sciretta, Slashfilm
Against all odds, I really dug Aquaman, which offers thrills chills and a whole lotta adventure for the whole family!” .
– Scott Wampler, Birth.Movies.Death.
It was exactly what I was hoping for and I can’t wait to see it again!
– Jenna Busch, Legion of Leia
(Photo by Warner Bros.)
Second half’s one cheer/laugh after another.
– Andrew Dyce, ScreenRant
Third act battle that doesn’t devolve into the typical comic book movie blah trap, and is surprisingly ambitious.
– Peter Sciretta, Slashfilm
Parts of it are kind of bad but they are not the majority and, oddly, still fit in with the cartoony tone.
– Germain Lussier, io9
A lot of the aspects I didn’t like can probably be traced back to decisions Snyder made that were inherited by Wan.
– Peter Sciretta, Slashfilm
It’s flawed, but fun.
– Mike Rougeau, GameSpot
It’s one terrific adventure.
– Jimmy O, JoBlo’s Movie Emporium
An absolute blast.
– Jenna Busch, Legion of Leia
Aquaman opens everywhere on December 21.
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