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Amid Family Tragedy Zack Snyder steps down from ‘Justice League’

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Drew Kiess

A family tragedy has forced Zack Snyder to step away from finishing “Justice League.” Autumn Snyder, Zack’s daughter, passed away from suicide back in March. According to Snyder, he took a break from work but decided that he needed more time and has stepped away from finishing the film1459482949641 to continue to spend time with his family.

Joss Whedon had been brought in during this time to assist in writing new scenes intended for reshoots, but with Snyder stepping down, it will be Whedon leading the effort to finish the film. Warner Bros. was reportedly interested in delaying “Justice League,” but Snyder was against it.

I’m sure much will be written on what this means for the film and its quality. The reality is, whether this is good or bad for the film is irrelevant. As much as I am rooting for “Justice League” to be amazing (and I still expect nothing less), in light of this news, that desire takes a back seat. My heart breaks for Zack and his family today. Life is more important and more precious than even the greatest movies and whether this is the right decision for the film pales in comparison to the fact that this is the right call for Snyder and his family in their time of grief. It is not my place to put any kind of microscope on that. Mourning is an extraordinarily personal experience, and there is no easy way to do it.

There will be a time to further examine the behind-the-scenes aspects of “Justice League.” I think that, beyond the facts that we have, now is not that time. Now is the time for practicing empathy and talking about things that are more important that our heroes in tights. They will still be there when we are ready for them again.

 

 

 

 

Sure: The Hollywood Reporter

Major Reshoots for Justice League?

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Andrew Kiess

Mario-Francisco Robles of SplashReport has reported that Justice League has undergone major reshoots with more major reshoots on the way. These reshoots, according to Robles’ source, are “significant”, and that the movie, after this next round of reshoots will have “been remade…twice.”

Umberto Gonzalez from The Wrap has refuted this report. According to Gonzalez’s source, “[t]here has been no additional photography to date on ‘Justice League’” and adds that, while reshoots are scheduled, it is part of the normal course of events for a movie of this size.

Competing sources on a story like this can be confusing, but, personally, I would be quicker to believe Umberto Gonzalez on this story. Fans of Shanlian on Batman will know that Gonzalez has a solid track record when it comes to DC properties, and something like major reshoots would not be difficult for a trade reporter like Gonzalez to uncover.

Reshoots are definitely on their way for Justice League, however. This will surely set off many blogs and twitter warriors saying all kinds of things about the state of Zack Snyder’s next adventure with our DC heroes, but that’s just par for the course at this point.

I do think that there will be some things that will need to be changed, especially with the way certain films, particularly The Flash and The Batman, have gone through creative changes since the beginning of production on Justice League. And, as has been the case with many of these blockbusters, Zack Snyder, Geoff Johns, and the other folks working on this film will begin to see things that need another run past a camera while they are in the process of editing. Even if the reshoots end up being “significant”, as long as Warner Bros. doesn’t bring in another director (like Fox did with the 2015 Fantastic Four), we should be fine.

Episode 88 wsg Loren Lester the voice of Robin/Nightwing

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Episode 88 is LIVE and we are so thrilled that we were able to sit down and chat with Loren Lester on this latest episode. For those of you who are not aware of it, Loren Lester is the voice of Robin/Nightwing from Batman: The Animated Series, The New Adventures of Batman and the upcoming film Batman and Harley Quinn. Loren takes us on his personal journey from being a young kid watching the old Bill Dozier Batman series to his first day he recorded on the Animated Series. This episode will definitely go down as one of our personal favorites as Loren was our childhood, and as soon as he started talking nostalgia hit us and we were blown away with him, not just as a guest but as an amazing person! So please give a very warm Shanlian On Batman welcome to Loren Lester aka ROBIN.

‘Teen Titans: The Judas Contract’ Review

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John McGee p13867381_p_v8_aa

Animated comic book movies are on the decline, but blame the ratings, not the quality. Judas Contract is rated PG-13, although it is decidedly more mature than the R-rated Justice League Dark. The smashing success of The Killing Joke can be attributed to the graphic novel’s huge popularity and the return of Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy to their starring roles. Judas Contract was most likely put together to push Deathstroke and Nightwing into the public conscience ahead of their appearances in Batman and solo DC films.

The movie itself benefited from adapting the coolest Teen Titans comic book story of the same name. Deathstroke attempts to wreck the Titans by planting a mole to tear them apart from the inside out. Why, though, a villain as high caliber as Deathstroke needs to spend time trying to eliminate kids is still beyond me.

For the most part, I have a general rule that for movies containing lots of characters outside the Justice League circle I’d need to do some comic book refreshing, but Judas Contract is relatively accessible to well versed and comic book illiterate alike. The flashback introduction was very open and welcoming to anyone who needed a primer on who the characters were and where they were coming from throughout the course of the story.

As I mentioned, the movie is rated PG-13. There were a few cuss words and plenty of graphic violence to go around, but I agree with the rating. I just hate the inconsistency of the MPAA. It is absolutely the biggest disaster in the film industry next to Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie itself was worth the rental: funny, exciting, and surprisingly non-cliché. The action was actually interesting to watch. Usually these DC animated movies (non classics) are painful to watch due to laid-back performances, stale action, and downright lazy storytelling. Judas Contract was a pleasant surprise, and it will please anyone who watches just to have a good time, but also those looking for good relationships between the main characters and a look into the potential of Nightwing and Deathsroke in their own live action features.

8/10

“I Am Bane” Review

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By Andrew Kiess

Tom King is a brave man. Yes, he’s served America as a counterterrorism CIA operative, but his most recent challenge in life has been filling the role once held by the great Scott Snyder writing Batman. Snyder’s run as the lead writer on Batman lasted the entire fiver year lifespan of DC Comics’ New 52 line, and was its bestseller, as well as one of the most critically acclaimed books of the line. But, Snyder left shortly after the Bloom arc, and when DC was looking to relaunch the line, Snyder was moved to All-Star Batman, and King was asked to step up to the plate.

Spoilers for Batman #1-15 to follow.

King’s run debuted with I Am Gotham. This story, found in issues 1-6, featured the mysterious appearance of two super-powered beings called Gotham and Gotham Girl, who were being manipulated by the Psycho Pirate. In the sequel arc, I Am Suicide (issues 9-14), Psycho Pirate is being protected in Bane’s fortress, and Batman recruits a Suicide Squad from Amanda Waller in order to extract the Pirate so that he can cure Gotham Girl. The plan is successful, which obviously does not sit well with Bane.

batman-11-coming-november-16-from-writer-tom-kingIf I’m being honest, I have struggled to get into this new run on Batman. David Finch’s art has been great, and Tom King is a great writer, but it has felt like Batman has taken a backseat to the characters around him throughout the entire Rebirth line. And as great as Rebirth has been for most of DC’s characters, I have felt like Batman has not benefitted from Rebirth. That was until I read I Am Bane.

Bane is on his way to Gotham to exact revenge for Batman infiltrating his sovereign territory, and Bruce Wayne is preparing for war in a way that only Bruce could—by sending all of his soldiers away from the battlefield. Bruce warns Dick Grayson/Nightwing, Duke Thomas/Lark, Damian Wayne/Robin, and Jason Todd/Red Hood to stay out of Gotham until Bane is dealt with. But, his warnings fall on deaf ears for the Robins, and Bruce finds them hanging, barely alive, in the Batcave with the words “I Am Bane” spray painted across their chests. Bruce and Alfred must get Gotham Girl and the Psycho Pirate out of Bane’s path of destruction, and so they barricade themselves deep within Arkham while Bane’s warpath leads him through all of the inmates Batman has put there over the years.

Three issues into this run, I finally understood what King was doing. It’s no coincidence that the main three arcs of King’s run so far have been titled with the words “I Am…”. He was re-forging Batman’s identity as Bruce. Or Bruce’s identity as Batman. Either way, the end of the New 52 saw many changes for Bruce Wayne, not the least of which included being raised from the dead (kind of) and becoming the god of knowledge (really.) Despite all the good that happened for the character during the New 52, it didn’t leave the character with very many directions to go. Is Batman Gotham, or are there other heroes better suited for that task? Is Batman suicide, willing to sacrifice himself for the cause? Or is Batman like Bane, steeped in tragedy and loss? In the last half of I Am Bane, something beautiful happens with the character that I think that if you haven’t been paying attention, you might miss.

Batman is taken out of the tragedy that inspired him, while Bane is haunted by his own tragic past that holds him back. While the death of Bruce’s parents may have started his quest to rid Gotham of crime, it is now his own heroic nature that keeps him going. He is pulled out of the muck of being a crusader for justice, fighting an unwinnable war—he’s a man, who sees that being Batman and doing Batman things, saving Gotham Girl, stopping Bane, and doing these things with every drop of sweat and blood he can give, as the right thing to do. And because being Batman is the right thing to do, he is going to do it. This is Tom King’s Batman. And, even though I’m late to the party, I’m a fan

 

Shanlian On Batman Episode 87

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Justin, Kyle, and Tom are bringing you a shorty this week. The guys touch base to talk about some of the news/rumors floating around the dc universe, comic book news, anticipations for the upcoming Wonder Woman and Justice League films, and talk a little bit of business and ways that you, yes YOU!, could help. Enjoy this short and sweet episode of your favorite Batman Podcast, Shanlian On Batman!

Shanlian on Batman Episode 86

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Just Justin and Tom in the podcast cave this week and they are bringing you the Shanlian On Batman styled trailer breakdown for the newest Justice League trailer. Lots of stuff going on in this trailer, follow along with the guys while they pause the trailer and pick through it piece by piece.

Warner Bros. Releases New ‘Justice League’ Trailer!

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Warner Bros. Pictures has released the new trailer for the upcoming film “Justice League” You can check that out below!

 

So what are your thoughts on this new trailer? Do you dig it? Or do you still have some doubts about the direction of the DCEU? Regardless, you can’t deny that “Justice League” looks very entertaining.

 

Shanlian On Batman Episode 85 Wsg Jason Inman

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The boys have a guest on the show for this episode. Jason Inman, one of the hosts of DC All Access! Jason has had a pretty awesome career as a YouTuber and Justin, Kyle, and Tom ask him all about it from beginning to current including a fancast session and talks about his new comic book! Hope you enjoy episode 85 of Shanlian on Batman!

OP ED: Why Matt Reeves Deserves Creative Control over ‘The Batman’

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By

John McKee

For a while, it looked like Matt Reeves just might not direct our next Batman film. News spread like wildfire that he had backed down and wouldn’t take the project, despite reaching “final talks” just weeks before. Per Birth. Movies. Death. Matt Reeves had “finally seen Batman v Superman and run away while he still could.”

Interestingly enough, Reeves signed on about a week and a half later to direct The Batman. Perhaps he had seen Batman v Superman and decided to add his name to the incredibly talented DC Universe. But what kept him from signing on in the first place? Money is an unlikely answer; Warner Bothers knows how much they have to shovel out for Batman films. The most obvious issue was creative control.

Seth Graham-Smith, Michele MacLauren, Rick Famuyiwa, David Ayer. All names of directors in the DC Universe who either left due to “creative differences” or in the case of Ayer, stayed on only to witness his film carved up and rehashed by test audiences and studio interference. Zack Snyder was demoted a tad on Justice League and Ben Affleck promoted as a way to respond to Batman v Superman’s reviews (ironically brought about mostly by the studio’s interference—we got the 2.5 hour slap job instead of the masterpiece Snyder originally had in mind now called the Ultimate Edition). So Warner Bros., the studio with a history of letting directors do their thing, has been unafraid of late to say “no” to a director.

Which is why Matt Reeves must be given full creative control over The Batman (and probably has) in order to make the film as great as possible. Ben Affleck wanted less to shoulder when he stepped down from The Batman. If WB/DC wants Affleck to make a Batman trilogy then it all rests on The Batman’s success. There is no indication (as Affleck said) that he will leave the role prematurely—there are huge loose ends to tie up, such as the Knightmare sequences in Batman v Superman. There is so much to explore with this character. So in order to keep Reeves on and make the film great, the studio needs to do what they did before—hand it over and TRUST the director. Tim Burton in 1980s. Christopher Nolan in early 2000s. Matt Reeves 2010s.

Great Batman films come from a healthy director-actor relationship. Affleck has gone on to say the director is the “artist” who makes Batman look right on set and in post: Affleck and Terrio write the comics and the director draws them to life. Matt Reeves has a history with the Apes franchise of not only rescuing it last minute, but intuitively realizing which character to focus the films on. With that kind of eye for filmmaking and characterization, Reeves can easily get The Batman off the ground and possibly help top The Dark Knight as the most widely acclaimed Batman film of all time. All that needs to happen is Warner Bros. taking a step back. They have done their job to this point by signing Affleck, Reeves, Terrio, and the rest. They need to trust Matt Reeves to handle the film and give him carte blanche to do what he needs to do to make the very best Batman film that he can.