This week, Jeff Robinov takes over as Warner Bros. film president--the man most responsible for deciding what movies get made at the studio--and already he's riling up the ever-excitable nerd demographic. His first order of business? Get that Justice League movie going again.
While Disney-Marvel has been loudly prepping its main superhero cast for an eventual team-up in The Avengers, Warner has been having naptime on their DC supergroup equivalent--the Justice League--since canceling the project a couple years ago. Robinov's plan is to restart work on that film and work in the opposite direction as Marvel, throwing all their potential superhero film stars into one pot and seeing which ingredients sell the most branded back-to-school supplies--then spinning those characters off into their own Flash movies, Wonder Woman movies (assuming this photo didn't already sour everyone from ever seeing a live-action Wonder Woman again), etc.
Though Christopher Nolan's trilogy of Batman films ends with with The Dark Knight Rises, the plan is to keep him and wife Emma Thomas on as producers to help shepherd in a new generation of dark, gritty superheroes, including a "reinvent[ed] Batman"--and if they go in the direction George Miller was headed with his scrapped attempt, that probably means a younger Batman, his growl still peppy with the optimism of youth. And considering Robinov is also the man "credited with persuading [Nolan] to put a Batmobile in Batman Begins despite the movie's ultra-realistic tone," that probably also means so many potential toy vehicles. Hey, maybe we get Superman's Supermobile back! I always liked my Superman action figure to have at least the option for more pedestrian flight.
Perhaps you've heard of the gender gap--the disparity between the incomes of men and women in the workplace--but did you know there is a far more dangerous gap looming on the horizon, one that could change the shape of our country's action figure assortment for years to come? I refer, of course, to the impending "superhero gap." As reported by Variety, Warner has placed Justice League, its planned DC comic clusterf***--on indefinite hold, leaving a dangerous dearth of Warner superhero movies--a superhero gap, if you will--in its 2009 schedule.
Warner Bros. let the options lapse on the young cast that director George Miller chose to play DC superhero staples. The studio, which had set Tuesday as its greenlight deadline for the pic, confirmed Wednesday the project is on indefinite hold.
With "Justice League" on indefinite hold, the studio has a superhero gap on its 2009 slate; status of the next "Superman" pic is also uncertain.
I have no solution outside of rationing The Dark Knight and Iron Man into short, ten-minute segments until we get past this Warner superhero blackout. And, for the love of god, let's pray we can make it through 2009 without the entertainment of eight or so spandex-clad nobodies delivering corny dialogue.
Thanks for the warning, James.
Warner pulls plug on 'Justice League' [Variety]
Good news! Two new cast members have joined Justice League of America! The bad news is you've probably never heard of them, unless you've by chance spent some time viewing their modeling work or knife/weapony collections (respectively).
From AICN comes word that Australian model Megan Gale has been cast as Wonder Woman. Can you believe I thought she was just a model, when it turns out she's a model(slash)actress? How novel! With such mixed talents, she'll definitely add as much to this production as she will to the gene pool. I wonder if she sings, too...
Standing at 6'5", the young and handsome Armie Hammer seems like an ideal choice to play an early Batman. Surely, his prior roles as "Abercrombie Boy" and "Male Prefect" have prepared him for the brooding, iconic superhero. And according to his IMDB profile, he collects knives and other weaponry, and is an amateur magician. So he's probably about as normal as that kid you knew in college who collected swords and practiced magic (i.e., a freakish socio-tard).
With the news I've heard so far, I'm guessing JLA will rank somewhere between Daredevil and Roger Corman's Fantastic Four.
Batman Casting Confirmed for Justice League! [IESB]
Does knowing/spoiling parts of the Justice League of America movie appeal to you? Then check out the JLA FAQ that's just gone up at AICN, made by someone who claims to have read the script at some point.
Learn answers to exciting questions, like With which supervillains must the League contend?, revealing questions, like Has Batman met all the superheroes he has under surveillance?, and Us Weekly-style, sexually-charged questions, like Does Aquaman have a big part?
Which Supervillains Must Contend With The JUSTICE LEAGUE?? [AICN]
When you need to cast a raven-haired, muscular amazon woman, a lot of people would turn to the obvious choice. That is, a woman with any of those traits.
But if you're Justice League of America director George Miller, your 62-year-old mind tells you what you need is the most slight, aryan-looking girl you can find. According to several sources, he's done just that, casting the giddy Teresa Palmer in the role of Wonder Woman. (Here she is looking drowned.)
Maybe once she's done some strength training, dyed her hair, and grown a foot this will all make sense.
Teresa Palmer, the new Wonder Woman? [MovieHole]
Will a Brit fill the boots of America's Greatest Hero (besides G.I. Joe, Oprah, and The Greatest American Hero)?
That's exactly the rumor coming from Dark Horizons, where they're reporting British actor Rupert Evans, whose biggest claim to fame is looking vaguely like Josh Hartnett if you squint (and being the prick in Hellboy), has nabbed the role of Superman in the Justice League movie.
Is it Kosher for Superman to be played by a British actor? How about someone who looks like such a twat? Discuss.
Evans As Superman In "League"? [Dark Horizons]
As Justice League casting news keeps coming forward, it's becoming more and more clear what criteria is being used in casting the role of the powerful Amazonian goddess, Wonder Woman:
1. Must be hot.
2. Must have dark hair. (Or not. We could probably dye it if you're Jessica Biel.)
This is evidenced by the recent news that Shannyn Sossamon has tested for the superhero role. Doesn't she seem a bit too gangly-hipster-type for a super-powerful Amazon? Despite any work she's done, I have a hard time seeing this spindly thing do anything besides serve coffee and act sarcastic, preferably with short bangs.
Am I wrong?
Shannyn Sossamon In Contention for Wonder Woman [Cinematical]
Hollywood's finest selection of hot, young, annoying actors (plus rapper Common!), 35 or 40, in fact, began testing this weekend for a role in the Justice League of American movie. Who was on hand (besides rapper Common)? Why, let me tell you:
On the roll call are Adam Brody (Fox's "The O.C."), Joseph Cross ("Running With Scissors"), D.J. Cotrona ("Windfall"), Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Grindhouse"), Michael Angarano ("Sky High"), Teresa Palmer ("Wolf Creek"), Max Thieriot ("Jumper") and rapper Common.
The cast of NBC's "Friday Night Lights" is well-represented as well, with Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki and Scott Porter also among those testing for parts.
It seems that since director George Miller couldn't afford Christian Bale and Brandon Routh reprising their roles, he's gone with the next best thing: actors from movies and TV shows that I either hate or haven't heard of (with a few exceptions, like rapper Common). Clearly, if Adam Brody can pull off both the roles of rich hipster nerd and Zach Braff-wannabe, he's an obvious choice for a superhero, as is whoever DJ Cotrona is, and, of course, rapper Common.
Young actors seek 'Justice' [Hollywood Reporter]
In a huge win for the male collective consciousness, Variety announced that Jessica Biel will very possibly wear a Wonder Woman outfit for Warner Bros' Justice League of America. Somehow, through our private fantasies and drunken conversations, wanting more than anything to see Jessica Biel jump around in a bikini with a lasso, we've willed this to happen. Congratulations.
Some nay-sayers may try to bring up the valid point that there are rumors JLA will be CGI, meaning we don't get to see a real Jessica Biel dressed as Wonder Woman. Rest assured, even if that is the case, FHM, Maxim, or some other douchebag publication will surely still get her in that costume. We've done it, male collective. Next, let's try to make Pamela Anderson young again.
Jessica Biel in talks for 'Justice' [Variety]
IESB is reporting that the planned Justice League movie will be done as a CGI motion-capture film, giving it the same creeppy, too-realistic-but-not-quite look as this Beowulf trailer. Though it will take longer, this will help to avoid conflict with the current Batman/Superman franchises, give the director more options in actor choice, and give the movie a larger scale without a larger cost. Plus, adding CGI favorite Shrek to the line-up will appear now seamless--and HILARIOUS!
Ryan Reynolds was rumored to play The Flash in a big screen adaptation but the project basically fell through. Now that a JLA movie is in the works, he tells MTV News that he may still play the role, just not in a solo movie:
"'The Flash' isn't dead at all. There's talk of it being a JLA movie, the Justice League having them all together. And then there's other talk of doing a 'Flash' movie with [director] Shawn Levy."
Rumors of a Justice League movie have gained momentum in recent weeks. Now we're hearing it straight from one of the potential stars' mouths. When asked if he thought the JLA film might happen first, Reynolds told us, "[it] might, yeah. I don't really know how much I'm allowed to talk about that stuff. But I'm sure they'll figure out something. It's no secret that they have a JLA script and it's a project that's in development - the contents of which, who knows. We'll see."
I was the front-runner to play The Flash, but the producers said my abs were too defined. Guess they decided to go with somebody who wasn't quite as fit.
- Previous results on
Previous Page
- I Watch Stuff
Main Page
- More results on
Next Page
