DCU Movies

[Tomkatie]

I hope he characterizes Guy better than King did.

Between Guy's confirmed bowl cut and Max Lord being more sleazeball than villain, Gunn definitely seems like he's leaning into early Giffen/DeMatteis JL. So I'm not expecting a hugely sympathetic Guy characterization

[Baggie_Saiyan]

I will say starting the new universe with a Superman film is very brave so fair play. Having a Batman film kick the new universe would've been the safest bet so this bodes well I think. I am yet to be convinced by Gunn every CBM since Gotg 1 has been the same too me but let's see what he cooks without being pigeon holed to doing that type of film!

I just hope the connecting is organic and just try and make good films first and foremost.

[Last Son of Krypton]

At least with Aquaman flopping we can put to rest the "But what is Gunn gonna do if Aquaman 2 is a huge hit and there's a demand for more of Momoa as the character?!" talk. I remain convinced we're getting a complete clean slate for the Justice League characters.

After they'll see how Momoa plays Arthur in this, doubt there'll be much DC fans left clamoring for more of him as Aquaman.

Speaking of, in case anyone still thought otherwise, Emerald Fennell's Zatanna movie is dead. It really is hilarious how WB put up a huge contract for Bad Robot, and it's looking like the only thing they actually got out of the deal was a Batman cartoon that they've since sold to one of their competitors.

That was a streaming movie, of course Zaslav cancelled it.

Are there any info about other JJ Abrams projects, especially other JLD-connected ones?

Coates/Abrams' black Superman period piece is in development hell. Don't expect it'll ever get made under Gunn, he doesn't even read the script.

The JLD related movies and shows were all cancelled more than a year ago:

“Constantine” has been a hot property in Hollywood, sparking a NBC series created by Daniel Cerone and David S. Goyer, and was even more recently being developed into a new series for HBO Max by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions. However, sources tell Variety that the HBO Max series is now dead, although the streamer had been in early talks with an actor for the lead role before the new movie came together. Four scripts were written for the new adaptation set in contemporary London.

Another Justice League Dark project that is also being put to the side is the “Madame X” series produced by Angela Robinson. But this doesn’t mean both series can’t be resurrected somewhere else. Sources say that both Warner Bros. Television and Bad Robot remain extremely high on both projects and expect to find a new home for them both.

https://variety.com/2022/film/news/k...-x-1235375424/

[Gaastra]

RT update--

Aquaman 2 critic score--34
Audience score--77

Looks like audiences like the movie more than critics yet again this year.

Campeas review is the same as others online. Dumb as dirt, no original plot at all and "why did you do that" parts but he had alot of fun watching it and had a fun night out.

So, an 80s chuck norris movie than or like the first movie.





With that said it is really overperforming in china--

China Box Office Dec. 22 Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom earned est. ¥36M ($5M) on the 1st Friday, +9 % opening day ( Previews not included in comparision ). China's 3-day total rises to ¥97M ($13.6M). Eyeing a +$32M 5-day opening & $24M on opening wknd.

https://www.reddit.com/r/boxoffice/c...2_aquaman_and/


And for domestic--

Aquaman 2 thursday growth from presales yesterday is among the best I have seen except for a family movie like Minions 2 or Mario. It’s easily the strongest of all DCEU flicks this year in terms of % growth. So calling for ~4.25m previews. Expecting 12m+ friday including previews.

https://www.reddit.com/r/boxoffice/c...les_yesterday/

[Goldrake]

RT update--

Aquaman 2 critic score--34
Audience score--77

Looks like audiences like the movie more than critics yet again this year.

Campeas review is the same as others online. Dumb as dirt, no original plot at all and "why did you do that" parts but he had alot of fun watching it and had a fun night out.

So, an 80s chuck norris movie than or like the first movie.





With that said it is really overperforming in china--



https://www.reddit.com/r/boxoffice/c...2_aquaman_and/


And for domestic--



https://www.reddit.com/r/boxoffice/c...les_yesterday/

The movie isn't bad at all, it's an enjoyable one, not the disaster everyone claimed, however not close to the first, especially Momoa's acting. Which is a disappointment since this was his last appearance as Aquaman, probably the highest point of his career and he gives such awful performance.

[ayanestar]

I don't think the movie was that bad either, but you can tell that they had to reshoot some scenes. I think that explains Momoa's weird acting in some parts, it's like he is suddenly directly reading of a script. However, the first movie was definitely miles better.

[comicstar100]

Now that the final DCEU film has dropped a question for everyone, how will you look back on the DCEU overall?


When Man of Steel first came out I remember thinking it would be an okay Superman film if they removed two scenes, Superman snapping Zod's neck and Clark letting Jonathan get sucked into a tornado. Those two things just never fundamentally worked for me. But overall I did have fun with the movie.

The big thing I will always remember is Harry Lennix at comic con reciting the speech Bruce Wayne to Clark Kent from The Dark Knight Returns. DC was finally going to do a film with its overall universe rather than just bat characters. This was a big deal for fans. Prior to this DC had never in a live action film had Superman and Batman together, let alone any of the rest of the Justice League.

Sadly the Batman V Superman film for me would disappoint. Batman blowing away people with machine gunfire, Superman to me not getting enough character development in general, the worst on screen version of Lex I'd ever seen, and the studio shoehorning in Doomsday, Wonder Woman and the rest of all the Justice League cameos. At the end I felt exhausted and frustrated they wasted so many iconic graphic novels for this screenplay that needed a lot of help. I'll never forget sitting in the theater thinking "wow this is what the fans get, after all this time waiting."


The bright light in all the darkness that was the DCEU for me was Wonder Woman. For the first time the general public is seeing her on the big screen. It properly introduces who she is and gives us a solid film. I can't help but think if we got a MOS sequel and a solo Batman film then went into BvS how much better it would of played.

We go to Justice League. The studio panics after shoehorning in so much with BvS. Snyder's family tragedy happened and WB gets Whedon to come in and reshoot the entire thing. I'll never understand why this cut opened on a cell phone cam close up of the awful CGI removed mustache of Henry Cavill. I will give this cut one thing though, Superman gets to actually act like Superman. He's having fun and saving the day alongside the worlds greatest heroes. If Whedon was allowed more time this may have been decent. But as it stands it's just another POS that WB execs forced on fans to get their quarterly bonus.

After Whedons Justice League for me the DCEU was just a collection of films. Yes they took place in the same universe, but there really was no planning for anything beyond a little cameo here and there. I liked the first Shazam film well enough and Keaton being in Flash saved that film for me. We would get Snyder's actual cut of Justice League which is far superior to Whedon, but at 4 hours long I will probably never rewatch it.

Every other film besides the ones mentioned just don't really register for me. The first Suicide Squad was a joke. WB took one of my favorite directors films and hired a trailer company to recut it all out of fear. The second one by Gunn is solid but not ground breaking. Wonder Woman's sequel was a complete let down. Aquaman for me just always kind of existed, wasn't awful but for sure not a favorite. Birds Of Prey seemed meaningless, aside from Ewans performance as Black Mask it's a skippable film. Blue Beetle is fun, but painfully obvious it was ment as a straight to streaming movie, not full thractrical.

So I'd say the biggest takeaway I'll always have from the DCEU is being let down as a fan. DC comics has always been what I read the most. The DC Universe has always been my favorite fictional world. I waited my entire life to see these characters on the big screen interact. All of it let me down.

For Gunn's new universe my hopes are that WBD doesn't pivot every other film and interfere with his direction. And I hope that the members of the Justice League actually get their own films that are solid making us care about them when/if they actually do come together again on screen.

[Goldrake]

I don't think the movie was that bad either, but you can tell that they had to reshoot some scenes. I think that explains Momoa's weird acting in some parts, it's like he is suddenly directly reading of a script. However, the first movie was definitely miles better.

If it was just some scenes it could be even acceptable, It was Jason being Jason all the time. Even with Patrick lack of chemistry, while Wilson tries very hard to be Orm, Momoa acts as Momoa. I can't belief Wan did not reign him in. Which makes me start to believe the rumors that since his separation, he has become more unruly, are true.
In his last stand as Arthur Curry he underperforms, Rarely he shows any emotion neither with his parents, wife or son. Last time he owed the character, infused his own energy with the character. This time its just Jason being an annoying version of his real life self.
One big flaw the movie has, lack of heart, except in some very brief scenes. At least the rest of the cast, try hard to do a decent job even if with poor dialogues and stupid silly jokes, which have Jason's imprint allover. He was one of the writers after all.
Fortunately Yahya really delivers, visuals and action compensate for the protagonist failures. Making it an enjoyable movie, although unremarkable, Certainly not the worse of the DCEU but a far cry from the first Aquaman. Which brings regrets of what it could have been.

[Goldrake]

Now that the final DCEU film has dropped a question for everyone, how will you look back on the DCEU overall?


When Man of Steel first came out I remember thinking it would be an okay Superman film if they removed two scenes, Superman snapping Zod's neck and Clark letting Jonathan get sucked into a tornado. Those two things just never fundamentally worked for me. But overall I did have fun with the movie.

The big thing I will always remember is Harry Lennix at comic con reciting the speech Bruce Wayne to Clark Kent from The Dark Knight Returns. DC was finally going to do a film with its overall universe rather than just bat characters. This was a big deal for fans. Prior to this DC had never in a live action film had Superman and Batman together, let alone any of the rest of the Justice League.

Sadly the Batman V Superman film for me would disappoint. Batman blowing away people with machine gunfire, Superman to me not getting enough character development in general, the worst on screen version of Lex I'd ever seen, and the studio shoehorning in Doomsday, Wonder Woman and the rest of all the Justice League cameos. At the end I felt exhausted and frustrated they wasted so many iconic graphic novels for this screenplay that needed a lot of help. I'll never forget sitting in the theater thinking "wow this is what the fans get, after all this time waiting."


The bright light in all the darkness that was the DCEU for me was Wonder Woman. For the first time the general public is seeing her on the big screen. It properly introduces who she is and gives us a solid film. I can't help but think if we got a MOS sequel and a solo Batman film then went into BvS how much better it would of played.

We go to Justice League. The studio panics after shoehorning in so much with BvS. Snyder's family tragedy happened and WB gets Whedon to come in and reshoot the entire thing. I'll never understand why this cut opened on a cell phone cam close up of the awful CGI removed mustache of Henry Cavill. I will give this cut one thing though, Superman gets to actually act like Superman. He's having fun and saving the day alongside the worlds greatest heroes. If Whedon was allowed more time this may have been decent. But as it stands it's just another POS that WB execs forced on fans to get their quarterly bonus.

After Whedons Justice League for me the DCEU was just a collection of films. Yes they took place in the same universe, but there really was no planning for anything beyond a little cameo here and there. I liked the first Shazam film well enough and Keaton being in Flash saved that film for me. We would get Snyder's actual cut of Justice League which is far superior to Whedon, but at 4 hours long I will probably never rewatch it.

Every other film besides the ones mentioned just don't really register for me. The first Suicide Squad was a joke. WB took one of my favorite directors films and hired a trailer company to recut it all out of fear. The second one by Gunn is solid but not ground breaking. Wonder Woman's sequel was a complete let down. Aquaman for me just always kind of existed, wasn't awful but for sure not a favorite. Birds Of Prey seemed meaningless, aside from Ewans performance as Black Mask it's a skippable film. Blue Beetle is fun, but painfully obvious it was ment as a straight to streaming movie, not full thractrical.

So I'd say the biggest takeaway I'll always have from the DCEU is being let down as a fan. DC comics has always been what I read the most. The DC Universe has always been my favorite fictional world. I waited my entire life to see these characters on the big screen interact. All of it let me down.

For Gunn's new universe my hopes are that WBD doesn't pivot every other film and interfere with his direction. And I hope that the members of the Justice League actually get their own films that are solid making us care about them when/if they actually do come together again on screen.

First WW, Aquaman 1 and Shazam1 are the bright spots, lots of average movies and some big let downs BvS above all.
Regarding Gunn's new universe, if Superhero fatigue turns to be so, much of his universe will never see light. I don't see enthusiasm for his new slate, If Diana, Bruce, Arthur, Barry or Hal aren't brought in, his universe is DOA.

[Gaius]

edit: oops wrong thread

[charliehustle415]

For me Man of Steel was amazing, everything afterwards was hot garbage,

I thought Man of Steel was a great amalgamation of Birthright and All Star Superman, I just wish Snyder didn't become the architect of a universe and instead made a Supes trilogy.

Snyder's aesthetic on a closed Superman universe would have made sense because he was going for a more grounded look at an actual world that discovered an benevolent ubermensch lived and there other ubermensches who are malevolent so who can you trust.

This premise is so ripe for an amazing trilogy.

I look back at this era as a missed opportunity.

[Styles]

[Frontier]

So he's definitely going to be more experienced than MAWS Superman.

[Stick Figure]

I’m curious how Batman 2 will do. I’m confident it will be good but are people so over super hero movies they done go see it? I get quality matters but some of these films that have bombed have been pretty good. Worth getting out if the house to see.

[lefthanded]

https://deadline.com/2023/12/box-off...le-1235680766/

4.5m from Thursday night, versus Wonka with 4.2m.

General audiences in Comscore/Screen Engine PostTrak exits did not like Aquaman 2 with 3 stars last night and a 50% recommend, and that’s the time when the big fans shows up. Ugh. However, parents gave it 5 stars (slightly more moms at 51%) and kids under 12 gave it 4 stars (66% boys), so perhaps they save this movie in the end.

Hadn't really thought of this as a family movie, but I guess the target audience is families with boys under 12 years old?
Based on the reviews that criticize the movie as being haphazard with bro-y one-liners (and urine jokes), that kinda makes sense?