"Supergirl," Had a BAD First Weekend at the Box Office...

"Supergirl," is the second big film in James Gunn and Peter Safran's new take on the DC cinematic Universe. "Superman," did quite well, and the second season of, "Peacemaker," which altered its continuity to take place in the same universe, was a hoot as well. "Supergirl," earned raves for Milly Alcock's performance, muted praise for Jason Momoa's Lobo, and was otherwise given a critical, "Meh," by many outlets. It proceeded to land roughly in theaters.  I mean, it made less than, "Morbius," did in its opening weekend. "Supergirl," isn't the worst cinematic bomb ever despite dramatic headlines, but the indifference of reviewers and theatergoers is evident.

Some people have begun discussing whether a general toxicity in fandom is to blame. Other's have said it is proof female superheroes don't sell/Hollywood keeps failing them. Every superhero movie that struggles results in discussion of, "Superhero movie fatigue," and plenty of folks have already begun writing this off as, "Not a big deal." The argument already is going, "Supergirl was never a big thing, the real test is how that Green Lanterns show, and Clayface movie do!" which feels like a big example of, "Moving the goalposts," but whatever.

I do want to check out the new, "Supergirl," movie. That said,  just I didn't see the latest, "Superman," until it had been out a couple of weeks, and I had the chance to view it, that'll probably be the case with, "Supergirl," for me too. At least if I go in with average-to-low expectations, I may very well conclude that it is better than people have been saying. Sure sounds like I will have much of the theater to myself when I do make it over there.

"Supergirl," Dropped a Teaser Trailer Today

The teaser trailer for the next big DC project emerged onto the internet today. Coming hot on the heels of, "Superman," and, "Peacemaker," we have Milly Alcock as, "Supergirl." What is interesting is how the trailer has a lot more of a vibe like, "Guardians of the Galaxy," than the recent Superman flick. James Gunn (he and Peter Safran are the main architects of this new DC film Universe) isn't even directing (Craig Gillespie is), but there is a feeling that evokes GOTG with its weird-space-adventures and such. Give the trailer a look below if you haven't seen it yet:

The movie draws a good deal from Tom King's, "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow," and Alcock is a great talent (she was stellar in the recent, "Sirens," limited series on Netflix). I'm all for crazy fights in space, and we even get a glimpse of Jason Momoa's Lobo (that could be pretty wild) so I'm hopeful this is a fun experience. "Supergirl," will be the first DC project with Gunn involved more as a producer than the main guiding hand, so that is a bit important too for setting a tone for what we can expect from DC flicks he's a bit less involved in, without a doubt. Come June of 2026, we can judge the movie for ourselves!

Netflix to Tentatively Buy Warner Brothers Discovery and Therefore DC Comics as Well

Warner Bros. Discovery has been wanting to sell much of itself for a bit now. Skydance/Paramount had expressed a lot of interest and had been repeatedly rebuffed. Others were rumored to be wanting a piece as well. However, it has been declared that WBD wants to sell to Netflix. Yes, "Overnight, Netflix announced it had entered a, 'definitive agreement,' to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s film and television studios, including Warner Bros., HBO, and HBO Max, for $83 billion," with it also mentioned that if the deal falls through, Netflix will still throw five billion Warner Bros. way for their trouble. Another report says 76 billion is the total amount we're dealing with, so the exact number seems to be in flux, but it is a lot of zeroes. Regardless of the full amount, imagine being such a big company that you're cool with tossing away five billion if a deal doesn't work out. I mean, if my chips don't fall out of the vending machine that I put two dollars in, you know I'm not going to just walk away empty-handed for two single bills, never mind five billion.

For those of you into DC comics and their films, this does mean Netflix would now own that film division as well as being in charge of the comic-books, leading multiple sites to ask what happens to DC's movies and especially the comics if this sale goes through? We, obviously, can't know for sure, but based on how the latest DC projects are performing it would seem James Gunn and Peter Safran might be left to their own devices with DC's films/shows. Others and I would wager the comic-books will remain a comparatively inexpensive afterthought out of everything else in the Warner Brothers Discovery catalog that are treated as a source for ideas, but hopefully left mostly alone. I mean, Netflix is after the film/television content and probably shrugged with vague amusement at how a comic-book company comes along with all that, too. Don't get me wrong, ya'll know I love comics, but I also am aware that they are far from the focus of this 83 billion dollar deal.

One comic-book creator who stands to benefit from this deal immensely could be Mark Millar. He has worked closely with Netflix for years and now could very well find himself in a position of power with DC's flicks, shows, and comics. What that would mean for DC, only time could tell. For now, there is a lot of regulatory paperwork to get done, so who knows when this deal will truly be done or if it will get held up by those who (rightfully) see this as the formation of more monopolies/oligopolies. Again, we'll see what the next chunk of months (possibly years) holds. One thing is for sure, however. Theater owners are pissed based upon how Netflix has treated them in the past. That will only get uglier as this possible sale continues. The new Hollywood is buying out the old Hollywood; how could it be anything but messy?

Film Friday: I Saw the New, "Superman," Flick

I know it came out a bit ago, but I had the chance this week to see, "Superman," in theaters--so I'm gonna give you my thoughts, now! In short: I quite liked it! I saw a chunk of the twists coming (spoiler: there's a clone), but that did not lessen my enjoyment at all. The casting is spot-on, with every single person doing a stellar job from David Corenswet as Superman to Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. I especially loved Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane as well as Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, plus Edi Gathegi gives us an amazing Mister Terrific. For real though, Krypto (the dog) steals the show.

An interesting thing about, "Superman," is how it emphasizes despite Superman's alien nature, he is one of the most human people around. He gets sad, he struggles, he gets mad, but he keeps trying to do the best he can because he 100% wants to see the best in people. Martha and Jon Kent ( Neva Howell and Pruitt Taylor Vince, respectively) are only in the movie a smidgen, but their impact is massive in showcasing just how Clark ended up being the person he is as a grown-up. There are plenty of fights, jokes, and special effects, but the people make this movie special--via Superman trying to be the best example of a person, or Luthor showcasing a lot of our worst tendencies of envy and rage. 

Superman just wants to do good with all his power, which seems crazy in 2025 when we see those with wealth/power/etc. often being terrible. It is funny to think that now it is edgy to tell a story about a person with incredible might not choosing to be a jerk about it. "Superman," does a fantastic job kicking off this new take on the DC Universe. It is a much more optimistic view of the DCU than we previously had with Zack Snyder, and that's okay! I liked some of those movies, and I really enjoyed this one too. I look forward to what comes next from James Gunn (who is the new DC architect as well as this movie's director) and Peter Safran with their take on DC!

5 out of 5 Stars.

The Full, "Superman," Trailer Is Out

I watched the new, "Full," AKA not teaser trailer for, "Superman." It appears to be action-packed with a dash of playful optimism (something we haven't seen for a while, considering the tone of Snyder's Superman-centric films). It asks serious questions about a Superbeing flying around the World and intervening in conflicts, but also manages to show Superman punching a Kaiju right in the face in epic fashion--we've got a variety of tones being balanced extremely carefully, in other words. James Gunn is the new overseer of the DC Cinematic Universe (with Peter Safran as well) and Gunn is in the director's chair for, "Superman." Warner Bros. Discovery has a ton riding on this movie being good and successful. This trailer makes me suspect he might nail it, with David Corenswet's Clark Kent/Superman looking like a great casting, and Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane seeming superb as well. Give it a look below:

Doesn't that just seem fun? There are occasions I want to sit down and just see a fun movie--this looks like a good time that will fit the bill. "Superman," hits theaters on July 11th. I know I'm going to try and get my rear end into the theaters to see it!

The Upcoming, "Superman," Movie Has Been Hit with a Rights Lawsuit

There is a big, "Superman," flick on the way. Directed by James Gunn, it is meant to kickstart a new DC film universe that Gunn and Peter Safran are overseeing. This movie has been hit by a lawsuit from the family/heirs of Joe Shuster and have Marc Toberoff representing them. The argument is that certain rights have reverted to the family in some countries/territories and they want to block the flick's release in those locations. This case maybe would fail in court, but as soon as a huge company like Marvel or DC gets even a hint there could be an actual problem they usually settle out of court. Toberoff was the attorney who represented the family of Jack Kirby when they sued Marvel and once it became apparent there was even a 1% chance things could go sideways everyone settled out of court for an undisclosed (but presumably large) amount. 

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created Superman decades ago and depending on who you ask were screwed over and tricked or made a bad deal in good faith upon selling the rights regarding Superman for $130 to the company that became the DC we know today. A lot of time has passed and copyright law is always evolving, so new actions are being taken. Whether this is a case of a family wanting what is fair or greedy children trying to get an easy check can be argued, but I've always been on the side of creators and their families as opposed to megacorporations, myself. The owner of DC (Warner Brothers Discovery) could very well try to get a quick dismissal of this case and if that fails quietly settle out of court to avoid bad press as the date of this new, "Superman," nears.

That, "Joker: Folie à Deux," Really Bombed Hard

I didn't see the first, "Joker," movie. It seemed to barely have anything to do with, "Batman," conceptually, and looked like a really negative, sour, and unpleasant movie--even if Joaquin Phoneix is a great actor. The sequel--"Joker: Folie à Deux," looked quite strange but still tonally dark, with the movie becoming a musical, somehow. Then it got awful reviews, had an ending few liked, and technically bombed in theaters as it did come in first at the box office the week it debuted, but didn't make nearly as much as was hoped for. It even has set a record of sorts for the, "'worst second-week box office drop' in comic book movie history," according to the AV Club. It fell off a metaphorical cliff. Everyone is blaming everyone else who was involved with the movie. Is it Phoenix demanding rewrites and new scenes? Is it how Lady Gaga had a lot of scenes cut? Director Todd Philips' refusal to work with the studio and let them offer opinions? 

I think the first, "Joker," movie was a bit of a, "Lightning in a bottle," moment that had people curious enough to check it out. Still, nobody wanted more in the form of, "Joker: Folie à Deux," perhaps. It looked like, "Joker," but with more confusing elements (why a musical?) and narrative shifts to the, "Saga," of this Joker that everybody seems to have hated. The , "Joker, " sequel thankfully is its own, "Elseworlds," kind of tale and not related to the main DC continuity now being built up by James Gunn and Peter Safran. That take on the DC Universe has me more optimistic for a good time than I ever had for these, "Joker," flicks, which just seemed to be saturated with negativity, cynicism, and little else of a point besides saying, "Life sucks, oh well." I don't know who to blame for how badly this sequel went, but this particular take on a DC character is clearly finished and ended as a big ol' awful mess.

Upper Deck Partners with DC to Produce Trading Cards

Upper Deck is a big name in trading cards. They own the sole rights to the NHL, so anytime I buy, "Official," hockey cards they bear the Upper Deck name. They also work extensively with Marvel to make trading cards that draw from the comics as well as the movies/shows. Just this week, Upper Deck announced they have partnered with DC. There are already plans to do card sets similar to the Marvel ones such as the, "Annual," and, "Masterpieces," plus boxes focused on key characters like Batman and Superman. It has been decades since there have been official DC trading cards so this is pretty cool. 

The first sets seem focused on the comics but as the new Gunn/Safran Universe of movies and shows gets into gear that'll probably result in some tie-in cards too. You can already buy a, "Preview," card on the Upper Deck's ePack site. Those are cards that you buy and open virtually but the can be shipped to you as soon as you've opened them or once the physical copies are produced if they aren't yet manufactured (so thank God they are not like NFTs in that there is an actual item). The debut Preview card is Superman and can be purchased for just a week before--one assumes--a new preview card will occur to make a little set. Observe:

Readers of the blog are aware that in late 2023 I got into hockey cards as well as some of the Marvel lines. I enjoy DC too so this is snazzy news and I look forward to whatever cool stuff Upper Deck and DC put out via this new partnership!

Film Friday: "Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom," is Here, but Do People Care Anymore?

James Gunn and Peter Safran have taken over DC and are rebooting the whole cinematic universe. That said, when they came in some flicks were wrapping and needed to come out. For example, the Shazam sequel had a rough first weekend...and a generally drab theatrical run. This has reduced movie such as, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," to being afterthoughts. The first, "Aquaman," was by all accounts a fun time and reviews for the sequel have found it anywhere from really bad to slightly decent to quite good, but it doesn't matter anymore. 

This version of the DC Universe as we know it is done, stick a fork in it. Jason Momoa may be back as a whole new character (the Lobo rumors won't stop) but this iteration of Aquaman is finished. Minimal promotion has been done for the movie compared to other superhero blockbusters and it isn't even getting a red carpet premiere. It is the end of an era for DC's movies and they're ending with a bit of a quiet whimper. Whether this will do okay and skate by financially on the charm of Momoa or end up bombing like, "The Flash," remains to be seen. The DC Cinematic Universe is dead, long live the new DC Cinematic Universe.

Sean Gunn Playing Maxwell Lord Could be Snazzy

Sean Gunn is a solid actor who has appeared in several films including, yes, ones directed by his brother, James Gunn. Sean is a good actor and his brother likes to cast him, which one can say involves nepotism but if the man is skilled in a role I don't have an issue with it. Hence, I'm not surprised that for the DC Film Universe which James Gunn is now helming (with Peter Safran), how Sean Gunn has been cast as a character. The interesting thing is that it is Maxwell Lord.

Lord is a fascinating person when written well. A man with a shrewd mind who also seems to think steps ahead of others, Lord was kind of a good guy before taking a villainous route in the 2000s and then being killed by Wonder Woman (it was a whole thing). He got better from being dead in, "Brightest Day," and erased the memories of others he ever existed and then there were reboots, and it's complicated. Anyways, before his heel turn Lord helped create the Justice League International and otherwise had some cool adventures. He was portrayed by the superb Pedro Pascal in, "Wonder Woman 1984," which I have not yet seen (I have a long backlog of stuff to watch) but I heard he was good in it even if the movie faced a somewhat cold reception overall from viewers. Now Sean Gunn shall be Maxwell Lord in the latest DC Cinematic realm/universe/whatever.

James Gunn seemed to confirm on social media his take on Maxwell Lord will not be especially villainous, so if Sean will be giving us the multilayered and clever Lord I'm all for that. Now we just wait as DC's film plans finally start to coalesce together with various pieces of casting news and projects getting moving as the writing and acting strikes are over. Once Sean Gunn graces our silver screens as Maxwell Lord we'll be able to draw our final conclusions!

"Superman: Legacy," Has Casting News, and the Internet Has Opinions

James Gunn and Peter Safran are going to reboot the DC film Universe. This seems sorely needed considering how many DC projects he had minimal or no involvement in struggled lately. Everyone is pointing fingers after, "Flashpoint," cratered in theaters despite looking fun, with Gunn escaping most blame due to it being a mess for years before DC brought him and Safran in to refresh the entire DC line of flicks and shows. One of the first things Gunn has coming down the pipeline is, "Superman: Legacy." Hence, all eyes have been on the project with fans of Gunn as well as his detractors (some folks really preferred Zack Snyder's stuff) eager for any drips of information. Well, two big ol' droplets of news have metaphorically splashed across the internet and said internet has many opinions. Yes, Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane have been cast for the flick.

For, "Superman: Legacy," our titular Super-fella will be David Corenswet and Lois Lane shall be portrayed by Rachel Brosnahan. I will say I enjoyed Brosnahan in, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," which just finished its run on Amazon Prime so I'm sure she'll be great. I have to admit I am unfamiliar with Corenswet but from what I've seen looking at his bibliography of work he seems talented. Apparently some on the internet have been making comments regarding how he looks a little like Henry Cavill and therefore is somehow a downgrade or such. A small chunk of the internet sometimes really seems to have a lot of love for Cavill in the role and is providing minimal backlash that some are overstating, but I was never huge on him or opposed to his work in the role, so I'm happy to give Corenswet's take a chance. The flick isn't even due until 2025 at the earliest so I'm sure much more will be revealed about, "Superman: Legacy," and other DC projects the next handful of months.

Hey, that Trailer for, "Blue Beetle," Makes it Look Pretty Fun

DC is due to have a planned-out cinematic universe with James Gunn and Peter Safran at the helm. However, right now it is a bit of a mish-mash of projects that might count in the future, or maybe won't (perhaps bits and pieces, it is up for debate). "Black Adam," and the second, "Shazam," movie were disappointments and inspired a wild degree of blaming and angry words from folks involved in the flicks. With all of that baggage, you'd worry the upcoming, "Blue Beetle," movie--which is still happening--might just seem weighed down or suffer from being nitpicked by folks wondering, "What counts in this?" However, the trailer just came out and it looks like it is actually quite fun. Check the trailer below:

See what I mean? It has a nice lighthearted vibe without outright seeming overloaded with jokes. The special effects are nice too as I worried they would seem lower-budget considering this movie originally was going to be an HBO MAX exclusive but plans shifted to give it a theatrical release (the same plans that locked, "Batgirl," away in a vault, but I digress). The movie seems situated in DC's film universe (whatever it is) to some degree with a funny Batman reference in the trailer at the end but is not ultra-reliant upon other DC properties. Xolo Maridueña looks to be a great Jamie Reyes and George Lopez seems to be game for superpowered shenanigans as Reyes' Uncle Rudy. "Blue Beetle," will be in theaters this August 18th, so hopefully it is as good a time as the previews indicate.

The, "Shazam," Sequel Had a Rough First Weekend

"Shazam: Fury of the Gods," opened in first place at the domestic box office. That would sound impressive, but it actually made less than was projected--and the projections weren't that high. The latest Shazam flick is a flop, in other words.

Apparently, it is an okay film, if not as fun as the first according to reviews. Why did it falter? Are James Gunn and Peter Safran to blame with the big DC reboot coming and making this movie feel utterly inconsequential? Is Dwayne, "The Rock," Johnson the big culprit? Will people break out that old refrain that, "Hey, maybe folks are tired of superhero films?" even though that keeps being said anytime a movie stumbles and then gets dropped when another one does gangbusters? 

I don't know why the Shazam sequel clearly struggled with its debut and if it even really matters for DC's plans going forward. I just feel a bit bad for director David F. Sandberg who was bummed by the critical reviews and is, "...definitely done with superheroes for now." Ouch. Anways, I liked the first movie and will probably stream this when it comes to HBO MAX or whatever, but I'm not in a rush to see it in theaters. Wait, maybe people like me were the problem? Eh, who knows?

James Gunn and Peter Safran Announced Their Plans for DC's Film and Television/Streaming

James Gunn and Peter Safran were hired to basically scrap the majority of what the DC film and television division was doing and rebuild it from scratch. They are doing so, with only a few, "Elseworlds,"-style projects happening still and everything else to be a part of a new continuity that mostly ignores all the previous films and the ones still coming out soon and wrapping up what DC has done so far. A big announcement yesterday occurred laying it all out. Let's discuss it.  

Tentatively titled as, "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters," the upcoming slate of movies and shows will include a Superman flick, a horror-styled Swamp Thing, the Authority, a streaming show with Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Booster Gold show, Batman with his son Damian, Supergirl, Creature Commandos (an animated project) a Green Lantern series, and I think I'm named everything. A lot was announced. Oh, I forgot a Wonder Woman show about her home, Themyscira, because it was said to be like, "Game of Thrones." I've always had zero interest in GoT or stuff inspired by it--this could very well be good though, my eyes just glaze over when someone says anything is like GoT.

Gunn and Safran will keep some previous actors and their characters, but a ton of stuff is getting tossed aside, and some fans think it is for the best and others are screaming on Twitter about their precious, "Snyderverse," being decimated. I honestly was indifferent to much of what DC was putting out (besides Gunn's take on the, "Suicide Squad,"), finding all that stuff fine but not amazing. With this new material I am intrigued in a Swamp Thing flick that is scary and The Authority could be cool--plus Viola Davis is awesome so more Amanda Waller is snazzy. Otherwise, I'm not exactly pumped about what's coming, but do enjoy much of Gunn's work so I'd imagine the more he is involved in a project the more I'll want to check it out. A lot of this stuff is a ways off so as these projects actually come to fruition it'll be a lot more apparent if we're in a new golden age of great DC films and shows, or if Gunn's new start turns out to be a false start. I'm thinking/hoping it will all be cool tho. At least, as long as WB's management isn't going to meddle too much, lest something else get the, "Batgirl," treatment.

Movie Franchise Shake-Up of the Year: DC and Warner Brothers Discovery in General--2022 in Review

A man named David Zaslav took over as the big cheese at Warner Brother Discovery. He proceeded to do what he feel was best to save the HBO MAX platform money and basically canceled/erased/slashed-and-burned a ton of content in the name of tax breaks. This resulted in the, "Batgirl," movie that was in post-production being shoved into a vault--to the rage of fans. It also led to James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over all the superhero flicks of DC--which made fans happy until Gunn started making changes (Henry Cavill is out as Superman), leading to further fan-rage. 

The DC franchise is in a huge flux, the HBO MAX app is going to merge with Discovery+ in the next year and possibly just be called, "MAX," and things are crazy. It is easy for people to throw ire at Zaslav (I've been critical of him myself), but I don't envy his job trying to make everything profitable. Then, I have zero jealously of Gunn and Safran trying to fix-up the DC film franchise and the mess that it currently is in. 2023 is bound to be an interesting year for Warner Brothers Discovery.

HBO MAX Will Just Be...MAX?

HBO MAX and Discovery+ will be merging into one service. Many names are possible but Warner Brothers Discovery is apparently going to possibly just use...MAX. That's it. I think Discovery MAX would be cool, but nobody asked me. Instead, we are simply getting MAX, and the focus is still to slash and burn a ton of content (seriously, a lot of stuff). At least we have James Gunn and Peter Safran to give us lots of stuff...oh and they canceled any plans for, "Wonder Woman 3." Well then, that's interesting. Clearly a lot is in motion lately.

James Gunn and Peter Safran Will be Heading Up DC's Film/Television/Animation Division

DC has struggled to some degree for its films to inspire much excitement or cultural relevance. Outside of some die-hard fans of Zack Snyder's take on everything the franchises have mostly floundered with some notable exceptions. One of those big exceptions was the latest, "Suicide Squad," movie James Gunn directed. Folks may recall James Gunn did the, "Guardians of the Galaxy," films, but was fired from the third when old inappropriate joke-tweets he did were used against him by alt-right conservatives mad he mocked Trump. However, he was hired by DC to make a new, "Suicide Squad," then got rehired by Marvel to do the third GOTG flick, and now is apparently going to be a co-head of everything DC-on-the-screen as his, "Suicide Squad," is a rare recent DC movie that did well and received good reviews (folk dug his, "Peacemaker," spin-off show too). 

Gunn has definitely come quite far and the other person who will head everything, Peter Safran, has worked with Gunn a good deal via his production management company. They will both report to the much-hated David Zaslav who has slashed a ton of stuff at Warner Brothers Discovery, including killing the, "Batgirl," movie. Hopefully, Gunn and Safran will be afforded enough power/control/independence to get the DC film, television, and movie stuff all on a better track than there currently is. I actually feel a slight bit optimistic about DC's future output now--for the first time in a long while--so at least that's good.