Superhero Movies From October 2018 Onward (5)

For reviews of older superhero movies click here and here.  It felt like time to get rid of the "baggage" those older entries carried, so I'm starting again from October 2018's Venom.

Superhero Moves On The Way*

The Suicide Squad (Taiwan Release Date Unknown, August 6, 2021 in the States)

The Batman (Taiwan Release Date Unknown, June 25, 2021 in the States)

Morbius, the Living Vampire (Taiwan Release Date Unknown, July 31, 2020 in the States)

Wonder Woman 1984 (Taiwan Release Date Unknown, June 5, 2020 in the States)

Birds of Prey (Taiwan Release Date Unknown, February 7, 2020 in the States)

Joker (Taiwan Release Date Unknown, October 4, 2019 in the States)

The New Mutants (Comes Out in Taiwan August 2, 2019?)

Spider-Man: Far From Home (Comes Out in Taiwan July 3, 2019)

X-Men: Dark Phoenix (Comes Out in Taiwan June 6, 2019)

Avengers: Endgame (Comes Out in Taiwan April 24, 2019)

Hellboy (Comes  Out in Taiwan April 11, 2019)

Shazam!

What I Liked: Zachary Levi and Asher Angel are both examples of great casting, the story is well thought out, and the battle at the end takes some interesting twists and turns.  I consider Shazam! a vast improvement over Aquaman, which was trying to do too much in too short a time, and also Captain Marvel, which was in my opinion one hot mess of a movie.  Shazam! is much smaller-scale compared to those other two films, but its smallness works to its advantage.  It's very focused and to the point.

Mark Strong, who was wasted on Martin Campbell's Green Lantern, has much more to do in Shazam!  Even if his reasons for being "evil" aren't that well thought out, he's still a good (bad) villain.

What I Didn't Like: The battle at the end goes on a bit too long.  I think shortening it would have made for a better movie.  The introduction of the rest of the Marvel Family feels a bit rushed, even if it was gratifying to see them onscreen together.

Future/Sequels: No definite plans for any sequels as yet, but one of Shazam's other villains is introduced in a post-credits scene.  It's early to say, but I think this movie will be well received and I'd be surprised if a sequel isn't announced soon.

Captain Marvel

What I Liked: There's a part about halfway through, when Carol Danvers is reunited with an old friend.  In that part you can see Brie Larson's skill as an actress.

The fight on the spaceship near the end is oddly satisfying, but some of my satisfaction may have to do with 90s soundtrack, and the fact that I was a much younger guy when those songs were everywhere.  Nostalgia, in other words.

What I Didn't Like: Going back to the comic books, I never found Carol Danvers especially interesting, and this movie did nothing to change my mind.  Really, what is her reason for doing anything in this film?  At what point does her character change or make any real kind of discovery?

She's also so much more powerful than anyone she comes up against in this movie.  There's no sense of threat when "danger" strikes.  Jude Law?  Nope.  The Skrulls?  Not really.  Ronan the Accuser?  Their confrontation is a non-event.

I've also got to say, the explanation given for Nick Fury losing his eye really bothered me.  It's always seemed like this event should be of crucial importance, but in the movie it's explained in such an offhand manner.  The randomness of this explanation diminished the entire film.

Future/Sequels: Strap yourself in because Avengers: Endgame is less than two months away.  After Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home Marvel has announced no other films, though if Captain Marvel does well I'm sure we'll see a sequel.  I've heard a lot of talk about an Eternals movie, but we'll see.

I think what's going to make or break a Captain Marvel sequel is the Asian market, especially China.  If it goes over big in Beijing and Shanghai (as Aquaman did) you can be sure there will be another one.  If, however, this movie fails to find an audience in such places, I imagine Kevin Feige will start vaguely alluding to "future adventures" without making any real commitment.

Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Does this one count?  Batman and the Justice League are in it.  It also features the newer and older versions of Aquaman.

What I Liked: It's a funny movie, though not as good as the first.  This said, it's not nearly as hyper as the first one, which might be a relief for those who found the first film slightly overwhelming.

What I Didn't Like: It does drag a bit toward the end.  It's weird to say, but I found myself having to really concentrate on Lego Movie 2.  There are SO many references, to so many things, that after the first hour my brain got tired.  

Future/Sequels: There might be a sequel to the Lego Batman movie, though there's no release date as yet.  There might also be The Billion Brick Race.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

What I Liked: Everything.  In my opinion this movie's awesome from start to finish.  The characters, the plot, the animation, the soundtrack, all of it's great.  I suppose it depends on how it does financially, but Spider-Verse could be a real game-changer for CBMs.

For me the best part of the film was the Bill Sienkiewicz-inspired sequence halfway through.  I've been a huge fan of that guy for years, and seeing his art animated almost brought tears to my eyes.  That version of the Kingpin?  That's all Bill Sienkiewicz.

What I Didn't Like: Small complaint: no Spider-Woman.  I've always liked Spider-Woman more than Spider-Man, and it would've been wonderful to see Jessica Drew (finally) show up in this movie.

Future/Sequels: There's talk that Spider-Woman could feature in the sequel alongside Spider-Gwen and Silk, but such plans are tentative of course.  It's entirely possible that a sequel would feature Spider-Man 2099 instead.

Aquaman

What I Liked: Atlantis looks cool.  Amber Heard is easy on the eyes.  The battle in the end - aside from a ridiculous pause in the action for a predictably romantic moment - looks amazing.

What I Didn't Like: Weird moments of exposition.  Instead of showing the audience what's happening/has happened, the characters in this movie often feel the need to stop whatever they're doing and explain things.  The only part of this movie where the action flows seamlessly is when Aquaman and Black Manta have their big showdown halfway through.

The part in the beginning about Aquaman's parents could have been removed entirely.  It adds absolutely nothing to the story, and starting the movie from the adult Aquaman's first appearance would have made a lot more sense.

This movie gets dumber as it goes along.  By the end I was laughing at certain scenes and bits of dialogue, and I wasn't the only one.  And before someone chimes in with "at least it doesn't take itself so seriously," let's remember there's a difference between laughing WITH a movie and laughing AT a movie.

The small ray of hope being that it's not as terrible as Justice League.  Not that this is saying much.

Future/Sequels: Shazam!, also set in the DCEU, will be out in a few months.  After that it's a long wait until Wonder Woman 1984.  Aquaman 2?  It's kind of early to tell, but the movie's been doing well in China, and those wanting a completely brainless superhero romp will be all over this one.

Venom

What I Liked: After a really clunky beginning there are some great action sequences.  Everything after Venom shows up is much better than the 15 minutes that try (and fail) to set up the story.  The fight between Venom and Riot near the end is very good.

What I Didn't Like: That beginning part.  It feels like they weren't sure what kind of movie they were making.  Horror?  Action?  Science fiction?  Going more for the "body horror" elements would have improved the film, and the spaceship/alien invasion subplot could have been dispensed with altogether.

As clunky as the beginning is, the dialogue throughout the movie is by far the worst part.  None of the actors seem at ease with what they're saying, and a couple of lines are unintentionally hilarious.

Future/Sequels: There are plans for a sequel with Woody Harrelson's Carnage in a bigger role.  I think that after setting up the general premise, a sequel is bound to be better.  Harrelson would also make a great villain.  Last I heard, Sony's next comic-based movie will be Morbius the Living Vampire, with Jared Leto as Morbius.  There may be some crossover between Venom and Morbius.

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How to Make the DC Cinematic Universe Not Lame

"Dark and gritty."  

This seems to be how Warner Bros. is conceptualizing its DC properties.  But is dark and gritty really necessary?  I realize that dark and gritty is a way of setting DC films apart from Marvel films, and Nolan's Batman trilogy was undoubtedly darker and grittier than anything Marvel, Sony, or Fox have yet done, but Marvel has also done dark and gritty.  

The part in the first Iron Man where he's held prisoner in the cave?  Dark and gritty.  The part in Winter Soldier where Nick Fury almost gets killed?  Also dark and gritty.  Marvel is just as capable of getting dark and gritty, but they realize that dark and gritty gets old after a while.  It's an easy fit for Batman, but not such an easy fit for Kryptonians, or guys running around in red and yellow tights.

We'll see if Warner Bros. can get past dark and gritty.  I certainly hope so, because if all that sets DC films apart from Marvel films is dark and gritty, then we're going to see those DC films fail.  Setting the right tone for a film (or a cinematic universe) is important, but it's not everything.  Dynamics are also important.  A bit of humor is important.  Superheroes that don't always take themselves seriously is important.  Batman does dark and gritty well.  But Shazam?  Green Lantern?  Not so well at all.

With this in mind I offer my thoughts on the proposed additions to DC's cinematic universe.  Here's hoping that they don't suck.

March 2016: Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice

Marks Against It: I never had a big problem with Ben Affleck as Batman, though I would have preferred Josh Brolin.  Josh Brolin could have easily played the kind of Batman they're striving for, and he's a great actor besides.  One persistent criticism of this movie (which we have yet to see!) is that it might be overkill to introduce Batman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg in one movie.  I tend to agree with this point of view, though maybe they can overcome this obstacle.

How to Make it Not Lame: My feeling is that this movie will be good, but not great.  It will probably get bogged down in its own subplots, especially since they're trying to introduce Lex Luthor and Metallo at the same time.  If it's great it will set the stage for the DC Cinematic Universe in the same way those Marvel post-credits set up the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but if it's only good it will probably burden the entire enterprise with unanswered questions and unsatisfied desires.

I'm hoping they focus at least 90% of the movie on the relationship between Batman and Superman.  This is the plot point that really needs to be "sold," and this is also a crucial relationship within the DC Universe.  I'm hoping they limit the involvement of Lex Luthor, Wonder Woman, and the other characters.  Man of Steel should have been a much simpler, more focused film, and hopefully Zack Snyder has learned a thing or two since then.

August 2016: Suicide Squad

Marks Against It: I can't think of any so far.  I actually think this is a fantastic idea for a movie, and far different from anything Marvel has attempted.  If you're not familiar with the Suicide Squad, they are a group of supervillains coerced into serving the government.

David Ayer has been linked to the project, and in my opinion he is the perfect choice for a movie like this.  In the case of Suicide Squad, dark and gritty is necessary, and movies such as End of Watch, Training Day, and the underrated Dark Blue are all movies that capitalize on dark and gritty.

How to Make it Not Lame: Bring out the big guns.  I'm not talking about Deadshot here, but about the real star supervillains of the DC universe.  Put Joker on the team.  Put the Reverse-Flash on the team!  Anticipating villains from future DC films would be an even bigger draw.  DC has always had more interesting villains than Marvel, and there is a lot of material to draw from. 

July 2017: Wonder Woman

Marks Against It: Gal Gadot.  She looks nothing like Wonder Woman.  Call me sexist if you will, but really.  She looks nothing like Wonder Woman.  We need a woman who really looks like an Amazon.  We need a woman with curves.  Wonder Woman has always been about sex and gender, and that part of the character needs to be embraced.

To further confuse the issue, Warner Bros. is apparently going with the New 52 backstory, which largely eliminates Paradise Island and the Amazons.  This seems like such a shame to me.  The contrasts between Wonder Woman, "Man's World," and the Amazons could have made a very compelling movie.

How to Make it Not Lame: Recast.  I really don't care what kind of actress she is.  You wouldn't cast Robert Downey Jr. as Thor, would you?  Bringing the battle of the sexes into a Wonder Woman movie would also be important.  Wonder Woman works best when she is challenging male ideas of what women can do.  Her sex appeal is also part of the character.

November 2017: Justice League Part 1

Marks against it: Zack Snyder is directing.  I liked Watchmen, but this guy is starting to irritate me.  Also, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.  No.  Just no.

How to Make it Not Lame: This one's a tall order.  By the time this film gets released, we will have seen TWO Avengers films, not to mention a boatload of X-men films, one of which features Apocalypse.  Finding an original threat for DC's superfriends to face is going to be difficult, especially since Marvel has largely co-opted Darkseid in the form of Thanos (a Darkseid clone).

Recent rumors suggest that Braniac will be the villain.  If so, this is unfortunate, because Braniac is going to come off as an Ultron clone, even though Braniac predates Ultron by over a decade.

One idea worth exploring is the multiverse-type storyline that DC has always done better than Marvel.  Give us a window into different universes, and even different versions of established characters.  This is something Marvel hasn't attempted yet, and moreover something that might lead to a lot of interesting contrasts between universes.

March 2018: The Flash

Marks Against It: This movie is still far away from production, but one drawback might be the Flash TV show, which features one of the worst Flash costumes ever.  If that show continues until 2018, then a Flash film might have trouble forging its own identity.

Super speed has also been done before.  We've already seen Quicksilver in X-men: Days of Future Past, and we'll see him again in Avengers: Age of Ultron.  Yes, Quicksilver started out as a Flash clone, but it's going to be hard to erase those two characters from the public consciousness.

How to Make it Not Lame: Make Flash more godlike than either version of Quicksilver.  Make him equal (or even superior) to Superman.  There is really no way to explain the Flash's powers in the absence of super strength, so throw physics out the window.  His powers CAN'T be explained, so don't bother.  His only really interesting foe is Professor Zoom/The Reverse-Flash, so use him from the start.

Also, get the costume right.  That costume in the TV show is just BAD.

July 2018: Aquaman

Marks Against It: I've heard people groan about this one, but I think Aquaman could be a winner for DC.  Marvel Studios has yet to do anything with Namor, and Aquaman has a somewhat volatile personality as well.  Volatile personalities always make for more interesting movies.

Jason Momoa has also been cast as Aquaman, and I think he's a great choice.

How to Make it Not Lame: Push the ecological angle.  And no talking to fish.  Make him an environmental crusader, opposed to the damage mankind has inflicted upon the oceans.  Pitting him against an industrial magnate like Bruce Wayne would also provide a compelling conflict within the ranks of the Justice League.

April 2019: Shazam

Marks Against It: "Dark and gritty" and Shazam don't go well together.  Making this movie more kid friendly would be the easiest route to take, and is in line with roles that Dwayne Johnson (already cast as Black Adam) has done before.  Billy Batson and the element of wish fulfillment make Shazam a potentially more interesting character, but people are probably going to expect something more "adult" from DC.

How to Make it Not Lame: Make it a period film.  Yes, this has already been done for Captain America, but I think Shazam was only really interesting when he was fighting Nazis, alongside the rest of the Marvel Family.

June 2019: Justice League Part 2

Marks Against It: None.  I'm sure I'll have some reservations after I've seen Justice League Part 1.

How to Make it Not Lame: 2019 is a long way away from now, and by the time this hits theaters we might have already seen Avengers 3, which might even get released alongside Avengers 4.  By then the idea of a super team will be old hat, and a new set of tropes will either have to be acknowledged or overcome.

April 2020: Cyborg

Marks Against It: Deathlok has been done in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  Not that it matters all that much.

How to Make it Not Lame: The "is-it-a-machine-that-thinks-it's-a-man-or-a-man-who-thinks-he's-a-machine" angle from the Robocop remake could be explored, especially since it was wasted on that movie.  Cyborg has always been a bit player in the DC universe, and this lack of visibility could either be the movie's downfall or its salvation.  Hopefully it won't bring to mind the movie version of Steel.

June 2020: Green Lantern

Marks Against It: I'm sorry but Green Lantern is just a lame superhero.  He has a ring that can basically do anything.  Where do you go with that?

How to Make it Not Lame: A more compelling adversary for a start.  It would also be good to see the existing cinematic version of Green Lantern, and then do everything opposite.

I'm assuming this will be a reboot of the character.  If so, perhaps they'll give his ring some kind of convincing limitation.  The Hal Jordan seen in DC's New Frontier might be a good place to start.

The DC Cinematic Universe - Updated!!

Warner Bros. has finally announced their slate of DC films up until 2020.  These films are:

March 2016: Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
August 2016: Suicide Squad
July 2017: Wonder Woman
November 2017: Justice League Part 1
March 2018: The Flash
July 2018: Aquaman
April 2019: Shazam
June 2019: Justice League Part 2
April 2020: Cyborg
June 2020: Green Lantern

In addition, the studio has also announced plans for stand-alone Batman and Superman films, which will (presumably) be released within this time frame.  This would mean the release of at least two DC films a year.

Now I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited about this development.  None of this is set in stone of course.  Release dates can be changed.  Projects can be shelved.  But in announcing these films, Warner Bros. is also announcing its commitment to the characters, and to building a cinematic universe around them.

The first of these films, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is still filming now.  Despite intimations of other characters in Man of Steel, this will be the movie to introduce the idea of an interconnected cinematic universe.  As nearly everyone on the planet knows, Ben Affleck will star as Batman, and Henry Cavill will reprise his role as Superman.  Gal Gadot will also appear as Wonder Woman, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, and other actors may also appear as other well known superheroes.

Much less is known about Suicide Squad, the following film.  David Ayer is attached to direct, and this alone is cause for excitement.  I'm sure we'll see Deadshot in this movie, though the rest of the roster is anybody's guess.  This movie could be a huge success for Warner Bros., especially if they choose more recognizable villains.

As for the rest of these films, we'll just have to wait and see.  Justice League Part 1 is reportedly filming back to back with Batman v. Superman, so details of that film will certainly surface soon.  Production on the other films hasn't even started yet.  If nothing else, I'll be overjoyed to finally see a Flash movie.  A movie centered around this character has been long overdue, and I'm glad that Warner Bros. is finally taking a step in that direction.