Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: DC Movies

  • Lady Gaga in Early Talks to Play Harley Quinn in ‘Joker 2’ Musical

    Lady Gaga in Early Talks to Play Harley Quinn in ‘Joker 2’ Musical

    In what has certainly come as a surprise in the news of the Joker sequel, globally renowned pop star and Academy Award nominated actress Lady Gaga has entered early talks to play the role of Harley Quinn in the Todd Phillips written and directed Joker: Folie à deux. She would, in theory, star alongside Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, though he has technically not signed on yet to the film despite the announcement of the Joker sequel a week ago. It will certainly be interesting to note the potential interpretation differences between Gaga and Margot Robbie’s portrayal (who has been a rare consistent bright spot in the DC Extended Universe films). There is certainly the chance that this film continues the trend of deviating from the comic source material of characters like the original Joker did, which would help differentiate the variants of the two Harley Quinns. 

    Though the more unexpected element of this news is that the film is slated to be a musical. There are many questions to be asked about how Todd Phillips and co-writer Scott Silver ended up with this direction for the film. It certainly is a massive deviation from the dark and dreary Taxi Driver-inspired drama that was 2019’s Joker. This is especially the case coming from the wide-scale commercial and critical success of the original through being the fourth highest grossing R-rated film of all-time and racking up 11 Academy Award nominations. Though there is no arguing that it will stand out as an original premise within the superhero film landscape.

    As of this writing, Joker: Folie à deux. does not yet have a release date.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • HBO Max Latin America Orders New ‘Batman Azteca’ Animated Film

    HBO Max Latin America Orders New ‘Batman Azteca’ Animated Film

    Here’s an interesting but exciting surprise, it looks like Batman is heading to Mexico in a new animated feature titled Batman Azteca: Choque De Imperios, which translates to Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires. It was a surprising reveal during the Guadalajara International Film Festival, as DC and Warner Bros. animation partner up with Anma and Chatrone. That’s not all, as we also got a first look at the new take on Batman featured in this HBO Max Original film.

    The animated film will explore a young boy named Yohualli Coatl. When his father, Toltecatzin, is killed by Spanish Conquistadors, his life is thrown into turmoil as he escapes to warn King Moctezuma of the incoming threat. Within the bat god’s temple, he trains alongside his mentor Acatzin and develops weaponry to take on the Spanish invasion to protect the Moctezuma temple and take vengeance for his father’s death.

    Harley Quinn‘s Juan Meza-León will direct the feature that’ll see José C. García de Letona Carina Schulze, Aaron D. Berger, and Fernando De Fuentes joining the project as producers. It’ll be produced in Mexico with a local team working on the project to also reflect the local art. They have also added Alejandro Díaz Barriga, who specializes in Mesoamerican studies and the ethnic history of Mexico and the Andean region. It’s a great idea and it would be fun to potentially see multiple different takes of Batman that are inspired by cultures from across the world.

    Source: Deadline

  • Taking a Look Back at How ‘The Batman’ Reinvented The Riddler

    Taking a Look Back at How ‘The Batman’ Reinvented The Riddler

    Batman has possibly one of the best rogues galleries in comic book history, featuring characters like the Joker, Poison Ivy, Penguin, Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, Bane, and, of course, the Riddler. Many of these villains have been adapted to live-action, and some even got the special treatment on multiple occasions; especially the Joker. There often has been a criticism that the redundancy is dragging down the potential of

    Matt Reeves may have taken that to heart when he began developing his take on the Batman mythos. Riddler is a character that has seen a few adaptions, which include the 1966 Batman series with Frank Gorshin, Batman Forever with Jim Carrey, and Gotham with Cory Michael Smith. The Batman, however, features a Riddler that is a vast departure from those who came before with Paul Dano playing a sadistic and ominous version that at times felt like he was an actor on a horror movie who showed up on the wrong set.

    One of the very first things you learn to understand about this Riddler is the horror film angle of the reinvention. We first see the character when the light from the television illuminates the figure in the shadows, reminiscent of Michael Meyers from the Halloween franchise. After that Riddler devolves into a Saw-inspired agent of chaos, who uses intricate devices like a rat maze mask and a bomb collar to torture his victims.

    The most notable inspiration here is that this Riddler seems to be inspired by the Zodiac Killer, the notorious serial killer that terrorized the United States in the late 60s. He is sporting an extreme cold weather mask as well as a German military parka with simple question mark symbols painted onto it. At the scenes of his crimes leaving behind ciphers for the police and Batman to communicate with them. Along with the greeting cards left behind, the real-life Zodiac was known to have done something similar with ciphers that were sent to the press so they’d print his messages for the country to read.

    This Riddler believes in Batman’s crusade of vengeance and is, ironically, inspired by him. Riddler doesn’t see him and Batman as foes, he sees them as partners. They are two sides of the same coin that Batman doesn’t realize until it’s too late. He thinks he’s doing the hard part of the job, the line Batman won’t cross to truly cleanse the city of its corruption and bring vengeance onto those who’d taken part in the city’s criminal underworld. The little cards left behind at the scenes of the riddled murder were not meant to be hints, but progress updates that Edward Nashton leaves behind so that he can fill Batman in on how the plan is going. Riddler believes this Batman would be able to catch on quicker and be safe within Arkham as the city is cleansed of its sins.

  • Dynamic Duo

    Dynamic Duo

    Premiere: June 30, 2028

    Announced in October 2024, Dynamic Duo is an animated film that will tell the story of “the early days of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd aka the Robins. The duo call themselves the Dynamic Duo. They’re orphan thieves, best friends who share dreams of a better life, but their friendship will be tested by competing visions of a future out of which will come a new Dynamic Duo.“

  • Clayface

    Clayface

    Premiere: September 11, 2026

    Based on a script from modern horror meister Mike Flanagan, DC Studios’ Clayface will feature the classic Batman villain in his own solo film. The creator behind Netflix’s horror series The Haunting of Hill House and its subsequent follow-ups, Flanagan reportedly pitched a Clayface solo film to DC Studios co-chair James Gunn in 2023. In December 2024, Gunn officially announced the film and slated it for a September 11, 2026 premiere date.

    Cast

  • Swamp Thing

    Swamp Thing

    Premiere: TBD

    Set to be written and directed by James Mangold, Swamp Thing has been described by James Gunn and Peter Safran as “tonally different” than the other projects in Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters but still “interconnected” with the rest of the slate. Not expected to release before 2027, Swamp Thing will “investigate the dark origins” of the Green Man created by Len Wein in 1972.

    Cast

    • Unknown actor as Alec Holland/Swamp Thing
  • The Authority

    The Authority

    Premiere: TBD

    Slated as the second theatrical release in Chapter 1, The Authority is described by James Gunn as a project about group of “morally grey characters” who are “basically good intentioned” but think that “the world is completely broken and the only way to fix it is to take things into their own hands, whether that means killing people, destroying heads of state, changing governments—basically, whatever they want to do to make the world better.” The script, which was outlined by Gunn, was being developed by an unknown writer before the WGA strike.

    The team roster has changed considerably and the DCU iteration of the team has not been revealed but it is very likely that Apollo and Midnighter are among those chosen for the adaptation.

    Cast

    • María Gabriela De Faría  as Angela Spica/The Engineer
  • The Brave and the Bold

    The Brave and the Bold

    Premiere: TBD

    Based on Grant Morrison‘s 2006 epic run on Batman, The Brave and the Bold will introduce the DCU’s main continuity Batman alongside his son, Damian, who James Gunn called his favorite Robin. While at it’s center it will be “a very strange sort of father-son story,” according to Gunn, who noted that Damian is “a little son-of-a-bitch,” the film will also introduce other members of the Bat-Family because, according to Peter Safran, “we feel like they’ve been left out of the Batman stories in the theater for far too long.” Rumors had The Flash and It director Andy Muschietti helming The Brave and the Bold for DC Studios and in June 2023, a trade report confirmed that to be the case.

    Cast

    • Unknown actor as Bruce Wayne/Batman
    • Unknown actor as Damian Wayne/Robin
  • Superman

    Superman

    Premiere: July 11, 2025

    Though it won’t be the first DCU project to be released, Peter Safran has referred to Superman: Legacy as the “start of the DCU.” Referred to as a “four-quadrant film” by James Gunn, the goal is to make the film “for everyone” and that’s a tough job. To do so, Gunn is looking to take the Man of Steel back to his roots as “the embodiment of truth, justice, and the American way.” “He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned,” said Gunn of Kal-El, who will be established as a major player in the new DCU in Superman: Legacy.

    The search for the DCU’s Superman and Lois kicked off in earnest in May when Gunn and crew began screen-testing actors. Following the tests, David Corenswet landed the part of Kal-El and Rachel Brosnahan rose to the top of an impressive list of talent to become the DCU’s Lois Lane. Several months later, Nicholas Hoult–who also read for the role of Superman–was cast as Lex Luthor.

    Superman: Legacy will feature a handful of other metahuman heroes who are already active in the world when the movie takes place. Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific will be joined by Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) and Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan). María Gabriela De Faría is set to play another comic book hero, The Engineer, but with a twist: the character will be one of the film’s villains.

    On February 29th, 2024, James Gunn revealed that production had begun on the film which had been retitled Superman.

    Cast

    • David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Kal-El
    • Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane
    • Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor
    • Skyler Gisondo actor as Jimmy Olson
    • María Gabriela De Faría as Angela Spica/The Engineer
    • Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt/Mr. Terrific
    • Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl
    • Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner
    • Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho
    • Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher
    • Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord (rumored appearance)
  • Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

    Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

    Premiere: June 26, 2026

    Comic book writer Tom King was called “one of the architects” of the new DCU by James Gunn and his 2022 book, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is being adapted as a feature film in Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. The film won’t be a one-to-one adaptation, according to Gunn, who says the DCU’s Supergirl will be much more “hardcore” based on her traumatic past. “In our story, we have Superman who was sent to Earth and raised by incredibly loving parents. Kara was on Krypton. She was on a piece of Krypton that drifted away from the planet and she lived there for the first fourteen years of her life in a horrible situation where she watched everyone around her die. So, she’s a much harsher and more fucked up Supergirl than you’ve been used to thus far.”

    In January 2024, it was reported that Milly Alcock, Meg Donnelly and Emilia Jones were among those screen testing for the role of Kara Zor-El. After Jones dropped out of contention for the role, Alcock became the DCU’s Supergirl on January 29, 2024.

    In April 2024, trade reports indicated that Craig Gillespie was DC Studios’ top target to direct the film and that production was slated to kick off in late 2024. In May 2024, the film was given a release date of June 26, 2026.

    In September 2024, Old Guard star Matthias Schoenaerts was cast as the film’s main antagonist, Krem of the Yellow Hills.

    Cast

    • Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl
    • Matthias Schoenaerts as Krem of the Yellow Hills
    • Eve Ridley as Ruthye Mary Knolle
    • Jason Momoa as Lobo
    • David Krumholtz as Kara’s father
    • Emily Beecham as Kara’s mother