Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Justice League

  • DC Studios’ Head Confronts “Uproarious” Fans’ Reactions to Recent Events

    DC Studios’ Head Confronts “Uproarious” Fans’ Reactions to Recent Events

    Let’s be frank, DC Extended Universe had its ups and downs. It wasn’t an easy ride for everyone involved, especially surrounding the Justice League film. What seems like a sure-fire billion dollar blockbuster project it just ended up sizzling out before it got going. Then a subsection of the internet started an entire campaign to revive the original vision by director Zack Snyder, which led to a four-hour epic that gave an existing film a newly formatted paint.

    Now, Peter Safran and director James Gunn are at the helm to revive the entire project and it comes with some sacrifices along the way. Henry Cavill is out as Superman and the future of the Wonder Woman franchise remains a mystery at the moment after director Patty Jenkins moved on from the project due to creative differences. Now, Gunn took to his Twitter to openly discuss his thoughts on a certain fandom.

    Gunn has always been quite outspoken on his feelings towards this new job and also used the opportunity of his Social Media to swiftly take down any rumors or statements that weren’t verified in any way. It’s never an easy task to become the new leader of an entire cinematic universe, but it does seem like we have nothing to worry about. It’s also great to see him be so upfront about this and share his love for what he’s about to create. No matter how one feels about the current developments, Gunn isn’t taking this lightly and is dedicated.

    Source: Twitter

  • Justice League Meets RWBY in New Animated Project

    Justice League Meets RWBY in New Animated Project

    No, you did not read that title wrong but it looks like the multiverse is opening up in unexpected ways. The Hollywood Reporter has unveiled that DC is partnering with Rooster Teeth for the project Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One. Besides a bizarrely long title, the story will see Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Vixen, Cyborg, and Batman transported to the world of Remnant. Now once again stuck as teenagers, they work alongside the heroes Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang to take down Grimm before he destroys everything.

    The project is based on a script by Meghan Fitzmartin with RWBY director Kerry Shawcross set to helm the project. The project has a massive cast that includes the following:

    • Chandler Riggs as Superman
    • Nat Wolff as Batman
    • Natalie Alyn Lind as Wonder Woman
    • Ozioma Akagha as Vixen
    • Jen Brown as Pyrrah
    • Aaron Dismuke as Oscar
    • David Errigo Jr. as The Flash
    • Shannon McCormick as Professor Ozpin
    • True Valentino as Cyborg
    • Jeannie Tirado as Green Latnern

    The original RWBY cast is also back with Lindsay Jones as Ruby, Kara Eberle as Weiss, Arryn Zech as Blake, and Barbara Dunkelman as Yang. There are no further details on this project and it’s uncertain if this might be something they’ll release for Direct-to-Video or Streaming. It surprisingly marks the second time these two worlds collide, as there was also the comic line published by DC from 2021 until 2022. Perhaps, there were already plans for this release around that time, building up to the adaptation.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • SDCC: Jim Lee Once Again Confirms There Are No Future Plans to Expand ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’

    SDCC: Jim Lee Once Again Confirms There Are No Future Plans to Expand ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’

    San Diego Comic-Con becomes an opportunity for fans to interact with the people they look up to. It also gives us insight into the future plans of DC Comics, Warne Bros., Marvel Studios, and more. During a panel featuring DC’s Jim Lee, a fan got the chance to ask bout the future of the infamous Snyderverse that many fans hoped would form after HBO Max’s release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Lee had the following to say:

    I work on the projects that are in development, right? So, I think the Snyder Cut was Zack’s vision realized and it was a really satisfying story told but there are no plans for additional work on that material.

    Jim Lee

    He did highlight that he was happy to support Zack Snyder‘s pitch for future entries that were showcased in an exclusive exhibit. So, for those that were hoping that Warner Bros. was secretly working on a Snyderverse sequel of some kind. His original vision for a potential trilogy will remain as a dream, and perhaps he’ll get a chance to release it in the form of a comic or book.

    The thing that is worth noting is that the Snyderverse movement has been put under scrutiny due to bot usage to further spread its message. While many are discussing just what the data provided truly means, there’s a lot we don’t fully know bout the story. Perhaps it’ll find its way online at some point in the future, but for now the HBO Max special will remain as something special.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’s Ray Porter on Why Darkseid Never Returned to Earth

    ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’s Ray Porter on Why Darkseid Never Returned to Earth

    2021 saw the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, a film that definitely caused some ruckus upon its initial release back in 2017. The theatrical cut of the film by Joss Whedon saw many crucial elements and character arcs cut in order to meet a two-hour studio-mandated runtime. One element, in particular, that was cut revolved around the Lord of Apokolips himself, Darkseid. Reduced to only a few mentions within the film the character was nowhere to be seen until Snyder got back to work.

    One thing that’s still causing a lot of folks to scratch their heads, even a year after the release of the film, was how Darkseid did not remember that the anti-life equation was on Earth. Following a brutal defeat by the tribes of man and their allies, the then-called Uxas and his army of Parademons were chased back to Apokolips, and simply never returned. Luckily, actor Ray Porter, who lent his voice to the character, recently sat down with FandomWire to chat where he gave his take on the subject.

    Consider the fact that he’s turned a hundred thousand worlds to dust; it was so long ago that he found this equation and then it was taken from him in battle and he always wanted to ‘re-find’ it. We are talking so many thousands of years, so many planets, universes, and possible Earths. Uxas, the person who became Darkseid has also changed so much in that long timespan. So, for someone whose knowledge spans so much, maybe the knowledge got lost in the vastness that it was on this Earth in particular. And then, Steppenwolf, of all people approaches him about this.

    Ray Porter

    One day we may see Darkseid return to DC Extended Universe but it looks like it could be a while before he makes his way back to earth. For now, all we get is his short appearance in Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

    Source: FandomWire

  • Wayne T. Carr Shares First High-Res Look at His Green Lantern for Zack Snyder’s ‘Justice League’

    Wayne T. Carr Shares First High-Res Look at His Green Lantern for Zack Snyder’s ‘Justice League’

    Back in May of 2021, we got our first look at Wayne T. Carr as the Green Lantern that Zack Snyder originally envisioned for his Justice League film. Sadly, it didn’t even make its way into the HBO Max special he was able to make, as Warner Bros. wouldn’t let him use the character. He only offered a shot of what could’ve been through his phone, but on the one-year anniversary, actor Wayne T. Carr just shared a high-res look at him in the costume offering the best look yet at what could’ve been. Not only that, but he is also continuing the “Restore the SnyderVerse” movement hoping to see the two planned sequels see the light of day, or maybe just the brightest day.

    It’s a nice touch for the first-year anniversary and it really is a shame we didn’t get to see his version of the character. The design looks great, and the symbol floating above the chest piece has been a personal favorite addition to their design. So, it’s great seeing it in live-action. Warner Bros. is still working on a live-action series and film focused on the Green Lantern Corps, but the project has gone cold quite some time ago. For now, we’re still waiting for an official announcement as it’s mostly just been rumored.

    Source: Twitter

  • J.K. Simmons Teases Commissioner Gordon’s Expanded Role in ‘Batgirl’

    J.K. Simmons Teases Commissioner Gordon’s Expanded Role in ‘Batgirl’

    Actor J.K. Simmons is busy doing press for the Oscar-nominated film Being the Ricardos, for which he earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination. The Academy Award-winning actor has been quite active in other projects recently, so it is no surprise that Simmons is getting plenty of questions about his various superhero projects, including Spider-Man: No Way Home, Invincible, and the upcoming Batgirl HBO Max film.

    While Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright played Gotham City’s Jim Gordon in the most recent live-action adaptation of the character in the recently released The Batman, Simmons took on the role of Commissioner Gordon in Justice League (2017) and Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021). Unlike the latest iteration of the Dark Knight, these two films took place in the DCEU. So, it is not too surprising that Simmons is returning to play the character in the upcoming DCEU film, Batgirl. While Gordon had a limited role up to this point, Simmons told Discussing Film that there would be much more of Commissioner Gordon in Batgirl:

    It’s much more than I got to do in my brief stint as Commissioner Gordon in Zack Snyder’s film. And really, it was fun because it was a completely different side of Commissioner Gordon. All that we saw in the little snippets of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, in either the original or in Zack’s brilliant, expanded cut, it was just Commissioner Gordon being business-like and needing Batman’s help. In this film, I think I’m allowed to say since it does center on Batgirl, we see much more of Commissioner Gordon at home.

    J.K. Simmons

    The actor went on the praise directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, noting:

    Dude, those guys are crazy! I don’t know how they do it, and they had been shooting for four weeks or so by the time I joined. I met them via Zoom, and I was under the L track outside of my boxing gym in Chicago when we first spoke. They just bring such an energy. I’ve already compared them to a couple of like two-year-old Weimaraners, who have been pent up in the back of a station wagon all day and somebody just let them loose. The energy and the passion that they bring for making movies was a really fun energy to be around and then the fact that they also really know what they’re doing is is a nice part of the overall experience.

    J.K. Simmons

    Along with his renewed role of J. Jonah Jameson in the latest Spider-Man trilogy, Simmons is playing beloved comic book characters in both the Marvel and DC universes. But he added, “I’m still not sure I understand all the various multiverse aspects of, you know, DC or Marvel.” It is unclear when Batgirl will release given the major delays in the DCEU’s upcoming theatrical schedule, though there’s an argument to be made that it would make the perfect 2023 holiday release.

    Source: DiscussingFilm

  • Batman and Cyborg Were Cut From ‘Peacemaker’s Justice League Cameo

    Batman and Cyborg Were Cut From ‘Peacemaker’s Justice League Cameo

    The Peacemaker finale was filled to the brim with surprises for fans. The one that stood out to many was the surprise appearance of a few Justice League members. Towards the end of the episode, we saw Superman, Aquaman, Flash, and Wonder Woman arrive just as the battle with the butterflies had come to an end. It looks like Jason Momoa was the only one actually on set, while Ezra Miller filmed his scenes on the set of Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3. It turned out Wonder Woman and Superman were played by doubles, explaining they were hidden in the shadows. Turns out, there were a couple of other surprises that sadly got cut.

    A double, who worked on the Peacemaker finale, confirmed via a behind-the-scenes photo from his trailer that Batman and Cyborg were indeed set to make a brief appearance in the finale. He even shared an image on his Instagram of him wearing a Batman costume very similar to that worn by Ben Affleck throughout his tenure as the iconic DC character.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CaKpbLvJskM/?utm_medium=copy_link

    The curious aspect of their exclusion further hints at the characters confirmed with a future in the franchise were present in the short scene. Affleck’s iteration of Batman will make his final appearance in The Flash, while Cyborg’s future is unknown and doesn’t look to be returning anytime soon. There have been many theories on what the future holds for Superman though, as Henry Cavill also seemingly moved on from the role. perhaps his appearance hints at his return in the near future, but it’ll just leave us with a few questions for now.

    Source: Instagram

  • The Justice League Will Die in ‘Justice League’ #75

    The Justice League Will Die in ‘Justice League’ #75

    The Justice League has had a rough time lately. Their future in the DC Extended Universe remains uncertain. Good thing that we still have them in the comics, right? Well, not for long, as the team will be on their way out there as well. On the 30th anniversary of the Death of Superman comic, the superhero team will follow suit in The Death of The Justice League.

    DC seems to be all in these days, as they will end the current Justice League comic with issue #75. As teased previously, the series will pay tribute to the Man of Steel’s similar fate, as he originally died in the same numbered issue and was not present in comic books for an entire year. Joshua Williamson will pen the demise of the iconic heroes and talked with Entertainment Weekly about the upcoming event.

    It’s very serious, It’s an interesting opportunity to do this on the 30th anniversary of ‘The Death of Superman,’ which happened in Superman #75. We get to take Justice League #75 and do ‘Death of the Justice League.’ We want people to understand, this is serious and this is gonna have a major impact in the DCU moving forward.

    Joshua Williamson

    Williamson wants fans to know that this isn’t going to be the fakeout most think it will be. Some of DC’s biggest names will disappear from comics for some time.

    I remember the experience of reading the build-up to ‘The Death of Superman’ and then waiting in the rain for my copy of issue #75. I think one reason that story was so powerful was that after the ‘Funeral for a Friend’ story, there were no Superman comics for three months. That’s part of what led us to make the decision that this is the last issue of Justice League. But then three months later, there’s still not gonna be a Justice League comic. It’s gonna be a while, and that’s gonna be a major part of what the DCU looks like after this story: There is no Justice League.

    Joshua Williamson

    In the comics, no one ever stays dead. Superman didn’t and ended up returning after only a year. Who knows, this time could be different, especially with Future State and Infinite Frontier bringing in many new legacy heroes. Without the Justice League and its consistent roster, this would open up a lot more possibilities for other characters to get their chances at solo runs. DC could allow some other characters to take the spotlight during the team’s absence. The Justice League’s end is set to hit shelves on April 19th with Justice League #75.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Joss Whedon Breaks Silence on ‘Justice League’ Controversy

    Joss Whedon Breaks Silence on ‘Justice League’ Controversy

    The release of the initial cut of Justice League was not met with a lot of fanfare, and would only go on to sour as more details from behind-the-scenes found their way online. Director Joss Whedon‘s behavior was put into the spotlight with Ray Fisher would call him out on being “abusive and unprofessional” on set, as well as racist intentions. Gal Gadot would eventually back up his claims, as actors from other projects came forward with their own history on his toxic behavior. Up until now, Whedon remained silent on the accusations but seemingly has opened up in a recent interview with NY Magazine, where he started blaming the film’s cast for the troubled production.

    In the interview, Whedon was very vocal about working with Fisher, as he claims the test screenings deemed his character “the worst of all the characters in the film.” In his description, he recalls spending hours finding ways to adapt the character, with these conversions not having any malice behind them, but goes on to call out the actor and his talents. He proclaims that the character’s story “logically made no sense” and wasn’t impressed by Fisher‘s acting. He goes on to state in regards to the allegations:

    We’re talking about a malevolent force. We’re talking about a bad actor in both sense.

    Joss Whedon

    He also makes a point to call out Gal Gadot in the article, as he claims she stated that he “didn’t understand how superhero movies worked.” Whedon goes as far as to deny the accusations by Gadot that he threatened her with the statement that: “English is not her first language, and I tend to be annoyingly flowery in my speech.” He proclaimed that the threat was a statement in regard to himself and not her, but she clapped back in an e-mail for the New York stating she “understood perfectly.”

    It would eventually lead to a loud outcry on set by the director, as he proclaimed that never in his career has he worked with “a ruder group of people.” The interview also touched on Zack Snyder completing his vision of the film and the fan’s reactions to when Whedon initially joined the project, as well as when the controversy made the rounds. While he doesn’t directly blame him for the events that transpired, he goes on to say “I just know in whose name it was done.”

    Source: NY Magazine via Twitter

  • Ben Affleck Talks Passing on ‘The Batman’ and Leaving the Role Behind

    Ben Affleck Talks Passing on ‘The Batman’ and Leaving the Role Behind

    There have been many discussions surrounding Ben Affleck‘s final run as the iconic Caped Crusader. A recent rumor has been hinting that even his return in The Flash means he’ll truly leave the role behind. The actor has openly discussed that the role and franchise commitment has pushed him down a deep end, especially when he passed on directing a Batman-focused film. In an interview with LA Times, he opens up on why he decided to move on from the project.

    Directing “Batman” is a good example. I looked at it and thought, “I’m not going to be happy doing this. The person who does this should love it.” You’re supposed to always want these things, and I probably would have loved doing it at 32 or something. But it was the point where I started to realize it’s not worth it. It’s just a wonderful benefit of reorienting and recalibrating your priorities that once it started being more about the experience, I felt more at ease.

    Ben Affleck

    In the same interview, he also opened up on how Justice League was the boiling point for the actor, especially with the weight of the production felt after the tragedy when Zack Snyder lost his daughter. It’s not the quality of the film but the experience that pushed him away.

    It was really “Justice League” that was the nadir for me. That was a bad experience because of a confluence of things: my own life, my divorce, being away too much, the competing agendas and then [director] Zack [Snyder]’s personal tragedy and the reshooting. It just was the worst experience. It was awful. It was everything that I didn’t like about this. That became the moment where I said, “I’m not doing this anymore.” It’s not even about, like, “Justice League” was so bad. Because it could have been anything.

    Ben Affleck

    Even with his short run as Batman, Affleck made the role his own and the lesson he learned is something valuable we all can take away. There’s something about tackling a project that you are passionate about that truly redefines your approach. If he forced himself to make a Batman film he had no connection with, it may not only add more pressure to the director and actor but also become apparent in his work. It’ll be exciting to see what other passion projects he chases in the future.

    Source: LA Times