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Joker: Folie à deux (Phoenix / GaGa / Gleeson / Lofland) (October 4, 2024)

The trailer launch for “Joker: Folie à Deux” was no laughing matter for Warner Bros. The marketing for the studio’s upcoming DC sequel, headlined by Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, got off to a stellar start with 167 million viewers in its first 24 hours. The teaser trailer went online right after it debuted at Warner Bros.’s CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas.

Sources tell Variety that the “Joker” sequel’s trailer numbers and social engagement surpassed that of the first “Barbie” trailer to become Warner Bros.’ biggest launch in recent years. The release was no doubt bolstered by Lady Gaga’s massive 150 million follower social media footprint. The trailer instantly became the #1 trending video on YouTube on premiere night and currently boasts 15.6 million views and counting on that platform alone, where it remains the #4 trending video nearly two days after its launch.

The “Joker” sequel trailer also dominated X during its first 24 hours, with 10 terms related to the movie trending, including #JokerFolieADeux, Gaga, Harley, Harley Quinn, Joaquin Phoenix, Joker, Joker 2, Joker2, Lady Gaga and Todd Phillips.

The trailer numbers are great news for Warner Bros. Beating “Barbie” is of note, as that film went on to earn $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office for the studio and was last year’s highest-grossing movie. The original “Joker” surpassed $1 billion in 2019; the sequel is aiming for even higher total given this initial interest and the addition of superstar Lady Gaga to the cast.

Among the trailers for the year’s studio tentpoles, “Joker: Folie à Deux” trounced the debut of “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (100 million views) and bested Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” (157 million views to become the biggest debut for a Disney animated film). The “Joker” trailer was below Marvel’s “Deadpool and Wolverine,” which set a record earlier this year as the biggest trailer launch of all time with 365 million views. However, the Marvel tentpole launched on Super Bowl Sunday and its viewership numbers factored in the telecast. The “Joker: Folie à Deux” trailer launch was purely digital.

Little is known about the actual plot for “Joker: Folie à Deux” other than it is reportedly a jukebox musical set around Arkham Asylum. Phoenix is back in the title role, which earned him an Oscar for best actor. Gaga stars as Harley Quinn. The supporting cast includes Zazie Beetz, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Jacob Lofland, Steve Coogan, Ken Leung and Harry Lawtey.

“Joker” director Todd Phillips is back for the sequel, too. He said at CinemaCon that calling the movie a musical was not exactly correct.

“I like to say it’s a movie where music is an essential element,” Phillips said. “It doesn’t veer too far from the first film. Arthur has music in him. He has a grace to him.”

“Joker 2” will debut on the big screen on Oct. 4 — exactly five years after the first film. The sequel will screen in the Imax 70mm format.

Source: Variety

The DC Connected Universe (The Batman 2 Delayed a Full Year to October 2026)

EXCLUSIVE: We understand that Guardians of the Galaxy alum Sean Gunn is set to take on the role of evil businessman Maxwell Lord in the new DC Universe that’s being overseen by James Gunn and Peter Safran.

The role was previously played by Pedro Pascal in the 2020 movie Wonder Woman 1984.

It’s not clear if Sean Gunn’s Maxwell Lord will make a cameo in brother Gunn’s Superman: Legacy which will go into production next year. The character, as I hear it, will be referenced in the background of Legacy but will appear in future DC projects. A similar motif will occur for other characters in the new DC Universe, the first phase which is named Gods and Monsters: Chapter One. Stay tuned.

Maxwell Lord debuted in 1987’s Justice League #1 created by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire. Initially conceived as an amigo to the Justice League and key to the formation of Justice League International; he ultimately became a foe to the org, and to Wonder Woman. While a wealthy businessman, during the Invasion crossover, he’s gifted with superpowers when a Gene Bomb is exploded by alien invaders. The detonation triggers Lord’s latent metagene, granting him the ability to control the minds of others, though with great challenges.

Gunn played Kraglin in Marvel’s GOTG trilogy, where were directed and written by James Gunn. He also teamed with James Gunn in his Suicide Squad as Weasel, and the movie Super, as well as Tromeo & Juliet, the latter co-written by James Gunn. TV credits include The Good Doctor, A Terminal List, The Rookie, Robot Chicken, and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. Sean Gunn co-created the series PG Porn with James Gunn and Brian Gunn. He also starred in the movie The Belko Experiment which was written by James Gunn.

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Superman (Wendell Pierce is Perry White) (July 11, 2025)

EXCLUSIVE: María Gabriela de Faría, the Venezuelan actress best known for roles in Fox comedies Animal Control and The Moodys, has landed a breakout part on the film side, joining the cast of James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy.

Her character is Angela Spica aka The Engineer. Part of the Warner/DC flick’s villain team, Angie’s powers stem from nanotechnology built into her body. Created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, she’s the second DC character to bear the name of The Engineer and was first introduced in The Authority vol.1 #1 in 1999.

The first title in a revamped DC slate, marking Gunn’s first directorial effort as co-head of DC Studios, Superman: Legacy will follow Superman as he looks to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned. Others in the ensemble, as previously announced, include David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, and Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho.

In a recent post on Threads, Gunn confirmed that the film will retain its release date of July 11, 2025, even after the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which have forced many other titles to push. Gunn directs from his own script, drawing on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. DC Studios co-boss Peter Safran produces.

De Faría is best known on the feature side for a lead role in Lionsgate’s The Exorcism of God, a supernatural horror pic co-written and directed by Alejandro Hidalgo, which was released through Saban Films after world premiering at Fantastic Fest. Prior to the Joel McHale-led Animal Control, which has been renewed for a second season, the actress was seen opposite Denis Leary and Elizabeth Perkins on dysfunctional family comedy The Moodys.

The rising talent found her first meaty TV role stateside on Deadly Class, Syfy’s show based on the same-name Image Comics series, from executive producers Joe and Anthony Russo. She is repped by Buchwald.

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Masterson, 47, was convicted in May of raping Jane Doe #1 and another woman identified at trial as Jane Doe #2. But the jury could not reach a decision on the third accuser, who was identified as Jane Doe #3 and is a former girlfriend of Masterson’s.

Nevertheless, all three women were allowed to submit sentencing statements to the court Thursday, before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo sentenced Masterson.

This is some of what they said:

Jane Doe #1 told the court that her mother, who remains a Scientologist, has shunned her since she told police 20 years ago that Masterson raped her. She said she broke the church’s “code” by speaking out against an “untouchable” like Masterson.

Ever since, Jane Doe #1 said she acknowledges Mother’s Day by rereading an old letter she got from her mom. “She loved me then, I think. She seemed to care what happened to her daughter.”

The Masterson accuser described how she was not able to find her underwear after the rape and how she smelled of vomit. She said that after reporting the sexual assault she lost “pretty much everything,” including many of the people who were once her friends. She said at age 29 she had to start over.

“And the ugly truth is I didn’t want to live,” she said. “I remember crying myself to sleep and wishing I would not wake up.”


Now a married mother of three daughters, she told the court that Masterson arranged for the son of one of his friends to tell one of her girls that her mother was a “liar” and that Masterson never raped her.

“Mommy, what is rape?” the girl later asked her, she said.

Masterson “has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused,” she said, and urged the judge to give him a lengthy sentence “for the safety of all women.” She concluded by telling the court there was more she could say about what Masterson did to her but didn’t want to “rip my soul completely open.”


Jane Doe #2 directed part of her statement directly at Masterson, telling him that the day he was convicted something inside her “shifted” for the better.

“But healing is not some linear, simple thing,” she said. “The lasting effects of rape are pernicious as they hack silently away at the daily efforts one tries to make toward a life with meaning. “

She called the Church of Scientology Masterson’s “enabler and protector” and said she had been “a brainwashed member for seven years at the time of the assault.”

At first, she said, she stayed quiet. But in the wake of the #MeToo movement, she said “I could not sit with this secret and tough it out knowing you’d strike again, knowing the danger women were in and that many others needed justice too.”

“In my heart, I had no choice but to come forward,” she said. “And because of already having been threatened with Scientology’s strict policies against reporting members to law enforcement, and deliberately being shown their extensive policies in exacting ruinous punishment on defectors who speak out against its prized members— I decided to report my rape to law enforcement anyway, with the full understanding that my life could be demolished again in a new way for doing so.”

Since then, she said, “I have been terrorized, harassed.”

“But I don’t regret it,” she said. “You disfigured my life. You stole some crucial pieces of my self-worth and lessened my capacity for joy. You made every part of me turn on myself.”

An actor, Jane Doe #2 said her career “nose-dived within a couple months after the rape.”

“Your heinous attack on me snuck its way through my body and my experiences so stealthily, hijacking the life I was building diligently for myself,” she said.

Still, she said, “It is worth noting, since I know you take pride in hurting women, that you never took my integrity.”

In closing, Jane Doe #2 said she forgave Masterson but added: “Your sickness is no longer my burden to bear.”

Jane Doe #3 told the court that she regularly wrestled with this question: “How can I tell anyone that I had gotten myself in a situation where I was regularly mentally and emotionally abused, and raped repeatedly?”

Masterson was both “charming” and controlling and when she began her relationship with the actor she was “an 18-year-old girl with very little life experience.”

“He’d hurt me. He’d ignore me. I’d grovel at his feet apologizing to him for what he did to hurt me. Then he’d show me kindness,” she said.

As a result, Jane Doe #3 said she’s spent most of her life “viewing my body as a crime scene.”

“When you’re raped, it’s not your surface that’s been most defiled,” she said. “It damages you on a cellular level.”

Jane Doe #3 said she has been married for 14 years but can’t bear to sleep beside her husband because of what happened.

“I regularly wake up with deep bruises and scratches on my hands and arms,” she said. “In 2017, I punched a hole in the wall behind my bed during my sleep. I’m always fighting monsters.”

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Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 16 years, effectively ensuring the former Hollywood mogul and convicted rapist will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Weinstein’s sentencing was held in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday morning, nearly two months after his Los Angeles trial concluded with a jury convicting him on three counts of rape and sexual assault.

Weinstein is already serving a 23-year sentence in New York, after being convicted of rape and sexual assault in that jurisdiction in his 2020 criminal trial. On Thursday, the judge ordered Weinstein to serve his L.A. sentence consecutively after New York.

Before he was sentenced, Weinstein addressed the court, making one final plea to Judge Lisa B. Lench. “I maintain that I’m innocent,” Weinstein said.

“This is about money and coming after me,” Weinstein said. “Please don’t sentence me to life in prison. I don’t deserve it… There are so many things wrong with this case. There is no evidence… This is a setup… I beg your mercy.”

Weinstein’s defense, led by Mark Werksman and Alan Jackson, asked the judge to sentence him to only three years, urging her to look to the man he was “before he became accused as a sexual predator,” and saying that he has “become a caricature because of the #MeToo movement.” His attorney noted that Weinstein has medical issues and is a father. “He’s a 70-year-old man in bad health,” Werksman said. “He lived a full, rich and productive life that included being a father five children… He has become to his children the disembodied voice on the telephone.”

Werksman hailed Weinstein’s work in the entertainment industry, urging the judge to recognize his accomplishments. “Mr. Weinstein did a lot of good for a lot of people in a 50-year career,” Werksman said. “He produced hundreds of films that were a joy to millions of people… He was a man that many famous movie stars would thank in their Oscar speeches… He gave generously to charities and political causes.”

After Weinstein and his attorneys spoke, the judge sentenced Weinstein to 16 years for the three charges on which the jury found him guilty. “These are not easy decisions to make, but this is my decision,” Lench said.

All three charges on which Weinstein were convicted were based on the counts relating to Jane Doe #1, a European model who testified she was raped by Weinstein at Mr. C Hotel after the L.A. Italia Film Festival in 2013.

Joe Doe #1 appeared in court, alongside her daughter, to deliver an emotional victim impact statement, crying throughout as she spoke at a podium. She urged the judge to put Weinstein behind bars for life. “There is no prison sentence long enough to erase the damage,” she said. “I hope you give him the maximum sentence allowed.”

“I have been carrying this weight, this trauma, that it was my fault for years,” Jane Doe #1 said, addressing the judge. “Before that night, I was a very happy and confident women… I was excited about my future… Everything changed after… Inside, I had fallen apart. I was punishing myself for what he did to me.”

When Weinstein spoke, Jane Doe #1 was audibly crying, and her tears were heard over his statement. Weinstein told the judge that Jane Doe #1 lied about the entire rape and maintained that he never sexually assaulted her, or even came in contact with her. “The fact is I don’t know this woman and she doesn’t know me,” Weinstein said. “This is a made up story. With all due respect, Jane Doe #1 is an actress and can turn on the tears… This isn’t true.”

Weinstein’s team has focused intently on Jane Doe #1, using her as their argument to request a new trial with a new jury, which the judge shot down on Thursday morning, ahead of the sentencing. Jane Doe #1 will likely be the focal point of their appeal.

Weinstein’s attorneys have argued that the judge wrongly precluded them from introducing relevant evidence and argument, particularly centering around Jane Doe #1. Before the sentencing, Jackson delivered a lengthy argument as to why Weinstein should be granted a new trial, alleging that the judge “allowed perjury on the stand” from Jane Doe #1. He said the defense was “sandbagged by a lie told on the stand,” and claimed the jury “got sucked into the lies of Jane Doe #1.”

Two jurors were seated in the gallery on Thursday, which Weinstein referenced to the judge as support for him. Weinstein’s attorneys said the jury “would never have voted to convict if they knew the truth.” Lead prosecutor, deputy D.A. Paul Thompson, jabbed back at Weinstein’s attorneys, exclaiming, “It is certainly not the defense’s job to go hunt down jurors.”

Before denying Weinstein’s motion for a new trial, the judge said that speculating on whether jurors might have changed their verdict, based on evidence that wasn’t submitted into the case was “speculative” and not “appropriate.”

Shortly after court was dismissed on Thursday afternoon, the two jurors present spoke to reporters in the hallway. They said they had been in communication with the defense, and were interested in coming to Weinstein’s sentencing to gather more information. “I was never here to advocate,” a juror named Michael told Variety. “There is so much we don’t know in this case. The more info, the better because it helps flesh it out.” A juror named Jay said, “We weren’t on anybody’s side,” and expressed that even with more evidence, he’s unsure whether he would have changed his conviction. “I don’t know if he would have been acquitted. I don’t even know if it’s true that she lied,” Jay said. “I don’t feel bad,” he said of Weinstein. “We knew he was going to get sentenced.”

Thursday’s sentencing all but ensures that Weinstein, who will turn 71 years old next month, will spend the remainder of his life in prison, marking a stunning downfall for the the Oscar winner who reigned over Hollywood and was once one of the most powerful individuals in the entertainment industry.

His team, however, is still fighting for Weinstein’s freedom. Werksman and Jackson said on Thursday that they will be appealing the Los Angeles conviction. In New York, the Court of Appeals, which is the highest court in the state, agreed to hear Weinstein’s appeal of his 2020 sex crimes conviction.

In his L.A. trial, which ran from October through December 2022, prosecutors argued that Weinstein was a predator who used his power to lure and attack women in hotel rooms under the guise of a business meeting or audition, while his defense argued that the women willingly engaged in “transactional sex” because Weinstein was so influential in the entertainment industry.

Weinstein initially faced 11 charges in L.A., but four charges, all relating to Jane Doe #5, were dismissed in the midst of the trial. The jury delivered a split verdict, convicting him on the three counts relating to Jane Doe #1 but acquitting him of the sexual battery of a massage therapist, identified as Jane Doe #3. They could not reach a unanimous verdict on the charges involving two other accusers, aspiring actor and screenwriter Lauren Young, known as Jane Doe #2 in the case, and the First Partner of California, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who was Jane Doe #4. The judge declared a mistrial on those three charges.

Weinstein has been accused by more than 100 women who have publicly come forward with allegations of sexual assault, abuse and harassment that have spanned decades. His monumental fall was the fuse the ignited #MeToo in 2017, and the story of his survivors coming forward even inspired a major studio film, “She Said,” which was released in theaters last year. Weinstein has consistently maintained his innocence, denying any accusations of rape or assault, and his legal team has repeatedly stated that their client has unfairly been painted as the poster boy of the #MeToo movement.

Source: Variety

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Rob Zombie is back in top form with his seventh studio album The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy, which received a rave review from BD’s Michael Pementel just last week.

Pementel writes in his review of the new album, “Rob Zombie and crew have composed one hell of a listening experience with The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy. While the record may already draw in Zombie’s diehard fans, Lunar Injection is also an all-around stellar rock/metal record. Is Zombie or the band reinventing their style or pulling off anything all that new? No. But they have made one of the strongest records in their career thus far. The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy is an absolute blast and a wicked ride not to miss out on.”

Announced by Billboard this week, The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy is now in the #1 spot on Billboard’s Top-Selling Albums sales chart, a first for Zombie in his career!

Billboard notes, “The set was released on March 12 via Nuclear Blast and launches with 26,000 copies sold in the U.S. in the week ending March 18, according to MRC Data.”

“Lunar’s arrival at No. 1 continues Zombie’s hot streak on the tally, as all seven of his solo studio albums have reached the top 10,” the outlet continues. Billboard also adds, “Of Lunar’s starting sum of 26,000 sold, physical album sales comprise 20,000 of that figure (CDs: 13,200; vinyl LPs: 6,500 and cassettes: 300). The remaining 6,000 were digital albums.”

Reacting to the big news, Rob Zombie wrote on Instagram this week, “It took long enough but it finally happened. Can we all agree rock ain’t dead… or maybe it’s undead!”

Justice League Snyder Cut @ HBOMax

Nearly three years after the announcement that Zack Snyder was stepping away from Justice League, it's finally been announced that the Snyder Cut is coming to HBO Max. In the time since Joss Whedon's theatrical cut of Justice League hit theaters, there's been endless debate about the existence of a Zack Snyder cut of the movie, whether or not it would be better, and if Warner Bros. would ever even consider releasing it, and now everyone has an answer: it exists and it's coming.

Zack Snyder completed 100% of principal photography and several months of post-production before leaving Justice League in the wake of a family tragedy, with Joss Whedon taking his place for what was marketed as minor reshoots to add connective tissue and complete Snyder's original vision. In the three years since his departure, we've learned the rewrites and reshoots were far more extensive than indicated and the primary objective was to alter the movie from Snyder's original story plan and lighten the tone. The final two-hour blend of Snyder and Whedon was basically an entirely different movie with only superficial similarities to Snyder's original three-and-a-half-hour superhero epic.

During the Q&A following Snyder's live-commentary of Man of Steel on the Vero social media platform, the Justice League director was asked by a fan when his cut of Justice League would be released, to which Snyder responded with the news that's sure to break the internet: Snyder Cut, now titled Zack Snyder's Justice League is being released on HBO Max in 2021.

Snyder gave heartfelt thanks to fans in an HBO Max press release: “I want to thank HBO Max and Warner Brothers for this brave gesture of supporting artists and allowing their true visions to be realized. Also a special thank you to all of those involved in the SnyderCut movement for making this a reality.”

Warner Bros. Chairman Toby Emmerich, who oversaw Whedon's changes to Snyder's original vision, is also quoted saying “Thanks to the efforts of a lot people, we’re excited to bring fans this highly anticipated version of Justice League. This feels like the right time to share Zack’s story, and HBO Max is the perfect platform for it. We’re glad the creative planets aligned, allowing us to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut.”

According to THR, the project could arrive as a six-part mini-series or a four-hour director's cut and will cost upwards of $20 million to complete. The original cast and crew is also expected to assemble to complete post-production work, including some additional photography.

Calls for the Snyder Cut dominated headlines and social media for over two years after Justice League's release, and after the #RelesaeTheSnyderCut rallying cry amassed nearly 1 million tweets with the help of cast members like Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, and Ray Fisher, and trended #1 on Twitter after the two-year anniversary of its November 17th, 2017 release, Snyder got a call from his agent who told him HBO Max wanted to talk about finally getting it released.

It's been a long road, and it's certainly not over yet, with more work to complete the movie for its 2021 release, but the stars aligned to get Snyder back in the director's chair in the universe he created. With this move by HBO Max, the sky is the limit for what happens next as demand will surely turn its attention to David Ayer's cut of Suicide Squad and start questioning: is there more DCEU in Snyder's future?

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WyldeMan wrote:In more amusing news, AMC Theaters is ready for war with Universal Studios over Trolls World Tour. Universal was chest thumping yesterday about how Trolls has pulled in $95 million this month in VOD rental fees and made a statement that going forward they would be releasing movies in theaters and at home in a much shorter window than the 90 days that theaters require. AMC the largest theater in the world says they will not license a single Universal movie in their theaters under those release terms. Somebody is going to have to bend over first....only question now is will the one who doesn't bend, bring the Vaseline?

WyldeMan wrote:Also, America is finally #1 at something in the world!!!!

The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center reported Tuesday that the total number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. has passed 1 million, with the country representing one third of all cases globally. The milestone comes on  the 49th day since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, with the U.S. declaring a national emergency two days later.

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UltimateMarvel wrote:Wow, some people are just affected differently than others. Feel sorry for him.

The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center reported Tuesday that the total number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. has passed 1 million, with the country representing one third of all cases globally. The milestone comes on  the 49th day since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, with the U.S. declaring a national emergency two days later.

Justice League Dark (Bad Robot Developing Film & TV Projects Based on Dark Property)

EXCLUSIVE: I hear that Bad Robot, through its new deal at Warner Media, is exclusively developing both film and TV ideas based on DC’s Justice League Dark universe at Warner Bros.

This deal is all very nascent and at this point in time there aren’t any specific projects or characters that are being specifically developed out of the franchise. I understand that Bad Robot’s Head of Motion Pictures Hannah Minghella and Head of Television Ben Stephenson will soon be taking meetings with talent reps and their writing clients on which characters will get their own projects.

Justice League Dark (or JLD team) first appeared in the September 2011 issue of Justice League Dark #1 featuring such superheros, mostly occult and offbeat, as John Constantine, mystic and fortune teller Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Shade, the Changing Man, and Zatanna. The roster is much larger, and members joined later on, with Swamp Thing being added in issue 19. Other members of JLD include Andrew Bennett (a centuries old vampire), Black Orchid (a shapeshifter), Doctor Mist (a spy who worked for villain Felix Faust), Frankenstein (a erudite creature), Pandora (based on the Greek character), Nightmare Nurse (a healer of supernatural wounds), among several others.  Given their powers, they typically handled situations outside of the scope of the traditional Justice League, which includes Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, Aquaman and The Flash. The JLD title and team were created by Peter Milligan, with art by Mikel Janín.

Again, this is all so early, so it’s not specific yet if Bad Robot boss J.J. Abrams will be directing any of these projects. Minghella on the feature side will work with Warner Bros. President of DC-based Film Production Walter Hamada, while Stephenson will work in correlation with the Warner Bros. Television Group including President & Chief Content Officer Peter Roth, President Susan Rovner and President Brett Paul. Following the $1 billion-plus success of Disney’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Abrams is currently meeting with potential showrunners for his HBO epic sci-fi fantasy drama Demimonde. The series follows a world’s battle against a monstrous, oppressive force. It’s the first series solely created by Abrams since the 2001 ABC drama Alias.

A sampling of some JLD universe properties that were previously adapted for the screen and TV:

There was a Justice League Dark animated film made in 2017 for the home entertainment market starring Rosario Dawson, Alfred Molina, and Nicholas Turturro.

The character of John Constantine was adapted into the 2005 Warner Bros. feature Constantine starring Keanu Reeves which grossed close to $231M WW. In the movie, Constantine was an exorcist and a demonologist and in the Justice League Dark comics, he’s a Liverpudlian magician who became the leader of JLD, but is then ousted and replaced by magician Zatanna. She’s been in the DC universe for some time, created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson, and first appearing in Hawkman #4 (November 1964). Constantine was also turned into a NBC series by Daniel Cerone and David S. Goyer and ran for 13 episodes from October 2014 to February 2015.

To date there’s only been one Swamp Thing feature, released in 1982 and directed by Wes Craven. The DC digital service, DC Universe, ran one season of Swamp Thing, last summer which James Wan’s Atomic Monster produced, created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson.

Hellboy ($55 Million Worldwide Box Office)

Next year is officially the 25th anniversary of Hellboy, and creator Mike Mignola, as well as publisher Dark Horse Comics, intend to celebrate the momentous occasion in style. They have officially announced the first ever Hellboy Day, set for March 23, 2019, a holiday dedicated to celebrating the big red hell-spawned hero's legacy. Mignola had this to say about the announcement in a statement.

   "When I created Hellboy way back when, I never imagined he would be around long enough to celebrate a 25th anniversary. I'm grateful to the writers, artists, colorists and letterers who have joined me in telling Hellboy stories or all these years. And, of course, so grateful to the fans. This thing could not exist without their support, and it's a pleasure every time I get to go out to meet them."

Dark Horse Comics will be doing several things to make Hellboy Day worth marking down in fans' calendars. They will be republishing the character's first ever full comic book appearance, Seed of Destruction #1, which will feature a new cover from Mike Mignola and his longtime collaborator Dave Stewart. Mignola is also scheduled to appear at a signing at Earth 2 Comics in Sherman Oaks, California on the first edition of this newly minted day of celebration.

In addition, Dark Horse is offering various promotional material for retailers. This includes a tattoo sheet, a Right Hand of Doom bookmark, window cling, a Hellboy open/close store sign. Plus, they're bringing up a new version of the "Mignolaverse" timeline, which recently debuted at New York Comic Con. To top it all off, the publisher is offering promotional pricing on its back catalog of Hellboy titles. Stores that participate will be entered in a drawing for prizes from Dark Horse.

The timing of the event is rather convenient. The new Hellboy reboot, which comes from director Neil Marshall (The Descent) and stars David Harbour (Stranger Things) as the titular character, is set to hit theaters just a few weeks after Hellboy Day on April 12, 2019. This could serve as a nice way to get a last-second promotional boost for the movie, which is being eyed as a hopeful start to a brand new franchise.

Hellboy was first introduced to the world in 1993 in the pages of San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 before getting his own series in 1994. A decade later, director Guillermo del Toro would bring the character to the big screen with a live-action Hellboy movie, which was followed up by the 2008 sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Unfortunately, Guillermo del Toro never got to finish up his trilogy, but his movies, with the help or Ron Perlman's portrayal, did help bring the character to the masses. Next year's reboot will finally bring him into the modern comic book movie landscape. Dark Horse has also released a poster for Hellboy day, which you can check out below. This news originated with The Hollywood Reporter.

The Predator ($160 Million Worldwide Box Office)

20th Century Fox's release of The Predator may have topped the weekend box office, but whether it was the controversy swirling around the film, dwindling franchise interest or a combination of both, the film delivered the lowest opening weekend gross for a live-action film debuting in over 4,000 theaters. Meanwhile, Lionsgate's A Simple Favor delivered solid numbers in a third place finish, Studio 8's White Boy Rick debuted with moderate results and Pure Flix's Unbroken: Path to Redemption debuted on the lower end of expectations.

With an estimated $24 million, 20th Century Fox's The Predator took the weekend's #1 spot, but the film has little to celebrate. Debuting in 4,037 theaters, the film's opening is the worst for a live-action film opening in over 4,000 locations, unseating The Mummy, which previously held the distinction after its $31.6 million opening in 4,035 theaters last summer. The opening currently falls short of even 2010's Predators which opened with $24.76 million in just 2,669 locations. That film went on to gross just over $52 million.

The Predator received a disappointing "C+" CinemaScore from opening day audiences. Weekend crowds were 62% male with 66% of the audience coming in 25 years of age or older. These are the exact same demos Alien: Covenant saw last year, and should The Predator deliver a similar 2.05x multiplier we're looking at a domestic run just shy of $50 million.

Internationally, The Predator debuted in 72 markets with an estimated $30.7 million. Leading the way was Russia with an estimated $4.7 million followed by the UK ($3.1m), Thailand ($1.1m) and Hong Kong ($948k). Next weekend, the film opens in 11 additional markets including Argentina (Sep 20) and Mexico (Sep 21) followed by October releases in Belgium, France and Italy.

Random Thoughts

Docuseries Based On Michelle McNamara’s Golden State Killer Book ‘I’ll Be Gone In the Dark’ Greenlighted By HBO

[b]EXCLUSIVE: HBO Documentary Films has given the green light to a docuseries based on Michelle McNamara’s bestselling true-crime book I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, and production is underway. Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Liz Garbus (HBO’s Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper; What Happened, Miss Simone?) is directing.[/b]

It has been a pretty quick turnaround for the project, with production starting less than a month after HBO Documentary Films announced the acquisition of rights to the tome. McNamara’s book was thrust into the spotlight by the April 24 arrest of former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, who was identified through DNA evidence as the notorious serial killer and charged with a number of the crimes. The big breakthrough in the cold case, subject of McNamara’s book, made the documentary very timely.

McNamara was determined to find the violent psychopath she dubbed “The Golden State Killer,” who terrorized California in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, committing 50 home-invasion sexual assaults and ten murders. He then disappeared for more than three decades, eluding multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area until his arrest last week by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is comprehensive exploration of the case of an elusive, violent predator by McNamara, the late wife of Patton Oswalt, was in the midst of writing the book when she unexpectedly died in her sleep in 2016. It is also a haunting personal memoir and self-examination of McNamara’s obsessive quest for justice on behalf of the victims and survivors of the crimes. The book was completed by McNamara’s lead researcher Paul Haynes and a close colleague, Billy Jensen, and framed by an introduction by Gillian Flynn and afterword by Oswalt, who also executive produces the docuseries.

While McNamara’s work was not directly credited by by the police for DeAngelo’s arrest, the arrest came less than two months after her book was published, debuting at #1 on the New York Times, and brought attention to the long-dormant case.

Oswalt reacted to the news of the arrest, expressing his desire to get to visit DeAngelo in prison “not to gloat or gawk — to ask him the questions that (McNamara) wanted answered in her “Letter To An Old Man” at the end of I’ll Be Gone In the Dark“.

The Outsider (March 9, 2018) NETFLIX

UltimateMarvel wrote:Holy shit! Wasn't expecting to see those names. They were all so young.

Movies You've Watched Recently

Blu-ray You Last Bought/Watched

joey con carne wrote:Damn. The last post in here was from January 2017.

Okay, here is my complete list of blu-ray and DVD purchases from 2017:

1. The Baytown Outlaws
2. Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker
3. Pompeii 3D (I got this because it was five bucks and I hear it is the best use of 3D ever. I don't even have a 3D player or TV but I figured if I ever get one or go somewhere, I will have it. It came with a 2D copy on a separate blu-ray.)
4. Gunslinger Girl and Gunslinger Girl Il Teatrino set
5. Gods of Egypt
6. Army of Darkness
7. Gantz: The Complete Series (DVD)
8. The Warriors
9. Sicario
10. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
11. Underworld: Blood Wars
12. Wonder Woman
13. Storks
14. Hitman: Agent 47
15. 47 Ronin
16. Mechanic Resurrection
17. The 6th Day

Fuck, that's a lot. I didn't know I bought so many.

It: Chapter One ($671,678,434)

UltimateMarvel wrote:I heard highest horror film to bring this kind of money in. This will change things for Bill for sure.

The Suicide Squad ($724,133,343)

Zack Snyder is not delivering. Is he being punished? Assistants who were doing fantastic work certainly were. People in finance and in marketing and in IT. They had no say in a movie called Batman V Superman only having 8 minutes of Batman fighting Superman in it, that ends because their moms have the same name.

You just don't get it. And it's not just DC movies, it's your whole slate. Jupiter Ascending. Get Hard. Hot Pursuit. Max. Vacation. Pan. Point Break. Fucking PAN, you jerk. People lost their jobs and you decided Pan was a good idea. You think another Jungle Book is a good idea.

What are you even doing? I wish to God you were forced to live out of a car until you made a #1 movie of the year. Maybe Wonder Woman wouldn't be such a mess. Don't try to hide behind the great trailer. People inside are already confirming it's another mess. It is almost impressive how you keep rewarding the same producers and executives for making the same mistakes, over and over.

The Suicide Squad ($724,133,343)

An Open Letter To Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara About Layoffs, Zack Snyder, and Donuts

When I left my screening of Suicide Squad last week, I was angry. I was annoyed and let down and frustrated as well, but mostly I was just angry.

Look, I'm a big dork. So of course I thought this trainwreck of a movie did a major disservice to the characters, concept, cast, and crew, but that wasn't why I was mad. Yes, it is unfathomable to me that Warner Bros could mess up a movie starring Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and The Joker so completely. But that just had me flummoxed.

I was angry because I couldn't stop thinking about you, Kevin Tsujihara.

A lot of fans might be angry (and rightfully so) because you keep completely whiffing at properties that they are desperate to love and enjoy, but this is a little more personal for me. See, I am a former Warner Bros employee. I have so much respect for your studio. I love every square inch of that magical backlot, from Stars Hollow to the fitness center I always meant to use. The people I worked with during my time with your company are now close friends. On my last day, I hugged them and I told them I loved them.

I was also there in 2014, when you made the decision to lay off 10 percent of your workforce. It was a terrible year. Let me catch you up: Every morning I woke up with a pit in my stomach, because I assumed that would be the day I lost my job. Every day I saw someone packing up their desk, or carrying a box to their car. I can not describe to you the relief I felt when my department was told we were safe, or the guilt I felt afterwards walking through the halls of my office with that relief.

But out of all that, the thing that really sticks with me is the memo you sent to all of us. Let me refresh you on my favorite part:

"I wanted you to hear directly from me about our plans for the studio. In recent days, we have started to hear rumors here at the company and to read misinformation in the press, so I'd like to set the record straight. I know that the hard work and dedication of every employee around the world is the key to Warner Bros.' success, and I am sorry for the distraction this situation brings to the workplace.

At Warner Bros., we work with the world's most extraordinary storytellers, and our focus has always been to provide the creative environment and financial resources they need to realize their vision. Our commitment to that won't change. In fact, we're investing more than ever in our film and television productions."

This is how you opened a memo about layoffs. "Hey guys, we work hard for the people telling stories here and we want to make sure those visions are realized." The balls on you.

That year we pursued the storytelling vision of Adam Sandler's Blended and Clint Eastwood's Jersey Boys. Failures. We pursued a potentially great summer movie like Edge of Tomorrow and completely botched its release. Same with Man From UNCLE. We dug in our heels and hoped The Hobbit Trilogy would somehow stop being a mediocre case of diminishing returns. Talented, loyal people packed their boxes and went home while your story tellers dropped the ball.

One could argue that this was not your fault. That you inherited former CEO Barry Meyer's agenda and were merely trying to correct the course of an ocean liner heading for an iceberg.

I would not make this argument. And here's why: I wrote this letter last year. I actually started forming it in my head after Man of Steel was a box office failure instead of the modern classic tentpole you were expecting.

I kept holding off on doing anything with it because of one title: Suicide Squad. Zack Snyder's Dawn of Justice was a fiasco, but here comes this plucky little dark adventure about antiheroes. I love David Ayer. I love Harley Quinn. I love Will Smith. Put the letter in a drawer. The ship isn't sinking anymore. Everything is fine. There's no way this movie is bad.

And here we are. I got back from my screening and dusted this sucker off. You, your executive team, and the vision of your 'extraordinary storytellers' that resulted in the loss of around one thousand jobs seem intent on crashing the ship into as much shit as you can find in the ocean by making inane decisions over and over again.

Zack Snyder is not delivering. Is he being punished? Assistants who were doing fantastic work certainly were. People in finance and in marketing and in IT. They had no say in a movie called Batman V Superman only having 8 minutes of Batman fighting Superman in it, that ends because their moms have the same name. Snyder is a producer on every DC movie. He is still directing Justice League. He is being rewarded with more opportunity to get more people laid off. I'm assuming you yourself haven't been financially affected in any real way. You and your studio are the biggest lesson about life one can learn: The top screws up and the bottom suffers. Peter Jackson phones it in and a marketing supervisor has to figure out a plan B for house payments.

Your uneven Hall H presentation at Comic Con this year was a ridiculous mess that ranged from rushed to boring. When Marvel announced their full slate of films with a fun fan event several years ago, you announced yours on a shareholder conference call.

You just don't get it. And it's not just DC movies, it's your whole slate. Jupiter Ascending. Get Hard. Hot Pursuit. Max. Vacation. Pan. Point Break. Fucking PAN, you jerk. People lost their jobs and you decided Pan was a good idea. You think another Jungle Book is a good idea.

What are you even doing? I wish to God you were forced to live out of a car until you made a #1 movie of the year. Maybe Wonder Woman wouldn't be such a mess. Don't try to hide behind the great trailer. People inside are already confirming it's another mess. It is almost impressive how you keep rewarding the same producers and executives for making the same mistakes, over and over.

If I worked at a donut stand, and I kept fucking up donuts, I'd be fired. Even if I made a tiny decent one every now and then, it doesn't matter. I'm gonna get fired.

I love that studio, and you're allowing it to sink. It's not about making movies for 'the fans' and not 'the critics.' It's not even about 'ruining childhoods.' It's about protecting livelihoods.

It's time to wake up and make the fucking donuts, Kevin.

Papillon (Malek / Hunnam) (August 24, 2018)

ForeverBlu wrote:No, they don't.

Saw it once back when I was teen.

My DB still has the plastic on it.

LOL.

Warcraft ($276,764,490)

Like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and X-Men: Apocalypse before it, bad reviews for Wacraft have hampered its chances of making a significant amount at the North American box office this weekend. Instead, horror sequel The Conjuring 2 (directed by Aquaman helmer James Wan) earned $16.4 million on Friday for an impressive weekend haul of $38 million - $39 million which places it firmly at #1. Reviews have been positive and it has an A- CinemaScore, a rarity for a horror movie.

Warcraft on the other hand is looking at a debut of $26 million - $27 million, a poor result for a major blockbuster with a budget of $160 million. It has a B+ CinemaScore though, and the majority of fans do seem to be embracing the video game adaptation. However, like Pacific Rim and a number of other movies, the US may prove to be largely irrelevant when it comes to the possibility of a sequel.

The movie has been huge in China, earning a record $144.7 million in four days. By tomorrow, Warcraft will have earned $300 million worldwide, a figure which puts it in the black and could very well open the door to a follow-up depending how high it goes. We'll have to wait and see on that front, but things are looking good for the movie which initially appeared to be on the road to being a huge flop!

Doc Savage (Dwayne Johnson)

It's OFFICIAL: For all comic book fans you already know the world's first superhero (pre-dating Superman) is the "Man of Bronze" himself Clark "Doc" Savage. Want to thank my bud director/writer Shane Black and his writing team Anthony Bagarozzi and Chuck Mondry for flying in from LA and sitting with me and our @sevenbucksprod's producer @hhgarcia41 on this Memorial Day weekend to chop up creative and break story on this very cool project. Comic book fans around the world know that the cool thing about "Doc" Savage is that he's the inspiration for Superman. First name Clark, called "Man of Bronze", retreats to his "Fortress of Solitude" in the Arctic etc etc. Doc was physically and mentally trained from birth by his father and a team of scientists to become the perfect human specimen with a genius level intellect. His heightened senses are beyond comprehension. He can even identify a women's perfume from half a mile away. He is literally the master of everything. But here's the #1 reason I'm excited to become Doc Savage.. HE'S A F*CKING HILARIOUS WEIRDO! Confidently, yet innocently he has zero social graces whatsoever due to his upbringing so every interaction he has with someone is direct, odd, often uncomfortable and amazingly hilarious. After speaking for hours w/ Shane Black I can see why the creator of Superman took only the best parts of Doc Savage and leaving the "weirdo" part behind. But to us, it's that "weirdo" part that makes Clark "Doc" Savage dope! Can't wait to sink my teeth into this one of a kind character. #ItsOfficial #WorldsFirstSuperhero #GeniusIntellect #PhysicalSpecimen #FnLoveableWeirdo #DocSavage

Random Thoughts

Graphic Novels

The Flash (Dumb Fuck Ezra Miller Arrested Again) (November 4, 2022)

Seth Grahame-Smith is in talks to direct the movie adaptation of “The Flash” for Warner Bros.

Charles Roven is producing the film, based on the studio’s DC Entertainment property about the crime-fighting superhero who can move at superhuman speeds. Zack Snyder and wife Deborah Snyder are executive producing.

The character, created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, first appeared in Flash Comics #1 in 1940. The TV series “The Flash,” developed by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg and Geoff Johns, began airing on the CW last October.

“The Flash” would mark Grahame-Smith’s feature directorial debut. He would helm from his own script. Grahame-Smith is the author of “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” and “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” and the screenwriter of Warner Bros.’s upcoming “Lego Batman.”

“The Flash,” starring Ezra Miller, will hit theaters on March 3, 2018. The character will be introduced in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” in March and appear in “Justice League: Part One” in 2017.

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice ($873,260,194)

Mallrats 2 (Turned into a 10-Episode Series)

Rusty Cunt wrote:Fanboy & Steve-Dave have to be in it. Have to! I was thinking that's another way for them to hate each other. Brodie does a podcast, but he's #2 in New Jersey, because the Tell Em Steve-Dave boys are #1 - which makes him furious - and you see them doing a podcast from their comic shop (which they do in real life). That would be a nice little nugget for TESD fans like myself.

Jay was the first person to join up, so Silent Bob would have to make a return. I think his fans would kill him if there was no Jay & Silent Bob in it.

Mallrats 2 (Turned into a 10-Episode Series)

WyldeMan wrote:
Brandi! Oh shit......how did I forget Claire Forlani???? Woah, I think this is the first time she's even been discussed in this thread.

Maybe Steve Dave and Fanboy? With Stan Lee back, it'd make sense for them to come back too. 

Is Kevin coming back as Silent Bob or is he not appearing? I just realized I don't recall his name in the cast list.

I hope the boy from the escalator returns...

Kevin Smith Movies (CLERKS III @ SDCC)

Rusty Cunt wrote:

GrooThePerverted wrote:Jackie Brown will always be the GOAT Tarantino movie.

3rd. Death Proof (the full non-Grindhouse version) is #1, followed by Reservoir Dogs.

Kevin Smith Movies (CLERKS III @ SDCC)

GrooThePerverted wrote:Jackie Brown will always be the GOAT Tarantino movie.