DC Movies - To Infinity and Beyond

[wayoung]

Then why assume the (alleged) failings of JL had to be his fault alone? That's the apparent contradiction. Isn't it more logical to conclude that the problem was the hybrid nature of the reworked film? I mean, there are many prior cases where a film that's been subjected to heavy reshoots and restructuring after a director change turns out to be flawed and disappointing -- think of Superman II, for example. Something like that is rarely going to work as well as a film that has a consistent creative vision guiding it throughout. So it makes no sense to pin the blame for JL on one person rather than on the less-than-ideal circumstances he had to work under.

Christopher, where did I say the faults of the movie were his failings alone? I replied to someone who said all the problems with the movie belonged to WB and said that isn't the case, he shares some of the blame.

Yeah, let's not go excusing Whedon for the disaster that is Justice League. He has a fair share of responsibility for it too. And the stuff that came out about him because of it....

Emphasis added.

 

[Christopher]

I replied to someone who said all the problems with the movie belonged to WB and said that isn't the case, he shares some of the blame.

Very well, I misunderstood. But I still think his parts of the film mostly worked, though there are some parts of the Snyder version that deserved to be kept in. Both versions have their merits and their flaws, so I don't understand the hate for the theatrical version, or why anyone needs to be "blamed" for it.

 

[Set Harth]

I mean, there are many prior cases where a film that's been subjected to heavy reshoots and restructuring after a director change turns out to be flawed and disappointing -- think of Superman II, for example.

Superman II was a big hit with the public.

 

[JD]

It did not work when someone associated with the MCU moved over to the DCEU. Yes, I'm talking about Whedon's monumental disaster.

And it worked out great with James Gunn, The Suicide Squad was absolutely fantastic.

I said nothing of the sort. My choice was Rooker, due to his versatility (more than anyone else in the GOTG films) and his not being recognized more for having appeared in MCU films. That is not saying the other actors were / are "bad".

I have to disagree with this, I'd say at this point most of the other people in the GotG movies are just as well known for other stuff they've done.
The biggest has to be Vin Diesel, who is way, way, way, way better known for playing Dom in the Fast & Furious franchise, than voicing Groot. And I'd say Zoe Saldana is at least as well known for the Avatar and Star Trek movie as she is for playing Gamora, and Karen Gilen is still probably better know for play Amy Pond in Dr. Who than for playing Nebula. Bradley Cooper is definitely better known for stuff like Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and A Star is Born than for voicing Rocket, and Chris Pratt is at least as well known for the Jurrasic Worlds as he is for playing Star Lord.

 

[Commander Troi]

and most people today think that the only way to do Batman is to copy Frank Miller.

Don't get me started...!

 

[Christopher]

The biggest has to be Vin Diesel, who is way, way, way, way better known for playing Dom in the Fast & Furious franchise, than voicing Groot.

He'll always be the Iron Giant to me.

 

[YLu]

Why does it matter if an actor is most well-known for an MCU role? Is their Marvel-y presence supposed to taint DC films or something? I'd hope these casting directors are focused on getting the best actors for the roles, not on fanboy pissing contests.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Yeah, let's not go excusing Whedon for the disaster that is Justice League. He has a fair share of responsibility for it too. And the stuff that came out about him because of it....

Exactly. Whedon's responsibility on JL is a matter of record, which makes any defense of him easy to dismiss.

Christopher, where did I say the faults of the movie were his failings alone? I replied to someone who said all the problems with the movie belonged to WB and said that isn't the case, he shares some of the blame.

You did not, but that will not get in the way of certain people with a bent about the director of the Snyder cut.

And it worked out great with James Gunn, The Suicide Squad was absolutely fantastic.

If you choose to believe that.

I have to disagree with this, I'd say at this point most of the other people in the GotG movies are just as well known for other stuff they've done.

Rooker has been a very celebrated, serious actor for more than three decades. He has credentials / performances in his file many actors dream of having, but rarely earn. You can believe whatever you want about the other GOTG actors, but Rooker stands heads and shoulders above the rest, and would be an asset to any WB/DC project, more than the other cast members you've named.

 

[Tuskin38]

I remember Justice League Unlimited called Captain Marvel, well Captain Marvel. He only appeared in 1 episode, but still.

 

[Christopher]

I remember Justice Legaue Unlimited called Captain Marvel, well Captain Marvel. He only appeared in 2 episodes, but still.

That was six years before DC officially rebranded the character as Shazam, as opposed to calling him Captain Marvel but being unable to use that name in the title due to Marvel's trademark.

 

[JD]

Rooker has been a very celebrated, serious actor for more than three decades. He has credentials / performances in his file many actors dream of having, but rarely earn. You can believe whatever you want about the other GOTG actors, but Rooker stands heads and shoulders above the rest, and would be an asset to any WB/DC project, more than the other cast members you've named.

That may be, but that's not what you I thought you were saying. The way I read it was that nobody else in the movies besides Rooker had ever done anything that people would remember them for other than the GOTG movie, and I was just pointing out that they've all done a lot of other well known, popular things. I wasn't saying anything about how long they've been acting or how good of an actor they are.

 

[Noname Given]

Totally saw that coming, hopefully HBO actually shows the back half of the remaining seasons.

Oh they will. They'll probably stretch it out to next year to try and make it seem like they both had a fifth season.

 

[Noname Given]

Yeah, most of the biggest names creators have worked for both companies over their careers. Hell DC even did a miniseries where Stan Lee came over and did his own versions of the big name DC heroes.

So is your issue that you think they're all bad actors, or that you just don't wan more Marvel people involved with the DCEU?
Like I said before, there's a lot of great actors in the cast who have done a lot more than just the Guardians movies.

Because it was supposed to be a prestige streaming drama, and some people seem to be convinced that to be taken seriously, they need to be as dark, gritty, and violent as possible. I don't agree with it, but it does seem to be the attitude a lot of making these shows have.

Remember that Titans was the prestige high profie show for the DC Universe streaming service. When that service was folded into HBO Max, that aspect became a non-factor when considering renewal.

As to how both shows made it to 4 Seasons, remember that prior to the HBO/Discovery merger, HBO Max was leaning heavily into the WB DC Comics superhero properties; and they were gearing up to produce a lot of DC Comics related content for the service. That plan went completely out the window after the merger.

 

[Nerys Myk]

That was six years before DC officially rebranded the character as Shazam, as opposed to calling him Captain Marvel but being unable to use that name in the title due to Marvel's trademark.

The characters still use the Marvel names on Earth-5, most recently seen in Justice League Incarnate.

 

[Captaindemotion]

So, with about a month and a half to go until the release of Shazam 2, Zachary Levi seems (and it may be that he meant something else) to have outed himself as an anti-vaxxer. Of course, this sort of controversy from a leading actor didn’t do BP:WF any harm but I can’t imagine that WB are delighted:

https://twitter.com/zacharylevi/status/1619599266607169539?s=61&t=aDhQxN4vgZYZMxELX_jjgQ

 

[theenglish]

The characters still use the Marvel names on Earth-5, most recently seen in Justice League Incarnate.

Yep. It is not a legal issue---that was settled long ago. The name was changed because DC thought that they couldn't compete with Captain Marvel as the MCU was on the rise. Captain Marvel was more popular than Superman in the 50s, I think. There is no legal reason why Shazam cannot go back to being Captain Marvel.

 

[YLu]

From a branding perspective, I completely understand why it won't do to have a character whose name you literally can't ever use on covers or other marketing material. And, frankly, a lot of more casual fans already assumed the character was named Shazam because that's what was written on the comic covers, so if you're going to change it, it's probably smart to change it to what already has recognition.

But I feel something is lost when he can just casually say the word without triggering the spell. It feels less 'magic word,' more 'convenient mnemonic.' They should either make it so he can't say his own name, as part of the joke (it worked for Freddie Freeman) or give him a different name.

 

[Rich Watson]

So, with about a month and a half to go until the release of Shazam 2, Zachary Levi seems (and it may be that he meant something else) to have outed himself as an anti-vaxxer

Take a look at the garbage the person he was replying to posts and you'll get your answer.

Not that Marvel are in any better position with Letitia Wright and Evangeline Lilly.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Take a look at the garbage the person he was replying to posts and you'll get your answer.

Not that Marvel are in any better position with Letitia Wright and Evangeline Lilly.

Indeed. And people have asked him to clarify what he meant or at least confirm that he wasn’t being AV but he hasn’t done so.

As you say, at least 2 Marvel stars are seemingly of the same mindset but whereas the MCU is a seemingly unstoppable juggernaut, the DC films are less so (and I personally enjoyed Shazam a lot and Levi’s performance in particular). Can’t imagine it’ll hugely affect the box office, though, but I’m sure WB would like the odd film to come out without any controversy.

 

[Set Harth]

So, with about a month and a half to go until the release of Shazam 2, Zachary Levi seems (and it may be that he meant something else) to have outed himself as an anti-vaxxer. Of course, this sort of controversy from a leading actor didn’t do BP:WF any harm but I can’t imagine that WB are delighted:

https://twitter.com/zacharylevi/status/1619599266607169539?s=61&t=aDhQxN4vgZYZMxELX_jjgQ

"Antivaxxer" used to mean being opposed to all vaccines. More recently it meant someone who was fully vaccinated as a child and had no problem with any traditional vaccine ( measles, etc. ) but simply said no to the covid shot. Now, apparently, it means anyone who criticizes Pfizer in any way. So I suspect a more accurate term here would be "anti-Pfizer".

If it may be that he meant something else ( since the tweet in question doesn't specifically mention vaccines ), the something else would presumably be that Pfizer is allegedly engaging in gain-of-function research on their own volition. We're basically living in a real life version of the plot of Mission Impossible 2 at this point. Some people are not especially happy about that, but that alone doesn't necessarily make them antivaxxers.