When it was revealed that Michael Keaton was in talks to return as Batman in The Flash, we also learned that Warner Bros. is planning to have his Caped Crusader serve as a mentor to other heroes in the DC Extended Universe. Batgirl was mentioned, but most fans wondered whether this could be leading to Terry McGinnis becoming this shared world’s new Dark Knight. 

Now, a new rumour is doing the rounds online which suggests that a live-action Batman Beyond movie is in active development at Warner Bros. This intel doesn’t come from the trades and should, of course, be taken with a pinch of salt. That said, it would make sense. 

Batman Beyond was first introduced in an animated series which debuted in 1999 from the creative team of Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, and Alan Burnett. It served as a continuation of Batman: The Animated Series and focused on an older Bruce Wayne training Terry McGinnis to be the new Batman of a futuristic Gotham City. That’s a role it’s very easy to imagine Keaton taking on after he reprises the role of the Dark Knight for The Flash.

Fans have been asking for this movie for years, and it seems Warner Bros. may finally have listened. However, it’s no doubt early days for the project (if it is even being discussed), and we don’t know whether Terry would be the focal point of the story. After all, there’s nothing to say Bruce couldn’t train someone like Dick Grayson or Jason Todd as the DCEU’s new Batman.

What do you guys think?

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If a new rumour is to be believed, Zatanna is finally coming to the big screen.

In 2018, Deadline broke the news that Warner Bros. was planning to move forward with features based around DC Comics characters Supergirl, Batgirl, and Zatanna, and it seems as if development on the latter is now starting up.

This comes after the news broke about Michael Keaton returning as Batman in The Flash, and those reports mentioned that his Caped Crusader would serve as a “mentor” to Barbara Gordon in a future Batgirl movie. That bodes well for that project as well, of course, though it does seem as if the Girl of Steel’s planned solo outing has been put on the back burner for the time being. 

It’s said that this movie is going to be separate from the Justice League Dark series J.J. Abrams is working on for HBO Max, so chances are the shows on that streaming service aren’t going to be set in the DC Extended Universe. There may even be plans for other members of that team to get their own movies that won’t be connected to that series.

Zatanna is definitely a character with a lot of potential, though it is a shame Warner Bros. isn’t planning a connected universe with the projects on HBO Max tying into what we see on the big screen. 

This is just a rumour for now, so take it with a pinch of salt. However, it’s entirely possible that we will soon get to see Zatanna back in a live-action setting following her small screen debut in Smallville in 2009. 

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In the latest edition of “FatMan Beyond,” filmmaker Kevin Smith shared some rumours relating to what Cyborg actor Ray Fisher recently described as director Joss Whedon’s “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” behaviour on the set of Justice League during reshoots. 

Explaining that he spoke to some VFX artists while visiting the set of Solo: A Star Wars Story who had worked on both cuts of Justice League, Smith says that he was told that Whedon frequently, and very publicly, trashed Zack Snyder’s movie.

He notes that The Avengers helmer would, “cut, down, dismiss and be negative about Zack’s version of the movie that he had seen and all of the special effects team [these people] had made together.” This is said to have led to a lot of discomfort on the set with the cast and crew, and could explain what Fisher was referring to. After all, tearing into Snyder’s work when he had to depart Justice League because his daughter had died doesn’t exactly paint the director in the best of lights. 

Regardless, it doesn’t appear as if Whedon respected Snyder’s vision for the DC Comics property, as he completely altered the movie to suit the version he clearly wanted.

In related news, Ray Fisher has today sent out a Tweet saying, “I believe Kai Cole and Charisma Carpenter.” Cole is Whedon’s ex-wife who alleged that he was abusive in their marriage, and Carpenter has said that she was fired from Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff Angel for getting pregnant.

Fisher has yet to elaborate on what exactly happened while he was shooting Justice League.
 

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The sudden emergence of COVID-19 has completely reshaped 2020, and for film fans, the ramifications of the pandemic have been massive. Theaters remain closed, with movies originally scheduled for July now slipping into August, and the list of delayed titles continues to grow longer. 

Black Widow is one of the most high profile victims of the pandemic, with its release date shifted back from this past May to November (which was when we were supposed to be watching Eternals). 

We’ve already had what we assumed to be a final trailer for the Marvel Studios movie, but another has now been classified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). It’s set to be 2 minutes and 38 seconds long, so it will be a full-blown look at Black Widow, and not just a lengthy TV spot. 

How much new footage Disney and Marvel Studios will want to show is hard to say, but another sneak peek is probably essential at this stage to remind moviegoers that Black Widow is on the way. As for when we’ll get to see this trailer, the fact that it’s been classified by the BBFC likely means it’s coming our way any day now… unless it’s being saved for when theaters re-open, that is.

We’ll have to wait and see, but expect to hear more on this soon. 

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Relic is set to be released on July 10th, and with the likes of Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo serving as producers alongside Spider-Man: Far From Home‘s Jake Gyllenhaal, there’s understandably a lot of buzz surrounding Natalie Erika James’s directorial debut. It’s not just those names which have brought it to people’s attention, though, as a critically acclaimed premiere at the Sundance Film Festival (before COVID-19 closed the world down) meant that this has been a horror movie to watch out for from day one. 

The premise of the film is simple, yet effective. When elderly mother Edna (Robyn Nevin) inexplicably vanishes, her daughter Kay (Emily Mortimer) and granddaughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) rush to their family’s decaying country home, finding clues of her increasing dementia scattered around the house in her absence. However, it’s once she returns with no explanation that things start getting weird, and what follows is a unique and memorable take on the classic haunted house trope.  

While Relic is a film that definitely falls into the category of “arthouse horror,” there are plenty of scares to be found, and a slow, suspenseful build to an edge of your seat final act. James has a good grasp on how to get the viewer invested, and while the lack of a classic horror movie monster or “MacGuffin” might stop it from reaching the same heights as other recent female-led horror outings (The Babadook springs to mind) in the eyes of some fans, there’s certainly plenty to talk about here. The final few minutes do get a little confusing, but ambiguity is often a big part of movies like this, and it’s an ending which makes sense for this story, particularly when the “big bad” isn’t necessarily a terrifying ghost or monster, but someone’s declining mental state. James tackles the subject of dementia in a lot of clever, impactful ways, with the deterioration of the house and changes in Edna’s appearance from scene to scene the most obvious examples. 

Robyn Nevin does a great job in that role, while Emily Mortimer (Kay) and Bella Heathcote (Sam) have heaps of chemistry, meaning buying into their mother/daughter relationship is extremely easy. As mentioned, the focus here is very much on this trio of women and the family dynamic they have, and Relic is frequently at its best exploring how the relationships between them differ (as well as how they deal with Edna’s harrowing battle with dementia).

James is clearly a talented filmmaker, though the suspense is occasionally lessened by cinematographer Charlie Sarroff’s often murky visuals. Relic also somewhat follows the expected horror movie patten of laying the groundwork for a final twenty minutes of big scares, but look beyond that, and it’s clear that it is a story with a lot to say. It’s neither the beginning of a franchise nor a horror classic, but as an opening chapter to what is clearly going to be an exciting and must-watch career for James, Relic works perfectly. 

Compelling, suspenseful, and downright terrifying in places, Relic is a movie with a lot to say, and establishes Natalie Erika James as a filmmaker to watch in future.
 

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Ahead of next week’s conclusion to the “Shiv” two-parter, The CW has released twelve new promotional stills from the following week’s installment, which will apparently shine a spotlight on Henry Jr. (Jake Austin Walker) as he makes a startling discovery about his father that could alter the course of his life.

Meanwhile, it looks like the team is going to disagree about who their next team member is going to be with Courtney (Brec Bassinger) making a suggestion that causes tensions to rise. Judging by the reaction, her choice will be more than likely Henry Jr., but it could also be Cameron Mahkent (Hunter Sansone).

Brainwave (Ep# 109)

DADDY DEAREST — Tensions rise among the JSA members after Courtney (Brec Bassinger) suggests who she wants to recruit next to the team. Meanwhile, Barbara (Amy Smart) invites Jordan (Neil Jackson) and his family over for dinner, and Henry Jr. (Jake Austin Walker) makes a surprising discovery about his father. Luke Wilson, Yvette Monreal, Cameron Gellman, Anjelika Washington, Trae Romano, Christopher James Baker, Meg DeLacy and Hunter Sansone also star. Tamra Davis directed the episode written by Colleen McGuinness (#109). Original airdate 7/14/2020. 

The new DC UNIVERSE drama series DC’s STARGIRL follows high school sophomore Courtney Whitmore as she inspires an unlikely group of young heroes to stop the villains of the past. This new drama reimagines Stargirl and the very first superhero team, the Justice Society of America, in an unpredictable series that focuses on the character that started creator Geoff Johns’ career as a comic book writer when he created her in 1999, lovingly inspired by his late sister who was killed in a 1996 plane explosion.

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The second season of DC Universe’s Doom Patrol has been every bit as bizarre and unpredictable as the first, and one of the main reasons for that stems from the addition of Dorothy Spinner.

Niles Caulder’s daughter was actually introduced in the Season 1 finale, but actress Abigail Shapiro took over as the character for Season 2, and she’s already had a major impact on the rest of the team – and served as a conduit for terrifying new villain, The Candlemaker.

We recently had the opportunity to chat with Shapiro about her role on the show, and she spoke to us about playing Dorothy, the challenges of working with the prosthetics needed to give her an ape-like appearance, the possibility of a third season, and more.

Doom Patrol is far from your typical superhero series… were you already a fan of the first season when you got the part of Dorothy Spinner, and was the show’s unique, eccentric tone something that drew you to the role?   

I did not know much about the show when I initially auditioned. After I got the callback, I started watching the first season and immediately fell in love with it. It is so unique not only for a superhero show, but also for any TV show. It has all of those very weird, WEIRD, hilarious moments that the show is known for, but it also explores the darker side of our humanity and really digs deep into these characters as imperfect humans.

It is a show anyone can relate to because of that. I knew right away that I wanted to be a part of this crazy, but also beautiful show. I finished the first season after I got the role and was thrilled that I would be playing Dorothy!

How did you find working with the prosthetics needed to transform into Dorothy?   

“It was so cool working with the prosthetics. I got to see myself completely transform. The makeup artists who did the prosthetic makeup every day, Derek and Eric Garcia (who are the most iconic twin-duo ever), were so talented, and I honestly felt honored that my face could serve as sort of a canvas for their art. I learned so much about prosthetic makeup throughout the process, and I have a whole new appreciation for it.

There were definitely some challenges though. Wearing the makeup after a while almost every day caused a lot of skin problems and was not the most comfortable. I built up a lot of stamina throughout filming, and it became less and less difficult as time went by. I’m so grateful for everyone on the makeup team who helped me take care of my skin. By the end of filming, my skin was nowhere near as bad as it was when I first started filming because we found the right skin products and routine.

Another challenge was that I also wore huge fake teeth so it was a bit difficult at first learning to speak with those and on top of that doing a British accent! I eventually got the hang of it. But it was such an amazing and unique experience getting to work with the prosthetics. I’m so grateful for it.”

Dorothy is clearly an innocent, kind hearted child, but she also has the potential to be a very destructive force. Without giving too much away, is that something that’s going to be touched upon later in the season? 

“Yes, it will definitely be touched on later this season! Not all of her imaginary friends are good, and because she does not have a lot of control over them, she has the potential to bring an end to the world. Their job, ultimately, is to protect her, but sometimes they don’t always do it in the best way. You all will be seeing more of the Candlemaker, that’s for sure.”

Some may not realize this, but you also played the young Niles Caulder in the Red Jack episode. It’s only a brief scene, but how did you find playing the father of your character when he was around Dorothy’s age? 

“That was so much fun! Everyone actually got to see my face, so that was cool! Now Tim needs to play Dorothy, haha.”

Honestly, with this show I’d say that’s a distinct possibility! We’re only a few episodes into Season 2, but have you heard anything about the possibility of a third season yet?

“I don’t know anything about another season right now, but I really hope there’s a season 3! That would be amazing!”

Many thanks to Abigail for taking the time to speak to us. We look forward to seeing Dorothy’s intriguing arc play out as Season 2 of Doom Patrol continues.

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