Pariah Posted July 1, 2023 Report Share Posted July 1, 2023 Does DCEU even have any likeable characters anymore? Superman is supposed to be, but the recent iteration hasn't really been. Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is okay. I didn't make it far enough into Shazam! to make a judgment, although Zach Levi is likeable enough. I know almost nothing of the various TV series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted July 1, 2023 Report Share Posted July 1, 2023 Well, I liked Henry Cavill as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman. slikmar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grailknight Posted July 1, 2023 Report Share Posted July 1, 2023 (edited) Wonder Woman has one cameo scene in The Flash that's about as long as her role in Shazam 2. It's a humor scene with accidental contact by Batman and Flash with the Lasso of Truth. Aquaman is in the post credits scene. I'd say Aquaman and Wonder Woman are still likeable characters but we'll see if they are in the DECU's plans after Aquaman 2. Edited July 2, 2023 by Grailknight slikmar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted July 1, 2023 Report Share Posted July 1, 2023 I think Gunn’s iteration will go under the nomenclature “DC Universe” or DCU. The “Extended” is being dropped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slikmar Posted July 1, 2023 Report Share Posted July 1, 2023 14 hours ago, Grailknight said: Ok, just saw The Flash and it was a mixed bag. The opening action sequence is fairly nice, too bad it's mostly Batman. Flash's powers are hugely inconsistent. He needs snacks to save civilians in a dangerous situation, but this never comes up when fighting the invading Kryptonians. The "feels building" sequences are weak and even older Barry realizes younger Barry is annoying and immature, heck even young Barr realizes it. Keaton's Bruce Wayne/Batman is on point. The best parts of the movie occur once he enters the picture. The writing is fairly decent, especially around the serious parts of the film. Barry's roommates are hilarious but could have been cut without disturbing the plot whatsoever. The DC Multiverse shots are very well done. You even get to see the Nicolas Cage Superman. The ending is pretty depressing, and the post credits scene is just there for laughs. All in all, I'll give it a 2.5/5. There is a good movie in there but Miller's cringy Barry drags it down. This was my take also, and I would add that I miss the supersmart Barry. I also think something was screwed up in this, Barry claims he was working the Crime Lab when he got his powers, which is DC canon, but the problem is, didnt he, at the end of Justice League get the job at the Crime Lab? So had he worked there then quit? And also, I really don't like his Barry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted July 1, 2023 Report Share Posted July 1, 2023 10 hours ago, Pariah said: Does DCEU even have any likeable characters anymore? Superman is supposed to be, but the recent iteration hasn't really been. Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is okay. I didn't make it far enough into Shazam! to make a judgment, although Zach Levi is likeable enough. I know almost nothing of the various TV series. I found the whole 'Shazam fam' to be rather likable in the movies. DCEU's Aquaman is likable in a friendly jock kind of way so if you like friendly jocks, you like that version of Aquaman. I found Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman delightful but I confess I am a soft touch. I didn't like Ezra much as Barry and that was BEFORE I knew he was deeply troubled (ie a Nutbar who is dangerous to those around him). I have high hopes for Jaime as Blue Beetle, but with the bad word of mouth DC has, I think even if he's the most adorkable kid in years movie wise, his movie may flop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted July 1, 2023 Report Share Posted July 1, 2023 11 hours ago, Bazza said: Well, I liked Henry Cavill as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman. The greatest tragedy of the DCEU will always be the squandering of Henry Cavill as Superman. Grailknight, slikmar, Logan D. Hurricanes and 4 others 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted July 1, 2023 Report Share Posted July 1, 2023 Not sure about greatest, but there were a number of tragedies in the DCEU era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grailknight Posted July 2, 2023 Report Share Posted July 2, 2023 10 hours ago, slikmar said: This was my take also, and I would add that I miss the supersmart Barry. I also think something was screwed up in this, Barry claims he was working the Crime Lab when he got his powers, which is DC canon, but the problem is, didnt he, at the end of Justice League get the job at the Crime Lab? So had he worked there then quit? And also, I really don't like his Barry. It's covered in the movie. Apparently, Barry was a temp intern when he got his powers and got a full-time job after JL. mattingly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher R Taylor Posted July 2, 2023 Report Share Posted July 2, 2023 I did not like them using Barry as the fresh neophyte idiot character of the group, but it was a choice between him and Cyborg as to who would learn to use their powers and be all naive. Obviously Cyborg should not have had all his powers at perfect command instantly and be completely world weary and capable, but that's not how they wanted to go with the character so we got doofus Flash. Starlord 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slikmar Posted July 2, 2023 Report Share Posted July 2, 2023 (edited) So, much like Ryan Reynolds didn't play Hal so much as played Kyle Raynor; this flash is more early Wally then Barry, the scientist. It's too bad, as I really thought their CW Flash was very spot on. Edited July 2, 2023 by slikmar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranxerox Posted July 2, 2023 Report Share Posted July 2, 2023 2 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said: I did not like them using Barry as the fresh neophyte idiot character of the group, but it was a choice between him and Cyborg as to who would learn to use their powers and be all naive. Obviously Cyborg should not have had all his powers at perfect command instantly and be completely world weary and capable, but that's not how they wanted to go with the character so we got doofus Flash. The Flash's powers lend themselves much better to comedy than Cyborg's. Also, the whole quadruple amputee thing is a bit of a downer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted July 5, 2023 Report Share Posted July 5, 2023 Speaking of downers, box office for The Flash is definitely a downer. $54M on release weekend (Fri-Sat-Sun); only $16M on second weekend, and only about $5M last weekend. Total domestic just barely over $100M and there's serious doubts whether it'll break even. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/2023/?ref_=bo_yl_table_1 Similar concerns about Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Screen Rant also calls it a major bomb. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl162234881/?ref_=bo_yld_table_21 With all the turmoil at Warner recently, this is not the time for disastrously bad numbers. Warner is in a really bad place right now:https://www.the-numbers.com/market/2023/summary Scroll down to the middle to get box office by distributor. They're 7th...and $160M of that $260M is from *bombs*. I wouldn't be surprised to hear major rumblings coming out of Warner in the next few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted July 5, 2023 Report Share Posted July 5, 2023 34 minutes ago, unclevlad said: Speaking of downers, box office for The Flash is definitely a downer. $54M on release weekend (Fri-Sat-Sun); only $16M on second weekend, and only about $5M last weekend. Total domestic just barely over $100M and there's serious doubts whether it'll break even. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/2023/?ref_=bo_yl_table_1 Similar concerns about Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Screen Rant also calls it a major bomb. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl162234881/?ref_=bo_yld_table_21 With all the turmoil at Warner recently, this is not the time for disastrously bad numbers. Warner is in a really bad place right now:https://www.the-numbers.com/market/2023/summary Scroll down to the middle to get box office by distributor. They're 7th...and $160M of that $260M is from *bombs*. I wouldn't be surprised to hear major rumblings coming out of Warner in the next few months. WB is now being run by a reality TV producer with a real gift for pissing off writers, directors, and actors. It’s not going to get better anytime soon. Speaking of bombs, it’s not DC but I saw IJ5 today. It was pretty good—better than Temple of Doom at least—and it’s performing a bit better than Flash, but it somehow cost three hundred million dollars to make! There’s no way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starlord Posted July 5, 2023 Report Share Posted July 5, 2023 (edited) De-aging octogenarians is expensive.... Edited July 5, 2023 by Starlord slikmar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher R Taylor Posted July 5, 2023 Report Share Posted July 5, 2023 Quote WB is now being run by a reality TV producer with a real gift for pissing off writers, directors, and actors. Yeah, it must be that, not terrible writing, CGI, and starring a scumbag violent child grooming lunatic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted July 5, 2023 Report Share Posted July 5, 2023 Well, that's just for that one movie. The problems at Warner go deeper than what you name, which I imagine is why Old Man is talking about the prospects for future projects to be better. Old Man 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher R Taylor Posted July 5, 2023 Report Share Posted July 5, 2023 Oh they have problems for certain, but remember, all the stuff we're seeing released now was started before Zaslov ever was hired to try to fix the financial disaster WB backed its self into. Hopefully future stuff will be better, but I don't buy Gunn as the savior of anything except really bad jokes about little kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted July 6, 2023 Report Share Posted July 6, 2023 And bringing on a cost slasher does not bode well in any case, for one's future endeavors. Especially for action movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted July 6, 2023 Report Share Posted July 6, 2023 2 hours ago, unclevlad said: And bringing on a cost slasher does not bode well in any case, for one's future endeavors. Especially for action movies. Especially cost slashers who do things like cancel completed movies for the tax writeoff. It’s like taking over a car dealership and junking the cars on the lot so you don’t have to pay for gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted July 6, 2023 Report Share Posted July 6, 2023 Plus, wasn't this guy's goal to make theatrical movies the priority? Granted, these were rather far along, IIRC, before he took over, but what this mostly suggests is he may have little or no leash. He'll need to have a hit *soon*. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted July 6, 2023 Report Share Posted July 6, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, unclevlad said: Plus, wasn't this guy's goal to make theatrical movies the priority? Granted, these were rather far along, IIRC, before he took over, but what this mostly suggests is he may have little or no leash. He'll need to have a hit *soon*. Zaslav will fail, not just because he's another meddling suit, but because he's still falling into the trap of trying to create an EU at the expense of storytelling and character development. But the tragedy here is that he already had good standalone films to build on. Pattinson Batman quadrupled its $185M production cost. WW1 quintupled its production cost. Phoenix Joker made a billion dollars on $55M. Joker didn't even have Batman in it let alone crossovers with everyone in the DCEU. Give each DC character their own shows with their own tone and you've got something. Stop trying to emulate Marvel. If you know how the MCU came together, you know that even Marvel wouldn't be able to replicate its success. Edited July 6, 2023 by Old Man Ternaugh, Starlord and Lawnmower Boy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted July 11, 2023 Report Share Posted July 11, 2023 Speaking of Zaslav: GQ: How David Zaslav Became Public Enemy No. 1 in Hollywood Washington Post: How Warner Bros. Discovery Forced GQ to Rewrite and then Pull Article Explaining How David Zaslav Became Public Enemy No. 1 in Hollywood What is it about DC movies that attracts this kind of executive? Why can't we have nice things? Logan D. Hurricanes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher R Taylor Posted July 12, 2023 Report Share Posted July 12, 2023 (edited) Quote Zaslav will fail, not just because he's another meddling suit, but because he's still falling into the trap of trying to create an EU at the expense of storytelling and character development Well we don't know that yet, as the movies that are coming out now were in production before he took power. Blue Beetle will be the real test, will it be about good writing, acting, storytelling, and characters? Will he give the creators room to produce something or will he "meddle" as you put it (and execs at Disney do)? I am not particularly optimistic but I guess we'll see. DC proved the way to make a successful superhero movie, three times over the years, but each time they get it right, they seem to forget it. Great direction, great writing, solid acting, a director and writer that love the material and characters, and remembering what made the comic book work, leaning into that in the movies. Edited July 12, 2023 by Christopher R Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted July 12, 2023 Report Share Posted July 12, 2023 36 minutes ago, Christopher R Taylor said: DC proved the way to make a successful superhero movie, three times over the years, but each time they get it right, they seem to forget it. Great direction, great writing, solid acting, a director and writer that love the material and characters, and remembering what made the comic book work, leaning into that in the movies. It doesn't help that comics have forgotten what makes comic books work. Pattern Ghost, Lord Liaden, Logan D. Hurricanes and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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