Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Zack Snyder, 2016)

[flyonthewall2983]

I'm sure you've all heard or glanced the news about the sequel now. I think it's a bad idea. WB can't get a Justice League movie together in time for 2015 so this is their plan B.

[flyonthewall2983]

“Give me a call,” he says with a grin. And to hear Cranston tell it, he’s already given some thought as to getting into Luthor’s psyche. “I like Lex Luthor. I think he’s misunderstood. He’s a loveable, sweet man,” Cranston says.

[Jeff]

Ben Affleck has been cast as Batman in the sequel. Just when he was doing so well on the other side of the camera.

[knives]

I'm sure that while he's McDucking he'll care so much.

[flyonthewall2983]

I love the url. "He's Batman, man".

[Jeff]

I'm sure that while he's McDucking he'll care so much.

I'm sure WB are backing up a dump truck full of doubloons to Chez Affleck right now, and he probably gets a "Direct Whateverthefuck You Want" contract too, but I'd hate to see him return to Smirking Prettyboy Paycheck Land after coming so far.

[Professor Wagstaff]

Ever the Affleck apologist, only today I was rereading "Down and Dirty Pictures" and admiring the upward trajectory he's made of late compared to the state of his career as depicted by the end of the book. In hindsight we would have been better off with him directing Justice League (although who's to say that won't be a part of whatever sizable deal he scored here).

[dx23]

Apparently Warner forgot how bad Affleck was in Daredevil. This is a horrible casting decision that shows how WB/DC Comics don't know how to do superhero films the way Marvel Comics have done it. Their rumored first option was Armie Hammer, who ruined his chances after the Lone Ranger bombed. Now, the get Affleck who has rebuilt his career by directing great films, not by acting (although he was decent in Argo). Why was it so hard to bring Bale back to the fold? Is not like he that choosy with his roles as he has done bad films like Terminator Salvation.

By the way, when I saw the news of this, I really thought that it was an April's Fool prank.

[domino harvey]

It's a shame that Clooney was the best Batman in the worst Batman

[flyonthewall2983]

What I don't like about this primarily is that this attention to this bit of casting is going to take all the focus away from Superman, whether the movie does or not. Which could spell disaster in terms of word-of-mouth for the movie in the end.

[dx23]

It's a shame that Clooney was the best Batman in the worst Batman

I always thought the same. Clooney would have been the best Batman if he had done a good Batman film. Unfortunately, he was part on the worst superhero movie ever.

If they didn't want to bring Bale back, or if he didn't want to come back, they should have gone with someone with less popularity or notoriety. My choice would have been Anton Mount from Hell on Wheels. I think he has the complete package to play Batman, including the voice.

[flyonthewall2983]

I like the idea of Josh Brolin doing it. I think Affleck might be just a few years younger, but Josh would have brought more age (in a good way I think) to the role, if they wanted to go in that direction.

[dx23]

Well, Josh Brolin didn't work out in another recent DC Movie, Jonah Hex.

[flyonthewall2983]

And there would be a conflict of interest if they want Mrs. Clark to return.

[Professor Wagstaff]

Though I agree with the aforementioned praise for Clooney, I think we benefited from Hollywood's early failure to spin him into an action star. He mostly stayed away from the Mimi Leder and Joel Schumacher types after that and went for the auteurs. Who knows if his crucial collaborative turn with Soderbergh would have come to pass if he was busy making "Batman vs. Superman".

[flyonthewall2983]

I thought it interesting that on his IMDB page it said that Soderbergh wanted to do Fantastic Four with Clooney and James Gandolfini as The Thing.

[colinr0380]

Though I agree with the aforementioned praise for Clooney, I think we benefited from Hollywood's early failure to spin him into an action star. He mostly stayed away from the Mimi Leder and Joel Schumacher types after that and went for the auteurs. Who knows if his crucial collaborative turn with Soderbergh would have come to pass if he was busy making "Batman vs. Superman".

A very good point and itself is something that maybe Affleck had to deal with more given that the auteur he is perhaps most associated with as an actor, Kevin Smith, did not make films that received the same arthouse acclaim. Except maybe for Dogma.

[domino harvey]

Bryan Cranston is Lex Luthor

[The Narrator Returns]

Zach Snyder, you nefarious bastard.

[tenia]

"Regarding Ben Affleck, we are told he has allegedly a 13-appearance deal for Batman."

[Zot!]

"Regarding Ben Affleck, we are told he has allegedly a 13-appearance deal for Batman."

I assume they are trying to build a Marvel-like film universe, where Batman might have a small role in a Justice League movie or something. Even this kick-off film is not a straight-up Batman movie.

[Professor Wagstaff]

Affleck's apparently dropped out of his directing gigs ("Tell No One" remake, "The Stand", maybe even his upcoming Dennis Lehane adaptation).

[flyonthewall2983]

I'm more interested if he drops out of Gone Girl which means Fincher could fall back onto The Girl Who Played With Fire (I hope).

[georgec]

Bring on the Batfleck!

[flyonthewall2983]

Bryan Cranston is Lex Luthor

I want to believe it, but that source is quite iffy and nobody else is reporting on it.