Jared Leto’s Joker Expected in Suicide Squad 2 & Gotham City Sirens

 

Jared Leto’s The Joker, which originally appeared in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad last year, is expected to return in future DCEU installments Suicide Squad 2 and Gotham City Sirens. Warner Bros. has been building up their DC Comics shared universe, the DC Extended Universe, since Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel in 2013, but the superhero world truly launched in the director’s 2016 followup, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. The DCEU continued to expand in Suicide Squad and Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman, to the point that all the major players for Justice League have been introduced – as well as plenty of villains in the DC-inspired universe.

Suicide Squad in particular introduced fan-favorite villains like Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), and the Clown Prince of Crime himself, The Joker (Leto) – though the latter wasn’t included on the titular team of anti-heroes. Now, amidst news of Warner Bros. launching a new banner in the studio to develop non-DCEU-related adaptations of DC Comics characters, it’s been confirmed that Leto will reprise his role as The Joker in two upcoming DCEU installments.

In Deadline’s report on the Joker origin story movie, the publication mentions Leto “will reprise in the Suicide Squad sequel and the Harley Quinn spinoff.” Currently, neither Suicide Squad 2 – which doesn’t have a director attached – nor Gotham City Sirens have confirmed release dates in the DCEU, though Warner Bros. does have a pair staked out in 2020 for as yet unknown DC Comics movies.

Of course, Joker appearing in the Suicide Squad sequel and Gotham City Sirens likely won’t surprise DC fans, since the Clown Prince of Crime appeared in Ayer’s first villain team-up film and the character is closely tied to Harley Quinn – both in the comics and in the DCEU. Still, even as recently as last month, Leto refused to confirm he’d be in Suicide Squad 2 or if he’d be involved in Gotham City Sirens, so it was unclear whether he would reprise his role in either films. Now, those who enjoyed Leto’s portrayal of The Joker – which was divisive from the start, but did win over many fans – can hopefully look forward to the actor reprising his take on the character in future movies.

That said, Suicide Squad 2 is still without a director and Gotham City Sirens is still in the early stages of development – and neither film was included on Warner Bros’ DCEU slate at Comic-Con. So it’s possible either or both movies will go through some creative changes before they eventually hit theaters, meaning Leto’s Joker may not be involved in the final films that fans get to see. While it certainly makes sense for The Joker to return for Suicide Squad 2 and Gotham City Sirens, Leto’s actual future involvement in the DCEU remains to be seen until Warner Bros. moves forward with these particular entries.

KEY RELEASE DATES
Justice League release date: Nov 17, 2017
Aquaman release date: Dec 21, 2018
Shazam! release date: Apr 5, 2019
Wonder Woman 2 release date: Dec 13, 2019
Cyborg release date: Apr 3, 2020
Green Lantern Corps. release date: Jul 24, 2020

Warner Bros Developing The Joker Origin Movie; Not DCEU Related?

Warner Bros. is developing a movie about the origin story for The Joker that will not be part of the DC Extended Universe. WB is only a few years into launching the DCEU and has done so to varying levels of success. Financially, the films have been box office hits, while the critical reception had been mixed at best, prior to Wonder Woman‘s success. The studio has no intentions on stopping the DCEU or its lineup, and has several projects currently in development with release dates staked out till 2020.

But, the DCEU is not enough for the studio. WB is now intent on creating a new banner of the studio that will further explore the DC Comics characters at their disposal in new and interesting ways. To kick this off, an origin story for Batman’s most iconic villain is in store.

Deadline is reporting that The Joker will be the first film to come out of this new banner and has already lined up a director, writers, and one mega producer. The Hangover‘s Todd Phillips will direct the origin film with 8 Mile‘s Scott Silver co-writing alongside him. They will be backed by none other than Martin Scorsese as a producer, but THR cautions his involvement is still fluid. The film will star a new actor in the role, with this report pointing to a possible 1980s setting.

Moviegoing audiences have already seen three live-action portrayals of Joker, with Jared Leto’s being the most recent and controversial, but none have explored the character in this way – especially not with him being the focal point. What makes this film even more intriguing is it not being attached to the DCEU. This will allow the creatives involved to tell truly original and standalone films that take characters in drastically different directions than the main DCEU story, almost like the Red Son Superman movie Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts is keen on.

With so many shared universes popping up in Hollywood, this is one way for WB to keep their comic book movie lineup fresh and different. Even though the clamor for a Joker origin story may not be there now, the possibilities that WB would have with this new banner are unlimited. They would have the freedom to tell any story they desired and take a similar approach to their Elseworld comics. The lack of continuity holds the potential for something new, but also creates the chance for confusion.

The question still remains why they would launch this idea with a Joker film that is already being criticized. A Joker origin story is not something many comic fans want to know, and it is an odd move to make with the DCEU finally hitting its stride. It will undoubtedly be confusing for many to see a young Joker film one year and then see Leto reprise the role with a different take in a different universe soon after. Recasting Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and so on for these films would also be surprising, possibly eliminating them from these stories.

Clearly, this announcement raises a lot of questions, but also presents WB and DC’s characters with plenty of possibilities. With The Joker just starting to be developed, it may be some time before we start to learn more.

KEY RELEASE DATES
Justice League release date: Nov 17, 2017
Aquaman release date: Dec 21, 2018
Shazam! release date: Apr 5, 2019
Wonder Woman 2 release date: Dec 13, 2019
Cyborg release date: Apr 3, 2020
Green Lantern Corps. release date: Jul 24, 2020

Justice League: Zack Snyder Reveals New BTS Aquaman Image

Justice League director Zack Snyder has released a new behind the scenes image from the production of November’s hotly anticipated DC team up film. It features Jason Momoa in all his Aquaman glory, and Snyder suggests it was the last shot of Momoa during Justice League’s Iceland shoot.

Justice League is DC’s superhero team up answer to Marvel’s Avengers. It’s set to feature Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg uniting to take on the threat of Steppenwolf, who is a powerful lieutenant of the uber-baddie Darkseid, the Lord of Apokolips. With the absence of Superman and the Green Lantern Corps, Steppenwolf decides Earth is ripe for the conquering.

Director Zack Snyder had to step aside from the film’s production in the wake of a family tragedy, but he’s still voicing his enthusiasm for the film. Per Reddit, Snyder has shared a striking new images of Jason Momoa’s Aquaman via his Vero account with the caption “Last shot of Jason in Iceland #JL.” Check out the image below.

It’s unclear if Snyder is suggesting this was the last shot filmed, the last scene of the movie, or simply the last day of shooting with Momoa, but whatever the case it’s likely a moot point. Following Snyder’s departure, Avengers director Joss Whedon – who had been brought in by Snyder earlier to add some scenes to the movie – took over directorial duties, and there has been a nonstop whirlwind of news and rumors revolving around how much of the film Whedon has been tasked with changing. While some reports have suggested Whedon is simply putting the finishing touches on Snyder’s vision (with some rumors even suggesting that Snyder could soon return to the production), others have suggested that an early cut of Snyder’s footage was “unwatchable,” and Whedon has not only changed some bits of dialogue, but has altered the film’s tone and plot in massive ways, bringing it more in line with the earnest charm of this summer’s biggest superhero hit, Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman.

While it’s unclear how much of Snyder’s vision will still be on display in the final product (and with rumors swirling that his involvement with future DC films will be limited, at best), it’s heartening to see Snyder’s passion for the world of these heroes is still on display. He’s been a dogged cheerleader for the DCEU through thick and thin, and no matter what direction the franchise’s future films may take, his enthusiasm and signature visual style are embedded in the DCEU’s DNA.

KEY RELEASE DATES
Justice League release date: Nov 17, 2017
Aquaman release date: Dec 21, 2018
Shazam! release date: Apr 5, 2019
Wonder Woman 2 release date: Dec 13, 2019

David Bowie Would Have Been One of the Original Guardians of the Galaxy

James Gunn reveals what role he had intended for David Bowie to play in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The film — which was the long-awaited sequel to Gunn’s first Guardians — and was one of the more intimate films that Marvel Studios has ever released. But just because the film’s main story was all focused on the relationships between each of the Guardians team members and their own estranged familial relatives, Gunn still managed to pack in more than a few cameos and Easter eggs along the way. That, in addition, to some of the most visually-stunning and zanier action sequences that any Marvel film has boasted to date.

Perhaps none of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Easter eggs were quite as notable as the reveal that Sylvester Stallone was actually playing Starhawk, the leader of the original Guardians of the Galaxy team from the comics. And as the film’s ending and one of its many post-credits scenes revealed, Gunn even managed to introduce the rest of the original Guardians onscreen as well, much to the surprise and excitement of longtime comic book readers everywhere.

As it turns out, Gunn came very close to casting another pop-culture icon as one of the original Guardians. During a Facebook Live! Q&A this afternoon, the writer and director revealed that he had approached none other than David Bowie to play one of the team members, prior to the famous musician and actor’s death in January 2016. Gunn did not, however, reveal which of the characters he had intended for Bowie to play.

Gunn previously revealed that he and Kevin Feige had approached David Bowie about a cameo role in Guardians 2, before Bowie passed away, but at that time did not reveal how or who he would have played had he actually been in the film. But for what it’s worth, Bowie still managed to have a small presence in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, with his song, “Moonage Daydream,” being featured on the soundtrack of the first Guardians film.

Without Bowie, the lineup of original Guardians wound up being played by Michael Rosenbaum (Martinex), Michelle Yeoh (Aleta), Ving Rhames (Charlie-27), Stallone (Starhawk), Mainframe (Miley Cyrus), and Krugarr. And while fans only got to spend some very brief time with that team in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, there is still the possibility of the original Guardians returning again sometime in the future, according to Gunn himself. Whether or not any of that actually comes to fruition, though, remains to be seen.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is now available in multiple home release formats.

Marvel is Considering Richard Rider Nova for Cosmic Movies

Writer and director James Gunn is not only returning to direct Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and executive producing Avengers: Infinity War, but he’s also helping plan out the long-term future of the cosmic side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or at least, the next 10-20 years worth! And for you Nova fans out there, yes, he and Marvel Studios are indeed considering introducing the “real” Nova, Richard Rider.

That last part is a nod to Marvel Comics character Sam Alexander as asked by a fan during a live Facebook Q&A hosted by James Gunn today as the last question.

“Yes, definitely. Nova comes up occasionally as someone we might use. One of the things I’m doing with creating Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – that will take place after the next two Avengers movies – and it will help to setup the next 10-20 years of Marvel movies. It’s going to really expand the cosmic universe. We’re going to be setting up new characters. It will be the last movie of this version of Guardians of the Galaxy.”

Sam, the younger and newer Nova, wasn’t quite as well received as Rider when the Nova comic series was rebooted in recent years in Marvel Comics. More recently the original Richard Rider Nova returned though and the pair teamed up. Still, for anyone who knows the best of modern Marvel cosmic, the quintessential Nova adventures arguably come from Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s (collectively referred to as “DnA” by fans) genius run of stories from 2006-2011 featuring a mature Nova Prime serving as the last surviving member of the faction. It’s Abnett and Lanning’s work that relaunched the Guardians of the Galaxy as we currently know them (with Peter Quill as their leader) and it’s this very work that served as inspiration for James Gunn’s live-action Guardians of the Galaxy movies.

Nova (Richard Rider) and Star-Lord (Peter Quill) Cover Art

Gunn even had Abnett and Lanning re-team to do the official tie-in comic for the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. It’d be wonderful if they get a chance to do something similar in the future if Nova gets his own film. And to be clear, Nova was indeed introduced in the first Guardians of the Galaxy as a police force of sorts protecting Xandar – the planet that Ronan the Accuser aimed to destroy during the climax of the film. Their key members were played by Peter Serafinowicz, Glenn Close, and John C. Reilly but this take on Nova Corps treated its membership as pilots and guards and little more, despite being from a planet just getting out of an intergalactic war (with Ronan’s blue-skinned people, the Kree). In the comics Nova members are super-powered protectors of the galaxy as a whole and do a lot more than fly tiny little ships that make weird energy webs.

How Gunn, Marvel Studios boss and planner Kevin Feige, and Marvel Studios address the significant discrepancy between what’s been shown in the MCU and what’s in the comics remains to be seen but it’s easy to consider a situation where the Nova Corps we saw was only a fraction of the organization. And after their embarrassing failure to stop one, unarmed falling brick of ship (the Dark Aster) from easily entering the atmosphere of their capital city and Nova headquarters, perhaps it’s time to invest in something more powerful, maybe even developing the Worldmind (a sentient supercomputer) – the source and database of the Nova Corps power and knowledge in the comics.

KEY RELEASE DATES
Thor: Ragnarok release date: Nov 3, 2017
The Avengers: Infinity War release date: May 4, 2018
The Avengers 4 / Untitled Avengers Movie release date: May 3, 2019
Ant-Man & The Wasp release date: Jul 6, 2018
Captain Marvel release date: Mar 8, 2019
Black Panther release date: Feb 16, 2018

Bill Nighy Would ‘Love’ To Return for Pirates of the Caribbean 6

Bill Nighy had no idea that Davy Jones appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, but he would love to return for the sequel. The English actor made his debut as the infamous pirate in the franchise’s second installment, Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest, in which he played the main villain. Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow had made a deal with the Flying Dutchman’s captain to resurrect the Black Pearl from the ocean’s depths. By the time Dead Man’s Chest rolls around, it was time for Sparrow to repay his debt.

Of course, various things ensued, and the East India Trading Company, along with the British Royal Navy, ended up with Davy Jones’ heart. In the series’ third chapter, At World’s End, Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner was dying, so Sparrow helped him stab Jones’ heart, thereby killing the infamous pirate while subsequently becoming the newest captain of the Flying Dutchman. That was the last time audiences saw Davy Jones until he showed up once again in the Dead Men Tell No Tales post-credits scene. The thing is, Nighy never knew that.

In an interview with Empire Magazine, Nighy said that he wasn’t aware that his tentacled character, Davy Jones, had cameoed in the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film since he, presumably, hadn’t seen it yet. It wasn’t until his cab driver mentioned it that he was made aware of the cameo:

“I didn’t know anything about it until about a week ago. The cab driver said, ‘Are you doing the next one?’ I said, ‘No. I didn’t know there was a next one.’ He said, ‘Well, you were in the last one’. I said, ‘No I wasn’t’. He said, ‘Yes, you were’. So that’s all I know. You probably know more than I do.”

Since the character didn’t have any dialogue and only appeared as a silhouette, thus implying his resurrection, it makes sense that Nighy wouldn’t have known about the cameo. Still, it’s surprising that Disney wouldn’t at least discuss the possibility of Davy Jones’ return with the actor before having him appear in the post-credits scene, since that implies his possible return in an eventual sequel, should the studio choose to move forward with another installment. Thankfully, if they do plan on bringing back the Dutchman’s former captain, Nighy is all up for reprising his role: “I’d love to be in [another Pirates movie]. I’d be there like a shot. But I have not been approached.”

Currently, there are no immediate plans to develop another Pirates installment, but the last film’s post-credits scene indicates that, should Pirates of the Caribbean 6 move forward, the original trio – Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and Captain Jack Sparrow – will return to defeat Davy Jones, who would presumably be back as the Flying Dutchman’s captain once again. After all, the Dutchman always needs a captain.

Edge of Tomorrow 2 Happening Due To ‘Fan Affection’

The Tom Cruise sci-fi action sequel Edge of Tomorrow 2 (aka Live Die Repeat and Repeat) is only happening because fans have expressed so much overwhelming affection for the original movie, says director Doug Liman. Though the first Edge of Tomorrow was only a modest box office success (at best), the movie did well with critics and has built up a cult following since its release in 2014.

With Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in the lead roles and an intriguing premise about a time-looping soldier battling invading aliens, Edge of Tomorrow (which was originally titled Live Die Repeat) looked like a solid box office bet going into the summer of 2014. However, Warner Bros. had trouble marketing the somewhat odd-ball movie to summer audiences looking for straightforward popcorn entertainment and the film wound up taking in only $100 million domestically, making it an unlikely candidate for a sequel. However, a sequel is currently in development with stars Cruise and Blunt both returning.

Speaking to Flickering Myth, the otherwise sequel-averse Liman discussed his reasons for revisiting Edge of Tomorrow, saying he only took on the project because fans pushed for it:

“I was not going to make a sequel to Edge of Tomorrow, I’m not really interested in sequels, I’m interested in trying new things, new places. But we came up with an idea for a sequel that’s so shockingly revolutionary for how a sequel would get made, and it’s so fresh and it’s such a fun story. We only even started talking about a sequel because there was so much fan affection for the movie, that people started asking us about a sequel. There was so much love for the film. It used to be that people come up to me and talked to me about The Bourne Identity. But Edge of Tomorrow is the one that people constantly come up and talk to me about. There’s so much affection for the movie we at least owe looking at it to see if there’s an idea for a sequel and we came an idea that I can’t stop talking about.”

                                                    Tom Cruise and Doug Liman working on Edge of Tomorrow

Liman has called Edge of Tomorrow 2 “a sequel that’s a prequel,” promising the movie will make sense out of the original film’s enigmatic ending while also providing a more satisfying arc for Cruise’s character (who in the first movie was a tad cowardly). Liman has said a few times that Edge 2 will “revolutionize the way sequels get made,” though no one is quite certain what exactly he means by that.

Clearly Liman is excited by the ideas he has in place for Edge 2, but even if the movie ultimately finds its way to theaters, there’s no guarantee it won’t run into the same marketing issues that stymied the original movie. Edge of Tomorrow‘s crazy time-looping narrative was originally going to be a big selling-point but the studio elected to back off that idea, fearing audiences were getting confused, and giving the movie a bland re-title – hoping Cruise’s name plus the prospect of him battling aliens again would be enough to sell it. (It wasn’t.)

The very same loopy narrative that made Edge of Tomorrow so hard for Warner Bros. to market also happens to be one of the things its die-hard fans love about it. By the sound of it, Liman won’t be backing off the time-looping structure for Edge of Tomorrow 2, and might be pushing things to become even more wild and complicated and potentially unmarketable. Will Cruise and Liman get it right this time or is Live Die Repeat and Repeat doomed to repeat the first movie’s box office missteps?