Amy Adams is a versatile actress known for her captivating performances across various genres. With a career spanning decades, Adams has showcased her talent in numerous acclaimed films. From enchanting audiences as a fairy-tale princess in Enchanted to delivering powerful dramatic roles in Doubt and Arrival, she consistently impresses with her depth and range. Adams’ versatility shines through in each role, earning her critical acclaim and multiple award nominations, solidifying her status as one of Hollywood’s most talented and beloved actresses.
Top 9 Amy Adams’ Movies on Netflix
Big Eyes (January 9, 2015)
In the film Big Eyes, Amy Adams portrays Margaret Keane, a talented artist whose paintings of wide-eyed children become a sensation in the 1950s and 1960s. Despite her remarkable artistic abilities, Margaret’s work is initially attributed to her husband, Walter Keane, played by Christoph Waltz, who takes credit for her creations. As Margaret’s paintings garner widespread acclaim, she struggles to assert her own identity and claim recognition for her art. Amy Adams delivers a nuanced and poignant performance, capturing Margaret’s journey of empowerment and self-discovery in the face of artistic exploitation and societal expectations. Her portrayal is both captivating and emotionally resonant.
The Fighter is a gripping sports drama film directed by David O. Russell, released in 2010. The film follows the real-life story of professional boxer Micky Ward, played by Mark Wahlberg, and his tumultuous relationship with his family, particularly his older half-brother, Dicky Eklund, portrayed by Christian Bale. Amy Adams stars as Charlene Fleming, Micky’s tough and supportive girlfriend, who encourages him to break free from his family’s influence and pursue his boxing career independently. Adams delivers a compelling performance, imbuing Charlene with strength, resilience, and unwavering loyalty. Her portrayal adds depth to the film’s exploration of family dynamics, redemption, and the pursuit of one’s dreams.
Justice League (November 17, 2017)
Justice League is a superhero film released in 2017, directed by Zack Snyder. Amy Adams stars in the film as Lois Lane, a fearless journalist and love interest of Clark Kent, also known as Superman, played by Henry Cavill. As a key member of the ensemble cast, Adams brings depth and humanity to her role, portraying Lois as a determined and compassionate character who stands by Superman’s side in the battle against supervillains threatening Earth. Adams’ performance adds emotional weight to the film, highlighting Lois Lane’s importance not only as a love interest but also as a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.
Hillbilly Elegy (November 11, 2020)
Hillbilly Elegy is a drama film released in 2020, directed by Ron Howard. Amy Adams stars in the film as Bev Vance, a troubled mother grappling with addiction and family dynamics in rural Appalachia. Portraying a complex and deeply flawed character, Adams delivers a raw and powerful performance, capturing Bev’s struggles with substance abuse and her tumultuous relationship with her son, J.D. Vance, played by Gabriel Basso. Through her nuanced portrayal, Adams brings depth and empathy to Bev’s character, shedding light on the challenges faced by working-class families and the resilience required to overcome adversity in pursuit of a better life.
Nocturnal Animals (November 23, 2016)
Nocturnal Animals is a psychological thriller released in 2016, directed by Tom Ford. In the film, Amy Adams plays the role of Susan Morrow, a successful art gallery owner who receives a manuscript from her ex-husband, Edward Sheffield, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. As Susan reads Edward’s novel, she becomes consumed by its dark and unsettling story, which parallels their past relationship. Amy Adams delivers a haunting and introspective performance, capturing Susan’s inner turmoil and regrets as she confronts the consequences of her past actions. Adams’ portrayal adds layers of complexity to the film, exploring themes of guilt, redemption, and the blurred lines between reality and fiction.
Vice (December 25, 2018)
Vice is a biographical comedy-drama film released in 2018, directed by Adam McKay. In the film, Amy Adams portrays Lynne Cheney, the wife of former Vice President Dick Cheney, played by Christian Bale. Adams delivers a commanding performance as Lynne, capturing her intelligence, ambition, and influence in shaping her husband’s political career. Through her portrayal, Adams highlights Lynne’s complex relationship with power and her unwavering support for Cheney’s political aspirations. Adams’ nuanced performance adds depth to the film, offering insight into the dynamics of one of the most powerful couples in American politics.
The Woman in the Window (May 14, 2021)
The Woman in the Window is a psychological thriller film released in 2021, directed by Joe Wright. In the film, Amy Adams stars as Anna Fox, an agoraphobic psychologist who spends her days observing her neighbors from the windows of her New York City brownstone. When Anna witnesses a disturbing event in the home across the street, her life takes a dark and twisted turn as she becomes entangled in a web of secrets and deception. Amy Adams delivers a captivating performance, portraying Anna with depth and vulnerability as she navigates paranoia and reality in her quest for the truth. Adams’ portrayal adds suspense and intensity to the film, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Arrival (September 2, 2016)
Arrival is a science fiction film released in 2016, directed by Denis Villeneuve. In the film, Amy Adams portrays Dr. Louise Banks, a linguist recruited by the military to communicate with extraterrestrial visitors who have arrived on Earth. As Dr. Banks attempts to decipher the aliens’ language and intentions, she grapples with her own personal grief and experiences profound revelations about time, language, and humanity’s place in the universe. Amy Adams delivers a mesmerizing performance, capturing Dr. Banks’ intelligence, empathy, and emotional depth as she navigates the complexities of first contact. Adams’ portrayal adds emotional resonance to the film, elevating it beyond the typical sci-fi genre fare into a thought-provoking exploration of communication and connection.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (March 25, 2016)
In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, a superhero film released in 2016 and directed by Zack Snyder, Amy Adams reprises her role as Lois Lane, the intrepid journalist and love interest of Superman. As the film delves into the conflict between Batman and Superman, Lois plays a pivotal role in uncovering the truth behind the escalating tensions and confronting the forces threatening the world. Amy Adams brings depth and authenticity to her portrayal of Lois Lane, showcasing her tenacity, intelligence, and unwavering support for Superman amidst the chaos and turmoil. Adams’ performance adds emotional resonance to the film, grounding the superhero spectacle in human drama and relationships.
Man of Steel (June 14, 2013)
In Man of Steel, a superhero film released in 2013 and directed by Zack Snyder, Amy Adams stars as Lois Lane, the fearless journalist determined to uncover the truth about the mysterious figure known as Superman. As Superman grapples with his identity and destiny, Lois becomes entangled in his journey, forming a deep connection with the alien superhero. Amy Adams delivers a compelling performance as Lois Lane, capturing her intelligence, bravery, and unwavering pursuit of justice. Adams’ portrayal adds depth and humanity to the film, grounding the epic superhero story in relatable characters and emotional resonance.
Earlier in the week, My Dad the Bounty Hunter creator Patrick Harpin and Yuhki Demers, a visual artist on Sony Animation’s Spider-Verse films, revealed their concept art for an animated Batman Beyond movie they’re trying to get made. They’re both fully aware nothing might come of this, and talks are still happening. But it didn’t stop said art from going viral, both because it looks really cool, and also because it’s Batman Beyond, a fan-favorite character who’s always felt like he’s within spitting distance of a big bat-break.
If you work in a creative field, you likely have to pitch something to your boss before actually starting on it. That’s particularly true in animation, and that’s doubtful to change anytime soon. But there’s something ugly, for lack of a better word, in seeing Harpin and Demers have to publicly rally for support to prove their project’s “worthy” in this way to WB. It wasn’t that long ago that we learned the studio’s executives, led by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, are likely going to cancel Coyote vs. Acmewithout really considering any of the deals offered to them, or having actually seen the film. The people in charge of WB seem very anti-art in a way that makes this all come off as rather cruel, especially when folks have been so vocal about their love for Batman Beyond over the years.
Legacy superheroes have become so widespread nowadays, but Terry McGinnis was an early example of that working to great success. Separate from their love of Batman: The Animated Series, fans have had an affection for 1999-2001 animated series BatmanBeyond and Terry’s exploits as the Batman of Neo-Gotham. It wasn’t just that the show was offering a new take on the Dark Knight, it was also really good and not just coasting off the novelty of a teenager in a high-tech Batsuit. And while he briefly showed up in Justice League Unlimited, DC didn’t make any active moves to continue Terry’s story, and largely closed the book on him after JLU revealed he was Bruce’s son.
Comics-wise, Terry’s actually been doing fairly well for himself in the past decade, where he was weaved into the prime DC universe. In his recent solo runs, he’s crossed paths with more recent Batman mainstays like Damian Wayne and the Court of Owls, and he’s now at the point where he’s on his own now that Bruce is dead. Yet even with that, WB has never tried to give him a bigger presence outside of the comics: a live-acton Batman Beyond movie was junked several years ago, much like an animated one rumored in 2019. He hasn’t been revived via the animated movies that WB likes to put out three or four of every year, and he doesn’t even have a video game presence beyond being costumes for Bruce in the Lego or Arkham games.
Outside of comics, WB has always handled Batman’s supporting cast oddly. Sometimes it puts embargoes on specific characters so there can’t be multiple versions; sometimes other characters can headline shows for about half a decade or be a supporting player in the story of another, bigger Batman character. The studio constantly overcomplicates itself for no real reason, and the same is true here—it loves Batman to death, and DC’s often been at its best when animated. Harpin and Demers’ hypothetical movie checks both those boxes, and gives audiences something they’ve never seen in theaters before: Batman being a detective in the cyberpunk future is a cool idea! And again, folks have been clamoring for more Terry for years.
Image: Warner Bros. Animation
In a sane universe, a Batman Beyond movie in a Spider-Verse art style would probably be out by now. But this WB is trying to burn money and stall for time ahead of a likely buyout, so we’re watching an interesting idea by a pair of creators more than eager to work on it be held hostage. Batman Beyond isn’t owed this just because Harpin and Demers asked, or even because he’s been around for 25 years. What he’s owed is a legitimate chance to have something with him move forward with people who care about the property at the helm. But the focus on the bottom line means WB will be making moves that are more dystopian than the actual dystopia of Gotham City 2049.
The Batmobiles on display at this year’s Autorama.
Just as the character Batman has been rebooted and reimagined over the years, so has his trusty Batmobile, which might be the ultimate expression of hot rod culture. That was certainly the case in 2022’s The Batman, whose scrappy superhero drove a retro-inspired, souped-up muscle car. Among the more than 800 hot rods and custom cars that will be showcased in this year’s Autorama in March are five generations of the Batmobile, including the rides from the playful 1966 TV series starring Adam West, Tim Burton’s Batman Returns starring Michael Keaton in 1992, 1995’s Batman Forever with Val Kilmer, the 2005 “Tumbler” from Batman Begins starring Christian Bale, and 2017’s Justice League with Ben Affleck. This year’s show will also feature vehicles owned by the real-life daredevil Evel Kneivel, including his famous X2 Skyrocket, the Snake River Rocket Concept Trike, and the Formula Dragster, as well as GM’s 50 millionth car, a gold-plated 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Coupe. There will also be celebrity guests including Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider and Noel G from the Fast & Furious series, as well as the Miss Autorama pin-up contest. And, as usual, the exhibitors will be competing for the Ridler Award — no, that Riddler!
Tekken 8 has been out since January 26 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. While you might be tempted to jump straight into its online matches, which you’re not prepared for—trust me—you should check out the game’s story mode first. Not only does it introduce you to many ofTekken 8‘s characters and themes, but it also sets up a bombastic, relentlessly over-the-top narrative about breaking the chains that hold us back. And it’s a great way to acclimate yourself to some of the game’s new mechanics. This is a story mode you shouldn’t miss. – Levi Winslow Read More
After years of trailers, delays, controversy, and leaks, Rocksteady’s big, live-service, open-world, villain-themed, DC third-person looter shooter—Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League—is finally out (for real). The narrative that has formed around this game over the last few years has grown as large and epic as a superhero movie. Some folks want Suicide Squad to crash and burn. Others want it to succeed, hoping Rocksteady has built something amazing, a game worth their money and time. Sadly, as with many modern superhero films, the ending to this saga is anticlimactic and won’t appease either folks hungry for blood or hopeful for fun. Instead, what we have here is something decidedly middle-of-the-road.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice Leagueis not only developed by Rocksteady, the makers of the popular Arkham games, but also set in that same universe. The game takes place a few years after the end of Arkham Knight. Batman faked his death, joined up with the Justice League, and headed over to Metropolis to be super pals with Wonder Woman, Superman, Flash, and Green Lantern. Things were going well, until Brainiac and his alien minions arrived, mind-controlled all of them—except Wonder Woman—and turned the powerful heroes against their own planet. Now, it’s up to Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, and Deadshot—DC supervillains with bombs implanted in their heads—to save the world by, well, as the game’s name implies, killing the Justice League.
While the Suicide Squad’s story never truly surprised me or broke any new ground in the superhero genre, it’s still a well-written comic book adventure with enough twists and turns to keep you hooked. It also helps that every character in the game, even those barely involved in the action, are fleshed out, with their own goals, flaws, personalities, and feelings.
WB Games / Gamespot
As you might expect, Harley, Deadshot, King Shark, and Boomerang get the biggest spotlight. Rocksteady has done a fantastic job not just visually capturing these characters with some of the best-looking faces I’ve seen this generation, but also making them feel distinct. Each character in the squad also has their own arc and they all intertwine throughout the game so that by the end I was totally on board with these loser misfits coming together to save the day. It also helps that their dialogue—both in the game’s gorgeous cutscenes and out in the open world during gameplay—is peppered with solid jokes and genuine moments of reflection and growth.
But boy howdy, is this game talkative! I lost count of the number of times when up to three different conversations were happening all at once, sometimes overlapping each other or completely blocking out important or interesting lore. To the game’s credit, I didn’t hear many repeated chats, but sadly, I also missed a lot of stuff because while the squad was chatting about one thing, I’d shoot a drone and trigger a conversation about something else, ending the one that was already happening. Still, even overlapping dialogue isn’t too bad. What is bad is almost everything else between the dialogue and cutscenes.
Over and over and over…
Suicide Squad’s main campaign features a strong and impressive intro that quickly establishes the “heroes,” explains how the team’s boss—Amanda Waller—controls them, and sets up the stakes of the invasion. This confident and perfectly paced first few hours instantly won me over. However, once the game opens up more and lets you loose in its digital city, things quickly go downhill. Do you like guarding locations, shooting crystals, or saving people? Well, I hope so, because that’s basically all this game is outside of the intro and a few boss fights.
The structure of Suicide Squad goes like this: You watch a cool cutscene, learn what the next step is in the plan to save the world, and then do a type of mission that you’ve already done before but maybe in a new location or with some new enemies. Maybe. Repeat that for about 15 to 20 hours depending on how much of the game’s side content you check out. (Though, be warned, all the side content in this game beyond Riddler challenges are the same types of missions you do in the main campaign.)
It’s a credit to Suicide Squad’s fantastic and satisfying combat that during most of these missions, I wasn’t bored out of my mind. But I’d be lying if I said I was having fun guarding the same plants or destroying the same crystals over and over and over again. At one point, I was tasked with escorting a slow-moving vehicle through a dangerous area. Normally, escort missions aren’t anything to celebrate, but it was a completely new type of mission, after 10 hours of play. I was pumped! And then that same type of mission popped back up multiple times afterward. (And yeah, escort missions still suck.)
Worse, Rocksteady seems to understand how boring this might be, so some missions add annoying modifiers that force players to complete missions in specific ways. The problem is that sometimes these mods—like enemies only dying to grenades—didn’t fit with my character’s build. While you can switch between all four playable villains at any point in the open world when playing solo, during missions you are stuck with whoever you started the mission as. This made some missions extremely frustrating.
It’s a shame because, as I said, the combat in this game is awesome. Top-notch shit. Guns feel dangerous and loud. Blasting purple alien monsters with a sniper rifle that sets them and nearby baddies on fire remained fun even after I did it 200 times. Also, shout-out to the shotguns in this game. They destroy enemies and feel incredible. I also enjoyed how mobile each squad member is, even the big tank-like character King Shark. Zipping around as a giant shark with a chaingun or flying around with a jetpack as Deadshot during big firefights is fun, even if I’m doing the same missions I’ve done a number of times before.
Screenshot: WB Games / Kotaku
There’s also a lot to dig into with the game’s combat system. There are elemental afflictions, various stats that can be modded, perks that can be unlocked, attributes to improve, ways to earn back your shield, ways to counter enemy attacks using precisely timed special moves, and a host of other things to keep in mind during and outside of fights. At times it can feel overwhelming and I imagine most players will pick a few strong guns, upgrade them when needed, and do fine. But for folks who like to really get into a game and craft perfect builds with tons of synergy, Suicide Squad provides more than enough options.
Funnily enough, for the most part, at least, you can ignore that Suicide Squad is a live-service, always-online shooter. I played through the entire game solo and, with one exception, didn’t run into any server disconnects. The game also doesn’t bang you over the head with messages telling you to “Hop Online And Play With Pals,” or lock any content behind having a clan or playing with others. For a long time, it felt to me like a decent-enough game with some live-service stuff I could engage with if I wanted to, but that didn’t really interfere with my experience at all.
Then I reached the end of the game, and things changed.
Suicide Squad hides its true identity until the end
Before the credits even rolled, as the game built toward a climactic encounter with Brainiac, I was told that, actually, there are 13 Brainiacs across the multiverse and I’ll need to kill all of them to save the day. To do this, players will need to engage in Suicide Squad’s endgame which consists of repeated missions and boss fights that award you a currency that lets you challenge new Brainiacs in different universes. When you arrive, guess what? You have to do a few more of those same missions you’ve been doing for hours and hours already before you get to fight Brainiac. Oh, and the final fight against Brainiac (spoilers) is a reskinned boss fight from earlier in the game against Flash. Womp womp. Credits roll.
Instead of ending on a triumphant note with our squad proving they are more than just dirtbags, Suicide Squad ends by going, “You need to play for months and months to truly finish your mission. Get ready to play even more of the same shit over and over again, too.” It robs the game of a dramatic, satisfying ending and reveals its true nature to all: This is a forever game. A live-service shooter. WB and Rocksteady want you to play this game for a long time, all the while hoping you buy up skins and battle passes to make this extremely expensive bet pay off. It’s an extremely sour note to end the game on.
Screenshot: WB Games / Kotaku
Sure, the combat is some of the best third-person shooter action I’ve played in years. And the story, cutscenes, and writing are as compelling as anything in the Arkham games.
Yet, unfortunately, Suicide Squad just had to be something bigger than another 12-15 hour single-player adventure. It had to be a live-service video game that could support months or even years of content. The game does a good job of hiding this fact for a large chunk of its runtime, but by the end, it’s laid bare and impossible to ignore. That’s assuming you even reach the end and don’t get bored by the same six missions being copied and pasted around the city to pad things out and make Suicide Squad feel bigger than it really is.
In the end, Suicide Squad is just…okay. Fine. Not amazing. Not a trainwreck. Folks wanting this game to be a complete disaster will be disappointed to discover a totally fine shooter that only succumbs to live-service corruption at the end. And for folks wanting something they can play for years, well, I hope you like shooting purple crystals over and over.
Suicide Squad is a poster child for the kind of games that live between great and awful. While that might be enough for some, I can’t imagine the devs who worked hard on Suicide Squad (or publisher WB, who footed the bill for the game) wanted it all to end with what amounts to a shrug emoji. Yet, here we are. At least the shotguns are cool.
Last year, we saw the rise of video game publishers offering a few days of early access to big AAA games for a price. This year, it’s only going to get worse as it seems every large game publisher is holding games hostage and charging players a ransom fee to play a few days early. But what happens when you pay $80, $90, $100, or even more for a game and early access to it and don’t actually get to play the game? Well, we’re seeing that play out with WB Games and Rocksteady’sSuicide Squad: Kill The Justice League.
How Alan Wake 2 Builds Upon The ‘Remedy-Verse’
After numerous delays, Rocksteady—the developer behind the Arkham games—finally (sort of) launched its next big title, Suicide Squad. But unlike the Batman games it previously developed, this new game is a live-service (yes it is) co-op looter shooter starring iconic villains like Harley Quinn. As a result, a lot of Batman fans were disappointed by the game’s reveal and things have only gotten worse with each delay, leak, gameplay trailer, and preview. And now, the game is out for folks who paid $100 (plus tax) on the game’s special edition, a version of the game that comes with some extra goodies and one significant “perk”: three-day early access. Yet, for most of January 29, players have been unable to play the game they spent all that money on.
Technically, players in some time zones who purchased the game’s $100 deluxe edition were supposed to be able to start playing Suicide Squad today. That hasn’t been the case, though, because of a bug that meant some players booted up the game and discovered the entire campaign was already completed. Oops! In response, Rocksteady yanked the servers down and, because the game doesn’t have an offline mode (yet), that made it unplayable.
Sure, the deluxe edition comes with some extra cosmetics and a free one-time-use token that lets you upgrade a battle pass to its premium version. But checking Twitter and elsewhere, it’s clear that most players bought the fancy version because they wanted to play the game early. And now they can’t.
Normally, I’d say: Hey, games are hard to make and servers are complicated things to run, so let’s cut everyone some slack while they figure things out. Not this time though.
Sorry, but if you treat early access to a video game as a premium marketing point—something you will advertise endlessly and hype up for weeks—you have to deliver that experience. Yes, I know there’s a blurb at the bottom of the store listing that says they can’t guarantee you’ll get to play 72 hours of early access. I know. But that doesn’t change the fact that WB happily took all of these players’ $100 pre-orders and won’t be able to provide them with what they wanted: early access.
And there’s no way to fix that. If the servers are still down for most of tomorrow, players might—at best—get 24 hours of early access. WB isn’t going to delay the game for everyone else by two days to make sure the folks who paid more get to play “early.” They just get screwed and maybe learn a lesson: Don’t pay these publisher ransom fees to play something early.
You aren’t actually playing games “early”
Remember that these games, like Starfield and Mortal Kombat 1, aren’t actually being launched early for folks who pay extra. The game went through all the certifications, testing, checks and other hoops needed to launch a game on consoles. That’s the only way WB can sell you Suicide Squad on the Xbox Store or PSN. So all of these games are (assuming the servers are up) ready to launch for everyone. All the publisher is doing is delaying the game for a few days for the folks who aren’t willing to pay an extra fee on top of the standard $70 asking price.
I know the argument that some people make is that this is a choice. If some people are willing to pay the money, why not let them? Because we shouldn’t let companies get away with being evil, greedy assholes just because someone out there is willing to go “Okay, sure, I’ll pay.” You think the world is a bad place now? Imagine if corporations could do whatever they want as long as someone, anyone, was willing to pay.
So yeah, I get it. The market supports this. People will pay. Blah blah blah. But hopefully, what today has shown is that paying for early access is for suckers, especially for online-only titles. You pay more for a possibly less stable and more broken version of a game and the publisher can’t even guarantee you that you’ll actually get to play whatever you paid for early at all.
Hopefully you can. And if not well, tough luck and enjoy your extra digital hats or whatever, I guess. Is that worth $100? I’m not so sure.
[This interview contains major spoilers for Merry Little Batman.]
DC Studios’ Merry Little Batman sees Bruce Wayne in an unusual turn: donning his dad hat during the holidays.
The Warner Bros. Animation film follows the relationship of Bruce and his son, Damian, an 8-year-old desperate to be just like his crime-fighting father. The only problem — beyond him being a literal child — is that crime no longer exists in Gotham. Batman decided to clean up the streets for good to give Damian a shot at the safe, crime-free childhood Bruce didn’t have.
But when his overprotective father is called to save the day in Nova Scotia on Christmas Eve and becomes stranded in a trap laid by Mr. Freeze, Damian is left home alone with no one to help him as two criminals break in. The hapless burglars manage to make off with his newly gifted utility belt, leading Damian on a chase through Gotham’s wintry streets as he encounters the Rogues Gallery: Penguin, Bane, Poison Ivy, and none other than The Joker.
The film, which stars Luke Wilson as Bruce Wayne, Yonas Kibreab as Damian, and James Cromwell as Alfred, alongside David Hornsby (The Joker), Therese McLaughlin (Poison Ivy), Brian George (The Penguin), Chris Sullivan (Bane) and Dolph Adomian (Mr. Freeze), was initially set to debut on Max. But like a litany of other projects slated for the streamer, it was axed as part of a series of tax write-offs that downsized the company’s pandemic-fueled content library. Luckily, Merry Little Batman found a studio interested in bringing the Dark Knight’s fans a little Christmas cheer.
An elf, Santa Claus and Damian at the mall in Merry Little Batman.
Warner Bros. Entertainment/DC
“When Warner Bros. was bought by Discovery, there were, obviously, a lot of changes and some course correction. The good news was, we had an animatic, and it was in very good shape. We were all very happy with it, and [WBD], from what I understand, did like the project, so they allowed us to continue producing it and making it with the idea that we find a new home for it,” recalls the film’s director Mike Roth. “We pitched it around, and Amazon got very excited and bought it, thankfully.”
The Warner Bros. animated film is also attached to a spin-off series, similarly canceled at Max and revived by Amazon, that will expand the world teased in Batman’s first real Christmas film, which is visually inspired by the art of Ron Searle. It’s a universe that doesn’t forget to pay homage to its previous iterations either, with Ka-Pow jokes and more easter eggs for just about “every iteration and generation” of Batman fans, says the director.
“That’s what the nipple suit is in the Batcave. That is 100 percent a nod to George Clooney and that whole suit,” Roth says, speaking to one of the movie’s easter eggs. “Damian’s like, well, that leaves nothing to the imagination, and I feel like everybody watching that movie for the first time had a similar thought.”
Merry Little Batman is a film chock-full of inspirations and homages — from Home Alone to Shel Silverstein — and even features fun musical touches like “All I Really Want For Christmas,” from Lil Jon and featuring the Kool-Aid Man (yes, the actual drink mascot). Roth notes that music choice, in particular — lyrics that “speak exactly to Damian’s POV” alongside “a bassy, booming beat” that drives audiences through a sequence where Damian is “beginning to get all he really wants for Christmas”— had him feeling like the song “was written for this moment.”
“We knew we wanted a needle-drop Christmas song here,” Roth tells The Hollywood Reporter about the music supervision choice. “We also wanted a song that quite frankly ‘kicked-butt,’ to really put an exclamation point on the excitement Damian is experiencing. And for the audience we wanted it to have an MTV music video vibe.”
Roth spoke to THR about all of this and more, including scraped movie ideas, how the TV show was born, and whether Batman Returns is a Christmas movie following the release of Merry Little Batman.
***
The film holds a sort of unique place in the Batman canon, which has been around as long as a whole person’s — or multiple people’s — lifetime. Can you talk about your approach to taking him into dad and Christmas territory?
There’s 90 years of history with Batman, so he’s had lots of different iterations, but like you said, it’s a lifetime, basically, since we’ve ever seen this type of Batman. Usually, he’s a brooding, stoic presence. For us, we got an opportunity to explore the dad side of Bruce. He’s still Bruce because he still has that laser focus, but he’s vanquished all the crime in Gotham, so … now he’s taken all of his laser focus, and he’s put into being a dad.
When exploring that space, we took some of our own daddisms — who we are as dads — and we put that into him, while still being true to his character. He’s still stoic, but he has this loving, touching side, and because he’s so laser-focused on raising his son, he no longer needs a debonair style. He’s grown a beard. He’s got a flannel on. He’s got his dad sneakers. He’s in full dad mode, or as we affectionately call him, a “bat-copter dad” — a helicopter dad. (Laughs.)
When it was originally imagined, the idea was, let’s have a Christmas story with Batman. It had some homages to Home Alone and still has some of that DNA in there, though, originally, it was even more Home Alone-ish. But what better way to tell a Christmas story than through the eyes of a child? Very early on, there was an idea — it didn’t last long — about, what if Batman was a kid? But I think people love Batman, and they want to see the Batman they want to see.
Damian in Merry Little Batman.
Warner Bros. Entertainment/DC
It seemed natural then to go this [movie’s] route because Batman does have a child, Damian. He’s an interesting character, and I feel like people love him, or they hate him. (Laughs.) But because he’s 13, he’s a little bit petulant and at that point where he talks back, and that wasn’t quite the angle that we needed. So we dialed the clock back on him and we made him eight.
To be honest, when we were first exploring this branch of Batman, we didn’t jump 100 percent into dad-mode. The story kind of took it there, and I think it’s for a whole bunch of reasons. We’ve never seen this type of Batman before, but the story opened up a door for us to see a side that we normally wouldn’t see.
You mentioned not going with Bruce as a kid, but you’re still exploring Batman tropes with Damian. They’re just almost inverted, like the bat-signal, which inspires fear instead of hope because crime has been wiped out. Why and how did you and the writers, Morgan Evans and Jase Ricci, want to play with those specific tropes even though you weren’t telling a Bruce story?
Damian gets his belt for Christmas and all that is, is the macguffin. What Damian wants more than anything is to be Batman like his dad, but there are two things stopping him. One, there’s no crime left in Gotham, and two, Bruce is overprotective. So the door opens up for Damian when Bruce gets tricked into going to Nova Scotia, and then, lo and behold, these two criminals break in and crime is back. So what we’re seeing is Damian beginning and completing this journey of becoming Batman.
All those tropes, as much as we possibly could, we strategically placed them so that we could see this growth. He first gets in the Batmobile, he can’t really use it. (Laughs.) Ok, the Batpod is a piece of machinery he can handle. He’s starting to become his dad now. He’s having fun, and he’s still very childlike — still focused on getting the belt, but as it’s happening, he’s growing into this superhero. Now he’s got big Rogues Gallery villains. These aren’t B-villains. This is the real deal. We’ve got real stakes, he could die. He’s up against some of the worst, and it just keeps escalating.
Bane, Poison Ivy, Damian Wayne, the Joker, and Penguin in Merry Little Batman.
Warner Bros. Entertainment/DC
That zoo scene says so much about those tropes because [Damian] sees Bruce’s angle for the first time. He’s starting to understand why his dad is who he is, which is really the growth of a child moving towards maturity. Then in the very, very end, when he goes to fight the Joker and everybody, he finally learns his lesson. He says, “I’m going to have to sacrifice this thing I love. That’s what dad has been telling me all along, and now I get it. I’m going to sacrifice this belt, and I’m going to do everything I can to defeat these villains and save Christmas.”
And at the very end, of course, which is one of my favorite parts, Bruce Wayne doesn’t even see it at first. (Laughs.)
Batman has been both serious and comedic onscreen, with some of the lighter, more self-aware moments as a crime-fighting superhero in the ’60s series and ’90s live-action films. Your movie does this, too. How did you think about being funny without making fun of being a vigilante dressed as a bat or undercutting the dangerous moments for Damian?
I think a lot of that stuff happened organically while putting the story together because we’re also fans of Batman. I don’t want to date myself too much, but I’m almost 50, so I grew up with the ’66 Batman when it was very fun and campy. But even in that ’66 Batman, he’s still a stoic, stern gentleman type. You don’t really see behind the mask, even when he’s not wearing a mask. That was a fun space to explore for us. You can see jokes littered throughout the whole project that are nods to all the different Batmans. Some of that was for ourselves, some of that we placed for the fans.
I always said, with the humor in our project … we could never go full Mel Brooks. I’m not knocking Mel Brooks. He’s my favorite. But for us, we wanted to create this world that had real pathos for Damian, so we needed a universe where an anvil hits you over the head and it will kill you. The comedy had to come from a place where it couldn’t get so zany that it was Tex Avery because then you would never believe that this little kid is actually in danger. It’s a restraint that we put on ourselves on purpose. It gave us the emotion that we needed.
The bat-signal and Damian in Merry Little Batman.
Warner Bros. Entertainment/DC
Another thing with this property that was a bit of a balance is wanting that co-viewership. We didn’t want to make something that’s just for kids or just for adults. We wanted grandparents to enjoy it, too. What’s their Batman? That’s part of why in the sound design, there are a lot of analog-type sounds. The phone for example has more tactile buttons. The rewind button, it’s clearly a VHS tape. The fight sequences with Mr. Freeze, that’s very much for the middle-aged generation of Batman fans, and then a bunch of stuff in there for the kids as well.
You both follow and buck the unspoken rules of kids storytelling. Damian goes on some dangerous adventures without an adult, but then you give him an AI “Bat-Dad” when he thinks Bruce might have died. It’s an interesting workaround to letting a young child loose in Gotham and a twist on Bruce’s story. Damian now lives in a world where, unlike Bruce, he can grow up with his dad even if he’s gone. But what did you want to achieve including an AI Bat-Dad?
He’s a child going on this journey becoming an adult. His real wish fulfillment is to be his dad at some point, so having Bat-Dad come along with him, it gave us a couple of devices. One, it can be there as a guiding light, but I think the more subtle part of it is, it is his dad, but it’s not his dad. It’s almost like a carrot. He’s almost got his dad and then it dies and then he does get his real dad in the end.
For us, it’s always been a story about the relationship of a father and a son, so having Bat-Dad on that journey with Damian changes that chemistry a little bit. It’s teasing a father presence in there, plus Bat-Dad’s super funny. And when Bat-Dad dies, it gets me every time. That zoo scene where he really makes this connection with his dad and you see that this dad respects him — but it’s not his dad. It’s a computerized version of his dad. It’s almost there, but it’s not.
As a filmmaker, what I wanted was to keep that tension alive. Damian wants his dad, but he can’t have his dad. When his dad shows up at the end of the movie, and he sweeps through the candy factory, I hope that the audience gets that experience of, “Oh, thank goodness. They are finally together.” (Laughs.) And Bat-Dad helps that journey.
Warner Bros. Entertainment/DC
The Ron Searle-inspired art was lovely, and the right kind of menacing when it needed to be with the Bat villains. They’ve also got this Shel Silverstein, caricature-like look to them — with that added visual movement. It feels different than where a lot of the experimentation in animation style is these days post-Spiderverse. How did you approach delivering a classic art look in our modern, CG-dominated animation world?
That’s very observant. Shel Silverstein also was an influence for us. Even at times Gary Larson and Far Side. There’s like a little bit of Calvin and Hobbes in there as well. Nothing comes from no place, you know what I mean? And it’s not like we just want to do something different. The driving force behind this project has always been, it’s a Christmas movie, so how do we tell that? What’s the visual storytelling that also paints this Christmas picture? Some of that is color. Some of that’s putting in Christmas trees and lights and decorations.
But we also wanted something that felt like a picture book. Almost like something you read Christmas Eve to your kids that has an illustrative feel to it and maybe rings a little bit of Charles Dickens. Ron Searle is such an interesting choice to me because the drawings themselves are very sketchy. There’s a visceral-ness to it, and a crudeness, which to me represents Gotham. At the same time, they’re also very funny. That kind of bookends it. It balances the seesaw of the two things that we need this property to be.
With Batman, there is an expectation, especially now, to have a grittiness, too. It’s so baked into him. You want to feel that a little bit. So then it was just a matter of taking Ron Searle’s sketchiness and applying it to a production pipeline for animation. Those drawings are hard to replicate because they’re so loose. We needed some rules and parameters. I don’t know if 50 years ago, this style would necessarily work. With computer technology, we’re able to get that line and color boil that would be so insanely expensive to do 50 years ago.
Damian rides a Christmas mall train in Merry Little Batman.
Warner Bros. Entertainment/DC
It’s just one of these things, right time at the right place. The technology’s there and the idea is there. Everything came together, but it was a very complicated style. Even early on, there’s that little voice in the back of your head that’s going it’s too complicated to animate. But luckily we found a production solution to it, and we were able to put it together. My art director, who’s amazing, Guillaume Fesquet, and then assistant art director, Daby Zainab Faidhi, who is also super amazing, very much found that style.
The other thing was I’ve always wanted to do a monochromatic color style. Those types of color choices are so powerful — like a single color dominating a scene. Blue has a very visceral, emotional response. The Joker’s office is green and it feels disturbing and unnerving. Throughout the whole film, we very meticulously went through and chose colors that would sell the emotion that we wanted.
Vox recently published a piece arguing that Batman Returns is a Christmas rom-com. Since you’re technically the first certifiable Batman Christmas movie, what’s your take on that film as a Christmas movie?
That’s a tricky one. There are Christmas themes in that and it’s just fun. It’s interesting to see this dark, brooding world with the backdrop of Christmas. Because Christmas is so vulnerable and Gotham is so much the opposite, it automatically elevates the stakes. I think that’s probably the reason why it works so well. Christmas in Metropolis feels a lot different than Christmas in Gotham. So Batman Returns in that sense, it’s great. It’s a great setting.
But with our movie, what we want to do is tell a true Christmas story. Not Christmas is the backdrop but that Christmas is part of the DNA. Our whole story revolves around Damian chasing down a Christmas gift that was stolen from him. So in my opinion, our project is more of a Christmas movie. It’s the Christmas season story that hopefully, in my opinion, can become perennial, that people come back to and watch every Christmas. That’s not to take anything away from Tim Burton, Joel Schumacher — all of those. They’re all just so fun.
Damian over Gotham in Merry Little Batman.
Warner Bros. Entertainment/DC
Merry Little Batman is currently streaming on Prime Video.
In defense of English dubs, no one does it better than Studio Ghibli. It’s not a matter of either-or; with the incredible global talents that span the original Japanese voices and the English casts, it just means we get more!
With the release of The Boy and the Heron, which featuresRobert Pattinson’s dedicated vocal bird transformation, we’re looking back at the best Studio Ghibli dubs. When it comes to Hayao Miyazaki’s films, care has always been taken between by the Disney and GKIDS distributors to cast the English roles with incredible talent. It’s no easy feat to perform in sync with animation, let alone in a foreign language, but it helps to have the guidance of directors such as Pixar’s Pete Docter (Howl’s Moving Castle) who approach the task with appropriate reverence. While we understand the importance of subtitles—and we’d never take away from the wonderful work of the original Japanese voice casts—dubs help make the films accessible to more audiences. And as an animation fan, I love dubs because I can bask in the art and storytelling without reading and then revisiting with subtitles. It’s a preference and a gateway for more global animation to travel the world.
Here’s a list of the top 10 English Studio Ghibli dubs we love.
George Clooney shocked the DC Universe this summer when he returned to the role of Bruce Wayne, after 25 years, for a cameo appearance inThe Flash — and is now confirming that was a one-and-done reprisal.
Clooney infamously played Bruce Wayne/Batman in Joel Schumacher’s Batman & Robin, the 1997 movie that was considered one of the worst superhero films of all time. The actor has repeatedly spoken out against the film, telling Howard Stern in 2020, “Akiva Goldsman — who’s won the Oscar for writing since then — he wrote the screenplay. And it’s a terrible screenplay, he’ll tell you. I’m terrible in it, I’ll tell you.”
But in June, Clooney made a surprise return to the role in the final moments of The Flash, as Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen is on the phone with Bruce Wayne after finally returning to his own Earth and timeline. Wayne pulls up to the courthouse in his car and as he gets out, he is revealed to be played by Clooney, not the Ben Affleck version of Batman that Barry expected, who appears elsewhere in the film.
Asked by The Hollywood Reporter at the Los Angeles premiere of his new film The Boys in the Boat on Monday if that appearance was a one-time thing or opened the door to more Batman work, Clooney laughed and confirmed, “Oh yeah. Somehow there were not a lot of requests for me to reprise my role as Batman, I don’t know why.”
THR reported at the time that Warner Bros. and the team behind The Flash kept Clooney’s appearance in the film secret for close to six months, as DC heads James Gunn and Peter Safran reached out to Clooney’s agent at CAA, Bryan Lourd, and showed him a cut of the mostly finished film; Lourd then showed it to the star, who liked it and agreed to take part in a cameo. Gunn has also previously tweeted that Clooney is “absolutely not” the DCU’s new Batman as he and Safran revamp the comic book universe.
Following the superhero role, Clooney has shifted to director mode, helming The Boys in the Boat, which tells the inspirational true story of the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin. The film hits theaters on Dec. 25.
Welcome to the busiest moviegoing season of the year, when films in theaters are actually worth trekking out to see and everything hitting VOD and streaming is… the movies that came out a few months ago that are also super worth checking out. Ack!
Work at your own pace. But yeah, this weekend at home has everything from Leave the World Behind, a new Netflix film from the creator of Mr. Robot, to an animated Batman Christmas special and Martin Scorsese’s latest three-hour epic, Killers of the Flower Moon, which is hitting digital rental before eventually landing on Apple at an unspecified date in 2024.
Or you and the family could just watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie again — it’s on Netflix now. But if you need alternatives, there are many, many more. Let’s dig in.
New on Netflix
Leave the World Behind
Where to watch: Available to stream on Netflix
Photo: Jojo Whilden/Netflix
Genre: Psychological thriller Run time: 2h 21m Director: Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot) Cast: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke
Adapted from Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel, Sam Esmail’s directorial feature debut is an Airbnb story from hell. Mid-vacation in Long Island, a Manhattan couple hears a knock at the door. It’s the owners of their rented home, who are escaping the apocalypse. What follows promises to be a cerebral, prickly thriller that may not entirely work, but gives its all-star cast plenty to chew on. From our review:
Racial, sexual, generational, and class fault-lines are drawn but then rapidly scuffed over, almost in embarrassment, as the characters sink reflexively into a shared worldview that they can’t seem to let go of […but the] movie is brilliantly cast, at least. Hawke embodies the blinkered insouciance of progressive intellectuals, Ali has the polish and confidence that money breeds, and Roberts, as a secretly insecure striver trapped between these two worlds, flashes with a brittle testiness.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Where to watch: Available to stream on Netflix
Image: Nintendo, Illumination/Universal Pictures
Genre: Animated adventure Run time: 1h 32m Director: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (Teen Titans Go! To the Movies) Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black
While the combined power of Barbie and Oppenheimer may have eclipsed Nintendo’s foray into animated film, let’s not forget that Mario made a mega impact earlier this year at the worldwide box office, gave its parent company the confidence to announce a live-action Zelda movie, and could very easily get nominated for an Oscar in the year 2024. The Mario movie is, if not good, important — and now it’s streaming on Netflix, ready for kids and their nostalgic parents to watch a zillion times.
New on Hulu
The Mission
Where to watch: Available to stream on Hulu
Genre: Documentary Run time: 1h 44m Directors: Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss (Boys State)
Heralded as one of the great documentaries of 2023, The Mission chronicles the repeated attempts by John Allen Chau, an American missionary, to bring Christianity to the Indigenous peoples of the remote North Sentinel Island. Law forbade outsiders from setting foot on the island, but that didn’t stop Chau, who was ultimately killed by arrows during his final attempt to sail ashore. From documentarians Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss (who previously directed the searing political doc Boys State), the National Geographic film promises to get the blood pumping and ask a few big questions as it unravels Chau’s life.
New on Prime Video
Merry Little Batman
Where to watch: Available to stream on Prime Video
Image: Prime Video
Genre: Animated comedy Run time: 1h 36m Director: Mike Roth (Regular Show) Cast: Luke Wilson, Yonas Kibreab, James Cromwell, David Hornsby
You think you know the story: Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin lays an egg, Batmobile lost a wheel, and Joker got away. But Batman’s first animated Christmas movie presents an entirely new perspective. When Bruce Wayne’s son Damian is left home alone onChristmas Eve, Gotham’s supervillains come out to play and a new hero of the holiday season must rise up. David Hornsby from It’s Always Sunny as the Joker? How could this be anything less than good?
Your Christmas or Mine 2
Where to watch: Available to stream on Prime Video
Photo: Colin Hutton/Prime Video
Genre: Romantic comedy Run time: 1h 34m Director: Jim O’Hanlon (Your Christmas or Mine?) Cast: Asa Butterfield, Cora Kirk, Alex Jennings, Jane Krakowski
Uh oh, new couple James (Asa Butterfield) and Hayley (Cora Kirk) hoped to meet each other’s families during a Christmas vacation in the Alps, but someone messed up the lodging arrangements! Now James’ rich family is staying in a “rustic” lodge and Hayley’s penny-pinching dad is holed up in a five-star hotel! Whoops!
New on Paramount Plus
Showing Up
Where to watch: Available to stream on Paramount Plus
Photo: Allyson Riggs/A24
Genre: Comedy Run time: 1h 48m Director: Kelly Reichardt (First Cow) Cast: Michelle Williams, Hong Chau, John Magaro
Drama or comedy, never-miss filmmaker Kelly Reichardt aims for the intimate. Which means she may never make a film that causes enough splash for the Oscars or big-time top 10 lists. But here’s no surprise to anyone familiar with her work: Showing Up, which reteams her with regular collaborator Michelle Williams, cuts deep to the heart of art and the artist’s life, affirming Reichardt to being in league of her own. From our recent list of the top 50 movies of 2023, where Showing Up ranks 10th:
Reichardt’s genius is getting the audience giggling at the artists but never the art. For example, it’s funny to think that an artist dedicated a year of her life to crocheting a jumpsuit. Except then, in Showing Up, you see the outfit and it’s beautiful — an intentional undermining of the punchline. A teacher smugly opines on ceramics, but each piece he holds up is so lovingly crafted that they confidently speak for themselves.
This decision (rib artists, celebrate art) sets the tone. We humans are artifice, a bunch of contradictory masks that we put on to match the situation and the crowd. But our creations — when we commit to a craft, whatever medium it may be — are an expression of our most vulnerable selves.
New on Shudder
The Sacrifice Game
Where to watch: Available to stream on Shudder and AMC Plus
Image: Shudder
Genre: Horror Run time: 1h 30m Director: Jenn Wexler (The Ranger) Cast: Mena Massoud, Olivia Scott Welch, Gus Kenworthy, Madison Baines
After premiering at the weirdo-approved Fantastic Fest earlier this year, Jenn Wexler’s latest horror joint lands on Shudder in time for the holidays. Our editor Tasha Robinson caught this one at the fest, so I am ceding the floor. Here’s her micro-take (watch out for more on this one soon):
Jenn Wexler’s Christmas-set horror movie The Sacrifice Game takes most of its runtime to reveal what it’s really about, and that reveal is a doozy. But the wait to get there is never dull: Along the way, there’s a “sad Christmas with the left-behinds at a boarding school” story that meshes perfectly with The Holdovers, and a “dangerous cultists on the road” story that meshes equally well with Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It’s no surprise that these two stories collide, it’s just a surprise exactly how and why they collide.
New to rent
Killers of the Flower Moon
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu
Image: Apple
Genre: Drama Run time: 3h 26m Director: Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver) Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons
Some call it Martin Scorsese’s magnum opus. Others wonder if adapting David Grann’s acclaimed nonfiction book was an impossible task, even for a legend. But everyone seems to agree: You have to find a big chunk of time and watch Killers of the Flower Moon, one of the year’s most ambitious dramatic ventures. And Scorsese threw his entire self into it. From our review:
As Scorsese gets deeper into his old-master phase, it feels as though he’s running out of patience with the Catholic agonies and fire-and-brimstone filmmaking he’s known for. Killers of the Flower Moon is mostly plainspoken, sorrowful, and wise. At the very end, Scorsese makes a personal intervention on behalf of what really matters in this story. It’s a moving gesture from an artist who knows he only has time to say so much more, and who can see clearly what needs to be said.
Always-online multiplayer shooter Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League won’t stay that way forever. Rocksteady Studios confirmed the apparent live service game will get an offline story mode sometime after launch in 2024.
How Alan Wake 2 Builds Upon The ‘Remedy-Verse’
The announcement came alongside a new trailer at the 2023 Game Awards highlighting the corrupted Justice League under Braniac’s control as he takes over Metropolis. “In addition to our latest trailer, we also have some news to share,” the studio shared in the game’s Discord tonight (via VGC). “We’re happy to confirm, we are planning to add an offline story mode that will give players the option to experience the main campaign without an internet connection. We’re aiming to add this update in 2024 and will provide more details when available.”
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League – Official Justice League Trailer – “No More Heroes”
Suicide Squad’s always-online requirement was one of its initial red flags as fans of Rocksteady’s single-player Batman: Arkham games appraised the studio’s departure into multiplayer. Early gameplay reveals and leaks pointed to gear scores and battle passes, the types of things many players have burned out on from existing live service loot-based games like Destiny 2. Suicide Squad will have seasonal content, though much of it will be free.
Originally set to release earlier this year, Rocksteady ended up delaying the game until February 2, 2024 to finish polishing it. When it recently reemerged in an extended gameplay trailer last month, the studio repeatedly touted Suicide Squad’s characters and story. And despite fan skepticism, anecdotal accounts from a recent alpha play test have been surprisingly positive. One tester who shared footage of the game with Kotaku found the combat quick, with substantial, impactful hits and combos when brawling with enemies.
It remains to be seen if Suicide Squad’s story can live up to the standards set by the Batman: Arkham games, but at least if it does players now know they’ll be able to play it offline, even if the game’s servers eventually shutdown.
Why The Hot New Redfall Gameplay Trailer Left Us Feeling Cold
If you plan on playing Spider-Man 2 and haven’t finished the first half-hour yet, you should go do that first.
Gif: Insomniac Games / Sony / Kotaku
Spider-Man 2 stars Peter Parker and Miles Morales, so naturally the first mission features both of them working together like a well-oiled superhero machine. Miles is a high school student and Peter is teaching his class. When dust starts coming in the windows and an emergency breaks out downtown, the two bounce out of the building and strip down to their uniforms as the game’s hip-hop theme (“Swing” by Atlanta-based duo EarthGang) plays.
Gif: Insomniac Games / Sony / Kotaku
The opening cleverly makes use of Spider-Man 2’s bigger New York City map, which adds t Queens and Brooklyn on the other side of the East River. The first thing Peter and Miles do is web-swing across the Brooklyn Bridge to get to Manhattan’s Financial District where another villain is once again on the loose. It’s immediately clear just how much more expansive the game looks and feels, with glistening skyscrapers in full view across the shimmering water.
Gif: Insomniac Games / Sony / Kotaku
The villain in question is none other than Sandman, probably my least favorite entry in the Spider-Man rogues gallery. His shoehorned inclusion in 2007’s chaotic Spider-Man 3 did little to help that. But there’s no origin story here, just Flint Marko transformed into a 40-story-tall sand monster rampaging through the Financial District. He’s massive, but not so massive the Spider-Men can’t web his eyes shut and punch him in the face. It’s absurd but immensely gratifying.
Gif: Insomniac Games / Sony / Kotaku
The initial slugfest is just the start. The fight also takes Peter and Miles inside a nearby building, battling armies of mini-Sandmen while they run through the halls saving civilians and scrambling to get to the water tank on the rooftop as everything around them breaks apart. It’s an incredibly elegant sequence of real-time action and quick-time cutscenes that’s visually stunning and feels seamlessly stitched together.
Gif: Insomniac Games / Sony / Kotaku
This intro alone, topped off with a final boss fight sequence that looks better than most Marvel movies, would be enough to make it one of the best setpieces ever in a first-party PlayStation game. But then there’s something Insomniac does just because it can: fling Miles halfway across Midtown and back again in a 20 second shot that never cuts.
Gif: Insomniac Games / Sony / Kotaku
The entire encounter feels like some of the best tricks from Uncharted and God of War blended into Insomniac’s unique spin on cinematic comic book choreography. It even uses the action-packed chain of events to introduce the web wings, Spider-Man 2‘s best new trick which lets Peter and Miles glide through the air like Batman.
Gif: Insomniac Games / Sony / Kotaku
The opening scene takes less than 20 minutes and succeeds at both reminding players how to play a Spider-Man game and proving why Spider-Man 2 is more than just more Spider-Man. Some games start with drawn-out conversations or extended cutscenes. Others have you rigidly go through a tutorial bogged down in explanations and button prompts. Spider-Man 2 is like getting dropped into a rocket that’s just started counting down to lift off. More games should do that.
Tim Burton was responsible for some of the most beloved superhero movies ever: 1989’s Batmanand Batman Returns. He also came very close to making a Superman movie, Superman Lives, which was supposed to star Nicolas Cage, and fell apart right before shooting was about to begin. All of these projects are referenced in the recent DC film The Flash, including having Michael Keaton playing Batman and a Cage cameo as Superman.
Despite the obvious reverence the film has for Burton’s work, the director says he wasn’t really a fan of any of that. He spoke with BFI and discussed how he feels about major studios today, his history working on Superman and Batman, and many other things going on both personally and in the larger movie industry.
Specifically, when asked about Superman’s cameo in The Flash, Burton said:
No, I don’t have regrets. I will say this: when you work that long on a project and it doesn’t happen, it affects you for the rest of your life. Because you get passionate about things, and each thing is an unknown journey, and it wasn’t there yet. But it’s one of those experiences that never leaves you, a little bi … but also it goes into another AI thing, and this is why I think I’m over it with the studio. They can take what you did, Batman or whatever, and culturally misappropriate it, or whatever you want to call it. Even though you’re a slave of Disney or Warner Brothers, they can do whatever they want. So in my latter years of life, I’m in quiet revolt against all this.
The Flash is currently available for streaming on Max.
The Biggest DC Movie Bombs
These movies may have featured some of the biggest superheroes in history, but they were also big flops.
Getting Keaton to return would take some persuasion. “We took him out to lunch—and we paid,” Barbara Muschietti joked, alluding to both the restaurant check and Keaton’s own payday. “He is the most energetic human being you’ll ever meet. It’s insane. And actually, one of the missions is, when you had him on set, you had to be on the ball one hundred percent, and keeping him busy, because you don’t want that man bored.”
The Muschiettis said they dined at an Italian restaurant in Keaton’s neighborhood. “Andy and I are sitting there, a little nervous,” she said. “He’s very healthy. He’s a nuts, and seeds, and chicken and broccoli kind of man. He came in jogging and sat down. We had food. He rolled the script literally under his arm and left jogging as well. So, Andy and I after the meeting are like, ‘We have Batman…? Do we?’ And we did.”
Keaton’s return came with a lot of emotional baggage for the actor, she added. “Michael hadn’t put on the suit for 30 years, and actually, the last time he had put on the suit, Sean, his son, who’s now a talented music producer with his own family, was a little kid. So, he put on his suit—and the guy looked fucking great.”
The Flash costume designer Alexandra Byrne also devised a Batman suit that looked similar to what Keaton wore in the 1989 film while also solving one of its biggest practical problems. “He made a suit where this guy could actually move his neck, and lift his leg.”
“That old suit was impossible to wear,” Andy Muschietti said. “[Keaton] was very frustrated because he couldn’t move his neck or anything. The design was perfect, but it’s very often in movies that the better a suit looks, the more uncomfortable it is. I did that. This Flash has a suit that is impossible to wear.”
Another emotional moment behind the scenes involved Keaton’s grandchild. “The first scene that we shoot, where he’s wearing the full suit, he’s like, ‘Can you take a picture? It’s for my grandson,’” Andy Muschietti said. “It filled me with [shivers]…I have goosebumps right now.”
“Basically he got to show his tiny grandkid that he was Batman. It was truly amazing,” Barbara Muschietti said.
“He’s a guy who doesn’t show his emotions a lot, but you could tell,” Andy Muschietti said. “We built the entire Batcave on one of the biggest sets at Leavesden Studios, which is the Warner Bros stages in London. Except for the full waterfall that goes down, it’s all entirely practical. And when Keaton arrived to the set, the Batcave was already finished, and it was lit and everything.”
He said Keaton stood alone, overlooking it all. “He stayed like this for a while. I didn’t want to interrupt him or anything, I just wanted for him to take it in,” the director said. “Who knows what was going on there, but something was going on there.”
Sequel Potential
Will there be a follow-up to The Flash, or given the restructuring of the DC universe at Warner Bros., will this version of the character be put aside?
“We didn’t talk about it. I think that we’re all waiting to see how this movie does. Of course, there’s excitement about continuing the story, especially if this movie is successful,” Andy Muschietti said. “There’s an architecture in DC that is brewing, and it’s being created, and the question is, will this new architecture absorb this story? The good thing about the multiverse is that it is possible. The multiverse allows all of these different worlds to coexist and interact. And so, hopefully yes. We don’t know yet. That’s the truth.”
Batman: The Brave and the Bold — the first new Batman film in DC Studios’ impending new movie universe — is going to be a huge project. Luckily, DC is reportedly closing in on a huge director to work on the film.
Andy Muschietti seems to be in the lead, which makes sense, given he just directed The Flash, which features not one but two Batmen, played by Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton. Somehow, even after all the trials and travails the film has been through, it’s pleased the studio. The Flash has been through what can only be described as development hell. It’s had multiple delays, production difficulties, reshoots, and the personal issues of its star, Ezra Miller. Despite all of that, it seems, the movie is actually good. DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn even called it “one of the best superhero movies ever.”
Perhaps that’s why, according to THR, Muschietti seems to be “the top choice to direct the Batman feature,” The Brave and the Bold. If he can juggle the strange multiversal shifts of The Flash, he should have no issues navigating the weird family dynamic of the Bat-Family.
Based on its title and subject — the relationship between Batman and his son, Damian Wayne — the movie is thought to be based on Grant Morrison’s Batman comics run from 2006-2012. Morrison’s comics can sometimes get a little strange, but Muschietti is no stranger to the strange. He started his career when Guillermo del Toro found his short film and hopped on to produce a feature-length studio version. That film became Mama. From there, he directed It and It: Chapter 2. And now he’s got a potential blockbuster on his hands with The Flash. It opens in theaters on June 16.
Every Batman Movie Ranked From Worst to Best
Which Batman movie reigns supreme? We ranked them all.
The Little Mermaid live-action remake and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts—two of the biggest upcoming movies of 2023—don’t share much in common. However, an apparent film projector accident at a theater showing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 led to the trailers for the two films playing at the same time. The end result might just be the best movie of the year.
This Wacky Magical Girl Anime Is Studio Trigger-Coded To Perfection
I’ll say right now that while I’m excited to see the new Guardians film, I’ve got little interest in the live-action Mermaid remake and even less desire to see another Transformers movie that isn’t Bumblebee 2. So I wasn’t expecting to be dazzled when I saw a tweet claiming that a theater had screwed up and played the trailers for both upcoming blockbusters at the same time. I almost didn’t even click to watch the video. I’m so happy I did because what was created by mashing up these two teasers is fantastic.
In the video uploaded on Friday—which has already gone viral and been reshared all over Twitter—a theater in Tenesse appears to start playing trailers for both Transformers and The Little Mermaid at the same time, with audio of Ariel singing all that can be heard during the entire clip. The weirdest part about all of this is how well the two trailers sync up, which is probably a sign that movie trailers are following similar formulas and pacing guidelines and not some cosmic bit of content creation. But still, fun to watch!
Fans seem to like the Little Mermaid / Transformers mashup
At one point during the video, you can hear someone mention that “This looks like the best movie ever” and I’m inclined to agree. At the very least it would likely be more entertaining than Disney’s previous live-action misfires or most of the Transformers films. At the end of the video, you can even hear the audience start to applaud the odd concoction of Disney nostalgia and transforming animals.
The original poster of the video explained to Kotaku that this odd mashup happened during an evening showing of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 at an AMC theater in Franklin, Tennessee.
According to Blake Perry, the staff at the theater didn’t say anything afterward and the rest of the trailers were shown without issue. “It was just such a strange coincidence and everyone in my auditorium loved it!!”
Of course, the question now is if any studio or company involved in this weird bit of accidental crossover marketing will latch on to the viral moment and try to take advantage of it. I can see the Transformers-branded social media accounts posting some fan art of Ariel and Optimus Prime chilling and singing together. In a world where Fortnite brings characters like Batman and Luke Skywalker together with Ariana Grande and Master Chief, it’s not that wild to think the brands might come together to squeeze all the fun and joy out of this odd bit of accidental viral marketing.
Or wait, is this just a Fortnite teaser? Damn it.
Update 5/5/2023 4:55 p.m. ET: This story was updated to include more information from the original poster of the viral video.
At the first public screening of The Flash, which stars Ezra Miller as DC’s speedster hero, filmmaker Andy Muschietti addressed the chaotic behavior and mental breakdown that hit the actor after filming was completed. Miller has been arrested numerous times for disorderly conduct, assault and a break-in, and engaged in other chaotic, disruptive and unsettling behaviors over the past year and a half.
In August, the actor—who identifies as non-binary and prefers they/them pronouns—released an apology “to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior” and said they were “suffering complex mental health issues.” Since then, the 30-year-old Perks of Being a Wallflower and Justice League actor has remained largely out of sight as the legal issues played out, issuing as a guilty plea to trespassing that ended the break-in charges.
Muschietti, the director of the It movies, spoke out publicly about Miller’s conduct and condition at an early screening of the June 16 movie on the Warner Bros. studio lot. “Ezra is well now. We’re all hoping that they get better,” said Muschietti. (During his remarks, the filmmaker, who is Argentinian and speaks English as a second language, apologized for occasionally using the “he” pronoun for the actor. “It’s not that I don’t want to, I just get mixed up. I spent an entire year with them, and still to this day…” He shrugged. “It’s my fault.”)
“[They’re] taking the steps to recovery, [they’re] dealing with mental health issues, but [they’re] well. We talked to them not too long ago, and [they’re] very committed to get better,” Muschietti said.
The filmmaker’s sister and producing partner, Barbara Muschietti, also weighed in to praise the actor’s work in the film. The Flash stars Miller as two versions of the high-speed hero Barry Allen, brought together by the character’s ability to puncture through time and into parallel universes. Miller appears in some capacity in nearly every scene in the film. “I have to say, during our shoot, during principal photography, their commitment to the role was something like we’ve never seen, and the discipline, the work, the willingness, physical, mental, and just wanting to go beyond the pale,” Barbara said. “It was just amazing.”
“Ezra is an extraordinary actor,” Andy added. “[They] was probably one of my… Not probably, [they’re] one of my best experiences working with an actor—ever. [They’re] brilliant. [Their] contributions are constant, and also, [they] likes to play and do more takes than I do, which is a lot. So, take 24, I’m like, ‘I think we’re done.’ They say, “Can we do one more?’ ‘Yeah, of course.’”
The primary version of The Flash that Ezra Miller plays is the character who was introduced in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and appeared as a supporting character in the two alternate versions of the Justice League film. The character has also turned up for a brief role in the TV version of The Flash that stars Grant Gustin as the hero. (In multiple universe storytelling, these kinds of crossovers happen.)
When it comes to movie adaptations of popular comic books, many fans are likely going to have strong opinions about, well, everything. From thoughts about costumes to critiques of special effects, devotees of the genre often aren’t shy to voice how they feel about a filmmaker’s interpretation of Marvel or DC source material. This also includes major casting decisions.
Sometimes, a studio’s choice to cast a certain actor creates a ripple of controversy throughout the franchise’s fanbase. People may be disgruntled that an actor doesn’t resemble the comic book version of a character closely enough — or, in some cases, an actor may be too recognizable from another project to convincingly play an iconic role. There are so many reasons fans may disagree with a casting decision, but more often than not, those decisions end up being the right ones in the long run.
While casting these actors in well-known superhero and villain roles was once considered risky, time has proven that the heads in charge ended up making the right choice. In fact, it’s pretty much impossible to think of anyone else in these roles now. It just goes to show that having a bit of faith in the creative forces behind a project usually pays off — and initial impressions can often be deceiving. An actor doesn’t get cast in a high-profile superhero movie by mistake, although it may take an audience actually watching their performance to win them over. Here are ten examples of superhero movie casting that were initially controversial — but paid off big time.
Controversial Superhero Casting That Paid Off
Fans were not into these actors playing these roles when they were first announced. But all was forgiven when they saw the finished product.
Actors Who Hated Their Superhero Movie Costumes
These actors looked great in their superhero outfits. But they were literally a pain in the butt (or other body parts) to wear.
Throughout the interview, Affleck colorfully sounded off on various topics, including his “world-class Boston finesse” for parallel parking, his “red velvet rope celebrity Wordle group,” why he thinks of golf as the sports version of meth, and how he actually “had a good time at the Grammys,” thank you very much.
But he became particularly impassioned when speaking about taking on the role of Batman, saying that participating in DC Comics films “became somewhat repetitive to me and less interesting” to him across the several movies in which he appeared. “And by the way, I like a lot of the stuff we did, especially the first one [Batman v Superman],” Affleck said.
Perhaps not surprisingly, it was 2017’s infamously difficult Justice League that soured him on the experience. “You could teach a seminar on all the reasons why this is how not to do it. Ranging from production to bad decisions to horrible personal tragedy, and just ending with the most monstrous taste in my mouth,” Affleck said of the production, which brought in Joss Whedon to direct after original director Zack Snyder’s daughter died by suicide in 2017.
The Oscar winner, who has previously shared his misgivings about playing the Caped Crusader, subsequently bowed out of directing his own Batman film. “[Justice League] made me go, ‘I’m out. I never want to do any of this again. I’m not suited,’” Affleck said. “That was the worst experience I’ve ever seen in a business which is full of some shitty experiences. It broke my heart.”
The whole thing was so punishing, Affleck explained, that he “started to drink too much,” adding, “I was back at the hotel in London, it was either that or jump out the window. And I just thought, This isn’t the life I want. My kids aren’t here. I’m miserable. You want to go to work and find something interesting to hang on to, rather than just wearing a rubber suit, and most of it you’re just standing against the computer screen going, ‘If this nuclear waste gets loose, we’ll…’ That’s fine. I don’t condescend to that or put it down, but I got to a point where I found it creatively not satisfying.”
Affleck did, however, suit up once more to play the character in The Flash, which stars Ezra Miller and hits theaters in June. “I did finally figure out how to play that character [Batman], and I nailed it in The Flash,” Affleck said. “For the five minutes I’m there, it’s really great.” But don’t bet on him to save the day on any future projects. “I would not direct something for the [James] Gunn DC. Absolutely not,” the actor said when asked by The Hollywood Reporter. “I have nothing against James Gunn. Nice guy, sure he’s going to do a great job. I just wouldn’t want to go in and direct in the way they’re doing that.”
After months of uncertainty, actor Ezra Miller is still at the helm for DC Comic’s upcoming film, The Flash.
In a new trailer released during the Super Bowl on Sunday, Miller, who uses they/them pronouns, reprises their role as the ultra-speedy superhero the Flash.
Miller, 30, previously portrayed the Flash, also known as Barry Allen, in 2016’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017’s Justice League.
According to a press release for the film, The Flash sees Barry Allen use his superpowers to travel back in time in an attempt to change the past and save his mother.
“But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation,” the press release reads.
In the trailer, the Flash meets his alternate dimension doppelgänger as well as both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck as Batman.
Keaton played the caped crusader in Tim Burton’s 1989 film Batman. Affleck put his own spin on the gravelly voiced superhero first in the 2016 film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, then again later that year for a brief cameo in Suicide Squad. In 2017, Affleck also played Batman in the ensemble film Justice League, alongside Miller.
Last year, there was ample speculation over the future of Miller’s involvement with DC and Warner Bros. A string of arrests and erratic behaviour from Miller, including allegations of assault, grooming and burglary, left studio execs reportedly concerned.
Miller publicly apologized in August. In a statement to Variety, they said a period of “intense crisis” prompted their recent actions and said they’re now seeking mental health treatment.
“Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment,” Miller explained. “I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behaviour. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life.”
In January, Miller agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of trespassing after they were accused of burglarizing a Vermont home and stealing several bottles of alcohol last year.
Also last month, DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran said Miller is “completely committed to their recovery.”
“We are fully supportive of that journey they are on right now,” Safran said, adding the studio would discuss Miller’s future “when the time is right.”
“But right now, they are completely focused on their recovery. And in our conversation with them, in the last couple of months, it feels like they are making enormous progress,” he said.
TheFlash will be released in theatres on June 16, 2023.
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