Lex-cellent news

From comingsoon.net

Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Jesse Eisenberg has been set to star as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons will play Alfred in the upcoming Zack Snyder untitled Superman/Batman film. The dual announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Snyder stated, "Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman's rivals, his unsavory reputation preceding him since 1940. What's great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He's a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions."

The director added, "As everyone knows, Alfred is Bruce Wayne's most trusted friend, ally and mentor, a noble guardian and father figure. He is an absolutely critical element in the intricate infrastructure that allows Bruce Wayne to transform himself into Batman. It is an honor to have such an amazingly seasoned and gifted actor as Jeremy taking on the important role of the man who mentors and guides the guarded and nearly impervious facade that encapsulates Bruce Wayne."

Eisenberg received Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and BAFTA Award nominations for his starring role as Mark Zuckerberg in David Fincher's The Social Network. He also starred in Woody Allen's To Rome with Love and Louis Letterier's Now You See Me. He next appears in The Double and NightMoves.

Irons won the Academy Award for his portrayal of Claus von Bulow in Reversal of Fortune. His work in the film also garnered him a Golden Globe Award. He won an Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for his performance in the TV miniseries "Elizabeth I," opposite Helen Mirren, and recently starred on the small screen as Rodrigo Borgia in Neil Jordan's highly acclaimed Showtime series "The Borgias," for which Irons earned a Golden Globe nomination. He was recently nominated for a SAG Award for the PBS Great Performances television miniseries "The Hollow Crown," for his performance as Henry IV.

Snyder's film stars Henry Cavill, reprising his role as Superman/Clark Kent, Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince. The film also reunites Man of Steel stars Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane.

The new film is currently being written by Chris Terrio, from a screenplay by David S. Goyer. Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

The film is set to open worldwide on May 6, 2016, and is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel &Joe Shuster, Batman characters created by Bob Kane, and Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment.

Superman's new Gal pal

From EW.com:

After decades of waiting in the wings while the boys had all the fun — a frustrating exile best epitomized by a failed television pilot — Wonder Woman is finally set to return in the biggest way imaginable. Gal Gadot, the Israeli model and actress who appeared as Gisele Harrabo in the Fast and Furious franchise, will star as the iconic Amazon in Batman Vs. Superman.

“Wonder Woman is arguably one of the most powerful female characters of all time and a fan favorite in the DC Universe,” said director Zack Snyder, in a statement. “Not only is Gal an amazing actress, but she also has that magical quality that makes her perfect for the role. We look forward to audiences discovering Gal in the first feature film incarnation of this beloved character.”

Gadot, 28, competed in the 2004 Miss Universe pageant as Miss Israel before becoming a professional model/actress. What better qualifies her to play a superhero, though, might be the two years she spent in the Israeli army.

Fight or flight

Back in 2006, the attempt to reboot the Superman franchise seemed like a sure bet. Comic book movies had been growing in popularity and this film was being directed by a man who had already successfully kick-started a different comic book movie franchise. And yet despite all the things it had going for it, Superman Returns never really took flight. There were several theories as to why it didn't catch on with the public. Some went as far as to say that perhaps a good Superman movie was impossible given the dramatic limitations associated with his character.

Fast forward to 2012 where Marvel sees huge success with The Avengers film. Not to be outdone, DC Comics became dead set on making a Justice League movie, in order to have their own successful film featuring a group of superheroes. But for that to happen, they need to once again re-establish the characters individually. Enter Man of Steel, the latest attempt at establishing the Superman franchise.

Once again, we begin with a telling of the familiar story of how Kal-El was sent to Earth, Smallville, Kansas to be exact, because his home planet is on the brink of extinction. Superman's father, Jor-El (Russell Crowe), struggles with the decision to send his son away while also dealing with the treasonous General Zod (Michael Shannon), who differs philosophically from him on how the future of Krypton should be handled. The end result is General Zod being sent away to a limbo prison known as the Phantom Zone; this confinement is short-lived, however, as the destruction of Krypton enables Zod to become free

The film hits its stride as the scene shifts to Earth and focuses on Kal-El, now Clark Kent, and his upbringing. The film takes a non-linear approach to show how Clark has struggled with being different from everyone else, yet unable to show this to the world. Kevin Costner playing Clark's Earth father Jonathan is excellent in his scenes. He adds an emotional heft to his scenes that almost make it feel like he's in a different movie than everyone else. You feel the struggles he goes through to give protect Clark from the rest of the world while also protecting the rest of the world from Clark. The other interesting thing about this portion of the film is the decision to make Clark a wandering loner once he becomes an adult. Unsure of who he is or why he's different, Clark migrates from one town to the next hoping to avoid arousing suspicion. I like the Bruce Banner/Hulk approach they take to depicting this character and since it seems like we aren't going to be seeing another film solely featuring the big green guy anytime soon, why not use it here.

Though familiar, this front half of the film largely works. The back end of the picture is a different story as the plot shifts to the central conflict between Superman and Zod, who has come to Earth seeking Superman with plans to use him as a way to create a new Krypton. From the moment these two meet the film turn into a seemingly endless collection of action scenes that never find a way of differentiating from each other. It is one fistfight after another as Superman takes on Zod and his group of devoted soldiers. With Zod's group all being Kryptonians, they too have the same powers as Superman on Earth, which means their battles are quite epic and destructive. One of the driving narratives in all Superman stories, this film included, is Superman's devotion to Earth and to protect its citizens. Those motives can be questioned here given the way he leaves multiple towns in complete ruin in an effort to stop Zod.

Christopher Nolan's presence as a producer for the film does not seem like it was enough to counter director Zach Snyder's (300, Watchmen) compulsion for mind-numbing action. With his Batman trilogy, Nolan focused more on theme and narrative. Snyder takes an approach more akin to the Transformers franchise where the focus is on maximizing carnage instead of developing a compelling story. By the time the movie reaches its inevitable end, I felt exhausted, not enthralled.

While Man of Steel is a flawed film, I don't feel as if its problems set the franchise back in the same way that Returns did. This film suitably establishes the key pieces that can be used to set up future films. British actor Henry Cavill, though occasionally wooden in his delivery, has the perfect look for the role and I'm certainly interested to see what he could do in this role a second time. Amy Adams is also good as a more modern take on Lois Lane. In a way, Man of Steel works similarly to the first film of his Marvel counterpart, Captain America. Both films have their flaws, but succeed in at least showing us that these modern defenders of America still have a place in our post-modern society. Grade: C+

Super trooper

For certain films, I find myself on the fence as to whether or not I actually want to see it and it usually takes a really good trailer to convince me. Well the latest Superman movie, Man of Steel was one of those movies and the latest trailer has won me over. I'm now ready to see Superman take flight again. If you haven't seen it yet, here's the trailer for you to see.

2013 Movie Preview (#18 - 13)

#18. Man of Steel (June 14)

Plot: Henry Cavill plays Superman in director Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel." The film also stars Amy Adams as Daily Planet journalist Lois Lane, and Laurence Fishburne as her editor-in-chief, Perry White. Starring as Clark Kent's adoptive parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, are Diane Lane and Kevin Costner. Squaring off against the superhero are two other surviving Kryptonians, the villainous General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, and Faora, Zod's evil partner, played by Antje Traue. Also from Superman's native Krypton are Lara Lor-Van, Superman's mother, played by Ayelet Zurer, and Superman's father, Jor-El, portrayed by Russell Crowe. Rounding out the cast are Harry Lennix as U.S. military man General Swanwick, as well as Christopher Meloni as Colonel Hardy.

Personal Opinion: This will be one of the biggest wild cards of 2013. On one hand, I'm still skeptical that a great Superman movie can be made. The 2006 film was underwhelming at best and in general, the character is just not as dynamic or complex as so many other comic book heroes. What this film does have going for it is the Christopher Nolan factor. Though not directing this movie, his assistance can only help. The first two trailers have not given me a clear sense of what to expect though. For the sake of the DC universe, this needs to be good. For movie fans, let's hope it's great.


#17. Now You See Me (June 7)

Plot: "Now You See Me" pits an elite FBI squad in a game of cat and mouse against "The Four Horsemen," a super-team of the world's greatest illusionists. "The Four Horsemen" pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances, showering the stolen profits on their audiences while staying one step ahead of the law.

Personal Opinion: The use of magic or illusions in film, like The Prestige is always a draw for me. This one not only has that, but a stellar cast as well that inlcude Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Jesse Eisenberg, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo, and Morgan Freeman. I initially had this higher on my list until I saw the first trailer. While the plot is solid, it felt like the trailer made the film seem like it would be just a dumb action flick. The key to films about magic is that they need to be smart and keep the audience guessing. If this manages to be intelligent, then this will be a real winner.


#16. Jack Ryan (December 25)

Plot: Based on the Jack Ryan character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, the film is a contemporary action thriller set in the present day. The original story, written by David Koepp, follows a young Jack as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

Personal Opinion: It's been a long time since we've seen the Jack Ryan character on the big screen. Portrayed by both Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford in the past, the Jack Ryan films have been, if nothing else, solid political thrillers. For this reboot, they have a lot of good pieces in place. Chris Pine, after resurrecting the Captain Kirk character, is an actor on the rise. Kenneth Branagh, who is directing this, proved with Thor that he's capable of helming a big budget picture. The one thing that I would have liked was for them to use another story from Tom Clancy, but as long as the plot is solid, this should be nice gift come next Christmas.


#15. The Internship (June 7)

Plot: Vaughn and Wilson portray two old school salesmen who, finding themselves suddenly unemployed and passed-by in the digital world, try to reinvent themselves by becoming interns at a major tech company.

Personal Opinion: Those waiting for a Wedding Crashers reunion finally have their wish. Not only are Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson back together, but their buddy Will Ferrell will also have a small role in this film as well. Their re-teaming coupled with a story that sounds like it has the potential for a lot of comedy has me excited. My only reservation comes from the fact that Shawn Levy is directing this and he has had a mixed bag of success when it comes to directing comedies. Hopefully the strong cast will be able to rise above any shortcomings he brings to the table.


#14. The Wolverine (July 26)

Plot: Based on the celebrated comic book arc, "The Wolverine" finds Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed.

Personal Opinion: Like Superman, Wolverine is a popular comic book character whose story is one that I don't find particularly compelling. Wolverine works well within the context of the X-Men, but alone, as we saw in the Origins film three years ago is a different story. Marvel's track record is typically strong, so I'm definitely willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. If they are able to make this as fun as The Avengers then I'll be glad to eat my words and embrace even more films from this franchise.


#13. Captain Phillips (October 11)

Plot: Based on the true-life story of Captain Richard Phillips, who was taken hostage by armed Somali pirates, attempted to escape and was eventually rescued by the U.S. Navy. The film will retell the events that garnered headlines worldwide in April. After his ship was hijacked on the high seas, Phillips surrendered himself to the pirates in order to protect his crew. The married father of two made one unsuccessful escape attempt before an elite squad of Navy SEAL snipers shot and killed three of the four pirates - an action authorized by President Obama. A fourth pirate surrendered and is in custody.

Personal Opinion: Already on this list, I've identified a few films that have the potential to score big during the awards season, but this one seems to have the perfect combination to rack up a number of big prizes. The film focuses on a recent headline-grabbing story, features an multiple Oscar winner in the lead and is being directed by Paul Greengrass who has shown the ability to make films that have mass appeal and are very well received. Though I know the basic details of this story, I'm very anxious to see the whole thing be told on the big screen.

Kent keep a good Man down

Tis the season for trailers and this one is the second look at next summer's Superman reboot, which definitely seems to have the whole Batman Begins vibe too it. If it's as good as that film, maybe this franchise has a chance of being successful.

Steel-ing a look

Here are the two version of the trailer for the new Superman film, Man of Steel that were released last week.