SUPERGIRLS ON SUPERGIRL!

Last week it was confirmed that former Supergirl Laura Vandervoort would be a recurring guest star on CBS's Supergirl. She'll be playing the part of Indigo, which in the comics is kinda like a female Brainiac. It's not confirmed if she'll necessarily be the villain yet or not but it is confirmed that she'll make several appearances. Along with Helen Slater (star of the 1984 Supergirl film) this does go to show that nostalgic casting choices are all the rage with these superhero TV shows. I had a previous post about this and how I'm a huge fan of it. Then I started thinking, why stop there? There have been plenty of "Supergirls" on TV over the years and I think a great way to honor their past would be to bring them on Supergirl. Now I'm not saying they should reprise their roles (that would be tough) but it would be cool to see them show up and help Supergirl kick someone's ass. Or possibly try to kick her ass. I dunno . . . Whichever comes first . . .

Anyway! Here's the list!

HAYDEN PANETTIERE

I probably would've tuned into Heroes Reborn if she was still on the show. Just . . .  Uh . . . Saying. Yes, I'm in love with Ms. Panettiere. I had the privilege of meeting her a few years ago at New York Comic Con during the Heroes heyday. She was very sweet and gracious to her fans. It made me appreciate her as an actress a lot more. Trust me when I tell you that a lot of times when you get an autograph, even one you pay for, they don't have to be nice about it. But she was! 

Anyway, I think it would be cool to have her guest star on an episode or two. Maybe pay homage to Claire Bennet in some way. Like the character is the daughter of a man hunting aliens/metahumans or make her a metahuman and/or alien. Either way, Heroes was a big part of selling people on "comic book" type shows, so I believe Supergirl should acknowledge that in some way. But also the more Hayden Panettiere in my life, the better.

ELIZA DUSHKU

Another amazing actress I had the privilege of meeting at New York Comic Con. While everyone will always remember her as Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I also think of her as the voice of Catwoman in the animated Batman: Year One. She's always playing the tough girl with the vulnerable side she tries to hide from the world. Granted, she's very good at that role, but her role in Dollhouse did show us that she does have a bit more range. I would definitely like to see her guest star on Supergirl in some way, shape, or form. Honestly, (and I told her this when I met her) I think she should play a live action Catwoman. I can't think of a character tougher but still with a soft side. But if we're talking about her expanding her roles, She's proved that she can be either an antagonist or a protagonist. Let's see her play a role that challenges her the way Faith did. Whatever happens, I just think she should be in more movies and TV shows. I mean come on! Look at her! Sigh . . . 

SUMMER GLAU

When I came up with this list, I totally forgot that Summer was on Arrow. My bad. Anyway, I still think she should come to Supergirl. She's actually the only one on this list that has actually played Supergirl before. In the animated Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, Glau played Kara Zor El, lost daughter of Krypton. She washes up in Gotham Bay, is discovered by Batman, taken in by Superman, trained by Wonder Woman, and kidnapped/brainwashed by Darkseid. It's a really great story and there's a pretty bad ass fight with Superman and Kara vs Darkseid at the end. I highly recommend the film. 

Over the years, Summer has played sympathetic yet bad ass (Terminator) to rash and impulsive (Superman/Batman) to downright nasty (Arrow). Basically, I think she could play any type of character on Supergirl and it would be a kick ass performance. However, my recommendation would be more along the lines of a Donna Troy type character. Another "legacy" character like Supergirl is with Superman.  Technically she was Wonder Woman's protege as Wonder Girl but she outgrew during later publications of different comics. Ugh . . . It's ridiculous with all the revamps DC does . . . ANYWHO! I think Summer would make a terrific Donna Troy and a welcome addition to the Supergirl world. Hell, even if Summer isn't cast they should use Donna! But they should cast her, because she would be fantastic.

LUCY LAWLESS

I mean, this one was pretty obvious right? I think when the term "supergirl" or "female superhero" gets tossed around, Lucy Lawless/Xena is the first person people think of. I will go ahead and admit that I've never actually seen Xena: Warrior Princess. From what I gather, it was a 90s guilty pleasure, probably best left to nostalgia. However, Lucy Lawless is still gorgeous and a good actress. She guest starred during a few episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Granted, her character was just another agent. I think that was a waste. If you're going to have freaking Xena guest star on your show then give her something to do! She was also the voice of Wonder Woman in the animated Justice League: the New Frontier film. Now that's how you do some stunt casting! She, of course, was perfect in the role. I'd argue that her second best performance was as Diane during Parks and Recreation. I mean, come on, the only woman that could finally make Ron settle down and not drive him to do crazy things would have to be some kind of super-woman right? 

Indeed

I'd love to see Lawless on Supergirl as a Xena or Wonder Woman type of character. She's proven to be a great actress but come on! Wouldn't that be awesome if she was an Amazon or another escaped Kryptonian prisoner? I'd love that! Plus, in a show chock full of nods, winks, and easter eggs, let's give those types of fans something to really get excited about!

LYNDA CARTER

Another one that was pretty obvious. But I mean come on! If you know nothing else about Wonder Woman you know that silly theme song from the 70s. Also the spinning out of her regular clothes into her Wonder Woman costume, which people still reference to this day. For many, Lynda Carter IS Wonder Woman. She's a great actress on her own but I think the most impressive thing about her is that she seems to radiate confidence and authority. If I were to cast her on Supergirl, she would definitely be either Hank Henshaw's boss at the DEO or some other figure like that. While she does fit into the "nostalgia" casting, she's also a good enough actress that it wouldn't feel too gimmicky having her on the show. Give her a great character, maybe similar to Christopher Reeve's role as mentor on Smallville. In a show full of winks and . . . Ah I already said that . . . Well, still. Bring her on and let her kick some ass! 

SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR

As what will come as a shock to none of you, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of my all time favorite TV shows. I felt that Gellar was absolutely perfect as Buffy. When I was a kid, I started watching because I had a major crush on her. Turns out, I fell in love with the series. A few years ago, I started getting the DVD sets. I devoured them. Even had an all night binge watching session before Netflix was even a thing. Yeah I'm super cool I know . . . Anyway, the show was fantastic to me and nowadays I keep up with the continuing "season" comics. While it's clear that Joss Whedon isn't as involved with those comics as I'd like, they are still a fun read. Gellar was the perfect lead star. She was a leader and a warrior, but wasn't afraid to show off her sensitive side. I looked up to Buffy as a kid and kind of wished I could meet a girl like that in real life. But maybe I'm just hoping for too much . . . There's no such thing as a Slayer . . . 

Anyway, Gellar would be a perfect guest star on Supergirl. Granted it would be kind of cheesy to have her guest star as a vampire hunter or something like that, but still I'm sure we can find something. I'd like to see her be some sort of superpowered rival and/or ally to Kara. On Buffy, Gellar proved time and again that she is a very talented actress and can handle any craziness the writers/producers could throw at her. She will probably never guest star on the show but if the producers were looking for any kind of "supergirl" to showcase, she would have my vote in a heartbeat! 

Like I said, I'm a big fan of nostalgia casting or stunt casting. Yes, it's a gimmick to get ratings, but I think more often than not, the actors prove themselves and bring something special to the show. I'd love to see it continue and these women would be fantastic additions to the Supergirl cast. 

Till Next Time! 

JJ - the Comic Junkie! 

5 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WITH A PUNISHER TV SHOW

All my dreams are coming true! Well I mean not ALL my dreams, but one in particular! Apparently, Marvel and Netflix are starting work on a Punisher TV series to fit into their Defenders corner of the MCU. Granted, this is mostly speculation at this point. But if Frank Castle is received well enough during season two of Daredevil, then they'll move forward with a spin off. I lobbied for this a while ago during a previous blog post. I'm excited at the possibility but of course, we must exercise caution! The Punisher has been adapted to film THREE times with less than stellar results.

No one will ever remember you! 

I'd like to share with you my thoughts on what can be done to make a truly amazing, faithful adaptation of the Punisher for a Netflix series. The first step would be to cast a great actor, luckily that's already been done with Jon Bernthal. So let's see what else will need to be done! 

LEARN FROM WHAT WORKED

I'm willing to bet that a good number of fans liked the Thomas Jane/John Travolta Punisher film. It had a decent plot, good actors, etc. However, the one thing it lacked was a lot of punishing. However that can be a negative (we'll get to that). Hire quality actors, give them a meaty script, and a good director, and you'll be good to go. The action doesn't need to be bombastic and crazy, it just needs to feel real. Sure it's based on a comic book, but the Punisher, more so than most characters in the Marvel Universe, actually COULD exist in our world. The Thomas Jane film did a good job of setting Frank up in a world that felt like ours. He gave a really intense performance surrounded by ordinary people. He was the one that looked off and that's how it should be. At this point, he's the Terminator. He kills and then moves on. That's what we want to see.

LEARN FROM WHAT DIDN'T WORK

It's no secret that I really hated Punisher: War Zone. What a terrible movie! It suffered from what I like to call "The Schumacher Syndrome." Basically, the people making it thought, "Oh it's a comic book! It has to look ridiculous and over the top!" No. It doesn't. If Daredevil and Jessica Jones have taught us anything, it's that the ridiculousness of what the heroes can do is overlooked by a quality TV show. If the actors, sets, and dialogue are convincing and make us feel that it's real, then we will believe that it's real (if only for a short moment). War Zone made the mistake of having the action be too over the top to the point of camp. Even the main villain, Jigsaw, I did not find threatening because of the campy performance. Which is a shame because decent actors were cast in the film, they just were given a subpar script and direction. So, Netflix, please don't worry about giving us over the top action. Just make it look real and exciting. Remember the hallway fight in Daredevil? Yeah that! More of that please! 

GIVE US A GREAT VILLAIN 

Wilson Fisk and Kilgrave are easily the best villains that Marvel Studios has given us (with Loki as an obvious exception). They were compelling, captivating, sympathetic, and yet utterly terrifying. The reason they were so terrifying is because they were polar opposites of the heroes they fought. Kilgrave is manipulative and egotistical, Jessica was honest and brave. Fisk was a child from a terrible family and never matured beyond one terrible incident. Matt was raised to stand up for himself and never back down from a fight. This is a tough one with the Punisher. On the one hand, he doesn't really have a rogues gallery because he kills everybody. But if Marvel could make Kilgrave, a somewhat boring/underused character from the comics, into a terrifying antagonist for 13 episodes, then I have faith it can be done again. The only real issue is that the Punisher in and of himself is a terrifying character. How do you make someone a threat to him without going over the top? I think the answer would be to make the villain likable. The audience should question whether or not to root for the hero in this case. Why not give them a villain that is relatable and interesting? There's a reason people love Breaking Bad. The hero, Walter White, made questionable decisions from day one and became the villain of the piece. That basic idea is what we should see from Frank Castle. He might have the best intentions, but someone out there is much worse than he is . . . 

JUST FILM GREG RUCKA'S RUN ON THE PUNISHER

Greg Rucka is one of my favorite comic book writers. He's really good at making outlandish, goofy ass superheroes feel like real people. His run on the Punisher was some of the best comics I've ever read. Frank didn't have much dialogue, but it was a well crafted story. It ended with Spider-Man convincing the Avengers to look for him and bring him to justice. Granted that's probably not going to happen on a Netflix TV series, but it was still a well written story. The main story took place from the point of view of two NYPD detectives (loosely based on Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt from Seven). Pitt was working with the Punisher because he supported his beliefs that evil must be punished while Freeman believed in the law. Also, there was a story of Rachel Cole-Alves. She was married for only a few hours before her whole family and new husband were killed in a mob shoot out. Frank took her under her wing and tried to teach her how to be like the Punisher. In his mind, emotion is unnecessary. You need to let go of the world and focus only on the mission. She can't do that. She's blinded by rage and vengeance. Like I said, it was a great story. Damn . . . I might go reread it now . . . 

COSTUME!

It hasn't been used in years, and maybe it's just me, but I think that original Punisher costume is awesome! I mean it's spandex, like most heroes, but I think with the right tweaking it could look really great. During War Zone, Punisher pretty much wore a modified military tactical uniform with the skull on his chest. I like the idea of the Punisher having some kind of uniform. Of course, he would probably want to wear some kind of protective gear, but I don't think he would wear that much. This is a guy with a clear mission and he's going to do a job. If he dies on the job, he will consider his life complete. Granted, he probably doesn't care what he's wearing but the audience will. More importantly, his enemies will need something to remember him by, if only for a short minute before they die! It probably won't happen like I'm expecting, but I'd love to see a classic Punisher costume on screen. 

These are my thoughts on what should be done with a Punisher TV series. Netflix is definitely the best way to go with this character. While nothing is set in stone as of yet, I'm confident that sometime in the near future we'll see more of the Punisher. He never stays down for long ;)

Till Next Time!

JJ - the Comic Junkie! 

WHERE DO WE SEND THE TITANS NOW?

Well, it's official. Titans is dead at TNT. The network passed on doing a drama series based on DC's young crimefighters. Which is a shame because it had potential to be really great and exciting.

Unlike some adaptations . . . 

But, as always, we here at For Comic Junkies like to look for the positive in these situations. Since the Titans are not getting their own show it stands to reason that they would be back on the table to guest star on the other superhero shows like Gotham, Arrow, the Flash, Supergirl, and potentially DC's Legends of Tomorrow. I went through the roster and tried to figure out which Titan should guest star where and why. Let's take a look shall we? 

STARFIRE ON SUPERGIRL 

One of the most powerful, and often forgotten, characters of the DC Universe is definitely Starfire. She comes from the planet Tamaran, where she was actually a princess. She was heir to the throne over her sister, who resented her for having special powers. After a long rivalry and war (cuz ya know . . . women can't just TALK their feelings out), Starfire left Tamaran and found refuge on Earth with the Teen Titans. She has the power to fly, super strength, and harness solar energy as concussive blasts. 

In short, she would fit in PERFECTLY with Supergirl's world. She has the theme of sisters and family which is evident in most episodes. Plus, Supergirl is always showcasing new aliens from around the galaxy. Plus, if they go with Starfire's personality from the Teen Titans animated series, she would be a great comedic foil for Kara. She doesn't understand "Earth culture" and possibly even Kara's need to have a secret identity. Plus, I mean, come on! Let's get some more strong, independent women in these TV shows! Speaking of . .  .

RAVEN ON ARROW

Another very powerful hero in the DC Universe, Raven is definitely one of the best characters. There were rumors of a Raven TV series a few years ago, but they never materialized. It's a shame because she's just ripe with potential stories. First of all her father is Trigon, an evil demon hellbent on Earth's destruction or sucking it into Hell. One of those. I guess it doesn't matter. He's pretty bad and a terrible father. Remind you of anyone on Arrow?

It's Thea. The answer was Thea

Not only does Raven fit into this season's theme of "magic and mysticism" but she has obvious parallels to Thea Queen. Both have an inner dark side that they are afraid of. Both have terrible, evil fathers. Both are in need of guidance. I think it would be great to get Raven in the show and give Thea someone to pal around with. We've seen the Canaries work together, Constantine team up with Green Arrow, now let's set a play date for Speedy. I mean it fits! I can't be the only one that thought of this!

BEAST BOY ON THE FLASH 

Beast Boy is a great character. Although he's a bit annoying on the Teen Titans animated series, he's a little more tolerable in the comics. He's definitely the comic relief of the group, but when it comes down to it, he'll jump into the fight to protect his friends. It would probably be difficult to portray his abilities on TV, especially since he's permanently green and that would be tough for an actor to go through every day on set. However, the end result would be really great and fun to watch. Given that Beast Boy isn't as dark as the other characters, it would make sense for him to show up on The Flash and keep things light. 

Beast Boy got his powers from an experimental drug his parents gave him to try to save his life. I'd like to see an arc with him on Flash where Barry helps him cope with his new abilities and forgive his parents for turning him into a "monster." Also, it would be a breath of fresh air on Flash for the team to find out that other people in the world gained abilities from something other than the Singularity or the Particle Accelerator. I mean seriously . . . it can get old . . .

SUPERBOY ON SUPERGIRL

 

I mean this one was pretty obvious right? However, it makes perfect sense. Since they can't have Superman on the show (for reasons), why not bring in the next best thing? A teenaged, pissed off version of Superman! I've stated before my love of Superboy's story from the Geoff Johns run on Teen Titans. I think it's worth retelling, this time with Kal El's cousin having to deal with an erratic but good hearted kid with super powers. Granted, this story might have to wait for season 2 or 3 or later, but I think it's worth exploring. 

Kara spends so much time on the show wanting to make her cousin proud, yet be her own hero, it would be great to see someone treat her that way. We'd get to see a young El look up to Kara and want to be a hero like her. Plus it would be nice to see a brother/sister relationship develop for Kara. She's spent so much time being the younger sibling and looking up to her sister, I'd like to see her be a role model for a younger character, preferably a male. It's important for men to have strong females to look up to. It gives them a good reason to respect the women they are surrounded with on a daily basis. I'm not trying to be political here or anything but I like the idea of superhero stories being parallels to every day life. 

KID FLASH ON THE FLASH 

 

Another one that's fairly obvious and kind of a cheat considering that it's probably happening soon on the show. Wally West was introduced in the last episode of The Flash, so it stands to reason that we'll be seeing him suit up sooner rather than later. Plus it will be great for Barry to be given the role of mentor. He's had many mentors/father figures on the show already with Joe, Henry, Wells, and even Jay Garrick to a certain extent. Barry is still learning how to use his powers and the different things he can do with it. It would be cool to have a new character with the same powers and they either learn together or Wally can show him things that Barry hadn't thought of. What else is there to say but to be patient because odds are this one will be happening before the end of the season! 

NIGHTWING ON ARROW

 

Now this one just HAS to happen already!!! There was a rumor a few years ago that Nightwing would be making an appearance on Arrow based on a tweet by actor Steve McQueen. He tweeted a picture of himself at the gym, wearing a Nightwing shirt, to the Arrow writers account. Now, we don't know the official story behind it. Was he just asking for the part? Was he going to guest star and then the producers backed out? It was never really confirmed (to my knowledge) but I thought it was a great idea. As much as I love how Arrow has embraced more comic booky stuff in the later seasons, I do miss a bit of that "street level vigilante" that the show started off with. Nightwing would fit in perfectly with that concept. Given that he's dark, but not as brooding as Batman, he would probably get along real well with Diggle. However, he could easily click with any member of Team Arrow. With Oliver, he's a driven crimefighter trying to bring justice to the world one street punk at a time. With Diggle, he's a sidekick in the shadow of a famous hero. With Thea, he's young and sees the thrill of fighting crime. With Laurel, by day he works a respectable job trying to bring justice to the world (in Dick's case as a cop) but by night he dishes out the justice that the law doesn't always provide. And with Felicity he . . . Well she would probably remind him of Barbara and that would be good enough. See what I mean? He would fit in perfectly! Let's go ahead and make this happen!!!

Now I am aware that I skipped quite a few Titans like Cyborg, Donna Troy, Hawk and Dove, and many others. I could spend all day on that and where they should go, but I'll save that for someone with either more time on their hands or . .  . I dunno . . . someone who's a bit more obsessed with the Titans than I am. But these are my suggestions! What say you, Comic Junkies? Let me know!

Till Next Time!

JJ - the Comic Junkie!

 

 

2016 - THE YEAR OF JJ!

2016 is finally upon us. Every year brings about new movies to look forward to. This year, however, looks to be the year that the game will change forever. Ever since The Avengers blew everyone's minds back in 2012, Hollywood has been scrambling to catch up and replicate that success. I think they have finally caught on. It's not just about "shared universes", it's about making these movies different and exciting. Almost every month this year we have something to be excited about. I mean yeah, be excited for a new year and new you and blah blah blah . . . But that's a different kind of blog.

What I'm most excited about this year is that 2016 seems to be the year that Hollywood is bringing back my childhood. I mean the nostalgia was pretty heavy in 2015 but this year it's gonna be overload! My JJ-brain can barely contain it!

Stand back!

Granted not every film this year is directly from my childhood, but like I said before, there's a lot to look forward to mainly because a lot of the films, from trailers and marketing at least, seem to be structured differently than your average superhero/popcorn film. Let's go down the list and see what's coming. 

DEADPOOL - FEBRUARY 12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIM1HydF9UA

I'll go ahead and admit this right away - I'm not a Deadpool fan. I've never read any Deadpool comics.  I just know him from the hundreds of people that cosplay as him at Comic Con. 

Deadpool fans come in all shapes and sizes

I'm not a big fan, so why am I so excited for the movie? Like I said in the beginning, it's because the movie looks very different from what we've seen before. I mean, yeah we've seen anti-heroes and gratuitous violence in a movie before but this will be the first time we see it attached to a major superhero brand, namely the X-Men. The trailers and promotion material have started to make me into a Deadpool fan. Plus, Ryan Reynolds is perfect casting. I'm all about great casting. Even thought I wasn't a huge Constantine fan I could appreciate the show based on the perfect casting of Matt Ryan. That's how I feel about Deadpool and Ryan Reynolds. It's enough to get me excited for the movie. It's also going to be refreshing to see the comic book movie parodied by one of its own. I think the film will be successful and help to add more diverse and wacky characters to the big screen.

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE - MARCH 25

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yViIi3gie2c

 

There it is! The big one! I've never been more excited for a movie before. I've said this numerous times, but this is the movie I've waited my whole life to see. Not only is it cinematic history with the world's most popular superheroes meeting on screen for the first time, but it's the start of a "trend" (so to speak) with the comic book movies this year - The hero vs hero fight. Granted we've seen heroes fight each other before but this will be the first time that their fight is the selling point in the movie. If this film and Captain America: Civil War are successful then it's a safe bet that we will see more Hero vs Hero fight films. 

This film will also mark the true beginning of the DCEU (DC Expanded Universe). Man of Steel introduced Superman but this film will bring along Batman, Wonder Woman and rumored cameos from Aquaman and the Flash. Warner Bros aren't fooling around with that Dawn of Justice subtitle. This is gonna be a massive film and will not only give us a new take on Batman, but a new format for superhero movies in general. Plus - it's freaking Batman versus Superman! Don't act like you're not excited by that concept!

THE JUNGLE BOOK - APRIL 15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcgJRQWxKnw

 

This might be an odd choice for me to include in this list. But the truth is that the Jungle Book was one of my absolute favorite movies when I was a kid. I watched it all the time. It was one of the last films that Walt Disney personally worked on before his death. To have it come to life and with an amazing cast is really exciting to me! I mean we got Idris Elba as Shere Khan, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, and best of all - Bill Murray as Baloo! Baloo was one of my favorite characters as a kid. I remember crying when I thought he was killed by Shere Khan. If anyone can make this character real to me again it's Bill Murray. Plus the trailer looks phenomenal. So many movies nowadays have so much CGI that it's distracting but the CGI in this film looks incredible. The animals look real and in some cases, terrifying. Having Jon Favreau on board as director gives me high hopes that this film will be spectacular. Ahhh nostalgia . . . 

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR - MAY 6

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43NWzay3W4s&list=PLK5HARgNfgj-cuVJ8e3XrMRFtl-JE0uiQ&index=1

 

Like I said, this year sees the rise of the Hero vs Hero fight film. Although this is an entirely different beast from Batman v Superman. This film will be the continuation of Bucky's story from Captain America: the Winter Soldier and the fallout of the Avengers' actions from Avengers: Age of Ultron. That's quite a lot to juggle in one movie. But considering that it's the same writing/directing team from Winter Soldier I'm not too worried. At first I was worried that this film would be too much Tony vs Cap instead of continuing Bucky's story. The trailer does confirm that the movie will follow up on Bucky, while including the New Avengers assembled after Ultron's defeat. That's definitely a smart way to go with the movie. One of the major complaints following the Avengers is that the Avengers parted ways and seemingly didn't hang out anymore. This didn't really bother me since I've been reading comic books my whole life and it's not uncommon for Captain America to be on 2 or 3 different adventures every month. However, seeing it in live action does make it seem more "real" (for lack of a better term) so I get it. 

This film definitely has the potential to be one of Marvel's biggest and best movies. If it is anything like the comic books, then it will change the way the heroes act toward one another in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War. Given that the Marvel films never really end on a dark note, it's safe to say that the film will probably end with everyone shaking hands and being friends again. However, I would hope that this time Marvel do something different and have the Avengers Disassembled following this film. It will make their return to form in Infinity War that much more heroic and exciting. 

X-MEN: APOCALYPSE - MAY 27

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COvnHv42T-A

 

The X-Men films have always been favorites of mine. However, it's always bothered me that, for the most part, the only villain they ever seem to fight is Magneto. Sure there have been some deviations but for the most part, almost every film has ended with a Magneto vs the X-Men fight. I'm hoping this will be the film that starts to buck that trend. The X-Men have some really cool, very menacing villains. This film is finally introducing a brand new villain to the mix. And not just any villain - this is one of the most powerful villains in the entire Marvel universe! We'll finally get to see a character that will truly unite all the X-Men together. And given that this is also the origin for Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, and Nightcrawler makes it that much better. 

I'm personally thrilled that this film is being directed by Bryan Singer. He has definitely made the best of the X-Men movies. I don't know where the stories are going to go after this one, but I'm super excited to see what happens in this film. It looks to be living up to its title in that there will be worldwide destruction and chaos. Plus, Apocalypse is being played by Oscar Isaac, known to the world now as Poe Dameron. I'm excited to see what he does with the character and how the rest of the world reacts to a different kind of X-Men film. 

 

 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS - JUNE 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeaugHGd1Kw

 

This will probably be a surprise to many people. No, I was not a fan of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film. It was pretty sloppy. However, at its core, it had a decent story and was willing to take risks with the franchise. Whether hardcore "fans" want to admit it or not, risks need to be taken or else the stories WILL get old and become boring and uninteresting. The heart of the Turtles was present in the first film and the actors all did a great job as the brothers. It's just a shame that the movie was not put together very well. It might be too soon to tell, but this film looks to correct most, if not all of the mistakes. 

For my money, it doesn't get any better than the original 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It was a well made film, albeit a little too dark for younger viewers. In my opinion, there hasn't been a good Turtles film since that one. I'm hoping to be surprised and enjoy this one just as much. Given that it seems to be embracing a lot of the cartoonish elements of the Turtles including Bebop and Rocksteady as well as introducing Stephen Amell as Casey Jones, the film should definitely be better than the last one.

So pretty . . . 

 

I'll admit when I first saw the preview I didn't think much of it. The more I thought about it, the more excited I got. Like I said, it's embracing the cartoonish nature of the Turtles. Yeah, it's live action, but it's also for kids. I don't mind a little cartoony-ness in the film as long as the performances are solid. As long as the actors are giving great performances, it can soften the blow of the campiness. Otherwise, the film will be worse than the last one. We don't want that!

 

INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE - JUNE 24

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbduDRH2m2M

 

Ok, I'll be the first one to say it - In a long list of unnecessary sequels, this film is at the top of the list. HOWEVER, this was one of my absolute favorite movies when I was a kid. In a way, it was like Star Wars for me. You know how people describe the first time they saw Star Wars and it blew their minds? Well, Independence Day did that for me. I remember watching it thinking, "There's no way to beat these aliens! We're all dead!" And then being blown away by the heroes at the end of the film. I highly doubt this film can match that feeling for me. But, I'm willing to give it a chance. I won't lie, I've always secretly hoped for a sequel. Granted, it's 20 years later, but that doesn't mean it will be bad. My hope is that it will stand out amongst all the other copycat "they came to kill us" type movies that have come out since. 

I'm glad that the trailer doesn't show us that much information. We get just enough exposition and fight scenes to know that this will be a different film but still feel like an Independence Day movie. Hopefully, it will live up to its predecessor and not just be a film made for nostalgia's sake. **cough Dumb and Dumber To cough**

 

GHOSTBUSTERS - JULY 15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe93CLbHjxQ

 

Ok, so full disclosure - that link is for the music video for the first film because there's no trailer yet. Enjoy! Anyway, here it is! The movie that will divide fans right down the middle. On the one hand, people are mad because it's an all female reboot and there's no way that they can match the first film's awesomeness. On the other hand, it's an insanely talented cast and crew with a seal of approval from the original cast and crew so it should definitely be a great film. The question is - Where does JJ fall? Well . . . I have high hopes for this film. Ghostbusters is my all time favorite movie. It's funny, scary, fun, exciting, and has great characters. Any attempt to replicate it would be stupid in my opinion. However, I am intrigued by the possibility of an "alternate take" on the franchise. It's pretty clear we were never going to get a Ghostbusters 3 despite Dan Akroyd's numerous claims that a script was in development. The original actors had all moved on. I really liked that. I felt like there was a lot of dignity in the actors choosing to pursue other interests. 

Since this is a whole new crew trying to do a new thing while honoring the original film I can get behind it. This is definitely a better option than trying to recast Peter, Ray, and Egon with younger actors. That would piss me off. But this? Yeah, I can give my support. I love these actresses and think they are some of the funniest people. Plus, Paul Feig is a great director. I really think this movie will blow people away. I'm hoping for a trailer soon to confirm that! 

 

STAR TREK BEYOND - JULY 22

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRVD32rnzOw

 

I wasn't always a Star Trek fan. I liked The New Generation as a kid, but I didn't get into it like I did with Star Wars. Not to say I was against it, I just didn't really get into it. That changed when I saw the JJ Abrams reboot a few years ago. It totally blew my mind! I thought it was great. I enjoyed Star Trek Into Darkness as well. I thought it was a great sequel, although it was silly that it was basically a remake of Star Trek 2. But that's all behind us now! I'm definitely looking forward to this film and seeing where there story goes. I love all the cast and I truly believe they fill their characters' shoes extremely well. Zachary Quinto in particular I think is a fantastic Spock and clearly got Leonard Nimoy's seal of approval. Although plot details are thin, we do know that this film was co-written by Simon Pegg, who plays Scotty. And if previous Simon Pegg-penned films are any indication, we're definitely in for a treat.

Amazing movies!

 

Since JJ Abrams jumped ship to direct Star Wars: the Force Awakens, a new director was chosen. Justin Lin, known for the Fast and Furious films will be injecting his signature blend of action and spectacle into the Star Trek series. While that might seem like a bad thing to some, I think it's exactly what the franchise needs. With Simon Pegg's signature wit and Lin's sense of action, this film should definitely be exciting and fun to watch. 

 

SUICIDE SQUAD - AUGUST 5

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxQbI0hWi3I

 

2016 is definitely going to be a year to remember for Warner Bros and DC Entertainment. There are TWO major motion pictures coming out that will set up the DCEU. With Batman v Superman, we'll see the heroes come together and the origins of the Justice League. With Suicide Squad, we'll see a lot of major villains that have never been seen on film like Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Enchantress, and some familiar to the Arrow crowd like Deadshot and Captain Boomerang. This is perhaps the riskiest film on this list. On the one hand, there's the immediate draw of Harley Quinn and the Joker plus Will Smith's star power (if that still has any bearing). Then again, it's a DC Comics film where Superman, Wonder Woman, et al do not appear. Batman will get some sort of cameo, but it's unlikely that he will get much screen time. 

This is exactly the kind of film that the superhero genre needs to survive. Hero vs Hero is all well and good and different enough to get us excited, but THIS is a film almost exclusively about the bad guys. True, these types of films have been made before but this will be the first time that a comic book film focuses on the villains. Not anti-heroes, not vigilantes, straight up bad guys. I'm very excited to see what this film will bring to the table. Since this is DC's second big "world-building" film behind Batman v Superman it has a lot of pressure to not only fit in that world but to expand it and make it seem like it fits. I don't think there will be much of an issue with that given how talented the cast is mixed with the really awesome visuals in the trailers. I have high hopes for this film. And let's face it, Jared Leto as the Joker is perfect casting.

Plus it's pretty cool to have a film where the Joker plays a major role but Batman is only a small part. That's new and exciting if you ask me!

GAMBIT - OCTOBER 7

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXrjTXD5L3s

 

Two things - since there is no trailer I've included a link to the Super Power Beat Down episode that was Nightwing vs Gambit. Secondly, I'm not 100% sure this film is still being made. I mean, we haven't really heard much about it other than it can't seem to keep a director for longer than a few weeks. I previously wrote about how a Channing Tatum led Gambit film could be really exciting and different and I stick by that. I'm hoping that instead of a normal superhero film, we get more of an Ocean's Eleven type deal where it's more of a heist/revenge thing. That would definitely separate this film from the rest of the pack. If Deadpool is a comedy, then this can be a heist thriller. Add in some mutants we haven't seen yet and this would be fun! Assuming it's still being made of course . . . 

DR. STRANGE - NOVEMBER 4

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwpQp-pDS8I

 

Again, no trailer - but there's Benedict Cumberbatch doing impressions and they're funny as hell. Between Batman, Superman, Captain America, Iron Man, and even a new Spider-Man getting the spotlight this year it's easy to forget that there is still one more hero making a big debut - Dr. Strange. I'm super excited for this film. Dr. Strange is easily one of the best Marvel characters. I was a huge fan of his during Brian Michael Bendis's run on New Avengers and now he's got a new comic written by Jason Aaron. It hasn't been out long, but I've thoroughly enjoyed every issue so far. I keep thinking that if this is where the movie is heading then we are in for a real treat. My main concern with this film is that Marvel will YET AGAIN give us a lackluster villain. I think that would be a shame considering that Strange has fantastic villains like Baron Mardo and Dormammu, probably both set to appear either in this film or in the sequel. Either way, Cumberbatch is an extremely talented actor and I'm excited to see him bring the Sorcerer Supreme to life. 

 

My hope is that this film isn't afraid to be completely different from the other Marvel movies. Given that it's being directed by Scott Derrickson, who directed Sinister, I'm sure we'll be in for something different. Sinister was really scary and a real mind twisting kind of film. I'm hoping we'll see some of that in Dr. Strange and not the usual origin story. I'm hoping the origin story here will be a little more . . . Strange . . . HAHA! . . . Ahem . . . Anyway . . . 

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY - DECEMBER 16

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w8Z0UOXVaY

 

No trailer - that link will take you to the Bad Lip Reading of Star Wars. Definitely one of the funniest things you'll ever see. Anyway, what can we say about Rogue One? Not much! We really don't know much about it, other than it takes place before A New Hope and it's rumored that the plot focuses on the Rebels stealing the plans to the original Death Star. That's cool, I guess. I'm more interested in how this film will fit into the larger scheme of things with the Star Wars movies. All of the live action films have dealt with the Skywalker family in some way, shape or form. This will be the first theatrically released Star Wars film that doesn't deal with the Force (at least directly since it's rumored Darth Vader will make an appearance) or feature any prominent Jedi in major roles (allegedly). Think about it - this will the first Star Wars film that doesn't open with an Episode number. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Will we go into Star Wars overload in the next few years? I think that would be hard to do, but I'm biased because I say the more the merrier. This film will show us a different part of the fight between the Rebels and the Empire. I'm excited to see what will happen and how it will fit into the Star Wars canon. 

Whew! That's a lot of stuff to go over for this year! I'm definitely looking forward to what lies in store this year with all of these films. One way or another they will all be memorable. Bring it on, 2016! I'm ready!

Till Next Time!

JJ - the Comic Junkie!