Category: News

Superman: Red Son – Review (Spoiler Free)

Superman: Red Son which is directed by Sam Liu adapts the famous work of Mark Millar and is the latest entry into the DC Animated Universe. Being a fan of Liu’s previous DC work with titles such as Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay and The Death and Return of Superman I was going into this with high expectations. Not only due to Sam Liu’s involvement, but because Superman: Red Son just happens to be one of my favourite graphic novels ever. And I’m happy to report that for the most part Superman: Red Son met those expectations. Is it perfect? No, it definitely has its issues which I will get into later on. But throughout the 80+ minute runtime, even though I knew what was going to happen I found myself invested every step of the way until the climax.

For this review I will not be going into details about the comic itself or what happens in the movie because I want to try keep this as spoiler-free as possible. If you haven’t read the comic I would highly recommend you pick it up either before or after watching this adaptation.

Story

Superman: Red Son can only be described as the ultimate ‘what if?’ story. Instead of superman’s pod landing in a farm in Kanas. This time it lands on the other side of the world…in Russia. So not only is this Superman raised by different parents, he’s also raised up in a totally different environment and this helps shape him as an entirely different Superman than the one we’re so used to seeing. This is why I love the comic so much. I find twists like these to iconic characters so fascinating and Superman: Red Son is no different.

Seeing how Superman operates in 1950s Russia is refreshing when it comes to the character because part of what makes this setting so different is the political climate of the country at the time. And while he tries his best to help the people judging by what side of the fence you’re on you can actually see this Superman as either the hero or villain of the story. What I liked about this adaption of the story is how it tries to humanise Superman more than in the comic. I could still sense the essence of Superman in version of the character with how he dealt with issues. Whether you agree with him or not you could always see that he was trying his best to better the lives of others.

Action

The action in Superman: Red Son is definitely its strongest aspect. Fight scenes are shot well and are straight up brutal at times. This is certainly the case when Batman gets involved. Batman is another depiction of a character which I love when it comes to this movie. Plus, I don’t care how many times it happens or what iterations of the characters they are. I will never get tired of watching Superman and Batman go toe-to-toe for a couple of minutes. The inclusion of the Green Lantern Corps was much needed too as with their Lantern Rings they bring an entirely different dynamic which helped bring some variety to the fight scenes.

Animation

One of the major complaints when it comes to the DC Animated movies is the quality of the animation. Now, usually it doesn’t bother me that much. But with Superman: Red Son it actually did. For a story that was set in the 1950s of Russia it sure didn’t look or feel like it. It’s kind of hard to explain, but it felt like I was just watching another DC Animated movie and a lot of that has to do with the animation style. This might be because I’ve spent the last week watching all of the DC Animated movies in preparation for Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. But those movies should look and feel the same because they are part of the same universe. I just wish the studio changed up their animation style when it came to the Elseworlds movies to further help differentiate them from the current timeline.

Ending

I haven’t gone into much detail about the changes and similarities from the source materials. Going into the movie like with previous adaptions I wasn’t expecting a full adaption. I knew there was going to be a few changes. And for the most part I was happy with those changes. However, when it comes to the ending of the movie this is where I have my biggest issue. Not that anything was changed, something was left out. A major twist in the final panels of the comic which I love. Honestly, it’s my favourite part of the story. I still remember that jaw-dropping moment as I was turning those final pages. I just don’t see what was gained by leaving out that final twist from the comic. Once again, if you haven’t picked up the comic I highly recommend you do for that twist alone.

Closing thoughts

Overall, while Superman: Red Son is far from perfect I still believe that it is a solid and warranted adaptation of the source material. Regardless of my issues with the ending and some other changes from the source material there is still enough here that should keep you entertained especially, when it comes to the story and the action. I would also say that there are parts of the movie which are done better here than in the comic itself. That’s why I’m always open to adaptations like this. I love to see a creators take on a fellow creators work and with Superman: Red Son Sam Liu does a solid job at adapting one of the greatest comics stories ever made while adding his own touch to it.

Superman: Red Son – 4/5

Superman: Red Son is available on Digital Download now, and Blu-ray™& DVD on March 16, 2020.

Click here for a chance to win a copy of Superman: Red Son on Blu-ray™

WIN SUPERMAN: RED SON ON BLU-RAY™

As stated in my previous post I would be running a giveaway for you to possibly win your own copy of Superman: Red Son on Blu-ray™, thanks to the people at Warner Bros. All you have to do is answer the question in the comment section down below:

Which of the following characters has Jason Isaacs, the voice of Superman in Superman: Red
Son, voiced for DC Universe Movies?
a) Sinestro
b) Ra’s al Ghul
c) Lex Luthor
d) All of the above
Superman: Red Son is available on Digital Download now, and Blu-ray™ & DVD on March

*You must be located in the UK to qualify for the giveaway*

Good luck!

This competition will close on the 16th March, 2020

Superman: Red Son

What if the Man of Steel was raised behind the Iron Curtain? So begins DC’s acclaimed Elseworlds story, Superman: Red Son, now the next entry in the popular series of DC Universe Movies. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC, the feature-length animated film arrives – along with a new DC Showcase animated short, Phantom Stranger – from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital Download from February 25, 2020, and on Blu-ray, Blu-ray Mini Fig, Blu-ray Steelbook and DVD on March 16, 2020.

Official: Robert Pattinson to Play Batman

FINALLY! After months on speculation we finally have our new Batman. Earlier this month Deadline reported that the search for the new Caped Crusader had dwindled down to Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult. Yesterday, it was reported by The Wrap that both actors were doing screen tests for the role. And today, it looks like we got the results of those screen tests with Pattinson winning the role. This is amazing news, but the thing that got me most excited about this story is how Deadline in their report confirmed Pattinson will be the face of Matt Reeves’ trilogy. What a time to be a Batman fan! To have a trilogy directed by Christopher Nolan and Matt Reeves is truly a blessing. I also want to spare a thought for Nicholas Hoult for missing out because this is a role of a lifetime. However, since he done screen tests I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up playing a different role in the movie. Clearly Matt Reeves and the studio think highly of him. Either way I’m finally happy we got confirmation. It was also reported the project is set to start filming at the start of next year. So keep your eyes peeled this summer. I think we’re going to be hearing a lot more casting news for The Batman

The Batman is set to be released on 25 June, 2021

Robert Pattinson to Play Batman in Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’?

Just an hour ago social media exploded when Variety dropped a bombshell on us. They finally gave us what we have been waiting for. Who will be taking over the mantle from Ben Affleck as the caped crusader? Variety are pretty confident Robert Pattinson will be stepping into the iconic role. They claim a deal hasn’t been made yet, but Matt Reeves had him in mind while writing the script. While I was just taking in this news Deadline also released their own report on the potential casting. Both outlets agree that a deal hasn’t been made final yet. But where they differ is Deadline claiming that Robert Pattinson isn’t the only person in contention for the role. Deadline states that both Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult are at the top of Warner Bros. list. However, Deadline’s report does seem to imply that Pattinson is the favourite for the role by claiming “the bat suit isn’t filled yet and that they like both guys, with Pattinson holding the edge”. This is a bit frustrating isn’t it? We finally get the news we wanted, but nothing has been confirmed yet. I guess we gotta sit tight and be patient, as if we haven’t already been doing that for several months. I have a feeling it will end up Robert Pattinson taking the role. But you never know with Hollywood.

Let me know what you think of these potential castings

Michael Rooker in Talks to Play King Shark in ‘The Suicide Squad’

The cast for James Gunn’s upcoming ‘The Suicide Squad’ movie is all but completed now. Just in the last couple of minutes The Wrap have reported that Michael Rooker is in talks to play King Shark. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone since Michael Rooker and James Gunn have a great relationship from their work together on the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Now it looks like that relationship is going to further blossom DCEU. Rooker is going to be joining the likes of Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, Viola Davis, John Cena and Idris Elba in the newly formed Suicide Squad. I’m Just surprised we haven’t heard anything about Dave Bautista joining the cast yet.

James Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad’ is set to be released on August 6, 2021

Who is Shark King?

After making a brief cameo in “Superboy” Vol. 4 #0 in late 1994, Karl Kesel’s creation made his first full appearance in “Superboy” Vol. 4 #9. Born in Hawai’i as Nanaue, the humanoid shark that would become known as King Shark is actually the son of a shark god, who is in turn known as “The King of All Sharks.” Early on, his supernatural origins were doubted and King Shark’s appearance was dismissed as a particularly aggressive mutation, one that also gifted him with superhuman strength and endurance, regenerative tissue, and shark-like physiology. (He’s been designed with both Great White stylings and that of a humanoid Hammerhead, the latter seen in The New 52.)

Via. Collider

Mysterious Line Dropped in New Avengers: Endgame Clip

Earlier today Marvel released a new clip from their upcoming movie Avengers: Endgame. The clip shows us the remaining Avengers, plus new recruit Carol Danvers at Avengers HQ coming up with a plan to kill Thanos. Now, this clip dropped around midday. And I thought nothing of it. I mean I was still hyped and it was great to see these characters strategise and clash heads. But fast forward a couple of hours later, it seems like I missed a crucial part of this clip. And it turns out that I wasn’t the only one.

Just as Thor goes up to approach Carol you hear a voice say “I have telepathy”. Listen closely down below (Turn up your volume really high)

https://twitter.com/ComicBooksTalk/status/1115433234144399361

Crazy right? Once you hear it you can no longer unhear it. From this clip it sounds like Carol’s voice. I’m no expert on the Captain Marvel character so this came as a surprise to me. But it kind of makes sense in the context of the clip. Straight after that line is said she isn’t phased by Thor summoning Stormbreaker right next to her. Maybe she read his mind and saw it coming. Other people have said the voice could possibly be Scarlet Witch as she’s communicating to the Avengers from the soul world. I personally don’t buy this theory. But what do you think of this line?

Let me know your thoughts below.

Shazam! Sequel Already in The Works

It looks like Warner Bros./New Line Cinema already new they had a winner on their hands with Shazam! before the movie’s release. Yesterday the movie made a strong debut at the box office by making over $53M in its opening weekend. Now, it seems Warner Bros. are pushing already planning ahead for the sequel. The Wrap reported earlier today that writer of the movie Henry Gayden, will be returning to pen the script for the sequel. This is great news for me because I personally thought the script was the strongest aspect of the movie. And why change something that isn’t broken? Hopefully, this also means director David F. Sandberg will also be returning for the sequel. Warner Bros. seem to be on a role now. Earlier in the year they gave us a release date for an Aquaman sequel and now the wheels are being put in motion for the Shazam! sequel. It’s nice to see the universe growing without the likes of Superman and Batman at the forefront. Each character is big enough to hold their own.

Let me know your thoughts on this news down below.

The Joker Trailer: First Impressions

As expected the trailer for Todd Phillips’ Joker movie arrived today. And to take a phrase from Heath Ledger’s Joker for a second…it didn’t disappoint. I mean where do I start with this one? Before the trailer even dropped I was fascinated with the idea of this movie. Now this is my most anticipated movie of the year. I love the whole vibe I’m getting from this movie. It’s dark, tragic, crazy and will most likely be full of dark humour. Just as a Joker movie should be.

Here are my main talking points from the trailer:

Beautifully shot

Joaquin Phoenix is getting a lot of praise as expected and rightly so. But I want to start this off by giving Todd Phillips and the rest of the crew behind the scenes some praise. The way the movie is shot caught my eye immediately. There are some amazing shots in this trailer and I think they did a good job at capturing the 80s. Plus the music they chose fits the tone of the movie/trailer perfectly.

Joaquin’s Joker

On to the main man himself Joaquin Phoenix. I’m trying not get carried away here, but I think he’s going to kill this role. It looks like he went all out for this role. His mannerisms and the presence he commands on screen with the full make up on. I was in awe the whole time. His Joker laugh is great too. Again, I’m trying not to get carried away here, but it feels like they made a great choice by picking him for this role.

Origin

The most interesting thing about this trailer to me is the way they’re approaching the Joker’s origin story. From the moment this movie was announced people were automatically turned off because the Joker is someone who doesn’t really have an origin. But what they’re doing with this movie. I’m all for it. I’m not one of these gatekeepers. If you’re going to do it, just do it well. The way the trailer starts by showing us Arthur caring for his mother and seeing what the character has become by the end of the trailer had me hooked. I want to see this journey the character goes on. I want to see him start off as someone we can sympathise with and then it just takes a sharp turn to where we aren’t meant to be rooting for this guy. We should hate him, but love him at the same time. At the end of the day he’s a bad guy. And he’s going to do some crazy shit to people in this movie, I can guarantee you that now. I also love how they’re focusing on mental illness in this movie, something a lot of people can relate to.

God, I cannot wait for this movie. I’ve already watched the trailer more than 10 times. And I love it even more with each watch.

Here are some of my favourite shots from the trailer:

Let me know your thoughts on the trailer down below.

The Joker is set to be released later this year on October 4

Joker Trailer to be Released Tomorrow

What a day it has been for comic book fans like myself. Just as I finally got through and brought my tickets for Avengers: Endgame I get a notification on my phone saying director Todd Phillips has made a new post on his Instagram. Without hesitation I went to his page because I knew it would be something Joker related. Well, to my surprise it was more than that. Not only did Todd Phillips give us our first look at the poster for the movie, he also announced we’re getting a teaser trailer tomorrow!

View this post on Instagram

Teaser trailer tomorrow. #JokerMovie

A post shared by Todd Phillips (@toddphillips1) on

Warner Bros. also created a Twitter account for the movie and provided us a promotional banner.

Shortly after I received a press release from Warner Bros. detailing the movie.

Check out the official synopsis for The Joker:

“Joker centers around the iconic arch nemesis and is an original, standalone story not seen before on the big screen.  Phillips’ exploration of Arthur Fleck (Phoenix), a man disregarded by society, is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”

One detail I found really interesting in the press release is how it states Robert De Niro is starring in the movie alongside Joaquin Phoenix. It looks like he’s going to have a major role in the movie. I honestly can’t wait for the trailer tomorrow.

Check back here tomorrow for my breakdown/reaction to the trailer.

The Joker is set to be released on Oct. 4

Report: Tickets For Avengers: Endgame to go on Sale This Tuesday

We are only 26 days away from the release of this year’s biggest event, Avengers: Endgame. And while the marketing for the movie has been scarce (in a good way) so has information about when we can finally purchase our tickets for the movie. In my experience tickets for blockbuster movies usually go on sale with a month and a half in advance. But not for Avengers: Endgame, they’re doing it on their own terms. They have earned that right to be honest. However, it may finally look like we’ll be able to purchase our this week, on April 2nd to be exact. ComicBook.com ran this story earlier and claimed the date was confirmed to them by an inside source.

So if all goes according to plan, we are all going to be purchasing our tickets on Tuesday. I swear this April is going to feel like one of the longest months ever!

Avengers: Endgame is set to be released on April 26