Thursday, April 4, 2019
WATCH: First 'Joker' trailer introduces Joaquin Phoenix's Clown Prince of Crime
The first trailer for "Joker," the upcoming Todd Phillips-directed movie starring Joaquin Phoenix as DC Comics' iconic clown villain, was released on Wednesday.
The disturbing clip documents the descent of Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) from a failed comedian to the deranged criminal who eventually becomes Batman's archenemy — all set, aptly enough, to a chilling rendition of the classic song "Smile."
The film is set to debut this October.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Warner Bros pushes Superman-Batman film back to 2016
LOS ANGELES - Warner Bros. pushed back the release date of the still untitled film that will bring together superheroes Superman and Batman, delaying it by almost a year to May 2016, the studio said on Friday.
The sequel to last year's hit Superman film "Man of Steel" was revealed at the Comic-Con convention last July by director Zack Snyder, who said the two DC Comics' caped crusaders will face off against each other.
Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc, said in a statement that it needed to move back the date to allow "the filmmakers time to realize fully their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story."
The decision was made after the start of production was moved to the second quarter of this year, Warner Bros. said.
The superhero-duo was originally slated for July 17, 2015, and Warner Bros. said it would put a still untitled Peter Pan adventure into that slot.
"We are happy to take advantage of these coveted summer dates, which are perfect for two of our biggest tentpole releases," said Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution.
"Man of Steel," starring British actor Henry Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent, premiered in June 2013 and grossed $668 million worldwide. In the North American market, it was the fourth-biggest film of 2013, with ticket sales of $291 million.
In the first encounter of the two superheroes on the big screen, Cavill returns to play Superman, while "Argo" actor and director Ben Affleck has been cast as Batman in a controversial choice that split fans.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
Friday, August 23, 2013
Ben Affleck to play Batman in 'Man of Steel' sequel
LOS ANGELES - Actor Ben Affleck will play Batman in an upcoming Superman sequel that will see the two caped crusaders face off against each other, film studio Warner Bros Pictures said on Thursday.
Affleck, 41, will take on the role of reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne, Batman's alter-ego, in director Zack Snyder's 2015 sequel to this year's Superman reboot "Man of Steel," starring 30-year-old British actor Henry Cavill.
"We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics' most enduringly popular super heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some. His outstanding career is a testament to his talent and we know he and Zack will bring new dimension to the duality of this character," Greg Silverman, president of creative development at Warner Bros Pictures said.
The announcement that two iconic comic book heroes will face off against each other was made by Snyder earlier this year at San Diego's annual Comic-Con, a convention celebrating comic-book and pop culture.
"It's beyond mythological to have Superman and our new Batman facing off, since they are the greatest super heroes in the world," Snyder said.
The director's "Man of Steel" has been a successful reboot of the Superman franchise this year, making $650 million at the global box office. The yet-to-be titled sequel, slated for release on July 17, 2015, will reunite "Man of Steel" stars Cavill, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane.
Affleck joins a list of actors who have donned Batman's black mask and cape, including Michael Keaton, George Clooney and most recently Christian Bale in Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy. Both Batman and Superman are part of the DC Comics universe, which is part of the Warner Bros Entertainment division, a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.
Nolan's "Dark Knight" films, which explored a darker and more complex portrayal of Batman, made more than $2 billion at the worldwide box office between 2005 and 2012, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com.
Affleck, who directed and starred in this year's Best Picture Oscar winner "Argo," will also be in upcoming gambling drama "Runner Runner," opposite Justin Timberlake.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
At 79, Michael Caine rises again as Batman’s butler

LOS ANGELES – At an age, 79, when most of his acting peers have either long since retired or seen their careers simply fade away, Sir Michael Caine has no intention of quietly shuffling off the Hollywood stage.
In his latest film, “The Dark Knight Rises,” the eagerly awaited finale to director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy which hits theaters on Friday, the actor once again stars as Alfred, Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler and guiding conscience.
The two-time Oscar winner (for “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “The Cider House Rules”) recently talked to Reuters about making the film and why he’ll keep on working.
This is your third time as Alfred. Is it like playing an old friend?
“No, it’s like being on a wheel and winding up at the end of this massive circle. The character was developed so well. It wasn’t just your usual butler going, ‘Dinner is served.’ He’s written so well and the part just got better and better.”
Fair to say he’s really the father figure in the “Dark Knight” stories?
“Certainly, because in ‘Batman Begins’ I’m the butler of Batman’s father, and then when they’re killed, I look after him. And he’s just a boy then, so I really bring him up, like a foster father. That’s the reason I did it, because there’s all that depth to Alfred. He evolves and learns a lot of lessons, and then commits an ultimate sin … So there’s some very emotional scenes between the two of them. I wouldn’t have done it if it was just, ‘Another drink, sir?’”
This finale is obviously big summer, popcorn movie entertainment, but it also deals with some very dark themes.
“Oh sure. The thing is, Chris can direct a huge blockbuster with all the stunts and special effects, but he also makes you think about serious issues like terrorism and the effects of poverty and a crippled economy, and he also directs Oscar-winning performances, like Heath Ledger’s in the last one. And he writes this great material which allows an actor to do that. I’ve never seen all those elements together in one director, and I’ve worked with some great ones over the years. He’s a real one-off.”
A lot of big-budget, blockbuster directors are known for being tyrants on set, but Nolan seems so mild-mannered.
“He is. He’s like an extremely human computer (laughs). He’s very quiet. He knows exactly what he wants, and he lets you get on with it until there’s something he wants to add or change. And at that point, it’s done away from everyone. He doesn’t make a show of being a director or boss. All the great directors are quiet. It’s the noisy ones who’re no good.”
Nolan has said this is definitely his last Batman film. Same for you?
“No. I told him, ‘if they carry on without you I’ll still play Alfred anyway,’ and he said, ‘I want 10 percent’ (laughs). But I don’t know if they’d want to cast the same people again.”
Why do you think Batman is such a beloved superhero?
“Because he’s the most human of them all. He doesn’t have special powers and yes, he wears a suit, but it’s not bulletproof. Everyone can relate.”
Peter O’Toole just announced he’s retiring now that he’s 80-years-old. Will you ever retire?
“I’ll be 80 next March, so I’m not far behind, but I have no plans to retire. I’ve slowed down a bit, but I’ve got two scripts I really want to do.”
What’s next?
“I just shot ‘Mr. Morgan’s Last Love,’ a comedy about an old American professor in Paris who has a non-physical relationship with a beautiful young French girl, based on a true story. I met the author and asked him, ‘Did you have sex?’ and he said ‘No, never.’ So at my age, I don’t get the girl anymore, but as long as I get good scripts like that, I’ll keep going.”
source: interaksyon.com
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Batman could fly, but he’d crash and die

LONDON – Holy crash landing Batman! The crime-fighting caped crusader could fly but if he did, he would smash into the ground and probably die, a group of British physics students have calculated.
Dashing the dreams of comic fans across the world, four students from the University of Leicester said that while Batman could glide using his cape as he does in the 2005 film “Batman Begins”, his landing would almost certainly prove fatal.
The superhero is back in cinemas later this month in “The Dark Knight Rises” and they suggested Batman should go shopping before trying a similar attempt to become airborne over Gotham City.
“If Batman wanted to survive the flight, he would definitely need a bigger cape,” said David Marshall, 22, one of the students in the final year of their four-year Master of Physics degree.
“Or if he preferred to keep his style intact he could opt for using active propulsion, such as jets to keep himself aloft.”
In a paper titled “Trajectory of a falling Batman”, the group argued that if he jumped from a 150-meter (492-foot) high building, the 4.7 meter (15-foot) wingspan of Batman’s cape would allow him to glide 350 meters (1148 feet).
However, he would reach a speed of 68 miles per hour (109 km per hour) before hitting the ground at a life-threatening speed of 50 mph (80 kph).
source: interaksyon.com
Monday, November 28, 2011
Christian Bale hanging up his Batman cape
Set for release in July, the movie is Bale's third stint as Gotham's Caped Crusader for director Christopher Nolan, after "Batman Begins" (2005) and "The Dark Knight" (2008).
"I wrapped a few days ago, so that will be the last time I'm taking that cowl [Batman hood] off," Bale told the newspaper during an interview in Beverly Hills. "I believe that the whole production wrapped yesterday, so it's all done. Everything's finished. It's me and Chris -- that will be the end of that Batman era.
The 37-year-old actor's comments, published late last week, weren't his first indication that he might have reached the end of the Batmobile ride. Bale told E! News in November one year ago that "unless Chris says different, this will be the last time I'm playing Batman."
Bale, who received an Oscar last year for his supporting performance in "The Fighter," next appears on the big screen in Zhang Yimou's China-set period drama "The Flowers of War." He'll also star in two films from "Tree of Life" director Terrence Malick.
Joining Bale in "The Dark Knight Rises" are Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anne Hathaway, as Catwoman.
Film actors who have preceded Bale in the dual role of Batman and his alter ego, Bruce Wayne, include Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney. - Reuters
source: gmanetwork.com