DC FanDome reveals newest DC movies for comic fans everywhere
Typically in July, thousands of fans gather to wait in very long lines, dressed in heavy layers of costumed clothing, to get into the infamous San Diego Convention Center and participate in the San Diego Comic-Con.
But, like so many events before it, Comic-Con was canceled. Instead, the whole experience was relegated to Zoom with actor-run panels. The crucial element of audience participation that has driven Comic-Con for years was unfortunately missing.
Comic-Con@Home was not nearly as successful as the in-person event was going to be. Luckily, DC decided to host its own mini-Comic-Con. Warner Bros. and HBO developed their own event held on Aug. 22, to reveal all the DC-related news that people had been craving for so long. Called the DC FanDome, it did not disappoint. Here are some of the best highlights of the night:
"Justice League": The Snyder cut
If you’re a fan of the "Justice League" movie, you might be the only one. Unfortunately, this big-budget hero team-up movie ended up falling flat on its face. With hastily CGI-ed-out mustaches and a disjointed editing job, the movie was not a fan favorite.
That might have had more to do with the last-minute change in directors from Zack Snyder, also director of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” to Joss Whedon, known for “The Avengers.” The death of Snyder's daughter caused him to step away from the film. But, audiences have since been eager to see Snyder’s interpretation of the team, had he been given the chance.
Snyder personally announced to audiences during FanDome that his rendition of the “Justice League” would be released as a miniseries consisting of four, hour-long episodes on HBO Max sometime in 2021.
The trailer, with Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” as its soundtrack, made its debut to much fan-generated excitement and a little trepidation. There are new scenes of the Flash and Cyborg and a whole new look for Darkseid, the villain, but Forbes film critic, Scott Mendelson, pointed out that not much seemed to have changed.
After a lackluster response to the original movie, featuring Will Smith as Deadshot and David Ayer at the helm as director, Warner Bros. hired James Gunn, director of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” to give the franchise a makeover.
This movie is not a direct sequel but does feature returning cast members. The full cast list was released at FanDome, with Margot Robbie, Viola Davis and Joel Kinnaman all reprising their roles as Harley Quinn, Amanda Waller and Rick Flag, respectively. Smith will not be rejoining for the second movie. Idris Elba will take on the role of Bloodsport, John Cena as Peacemaker and Steve Agee as King Shark. The current release date is set for Aug. 6, 2021.
“Wonder Woman 1984” update
Possibly the most highly anticipated sequel in all of the DC movies, Wonder Woman has finally gotten an official release date for Oct. 2, 2020. Originally the movie was set to release in late 2019, but due to the rushed production time and then the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, it was pushed back until this summer. Now, with theaters finally reopening, Warner Bros. has released the second trailer for “Wonder Woman 1984,” featuring the costume design of the villain, Cheetah, played by Kristen Wiig.
In a surprising reveal, an animated trailer of the anti-hero Black Adam, played by Dwayne Johnson, was released. The origin story of this anti-hero is similar to that of Shazam, played by Zachary Levi. Both got powers from the same mystic who had granted them worthy. But, Black Adam became corrupted by the power and was banished far from Earth. His story will undoubtedly coincide with the release of more Shazam movies in the future, but, for now, his solo film is set to release on Dec. 22, 2021.
Batman
The most exciting news of the FanDome came when the trailer for the newest Batman movie, starring Robert Pattinson, was released to audiences, even though reportedly only 30 percent of the movie has been filmed. Director Matt Reeves, also known for "Planet of the Apes," and Zoë Kravitz, playing Catwoman, are both signed onto the project, set for release on Oct. 1, 2021. Unfortunately, soon after the FanDome, news came that Pattinson tested positive for the coronavirus during filming. It is possible that the release date for the movie may have to be postponed.
Missed out on the first DC FanDome? Never fear. DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse, a 24-hour interactive experience, is set to occur on Sept. 12. With exclusive, never-before-seen panels of "Doom Patrol" and "Black Lightning," and a Q&A opportunity with the animated version of Harley Quinn, this event is sure to be a hit.
