DC Comic Films To Take Place of Harry Potter Franchise

After what seems to be eons after Marvel found the right formula to successful film franchises WB is finally trying their hand at one or two DC Comic related properties to be released each year in the absence of the Harry Potter franchise. DC Comics Creative Chief Officer, Geoff Johns, announced the news at  this years New York Comic Con.

No doubt WB is banking on Green Lantern to be a pretty big property in the same way Iron Man was for Marvel. They have had great success with the Batman franchise but other works like Superman Returns and especially Jonah Hex have fallen way below expectations. Expect to see characters like Flash, Wonder Woman, and possibly even Aquaman to follow the recent Green Lantern boom of interest. 

I assume the ultimate goal is to eventually produce a Justice League film much like Marvel has done for The Avengers and has an avid DC Comics fan, this news has me pumped for the potential future of these properties. 

Green Lantern Trailer Confirmed for Potter

It was only rumored earlier, but now official from Geoff Johns own Twitter account.

The Green Lantern trailer will indeed be debuted with Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1.  Its not really a huge bit of news more so than an official confirmation.

Potter is in theatres November 19th this year, while Green Lantern bursts onto screens June 17th 2011.

Green Lantern Animated Series Poster

And the Green Lantern news continues...

DC announced earlier in the year that a Green Lantern animated series would begin with the upcoming film and now TV Guide has the first exclusive photo from the series. Its pretty basic and doesn't reveal much other than a tease that the series is coming.

This follows other big news from DC and announcements at the New York Comic Con. The series will air in 2011 with Bruce Timm producing who has headed all the major DC animated related projects.

Green Lantern Gets Online

Straight from Geoff Johns' official twitter, a website for the upcoming Green Lantern film is now live.

While it only includes a logo and release date, its great to see the site finally go up with possible updates in the coming months. Its been rumored that the first trailer will be attached with Deathly Hallows Part 1, so that may end up being the first item on the page.

I can picture a phrase hidden on the site that you can click to find some easter eggs; "No evil shall escape this website."

Josh Holloway's New Mission

Josh Holloway has been added to the already solid cast of the next Mission:Impossible film.  His character is set to join Ethan Hunt's (Tom Cruise) special task force as a secret agent.

J.J. Abrams is producing with Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner, and may have a hand in bringing Halloway over from his work on Lost.  Snagging the typical hunk from the show may lure some of the hard core fans in to see how he performs in his first high end studio film.

Release date is set for December 16, 2011

Moriarty shows his face

Brad Pitt's name has been thrown around since Sherlock Holmes' release about being the hidden faced Moriarty. Well that vision is now true... for a man Pitt starred with at least.

Latino Review has a scoop that Jared Harris, who starred with Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, has been chosen for the shadowy Moriarty.  He is known recently for his role in the well reviewed and growingly popular series on AMC, Mad Men.

I mainly remember Harris from Mr. Deeds where he disguised himself as a giant carton of ice cream once.  

Not much to say on the casting choice since I am unfamiliar with the character but I enjoy Harris on Mad Men and other roles I’ve seen him in so it should be solid.

Avengers Production Begins February 2011

The Avengers is looking for production start date in February, 2011. Marvel's newly rebooted Spider-Man franchise will have already been filming for a few months when their behemoth project gets underway.

Depending on the success of Thor and Captain America, this movie really could blow the lid off of summer blockbusters. Marvel has to be banking on Avengers to bring in numbers like The Dark Knight did in 2008 and I wouldn't be surprised if they are hoping to reach Avatar numbers.  With such a vast collection of well known heroes thrown into one movie, it would be hard to argue reasons why it will be successful.

I would put one suggestion in though, if you really want to solidify such large numbers at the box office; put Spider-Man and Wolverine in it as well. That would be over half of your audience probably. I understand the reasons of not putting Spider-Man in with all the recent changes but there's really nothing going against bringing Jackman back as Wolverine. I'd take him in Avengers over another mediocre solo film. 

The Origin Of DC Comics Coming To DVD

Warner Bros. Pictures has announced Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics for November 9:

Warner Bros. Pictures presents an enthralling examination of the creative forces behind the World’s Greatest Super Heroes in Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics, an all-new documentary that takes viewers behind the scenes of the iconic company with unprecedented access to the Warner Bros. and DC Comics archives. Narrated by Ryan Reynolds, Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics will be distributed by Warner Home Video on November 9, 2010 on DVD for $24.98 (SRP). Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics will also be available On Demand and for Download.

Behind the amazing tales of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and a host of other well-known characters is the equally impressive story of the challenges, creativity and triumphs of the company that brought those characters to life. Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics is both a celebration of the best writers and artists in comics and a thoughtful exploration of 75 years of DC Comics history.
  
Produced by the Academy Award ® -nominated team behind Spellbound (Feature Documentary), Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics combines excerpts from comics, films and television series with the insight of some of history’s most influential comic book creators and editors, among them Neal Adams, Karen Berger, Mike Carlin, Dan DiDio, Neil Gaiman, Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Paul Levitz, Dwayne McDuffie, Grant Morrison, Dennis O’Neil, Paul Pope, Louise Simonson, Mark Waid, Len Wein, and Marv Wolfman.

Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics is written and directed by Mac Carter. Jeffrey Blitz (Spellbound, The Office) served as executive producer. Producer is Gregory Noveck and co-producer is Ivan Cohen.  Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics is produced by Sean Welch and Janet Eckholm.

"From the bans to the breakthroughs, from humble pulp beginnings to the literary rise of the graphic novel, the story of DC Comics holds a mirror to an ever-evolving enterprise and the society reflected in its comic book pages," said Diane Nelson, President, DC Entertainment. "It’s a true American story – Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics is a riveting, exciting, surprising revelation of that fascinating history and the men and women who forged it."

No Waltz For Spidey

Superherohype is reporting that Christopher Waltz is indeed not being cast as the villain in the next Spider-Man flick.

Last week rumors had many hopeful and some convinced that he would be involved as the next big baddie for the franchise. Its revealed that though Waltz will have no involvement, a great actor is being looked at for the part. 

I thought this news gave instant credibility to the project and was looking forward to seeing him play the villain yet again. Its too early to grab any sort of opinion but nothing about it had really interested me at this point. Maybe their "great actor" will change the tides.

Chronicles without fancy clothes and animals.

The shaky camera effect. If you want to get technical we can say "documentary style". We've had it with horror movies likes Blair Witch and Paranormal activity. It's even reached the monster flicks with Cloverfield, but what better way to introduce it again than with superheroes?

Twentieth Century Fox is looking to pick up a spec script from Max Landis called Chronicle. The story will focus on three teenagers from Portland who are exposed to mystery substances in the woods and develop powers from them. Like all good teenagers, they work together to condition these skills until personal and family problems arrive in full form to rip the friendship to shreds.

Max Landis is the son of John Landis who directed such classics as Animal House and An American Werewolf in London.

Every possible property involving comic books seems to have someone trying to tap into it's potential. While it's unsure how an original story like this could work, I like the idea of Landis creating something new and using the documentary shooting style to play it out.

It could be filled with some really great emotion of people learning to grow with their lives while juggling super powers or was that X-Men...or Spider-Man?