Comic Strip: ‘Batman vs. Superman’ Spoilers and DC Movie Fears

ScreenCrush’s Comic Strip is a weekly roundup of the hottest superhero movie/TV news items. From Marvel to DC and points in between, if it pertains to costumed comic book heroes, we’re covering it here, bringing you our expert analysis. This week, check out the latest Batman-related spoilers, examine the latest from Suicide Squad, and ponder what Warner Bros. is doing with their comic book movie future.

All of The Latest Batman News

If there’s one thing you learn from tracking superhero movie news, it’s that people take Batman very seriously. Maybe too seriously, but hey, we’re not here to judge. But we do know that every tiny rumor involving any cinematic incarnation of the Dark Knight gets examined and prodded within an inch of its life, so let’s take a moment to do some examining and some prodding. Naturally, things get a little spoilerly for the rest of this section.

The first scoop comes from Heroic Hollywood, who have dug up some information on what Batman is up to in Suicide Squad. We knew that his role is little more than a cameo (the film’s way of directly tying itself to the larger DC movie universe), but it seems like he has at least two key sequences. One of them is an action scene involving the Joker and Harley Quinn (you surely saw the set photos), but the other will find the Caped Crusader confronting Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller:

In short, he goes and pays Amanda Waller a visit.

Batman BREAKS into her massive security prison. In fact...

...he's already inside Amanda Waller's office waiting for her in the shadows when she appears.

BADASS! Typical Batman. Already inside a maximum security prison designed to contain super villains and he is already inside. The guards are clueless.

What does he want to talk to Amanda Waller about?

Batman has a bone to pick with Waller.

You see Batman is totally against the concept behind the Suicide Squad, in fact he warns Waller that he will hold her personally responsible for any innocents The Joker & the rest of the Suicide Squad kill. A warning so stern that he has to visit Waller personally to deliver the message.

That is such a Batman thing to do. We can’t count the number of times Batman has snuck into a secure facility of some kind to deliver a threat/warning/strongly worded message. What’s really important is how Davis will respond in the scene. After all, Amanda Waller is one of the few mortal people in the DC universe who can look Batman in the eyes and win a staring contest. She’s an ice cold badass who is as good at her job at Batman is at his. Putting her in the same room as everyone’s favorite superhero is the best possible way to establish her dominance.

The other big Batman spoiler of the week comes from Batman vs. Superman and it answers a very important question. How, exactly, does the all-too-human Batman take on the all-powerful Superman? It’s simple: Kryptonite. But how do you utilize Kryptonite? With a Kryptonite-laced spear, of course. In fact, you can see Batman holding this weapon in the teaser trailer:

Yes, the director of 300 has armed Batman with a classic Spartan weapon. Nitpick away!

Your Weekly Suicide Squad News

Last week, director David Ayer jumped online to tell everyone that Suicide Squad was going dark. They were done filming in streets and they were moving onto closed sets. Nothing had been spoiled and we shouldn’t worry. Everything was going to quiet down.

And then these photos of Deadshot rappelling down a building popped up online because it’s impossible for every scene in this movie to not get photographed in some capacity. Anyway, these images should appease fans who were worried that this semi-classic villain wouldn’t wear his trademark mask during any action scenes. In fact, it looks like he’ll put it on whenever a stunt is a little too dangerous for Will Smith. Convenient!

Meanwhile, Jai Courtney recently spoke about playing Captain Boomerang and he actually says the phrase “dark and gritty” without a trace of irony:

[Suicide Squad's] really great, man. I’m really excited about it. The vibe on set’s fantastic. We’ve really found a sort of a family atmosphere out there. The cast are fantastic. And I’m working with some wonderful actors and David Ayer’s someone who… I mean, he was the real draw card for me. I hadn’t read a script at all when I signed on. We’d met on a couple of occasions and we’d spoken. And, to be honest, when he told me that the role of Captain Boomerang was what he was thinking, I kind of cringed. ‘Cause I wasn’t a comic book kid. I wasn’t familiar with the DC universe and the history of that’. So I knew nothing about it. And I was, like, ‘Oh, god, Captain Boomerang…Really?…I really don’t know how Australians will react to this.’

And It’s funny, ‘cause something like that you want to do right. And it’s been interesting finding the balance. But he’s the perfect guy to have on your side, because you look at some of the comic books and some of the old sixties stuff is so hammy, you know, and kind of camp. But, get a guy like David Ayer at the helm of a thing like this and it really gets kind of dark and gritty, and, you know, awesome. And he’s a stickler for authenticity. So I think what we’re going to create is going to be really, really cool.

Suicide Squad looks too weird to write off in any way, but this is exactly what annoys us about the new DC movie universe. Too many of the people involved seem embarrassed by the material. They seek to “elevate” a movie about a bunch of B-list super villains teaming up and going on adventures. It’s inherently silly and it’s going to be silly no matter what. Everyone involved might as well embrace it!

When is a Superhero Movie Not a Superhero Movie?

Presented without comment, here is an excerpt from an interview with Warner Bros. executive Greg Silverman, who is in charge of the studio’s DC superhero movies:

There is intensity and a seriousness of purpose to some of these characters. The filmmakers who are tackling these properties are making great movies about superheroes; they aren't making superhero movies. And when you are trying to make a good movie, you tackle interesting philosophies and character development. There's also humor, which is an important part.

Here is a second excerpt:

We have a great strategy for the DC films, which is to take these beloved characters and put them in the hands of master filmmakers and make sure they all coordinate with each other. You'll see the difference when you see Batman v. Superman, Suicide Squad, Justice League and all the things that we are working on.

Since we don’t want to exclusively pick on Jai Courtney talking up the uber-seriousness of Suicide Squad and insisting that they’re making a real movie and not something as silly as a comic book movie, we might as well raise an eyebrow in Silverman’s general direction. Really, guy? This is the stance you want to take? You “aren’t making superhero movies,” just “movies about superheroes”? You are aware that those are the exact same thing, right?

We will defend Man of Steel, warts and all. We are excited to see Batman vs. Superman. We are intrigued by whatever the hell Suicide Squad is going to be. James Wan getting hired to take on Aquaman seems like a great decision. Warner Bros. is not in a bad place – it’s just in an untested place. So why do the people in charge sound so immediately defensive? Why are they acting like it’s 1997 and people are avoiding comic book movies like the plague? The money has spoken: geeks have won. There is no need to tread so cautiously. It’s like they’re afraid to sound too much like Marvel, when sounding a like Marvel can only benefit them.

It’s okay if the DC movies end up darker and more serious than the competition across the aisle. That’s cool. We’d appreciate having two distinct flavors of superhero movie playing at the local multiplex! In the end, it’s the finished movies that matter and nothing more. Yet, the nerdy centers of our brains would feel better, more at-ease, if the people calling the shots actually seemed excited to be making these movies. Please stop making your movies sound like an obligation to stockholders and start convincing us that you’re making kick-ass superhero adventures. We don’t even care if you go grim and gritty! Just sound you like believe in them for once!

The Marvel News Round-Up

Chris Pratt knows what’s on Awesome Mix Vol. 2, but he’s not talking. Oh, and James Gunn’s pitch for Guardians of the Galaxy 2 made him tear up:

I know some of the songs that are going to be on Awesome Mix 2. All I can tell you, because I obviously, I’m not allowed to tell anybody anything, nor would I want to, because it would be a little bit like telling a kid what’s under the tree before Christmas morning. I would encourage people not to poke holes in the paper and peek. Allow yourself the Christmas morning. Don’t ruin it. I will say that his pitch and his idea legitimately put tears in my eyes. It is so good, it’s so good. And I cannot wait to get started on it and I cannot wait for people to see what he’s going to pull off with the second movie. It’s so, so big and so good. From what I understand, they were like, heard it at Marvel and they said nothing. They’re like, “perfect.” There was no micromanaging of the idea, they just love it so much they didn’t even have a note for it. It’s going to be remarkable.

Remember how everyone got really excited because Jason Statham was in talks to play the iconic villain Bullseye in Daredevil season two? Well, our excitement may have killed that deal. Sorry.

Finally, here are two Ant-Man TV spots that won’t change your mind about this movie in any way. Don’t scoff. You were never not going to see this movie.