Batman vs Superman

[GeneChing]

We'll split this off into a Batman/Superman thread when a working title is confirmed. Looks like Lucas and Morgan are in the same boat.

wait...whats happening to batman?

Morgan Freeman surprised by Batman announcement
Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY 3:24 p.m. EDT August 26, 2013
Morgan Freeman, who starred in three "Dark Knight" films as Bruce Wayne's business partner, didn't get the Ben Affleck/Batman memo.

Someone forgot to brief The Dark Knight's Lucius Fox about Ben Affleck putting on the Batman suit.

Morgan Freeman, who played Bruce Wayne's wise business partner in three Dark Knight movies, was surprised by the casting when speaking to USA TODAY on Monday morning.

"This is the first I am hearing of it," said Freeman. "My first reactions are 'Wow' and 'Good luck.'"

Freeman said he was surprised because the Dark Knight trilogy only ended in 2012 with The Dark Knight Rises.

"After the trilogy, I thought that no one would try it again for a few years more to let this whole thing die down," said Freeman. "Because it's still there. So I don't know, I hope Ben does well."

On Thursday, Man of Steel director Zack Snyder announced that Affleck would join Henry Cavill, who starred as Superman, in a Batman-Superman movie out July 17, 2015.

Snyder said in a statement that Affleck "has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retains the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne."

When asked what he thought Affleck would bring to the part, Freeman signaled that he needed more time: "It's a good question, I have no idea."

Freeman said he was not necessarily waiting for a casting call to reprise his role as Lucius Fox.

"If the new movie does have a Lucius Fox I don't think it's going to be me," said Freeman. "It doesn't seem to work to mix characters in the movies. If you are going to change the lead character, you're probably going to change all the characters."

But Freeman definitely enjoyed working with Michael Caine, who also starred in the Dark Knight trilogy, in Now You See Me (which comes out on DVD and Blu-Ray Sept 3 and is available on digital Aug. 30).

The two veteran actors even square off in a menacing, threatening scene in the spring box office hit about four magician bank robbers (also starring Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg).

"We worked together in Batman, but as characters who didn't have much to say to each other," says Freeman of Caine. "I had a great time going face-to-face with him here. That was fun."

[Lucas]

okay batman has just officially been set to cast with the worst actor ever to don the batman suit.

sheeet...tom cruise would be a better batman than ben assfleck...

[GeneChing]

I imagine it'll make married life hard for ol' Ben. After all, isn't Elektra Marvel and Batman DC?

[Lucas]

there should be a general rule. if you play a comic super hero, you cannot play another. unless you are a top notch actor, not some low life scum bag douch nozzle.

lemme guess ashton kutcher will be robin....

i'd like to personally meet all the people that want to pay money to watch ben affleck act and smack them all across the mouth with a brick.

[GeneChing]

I liked him in each of the Kevin Smith films he was in, especially Dogma, but I attribute that to the director. Argo was ok. Daredevil was one of the most disappointing superhero films ever, and I set the bar really low for that genre.

[sanjuro_ronin]

A sad, sad day for all TRUE Batman fans.

[Fa Xing]

Yeah I'm really disappointed with this. My wife and I like Argo a lot but that's because her side of the family is from Iran.

Quite frankly, whoever made this decision should be fired, and have Affleck kindly step down before the Nerd world does it themselves.

[GoldenBrain]

I'm not even sure I have words for this so I'll let the original Batman and Robin speak for me...

Attachment 7753

[Jimbo]

lemme guess ashton kutcher will be robin....

No, I bet they'll be negotiating with Justin Bieber to play Robin.

[Fa Xing]

No, I bet they'll be negotiating with Justin Bieber to play Robin.

LOL.

[GeneChing]

This was originally on the MoS thread but that's weak now, like in kryptonite weak.

Matt Damon Talks Bourne, Batman and Ben Affleck
Source: The Times of India
August 27, 2013

While promoting his latest, Elysium, in India, star Matt Damon spoke with The Times of India about the recent news that his longtime friend Ben Affleck had been cast opposite Henry Cavill in Zack Snyder's upcoming Superman/Batman film.

"I think it will be great," he says of Affleck as the caped crusader. "It will be terrific. I know there are a lot of people grousing on the internet. I just think it's kind of funny. You know, he's not playing King Lear. It's Batman! Certainly within his skill set. If anybody saw 'Argo' or 'The Town,' and all the work he's been doing lately, it's way more nuanced and interesting and way more difficult than Batman! Batman just sits there with his cowl over his head and whispers in a kinda gruff voice at people. Bruce Wayne is the more challenging part of the role, and Ben will be great at that... But it's safe to say I won't be Robin."

Although he didn't specifically address the rumor that popped up online yesterday that he might be up for returning to the franchise launched with his 2002 actioner The Bourne Identity, Damon says he bears no ill will towards last year's The Bourne Legacy, which shifted the action to focus on a new character, Aaron Cross, played by Jeremy Renner.

"They were just trying to revitalize that franchise and I didn't mind at all," he says. "It didn't have anything to do with the movie that I made. It makes sense for a studio to keep those franchises as alive as they can, it makes business sense for them. I don't begrudge anybody for that. I am a huge fan of Jeremy. I don't equate my Bourne movie with his. He didn't play the part of Jason Bourne. It's a totally different thing."

Elysium in theaters now, Damon can be seen coming up in Terry Gilliam's Zero Theorem and in George Clooney's The Monuments Men.

Actually, I could buy Affleck as King Lear better....

[doug maverick]

i remember a long time ago i 3watched the movie paycheck...and i was like you know ben affleck would make a fantastic bruce way.. i still believe that years later..because thats what its about bruce wayne! not batman..batman is easy.. you just let the suit do everything no acting required as sir anthony hopkins said. the action can and just like in the dark knight triology will be handled by stuntmen... i think ben is going to crush it..but honestly i wish he was directing it, and not starring in it.

[sanjuro_ronin]

i remember a long time ago i 3watched the movie paycheck...and i was like you know ben affleck would make a fantastic bruce way.. i still believe that years later..because thats what its about bruce wayne! not batman..batman is easy.. you just let the suit do everything no acting required as sir anthony hopkins said. the action can and just like in the dark knight triology will be handled by stuntmen... i think ben is going to crush it..but honestly i wish he was directing it, and not starring in it.

I got a be honest with you, I disagree.
Bale made BOTH Characters his own and, like it or not, Affleck is going up against THAT simply because this is not a reboot and Bale is still too fresh in everyone's memory.
In short, while Bale had nowhere to go but UP with his portrayal of Batman and making the role his, Affleck is NOT in that boat.

[Brule]

I'm guessing the next announcement would be that Matthew Mcconaughey will play Robin instead of Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

[GeneChing]

When I think Metropolis or Gotham, I never think Detroit.

Superman, Batman Movie Headed to Detroit
August 29, 2013 | 08:16AM PT
The 'Man of Steel' follow up will receive $35 million in incentives to film in Michigan
Marc Graser
Senior Writer @marcgraser

The Michigan Film office has approved Warner Bros. follow up to the “Man of Steel” to receive $35 million in incentives to film in the state, beginning early next year.

The actioner, that will star Henry Cavill as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman, will spend around $131 million in the state, the organization said Thursday.

The film is expected to start filming in Detroit and around Michigan during the first three months of 2014, filling in for the fictional cities of Metropolis and Gotham.

Project is expected to hire 406 Michigan workers, 500 vendors and thousands of extras, the MFO said. The production is expected to spend around $5.1 million on local hotels.

“Detroit is a great example of a quintessential American city, and I know it will make the perfect backdrop for our movie,” said director Zack Snyder in a statement.

The Superman-Batman film is the latest major tentpole to shoot in Michigan since the state revamped its incentives program to entice more films and TV shows to set up shop there. Paramount’s “Transformers 4,” recently filmed in Detroit.

Disney’s “Oz the Great and Powerful” was awarded nearly $40 million to film in Pontiac’s Michigan Motion Picture Studios in 2011. Production spent around $105 million in the state.

The funds for the Superman-Batman pic will come from the MFO’s fiscal 2014 budget, which has $50 million a year to work with.

The rest of the funds can be used for other projects, including AMC’s drama “Low Winter Sun,” which received around $9 million for its first season.

The fiscal 2013 budget has awarded $36 million so far in incentives to 26 projects, including “Sun” and “Transformers 4.”

And this is just funny...

Justin Timberlake Wants to Play the Riddler
August 29, 2013 | 04:02PM PT
Playing a super hero doesn't interest the singer/actor
Alex Stedman

Justin Timberlake wants to be in a Batman movie, but not as the famed superhero. He’d rather show his bad side.

The pop icon ruled out playing Batman sidekick Robin in the upcoming “Batman vs. Superman” movie on Fresh 102.7’s “Jim & Kim” show, but said he would be interested in playing eccentric villain The Riddler.

“Not a chance in hell. I ain’t playing Robin. I have no aspiration to ever be a superhero in a movie,” he told the radio show.

“Now, a villain! I’ll tell you the villain I want to play more than anything because I grew up loving Batman, funnily enough, is The Riddler. The Riddler is my favorite villain. The Riddler was like a sociopath. He was proper crazy. So if I’m gonna play crazy, I’m wanna play proper crazy.”

Timberlake would have some big shoes to fill. The Riddler was last played by Jim Carey in 1995’s “Batman Forever,” with Val Kilmer serving as the caped crusader.

He also sang Ben Affleck’s praises, as the announcement that Affleck will play the dark knight in the new film drew massive criticism.

“I think he’s an extreme talent, so he could surprise a lot of people,” he said.

Timberlake will star opposite Affleck in their movie, “Runner, Runner,” premiering in Oct.