Man of Steel 2 begins filming

[MIB41]

I think that article is pretty descent at explaining the number of months, but it doesn't make much of an argument for the studios confidence in the project if they're scared of every film around them. At some point, you have to stand on your own merits. Remember Spider-Man 2 taking on Star Wars and killing it? If Warner's needs an empty calendar then that kind of suggests it's leaning on front loading the box office results for opening weekend. Ultimately the film has to be something audiences want to see and not just the only film opening on a particular weekend.

[Figuremod73]

This film excites me less and less at more information is made available. If they were to suprise me with a well put together and well written Aquaman movie on a low budget I would be more excited. They just dont get it and I guess never will.

[madmarva]

Traditionally a Marvel film or a film with one of its characters opens that weekend. Marvel hasn't announced its Phase 3 films, but unless it backs off the traditional date, Marvel and DC may go head to head. Sounds like a good double feature to me.

[hedrap]

Memdelson's one of the better legit reporters, but his reasoning is off. Every film he compares in the off-months were not in the JLA/Superman/Batman stature - before their release.

You can point to Cap, Fast/Furious/Matrix, etc... and say "they only did x business", but none were a proven commodity. Cap was a huge coin toss and F&F is the ultimate franchise as it keeps generating more money per sequel instead.

The only comparable projects are Hobbit, Bond and Potter. I get his argument because we've already discussed how insane 2015 is, but this Superman/Batman is a monster that should chase other movies out of their opening weekend, not vice versa.

It's a total overhaul. That's the precendent for DC projects and why I mentioned it earlier.

George Miller's Justice League got about this far, too...and they pulled the plug.

So did Batman: Year One. And then they killed it.

Ratner/McG/Abrams Superman Reboot had blocked soundstage time in OZ and was in the midst of casting when they shut it down.

Wolfgang Peterson's Superman/Batman movie was only shelved because they had decide which came first Batman Begins or World's Finest.

How many Wonder Woman projects have been killed in the past five years? One had a pilot, and the other show they stopped worked on just last month. That's not including Whedon's movie.

[madmarva]

^You're right about the comparisons he was making, but I think he got lost in the weeds of his explanation. The key point that he danced around is that WB wants to position the film for the biggest take possible and early May is more conducive for that than mid July when audience may be experiencing blockbuster fatigue.

But, I don't doubt that you're on target about the key motivation for moving the film is reworking it into a JLA production or whatever.

I do hope the weight of it does not cause a total collapse like the other productions you mentioned.

If the film had remained a MOS sequel w/o batman and WW and possibly others, a 2 year turnaround between the original and sequel might not have been pushing it, but the bigger the scale, the more time is needed in pre and post production as well as shooting the thing.

To me the move is a positive thing, maybe the most positive thing we've heard since the initial announcement.

[Operation:Mego]

Gal Godot sighed on to play Wonder Woman in three films, including Batman vs. Superman:

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1720893/gal-godot-wonder-woman-3-movies.jhtml

[Operation:Mego]

Ant-Man has now been pushed forward to July 17th 2015, Batman v. Superman's previous release date.

[MIB41]

^^^ Interesting news. Marvel Studios is certainly playing some industry head games by taking DC slots. I'm sure that will be noted.

[libby 1957dog]

another thoughtful article ,with some interesting speculation ,http://www.forbes.com/sites/markhugh...-league-movie/

[The Toyroom]

http://www.newsarama.com/20204-warner-bros-casts-a-surprise-lex-luthor-and-alfred-for-superman-batman.html

Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons as Alfred...

[palitoy]

I find that kid off putting.

[The Toyroom]

I don't really get that casting...

With all of these characters this is either going to be the greatest comic book movie ever made or the absolute worst.
And pretty damn expensive too.

[madmarva]

That's pretty good casting to me. Zuckerburg, whom Eisenberg played in The Social Network was sort of a Luthor in training and Irons, while a little creepy, will be able to deliver the dry wit that's crucial for Alfred.

[Hector]

I think it's brilliant casting...Jesse Eisenberg might seemed unconventional as Lex Luthor at first...but check him out in the Social Network...the guy was great...in a methodical and brilliant performance as Mark Zuckerberg...awesome casting.

I also like Jeremy Irons as Alfred.

IMO...so far so good for me...ehem...except I'm still not enamored by the thought of Ben Affleck as Batman...I hope he proves me wrong.

[Hector]

That's pretty good casting to me. Zuckerburg, whom Eisenberg played in The Social Network was sort of a Luthor in training and Irons, while a little creepy, will be able to deliver the dry wit that's crucial for Alfred.

We posted a minute apart...and we are both in agreement here...