The Dark Knight co-writer David Goyer has revealed that Catwoman and the Penguin are unlikely to feature in future Batman sequels.
Goyer explained that, despite re-introducing the Joker in the upcoming sequel, the filmmakers want to explore new villains in future films.
He said: "Batman has been published for 70 years. In the first movie, we used Ra's Al Ghul and the Scarecrow, who had not been in the movies before, and had not been in the '60s TV show before. There are dozens if not hundreds of other characters that fit that bill. Everyone says it's got to be the Penguin or Catwoman [in the next film]... well I completely disagree."
Well either way, here's a short list of who I'd like to see in a future Batman movie:
Riddler
Deadshot
Black Mask
Ventriloquist & Scarface
Mad Hatter
Hush
Clayface
Man-Bat
Holiday
Here's hoping!
Here's an exclusive clip featuring Joker crashing Harvey Dent's party... Batman: The Dark Knight will be in theaters July 18. Happy fourth of July!
Warner Bros has released yet another new trailer for The Dark Knight, on a cross promotional website created by Dominos Pizza.
The new trailer intercuts The Joker’s monologue (a pretty intense and cool moment from the film) over the usual clips from the movie. Head on over to The Dark Knight Vault and check out the new trailer in the movie extras section. Thanks SlashFilm!
Warner Bros. Animation has confirmed that this will be the last season for Legion of Super Heroes.
Legion of Super Heroes is currently wrapping up its second season, which will also be last season for the show. With the series no longer in production, fans can expect four more new episodes before the series comes to a close. Two new episodes will be aired over the next two weeks, but the two-part series finale has yet to be officially scheduled.
Warner Bros. Animation is currently working on a new Batman team-up animated series, tentatively titled Batman: The Brave and The Bold, and a host of direct-to-video DC Universe Animated Original Movie features.
DC Comics announces that the cover price on the BATMAN: DEATH MASK miniseries has been lowered to just $2.99 per issue!
BATMAN: DEATH MASK is written and illustrated by Yoshinori Natsume, acclaimed creator of Toguri, who makes his American comics debut with this original Batman manga tale.
In BATMAN: DEATH MASK #1, there’s a new serial killer in Gotham, one who may have ties to the training Bruce Wayne acquired as a young man in Japan. Does the murderer know that Bruce Wayne is the Batman?
And in BATMAN: DEATH MASK #2, Bruce Wayne must confront his past and examine how the time he spent training to become Batman affected him — and whether those experiences led to the killer now rampaging through Gotham City’s underworld. (This black-and-white miniseries no longer will be in Prestige Format, and will be saddle stitched instead of squarebound.)
BATMAN: DEATH MASK #1 (FEB080205) is solicited in the February Previews and is scheduled to arrive in stores on April 9 with a cover price of $2.99 U.S.
BATMAN: DEATH MASK #2 (MAR080156) is solicited in the March Previews and is scheduled to arrive in stores on May 7 with a cover price of $2.99 U.S.
World's Finest has commented that Warner Bros. Animation may be working on an animated version of the classic series Brave and the Bold.
While nothing is confirmed at this time, the The Brave And The Bold animated series will apparently center around Batman teaming up with a different DC superhero in each episode. The series will also apparently have no ties to any previous animated incarnations. The Brave And The Bold is rumored to premiere next fall though, once again, nothing is confirmed at this time.
Be on the lookout for Age of TV Heroes book by George Khoury and Jason Hofius, due in November from Two Morrows Publishing. Featured on the cover: George Reeves as Superman; Adam West as Batman; Lynda Carter from Wonder Woman and Jackson Bostwick, from the 70s Captain Marvel series.
Multiple Emmy Award winner "The Batman" closes its fifth and final season with a full-hour "movie" entitled "Lost Heroes" at 11:00 a.m. ET/PT. In the special TV movie, the most powerful members of the Justice League are abducted one-by-one. Batman, Robin and Green Arrow discover the mystery surrounding their disappearance.
The Joining has returned (with some earthly villainous assistance) and has transferred the Justice League's powers into alien androids. It's up to Batman, Robin and Green Arrow to help their JL friends regain their powers and prevent an alien invasion. The one-hour special includes appearances by Green Lantern, Hawkman, Flash, Superman, Green Arrow, Toyman, Mirror Master, Dr. Hugo Strange and The Joining. The film is written by Stan Berkowitz and Alexx Van Dyne, and directed by John Fang and Vinton Heuck.
After the March 8th series finale, The Batman will be removed from the Kids'WB! schedule for the foreseeable future. The Batman: The Complete Fifth Season should be released on DVD sometime this year.
In related news, Kevin Conroy, a familiar name to fans of the DC Animated Universe will voice to the upcoming direct-to-video Batman: Gotham Knight.
Press Release:
DC Comics, Warner Premiere, Warner Home Video and Warner Bros. Animation have collaborated to create a unique Batman experience in Batman: Gotham Knight. The all-new, original movie will arrive July 8, 2008 on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Order due date is June 3, 2008. The original movie will also be available OnDemand and Pay-per-View as well as available for download on the same day as release date, July 8, 2008.
Batman: Gotham Knight is a fresh and exciting new entry into the Batman mythos, spinning out of a 40-year history in animation including the Emmy®-winning Batman: The Animated Series, widely considered a pivotal moment in American animation. A cross section of distinguished creators, award winning producers, and acclaimed writers weave six interlocking stories that reveal Bruce Wayne’s journey to Dark Knight, each with stylish art from some of the world’s most revered animation visionaries.
Batman: Gotham Knight was headed by an impressive list of directors who have brought their distinctly different anime styles to the classic Batman character. The production was divided among three renowned studios – Studio 4ºC, Production I.G and Madhouse – and included the truly inimitable visions of directors Shojiro Nishimi, Futoshi Higashide, Hiroshi Morioka, Yasuhiro Aoki and Toshiyuki Kubooka.
With stories written by several of the most talented writers of film, comic books, and animation, including Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter Josh Olson (A History of Violence), David S. Goyer (Batman Begins), Emmy®-winner Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series), Jordan Goldberg (Associate Producer, The Dark Knight), and award-winning comics writers Greg Rucka and Brian Azzarello, Batman: Gotham Knight presents thrilling new adventures of Batman that spotlight several of Gotham City’s most dangerous villains, including the fearsome Scarecrow, the freakish Killer Croc and the unnerving marksman known as Deadshot. Batman: Gotham Knight is produced by Emma Thomas (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight), Michael Uslan & Benjamin Melniker (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight), Toshi Hiruma and Bruce Timm (Batman: The Animated Series).
Batman: Gotham Knight will be available on DVD for $24.98 SRP. There will also be a 2-disc Special Edition DVD available for $29.98 SRP which contains additional bonus features. All the content from the 2-disc Special Edition DVD will be available on Blu-ray Disc for $34.99 SRP.
Batman: Gotham Knight DVD will feature incredible extras including:
-"A Mirror for the Bat: The Evil Denizens of Gotham City" - A stimulating documentary covering Gotham City’s most nefarious of characters, combined with a look into the symbiotic relationship Batman shares with his enemies.
-"Sneak Peek: Wonder Woman" - DC Universe animated original movie
-Audio Commentary - Featuring the filmmakers of Batman: Gotham Knight.
Widescreen (1.78:1)
5.1 Dolby Digital
The 2-disc Special Edition DVD will feature even more incredible extras including:
-"Batman and Me, A Devotion of Destiny: The Bob Kane Story" - The comprehensive chronology of the remarkable life of the creator of Batman.
-Batman: The Animated Series Bonus Episodes - Bruce Timm selects his favorite episodes from Batman: The Animated Series.
“Batman: Gotham Knight explores an exciting moment between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight,” said Paul Levitz, DC Comics President and Publisher, “and takes our fans on a very different visual trip through Gotham and Batman’s life. We’re extremely proud of this project, and look forward to adding to the momentum our DC Universe Animated Original Movie program has been building.”
“Batman: Gotham Knight is a perfect example of the type of release that Warner Premiere is becoming known for and that audiences are hungry for,” said Matt Bierman, Vice President, Production, Warner Premiere. “With incredible production values, a top-notch creative team and compelling, iconic characters from the DC Universe, Batman: Gotham Knight really raises the bar in the Direct-to-DVD arena and we’re proud to be a part of this production.”
“To date, over 13.5 million units of Batman animated titles have been sold and we are thrilled to release Batman: Gotham Knight, the next installment of the DC Universe animated original movies, which will be a hit with Super Hero and comic book fans alike,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President, Kids and Sports Marketing.
Street Date: July 8, 2008
Order Due Date: June 3, 2008
Languages: English, Spanish
Subtitles: Spanish
Run Time: 75 minutes
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: 5.1 Dolby Surround Stereo
Color / Closed Captioned
Rating: PG-13
Batman: Gotham Knight Marketing Support
Batman: Gotham Knight will be supported by a massive media campaign including primetime TV spots, national print and online coverage. Marketing support will also include strong promotional support as well as a grassroots viral campaign.
DC Universe Original Movies
DC Comics, Warner Premiere, Warner Home Video (WHV) and Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) began the production and distribution of DC Universe, a series of original, animated PG-13 movies in July 2006. This original made for DVD movie is part of the DC Universe series of animated PG-13 films written and directed by acclaimed comic book creators and animators and featuring recognizable talent. WHV will be the exclusive worldwide home entertainment distributor for all DC Universe movies, which will include a slate of 2-3 action-packed films per year. Superman Doomsday and Justice League: The New Frontier were the first DC Universe original animated movies. Other DC properties with films in development include Justice League, Green Lantern, Flash and Wonder Woman.
Basics:
Street Date: July 8, 2008
Order Due Date: June 3, 2008
Languages: English, Spanish
Subtitles: Spanish
Run Time: 75 minutes
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: 5.1 Dolby Surround Stereo
Color / Closed Captioned
Rating: PG-13
Batman: Gotham Knight (DVD)
Price: $24.98 SRP / No MAP
UPC: 085391123323
Batman: Gotham Knight (2 Disc Special Edition DVD)
Price: $29.98 SRP / No MAP
UPC: 0883929011155
Batman: Gotham Knight (Blu-ray Disc)
Price: $34.99 SRP / No MAP
UPC: 085391179511
About Warner Premiere:
Warner Premiere is Warner Bros. Entertainment’s new direct-to-consumer production company focused on the development, production and marketing of feature-length content, as well as short form digital content for the growing home entertainment market. Warner Premiere is committed to being at the creative forefront in the evolution of quality product in the direct-to-DVD business and the digital space, creating material that exemplifies the commitment to story, production and brand equity for which Warner Bros. is known.
About Warner Home Video:
With operations in 90 international territories Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.
About DC Comics:
DC Comics, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Sandman. These DC Super Heroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live-action) and cyberspace, thrilling audiences of all ages for generations. DC Comics’ Web site is located at www.dccomics.com.
Batman and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics. (s08)
About Warner Bros. Animation:
Warner Bros. Animation has been producing award-winning original animation since 1930, when it released its first cartoon, “Sinkin' in the Bathtub.” Since then, Warner Bros. Animation’s characters have set the standard for innovative, quality animation. Producing for network and cable television, online, home entertainment and feature films both domestically and internationally, Warner Bros. Animation is highly respected for its creative and technical excellence, as well as maintaining the studio’s rich cartoon heritage. Warner Bros. Animation also oversees the creative use of, and production of animated programming based on classic animated characters from the Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics libraries. Warner Bros. Animation is one of the most honored animation studios in history, garnering a grand total of six Academy Awards®, 35 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, a Humanitas Award, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).
This weekend at DC's RRP meeting, it was officially announced that DC’s third weekly series, Trinity, will begin in June. The book's lead story, starring Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman will be written by Kurt Busiek, with art by Mark Bagley.
"The series will follow Countdown, but, as with Countdown and 52 which came before it, will be unrelated to the previous weekly series. That said, Trinity will be “apart,” that is, occurring in the DC Universe, but not tied to other events happening in the DCU."
You can catch DC Universe #0 (the bridge between Countdown to Final Crisis #1 & Final Crisis #1) which will sell for 50 cents (!) should be on sale at the end of April. Also,two new, 6 issue miniseries: Rann/Thanagar: Holy War (starting in May) and Reign in Hell, starting in June.
Sad news to report, as I was watching CNN earlier, reports that Heath Ledger, who will co-star as The Joker in Batman: The Dark Knight was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on today. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones. Early reports say sleeping pills were found near his body. You can read the whole press release here.
UPDATE FEB.01.08 - Michelle Williams breaks silence on Ledger's death
World War II is over. The Cold War has begun. The Age of the Superhero is in decline. But where are the heroes of tomorrow? From the perspective of those brave individuals who made it happen: encounter Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman, who survived the anti-hero sentiment of the Cold War, as well as eager newcomers like test pilot Hal Jordan and scientist Barry Allen, poised to become the next generation of crime fighters. All leading to the mounting threat of an alien presence on Earth, where dozens of characters from the '40s, '50s and '60s eras of DC Comics team up to defeat it.
Justice League: The New Frontier, rated PG-13 for violent content/images, is scheduled for release on February 26, 2008. The next release in the series will be Batman: Gotham Knight.
Batman becomes more of a detective in The Dark Knight, as he deals with the escalation of the situation from the end of Batman Begins as personified by the Joker, portrayed by Heath Ledger. He also deals with the dilemma of his vigilante crusade, and his friendship with district attorney Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart.
An animated direct-to-DVD anthology titled Batman: Gotham Knight, which takes place between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, will be in stores early July 2008. Batman: The Dark Knight will be released on July 18, 2008 in the U.S. and on July 25, 2008 in the U.K.
I have a small (2,500) comic book collection and about 50 trade paperbacks, graphic novels and the like. I was reading this thread today which made me think: Which collected trades should I get? Here's a ongoing list of stuff I wanna get:
Marvel:
*Planet Hulk Omnibus (Though I'm only missing the last chapter from the story)
DC:
*Heroes - The Graphic Novel (for my girl, she loves that show...)
*New Teen Titans - The Judas Contract TPB
*Batman - Knightsend (Got the Knightfall TPB way back in '93... wonder if it's still in print?)
*Superman - Return of Superman (just to complete the Death of/World Without a Superman TPBs)
*Crisis On Infinite Earths (to help with a future project of mine)
*The Legion of Super-Heroes - An Eye For An Eye TPB (Kinda symbolic for me...)
*Superman - Whatever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow? (best Superman story EVER)
DC/Vertigo:
*Death:The High Cost of Living TPB
*V For Vendetta
*The Witching Hour
*Y The Last Man vol. 1-9
Mattel Inc. issued its second major recall in less than a month today, recalling about 9.6 million toys within the U.S. that were manufactured in China due to lead paint and loose magnet hazards, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Mattel also launched a national advertising campaign today, assuring consumers it is on top of product safety amid reports of an impending second big recall of its Chinese-made toys.
The full-page ad, which appears in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today, includes a letter from Mattel Chief Executive Bob Eckert, set above three playing children.
The CPSC said the recall impacted a number of product lines including various "Polly Pocket" dolls, a "Barbie Doll and Tanner" magnet, Batman & One Piece action figure sets and a die-cast car from the Pixar movie "Cars."
Coupled with news of the death of Zhang Shuhong, the head of Lee Der Industrial Co., the company that manufactured lead-tainted Sesame Street toys at the center of a massive U.S. recall, hung himself over the weekend and the fact that recalled products have been on the market as far back as May 2003, this doesn't look good for China or US biz.
Read more on this here
WONDER WOMAN
On the mystical island of Themyscria, a proud and fierce warrior race of Amazons have raised a daughter of untold beauty, grace and strength – Princess Diana. When and army fighter pilot, Steve Trevor crash-lands on the island, the rebellious and headstrong Diana defies Amazonian law by accompanying Trevor back to civilization. Meanwhile, Ares (the god of War) has escaped his imprisonment at the hands of the Amazonians and has decided to exact his revenge using the mystical “Hand of Rage,” an ancient artifact with the power to raise armies from the dead and infuse them with a thirst for blood. Ares intends to start a world war that will not only last for centuries – but will wipe out every lving being on the planet, starting with the Amazons! It is up to Princess Diana to save her people and the world – by using her gifts and becoming the ultimate Wonder Woman!
Target: Males 18+, women 18+, and girls 9-17.
Proposed rating: PG-13
DVD street date: Q4 2008/Q1 2009
BATMAN ANIME
Targeted Audience:
Dual: Core fans and tween boys
Rating: PG-13 (anticipated)
Release:
2-4 weeks in advance of The Dark Knight film release.
Overview:
Set in the period between BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT, this brand new adventure follows BATMAN as he unravels a mystery over six original stories done in the style of Japanese Anime. Each of the six original stories has been written by a highly respected screenwriter or comic book creator. The talent includes Academy Award nominee Josh Olsen (The History of Violence), screenwriter of the Blade films and Batman Begins David Goyer, and famed comic book writer Brian Azzarello, among others.
The Batman Anime DVD is viewed as a perfect companion piece to BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT. The original stories introduce a number of classic characters from the DC Comics BATMAN universe as well as following up on characters and storylines that were introduced in BATMAN BEGINS.
Now it's just a matter of when these features actually debut.
Videogame players will have another title to place beside their copies of Lego Star Wars games. According to Variety, Warner Bros. has signed to produce a Lego Batman videogame, to be developed by TT Games, which also developed Lego Star Wars.
According to the trade, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will fully finance and publish the game itself, as well as handle all distribution in North America.
The game will follow the Lego Star Wars model, that is, all the characters and sets will be constructed of Lego pieces. More than likely, the games will follow in the successful footsteps of the two Lego Star Wars installments, which have sold several millions of copies, not only to the younger set, but also to adult gamers, due to the games’ charm, gameplay, and sense of humor.
A 2008 release is planned, more than likely in time with the release of Batman: The Dark Knight, the sequel to Batman Begins, which is due out on July 18, 2008.
Lego currently has a license to produce Batman toys and playsets made from Legos, and is on its second wave of figures and sets.
press release:
INFINITE CRISIS #3
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning
Covers by Jim Lee & Sandra Hope and George Pérez
War is brought home as Wonder Woman leads the Amazons in a struggle to maintain their control of Paradise Island in the face of a full-on OMAC onslaught — just as the Spectre turns his vengeful eye toward Atlantis! And as the DCU is plunged into chaos, Batman is offered one last chance at the life he’s always wanted…but at what price? Retailers please note: This issue will ship with covers by Lee & Hope (approximately 50%) and Pérez (approximately 50%).
On sale December 14 • 3 of 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
press release:
Hot on the heals of the critically acclaimed new Warner Brother’s smash hit BATMAN BEGINS, Santa Clarita’s two biggest pop culture centers BRAVE NEW WORLD COMICS and EDWARDS VALENCIA 12 CINEMA have joined forces to find the ULTIMATE BAT-FAN.
Starting this weekend at Edwards Valencia 12, fans who have been waiting in-line to see what some critics have called, "The greatest comic book movie, yet", will get the chance to register to win the Bat-Cave full of prizes provided by Warner Brothers, Brave New World, Regal Entertainment, and DC Comics. "All they’ve got to do to register," explained Atom! Freeman, proprietor of Brave New World Comics, "is to fill out our quiz of Bat-Trivia. The questions will test the Bat-Fans’ knowledge of all things Batman. Everyone who completes the Bat-Quiz is invited to ‘Win Batman Comic’s’"
WIN BATMAN’S COMICS is a gameshow style contest designed to find the Ultimate Bat-Fan. Elimination rounds will be held all day on Saturday, June 25th at Brave New World Comics (located at 23566 Lyons Ave #103 in Newhall, CA) and the winners will winners will go head-to-head with the Dark Knight himself to WIN BATMAN’S COMICS and be crowned the ULTIMATE BAT-FAN!
For more information, please contact:
Atom! Freeman
Brave New World Comics
661-259-4745
fx 661-259-0159
atom@bravenewworldcomics.com
www.bravenewworldcomics.com