On Saturday, DC held its' first ever virtual event, DC FanDome, and it did not disappoint. DC FanDome is an event that brought many announcements regarding all things DC including: movies, television shows, comics, video games, and the various cast and creators behind them. It went live for 24 hours (the event was 8 hours long and ran 3 times) and had loads of panels giving lots of announcements along the way. The event was a success across the board and had many DC fans excited for lots of stuff. So lets dive into the biggest reveals of the event!
The Batman Trailer Unveiled
By far the biggest reveal of the night was saved for last: director Matt Reeves unveiled the first trailer for the upcoming 2021 film The Batman. Suffice to say, the trailer was very well received by fans. We got our first look at Robert Pattinson as the Dark Knight, and it looks like it will be a darker, grounded take on Batman than we have seen before. According to Reeves, the film will take a deep dive into the corruption of Gotham City that Bruce Wayne is possibly connected to, maybe through his parents who had a hand in it? The trailer seemingly confirmed that Paul Dano's more psychotic version of the Riddler will be the main antagonist for the film, and we also got looks at Zoe Kravitz's Catwoman, Jeffrey Wright's Commissioner Gordon and Colin Farrell's unrecognizable Penguin. The best moment of the trailer by far was the moment Batman quickly subdued a thug and replied "I'm vengeance". Whats impressive about this trailer is that it was a full trailer while Reeves mentioned they have only shot 25% of the film. After hearing Reeves talk about the mythology of Batman and how he wants to leave his mark on the character, along with seeing Pattinson's work in the trailer, I am even more excited for this movie next year and they have my stamp of approval. October 2021 can't come soon enough!
Justice League: The Snyder Cut Trailer and Details
Zack Snyder was on hand to unveil his Snyder Cut of Justice League, while also confirming some key details about the film that will be released on HBOMax in 2021. The film will be released in four one-hour parts, and when all the parts have been released there will be an option to watch the whole thing as a four hour movie. As for the trailer, right away it began with a shot of Darkseid, who was cut from the theatrical version, swinging a weapon at an unknown enemy. Some new shots also included: Superman in the black suit, Bruce giving the team a pep talk before fighting Steppenwolf, Barry possibly running inside the Speed Force, Victor playing football in his life pre-Cyborg, a look at the the side villain DeSaad, and an appearance by Iris West. Snyder also participated in a Q&A and revealed that Cyborg will get a lot more screen time in his cut because he is the heart of the film. Unfortunately, no release date was given just yet but hopefully it is early 2021!
Wonder Woman 1984 Trailer: Cheetah Debuts
The Wonder Woman 1984 panel did not disappoint, with director Patty Jenkins bringing the second trailer for fans to see. The first look at Kristen Wiig's Cheetah in full form made an appearance at the end of the trailer, sending fans into a frenzy. In fact, a lot of the trailer focused on Barbara Ann Minerva and her journey to becoming Wonder Woman's strongest adversary. The panel also had a surprise appearance from Lynda Carter, the original Wonder Woman from the 1970's television show. Wonder Woman 1984 is currently set for release October 2nd, 2020, although it remains to be seen if that release date holds. Although Patty Jenkins did say that she wants the fans to see it on the big screen in cinemas, so I wouldn't bet on a pandemic-esque digital release.
The Flash Concept Art Revealed
Flash star Ezra Miller, director Andy Muschietti, producer Barbara Muschietti and writer Christiana Hodson were on hand to pull the curtain back on some details of The Flash movie dated for 2022. Muschetti referred to the movie as a "time travel story", referencing the Flashpoint adaptation they are going for, and the most clear quote comes from Hodson who said "The cinematic multiverse will be born out of this movie". This sets up the previous reports that Barry will be traveling to other universes amongst the DC worlds, including meeting up with Michael Keaton's iteration of Batman from the 1989 film. They also brought two pieces of concept art: the first revealing Barry's new suit, which was created none other than Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck).
The second piece of concept art is the most exciting, showing Flash teaming up with Michael Keaton's Batman, which is the most concrete evidence we've had that confirms Keaton will indeed appear in a substantial role, along with fellow Batman actor Ben Affleck from Barry's timeline. The idea of the multiverse really has a unique way of connecting the heroes and I'm looking forward to who else will appear in the movie!
Suicide Squad Cast Reveal and Behind the Scenes Look
Director James Gunn had the entire cast of The Suicide Squad on hand, and showed a video that confirmed who each cast member is playing in the movie. Some highlights are: Idris Elba as Bloodsport, John Cena as Peacemaker, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker, Nathan Fillion as TDK, David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man (WHAT?!) and Sean Gunn as Weasel. Also returning from Suicide Squad include: Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. There are simply too many to list but you can see for yourself in the video here!
Gunn also brought a behind the scenes look at the movie, which he described as "unlike any superhero movie ever made". The sizzle reel showed snippets of the film including: a new redesign for Harley Quinn, an appearance by King Shark, and Polka-Dot Man using his powers (seriously). A producer described the vibe of the movie as a "1970's war movie" and judging by the camaraderie of the cast during the panel, I think we'll be in for quite a treat on August 6th, 2021 when The Suicide Squad is released!
WB Montreal's Gotham Knights, Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Games Announced
After years of teasing, WB Montreal announced their next game, Gotham Knights. The game follows Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, and Red Hood as they step up to protect Gotham City after the death of Batman. At the very end of the trailer, the game seemingly confirmed the involvement of The Court of Owls, possibly as the main antagonists of the game. WB Montreal has been teasing a Court of Owls game for years, and lots of fans were surprised that Batman is (seemingly) dead. The reveal trailer was also accompanied by a seven minute demo that showed how the gameplay for the game will be with multiple protagonists. The demo followed Batgirl and later Robin who were chasing after, and then engaging in battle with, Mr. Freeze. The gameplay definitely reminded me of the Batman Arkham series, and the game certainly seems ambitious. WB Montreal confirmed that this game does not exist in the Arkhamverse and is in its own continuity. The game will also feature two player online co-op, while each of the four characters will have their own unique abilities, fighting styles and level ups. The game certainly has lots of potential and looks like a lot of fun to play, I commend the creators for getting the focus away from Batman and giving other members of the Batfamily to shine. Gotham Knights will be released for PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One and PC in 2021.
The other big game reveal of the day was Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. While this game only got a trailer and some details, the game has players control Harley Quinn, King Shark, Deadshot and Captain Boomerang, as they are recruited by Amanda Waller to take down the possibly mind-controlled Justice League. Superman makes an appearance at the end, with purple glowing eyes so clearly something is amiss. Rocksteady has confirmed that this game does take place in the Batman Arkhamverse continuity, setting up and interesting reveal if Batman is indeed dead or not. The game will allow four player online co-op, and if you choose to play solo you will be able to change between the four characters and their unique abilities any time you want. A long wait for this one for the time being though, as the game was given a release date of 2022 and will only release on next-gen consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X alongside PC.
Black Adam First Look Details Revealed
Dwayne Johnson was on hand to provide the first look and story details for the long planned Black Adam movie. Johnson did a voiceover on a one minute teaser that was animated, explaining that the character was enslaved for five thousand years and was granted the power of Wizard Shazam, exactly like Billy Baston in the present day. The film is a spinoff of Shazam, released last year, and Johnson stressed that the character will be more of an anti-hero. He also confirmed that Black Adam will face off against the Justice Society of America including: Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher, who will be played by Noah Centineo. Concept art for each of the characters was also on hand to show to fans. Its great to see Johnson talk about the character and the project, as he has been attached for quite some time and was originally supposed to be the villain in Shazam before headlining his own film. Black Adam is currently dated for December 22nd, 2021.
These are just some of the biggest reveals from DC FanDome, as there were plenty more panels and reveals along the way. All in all, I think the event was a big success. Fans were very hyped for it and DC definitely delivered in terms of content and reveals. The event was actually split into two days, and the next part, dubbed "Explore the Multiverse" will debut on September 12th. That event will include screenings, Q&A's and even more exclusive content from the DC universe. I'm sure we're in for even more reveals on that day as well! Did you attend any of DC FanDome? What were your impressions of the event or any of the big reveals? Sound off in the comments below!
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