IS JAKE GYLLENHAAL THE BATMAN?

November 17, 2017 is the release date for Warner Bros. next installment of  their DC Extended Universe films, JUSTICE LEAGUE.

Starring an ensemble cast which includes:

Ben Affleck as Batman

Henry Cavill as Supeman

Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman

Ezra Miller as the Flash

Ray Fisher as Cyborg

Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth

J.K. Simmons as Commissioner James Gordon

Amy Adams as Lois Lane

Diane Lane as Martha Kent

Connie Nielsen as Queen Hippolyta

Robin Wright as Antiope

Amber Heard as Mera

William Dafoe as Vulko

Billy Crudup as Henry Allen

Kiersey Clemons as Iris west

Joe Morton as Silas Stone

With actors Jesse Eisenberg  & Joe Manganiello rumored to cameo as Lex Luthor & Deathstroke in a post credit scene. 

Speculations is that the film will gross $150 Million it's opening weekend in North America. 

Warner Bros. is in full swing promoting the movie at press junkets, having the cast be interviewed. 

Many of the questions being ask is will Bell Affleck reprise his role of Batman in director Matt Reeves planned film titled "THE BATMAN"?

Warner Bros. originally announced back in October 2014 that Affleck was to not only to star, but also write, produce & direct the project. But by January 2017 Warner Bros. & Affleck could agree on the script causing Affleck to step down as director, but still remaining as producer & lead actor.

By February 2017 Warner Bros. announced that director of DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2014) & WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (2017) Matt Reeves who step-in as director & co-producer.

Reeves stated by June 2017 that his film would focus more on the detective side of Batman, having more of a film noir Alfred Hitchcock influence. By July 2017 Reeves dropped the Affleck script completely to focus more on his own vision.

Rumours around Hollywood was that Affleck was out of THE BATMAN, with Warner Bros. not wanting to make the announcement until 2 weeks after JUSTICE LEAGUE was in theatres, so not to hurt box office. 

Warner Bros. & Reeves began secretly meeting with a number of actors for the part of the Dark Knight Detective.

One such meeting was with actor Jake Gyllenhaal. This wouldn't have been the first time Jake Gyyyenhaal's name was floated around as the Caped Crusader. Christopher Nolan auditioned him for BATMAN BEGINS (2005) before deciding on Christian Bale. 

So far both Warner Bros. & Jake Gyllenhaal's people have had no comment on the rumour.

Comic Book Movie Ramblings: Justice League Movie in 2015

Well, most comic book & movie fans know that over the years the team of PARAMOUNT PICTURES and MARVEL STUDIOS have released a series of ambitious superhero films (IRON MAN, INCREDIBLE HULK, CAPTAIN AMERICA THE FIRST AVENGER, and THOR) that now will lead into this summer’s AVENGERS. The expectations are that this will be another Blockbuster.

Not wanting to miss out on the big superhero team movie action, rivals WARNER BROTHERS & DC ENTERTAINMENT (both owned by media conglomerate TIME-WARNER) once again are talking about doing a big budget JUSTICE LEAGUE movie for a 2015 or 2016 release date, distributed in partnership with LEGENDARY PICTURES.

The movie project was originally to go into production September 2007 with Australian director GEORGE MILLER (of MAD MAX & HAPPY FEET fame) under the title JUSTICE LEAGUE: MORTAL, until it was put on hold during the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. 

The idea was to do the film completely in motion capture, similar to the 2007 BEOWULF movie, with a $220 million budget. MILLER’s idea also was to cast younger actors who would grow into their roles though a planned movie trilogy.

Over 40 actors and actresses auditioned for WARNER BROS. until MILLER got his new JUSTICE LEAGUE. 

ADAM BRODY (know for the role of teenage Seth Cohen TV’s THE OC) had been cast as BARRY ALLEN / THE FLASH

D.J. COTRONA as CLARK KENT / SUPERMAN

Rapper COMMON as JOHN STEWART / GREEN LANTERN

Sexy Australian model MEGAN GALE as DIANA PRINCE / WONDER WOMAN

                                            Yum, Yum, Yum   ;)

ARMIE HAMMER (SOCIAL NETWORK) was cast as BRUCE WAYNE / BATMAN.

  

Chilean actor SANTIAGO CABRERA (best know for his role as painter Isaac Mendez on the 1st season of TV's HEROES) as ARTHUR CURRY / AQUAMAN

60 year old Australian actor HUGH KEAYS-BYRNE (who work with MILLER in MAD MAX) as THE MARTIAN MANHUNTER

TERESA PALMER (THE GRUDGE 2  and THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE) as TALIA AL GHUL, BATMAN's lover & the daughter of one of his greatest foes, RA'S AL GHUL

Broadway actress ZOE KAZAN as FLASH's girlfriend and future wife, IRIS WEST

JAY BARUCHEL (THE TROTSKY and THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE) as the movie's main villain MAXWELL LORD.

Odd choice when I first read this way back in 2007, I know this was to be an all motion capture computer generated movie and the producers were looking for something in the voice acting, but JAY is not what I had in mind for the voice for MAX. But who knows, he's a great young actor who surprises every time I see him on screen. 

The plot followed the JUSTICE LEAGUE battling MAXWELL LORD's O.M.A.C. robots in a plot to takeover the world. 

The mini-movie opening of DC ONLINE could’ve been what this movie could’ve looked like.

Now this new JUSTICE LEAGUE movie will have DC COMICS Chief Creative Officer GEOFF JOHNS, who was Co-Producer on the GREEN LANTERN movie, as an Executive Producer and will be writing first initial treatment with DAVID GOYER, screenwriter on MAN OF STEEL being the favorite for the screenplay.

WARNER BROS. still wants to have DARK KNIGHT RISES director CHRISTOPHER NOLAN and wife, EMMA THOMAS involved in the film in some capacity, most likely as producers. I guest they hop their association will add some prestige to the film project.    

Taking another point from the MARVEL STUDIOS’ AVENGERS film, the JUSTICE LEAGUE movie will be a part of a shared DC Movie Universe, with the GREEN LANTERN and MAN OF STEEL movies being apart of that universe. Plans are to have their respective sequels out before the JUSTICE LEAGUE movie as the first steps in creating the new shared DC Movie Universe.

The idea of having actors HENRY CAVILL and RYAN REYNOLDS reprise their roles of SUPERMAN and GREEN LANTERN is a nice thought, but I think fans would have to play a “wait & see” approach since their contacts only specify only a few sequels to their respective franchises and not a JUSTICE LEAGUE film as of yet.

Sadly actor CHRISTIAN BALE won’t be likely return as BATMAN after DARK KNIGHT RISES, publicly say this would be the finale time he would don the cowl. So a recast would have to be done for the BATMAN role, unless WARNER BROS. makes BALE an offer he can’t refuse.

Besides GREEN LANTERN and SUPERMAN sequels, WARNER BROS. plans other films the be launch before and after THE JUSTICE LEAGUE.

THE FLASH, with a screenplay by MARC GUGGENHEIM is in the works.

Actors BRADLEY COOPER (THE A-TEAM)

 and CHRIS PINES (STAR TREK reboot) are being favored by WARNER BROS. for the role.

A new WONDER WOMAN movie is back on track after the whole failed DAVID E. KELLEY TV pilot got canned this fall that starred actress Adrianna Palicki.

DRIVE director NICOLAS WINDING REFIN, who is working on a LOGAN'S RUN remake for WARNER BROS. is in hot pursuit for the gig, speaking publicly that he would cast sexy red head CHRISTINA HENDICKS (known for her role as Joan on TV’s MAD MEN), feeling that she possessed the right assets for the role.

OK, Ah Huh, I can See Why Now ;)

CHRISTINA HENDICKS told ACCESS HOLLYWOOD "I love working with NICOLAS so much, he's such an incredibly talented director. If he gets to direct 'WONDER WOMAN', then I would love to do it with him".

Also an AQUAMAN film is being produced by LEONARDO DiCAPRIO’s APPIAN WAY (RED RIDDING HOOD & SHUTTER ISLAND) for WARNER BROS.
If anyone seen the 2006 WB AQUAMAN / MERCY REEF TV pilot that an AQUAMAN movie could be made interesting as long as they don't go into WATERWORLD territory.

No casting ideas for AQUAMAN as of yet, but JUSTIN HARTLEY's portrayal as AQUAMAN in that 2006 pilot was quite good.

Since the idea is to have DC’s “Big Seven” join forces to battle evil, the traditional seventh member has always been the SUPERMAN-like MARTIAN MANHUNTER. But since the team already has a strongman it's likely they will go into a new direction. 

DC’s NEW 52 relaunch this fall, THE MARTIAN MANHUNTER has been replace by former TEEN TITANS member VIC STONE, THE CYBORG. I’m going to guest that he will be included instead.

Here’s hopes that this time the JUSTICE LEAGUE gets going once again. MARVEL can’t have all the fun now ;)  

~ Rajadevilman74