Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 11th to 17th, 2017 - Updated #29

Support Leroy on Patreon.

----------
POLITICS - From RSN:  Russell Brand says "austerity" is brutality not frugality.

----------
SPORTS - From BET:  Boxer Floyd Mayweather will make between $200 to $300 million for his "super-fight" with MMA fighter Conor McGregor (who will make $100 million) on August 26th, 2017.

-----------
TELEVISION - From THR:  Glenn Close to star in "Sea Oak," a half-hour zombie drama for Amazon.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From ThePlaylist:  Marvel Studios has no immediate plans for Marvel Comics' "Fantastic Four."

----------
OBIT - From THR:  Film editor Bill Butler died at the age of 83 of June 4, 2017.  He earned an Oscar nomination for his work on Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange."

From Variety:  Film director John G. Avildsen has died at the age of 81, Friday, June 16, 2017.  He won an Oscar for directing the original "Rocky" (1976).  He also directed the original "Karate Kid" films.

----------
TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  Aisha Tyler is leaving the CBS daytime talk show, "The Talk," after six seasons.

----------
MOVIES - From EW:  There is a new documentary, "Score," about film music which celebrates some of the greatest musical moments in film history.

---------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Danai Gurira, one of the stars of "The Walking Dead," will appear in both the "Black Panther" and "Avengers: Infinity War."

---------
COMICS-FILM - From Collider:  An R-rated Marvel Studios movie is not out of the questions says Marvel boss, Kevin Feige.  Jessica Chastain in talks to play a villain.

---------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Simon Kinberg set to direct "X-Men: Dark Phoenix," which will begin production soon.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  The new cinematic Spider-Man, Tom Holland, has revealed that the upcoming "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is the first film in a trilogy.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Actress and model, Anita Pallenberg, has died at the age of 73, Tuesday, June 13, 2017.  She appeared in the film "Barberella" and in "Performance" with the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger.  She also had three children with Jagger's band mate, Keith Richards.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety: Michelle Monaghan is returning for "Mission: Impossible 6."  She plays Dr. Julia Meade, the wife of Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt and was last seen in "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" (the fourth film).

----------
MOVIES - From EW:  Josh Brolin bulks up with muscle for his role as Cable in "Deadpool 2."

-----------
TELEVISION - From THR:  Anthony and Joe Russo, the guys behind the two Captain America movies, "Winter Soldier" and "Civil War," will join Henry Selick, director of "A Nightmare Before Christmas," to bring the video game "Little Nightmares" to television.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Lionsgate is planning to dramatize the story of the controversial rap group, 2 Live Crew, in film.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Woody Allen's upcoming drama, "Wonder Wheels," will debut December 1, 2017.

----------
SPORTS:  From NYTimes:  The Golden State Warriors win the 2017 National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship, their second in three years.  They beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 129 to 120, to win the best of 7 series, 4 games to 1.

From AOLNews:  Championship teams visit the White House to celebrate with the President of the United States. The Golden State Warriors players voted unanimously not to visit President Trump after winning the 2017 NBA Championship.

----------
THEATRE - From Variety:  A complete list of 2017 Tony Award winners, including Bette Midler and "Dear Evan Hansen."

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:   The winner of the 6/9 to 6/11/2017 weekend box office is "Wonder Woman" with an estimated take of $57 million.

From Deadline:  With an estimated global box office debut of $169.3, "The Mummy" is delivering some of Tom Cruise's best box office numbers.

From Deadline:  Still, Wonder Woman is whipping Tom Cruise's ass at the domestic box office.

From Variety:  The global box office gross of Tom Cruise's "The Mummy" has pushed Universal Pictures past $3 billion in global box office for the calendar year, 3 days faster than last year.

From Variety:  "The Mummy" may be in trouble at the North American box office, but it make $52 million in China.

----------
CULTURE - From YahooNews:  Tomorrow, June 12th is "Loving Day,"  It is also the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision "Loving v. Virginia."  The AP is republishing its last interview with Mildred Loving.

----------
TELEVISION - From THR:  "The Hollywood Reporter" offers an appreciation of Adam West, who played Batman/Bruce Wayne in the campy 1960s "Batman" TV series for ABC.  West died on Friday, June 9, at the age of 88.

-----------
SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Rafael Nadal won his 10th French Open men's singles title, the most by anyone, and a record he has held since he won his seventh French Open singles title in 2012.  With this victory, he becomes the first individual to win 10 singles championships in a single Grand Slam event, in this case the French Open.

From TheGuardian:  In the women's singles, Jelena Ostapenko won her first women's Grand Slam singles title with her victory in the French Open women's singles.  She is the first tennis player from the nation of Latvia, male or female, to win a Grand Slam singles title.

From YahooSports:  With their 2-0 victory over the Nashville Predators tonight, the National Hockey League's (NHL) Pittsburgh Penguins win the 2017 Stanley Cup.  They also won the 2016 Stanley Cup, making them the first team to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 19 years.

Animated "Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders" Gets One-Time Theatrical Release

Following Record-Breaking ‘Batman: The Killing Joke’ Event, ‘Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders’ Set for Exclusive One-Time Cinematic Event October 10, 2016

Fathom Events, Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment Spotlight Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar Voicing Classic Roles

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Travel back to the 1960s as Batman and Robin spring into action when Gotham City is threatened by a quartet of Batman’s most fiendish foes. Audiences will have the opportunity to join all the animated excitement as it unfolds on the big screen for one special day. Fathom Events is once again partnering with Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment to bring “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders” to movie theaters for three exclusive showings on Monday, October 10, 2016 at 2:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. local time, before it comes to EST on October 11, 2016 and Blu-ray™ on November 1, 2016.

    “Working with Warner Bros. on ‘Batman: The Killing Joke’ was a great experience and we knew it was something we wanted to duplicate”

Bringing these iconic characters to animated life are Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin) and Julie Newmar (Catwoman). In the new film, Penguin, The Joker, Riddler and Catwoman have combined their wicked talents to hatch a plot so nefarious that the Dynamic Duo will need to go to outer space (and back) to foil their arch enemies and restore order in Gotham City.

In addition to the film, audiences will view an exclusive pre-screening introduction, and a post-screening preview of “Those Dastardly Desperados,” a featurette that explores how these fiends became more than just antagonists in a Batman story – they became icons of American pop culture.

Tickets for “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders” can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 700 select movie theaters. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

“Working with Warner Bros. on ‘Batman: The Killing Joke’ was a great experience and we knew it was something we wanted to duplicate,” Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations Tom Lucas said. “With ‘Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders’ we get to give our audiences another extremely exciting event experience driven by the return of three nostalgic pop culture names to their most memorable roles.”

“Fans have voiced a strong desire to see DC-centric animated films on the big screen for years, and ‘Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders’ offers another opportunity to entertain our audience with a highly-anticipated cinema event,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing. “Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is proud to launch our newly branded ‘DC Classics Collection’ films with a Fathom Events presentation.”


About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is recognized as the leading domestic distributor of event cinema, and ranks as one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), Fathom Events offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions such as the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live’s Hamlet, sporting events like FS1 Presents USA v Mexico, concerts with Roger Waters and One Direction, the TCM Presents classic film series and faith-based events such as The Drop Box and Four Blood Moons. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 887 locations and 1,354 screens in 181 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees.

Batman and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC. (s16)

About DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc.), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables, etc.) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics in the world.

About Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) is one of the leading producers of animation in the entertainment industry, producing and developing projects for multiple platforms, both domestically and internationally. WBA’s TV series include Be Cool Scooby-Doo!, Bunnicula, Justice League Action, Teen Titans Go!, The Tom and Jerry Show, Wabbit – A Looney Tunes Production for Cartoon Network, Mike Tyson Mysteries for Adult Swim, Right Now Kapow for Disney XD and the forthcoming Green Eggs and Ham for Netflix. As the home of the iconic animated characters from the DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Looney Tunes libraries, WBA also produces highly successful animated films — including the DC Universe Animated Original Movies — for DVD. One of the most-honored animation studios in history, WBA has won six Academy Awards®, 35 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, the HUMANITAS Prize, two Prism Awards and 20 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).

-----------------

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from May 22nd to 31st, 2016 - Update #54

Support Leroy on Patreon.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda (of the Broadway smash, "Hamilton") to headline Disney's "Mary Poppins" sequel.

---------------
PIXAR - From YahooMovies:  Is that a lesbian couple in "Finding Dory."

---------------
MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Dan Aykroyd, who co-created "Ghostbusters," praises the all-female remake.

----------------
MOVIES - From TheGuardian:  Before he died, Stanley Kubrick apparently wanted to make a war film and a children's film.

---------------
MOVIES - From THR:  Dwayne Johnson confirmed to star in Shane Black's "Doc Savage" film.

---------------
COMICS - From Vox:  "X-Men: Apocalypse" is what happens when a superhero franchise runs out of ideas.

--------------
SPORTS - From ThePostGame:  Notable college and professional athletes killed during military service.

---------------
TELEVISION - From YahooNews:  LeVar Burton on why the "Roots" reboot matters.

---------------
ECO - From RSN:  Actor/activist, Mark Ruffalo, on why Los Angeles is toxic.

---------------
BLACK LIVES MATTER - From Truthout:  Malcolm X predicted the progress of racism in the United States.

---------------
COMICS - From YahooMovies:  Jeremy Irons, who plays Alfred, Batman's butler, also has criticism for "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice."

---------------
COMICS - From CBR:  On the reveal that Captain America is an agent of Hydra, Marvel legend Stan Lee says "I think it's crazy, but it's a good idea."

From CinemaBlend:  Director James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) doesn't think Hydra Cap is a big deal, either.

---------------
COMICS - From CinemaBlend:  Jeff Bridges has apparently joined "Kingsman: The Golden Circle," the sequel to "Kingmans: The Secret Service."

---------------
COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Actors Adam West and Burt Ward, star of the 1960s "Batman" television series have something secret planned for later this year.

---------------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The Memorial Day weekend, 5/27 to 5/29/2016, weekend goes to "X-Men: Apocalypse" with an estimated take of $65 million.

From YahooMovies:  Did Disney seriously believe that "Alice Through the Looking Glass" would be a hit.  They got lucky with the first one, Tim Burton's mediocre "Alice in Wonderland."  It was a fluke.

---------------
TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  Meet Malachi Kirby, the young British actor playing "Kunta Kinte" in the "Roots" remake.

---------------
MOVIES - From IndieWire:  A list of female directors ready to direct a blockbuster film.

---------------
MOVIES - From YahooNews:  "Transformers: The Last Knight" offers a cryptic tease for Memorial Day.

---------------
MOVIES - From CinemaBlend:  John Carpenter, who defined the slasher film genre with 1978's "Halloween" is not a fan of the original "Friday the 13th."

---------------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Sam Mendes who directed "Skyfall" and "Spectre" said he will not return for the next James Bond movie.

---------------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Dylan O'Brien was apparently nearly killed in an on-set accident during filming of "The Maze Runner: The Death Cure."  The film is now scheduled for release in 2018, although the start date for resuming of production is unknown.

---------------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  Robert Rodriguez has a star for his "Battle Angel Alita."  James Cameron is producing.

---------------
MOVIES - From TrackingBoard:  Amy Schumer heads to a male friend's bachelor party in "Who Invited Her?"

---------------
CELEBRITY - From TheWrap:  Johnny Depp-Amber Heard divorce turns ugly real quick.

---------------
COMICS - From CinemaBlend:  Sony's animated Spider-Man film may involve Miles Morales, the African-American/Latino teen who is Spider-Man.

---------------
MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Cute Jamie Bell ("Billy Elliot," "Fantastic Four") is rumored to be contention to play James Bond, which means that they are going  young for the next Bond, as Bell is 30.  Actually, Bell almost looks like he could be current Daniel Craig's son.  Meanwhile, Craig may not be finished with the franchise...

---------------
MOVIES - From GameSpot:  More striking images from "Alien: Covenant" set.

---------------
MUSIC - From YahooCelebrity:  15 children that are not biologically his (although he claimed them) are fighting over B.B. King's estate.

---------------
COMICS - From YahooMovies:  See photos from the Ellis Island premiere of the first X-Men movie back in 2000.

---------------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Harry Styles of the boy band, One Direction, has cut his signature locks for the movie "Dunkirk."  This link has a photo of Styles from the set.

---------------
CELEBRITY - From People:  Amber Heard files for divorce from Johnny Depp.

---------------
MUSIC - From YahooNews:  New York Police Department Commissioner Bill Bratton:  "so-called rap artists who are basically thugs."

---------------
COMICS - From CinemaBlend:  Wesley Snipes wants back as Blade.

---------------
STAR TREK - From YahooMovies:  Secrets from the "Star Trek Beyond" set.

---------------
OBIT - From Variety:  The pioneering CBS News correspondent, Jeanne Parr, died at 92, Friday, May 20, 2016.  She was also the mother of actor Chris Noth ("The Good Wife," "Sex in the City").

---------------
MOVIES - From OliverStone:  Oliver Stone posts his commencement speech to the Class of 2016 at the University of Connecticut.

---------------
OBIT - From TheGuardian:  The actor Burt Kwouk has died at the age of 85, Tuesday, May 24, 2016.  He was best known for playing Inspector Clouseau's manservant, Cato, in the Peter Sellers' "Pink Panther" movies.
  
---------------
BLACK LIVES MATTER - From ProPublica:  Crime prediction software targets black people - of course.

--------------
MOVIES - From ScreenRant:  John Carpenter will return to executive produce a new "Halloween" film, the tenth sequel to the original "Halloween" that was released in 1978.

---------------
MOVIES - From ScreenRant:  Images from the Prometheus sequel, "Alien Covenant."

---------------
TELEVISION - From DeadlineTV:  Showtime is prepping a documentary on legendary "Saturday Night Live" alumnus and actor, John Belushi.

--------------
MOVIES - From Variety:  It's the 36th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," specifically May 23rd.

--------------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Actor Elijah Wood says child abuse on Hollywood is kept secret by power players.

---------------
MOVIES:  From CinemaBlend:  Karl Urban freely talks about why the super-excellent sci-fi comic book film, Dredd, was a box office flop.  He blames marketing.

---------------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Get your first glimpse of Emma Watson as "Belle" in Disney's live-action "Beauty and the Beast," which is due March 17, 2017.

----------------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  "The Angry Birds Movie" won the 5/20 to 2/22/2016 box office weekend with an estimated haul of $39 million.

---------------
AWARDS - From Variety:  Ken Loach wins the Palme d'Or at the 69th Cannes Film Festival.  The win, for his film "I, Daniel Blake," is his second one.

---------------
TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  Anthony Mackie talks playing Dr. Martin Luther King for HBO.

---------------
MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Shane Black, the legendary screenwriter of "Lethal Weapon," talks about his new film, "The Nice Guys."  He also talks about the "Lethal Weapon 5" that almost was, and, of course, Mel Gibson.

---------------
MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  40 most anticipated movies of Summer 2016.

---------------
COMICS - From ThePlaylist:  11 reasons why "Captain America: Civil War" is better than "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice."

TRAILERS:

From YouTube:  The third trailer for Pixar's "Finding Dory."

From YouTube:  The first trailer from FOX for the film "Morgan," directed by Luke Scott, the son of Ridley Scott.

Frank Miller, Adam West Among Stars Celebrating 75 Years of Batman at San Diego Comic-Con

DC Entertainment Celebrates 75 Years of Batman with All-Star Panels at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2014 Featuring Frank Miller, Grant Morrison, Jim Lee, Geoff Johns and More

DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Present Unparalleled Line-Up of Batman Events Including ‘Gotham’ Premiere, ‘Assault on Arkham’ Premiere, Cape-Cowl-Create Art Exhibit, and a Star-Studded 1960s Batman TV Panel

Comic-Con 2014

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DC Entertainment (DCE) will descend upon Comic-Con International: San Diego 2014 (July 24 to 27, 2014) with a terrific line-up of all-star panels, can’t-miss events, and exclusive reveals, all to celebrate the milestone 75th anniversary of the world’s most popular Super Hero – DC Comics’ Batman. Celebration highlights include a pair of panels that will bring together a spectacular collection of Batman talent, a once-in-a-lifetime art exhibit, and a rare look at some of the most famous Batman film costumes in history.

The centerpiece to DCE’s plans includes two can’t-miss panel events where heralded names from Batman lore will join forces for an ultimate fan experience.

• Batman 75: Legends of The Dark Knight – In celebration of Batman’s 75-year history, join comic icons Frank Miller, Grant Morrison, DCE Co-Publisher and renowned Batman artist Jim Lee (BATMAN: HUSH), DCE Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns (BATMAN: EARTH ONE), current BATMAN creative team, writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo, along with vintage superstar BATMAN team writer Denny O’Neill and artist Neal Adams in an in-depth discussion on the legendary character’s explosive adventures in comics both past and present. Thursday 3:30-4:30pm Room 6BCF

• Batman 75th Anniversary – Delve into how Batman has been brought to life in comics, TV, movies and video games with Lee, Johns, BATMAN ’66 MEETS THE GREEN HORNET co-writer and KROQ radio personality Ralph Garman, the legendary voice of Batman Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: Arkham Knight), producer and writer Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series), and Peter Girardi, Senior Vice President, Creative Affairs, Warner Bros Animation. Saturday 4-5:00pm Room 6BCF

The celebration also continues with a staggering collection of must-own items and exciting events from DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Entertainment.

    Celebrate the long-awaited home entertainment debut of Batman: The Complete Television Series with a can’t-miss panel featuring Batman on-screen legends Adam West, Burt Ward and Julie Newmar. Thursday 6-7pm Hall H

    For the supreme Batman fan experience, DC Entertainment’s interactive 4,500 square foot booth (#1915) will hold costumes donned by those who famously brought the legendary hero to life on film including Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Bale. Plus, the booth will host signings with top talent including Jim Lee, Geoff Johns, John Romita Jr., Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo and more, along with a full slate of free giveaways, fan events and on-stage demonstrations.

    Attend the world premiere of Warner Bros. Television and FOX’s upcoming show Gotham during the star-studded “A Night of DC Entertainment” Hall H panel on Saturday evening from 8:00–11:00 p.m. Gotham tells the origin story of some of DC Comics’ greatest Super-Villains and vigilantes, following Detective Jim Gordon’s rise to power in a dangerously corrupt city that would spawn iconic characters such as The Penguin, Catwoman, The Riddler and a young Bruce Wayne. The Gotham premiere is part of the action-packed three-hour WBTV/DC Entertainment panel that will also highlight Arrow, The Flash and Constantine, with Arrow star Stephen Amell serving as master of ceremonies. Saturday 8-11pm Hall H

    Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment will celebrate the 75th anniversary of Batman at Comic-Con by unveiling life-size recreations of The Dark Knight’s iconic cowl headpiece and cape from the upcoming “Batman: Arkham Knight” videogame in the Hard Rock Hotel’s Legends Room. The Dark Knight’s iconic mantle will be re-imagined by top artists and celebrities including Zack Snyder (Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice), Mister Cartoon, Buff Monster, Zso (Sara Blake), Apex, Michael Hsiung, Will Arnett (The Lego Movie) Jeff Lemire and Ivan Reis. The “Cape/Cowl/Create” exhibition will be open to the public Friday through Sunday. Exhibit hours are 12-7pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

    Join the cast and creators of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment’s highly anticipated world premiere of Batman: Assault on Arkham animated film including the definitive voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy. Based on the best-selling video game series, Batman: Arkham, this action-packed film takes place between the Batman: Arkham Origins video game and Batman: Arkham Asylum video game. Friday 7-9:00pm Ballroom 20

    Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games present an inside look at LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham with an animated panel discussion featuring exclusive first look at new gameplay, content reveals and announcements by TT Games Game Director Arthur Parsons and Executive Producer Phill Ring, along with a stellar line-up of voice talent from the game. LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham will also be playable for consumer hands-on throughout the show. Sunday 1-2 pm Room 6BCF

    The Caped Crusader will tower over Gotham on the cover of Comic-Con 2014’s official Souvenir Book and on a must-own, Con exclusive t-shirt in a spectacular design penciled and inked by Lee.

    Join the writers and artists behind current Batman universe titles including BATMAN team Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, Marc Andreyko (BATWOMAN), Brian Buccellato (DETECTIVE COMICS), Pat Gleason (BATMAN AND ROBIN), Greg Pak (BATMAN/SUPERMAN), and Peter Tomasi (BATMAN AND ROBIN) for a special panel to discuss what’s in store for the World’s Greatest Detective.

    DC Collectibles will reveal a stellar new line of action figures based on the highly anticipated videogame from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Batman: Arkham Knight. Also, make sure to stop by Diamond retailers on the show floor to purchase DC Collectibles’ Harley Quinn convention exclusive statue.

    Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) joins the celebration at the DC Comics booth with fan-focused showcases, exclusives, and giveaways from key licensing partners each day of Comic-Con at 11am and 3pm. On Thursday, WBCP and partworks publisher Eaglemoss will present their line of Batmobiles throughout the ages; Friday will bring fan-favorite clothing company Black Milk to the stage with a display of its Batman and DC Comics Super Heroes-inspired line of female-focused apparel; Saturday, or Harley Quinn Day, will see WBCP and Hot Topic launch the new Hot Topic-exclusive Harleen lifestyle collection in a fashion show parade, while calling all Harley Quinn cos-players at Comic-Con to the DC Comics booth to join the fun; and Sunday, new WBCP and DC Comics partner, Schleich, will premiere its new DC Comics collectible figure line, with Batman at the forefront. Additionally, dozens of WBCP partners will be a-buzz around the Comic-Con show floor with exclusives and can’t-miss giveaways over the course of the show.

    Warner Archive Collection presents “A Batman for all Seasons” on Sunday at Noon. Join producer James Tucker, producer/director Brandon Vietti, WAC Podcast hosts Matthew Patterson and DW Ferranti and surprise guests, as they examine Batman iterations and oddities throughout history, from early films like “Public Defender” and the Batman cartoons, to new versions of the character, the off-kilter takes and new media. Sunday 12-1pm Room 7AB

    Fans will be able to pick up a wide variety of items exclusively available at this year’s Comic-Con - including variant cover editions of some of DC Comics’ most popular series. The Graphitti Designs booth (#2314) will offer variant editions of BATMAN #32, GRAYSON #1, and two versions of HARLEY QUINN INVADES COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL #1.

Can’t make the Con? DC Entertainment’s website is the go-to place for behind the scenes coverage and in-depth interviews.

Download the DC Entertainment Events App on Apple’s App Store or the Google Play Store to stay up to speed on all DC Entertainment signings and panels at San Diego Comic-Con.

About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world.

-------------------------------------

Review: "Meet the Robinsons" is a Heartfelt Gem

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 140 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

Meet the Robinsons (2007) – computer animated
Running time: 95 minutes (1 hour, 35 minutes)
MPAA – G
DIRECTOR: Stephen J. Anderson
WRITERS: Stephen J. Anderson, Michelle Bochner, Jon Bernstein, Nathan Greno, Don Hall, Joe Mateo, and Aurian Redson; with story material from Robert L. Baird, Daniel Gerson, and Shirley Pierce; (based on A Day with Wilbur Robinson by William Joyce)
PRODUCER: Dorothy McKim

ANIMATION/SCI-FI/COMEDY/ACTION/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Daniel Hansen, Angela Bassett, Jordan Fry, Tom Selleck, Harland Williams, Laurie Metcalf, Adam West, Ethan Sandler, Tom Kenney, and Matthew Josten

Meet the Robinsons, a Walt Disney Feature Animation digital 3-D animation film, focuses on a boy genius named Lewis. His love of gadgets and gizmos takes him on a trip to the future and reveals to him great secrets about his past and about his own limitless potential.

Lewis (Daniel Hansen and Jordan Fry) is a brilliant preteen inventor, but he’s also an orphan. He’s been living at the 6th Street Orphanage under the guardianship of its sweet and patient caretaker, Mildred (Angela Bassett), ever since she found him on her doorstep as an infant. Rejected by most prospective adoptive parents, Lewis decides to invent the “memory scanner” to retrieve his earliest recollections and hopefully see his birth mother. Lewis presents his invention as his school’s science fair where it is a disaster – mostly because of sabotage on the part of the villainous Bowler Hat Guy (Ethan Sandler), who steals the machine.

Lewis is ready to give up on the quest for his birth mother when he meets a mysterious teenager, Wilbur Robinson (Wesley Singerman), who like the Bowler Hat Guy, is from the future. Wilbur whisks Lewis to the future in his father’s time machine/jet car. Wilbur is desperate to get Lewis to help him retrieve his father’s second time machine, which was stolen by the Bowler Hat Guy. However, when Lewis meets the Robinsons, Wilbur’s large and extended eccentric family, he discovers that, much to his delight, they are ready to adopt him. But if Lewis doesn’t stop Bowler Hat Guy, everyone’s future may turn out to be very dark indeed.

Meet the Robinson’s theme is “keep moving forward,” which is taken from a quote by the late Walt Disney himself, and the filmmakers stay true to “keep moving forward” in terms of the characters. Don’t let the past drag you down, and don’t be bitter about failure because failure is a better teacher than success, the film practically yells out. The writers deal with some pretty serious subject matter in terms of what it means to be a family and also what it means to accept personal blame for failure rather than blaming someone else.

In terms of the film’s visuals and production design, Meet the Robinsons looks way back into the past for inspiration. The futurism of the industrial design movement of the 1930’s and 40’s is present, as well as art deco (which was inspired by futurism). “Streamline Moderne, which was a 1930’s architectural style and Walt Disney’s “Tomorrowland,” join to create a heady, invigorating mix of the retro sci-fi cool and cartoon futuristic. This goes well with what Lewis uses to create his inventions: scrap, spare parts, household items, and odds-and-ends. Think “The Jetsons” meets “Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius.”

The computer (or 3D) animation, however, is highly suspect. There are times when some of it seems to disappear in a glare of white light, or the camera shifts and the entire 3D environment becomes two-dimensional. It’s simply bad lighting and poor environmental building (perhaps because of software and/or hardware issues). It is sometimes embarrassingly shoddy animation work from Disney, a company that has a legacy of delivering exceptional animation, even when the story is mediocre.

However, the truth is that while viewers may come to the film looking for 3D animation, they’ll end up staying for the story. Luckily, Meet the Robinson’s messages of family bonds and of never letting failure be a crippling setback make this visually imaginative film a poignant gem that might bring at least one tear to your eye.

7 of 10
B+

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Review: "Chicken Little" Has Big Action

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 169 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux


Chicken Little (2005) – computer animated
Running time: 81 minutes (1 hour, 21 minutes)
MPAA – G
DIRECTOR: Mark Dindal
WRITERS: Steve Bencich and Ron J. Friedman and Ron Anderson; from a story by Mark Kennedy and Mark Dindal (with additional story material by Robert L. Baird and Dan Gerson)
PRODUCER: Randy Fullmer
EDITOR: Dan Molina

ANIMATION/SCI-FI/FANTASY and COMEDY/ACTION/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Zach Braff, Garry Marshall, Steve Zahn, Joan Cusack, Don Knotts, Patrick Stewart, Amy Sedaris, Harry Shearer, Wallace Shawn, Fred Willard, Catherine O’Hara, Adam West, Patrick Warburton, Mark Dindal, and Dan Molina

One day a piece of the sky falls to earth and hits Chicken Little (Zach Braff) on the head. The sky is falling her warns, but the townsfolk of Oakey Oaks, including his father, Buck Cluck (Garry Marshall), conclude that an acorn hit the boy chick on the head. The incident swiftly turns Chicken Little into the town joke and embarrasses his father. However, the plucky chicken joins the local baseball team with the hopes of reviving his reputation and earning his father’s respect. Chicken Little does indeed lead the team to an upset victory, and he and his pops are on good terms again.

All is well, but another “piece of the sky” hits Chicken Little on the head. Still, he’s reluctant to cause another scene and once again be labeled crazy. Instead, he enlists the help of his friends: Abby Mallard (Joan Cusack), who is also known as the Ugly Duckling because she is so… unpretty; Runt of the Litter (Steve Zahn), a tall, obese pig; and Fish Out of Water (“voice” created by film editor Dan Molina), a fish who wears a water-filled helmet, and the gang embark on an adventure to stop an alien invasion without sending the town into another panic.

Walt Disney’s Chicken Little, of course, spoofs of 17th century, rural English fable, “Chicken Little.” Disney’s new film is also their first fully computer animated film (2000’s Dinosaur combined computer generated characters with live-action background imagery), and also signals the famed movie company’s move away from hand-drawn (2D) animation to computer animated (3D) animation. Clearly aimed at children 12 and under, Chicken Little is filled with clever gags. The script is a hodge podge of sketch comedy, after school special storylines, and the kind of family psychology that would find its way on the “Dr. Phil” and “Oprah.”

The script is Chicken Little’s big problem. The animation is fine, sometimes even outstanding. There are a few moments when it has the quality of the first Shrek, but there are also times when it has the texture and quality of Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles. However, the film is basically pretty pictures over an ugly story. The script bludgeons the audience with the notion that at this movie’s heart (which it doesn’t have) is the story of a father and son coming together. The father, in this case, Buck Cluck, must learn to accept his son’s physical shortcomings and love him for the plucky fella he is. But unlike Finding Nemo, where the parent/child dynamic seemed so natural, Chicken Little takes that relationship and drapes a cheesy action movie cartoon for children over it.

Chicken Little looks, feels, and sounds like the kind of action movies that have been so popular over the last decade, but tamed for children. Anyone who has seen Independence Day will recognize it in this flick. Chicken Little’s setting, Oakey Oaks, is the same old idealized Midwestern small town that Hollywood has been shoving at audiences for decades. That place is a fairy tale really, but it’s a good setting for War of the Worlds, which is another source reference for this flick. Chicken Little is as noisy and/or as busy as The Rock, Armageddon, Bad Boys II, etc. This is director Mark Dindal’s (The Emperor’s New Groove) Steven Spielberg/Michael Bay movie.

Chicken Little, as voiced by Zach Braff, is actually an endearing character – this movie’s saving grace, in fact. The character itself is a cutey, sort of a riff on “Egghead, Jr.” from those “Foghorn Leghorn” Looney Tunes cartoons. He’s a plucky little fella and the animators lovingly rendered and animated him.

The rest of the cast is mostly trash. The characters aren’t really characters so much as they are stereotypes that get to do stand up routines at different times in the film narrative. I immensely disliked Abby Mallard – nothing more to say about it here – and Runt of the Litter is pathetic. Steve Zahn can play quirky characters whose humor comes through even in crime dramas (Out of Sight), but his comedic gifts are lost because we don’t him here; all we get is his voice in the annoying Runt. Fish Out of Water provides nice slapstick, but the jokes come across as desperation on the writers’ parts. Garry Marshall’s Brooklyn accent is out of place in this film, and as a father, Buck Cluck is like an overbearing mother in his demands on his son, Chicken Little.

I guess the shortest and perhaps best way to describe Disney’s Chicken Little is as Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius with much better computer animation.

4 of 10
C

Saturday, November 5, 2005

Family Guy "Return of the Jedi" Parody Due for Christmas

Feel the Farce as “Family Guy” Skewers Star Wars™ with Its Third Uncensored Satire on Blu-ray and DVD December 21

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Return to the Grffins’ version of that galaxy far, far away as their freakin’ sweet saga continues with “Family Guy: It’s A Trap!” - arriving exclusively on Blu-ray and DVD December 21 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. In the third installment of the hilarious Star Wars satire - following 2005’s Family Guy: Blue Harvest and last year’s Family Guy: Something, Something, Something Dark Side - the Griffins reprise their intergalactic roles in an outrageous retelling of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.

Fans received an early peak of the epic farce at San Diego Comic-Con as Seth MacFarlane previewed 10 minutes of “Family Guy: It’s A Trap!” during the “Family Guy” panel Saturday at 11:00 AM in Ballroom 20. Additionally, San Diego Comic-Con attendees were able to pre-order the Blu-ray and DVD at Fox booth #4313, and pick up past titles in the “Family Guy” Star Wars Saga.

In this spectacular and offensively uproarious final chapter, Luke Skywalker (Chris) and Princess Leia (Lois) must travel to Tatooine to free Han Solo (Peter) by infiltrating the wretched stronghold of Jabba the Hutt (Joe), the galaxy’s most loathsome and dreadful gangster. Once reunited, the Rebels team up with a tribe of Ewoks to combat the Imperial forces on the forest moon of Endor. Meanwhile the Emperor (Carter Pewterschmidt) and Darth Vader (Stewie) conspire to turn Luke to the dark side, and young Skywalker is determined to rekindle the spirit of the Jedi within his father. The Galactic Civil War has never been more outrageous, as the Rebel forces gather to attack the seemingly defenseless and incomplete second Death Star in the battle that will determine the fate of the galaxy. Adding to the fun, “Family Guy: It’s A Trap!” is loaded with hysterical cameo voice spots - including Patrick Stewart and Michael Dorn reprising their roles from “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” Adam West (“Batman”), Carrie Fisher (Star Wars Trilogy) and conservative talk radio juggernaut Rush Limbaugh as the voice of the large carnivorous reptomammal, the Rancor.

“The fan base for “Family Guy” and Star Wars, both enthusiastic, have embraced the first two hilarious spoofs,” said Mike Dunn, President, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. “Bringing the distinctive storylines together for the trilogy of parodies has been enormously successful and lends itself to create unique home entertainment releases.”

As an added bonus, “Family Guy: It’s A Trap!” will also be available in Blu-ray and DVD triple-packs featuring all the “Family Guy” Star Wars spoofs…the perfect gift for the holiday season.


About TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.

STAR WARS™ and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

Review: 1966 "Batman" Flick Still Fun

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 100 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Batman (1966)
Running time: 104 minutes
DIRECTOR: Leslie H. Martinson
WRITER: Lorenzo Semple, Jr. (based upon THE BATMAN character created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics)
PRODUCER: William Dozier
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Howard Schwartz
EDITOR: Harry W. Gerstad

SUPERHERO/COMEDY/ADVENTURE/FAMILY

Starring: Adam West, Burt Ward, Lee Meriwether, Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith, Frank Gorshin, Alan Napier, Neil Hamilton, Stafford Repp, Madge Blake, and Reginald Denny

In January 1966, television history was made when the TV show “Batman” debuted. Its blend of camp humor and the large number of celebrities who guest-starred as villains (Roddy McDowall, Milton Berle, Eartha Kitt, Julie Newmar, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Cliff Robertson, and Vincent Price among many) made the show a huge hit with audiences of all ages. A television show based upon a superhero comic book had never been so popular, and “Batman” spawned one of the biggest pop culture fads of that time which included a slew merchandising and memorabilia. Starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, the series last three seasons (120 episodes) and gave birth to a 1966 feature film, simply titled, Batman, which was released to theatres in between the first and second seasons of the show.

In the feature film, Batman (Adam West) and Robin (Burt Ward) face not one, not two, and not three foes, but four of them combined together as the United Underworld, a quartet of the most diabolical super-villains: the Penguin (Burgess Meredith), the Joker (Cesar Romero), the Riddler (Frank Gorshin), and the Catwoman (Lee Meriwether). Their plan to hold the world hostage involves using a secret invention that instantly dehydrates people and reduces them to small piles of dust. They need Batman out of the way, so Catwoman disguises herself as “Kitka,” a sly Soviet envoy who ensnares Bruce Wayne (West) as bait to draw the Caped Crusader into their deadly trap. What they don’t know is that Wayne is Batman’s secret identity. Will Bruce Wayne’s emerging attraction to Ms. Kitka lead to the destruction of Batman? Can the Dynamic Duo save the world? Tune in…

Batman the movie is, like “Batman” the television series, campy – a style of comedy known for being outlandishly amusing and theatrical. The film and series are likely parodies or send-ups of Batman & Robin’s first big screen appearance: the 1943, 13-part movie serial, also entitled Batman. The colorful and garish costumes, over-the-top dialogue, sexual innuendo, the farcical plot, and the kooky action scenes are all a tongue-in-cheek ode to an old favorite of serialized fiction and film – the cliffhanger, which often finds the hero or heroes a second away from certain death via some ridiculous invention or mechanical contraption. When the hero is saved or saves himself, it is always by the skin of his teeth via some totally off-the-wall or silly means, but it is all for fun.

In the last two-and-half decades or so, hardcore fans of the Batman comic books and other superhero comic books have come to revile the silliness of the 1960’s Batman, but silliness and big fun were the point of the series. I don’t think this film is nearly as funny or as enjoyable as the TV show, but it’s a nice, cultural oddity worth a few laughs. Personally, I prefer its take on the Batman costumes, as well as its interpretation of most of the characters, compared to most other screen Batman’s. Its importance to film, TV, and pop culture history remains the search to discover why the TV series became so popular at the time it did.

6 of 10
B

June 23, 2005