With the release of Wonder Woman back in 2017, Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot solidified themselves as a formidable filmmaking force. It’s for this reason that audiences are anxiously awaiting the release of the sequel, Wonder Woman 1984. Because the two have become so close and work so well together, it would only make sense that they would reteam for another project. And now, they’ve finally made those plans, as they’re set to tell a story about another iconic woman.

Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins are teaming up for Cleopatra, according to Deadline. Gadot is set to play the title role, while Jenkins will direct the movie from a screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis. The film will be distributed by Paramount Pictures, after the studio reportedly won the project in an auction that also included entertainment entities like Warner Bros., Universal, Netflix and Apple.

Wonder Woman’s Charles Roven will produce alongside Jenkins, Gadot and her producing partner Jason Varsano of Pilot Wave Motion Pictures. Gadot pitched the concept and Kalogridis is reportedly working on the script after doing research on the character. The screenwriter has credits on films like Shutter Island, Terminator Genisys and the fan-favorite Alita: Battle Angel.

Shortly after news of the project broke, Gal Gadot took to social media to voice her excitement in finally being able to play the role of Cleopatra:

This will be far from the first Cleopatra project to hit the screen, as the Egyptian ruler has been depicted in numerous projects throughout the decades. On the big screen, the most notable depictions of Cleopatra are arguably from Cecil B. DeMille’s 1943 film, in which she was played by Claudette Colbert. And of course, there’s also the 1963 film from director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, which saw Elizabeth Taylor play the lead role.

In recent years, Sony Pictures had long been trying to bring a new Cleopatra film to the big screen, with Angelina Jolie attached to play the title role. During that time, several directors were linked to the project, ranging from James Cameron to Denis Villeneuve. And while Jolie was always attached as the lead, Lady Gaga was, at one point, also reported to be in contention for the part.

Gal Gadot honestly seems like the perfect fit for the role. Not only does she have the acting chops, but also has the natural charisma necessary to play the iconic character. Likewise, Jenkins has the skill to manage a film of such epic scale and can bring her storytelling sensibilities to it. Her approach could honestly be unlike anything we’ve seen from a Cleopatra story.

This pair seems to a be a match made in heaven, and it’ll be interesting to see how the two creatives handle things. Given that it’s such an iconic role, there’s sure to be pressure to get it right but, if director-actor duo can pull it off, it would be Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more news from the world of movies and TV.

Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman is a movie packed with wonderful and powerful moments, but none compare to what is generally referred to as the No Man’s Land sequence. The scene in question finds the titular heroine running across the terrain between allied and German trenches generally regarded as a kill zone, and it serves to demonstrate Diana’s strength of character, bravery, and morals.

It’s an awesome beat that one would think the upcoming sequel would have trouble matching, but the film’s director is confident that the movie will have equivalent emotional moments.

Two years ago this month I joined a group of reporters traveling to London, England to visit the set of Wonder Woman 1984 while the blockbuster was still in production, and it was while interviewing Patty Jenkins that the subject of the No Man’s Land sequence came up. The filmmaker was asked about sequences in the new film operating in a similar emotional capacity, and she confirmed that there are indeed scenes that are of a kind.

First digging into what it was that made the No Man’s Land scene so powerful, Patty Jenkins explained that it is essentially the key moment in the film where Diana figures out who she is going to be while existing in the world outside of Themyscira. As Jenkins put it, everything about her heroism and ethics is theoretical before that point, and the sequence is her transformation into Wonder Woman:

In the sequel, audiences have the opportunity to catch up with Diana Prince nearly seven full decades after her adventure in World War I. She continues to quietly perform acts of heroism, but comes face-to-face with a significant, growing threat in the form of Max Lord – a “King Of Infomercials” whose company promises to turn dreams and ambitions into reality… for a price.

A person can obviously change a whole hell of a lot in the span of 66 years (and most don’t look so amazing doing it as Gal Gadot’s Diana Prince), so we do find ourselves wondering what kind of revelation we can expect from the character that will come packaged with the power of the No Man’s Land sequence. At this point in time we don’t really know enough about the film to fully speculate, but it only enhances our anticipation for the release.

The subject of the No Man’s Land sequence in Wonder Woman was also brought up in an on-set conversation with producer Charles Roven, and while he added that there’s no real way during production to fully know how an audience is going to respond to any particular moment, he feels that the pure potential exists in Wonder Woman 1984 because of what Patty Jenkins brings to the table with her vision and her ability to collaborate with her cast and crew. Said Roven,

With a release date set for October 2nd, Wonder Woman 1984 will be here soon, but those hungry for a brand new look at the blockbuster should definitely stay hooked on CinemaBlend this weekend. A brand new trailer for the film will be dropping during the Wonder Woman portion of the DC Fandome event that is unfolding on Saturday starting at 1pm PST. Check out the event for yourself, and know that we’ll be closely following all of the action and reporting on all of the announcements as they are made, so keep checking the site!

It may seem like forever since Wonder Woman graced the screens of cinemas everywhere, but in actuality it'll only be a little over two years between director Patty Jenkins' first foray into the DC Comics universe, and her second outing, Wonder Woman 1984. And, as we all know, it would have been a lot sooner if the original 2019 release date Warner Bros. had planned actually stuck, which has us wondering just why the studio would delay a film that's assured to print them so much money. Well, recently, one of the film's producers, Charles Roven, delivered the answer to just what all of the hold up is about, and it all came down to this:

Originally slated for December 13, 2019, Wonder Woman 1984 was shifted to November 1, 2019, before eventually having its wish granted with the final extension to a June 5, 2020 release date. With Wonder Woman bowing on June 2, 2017, the film was positioned to become a hit at the summer box office that year with its $102 million opening weekend.

As the second film in the superpowered Gal Gadot starring saga could more than likely outdo that number, it's best to give it the most advantageous release date possible to get the job done. So far, Wonder Woman 1984 is running unopposed in its current slot, ready to campaign for that box office vote in similar conditions to its first time out.

So, what made Warner Bros. change its mind? Well, it looks like one film may have given the studio the confidence to let Wonder Woman 1984 be the summer blockbuster it always wanted to be. That film is the studio's heavily anticipated Mike Flannigan directed adaptation of Stephen King's Doctor Sleep, also known as the direct sequel to one of King's most well known works, The Shining. That film was moved up itself to a November 8, 2019 release date, showing that Warner Bros. clearly has a good amount of faith that the film will deliver the goods.

But, more importantly, and to the point that Charles Roven mentioned in his remarks to Collider, Warner Bros. has decided that maybe it isn't the best decision to rush the second installment of one of their biggest superhero hits into theaters. With Aquaman helping mend fences between the studio and DC Comics fans, and Shazam looking to be another hit in the making, the choice to not pull another Justice League does feel like a refreshing reinforcement of recent strategy.

Wonder Woman 1984 will kick down the doors on theaters worldwide on June 5, 2020.

The DC Extended Universe is an interesting place. While still very much in its infancy, the shared universe has announced a ton of exciting new projects, although the majority of them are early in development and therefore don't have a release date. Because so many upcoming blockbusters are still up in the air at the DCEU, fans are eager to find out which movies we should actually expect to see in the next few years, and which are long shots. We've got some bad news for Superman fans, because it looks like the sequel to Zack Snyder's Man of Steel isn't coming anytime soon.

This news comes to us from DC producer Charles Roven, who recently spoke to the NY Times about the DCEU, and its future. While plugging this week's release of Justice League, Roven revealed that very little has changed in the development of Man of Steel 2. There is currently no script, but various story ideas are ruminating at the studio. In short, Superman's second solo movie isn't a priority at the moment.

Man of Steel 2's lack of development is a bit surprising, considering the first film started the entire DCEU. Zack Snyder created a dark and morose world for the Kryptonian hero, and shocked hardcore comic fans by having Supes kill General Zodd at the film's conclusion. Eventually, the plan was formulated to expand this world into a shared universe akin to the MCU, and Snyder was brought back for both Batman v Superman and Justice League.

Alas, Henry Cavill's Superman hasn't exactly been the most acclaimed character in the DC Extended Universe. While the last son of Krypton is typically a beacon of hope, light, and morality, Zack Snyder went for a different approach. Instead, we were given a Superman who didn't belong in the world of man, and who feels conflicted about his role as a hero. And despite being one of the universe's biggest entities, Superman had a shockingly small amount of dialogue in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

However, the right director and story may be able to change this. Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn has expressed interest in directing a Man of Steel movie, and has even been in early talks with DC. Part of what makes Kingsman such an exciting franchise is that the film is decidedly light and frothy at the surface, while also having some moments of real heart. If the DCEU hires a director with Vaughn's sensibility to helm the next Superman movie, then maybe the character will more closely resemble the source material.

Superman will return to the DCEU in just a few days. While his role is still a mystery, Superman will appear in Justice League on November 17th-- pre-order your tickets here. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.

Director Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman is poised to be a big hit. After a few weeks of building positive buzz, the blockbuster now stands with one of the highest Rotten Tomatoes scores ever for a comic book movie, and looks ready to kick the June box office numbers off with a bang. Of course, success in Hollywood means it's time for sequel consideration, so what's on the table? According to producer Charles Roven, nothing is currently in development, but the studio and filmmakers are most definitely excited for the potential of the heroine on the big screen. He recently told me,

I spoke with Charles Roven about the future of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman on the big screen during the solo movie's Los Angeles press day last month -- and while he didn't have any announcements to make, his confidence certainly was palpable. It's not hard to see why: while initial estimates suggested that the film would make a conservative $70 million in its first three days, new prognostication says that a total north of $95 million is possible.

The nice thing about Wonder Woman has a series within the larger DC Extended Universe is the fact that there is a whole lot of narrative room to explore given what has been set up. Thanks to Patty Jenkins' film, we have a general idea of what she was up to between her birth and the year 1918, and Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League both clue us in regarding what she's been up to in the second decade of the 21st century. All of the time in between those two points during her life is open for exploration, and speaking as a fan of Wonder Woman, I definitely want to see it.

But what about Patty Jenkins? In discussing Wonder Woman and the potential for a sequel, Charles Roven was effusive about the work that the director has done on Princess Diana of Themyscira's first movie, and definitely seemed excited about the possibility of collaborating with her again on a future project. Said Roven,

While we wait for any more detailed news about the future of Wonder Woman 2, fans can catch the first film in theaters now. And after you see the film, be sure to come back to CinemaBlend, as we'll have a whole ton of related content for you to explore in the next few days.

While Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman is technically a prequel within the grander scope of the growing DC Extended Universe -- primarily set during the events of World War I -- what has remained unclear is exactly how the franchise's in-development projects will fit into the timeline post-Justice League. After all, given the established history of the characters within the canon, there are plenty of opportunities to tell stories set both in the future and in the past. In most cases, the settings of upcoming projects remain a mystery, but I can now confirm that James Wan's Aquaman will be set in the aftermath of Zack Snyder's superhero team-up film. Executive producer Charles Roven told me recently,

The DC Extended Universe timeline was one of the many subjects that I had the opportunity to discuss with Charles Roven at the Los Angeles press day for Wonder Woman earlier this month. We were talking about the franchise and how the solo movies will play off of each other going forward, and Roven revealed that Aquaman will not only be set after Justice League, but have story elements that tie directly back to the November 2017 blockbuster.

Of course, we won't know exactly what part of Justice League will wind up impacting Aquaman until we see Zack Snyder's movie later this year... but it's not hard to see why the film will play a role. After all, not only do Amber Heard's Mera and Willem Dafoe's Nuidis Vulko join Jason Momoa's Arthur Curry in the team-up film, but it's also been confirmed that Atlantis will possess one of the Motherboxes that are key to Justice League's plot. These elements seem to suggest a good bit of Atlantean/human contact, and in the comics, that has sparked some of Aquaman's best stories.

Further discussing possibilities in the future of the DC Extended Universe, Charles Roven also noted that the comic book movie franchise most definitely isn't accepting any limitations when it comes to setting. While it's true that Aquaman will take place after all of the movies we've seen so far, there is still exploration on the table for the many, many years we haven't seen portrayed on the big screen just yet. Said Roven,

What do you think will happen in Justice League that winds up affecting the events of Aquaman? Which upcoming DC Extended Universe projects would you like to see set in the past, and which ones should be set in the future? Hit the comments section below with your thoughts, and get ready for Wonder Woman to hit theaters this Friday, June 2nd.

Reshoots are more common nowadays with Hollywood blockbusters, as studios often allot extra time to film long after principal photography concluded. Sometimes these reshoots are simply meant to strengthen the story, while other times they're used to abruptly shift course from the original vision of the movie. In any case, it was rumored earlier this month that Justice League was undergoing massive reshoots, but that was soon debunked. Now producer Charles Roven has clarified that Justice League is still in the middle of post-production, and reshoots at this moment wouldn't be possible anyway given all the actors' schedules. Roven explained:

During last week's Wonder Woman junket, Collider received the above comment from Charles Roven about Justice League, which set the record straight on where the DC superhero team-up movie currently is in its creative process. Justice League's main shoot occurred last year from April 11 to October 14. As Roven pointed out, reshoots are scheduled for later in the year, but since some of the main actors are off working on other projects, it's impossible for them to all be gathered together right now.

While Justice League did reportedly go through some last-minute story changes following Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice's critical thrashing, there's been no indication that the movie is in any kind of serious trouble. Besides, there's still six months to go until its release, so Charles Roven, director Zack Snyder and the rest of the creative team to crack any particular problems they may be facing. As for when these reshoots will actually happen, that's not clear yet, but in order to make sure all the necessary actors would be around, they had to have scheduled the extra filming long in advance.

Following the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League will see Batman and Wonder Woman recruiting Aquaman, Flash and Cyborg to help them fight Steppenwolf and his Parademon army, who have come to Earth in search of the three Mother Boxes. Superman will also be brought back into the proceedings following his death at the hands of Doomsday, though how he'll return to life is being wisely kept under wraps.

Justice League arrives in theaters on November 17.

When it comes to building cinematic universe franchises, end-credits scenes have very much become common place -- utilized to help tease future projects on the horizon. This, however, has not really been the case for the growing DC Extended Universe. While there was a stinger featured at the very end of David Ayer's Suicide Squad, such was not the case for Man of Steel or Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Today we have confirmation that Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman will belong in the latter group, with an explanation why from producer Charles Roven:

Press days for Wonder Woman were held this weekend in Los Angeles, and it was at this event that I had the opportunity to sit down one-on-one with Charles Roven and discuss his work on the new blockbuster. The screening I had attended before the interview didn't include any kind of post-credits scene, so I used the last question in our conversation to ask if one existed and was just being kept hidden. Roven confirmed that the film doesn't include an extra scene, basically because it seems that it's not standard operating procedure in the DC Extended Universe.

While there are many classic examples of post-credits scenes, they have become popular in the modern era ever since the original Iron Man back in 2008. Since then, not only has every film from Marvel Studios included a special tag, but other major franchises have gotten in on the game too -- including X-Men, the MonsterVerse, and more. The DC Extended Universe is seemingly avoiding this trend, though, and it looks like Suicide Squad's extra sequence will ultimately be more of an anomaly than part of a growing tactic.

It should be noted that while Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice didn't feature a post-credits scene, that didn't stop the studio and filmmakers from trying their own new way to tease a bit of the franchise future. Specifically, the Monday after the film arrived theaters saw director Zack Snyder share a special extra scene with fans featuring Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor communicating with Steppenwolf, who will be the central villain of Justice League. It's not impossible that Wonder Woman will wind up going this direction when it comes out early next month... but I also wouldn't exactly start expecting it.

Wonder Woman, which stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, and David Thewlis, will arrive in theaters on June 2nd -- and we'll have plenty more interview content for you here on CinemaBlend. Until then, how do you feel about the film not including a post-credits sequence? Answer our poll below, and hit the comments section with your thoughts.

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We now only have two tantalizing months to wait until Suicide Squad is finally released. But while the disappointment of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice has raised the stakes of the film, anticipation ahead of the villainous hybrid remains unwavering. We still don’t know too much about what actually brings the Suicide Squad together, but the film’s producer Charles Roven has now revealed that when Joker, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, et al merge they first have to take on a strange posse of monsters named the Eyes of the Adversary.

The Eyes of the Adversary have actually already been seen in Suicide Squad’s trailers. But it’s been neigh on impossible to actually get a clear view of these peculiar creatures, which seem to have the size and physique of human beings, but are covered in goo. Suicide Squad’s producer Charles Roven has now divulged further details regarding the Eyes Of The Adversary while talking to Total Film Magazine, via ComicBook.com, admitting that they’re somewhat peculiar customers. 

Roven explained that after the Sucide Squad has been brought in by Amanda Waller, the Eyes Of The Adversary are one of the things that they come across. But they're all flummoxed by how they actually got there, especially since "they're weird and dangerous" but are, for some reason, "wearing military uniforms."

Charles Roven went on to tease that "nobody’s safe" from the Eyes, but then decided to keep completely mum about anything else regarding Suicide Squad’s villain. But what we can glean is that there is probably someone above these strange monsters, because if they’re the "Eyes" then there must be an "Adversary" that they report back to or serve.

There have been various rumors about Suicide Squad’s antagonist, who wreaks so much mayhem in the fictional metropolis of Midway City that Amanda Waller decides to bring the worst of the worst together to defeat them. Various rumors have pointed to Cara Delevingne’s Enchantress as the big-baddy of the film. A further hint in that direction was added with the revelation that the villain uses "a devastating supernatural force" while there were also sightings of "black secretions jutting out of a long crater on the floor." It still remains to be seen if she can create this kind of magical destruction, though. 

Thankfully, Suicide Squad’s release date is now closing in rapidly, and we’ll finally get to see Will Smith’s Deadshot, Jared Leto’s Joker, Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag, Jai Courtney’s Boomerang, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s Killer Croc on screen from August 5. 

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains massive spoilers for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. If you haven't seen the film yet, and don't wish for any of the elements to be ruined, please click away to another one of our wonderful articles.

By the time Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice draws to a close, the titular Kryptonian loses his life. Even with Batman and Wonder Woman fighting by his side, the Man of Steel finds that the monstrous Doomsday is just too much to handle, and they both manage to kill each other in their final moments (a Kryptonite-tipped spear doing neither of them any favors. As you might imagine, this was easily the most debated course of events behind the scenes of the film, but it was ultimately believed to be necessary in order to show the DC Cinematic Universe and audiences the importance of Superman.

I had the opportunity to touch on many Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice-related topics when I sat down one-on-one with producer Charles Roven earlier this month at the film's press junket in Los Angeles, California -- but it was at the very end of the interview that I brought up the blockbuster's biggest spoiler. I asked about the debate that went into the decision to kill Superman in the film, and the filmmaker explained what went on in the movie's production offices, and why the particular creative decisions were made. Said Roven,

Of course, the final moments of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice leave some wiggle room about the permanence of the eponymous aliens' fate -- specifically with a few specs of dirt. In the movie's closing moments, particles of dirt that are resting on Superman's coffin begin to vibrate and levitate, suggesting that the character's death doesn't mean he's story is over. According to Charles Roven, this was a particular moment that was heavily discussed in the editing room, and many questions were raised about how exactly the sequence should go down:

Because the DC Cinematic Universe is really just starting to get off the ground, few probably expected that Superman would just be dead -- especially with the Justice League movie coming out next year. What adds an extra bent to his death, however, is that it seems it happened in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice because it also works to narratively enrichen the 2017 team-up, which will be going into production in the next few weeks. As Zack Snyder explained to Entertainment Weekly,

The DC Cinematic Universe definitely took a bold step adapting "The Death of Superman" in just its second film... but what did you make of the decision? Did Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice make you feel the full weight of the Man of Steel's death? Do you think it will make Justice League and other future DC Comics movies stronger as a result? Hit the comments section below with your thoughts.

Why We're Starting To Worry About Zack Snyder's Justice League --->>

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains minor spoilers for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. If you haven’t seen the film yet, and don’t wish for any of the elements to be ruined, please click away to another one of our wonderful articles.

There are many differences between Christian Bale and Ben Affleck’s versions of Batman – from their personal histories to their costumes – but perhaps the most significant change is the fact that the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice version of the Caped Crusader seemingly has no problem taking lives. Over the course of the Zack Snyder film, the costumed vigilante is seen both running criminals over with his car and shooting them with various weapons. Not only is this a big change from Christopher Nolan’s movies, but also years and years of DC Comics – so why was the change made? According to producer Charles Roven, it’s a result of Bruce Wayne having been Batman for just a bit too long.

I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down one-on-one with Roven at the junket for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice earlier this month, and while we touched on many subjects in our conversation, one particular element I was curious about the decision to have Ben Affleck’s version of the Dark Knight willingly take lives. The filmmaker explained that Batman’s willingness to take lives is a result of the amount of pain, loss and exhaustion he’s experienced during his time protecting the streets of Gotham. Said Roven,

This explanation does leave the door open for the idea that Batman in his younger years actually didn’t kill his enemies. It’s entirely possible that it wasn’t until The Joker killed Robin (who may or may not be Jason Todd) that Bruce Wayne totally snapped and decided that he was better off putting his enemies in the ground instead of Blackgate Penitentiary/Arkham Asylum.

Charles Roven went on to explain that Batman killing people will present a challenge to the audience in terms of whether or not we should actually like him – though he believes that’s part of what makes him such an interesting protagonist. Said the producer,

In the Dark Knight’s 77 years of existence, there is precedent of the character killing his enemies, but it does pose an interesting question for the DC Cinematic Universe going forward: if this version of Batman is willing to terminate his enemies, why is The Joker still alive? Or any members of the Suicide Squad for that matter? It’s a question that we may very well get an answer to later this summer.

While it took five solo films before Marvel Studios started putting all of its characters together for The Avengers, the growing DC Cinematic Universe is taking a bit of a shortcut. With a Justice League movie scheduled for release in 2017, Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (a sequel to Man of Steel) is responsible for a lot of heavy lifting and introductions of characters who will get their own films in the next few years. So how are the studio and filmmakers behind the project keeping the continuity strong and all of their ducks in a row? By keeping lines of communication very open between directors, and constantly talking about the future direction of the main heroes.

Producer Charles Roven explained this process to me when I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with him last week during the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice press day in Los Angeles. While discussing the quick growth of the DC Cinematic Universe and all of the directors who are now involved, Roven explained that everyone is working as a team to create something that is both cohesive and creatively open to new ideas. Said the filmmaker,

For those not up to date on the progress of the DC Cinematic Universe, Patty Jenkins is helming the upcoming Wonder Woman film; David Ayer is the director behind this summer’s Suicide Squad; and James Wan has been tapped as the man behind Aquaman. Along with Charles Roven, Zack Snyder (who is attached to direct Justice League), producer Deborah Snyder and others, they will be the ones responsible for the future of the franchise as it unfolds on screen.

What will be interesting to see from all of the titles under the DC Cinematic Universe banner is how they will all fit together visually and tonally. Marvel Studios has certainly been great at maintaining variety in both of those areas (Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: The Winter Soldier are wildly different films), and it will be interesting to see if DC goes in a similar or opposite direction. As things stand, both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice have painted the franchise as being incredibly serious and dour, but Suicide Squad could completely upset that apple cart and be an entirely different flavor.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will advance the DC Cinematic Universe with its release this Friday, March 25th – and you can expect to read a great deal more about the films in the coming weeks, months, and years.

It has been thoroughly explained that the events featured in The Dark Knight Trilogy and the growing DC Cinematic Universe occur in two distinct realities. While the Christopher Nolan movies are set in a world with no superheroes, that very much isn’t the case with the emerging cohesive vision that will ultimately bring the Justice League together. But there is specifically one thing that really separates that characters of Batman, as played by Christian Bale and Ben Affleck in the two movie universes: while the former arguably got out of the superhero game right on time, the latter has arguably stuck around just a bit too long.

Last week, I had the pleasure of sitting down with producer Charles Roven at a Los Angeles-set press event for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and given that the filmmaker also famously worked on the Dark Knight trilogy, it was only natural that part of our conversation was about the line between the two most recent live-action interpretations of Batman. Touching on the subject early in the interview, Roven explained,

For those who don’t remember, the Dark Knight Rises certainly provided a firm conclusion for Christian Bale’s version of Batman. After being in hiding for many years (blamed for the death of Harvey Dent, among others), the Caped Crusader had one last fight in him to protect Gotham City from the havoc brought upon by Bane (Tom Hardy) and Talia al Ghul (Marion Cotillard.) After that, however – sensing he was coming close to the "live long enough to see yourself become the villain" threshold – Bruce Wayne decided to fake his own death and get out of the game for good (with Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman at his side). It seems that Ben Affleck’s version in the DCCU never found himself struck with this moment of clarity, and just simply continued to be the constant terror of villains in Gotham.

Charles Roven and the other folks around the production of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice want to make it very clear that the Dark Knight that will be on screens this weekend is very much a different take than what was featured in Christopher Nolan movies – and without giving anything away, one can definitely tell the difference between Christian Bale and Ben Affleck’s versions through their actions. Of course, the multiverse theory is so important in the history of DC Comics that one has to wonder if the two interpretations will stay separated and distanced forever…

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is in theaters this Friday, March 25th.

It goes without saying that Deadpool has changed the cinematic superhero game. With R-rated comic book adaptations now clearly viable, people have looked to properties like Suicide Squad and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to potentially follow suit. While Batman V Superman will get an R-rated director’s cut, don’t expect to see DC characters spilling buckets of blood on the silver screen anytime soon. R-rated comic book movies undoubtedly work, but the DCEU will remain a PG-13 world.

Speaking with Collider during a recent press junket for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, producer Charles Roven explained that Warner Bros. remains firm in its commitment to keep the DCEU a PG-13 environment. Said the filmmaker,

By comic book standards, Deadpool is a relatively young character; he’s only been around since the early 1990s. By contrast, characters like Batman, Superman, and the rest of the Justice League have long histories that extend far back to the early days of WWII. As Charles Roven explains, this makes them distinctively iconic and universal, and somewhat unfit for an outlandishly violent or graphic R-rating. While Deadpool may have proven that an R-rated superhero movie can make an immense profit, it doesn’t change the fact that PG-13 still casts the widest possible net of appeal for potential audiences.

It’s not as though we’re missing out on anything. Plenty of PG-13 superhero films have gotten away with incredibly graphic content over the years. One need only look at Christopher Nolan’s masterful The Dark Knight to understand that a PG-13 rating is certainly flexible enough for a filmmaker to properly adapt a comic book. It ultimately boils down to the quality of the story and the faithfulness to the source material more than some label thrown onto the movie by the MPAA.

All that being said, an R-rating is not permanently off of the table. Charles Roven makes a point in his statement to emphasize that Warner Bros. could very well change their minds on this at some point in the future. However, for now they will opt to keep their films within the realm of PG-13 content.

There’s a long list of DC characters that could benefit from the R-rated treatment, but for the foreseeable future it looks as though we will have to make due with PG-13. Be sure to check out the next installment in the DCEU when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice blasts its way into theaters later this week on March 25th.

When most people think of Batman, they think of a hero who a) doesn’t use guns, and b) doesn’t kill people. This has not only been a big thing in the comics for decades and decades, but it was also a very important part of the character in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. It’s for this reason that a lot of people have been up in arms this week about the fact that Ben Affleck’s Batman may be killing people in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Earlier this week, Empire dropped an interesting quote from producer Charles Roven, who seemed to suggest that the latest live-action version of Batman may be pro-capital justice via vigilante action. Said Roven,

Does this mean that the Caped Crusader will be taking lives in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? Joining me to talk about that very question on this week's Hero Blend, as well as whether or not that’s okay, is CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell, who has some great thoughts on the matter. Enjoy the show!

While we haven’t seen much from the DC Extended Universe on screen, everything has looked like they are trying to play catch up with their competitor’s at Marvel. With Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad both set for next year, and Wonder Woman going into production, it looked like things were firing on all cylinders. However, there’s one DC character who looks to be running a bit behind schedule as apparently the standalone Aquaman film isn't as far a long as we thought.

While we knew that the movie’s director, James Wan, is currently busy with The Conjuring 2, it appeared that DC had been working on a script for several months before he came on board. Now, according to Aquaman producer Charles Roven, that’s not the case, and the screenplay is just beginning to be worked on. He told Collider:

We had news a year ago that DC hired two screenwriters to work on independent versions of the script. This was a full six months before Wan agreed to direct. Now, based on Coven's comments, it looks like they started from scratch so that Wan can also be part of the creative process of forming the story. This fits with what DC has been doing with Zack Snyder and David Ayer, so it’s not that surprising that they wanted Wan to help shape the film, we just never heard that the previous scripts had been tossed out, which appears to be the case. With the recent hiring of David Leslie Johnson a couple of weeks back, it seems that he’s the one who is "just starting with the screenplay." He and Wan are currently working together on the Conjuring sequel, so they have some experience to build on for Aquaman

The confirmation that Aquaman will be Wan’s next project means that things should be getting much clearer very soon. While Jason Momoa's solo film apparently hasn’t been a priority yet, that will be changing soon.

Because Suicide Squad is so different from other comic book movies, there’s been a lot of speculation about whether or not it could be rated R. Given that villains are at the forefront, we can expect the protagonists to be much fiercer than the average heroes. Plus, director David Ayer’s resume consists mostly of fare for the 17-years-and-older set. However, it’s now official that Warner Bros. is aiming for a PG-13 rating with the 2016 blockbuster.

When asked whether there had ever been consideration to go after an R rating for Suicide Squad, producer Charles Roven told Collider that it’s always been planned as PG-13 so that it can fit with the other DC movies. Roven said:

While not attaching an R rating to Suicide Squad puts a cap on how much blood, gore, and cursing can be featured, from a marketing standpoint, this movie is a part of the DC Extended Universe, so Warner Bros. wants younger viewers to be able to watch it and keep track of how it’s connected to the franchise’s other entries. So while it may feature slightly more intense violence, it won’t cross that proverbial “line.” Think along the lines of 2008’s The Dark Knight. That said, it is hard to imagine how this movie will be (if at all) targeted towards kids. No doubt a parent wouldn’t like wandering down the toy aisle and spotting an action figure with “Suicide” labeled on the front.

So far the only R rated superhero movie fans can expect for next year is Deadpool, but don’t think that means Suicide Squad won’t explore some dark corners. After all, this is a story following a group of incarcerated criminals and murderers who are sent on black ops missions by the government. Things are bound to get grittier than typical superhero tales (unless we’re talking about a Batman movie). Let’s not forget that Jared Leto’s Joker will also deliver some twisted moments, and frankly, he could have pushed the movie to R on his own if Ayer and the creative team had wanted to go in that direction.

Suicide Squad hits theaters on August 5, 2016.

Over the next five years, both DC and Marvel have numerous films from varying franchises scheduled for release in each of the tent pole seasons. Yet according to producer Charles Roven, the DC Cinematic Universe is more prepared to stave off any potential bouts of superhero fatigue, as they're all about the characters.

During a recent interview with Collider, Roven spoke at length about Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice, in particular the pride he has in the project's current condition. But the ultimate key to the engine that is the DC Comics / Warner Bros. partnership is, according to the producer, the following:

On the surface, Charles Roven's strategy doesn't sound all that different from Kevin Feige's rival strategy over at Marvel Studios. With each phase, the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe change and enrich in character throughout each film. At least, that's what they should be doing, and whether that gets done or not depends on the quality of the story in any given installment of their universe. While Ant-Man may have been a fun vehicle for Paul Rudd to laugh it up, while effectively creating the character of Scott Lang, the film's story was basically a re-write of Iron Man with some Edgar Wright style comedy. Looking back on Marvel's flaws, we can see exactly what Roven is trying to do with his DC Cinematic Universe.

If we're reading his words the right way, we're assuming that our concerns above are what the folks behind the DC films trying to help alleviate with their upcoming slate of superhero adaptations. With the material we've seen coming out of the Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice trailers, we'd be inclined to agree that it's working. In fact, if you re-watch the trailer to the upcoming Zack Snyder directed franchise film, you'll see that while there's a good amount of action shots scattered throughout the trailer, there's just as many reaction shots of the characters enduring said action included. You can experience the second trailer again, in the video below.

While next year's comic book showdown still looks like Captain America: Civil War is the odds on favor of winning, we're starting to think the race between Marvel and DC is getting to be too close to call. 2015 was rough for Marvel Studios, with Avengers: Age Of Ultron and Ant-Man turning out to be OK movies at best. If there was ever a time for DC Comics and Charles Roven to deploy a winning strategy and pull ahead of the pack, now would be the time.

Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice comes to save the day on March 25, 2016.

Warner Bros. has been working hard for years to try and get a new Scooby-Doo movie off the ground. It began in 2013, talk continued in 2014, and now in 2015 it looks like the project is actually happening. This is because the film now has a brand new director attached to make it a reality.

According to Deadline, filmmaker Tony Cervone has been tapped by Warner Bros. to take the helm if a new animated Scooby-Doo film - and it makes sense when you consider his past work. The guy is a veteran of the Looney Tunes world, and even had a hand in making the 1996 film Space Jam (serving as an animation director). Meanwhile, Charles Roven and Richard Suckle are attached to the movie as producers, having previously produced the last Scooby-Doo movies, but it's still a funny development when you consider that the last project they worked on together was the David O. Russell period drama American Hustle.

While it may feel like a long time ago, it was really very recently that we last had the opportunity to see Scooby-Doo on the big screen. Back in 2002, a young James Gunn scripted a live-action version of the classic cartoon for director Raja Gosnell, and that film was followed by a 2004 sequel, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. The reason why we haven't seen a Scooby-Doo movie since is because the sequel was a disappointment for the studio, making nearly $100 million less than its predecessor at the global box office.

Beyond the fact that the film will be animated, the trade report doesn't make mention of the style in which this new Scooby-Doo will be made. Of course, the great Hanna-Barbera cartoon is best known for being in 2D, but it wouldn't exactly be a huge surprise to see Warner Bros. tempted to make the film with three dimensional CGI. I'm personally hoping that the studio winds up taking the classic approach, but I wouldn't put any money on it either.

Obviously attaching filmmakers in key roles is a big step for this new version of Scooby Doo, but it's worth mentioning that the nature of the format means that the film is still a few years away from release. In fact, the studio has already carved out a September 21, 2018 slot for the movie. It may seem ridiculous for WB to plant a flag in a weekend that's still more than three years away, but it's not that surprising when you consider that it is just one of 25 movies that have been penciled in already by various studios.

It may be a while before we hear any bigger details about the development of Scooby-Doo, but if you had your choice, who would you cast for the voices of Fred, Daphne, Shaggy, Velma, and Scooby-Doo? Hit the comments with your suggestions.

With Christopher Nolan about close out his Batman trilogy and all set to godfather Zack Snyder's Superman reboot, a lot of people have wondered if DC/Warner Bros. would take the same plunge as Marvel and put all of their heroes in the same universe. Though it's unknown how people will truly react to the idea until later this summer when both Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger make their way onto the big screen (not to mention The Avengers in 2012), it appears that DC won't be taking the risk.

STYD recently spoke with producer Charles Roven about the future of DC films and confirmed that the heroes will be staying in their own respective films until further notice. Said Roven, "That may be in somebody's mind but right now the Batman lives in his world and the Superman lives in his world. Those stories are those stories and we haven't thought beyond each individual picture." In other words, don't expect a Justice League movie to be competing with The Avengers in the near future.

In addition to the crossovers, Roven was also asked about the persistent rumors of a CGI Superman, which the producer neither confirmed nor denied. The producer instead took it as an opportunity to speak on rumors about the film in general, saying "You know, one of the things that you probably know about me and us working on this movie is that the rumors are the rumors and when we have something to say, we'll say it. Until we do, there's nothing to say."

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure how to feel about a lack of crossover. Say what you will about the mistakes Marvel has made since Iron Man came out in 2008, but it's a very ambitious idea. In the comics, these characters' real home, they interact all the time and it would be interesting to see that play out on the big screen. Until then, we'll just have to settle for direct-to-video animated features.

Back in June there was a pretty heavy rumor going around that Buffy The Vampire Slayer would be getting a remake, with the possibility of either Vanessa Hudgens playing the role or Sarah Michelle Gellar bringing the character back. The rumor was squashed fairly quickly, with Hudgens denying ever hearing about the part and Gellar saying that she is not involved, and we haven't heard anything since. But that doesn't mean that folks haven't been hard at work trying to get it happening.

Atlas Entertainment sent out a press release today announcing that not only will the franchise be rebooted, but that producers have already been lined up and a writer has been hired to script the project. According to the release, Charles Roven and Steve Alexander of Atlas will produce movie with Doug Davison and Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment and first-timer Whit Anderson will be taking care of the screenplay. From the release:

You may notice the lack of a certain name up there - Joss Whedon. Not even mentioned passing, it seems as though the franchise creator will not be involved with the project, likely because he's too busy with Marvel's The Avengers. While I can't say that I've ever really watched the show, I know a couple of people who will likely spit venom when they hear this news. How about it, Buffy fans? Are you willing to see a reboot of the franchise just to get more Buffy, or does the Joss-lessness of it all insult you to your fanboy core? Leave you thoughts in the comments section.

Warner Bros. has had a movie version of the popular DC Comics character The Flash in some stage of pre-production for years. It’s just never gone anywhere. Now though, the studio is getting its superheroes in a row and they’re trying to figure this men in tights thing out. While Marvel’s top characters have had successful movies, except for the top dogs like Batman, most of DC’s have languished in development hell. So now that WB is out to change all of that, where does that leave Flash?

According to IGN, it leaves him starting over. They spoke with producer Charles Roven who has been attached to The Flash for some time and he told them that, in essence, Warner Bros. is throwing out his work and starting over with something else. He says Warner Bros told him, “The work that you've been doing hasn't yet resulted in something that any of us, including the filmmaking team, feel could be greenlit as a movie. We're trying to accomplish something that takes into account the entire, rich DC character world, and we'd like to pull it back. That doesn't mean that you aren't going to be a part of it. We just want to take a different kind of approach.”

Frankly, this sounds like good news. Warner Bros sounds motivated to get something done and they sound like they’re tired of waiting for Roven and his team to get it right. They’ve certainly had long enough. If they’re serious about getting a movie done with The Flash then this sounds like exactly the right move. Now if only Ryan Reynolds wasn’t busy playing so many other superheroes because, seriously, he’s the right man for the job.