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Zack Snyder’s Justice League graced our presence last month on HBO Max, and its four hours success is still pretty fresh in our minds. That said, hype surrounding the new version of Justice League has brought out some new information on one of Snyder’s older DC films: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Apparently that film could have actually been named a number of variations, as Snyder and writer Chris Terrio had a few alternate titles they would have preferred over what ended up happening.

Zack Snyder was joined by Chris Terrio in a surprise appearance on a segment for Justice Con where Snyder did a “Deep Dive” of his version of Justice League. While talking about the recently-released title, Snyder and Terrio were asked about the alternate titles they had for their 2016 movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, seeing as Snyder previously noted he wasn’t the happiest with the title choice. Here’s Snyder’s own explanation of the naming process he went through with Warner Bros:

I’m going to be honest and say that Zack Snyder’s “poetic” version of the title may be a little complicated for my tastes. While Son of Sun and Knight of Night may be a good concept, it doesn’t exactly slip off the tongue gracefully. I see what you did there, Zack, but it’s not quite working, either.

While Zack Snyder’s alternate title may have been a bit of a mouthful, Chris Terrio, though strongly opinionated, seems to have more simple tastes. Terrio said in the same interview that his preference for a title would have been a little more straightforward. If not super simple, he would have liked it to tease Justice League a bit more. Here it is in the writer’s own words:

Zack Snyder’s and Chris Terrio’s alternate names for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice may not have seen the light of day, but it’s definitely interesting to have this peek into the workings of their creative minds. Snyder’s preference for something a little more artistic in title, and Terrio’s leaning toward a more simple approach, definitely tell us a little bit about how the two think creatively.

While they may have been on different pages here, the two definitely compliment each other artistically, which is evident by what they created together with Zack Snyder’s Justice League. If only there was an opportunity for them to work together again on Justice League 2. For now, you can watch Snyder's past DCEU movies by subscribing to HBO Max.

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The DC Extended Universe has had an interesting life, starting with Zack Snyder's set of movies. Snyder brought an ultra serious tone and five-film vision to the projects, although there has been some backlash to certain plot points. Writer Chris Terrio worked on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as well as the original script for Justice League. Terrio recently broke his silence about what it was really like working in the DCEU, and is defending one controversial scene from BvS involving Lois Lane.

When Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was released back in 2016, it didn't fare well critically. This is at least partly due to so much of the movie being cut, making the plot confusing. The bad reviews went viral thanks to an infamous Ben Affleck interview, and BvS endured quite a bit of hate from the public. Chris Terrio believes that the public's feelings about the movie resulted in extra criticism, especially regarding Lois Lane's opening sequence in the fictional country Nairomi. As he explained,

While Chris Terrio understands some criticism about Batman v Superman, especially the theatrical cut, he doesn't believe Lois Lane's dialogue in her first scene are one of them. Because that line is actually a very specific reference.

Chris Terrio opened up about his time working in the DC Extended Universe in a long-form interview with Vanity Fair. He got honest about exactly how he contributed to Zack Snyder's pair of movies, including Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In addition to talking serious smack about Joss Whedon's cut of Justice League, Terrio also addressed a variety of criticisms about his pair of blockbusters.

Both Justice League and Batman v Superman are currently available on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Later in his same interview, Chris Terrio went on to explain exactly why Lois Lane uttered that line during Batman v Superman's Nairomi scene. Rather than being lazy writing, it was a direct reference to famed journalist Marie Colvin. As Terrio put it,

Being a filmmaker is a tricky thing, as each movie becomes the property of the public after its release. Each moviegoers has an opinion, and this is especially true for major properties like the DC Extended Universe. So when Batman v Superman's theatrical cut failed to meet expectations, it was the subject of countless memes and jokes. That's why Chris Terrio believes that Lois Lane's dialogue was the subject of some backlash.

The reaction to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice came shortly before production began on Justice League, and resulted in the studio pushing for a lighter tone. Chris Terrio clearly has thoughts about the power of that reaction, and how it would ultimately affect the theatrical cut of Justice League. Luckily, Terrio and Zack Snyder's vision was finally revealed thanks to the Snyder Cut.

The next installment in the DCEU is The Suicide Squad on August 6th. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.

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Rather than follow Batman in the earlier years of his vigilante career, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice focused on Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne after he’d been fighting crime for over two decades in Gotham City. Thanks to the various traumas he suffered over the years, including being in Metropolis during the attack depicted in Man of Steel, this version of Bruce’s methods became much more brutal, from branding criminals to being willing to kill Superman. While Bruce saw the error of his ways by the time Batman v Superman concluded, writer Chris Terrio revealed that there was a point where the character’s arc had a much darker ending.

Chris Terrio, who previously collaborated with Ben Affleck on the Academy Award-winning Argo, recently spoke with Vanity Fair about his experience writing both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, as well as his take on the fallout from the latter movie being significantly changed for its theatrical release. Regarding Batman v Superman, here’s what Terrio had to say when asked if he felt blamed for the movie being considered too “grim and heavy”:

Before Chris Terrio joined Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, David S. Goyer, who penned Batman Begins and Man of Steel, gave a first pass at the script. Eventually Goyer dropped off the project due to other commitments, but it sounds like there was already plenty of darkness infused into the story when Terrio came aboard. Case in point, Batman kept his branding streak going by leaving the mark of the bat on Lex Luthor, whereas in the final version of the movie, he only threatened to brand Jesse Eisenberg’s character and then punched the brand into the wall behind the incarcerated criminal. Was it still a badass moment? Yes, but it also showed that Bruce had evolved.

Chris Terrio noted how he “explicitly went to the mat” with Warner Bros over Batman branding Lex Luthor, arguing that the superhero couldn’t continue this behavior that amounted to “torture.” Otherwise, it would look like the movie was endorsing his actions. The screenwriter elaborated on his reasoning with the following:

This was just one of many aspects that Chris Terrio changed about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice when he rewrote the script, but it certainly did the trick of making it abundantly clear that Bruce Wayne was clearer-headed following Superman’s death. Besides, in the Ultimate Edition of the movie, the Dark Knight still got to exact a fitting punishment on Lex Luthor, as he made arrangements for the supervillain to be moved to Arkham, which is not one of the DC Universe’s better mental institutions, to put it mildly. Once that business was taken care of, Bruce was ready to start looking for other heroes to help him protect Earth, paving the way for the events of Justice League/Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

Unfortunately for fans of Zack Snyder’s DC movies, there are no plans for the remaining two Justice League movies he’d envisioned to be made, either as theatrical offerings or for HBO Max. However, we’re not done with Ben Affleck’s Batman just yet. The actor will reprise the role in The Flash, and he’ll be accompanied by Michael Keaton’s version of Batman. While it remains to be confirmed if the Scarlet Speedster’s movie will be Affleck swan song as the Caped Crusader, at least this is another opportunity to see him in action and flesh out his relationship with Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen.

While we wait for more news about what the future holds in store for Ben Affleck’s Batman, browse through our upcoming DC movies guide to learn what else the DCEU has in development, and subscribe to HBO Max to catch up on past installments of the superhero franchise.

It’s no secret Joss Whedon’s Justice League angered a lot of people when it was released. The 2017 theatrical cut of the DCEU team-up film has been the subject of protest for years leading up to last month’s Snyder Cut, which was made available on HBO Max following the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut online movement. Now that DC fans have had the chance to see the four-hour vision Zack Snyder had originally had planned for the beloved comic book heroes, the film’s screenwriter Chris Terrio is speaking out about his experience on the film.

Chris Terrio dropped a bombshell in a recent interview with Vanity Fair when he shared initial plans to ask Warner Bros to take his name off Joss Whedon’s Justice League after he viewed the cut that hit theaters in late 2017. In his words:

But, Chris Terrio did not follow through on removing his screenplay and story credit, which was shared with Joss Whedon and Zack Snyder for the 2017 release. Here’s why:

If the writer had followed through with getting his name removed, it would have burdened the crew of the film with going back through Justice League and making significant edits that could have incited even more drama around the release at the time. As Chris Terrio reflected in the interview, he believes if he had taken the next step to remove his name, it would have “created a whole wave of negative publicity” that would have hurt the actors and craftspeople who spent their time and effort on the movie as well.

Now that the public has seen Zack Snyder’s true vision for the movie on HBO Max, he feels much more comfortable having this public conversation. Well, because the differences between Warner Bros version and the Snyder Cut is readily available for fans to compare. Terrio shared his thoughts on Justice League now that the version he had intended to make is now out there:

The story certainly illustrates a strong dislike for Joss Whedon’s Justice League. At the time Chris Terrio had contemplated removing his own credit from the big-budget release, there was no way he could have predicted Zack Snyder finishing the work they started and Warner Bros deciding to release it to the public following a huge movement in support of their work.

And now that Justice League is available to view on HBO Max, tons of fans are campaigning for Warner Bros to #RestoreTheSnyderVerse. Snyder and Terrio had plans to work on a three-film arc starring the Justice League and leading into the Knightmare future explored in the Epilogue of the Snyder Cut. We’ll keep you posted on any new developments related to the Snyder Cut, but until then check out the upcoming DCEU lineup here on CinemaBlend.

Rewrites can be a major element of any film or television project, especially when it comes to big-budget productions. The Star Wars franchise is a prime example, as The Empire Strikes Back and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story both were both reworked during the writing process. For last year’s The Rise of Skywalker, director J.J. Abrams recruited Chris Terrio to help him freshen up Michael Arndt’s screenplay. Now, Terrio is providing some insight into just how much work the pair had to do.

Lucasfilm recently released The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker book, which features numerous pieces of concept art that weren’t utilized for the finished film. Chris Terrio, who is quoted in the book (via Business Insider) stated that he’d never had to do more rewrites for a film more than he did for The Rise of Skywalker. And by the sound of it, he and Abrams were putting together new drafts quite often:

You would think it would be difficult for the film’s production team to keep up with these constant changes, but Terrio says they had no problem keeping up with his and Abrams’ ideas:

Recent news has suggested that Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams made various changes to Michael Arndt’s original draft for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. These comments from Terrio now fuel that notion even further.

Arndt, who also penned the first draft of The Force Awakens, appears to have wanted to add some concepts to The Rise of Skywalker that were a bit more unconventional. One recently revealed plot point involved Leia dealing with an internal struggle.

Ironically, while Terrio was called in to help write The Rise of Skywalker, he’s also been on the other end of a rewrite situation. The Argo scribe wrote the original draft of Zack Snyder’s Justice League but, following the Snyder’s departure, Joss Whedon came in to tweak the script.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker may not have been the film every fan was expecting, yet it did manage to strike a chord with a number of longtime devotees. For that, some are probably glad Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams were willing to be so fluid. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is now available on Digital HD, DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD.

Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker!

It's been a month since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hit theaters, and the conversation about J.J. Abrams' massive blockbuster is showing no signs of slowing down. Episode IX ended the sequel trilogy, as well as the overarching Skywalker Saga. It was a major task to try and stick the landing, especially when it came to Carrie Fisher's General Leia. The late actress/writer was included in the film through unused footage, and co-writer Chris Terrio recently revealed the 'one thing' he wanted to accomplish with the character's story.

Episode IX was originally going to be very much focused on Leia, as the previous two installments were vehicles for Han and Luke respectively. But when Carrie Fisher tragically died in 2016, it put a wrench into those plans. The Rise of Skywalker gave both the late actress and character a fitting end, with Chris Terrio elaborating on his main goal for the character, saying:

That sounds about right. The sequel trilogy really expanded Leia's connection with The Force, especially The Rise of Skywalker. And it's that facet of the character that Chris Terrio was most passionate about.

Chris Terrio's comments to Awards Daily reveal how much the Star Wars franchise meant to the writer growing up. In particular, Return of the Jedi's big Leia twist, which revealed she and Luke were actually twins. Fans hoped that meant she'd become a Jedi in her own right, although The Force Awakens made it seem like she did not.

The Last Jedi showed Leia using The Force in the first significant way, in her infamous space float that saved her from dying in the movie's first act. But The Rise of Skywalker went full tilt on Leia's connection with the ways of the Jedi. She was first shown training Rey, before a flashback revealed that she actually trained with Luke and bested him in lightsaber combat. But she saw disaster for her future son at the end of her Jedi training, and therefore left her saber behind.

There are no doubt countless fans who loved this particular Leia twist, as they had the same feelings as Chris Terrio regarding Return of the Jedi. He wanted to see Leia finally embrace The Force, and that's exactly what happened.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is still in theater snow. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker!

Since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, there has been a ton of new and exciting Star Wars content arriving for the generations of fans. Chief among them is the sequel trilogy, which continued the franchise's main narrative, following Return of the Jedi. That trilogy recently came to an end with The Rise of Skywalker, with J.J. Abrams tasked with wrapping up the entire nine-film narrative. Major changes were made, especially related to Rey and her parentage. And co-writer Chris Terrio recently explained how Rey's dark twist wasn't contradicting the narrative choices of previous movies like The Last Jedi.

One of the big questions surrounding the sequel trilogy was Rey's parentage. She was waiting for her parents in The Force Awakens, before her powers manifested themselves. In The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren said that her folks were nobodies who left her behind, although The Rise of Skywalker revealed a much more complicated backstory. Turns out her grandfather was Emperor Palpatine, and her parents were trying to protect her from the Dark Side. Writer Chris Terrio recently spoke about this dark twist for Rey, ad explained how Episode IX continued the narrative from its preceding movies. As he put it,

Rey's story is central to the sequel trilogy's narrative, as Daisy Ridey's character was the hero of the new movies. When she debuted in The Force Awakens, her quick learning of The Force really stood out to fans. And it turns out that her origin was always meant to have a dark connection to The Sith.

Star Wars fans can currently rewatch the Skywalker Saga on Disney+. You can use this link for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service.

Chris Terrio's comments to IndieWire help to shed a light on the narrative choices that were made in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Because while J.J. Abrams created the new characters and directed two of the last three movies, Rian Johnson was given the creative reigns for The Last Jedi. The Knives Out filmmaker took plenty of narrative risks, and purposefully subverted fan expectations. Because no one expected her parents to be nothing but smugglers.

Related: Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Editor Responds To Complaints About Fan Service

In the end, Rey's parents were redeemed by The Rise of Skywalker. Appearing in a brief flashback (featuring a cameo by Killing Eve's Jodie Comer), it turns out that they were trying to keep Rey away from Palpatine by leaving her on Jakku. They weren't remarkable people, just a pair trying to protect the galaxy. It was the Rey's grandfather that would be her connection to The Force, as Sheev Palpatine apparently became a father before his apparent death in Return of the Jedi.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in theaters now, and making tons of money at the box office. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

This story contains enormous spoilers for the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. You have been warned.

The end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was always going to be a hot topic. After all, it’s not just the conclusion of one movie, but of an entire era. Since the film hit theaters, fans have been debating how Rey’s story, in particular, ends. And one of The Rise of Skywalker’s screenwriters has now explained how he thinks her last moments help atone for sins committed in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

When we last see Rey, she’s with BB-8 on Tatooine, paying homage to Luke and Leia by burying their lightsabers together in the desert. It’s a poignant moment, one that Chris Terrio was happy to discuss with IndieWire. The screenwriter addressed what that meant for the fate of the young heroine:

Chris Terrio also explained that he and J.J. Abrams were conscious of how Rey’s story, in particular, tied closely into the rest of the Star Wars canon -- and wanted to be sure that came through in The Rise of Skywalker:

The debate rages on as to whether or not The Rise of Skywalker is a fitting end to the legendary saga. Fans are already clamoring for a director’s cut, with the hopes of a more satisfying end. Even if that comes to pass, it seems unlikely that Rey’s story will change significantly. She seems to have ended up right where she belonged.

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Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose Tico had her own Rise of Skywalker character poster and the actress did press all over the world, yet she only was seen on screen for for less than two minutes in the latest Star Wars installment. Why? Co-writer Chris Terrio attempted to explain himself to fans in an interview the other day, but he’s backtracking in order to clarify. In his words:

Chris Terrio made this statement to Vulture following earlier comments to Awards Daily where he had discussed why Kelly Marie Tran’s role was so small in Rise of Skywalker. When he and J.J. Abrams wrote the Episode IX script together, they decided to position Rose Tico alongside General Leia Organa back at the Resistance base instead of having her join Rey, Finn and Poe. Yet, when it came down to editing Rose’s scenes against unused Force Awakens footage of the late Carrie Fisher, it just didn’t end up working visually as well as they had hoped.

The Star Wars writer previously said the reason Rose Tico had a shortened role in Rise of Skywalker was due to the difficulty of using Carrie Fisher’s footage. He said the scenes between Rose and Leia “turned out to not meet the standard of photorealism”. Taken out of context, the quote does sound like a jab at the VFX team, when that was not Chris Terrio’s intention. He clarifies it was a narrative decision and not at the fault of those in the visual effects department and made at the script stage of the process.

But strap in Rose Tico fans, this would then mean that the Resistance fighter’s lines were minimized quite early in the filming process. It’s not as if Kelly Marie Tran had these massive sequences she filmed that were cut from the movie – her part was shortened after most of the scenes between her and General Leia were cut.

Following the release of Rise of Skywalker, fans were vocal about their disappointment in Rose Tico’s short screen time, getting #RoseTicoDeservedBetter trending. Their voices even caught the attention of Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu on the matter of Rose Tico, who tweeted this out:

Could this happen? It certainly speaks volumes about Rose Tico as a character by the amount of outcry online over her small role and Jon M. Chu volunteering to be part of a project for Disney+ (sign up for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service here).

The changes made to Rose Tico’s role in The Rise of Skywalker isn’t the only thing fans are talking about. After rumors of more deleted scenes not present in Episode IX, fans have started campaigning for the “J.J. Cut”.

Check out what movies are coming in the brand new year with our 2020 release calendar!

SPOILERS ahead from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Hey, remember that kid at the end of Star Wars: The Last Jedi? Apparently his real name is Temiri Blagg but he's better known as "broom boy" for representing other Force-sensitive people in the Star Wars galaxy. In that movie, Rey (Daisy Ridley) was described as being no one from nowhere, descended from nobodies. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker revealed that, actually, she's the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine himself, tying her powers to that legacy.

That update to Rey's story was a disappointment to some fans, who appreciated seeing how anyone could have such strong Force powers. Sure, the idea of Force-sensitive people isn't new -- from the many Jedi of the prequels to others in the Star Wars galaxy beyond the Skywalker Saga. But it seemed, in The Last Jedi, that the sequel trilogy might be making one of those non-legacy characters the main hero. Well, Rey may have a Force legacy after all, but that hasn't changed anything for others with Force-sensitivity, as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker co-screenwriter Chris Terrio noted.

Chris Terrio wrote Rise of Skywalker with director J.J. Abrams. Here's how Terrio responded when THR asked if Episode IX still recognizes the existence of the galaxy's other Force users without famous ancestors -- aka the broom boys and girls:

Yes, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker did heavily suggest Finn is Force-strong or Force-sensitive, and that's even supposedly what Finn was going to tell Rey when he wanted to tell her something at the last minute. However, J.J. Abrams has already explained his reasoning for giving Rey that Palpatine heritage, wanting to bring both major houses -- Skywalker and Palpatine -- together for the entire nine-film Saga. Here's more from Chris Terrio's answer on broom boy and other Force users:

Some Star Wars fans have taken Rise of Skywalker's choices as rebukes or retcons of Rian Johnson's script for The Last Jedi. Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams have tried to emphasize there was no feud or intention to sideline certain characters or negate story choices. And Terrio said he and Abrams agreed with Last Jedi fans who appreciated that "democratization of the Force" by showing more non-legacy users like broom boy. They just didn't want the non-legacy users to include Rey:

At the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rey goes to Tatooine to bury lightsabers and tells a lady that her last name is Skywalker. That's her choice. Where does she go from there? That's open to interpretation, and fans have their own ideas. Does Rey, perhaps, start training other Jedis, like Finn and broom boys/girls? Maybe. I do love the idea of Rey starting a Jedi academy of her own and sending out messages to Force-sensitive Padawans like Hogwarts letters. Hopefully she'd have a smooth run as a master, but we've seen how that does not always go well. And she does have that Palpatine blood in her veins. Will she always choose the light?

What do you think happened specifically to broom boy at the end of the Skywalker Saga? Still stuck on Canto Bight?

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Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

As far as movie franchises go, there are none quite as huge and beloved as Star Wars. George Lucas' colorful world has been entertaining moviegoers for decades, with entire generations of moviegoers brought up on the galaxy far, far away. Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm brought forth plenty of new content, including the sequel trilogy, which was helmed by both J.J. Abrams directing a pair of movies separated by Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi. There's been some rumors about a feud between the two filmmakers, but The Rise of Skywalker's writer recently shut down those reports.

Chris Terrio collaborated with J.J. Abrams to write Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which covered a ton of ground. That includes moving on from the events of The Last Jedi, where Rian Johnson had subverted expectations and made some bold narrative choices. This disconnect is likely why some fans thought the two directors were feuding. But Terrio addressed those rumors, saying:

Well, that certainly clears things up. It looks like there was never an disagreements happening between the team of The Rise of Skywalker and Rian Johnson. On the contrary, there was some collaboration and conversation between Chris Terrio, J.J. Abrams and the Last Jedi director.

Star Wars fans can currently re-watch the Skywalker Saga on Disney+. You can use this link for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service.

Chris Terrio's comments to THR helps to pull back the curtain on the development of Star Wars movies. While its a property that is very personal to the massive fandom, each blockbuster is ultimately made by filmmakers trying to do their best. J.J. Abrams was given with a particularly daunting task with The Rise of Skywalker, as he had to craft an ending to wrap up the entire Star Wars franchise as we know it.

Related: 5 Star Wars Moments That Prove J.J. Abrams And Rian Johnson Were Not On The Same Page

In order to find the appropriate ending for Episode IX, J.J. Abrams ended up having a discussion with Rian Johnson about the changes he made to Luke Skywalker and other characters. This allowed him to write for that new version of Luke, who appeared in The Rise of Skywalker as a Force Ghost.

J.J. Abrams did negate some of the narrative choices made in The Last Jedi throughout the course of The Rise of Skywalker. Rey's true parentage was revealed, and Rose Tico's romantic connection with Finn was written out. In fact, Rose appeared for a shockingly small amount of time on screen.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

In the past decade, we’ve seen multiple huge franchises end their cinematic runs by splitting the final film into two parts. Harry Potter did it, as did The Twilight Saga and The Hunger Games. You could also make the argument that Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame were two parts of one story. Despite this trend and its financial advantages, Star Wars did not do this. However, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’s writer Chris Terrio wishes it was split into two movies, saying:

You might expect Chris Terrio to toe the line and say that one movie capping off a nine-movie saga was the absolute best way to tell this story just because that’s what happened, but he’s actually being quite upfront about his preferences here. If Chris Terrio had had his way, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker would have been a two-parter.

Chris Terrio wishes that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker could have been split into two movies because of the storytelling advantages an extra film would have conferred. As the Oscar-winning writer of Argo told Awards Daily, as a writer, he wants more scenes that allow the plot to breathe.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has a lot of plot, and as the writer of the film, alongside director J.J. Abrams, Chris Terrio knows that as well as anybody. In his opinion, two films would have given him much more time to fit in all that necessary plot to get the story from point A to point B, while also giving the film more room to breathe.

Chris Terrio also told Awards Daily that he could have written these characters forever, that there was more backstory that had to be axed and that it breaks his heart to leave stuff out that could have given the story more depth, nuance and character moments. For those reasons, Chris Terrio makes no bones about it: he personally wishes that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker would have been split into Part 1 and Part 2.

Of course, that’s not what happened. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is one two hour and 22 minute film that concludes the Skywalker Saga. So why wasn’t the film split into two? It sounds like there weren’t really any serious conversations about that possibility with the governing rationale being that George Lucas intended this to be a nine-film saga, not a ten-film saga.

That is perhaps somewhat questionable on the part of Lucasfilm considering that George Lucas’ ideas for the Sequel Trilogy were thrown out and this is no longer his story, so why bother adhering to his nine-film structure at this point.

While I personally like the idea of sticking to the three-trilogy arc, I think that Chris Terrio should have gotten his wish. If you watch Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, you should definitely be able to see how rushed it is and loaded with plot and exposition, particularly in the first hour, which moves at a breakneck pace with little time to explain anything.

For those who loved Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, we could have gotten two movies worth of all the great stuff about Episode IX, and for those who didn’t. we could have had perhaps a story that worked better with more time to flesh out.

I also still wonder why, if the writer wanted more real estate to tell his story, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker couldn’t have been longer. I mean, three hours worked for Avengers: Endgame and allowed for that film’s plot to breathe, so why wasn't that done here?

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is now playing. Check out our 2020 Release Schedule to see what movies are coming next year and let us know your thoughts on a two-part Episode IX in the poll below.

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SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker. If you have not yet seen the film, continue at your own risk!

In the making of Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, there was never any confusion about the film’s place in the legacy of the classic sci-fi franchise: it was always understood that the movie would be the final chapter in the Skywalker Saga. Obviously the universe will live on, but from the very beginning there was the idea that it would be the vehicle to say goodbye to the core group of characters. This was kept in mind for not only legacy leads Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, and Anakin Skywalker, but also new generation heroes Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron.

This in mind, one aspect of the blockbuster is quite baffling. In the first act, Finn prepares to make some kind of big confession to Rey as the film’s protagonists are sinking into a quicksand-like pit while on a mission. He gets cut off as he is swallowed up by the terrain quicker than expected, which is fine as far as adding a new element to the character’s arc in the story, but what’s tremendously odd is that the audience never actually learns what he was going to say. The subject is brought up later in the movie during a conversation between Finn and Poe, but never gets any real resolution.

In a vacuum it seems like it’s a taste of J.J. Abrams’ “mystery box” storytelling, opening up an intriguing aspect of the narrative that invites rampant speculation, but it’s a total misfit idea in the larger context of Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, and really just translates as bad writing. Given the aforementioned sold idea that we won’t be seeing Finn and Rey on the big screen again, it only reads as unsatisfying, and more than anything it feels like it was an aspect of the film that Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio simply forgot to wrap up.

One could make the argument that there’s nothing wrong with leaving in elements of ambiguity in a blockbuster finale, as there’s no better way to keep a fanbase active and engaged than through debate, but Finn’s would-be confession to Rey is broken in a way that doesn’t effectively let that kind of debate happen – especially when you factor in the commentary we’ve heard surrounding the subject in the days since Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker’s global release.

When speculating about the nature of Finn’s confession, there is one answer above all that immediately springs to mind: he wanted to admit to Rey that he is in love with her. It’s an idea that tracks when you consider his behavior throughout the Sequel Trilogy, including his persistent desire to hold her hand in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and his willingness to abandon The Resistance in order to ensure her safety in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Believing this does require you to totally ignore what was a budding relationship between Finn and Rose Tico, but Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker clearly had no issue with doing that regardless.

The problem, though, is that the reason the answer springs to mind immediately is because it’s a trope of the ancient variety. Cinema history has seen hundreds if not thousands of characters confess hidden love when they believe that their death is imminent. Having Finn play out this cliché is basic and boring.

The good news for fans that dislike this theory is that John Boyega himself has shut it down. Taking to his personal Twitter account this weekend, the actor wrote a simple message to curious fans: “No... Finn wasn’t going to say I love you before sinking!” So that presumably takes it off the speculation table.

This is positive in the sense that it steers the film away from an overused story development, but it also makes the lack of resolution in Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker that much more confusing and frustrating. Ambiguity only works effectively when there are multiple reasonable possibilities at hand. Obvious as they may be, taking viable options away obfuscates everything, as flimsier ideas are brought to the forefront and the potential answers you’re left with are harder to believe and accept as canon.

Enter circulating reports about J.J. Abrams’ comments on the matter. According to one fan who claims to have overheard a conversation at an Academy screening, the writer/director is telling people that what Finn was going to say to Rey is that he believes that he is Force sensitive – a topic that is semi-raised later in the film when the former Stormtrooper is talking with Jannah about his decision to leave The First Order and a particular feeling that took over him.

But does that really make sense? The idea of an imminent death confession is that a character is meant to blurt out something that they previously couldn’t summon the courage to say in normal conversation. Do we really believe that Finn would have any kind of issue telling Rey that he believes he has his own special connection to the Force? There’s nothing in any of the movies that suggests the heroine would have any kind of negative reaction to that information. To the contrary, she probably would have loved hearing it, and would have imparted some of the wisdom she took from her lessons with Luke Skywalker.

Also, again, this is remarkably frustrating information to absorb post-film knowing that there’s a high likelihood that we may never see Finn on the big screen again. There are surely many, many fans who would have loved to see that aspect of the character explored, but instead it got totally buried the J.J. Abrams movie and was provided with zero real support.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is flawed in many ways, but Finn’s improperly handled and concluded confession to Rey stands out as particularly glaring. We can hope that the expanded universe material will eventually cover it, and potentially even mold it into something good, but as it stands it’s just an unfortunate bit of bad blockbuster storytelling.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker. If you have not yet seen the film, proceed at your own risk!

As the grand finale of the nine-episode Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker was expected to reach deep into the franchise canon to execute a conclusion, and that expectation was very much met. Some big questions are answered, some significant arcs are brought to a close, and many characters came back for some final goodbyes.

It’s that last bit that we’re here to talk about in this feature. Not only did director J.J. Abrams manage to bring in some franchise legends, but also big actors in surprising roles and a handful of fun appearances. So let’s dig into it, shall we? Here are all of the cameos we know about in Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker so far.

J.J. Abrams (D-O)

Bill Hader and Ben Schwartz were notably brought in to help create the voice for BB-8 in the making of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but the production didn’t go to outside consultation when it came to making D-O for Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker. The droid notably speaks English (much like C-3PO), and while its modulated, the voice you’re hearing belongs to director J.J. Abrams. It marks the first time that he has acted as a character instead of himself since a 2001 episode of Alias in which he had a voice role.

Jodie Comer (Rey's Mother)

Those of you who are fans of the critically-acclaimed series Killing Eve probably got a bit of an extra thrill seeing Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker this weekend noticing that Villanelle herself, Jodie Comer, plays Rey’s unnamed mother (opposite actor Billy Howle as Rey’s father). It’s not clear if she is the daughter of Emperor Palpatine, or if that lineage is on her husband’s side, but either way it was fun seeing the Emmy winner in her first blockbuster (and actually only her second movie).

Warwick Davis (Wicket W. Warrick)

Warwick Davis has a long history playing multiple characters in the Star Wars universe (eight to be exact), but for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker he returned to the role that began his relationship with the legendary franchise. In 1983 Davis made his feature film debut playing the fuzzy Ewok named Wicket in Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi, and in 2019 he reprised that same role for a quick appearance following Rey’s defeat of the Sith. It’s a quick moment, but a cute one, and gives us an interesting look into the biology of the species (much like Wookiees, it appears that they age very slowly).

Harrison Ford (Han Solo)

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker may have rewritten a lot of what Star Wars: The Last Jedi implemented in the canon, but one fantastic detail that was maintained from Rian Johnson’s film was the idea that Kylo Ren was “haunted” by the spirit of his father, Han Solo, whom he killed in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. J.J. Abrams brought this to life in the new blockbuster, getting Harrison Ford to perform one last scene as the world’s favorite intergalactic smuggler. Abrams even finds a way to reference Solo’s famous “I know” line from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – though this time the context refers to Kylo Ren a.k.a. Ben Solo reembracing the Light Side of the Force.

James Earl Jones (Darth Vader)

As we’ll get into more a bit later, not all of the cameos in Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker were in-person, as the film finds a way to include a number of actors in voice-only roles. One perfect example is James Earl Jones, who has a single line toward the beginning of the film as Darth Vader speaking as an imitation performed by Emperor Palpatine. It’s a nice surprise, and Jones’ voice is always amazing to hear… though the much more substantial role he had in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story did make this appearance a tad less exciting.

Denis Lawson (Wedge Antilles)

Star Wars fans spent the majority of the Sequel Trilogy wondering what exactly had become of Wedge Antilles. The skilled pilot was a key part of some of the most important battles between the Rebels and the Empire in the original trilogy, and yet the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi suggested that he had moved on from fighting tyranny when the Rebellion became the Resistance. Just in time for the whole saga to end, though, Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker brought back actor Denis Lawson for a surprise appearance in the new film, featured as one of the heroes brought into battle by Lando Calrissian in the ultimate fight against the First/Final Order.

Andy Serkis (Supreme Leader Snoke)

Audiences worldwide were shocked to see Supreme Leader Snoke sliced in half in Star Wars: The Last Jedi given that it seemed he was being set up as the big bad of the Sequel Trilogy – but J.J. Abrams did still find a way for the character to have a minor part in Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker. Specifically, much like James Earl Jones as Darth Vader, you can hear Serkis’ voice spoken through the mouth of the Emperor early in the film when the master of the Dark Side is discussing possibilities for the future with Kylo Ren.

Chris Terrio (Colonel Aftab Ackbar)

Did you know that Admiral Ackbar had a son? Did you know that he was a colonel in the Resistance? Well, those are piece of information brought to light in Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, as Colonel Aftab Ackbar makes his first big screen appearance. On screen the character is played by Tom Wilton, who wears the prosthetics necessary to bring the squid-like alien to life, but his voice is provided by none other than Chris Terrio – who co-wrote the film’s script with J.J. Abrams, and like the director couldn’t resist taking a role in the Star Wars universe.

John Williams (Oma Tres)

There are many reasons why Star Wars is a true icon of cinema, but the epic and unforgettable music composed by John Williams most certainly ranks high on the top of the list. As such, it’s only right that he have a small role to play in the actual universe, appearing on screen for the first time since a 1959 episode of the television series Johnny Staccato. He plays Oma Tres (an anagram of “Maestro”), and is hard to miss in the movie: he’s the bartender the camera lingers on when Poe, Rey, Finn and the other heroes visit the watering hole on Kijimi.

All Of The Jedi

Most of the cameos discussed so far are spread throughout the runtime of Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, but one particular sequence jams a bunch of them into the space of just a few seconds. I am, of course, referring to the moment when Rey reaches out with the Force to try and connect with all the dead Jedi of the past while doing battle with Emperor Palpatine. The chorus she hears in response includes the voices of just about every lightsaber-wielding hero we’ve ever seen on the big screen – and some we’ve only seen in animated features. The list includes:

Some of the voices are easier to pick out than others simply because of their recognizability (Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, and Liam Neeson, for example, should click instantly for even casual fans), but the effort on the whole is very impressive. When you go back and watch Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker again in the future, see if you can identify each individual voice.

With so many characters sporting helmets and appearing as crazy aliens, we can never be fully sure about all of the cameos in Star Wars movies – and we fully expect that more will be revealed following the publication of this feature. For now, though, hit the comments below to tell us which of all the special appearances is your favorite.

It's been a rocky week for the always divisive DC Extended Universe. Because just a few short days ago Ben Affleck revealed that he would be stepping down from his role as director in the untitled Batman Solo film. While staying on board as a producer and star (hopefully), Affleck's departure is a major step backward for both the film and the DCEU as a whole. But while the fate of the Batman movie may seem up in the air, new information surfaced regarding exactly who is working on the script. And it's someone who has worked with both Ben Affleck and other other DCEU films.

When news broke that Ben Affleck was leaving the director's chair, it sent the internet buzz. Deadline was one of many outlets reporting on the news, where it also revealed who was helping to shape the newest script. Because Chris Terrio, who won the Academy Award for writing 2012's Argo, has submitted his own rewrite for the Batman film.

Chris Terrio is actually a fairly obvious choice to help rewrite and rework the solo Batman script. Because in addition to his work with Ben Affleck in Argo, Terrio also wrote the screenplay for both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and the upcoming Zack Snyder team up film Justice League. It looks like the folks over at DC are happy with what he came up with for the latter, and his role will likely continue as a frequent collaborator with the studio.

Ben Affleck's departure as director is the latest in a long line of hurdles which seem to plague the DCEU. The studio has already lost a few directors in the past, including former Flash director Rick Famuyiwa. Additionally, Zack Snyder's role within the universe seems to be in constant flux, as the love/hate relationship between the director and audience only continues to grow.

Since all three of the DCEU's films received mixed reviews, the future of the cinematic universe has never seemed so precarious. The next installment to hit theaters in Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman. While the trailer is certainly impressive and captivating, it remains to be seen if the finished product will be able to finally achieve critical success. After all, Suicide Squad's trailer was fantastic, and it was the very thing that caused the reshoots and editing problems which resulted in the film's final cut.

The still untitled Batman movie will star Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Joe Manganiello as Deathstroke. The film was originally planned to be rather villain heavy, although this may change with a new director and writers. Although it's safe to say that some characters introduced may return for Margot Robbie's upcoming Gotham City Sirens film.

This month, DC’s Caped Crusader and Man of Steel are finally duking it out on the big screen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but they aren’t the only Justice Leaguers getting attention in the movie. In addition to Wonder Woman playing a key role, Aquaman, The Flash and Cyborg are cameoing. Following the March blockbuster, Wonder Woman will go on her own adventure next June, and after Justice League: Part One, Aquaman and Flash will be the next solo movies up. However, rather than go the prequel route like Wonder Woman, the adventures of Jason Momoa’s King of Atlantis and Ezra Miller’s Scarlet Speedster will be set after their Justice League outing, and will build on that specific story.

During their extensive coverage of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League: Part One writer Chris Terrio, The Wall Street Journal reported that The Flash and Aquaman will "continue the characters’ stories" following the first Justice League movie. This means that moviegoers will miss out on the traditional origin story, though it’s possible those moments will be explored in flashbacks or during the opening credits, Watchmen-style. Instead of being traditional origin-story movies, they’ll branch out on their own and deal with separate business after the events of Zack Snyder's 2017 blockbuster.

Aside from Superman, who debuted in 2013’s Man of Steel, DC is taking the opposite approach of Marvel by introducing their biggest heroes in ensembles rather than in solo movies first. While the existence of superhumans is only just now starting to become public, most, if not all, of these heroes, have been active for some time. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will bring the Justice League members (minus Green Lantern, who will have to wait longer) into the fold, and Justice League: Part One will have them officially join forces. So while Wonder Woman’s first solo venture will explore what the Amazon warrior was up to during World War I, Aquaman and The Flash are moving their respective heroes forward, though as said before, we could still see glimpses of their past.

While plot details on Aquaman and The Flash are still being kept under wraps, their creative teams have already been formed. The Flash, which will feature Ezra Miller as the Barry Allen incarnation, is being directed and written by Seth Grahame-Smith, although 21 Jump Street’s Phil Lord and Chris Miller wrote a treatment for the Fastest Man Alive’s first theatrical movie.

As for Aquaman, director James Wan will helm his underwater adventure, while David Leslie Johnson penned the screenplay. Amber Heard is also being eyed to play Aquaman’s wife Mera, and if she’s cast, she’ll debut in Justice League: Part One. Theres no word yet on who will be part of The Flash’s supporting cast.

The Flash races to theaters on March 16, 2018, while Aquaman swims to the big screen on July 27 that same year. As far as meeting them, though, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is literally only two weeks away from making that introduction.

The best film franchises feature immense ups and downs – victories and defeats for beloved characters. For Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice to carve out its own niche in the DC Extended Universe, it must similarly strike a tone that helps it stand out. From everything we’ve gleaned from the upcoming superhero melee, it's about to explore some dark, low points for the DC heroes.However, according to Oscar-winning screenwriter Chris Terrio, by the time the credits roll, things still won’t look great for the members of the Justice League.

Speaking with The Wall Street Journal, screenwriter Chris Terrio opened up about Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, and its place in the burgeoning DCEU. He explained:

Middle installments in a trilogy have historically gone to the darkest of places in evolving storylines. With that in mind, the comparison Terrio makes between Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Empire Strikes Back, and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers also seems interesting because it could indicate that the villains in Batman V Superman may have the upper hand by the end of the film. After all, both Empire and Two Towers end with major defeats for our heroes, and the beloved characters scattered in the wind.

There’s a distinct possibility, in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, that Lex Luthor’s plan to unleash Doomsday on Superman may very well work, and that we could see the iconic Death of Superman storyline play out during the film’s final act. Similar to the way in which Han Solo gets captured during the climax of The Empire Strikes Back and removed from the story (albeit temporarily), Batman V Superman may in fact show a Justice League standing together to face a new threat, but without the presence of the Man of Steel. Going into a lighter Justice League team-up film, the character could ultimately find Superman revived in some form or another to help take down that film's villain and cap off the trilogy. As long as there's no Ewoks, we're good with that.

There’s a fair degree of evidence to back this theory up, too. Man of Steel introduced us to the DCEU by setting up Superman, but the next two DC films – Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman – more or less focus on the Batman and Wonder Woman corners of the universe, respectively. By using those films to further inform their characters, it could allow Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince to take on leadership roles in a Superman-less Justice League.

Then again, the Justice League could band together by the end of Batman V Superman to take down Luthor, only to see a new, greater threat rise in his place. This could come in the form Batman’s Darkseid Knightmare becoming a reality, or even Lex/OS coming online in the form of Brainiac. Whatever the overarching threat may look like, it will be enough to bring together the gods of the DC universe for a two-part Justice League movie.

What do you think of Chris Terrio’s quote? Do you think we’re onto something, or are we just grasping at straws? We will just have to wait and see how this all pans out when Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice finally hits theaters on March 25.

When Warner Bros hired Ben Affleck to play Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, they weren’t getting your average actor. Having co-written Good Will Hunting and directed Gone Baby Gone, The Town and Argo, Affleck has proved his talent behind the camera many times, so you can bet this he gave his own two cents on other creative aspects of the movie. In fact, according to one report, Affleck made changes to the script during production, and while in the Batsuit apparently. Holy rewrites, Batman!

According to a source who spoke with US Weekly, Ben Affleck reportedly made adjustments to the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice script while garbed as Gotham City’s shadowy vigilante. According to them:

The image of Affleck in the Batsuit crossing out lines with a pen is certainly an interesting mental image, and I would hope that someone on set got a picture of that to post once the movie’s out. If you’ve read about Affleck, you know he’s been a Batman fan for decades, so if there’s anyone who’s competent enough to make changes to such a project, it’s him. That said, considering that Affleck was the one who recommended Argo scribe Chris Terrio to rewrite Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it’s hard to imagine him changing the writing of someone he worked so closely with not that long ago. Plus, major script changes don’t usually happen in the middle of shooting.

However, if these were simply small adjustments, like a few lines of dialogue, then it’s plausible that Affleck would have gone through that script, after running the changes by director Zack Snyder, of course. Many of you will remember that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was originally supposed to come out last July, but it was eventually moved in order for the filmmakers to "fully realize their vision." So even if Affleck’s own reported changes weren’t that big, the March blockbuster definitely went through some retooling during its long production.

Following Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Affleck will officially reprise the Dark Knight in Suicide Squad, Justice League: Part One and Justice League: Part Two, but there is also a new solo Batman movie in development. Not only have there been multiple rumors about Affleck directing that latter movie, but it was also reported last summer that he’s co-writing the script with DC’s Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns. If this news ends up being verified, then we’ll get to see what Affleck’s vision for Bruce Wayne's adventuring on his own looks like.

We’ll see Affleck in action as the DCEU’s Caped Crusader when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice arrives in theaters on March 25.

With about half a year left before Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice arrives in theaters, the stars of the film find themselves in a particular predicament. They really can't talk at length about their roles in the project due to contracts, and yet members of the press are constantly asking about it. As a result, the actors have to start reaching for stuff to talk about - and case in point, we now have Jesse Eisenberg now looking at the production up and down and complementing it.

Eisenberg dropped by The Today Show recently to promote his new book, "Bream Gives Me Hiccups," but naturally this conversation turned to be about his upcoming role as Lex Luthor in Zack Snyder's DC Cinematic Universe. Keeping things as broad as possible, and giving absolutely nothing away about the new incarnation of the villain, the actor simply chose to say,

Obviously at this point nobody expects Jesse Eisenberg to start throwing shade at Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (and the franchise that will probably keep him employed for a decade), but it's at least interesting to note the elements of the production that the actor seems to most appreciate. He's obviously very proud of the fact that the film is based on a script by a recent Academy Award winner, and likes the darker and more serious/less bubblegum approach that the DC Comics movies are taking. We can really only hope that his tastes in this matter wind up reflecting our own come next March.

We've now seen Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice's Lex Luthor both with hair and without - but we really know very little about his part in the blockbuster. From the trailers, we can glean that he is definitely in favor of making the Man of Steel look like the world's biggest threat, and there are clips to suggest that he winds up with both General Zod's body and a nice big chunk of Kryptonite. Exactly what he plans to do with those two things, and how it winds up intersecting with the titular conflict however, we don't know.

In addition to Jesse Eisenberg, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice's impressive ensemble also includes Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane, Holly Hunter, and Jeremy Irons. The finished feature will finally be coming our way March 25, 2016.

Warner Bros. has big plans for its DC cinematic universe, and it better, if it’s ever going to keep up with Marvel. In addition to Batman v Superman, there’s also a two-part Justice League event and solo films for Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg and Green Lantern in the works. But what about those solo Batman and Superman movies we keep hearing about? Some new information has come to light on the former of these two projects, and if true, then Ben Affleck is coming aboard to direct himself in the next Dark Knight movie.

Affleck is already our new Batman and will make his debut in Batman v Superman alongside Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot. However, the word from Latino Review — buried at the very bottom of a recent column — is that he will also helm the solo Batman movie. Previous reports pegged this film for a 2019 release, but this new information says the plan is to release it in 2018. Elsewhere, Chris Terrio, the guy writing the screenplay for both Justice League films, is said to pen the solo Batman film, called The Batman. Though, Warner Bros. has yet to formally address the matter.

Ben Affleck has come light years ahead of his days in Daredevil and Gigli. He’s now an Oscar-winning director, who led the cast and crew of Argo to snagging three awards from the Academy, including Best Picture. It’s also worth noting that way back when, before we knew the plan for DC and WB’s superheroes, Affleck was rumored to helm the Justice League movie at one point. That was quickly debunked, but perhaps it wasn’t all smoke and mirrors. The studio has an Oscar caliber director in their camp, and we’re sure it’s at least crossed their minds to utilize his talents in this regard.

In the meantime, Affleck still has to worry about Batman v Superman. In the film, Bruce Wayne, bolstered by the peoples’ collective distrust of the Man of Steel, seeks a standoff with the alleged alien savior of the world. We saw his character in the trailer sporting a high-tech Batman suit, not unlike the suit Batman wore in the Frank Millar comic The Dark Knight Returns, which serves as inspiration for the film. Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor will no doubt have a big part to play in stoking the anti-Superman fire.

Following Batman v Superman, Affleck will reprise his role for Suicide Squad, which sees some of the DC world’s worst villains teaming up for an Amanda Waller-backed task force. We’ve already seen leaked video and photos from the set showing Batman chasing down Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and The Joker (Jared Leto) in the Batmobile before leaping atop their speeding car.

Tomorrow could very well end up being one of the most memorable days in the history of comic book movies. Both Warner Bros. and Marvel Studios will be delivering presentations to the crowds of Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con, and what's expected is a slew of major announcements about future superhero films. But while everything will become official tomorrow, that's not stopping stuff from leaking out early - which is how we've come to this new report that the upcoming Justice League may have already found a writer.

This news comes to us from Deadline, which says that Academy Award-winning screenwriter Chris Terrio is now the number one choice to work on what is expected to be DC Comics' biggest feature to date. According to the site's sources, Warner Bros. was so impressed with Terrio's rewritten screenplay for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that they want to lock him up for what they describe as "DC Comics‘ answer to Marvel’s Avengers juggernaut." At this time no deal is officially in place, but WB is apparently courting him for the gig.

Chris Terrio first entered the DC Comics scene all the way back in December when he was hired by Warner Bros. to do a rewrite on the script that had been written by David S. Goyer and developed based on an story by Goyer and director Zack Snyder (who is also currently attached to helm Justice League). While Terrio is still rather new to Hollywood, he broke out in a big way back in 2012 when he wrote the Oscar winning screenplay for Argo - which was made by Warner Bros. and directed by Batman vs. Superman's Ben Affleck.

We'll likely know a lot more tomorrow, but for now the Justice League movie really is starting to take shape. A good number of the main stars have already been found, with Henry Cavill playing Superman, Ben Affleck playing Batman, Gal Gadot playing Wonder Woman, and possibly Jason Momoa playing Aquaman and Dwayne Johnson as Shazam (we've also heard that Broadway star Ray Fisher is attached to play Cyborg). No release date has been officially announced, though it has been rumored that Warner Bros. is looking to have the movie ready to be released in May 2017 - one year after Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. If this is true, it's possible that the two blockbusters could wind up filming back-to-back - but, again, nothing has been confirmed.

How do you feel about Chris Terrio writing the Justice League movie? Do you think he's a good choice? Does it give you more faith in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? Answer our poll below.

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