Batman Solo Movie Speculation - Cape and Cowl Cast #16

Batman Solo Movie Speculation - Cape and Cowl Cast #16

Brand New Episode!

By Alex Burns

Alex, Steve and Sam are back and this time it's personal! Well, not really, the guys are just talking up the future of Batman on film under Ben Affleck and Geoff Johns. Should people still be excited for more Dark Knight adventures after the tepid audience reaction to Dawn of Justice? Team Cape and Cowl also dive into a host of awesome news including updates on the Black Panther movie, the Star Trek Beyond second trailer, DC Rebirth and more.



If you want to listen to the Cape and Cowl Cast on the go then download the Podcast Podbean for free - also available on iTunes

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X-Men: Apocalypse Spoiler Free Review

X-Men: Apocalypse Spoiler Free Review

It's the End of the World as we know it...

By Steven Carter

What better way to spend an overcast Sunday than go to the cinema to see a comic book movie eh? 10 years ago the Cinema scene in Wycombe was quite a vibrant one. Empire Cinema being the main hub for big screen entertainment. Sadly nowadays that era appears to be coming to an end. My wife and I attended a 3pm showing, I pre-booked our tickets anticipating huge crowds of people considering it was still the opening weekend. To our surprise there was hardly anyone there! After we were eventually allowed to enter halfway through the adverts and everyone had taken their seats, the room was barely a quarter full. Was this a sign of the end of this particular cinema? Had Speilberg hit the nail on the head and the superhero genre was dying? Or could it be down to the largely mixed reviews?

I was inclined to think it was the 3rd option. I had looked at the general feedback but did my best to avoid any in depth reviews so I could view this movie with a clean perspective.

Let's start with a major positive then; visually, this film is fantastic. The special effects team can really pat themselves on the back here. You are treated to some truly spectacular pieces from start to finish especially towards the end. I was particularly happy to see Cyclops’ optic blasts look much more like a concussive blast rather than some weird red laser that can seemingly penetrate anything. It was good to see the cast from the previous two outings back reprising their respective rolls as well as the new generation of mutants that will grow up to become the classic line up we all know and love. I was initially worried about the Casting of Jean Grey based on one of the trailers we saw with her doomsday dream but I can happily say that Sophie Turner’s acting was nowhere near as wooden as the trailer suggested! Special mentions go out to Evan Peters who nails it once again as Quicksilver, Tye Sheridan for making Cyclops an interesting character for the first time and Kodi Smit-McPhee for an entertaining performance as Nightcrawler.

Oscar Issac also puts in a chilling performance as the big bad in the film (not Ivan Ooze) Apocalypse while he'll surely come under criticism for a rather appauling make-up job and horrendous wardrobe selection, but the man who steals the show (at least the first half) is Michael Fassbender. He has an incredibly intense introduction in this film which I’ll openly admit had me very close to tears. The bar was set rather high with First Class and then Days of Future past. We saw a secret plot to establish a new world order using the cold war as a smoke screen, then a complex timeline altering film which allowed us to (thankfully) forget the events of X-Men 3 and the subsequently dire Solo Wolverine films. Nevertheless, This film takes a gutsy run at the hurdle but ultimately ends up tripping up and falling flat on its face.

The movie has a lot of stories and sub stories all going at once. This was always going to be the problem when you introduce so many new characters, particularly ones who are solid comic fan favourites and it ran a real risk of disappointing some of these fans. Unfortunately the casualties here are the four horsemen. Firstly Angel/Archangel. For me, they got the look right but that was about it. Considering he was one of the horsemen, he was remarkably underused, two dimensional and ultimately very disappointing. Psyloche I felt was there just to beef up the numbers. Again, the look was nailed but there was absolutely nothing interesting about the character. She had very little dialogue and to be honest, would have made no difference to the film if she wasn't there at all. Storm was slightly more interesting, and we get to see a more intriguing side to the use of her powers, but like all the other films, she ends up just another background character to use as a distraction. Finally Magneto. We see the best of his character in the first half but it seems like those writers then realised they needed to be elsewhere and hastily scribbled what happens to him in the second half. Once he is suited and booted and had one more spat with Xavier, he just becomes soooo dull despite all the destruction he is wreaking on the world! 

All in all the look of the film was spot on. From special effects in action pieces right through to the costumes (with a possible exception to Xavier’s and Havok’s awful 80’s mullets…). Some awkward and clunky fighting aside in the final act Singer has delivered on action spectacle like never before. 

Ultimately the plot just didn't feel as interesting or as articulate as the previous two films, it misses good opportunities to gain some new fans but it just seems like 20th Century Fox has once again underestimated just how popular some of these characters in its franchise really are. It certainly is a weird sensation to walk away from a film that had so much going on in it and yet still feel unsatisfied. I almost wish I bought tickets to see Civil War again just as a cure for that superhero itch! 

Sadly I doubt this film will exactly bomb at the box office so all the negative critiques out there will fall on deaf ears under the jingling of money bags.

VERDICT

UNDERWHELMING

The Flash Extended Season Finale Trailer

The Flash Extended Season Finale Trailer

The Race is on!

By Alex Burns

The Flash season finale is nearly upon us! Get excited with this epic extended trailer for the climatic episode, titled "The Race of His Life" shows Barry Allen summoning the speed force like never before in an attempt to stop Zoom once and for all!

“After Zoom (guest star Teddy Sears) reveals his true plan, Barry (Grant Gustin) vows to do whatever it takes to stop him.”

The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8PM ET/PT on the CW and on Sky One here in the UK.

X-Men: Apocalypse Spoiler Review - Cape and Cowl Cast #15

X-Men: Apocalypse Spoiler Review - Cape and Cowl Cast #15

Brand New Episode!

By Alex Burns

Join Alex, Sam and Ashley for episode #15 of the Cape and Cowl Cast as they dive into some serious spoiler analysis of X-Men: Apocalypse and give their verdict on Bryan Singer's Marvel mutant epic.



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Behold the Stunning World of Final Fantasy XV

Behold the Stunning World of Final Fantasy XV

Enter Another World

By Alex Burns

Check out this sweet video of the in game world engine for Final Fantasy XV. Square Enix are showing off the sheer beauty of their highly anticipated video game and boy is it a wonder to behold. Let's hope the game looks even more impressive when we are playing it for real later this year.

Final Fantasy XV begins as an armistice is declared between Lucis and Niflheim, ending the cold war that has raged over possession of the world's last crystal. A peace treaty is finally drawn up, and as part of the agreements, Prince Noctis is to marry the Lady Lunafreya of Tenebrae. After Noctis leaves on the day the official treaty is to be signed, Niflheim invades Lucis and takes the nation's crystal for its own before launching attacks on Solheim, Tenebrae and Accordo. Noctis and his friends now journey to retrieve their kingdom's crystal and defeat Niflheim's forces

Final Fantasy XV will be available on Playstation 4 and Xbox One on September 30 2016.

Michael Keaton Back in Talks for Spider-Man: Homecoming?

Michael Keaton Back in Talks for Spider-Man: Homecoming?

From Batman to Birdman to the MCU

By Steven Carter

Hey Spidey fans! Mere weeks ago, Michael Keaton was reported to be in talks with Marvel Studios to play the villain for Spider-Man: Homecoming, then as quickly as those reports came, he was no longer in said talks after Robert Downey Jr signed up to take part.

Now in true comic-book style, the plot has taken yet another twist and Keaton is back at the negotiating table to play the big bad of the film!

According to Variety magazine, Sony Pictures were very eager to have both stars on board for Spidey’s long awaited solo return to the MCU and to be honest, could you blame them? This movie has the potential to be the biggest comic book movie of 2017 amidst plenty of stiff competition!

The internet is full of rumours about who the villain will be, the one that seems to come up the most is the Vulture, possibly with help from another MCU character in the form of the Tinkerer! The theory behind this is that the Tinkerer helps Adrian Toomes build his flying suit out of stolen Chitauri tech from the battle of New York. Check out our speculation video on YouTube regarding who Michael Keaton will play!


We are also hearing that the Spidey suit will be getting some tweaks too! It seems that Spidey will potentially be getting some “web wings” in this film, which conjures up memories of the Steve Ditko costume seen back in the early days of Spider-Man!

Spider-Man: Homecoming sees Tom Holland in the title roll, with Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark, Marisa Tomei as Aunt May. Laura Harrier and Tony Revolori also join the line up, presumably as friends of Peter Parker. The movie is set for release July 7th 2017.

Stay tuned for more news on the web head right here at Cape and Cowl.

New Star Trek Beyond Trailer Debuts

New Star Trek Beyond Trailer Debuts

Let's Boldly Go Once More

By Alex Burns

Check out the new trailer for Star Trek: Beyond! After a tepid reaction to the first footage debut Paramount Pictures look to have made a better impression with this new trailer. What do you think of the new footage?

After stopping off at Starbase Earhart, a remote outpost on the fringes of Federation space, the USS Enterprise, halfway into their five-year mission is heavily attacked by a powerful, unstoppable wave of unknown aliens and the crew are forced to abandon ship. With the crew stranded on an unknown planet and with no apparent means of rescue, they find themselves in conflict with a new ruthless enemy who has a well-earned hatred of the Federation and what it stands for.

Directed by Justin Lin and featuring the return of Chris Pine as Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock Star Trek: Beyond is set for release July 22 2016.

Official Batman: Return to Arkham Trailer Revealed!

Official Batman: Return to Arkham Trailer Revealed!

Relive the Knightmare

By Alex Burns

Check out the reveal trailer for Batman: Return to Arkham! Who doesn't love the Arkham franchise? Seriously, this may be a glossy re-edition but boy oh boy are this games incredible! If you've never played Rocksteady Studios epic adventures in the Batman universe then now is the time my friends!

Return to two of the greatest superhero games of all time - visually enhanced and recreated for a new generation in Batman: Return to Arkham.

Includes Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City and all previously released DLC.

Pre-order today: www.batmanreturntoarkham.com





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Geoff Johns to Oversee future DCEU Films

Geoff Johns to Oversee future DCEU Films

Are Warner Bros and DC on the Right Track?

By Alex Burns

Geoff Johns will oversee upcoming DC Films alongside Warner Bros VP Jon Berg in a move that will please a large section of the comic book faithful. The reaction to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the start of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) on screen has been, it's fair to say, incredibly mixed. Rumors have been circling since the opening weekend of Dawn of Justice concerning the future of DC Comics properties at the multiplex. Director Zack Snyder continues to bear the brunt of these click bait stories, everything ranging from his imminent termination to his desire to make the DCEU X Rated, but all these articles aren't completely pie in the sky. First we had the confirmation that Ben Affleck will be joining Snyder's Justice League as an executive producer as well as directing and starring in the next solo Batman movie, this was seen as many as Warner Bros. reigning in the hap hazard creative whims of Snyder. The jury is still out on that one as Affleck brought in his Argo buddy Chris Terrio to clean up Dawn of Justice and it's not exactly a contender for screenplay of the year. Now we have the news that Johns has been promoted from his role at DC Entertainment as Chief Creative Officer to keep an eye on upcoming DCEU films like Wonder Woman and The Flash, what exactly does that mean? Well it's a tough nut to crack really.

Johns has already been featured prominiently in a promotion aspect with the DCEU so far, it goes back even further really as Johns has been behind some of the best stories from DC Comics over the last decade, his rise to the pinnacle of creative powers at DC has been rapid and there will be some concerns that a great comic book writer doesn't always know quite what's best for a movie adaptation, we're looking at you Frank Miller. Johns will have help though, in the form of Jon Berg, who is a very experienced studio head, Warner Bros. will be hoping the partnership of John's comic know how and Berg's corporate sensibility will yield more cohesive superhero movies down the line.

It's unclear just how much of a say this new pairing will have on the movies already well into development, Suicide Squad is out in August with Wonder Woman on the agenda for next year. It also has to be said that both of these gentlemen have been behind the scenes in a some capacity for the frustratingly divisive Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice but perhaps we can be optimistic and lay the blame elsewhere for how that one turned out.

We will be discussing our take on this news in more detail in an upcoming Cape and Cowl Cast for now check out what we've had to say on the state of the DCEU so far in these videos.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

The Flash Invincible Poster Revealed

The Flash Invincible Poster Revealed

The Battled Against Zoom Rages On!

By Steven Carter

The Flash Season 2 is fast approaching it's conclusion and the CW have revealed an exciting new poster to prepare fans for the finale. Barry will push himself further than ever before to try and defeat Zoom but will it be enough?




The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8PM ET/PT on the CW and on Sky One in the same time slot here in the UK.

Black Widow Solo Movie?

Black Widow Solo Movie?

Will it Happen?

By Sam Burns

Are we finally set for a Black Widow solo movie? Would it work? Let us know what you think and subscribe to our official YouTube channel.

Dragonball XENOVERSE 2 Announcement Trailer!

Dragonball XENOVERSE 2 Announcement Trailer!

Just Saiyan...

By Alex Burns

Check out this sweet announcement trailer for Dragonball XENOVERSE 2. Bandai Namco confirmed the title today and have billed this entry into the hugely popular franchise as the most expansive Dragonball videogame yet.

“The Dragon Ball franchise is a crown jewel and a perennial fan-favorite of BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment’s robust anime videogame portfolio and Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 will build upon that illustrious legacy.” said Eric Hartness, Vice President of Marketing at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “With Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, we’re working diligently with the DIMPS team to pull out all the stops and push the Dragon Ball videogame experience to new heights.”

Dragonball Xenoverse 2 will be availale on PC, Xbox One and Playstation 4 later this year.

Assassin's Creed Movie - Trailer Reaction

Assassin's Creed Movie - Trailer Reaction

Are You Ready to Begin?

By Alex Burns

Team Cape and Cowl give their thoughts on the first footage from Assassin's Creed: The Movie. Will the Ubisoft franchise adaptation buck the trend for poor videogame movies?

Uncharted 4 Spoiler Review - Cape and Cowl Cast #14

Uncharted 4 Spoiler Review - Cape and Cowl Cast #14

It All Ends

By Alex Burns

Join Alex and Sam for special Uncharted themed episode as they dive into a spoiler review of Naughty Dog's final Nathan Drake adventure.




Make sure to check out our official YouTube channel! Subscribe for new content every week and drop us a comment we always say hi!

Cape and Cowl Cast #13 - Assassin's Creed Trailer Reaction

Cape and Cowl Cast #13 - Assassin's Creed Trailer Reaction

Plus Black Widow Solo Film, Supergirl Season 2, Justice League News & more

By Alex Burns

Check out the latest episode of the Cape and Cowl Cast, we round up the top stories in the realms of awesome and offer our unique brand of insight!

Listen to our latest Podcast right here!

Official Assassin's Creed: The Movie Trailer Revealed

Official Assassin's Creed Movie Trailer Revealed

Everything is Permitted

By Alex Burns

Check out the very first footage from the Assassin's Creed Movie in this world premiere trailer! Michael Fassbender takes the lead in this swashbuckling adventure and we're hopeful this movie can buck the trend for mediocre videogame adaptations. Make sure you check out our next podcast for full trailer reaction and analysis.

The film follows the same premise as the hugely popular videogame series by Ubisoft. Those games chronicled the journey of Desmond Miles who is captured by a secret organisation know as Abstergo, a continuation of the Knights Templar. Using a device known as the Animus, Desmond is repeatedly sent back in time to live through memories of his Assassin ancestors and uncover items of ultimate power before eventually uncovering the truth about the origins of the human race. The film is opting for a brand new protagonist in the form of Callum Lynch who will access the memories of his assassin ancestor Aguilar.

Alongside Fassbender the film stars Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception),Michael K. Williams (The Wire, Ghostbusters 2016) and Jeremy Irons (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice). Directed by Justin Kurzel'Assassin's Creed: The Movie' is set release December 21, 2016. 

New Assassin's Creed Photos Before Trailer Reveal

New Assassin's Creed Photos Before Trailer Reveal

Ubisoft's Videogame Series Gets the Blockbuster Treatment

By Alex Burns

Los Angeles Times have revealed some awesome shots from the upcoming Assassin's Creed movie adaptation starring Michael Fassbender (Slow West, X-Men: Apocalypse) and have also teased that a debut trailer will release Wednesday. Watch this space!

The film follows the same premise as the videogame series by Ubisoft. Those games chronicled the journey of Desmond Miles who is captured by a secret organisation know as Abstergo, a continuation of the Knights Templar. Using a device known as the Animus, Desmond is repeatedly sent back in time to live through memories of his Assassin ancestors and uncover items of ultimate power before eventually uncovering the truth about the origins of the human race. The film is opting for a brand new protagonist in the form of Callum Lynch who will access the memories of his assassin ancestor Aguilar.

Alongside Fassbender the film stars Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception), Michael K. Williams (The Wire, Ghostbusters 2016) and Jeremy Irons (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice). Directed by Justin Kurzel 'Assassin's Creed: The Movie' is set release December 21, 2016. 

The Flash Movie Update and Speculation

The Flash Movie Update and Speculation

WB Need a New Director Fast!

By Steven Carter

What the heck is going on with The Flash movie!? Does Ezra Miller stand a chance as the scarlet speedster with all the turmoil at Warner Bros?

Trouble in the DCEU?

Trouble in the DCEU?

Can Zack Snyder still be Trusted?

By Alex Burns

We ask some difficult questions about the future of the DCEU and it is not at all pretty! Join the debate!

Wolverine 3 Casting News and R Rating Speculation

Wolverine 3 Casting News and R Rating Speculation

Old Man Logan?

By Steven Carter

Team Cape and Cowl speculate on Hugh Jackman's final outing as the world's deadliest mutant.

New Power Rangers Revealed!

New Power Rangers Revealed!

Sa-Weet!

By Alex Burns

Team Cape and Cowl weigh in on those new Power Ranger suits, what do you think of the rebooted look? 

Batman: The Killing Joke - Trailer Reaction!

Batman: The Killing Joke - Trailer Reaction!

Welcome to the Mad House

By Steven Carter

The trailer for Batman: The Killing Joke looks all kinds of awesome! Team Cape and Cowl dive into what makes this story so special and why we simply can't wait for this film! Set for release July this year, get in the know with our reaction video.

New Han Solo Reaction!

New Han Solo Reaction!

Don't Get Cocky Kid

By Sam Burns

Alden Ehrereich is your new Han Solo! How does this make you feel, are you down with a prequel movie for this iconic character? Team Cape and Cowl discuss! 

Infinity War News Round-Up

Infinity War News Round-Up

Space Travel

By Sam Burns

Join Team Cape and Cowl to discuss the latest Marvel movie updates, this week it's Infinity War!

The New Power Rangers Have Arrived!

The New Power Rangers Have Arrived!

You Know What Time it is!

By Sam Burns

Entertainment Weekly have revealed our first first look at the rebooted Power Rangers in all their colour coordinated glory! The new suits look to be a mixture of light weight armour and flexible fabric, the helmets are bang on traditional and overall this is a very modern take on the classic heroes. EW also had the following quotes from the cast and crew on the movie:

“It’s tricky finding a new language for a superhero costume,” production designer Andrew Menzies claims. “Ours is an alien costume that grows on them, that’s not man-made. You can’t win everyone over, but we are trying to appeal to a more mature audience and gain new fans."

Even the Yellow Ranger herself is impressed “It’s the coolest costume ever,” Becky G says. “I’m gonna wear it for Halloween for, like, five years.

The 90's spandex is well and truly a thing of the past and this reveal comes a week after we got the first shot of Elizabeth Banks as villain Rita Repulsa. Slowly this reboot is taking shape and we are still holding out hope that the movie can reinvent these heroes for a new generation of fans in a positive way.

The Power Rangers movie is set for release March 24th 2017, here's our impressions of the film after the initial anouncement.