The October 2021 BOF Mailbag #1

By
Bill "Jett" Ramey
-
2816

Welcome to the October 2021 BOF Mailbag #1.  If you missed the previous edition of the mailbag, you can check it out HERE.  On, on to your questions. – Bill “Jett” Ramey

Jett, Do you think we could see a de-aged Michael Keaton [as Batman/Bruce Wayne] in THE FLASH for flashbacks?

JETT SAYS: I won’t speak in absolutes here, but I do not think that’s going to happen in the film. I believe that he’ll only be playing an aged Bruce Wayne who hasn’t been Batman for quite some time who is brought out of retirement due to Barry Allen’s shenanigans.

I guess I have a very different opinion about this year’s DC FanDome than the vast majority of BOF’ers, but wasn’t the absence of Gal Gadot from the event quite strange even for you?

JETT SAYS: Let me start by addressing your opening statement…

I think DC FanDome 2021 was awesome and I applaud DC Comics/Warner Bros. for it.  Last year’s (2020) event was fantastic, but it was too long, quite frankly.  Even though the ’20 version was a success, they learned, adjusted, and made it better with a tight, 4-hour virtual con.

As far as your Gal Gadot question/take I didn’t find it strange at all.  First of all, she’s got nothing to promote — WONDER WOMAN 3 is a couple of years away.  Secondly, she’s a mother of 3 little kids and a family-minded person — her job in life doesn’t revolve around Wonder Woman and promoting stuff for WB/DC.

If you didn’t like FanDome ’21, that’s perfectly fine, but I believe you’re WAY overthinking the Gal stuff, brother.

JETT SAYS: Not going to speak in absolutes, but I don’t think so.

When it comes to solo Batman films, I support and advocate hiring a filmmaker, letting him do his thing, and telling a complete story over the course of 3, 4, or — like the Daniel Graig BOND films — 5 movies.

But back to your question, I don’t see Robert Pattinson playing Batman forever — no pun intended.  Matt Reeves’ THE BATMAN story will be told over the course of 3 or so films and then someone new will take over…a decade-plus from now.

In the meantime, let’s just enjoy THE BATMAN ride!

Considering the utter smorgasbord of jaw-dropping cinematography that was in the new trailer for THE BATMAN, I was wondering if you had any particular favorites?

JETT SAYS: 

JETT SAYS: This little one…


 

So BATGIRL is happening, and they’ve said Batman will be in it. Now there must be a reason they didn’t go ahead and announce it at FanDome ’21, but what are the odds this is Keaton’s next Batman appearance after THE FLASH?

JETT SAYS: I have not seen any report — a legit one that is — that mentions Batman or Bruce Wayne being in BATGIRL.

This I know: Even before Michael Keaton was cast in THE FLASH — back when the scuttlebutt of it happening was strong — the idea was for him to do other DC projects as an aged Bruce Wayne and/or Batman and BATGIRL was mentioned.  Or perhaps it could be some sort of riff off of BATMAN BEYOND and THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS.  I think that if Keaton was going to be in BATGIRL we would’ve gotten word of it by now.

It seems as if BATGIRL will be part of the post-THE FLASH “connected” DC on film continuity.  Perhaps — and I’m totally speculating here — the Batman played by Ben Affleck dies in THE FLASH and this new Batgirl is his successor?

JETT SAYS: Oh man…this is a tough one.  I’ve enjoyed the scores for all the solo Batman films.  I’ll go with Danny Elfman’s score from BATMAN ’89 with Hans Zimmer’s from THE DARK KNIGHT a close second.

I feel there’s a villain we don’t know about yet in THE BATMAN. What do you know?!

JETT SAYS: Well, if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you!  BUT…

I will say that there’s A LOT of stuff about THE BATMAN that’s going to be a BIG surprise — for you, the audience, and yours truly.

Do you think SHAZAM! 2 will be DC’s only theatre release in 2023? If not, what else do you think is likely to debut in cinemas?

JETT SAYS: Unless they get something going soon, it looks like it.

JETT SAYS: Regular title? Probably DETECTIVE.  BATMAN is terrible right now — and it’s my go-to/fave regular Batman comic book.  The best thing for me has been BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE.  Honestly, I haven’t been too keen on any of the “in-continuity” and monthlies (or bi-monthlies).

To what degree do you think Batman is familiar with the villains in THE BATMAN?

JETT SAYS: I think he’s been on Cobblepott’s tail for a while, and there could be some small-time Bat-villains that he’s met up with during his Year One.  But when it comes to The Riddler, I’m thinking that the first time Batman encounters him — which is his Year Two — is in the film.

As far as Selina Kyle, I don’t consider her a villain, but perhaps The Batman is aware of “The Cat” who is burglarizing Gotham businesses prior to the events of THE BATMAN, but they don’t become personally acquainted until this movie.

JETT SAYS: I’m not sure we’ll get “Edward Nygma” in THE BATMAN. Looks like his alias will be “The Riddler.”

Do you think that’s it for [THE BATMAN] trailers other than some TV spots? I’d be pretty happy if that was the final trailer.

JETT SAYS: I’m with you.  If WB is listening (and they are), I’d say NO MORE TRAILERS!  Just market/publicize the hell out of this film with TV spots (and yes, there NEEDS to be one during the Super Bowl), merchandise, talk show appearances by the cast, etc. And I believe they are doing a pretty damn good job already by dropping a TV spot during the NFL games this past Sunday (10/17/21) — especially the Dallas Cowboys/New England Patriots game.


JETT SAYS: I’m not surprised, actually.  Looks like the focus of FanDome ’21 was to hype and promote DC projects that are coming soon, relatively speaking.  I think anything that’s still in development — like anything DC produced by Abrams and the Gotham PD spinoff of THE BATMAN — didn’t make the cut.  The same can be said for why Gal Gadot wasn’t part of the event this year since WONDER WOMAN 3 is a ways away.

JETT SAYS: See the previous question and my answer. Ditto.

JETT SAYS: Yes. He is cosplaying someone who knows what he’s talking about when the subject is anything Batman.

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