Welcome to the October 2018 edition of “Jett’s Scattershots.” I used to do these back in the day, got away from them, and now have brought it back. As of now, I plan on doing these once a month like the mailbags, but that’s not set in stone.
Now, on with the column.
Things I think I think…
I continue to get this question from folks (or see folks speculate it to be the case online): Is JOKER going to be tied to Matt Reeves’ THE BATMAN? No, it’s not, period…
The new AQUAMAN poster and extended clip/trailer were both way better than the first ones dropped this past summer. I can’t say that I’m super-excited for it, but I am very curious about it.
Mainly, I want to see how different and far removed it is from BATMAN v SUPERMAN and JUSTICE LEAGUE. Speaking of which…
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Going forward with DC on film, BATMAN v SUPERMAN, JUSTICE LEAGUE, SUICIDE SQUAD and – and it pains me to include it – MAN OF STEEL all need to be ignored. Never reference those films again and soft-reboot moving forward…
And no, my previous take doesn’t mean you get rid of the things that work, like Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman or Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. Hell, you’ve already seen Wonder Woman’s backstory from BvS – walking away from mankind for a century – retconned in WONDER WOMAN…
Back to Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, yes, I’m well aware that she’s reprising the role in GOTHAM CITY SIRENS…err…BIRDS OF PREY (it should be called GCS). That doesn’t mean that the events of SUICIDE SQUAD need to be referenced. Frankly, the general audience couldn’t care less about continuity and aren’t going to be confused or put off if BOP isn’t a sequel to SUICIDE SQUAD…
It’s time for a new animated Batman TV series…
Just got my DC BLACK LABEL collected edition of BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT by Sean Murphy. Read it from cover-to-cover in basically one sitting. And I still think it’ll a modern Batman comic book classic…
I’ve got no issues with the hiring of James Gunn for a new Suicide Squad film. In fact, I think it’s a bold move and they’ve nabbed another talented filmmaker to write (and direct) a DC film for them. And just like James Wan (AQUAMAN) and Matt Reeves (THE BATMAN), WB needs to give Gunn a lot of creative freedom on this film. In other words, let the dude make the film he wants to make.
Also, I hope a whole new team will make up Task Force X this time around (and I say that as someone who thought the cast in David Ayer’s SUICIDE SQUAD is the best part of that movie). I would keep Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, not for continuity reasons, but simply because she’s damn good in the role. Keep her and soft reboot the thing ala Judi Dench’s “M” in CASINO ROYALE…
There needs to be a special cut of WONDER WOMAN that cuts the two BvS continuity bookends out.
Thanks for reading, we’ll scattershoot again next month. Post your responses in the comments section below! – Bill “Jett” Ramey