PenguinJoe

I wish Nic Cage played Superman.

fumanstan

I like the writer's idea of an Affleck directed Batman movie with the Riddler.

Eric F

RocShemp

Looking at the cuffs on that costume Nic Cage is wearing, it actually reminds me of the suit Cavill ended up wearing. With some notable alterations, of course.

bluetoast

Even back in 1997 reading the rumors in Disney Adventures I thought Nic Cage was a horrible choice. And yeah the hairline was one of the reasons.

RocShemp

Yeah, Cage was a bizarre choice. But, from what I recall, that's why Burton cast him. Apparently he wanted a Superman that looked like an alien and an oddball. In a bizarre way, I always wanted to see Burton's concept fully visualized even though I was sure it'd be a terrible Superman movie. But then I view Batman and Batman Returns as Tim Burton movies rather than actual Batman movies.

brayzie

Haha! I remember Disney Adventures! Fun little magazine. But I never recall reading about Nic Cage playing Superman in those days. Billy Zane would have made a better Superman.

Batman '89 seems like a Batman film, despite the changes in canon like Joker killing the Wayne's. To me, it has none of Burton's future trademarks. Batman Returns though is totally Burton, and very little Batman.

brayzie

I'm with Why So Blu? In the comics I thought Hal Jordan was a straight laced dude, not so imaginative or childish. Maybe Kyle Rayner would come up with some stuff like that, but not Hal. I always thought that a film version of Green Lantern would be more closer to the origin shown in NEW FRONTIER.

bluetoast

Liz Smith had a rumors column in the magazine around then. So it was either from that or some random article in the mag. I didn't know she was some revered gossip columnist back then, since the magazine had an illustration of her looking like some young ditzy reporter. She also claimed to have checked The Lost World 3 times in order to verify Spielberg's reflection off the TV near the end based solely on a reader's question. That really sounded like a waste of time.

As for Zane as Superman, that would have been cool, at least in 1997 or so. But after The Phantom I doubt they would have let him anywhere near it. But after Titanic....maybe a different story. Sucks since I really enjoyed The Phantom. 7-11 gave away those awesome skull rings too.

RocShemp

I too share the love for that flick and Billy Zane's dedication to the role.

In fact, The Phantom, The Shadow, and The Rocketeer make for a great underappreciated pulp superhero movie trilogy.

It's true that Hal's persona in the movie was more akin to Kyle Rayner but I always felt the Lantern constructs in general had a certain level of silliness. Yes, they could often create something practical like a cage to trap an enemy or a bubble to allow the Lantern and whomever he/she was protecting breath in a poisonous or air-devoid environment. However, things like giant fists, oversized catchers mitts and springs are things even Hal Jordan would create with his ring.

Oh and glad to see some love for New Frontier.

brayzie

When Grant Morrison was promoting All-Star Superman, he said the story was inspired by a fan at a comic convention who was dressed as Sueprman, who was in character, and looked like Billy Zane. Ever since then, I definitely could imagine Billy Zane portraying the All-Star or Silver Age version of Superman. I heard he even auditioned for the part but the footage is in the WB vault.

RocShemp

Wow. I would love to see that.

Heck, now it's a shame he didn't voice Superman in the All-Star Superman animated movie. Speaking off, was that movie any good?

brayzie

Good point. I remember when I started reading GL when Kyle was the new ring bearer and in the letters column they were saying how Kyle hates creating "big punching gloves" with the ring. Kind of a dig at Hal Jordan's silver age constructs. I just felt there was no sense of balance or gravitas with the power rings in the film adaptation. The only thing that limits the ring bearer is his/her imagination/will power. So they could have incorporated Hal's silly ideas like catcher mitts or punching gloves, and compare them to very intricate and elaborate constructs from Sinestro like a bio-organic chain link fence, or microscopic agents sifting through an all-too vulnerable energy shield. There was no sense of scale, IMO. No sense of grandeur with the the capabilities of the power rings.

Sho fo. I read that book after it was collected and I was surprised how I missed it as a monthly. Seeing a young Hal carrying his father's jacket and talking with the grizzled fly boys made a 90s comics reader like me appreciate a character like Hal Jordan. Shoot, even Martian Manhunter was written great.

brayzie

Dunno. I saw the trailer for the animated Dark Knight Returns and it kinda ruined the actual graphic novel for me, because I imagined Batman's voice completely different. The Robocop actor did a great job, but still, not how I envisioned an aged Dark Knight to sound so I'm definitely staying away from the rest of the DC animated entries. Just like I don't watch the animated Opus cartoons.

In case you haven't read it, you should check out Alan Moore and Rob Liefeld's SUPREME. It's pretty much All-Star Superman before All-Star Superman. Great stuff.

stingermck

Dick Tracy makes it a quad

Why So Blu?

It was. It hit many emotional high points throughout the film. Great ending, too.

superdeluxe

Affleck Manip^^



Arkham Origins ^^

cleaver

I know Cranston is a great actor but so were Hackman and Spacey and their portrayals weren't memorable. I think with Affleck as Batman they should go in a different direction.

stingermck

Damn, Zane looks just like modern Lex. Especially from the animated series. Plus he can play cocky perfectly.

anomynous

Michael Rosenbaum for Lex

taffer

The difference is that Hackman and Spacey were playing a Luthor based on the Silver Age of Comics which was intentionally cheesy just like how the Adam West Batman was intentionally cheesy.

The modern Post-COIE Luthor is the one that Cranston would be playing. Basically an older version of Michael Rosenbaum's Luthor.

Michael Corvin

Looks like Clooney.

uberjoe

People in general seem to be focusing on whether he can be Batman, but I just don't think Affleck can convincingly pull off the "old money" easiness and nonchalance of Bruce Wayne.

nando820

Agree

TheMovieman

I wonder if the story for BvS will involve, at first, Bruce teaming up with Lex to find ways to stop Superman (perhaps Luthor Corp. or Wayne Enterprises discovered Kryptonite) before aligning with Superman in the end.