Avatar 2: What We Know So Far

Avatar 2: What We Know So Far

Over the last 10 years we've seen countless major movie franchises come and go, but few have had the global appeal of James Cameron's Avatar. Released in December 2009, the film continues to hold the record as the highest-grossing movie of all time, pulling in $2.782 billion worldwide and while that record may be about to fall, the strength of Avatar should not be overlooked. We have been patiently waiting for sequels to arrive ever since, and while the filmmaking team behind the franchise has been taking its time, they have some absolutely gigantic plans for the future.

Avatar 2 and its several other sequels have been in development for years and while it has looked a time or two like the movies might never actually happen, the second and third Avatar sequels are actually in production now, so baring massive disaster, they at least will happen. Here's everything we know about Avatar 2 so far.

What Is The Avatar 2 Release Date?

Avatar 2 was originally set for release back in 2015, but one delay after another set in, which pushed the date back again and again. The movie was always slated for a Christmas release, but what year that would happen was never very clear. Finally, release dates for not just Avatar 2, but all the sequels were set, with the first movie coming in 2020 and it seemed like that date might stick. However, one additional delay was announced when Disney set its first release calendar following the Fox merger. Avatar 2 is now set to open December 17, 2021.

What Is The Avatar 2 Rating?

Films with major blockbuster potential like Avatar 2 usually want to get as many butts into those theater seats as possible. So, while there's been no word on the actual story of the sequel, it's unlikely that it will drift into Rated R territory. We should also note that the original film received a PG-13 rating, and it's a good bet that Avatar 2, and the three sequels planned after it, will attempt to stick with the same rating.

The Director

The first Avatar was truly a passion project for James Cameron, as the filmmaker spent years and years developing both the script and the technological advancements that needed to be made. So, you didn't really expect him to hand off the sequels to someone else, did you? Cameron will be coming back for not just Avatar 2, but for 3, 4 and 5 as well.

He has some big plans for the technological side of things, and has talked about both filming at higher frame rates using performance capture underwater. You can be sure that Avatar 2 will push the boundaries of what can be accomplished in modern filmmaking. Cameron wants to show that the first film's success was not a fluke. The director is certainly not expecting success to come automatically to the Avatar sequels simply because the first one did well.

What's Avatar 2 Called?

Officially, Avatar 2 has no title beyond simply that, Avatar 2. A collection of potential subtitles were leaked that appeared to give the next movie the title Avatar: The Way of Water. James Cameron later confirmed that the leaked titles were potential names for the film, but he claimed nothing has been decided on yet.

The Script

James Cameron was the lone credited screenwriter on the first Avatar movie, but for the four sequels he has brought in a full team of collaborators who have helped him break down all upcoming chapters of the franchise. Josh Friedman, who penned Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds remake and was one of the key people behind the television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, was the first one to sign on.

Then, he was followed by Rise of the Planet of the Apes veterans Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, and Armageddon's Shane Salerno, all of whom will be working side-by-side with Cameron. Major plot details haven't been revealed yet, but the director has said that the sequels will introduce "whole new worlds, habitats, and cultures," which very well could mean that we will get to meet some different kinds of intelligent alien species.

While the Avatar sequels were written as one large, ever expanding beast, and are being largely filmed together, we're being told that each of the upcoming films, including Avatar 2, are being created as standalone films, rather than being four parts of a larger story.

With so many details about Avatar 2 and the other sequels still scarce, we recently got an update on the content of those films from James Cameron. While speaking about Toruk, the Cirque du Soleil Avatar prequel, Cameron spilled the beans on a major theme for the planned films: family.

The storyline in the sequels really follows Jake and Neytiri and their children. It's more of a family saga about the struggle with the humans.

The one thing we do know about Avatar 2 is that the story will be focused around the oceans of the planet Pandora, and what details we have about new characters would appear to confirm that much.

Jake Sully

This will come as a surprise to absolutely nobody, but the main character of Avatar might be coming back for the franchise's sequels. Sam Worthington, who has spent the years since his breakout role in the original sci-fi blockbuster starring in movies like Clash of the Titans, Man on a Ledge and Sabotage, had signed a deal that would have seen him playing human-turned-Na'vi Jake Sully for the foreseeable future.

The Aussie actor was even the first to reveal the production start date in November 2013, saying, "I'll be grateful if it finishes. I think Jim is building the ship to Pandora, to be honest." But, now that we know the Avatar sequels will each tell different stories that simply form a complete saga, it's unclear if there will even be a role for Worthington in any of the planned films. Of course, production didn't start anywhere near November 2013, and has, in fact, still not begun to any significant degree, so casting on any of the sequels could change at any time.

Neytiri

If Jake Sully comes back, you know that his alien lady love would come back as well, and that had been the case. Like Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana had confirmed that she would be back as Neytiri in Avatar 2, 3, 4 and 5. The actress talked a bit about what she had seen from the production, and even admitted that she and James Cameron got very emotional discussing the story that was then supposed to play out over the next few years.

But, with Saldana becoming a queen of the sci-fi genre in her own right since the release of Avatar, taking part in not just the new Star Trek films, but also Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy, along with the fact that the Avatar sequels have yet to begun production in earnest, it's no longer a guarantee that she'll be involved in a major way. As with most of what's been happening with the Avatar franchise, we'll have to wait and see.

Dr. Grace Augustine

Many of you will probably remember that Dr. Grace Augustine (played by Sigourney Weaver) actually died in her Avatar form in the last movie, but, apparently, the original plan for Avatar 2 was not going to stop her from appearing in the sequel. Less than three months after Avatar's release in 2009, it was confirmed that Dr. Augustine has a place in Avatar 2. In October 2010, James Cameron explained the character's survival by saying "Nobody dies in a science fiction movie," but the real reason will presumably be revealed in the sequel, if Weaver's character will still be involved.

What we do know is that whatever form Weaver takes in Avatar 2 will be evolving over time. A few years ago she said that her part is a little bit different in each sequel and that she'll "transform somewhat" between them. However, it's possible her character has been transforming even within the script writing process. Even more recently, Weaver has said she's not actually playing the same character in the sequels as she did in the original. So, maybe Grace Augustine is dead after all, even though Sigourney Weaver will be back. It's hard to say for sure at this point.

Colonel Miles Quaritch

Remember that quote about nobody really dying in a science-fiction movie? Well, that rule apparently applies to Stephen Lang's Colonel Miles Quaritch, who we last saw getting two arrows through the chest courtesy of Neytiri. While audiences may have assumed that the villain had passed on, it turns out that's not the case. Described as the "Darth Vader" of the franchise, our last information on Quaritch said that he was going to continue to be an antagonistic force in all upcoming Avatar sequels. James Cameron has said that he has a very interesting and unexpected arc through the movies, so he's definitely a character to keep an eye on.

Other Returning Characters

In addition to these major returning characters, several other actors will be returning to the world of Pandora for Avatar 2, if not every sequel that comes after. Dileep Rao played Dr. Max Patel, one of the scientists on the Avatar program who comes to the aid of Jake Sully. Joel David Moore will be back in the role of Norm Spellman, another friend of Sully's, and the only human allowed to remain on Pandora after the rest of humanity is booted out at the end of the first film.

CCH Pounder will be back as Mo'at, the spiritual leader of the Na'vi. Also, Matt Gerald will be back as Corporal Lyle Wainfleet, which makes him no less than the third actor who will return for Avatar 2 despite the fact that the character died in the first movie.

The Children

The bulk of the new actors joining the cast of Avatar 2 are actually quite young. We know that the story will focus largely on the children of Jake Sully and Neytiri, as many years will have passed between the events of the first two Avatar movies. Jamie Flatters will play the oldest child of the two characters, a boy named Neteyam. Britain Dalton will play middle child Lo'ak. Youngest child, and only daughter Tuktirey will be played by the young Trinity Bliss..

There is a single confirmed human character being played by a child actor, Jack Champion will appear in the role of Javier 'Spider' Socorro. He was born at Hell's Gate, the former human colony, but prefers spending his time exploring Pandora.

Avatar 2 will also introduce us to an entirely new civilization of Pandora, the ocean-based Metkayina. Three major young roles have been cast from this group. Filip Geljo will play Aonung, the son of the Metkayina clan leader. Bailey Bass will play the role of Tsireya, a character described as a graceful and strong free diver. Finally, Duane Evans Jr. will play a character named Roxto.

Other New Characters

There are plenty of new grown up characters joining the cast of Avatar 2. The biggest addition to the cast is James Cameron's leading lady from Titanic Kate Winslet. She'll play a character named Ronal, but beyond a name we don't know much about her. Based on the fact that Winslet was holding her breath for seven minutes at a time during production, it leads one to believe she'll be playing one of the reef people of Pandora.

Other new actors joining the Avatar franchise include Fear the Walking Dead's Cliff Curtis as Tonowari, the chief of the reef people. Oona Chaplain will play Varang, who sounds like another Na'vi, but we don't really no for sure. Most recently, Jemaine Clement has joined the cast as one of the few confirmed new human characters, a marine biologist named Dr. Ian Garvin

New Technologies

James Cameron is known for his love of technology. He seems to always be looking for new ways to use the newest techniques to do something unique in his movies. His use of 3D in Avatar is one of the main reasons that the technology is still used today and his work on motion capture, especially with faces, was a big part of what Cameron used to sell Avatar to both the studio and the public.

But that was 2009, what has James Cameron been up to lately? Avatar producer Jon Landau has spoken with a man named Douglas Trumbull about a new film process that combines 4K resolution, 3D and high frame rates (up to 120 per second) into one package. This sounds like a match made in heaven for James Cameron. He's a big proponent of both 3D and HFR so it would be far from surprising if this tech was adopted for this, or future Avatar sequels.

Because 3D essentially requires two frames in order to create it, getting 3D and a high frame rate at the same time is difficult, add in four thousand lines of resolution and the math gets even more complicated. All these things together, however, could bring Pandora to life like never before.

Speaking of 3D technology, it's possible that the most challenging aspect of these new films will be Cameron's desire to use a 3D process that, wait for it, doesn't require the audience to wear special glasses while watching the movies. That technology is currently available, but the difficulty lies in utilizing it on a large screen meant for more than one viewer, and with people sitting at a wide variety of angles and distances from that screen.

In theory, scaling up a glasses-free 3D image should be possible, but it hasn't been done at this point, and the cost of the process isn't commercially viable yet. Of course, with all the delays that have already occurred with the Avatar sequels, it's not impossible that James Cameron's films could be delayed long enough for production and the tech to catch up to one another.

Future Sequels

Following Avatar 2 there will be at least three more movies. Avatar 3 is filming concurrently with Avatar 2, and is scheduled for a December 2023 release. Originally, the plan was to wait to film the other two movies until after Avatar 3 had been released. However, all that was before Disney purchased 21st Century Fox.

The latter two movies had not been officially given the green light by Disney at that point. but Avatar 4 and 5 are now on the official Disney release calendar and set for December 2025 and 2027 respectively. Based on how long these movies take to make, it seems likely the latter two films will be going into production earlier than previously planned.

Now, with so many delays behind this franchise already, you might be wondering if the current sequel schedule is now firmly set in stone. Well, not quite. James Cameron's high standards rule where this is concerned, and, to his mind, the important thing is doing the films right instead of simply doing them quickly. When asked a while back if the December 2018 release date for Avatar 2 was still correct, Cameron said:

We haven't moved that target yet, but we will if we need to. The important thing for me is not when the first one comes out but the cadence of the release pattern. I want them to be released as close together as possible. If it's an annual appointment to show up at Christmas, I want to make sure that we're able to fulfill on that promise.

So, it looks like, aside from some much appreciated perfectionism, Cameron is also concerned with the release pattern of all the sequels. He doesn't want Avatar 2 to be released and then end up having an unexpected delay for Avatar 3 or for one of the other films to stop the flow of Avatar goodness into theaters for the next few years. This likely means that all films will have to be pretty near to completion before we get to see Avatar 2 in theaters.

As always, stay tuned to CinemaBlend and we'll keep you up to date on all the latest in the Avatar 2 production saga.

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Willem Dafoe Has A Great Take On Robert Pattinson As Batman

Willem Dafoe Has A Great Take On Robert Pattinson As Batman

What does it take to play Batman? Early word has Robert Pattinson cast as the younger Caped Crusader for Matt Reeves' The Batman. While that hasn't been confirmed, it also hasn't stopped movie fans from commenting on Pattinson's merits. Most of the conversation has followed his acting in various films, with detractors often (but not always) mentioning Twilight, and his supporters pointing out the many other roles he's played.

But what about his physical features? To Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson has the key attribute on that front.

Right now, Robert Pattison is co-starring with Willem Dafoe in The Lighthouse, a black-and-white horror film that just opened to raves and awards at the Cannes Film Festival. While Dafoe was interviewed about the movie, he was asked to react to the idea of Pattinson as the new Batman. Here's Dafoe's take:

Listen, sure, why not? Why not? He's got a strong chin. That's a part of it. Can you imagine anyone with a weak chin ever playing Batman? I don't think so!

Sold! But seriously, is that the main criteria to be a good Batman -- a strong chin?

Looking back at past Batmans from Adam West and Michael Keaton to Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, and Ben Affleck -- they do seem to have good chins. A certain jawline does seem to be required, since the cowl covers everything but your mouth and chin. I would also argue that the Batman voice is essential. I'm not down for an overly growly Batman voice, if the actor does not naturally have a voice that low. Don't force it or you sound cartoonish.

Speaking of Willem Dafoe, though, the man knows from superhero movies. He's a great example for Robert Pattinson in how to balance indie films like The Lighthouse and superhero movies like Spider-Man (Norman Osborn) and Aquaman (Vulko).

During the rest of his talk with Variety, Willem Dafoe mentioned that he and "Rob" Pattinson work and rehearse very differently, which may have led to some creative tension on The Lighthouse set. No personal tension, he emphasized, but they didn't hang out or anything.

The Lighthouse sounds like it was an intense shoot in general, and Robert Pattinson said he came the closest he ever had to punching a director when filming a particularly drenching scene. Pattinson seems to approach his roles with a lot of intensity, and that should help if he does end up playing Bruce Wayne in The Batman.

So far, The Lighthouse has earned rave reviews, with a current rating of 100% from 31 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. There's no release date yet, beyond the recent Cannes premiere, but it's another intriguing project for Robert Pattinson's eclectic filmography, which may or may not also include The Batman in 2021.

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Anna Paquin Has Never Seen X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Anna Paquin Has Never Seen X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC live-action universe were battling for box office supremacy, Bryan Singer's 2000 hit X-Men broke new ground by proving the genre could be both profitable and popular. The X-Men property is still going strong today, with fans looking forward to the upcoming release of Dark Phoenix. The First Class and original trilogy collided with the ambitious X-Men: Days of Future Past, combining both casts of characters into one massive blockbuster.

Days of Future Past arrived in theaters back in 2014, and was a multi-tiered story that took place in both a dystopian future and 1973. While X-Men fans were happy to see so many familiar faces in one movie, one major mutant got left on the cutting room floor: Anna Paquin's Rogue. While she eventually got her scenes restored in the home video Rogue Cut, it turns out that Paquin has never seen the movie-- either version. As she recently revealed:

Truthfully, I haven't actually seen either [version]. Hey, everyone with newborn twins who sits down and watches films for their own pleasure, raise their hand. Not me.

Despite being an OG member of the X-Men franchise, it looks like Anna Paquin hasn’t seen her most recent appearance, and the finale to her trilogy’s story. But she’s got a good excuse, as she was still a new mother when Days of Future Past arrived in theaters.

Anna Paquin’s comments to EW about missing Days of Future Past mentions she had recently given birth at the time the blockbuster was released. Paquin and her husband and True Blood co-star Stephen Moyer had twins Poppy and Charlie Moyer in 2012, with the challenge of two babies proving too distracting for the actress to tune into Days of Future Past. And considering how her small role was ultimately cut from the theatrical release, the movie must have been even further from her mind.

While X-Men: Days of Future Past was a brave and bold part of the X-Men franchise, in the end it's just another gig for Anna Paquin. And when things in her personal life needed attention, she became less invested in the comic book property. Rogue hadn't factored heavily into the narrative since back in The Last Stand, so you can't blame Paquin for moving on with her life, while still being open for another cameo.

Rogue's role in Days of Future Past wasn't revealed until the film came out for home release, and the Rogue Cut arrived. After Logan lashed out and injured Ellen Page's Kitty Pryde, the future characters needed Rogue to relieve her. But they had to break her out of a mutant prison first, with Iceman and Magneto doing the honors, and reuniting her with the rest of the group. Iceman even perished in the process, giving him a death separate from the mass execution in the film's third act.

Ultimately, Rogue'e scenes weighed down Days of Future Past's already long runtime, so she ended up on the cutting room floor. Luckily Anna Paquin didn't seem too heartbroken, and her scenes were eventually made available to the fandom anyway. While the character became less vital to the story as the franchise lives on, Rogue's role in the first X-Men franchise was integral to the main plot, and the conflict between good and evil.

It should be interesting to see how Rogue functions onscreen once the deal between Disney and Fox is official. Rogue hasn't been part of the First Class franchise, which is set to continue with the upcoming release of Dark Phoenix. While she hasn't been seen onscreen in a number of years, that might change once the X-Men are adopted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Comic book fans are eager to see the mutants finally appear in the massive shared universe, although smart money says Disney will be rebooting the property, rather than simply incorporating the existing cast into the MCU.

This potential outcome is a bummer for fans who have followed the X-Men franchise for nearly two decades, but it opens up a ton of narrative possibilities for the titular team of Marvel heroes. Marvel Studios will get a fresh start at iconic characters like Wolverine, Cyclops, Magneto, and (hopefully) Rogue. Fans of Anna Paquin's signature X-Men character know that she's got a quite different origin in the comics than what was portrayed onscreen, so the MCU could break new ground and show a new side to casual moviegoers.

In the comics, Rogue is the adopted daughter of Mystique, who was trained to be a villain. Professor X eventually calls out to her, and she joins the X-Men and becomes a beloved member of the team. What's more, the backstory behind her powers directly relates to Carol Danvers, the character Brie Larson is bringing to theaters with Captain Marvel.

When working for Mystique, Rogue uses her power-stealing abilities to attack Carol Danvers aka Miss Marvel (this was before Captain Marvel became the character's primary name). She holds onto Carol so long that she absorbs her Kree abilities permanently, retaining super strength, near invulnerability, and flight-- in addition to her normal power. With Captain Marvel is set to be a major presence in the future of the MCU, it would be the perfect time to give Rogue the spotlight comic fans have been waiting for her to inhabit.

Unfortunately, most of Marvel's plans after Avengers: Endgame are a mystery. With the exception of Spider-Man: Far From Home, it's unclear what the future of the behemoth franchise holds. Fox and Disney's merger adds extra uncertainty to the situation, with the X-Men franchise still moving forward with the release of Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants. Additionally, there's the Deadpool franchise to worry about as well. While Disney will no doubt keep Ryan Reynolds character alive and well, fans have worried as to whether or not they'll still be rated R. All that remains to be seen, as the general public is left to wait for official news from either camp.

The next installment in the X-Men franchise will be Dark Phoenix on June 7th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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New Brightburn Trailer Shows Off Terrifying Superpowers

New Brightburn Trailer Shows Off Terrifying Superpowers

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Superman became a force of evil instead of a superhero? While it’s doubtful Warner Bros and DC will ever tell such a cinematic tale, Brightburn is essentially working with that premise, as the boy who’s wreaking havoc in the upcoming movie shares many of the same abilities as the Man of Steel. You can see these superpowers at work to instill terror rather than hope in the new Brightburn trailer below.

The first Brightburn trailer dropped back in December, but this latest preview provides a more in-depth look at how the young boy, Brandon Breyer (Jackson A. Dunn), turns to darkness. His story unfold similarly to Kal-El’s at first. Found by a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Breyer (David Denman and Elizabeth Banks), after landing on Earth as a baby, Brandon is seemingly raised in a loving and warm environment. Unfortunately for him, kids can be cruel, and while Clark Kent managed to make it through his formative years without being a social pariah, Brandon’s classmates have labeled him as a ‘creep.’ Eventually he hits his breaking point when he’s pushed to the ground and breaks the hand of the girl who’s been instructed to help him back up.

This is the moment that Brandon starts to realize just how powerful he is, as demonstrated by him putting his hand through a wood chipper and breaking the machinery. (Didn’t this happen on Smallville, too?) With the evil inside of him growing, Brandon doesn’t waste any time using his powers against others, with his first target being the mother of the girl he harmed, as she wanted him thrown in prison. Super strength, super speed, flight, heat vision, this kid basically has the same power set as Superman, making it easy for him to bring down planes and destroy houses. Despite his actions, Brandon’s mother still believes there is good inside of him, but his father is less convinced.

If this were a DC movie and Superman or someone like him went rogue, it would be easy enough to throw either another superpowered individual or some kind of advanced technology in this threat’s way. For Brightburn, which fits more snugly in the horror genre than the superhero realm, it’s unclear now Brandon Breyer will be neutralized, if at all. As far as we know, there isn’t anyone else in this world anywhere near as powerful as him, and there’s no sign yet that he has a kryptonite-like weakness. For what it’s worth, Brandon tells his mother at the end of the trailer that he wants to “do good,” but with all the destruction he’s caused and no sign of that darkness inside of him diminishing, the chances of him turning back to the light don’t seem likely.

Directed by David Yarovesky, produced by Guardians of the Galaxy’s James Gunn and written by Gunn’s brothers Mark and Brian, Brightburn hits theaters on May 24. If you’re interested in learning what other movies are coming out this year, look through our 2019 release schedule.

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Apparently China Is Really, Really Into Green Book

Apparently China Is Really, Really Into Green Book

This year’s recent Oscars ceremony may have ended in shock for many when Green Book took home Best Picture, but the movie's Oscar success has definitely been beneficial. Since the win, Green Book has seen been showing off its “Oscar halo” in 63 markets – including a 121% boost at the domestic box office and has just become No. 1 in China.

That’s right, China loves Green Book! The 2019 Best Picture opened at an impressive $17.2 million opening weekend behind How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (which made $33 million) and Alita: Battle Angel ($24 million) before rising to the top spot on Monday with an overall $25 million by Wednesday, per The Hollywood Reporter. Green Book is now the country’s second highest-grossing Best Picture winner, behind Titanic.

The movie is also scoring seriously high reviews from Chinese critics and moviegoers. For example, the movie received a 9.6 out of 10 rating on Maoyan, a Chinese ticketing app. But wait… Green Book is an all-American story about race relations in the deep South. What about that screams an instant hit for China? There are a few reasons why.

The answer is timing. The Academy Awards are well-followed in China and the Best Picture winner opened in theaters across the country just three days after the telecast. The award show created some effective buzz for Green Book, since the film took home three Oscars out of five nominations – including a second Supporting Actor win for Mahershala Ali and Best Original Screenplay.

Additionally, the richest man in China, tech tycoon and CEO of Alibaba Pictures, Jack Ma, was an investor on Green Book and made it well known to Chinese media. The film studio has also had a hand in investing Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Star Trek Beyond which made $181 and $65 million in China, respectively.

Another contributing factor to Green Book’s success in China is the same reason why the film was met with backlash and controversy over from American audiences. Many have criticized the movie for its mediocre approach in presenting the complexity of race relations and its use of the tiresome “white savoir” trope.

Green Book was also called out by the family of Don Shirley (played by Mahershala Ali), who called out the movie for being “full of lies” and the film is based off one of the film’s writers Nick Vallelonga recalling his own memories from his father (played by Viggo Mortenson). One important perspective of the race relations movie may seem to be missing due to this.

Many moviegoers in China don’t have intricate understanding of America’s complicated ties with racism, just as with Americans, many of us don’t claim to understand the history of the Chinese people. So what might have seemed “uninspired” to many in Green Book, may have been just China’s speed ­– as they needed little background knowledge to follow along.

Factors such as these is a good reminder of why some Hollywood movies become hits in unexpected markets and Green Book is the latest example.

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What Every Major Batman Actor Was Famous For Prior To Playing Bruce Wayne

What Every Major Batman Actor Was Famous For Prior To Playing Bruce Wayne

Since reports surfaced last week that Robert Pattinson would be playing the Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, the internet’s outcry has revolved around memories of the actor’s iconic Twilight role of Edward Cullen. Pattinson infamously glittered as a century-old vampire in love with an awkward teenage girl in the five film franchise between 2008 and 2012.

A petition has even made its way online already to boycott Robert Pattinson's casting, as fans have started to divide over the news of the upcoming Batman flick. It’s a predictable response that has happened time and time again during the comic book character’s many iterations over the years. The Dark Knight is beloved by many and fans have been burned before, so strong opinions are bound to come up when the news doesn’t match up with what’s expected or desired.

If past Batman portrayals have taught us anything, it’s this: what they're famous for before suiting up isn’t directly related to how great or not great they’ll be once they do. The filmmakers’ vision and ability to carry this out effectively is what defines a good Batman movie. In honor of The Batman reportedly moving forward with Robert Pattinson taking on the next Bruce Wayne performance, let’s venture back to every major Batman actor's impression on the public prior to their Batman debut.

Michael Keaton - Beetlejuice

Before taking on Batman in the first live-action version of the superhero in over 20 years, Michael Keaton was best known for playing in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice. The actor started out in a role that bared more of a resemblance to the Dark Knight’s arch nemesis Joker. If the internet had existed in those days, a lot of folks certainly voiced their concern for the choice considering how goofy and villainous Keaton's most famous role showcased him as. Of course, this collaboration with Burton (which he recently went back to with Dumbo) may have been the very reason why he got his foot in the door to play Batman in the first place.

Michael Keaton had a couple of other roles under his utility belt too. He had his first starring role in Ron Howard’s Night Shift, starring Henry Winkler and Shelley Long. He also played in two other comedies, Mr. Mom and Touch and Go. Looking back, Keaton’s Batman movies are on the more cheesy, comedic side as opposed to the brooding Dark Knights of today but his past roles didn’t exactly scream Bruce Wayne before he nabbed the part.

Val Kilmer - Top Gun

When Val Kilmer was cast in Batman Forever for Joel Schumacher’s first of two takes on the masked vigilante, he had not yet become the action hero we know him as today. The actor broke into Hollywood at 25 with the 1985 comedy Real Genius and then starred as Iceman one year later in the box office mega hit Top Gun. Kilmer definitely had the pretty boy charm to dazzle as the well-off Bruce Wayne. With an overstuffed cast and so-so movie however, the actor won’t go down in history as the best of the Batmen, but it wasn’t his fault, and his performance as the character is actually pretty underrated.

Val Kilmer’s casting as the Caped Crusader may have been a bit more straightforward in comparison to Michael Keaton’s, but the disappointing final product had a lot to do with the movie itself. It goes to show that good casting doesn’t always pan out for both the actor and the fans because there are a lot of moving parts that contribute to a movie finding its wings. Either way, Batman Forever still did well commercially and launched Kilmer in more action roles for years to come.

George Clooney - ER

We now move from the good to the kinda bad to the ugly. Joel Schumacher had another shot at a Batman film, this time with George Clooney as the Bat, and it’s famously a doozie. Even Clooney admitted Batman & Robin “wasn’t a good film” and he doesn’t think he was good in it. However, after he starred in the film Clooney really rose to stardom, much because he learned a lesson to be more choosy in his roles. Before there was Ocean’s Eleven, Up in the Air, The Descendants and Gravity, and before he suited up bat nipples and all, he was best known for playing a hunky doctor on ER.

George Clooney was a heartthrob on the small screen when he played Dr. Doug Ross on the NBC medical drama from 1994 to 1999 before he became Batman. Playing a good-looking hero certainly can’t help one’s chances at nabbing the role of Dark Knight. The actor could have done better as the Caped Crusader if it wasn’t for all the tacky puns and choices the movie made. The role has certainly stopped Clooney from looking in even the general direction of superhero franchises since the experience though.

Christian Bale - American Psycho

After Hollywood took a long break from making more Batman movies, Warner Bros decided to take a crack at Christopher Nolan’s darker take on the comic book hero starring Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne. Before he was known for the critically-acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy, Bale was most recognized as playing Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. The haunting role had Bale playing a psychopath with a thirst for violent fantasies - which isn’t exactly in line with Batman’s m.o.

Christian Bale had just finished playing an underweight insomniac for The Machinist too when he took on the role and packed on 100 pounds to play the Bat. He actually gained too much and had to drop down 20 before starring in 2005’s Batman Begins. Bale was the first English actor to play Batman, so he likely got some flack at the time for portraying an American hero - though today tons of British actors have successfully taken on superhero roles. The actor wasn’t an obvious choice when he was cast, but now is one the highest regarded actors who have donned the cape and cowl.

Ben Affleck - Argo

Unlike the other Batman actors, Ben Affleck was quite a seasoned actor when he was cast as Bruce Wayne for the DCEU. The actor had a presence in Hollywood for over 20 years, with famed roles in movies like Good Will Hunting, Armageddon, Daredevil and so forth. At the time of Affleck’s casting in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, he was most remembered for starring and directing in Argo, which won Best Picture at the Oscars in 2013.

With the legacy of Christian Bale’s Batman lurking in the shadows, the studio purposely went for an older, more seasoned Batman for the movie in order to avoid comparisons and skip out on telling his origin story again. When Ben Affleck was initially cast, many fans felt he was the wrong choice for the part. However, he ended up faring quite well among audiences as the character once he played the role on the big screen. Still, he never really got time to shine as he shared his screen time with Superman and the Justice League as DCEU attempted to form. After Justice League’s critical failure and Affleck dealing with substance abuse, he left the role and left the solo film wide open for yet another actor.

So now history repeats itself! It's time for another Batman. Robert Pattinson’s resume is actually a lot more extensive than his peers, as he has branched out to dramatic roles in films such as The Lost City of Z, Good Time and High Life along with leading the highly-successful Twilight franchise at the start of his career - oh, and he was in a Harry Potter film too!

From what we know so far about Matt Reeves project has a lot going for it too! The writer/director best known for the latest Planet of the Apes entries has a noir-type tale that will have him showing off his detective skills and going head-to-head with a rogue gallery of villains. So, why not Robert Pattinson? If he was cast in the role, Reeves must have thought he was the man for the job.

What do you think? Are you excited to see Pattinson join these fellas at the next Batman? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

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How Shazam! Set The Stage For Black Adam

How Shazam! Set The Stage For Black Adam

Warning: SPOILERS for Shazam! are ahead!

Shazam might not have a rogues gallery as big as Batman’s, but he does had a solid collection of color villains he’s repeatedly battled over the decades. The most popular of the bunch are Black Adam and Doctor Thaddeus Sivana. The former was originally supposed to face off against the hero previously known as Captain Marvel in the Shazam! movie, but plans changed and the latter was selected to take his place. However, Shazam! nonetheless alluded to Black Adam and set the stage for his eventual DC Extended Universe debut by giving audiences a snippet of his past.

Just like in the comics, Billy Batson was brought to the Rock of Eternity in Shazam! by the wizard Shazam to become his new champion. But before giving Billy his powers, the wizard tells Billy about the last champion he chose, who isn’t named, but it’s clearly Black Adam, originally known as Teth-Adam. Thousands of years earlier, Black Adam turned to the dark side and used his powers for evil, resulting in the Seven Deadly Sins being unleashed. Once they started running rampant, numerous civilizations fell and millions died, including Shazam’s comrades on the Council of Wizards, although it was left ambiguous whether the Sins were responsible for the Council’s destruction or Black Adam.

Either way, somehow the wizard Shazam managed to contain the spirits of the Seven Deadly Sins within mystical statues, and while it wasn’t explained why happened to Black Adam, evidently his reign of terror also ended since he’s not wreaking havoc in the present day. Because everything went so horribly with Black Adam, the wizard vowed to select only someone pure of heart to be his next champion. It took several millennia for him to finally find a worthy successor, with the adolescent Thaddeus Sivana failing to impress in 1974 and Billy Batson ultimately inheriting the mantle in 2019.

That was the extent to which Black Adam factored into Shazam!, which makes sense given that Doctor Sivana was the main threat in the movie. It was important not to overshadow Sivana’s retrieval of the Seven Deadly Sins and his quest to take the wizard Shazam’s power for himself. It doesn’t matter, though, because that Black Adam seed has been planted nicely, and the character has a bright future ahead of him on the silver screen.

In late 2014, around the time that Warner Bros announced its initial slate of DCEU films, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was finally confirmed to be playing Black Adam in the franchise, having previously agreed to play the antagonist in a previous live action Shazam! movie that was scrapped in 2009. Then at the beginning of 2017, it was announced that Black Adam would get his own solo movie. While the DCEU has a lot of movies in development, not all of which will never move forward, given Shazam!’s positive critical reception and the likelihood that it will do well at the box office, it stands to reason that Black Adam stands a better chance of being made. After all, if Warner Bros is willing to move forward with a Trench spinoff following Aquaman’s gargantuan success, then a Black Adam movie with Johnson, arguably the world’s biggest movie star, playing the lead, is an enticing prospect.

Although he was initially depicted as a straightforward supervillain, in the modern era Black Adam has morphed into an anti-hero, with comic book readers learning about his tragic past in ancient Kahndaq and his goals switching from generic world domination to doing whatever it takes to protect his people, usually resulting in him taking the Kahndaqian throne and still getting on a lot of DC heroes’ bad sides. Undateable’s Adam Sztykiel is writing the Black Adam movie and Hiram Garcia is producing, but no plot details have been officially revealed yet. It would be easy enough for Black Adam to be a prequel showing how he met the wizard Shazam and his fall from grace, but a rumor from That Hashtag Show claims that Sztykiel’s latest is a present day set story, with Hawkman, Stargirl and Atom Smasher appearing.

Regardless, assuming all goes according to plan, Black Adam will get the spotlight for himself, and considering how he’s been developed over the years, he’s definitely a compelling enough character to lead his own movie, not to mention that DC has already played around with villain/anti-hero-led movies with 2016’s Suicide Squad (which is finally getting a sequel in 2021). Still, at his core, Black Adam is a Shazam adversary, and it’s be foolish to think that these two won’t eventually fight in the DCEU. That said, those of you looking forward to seeing Shazam and Black Adam clash on the big screen might have to wait longer for that rumble.

In the Shazam! mid-credits scene, Dr. Sivana, who is now depowered after Billy Batson seized the Eye of Envy from him and trapped the Seven Deadly Sins back within it, was shown in prison obsessively scrawling runes on the walls in a desperate attempt to get back to the Rock of Eternity. He then hears a voice telling him that there are other ways to obtain powers, and that by teaming up together, the two of them could rule the “seven realms.” This voice belongs to the diminutive, yet sinister Mister Mind, the super intelligent worm who was seen in 1974 being held in a glass case at the Rock of Eternity, but had escaped his confinement by the time Billy Batson showing up there, breaking free after Sivana became possessed by the Seven Deadly Sins, which led to quite the kerfuffle in the wizard’s lair.

Just like how Aquaman’s mid-credits scene set up that Aquaman 2 will follow Black Manta helping Stephen Shin find Atlantis in exchange for the marine biologist assisting the mercenary in exacting revenge on Arthur Curry, Shazam! seems to be teasing that Shazam! 2 will follow Dr. Sivana and Mister Mind working together to defeat the Shazam family and conquer these mysterious seven realms. If that’s the case, then there’s a good chance that Black Adam won’t appear in the sequel either, or if he does, it will only be for a cameo.

Although Black Adam has been part of Mister Mind’s Monster Society of Evil in the comics, given how much more prominent he’s become in the DC universe, as well as the already-announced plans for him on film, it’s reasonable to assume he wouldn’t be a side player in Shazam! 2. Given how much trouble Dr. Sivana gave Billy Batson in his origin story, him returning with Mister Mind and whatever monstrous allies they’ve recruited to their cause is more than enough to cause trouble Billy and the rest of the Shazam family. That said, maybe Shazam! 2 could tease Black Adam finally preparing to face off against Billy in its own mid/post-credits scene.

As things stand now, and assuming the Shazam! corner of the DCEU will go on for a long time, I predict that Black Adam will show up in Shazam! 3, which will arrive after the Black Adam movie does. Depending on how Black Adam is received, maybe there’s even a chance that a sequel could come out before Shazam! 3, but I suspect that the Shazam vs. Black Adam brawl is being saved for the big ‘finale,’ much like how the Avengers didn’t fight Thanos in his forces until Avengers: Infinity War, with the rematch occurring later this month in Avengers: Endgame. Shazam and Black Adam is an event that’s definitely an event that’s worth spending as much time on as necessary to ensure it looks excellent. Make no mistake, though, barring some last-minute, unforeseen, radical turn of events, Black Adam is coming to the DCEU and he’ll make a lot of noise.

Be sure to read CinemaBlend’s review of Shazam! and what other members of our staff thought of the movie. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all things Shazam and Black Adam-related as more details come in. For now, look through our DC movies guide to learn what else is in development for the DCEU.

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