James Cameron Refused To Make Terminator: Dark Fate Without Arnold Schwarzenegger

James Cameron Refused To Make Terminator: Dark Fate Without Arnold Schwarzenegger

With the exception of Terminator Salvation (though his likeness was still used in that), Arnold Schwarzenegger has participated in every Terminator movie, and Terminator: Dark Fate is no exception. Dark Fate also marks the return of Terminator franchise mastermind James Cameron, who is producing while Deadpool’s Tim Miller handles directing duties.

That being said, before signing on to Terminator: Dark Fate, James Cameron made it clear that he would only participate if Arnold Schwarzenegger was involved as well, as those two have been friendly with one another for decades. In Cameron’s words:

I said 'Look I'd love to be involved in this, but I can't be involved in a Terminator movie without working with my good friend of 35 years, Arnold Schwarzenegger, even if it's to officially pass the baton to a new generation of characters. So that's what we all agreed to do. Then the question became what about Linda [Hamilton], does Linda want to come back?

James Cameron then added in the now-pulled interview he’d done with Flicks and the City that there was never a plan to have a new actress play Sarah Connor, as was done in Terminator Genisys, where Emilia Clarke played the character. If Linda Hamilton hadn’t wanted to reprise Sarah, then Sarah wouldn’t have been included.

Fortunately for James Cameron and the Terminator: Dark Fate team, Linda Hamilton was willing to appear on camera again as Sarah, her first time doing so since 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgement Day (though she did vocally cameo in Terminator Salvation). And from what we've seen so far, she won't be lacking in badass action scenes.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day also marked James Cameron’s last direct contribution to the Terminator franchise until Terminator: Dark Fate, but evidently he and Arnold Schwarzenegger have remained close in the nearly three decades since then. So after James Cameron regained the Terminator film rights, he refused to pitch in with Dark Fate until Schwarzenegger’s involvement was cemented. Though it’s not like Cameron really had anything to worry about, as Schwarzenegger is still the face of this franchise.

While Arnold Schwarzenegger’s age wasn’t an issue in the first three Terminator movies (though his skin was sagging a little in Rise of the Machines), it definitely needed to be acknowledged by the time Terminator Genisys rolled around. That movie had Schwarzenegger playing Guardian, a.k.a. Pops, a T-800 sent back to look after Sarah Connor as a child. As the years passed, Guardians’s skin covering aged like a normal human’s and his robotic body was somewhat in a state of disrepair in the present day.

We’ll meet another aged T-800 model in Terminator: Dark Fate, although it’s worth remembering that this movie is only serving as a direct sequel to the first two Terminator movies, with the entries in between having occurred in different timelines. It’s unclear how this T-800 specifically fits into the story other than that he will help protect Natalie Reyes’ Dani Ramos, who’s being hunted by a Rev-9 Terminator, played by Gabriel Luna.

It’s also worth mentioning that back in 2017, James Cameron talked about the possibility of including the human who served as the inspiration for the T-800's design. Whether or not that will be part of Terminator: Dark Fate remains to be seen, although Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines did touch on that in a deleted scene.

Still, given James Cameron’s mention of passing the baton (which he’s said before), if Terminator: Dark Fate gets a sequel, we should prepare ourselves for the possibility that this movie will serve as a swan song for Arnold Schwarzenegger and/or Linda Hamilton. If that’s the case, then this would definitely be a major, if not the biggest, shift for the Terminator franchise yet.

Terminator: Dark Fate hits theaters on November 1, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for continuing coverage. In the meantime, look through our 2019 release schedule to learn what other movies are coming out this year.

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In The Heights Movie, An Updated Cast List

In The Heights Movie, An Updated Cast List

Movie musicals have always been a tried and true genre in the film world, and there have been quite a few major hits over the years. It's a genre with a penchant for awards attention, with movies like Chicago, La La Land, and Les Miserables all able to pick up Oscars. In the world of musical theater, there's currently no name quite as famous as Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the writer/actor is currently developing the film adaptation of his first Broadway hit, In The Heights.

In The Heights broke new ground by bringing hip hop to Broadway, and a movie has been slowly developing for a number of years. But things appear to be moving forward, as Lin-Manuel Miranda and company have begun assembling the movie adaptation's cast. And there's some impressive talent attached.

Anthony Ramos (Usnavi)

Hamilton star Anthony Ramos is playing the lead role of Usnavi in In The Heights, after taking a run as the character in the Kennedy Center Production. Following the wild success of Hamilton, Ramos began getting more film work, and you might recognize his face from certain high profile projects. After starring in Spike Lee's Netflix series She's Gotta Have It and a recurring role in Will & Grace, Ramos co-starred alongside Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born as Ally's best friend Ramon.

Jimmy Smits (Kevin Rosario)

Another big name attached to In the Heights is Jimmy Smits, who has had a long career in film and TV. Smits is known for his roles in Dexter, Star Wars, as well as Sons of Anarchy. Smits is playing Kevin Rosario in the In The Heights movie, the patriarch of the Rosario family. Smits isn't necessarily known for his singing, and it should be interesting to see if he ends up getting belt out Kevin's big number "Inútil".

Daphne Rubin-Vega (Carla)

While not exactly a household name for her work in film, Daphne Rubin-Vega is a name that any self-respecting Broadway fan knows well. Rubin-Vega originated the role of Mimi in RENT on Broadway, and can be heard on the cast recording. She's one of two original cast members didn't appear in the film version, with Rosario Dawson taking on the mantle of Mimi. Aside from her continued work on the stage, Rubin-Vega was seen in NBC's Smash, and the Sex and the City movie. She'll play Carla, owner of the neighborhood salon.

Corey Hawkins (Benny)

Corey Hawkins' star power has been growing over the past few years, due to his work in both television and movies. On the small screen, he had brief stint on The Walking Dead, he lead the ill-fated 24 reboot. And in movies, Hawkins had roles in BlackKklansman and Straight Outta Compton. Hawkins is playing Benny, one of the few non-latin characters in the cast. He's got In the Heights' main love story on his shoulders, and should be belting out a variety of iconic songs.

Dascha Polanco (Cuca)

Dascha Polanco is best known for her leading role as Daya in Netflix's Orange is the New Black. She's also had roles in Joy and American Crime Story, but In The Heights should be a major moment for her career. There's just one question: who is she playing? Polanco was announced to be playing Cuca, but she's not a character in the stage play. Will she work in Carla's salon? We'll just have to wait for more information.

Olga Merediz (Abuela Claudia)

Olga Merediz is another In The Heights cast member who audiences should recognize, but might not be able to figure out where. She's also another Orange is the New Black alum, as Merediz has a recurring character in Lourdes, Gloria Mendoza's Aunt. Merediz will be playing Abuela Claudia, the adoptive grandmother of not only Anthony Ramos' Usnavi, but the entire barrio.

Stephanie Beatriz (Carla)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Stephanie Beatriz is heading back to theaters with In The Heights, and should be lending her speaking and singing voice to the role of Carla. Beatriz has played Rosa Diaz in B99 for a whopping 130 episodes, and clearly has the comedic chops and experience to play Carla. In the stage version of In The Heights, Carla is Daniela's dimwitted best friend who has a passion for neighborhood gossip.

Gregory Diaz (Sonny)

Lin-Manuel Miranda is presumably going to make some changes to the characters and plot of In The Heights, to best adapt the Tony Award winning musical onto the silver screen. One of these changes can be seen with the casting of Gregory Diaz as Sonny. Sonny is Usnavi's younger cousin, although he's usually at least high school aged, and helping to run the convenience store with Usnavi. But he's going to be much younger in the movie version, and it should be interesting to see how Diaz balances Sonny's comedic beats with his penchant or social justice.

Melissa Barrera (Vanessa)

Vanessa is the subject of Usnavi's affection, and should be equal parts ambitious bombshell and caring member of the community. The In The Heights movie has cast Melissa Barrera in the role. Barrera is best known for starring in Starz's LatinX drama Vida, which is set to debut it second season shortly. Vanessa also belts out some crazy high notes, so the actress should probably start warming up now.

Leslie Grace (Nina Rosario)

Nina and Benny have the main love story of In The Heights, so casting for the ingenue was very important. Ultimately Lin-Manuel Miranda and company landed on Leslie Grace to play the college student who returns home for hard lesson. While not a film star, Grace is a recording artist who is also a New York City native. Starring in the In The Heights movie has the potential to be a major moment in Grace's career, and possibly herald in a film career. One thing is clear: she's not going to have any problem singing.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's In The Heights cast is coming together, making the upcoming movie finally feel real. And while Hamilton may be a bigger title at this point, bringing Usnavi and The Barrio to the silver screen will allow casual fans who appreciate his other Broadway musical. In The Heights was no sleeper hit either, as it won the Tony for Best Musical, and was even nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

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Spider-Man: Far From Home Wants Nick Fury To Be The Anti-Tony Stark

Spider-Man: Far From Home Wants Nick Fury To Be The Anti-Tony Stark

When Marvel Studios officially brought the character of Spider-Man (Tom Holland) over to the MCU, they immediately paired the teenage superhero with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) as a portal into the world and also a mentor. That relationship, which started in Captain America: Civil War, grew throughout Spider-Man: Homecoming… especially when Tony had to save Spidey’s ass on the State Island Ferry. And it took a tragic turn in Avengers: Infinity War, when Tony failed to save Peter from the Snap.

The MCU doesn’t have Tony Stark anymore, but Spider-Man will still have help in his next adventure, Spider-Man: Far From Home. As you guys likely saw in the trailers, Samuel L. Jackson will bring Nick Fury across the “pond” to hijack Peter Parker’s European vacation, and recruit Spider-Man in his battle against the Elementals, dangerous creatures from another universe.

CinemaBlend got the opportunity to visit the set of Spider-Man: Far From Home and interview director Jon Watts, and we learned that he wants Fury in this story to be the complete opposite of what Tony was to Peter in Homecoming. Watts said:

I always wanted to put our idealistic teenage hero Peter Parker against a jaded, world-weary super spy like Nick Fury. I always thought that would be such a great combination of conflict and relationship to explore. That was something that was in my very, very, very first pitch, and my very first meeting at Marvel. I was like, ‘I want to see this kid go up against this bad motherfucker.’ You know? And Tony Stark is like the cool, supportive rich uncle. Nick Fury is more like the mean, new stepdad. And I just thought it would be really fun to see those two worlds collide.

When Nick Fury approaches Spider-Man to help him on this mission, Peter initially refuses. He asks if Thor (Chris Hemsworth) or Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) might be better fits, as Peter still sees himself as that friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man.

But Fury is putting together a team to fight the Elementals, and it will include Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), who appears to be from a multiverse Earth.

While visiting the set, we spent time with Executive Producer Eric Carroll, who elaborated on the decision to bring Nick Fury into Spider-Man’s corner of the MCU, and how Fury will fit. He told us:

One of the themes we wanted to play with was youth. It's the timeless theme of these coming-of-age movies. Why do adults operate in the grey? Spider-Man is like, ‘This is easy. Let's just do the right thing.’ Or, ‘Let's just tell people what's going on and everyone will be okay.’ And Nick Fury's like, ‘That's not how the world works, kid.’ So, [Peter] just gets wrapped up in this sort of spy adventure, being driven by Fury and getting more and more caught between how he wants to operate and how he's being told he should operate.

This led to a big question on the set: Who is Nick Fury working for? S.H.I.E.L.D. is a complicated organization, and Fury has been off the grid for some time. Eric Carroll didn’t address the situation directly, but instead told us:

Nick's still doing what he does -- operating out of the shadows. I think he probably gets some funding from his buddy Tony [Stark], and stuff like that, to keep up this thing. There's even a line in the movie where he's kind of like, ‘Any other interesting case files come in?’ So it sort of seems like he's just trying to keep the planet safe in the way he does, which is looking out for these sort of extra-normal events. And making sure he and whatever team he puts together is there when the... you know.

He likely has a direct connection to all surviving Marvel heroes, and that would include Captain Marvel. But for this mission, he wants Spider-Man, whether Spider-Man wants it or not.

Take a look at the teaming of Peter Parker and Nick Fury in the latest Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer:

We will have even more from our set visit to Spider-Man: Far From Home. The movie hits theaters on July 2. Are you planning on checking it out?

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8 Zac Efron Movies That Prove He's Bigger Than High School Musical

8 Zac Efron Movies That Prove He's Bigger Than High School Musical

Zac Efron has come a long way from East High School with his starring role in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile, on Netflix now. Looking back to 2006, Zac Efron was at the forefront of High School Musical, a corny-but-peppy-and-bubbly Disney Channel original movie that became a full pop culture phenomenon, the likes of which likely surprised even the folks at Disney. It was an overnight sensation — literally — once it aired on the Disney Channel that fateful evening. Since then, Zac Efron has been a household name, and has earned no shortage of adoring fans.

However, because of his success in this three-part film series, there are some folks out there who still associate Zac Efron's acting with his work as Troy Bolton in High School Musical. Despite his best efforts to branch out and expand himself as an actor, there are some musical lovers out there who only see Zac Efron for the work he did in the past without recognizing his developing talents. That's not really fair. In the past decade, Zac Efron has proven to be a versatile, charismatic performer, having varied himself well enough to be more than his work in the Disney Channel trilogy. He should be accredited as an accomplished, talented and dedicated actor.

Much like how we are not much like our high school selves once we get older, Zac Efron has grown up and matured in a strong, promising actor. He has developed an esteemed resume and shown himself to be an established actor in many different respects. So, let's take a moment to showcase a number of the roles that prove that he's bigger than his hit performances in High School Musical 1, 2, and 3.

Me And Orson Welles

In 2008, shortly after he rose to celebrity through his appearances in High School Musical 1 & 2, Zac Efron worked alongside director Richard Linklater in the period piece biopic Me and Orson Welles, which followed a starry-eyed teenager who got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with the great Orson Welles in his 1937 production of Julius Caesar. It was certainly the work of a young performer, but it gave audiences outside of the High School Musical fanbase a chance to see an actor on the rise.

Plus, it showcased that had dramatic range and potential that wasn't fully explored in those TV movie musicals. Sure enough, as the years went on, the actor would continue to prove himself in a variety of different performances.

The Lorax

While Zac Efron rose to super-status through his vocal pipes, singing tunes for High School Musical, the actor reached a new career phase when he did his first voice-only performance in The Lorax, Illumination Entertainment's 2012 feature-length adaptation of Dr. Seuss beloved children's book. As the voice of Ted Wiggins, the child protagonist, Zac Efron uses his popularity with the younger crowds to draw viewers into this new take on the old environmental tale. While the film itself didn't win over many critics, it provided Zac Efron with one of his first major box office smashes. During its 2012 release, The Lorax made over $348 million worldwide.

During its 2012 release, The Lorax made over $348 million worldwide. That's not too bad for a first big animated outing.

Neighbors

After a series of unremarkable performances in inert or underwhelming dramas, Zac Efron finally found his calling outside of High School Musical. And it was in the comedy department. In a role that allowed the rising actor to finally be free from the restraints of Disney's child-friendly image, Zac Efron appeared alongside Seth Rogen in 2014's surprise hit R-rated comedy Neighbors, allowing the actor to prove his comedic chops (while also not being afraid to take off his shirt a few times).

Though the comedies he appeared in afterwards didn't acquire the same success (See: Baywatch and Bad Grandpa), Efron's work in Neighbors proved that he was on his way up the ladder, creatively. Plus, could be really funny, to boot.

The Disaster Artist

As anyone who has seen The Room will note, the role of Chris-R is just as puzzling and bizarre as anything else in Tommy Wiseau's elusive passion project. Yet, the actor who played the role, Dan Janjigian, gave a convincingly menacing and surprisingly compelling performance, channeling more believable and palpable emotion intensity in just one scene than anyone else did throughout the entirety of the movie. It is often considered the one good performance in a film that's certainly less-than-great, and Zac Efron certainly had his work cut out for him.

In James Franco's dramedy biopic, The Disaster Artist, Efron played Janjigian/Chris-R in a similar memorable sequence, and he reportedly went method in the same way his on-screen persona did. Once again, Zac Efron proved his talents are quite versatile.

The Greatest Showman

Following 2008's High School Musical 3, Zac Efron opted not to participate in any more movie musicals. The actor was focused more on comedic and dramatic roles, challenging himself as an actor and pushing himself more as a performer. It wasn't until nine years later when he appeared in The Greatest Showman that he got a chance to sing and dance again.

Sure enough, while it was nearly a decade after his first movie musical, Zac Efron was far from rusty in the singing department. The box office numbers and chart-topping album sales also suggest that audiences will continue to come out in droves to see Efron belt out a tune or two in a theater near them. Plus, this time, Zac Efron got to sing as a very much adult character dealing with the period issues of the day.

The Beach Bum

Similar to how fellow High School Musical alum (and Efron's former fling) Vanessa Hudgens moved away from her Disney image with Harmony Korine's cult hit Spring Breakers, Zac Efron wanted to work with the auteur indie director to push himself as an actor into more adult territory. The result is a limited-but-impressive turn in The Beach Bum, Korine's recent follow-up to Spring Breakers, which finds Efron playing the role of Flicker, a hard-drinking, Creed-loving, Panini beard-wearing party-lover who mirrors Matthew McConaughey's titular Beach Bum on his path to self destruction.

Even though he is only in the movie for 10 minutes -- maybe 15 minutes max -- it is a great and unique turn for Zac Efron. And it's another performance that shows Zac Efron's talents as a supporting actor, beyond his leading man roles. Plus, just look at that facial hair.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile

In what could easily be described as his most controversial role to date, Zac Efron's performance as Ted Bundy in the historical drama Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile was met with a great deal of trepidation and concern from the media due to the subject matter at hand. The story of Ted Bundy is not for the faint of heart, and it was certainly a far cry from Zac Efron's Disney days. Yet, through his involvement in this film, Zac Efron provided a meta thesis to the dramatization of this true story.

Zac Efron's charisma and good looks are eerily similar to the late serial killer, and it shows how the media painted a muddled picture of the events that caused people to question whether a person like Ted Bundy could commit such heinous crimes, despite the stark evidence that suggested — over and over — that he did. It's an intriguingly metatexual performance, and one that shows Efron's dramatic range.

As a young, on-the-rise actor, Zac Efron is continuing to prove himself with a variety of different movies and shows. The actor is steadily expanding and challenging himself in different roles and with different opportunities, and there's a good chance that we'll continue to see Zac Efron's stardom rise in the future. For now, though, we hope we showed you how Zac Efron continues to develop and excel an actor, and how he is much bigger than his work in the High School Musical movies.

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The Incredible Way Pet Sematary Uses Sound To Amplify Its Scares

The Incredible Way Pet Sematary Uses Sound To Amplify Its Scares

The scares in a horror movie seldomly only comes from the terrors on screen. The genre has long used music cues and precise sound design to create a complete sensory experience that has audiences jumping out of their seats and belting out screams. It looks like the upcoming remake of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary is no exception.

CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell spoke with Pet Sematary directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer at SXSW, where the film premiered. Check out what Kölsch said about the importance of focusing sound design in the horror epic:

We said going in that the one thing we really wanted to capture was the chapter in the book where they bury the cat - people online have called that Stephen King’s scariest chapter. If you go back and you read it, they are just on a journey through the woods and a swamp. They’re not encountered by anything. Louis maybe thinks he sees something moving in the trees that might be the Wendigo but every single thing in that chapter is all sound. It’s all describing the feeling of this forest through sound. So we went in going, we have to really get a great sound design team because we want to do this chapter and we want to have this journey and we’re not going to want to show anything.

In CinemaBlend’s recent interview with the Pet Sematary filmmakers, they explained the inspiration on the movie’s sound design came straight from the pages of Stephen King’s 1983 novel. Kevin Kölsch maintains that while one chapter in the horror bestseller when Louis and Jud go to bury Winston Church the cat may be regarded as the author’s scariest chapter to date, the contents of the chapter is not visually terrifying scene. It’s all about what they don’t see.

Enter sound design. A simple journey through the woods and swamp in which they fear the Wendigo is all captured through the music notes and noises the sound team worked on the film. It really is amazing how sound can inform audiences into the tension of the scene and terrify audiences, even when what’s happening on screen is as simple as a nervous walk through the woods. As director Dennis Widmeyer said:

What you don’t see is stronger.

Looks like fans of the novel Pet Sematary may find some satisfaction in watching the upcoming remake since the directors paid so much attention to replicating details like these into their iteration of the horror film. Check out the directors talk about sound design below:

There has already been a huge change made from the original novel, as the daughter instead of the son in the Creed family will be killed in an accident and then resurrected in an ancient graveyard. Stephen King has however voiced his understanding of the justification, along with calling the movie “fucking great!”

Stephen King’s sentiments about the new Pet Sematary has also been echoed by critics, who have largely praised the movie for being crazy scary, and a great adaptation to the classic horror novel. The 1989 movie hasn’t exactly aged well, and horror is making serious waves right now. Just look at how much Jordan Peele’s Us opening weekend box office record. So this is a welcome story to explore all over again.

This Friday, Pet Sematary will open alongside Shazam!, DC’s next superhero origin story. While the high-flying action flick is expected to win the weekend at around $45 million, Pet Sematary is tracking close behind at $30 million.

So get ready for some serious tension when you see Pet Sematary, thanks to the movie’s sound design. The movie will be the first of two King adaptations to come out in 2019, as IT: Chapter 2 delivers more frights on September 6, 2019.

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Taika Waititi Wins For Best Reaction To James Gunn's Guardians 3 Return

Taika Waititi Wins For Best Reaction To James Gunn's Guardians 3 Return

When news broke yesterday that James Gunn had been reinstated to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 after his firing last summer, there were wide-ranging emotions and reactions to the news. People were elated, surprised, and quite frankly astonished at this reversal of fortunes, while James Gunn himself expressed humility and gratitude. The best reaction to the news, though, came from Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi. Take a look:

Leave it to Taika Waititi to deliver the funniest response to the James Gunn news. While everyone else was celebrating James Gunn’s return, Taika Waititi acted shocked and appalled in his tweet that he didn’t get the job and will not be directing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, losing out to a guy that he didn’t even think was in the running.

To appreciate Taika Waititi’s joke, you have to have followed the James Gunn/Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 saga to know why Taika would even pretend he was going to direct the film. After James Gunn’s firing, there were a lot of questions about if Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 even would or should happen, and if it did, who would and could direct it.

The name that came up most in those conversations was Taika Waititi. The Kiwi director, who so endeared himself to Marvel fans with Thor: Ragnarok, seemed to be the only obvious choice to replace Gunn. Taika Waititi has an irreverent comedic style that, although not the same as Gunn’s, seemed to be the closest approximation fans could hope for.

There were even reports that Taika Waititi had met with Marvel, leading to speculation that it was about Guardians 3. His name also seemed to be the only one other than James Gunn’s that fans would accept. If you hear something enough you start to believe it, and with all that talk about him directing Guardians, Taika Waititi could almost have believed it himself -- even though he said that he had no interest and believed that Guardians belonged to James Gunn.

We now know that Marvel never even met with or considered other filmmakers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Sorry Taika, not only did you not get the job, you weren’t even in the running. It appears that James Gunn was always going to be the once and future director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

So now James Gunn is directing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Suicide Squad, showing that one doesn’t need to swear allegiance to one comic book company. As for Taika Waititi, he may not have got the Guardians gig, but he still has plenty on his plate. He followed up Ragnarok with his new Nazi satire movie Jojo Rabbit, which has not yet set a release date, and he recently directed an episode of the new Star Wars Disney+ series The Mandalorian.

Check out our 2019 release schedule to see all the biggest movies heading to theaters this year and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest movie news.

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Sorry, Kevin Conroy Isn't Voicing Batman For Shazam!

Sorry, Kevin Conroy Isn't Voicing Batman For Shazam!

The long awaited second trailer for Shazam! debuted last week, and in it there is a fun moment where Shazam throws a large Batman doll at Mark Strong’s Doctor Sivana. The toy delivers the Dark Knight’s trademark line “I’m Batman!”, and some fans excitedly thought that it was Batman: The Animated Series actor Kevin Conroy whose voice they were hearing. Sorry, but sadly, that is not the case, as director David F. Sandberg explained:

I hate to disappoint but it’s sound designer/supervisor Bill Dean getting to live out his dream of being Batman.

In his response to a fan’s query on Reddit, David F. Sandberg cleared up the issue of who is voicing the Batman doll in the Shazam! trailer, revealing that despite fan speculation, it is not Kevin Conroy, the iconic voice of the Caped Crusader throughout numerous television shows, animated movies and video games. Instead, Shazam! sound designer and supervising sound editor Bill R. Dean got to lend his own dulcet tones to the character.

By the sound of it, Bill Dean has long dreamt of being Batman (who hasn’t?), and this gave him the opportunity to forever have his voice attached to the superhero, albeit a toy version of him. It is also perhaps the highest compliment you could give someone doing a Batman voice to mistake them for Kevin Conroy.

So on top of living out his dream of being Batman in this small way, Bill Dean should be quite proud of himself, knowing that his “I’m Batman!” sounded like the most iconic voice ever attached to the character. It’s also quite cool of David F. Sandberg to let him have some fun and deliver this line.

Admittedly, it would have been awesome to have Kevin Conroy lend his voice to the Batman toy as a fun Easter egg in Shazam!, but this is presumably the only time the Batman voice is used in the film, so it would have been unnecessary.

Although, it’s a pity that Matt Reeves hasn’t cast his Batman yet, because one fun idea would have been to have the new actor playing Batman in his film say the iconic line and let audiences spend the next couple of years trying to figure out who it was.

While Kevin Conroy isn’t voicing the Batman toy in Shazam!, you can still hear his Bruce Wayne in a movie this year. Justice League vs The Fatal Five is the latest DC animated universe film and it reunites Kevin Conroy’s Caped Crusader with some other voices from the beloved Justice League animated series, George Newbern’s Superman and Susan Eisenberg’s Wonder Woman. Justice League vs The Fatal Five releases digitally on March 30 and on home video on April 16.

Shazam! bolts into theaters on April 5 and the early reactions to the film are very positive. Check out our 2019 release schedule to keep track of all the biggest movies headed to theaters this year.

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