warner bros.
Four-minute preview reveals Batman Live to be a trippy fever dream
While the pre-overhaul Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark seemed somewhat avant garde, maybe even surreal, with its eight-legged spider goddess, Swiss knife-inspired villainess and DayGlo Goblin, the upcoming Batman Live struck me as pretty straightforward: For all of its bullet-time effects, the first trailer for the arena tour looked like someone had simply translated Batman: Hush into a live-action production.
But then today England’s Liverpool Echo released a four-minute sneak peek of the show, and “straightforward” went right out the window. The sequence, bathed in black light, is somehow both languid and manic, with Batman confronted first by a gigantic head of Joker, and then by his minions — who form the teeth of the demonic maw before dropping down and rolling onto the stage. The scene turns even more disturbing as the henchmen form into some kind of psychedelic majorette troupe that’s seen too many performances of Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk. All the while, Dick Grayson is being held captive in … a big hamster ball.
Watch the trailer after the break (you won’t be sorry). Batman Live opens July 19 in England, and then finds its way to North America in August 2012. After seeing this delirium-inducing preview, all I can say is it can’t get here soon enough.
- July 5, 2011 @ 09:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
Check out DC Entertainment’s swanky new headquarters
The Pointe, the new home of DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment’s new Burbank, Calif., headquarters isn’t quite Titans Tower, but it’ll do.
The Hollywood Reporter tracks down the building that, beginning in mid-August, will house the company’s film and television, digital, administrative and consumer-products operations: The Pointe, a new 14-story office tower at 2900 W. Alameda Ave., nestled beside Disney/ABC, and less than a mile from Warner Bros. Studios.
DC has a 10-year lease on the entire second floor, 35,000 square feet of space “valued at roughly $16 million.” Landlord Worthe Real Estate Group advertises a “lobby crafted from the finest building materials; sleek and sophisticated, modern patterned glass with rich, imported Italian marble and travertine, walnut ceiling, and unique waved wood wall system.” The building also boasts “10 foot floor-to-ceiling vision glass for panoramic view of city and mountains,” and “over three acres of picturesque plaza with mature shade trees, walkways and benches.” There’s also a health club and restaurant on the first floor.
Warner Bros. has set up DC with temporary offices at 3400 Riverside Drive, where some have been working since last year, presumably following the announcement in late September of the massive corporate restructuring that leaves the publishing division in New York City while consolidating the rest of the companies operations on the West Coast. WildStorm’s offices in La Jolla, Calif., as well as the imprint itself, were shuttered as part of the reorganization.
Although DC wouldn’t say how many employees will work out of the new space once construction is complete, it’s known that DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson will have an office there and at the Warner Bros. lot.
- June 24, 2011 @ 07:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
First look at playable Robin from Batman: Arkham City
Tim Drake Robin render from "Batman: Arkham City"
Following leaks on retail websites, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment have finally confirmed that Robin will be a fully playable character in the challenge mode of Batman: Arkham City, the hotly anticipated follow-up to the acclaimed 2009 video game Arkham Asylum.
However, the “Tim Drake Robin pack” — yes, it’s Tim Drake, not Dick Grayson — is available only to those in North America who pre-order the game from Best Buy. So, sorry, fans of Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne and … anyone outside of North America.
Batman: Arkham City is set inside the newly constructed fortified walls that have transformed part of Gotham’s slums into a sprawling maximum-security prison for the city’s gangsters, thugs and criminally insane. Robin, who comes with his own gadgets and special moves, will be playable in all challenge maps, as well as to additional maps included with the pack — Black Mask Hideout and Freight Train Escape. There’s also a bonus Red Robin character skin.
Developed by Rocksteady Studios, Batman: Arkham City will debut in October.
- June 21, 2011 @ 07:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
Armed with Green Lantern oath, Democrat takes aim at ‘right-wing loons’
Alan Grayson
Although plenty of politicians have run for office on the Green Party ticket, Florida Democrat Alan Grayson may be the first to endorse the Green Lantern platform.
In an email sent today to supporters, the former Congressman attempts to draw a connection between the lukewarm reviews for Warner Bros.’ Green Lantern movie, the famous exchange between Hal Jordan and an African-American man from Green Lantern #76 and … the erosion of middle-class America.
Wait, there’s more: Grayson, who lost his 8th District seat last year to Republican Daniel Webster, recasts the classic scene so that he’s the African-American man, and “right-wing loons” are Hal Jordan.
Read the email after the break, and stick around for the Green Lantern oath.
- June 20, 2011 @ 12:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
Comics A.M. | Borders to name bidder; Peanutweeter taken down
Borders
Retailing | Bankrupt bookseller Borders Group said in court papers filed Friday that it will name a stalking-horse bidder by July 1, with an eye toward completing the sale of all of its assets by the end of July. The Detroit News spotlights the two private-equity firms that have placed bids to buy at least a majority of the book chain’s 416 remaining stores: Phoenix-based Najafi Cos., which owns the Book of the Month Club, Columbia House and BMG; and Los Angeles-based Gores Group — the likely stalking-horse bidder — whose investments include Alliance Entertainment and Westwood One. [Reuters, The Detroit News]
Legal | Peanutweeter, a blog that combined frames from Charles Schulz’s Peanuts strips with real, out-of-context tweets, has been taken down by Tumblr as the result of a Digital Millennium Copyright Act complaint from Iconix Brand Group, which acquired a majority stake in the Peanuts assets last year. One blogger, however, argues the blog should be considered fair use. [RIPeanutweeter, Boing Boing]
- June 20, 2011 @ 06:55 AM by Kevin Melrose
NASA discovers the Planet Oa!
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Okay, maybe not. But someone at the space agency is a comic-book nerd — go figure! — the stunning image of the day on the NASA website is accompanied by the headline “A Green Ring Fit for a Superhero.” It’s a shot from the Spitzer Space Telescope of a glowing emerald nebula “reminiscent of the glowing ring wielded by the superhero Green Lantern.” The description goes on to name check the Guardians of Oa, power rings and the Green Lantern Corps. Visit the NASA website to enjoy the image at full size.
- June 16, 2011 @ 12:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
Judge grants Warner Bros. access to stolen Superman documents
Action Comics #1
A federal judge has denied an appeal by the attorney representing the heirs of Superman’s creators, clearing the way for Warner Bros. to gain access to documents the studio contends will demonstrate he “orchestrated a web of collusive agreements” that led the families to reject longtime deals with DC Comics.
The documents, which were stolen from the law offices of Marc Toberoff and delivered anonymously to Warner Bros. in December 2008. Although a judge at the time ruled that the documents were privileged and ordered them returned, it was determined that the attached seven-page cover letter was not protected by attorney-client confidentiality. That letter, dubbed the “Superman-Marc Toberoff Timeline,” became the basis for the studio’s 2010 lawsuit against the attorney, in which it claims he acted improperly to convince the heirs of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster to seek to reclaim the original copyright to the Man of Steel. Warner Bros. also alleges tht Toberoff schemed to secure for himself “a majority and controlling financial stake” in the Superman rights.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Ralph Zarefsky ruled late last month that those documents aren’t protected by attorney-client privilege because Toberoff didn’t fight a grand jury subpoena issued in the investigation of their theft, thus waiving privilege. However, the judge deferred the decision to presiding U.S. District Judge Otis Wright who, according to Hollywood, Esq., on Monday rejected Toberoff’s argument that he had no choice but to cooperate with prosecutors in the burglary investigation.
Barring another appeal, Warner Bros. will finally get unfettered access to the documents that it hopes, at the very least, will force Toberoff, long a thorn in the studio’s side, to resign as the Siegel family’s attorney. Whether the papers are the legal hand grenade that Warner Bros. attorneys have made them out to be, demonstrating improper and even illegal, behavior, of course remains to be seen. Wright could look at the evidence and decide Toberoff’s actions were merely those of an attorney aggressively soliciting clients and (just as aggressively) representing their interests.
If that’s the case, it would make this lawsuit only the latest detour in the decade-long fight for Superman — one that became even more bitter in 2008 following a ruling that Siegel’s widow Joanne Siegel and daughter Laura Siegel Larson had successfully recaptured half of the original copyright to the Man of Steel. The window will open in 2013 for Shuster’s estate to do the same.
Deadline’s Nikki Finke offers spirited commentary on the Warner Bros. lawsuit against Toberoff, focusing on the stolen documents and the studio’s controversial tactics.
- June 15, 2011 @ 08:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
‘There will be no escaping from the DC Universe’
The Warner Bros. mural (photo by Jonah Weiland)
Even as DC Comics continues the rollout of the sweeping relaunch of its DC Universe titles, Warner Bros. Consumer Products is laying out a three-year calendar that sees the company “investing significant resource” in its superhero properties.
“Over the next three years there will be no escaping from the DC Universe as we deliver on our commitment to produce new content,” Bruno Schwobthaler, senior vice president of sales and business development for Warner Bros. Consumer Products Europe/Middle East/Asia, tells Licensing.biz.
The licensing agenda begins, of course, with the Green Lantern movie, which opens next week, and continues with upcoming big-screen adaptations The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel. But it also includes the animated Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, the Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters video game, the Batman Live arena tour, and projects geared toward younger audiences.
“We’re taking a franchise approach to the brand and investing in original animation targeting children,” Schwobthaler says. “This will ensure that the brand has something to offer superhero fans of all ages, lives beyond a single movie release and claims its position alongside superheroes such as Batman and Superman.”
- June 8, 2011 @ 07:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
Warner Bros. may get access to sensitive papers in Superman battle
Action Comics #1
A ruling by a federal magistrate judge could open the door for Warner Bros. to gain access to confidential documents the studio insists support its claims against the attorney representing the heirs of creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in their fight for the rights to Superman.
Variety reports that U.S. Magistrate Judge Ralph Zarefsky ruled Wednesday that the documents, stolen from the office of attorney Marc Toberoff and delivered anonymously to Warner Bros. in December 2008, were not protected by attorney-client privilege. However, he postponed a final ruling until Toberoff and his attorneys can seek a decision from U.S. District Judge Judge Otis Wright.
At the time of the theft, a judge ruled that the documents were privileged, and ordered the studio to turn them over to a court officer within 24 hours. However, an attached seven-page cover letter called the “Superman-Marc Toberoff Timeline” was not privileged, and became the basis for Warner Bros.’ 2010 lawsuit against the attorney. The complaint alleges that Toberoff “orchestrated a web of collusive agreements” with the Siegel and Shuster heirs, leading them to reject “mutually beneficial” longtime deals with DC Comics and seek to recapture the Superman copyright. In addition, the studio claims Toberoff schemed to secure for himself “a majority and controlling financial stake” in the Superman rights.
Just last month Zarefsky rejected the studio’s argument that the documents, which purportedly contain a formula for how the two estates and Toberoff would divide the Superman assets, violate the U.S. Copyright Act and, therefore, cannot be isolated from discovery. But this week he determined that Toberoff actually waived privilege when he turned over the documents last year in response to a grand jury subpoena issued after Toberoff met with the U.S. Attorney’s office to discuss an investigation of the theft.
The decision is only the latest twist in Warner Bros.’ increasingly bitter legal battle to hold onto Superman following a 2008 ruling that Siegel’s widow Joanne Siegel and daughter Laura Siegel Larson had successfully recaptured half of the original copyright to the Man of Steel under the provisions of the 1976 Copyright Act. The window will open in 2013 for Shuster’s estate to do the same.
- May 26, 2011 @ 07:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
Quote of the day | Stop fussing about Wonder Woman and just do
Why did David E Kelly's Wonder Woman pilot fail?
In his response to ICv2′s question about whether Wonder Woman is a cursed concept, Tom Spurgeon suggests that they — and everyone else — may be overthinking it.
Sure, an invisible airplane could look dopey if you do it one way, but I imagine it could be the coolest thing in the world if you do it another. I’ve said this before, but once you realize that Wonder Woman could absolutely get over if she were to crash that invisible airplane of hers into the front of Wayne Manor and beat the holy guano out of Batman for 15 minutes in the middle of his next movie, just punching him right down long hallways, it becomes clear that there are several ways for a character like that to work. You have just to stop fussing over the character and do one of them.
I agree for a couple of reasons. First of all, though I have a ton of respect for the recent Wonder Woman writers who have spent a lot of time thinking about who the character is and what a story about her should focus on, there comes a time when you have to put that aside and — to paraphrase Gail Simone — just have her fight some talking gorillas on top of a waterfall.
- May 23, 2011 @ 02:00 PM by Michael May
Watch the first trailer for the Batman Live arena tour
Bullet-time Robin!
Not to be outdone by the retooled Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, which released a new TV spot a couple of weeks ago, the producers of Batman Live have premiered a curious bullet-time trailer for their $20-million arena tour, courtesy of Total Film.
Officially announced in November, the live-action (non-musical) show pits Batman and Robin against their rogues gallery in an ambitious production that features a giant video screen, a Joker hot-air balloon, recreations of several Gotham City locations, and a Batmobile created by legendary Formula One designer Gordon Murray.
Check out the trailer after the break. Batman Live premieres July 19 in Manchester, and tours the U.K. through Oct. 8 before heading to Europe and then, in August 2012, North America.
- May 23, 2011 @ 08:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
Green Lantern ‘stand-up thrill coaster’ debuts today
Green Lantern roller-coaster
With less than a month until the opening of the Warner Bros. movie, Six Flags Great Adventure today premieres its 15-story Green Lantern roller-coaster — excuse me, stand-up thrill coaster — in Jackson, New Jersey. Season pass holders get an exclusive preview through Sunday, with the ride opening to the general public on May 25. That is, as long as the rapture doesn’t arrive on Saturday, throwing a wrench into the rollout.
Designed by the engineers behind the DC Comics-themed Bizarro, Superman-Ultimate Flight and the unimaginatively named Batman the Ride, Green Lantern reaches speeds of 63 miles per hour, and features a 121-foot-tall loop.
Check out video of the ride after the break. The Green Lantern movie, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively and Mark Strong, opens on June 17.
- May 19, 2011 @ 07:00 AM by Kevin Melrose
Comics A.M. | Kindle to offer library lending; familiar faces at DC Entertainment
Amazon Kindle
E-books | Amazon announced it will allow Kindle users to read e-books from more than 11,000 libraries, marking a reversal of the company’s policy. Previously library users who borrowed e-books could read them on Barnes & Noble’s Nook, the Sony Reader and other devices, but not the Kindle. “We’re excited that millions of Kindle customers will be able to borrow Kindle books from their local libraries,” Jay Marine, Amazon’s director of Kindle, said in a statement. The Kindle Library Lending will debut later this year. [The New York Times, press release]
Publishing | Several DC Comics staff members laid off as part of the sweeping corporate restructuring — among them, editors Mike Carlin and Pornsak Pichetshote — have been hired by DC Entertainment’s newly formed Burbank-based Creative Affairs division, which operates alongside Creative Services. [Bleeding Cool]
Legal | Japanese police have arrested a 25-year-old man suspected of using Share file-sharing software to upload about 28,000 manga and anime files without the copyright holders’ permission. [Anime News Network]
- April 21, 2011 @ 06:55 AM by Kevin Melrose
Warner Bros. dealt a setback in Superman legal battle
Action Comics #1
A federal judge on Monday denied an effort by Warner Bros. to gain access to sensitive documents that are alleged to show an agreement between the heirs of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster not to strike further copyright deals with the studio, Hollywood, Esq. reports.
The documents, which were at the center of Warner Bros.’ May 2010 lawsuit against Siegel family attorney Marc Toberoff, also purportedly contain a formula for how the two estates, and Toberoff, would divide the Superman assets once they successfully terminate the studio’s rights to the property.
Although Toberoff had convinced the judge in the first trial that those documents were protected by attorney-client privilege, Warner Bros.’ new outside counsel Daniel Petrocelli argued in the 2010 lawsuit that the consent agreement violates the U.S. Copyright Act and, therefore, can’t be insulated from discovery. However, U.S. Magistrate Judge Ralph Zaresky ruled this week that the studio’s assertion that the documents are illegal doesn’t necessarily make them illegal.
Zaresky’s decision is a setback for Warner Bros., which has been waging an increasingly bitter legal battle to hold onto Superman following a 2008 ruling that Siegel’s widow Joanne Siegel and daughter Laura Siegel Larson had successfully recaptured half of the original copyright to the Man of Steel. The door will open in 2013 for Shuster’s estate to do the same. (Last month Toberoff asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to determine exactly what elements from Superman’s mythology his clients can reclaim as a result of the 2008 decision.)
The tone and tactics of the dispute were the subject of a letter written in December by Joanne Siegel to Time Warner Chairman Jeffrey L. Bewkes, just two months before her death.
- April 13, 2011 @ 01:00 PM by Kevin Melrose
Batman Live unveils characters for $20-million arena tour
Somewhat overshadowed by the calamitous Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the other big-budget superhero stage production, Batman Live, made a splash Tuesday in London with the unveiling of the key characters.
Officially announced in November, the $20-million touring arena show pits Batman and Robin against their rogues gallery in an ambitious production that features a giant video screen, a Joker hot-air balloon, recreations of several Gotham City locations — it takes 20 trucks to haul it all — and a Batmobile created by legendary Formula One designer Gordon Murray.
Oh, and Es Devlin, who’s created stage and costume designs for Lady Gaga, is also working on the show.
“What it is really is rock and roll,” choreographer Anthony Van Laast told The Guardian at Tuesday’s launch. “Almost all of us come from a rock and roll background, we know we can fill an arena, we can do the whiz bangs and the special effects – all we needed was a really good yarn as the backbone of the show, and we’ve got that. It’s not a musical.”
Batman Live premieres July 19 in Manchester, and tours the U.K. through Oct. 8 before heading to Europe and then, in August 2012, North America.
After the break you can see video clips from Tuesday’s preview, including models of the elaborate sets and the introduction of the villains by The Joker. Superhero Hype has a gallery of the costumed performers.
- April 13, 2011 @ 07:00 AM by Kevin Melrose