Today at a Time Warner investors meeting, Warner Bros.’ Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara outlined a comic book film slate aimed at “doubling down on outstanding content, working with the best talent and maintaining the culture that makes Warner Bros. so great,” per the press release.
“The demand for high quality video content is growing fast – in the United States and around the world – as new technologies have created new platforms and millions of new connected consumers,” said Tsujihara. “The opportunity is huge. And no studio is better positioned to take advantage of it than Warner Bros.”
Tsujihara announced that the WB will release three LEGO-branded films over the next four years, building upon the enormous success of this year’s “The LEGO Movie” ($468 million worldwide box office), starting with “Ninjago” in 2016, directed by Charlie Bean and produced by Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Batman will take a star turn in “The LEGO Batman Movie” in 2017, directed by Chris McKay, and the sequel, “The LEGO Movie 2,” will debut in 2018.
The Studio will release 3 pictures, in 2016, 2018 and 2020, based on best-selling author J.K. Rowling’s original story and screenwriting debut, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Set in an extension of her familiar wizard world, featuring magical creatures and characters inspired by Harry Potter’s Hogwarts textbook and its fictitious author, Newt Scamander, “Fantastic Beasts” will be directed by David Yates, who directed the last four Harry Potter movie.
And, in a massive expansion of the Studio’s DC Entertainment-branded content, Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema will release a slate of at least 10 movies – as well as stand-alone Batman and Superman films – from 2016 through 2020 that expands the DC comics universe of characters:
- “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” directed by Zack Snyder (2016)
- “Suicide Squad,” directed by David Ayer (2016)
- “Wonder Woman,” starring Gal Gadot (2017)
- “Justice League Part One,” directed by Zack Snyder, with Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Amy Adams reprising their roles (2017)
- “The Flash,” starring Ezra Miller (2018)
- “Aquaman,” starring Jason Momoa (2018)
- “Shazam” (2019)
- “Justice League Part Two,” directed by Zack Snyder (2019)
- “Cyborg,” starring Ray Fisher (2020)
- “Green Lantern” (2020)
Of note are of course Cyborg, which will star Ray Fisher. Also, the Justic League, which, as my research tells me, is led by Amanda Waller (you might remember her as the character Angela Bassett played in the "Green Lantern" movie). Apparently, the have been (or will be) featured in the CW TV series "Arrow," which is based on the chronicles of the DC Comics superhero Green Arrow. On "Arrow" she’s being played by the younger Cynthia Addai-Robinson who’s joined by Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger as played by Michael Jai White.
Assuming she’ll lead the Suicide Squad in the 2019 movie to be directed by Zack Snyder as listed above, who would you cast to play her? Keeping in mind that 2019 is still 5 years away…
No word on whther the 2020 Green Lantern movie will be the black Green Lantern (fan fave, aka John Stewart), or the version Ryan Reynolds played in that horrible 2011 movie (which also feature Bassett as Dr. Amanda Waller by the way).
But congrats to Ray Fisher who will be starring in his very own Cyborg flick. He’s set to appear in the upcoming "Batman Vs Superman" movie, which will be out in 2016. I suppose that’ll be out intro to the character and to Fisher. He’s a relative newcomer. His IMDB page lists just one short film. But, he does have stage credits, including appearing in a production of William Shakespeare’s play, "Macbeth," at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in 2008, and, most recently, last fall, he starred as Muhammad Ali in the off-Broadway stage drama "Fetch Clay, Make Man" by Will Powers at New York Theater Workshop, New York City.
He was also one of the actors tested for J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII.
“At Warner Bros., we are united to not only continue to create the world’s greatest entertainment content, but to over-deliver on our financial targets,” said Tsujihara. “I’ve been with the company for over 20 years and I can’t remember a time when I’ve felt more confident about our future. We’re committed to maintaining and enhancing the great legacy of Warner Bros., the world’s most iconic and profitable studio.”