Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) (1 Viewer)

[Sam Favate]

Groan. This is not good news. First of all, Zack Synder has shown a tendency to be downright sadistic - look at the scene in Watchmen when Rorschach uses the chainsaw; waaaay more than we needed to see. No one needs that kind of sadism in a Batman/Superman movie. These are childhood heroes -- this isn't Sin City we're talking about.

Second, the third Hobbit film recently had an R-rated video release, and it added nothing to the film, just more splatter and crunch, and IMO, it was a serious mistake to dilute the brand that way. (So, if I want my kids to see the Middle Earth movies when they're 10 or 12, I probably should hold off on the third Hobbit movie for a while.)

I take this news as a very bad omen for the artistic success of the BvS movie.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

They must be replacing Batman's line, "Heaven's to Betsy, who the ding dang diddly is that buxom temptress from the God-smote ashes of Gomorrah?" with something a bit bluer.

 

[Malcolm R]

It makes no sense unless they actually shot the film with the intention of an "R" rating. Just dubbing in a few F-words to gain an "R" after the fact will be pretty transparent.

 

[Brandon Conway]

It's specifically Rated R for violence.

It's not a Deadpool reaction. Snyder is going the Extended cut for super fans route here, and it's been in the plans since they shot the film. He shot some sequences that he likely knew would not make the theatrical cut.

It doesn't even have to be crazy to get an R. Jackson specifically says that Legolas' knife through Bolg's hand had to be removed from BOTFA in order to get a PG-13, for example.

Also, if some of the flashback / cameos are true, I can see a few of those having different shots that would easily make them R.

 

[Bryan^H]

I'm still hoping to be able to buy 'Watchmen', and 'Dawn Of The Dead' theatrical cuts on Blu Ray someday. Those are the versions I watched in the theater, and prefer(the added scenes to both do nothing for me).

 

[Brandon Conway]

I definitely prefer the longer cut of Watchmen (well, the second longest - the version with the animated Black Freighter added doesn't work at all, IMO), but the theatrical cut should be made available on Blu-ray for those who don't.

I wouldn't worry about that with BvS, though - no way they don't have the theatrical PG-13 version as the main release.

 

[TravisR]

I definitely prefer the longer cut of Watchmen (well, the second longest - the version with the animated Black Freighter added doesn't work at all, IMO)...

I've watched the director's cut more than super long version but the version with the Black Freighter is the most faithful movie adaptation of a comic that's been made.

 

[Brandon Conway]

I've watched the director's cut more than super long version but the version with the Black Freighter is the most faithful movie adaptation of a comic that's been made.

Agreed, but I just feel that incorporating the BF content in such a way is something that works on the comic pages but not in a film.

 

[Tino]

‘Batman V. Superman’ Will Battle For March Record As Ticket Pre-Sales Start Monday – Box Office

http://deadline.com/2016/02/batman-...-projections-advance-ticket-sales-1201709214/

 

[Brandon Conway]

I can't see the film doing less that $150m US opening weekend ("rival studios" estimated Deadpool at $70m IIRC). It simply has characters that are too well known not to. There's tremendous awareness of the film coming out, and even if a certain % goes to it to hate-watch it, that still means they went and saw it.

 

[TravisR]

I can't see the film doing less that $150m US opening weekend ("rival studios" estimated Deadpool at $70m IIRC). It simply has characters that are too well known not to. There's tremendous awareness of the film coming out, and even if a certain % goes to it to hate-watch it, that still means they went and saw it.

Yeah, the characters are too well known to have this not be a big hit. I don't know if it'll beat The Hunger Games' opening weekend but there's no shame in coming in second to that movie.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Yeah, I think people are over thinking the die hard fans and the comic nerd talk. 99% of the average joe consumers out there just see the names Batman and Superman, are curious about why they're fighting, and so they go see the movie.

Many of these same people, after seeing Deadpool, proceeded to complain that maybe they should have been told of its content. In other words, they just see "superhero film" and don't bother to look into it any more than that.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I think it's going to open just fine. "Amazing Spider-Man 2" had a huge opening. I think the really interesting question will be, what happens on the second weekend? I think ASM2 had the largest drop of any blockbuster ever; no one came to see it the second weekend. I don't think BvS will have anywhere near as big of a drop, but I don't think this is a movie that will be DOA. It'll open big because of the characters, curiosity about seeing Batman and Superman on screen together, Affleck playing Batman for the first time, etc. It's first weekend will be fine. The question will be what happens afterwards.

(For what it's worth, I'm looking forward to seeing the movie, but I'm not hyped for it the way I was for the Christian Bale/Christopher Nolan movies. I don't like the source material. I've always had very mixed feelings about Batman existing in another universe with other superheroes and facing off against supernatural things. I liked Batman as a character that basically does things that could actually happen in real life instead of being in situations that are in no way possible. And I don't really like Superman being in a world with other heroes - if you have Superman, you don't need another hero. So my objection to the movie isn't that Zack Snyder is directing it, but just that it's an interpretation of both characters that isn't one that I've ever really liked. I can't say it's not a valid approach; there have been similar versions of these characters in comic books before. It's just not the movie I would have asked for myself or made if it were up to me. But I've been wrong before, and I'm hoping I'll like the movie. I figure if skeptical people like me go in and enjoy it, recommend it to a friend, or see it again, it'll be in great shape. If people like me come out and say "Don't waste your time" and choose not to see it a second time, then it will have a rougher time in its second week.)

 

[Brandon Conway]

I'd say that's a spot on evaluation.

It doesn't need to be great to make a ton of money and have good word of mouth. It just has to be good with a couple great elements. And if nothing else, if the general viewer comes out and says something like "Batman kicks ass", then that alone should keep it on top of the box office.

 

[TravisR]

...Affleck playing Batman for the first time, etc.

That's the biggest point of interest to me.

 

[Malcolm R]

Affleck playing Batman for the first time,

From last night's Big Bang Theory:
(the characters and Adam West were debating/ranking actors who had portrayed Batman on film)

Howard: "Can we all just agree we're worried about Affleck?"
Adam West: "What's an Affleck?"

 

[Brandon Conway]

Clip shown on Kimmel.



Makes me wonder if

Spoiler

the smoke grenade uses lead

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Advance tickets are now on sale for anyone interested.

 

[TravisR]

Advance tickets are now on sale for anyone interested.

The Regal theater chain has a deal where you pay $100 for a 'Ultimate Ticket' and you can see it once a day every day for the entire run including IMAX and premium screenings. That's not something I'd be interested in but considering the cost of an IMAX ticket, it's a good deal. If they had done that for The Force Awakens, I'd have been all over it.

 

[Tino]

I did that with Interstellar at AMC. I think I paid only $25![emoji15]