Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice
Release date: March 25th
I have four words for you: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman.
The significance of this superhero movie simply cannot be overstated. It is a historic event, on three levels. Firstly, DC’s trinity – the Dark Knight, the Big Blue Boy Scout, and the Amazonian Warrior – have never before been depicted in live-action, on the big screen. These giant comic book characters, who have individually dominated popular culture for 77, 78, and 76 years respectively, will stand side-by-side for the first time, having first worked out their differences with some undoubtedly impressive fisticuffs.
Secondly, in terms of live-action, while Batman and Superman have been repeatedly rebooted and re-imagined in cinema for decades, Wonder Woman has been restricted to a relatively brief stint on television. Apart from being a fantastic character, Wonder Woman is a rarity in that she truly is a superhero in her own right – and the fact that she has been continually passed over in favour of female characters ‘spun-off’ from male characters (and in favour of endless depictions of Batman and Superman) has been the source of much frustration among fans. Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice is about to put all that to rest, by bringing Diana Prince to the silver screen.
[zergpaid]Thirdly, although we are, by now, incredibly familiar with the characters of Batman and Superman, this film promises versions of them that we have never seen before. Batman will be older, more worldly weary, and possibly leaning more toward the psychologically disturbed Batman that has never really been depicted outside of the comic books before.
Superman, by contrast, is still fairly inexperienced – having only just figured out his superpowers in Man Of Steel, and now, facing retribution for his handling of General Zod. We have never seen Superman have to deal with Batman before – least of all a Batman that is this vengeful – so we can expect to see a new side to this beloved character.
The film has a very big job to do. It has to introduce all the necessary characters – including the first live-action, big screen appearances of Aquaman and Cyborg – while presenting a story that is compelling and thrilling in its own right, and simultaneously bridging the gap between Man Of Steel and the forthcoming Justice League: Part One. It also has to firmly plant its feet as the beginning of a coherent core of films by Zack Snyder, that are intended to anchor the burgeoning DC Extended Universe, while its Justice League characters branch out into their own, solo adventures.
That’s a lot to achieve, underneath the weight of unimaginable pressure – but all the evidence seen thus far suggests that director Zack Snyder and his team have a bona fide victory on their hands.
– Sarah Myles
The Jungle Book
Release date: April 15th
When it was announced that two competing re-makes of The Jungle Book had received the greenlight, eyes around the world rolled, and heavy sighs were expelled. Is there nobody in the film industry with an original idea? But then, the first footage of the first remake to cross the finish line arrived, and Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book swiftly went from being unnecessary, to being very much a bare necessity.
It appears to be the freshest of fresh takes on a classic story. Screenwriter Justin Marks has returned to the original source material, by Rudyard Kipling, and director Jon Favreau has created a visually breathtaking world that seamlessly blends animation with live-action. Most importantly, he appears to have combined the subtlest, most beautifully rendered call-backs to the beloved 1967 animated Disney musical, with a bold new telling of the tale.
The film stars Neel Sethi as Mowgli in live-action, while the animals he encounters are voiced by what might be one of the most perfectly assigned casts of the year. Idris Elba is Shere Khan, Scarlett Johansson is Kaa, Lupita Nyong’o is Raksha, Giancarlo Esposito is Akela, Ben Kingsley is Bagheera, Bill Murray is Baloo, and Christopher Walken is, of course, King Louie.
It could be a lesson in patience, and it is certainly a lesson in the perils of rushing to judgement – but The Jungle Book might well be one of the most rewarding film-going experiences of 2016.
– Sarah Myles
Keanu
Release date: April 29th
Sometimes, the greatest films come from the simplest of ideas and, in Keanu, it doesn’t get much simpler. Key and Peele want their kitten back. Hilarity ensues.
Written by Jordan Peele and Alex Rubens, and directed by Peter Atencio – it would seem that Keanu is what happens when you take the team behind the Key And Peele TV show and get them to make a movie. The result, according to the trailer, is a brilliantly insightful comedy, in which our heroes – Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key – play their roles with absolute sincerity, as the situation around them deteriorates into chaos. Add a kitten into that equation, and we have what we hope to be this comedy duo at their very best, going after the cutest MacGuffin in the world.
What makes this project particularly exciting, though, is the fact that it is an original, satirical idea. It’s not about frat guys, and it’s not about generation clashes with unapologetically grumpy old people. It’s not about bashful meet-cutes, and it’s not about revenge. It’s two guys, looking for their cat. The comedy comes from the places that darned cat gets to, and the people whose paths they cross – and that is both refreshing, and something to look forward to.
– Sarah Myles