‘Man of Steel’ Star Wants A Batman/Superman Team up Movie

With the highly-anticipated release of Man of Steel just weeks away, the publicity machine is in overdrive and the rumor mill is in full force. We have featurettes, a new Zod-centric trailer, and an interesting, in-depth interview with director Zack Snyder, producer Christopher Nolan and star Henry Cavill on the deeper themes of their Superman reboot. Plus, there’s already speculation on what else could be in store for a proposed DC cinematic universe.

The bulk of all this attention is turning specifically to a possible Justice League movie. There are broad hints that Man of Steel will somehow launch DC’s movie continuum, and while there are certain problems with notion of a DC superhero team-up, Henry Cavill recently addressed a topic which, for some reason, has not been widely discussed (outside of geek circles like ours, of course): a movie pairing just Superman and Batman.

When asked by SFX about his thoughts on a potential film featuring the World’s Finest, Cavill stated that he found the age-old conflict between the two interesting because:

“…they are two different sides of the same coin and their methods are entirely different. And I think it would actually make for an interesting story as to why, first of all, they were going head to head and how. I think that would make a great story.”

It’s clear that Cavill is just stating his personal opinion, since he is in no position to deliver concrete reports on the studio’s development plans, soon-to-be-major-star or not. He goes on to say: “I’m sure there’s all sorts of ideas being thrown around at Warner Bros right now.”

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumors of a Batman/Superman movie. Beyond the speculation from a year ago, Wolfgang Petersen was set to make Batman vs. Superman prior to Christopher Nolan’s 2005 Batman Begins, and of course there’s the famous screenshot from I Am Legend, which was set in the near-future:

All the Justice League conversations appear to boil down to one major issue with launching this shared DC universe: there are too many characters to introduce in one movie alone. Marvel wisely took their time with solo-superhero movies, patiently (or not-so-patiently) teasing the eventual, inevitable, team-up in The Avengers. The idea of using Superman and Batman to set up DC’s world might just be the way to go… and Warner Bros. president Jeff Robinov has already teased the possibility of this kind of thing: “What Zack and Chris have done with this film is allow you to really introduce other characters into the same world.”

Audiences are already loudly wondering when we’ll see a new incarnation of Batman, and with Man of Steel likely to include some Easter eggs pertaining to DC’s universe, why not let these two go to eyeball to eyeball? Batman and Superman have always mirrored each other, and pairing them for one film might just be an ideal way to apply a common tone to future DC movies, bridging the lived-in realism of Nolan’s entries with the intergalactic sweep of much of the rest of the comic book universe.

While this is all just speculation, Warner Bros. might be more inclined to re-visit the concept if their star brings it up. They’re sure to have their own development track, but this feels like a good time to at least consider the idea.

STR and Akon - Love Anthem For World Peace.

Cannes Film Festival 2013: Opening Ceremony

Vidya Balan arrives for cocktails at the Martinez Hotel at the 66th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 14, 2013.

Amitabh Bachchan, Carey Mulligan, Leonardo DiCaprio and Elizabeth Debicki pose for photographers during a photo call for the film The Great Gatsby at the 66th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 15, 2013.

Jury member Christoph Waltz poses for photographers during a photo call for the jury at the 66th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 15, 2013.

Director Ang Lee, right, and Nicole Kidman speak during a press conference for the jury at the 66th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France.

Christoph Waltz, left, and Nicole Kidman speak during a press conference for the jury at the 66th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France.

Dancers perform on the red carpet ahead of the opening ceremony and the screening of The Great Gatsby at the 66th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 15, 2013.

Audrey Tautou, left, presents director and jury president Steven Spielberg, centre, and actress Nicole Kidman during the opening ceremony ahead of the screening of The Great Gatsby at the 66th international film festival.

Audrey Tautou, left, and jury president and director Steven Spielberg speak during the opening ceremony ahead of the screening of The Great Gatsby at the 66th international film festival, in Cannes.

From left, actress and host Audrey Tautou, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Leonardo DiCaprio, director and jury president Steven Spielberg, actors Nicole Kidman, Daniel Auteuil and Vidya Balan acknowledge applause during the opening ceremony ahead of the screening of The Great Gatsby at the 66th international film festival.

From left, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Leonardo DiCaprio, director and jury president Steven Spielberg, actress Nicole Kidman and actor Daniel Auteuil stand on stage as the jury is presented during the opening ceremony ahead of the screening of The Great Gatsby at the 66th international film festival.

Actress and member of the Feature Film Jury Vidya Balan greets the audience on May 15, 2013 as she arrives on stage during the opening of the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes.

Freida Pinto waves on May 15, 2013 as she arrives for the screening of the film "The Great Gatsby" ahead of the opening of the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes.

Mallika Sherawat poses on May 15, 2013 as she arrives for the screening of "The Great Gatsby" ahead of the opening of the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes.

Sonam Kapoor poses on May 15, 2013 as she arrives for the screening of the film "The Great Gatsby" ahead of the opening of the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes.

Austrian actor and member of the Feature Film Jury Christoph Waltz (C) jokes as he is surrounded by Australian actress and member of the Feature Film Jury Nicole Kidman (L), Indian actress and member of the Feature Film Jury Vidya Balan and Taiwanese director and member of the Feature Film Jury Ang Lee as they arrive for the screening of "The Great Gatsby" ahead of the opening of the Cannes Film Festival.

Tobey Maguire, director Baz Luhrmann, actors Carey Mulligan and Leonardo Di Caprio arrive for opening ceremony and the screening of The Great Gatsby at the 66th international film festival.

Cast members from left, Amitabh Bachchan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire pose as they arrive for the opening ceremony and the screening of The Great Gatsby.

Jury member and actor Leonardo DiCaprio listens, as fellow actor Amitabh Bachchan speaks during the opening ceremony ahead of the screening of 'The Great Gatsby' at the 66th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 15, 2013.

"Man Of Steel" - New Posters

Michael Shannon as General Zod in "Man Of Steel"

               Russell Crowe as Jor-El in "Man Of Steel"

Henry Cavill as Kal-El (Clarke) in "Man Of Steel"

RealD vs IMAX Digital 3D: What's the difference?

The passive polarizing technology used to display 3D in most movie theaters is also similar to those found in passive 3D TVs. However, the fact that some movies are presented in several 3D formats in the theaters can be somewhat confusing. Most of us who've caught a 3D movie at the cinemas recently probably experienced the more common RealD 3D technology, while IMAX Digital 3D (as well as its analog counterpart) is a format presented at IMAX auditoriums. But is there any difference between RealD 3D and Imax Digital 3D? Here what we know.

First, the similarities

RealD 3D and IMAX Digital 3D both utilize passive 3D technology, which makes use of relatively lightweight eyewear. These passive 3D glasses use polarizing filters to allow each eye to see a slightly different image. This is why the glasses can sometimes seem darker in one eye than the other--it's meant to block out certain spectrums of light. The glasses at IMAX theaters are larger, to compensate for the larger field-of-view at those auditoriums.

Both these technologies are also digital, which means that you'll get a clean image and none of the image noise or "cigarette burns" that are visible from regular film projectors.

How they compare?

RealD 3D

The prevalent technology in 3D cinemas worldwide comes from RealD, an American company founded in 2003. The RealD 3D format is natively digital. This means that movies have to be produced in a digital 3D format for projection on film-less digital projectors. RealD cinemas also use a passive circular polarizing technique to achieve 3D which allows viewers a clear image even when turning or tilting their heads.Passive 3D TVs use circular polarizing technology, too. The first RealD 3D movie screened was Chicken Little in 2005.

IMAX Digital 3D

This is a competing format that's been around for a little longer. IMAX cinema auditoriums are well known for their massive, curved screens which fill a larger portion of your field-of-vision (FOV), or how much your eyes can see at any one time.

IMAX Digital 3D is an evolutionary improvement of the analog IMAX 3D theaters that have been around since 1986. Its long history is evident even in the much newer IMAX Digital 3D theaters since they still utilize the linear polarizing technology of its analog predecessors. Unlike RealD, IMAX 3D movies are less tolerant of head movements. Viewers have to avoid tilting their heads, though some turning--probably unavoidable due to the massive IMAX screen format--is possible. Also, IMAX screens are curved to fill an audience member's FOV, which enhances immersion while giving those sitting at the sides a better view of the action. IMAX Digital auditoriums also use two 2K projectors for 3D shows, which leads to a visibly brighter image through the glasses.

While many IMAX theaters these days are digital, there are still auditoriums with the analog IMAX 3D format in the US and some other countries. These auditoriums typically have a larger screen and correspondingly large projection equipment and tend to be used for documentaries instead of feature films, too. Omnimax theaters (recently renamed as IMAX Dome) are a variation of this analog format, but have a dome-shaped screen.

Why do IMAX Digital 3D movies cost more?

3D ticket prices vary across Asia but IMAX Digital 3D tickets typically cost more than their RealD 3D counterparts. In Singapore, a weekday ticket to a new movie at the Lido Cineplex starts at S$19 on IMAX Digital 3D while the average cinema with RealD 3D charges S$12 on average. At an AMC cinema in Los Angeles, a typical IMAX Digital 3D movie starts at about US$12, while the same movie on RealD 3D would be about US$2 cheaper.

Theater audiences are paying more for IMAX 3D movies for a few possible reasons. The first would be the consistent audio and visual quality across IMAX auditoriums, the generally larger screen (that's at a closer proximity to the audience) as well as a brighter image from the dual-projectors.

Of course, certain cinemas that use the RealD format for 3D scrrenings do have other selling points such as sharper 4K projectors, or better sound. An example of the latter would be auditoriums with Dolby Atmos setups, which can present more believable surround sound effects.

Just the facts

Aside from the larger screen size, there are other notable differences between IMAX Digital 3D and RealD 3D. RealD 3D projectors like Sony's 4K Digital Cinema models use a special lens to project 3D visuals which can provide viewers with up to four times the resolution of full-HD 1080p. However, not all RealD 3D auditoriums have 4K projectors--many feature 2K digital projectors--so you may have to check with your favorite cinema chain's Web site to find out which they use.

All IMAX Digital 3D theaters, on the other hand, use either Christie or Barco (since early 2012) 2K dual-projector systems which give twice the resolution of full-HD and a brighter 3D image. What this means is that RealD 3D auditoriums with 4K projectors can provide a visibly sharper image, especially with movies shot on similarly high-resolution cameras.

	IMAX Digital 3D	RealD 3D
3D technology	Linear polarizing	Circular polarizing
Projector	Dual projectors	Single projector (with 3D lens)
Screen	Silver coated	Silver coated
3D glasses	Large format (for larger screen)	Standard size
Audio	Uncompressed	Varies by theater

The 3D effect

To some, 3D movies should "pop" out of the screen, similar to what audiences experience with 3D rides at theme parks. Others prefer a more subdued 3D effect that stays behind the screen, adding a little more depth to the standard 2D fare.

Those who prefer the reach-out-and-grab-you effect might be partial to IMAX Digital 3D, which the company claims to excel at. Executive Vice President (Technology) of the IMAX Corporation, Brian Bonnick, says that Imax Digital 3D movies "can appear in front of the screen" which may be more lifelike. He also credits IMAX's "patented theater geometry", "proprietary wide-angle lenses" and brighter images for this effect.

If you're not a fan of props being hauled your direction or swords almost touching your nose, then RealD's 3D effects could be the alternative. While RealD technology is capable of extending beyond the screen, the screens used in these cinemas tend to be flat and positioned further from the viewer, which would minimize the coming-at-you effect. The 3D effect they produce would also be similar to what you'd experience on your 3D TV at home. Some videophiles also prefer the 3D effect to be behind the screen and not protruding from it, so that it does not serve as a distraction from the movie itself.

However, do keep in mind that some movies may be shot with effects coming out of the screen for dramatic effect--the James Cameron epic Avatar would be one example. Other movies, such as Prometheus by Ridley Scott, are shot with a more subtle effect, which can be equally believable. So it really isn't all about the 3D format, but which movie you're watching, too.

Is there a superior format?

IMAX Digital 3D vs RealD 3D movies, we'd say that the 3D effect is very comparable between these two formats. IMAX 3D does seem a bit more dramatic, due to the larger screen and closer viewing distance, but the way the movie was shot is equally important. There are, however, some notable differences.

IMAX screens are massive and curved, which should help improve your view of the screen and minimize ghosting--the appearance of a double-images that's prevalent on some 3D TVs. IMAX Digital 3D screenings should also be consistently brighter. IMAX says that its linear polarizing technology provides an "improved signal-to-noise performance over circular polarizers" and "allows more light through". However, keep in mind that this technology makes 3D movies less tolerant of movements, especially tilting your head sideways.

RealD 3D typically provides better viewing angles that allows viewers to tilt and turn their heads while watching. While 3D movie enthusiasts probably know that keeping their heads still minimizes ghosting or double-images, young children may not. RealD representative Rick Heineman believes that this flexibility is important for moviegoers who should be "free to sit comfortably".

Another frequently overlooked aspect is consistency. While RealD theaters are far more abundant, the venues only need to sport "compliant digital cinema projectors". This means that your moviegoing experience would depend on the type of projectors used by the cinema as well as the sound system installed--these can vary significantly depending on the brands of equipment used. IMAX theaters, however, have to meet standards for audio and image quality which means they'll look and sound more consistent across the board.

Cillian Murphy Cast in ‘Dark Knight’ Cinematographer Wally Pfister’s ‘Transcendence’

We can now report that Cillian Murphy has become the latest strong addition to the Transcendence acting roster, which means the project will mark the fifth occasion he and Pfister have worked together, after Batman Begins, Inception and Murphy’s cameo appearances in The Dark Knight and Dark Knight Rises.

Transcendence is based on a script by relative newcomer Jack Paglen, and tells the story of an artificial intelligence scientist (Depp) whose consciousness is uploaded into a supercomputer that he helped to design, after he is killed by a group of anti-technology terrorists; award-winner Rebecca Hall (Iron Man 3) will serve as the female lead, by playing Depp’s wife and fellow researcher.

Meanwhile, Latino Review, which has the exclusive on the latest casting update, is reporting that Murphy has “bagged one of the three male leads” in the film. He joins a cast that includes the aforementioned names, in addition to the supporting players Paul Bettany (the voice of Jarvis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) and Kate Mara (American Horror Story, House of Cards).

When Freeman was cast, it wasn’t clear whether he is portraying a friend or foe of Depp and Hall’s characters, but it’s a fair bet that Murphy has secured the role of the anti-technology zealots’ leader. As mentioned before, he is an excellent actor, but also has a knack for being type-cast as the complicated antagonist and/or flat-out conniving villain (see: Batman Begins, Red Eye, In Time and Murphy’s cameo appearance in TRON: Legacy), which is an archetype that he plays quite well.

In related news: there’s a reasonable chance that Murphy will follow up his work on Transcendence by playing an expanded role as the dangerous programmer Edward Dillinger in TRON 3, which is steadily gearing up to begin production by next year. The Legacy sequel could begin filming around the time Pfister’s movie hits theaters in the spring, some 6-7 months before Nolan returns to the sci-fi genre with his next directing project, Interstellar.

Transcendence opens in U.S. theaters on April 25th, 2014.

Christopher Nolan Won't Be Doing Justice League, Man Of Steel May Open Doors To Larger Universe.

For as long as Warner Bros. has been talking about doing a Justice League movie, fans have questioned why the studio would choose against going the Marvel route - creating a cohesive cinematic universe that puts all of the superheroes together in one world. All signs have pointed to WB skipping solo comic book movies like Marvel did with Iron Man, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and The Incredible Hulk, and instead jump straight to the team-up film that would put characters like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and The Flash together on the big screen in live-action for the first time.

But with Zack Snyder's Man of Steel due out this summer, and new quotes from studio president Jeff Robinov, it looks as though the tide might be turning. 

For their latest issue, Entertainment Weekly had the chance to sit down with the executive to talk about the future of adapting DC Comics properties, and it looks as though the new Superman movie may actually end up leading into a bigger universe after all. "I think you’ll see that, going forward, anything can live in this world,” Robinov said when asked if there was a chance the film would contain references to other heroes in the DC canon. "[Nolan’s] Batman was deliberately and smartly positioned as a stand-alone. The world they lived in was very isolated without any knowledge of any other superheroes. What Zack and Chris have done with this film is allow you to really introduce other characters into the same world." 

And what's more, we may not have to wait until Man of Steel's June 14th release date to see some forward motion. "We’ll announce something in the next several weeks that will hopefully position the DC characters and the movies we’re going to be making," the studio president said. Does that mean more superhero solo movies will be announced? Could Justice League be potentially getting a release date? 

But now for the bad news: it looks as though Christoper Nolan really won't have anything to do with the future of the studio's comic book movies. In early March there were heavy rumours that the Dark Knight filmmaker would be returning to the DC fold and bringing Christian Bale's Batman back with him (it's also worth mentioning that he's a producer on Man of Steel). Sadly, however, it seems definitive now that Nolan won't be involved. Asked if the rumour was true, Robinov said, "No, no it’s not." (which makes sense given that the filmmaker is hard at work in Interstellar). What's more, it looks as though The Dark Knight Trilogy will be left behind as its own thing, but the studio president also added, "Where we go in the future is a whole other conversation."