A Reel Preview: Everything You Need to Know About JUSTICE LEAGUE

Of all the major releases in 2017, perhaps the one film that is the most anticipated, dreaded, feared, and already debated about is JUSTICE LEAGUE. It’s been a messy ride to get here, and here is a preview to cover everything you need to know about it.

What is this all about? – JUSTICE LEAGUE is Warner Bros.’ fifth in their series of films based on the famed superheroes of DC Comics, which began way back in 2013 with the so-so MAN OF STEEL, and continued with the lousy BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE (2016), the shitty SUICIDE SQUAD (2016), and the magnificent WONDER WOMAN (2017). Following the events of DAWN OF JUSTICE, in which Superman (Henry Cavill) was killed, Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) and his new pal Diana/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), begin recruiting fellow super-powered beings to help battle an incoming threat. The new team includes The Flash (Ezra Miller), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher).

Who else is in this? – Returning cast-members include Jeremy Irons as Bruce’s butler Alfred, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta, and Robin Wright as Antiope. Jesse Eisenberg may or may not be returning as Lex Luthor. New cast-members include JK Simmons as Commissioner Jim Gordon, Ciaran Hinds as Steppenwolf (the Big Bad of the movie), and a few other surprises.

Who is behind this? – This is where things get tricky. Zack Snyder, who directed MAN OF STEEL and DAWN OF JUSTICE (and outside of this series, 300, and WATCHMEN), was the original director before having to leave the production due to a family tragedy. Filming was picked up by Joss Whedon, whose directing credits include THE AVENGERS (2012), AGE OF ULTRON (2015), SERENITY (2005), and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (2012). Whedon re-wrote and re-filmed several scenes, and it is estimated that 15-20% of JUSTICE LEAGUE was directed by him, with the rest credited to Snyder.

Random Facts – Due to the extensive re-shoots after Snyder’s departure, Henry Cavill was brought back to re-film several of his scenes, and needed his distinctive mustache, which he had grown for another film-role, removed by CGI * The characters of Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg all made small appearances in DAWN OF JUSTICE * The villainous character Steppenwolf also made a cameo in DAWN OF JUSTICE, but was cut out of the theatrical release. He was edited back in for the Ultimate Edition version * Danny Elfman provides the score, which works-in old superhero themes from SUPERMAN (1978), and his own theme from BATMAN (1989) * Warner Bros. and DC Comics have been planning a JUSTICE LEAGUE film as far back as 2007 * The ensemble cast includes three Oscar winners; Affleck, Irons, and Simmons, and three Oscar nominees…Adams, Lane, and Eisenberg *

What to expect? – It must first be said that newcomers would likely be lost with this film, and would need to brush up on the previous movies; MAN OF STEEL led directly into DAWN OF JUSTICE, which ties into WONDER WOMAN, which leads right to JUSTICE LEAGUE (no one needs to see SUICIDE SQUAD ever again). With that out of the way, what to expect is anyone’s guess based on the history of the last few DC movies and the troubled production behind the scenes. Zack Snyder delivered two turkeys in a row for DC, and his departure may have been a blessing. Whedon has proven more capable when it comes to directing superheroes, and his writing (he won an Oscar for TOY STORY) is some of the best in the business. We can probably expect a lot of Snyder’s iconic visuals and endless action scenes, along with Whedon’s knack for character chemistry and well-timed, smart-ass humor. But the obvious problem of how a film survives a change in directors hangs over the film like a cloud. DC and Warners struck gold with the Patty Jenkins-directed WONDER WOMAN earlier this year, so the bar has been raised for themselves, along with being set extremely low with DAWN OF JUSTICE. If they land somewhere in the middle that would be OK, but considering the magnitude of these classic DC characters coming together for the first time, we should expect more.

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JUSTICE LEAGUE opens in select theatres November 16^th, with wide-release on the 17^th.