What Happened At DC Fandome?
You may know that DC Fandome happened over the weekend. But what you might not know is what, exactly, DC Fandome is. The virtual event was an opportunity for Warner Media to wheel out a truckload of promotional material to fans who hadn't heard much from DC at this year's virtual Comic-Con. And, as expected, a lot of news was made over the 24-hour event.
Luckily, you don't have to spend an entire day with your eyes glued to DC Fandome, because we did it for you. And we've rounded up the biggest news making headlines from the event. Enjoy.
Wonder Woman 1984
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-g_YNZ90tI[/embed]
It's been a tough year for movie fans. That's no surprise to anyone. And if you've spent any portion of 2020 wishing you could get back to the movies, then DC Fandome offered at least some reprieve. And for use, one of the biggest moments of excitement was getting a closer look at Wonder Woman 1984.
Obviously, we've been eagerly awaiting the second Wonder Woman movie for years. And the fact that it was delayed before anyone had ever heard the phrase "social distancing" has only made the wait even worse. But the trailer we got at DC Fandome was our first real look at what Wonder Woman 1984 has to offer. And, spoilers: it looks awesome.
Gotham Knights
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhVf_3TeTQE[/embed]
Rumors of a new "Batman: Arkham" game have been swirling for years. And whether you think Gotham Knights qualifies is up to you. But, at the very least, the game is the spiritual successor we've all been waiting for. Gotham Knights is clearly building on everything that the Batman: Arkham series set up. And it's from the same publisher as the first three four games. Saying that it isn't building on the legacy of the much-beloved franchise, honestly, just feels like knit-picking.
But that being said, Gotham Knights doesn't take place in the same universe as the Batman: Arkham games. While it's inciting event is "Code: Black," a Bat-family procedure for what to do if Batman ever dies, that procedure is clearly different than "Operation: Knightfall," the procedure for what to do if Batman ever dies which concluded the last Batman: Arkham game. And while the aesthetics of the game are clearly built on top of the foundation that Batman: Arkham built, we've been told this game is it's own thing entirely. And, honestly? I've been waiting for the game for a really long time. I'm willing to accept anything as long at it means I get to play another Batman game.
The Suicide Squad
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VImYeXnr13Q[/embed]
I think we can all agree that Suicide Squad was rough. While it may not have been the worst thing that happened in 2016, it was pretty low on the list. And part of the disappointment of that movie was that the trailers for Suicide Squad made it look so good! It's somewhat infamous now that the advertising and production agendas of that movie got a little muddled, and that the final product was overly influenced by people who had no business being a part of the creative process. And who knows, if online rumors are true, maybe we'll be seeing The Ayer Cut soon.
But whether or not fans get to see David Ayer's version of the 2016 movie, they will get to see Task Force X back in action! James Gunn's The Suicide Squad is currently in production, and the first look we got at DC Fandome makes it look incredible. Now, granted, we have been burned on Suicide Squad trailers before. But the energy and aesthetic on display in this movie is exactly what we want from DC. An action-comedy that's riffing on Apocalypse Now but still leaves room for Margot Robbie to build on her character from Birds of Prey? Sign me up.
The Snyder Cut
[embed]https://youtu.be/z6512XKKNkU[/embed]
We all know where I stand on this, so I won't spend much time rehashing the issue. After years of listening to upset fans rage online about Justice League, Warner Media has agreed to let Zack Snyder make, and then release, his version of the movie. It is what it is. The decision is probably bad for the future of Hollywood. It was definitely fueled by misinformation. But it's happening all the same.
The most interesting thing here is probably the length of Snyder's Justice League. It will air on HBO Max as four one-hour episodes of a miniseries. After that, it will be stitched together into a four-hour mega movie for those that are interested. Perhaps the fact that Snyder had four hours of content led to his version of the film getting canned? Who can say? What we do know for sure is that the trailer features 95% footage we've all seen before set to a song that we've heard Snyder use in a superhero movie before. So — honestly — not a lot to discuss here. Next!
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EVFYstVuVk[/embed]
If you thought it was weird that Gotham Knights doesn't take place in the same universe as the Batman: Arkham games, then buckle up. Because what's truly strange is that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League does. Now, the Suicide Squad has been teased in the Arkham universe since Arkham: Origins (2013). And rumors of the game have bubbled ever since. And the DC Fandome preview for Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League looks like it is everything fans were hoping for over the last seven years.
The game is set up as a team-based game. Players will be able to switch off between characters like Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, and Deadshot. From what we can tell about the game's plot so far, the Justice League has been taken over by Brainiac. And it is up to Task Force X to stop the now evil heroes. The environment is much brighter than what we've come to expect from the Batman titles. But after four titles with the same color pallet, it's probably time for a change of pace.
The Batman
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLOp_6uPccQ[/embed]
Last, but not least, DC Fandome gave us a look at The Batman. Matt Reeves' Batman movie has been in production for ages. And the constant fluctuations of the DCEU (are we still calling it that?) haven't helped. The announcement of Robert Pattinson as the new Batman (Battinson™) left fans polarized. And stories that the film would explore Bruce Wayne's trauma sounded like the movie might just be more of the same.
But, be still my beating heart, because this looks awesome! Despite the fact that the movie is only a quarter of the way through filming, they've already shown us some fantastic visuals. The movie looks like it has found its own lane in the Batman mythology. The few bits of action scenes we saw were exciting. And the villains look incredible. The Batman is easily the highest stakes property we saw at DC Fandome. And this trailer delivered in a big way.
But what did you think? Were you excited by what you saw at DC Fandome? What stood out to you? Was there anything you were hoping to see, but didn't? Was your favorite thing left off our list? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter. And don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for updates on all these titles and more!