By W.T. Bane
Reboots happen. They are a part of the film world despite how much fans complain about them. They are going to keep happening because it’s easier for studios just to make something again since fans are already familiar with the property. These are five reboots coming out, whether confirmed or rumored or ones I’m just hoping for, that I’m excited about seeing.
Spider-Man (2017)
That’s right Emma Stone! I said it! I’m excited about another Spider-Man movie.
(In case you missed it, Emma Stone was on the record recently dreading over the franchise being remade again so soon after the last the franchise’s film.)
Actually, I’ve heard multiple people complain about another Spider-man reboot coming off the very recent rebooted franchise Amazing Spider-man. So why should you be excited about it? Because Marvel has their golden boy back. Marvel is teaming with Sony to tell the new Spider-Man series that fits in the MCU and he will debut in Captain America: Civil War. Not having Spiderman in the MCU is like if Disney wasn’t able to use Mickey Mouse for a time while someone else was making Mickey cartoons. Marvel is finally getting their hands on the film interpretation of the cornerstone of the Marvel Universe, and they don’t intend on disappointing us.
Still not excited? Think about it like this.
15 years ago, we were seeing the birth of the modern superhero films era, aka post Batman & Robin. Fox released X-Men and Sony released Spiderman and that opened the door for the rest of the Superhero genre to unfold. Marvel itself didn’t have the opportunity to use their A-List characters in their films so they started with Iron Man instead, and used a few other characters along the way. That turned out pretty well for them. Now, Avengers is one of the biggest franchises in all of film and the comic has had a resurgence in great part due to the films’ success. Now for the first time Marvel gets to use their character that is their pride and joy and considering how thorough they are being in creating a lasting universe, all signs indicate that they will be setting up a lasting quality Spider-man franchise.
The last two franchises were good, but they never fully lived up to the character’s potential. The Raimi films are enjoyable but Tobey Maguire spends far too much time crying and never captures the confident charisma of the web-head under the mask who constantly makes jokes to throw off his enemy. Marc Webb’s films decided to take it to a darker and grittier tone that didn’t really fit with Spider-Man either. Dark things happen to our hero a lot, but his reaction to them has helped keep the book light hearted throughout the years. Andrew Garfield did do a better job under the mask with the personality, but sometime just came off as a tool. However his chemistry with Emma Stone was phenomenal, and is really the whole reason to watch either of those movies.
Now we get to see what Marvel can do with their faithful hero. We know it’s not an origin and he is already a version of the hero, so no more spider bites. Also, we know he is in high school, which typically the younger stories of Peter Parker are the ones that are most memorable and stand the test of time for the character. Being the hero who struggles with real world problems of struggling with a job and girls and daily life just seems a little more pathetic that he can’t get his life together the older he gets, and starting him off in High School opens the door for a long running franchise with such a young actor, and his more identifiable era. Here’s to hoping that Marvel and Tom Holland nail the character completely in a way that neither previous franchise could.
Also the villains! Spider-Man has the greatest rogues gallery in Marvel Comics and he has so many villains yet to explore on film: Hobgoblin, Carnage, Vulture, Scorpion, Black Cat, Tombstone, Rhino (not counting that), Morbius, Chameleon, Mysterio, Kraven, and possibly new editions of Green Goblin, Venom and Dr. Octopus.
Punisher
With the huge success that was Marvel’s Netflix debut of Daredevil, a second season was bound to happen. Many had thought that it would feature more focus on the Hand or Bullseye, but we were all shocked when Marvel announced that Jon Bernthal would be joining the cast as Frank Castle in his introduction to the MCU.
Marvel has already solved the greatest problem with the Punisher character by introducing him into this show. The Punisher is essentially one dimensional. He’s angry about losing his wife and kid(s), depending on the version, and he takes up a one man war on crime. That’s it. After he starts shooting the bad guys, the story meanders into just another action story. Marvel has had issues for years even keeping a main title afloat featuring the character with books being cancelled then brought back some time later again, and again trying to keep the character interesting when his main problem is that there just isn’t much to the character to begin with.
What is one of his most well received runs in the book is the 2011, 16 issue volume of “The Punisher” by Greg Rucka. In it, the Punisher isn’t even the main character. The series follows several different cops and a woman inspired by the Punisher and works alongside him as he takes down the mob. Frank Castle moves in and out of the story causing waves of destruction that the rest of the cast, who are actually more interesting to follow, has to deal with the repercussions. By introducing Frank Castle to Daredevil’s world, they’ve already solved this problem. We can follow Matt Murdock as he deals with the Punisher without having to get bored by the one dimensional character. Murdock can be our eyes … or well our ears to the world that Punisher weaves in and out of. Daredevil has already proven to be a success and adding this element as a complication can only add fuel to the fire that is perhaps Marvel’s best production yet.
Ben Affleck’s Batman
You’re damn right you read that. Ben Affleck’s Batman may be debuting in Batman V Superman: the Dawn of Justice, but what I’m really looking forward to is a solo Batman film directed by Batfleck himself. First off, Ben Affleck can act and if you haven’t seen The Town, Gone Girl or Argo, then go watch those to get the idea out of your head that he can’t. The internet loves to hate on the man ever since Gigli and Daredevil (editor’s note: AND Jersey Girl) but he has turned out outstanding work since then and deserves the credit he is due. Also, the man has Oscars for Best Picture and Best Screenplay. Christopher Nolan doesn’t even have that.
Just last week, rumors have come out that WB is pushing for Snyder to downplay the amount of time that Superman appears and to increase Ben Affleck’s Batman screen time. There are two disputing reasons for why. One rumor has been that they want to give Batman more screen time due to it being his debut in the new DCCU. There have been reports that there is a flashback to the pivotal alley scene, but all signs point to this not being an origin story and is instead an older, wiser more world wearied Batman. The other rumor coming out for the screen time adjustment, is that Ben Affleck is simply outshining Henry Cavill in his respected role. Honestly this makes sense. The tone they used in Man of Steel and are carrying over to BVS does not befit Superman.
Superman is not a dark and gritty character mired by cynicism and doubt. Superman knows what the right thing to do is. Period. Superman is hope when there is hopelessness and the light that shines through the darkness. Superman saves the day when no one else can. It worked in the 30’s with his debut. It worked in the 50’s with George Reeves. It worked in the 70’s with Christopher Reeve. It worked in the animated series in the 90’s. It worked in the 2000’s in Smallville and it works today. A decade ago Grant Morrison wrote the epitome of Superman stories in “All-Star Superman.” It’s a story of hope and carries all of the themes that has resonated with Superman for years. It keeps all of the best parts of Superman stories and makes them even better, from giving people a reason to look up in the sky to explaining why people can’t see that Clark is Superman. A few years ago, the same writer was used to “modernize” Superman in the New 52 relaunch in the same way Man of Steel tried to make him darker and grittier. It sucked, and it’s taken years and the writing of Greg Pak to get the Man of Tomorrow back on track to being the hero he needs to be in Action Comics. Point is, Superman doesn’t need to be dark.
But Batman does.
This tone fits perfectly with Batman. The world is now open for Batman to have his full playground of dark yet ridiculous villains. It can be a balance between the realistic approach of the Nolan series that had amazing storytelling but kept no room for supernatural elements like Mr. Freeze or Poison Ivy, and the ridiculously outlandish era of the Burton/Schumacher films where style mattered more than substance. They can land somewhere between and give a great story that’s real enough in a world where aliens exist as well as other elements outside our realm of possibility. If there is anything to look forward to in BVS, it’s the possibility of Batman film helmed by Batman himself. We have to learn to accept that the Nolan trilogy, as highly regarded as it was, is over and we have to live a world beyond it and accept the idea of new Batman films.
And just look at that Batsuit!
Fantastic Four (not this last one)
Yeah, so Fox has made four Fantastic Four movies and not one was quality, which is a shame because the book is one of the most pivotal in comics history. The Fantastic Four was the first essential team comic and really set the stage for the arrival of Marvel and Stan Lee in the 60’s. The group dynamic is great and the characters are actually interesting when written correctly.
Really it’s just a shame that the first family of comics hasn’t got a decent film yet. The 1994 film was literally made just to hold onto the rights and wasn’t even actually released, yet you can find it on the internets for your viewing displeasure. Then the two in the mid 2000’s were just badly written, badly acted, and overly campy during a time that everyone wanted something more realistic. The last version went the other route and went super dark to the point that it doesn’t even feel like the characters or the same property anymore. Really, the less said about this film the better. They lost a lot of money on this deal and Fox just needs to hand over the rights to Marvel and let them induct the first family back where they belong.
Really, the MCU just needs access to Dr. Doom. Out of all the villains in Marvel, Dr. Doom is regarded as the highest among the ranks. If you need any evidence, just read this summer’s Secret Wars event to find out why God Emperor Doom is the man to fear and the man who could be the new chief bad for the MCU after Marvel finishes up with Thanos. Marvel needs Doom. Doom needs no one. All hail Doom.
Deadpool
The less said about X-Men Origins: Wolverine the better. It never happened.
Just watch the trailer for Deadpool. You can see why I’m crazy for chimichangas.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyKWUTwSYAs&w=560&h=315]
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