'Birds of Prey': Here's who's in the mix to star with Margot Robbie

By

·

September 20, 2018

With Birds of Prey expected to shoot in January, the cast will be coming together soon. And that's exactly what tonight's news is about.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jurnee Smolett-Bell, and Janelle Monae are all in the running to play Black Canary. Margaret Qualley, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Cristin Milioti have tested for the role of Huntress. Justina Machado and Roberta Colindrez have auditioned to play Renee Montoya, a lesbian Gotham police detective.

Cassandra Cain will also appear in the movie as a 12 year old girl, and Warner Bros. is looking to cast an Asian actress.

The Hollywood Reporter says other actresses are also in the running, but doesn't mention them by name. They say that Warner Bros. is looking to make casting decisions within two weeks.

Still no word on who will play Black Mask, the villain of the movie. Stay tuned to Batman News for more Birds of Prey news as we get closer to January.

SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter

This is an archive of Batman-News.com from 2010 to 2025. For the latest news, check out BatmanNews.com

201 comments

BatmanNewsChris
September 20, 2018
Me after reading the THR article and then writing this one: https://media.giphy.com/med...
1. ShatteredWorld
  September 20, 2018
  lol watch more films man
2. Drake Grayson
  September 20, 2018
  Will we still see fishnet stockings, a blonde wig and hear an Irish accent? I’m ok with casting choices, I just want to see what these costumes will look like.... Especially Canary and Huntress.
  1. Kalel.sonofel
    September 21, 2018
    Nope. With all kinds of comments these days. They will be wearing a complete suit I guess. Don't expect to see "skin" like in the comic books. If they do a rating for kids I'm out.
    1. Real Royal Ruler
      September 21, 2018
      This is DC, anything can happen
      https://www.fjackets.com/pr...
      https://i.ebayimg.com/image...
      http://fr.web.img2.acsta.ne...
3. Ábhi
  September 21, 2018
  They are actually pretty known names.
4. Alfred
  September 21, 2018
  What if they rather concentrated on a talent of appropriate entnicity?
  1. Sassybat
    September 21, 2018
    meh, id rather they just have talent and well written movies. appropriate ethnicity doesn't bother as much
Jesse Hernandez
September 20, 2018
Oh.... this is still a thing ?. I guess
1. ItzSilentStorm
  September 20, 2018
  we've been hearing about it off and on for months now. And Margot even said it was looking to start production in January.
ItzSilentStorm
September 20, 2018
so they just aren't even remotely interested in casting an actress that actually looks like Black Canary?
1. Jesse Hernandez
  September 20, 2018
  Keep in mind that the head dude in WB wanted diversity in the casting
  1. ItzSilentStorm
    September 20, 2018
    one might think Cass Cain and Renee would be enough...Jeez do they never learn? There is OBVIOUSLY going to be backlash for race swapping and its completely hypocritical considering they would NEVER give a white actress a role for a character who is black in the comics.
    And that new diversity policy is really annoying. Is stuff like this just what we can expect from now on? Race bending characters just for the sake of filling some quota?
    1. Rust
      September 20, 2018
      You could even skew a little darker skin with Huntress without losing the character visually.
      Black Canary is the whitest character of this bunch other than Harley.
    2. Tim
      September 20, 2018
      That is because whiteness is generic - i cant think of a single character who's "whiteness" is central to who they are.
      Yet you cant really cast Channing Tatum as Black Pantha - that wouldnt work.
      1. Knight-Errant
        September 21, 2018
        The White Wolf from Black Panther Comics. https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
      2. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        I'd love to see Bucky have a scene like that with Tony in the MCU. :x haha
        It'll be nice to see where they roll with their fresh take on White Wolf, and I wonder how much of Hunter's story will find ways to mesh over to Bucky's experience in Wakanda. I hope they really drive the race controversy front-and-center. America needs it right now.
        BP was a good step forward to an important place in pop culture here, in my opinion, but the point it was trying to make is still lost on a number of people. A sequel featuring White Wolf is the perfect way to carry BP's ideals more effectively to the audience's minds and hearts.
      3. Knight-Errant
        September 21, 2018
        I hope they don’t drive the race controversy any further. 1.) I don’t think we should be looking to movies to drive culture & Entertainment is where I try to escape the issues society creates. I think what you’re hoping with Bucky is only going to do that for people who already get it and annoy the people who refuse to. 2.) I think there’s subjective aspects to it; what America needs right now is actually less social media, more dialogue, less censorship, & to stop determining when blanket statements are okay.
        I mentioned this opinion on a podcast review, but there’s an aspect of Black Panther that’s gotten overhyped because of what it represents instead of what it is. I don’t think that’s fair to the product. Another part of I think that gets overhyped is what it represents, but that’s just because I think it should be the norm instead of an outlier.
      4. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        Unfortunately, it isn't the norm, and that's what makes the message important right now.
        Similarly, as much as I agree that entertainment shouldn't necessarily drive culture and we should all form our own moral compasses, it does have a big impact on a lot of people. It's something that needs to be wielded responsibly, and in times like this, people need to see the face of the controversy and understand the negative and it's causes as well as what we can do about them (even if it's abstractly); show them a beacon for the positive that they themselves can be. That's the true value of superheroes, not just escapism.
        I can't say to you with a shred of honesty that growing up with Superman and Batman didn't play a huge part in making me want to be a better person than my more tribal instincts would tempt, and to help others who need it.
        These characters might be popcorn fun to some, but to many they are also inspirational, and fictional heroes have always been guiding figures in real life, in and outside of comics - even pre-dating them.
      5. Knight-Errant
        September 21, 2018
        Eh. The A-team is the most influential fictional media to what I am...but that was from when I was 5,6,7 years old. Nothing takes me out of a movie, show, or book like getting a social lesson. Even when I agree with it.
        And in the end, the message only preaches to the choir.
      6. da da da
        September 21, 2018
        More diverse audience = more diverse cast.
        Supply and demand.
        Simple as that.
      7. BringerOfRain
        September 22, 2018
        So let's just make every white character from the comics into a poc since the "whiteness" doesnt matter.
    3. adqm1409
      September 20, 2018
      I don't mind much the race bending but to me casting a Black Actress to portray a character called Black Canary is a little on the nose, i rather have Vixen.
    4. Kalel.sonofel
      September 21, 2018
      I demand a Black Lightning movie with a white actor. We have a black Cyborg, and people loved him in JL. But no, we cancel him. I really don't care for Huntress beeing black or Deadshot, but i don't know I'd lile to see Canary a Winnick type. It's just her character.
    5. Ábhi
      September 21, 2018
      I mean, none of those characters necessarily need to be white. And, Black Canary has been an actual black woman in different version of the character. Not to mention, she's called as 'Black' Canary for god's sake. I don't want white characters to be shoehorned into the black ones, but if the opportunity arises, and they could tell an interesting story, and the said actor nails the character, then why not?
      "its completely hypocritical considering they would NEVER give a white actress a role for a character who is black in the comics."
      And, you know why is that? Because white colored males and females have historically dominated the pages of comic books, and big screen in the theaters. When a studio thinks of creating a big budget franchise, they don't go like- "let's cast a back dude or woman as main lead". Why is that? Because they haven't been seen as equal from a very long time, and most of these 'white' comicbook writers shared same mentality decades ago. It's not like white actors have, or had- any shortage of work, or have a very short window of opportunity to fit into any particular stereotype like black actors. It's not to fill any quota (where was this quota when these Supermans, Batmans, Supergirls, Spideys were created?) but it's a supply to a growing demand. Margot Robbie, one of the producers of the project was in favor of it from the beginning.
      1. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        I don't think it's always just about seeing other races as less equal (though in older times that was surely more common).
        Often, I believe it's as harmless as ratio. Something like 70% of America (where Hollywood is) is white, so you can simply expect a similar percentage of white actors in Hollywood's movies, and of course Hollywood is the most successful movie-making machine in the world, so exposure and dollar signs are going to follow.
        Another factor I consider quite relevant, and even dominant, is the cultural appeal of the audience they're targeting with a movie. There's a particular 'flavor' evoked by black characters and how and why they're utilized that appeals more to a particular culture. It's a soft form of marketing psychology.
        Obviously, the second one is not all that damaging on it's own, and it is not my ideal world, but it's still true, and they're going to pander accordingly so they can profit from it.
        You're definitely right about them supplying to a growing demand. I just think that we can do that without race-swapping existing characters (I prefer original characters like Blade and Black Panther, and see no reason why we can't create more as good as they are). I also think we can and should support diversity without vilifying all white people or feeling some need to replace them as a 'dominant force'. I believe we should all share the world responsibly, and in peace, without tearing each other down.
2. SPEK
  September 20, 2018
  Dinah’s race isn’t integral to her appearance or character tho. As long as she’s blonde, relatively buff, and rocking the fishnets and leather jacket, I’m good. But if we’re talking about Helena, she’s the daughter of an Italian crime boss. That is definitely important to her character, so I would prefer someone who at least looks like they’re of Italian heritage. The thing that’s weird to me is that Helena has been black in the comics before, so why not go that route for the actress instead of Dinah?
  1. ItzSilentStorm
    September 20, 2018
    you could say that for a lot of characters tbh. BC has a fairly iconic look to comic book fans though. But my issue is more that, based on these actresses, they appear to be specifically looking for black actresses to play this role which I do not understand.
    1. josh0909
      September 21, 2018
      Is Black Canary bigger in the comics than Valkyrie? Because that role was race swapped and once people saw the film no one cared. I'd rather they cast the best possible actress for the role than get hung up on casting some white chick and bleaching her hair blonde.
      1. ItzSilentStorm
        September 21, 2018
        its fairly possible. Valkyrie doesn't exactly seem iconic as far as I know. And as for your other comment, I forget what exactly the Nick Fury deal was but I though I heard somewhere that they actually changed his race in the comics a bit before Jackson was cast
      2. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        Yeah, the Nick Fury from Marvel's 'Ultimate' line of comics (the Spider-Man series was fantastic for a long time) was based on Sam Jackson, and he was introduced in 2001. It never felt shoehorned or cheap. It felt great.
        He wasn't actually cast as the character until 2008-ish. I'm still very pleased about it. :) Couldn't have been more fortunate there. haha
      3. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        Let's put it this way: I've been reading comics for close to 30 years now and I couldn't remember who Valkyrie was until someone pointed out they race-swapped her in Thor: Ragnarok (which was already very different from the comic story).
        Oppositely, I've had a clear memory of Black Canary for 15+ of those years, largely due to her romance with Green Arrow being one of the most iconic and beloved couplings in all of comics, ranking in many Top 5/10 lists, Alex Ross' widely loved art of the Justice League in various ensemble pieces that anyone who's even heard of DC has likely seen at least once in their lives, and the 00s JL cartoons.
        She's far more iconic comparatively, and she's always had a distinctive look. No one knows who Valkyrie is. ;p haha
  2. $258591739
    September 20, 2018
    Why do they have to confine to an Italian crime boss just to maintain race?
    Maintaining the family as Italian crime family isn't integral to her appearance to the character. As long as she is the daughter of a crime family and she's huntress I'm good.
    1. SPEK
      September 21, 2018
      Because the Mafia has deep ties to Gotham and is a very specific "flavor" of crime family with specific values. Because Helena's Catholic faith plays into the character quite a bit. It would be a significant and jarring change if they made her the daughter of a Yakuza, or Triad, or Cartel boss.
      1. $258591739
        September 21, 2018
        Maybe in the interpretation YOU want, but that isn't necessary.
        The character has been around since the Bronze age and her race, name, affiliation, family and religion wasn't consistent. She has been a daughter of Bruce Wayne in versions.
        She does need to be a stereotype "Italian Crime Boss" daughter. It doesn't define the character just because you like a certain retelling of the character.
        She can be whatever they need her to be for the benefit of the movie. Hamstringing her to a faith you prefer is down right disgraceful when it only applies to what you want.
      2. Óðinn Þorvaldsson
        September 21, 2018
        the itialian crime mafia fits her carecter much better becuse its her original back story the way the writer wanted her to be. she was the daughter of a ''white'' mob boss in arrow and that shit was trash. if they want to have black charecters in the movie just use black comic book charecters simple.
      3. $258591739
        September 21, 2018
        That's not the original back story...
      4. Óðinn Þorvaldsson
        September 21, 2018
        well shit...
      5. SPEK
        September 21, 2018
        tf you on about? The "interpretation" I want is widely accepted as and considered the definitive version of the character. Yes, she was created originally in the Bronze age, as Helena Wayne, on Earth-2. That incarnation was killed off (and pretty much retconed) in Crisis on Infinite Earths. Not long after that, Mafia daughter Helena Bertinelli was brought into Earth-1 and has been the primary Huntress since. There have been variations on this iterations origins, but they all stem from Mafia roots. It absolutely defines the character. This isn't a case of "because it's what I want".
      6. $258591739
        September 21, 2018
        Not since, not now.
        She can be what fits the story for them. She don’t need to be a crime boss’s daughter, Italian or catholic if it doesn’t fit the story they want to tell.
        It doesn’t define the character because it was a run for a while.
        That would be like saying Wally West defines Flash.
      7. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        Doesn't it make sense to take the most established, decently current, and well-loved iteration of a character with an inconsistent deeper history and endeavor to make that version the iconic take, trying to maintain consistency with what is working and cement it from there?
        Otherwise, Huntress isn't a character. It's just a name you can slap on anyone. There's no point to using her. No iconography. This person wants Huntress the character they've come to know and appreciate, not Huntress the 'whatever we feel like at the moment'.
        Don't you remember the outcry when Batman killed dudes in BvS? People wanted the Batman they knew and loved.
      8. $258591739
        September 22, 2018
        You MRers couldn't see a point if it poked you in the eye.
      9. Rust
        September 22, 2018
        Just thought the other guy had a fair point too. ;p
        What's an MRer?
  3. Seb
    September 21, 2018
    Italians are white. Typical American comment.
    1. Knight-Errant
      September 21, 2018
      Correct, that’s why with my olive skin I prefer “Caucasian” Nostradamus of “white”; especially when I’m with my wife who’s Irish skin is noticeably paler to mine.
      1. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        I just let people call me whatever color descriptor they want because it doesn't bother me. ;p
        My black co-worker told me I'm black too as far as she's concerned, but I'm visibly white, so maybe I'll call myself 'race fluid'. lol
        We're all just a rainbow of shades of brown with actual people behind them. The 'actual people' part is what's important. I want to be seen as a person.
    2. SPEK
      September 21, 2018
      Alright, didn't even say that in the slightest.
3. Tim
  September 20, 2018
  Looks arent as important as personality.
  EG, Affleck was the perfect batman - and then they went and put a gun in his hands.
  1. myzterius
    September 20, 2018
    https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
  2. ItzSilentStorm
    September 20, 2018
    looks aren't as important to "some" characters. But there are plenty others where it does matter. That is just a part of adapting source material. People want to see the characters that they see in the comics, and appearance is part of that.
    1. Tim
      September 20, 2018
      But the counter to that is that the majority of people don't know the source material, and if they know the character it's from Arrow. They want to make her differentiated.
      1. Kerk Lastnameless
        September 20, 2018
        By that line of reasoning, WB shouldn't care about her personality either. After all, if most people dont know her, we can do with her whatever the hell we please.
      2. Tim
        September 21, 2018
        Yup. Its a movie for entertainment purposes not a historically accurate documentary.
        So long as they make a good movie its fine
        Personally I'd Prefer it If they were accurate to the comics, but I'm not going to get in a huff if they don't.
        Killer Croc in SS wasn't as big, or strong as he should have been, and he didn't have a trail - but I still liked that interpretation of the character.
  3. Winterventions
    September 22, 2018
    "EG, Affleck was the perfect batman"
    I just threw up on my mouth. We have yet to strike the perfect Batman casting in the same way that the MCU has struck gold with RDJ and Chris Evans. Ben Affleck's acting range as Bruce Wayne was a variation of three different stares.
    - Angry stare.
    - Bored stare.
    - Angry confused stare.
    But at least you're right about the murder part. That's all on Snyder.
    1. Oyarzun Kramer
      September 23, 2018
      RDJ wasn't like Stark in the comics. They changed Stark personality because of the movies.
Leon
September 20, 2018
I'm seeing a trend in their choices for Black Canary, all black actresses. I have nothing against black actresses, but the character has always been white and blonde (as fat as i know). Losing interest in this movie.
1. ShatteredWorld
  September 20, 2018
  How is looking for an under-represented group of women to star in this role...not diverse?
  1. Kerk Lastnameless
    September 20, 2018
    And I'm still trying to figure out what it means to be "underrepresented."
  2. Tim
    September 20, 2018
    Because its not "diverse" if you are only looking at one type of person, is it?
    EG, "im looking for the best person for this role, at a really diverse range of talent to fit the part, they just have to be 5'9", approximately 150 pounds, buff, be dark skinned, and 23 or 24 years old. So, really, we are looking at a diverse range of actresses for the part"
    1. josh0909
      September 21, 2018
      Where in the article did it say they're only looking for black actresses?
      1. Tim
        September 21, 2018
        It's known they're looking for a black or mixed race actress for the character, and look at the names suggested here. Do a Google image search.
    2. ShatteredWorld
      September 21, 2018
      They mean diverse within the scope of the entire industry, dude. Don't be dense lmao
  3. Seb
    September 21, 2018
    Statistically, you're dead wrong about them being underrepresented.
Knight-Errant
September 20, 2018
I’m not really sure why it’s important to note Montoya’s sexual orientation in this article. If they dropped her character explanation, I don’t think it changes anything for this article.
1. Oyarzun Kramer
  September 20, 2018
  It's 2018. If you don't do that you are worse than Hitler... for some reason
Oyarzun Kramer
September 20, 2018
Pretty sure this black canary will look more like somebody doing an expensive cosplay rather than somebody that will actually look the part
isaaclian11
September 20, 2018
Yes!!!! Get Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the movie please. Don't care which role she plays. Cast her as Penguin, I don't care. Just sign her up.
gonzzCABJ
September 20, 2018
oh man, oh man... if anything Huntress should or could be black, i guess? Considering they made the swap in comics a few years ago... but whatever, hoping for the best regardless
mr nobody
September 20, 2018
-We need to make this movie more inclusive, we need a black woman in the mix.
-Who shall she play?
-Well, the hero with the word "black" in its name, of course.
1. NinjaGamer13
  September 20, 2018
  And yet we’re the racists
  1. mr nobody
    September 21, 2018
    right? the joke writes itself. The irony is strong at WB
Terrence
September 20, 2018
At one point I was very much excited for this film now i'm just rapidly losing interest the more announcements that come out. These casting options are weak. Especially Black Canary. Not a fan at all. I'll probably skip this one.
ItzSilentStorm
September 20, 2018
i honestly could not help but wonder if they were actually taking the "black" in "black" canary seriously as a responce to Black Panther or something...
1. Rust
  September 20, 2018
  Possible. I always thought the point was that her hair was yellow like a Canary (obviously the vocal powers play into that too), and the 'Black' part came from her edge and attitude.
notyou_notme
September 20, 2018
Dang..I hope Mary E. Winstead get the role..I love her
1. Guy
  September 21, 2018
  Yeah, he's great isn't he?!
  1. notyou_notme
    September 22, 2018
    I mean her..lol
Vger64
September 20, 2018
Wow. Reading this article was really a huge buzz kill.
lowdevil
September 20, 2018
What about Lady Gaga, an Italian actress playing an Italian Huntress?
She is still Italian right? Comics still mean something right?
SΛŁIM
September 20, 2018
Of course, Warner, give a black woman the role of Black Canary. I hope they do not cause the same controversy (more than there will be for obvious reasons.) as when they chose a black actor to play the black ranger.
The solution would be this:
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Black Canary and Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Huntress...
https://image.ibb.co/mr29zz...
SJ1986
September 20, 2018
These comments are going to be fun!
Matt Petersheim
September 20, 2018
Isnt the Huntress supposed to be a badass? Why are they looking at actresses that are on the same level as Taylor Swift?
1. myzterius
  September 20, 2018
  https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
  1. Matt Petersheim
    September 20, 2018
    She tries but she never pulls it off. Its more awkward than anything.
    1. myzterius
      September 20, 2018
      Lol you're right.
    2. Rust
      September 21, 2018
      @BatmanNewsCom:disqus Are you just gonna let him get away with that, dude? lol ;p
      1. Matt Petersheim
        September 21, 2018
        With what?
      2. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        He loves Taylor Swift. :) Just playing around.
      3. Matt Petersheim
        September 21, 2018
        Haha nothing against T-Swift. She's great, just not a badass
      4. BatmanNewsChris
        September 21, 2018
        You're right... that should be a ban-able offense! ;)
      5. Matt Petersheim
        September 21, 2018
        Wait! So you guys actually think Taylor Swift is a badass?
      6. BatmanNewsChris
        September 22, 2018
        She's a badass with a pen, she can write some mean lyrics! I love her .
Dom510
September 20, 2018
hard pass
MrHoff
September 20, 2018
In one hand they say "We don't care about race, so we are casting a black actress for a originaly white character", and in the other hand they go like "we are ONLY interested in a especific race to play this character"
drisraelluna
September 20, 2018
Enough with this racial crap! I’m sick of it. So... it seems that casting a caucasian actress to play the role of a blonde super hero is an absolute “no! Never! Nunca!”??? Wtf!!!!
1. ZaQueerdo
  September 20, 2018
  >. So... it seems that casting a caucasian actress to play the role of a blonde super hero is an absolute “no! Never! Nunca!”??? Wtf!!!!
  LMAO
  https://78.media.tumblr.com...
  1. mr nobody
    September 20, 2018
    In the DCEU...
    1. ZaQueerdo
      September 20, 2018
      https://cdn2.dailytrend.mx/...
      1. Kerk Lastnameless
        September 20, 2018
        She is NOT a hero.
      2. ZaQueerdo
        September 20, 2018
        So, semantics?
      3. Kerk Lastnameless
        September 20, 2018
        I'm not on anybody's side here. I just get annoyed when characters are misinterpreted as something they are not.
      4. mr nobody
        September 21, 2018
        fair enough. she's almost bleached though, not really blonde
      5. mr nobody
        September 21, 2018
        congrats for getting point... jeez
      6. mr nobody
        September 21, 2018
        H E N C H
    2. ItzSilentStorm
      September 20, 2018
      they definitely take a lot more creative liberties at DC than they do in the MCU(not just a DCEU thing. This has been a thing for quite some time) which is pretty much all about adapting the characters and stories as faithfully as possible as opposed to DC where its less about 100 percent faithful adaptations and often more emphasis on the director doing their own interpretation and putting their creative stamp on the mythology
      1. Mark
        September 21, 2018
        ... Which is pretty much exactly what they set out to do when they started the project. In fact, that Collider or Vulture or whatever it was article about 6 months ago flat out said that, when the whole DCEU project started, the movie folks didn't even give the comics team a seat at the table.
      2. josh0909
        September 21, 2018
        Dude he MCU literally race swapped Nick Fury and valkyrie to black actors. What are you talking about?
      3. Knight-Errant
        September 21, 2018
        Fury is a tricky example because the MCU version is based on the Ultimate Nick Fury, which Bendis created to look like SLJ.
      4. mr nobody
        September 21, 2018
        Yeah, it just suck for die hard fans when you think you'll finally see a live action version of a character you've known and love for years and is a certain way and they just fucking do stupid shit like casting Ezra or Momoa
      5. ItzSilentStorm
        September 21, 2018
        I have no problem with Momoa but the Ezra thing is a bit of a conundrum as he neither acts nor looks anything like Barry. They really should have made Wally West the DCEU's flash imo.
      6. mr nobody
        September 21, 2018
        Agreed. Him just being Wally would've made more sense given the route they went with the character
      7. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        I wonder if people would have flipped out thinking they were white-washing a black character because they were only familiar with the New 52/CW version of Wally. :x
      8. mr nobody
        September 21, 2018
        could be. Maybe a very vert small amount of people. there's few comicbook fans, and even less who got into comics during the N52 if anything, more people stopped reading during the N52, like myself
      9. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        I had actually kind of lost interest before the N52 got me energized again. I was loving Court and City of Owls, Snyder's Joker stories, Flash (mostly), Batman & Robin, and even Batgirl before Gail Simone left and the Burnside thing happened.
        I was also optimistic about Martian Manhunter making a comeback, though that didn't really stick properly. Grayson had a strong fanbase, and I know Animal Man got some strong cult praise despite seemingly no one reading it (myself included, ashamedly, but I'm catching up on a lot still).
        There was also Omega Men as another cult hit, and the N52 Justice League, which got heaps of praise. I even hear Swamp Thing was good, though I've hesitated to check it out because I know they've gone so damn over-the-top with him (I have a soft spot in my heart for the original pulp one-off story that wasn't about ridiculously OP superpowers).
        Like any chapter of DC's history, there were hits and misses. I choose to focus on the things I enjoy. Plus, hell, we learned some strong lessons too: Red Hood and the Outlaws went from making me depressed and angry in N52 to correcting course and becoming one of my favorite series of Rebirth. :)
      10. Reverse_Flash
        September 21, 2018
        That's why I have more respect for Marvel. They don't give a crap. If the character is white and blonde, then it's white and blonde.
        Sure, they have their share of forced diversity, but at least the main characters are racially accurate.
        WB on the other hand is very insecure and they crave for acceptance. JL didn't have one single blonde character, even when 2 of them are originally blonde in the comics.
      11. mr nobody
        September 21, 2018
        100% Instead of switching races, just include the diverse characters. theres many of them. although most of them are on tv.
      12. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        The MCU is far from faithful in their adaptations.
        Frankly, I think they should stop acting like they're doing adaptations and just commit to telling the original stories they want to tell, while still obviously being loosely inspired by certain comics as they have been.
        The Mandarin was the departure I thought took the biggest nosedive from the source material. Holy hell. lol
        And now Bucky is the White Wolf. Totally different from the source material (but a difference I actually find intriguing).
      13. ItzSilentStorm
        September 21, 2018
        i dont think any of their movies have gone as far as Nolan or Burton or even Snyder did in terms of interpreting the source material.
      14. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        One example I'd use to disagree would be Civil War.
        Civil War used Spider-Man in a completely different way (the most notable being his secret identity and the impact that had on the story, as well as the sides he took and why). Bucky was used in a completely different way too, War Machine wasn't even in the comic but plays a major part in Tony's rage toward Steve in the movie, and it also (understandably) excluded the Fantastic Four and therefore the character drama between Sue and Reed Richards that helped form the emotional backbone of the conflict.
        I mean, that's just the tip of the iceberg, and there are tons of other differences (including many more characters and how they impact the story to varying degrees). Civil War was way different than the book.
        Much like BvS roughly adapted part of The Death of Superman, they took a basic outline of the concepts and condensed it into a new, original tale.
        Personally, I'm perfectly fine with that, and actually prefer writers and directors tell new stories with familiar ideas. The comics have been doing it to themselves for decades. The problem I have is when comic purists insist that the films can only be good if they perfectly recreate the comics (which has never happened, and frankly stunts the growth of the franchises), and that somehow Marvel has always done exactly that while DC is this huge sinner.
      15. ItzSilentStorm
        September 21, 2018
        i wasn't talking about the storylines(though they do tend to name their movies after whatever comic they are taking inspiration from) as much as I was talking about the characters. They all seem to resemble their comic counter parts pretty closely as far as I can tell. Where as you have DC turning the Penguin into some weird gothic horror movie freak, having batman kill people, a joker who uses face paint instead of having bleached skin and bright green hair, a surfer bro Aquaman, a Barry Allen who neither looks nor acts anything like Barry Allen, Bane is a white british guy with a breather mask and a weird voice, a CGI more monster-like Steppenwolf(especially the original version) and many other things. I haven't seen marvel take such liberties with how they portray characters.
      16. Rust
        September 21, 2018
        Ah, I'm pretty much with you there - well, I thought I was as I typed that, but here I'm remembering the way they changed pretty much all of Spider-Man's supporting cast in Homecoming from Flash to 'MJ', Spider-Man's first non-prototype suit being an AI-controlled high-tech thing built by Tony Stark, et cetera.
        The suit can maybe be shrugged off as story rather than character, but I feel Spidey crafting his suit (and it not being high-tech) is part of his story. He was self-made in the comics, but now he's something of an apprentice.
        Here's a list CBR made about some other character changes. Most of them don't really bother me other than MJ and Mandarin (and Thor to a degree), as I don't have much personal investment in most of the other characters that had things changed.
        https://www.cbr.com/marvel-...
        I will say that Star Lord seems like a huge improvement from the comics to me, which is something people don't seem to want to believe is possible. Gonna miss James Gunn.
        There's also the fact that they dumped Bucky's future character development from the comics in favor of having him replace Hunter as the White Wolf in the MCU, so that'll be a huge change for two Marvel characters at once. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with it though. :)
        DC and Marvel have definitely flexed a lot of creative muscle away from the comics, be it story choices or character choices, but for the most part I think the interpretations still have enough in common that they haven't lost touch with the heart of the characters - even the 'bad' films like Batman & Robin. Sometimes it even leads to better things.
        To be fair to Bane in TDKR though, he is half-British in the comics. His father was a white British man. Growing up in prison, he probably would have sounded pretty weird too. Tom Hardy sounded like he was trying to do something in-between a Portuguese (common in Brazil) accent and Liam Neeson's accent, which made sense to me in-universe.
        Also, I love the way you conduct yourself on here, man. Kudos.
    3. drisraelluna
      September 20, 2018
      You know, there are some people with a disability to perceive the obvious. Don’t waste your time and virtual ink explaining such things to them
  2. ZaQueerdo
    September 21, 2018
    I'm sure your podcast is interesting but I've gotta pass, alas.
mr nobody
September 20, 2018
They all look so young, no one looks over 25 and I'm not a big fan of that. Not to mention blackwashing Black Canary pisses me off. They are getting rid of every single blonde character in the DC universe. Flash, Aquaman, Dinah... who's next? Booster? Adam Strange? Animal Man?
We blondes deserve representation as well
1. NinjaGamer13
  September 20, 2018
  What a Nazi
  1. mr nobody
    September 21, 2018
    always
2. Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
  September 20, 2018
  Harley
  1. mr nobody
    September 21, 2018
    Bleached, not blonde in the movies
    1. Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
      September 21, 2018
      Honey child, 80% of blonds are bottle blonds.
    2. Flower & Monster & Golden Calf
      September 21, 2018
      Also They changed Lois, a brunette, into a redhead. Give them props for that.
ZaQueerdo
September 20, 2018
Ah, yes. The oncoming clusterfuck in the responses.
https://media.giphy.com/med...
1. Seb
  September 21, 2018
  You are the minority. Accept it.
Tim
September 20, 2018
I was hoping Gugu Mbatha-Raw could be Menagerie if they pulled it together and adapted Superman vs. The Elite, but failing that, BC would also be great for her.
Kerk Lastnameless
September 20, 2018
What saddens me is that Robbie pushed Batgirl out of her rightful place and took it for herself. And that doesn't even make sense. Montoya and BC would never team up with a criminal.
1. ItzSilentStorm
  September 20, 2018
  idk why we assume she will be a hero here. That would be a complete 180 to her character in suicide squad who was definitely a villain. She reads the comics. I am sure she is aware of these things. Why she wanted to do Birds of Prey instead of Gotham City Sirens? Who knows. She just wanted to do a girl gang movie and liked the Birds of Prey comics. But I do not think her role here is to act as like an official member of the team rather Im sure she will likely be a wild card type that they are reluctantly forced to temporarily ally with for whatever reason. But this is a passion project of hers that she pitched to the studio for a while before it became something they all agreed on. Who knows if it was even Birds of Prey when it was originally pitched. Maybe that is just what it ended up becoming over time.
  1. Kerk Lastnameless
    September 20, 2018
    I'll give you at least two reasons for why I assume that.
    First, DC comics writers are treating her as one, no doubt believing that a more politically correct Harley sells better.
    Second, Robbi pretty much confirmed that in one of her recent interviews, calling her a "misunderstood hero."
    As for SS, yeah she was a villain and a murderer, and proud, but since when does DCEU care about consistency?
    1. ItzSilentStorm
      September 20, 2018
      well she has always been a sympathetic villain. Even batman didn't think she was all bad in the animated series. I don't think she will be a full blown good guy. That would be way too jarring. She will just be an anti hero type I imagine, which is fine I think.
      I have yet to see the DCEU completely and utterly ignore continuity flat out.
  2. mr nobody
    September 21, 2018
    Maybe assuming is a stretch but you can't deny there's a big possibility for it.
    First of all, Robbie doesn't read the comics. She read some to prepare but she was a never a comic nerd "I wasn’t familiar with the comics. I had vaguely heard of them, but I had no idea that there was such a big fan-base for Harley."
    As a good actress, she understood Harley isn't a loner and she needs people but she got wrong who she hangs out with big time
    1. ItzSilentStorm
      September 21, 2018
      i mean thats what I meant. Im sure she doesn't read all the comics out there but she definitely seemed to familiarize herself with Harley a good bit. Idk why she was intent on it being Birds of prey and not Sirens. We will just have to wait and see. As of now though it doesn't inherently bother me as I do not atm personally believe that her role is just going to be superhero Harley.
      1. mr nobody
        September 21, 2018
        Cool. I hope you're right for sure. It'd be kinda fun if they did something lke she wants to join the BoP but ends up always mugging people and breaking shit and the BoP are like "you gotta go before we fuck you up" or something. I dunno, i just woke up... lol
OptimistPrime99
September 20, 2018
Renee Montoya, a "LESBIAN" Gotham police detective.😐😂🤣
Black Canary having blonde hair is a requirement, not a suggestion. Bertinelli could be stretched to African American Italian. It's on the actors to make sure that THEY feel like they're right for the role, and that it's worth it. Michael B. Jordan dealing with trolls, while playing Johnny Storm in a bad Fantastic Four movie. Worse case scenario, the director is clueless, and the actor is being setup for Epic Failure. https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
1. Knight-Errant
  September 21, 2018
  That’s why I’m not putting too much stock in the notion MBJ will be the next Superman.
NinjaGamer13
September 20, 2018
This comment is too perfect LOL
StarTheory
September 20, 2018
What is it with the DCEU hating blondes?
1. Tim
  September 21, 2018
  They have too much fun
Anon
September 20, 2018
Oh well, this movie might just be the next catwomen!
Mr F
September 20, 2018
Cristin Milioti would be great as Huntress
Fréaláf Hildeson
September 21, 2018
Always a bit pointless to worry about casting rumors... but I'm rooting for Mary Elizabeth Winstead!

Browse By Topic

Browse By Year

Browse By Author

This is an archive of Batman-News.com from 2010 to 2025. For the latest news, check out BatmanNews.com