The Batman (June 25, 2021)

[Cap'n Cook]

Huh.

 

[Johnny Utah]

I was coming here to post that. I could see them delaying to October now

 

[Cap'n Cook]

 

[Victοr]

Uh... on the bright side it'd give our wallets more room to breathe...

 

[matticus]

Spring Break though with nothing around it. That would be dumb to move it into tent pole territory.

 

[greygoose]

Spider-Man just made a tonne of money during the peak of Omicron. No reason to start delaying films again now. If it's good then it will make money.

 

[matticus]

Spider-Man just made a tonne of money during the peak of Omicron. No reason to start delaying films again now. If it's good then it will make money.

Simon Kinberg thought his all fem movie The 355 was good LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

 

[Johnny Utah]

How anyone gave him money to make anything after Dark Phoenix is baffling.

 

[Spartan Rex]

2 more:

 

[ironwez20]

Please don’t delay this a 60th time

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

I wonder what the expectations are for this film. No way this film is making Spiderman money, pandemic or not.

 

[ironwez20]

If it’s good enough it may cross a billion. I didn’t see joker making those numbers but it did. Batman has a fan base just as big as Spider-Man . Plus he has a huge movie draw.

 

[matticus]

It seems pretty dark so I don't think it will cross a billion. It needs to earn that audience first. I'm thinking around $700 mil.

 

[jye4ever]

It seems pretty dark so I don't think it will cross a billion. It needs to earn that audience first. I'm thinking around $700 mil.

Joker was dark no?

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

Joker was dark no?

It's The Joker tho.

 

[matticus]

Joker was dark no?

Yeah true. I do remember it got quite the odd hype train - it got on the news a ton cause people were worried there would be another shooting like TDKR. It was free publicity and it must have enticed people to check out what the big deal was.

I hope I'm wrong cause I am big hype trained with this movie.

 

[greygoose]

I wonder what the expectations are for this film. No way this film is making Spiderman money, pandemic or not.

I'd say a low estimate of $650 million. Might do better depending on word of mouth.

 

[ironwez20]

Yeah true. I do remember it got quite the odd hype train - it got on the news a ton cause people were worried there would be another shooting like TDKR. It was free publicity and it must have enticed people to check out what the big deal was.

I hope I'm wrong cause I am big hype trained with this movie.

Also remember people saying how brutal it was and how it would “inspire” killings. People on Twitter thought it would give rise to the incel movement but the movie was the exact opposite. Everyone ended up loving it

 

[Victοr]

I expect this will do good, all things considered. One Bil? Depends on word of mouth and competition. I don't see how NWH reached 1.5B if I'm being honest. I really don't. It was fun and everything, but it doesn't even have the "epic capeshit" factor of Endgame. Was nostalgia that much of a factor? I 'memba Raimi-Man (and the FoX-Men and so on) too, and the Spider-Banter was good and everything, but come on. I still could rewatch it at some point, but I don't get what was so groundbreaking and cool for it to warrant so many rewatches by the GA. I suppose people really do love Spider-Man...

As for the Joker, I'm convinced the whole "muh dangerous moobie" thing was just marketing. Which is pretty depressing when you think about the implications, but whatever. Joker is a very marketable character in general. I don't get that either though. I really don't see why he captures the people's attention so. Don't get me wrong, I'll still buy a Ledger dolly, but the "curaaayzzzeeee Jokah baby" never really did it for me. The more violent and sadistic he got, the more I just wanted to see Batman break every bone in his body. I got tired of the constant Jokah stories in the books. I find nothing cool about him. Ledger & Phoenix are pretty much divorced from the Post-Morrison/Snyder 'Hyper-Sanity" type of stuff that really grind my gears. Phoenix was a broken wagie that didn't go all that far, and Ledger was more like Anarchy with a coat of paint. I don't know, I suppose "proper Joker" reminds me of IRL killers too much for me to "like" him, even in an aesthetic way. I get BTK, Des & Gacy vibes, and that's a character I really don't want to have any real attachment to.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; Batman should be cruel to such villains. Joker, Zsazsh, Pyg; they need to go down. He doesn't want to break his no-killing rule? Fine. Grab them, amputate them and stick them in a brick-&-mortar prison underneath the Batcave. It's not a level of cruelty that's absent from BatBooks. The worse they become, and the more of a whiny weakling Batman turns into, the more perplexed I am at the current state of "heroes", "villains" and the messages these books contain. I suppose it's more important to show that Batman's supportive of Tim getting dicked than have him, *gasp*, kill a homicidal serial killer. I know it's all done to keep publishing the stories, but Christ, come up with better excuses at least.

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

Joker is a very marketable character in general. I don't get that either though. I really don't see why he captures the people's attention so.

Most versions of the character are mysterious, charismatic, humorous, cool looking, have larger than life personalities, and are usually good antagonists for Batman. It's also the kind of role that allows actors to put their own spin on it. Each new iteration gets a new coat of paint, literally and figuratively, so that also creates interest. As for the comics, most people don't read them, they just know the character from the movies or animated shows. I think the comics Joker is far more sadistic and unlikable than any movie version, which makes him a less likable character.

However, there's another reason the movie Jokers are usually likable, despite being villains. They're not bullies, and they are usually in a somewhat of an underdog position, similarly to Hanibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs. Sure, Hannibal is cannibal, but he's also a trapped animal, in a prison that's run by an even more unlikable slimy character. This guy has Hannibal under his thumb the whole film, so it puts Hannibal in a better light, to the point it makes the viewer take Hannibal's side at times. Hannibal has admirable qualities too, which makes you respect him, unlike the other bad guys in the film.

The Joker is usually not depicted as a bully or in a position of complete power, at least not initially. Jack Joker was a criminal, working for an unlikable boss. That same boss tried to have him killed. It instantly puts Jack in somewhat of an underdog position. Jack Joker also stood up to the other crime families and killed several of the top bosses that weren't very likable. Same with Ledger, not in a position of power, and like Jack, he had to take down the mob, which were a bunch of unlikable characters. If anything, he did more for Gotham than Batman with his no killing code. And Arthur, he's the ultimate underdog, and the people he killed, you as the viewer, kind of want to see them get killed by Arthur, as terrible as that sounds.

I think those are some of the reason Joker is popular. I just think he looks cool and does cool villain ****, but never in a way it makes you hate him, at least not in the movies. I'll say this, it was satisfying to watch Batman beat the **** out of Jack, because he could be a real prick, and knowing he was responsible for killing Bruce's parents, that made him somewhat unlikable, so I was really rooting for Batman. But then Joker puts on the glasses and starts making lame jokes and dancing around until he dies, and I can't hate him. Jack's personality wins me right back. Ledger was similar, but at no point did I hate him. It was satisfying to see him fail at the end when the people did not blow up the ships, and he's looking at the clock and gets pissed off, that was not only funny, but really enjoyable. The cruelest thing Arthur did in the film was probably locking the door and laughing at the little guy when he couldn't reach the lock. That was funny, but incredibly terrible. But then Arthur lets him go and gives him a kiss, so there's always something to counterbalance his villainous acts.