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DC STUDIOS: Chapter 1 – Gods and Monsters!

Published on February 5, 2023February 5, 2023 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

At long last, James Gunn has revealed a significant portion of DC STUDIO’s 8-10 year plan, for their interconnected film, television, animation, and gaming DC Cinematic Universe. They’re calling this first chapter, Gods and Monsters (sick title!). Gunn was quick to point out that while these are the Chapter One projects they’re ready to announce, these projects don’t include every planned Chapter One release. So expect more projects to be announced in the months and years to come.

This is some very exciting stuff. I love this slate of projects and I think they’re the perfect mixture of characters, films, and television series to give The MCU a run for their money. Check out James Gunn’s full announcement about DC Studios: Chapter 1 – Gods and Monsters, right here…

Very, very cool, right? Here’s the full slate of movies and TV shows announced for Chapter One:

This is an absolutely killer line up! There’s a lot here to be really excited about! Below, I’ve listed the top 4 projects that I’m most looking forward to…

As a die hard Green Lantern fan, it was impossible for me not to thrilled about Lanterns, starring Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Gunn described the series as an HBO prestige drama in the vein of True Detective, with Jordan and Stewart acting space cops on “Precinct Earth” (Along with a few other notable lanterns popping up here and there). The story centers on Jordan and Stewart as they uncover a horrifying mystery connecting to the larger DCU. This project has massive potential.

For a long time, one of the things I’ve most wanted to see in a Batman movie is the introduction of the “Bat-Family”. Characters like Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, Red Hood, etc. Other orphans and vigilante’s Batman has taken under his wing and joined in his fights to protect Gotham City. So I love that our intro to this new DCEU Batman, will be through the film The Brave and The Bold, which will be heavily influenced by Grant Morrison’s classic Batman run. The story sees Batman training and contending with a whole new type of Robin, the biological son Bruce never knew he had, Damian Wayne. Son of Bruce and Talia Al Ghul, dauighter of R’as Al Ghul. Damian was raised and trained from infancy in his grandfather’s League of Assassins. So Batman has his work cut out for him as he attempts to mold his 10 year old assassin son, into a Robin that adheres to The Dark Knight’s ‘No Killing” code. This is territory that has never been covered in a Batman film before, so this will feel both fresh and fun. This is the beginning of “The Bat-Family” in The DCEU and it’s about time!

The Authority is one of the coolest, most groundbreaking comics I’ve ever read. When then The Authority first hit stands about 20 years ago, it rocked the comic book industry. I’m shocked and thrilled that this is hitting theatres. One of the craziest, most cinematic comics of the last few decades.This is the type of story that’s perfect for those audience members feeling superhero fatigue. THIS is something new, my friends!

A hardcore, Swamp Thing horror movie? Hell yeah. Swamp Thing is one of DC’s best and most unique characters. With classic stories from, creators like Alan Moore, Len Wein, Scott Snyder, Charles Soule, and Neil Gaiman, there are wealth of amazing stories for the film to draw from.

Well, those are the projects that got me the most excited, check out the full list of releases below.

What do you think of Chapter One: Gods and Monsters? What Projects are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews for the podcast, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!

-Paul

PODCAST: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Review! (Some SPOILERS)

Published on December 21, 2018November 24, 2020 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

Spider–Man: Into The Spider–Verse has come along and done what so many people didn’t think was possible, the film yet again reinvents the superhero genre. For the past several years, a number of people in the industry, including individuals like Stephen Spielberg, called the comic book or superhero movie phenomena “a bubble” that will eventually burst like the Western, for example. They argued it’s a genre that will eventually no longer be relevant.

In my opinion, there are major flaws in this kind of thinking. First of all, the terms “comic book” and “superhero” are incorrectly, interchangeable used. Comic Books aren’t a genre, they’re a medium. Just like film, television, or prose literature. While superheroes are certainly the most recognizable type of comic book storytelling by far, comics tell a vast array of stories in dozens of different genres. Comic books and Graphic Novels tell hard boiled mysteries, fantasy sagas, countless sub-genres of science-fiction, coming-of-age romance stories, World War II memoirs, and many others. Comic books, like film and prose tell incredible tales in every genre. So, my point is, to say that there is some kind of “bubble” that will eventually burst, not only misunderstands the current business landscape in Hollywood, it also fundamentally misunderstands what comic books and superheroes stories are.

What’s so brilliant, what’s so genius about Into The Spider–Verse is that it is a superhero film that truly reinvents the genre. Just when the critics thought there was no longer anything unique, compelling, or wildly original to find in a superhero film, here comes Spider–Man: Into The Spider–Verse. Without a doubt the biggest thrill ride you will have at the movies all year.

I know these are very bold statements, especially coming from me. After all, this is the same year that saw the release of Avengers: Infinity War, which is certainly up there vying for the top spot of my favorite MCU film. However, I feel to compare Infinity War and Into The Spider–Verse is missing the point. These are very different movies, trying to do very different things for their audience. What’s so wonderful is that we can get two completely different superhero epics that are both game changers for the genre. They’re both brilliant pieces of entertainment, yet they’re nothing alike. I feel wonderfully grateful that in addition to several of the other very good superhero movies we saw this year, we get two genre redefining superhero film masterpieces that don’t feel like more of the same.

Now, onto the podcast!

It’s been a long time coming, but I’m finally here to give my two cents on the terrifying, the terrible, the AMAAAAAAZING SPIDER–MAN: INTO THE SPIDER–VERSE!!!!! Even though it’s been out for a hot minuet, I still wanted to do an in-depth recap and review of what may be one of the best superhero movies ever made. Period. That’s some pretty high praise. There are SOME spoilers here, so proceed with caution, but this is NOT a full SPOILER-FILLED extravaganza. Also, I take some time to discuss the recent Arrowverse Crossover, Elseworlds! How does it rank among the other crossovers? Where is the Arrowverse heading from here? All this and more! Enjoy! Listen here or subscribe on Stitcher and iTunes:

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/16534399

iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-worlds-best-podcast/id1246038441?mt=2&i=1000426239297

Stitcher:

https://www.stitcher.com/s?eid=57830472&autoplay=1

Thanks for listening!

-Paul

TV REVIEW: Elseworlds (Part 1)!

Published on December 10, 2018November 24, 2020 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

Tonight, Part 1 of the 3-part DC superhero crossover event Elseworlds aired on The CW. As I’ve often said, these annual crossovers are always a delight for me to watch. They’re always wildly entertaining and they seem to get more ambitious year after year. After watching the first episode of Elseworlds, I came away from the episode thinking of one word: Fun. This episode was fun as all hell.

All of the Arrowverse crossovers have been really fun, but compared to something like last year’s epic Crisis on Earth–X, Elseworlds feels more exuberant and joyful. Don’t get me wrong, Crisis on Earth–X was an absolute blast. However, watching Elseworlds, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this cast looking like they’re having more fun and It’s easy to see why.

Barry and Oliver are very different characters and the episode gets a lot of entertainment mileage and comedy out of them switching lives and abilities. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed more watching an episode of an Arrowverse show. It’s really funny seeing Oliver’s bewilderment at suddenly waking up with superspeed and the world believing that he is Barry Allen. While Oliver immediately feels out of his element, Barry seems to be getting much more of a kick out of suddenly having all of Green Arrow’s skills and fighting ability.

For the purposes of this review, I’m not really going to touch on the overarching threat and the circumstances that altered reality. This episode focuses more on the “What do we do now?” than “How did this happen?”. Though we briefly see how this was set in motion, it’s a very minor part of the episode. I’m sure they’ll be covering much more of that territory in the next 2 installments.

I only have one real criticism of the episode. Considering all of the insane things that Team Flash have seen and been through over the years, I found their reluctance to believe that Barry and Oliver had somehow switched powers and identities a little odd and out of character for the team. It really only exists in the story to give Barry and Oliver an excuse to go to Supergirl’s Earth and seek out Kara’s help. They figure that if something is wrong with their reality, another universe like Supergirl’s may not be affected. Of course they’re right and Supergirl recognizes them for who they are right away.

To my utter delight, Kara just so happens to be visiting her cousin, Clark Kent and his wife Lois Lane, on The Kent Family Farm when Barry and Oliver pop up in her universe. In a nice Easter Egg that will make many long time superhero TV show fans happy, The Kent Farm where they filmed this episode is the same Kent Farm that was used on the TV series Smallville. When we see the farm for the first time “Save Me” by Remy Zero, the them song to Smallville, kicks in and I’ll admit that had me grinning ear to ear. It was a hot mess at times, but I’ll always have a soft spot for Smallville.

As a long time DC Comics fan, it was so much fun seeing Barry, Oliver, and Kara interacting with Clark Kent and Lois Lane on The Kent Family Farm. In what I think was my favorite moment of the episode, as soon as Oliver meets Clark, he immediately starts puffing up his chest and Barry instantly calls him out on it. It’s great.

Though we’ve seen relatively little of him over the last few years, Tyler Hoechlin is probably my favorite the live action Superman right now. Anytime he shows up in the Arrowverse is cause for celebration and his inclusion here does not disappoint. While it seems like he may be out of the picture at the end of the episode, I know for a fact we’ll be seeing him again throughout the crossover. I was equally impressed with Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane. In what little screen time she has, she instantly embodies Lois Lane. She’s tough, funny, smart, and likable. As much as I like Amy Adams’ Lois Lane, Tulloch seemed really dialed in to the character and I can’t wait to see more of her as the crossover progresses.

Another very pleasant surprise was the inclusion of an iconic DC villain that’s the perfect enemy to have a Superman, Supergirl, The Flash, and Green Arrow go up against. Apparently in this new altered reality, Professor Ivo, the psychopathic scientist responsible for torturing Oliver and his fellow castaways on Lian Yu, killing Shado, and indirectly creating Deathstroke in Arrow Season 2, somehow got off the island alive. He opened his own lab in Central City and created the iconic, ultra powerful android A.M.A.Z.O. using advanced robotics, computer programming, and the Mirakuru super soldier serum that was such an intricate plot point in Arrow Season 2. A.M.A.Z.O. has the ability to immediately replicate the powers of any meta-human it comes into contact with. In the comics, it’s so powerful that even the Justice League have a difficult time handling this thing. So this was the perfect bad guy for the heroes to go up against in the climax of the episode.

Elseworlds only has three episodes, unlike last year which had four episodes and a much bigger cast. Legends of Tomorrow isn’t officially part of the crossover this year (part of me thinks that’s a shame because I would have loved seeing someone like John Constantine interact with the characters featured in Elseworlds ). This year has a much tighter focus so far on Barry, Oliver, and Kara. As a result more money went into these 3 episodes and it really shows on screen. More money means better special effects. You can really see how well that money was spent because A.M.A.Z.O. looks incredible and his final fight with our heroes is really, really fucking cool. The Arrowverse in general and The Flash In particular, has always had excellent special effects considering they’re on The CW. Which makes the fight with A.M.A.Z.O. all the more impressive.

Last year the 4-part Crisis on Earth–X aired over two night, with each night featuring two episodes of the crossover. This year we’re getting 3 episodes spread out over 3 nights. So it definitely felt like the whole thing was over way too fast. Which is really a testament to how well Part 1 of Elseworlds was executed, because it leaves the audience wanting to see the next installment immediately. I know I certainly did.

Part 1 leaves you with one hell of a set up for Part 2. The episode wraps up with our heroes heading off to the legendary Gotham City in search for answers. We catch a glimpse of Wayne Tower and a quick glance at Batwoman looking out over the Gotham City skyline. After seeing how good this episode was and how so many amazing characters and pieces of DC lore show up, the promise of seeing iconic places like Arkham Asylum and Gotham City leaves me incredibly excited for the next installment of Elseworlds. I don’t want to speak too soon, but at the rate Elseworlds is going it’s shaping up to possibly be the best Arrowverse crossover yet.

Elseworlds (Part 1): 9/10

Thanks for reading!

-Paul

Elseworlds! New Poster & First Teasers!

Published on November 19, 2018November 24, 2020 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

We’re taking a quick detour from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Month to give you folks an update on the annual CW Superhero Crossover, Elseworlds, starting on December 9th. I fucking LOVE these DC TV Crossover Events. They seem to get better each year and up the ante on the scope and ambition. Last year’s event, Crisis on Earth-X was basically a Justice League movie that was WAY fucking better than the actual Justice League movie. With the premiere of Elseworlds fast approaching, The CW and DC have released some really cool promo art and our first teasers for the event.

This comic book cover style poster is dynamite. I eat shit like this up! (yes, I eat shit. Beat you to it!)

I really like this photo from EW.com, that shows Clark Kent and Lois Lane (who’s making her Arrowverse debut in this crossover) at the Kent Family Farm. It’s actually the same farm they used in Smallville, which is a fun reference that’s very in keeping with the Elseworlds concept. Considering The Flash from the early 90’s John Wesley Shipp (AKA Barry’s Dad/Jay Garrick) short lived TV series is making an appearance, I wonder if they’ll acknowledge Smallville as an alternate reality in their Multiverse.

Also from EW.com, we get this look at Batwoman in action with the classic grapple gun used by every member of “The Bat-Family”. According to EW.com, Batwoman makes her big debut in an action sequence taking place in Gotham City’s iconic Arkham Asylum. I really hope they nail Batwoman on this one (Get your heads out of the gutter!). She’s a fantastic character with huge potential if she’s handled well in her live action debut. I think Ruby Rose was perfect casting for this role and she seems to be really honored to be playing this character.

Finally, they’ve released these three brief teasers, one for each of the Arrowverse’s Trinity of major heroes: Green Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl. In the comics Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are often referred to as “The Trinity” of major superheroes in the DCU. According to the showrunners, this crossover will thematically focus on Oliver, Barry, and Kara as “The Trinity” of the Arrowverse. UPDATE:Hey guys, I wanted add in this very cool promo that gives us our first look at Batwoman in action and Gotham City. It also touches on Batman in a big way, which is pretty cool. Check it out below.

As always, thanks for reading and give us a follow if you want to support the site or get updates when new content is posted.

-Paul

Elseworlds! Out First Look At The Monitor! & Much More!

Published on October 31, 2018November 24, 2020 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

This year’s Annual Superhero Crossover Event on The CW, just keeps getting more interesting. Each new photo, each new piece of information that’s been released so has been great. This year’s Crossover, “Elseworlds”, seems to be,by far their most ambitious Superhero Event yet. Each announcement has been more intriguing than the one before. This Crossover will see the Arrowverse debuts of Batwoman, Lois Lane, and Nora Fries (which can only mean that her husband Victor Freeze can’t be far behind), they’re even making Superman a major player in this kind of story for the first time.

C8EAE234-E11A-42CB-89B2-219943FC45D6 — Our first look at Lois Lane (Elizabeth Tulloch) with Clark and Kara at The Kent Fami

Sure, we’ve seen some pretty great Superman appearances on Supergirl, but seeing Clark Kent interacting with The Flash and Green Arrow for the first time is really exciting.

Over the past few weeks, set photos have shown that the miniseries event will take it’s “Elseworlds” namesake seriously. We’re going to see alternate versions of Barry and Oliver. Apparently we’ll see Stephen Amell playing not only an alternate version of The Flash, but Barry Allen as well. We’ve also seen Grant Gustin as Green Arrow. This isn’t just a costume and power swap, Barry and Oliver are switching their alter-egos as well

Plus, John Wesley Shipp (AKA Henry Allen AKA Jay Garrick) will return as The Flash from the short lived 1990’s Flash TV series. Which seems like another fun addition to this event.

At first, I thought only Barry and Oliver we’re getting fun alternate versions of themselves in this Crossover, but Superman will as well. When the photo of Superman in a black costume was released I didn’t think it necessarily meant this was an evil, alternate version of The Man Of Steel. This was definitely a Superman from another Earth, but not necessarily a villainous version of the character…

16575BBD-C1A0-443F-8D09-D19A5F5A598D — Look at these handsome bastards! Just yukking it up, have a grand old time.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS HERE, I’ll BE DOING A LOT OF SPECULATING, WHICH DOESNT MEAN I’LL BE RIGHT. BUT IF YOU WANT TO GO INTO THIS CROSSOVER COLD, PROCEED WITH CAUTION….

Still here? Ok… t turns out I may have been wrong about this version of Superman. He is indeed a bad guy. In the set photo below (and others you can find online) we see Supergirl, Green Arrow, and “our” Superman facing off against the (presumably) evil, black suited, Superman holding Barry hostage and, possibly, considering crushing his head like a grape. Now, take a good look at “our” Superman, the good Superman in the foreground. He’s holding a large, old book that other set photos have seemed to suggest, evil, black suit Superman is after in a big, bad way. This is just a theory, but if I’m right, that book could have a massive significance for the entire ArrowMultiverse, but more on that in a minute…

03EC22FE-0284-4988-BA05-26B230363F77 — This is just a bad situation for Barry to be in. He’d most likely be ripped apart before any of the other heroes could do anything to stop it.

With all these alternate Earths and alternate versions of heroes in play, it’s unsurprising, but no less cool, that LaMonica Garrett will be playing a key role as The Monitor. An extremely powerful entity that’s part of a race of beings called The Monitors, who safe guard The Multiverse. Courtesy of EW.com we have our first look at The Monitor it’s pretty fucking awesome. Take a look:

7BD5406A-17F7-404C-A657-1C125E49B236 — The Monitor

Remember the book I told you to keep an eye on in the superhero standoff photo? Well, it looks like The Monitor is holding the same book in photo above. What’s this book and why’s it so important? Because, in my opinion, it looks a lot like The Book Of Destiny. Destiny is one of The Endless. Siblings who personify states of being for sentient life: Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Despair, Desire, and Delirium.

751122AD-2A6E-4D70-B27E-A705CA7DBBA8 — The Endless

Destiny is the oldest of The Endless and forever chained to his book. The Book Of Destiny contains everything that ever was and will be. So if The Monitor has it, this story is possibly a lot bigger than we’ve speculated. This wouldn’t be the first time The Endless were referenced, or at least hinted at, in The Arrowverse, so it’s a possibility. If someone could find a way to get The Book away from Destiny (a presumably impossible task), they’d have the knowledge of all of creation at their finger tips. Unlimited power. However, like I said this is just a theory. But it would be really fucking cool.

C055C72A-79EC-49FC-A351-FFEA16FEA467 — Destiny

Another exciting idea is, with The Monitor in play, his evil counter part The Anti-Monitor could the villain of the Crossover or will at least make an appearance.

4268940D-15DA-469B-9275-9C0129F0ED23 — The Anti-Monitor

The Anti-Monitor is arguably the most powerful and dangerous villain in the DC Universe. He was the main antagonist in Crisis On Infinite Earths, a story that’s been hinted at since the first episode of The Flash. The Anti-Monitor and The Book Of Destiny, if they’re in play, the stakes don’t get any higher.

EDECC7DB-C10A-4621-85CE-4011B91F2CE0 — Another look at The Anit-Monitot

The newspaper headlines from the future, “Flash Missing, Vanishes In Crisis” and “Red Skies Vanish” are both references to this seminal miniseries. It seems like regardless of how this plays out, this is going to be one epic crossover.

Despite any problems you may have with the individuals shows, The Arrowverse always seem to really pull it off in a spectacular way when it comes to the crossovers each year. They have yet to disappoint and this one doesn’t look to break that trend. I know I can’t wait for December to see exactly what crazy adventure our heroes find themselves in.

As always, thanks for reading!

-Paul

PODCAST: The Arrowverse Shows! New Seasons!

Published on October 17, 2018November 24, 2020 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everybody,

Paul here…

This month sees the return of all The CW’s Superhero Shows, including Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow. In this episode, I focus on the season premiere of Arrow and the first two episodes of The Flash. I also discuss some of the cool revelations surrounding this year’s epic DC Superhero Crossover: Elseworlds! Featuring Superman and the debut of Lois Lane and Batwoman!

Listen here or subscribe on Stitcher and iTunes:

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/15982002

iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-worlds-best-podcast/id1246038441?mt=2#episodeGuid=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.spreaker.com%2Fepisode%2F15982002

Stitcher:

https://www.stitcher.com/s?eid=56760259&autoplay=1

As I mentioned in the Podcast, The CW just released this incredibly intriguing poster for the crossover that promises an exciting and unpredictable event. After all “Elseworlds” means a “What If…” story. Not another Earth in The Multiverse exactly, but a look at what might have been. It looks like the Crossover is taking this to heart in a big way.

What makes this poster even more fascinating, is when Stephen Amell posted it on Twitter, it was with the subtitle: “My name is Barry Allen and I’m the fastest man alive.”. Which would suggest that they’re not just swapping powers, but identities as well. As if the poster didn’t switch things up enough, we also got this behind the scenes look, that shows Tyler Hoechlin wearing a black Superman costume. Interesting…

One thing I forgot to mention in the podcast is the fact that, DC character and quasi-villain, The Monitor is a major player in the event. Considering that The Monitors are an advanced race of beings that watch over The Multiverse, The Monitor’s inclusion is very big deal.

As things get bigger and bigger in the crossovers each year, I wonder if sooner or later The Arrowverse will do it’s own version of the classic, massive event series Crisis on Infinite Earths?

In the very first episode of The Flash in Season 1, we a news headline from the year 2024 in Harrison Wells’ time vault that reads “FLASH MISSING. VANISHES IN CRISIS”. Another headline on the front page reads “RED SKIES VANISH”.

The skies turning red are a key aspect of the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a story that sees Barry Allen sacrifice himself to save a The Multiverse. As the Season 5 premiere shows us, it seems Barry never comes back from that fateful battle.

Which would lead more legitimacy to my theory that eventually The Arrowverse will tackle their own version of this classic and seminal tail. Any way you look at it, this seems like one of the most exciting crossovers The Arrowverse has ever attempted.

Thanks for listening and reading!

-Paul