DC STUDIOS: Chapter 1 – Gods and Monsters!

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

Spring 2021 Movie & TV Preview! PODCAST: Zack Snyder’s JUSTICE LEAGUE (SPOILERS)!

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

On this episode, The World’s Best Podcast crosses over with the Cuff’s Basement Podcast to review Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which recently premiered on HBO Max! Along with Tim and Ryan, we breakdown a film that is vastly different from the original 2017 Justice League theatrical release. In fact Zack Snyder‘s Justice League is more like a entirely new film, than a director’s cut. We go over everything from what worked to what didn’t, as well as what we loved about the film and what we may have disliked. In this fun and far reaching discussion which yielded one of our best episodes this year, so far!

Listen here: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/43993349  Or subscribe/listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Spreaker, iHeartRadio, Deezer, Podchaser, Castbox, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, & Apple Podcasts/ITunes…

iTunes/ApplePodcats: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-worlds-best-podcast/id1246038441?i=1000513898680

Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/11mA9kClyevVZjWYMQB1Io?si=7TfnqkBiShqTQpZhh2UDsA

Stitcherhttps://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=185563

While promoting the film, Zack Snyder offered up a lot of interesting information, teases, and images about what might have been, had things gone according to plan and the DCEU stayed on the track that began with Man of Steel. Snyder originally envisioned a 5-film “Lord of The Rings” style epic, that included Man of Steel, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, and culminated in a massive Justice League trilogy. As a result there were a lot ideas and concepts that were played around with that were abandoned. A good example of how somethings could’ve played out slightly differently is, how in one of the subplots in Batman V Superman, involved Wonder Woman attempting to retrieve an old photograph of herself and her comrades-in-arms from WWI. This of course tied into 2017’s Wonder Woman directed by Patty Jenkins. However, before the story for the first wonder woman film had been finalized there was still some to be about exactly how long Diana had been away from Themyscira fighting wars in “Man’s World”. Some beautiful images were commissioned showing Diana fighting alongside soldiers in wars much farther back in history, closer to The Crimean War than World War I. Snyder shared a few of them online that I thought were particularly interesting which you can take a look at right here:

Snyder offered up another sneak peek at The Snyder Cut, whe he confirmed the long running fan theory that General Swanwick played by Harry Lennox (Man of Steel, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice) was actually J’onn J’onnz: The Martian Manhunter, hiding among mankind. Snyder revealed that the character would indeed be making an appearance in his Justice League when it premiered on HBO Max, with Lennox returning for the role. DC helped Snyder give fans at hint at the character’s design in the film, by publishing variant covers of the JL comic book a few months back, featuring the movie version of this classic character drawn by the legendary Jim Lee. Take a look…

This is the final design for the character used in the movie

This also wraps up WEEK 1 of World’s Best Media’s Spring 2021 Movie & TV Preview! We have even more great content coming your way in WEEK 2, with exciting new series like Amazon Prime’s INVINCIBLE, from the creator of The Walking Dead!

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Twitter @PJWrightWBM or type Worlds Best Media into the search bar, you can also like and follow us on our Facebook page; World’s Best Media. We’re on Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, 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: Wonder Woman 1984 Review!

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

To all of our readers, listeners, and supporters, I want to say thank you and extend a heartfelt and sincere Happy Holidays from all of us here at World’s Best Media! We appreciate each and every time you click on one of out article or listen to one of our podcasts. We couldn’t do any of this without you and we’re so grateful for all of your support! We hope you’re all having a safe and Happy Holiday season! As the year comes to an end, keep an eye out for our Best & Worst of 2020, where pick the highs and lows in movies, TV, and comics, over the last year. We should have out Best/Worst Lists posted before New Years Day. We also have big, big plans for 2021, so stay tuned…

    Despite how happy we are that World’s Best Media continues to grow, we know that 2020 has been a brutal year for way too many people. With all of the suffering and hardship so many have endured this year, I’ve been reminded to appreciate the little things in life. I know from experience, that sometimes the simplest of things, can mean the world when times are at their darkest. Which is one of several reasons I was so thrilled that Wonder Woman 1984 was finally available to watch, Christmas Day on HBOMax. 

   When times get tough, going to the movies has always been my favorite way to escape for a little while (Well, my favorite escape that doesn’t involve drugs or alcohol anyway. But there’s no reason you can’t enjoy all 3 at once, right? Go ahead, you’ve earned it!). I think a lot of people out there miss the simple joy of going to their local movie theater to see a feel good, blockbuster and let their troubles slip away from a few hours. I know it’s not much, but folks had the opportunity to watch a great big, superhero, comic book movie, without having to worry about the dangers of going to a movie theater. 

    However, these aren’t the only reasons that the release WW84 is special, this also marks an important milestone for The World’s Best Podcast. Tim Cuff and I reviewed 2017’s Wonder Woman for the very first episode of The World’s Best Podcast! Longtime listeners of the podcast will recognize Tim Cuff and Ryan McDonald as two of my most frequent co-hosts on the show (Tim even helped me co-create the podcast in the first place). In case you don’t know, Ryan and Tim co-host their own podcast, Cuff’s Basement. In the spirit of the superhero comic books that feature characters like Wonder Woman, to review and discuss WW84 we needed a crossover! So get ready for The SUPER-MEGA-AWESOME WORLD’S BEST PODCAST/CUFF’S BASEMENT CROSSOVER EVENT! 

    Since The DCEU (or The World’s of DC or whatever the hell they’re calling it now) launched with 2013’s Man of Steel, Wonder Woman has proven to be the studio’s only true critical and commercial hit. Sure, many of these other DC movies made a lot of money, but they were critically trashed and divisive at best among the Fanbase. Does Wonder Woman 1984 live up to the promise of the original movie? Listen below to find  out! Enjoy!

Listen here: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/42685229   Or subscribe/listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Spreaker, iHeartRadio, Deezer, Podchaser, Castbox, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, & Apple Podcasts/ITunes…

iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-worlds-best-podcast/id1246038441?i=1000503651674

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11mA9kClyevVZjWYMQB1Io?si=7TfnqkBiShqTQpZhh2UDsA

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=185563

I’m always looking for an opportunity to get more people interested in comics. None of these incredible films and beautiful stories would be possible, without the amazing comic book source material. So if you enjoyed Wonder Woman 1984 and want to learn more about the character, takes a look at some of the books I’ve posted below. They’re great places to star for anyone new to comics, if you’ve seen either Wonder Woman movie, you’re good to go! All of these books are available at your local Comic Book Store, I recommend Googling the closest comic book retailer in your area. The Hall of Comics in Southborough, MA is my local spot for comics and graphic novels and I’ve had nothing, but great experiences with them over the years! If you don’t want to leave the comfort of your own home, you can alway read these stories on your tablet with the ComiXology app. Finally, you can always order any of these graphic novels online through Amazon. I posted links below for you to order any of my recommendations. I hope you give them a chance!

Wonder Woman: Year One (writer- Greg Rucka/Art- Nicola Scott)

Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka Vol.1

Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol.1 (W. Grant Morrison/A. Yanick Paquette)

Wonder Woman: Blood (A. Brian Azzarello/A. Cliff Chiang

Thanks for listening! Follow me on Twitter @PJWrightWBM or type Worlds Best Media into the search bar, you can also like and follow us on our Facebook page; World’s Best Media. We’re on Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, 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

FIRST LOOK: Wonder Woman 1984 Trailer & Posters!

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

I love the 80’s retro design in the marketing

It’s a great day to be a DC fan! DC and Warner Brothers just dropped the first trailer for Wonder Woman 1984 and it looks pretty damn cool! The first film was excellent and Gal Gadot crushed it in the role. Now that the origin is out of the way and audiences have become familiar with the character, the filmmakers are free to take the Wonder Woman story in any direction they want. Gal Gadot beautifully embodied Diana and everything she stands for in the first Wonder Woman. A film that solidified her status as the perfect person for the role, especially after being a highlight in movies like Batman V Superman and Justice League.

I’m a big Batman V Superman apologist, I actually love the film despite its many flaws and Wonder Woman is one of the big things the movie has going for it. Justice League on the other hand is arguably the worst film in the DCEU (or The Worlds of DC or whatever the fuck they’re calling it now), yet she shines as Wonder Woman in an otherwise poorly conceived and executed movie. With this much success as the character already under her belt, Wonder Woman 1984 has the potential to push Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman into icon status. I hope they’re able to do something exciting that isn’t a retread of the original movie, but still captures the spirit of what makes Wonder Woman great.

Of course Chris Pine returns as Steve Trevor. It will be interesting to see exactly how they choose to resurrect the character or bring him to 1984. This isn’t supposed to be a different person who looks exactly like Steve Trevor, like his grandson or something. This is the same man that Diana knew during WWI. To be honest, I don’t particularly care about the details, I like the character and I’m happy to see him return in this movie.

    I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get to see Cheetah in this trailer. That’s the character played Kristen Wiig. There are several different versions of Cheetah, but the one I’m most familiar with and the one I hope they use is Dr. Barbara Minerva.

Dr. Barbara Minerva was an archaeologist who became friends with Diana. Her specialty was mythology and ancient cultures that existed around the time Themyscira was created. Through a bizarre series of events that I won’t get into here, she’s cursed by some ancient god into becoming a cheetah-like monster. The transformation made her overly violent and bloodthirsty, but for the most part she retains her human mind. In some versions she directly blames Diana for her condition. I’m really excited to see if they do this character design justice. In my opinion, CGI motion capture would be the best way to go, I’d like to see them lean more into the monstrous cheetah side than the more human look we’ve seen in other iterations. I’ve included some images from a recent Wonder Woman story by written Greg Rucka with art by Liam Sharp. They’re good examples of the direction I hope the filmmakers go with for Cheetah’s design…

   On the flip side, I was very pleasantly surprised to see the inclusion of another classic DC anti-hero/villain: Maxwell Lord. Played by Pedro Pascal who’s currently wowing audiences in The Mandalorian, will be playing Maxwell Lord, who I had no idea was even in the movie.

Maxwell Lord is a wealthy businessman who has a long and dark history with the Justice League and Wonder Woman in particular. At one point he fully funded the Justice League a classic JL run in the 80’s called Justice League International. It was later revealed that he was a meta-human with telepathic powers and this long time ally to the Justice League was actually a much more sinister figure than anyone knew. So that’s a really fun character to throw into the mix because they could play him in a lot of different ways.  In addition to the trailer also got some really cool character posters (featured throughout the article) The posters for the first Wonder Woman movie were fucking works of art and these posters are certainly unique. I especially love that golden wing armor that we see Diana wear in the trailer, if they make a poster with that costume I will most certainly be buying a copy. Anyway, this is definitely high on my list of most anticipated films of 2020, take a look at the trailer right here:

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter @PJWrightWBM or type Worlds Best Media into the search bar, you can also like and follow us on our Facebook page; World’s Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, which 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!

-Paul