Rebooted Batman to Debut in Justice League Movie?

Rumor has it that the live-action Justice League of America movie will also ostensibly serve as the reboot of Batman on the big screen.

Batman-on-Film reports that a "solid as they come" source tells them the Batman "reboot will come after the JL film, not before. Therefore, the new cinematic Batman will be introduced in the JL film as opposed to a solo film. This would ... assure the new Batman film series will be part of a 'DC Cinematic Universe.'"

The site cautions, however, that while their source is legit, they still advise readers to take the rumor "with a grain of salt" for now.

Next summer's Man of Steel is expected to be the final DC Comics movie until at least 2015, when scuttlebutt suggests the JLA film will be released.

JLA is being scripted by Will Beall. No director is currently involved, although recent reports claims the Wachowskis are high up on Warner Bros.' wish list to helm it.

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The Hunger Games Blu-ray Review

The Hunger Games was one book I intentionally ignored reading before seeing the film. I'd read all seven Harry Potter books before those films made it to the big screen, and couldn't help but feel the sting of every little moment that got axed. While I adore those films, part of me was ever so slightly disappointed by almost every single one of them. Instead of focusing on what the filmmakers got right, I found myself analyzing what got cut out. Following that series, I made it a habit to read the book after the fact. It allows the book and film to exist separate from one another, with the comparisons being less harsh.

I'm also reminded of a great quote I once read from John Irving, the novelist and screenwriter of The Cider House Rules. Tangled in drafts and conflict with the production team, he finally decided to stop adapting his book to the letter, and started focusing on making the best film he could. I'm paraphrasing, but his quote went something like this: We're not making a book, we're making a film.

Such is the case with The Hunger Games, a divisive motion picture that enraged some fans, but also seemed to capture the attention, and admiration, of many fans and non-fans alike. Adapting The Hunger Games is really a catch-22. After all, the book is a bit of an anti-commercial commentary on the sensationalistic nature of realty TV, while also digging on the domination and destructive nature of the 1%, so to speak. It's hard not to sensationalize aspects of the movie in order to sell it to the mainstream crowd, but with a PG-13 rating, there's a fine line between what is and isn't acceptable. Some have commented that the film feels neutered – such is the case when trying to find that bigger audience.

Also, leading up to the film's release, the buzz among non-fans and movie nuts was that the film was a watered-down, Americanized version of the Japanese cult hit, Battle Royale. While those comparisons are certainly valid on some level, Battle Royale isn't the first story to dive into the reality TV craze, nor is it the first to explore our thirst for violence, mayhem and death. That dates all the way back to the days of the Roman empire, and far beyond. And even novels like Lord of the Flies explore what happens when teens are pitted against one another.

As an outsider, viewing The Hunger Games for the first time, I saw a wholly compelling, well-made, multi-layered teen thriller that was largely a metaphor for the angst-addled trials and tribulations of high school life, and the various social structures that seem designed to tear us down at that age.

The circus of The Hunger Games – the crowds of wildly dressed clowns (a sort of mixture of steam punk and hipster) surrounding the contestants – are the teachers, the parents, the counselors and various relatives – each telling the young students what to do and how to survive. Each are watching with their own motivations – some selfishly or enviously.

Instead of cutthroat tests and GPA contests – where being the best student lands the best scholarship, and one point means the world – are the games themselves. Some students will do anything to win. Some feel forced into competing. Others are angered by the perceived redneck who happens to be naturally better or smarter than the hardworking studious youth who feels entitled to the crown. Others simply succumb to a harsh competitive spirit, and want nothing more than to watch their peers fail. There's even a fleeting romance between two teens simply trying to survive the trenches of high school.

This may not be the point of Suzanne Collins' trilogy, but it's the metaphor that stands out the most in director Gary Ross' film, and it's what made the movie entertaining, alluring and often frightening.

 Hunger Games' Josh Hutcherson on Peeta's Progress

The Hunger Games isn't a film that's trying to glamorize violence, either, as some have suggested. That said, the graphic violence depicted in the film definitely pushes the boundaries of the PG-13 rating, so plan appropriately if you're a parent. On that level, the movie doesn't yell at its audience for enjoying the picture or investing in the characters or the story (like Diary of the Dead did, for example), but instead allows the viewer to come to their own conclusions about the film's metaphors and social commentary. If you walk out of The Hunger Games and you rooted for people to die, you missed the point.

The story was a tragedy, on every level. It's a tragedy for Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) who must compete in a war of senseless violence. It's a tragedy for Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), who's unsure whether Katniss actually feels love for him. And it's even a tragedy for the perceived villains of the story, who trained for this day for their entire lives and saw it all erased by Katniss and Peeta.

The film isn't without its share of flaws, of course. The world itself isn't properly set up in the beginning, leaving a questionable string of logic for what follows. The morose setting of the first act doesn't help much, either. Some characters aren't quite fleshed out as nicely as they should have been. And for a world that's allegedly filled with hungry people, pretty much everyone looks fit as a fiddle. Visual effects are often laughably bad, too, even though set design and costumes are downright Oscar worthy. The shaky camerawork can also get a little nauseating at times.

But those are only minor setbacks in an otherwise stunning first chapter in this inevitable trilogy of striking morality plays. The action is compelling, brutal and tragic – balancing the dark nature of the narrative without playing too excessive or exploitative. The Hunger Games may be a flawed beast, to be sure, but there's plenty of subtext to glean from the narrative, and a slew of wonderfully rich characters worth investing in.

The Hunger Games Blu-ray arrives courtesy of Summit and Lionsgate Home Entertainment. The film is presented in 2.40:1 widescreen, encoded in 1080p/AVC and mixed in thunderous 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. Considering that this is easily Lionsgate's biggest film this year, there was a lot riding on this presentation, and the disc itself does not disappoint.

The transfer is stunning in almost every way. Colors are bold and vivid, but morose and subdued when they need to be. Textures, shadows and image depth are top notch, with very little bleed or inconsistency. Film grain is a bit on the heavy side (The Hunger Games was shot on Super 35, so that's not surprising), but it's naturalistic and gritty, adding further texture to the story. The encode itself suffers little artifacting, though some noise was detected during darker, nighttime shots. On the whole, this is a reference transfer that brings the dazzling imagery of the picture to life.

Audio is also reference grade. The 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is both nuanced and aggressive, with atmospheric surround usage, perfect balancing, crystal clear dialogue and hefty, moody bass. Never once was there a single high-end crackle or distortion noted. This mix allows for an immersive listening experience that brings you straight into the action.

The Hunger Games Blu-ray includes two discs – one for the film and a disc full of bonus features. There's also a Digital Copy of the film, and an UltraViolet copy. Disc one is relatively free of goodies, other than a few promos and trailers. There's also a nifty DTS-HD calibration feature. It's a shame all discs don't have this feature as a standard goodie.

Moving on to disc two, there's a slew of material to explore, starting with The World is Watching: Making The Hunger Games, an incredible feature-length documentary chronicling the entire production. It's rare to see documentaries like this much anymore, and I whole-heartedly commend Lionsgate for offering up something this cool. Needless to say, if you're a fan of the film or the book series, this documentary is well worth a look.

The remaining bonus features are mostly fluff, albeit interesting and informative fluff, which isn't surprising considering how much ground is covered in the 140-minute documentary. There are five additional featurettes, totaling about 45 minutes. They include a look at the game center, an examination of director Gary Ross and discussions with Suzanne Collins, Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchel, and Donald Sutherland. The second disc concludes with 90-second propaganda film and a marketing archive for The Hunger Games, including trailers, posters and photos from the film.

Even with the odds stacked against it, The Hunger Games turned out to be a pretty fantastic piece of sci-fi cinema that rides a very fine line between compelling and exploitative, and manages to make the morose, fantastical setting and violent themes work. For some, the adaptation is less than perfect. But for others, particularly newcomers, the film will only inspire more to read the original books. As for the Blu-ray – if you dug this film, this disc is worth owning. With a terrific transfer, knockout audio, and an outstanding collection of bonus features, there's little reason to skip this disc. The Hunger Games survives the competition.

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Hunger Games' Josh Hutcherson on Peeta's Progress

It's never a simple matter bringing a beloved literary character to life on screen. And when that character happens to have legions of passionate fans, each with their own specific idea about who he is and how he should be played, it's even more challenging. Josh Hutcherson understands that pressure all too well. Since he was cast in the role of Peeta Mellark in last year's highly anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' bestseller The Hunger Games, life has been a whirlwind. Even now that the film has successfully opened, he still can't relax.

First, there's tonight's midnight DVD and Blu-ray release and all the buzz surrounding it, with retailers staying open late to host Hunger Games-themed events for eager fans. Then, of course, he'll soon be back to work on the next film in the series, Catching Fire, which brings with it a whole new set of acting challenges. And in November he'll be on the big screen once again, starring alongside Chris Hemsworth (the brother of his Hunger Games co-star Liam Hemsworth) and Isabel Lucas in the remake of Red Dawn. It's a lot to handle, but not unlike his Hunger Games alter ego, the modest and well-spoken Hutcherson manages to keep his cool and take it all in stride.

We had a chance to speak with Hutcherson on the phone as he prepared to get back to the role of Peeta.

IGN: Now that the film has come out, how would you describe the reaction from the fans after seeing it?

Hutcherson: It's been incredible. I'm still blown away by it. I think that when we started to make the movie we had an idea that there were a lot of fans of the books and whatnot, but I don't think that anybody really expected it to be this well received. So for me it's just a dream come true to make something that you love, that you're really proud of, that people also really loved.

IGN: Did you get satisfaction after?

Hutcherson: It does feel good. Especially when you have so many people who have so many different opinions of what the character should be like. It's good to know that all in all, they're pretty satisfied with it. It's definitely a little nerve wracking when you're making it because you're like, "Wow, a lot of people like this character so I hope I'm doing it the right way." So I'm very happy and the response has been really great.

IGN: Now that the movie is coming out on DVD and Blu-ray, do you feel that anticipation ramping up all over again?

Hutcherson: I'd say so, yeah. It's very similar to when the movie opened, because there are a lot of people who maybe didn't get a chance to see it in the theater and now they're going to see it for the first time. So I hope we get it right by them as well. So there's definitely some of that same nervousness I'd say, of just hoping that people respond well to it, even though it came out and people mostly did respond well to it. But yeah, there's definitely a bit of that, "Oh, god. I hope people like it" again.

IGN: Do you think the movie holds up on DVD?

Hutcherson: Definitely. I love watching movies on DVD. I love the moviegoing experience because of the popcorn and the big screen and the sound and everything with the audience is awesome. But there's also something nice about being able to sit and enjoy a movie in the privacy of your own home. It's really nice and calm. I feel like when I see it in the theater I'm there for the experience, and when I see it at home I'm there for the actual movie, seeing the movie itself.

IGN: There are a lot of special features on this disc, including that three-hour behind the scenes feature. Were you aware of the documentary crew hanging around while you were making the film? Was the future home video release even something you thought about back then?

Hutcherson: Yeah, Lionsgate was really proactive about making sure they got a lot of really good footage of the making of the movie. But it was never invasive, which is nice. You were aware that they were there kind of doing their thing, but it never really affected you, which is nice. I'm really excited for the fans to see what it's like from the beginning, just being a book, through the whole process that it went through to become a movie. Because as a moviegoer, for me that's always interesting. Especially with a book that's very popular. I think that's a cool process to see.

IGN: It's always a bit of a trick appealing to the fans of the books as well as people who have only seen the movies. Do you feel like there's something here for everyone?

Hutcherson: I actually haven't seen it yet, so I'm not sure, but I definitely feel like it would. I know that Lionsgate put a lot of work into it and took their time with it and wanted to make something really special, not just half ass it. So they wanted to give the fans and people who really loved the book a very real, up close experience of what it was like making the movie so they can feel like they were part of the making. And based on what I've heard about it and all the filming they did, I'm pretty sure they accomplished that.

IGN: Since The Hunger Games is a trilogy, did you keep the direction of Peeta as a character in your mind when you were making the first movie?

Hutcherson: I really tried not to, because in reality these characters don't know where they're going. So I thought it would be weird if I was too focused on what's happening in the future, because it would take the characters out of that moment and they would be knowing things they weren't supposed to know. I mean, obviously we all knew where it was going but I tried not to think about it too much while we were shooting. But now that it's actually coming and we're going to start shooting the second one, I can't wait. I can't stop thinking about it. And I'm really excited.

IGN: Peeta has one of the most interesting arcs of all the characters in the trilogy. Without spoiling anything for anybody who hasn't read the books, are you looking forward to what's coming for him?

Hutcherson: That's one of the things I've been most excited about with the whole series, the fact that Peeta does have such a really great arc, and he really goes through a big transformation. I mean, in the second book, he's caught in a situation where he's in love with this girl and she pretends to love him back, but only as a show. And that's like, I can't even imagine how deep that cut has to be, to be with this girl and be parading around and kissing and holding hands and pretending like you're in love, when you really are in love and you know that she really isn't. That's just a cool mind screw and I can't wait to play that out because it will be really fun.

IGN: Yeah, you've just got to feel sorry for the guy.

Hutcherson: I know! He's such a genuinely nice guy. He just wants love.

IGN: Separately from playing the role, just as a person watching the story, do you find yourself rooting for that relationship versus the Katniss and Gale relationship?

Hutcherson: Honestly, it's so hard to say. Because both have things that really make sense. Gale has been in Katniss' life forever, and they've been super close and now that they're older it's like, wait, what is this? And they're trying to define what their relationship is. [Peeta] is so in love with Katniss and has known it since the first time he saw her, but then never really acted on it. He's just kind of admired her from afar. And so to see that come to fruition as well, that's really intriguing. So it's really hard to say which one is the sole winner. I feel like just because Peeta has been in love with her for such a long time and it's this kind of undying love that he'd do anything for her, that's the one I'm rooting for. But at the same time, who's to say that Gale doesn't feel that same way? Gale's totally in love with her too. So it's really hard to say.

IGN: Did you learn anything on the first film that you're taking with you into the second?

Hutcherson: I think probably just how I learned how to work with our cast. There's a very cool, very dynamic cast and our relationship was so strong that we really built that up in the first movie. That's been something that will continue on in the second film with all the cast. And with the new people coming in I'm excited to get them into our group too. So I'm really excited to get back into it with these guys. I think in the first one I learned a lot about our dynamic. And to know that we have a couple of movies to do with that, it's nice to know that it's a good dynamic.

IGN: I read that you were in the gym bulking up to get ready for the next film. Is that what's going on for you right now?

Hutcherson: That is what's going on. I've been working on that for the last four weeks or so and it's going great. I'm very excited about it. I'm very proud of it. It's been a year since we filmed Hunger Games so I'm excited to be getting back into it. My hair's dyed blond now. So everything's coming back to life. It's really exciting.

IGN: Before I let you go, I have to ask you about the Red Dawn remake. For some of us of a certain age, the original movie was a touchstone growing up. I imagine there's a certain amount of anticipation for this movie as well, though probably not on the level of The Hunger Games.

Hutcherson: Yeah, it's cool. My parents grew up during that time, so it was more a part of their childhood, but I had seen it before the part came around to me. But yeah, it's a cool concept. Weirdly enough, it actually is similar to The Hunger Games in a sense, because these people are banning together to rise up against something that's much bigger than them. It's very kind of empowering movie as well. So I guess that's my new kind of role. I'm going to take on all these movies that empower the people [laughs].

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Yo! ALF Movie Planned

The 1980s TV sitcom ALF will get the big screen treatment via the producer of the Smurfs movie.

The Hollywood Reporter claims that Jordan Kerner has teamed with the series' creator Tom Patchett and puppeteer Paul Fusco to produce a hybrid live-action/CG-animated feature film for Sony Pictures Animation. Fusco, who voiced the wise-cracking visitor from the planet Melmac on the TV series, will reprise the role for the movie.

The sci-fi sitcom, which ran on NBC from 1986-90, followed an alien life form (ALF) named Gordon Shumway who crash-lands on Earth and ends up living with the American suburbanite Tanner family. ALF later beget an animated TV series, a TV movie, a Marvel comic, and a talk show series on TV Land.

No writer or director is said to be attached to the movie yet.

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Fanboys Director to Develop Chewie Biopic

The director of Fanboys has come aboard to direct the Star Wars-themed biopic Chewie.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kyle Newman has secured the screen rights to the life of actor Peter Mayhew, who portrayed Chewbacca in the Star Wars films. Newman intends on further developing the hot spec script by Evan Susser and Van Robichaux, which was picked up by Inferno Entertainment.

Chewie chronicles Mayhew's early years as a struggling actor who worked as a hospital worker before finding fame playing Han Solo's Wookie sidekick and sees the making of George Lucas' sci-fi saga through his eyes.

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The First X-Men #1 Review

With each superhero blockbuster movie that hits the big screen, the influence of those successes can be increasingly felt on their comic book counterparts. In this case, it’s hard to ignore the blatant influence of X-Men: First Class on Neal Adams and Christos Gage’s The First X-Men. Set “many years ago” before the X-Men were a thing, Wolverine embarks on a mission to protect young mutants from the government, and, among others, he recruits a certain Nazi-hunting mutant to help him with his cause.

Adams has without a doubt done some great work in the past, but his pencils here do not hold up. The flow of the visuals constantly becomes marred when unclear, static imagery fills the panel. It’s like the narrative has gum on the bottom of its shoe. Some moments work out well enough, but even when Adams does put together a good scene, the awkward design of his Neanderthal-esque Wolverine manages to sink the quality back down.

While the art does not make for a selling point, the story works on some levels. There are a handful of cool touches that set this as an X-Men story taking place at a time when nothing we know has been established yet. Xavier is a naive and selfish student, Wolverine is buddies with Sabertooth, and he attacks baddies using his bone claws along with a pair of samurai swords. It’s these and other similar touches that are the highlight of the book.

With so much continuity to the X-Men in the first place, it’s hard to decide where this fits or if it even fits at all. At this point in Wolverine’s life, his sudden sympathy for other mutants hardly coincides with his typical loner style. And are we to believe he went to a young Xavier and asked him for help during this series, only to wind up as one of the X-Men decades later? This and some other similar story beats stress my sense of believable continuity to the point where it partially hinders the issue’s fun.

Despite these hangups, this book is not all that bad. If you liked X-Men: First Class with its dated time period and younger characters that operate in a world without what we know as the X-Men, then this title will please. Like the movie, it is perhaps best to ignore the continuity established before it and focus on the entertaining characters struggling to complete a dire mission.

Joshua is a writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter or IGN, where he is hell-bent on making sure you know his opinion about comic books.

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