1. The Future Of DC Cinema Starts Now
Warner Bros. and DC Films have thrown all their eggs into the proverbial Man Of Steel basket, and rightfully so. As we've discussed, The Dark Knight Trilogy was a stand-alone affair, and it generated well over $1 billion in revenue worldwide. 2006's Superman Returns was also not well received, as it was more a slow moving tribute to the days of Christopher Reeve than a film ushering in a new era of Superman. And so with Man Of Steel, Warner Bros. and DC hope to relaunch their cinematic universe much in the same tone that DC has done with their comic book line of The New 52 issues over the past year or so. As troubling as this can become, it is honestly the only option for the DC brand. 2011's Green Lantern faulted from day one, and while it was by no means a terrible film, it was underwhelming at best; so was Superman Returns. But all that is in the past, and now DC must move forward; and what better way to start anew than with the rebirth of the most recognizable superhero on the face of the planet. As a fan, I, too, have put all my eggs into this proverbial Man Of Steel basket. I believe this film, and Henry Cavill's performance, will return Superman to the top of critical acclaim. While not as flashy and hip as Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, Man Of Steel will have a tall building to scale if they hope to score with casual movie goers and us fanboys alike. And unfortunately the box office determines the overall success of a film, regardless of critical appeal. Man Of Steel has a reported budget of $200 million dollars, so Snyder and company have to perform well from day one in order to eclipse that mark. And I think they will. This film promises to be full of heart, full of drama, and loaded with action. So far, from what we've all seen in the footage released, Man Of Steel looks fantastic, with several epic fight scenes topping off the story of a young man from Kansas embarking on a quest to find himself and embrace his destiny. I, for one, can't wait to accompany him on this new journey.
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