In a mind-blowing Tuesday afternoon shocker, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran have been named the heads of DC Studios, a brand-new Warner Bros. division replacing DC Films. The pair will oversee DC’s films, television, and animation going forward. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Gunn and Safran will be operating as co-CEOs of DC Studios, with Gunn focusing on the creative and Safran handling the business and production side. However the duties are split up, this is an unprecedented move.

In a statement, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said “DC has among the most entertaining, powerful, and iconic characters in the world and I am thrilled to have the singular and complementary talents of James and Peter joining our world-class team and overseeing the creative direction of the storied DC Universe. Their decades of experience in filmmaking, close ties to the creative community, and proven track record thrilling superhero fans around the globe make them uniquely qualified to develop a long-term strategy across film, TV, and animation, and take this iconic franchise to the next level of creative storytelling.”

In a separate statement Gunn and Safran expressed their excitement saying, “We’re honored to be the stewards of these DC characters we’ve loved since we were children. We look forward to collaborating with the most talented writers, directors, and actors in the world to create an integrated, multilayered universe that still allows for the individual expression of the artists involved. Our commitment to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Harley Quinn, and the rest of the DC stable of characters is only equaled by our commitment to the wonder of human possibility these characters represent. We’re excited to invigorate the theatrical experience around the world as we tell some of the biggest, most beautiful, and grandest stories ever told.“

It’s still a little hazy as to how this impacts movies already in the works, mainly those outside of the DCEU such as Todd Phillips’ upcoming “Joker” sequel and Matt Reeves’ developing universe revolving around “The Batman”. But one thing is for sure, Gunn has a deep affection for comics and superhero storytelling. And Safran is no stranger to producing big-budgeted superhero franchise movies. Gunn’s brash and more comedy-leaning individual style is reasonably concerning. But there’s no reason to believe he will force that style onto every DC property.

What’s most exciting about the hiring is that DC is all but guaranteed to once again have a vision. Gunn and Safran already have some terrific groundwork laid with the recent release of “Black Adam” and the announcement that Henry Cavill is back as Superman. Stability will do wonders, and Gunn’s enthusiasm is sure to take the DCEU (or whatever it’s going to be called) into some fresh and fun directions. Let’s go!

So what do you think about the big news?

Hey look, an upcoming marvel movie that may help wash away the bad taste left by their last film, “Thor: Love & Thunder”! As someone who genuinely likes the comic book characters, Thor’s latest wasn’t a happy experience. And the steady stream of mediocre television hasn’t exactly helped the MCU’s current state. And then along comes the trailer for “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and suddenly I’m feeling a slight reason for optimism.

Both of the previous Ant-Man movies have been flawed but fine when it comes to entertainment. This third feature looks as if it has a lot more significance than what we have seen before. Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, Michael Douglas, and Michelle Pfeiffer all return, while MCU newcomer Kathryn Newton takes over as Cassie Lang (still not sure why, but ok). But the big attraction from the trailer is Jonathan Majors reprising his role of Kang the Conqueror. There are several other teases to be found if you look close. But most importantly, it looks like we’re finally getting a movie that (hopefully) will bring some of these MCU properties together.

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” hits theaters February 21st. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

I loved the 2015 Swedish dramedy “A Man Called Ove”, and I remember thinking then that an American remake was all but guaranteed. It actually took longer than I expected to get here, but now we have “A Man Called Otto” from director Marc Forster. And playing the titular curmudgeon is none other than Tom Hanks. I’m always a believer in Hanks, but this felt like an odd role for him. Then I saw the new trailer. In typical Hanks fashion, he falls right into the character and I’m looking forward to seeing where he takes it.

Storywise, Otto is in a bad way. His wife has died, and he was forced out of a job he loved. So he’s decided to end his life. But every attempt is accidentally thwarted by his sweet and lively new neighbors. Soon this single mother, two young daughters, and one persistent gray cat help Otto see that he has more to live for. The original film was dark yet funny. I’m not sure how far this version will go, but the trailer looks really promising.

“A Man Called Otto” opens in theaters January 13th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Few movies have surprised me more than “Creed” and “Creed II”. The very idea of jump-starting the “Rocky” franchise by focusing on the son of Apollo Creed seemed like a stretch. As it turned out, Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, and Sylvester Stallone had a great story to tell, and they followed it up with an exceptional sequel (Stallone was robbed of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar). Now the third chapter is on the way with Jordan not just starring, but making his feature directorial debut.

The first trailer has dropped giving us a good taste of what we can expect. This time around Adonis Creed (Jordan) finds himself on a collision course with Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors), a close friend from his past who’s fresh out of prison following an 18 year sentence. While the two were once like brothers, Damien clearly has animosity towards his old friend and he intends to settle things in the ring. “I’m coming for everything”, Majors utters with a confident snarl. Gratuitous body-flexing aside, the trailer captures the same spirit as the previous two films. I’m all in.

The January 2023 movie calendar is taking shape, and horror fans already have something to look forward to. In many ways “Megan” looks very much like a January movie release. But it also looks like the kind of schlocky B-movie horror that I tend to have fun with. The film has several interesting names attached. It’s Blumhouse produced. James Wan gets a story credit. Akela Cooper (“Malignant”) wrote the screenplay. It stars Allison Williams (“Get Out”).

The story is undeniably goofy, but in a pretty entertaining way. Williams plays Gemma, a high-tech toy maker who uses artificial intelligence to create M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android), a life-like prototype doll programmed to be a child’s best friend and protector. When her niece suddenly loses her parents in a terrible accident, Gemma is given custody. Overwhelmed, she brings home M3GAN to help care for her niece. Guess how that goes. M3GAN evolves and bloodshed ensues. The trailer’s second half looks absolutely bonkers which is kinda what you want from a movie borrowing from so many others that came before it. We’ll see.

“Megan” hits theaters January 13th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Tis the season…well, almost. With only a couple of months to Christmas, it makes sense that we’re starting to get trailers for this year’s stock of new Christmas movies. But one that sticks out from the usual holiday fare is “Violent Night”, a goofy black comedy action-thriller from director Tommy Wirkola (“Dead Snow”, “The Trip”). The film stars David Harbour as jolly old Saint Nicholas and lets just say he has “a particular set of skills” that goes beyond delivering toys.

It’s Christmas Eve and Santa (Harbour) is going about his routine – sliding down chimneys, munching cookies, and leaving gifts for all the good boys and girls. But while stopping at a wealthy family’s mansion, he encounters a group of heavily armed mercenaries led by John Leguizamo. They’re holding the family hostage, and are caught off guard when Santa shows up. Suddenly it’s up to him to save the night (and I suppose Christmas). The trailer is loaded with big bloody action and plenty of laughs. Hopefully there’s enough to fill a feature length movie.

“Violent Night” opens in theaters December 2nd. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.