‘Son of Batman’ will be Damian Wayne’s first animated feature

2014 marks the 75th anniversary of the peerless Batman, the world’s greatest detective. To mark the occasion, DC’s latest animated feature is a retelling of one of the most important stories of Bruce Wayne’s recent history, the revelation that he is the father of Talia al Ghul’s son.

Son of Batman is the animated adaptation of a portion of Grant Morrison’s 2006 Batman and Son story arc. In the story, Talia seeks out Batman’s help when Deathstroke murders Ra’s al Ghul in an attempt to seize control of the League of Assassins. While explaining this dire situation, Talia reveals that her child, Damian, is in fact Bruce Wayne’s son. Batman must juggle the perils of fatherhood, master assassins seeking his head, and introducing his newly discovered son to the rest of the Bat-family.

The voice cast features several notable names. Jason O’Mara will be playing Bruce Wayne/Batman for the second time in an animated feature (the first being the upcoming Justice League: War), Homeland’s Morena Baccarin is Talia, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.‘s David McCallum voices Alfred, and finally and most importantly, the great Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad’s Gustavo Fring, plays Ra’s Al Ghul. Check out the trailer for Son of Batman down below:

 

 

(SPOILER ALERT)
A surprising number of people who enjoy Batman have no idea that he has been a father since 2006. Personally, it took some time for Damian Wayne to grow on me, but I’ve come around to him just in time for DC Comics to kill him off in the New 52. Of course, no one ever stays dead in comics and there are already plans in the works to revive him. What did you expect from the League of Assassins, a group with ready access to means that can bring back the dead?
(END SPOILERS)

Via TV Guide

Are you a fan of Damian Wayne? What are your thoughts about the Son of Batman trailer? Let us know in the comments!

Lady Sif to Appear on Marvel’s ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’

An upcoming guest appearance from one of Thor’s most trusted warriors may be Marvel’s attempt to appeal to critics of its covert ops drama, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Jaimie Alexander will reprise the role of Lady Sif on a future episode of the program.

One of the most common and accurate criticisms of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is that the show feels completely separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Aside from a few throwaway lines that are awkwardly crammed into the dialogue every now and again, there is little evidence that the show takes place in the same world where aliens and gods have made themselves known to the general populace.

 

 

Apparently, ABC and Marvel have realized that this is a completely legitimate knock against the show and are planning to make changes to address it by including more elements from the films in future episodes. First on the docket is a visit from one of the most lethal combatants in the Nine Realms and an close ally of the mighty Thor himself, Lady Sif. Marvel announced the news in a press release a few days ago:

The Lady Sif is making a trip to Midgard, and her journey will lead her straight to our favorite Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

That’s right, True Believers, Jaimie Alexander will make a special guest appearance as Sif in an upcoming episode of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” reprising her role from Marvel’s “Thor” and “Thor: The Dark World”!

Last seen in “Thor: The Dark World”—now the third largest grossing Marvel Studios film—Sif has come to Earth with a very specific mission. Unfortunately, we can’t tell you just what brings her to our neck of the woods just yet.

I have to say, the brevity and coy nature of this announcement leaves me less than excited. ABC and Marvel spun this very yarn a few months ago, only to leave viewers completely underwhelmed. There was a huge press release hyping up an upcoming episode, promising that it would be directly tied to the aftermath of Thor: The Dark World. Instead, we met some characters that were about as related to the film as I am to the Hulk. Evidently, Marvel wants to preserve even the most D-List characters for appearances in the movies instead of using anyone recognizable to improve the show.

I can only imagine that instead of using this opportunity to expand on Sif’s character, the show will squander her appearance on a cheap gag. My expectations are very low, but I supposed Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. could surprise me. Perhaps this is a sign that Marvel is willing to loosen the reigns on some of its characters and bolster the appeal of the program with more guest appearances.

What are your thoughts about Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Do you think the show could benefit from more guest appearances from Marvel characters or should the writing team work to improve its core cast? Share your opinions down below!

Via Marvel

‘Hannibal’ Season 2 Trailer Serves Up Something A Little Different

While I’m not quite halfway through the first season of NBC’s Hannibal, I am at least at the point that I’m kind of excited there will be a second season. Having said that, I now feel only slightly spoiled now that I’ve watched the Season Two trailer – I’m not overly upset since I’ll probably forget everything I saw in the trailer before this post is even visible. In any event, the trailer is out and up for your viewing pleasure, though I do urge anyone who hasn’t finished the first season to hold off until you’re caught up.

One might question why I would bother watching the trailer for the next season when I myself haven’t finished the first season? It’s a valid question and I wish I had a valid or coherent answer. Regardless, fans of the first season will notice that it appears the format of the show might be switched up a bit. The first season at least to the point that I’m at has stuck pretty closely to your average procedural, though it involves characters who’s history most are aware of. I don’t mind the “killer of the week” style of the show, but I have to say that the Season Two trailer does have me excited to finish out the first season and get even more pumped for what the show has in store. Take a look for yourself!

It’s possible the show will still have the “killer of the week” style since Hannibal Lecter is still working with the FBI obviously, but the addition of Will in prison looking to bring Lector to justice adds a nice bit of fun to the mix as well. Entertainment Weekly hints at a scene featured in the trailer which would normally be considered very spoilerific, but points out that it’s a scene that happens right off the bat in season two, just before a “12 Weeks Earlier” caption. Obviously we can expect a lot of sh*t to go down over the course of Hannibal’s second season.

What did you think of Hannibal Season One? Are you excited for the second season? What are your thoughts on the trailer for Season Two? Sound off below!

Via: Entertainment Weekly and YouTube

‘Walking Dead’ Season 4.5 Teaser Promises More Hardship to Come

The end of the first half of fourth season of The Walking Dead, AMC’s wildly successful post-apocalyptic zombie drama based on Robert Kirkman’s comics, radically altered the situation for Rick and the rest of the show’s protagonists. Without spoiling anything for those who may not be caught up, let’s just say that the group’s plans to stay in one place for an extended period of time were waylaid indefinitely. Of course, that’s nothing new to this group of people, but watching them lose their encampment for the umpteenth time was just as tragic as always.

After the latest round of turmoil, the show’s writers have suggested that the future plot lines will stay closer to the comics. Original material or not, the latest teaser for the upcoming half season suggests that the Atlanta survivors will encounter more trouble before their lot improves. There not much here, just images of the various characters in various straits are set to a somber cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising.” Still, if you’re a fan of the show, this is a perfectly serviceable teaser. Check it out below:

 

 

What are your predictions for the latter half of The Walking Dead’s fourth season? Would you prefer if the show stayed closer to the comics or should the writers continue down their on path? Let us know in the comment section!

Big Finishing Move: ‘Doctor Who: The King Of Sontar’

Hello, and welcome back to Big Finishing Move here on One Of Us! if you’re just joining us, this feature is where I review Doctor Who audio dramas from Big Finish and tell you if they are worth your time and money. As I explained last time, to kick of 2014 and running all the way until August, we will be covering each episode of the third season of the Fourth Doctor Adventures as they are released. So with a new year and new adventures to explore, let’s take on Doctor Who: The King of Sontar,  and see what it’s made of!

TARDIS Team: Fourth Doctor and Leela

Everybody has their favorite Doctor and for me, that’s Tom Baker.  Kooky, absent-minded, oddball, melancholic, and mercurial, his interpretation of the Time Lord is on one level entirely the Doctor and yet on another is entirely is his own unique thing. Serving on screen as the Doctor longer than anybody else and with a list of classics a mile long, there is a part of Baker’s run for everybody. I should also point out that Leela is my favorite  Fourth Doctor companion, fearsome, perceptive, and unapologetic about who and what she was, her relationship with the Doctor was very akin to Prof. Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle and I just eat that sort of stuff up.

It saddens me to no end then how much of a mixed bag the past two seasons  of the Fourth Doctor Adventures have been. Season 2 is all the more heartbreaking as it was the last time Mary Tamm got to play Romana I before she lost her battle with cancer.  The range isn’t bad, it just has much fewer standouts each season then one would hope for.

Our story begins with Sontarans doing what Sontarans do, fighting and performing military operations as they succeed in conquering a mercenary controlled base on a little mudhole planet in the middle of nowhere. Their victory is short lived as the leader of the base Strang, who is also a Sontaran makes short work of them. This is odd of course because Sontarans, warlike as they are, are supposed to all be on the same side.

The Doctor, once again dragged off course by the work of the Time Lords lands in the middle of all this craziness and he and Leela end up separated. While the Doctor is captured and put to work helping achieve Strang’s goals, a goal that the Doctor takes great pleasure in slowing down and meddling as best as he can Leela along with another Sontaran seek to free the Doctor and all the other slaves being held to do Strang’s bidding.  What is Strang planning that has the Time Lords so rattled that they needed to send the Doctor in?

Dan Starkey (who plays the Sontaran Strax on the Doctor Who TV show) plays Strang. While Strax is a comedic character, Strang is most defiantly not. He is cold and ruthless and I wish we could have spent more time with this character. I have to tip my hat to the other people playing Sontarans as I initially thought they were all played by Starkey. All the Sontarans sound very much alike, as a race of clones should. Given only so much wiggle room to work with I have to commend all as they managed to make each Sontaran feel like one of the masses and yet still their own person.

The score here is also worthy of note in that it almost oversells itself, it is so 70’s that borderlines on parody at points. I can understand and appreciate wanting to try and keep things authentic, but this score is trying so hard to prove that it belongs with the period Tom Baker and Louise Jameson would have been running around on the small screen that it actually starts to become a distraction.

My biggest complaint here is that this should have been a two-parter. John Dorney’s script has so many interesting things to explore but I feel that nothing is given enough time to become fully grown and explored. Had the story been spread out over two months the story would have had time enough to slow down and let us really get into the heads of these interesting new characters and see what makes them tick. What is there is clear and you will never be lost as to what is going on or why, but the story seems to sacrifice so much trying and ramp itself towards the end, but oh what a treat the ending is!

What really elevates this one for me is the climax and the denouement. I try to keep these things mostly spoiler free but I will say that the story especially at the climax hearkens back to one of the Doctor’s most renowned stories ever, but with a twist.  The denouement is then spent looking at the consequences of the choices made in this story and seems like the decisions here will carry some weight throughout the season. The main story never had a chance to really come into its own, but the fallout from it has me very excited to see what happens next. If they fail to have any follow through on this story it will be a huge mistake. It is the strongest opener Big Finish’s Fourth Doctor Adventures has ever had and that makes it at least worth the $8.99 to download the sucker and give it a listen.

Purchase Doctor Who: The King of Sontar Here:

king-of-sontar_cover_large

Be sure to check out our own audio drama series called Infinite Variations, which stars many a familiar voice, and is just great fun to listen to. Next time, we take it to the edge with:

3.2-white-ghosts_cover_large

Check out previous reviews of Doctor Who releases from Big Finish:

Phantasmagoria

The Fearmonger

The Light At The End

The Spectre of Lanyon Moor

Storm Warning

Blood of the Daleks

The Chimes of Midnight

Seasons of Fear

‘Batman Vs. Superman’ Delayed Until 2016

The prospect of a DC Comics cinematic universe has been on the cusp of forming ever since the announcement that 2013’s Man of Steel would be the first installment and would be followed by a sequel that will pit Supes against Batman himself in 2015. Well, everyone who was hoping we’d see the Man of Steel and The Dark Knight pummel each other on the silver screen next year will have to wait a bit longer.

Variety is reporting that the highly anticipated superhero film has been pushed from its original release date of July 15th 2015 to May 6th 2016, which pits Batman Vs. Superman against an as of yet unannounced Marvel film. Warner Bros. has stated that this is being done to “help fully realize the vision.” This only makes sense given that the film is still in the casting process, having not even announced their villain or who will portray it. Now, Joe Wright’s Peter Pan origin story film Pan has moved to the July 15th slot.

 

2015 is obviously a crowded year, particularly that summer. Sure certain films (Star Wars Episode VII, Pirates of the Caribbean 5) have already moved out of that crowded season, but there’s still plenty of films that’ll have to fight it out. So, I don’t blame Warner Bros. for moving Batman Vs. Superman. Now, instead of being one of the final blockbusters in a congested summer, they can lead the next summer with their big gimmick. Plus, this could hopefully result in more time to devote to the script and general pre-production process, which was more of a worry when it looked like Warners was fast tracking the film to 2015 just to try and face off against Avengers Age of Ultron. It still might be a total disappointment, but at least now there’s still some sort of chance.

How is this news hitting the rest of you? Does this give you more hope for the upcoming clash or do you still have doubt that Zack Snyder & his crew can pull this one off? Let it all out in the comments below!

Via Variety

Inside The Locker: Always Be LeBroning

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Drop your pucks and get your yucks, it’s time for Inside the Locker!

This week, the locker-dwelling sports nerds return to their modus operandi as they run through the latest sports headlines while wielding a four-foot geek stick. Ew.

The breakdown the various NFL coaching hires, give their predictions for the conference championships, and the approved changes to MLB’s replay rules.

 

They also rejoice at the return of the videogame RBI Baseball, mock J.R. Smith’s shoe fetish, and J.C. consciously objects while the others cackle over the latest meme: LeBroning.

 

Listen to the episode, and don’t forget to post your own gifs in the comment section. Oh and hey, post a gif or Instagram/Vine video of you Lebroning and you could win a prize.

 

 

 

And remember to follow us on Twitter. If you don’t, we’ll send crazy hobo Andrew Luck to your house and he’ll spit eeeeeeverywhere!

 

The Show Account–@ITLCast
Brian–@BriguySalisbury
J.C.–@jcdeleon1
Elliott–@ITLElliott
Adam–@the_beef

Movie Review: The Nut Job

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Man, there is just nothing I love more than a good heist movie. So many classics in the genre. Oh wait, there’s a new one? Great! And you say it’s from South Korea? Oh man, I am so excited. Who’s in it?

…

Will Arnett? Well, ok, seems like weird casting for this but…Brendan Fraser…wait, what’s going on here? Gabriel Iglesias? You did say this was a Korean heist movie, right? Katherine Heigl….Seriously, you better start running now, I don’t know how long I can hold myself back.

Oh, I see, it’s an ANIMATED film. And Liam Neeson is in it as well? Why didn’t you just say so? I can’t imagine Martin, Elliott and Ashley could find anything about this they didn’t like, right?

Right?

Hello?

Showtime Hints At The Possibility of a ‘Dexter’ Spinoff Series

Dexter was a show not without its fair share of detractors, specifically during the last few seasons, or every season after the fourth. I, on the other hand, remained a faithful and enthusiastic viewer right up until the bitter end…or what I thought was the bitter end. Recently, at the 2014 Television Critics Association press tour, David Nevins, the present of the Showtime network, spilled some vague beans about the possibility of a Dexter spinoff.

**Anyone spoiler sensitive will want to stop reading now as the remainder of this post (including the comment section) will contain details about how the final season of Dexter concluded.**

If you were unfortunate enough to tune into the finale, you were “treated” to a rather unsatisfying end to Dexter’s shenanigans in Miami. To this day I’m not exactly sure what I wanted his fate to be, but I know what I saw was most definitely not it. Anywho, as Nevins pointed out, the “spinoff” series of Dexter would not be some ridiculous continuation on the ongoing investigations within Miami PD where we can see Masuka continue to learn how to be a father, or Batista continue to break Quinn’s balls about his inability to be happy in a relationship. No, it would actually be about….well, Dexter.

Obviously, those who watched the show until the end know that Dexter did not die even though the Coast Guard only found bits and pieces of his boat that he drove into the heart of a hurricane after disposing of Deb’s lifeless body. Instead after some painfully cheesy scenes of characters reacting mournfully to the news that Dexter might be dead the camera cuts out and we see Dexter alive and well, with a horribly ratty beard working as a glorified lumberjack. Are you kidding me?!

Now, I’ve read the writer’s justification of the ending, but it still does not sit well with me, especially considering that the Showtime execs are now toying with the idea of a spinoff which isn’t really a spinoff. To me it seems like the writer told himself this was what he really wanted only because the network higher ups told him, “Don’t you dare kill Dexter at the end, we have plans.” So we’re treated to a prison of Dexter’s own design where he can be miserable and dirty in a boring mundane existence and we’re just supposed to believe that maybe he won’t kill again. The whole reason he left was because he didn’t think he could live a normal life and didn’t want to hurt or be responsible for the hurt he’d cause to his loved ones. I dunno, the whole end to the series leaves a really bitter taste in my mouth and a spinoff I don’t think is going to wash it out anytime soon.

The good news is that the new series will not become a reality unless Michael C. Hall is on board, so essentially the ball is in his court. After 8 years it is possible Hall just wants to pursue other artistic endeavors and wants to leave Dexter in his past. Conversely, maybe he too isn’t all that smitten with the finale and might want to help fans get some closure by the end of a new series. The future is all too uncertain in the Dexter universe, but for my two cents I’m far less interested in a spinoff series that features the same character doing similar if different things as I am in maybe a three episode or so mini-series or three part movie that would give the writers a shot at ending the entire Dexter saga for good. A last hurrah that doesn’t make everyone at Miami PD look like the incompetent crime stoppers that they are and gives closure to everyone who was left at the end with their thumbs up their asses wondering what to do next.

That’s just how I feel. What are your thoughts on a Dexter spinoff? What did you think of the Season 8 finale? How did/do you want it to end? Spoilers are free game considering this is already a post heavy with details about the ending. Sound off below!

 

Via: Dread Central

Season 6 Marks Last Call For ‘Justified’

It’s one of the oldest rules in showbiz: always leave them wanting more. An announcement from the creative team behind FX’s hit show Justified demonstrates that they have taken that old maxim to heart. The program will come to a close next year with its sixth season.

The decision was apparently made jointly by series creator Graham Yost and the man who brought the show’s lead character, Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens to life, Timothy Olyphant. The news was confirmed by John Landgraf, the president of programming  at FX.

“We talked about it a year ago; they felt that the arc of the show and what they had to say would be best served by six seasons instead of seven. Regretfully, I accepted their decision.”

Justified, which premiered in 2010, has been a critical darling since day one and has amassed a very vocal and loyal fan base. A tale of American outlaws and lawmen in the modern world all with an Elmore Leonard (who created Raylan back in the early 90’s) twist in dialogue and pacing made Justified a show that never needed to try to be cool, it just was.

FX is to be commended here for allowing the show to end on its own terms and not trying to push the series further than the creators want to take it. While I’m sure the series could run successfully for multiple seasons yet, if the people who create and love the show think it is time to hang it up, then that is what should happen. As Graham Yost said when the story broke:

“There were financial incentives to keep going, but it really felt, in terms of story, that six years felt about right.”

Now before we lose perspective here, Justified is far from done, season five has just started so we have plenty more adventures with Raylan before he rides off into the sunset.The only difference now is that the end of the trail is in sight.  The journey is more important than the destination however, and I bet it’s going to be one hell of an adventure getting there.

So what are some of your favorite Justified moments, and how do you think the show should end? Let us know in the comments below.

Via The Hollywood Reporter