Article by Adam Mast
Photos by Christian Navarrete, Jeff Sanders, and John Pugh
Our “2015 Comic-Con International” coverage concludes with this epic collection of highlights.
THE MOST HIGHLY ANTICPATED PANEL ACCORDING TO FANS:
“BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE” (Warner Brothers)
There were a lot of film presentations to get excited about at the 2015 Comic-Con International, and with movies like “The Force Awakens,” “X-Men: Apocalypse,” “The Hateful Eight,” “Suicide Squad,” and “Deadpool” in the line-up, the title of “most anticipated presentation” was certainly a debatable one.
Having said that, the weeks leading up to Comic-Con 2015 prompted a whole lot of DC talk, and there’s no doubt that Zack Snyder’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is a movie on everyone’s minds. Me? I’m rather indifferent to the chatter, as the old school movie lover in me will always be partial to Richard Donner’s “Superman” from 1978. Not that I’m beyond getting jazzed about “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” I certainly want the movie to be good, and the buzz surround this particular panel certainly elevated my expectations. Not in a monumental way, mind you, but I’m certainly more excited for this flick than I was a few months ago.
“Man of Steel” had its issues, and I still don’t feel like “Superman” as a character entirely fits into the cinematic landscape Zack Snyder has fashioned for him. “Superman” is a more idealistic property, and what makes him so human is that he was brought up by good people in the form of Martha and Jonathan Kent. The reason Kal-El never thought to take over the world with his God-like powers is because his human parents taught him respect. He is a beaming reflection of the best of mankind. He is the very personification of humanity.
Snyder’s vision finds the Man of Steel in a more current and cynical landscape, one where mankind fears Superman because everyone fears what they don’t understand. In a way, Snyder’s interpretation of this iconic superhero is a polar opposite. It should be noted, though, that there have been many incarnations of “Superman,” and while Snyder’s take is probably more miss than hit for me, it’s all subjective.
However, throwing the Dark Knight into the mix in this highly anticipated sequel makes the darker tone feel somehow more digestible than it did the first time around. Translation: In some ways, this looks like it’s more of a “Batman” movie with Superman in it as opposed to the other way around. I’m also very intrigued at the notion that Snyder and crew are using the destruction caused in the first picture as a reason for Batman to have a legitimate beef with the Man of Steel. I’m a bit concerned that “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” will be congested. With the inclusion of Wonder Woman and rumored appearances by other superheroes, this film does risk the danger of feeling like a setup piece rather than being its own thing. Still, we can all hope for the best.
Snyder was on hand during this epic panel, and he brought along cast members Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg, Gal Gadot, and Holly Hunter. Affleck told a funny story about bumping into Christian Bale in a Halloween store. It seems that both men were looking for costumes for their sons. Affleck pulled Bale aside and asked him if he had any advice when it comes to playing one of the most iconic superheroes of all time, to which Bale replied, “Make sure you can piss in that suit!” This story brought the house down, but not as much as the trailer for the movie did.
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bha24P9uw-E
I’ve heard complaints about Jared Leto’s casting and subsequent look as the Joker in “Suicide Squad,” but I feel like those complaints should be geared toward the casting of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. I’m a fan of Eisenberg, and quite frankly, when I heard he was playing Luthor in this picture, I was completely behind the casting choice. Watching him in this trailer, though, I was left feeling rather disappointed with this characterization. I know it hardly seems fair to pass judgment after only a few seconds of trailer time, but at a glance, I’m not feeling it. Here’s hoping this incarnation of Luthor is more of the bigger-than-life mastermind we expect and less of the scrawny weasel this trailer makes him out to be.
Whatever the case may be in regard to Eisenberg, I have a feeling that Affleck is going to win over a lot of the naysayers here. He looks positively awesome in a way I wasn’t prepared for, and based off this three-minute trailer—coupled with his exceptional work on “Gone Baby Gone,” “The Town,” and “Argo”—I’m positively ecstatic that Affleck is on board to co-write and direct “The Batman.”
BEST STUDIO SHOWMANSHIP:
WARNER BROTHERS
While “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and “Pan” footage had nothing on “Suicide Squad” and “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” these respective sizzle reels were still a thrill to watch because Warner Brothers dominated in the showmanship department. This studio is always known for dazzling Comic-Con attendees with their gloriously bombastic presentations, and this year was no different.
The pristine picture quality and heart-thumping sound system proved to make for a breathtaking cinematic experience, but the addition of multiple screens along each side of massive Hall H fittingly took this presentation over the top in all the right ways. Partaking of the “Suicide Squad” and “Batman v Superman” sizzle reels in such fashion was simply the icing on the proverbial cake. Add to this the exceptional moderating skills of Aisha Tyler, and you have what emerged as a near perfect studio presentation. Seriously, Tyler was great! She was warm and genuine, and at one point, she was so overwhelmed with excitement that she was nearly brought to tears. In short, Aisha Tyler is a geek, and we love her for it! There is no doubt that Warner Brothers towered above the other studios in terms of pure showmanship.
BEST FIRST TIMER:
BILL MURRAY
Open Road opened the Con with a big surprise! That surprise came in the form of Bill Murray’s first ever Comic-Con appearance, and the iconic funny man made the most of it. To the delight of many a Con attendee, Murray entered from the back of the massive Hall H crowd and made his way to the stage to promote the upcoming Barry Levinson-directed comedy, “Rock the Kasbah.” In the film, Murray plays Richie Vance, a has-been rock star manager who discovers a potential star while on a USO tour in Afghanistan.
Murray worked the room like the seasoned pro that he is. He wasn’t only funny, though. When fielding questions from an eager crowd, his answers were both thoughtful and sincere. A highlight came in the form of an attendee decked out in “Ghostbusters” memorabilia. The thrilled fan asked Murray if there was a single role throughout his career that he was most fond of playing, to which the funny man replied, “I seem to recall being involved in a movie where I saved New York City.”
Murray’s response was met with resounding approval by the packed crowd.
Part of me was bummed that director Barry Levinson and co-star Kate Hudson didn’t make the trek to San Diego for this panel, but it was an absolute joy seeing Bill Murray in the flesh. What a class act this guy is. He even mingled with fans before exiting the ballroom. In short, Comic-Con 2015 could not have opened in stronger fashion.
PANELS I’M SORRY I MISSED:
“ASH VS. EVIL DEAD”
Damn you, “Star Wars”! Why did your panel have to be scheduled at the same time as the “Ash Vs. Evil Dead” presentation? Comic-Con attendees are often asked to make tough choices, and this year, the worst bit of crossover programming came in the form of “Ash Vs. Evil Dead” and “The Force Awakens.” Of course, I went with “Star Wars,” but I was none too pleased to miss a presentation featuring everyone’s favorite Deadite ass-kicking smart alec, Ash.
Bruce Campbell is a cult icon of the highest order. His work in “The Evil Dead” franchise and “Bubba Ho-Tep” is the stuff of legend. When it was reported last year that “The Evil Dead” creator Sam Raimi would forego a long-awaited follow-up to “Army of Darkness”—which might still be in the cards—and would instead focus on an “Evil Dead” TV series, fans weren’t entirely sure what to expect. Well, if the buzz generated by this panel is any indication, you can expect a whole lot of Ash-kicking entertainment. Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi were on hand for the panel, and they even presented a sizzle reel, one which I’m happy to report is available to you, the fine public. I’m still incredibly bummed that I missed this panel, but oh so happy that this footage is available for our viewing pleasure.
Have a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unnLg1TPCYM
KEVIN SMITH
Our team member/filmmaker Christian Navarrete is a proud Kevin Smith fan. Has been for years. It’s all over his work in all the best ways. Suffice it to say, Christian was quite excited to attend Smith’s extended Hall H panel, as were the rest of us. Smith’s Q & A’s are legendary, and this one would be extra special because the “Clerks” director planned to share footage from his upcoming film, “Yoga Hosers.” Sadly though, Smith had the unfortunate and daunting task of following Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars” panel.
On any given year, following “Star Wars” would have been a good thing. It would insure that Smith would have a packed house to work his magic on. The problem is, immediately following “The Force Awakens” panel, Abrams and crew took nearly the entire 6,500-strong crowd to an outdoor venue behind the San Diego Convention Center and treated them to a live “Star Wars” concert performed by the San Diego Symphony. Smith took it in stride, though. He even joked that he came close to canceling his own panel so that he could attend the concert himself. Ultimately, he did host a panel in front of a crowd of about two thousand attendees. While our crew was unhappy to miss out on “An Evening with Kevin Smith,” that “Star Wars” concert was pretty bad ass.
[Side note: J.J. Abrams was mortified when he found out he inadvertently sabotaged Smith’s panel. The two filmmakers are friends, and Abrams was quick to apologize for the unfortunate mishap. Being the class act that he is, Smith shrugged the whole thing off. At the very least, it’s safe to say this incident will serve as great material for Smith’s comedy act for years to come.]
CONAN O’BRIEN
There was no actual Conan O’Brien panel at Comic-Con, but the late night talk show personality did host his TV show from geek central in San Diego this year. Unfortunately, tickets were very hard to come by, and in many cases, the tapings were taking place during some of the Con’s bigger panels. Therefore, we simply didn’t have an opportunity to go and see him.
Having said that, the legendary ginger was on hand to moderate Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games: The Mockingjay Part 2” panel, so we were privy to at least a partial Conan O’Brien fix. He killed it too. His interaction with “The Hunger Games” cast was funny, charming, and easygoing. Everything you’d expect it to be. In fact, it could be argued that in many ways, O’Brien actually upstaged the guests on the panel. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is up to interpretation, but for me, I thought he was terrific. In terms of A-list moderators, though, the great Chris Hardwick still wears the crown.
BEST COMEBACK:
M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN’S “THE VISIT”
Jeff, Christian, and John were rather shocked that I walked up to director M. Night Shyamalan following a special advanced screening of his September release, “The Visit” and told him I thought it was his most entertaining film since “Unbreakable.” They thought the filmmaker might take offense and consider what I was saying to be a back-handed compliment. In retrospect, I sort of understand why they might think that, but quite frankly, it’s the truth. While it should be noted that I liked “Signs” and with certain reservations, “The Village,” “The Visit” is Shyamalan’s most entertaining movie since “Unbreakable.”
We’re embargoed from reviewing “The Visit” in full as it’s still a couple of months away from release. What I can tell you is that the film centers around a woman who sends her children to spend some time with her estranged parents in an effort to allow the children to bond with the grandparents they’ve never known. That’s the set up. Once these lively children make it out to grandma and grandpa’s house, well…let’s just say that from that point, things get a little…weird.
Shyamalan’s last few efforts have left a bit to be desired, prompting some fans to question what happened to this guy. With “The Visit,” I get the sense that Shyamalan decided perhaps it was time to get back to the basics. The end result is a smaller but effective effort that uses its creepy hook as a means to delve into what the story is truly about.
“The Visit” is every bit dramatic and funny as it is creepy and off-kilter. A hell of a cast too! Watch for a full review in September.
As usual, the pros outweighed the cons at Comic-Con, and I have no doubt that we’ll be back in the trenches next year.
If you’re interested in attending Comic-Con, it’s always good to plan early. Badges sell out months in advance.
For detailed information on how to purchase passes for Comic-Con 2016, click here. http://www.comic-con.org/cci
