The Warner Bros. Pictures 2016 CinemaCon presentation teased the future of the DC Universe, the Wizarding World and more!
DC Comics film stars Ben Affleck and Amy Adams took the stage today at CinemaCon 2016 to launch Warner Bros. Pictures’ look ahead at what the studio has coming in the rest of 2016 and beyond. Beginning the presentation with the future of the big screen DC Universe, a sizzle reel was shown that teased previously-announced films like next year’s Wonder Woman and Justice League. A few quick shots from Wonder Woman were brand new, including a flash of Gal Gadot’s Amazonian princess deflecting bullets with her bracelets and a few shots of Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor. The reel ended with a message from Zack Snyder on the Justice League set, surrounded by Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher and, interestingly enough, Henry Cavill. None were in costume, however.
“This is a movie that you really need to prepare for,” said director David Ayer, who then took the stage to introduce his full Suicide Squad cast. “You really need to prepare for an event.”
Although footage from the August 5th release was showcased, it was primarily a meld of both trailers as well as last year’s San Diego Comic-Con reel. CS did catch up with most of the Suicide Squad cast backstage, however, so check back soon for exclusive interviews with Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto and more!
The Warner Bros. presentation continued through a number of live-action films, presenting extended trailers for each. Star Russell Crowe introduced Shane Black’s The Nice Guys, which pairs the Academy Award winner with Ryan Gosling in a quick-witted, darkly comic ’70s Los Angeles noir tale.
Emilia Clarke then introduced an extended Me Before You trailer. The film, hitting theaters June 3, adapts Jojo Moyes’ bestselling novel about the relationship between a small town girl and a wealthy man (Sam Claflin) who, after a tragic accident, finds himself confined to a wheelchair.
Extended trailers were also showcased for The Conjuring 2 (introduced by stars Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga and director James Wan), the Wan-produced horror tale Lights Out (intro’d by star Teresa Palmer and director David F. Sandberg), the action comedy Central Intelligence (intro’d by star Kevin Hart and director Rawson Marshall Thurber), the action adventure The Legend of Tarzan (intro’d by stars Alexander Skarsgard, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz) and Todd Phillips’ true dark comedy War Dogs (intro’d by Phillips himself and star Bradley Cooper). We’ll have backstage conversations with most of the stars posted shortly.
The Warner Bros. presentation then veered into animated territory with Phil Lord and Chris Miller coming out to explain the Warner Animation Group (WAG), a new creative collective of talent working together to bring about the best animated features possible.
“What they didn’t realize is that we already were friends and were already doing it for free!” Miller laughed.
Among the other Warner Bros. projects in development through WAG is this year’s animated adventure Storks (a new twist on the classic baby-delivering myth), Smallfoot (the story of a sasquatch who believes in humans) and, now officially titled, S.C.O.O.B. Set for a 2018 release, the new take on Scooby-Doo has the Mystery Machine gang working for a larger organization.
“It’s really our first shot at unlocking the entire Hanna-Barbera universe,” said director Tony Cervone in a quick behind-the-scenes tease.
Also teased was The LEGO Movie Sequel, which arrives May 18, 2018. No footage was shown, although a presentation slide offered an image of a post-apocalyptic looking Emmet and Wyldestyle. Emmet is wearing a Mad Max-esque shoulder pad and, in the background, there’s a LEGO statue of liberty sunken into the sand, a la Planet of the Apes.
The WAG segment of the Warner Bros. presentation concluded with a very funny look at The LEGO Batman Movie, introduced by Lord and Miller and star Will Arnett. According to Lord and Miller, the film asks the question, “Can Batman be happy?” In the scene showcased, Alfred comes to Batman in Wayne Manor and tells him that he really needs to take more responsibility and raise his son.
“I literally have no idea what you’re talking about,” says Batman.
“The young boy that you adopted at the gala,” Alfred responds.
“I adopted a kid at the gala?!” says Batman. “I thought I was being sarcastic!”
The kid, voiced by Michael Cera, has thick glasses and we see him, incredibly excited, discovering the Batcave and Batman himself.
“Wait, does Batman live in Bruce Wayne’s basement?” he asks.
“No,” snarls Batman. “Bruce Wayne lives in Batman’s attic!”
The kid begins looking through Batman’s collection of costumes (which, in LEGO form, are basically alternate bodies on an automated rack) with quite a few designs poking fun at some of the more bizarre Batman toy variations over the years. The kid finally stops at a costume labeled “Reggae Man,” which Batman claims was for an important case. Excited, the kid puts it on and then says that he loves it, except for the confining pants, which he rips right off, revealing green underwear beneath and that Reggae Man is basically the classic Robin costume.
Concluding the Warner Bros. presentation was a new trailer for David Yates’ return to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding Word with November 18th’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Introduced by stars Eddie Redmayne, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol and Colin Farrell, the new trailer gives us a look at Redmayne’s Newt Scamander sneaking a suitcase with a creature inside through customs. He flips a switch on the lock marked “Muggle Worthy” and, when he presents the case to an inspector, it appears perfectly normal. There’s also a bit of discussion about Scamander’s history at Hogwarts and how, despite being kicked out for endangering the student body with his creatures, he was a favored pupil of Albus Dumbledore. The trailer’s final scene has Scamander setting his suitcase down in a room and then opening it and walking inside as though he was descending steps, motioning for Dan Fogler’s astonished character to follow.
Which of these Warner Bros. Pictures are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below!
