Manuel here asking you turn your brain off and go down the rabbit hole that is superhero-related marketing materials. Summer is almost here and superheroes, whether we like them or not, will be dominating the conversation (look no further than TFE's first podcast of the season!) though we'll do our best at TFE to provide counterprogramming.
But until then, presented with the first thought that came into my head are these three new images for upcoming supes-centered films:
Color: DC's kryptonite.
David Ayer tweeted: "Task Force X assembled and ready. #SuicideSquad"
Robbie as Harley remains the selling point for me. On top of (not pictured) Viola Davis as Amanda Walker because whether they're signing up for Teenage Mutant films or dystopian franchises, we know our faves need to pay them bills (and hopefully earn the flexibility to work on a variety of projects). Full disclosure, I know absolutely nothing about this property and this Leto meme remains my favorite thing about the marketing for this 2016 (!!) release.
Whither pretty Jamie?
If there's one thing I wish Bryan Singer's X-Men movies hadn't started is this color-washing of pop colored Marvel properties.
Superhero films: chiseling physiques and hiding faces since 2002 (or should we go back to Batman Forever which chiseled suits? Now I’m trying to remember whether Keaton ever beefed up for his turns as the dark knight. Do we have the 90s to blame for this need for superhero hunks to look like action figures even at the expense of their natural hirsute appearance? That said, the photoshop also makes it hard to make out Miles, Kate and Michael, no?
LOL
Reynolds himself tweeted out this great poster.
A superhero with a sense of humor (and color!). He's serving you class clown realness and I am here for it. Sadly, as Ryan Reynolds notes, this is merely a fan-made poster, but it’s oh so perfect, isn’t it?
Market saturation will no doubt burst this caped bubble soon enough (look no further than the divisive conversation over Age of Ultron and its attendant behind-the-scenes kerfuffles) but they’ll continue to be fascinating as twenty-first century examples of corporate authorship with occasional bouts of brilliance.
Are you excited about any of these or are you already exhausted by the talk of potential spinoffs and sequels these promotional stills are sure to beget?