Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon are fast becoming one of the dominant forms of watching TV shows and films.
Like all TV and films however, these services get them only after a certain period of time. Films need to be out on the market for example and most of the TV series streamed, unless originals, have already been seen on TV before.
With the TV medium becoming far more dominant, there has now been a new idea that could throw everything out of the water. It has been recently reported that Apple is in talks with studios such as Fox and Warner Bros to create a streaming service that will allow comic book fans to watch a film even if it’s still out in the cinema. No need to go out and spend loads on watching a film… now you can do it at home in your pyjamas.
It is an innovative idea and one that could be very successful, particularly for home cinema users, those who can’t easily get to a cinema or the many among us who are cursed with being charged loads for tickets.
The success or failure of this will depend on price. At the moment it seems the prices will range from $25 to $50 (which is way too high in my opinion) if I can see a film at a cinema for about £6 to £10 (or $10 to $15) and most films can be bought for about the same price when out on DVD. If those prices are true then I think that very few people will actually use it.
Another issue is the effect it may have on the cinema experience. Fortunately, this service will not allow films to be streamed until two weeks after they have been out in theatres and, in today’s world, you can’t possibly wait the two weeks to see a film! Two weeks in uncharted spoiler territory is a terrifying prospect.
Moreover, the TV experience is very different to the cinema experience and many people do prefer to see a film in the cinema upon its release.
So if it’s priced high, and if it doesn’t give the same experience as in the cinema why do it?
It’s most likely a way to get more money. It could also be a way to get a larger audience share. Regardless, we will likely only find out how successful it is in use as it seems the new Justice League movie is likely to be the first to use this feature.
This means we can now see the disappointment of the film from our own homes rather than the cinema – I’m being a bit pessimistic there; it may not be terrible. However, if it is anything like its predecessors we can’t put our hopes up too much.
I say this because if we were to focus solely on audience and critical response, DC has had a bad time recently. Their last two main films – Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad – did terribly with audiences and critics.
Suicide squad received a 40 on metacritic and a 26% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 64% user score. B v S receiving similar ratings on rotten tomatoes and a score of 44 on metacritic.
Yet whether it was the fantastic marketing of the films, or just sheer luck, DC managed to break box office records with these films. Because of this, the future of the DC universe is very much alive.
To give some hope for its future Screengeek.net reported on a list of DC leaks that may or may not determine the franchise’s future.
What follows is, of course, major spoilers.
Here is what they posted on the Justice League: “Justice League’s villain is Steppenwolf as you all know. The League fights Parademons for a good chunk of the film. Lex is let out of prison and gets the public to love him. He tries to manipulate the public into hating heroes like Batman and Superman but it doesn’t work. Lex helps Steppenwolf come to Earth in exchange for technology and knowledge. Lex is very manipulative and much calmer than he was in BvS. He’s also much scarier in my opinion. There’s a funny scene after the League is assembled where Joker and Harley are committing a crime and they expect Batman to show up…when the whole League arrives. It’s really funny and Joker and Harley just stand there, not knowing what to do now. Kind of like a “Well…shit” moment. Later, the League get their asses kicked by Steppenwolf but then Superman returns and weakens him. The full Justice League then works together to defeat Steppenwolf in an awesome climactic fight reminiscent of the big fight scene in The Avengers. Superman has a beard, long hair, tattered/scorched-looking black suit, and is thin at first (not as thin as Flashpoint Superman but still thin). During the fight with Steppenwolf, you see his full strength return with each swing and with each second he’s in the sunlight. Green Lantern shows up at the very very end of the film (may even be moved to mid/post-credit scene).”
Even if only a few of them come true, these leaks do show a very different and interesting film. I just hope they don’t rush it like Batman V Superman, or tame it down and make it more comedic, like Suicide Squad.
We’ll have to wait and see
Justice League will be released on 17th November 2017
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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