“BATMAN v SUPERMAN” FLIES PAST HALF A BILLION DOLLARS WORLDWIDE, P200-M IN PH

Warner Bros. Pictures’ Super Hero Battle Hits the $500 Million Mark at the Global Box Office in Only Its Fifth Day of Release

BURBANK, CA, March 30, 2016 – Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” continues to win at the worldwide box office. Soaring past $500 million after only five days in theaters with a total of $501.9 million and counting, the film joins a very rare group of movies that cross half a billion dollars in their first week of release. The announcement was made today by Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of Worldwide Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

“We’re so proud that ‘Batman v Superman’ has become the must-see event film of the season for fans the world over,” Kwan Vandenberg stated. “These incredible numbers are building momentum for not only this movie, but for the upcoming slate of DC Super Hero films.”

The domestic box office total now stands at more than $193.3 million, and the international figure is $308.6 million.

In the Philippines, “Batman v Superman” has grossed an outstanding P201-million in only three days, the fastest period for any superhero film to reach this milestone. Past blockbusters “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Iron Man 3” and “Marvel's The Avengers” got to the P200-M mark in four days.

From director Zack Snyder comes “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” starring Oscar winner Ben Affleck (“Argo”) as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Henry Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent in the characters’ first big-screen pairing.

Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with each other, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it has ever known before.

Directed by Zack Snyder, the film also stars Oscar nominees Amy Adams (“American Hustle”) as Lois Lane, Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network”) as Lex Luthor, Diane Lane (“Unfaithful”) as Martha Kent, and Laurence Fishburne (“What’s Love Got to Do with It”) as Perry White; Oscar winners Jeremy Irons (“Reversal of Fortune”) as Alfred, and Holly Hunter (“The Piano”) as Senator Finch; and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince.

Snyder directed from a screenplay written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer, based on characters from DC Comics, including Batman, created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, and Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film was produced by Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder, with Wesley Coller, Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer serving as executive producers.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, an Atlas Entertainment/Cruel and Unusual production, a Zack Snyder film, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” The film can be seen in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and in 3D and 2D theaters worldwide and is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Geek Lifestyle: Batman V Superman Dog Tags from Silverworks

Update on Silverworks Batman V Superman Collection! Check out those Dog Tags! 

I've been blogging about the collection for some time now - you can check out the older posts and more awesome jewelry here and here and here.

Don't forget to take photos of your pieces and use the #SWHeroesUnited in your posts! 

Tag @silverworksphil in your photos! :) 

Opinion: Why People Shouldn't Hate On "Batman V Superman"

In recent years, 'Superhero Movies' have saturated the market, think about it- two Spider-Man reboots, which equals to five films. Five X-Men movies, which could be categorized with another movie -'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly', then of course we have 'The Wolverine' movies, I still loathe 'Origins' so much. Then of course we have two 'Avengers' ensemble movies, three 'Iron-Man' movies, two 'Captain America' Movies, two 'Thor' movies, three 'Fantastic Four' movies-which no one seems to get right. I can't even remember if Edward Norton did two 'Hulk' movies. (The husband reminded me that Norton did one and Eric Bana did the other one) Of course we also have the surprise hit 'Guardians of the Galaxy', 'Ant-Man' and the record breaking 'Deadpool'. All of these Marvel properties have created a new genre of movies something kids can follow and enjoy and something the adults don't have to wrap their head around too much. 

Then of course we have the DC Properties which have been releasing 'Batman' and 'Superman' movies way back in the 70's and 80's. Kids may not remember an Adonis like Christopher Reeve as Superman in 1978 or that Gene Hackman played Lex Luthor once. Of course who can forget that even before Micheal Keaton's Oscar-winning performance as "Birdman" he once out on the cape and cowl in a memorable 1992 'Batman Returns' with the equally talented Danny Devito as The Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman. Keaton also took on "Batman" in the 1989 movie, with Jack Nicholson as "The Joker". Of course, we have Nolan's 'The Dark Knight' trilogy, offering impressive performances from Christian Bale as Batman and of course, Heath Ledger as The Joker. 

The Trinity: Superman and Batman are joined by Wonder Woman in her cinematic debut. 

So you see, there is a whole lot of history here, which makes Batman V Superman more than just what critics have been strongly suggesting. When you look at the grand scheme of things, the film has been a long time coming, with two of the most iconic superheroes finally coming face to face, not to mention the debut of Wonder Woman, after more than 70 years. 

The movie wasn't perfect, there were story telling flaws, plot holes and a pacing problem (I gave it an 8/10 in my review) but considering the rich source material, Snyder and the team, did the best that they could. You can say that DC is playing catch up to Marvel and maybe it is, given that Justice League is coming up, as well as the other origin films but to say that the movie is bad as it was, would be unfair. A lot of people who saw the movie, failed to grasp the greater scheme of things. Nothing is to put it 'simple' in superhero films, it is not a simple 'plot' anymore. Especially considering the cross overs and that they even tackle time travel and multiverse. Perhaps with the  birth of the superhero film genre, we have also created a new genre, new rules when it comes to plot and story telling. 

Not saying that all superhero movies will have these to hide behind from, there are still really bad movies out there (Wolverine: Origins, Fantastic Four) but Batman V Superman is not among them. 

The late Christopher Reeve as 'Superman' (1978). 

I came across an article that explains that Knightmare sequence, you may read it, just so you can get an idea of the bigger and grander scheme of things. Click here. Warning, it is littered with spoilers, don't read if you haven't seen the movie yet. 

Critics didn't like the film when they saw it; which is something that I don't agree with. You might say its because I'm a 'geek' or because I'm a 'fan' because I am - both, so you might say that I am biased and maybe in someways, I am but what people don't stop to consider is the big picture. Sometimes they get caught up in the details and because of that, fail to enjoy the movie. 

Michael Keaton as Batman (1989 and 1992). 

Kids might not get it maybe because they're not supposed to and that's okay, maybe in a few years they will. After they do their research, watch the old movies or start reading the comics. You see, all these superhero movies are just a spec in a larger mythology and something that a movie, even one that is two hours long cannot simply cram. They will do what they can, they will do their best but it won't be enough, it never will be. 

The film was not made for everybody but it was definitely made for the fans, fans who have long waited to witness these two complex and iconic heroes, stand toe-to-toe and face-to-face with each other. While chatting up with my cousin about the film, we talked about how the audiences probably have no idea that their fathers, uncles and grandfathers would have loved to have seen the film and that big 'gladiator match'. There's a lot of history here, these characters have been around for almost 80 years and sometimes we forget that. In the bigger picture, Batman V Superman will just be a notch in their rich discography. 

BATMAN v SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE” STORMS PH BOX-OFFICE, EARNS P86.65-M ON 1ST DAY

MANILA, March 27, 2016 – Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” took the Philippine box office by storm on its opening day yesterday, earning P86.65-million across 598 screens and setting new box-office records, with no signs of slowing down.

Opening virtually day-and-date across the globe, director Zack Snyder’s highly anticipated follow-up to “Man of Steel” brings Batman and Superman together on the big screen for the first time in history, and is the very first feature film appearance of Wonder Woman, the third Super Hero in DC Comics’ iconic Trinity.

In the Philippines, the film has broken a number of industry records, namely:

• Biggest Single Day Gross in cinema history, surpassing last year's “Avengers: Age of Ultron's” P83.2-M (Sunday Gross);

• Biggest Opening Day All-Time Industry-Wide, ahead of “Avengers: Age of Ultron's” P72.7-M (Wed opening);

• Biggest Saturday Gross All-Time Industry-Wide, eclipsing “Avengers: Age of Ultron's” 

  PhP81.9-M;

• Biggest WB Opening Day All-Time, beating “Man of Steel's” PhP69-M (Wed - holiday opening) and

• Biggest Superhero Opening Day, surpassing “Avengers: Age of Ultron's” P72-M.

The announcement was made today by Francis Soliven, General Manager of Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines.

Soliven said, “Anticipation for `Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' has been building across the country and these incredible results are a testament to not only the enduring appeal of these global icons but the power of the epic cinematic showdown Zack Snyder and his brilliant cast and crew have delivered. We couldn’t be more thrilled with the film’s incredible debut and strong word-of-mouth and repeat business promises to propel its success well into the season.”

From director Zack Snyder comes “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” starring Oscar winner Ben Affleck (“Argo”) as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Henry Cavill (“Man of Steel”) as Superman/Clark Kent in the characters’ first big-screen pairing.

Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with each other, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it has ever known before.

Directed by Zack Snyder, the film also stars Oscar nominees Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, and Laurence Fishburne as Perry White; Oscar winners Jeremy Irons as Alfred, and Holly Hunter as Senator Finch; and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince.

Snyder directed from a screenplay written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer, based on characters from DC Comics, including Batman, created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, and Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film is produced by Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder, with Wesley Coller, Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer serving as executive producers.

Snyder’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Larry Fong (“300,” “Watchmen”) and production designer Patrick Tatopoulos (“300: Rise of an Empire”), and from his “Man of Steel” team, editor David Brenner, costume designer Michael Wilkinson, visual effects supervisor John DJ DesJardin, and Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer (“The Lion King”) working in conjunction with composer Junkie XL (“Mad Max: Fury Road”).

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, an Atlas Entertainment/Cruel and Unusual production, a Zack Snyder film, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” The film can be seen in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 3D and 2D, and is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Movie Review: Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice [NON-SPOILER]

Relax. Open your eyes. This is a non-spoiler review and is going to stay that way until the end. 

You may proceed. 

It has been three years since "Man of Steel" and its ambitious follow up "Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice" is nothing short of highly anticipated and unprecedented in the DC Cinematic Universe as two of the most iconic heroes face off in an epic fight of cinematic proportions. 

At the aftermath of the destruction in Metropolis, lives are lost and anger has been sown and now the question of "On whose authority does Superman act on?" -arises. A senate inquisition begins, looking into the actions of the man in the red cape. Among those who believe that "an alien" should be placed in check is Gotham's very own vigilante, Batman, who takes it upon himself to put Superman in his place. But how do you even fight with a god? With a lot of Kryptonite, apparently. 

On the other side of the spectrum, Superman has to be the subject of an inquisition and the recipient of so much loathing, it makes him start doubting himsel but he still goes on, saving a world who hates him. 

What the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel don't know is that, there is an even greater evil lurking within the shadows, ready to unleash chaos. 

There is a lot riding on the success of this film, with a $250 million budget and a $150 million worth in marketing. Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, is literally all of Warner Bros.'s eggs in one super basket and could also set the tune for the upcoming solo movies, leading up to Justice League but from what I've seen, fans can be rest assured. It is a bet well placed, despite what fans and critics would have thought of as a disaster, with the casting of Ben Affleck as the man in the cowl. 

Where Batfleck got it right

Ever since the first trailer, naysayers of Affleck's casting have been silenced. It's the redemption to his once ill suited role of the blind-lawyer-by-day, vigilante-by-night 'Daredevil'. (the Netflix series is so much better) Early news teased Affleck's take on the Bat as more of the "Old Man Bats" fans would be familiar with and Affleck definitely gave the role his own unique spin. I know it might be too early to say but he might be my favorite Batman now, yes even more than Christian Bale. I really saw the Batman that I grew up knowing in him. I also loved seeing him move on screen. It was all so fluid and seamless. 

We've already seen Henry Cavill take up the red cape as Superman and while I think that he makes a better Clark Kent than Superman, he does look really good in that suit. 

All Hail the Woman in Dawn of Justice 

I must applaud the casting of Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/ Wonder Woman. It is as if she was made for the role. Every time she would appear on screen, you simply cannot take your eyes off her. It seems that the big screen debut of the character, since she first appeared in All Star Comic #8 in Dec. 1941 was worth the wait. Fans will get to see her, in her own feature film next year. 

Her big entrance is easily one of my favorite parts in the movie. Kudos to Hans Zimmer for the choice in music in that scene! :) 

Amy Adam's Lois Lane proves that you don't need superpowers or lots of money to make a difference. She uses her stubborn reporter instincts and quick wit to uncover the truth, in a web of lies and deceit. I laughed at how she would haggle with Lawrence Fishbourne's Perry White for better (and more expensive) means of transportation. 

A Modern Villain in Eisenburg's Lex Luthor 

It's interesting that Lex Luthor was visualized to be the scheming, fast-talking mad genius that Academy Award Nominee Jesse Eisenburg so brilliantly brings to the screen. With the thought of creating a Lex Luthor for 2016, screenwriter Chris Terrio made this younger, brilliant, post-modern villain, who is aware of his own villainy, add that with the damaged psyche and you have this re-imagined Lex Luthor that I can definitely get used to. 

Fans thought that everything was revealed in the trailers but there was a lot of surprises and thrills which kept me at the edge of my seat. It was visually stunning with Snyder pulling out some new tricks out of his sleeve. 

The DC Universe has always been dark and brooding, with it's heroes carrying their own scars and this is what we get in the film. For those who are not familiar with the source material or the 'Universe' itself might have some trouble following but fans would be pleased. It's not 'fun' because it's not supposed to be. Save for Jeremy Iron's Alfred, who is just adorable. 

8 out of 10 Zack Snyder's 'Dawn of Justice' was everything I expected it to be and more. 

I wasn't a fan of that dream sequence though...

I knew I was going to get a "fight night" with 'The Dark Knight' going against 'The Man of Steel' and I got just that. What I didn't expect, was an emotional tug for the characters. There was a heart wrenching twist which just had me dabbing at my eyes. Batman and Superman are arguably the most iconic superheroes ever created, yet the film shows them battling their deepest fears and vulnerabilities and wrestling with their own inner demons. Something that you and me go through everyday. 

Opening across the Philippines in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 3D and 2D theaters on Black Saturday, March 26, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Movie News: Batman V Superman Merchandise from SM Cinema

Can you believe it?! It's just a week before the highly anticipated Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice! And just in time-check out these amazing merchandise from SM Cinema! 

Inspired by the much anticipated face-off by two iconic superheroes on screen, SM Cinema’s Snack Time will be offering an exclusive Batman vs. Superman hexagon toy collectible set to film enthusiasts beginning February 29.

Fans of the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel can now collect toys of their favourite characters from the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie when they purchase a snack-merchandise combo meal at SM Cinema’s Snack Time counters nationwide. A popcorn tumbler & drink set, or a hotdog sandwich & drink set, will entitle one to a mystery toy for each purchase.

Fans can collect a total of seven different figurines, ranging from different versions of the much-loved title heroes, to the showstopper Wonder Woman, and even of the brilliant villain Lex Luthor. (I still can't get over that Lex has hair, I grew up to the traditional bald Lex Luthor :P) 

The collectible hexagon toys are on limited supply from the world’s biggest comics and collectible superstore, Comicave. SM Cinema’s Snack Time is the only brand in the Philippines carrying the hexagon collection from the international brand.

For fans who prefer a wearable keepsake, Snack Time also has a limited Batman vs. Superman digital touch watch. Durable, waterproof, and lights up when touched, the watch is a perfect accessory during playtime, or when bonding with family & friends to see one of the widely anticipated action films in recent years.

Geek Lifestyle: MORE! Batman V Superman from Silverworks

I have finally been able to check out Silverworks Batman V Superman collection and it's as beautiful as I thought it would be! 

The Funko Pops are a nice touch don't you think? I want Wonder Woman! 

By the way, I asked how much the studs are and they are P350.00 a pair. Not bad right?

Check out the photos below!