Can we really blame Ben Affleck for being disenchanted with the DC Extended Universe if fans feel the same way?

At some point in each persons life they can't help but wonder what it would be like to be the Batman?  Unlike the rest of us Ben Affleck can actually say he knows.

Four years ago Affleck was riding high with both a string of successful films behind him & the dark knights cape and cowl in front of him.  Although many fans voiced their concerns and displeasure via social media it was a done deal, Ben Affleck would be the next Batman. 

Warner Brothers and DC where looking to actively compete with Disney owned Marvel Comics for that all important box office revenue by jump starting the DC Extended Universe, and the Warner Brothers plan began with the 2013 release Man Of Steel.

Man Of Steel would tell the story of a much different Clark Kent, someone who had no desire to be a hero, someone who would be forced into the light when a vengeful General Zod threatened to destroy the Earth.

Fast forward three years to the 2016 release of Zack Snyder's Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice and we would be introduced to Ben Affleck as a xenophobic and resentful Bruce Wayne.

Having witnessed first hand the destructive power Superman was capable of, Wayne would make it his mission to end the Kryptonian before humanity was forced to pay the ultimate price.  In turn Clark Kent, who had now accepted his role as humanities hero, would make it his mission to bring the Gotham City vigilante to justice once and for all.

With the inclusion of Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash as filler, the climax of the film would be a more or less one-sided battle designed as a lead in to a yet to be released Justice League film and spin off titles for each individual character.

Warner Brothers had big plans however as the numbers came in it would be obvious that fans did not respond kindly to Batman V Superman.

Affleck's second outing as The Dark Knight would be a cameo five months later in the Suicide Squad, however not before Warner Brothers ordered a selection of re-shoots to address what they viewed as the missed opportunities of Snyder's Batman V Superman.

Unfortunately the numbers would once again reflect that fans had receive Suicide Squad with mixed reviews.

With both the Wonder Woman and Justice League films on the horizon things weren't looking good, however the decision was made to produce a stand alone Batman film with Affleck once again in the lead as both the star and the director.

However it was recently announced that Matt Reeves would take over the directors chair amid rumors that Affleck neither wanted to direct nor star in the film. 

Honestly who can blame him?  In a genre that has seen Marvel virtually unopposed since the release of Iron Man in 2008 its sadly conceivable that the creation of the DC Extended Universe came far to late and will be a difficult pill for consumers to swallow.

What we often forget is that in the public eye an actor is only as valuable as their most recent success, and with two failed outings in the cape and cowl already under his utility belt can we really blame this Oscar winner for potentially wanting out?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and remember to follow us at CanGeek.com .

The Walking Dead - Rick's Smile ***SPOILERS***

When Rick smiles you can bet something big is going to go down!

With the return of The Walking Dead this evening it became abundantly clear that the season seven finale is going to be nothing short of epic.

Tonight's episode began with Gabriel looting Alexandria's supplies and disappearing into the night while Rick and company were seeking support from The Hilltop in preparation for their showdown with Negan and the saviors.

Not surprisingly Gregory would have nothing to do with supporting Alexandria and suggested they use the back door on their way out so as not to be seen.  Rick would gain a few supporters from The Hilltop but not nearly enough to win in whats sure to be a numbers game.

Jesus would then take Rick and his group to The Kingdom in the hopes of gaining support from King Ezekiel.  Rick would come face to face with Morgan, and once hearing of Glenn and Abraham's deaths Morgan would suggest finding an alternative non-violent course of action to Ezekiel.  Fearing for the lives of his people the good king would deny Rick armed support but Daryl would be granted asylum from Negan within The Kingdoms walls.  

All was not lost however because on their return trip to Alexandria, the group would acquire some much needed firepower in the form of explosives - the saviors shouldn't just leave their stuff lying around! They would then return to Alexandria in time for a visit from the saviors who were sent to eliminate Daryl - Negan seems a little upset over fat Joey's death.

Once they were satisfied that Daryl hadn't returned to Alexandria they would leave and Rick would learn of Gabriel's unusual departure.  Rick would search Gabriel's home and would find evidence pointing him in the direction of the houseboat that he and Aaron had scavenged a short time ago for Negan.  

Once again Rick and group would set out on the road in search of Gabriel and as the final seconds of the mid-season premiere ticked away we would see something rare from the leader of Alexandria, a smile!

In an episode were Alexandria would be rejected time and again it took being surrounded by a mass group with guns to really set things in motion,  I think it's safe to say that Rick has found his army.

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Powerless Episode one ***SPOILERS!***

I'm a dedicated DC fan, from ARROW and The Flash to Legends Of Tomorrow and Supergirl I've honestly felt like prime time television is fertile ground for the DC Extended Universe. 

I've even gone on record several times suggesting that Warner Brothers would do well to forgo the DC feature length films and instead focus more on their small screen success.  Needless to say when NBC's new series Powerless aired it's first episode last Thursday I was hopeful this track record would continue. 

The stories central character Emily Locke (played by Vanessa Hudgens) has recently moved to Charm City in order to assume the role of Director of Research & Development at Wayne Security which is a division of Wayne Enterprises.

On her first day of work, the train Emily is traveling on is knocked off the tracks during a showdown between local Super Hero Crimson Fox and Super Villain Jack O'lantern.  Well Emily is in shock over being part of this event the other train passengers are unmoved by the events with one person stating this happens everyday as he calls his workplace to let them know he'll be thirty minutes late.

Once at work Emily is introduced to her new boss Van Wayne (played by Alan Tudyk) the cousin of Bruce Wayne.  Van has one goal in mind, to be transferred to the Gotham office of Wayne Enterprises by any means necessary.  He has hired Emily with that singular objective in mind, charging her with the task of developing something that will make his cousin take notice of  Van's hard work!

Emily is then introduced to her team members, Teddy (played by former Community star Danny Pudi) who spends his days executing work place pranks.  Ron the I.T guy (played by comedian Ron Funches) who still holds a childlike fascination with Superhero's, and Jackie (played by Christina Kirk) who Van is utilizing as his personal assistant.

Emily begins by calling a staff meeting with her new team and expresses her desire to "Help People" but is having a difficult time getting her team to buy in, she is made aware that she is not their first new manager, with five people having recently come and gone before her.  She confronts Van who's true motives and aspirations are made clear

A short time later Van tells everyone that Bruce Wayne has made the decision to shut down Wayne Security as it has become an obsolete and unnecessary decision.   While everyone is in shock and dismay over having lost their jobs Van is thrilled - He's being transferred to Gotham City! 

Emily reconnects with her now highly demotivated team and convinces them to revisit an already existing yet under utilized technology to try and save their jobs.  The next morning they have developed a wearable device that alerts average citizens to the presence of Super Villains and Emily threatens to take it to Bruce unless Van does.  Giving into the pressure Van informs Bruce who has a change of heart on the closure of Wayne Security and Van loses his opportunity to relocated to Gotham - a fact he holds Emily responsible for.  

The final seconds of the episode make reference to Batman capturing The Joker with a new gadget that alerted him to The Clown Prince Of Crime's presence. 

The premiere episode of Powerless was ripe with multiple references to the DC extended universe, and even featured a voice cameo by Adam West, but in a comic book based universe known for telling dark and gritty stories I can't help but wonder if there is room for this type of comedy?

With IMDB giving the series 6.6/10, Rotten Tomatoes scoring it at 61%, and Metacritic giving it a rating of 57% it will be interesting to see how this new series fairs over the next few weeks.

Renew or Cancel?  Let us know what you think and remember to follow us at CanGeek.com

Is the identity of the next Doctor right in front of us?

Peter Capaldi has officially announced his departure from Doctor Who.

The 58 year old Scottish born actor broke the news on a BBC Two radio show confirming that he will turn in the keys to the T.A.R.D.I.S at the end of this years Christmas special.  With that announcement the Internet is already ablaze with speculation over who will play the next incarnation of the runaway from Gallifrey.

With some big names already floating around we can't help but wonder if we've already been introduced to the next occupant of the T.A.R.D.I.S.

In a recent interview with RadioTimes.com Maisie Williams was questioned about the possibility of a return to Doctor Who:

"Well it's wide open" she was quoted as saying. 

Williams character Ashildr/Me was last seen fleeing in a stolen T.A.R.D.I.S alongside Clara Oswald and is one of many characters with a story that could be built upon by incoming show runner Chris Chibinal.

But what if Maisie was to return instead as the first female Doctor?

The foundation of this has already been laid:

The idea that The Doctor has a level of control over his regeneration's was first introduced in the fiftieth anniversary special The Day Of The Doctor when Matt Smith's eleventh Doctor came face to face with The Curator played by former Doctor Who star Tom Baker.

In an exchange of dialogue between the two characters it is strongly implied that Smith's eleventh Doctor has come face to face with a future incarnation barring a face from his past.

The Doctor "I never forget a face"

The Curator "I know you don't and in the years to come you might find yourself revisiting a few, but just the old favorites" 

This idea of revisiting old faces was later used to explain Peter Capaldi who had originally appeared as the Roman Caecilius in The Fires Of Pompeii alongside David Tennant and Catherine Tate.  A year and a half into Capaldi's time as The Doctor it is revealed in The Girl Who Died that the face of Caecilius was chosen by the Time Lord as a reminder that no matter the coast he should always try to save lives.

As a result of that realization The Doctor utilizes a Mire repair kit to restore life to the young Viking girl Ashildr (Williams) who will gain immortality as a result and assume the name ME.  The Doctor will go onto encounter Ashildr multiple times throughout series nine, and will come to realize that immortality has become her curse after reading her tear stained journals in The Girl Who Lived.

Could all this play into The Doctors next regeneration?

Although William's went onto tell RadioTimes.com that there has been no communication with the BBC regarding a return to the series, there is absolutely cannon in place to make this more then just speculation.

What are your thoughts, would you want to see Maisie Williams appear as the first female Doctor?

Let us know what you think.

CanGeek.com

Who is The Last Jedi?

December 15th, 2017 Star Wars returns to theaters with the release of Star Wars episode VIII The Last Jedi.   LucasFilm revealed the title of the next Star Wars film on Monday morning with the following press release:

"We have the greatest fans in this or any other galaxy,  In appreciation of the fans, we wanted them to be the first to know the title of the next chapter in the Skywalker saga: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI.  THE LAST JEDI is written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman and executive produced by J.J Abrams, Jason McGatlin, and Tom Karnowski"

This is the news that fans of the franchise of been waiting for as speculation about the plot of the upcoming film continues to run rampant online.

It is a believed that the film will continue were Star Wars: The Force Awakens concluded with Daisy Ridley's character Rey seeking training from Jedi master Luke Skywalker.   Based on the newly revealed title it is also assumed that Mark Hamill’s Skywalker is The Last Jedi and will once again play the central character in episode VIII. 

So what do you think, is Luke the last Jedi or is there another?   Comment below and remember to follow us at CanGeek.com. 

Whats happened to Cyberpunk 2077?

When I was fifteen years old a close friend introduced me to this amazing new tabletop RPG that he had just purchased.....

Published by FASA (the makers of both Mechwarrior and Battletech) this new game used a not to distant dystopian future as a backdrop and incorporated both science fiction and fantasy as a means of engaging its players in some truly creative storytelling.

Needless to say that by the end of our first adventure I was in love with Shadowrun!

My fascination for Shadowrun prompted me to develop a love for all things within the cyberpunk genre and as a result i sought out more games, more books, more movies, if it was cyberpunk themed then I wanted it!

Over the years however I had engrossed myself so deeply into this subculture that I began to lose interest in it, the truth is that anyone who says you can't have to much of a good thing is sadly deceiving you.

However this all changed for me once again in 2012, that's when the trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 appeared on YouTube:

Developed by CD Projekt Red (the publishers of The Witcher franchise) and based on the Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop game, Cyberpunk 2077 was originally slated for release on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, so what happened?

The answer is simple, CD Projekt Red threw all of their development power behind The Witcher to ensure it would be the acclaimed success that it has ultimately became.  With the release of "Blood & Wine" which is the final DLC for The Witcher 3, we now eagerly await the release of Cyberpunk 2076, and it promises to be worth the wait!

Reports have suggested that Cyberpunk 2077 with its sandbox environment and optional first person/third person game play experience will be the largest open-world RPG ever created by CD Projekt Red.  

Further facts to support this include CD Projekt Red's decision to devote a larger team to the development of Cyberpunk 2077 then was allocated to The Witcher 3, also during the most rigorous period of The Witchers development CD Projekt Red opted to began upgrading the REDengine 3 game engine in preparation for work on Cyberpunk 2077.

Another aspect of game play that has been suggested is multiplayer which is highly unusual for a CD Projekt Red title.  Realizing the idea of a multiplayer experience could alarm its dedicated fan base, CD Projekt Red's managing director Adam Badowski told Eurogame during a 2013 interview

"It will be a story-based RPG experience with amazing single-player playthroughs, but we're going to add multiplayer features.  We don't know much beyond that"

As usual the developers are taking a "When it's done" approach in regards to the games release date, however it has been suggested that the release window expands anywhere from 2017 to 2021 with the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC now being their target platforms.

In my opinion this developer has a successful track record of releasing powerful and engulfing role-playing games that at their core have never failed to provide an exceptional experience to the end user..  With that fact in mind i enthusiastically and somewhat impatiently await the release of what i expect will be CD Projekt Red's best game to date.

Thanks for reading and remember to follow us at CanGeek.com

Magic The Gathering: My Story

My love of collectable card games began at seventeen when I was first introduced to Magic: The Gathering, this is my story:

I had been gaming for years with Battletech on Friday nights and Dungeons and Dragons every Sunday afternoon being my games of choice.  One Sunday our second edition D&D group got together as we usually did however this Sunday it seemed like no one was really interested in adventuring through Ravenloft and that is when it began.

One of our party members reached into his bag and produced two decks of cards.

Upon inspection the cards were smooth to the touch, had a glossy finish and contained some of the most breathtaking art I had ever seen.  During the next three hours the five people sitting at that table took turns playing with those same two decks of cards and my personal addiction was born.

Within two weeks I had purchased multiple packs of cards and had designed three playable decks with my Red & Black deck being my pride and joy.  Our Sunday afternoon games quickly became our Sunday afternoon Magic games (until our Dungeon Master put a stop to that).

Within a month of my first introduction to MTG I was in need of more compilation, so much like it had happened previously, I introduced my Friday night Battletech group to this amazing new game with surprisingly similar results.

Out of a group of four Battletech players I had recruited three new Magic: The Gathering players and had greatly increased my available competition in the process.

The Friday night Battletech games quickly took a back seat to the Friday Night Magic games.

When we played, we all played to win which inspired some fierce and aggressive rivalries in the process.  Each week someone was sure to arrive with a newly designed deck or a slightly re-tuned deck with the intentions of putting everyone else to shame that particular week.

This fact kept us all slightly poor as we were always buying cards in an attempt to "One Up" everyone else.....

With that fact in mind it should have come as no surprise when our group started burning out and we went back to playing Battletech, everyone had tired of Magic: The Gathering.  We still played the odd game once in awhile, but nothing like before.

Eventually people started cashing out and selling off their cards, myself included, but my story didn't end there.  For sometime I was sure I would never play again, I had an amazing collection of mint cards that I'd sold off so why would I ever go back?  Friendship!

Eight years ago I got a call from an old friend whom I use to play against, he was getting some people together at his place for a one day game, a booster draft, and he wanted me to come.  At first I resisted the temptation but I was weak and in need of a good game so I relented and went - it was one time so it couldn't hurt, could it???

Eight years have passed and I have amassed an even larger collection of cards then before, partially because I introduced my wife to Magic: The Gathering and much like before I crafted another addiction!

We don't play as often as we once did but we still play and I've reassembled some of our original group just to keep it interesting.

The competition is intense, old habits die hard after all.....