Rumor Control
It’s not quite the end of the year and I’ve already been working on material that will see the light of day in 2019. Actually, I wrote the first thing that will be published in 2019 a few weeks ago. That’s partly because I like to write an article, sit on it for a few weeks and then come back and edit it with fresh eyes and partly because whenever I’m at home and bored I tend to work on my site. And since we’ve, so far, had an early winter where I live it means I’m inside a lot, bored with nothing to do.
So far for 2019 I’ve written my annual “Best of the rest” column as well as one on the upcoming movie Glass. I’m planning on also writing columns on movies like Captain Marvel, Shazam! and Avengers 4 at some point too. And also 2019 will mark the 20th anniversary of such movies as The Matrix and Star Wars: Episode I which I’ll probably write about too since they were things I was writing about here 20 years ago so I might as well keep writing about them today. 😉
Generally, I map out all of the dates I have columns due over the course of a year and as movie release dates are announced will “pencil” in things I’m planning to write about. But over the last few years this has become more and more difficult. Before if a big-budget movie was scheduled to come out on a certain date that big-budget movie was going to come out on that date. Period. But that isn’t necessarily the case anymore. Lately, lots of movies have had their release dates pushed around. I think the next X-Men movie has had three release dates so far, and the upcoming New Mutants was pushed back nearly two years from when it was originally set to be released.
So there’s been quite a few times this year when I’ve scheduled something to write about only to have to push it down the line when release dates change.
That’s not a huge deal, what is a bigger deal is when release dates change just a few months before the movie is set to hit theaters. That happened a few times this year with movies like Alita: Battle Angel that was supposed to be out last summer before being pushed to the winter and now isn’t due out until mid-February. I think with that one I had actually started to write my summer movie preview column that featured that movie last spring when that announcement was made.
And that’s not even including the TV series I write about.
Those are much harder to plan ahead for since TV series aren’t announced as far in advance as movies. While I know there’ll be interesting series to write about in 2019 I won’t know when they’ll be out until well into next year.
While I can tell you that next September I’m looking forward to seeing and probably writing about IT: Chapter 2 on September 6, in many cases new TV series that will be airing that same time period won’t even be filming their pilot episodes until early next year, and it won’t be until next May that we learn about the new series that will be airing in 2018–2019.
With returning series I know I’ll be writing about things like Better Call Saul I just don’t know when that will return — will it be the spring like two years ago or fall like this year? Or maybe even next winter?
Comics
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
DC is set to release a new version of the seminal Frank Miller Batman story The Dark Knight Returns this week. Well, “new” as in this edition is hardcover and retails for $50. If you’re looking to pick up a copy of this story, I’d recommend purchasing the $20 softcover version instead of this $50 version, since to me $30 seems a lot to pay for a hardcover.
DC introduces DC Modern Classics, collecting groundbreaking, genre-defining works in new hardcover editions, presented in a beautifully designed slipcase.
In these tales from THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS #1–4, it is 10 years after an aging Batman retired, and Gotham City has sunk deeper into decadence and lawlessness. Now, as his city needs him most, the Dark Knight returns in a blaze of glory. Joined by the new Robin, Carrie Kelly, Batman takes to the streets to face the mutant gangs that have overrun his city.
What To Watch This Week
Sunday
The ten episode Nightflyers mini-series is set to begin airing today on Syfy, and then every single night until Thursday, December 13.
The Reading & Watch List
The Director’s Cut: A Label Often Redefined, Now by Lars von Trier
Cool Movie & TV Posters of the Week
