The China Mail - Warner showcases 'Superman' reboot, new DiCaprio film

Warner, which has suffered several recent costly flops like "Joker: Folie a Deux," brought stars including DiCaprio on stage to promote its latest high-budget efforts to movie theater owners at the annual summit.

"Superman," hitting US theaters in July, is the studio's attempt to totally relaunch its line of superhero movies, which are based on the popular DC comics but have long been overshadowed by Disney's rival Marvel films.

Director James Gunn said he was determined to reinvigorate a character "who's perceived as old fashioned by many" for modern audiences.

Superman will be played by actor David Corenswet, but a key ingredient in the film appears to be the superhero's dog Krypto, who played a starring role in much of the new footage.

Based on Gunn's own badly-behaved rescue pooch, Krypto frequently nips at Superman's heels and destroys his Fortress of Solitude base, rather than helping his master.

The footage indicated a lighter, more humorous approach, in contrast with many of Warner's previous "Superman" movies which earned poor reviews and relatively disappointing box office returns with their ultra-serious tones.

"This is a movie that celebrates kindness and human love," promised Gunn.

Variety's Brent Lang dubbed the film Warner's "last, best chance to make a movie that rivals Marvel."

- 'Fried my brain' -

The launch comes as the studio attempts to shrug off multiple reports that it is considering parting ways with its movie chiefs Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca.

The pair have approved a number of high-budget, original films from award-winning filmmakers, including last month's flop sci-fi "Mickey 17" from "Parasite" director Bong Joon-ho.

All eyes are now on Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another," starring DiCaprio.

Loosely based on post-modern novelist Thomas Pynchon's "Vineland," the film cost more than $140 million to produce -- meaning Warner is banking heavily on DiCaprio's star power to lure audiences.

DiCaprio, who has been one of Hollywood's top A-listers for decades, said he had been wanting to work with "There Will Be Blood" director Anderson for "almost 20 years now."

Extensive yet cryptic new footage showed DiCaprio playing Bob -- a man who was once a "revolutionary" but has "fried my brain" by having abused drugs and alcohol for decades -- struggling to remember a secret passcode that will help him locate his daughter.

The original novel is set in California during the conservative 1980s backlash to the previous decades' hippie movements.

"I think with this film, he's tapped into something politically and culturally that is brewing beneath our psyche," said DiCaprio.

"But at the same time, it's an incredibly epic movie and has such scope and scale."

- 'Baseline' -

Also on Tuesday, Warner and Apple presented footage from "F1," a new racing drama starring Brad Pitt from the director of "Top Gun: Maverick," out in July.

Lionsgate flew in singer The Weeknd for a surprise musical set to delight movie theater owners and promote "Hurry Up Tomorrow," a new psychological thriller film based on his latest album. The film is set to be released in May.

The day began with US movie theaters' trade organization calling for new films to play exclusively on their big screens for at least 45 days before becoming available on streaming.

Cinema owners say box office profits have been undercut by shorter theatrical-only "windows" brought in during the pandemic, in part as audiences now assume -- sometimes correctly -- that they can watch new movies at home within weeks.

"There must be a baseline," said Cinema United president Michael O'Leary, calling for "a clear, consistent period of exclusivity" of at least 45 days.

B.Clarke--ThChM