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Here’s where I finally release what’s left of our SDCC audio content…as a follow-up to last week’s set of DC and Marvel Television interviews, here are our chats on the animated side of things including discussions with Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland, Bruce Timm, Andrea Romano, Ike Barinholtz, Seth Meyers, and more! Additionally, here are the audio […]

Earlier this week saw the debut of the first episode of Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett‘s Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles, a prelude series of webisodes that will lead up to the full-length film being released towards the end of July (and my guess, probably debuting at SDCC).

The first episode was a pretty dark affair that focused on Michael C. Hall‘s vampire Batman as he tries to take out Harley Quinn. The newest entry, released yesterday, takes a look at the new Superman, voiced by Benjamin Bratt, as he battles Brainiac.

Witness a divergent reality where the Justice League protects the planet – but answers to no one but themselves. Employing methods of intimidation and fear, this Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman deal brute force in the name of justice. From the creative genius of executive producer Bruce Timm and co-producer Alan Burnett comes an original story where the world’s greatest triumvirate of super heroes has distinctly different origins. Superman was not raised by the Kents in Smallville, the Caped Crusader is not Bruce Wayne, and Wonder Woman is not an Amazon warrior of Themyscira. They are as likely the world’s saviors as Earth’s despotic rulers. When a group of famed scientists experience untimely “accidents,” a government task force follows the trail of clues to the Justice League – but is there a more powerful player operating from the shadows? It’s a high stakes game of intrigue, mystery and action that asks the question: How do you serve justice to those above the law?

– Remember how we were discussing the release of the webseries prequel to the upcoming Bruce Timm produced Justice League: Gods and Monsters? Well, the first episode is officially here and can be watched below:

Episodes 2 and 3 will see release on the 10th and 12th of this month respectively.

– In spite of the strides that have been made on the production side of DC-related film properties, all’s been rather quiet on The Sandman front even though it’s been in the works with the current team (headed up by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) since December 2013. MTV recently caught up with the actor/director and got an update on the project:

It’s really good, man. It’s slow but steady. It’s a really complicated adaptation because those comics, they’re brilliant. But they’re not written as a whole. It’s not like ‘Watchmen,’ which is a graphic novel that has a beginning, middle, and end. ‘Sandman’ was written over the course of whatever — I forget exactly, six or seven years. One at a time. One little 20-page issue at a time. And to try to take that and make it into something that’s a feature film — a movie that has a beginning, middle, and end — is complicated. I’m feeling really good about it, but it is a process, so please be patient.

Big spectacular action movies are generally about crime fighters fighting crime and blowing sh-t up. This has nothing to do with that, and it was actually one of the things that Neil Gaiman said to me, he said ‘Don’t have him punch anybody.’ Because he never does. If you read the comics, Morpheus doesn’t punch anybody. That’s not what he does. It’s going to be like a grand spectacular action film, but that relies on none of those same old ordinary cliches. So, that’s why it’s taking a lot time to write, but it’s going to be really good.

Gordon-Levitt is reportedly set to direct the film, with a script by Jack Thorne. No actor has been set in the role of Morpheus as of yet. I’m really keeping my fingers crossed for this one, and hopeful that no news remains good news, but in Hollywood, that often means development hell.

– This weekend sees the release of the new relaunch of the Jurassic Park franchise in Jurassic World. I’ll be catching it tomorrow at the press screening, but for those who are taking a look at in IMAX this weekend, you’ll be in for a treat as Marvel is debuting a 6-minute preview for Ant-Man in front of all IMAX presentations of the film:

Any readers that catch it over the weekend, let me know how it looks!

On this New Comic Book Day, here are some of the non-Joss Whedon related headlines that are making waves today:

– Not long ago, after the Marvel-Sony deal was struck over the usage of Spider-Man, it seemed a surety that Sony would hang onto Drew Goddard to helm the newest entry. Not so, reports Deadline, as they’ve uncovered what is reportedly Sony’s director shortlist for the film:

Jonathan Levine – Warm Bodies, 50/50

Ted Melfi – St. Vincent

Jason Moore – Pitch Perfect

John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein – Vacation

Jared Hess – Napoleon Dynamite

From this list, it seems like Sony is still aiming for the comedic-slanted mindset that brought us the Marc Webb entries. We all saw how that turned out. Hopefully this is an incomplete list and Goddard is still in contention. With a 2017 release date, a decision will have to be made by January at the very least, if not much sooner.

– Following in the footsteps of Peter Serafinowicz and Chris O’Dowd, British actor Martin Freeman (The Hobbit Trilogy) is stepping into the Marvel Universe, as he’s joined the cast of Captain America: Civil War in an undisclosed role. Considering the cast is already fit to burst at this point, I have a hard time imagining he’s playing anything beyond a utility player (like the above two actors). Your guess is as good as mine.

– Machinima, the online network that is already producing the animated DC series Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles, set to debut next month, announced this week two more DC related programs that will go into production in the near future along with a second season of Gods and Monsters Chronicles. The two new series include #4Hero, a modern adaptation of Dial H For Hero (this time it’s based out of a smart-phone app) and The DC Hero Project, a contest show where eight competitors must battle it out in elimination challenges to develop a short video based on their own interpretation of characters from the 90’s Starman series.

– For those thirsting for more X-Men: Days of Future Past, you’re in luck! The “Rogue Cut” that restores all of Anna Paquin‘s cut scenes from the feature, and adds 17 minutes to the film, will hit stores on July 14th. That date is also the 15th anniversary of the release of the first X-Men film. Now, don’t we all feel terribly old?