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speaker-0: What up everybody welcome back to another episode of the NerdGen Report. I'm your host, Pablo. And joining me as always is Mr. Brian Schultz. It's crazy, almost eerie. If you've been listening to the Nerd Gen Report and the conversations we've been having. And most recently we spoke, I think was it the first part one or part two that we spoke about that? Part one. Part one. Where we were discussing if Matt Reeves could not do this, who would take over? Obviously, you know, we were we we were Hinting at someone possibly taking over, but we didn't get the name right. But out of nowhere, we get an announcement. So watch the Nerd J Report so you can keep up to date with what's happening. What's happening, Brian?
speaker-1: Yeah. So th the part that we I think we're asking the right question was we don't know anything about the details of Matt Reeves' situation, but when you look at the combination of how long it's taken to get this project in front of the camera, how much money the studio expects to make and how desperately they need big hits, especially now that the merger's closed, you know, we surmise there was a growing chance that Matt Reeves would not be able to finish this film. And it turns out he sort of is and sort of isn't. Because we got confirmation this week that none other than Steven Soderbergh, director of the Oceans trilogy, of traffic, of Aaron Brokovich, of Magic Mike, would be stepping in to take over the remainder of principal photography for the Batman Part two. Now The release also made clear that Reeves would not be on set while Soderberg shooting. However, the language they're telling us is that they will remain in communication while the filming is ongoing, and then Reeves will then resume control of post production when he's ready to return. So the official quote is Matt Reeves continues to can attend to an ongoing family matter. Steven Soderbergh, as an admirer of Matt's work, approached Matt and will step in with the full support of DC Studios to help the writer director. The final weeks of principal photography on the Batman Part 2. Matt and Steven will work closely together with the actors and crew to fulfill Matt's vision of the film. Soderbergh then released his statement saying, I thought Matt Reed's work on the Batman was stunning. It was intentional, specific, and rigorously coherent. The goal here is to work with Matt and his team to generate footage that will integrate seamlessly with what's already been shot, so then Matt can properly finish his film and quote. And the last quote is Reeves himself. Just to be clear, I am not leaving the Batman Part two. I am profoundly grateful to Steven for coming to my aid during this challenging time to help me finish principal photography. Thank you for all your concern and well wishes. End quote. So I had wondered about Andy Circus, obviously, 'cause he's in the movie and and works with WB as a director on other projects like Lord of Rings, but it seems like Steven Soderberg the a is the answer to the same question. They're making it seem like he called Reeves and that's what got this ball rolling. What is your reaction to this as a solution to keep the Batman part two on track for its current release date?
speaker-0: Steven Soderbergh can't wait either. And that says a lot because he expressed a similar sentiment that we felt of Batman 2. Although we, you know, we had our critiques. but we still have been waiting for this movie for it entirely too long. And and and so I think he is in a position where he sees he can provide some help to someone he admires to speed up. This process, and perhaps this is the beginning of a partnership as far as moving faster in delivering the product. If Matt Reeves decides, depending on what Batman 2 does, if it hits the billion dollars, you know Batman 3 is coming. And I think Steven Soderbergh's presence and assistance could could speed along Batman Part
speaker-1: Okay, so let's take the questions from the top because obviously the release admits that whatever's going on with Matt Reeves is still ongoing. I think that to me suggests a recognition that whatever it is will take some time. It's not gonna be a quick fix. So let's take it from the top. Do you believe, in the purest of senses, that Steven Soderberg initiated contact with Matt Reeves and D C?
speaker-0: That's a tough one. Cause the presentation is is as if, the Kevin Feige they came to us. He came to you know. but this is in a different again, I just feel like he's in a position where like if I'm Steven Sodelberg and and I love Batman and I wanna see the do they have a relationship? Did it mention anything of them having a relationship prior to this? So this is
speaker-1: No. So th this is why I'm asking the question, 'cause they they've not worked together before in any capacity that I'm aware of. Now I will get to Soderbergh some of the stuff he does on the side as a hobby as to why he might be interested in this, but I'm a little suspicious it was that simple. And I don't think it matters, but I would say like I think a more likely scenario is there were feelers being put out by the studio around Hollywood. You know, if anyone has a solution or an idea here, we we would welcome we would welcome some input. I don't think this was a Snyder situation, with his daughter and all that stuff and the contention between this. I don't get that sense, right? he was at odds with the studio. We'll talk about that because Affleck actually was really he Ben Affleck was on Happy Sad Confused and he was actually bringing out some of that this week about the Snyder relationship with studio back then. So I don't sense that here with Reeves, but I do sense studio urgency needing to get this done. maybe was letting letting the ether know that there might be something to be done here. So I wonder if there was a little bit of that.
speaker-0: business of being in business and we're
speaker-1: Soderberg, I see two things
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that are that line up with where he is in his career. So number one is it's been a minute since he's been a big budget film director. And that's because if you look at his box office over the last, you know, 15 years, like he doesn't have a lot of massive budgets and massive hits. And I actually, you know, most recently he directed a movie Black Bag with Kate Blanchett and Michael Fazbender, a nice little spy thriller. I thought it was quite good, quite entertaining, but didn't make any money and he was complaining about hey, living in the low budget and the mid-budget is pretty tough for original films these days, which which we all know. So he now has an opportunity to get behind the camera for a big budget project that quite honestly, at this stage of his career, he might not be able to get off the ground on his own. So there is that incentive, which lines up for him.
speaker-0: Steven Soderbergh, correct? Directed Yeah, he directed Elsha's Eleven, Traffic, which was great. Aaron Brockovich.
speaker-1: Yeah. Yeah. Right, but those movies are how old now? You're
speaker-0: Yeah, no certainly yeah, I believe.
speaker-1: talking about twenty to thirty years ago, he was an Oscar winning top flight director, right? So that's what I'm saying. in the last ten to fifteen, there's not a lot there that has been big since Ocean's thirteen, really. Not not a ton. Right. So not to say there's been no good movies. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But just not like good movies that became big hits. Yeah.
speaker-0: Chicken wasn't what li what it was.
speaker-1: He a good I that'll happen. So so my point is there is an incentive. He has an incentive here that lines up, which is he gets access to this kind of project in a way that now the second thing I see. Let me just say one more thing about Soderbergh. The second thing he does on the side, which actually makes him a very interesting candidate to do this, he likes to play around with other filmmakers' work as a creative exercise. So most notably, he wanted to drive home a point about how perfect Raiders of the Lost Ark is. This is a couple years ago. So he recut the movie with no s no dialogue. He took all the words out. He put it in black and white. He got rid of the John Williams music and he installed I think it was a nine inch nails song or something like that. And so he he makes a black and white version. He recuts it, gets rid of all the the words, gets rid of all the music, and he puts a nine inch nail song or a rock song on loop. And he said, Watch this version of it. And he's like, I guarantee you, you will still understand every single thing that's happening and still think it's a banging action movie even without a single word. So my point is he is a dabbler. Like he's a creative dabbler. He likes to riff on some of the classics. And I think that might help him here in the sense of he can't exactly be Matt Reeves, but he might be able to riff on Matt Reeves in an interesting, non conflicting way.
speaker-0: way
I would see this and I think what your pr you've said is studio was like okay gotta we gotta we can't let this can't w let's talk to Matt and see what he feels about fe putting out these feelings so that we can get this, Let's talk to Matt first. Let's not do this behind his back. Even the Titanic people learn from the Titanic and I i z the Zack Snyder situation was a A t an example of what not to do. And I think they are looking at it obviously in this situation much differently. And so, hey, anything to get the product out, because this is again this is a business and we're in the business of being in business and we're doing business. How can we do it? What are you s that conversation? Perhaps I listen, just because it came out now doesn't mean that this didn't happen, the conversation didn't happen months ago, right? So
speaker-1: I think there's something to that. I think also the way this is worded, if you go on a compare to the Snyder situation, the fact that they go out of their way to basically say Re the ba the plan A is for Reeves to come back and oversee post production immediately tells you it's a different situation. Right. No s no such no such allowance was made for Zack Snyder when he stepped away. So I think the fact there's what I take from the release is plan A is indeed Matt Reeves returns. And finishes the film in the editing room. That's plan A. But they now have a plan B. And I do think it's leaving room for if this issue was to continue, I think the studio would now, and I think Reeves would honestly be accepting of a scenario where Reeves can't do the post production and Steven Soderbergh does, which is basically your a less contentious version of your Rogue One, right? That's the Gareth Edwards took it. 85% of the way, and Tony Gilroy brought it home and kind of cleaned it up. But like I saw Steven Soderberg that guy. I think also looking ahead, you bring up the very good point if this collaboration is successful, I would place very high odds that Soderberg your director for Batman Part Three, and Reeves is the writer, producer on it, but isn't actually the one shooting. I think this is effectively cut somewhat of an audition for that.
speaker-0: Yeah, and to speed things up. And to speed things up, 'cause we cannot wait for this amount of time for a Batman three. We just can't. Yeah. Especially now with
speaker-1: But think it I think it almost certifies that you will get Batman Part Two at the start of twenty twenty eight as planned. I think that this basically because I said, worse worst case is Reeves can't return. Soderberg finishes it and it's out on time. And we and it just is a a a different movie somewhat than what what you would have gotten. But it will get the I guess the best case would have been Matt Routine Rat Reeves returns quickly, finishes everything, and everything's fine. Relative to that is like the best case scenario for this film. What does this announcement or series of announcements do to your level of excitement, anticipation, or your expectations for how good this movie is going to be?
speaker-0: I think there is for Soderbergh an opportunity to say I'm back, baby, right? And to do something that again, if they told me, hey, Pablo, you want to be a part of the Batman? Absolutely. You know what I'm saying? You gotta leave your kid your family for a couple of months. Hey, remember brush your teeth and respect you know, I'm out. what I'm saying? Because this is an opportunity of a lifetime to work on with Batman. So I think there is that level of inspiration based on what Matt Reeves and Soderbergh respecting and admiring and because of that thing you mentioned about him wanting to that he's a tinkerer. It is an opportunity to do something within Matt R Matt Reeves's vision that I think he will respect and deliver. So it brings I won't be surprised if we get an announcement that it might come out come out sooner. That would be yes Yes, yes. Because because I think speed is of the essence here. And Matt Reeves doesn't work on that kind of timeline. I think Steve Soderberg and his expertise will bring that variable into Matt Reeves process. And and I think again, this could be the beginning of something moving forward, if Matt Reeves hopefully he's okay and can continue to do films that I don't know. That he may pick up as far as speed is involved and add that to his repertoire. I don't know, but I think this could be depending on the the success of this Batman two, the beginning of something. I don't know what that is, but for but especially for the Batman three because what has been consistent is that there has been a long wait for this movie and we just can't wait anymore.
speaker-1: Yeah, the funny thing though with is re I I just go back to Reeves' own history, it it suggests that e that something changed, either with regard to him or with regard to the studio and Batman, because he had no such problems with Planet of the Apes. I just would point out, are the original so he doesn't do the first one, right? Rise of the Planet of the Apes comes out in two thousand eleven, Matt Reeves is announced as the director of the sequel, second movie comes out in two thousand fourteen, Matt Reeves returns direct part three, part three comes out in twenty seventeen. that's That is speedy tight work for Blockbuster sequels. He had, and those are really good movies. He had no such problems. So I just point out that like there is an inconsistency here in his own history of how fast he's working, which makes you wonder like, either something changed in his own life, like whatever this matter is that has come up is a relatively recent phenomenon, one that he was not dealing with then, and that actually does slow him down personally, or There's something creatively on the studio side that is slowing him down and he's being blamed for it, but it's not really him that's slowing it down in in actuality. So I just point out that, we we I think we joke
sometimes and Marvel at Christopher Nolan's almost mechanical work rate, right? It's like three years, four years. He is just every single time, original idea, original idea. It's like he's on the same schedule and he never misses. And you're like, How is a guy able to do that? And so I'm just saying each filmmaker usually is a creature of their own habit. And so Reeves's habits have actually changed. And that's why I'm like, either he changed or it's a function of the project he's on. And Batman, as we know, is is is a precious and complicated commodity. So I wonder. But I do think I stand by the highest odds of this out of everything we're talking about is if Soderberg delivers a competent product and it's successful at the box office. I think a very high probability that Steven Soderberg your is your lead director for Batman Part three and Reeves is writing the is is relegated to writing the script and producing and maybe he's like a a conciliary on the project, but he's not gonna be the day to day on onset.
speaker-0: If it is an environment in which and I don't wanna put his name out there all the time, as far as Gunt being involved in somewhat of the delay and discussion and the the pressure of that's the rumor. Just shout outs to Val Kilmer.
speaker-1: That's the rumor.
speaker-0: I'll tell you, man, it's been fun looking through all these quotes and little clips ready to go.
speaker-1: Well he is yeah. Doc Holiday is that's that's a fountain of of gold for for these types of things. And we have our own little DCU Batman tidbit here and this gun and saffron piece and Hollywood Reporter, which we will we'll get to.
speaker-0: And that would only increase my distaste for the J James Gunn DCU if that were to be the case. I'll just put it out there.
speaker-1: I've seen this movie before. I I d I don't I don't care for it. So pun intended.
speaker-0: Anything else, Brian, before we move on?
speaker-1: No, other than yeah, I said, I think there's there's a there, there's there's that small twinge of selfish sadness of Reeves won't get to do it exactly the way he wanted to do it. You know what I mean? whatever this movie becomes, w whether it's ninety per and they're kinda saying I think they were somewhere between half and two thirds complete. So that's that's good. I think that Reeves, you you could say that's a a decent amount of film, but that still leaves we don't know what two what half was it, right? If he hasn't shot the finale, the third we don't know, right? So There's just gonna be this this inevitable moment of watching this movie and feeling like I am not seeing a hundred percent of this man's vision, unfortunately.
speaker-0: And if that is the case, yeah, that is the other scenario if Freddie was here.
speaker-1: Even if I love it. That's the thing. It's like even if it's great, there's gonna be a part of me that's like, What was the original incarnation that this guy who has such a who, based upon all the feedback from everyone working with him?
speaker-0: I foresee it not being this sort that sort of relationship. I think it is going to be what Matt Reeves originally intended because here's the thing. We got the penguin and and and that was something Matt Reeves, you know, wasn't directing. did he direct any direct did he direct any episodes? What was he, executive producer on that?
speaker-1: Yeah. And and he was one of the I think he was one of the writers too. yeah, he was in the writers too.
speaker-0: So I think those discussions will go certainly there could be some disagreement as far as certain little details, right? Hopefully it's not the squirrel thing, which was ridiculous with with James Gunn and and his camp when they were discussing whether the in to leave that in or not. I think this is gonna be a bit more of a serious conversation about I'm not to say that wasn't a serious conversation, but it was a dumb one, I in my opinion. But this one is going to be clear as far what Matt Matt Reids want and how Soderbergh will deliver it to him. And that discussion, I think that's for me, I wish I was there to just watch and listen to their discussion and how they come about. That b behind the scenes, hopefully they do it, will be fascinating. But yeah, let us know in the comment section below what you guys think of the latest developments for Batman two, man, hopefully Matt Reeves is okay himself. One thing is clear, Matt Reeves, he has priorities. And for WB, this is their number one priority. And they need to and not to, you know, dismiss whatever Matt Reeves is doing. Obviously he has to take care of what he got to take care of, but we gotta keep we gotta keep it going. You know what I'm saying? In businesses, there's always a backup and a you know what I'm saying? And there's incident response procedures and stuff like that. And and and I think for movies, there there has to be something like that because delays cost are costly. And again, that that that number up there, but let's see. Let us know in the comment section below. Remember if you haven't heard it anywhere else, you heard it here first on the Ned J report.