Reports

DC Under Gunn: What’s Next for the DCU

After almost a decade of highs, lows, behind-the-scenes conflicts, and constant changes in direction, DC’s attempts to match Marvel will enter a new chapter. With Marvel and DC veteran James Gunn at the helm, the franchise once known as the DC Extended Universe will be rebranded and relaunched with a new slate, new characters, and new creatives, leaving the old vision of Zack Snyder in the past and moving to the future of the brand-new DC Universe.

But before Gunn is able to launch his plan for DC, there are three remaining projects from the old DCEU that have already been finished and will be released before year’s end. The first of these is “The Flash,” releasing June 16, 2023. Under-fire actor Ezra Miller will reprise their role as The Flash for potentially the last time. In addition to Miller, the film also stars both Ben Affleck and Micheal Keaton, reprising their roles as Batman from the DCEU and from the 1989 “Batman” film, respectively.

The next film being released, on Aug. 18, 2023, is “Blue Beetle.” The first superhero film with a Latino lead, Xolo Maridueña stars as the Jaime Reyes version of the character, who, according to James Gunn, may well

By Spencer Elkind

stick around for the new DCU. Finally, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” will be released Dec. 20, 2023, and possibly will be the final outing for Jason Momoa as Aquaman.

As we enter 2024, there are two projects that will bridge the gap between the DCEU and the DCU. The first of these is “Creature Commandos,” an animated series releasing on the streaming service MAX. Written by Gunn, this series will star Frank Grillo, David Harbour, Indrina Varma, Zoe Chao, Alan Tudyk, and Sean Gunn. Despite this being animated, all the actors involved will also play their characters in live-action appearances. The second series, “Waller,” will be live-action and star Viola Davis as Amanda Waller once again in a story written by Christal Henry.

Also, in 2024 there will be two projects released under a new label, DC Elseworlds, that will include all projects set outside the main DC Universe. One of them is “The Penguin,” starring Colin Ferrell as the titular character from the universe first introduced in “The Batman.” The second is DC’s only feature film of 2024, “Joker: Folie A Deux,” a sequel to 2019’s awardwinning thriller starring Joaquin

Phoenix as The Joker and Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. Other projects under the DC Elseworlds label include “Superman and Lois” on the CW, “Teen Titans Go!” on Cartoon Network, and “Harley Quinn” on MAX.

2025 will mark the true beginning of the DCU with its first feature film, “Superman Legacy,” releasing July 11. Directed and written by James Gunn, this film will notably not star Henry Cavill’s version of the character, instead focusing on a brand-new version of Superman in his early days as a hero as he learns to balance his alien heritage and Kansas upbringing. On Oct. 3, we’ll see another DC Elseworlds project, as Robert Pattinson returns in “The Batman Part II,” currently the final DC project with a release date.

However, there are still seven more projects, both movies and shows, known to be in development as part of the DCU’s Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. On the big screen, the next film will be titled “The Authority,” which revolves around a group of heroes willing to break all the rules to make the world a better place. It’s been rumored that “Kingsmen” director Matthew Vaughn is trying to get this film off the ground. It will be followed

Chess.com Is Growing

By Dylan Gueli

by “The Brave and the Bold,” following a new Batman and his quest to raise his son Damien Wayne. Then we’ll see “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,” an epic sci-fi film chronicling the life of Supergirl, and “Swamp Thing,” a horror homage directed and written by James Mangold.

Finally, on the series side of the DCU coming to MAX, we will first see “Lanterns,” an epic, “True Detective” style series about two Green Lanterns uncovering an ancient mystery that will tie into the larger DCU. We’ll also get “Booster Gold,” based around a time-traveling loser who becomes a hero in the present, and “Paradise Lost,” focusing on the ancient warrior Amazons. With the fate of Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman still unknown, this series will explore the wars of her people’s past in a “Game of Thrones” style fantasy series.

And that’s only the beginning, as many more unknown projects are also in the works in the fields of gaming, animation, television, and film. These projects will shepherd the DCU into the future until Gunn’s watchful eye and the potential of the universe is brighter than it ever was.

Over the past few years, chess has emerged as one of the most popular online games. You can find the game on a browser or in the app store. Chess is a very special game that many really didn’t play about until this online version started to blow up on all social medias, making people want to start.

There are well-known streamers such as Gotham Chess, Magnus Carlsen, and Hikarui, which are very entertaining, and chess streamers love to watch those channels. Magnus and Hikarui are some of the best and have even been world champions.

A big reason why chess has grown to where it is now is social media, according to The New York Times article “Chess Is Booming” by Greg Keener. Also, TikTok has a heavy influence, because everyone spends so much time on it, and they send clips of the best moves or games they have played. Doing this gets people interested in the game, as they want to match that amazing move someone else did.

The reason why it is also popular is that since it’s online, there are more features that you can do on a phone than on a chess board. For example, you can premove, which is where you place a piece where you want before your turn comes up. Also, there is a bot that helps you after a game, giving you feedback. It shows you what moves were good, bad, or excellent.

The best part is you will always be matched up against someone with the same Elo (a rating system in chess). Elo provides you with your ranking, and depending on if you win or lose the game, your Elo goes up or down. The best Elo is in the high 2000s or even 3000, which many in chess have not achieved.

Once you reach the high Elo, you are named grandmaster, which is very hard to reach. Most people who play often never get to that level but hope one day that they will. People become grandmasters because they make moves that they don’t usually play, trying to confuse their opponents at all times.

A key to successful chess matches online are openings. An opening is what you do to start a game, developing all your pieces so they are set up for the rest of the match. There are so many different openings that you can do that all are unique.

The most common opening in all of chess is moving the pawn to E4 and E5. That means you move the pawn two spots up on the E file, and the same thing happens with your opponent. After this, there are lots of moves you can do, but most people start out in this way.

One of the best features on chess.com is the special game modes that they have created. Obviously, there is standard chess, but there is so much more on chess.com. You can play duck chess, which is hilariously fun. Duck chess is just standard chess, but there is a duck that sits on the board, and you can’t move your pieces through it. So, it pretty much creates a block on the board that just annoys your opponent at all times. There is also four-person chess, which is four people playing at the same time on one board trying to eliminate each other.

There is standard fourperson chess but also special versions of four-person chess.

Chess on a board is entertaining, but chess.com provides a different experience. Hopefully, you all go and play chess online so you can realize how fun it is!

A writers’ strike is in action all over the nation, as writers for film and television have stopped their work to picket against the networks in the Hollywood empire. Writers want an increase in pay within their contracts and want a guarantee that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not be used to write scripts.

The writers guild is the official union for screenwriters, and every member of the guild has laid down their labor to picket for their livelihood. Writers all across the guild want a guarantee that the use of AI for drafts will not pass. If AI is used, it means thousands of screenwriters will be laid off.

The guild has support from all, if not most, unions in the country. SAG-AFTRA, the actors union, and DGA, the directors guild, are fully supporting the writers by showing up to picket. Celebrities, such as Pete Davidson, have been supporting the protest efforts, too. Davidson, an actor and comedian, has been seen handing out pizzas to writers who were striking in Brooklyn.

The local 399 Teamster Union in Hollywood, California is led by Lyndsey Dougherty. She strictly

Reports