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10 AR THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2017

Film

The ‘Dark Knight’ Trilogy

BATMAN BEGINS THE DARK KNIGHT THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Though not strictly speaking a part of the current DC motion-picture universe, Christopher Nolan’s Batman films — with their somber mood and multibillion-dollar box office — had an enormous influence on the contempo- rary vogue for caped crusaders. The “Dark Knight” series told the story of Bruce Wayne’s rise, fall and redemption, and then had the good sense to end. X ‘Supergirl’ Based on the adventures of Superman’s cousin, “Supergirl” — which started on CBS, then moved to CW — takes place in its own distinct reality and is only occasionally allowed ? to cross over to the Arrowverse under unique conditions. To make life interesting, this continuity has its own Super- man, who isn’t the Superman of the DCEU movies. X ?

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X DOMINIC BUGATTO DC Extended Universe

MAN OF STEEL BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE ? SUICIDE SQUAD WONDER WOMAN JUSTICE LEAGUE This is the hub of the DC movie system, Standalone ‘Batman’ where new characters are introduced and Too Many Batmans occasionally reunited to fight each other. and ‘Joker’ Movies But wildly differing tones and mediocre THE BATMAN (STARRING BEN AFFLECK) reviews — save for the unqualified hit JOKER (CREATIVE TEAM UNCLEAR) “Wonder Woman” — have resulted in a And Supermans? These in-the-works projects will focus on shaky foundation on which to build a film characters seen in DCEU films but may franchise, and the deflated reception for appear in more and more TV shows and movie fran- not be part of official franchise continuity. “Justice League” this month didn’t help. DC used to feature one version of a superhero at a time onscreen. chises. Where it once took decades to arrive at a A Joker movie, possibly produced by single film in which Batman and Superman finally Martin Scorsese, wouldn’t star Jared threw down, now there are numerous fictional Leto, the Joker in “Suicide Squad,” while By DAVE ITZKOFF worlds that exist side by side — intersecting occa- In a simpler time, we knew exactly who our heroes sionally, or not at all — where these champions re- the Batman movie, intended for Ben were. There was just one Clark Kent who ducked side and do battle, and even multiple versions of the Affleck, may or may not star Mr. Affleck into phone booths and emerged as Superman, one same characters across several properties. It can at this rate. Bruce Wayne who slid down the Batpole to get all be very confusing. Is there a way to solve this suited up as Batman. But times are no longer sim- crisis on infinite Earths? Probably not, but this vis- ple. As the DC comic-bookX characters become more ual guide to the DC media universe will help explain X central to the ambitions of Warner Brothers, they just how complicated it has become. ? ? Arrowverse

ARROW THE FLASH DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW An ever-growing framework of interconnected shows on the CW net- work, starting with “Arrow” and all sharing the executive producer Greg Berlanti. Two new online shows, “Constantine” and “Freedom Fighters: The Ray,” will also take place in this universe, though a coming CW series, “Black Lightning,” based on that DC hero, will not (for now). “Legends of Tomorrow” recently revealed that its universe contains Themyscira, the secret island where Wonder Woman was born and raised. The Wonder Woman of the movies, you ask? No one’s answering.

X Notable Prehistory

When all this contemplation of shared Standalone Movies and TV Shows narrative universes becomes too taxing ? on the old gray matter, it’s nice to think THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE about past efforts like the Adam West GOTHAM “Batman” series of the 1960s or the Chris- “The Lego Batman Movie” imagines a colorful, kid-friendly reality where heroes topher Reeve “Superman” movies of the and villains alike are made from plastic building blocks. Meanwhile, on TV, “Go- ’70s and ’80s. They told their stories in tham” is set in a gloomy era before Bruce Wayne became Batman and the mem- two hours or less, while inadvertently bers of his future rogues’ gallery had grown into their fully realized, homicidal whetting our appetites for more compli- selves. Needless to say, these worlds never intersect with each other. cated worlds to come.