The DC Universe Original Animated Movie Thread

[KnightWing]

Hell yeah!

[dc20willsave]

Hell yeah!

[Guest TFG1Mike]

There ya go James. That sounds VERY interesting.

[James D.]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand, I need to change my pants.

[Molly]

Loosely based means no Kyle Rayner, I'm calling it.

[SuaveStar]

Trailer fro Green Lantern: Emerald Knights

[Koete]

Bryan Cranston, Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku and Katee Sackhoff have been tapped to star as the voices in Batman: Year One, the adaptation of the Frank Miller comic book classic from Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation.

Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu are directing the movie, the 12th entry in the successful series of DC universe animated originals. Tab Murphy wrote the script.

The feature adapts the landmark four-issue story written by Miller and drawn by David Mazzucchelli that first appeared in 1987 on the heels of Miller's seminal work, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Those tomes, along with The Watchmen, helped elevate the comics medium, changing the public's perception of the art form and influencing Hollywood writers and artists to this day.

In Year One, a young Bruce Wayne is first starting out as a costumed vigilante. He creates an early bond with Lieutenant James Gordon, whose importance in the tale makes it as much as Gordon's story as Wayne's.

Cranston is playing Gordon, while McKenzie is Wayne/Batman. Dushku voices Catwoman, while Sackhoff is Detective Sarah Essen, a Gordon love interest.

Additionally, Alex Rocco lends his pipes as crime lord Carmine Falcone.

As one of the holy grails in comic books, Year One will be closely scrutinized for faithfulness, but superhero animation veteran Bruce Timm, who is exec producing, says there is very little in the movie that isn't in the comic.

"The source material is surprisingly cinematic; it's a pretty straight forward literal retelling," he says. "Mazzucchelli's artwork is beautifully composed and we were able to refer to the comic for about 80 percent of the camera setups."

Cranston, an Emmy winner for AMC's Breaking Bad, says he initially turned down the chance to work on Year One, not even wanting to read the script. He blames it on his ignorance of the animation medium as well as the classic comics.

"I wasn't aware of this level of storytelling in animation. I confess that freely," he says. "They didn't give the characters the short shrift. I was stunned."

Batman: Year One, which will be rated PG-13, is scheduled to be released on home video in the fall but will world premiere in July at Comic-Con.

Source

Two stills from the film here.

[Guest TFG1Mike]

BREAKING NEWS Eliza Dushku Announced as Catwoman/Selina Kyle In Batman Year One

HELL YEAH!!! Actually entire cast announced!! Sweet! I can't wait to hear how her voice is with Selina's characteristics

[Stavros]

Those sound good. Unsure on who the guy playing Batman is, but the rest are good. Cranston as Gordon in particular, that's a guy I could see taking that role live action once the current Batman series is done. Plus I love me some Dushku, I don't think that's any secret.

[Guest TFG1Mike]

Those sound good. Unsure on who the guy playing Batman is, but the rest are good. Cranston as Gordon in particular, that's a guy I could see taking that role live action once the current Batman series is done. Plus I love me some Dushku, I don't think that's any secret.

Ben Mackenzie is best known as Ryan Atwood on The OC and he is on TNT's Southland now.

[Missy]

"ROWDY" RODDY PIPER MAKES HIS ANIMATION DEBUT IN GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD KNIGHTS

Hall of Fame Professional Wrestler Brings Bolphunga to Animated Life in All-New DC Universe Animated Original Movie Coming June 7 to Blu-Ray, DVD

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper ruled the wrestling ring for the better part of four decades, crafting a Hall of Fame career that brought cheers -- and huzzahs -- from fans across the globe. Along the way, Piper established numerous milestones that set his career apart from all others.

At age 15, Piper was the youngest professional wrestler to ever enter the squared circle -- and he would proceed to hold more than 38 titles while eclipsing 7,000 victories in professional matches. It was the main event at the very first Wrestlemania -- pitting Piper and "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff against Hulk Hogan and Mr. T -- that truly established the WWE.

Of course, any fanboy worth his weight in comics can recite Piper's famous lines from John Carpenter's cult classic They Live. Wherever he goes, somebody asks Piper if he has any bubblegum.

Today, Piper continues to entertain and educate, whether it be via his one-man show or as a best selling author of an autobiography entitled "In the Pit with Piper." And on June 7, fans can experience Piper's acting chops in his very first voiceover role for animation as the barbaric Bolphunga in Green Lantern: Emerald Knights.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights will be distributed by Warner Home Video on Blu-Ray, DVD, On Demand and for Download June 7, 2011.

Piper's character -- Bolphunga the Unrelenting -- is the central antagonist in the episodic segment entitled "Mogo Doesn't Socialize." Based on the 1985 story created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, the story centers on Bolphunga's search for Mogo, the largest Green Lantern, in hopes of engaging the famed warrior in a battle worthy of the villain. The role serves as a perfect vehicle to showcase Piper's strength and wonderful sense of humor.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights weaves six legendary stories of the Green Lantern Corps' rich mythology around preparations for an attack by an ancient enemy. As the battle approaches, Hal Jordan mentors new recruit Arisia in the history of the Green Lantern Corps, telling tales of Avra (the first Green Lantern) and several of Hal's comrades -- including Abin Sur, Kilowog, Laira and Mogo. In the end, Arisia must rise to the occasion to help Hal, Sinestro and the entire Green Lantern Corps save the universe from the destructive forces of Krona.

Primetime television stars Nathan Fillion (Castle) and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) lead a diverse array of performers as the voices behind the Green Lantern Corps, including actor/spoken word artist Henry Rollins (Sons of Anarchy, The Henry Rollins Show), Jason Isaacs (the Harry Potter films), Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy), Kelly Hu (The Vampire Diaries) as Laira and Wade Williams (Prison Break) as Deegan. Radio Hall of Fame commentator/talk show host Michael Jackson voices the esteemed Guardian, Ganthet.

Bruce Timm is executive producer of Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Directors are Lauren Montgomery, Jay Oliva and Christopher Berkeley. Oliva directed "Mogo Doesn't Socialize" from a script by Gibbons.

Piper spent a few moments after his recording session to discuss his current activities, his love of acting, and the responsibilities of being a role model. Listen closely... because Roddy just ran out of chewing gum.

QUESTION: Green Lantern: Emerald Knights was your first-ever voiceover for animation. How was the experience?

RODDY PIPER: That was about as much fun as I could ever hope to have. You can really lose yourself in an animated role. There's so much freedom, so much room for creativity. It's a blast.

QUESTION: Professional wrestling gave you plenty of experience being both the villain and the hero. How does the public perceive you today?

RODDY PIPER: I guess a lot of folks have grown up with me and, in an awkward way, for people who really have seen the good sides of me, I'm like a father figure. It's remarkable -- every place I go, there's somebody that has an inspiring tale to tell. At one of my shows, there was a policeman named Paul who had been awarded a Congressional citation for saving someone's life. He came up and gave me his citation. He said that when he was a little boy, he had troubles -- but he would watch me and that's where he found inspiration and direction. So when he goes into a tough situation, he relates to (my actions), and he says it saved his life.

The profession that I took upon is a lawless, tough piece of work, and so many of my friends are dead now. So in my one-man show, I tell the folks about people that they grew up with, people that they may have related to in different ways. My profession is very renegade. But as crazy as it seems, it's as real as it gets.

QUESTION: What's your approach to performing these one-man shows?

RODDY PIPER: I was with Burt Reynolds at his house in Jupiter (FL) and he said to me, "The one thing I try to convey as actors is that we don't get enough 'Atta Boys.' So I try to make them leave with an 'Atta Boy.' And that really sticks with me. Encouragement is an essential.

QUESTION: You seem like a natural for animation. What's your attraction to playing an animated character?

RODDY PIPER: I like the fact that I can go away and lose myself so I don't have to live in the world of courage that everyone else does. I like creating, it's what I do, and acting allows me to stretch all those different muscles in all kinds of ways. That's pretty cool.

QUESTION: There are those that would claim wrestling is acting. What are the key differences in those two performances?

RODDY PIPER: Wrestling and acting couldn't be anymore different in terms of what it takes to entertain. Wrestling is explosion, acting is implosion. One really screws up the other. That's why Hogan sucks. If I came out on camera like I do in Madison Square Garden, it would look crazy. Clint Eastwood just shakes his head and raises his eye and it works. But when you've got 96,000 people at Wrestlemania, I need to get through to the back row. Fighting is not internal, but it can be very spiritual. Everything acting is internal. One of my problems in making the transition is pulling back, but I'm working on it.

[Stavros]

Love Piper's analysis of Wrestling vs acting at the end there.

[Molly]

Piper has done voice acting before. He was himself on Robot Chicken, including the greatest line of all time. "Hey, ya crazy f**kin' Nazi!"

"Quick, Roddy, use your stealth!"

[Missy]

HENRY ROLLINS GIVES A GLIMPSE INTO KILOWOG'S TRAINING DAYS IN GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD KNIGHTS

Singer/Actor/Spoken-Word Artist provides back story for Beloved Drill Sergeant in All-New DC Universe Animated Original Movie Coming June 7 to Blu-Ray, DVD

Henry Rollins is so many things to so many people.

One moment, he's the uber-tattooed punk rock front man for Black Flag or The Rollins Band; the next, he's stealing the spotlight as one of the memorable cast of Sons of Anarchy; and while that's airing, he's ranting live for hours to sold out crowds as one of the most popular spoken-word artists of our day, easily translating that mad-as-hell attitude and undying curiosity into his thought-provoking KCRW talk show. His quarter century of globe-trotting has recently added National Geographic to his resume, the latter day Renaissance man now filming documentaries for the renowned publication.

Intelligent? Beyond your dreams. Intense? Absolutely. Restless? Without a doubt. But does Henry Rollins ever pause long enough to be playful? Animation fans know it all too well.

When he isn't perusing the Sudan, performing in Prague or recording for public radio, Rollins takes to another of his true passions: voiceovers for animated projects.

Rollins' latest animated incarnation is in the guise of Kilowog for the next DC Universe Animated Original Movie, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights will be distributed by Warner Home Video on Blu-Ray, DVD, On Demand and for Download June 7, 2011.

Rollins voices one of the most beloved characters in the entire universe of Green Lanterns - Kilowog, the hardcore drill sergeant-style trainer of Green Lantern recruits. Written by Peter J. Tomasi (based on "New Blood" by Tomasi & Chris Samnee) and directed by Lauren Montgomery, the "Kilowog" segment of the film depicts the gruff character's initial days as a young recruit under the abusive tutelage of Deegan, an equally gruff character who shows Kilowog the true "tough love" principles of training. As the segment play out, Kilowog must assume an integral leadership role within the ranks.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights is far from Rollins' first venture down the animated path. For Warner Bros. alone, Rollins has recorded over the years for Batman Beyond, Teen Titans and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. And then there's his more recent forays into voiceovers for series like Cartoon Network's Adventure Time and the primetime series American Dad!

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights weaves six legendary stories of the Green Lantern Corps' rich mythology around preparations for an attack by an ancient enemy. As the battle approaches, Hal Jordan mentors new recruit Arisia in the history of the Green Lantern Corps, telling tales of Avra (the first Green Lantern) and several of Hal's comrades - including Kilowog, Abin Sur, Laira and Mogo. In the end, Arisia must rise to the occasion to help Hal, Sinestro and the entire Green Lantern Corps save the universe from the destructive forces of Krona.

Rollins is joined in the voicecast of the intergalactic animated film by Nathan Fillion (Castle), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), Jason Isaacs (the Harry Potter films), Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy), Kelly Hu (The Vampire Diaries), Wade Williams (Prison Break), professional wrestling legend Rowdy Roddy Piper and Radio Hall of Fame commentator/talk show host Michael Jackson.

No stranger to the spoken word, Rollins spent some significant time after his initial recording session chatting about his character, his love of great literature, Too Much Coffee Man, his need to travel the Earth, and much, much more. Read on …

QUESTION: How did you approach the character of Kilowog for this story?

HENRY ROLLINS: For me, Kilowog is a man who's pure of heart. He's a warrior. He's a soldier. And he loves his rookies. Deegan is the guy who broke him in - in boot camp - and kind of brought him into command position. So Kilowog came up through the ranks by being brave and by being a take-charge leader. In the Kilowog segment, you see that he had a grasp of the leadership idea from the get-go. He's with other recruits and he immediately takes the leadership position. So I think he's a good guy, but he always knew he was gonna be running things.

QUESTION: Were there any challenges to finding the character for you?

HENRY ROLLINS: I assumed what the character needed before we went in. I said, "Andrea (Romano), this guy has a flat top, thick neck, but he's a good guy and if you get past all the yelling, you know he's got a good heart." She said, "You got it. That's, that's the guy." So I kind of had him dialed in and then we went forth.

It was really just finding his subtleties working with the great direction of Andrea. The character, for me, wasn't all that hard to find. He's not a complex guy. He takes his orders. He gives orders. He knows right and wrong. He takes care of bad guys, and keeps people alive. On that level, his life is pretty simple.

QUESTION: You're so often a one-man show, or at least the leader of the band. What's it like to be directed by Andrea Romano?

HENRY ROLLINS: I've been working with Andrea for well over a decade, and it is one of the fun moments of my year when I get the call. Watching her work with a whole group of people is like watching a combination of air traffic controller, director and producer all at once. And she has as much fun or more fun than all of us combined. Her level of energy is quite remarkable. I've done every kind of voiceover with her - entire casts, one on one, Batman Beyond, Teen Titans - and she always brings a tremendous bolt of energy. It's infectious and it's fun. It's like she always says, "Thanks for coming in and playing." Andrea really allows you to have fun with it and not take yourself too seriously, which allows you to work really hard.

QUESTION: You're such an intense, intelligent, driven individual who actively lobbies for so many worthy, worldwide causes. Do voiceovers for animation fulfill some sort of need for play, or does it offer another challenge?

HENRY ROLLINS: The reason why I come and do voiceover, for animation or documentary or whatever, is because I'm really not suited for it. And so I have to somehow pass myself off as someone who can actually pull this off. It makes me work really hard, and I love the challenge. I've been in a lot of films, and yet I've never taken an acting lesson. I've done a lot of voiceovers for all kinds of things, and I've never taken any lessons there. I've just shown up with a whole lot of enthusiasm, a great fear of failure, and a desire to please the people who have somehow trusted me to do the work.

I come from the minimum wage working world of the late '70s, early '80s, so stuff like this, to me, is gravy. It is so not standing on my feet, carrying something to the back of a truck. I know how to do all of that. Many of us do. So, for me, it's just a really fun thing. There's pressure certainly to perform - not the same pressure that I take out on stage every night, when there's a lot of people who are there to hear me or see me.

The voiceover thing, in order to be good at it, you have to have a laugh at yourself. I mean, you're doing funny voices. We're larger than life here. So you have to throw your seriousness away and be able to laugh at yourself. You have to throw out your ego. The more I do it, the more I realize that you have to approach it that way - and then you get super involved in the moment. I think that's what the job requires. You have to think "Oh, no, here comes the meteor storm. We've got to go." When I'm doing something like that, believe me, I'm really in that moment. When you can throw away your self-importance and have fun with it, that's when you really deliver."

QUESTION: What's your motivation to perform in this odd world of entertainment?

HENRY ROLLINS: Like many of us in the entertainment world, I think we are making up for the lack of attention that we did not get as kids through the need for attention and approval from an audience. I tell audiences now that I'm only here for your attention and your approval. I need you way more than you'll ever need me. And you'll be done with me way sooner than I'll ever be done with you. It's a pity. And welcome to the show. (he laughs) And it's so true.

QUESTION: Are you more comfortable performing in front of large groups or alone in a studio with you and the microphone?

HENRY ROLLINS: I love being in front of tons of people, and I really enjoy being one-on-one with the microphone. I love both micromanaging the part, and having the ability now to give the director exactly what he or she wants, and then really being able to nail it. In the booth it's fun because they're directing you, and you're trying to hit those notes. It's like Andrea will say "Can you lighten it up just a little? Remember, you're kind of sad, because on page 11 you had that thing happen." And then you can dial in with such extreme subtlety that she can hear it and go, "That's what I needed. Thank you very much, we're moving on." To be able to deliver that is really enjoyable.

QUESTION: Did you read comics as a kid?

HENRY ROLLINS: I was not a comic book-guy growing up. My stepbrother had them. I would look at them with not a great of interest. My first job was throwing newspapers for the long-defunct Washington Star. I'd throw 80,000 tons of newspaper a year for about $4.60. So I've got maybe $12 to my name, but I was a kid, I didn't know what to do with it. And so I went to the drugstore and I bought a couple of comics. I dragged them home, and I looked at them. Quite honestly, it didn't do much for me, and I've never gone back except for when someone sends me the odd modern comic.

A few years ago, I did come across this character called "Too Much Coffee Man." And he used to worry about the world. He had a coffee cup strapped to his head. I eventually made friends with Shannon Wheeler, who draws the comic. He illustrated a book for me - putting some illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. And Shannon used to kindly send me these collections of "Too Much Coffee Man." But that's the only comic I would really pay attention to, because I like the idea. "Too Much Coffee Man" has a lot to say. He's a great apocalyptic philosopher for our very troubled times.

QUESTION: Comics don't have an impact on you, but do you believe they have a social relevance for society?

HENRY ROLLINS: I think that it's important for young people who are maybe sensitive. Maybe they're not gonna be the quarterback and they're not gonna get the pretty cheerleader to go to the senior prom. But it's great for them to have an escape. Because some people who are often aren't the one who can throw the football the furthest, they have interesting minds. And I think that comics help someone with an imagination have fun and play around … I think anything that inspires young people to have imagination - it's what gives you things like, oh, the Internet and renewable energy. And progress. So I think anything that is a seed to imagination, that enhances imagination, I think is safe.

Growing up, I loved great literature. I lived for your Steinbecks and your Hemmingways as a kid, and I read them all again as an adult and got the better version of the story. My comic books were reading things like the The Grapes Of Wrath, and stuff like that that my mom turned me on to. So I understand anything that makes the imagination go as being a good thing.

QUESTION: You spend more days of the year on the road than you spend at home, and mostly in places few would consider a vacation spot. Why?

HENRY ROLLINS: Because the world is interesting. I've been touring since I was 20, living all over the world as often as possible. Being home is nice for about 72 hours. Make the dinner I'd like to make, open up the things I got on eBay and Amazon.com, eat at the favorite sushi place. And then after about three or four days of that, I start feeling it's a grind, and the world is waiting for me. It's life on pause. Meanwhile, time is ticking by. And I figure at some point when I'm 80 or 90, there will be time to sit around and go, "Oh, man, I'm tired."

But as long as I have sap in my bones, the African continent is going like, "Henry, you haven't come to Gambia yet. How come you haven't gone to Chad yet?" Or Yemen is calling and saying, "It's a little rough, but you should check it out." That's why I go into the world as often as possible. Thankfully, my work takes me far and wide. And then I just invent stuff. I just come up with ideas. I know people in different places. I do a lot of travel with the USO, so that gets me to places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, etc.

I'm the first and only ever USO performer in Egypt. They've never sent anyone into Egypt before. But I said, "Let me be the first." And so I went in across the Sinai. For me, this is all fantastic - to go to these places, meet people, dig the culture, dig the music, dig the food, get lost in souqs and bazaars and streets. And so far I have not had to run for my life. A mortar attack in Baghdad wasn't the best thing that ever happened to me.

But by and large, my travel has enriched my life. Coming from the minimum wage working world of the last century, this is all great opportunity. So I don't "no" to the work, and I don't say "no" to my curiosity.

QUESTION: Is there a super hero or villain role you truly covet?

HENRY ROLLINS: No. I'm happy for anything that would come my way. And I'll be so happy if someone said, "Here is three years work on this series and you get to be that guy." It's all been so much fun. There's nothing I'm wanting to do but more.

[annericelover]

So Emerald Knights coming up and Year One by the end of the year (which is freakin' cool as all hell). Anyone know of plans beyond that?

I know that The Dark Knight Returns(with a few of the voices from Year One)is also on the list and also Justice League: Doom(based on Tower of Babel)is also on the list

[Missy]

CASTLE, FIREFLY STAR NATHAN FILLION LEADS VOICE CAST AS HAL JORDAN IN GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD KNIGHTS

Entertainment Weekly's "Geek God" returns to the animated superhero realm in

All-New DC Universe Animated Original Movie Coming June 7 to Blu-Ray, DVD

Entertainment Weekly dubbed him a "Geek God." TV Guide seems to document his every move. Firefly/Serenity fans follow him in any direction he goes.

And all the while, Nathan Fillion contines to go his own way, his boyish charm and "ruggedly handsome" exterior constantly reflecting the enchanting attitude of the proverbial kid-in-a-candy-store.

Make no mistake, Nathan Fillion is having the time of his life.

Fillion's primetime series Castle is enjoying its best ratings, cracking Nielsen's Top 10 as the popular ABC drama culminated its third season. And despite the five-plus-days-a-week grind of 14-plus hours on set, Fillion still finds time to fulfill his own guilty geek pleasures.

Thus, on the Sunday of the Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend in 2010, the Edmonton-born actor could be found recording the voice of Hal Jordan for Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, an all-new DC Universe Animated Original Movie coming to Blu-Ray, DVD, On Demand and for Download June 7, 2011.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, and distributed by Warner Home Video, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights weaves six legendary stories of the Green Lantern Corps' rich mythology around preparations for an attack by an ancient enemy. As the battle approaches, Hal Jordan mentors new recruit Arisia in the history of the Green Lantern Corps, telling tales of Avra, Kilowog, Abin Sur, Laira and Mogo. In the end, Arisia must rise to the occasion to help Hal, Sinestro and the entire Green Lantern Corps save the universe from the destructive forces of Krona.

Fillion has starred in several primetime television series, including Desperate Housewives, Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He has also developed a popular cult following as a pair of Joss Whedon's heroic captains: Capt. Mal Reynolds in the space-western series Firefly and follow-up film, Serenity; and Captain Hammer in Whedon's internet sensation Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Fillion returns to the DC Universe after his successful turn as Steve Trevor in the animated film Wonder Woman, having also performed voice work on Justice League, Robot Chicken, The Venture Bros., and several Halo video games.

The ever-genuine Fillion spent some time following his initial recording session to discuss comic book justice, the perils of space travel, his love of comic books and the origin story behind his famous Green Lantern t-shirt. Read on ...

QUESTION: Among the superhero role play games of your childhood, did you ever pretend you were the Green Lantern?

NATHAN FILLION: As a child, when you're pretending you're different super heroes, Green Lantern was the easiest because all you needed to light the fire in the imagination was the ring. Superman, you need a cape; Spiderman, you need a full face mask. That wasn't tough to come by in a winter town like where I'm from, but they're just too hot to wear in the summer. So to be Green Lantern, all you needed to do is suck a lifesaver down to the right size, and to make sure it's a lime one - slip it on your finger, and you were good.

QUESTION: What is it about Green Lantern that most appeals to you?

NATHAN FILLION: As a kid, what I liked about Green Lantern was that he could do anything - anything you could think of. It's like "Wow, all I need is a giant mallet, or a catapult circa 1200s," and suddenly he had it. I just thought that would be pretty cool to have anything you could kind of imagine. Imagination was always a big thing for me.

QUESTION: You fit comfortably into animated super hero roles. Why do you think you keep getting chosen to play these comic book legends?

NATHAN FILLION: I will say that I've been very fortunate. I can't tell you why people are willing to offer me the opportunity, but I can say how it pleases me because as a kid collecting comic books, I had a great time with the way it kind of lights the fire in the imagination.

I always thought I had an overdeveloped sense of justice. Now looking back on my comic book days, my world kind of was formed around comic book justice. I think I have a very strong sense of comic book justice. Maybe that has something to do with how you take on a role. I mean, I'm steeped in the history of these characters. I know it and I love it.

QUESTION: Between Firefly/Serenity and Green Lantern, you seem to spend a lot of acting time in space. Did you ever have desires to be an actual astronaut?

NATHAN FILLION: I fear space the same way I fear drowning. I would think it would be a little bit claustrophobic. Sure, you have the vastness of space, but yet you're probably going to be in some kind of little miniature (capsule) and, you know, anything could go wrong. I mean. if you're scuba diving, let's say you're 10 feet underwater - if something goes terribly, terribly wrong, you've got 10 feet to swim to the surface, and you're good. If you're in space, you're boned. That's like being in a submarine at the bottom of the ocean. Uh-oh ... Oops. (he laughs) Things you don't want to hear in space or in submarines: "Oops."

QUESTION: Castle is a runaway hit. You're a cover boy for national magazines with great regularity. There's never been greater demand for Nathan Fillion. How do you stay humble through all this adoration?

NATHAN FILLION: I'll tell you there sure is nothing like being an actor and having something to do every day. Get up 5:00 a.m. - I've got someplace to go and I've got a place I need to be. I've got stuff I gotta do. I've got stories I need to tell. This career that I've chosen, I'm employed gainfully in it - so I'm living the dream every day. That's a good feeling. It does good things for how you feel about your choices.

There was a period of time, I'll say it was 1998 approximately, where I didn't work for nearly a year. I was really questioning my judgment. What have I done? I've made a colossal error in judgment. I'm paying my rent on credit. What am I gonna do?

It's a much, much nicer feeling to know that you're doing something -- that you're playing some music that people want to hear. So I'm gonna play these notes - you tell me if you like them and we'll keep playing if you keep liking them. That's a good feeling. It's nice to walk down the street and have someone stop and politely say "I love your show." That's always great. As opposed to doing plays, where there's immediate feedback, you don't get that so much in television. So it's really nice to hear. It doesn't get old.

QUESTION: You're on the Castle set at least five days a week, upwards of 14 hours each day. Given all that work, what makes you take time - on a Sunday of a holiday weekend - to record the voice of an animated superhero?

NATHAN FILLION: I take the time to (voice characters in DCU films) exactly for the reason that it's fun. I get a call saying "Hey, how would you like to come on down to record Green Lantern?" And I'm asking back, "Can we squeeze it in on a Sunday because that's pretty much my only day off?" I want to make it work because I love doing it. More than that, I love being part of this lore. These are great characters - you've got Green Lantern, you have Superman, you have Batman, you have the Flash, all these wonderful pieces of American pop culture. And now I've got a little piece. I can say, "Oh yeah, I was Green Lantern for a DVD movie." Not a lot of people can say that. "Oh, Steve Trevor? Funny you should mention him." (he laughs) It may sound silly, but it means something to me.

QUESTION: You have been seen - on the cover of Entertainment Weekly, walking around Comic-Con on a Saturday, at your initial Green Lantern recording session - wearing a Green Lantern t-shirt. Did you own that shirt before being cast as Hal Jordan for Green Lantern: Emerald Knights?

NATHAN FILLION: Debbie Zoller is the head of my makeup department on Castle. She saw that fan-made Green Lantern trailer and thought the t-shirt would be an appropriate Christmas present. And I wholeheartedly agree with her. I've been known to wear a few superhero shirts ... and where better than a Green Lantern recording session to wear it today? So thank you Debbie - I told you it would come in handy someday!

[Koete]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juEd6lQgKPk&feature=youtu.be

[Dan]

I'm not one of those fanboys who screams "Conroy is the only Batman!" or anything, but this guy playing Batman really doesn't sound very good.

Shame, because otherwise this looks pretty damn good.

[KnightWing]

I actually really like this Bruce/Batman voice. Fits the story real well. At least the way I read it.

Overall, this looks amazing. Very excited to see it.

[Missy]

I'm with Dan. The actor playing Bruce / Batman sounds like he's reading his lines.

[Koete]

At least Bryan Cranston sounds fantastic as Gordon.

[Guest TFG1Mike]

GL: Emerald Knights was awesome!!! Even though I love Henry Rollins in almost everything he does I don't think his voice fits Kilowog. Other then that no complaints on this one from me. I'd love them to do a kyle rayner or john stewart story now... enough with Hal already!

[KnightWing]

Saw Emerald Knights.

Bleh.

[Gareth]

I can't believe it, I actually found the First Look online today! However I do have mixed feelings. I agree with Mike that Batman’s actor sounds like he’s reading lines, I think he has the right voice for the role he just needs a couple acting lesions. I almost have the entire comic memorized so the lines I heard in the trailer annoyed me because it seemed like the characters were saying about the same thing as they were in the comic but they just changed the order of the words for the hell of it, but I thought why couldn’t you just use the original dialogue, it sounds so much better.

Batman: Year One IS my favorite comic story of all time. I really hope they are making the film as good as it should be, and not just hoping to pass it off as just another film in the DC Animated line. I think it should be of higher quality than any of the other DC Animated Films. I want to be as blown away as I was when I first saw Mask of the Phantasm, this story deserves it.

[Missy]

A trailer has been released for Batman: Year One, and it doesn't impress me on any level.