As part of the Warner Bros. studio tour, a new exhibit based on the currently unfolding DC Comics cinematic universe opened its doors on Tuesday. Distinct from the section of the tour that already displays the Batmobiles from previous movies, this new area focuses only on the two movies made to fit part of DC’s new overarching big screen canon: Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad. (Man of Steel was not represented, perhaps because the intent to execute a Marvel-like plan for the movies had not yet been put in place when that film was made; don’t expect to find hide or hair of Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern, either.)
The most impressive part of the exhibit, however, greets you on the way in. Underneath banners of the core Justice League members (including Green Lantern, incidentally) are classic comics, most of which are #1 issues; the major exception is The Flash, which instead displays issue #123, the one that introduced the multiverse. Could there be future significance to this choice?
I’ve seen many props and costumes up close, and often what you find is that, removed from careful lighting and a controlled soundstage, they don’t look so real close up. This is most definitely NOT true for Batman v Superman… which is ironic, given how many filters and effects Zack Snyder uses—they could have gotten away with less. From the rain streaks added to fake statues, or the dings and cuts from past battles all over the Batsuit and Wonder Woman costume, these items are loaded with tiny details you never see onscreen. It’s no wonder WB wanted to show them off in closer quarters.
A couple of areas are designed for photo ops: you can stand in front of the Wayne family crypt, or behind the bars of Belle Reve prison for metahumans. The bat-demon from Batman’s nightmare is even posed with its arm reaching out in a way that allows for poses with fans.
One such fan who got to take extra-special pics was on hand at the opening; his name was Gene Simmons.
The KISS bassist (who knows a thing or two about outlandish costumes) took to the microphone shortly after the WB folks welcomed us all, as he proclaimed, “Geeks have won!” Declaring comics to be our modern mythology, he segued into talking about Jack Kirby’s New Gods, admonishing media in attendance to “do your research” if names like Big Barda and Orion don’t mean anything to them.
Conspicuously absent were Jason Momoa’s Aquaman or Ezra Miller’s Flash, though perhaps all items related to these characters are currently in use on set of Justice League. After all, it was announced that this exhibit is intended to expand with more movie and TV content, so the lack of CW show costumes may also be due to current shooting schedules.
A lot of Suicide Squad stuff was on display, though; the exhibit was full of clues for fans to pore over, like the handwriting on Harley Quinn’s mallet and baseball bat, or the classic Bat-symbols on the Joker’s leggings. For the benefit of all our cosplayer readers, here now is what Harley’s jacket looks like from behind:
If the kids get restless while their parents stare at costumes and props, there’s even a corner of the room with video game consoles and the latest Bat-games, including Lego versions.
Check out the gallery below for closer looks at everything, along with more details. What easter eggs do you notice in the new costumes? Does the level of detail increase your respect for the movies? Put your thoughts on display in comments below.
Images: Luke Y. Thompson/Nerdist
