Spoiler warning
Some Superman fans are torn after discovering the post-credit scenes reveal nothing about what’s next – a break from the tradition of teasing future films. But director James Gunn insists that was always the plan.
The first post-credit scene features a shot of David Corenswet as Superman and Krypto the dog sitting peacefully on the Moon and looking at Earth – an homage to the comic books. Meanwhile, the second post-credit scene features a light exchange between Superman and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), as they survey the damage to the city of Metropolis following events in the film.
There are no new characters or cameos, or any plotline teases.
The decision aligns with the strategy of the newly formed DC Studios, of which the reboot of Superman is the first big-ticket release. Films from the DC Comics franchise were previously released under the DC Films banner.
“I have a philosophy about post-credit scenes. It's somewhat related to my own mistakes in my time with Marvel," Gunn, who is also the co-chairman and chief executive of DC Studios, told Entertainment Weekly.
He said he has decided to no longer use post-credit scenes to tease new characters or storylines without having a solid plan for them down the line, he said.
“I did not like what I did in Guardians 2 where we set up Adam Warlock and we set up the Guardians of the Galaxy and we set up all this that I didn't necessarily plan on.
"I guess I kind of planned on fulfilling that promise, but you want to be careful about that. It was not easy to work Adam Warlock into Guardians 3. I loved working with Will [Poulter, who plays Adam Warlock] and I liked dealing with the character, but at the end of the day, was he kind of fitting a weird square peg into a round hole? A little bit, yeah."
Superman has received rave reviews since its release on Thursday, with many praising the film's cast, as well as Gunn's mix of reverence for the character, which first appeared in comic books in 1938, with reinvention.
The film opens with Superman, an alien, now a longtime resident of Earth, thwarting an invasion by Boravia – a powerful US ally – of the weaker nation of Jarhanpur. But when the scheming Lex Luthor uncovers explosive details about Superman’s origins, public opinion begins to shift, forcing the hero to stand firm in his convictions as the world turns against him.
The film has also courted controversy among right-wing commentators and supporters of US President Donald Trump's sweeping anti-immigration policies, after Gunn likened the superhero to an immigrant and called his film "the story of America".
On social media, some have even suggested the film was critical of Israel and its ongoing war on Gaza, namely the plot regarding the Boravia-Jorhanpur conflict. Boravia’s plan, it is later revealed, is a settler-colonial project that aims to displace the indigenous Jarhanpurians and expand the Boravian state.
In an interview with The Times before the film's release, Gunn acknowledged that his film does delve into politics, but that it was ultimately "about human kindness".
“This Superman does seem to come at a particular time when people are feeling a loss of hope in other people’s goodness,” Gunn said. "I’m telling a story about a guy who is uniquely good, and that feels needed now because there is a meanness that has emerged due to cultural figures being mean online.”
Besides Corenswet, Superman stars Rachel Bornahan as his love interest Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as villain Lex Luthor. The film also features a number of cameos by stars such as Bradley Cooper, John Cena and Milly Alcock, who is set to play Supergirl in a new film set to release in June next year.
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Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
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The specs
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Manchester City, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
Friday's schedule at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 qualifying, 10:15am
Formula 2, practice 11:30am
Formula 1, first practice, 1pm
GP3 qualifying session, 3.10pm
Formula 1 second practice, 5pm
Formula 2 qualifying, 7pm
