Movie News Rush 22

"Machete"

The news - A new gory red trailer that debuted at Comic-Con.



"The Goon"

The news - Footage that was shown at Comic-Con for "The Goon," an animated film produced by David Fincher based off a comic series. There's zombies, violence and a jiggle factor - what's not to love?

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

"The Avengers"

The news - Mark Ruffalo is confirmed to play the Hulk and Jeremy Renner is confirmed to play Hawkeye in "The Avengers."

Deadline
Rope of Silicon
Screen Rant
The Geek Files

"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"

The news - A pre-recorded video of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow shown at Comic-Con in anticipation for the fourth film in the popular Disney franchise.



"Let Me In"

The news - The newest trailer for the film that was shown at Comic-Con.



"Priest"

The news - "Priest" is an adaptation of the TokyoPop manga created by Hyung Min-woo. It fuses the western genre with supernatural horror, gun fu and dark fantasy themes and is notable for its unusual, angular art style.

Here's the trailer from Comic-Con.


Priest trailer

Movie News Rush 20

"Rise of the Apes"

The news - Brian Cox will be joining Rupert Wyatt's "Rise of the Apes" as the human villain who is the owner of a primate sanctuary and basically could care less about the animals trapped within those walls (he abuses them and such). He joins a cast that includes Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, James Franco and John Lithgow.

Latino Review
The Geek Files
Screen Rant

"Scott Pilgrim vs. the World"

The news - A neat featurette on the film that If you've never read the comic books, should really watch as it provides a good introduction to the world of Scott Pilgrim.



First Showing
Latino Review

"Thor" and "Captain America"

The news - The big news is that both films will be converted into 3D during post-production. Whether this is a good decision or not will be found out later, but as of right now it isn't raising my hopes any. In fact, they may have fallen a little... But there will also be even more HUGE announcements and surprises surrounding these films at this year’s Comic-Con (hopefully some good stuff).

LA Times Hero Complex
First Showing
Screen Rant 1
Screen Rant 2
MTV News
Latino Review
The Geek Files

"The Avengers"

The news - We're finally past the whole Edward Norton/Hulk debacle and now we're on to rumors of who will play Bruce Banner in the upcoming superhero team-up. A new report has come in saying that actor Mark Ruffalo ("Shutter Island," "The Brothers Bloom") is in negotiations to play the character. Maybe we'll get some sort of official confirmation at Comic-Con.

Deadline
Variety
First Showing
Screen Rant
Rope of Silicon
MTV News
Latino Review
UGO Movie Blog
Live for Films
The Geek Files

"The Social Network"

The news - The first full-length trailer for this film has debuted online and it is very captivating. I really loved this entire trailer, the music choice, the story
and its progression, the atmosphere, its message, it's such a beautiful way of teasing a movie. I expect nothing less from the amazing David Fincher (director of films such as: "Se7en," "Fight Club," "Zodiac" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and think this film might be of Oscar caliber.

Norton's Final Response to Hulk/Avengers

Marvel Studios confirmed to Hitfix that Edward Norton will not be brought back to play Hulk alter-ego Bruce Banner in the team-up film "The Avengers," with president of production Kevin Feige saying the decision was not based on monetary factors but "rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members."

It brought a swift response from the actor's agent, Brian Swardstrom of WME, and now we've heard from Norton himself.

Norton has responded via Facebook. His statement is included below:

"As most of you know, I don't like to talk much about the business of making movies because it means a lot to me to protect the audience's fullest enjoyment of the 'magic' that films can have. But I am so appreciative of the outpouring of support from fans of the Hulk and the Avengers that I feel it would be rude not to respond. So here goes: It seems it won't work out for me to continue playing Bruce Banner for Marvel in "The Avengers." I sincerely hoped it could happen and be great for everyone but it hasn't turned out as we all hoped. I know this is disappointing to many people and that makes me sad. But I am very sincerely grateful to Marvel for extending the offer and even more so for giving me the chance to be a part of the Hulk's long and excellent history. And I really can't thank the fans enough for how much enthusiasm you've sent me way about what Louis and I tried to do in our turn with the legend. It means a lot to me. I grew up with Banner and Hulk and have been a fan of every incarnation. I'm really proud, and very blessed, to have been one of them and will be thrilled to see him live on through other actors. Hulk is bigger than all of us, that's why we love him, right?

Sincerely,
Edward Norton "

So that pretty much ends Norton's involvement and it wasn't long before rumors as to who would be replacing him began to fly as CHUD reports none other than Joaquin Phoenix has been approached for the role.

"Reliable sources tell me that Marvel has already put out an offer, and the actor they've spoken to is Joaquin Phoenix, believe it or not. Phoenix is taking time to mull over the offer and the bigger implications – Marvel may yet resurrect the Hulk franchise – but Marvel hopes to have him in place by Comic Con, which is when they want to announce their new Bruce Banner.

As of right now treat this as a rumor, as I was unable to get solid confirmations or denials (it's the weekend!). Phoenix might very well turn the studio down – I'm hearing that whoever plays Banner will be the lowest man on The Avengers pay totem pole… "

As Devin Faraci at CHUD points out, "if Feige is moving past Ed Norton because he's tough to work with, will he have better luck with Phoenix?" It's a worthwhile question and if he's going to be paid peanuts to play the role does it make any sense at all?

We'll have to wait to hear some news from the upcoming San Diego Comic Con, as fans sure won't let an opportunity like that pass by without asking some serious questions.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files, Rope of Silicon, First Showing, MTV News

The Avengers: Banner/Hulk In, Ed Norton Out

There's been lots of rumblings whether or not the Hulk would be included in "The Avengers," the upcoming hero ensemble film from Marvel. "The Incredible Hulk" made $267 million worldwide, an average take from the box office for a film with a $150 million budget, but not anything to really smile ("Iron Man" was more of a financial success than Hulk was).

But news comes today that Bruce Banner will be in "The Avengers" (no mention of Hulk, just Banner - hmmm...), but that Edward Norton will no reprise the role of the gamma-infected scientist.

Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige forwarded the following exclusively to HitFix:

“We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in the Avengers. Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H, Chris E, Sam, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks.”

It's interesting to note that Feige seems to imply that Norton wouldn’t work as part of the ensemble. Rumors from production on "The Incredible Hulk" was that he liked to have a fair bit of control over the film – something that just wouldn’t work in "The Avengers."
It's not just me that thought this sounded a little mean-spirited. Norton's agent wasn't a fan of what Kevin wrote and sent this to Hitfix:

"This offensive statement from Kevin Feige at Marvel is a purposefully misleading, inappropriate attempt to paint our client in a negative light. Here are the facts: two months ago, Kevin called me and said he wanted Edward to reprise the role of Bruce Banner in The Avengers. He told me it would be his fantasy to bring Edward on stage with the rest of the cast at ComiCon and make it the event of the convention. When I said that Edward was definitely open to this idea, Kevin was very excited and we agreed that Edward should meet with Joss Whedon to discuss the project. Edward and Joss had a very good meeting (confirmed by Feige to me) at which Edward said he was enthusiastic at the prospect of being a part of the ensemble cast. Marvel subsequently made him a financial offer to be in the film and both sides started negotiating in good faith. This past Wednesday, after several weeks of civil, uncontentious discussions, but before we had come to terms on a deal, a representative from Marvel called to say they had decided to go in another direction with the part. This seemed to us to be a financial decision but, whatever the case, it is completely their prerogative, and we accepted their decision with no hard feelings.

We know a lot of fans have voiced their public disappointment with this result, but this is no excuse for Feige's mean spirited, accusatory comments. Counter to what Kevin implies here, Edward was looking forward to the opportunity to work with Joss and the other actors in the Avengers cast, many of whom are personal friends of his. Feige's statement is unprofessional, disingenuous and clearly defamatory. Mr. Norton talent, tireless work ethic and professional integrity deserve more respect, and so do Marvel's fans.

Brian Swardstrom
WME"

So far we've seen two Hulk movies starring two different actors, one with Eric Bana and then a reboot with Edward Norton. Now a third actor will most likely be playing the emerald ogre when he appears in "The Avengers."

According to Hitfix, Marvel sources say they will cast "an unknown" in the film, to be directed by Joss Whedon.

It wouldn't be the first time a recasting has occurred in the Marvel film universe. Terrence Howard was replaced by Don Cheadle for "Iron Man 2."

But still - fans may be more upset about the main character changing in continuity than a sidekick. The thing is, Banner is but one element of the Avengers and may be seen only briefly in that guise; his Hulk alter-ego is a computerized creation that doesn't require Norton in any way.

Maybe we'll find out more from the San Diego Comic-Con (which will be from July 22-25).

"The Avengers," in which Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury will bring together several heroes including Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth's Thor, Chris Evans' Captain America, Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow and others, is slated for release on May 4, 2012.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Latino Review, Rope of Silicon, Live for Films, MTV News, First Showing, The Geek Files

Movie News Rush 12

The crazy busy schedule of my past month is almost up. Hopefully I can start going back to my regular posts soon. Also been trying to think of a cool way to do a multi-blogging event like a "Crisis on Infinite Blogs." Yes, taken from the famous DC Comics storyline, but what if a bunch of blogs worked together to create an event where a piece of the continuing story was on multiple blogs and to find out what was happening (I dunno - some sort of Internet evil virus taking over blogs or something) you had to go to each blog to see what was happening. It sounds cool in my head...anyway - on to movie news!

"Captain America: The First Avenger" and "The Avengers"

The news - I smell deceit! After the whole crazy issue of Jeremy Renner ("The Hurt Locker") in talks to play Hawkeye and then him saying it wasn't happening we now get news he actually is in talks to play Hawkeye. Get your head around that.

It is also being pointed out that Neal McDonough ("Minority Report") is in talks to play "Dum Dum" Dugan in "Captain America." Dugan worked with Nick Fury and SHIELD back in WWII.

McDonough and Renner join the powerful cast which already includes the recently added Tommy Lee Jones in addition to Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes.

Deadline (on McDonough)
THR Heat Vision(on Renner)
The Geek Files (on Renner)
The Geek Files (on McDonough)
Screen Rant (on Renner)
Screen Rant (on McDonough)
Latino Review (both)
First Showing (both)
UGO Movie Blog (on McDonough)
MTV News (on Renner)
MTV News (on McDonough)

"The Expendables"

The news - while the first trailer for the film was quite explosive, a new trailer has it the 'net and feels more like a teaser trailer as it shows no footage. Still, it does build up excitement for the film.

More The Expendables Videos

"Batman 3" and "Superman: Man of Steel"

The news - Chris Nolan, the godfather of DC Entertainment, will be bringing new Batman and Superman films to theaters in 2012. In speaking with Empire magazine, Nolan says he wants to go back to the essence of what Superman is about and that there will be no Joker in the next Batman film. So we take the good with the bad. Click on the links below for more quotes from the man himself.

Obsessed With Film (Superman)
Obsessed With Film (Batman)
First Showing
Screen Rant
MTV News
The Geek Files

Movie News Rush 5

"Judge Dredd"

The news - The project on this film reboot is moving forward with director Pete Travis ("Vantage Point," "Endgame") and will be in 3D.

MTV News
Latino Review
The Geek Files
First Showing

"Transformers 3"

The news - You have no idea how happy this makes me. The Twins will not be returning! I hope they explain away their absence by being brutally torn apart by Optimus Prime for being so annoying.

First Showing
Screen Rant
Latino Review

"Captain America" and "The Avengers"

The news - It isn't official, but Marvel and producer Kevin Feige are considering making these films in 3D. Since "Thor" is already in production, it could only be converted to 3D while the former films still have time to be shot in 3D.

Hero Complex
First Showing
The Geek Files
Latino Review

"X-Men: First Class"

The news - Matthew Vaughn (director of "Kick-Ass") is helming the film and Jane Goldman, who helped write the screenplay for "Kick-Ass," has been brought on board to help with this screen play as well. Don't expect "First Class" to be extremely graphic though...

MTV News
UGO Movie Blog
Screen Rant
The Geek Files

"Super 8"

The news - J.J. Abrams newest secret flick is about an alien creature that escapes and probably does some scary stuff. Not much is known about it, but watch the teaser trailer below and see what you think.

Joss Whedon Might Direct 'The Avengers'

Deadline Hollywood reports that Marvel Studios is "in final negotiations" with Joss Whedon to direct "The Avengers."

Variety also reports that if the deal does go ahead, Whedon will rewrite the script by screenwriter Zak Penn (who has worked on other Marvel projects including "X2," "X-Men 3: The Last Stand" and "The Incredible Hulk").

"The Avengers" will bring together a large group of the Marvel comics properties that have already been made into films or will be made into films over the coming years, including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and potentially The Incredible Hulk (Ed Norton).

Whedon has a long association with Marvel, stemming from his four-year run with artist John Cassaday on "Astonishing X-Men" and a six-issue stint on "Runaways" with Michael Ryan. Whedon is also well known for his many genre TV series, including "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel," "Firefly" and "Dollhouse," along with the internet sensation, "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog."

Whedon's previous directorial credits include a recent episode of "Glee," as well as episodes of "The Office," "Buffy," "Angel" and "Firefly." Whedon made his feature film directorial debut in 2005 with "Serenity," a sci-fi western that continued the storyline from the "Firefly" TV series.

Whedon has also been previously attached to write and direct a "Wonder Woman" movie before departing the project in 2007 over creative differences.

This is a fanboys dream come true. While I cannot call myself a Whedon fanboy (I rarely watch television and that is Whedon's main medium), I did enjoy "Doctor Horrible" and I'm sure if I jumped on the "Buffy" and Firefly" bandwagons I would love those shows as well. There's just too many movies for me to watch and no free time to sit and watch entire television shows (sorry to all who worship under Whdeonism).

What do you think, is Joss up for the task of uniting the Marvel universe? Or are "The Avengers" destined to implode? Who would have been a better pick?

"The Avengers" will be assembled in theaters on May 4, 2012.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, Rope of Silicon, The Geek Files, Live for Films, UGO Movie Blog, First Showing

Chris Evans is Captain America!

The search is over: Chris Evans has accepted Marvel Studios' offer to play Captain America.

According to both THR's HeatVision and Variety, Evans is now working out the exact terms of the deal.

The actor will star in "The First Avenger: Captain America," which director Joe Johnston starts filming in June ahead of release in July 2011.

He will play sickly soldier Steve Rogers, who is enhanced to the peak of human capability by an experimental serum, becoming the patriotic superhero.

With Evans now the face of Captain America, it will be the fourth live-action movie based on a comic book series in which he's starred. He previously appeared as Johnny Storm in both "Fantastic Four" movies, and has prominent roles in both "The Losers" (based on the DC/Vertigo series) and "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World" (based on the Oni Press series) later this year.
Chris Evans is now a poster boy for the future of Marvel. He’s not just a World War II hero, he’s the leader of "The Avengers" for years to come. The deal Evans has reportedly accepted is a 9-picture contract which sets him up for at least a trilogy of "Captain America" films, a trilogy of "Avengers" films and other appearances in future Marvel projects.

Evans will stand beside Robert Downey Jr.’s "Iron Man" and Chris Hemsworth’s "Thor" in the most ambitious comic book movie ever, come 2012, and it’s a joyous time for fans. Let’s hope Ed Norton gets up there with them as Bruce Banner/Hulk. And maybe Ant-Man too…

For me, Evans is a very likable guy and he certainly keeps in shape. My only concern is how he plays the character; I don’t want the fast-talking witty comedy relief that we’ve seen from most of his career so far – We need the classy charming more serious character from Captain America and save the comedy for Roberty Downey Jr. when they meet up.

Now that it’s official, what do you think of Chris Evans playing Captain America opposite Hugo Weaving’s Red Skull?
"The First Avenger: Captain America" is set to hit theaters on July 22, 2011.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files, Screen Rant, MTV News

S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent from 'Iron Man' Confirmed to also be in 'Thor'

In "Iron Man," we were introduced to the top secret organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) by two characters; Samuel J. Jackson’s Nick Fury (in a post-credits scene) and the lesser known Agent Coulson.

Coulson was played by actor Clark Gregg who will be reprising his role for "Iron Man 2" which debuts this May. What’s really cool however, is that he’ll also be playing a part in "Thor," according to Variety.

We knew from the beginning that Nick Fury was going to be a key character to link all of the solo films together. Now it appears that it’s not just Fury doing the recruitment and that we may start seeing more S.H.I.E.L.D. agents stepping into the origins films of "Thor" and "Captain America." The return of Gregg's character only further confirms the presence of S.H.I.E.L.D. throughout the overarching Marvel movie narrative — a common link likely to culminate in the superhero team-up film "The Avengers."

"Thor," which Kenneth Branagh is currently shooting, stars Chris Hemsworth as the hammer-wielding Norse god, as well as Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Stellen Skarsgard and Kat Dennings.

I really love the fact they are linking all the Marvel Studio films together with characters appearing in both. It will be interesting to see how Agent Coulson interacts with the Asgardian God. Could Tony Stark turn up in "Thor" as well?

"Iron Man 2" opens May 7, 2010, "Thor" opens May 20, 2011, "The First Avenger: Captain America" hits July 22, 2011 and "The Avengers" is scheduled to debut May 4, 2012.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, Live for Films, MTV News

Jeremy Renner Says He Won't Be Hawkeye

At the end of November, Jeremy Renner made headlines everywhere following the positive reception of his performance in "The Hurt Locker" and an interview with Empire where the actor revealed that he went in to talk to Marvel about Captain America but instead ended up talking about the character Hawkeye.

Nothing official came out of it, but if it were to happen, he said that the character would likely appear in "Thor" and that he’d be honored to be looked at for the franchise role.

With this perfect match, many thought it had to be the case. Renner as Hawkeye in "Thor" and "The Avengers" sounded perfect. But it turns out it was all just an idea that never turned into reality as Renner has clarified that it was “blown out of proportion.”

Renner gave an update to Movieline in a new interview, explaining what happened with Marvel. He said there's not much to the Hawkeye rumors other than he and Marvel discussed the character a while back and nothing’s been signed.

"That was just one of those things that got blown way out of proportion. It was an idea. Those Marvel guys, I'm a big fan of them. They're so smart about how they want to do these things — they have 'Captain America,' and 'Thor' coming around, 'Iron Man 2,' and then I happen to know Zak Penn, who's writing 'The Avengers.' So they thought Hawkeye is an interesting role, and asked me if I knew anything about him. I said no, so they gave me their sort of spiel on what he was, and I thought that it was kind of interesting.

'The only reason it came out this early, because 'Avengers' is two years away, is that they're thinking OK, we may throw him in 'Thor,' we may not, as a cameo. You know what I mean? So there's truth that we talked about it, but there's no truth to me doing it."
I was actually looking forward to potentially seeing Renner play Hawkeye. Not that we ever really knew it was definite since some five days after the Hawkeye news first hit he cleared up some of the details. At that point he only explained that they were considering putting Hawkeye in but were hesitant because they hadn't hired a director for "The Avengers" movie yet. Still...

Maybe someday we will see Hawkeye hit the big screen as a member of "The Avengers" and maybe Jeremy Renner will portray the character, but as for right now it seems like none of that will be happening...for now.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: First Showing, Screen Rant

Jeremy Renner Opens Up On Hawkeye Rumors

SuperhHeroHype had the chance to speak with Jeremy Renner at the Independent Film Gotham Awards where "The Hurt Locker," for which he starred in, took home some well-deserved awards.

Renner of course made headlines a few days ago when Empire put up an interview with him where they discussed his interest and Marvel’s interest in having him play the character of Hawkeye.

Renner cleared up the current status of his involvement by revealing that Marvel was interested in casting that character but since they’ve yet to select a director to helm the "Avengers" movie, they’ll wait until they do and see what that person wants for his/her cast.

“They sold me on the idea, too, because I love the idea that Hawkeye’s really not a superhero… He’s just a man with a high skill set, so I can relate to (that). The Marvel guys are great for how they made Iron Man to be, ‘Oh, that’s actually plausible’ so I bought it and I love that. They’re really, really smart guys and I’d love to work for ‘em, and we’ll see if it works out.”

Renner also gave away some details to SHH about how Hawkeye will look on the big screen, even if he doesn't get the job.

“Yeah, but it’s going to be modernized, it’s not going to be the guy with the big purple (mask), it’s not going to be a guy in tights. It’s going to be a guy in sunglasses and a vest. He’s going to be more modernized and I’m gonna say, ‘A cooler-looking version’ and not the big weird costume he had on. I don’t think they’re going that route.”

To me this sounds like the version of Hawkeye presented in the Ultimate Marvel universe. With Hawkeye’s connections and intertwining history with Black Widow, Nick Fury and Iron Man in BOTH the standard and Ultimate Marvel universes, Hawkeye is a perfect character to have play an important part in "The Avengers."

Would you like to see Jeremy Renner play Hawkeye in "The Avengers"? What do you think of him having the Ultimate Marvek costume instead of his traditional purple outfit?

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, First Showing

Will Jeremy Renner Play Hawkeye?

Way back at the end of 2008, there were reports that "Iron Man 2" would introduce two characters from the comics to the Marvel film universe: Black Widow and Hawkeye.

We now know that half of that is true in Scarlett Johansson playing Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow. As for Hawkeye, we’ve heard absolutely nothing on that character and no actor was signed to play the role… at least that we know of.

In an interview in the latest issue of Empire Magazine, actor Jeremy Renner ("The Hurt Locker," "S.W.A.T.," "28 Weeks Later") reveals that he was in consideration for the role of Captain America. But when he went into to meet with the folks at Marvel Studios, they instead talked about the actor possibly playing Hawkeye, the purple Archer, instead.

“I don’t know if I’d be right for Captain America. I met with the Marvel guys, actually, but we didn’t talk about Captain America. But one of the writers, Zak Penn, we’ve become friends over time and he was thinking maybe Hawkeye could be interesting. He sounds like an interesting character.”

Zak Penn is the screenwriter in charge of bringing all of the major players together in one of the most ambitious film projects ever, in writing "The Avengers."

“If I was a betting man," Renner hinted, "I would bet that Hawkeye would probably show up in 'Thor,' and then be in 'The Avengers'… But do I know for sure? I can’t say. But I’d love for that to happen. It’d be fun.”
But Renner added: "No offer has been made. I think they're a little ways from that.

"I'm just happy to get considered for big franchise roles like that. I'm not [doing the] casting. If they see me that way, right on. If they don't, I'm ok with it."

If he is to be introduced, it doesn’t make sense for him to be a part of "Thor" instead of "Iron Man 2" since his comic book origins have him crossing paths with Iron Man and Black Widow. Hawkeye, whose real name is Clint Barton, is an archer who ran away to become a carnival performer as a kid. He later sees Iron Man in action and is inspired to become a "costumed hero." He then falls in love with Black Widow and they're initially mistaken for villains.

Would you like to see Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, First Showing

"Thor" Updates on Donald Blake

When talking with MTV News, Natalie Portman revealed that "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" actress Kat Dennings had joined the cast of “Thor,” but she did not reveal what role the new cast member would have.

According to Variety, Dennings will play Darcy, a coworker of Portman’s Jane Foster. Both women will portray characters who work int he medical field.

It's interesting to note that the Variety report describes the story as focusing on a “partly disabled med student who discovers his Norse god alter ego, the hammer-swinging Thor.”

For those unfamiliar with the comics, this med student goes by the name of Donald Blake who’s Thor’s other identity. Thor’s farther, Odin, wanted to have his son learn humility and thereby puts Thor into the body of Donald Blake as an act of punishment for his reckless behavior. Blake suffers from a lame leg and Thor acquires his memories while losing his own of being a god prior to this event.

However, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige stated that Donald Blake would not be in the “Thor” movie during a press conference held last June.

Does this mean that Donald Blake will be in the “Thor” movie after all? Not necessarily. Variety’s statement about the story indicates that Blake will be in the film, but it may only include him during a part of the movie (and not center on him).
So while it may be obvious that Donald Blake will be included, or at least introduced, in the "Thor" movie – especially with the fact that Natalie Portman is playing a nurse of Blake’s and his love interest – It may not be the case. Hercules at Ain’t It Cool News may have found otherwise. From Hercules’s post:

“Variety’s assertion contradicted some of what we’ve heard, so we contacted a 100% tested and solid source, someone intimately familiar with the movie Kenneth Branagh is making, and he or she tells AICN Donald Blake is definitely NOT in the movie.”

If he’s cast down to Earth, and assuming director Kenneth Branagh isn’t completely abandoning that specific aspect of the Thor comics, then Blake must be in the movie. Either that or the original comic storyline is being altered and Thor comes down as himself but without his powers.

Then what are Natalie Portman and Kat Dennings’ roles for and how will they interact with the title character? Should Donald Blake be in the movie or not?

"Thor" hits theaters May 20, 2011.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: MTV News, Screen Rant

Marvel's Joe Quesada Says 'Captain America' Will Rock

The 2011 release date for "The First Avenger: Captain America" inches ever closer as 2009 enters its home stretch, and the key release for Marvel's "Avengers" film franchise looks like it has editor-in-chief Joe Quesada's approval. He offered his initial impression of the script at Big Apple Comic Con last weekend.

"I've seen a couple of outlines and an initial screenplay, and it's going to rock everyone's socks off," he told his panel's audience, according to Comic Book Resources. "It's very unexpected, the kind of movie it is."

The comics industry veteran didn't defy any expectations himself by revealing what kind of movie "The First Avenger" will be, but he did say that the film would set up "The Avengers" in "a fantastic way." Quesada wouldn't reveal which actors are in line to play Captain America, but confirmed that Marvel has a shortlist of candidates for the title role.

That actor who picks up the part will have a tall order ahead, starring alongside Robert Downey Jr. ("Iron Man") and hopefully Edward Norton ("Incredible Hulk") in a leadership role for the team when he moves on to the fated "Avengers" crossover in 2012. It will also have to be someone with an open calendar for a couple of years to make those back-to-back releases.

"Captain America" is set for release on July 22, 2011 with Joe Johnston ("The Wolfman") directing.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: MTV News

Jon Favreau Not Directing 'The Avengers'

MTV News recently spoke to "Iron Man 2" director Jon Favreau (during the "Couples Retreat" press junket) about his involvement in the sequel and where he fits in the larger scheme of Marvel movies.

In that interview (which you can watch below), Favreau dropped a bomb on the collective heads of fanboys everywhere: he will NOT be directing Marvel’s 2012 superhero team-up event, "The Avengers." In addition to that, Favreau also threw another jab of bad news: We shouldn’t get our hopes up about seeing a cameo from the Hulk in "Iron Man 2."



One interesting question this raises: SHOULD "Avengers" be helmed by somebody who has worked on one of the individual character films? Or should a new person be tapped to do the super team-up? And as a crazy third option, should the directors of the individual films - Favreau, Joe Johnston ("Captain America") and Kenneth Branagh ("Thor") - perhaps collaborate on "The Avengers" film?

"Iron Man 2" will be in theaters on May 7, 2010.
"The Avengers" is slated for a May 4, 2012 release.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, MTV News

Edward Norton Likes The Idea Of Hulk As 'Avengers' Villain

Ever since the moment "The Avengers" movie became official, there's been speculation about what the plot will entail—specifically, what force could be so great that it would need the combined efforts of Iron Man, Captain America and Thor. The most obvious answer has always been Hulk, the green-skinned behemoth that first forced the group of heroes to team up in the comic book world.

MTV News caught up with Edward Norton in Toronto to promote his film "Leaves of Grass" at the International Film Festival. Norton, the actor who brought Hulk (or rather, his alter ego Bruce Banner) to the big screen in 2008's "Incredible Hulk," was asked whether he could see the character return to the screen for a brawl with Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Norton said he could definitely see the Hulk character becoming something that the rest of Marvel's superheroes joined forces to battle. After all, Hulk's never been shy about telling the world he's "the strongest there is."

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Should Hulk be the villain in "The Avengers"? Do you want to see Norton return as Bruce Banner?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: MTV News

Jack Kirby's Family Seeks Rights To Marvel Characters

When Disney announced its acquisition of Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion last month, there was talk of the studio eventually reigning in all film rights to Marvel characters.

But now there’s a potential obstacle in the way of that plan, as the children of legendary comic artist Jack Kirby are looking to regain the copyrights on 45 of their father’s Marvel creations over the next decade.

The family of the late comic book artist Jack Kirby are seeking to terminate copyright claims on the many Marvel Comics heroes he co-created with writer Stan Lee.

Kirby died in 1994 and now four of his children have served 45 notices of termination to regain the rights to several characters.

The notices have been served on Marvel, Disney, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures.

Surprisingly, this legal action has nothing to do with the Disney acquisition and was in the works before that deal was announced.

Marvel is making movies featuring such heroes as "Iron Man," "Hulk," "Thor," "Captain America," "Avengers" and "Ant-Man" but it doesn't own the rights to all of its comic book characters. During tough times in the 90s, Marvel had sold off "Spider-Man" and "Ghost Rider" to Sony; "X-Men," "Fantastic Four" and "Daredevil" to Fox; and "Namor the Sub-Mariner" to Universal. Paramount and Universal also have distribution rights for some Marvel-produced films.
The Kirby estate is being represented by Los Angeles law firm Toberoff & Associates, which has represented the heirs of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel in a similar claim against Warner Bros and DC Comics.

The Los Angles Times says that under copyright law, creators can seek to regain copyrights they previously assigned to a company 56 years after first publication and can give notice of their intentions up to 10 years before that.

Kirby's children would be eligible to claim their father's portion of the copyright of the "Fantastic Four" in 2017; the "Hulk" would come up in 2018 and "X-Men" in 2019. The copyrights would then run for 39 more years.

A representative for Marvel declined to comment. A Disney spokesperson said: "The notices involved are an attempt to terminate rights seven to 10 years from now and involve claims that were fully considered in the acquisition."

If the Kirby family is successful, the current rights holders would have to pay them a licensing fee to continue making films with the characters. Alternatively, the heirs could sell the rights to another studio.

Jack Kirby battled Marvel for years over the return of the physical artwork to his comics, and was asked to sign documents that would have irrevocable and specifically signed away rights to the characters, something he refused to do.

Born Jacob Kurtzberg, Jack Kirby is considered the most influential superhero comic artist in the world, though he also worked for decades in romance, war and science-fiction comics. His DC work also provided much of the backbone for the recent blockbuster series Final Crisis from DC.
This news is big and will be updated as more is known about the case.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files, LA Times, NY Times, MTV News, BleedingCool

Edward Norton on 'Iron Man 2' Cameo Rumors

Among the multitude of rumors surrounding who is and isn't making an appearance in "Iron Man 2," there's been much discussion regarding a potential cameo for Marvel's green-skinned behemoth, The Hulk.

While in Toronto attending the International Film Festival, MTV News tracked down Edward Norton, the actor who most recently brought Hulk to the big screen in 2008's "Incredible Hulk." In town to promote his new film "Leaves of Grass," Norton addressed the rumors that his comic book alter ego will appear in "Iron Man 2."

"I heard that. I don't know where that's coming from," Norton told MTV News. "I am not in 'Iron Man 2' to my knowledge."

"Iron Man 2" comes out on May 7, 2010, with Robert Downey Jr reprising his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man, who had a cameo in "The Incredible Hulk." Norton should return the favor and have one in "Iron Man 2."

Marvel President of Production, Kevin Feige has only said there’s a chance Norton will be in "The Avengers." It’s pretty confusing and I’m surprised that they haven't been able to work something out with Norton (if that’s even the issue).
I’m eager to find out more casting news for the upcoming films. With "Thor" laying down announcements for its main cast members, "Captain America" should follow soon as it’s scheduled to release the same summer. By then, we should expect some confirmations on who’s contracted and/or written in for "The Avengers" movie.

Hopefully Marvel will push more films into production at Marvel Studios to make an "Incredible Hulk 2" now that it has the resources of Disney.

While there's still no word on where Marvel wants to go next with the "Hulk" franchise—or if Norton will return for any future films—it looks like they haven't approached the actor to reprise his role as Bruce Banner... yet.

For now it's only a possibility that Banner or Hulk will appear in "The Avengers" team-up movie released on May 4, 2012.

Do you think Norton should play Banner again and that Hulk should be in "The Avengers"?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, The Geek Files, MTV News

Scarlett Johansson Reveals Black Widow Details

One of the most anticipated films of next summer is "Iron Man 2," and among the new additions to the cast is Scarlett Johansson as Russian super-spy Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow.

Beyond seeing images of her in her costume and seeing her in some footage at Comic-Con (if you were lucky enough to go), we seem to have learned very little about the role. Fans have been wondering whether she'll have an accent, whether she will appear in future Marvel films and many other questions.

Johansson was asked about the Russian origins of Black Widow in "Iron Man 2" by ComingSoon.net, particularly whether she had an accent.

She said: "She's covert, and I think that she blends in, it's not like she comes on to the scene and they're like 'Who's that Russian chick?'"

Clarifying that she didn't have a Russian accent, she added: "No, I think that would be a little bit of a dead giveaway, I don't know how covert you would be [if you had a Russian accent] but I would have [had one] if I had to."

The actress was determined to do her own fight scenes to make the action as realistic as possible, and undertook a lot of physical training: "For me it was really important to do the stuntwork and to be able to fight and feel the fight within me..."

It had, she said, been a challenge not only to reach the physical fitness levels required but to look convincingly like she was capable of 'kicking ass' in the role, especially as she is just 5ft 3in.
She revealed she had not been pitched the role as part of an overarching masterplan flowing into "The Avengers" and "Iron Man 3."

She explained: "Marvel is about building these characters, building a fanbase around these characters and being able to extend their life in the movie world.

"These are characters they have a vested interest in and fans have a vested interest in and it would be shame to take a character like Black Widow - who has been around for so many years and has built such a fanbase and has had so many incarnations and so many different kinds of storylines and often interacts with many of the other characters in the Marvel universe including the 'Avengers' - and not go ahead with it.

"So I think it's up to the fans, if the fans respond to the character. And I think Marvel very much works that way, they're fans themselves, so they will feel out what the masses are craving for and hopefully that will be Black Widow."
She also explained how she sees the evolving story of Iron Man 2: "I try to compare it with something like Hamlet, and it's that kind of dramatic second act where there is a huge climax and everything culminates in a character.

"You take a character that can go in two different paths. I think a lot of the characters in this film have to make a choice and I think there is that iconic good vs evil that comes into play, it's not all grey area.

"There's choices that have to be made and I think that a lot of characters in this are certainly forced to step up to the plate and realise how important they are, how invaluable they are to humankind, and decide: 'I have this all in the palm of my hand, which way can I go'?

"That to me is sort of epic, that kind of story, certainly [director] Jon [Favreau] has had that in his mind, this is like the arc of the character, and the third instalment will be the culmination of that, whether it be good or evil - of course we hope that good always prevails, but there will be a different kind of fight fought, I suppose."

And she definitely hopes to return: "In this particular situation, you become invested in these films as much as the studio is and you are able to develop your character with the studio and have a lot of input in that sense, so to me that's exciting.

"Because rarely as an actor you get to take it to the next level. You see a beginning, a middle and an end in one two-hour segment and then you are done with it, but for me to be able to build something, especially a character that has had so many different histories and paths, to think about where she might go and will we find out more about her, I feel like it's something you invest yourself in."
In an interview with Comic Book Resources recently, Marvel Studios president of production Kevin Feige was asked if Black Widow would be in "The Avengers" or her own spin-off and responded: "She's signed on for all of those should we be lucky enough to have an audience that wants to see them."

Do you like Johansson's take on the Black Widow? Do you think she will be good enough in "Iron Man 2" to have a role in "The Avengers"?

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: The Geek Files
Listen to the full interview with Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jr. over at ComingSoon by clicking here for the mp3 audio link.

Even Stan Lee Is Happy About Disney Buying Marvel

The ramifications of Walt Disney Company acquiring Marvel Entertainment have yet to be fully grasped but that hasn't stopped the comic book community from speaking out regarding the announcement.

Now, legendary Marvel creator Stan Lee is adding his voice to the Disney-Marvel conversation. Considering how close Lee came to buying Marvel a decade ago, it's not terribly surprising to learn that not only is he in favor of Disney's acquisition, he's actually thrilled by it.

"I couldn't be happier with this agreement," Lee said in a statement. "It's [a] great move for Disney, for Marvel and for my company Pow! Entertainment since Pow! has a first-look deal with Disney. From every point of view, the merger of Disney and Marvel is a match made in heaven."

While the prospects of ludicrous Marvel-Disney mash-ups have worried some in the fan community, Lee sees nothing in the new partnership except progress.

"Just imagine," he said, "with this deal Marvel gives Disney a library of literally hundreds of unique and colorful characters that have the potential to make great, high-concept movies and long-lasting franchises—and nobody knows how to play in that ball park better than Disney.

"This is a great day for the two companies and for the entertainment community as a whole," he continued. "To sum it up as simply as possible, when you combine the best with the best, everyone wins!"

Do you agree with Lee's assessment of the Disney-Marvel merger or are you still nervous about the situation?

I feel like the man hustles a lot and is going to try and get something out of this new relationship for himself. Maybe a "Stan 'The Man' Lee" movie?

Nuff' said.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: MTV News