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

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."

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

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

Will There Be An 'Incredible Hulk 2'?

The last we heard from "Incredible Hulk" director Louis Leterrier was his idea for an Avengers quadrilogy of films – something he wants to be a part of along with the directors of each of the other Marvel Studios solo films. Part of his idea is to have each director helm a chapter of the series of Avengers movies and they could all release within a relatively short window.

At the time, Leterrier also reflected on how much a challenge it was making "The Incredible Hulk" and hinted that he’d rather work with a different superhero next time around.

“Hulk was such a challenge. It was to reboot something and follow [the Ang Lee-directed 2003 “Hulk”] movie that was absolutely adored by part of the fan population and then absolutely hated by another part. It was complicated for me. I wasn’t sure what to do with that history. I did my Hulk but it was not easy. If I do another Hulk film it will always be compared to the Ang Lee thing, and my first one … if I come back I’d love to do another superhero, something different that I can really put my touch on.”

Now it seems that he’s much more open to working on "The Incredible Hulk 2," perhaps knowing that he’s likely not going to get another different Marvel gig before it. He did a great job with the Hulk reboot and fit it nicely into the shared Marvel film universe.

In speaking with Moviehole the other day (prior to the Disney acquisition announcement), Leterrier had great things to say about his leading actor and about the potential of his involvement in a sequel.

“Yeah, he’s a great actor and a great Hulk… Sure. I’d return to it. I have some ideas. So many ideas for so many things.”

I really enjoyed "The Incredible Hulk" and I believe Leterrier made a solid film on a character that’s not as appealing in live-action to movie-going audiences compared to other notable comic book heroes. I think it really deserves a sequel and that Hulk/Ed Norton should really be involved with "The Avengers."

"Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk" were the first two films produced by Marvel Studios as an independent production house and they crossed-over very well, both leading into future solo films and the "Avengers" team-up. To not bring them back would be such a disappointment and a waste.
Leterrier is contracted for one more film with the studio and with Disney purchasing Marvel (and hence, Marvel Studios) this means more financing for films - and therefore, an immediate increase in production capacity for the studio. This was something that was mentioned by Marvel President of Production, Kevin Feige, in hopes that it could happen five or so years down the road.

Does this mean we’ll get an early greenlight on a sequel to "The Incredible Hulk"? There’s been plenty of talk about a sequel but with it, clarification that it wouldn’t occur until after "The Avengers." Perhaps now with Disney’s support, they can move some of those in-development films up.

In addition to Leterrier’s two-picture contract with Marvel Studios, the actor behind Hulk’s latest villain, Tim Roth, is contracted with a three film deal. A few weeks back, Roth hinted at being contacted about participating in something again but was very tight-lipped about it.

At the time, many thought he could simply be one of the few/many villains of "The Avengers" or perhaps that he’d have a small role as a cameo villain in another Marvel solo flick coming up. Could it be that it’s now more likely he’ll be back in a "Hulk" sequel along with The Leader whom they introduced at the end of the last film.

Would you like to see "The Incredible Hulk 2", Ed Norton back as Bruce Banner, and Leterrier in the director’s chair again?

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Screen Rant

Disney Buys Marvel, What Happens Next?

Disney today acquired Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion in stock and cash.

American company Marvel Entertainment has a toy division and various overseas businesses, along with subsidiaries including Marvel Publishing, which publishes Marvel Comics; and film and TV production business Marvel Studios, which has already released "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk" and is working on "Iron Man 2," "Captain America," "Thor" and "Avengers."

Disney chief executive Bob Iger said: "Adding Marvel to Disney's unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation."

Marvel shareholders would receive a total of $30 per share in cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own.

Under the deal, Walt Disney Co. will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters, including "The Fantastic Four," "Spider-Man," the "X-Men," "The Incredible Hulk" and "Iron Man," all of which have been turned into highly valuable feature film franchises.

Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter will remain responsible for deciding where Marvel properties show up within the Disney world, including video games, online content and television.
Iger stated that along with internal discussions about developing synergy between Marvel and Disney properties, there have also been meetings between Pixar and Marvel about potential projects.

"The group got pretty excited pretty fast," said Iger. "Sparks will fly."

Presumably this will NOT mean we are going to see Spider-Man meeting Mickey Mouse; Snow White and the X-Men; or Beauty and the Hulk...

One problem is that Marvel doesn't currently own the film rights to a few of there major heroes. 20th Century Fox has "X-Men," "Fantastic Four" and "Daredevil;" Universal has "Namor the Sub-Mariner;" and Sony has "Spider-Man" and "Ghost Rider."

Disney will continue to honor Marvel's third-party deals with 20th Century Fox, Sony and Paramount, but will look to bring everything in-house as those deals expire.

"It clearly would be in our best interest if we ended up as the sole distributor," Disney CEO Robert Iger said during a conference call this morning. "When you distribute your own films, the opportunity is even better."
Many superhero fans have for some time been vocal about wanting Marvel to regain control of all its characters so that film adaptations are as respectful of the comic book source material as possible.

Whether Disney will be able to claw back those rights remains to be seen, but it will no doubt be one of the main hopes of the fan community.

Others fear that Disney's ownership and control will have a negative impact on the Marvel superhero world.

According to PaidContent, you shouldn't expect any big changes regarding Marvel's theme park presence. Disney CFO Tom Staggs said the company wouldn't be making “some distinct and separate effort” when it comes to setting up something like a specific section in Disney theme parks or standalone Marvel parks.

The boards of Disney and Marvel have both approved the transaction, but it requires an anti-trust review and the approval of Marvel shareholders.

I don’t see there being any problem with the anti-trust review nor do I see the marvel shareholders turning up their noses to such a fantastic offer. Most likely, later this week, we should see final word on the resolution of this agreement.
So what does this mean to comic books fans? Well, it could be both very good and very bad at the same time. Let’s look at some quick pros and cons shall we?

Pro - Disney is a universal name with very deep pockets. Marvel is no slouch either in the household name department - but let’s face it, they are no Disney. All that extra money means way more marketing and increased traffic within the theme parks.

Con - With movies like "Iron Man 2," "Spider-man 4," "The Incredible Hulk 2," "Thor ," "The Avengers" and "Captain America" on the horizon, what does this mean for their development? "Iron Man 2" is already in full swing so I doubt we see any type of delay with that one, but with no other pre-production or principle photography under way on some other films, could we see some eventual delay(s)?

The comics community has reacted to the deal with quite a bit of skepticism thus far, but word from the Marvel camp is that the deal could open more doors than it closes for the so-called "House of Ideas."

What do you think of this tremendous event in Marvel/Disney history? Does this herald good things for some of our favorite superheroes or is the partnership a bad sign for the comic book publisher?

And that's just the tip of the iceberg—more and more questions will emerge as news of this partnership sinks in.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files, Screen Rant, MTV News (1,2), Press Release

Could The Abomination be an 'Avengers' Villain?

In one of last summer’s Marvel movies, "The Incredible Hulk," we got to see the Hulk fight a worthy supervillain in the form of The Abomination whose alter ego, Emil Blonsky, was played by the talented Tim Roth.

SCI FI Wire was in attendance for the Television Critics Association summer press tour this past week and participated in a group interview with Tim Roth who was there for his TV series, "Lie to Me." In the interview, Roth was questioned about his future with Marvel.

In the interview, Roth was asked about his contract with Marvel Studios and if they’ve approached him about doing more movies with them.

“They have, but in a very different way… I don’t want to get into it, but they signed me up for three [films].”

Not surprising considering all of the latest Marvel Studios contracts have included options for multiple films. We saw Samuel L. Jackson sign a whopping 9-picture contract which will undoubtedly see him have roles in every upcoming Marvel film for the next few years. We also know that Scarlett Johansson has a multi-picture deal and will likely have an appearance in the "Avengers" film after her Black Widow makes her debut next summer in "Iron Man 2."

Roth was then asked for more detail on whether his talks with Marvel were for future "Hulk" installments and/or for a role in "Avengers," and he responded only by saying, “It could be anything.”

Well, he’s sure keeping in tune with his co-star from "The Incredible Hulk," Edward Norton, who’s been tight-lipped about his future with Marvel as well. No confirmations or denials from either which makes me hopeful to see them both return.

Could the Abomination be one of the villains to appear in "The Avengers?" Or could the talks just be for a future "Hulk" movie? If Tim Roth were in recent discussions with Marvel, the timing’s a little weird to talk about "The Incredible Hulk 2" with all of focus being spent on the many confirmed films currently in development, and since we know it won’t happen till after "The Avengers" (if it happens at all).

There’s a ton of questions surrounding the villain of the "Avengers" team-up film, let alone the roster of heroes which has still yet to be confirmed. Here’s hoping to see Hulk be a part of that.

"The Avengers" is scheduled for a May 4, 2012 release.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Screen Rant

Where is 'Hulk' in 'The Avengers'?

As Marvel moves towards the eventual "Avengers" movie which will collect its heroes into the famous comic book superteam, many have been wondering where the "Hulk" fits into the masterplan.

"Hulk" has strong links with the "Avengers" in the comics. The other team members first came together to stop him when was tricked by Norse god of mischief Loki into going on the rampage. Hulk ended up joining the group though he later left and became their adversary on several occasions.

Uncertainty over the continued role of the "Hulk" on the big screen stems in part from the previous film - which was not as huge a hit as expected, despite a new director, more action, less introspection and a closer link to the comics and TV series. No sequel has been greenlit.

So where does "The Incredible Hulk" fit into the Marvel Studios' strategy?

Edward Norton last year told MTV News that Marvel had yet to contact him to star either in The Incredible Hulk sequel or The Avengers.

"The minds of Marvel are sometimes opaque," Norton said at that time. "I won't say [they're] obtuse, but I don't have any idea what they want to do. They've got this notion of collecting the Marvel characters. Who knows where they'll go?"
But at this year's Comic-Con, Norton was far more guarded. According to Sci Fi Wire, he said: "I probably won't comment on that just because [Marvel] keeps a pretty tight rein on what they are letting out. I'll let them [address it]."

Fans believe he is keeping tight-lipped because there are plans afoot for the "Hulk" to be part of "The Avengers."

Marvel Studios production president Kevin Feige had already said that "I think it's safe to assume that there will be some members of the Hulk universe in the film (Avengers) as well."

At this stage nothing is set in stone regarding characters and casting. The Avengers script won't be finalized until the screenplays for all the solo movies are completed. Zak Penn will then have to ensure his Avengers story ties in to all the details of "Iron Man," "Thor," "Captain America" and "The Incredible Hulk" (which Penn wrote).

If there is a sequel to "The Incredible Hulk," it would come after "Avengers." That's a big unknown at this stage.
In the meantime, fans can take comfort from the fact that Banner/Hulk will almost certainly figure in the "Avengers" somewhere because Norton is still under contract and would have to appear if Marvel wants him.

And because of the ending of "Incredible Hulk," with a cameo by Tony Stark and mentioning building a team, fans can be assured some mention of "Hulk" and others from that franchise will be involved with "The Avengers."

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files (1,2)

Versus Fan Videos

According to The Geek Files, "Comic book fans often imagine battles between their favourite superheroes and get locked in heated discussions online about who would win.

There's no doubt that superpowered showdowns between characters who've never crossed swords in the comics - or are less likely to ever meet because they are with different publishers - creates some excellent 'what if' debates.

Crossover battles - or indeed team-ups - have yet to happen in the movies, mostly due to different studios owning film rights.

But some creative editing from YouTube user silverlightsaber has changed all that. He's created a series of videos in which unlikely sets of heroes cross paths, often with explosive results."

Silverlightsaber explained: "This is a non-profit fan film made purely for fun. With X-Men Origins: Wolverine coming out, I wanted to make a fun trailer. I know Watchmen takes place in an alternative universe but what would happen if the government-sponsored Weapon X program was really the Watchmen? How would the government use them to control the mutant problem? What would the world be like in a world split between vigilantes and mutants?"

The footage comes from "X-Men," "X2," "X-Men: The Last Stand," "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" trailers and "Watchmen" trailers.



Silverlightsaber said: "This is a non-profit fan video made purely for fun. What would happen if General Ross contacted the government to send out their top secret weapon, Hellboy, to take out Hulk? Here's how I envision it..."

The deftly interwoven footage comes from the trailers for "The Incredible Hulk" and from "Hellboy" and the trailers for "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army." The music is Mein Herz Brennt by Rammstein.



Silverlightsaber said: "This is a non-profit video made purely for fun. Since Christian Bale is starring as John Connor in Terminator Salvation released in May, I figured I'd make an interesting cross-over between the Terminator franchise and Bale's other blockbuster franchise, Batman.

"The Terminator vs Batman, who wins? This was a very difficult crossover to make so I hope you enjoy it."

Footage comes from "Batman Begins," "The Dark Knight," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" and "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines."



Would you see these awesome crossover movies? I would!

Hulk Vs.

Watch this trailer for two new animated DVDs coming out in January!

Gale Anne Hurd Interview

Latino Review got to sit down with producer Gale Ann Hurd ("Terminator," "The Incredible Hulk" and "Punisher: War Zone") to talk about some of her current projects.

Here are some cool clips from the interview.

In regard to the previous two 'Punishers', what do you think this film does right that the others didn't do?

Hurd: There are a few things. The first is that the film is set in New York City with a great nemesis. Regardless of whether you thought he was over the top a little he was taken directly from the comic book and the film is populated with characters from the comic books and the look of the comic book is there with Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle. He honestly looks like he came out of a Tim Bradstreet cover.

Tim Blake Nelson talked about wanting to play The Leader in 'The Hulk'. Have there been sequel talks?

Hurd: Just 'Avengers'. But yes, the more that the online community says, 'We want to see a sequel –' the more likely it is that it'll happen.

So it'd be Hulk as a part of The Avengers? Will Hulk be the villain, or part of the team then become a villain?

Hurd: I don't know and if I did I couldn't tell you.

But as far as a sequel for 'The Hulk' would you like to see the same cast?

Hurd: I'd love to.

'Gearhead' was just announced.

Hurd: Yes. It is very cool.

What's it about basically?

Hurd: It's a lawless America sometime in a future, an alternate America in which the outcasts are living outside of society and regular society is run by some pretty villainous superheroes. Once again I love the idea of the outcast.

It's a female lead too, right?

Hurd: It is a female. Yes, she is.

What about 'Magdalena'?

Hurd: That's the Top Cow comic 'Magdalena'. We have a writer onboard.

Is it a Biblical story?

Hurd: No. I mean, it's inspired by the Lion of the Magdalena. She is a descendant. Her weapon is the spirit destiny. It's kind of cool. Imagine 'Da Vinci Code' meets 'Wanted'.


All very interesting. Go to Latino Review to read the rest of the interview!
More news to come! catch ya' later!

The Incredible Hulk 2

Around a month ago I reported about Gale Ann Hurd (producer of "The Incredible Hulk") stating how she wanted there to be a sequel and how she would go about that.

From that post Hurd said she wanted Tim Blake Nelson, who played Samuel Sterns in the film, to return and become the Leader, as was hinted at in "The Incredible Hulk" when Bruce Banner's blood dripped onto Stern's head and it began to mutate.

Tim Blake Nelson, not only an actor but also a filmmaker, spoke to MTV news, who also is the group that had the interview with Gale Ann Hurd.

“I know Gale Ann was talking to you guys about that recently, and I liked hearing it," Nelson said to MTV News about him being in the sequel.

According to MTV News, "These days, the talented writer/director/actor is in a dark editing bay assembling 'Leaves of Grass,' a quirky 2009 drama that features Edward Norton in a dual performance. Nelson told us that during the shooting of 'Leaves,' he and Norton sometimes spoke about their recent blockbuster experience, but he still can’t say with confidence that Norton will return following his rumored falling-out with Marvel Studios."

“I feel Edward and I are well-suited for one another. It’s really fun collaborating with him, and he made these characters [in ‘Hulk’ and ‘Leaves’] better,” explained Nelson, revealing that although he’d prefer not to, he would return even if Norton is removed from the series.

“Well, I’m signed on to do ‘Hulk 2’ and ‘3’ whether Edward’s there or not, so it’s not even up to me,” he explained. “When I agreed to do ‘Hulk,’ I signed off for two sequels, so it’s a moot question. I certainly hope Edward is on the sequel — but that’s up to Marvel and Edward.”

Nelson says that when it time comes for him to return for a Hulk sequel, he will be ready to turn green and show off his big brain. “Oh, I already did [research into The Leader] when I was doing [Dr. Samuel] Sterns, because I felt that it would be helpful to lay in stuff as Sterns for what The Leader would be,” he explained of the super-intelligent baddie with a desire to take over the world. “So, that was all part of doing Sterns.”

More news to come on a Hulk sequel! Catch ya' later!

Hulk Producer talks Avengers

Producer of The Incredible Hulk Gale Anne Hurd (also producer of Punisher: War Zone, the first Hulk movie, and the Terminator films) spoke to MTV News about a Hulk 2 and the tie-ins with the Avengers movie.

Hurd said she’s a big fan of Easter Eggs (such as Captain America in the alternate opening on the Hulk DVD), which are apparently foreshadowing the 2011 “Avengers” flick. “[Crossovers] were something we had talked about from the very beginning because of the Sam Jackson cameo in ‘Iron Man,’ which obviously we had heard about prior to the time that the movie came out and the expectation was that the fan response would be huge,” she explained. “So, we decided we wanted to have that kind of Easter Egg in our film as well. Nothing could be more perfect than putting [Robert Downey Jr.] in our film, because it works so well with our story, the military…We also have Easter Eggs in our film from Stark Industries.”

Hurd also spoke about a potential Hulk 2 and how the villain would be the Leader, as set up in this year's The Incredible Hulk when Tim Blake Nelson's character Samuel Sterns began to mutate after Banner's blood dripped on him.

"It would be a blast [to include the Leader], and Tim Blake Nelson is tremendous and a very talented filmmaker in his own right," Hurd said. "When I think of all the many, many, villains in the Hulk universe, we've now done the Abomination, so wouldn't it be great to tackle the Leader?. It's a completely different type of cerebral villain, which would give the movie a terrific new take on the character."

She added that Ed Norton, who played Bruce Banner and his monstrous alter-ego in The Incredible Hulk, was on a multiple-picture deal and so would reprise the role in a sequel.

Will there be a Hulk 2? We might have to wait many years since Marvel is currently building up the Avengers.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Marvel talks movies

Kevin Feige, the President of Production at Marvel Studios, answered interview questions from UGO Movie Blog and spoke about the next big upcoming hero movies.

On whether or not there will be a Hulk 2.

"We’re working on four movies right now that we’ve announced release dates for between now and 2011. A specific Hulk 2 isn’t one of them...where the green guy pops up next, I’m not entirely sure but I’m almost positive that we won’t be able to keep the green guy down. In terms of who the casts are, it enters the realm of contract discussions and negotiations that we’re rarely able to talk about. "

On if the Hulk will be the villain in the Avengers.

" Certainly there have been great comic issues in the past...and there’s a great animated feature called Ultimate Avengers a few years ago that features really cool battles between the Avengers and the Hulk himself. I think that’s a classic element of the Avengers. When or where we would actually do that I’m not sure. The stories of all the films are continuing to be developed and pieced together. There’s nothing firm yet on the Avengers plot. "

On who will play Captain America.

"I think we’re a little ways away from that. That’s a film that doesn’t come out until May 6th, 2011. So the first announcement that I think you will hear in the not-too-distant future is on the film making front. On the screen-writing front. As we announce the partners that we’ve brought on to bring it to life with us. And soon after that, well, maybe not soon, at some point after that, there will be announcements such as casting, but that will be a little ways off."

On Ant-Man and Edgar Wright (writer for Shaun of the Dead) writing it.

"Yeah. I mean, Edgar has been passionate about Ant-Man for years. I think it was probably three or four years ago that I first met Edgar down at Comic Con. He wanted to meet to talk about a character, and I was like, Ok, Spider-Man? What’s It going to be? And he had pictures of Ant-Man, which I was surprised about until I heard his pitch, and then it made perfect sense. And we brought him on right away. He has delivered an excellent, excellent draft with his writing partner Joe Cornish. They’re at the tail end of doing a revised draft as well. And then, of course, Edgar is going to go off and do Scott Pilgrim. So we hope at some point after that, to bring Ant-Man to the screen. "

On whether or not more heroes from Marvel will be made into films.

" There are lots of them. Lots and lots and lots...I’ll get together with the development team and say, pitch me a character that I’ve never heard of. Because, believe it or not, there are characters in the Marvel universe that I’ve never heard of. Even having lived with it for all of my thirty-four years and having worked with Marvel for eight years...and you look back at the very first film of the new Marvel era and it was a character that never had his own title, that just appeared in somebody else’s book, that had the seed and the core idea that was great and was able to be fleshed out into movies and TV shows and it was Blade. So there are more of those there. And it’s about finding them and letting them grow. One that I’m excited about somewhere down the line, certainly because it’s unlike anything we’ve ever done before and I think it could be an exciting challenge, would be, of course, Dr. Strange."

Sounds interesting! More Marvel news to come! Catch ya' later!

Some news about this week

Coming to theaters this Friday! Plot summaries thanks to IMDB!

High School Musical 3 - As seniors in high school, Troy (Efron) and Gabriella (Hudgens) struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their experiences, hopes and fears about their future.

Changeling - 1920s Los Angeles: A woman (Jolie) who is reunited with her missing son is subsequently committed to an insane asylum when she begins to question whether the boy is her child. Ultimately bringing her case to the city council, she begins to pick apart a conspiracy that reverberates throughout the city.

Saw V - Forensics expert Hoffman (Mandylor) goes on the hunt in order to prevent being identified as the newest person to carry on Jigsaw's legacy.

Pride and Glory -A family of prominent New York City cops is shaken to its core when one brother (Norton) uncovers a scandal at his sibling's precinct.

New on DVD this week!

Anaconda 3: Offspring
The Lazarus Project
The Incredible Hulk
The Strangers

Captain America cameo in Incredible Hulk

According to FilmSchoolRejects, Captain America is in the Incredible Hulk.
Louis Leterrier, the director of Hulk, said there would be a scene where the audience would be able to see Captain America frozen in ice. No one saw it.
Coming to the Incredible Hulk DVD, there is an alternate opening where Bruce Banner is hiding out in the Antarctic.
And this is where Captain America is.
Can you see him? Check out the DVD when it comes out Oct. 21, 2008.
This will undoubtedly lead to more connections to The Avengers movie.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Edit: Captain America's shield made an appearance in Iron Man. I don't know if it is supposed to be the real shield or if it is just a replica. Look to the left behind Stark. The star should be a dead give-away.