UPDATE: Comic-Con 'Thor' Trailer

The trailer that was shown at this year's Comic-Con for Kenneth Brangah's "Thor" has somehow made its way online. It wasn't released by the studio, so I'm not sure how legal this is.

But it is a legit trailer. Enjoy!



UPDATE: Well, the trailer has been taken down, but here's a summary of what was shown made by MTV News.

- The footage opens with scenes of Thor wailing on various people while Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) tells a seated captive, "You made my men look like a bunch of minimum wage mall cops."

- "Who are you?" he asks.

- The camera pans in close on Chris Hemsworth's semi-scuffed face.

- A quick trip through a galaxy of stars and we get an overhead view of Asgard.

- Inside Odin's throne room, an army of gods is assembled, with Thor kneeling before his father. (This looks to be the scene in that "Thor" image that was released before Comic-Con.)

- We see Odin on the throne, as well as shots of the Warriors Three, Sif, Loki, Heimdall, and Frigga. Odin condemns Thor, telling him, "Thor Odinson, through your arrogance and stupidity, you have opened these peaceful realms and innocent lives to the horror and devastation of war."

- "You are a vain, greedy, cruel boy," Odin tells Thor, who responds by yelling back at his father, "You are an old man and a fool!"

- "Yes, I was a fool... to think you were ready," Odin says, solemnly.

- Odin casts out Thor, and the view suddenly flies through a galaxy of stars, finally landing on a shot of Hemsworth crumpled on the ground.

- After Darcy (Kat Dennings) and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) discover him, Thor opens his eyes and asks them, "Oh no, this is Earth, isn't it?"

- We get a few shots of Thor acclimating to Earth and talking with Foster, telling her, "All the answers you seek will be yours once I reclaim what's mine."

- Cut to Thor ripping a sheet of plastic off a makeshift shelter in the desert, revealing his hammer. However, when he tries to lift his hammer, he's unable to do so — and he falls to the ground, screaming.

- We then see Odin dying — a single tear falls down his cheek — and Loki ascending to the throne.

- Various battle scenes unfold as Thor and The Warriors Three battle an unknown foe. Explosions, slow-motion screams from Thor, Loki, Heimdall, etc. You get the idea...

- "I am now ruler of Asgard," says Loki. "I am... your king." Cue uncertain glances between Sif and Warriors Three.

- It all culminates with a shot of Thor throwing a goblet into the fire as everything fades to black.

- A few seconds later, machine-like footsteps are heard echoing in the desert. Agent Coulson is back on the screen, approaching a giant, mysterious figure. As the dust clears, it's revealed to be DESTROYER!

- "Is it one of Stark's?" an agent asks Coulson.

- "I don't know," he responds. "That guy never tells me anything."

- Destroyer then open fires on the agents' vehicles with a massive blast of energy from his facemask, and the screen fades to the film's release date: May 2011.

"Thor" hits theaters May 5, 2011.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

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.

Movie News Rush 14

"Tangled"

Th news - This film is basically Rapunzel except for boys since it focuses more on a swashbuckling main character rather than the girl with super-long hair (which turns out to be very tentaclish). I guess Disney wanted to market this films to both genders and someone in production was like, "Hey, what crazy stuff can we do with Rapnuzel's long haird besides it being just hair. How 'bout she controls it n' stuff? And throw in a chameleon too! We got to have a chameleon!"

"Thor"

The news - Entertainment Weekly has posted a video from their visit to the "Thor" set in New Mexico. The video consists mainly of an interview with Chris Hemsworth, who's in the title role, and Natalie Portman, who's playing the god's mortal love interest Jane Foster, but there are also some shots of Anthony Hopkins as Odin and Idris Elba as Heimdall.



"Transformers 3"

The news - Michael Bay has made big updates on the third installment in the successful yet flawed "Transformers" franchise. First off, he says that the childish humor will be toned down (mostly by removing the Twins). Second, the main villain of the film will be a Decepticon called Shockwave, who has usurped the throne of Decepticon leader from Megatron. Lastly, the film will be in 3D (converted or filmed in the format is unknown). Some interesting news, but not enough to redeem the franchise in my eyes to make me even think about seeing this film.

Screen Rant
First Showing
Latino Review
UGO Movie Blog


"Breaking Dawn"

The news - We've known this for some time, but the fourth film in the "Twilight" franchise will be split in two, creating a sum total of five "Twilight" films. With "Breaking Dawn: Part 1" hitting theaters late 2011, maybe we can expect the last film for summer of 2012 - thus showing that "Twilight" may lead to the end of the world.

Latino Review
The Geek Files
Screen Rant
UGO Movie Blog
NY Times
USA Today

"Men in Black III"

The news - Sony filmed a short little teaser for the film that was shown during Sony's 3D TV Launch Event at Sony Pictures Studios. It focuses on how the film will be in 3D. Head to Sony Insider for more details.

Check out Chirs Hemsworth as Thor

Yahoo Movies has the first image of Chris Hemsworth as Thor from the upcoming live-action movie. While the image is cropped in a unique way, it still gives us a great idea of how Hemsworth will look as Marvel's god of thunder.

There's a larger version of the image over at Yahoo, but what does the image tell us about the character's much-anticipated big-screen debut?

Well, for one, it looks like the costume Thor will be using in the film is based more upon Marvel's mainstream "Thor" series rather than the "Ultimate" version of Thor. Hemsworth - previously seen as Kirk's doomed dad in "Star Trek" - is in scale-mail armor and a red cape, just like some of the depictions in Marvel's comics.

This is especially interesting, given that many of the other Marvel movie characters have used the publisher's "Ultimate" universe as source material.

While we don't get to see Thor's magical hammer, Mjolnir, you can definitely bet it will be in the film and in Thor's godly hands. Why do you think the image is cropped so that we don't see his hands?

Kenneth Branagh is directing the film, which hits theaters May 6, 2011. It also stars Sir Anthony Hopkins as the deity's father Odin and Tom Hiddleston as Thor's evil half-brother Loki. Natalie Portman will play Thor's earthly love interest Jane Foster.

What do you think of Chris Hemsworth's "Thor" look?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, The Geek Files

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

Stuart Townsend Replaced For 'Thor' Right Before Shooting Starts

Stuart Townsend, who was cast as one of “The Warriors Three” in Kenneth Branagh’s production of "Thor" for Marvel Studios, has left due to creative differences. Replacing Townsend (left) as Fandral the Dashing will be relative unknown Joshua Dallas (right) according to two anonymous inside sources.

The change is very last minute with principal photography set to begin this week and I wonder what sort of creative dispute would make Stuart bail on such a high profile project. According to AICN, he apparently showed up six hours late to a screen test...so the term "creative differences" can just mean he was fired.

This is the first hiccup we’ve seen on the production of "Thor" as everything leading up to this point has been on the up and up for what has become an amazingly talented cast and crew.

Joshua Dallas played a prominent role in "The Descent: Part 2" and plays a secondary character in George Lucas’ "Red Tails." I’m not familiar with his acting myself, but I have faith in the team’s casting decision at picking budding stars as they did with the title character casting of Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder.

Irish actor Townsend, best known as the boyfriend of Academy Award winner Charlize Theron, starred in “Queen of the Damned.” He lost a previous fantasy role as Aragorn in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. He was replaced at the last minute by Viggo Mortensen. No complaints there as Viggo was perfection as every one's favorite ranger of the North.

Joshua Dallas gets his big break here as part of "The Warriors Three" where he’ll fight as Fandral the Dashing along side Ray Stevenson’s Volstagg and Tadanobu Asano’s Hogun.

What do you think of this news?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, Live for Films

'Thor' and 'Pirates 4' Change Release Dates Over 'Spider-Man 4' Delay

With Sony officially confirming earlier this week that "Spider-Man 4" will be delayed, other studios have jumped at the opportunity to take the coveted early May 2011 release spot they left vacant. Variety has confirmed that Paramount has moved Marvel's "Thor" movie up two weeks to May 6, 2011, which was the original opening weekend for "Spider-Man 4." And then Disney moved "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" into the May 20, 2011 slot that "Thor" was in.

With it now uncertain that Peter Parker's next adventure won't hit theaters on time as originally planned — though Sony has yet to officially move the release date — it seems that the powers behind "Thor" saw an opportunity for an early summer start.

Despite appearing like an act of internal rivalry, the report states that Paramount simply did not want to wait on an official release date change on "Spider-Man 4" in case other studios made the move first. This way, a Marvel movie still hangs onto the summer's opening weekend.

The report also notes that should "Spider-Man 4" not change its release date as is widely expected, "it's likely that 'Thor' would move."

Still, with "Thor" to begin shooting this month, it's a much likelier bet that the Norse God of Thunder will arrive in theaters before "Spider-Man 4." Until Raimi and Sony can solve their current script problems, this is probably the best available solution for superhero fans everywhere.

Scheduling is essential to marketing and making sure you not only hit your audience but the biggest portions of your demographics, especially in the summer when the major titles hit the silver screens. I’m happy "Thor" is going to be starting off Summer 2011 but I’m still worried about what will happen to "Spider-Man 4."

What do you think about these schedule changes and the delay of "Spider-Man 4"?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, First Showing, Screen Rant

Ray Stevenson Talks About PlayingVolstagg in 'Thor'

Ray Stevenson, who made his mark playing Titus Pullo in the HBO's "Rome," will be joining the ranks of the Warriors Three in director Kenneth Branagh's "Thor" for Marvel Studios.

Also cast for the role of the Warriors Three alongside Stevenson are Stuart Townsend and Tadanobu Asano.

The Warriors Three play a supporting role in the Thor series and each of the three has their own distinct personality. Stevenson’s character, Volstagg is the comic relief, a heavy drinker and a loyal friend of Thor.

But Volstagg The Valiant is also Clumsy and large in size, but Stevenson isn't readying himself for a fat-filled diet to play the rotund character.

In an interview with Empire Online, Stevenson revealed that he'll have plenty of gut to show off in "Thor" thanks to the aid of a bodysuit.

"It's fantastic," Stevenson said. "I've tried the suit on, and what they've done is kind of sex him up: he's sort of slimmer but rounder."

Stevenson continued:"He's got every bit of that Falstaffian verve and vigour, and a bit of a beergut to suggest that enormous appetite, but he's not the sort of Weeble-shaped figure he is in the comics. He's Falstaff with muscles. I've got this amazing foam-injected undersuit that flexes with me. I can't wait!"

"Thor" is directed by Kenneth Branagh and stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Thor’s half-brother/nemesis, Loki, Natalie Portman as Thor’s human love interest, Jane Foster, Anthony Hopkins as Thor’s father, Odin, Stellan Skarsgård, Colm Feore, Jamie Alexander as Asgardian warrior/love interest, Sif and Idris Alba as the guardian Heimdall.

What do you think of Stevenson as Volstagg in the Warriors Three?

"Thor" storms into theaters on May 20, 2011.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, MTV News

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

Idris Elba Joins Cast of 'Thor' as Heimdall

The big-screen adaptation of Marvel’s "Thor" keeps on making headlines, as today we have news of another choice actor being added to the already impressive cast.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Thor" has added British actor Idris Elba to the lineup. He will portray Heimdall, the guardian of the Bifrost bridge to Asgard. In Marvel’s “Thor” mythology, Heimdall is also the brother of Sif.

Elba (“The Wire,” "The Office," "Obsessed") — recently finished filming his part in “The Losers”, an adaptation of the Vertigo comic by Andy Diggle and Jock.

“Thor” includes Chris Hemsworth in the title role, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, Jamie Alexander as Sif and Ray Stevenson, Stuart Townsend and Tadanobu Asano as the Warriors Three. Colm Feore and Stellan Skarsgard have also been confirmed to appear in the film in currently unspecified roles.

Shooting on "Thor" is due to begin in mid-January in California. The film is set for release on May 20, 2011.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, Screen Rant

Warriors Three Cast for 'Thor'

The Warriors Three in Kenneth Branagh's "Thor" movie have been cast, according to Variety, with Stuart Townsend ("The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen") as Fandral the Dashing, Ray Stevenson ("Punisher: War Zone") playing Volstagg the Valiant and Tadanobu Asano ("Mongol") portraying Hogun the Grim.

The Warriors Three was a group of Asgardian warriors comprised of ladies' man Fandral, the pessimistic Hogun, and the cowardly Volstagg (but the film could go with the more modern version of Volstagg, who is more fearless).The trio are from Marvel's comic books and are not part of Norse mythology.
They join the already impressive cast headlined by Chris Hemsworth as the title character followed by Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Colm Feore, Jaimie Alexander, Stellan Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins. I mean, it's not hard to look at this line-up and already have expectations even if the idea of a hammer-wielding hero sent to Earth to protect mankind seems a little bit like a risky venture.

"Thor" is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in mid-January, then move to Santa Fe, New Mexico from March till late-April. The film is set to hit theaters on May 20, 2011.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, Rope of Silicon, UGO Movie Blog, The Geek Files

'Thor' To Begin Production In January

Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated “Thor” adaptation is finally set to go before the cameras in January.

Principal photography will begin in Los Angeles before moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in March according to a report from Production Weekly.

This is great as this means that next summer we’ll likely get a Marvel panel presentation (and footage) for "Thor" at San Diego Comic-Con.

“Thor” has a stellar cast that includes Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as his evil half-brother, Loki, Anthony Hopkins as Odin and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. Jaimie Alexander, Colm Feore and Stellan Skarsgard have also been cast in presently unspecified roles.

At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war.

The official synopsis says Thor is cast out from gods' realm Asgard and forced to live among humans as punishment. He learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

With all of these great "Thor" announcements over the last several months, I still wonder when we’re going to start seeing that for Steve Rogers, the man behind the shield of Captain America. We still haven’t heard any casting updates on "The First Avenger: Captain America" but the film is set to release also in summer, 2011 (Along with other major properties "Green Lantern," "Spider-Man 4" and "Transformers 3").

“Thor” is scheduled to hit theaters on May 20, 2011.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files, Screen Rant, MTV News

Anthony Hopkins in Talks to Play Odin in 'Thor'

According to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, Oscar-winning actor Anthony Hopkins is in negotiations to play Odin, the father of Thor, who rules the Norse gods in Asgard.

Unlike the rumors of big names like Robert De Niro and Jude Law joining the cast of Thor, this star is confirmed to be in negotiations for the role. Also joining the cast earlier this month is the talented Stellan Skarsgård in addition to the report of Dominic Cooper possibly playing Fandral.

Odin of course is the ruler of Asgard and father of the lead, Thor, the God of Thunder.

The role of Thor is being played by Chris Hemsworth in a story where the god of thunder, a powerful but arrogant warrior, recklessly re-ignite an ancient war. As punishment, Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans. Once here, he learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends dark forces of Asgard to invade Earth. Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Colm Feore and Jaimie Alexander round out the cast.

Director Kenneth Branagh as added another huge name and talented actor to his cast of awesomeness. I am pumped.
What do you think of Anthony Hopkins as Odin?

"Thor" opens in theaters May 20, 2011.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, Rope of Silicon, MTV News

Stan Lee on 'Iron Man 2' and 'Thor' Cameos

Stan Lee is known as the godfather of many of the silver age comic book characters for Marvel. Luckily, the people behind the movies based on his characters respect him enough to give him cameos in some of the movies. One of the fun points in the each of the Marvel films is finding Lee's cameo..

Starting way back in 2000 with "X-Men," he’s appeared in majority of the Marvel Comics-based movies(he was notably missing from "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" though). Collider had a great interview with him at Scream Fest, where Stan explains that he likes doing the cameos but that they weren’t his idea and doesn’t do them if he has to travel far. Since "Wolverine" was filmed in Australia, that would explain his absence.

He explains his cameo for "Iron Man 2" and then goes into how he is planned to have one in "Thor" as well.



Someone on YouTube has put together all of Lee’s cameos in a video that you can watch below. One thing you will notice is a progression from background cameos to speaking parts and more foreground cameos.


Are you excited to see more of Stan Lee in Marvel movies?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Screen Rant

UPDATE: Movie News Mash 28

THis is gonna have to be real quick, but most of this news is pretty much given without explanation. So enjoy it. I have to go take some tests. Bah!

SPIDER-MAN 4
Sam Raimi told MTV News that Bruce Campbell will have an unknown, but meaty, role in the next "Spider-Man" film.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

COWBOYS AND ALIENS
Jon Favreau lets MTV News know that he isn't officially set to direct "Cowboys and Aliens" but he has been in talks about it.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

PREDATORS
Derek Mears has joined the cast of "Predators," the Fox reboot of the franchise being produced by Robert Rodriguez and directed by Nimrod Antal.

Dread Central reports that the 37-year-old actor, best known for playing masked serial killer Jason Voorhees in the remake of "Friday the 13th," confirmed his "Predators" role at the Rock and Shock convention in Massachusetts.

Mears said: "People were talking for a couple of weeks but I wasn't able to confirm. I kept assuring the filmmakers that I was not the leak. Now it's out there, but I'm still not saying who I play."

Also cast are Adrien Brody, Alice Braga, Danny Trejo, Walt Goggins, Oleg Taktarov, Topher Grace, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali and Louiz Ozawa.

The story centerss on a group of elite soldiers being hunted on the aliens' jungle planet and is set for release on July 9, 2010.
(The Geek Files)

THOR
If you weren’t excited about the cast of Kenneth Branagh's "Thor" movie so far, which includes Chris Hemsworth as the title character, Tom Hiddleston as his nemesis, Natalie Portman, Jaimie Alexander, Colm Feore and possibly Brian Blessed as Odin, then you might be more excited now with the following two names possibly added to the cast.

Robert De Niro and Jude Law have reportedly joined the cast.

Ain't It Cool News says it received a tip-off about an interview with actor Matthias Schweighofer in the November edition of GQ magazine in Germany.

In it, the 28-year-old actor apparently says he is in the running for a part in "Thor" and reveals that De Niro and Law have already been cast in the film, which is set for release in May 2011.

At present, this is all unconfirmed and their roles are unspecified. The article is not on the Web site for German GQ, nor is it mentioned in the media interviews section on Matthias Schweighofer's official Web site.

Schweighofer starred with Branagh in Bryan Singer's "Valkyrie." De Niro was in the Branagh-directed "Frankenstein," Law in Branagh's "Sleuth."
(The Geek Files, Screen Rant)

UPDATE: Gossip Cop apparently got in touch with a representative of Jude Law who said there’s no truth to his involvement with the upcoming Marvel Studios production of "Thor." They also claim that after making some calls, De Niro is not involved at all.

Stellan Skarsgard Cast In 'Thor'

Stellan Skarsgard (most recently seen in this summer's "Angels and Demons") is the latest addition to the cast of the upcoming “Thor” movie, joining a stellar cast that includes Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster), Jaimie Alexander (Sif), Colm Feore and Brian Blessed (Odin).

According to Swedish news site Ystads Allehanda, Skarsgard—who is perhaps best known in America for his turn as Bootstrap Bill Turner in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series—confirmed the information in an interview with The Newspapers' Telegram Bureau.

However, the actor says he cannot reveal who he’s playing in the film, as with Colm Feore whom we only know will be playing some sort of villain.

With most of the roles in director Kenneth Branagh’s “Thor” adaptation already filled by it’s not immediately clear which role Skarsgard will step into.

ComingSoon.net has posted a rough translation of Skarsgard’s remarks.

"They wanted me to sign without reading the script,” Skarsgard explained. “That I refused to do. Then they sent one to me that was so coded that I could only print one copy."

Skarsgard’s son, Alexander Skarsgard ("True Blood") was one of the final actors considered to play Thor prior to Chris Hemsworth’s casting.

Kenneth Branagh’s project is coming together well and I am impressed and excited about the cast so far. He continues to add strong talent and actors that fall in line with his Shakespearean roots. Skarsgard is not new to playing roles in period pieces, having played important characters in "King Arthur" and "Beowulf & Grendel."

What do you think of the cast so far and of Stellan Skarsgård’s addition?

"Thor" begins production next Spring and hits theaters on May 20, 2011.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, Screen Rant

'Thor' Cast Adds New Love Interest and New Villain

The world of Asgard just got a little bigger in the form of actors Jaimie Alexander and Colm Feore signing up for the big screen adaptation of "Thor" from Marvel Studios.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Feore and Alexander are joining the likes of Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Natalie Portman (Thor's human love interest Jane Foster) in "Thor."

Jaimie, 25, who's been in the TV shows "Bones," "CSI: Miami" and "Kyle XY," will play the warrior goddess Sif, a "skilled Asgardian warrior who can hold her own against any man" and also a lover of Thor's.

Feore, 51, whose credits include TV show "24" and last year's "Changeling" movie, will play an unspecified villain. It's worth pondering who Feore could play as there are plenty of villains that he could assume, but given the secrecy of his character, one might guess that he'll have a connective role between "Thor" and the other Marvel Studios films.

The movie's story centers on Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior on Asgard - home of the gods - whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war.

As punishment, Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans.

Once there, he learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends dark forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

Just by the synopsis given above, we can extrapolate that Alexander’s Sif will be Thor’s lover at the start of the film (while The God of Thunder is still happily at home in Asgard). Once Thor is cast down to Earth, we already know his heart will wander toward human nurse Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman. Cat-fight to ensue.

The movie, based on Marvel's comic book version of the Norse thunder god and being directed by Kenneth Branagh, is set for release on May 20, 2011.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, MTV News, The Geek Files, First Showing

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

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