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

Fight Video for 'Book of Eli'

"The Book of Eli" looks like it might be the first awesome movie of the new year. The story looks great, the visuals look great, the cast is fantastic, but the fight scenes in particular look truly badass.

And that's what this new behind-the-scenes video focuses on. Denzel Washington did all of his own stunts for "The Book of Eli" and trained with some of the very best fight trainers in the industry.



Watch the trailer for the film here!

The film revolves around a lone warrior (Washington) who must fight to bring society the knowledge that could be the key to its redemption. Gary Oldman has been set to portray the despot of a small makeshift town who's determined to take possession of the book Eli's guarding.

"The Book of Eli" hits theaters on January 15, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: First Showing

Another Featurette on 'Prince of Persia'

One of the major releases of summer 2010 is Disney’s adaptation of the popular video game, "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time." The action-adventure film stars Jake Gyllenhaal as the title character and is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

In addition to the trailer released in November, we’ve seen some behind-the-scenes footage including the first "Prince of Persia" featurette which focused on the character of Dastan (Gyllenhaal), his background and his journey within the film.

This second video focuses on The Sands of Time itself in the form of the magical dagger that represents the plot device of the video game and this movie.

As with the first featurette, there are scenes from the movie intertwined with interview segments from director Mike Newell, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and the star, Mr. Gyllenhaal.



What do you think of the look of the film so far?

Starring alongside Jake Gyllenhaal are Ben Kingsley, Gemma Arterton, Alfred Molina, Reece Ritchie and Toby Kebbell.

"Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" opens in theaters May 28, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Screen Rant

New 'How to Train Your Dragon' Trailer

Following on from the first official trailer at the start of last month", a new trailer has been released from Dreamworks Animation’s latest animated family adventure, "How To Train You Dragon."

"How to Train Your Dragon" is set in a mythical world where Vikings and dragons have been at odds with one another for thousands of years, and killing dragons is an everyday occurrence for Vikings. It centers on a young Viking boy named Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) who one day befriends an injured dragon instead of killing it as he’s supposed to, much to the embarrassment of his father (voiced by Gerard Butler).

DRAGONS TRAILER 02 VO HAS HERITAGE
by Mister3ZE

Is it just me or does it seem like DreamWorks is just a little bit worried that no one is looking forward to "How to Train Your Dragon"? Hence the elaborate intro with footage from all of their past movies. This doesn't look terrible, it just doesn't look great either.

Are you looking forward to this film or is it “just another animated film” from a studio that’s very much hit or miss?

The movie features the voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Kristin Wiig.

"How to Train Your Dragon" is set to hit theaters on March 26, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, First Showing

'Captain America' Starts Filming in June

Marvel Studios’ “Captain America” movie may finally be heading in front of cameras next June.

Fangoria published a teaser piece for their upcoming issue that has an interview with director Joe Johnston about his upcoming "The Wolfman." However, near the end of the article they drop a little tidbit about Johnston's plans to start shooting "Captain America" in June.

Information about the “Captain America” film has been in relatively short supply since Johnston was signed to direct the film and Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (of all three "Chronicles of Narnia" movies) were hired to write the screenplay.

Given that “Captain America” is scheduled to be released in July 2011 — two months after Kenneth Branagh’s “Thor” adaptation hits theaters — it’s somewhat surprising that the lead role has yet to be cast.

Marvel is preparing to start shooting "Thor" in January, which I'm sure will shoot at least until April. Then they'll probably take a break to support the release of "Iron Man 2" in May before prepping a June start for "Captain America."

It's great to hear that this is finally moving along, now we just need casting. Who will be playing Cap, that's what I want to know!

So which of Marvel's 2011 movies are you more excited about - "Thor" or "Captain America"?

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

New 'Inception' Trailer Will Blow Your Mind

Warner Bros has finally put out the second trailer for Christopher Nolan's "Inception," which hit theaters last Friday in front of "Sherlock Holmes," so a few of you might've already seen it

Up until now, we hadn’t seen much of the movie since August when we got a look at the first teaser trailer. The teaser didn’t show much other than a few intense Leonardo DiCaprio shots and a few strange visuals. The notable part of the teaser was the brief look at a "Matrix"-style hallway fight sequence which looked pretty cool but there was little revealed in the video.

The only plot clue we have is the line describing the film is "a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind."

There is no lack of intensity in this new trailer and it reveals more of the story than the teaser.



The movie has a lot to live up to with the massive cast it features and with Nolan coming off the victory that was "The Dark Knight," but so far, the visuals are cool and "Inception" is looking to be one of the must-see movies of 2010.

The sci-fi thriller stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Michael Cainem Tom Berenger and Lukas Haas. It is written and directed by Christopher Nolan.

What do you think of what’s shown in this trailer?

"Inception" opens July 16, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, Rope of Silicon, First Showing

Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this week!

Not much! :]

Movies coming out on DVD and Blu-ray!

Paranormal Activity
Jennifer's Body
A Perfect Getaway
9

Box Office results for the weekend!

1 Avatar $75M

2 Sherlock Holmes $65.4M

3 Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel $50.2M

4 It's Complicated $22.1M

5 Up in the Air $11.8M

6 The Blind Side $11.7M

7 The Princess and the Frog $8.68M

8 Nine $5.54M

9 Did You Hear About the Morgans? $5M

10 Invictus $4.39M

The weekend ended with "Avatar" taking $75 million in North America and $145 million overseas, bringing its total earnings so far to $212 million in North America and $403 million overseas - a global total of a staggering $615 million in just 10 days.

But "Sherlock" is still celebrating - the film took $65 million on its weekend debut in North America, the biggest Christmas weekend opening of all time Stateside. The previous record-holder was "Meet the Fockers" at $46 million.

Together, "Avatar," "Sherlock" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" led the biggest weekend of all time at the North American box office, with ticket sales racking up $285 million, reports Variety.

"It's Complicated" opened as was the adult alternative title, which was well placed among the more action and kid films. Meanwhile, "The Princess and the Frog" fell heavily (when it was expected to pick up again) while "Nine" had very little opening power.

This beat the previous biggest weekend when "The Dark Knight" opened in July 2008, which brought in $260 million for the three-day take. Not bad for the last weekend in 2009.
(The Geek Files)

'Cop Out' Trailer

Warner Bros. has debuted the trailer for Kevin Smith's "Cop Out," formerly known as "A Couple of Dicks."

This new comedy tells the story of two longtime NYPD partners on the trail of a stolen, rare, mint-condition baseball card who find themselves up against a merciless, memorabilia-obsessed gangster. Jimmy (Willis) is the veteran detective whose missing collectible is his only hope to pay for his daughter's upcoming wedding, and Paul (Morgan) is his "partner-against-crime" whose preoccupation with his wife's alleged infidelity makes it hard for him to keep his eye on the ball. Seann William Scott, Adam Brody, Kevin Pollak, Ana de la Reguera, Jason Lee and Michelle Trachtenberg also star.



The original title of the film was "A Couple of Dicks," which is clever, but sadly too offensive for some. At one point it almost became "A Couple of Cops," but the trailer confirms that it's officially "Cop Out" now, which is a "cop out" of its own.

Kevin Smith spoke with Entertainment Weekly and gave them the lowdown on the name change, including why it happened and other alternatives.

"Warner Bros. decided, 'Hey man, we'll call the networks and see if we're going to get any problems, months before the movie's ever going to come out.' The top 3 networks — CBS, ABC, NBC — said we can't run one of your spots before 9 o'clock.

I'm like, 'Well what about 'Inglourious Basterds'?' And I guess, because of the spelling, they got away with it. So we were like, "Can we call it A Couple of D.I.C.s?' Because that's the proper acronym for detectives, Detective In Charge. And [the networks] kicked that back as well. It was the pluralizing of any form of dick, whether it was d-i-c-k or any derivation.

So my feeling was like, it's an R-rated movie, so who the f– are we talking to anyway before 9 o'clock? Warner Bros's feeling was like, 'Hey man, the sports audience, dickhead. We have to advertise to the sports audience on Saturday and Sunday and all those sporting events usually take place before 9 p.m. in the evening.' At which point, I was like, 'Oh wow, you guys are way smarter than me.'"

What do you think about the name change for the movie? And are you looking forward to seeing Kevin Smith's new film?

"Cop Out" hits theaters Feb. 26, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Rope of Silicon, First Showing

'Solomon Kane' Clips and Featurettes

A couple of new clips from the film "Solomon Kane" have appeared online just in tie for the holidays!

Click on any of the small windows below to watch a few clips or an interesting featurerette on the creation of the creatures in the film.



"Solomon Kane" is scheduled to open sometime in January, but there’s no exact date set as of today (Dec 24). I’d say they’d better get busy locking in a release date!

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

First 'Sex and the City 2' Trailer

Warner Bros. Pictures has released the teaser trailer for "Sex and the City 2," which stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth and Miley Cyrus.



How did I know they were going to use Jay Z’s “Empire State of Mind” in that trailer?

I actually liked the first film for what it was and after looking at the new teaser trailer all I can think was "I'm tired of that Jay-Z song" in the beginning of the teaser.

But I know for a fact this will be a hit among all fans of the HBO show and the first film. My girlfriend is a fan of "Sex and the City" and got me into the show, but my personal opinion is the show should have just continued with a few more seasons instead of switching to the silver screen.

But to be honest, this is mainly a movie for the ladies and they even sell it that way with the "Sometimes, you just have to get away with the girls!" line at the end of the trailer.

It certainly looks as glamorous and glorified as the first "Sex and the City" movie, but I'll leave that debate to those who see this film and compare it to the last one.

As for what is happening in the trailer, not much is revealed. From what I have heard, the ladies travel to Dubai for some reason and I guess they get...lost. The main point of the series and film dealt with all the relationship issues the four women had. I certainly hope the new "Sex and the City" tale isn't some kind of "Hangover" rip-off focusing on a group of friends and their misadventures (but with gals instead of guys).

The film is set to hit theaters on May 28, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, First Showing

'Kick-Ass' Trailer on Hit-Girl

Although the movie "Kick-Ass" is about the kid named Dave Lizewski who becomes the costumed hero known as Kick-Ass, he meets some other characters along the way.

One of the craziest people he comes across is a 12-year-old girl named Hit-Girl and yes... she kicks serious ass.

Hit-Girl, played by Chloe Moretz, is arguably the most extreme of the characters in Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr.’s popular comic book series and from whats been said from screenings of the film, she brings a memorable and impactful performance.

If you've been wondering why this film is going to be Rated-R, then here's a few reasons. Matthew Vaughn does not cut back a bit on the violence and it's gruesome but completely awesome.



Directed by Matthew Vaughn, "Kick-Ass" stars Aaron Johnson, Mark Strong, Xander Berkeley and Christopher Mintz-Plasse alongside Nicolas Cage and Chloe Moretz who you just met.

So, what do you think of Hit-Girl now?

"Kick-Ass" opens in theaters on April 16, 2010 and I will definitely be there.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: First Showing, Screen Rant

'The Karate Kid' Remake Trailer

Columbia Pictures has released the first trailer for "The Karate Kid," the remake of the classic ’80s movie.

The film stars Jaden Smith (son of megastar, Will Smith) as Dre Parker who moves to China with his mother and gets into a fight against a bully. His misfortune catches the eye of Mr. Han (this new version’s Mr. Myagi), played by Jackie Chan. Mr. Han then teaches young Dre karate 9actually kung fu) in order to defend himself.

The trailer definitely pulls a more modern spin on the story and actually makes Jackie Chan cool again.

This remake also looks like it will up the action factor from the original films (which actually had more humor and character development than action). There are also a couple of throwbacks to the original film by having Mr. Han have unusual training methods and also trying to catch a fly with chopsticks.

But I don't think anyone can top the kind of on-screen friendship that Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita pulled off in the original films.

But what are your thoughts on the trailer for "The Karate Kid" remake? Does the trailer inspire confidence that it may be decent or does it confirm that it’s going to suck, muddying the legacy of the original film?

"The Karate Kid" is set to kick its way into theaters on June 11, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Screen Rant

New 'Robin Hood' Trailer

Another trailer for Ridley Scott's "Robin Hood" has appeared and this one is definitely better than the teaser trailer released last week. More story is given as well as more dialogue, which help sets the dark tone for this film.



"Robin Hood" hits theaters May 14, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this week!

It's Complicated - During his son's college graduation, Jane (Streep) hooks up with her ex-husband, Jake (Baldwin), who's married to a younger woman. As if being your ex's mistress isn't tough enough, Jane also finds herself drawn to Adam (Martin), a smitten architect.

Sherlock Holmes - Detective Sherlock Holmes (Downey Jr.) and his stalwart partner Watson (Law) engage in a battle of wits and brawn with a nemesis whose plot is a threat to all of England.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - A story-telling doctor's deal with the devil sends him scrambling to save his daughter on the eve of her 16th birthday.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel - Alvin, Simon and Theodore must put aside music superstardom and return to school, where they look to win a $25,000 prize in a battle of the bands contest in order to save their school's music program. But the Chipmunks unexpectedly meet their match in three singing chipmunks known as The Chipettes -- Brittany, Eleanor and Jeanette.

Movies coming out on DVD and Blu-ray!

District 9
(500) Days of Summer
It Might Get Loud
All About Steve
Extract

Box Office results for the weekend!

1 Avatar$73.0 M

2 The Princess and the Frog $12.2 M

3 The Blind Side $10.0 M

4 Did You Hear About the Morgans?$7.0 M

5 The Twilight Saga: New Moon $4.3 M

6 Invictus $4.1 M

7 Disney's A Christmas Carol $3.4 M

8 Up in the Air$3.1 M

9 Brothers $2.6 M

10 Old Dogs $2.2 M

James Cameron's "Avatar" cost somewhere around $300 million to make and market. There were big expectations from Fox about how it would do its opening weekend. And how did it do? Not so great.

$73 million domestically isn't exactly something to high five each over but it did make a killing at $159 million overseas. So far it has earned $232 million dollars worldwide. And with the east coast having been snowed in, expect numbers to be strong next weekend when the East Coast finally gets to check it out and others enjoy a repeat viewing.

"The Princess and the Frog" dropped over 50 percent, which is bad news for people who wish to see another hand-drawn 2D film in the future. Yes, it will rebound a little over Christmas… but the film needs more good word of mouth to stay strong over its $105 M budget.

"The Blind Side" fell the least of the wide releases and has made nearly $165 M domestically. It only needs another $13 M to crack the top ten of 2009 (domestically) — seems like a sure thing.

"Did You Hear About the Morgans" is another formulaic rom-com that most likely came out while better films are in theaters. And "New Moon" is only $3 M away from passing "The Hangover" for fourth place in domestic gross for this year.

Other films are petering out into the world of DVD/Blu-ray land. But what can we expect of Christmas weekend? Will "Avatar" remain on top or will "Sherlock Holmes" knock it down? Or will the kids win out the holiday weekend with "Chipmunks 2"?
(Latino Review, Rope of Silicon)

'Clash of the Titans' Battles Reshoots

Hero Complex is reporting that Louis Leterrier's "Clash of the Titans" will be doing some reshoots starting in January.

Geoff Boucher caught up with Sam Worthington at an "Avatar" screening and got him to openly chat about what's going on with "Clash of the Titans."

The actor said that Warners Bros., pleased with what they've seen of Leterrier's work, had increased the budget for the film.

"We're going to be going back and shooting more scenes for it, they cut loose with some money so we can add to it," Worthington said.

"We're going to be shooting more scenes in January," he continued, "so we're going to be right up against it -- the movie comes out in March."

The question is how are they going to pull that off and why are they even doing the reshoots? From the outside, last-minute reshoots look like signs of trouble for production.

Worthington conceded that the extra shooting will help fix some problem areas of the film, but he insisted that the new money and the new filming opportunity are signs that Warners Bros. and the producers are setting their sights higher for the film.

"There were some creaky parts but they are the parts that we knew were creaky and that we knew were going to be creaky going into it," Worthington said. "The studio is also letting us add some gods and scenes. And they're talking about making the movie a 3D film."

Since we don't know too much about the script, it's hard to figure out exactly what he means by "gods and scenes," but I'm definitely excited to see more action if that's what they're adding.

As for 3D, I honestly don't think they'll have the time to add that what with the movie supposed to be out in a few months and reshoots now being done.

What do you think of the last minute reshoots and maybe seeing the film in 3D?
"Clash of the Titans" hits theaters March 26, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Hero Complex, First Showing

'Red' Gets a Release Date

I'm happy to report that "Red," the adaptation of Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner's spy thriller comic book series, release date has moved up from Nov. 19, 2010.

According to Variety, Summit Entertainment has tagged October 22, 2010, as the new premiere date for the film.

"The Time Traveler's Wife" director Robert Schwentke will helm the film, which he described to MTV News as a "funny" take on the source material.

The film has an all-star cast in Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John C. Reilly and Mary-Louise Parker.

Willis will star as a former CIA agent who sees his quiet retirement days end when an assassin shows up to take his life.

With its new release date, "Red" is scheduled to go up against "Saw VII" and "Prisoners" the same weekend.

Are you looking forward to seeing "Red" about a month earlier now?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Latino Review, MTV News

Will Guy Ritchie Direct 'Lobo'?

MTV News had the chance to speak with "Sherlock Holmes" director Guy Ritchie at a press junket in London. and they asked him about the upcoming adaptation of DC Comics’ "Lobo."

Back in September, it was reported by Variety that Ritchie was attached to direct "Lobo."

However, the reports of Ritchie's attachment to the project could be a bit premature as Ritchie himself said his involvement is not a fact.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

"Is it a matter of fact that I'm doing it?" Ritchie asked when told of reports framing his participation in "Lobo" as a done deal. "I don't think it's a matter of fact. In fact, I can tell you it's not a matter of fact."

From that claim it would seem that DC/WB has been courting Ritchie for "Lobo" and perhaps a preliminary deal has even been put in place. But from Ritchie’s statement it seems that the dotted line has yet to be signed and that Variety may have jumped the gun in their initial report.

Did you have your heart set on Guy Ritchie directing "Lobo" or do you perhaps see a window of opportunity for a different director?

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

'Shrek Forever After' Teaser Trailer

DreamWorks Animation has debuted the first teaser trailer for "Shrek Forever After," the fourth installment in the "Shrek" franchise. The premise is clearly stated in the film, but it essentially is a knock-off of "It's a Wonderful Life."


Longing for the days when he felt like a “real ogre,” Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth-talking deal-maker, Rumpelstiltskin and finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it’s up to Shrek to undo all he’s done in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love.

The huge voice cast includes Cameron Diaz, Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Amy Poehler, John Lithgow, Maya Rudolph, Amy Sedaris, Eric Idle, Larry King, and Regis Philbin.

What did you think of the teaser? And what do you think about them marketing this film as "the last chapter"?

"Shrek Forever After" will hit theaters on May 21, 2010.

Laurence Fishburne Joins the Cast of 'Predators'

Robert Rodriguez’s "Predators" is currently filming in Austin, Texas and Bloody-Disgusting was on set yesterday and learned of another casting addition that they’re allowed to share: Laurence Fishburne.

Fishburne is playing a character named Noland, who is a member of the group of humans stranded on the Predator homeworld, fighting for survival.

Fishburne is no stranger to science fiction or horror films, so this is great news. He is one of the few actors that I think is really great and will always play an awesome character. All of this may stem from my love of "The Matrix" though.

"Predators" is directed by Nimród Antal from a Robert Rodriguez script. In addition to Fishburne, the cast includes Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Danny Trejo, Derek Mears, Oleg Taktarov, Walt Goggins, Alice Braga and Mahershalalhashbaz Ali.

"Predators" opens in theaters July 9, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, Latino Review, First Showing

New Writer for 'X-Men: First Class'

Following the announcement earlier this week, Fox has confirmed that Bryan Singer will direct “X-Men: First Class.”

Josh Schwartz ("Gossip Girl," "Chuck") was working on the script for "First Class" since last November but the studio has discarded that draft for a new one.

Jamie Moss ("Street Kings," "Ghost in the Shell") has been signed on to the project to pen the new screenplay and Fox is reportedly moving “aggressively” with its development.

The Hollywood Reporter points out that they’re “going back to the drawing board” for the movie, explaining the signing of the new writer to work with Singer.

"This is the formative years of Xavier and Magneto, and the formation of the school and where their relationship took a wrong turn," Singer told Variety. "There is a romantic element, and some of the mutants from 'X-Men' will figure into the plot, though I don't want to say which ones. There will be a lot of new mutants and a great villain."

"Whether it's 'Batman,' 'Lord of the Rings' or 'Star Trek,' if the characters are good, you want to see them on their journey even if you know their destiny," Singer said. "I put myself in the fan's position, and I think this story is something I would want to see, and so will they."

The article also indicated that Xavier and Magneto would be “20-something” during the film and compared it to J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek.”

However,if Xavier and Magneto are depicted in their twenties throughout “X-men: First Class”, it will not correspond with previous scenes in “X-Men: The Last Stand” which featured Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as younger men during their attempt to recruit Jean Grey or Stewart’s cameo in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” where Xavier rescues Cyclops and a number of other young mutants.

And there's still no word on what mutants will be in the film or whether "X-Men: First Class" will fit in as a prequel to the current "X-Men" movies (or kick-off a whole new "X-Men" movie universe).

While the original "X-Men" team in the comics had Iceman and Angel fighting alongside Cyclops, Beast, and Jean Grey as their contemporaries, the movies turned Iceman into a classmate of Rogue's and Angel into a relatively minor character with little-to-no screentime.

What do you think of Singer having a new screenwriter for "X-Men: First Class"?

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

Bryan Singer Confirms He Will Direct 'X-Men: First Class'

Some major news for "X-Men" fans has emerged at the US premiere for James Cameron's "Avatar."

In an interview on the red carpet, Bryan Singer has confirmed he will direct "X-Men: First Class," a prequel set in the formative years of Xavier's school for mutants and featuring younger versions of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Storm and others.

For fans, it will mark his long-awaited return to the franchise. Singer directed the first two "X-Men" films before leaving to make "Superman Returns."

Brett Ratner made the third "X-Men" installment and Gavin Hood directed the "Wolverine" prequel earlier this year. But many felt Singer had the strongest affinity with the material and delivered the best results.

Speaking to reporters and an audience (including the guys at FlickChart) following the live stream of the premiere on Ustream/MySpace, Singer revealed: "I am prepping up to do a movie called 'Jack the Giant Killer' and I just yesterday signed a deal to do an 'X-Men: First Class' origins picture which is kind of cool. I'm very excited."

Click where the small bubble is to hear the reveal!


"Gossip Girl" creator Josh Schwartz was hired last year to write the screenplay and if Lauren Schuler Donner has her way, the script won't be toning down the intensity of the previous "X-Men" films.

"We want it to be like the recent, darker 'Potters,'" Donner said to Empire Online back in October. "It should not be a kiddie movie: we're in the 'X-Men' world so you can't suddenly change the tone."

Singer's statement confirms "First Class" is an origin film, though it's not clear yet what characters will be included and how closely it will adhere to the continuity of the previous "X-Men" films, in which Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm and Beast (the latter going by info from "The Last Stand") were among Charles Xavier's earliest students – while characters like Iceman and Angel (who were original members in the comics) joined later.

It'll also be very interesting to see "X-Men" without Wolverine, who has certainly become an audience favorite.

What are your thoughts on Singer returning to the "X-Men" franchise he started, but this time with an origins film?

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

Awesome New 'Clash of the Titans' Trailer

Warner Brothers has just debuted a second full-length trailer for Louis Leterrier's "Clash of the Titans."

Although I thought the teaser was good, this trailer is a huge improvement because there's more action, dialogue and story to it. Not to mention a frickin' awesome first look at the Kraken.



Here's an extra video link in case the first doesn't work...


Of course, there was no Kraken in the original Greek myth - the creature threatening to devour princess Andromeda was a giant fish called Ceto.

But the 1981 movie instead inserted the Kraken - reimagined as a many-limbed reptile and not the giant squid seen in "Pirates of the Caribbean" - and this remake follows the earlier film but makes the creature tentacled and far more menacing.

The movie stars Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Alexa Davalos, Danny Huston, Pete Postlethwaite, and Mads Mikkelsen.

"Clash of the Titans" hits theaters on March 26, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files, First Showing

New 'Alice in Wonderland' Trailer

Disney has debuted a second trailer for Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" that will also be attached to most prints of "Avatar" this weekend.

The first trailer wowed people several months ago, but that was nothing when compared to this new traileras it blows that old one right out of the water!



What I immediately noticed about this trailer is that it indicates this is not Alice's first time in Wonderland and thus is a sort of a sequel. That is big news as this means the story is more original than the classic "Alice in Wonderland" tale.

The movie stars Mia Wasikowska as Alice and she is joined by Johnny Depp, Matt Lucas, Michael Sheen, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover, Eleanor Tomlinson, Christopher Lee, Alan Rickman and Stephen Fry.

"Alice in Wonderland" hits theaters March 5, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: First Showing, Rope of Silicon

The Action of 'Prince of Persia'

Disney has debuted a new behind-the-scenes featurette for "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" that focuses on Dastan, the character played by Jake Gyllenhaal.

We've already seen the first trailer, so everyone should know what to expect, but there is some new footage in here that's worth checking out.

Also starring in the film are Gemma Arterton ("Quantum of Solace," "Clash of the Titans"), Alfred Molina ("Spider-Man 2," "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice") Ben Kingsley ("Sexy Beast," "Shutter Island").

"Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" is directed by Mike Newell ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire") and opens in theaters May 28, 2010.

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

'Iron Man 2' Trailer Arrives!

Paramount has released the first official trailer for "Iron Man 2," which will be hitting theaters attached to "Sherlock Holmes" on Christmas Day.

The film reunites director Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. as the world is now aware that billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) is the armored Super Hero Iron Man. Under pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military, Tony is unwilling to divulge the secrets behind the Iron Man armor because he fears the information will slip into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, Tony forges new alliances and confronts powerful new forces.



I’m stoked for this sequel! It opened with humor and transitioned into the darker tone of the villain. And the tease at the end with War Machine...perfect. I'm sure we will be getting more footage over the next several months.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Rope of Silicon

'300' Sequel Is Really a Prequel

Filmmaker Zack Snyder has long said that Frank Miller is hard at work on making a sequel to the graphic novel "300," which Snyder adapted into a successful film. Snyder has also said he intends on adapting the new graphic novel into a feature film as well, but not until Miller's work was done.

So based on the latest word from Miller, Snyder might want to get his Spartan armor ready.

In an interview with Hero Complex, Miller revealed that he already has a title in the form of "Xerxes," clearly derived from the name of the first film's villain played by "Lost" actor Rodrigo Santoro.

"It's the battle of Marathon through my lens," Miller said of the novel's plot. "I've finished the plot and I'm getting started on the artwork."

"300" focused on the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, ten years after the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC, where the Persian forces were brutally decimated by the hands of their would-be Greek subjugates.

Since Xerxes' father ruled the Persians during that time, perhaps the new story would be something of a coming-of-age story for the eventual "300" antagonist.

As far as I know, Gerard Butler's character in "300," the Spartan king Leonidas, was not part of the Battle of Marathon but was obviously alive at the time of it; the Spartans had been asked by the Athenians to send assistance but declined because they were in the middle of a religious festival.

Whether Miller weaves Leonidas into the story remains to be seen...
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, The Geek Files

Carl Rinsch in Talks to Direct 'Creature From the Black Lagoon' Remake

It was reported back in May that Universal’s upcoming remake of the classic monster movie, "Creature from the Black Lagoon," had lost its director. Breck Eisner was rumored to be attached to the remake, but we learned thereafter that he didn't take the job

Variety now says that Universal Pictures is in early talks with Carl Erik Rinsch to direct the remake of the 1954 film about an undersea creature that terrorizes a scientific expedition.

Rinsch was originally a commercial film director and he was once rumored to to direct a prequel to “Alien,” until Ridley Scott decided to helm that film. If he gets this "Black Lagoon" job it would mark his second big collaboration with Universal after "47 Ronin," which Rinsch will make his feature film directing debut with.

“47 Ronin,” will star Keanu Reeves and is an epic period samurai swordsmen tale that takes place in 18th Century Japan. That picture is expected to begin production next year.

Universal has been keen to reprise “Creature” since it's one of its most famous monster franchises. Another reason would be to bring the classic film to a brand new audience who probably aren’t familiar with the original.

We can't tell if Rinsch is right for this film or not since he hasn't directed a movie yet, but you can catch some of his commercials HERE.

There’s no word on when "Creature from the Black Lagoon" will start shooting or hit theaters.

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

'Robin Hood' Teaser Trailer

An international teaser is now online for Ridley Scott's "Robin Hood" starring Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Mark Strong, William Hurt, and Matthew Macfadyen.

Oscar winner Russell Crowe stars as the legendary figure known by generations as "Robin Hood," whose exploits have endured in popular mythology and ignited the imagination of those who share his spirit of adventure and righteousness. In 13th century England, Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power. And whether thief or hero, one man from humble beginnings will become an eternal symbol of freedom for his people.

The film chronicles the life of an expert archer, previously interested only in self-preservation, from his service in King Richard's army against the French. Upon Richard's death, Robin travels to Nottingham, a town suffering from the corruption of a despotic sheriff and crippling taxation, where he falls for the spirited widow Lady Marion (Oscar winner Cate Blanchett), a woman skeptical of the identity and motivations of this crusader from the forest. Hoping to earn the hand of Maid Marion and salvage the village, Robin assembles a gang whose lethal mercenary skills are matched only by its appetite for life. Together, they begin preying on the indulgent upper class to correct injustices under the sheriff.

With their country weakened from decades of war, embattled from the ineffective rule of the new king and vulnerable to insurgencies from within and threats from afar, Robin and his men heed a call to ever greater adventure. This unlikeliest of heroes and his allies set off to protect their country from slipping into bloody civil war and return glory to England once more.



The soundtrack to this reminds me of the rock played during the "Clash of the Titans" teaser trailer. It also appears that director Ridley Scott is taking a darker approach to the Robin Hood tale than the light approaches from directors in the past.

What did you think of the "Robin Hood" teaser trailer?

"Robin Hood" hits theaters May 14, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, Latino Review

Nick Cage Can 'Kick-Ass'

A lot of people think Nicolas Cage has lost his acting ability. I think he is a great character actor that is good in some roles and is just not meant to be in others - like "Ghostrider."

But for the role of Big Daddy in "Kick-Ass," he perfectly captures the insane lust for turning himself and his young dagther into the ultimate superheroes.

Below is a clip of the film that was shown during the San Diego Comic-Con. It features Cage’s character, Damon Macready, try to “educate” his daughter Mindy (Chloe Moretz) on how to properly take a bullet to the chest...literally.



I think this will be among one of the best fan-favorite films of next year.

"Kick-Ass" bursts into theaters April 16, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this week!

Did You Hear About the Morgans? - In New York City, an estranged couple (Grant and Parker) who witness a murder are relocated to small-town Wyoming as part of a witness-protection program.

Avatar - A paraplegic former marine (Worthington) accepts a unique mission that sends him to the planet Pandora, where, through a connection to a remotely controlled biological body, he learns the way of the indigenous Na'vi people. His link to this world puts him in direct opposition with his orders to infiltrate the Na'vi and remove the barrier between them and the precious ore desired by military and corporate interests.

Movies coming out on DVD and Blu-ray!

The Hangover
Inglourious Basterds
G-Force
Taking Woodstock

1 The Princess and the Frog$25.0 M
2 The Blind Side $15.4 M
3 Invictus $9.0 M
4 The Twilight Saga: New Moon $8.0 M
5 Disney's A Christmas Carol $6.8 M
6 Brothers $5.0 M
7 2012 $4.4 M
8 Old Dogs $4.3 M
9 Armored $3.5 M
10 Ninja Assassin $2.7 M

Disney right now has three films in the Top Ten ("Princess and Frog," "A Christmas Carol" and "Old Dogs) and is doing well. But I'm sure the studio was hoping for a larger opening release for "The Princess and the Frog." And with "Avatar" coming out next week...can the Disney cartoon save 2-D films or not?

"The Blind Side" continues to be an unexpected box office juggernaut. "New Moon" also continues as it is an expected box office juggernaut. The question is do we prefer the expected ones or the surprise hits?

Drama and action fills out the rest of the slots. The big question is how big will "Avatar" be next weekend? Can it stand up against these other films and its $200 million budget? We'll have to wait and see.

'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies'

Back in February there was quite some online stir about a revision of Jane Austen's classic novel "Pride and Prejudice." Of course I'm talking about Seth Grahame-Smith's "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies."

Variety now reports that Natalie Portman has signed on to star and produce this story of a woman's quest for love and independence amidst the outbreak of a deadly virus that turns the undead into vicious killers.

The plot of the film is pretty much what it says on the tin – it’s Jane Austin’s classic novel with a new zombie element grafted onto to it.

Portman will produce through her “HandsomeCharlie” production shingle along with Annette Savitch. In relation to the project, Savitch said:

“Natalie and I are longtime passionate fans of Jane Austen’s books and this a fresh, fun and thought-provoking way to approach her work. The idea of zombies running rampant in 19th Century England may sound odd, but it lends a modern sense of urgency to a well known love story.”

Lionsgate will finance and distribute the film which currently has no director or writer. But "Donnie Darko" director David Kelly will be producing the film and I wouldn’t be too surprised if he directs it too (or at the very least flirts with the idea).

Natlaie Portman will next be seen in Darren Aronofsy’s "Black Swan" and the upcoming "Thor."

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

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

New 'The Crazies' Trailer

Overture Films has debuted a new trailer for "The Crazies" remake that stars Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Joe Anderson, Danielle Panabaker and a town full of crazy people.

This new trailer is better than the first as it immediately jumps into things right away and looks pretty damn creepy. It plays more like a serial killer movie than a thriller, but it still has a very intense feeling to it.

The movie is a remake of George Romero's 1973 film of the same name.
"The Crazies" hits theaters on February 26, 2010 next year.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: First Showing

'Jonah Hex' Doing Two Weeks of Reshoots

Two weeks of reshoots and/or additional shooting will take place for the upcoming film "Jonah Hex."

It’s normal for films to get a couple of extra days at the end of the original shooting period to tweak some odds and ends that weren’t done right. But it becomes more of an issue when it’s not just days but weeks of reshooting that get scheduled.

SpoilerTV is reporting that "Jonah Hex" will be going through the reshoots next year between January 18 and February 1. It is also reported that a set of casting call notes has gone out describing the characters involved in the reshoots.

There are a few significant ones: Jeb Turnbull, son of John Malkovich’s primary villain, and Cassie, Hex’s wife. Casting these characters implies that a couple of sequences will be shot that are flashbacks to Hex’s past.

On top of the casting call details, Bloody-Disgusting says that director Jimmy Hayward will be replaced by Francis Lawrence ("I Am Legend," "Constantine") for the period of the reshoots.

That information should be treated strictly as a RUMOR until it’s confirmed or denied.

What do you make of "Jonah Hex" getting a two-week reshoot period? Do you think the new director bit (if true) is something to be worried about?

"Jonah Hex" hits theaters next summer on June 18, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, /Film

'The Sorcerer’s Apprentice' Teaser Trailer

Disney has released the first official trailer for next summer’s magical adaptation of "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice."

This new action-adventure movie stars Nicolas Cage as the Sorcerer Balthazar Blake, Jay Baruchel as his Apprentice, Monica Bellucci, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer, and Toby Kebbell.



"The Sorceror's Apprentice" is described as an innovative and epic comedy adventure about a sorcerer and his hapless apprentice who are swept into the center of an ancient conflict between good and evil. Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina).

Balthazar can’t do it alone, so he recruits Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course in the art and science of magic, and together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness.

"The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is Disney's other big summer movie in addition to "Prince of Persia."

"The Sorcerer’s Apprentice" hits theaters on July 16, 2010.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, First Showing

'Gears of War' Film Will Only Start the Action...Not Be the Action

"Gears of War," the popular video game for the Xbox 360, is being turned into a feature film with Len Wiseman ("Underworld") directing.

A while back, screenwriter Chris Morgan said that the film would not be a prequel to the first video game, but that it would show how the war depicted in the games began.

“Gears of War” centers on the members of Delta Squad, an elite squadron that consists of rough-and-tough soldiers Marcus Fenix, an ex-convict, and Dominic Santiago, a hardened soldier. They form a the squadron that wages war against an insurgent alien race called the Locust Horde — a deadly collective that’s already promised to surface heavily in the film.

"It would be a crying shame not to deal with Marcus and Dom," Morgan told MTV News back in October of 2008. "I would not be interested in the movie if we weren't dealing with them. I want to see those guys. I want to see 'Emergence Day.' I want to see this stuff happen."

Emergence Day is when the Locust Horde burst from the ground and began attacking humanity. The video game did not show that or anything about the beginning of the war as it was only described to explain the reason for immediately thrusting the player into the thick of the fight.

Now MTV News had the chance to talk with producer Wyck Godfrey and discuss the plot of the upcoming film.

"The hard part is how to make it into something that doesn't feel like a world torn asunder and people just in battle," he described. "I think we really want to focus on the idea of a world that's running well, and then it's Emergence Day and kind of make it impactful and immediate and the survival of those 48 hours as people survive Emergence Day. It's more like 'Cloverfield' or something like that."

As mentioned, the game immediately heads into battle against the vicious Locust Horde. It sounds like the movie won't take that approach, however, as Godfrey explained that jumping straight into the Locust side of things might not appeal to moviegoers given the current global atmosphere.

"Trying to tell the epic story of an alien planet that's living in a horrific environment just feels like the wrong mood right now," he said.

I'm always a bit cautious when it comes to breaking too far away from source material — and here I again believe that this is a mistake. One of the great parts about the game was getting straight into the action, and that is what made the game popular. Maybe the mood is wrong for some people, but the fans of the game (the main market for this film) probably aren't going to be very excited for an origins story. I know I'm not.

I don't understand why Hollywood loves doing origin stories. Does anybody are about how the war in the game started? Instead of just tiny flashbacks or something throughout the action, we're gonna get the first act where we meet everyone, the second act where we're invaded and then everything under the sun will be crammed into the last act.

I am also against the comparison to "Cloverfield." That was a cool movie in its own right, but very different from what I'd like to see in "Gears of War" in terms of scope and style.

For now, I'm filing this under the wait-and-see category. But my hopes aren't high for this film already if they're taking this approach.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Latino Review, MTV News

'Zombieland' Writers Being Eyed for 'Deadpool'

In an interview with MTV News, Ryan Reynolds says the search is on for a writer for the "Deadpool" film, which will develop the character from "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" into a more comic-accurate version of the wisecracking masked mercenary.

"I think at this point everyone's just focused on getting the right script and the right tone and the right writer involved and I think from there, the world's your oyster," he said. "If you get that right, you're going to get an amazing director."

He continues to reveal that there have been a lot of meetings with writers, who each have something unique to bring to the movie. They’re working on that still and he’s hopeful that something can be announced officially sooner rather than later.

There’s nothing official on what writers are being looked at, but going by a potential scoop from CHUD, "Zombieland" writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick could be the chosen pair to write "Deadpool" for Fox Studios.

The pair also wrote the first draft of the "Venom" spin-off from the "Spider-Man" films, so they have worked on a script based on a Marvel character already.

Although just a rumor, I would be in full support of Reese and Wernick taking over the script-writing duties for this "X-Men" movie. "Zombieland" was well-written, very funny and full of action - which all meshes perfectly with what a "Deadpool" film should be.

No director has yet been announced for the project, but hopefully news will keep coming out for this movie so we know it is officially happening even if Reynolds is starring in another superhero franchise about the DC hero "Green Lantern."

Who would you like to see write and direct "Deadpool"?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files, Screen Rant