Ever since the success of ‘The Avengers’ Marvel Studios have been hard at work on their next projects and even giving us small hints at it. The most exciting of these to me comes from a quote from Kevin Fiege:

“And, we’ve got a lot of other characters we’re prepping and getting ready for film debuts: the world of martial arts…”

After reading that line right there any and every Marvel fan knew who he was talking about…Danny Rand aka Iron Fist. And this wasn’t the first time we had heard about them developing a Iron Fist movie. There has been talks as far as back as 2000 regarding making this film. Ray Park had been signed on to play with Kirk Wong (‘The Big Hit’) set to direct from a script written by John Turman. Production delays began from the start and pushed back all the way to 2003. Steve Carr (‘Next Friday’) replayed Kirk Wong as director and once again the film was placed on hold all the way until 2007. No news or talks about the movie surfaced again until 2009 when Marvel Studios first announced they were working on “creative ways to launch its lesser-known properties”.

The time wasn’t right then when comic movies were just filler but I think the time is right now. Comic book movies have become the summer blockbusters. They break records and fill seats better than most movies and I think we need a splash of something different. And I think that different would be an Iron Fist movie. A superhero movie that wouldn’t so much rely on gadgets or super powers but hand to hand combat…with super powers mixed in of course. And hey if you don’t trust me…Damon Lindelof agrees that it would make a cool movie.

Ed Brubaker and Matt Fractions run on The Immortal Iron Fist (which Brubaker won  an Eisner for in 2008) would be a great basis for a movie. You throw in a great cast with a good leading man, a good martial arts/action director and then slap that Marvel logo (after ‘The Avengers’ that logo alone is going to be a money maker for films) and you have the potential for making a great film that can be loved by not only comic fans but the general movie going audience.

So, who could handle a lead role in an Iron Fist film? I’ve picked four actors that I feel could definitely pull it off. But feel free to comment in the box below if you have some ideas of your own.

Ryan Phillipe

Ryan Gosling

Garrett Hedlund

Charlie Hunnam

I chose these actors due to their age range, knowledge in the department and drawing power. We need a good lead role that isn’t too huge but isn’t a nobody at the same time.

In order to keep the comic book movies coming we need to keep the movies and ideas fresh and keep the audiences Filling seats. We have yet to explore “the world of martial arts” and as not just a comic fan but a movie fan I can see this being something that will spark interest in the masses. As much as I would love to see ‘Ant-Man’ or ‘Guardians Of the Galaxy’ hit the screen over the next two years…my choice for the next Marvel project goes to Danny Rand…aka The Immortal Iron Fist.

With filming set to begin this fall on the much anticipated sequel “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” speculation/rumor as to who will play the character of Finnick Odair are running rampant.

Last week saw the rumor that sparkly vampire Robert Pattison at been cast but those proved to be untrue, shocking, I know.

Well, this week we have more casting rumors to report. E! online is claiming that sources at Lionsgate are saying that the list of actors in contention is down to three. And those three actors are…. Armie Hammer, Taylor Kitsch, and Garret Hedlund.

Armie Hammer, most recognizable to audiences as the Winklevoss twins in “The Social Network,” will next be seen alongside Johnny Depp, where he will be playing “The Lone Ranger.” Taylor Kitsch, last seen in the bombs “John Carter” and “Battleship,” could use the work for sure, but his casting seems highly unlikely to me. Garret Hedlund, played the lead role in Disney’s “Tron Legacy” and was last seen in the film adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s “On The Road.”

While the source says the studio has narrowed it down to the three actors, yet another source claims that Lionsgate is also considering casting an unknown in the role. Who knows who will end up in the role, but it’s probably safe to assume that the role will be cast soon.

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” begins filming this fall. Stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth are set to reprise their roles. “I am Legend” director Francis Lawrence is slated to direct.  The Quarter Quell begins in 2013.

Who's it gonna be?