Tag: Marvel Studios

Five Actresses Testing For ‘Captain America: The Winter Solider’ Love Interest

by Shawn Madden

With shooting set to begin in a few months, Captain America: The Winter Soldier directors Joe and Anthony Russo have a short list of five actresses to play the major “love interest” role in the highly anticipated sequel. The role has yet to be revealed but it’s safe to assume based on Cap’s history that these actresses are in the running to play Sharon Carter.

The list is comprises of Emilia Clarke (Game Of Thrones), Jessica Brown Findlay (Albatross), Teresa Palmer (I Am Number Four), Imogen Poots (Fright Night)
and Alison Brie (Mad Men). There is no mention of Anna Kendrick (End Of Watch) or Felicity Jones (Like Crazy) who had previously been mentioned to be in the running. Kendrick at one point was even said to be the front runner for the role.

Additionally it has also been confirmed that Scarlett Johansson will be reprising her role as Black Widow in the film. Black Widow has been romantically involved with Winter Soldier in the comics but it’s unknown currently if we will see that in the film.

Source: Deadline

 

ABC’s ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Agents Revealed!

by Shawn Madden

Around a month ago it was revealed that Marvel and Joss Whedon would be bringing S.H.I.E.L.D. to ABC. Not much has been revealed as far as details about the show up until now. We now have some character descriptions for some of the agents. None of them are familiar characters to Marvelites but they definitely sound very Whedonesque.

SKYE: This late-20s woman sounds like a dream: fun, smart, caring and confident – with an ability to get the upper hand by using her wit and charm.

AGENT GRANT WARD: Quite the physical specimen and “cool under fire,” he sometimes botches interpersonal relations. He’s a quiet one with a bit of a temper, but he’s the kind of guy that grows on you.

AGENT ALTHEA RICE: Also known as “The Calvary,” this hard-core soldier has crazy  skills when it comes to weapons and being a pilot. But her experiences have left her very quiet and a little damaged.

AGENT LEO FITZ and AGENT JEMMA SIMMONS: These two came through training together and still choose to spend most of their time in each other’s company. Their sibling-like relationship is reinforced by their shared nerd tendencies – she deals with biology and chemistry, he’s a whiz at the technical side of weaponry.

There are plenty of fan-favorite agents of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division that it’s highly probable will appear but the looks of it this may be the central cast. Whedon may be creating new characters and bringing in fan favorites in to test out their response possibly. Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen are set to serve as executive producers and showrunners on S.H.I.E.L.D. in addition to co-writing the pilot with Joss Whedon. We should definitely expect some casting announcements in the coming weeks.

Source: TV Line

Mark Millar Talks About Working With Fox On Their Marvel Properties

by Shawn Madden

It was announced just yesterday that Fox would be bringing Mark Millar (The Ultimates, Kick-Ass) on as their creative council for their Marvel films. Basically, Fox has made Millar their Joss Whedon. Below, Millar also thanks directors Matthew Vaughn and Joe Carnahan who were instrumental in Millar getting the gig. While we know that we can expect great things from the combination of  Vaugh and Millar, it’s going to be interesting to see what could possibly come from him and Carnahan. Maybe we will see Nemesis released by Fox? Anyway, Millar has decided to talk about what he will be doing with Fox which you can read below.

Dear Boys and Girls,

I’m just out of bed and hardly slept a wink. Weirdly, the baby slept right through and we could have had a clear eight hours, but I was still buzzing about the big announcement last night. It’s pretty much the biggest thing that’s ever happened to me so as you can imagine adrenaline is coursing. For those who missed, I’ve just signed a contract with Fox to work on ALL their Marvel movies, details of which can be seen here:

PRESS RELEASE: Mark Millar To Consult On FOX’s MARVEL ADAPTATIONS

It’s way too early to talk about plans just yet, but as you can imagine the idea here is to make exactly the kind of superhero movies you and I want to see most. There literally isn’t a more talented bunch of film-makers to be working with and the team at Fox are incredibly excited about this bold new direction too. I also want to post this here to say thanks for the hundreds of emails I woke up to this morning and the thousand-plus tweets I got overnight from well-wishers. I wish I had time to reply to them all today – I usually reply to most of my tweets @mrmarkmillar – but this morning was an AVALANCHE and so I just wanted to so a big thanks, that I’ve read every one and that they’re hugely appreciated. A highlight, I think, was well-wishes from Stan The Man himself. That’s like the Pope sending a message. Couldn’t have been more exciting.

But my biggest thanks has to go to director Joe Carnahan, I think. It was Joe who suggested me to the bigwigs at Fox for this role as he’s always been a supporter of what I did in comics like The Ultimates and so on. He and Matthew Vaughn – both of whom have a very strong relationship with Fox – really pushed for me to get this gig and I just want to publicly thank them both for their support.

Right, better get my Scottish ass showered, dressed and onto work. Kick-Ass 2 resumes shooting here on Monday and I’m on set the week after next, but a TON of stuff to get written before I can get down to Pinewood. Finished issue 2 of Jupiter’s Children yesterday for Mister Frank Quitely and issue one of Kick-Ass 3 is now in the can too. Oh, and thanks to everyone who picked up Hit-Girl #3 this week. We sold out by yesterday afternoon and will be going back to press on this and with the FOURTH printing of issue one. Thanks again for spending your hard-earned cash on these Millarworld books and keeping it away from the Romney campaign!

Right. Work. Catch you all later and I promise you are in for an awesome few years. If you’re on this board you know how much I’m INTO this stuff.

Lotsa love,
MM

Not only is this a great decision it is a smart decision. It’s clear that these movie studios are learning from Marvel Studios success that the best choice for people to work on films are not studio people, but rather the people who actually write comics and read them. It may have taken a number of years for them to learn this but I am glad they have. While there are many fans who want Marvel Studios to get back their Fantastic Four and X-Men properties I think that it’s better that they don’t have them. Yes, I know I just probably pissed someone off with that one.

As long as they’re making money Fox isn’t going to be letting go of these properties any time soon. And it’s better that way. We don’t need a Marvel Studios reboot of these films while they have tons of other properties that we could explore. But now with Millar on board, who has written X-Men and Fantastic Four titles before, you can definitely expect it to stick closer to the source as well as bring in some awesome things that you may not expect at all. I definitely can’t wait to see what he brings to the table.

 

The Evolution Of The Mainstream Superhero Movie: From Joke To Blockbuster

by Shawn Madden

It’s currently a great time for comic book fans at the local multiplex. Three of the biggest movies of 2012 are based on comic book properties. The Avengers accomplished feats we would have never imagined possible ten years ago and has gone on to become the third highest grossing film of all time. The Amazing Spider-Man swung its way into our hearts and made us feel like teenagers again. The Dark Knight Rises concluded a trilogy that left us satisfied in a way that many fans have not felt with a trilogy since… well, you know which trilogy. But it wasn’t always like this.

At one point superhero movies were B-list movies that were destined to one day be available in five dollar bins at Best Buy right next to horrid video game films. The seventies and eighties saw comic book adaptations as jokes with few minor exceptions such as Superman, Batman, and a few other b-list properties. The nineties were full of poor excuses for comic film adaptations like Steel, Batman & Robin, Mystery Men and Judge Dredd.

But at some point the superhero movie began to improve in both story and scale. Studios started to see the positive results of doing right by the superhero genre. Don’t get me wrong, we still saw plenty of failure with movies that could have been great. I’m looking at you Ghost Rider, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man 3 and X-Men: The Last Stand (oh, the bad theater memories associated with those last two…). But the good is starting to consistently outweigh the bad. So looking back at the history of the superhero film, which ones played pivotal roles in bringing us to where we are now?

1978’s Superman: The Movie is regarded by many as the first true superhero film, perhaps because Richard Donner fought to take the subject matter seriously. When he agreed to be director, the script he got was nothing but campy humor. He threw that out, brought in Tom Mankiewicz to do heavy rewrites and the result was nothing short of fantastic. Not only did we get brilliant direction from Donner, but we got some of the most iconic performances from talented actors. The impact of this movie can still be seen reflected in many movies including Sam Raimi’s homage in Spider-Man 2 when Peter Parker opens his shirt to reveal his costume underneath and most recent in the brief Gwen Stacy/Spider-Man swinging sequence in Marc Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man.

Many elements of the Superman mythos introduced in the film have since been incorporated into the regular continuity of the DC Universe. While the sequel Superman II (which Donner started but was finished after his firing by Richard Lester) received much praise, the reception to the sequels that followed was not so great, with Brian Singer’s love letter to Donner’s original Superman Returns regarded by some as one of the worst comic book adaptations. Throughout the 80s, after the success of Superman 1 and 2, we saw a dark period full of horrible attempts at comic book movies, including the spin-off film Supergirl. But in 1989 things would brighten up. Funny that it required a Dark Knight to do so.

In 1989, Tim Burton’s Batman arrived in theaters, one of the first truly “dark” comic book movies and completely changed the game, leading to a comic book resurgence at the box office and well received comic book films like Dick Tracy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Rocketeer. But as fresh as Tim Burton’s cinematic take on Batman was, the memories of the campy 1960’s caped crusader hung tight. The movie was even criticized in some places for being “too dark”. Burton once joked, “ever since I did Batman, it was like the first dark comic book movie. Now everyone wants to do a dark and serious superhero movie. I guess I’m the one responsible for that trend.” And he’s right. Tim Burton’s Batman is very responsible for the “darker”, more “mature” superhero film.

Just as with Christopher Nolan’s movies, the fans had many complaints about the casting choices in this film. Even the first trailer seemed to poke fun at the outcry, as comedic actor Michael Keaton responded to a caught crook pleading “who are you!?!” with a simple: “I’m Batman”. And he was. When naysayers ultimately saw the movie, they were blown away by the performances of both Keaton and Jack Nicholson, an inspired star-caliber casting choice.

Not only did the movie begin the trend of dark comic book movies but the success of Batman prompted Warner Bros. Animation to create the critically-acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series, resulting in the long-running DC animated universe. It also led to the theatrical release of Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm, which set the stage for mature theatrically released animated movies like Disney’s theatrical release of Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. How different would our theatrical landscape be today if this movie had not been released into theaters? IGN ranked Mask of the Phantasm as the 25th best animated film of all time in a list published in 2010. However,  things would not always stay bright. Tim Burton’s breakout film was eventually eroded by sequels (and Joel Schumacher), culminating in 1997’s Batman & Robin being quite possibly, hands down, the worst comic book movie of all time. But at least for a while, DC seemed to be on top of the comic book adaptation game, until a C-level Marvel property proved it had some real teeth.

In 1998, we saw the first appearance of Wesley Snipes as Blade on the big screen. Produced and released under the radar, and featuring an obscure Marvel character, this movie resulted in Marvel’s first successful comic book based film. And it immediately swung the bright lights of Hollywood onto the comic publisher’s massive stable of characters, lights dimmed by Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four and The Punisher movie of almost a decade earlier. In fact, after the disastrous performances of DC’s Batman & Robin and Steel, it gave Marvel some bragging rights and its success convinced studios like Fox and Sony to develop blockbuster films based on the X-Men and Spider-Man, Marvel’s two A-list superhero properties towards the end of the decade. Suddenly, superheroes were back in the game.

Blade also acted as one of the first times where we saw a sequel that was arguably better than the first film. His second Hollywood film (after Mimic), Guillermo del Toro’s take on the Marvel Comics vampire hunter in Blade II still doesn’t get the credit that it deserves but the box office proved that the franchise had bite, improving on the first film’s earnings and setting the stage for Underworld receiving a wider release the following year (before Kate Beckinsale was a proven box office draw). And even though David Goyer’s third film didn’t live up to either of the first two, it showed that less widely known Marvel properties (like Iron Man) could work as box office franchises. The third film also introduced us to the first big budget outing of a TV actor who would eventually become the big screen Hal Jordan. Looking back, Blade accomplished a more than most people remember. But if Blade cracked open the door for the future success of the superhero film, the following two films blew the door right off the hinges.

In the summer of 2000, Fox released X-Men to the big screen.  The move had a large list of A-list actors including Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart but also included a few untested or unknown talents, including director Bryan Singer, who was only known at the time for smaller, critically acclaimed films The Usual Suspects and Apt Pupil. Hugh Jackman, an unknown actor at the time, was cast three weeks into filming as a replacement for Dougray Scott. Leaked set images and costume tests were met with criticism by fans months earlier and leading up to the release of X-Men, expectations were not high that this movie was going to work at all.

But it did… in a big way. Jackman went on to become the most recognizable face of the franchise and a major Hollywood star. Actually, everyone involved in X-Men went on to find immediate success, but X-Men was a major risk for both Fox and Marvel and today many people fail to realize that without X-Men we would not have gotten The Avengers. A superhero ensemble film? X-Men proved that it could work. Singer and company proved that you could have a story filled with superheroes and fantastical elements that followed multiple characters and didn’t feel rushed or hazy around the edges. With a budget of $75,000,000 (small by today’s superhero standards), the film went on to earn twice that at the box office and paved the way for today’s wave of superhero box office goodwill. The following May, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man broke box office records on opening weekend. Obviously, people loved their superheroes and X-Men hadn’t been enough for them.

Singer followed up the first film with X2: X-Men United which is still regarded as one of the best comic book movies ever. The story was bigger, the stakes were higher and the fights more elaborate. Prior to First Class, this was widely regarded as the best X-Men movie to date and featured morals, messages, themes and references to the comics that only avid fans would get. The opening sequence with Nightcrawler is still one of the best opening scenes in any comic book movie. It draws you in and you are instantly hooked. And the ending? One of the biggest set ups for a classic storyline that left fans going crazy (sadly, it was ruined by a horrible third chapter which followed the comic book movie curse). While X3: The Last Stand did feature some great casting and character additions (Ben Foster as Angel, Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde and Kelsey Grammar as Beast) it failed to live up to its predecessors by far. It was obvious that the Superhero movie had begun to buckle under the pressures of success (and Hollywood) and needed to be brought back to its roots. Luckily, DC and Warner Bros. had just rewritten the blue prints for success the previous summer.

It was now time for studios to take what they had learned from past outings and put it to work. In 2005 Christopher Nolan brought a dark knight back to the screen and changed the face of the modern comic book movie. After a series of unsuccessful projects to resurrect Batman on screen following the 1997 critical failure that was Batman & Robin, Nolan and David Goyer began work on the film in early 2003 and aimed for a darker and more realistic tone, with humanity and realism being the basis of the film. Nolan chose to rely on traditional stunts and miniatures and very minimally relied on CGI to further set a sense of realism in this new Bat-verse. The goal was to get the audience to care for both Batman and Bruce Wayne. Batman Begins was both critically and commercially successful.

Batman Begins was not only considered to have heralded a trend of darker genre films but also the rebooting of many franchises. This can most recently be seen with The Amazing Spider-Man where we see a return to the character in a more reality based story with darker tones. Batman Begins had become the game changer.  That was until Marvel Studios “suited up” for the first time in 2008.

Up until now Marvel’s properties had their hits and misses. Marvel’s movies had been handled by outside studios and now it was time for Marvel Studios first at bat with Jon Favreau’s Iron Man and it knocked it out of the park. While past films had tweaked the formula for the perfect superhero movie this had taken all of that in and set the standard. What made the film work ultimately is that there is a fluid mix of real drama, human pathos, computer-rendered special FX, sexual tension undercurrent romance, lighthearted hi-jinks and humor, as well as genuine chemistry between the stars of the film.

Especially important, the film’s producers realized that it was important for them to take the source material from the comics as serious material and use it as their basis for the entire story they built. It was obvious that the source material was given the kind of credibility and respectability it deserved, which resulted in the film having a quite healthy opening weekend. By earning a worldwide total of $585 million, it proved that even B-list Marvel superheroes had legitimate box office appeal with the right handling.

Marvel Studios thus proved that it was indeed the best place for these heroes to be adapted for the big screen. Iron Man was huge but it was also the first step towards something bigger. Marvel Studios followed up with The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, establishing something that had never been seen before, a connected movie universe that culminated in what would go on to be the largest grossing superhero movie of all time and quite possibly the highest praised, The Avengers. The film currently sits at an impressive 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and has gone on to gross $1.5 billion dollars in ticket sales alone.

But, while The Avengers was huge it was just the beginning. Marvel is set to begin their “Phase Two” plan next year. We will see Iron Man, Thor and Captain America all return to the big screen with sequels but in 2014 Marvel Studios is preparing to take some of their biggest risks yet bringing less-known characters Ant-Man and Guardians Of The Galaxy to the big screen. This will all lead up to us assembling once again for the sequel to The Avengers in 2015. And it seems Marvel Studios success has shown another studio that a massive superhero ensemble movie can be done and done well.

Next year you will also believe a man can fly again when Zack Snyder brings Superman back to the big screen with Man Of Steel. This will be Superman’s first film since 2006’s not-so-critically acclaimed Superman Returns. This is reported to be DC’s first step to establishing their own connected universe much like Marvel has done with upcoming plans for a Justice League film to hit screens in the coming years.

And while the credits may be rolling on this article we all know by now that doesn’t always mean that it’s over. Stick around because there’s sure to be something else…

The Ten Rings From ‘Iron Man’ Returning In ‘Iron Man 3’

by Shawn Madden

Well, if you didn’t expect this one…you should have. The terrorist organization The Ten Rings that captured Tony Stark in the first Iron Man will be returning for Shane Black’s Iron Man 3. The name of the organization was originally a wink to fans of the comics who knew that one of Iron Man’s most famous opponents, The Mandarin, had ten magical rings he would wear that would give him powers.

You can see the organization’s logo in the banner behind Mr. Stark. The same logo that appears on these hats:

It is highly likely that the group will obviously have ties to the movies antagonist, The Mandarin. However, the actual details of those ties are unknown at the moment. A trailer is expected to be released in the coming weeks and just like the rest of you I can’t wait for Phase Two to start.

Source: LR

UPDATE: Clive Russell & Richard Brake’s Roles In ‘Thor: The Dark World’ Revealed

by Shawn Madden

Prinicipal photography on Thor: The Dark World is currently underway and according to Shepherd Management Limited casting agency, not one but two of their clients have signed on for minor undisclosed roles in Alan Taylor’s sequel. Deadline has now revealed what roles the actors will be playing in the film.

The first being British actor Clive Russell who has appeared in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes and its 2011 sequel, as well as numerous British television series, and he was recently cast as Ser Brynden Tulley the Blackfish in HBO’s third season of Game Of Thrones. Clive Russell will portray the god of war, Tyr, which is the all-father Odin’s other biological son and older brother of the titular God of thunder in the comics.

The second addition is Richard Brake, who is probably best known for playing the DC character Joe Chill in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. The actor has also appeared in Hannibal Rising, Water For Elephants, & Outpost.The actor will play a captain of an elite group of Asgardian warriors that appeared in the first film, known as Einherjars.

Thor: The Dark World hits theaters November 8, 2013.

Don’t Expect Another ‘Hulk’ Movie Until After ‘The Avengers’ Sequel

by Shawn Madden

Many fans have been wondering when the next time we would see the Green Goliath on the big screen after his standout appearance in The Avengers.  The head of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige recently spoke about the plans for a Hulk movie after the sequel to The Avengers sequel and that ‘World War Hulk’ as well as ‘Planet Hulk’ are definitely possibilities.

Feige spoke on the topic of the two stories being adapted:

“‘Planet Hulk’ is a cool story. ‘World War Hulk’ is a cool story. I think there’s pitfalls of continuity-overload, and mythology getting so dense that it almost collapses in on itself. It happens every few decades or so in the comics. Apart from that, I’d say everything is on the table.”

But Feige did state it’d be quite some time before we saw the Hulk in a solo film again:

“Do I think Hulk can carry a movie and be as entertaining as he was in ‘Avengers’? I do believe that. I do believe he absolutely could. We certainly are not even going to attempt that until ‘Avengers 2.’ So there’s a lot of time to think about it.”

Out of the two stories I think that ‘Planet Hulk’ would be easier to adapt into a solo film than ‘World War Hulk’. Are either of these stories that you would want to see on the big screen or do you have a personal Hulk storyline that you’d like to see brought to life? They did establish The Leader in The Incredible Hulk and I personally would enjoy seeing them pursue that option but can understand them going another route.

Source: MTV

 

A First Look At Zack Levi As Fandral In ‘Thor: The Dark World’

by Shawn Madden

Fans were quite ecstatic when they learned that Chuck star Zachary Levi would be taking over the role of Fandral in Thor: The Dark World. Have you been wondering what he is going to look like as the blonde bearded swordsman? Well, Levi tweeted a pretty funny picture from the Shepperton Studios alongside actor Idris Elba who plays Heimdall that gives you an idea.

Kevin Fiege Talks About Future Plans For Thanos And Shawarma

by Shawn Madden

To say fans were excited and lost their mind about the appearance of Thanos in Marvel’s The Avengers would be quite an understatement. Even since that scene fans have wondered when we would see the character again.  It was recently confirmed that the mad titan would be appearing again in James Gunn’s Guardians Of The Galaxy and Feige reveals that there are plans that have been set in stone for the character in the future.  MTV recently chatted with the man Marvel Studios Kevin Fiege, and discussed the future of The Avengers big mid-credits surprise.Feige stated:

“There’s a great track record now about lobbing something in at the last moment to get the audience buzzing. Particularly when it came to Thanos, [we knew] that most people in that audience had no idea who that purple guy was — but they could clearly tell he was important, and knew if they asked the two or three people sitting next to them, somebody would know who he was.

Clearly, there’s a purpose to us putting him in the end of that movie. We do have plans for him. I wouldn’t say we ever feel the need to rush anything one way or the other. We succeeded in Phase One because we stuck to our guns and stuck to the plan. That plan took place over many, many years and it ultimately paid off. I see Phase Two unfolding in the same way of us taking our time, us doing what’s right for each individual movie, while folding in elements that will not only build up to the culmination of Phase Two, but even Phase Three.”

Actor Damion Poiter was the man behind Thanos first outing on the big screen but we can most likely expect another actor to play the mad titan in the future. Fiege commented on that briefly:

“I think we feel pretty free to recast. That was cast for literally that one shot. Depending on what the role requires from future movies, we’ll go from there.”

“Suddenly, you have a million people who had never heard of an Infinity Gauntlet or a Mad Titan learning those terms. I love that. I love when the experience goes beyond the movie theater and encourages people to look deeper into our universe. I was equally excited by the notion that people went out and tried shawarma for the first time.”

Pretty sure we all tried shawarma after. Actually, I now even have a place that I go get shawarma. Are you guys ready for Phase Two? And who would you guys like to see play Thanos in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Scott Porter Would Love To Play ‘Nova’ In ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’

by Shawn Madden

Scott Porter is definitely no stranger to Marvel. Porter was one of the contenders to portray Captain America and has expressed interest in the past in portraying Danny Rand aka Iron Fist. He’s even worked with Marvel before, voicing Scott Summers aka Cyclops in the X-Men anime.  In a recent interview with MTV the actor expressed interest in portraying another of Marvel’s characters.

“Marvel just announced that they’re doing ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ which is another property that I love. I read it growing up. I’d love to play Nova.”

I think any kid who gets into the acting business, they have a couple of things that they always wanted to do. For me, it was like, play a war hero; play an athlete, which I’ve gotten to do; die a horrible death in a horror movie, which I’ve gotten to do; and then be a superhero. I’ve marked two things off the list, and I’m working on the others.

Gunn is a unique choice. I think he could be a really great shephard for that property,” added Porter. “I think ‘Guardians’ is going to be a lot of fun. I think it’ll be very cool. I thought the next thing I might try and go after is ‘Heroes for Hire,’ but it looks like ‘Guardians’ is around, so…”

The actor then went on to state that he definitely wants to portray a superhero at one point and that it was one of the things on his to-do list. It’s been rumored that Nova would appear in Guardians Of The Galaxy and I really haven’t though much of it until now. But I honestly wouldn’t be against this one. He obviously knows his source material. What do you guys think?

Source: MTV

Drew Goddard Would Love To Make A Movie For Marvel Studios

by Shawn Madden

ShockTillYouDrop recently spoke with director Drew Goddard (Cabin In The Woods) about the blu-ray and DVD release of the film. During the interview he was asked if the opportunity arose, which Marvel comics character would he like to develop a film for. The director didn’t name any specific character but did go on to say it’s all about what the right fit is. And we may have an idea on what would be the right fit for him.

“What Marvel character would I not love to get on? That’s an easier question to answer. I would love any of it and I love Marvel, Joss and what they’re doing. It’s all about finding the right fit. Directing, in order to do your job right, you have to find ways to make it personal, and if we can find the right fit, then I would love to do it.”

Look, we’re just throwing this out there. In the past Goddard has talked about his love for Daredevil. Marvel is about to get those rights back. The guy has collaborated with Joss Whedon before. He can definitely direct a great movie. What more reason do you need for this one? By the way if you haven’t seen Cabin In The Woods, do yourselves a favor and pick it up tomorrow on DVD or Blu-ray.

Louis D’Esposito Talks About ‘Ant-Man’ And Reveals When We Will See The ‘Iron Man 3’ Trailer!

by Shawn Madden

Doing some promo work for the upcoming DVD and Blu-ray release for Marvel’s The Avengers Blu-ray and DVD release, Marvel co-president, Louis D’Esposito, discussed the studios upcoming projects and revealed a bit of information about Ant-Man as well as when we can expect to see the trailer for Shane Black’s Iron Man 3.

When he was asked about Wright’s Ant-Man test reel that was shown at this years San Diego Comic-Con that was recently revealed to be getting polished up to be released to the public, D’Esposito stated:

“Yes, I think so. Edgar is just adding the finishing touches and then we will once again make the final visual effects editing. The process is almost complete. Then we will decide when and how we can make it available to the fans. We are more than happy with it. He’s a great filmmaker and we look forward to.

I was there when he made the test reel. I now know how it works and it’s going very methodical and planned. First, he designed the concept, then the storyboard, then he produced an animatic, so he knows exactly what he’ll turn. Every morning we visited him, and he had added new material, which we then looked at together. He is a passionate filmmaker and it that’s contagious. We’ve only looked at it yesterday and every time we see it, then we think, ‘Wow! We can not wait to make this film!’”

Then came the subject of the actual Ant-Man film, which is rumored to begin filming next year after director Edgar Wright completes his next film At World’s End, D’Esposito was asked if we would see the film as part of Phase Two to which he replied:

“I’m not sure, so I can not make a definitive statement. Once we know the more accurate schedule, we will make this announcement publicly.”

Then came the subject of the footage fans are patiently waiting to see, the trailer for Iron Man 3. So, when will a trailer be released?

“I [don’t?] have the exact date…it’s just not ready. But I think it is mid to late October, you can watch a first teaser trailer.”

Even though I have already seen the footage from San Diego I can’t wait for it to be released and watch them over and over again. I actually can’t wait for Phase Two to start…can you?

Source: Filmjunkies

Stan Lee Reveals A Little Bit Of Info About His ‘Iron Man 3’ Cameo

by Shawn Madden

Today marked the final day of Comikaze in Los Angeles and we saw Stan “The Man” Lee do a little bit of Q&A on the main stage. During which one fan asked which cameo was his favorite that he has done in all of the Marvel movies. They also made sure to state that he couldn’t answer with “all of them”.

Stan replied stating that up until now his current favorite was the one that he did for the The Amazing Spider-Man. But then Stan went on to reveal why that one just may not be his favorite anymore.

“…but the cameo I just recently did for the movie Iron-Man 3 which I really think is my greatest cameo yet, I will actually be acting in that one!”

It won’t be the first time Stan’s appeared in a movie as an acting role but definitely will be his first time in Marvel role without just a one-liner. So, are you guys ready to see Stan steal the spotlight from Robert Downey Jr.?

Anthony Mackie Discusses Playing ‘The Falcon’ In ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’

by Shawn Madden

If somehow you haven’t heard by now actor Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker) will be playing Sam Wilson aka The Falcon in the highly anticipated sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger. I don’t think it was ever officially confirmed prior to now but this was definitely the role he was speculated to be playing. The actor recently spoke with News Day and revealed that it’s a “huge honor” for him to be portraying the first African-American superhero in mainstream comics as well as playing a character in which his son, nephews and nieces could all idolize.

I’m playing the Falcon. He’s this guy in Harlem who moved to California and became a drug dealer. His plane crashed, and he was genetically altered, and he can fly, has telepathic powers. He’s the first African-American superhero. It makes me feel all the work I’ve done has been paying off. I have a son, nephews and nieces, and I love the idea that they can dress up as the Falcon on Halloween. They now have someone they can idolize. That’s a huge honor for me.

You can actually check out Mackie’s latest movie, 10 years, in theaters this weekend.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier hits theaters April 4th, 2014

Will The Item 47 Stars Appear In The S.H.I.E.L.D TV Series?

by Shawn Madden

With the announcement of the new S.H.I.E.L.D. television series, many have been wondering if Item 47 stars Lizzy Caplan and Jesse Bradford would be making their way onto the show. Whedon has promised a new cast of characters and when asked by Crave Online if we would see the two appearing in the series:

I honestly do not think they are available because I think she is on another show. We’re building it with a new group of people. They were great and that had a lot to do with why we are making the show, but we are starting fresh.

Bummer. Caplan and Bradford were both great in the Marvel One-Shot and I personally had hoped to see more of them in the future. So, who do you think we will be seeing in the cast of the new series? Is there any S.H.I.E.L.D. agents you guys would like to see featured?

The ‘Ant-Man’ Test Reel Screened At Comic-Con May Be Released Online

by Shawn Madden

In a conversation with the Omelete, Marvel exec Victoria Alonso revealed that the Ant-Man test reel Edgar Wright filmed and showed in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con is being cleaned up to possilby be released. Maybe they’re making it a teaser to possibly finally announce a release date for Ant-Man?

“What we showed at Comic-Con was a work in progress. We’re working on finishing it, and I think you might see it. Not sure where, but we always listen to the fans. And if the fans demand it we make sure they get it. I don’t know if we are going to post it online, but I don’t have [any reason] to believe we may not.”

I saw this teaser in Hall H and while it was rough I can definitely throw the term “bad ass” around in regards to it. It really showed that if anyone could bring Ant-Man to the big screen it’d be Edgar Wright. I am honestly hoping they do release this soon so I can sit and watch it over and over again. And to be honest one more time after that. Keep harassing Marvel until they release it! So, is Edgar Wright still on board for this?

 “Edgar is on board to do it.  He’s going to do one movie before… He wrote a great script and we’re hoping that he will come and work with us.”

Source: Collider

 

Chris Evans Reveals When ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ Begins Filming

by Shawn Madden

Producton is underway on both Marvel Studios Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World, we should expect an Iron Man 3 trailer very soon and we’ve begun to see the return of Chris Hemsworth as the Asgardian god via set photos.  So, what’s next on Marvels schedule? Well, none other than the return of Steve Rogers in the definitely highly anticipated Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Chris Evans recently revealed to Collider when the film would begin shooting:

 

That gives this film around a 13-month production timeline which is the same amount of time that Captain America: The First Avenger had and should definitely not give the directing team of the Russo Brothers any trouble hitting that April 4th released date. We should also definitely expect to see some footage at next year’s San Diego Comic Con so better get ready for Hall H early. If you’re like me…”phase two” definitely can’t come fast enough.

Viggo Mortensen Up For Dr. Strange Or Baron Zemo Role?

by Shawn Madden

A few days ago word broke out that Marvel may just be introducing their resident sorcerer surpreme in Thor: The Dark World. And now there’s a rumor that Viggo Mortensen may be up for the role. A Twitter user by the name of Roger Wardell, who previously leaked out information on Captain America: The Winter Soldier such as the appearance of The Falcon prior to them being announced, tweeted the following:

Inside News: There’s something “Strange” about Thor: The Dark World

Inside News: Marvel is negotiations with Viggo Mortensen for an unspecified role in one of their Phase 2 films

But then he tweeted this one right here that made me think otherwise about the Dr. Strange rumor:

Inside News: Every villain answers to somebody, even the Winter Soldier. Who better to answer to than a Baron?

It’s been speculated for quite some time that Baron Zemo would appear in the sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger. While many are speculating that he could be up for the Dr. Strange role I am leaning towards Zemo myself. Could Marvel be setting up the Masters Of Evil? Right now this is just speculation and I would hold off on getting too excited until anything is officially announced. But, then again it could pan out to be true.  Which role would you rather see him play?

Joss Whedon Very Confident In James Gunn’s Take On ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’

by Shawn Madden

Marvel Studios is taking a major risk with one of their “phase two” movies set for 2014 with the less known property Guardians Of The Galaxy. The upcoming “space epic” is planned to introduce audiences to a much larger Marvel Universe. With Guardians Of The Galaxy set to to lead directly into the sequel to The Avengers, one could only assume that Joss Whedon knows what is going on with that movie. Oh, and let’s not forget that Marvel Studios tapped James Gunn, a friend of Whedon’s, to direct the 2014 film. While speaking with MTV News about his take on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Whedon  shared with MTV News what he thinks about Gunn’s direction so far.

“James is what makes me think it will work. I myself was sort of like, ‘Well, I liked Rocket Raccoon as a kid, but I’m not sure how that plays [to a wider audience].’ And then they said, ‘Well, we’re thinking about using James Gunn.’ And I said, ‘Oh, then no, you’re fine.’ He is so off the wall, and so crazy, but so smart, such a craftsman and he builds from his heart. He loves the raccoon. Needs the raccoon. This is the guy who wrote ‘The Specials.’ People don’t understand how influential that movie was about heroes, about taking heroes and making them mundane. And [he directed] ‘Super.’ Gunn has barely started, but already has a very twisted take on it, but it all comes from a real love for the material. It’s going to be hard for the humans to keep up,” said Whedon. “I know he’s going to come from left field and I’m going to go, ‘What?’ And then, ‘Of course, why didn’t I think of that?’ And then I’m going to beat him!”

Marvel May Be Introducing Dr. Strange In ‘Thor: The Dark World’

by Shawn Madden

For quite some time now it’s been well known that Marvel Studios has wanted to make a Doctor Strange movie. They even have a completed script by Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer that was sent out to directors over a year ago. Well, this rumor seemed to slip past a few people. It seems that The Playlist recorded a podcast a while back that mentioned that they might know something about a sorcerer surpreme’s appearance in Thor: The Dark World. The most interesting part of this? It’s more than just a cameo. Screenrant broke it down like this:

The Playlist claimed that Natalie Portman’s character Jane Foster could be working alongside Dr. Strange in a similar capacity as she did with Stellan Skarsgård’s Dr. Erik Selvig in the first film, and that Strange would be playing a big part in “all three acts” of the film, as opposed to being relegated to a cameo-type introduction. He would play a scientist (he’s a genius neurosurgeon in the comics) and someone who’s deeply interested in Foster’s stories and knowledge about Asgard and Thor.

Actually, I lied about something. The most interesting part of this was the rumor of who Marvel Studios apparently wanted Joel Edgerton (Warrior) as their Doctor Strange. The key word being “wanted”. They may have moved on and found another actor at this point if this turns out to be true. And apparently there’s quite a few bits and pieces to this rumor that could lead to it being true. The same source apparently leaked out the information about The Falcon appearing Captain America: The Winter Soldier prior to Anthony Mackie’s casting. Let’s also not forget the Orb Of Agamatto that appeared in Odin’s vault in Thor.

The Agamatto objects are the source of Strange’s supernatural powers, and according to The Playlist’s information, one of those objects could come crashing down on earth – thus explaining Strange’s cinematic origins. Is Marvel planning on introducing their “Phase Three” characters early? Well, that’d be a smart decision and so far Marvel Studios definitely has a track record of making smart decisions with their movies. So, what are your guys thoughts on this one?

‘The Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One: Avengers Assembled’ Set Delayed

by Shawn Madden

Well, it appears that the lawsuit surrounding The Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One: Avengers Assembled Blu-ray box set has caused the release to be delayed until spring 2013. The collection was previously scheduled for release on September 25, 2012 and no specific date has been announced on when it will be actually released.

German luggage manufacturer Rimowa GmbH is claiming that their Topas attaché case, used by Nick Fury in the movie was reproduced outside of the terms of their agreement with the studio. They’re currently suing for trademark infringement, trademark dilution, unfair competition, and basically just saying essentially that Marvel is counterfeiting their case. he set, which includes a glowing replica of the Tesseract, is now being redesigned.

What will happen to the discarded plastic briefcases and what the new version of the set will look like is currently also unknown. Well, I know some people that are about to punch a hole in their wall.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

The New ‘Iron Man 3’ Armor…The Mark XLVII?! Spoiler Warning!

by Shawn Madden

So, over the course of time from Iron Man up until The Avengers, we’ve seen Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark go through seven different Iron Man armors. This year at San Diego Comic-Con we saw a new armor that inverted the red-gold color scheme, and most people had assumed this was the Mark VIII armor. Well, turns out we all may have been quite wrong.

[Warning: Possible spoilers lie ahead!]

According to Latino Review (who tend to be quite reliable with Marvel Studios news), The Mandarin’s (Ben Kingsley) Extremis goons are going to be too powerful for Stark solo.

The Extremis-enhanced bad guys under direction of Ben Kingsley’s Mandarin villain are going to be too much for Tony to handle on his own, so he thinks ahead, thinks big and has a plan. Tony’s about to go out and fight some bad guys when he mentions the Mark XLVII to Pepper Potts. Pepper asks what happened to the other forty and Tony just smiles.
From the cockpit of Mark XLVII Tony is able to control multiple armors in battle. We over here at LR have been vaguely aware of an action scene where Tony was going to control multiple Iron Man suits (presumably they look similar to distract his enemies as to the location of kill-able Iron Man Prime), but the number 40 seems…awesome. 40 Iron Men.

This is definitely no far-fetched idea due to Tony Stark has sent out controlled armors in the comics before. Could this be one fantastically visual spectacle along the lines of the final battle in The Avengers or another high hopes that fizzled battle such as Iron Man 2? Honestly, I think this movie is going big. Marvel Studios has had to have taken note of the fans disappointments in the last chapter in the franchise and would not be stupid enough to repeat it again. So, what are your thoughts on this one?

Summer 2012 Was The Biggest Super Hero Movie Summer Yet. But Can It Be Topped?

by Eric Diaz

So Labor Day is upon us, which means that for all intents and purposes, summer is over. Believe me, writing that is weird, because as I write this it is something like 80+ degrees outside. But weather aside, as far as Hollywood is concerned, the major summer movie blockbuster season was over with the release of The Expendables a couple weeks back. And I think it can now be made official: summer 2012 was THE summer of the super hero.

In the final box office tally of summer 2012, the three biggest movies were all comic book super hero movies. Avengers is the third biggest movie domestically of all time, destroying even the most ambitious of expectations. Worldwide, it made a billion and a half dollars. The Dark Knight Rises ended Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy with dignity intact, and is currently on track to be the number seven film released domestically of all time, also with a billion dollars made worldwide. And oh yeah…at #3 this year is the red headed step child of the summer, The Amazing Spider-Man, which despite its detractors, went on to make  $260 million domestic, and nearly $800 million worldwide. True, actual ticket sales are at their lowest in twenty years, but the success of these three mega hits in a summer filled with misses shows that even in the toughest movie going market, one can almost always count on the nerd dollar. A lot of people have been wondering when the comic book movie boom would end. Detractors have been saying “any minute” for what seems like years now. But looking at the box office tallies of this summer, it is pretty clear the American public is anything but sick of super heroes.

Going into Summer 2012, a lot of people were saying this would be the peak of the comic book movie juggernaut that has been with us since Summer 2000, when Bryan Singer’s X-Men started the modern super hero movie ball rolling in earnest. But was this past summer the peak of this phenomenon, or is this  just the begining of the second phase, leading not only to Avengers 2 in 2015, but also Warner Brother’s response to the Avengers in the form of Justice League?  Sure, a Justice League movie has been rumored for years now, and even once almost happened. But that was before Avengers made over a billion dollars at the box office; now Warner Brothers has to respond to Marvel’s success with their own super hero mega group flick. Warners has apparently approached directors from Ben Affeck to David Yates to the Wachowskis in a desperate effort to have this puppy ready by Summer 2015. It is a safe bet to assume that this time, when it comes to the League, they’re serious. On top of all that, based on how the last two summers have played out, not to mention how the next two summers are set to roll out, There will almost certainly be another super hero film that year, although the real question is who will dare to take on the JLA AND the Avengers in Summer 2015?

The ultimate super hero box office battle is set to take place in three years, when the Avengers take on the Justice League. Who would have thought THAT would ever happen?

Although there are plenty of comic book and super hero movies scheduled for next Summer as well as 2014, none are as likely to be as huge as an Avengers sequel or a Justice League movie. Right now, the sequel to the Avengers is maybe the most anticipated sequel since maybe The Empire Strikes Back. And even though there hasn’t been the same lead up, Justice League is at least as anticipated as the first Avengers was, as a JLA movie not only teams up Superman and Batman for the first time in live action, but also introduces live action versions of the Flash, Aquaman and Wonder Woman. While it is a safe bet that almost all of the super hero flicks coming over the next two Summer seasons will do well (only Guardians of the Galaxy is the real question mark) none are going to have the epic must-see feel of either of these potential 2015 movies. Add to that a potential third super hero flick into the mix that summer, and summer 2015 is set to dwarf summer 2012 in a big way. If there is a super hero movie peak, it is likely at least three years away still.

Avengers 2, The Justice League, and…..?

It is fair to say we can make a solid, educated guess on what the third super hero movie of summer 2015 won’t be, by process of elimination. Iron Man 3, The Wolverine, and Man of Steel are coming out next Summer, 2013, with Thor: The Dark World following that winter. So it is highly unlikely any sequel to those movies are coming out as soon as 2015, especially with both Thor and Iron Man presumably starring in Avengers 2. Same logic applies to Superman in  a JLA movie, that squashes his chances even more of having another solo film that summer. Summer 2014 has sequels to The Amazing Spider-Man, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and X-Men: Days of Future Past. So forget any X-Men movies in 2015 to go head to head with the Avengers or the JLA, and no Spidey or Cap sequels will follow that fast. Also, according to every reliable source, DC/Warners won’t have another super hero property out after Man of Steel until 2015, when Justice League is set to hit. In all likelihood, the third comic book property that summer will be a Marvel one, with one other notable possibility. But what? Who will be the third super hero movie to go toe to toe with the Avengers and the JLA? Here are my best guesses on who will likely complete the ultimate super hero movie summer three years from now.

Option #1: Daredevil

Fox is  just about to give up their rights to the Daredevil franchise to Marvel Studios/Disney. A grittier, more realistic take on a super hero might fill in the void left over from the end of the Christopher Nolan Batman movies, as the Batman in a Justice League flick will definitely be different. With Daredevil, It’s still a super hero movie, but it would be as dramatically different from Avengers and JLA as humanly possible, and not feel like direct competion. I’d say this difference gives Daredevil the best shot.

Option #2: The Fantastic Four

While Fox was willing to let the Daredevil rights go back to Marvel, it his highly unlikey that they will allow Marvel’s First Family to go anywhere anytime soon. We know they have a reboot of that franchise coming soon, with Chronicle’s Josh Trank at the helm, but will they dare to compete with both the Avengers and the Justice League? It is a 50/50 proposition really; an FF movie could benifit from super team mania that summer, or it could just get crushed between those two giants. I suppose it would ultimately depend on how good it is. It would amazing in a way if three of the four longest running super teams being published made it to movie theaters all in one summer. The twelve year old version of me’s head might explode.

Option #3: Dr. Strange

Marvel Studios has been teasing a Dr. Strange film for a while now, and it seemed the front runner for their 2014 movie until Guardians of the Galaxy took that slot. With Guardians, Marvel is going knee deep into outer space territory, and it seems after that the world of magic is the next logical step. Dr Strange could tie in somewhat to the overall Marvel Movie universe, while still being tangential to the greater Avengers story. Dr Strange, along with Ant-Man, are the last two Stan Lee created major Marvel properties from the 60’s who haven’t yet had a movie. I’d like to see the old man get his cameo.

 

Option #4: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Although the TMNT reboot was scheduled to be released in early 2014, the script review that leaked recently was so scathingly negative as to probably make producer Michael Bay reconsider the direction they are going in and push that movie back, maybe as far as summer 2015. Even though the Ninja Turtles are a super hero team of a sort, there is no chance anyone would ever confuse them with the Avengers or the JLA. They could carve their own little niche that summer.

 

There will be plenty of geek speculation for the next three years as to how summer 2015 will turn out, and there will be plenty of comic book films from now till then to keep us all excited (not to mention NON comic book films….I hear they still make those) But all eyes are on summer 2015, and after that….then maybe we can talk about whether super hero movies have peaked or not. In the meantime, let the speculation continue.

Wang Xeuqi Joining ‘Iron Man 3’ As Chen Lu Aka Radioactive Man

by Shawn Madden

A very last-minute cast addition to Marvel Studios Iron Man 3 has been revealed. After having a picture snapped with the film’s cheif producer, it’s been revealed that Wang Xeuqi (Bodyguards And Assassins) will be the joining the cast of Shane Black’s third chapter in the Iron Man series.

Chinesefilms.cn reports that the 66 year old actor will play Chen Lu, the role originally set to be filled by Andy Lau, who was a scientist before becoming the villain known as Radioactive Man. Numerous times in the comics the character was employed by The Mandarin who will be making his live-action debut in this film. Lau had to drop the role wanting to spend time with his family. Not long ago it was rumored that Chen Lu would be appearing the post-credit scene for the movie that is meant to be a set up for Edgar Wright’s upcoming Ant-Man film. So, could this possibly be a set up for The Masters Of Evil to appear in the upcoming sequel to The Avengers? With Marvel I definitely wouldn’t rule out the possibility.

Joss Whedon Talks In Detail On His Contract With Marvel, ‘The Avengers’ Sequel And ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’

by Shawn Madden

When it was announced that Joss Whedon would be returning to write and direct the sequel to The Avengers and had signed a three-year exclusive contract….well, saying that fans were pleased would be an understatement. And just days ago it was announced that Whedon would be directing and co-writing the pilot for Marvel Studios upcoming live-action television series, S.H.I.E.L.D. Whedon recently chatted with Vulture and talked about his contract with Marvel Studios, directing the sequel to The Avengers and the S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot.

When asked if it had sunk in yet just how just how huge The Avengers went on to become:

It never really has, but when it does, I’m going to become such an enormous dick. [Laughs.] I’m going to have a personal dog polisher and the biggest posse ever. I’m going to be insufferable — well, I mean more insufferable than I already am. You know, at some point, the numbers become meaningless. They’re large, and you can’t really count that high. I felt like I had a particular mission in making what I felt was a slightly old-fashioned movie, because I grew up wanting to make summer movies and wanting to make superhero movies, and I got to do both at once. I felt like summer movies haven’t been what I remember them to be, so I felt like I would love to evoke something that’s less hip and ironic and more heartfelt and character-driven, and apparently, other people cared about that in a large way.
I don’t think it’s a perfect movie. I don’t even think it’s a great movie. I think it’s a great time, and I’m proud of it, but for me, what was exciting is that people don’t go to see a movie that many times unless it’s pulling on something from within, unless there’s a need there. That’s very gratifying.

Regarding his hesitation to helm the sequel to The Avengers and what he will be doing during his time with Marvel Studios:

It was part of what made it attractive to me. I loved the idea of being a consigliere. Every writer loves the idea of being able to go in and fix a problem and then leave without obligation. It’s fun! I also love these characters and the Marvel universe, and I grew up reading the books, and I’ve been going back and reading the old books and realizing that they shaped my storytelling way more than I give them credit for. Now I’m starting up a TV show, which is something I really wanted to do, but I thought it wasn’t going to be a part of my life for the next several years. It’s like a tapas menus of projects that excite me, in addition to the Avengers sequel, which I’m excited for because I’m incredibly excited about the next story that I’m going to tell. For me, it’s a huge win.

It is unbelievably daunting, especially because I don’t want to lose sight of all the other things I have on my docket and in my heart. So, it’s going to be an insane few years, but I feel ready for that. It’s an unholy amount of productivity, but as long as I give it all I can, it’s a good thing. What’s great is that the deal with Marvel is nonspecific, so I will give all I can, but the moment I can’t, I just walk away. The moment I say, “You know, I’d like to help more on this project, but I need this time for The Avengers,” there’s no obligation. It’s not like, “You must spend this amount of time on this movie.” It’s as much as it needs to be.

Discussing the recently green-lit S.H.I.E.L.D. TV pilot:

You know, I can’t guarantee that any of that will happen! But so far, it feels just fine. The important thing to me is that we know what the show is. We love what it is. It came together very organically, so when we went in to pitch [to Marvel], it wasn’t like, We’re trying to find this because you want a TV show, it was, Check this out. And that’s a good way to walk in a room.

Good support is wonderful, but it’s not a hill of beans, because they may give us all this support and then decide, “Eh. Yeah, it’s Friday.” They might give us all the support and then not do that, but then audiences might go, “Yeahhh … no.” You just can’t be sure. What I do know is that it’s the show it should be, and we’ve got some really dope notions. It’s going to work very well for people who either love the Marvel universe or for people who’ve never dipped a toe in the Marvel universe.

Reading this interview alone tells you why Joss Whedon is the perfect man for this job. I can’t wait to see what he brings to the table for the future of Marvel Studios. The currently untitled sequel to The Avengers is scheduled to hit theaters May 1, 2015.

Marvel Studios ‘The Avengers’ Is Coming Back To Theaters!

by Shawn Madden

Marvel Studios has revealed via their Facebook page for the superhero epic and box office smash hit, The Avengers that the movie will be returning theaters this Labor Day Weekend! Starting tomorrow up until the 6th of September you will be able to once again assemble in theaters. The studio released a high-resolution still of Thanos to get fans even more hyped to see it again. Will you be assembling once more this weekend before you pick up the movie on DVD or Blu-Ray on September 25th?

Joss Whedon Reveals First Details For ‘S.H.I.E.L.D’!

by Shawn Madden

Just hours ago news broke that ABC has green lit the live-action TV series based on Marvel’s peacekeeping organization, S.H.I.E.L.D. and now the first details have been revealed straight from the mouth of the pilot’s co-writer & director Joss Whedon. Variety snagged a quote from Whedon earlier today:

“The storyline for the proposed series will be largely “autonomous” from the “Avengers” sequel feature. The series will revolve around the activities of the SHIELD org governing body for the superheroes featured in  The Avengers.”

As we reported earlier, Whedon will be directing the pilot as well as writing alongside his brother, Jed Whedon & his wife Maurissa Tancharoen. There is a high possibility we could see many of the cast of the Marvel One-Shot Item 47, which included Jesse Bradford and Lizzy Caplan, Maximiliano Hernández, Titus Welliver, as possible recurring cast members. And let’s cross our fingers for an Agent Coulson cameo/flashback…or two.

Source: Variety

Could These Set Pics From ‘Thor: The Dark World’ Give Us A Glimpse At Svartalfheim?

by Scott Alminiana

Filming on Thor: The Dark World is currently under-way in England and thanks to some pics SuperHeroHype has received we might have our first glimpse of The Dark World! It could technically be anything from ruins to pieces of Asgard or maybe even a gateway to Svartalfheim? In any case the following images are from the set in Bourne Woods, UK.

Local residents received a letter that informed them that a movie called Thursday Morning would be filming from August through September. The letter contained the following:

“We will be establishing a fictional village set in another realm, with yurts and village like dressing in the bowl. The sequence involves a battle between two kingdoms, ending in our comic book hero arriving to save the day,” the letter read. “The sequence will involve approximately 300 extras who will arrive in the early hours prior to call time to go through costume and makeup.”

Thor: The Dark World stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba, Zachary Levi, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Christopher Eccleston. It’s being directed by Alan Taylor and is set for release on November 8th, 2013.

Source: SuperHeroHype via CBR

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Joins The Cast Of ‘Thor: The Dark World’

by Shawn Madden

Another new cast addition has joined the upcoming sequel, Thor: The Dark World, which is currently filming overseas in London. Variety reports that British actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (GI Joe: The Rise Of Cobra) has joined the anticipated sequel and will be joining Christopher Eccleston, who will play Malekith The Accursed, as one of the lead villains of the film. Akinnuoye-Agbaje will be playing the villain Kurse.

“Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje has joined the cast of Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” as one of the lead villains, playing the dual roles of Kurse and Algrim.”

The character Kurse was originally Algrim the Strong, one of the Dark Elves of the extra dimensional realm of Svartalfheim who served the Dark Elves’ ruler, Malekith the Accursed. While this was originally my least anticipated of Marvel Studios “Phase Two” movies, the recent cast additions have definitely been making me a bit more excited for it.

Thor: The Dark World smashes into theaters November 8, 2013.

Watch A Deleted Scene From Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’!

by Shawn Madden

Marvel’s The Avengers is coming to Blu-ray and DVD next month and Entertainment Weekly has debuted a deleted scene from the superhero epic! This scene features an extended interaction between Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner, post going Hulk mode on the helicarrier, and Harry Dean Stanton’s Security Guard. Even though Harry Dean Stanton’s cameo in the film was very quick it seems that more footage was shot but left on the cutting room floor. Check it out below.