A lot of media outlets including Variety are reporting that Edward Norton has been signed to play Bruce Banner in the next Hulk movie. The film, based on a screenplay by Zak Penn, will be directed by Louis Leterrier and opening June 13, 2008.
I'm not too sure about this movie. I can't say I've care much for Leterrier's films to date and Zak Penn's last couple of genre scripts - Fantastic Four and Electra - were pretty weak. Also, according to Variety the film will be "less self-serious and more in line with the comic series and TV show". An odd thing to say since the TV show was serious to the point of being grim most of the time and had little in common with the comic.
I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt after the awfulness that was Ang Lee's 'Hulk.' I'm rather fond of Leterrier's 'Transporter' movies. And Zak Penn made a funny little movie called 'Incident at Loch Ness,' which had cult director Wernor Herzog trying to find the Loch Ness Monster with the help of a former Playboy centrefold. If he can do something similarly inspired for this new version I'll be happy.
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A lot of media outlets including Variety are reporting that Edward Norton has been signed to play Bruce Banner in the next Hulk movie. The film, based on a screenplay by Zak Penn, will be directed by Louis Leterrier and opening June 13, 2008.
I'm not too sure about this movie. I can't say I've care much for Leterrier's films to date and Zak Penn's last couple of genre scripts - Fantastic Four and Electra - were pretty weak. Also, according to Variety the film will be "less self-serious and more in line with the comic series and TV show". An odd thing to say since the TV show was serious to the point of being grim most of the time and had little in common with the comic.
I watched Ang Lee's Hulk a few days ago on ITV and I don't know if anyone else had this problem but I could never quite get into it because the Hulk didn't look real. Very cartoonish and obvious CGI. The dinosaurs looked real in Jurassic Park over a decade ago so I'm sure they could have done better.
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I watched Ang Lee's Hulk a few days ago on ITV and I don't know if anyone else had this problem but I could never quite get into it because the Hulk didn't look real.
Okay...
The picture on the left doesn't look real but it was the times...
Don't get me wrong - I LOVED the old television show but painting a muscle guy green nowadays is insulting and won't fly with audiences. My son and his peers refuse to look at old episodes because they think of them as unbelievably corny and it shows me just how far we've come as a viewing people. At his age, I thought it was a bold move but that's how it was.
I can understand and respect those not "getting" The Hulk or just thinking it came up short altogether but as far as the CGI's concerned, I felt that they did a good job. It seemed consistent with its environments and lighting but I'm not much of an expert to begin with.
You just CAN"T go back to the latter and put it in theatres now. It would automatically become a comedy. So all in all, I thought that THE HULK did an impressive job for my money.
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Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
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I have no problem with CGI. I actually think Juggernaut should have been CGI in X-Men 3. The Hulk looked very solid and real in some of the tank scenes but not quite so impressive in other places. But clearly, hiring a body-builder and spraying him in green paint is a non-starter nowadays. The theme tune in the Hulk tv-show always used to get me when Bill Bixby walked away at the end, usually in a snowstorm or something
CGI beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I thought the CGI Hulk looked fine but I also know A LOT of people who share Arthur Pringle's view that it took them out of the moment.
For me, a bigger problem with the CGI Hulk was that he was never really able to interact with the flesh and blood actors. It's kind of surprising considering ILM was at the helm but his interactions were mostly with inanimate objects or other CGI creatures and that may be part of why he didn't seem real enough to some people. The fact that he hardly ever spoke - and we never see his lips move, again odd for a powerhouse like ILM - and that he varied wildly in size, going anywhere from 8 feet tall to 20 feet tall at one point, didn't help either.
Maybe having another FX house this time around is a good idea. Or maybe a better approach would be to go the route of Mr. Hyde in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Have an actor in a suit that lets you emote and move around freely, and then digitally insert him into the action. That might make him seem more real. But as Rogue says, you really can't go the route of the spray painted bodybuilder with the goofy wig - that would get nothing but laughs.
Also, the movie as a whole was - like The Punisher - way too serious and grim. It was well done for what it was and had an intelligent story behind it. But it's too heavy handed and simply doesn't hold up to repeated viewings. I dumped the DVD long ago because I found myself fast forwarding thru all the "character" moments. But then again, I also got rid of both Spiderman movies and X-Men I and II for the same reason. Alas, I find Superman Returns falling into that same pattern too - hear that Rogue?
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edited April 2007
) )
You dumped both Spidey films? From you, Tony, I'm not surprised.
With me, certain heroes or anti-heroes are tolerable with the serious and gritty subtext. Punisher & Hulk fit under this umbrella. Yeah maybe Parker whined just a little too much in Spider-Man 2 so the level of pain to endure its two hour motions was acceptable.
You brought up a great point that I've said countless times to others about taking the LXG approach to behemoths...The Thing in the FF films is waaay too small. I had issues with this and thought that Story should've done what you proposed...plus give Ben Grimm a more distinctive brow.
So you're finally seeing the light on The Young & The Restless in a cape eh, Tony?
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
You dumped both Spidey films? From you, Tony, I'm not surprised.
With me, certain heroes or anti-heroes are tolerable with the serious and gritty subtext. Punisher & Hulk fit under this umbrella. Yeah maybe Parker whined just a little too much in Spider-Man 2 so the level of pain to endure its two hour motions was acceptable.
I'm hearing there will be even more angst and suffering in Spiderman III - I might just sit this one out. I know that these characters are all tortured, misunderstood and angst-ridden. And the movies haev done a good job of capturing that. I'm not saying they're bad movies, just discovering that they're not really my cup of tea.
You brought up a great point that I've said countless times to others about taking the LXG approach to behemoths...The Thing in the FF films is waaay too small. I had issues with this and thought that Story should've done what you proposed...plus give Ben Grimm a more distinctive brow.
Ben should definitely be a larger character. The tradeoff is, as I mentioned before, that if you make him that way, it compromises the amount of interaction the actors can have. Neither choice is perfect and I can understand why Story chose to go the route of a guy in a suit. Since it's only one character out of four, it's not ruinous to the movie.
So you're finally seeing the light on The Young & The Restless in a cape eh, Tony?
'fraid so. These things get clearer over time and these days I'm not enjoying it nearly as much as when it first premiered. Hopefully, the Big Blue Boy Scout will get a chance to redeem himself on the silver screen. If not, I'll still have Donner's cuts of Superman I and II - not perfect but still pretty damn good.
BTW, I saw a demo of Batman Begins playing on a hi-def DVD player over the weekend. It was the scene where he rescues Rachel and drives her to the Batcave and looked utterly spectacular - the level of detail was jaw-dropping and the video almost had a 3D quality to it. My resolve to not jump into the Hi Def DVD wars is weakening...
When I used to buy comics in the nineties the Hulk could speak and I think I prefer that. The ultimate CGI character would be Doomsday in a Superman film but they don't seem to be rushing to use him. Superman has to have someone super-powered to fight in the next film. Someone like Brainiac, Doomsday or Michael Crawford's Condorman.
When I used to buy comics in the nineties the Hulk could speak and I think I prefer that.
I remember at one point Banner permanently changed into the Hulk yet still retained all his intelligence. That might be taking it too far for the movie but he should get some more dialog, at the very least be a few more "Hulk Smash!!", "Puny Humans" and "Hulk Not Know How Program VCR!!!"
The ultimate CGI character would be Doomsday in a Superman film but they don't seem to be rushing to use him. Superman has to have someone super-powered to fight in the next film. Someone like Brainiac, Doomsday or Michael Crawford's Condorman.
The latest rumor is that there is already a very early first draft script and the villains are Brainiac and Metallo.
I've never been much of a Brainiac fan. The original incarnation was a carnival huckster who somehow developed real mental abilities. Later, the cartoons turned him into an artificial intelligence responsible for the destruction of Krypton. Neither version is particularly compelling to me. Metallo was a two bit thug who wound up having his brain transplanted into a robot powered by Kryptonite. He is physically formidable but again, not a particularly dramatic foil for Big Blue. Frankly, I think they can do better.
I actually remember Condorman - a family friendly James Bond wannabe with some very cool gadgets including a car that turned into a boat. The best gadget in the movie however was definitely Barbara Carrera.
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Ghost World?!? And what about Conan the Barbarian? This list is messed.
When I used to buy comics in the nineties the Hulk could speak and I think I prefer that.
I remember at one point Banner permanently changed into the Hulk yet still retained all his intelligence. That might be taking it too far for the movie but he should get some more dialog, at the very least be a few more "Hulk Smash!!", "Puny Humans" and "Hulk Not Know How Program VCR!!!"
The ultimate CGI character would be Doomsday in a Superman film but they don't seem to be rushing to use him. Superman has to have someone super-powered to fight in the next film. Someone like Brainiac, Doomsday or Michael Crawford's Condorman.
The latest rumor is that there is already a very early first draft script and the villains are Brainiac and Metallo.
I've never been much of a Brainiac fan. The original incarnation was a carnival huckster who somehow developed real mental abilities. Later, the cartoons turned him into an artificial intelligence responsible for the destruction of Krypton. Neither version is particularly compelling to me. Metallo was a two bit thug who wound up having his brain transplanted into a robot powered by Kryptonite. He is physically formidable but again, not a particularly dramatic foil for Big Blue. Frankly, I think they can do better.
I actually remember Condorman - a family friendly James Bond wannabe with some very cool gadgets including a car that turned into a boat. The best gadget in the movie however was definitely Barbara Carrera.
Even as a very small child I knew there was something very wrong about Michael Crawford's American accent
I'm a bit obsessed with Doomsday because he took out the Justice League and then fought Superman for about seven hundred pages. I thought it was great to have a villain that had you genuinely worried for Superman.
Ghostworld is a really good film. I watched it when FilmFour launched and I thought it was charmingly offbeat and very funny.
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Ghost World?!? And what about Conan the Barbarian? This list is messed.
I think Conan was recognized for being a literary character first so in some technical way it negates any comic book ties.
I recognize it as a comic film and I enjoyed the picture but I loved the score to it even more.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
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Thomas Jane on The Punisher 2
Source: Advanced Dark April 17, 2007
In a new interview with Thomas Jane, the actor talks briefly about The Punisher 2:
Well, the problem has always been getting a decent script. We actually have a script that's being turned in this week and we all have our fingers crossed, you know? We'd love to do it. Everybody wants to do it, but we all want to make a good movie. It starts with the script. We've gotta get a good script, and then we'll be ready to rock. The plan is to start the "Punisher 2" in June; of course, I think I said that last year, too.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
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The New HULK Movie will have a GREY Hulk!
4/20/2007
Posted by Frosty
Over the last few days I’ve attended a few junkets and seen a lot of movies. While I have a ton to post and write up, this bit of news has to be posted right now.
At the Spiderman 3 junket earlier today I was able to ask Avi Arad some questions about the new Hulk movie and he basically let it slip that the new Hulk will be GREY, not green.
Frosty: With the Hulk coming next year you have to be far along with the script and I’m curious what can you tell us about the story and are you going to incorporate any of the CGI that you developed for the first film or the effects?
Avi: None. No. It's a new Hulk, new direction, new size, new color, new attitude. Anything that was done before is not in this movie. It's a very different kind of Hulk. It's more of a love story; it's more of a heroic Hulk. It's a kind of Hulk we loved in the show, so it's kind of more influenced by the show than anything else. It's very human, very touching, and huge action. Louis Leterrier has a unique filming style that will be great here and it’s going to be spectacular.
Frosty: Any truth to a grey Hulk?
(When I asked that question he seemed almost taken aback, like he wasn’t ready for it even though he had just said “new color”) Then, after a pause, he said, “We’ll see, I don’t know.”
While no one in the room followed up with any questions about will the Hulk have Bruce’s intelligence or be just the angry monster…at least we got something cool.
So here is the best part - if you want to listen to this part of the interview where Avi talks new Hulk click here. He also talks about how they got Edward Norton to play the role and how Edward originally turned down playing the Hulk in Ang Lee’s version.
And if you would like to listen to the entire interview with Avi Arad, Grant Curtis & Laura Ziskin click here. It runs over twenty minutes but we cover everything – new Hulk, Iron Man, Spiderman sequels, tons of great stuff.
But I need to warn you…. I believe spoilers are discussed for Spiderman 3 so you might not want to listen to the entire interview until you’ve seen the movie.
Kurt Sutter Talks Punisher 2
Source: Advanced Dark April 11, 2007
Punisher 2 (Update)
As many of you know news leaked out earlier this week that Kurt Sutter (The Shield) was involved in writing the script for the new sequel to the 2004 film..."The Punisher". I asked him about that and with his permission...here's most of what he had to say:
"I'm a huge fan of the character. frank castle is a complex, tortured badass. i had a blast writing the script. working with good producers (gale ann hurd, ari arad) and smart studio execs (john sacchi) made it an enjoyable gig.
hoping this movie satisfies the rabid fanbase. the comic-lovers sect is a discriminating, well-informed, don't-f***-with-our-world group of folks. i'd hate to land on their bad side. unfortunately for the writer, what's on the page and what lands on the screen can be two totally different things. once we type "the end" that pretty much sums up our control."
-Kurt Sutter
I cannot wait for the sequel personally; my son and I met Thomas Jane face to face last year and he comes across as a great guy. He even took the time out of his busy schedule (despite his entourage trying to rush him off to the next engagement) to talk to my kid in a lengthy manner and autographed his skull t-shirt.
Anyone care for Punisher 1? Despite bad reviews, I rather enjoyed it. If I had any critiques from it, I'd say that it was an odd choice of locale to put Castle in Florida but it's okay because his character pretty much does damage worldwide in the comics.
I think the Thomas Jane Punisher is a terrific motion picture and very true to it's source material.Relocating the story to Florida didn't bother me in the slightest.So many films/TV shows are set in New York that a different locale is nice to see--plus this dealt with the Cuban gangs, and what more suitable locale for that than Miami?The Punisher's a much better film than the majority of the critics were willing to acknowledge--"Masterpiece Theatre",it ain't...:)
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I think the Thomas Jane Punisher is a terrific motion picture and very true to it's source material.
OMG...Spock agrees with me! )
I just knew somehow that Mr. Comicpedia- W.G. would say the opposite. A trump I didn't see coming... Glad you liked it, too.
C'mon,Bones,why wouldn't I like it?It's got very bad bad guys, and The Punisher blows the hell out of them.I'm not especially right wing, but I'm always happy to see the villains get exactly what they deserve.The screenplay was a pretty good adaptation of the "Welcome Back Frank" storyline--right down to the supporting characters who were his neighbors.
And I also liked the movie's music--particularly the song the hired killer serenaded Frank with, and the track played over the end credits-if I recall the lyric in the refrain went along the lines of: "I'll take you down"--and it wasn't meant in a nice way...:)
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited April 2007
I realize that this is a tad off cuff but look what I picked up at a discount book store in the comic bin today during lunch... One buck but in better condition than the one shown...
As a kid, this was one of the most impressionable covers I had ever seen on a mag rack. You didn't see alot of artwork at the time that had this effect.
I already have this particular issue in my collection but I'm not going to pass up a deal like this.
NEAL ADAMS :x
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
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The Hulk Will Definitely be Green
Source: Advanced Dark April 23, 2007
Empire Online just confirmed what we were thinking, that the Hulk will just be a different shade of green and not a completely different color, such as gray. Producer Avi Arad cleared up his comments from Friday:
"It was a joke!" laughs Arad, in town to talk up Spider-Man 3, which opens on May 4. "Here's what it was. There were 30 people around a table, and they said 'is there going to be a grey Hulk?' And I was thinking about it and I said, 'who knows?' It was one of those moments. I had just got back from Japan and I was trying to talk about Spider-Man and this guy was pushing me on The Hulk so I thought I'll be coy. I don't know what colour it is, and all of a sudden it's headline news."
But Arad did mention a new colour – so will the eponymous star of Louis Letterier's movie, due out in 2008, still be green? Or orange? Or pink with yellow stripes?
"It's a different shade of green," confirms Arad. "But the colour is not like the old Hulk. And no, there's no grey Hulk."
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
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Not a big deal really but I thought I'd share this:
Kryptonite is Real!
Source: Reuters April 24, 2007
Superman fans, we ain't messing with ya. Check out this breaking news from Reuters:
Kryptonite, which robbed Superman of his powers, is no longer the stuff of comic books and films.
A mineral found by geologists in Serbia shares virtually the same chemical composition as the fictional kryptonite from outer space, used by the superhero's nemesis Lex Luther to weaken him in the film "Superman Returns".
"We will have to be careful with it -- we wouldn't want to deprive Earth of its most famous superhero!," said Dr Chris Stanley, a mineralogist at London's Natural History Museum.
Stanley, who revealed the identity of the mysterious new mineral, discovered the match after searching the Internet for its chemical formula - sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide.
"I was amazed to discover that same scientific name written on a case of rock containing kryptonite stolen by Lex Luther from a museum in the film Superman Returns," he said.
The substance has been confirmed as a new mineral after tests by scientists at the Natural History Museum in London and the National Research Council in Canada.
But instead of the large green crystals in Superman comics, the real thing is a white, powdery substance which contains no fluorine and is non-radioactive.
The mineral, to be named Jadarite, will go on show at the London's Natural History Museum at certain times of the day on Wednesday, April 25, and Sunday, May 13.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
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RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited April 2007
Just in from Ain'tSoCoolRumoursNews.com, Cap has been cast!!!! Captain America is a go!!!!
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Just in from Ain'tSoCoolRumoursNews.com, Cap has been cast!!!! Captain America is a go!!!!
Hope they don't cast this guy either.
APRIL 24--Meet Dr. Raymond Adamcik. The Florida man, dressed as Captain America and with a burrito stuffed in his tights, was arrested Saturday night for allegedly groping women at a Melbourne bar. Adamcik was part of a pub crawl in which participants wore costumes. While at the On Tap bar, Adamcik, 54, allegedly touched the genital areas of two women, according to a Melbourne Police Department report, a copy of which you'll find here. "Because there were so many cartoon characters in the bar at this time, all Captain Americas were asked to go outside for a possible identification," notes the report. One woman positively identified Adamcik as the superhero who groped her. While being booked, Adamcik asked to use the bathroom. It was then, police charge, that he attempted to flush marijuana, which apparently had been hidden in his blue tights. Adamcik was charged with battery, disorderly conduct, and pot possession. He was released after posting $2000 bail. Sadly, since the Melbourne P.D. was having camera problems, colors in Adamcik's mug shot were rendered poorly (he actually looks more like the Incredible Hulk). But Adamcik was later photographed at the Brevard County jail, where this clearer photo was snapped
When I read Cap nowadays I can't think of anyone but Boston Legal's Mark Valley for the role. That he's a West Point graduate who served in the first Gulf War doesn't harm his credibility either.
I think the Thomas Jane Punisher is a terrific motion picture and very true to it's source material.Relocating the story to Florida didn't bother me in the slightest.So many films/TV shows are set in New York that a different locale is nice to see--plus this dealt with the Cuban gangs, and what more suitable locale for that than Miami?The Punisher's a much better film than the majority of the critics were willing to acknowledge--"Masterpiece Theatre",it ain't...:)
I only just saw it a couple of weeks ago as it was on telly: I was expecting to be a pretty poor affair as the reviews weren't great, but blow me down if I didn't enjoy it hugely! There wasn't a huge amount of depth, but there didn't need to be! It was a man shooting a lot of other men and with a surprising amount of humour too! I'd happily watch another; it felt nicely like those great simple action man movies from the 80's like Commando. Good lead actor, too.
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David Goyer to Direct Magneto
Source: Variety April 26, 2007
Variety is reporting that David Goyer will direct Magneto, the "X-Men" spinoff in development from 20th Century Fox and Marvel Studios that centers on the villain played in the original trilogy by Ian McKellen.
After the first three "X-Men" films grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, Fox and Marvel hatched the spinoff program. Magneto will be the second such movie to go into production. First up is Wolverine, a David Benioff-scripted film that will star Hugh Jackman as the steel-clawed mutant; Fox and Marvel will set a director shortly on that pic.
Goyer will develop a Magneto script that was written by Sheldon Turner.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
David Goyer to Direct Magneto
Source: Variety April 26, 2007
Variety is reporting that David Goyer will direct Magneto, the "X-Men" spinoff in development from 20th Century Fox and Marvel Studios that centers on the villain played in the original trilogy by Ian McKellen.
After the first three "X-Men" films grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, Fox and Marvel hatched the spinoff program. Magneto will be the second such movie to go into production. First up is Wolverine, a David Benioff-scripted film that will star Hugh Jackman as the steel-clawed mutant; Fox and Marvel will set a director shortly on that pic.
Goyer will develop a Magneto script that was written by Sheldon Turner.
Does this mean that his wretched Green Arrow deconstruction concept has been shelved?
Comments
I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt after the awfulness that was Ang Lee's 'Hulk.' I'm rather fond of Leterrier's 'Transporter' movies. And Zak Penn made a funny little movie called 'Incident at Loch Ness,' which had cult director Wernor Herzog trying to find the Loch Ness Monster with the help of a former Playboy centrefold. If he can do something similarly inspired for this new version I'll be happy.
How did I miss this?
Norton as Banner? That might not be a bad call at all; he does have that geek/fragile factor working for him.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Okay...
The picture on the left doesn't look real but it was the times...
Don't get me wrong - I LOVED the old television show but painting a muscle guy green nowadays is insulting and won't fly with audiences. My son and his peers refuse to look at old episodes because they think of them as unbelievably corny and it shows me just how far we've come as a viewing people. At his age, I thought it was a bold move but that's how it was.
I can understand and respect those not "getting" The Hulk or just thinking it came up short altogether but as far as the CGI's concerned, I felt that they did a good job. It seemed consistent with its environments and lighting but I'm not much of an expert to begin with.
You just CAN"T go back to the latter and put it in theatres now. It would automatically become a comedy. So all in all, I thought that THE HULK did an impressive job for my money.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
For me, a bigger problem with the CGI Hulk was that he was never really able to interact with the flesh and blood actors. It's kind of surprising considering ILM was at the helm but his interactions were mostly with inanimate objects or other CGI creatures and that may be part of why he didn't seem real enough to some people. The fact that he hardly ever spoke - and we never see his lips move, again odd for a powerhouse like ILM - and that he varied wildly in size, going anywhere from 8 feet tall to 20 feet tall at one point, didn't help either.
Maybe having another FX house this time around is a good idea. Or maybe a better approach would be to go the route of Mr. Hyde in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Have an actor in a suit that lets you emote and move around freely, and then digitally insert him into the action. That might make him seem more real. But as Rogue says, you really can't go the route of the spray painted bodybuilder with the goofy wig - that would get nothing but laughs.
Also, the movie as a whole was - like The Punisher - way too serious and grim. It was well done for what it was and had an intelligent story behind it. But it's too heavy handed and simply doesn't hold up to repeated viewings. I dumped the DVD long ago because I found myself fast forwarding thru all the "character" moments. But then again, I also got rid of both Spiderman movies and X-Men I and II for the same reason. Alas, I find Superman Returns falling into that same pattern too - hear that Rogue?
You dumped both Spidey films? From you, Tony, I'm not surprised.
With me, certain heroes or anti-heroes are tolerable with the serious and gritty subtext. Punisher & Hulk fit under this umbrella. Yeah maybe Parker whined just a little too much in Spider-Man 2 so the level of pain to endure its two hour motions was acceptable.
You brought up a great point that I've said countless times to others about taking the LXG approach to behemoths...The Thing in the FF films is waaay too small. I had issues with this and thought that Story should've done what you proposed...plus give Ben Grimm a more distinctive brow.
So you're finally seeing the light on The Young & The Restless in a cape eh, Tony?
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I'm hearing there will be even more angst and suffering in Spiderman III - I might just sit this one out. I know that these characters are all tortured, misunderstood and angst-ridden. And the movies haev done a good job of capturing that. I'm not saying they're bad movies, just discovering that they're not really my cup of tea.
Ben should definitely be a larger character. The tradeoff is, as I mentioned before, that if you make him that way, it compromises the amount of interaction the actors can have. Neither choice is perfect and I can understand why Story chose to go the route of a guy in a suit. Since it's only one character out of four, it's not ruinous to the movie.
'fraid so. These things get clearer over time and these days I'm not enjoying it nearly as much as when it first premiered. Hopefully, the Big Blue Boy Scout will get a chance to redeem himself on the silver screen. If not, I'll still have Donner's cuts of Superman I and II - not perfect but still pretty damn good.
BTW, I saw a demo of Batman Begins playing on a hi-def DVD player over the weekend. It was the scene where he rescues Rachel and drives her to the Batcave and looked utterly spectacular - the level of detail was jaw-dropping and the video almost had a 3D quality to it. My resolve to not jump into the Hi Def DVD wars is weakening...
I remember at one point Banner permanently changed into the Hulk yet still retained all his intelligence. That might be taking it too far for the movie but he should get some more dialog, at the very least be a few more "Hulk Smash!!", "Puny Humans" and "Hulk Not Know How Program VCR!!!"
The latest rumor is that there is already a very early first draft script and the villains are Brainiac and Metallo.
I've never been much of a Brainiac fan. The original incarnation was a carnival huckster who somehow developed real mental abilities. Later, the cartoons turned him into an artificial intelligence responsible for the destruction of Krypton. Neither version is particularly compelling to me. Metallo was a two bit thug who wound up having his brain transplanted into a robot powered by Kryptonite. He is physically formidable but again, not a particularly dramatic foil for Big Blue. Frankly, I think they can do better.
I actually remember Condorman - a family friendly James Bond wannabe with some very cool gadgets including a car that turned into a boat. The best gadget in the movie however was definitely Barbara Carrera.
Even as a very small child I knew there was something very wrong about Michael Crawford's American accent
I'm a bit obsessed with Doomsday because he took out the Justice League and then fought Superman for about seven hundred pages. I thought it was great to have a villain that had you genuinely worried for Superman.
Ghostworld is a really good film. I watched it when FilmFour launched and I thought it was charmingly offbeat and very funny.
I think Conan was recognized for being a literary character first so in some technical way it negates any comic book ties.
I recognize it as a comic film and I enjoyed the picture but I loved the score to it even more.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Source: Advanced Dark April 17, 2007
In a new interview with Thomas Jane, the actor talks briefly about The Punisher 2:
Well, the problem has always been getting a decent script. We actually have a script that's being turned in this week and we all have our fingers crossed, you know? We'd love to do it. Everybody wants to do it, but we all want to make a good movie. It starts with the script. We've gotta get a good script, and then we'll be ready to rock. The plan is to start the "Punisher 2" in June; of course, I think I said that last year, too.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
4/20/2007
Posted by Frosty
Over the last few days I’ve attended a few junkets and seen a lot of movies. While I have a ton to post and write up, this bit of news has to be posted right now.
At the Spiderman 3 junket earlier today I was able to ask Avi Arad some questions about the new Hulk movie and he basically let it slip that the new Hulk will be GREY, not green.
Frosty: With the Hulk coming next year you have to be far along with the script and I’m curious what can you tell us about the story and are you going to incorporate any of the CGI that you developed for the first film or the effects?
Avi: None. No. It's a new Hulk, new direction, new size, new color, new attitude. Anything that was done before is not in this movie. It's a very different kind of Hulk. It's more of a love story; it's more of a heroic Hulk. It's a kind of Hulk we loved in the show, so it's kind of more influenced by the show than anything else. It's very human, very touching, and huge action. Louis Leterrier has a unique filming style that will be great here and it’s going to be spectacular.
Frosty: Any truth to a grey Hulk?
(When I asked that question he seemed almost taken aback, like he wasn’t ready for it even though he had just said “new color”) Then, after a pause, he said, “We’ll see, I don’t know.”
While no one in the room followed up with any questions about will the Hulk have Bruce’s intelligence or be just the angry monster…at least we got something cool.
So here is the best part - if you want to listen to this part of the interview where Avi talks new Hulk click here. He also talks about how they got Edward Norton to play the role and how Edward originally turned down playing the Hulk in Ang Lee’s version.
And if you would like to listen to the entire interview with Avi Arad, Grant Curtis & Laura Ziskin click here. It runs over twenty minutes but we cover everything – new Hulk, Iron Man, Spiderman sequels, tons of great stuff.
But I need to warn you…. I believe spoilers are discussed for Spiderman 3 so you might not want to listen to the entire interview until you’ve seen the movie.
Much more coming soon.
http://www.collider.com/entertainment/news/article.asp/aid/4152/tcid/1
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I think the Thomas Jane Punisher is a terrific motion picture and very true to it's source material.Relocating the story to Florida didn't bother me in the slightest.So many films/TV shows are set in New York that a different locale is nice to see--plus this dealt with the Cuban gangs, and what more suitable locale for that than Miami?The Punisher's a much better film than the majority of the critics were willing to acknowledge--"Masterpiece Theatre",it ain't...:)
OMG...Spock agrees with me!
I just knew somehow that Mr. Comicpedia- W.G. would say the opposite. A trump I didn't see coming...
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
C'mon,Bones,why wouldn't I like it?It's got very bad bad guys, and The Punisher blows the hell out of them.I'm not especially right wing, but I'm always happy to see the villains get exactly what they deserve.The screenplay was a pretty good adaptation of the "Welcome Back Frank" storyline--right down to the supporting characters who were his neighbors.
And I also liked the movie's music--particularly the song the hired killer serenaded Frank with, and the track played over the end credits-if I recall the lyric in the refrain went along the lines of: "I'll take you down"--and it wasn't meant in a nice way...:)
As a kid, this was one of the most impressionable covers I had ever seen on a mag rack. You didn't see alot of artwork at the time that had this effect.
I already have this particular issue in my collection but I'm not going to pass up a deal like this.
NEAL ADAMS :x
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Source: Advanced Dark April 23, 2007
Empire Online just confirmed what we were thinking, that the Hulk will just be a different shade of green and not a completely different color, such as gray. Producer Avi Arad cleared up his comments from Friday:
"It was a joke!" laughs Arad, in town to talk up Spider-Man 3, which opens on May 4. "Here's what it was. There were 30 people around a table, and they said 'is there going to be a grey Hulk?' And I was thinking about it and I said, 'who knows?' It was one of those moments. I had just got back from Japan and I was trying to talk about Spider-Man and this guy was pushing me on The Hulk so I thought I'll be coy. I don't know what colour it is, and all of a sudden it's headline news."
But Arad did mention a new colour – so will the eponymous star of Louis Letterier's movie, due out in 2008, still be green? Or orange? Or pink with yellow stripes?
"It's a different shade of green," confirms Arad. "But the colour is not like the old Hulk. And no, there's no grey Hulk."
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Kryptonite is Real!
Source: Reuters April 24, 2007
Superman fans, we ain't messing with ya. Check out this breaking news from Reuters:
Kryptonite, which robbed Superman of his powers, is no longer the stuff of comic books and films.
A mineral found by geologists in Serbia shares virtually the same chemical composition as the fictional kryptonite from outer space, used by the superhero's nemesis Lex Luther to weaken him in the film "Superman Returns".
"We will have to be careful with it -- we wouldn't want to deprive Earth of its most famous superhero!," said Dr Chris Stanley, a mineralogist at London's Natural History Museum.
Stanley, who revealed the identity of the mysterious new mineral, discovered the match after searching the Internet for its chemical formula - sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide.
"I was amazed to discover that same scientific name written on a case of rock containing kryptonite stolen by Lex Luther from a museum in the film Superman Returns," he said.
The substance has been confirmed as a new mineral after tests by scientists at the Natural History Museum in London and the National Research Council in Canada.
But instead of the large green crystals in Superman comics, the real thing is a white, powdery substance which contains no fluorine and is non-radioactive.
The mineral, to be named Jadarite, will go on show at the London's Natural History Museum at certain times of the day on Wednesday, April 25, and Sunday, May 13.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Hope they don't cast this guy either.
APRIL 24--Meet Dr. Raymond Adamcik. The Florida man, dressed as Captain America and with a burrito stuffed in his tights, was arrested Saturday night for allegedly groping women at a Melbourne bar. Adamcik was part of a pub crawl in which participants wore costumes. While at the On Tap bar, Adamcik, 54, allegedly touched the genital areas of two women, according to a Melbourne Police Department report, a copy of which you'll find here. "Because there were so many cartoon characters in the bar at this time, all Captain Americas were asked to go outside for a possible identification," notes the report. One woman positively identified Adamcik as the superhero who groped her. While being booked, Adamcik asked to use the bathroom. It was then, police charge, that he attempted to flush marijuana, which apparently had been hidden in his blue tights. Adamcik was charged with battery, disorderly conduct, and pot possession. He was released after posting $2000 bail. Sadly, since the Melbourne P.D. was having camera problems, colors in Adamcik's mug shot were rendered poorly (he actually looks more like the Incredible Hulk). But Adamcik was later photographed at the Brevard County jail, where this clearer photo was snapped
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0424071capt1.html
I love the fact the police had a Capt America line-up.
Looks to me like they cast Bobby Bacala as Captain America.
Maybe they'll put him in the same cell as Chewbacca.
http://www.boston-legal.org/press/markvalley-interview-paley.jpg
I only just saw it a couple of weeks ago as it was on telly: I was expecting to be a pretty poor affair as the reviews weren't great, but blow me down if I didn't enjoy it hugely! There wasn't a huge amount of depth, but there didn't need to be! It was a man shooting a lot of other men and with a surprising amount of humour too! I'd happily watch another; it felt nicely like those great simple action man movies from the 80's like Commando. Good lead actor, too.
Source: Variety April 26, 2007
Variety is reporting that David Goyer will direct Magneto, the "X-Men" spinoff in development from 20th Century Fox and Marvel Studios that centers on the villain played in the original trilogy by Ian McKellen.
After the first three "X-Men" films grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, Fox and Marvel hatched the spinoff program. Magneto will be the second such movie to go into production. First up is Wolverine, a David Benioff-scripted film that will star Hugh Jackman as the steel-clawed mutant; Fox and Marvel will set a director shortly on that pic.
Goyer will develop a Magneto script that was written by Sheldon Turner.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Does this mean that his wretched Green Arrow deconstruction concept has been shelved?