News on the upcoming Thor movie...casting has been set for the Warriors Three! This is from the Marvel website...
Are you waiting for the hammer to fall on the big screen (Mjolnir, that is)?! Of course you are and so are we!
When Thor makes his big screen debut on May 20, 2011, he'll have some company with him—as reported today by Variety.com!
Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg, longtime friends and fellow Asgardians who usually work together as a team known as the Warriors Three, are Thor’s allies and companions.
Fandral will be played by Stuart Townsend. The job of Hogun goes to Tadanobu Asano. And Volstagg will be portrayed Ray Stevenson.
They join the previously announced Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. Kenneth Branagh will direct.
"Thor" is one of a continuing slate of films being produced by Marvel Studios based on the Marvel characters, including "Iron Man 2" on May 7, 2010, "The First Avenger: Captain America" on July 22, 2011 and "The Avengers" on May 4, 2012.
This looks like pretty solid casting to me:
Fandral
Hogun
Volstagg
Volstagg, of course, needs a bit of imagination, but I suspect there will be some CGI effects in play for his character.
The whole cast to Thor sounds really impressive with a good mix of solid action stars and accomplished actors who have all been in other stuff that I've enjoyed. Chris Hemsworth made a real impression on me with his brief but memorable scenes as George Kirk in Star Trek and I'm very curious to see what Branagh is able to do with the material.
A couple of more pics from the JSA / Smallville crossover (which is now pegged as a 2 hour standalone movie) have cropped up via Superherohype.com and ... EGAD! ... they continue to look good!
I've always been a Dr. Fate fan myself; I really hope they don't screw this one up.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
^^^Are those real? I never saw these until today... My God, Dr. Fate and Hawkman look amazing!
Why is is that the star of the show looks so ridiculous with the Neo getup I wonder? ?:)
I'm glad that Warner Bros. is keeping faithful with the Hawkman/Green Arrow relationship in that last pic it would appear; they can't stand one another in the comic books.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
The b****** should've stayed with the franchise in the first place. Maybe Superman would've been on his third sequel by now...with a competent director who respects the source material and not in movie limbo.
Bryan Singer Will Direct X-Men: First Class!
Source:MySpace.com December 16, 2009
James Cameron's Avatar had its premiere in Los Angeles tonight, and MySpace had a television crew on-hand at the "blue carpet" to interview arrivals.
One of the people there was director Bryan Singer, who directed X-Men and X2: X-Men United for Avatar distributor 20th Century Fox at the start of the decade. In recent interviews, Singer has been asked about possibly directing the planned prequel X-Men: First Class, and he always seemed interested, but earlier this evening he let slip that he has in fact just signed the deal with Fox to direct the next "Origins" film, which will reportedly look at the early days of Cyclops, Jean Grey and others at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.
You can see for yourself what Bryan Singer told the interviewer about signing to do X-Men: First Class if you go to the Official MySpace site, click on "Next Slide" at the bottom left and then scroll forward to the 27-minute mark where he's asked about what he has coming up next. He tells the interviewers without any hesitation and complete seriousness: "I'm ramping up to do a movie called 'Jack the Giant Killer' at Warner Bros, and I just yesterday signed a deal to do an 'X-Men: First Class Origins' picture, which is kind of cool. I'm very excited."
This is very exciting news for "X-Men" fans who have been hoping Singer would return to the fold and hopefully we'll have more to report on this news soon.
(Thanks to our pals at ScreenRant.com, FirstShowing.net and FlickChart.com for drawing our attention to this.)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Not sure if Dan is familiar with the villian but this bit of Spidey news should make him happy. I was hoping for maybe Mysterio or The Shocker.
Whether Raimi can redeem himself after going all Broadway with the last one remains to be seen.
Malkovich Confirms Vulture Role in Spider-Man 4
Source:BadTaste.it January 10, 2010
With all the rumors and speculation about Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 4, whether or not it will make its scheduled May 5, 2011 release date and why it has run into production problems, it's come out in the wash that John Malkovich was indeed up for the role of the Vulture, Raimi's choice of villain for the fourth movie, which was first broken by Movieline a month ago.
Malkovich was interviewed by an Italian sports show called "Quelli Che il Calcio" and he was asked not only about whether he had been approached to play the Vulture but also about the production delays. The fine folks at the Italian web site Bad Taste have graciously provided an English summation of what was said on the show:
"When conductor Simona Ventura asked him about his role of Vulture in the movie, he not only didn't deny his involvement, but confirmed that he's waiting for the final script to be sent to him, and that the movie has been delayed. He also hopes that shooting will begin as soon as possible."
Some may remember that Malkovich was the alternate choice to play the Green Goblin in the first "Spider-Man" movie, a role that went to his Shadow of the Vampire co-star Willem Dafoe, so it has always made perfect sense that Raimi would be interested in him to play a Spidey villain. The question is whether Sony will agree to the lesser Spider-Man villain for such an important tentpole franchise.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Wow--what's interesting is that Malkovich was actually first approached the play the Green Goblin in the original Spidey, and he said something on the lines of, "This isn't my genre." How times (and box offices) have changed!
Vox clamantis in deserto
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Looking forward to Malkovich as the Vuture...sounds like great fun B-)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
This bit of news had my son letting out a very Darth Vader-esque NO! )
Stuart Townsend leaves 'Thor' over 'creative differences' a day before shooting begins
'Queen of the Damned' star was to play God of Thunder's ally Fandral
Published on Sunday, Jan 10, 2010 By Mike Cidoni (AP)
Stuart Townsend is no longer starring in Marvel Studios' upcoming adaptation of "Thor."
Townsend had been cast as Fandral, an ally of Norse god Thor. He was replaced by Joshua Dallas, according to the two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.
The cast change came as production was about to begin. Shooting starts Monday on the movie directed by Kenneth Branagh.
Irish actor Townsend, 37, best known as the boyfriend of Academy Award winner Charlize Theron, starred in "Queen of the Damned." He had been cast as Aragorn in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy but was replaced at the last minute by Viggo Mortensen.
Dallas, an American actor who is a relative newcomer, appears in George Lucas' upcoming Tuskagee Airmen drama "Red Tails."
"Thor" stars Chris Hemsworth in the title role, a warrior cast down to Earth to live among mortals as punishment for his reckless actions, which rekindled an ancient war in the realm of Asgard. Thor's troubles continue after dark forces of Asgard are dispatched to invade Earth.
The movie co-stars Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Renee Russo and Tom Hiddleston. Kenneth Branagh is directing.
"Thor" had been scheduled for release May 20, 2011, but Marvel has just moved it up to May 6, 2011.
Kind of disappointed that Townsend is leaving; I always thought he was a pretty good actor with the right kind of presence for these comics adaptations. Still, if he's half the primadonna some say he is, better this happens now than during filming.
In other news, here's a poster for the upcoming Smallvile JSA crossover show; it's fairly large so I only posted the link. Dr. Fate and Hawkman look good but jeez, I still can't get over Oliver Queen's cheezy getup.
This bit of news had my son letting out a very Darth Vader-esque NO! )
Stuart Townsend leaves 'Thor' over 'creative differences' a day before shooting begins
'Queen of the Damned' star was to play God of Thunder's ally Fandral
Published on Sunday, Jan 10, 2010 By Mike Cidoni (AP)
Stuart Townsend is no longer starring in Marvel Studios' upcoming adaptation of "Thor."
Townsend had been cast as Fandral, an ally of Norse god Thor. He was replaced by Joshua Dallas, according to the two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.
The cast change came as production was about to begin. Shooting starts Monday on the movie directed by Kenneth Branagh.
Irish actor Townsend, 37, best known as the boyfriend of Academy Award winner Charlize Theron, starred in "Queen of the Damned." He had been cast as Aragorn in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy but was replaced at the last minute by Viggo Mortensen.
Dallas, an American actor who is a relative newcomer, appears in George Lucas' upcoming Tuskagee Airmen drama "Red Tails."
"Thor" stars Chris Hemsworth in the title role, a warrior cast down to Earth to live among mortals as punishment for his reckless actions, which rekindled an ancient war in the realm of Asgard. Thor's troubles continue after dark forces of Asgard are dispatched to invade Earth.
The movie co-stars Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Renee Russo and Tom Hiddleston. Kenneth Branagh is directing.
"Thor" had been scheduled for release May 20, 2011, but Marvel has just moved it up to May 6, 2011.
Good news is they moved the release date forward a couple weeks.
I really don't know much about Townsend, other than he looked like a good fit for Fandral. However, given that Fandral should be a minor character in the story, I'd have concerns that an actor would step into the role with 'creative' ideas of their own. It might be for the best.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited January 2010
News update on the Spiderman franchise, guys. I think that some of us here suggested Sony should do this:
Sony Rebooting Spider-Man in 2012!
Source:Sony Pictures January 11, 2010 Peter Parker is going back to high school when the next Spider-Man hits theaters in the summer of 2012.
Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced today they are moving forward with a film based on a script by James Vanderbilt that focuses on a teenager grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises.
The new chapter in the Spider-Man franchise produced by Columbia, Marvel Studios and Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin, will have a new cast and filmmaking team. Spider-Man 4 was to have been released in 2011, but had not yet gone into production.
“A decade ago we set out on this journey with Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire and together we made three Spider-Man films that set a new bar for the genre. When we began, no one ever imagined that we would make history at the box-office and now we have a rare opportunity to make history once again with this franchise. Peter Parker as an ordinary young adult grappling with extraordinary powers has always been the foundation that has made this character so timeless and compelling for generations of fans. We’re very excited about the creative possibilities that come from returning to Peter's roots and we look forward to working once again with Marvel Studios, Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin on this new beginning,” said Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
“Working on the Spider-Man movies was the experience of a lifetime for me. While we were looking forward to doing a fourth one together, the studio and Marvel have a unique opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, and I know they will do a terrific job,” said Sam Raimi.
“We have had a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration and friendship with Sam and Tobey and they have given us their best for the better part of the last decade.This is a bittersweet moment for us because while it is hard to imagine Spider-Man in anyone else’s hands, I know that this was a day that was inevitable,” said Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, who has served as the studio’s chief production executive since the beginning of the franchise. “Now everything begins anew, and that’s got us all tremendously excited about what comes next. Under the continuing supervision of Avi and Laura, we have a clear vision for the future of Spider-Man and can’t wait to share this exciting new direction with audiences in 2012.”
"Spider-Man will always be an important franchise for Sony Pictures and a fresh start like this is a responsibility that we all take very seriously," said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures. "We have always believed that story comes first and story guides the direction of these films and as we move onto the next chapter, we will stay true to that principle and will do so with the highest respect for the source material and the fans and moviegoers who deserve nothing but the best when it comes to bringing these stories and characters to life on the big screen."
The studio will have more news about Spider-Man in 2012 in the coming weeks as it prepares for production of the film.
I had read articles over the past months indicating that Raimi and Sony were at odds on what villian to cast next in the 4th installment. Apparently this head-butting was carried over from SM3?
IMO, it was the only way to go with the franchise...now get a hot Mary Jane this time.
Kind of disappointed that Townsend is leaving; I always thought he was a pretty good actor with the right kind of presence for these comics adaptations. Still, if he's half the primadonna some say he is, better this happens now than during filming.
You and my son both, Tony. He was momentarily devastated that Townsend left the project seeing that Jude Law was his first choice for Fandrel. Townsend's casting was the next best thing to him.
In other news, here's a poster for the upcoming Smallvile JSA crossover show; it's fairly large so I only posted the link. Dr. Fate and Hawkman look good but jeez, I still can't get over Oliver Queen's cheezy getup.
GA's look comes across as a little too TeenNick for my tastes but that's nothing new from me. Warner stayed sort of faithful to Hawkman & Fate's look so it evens out better than I could've hoped. It now gives me a reason to tune in to Smallville if only for these guest appearances. B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Kinda soon to reboot Spider-Man. Do we have to sit through another origin story? Hopefully not.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Oh well, time to put the Marvel Sisters on suicide watch.
While I am happy to be rid of Raimi and Maguire, I also don't think a reboot is required here and the idea of going back to the teenage years doesn't particularly interest me much. Just give us more stories with the characters and cut back on the angst a little bit. I'll be curious to see what direction Sony takes this and if the fans will embrace a new creative team tackling this property.
Of course, this is good news for Thor and Captain America, who now won't have to share the Summer 2011 spotlight with The Amazingly Weepy Spiderman. Bring on Loki, The Red Skull and some good old fashioned Mighty Marvel ass-kickery featuring some real heroes.
Got all that Dan?
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Kinda soon to reboot Spider-Man. Do we have to sit through another origin story? Hopefully not.
I wouldn't worry much about that part of the mythos, Loeff. Sony could always tell the orgin over again in the opening credits like they did with The Incredible Hulk reboot a couple of years ago.
I like the reboot idea because for one, Tobey's way too old now to play Spidey who in the comics should be perpetually no older that mid-late 20s.
Raimi did a fine job but it's evident that there was a powerplay with the studio in there somewhere. Hence why Sony decided to start from scratch.
Oh well, time to put the Marvel Sisters on suicide watch.
Done. One of them was tearing up with me on the phone awhile ago as we discussed this turn of events. Of course he was trying his best to shield his sniffing from me so I played dumb and left his dignity intact. )
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Oh well, time to put the Marvel Sisters on suicide watch.
Done. One of them was tearing up with me on the phone awhile ago as we discussed this turn of events. Of course he was trying his best to shield his sniffing from me so I played dumb and left his dignity intact. )
) ) Good one but, uh what dignity?
I view this delay as only positive as too many comics movies over a short time would have only diluted their peformance. A summer 2011 release would have drawn attention away from Thor and Cap and those two properties deserve their moment in the spotlight and a chance, like Iron Man, to flourish into franchises of their own.
Still, if the rebooted/retooled Spiderman debuts in Summer 2012, that will put it head to head with the next Star Trek movie featuring the new cast, which is tentatively slated to hit theaters on June 29, 2012. Tell you're friends right now, if they diss Trek, they may not even live to regret it.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Kinda soon to reboot Spider-Man. Do we have to sit through another origin story? Hopefully not.
I wouldn't worry much about that part of the mythos, Loeff. Sony could always tell the origin over again in the opening credits like they did with The Incredible Hulk reboot a couple of years ago.
Hope you're right. It worked okay with the Hulk, even though IMO that one didn't need an immediate reboot, either.
Definitely hyped for Cap, though...and although Thor wasn't ever one of my Marvel faves, I'll be there!
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Of the three Spiderman movies I enjoyed the second one the best and thought the third film was pretty bad, so a new direction is OK, but no reboot. Not sure of all the details, but I saw Marvel is involved in law suit of the rights to Spiderman, as we know from Bond, lawsuits can put everything on hold.
I have something that has been bugging me for a while and I am hoping someone can help. I seem to recall as a youth coming home after school and watching a television show that featured the various Marvel comic book heros, I remember Captain America (my favorite), Thor and some others, I think Captain America may have been the headline act as I remember he seemed to get the most air time. If anyone remember this, help a feeble old brain out, because I can't find any reference for it on the web and I am starting to think I imagined it.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
I have something that has been bugging me for a while and I am hoping someone can help. I seem to recall as a youth coming home after school and watching a television show that featured the various Marvel comic book heros, I remember Captain America (my favorite), Thor and some others, I think Captain America may have been the headline act as I remember he seemed to get the most air time. If anyone remember this, help a feeble old brain out, because I can't find any reference for it on the web and I am starting to think I imagined it.
Are you referring to the old 60s "THE MARVEL SUPERHEROES" animated show? Unless you're considerably older than I am, you saw it in reruns like I did coming up. They featured various heroes in cartoon shorts: Cap, Thor, Iron Man, etc.
During summers with my grandmother, I remember sitting in my room watching that all morning with a bowl of Lucky Charms undisturbed. )
Alot people don't know that before he was Dean Wormer or Rupert Thorne on the old BTAS, the late John Vernon did alot of the voices on that tv show. Sub-Mariner and Tony Stark I know for a fact. B-)
I hope that helps you.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I have something that has been bugging me for a while and I am hoping someone can help. I seem to recall as a youth coming home after school and watching a television show that featured the various Marvel comic book heros, I remember Captain America (my favorite), Thor and some others, I think Captain America may have been the headline act as I remember he seemed to get the most air time. If anyone remember this, help a feeble old brain out, because I can't find any reference for it on the web and I am starting to think I imagined it.
♪♪ When Captain America throws his mighty shield...all of those who oppose his will must yield ♪♪
I remember that old show as well. It was the Avengers, both in solo adventures featuring Cap, Iron Man, Thor and Hulk and combinations thereof. The animation war really really limited though, often little more than static panels where only the eyes or one limb moved.
The other thing you may have been reading about is a lawsuit between Marvel Comics and the estate of Jack Kirby over who owns the rights to many of the characters Kirby worked on during his time with Marvel in the 1960s. His estate, probably using some of the rulings in the Siegel/Superman lawsuits as a basis, claims that they own the copywright to various characters including The X-Men and Fantastic Four whereas Marvel counters that Kirby was an employee for hire and as such anything he created belongs to them. This has been going back and forth for years but when a final decision is reached it could have major ramifications on creator rights.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
♪♪ When Captain America throws his mighty shield...all of those who oppose his will must yield ♪♪
Yeah, that's the one I was talking about. I used to sing along on that theme song when it came on - Even fashioned a shield of my own out of a big carboard box and tempra paints. )
I think I was maybe six years old or so? ;%
My son facepalmed when I told him that story. )
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
That's it, thanks guys. I used to watch it too and I remember enjoying it, although I don't remember the quality of the animation. Pretty good memory you have for an old guy. )
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
That's it, thanks guys. I used to watch it too and I remember enjoying it, although I don't remember the quality of the animation. Pretty good memory you have for an old guy. )
Hey, man...those were good times then. I never want to forget them. I don't think I'd want to trade with my kid because he thinks he has it good in this day and age. He couldn't be more wrong IMO.
Like Tony said, the animation was very cookie-cutter and stiff but for that time and budget, it was all we had then. I'm happy with that.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Good stuff...you can dig up the old intros and themes on Youtube. A couple months back I took a trip down memory lane and watched them all and chuckled at the hilarious jingles. Cap's is the best!
Back to Spidey, chalk me up as someone who doesn't like the idea of a reboot. Is it just me, or is this a trend in movies nowadays? It's as if when the latest installment of a series gets a critical drubbing (yet is almost always a huge financial success), the producers don't just say, "Let's do it right this time," they say, "Time to throw everything out and start all over again?" Admittedly, this approach brought us two very good films--Batman Begins and Casino Royale--but you can't count on lightning to strike three times.
Of course, this is good news for Thor and Captain America, who now won't have to share the Summer 2011 spotlight with The Amazingly Weepy Spiderman. Bring on Loki, The Red Skull and some good old fashioned Mighty Marvel ass-kickery featuring some real heroes.
Got all that Dan?
Thank goodness they are getting rid of weepy Tobey Maguire. The teenage sad sack annoyance child. I might actually enjoy Spidey again!
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Since everyone seems to be psyched for Cap coming down the road, I thought I'd pass along this article on director Joe Johnston talking about the upcoming project:
Joe Johnston Talks Captain America
Source:Chewy January 13, 2010
Boxoffice Magazine has posted some new comments from The Wolfman director Joe Johnston about his next film, The First Avenger: Captain America. He said the following about the comic book adaptation:
It's not going to be a Captain America that you expect. It's something different. It is influenced by the comic book, but it goes off in a completely different direction. It's the origin story of Captain America. It's mostly period—there are modern, present-day bookends on it—but it's basically the story of how Steve Rogers becomes Captain America. The great thing about Captain America is he's a super hero without any super powers. Which is why this story, among the hundreds of super hero stories, appealed to me the most. He can't fly, he can't see through walls, he can't do any of that stuff. He's an every man who's been given this amazing gift of transformation into the perfect specimen—the pinnacle of human perfection. How does that affect him? What does that mean for him emotionally and psychologically? He was this 98-pound weakling, he was this wimp, and he's transformed instantly into this Adonis. You'd think he got everything he wanted. Well, he didn't get everything he wanted. The rules change at that point and his life gets even more complicated and dire. For me, that's the interesting part of the story. It's got some great action sequences in it and some incredible stuff that we've never seen before. But at the heart of it, it's a story about this kid who all he wants to do is fit in. This thing happens and he still doesn't fit in. And he has to prove himself a hero—essentially go AWOL to save a friend...
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Thanks for sharing, Rogue! Sounds very promising. I've always hoped they'd do it as essentially a period piece; very cool B-)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
It's not going to be a Captain America that you expect. It's something different. It is influenced by the comic book, but it goes off in a completely different direction.
This statement I find a bit unsettling. I hope we see a faithful origins story. And I will be very dissapointed if we don't see Cap in a block of ice by the end of the film.
Comments
Are you waiting for the hammer to fall on the big screen (Mjolnir, that is)?! Of course you are and so are we!
When Thor makes his big screen debut on May 20, 2011, he'll have some company with him—as reported today by Variety.com!
Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg, longtime friends and fellow Asgardians who usually work together as a team known as the Warriors Three, are Thor’s allies and companions.
Fandral will be played by Stuart Townsend. The job of Hogun goes to Tadanobu Asano. And Volstagg will be portrayed Ray Stevenson.
They join the previously announced Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. Kenneth Branagh will direct.
"Thor" is one of a continuing slate of films being produced by Marvel Studios based on the Marvel characters, including "Iron Man 2" on May 7, 2010, "The First Avenger: Captain America" on July 22, 2011 and "The Avengers" on May 4, 2012.
This looks like pretty solid casting to me:
Fandral
Hogun
Volstagg
Volstagg, of course, needs a bit of imagination, but I suspect there will be some CGI effects in play for his character.
You guys remember WHAT IF? I wish they'd adapt something like that. Something like SECRET WARS.
I've always been a Dr. Fate fan myself; I really hope they don't screw this one up.
Why is is that the star of the show looks so ridiculous with the Neo getup I wonder? ?:)
I'm glad that Warner Bros. is keeping faithful with the Hawkman/Green Arrow relationship in that last pic it would appear; they can't stand one another in the comic books.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Bryan Singer Will Direct X-Men: First Class!
Source:MySpace.com December 16, 2009
James Cameron's Avatar had its premiere in Los Angeles tonight, and MySpace had a television crew on-hand at the "blue carpet" to interview arrivals.
One of the people there was director Bryan Singer, who directed X-Men and X2: X-Men United for Avatar distributor 20th Century Fox at the start of the decade. In recent interviews, Singer has been asked about possibly directing the planned prequel X-Men: First Class, and he always seemed interested, but earlier this evening he let slip that he has in fact just signed the deal with Fox to direct the next "Origins" film, which will reportedly look at the early days of Cyclops, Jean Grey and others at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.
You can see for yourself what Bryan Singer told the interviewer about signing to do X-Men: First Class if you go to the Official MySpace site, click on "Next Slide" at the bottom left and then scroll forward to the 27-minute mark where he's asked about what he has coming up next. He tells the interviewers without any hesitation and complete seriousness: "I'm ramping up to do a movie called 'Jack the Giant Killer' at Warner Bros, and I just yesterday signed a deal to do an 'X-Men: First Class Origins' picture, which is kind of cool. I'm very excited."
This is very exciting news for "X-Men" fans who have been hoping Singer would return to the fold and hopefully we'll have more to report on this news soon.
(Thanks to our pals at ScreenRant.com, FirstShowing.net and FlickChart.com for drawing our attention to this.)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Whether Raimi can redeem himself after going all Broadway with the last one remains to be seen.
Malkovich Confirms Vulture Role in Spider-Man 4
Source:BadTaste.it January 10, 2010
With all the rumors and speculation about Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 4, whether or not it will make its scheduled May 5, 2011 release date and why it has run into production problems, it's come out in the wash that John Malkovich was indeed up for the role of the Vulture, Raimi's choice of villain for the fourth movie, which was first broken by Movieline a month ago.
Malkovich was interviewed by an Italian sports show called "Quelli Che il Calcio" and he was asked not only about whether he had been approached to play the Vulture but also about the production delays. The fine folks at the Italian web site Bad Taste have graciously provided an English summation of what was said on the show:
"When conductor Simona Ventura asked him about his role of Vulture in the movie, he not only didn't deny his involvement, but confirmed that he's waiting for the final script to be sent to him, and that the movie has been delayed. He also hopes that shooting will begin as soon as possible."
Some may remember that Malkovich was the alternate choice to play the Green Goblin in the first "Spider-Man" movie, a role that went to his Shadow of the Vampire co-star Willem Dafoe, so it has always made perfect sense that Raimi would be interested in him to play a Spidey villain. The question is whether Sony will agree to the lesser Spider-Man villain for such an important tentpole franchise.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Stuart Townsend leaves 'Thor' over 'creative differences' a day before shooting begins
'Queen of the Damned' star was to play God of Thunder's ally Fandral
Published on Sunday, Jan 10, 2010 By Mike Cidoni (AP)
Stuart Townsend is no longer starring in Marvel Studios' upcoming adaptation of "Thor."
Townsend had been cast as Fandral, an ally of Norse god Thor. He was replaced by Joshua Dallas, according to the two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.
The cast change came as production was about to begin. Shooting starts Monday on the movie directed by Kenneth Branagh.
Irish actor Townsend, 37, best known as the boyfriend of Academy Award winner Charlize Theron, starred in "Queen of the Damned." He had been cast as Aragorn in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy but was replaced at the last minute by Viggo Mortensen.
Dallas, an American actor who is a relative newcomer, appears in George Lucas' upcoming Tuskagee Airmen drama "Red Tails."
"Thor" stars Chris Hemsworth in the title role, a warrior cast down to Earth to live among mortals as punishment for his reckless actions, which rekindled an ancient war in the realm of Asgard. Thor's troubles continue after dark forces of Asgard are dispatched to invade Earth.
The movie co-stars Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Renee Russo and Tom Hiddleston. Kenneth Branagh is directing.
"Thor" had been scheduled for release May 20, 2011, but Marvel has just moved it up to May 6, 2011.
http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2010-1-10-breaking-stuart-townsend-leaves-thor-over-creative-differences-a-day-before-shooting
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
In other news, here's a poster for the upcoming Smallvile JSA crossover show; it's fairly large so I only posted the link. Dr. Fate and Hawkman look good but jeez, I still can't get over Oliver Queen's cheezy getup.
Absolute Justice
Good news is they moved the release date forward a couple weeks.
I really don't know much about Townsend, other than he looked like a good fit for Fandral. However, given that Fandral should be a minor character in the story, I'd have concerns that an actor would step into the role with 'creative' ideas of their own. It might be for the best.
Sony Rebooting Spider-Man in 2012!
Source:Sony Pictures January 11, 2010
Peter Parker is going back to high school when the next Spider-Man hits theaters in the summer of 2012.
Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios announced today they are moving forward with a film based on a script by James Vanderbilt that focuses on a teenager grappling with both contemporary human problems and amazing super-human crises.
The new chapter in the Spider-Man franchise produced by Columbia, Marvel Studios and Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin, will have a new cast and filmmaking team. Spider-Man 4 was to have been released in 2011, but had not yet gone into production.
“A decade ago we set out on this journey with Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire and together we made three Spider-Man films that set a new bar for the genre. When we began, no one ever imagined that we would make history at the box-office and now we have a rare opportunity to make history once again with this franchise. Peter Parker as an ordinary young adult grappling with extraordinary powers has always been the foundation that has made this character so timeless and compelling for generations of fans. We’re very excited about the creative possibilities that come from returning to Peter's roots and we look forward to working once again with Marvel Studios, Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin on this new beginning,” said Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
“Working on the Spider-Man movies was the experience of a lifetime for me. While we were looking forward to doing a fourth one together, the studio and Marvel have a unique opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, and I know they will do a terrific job,” said Sam Raimi.
“We have had a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration and friendship with Sam and Tobey and they have given us their best for the better part of the last decade.This is a bittersweet moment for us because while it is hard to imagine Spider-Man in anyone else’s hands, I know that this was a day that was inevitable,” said Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures, who has served as the studio’s chief production executive since the beginning of the franchise. “Now everything begins anew, and that’s got us all tremendously excited about what comes next. Under the continuing supervision of Avi and Laura, we have a clear vision for the future of Spider-Man and can’t wait to share this exciting new direction with audiences in 2012.”
"Spider-Man will always be an important franchise for Sony Pictures and a fresh start like this is a responsibility that we all take very seriously," said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures. "We have always believed that story comes first and story guides the direction of these films and as we move onto the next chapter, we will stay true to that principle and will do so with the highest respect for the source material and the fans and moviegoers who deserve nothing but the best when it comes to bringing these stories and characters to life on the big screen."
The studio will have more news about Spider-Man in 2012 in the coming weeks as it prepares for production of the film.
I had read articles over the past months indicating that Raimi and Sony were at odds on what villian to cast next in the 4th installment. Apparently this head-butting was carried over from SM3?
IMO, it was the only way to go with the franchise...now get a hot Mary Jane this time.
You and my son both, Tony. He was momentarily devastated that Townsend left the project seeing that Jude Law was his first choice for Fandrel. Townsend's casting was the next best thing to him.
GA's look comes across as a little too TeenNick for my tastes but that's nothing new from me. Warner stayed sort of faithful to Hawkman & Fate's look so it evens out better than I could've hoped. It now gives me a reason to tune in to Smallville if only for these guest appearances. B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
While I am happy to be rid of Raimi and Maguire, I also don't think a reboot is required here and the idea of going back to the teenage years doesn't particularly interest me much. Just give us more stories with the characters and cut back on the angst a little bit. I'll be curious to see what direction Sony takes this and if the fans will embrace a new creative team tackling this property.
Of course, this is good news for Thor and Captain America, who now won't have to share the Summer 2011 spotlight with The Amazingly Weepy Spiderman. Bring on Loki, The Red Skull and some good old fashioned Mighty Marvel ass-kickery featuring some real heroes.
Got all that Dan?
I like the reboot idea because for one, Tobey's way too old now to play Spidey who in the comics should be perpetually no older that mid-late 20s.
Raimi did a fine job but it's evident that there was a powerplay with the studio in there somewhere. Hence why Sony decided to start from scratch.
Done. One of them was tearing up with me on the phone awhile ago as we discussed this turn of events. Of course he was trying his best to shield his sniffing from me so I played dumb and left his dignity intact.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I view this delay as only positive as too many comics movies over a short time would have only diluted their peformance. A summer 2011 release would have drawn attention away from Thor and Cap and those two properties deserve their moment in the spotlight and a chance, like Iron Man, to flourish into franchises of their own.
Still, if the rebooted/retooled Spiderman debuts in Summer 2012, that will put it head to head with the next Star Trek movie featuring the new cast, which is tentatively slated to hit theaters on June 29, 2012. Tell you're friends right now, if they diss Trek, they may not even live to regret it.
Hope you're right. It worked okay with the Hulk, even though IMO that one didn't need an immediate reboot, either.
Definitely hyped for Cap, though...and although Thor wasn't ever one of my Marvel faves, I'll be there!
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I have something that has been bugging me for a while and I am hoping someone can help. I seem to recall as a youth coming home after school and watching a television show that featured the various Marvel comic book heros, I remember Captain America (my favorite), Thor and some others, I think Captain America may have been the headline act as I remember he seemed to get the most air time. If anyone remember this, help a feeble old brain out, because I can't find any reference for it on the web and I am starting to think I imagined it.
During summers with my grandmother, I remember sitting in my room watching that all morning with a bowl of Lucky Charms undisturbed.
Alot people don't know that before he was Dean Wormer or Rupert Thorne on the old BTAS, the late John Vernon did alot of the voices on that tv show. Sub-Mariner and Tony Stark I know for a fact. B-)
I hope that helps you.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
♪♪ When Captain America throws his mighty shield...all of those who oppose his will must yield ♪♪
I remember that old show as well. It was the Avengers, both in solo adventures featuring Cap, Iron Man, Thor and Hulk and combinations thereof. The animation war really really limited though, often little more than static panels where only the eyes or one limb moved.
The other thing you may have been reading about is a lawsuit between Marvel Comics and the estate of Jack Kirby over who owns the rights to many of the characters Kirby worked on during his time with Marvel in the 1960s. His estate, probably using some of the rulings in the Siegel/Superman lawsuits as a basis, claims that they own the copywright to various characters including The X-Men and Fantastic Four whereas Marvel counters that Kirby was an employee for hire and as such anything he created belongs to them. This has been going back and forth for years but when a final decision is reached it could have major ramifications on creator rights.
I think I was maybe six years old or so? ;%
My son facepalmed when I told him that story.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Like Tony said, the animation was very cookie-cutter and stiff but for that time and budget, it was all we had then. I'm happy with that.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Joe Johnston Talks Captain America
Source:Chewy January 13, 2010
Boxoffice Magazine has posted some new comments from The Wolfman director Joe Johnston about his next film, The First Avenger: Captain America. He said the following about the comic book adaptation:
It's not going to be a Captain America that you expect. It's something different. It is influenced by the comic book, but it goes off in a completely different direction. It's the origin story of Captain America. It's mostly period—there are modern, present-day bookends on it—but it's basically the story of how Steve Rogers becomes Captain America. The great thing about Captain America is he's a super hero without any super powers. Which is why this story, among the hundreds of super hero stories, appealed to me the most. He can't fly, he can't see through walls, he can't do any of that stuff. He's an every man who's been given this amazing gift of transformation into the perfect specimen—the pinnacle of human perfection. How does that affect him? What does that mean for him emotionally and psychologically? He was this 98-pound weakling, he was this wimp, and he's transformed instantly into this Adonis. You'd think he got everything he wanted. Well, he didn't get everything he wanted. The rules change at that point and his life gets even more complicated and dire. For me, that's the interesting part of the story. It's got some great action sequences in it and some incredible stuff that we've never seen before. But at the heart of it, it's a story about this kid who all he wants to do is fit in. This thing happens and he still doesn't fit in. And he has to prove himself a hero—essentially go AWOL to save a friend...
You can read more here.
http://boxoffice.com/featured_stories/2010/01/exclusive-captain-america-jp4.php
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
This statement I find a bit unsettling. I hope we see a faithful origins story. And I will be very dissapointed if we don't see Cap in a block of ice by the end of the film.