AJ
Anthony and Joe Russo are close to finalizing a deal to direct the sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger for Marvel Studios.
The brothers continue Marvel’s strategy of finding unorthodox helmers for their movies. The Russos are known more for their work in comedy, having directed You, Me & Dupree and directing and executive producing the low-rated but strongly followed NBC comedy Community.
The Russos beat out George Nolfi, the Bourne Ultimatum writer who made his directorial debut with The Adjustment Bureau. The bake-off lasted the better part of a month, with the contenders forced to study The Avengers as part of their exam. F. Gary Gray also was an early contender.
Joe Johnston directed the first Captain America installment, starring Chris Evans as the titular hero. The movie, released in 2011 as part of Marvel’s road to Avengers, grossed $368 million worldwide.
via Russo Brothers in Final Talks to Direct ‘Captain America 2’ – Hollywood Reporter.
Film critics who put down Michael Bay’s “Transformers” movies by calling them theme-park rides in disguise won’t change their mind after hopping on Transformers: The Ride — 3D at Universal Studios, but they might have a dramatically improved opinion of theme-park rides.
The $100-million ride, which officially opened May 24, is being hailed as a game-changer by the reviewers and bloggers who cover such things (yes, there is quite a bit of room on the Internet), and even rivals at Disney Imagineering have, in private, acknowledged that the shiny new kid on the block is pretty impressive and possibly, well, transformative.
Cars Land at Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim, opening this month, has been the big theme park story this summer due to the scale of the project and the stakes involved for a Disney destination that was not the hoped-for success story in its first decade. Years from now, though, this summer’s opening of Transformers: The Ride might also be viewed as a milestone moment for its intriguing hybrid of digital illusion, real-world velocity and assorted atmospheric effects.
Click the link below to read the full article….
Famed sci-fi author Ray Bradbury has died in California at the age of 91.
Bradbury penned 600 short stories, 30 novels and various plays and screenplays over the course of his life. One such film script was John Huston’s 1956 adaptation of Melville’s “Moby Dick”.
His most famous work however was the dystopian tale “Fahrenheit 451” about a book burner in a repressive futuristic state. That novel has since became a cornerstone of all sci-fi literature and inspired the François Truffaut 1966 film adaptation.
Other classic works include “The Martian Chronicles,” “Dandelion Wine,” “The Illustrated Man,” “Something Wicked This Way Comes” and “A Sound of Thunder”.
Bradbury is survived by four daughters.
Every year I would see Ray Bradbury at comic con. While the geek in me was always enthusiastic to see and meet such an influential author, I always felt bad because he seemed a little out of it. But now I understand that he was there because he loved it and he wanted to be surrounded by the fans with whom he loved so much. Fahrenheit 451 was one of my favorite books growing up, even to the point that I saw the unofficial homage film Equilibrium. He will always be one of my heroes and favorite authors and I am sad to see him go.
While Disney and Marvel were busy shooting “The Avengers” last year, Warner Brothers quietly began getting its own all-star superhero pic back on track, tapping “Gangster Squad” scribe Will Beall to write “Justice League,” based on the WB-controlled stable of DC Comics superheroes.
Warner Bros. had no comment on the top-secret hire, which, due to its timing, was more in anticipation of — rather than a reaction to — the box office success of “The Avengers.”
Beall has yet to turn in his “Justice League” script, though he has become a favorite scribe of Warners. He’s writing the studio’s “Lethal Weapon” reboot and its remake of “Logan’s Run,” which is expected to reteam “Gangster Squad” thesp Ryan Gosling with his “Drive” director Nicolas Winding Refn. Warners will release “Gangster Squad” on Sept. 7.
Warners originally tried to mount a “Justice League” movie several years ago, with George Miller directing from a script by Kieran and Michele Mulroney. That iteration was set to star Adam Brody as the Flash, Megan Gale as Wonder Woman and then-newcomer Armie Hammer as Batman. Back in January 2008, the studio cited a lack of tax breaks as the main reason it pulled the plug on the project, which also needed a rewrite that wasn’t possible because of the writers’ strike.
DC Comics is a vital component of Warner Bros.’ intellectual property, as “Green Lantern” scribes Marc Guggenheim and Michael Green were tapped to write “The Flash” for director Greg Berlanti, while another “Green Lantern” scribe, Michael Goldenberg, was hired to write “Wonder Woman.” Additionally, Brad Peyton is working on a new draft of “Lobo,” while John Kamps and David Koepp are developing “Spy vs. Spy” as a potential directing vehicle for Ron Howard. WB also developed the “Aquaman” property several years ago.
via Beall writing ‘Justice League’ for Warner Bros. – Entertainment News, EXCLUSIVE, Media – Variety.
While theyre happy to talk up their upcoming sequels to the likes of “Thor,” “Iron Man” and “Captain America”, Marvel has been keeping fairly quiet about which of the characters that havent been adapted for the screen yet will be the ones to fill the two “open slots” in their schedule.
Will it be already announced projects in development like “Doctor Strange,” “Ant-Man,” or “Guardians of the Galaxy”? Well Latino Review posted a report yesterday that indicates it just might be something else entirely – Black Panther.
In the comics, Black Panther is the name given to royal leader of the fictional African nation Wakanda – in this case a wealthy prince, brilliant scientist and highly skilled warrior named T’Challa.
His nemesis is the physicist Ulysses Klaw who murdered his father to gain access to the precious deposits of vibranium, the rare and precious metal that makes up Captain America’s shield. In pop culture, Panther is a character widely regarded as the first major black superhero.
Documentarian Mark Bailey “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib” was hired a while back to pen the script, an unusual choice though the character has always been one with plenty of social commentary thrown in. Plotlines in the comic had him visiting Rudyarda an Apartheid-ruled South Africa-esque fictional nation, and clashing with the Ku Klux Klan in the American South.
Neither Marvel or Disney have confirmed or denied the reports thus far. The character fought as part of The Avengers in the comics so when that films sequel goes into production, there might be one more cast member onboard.
Casting suggestions already floating around include Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie and David Oyelowo.
via Marvels “Black Panther” To Be Adapted Next? | News | Dark Horizons.
ABOUT THE CONTEST
Holding out for a hero? Well then you are out of luck on this one. ; But its all good, because lets face it: What would your favorite Marvel heroes be without the nefarous no-gooders who keep them on their toes?! This contest is all about the villains! – the badguys who make merry mayhem in the Marvel Universe, and we want to see all of you talented artists out there join us for our latest Marvel competition. You have a HUGE list of characters to choose from this time see below under “The Rules” for exactly who, so think about whose evil ways inspire you to imagination and show us the best youve got! You could win up to $2,500 in the grand prize, and the chance to have your design made into official Marvel merchandise! Get drawing, and may the BADDEST entry win – bad to the bone!
ABOUT OUR JUDGES
Tom Hiddleston is best-known to filmgoers and Marvel fans as Loki, the fan-favorite villain in Marvel Studios Thor and this summers blockbuster hit, The Avengers. Born in London, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and rose to prominence through a number of television and, more recently, major film appearances. Recent roles include F. Scott Fitzgerald in Woody Allens Midnight in Paris and Captain Nicholls in Steven Spielbergs War Horse. He will soon portray Prince Hal/Henry V in a UK television adaptation of Shakespeares plays, and will reprise his role as Loki in Thor 2. You can follow Tom on Twitter at @twhiddleston.
Second Guest Judge TBA!
THE RULES
-Submissions must be received by 11:59:59 PM PST on June 22nd, 2012.
-You may submit up to 5 entries per person
-All entries must be in one of the following file formats: GIF/PNG/JPG.
-By entering the contest ”Promotion”, you indicate your full and unconditional agreement to, and acceptance of, a the Official Rules and b Mighty Fine’s ”Sponsor” decisions, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.
– Likenesses of any actors who have portrayed Marvel villains in any movie adaptations CANNOT be used in the design.
– The following Marvel villain characters are approved for designs in this contest:
A.I.M., Abomination, Absorbing Man, Annihilus, Attuma, Baron Blood, Baron Mordo, Baron Strucker, Baron Zemo, Bastion, Bi-Beast, Black Tarantula, Black Tom, Blastaar, Blizzard, Blob, Blockbuster, Emil Blonksy, Bloodscream, Bella Donna Boudreaux, Brainchild, Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Bullseye, Calypso, Carrion, Celestial, Chameleon, Constrictor, Count Nefaria, Crismon Dynamo, Crossbones, Cyttorak, Daken, Dark Phoenix, Deacon Frost, Deathbird, Demogoblin, Diablo, Dr. Octopus, Doombots, Dormammu, Dr. Doom, Dracula, Dreadknight, Electro, Enchantress, Erik the Red, Executioner, Famine, Fin Fang Foom , Flint Marko, Frost Giants, Galactus, Gargoyle, Gorgon, Green Goblin, Greg Gargoyle, Grim Reaper, H.A.M.M.E.R., Hairbag, Justin Hammer, Hammerhead, Hand, Hela, Holocaust, Hydra, Hydro-Man, Iron Monger, Jack o Lantern, Jackal, Jigsaw, Juggernaut, Kang, Kingpin, Klaw, Kraven the Hunter, Lady Bullseye, Lady Mastermind, Leader, Living Laser, Lizard, Loki, M.O.D.O.K, Mad Thinker, Madame Hydra, Madame Masque, Magneto, Man-Ape, Mandarin, Man-Wolf, Master Mold, Mastermind, Menace, Mephisto, Mesmero, Mister Sinister, Mole Man, Molecule Man , Moonstone , Morbius, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Negative, Mysterio, Mystique, Nightmare, Nitro, Cassandra Nova, Onslaught, Phalanx, Proteus Atlantean, Prowler, Psycho-Man, Puppet Master, Purple Man, Radioactive Man, Mikhail Rasputin, Reaper, Red Ghost, Red Skull, Rhino, Ringmaster, Ronan the Accuser, Sabretooth, Sandman, Sauron, Scorpion, Scream, Sentinel, Senyaka, Serpent Society, Shadow King, Shocker, Shriek, Shuma-Gorath, Silvermane, Skrulls, Smythe, Starbolt, Stardust, Stranger, Super Adaptoid, Super Skrull, Supreme Intelligence, Surtur, Swordsman, Taskmaster, Terrax, Thanos, The Hood, The Living Laser, The Scientist Supreme, Tiger Shark, Tinkerer, Toad, Trapster, Bolivar Trask, Ulik, Ultron, Unus the Untouchable, Unuscione, Vanisher, Vargas, Vertigo, Viper, Vulture, Wendigo, Whiplash, Whirlwind, Wizard, Wrecker, Wrecking Crew, Zaladane, Arnim Zola
via WeLoveFine Shop!.
The proposed live-action “Star Wars” TV series has been in development for years now, and Den of Geek recently spoke with Lucasfilm producer Rick McCallum who spoke about the tone, the projects current status, and the economic realities.
As of now, “we have spent three and a half years on and there are 50 hours totally scripted… Well, they’re all second draft scripts and it would probably take a year of prep before shooting would start, but that’s because they’re all very complex” he says.
A big concern is the content which will NOT be targeted at the kids – “These stories are adult. I mean…these are like Deadwood in space. [Its] so unlike anything you’ve ever associated with George before in relation to Star Wars. These arent for kids. I mean, we hope they’ll watch, but its not being targeted at 8-to-9 year old boys.
“The main factor holding it back? Cost. “The situation we have is that each episode – or if you put two hour long episodes together – is bigger than any film weve ever done. Its on the Avatar level and well only have about $5-6 million we can spend on each episode” he says.
via McCallum On An Adult “Star Wars” Series | News | Dark Horizons.
You must be logged in to post a comment.