Category Archives: Marvel comics movies

Images: Electro, ‘Man of Steel,’ ‘Star Trek’

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star_trek into darkness trailer ships

We’re at the point I’m ready to quit watching clips and previews for movies like “Iron Man 3” and “Star Trek Into Darkness” because they seem so spoiler-intensive. Even if they’re really not.

But new trailers for the “Star Trek” film and “Man of Steel” have come out in advance of their summer openings. And news about “Amazing Spider-Man 2” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” has broken.

So, herewith, some images.

At the top is a shot from the “Star Trek Into Darkness” trailer. That’s the Enterprise on the left. But what’s the ship on the right? Some futuristic version of the Enterprise? Is it what the crew ends up piloting – not unlike the Klingon ship they sported in “Star Trek IV” after the Enterprise was destroyed?

So is Benedict Cumberbatch a time traveler?

On to comic book movies.

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The “Man of Steel” trailer released this week didn’t feel as much like a solemn affair as the previous ones did. A little more action, a little more human (and Kryptonian) emotion. I’m beginning to look forward to this.

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I’m not sure what to think about Jamie Fox here as Electro from “Amazing Spider-Man 2.” He’s very … blue.

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But it seems unlikely they would put him in this, his traditional comic-book outfit.

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And then there’s news that our beloved Michael Rooker of “The Walking Dead” will appear in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” in 2014. But not as the voice of Rocket Raccoon.

No. Rooker will be playing Yondu, another member of the Guardians.

I wonder if he’ll be as blue as Electro?

I think director James Gunn’s film is getting trippier all the time.

Look out below: ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ poster

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new star trek into darkness poster

Head’s up!

Above is the new “Star Trek Into Darkness” poster, with the Enterprise falling through the atmosphere.

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And here’s one of the earlier posters for “Iron Man 3,” with Tony Stark falling through the atmosphere.

We’ll see both in May. In the meantime, I suggest you wear a hard hat.

 

First look: ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’

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captain america the winter soldier

Yes, we know production has only just begun on “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Yes, we know the sequel won’t hit theaters until 2014. But doggone it, we have to get excited about the first official photo from filming.

The picture appears to show actor Chris Evans, returning to play Cap for a third time, behind the scenes on the set with his shield on his back and a big SHIELD emblem on the wall.

We knew SHIELD plays a big role in the movie, with Samuel Jackson returning as Nick Fury, Scarlett Johansson returning as the Black Widow and Robert Redford (!) debuting as SHIELD officer Alexander Pierce.

What’s so good about this picture? It’s the way Chris Evans is wearing Cap’s shield. All of us growing up reading Marvel Comics saw Steve Rogers and Cap portrayed many times as wearing the shield on his back. Sometimes Steve even wore it under his street clothes, particularly under his jacket. While that seems kind of cumbersome (duh), it implied that he was as ready as Spider-Man or Superman to leap into action.

What’s not so good? Okay, I will admit to being distracted by a couple of things in this photo. Namely, the things on either side of Evans. What are those? Is that SHIELD helicarrier plumbing?

We can tell the shot is behind the scenes because of the light reflecting screens on each side of the SHIELD emblem.

But no worries. I totally trust Marvel, Evans and the directors of the sequel, Anthony and Joe Russo.

I’m ready for some Cap action and I’m counting down to April 4, 2104.

Marvel Phase 2 concept art: ‘Cap,’ ‘Guardians’

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captain america the winter soldier

Yes, it doesn’t take much more than a couple of cool paintings to make us happy.

The Internets were downright jovial today with the release – maybe officially, maybe unofficially, maybe associated with the big box set of Marvel Phase 1 films on disc – of some concept art from Marvel Phase 2.

Above is a very cool piece of art for “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” The title indicates the movie will likely follow the comics storyline in which Cap’s friend and former sidekick, Bucky Barnes, comes back after decades presumed dead and appears as the Winter Soldier, a Russian agent.

guardians of the galaxy concept art

And here’s some concept art for “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which follows the Cap sequel into theaters by several months in 2014.

Looks like the gang’s all here, or at least the recognizable ones, including Groot the living tree thingy and Rocket Raccoon … the talkin’, scrappin’ space raccoon.

Okay, yes, it sounds odd. But I think it’s supposed to.

Anyway, enjoy.

Cool Mandarin poster for ‘Iron Man 3’

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So Marvel has been releasing these character posters for “Iron Man 3.”

The ones for Don Cheadle as Rhodey and Guy Pierce as a baddie are fine.

But this one … this is cool.

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At the top here is Ben Kingsley as Mandarin. Based on a fairly typical 1960s-era “Yellow Peril” villain from the Iron Man comics, Mandarin seemed like a daunting character to pull off in a modern-day movie without being offensive or silly.

But I wonder if director Shane Black hasn’t gone and done it.

Look closely at that poster.

See the dog tags hanging over the arm of Mandarin’s chair?

He’s wearing the camo pants of a soldier but the regal robe of a king.

He’s a big lover of incense.

He sports both cool shades and a ponytail.

But most of all: The ten rings!

Just the design of this character’s look is cool.

I cannot wait until May. But I guess I have to.

Geektastic: The Force is with us

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I’ve lost track of the rumors and likely developments coming, fast and furious, at geeks and genre fans this week.

Rumors that Marvel is planning to base a lot of its Phase Three movies – following the “Avengers” sequel, a group of films to include “Ant-Man” and possibly “Dr. Strange” – on a multi-movie adaptation of the “Planet Hulk” and “World War Hulk” comics.

Reports that Chris Pratt, the goofy guy from TV’s “Parks and Recreation” and one of the Seals from “Zero Dark Thirty,” would play Peter, the human lead of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” one of Marvel’s Phase Two tentpoles.

The announcement by Disney’s Robert Iger that, in addition to making the three “Star Wars” sequels, the studio would make stand-alone stories in the “Star Wars” universe. A Yoda movies? A Boba Fett movie? Does it sound like Disney is following the game plan established by its Marvel subsidiary?

And heck, all that’s in addition to the line-up of movies already coming out this year, from “Iron Man 3” to “Star Trek Into Darkness” to “Thor: The Dark World.”

My son doesn’t remember a time when each year wasn’t a non-stop parade of science fiction, fantasy and comic book characters on the big screen. When you couldn’t pick up a magazine and see Iron Man looking back at you from the cover.

But I remember.

So it’s a pretty damn cool time to be us, huh?

Five coolest superhero movie moments

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nick fury iron man tag

Maybe it was Superman besting Lex Luthor’s nuclear missiles by turning the world backward on its axis. Maybe it was Spider-Man swinging over the NYC skyline for the first time. Heck, maybe it was a Robert Downey Jr. quip.

We all know them when we see them: Those moments in big-screen adaptations of superhero comics that made you get goosebumps, that made you pump your fist and shout “Yes!” right there in the theater.

Here’s a personal, subjective list of my five favorite superhero movie moments. And yes, this short list is heavy on “Iron Man” and Marvel movies. Maybe a follow-up installment will spread the love around a bit.

Superman’s first flight. The 1978 “Superman” reaches a several-minute-long high point during the sequence when Superman takes on bad guys and even rescues a kitten from a tree on his first night in Metropolis. But the single coolest moment? When, at the end of years of training, Christopher Reeve, in the classic Superman suit for the first time, flies from a distant point in the Fortress of Solitude toward the camera.

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The suitcase suit. “Iron Man 2” was lacking in a lot of ways, but the appearance of the suitcase suit – a staple of the classic “Iron Man” comics – was a highlight.

Iron Man vs. thugs. When Tony Stark finds out his weapons are being used by marauding terrorists in “Iron Man,” he suits up and engages in some wish fulfillment fantasy. Who hasn’t wanted to fly over to a foreign country and take out some oppressors?

The tracking shot in “The Avengers.” There’s no denying the power of the moment in “The Avengers” when the team assembles, backs to each other, in a circle, ready to face the menace of Loki’s army. That’s the single most powerful visual shot in the movie. But for my fanboy money, the coolest sequence in the movie is Joss Whedon’s long tracking shot as his camera follows Iron Man through the concrete canyons, capturing one Avenger after another battling the Chitauri.

Nick Fury. Nick Fury! The modern age of comic book movies began at the end of 2008’s “Iron Man” when Tony Stark comes home to find Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, director of SHIELD, in his house. Fury says he’s there to talk to him about … the Avengers Initiative!

Woo-hoo!

Marvel movies: What we want to see in Phase 3

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If you’re only a casual fan of the movies made from Marvel comics in the past four or so years, you might not be familiar with the “phases” that the company is moving through as it brings its complex universe to the big screen.

Phase 1, as dubbed by Marvel, began in 2008 with “Iron Man,” moving through solo adventures for the Hulk, Thor and Captain America and culminating in last summer’s “The Avengers.”

“Iron Man 3” kicks off Phase 2 this May, with “Thor: The Dark World,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” to follow, and Marvel films honcho Kevin Feige has indicated that series will sew the seeds for the “Avengers” sequel in 2015, even if moviegoers don’t recognize those seeds at the time. (Talk about a crazy Easter egg hunting challenge!)

“Ant-Man” is already on the schedule for late 2015, a few months after the “Avengers” sequel, and would kick off Phase 3. Marvel films honcho Kevin Feige hinted recently that “Dr. Strange” might also follow in Phase 3.

Remember that Hawkeye was introduced in “Thor,” so it’s possible we’ll see more Marvel characters introduced in Phase 2.

But here’s what we want to see in Phase 3:

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Diversity. Luke Cage and the Black Panther are two longtime Avengers who would not only be great additions to the team but bring needed color to the movie line-up.

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Women, including Wasp! She was a founding member of the Avengers, for pete’s sake. It would make sense that she’s introduced in the “Ant-Man” movie.

More Hulk. Even better, a Hulk/Iron Man Marvel Superhero Team-Up.

Big and small. A good mix of personal, high-stakes stories – which “Iron Man 3” appears to be, as much as any Marvel superhero movie can be – with the grand-scale action plots we know from Marvel.

avengers and xmen

Dare I say it: Crossover with characters whose big-screen rights are owned by other companies, namely “Fantastic Four,” “X-Men” and “Spider-Man.” Surely with lots of money to be made this can be worked out, right?

Come on, Marvel. Make it happen!

Movies I’m looking forward to in 2013

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iron man 3

2012 was a pretty good year for geek movies. I’m still boggled, sometimes, that so many comic book, science fiction and fantasy movies – not to mention big-budget, well-crafted ones – are released these days. We might be in a golden age for the genre.

Looking ahead to 2013, the calendar looks like just as much of a treat for fans.

“Iron Man 3.” After the superhero team-up that was “The Avengers,” why look forward to a solo superhero outing? Isn’t that a step back? Well, it would be but for a few reasons. I trust Robert Downey Jr. and director Shane Black. The preview looks dire and action-filled. And the movie kicks off Marvel’s Phase Two, which culminates in “The Avengers” sequel in 2015, so I’m pretty sure they’ll have some references to the big picture. May 3.

“Thor: The Dark World.” The first “Thor,” in some ways, held the promise (threat?) of being the weakest movie in the first phase of Marvel. Yet it was solid entertainment and laid the groundwork for much of the mythology that followed in “Captain America” and “The Avengers.” I feel very much at ease with this realm of big-screen Marvel. Nov. 8.

“Pacific Rim.” This story about giant robots created to fight giant, Godzilla-style monsters looks like something to appeal to all the 12 year olds within us. July 12.

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“Star Trek Into Darkness.” This J.J. Abrams sequel to the reboot looks awesome. Unleash the Cumberbatch! May 17.

“The Wolverine.” I am not the craziest of fans of Marvel’s snikt-happy mutant. But Hugh Jackman has been so good as the character I’m looking forward to this and his role, however big, in “Days of Future Past.” July 26.

“Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” The first movie was a pleasant surprise. The second book is the weakest of the series, but I’m hoping they pull it off. Nov. 22.

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“Oz the Great and Powerful.” This retooling of the classic story, a kind of prequel, could be really fun or really awful. March 8.

“The World’s End.” While we’re waiting for director Edgar Wright to make “Ant-Man,” how about this end of the world comedy starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Martin Freeman? Yes, please. Oct. 25.

Movies I’m almost dreading:

“Man of Steel.” We don’t need another origin story. We don’t need a “dark” Superman. We need a Superman who feels like the last of his kind but isn’t mopey about it. We don’t need a “Dark Knight” treatment, but I’m afraid that’s what we’re getting. June 14.

“World War Z.” I’ve said it before, but here it is again. The preview doesn’t look like the terrific Max Brooks book. June 21.

“The Lone Ranger.” A beloved childhood hero. I’m just not sure about the approach. Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp bring a lot of charisma to the proceedings, however. We’ll see. May 31.