Okay, Marvel, good for you, a little.
Marvel’s releasing character posters (Cap, Black Widow, Nick Fury) from “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
So here’s this cool character poster featuring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, AKA the Falcon, Cap’s partner.
But it’s only in Spanish-speaking territories so far, apparently.
Come on, Marvel. Let this one loose on U.S. soil.
I want kids to be able to see a poster featuring the first African-American superhero in comics. (Black Panther was African.)
The Hollywood Reporter is going with the story – and a million websites are echoing – the news that Paul Bettany is reportedly going to play the Vision in “The Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the “Avengers” sequel director Joss Whedon is making for 2015 release.
If that’s true, it’s perfect and makes perfect sense.
In the comics, the Vision was, in a way, the indirect creation of Hank Pym, the super-scientist whose secret identity was the shape-changing Ant-Man.
But Marvel put comic book fans on notice at Comic Con last year when it showed a preview for “Age of Ultron” that – by depicting Iron Man’s mask hammered into the fearsome visage of Ultron – indicated Tony Stark was Ultron’s father.
In the comics, Pym’s creation, Ultron, the megalomaniacal android, created the Vision to help him destroy the Avengers after Pym, his father figure, rejected him and proved flawed.
Making Ultron a creation of Tony Stark streamlines events for the Marvel cinematic universe. Not to mention that Edgar Wright’s “Ant-Man” – with Michael Douglas as Pym and Paul Rudd as Ant-Man successor Scott Lang – hasn’t even made its way into the movie universe continuity yet.
So if you’re going to make Ultron – and Vision – part of the Tony Stark lineage, what makes more sense than having Bettany, who has been doing the voice of Jarvis, Stark’s artificial intelligence “butler” since 2008’s “Iron Man,” portray the in-the-flesh-more-or-less personification of Vision.
It all makes sense, and Bettany has the kind of cool that would be perfect for playing the android.
Last night’s Super Bowl had at least one highlight: A new trailer for “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
I’m hoping that, when the movie opens in April, we’ll all get just what we’re expecting: A smart and action-filled political thriller that pits Cap against dark forces that want to control super-spy agency SHIELD.
Not to mention his one-on-one bouts with the Winter Soldier, who comic book fans will know is the reincarnated and improved – into a killing machine – version of his old sidekick Bucky Barnes.
The images in the trailer continue to be among my favorite from any Marvel movie. It just feels like directors Anthony and Joe Russo have totally hit their marks.
There’s a lot of focus in the trailer on Cap’s former, current and future partners: Bucky/the Winter Soldier, Black Widow and Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon.
Bucky Barnes realizing he’s been turned into the Winter Soldier, a Russian assassin.
The Winter Soldier process, apparently.
Not the face of an ally. Yet.
Nick Fury after the Winter Soldier tries to kill him.
Who’s the body on the table? Who would Natasha be mourning? Surely it can’t be fury. SHIELD agent Hill is out in the hallway. Who’s dead?
Not a good day to be in the SHIELD helicarrier. Or in SHIELD headquarters.
Sam Wilson gets in on the action.
Cap and the Falcon, reporting for duty.
We even get a look – in the UK trailer, at least – of whom we suspect to be Sharon Carter, SHIELD agent and (likely) granddaughter of Agent Carter, Cap’s old flame.
I can’t wait for this movie.
It’s sad and solemn when an older, favorite star dies, but we come to expect it. We all get older and pass from this existence.
It’s frustrating, even maddening, when anyone is cut down in their prime. With a writer or musician or actor in their prime, it’s a loss we all share.
News today that Philip Seymour Hoffman has died at age 46 – found dead in his New York City apartment, perhaps in a drug-related death – is especially tragic and frustrating.
Hoffman was an actor who had the kind of broad-based appeal that most actors would love. Appearing in cult films, high-quality prestige projects and box-office monsters, Hoffman was all over our screens.
I found myself surprised at just how long we’ve been enjoying him. He was in “Scent of a Woman” 22 years ago. “Twister” and “Boogie Nights” in the mid-90s. “Almost Famous” – as rock journalist Les Bangs – and “Capote.”
And of course he was a new addition to the “Hunger Games” movies, which are still in production. His death will mean decisions for the movie’s makers.
And a loss to all of us who were looking forward to more of Philip Seymour Hoffman on the big screen.
So Warner Bros. has announced they’ve cast Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor in the “Man of Steel” sequel, the one with Ben Affleck as Batman. The one that’s called … well, we might know the official title around the time of Comic Con.
So Eisenberg as Luthor (matchup in the Entertainment Weekly illustration above.
What do we think of this?
Eisenberg will always be the sarcastic nerd hero of “Zombieland” and the sarcastic nerd billionaire-in-the-making anti-hero of “The Social Network” to me.
Do I want them to bring Kevin Spacey or Gene Hackman back? No.
But my image (and aural impression) of Lex Luthor just might always be the Bruce Timm version, voice by Clancy Brown, from the animated “Superman” and “Justice League” series.
I’m not sure Eisenberg can top that.
And Jeremy Irons as Alred Pennyworth? That’s fine. Nobody will top Michael Caine.
Here’s the WB press release:
Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Jesse Eisenberg has been set to star as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons will play Alfred in the upcoming Zack Snyder untitled Superman/Batman film. The dual announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
Snyder stated, “Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman’s rivals, his unsavory reputation preceding him since 1940. What’s great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He’s a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions.”
The director added, “As everyone knows, Alfred is Bruce Wayne’s most trusted friend, ally and mentor, a noble guardian and father figure. He is an absolutely critical element in the intricate infrastructure that allows Bruce Wayne to transform himself into Batman. It is an honor to have such an amazingly seasoned and gifted actor as Jeremy taking on the important role of the man who mentors and guides the guarded and nearly impervious façade that encapsulates Bruce Wayne.”
Snyder’s film stars Henry Cavill, reprising his role as Superman/Clark Kent, Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince. The film also reunites “Man of Steel” stars Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane.
The new film is currently being written by Chris Terrio, from a screenplay by David S. Goyer. Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.
The film is set to open worldwide on May 6, 2016, and is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, Batman characters created by Bob Kane, and Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment.
Let’s play a game. We’ll call it “Superhero Casting: Yes or No.”
It’s inspired by the many, many casting rumors circulating online. Denzel Washington as Green Lantern John Stewart. “Girls'” Adam Driver as Nightwing. You get the picture.
So Marvel recently announced that Michael Douglas would be playing the original Ant-Man, Henry Pym, in Edgar Wright’s upcoming “Ant-Man” movie. Paul Rudd had already been announced, and it turns out he’s playing Scott Lang, the second-generation Ant-Man.
I’m kind of intrigued by the idea of a senior citizen superhero. If the speculation is correct and Pym – an important figure in the Marvel Comics universe and one of the founders of the Avengers – was a below-the-radar adventurer or SHIELD agent sometime between the time of Captain America and … reborn Captain America, that’s kind of interesting.
So I’m okay with a pivotal comic book figure being the subject of offbeat casting.
But then there’s the reboot of “Fantastic Four,” in which Fox seems to be going for a 20-something cast.
A few young actors, including Kit Harrington, are said to be in the running for Reed Richards, one of the brainiest men in the Marvel Universe and the father figure of the FF.
Sorry. This isn’t Reed Richards.
This is Reed Richards.
The website Guard the Galaxy – I guess you can kind of tell their orientation, huh? – has just published some new art of “Guardians of the Galaxy” tie-in merchandise.
Cups and stuff, coming to a store near you, this summer. So you can enjoy sipping from a plastic cup depicting a gun-toting cosmic raccoon and a sentient, walking tree.
Above find a close-up of the cup art.
The big-screen Marvel movie comes to theaters on Aug. 1.
Here are things that make me smile.
Like that picture, above, of Chris Evans and Anthony Mackie as Captain America and the Falcon from “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
And this, Jaimie Alexander as Sif from “Thor: The Dark World.” She’s going to appear in a February episode of “Agents of SHIELD.”
And here, Hayley Atwell, in her role of “Agent Carter” from “Captain America,” starring in a pilot for ABC for a possible series about the early days of SHIELD.
So this is cool.
Here’s the poster for the “Veronica Mars” movie, due out March 14.
Funded by a very successful Kickstarter campaign, the Rob Thomas movie, featuring Kristen Bell in the now-grown-up role of the cult favorite high-school-and-college-sleuth, should be a treat for fans of the short-lived series.
I’m excited about and worried about this movie at the same time. That has to be a good thing, right?
Marvel today released a new photo from “Guardians of the Galaxy,” next August’s big-screen release featuring the comic company’s kinda obscure but cultish space-faring superhero group.
The photo above captures a moment from that trailer that played at Comic-Con, with the main Guardians members in a line-up.
From left, they are Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Rocket Racoon (voice of Bradley Cooper), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Groot (voice of Vin Diesel).
Here’s the official Marvel statement today:
An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits — Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Peter discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand — with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.
As I’ve said before, I think the Guardians are after another of the cosmic Infinity Stones mentioned at the end of “Thor: The Dark World.” (The Cosmic Cube, or Tesseract, from “Captain America” and “The Avengers” is another one.)
The Infinity Stones are sought by Thanos, the bad guy revealed in the end credits of “The Avengers.” It’s all building to a huge showdown in the third “Avengers” movie, perhaps set for 2018.
Meanwhile, “Guardians of the Galaxy” opens Aug. 1, 2014.
keithroysdon 