All eyes will be on Marvel next year as the long-gestating Avengers finally gets released. With that cast and Joss Whedon at the helm, it’s very promising, but clearly Marvel are seeing it as the beginning of the next phase of their movie plans, not the culmination.
io9 have spotted a few snippets in Entertainment Weekly that handily spell out what Marvel are planning on doing after their first superhero teamup. Obviously, there are sequels to Thor, Iron Man and Captain America all confirmed, but that’s not all. They’re reporting that Ant Man, despite rumours, is not dead and that would tie in with a recent interview Joe Cornish did where he said himself and Edgar Wright have finished another draft.
But that’s not all. Kevin Feige mentions in the article that thanks to Thor opening up the idea of a ‘cosmic’ Marvel film, Guardians of the Galaxy is now a very real possibility and not just a rumour. We’ve reported this before, but it was basically pure speculation then, whilst this comes from the head honcho himself. This is fantastic news – Guardians of the Galaxy is another superhero team movie, but it’s all in space, and with an amazingly varied roster of characters. There is gigantic potential for this title, with Feige going as far as to say that an even BIGGER team up of Avengers & Guardians in one colossal movie.
What do you think of this news? Personally I’m such a huge Marvel fan I think it’s fantastic – I love how they’re treating their movies like comic-books in ways. However, many believe that the films suffer because of this. With Guardians there’s a potentially distinct franchise that could run alongside Avengers, with both culminating in one giant movie – it’s hard not to get excited about that, as far away as it is! As it stands, it’s great to hear they’re looking to some less-famous properties and still working on Ant Man, which could turn out very well itself.
All eyes will be on Marvel next year as the long-gestating Avengers finally gets released. With that cast and Joss Whedon at the helm, it’s very promising, but clearly Marvel are seeing it as the beginning of the next phase of their movie plans, not the culmination.
io9 have spotted a few snippets in Entertainment Weekly that handily spell out what Marvel are planning on doing after their first superhero teamup. Obviously, there are sequels to Thor, Iron Man and Captain America all confirmed, but that’s not all. They’re reporting that Ant Man, despite rumours, is not dead and that would tie in with a recent interview Joe Cornish did where he said himself and Edgar Wright have finished another draft.
But that’s not all. Kevin Feige mentions in the article that thanks to Thor opening up the idea of a ‘cosmic’ Marvel film, Guardians of the Galaxy is now a very real possibility and not just a rumour. We’ve reported this before, but it was basically pure speculation then, whilst this comes from the head honcho himself. This is fantastic news – Guardians of the Galaxy is another superhero team movie, but it’s all in space, and with an amazingly varied roster of characters. There is gigantic potential for this title, with Feige going as far as to say that an even BIGGER team up of Avengers & Guardians in one colossal movie.
What do you think of this news? Personally I’m such a huge Marvel fan I think it’s fantastic – I love how they’re treating their movies like comic-books in ways. However, many believe that the films suffer because of this. With Guardians there’s a potentially distinct franchise that could run alongside Avengers, with both culminating in one giant movie – it’s hard not to get excited about that, as far away as it is! As it stands, it’s great to hear they’re looking to some less-famous properties and still working on Ant Man, which could turn out very well itself.
All I have to say on this matter is that I hope it's true. Kurt Russell could only tip this thing over the edge with it's already superb cast and director.
Django Unchained hits cinemas Christmas 2012.
All I have to say on this matter is that I hope it's true. Kurt Russell could only tip this thing over the edge with it's already superb cast and director.
Django Unchained hits cinemas Christmas 2012.
The studio is also keen on keeping this centered on one story, rather than an anthology like the 1983 film. So, are you excited about a new Twilight Zone? Me? Hell yes. I just recently picked up the original series on Blu-Ray. With the visuals and technology available today, an update could be stunning.
Via Variety.
The studio is also keen on keeping this centered on one story, rather than an anthology like the 1983 film. So, are you excited about a new Twilight Zone? Me? Hell yes. I just recently picked up the original series on Blu-Ray. With the visuals and technology available today, an update could be stunning.
Via Variety.
Twihard screech. Here’s the latest poster for Twilight Breaking Dawn Part one which lands in November, with part two in November 2012. There’s not a great deal more to say here…in any case you probably haven’t even made it this far. Stop your drooling
Synopsis: The Quileute and the Volturi close in on expecting parents Edward and Bella, whose unborn child poses different threats to the wolf pack and vampire coven.
Via Shockya
Twihard screech. Here’s the latest poster for Twilight Breaking Dawn Part one which lands in November, with part two in November 2012. There’s not a great deal more to say here…in any case you probably haven’t even made it this far. Stop your drooling
Synopsis: The Quileute and the Volturi close in on expecting parents Edward and Bella, whose unborn child poses different threats to the wolf pack and vampire coven.
Via Shockya
It'll appear on iTunes later and you can direct download it right now by grabbing it here
It'll appear on iTunes later and you can direct download it right now by grabbing it here
If you’re a fan of the Mortal Kombat series, or even action movies/games in general, you’ll probably be familiar with the 8-minute short movie Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, featuring Michael Jai White and Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and directed by Kevin Tancharoen. You can check it out below, and if that’s not enough Mortal Kombat goodness you can check out the webseries that followed.
Tancharoen and writer Oren Uziel made the films as an example of how Mortal Kombat could be rebooted for the screen, and in an attempt to convince the studios that they could do it. Whilst at first things didn’t work out – Warners tried to shut it down – the clip leaked online and the buzz was huge. The webseries was commissioned and now Deadline confirm that New Line, now a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, have made a deal with the duo to write and direct a new feature Mortal Kombat.
This is AMAZING news. The Rebirth film and webseries are both brilliant, and I think a lot of fans are going to be very happy with the development. No other details as of now, but watch this space!
If you’re a fan of the Mortal Kombat series, or even action movies/games in general, you’ll probably be familiar with the 8-minute short movie Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, featuring Michael Jai White and Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and directed by Kevin Tancharoen. You can check it out below, and if that’s not enough Mortal Kombat goodness you can check out the webseries that followed.
Tancharoen and writer Oren Uziel made the films as an example of how Mortal Kombat could be rebooted for the screen, and in an attempt to convince the studios that they could do it. Whilst at first things didn’t work out – Warners tried to shut it down – the clip leaked online and the buzz was huge. The webseries was commissioned and now Deadline confirm that New Line, now a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, have made a deal with the duo to write and direct a new feature Mortal Kombat.
This is AMAZING news. The Rebirth film and webseries are both brilliant, and I think a lot of fans are going to be very happy with the development. No other details as of now, but watch this space!
Things have gone a bit quiet on The Avengers front, but never fear, that wasn’t going to last long. This week, Entertainment Weekly will debut some new photos from the superhero superteam movie, and now we can see the six of them assemble on the cover of the magazine.
I say ‘on the cover’ because this is obviously a big ol’ photoshop teamup – Scarlett Johansson appears to be missing her neck – but it is a good sign. Usually when Entertainment Weekly get a scoop on a movie, there are some good shots and details (they premiered lots of info on Spiderman this summer) and it also signals a step up in promotion. If I was to make an educated guess, I’d imagine that this cover means that it won’t be *too* long before we see an official trailer or teaser release….
Check out the photos below, and be sure to keep an eye on themoviebit.com for all your future Avengers needs!
via superherohype
Things have gone a bit quiet on The Avengers front, but never fear, that wasn’t going to last long. This week, Entertainment Weekly will debut some new photos from the superhero superteam movie, and now we can see the six of them assemble on the cover of the magazine.
I say ‘on the cover’ because this is obviously a big ol’ photoshop teamup – Scarlett Johansson appears to be missing her neck – but it is a good sign. Usually when Entertainment Weekly get a scoop on a movie, there are some good shots and details (they premiered lots of info on Spiderman this summer) and it also signals a step up in promotion. If I was to make an educated guess, I’d imagine that this cover means that it won’t be *too* long before we see an official trailer or teaser release….
Check out the photos below, and be sure to keep an eye on themoviebit.com for all your future Avengers needs!
via superherohype
IN DEFENCE OF - PUNISHER WAR ZONE (2008, ALEXANDER)
I've been a huge fan of the Punisher's various comic book runs for years now. From the gritty prison tale of The Punisher: Circle Of Blood to Garth Ennis' superb writing in Punisher Max. It was the latter that really gave the character a shot of adrenaline, stripping him of any superhero associates or gadgets, it brought Frank Castle back to basics; an emotionally empty man with a thirst for blood. Ennis put the Punisher in New York neighborhoods and alleyways, punishing pimps, murderers and rapists. Yes, it's not light reading, but there are some fantastic story arc's as well as a fascinating lead character. One who needs to murder in order to feel anything at all.
So imagine my disappointment when I finally caught The Punisher in theaters in 2004. John Travolta is the villain? Frank Castle is a special agent? It's in Miami?! Wrong, wrong and wrong. As an adaptation of the series, Johnathan Hensleigh's The Punisher is terrible. Thomas Jane is well cast and gives a great performance as Frank, but he lacks the vicious persistence. John Travolta is horrendously shit as Howard Saint and Laura Harring adds nothing but a serious amount of cleavage. And (this may sound like weak criticism, but it's true in the case of the character's source material) it simply isn't as violent as it should have been. The point of the character is that he's been stripped of everything he's ever loved, downgrading him to a soulless killing machine. He lives to create death and destruction to those he sees as leeches on society. So where was the chaos? Where was the destruction?
Fast forward to February 6th 2008. Following an arduous production, Lionsgate dumped Punisher War Zone into Irish cinemas. Stateside, the film had bombed. Failing to recoup even a third of it's production cost, the film was declared a total misfire, both financially and critically. SFX Magazine called it, "excruciatingly bad". The San Francisco Chronicle said it was, "assorted sadistic weirdness". Ben Lyons said the character, "doesn't deserve the big screen treatment". Well fuck that. Not only is Punisher War Zone the best adaptation of the comic book to date, it's also a great little action film with a solid cast.
Recasting the part of Frank Castle, Ray Stevenson joined in to play the titular anti-hero. Here's the first thing the film does right. Instead of a lean looking Thomas Jane, we get Stevenson, a huge and very angry looking man. The British actor brings a type of silent rage to the film that we'd not seen before. In short, he's the perfect incarnation of Frank Castle. To further this great casting is The Wire's Dominic West as the horrifically scarred Jigsaw. West takes the villain and runs with it, chewing every piece of scenery around him. He's the quintessential maniac; incredibly vain, hysterically funny and prone to bouts of disturbing violence. When the two actors eventually share some scenes, it's heaven for fans. Of course, not every performance is great. Colin Salmon and Julie Benz play it straight (a.k.a. bland) and T.J. Storm (who plays Maginty) may just have the worst Irish accent in the history of cinema. Throughout the reviews for the flick, all three actors were called out for their phone-it-in style, but not once were Stevenson and West complimented. Way to focus on the negative, people.
Something I noticed a lot, too. People who've seen War Zone seem to take away the opinion that it's overly violent and sadistic. Is it sadistic? Probably. In fact, in one scene you've got Castle holding a little girl in his arms, while he shoots her captor in the face with a shotgun at point blank range. But that scene completely encapsulates the character. Here's the tiny little girl, totally innocent, whose been held at gunpoint by a greasy thug looking to cash in on her widow mother's savings. So in one frame you've got the pinnacle of innocence and the epitome of evil. And in the middle you've got a vengeance-fueled hulk with a shotgun. This is the essence of the Punisher. Take it or leave it. If you're not smirking at the sight of an old ladies blown up head, then you probably shouldn't be watching this anyway.
One last point. The lighting and style of Punisher War Zone is something to be celebrated. The film is so colorful it's like the pages of a comic book come to life. Alexander and co. illuminate the back streets and crack-dens with feverish yellows and luminous blues making the entire movie pop. Instead of re-creating panels page-by-page, ala Sin City, Lexi Alexander chose to bring to life the artwork of Lewis Larosa and Tim Bradstreet. In short, the movie looks awesome.
For fans that complain the film is entirely action with no story, isn't that the point? Like Castle's life, all there is is action, death and mayhem. And it's glorious.
IN DEFENCE OF - PUNISHER WAR ZONE (2008, ALEXANDER)
I've been a huge fan of the Punisher's various comic book runs for years now. From the gritty prison tale of The Punisher: Circle Of Blood to Garth Ennis' superb writing in Punisher Max. It was the latter that really gave the character a shot of adrenaline, stripping him of any superhero associates or gadgets, it brought Frank Castle back to basics; an emotionally empty man with a thirst for blood. Ennis put the Punisher in New York neighborhoods and alleyways, punishing pimps, murderers and rapists. Yes, it's not light reading, but there are some fantastic story arc's as well as a fascinating lead character. One who needs to murder in order to feel anything at all.
So imagine my disappointment when I finally caught The Punisher in theaters in 2004. John Travolta is the villain? Frank Castle is a special agent? It's in Miami?! Wrong, wrong and wrong. As an adaptation of the series, Johnathan Hensleigh's The Punisher is terrible. Thomas Jane is well cast and gives a great performance as Frank, but he lacks the vicious persistence. John Travolta is horrendously shit as Howard Saint and Laura Harring adds nothing but a serious amount of cleavage. And (this may sound like weak criticism, but it's true in the case of the character's source material) it simply isn't as violent as it should have been. The point of the character is that he's been stripped of everything he's ever loved, downgrading him to a soulless killing machine. He lives to create death and destruction to those he sees as leeches on society. So where was the chaos? Where was the destruction?
Fast forward to February 6th 2008. Following an arduous production, Lionsgate dumped Punisher War Zone into Irish cinemas. Stateside, the film had bombed. Failing to recoup even a third of it's production cost, the film was declared a total misfire, both financially and critically. SFX Magazine called it, "excruciatingly bad". The San Francisco Chronicle said it was, "assorted sadistic weirdness". Ben Lyons said the character, "doesn't deserve the big screen treatment". Well fuck that. Not only is Punisher War Zone the best adaptation of the comic book to date, it's also a great little action film with a solid cast.
Recasting the part of Frank Castle, Ray Stevenson joined in to play the titular anti-hero. Here's the first thing the film does right. Instead of a lean looking Thomas Jane, we get Stevenson, a huge and very angry looking man. The British actor brings a type of silent rage to the film that we'd not seen before. In short, he's the perfect incarnation of Frank Castle. To further this great casting is The Wire's Dominic West as the horrifically scarred Jigsaw. West takes the villain and runs with it, chewing every piece of scenery around him. He's the quintessential maniac; incredibly vain, hysterically funny and prone to bouts of disturbing violence. When the two actors eventually share some scenes, it's heaven for fans. Of course, not every performance is great. Colin Salmon and Julie Benz play it straight (a.k.a. bland) and T.J. Storm (who plays Maginty) may just have the worst Irish accent in the history of cinema. Throughout the reviews for the flick, all three actors were called out for their phone-it-in style, but not once were Stevenson and West complimented. Way to focus on the negative, people.
Something I noticed a lot, too. People who've seen War Zone seem to take away the opinion that it's overly violent and sadistic. Is it sadistic? Probably. In fact, in one scene you've got Castle holding a little girl in his arms, while he shoots her captor in the face with a shotgun at point blank range. But that scene completely encapsulates the character. Here's the tiny little girl, totally innocent, whose been held at gunpoint by a greasy thug looking to cash in on her widow mother's savings. So in one frame you've got the pinnacle of innocence and the epitome of evil. And in the middle you've got a vengeance-fueled hulk with a shotgun. This is the essence of the Punisher. Take it or leave it. If you're not smirking at the sight of an old ladies blown up head, then you probably shouldn't be watching this anyway.
One last point. The lighting and style of Punisher War Zone is something to be celebrated. The film is so colorful it's like the pages of a comic book come to life. Alexander and co. illuminate the back streets and crack-dens with feverish yellows and luminous blues making the entire movie pop. Instead of re-creating panels page-by-page, ala Sin City, Lexi Alexander chose to bring to life the artwork of Lewis Larosa and Tim Bradstreet. In short, the movie looks awesome.
For fans that complain the film is entirely action with no story, isn't that the point? Like Castle's life, all there is is action, death and mayhem. And it's glorious.
