After the massive success of Marvel’s The Avengers, fans of comic book and superhero movies have been salivating at the idea that one day DC Comics could get their act together and bring iconic characters such as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, The Flash, and Wonder Woman (to name a few) to the big screen in their own live action Justice League movie. The consensus is that DC does not have a plan to bring the film to life and that the studio is way behind Marvel in developing their own comic book movie franchise.  For example, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and Captain America all had standalone films that led up to the mega hit, The Avengers. DC will only have Man of Steel, a Superman origin movie, under their belt.

So how can DC catch up? We may have the answer plus a surprising twist in this saga.

A trusted source has given us an interesting scoop concerning Warner Bros’ plan for a Justice League movie.

According to our source, the studio is planning a reverse Avengers approach by releasing a Justice League film first, and then standalone origin movies for the characters they feel need one. So basically with the exclusion of Superman (Man of Steel) none of the heroes will have their own film until after the release of Justice League. That’s unless Warner Bros. decides NOT to use Christopher Nolan’s Batman from the Dark Knight Trilogy, or Martin Campbell’s Green Lantern. If they do, you can throw both of them into the mix with Superman.

But wait, there’s more!

According to our source, writer/director Joss Whedon is a person of interest to helm a standalone Wonder Woman origin film.  You may be asking yourself, how is this even possible? I mean Whedon directed a film for a “rival comic book company.” Well – The fact is that it’s really not all that crazy considering Star Trek director J.J. Abrams is set to direct Star Wars: Episode VII and those two franchises are HUGE rivals. At the end of the day, it all comes down to money.

Not only has Josh Whedon created a successful superhero film, he was well-known for bringing strong female characters to the small and big screens. Therefore he would be an excellent choice to helm a Wonder Woman film.

What are your thoughts?

Man of Steel opens in theaters on June 14th.

Source: Nuke the Fridge

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Marvel Studios has been exploring and releasing films about its comic book characters for some time now.  The studio has dubbed these block of releases as phases.

Phase One included the films: “Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2,” “Captain America – The First Avenger,” “Thor,” “Hulk” and “The Incredible Hulk.”  All of these characters culminated their solo efforts in last year’s “The Avengers.”

Phase Two is currently underway.  “Iron Man 3″ ushered in this new step with “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Thor: The Dark World,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” to follow. The second phase will build on these features to conclude in 2015′s “The Avengers 2.”

So, what’s in store for Marvel Studios after “The Avengers 2?” The movie initiating Phase Three will be Edgar Wright’s “Ant-Man.”  The film will arrive in theaters in November of 2015. This will be just a few months after “The Avengers 2″ debuts.

Entertainment Weekly recently interviewed Marvel Studios’ president Kevin Fiege.  He mentioned where Marvel’ s current focus is fixed at this time.

“I’d say 99 percent of our time right now is purely spent on Phase Two. It’s five colossally giant motion pictures that we have to produce. So that’s taking up the time. But within the next year or so we’ll start the advanced planning for post-Avengers 2.”

EW did try to get a list of Marvel characters that would be in the Phase Three cycle.  Here are a list of potential candidates.

* Ant-Man (One, two, three… green light!)

* Doctor Strange (A prime candidate for Phase Three)

* Iron Man 4 (With or without Robert Downey, Jr., this will happen.)

* Black Panther (Speculation!)

* Daredevil, The Punisher, Blade, and Ghost Rider (The Punisher, Blade, and Ghost Rider need to wait for the right time. Daredevil has got possibilities.)

* Hulk (This is a.k.a. Mark Ruffalo’s “Hulk.” There is no “Hulk” movie currently in the works.)

* Inhumans (A prime candidate for Phase Three)

* Runaways (Someday!)

* Marvel Zombies (Probably not!)

So, what’s your opinion? What Marvel characters do you think should have their own solo features?

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Kudos to director Gareth Edwards for filming this shot for Legendary Pictures’ “Godzilla.” The green screen special effects scene is of a subway car presumably wrecked by the giant lizard.  In the original 1954 “Godzilla,” the monster rampages his way through Tokyo destroying a subway train in the process. This is a subtle homage to the first radioactive creature, and the havoc he was capable of reeking. (Notice the model’s detail and passengers.) Check out the pic!

Legendary
Director Gareth Edwards setting up a shot on the set of Godzilla (2014) #behindthescenes.

Here is a brief storyline for the film.

A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla awakens from eons of sleep and attacks a city.

The action/sci-fi/thriller “Godzilla” is scheduled for a May 16, 2014 release.  The film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Kick-Ass,”) Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Sally Hawkins, Ken Watanabe, Richard T. Jones, Brian Markinson, Patrick Sabongui, and Akira Takarada. Max Borenstein, Frank Darabont, and Drew Pearce wrote the screenplay based on the story by Dave Callaham and David S. Goyer. Gareth Edwards (“Monsters”) directs.

Source: Legendary via Facebook

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Join Regency Theatres, the Azusa Film Society, the Merchants & Management of Citrus Crossing, and Nuke the Fridge for Flashback Tuesday Night at the Foothill Cinema in Azusa, California for the 1971 hit film “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” The event begins at 7:30 p.m., and admission is only $6.00 per person. Also, there will be prizes for costumes and movie trivia. “The suspense is terrible… I hope it’ll last.” – Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder)

Foothill Cinema

854 E. Alosta

Azusa, CA 91702

626.334.6007

www.regencymovies.com.

See you there!

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From director Paul Middleditch (“Separation City”) and screenwriter Chris Matheson (“Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure”) comes the end of days comedy “Rapture-Palooza.” The film tells the story about the apocalypse, and what occurs after a billion people are raptured up to heaven. Lindsey (Anna Kendrick) and her boyfriend Ben (John Francis Daley) are left behind in suburban Seattle. The young couple try their best to lead a normal life surrounded by talking locusts, blood rain showers, and pot-smoking wraiths. But when the Anti-Christ (The Office’s Craig Robinson) makes his home base in their neighborhood, Lindsey finds herself the object of his affection. With the help of her family, friends, and a lawn-mowing zombie neighbor, the young couple set off to stop the Anti-Christ from taking her as his bride… and just maybe, saving the world in the process. Check out the latest trailer here!

“Rapture-Palooza” will arrive in theaters on June 7th. The film stars Anna Kendrick, Ken Jeong, John Francis Daley, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Ana Gasteyer, Thomas Lennon, Tyler Labine, Rob Huebel, Calum Worthy, Paul Scheer, Stephanie Paul, Andrew Fiscella, Dante Lee Arias, Dalila Bela, and Bjorn Yearwood.  Chris Matheson wrote the script, while Paul Middleditch directs.

Source: Lionsgate

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Caliburn24 here with Michael B. Jordan’s casting as the Human Torch in the new Fantastic Four film. 

The Human Torch is of course Johnny Storm who appeared with his sister, Sue Storm, in Fantastic Four #1 (1961).  Both characters are Caucasian so the casting of Jordan, an African American actor, is a slight change.  There is also talks about the actress from the HBO Girls show, Alison Williams, a white actress, will play Sue Storm.  Jordan discussed the casting in USA Today at the Cannes Film Festival in an article released today: “Things change and time goes on, it’s 2013 right now,” Jordan says of the Torch talk. “The characteristics of the Human Torch are his name is Johnny Storm, he’s charismatic, and he’s a playboy. That’s it. You know what I’m saying? That’s all there is.”  He continued with fan support on Twitter: “I get a lot of support and a lot of love from comic-book geeks. I love it,” says Jordan. “If you go looking for negative things you’re going to find it. You never go through a girl’s phone. If you’re looking for trouble, you’re going to find it. But we’ll see where this all goes.”  Jordan previously starred in director Josh Trank’s Chronicle (2012) as the telekinetically powered Steve Montgomery.  Trank is set to be the director for the 2015 Fantastic Four film.

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Senator Stern, played by comedian Garry Shandling, in Iron Man 2 (2010) is returning to the Marvel films with Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). He was the senator who requested that Tony Stark turn in his armor to the government. Senator Stern had some back story told in the comic book limited series, Iron Man 2: Public Identity (201). Stern is seen in set photos from Movieweb with Agent Sitwell played by Maximiliano Hernandez. Sitwell was confronted by Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanov. In the comic books, Sitwell is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who worked closely with Nick Fury, and was later killed by a brainwashed Black Widow in Winter Soldier #10 (2012).

The Winter Soldier film has the return of cast members Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, Samuel L. Jackson, as Nick Fury, and Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow. Also returning is Toby Jones as Arnim Zola. In the comic books, Zola is able to keep his brain patterns in a cloned body with the image of his face projected on his chest. Hayley Atwell is also returning to the Captain America franchise as Peggy Carter, the aunt of Sharon Carter, also known as Agent 13. Sharon Carter is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who fought with Batroc. Her first appearance was in Tales of Suspense #75 (1966). She had a relationship with Steve Rogers and shot him in Captain America #25 (2007). Agent 13 is played by Emily VanCamp in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The other returning character is Bucky Barnes played by Sebastian Stan. He was lost over the train carrying Arnim Zola. In the comic books, Ed Brubaker has him recovered and brainwashed to the Russian agent, Winter Soldier. He first appeared as Winter Soldier in Captain America #1 (2005).

Check out some images from the set below!

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Caliburn24 here with Avengers 2 news.

Joss Whedon has confirmed the appearances of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in the upcoming Avengers sequel. Whedon hinted at their inclusion while speaking to Yahoo! Movies at the Iron Man 3 premiere; “I’ve got these two characters, two of my favorite characters from the comic book, a brother-sister act. They’re in the movie.” He spoke about the characters to IGN; “You know, they had a rough beginning. They’re interesting to me because they sort of represent the part of the world that wouldn’t necessarily agree with The Avengers. So they’re not there to make things easier. I’m not putting any characters in the movie that will make things easier.”

Quicksilver was introduced in X-Men #4 (1964) and his twin sister, Scarlet Witch in the same issue as members of Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Both of the characters became heroes and were invited to join the Avengers in Avengers #16 (1965). The Ultimates comics line which the Marvel movies are following has introduced Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch in Ultimates #8 (2002). Scarlet Witch is also known as Wanda Maximoff, a mutant who has probability altering powers. Her brother, Pietro Maximoff, is a mutant capable of super speed.

The Ultimates had the twins have a relationship similar to that of the Lannister twins in the Game of Thrones series. Their mother, Magda, gave birth to the twins and her husband was Magneto. It is not clear if the characters will share the Magneto connection since that character is going to appear in the X-Men: Days of Future Past film in 2014.

Avengers opens in theaters in 2015.

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Caliburn24 here with the Hero Complex screening of two films by Guillermo del Toro was held on Saturday, May 11.

The previous article dealt with the screening and focused on del Toro’s comments on Devil’s Backbone. The host, Gina McIntyre, asked Guillermo del Toro about Pacific Rim: “The thing with Pacific Rim was all of my childhood, in the 60’s and 70’s in Mexico, a lot of our entertainment was pop Japanese culture. It was Captain Ultra (a 1967 live action series), Ultraman (1966 tokosatsu series with the superhero guy in silver outfit throwing some martial arts moves on giant monsters), Ultra Seven (another 1967 live action series), Ultra Q (a black and white first in the Ultra series). We grew up with Wolfboy Ken (1963 anime), Astro Boy (Osamu Tezuka’s manga turned into a landmark 1963 anime), all of the Tsuburaya animation. I spent a lot of my childhood drawing giant robots and designing the interiors. I would put my bedroom, the big kitchen, the reactor. There would always be two features in the giant robot; a cinema and a toilet. Which is really revealing.”

Del Toro was asked by a fan about his collaboration with Ron Perlman including his part in Pacific Rim: “What happens is that after five films you have a super short hand with everyone. With Ron he can arrive the day of the shoot and we’re going to make it happen. For example in Pacific Rim, he plays Hannibal Chow. He came in and originally I said I want you to soud like Burt Lancaster in Elmer Gantry (1960). `For what is love?’ He started like that and we went it’s not working is it? Then, we started finding the voice of Hannibal and we finally found it. A lot of directors are afraid of actors. That’s a reality that few people acknowledge or verbalize because actors are often frustrated with directors. I think when you have a short hand and you love your actors, and you have some acting experience, and so on, it’s very easy.”

He continued with explaining his friendship with Perlman and also waiting for him to play Hellboy: “With Ron we trust each other that’s the one thing an actor and a director have to have – trust. If you lose that it’s gone. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small part or a big part you lose it. I’ve known him now since 1990, so that’s twenty three years. The worst thing you can know about Ron Perlman I know it. The worst thing you can know about me Ron Perlman knows it. We basically are best friends. I would die for Ron, I would take a bullet, I’m not sure he would. Ron is an incredible actor. He was loyal enough in Cronos (1993). We ran out of money. I was very naïve, I was a Mexican gentleman, I went and said to him I give you my word we will pay you and his agent and manager said `He said what?’ He stayed without any written guarantee that he would get paid, half his salary, because we ran out of money. And he stayed and I never forgot it. For eight years, I waited for him to be Hellboy. Hellboy (2004) could have happened before X-Men (2000), before the Raimi Spider-Man (2002) with another actor, but I didn’t want to do it without Ron because I would never do that to Ron because he was born to play Hellboy. So I think that loyalty goes both ways. I do believe in any business and in life it’s much easier to be a good guy, I love the guy.”

A fan asked about what del Toro thinks about the Godzilla film set for release in 2014 by director Gareth Edwards. Monsters (2010) was Edwards’ film that took place in a quarantined zone in Mexico where two tourists travel to reach safety away from aliens. Guillermo del Toro spoke about his love for all things Godzilla: “I want to see Godzilla. I have a huge kaiju (giant monster) crush on Godzilla. In one area of my mancave I have a twenty by eight watercolor of Godzilla fighting a squid. I have like forty Godzillas. My radio controlled Godzilla just arrived last week. How could you go wrong with Godzilla? I think he is a very smart director. I think a director that has the quirkiness and smarts like that in a movie like Monsters is a guy who deserves an opportunity.”

He continued also noting his producing of first time directors: “What I was saying about Aldomovar I mean it. I have produced by now, about eight or more first time directors. I intend to continue to producing first time directors for as long as I can because what Pedro did for me with Devil’s Backbone (2001) I will never pay to the universe. I think that when we see a director with the smarts like that, coming from an independent movie into a big movie, our hopes are always that he will bring that quirkiness, like Rian Johnson with Looper (2012), like someone that can grow and be produced properly, because otherwise we will never be able to explore everything we like. In my mind, I would never make big movies in America. It was the debt I acquired in Cronos and later the kidnapping of my dad, that made me continue working to pay debts. I realized how beautiful it has happened because the sides I was able to explore in Hellboy or in Pacific Rim are as much me as the other movies. I think we need to always get better because of that. I think this Godzilla is going to kick ass. I want to see it to destroy many cities, and tanks and jet planes in a very different way. I’m very curious about his movie.”

A fan asked Guillermo del Toro about Justice League Dark which is formally called Dark Universe and he mentioned some of his memories reading comic books: “A lot of my most cherished memories when I was a kid was running to the drugstore and the newsstand and my bike to get Swamp Thing by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. I would pedal like a block, sit on the pavement and read. I sculpted him in clay, I drew him and drew him, and Demon. Jack Kirby’s Demon, Etrigan, one of my favorites from my childhood. I was in love with Jack Kirby, but I was in love with all of the monsters of DC and all of the dark stuff from DC. I was never really a superhero guy. When I heard that they wanted to do Justice League, I went and pitched it, I said look I want to do it. Constantine is one of my favorite characters when he was introduced in Swamp Thing by Alan Moore (Swamp Thing #37). That little scene blew my mind. Swamp Thing that already was perfect and languishing since Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson left, the series went really bad.”

Del Toro continued with some information about Dark Universe: “I really thought I could come in and try to do some of the hallucugenic stuff that Swamp Thing did and the Alan Moore stuff, some of the darker stuff, the edgier stuff that Constantine had in the comics. All of the real occult, very thought out stuff that Constaine had, I want to articulate that in a proper way, the real heavy mythology. If it happens like that great, if they read my draft and say f- this, then I won’t do it. I think life is too short to make movies you don’t really believe in.” Del Toro had finished with the fan’s question and then added the characters that are going to appear in Dark Universe: “We have Constantine, we have Swamp Thing, we have Etrigan, Zatanna, we have Deadman, which is vital for me, the other character I want is the Floronic Man, I’m trying very hard to have him there because I love him, and there’s a couple of characters that would be spoilers if I told you that they’re there. Deadman I love and I adore Deadman.”

Monster, a series that Guillermo del Too is developing for HBO, is based on the 18 volume manga by Naoki Urasawa (published by Viz Media in 2006). He started with mentioning another manga adaptation: “Monster is something that Don Murphy, and myself and have been pursuing for five years. I had pursued another property in Japan, Domu (published in graphic novel form by Dark Horse in 1995) by Katsushiro Otomo, I met Otomo-san I was very respectful, I pitched it, and then when the deal making happened it was so awkward because the American lawyers don’t understand respect. They don’t understand the proper distance that you have to have with a creator of that caliber and it went south. We stayed friends Otomo and I and that’s a big lesson for me because I’m a huge fan.”

He continued with details about the Monster series: “I heard it was acquired to be made into a feature I said that’s horrible, you cannot compress Monster into a feature. So I watched very vigilantly until the feature expired and we started a dialogue with Urasawa. We said we wanted to make it into a cable series, but properly, the book, not a spin-off, it’s not going to be five more seasons than it needs to, it’s going to be the book. He asked out of respect that I would show him the entire first season in writing. That’s a big commitment in writing, but I did it. I sent it to him and said this will be the first season and you can see how respectful it is. Monster is so amazing. Whatever you read of Uruzawa is amazing. He is a truly gifted writer. Monster is almost like Chekovian, it has all of these little characters that are incredibly smart and delineated, each of them has an arc, and if you follow all of them, at the end of the last book, you will be satisfied how each character ends. So it’s an amazing saga. We have the feature pilot scipt, it’s fantastic, we submitted it last week on Friday, so they’re reading (it), I don’t know what’s going to happen, if they want to do it or not, but it was done very respectfully, when I go to Japan to respect to Ursawa-san I will bow like a monk because he’s a genius.”

Another question on how del Toro chooses his projects: “People think that I have a chaise lounge where lie with someone feeding me grapes, I’m in golden underwear and I point, `That one.’ I’m a working stiff, I am hustling, bustling, pushing and trying. If they say we’ll do this movie or we’re going to do it wrong, I have to say no. I have found in my life that saying no to do a movie the wrong way, is than better than agreeing with anything. If it feels wrong, it’s wrong. If you feel you shouldn’t do that, you shouldn’t do that, period. No matter what. You’re going to get fired, good, get fired. If you’re not going to finish, then don’t finish.”

Del Toro noted his projects that didn’t go into production and also gave a mention of his film based on H.P. Lovecrafts’s At the Mountains of Madness “John Lennon says life happens when you are busy making other plans. That’s what it has been for me. My first movie would have been Devil’s Backbone, my third movie would have been Devil’s Backbone, I co-wrote Monte Cristo, developed List of Seven, Mephisto’s Bridge. I have written or co-written twenty-two screenplays, I made eight movies. So there are fourteen screenplays and those of who who have written a screenplay know how that translates in terms of time, effort, and blood, sweat, and tears. I have fourteen full scripts that have gone nowhere. So I don’t decide. I decide when the job happens, and the money is there, if I go that way. Mountains of Madness collapsed three years ago. I had Jim Cameron producing with Don Murphy, and I. Tom Cruise starring and I thought well it’s going to happen. Doesn’t happen. It’s sad. Sometimes as a fan you watch a director and go, `Why did he do that? Why didn’t he do this other thing? I’m going to tell him.’ In reality, reality is very different.” Guillermo del Toro is incredibly open to taking questions from the fans, discussing his projects, but what also came out was his great respect for the creators of anime, comic books, and all quadrants of entertainment.

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