Holy cow, was this a big week! I’m serious! The stuff that happened this week was pretty colossal for the future of comic book films. Click behind the cut for all the juicy details, including some things that we already covered once this week.
So first we have the story that everyone has been talking about: Spider-Man 4.
FIRST, John Malkovich confirmed that he would be playing the Vulture in the fourth film of the franchise. (source). This has been a source of contention between fans online and rumor mongers everywhere, as most of us were under the impression Raimi wanted Morbius while we wanted the Lizard. Need I remind everyone that Malkovich was actually asked to be part of Spider-Man back in the beginning of it all, when casting Green Goblin. He turned down the role, claiming he didn’t want to do a superhero movie. So much for that, eh?
BUT THEN! Spider-Man 4 was officially canned! (source) Raimi posted out the (now famous) quote, “I can’t make your date. I can’t go forward creatively.” And with that, we no longer have another Tobey Maguire Spidey film. Fans everywhere were crushed that they would no longer see Kirsten Dunst reprise her role as Mary Jane.
But on a serious note, that’s not where it ended. Sony announced that, despite all of this, they would be moving forward with a new Spider-Man film: a reboot. The script, which apparently always existed as a contingency (which assumedly came about after all the issues with Spider-Man 3 if I had to put my dollar down), will now move forward with a brand new cast and director. The series will bring Spider-Man back to it’s roots, featuring the character as a high school student who receives amazing powers and has to balance being a cities protector… AS WELL AS FINDING A DATE TO THE PROOOOMMMMMM. Cue lots of Twitter and Facebook references, and possibly a meth addiction thrown in for good measure?
While part of me is excited at Spidey getting a big screen chance for redemption, I feel like Sony will just let us down again. I would assume so. An online outcry has gone up for Brian Michael Bendis to come aboard the film and bring to it the same flavor he brought to the Ultimate universe, but that won’t happen. Never the less, this really does let Spidey get a chance to be done right. Studios have seen that, when done properly, a superhero film property will sell through the roof. Both Iron Man and the Dark Knight are proof of this. While box office numbers are still a heavy duty part of what will and will not come back as a sequel, one thing is for sure – studios want to try harder. So, with my opinion on the table, I’m interested to see what is going to come out of this.
Of course, Sony will not stop pushing Spider-Man forward and attempting to work with this. Supposedly, they have a director in mind.
Mike Fleming’s sources tell him Webb met about the Spidey reboot with the pic’s producers and executives looking to get the picture into production later this year for a Summer 2012 release. Why will the pic take so long? Because it’s likely to be shot in 3-D, and Sony Pictures plans to make an announcement about that “at the appropriate time”.
What has Sony execs excited is the fact that (500) Days of Summer introduced a director with a grasp of how to depict the way young people think and feel. This is critical because the Jamie Vanderbilt script covers the formative years of a high school-aged Peter Parker, and that POV is as important as the action sequences.
I loved (500) Days Of Summer, and the article brings up a good point (that Sam Raimi and Chris Nolan had never done a superhero movie before their respective hits). I am not entirely sure I would trust him with the movie though. While it could be interesting and he certainly is talented, I’m still pushing for no Spidey film. I figure it needs to die down a bit before we go ahead and try again.
Continued belowHowever, those who fear for poor John Malkovich’s career, don’t worry: Malkovich has been brought into Warren Ellis’ Red adaptation, starring Bruce Willis. He will be replacing John C Reilley. While I’m not sure who he will be playing yet, there is one character who Malkovich would be PERFECT for in the book, and the movie already has a great cast lined up. So with that and Jonah Hex, looks like he’ll still get his fair share of comic book movie in after all.
Speaking of Jonah Hex, Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Megan Fox and Michael Fassbender are all being called back to do reshoots. What could this mean for the film? Not sure really. In all honesty, I don’t know a lot about Jonah Hex and I don’t know a lot about what’s being done with the movie. What I do know is that you’ve got 3 actors in there who will all bring a terrific performance to the film, and 1 actress who will sell tickets to the film. I’m optimistic for it!
Moving back into Marvel’s territory, we’ve got two film updates right off the bat from them. The first is that Thor has already lost and replaced an actor. Stuart Townsend, who was set to play Fandral (one of the Warrior’s Three), is now gone due to creative differences. Creative differences? With a movie being helmed by Marvel Studios that has Bendis on as a consultant and Kenneth freaking Brannaugh as a director? …ok. Regardless, he’s been replaced by Joshua Dallas. Dallas is an actor I literally know NOTHING about. I’ve seen him in one thing (Doctor Who), and it wasn’t a large role. But I trust Brannaugh, and I trust Bendis. I believe in Thor, so I believe in Joshua Dallas.
On top of that, Ashley Miller discussed some of the rewrites that were going on with the script. Apparently they want it more like the comic. Crazy, right?
“It’s about as close as you can reasonably expect it to be [to the comic book],” Miller said during a recent appearance on Alpha Waves Radio. “Obviously, you have to make some adjustments, and you have to compress some things simply for the sake of being able to get a lot of information out and being able to create a believable fantasy world that intersects with ours.”
“Look at ‘Batman Begins’ for example,” continued Miller. “It does actually play fast and loose with the history of the character, but at the same time, it brings in real cool elements from different interpretations of the character and puts them all together in cool ways.”
“I want people who love the character as much as I do to love this character in this movie,” added Miller. “And I want people who have never been exposed to this character to love him, too, and understand why I love him. And that’s all that matters.”
Again, with the way the movie is shaping up, I think it’s going to be a real hit with the comic community. I can’t see Thor being a smash success outside of the comic community, but with us nerds? Hell yeah.
Meanwhile, on the non-Marvel Studios side of things, it looks like we’re already gearing up for the Wolverine sequel (that I believe only I actually want to see). Jackman announced at the People’s Choice Awards that Wolverine has it’s funding and greenlight, and we’ll once see ol’ Canucklehead on the big screen, this time in Japan as teased by the film’s secret ending. The story will largely follow the stories done by Chris Claremont and Frank Millar, a reported favorite of Jackman’s. I’m still excited.
Oh, and how about that guy that leaked the Wolverine movie? Apparently he still wants us to feel bad for him!
“I’m a scapegoat for this,” said Gilberto Sanchez, 47, after flopping down at his desk – the crime scene – and dragging on a cigarette. “I’m gonna get crucified.”
YEAH! OK! You only procured an illegal copy of a movie and then illegally distributed it online months before it was released in theaters or even finished. Yeah. You’re a scapegoat. You’re not a felon. It’s not like there are laws against stuff like this… poor you.
I’m sorry. I try and be fair and balanced in my news reporting as often as possible, making specific citations as to when exactly I’m going to be throwing my opinions around, but that’s just pathetic. The guy nearly ruined the movie for the entire crew. We’re not just talking Fox and Jackman here. An entire crew of men and women who made up the sound editing, video production, special effects, so and so forth, all put their hard work into the film. Whether or not you liked the film doesn’t mean that a lot of work wasn’t put into it, and these men and women deserved their paycheck at the end of the day. Part of them getting future work is also dependent on the success of the film. And Gilberto Sanchez? You’re a dick, and an idiot. I’m glad you got caught.
Moving on.
Here’s something crazy and amusing: remember when Zack Snyder was all about trying to adapt The Dark Knight Returns? Well, it turns out that the directors the Book of Eli (out this Friday), the Hughes Brothers, were given the opportunity, with Clint Eastwood as Batman. WATT?
“Three different Batman projects were presented to us over the years,” revealed Albert Hughes. “The first time, it was ‘The Dark Knight [Returns].’ I remember how dark the comic book was. Batman was old. He had to rely more on his tools and other sh–, and he was a decrepit, 60- or 70-year-old man in this comic book.”
“I remember saying to them back then, ‘We want to do this, and you should get somebody like Clint Eastwood to do it,'” he added.
Unreal. That would be ridiculous. Imagine Gran Torino if the main character was Batman! I’d watch.
Looks like I bought Cowboys And Aliens for nothing: Robert Downey Jr is leaving. RATS! The actor announced that, due to roles like Tony Stark and Sherlock Holmes, both of which are part of large franchises, he won’t have time to add this one in, despite the pairing of him and Jon Favreau again pretty much meaning box office gold. Such a shame. I read this this week and was fairly excited to see the movie with him as the main character. Looks like I’ll just have to settle for Iron Man 2! No reports have gone out as to who his replacement might be, but perhaps they’ll get someone whose hair is actually blonde.
Ok, reports have come out on who it was. Guess who? James Bond. Yeah. Danny freakin’ Craig! (Remember when I asked for someone blonde?)
As we reported on Monday, Robert Downey Jr. has dropped out of the adaptation of Scott Mitchell Rosenberg comic book series Cowboys & Aliens. But now we are hearing through sources that Daniel Craig is in negotiations to replace him in the lead role of Zeke Jackson. Obviously, this would be very cool since it would be his first collaboration with Jon Favreau, who is directing the film from a script by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek), and Damon Lindelof (Lost).
They go on to stress that he is in negotiations, and negotiations do not mean he has the role. But I have to stress, this is a GREAT freaking casting decision. Honest to God. If not RDJ, please let it be Craig.
Swinging back to DC, there are two short bits of news.
The first is obviously Peter Sarsgaard joining up in Green Lantern to play Hector Hammond. An odd choice, but not necessarily a bad one. Hammond has come to prominence recently, thanks to Geoff Johns bringing him in right at the return of Hal Jordan. The choice to save Sinestro as a villain for a later film is a bold but wise choice, allowing the movie to become a franchise and making sure the story isn’t rushed. While I may not have necessarily have done a script with Hammond myself, I have high hopes on this one. I enjoy Sarsgaard.
Continued belowThe other thing I’ve got right now is an odd “update” on the Shazam! movie. You might not know this, but DC has been planning this one for a while. They recently brought in Geoff Johns to turn in two movie treatments: one for the Flash and the other for this. And apparently Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who I’ve recently grown to appreciate, has been interested in a Shazam movie for quite some time.
“I don’t know,” sighed the star, something of a Hollywood rarity in that he always shoots straight with the fans. “I can never say that with truth. The truth that I can tell you is that I would love to play Black Adam.”
Not too long ago, screenwriter John August said “Shazam” seemed to be D.O.A. But the man sometimes known as Dwayne Johnson revealed to us that his “Get Smart” filmmaker and friend still seems determined to get the movie made.
“There’s a lot of [factors in play],” explained the star. “The studio will have to decide on that, whoever the director is — hopefully, it will be Pete Segal — who is still very passionate about the project. Both of us are, by the way. I’m not too sure where it’s at right now, but I would love to [do it].”
“What I’ve found is [playing superheroes] is a lot more specific than [looks],” he explained, saying the “Shazam” character would be a rare mix of looks and backstory being perfectly suited for a star. “That’s why Black Adam resonated with me, especially once I started to understand the story of Black Adam and how he related within his story.”
I personally would love to see a Shazam movie. I’m quite fond of the character, and to be frank? While Johnson might not be a great actor, he’s got the build for a character like Captain Marvel or Black Adam. While he certainly isn’t part of the whole “let’s get an award winning director and cast for a dark gritty film!” initiative that a lot of superhero movies seem to be suffering from, Johnson could help make a decent villain for a film. While not my first choice for Black Adam, when presented with the option I certainly can sit and say “…yeah, I could see that.”
If you’re at all curious about Wanted 2, James McAvoy did an interview with Splash Page at MTV over at their website.
In an official statement, the IMAX corporation has announced that Iron Man 2 will be the first movie from Marvel Studios to be released on IMAX.
Continued belowIMAX Corporation, Marvel Entertainment and Paramount Pictures today announced that the highly-anticipated action-adventure Iron Man 2, directed by Jon Favreau and starring Robert Downey, Jr., will be released to digital IMAX theaters simultaneously with the film’s worldwide release on May 7, 2010. The film’s limited IMAX release will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with IMAX DMR technology. Iron Man 2 will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.
“The success of the first ‘Iron Man’ movie catapulted the franchise from the comic books to theatre screens, and we’re excited that the IMAX format will offer fans an even more immersive way to experience the sequel,” said Tim Connors, Chief Operating Officer, Marvel Studios.
“‘Iron Man 2’ is a fantastic addition to our growing film slate for 2010, which is filling out faster than any previous year,” said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. “The rollout of our digital projection system has enabled us to add more films to the slate, and we’re very excited to partner with Marvel and Paramount on this next installment of the incredible ‘Iron Man’ franchise.”
“We’re thrilled to once again be working with Paramount and our long time friends at Marvel Entertainment as we help to bring their characters to life in IMAX,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “The combination of Marvel’s iconic ‘Iron Man’ story, Jon Favreau’s brilliant vision and Paramount Pictures’ talented team coupled with IMAX will make for a wild cinematic experience.”
The IMAX release will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.
While not the first Marvel related film, it’s still a big deal for the budding film company. And considering that Iron Man 2 has a lot of buzz due to the success of the first one, hopefully it can get a nice box office return.
A while ago, we mentioned that Joseph Gatt had confirmed a role in a movie, but not one he could reveal. Well, during an interview with Screen Rant, Gatt revealed … not much.
Marvel are really into secrecy and protecting their scripts and characters, so there’s not much I can say except that I’m playing a bad guy with a lot of action.
My costume is awesome and I get some seriously mean weapons! The sets are huge and truly beautiful, some of the best I’ve ever seen. All the characters have amazing costumes. The designers have done an extraordinary job at maintaining the traditional Marvel looks all the fans are expecting, but adding their own new style.
My money is still on Skurge the Executioner.
Joe Johnston talked Captain America a bit with Box Office dot com:
It’s not going to be a Captain America that you expect. It’s something different. It is influenced by the comic book, but it goes off in a completely different direction. It’s the origin story of Captain America. It’s mostly period–there are modern, present-day bookends on it–but it’s basically the story of how Steve Rogers becomes Captain America. The great thing about Captain America is he’s a super hero without any super powers. Which is why this story, among the hundreds of superhero stories, appealed to me the most. He can’t fly, he can’t see through walls, he can’t do any of that stuff. He’s an everyman who’s been given this amazing gift of transformation into the perfect specimen–the pinnacle of human perfection. How does that affect him? What does that mean for him emotionally and psychologically? He was this 98-pound weakling, he was this wimp, and he’s transformed instantly into this Adonis. You’d think he got everything he wanted. Well, he didn’t get everything he wanted. The rules change at that point and his life gets even more complicated and dire. For me, that’s the interesting part of the story. It’s got some great action sequences in it and some incredible stuff that we’ve never seen before. But at the heart of it, it’s a story about this kid, who all he wants to do is fit in. This thing happens and he still doesn’t fit in. And he has to prove himself a hero–essentially go AWOL to save a friend. Eventually at the very end, I don’t want to give away too much, but he does fit in. But it’s the journey of getting him there that’s interesting. And it’s a lot of fun.
Fair enough, Johnston. Fair enough.
