The Rundown: Adam Driver Playing Villain in “Episode VII”, “The Sandman” Gets a Screenwriter, and more

Welcome back to The Rundown, our daily breakdown on comic news stories we missed from the previous day. Have a link to share? Email our team at either david@multiversitycomics.com or brian@multiversitycomics.com.

– Reportedly, Adam Driver of “Girls” fame is in final talks to play the villain of the upcoming “Star Wars: Episode VII”. Who he’ll be playing exactly is as of yet uncertain, but for this guy, I’m in on it. Driver’s a good actor, and someone who can bring menace and power to even roles where he’s ostensibly a “good guy”. Not only that, but it’s an unexpected casting that could pay huge dividends when it’s all said and done. Good start. Good show. Let’s do this, JJ Abrams.

– Writer Jack Thorne has been tapped to write the script for “The Sandman”, working off a treatment by David S. Goyer. Thorne has significant British history, which means he’s unknown to many of us – unless you’re a fan of “Skins”, probably – but that means at least we’re probably going to get someone who speaks Gaiman. I don’t have any experience with his work, however, but hey, Goyer isn’t scripting, so that’s good, right?

– I thought this piece from Hero Initiative honcho Jim McLauchlin about conventions and their value to creators today was very interesting, and not just because we’re mentioned in it. The value they bring to artists, the viability of San Diego Comic Con, and more are touched on in this piece, and for those interested in conventions and the reality of them for creators, this is well worth a read.

– This Total Film article – “50 Image Comics That Should Be Movies” – made the rounds at Multiversity yesterday, and not in a positive way. I don’t generally aim to bring up article for the explicit purpose of commenting on how bad they are, but this is a lazy piece that simultaneously makes me question how well they know comics AND movies. Marc Webb to direct “Saga”? Cary Elwes as Fabian Gray? The dude who made “Mean Girls” directing “Morning Glories”? Uninspired, paint-by-numbers fake casting.

– Steve Morris interviews colorist supreme Matt Wilson, and it’s an interesting look into the way Wilson works. He’s absolutely one of the best in the game, and for those looking for more insight into how colorists work, this is a good place to look. However, *cough* *cough* maybe differentiate between questions and answers or something. Makes it a more confusing read than it should be, otherwise.

– The original art for Wolverine’s very first appearance (although it’s called a cameo, per Wizard Magazine!) in The Incredible Hulk #180 is being auctioned for The Hero Initiative, so if you have spare sum of five or six figures, you could get one hell of a collectors item!