Category Archives: Comic Book Adaptations

Graphic Novel “Trespassers” Gets Optioned For The Big Screen

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Variety recently reported that the supernatural graphic novel, “Trespassers” will be heading to the big screen. The graphic novel was written by Scott Hampton but the script will be written by Bob Gale and the film produced by Ryan E. Heppe.

The graphic novel follows a group of mythbusters, set on debunking the legend of a famous allegedly haunted house. They have their scientific rationality tested when they discover demonic guardians, a gateway to hell and the fact that not all of them are exactly who they claim to be.

Heppe stated regarding the project:

“A good horror flick needs one thing: a simple, original premise that’s terrifying as hell,” Heppe said. “Add to that obvious franchise potential, and the opportunity to combine “found footage”-style scares with traditional filmmaking frights and you’ve got something really unique.”

Hampton previously wrote and drew “The Upturned Stone.” Gale co-wrote the first Back to the Future film and penned its two sequels on his own. He also wrote for the second “Tales from the Crypt.” Heppe is currently rebooting everyones favorite robot movie, Short Circuit at Dimension as well as developing feature versions of “T.J. Hooker” and “V.”

I am definitely ready for something new to scare me and thrill me, and this definitely could be awesome. My only concern is that with so much on all the plates of everyone involved, the project could get stalled at some point. I hope that it doesn’t, but I had a hell of time even finding this graphic novel online.

The project is still only in development with no word on any plans regarding who will star in the film or a project release date.

Men in Black to the Future! New Official Trailer and Still!

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Men in Black 3, produced by Columbia Pictures, has released a new still for the upcoming movie (which you can see above).  If that wasn’t enough, today we get to see the new trailer.

Official movie description:

In Men in Black 3, Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back… in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K’s life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him — secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of humankind.

There have always been stories and conspiracy theories.  Almost part of urban myths and legend, the men in black would appear in the wake of paranormal activity, suppressing all information leaks.  Even though this may be the inspiration, the Men in Black was originally adapted from a black and white comic book back in 1990.  Created and written by Lowell Cunningham and illustrated by Sandy Carruthers, the comic was published by Aircel Comics.  In an example of how small fish are constantly eaten by larger fishes; which we call the food chain; Aircel was bought out by Malibu Comics, only to be bought out by Marvel.  In the end there can only be one, and Disney ate Marvel.

This serves to illustrate why the original story of the Men in Black has changed over the years.

The original story introduced Agent Jay; Caucasian male; the new guy being inducted into the Men in Black organization by his partner, Agent Kay.  Even though Kay is a tough guy who gets the job done, he’s also psychopath; which makes him the ideal MIB agent according to the manual.

In all situations that they go into as partners, Agent Kay prefers to have Jay go ahead of him.  It allows Jay to act as bait while Kay just enjoys aiming a gun at his partner’s back.

Jay is often forced to play the good cop trying to find alternatives to Kay’s problem solving methods.  For example, Kay suggests that killing witnesses over memory wiping them for efficiency.

The prime example of how twisted Kay can be occurs when he’s forced to mind wipe a kid who’s been beaten by his father.  Jay has no idea what’s being said to the kid, but the tail end of the commands are, “Then, when you turn nineteen, take the rifle to the top of the tallest building you can find and do the same thing.  Got it?”

I think I would have gotten a kick out of watching Tommy Lee Jones act like the chain smoking psycho that the character truly is.  Then again, it’s nice to see Will “I make this look old” Smith do a comedy.

Meanwhile the new trailer looks visually hot.  While it does feel like an Austin Powers movie, traveling back in time we see old time science fiction pieces in the trailer.  The space men have bubble helmets!  I’m even sure I saw some inspiration drawn from Lost in Space.

The movie will open on May 25 in theaters, available in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D.  Check out the new trailer below.

Valiant’s Bloodshot Gets Optioned by Sony

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Valiant Comics return to prominence this year has yielded a new step forward for one of their creations into the world of movies. It was recently reported that Sony Pictures and Neal Moritz Original Film have teamed up to acquire the rights for the Valiant Comics series, Bloodshot. 

Bloodshot, like many comic book characters, was born out of experimentation gone wrong. Mob assassin Angelo Mortalli was forced into an experimental procedure which involved his body being injected with nanites that enhances his strength and skills but unfortunately in the process his memory was wiped clean.

The comic, Bloodshot, was introduced to the world in 1994 during a time when comics were “grim and gritty.” This time period gave us Marvel’s The Punisher and Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns.” Bloodshot became one of the highest-selling comics in the history of Valiant Comics when it sold a reported 900,000 copies.

When Acclaim Entertainment bought Valiant, they began the process of developing a video game based on the character, but unfortunately they scraped the project shortly after.

But good news! Valiant Entertainment has plans to bring the character back to the comic book world later this year.

Here is the official press release from Sony:

Columbia Pictures is closing a deal to acquire the rights to adapt Bloodshot, the bestselling Valiant comic book character, into a feature film to be produced by Neal H. Moritz through his Original Film banner and Jason Kothari and Dinesh Shamdasani on behalf of Valiant Entertainment, it was announced today by Hannah Minghella, president of production for Columbia Pictures.  Jeff Wadlow will write the screenplay.

Bloodshot first appeared in Valiant comic books in 1992 and quickly became one of the comic world’s most popular characters.  Appearing in over 70 issues, the character sold seven million comic books globally and was a cornerstone of the Valiant Universe, which sold more than 80 million comic books, third only to Marvel and DC. As Valiant re-launches in 2012, the Bloodshot character will return to shelves as well.

Commenting on the announcement, Minghella said, “The Bloodshot character has been a fan favorite for nearly two decades, selling  approximately 7 million comic books globally. Because there have been more than 1,500 pages of storylines published, there is a rich legacy to draw from as we develop the screenplay.  Neal is one of the best action producers working today and we know he is the right filmmaker to take on this potential franchise.”

Originally founded in 1989, Valiant Comics quickly became one of the most successful comic book publishers by creating unique and compelling heroes and villains and focusing on storytelling.  Valiant characters have been written and illustrated by many of the industry’s most famous creative talents, including Jim Shooter, Bob Layton, Barry Windsor Smith, Joe Quesada, Jim Lee, Frank Miller, Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, Bryan Hitch, Steve Ditko, Mike Mignola, Kevin VanHook, Don Perlin and Neal Adams, among many others; in addition, Valiant was previously named Publisher of the Year by Diamond Comics Distributors.  Valiant is returning to comic books in May 2012 and has a number of movie projects in development based on its characters involving some of the industry’s top business and creative talent.

Neal Moritz and Original Film are currently in post-production on four films: 21 Jump Street andTotal Recall for Columbia Pictures, R.I.P.D. for Universal, and Warner Bros.’ Jack the Giant Killer. He is entering pre-production on the sixth entry in the Fast and Furious franchise as well as onDead Man Down, starring Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace. With over 40 films to Moritz’s credit, past titles include Battle: Los Angeles, The Green Hornet, The Fast and Furious series, I Am Legend, XXX, S.W.A.T., Gridiron Gang, Sweet Home Alabama, Click, Vantage Point, Blue Streak, Cruel Intentions, I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Skulls, Volcano, Urban Legend, and Juice. Original Film’s box office is north of 2 billion worldwide.

We definitely need a new comic book adaptation to love and cherish. I don’t think I can handle yet another reboot of Superman, Spider-Man, or Batman for at least another ten years. And while I have never read Bloodshot (and I keep hoping they do a young justice movie with Secret, Spoiler, and Impulse) I like the idea of another gritty, dark comic book being made for my viewing pleasure.

Robert Kirkman Discusses Shocking Death on The Walking Dead

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:::Warning Spoilers Ahead For the Latest Episode:::

Most fans of “The Walking Dead” are no stranger to death in the series. But even with that in mind, sometime a death is still just shocking and unbelievable. If you have read the comic books that this show is based on then you know that the death in last night’s episode occurred wayyy earlier than expected. It was an unfortunate night for everyone who watched.

I can safely say I was not prepared for the death of the fan-favorite character Dale. Dale is played by Jeffery DeMunn and he made his final appearance during the last episode. And yes, his exit was just as gruesome as you would expect from “The Walking Dead.” In case you missed it and need to know, Dale was injured by a roaming zombie and then mercifully euthanized with a bullet to the head by Daryl, played by Norman Reedus.

Robert Kirkman, who is the executive producer of the AMC hit series took time to discuss the decision to kill the character of Dale.

“Dale’s death comes at a time where he’s very much needed, [Rick and the gang] are trying to make this decision on what to do with Randall. The farm is becoming increasingly dangerous. There is still tension between Rick and Shane, despite the fact that it appears that they’ve put much of their differences behind them for now. They need that moral compass [in Dale], and it’s been taken away.”

Kirkman has also promised fans that Dale’s death will not go in vain. It will have some major repercussions on the rest of the cast and the season. You can bet that among those it will affect the most will be Carl as he was partially responsible for the death of Dale. (Earlier in the episode, Carl had gone into the forest alone and taunted a *seemingly* immobile zombie, which you guessed, would be the one to injure Dale.)

“It’s interesting to see Carl doing kid stuff: going out on his own, trying to prove he’s strong enough to kill a zombie, proving that he’s deserving of carrying a gun,” Kirkman said. “He instigated this whole situation. We’re going to deal with his emotions and what comes from him causing Dale’s death to a certain extent. That’s definitely one of the big repercussions where Dale’s death affects these characters.”

Fans of the comic books will note that Dale’s death is a deviation from the original comic book text. In the comics, Dale goes on to survive several SEVERAL issues before finally being bitten by a zombie.

Kirkman explained the changed by saying,

“One of the things we wanted to do is show how dangerous these zombies actually are. We were sitting around the writers’ room early on in the planning of season two, and we thought, you know, there aren’t a lot of zombies actually succeeding in what they’re trying to do. They eat people here and there, but we’ve never really had a zombie actually take down one of our main characters — at least not for a while, not since the first season. We wanted to remind people how dangerous these creatures are. It also threw a wrench in everyone’s plans to take Dale off the table, so those two ideas merged into one until we eventually came to offing this character.”

One of the biggest loses from the death is not the character it self, but the actor. DeMunn has long been one of the favorite actors on the show. Kirkman, however, has said that they did not treat his departure lightly.

“It’s a tremendous loss,” he admitted. “It’s difficult. It’s difficult for the cast, because they’ve become pretty much a family hanging out in rural Georgia. They keep each other company. It’s definitely a big deal [losing Jeffrey]; it sucks for everybody. Jeffrey in particular brought a serious sense of gravitas to the role and definitely legitimized this show by gracing us with his presence. We were lucky to get an actor of his caliber. He added a lot to the show, and his presence is definitely going to be missed.”

But Kirkman defended the choice with one last line.

“this is ‘The Walking Dead.’ It would be inaccurate to portray this show as anything other than completely dangerous, and in order to do that, you have to lose characters from time to time.”

So while the death of this character, as he put it, sucks, there is at least a good reason behind it. No one wanted to see Dale killed this early on, but sometimes you have to remember, zombies are not playthings…. they will kill those you love. When Z-day comes, just remember that. (Oh and also don’t taunt a zombie even if you think it is immobile)

AMC Accidentally Leaks Major Walking Dead Plot Twist

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:::Warning Don’t Read If You Don’t Want To Know The Death:::

For anyone who watches or has watched AMC’s “The Walking Dead” you are no stranger to its intense plot and crazy revelations as the goup tries to survive. Most of us tend to not like knowing the fate of characters early on but now most of us don’t have a choice because AMC has accidentally revealed the shocking death of one of the main casts members way before it happens.

Most fans have known there was going to be a shocking death at the end of the second season but AMC has officially let the cat out of the bag.

Due to a mistake within the marketing department for the network’s DVD release, it was revealed that Shane is soon to be dead. Shane, played by Jon Bernthal, is going to be killed at the end of season 2 (although this isn’t a surprise to those who read the comic books.)

On the AMC website there is a ad for The Walking Dead Limited Edition Season 2 Blu-ray 4 Disc Set which will be released in August. The ad has one little line that has thrown fans into a tizzy.

The ad says that the bonus features include:

“the making of the barn, an extended zombie gut scene, Shane’s last episode…”

This mistake has definitely gone under fire by fans all over the world. Fans tend to not like spoilers but AMC has said that the ad was not meant to go on the site.

“The post on the AMC store was completely unauthorized, AMC said in a statement. “The matter is currently under investigation.”

“The Walking Dead” producer, Gale Anne Hurd, recently teased the “jaw dropping” second season finale by saying, “I have a feeling even with inveterate tweeters during episodes…there may be some significant periods of silence, because people may not be able to click on their keyboards.”
And now it is painfully obvious what she meant.
I have been dreading Shane’s death ever since it became obvious he was ready to move on to another show (Bernthal was in talks to play the lead in TNT’s L.A. Noir pilot)
As mentioned earlier, Shane’s death is hardly a surprise to readers of Robert Kirkman’s original comic books. In the comics Shane is killed relatively early on in the series and in one of the most shocking ways possible.

Personally, I loved Shane (even if he got a tad bit rape-y in that one episode) and am a little bummed to know of his impending death as we watch the series progress.

New Marvel’s The Avenger’s Trailer Revealed

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After being teased with it, the new trailer for Marvel’s The Avengers has finally been released. This after the new promotional poster for the film was revealed earlier this week which you can see above.

The plot continues the epic big-screen adventures started in Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger. Marvel’s The Avengersis the superhero team up of a lifetime. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as SHIELD, finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

I think this movie is going to be awesome primarily because of three people. Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, and the best of them all, Joss Whedon (although don’t tell FOX he is working on it or they might try and get the movie cancelled. ba-zing.) I do plan to see it, and frankly, the trailer makes it look bad-ass.

This new film is being directed by the (incredibly amazing) Joss Whedon and and sports an all star cast.  It includes:

  • Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man:
A self-described genius, billionaire, playboy and philanthropist with a mechanical suit of armor of his own invention. 
  • Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America:
A World War II veteran who was enhanced to the peak of human physicality by an experimental serum. 
  • Mark Ruffalo as Dr. Bruce Banner / Hulk:
A genius scientist who, because of exposure to gamma radiation, transforms into a monster when enraged or excited. Ruffalo was cast after negotiations between Marvel and Edward Norton broke down.

  • Lou Ferrigno will voice the Hulk.
  • Chris Hemsworth as Thor:
The god of thunder based on the Norse deity of the same name. Hemsworth was cast as part of a multiple movie deal. Hemsworth stated that he was able to maintain the strength he built up for Thor by increasing his food intake, consisting of a number of chicken breasts, fish, steak and eggs a day.
  • Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow:
A highly trained spy working for the international peacekeeping organization, S.H.I.E.L.D. 
  • Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye:
A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and master archer known in the comics as the “World’s Greatest Marksman”. Renner said it was a very physical role and that he trained physically and practiced archery as much as possible in preparation. 
  • Tom Hiddleston as Loki:
Thor’s adoptive brother and nemesis based on the deity of the same name. 
  • Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury:
The director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who was revealed in previous films to be coordinating the “Avenger Initiative”. Jackson was brought to the project with a deal containing an option to play the character in up to nine Marvel films.
  • Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill:
A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who works closely with Jackson’s Nick Fury. 
Marvel’s The Avengers is opening in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D on May 4th. It is written and directed by (the amazingly awesome) Joss Whedon and stars Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston and Stellan Skarsgard.

You can watch the new trailer below and check out the new poster above if you missed it.

Steampunk Batman: The Video Game That Disappeared

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A video of an abandoned Batman game has surfaced on the internet. Based on the Gotham By Gaslight graphic novel from DC Comics, this Victorian era take on the Batman was written by Bryan Augustyn and drawn by Mike Mignola; the creator of Hellboy. This sprang from a series of What If type comic books called Elseworlds.

The Elseworld tag:

“In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others that can’t, couldn’t or shouldn’t exist. The result is stories that make characters who are as familiar as yesterday seem as fresh as tomorrow.”

In this Elseworld comic, Gotham By Gaslight, the book begins with Wayne retelling a dream to Dr. Sigmund Freud; where Wayne watches as his parents are shot down by a bandit, then gets saved from the bandit by annoyed bats hidden in trees. Freud’s all into this because he’s got a symbolism obsession; not a far stretch for the greatest charlatan and father of modern Psychology. Wayne insists that it’s just a dream flashback, while Freud gets his oral fixation on with his cigar; sometimes a cigar really is just that.

The backdrop for this story is in Victorian-era setting, where Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham City after training all around the world. Freud even mentions that Wayne trained under a London Detective; perhaps the fictional Sherlock Holmes? That’s right. If Batman started off back then, he would have been the first Behavioral Science Unit.

Antsy to get started on being Batman in the Gotham equivalent of Victorian-era London, Bruce Wayne wastes no time establishing himself as the original darkness that flaps in the night; move aside Darkwing Duck. The primitive screw heads are no match for his fisticuffs and bat-horse-mobile. One problem, everyone thinks that Bruce Wayne is Jack the Ripper. Can Batman stop one of history’s elusive serial killers while behind bars?

A lot of people think of this version of Batman to be steam punk. The first book shows no steam punk like gadgets or cool technology. If it were to be redone today, they’d have shown Batman using a modified Nerf Maverick gun, while wearing goggles with brass gears glued to the thing. However it’s just Batman, dark brooding gentleman in a cowl. Without computer technology and a victim to leech based medicine, this dark knight is no match of another Elseworld comic called Superman: Red Son.  Comrade Batman!

Originally the game was being produced by Day 1 Studios, but was later on dropped when THQ passed on the sales pitch back in 2009 reports Siliconera. Probably a smart move as Warner Bros. Picked up DC Comics the same year. It could have turned really messy with copyright and trademark legalities.

So the speculation right now is that the video is a deliberate leak by Day 1 Studios, possibly hoping to get Warner Bros attention in the wake of Batman video game popularity. Let’s hope the attention that it does get from Warner Bros. doesn’t turn into the Eye of Sauron. I somehow picture a horde of ring wraith lawyers charging into the night.

So the video that’s surfaced is probably the prototype video for the project. Let’s take a gander at the game that could have been.

The video depicts a barrel chested Batman skipping across rooftops and the streets of old day Gotham. Like the Matrix, we see duplicates and people holding guns that make sudden jerking movements, pointing at the Batman like a counterstrike arrow bot. We also see the Batman leaps on top of buildings in a single bound. Again, this is forgivable as it’s a prototype.

What catches my eye is the cape. It ripples in the air and swings with each movement. Sometimes it just moves with a mind of it’s own. Over all, the cape looks amazing as it appears a lot of code must have been invested in it. Like a lot. Like DOA-bikini-volleyball-mammary-glands-physics lots. Was this the focus of the pitch? The cape physics are almost Spawn like.

If they wanted to give Batman an Elseworld gimmick that would have completely held the interest of comic book gamers, they should have created a whole new storyline revolving around current day Batman getting his hands on a Green Lantern’s ring of power; not the In Darkest Knight horror they spun together either.   I can almost imagine the weeks of game play I could get out of that as Batman goes mad with power.

So in the end, this video should remind the world that the steampunk genre and Victorian-era storylines are the untapped markets ready to be exploited today. The closest I’ve come to seeing a proper airship was in the 3 Musketeers movie. So chop, chop, Hollywood. Give me steam!

New Poster for The Avengers Revealed

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A new poster has hit the internet for the upcoming movie The Avengers, only one day before the new trailer kicks off. Adapted from Marvel comics, the Avengers are a team of superheroes who gather together to battle problems that each singly can not.

The eye catching poster features the main cast in in their superhero glory, posing ridiculously as they would in comic books. I’m more surprised that Black Widow isn’t showing more cleavage or more in a cheesecake position. It would have been more inline with the comic book industry standards of, “making it big.” Go google “black widow comic” and take a look. It seems that all superheroines have their hips permanently locked and should have problems moving. As silly as the poses are for the Avengers, it still strikes a chord of badassery. At least it’s not the Ginyu Force team pose.

The backdrop for the poster shows the heroes set in what appears to be a semi-destroyed New York still under attack. Without their headgear to obscure the star studded faces, the poster shows Chris Evans as the pro-drug use Captain America, Robert Downy Jr. as the Incredibly Pompous Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor; Space God of Thunder and Abs, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury; such a bad ass that he stopped being white, Jeremy Renner as the Bullseye version of Hawkeye, and a CGI Hulk who’s alter ego is played by Mark Ruffalo. Then we come back to Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow. Her superpower set is using a gun and launching a luchador wrestling technique that disables men with her swinging crotch.

The Marvel Comics that the movie is actually adapted from is called The Ultimates, a dark and gritty reboot of the Avengers franchise. The comics did well to distance itself from more campy versions of the Avengers and other complex storylines.

Too bad the poster in the U.K will label the upcoming film adaptation as “Avengers Assemble.” Which is understandable because the Brits have their own team of heroes that fight crime called The Avengers.

In the states, the Marvel comics version of The Avengers debuted in September 1963. While in the U.K. Citizens tuned in to watch a spy adventure television show January 1961. It was also called the Avengers which was well produced before Marvel ever started cranking out their comics. So to protect everyone from confusion; and obvious questions about trademarks and copyright laws; it was probably for the best that the movie was renamed. Though I think Ultimate Avengers would have been better move.

One of the more memorable opening sequences of the show explained the spy adventure succinctly:

“Extraordinary crimes against the people, and the state, have to be avenged by agents extraordinary. Two such people are John Steed, top professional, and his partner Emma Peel, talented amateur. Otherwise known as The Avengers.” The opening narration would then cut to the theme song.

Though it happened so long ago, doesn’t make it any less of a cultural icon. I grew up on black and white versions of the show, and still to this day want a sword umbrella. A real proper gentleman one. Not a samurai sword handle umbrella or a shiv umbrella. That and add a intelligent, yet beautiful sidekick wearing a catsuit. That wouldn’t be bad either.

Mrs. Peel, we’re needed.

New Video From The Set of The Avengers Released

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With new posters debuting, and more news coming out every day, it is clear we are super close to the film finally hitting theaters. Marvel’s The Avengers is about two months away from landing in theaters and fans are almost giddy with excitement.
To quench the “I can’t waits!” out there, ET revealed a sneak preview of their visit to the Albuquerque set. As well as a brief glimpse of the new trailer that is set to premiere tomorrow morning.
Marvel’s The Avengers is opening in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D on May 4th. It is written and directed by (the amazingly awesome) Joss Whedon and stars Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston and Stellan Skarsgard.
The plot continues the epic big-screen adventures started in Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger. Marvel’s The Avengers is the superhero team up of a lifetime. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as SHIELD, finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.
The film has an all-star cast that is sure to please anyone watching the film. It includes:
  • Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man:
A self-described genius, billionaire, playboy and philanthropist with a mechanical suit of armor of his own invention. 
  • Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America:
A World War II veteran who was enhanced to the peak of human physicality by an experimental serum. 
  • Mark Ruffalo as Dr. Bruce Banner / Hulk:
A genius scientist who, because of exposure to gamma radiation, transforms into a monster when enraged or excited. Ruffalo was cast after negotiations between Marvel and Edward Norton broke down.

  • Lou Ferrigno will voice the Hulk.
  • Chris Hemsworth as Thor:
The god of thunder based on the Norse deity of the same name. Hemsworth was cast as part of a multiple movie deal. Hemsworth stated that he was able to maintain the strength he built up for Thor by increasing his food intake, consisting of a number of chicken breasts, fish, steak and eggs a day.
  • Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow:
A highly trained spy working for the international peacekeeping organization, S.H.I.E.L.D. 
  • Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye:
A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and master archer known in the comics as the “World’s Greatest Marksman”. Renner said it was a very physical role and that he trained physically and practiced archery as much as possible in preparation. 
  • Tom Hiddleston as Loki:
Thor’s adoptive brother and nemesis based on the deity of the same name. 
  • Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury:
The director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who was revealed in previous films to be coordinating the “Avenger Initiative”. Jackson was brought to the project with a deal containing an option to play the character in up to nine Marvel films.
  • Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill:
A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who works closely with Jackson’s Nick Fury. 

Clark Gregg and Stellan Skarsgård reprise their roles from previous films as Phil Coulson and Erik Selvig respectively. Paul Bettany returns to voice JARVIS. Avengers co-creator Stan Lee will have a cameo appearance.

There is a lot of buzz about the awesomeness that this new film promises to deliver (and with someone as sexy as Scar-Jo in it, I believe it) and hopefully the project will live up the expectations.
You can watch the video from the set below:

The Walking Dead Governor: David Morrissey

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With AMC’s hit television show “The Walking Dead”, the development for season three is well underway. As the mid-season premiere for season two broke cable records as most watched show, it’d be a shame not to capitalize on the momentum. I’m more surprised a season four hasn’t been guaranteed yet; then I remember how “Heroes” turned to dung in the second season before my very eyes. I could have written a better storyline on a napkin while drunk.

So for fans of the comic who’ve been reading ahead in the series, we already have a general idea of what to expect; we’re just really hoping that certain storylines are followed over others. So it turns out we’re not going to be seeing the Governor until season three. That’s okay, they still have to find the prison first. What is awesome though for those hardcore into geek lore is who will play the Governor.

The part will be played by British actor, David Morrissey according to Deadline. Hmmm… British actor you say? If he’s worth his salt in anything, he’d have been in some kind of awesome British television show, right? His IMDB photo didn’t spark any recognition in my old brain matter, but it might be because he wasn’t wearing the costume. In the right set of clothes, Morrissey turns into the Next Doctor!

Hit with a Cyberman InfoStamp; patent pending; Jackson Lake in his fugue state is imprinted with all the factual events and collected observations of the Cyberman enemy known as the Doctor, simply the Doctor. The one, the only and the best!

That right there is all I need to know to be happy with the selection for the Governor. Mostly because I’m a biased because he was in the Doctor Who Christmas Special back in 2008.

Originally the speculation on who would be the Governor was John Hawkes, based on the words of Tom Savini; who really wanted the role. Sorry Sex Machine. You can read about it here in the article The Rise of the Walking Dead Governor.

As Hawkes has the acting chops and Savini had the looks for the part; when compared to the comic book version of the Governor; I’m surprised a third person wasn’t considered who could satisfy both acting and looks. Maybe even some slicing actions for cutting off the hands of the enemy? That’s right, I mean Danny Trejo, the Machete! Oh well.

Savini didn't make the cut.

The Governor who appears in The Walking Dead graphic novel series, written and created by Robert Kirkman, is a twisted man who rules over a fortified township in a zombie plagued world. Not only is the character created as a returning antagonist, rapist and sadist, but has his own novel also penned by Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga as well in, “The Walking Dead: The Rise of the Governor.” The Governor will meet up with Rick Grimes and the rest of the Walking Dead in season three. If the television show remains true to the comic books, it won’t be pretty.

Either way, I’m happy to see David Morrissey get the part. Even if he has to play the despicable Gov.  Allons-y!