Saturday, March 9, 2013

Interview: G.I. Joe: Retaliation VFX Supervisor James Madigan

With the Jon M. Chu-directed G.I. Joe: Retaliation arriving in theaters at the end of this month, ComingSoon.net sat down to speak with VFX Supervisor James Madigan, one of the key behind-the-scenes talents who (quite literally) took the script from action figure reenactments to stuntmen ziplining across actual snowcapped mountaintops.

Madigan, whose projects have ranged from The Da Vinci Code to Iron Man 2 to the upcoming RED 2, describes the on-screen level of reality he and the film's crew worked to attain, likening the approach for the big screen sequel to that of Christopher Nolan's take on the Batman franchise.
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Evil Dead Gets A Bloody, Fun Debut At SXSW

There are some films, particularly in the horror genre, that demand to be seen with a full audience. It’s a special experience to groan and cringe at the exact same time as everyone sitting around you during a particularly gruesome scene, and there’s something powerful about a collective cheer ringing out when the on-screen hero deals a final blow to the vicious villain. That was the experience I had tonight sitting in the Paramount Theater during the opening night of the SXSW Film Festival watching Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead. 

Jim Carrey, Steve Carell Work Their Magic With The Incredible Burt Wonderstone At SXSW

That was Jim Carrey, speaking from the stage of the majestic Paramount Theater as his dueling-magicians comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone kicked off the 2013 South By Southwest Film Festival. Co-stars Steve Carell (who produces) and Olivia Wilde joined Carrey in introducing the film -- director Don Scardino couldn’t attend because he was, according to Carell, “pissing out a kidney stone.” And Wonderstone, as Carrey promised, occasionally had its way with the packed house of film-festival attendees.

TRANSFORMERS 4 to Feature a Josh Duhamel Cameo?

Although director Michael Bay is set to kick-off a whole new trilogy with Transformers 4, it looks like we might have one cross-over character from the original series.  Josh Duhamel, who played military man William Lennox in each of the three previous films, recently spoke with Bay, who was congratulating him on the new addition to his family.  Bay also mentioned the opportunity for Duhamel to play the one bit of connective character tissue that would bridge the old and new films by way of a cameo.  Hit the jump for more.
 

Court Approves 'Stalking Horse' Bid For Rhythm & Hues

After an explosive document was filed yesterday that questioned Rhythm & Hues' leadership and recommended liquidating the company, a bankruptcy court on Friday approved a stalking horse bid from South Korea’s JS Communications to acquire embattled Rhythm & Hues.

JS Communications will assume the roughly $17 million in loans from Universal and Fox, which were provided to keep R&H operational as it completes work on Universal's R.I.P.D., scheduled for release July 19, and Fox's Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, scheduled for Aug. 16. JS Communications will also pay an additional $1 million in cash, according to Peter Fishman, director at Houlihan Lokey, the lead financial advisor in the sale of the company.

Should Lex Luthor Get a Mention in ‘Man of Steel’?

Buzz for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel film is at an all-time-high – following favorable test screening reports that soothed anxiety in worried Superman die-hards. The full length Man of Steel trailer teased epic action set pieces and subtle moments of emotional drama but great marketing doesn’t necessarily mean a great movie. As a result, fans were eagerly awaiting word on the quality of the actual film – from someone who didn’t work on Man of Steel or belong to the Warner Bros. PR department.

However, trusting unconfirmed word-of-mouth from untested sources creates a very slippery slope – a lesson that should be familiar to anyone following the back and forth reports about Christian Bale in the Justice League film. For that reason, take the following rumor with a massive grain of salt: Lex Luthor could be referenced, but not appear, in Man of Steel.

Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar’ Secures a November 2014 Release Date

New Christopher Nolan and Justice League rumors seemingly appear every other day now, but we have little to no reason to take any seriously (yet, anyway). Besides, it’s more interesting to discuss what the filmmaker is making next, as a followup to his Dark Knight trilogy finale: the sci-fi project Interstellar, based on an original script written by his brother Jonathan Nolan.

Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures are co-distributing the film, which depicts “a heroic interstellar voyage to the furthest reaches of our scientific understanding.” That’s probably all the concrete information we’re going to get at this stage, based on previous experience waiting to learn about Nolan productions like Inception and The Dark Knight Rises (though, we have heard the story was influenced by Caltech astrophysicist Kip Thorne’s theories on wormholes).

Friday, March 8, 2013

‘Oz’ Puts Disney Film Strategy to Test With Updated Classic

Hollywood may finally have found a successful way back to Oz.
Walt Disney Co. (DIS)’s “Oz the Great and Powerful,” opening in theaters today, marks the latest attempt to reimagine the classic story from L. Frank Baum, seven decades and two flops after the 1939 classic. Projections have risen on positive social-media buzz, with Boxoffice.com increasing its estimate for U.S. weekend tickets sales by 17 percent to $75 million.

“Oz” is also the biggest bet yet on Hollywood’s strategy du jour -- mining famous tales to create new stories with modern special effects and humor. Studios have released more than a dozen such films in the past three years, with Disney’s 2010 “Alice in Wonderland” the most successful. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger is leaning on characters known to fans worldwide through books, movies or comics to generate higher profit from his volatile film division.

Warner Bros. Donates 'Batman' Mask, 'Wonka's' Golden Ticket to Smithsonian

Movie artifacts from 'Superman III,' 'Corpse Bride' and 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' will enter the museum’s permanent collection.

The Batman mask donned by George Clooney and the puppets used in Tim Burton’s stop-motion animation Corpse Bride are among 30 Hollywood movie artifacts headed to the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of American History.

Warner Bros. chairman Barry Meyer presented the studio's donation of props and costumes from films made from 1942 to 2005. The movie memorabilia -- including the costume Christopher Reeve wore for Superman III, will join the museum’s permanent entertainment collection, which already houses the iconic ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz and a Kermit the Frog puppet.

Sofia Vergara Feeling The Heat

As previously reported, Simon West and Jason Statham are reuniting, post-The Mechanic and Expendables 2, for a remake of Heat (the Burt Reynolds one, not the Michael Mann one). And it appears the pair may now have their leading lady, in the not-unpleasing form of Sofia Vergara.

Originally a project to be directed by Brian De Palma, Heat was inherited by West last November, but the screenplay remains the one by William Goldman, based on his 1985 novel (published in the UK as Edged Weapons). The 1986 film version went through an incredible five directors, including Robert Altman, who only stayed a day. The result was, predictably, not a success, so for all concerned, and especially Goldman, perhaps this is less a remake, and more an opportunity to get it right this time.

Star rubbishes 'Hulk' rumours

Mark Ruffalo has shot down rumours of a solo Hulk film.

The actor - who plays the green creature with superhuman strength and a temper to match in The Avengers - denied speculation Marvel studios are planning a stand-alone movie about his character Bruce Banner and his fearsome alter-ego.

He addressed the claims over Twitter, writing: "A lot of folks have been asking about the next Hulk. The next time you see my Hulk it will be in The Avengers 2. No plans for stand alone."

However, the 45-year-old star wouldn't pass up the opportunity to front his own film in the future should the opportunity arise.

Syfy Orders Series Pick-Up for Ron Moore Drama HELIX

Picture this: a thriller about a team of scientists from the Center for Disease Control who travel to a high-tech research facility in the Arctic to investigate a possible disease outbreak. Once there, the team finds themselves in a life-or-death struggle that will hold the key to the annihilation or salvation of mankind.

Sounds good, right? Well, that’s what Syfy thought, too. The cable network announced on Thursday that it has given a straight-to-series order for Ron Moore’s (Battlestar Galactica) new drama Helix. That’s great news for fans who are looking forward to seeing the show, which has already bypassed the pilot stage and will air 13 episodes in its first season.  Hit the jump to find out more about the new series.

Screenwriters John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein Talk HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 and CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2

Screenwriters John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein first broke into feature films with 2011’s Horrible Bosses, and the comedy’s enormous success has lead to a flood of high profile writing gigs for the scribes.  I recently spoke with Daley and Goldstein while in Las Vegas for the press junket for the upcoming magician comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (which they wrote), and during the course of our conversation, the two gave me updates on a few high profile projects that they’ve been developing.

We’ll have the full interview available closer to the release of Burt Wonderstone, but today we wanted to share what Daley and Goldstein had to say about the status of a Horrible Bosses sequel and their script for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.  They revealed that they’ve written a couple drafts of Horrible Bosses 2, and they also talked about the process of writing for animation with Cloudy 2.  Hit the jump to read on.

In Theaters This Weekend: Reviews of 'Oz the Great and Powerful' and More

In Sam Raimi's prequel to the 1939 classic Wizard of Oz, James Franco plays Oscar Diggs, a greedy, small-time magician from Kansas who lands in vibrant Emerald City. There, he runs into three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams). Franco's character learns who is evil and good in the Land of Oz, helping him transform into a better man as well as the mighty Wizard of Oz.

Will Smith Goes on Tour of 'Real London'

A member of parliament from the Labour Party tweets that he took the Hollywood star to a school and a music venue in the British capital.

Hollywood star Will Smith on Thursday visited neighborhoods in the Southern part of the British capital on what his guide called a tour of the "real London."

Chuka Umunna, a member of Britain's parliament who is part of the Labour Party, tweeted that he took the star to a school, a music venue and a coffee shop, among other things.

The two men visited Brixton and Lambeth, finishing with a question-and-answer session at St. Martin's School in the Tulse Hill area, TV network ITV reported. "Will wanted to see 'real' London, and it doesn't get more real than Lambeth!" tweeted Umunna, who serves as the opposition Labour Party's "shadow business secretary."

‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ Press Screening Reveals Spoilers

Based on the action-packed trailers and featurettes for the film, J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness is going to boldly go where no Star Trek film has gone before…in terms of all out spectacle, anyway. But will the movie deliver a story that both regular audiences and hardcore Trekkies can get behind?

The answer to that question depends largely on Benedict Cumberbatch’s character, John Harrison. Harrison, who is described as a “one man weapon of mass destruction” is one of Star Trek’s best kept secrets. Despite months of speculation around who the character is – from a reimagining of Khan to a character that goes even further back in the Star Trek mythos – the folks at Paramount have done a pretty good job of keeping his motivations under wraps.

‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ Clips: Cobra Goes Viral & Joe Colton Reenlists

With the release date of G.I. Joe: Retaliation, the long-delayed sequel to 2009′s G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, right around the corner, Paramount has stepped up their advertising campaign with military propaganda-styled promo videos and a clip of Joe Colton (Bruce Willis) re-enlisting for service with Roadblock (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson).

The clips represent the latest in a long line of trailers and teasers that have been produced in the name of marketing the film ahead of its March premiere, from the very first trailer, various international trailers, to the most recent footage and TV spot, all of which serve to make G.I. Joe: Retaliation look like a cheesy, entertaining time at the multiplex – and a massive improvement over the previous picture.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

‘The Hangover 3′ Gets A Very Harry Poster

Showing that Warner Bros.’ marketing department has a good sense of humor about itself, the first poster for The Hangover 3, the final installment of the lucrative and bawdy comedy series, has popped up online.

It should seem familiar to Harry Potter fans, directly mimicking one of the posters used to promote Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows back in 2011, suggesting a finale of high-end chaos and smoldering apocalypse, while also preceding the first official trailer for The Hangover Part III which will release later today.

James McAvoy Talks X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, THE CROW Reboot, and WANTED 2

James McAvoy is currently doing press for his upcoming British crime-thriller Welcome to the Punch, and he was asked about a few franchise films.  The biggest question, naturally, was about X-Men: Days of Future Past.  McAvoy said he hadn’t read the script yet (he signed on for multiple movies, so it doesn’t matter if he’s read the screenplay yet or not) because he’s busy doing Macbeth on London’s West End.  However, he says he “honestly can’t wait to read it and find out what I’m doing, but I’ve just got no time right now.”  Spoiler alert: He’s going to put his index finger and his middle finger to his forehead when using telepathy.  But when he finds out that Professor X has joined a murderball league, that’s when things are going to get interesting.
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Pregnant Jessica Simpson: I'm Having a Boy! (Plus, Get a Load of How She Broke the News)

Here we thought the biggest news to come out of Jessica Simpson's latest interview would be Jimmy Kimmel wondering whether or not he's the one who's been making the Fashion Star judge pregnant.

Simpson revealed that she's having a boy!

Jessica Simpson is thinking she'll stop at two kids, but "accidents do happen"

She was talking about how much she's been vomiting this time around, in comparison to her relatively easy first pregnancy, when she blurted out, "The crazy thing is I never knew a wiener could make me nauseous!"
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Salma Hayek's daughter speaks better French than her

Actress Salma Hayek is married to Frenchman Francois-Henri Pinault and they have been living in Paris for the past five years. However, Salma insists that she still cannot speak fluent French and that her five-year-old daughter Valentina has to often translate for her.

Hayek explained, "I'm now like five years in Paris (sic) and I still can't speak French and it's so humiliating... Not only (does) she have to translate everything for me, but she has developed the talent for imitating and of course my husband has a very thick accent in English, and so do I and she has, like, no accent and she makes fun of us. She can imitate me trying to speak English and me trying to speak French... She can do any accent and I can't speak any language."
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Marvel’s Infinite Comics Bring GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY to the Masses with Free Digital Comics

Pretty much everyone seems to be on board with Marvel’s major superheroes getting their own stand-alone films and then reuniting for The Avengers films.  The real question as to audiences’ acceptance for comicbook fare will be tested when the space-based Guardians of the Galaxy opens in theaters on August 1st of 2014.  It may be easy to warm up to Star-Lord, aka Peter Quill, since he’s a human hybrid played by the charming Chris Pratt.  The test comes with characters such as Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Groot (a giant tree) and Rocket Raccoon (an anthropomorphic raccoon).  Marvel knows that, which is why they’re releasing four free digital comic issues that each center on one of the lesser-known characters.  Familiarize yourself with the heroes in question using our handy-dandy character guide and then hit the jump to find out more about Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Infinite comics.

Mark Ruffalo Says We’ll See Hulk Again in AVENGERS 2, But No Plans for a Stand-Alone Movie

Rumors have been flying around that there are/aren’t plans for Marvel to make a stand-alone Hulk movie some time in the near future.  Marvel’s own Kevin Feige put two potential source materials for a Hulk film on the table last year.  Then we got news on possible plot details for not only a stand-alone Hulk film after The Avengers 2, but what may turn out to be a Hulk-centric plot for The Avengers 3.  About a month after that, writer/director Joss Whedon (The Avengers) put the kibosh to the rumors.  Now, the face behind the Hulk himself, Mark Ruffalo, has taken to the Tweets to comment on the state of Hulk.  Hit the jump to see what he had to say.

Liam Neeson in Talks for Seth MacFarlane's 'A Million Ways to Die'

The "Taken" star would join Charlize Theron and Amanda Seyfried in the "Ted" filmmaker's next movie.

Add Liam Neeson to the all-star cast being assembled for Seth MacFarlane's Ted follow-up A Million Ways to Die in the West.

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Neeson is in negotiations to join MacFarlane, Charlize Theron and Amanda Seyfried in the Media Rights Capital-produced comedy Western.

MacFarlane wrote the script with Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild (Ted, Family Guy) and will direct and produce with Scott Stuber and Jason Clark. A May production start is planned.

'Monster House' Helmer Gil Kenan To Direct 'Poltergeist' Remake

So this whole "Poltergeist" remake has been brewing for a while now, and last we heard things were potentially promising as it looked like Sam Raimi was kicking the tires on the project as something he might direct. Well, he's still producing, but the man they've selected for the job to take on one of the most iconic horror movies of all time? Gil Kenan.

Who? Well, he helmed the animated "Monster House" and his last credit is the 2008 family movie that no one remembers, "City Of Ember". So we're not quite sure what Raimi sees in the guy. Then again, Fede Alvarez was seemingly plucked from obscurity to helm the "Evil Dead" remake and it's shaping up to be one of the most talked about horror movies of the year, so maybe he knows what he's doing. Plus, David Lindsay-Abaire ("Rabbit Hole," "Oz The Great And Powerful") wrote the script, so we'd reckon it will be a fairly decent attempt at Tobe Hooper's movie about a television that happens to be a portal to other worlds and stuff.

Cate Blanchett Doesn't Look Too Happy In First Pic From Woody Allen's 'Blue Jasmine'

Forget J.J. Abrams, forget Christopher Nolan...no one knows secrecy like Woody Allen. The prolific filmmaker continues his one-movie-per-year work schedule this summer with the release of "Blue Jasmine," and what do we know about it? Nothing really except that it finds the filmmaker back on American soil after spending most of the last few years gallivanting around Europe. But a new image is here, so you can decipher all the clues you want.

First up, it features Cate Blanchet looking well dressed, but none too pleased, while Sally Hawkins throws some shade in the background. So, are we seeing a return to dramatic territory for Allen? The presence of guys like Louis C.K. and Andrew Dice Clay would refute that, while the involvement of Bobby Cannavale, Peter Sarsgaard, and Michael Stuhlbarg offer the counter argument. The logline doesn't offer much help either, explaining that the movie is “the story of the final stages of an acute crisis and a life of a fashionable New York housewife.” That could go either way.

Corey Stoll Joins Shawn Levy’s ‘This Is Where I Leave You’

Corey Stoll is set to join the cast of “This Is Where I Leave You” for Warner Bros. 

Pic currently stars Jason Bateman and Tina Fey with Shawn Levy on board to helm. 

Based on the Jonathan Tropper novel, story follows a dysfunctional and idiosyncratic family in which the father’s death forces four grown siblings to spend a week together in the house where they grew up for the first time in a decade. Stoll will play Bateman’s brother.
Levy and Paula Weinstein will produce. 

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Keri Russell Joins ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ as the Human Female Lead

20th Century Fox and director Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) have rapidly assembled a motley crew of human actors to battle our new primate overlords in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the sequel to the critically and financially successful Apes franchise reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes (itself, a quasi-prequel to the Planet of the Apes movie released in 1968).

Dawn… continues the more science-fiction heavy approach of Rise…, which forgoes the overtly satirical tone of both the original Planet of the Apes movie featuring Charlton Heston and Pierre Boulle’s source novel (as well as the 2001 re-imagining from director Tim Burton). We’ve learned that it picks 15 years after the events of Rise…, when humanity has been ravaged by a lab-produced virus.

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‘Ninja Turtles’ Co-Creator Not Happy With Megan Fox Playing April O’Neil

The announcement that Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes would be rebooting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie franchise has always faced harsh criticism from those who feel the words “Platinum Dunes” and “Michael Bay” are synonymous with wholesale slaughter of sacred cinematic cows.

Even TMNT co-creator Peter Laird had harsh things to say when a supposed script for the re-branded Ninja Turtles surfaced – one in which the characters origins had drastically revised into a sci-fi opera about extraterrestrial beings. Whereas Laird’s former collaborator Kevin Eastman is supporting the Ninja Turtles reboot, Laird has been pretty forthcoming with his displeasure – including casting Megan Fox as April O’Neil the spunky reporter who befriends the warrior turtle gang.

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Jack the Giant Slayer: A solid family flick with so-so special effects

Bryan Singer’s “Jack the Giant Slayer” is a gentle giant, a short and sweet climb that’s fun all the way up the bean stalk.

For those longing for more epic adventure but were disappointed with the convoluted, drawn out “The Hobbit” last year, “Jack” is a whimsical, compact and wholesome adventure story that provides solid family entertainment with mediocre special effects.

Here’s the short of it: When Jack (Nicholas Hoult) is given some mysterious beans by a frightened monk and given the strict warning to not get them wet, his farm boy life takes a drastic change. Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) flees her castle so she won’t have to marry Roderick (Stanley Tucci), her father’s creepster advisor and finds refuge with Jack in his farmhouse. But an accident causes the beans to get wet and up goes the bean stalk with Jack’s house, and Isabelle, attached.

Tom Cruise Tabloid Lawsuit Ordered to Private Mediation

If you were hoping to watch Tom Cruise's legal battle against "In Touch" and "Life & Style" publishers Bauer Publishing Company play out in public, it looks like you're out of luck.

Cruise and Bauer have been ordered to participate in a private mediation over Cruise's lawsuit against Bauer, according to papers filed in U.S. District Court in Central California on Friday. The settlement conference is non-binding.

The order was expected; a motion filed last month indicated that the case would move to private mediation if the suit wasn't settled 45 days prior to the final pretrial conference.

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Jessica Chastain in the Running to Play Jane in David Yates’ TARZAN?

It appears that Warner Bros. and director David Yates may have settled on who they want to play Jane in the upcoming Tarzan adaptation.  Word on the project has been fairly quiet since Yates committed to it as his next project after helming four Harry Potter films back-to-back.  Last November, it was reported that Alexander Skarsgard was the frontrunner to tackle the title role in the film, with Samuel L. Jackson being eyed for a supporting role as a an ex-mercenary who helps Tarzan save the Congo from a warlord.  Now word comes that recent Best Actress nominee Jessica Chastain is being eyed to tackle the role of Jane in the film.  Hit the jump for more.

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Fisher Says She's In New Star Wars

Though no official pronouncements have been made and deals are apparently still being hammered out in the Mos Eisley Cantina, it's looking ever more likely that Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and now Carrie Fisher will return to their iconic Star Wars roles. Fisher is the latest to comment, appearing to confirm that she’ll be back as Leia.

Of course, Star Wars fans have been in this asteroid field before, and while she's said she'd be happy to return, the last time Fisher made such statements her representatives were quick to retract them and dismiss it as the star being flippant and funny.

But, talking to that always-reliable source of movie information the, er, Palm Beach Illustrated, she was once more asked point blank if she was coming back for more Wars and answered in the affirmative.
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‘Skyfall’ Director Sam Mendes Won’t Return for James Bond 24

Director Sam Mendes’ Skyfall is the first James Bond installment to gross over $1 billion worldwide, beating out blockbusters like The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and Dark Knight Rises. Similarly, it earned unanticipated critical accolades for the twenty-third addition to a popcorn movie franchise that’s now existed for over half a century.

Mendes expressed his reluctance about directing James Bond 24 prior to Skyfall arriving in theaters, but changed his tune slightly after Daniel Craig’s third bout as 007 proved a monumental success on all fronts. However, following months of rumors and claims that the Oscar-winning filmmaker is close to accepting the job, the official word from Mendes is he’s passing on the chance.
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‘Button Man’ Adaptation Snags Black List Writer

Director Nicolas Winding Refn has been attached to a number of interesting projects since he struck widespread acclaim with 2011′s Drive. After his newest film, Only God Forgives, is released later this year, he’ll be helming the British comic book adaptation Button Man: The Killing Game.

While Refn’s attachment to Button Man is still somewhat tenuous, the Dreamworks-backed project is moving forward, regardless. In an effort to further solidify the project, the film’s producers have brought in a respected, up-and-coming talent to polish the movie’s script.

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‘Tomb Raider’ Reboot Movie Working Closely With Game Developers

News and rumors of a reboot of the Tomb Raider film franchise have been kicking around for years – mostly centering on which actress will end up filling Angelina Jolie’s hiking boots as Lara Croft. Even after the project acquired some actual heft and momentum when it was acquired by GK Films, it seemed to be taking its sweet time getting into production.

Part of the reason why the movie is taking so long may be its close relationship with the reboot of the Tomb Raider video game franchise. Since that particular game releases today – and to some decent critical buzz, no less – its film adaptation looks to be on the move once more.
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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

‘Iron Man 3′: Mandarin Won’t Have Magic Rings, Will Be ‘Creative Interpretation’

When the Mandarin makes his big screen launch in Iron Man 3, he’ll be missing one—make that ten—important weapons: his rings. While early shots of Ben Kingsley’s portrayal of the Mandarin have shown his hands cluttered with jewelry, director Shane Black stressed during an early press day for the film that the rings are no longer imbued with individual superpowers like flames, ice, mental control, disintegration, and matter-rearranging.

In fact, the rings no longer have special powers at all—and Black knows that fans might not be happy.
 

Robert Downey Jr. Likely Returning for ‘Avengers 2′; Likes Being ‘Company Man’

Iron Man 3 ends Robert Downey Jr.’s four-film contract to play Tony Stark, and with the actor’s tough-talking agents and lawyers facing off against Marvel – a studio that readily subbed Mark Ruffalo for Edward Norton (and on a lesser note in his own franchise, Don Cheadle for Terrence Howard) – no one’s been sure if the two parties could agree on a number that would get Downey Jr. back in the metal suit for Avengers 2. Marvel’s President of Production Kevin Feige added to the uncertainty when he told Badass Digest that if the deal-making soured, the worst case scenario for the Iron Man character is that “we James Bond it.”
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Joss Whedon Denies ‘Planet Hulk’ in Marvel’s Phase Three

Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) gets underway this year, with The Avengers director Joss Whedon shepherding the studio’s forthcoming wave of superhero movies. Details on his script for The Avengers 2 (not the official title) are currently under-wraps, so recent speculation has focused on rumors about how much or little the sequel takes place in space – especially since it’s arriving on the heels of Guardians of the Galaxy, which Marvel President of Production Kevin Feige has revealed will take place primarily far away from Earth.

Last month, fresh rumors popped up suggesting that Avengers 2 concludes on a note that sets the stage for the Planet Hulk and World War Hulk comic book storylines to be realized onscreen during Phase Three of the MCU. However, last week, conflicting reports emerged claiming that Planet Hulk is not one of the future stories Whedon and the rest of the Marvel brain trust are considering right now.

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"Resident Evil 6" Gets a September 2014 Release Date

Writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson received his customary critical thrashing on last year’s 3D Resident Evil: Retribution (read our review, for example). Nonetheless, the fifth video game movie installment, featuring Anderson’s wife Milla Jovovich as Alice, managed to gross $222 million in theaters around the globe.

Retribution is the most expensive entry to date (costing $65 million) and was less popular domestically than the previous three Resident Evil installments; it even ranks below the first movie, when adjusted for inflation. Hence, although Resident Evil 6 (subtitle TBD) was a foregone conclusion before Retribution even opened in theaters, restless audience signals indicate that it may be time to wrap things up. Fortunately, that’s been the plan for a while now.

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