Sony and Marvel talk Spidey

Photo courtesy of Business Insider.

You’re friendly neighborhood Spider-man could be swinging in to save Captain America and the rest of The Avengers … if Marvel had its way, at least.

The web slinger’s future at Sony Pictures is in trouble, after the major debacle that was The Amazing Spider-man 2, and given the studio’s recent financial troubles.

A new hack of the company’s website has shown that things have gotten so desperate for Sony that the company has reached out to Marvel Studios to discuss the possibility of including the wall crawling arachnid in one of its upcoming films, including Captain America Civil War.

While it appears initial talks between the two studios fell through, mainly over creative control of the character, all hope may not be lost just quite yet.

Our pals at Latino Review [via Comic Book Movie] can take it from here:

Sony Japan thinks the Marvel deal for Spider-Man is still on the table and they want to renegotiate as a return to quality, the 60/40 split is can be negotiated and Sony Entertainment’s October hard-line stance of wanting creative control is now mostly moot in the eyes of the higher-ups.

There is a lot more to the article, so make sure to click that link and read the full details.

Thank god I’m not a betting man. If you’d have asked me 10 years ago which movie would become the bigger grossing film of summer 2014, a Spider-man movie or a movie about the Guardians of the Galaxy, I first would have asked who the heck are the Guardians of the Galaxy, then picked Spider-man.

The fact that Sony has gotten to this point with arguable one of the greatest superheroes ever written is shameful. In my opinion, there hasn’t been a good Spidey flick since Sam Raimi’s Spider-man 2.

The studio’s hack obviously only hurts Sony at this point. Now that fans know that it’s been talking with Marvel, the drum will only beat louder to give the rights back, or find a way to include the character in an upcoming adventure.

Image courtesy of Comicbookmovie.com

I’m not a lawyer, but couldn’t the two companies find a way where Marvel can use the character when it wants to, but also allows Sony to continue making solo adventures that fit in the same universe? The 60/40 profit sharing could work and each company could then say it was able to make what fans have been begging for happen, without coming off as weak. Although let’s be honest, Sony looks weak no matter what it does at this point. So it’s time to put aside ego and do what’s right for the character.

If Sony can bring a little more to the bargaining table, it will help them in the long term, even if it hurts in the short term.

What do you think, Pow! Nation? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!

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-Eric

What did Christian Bale think of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ ending?

Photo courtesy of Batman-News.com

While out promoting his new film Exodus Gods and Kings, the Batman himself, Christian Bale gave his two cents about what he thought happened at the end of The Dark Knight Rises.

For those who need a quick refresher, in the film, Batman flies a nuclear bomb miles away from Gotham City and it detonates, leaving everyone to think The Dark Knight sacrificed his life to save the city. In a montage, we slowly start to realize that that assumption may not be true, though.

The clip below will fill you in if you need a further memory jolt.

The scene where Alfred gives a hat tip to someone in a cafe and then its revealed to be Bruce, has left fans online to speculate whether that was a dream or real, a la the spinning top in Christopher Nolan’s other film, Inception.

Now having buried the lede long enough, according to Entertainment Weekly, it seems Bale believes the two characters really did meet for real. Though audience members can interpret it however they like.

https://soundcloud.com/ewradio/christian-bale-interprets-the-ending-of-the-dark-knight-rises

I always believed the two characters actually meet. For one, Anne Hathaway’s Selina Kyle turns her head for the audience to see. Alfred only met her once as a thief in Wayne manor and there’s no evidence to believe he knew that she and Bruce were romantically involved.

Secondly, death by nuclear bomb is not the way you kill Batman. Nolan is smarter than that. As the world’s greatest detective and a master escape artist, Batman fixed the broken auto pilot function on the Bat, and escaped in time before the bomb went off.

Finally, while it makes for an interesting interpretation of the ending, having Alfred dream of seeing Bruce is a lazy ending. We wouldn’t be having this conversation had Inception not been Nolan’s previous film. With that movie still fresh on people’s minds, they started looking for things that weren’t there in TDKR.

What do you believe? Did Alfred dream that scene or did it actually happen? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

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-Eric

Spoiler Rumor: Major character may be dead before ‘Batman v. Superman’

Image courtesy of Warner Bros.

Treat the following as a RUMOR until otherwise confirmed.

Our friends at Badass Digest [via ComicBookMovie] are back with some scintillating details about the which character may already be dead before the events of Batman v. Superman Dawn of Justice even begin. And it may not be who you’re thinking.

Remember- possible major spoiler. You’ve been warned.

Okay, for the curious: in this continuity James Gordon has, at some point in the past, bitten the dust. How and at whose hands I cannot tell you – all that’s noted in the script is that there’s a memorial plaque to James Gordon. This explains why the role wasn’t cast for the film, at least.

We’ve already heared whispers of a dead Robin in the film, but this is definitely a shake up. Without Gordon, a Batman solo film after Justice League will look very different from the classic comic stories. Will Batman still meet with someone at the Batsignal on top of the police station? Who killed Gordon? The Joker? That would fuel and already epic showdown between The Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime.

To be honest though, I’m torn with how I feel about this. On the one hand, it seems like a stunt death simply to shake things up. While it may be interesting to see how Batman has reacted to Gordon’s death, killing a Robin at the hands of The Joker will accomplish that very task.  On the other hand though, this would provide some fresh material to mine that hasn’t really been explored too heavily. My only concern are the Batman solo films. Without Gordon, Batman has lost his long trusted ally in the commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department, who he can lean on for information to catch supervillains. It would be difficult to accept someone else in the role, but we’ll see.

Maybe Barbara Gordon will take over where her father left off? Maybe she’s in a wheel chair too? That would be pretty stellar. A nice nod to her Oracle roots in the comics, and an interesting way to pass  the torch from father to daughter. Plus her time as Batgirl would allow her understand what Batman needs and how they can work together.

At this point, all we know for sure though is that nobody has been cast as Gordon. Until anything is confirmed, that’s all we can go on.

What do you think? Do you think killing off Gordon is a smart move? Are the future solo Batman films put in jeopardy now, or is it offering a fresh perspective on the tales of the seasoned Caped Crusader? Leave your thoughts in the comment section.

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-Eric

Jeremy Irons says Alfred will have more to do

Image courtesy of Warner Bros.

Future Alfred Pennyworth, Jeremy Irons caught up with The Hollywood Reporter via [ComicBookMovie] to talk his role in Batman v. Superman Dawn of Justice and said this iteration of the character will have more to do that in the past.

Irons wouldn’t divulge much about his upcoming role as Bruce Wayne’s

right-hand man in the big-budget Batman v. Superman, but called his Alfred “not a large role” due to the many characters in the Warner Bros. film. “He is quite a different Alfred than we have seen so far. Zack

Photo courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter.

Snyder had very clear views about what he wanted,” he said. “I would just say he’s more hands-on perhaps than just a butler.”

Nothing against the stellar work by Michael Caine, and Michael Gough before him, but it will be nice to see Alfred get his hands dirty a little bit. Sure the part won’t be a large one, Alfred’s never is. But with a guy like Irons in the role, I wouldn’t be surprised if the character works with Ben Affleck’s Batman to take down Superman or helps heal any wounds the future Dark Knight may have.

Alfred has always been a surrogate father to Bruce, so you need an actor of Irons’ caliber to deliver the emotion required for the role. I’m tremendously excited to see what new spin he gives the character.

What do you think of Irons’ comments? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Brolin: Thanos vs. Everyone in ‘Infinity Wars’

Photo courtesy of Superherohype.com

Inherent Vice actor Josh Brolin was asked about how he got involved with Marvel’s ultimate big baddie Thanos for Avengers Infinity Wars Part 1 and 2. His answer will have fans chomping a the bit for 2018 to get here faster.

Speaking with ComingSoon.net [via ComicBookMovie], Brolin said the following:

“I love the idea of Thanos,” says Brolin. “…Ultimately, it’s Thanos against everyone. Why wouldn’t you do that?”

Brolin also cited a certain Marvel Studios Co-President (and two-time “Marvel One-Shot” director) as the man responsible for getting him to sign on.

“Thanos came along because of my good friend Louis D’Esposito,” Brolin continues. “…He and I used to train together. We did ‘Hollow Man’ together. He called me up and started talking about this thing. It was nice because I could intimately talk to him about it. What I liked. What I didn’t like about the whole idea of it… It was really exciting because of the possibilities that it could be come. Not as an idea or as a blockbuster, but just as something different. It’s a character mentality.”

Marvel fans have been waiting since the end of 2012’s The Avengers to finally see what the Mad Titan has in store for our heroes. We got a glimpse of what Brolin will bring to the role in this summer’s Guardians of the Galaxy, but ultimately it will take the triumphant finale of the two Infinity Wars films to finally see the epic showdown take place.

What do you think of Brolin’s comments? Are you excited to see what Brolin has in store? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

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-Eric

Oscar Isaac: Apocalypse “freaked” him out

Photo courtesy of Deadline.

X-men: Apocalypse star Oscar Isaac is doing the press rounds for A Most Violent Year and caught up with our friends at Cinema Blend to discuss his villainous mutant En Sabah Nur.

Image courtesy of Maxresdefault.

The actor had plenty to say about his new role and said our heroes face quite a force to be reckoned with.

“He can be anything, he can do anything – so those aspects… I think of the idea of the first mutant and the idea that he wouldn’t be called a mutant back then. What would he be? God. He would be a god on Earth. And he wouldn’t think of himself as a mutant. That’s just descriptive – it’s not really an explanation of what it is. Because we’re mutants too. Humans are mutants, everything’s a mutant – things that evolve. So I’m playing with what that is and encompassing that in someone that has these kinds of powers.”

Isaac repeated what he’s said in the past about being a big fan of the character.

“It’s a character that I always just loved – just because it freaked me out. I was really into anything that dealt with end times and being left behind and the Four Horsemen. The imagery in the Book of Revelation is crazier than any comic book you’ll ever read. The beast with the seven heads, angels… it’s the trippy-est stuff. It’s crazy imagery, and so that always stuck with me. And then you had a comic book that was trying to have a character that encompassed that feeling. So, for me, he always has the feeling of the Book of Revelations.”

As for what stage in the process he is with bringing this character to life, Isaac says it’s still very early.

It’s early stages, so there’s not much I can say there as far as what the character concepts are from a visual standpoint. We’ve been talking more about the insides, and what’s going on in there a little bit. But that’s still a little bit preliminary. It’s safe to say I’ll be going to the gym.”

Very interesting that part about him needing to go to the gym! In my mind I figured they’d make him CG like Hulk in The Avengers. I never imagined they’d want him to bulk up for the role. Perhaps he won’t be the towering behemoth I’d originally imagined, but a more realistic interpretation on the character.

What do you think of Isaac’s comments? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below! Then click that follow button and become a subscriber to this blog. After that, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter in order to stay up to date on all the latest from the world of superhero movie news!

-Eric

Report: ‘Wonder Woman’ lassoes ‘Pan’ screenwriter

Image courtesy of NY Post

The new Wonder Woman film has found its screenwriter!

The Hollywood Reporter [via ComicBookMovie] is reporting that Pan scribe Jason Fuchs is set to take on the property for Warner Bros.

Jason Fuchs, who is behind Warner Bros’ upcoming Pan movie, is on his way to Paradise Island via invisible jet.

The scribe is in negotiations to write the screenplay for Wonder Woman, one of the most important installments of Warners’ cinematic universe based on the DC Entertainment characters and one of the most iconic characters in comic book history.

Warners had no comment.

At first I thought this was for the god awfu live TV show on tonight and I wanted to jump off a building. Then I realized it’s the Hugh Jackman movie coming out next July that actually looks pretty interesting:

Fuchs seems to be a fan of the Peter Pan mythology and was able to play with audience expectations, especially between Peter and Captain Hook. That willingness to use the source material as a jumping off point could be very useful for a great Wonder Woman film. Adapting the character for the big screen will need some departures in order to be a faithful adaptation. At the same time, staying true to the essential elements of what makes that character are also important.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia. mythology and was able to shift audience assumptions in interesting ways, which offers interesting possibilities for Wonder Woman.

The rumor up until this point has been that after the character is introduced in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, she will then appear in her own solo film that is rumored to take place in during the 1920s. Following that, will be 2017’s Justice League, before heading back for a Wonder Woman sequel set during World War II.

None of this has been confirmed by Warner Bros other than the slated dates for Batman v. Superman, the solo Wonder Woman and Justice League. But if any or all of it turns out to be true, we could be in for some very interesting story telling. We’ll essentially be cross cutting back and forth between the present day story and the past story every time she appears on screen.

My biggest concern at this point is the casting of Gal Gadot. Right now she’s nothing more than a pretty face. Her work in the Fast and Furious films didn’t blow anyone’s hair back, so unless her talent level rises between now and when Batman v. Superman hits theaters, I’m going in with low expectations. I’m not saying she won’t be good; I’m simply saying I won’t be disappointed if she’s bad. Hopefully it will be a case like Dave Bautista in Guardians of the Galaxy, where the director takes a subpar actor and plays to his or her strengths in order to get a great performance.

Maybe Zack Snyder has an ace in the hole about how to tap into Gadot’s talent that he’s not sharing. Maybe Wonder Woman director Michelle MacLaren thinks she has an idea how to work with this girl. I’m praying things turn out well, but I’m not 100 percent on board.

What do you think, Pow! Nation? Does the Pan screenwriter sound like the right fit for the job? Or does Warner Bros have a ticking crocodile bomb on its hands ready to blow? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

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-Eric

Benedict Cumberbatch confirmed as Doctor Strange

Image courtesy of Marvel.

In one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood, Marvel Studios announced today The Intimidation Game actor Benedict Cumberbatch will star as the title role in Doctor Strange.

OFFICIAL: Benedict Cumberbatch to play #DoctorStrange, in theaters November 4, 2016: http://t.co/fQlg5UiUp0pic.twitter.com/yKnrHmVDKF

— Doctor Strange (@DrStrange) December 4, 2014

This news has been floating around for months, but it was never official until today.

Marvel posted a press release about the film on its website, which offers some juicy details about what will be in store for the film.

The film, directed by Scott Derrickson with Jon Spaihts writing the screenplay, will follow the story of neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange who, after a horrific car accident, discovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions.

“Stephen Strange’s story requires an actor capable of great depth and sincerity,” said Producer Kevin Feige. “In 2016, Benedict will show audiences what makes Doctor Strange such a unique and compelling character.”

When Marvel President Kevin Feige was asked about the Doctor

Image courtesy of Scott Derickson’s Twitter.

Strange/Cumberbatch rumor, during the recent Marvel slate announcement day, he said said in so many words that an official deal had not yet been reached and that’s why there was nothing to report.

Cumberbatch doesn’t seem to have been the studio’s first choice for the part either. The rumor mill swirling around this year’s San Diego Comic Con was  that Marvel and Her star Joaquin Phoenix were negotiating over the role. It seems Phoenix was interested but not willing to commit to multiple sequels all at once, which is the standard for any Marvel movie, and the deal fell through.

It’s nice to have the news official, finally. While it comes at no great surprise, had the announcement come much later, people would have begun to wonder if the deal had fallen through and filming would have to be delayed. Luckily that’s not the case.

Cumberbatch has been described as the safe choice, but I think he’ll be perfect for the part. His voice alone can sell the level of fantasy this film will require the audience to buy into. I’ll take safe over awful any day, though Marvel usually knows what they are looking for in an actor to fill the role of one of its characters.

What’re your thoughts on the casting decision? Would you have been happier with Phoenix as the good doctor, or is Cumberbatch perfect for the role? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

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-Eric

Ryan Reynolds confirmed as Deadpool

Photo courtesy of Variety.

The Merc with the Mouth will be back on the big screen again!

After being introduced in the awful  X-men Origins: Wolverine, former Green Lantern star Ryan Reynolds confirmed on Twitter he’ll be suiting back up as Wade Wilson aka Deadpool with the spinoff hits the theaters.

Uh… It’s Chimichanga Time. pic.twitter.com/ZlknW4HOtj

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 4, 2014

Origins really screwed the pooch on a great character, so this reboot is good news. While Reynold’s first few scenes as Deadpool really captured the essence of the character, the ending fight scenes against

Photo courtesy of GeekLeagueofAmerica.com

Wolverine and Sabertooth  completely butchered him. First of all they sewed his mouth shut. Secondly they gave him a bunch of extra powers he doesn’t have, including Cyclops’ laser vision, and finally then they chopped his head off at the end.

Thankfully, the producers seem to have realized the error in their ways, and will be kinda-sorta rebooting the character. Giving him his own solo film will allow audiences to fully appreciate how cool this guy really can be.

The film has been in development hell for years and it looked like things weren’t ever going to happen, given the fact that it seemed like in order to do a good Deadpool film, it had to be a hard R rating.This leaked Deadpool video featuring Reynolds’ voice seems to have disproved that theory:

Overall, I think Fox is doing the right thing by green lighting this film. If they keep the budget low and don’t tame the character too much, they should have a winner on their hands. Anything should be better than Origins, right? Right?

What do you think? Does Reynolds deserve a chance to redeem the faults the studio made with the character or should the studio have gone with a new actor? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

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-Eric

Del Toro: ‘Dark Universe’ part of DC Cinematic Universe

Image courtesy of Forbes.

Guillermo del Toro chatted with the fine folks at Collider [via Screenrant] recently and gave an update on his Justice League Dark project titled Dark Universe.

Right now the only sort of shared universe project I’m working on is Dark Universe for Warners, you know, for DC, which is Swamp Thing, Demon, Deadman, Zatanna.  It’s a very different universe.  As to the plans to the other one, I wish I had an inside track right now.

Del Toro recently turned in his first draft of the script for executives at Warner Bros. to read this past weekend, but the project hasn’t been officially green lit just yet.

Image courtesy of NerdyNothings.com

There’s no word from his comments whether the Dark Universe characters will ever interact with the characters set to appear in Justice League, but you’d imagine WB would be hell bent to find ways to bring all of their film universe characters under one umbrella. Maybe not in the near future, but I’m putting money on the idea of one day seeing Swamp Thing or Zatanna enter into the world of Superman and Batman.

Which characters would you like to see appear from the different sections of the DC Cinematic Universe together? Do you think there will ever be crossovers? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

While you’re at it, feel free to click that follow button and become a subscriber to this blog. Then make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter in order to stay up to date on all the latest from the world of superhero movie news!

-Eric