Marvel
Entertainment and Marvel Studios news: Avengers, Amazing
Spider-Man, Captain America - movies, games and auction
- 8th March 2012
Ultimate
Spider-Man Premieres at SXSW...
"Ultimate
Spider-Man," premiering April 1 on Disney XD
as part of the Marvel Universe block, is the super
hero show everyone’s talking about--and you can
experience the world premiere at South By Southwest
Interactive Festival! At the historic Marvel: House
of Ideas, panel Sunday, March 11 at 1 p.m. on the
IGN stage at the Palmer Events Center, Jeph Loeb (EVP/Head
of Marvel Television) will debut the entire first
episode of "Ultimate Spider-Man" for fans
in attendance. This can’t-miss panel also features
the unveiling of Marvel’s bold new multimedia
plans that includes the announcement of Marvel's revolutionary
new ways to read comics, courtesy of Axel Alonso (Marvel
Comics Editor in Chief) and Peter Phillips (SVP &
GM, Marvel Digital Media Group). Don’t forget,
this event is free and open to the public, so fans
of all ages can be in attendance for the first look
at the series that will redefine super hero animation--and
the announcements that will change how you see comics!
“We’ve heard that Austin has some of the
best Marvel fans in the world and we couldn’t
imagine a better ‘thank you’ for their support
than the world premiere of 'Ultimate Spider-Man' which
comes to Disney XD on April 1,” said Loeb. “Working
with top writers and talent, we’ve produced an
animated series that brings Spider-Man to life like
you’ve never seen him before. They say they do
it up big in Texas--and we can’t wait for the
smiles on the crowd’s faces when they get the
first look at Ultimate Spidey in action!”
Once the Marvel: House of Ideas panel concludes, fans
in attendance will receive a limited edition Marvel
lithograph (while supplies last) and a chance to have
it signed by Loeb and Alonso in a special Marvel signing
session.
Stay tuned to www.marvel.com and www.sxswscreenburn.com
for more details on the Marvel: House of Ideas panel
and Marvel’s plans for SXSW.
It's
one of the most popular movie trailers on YouTube.
Thus far it's attracted over 15,377,000 views via
Marvel UK YouTube. Marvel's The Avengers Trailer 2
has so far snatched over 666,000 views.
Marvel
Studios presents 'Marvel Avengers Assemble' the Super
Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel
Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor,
Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an
unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety
and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international
peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., 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.
Starring
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel
L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel
Avengers Assemble” is based on the ever-popular
Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,”
first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever
since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie,
packed with action and spectacular special effects,
when “Marvel Avengers Assemble" hits UK
cinemas on April 26 and Australian fans can expect
it on the big screen around the same time this year.
In
“Marvel Avengers Assemble” superheroes team
up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster
when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.
You've
got themes such as loyalty, hope and tenacity set
against a rural England and Europe during the First
World War. If you liked 'Captain America: The First
Avenger', you are going to love this.
Cast:
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom
Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L.
Jackson
'AVENGERS' MEMORABILIA: Capt. America's Shield, Thor's
Hammer ... FOR SALE!!!
Marvel
fans rejoice -- 221 of the coolest, awesomest “Captain
America”, “Thor” and “Iron Man”
props are hitting the auction block ... and they can
all be YOURS ... if you got a 6-figure bank account.
The
auction -- run by a group called Profiles in History
with help from Marvel Studios -- is set to kick off
online April 14th ... and in-person at the Chicago
Comic & Entertainment Expo.
Among
the ridiculously expensive collectibles (with their
starting bids) --
--
The full Mark II “Autopsy” Suit from "Iron
Man 2" ... $60,000
-- Chris Evans' complete Captain America Suit ...
$20,000
-- Steve Rogers’ Hero Motorcycle (Harley Davidson)
... $12,000
-- Thor’s Hammer ... $4,000
-- Captain America Stunt Shield ... $3,000
... And hundreds of other pricey gadgets, props, and
costumes from the movies.
AVENGERS
ASSEMBLE ... your life savings.
Avengers
Jewellery Released In Japan; Likely To Get Worldwide
Distribution...
While
nearly two months remain until Marvel's The Avengers
hits theaters, as we approach the anticipated May
4th release date, more marketing and licensing deals
unveil. The latest comes via Colantotte, a "top"
jeweler brand in Japan, whose known for their upscale
magnetic jewelry. Using full promo images from The
Avengers, previously seen, on their official site,
new character bios, and products developed for the
movie, check it out!
You
may recall when filming was underway in Cleveland,
Ohio, which is doubling for New York City in the film,
one of the many false storefronts built had a "Colantotte"
sign atop it. So it seems, similar to the Dr. Pepper
truck being blown to bits, the Colantotte store's
inclusion is yet another case of cleaver product placement.
The
store's screentime in the film reportedly depicts
Japanese store owners running out of the building,
and looking up frightened by the mystery aliens' "mothership."
Anyhow, check the source link to visit and explore
the Colantotte site, and their products!
“Marvel’s
The Avengers” Promo
Marvel
Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures
“Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super
hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel
super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor,
Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an
unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety
and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international
peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., 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.
Starring
Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel
L. Jackson, & directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay
by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers”
is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series
“The Avengers,” first published in 1963
and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself
for an exciting event movie, packed with action and
spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s
The Avengers” assemble on May 4, 2012. The film
is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
In addition to "Marvel's The Avengers,"
Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based
on the Marvel characters including "Iron Man
3" on May 3, 2013!; and “Thor 2” on
November 15, 2013.
New
Marvel Films Boost Popularity Of Marvel Entertainment
Themed Online Games
The
Australian arm of the Media Man publicity and internet
publishing agency is reporting that the new and upcoming
Marvel hero themed movies (Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man,
Ghost Rider and Wolverine) has boosted the popularity
of Marvel slot games at world's leading online casino
brand, PartyCasino,
as seen across the Media Man network. The casino gaming
brand is owned and operated by bwin.party digital
entertainment, the world's leading igaming company,
which is even listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Impressive and even Excelsior! The Media Man agency
has reviewed the games for the fanboy (or) fangirl
in all of us.
'Chronicle's' Josh Trank looks to spit some Venom...
With
Sony’s “The Amazing Spider-Man” looking
to kick-start a Spidey resurgence this summer, the
studio is taking a crack at another character associated
with the superhero: Venom.
The
studio is negotiating with Josh Trank, the hot director
of this winter’s found-footage hit "Chronicle,"
to take the reins of the Spidey spin-off, said a person
familiar with the project who was not authorized to
talk about it publicly. Sony was not immediately available
for comment.
The
film would center on the gooey villain who was a mainstay
of the Marvel comics and was a nemesis, incarnated
by Topher Grace, in the third “Spider-Man”
picture in 2007. (The character attaches himself to
a human host and becomes as powerful as the web-slinging
superhero.)
A
Venom film has been long-gestating at the studio,
dating back at least to 2008 and preceding plans for
this summer's Marc Webb-Andrew Garfield take on the
character. Gary Ross negotiated to direct a Venom
film back in 2009 but moved on to other projects,
including the upcoming “Hunger Games.”
Jacob
Estes (“The Details”) wrote a draft of a
“Venom” script several years ago, but producers
are seeking a new writer, said the source. (The Ross
version was to craft Venom as less a villain than
an antihero.) The film also would be seeking a new
actor; Grace is not expected to reprise the role.
With
"Venom," the 27-year-old Trank would not
only return to superhero territory but would also
bring a flair for shoe-leather storytelling that resonates
with audiences: Despite an absence of stars as well
as a modest budget, “Chronicle” has grossed
more than $60 million since coming out last month.
(Credit: LA Times)
Spider-Man ride reopening at Universal Orlando...
ORLANDO,
Fla. - As Universal Orlando theme park prepares to
open a new and technologically eye-popping version
of its iconic 3-D Spider-Man ride this week, creator
Stan Lee says it's sort of a fluke that the costumed
web-slinger ever came into existence at all.
Lee
was a writer and editor at Marvel Comics in the early
1960s when he went to his publisher with a new idea:
A superhero with the abilities of a fly or some other
insect to crawl on walls and flit from place to place.
Oh, and the character's alter-ego, Peter Parker, would
be a shy, orphaned teenager with all sorts of adolescent
problems and anxieties.
"My
publisher said to me, `Stan, that is the worst idea
I have ever heard,"' the 89-year-old Lee recalled
in a telephone interview from his Los Angeles home
this week. "First of all, people hate spiders
so you can't call a hero Spider-Man. Secondly, a hero
can't be a teenager.
Teenagers
are only sidekicks. And three, superheroes don't have
problems -- they're superheroes!"
Lee,
who had already dreamed up the Fantastic Four, the
Hulk and other popular Marvel beings, worked up a
Spider-Man story with artist Steve Ditko -- "just
to get it out of my system," he says -- and put
the new character on the cover of the last ever issue
of a 12-cent magazine called "Amazing Fantasy."
"It
sold like crazy," Lee says of the August 1962
comic. Spider-Man was well on his way to becoming
the flagship of the Marvel Comics universe, star of
TV shows, major motion pictures and more lately, a
famously elaborate Broadway musical. Spidey's general
appearance has changed little through the years, although
Peter Parker has been allowed to grow up into a young
man.
That brings us to the updated version of the Universal
3-D dark ride, "The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man,"
which reopens Thursday. It quickly gained popularity
among theme park fans after debuting in 1999 but has
only had minor tweaks since. Lately it had slipped
into the also-ran category of Universal rides with
the 2010 opening of the immensely popular Harry Potter
attraction in another corner of Islands of Adventure.
The
ride, which combines motion vehicles, a towering screen
and special effects, was reanimated in digital high-definition
3-D and got updated sets, sound system, lighting and
music. Universal says the clearer, brighter animation
allowed the addition of loads of new details and high-tech
gimmicks to the ride, in which the wise-cracking web-slinger
battles villains Doctor Octopus, Scream, Electro,
Hydro-Man and the Hobgoblin.
"We
saw an opportunity to make it ready for a whole new
generation of fans, and this was a perfect time to
do so," said Mark Woodbury, president for Universal
Creative, the park's design and development group.
"The technology was available to us, (and) we
saw the opportunity to create something really unique
-- more immersive, more detailed, more visual."
As
Lee has done in some of the movies based on his characters,
he steps into the ride for a cameo. He said he's not
surprised at the enduring draw of his most famous
creation, but he's quick to distribute the credit
for Spidey's longevity.
"The
people who are doing the stories after I stopped,
and the people who are doing the cartoons and the
rides and the motion pictures are doing such a fantastically
wonderful job that the public seems to have a renewed
interest in Spider-Man every time (something new)
comes out," he said.
Interestingly
enough, Universal rival Disney bought the Marvel empire
in 2009 for more than $4 billion, but a licensing
agreement keeps the Spider-Man ride firmly in Universal's
clutches at the Florida theme park.
Universal
opens another 3-D ride, based on the animated "Despicable
Me" movie, this summer featuring similar 3-D
technology. It will be on the other property at the
Orlando park, called Universal Studios, which requires
a separate admission. (Credit: AP)
Why
Paramount Studios Gets 'Avengers' Credit; Not Disney!...
Knowing
Disney wanted to turn 'The Avengers' into a franchise
and bank on the success of 'Iron Man' after buying
Marvel for $4 billion dollars, Paramount's top brass
negotiated a deal in which it continues to collect
8% of the B.O. as part of fees it would have earned
for distribbing the picture, as it did with the two
'Iron Man' pics, 'Thor' and 'Captain America.'"
To a point: Whenever 'The Avengers' is discussed,
it's Disney that's managing the superheroes, with
the studio bringing the pic's thesps to its D23 Expo,
in Anaheim, California.
'Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance' is in the money...
Movie
website portal Box Office Mojo reports Ghost Rider:
Spirit of Vengeance earned at least $9.7 million this
weekend, though data remains somewhat incomplete at
this moment. Based on the information that is available,
the movie has earned a total of $58 million overseas
so far.
The Wolverine (2013)
I
won’t lie to you, I have been talking to writers…
I’m a big fan of the Japanese saga in the comic
book. Hugh Jackman. In September 2009, Gavin Hood
speculated that there will be a sequel to X-Men Origins:
Wolverine, which will be set in Japan. During one
of the post credits scenes Logan is seen drinking
at a bar in Japan. Such a location was the subject
of Claremont and Miller's series, which was not in
the first film as Jackman felt "what we need
to do is establish who [Logan] is and find out how
he became Wolverine". Jackman stated the Claremont-Miller
series is his favorite Wolverine story. Of the Japanese
arc, Jackman also stated that:“..there are so
many areas of that Japanese story, I love the idea
of this kind of anarchic character, the outsider,
being in this world – I can see it aesthetically,
too – full of honor and tradition and customs
and someone who’s really anti-all of that, and
trying to negotiate his way. The idea of the samurai,
too – and the tradition there. It’s really
great. In the comic book he gets his ass kicked by
a couple of samurai – not even mutants. He’s
shocked by that at first.” Jackman added that
another Wolverine film would be a follow-up rather
than continuing on from X-Men: The Last Stand. The
inclusion of Deadpool and Gambit also leads to the
possibilities of their own spin-offs. Before Wolverine's
release, Lauren Shuler Donner approached Simon Beaufoy
to write the script, but he did not feel confident
enough to commit. On May 5, 2009, just four days after
its initial weekend run, the sequel was officially
confirmed. A Deadpool spin-off has also been confirmed
with Ryan Reynolds attached to reprise the role of
Wade Wilson, but producer Shuler Donner stated that
she wants to "ignore the version of Deadpool
that we saw in Wolverine and just start over again.
Reboot it." Christopher McQuarrie, who went uncredited
for his work on X-Men, was hired to write the screenplay
for the Wolverine sequel in August 2009. According
to Lauren Shuler-Donner, the sequel will focus on
the relationship between Wolverine and Mariko, the
daughter of a Japanese crime lord, and what happens
to him in Japan. Wolverine will have a different fighting
style due to Mariko's father having "this stick-like
weapon. There'll be samurai, ninja, katana blades,
different forms of martial arts – mano-a-mano,
extreme fighting." She continued: "We want
to make it authentic so I think it's very likely we'll
be shooting in Japan. I think it's likely the characters
will speak English rather than Japanese with subtitles."
In January 2010, at the People's Choice Awards, Jackman
stated that the film will start shooting sometime
in 2011, and in March 2010 McQuarrie declared that
the screenplay was finished for production to start
in January the following year. In October 2010, it
was confirmed that Darren Aronofsky would direct the
film. Jackman commented that with Darren Aronofsky
directing that Wolverine 2 will not be "usual"
stating, "This is, hopefully for me, going to
be out of the box. It’s going to be the best
one, I hope... Well, I would say that, but I really
do feel that, and I feel this is going to be very
different. This is Wolverine. This is not Popeye.
He’s kind of dark... But, you know, this is a
change of pace. Chris McQuarrie, who wrote The Usual
Suspects, has written the script, so that’ll
give you a good clue. [Aronofsky’s] going to
make it fantastic. There’s going to be some meat
on the bones. There will be something to think about
as you leave the theater, for sure”. Bryan Singer
was invited by Shuler Donner to direct, but declined.
In November 2010, Aronofsky stated that the title
of the film will be The Wolverine and described the
film as a "one-off" rather than a sequel.
Also in November, Fox Filmed Entertainment sent out
a press release stating that they have signed Darren
Aronofsky and his production company Protozoa Pictures
to a new two-year, overall deal. Under the deal, Protozoa
will develop and produce films for both 20th Century
Fox and Fox Searchlight Pictures. Aronofsky’s
debut picture under the pact will be The Wolverine.
It had been reported that the film would begin principal
photography in March 2011 in New York City before
the production moves to Japan for the bulk of shooting.
In March 2011, Darren Aronofsky bowed out of directing
the film, saying the project would keep him out of
the country for too long. In a joint statement with
Fox, Aronofsky stated, "As I talked more about
the film with my collaborators at Fox, it became clear
that the production of The Wolverine would keep me
out of the country for almost a year... I was not
comfortable being away from my family for that length
of time. I am sad that I won't be able to see the
project through, as it is a terrific script and I
was very much looking forward to working with my friend,
Hugh Jackman, again". Fox also decided to be
"in no rush" to start the production due
to the damage incurred in Japan by the 2011 Tohoku
earthquake and tsunami. In June 16, 2011 James Mangold
was chosen to direct the film, having previously been
on a shortlist which included directors José
Padilha, Doug Liman, Antoine Fuqua, Mark Romanek,
Justin Lin, and Gavin O'Connor. On June 27, Jackman
said in an interview that filming for The Wolverine
would start in October. Silver Samurai will be the
film's villain. In September 2011, filming was postponed
to Spring 2012 so Jackman can work on Les Misérables.
Location include both Vancouver and Tokyo, with Mark
Bomback working on a rewrite of McQuarrie's script.
A July 26, 2013 release date has been set.
If
it sounds like 2012 is going to be a pretty good year
for superhero movies, both on an entertainment front
(for fans) and business angle (for studios etc), that's
because it is. Enjoy brigadiers, and as Marvel living
legend Stan Lee would say - Excelsior!
News
Marvel
Entertainment Movies: Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers,
The Wolverine and Ghost Rider - February 2012
Hollywood
is continuing its lover affair with superhero themes,
movie revamps and the like, and Australian fans are
lapping it up with the superhero jackpot bonanza.
This
year we're looking at a bush tucker bag of sequels,
prequels, remakes... you name it. The Hollywood studios
will be pumping out their best efforts in order to
make as much money as they can muster, and who can
blame them.
Entertainment
kingpin Marvel Entertainment are going to be spinning
out their “The Amazing Spider-Man”, hitting
us hard with "The Avengers", "Ghost
Rider" is about to ride into "Sin City"
Sydney, Australia, and then there's Australia's favorite
son, Hugh Jackman back in "The Wolverine".
The
Warner Bros. - DC Comics tag-team is going to attempt
to combat that Marvel onslaught with the next instalment
of Batman - "The Dark Knight Rises", but
most tipsters are picking Marvel to win the movie
superhero fight over DC Comics this year, but time
will tell.
Here’s
a peek at some of this year’s coming attractions...(US
dates)
Nicolas
Cage provides a winter warm-up with “Ghost Rider:
Spirit of Vengeance” (Feb. 17), returning as
the bounty hunter from hell on a mission to rescue
a child from the devil.
“The
Avengers” (May 4), teaming Robert Downey Jr.
as Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans
as Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible
Hulk, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy
Renner as Hawkeye.
Next
is “The Amazing Spider-Man” (July 3), with
Andrew Garfield taking over as Peter Parker in director
Marc Webb’s new take on how a mutant spider bite
turns a teen into a web-slinging hero.
Christian
Bale returns as Batman in “The Dark Knight Rises”
(July 20), director Christopher Nolan’s third
and final tale of the well to do vigilante with all
the cool gadgets. Anne Hathaway joins the cast as
Catwoman.
After
the late Heath Ledger’s Academy Award-winning
performance as the Joker in “The Dark Knight,”
Nolan went with a lesser-known villain: This time,
it’s Bane (Tom Hardy), known to comic-book fans
as the brute who breaks Batman’s back and puts
him in a wheelchair.
The
Avengers are assembling...
Disney
released more stills from its superhero superteam
movie reving up fans who are eagerly awaiting the
answers to the age-old question, who would win in
a fight between The Incredible Hulk and The Mighty
Thor.
The
first image shows Captain America (Chris Evans) in
full updated costume and shield, flanked by Avengers
teammates Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow
(Scarlett Joahnsson), the three heroes walking as
if they mean business. The second still is slightly
less dramatic, simply showing Thor (Chris Hemsworth)
gripping a conference room chair, pondering heavy
thoughts next to S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson (Clark
Gregg).
"When
you walk out of your trailer and you bump into Chris
Hemsworth with the cape on and you see Downey in the
Iron Man suit and that’s when you really get
excited and you start geeking out a bit,” Evans
told The News last year from the film's New Mexico
set.
Fans
are already starting to geek out, more than two months
before the film's May 4 (U.S) release date.
The
Marvel Studios movie, which is directed by fanboy
favorite Joss Whedon, unites three franchises (Iron
Man, Thor, Captain America and The Hulk) within an
even bigger franchise that’s expected to be one
of the biggest box office hits of all time.
Avengers
News cont...
Marvel
Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures
“Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super
hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel
super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor,
Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an
unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety
and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international
peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., 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.
Starring
Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel
L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay
by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers”
is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series
“The Avengers,” first published in 1963
and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself
for an exciting event movie, packed with action and
spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s
The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012.
Marvel
Release Dates Updated (U.S)
In
addition to "Marvel's The Avengers," Marvel
Studios will release a slate of films based on the
Marvel characters including "Iron Man 3"
on May 3, 2013; and "Thor 2" on November
15, 2013.
Andrew Garfield as Spiderman Featured in an Avengers
(English, 2012) Cameo...
Mumbai,
Feb 13, 2012 - A few days ago we reported the rampant
Internet rumor that Andrew Garfield’s Spiderman
would be featured in an Avengers cameo. All of this
was built off a statement made by actress Jenny Agutter
who has a small role in the Whedon production. Well,
we’ve stumbled across another source who confirms
Spider mans cameo in Avengers.
“This
will be similar to how Wolverine made a quick cameo
in X-Men: First Class and Sony’s going to make
sure to promote their new Spiderman movie any way
they can. Andrew (Garfield) isn’t a widely known
actor so they want to get his face on everything,
including The Avengers even if it’s for a couple
seconds.”
This
is an absolute multiple bonanza for the superhero
fans.
Starring
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom
Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel
L. Jackson, and written and directed by Joss Whedon,
“Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on
the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The
Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics
institution ever since.
“Marvel’s
The Avengers” is presented by Marvel Studios
in association with Paramount Pictures. The film is
being produced by Marvel Studios’ President Kevin
Feige and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee,
Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Patricia Whitcher,
Victoria Alonso and Jeremy Latcham. The film is distributed
by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
The
movie is to release in India on 27th April, 2011.
The Wolverine Gets Release Date...
It
is official, a sequel to that 2009 X-Men Origins:
Wolverine movie will be coming to a theatre near you
on or around July 26th 2013 (depends if your in the
U.S, Australia or elsewhere). After months of production
delays, including replacing Darren Aranofsky as director,
that cigar smoking, 'bub' saying, furry Canadian Logan
will once again rip things up. The film sequel is
running with the title: The Wolverine and will take
Logan to Japan where he finds a forbidden romance
and the Silver Samurai to deal with. Hugh Jackman
has already praised the script as being "one
of the best we've ever had." This is good news
for those fans and critics who felt the first Wolverine
movie offering could have been better. We trust that
director James Mangold and Hugh Jackman deliver on
this to keep both Marvel hardcore and casual fans
happy. What the critics will think is anyone's guess,
but as a few stars have noted - movies are made for
fans (not critics).
'Ghost Rider' movie controversy; Red hot back story...
The
new "Ghost Rider" movie's ticket sales are
not very strong, but the controversy raging in the
comic-book community is like a mega fireball.
The
story begins back in 1972, when the flaming motercyclist
was created at Marvel Comics by writer Mike Friedrich,
editor Roy Thomas and artist Mike Ploog. Comics creators
in those days - and often today - don't own anything
they create for the major publishing houses, because
of a contract called "work for hire." But
when the first "Ghost Rider" movie came
out in 2007, Friedrich sued Marvel for partial ownership
of the character on a technicality - which would result
in a windfall from the movie.
He
desperately needed the money. Friedrich, now 69, is
unemployed, broke and suffering from liver problems.
He has been getting through the days by selling autographed
"Ghost Rider" items at conventions as a
paid guest, which according to documents amounted
to a total of $17,000.
But
ownership of trademark and copyright isn't something
that comics publishers take lightly. Both of the major
comic publishers (ala Marvel and DC Comics) make more
income from licensing their library of characters
than they do selling comic books. Here's the thing:
According to U.S. law, failure to defend a trademark
can lead to losing it.
So
Marvel - and parent company Disney - went after the
lawsuit, including a countersuit demanding the $17,000.
They were victorious. In December, the court threw
out Friedrich's suit and ordered him to pay Marvel.
Also, his future income was constrained, in that he
can sign and sell only "Ghost Rider" material
that he buys retail.
The
creative and fan community responded with fury. Blogs
across the Internet excoriated Marvel, or started
petitions for the $17,000 to be forgiven. Steve Niles,
creator of "30 Days of Night," led a charge
on Twitter and set up a Facebook page for contributions
(www.steveniles.com/gary.html). Creators such as Gail
Simone ("Batgirl") and Jill Thompson ("Scary
Godmother") tweeted encouragement. Longtime creators'-rights
champion Neal Adams was one of many who auctioned
original art, with proceeds going to Friedrich.
As
you might expect, there were calls to boycott the
new film, "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance."
That might have contributed to the film's disappointing
third-place finish on its opening weekend in the U.S,
with $22 million at the U.S box office.
If
the movie did well, it would still be overshadowed
by the back story - comics creators and fans rising
up like a tidal wave to help one of their own.
What
a red hot and real superhero story.
Check
out the "Support Gary Friedrich" Facebook
page (www.facebook.com/supportgaryfriedrich) for more.
Marvel Comics and Movies Alive And Well At Bwin.Party
Digital Entertainment...
Marvel
superhero fans - great news... more superhero themed
online games rumoured to be soon hitting PartyCasino.
Stay tuned to the Media
Man network for more on that.
If
it sounds like 2012 is going to be a pretty good year
for superhero movies, both on an entertainment front
(for fans) and business angle (for studios etc), that's
because it is. Enjoy brigadiers, and as Marvel living
legend Stan Lee would say - Excelsior!
Marvel
Entertainment's The Avengers: New Mexico Connection...
Marvel
Entertainment's biggest film project of all time is
is now New Mexico’s biggest film production ever
as 'The Avengers' confirms its 2011 shooting locations.
Thor
not only hits off the summer movie season of 2011,
but it sets up events that will culminate in the Marvel
superhero team-up epic, The Avengers, the following
year. With story elements of Thor taking place in
New Mexico, and the production shooting in Santa Fe
and Galisteo, it’s of little surprise to see
Marvel Studios returning once again for their biggest
project ever.
New
Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Marvel Studios
officially announced the agreement making The Avengers
the single largest film production in the state’s
history. The current schedule has Joss Whedon’s
The Avengers shooting in New Mexico between April
and September of next year, using both Albuquerque
Studios and of course, the beautiful and vast surrounding
locations that so many other major Hollywood flicks
have used.
The
Avengers also is set to shoot action in Michigan and
New York but production will primarily take place
in New Mexico’s largest city Albuquerque.
Governor
Richardson talks to local economic benefits to New
Mexico: "In addition to being our biggest production
to date, The Avengers will be the most technologically
advanced and will provide cutting-edge training opportunities
for our crew… I’m announcing this as a Christmas
present of sorts to the people of New Mexico. This
is a perfect example of the incredible job creation,
economic impact and global visibility this industry
has brought our state over the past eight years, and
of the need to keep it moving forward."
So
Marvel heroes fans, be looking out for Chris Evans,
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo,
Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Clark Gregg and
Samuel L. Jackson.
Thor
opens May 5, 2011; The First Avenger: Captain America
hits July 22, 2011 and The Avengers is scheduled to
debut May 4, 2012.
Spider-Man:
Broadway No Match For Movie; Spidy Fans Disappointed;
Would Rather Play Spider-Man Games And Play Dress
Up...
The
new and much talked about Spider-Man musical has another
problem stuck in its web. Sick to death of waiting
for the problematic Broadway show to officially open,
critics for two mainstream news companies released
early and negative reviews of the $65 million musical,
which won't officially open until February 7.
Writing
for Bloomberg News, the influential financial news
wire service, veteran critic John Simon slammed the
show as "an unfocused hodge-podge of story-telling,
myth-making and spectacle that comes up short in every
department. A few good songs would help, in which
department the show is sorely lacking," Simon
wrote in the review late Sunday night. Like most rock
stars, Bono and The Edge haven’t a clue about
writing for the theatre."
The
U2 legends wrote the score for the show, which was
directed by Lion King helmer Julie Taymor.
Both
Simon and Newsday's Linda Winer defended their premature
reviews on the grounds that the show was charging
full ticket prices in some cases more than $200 a
seat for the performances, and that the opening date
had been pushed back twice.
Winer
called the show's infamous high-flying acrobatics
"exciting and scary, in a circus way" but
dismissed the second act as "weak."
Simon
was also impressed with the flying scenes: "An
hour of anticipation for about 90 seconds of exhilaration,"
he wrote.
Would
you believe four actors have been injured during the
show's rehearsals, including a horrible injury to
lead aerialist Chris Tierney last week.
Critics
almost never publish their reviews of productions
before the official opening night. Spider-Man: Turn
Off the Dark has pushed back its debut twice.
The
New York Times said in a posting to its arts blog
that it would not review the show until the official
opening.
Media
Man loves Marvel Entertainment, Spider-Man and U2,
but this project does not sound good. Sorry guys.
News
Djimon
Hounsou Continues Campaign For 'Black Panther' Movie
- 4th December 2010 (Credit:
MTV)
As
Marvel Studios prepares for "Thor," "Captain
America" and "The Avengers," the successful
comic book movie studio is undoubtedly exploring future
films starring some of their other popular superheroes.
Could
Black Panther be one of them? That's certainly the
hope, according to "Gladiator" actor Djimon
Hounsou. The Oscar-nominated actor previously lent
his voice to an animated "Black Panther"
series, and in a recent interview with io9, Hounsou
said that his work on that show was an attempt to
generate interest in a big screen "Black Panther"
film.
"That
was the idea: using it as a leverage to tell a feature
story," he said — and his hopes for a "Black
Panther" movie are far from over.
"He's
a king, he's a man of the people, and he's very powerful
— he challenges himself throughout his kingdom,
and I think that's rare when the king puts his own
life [on the line] and challenges [people] to beat
him, in order to see [who's] the best out there,"
the actor enthused. "He's really cool. He comes
from a world in Africa that is cool, and has all those
minerals and it's very exciting. It's just a matter
of time for that to be realized."
We
agree that it's just a matter of time before a "Black
Panther" movie gets off the ground, but will
Hounsou be in the title role? He's certainly got competition,
as "Lost" actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
previously told MTV News that he was working with
Marvel on bringing the character to theaters. (Credit:
MTV)
Profile
Marvel
Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: MVL) is an American entertainment
company formed from the merger of Marvel Entertainment
Group, Inc. and Toy Biz, Inc.
A corporate predecessor traces its origins to the
May 1933 publication of Western Supernovel Magazine.
That magazine was only published for one issue before
the title was changed to Complete Western Book Magazine
in July 1933.
The company's oldest character is Ka-Zar introduced
in 1936. In 1939, the company began publishing comic
books as Timely Publications with Marvel Comics #1
History
Ronald
Perelman's MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings group
of companies bought the Marvel Entertainment Group,
the parent company of Marvel Comics, from New World
Entertainment for $82.5 million.
"It is a mini-Disney in terms of intellectual
property," said Perelman. "Disney's got
much more highly recognized characters and softer
characters, whereas our characters are termed action
heroes. But at Marvel we are now in the business of
the creation and marketing of characters."
Boosted by a massive merchandising effort, an increase
in Marvel comic prices, and an overall boom in the
comic book industry, Marvel's profits spiked. Perelman
later added the baseball card and basketball card
companies Fleer Corporation and SkyBox International,
Italian sticker manufacturer Panini Group, and comic
book publishers Welsh Publishing and Malibu Comics
to Marvel's holdings for a combined total of $700
million. Investors around the world recognized his
efforts and generated $80 million for Perelman when
he issued Marvel's initial public offering. He later
added a significant stake in Toy Biz to Marvel's holdings.
His luck was not to last. Marvel's attempt to distribute
its products directly led to a decrease in sales and
aggravated the losses which Marvel suffered when the
comic book bubble popped, the 1994 Major League Baseball
strike massacred the profits of the Fleer division,and
Panini was hobbled by poor showings at the box office
by Disney (Licensing Disney characters provided a
major source of revenue for Panini, so when the movies
performed poorly Panini performed poorly). A major
bondholder, Carl Icahn, fought to take control of
the company from Perelman. Both men failed as Toy
Biz owners Ike Perlmutter and Avi Arad snatched Marvel
from Perelman and Icahn in order to protect their
own financial interests. Estimates of his profit on
the deal vary widely. Chuck Rozanski estimates that
Perelman made $200-400 million off Marvel; Forbes
thinks he made nothing;and the judge in the Marvel
bankruptcy trial estimated he made $280 million plus
various tax advantages. In December 2003, Marvel Entertainment
acquired Cover Concepts from Hearst Communications,
Inc. On March 15, 2007, Stan Lee Media filed a lawsuit
against Marvel Entertainment for $5 billion, claiming
that the company is co-owner of the characters that
Lee created for Marvel. Additional, a lawsuit over
the Ghost Rider Character ownership was file On March
30, 2007 by Gary Friedrich and Gary Friedrich Enterprises,
Inc
Units
The
company's operating units include:
Marvel Characters, Inc.: intellectual property holding
company;
Marvel Publishing, Inc.: publisher of Marvel Comics;
Marvel Studios: a film and television production company;
Marvel Toys (formerly Toy Biz): a toy company owned
by Isaac Perlmutter since the 1990s.
Spider-Man Merchandising, L.P.: A joint venture of
Marvel and Sony Pictures Consumer Products Inc. that
owns the rights to Spider-Man movie related licensed
products.
MVL Film Finance LLC: holder of Marvel's Movie debt
and theatrical film rights to the ten characters as
collateral.
Marvel Animation: Subsidiary charge with oversight
of Marvel's animation productions.
Marvel Characters B.V. (The Netherlands)
MVL International C.V. (The Netherlands)
Marvel International Character Holdings LLC (Delaware)
Marvel Entertainment International Limited (United
Kingdom)
Marvel Property, Inc. (Delaware)
Marvel Internet Productions LLC (Delaware)
Marvel Toys Limited (Hong Kong)
MRV, Inc. (Delaware)
MVL Development LLC (Delaware)
Marvel Film Productions LLC (Delaware)
Film Slate Subsidiaries”
MVL Rights, LLC: subsidiary holding movie rights of
all Marvel Characters with some on contract with MVL
Film Finance
Iron Works Productions LLC: subsidiary holding debt
to finance the Iron Man movie.
MVL Productions LLC: an indirect wholly owned a film
development subsidiary
Incredible Productions LLC (Delaware): subsidiary
holding debt to finance the Incredible Hulk film
MVL Iron Works Productions Canada, Inc. (Province
of Ontario)
MVL Incredible Productions Canada, Inc. (Province
of Ontario)
Asgard Productions LLC (Delaware)
Green Guy Toons LLC (Delaware)
Squad Productions LLC (Delaware) (Credit:
Wikipedia)
