Captain America To Take On Batman And Superman In The Ultimate Box Office Clash

Originally published on For Your Excitement.  14 March  2014.

Proving that they really just don’t care about whatever DC is doing, Marvel has decided to keep their Captain America 3 release date despite DC planning to release their Batman/Superman film on the same day. Fanboys and girls, get ready for a throw down on May 6, 2016.

In January, DC issued a clear challenge to the Disney-owned Marvel when they moved up their Man of Steel sequel from July to May. Marvel had already staked out May 6 for an untitled film, and this week we learned that film is Captain America 3, which means it’s time for DC to rethink their strategy.

The truth is Marvel has been hammering DC in the cinematic world. With Avengers 2 underway and Captain America: The Winter Soldier due out on April 4, Marvel is on a definite high. DC, on the other hand, is putting together some mash-up movie with Ben Affleck taking over Batman’s cape and cowl and Henry Cavill returning as Superman.

As Scott Mendelson at Forbes notes, “Warner Bros. has little choice but to pick a new release date. It has officially lost this game of chicken and will lose any showdown with Captain America 3 by default…Batman/Superman must unequivocally succeed in order for Warner Bros. to do whatever Justice League plans they have up their sleeve.”

Interestingly, The Hollywood Reporter, which first broke the Captain America 3 news, cites industry experts who believe it is highly unlikely the two superhero films will actually open the same weekend. Really what this means is, we’re all waiting to see who blinks first: Marvel or DC?

Angelina Jolie Looks Every Part Maleficent In New Movie Posters

Originally published on For Your Excitement.  12 March  2014.

The new posters for Disney’s Maleficent confirm what we already knew: Angelina Jolie looks perfect as the Sleeping Beauty villainess. Filling nearly the entire US and UK posters, Jolie is malevolently striking as the iconic baddie.

UK Poster

US Poster

Patrick Wilson Confirmed As Playing An Important Role In Marvel’s Antman

Originally published on For Your Excitement.  12 March  2014.


Patrick Wilson will most definitely be involved in Ant-Man. Screen Rant received confirmation from the actor at SXSW that he is playing an “important” role in the Marvel film, though he declined to elaborate beyond that.

Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas have already been cast as leads Scott Lang and an older Hank Pym, respectively. The web is buzzing that perhaps Wilson will be Darren Cross, CEO of a technology company who seeks the advice of surgeon Erica Sondheim. This would make particular sense because in the comics Lang also consults Dr. Sondheim and Cross later becomes a nemesis to Lang’s Ant-Man.

However, Screen Rant speculates that Wilson could instead be stepping in as a young iteration of Pym since the film is purported to include flashbacks.

Either role would work well for the handsome and charismatic Wilson. Hopefully we won’t have to wait until Ant-Man release on July 17, 2015 to find out.

Fans Treated To Brand New Captain America Footage

Originally published on For Your Excitement.  27 February  2014.

It seems I was once again not in the right audience at the right time. Fans that turned up to see Marvel’s latest one-shot, All Hail the King, Monday night were treated to the first ten minutes of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

All Hail the King stars Ben Kingsley, reprising his Trevor Slattery role from Iron Man 3. A special screening of the 13-minute short as well as a Q&A with Kingsley, producer Kevin Feige and screenwriter Drew Pearce was held at Hollywood’s Arclight theater. The short will also appear on the Thor: The Dark World blu-ray and digital download.

About the short films, which, like after credits scenes, have become an expectation from Marvel fans, Pearce said simply, “The Marvel one-shots are honestly just a labor of love.”

As for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as Entertainment Weekly says, “it definitely packs a punch.”

Warning: minor spoilers to follow.

The film begins with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) training in Washington, D.C. where he repeatedly laps Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). The two strike up a conversation when their respective workouts are finished and Rogers jots down a record that Wilson suggests he listen to. Cap is keeping a lengthy list of pop culture bits to catch up on, everything from Steve Jobs to Star Wars, which he’s already watched (it’s crossed off the list). Their chat is cut short when Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) pulls up in a sleek black Corvette and then she and Rogers are off on a covert mission.

The footage now picks up where audiences at the D23 Expo saw it, with Romanoff and Rogers on a plane above the Indian Ocean. They joke about Cap’s nonexistent love/social life and he shuts the conversation down by jumping out of the plane. Without a parachute. He lands in the water and climbs aboard a ship where he begins their rescue op by taking out every guard in sight in increasingly badass ways. Eventually, Romanoff and their team join Rogers on the ship and head off to rescue some hostages.

Co-director Joe Russo described the action sequence this way on Slash Film, “This is a more brutal Captain America — a one-man black ops squad. There’s no dialogue in this sequence; just fighting. Cap’s fighting techniques are way more modern than the last time we saw him. He’s learned new moves; the action in general is much more hard-hitting and intense.”

By all accounts, this footage points toward the Captain America sequel being a strong addition to Marvel’s continuing line of Avengers films. The Winter Soldier hits theaters April 4.

First Look At Rupert Friend As The Super Assassin Agent 47

Originally published on For Your Excitement.  21 February  2014.

The first look of Rupert Friend as Agent 47 has been revealed. IGN posted the picture from the video game adaptation’s set of the Homeland star, who looks every bit like his digital counterpart.

Agent 47 is a follow up to The Hitman, which starred Timothy Olyphant and was based on the video game of the same name.

Last month, Friend replaced the late Paul Walker in sequel’s the titular role as the genetically-engineered super assassin. Plot details for the film have yet to be released officially but ScreenRant notes previous reports that had 47 protecting a young waitress from a group called the Syndicate.

Full production on Agent 47, which also stars Zachary Quinto and Hannah Ware, begins next week in Berlin and will then move to Singapore.

Filming on Avengers Sequel Delayed By Flooding

Originally published on For Your Excitement.  16 February  2014.

Thor may be the God of Thunder but he can’t do anything about rain. Thus The Avengers: Age of Ultron shooting schedule has been delayed by flooding in the UK.

Actors were supposed to head in to Shepperton Studios in Surrey, England for camera tests and costume fittings, Hollywood.com reported. Due to the particularly heavy rain, the day was cancelled. The town of Shepperton has been one of many places in the U.K. devastated by the past two days of strong rainfall throughout the country.

As for the Avengers sequel, filming has already started in South Africa. The delay due to flooding in the U.K. is not expected to cause any major issues with the rest of the shoot. Set to hit theaters in 2015, The Avengers: Age of Ultron features the heroes from the first film reprising their roles. Joining them as the titular villain is James Spader, along with Paul Bettany (who also voices Iron Man’s J.A.R.V.I.S.) as Ultron’s henchman, The Vision.

Drivers, Start Your Engines: Need For Speed Super Cars Revealed In Behind-the-Scenes Featurette

Originally published on PopWrapped.  24 January 2014.

To rev up audiences for its feature film, Need for Speed, DreamWorks Pictures has been debuting featurettes every Tuesday. This time we get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the biggest stars of the movie: the cars.

Based on the best-selling racing video game series, Need for Speed pits blue-collar mechanic Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul) against an ex-NASCAR driver Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper) in a dangerous underground race. Marshall is out for revenge against Brewster who framed him for manslaughter but he will have to dodge cops and Dino’s bounty hunters along the way.

The film promises plenty of intense racing action, which means they need cars that are up to the task.

Check out the featurette below to see how the production uses replica vehicles that match the look, feel, and speed of multi-million dollar cars.

Also starring Imogen Poots, Kid Cudi, and Michael Keaton, Need for Speed hits theaters in the UK on March 12 and in the U.S. on March 14.

Kurt Russell Reveals Mood On Fast And The Furious 7 Set Following Paul Walker’s Death

Originally published on PopWrapped.  24 January 2014.

The effects of Paul Walker’s tragic death only two months ago are still being felt throughout Hollywood and especially within the team making Fast & the Furious 7. Walker was set to reprise his role as Brian O’Connor but with the actor’s sudden passing, the fate of the character still remains open-ended.

Fast & the Furious 7 costar, Kurt Russell, spoke at the Sundance Film Festival about the film’s production and his feelings about Walker’s death.

“It’s catastrophic,” he said. “It’s the worst thing that could happen to a movie, but it’s not as bad as what happened to Paul. So everything is in perspective. He was a terrific guy.”

Following Walker’s death, the film’s script was rewritten to include scenes the actor had already shot but the fate of Brian O’Connor has not been confirmed.

Perhaps alluding to earlier reports that the character would be retired rather than killed off in the movie, Russell said, “Whether or not this guy dies off in the movie, we don’t know. That may have changed now significantly too.”

Russell, who expects to return to filming later this year, has been cast as the “father figure” to Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto.

The latest installment in the car racing franchise is set to release on April 10, 2015.

Lynda Carter Gives Gal Gadot The Wonder Woman Stamp Of Approval

Originally published on PopWrapped.  27 December 2013.

Gal Gadot has received Lynda Carter’s stamp of approval for the role of Wonder Woman. Carter recently spoke about her most iconic role as well as seeing Gadot, who was recently cast in the forthcoming Superman vs. Batman film, step into the Amazonian’s boots.

Responding to whether it will be strange for her to see someone else in the role, Carter told Metro, “I don’t think so. It was a long time ago. I care more about the character continuing than holding on to my piece of it. I hope she has fun with it.”

Carter even agreed that having Wonder Woman as a part of an ensemble, rather than her own standalone film may work best. “She won’t have to carry the whole film. It takes the pressure off. I wish her well. I’m just glad she’s going to be out there again. Maybe she’ll get her own show again.”

Gadot is certainly doing her part to make sure she represents the Amazonian princess well. The NY Daily News reported Gadot as saying, “It’s the physical preparations that I’m starting now.” Her training regimen is said to include Kung Fu, kickboxing, swords and jujitsu.

As for doubters who say that Gadot’s slim body doesn’t match with the superheroine’s curvy figure, the Israeli actress isn’t worried. “I represent the Wonder Woman of the new world,” she said. Specifically addressing comments about her flat chest, Gadot pointed out that “historically accurate Amazonian women actually had only one breast. So, if I’d really go ‘by the book,’ it’d be problematic.”

Warner Bros.’ still untitled Superman/Batman film is scheduled for release on July 17, 2015.

Evangeline Lilly Wants Nothing To Do With A Hobbit Love Triangle

Originally published on PopWrapped.  19 December 2013.

No one ever wants a love triangle, at least, no one besides movie studios. Hobbit actress Evangeline Lilly has come out to say she was strongly opposed to a triangle involving her character, Tauriel, in Peter Jackson’s sequel.

During an interview with Yahoo Movies, Lilly recalled telling the filmmakers, “You have to promise me I will not be in a love triangle.” This was something Lilly had had plenty of experience with in the past. We all remember the Jack/Kate/Sawyer saga on Lost, right? So The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug filmmakers promised her it wouldn’t happen again.

But during postproduction, the studio came back asking for more emphasis (SPOILERS!) on the growing affection between Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Tauriel as well as her fondness for the dwarf Kili (Aiden Turner). And just like that, a love triangle was formed. Lilly told Access Hollywood that she was surprised but not angry.

“For a year of shooting there was no love triangle… And then, I came back for re-shoots in 2012 and they were like, ‘Well, we made a couple of alterations to some scenes and we added a couple more scenes,’” she joked. “And all of a sudden manifested a love triangle before my very eyes and the film was shot, and I’m in and there’s no getting out and there was no escaping it.”

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Full Length Trailer Released

Originally published on PopWrapped.  5 December 2013.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s full length trailer is here and it is packed with action, intrigue and villains.

In the follow-up to the hit 2012 film, Andrew Garfield’s Spidey is showing his more melancholy side as he struggles with protecting those he loves and the city when evil is all around. “It’s just a matter of time before I face those with more power than I can overcome,” he says in the trailer. Well, he’ll certainly have no shortage of bad guys to contend with.

The trailer reveals not only Electro (Jaime Foxx, looking incredible in CGI) and Rhino (Paul Giamatti), who we already knew about, but also Green Goblin. Yes, this is not much of a surprise since we knew Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) would be appearing in the sequel. But announcing such a major Spider-Man villain so casually has Forbes and fans questioning how Osborn, his father, and their shared signature alter ego will feature in to the film series’ arc.

Still, the trailer delivers plenty in the anticipation department. The full-on battle between Electro and Spider-Man looks as thrilling (or even moreso) than anything we saw in the first installment. Also, did you catch the glimpse of Doctor Octopus’ arms and Vulture’s wings? Amazing Spider-Man 3 anyone?

Just in case you haven’t seen the trailer or you just want to watch it again, check it out here:

Peter Pan Is Set To Take Flight With Directer Joe Wright

Originally published on PopWrapped.  12 November 2013.

Peter Pan may be getting a period piece re-imagining. Joe Wright, director of Pride and Prejudice, is currently in talks to helm Warner Bros.’ new Pan project.

Also known for Atonement and Anna Karenina, Wright would join producer Greg Berlanti to bring Jason Fuchs’ script to life in the new adaptation of the boy who wouldn’t grow up.

Deadline reports that Fuchs’ script focuses on Peter Pan’s origin story as an orphan who is taken to Neverland. There he leads a rebellion against the pirates, including supposedly Captain Hook, and becomes the savior of the Neverland natives.

Everything is coming up Pan these days, it seems. Warner Bros.’ take on the classic character would certainly have some strong competition in Sony’s Channing Tatum Pan picture. Disney is also working on its own Peter Pan project – a prequel entitled Peter and the Starcatchers, which is adapted from the YA novel of the same name.

Interestingly, Disney’s ABC show Once Upon a Time is currently exploring a new twist on Peter Pan as a villain rather than a hero.

My only question is: What role will Wright’s frequent collaborator Keira Knightly be playing in his Peter Pan project? Is she Wendy Darling worthy?

Clive Owen And Steven Soderbergh Team Up For New Period Drama

Originally published on PopWrapped.  7 November 2013.

You know how it is living in New York City. One minute it’s all 21st century hustle and bustle, and then you step outside your door to discover you’ve been transported back to the 1900s. Some residents of Downtown Manhattan are certainly feeling that way thanks to Steven Soderbergh’s Cinemax series, The Knick.

The ten-episode show about New York’s Knickerbocker Hospital in 1900, starring Clive Owen, required a transformation of a portion of Manhattan to do some filming. The pilot episode is written by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler and will introduce viewers to the doctors and nurses of The Knick who, “Push the bounds of medicine in a time of astonishingly high mortality rates and zero antibiotics.”

Soderbergh, who is coming off of the critically acclaimed and award-winning TV movie, Behind the Candelabra, will direct all ten episodes. The Knick has no premiere date as of yet.

The subject matter is certainly interesting. What do you think, will you be tuning in?

well now this is in front of my building pic.twitter.com/YTcwmHtkGq
— kalkutta (@djkalkutta) November 6, 2013

They'r shooting a segment of the TV Show #TheKnick in the #LES. #shooting #CliveOwen Go check out ! Broome/Orchard pic.twitter.com/P3GQBJjTA3
— Man-lai liang (@manlailiang) November 6, 2013

Filming 'The Knick' outside my office... pic.twitter.com/oc8CWBaRoO
— Derick Carss (@DerickCarss) November 6, 2013

Filming 'The Knick' outside my office... pic.twitter.com/DEBAZnCvMn
— Derick Carss (@DerickCarss) November 6, 2013

First Look: Funnyman Chris O’Dowd Makes His Moves On Natalie Portman In Thor: The Dark World

Originally published on PopWrapped.  9 October 2013.

Every day we get one step closer to seeing Thor: The Dark World on the big screen and every day we seem to learn something new about Marvel’s upcoming film. Case in point: pictures of the IT Crowd’s Chris O’Dowd in his cameo scene.

The British funnyman, who is also known for his work on Girls and in This is 40, plays Richard inThor 2, a man out on a date with Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster in the scenes pictured.

They are apparently interrupted or at least joined by Darcy (Kat Dennings), which is probably a bit awkward. Even more uncomfortable? Based on what I’ve seen in the trailer it looks like this may be about the time that a certain gorgeous demi-god reappears on Earth. Guess we’ll have to wait until November 8^th (or October 30^th if you’re in the UK) to find out.

O’Dowd, who is primarily known for his turns in more comedic films and TV, said back in March to IndieWire that he was not interested in doing action movies because he doesn’t think he can keep a straight face. Marvel is definitely an exception to that as he revealed in that same interview.

“Actually, you know what I’ve done, just for fun because I didn’t think there was any way that I could be in a superhero movie, so I’ve done a scene in the new Thor movie, just for that,” O’Dowd said at the time. “I just do like one scene, which was quite fun.”

Check out a few more pictures below:

Photo courtesy of Marvel via Digital Spy

Photo courtesy of Marvel via Digital Spy

Could JK Rowling’s The Cuckoo’s Calling Be Headed To The Big Screen?

Originally published on PopWrapped.Tumblr.com.  31 July 2013.

Well that didn’t take long. Only weeks after the news that J.K. Rowling has published a pseudonymous novel, a number of Hollywood Studios are clamoring for the rights to adapt The Cuckoo’s Calling into a feature film.

Leading the adaptation charge is Warner Bros., who of course worked closely with Rowling to bring all seven Harry Potter books to life on the big screen. 

Rowling was revealed to the author of the crime book earlier this month, having published The Cuckoo’s Calling under the name Robert Galbraith. Once the news broke, however, the novel surged to number one on the Amazon bestseller chart and has now garnered the attention of Hollywood.

Prior to the leak about the authorship, the novel had received two offers from television production companies. 

The Cuckoo’s Calling is the first in a series, which Rowling will continue to write under Galbraith’s name. According to Galbraith’s website, the sequel is already completed and set to be released in 2014.