Who would you pick for Captain America?

The craze for comic book to movie conversions continues unabated. One of the bigger concepts is for one of the most symbolic characters in comic books. Captain America.

Much like Uncle Sam, Captian America is a symbol of the American way of life. He is even more of the living embodiment of our laws and national view than even Superman was meant to represent. He is the Red White and Blue in action, with the highest levels of vitrue and honor intact.

Because such a character is so tied to what America is and can be, a movie version of this hero demands high attention. It's not just another comic-movie, its a statement. So the writing and the acting must be spot on. Even if the movie fails, it can't be because the lead sounds like a buffoon, and looks like an inbred redneck (as an example).

Thus the casting call is out right now for The Captain America. The key prerequisites? Well he has to be White, because Hollywood couldn't imagine anyone with more color than a tan being a symbol of America (plus the comic book character has always been White). He has to be American. He should be in his mid-20's to early 30 (depending on the exact timeline he could be as young as 18 - 20 but 25ish seems more of a likely middle ground). And while the comic book champion has never been considered astoundingly good looking, an actor with better than average looks will likely be picked. (for those that want to say Tom Cruise - he is too old, too short, and honestly not a good enough actor in my opinion)

So far the choices have been John Krasinski, Michael Cassidy, Patrick Flueger, Scott Porter, Wilson Bethel, Chace Crawford, Jensen Ackles, and Garret Hedlund. Not one of which I can recall by name nor am I aware of anything they have been in. But that can bode well since all of these actors are not weighed down with prior expectations of ability, nor are they typecast to any degree. Being relative unknowns allows them to capture part of the everyman aspect of Captain America that is critical for the character (as much as a White, blonde, mid-western, christian man can embody everyone in America anyway).

But here is the question I pose to you. If you could have any actor, living or dead, play the role of Captain America, who whould you pick? Why?

Spiderman no more

So did you think that Tobey Maguire was the perfect Peter Parker? Did you think that the huge volume of stories in comic books could keep the franchise going for years more to come? Where you just looking forward to the 4th movie in the series, expected in the summer of 2011?

Whatever you thought, you were wrong. At least according to the thinking of Marvel and Sony. Because they just pulled the plug on the 4th Spiderman movie.

Yep, the series is now officially done at 3. Well sort of. Because Sony and Marvel Comics won't let a good thing go. Not if there is even a slight chance of making a bit more money.

The problem was that Sam Raimi wasn't feeling 100% about doing abnother Spiderman movie. Add to that the huge cost of the recurring cast (who were apparently all for another try) and problems sorting out a script and/or villian. It's enough to make even J. Jonah Jameson cry.

But never fear. The powers that be (executives with an eye on the trends of the day) have figured out a way to help people with their Spidey fix, and make even more boatloads of money. Plans are now underway to scrap the original cast, get a new director, and start the whole thing over. But since the series is hardly old, a new twist is going to be added so it has a nice revisionist feel.

The hottest movies out now are teen movies. Twilight, Harry Potter, and so on. But Potter is about to end, and there is just so much angst that you can get from a hormonal vampire with pimples. Which is where Spidey comes in.

The new film will be all about the angst of being a teen-ager with spider powers, a curfew, and bullies you just can't do anything to even though you could. Add a couple of Teenbeat cover stars and you have a surefire money maker.

If I sound a bit jaded, I am. I don't like revisionist remakes. I generally don't like remakes either. And dropping a more than healthy dose of teen angst into the mix does not make a recipe for quality anything. I could be wrong, but it won't matter. As long as they fill the screen with the latest tween and young star, it'll make money.

On a seperate note, this now confirms the trend in Marvel movies. You get 3 and you're out. With the X-Men they could have skipped the 3rd. Hopefully Iron Man will be up to the task. Thor doesn't even need to be made once. And a remake of Daredevil can't be worse than what we already got. Oh, and the Wolverine movies? I can live without it.

But if Spiderman - the teen years is not enough for you, don't worry. A new, revisioned, all teen and 20-something X-Men prequel movie is already being planned. And that will probably kill the comic book to movie conversions for a while. I hope.

Iron Man 2 - update and story theories

So it's nearly here. The Iron Man 2 movie. And best of all is the fact that War Machine will be in the film. And it seems he may have a very large role in the movie.

The latest news on the movie is that War Machine is featured on the poster with Iron Man. The positioning of the characters is leading to some debate.



Because they are back to back the question is are they friends fighting off a horde of bad guys? Or are they pissed off at each other and at odds?

If you know the history of the 2 characters, from the comic books, they both options are available. For a while War Machine and Iron man, while still good guys, shared no love. Tony Stark and James Rhodes were at each others throat before they eventually became friends again. Part of that problem was the alcoholism of Tony Stark.

Now in the first Iron Man movie it did touch on the fact that Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr) was constantly drinking. Essentially he is a functional alcoholic, so due to his success and wealth few ever mention his problem. But what if he goes on a bender due to stress (like the world knowing he is Iron Man) and there is a need for the superhero?

That's where War Machine should step in. But based on the video trailer from Comic Con I think the real story will go something like this:



Warning!!! - though I don't know what the script is, I do know how movies get written. The following information will likely contain a lot of spoilers.

Stark is pulled before Congress where demamds are made for his new ultra-technology. He refuses to sell it. The Government decides that everything he has is eminient domain and try to take everything. Stark, either through his security/computer Jarvis or by his hand, destroys all of his lab. That includes the War Machine suit we saw with Terrence Howard in the first movie. Then Stark flies off to hide in the only other remaining suit.

Under orders Rhodes takes the War Machine suit as another Government weapons manufacturer comes in to fix it. As we see from 4:27 on, Rhodes takes the opportunity to not only rebuild the suit, but to add on a few extra perks. Now the Government has it's own version of the Iron Man suit. But there is a problem.

The arms dealer, Justin Hammer I believe, is hardly a good guy. Having worked on the suit he know has the technology too. And starts selling it to everyone who can afford it. Thus an assassin that prefers using whips gets to incorporate some of the tech into a new laser based whip weapon. And a bunch of other baddies creat tons of robots that War Machine has to take out.

Meanwhile, Stark is pissed. His greatest life work is stolen, and much - if not all - of his money is gone. His company is bought out from him, and he is drinking way too much. He get pissed off and decides to get rid of the other technology based on his design. Thus he and Rhodes are battling in full metal glory.

At some point before all that The Black Widow, a Russian spy extrodinare steals the plans from Hammer. Why buy it if you can steal it, and it's not like Russia is rolling in money. So expect a possible scene of Titanium Man for Iron Man 3. (And I think that should have been the villan in this film anyway)

But back to the fight. Eventually the 2 get interupted by some baddy bots. They fight them off, but need to work together to survive. The battle and co-operation make them understand they are really still friends.

Then comes in Whiplash (the assassin mentioned earlier played by Mickey Rourke). He get the suprise on Rhodes and disables his suit. Stark is left by himself to fend off the attack. Which he eventually does.

Left without a suit, the Government decides to forgive Stark and gives him back everything they took (mostly). It is revealed that S.H.I.E.L.D. intervened to help out Stark in exchange for his work on the Avenger Initiative (ie The Avengers comic book).

Overall that is the movie. I'm missing details of course, but I would bet that I just covered 80% of the film. The big question is if it can do what I just wrote with style. Like the look and feel for the first film?

If the scene with War Machine is any indication, he will be back and possibly in his own movie. And if he is that popular, I hope that Don Cheadle screws Marvel with a huge salary demand. After changing the character once, with huge fan disapproval, they don't dare change him again.

Sir Anthony Hopkins is Odin

I've been neglecting my movie news for a bit. There hasn't been much worth of reviewing lately, so I kind of put it on a back burner. But there has been a bit of news about films that will be starting production soon.

Anthony Hopkins has another role set up for himself. Like in the Wolfman he will again be involved with a bit of mythology. But this time the myth is more modern. In fact its a comic book conversion.

Sir Hopkins will be in the upcoming Thor movie. I mean the Thor from Marvel Comics and not the Norse myths. I;m sure there are a few fans that are looking forward to this film, but I have my reservations.

Unlike Spiderman, Iron Man, Captian America and the X-Men, Thor is a secondary Marvel character. The comic book has a solid fanbase, but its not nearly as widespread. And considering the nature of the character, success of the movie will be solidly based in the look and the acting.

So Sir Hopkins makes sense as the wise, old, and powerful Odin. Odin is the father of Thor and all the Asgard gods. Sir Hopkins will certainly bring a bit of flair and credibility to the film. As will Natalie Portman (well maybe she will just bring in all the guys that thinks she is hot, but that's close enough).

I just wonder if watching Anthony Hopkins in this role will bring up images of his role as Hannibal Lecter. Odin is not a nice guy, so it is possible that there may be a resemblence of the 2 characters. But we will see once the movie trailers come out, around 2011 I believe.

Black superheros - where are they?

While I was checking out some photos for my post on the Black Panther (new lead actor) I ran across a blog post at Bam! Kapow. And it got me wondering.

Black superheroes. It’s almost an oxymoron. I mean just look at all the media. In virtually every venue it’s obvious that African Americans are either villains, bad guy henchmen, drug dealers, or just don’t exist. Which is about 1000x better than how Hispanic/Latinos, Asians, Native American Indians, and any other person of color is presented.

But comic books are supposed to be different. It’s a world where literally anything is possible. That anyone can become far more than the limitations and expectations of society allow. Because in the world of comic books, at least, everyone can be super.

Except that really isn’t true. The abovementioned post was from 2008. It was made in dedication to the film Hancock, one of a handful of film featuring a Black hero lead. A superhero that is drunk over 50% of the film at that. And in this case, as I recall, the only film besides Blade to feature a Black superhero.

That post listed the top 15 greatest Black superheroes. But take a moment and tell me how many superheroes are non-White? I mean really think about it...

I decided to double check the Marvel and DC encyclopedias. Both are books that purport to cover all the major and minor recurring characters (and more than a few one shots) of these major comic book universes.

For DC, there are 886 White characters – which includes aliens that just happen to be White. There are 5.5% (55) that are Black, 2% (18) Hispanic, 1.5% (15) Asians, and .9% (9) Native Indians. I did not count any aliens that were blue/pink/covered in fur/or non-human in appearance. Of the aliens that are of some non-human coloration, 90% were drawn to exact White features.

Of these characters that are people of color, 85% came into existence in the past 25 years. The exception is for the Native Indian characters, which 50% are older – from discontinued comic books like Jonah Hex.

In total this covers DC comic books from the 1930’s until 2004.

For Marvel, in 2006, we get a similar breakdown. Out of 642 characters that have a discernable race (IE not green like Skrulls or blue like Kree) it works out that there are 543 White, 7% Black (46), 3% (19) Hispanci/Latino, 1.7% (11) Native Indians, and 3.6% (23) Asians. Part of the difference in the numbers goes to the fact that Marvel has far fewer alien characters than DC.

Again these characters of color begin to appear roughly 30 years ago, and prior to that time were virtually none existent. Part of that might also be a result of the fact that Marvel is not as old as DC Comics (roughly 5 years fifference). But like DC, the overwhelming majority of aliens are drawn to specifications that would match a White character.

I won’t even bother mentioning how many of these characters of color happen to be villains. Suffice to say that the further back in time you go, the more likely they are to be a villain. In addition to which Marvel seems to love Asian villains, thus having the higher numbers there.

So when I read about a list of the top 15 Black superheroes, well it seems a bit silly. There is only 101 to work from, of which some 80 of them only appeared within the last decade or so and have little fanbase. There are barely enough of them to not be on a top list in the first place. Extend the list to 20 and you are forced to include Sunspot (Brazillian and Black - and little known), M (very relatively new), and Bumblebee (DC, from the 60's, minor support character little seen or known) as examples.

But what does this say about America? What does this say about the way we not only view the world, but the worlds we dream of and fantasize about?

It tells me that we have taught our kids that people of color are lucky to be included. That only the very few might be lucky enough to reach for the stars. That to even be recognized is achievement, versus being recognized for achievement.

Yes some will think this all silly. But the fact is, when television, movies, and even comic books all say the same thing – something you have blasted into your brain every day of your life – plenty of people might eventually believe it. It's a brainwashing, and everyone in the nation is involved every day.

I am happy someone looked through Marvel and DC to create a Top 15 list. I’m exuberant that not only do Black superheroes now get a chance to shine on the big screen, but that they are wildly successful when they appear. And I am looking forward to see more characters, like War Machine or Luke Cage or Black Panther, take the forefront. (I can definitely live without another drunk Black hero)

But the one thing that cannot be escaped is that in a world that claims improving race relations, at a time when many of the youth of the nation believe that the playing field is flat, the media – especially the entertainment media – projects an image that can only be best described as 1950’s segregation overall.

That’s nothing to be excited about. It’s nothing to be proud of. And it will not change until the day we all pay attention and demand it to change.

Wesley Snipes Black Panther no longer - Marvel may pick Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

In other movie news, there has been a major change. The long talked about film Black Panther, about the Marvel Comics character and not the political party, has moved forward towards production. But the lead for the titular role has changed.

Originally this was a film that was driven by Wesley Snipes, and was set to have him star as the only other major comic book African American character to make it to a movie format. This was of course driven by the successes of the 3 Blade movies and the television series it inspired. All due to the acting of Wesley Snipes, with decent helpings of action and the vampire mystique that is currently popular.

But that was all before the U.S. Government decided to railroad Snipes for tax evasion. The negative media blast, and the 3 misdemeanor convictions, seems to have made Snipes unpopular among the Hollywood execs. Though it is unclear at the moment if his production company has lost the rights to this film.

Instead of Snipes, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje has become the leading actor for the role of T’challa Prince of the fictional African nation Wakanda. Which is a decent choice no less. Agbaje is probably best known to most for his roles in the television shows Lost and Oz.

Something I do want to note though is a possible trend in Marvel Comics. The switch from Snipes to Agbaje is similar in ways to the switch in Iron Man 2 from Terrence howard to Don Cheadle. In both cases the presumptive lead was changed with little fanfare, though the quality of the actors was maintained.

What that means I cannot say. But since rumors of a Luke Cage (Power Man) movie is also floating around – obviously to cash in on the trend in Black movies popularity and the existence of President Obama – I will find it interesting to see how Marvel handles the actors there as well.

I am glad to see that the few African American heroes of comic books are getting a moment to shine. It’s interesting to watch as Hollywood, and comic book companies, are starting to recognize the importance and buying power of the African American audience. Something that would likely not have happened without the election of President Obama. Which is in itself a shame.

The only other question left is if the storyline and history of T’challa will be butchered like that of Wolverine and The Hulk (think Ang Lee’s miserable version), or maintained and promoted like Spiderman and Iron Man. If Marvel gets it right, it will be gold.

So long as the movie gets underway before President Obama’s approval rating gets too much lower. Otherwise, I bet all these movies and characters (including War Machine) just disappear.

DC Comics to movie conversions - reality or waste of time?

If you are a fan of comic books, or the flood of movies based on comic book characters, you probably have wondered

"Are there any characters besides the Marvel line-up?"

Comic book fans all know that this is an overstatement of the facts. There are a host of characters in movies these days. And in the past as well. There is Superman and Batman, but also Hellboy, Constantine, Watchmen (excellent graphic novel series and movie), V for Vendetta (another must see/read), Sin City, along with a host of others.

But basically the big hitters that everyone can recall recently are the Marvel line-up (with the exception of the new Batman Dark Knight series and the Superman retread). DC Comics seems to just be lost in the live action trend. Which brings up an old debate:

Who is better, Marvel or DC?

I think the trend in conversions to movies answers the question in definitive terms. Marvel is king. There are plenty of independents that beat out DC. Take away the Dark Knight, and there is little for DC to hang their hat on. Remove Superman as well and everything else for them falls flat. Because that's the best they have.

To me, the characters of DC are far too over-the-top in general. To cartoonish and simplistic. To one dimensional to be realized in the movie format. That's why DC does so well with taking their line-up and transferring it to cartoons (like the Superfriends or Teen titans). They lend themselves to extremism and lack the depth needed to capture the big screen.

That's not to say the DC writers and artists are bad at what they do. To the contrary, I think they do a great job, given the limitations that they work with. But it does mean that the expectations for all the future DC movies are severely lower, and likely to underwhelm even that.

Put it like this. DC is so weak that the top characters are not getting movies anytime soon. Wonder Woman, one of the old favorites and the most obvious title to hit the big screen (since it was a television show at one time), is still sitting on the sidelines with neither a script nor direction on how to move forward. The same can be said of most of the big DC names. Green Lantern is one of the few to likely be showing up soon, though Aquaman will likely be first.

Yes, Aquaman. A character that is one of the more boring characters to me, especially if he is on land for any period of time. And he will likely be competing with Captain America or Iron Man 3 (possibly Spiderman 4 and/or the Avengers), maybe even Deadpool if the script can be worked out for Ryan Reynolds.

DC is so off the radar that Jonah Hex will be next out of the gate. A character so unknown that it's fanbase ended decades ago. My expectations of the movie can be summarized by the movie's description: a spiritual/supernatural Western. Oh yeah, that just drives people to the theater in droves.

Perhaps the best of the upcoming movies from DC may be the film RED - starring at this point Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis. It's still being developed but it puts both actors in roles (presumably) they are comfortable with. Freeman is likely a retired CIA man and Willis is the assassin out to kill him. Even if the roles are reversed (which is unlikely for Freeman) it still works. But that has more to do with the actors than the storyline, fan base, or the source material it is based on.

Seriously, the proposed Voltron movie (an 80's cartoon that was very likely the entire source and motivation of the Power Rangers) sounds better than almost everything DC has planned so far. Almost combined. Definitely at least as big a fan base, and arguably bigger.

So to answer my earlier 2 questions, there are a lot of characters showing up in movies that are not Marvel based. Many are quite compelling and interesting. Some are even must sees. Especially compared to missteps by Marvel - ie the first Hulk movie and Ghost Rider as examples. It's just that almost all the good ones you will likely ever see or want to own on DVD will be independents or based on another medium (anime, books, video games, ect.)

As for the second question, does DC suck? Oh yeah. They have a few good ideas and titles, but basically they are the 'red-headed step-child' to Marvel. And everybody else. Which is a shame since the potential should be there.

But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe a supernatural Western will do the trick. Maybe everyone wants to watch a guy swimming for 2 hours. It could happen. I just wouldn't go to Vegas and bet on it.

Prepare for the arrival of Thor, and Natalie Portman

I was wondering, what is it you think of when you hear the name Thor? You know, the Norse god of Thunder. A mythological being that lives in Asgard, and is the source of the day of the week called Thursday.



For those only slightly familiar with the mythology, you likely think of a big dirty Viking. Maybe you envision Arnold Schwarzenegger from the movie Conan the Barbarian. Either view would likely be very accurate. Of course some comic book fans would point to the character that Marvel has had for decades. And the subject of a 2011 comic book to movie conversion.



Which brings me to the point of this. Natalie Portman has been signed on to portray the nurse of Thor. In the comics she in fact takes care of the weak human host of Thor, Dr. Donald Blake. He is the human embodiment of Thor on Earth. At least as Marvel’s backstory goes. Dr. Blake is average in most respects, until he strikes his cane to the ground and becomes Thor. But if that sounds too silly don’t worry. Marvel has reportedly killed that part of the backstory. So the deity that is Thor will have a human nurse, for whatever reason he might need it.

So who is Thor? Who commands lightning, has the strength to lift 100 tons, does not fall ill, has a body that Lou Ferrigno and the Governator would both be jealous of? Chris Hemsworth.



Not too impressive huh? Well if you are wondering who he is (and I did), if you saw the mess that is the Star Trek relaunch (revisioning) then you saw him for a minute or 2. He was George Kirk, father of James T. Kirk – future captain of the Enterprise. If you are looking for another movie role to judge Hemsworth by, and he needs it, you need to wait for this years’ A Perfect Getaway or the revisioning of Red Dawn next year. But either way, he is Thor.

He hardly looks Nordic to me. Blond hair might help but he is no Max Von Syndow, Kirk Douglas, or even Rutger Hauer for that matter. Still I am far from an expert on Nordic looks. He has nothing on Vikings, though I imagine that there must have been smaller, weaker Vikings somewhere. And as for the mythological looks, don’t even get me started.

Will this be a good movie?

Way too soon to tell. But we do know this. Thor is at best a teir-2 Marvel comic. So the fanbase is hardly huge. Plus we know that there will be plenty of CGI as Hemsworth is hardly a bodybuilder, let alone a Norse god. We can also assume that Portman is around to distract the men from any non-action scenes. This will cut down on the need for a plot or solid writing, as all we need is her in danger and in tight dresses. Thus I expect this film to be about as good as Ang Lee’s Hulk.

Hopefully I am wrong. And there is more than enough time to prove me so. I hope Marvel uses it.

Captain America returns!

When I was growing up, there were a few things that you could always count on. Death, taxes, the fact that every President was a descendant of a European, the only time you would hear about Black history was in February – and that was mostly just Dr. Martin Luther King, Superman was the ultimate boy scout and Capitan America loved and defended our nation. But as I have grown some of these things have changed. Some for the better, some worse, and a few we are still wondering about.

Death though never changes, and it even hits fictional characters. First to Superman, and more recently to Captain America. In both cases there was an outrage among comic book fans. In fact some people were upset that had never read a single comic issue of either character.

Superman was of course brought back. The whole death was a big gimmick to stir up cash at DC Comics, and thoroughly confused fans with not one version of the boy scout but a half-dozen or so. This has eventually been straightened out. But it must have inspired someone at Marvel.

In a move that I can only call idiocy, Captain America was killed. Not fighting for America, or defending our nation overseas. But by the cowardly bullet of a hidden lunatic. It was a chilling moment.

The fictional living embodiment of all the virtute and Freedoms that is America was struck down. In a post-9/11 world where sacrifices of Rights and lives are all too common, this one symbol of how the nation endures and overcomes every challenge was gone. It was a bleak message reflecting, as comic books often do, the strife and turmoil within our society. In my view too bleak.



But 2 years after the fact, Marvel Comics has re-thought its actions. Either that, or they are preparing for another movie converting Captain America from ink to flesh and bone. (In fact movies starring and featuring Capitan America are planned in the next 3 years) Thus the word is out that Captain America will be back. Yes, on July 1st of 2009, the living American ideal will enrich the pages of comic books again, and thus the minds and hearts of us all – if just subliminally.

If this turns out to just be a marketing gimmick, Marvel will lose. Just as DC crushed its fanbase and had to resort to revisioning Batman (who is no longer around either) and Superman in film, Marvel will lose its fanbase. In fact I think that the films will not recover some of the older fans, or those they influence.

Because you cannot sell freedom, nor equate the Rights of the American people to dollars and cents. For all the negatives of international thought, and the dislike of capitalism, the differences of religion or the seemingly eternal issues with race relations, America is unified in our belief that we are a great nation. Great because of the ideals we live and, many, die by.

If this whole fiasco has been designed with a thought of evaluating what is America today, of what are the true strengths of the nation, then this was a great plan. If the re-born Capitan America is redoubled in his belief in our nation and what it stands for, and thus imparts that message to our youth, then it was time well spent. If this iconic symbol of America, that men and women of all ages and backgrounds know of, is the rebirth of true heroes and the best of America – Marvel will have earned every dollar that this can bring them.

But if this is just about money, if it lowers the ideals of the nation, if it cheapens what it means to be American, I will be more angry and insulted than when they killed Captain America. Some things are worth more than money. Some things have a far greater impact than just the form and style they are thought to convey. To me, it would be the equivalent of burning the flag in Congress.

If this sounds too harsh, too serious a discussion because it’s just a comic book character remember one thing. His name is Captain America, not joe blow superhero. In ways that affect us like our other national symbols, he is more than just a comic book character. He is grander, like our nation. To sully that is to sully us all.

Iron Man 2 - Whiplash

Well the first photo of the new villian in the 2010 sequel to Iron Man has been released. The villian is called Whiplash, and he is played by Mickey Rourke.



Looking at the photo I was instantly drawn to one thought. I hope there will be lots of CGI to fill the space in this photo.

To say that I am unimpressed is to understate my feelings. My expectations were quite high as the first Iron Man was a resounding success. The acting and CGI meshed incredibly well. The writing was actually creative. And it was mostly loyal to its comic book source.

Thus I had expected Rourke to look imposing and powerful. Instead ths photo makes me think of a bad Mad Max refugee. Or a minor background character from Kevin Costner's mega-flop Waterworld.

There has to be more to Whiplash than this. This photo has got to be an unfinished image, meant to generate buzz and fuel comic book fans, as well as those of the first movie, ire to create a stir that only the finished graphics will satisfy.

I expect a lot from Iron Man 2. The success of the first movie necessitiates at least a similar level of quality. But this photo of Whiplash does not seem to convey that thought. Hopefully future photos, and the eventual trailers will do justice to fan expectations.

Screw Wolverine, Deadpool lives!

If there is anything that is remotely satisfying about X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it is the news that someone in Marvel had enough sense not to kill Deadpool. In fact he is so alive, that he will be getting his own movie.

Spoiler Alert
Now if you saw the movie, you know that Wolverine cut off the head of Deadpool. Given the fact that Deadpool has a skeleton laced with admantium (the same unbrakable metal in Wolverine) so it would be highly unlikely for such a thing to happen. Plus the fact that he is supposed to have a healing factor on crack and can regrow limbs in mere moments. But what may not be as well known is that there is a second bonus ending (besides the boring and useless Logan drinking in a bar in Japan) where Deadpool rises out of the rubble alive! Hey, it's not called a mutant healing factor for nothing.
Spoiler End

So this has allowed the Merc with a mouth to become the first spin-off of a spin-off movie that I am aware of. And this time, Ryan Reynolds will be returning to play Deadpool. (Yep, that was not him playing Weapon XI).

Reynolds had wanted to have a movie of this character since 2003. And if you watched the trailers you can understand why he is the man for the part.



Now how will this work out? Well if they get rid of all the crap from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and keep the hyper healing factor he is supposed to have it could work well. Especially since he has no true super powers.

Yes, for those that did not know, Wade Wilson is a normal person (minus the healing given to him by the Weapon X program). His moves and ability are just the rewards of a man that trains hard because he loves his work. Killing people and getting paid is a reward all it's own for this merc.

Will we get more of Reynolds providing near constant one-liners while slicing and dicing his way to the grocery store? Will we get him breaking the 4th wall to laugh with us on the jokes? (The 4th wall is a term which means that the characters in a book, comic book and/or movie don't know they are in the medium. To break it is like when Ferris Bueller spoke to the audience) Will the dark (really dark) humor that is the essence of the character come shining thru?

With all good luck, and a couple of writers that actually have read (maybe even understood?) the huge mass of history the characer has. I mean at the very least they can go to Wikipedia and learn more about Deadpool than any of the writers bothered to figure out in Wolverine.

Beyond making sure that Bret Ratner, David Ayer, and David Benioff have nothing to do with the Deadpoll movie, I think this could be a great film. It's all in the writing and director. Ryan Reynolds has already proven he can make the role work with aplomb.

Figure it will take 2 years for the movie to come out. Just enough time to make a really good movie. We can only hope.

Terrence Howard still upset about Iron Man 2

As I have mentioned before, Terrence Howard will not be returning in the sequel for Iron Man. He is going to be replaced by Don Cheadle. That was a decision by Marvel Comics, reportedly because of a pay dispute.

But more information has come out about the whole situation. It seems that Marvel didn’t just toss Howard out with the bath water, they also decided to give Gwyneth Paltrow the shaft without so much as a thank you. At least that’s what Howard is stating

“They produced a great bounty with the first one, but they put it all in the storehouse and you were not allowed in," he says. "They did the same thing with Gwyneth Paltrow, from what I've been told.”

Now there is no question of the ability of Don Cheadle. Still I am upset. The character of Rhodes, Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.’s character) best friend and right-hand man, has been established. There was a chemistry between the leads and it worked. And Marvel made tons because all the pieces fit perfectly.

Do I think Cheadle will do a good job? I sure do. In fact Howard is not upset with Cheadle. He said

"I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the movie. I want to see Don Cheadle become me. No, I want him to do better than me. That's what I really want to see. Don Cheadle was the reason I got Crash, so I have a lot of love for him."

One thing seems clear to me, Marvel is hurting its potential franchise over greed. Movie makers generally jump through hoops to keep winning casts. Because they bring in the money. But when a movie studio’s greed starts to mess with such a basic and fundamental factor as returning actors, in a genre that relies heavily on fans of the source material, you have to question what else will be changed. Will they wind up with an Ang Lee version of the Hulk? Will sequels go down the path of Alien vs. Predator? Could this start a revolving door like as in the Punisher movies?

Marvel may have a host of storylines and characters to build on. They may have tons of money to pour into CGI effects and ad campaigns. But if they turn the movies into soap operas with character changes in each movie, they are building a tower in the sand.

I’ll still go to see Iron Man 2. I will support Don Cheadle and give him a chance in Howard’s role. But I now have a growing doubt about the film. The movie trailers better be spectacular or it will end up being a very costly decision.

Deadpool - a big question in X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Now I know I used to read a lot of comic books back in my early years. Yes, I had a comic book collection of some 4,000 comics – I was a bit of a geek. So I am looking forward to a few aspects of the up-coming Wolverine movie that many will not be.

One of the things that I hope Marvel gets right is Deadpool. Who is he you might ask? Why the merc with a mouth. He is, in my opinion, one of the best characters ever to be created in the Marvel and DC universes.

Deadpool is not a mutant. He is not ancient, like Wolverine and Sabertooth. He is insane and is so gregarious as to have his speech considered a leathal weapon in some places. The man does not shut-up. And he is funny as hell. Imagine a comedian that wields a katana like a samurai, a M-16 like Rambo, a pulse rifle like Han Solo, and is as acrobatic as almost Spiderman – all about at the same time. Now make that guy a lunatic with a soft spot in his heart, and a willingness to do anything for the highest bidder. That’s Deadpool.

As you might imagine, the character has a lot of potential. I mean a character that will switch sides in the middle of a fight because he got a better offer, all the while cracking some of the best dark comedy jokes you might imagine, can do a lot for a film.

If the character is done right.

Ryan Reynolds will be playing this character. Obviously in his Thom Cruze incarnation if they use Reynold’s face (Deadpool is horrendously scarred from head to foot – which never heals though most any injury will). So I think that places him in solid footing to be a good part of the movie. Plus Reynold’s is Canadian, and Deadpool is a result of the Weapon X program that gave Wolverine his adamantium skeleton.

But the potential problems for this character, and the movie are numerous. The writing has to be spot on. Really bad jokes will kill his constant jabbering’s humor. He needs really cool action scenes to show off his fighting skill – and disregard for any injury (he has survived being shot in the head multiple times at the same time, disemboweled, torn limb from limb, crushed, irradiated, and a few other fun normally deadly acts).

Likely he will not get much screen time. Which is a shame. Also it’s likely that his whole history will be rewritten, just as many of the traditional and long-running characters of Marvel Universe are being re-done for this prequel of Wolverine.

I mean, how can you have a movie about Wolverine and not have his time in WWII and Captain America covered? And what does a young Cyclops or Storm have to do with anything? Plus Gambit??

So for the comic book geeks out there, I too hope that this movie gets done right. That they include the fact that Wolverine gets attacked by Sabertooth on his birthday every year for over a century, no matter where he is or what is going on. I hope that they delve into his involvement in the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. I hope they discuss the fact he has worked as an operative for the U.S. for over a century – at times alongside Sabertooth (when he wants to be a good guy – or more to the point hates the other guys much more).

But back to Deadpool. If this gets done right, expect him to get his own movie. And that could really be something different. But we will soon see exactly what turns out right and wrong in the movie. [If you didn’t see the leaked version already, as I did not]

War Machine no more - Terence Howard out, Don Cheadle in

What the hell was Marvel thinking? If you are like me, you are unaware of the news that apparently came out last week in Hollywood. This news deals with the sequel to the hit film Iron Man.

The cast of Iron Man included Robert Downey Jr. and Oscar-nominee Terence Howard. This film has been a massive hit in theaters and the DVD sales have been brisk. Expectations for the obviously hinted sequel have been high. In fact, Iron Man and the Tony Stark character play prominently into the upcoming Avengers and other Marvel comic book film adaptations.

Marvel did a great job of conveying the character flaws from written form to movie. And the acting of Robert Downey Jr. was instrumental. But as important was the acting of Terence Howard as Stark’s best friend Jim Rhodes. It is the Rhodes character that Stark relies upon throughout the comic book, and is the only person he is willing to entrust his upgraded technology to. That new armor suit is called War machine, and it lives up to its name well.

In the movie Howard looks to the new armor and mentions “next time”. But it seems that it will never come as he has now been dropped from the sequel. I find that to be horrendous. Howard is an exceptional actor, and capable of a range of roles as his career shows.

Not only has Howard been replaced, by the equally talented – but far too short – Don Cheadle, Marvel did not have the balls to tell Howard beforehand. According to reports the excuse is a failure to come to terms on pay. But according to Howard

“…And I read something in the trades that implicated it was about money... but apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren't worth the paper that they're printed on sometimes. And promises aren't kept, and good faith negotiations aren't always held up.”

I like Don Cheadle. He is a great actor. But I don’t see him as Rhodes. It just doesn’t work for me. And now the new dynamic of the actors is very different than what was expected or as existed in the first film. There is a chance that Marvel may have shot themselves in the foot as it seemed that the second film was going to focus on War Machine and Rhodes.

It appears that Marvel is going the route of Disney, which is reported to be a tightwad and miserable to work for. The actions of Disney cost it an animation department and hundreds of millions in animated film revenues. Marvel seems ready to follow that same path, which was also the cause of the creation of Imagine Comics, and gave growth to several underground comics that ate away a large portion of their readership in the 1990’s.

Perhaps the next Iron Man movie will be fine. All the actors are phenomenal so you wouldn’t expect different. But I think that the future comic book adaptations may be in danger of failure. And just before Captain America can make it to the silver screen. It would be a shame.

Hollywood has its issues, and they are seeping into Marvel apparently. The loss of Terence Howard is a bad sign, hopefully it just remains that. And I hope that Marvel comes back to Howard with a sweetheart deal to make up for this public and unwarranted slap in the face.

And I really hope this does not cause a fued between Howard and Cheadle. They are too good, and there are too few quality roles for African Americans for that to happen.

Good news for Ryan Reynolds, Scarlett Johansson, and Marvel

Well a bit of good news is always a nice way to start the week. And to that end is the news that Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson got married. The couple was engaged recently, and thankfully their wedding was not the usual circus of paparazzi and media and rumors that tend to occur these days.

I wish the 2 of them the best. I hope that they can have a marriage like that of Paul Newman and his wife Joan Woodard.

In more potentially good news Marvel Comics is moving forward with their movie empire. With the success of the Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man (to say nothing of the success found in Spiderman’s and the X-Men’s 3 films) Marvel closed a deal top have Paramount distribute 5 of its next films. Those films will include the sequel to Iron Man, a film on Captain America, The Avengers and Thor.

Now I am happy to see that Iron Man will not only get a sequel, which we knew would be coming, but that Marvel is looking to get one of it’s biggest titles out – Captain America - even though they recently murdered him. It is interesting that in a time of war, and national conflicted emotions over these wars, Marvel has decided to highlight a character that was created by war and symbolizes the absolute belief that America is the greatest good in a bad world. Captain America is hardly a liberal, and considering how liberal Hollywood is their choice stands out.

Thor though is a movie I expect will do poorly. He just isn’t an interesting character by himself. Norse god, ancient misogynistic beliefs, and macho pig might all be terms that would easily describe him. And those are all elements that would prevent his acceptance by a wide portion of the movie audience. But given the right script and actor anything is possible. Though I think this will rank right up with the first Hulk movie.

Also a potential letdown is the choice of The Avengers. This team of super heroes could be like the first X-Men movie, and be good. But more likely is the failure of the movie and its ultimate similarity to the Fantastic Four movies. There are too many characters, with too many abilities to describe to an audience that has no clue about any of that. There is no theme that drives the plot for movie-goers without necessitating a big back-story. It’s just too much all at once. And most of the members of the Avengers just aren’t interesting enough.

The big secret may be that the 5th choice of Marvel will likely be the SHIELD movie. There have been 2 prior versions of Nick Fury so far, both have been abysmal. But they say the 3rd time is the charm. This could be the film that breaks Marvel’s back, or guarantees that future scriptwriters will give up on new ideas altogether.

Actually what am I saying? There really haven’t been any new ideas in Hollywood for almost a decade. Virtually every movie made in that time has been a retread of a book, comic book, television show or prior movie. Looking forward we have more Batman, Watchmen, Sin City, video games, television shows and such on the horizon. It’s really a shame that Hollywood has lost the last few brain cells they had.

Still I am looking forward to the Watchmen, Iron Man 2, Captain America, and HALO.

Movie Review: Incredible Hulk

So is the Incredible Hulk worth seeing?

That was the question that faced me as I sought to do this review. I decided that I would try to see this movie under conditions that most match non-big city America.

I live in Binghamton, NY. To those that are from here, or around here, this is a big city; I think it’s a small town. And this is where I have live for the past 5 years (if you feel bad for me, you don’t feel bad enough) and where I decided to see the movie. Since I decided to see this movie on opening weekend I put no thought to what time I saw the movie at. There has never been a movie that I am aware of that has sold-out ever in this area.

Once I decided to see the movie I also went with taking a cab. Gas prices are high, and many are using cabs to travel in an attempt to save money. In fact several groups of people took a cab. This plan works best in groups because for me alone it cost $16 each way. The joy of being single and not driving I suppose.

So after I was ripped off by the cab company (the trip was not even close to being far enough to justify such a price – even with higher gas prices) I walked into the theater. The ticket cost me $9. So just showing up and getting in cost me $25, going home another $16. You can guess if I decided to buy popcorn, a soda, or anything else in the theater.

The trailers eventually started, after the god-awful commercials that I swear never to do business with since they were wasting my time advertising before the movie. The trailers were for Tropic Thunder, the next installment of the Mummy, Hancock, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The animated Clone Wars looked interesting, but missed the feel of most of the Star Wars movies. The entire crowd seemed to laugh a lot and enjoy Tropic Thunder- particularly the scenes with Robert Downey Jr. being a Black man. There was silence after the Hancock preview, and mere murmurs for The Mummy. Take that to mean what you will. [To add flavor I will tell you about Binghamton and the area. 3% Black, 1% Asian, 96% White. Average income $28,000. Average level of education – 11.75 grade. Favorite pastime- drinking. Number of children – average 2.75 by age 20.]

So the movie begins. Right off the back zero respect of concern is given to Ang Lee’s horrendous version of this movie. A new background, reminiscent of the television series, is created in flashback. Nothing is referred to the prior movie.

And then the movie moves. The pace is moderately fast. It covers a decent amount of ground quickly. After introducing Thunderbolt Ross, and Bruce Banner we slow slightly to see what Bruce (Ed Norton) is up to. By the time you are wondering what will be destroyed Bruce has his incident meter drop from 158 days to zero, and all his anger management training goes out the window.

The Hulk, who does speak 3 times, wastes little time in kicking ass. His size look and demeanor are all adult, violent and Hulkish. While no one obviously dies, you can imagine the years of traction that most will easily endure. When we finally get a full close-up view of the Hulk, his primal scream makes it clear that he is trouble on steroids and raging.

About this time is the first instance when you think that Emil Bronsky has a problem. He actually isn’t freaked out by the 15 foot tall, 1500 pound, green thing he just saw tossing forklifts around. He wants to take it on in another fight. That’s not normal, even in comic book land brains.

At this point I should mention that several scenes, though minor, found in the previews and trailers never occur in the movie. I have no doubt that the DVD will hold these scenes and clarify what happened and why they were cut. But the plot is not hurt by their omission.

At this point the plot also introduces several ideas that are the introduction or reinforcement of several Marvel characters and organizations. Requisitions for weapons introduce Stark Industries (see my Iron Man review), S.H.E.I.L.D., Nick Fury, the Super Soldier program (i.e. Captain America), and the Avengers. Smart move for a company planning multiple other movies all based in the same world. More on this soon.

With a decent amount of plot development and a bit of intrigue we progress to the next instance of the Hulk. Again we see why he is incredible, and what a bit of chemistry is capable of. It’s a good example of what the Hulk is capable of, where another movie can go, and what Ang Lee never understood.

Now I will jump towards the end of the movie. The Abomination is created; the Hulk goes after him and ultimately kicks his ass. Like you didn’t expect that. Though there is not the obvious increase in power for the Hulk. Unlike Ang Lee’s version this Hulk does not grow taller nor expand in size. But he does get far more ferocious and his power has more of an effect.

In the final scenes we get to see that the saga for Bruce Banner has not ended, though he seems to reach a new level with his inner monster. In addition we are prepared for a stage where multiple Marvel heroes will be all onscreen simultaneously. Expect to see a familiar face form this summer in a role that is now well known.

So do the visuals live up to expectations? Yes. The behemoth is green and rage is the emotion du jour. Coupled with a few primal screams that just tap you into his unending and unyielding anger and you feel his power. Lightning strikes beware this boy is bad.

Does the movie pay homage to it’s past? Yep. To Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, the television series and its comic book base. This movie actually remembers why it was made and who its fans are.

The ultimate question though is whether it is worth the $32 dollars I spent in transportation and $9 for the ticket. In terms of the ticket, yes. The movie is definitely worthy of seeing on the big screen. As for the transportation, don’t take a taxi. If you have a wife and kids I can understand the potential cost savings. But if you are single like me take a car. If you don’t drive (which I don’t) go with a date, or friends. Anything but go alone as the cost is beyond prohibitive, even if you make a decent living.

If you have to choose between Iron Man and the Hulk as just one movie to see this summer, see Iron Man. But if you can see more than one, the Incredible Hulk is the next best choice.

Before you see Hulk or Batman

Ok, a dear friend just sent me this link and I've been laughing my a** off (I needed it after all the stress of late). This is funny. I have to give massive credit to the guys that created this.

Before I provide the link I will present just one of over 40 videos (that tell a couple of movie or comic book style stories) dedicated to Marvel and DC. If you don't laugh at this you are wound way too tight.



Oh hell, here is one more



Go see the rest here http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?p=r&user=ItsJustSomeRandomGuy&page=1

Watchmen, Wil Wheaton, Comic-Con - 8.2.2007.1

Well I have to give it to Mr. Wil Wheaton. He definitely knows how to get a point across on a blog. In a featured post Mr. Wheaton spared no emotions in denouncing the corporate execs that went to the recent Comic-Con. Minus the expletives, he hit the nail on the head.

Mr. Wheaton is upset at all the crappy ‘revisioning’ and ‘updating’ of great stories and movies that is the recent craze in Hollywood. I’ve constantly mentioned my distaste for virtually anything ‘revisioned’, actually I don’t recall any movie that modified or updated a great old concept with new, hip, modern ideas [Batman Begins may count, but it’s not quite right as it deals with the origin of Batman and not the Mr. Michael Keaton/Mr. Tim Burton version, nor the Dark Knight graphic novel they were somewhat based on]. That goes for every genre and has no connection to where the source material comes from.

Madonna’s American Pie sucked the life out of the original. The Hitcher, Psycho, The Honeymooners, Mortal Kombat, Flash Gordon, Dukes of Hazzard, and Starsky and Hutch are all great examples of screw-ups created with the ‘revisioned’ concept in mind. And that’s not the worst of it. Hollywood executives are so without ideas that they are not only making a movie of EVERY comic book character ever made (it seems) they are completely ignoring the storylines that made them popular. And for those movie studios without a comic book deal (yes there is one or 2) they are re-making movies for the 3rd time or more.

I know someone is saying 3rd versions? You have got to be kidding. Nope. An upcoming example is the new Invasion movie starring Ms. Nicole Kidman. Original movie – Invasion of the Body Snatchers – first remake was in the 80’s (as I recall) which was redone to create a heroine, and a back-story that were neither needed nor added to the story. The “new” movie tries to trick everyone with a shorter title (like we are all too dumb to figure it out) another twist to the back-story, another heroine that is now motivated by maternal desires and I predict will utterly fail as they miss the point of the whole damn original concept that made it worth being remade.

All of this is not lost on Mr. Wheaton. His comments on the ruined storylines for Daredevil, Electra, Fantastic Four, Captain America (done at least 2x on television), The Hulk (I can accept the television series, but the movie failed both the comic book and the series), Ghost Rider, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and many others rings pinpoint true. Hollywood exec generally have no clue what the draw is for these films and substitute their own ideas of what might pull an audience, and fail miserably.

The increasingly rare exceptions continue to be where an actual fan is involved. The Spiderman series, the first 2 X-Men movies, The Fly remake, The Lord of the Rings dutiful transition, are all part of a handful of fans dedicated to getting it right.

Which brings up the Watchmen movie. If you have read the graphic novels you probably get what it’s about. It’s intense, powerful and direct without having to hit you over the head. The fact that it is planned for a movie is fantastic. My expectation for Hollywood to get it right is low. I hope they get it right. But I can’t see an exec understanding the joke that is the Joker, or the paranoia of Rorschach. I can hope, and if the director is a fan we might just get lucky. We shall see.

This is what I think, what do you think?

The death of Captain America - 3.7.2007.1

I was going to speak on a couple of different topics today, but then I caught 2 different items that changed all that. The first I will address has to do with Marvel comic books, but is part of the common lexicon. As of today, Captian America is dead. Yes, he was assassinated.

Some may say so what, a lot of others will be shocked. The repercussions of this are deeper than either reaction I think. For those who have no idea what I am talking about, Captain America is a character in comic books that originates back in 1941. The character was a representation of what America needed to do about WWII and other national issues after that time. He is the representation of all the ideas and virtues of the nation, without the boy scout attitude of Superman [no offense intended to Boy Scouts – like my best friend – and if you have seen Kill Bill 2 you will see why I agree with the interpretation of Superman]. His reach has crossed not only this nation but 75 countries with over 210 million copies sold.

But Captain America is more that a drawing on a book. He is incorporated into the American psyche. Various real performers have adopted the name or have been referred to it because of their outstanding actions, from wrestling to football over decades. The character and its symbolism have been quoted in movies, books, and everyday life. In both a compliment or an insult, to be called ‘Captain America’ is to exude facets of American values and life.

The character has apparently died before, notably in the 1950’s for about a decade. But their has always been a return and in between other versions have taken his place. This is because, I feel, an image of the best in this nation is always required. Comic books are simply a soap opera in an alternate visual format. They touch upon the issues of the day and at the best moments provide social commentary. They can reach readers of all ages, with commentary that might not otherwise be discussed or accepted, promoting discussion and though. In the best moments.

Yet, at a time when America is becoming viciously divided over core issues, one of the enduring symbols of the nation has been written-off. I don’t understand. This was a great time to address the non-partisan commonalities of the nation. This symbol could help lead the way, or provide discussion point, for the youth that may be confused by the War in Iraq and vs. terrorism. Instead the character was abandoned.

Series writer Ed Brubaker said, "What I found is that all the really hard-core left-wing fans want Cap to be standing out on and giving speeches on the streetcorner against the Bush administration, and all the really right-wing [fans] all want him to be over in the streets of Baghdad, punching out Saddam.” That I feel is the perfect opportunity to allow the character to stand up and mention that neither view is absolutely right. That America is more than just one of those views and that both have degrees of merit. This was an opportunity for Marvel to shine, and America to reach millions around the world and evoke the fact that propaganda aside we are the greatest nation on earth because of the divergent views we hold and the overriding values we all believe in. But instead Mr. Brubaker and Marvel have shied away from what the character would have done, missing a moment to shine in the chaos that surrounds us.