What I want to See from Marvel's 'Civil War' Storyline

I couldn't sleep at all last night, and no it's not my usual restlessness. Just before hitting the sack word came down that Robert Downey Jr. was joining Marvel's Captain America 3, which is a big deal but not half as big as the rest of the story. The storyline would apparently be the kick off to Civil War, based on the controversial 2006-2007 miniseries by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven. So why was it so polarizing? Well, pretty much everything Millar does turns out that way, but in this case it was justified.

Civil War begins with a team that has not been seen in the cinematic universe yet: the New Warriors. One of my favorite teams from the '90s, they're basically made up of B-list characters like Speedball, Night Thrasher, Justice, and Nova...yes, the Nova everyone wanted in Guardians of the Galaxy. An incident during one of their missions ends with the villain Nitro blowing up an entire city, killing millions. The government decided to institute the Superhero Registration Act, which demands superheroes to register with the government, reveal their civilian identities to the public, and become deputized agents if they want to stay in action. Captain America gathered up a group of like-minded heroes to fight against the Act, while Tony Stark fights to enforce it. They came to blows, a war erupts, and basically Stark becomes the most hated man amongst the superhero community. Yes, Stark is portrayed as the "bad" guy, although there are points to be made on both sides of the argument.

It's a huge story, one that would require Marvel make some severe changes bringing it to the big screen simply because there aren't enough characters available. The X-men played a key role, so did Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four. So assuming Captain America 3 will indeed begin the Civil War, here are a few things I'm hoping to see play out. And keep in mind, this would have to unfold over the course of multiple movies, that's how big Civil War is.

1. The Return of Spider-Man
Okay, this one's a long shot and more of a personal hope than anything else, but recent rumors have suggested Marvel and Sony could work out a deal allowing Spider-Man to be part of the shared universe. Peter Parker had an integral role in Civil War; in fact he was something like the moral compass at the center of it. He began on the side of Iron Man and the Registration Act, but as the government's tactics became more brutal he would switch to Cap's side.  It's possible we could see another character step in to fill that role but it would be more effective with Spider-Man, who everybody knows and respects.

2. The Death of Captain America
We've been saying it for awhile and others have noticed it, too, but the Captain America movies are conveniently populated by all the characters who have a role in The Death of Captain America storyline. That story was the tragic finale to the Civil War, with Cap assassinated and the Winter Soldier taking over the mantle. It's a crucial piece to the puzzle, and when I think about recent stories suggesting Captain America may not be factoring much into future films, it leads me to think his demise is right around the corner. This would be the time to do it.

3. Ragnarok
Tony Stark did some truly loathsome sh*t during Civil War, and one of those involved cloning his missing buddy, Thor.  Stark used Thor's DNA to create an all-powerful clone named Ragnarok, and he proceeded to tear apart Cap's team, even going so far as to kill the superhero Goliath, a former Avenger and friend of Hank Pym aka Ant-Man. If Raganarok appears in the films it would likely be in a similar way. We could see Chris Hemsworth's Thor too busy on Asgard to join up with his Avengers pals, and Stark comes up with Ragnarok as a solution. Whatever the case, the presence of Ragnarok is a good way to show just how twisted Stark's idea of right and wrong has become.

4. The Introduction of Blade, Ghost Rider, and Punisher
One thing about Civil War is that it includes a ton of characters, practically the entire Marvel Universe is involved. There simply aren't enough characters right now for Marvel to make this look like a huge "war", and one way to help fill out the ranks is bringing in popular characters like Blade, Ghost Rider, and the Punisher. Marvel recently gained their film rights back and this would be an easy way to work them in, possibly leading to future solo movies in the process. This one actually leads directly to my next hope.

5. Iron Man and Captain America Lead Separate Avengers Teams

With Cap and Iron Man on opposing sides of the Registration Act, both men began leading their own teams of Avengers. Cap's "New Avengers" (which included Luke Cage and Hawkeye) mostly worked underground and in secret to avoid confrontation with Iron Man's government-sanctioned "Mighty Avengers". With Doctor Strange and Ant-Man being introduced in the next couple of years, it stands to reason they'll be joining some Avengers team, probably one led by Iron Man. This may also be a good way to bring the Netflix TV series characters: Luke Cage, Daredevil, Iron Fist, and Jessica Jones.

6.  Tony Stark: Director of SHIELD
One of the strongest repercussions of Civil War had Tony Stark taking over as the director of SHIELD. With the spy organization in shambles and Nick Fury presumed dead (we know better), now would be the perfect time for a move like this. It would also allow for Downey Jr. to make limited appearances in the films, and whether he appears on the show or not it may have a ratings impact on Agents of SHIELD. We saw the boost it got from being tied in to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the same could happen again.

So those are just a few things I'm hoping for, and some of them seem feasible. If I thought harder about it I'd probably include more wishful things, like movies for the Thunderbolts and New Warriors, the introduction of Moon Knight (he needs a film now!), and more. I'm genuinely excited to see where Marvel goes with this, and given their track record I have every reason to believe they can pull off Civil War in the epic fashion it deserves.

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Civil War Breaks Out as Robert Downey Jr. Joins 'Captain America 3'; Russo Brothers may Direct 'Avengers 3 & 4'

So all last week Robert Downey Jr. was giving fans the runaround about Iron Man 4. One day he said it was happening, only to come back that same day and say it wasn't, but that he and Marvel were negotiating SOMETHING. Well, now we know what those talks were about and it is huge. Variety is now reporting that Downey will join Chris Evans in the untitled Captain America 3, but the even bigger news is what the storyline will be.

The next Captain America film, which is officially set for May 6th 2016, will use elements of Marvel's mega-crossover Civil War. The highly-controversial storyline saw the superhero universe fractured over the Superhero Registration Act, which forces everyone with powers to become registered with the government and reveal their civilian identities to the public. One team of heroes, led by Captain America, fought against this idea. Tony Stark led the other faction that believed in the registration act. That led to a massive "civil war" that split up the Avengers and caused the entire hero community to distrust one another. It also was a key step that led to Captain America's eventual "death".

This is a pretty big deal for a few reasons, but primarily it keeps Downey under the Marvel umbrella for awhile longer. He wasn't signed on for any appearances after The Avengers 3, and apparently negotiations were tense with Marvel nearly ending them altogether. But there's even more, as Variety's piece states “The fallout from the government and Stark’s actions would factor into a new 'Avengers 4' film and beyond that will assemble new characters being introduced like Ant-Man and Doctor Strange, among others, in their own movies.” This seems to fit with recent rumors of a major lineup change for Avengers 3 that would see most of the original cast left out.

Finally, this means Captain America 3 will be a bigger part of the Marvel cinematic universe as a whole rather than a standalone film. To that effect, Badass Digest says Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America 3 directors the Russo Brothers are in talks to helm Avengers 3 & 4.

So this is a lot to take in but the point is that Marvel is flipping the script once again and taking the superhero genre to a different level.

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A Look at Marvel's Past, Present, and Future in New Video

So while Marvel's presentation at Comic-Con was at least a tiny bit disappointing, one of the highlights was how they kicked off the show. No, we didn't get Tom Hiddleston showing up as Loki or anything like that, or James Spader coming out as Ultron like some thought, but we were treated to this rather awesome video covering the entirety of Marvel's Phase 1 and Phase 2 films, all the way up to Guardians of the Galaxy.

You can now check out that entire video for yourself, but be warned that it could spoil a little bit from Guardians of the Galaxy which is in theaters now.


Marvel's Phase 1 & 2 - A Look Back by itsartmag

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*UPDATE* First Look at Ultron in 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'; Tony Stark's New Role Revealed

*UPDATE* New photos have been added that show off much of the cast including Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch! *

Want to know how you go into an event like Comic-Con riding a wave of incredible buzz? Just take a look at Marvel who caused a firestorm (both positive and negative) with their announcement of a new female Thor that may have some impact on the movie version of the character. And later tonight on The Colbert Report they are expected to introduce Falcon as the new Captain America! Nope, there won't be any controversy over that one! But that's not all, as Entertainment Weekly has just revealed the first official look at the villain Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Kevin Feige has spilled some major details about Iron Man's role in the film.

The robotic villain, played by James Spader, is one of the Avengers' most lethal foes in the comics, but he'll undergo something of an origin change in Joss Whedon's film. No longer the creation of Hank "Ant-Man" Pym, it's now the actions of Tony Stark that bring the sentient android into existence. Worn out and exhausted after saving the world multiple times over, Stark creates Ultron to basically take over the job...

"Tony Stark has devised a plan that won’t require him to put on the Iron Man suit anymore, and should allow Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and the Hulk to get some much needed R&R as well. His solution is Ultron, self-aware, self-teaching, artificial intelligence designed to help assess threats, and direct Stark’s Iron Legion of drones to battle evildoers instead."

And what typically happens when a robot becomes self-aware and starts figuring out the best way to save the world? Humans inevitably become his target, and that's exactly what happens. Ultron's ability to rebuild and evolve will also factor in, making the Avengers' lives even more miserable.

Stark's superhero fatigue plays out in another way, as well. With SHIELD disbanded and no organization picking up their duties, the Avengers need someone to bankroll their operation. Enter the multi-billionaire Stark who becomes their benefactor and landlord at the newly-redesigned Avengers Tower. Marvel chief Kevin Feige talked to IGN about that, as well as a recently screened scene that pits Hulk vs. Stark's Hulkbuster armor...

“Last time we saw Stark Tower, from The Avengers, it had gotten beat up a little bit thanks to Hulk and thanks to Loki and the Chituari, and Pepper and Tony were standing over a table looking at plans. That’s where we pulled out and all the letters had fallen away except the ‘A’ in Stark. So what they were doing was retro-fitting for The Avengers. And that’s what we see in this next film. S.H.I.E.L.D. is gone – for people who are following along. S.H.I.E.L.D. was disbanded and brought down at the end of The Winter Soldier because it turned out to not be the best organisation ever. So Tony’s bank-rolling The Avengers now. And he’s bank-rolling their headquarters. So it’s now Avengers Tower. Tony designed it so in addition to a hanger for a brand-new Quinjet, laboratories, places where he can build and store his Iron Man suits, there are I believe two bars. Beautiful multiple space living rooms which are perfect for parties and social gatherings. But it’s a primary location in the film this time around.” 

And when asked about Hulk vs. the Hulkbuster...

“There are a lot of scenes that you should be getting excited about. That is certainly one of them. I think I said a long time ago when Joss [Whedon] first did his six-page or 10-page outline for Avengers, there was a lot of work and the movie’s adapted quite a bit since then, but there were like six or seven signature things just in that. I said ‘Joss, even if we don’t do anything else. Just do these seven things, that’s enough for the movie. Now let’s get to work and put it all together.’ Those things are in the movie and are amazing, of which that sequence is one.” 

Expect to hear a lot more about Avengers: Age of Ultron over the coming days. 

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The path to 'Marvel's The Avengers': 'Iron Man'

So with The Avengers upon us in a few days there might be a few of you saying to yourselves. “Why are all these guys together?” Or maybe thinking that it makes zero sense trying to put all these characters from all these other movies into one movie. Well consider yourself lucky, because this post--and the 4 after-- is going to basically explain all the little hints and threads throughout the Marvel movies that has gotten us to this huge, big budget, extravaganza that is The Avengers.
The first film up in the Marvel movieverse is 2008’s Iron Man. For those that haven’t seen it (and that’s hard with it being on FX like every 72 hours) the movie is about billionaire industrialist Tony Stark, head of Stark Industries, a company that is like a really cool Northrop Grumman. While doing a new weapons demo for the U.S. military the site is attacked, soldiers killed and Stark taken prisoner, the terrorists using him to create his wondrous weapons for them, under threat of death. During the attack Stark is injured by shrapnel precariously close to his heart, he’s helped by another captive, Dr.Yinsen, to construct a device, surgically implanted into his chest, to keep the shrapnel from killing him. With that temporarily no longer a distraction, Stark tricks the terrorists hastily constructing a giant suit of armor and making his escape.   Thus the Invincible Iron Man is born.

The rest of the film deals with his change of heart about his weaponeering history and fallout from a decision to help the world more than helping to destroy it. Even now, four years, later the first two acts of this film still hold up well. Everything with Tony Stark in the cave, him making the first suit, his escape and return to his old life a changed man is solid gold. Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark, it’s his character now to the point that the comic book source material has changed to match his performance. Jon Favreau deserves a lot of credit for keeping the film brisk and to the point and fully embracing a sense of fun and cleverness, with one of the stand out sequences being Tony Stark building and testing his newer forms of armor. The one thing this movie fails at is the third act, much like a student hitting all the right answers on a hard test but blowing the essay question at the end.

To tell the truth there really isn’t much in terms of Easter eggs that lead to The Avengers other than the one scene at the end after the credits. The scene introduces you to Nick Fury, who after Tony reveals his identity to the public, surprises him in his home with an offer. The offer is join to his Avengers Initiative and then the movie is over. Now this scene is small in comparison to some of the other Marvel films after it but with it being the first and basically telling everyone this is the goal it’s the most important. Marvel used this film to start their movie universe the way Stan Lee and Jack Kirby used the Fantastic Four to set up the original comic Marvel Universe. Iron Man is a bombastic start with a great character that people can relate to and a plot with seeds that lay roots for the realization that this world is bigger and more interconnected than both we and the hero know about.

Next up true believers: the secrets of The Incredible Hulk!

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Iron Man and Thor face off in new clip from 'The Avengers'!

Even though Iron Man and Thor are good friends in the pages of The Avengers comic book, there has and will always be a small rift between the two. It doesn't have anything to do with personalities or fighting prowess, it's about science vs. mythology. In much the same way Iron Man doesn't quite believe in the sorcery of Dr. Strange, he still finds the idea of gods walking the earth something not quite believable. Tony Stark is a man of science, and the presence of Norse gods runs counter to his very nature.

How much of that plays out on the silver screen in The Avengers is unclear, but we do know the team is going to be ripped apart by internal strife. Along those lines, a new clip has been released featuring Iron Man(Robert Downey Jr.) and Thor(Chris Hemsworth) hashing out their differences in the most violent way possible. Why they can't just hug it out like two normal dudes is anybody's guess.

Directed by Joss Whedon, Marvel's The Avengers is due to open on May 4th....

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New international promos for 'The Avengers' featuring Black Widow, Nick Fury, and Iron Man

It makes sense for Disney and Marvel to hype the hell out of The Avengers across the globe, given the international make-up of the team. Black Widow(Scarlett Johansson) hails from Russia, and Thor's hometown is.....well, he's Norse in nature even if Asgard is technically in another world. To help promote the May 4th release of Marvel's biggest superhero movie yet, DisneyXD has released a handful of new promos featuring the sexy Black Widow kickin' ass and snappin' off huracanranas like a lucha libre star, and also Nick Fury(Samuel L. Jackson) and Iron Man(Robert Downey Jr.). All three feature snippets of old footage from other Marvel films mixed in with some never-before-seen stuff from The Avengers. Check those out below....

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The Avengers press release confirms Loki will be in the film; 1st set photo revealed

Joss Whedon's The Avengers just started shooting yesterday, with the plan for the big superhero romp to hit theaters on May 4th, 2012. While we pretty much know most of the cast that will be involved, one character we've been less certain of is Loki, the trickster god and brother to Thor. Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki, has been teasing lately that he won't be in The Avengers at all, but there have been conflicting stories on that one. Marvel Studios has just issued a press release which not only confirms that Hiddleston will be in the film, but also confirms the presence of Stellan Skarsgard as Professor Erik Selvig. Marvel also included the first set image, which while not really showing anything in particular, is still sorta cool.  You can check out that shot above, with the press release below.

As for plot details, it's still pretty thin. Basically an "unexpected enemy" emerges that threatens the world and forces the heroes to unite. That could be anything from the Skrulls to the Hulk himself.

Production has commenced today in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated movie “Marvel’s The Avengers,” directed by Joss Whedon (“Serenity”) from a screenplay by Whedon. The film will continue principal photography in Cleveland, Ohio and New York City. Robert Downey, Jr. (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2″) returns as the iconic Tony Stark/Iron Man along with Chris Hemsworth (“Thor”) as Thor, Chris Evans (“Captain America: The First Avenger”) as Captain America, Jeremy Renner (“Thor,” “The Hurt Locker”) as Hawkeye, Mark Ruffalo (“The Kids Are Alright”) as Hulk, Scarlett Johansson (“Iron Man 2″) as Black Widow, Clark Gregg (“Iron Man,” “Thor”) as Agent Phil Coulson, and Samuel L. Jackson (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2″) as Nick Fury. Set for release in the US on May 4, 2012, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is the first feature to be fully owned, marketed and distributed by Disney, which acquired Marvel in 2009.

Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Iron Man 2,” “Thor,” and “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Marvel’s The Avengers” is the super hero team up of a lifetime. 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.

Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1963, “Marvel’s The Avengers” brings together the mightiest super hero characters as they all assemble together on screen for the first time. The star studded cast of super heroes will be joined by Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother) as Agent Maria Hill of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as Tom Hiddleston (“Wallander”) and Stellan Skarsgård (“Angels & Demons,” “Mamma Mia!”) who will both reprise their respective roles as Loki and Professor Erik Selvig from the upcoming Marvel Studios’ feature “Thor.”

“Marvel’s The Avengers” is being produced by Marvel Studios’ President, Kevin Feige, and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Louis D’Esposito, Patty Whitcher, and Jon Favreau. Marvel Studios’ Jeremy Latcham and Victoria Alonso will co-produce.

The creative production team also includes Oscar nominated director of photography Seamus McGarvey (“Atonement”), production designer James Chinlund (“25th Hour”), Oscar winning costume designer Alexandra Byrne (“Elizabeth: The Golden Age”), Oscar winning visual effects supervisor Janek Sirrs (“Iron Man 2,” “The Matrix”), visual effects producer Susan Pickett (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2?), stunt coordinator R.A. Rondell (“Superman Returns”), and four-time Oscar nominated special effects supervisor Dan Sudick (“Iron Man,” “War of the Worlds”). The editors include Oscar nominated Paul Rubell (“Collateral”) and Jeffrey Ford (“Crazy Heart”).

Marvel Studios most recently produced “Iron Man 2″ which was released in theatres on May 7, 2010. The sequel to “Iron Man,” starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow as well as Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke, took the number one spot its first weekend with a domestic box office gross of $128.1 million. To date the film has earned over $620 million in worldwide box office receipts.
In the summer of 2008, Marvel produced the summer blockbuster movies, “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk.” “Iron Man,” in which Robert Downey, Jr. originally dons the super hero’s powerful armor alongside co-stars Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow, was released May 2, 2008 and was an immediate box office success. Garnering the number one position for two weeks in a row, the film brought in over $100 million its opening weekend and grossed over $571 million worldwide. On June 13, 2008, Marvel released “The Incredible Hulk” marking its second number one opener of that summer. The spectacular revival of the iconic green goliath grossed over $250 million in worldwide box office receipts.

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Is Shane Black co-writing Iron Man 3 afterall?

Like most people, I was ecstatic when Shane Black(Lethal Weapon) was brought in to take over the directing reins from Jon Favreau on Iron Man 3. Not that he's really established himself as a director, his one feature being 2005's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, but as a writer few can match Black's sharp, quick dialogue. Then a few weeks ago we learned that Marvel had decided to give the writing chores over to Drew Pearce, effectively blunting Black's primary strength.

Well it appears that Marvel may have had a change of heart, or atleast heard all the disappointed mumbling from fans, as Cinemablend sites multiple "trustworthy" sources that Black will at least be co-writing the film with Pearce, and that his input is in part responsible for the shaping of the current script. Last we'd heard, the plan was to make the next Iron Man film more real world than the previous ones, which could be a good thing, although I like the bombastic fun of the first two flicks. 

I'm not in the camp of most other people who really loved Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, but I recognize it as being the first really good film from Robert Downey Jr. in years, leading up to his superstar status now. My love for Black's writing comes from his Lethal Weapon and The Last Boyscout stuff, which is fantastic. But he's so unproven as a director that it makes sense to lighten the load for him somewhere, hence Pearce's involvement.

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Shane Black to direct Iron Man 3

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Good news, indeed! Deadline is reporting that Shane Black is in final talks to take over the director gig on Iron Man 3. The popular writer of the Lethal Weapon franchise has been a favorite to take over the job since it was first reported of his possible involvement last week. Marvel Studios has been searching for a name that would appeal to fans in the same way Jon Favreau's did. Favreau recently left to direct Magic Kingdom for Walt Disney Pictures.

Now the only question is if Black will write the script. He's only directed one film, 2005's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which featured Robert Downey Jr. in a role a lot of people credit for helping get his career back on track. Black's best known for his writing, which has always been crazy smart and snappy as Hell. I can only imagine what he could do with Tony Stark.

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Is Shane Black the man to take on Iron Man 3?

Ever since Jon Favreau jumped ship from Marvel's superhero community in favor of hitching a wild ride with Walt Disney, the question has been who'll take over the direction of Iron Man 3? Not a lot of names have been floated out there as of yet, but one just cropped up that not only would be a brilliant choice in my opinion, he also has a connection to the film that can't be denied.

According to THR, Shane Black's name has been mentioned in consideration for the gig. Black was a action flick force back in the 1980's and 90's, mostly as the writer of the Lethal Weapon franchise. He recently made his mark as a director in 2005's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which starred Robert Downey Jr. in one of his most well-received roles. So there's a connection there already, in that Black was trying to establish himself in a new arena while Downey was trying to re-establish himself after some personal incidents sidetracked his career. The deal isn't close to being finalized, and the search for new writers and directors is ongoing, however it's expected that if Black gets the job he will pen a draft of the script himself. Sweet. Black will be keeping busy, as he just recently signed on to write/direct an American adaptation of the manga hit, Death Note.

So Marvel, the answer to the question is an emphatic "Yes!" Shane Black is the right guy for the job and a perfect choice to replace Favreau. Not that Favreau did a bad job, he did a remarkable job in fact, but Black has a voice and kinetic style to every single project he undertakes. It's a style that I think meshes well with Iron Man's strengths, so let's hope this story pans out.

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Confirmed: Jon Favreau will not be directing Iron Man 3

Just a quick follow-up to the earlier rumor that Jon Favreau would be stepping down from directing the next Iron Man film. He's just confirmed the many reports via his Twitter feed...

"It's true, I'm directing Magic Kingdom, not Iron Man 3. I've had a great run with Marvel and wish them the best."

Expect to start hearing names to replace him thrown about as soon as tonight.

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Jon Favreau not directing Iron Man 3?

If you've been paying attention to Jon Favreau lately, you might've noticed some uncertainty about his future directing in the Marvel Universe. Just last week, in a story about Marvel's plans for Iron Man 3, Favreau seemed unsure about the direction the studio wanted to go in. I noted in that story that Favreau made sure NOT to talk about his own involvement in it. In fact he seemed to be skirting the issue altogether. Now Vulture seems to think that not only is he unsure if he'll be directing the further adventures of Tony Stark, he's flat out not going to be involved at all.

Vulture notes the dreaded "insider" who says that Favreau has already informed Marvel of his decision. The reason given is that with his recent successes and major upcoming flicks(Magic Kingdom, Cowboys and Aliens), Favreau's going to be in very high demand, which means his asking price is about to skyrocket. Marvel has a track record for not always being willing to open the checkbook. The potential conflict seems obvious.

None of this is confirmed, however, so take it with a grain of salt. If it does turn out to be true, it's likely Favreau maintains a good working relationship with Disney/Marvel, as he's already stated that he wants to work with them again.

Assuming this is true, who would you want to see take over the Iron Man franchise? 

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No Pepper Potts in The Avengers

I love Gwyneth Paltrow pretty much in anything, but even I was skeptical of her making the move to superheroics as Tony Stark's friend/assistant Pepper Potts in the Iron Man flicks. But y'know, I'm really digging the chemistry she has with Robert Downey Jr.  With Marvel bringing together all of their film heroes for the all-star hero jam The Avengers, I just sorta assumed Paltrow would be included, even in just a scene or two. Apparently not...at least not according to her.



Speaking with Collider about her new flick, Country Strong, Paltrow seems convinced that she won't be in the movie at all...



Shooting on The Avengers is set to begin shooting in 3D next February, with a May 4th 2012 release date set.

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Hilary Swank talks about the old Iron Man rumors

This is quick and something I found a little amusing. In an interview with MTV, probably talking about the movie Conviction since she's with her co-star Sam Rockwell, Hilary Swank is asked about the old rumors that she'd be appearing in the first Iron Man film as basically any female character in the Marvel Universe but mostly She-Hulk or Black Widow.  Obviously it never came to pass, but the rumors appear to have given the Oscar winning actress some sleepless nights....

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

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Iron Man 3 release date revealed; Disney to distribute it and The Avengers

With all the Marvel movies coming up in the next year I hadn't even begun to start thinking about Iron Man 3, but now it looks like I'll have no choice as Disney has already cemented a release date: May 3rd, 2013.All of the Iron Man flicks have dropped during the first week of May, so this isn't totally unexpected.

If you're wondering why in the hey Disney is making this announcement, it's because the Mouse House has paid a hefty $115M sum to be the global marketing and distributor for both Iron Man and The Avengers. Both were previously to be distrubed by Paramount, who retains the rights to Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor, both due out next year.

So...how long before we start hearing casting rumors?

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Iron Man 2 easter eggs revealed: Black Panther, Thor, Captain America clues revealed

All of Marvel Studio's interconnected superhero flicks are achieving a level of continuity geekdom never before seen in Hollywood. Those of us who are continuity freaks and have our comic book collections arranged in meticulous order are used to it, but it's still hella cool watching Jon Favreau and company weave together their own version of the Marvel Universe.  One of the reasons people are so eagerly anticipating the release of Iron Man 2 on DVD/Blu-Ray are the inevitable reveal of the easter eggs that they snuck into the film that a lot of us missed. 

One of the major scenes where the most secrets are hidden is the one with Tony Stark and Nick Fury discussing the upcoming Avengers Initiative. It's a scene full of monitors and seemingly random objects. Anyone who's been watching these flicks knows there is a story behind every single one of them. In the DVD special features, Jon Favreau confirms and explains a number of them. I'm putting up the images in relation to the statements the director made....

"[The first is] from “The Incredible Hulk”, which means ["Iron Man 2"] took place before “The Incredible Hulk.” If you look you see the the crater on the other monitor, that’s the “Thor” thing. That’s where the hammer was recovered. This is just a geek heaven here."

"And if you think that anything on this monitors is not something we at Marvel didn’t talk about for hours - you are crazy! See, there is a map up there, so… if you look at those maps, each one of those locations corresponds to something in the Marvel Universe. I’m not supposed to say that."

"And if you look on each one, and I know what they mean, but I’m not gonna say it, but I’m gonna say this: Two of them relate to “The First Avenger: Captain America,” one of them relates to “Thor.” The one in Africa relates to Black Panther."

Is it a possibility that the Black Panther will show up in The Avengers? Probably not, but would anybody be surprised if he's alluded to in some way? We just heard from Stan Lee last week that two more Marvel films had been greenlit. Could Black Panther be one of them? 

Images courtesy of our friends at ComicBookMovie.

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Jackson Spills Secrets on NICK FURY's Future

That Samuel L. is a talkative chap. In a recent interview with Radio Big Boy(really, that's a real show?), he lets loose some secrets on the one-eyed super spy's future. He says that the Joss Whedon directed Avengers film will be shooting next year, and then after that there will be a huge S.H.I.E.L.D. film as well. Jackson also confirmed that he will appear in both Captain America: The First Avenger and in Iron Man 3, but will not be making an appearance in Thor.

A solo Nick Fury flick that doesn't involve David Hasselhoff? I'm there. If they make it a big, global swashbuckling adventure it could end up being the best of all the Marvel flicks, or at least the one that appeals most directly to me. 

That last point, though, about Fury not showing up in Thor doesn't seem to make much sense considering SHIELD's scene at the end of Iron Man 2. This could all be a ruse to throw us off the trail, or maybe they don't want to bog Kenneth Branagh down with too much geeky continuity stuff.

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Will The Mandarin be Stark's Nemesis in IRON MAN 3?

Ever since the criminal organization The Ten Rings was mentioned in 2008's Iron Man, people have been speculating that Tony Stark's primary enemy, the Mandarin, would be showing up sooner rather than later. It's no secret that director Jon Favreau wanted him to be the enemy in the first film, but that idea was nixed. The Ten Rings was also in Iron Man 2 in a "blink and you'll miss them" appearance helping out Whiplash with a ticket to Monaco. The Ten Rings refers to the ten alien rings of power that The Mandarin wears on his fingers.

In a recent post Iron Man 2 interview with MTV, Favreau reiterated his desire to use the Mandarin in the next film, but also made it clear there could be some problems...

Favreau: "You have to do The Mandarin. The problem with The Mandarin is, the way it's depicted in the comic books, you don't want to see that. He also has 10 magical rings, and it just doesn't feel right for our thing, so it's either tech-based or the rings are not really rings."

Favreau seems to have the nature of The Mandarin's rings all wrong, since they aren't magical at all but technological. Even so, I would disagree with him on the point, since one of the more intriguing angles of the Iron Man series is his disbelief in magic. It's the old science vs. magic argument that has been running through comics for quite some time, and it's always fun to explore. Stark's mindset on that subject also makes his relationship with the thunder god, Thor, more interesting since the bulk of Thor's powers are obviously divine and magical in nature. Favreau seems to have figured that out to some extent, though, but realizes that the logistics of a third film could be problematic thanks to the expanding universe.

"What's going to have happened by then?With 'Thor,' you're going to have all this supernatural stuff happening and magic and there's a lot of stuff going on in the world. If it's going to match the comic books, it's going to be incredibly complex for film."

That's an understatement. I can see Favreau's point, but I think he's putting too much emphasis on matching the tone of the other Marvel movies. He doesn't really have to do that. Thor is the mythical aspect of the Marvel U, while Iron Man is the technology side, and Captain America is the political/straight superheroics side. Combining these seemingly disparate elements for The Avengers might be tricky, but it shouldn't stand in the way of Iron Man 3.

As for the Mandarin, he is Tony Stark's greatest enemy. An Asian-American trained in science, technology, and physical combat since his birth. In that, he's a lot like Stark. At some point, the Mandarin discovered the corpse an alien, along with the ten rings which were used to power the alien's spacecraft. He mastered the powers each ring posessed, wielding them with terrifying cruelty. The Mandarin studied and mastered the technology of alien races, which he has used to very nearly destroy Iron Man on numerous occasions.

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Samuel L. spills on Avengers details

While everyone is in high gear for the upcoming individual superhero movies Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America, the true end game in most of our minds is The Avengers. Never has there been such a superhero all star team up on the silver screen as this movie would be, no....I don't count Fantastic Four. There has been speculation on this movie since Sam Jackson's Nick Fury showed up in the first Iron Man flick and it has only snowballed since then. Well it's definitiely happening and has fanboy favorite Joss Whedon, of Buffy fame, attached to direct, but we knew this already. What we didn't know was that there's a start date for the movie, next February and that, at least in SLJ's mind, it will be Nick Fury's film. Here's an excerpt from the IESB interview that can be found here.

Q: Do you have any desire to campaign for your own Nick Fury film?

Sam: The Avengers is my own starring vehicle for that character, pretty much.

Q: But, that’s so far away.

Sam: That's not that far away. It's just February. I've got time to get in shape and everything.

Ok, I'm not getting up in arms yet but if he's right we have a problem.Granted everything I say here is based on Jackson's above quote and the script is still being rewritten so take this as my thoughts on the film if he's right and Nick Fury is the main character. Plain and simple I don't like it. The movie should break down like this in my mind. First 20 min you show how the team comes together, next 30 all the team dynamic and shenanigans that are involved as well as setup for the mission of the film, next 40 the mission FULL OF ACTION, and the final 20 minutes should be wrapping up the story lines and setting up for the next film. Now with this thought remember that Nick Fury is not an active member of the team he's their boss. He should be featured only in the setup of the mission and associated training as well as a few cut shots during the mission and obviously some good scenes after the climactic battle. If he's the feature of the film than The Avengers themselves become background which is NOT good. Again, not going to deeply into this since the scripts not even done and I'm sure Whedon understands what the fans want to see and that will show in his script rewrites.

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