Scarlett Johansson Confirmed to Return for 'Captain America: Civil War'

Never one to go into battle without a strong lady by his side, Captain America fought alongside Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) in Captain America: The First Avenger and Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow in 'The Winter Soldier'. Now as the heroes are about to undergo a serious ideological split in Captain America: Civil War, Cap is turning to an old friend to help see him through.

While in Beijing, 'Civil War' directors Joe and Anthony Russo confirmed (via CBM) that Johansson will return for the film, along with Sebastian Stan's Winter Soldier...

Anthony Russo: “We’ve been preparing for the movie since the last one debuted last year. So, we’ve been working on it for a long time now. We’re very happy how it’s coming along. Captain America 3 is gonna be called Captain America: Civil War and it’s going to star Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson will be back, Winter Soldier [Sebastian Stan] will be back, and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man will also be joining us in the next film.”

They'll join Chadwick Boseman who will make his Marvel debut as Wakandan king, Black Panther; Anthony Mackie is also returning as Falcon, and we can expect to see Daniel Bruhl in a role that is being kept under a tight lid. My guess is that he's playing a modern version of the Red Skull.

The question is which side will Black Widow be on? In the comics version of Civil War she sided with Tony Stark in favor of a Superhero Registration Act. Will she do the same now and stand against Captain America even as they seem to be forming a close, possibly romantic relationship?   Captain America: Civil War opens May 6th 2016. 

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Trouble Comes Around in New 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Trailer

Tonight the NCAA is televising their first true football playoff championship, and it promises to be right up there with the Super Bowl as one of the most watched sporting events of the year. And since it airs on ESPN, which is owned by Disney, it makes sense they'd want to use it as a platform to deliver a gigantic trailer for this summer's Avengers: Age of Ultron. 

Keeping a similarly dark tone as the previous teaser, this one also features a better look at the showdown between Hulk and Tony Stark's Hulkbuster armor. It looks like the team's volatile chemistry has been shaken up even further and only looks to get worse with the robotic villain Ultron (voiced by James Spader) threatening to end humanity. Can they come together as a team and save the day? With Captain America: Civil War promising a standoff between Cap and Iron Man there's a good chance the Avengers won't completely recover.

Avengers: Age of Ultron opens May 1st directed by Joss Whedon.


New Avengers Trailer Arrives - Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron Trailer 2 by Calf Love

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Scarlett Johansson to Star in Live-Action 'Ghost in the Shell'

Move over Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron, and every other action starlet in Hollywood because Scarlett Johansson is the queen bee. When she's not stealthily handing dudes their heads as Black Widow in The Avengers, she's doing more damage in top-grossing flicks like Lucy. And now, after first being offered the lead role in October, she's agreed to play one of the baddest women in anime history as the star of Ghost in the Shell. 

According to Variety, Johansson has agreed to star as Major Motoko Kusanagi in Rupert Sanders' adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. The Masamune Shirow-penned manga has become a classic in just about every form of media, and has been developing as a live-action film at Dreamworks for years. Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street) had been up for the role at one point but she's going to be more than busy enough with Warner Bros.' Suicide Squad. 

Ghost in the Shell is basically the cyberpunk standard barer, and is set in a future when a special cyber-intelligence unit led by the cyborg Motoko must stop a technological villain known as the Puppet Master.  So yes, there will be more hacking.

With Johansson on board expect Ghost in the Shell to get booted up and green lit soon.

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The Party gets Crashed in New 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Image

Disney has an incredible slate of blockbuster films coming in 2015, and right at the center of it is Avengers: Age of Ultron. While showing off their lineup they've released a new image from the superhero film, and it's one that should be familiar to the millions of people who watched the trailer.

The photo shows the entire team's astonished faces as Ultron (James Spader) crashes a party at Tony Stark's swanky crib. They're about to get a verbal smackdown from the newly-sentient android about "strings" and such, just before launching an all-out assault. This'll teach Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and Jim Rhodes (Don Cheadle) to hang out with the Avengers during off hours. It could get dangerous.

Directed by Joss Whedon and starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Paul Bettany, Samuel L. Jackson, and Elizabeth Olsen, Avengers: Age of Ultron opens May 1st 2015.

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'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Extended Trailer Features New Footage

The trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron has been out there for awhile now, and still the Internet is buzzing over it. Part of the reason is excitement over Marvel's recent announcements of Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Civil War, and more that are expected to tie into the larger franchise.. The other reason is that it's just a damn good trailer with all of the superhero spectacle fans expect from Marvel, not to mention that haunting rendition of "I've Got No Strings". Well now there's even more reason to get pumped up with the release of an extended version of the trailer, which offers up some footage we haven't seen before, including a glimpse at Korean actress Claudia Kim as Tony Stark's colleague. Apparently she's important enough to make the big Avengers party at Stark's crib.

Avengers: Age of Ultron opens May 1st 2015.


AVENGERS 2 AGE OF ULTRON - Official Extended Trailer #2 by itsartmag

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The Avengers are Unworthy in New Footage from 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'

Those who attended San Diego Comic-Con last summer were treated to the first footage from Avengers: Age of Ultron, and the centerpiece of it was a scene featuring the team lounging around Tony Stark's crib. As they all tried unsuccessfully to lift Thor's hammer, it looked like Joss Whedon was keep the light-hearted tone of the first film. Well, then we got the official trailer last week and it was all doom 'n gloom, but rest assured there is plenty of fun to be had.

Since the trailer leaked before it was to debut on tonight's Agents of SHIELD, Marvel instead released an extended version which features the hammer-lifting scene. The party is quickly interrupted by that wet blanket Ultron (menacingly voiced by James Spader), who proceeds to tell them that nobody in the room is worthy. Opening May 1st 2015, Avengers: Age of Ultron stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, James Spader, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Andy Serkis, and Samuel L. Jackson. We'll update this trailer with a better one soon, but for now enjoy this crappy bootleg version.


Avengers Age of Ultron Sneak Peek (2015) - New Avengers Movie by Allvideos HD

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Marvel Reveals the First 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Trailer and Poster!

When a prized piece of information or footage leaks early, a studio has a couple of options. They can either close ranks and pretend it didn't happen, or they can do what Marvel has done and that's roll with the punches. Earlier today the trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron leaked one week before it was due to premiere on Agents of SHIELD. And so Marvel took to Twitter, jokingly blamed the evil organization HYDRA, and released the official trailer themselves.

And let's be honest here, you don't need to be told to watch it. Nor do you need to be told that it looks incredibly huge, with Joss Whedon ditching any sense of humor and going straight for a heavy, ominous vibe throughout. That may be a drag to those who liked how The Avengers was able to be both funny and serious, but clearly this footage is aiming to strike a specific chord. It keeps in much of what was shown at Comic-Con, but adds in more of Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch ( Elizabeth Olsen), and gives the best look at James Spader's evil android Ultron than we've seen yet. Plus we get a look at the showdown between Tony Stark's Hulkbuster armor and the Hulk that fans have been waiting for.

Avengers: Age of Ultron opens May 1st 2015, only seven months away!


Marvel's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" - Teaser Trailer (OFFICIAL) [HD] by MovieTrailerz

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Scarlett Johansson Offered 'Ghost in the Shell' Lead; Robert Redford Circles 'Pete's Dragon' Remake

With The Wolf of Wall Street's Margot Robbie looking more likely to join DC's Suicide Squad film, one other project she had been attached to has fallen by the wayside. She had been in talks to star in Dreamworks' live-action adaptation of the hit manga/anime, Ghost in the Shell, but now she's out and a reported $10M offer has been sent to Scarlett Johansson. The Avengers and Lucy star would make for a natural fit for the futuristic action flick in which she would play cybernetically-upgraded cop Motoko Kusanagi as she tries to stop a technological villain known as the Puppet Master. No word on if Johansson is interested of her busy Marvel schedule will stand in the way. Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman) is on board to direct.  [Deadline]

Meanwhile, Johansson's Captain America: The Winter Soldier co-star Robert Redford may tell some tall tales in Pete's Dragon. The veteran actor is in talks to join Disney's remake of the 1977 musical live-action/animation hybrid, which will be directed by Ain't Them Bodies Saints' David Lowery. This new version will drop the musical elements but maintain the basic story of a young boy named Pete (Oakes Fegley) who has an imaginary best friend named Elliot, who happens to be a giant dragon. Oona Lawrence will play Pete's human friend Natalie, while Redford would play a local who tells fantastical stories about dragons that nobody believes. [THR]

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Tom Hiddleston and Scarlett Johansson Land New TV Roles

An actor can't live on Marvel alone...well, actually they probably could, but in the gaps between movies we usually see the studio's biggest stars take on more creatively rewarding projects. And now we're seeing two of them, Tom Hiddleston and Scarlett Johansson, headed to the small screen for interesting new event series.

First up, Hiddleston will star alongside Dr. House...er, Hugh Laurie in The Night Manager, based on the espionage novel by spymaster John Le Carre (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, A Most Wanted Man). The story is penned by David Farr (Hanna) and follows "Jonathan Pine, a British soldier turned luxurious hotel night auditor. Pine crosses paths with a French-Arab woman named Sophie with ties to Richard Onslow Roper, an English black marketer who specializes in weapons. The woman provides Pine with incriminating documents, which he forwards to a friend in British intelligence. After Sophie winds up dead, Pine works with intelligence operatives and goes undercover as part of a sting against Roper to avenge Sophie's death." No network deals are in place for this one yet but expect that to change considering the popularity of the actors involved.

And Scarlett Johansson is about to take on her first major TV role in The Custom of the Country, a limited series from renowned playwright/screenwriter Christopher Hampton (Atonement). Based on Edith Wharton's 1913 novel, the series will have Johansson taking on the role of the ruthless Undine Spragg, a Midwestern woman who unscrupulously climbs New York's high society of nouveau riche. The plan is for the series to land on a premium cable network but no deals are in place yet. [Deadline]

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Marvel Reveals the Official 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Synopsis

How powerful has Marvel been this year? They've got the two highest-grossing movies of 2014 in Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and chances are they'll do it again in 2015 with Avengers: Age of Ultron. The superhero team-up will kick off the summer in explosive style, and now Marvel is giving us just a tiny look at what to expect with the official plot synopsis. Check it out below:

“Marvel Studios presents ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron,’ the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.

“Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ stars Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk. Together with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with the additional support of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, the team must reassemble to defeat James Spader as Ultron, a terrifying technological villain hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they confront two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision.”

This basically confirms what we already knew, which is that Tony Stark will be the catalyst for this story when his peace-keeping program gains sentience and becomes Ultron. But what we don't know about are these "uneasy alliances" the team must form to defeat him. Is that a reference to Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver? Or possibly the Vision, who it's hinted at is created from Stark's old A.I. system, JARVIS. 

Avengers: Age of Ultron opens May 1st 2015. 

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Robert Downey Jr. Supports 'Black Widow' Movie, Says "Everyone Deserves a Franchise"

The clamoring for Marvel to finally get off their butts and have a female-led solo franchise seems to be at an all-time high. I say "seems" because the Internet is pretty hard to gauge when it comes to things like this. Often times fans get into an uproar over something they supposedly want, then fail to support it once it's been made available, and that's especially true when it comes to comic book or pop culture-based movies. But with everyone from Joss Whedon to Marvel's Kevin Feige saying a female-driven film should and will happen eventually, that only makes the crowd get more vocal. So what about when Marvel's golden boy Robert Downey Jr. calls for a Black Widow movie? Will that be the push it needs to finally happen?

In a conversation with USA Today, Downey expressed his support for a Black Widow movie starring his Iron Man 2 and The Avengers co-star Scarlett Johannson. But, in typical Downey fashion he took this as an opportunity to get all of his buddies a little extra cashola in their pockets...

RDJ: "Look, I think that the interesting thing particularly after 'Guardians' with Zoe (Saldana), (or) even from the first Iron Man where Pepper was kind of this really – to me the Iron Man franchise would never have taken off without (Gwyneth) Paltrow. There's something about her that grounded the story. She's not your typical lady in a superhero movie, and then by Iron Man 3 she's swallowing serums and putting on suits and kicking (butt) and all that stuff.

Downey has stood up for his Avengers co-stars in the past in an effort to make sure Marvel doesn't short change them contractually. And here he takes a shot at getting everybody their own solo franchise to play around in, including guys like Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner...

RDJ: "It would be kind of more appropriate for a character that already was like a Black Widow (to lead a movie). It just seems like whatever Scarlett does people want to go see it...The funny thing is honestly at this point everyone deserves a franchise. I think Jeremy Renner is - when folks see the Avengers: Age of Ultron he's just a rockstar, a badass. And Ruffalo is pumped. He does great (work). I'd like to hear them talk even more seriously about a Hulk franchise, because that's been one of the toughest ones to get right. But I'm sure that my parent company is feeling expansive and and bold after the summer they've had."

There have been rumblings of a Black Widow movie ever since her appearance in Iron Man 2, but the winds seem to be blowing in the direction of a Captain Marvel film happening first.  Widow has probably had more exposure than any other Avenger after she played a major part in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. She's certainly popular enough and chances are she will get her own movie at some point. The same probably goes for the Hulk, but not so sure about Hawkeye.

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Review: Lucy starring Scarlett Johannson and Morgan Freeman

The average person only users 10% of their brain, an interesting little trivia tidbit we’ve all heard before. It’s been proven incorrect by science but that’s beside the point…we don’t need science for our movie plots to work (I’m looking at you Jurassic Park franchise), also the film has a clever way to explain why this is different from the traditional 10% as they present it that we only use 10% of our brains capacity, simply meaning that we all use all of the parts of our brain, just not to the level or efficiency we could, similar to how my muscles have the same potential as a bodybuilders but are being held back by my comical aversion to physical activity. Enough preamble, let’s get to some plot, shall we?

Lucy (Scarlett Johannson) is a student in Taiwan with some questionable social circles. After being forced to deliver a suitcase to a crime lord by her obviously scummy boyfriend (seriously, in a movie with a telekinetic woman the fact that she’s dating this dude is the most unrealistic aspect), Lucy is kidnapped and drugged. She wakes to find that the bad guys have surgically implanted a bag of C4b3h2 (that’s a total guess, but it was something along those lines), a brand new designer drug, in her intestines. She’s then given a passport and ticket along with three other unwilling mules who will all be flown to different parts of Europe to distribute the drug. Unfortunately for Lucy the low level goons didn’t get the memo about a plastic bag of highly potent drugs being put in her stomach, so they proceed to kick her in the gut when she’s shackled in a holding room. The bag breaks releasing the drug in extremely high doses into her system, which causes severe toxicity leading to an almost immediate and painful death. Wait, that doesn’t seem right…OH, my mistake, she doesn’t die; she’s given superpowers as the drug unlocks the potential of her brain allowing her to use a higher and higher percentage. During all of this the film is intercut with scenes of Professor Samuel Norman speaking at a lecture on the potential of the human brain. Highlights include a step by step listing of possible abilities that come with a corresponding percentage, things like at 20% you can control your body completely, at 30% you can control other people, at 40% you can control machines and so on and so on.  Lucy becomes fixated on retrieving the rest of the drug packets and unlocking the full 100% as well as seeking revenge on the people that did this to her.

Scarlett Johannson is the shining light of this flick and it’s a good thing because without her there would be nothing. She actually gets to stretch some acting legs, believe it or not, as she goes from a convincingly trashy and unintelligent party girl to an intelligent robot on a mission. Maybe robot isn’t the best description for why her performance is something to see, as she begins starting to use more and more of her brain she adapts a performance style that seems very similar to how autism is usually portrayed in film with a far off look in her eyes that comes close to a blank expression but is different in a very slight way that makes you understand that she’s just got a lot more going on inside her head. The film plays quickly too, once the drugs enter her system the movie doesn’t slow down until the credits roll, which ends up being a saving grace since much of the movie makes little sense and doesn’t deliver on many of the promises made in the trailer. There is quite a bit of action but very little involves Lucy, once she becomes more powerful her interactions with the bad guys consist of waving her hand to make them all pass out, or levitate. There are some good gun battles involving the side characters and she does get to take the wheel in a car chase that Michael Bay would be jealous of, but that’s about it as far as ScarJo is concerned.

I think “weird” is probably the most apt description of the movie that I can come to, it’s not bad per say, it’s just very odd for the most part. I guess this is par for the course when you’re talking about a Luc Besson movie. The guy is heralded for his action and a good percentage of his films are widely enjoyed but there’s always an under belly of odd in his flicks. Look at The Professional, probably his most lauded film and for good reason, but at the base it’s a film about a hitman teaching his craft to a pre-teen girl whom he may or may not be in love with. To illustrate what I mean, one of the main “what?” aspects is how he intercuts scenes of nature to illustrate what’s going on in the story…so when Lucy is about to be kidnapped by the gangsters the film switches to a scene of an animal being stalked by a cheetah. Again, not a huge deal but it does take you out of the moment completely. Past that there are a number of logic jumps and missing points, such as how there’s zero learning curve with her new abilities and no “What’s happening to me?!?” moment, I guess that can be chalked up to the increase in understanding and brainpower or even something as simple as not slowing the film down. Lastly there’s the weird forced romantic angle between Lucy and the French cop who she’s paired up with in the second half of the film. Speaking of, the fact that she becomes a ruthless killer and breaks any number of laws including stealing drugs from the police, makes the ask no questions relationship between Lucy and the cop even more odd. I can forgive this kind of stuff with a movie like Crank that is, in no way, trying to be something serious, but Lucy is trying to say something profound…at least I think it is, honestly it’s kind of hard to tell. Let’s just say that the beginning and the end of the movie show a look at time from now to the first Neanderthal so at least the impression of something deep and large is there.

With the number of large budget, high-quality films out right now there’s no way I can, in good conscience, recommend you go to the theater for Lucy. It isn’t without its merits, and I do think some will enjoy it, but it’s strictly a rental. ScarJo is beautiful and talented so if that’s what you’re yearning for this weekend I’d say renting Under the Skin is a far better choice. 

2 Out of 5 Guttenbergs

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Comic-Con: Captain America and Black Widow Posters for 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'

As expected when Marvel released Avengers: Age of Ultron Comic-Con posters featuring Scarlet Witch and Iron Man, they turned out to be just the first of many. Now it's Black Widow and Captain America jumping into the war against Ultron (James Spader) and his army of "legionnaires". I expect there will be more of these, probably each day until Marvel's panel on Saturday.

Avengers: Age of Ultron opens May 1st 2015.

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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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Scarlett Johansson Encounters Oldboy in New 'Lucy' Clip

How can you tell that Luc Besson's latest film, the action-thriller Lucy, is really close to hitting theaters? Because the clips just won't stop, that's how. We just up one with Scarlett Johansson engaged in a pretty cool car chase throughout Paris, and now comes another one from Empire that has her meeting up with Oldboy himself, Choi Min-sik. He plays the baddie, some sort of crime boss, and in this clip taken from early on in the film we see he's a guy who likes to take precaution. That's especially true when the case Lucy is carrying may hold a bomb. Must be nice to have an army of goons with blast shields.

Also starring Morgan Freeman and Analeigh Tipton, Lucy opens on July 25th.

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Scarlett Johansson Rips Through Paris in Car Chase Scene from 'Lucy'

The Professional, La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element, Adele Blanc Sec....Luc Besson loves his butt-kicking femme fatales and has basically built a career bringing them to the screen, and that doesn't even include the films he's written (like Colombiana) featuring tough as nails ladies. Will Scarlett Johansson be his next great one in the sci-fi action flick, Lucy? Take a look at the latest clip and judge for yourself.

Johansson brings the sexy and the attitude as a drug mule who accidentally digests the drug she's carrying and becomes gifted with incredible powers, powers that give her the ability to use her full brain capacity. So what does that mean? Increased knowledge absorption, telepathy, telekinesis, and apparently the ability to push around inept French cops. Basically this rather long clip has everything we've come to expect from Besson. Energetic but generic soundtrack backing a car chase through the Paris streets, the aforementioned inept cop, and one pouty-lipped heroine with a mean streak.  Sign me up.

Lucy hits theaters on July 25th.


Scarlett Johansson's Incredible Driving Scene From "Lucy" by celebritywire

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Scarlett Johansson Uses Her Brain in 'Lucy' Red Band Clip

One of the cooler things about Scarlett Johansson's performance as Black Widow is that she's playing one of the few Avengers without any powers. She has to rely on other skills to get by, and by extension Johansson has to be more subtle than most of her co-stars who have all sorts of CGI fireworks accompanying them. But in Luc Besson's new action flick, Lucy, Johansson will have all the superpowers she can handle and some kickass guns, too.

Basically resembling a sci-fi La Femme Nikita, Lucy has Johansson as a drug mule who gains extraordinary abilities after she absorbs the substance into her system. It allows her to use more than 10% of her brain and as the capacity grows, so do her powers, which she uses to exact bloody revenge on those who held her captive.

A return to form for Luc Besson or just another high-profile dud? We'll find out when Lucy opens on July 25th.

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*UPDATE* Scarlett Johansson and Jonah Hill Join the Coen Brothers for 'Hail Caesar'

*UPDATE* The Wrap now says Jonah Hill is eying an unspecified role in Hail Caesar. This would be his first time working with the Coens. It does give him a chance to team up with his 22 Jump Street pal, Channing Tatum.

The Coen Brothers have been so incredibly consistent over the course of their career that a film like 2001's black & white noir, The Man Who Wasn't There, has been forgotten a little bit despite the acclaim it received. Much of the attention was focused on the style and performance of Billy Bob Thornton, but also great in a smaller role was Scarlett Johansson, and now after all this time she's finally working with the Coens again.

Johansson has joined the all-star cast of Hail Caesar, starring alongside George Clooney, Channing Tatum, Tilda Swinton, Josh Brolin, and Ralph Fiennes. Clooney plays a 1950s Hollywood fixer tasked with keeping the studio's stars in line and out of the press. Johansson will take on a small role as an actress who learns she is pregnant just before her film is about to go into production.

Filming on Hail Caesar is expected to begin this fall and we should see it in theaters in 2015.  [Variety]

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Rumored 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Plot Details Spotlight the Hulk, Big Action Sequence

Between now and next year's Avengers: Age of Ultron there will be tons of supposed plot details dropped by any number of sources. Some of those will pan out, others will be a load of bunk, and probably 90% of the rumors will come from Latino Review, because that's just what they do. Remember when they said a Planet Hulk/World War Hulk storyline was a definite? Well, they've sorta jettisoned that idea but their latest story on Joss Whedon's sequel sounds like it could be legit. Spoilers from here on out so just beware.

According to Latino Review's rundown of the film's opening 15-20 minutes, there's one massive action sequence followed Whedon's special brand of chatty character building. The closing post-credits scene from Captain America: The Winter Soldier kicks things off as the Avengers face Baron von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann), who has Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) fighting by his side. So what spurred on this battle? The objects von Strucker was wielding the last time we saw him, items that will probably play a much larger role later on.

Tony Stark throws a huge penthouse party at Avengers Tower to celebrate the victory, and it's there that we see the characters interact and show us where they are right now. The gang all take a shot at lifting Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, with everybody failing except for Captain America who can just nudge it a little. In the comics, Cap is one of the few deemed worthy of lifting it (so can Beta Ray Bill so it's not that big of a deal!). We also learn that Black Widow, who seems to have flirting interest in every member of the team, now has romantic feelings for Bruce Banner. But due to his "Hulking out" problem, Banner is afraid to give in to his feelings and possibly hurt her. We also find out that Thor and Jane Foster have split up, although would anybody be surprised if they are back together in time for Thor 3? And if not, does that mean Sif (Jaimie Alexander) finally has a shot at him?

The only thing I find curious is the lack of Ultron in any of these scenarios. It doesn't seem likely Whedon would go so long without teasing the film's most prominent villain in some way.  Avengers: Age of Ultron opens May 1st 2015.

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Review: Jon Favreau's 'Chef' Starring Sofia Vergara, Robert Downey Jr., and Scarlett Johansson

Here's a tip before taking a seat at Chef, Jon Favreau's delectable return to indie filmmaking: Don't go in hungry! This mouth-watering, savory film is the most satisfying effort by Favreau since he made the leap to blockbusters, and marks a return to the charming small-budget comedies that made him popular to begin with. Remember when he was "so money" in Swingers? That was a long time ago, and it's probably safe to say that making all of those Iron Man movies and Cowboys & Aliens sapped him of his creative passion.

Whether Favreau admits or not, there has to be a kernel of reality to Chef, which centers on Carl Casper, a prominent L.A. chef at an upscale restaurant churning out boring, passionless food. But it hooks customers, which is all the eatery's owner (Dustin Hoffman) cares about. But Carl wants to make his own menu, and the malaise of his current rut is all over him and infecting the kitchen, where buddies played by John Leguizamo and Bobby Cannavale chew the fat more than they ever slice it. When a powerful local food critic (Oliver Platt) turns up expecting Carl's best and gets nothing but the same boring menu, it leads to a bad review that sends Carl into a tailspin.

“I would rather have you sit on my face after a brisk walk on a warm day than have to suffer through that fucking lava cake again.”

So no, it didn't go well at all. A total freak out at the restaurant is captured by the customers and becomes a Youtube meme; but that's not nearly as bad as Carl's fighting words over Twitter, which launches him into celebrity status. They also basically cost him his job and any chance of getting hired elsewhere. Somehow he's got to get out of this creative funk and get his groove back.

Carl also has to get his personal life in order, and that proves to be another major challenge. Chef is as much about father-son bonding as it is about food, with the crux of the heartwarming tale about passing on a family trade. The problem is that Carl is so pre-occupied with work that he barely knows his son, Percy (EmJay Anthony), who lives with Carl's spicy ex-wife, Inez (Sofia Vergara). The film really takes off as Carl finally decides to make chicken salad out of the chicken crap hand he's been dealt, deciding to open up a food truck paid for by another of Inez's exes (Robert Downey Jr. in arrogant Stark mode), and make the dishes he always wanted to. And in the process he gets to reconnect with Percy while hitting the road to some of his favorite spots and sampling the local eats. Who needs Disney when there are shrimp po'boys in New Orleans waiting to be devoured? Driving through Texas? Better stop and sample the local BBQ. Sure, it's a bit simplistic to say that a mere road trip and a ton of grub can repair a man's soul or fix a family, but if Favreau is too earnest it's made up for in sincerity.

From the very beginning Favreau strives to get across just how special cooking food really is, and how it touches the lives of the chef and those he's preparing it for. With meticulous detail Favreau takes us through all of the steps we can see on Food Network cooking shows, minus all of the obnoxious hosts. There's an emphasis on the process, the use of natural ingredients, stressing local homegrown ingredients that require a bit of nurturing. And even if the parallels to a father nurturing his son are squishy and sentimental, it's good to see a film that presents a positive paternal portrayal. Carl isn't a perfect guy, but he's perfect at cooking food and wants to impart some of that wisdom on his son. The finest moments come when Carl is imparting hard-learned lessons to Percy about treating the customer and the food with due respect.

But there are a few burned edges Favreau has to contend with. Once the road trip begins there are very few moments that aren't completely predictable. And at some point it does seem that Favreau totally gives up on the plot and decides to just photograph a bunch of grub. One can hardly blame him as it's all incredibly well photographed and looks so good you'll be making dinner plans before the credits roll. Shots are taken at Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen, social media, and food criticism as a whole, with Favreau getting out what seems to be a lot of pent up anger. Although to be fair it probably has less to do with cooking than with his frustration over the current state of the movie business. Some of that frustration comes through in his performance early on, only to settle down comfortably when it's time to impart some fatherly words of wisdom. The rest of the cast acquit themselves well, especially Leguizamo, Cannavale, and Vergara. Less convincing are Downey and Scarlett Johansson who feel like they are only around to do their Iron Man director a favor.

Chef is a simple film that uses the finest of ingredients. It's as comforting as a home cooked meal and just as satisfying.

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