“Spider-Man” Is Now Officially Part Of Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

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It’s official! “Spider-Man” will be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Disney/Marvel will co-produce future “Spider-Man” movies with Sony.

Under the agreement, the new “Spider-Man” will first appear for a film in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe and then Sony will release a new “Spider-Man” movie on July 28th, 2017 to be co-produced by Marvel’s Kevin Feige and Sony’s Amy Pascal.

Marvel and Sony Pictures are also exploring opportunities to integrate characters from the MCU into future Spider-Man films.

Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company said: “Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s great characters, beloved around the world. We’re thrilled to work with Sony Pictures to bring the iconic web-slinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which opens up fantastic new opportunities for storytelling and franchise building.”

“We always want to collaborate with the best and most successful filmmakers to grow our franchises and develop our characters. Marvel, Kevin Feige and Amy, who helped orchestrate this deal, are the perfect team to help produce the next chapter of Spider-Man,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans.”

“Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios share a love for the characters in the Spider-Man universe and have a long, successful history of working together. This new level of collaboration is the perfect way to take Peter Parker’s story into the future,” added Doug Belgrad, president, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.

“I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie,” said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. “Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel’s involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years.”

Source: Marvel

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Welcome home “Spider-Man!”

This is without a doubt the news that most Marvel fans have been waiting to hear. It is still uncertain if “Spider-Man” will make his debut in “Captain America: Civil War” or “Avengers: Infinity War Part 1.” I have a feeling that he will be a part of “Civil War” since the character of “Spider-Man” was a major participant in the comic book series. I had heard previously that Marvel was not going to use “Spider-Man” even if a deal between Marvel and Sony emerged because the script had been finalized and they were planning on going into production soon. “Black Panther” was expected to fill in for “Spider-Man’s” role. I am sure that Disney and Marvel were aware that an agreement was in play and it wouldn’t surprise me if they had written two scripts just in case. So I would expect “Spider-Man” to be the third major character in “Civil War.” I also would not be surprised if the title changes to just “Civil War” at some point.

It sounds as though Andrew Garfield will no longer be playing “Spider-Man” and that they will be casting a new “Spider-Man.” Marvel also mentioned that characters from “Spider-Man’s” Universe may appear in future Marvel movies. This is an added bonus because the Marvel Cinematic Universe is really lacking in “good” villains.

Now that a new “Spider-Man” movie will be released on July 28th, 2017, some of Marvel’s Phase 3 movies release dates are being shifted around.  “Thor: Ragnarok” was scheduled to be released on July 28th, 2017 but will now be moved to November 3rd, 2017. The following year, Marvel’s “Black Panther” will make its way to theaters on July 6, 2018, and Marvel’s “Captain Marvel” on November 2, 2018. Finally, Marvel’s “Inhumans” will now debut in theaters July 12, 2019. The previously announced dates for Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War Part 1” and “Avengers: Infinity War Part 2” on May 4, 2018 and May 3, 2019, respectively, remain unchanged.new

 

Production Has Begun on “Pete’s Dragon” Remake

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

Principal photography on Pete’s Dragon commenced this week in New Zealand. A re-imagining of the 1977 Disney classic, Pete’s Dragon will blend live action and CGI to tell the story of the special bond between an orphaned boy, Pete, and his best friend, Elliott, who just happens to be a dragon.

The film stars Bryce Dallas Howard as Grace, a park ranger who discovers the existence of Elliott; 10-year-old Oakes Fegley as Pete; Wes Bentley as Jack, a local mill owner; New Zealand native Karl Urban as Jack’s brother, Gavin; Oona Laurence as Natalie, the young girl who befriends Pete; and Oscar® winner Robert Redford as Grace’s father.

Pete’s Dragon is directed by David Lowery and produced by Jim Whitaker, with Barrie Osborne serving as executive producer. The screenplay is by Lowery and Toby Halbrooks. WETA Digital, the visual effects company founded by filmmaker Peter Jackson based in New Zealand, will utilize the latest in digital effects to bring the dragon, Elliott, to life. The film is scheduled to be released in U.S. theaters in August, 2016.

“This is a story about how magic can enter one’s life and change the way they see the world. And I think David Lowery is the perfect director to bring this project to life,” says Whitaker.

The production begins shooting in and around Wellington before moving north to the Rotorua area, and will complete principal photography in the South Island communities of Tapanui and Invercargill.

Film New Zealand, the country’s national film office and sister agency Film Wellington assisted the Walt Disney Studios in assessing and confirming New Zealand for the production.

“New Zealand has long been a wonderful partner for film production. Wellington’s state-of-the-art facilities and filmmaker-friendly community, in particular, make it an ideal location to shoot and be based out of,” says Osborne.

Pete’s Dragon is set for theatrical release in August 2016.

New Live-Action “Cinderella” Trailer Released

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

The Walt Disney Studios has released a new trailer for the spectacular new live-action film Cinderella.

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A live-action feature inspired by the classic fairy tale, Cinderella brings to life the timeless images from Disney’s 1950 animated masterpiece as fully-realized characters in a visually-dazzling spectacle for a whole new generation.

Cinderella opens in theaters March 13, 2015.

Have a look at the new trailer:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erecP_j6aKE]

The story of Cinderella follows the fortunes of young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new Stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera) into the family home. But, when Ella’s father unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family.

 

Soon, she is forced to become their servant, disrespected, covered in ashes and spitefully renamed Cinderella. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella will not give in to despair nor despise those who mistreat her, and she continues to remain positive, determined to honor her mother’s dying words and to “have courage and be kind.”

 

When Ella meets a dashing stranger in the woods, unaware that he is really the Prince (Richard Madden) and not merely Kit, an apprentice at the palace, she believes she has finally found a kindred soul. It appears her fortunes may be about to change when the King (Derek Jacobi) summons all maidens in the kingdom to attend a royal ball at the palace, raising Ella’s hopes of once again encountering the charming Kit. Alas, her Stepmother forbids her to attend and callously destroys her dress.

 

Meanwhile, the calculating Grand Duke (Stellan Skarsgård) devises a plan to thwart the Prince’s hopes of reuniting with Ella and enlists the support of the devious Stepmother. But, as in all good fairy tales, help is at hand. Soon, a kindly beggar woman (Helena Bonham Carter) steps forward and, armed with a pumpkin, a few mice and a magic wand, changes Cinderella’s life forever.

Cinderella opens in theaters March 13, 2015.

2/17/15 Marvel News Mash-Up (Spider-Man Deal Details, Avengers Posters, Princess Leia, ETC.)

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

Update On Disney/Marvel And Sony’s “Spider-Man” Deal

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Now that Disney/Marvel and Sony finally came to an agreement in regards to Spider-Man appearing in future Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, more information about the deal is making it’s way out. The following is what I was able to come up after researching all aspects of the deal:

  • No money changed hands by either company. This deal is being used so that both companies mutually benefit. It will benefit Sony by giving Spider-Man more exposure from appearing in Marvel movies like “The Avengers.” It will benefit Disney by having Marvel’s most popular character, Spider-Man, in their most popular movie franchise.
  • The final deal that Sony agreed to was to basically lease Spider-Man to Disney and in return Kevin Feige, head of Marvel, will co produce the new “Spider-Man” film scheduled to be released in 2017.
  • Marvel will have full creative control and help write the script for the new “Spider-Man” movie but Sony has final approval of the script.
  • Disney acquired Marvel in 2009 for $4 billion dollars. Since then they have been pursuing the “Spider-Man” movie rights from Sony for years offering billions of dollars for the franchise. Sony has rejected them every time.
  • The “Amazing Spider-Man 2” grossed $708 million dollars worldwide. The production budget and marketing costs for the movie was close to $500 million dollars. If you take into consideration that usually 50% of ticket sales goes to the theater owners over the distribution period of the film, Sony incurred a loss of about $150 million dollars theatrically. “Guardians Of The Galaxy” grossed $774 million dollars worldwide. The production budget and marketing costs for the movie was close to $350 million dollars. Unlike Sony, Disney incurred a profit from “Guardians” theatrical release. Both companies had additional revenue through home video sales. What stands out is that Spider-Man is one of the most recognizable comic book characters and previously had a franchise consisting of 4 profitable movies going into the release of “Amazing Spider-Man 2.” Prior to “Guardian’s” release, barely any moviegoers ever heard of them and two of its main characters were a talking raccoon and a tree that said three words. I heard that the parent company of Sony was very much aware of this and not happy.
  • Disney owns all of the merchandising rights to Spider-man, including movie merchandise, and having Spider-Man have more exposure in their movies will add to a big increase in Spider-Man related products. If Sony owned the merchandising rights to the “Spider-Man” movies, this deal between Disney/Marvel and Sony probably would not have happened.
  • The studios are looking for a much younger actor than Andrew Garfield, age 31, to portray Spider-Man. They would like to go with an actual teenager.
  • The story for the new “Spider-Man” movie will not be an origin story and will focus on Peter Parker being an awkward teenager by day and being Spider-Man at night. There will be less focus on his love life. All 5 previous “Spider-Man” movies focused on his love life and the studios want to go into a different direction.
  • By Disney planning to include some of their Marvel characters in Sony’s “Spider-Man’s” movies some sources are saying that this is the first step in Disney acquiring the movie rights. Disney could also be positioning itself into purchasing Spider-Man’s movie rights in the future.
  • The plan is for the new Spider-Man to appear in a Marvel movie “prior” to the release of the solo “Spider-man” movie in 2017. The movies prior to the new “Spider-Man” are:
    • ”Avengers: Age Of Ultron” – Maybe. It’s possible as a post credit teaser.
    • “Ant-Man” – Highly unlikely. I know, spiders and ants, but don’t see it happening.
    • “Captain America: Civil War” – Highly likely. Marvel is scrambling to have Spider-Man in this movie before it goes into production. Apparently two scripts were written. One with Black Panther being a central figure, the other with Spider-Man.
    • “Doctor Strange” – Mmmm, maybe. Doctor Strange is based in New York and so is Spider-Man. Plus Doctor Strange is a bit of a risk character with less people knowing who he is and the addition of Spider-Man could help the box office.
    • “Guardians Of The Galaxy 2” – Nope. Unless it takes place on Earth.

Even though we are learning more about the “Spider-Man” deal, there probably is a lot that has yet to be revealed.  The one thing that I feel most people have overlooked is Disney moving “Thor: Ragnarok” and other Phase 3 release dates to accommodate the opening of the new “Spider-Man” movie. Why would Disney do that? Sony will get 100% of the revenue and Disney will get nothing, except maybe a bump in Spider-Man merchandise revenue. This is either an act of goodwill on Disney’s part, or like what was mentioned, Disney is positioning itself to acquire the “Spider-Man” movie rights back. Disney had planned to release 3 Marvel movies in 2017 and with “Thor” moving to November of 2017 it resulted in “Black Panther” being pushed back to 2018. I think that is more than just goodwill on Disney’s part because they are sacrificing a whole movie that would add to Disney’s overall 2017 revenue. Disney is basically saying, “This is the movie that we want you to see before you see the rest of our Phase 3 movies.” Maybe I’m just an optimist but I think that move was a significant move on Disney’s part.

Definitely exciting times are ahead and expect news some news next month since “Captain America: Civil War” begins filming this April.

Actors Being Considered For The New “Spider-Man”

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According to Variety, Sony is looking at actors Dylan O’Brien (“The Maze Runner”) and Logan Lerman (“Percy Jackson”) as potential candidates for the role of the new Spider-Man. Both actors are 23 years old. As previously mentioned, the studios want to go with a younger Peter Parker who is an awkward high school teenager by day and superhero at night. Sony is looking for a new director to replace Marc Webb, who directed “Amazing Spider-Man 1 and 2.”

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The studio is also unsure if they will continue with Peter Parker or go with Miles Morales. In the comic “Ultimate Spider-Man,” Miles Morales is a young boy of African American and Hispanic decent who takes over the role of “Spider-Man” after Peter Parker dies (not much of a spoiler, this is comic is based in an alternative universe).

Variant Covers For Marvel Comics “Princess Leia #1”

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If it is one thing that Marvel Comics can never have enough of, it’s variant covers.

When Princess Leia Organa was captured by the Empire as a Rebel spy, she never betrayed her convictions, even in the face of the complete destruction of her home world, Alderaan. When her rescue came, she grabbed a blaster and joined the fight, escaping back to the Rebel Alliance and helping strike the biggest blow against the Empire-the destruction of the Death Star. But in the aftermath of that victory, the question remains…what is a princess without a world? Follow Leia’s journey in the days following the end of “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” as she searches for answers…and for hope. Witness the beginnings of the journey that transforms a princess without a home into one of the greatest leaders in the fight for freedom across the galaxy! “Princess Leia #1” will be released on March 3rd, 2015.

Behold the latest variant covers for the continuing adventures of “Star Wars” very own “Princess Leia.”

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More Promo Art For “Avengers: Age Of Ultron”

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Here is some beautiful looking promo art poster from the upcoming movie, “Avengers: Age Of Ultron.”

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Source: Jposters

That’s it for this week!

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” Movie Begins Production in Australia

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

Production has begun on location in Australia on Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ epic comedy adventure Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, directed by Espen Sandberg, the fifth entry in the blockbuster franchise inspired by the classic Disney Theme Parks attraction, which has reaped $3.7 billion in worldwide box office. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will film entirely at Village Roadshow Studios and on locations within Queensland, Australia.

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Johnny Depp returns to his iconic, Academy Award®-nominated role of Captain Jack Sparrow, one of the most beloved characters in motion picture history, newly joined by Oscar® winner Javier Bardem, rising young stars Kaya Scodelario and Brenton Thwaites  and Golshifteh Farahani. Rejoining the action are Academy Award® winner Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa, Kevin R. McNally as Joshamee Gibbs and Stephen Graham as Scrum.

Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar (Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea…including him.  Captain Jack’s only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and written by Jeff Nathanson. The executive producers are Chad Oman, Joe Caracciolo, Jr. and Brigham Taylor.

2/27/15 Marvel News Mash-Up (Avengers, More Spider-Man Drama, ETC.)

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

“Avengers: Age Of Ultron” Official Movie Poster

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Here is the first official movie poster for “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” with all of the cast front and center.

If you have a magnifying glass, this poster also confirms that Anthony Mackie is reprising his role as The Falcon from “Captain America: Winter Soldier.” Both Thor alumni Idris Elba (Heimdall) and Stellan Skarsgård (Dr. Erik Selvig) are also returning from proof of their cast names appearing on the poster.  I tried my best to zoom in on it and highlight it below.

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Definitely glad to see that Captain America, the leader of the team, is highlighted in this poster as opposed to the original “Avengers” poster where he was way in the background and they basically made Robert Downey Jr. the focus:

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Funny thing is that after this official poster was released, Marvel released another poster with Robert Downey Jr. as the focus, just in case:

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“Avengers: Age Of Ultron” Opens on May 1st, 2015.

Robert Downey Jr. Shares His “Iron Man” Character Poster From “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” And Also Hints Of Some Big News Coming Next Week

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Robert Downey Jr recently revealed through his Twitter account the official character poster for Iron Man from “Avengers: Age Of Ultron.” I am sure this will be the first of many character posters that will eventually make its way into movie theater lobbies.

What is even more exciting is that he teased us that there will be a big announcement next week.

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Of course I couldn’t help but speculate as to what it could be:

  1. Marvel will officially announce that “Spider-Man” will be in “Captain America: Civil War” This is probably the most probable. During the announcement of the Sony and Marvel Spider-Man deal, they announced that Spider-Man will “first appear” in a Marvel movie prior to the new “Spider-Man” movie opening in 2017.
  2. Marvel and Sony will announce that they have cast an actor to play “Spider-Man.” Very possible since “Civil War” starts shooting in April.
  3. “Captain America: Civil War” will be split into two parts. This is wishful thinking on my part. There is so much material in the original Civil War comic book that there is no way that they could come close to being faithful to the original source material. Besides Captain America, Iron Man and hopefully Spider-Man, there is a huge lineup of superheroes involved. Civil War is one group of superheroes against another group of superheroes. You can’t squeeze all of that into one 2 hour movie.
  4. Robert Downey Jr. will announce an extension to his contract with Marvel. Maybe showing up in “Guardians Of The Galaxy 2?” This could somehow tie the Guardians universe with the Avengers so that they could come together for “Avengers: Infinity War.”
  5. New Trailer For “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” revealing “The Vision” for the very first time. This is very likely but definitely last on my list as to what I would prefer to see happen.

We should find out next Thursday and I will definitely let you know.

*And just as I was witting this article, Marvel released the official character poster for The Hulk.

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Tom Rothman Named New Chairman Of Sony Pictures; Does This Mean “Big Trouble” For “Spider-Man?”

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Last week we had possibly the best news ever when it was announced that “Spider-Man” was coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What a difference a week makes because this week we received some of the worst worst news ever. Tom Rothman is now in charge of Sony Pictures. What makes this such bad news? This guys track record is horrible when it comes to comic book movies and just movies in general. Tom Rothman was originally over at Fox and here are some of the questionable things that he did:

  1. Rothman is rumored to be majorly responsible for all of the hate between Fox and Disney/Marvel.
  2. Rothman was against the movie “X-Men” being made and went out of his way to cut the budget for the film. The first “X-Men” movie was the first superhero movie to reignite the public’s interest in superhero movies after the disastrous “Batman And Robin.” Comic book movie fans owe a lot to this movie.
  3. Rothman was responsible for causing Brian Singer to leave as director of “X-Men: Last Stand” and then he hired Bret Ratner, one of Hollywood’s worst directors. Rothman went onto micromanage the film resulting in the worst X-Men movie ever made.
  4. Rothman had his hands all over “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and forced director Gavin Hood to make changes that he was firmly against. So many changes were made by Rothman to the final movie that Gavin Hood eventually came out and said, “This is not my movie anymore.”
  5. Rothman refused to have any Sentinels in any “X-Men” movies while he was head of the studio.
  6. Rothman was behind the cloud version of Galactus that appeared in “Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer.”
  7. Rothman personally blocked the movie “Deadpool” from ever being made. The movie “Deadpool” was recently announced to be in production but it is mostly because Rothman left.
  8. Rothman was behind the movie release of “Elektra.”
  9. Ridley Scott and James Cameron were going to work together and make a sequel to “Aliens” and Rothman said no and decided to go with “Aliens Vs. Predator” instead.
  10. Rumor is Rothman does not like comic book movies and he only names himself as producer for those comic book movies that guarantee him a huge paycheck and then he tinkers with them and they become a disaster.

It’s not all bad news though. I mentioned last time that with the new “Spider-Man” deal that Marvel has creative control of Spider-Man, which includes the upcoming solo film. Several people pointed out to me that in the press release Sony still has creative control. I found this hard to believe because Sony made the deal with Marvel because they knew they were having trouble with the “Spider-Man” franchise and they wanted to have similar success that the Marvel movies were experiencing. It made me wonder, why would Sony have creative control and why would Marvel agree not to have creative control? I recently read this in Bigassdigest.com and it confirms what I originally stated:

“Everything I have heard is that Marvel is calling most of the shots on this new movie. There’s been a lot of language in the press to help Sony avoid some embarrassment, to make this look less like admitting defeat.“

That sounds more feasible than Marvel not having any creative control and Sony having all of it.

Latino Review goes on to explain this even more in depth:

Avi Arad and Matt Tolomach, producers of the Amazing Spider-Man movies (and Arad being attached to the property since it’s initial sale) are producers for Spider-Man in name only.

We have information from a source suggesting there is no financial involvement whatsoever and no direct creative control over Spidey coming from the old guard. Amy Pascal still has a say in the Mom-and-Pop arrangement she has with Feige, but Disney didn’t want to unite Pearlmutter, Arad and Feige in earnest. This is the solution.

What does that mean? It means Marvel might have a bit more control than we thought. It means the new Spider-Man has been insulated from BOTH Avi Arad and new Sony head, superhero property curse, Tom Rothman.

As I had mentioned previously, there are many things that we will probably never know about the Spider-Man deal that exists with Disney/Marvel and Sony. I am sure that Disney was well aware of any possibility and probably knew that Amy Pascal was going to be replaced and who the likely candidates were. I don’t think they would have agreed to the deal if they did not have certain assurances and could also protect themselves. And I am sure one stipulation was “you wanted our help, don’t interfere in the direction we are taking the character.”

Rant: Seriously, why do corporations sometimes hire the worst possible candidates for high level positions? This guy seems like your typical corporate jerk who takes credit for everything and throws everyone else under the bus when someone is needed to blame. He seems like he thinks he knows better than everyone else and loves to throw his power around. I can never understand why people like this are constantly rewarded. Of all of the atrocities that he was responsible for, there was going to be an Aliens sequel where both Ridley Scott and James Cameron both agreed to be on board and he said no? This man should not even be allowed to work at a 7-Eleven.

Sources: Deadline, Latino Review, Bigassdigest

Preview Of Marvel’s “Star Wars #3”

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Looks like Darth Vader still doesn’t know that Luke Skywalker is actually his son and he still hates his guts. In this issue, Han Solo and Princess Leia commandeer an AT-AT, C3PO has a license to drive the Millennium Falcon and Vader is about to take on the above mentioned AT-AT with a light saber!

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“Star Wars #3” will go on sale on March 11th, 2015.

Source: StarWars.com

First Clear Image Of Marvel’s “Daredevil”

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The magazine Film Ink has given us our best look at Daredevil so far by featuring “The Man With No Fear” on it’s front cover.

Rant: We better be seeing the classic red “Daredevil” costume very soon because if he is going to be wearing black pajamas throughout the first season, I’m not watching it. That’s like Batman not having his mask and cowl. That’s not Batman, that is just Bruce Wayne looking for trouble. This costume is fine if this is his first attempt at Daredevil but the character needs to look more like the iconic Daredevil. It makes no sense to be just showing us the black costume in promotions and not just revealing his red costume. Even if this was a motion picture, they would have revealed it by now. Don’t screw this up Marvel, you have a great track record with remaining loyal to the comics and the trailer looks great too.

Here are some of Daredevil’s costume that would be completely acceptable to me:

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* Marvel just released this new poster as I was writing this. Well, there is red in there, but not the red I’m looking for.

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Marvel’s “Daredevil” will premier exclusively on Netflix on April 10th, 2015.

Stan Lee Draws An Image Of “Spider-Man” For A Young Fan With Autism

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This is a great story. The New York Times reported that Jamel Hunter, an 8 year old boy with autism, was celebrating his birthday with friends and family. Jamel’s favorite hero is Spider-Man and Jamel’s mother went out of her way to have Spider-Man images displayed throughout the birthday party.

Stan Lee read about the story and was moved and wanted to do something to help. Stan Lee is Spider-Man’s creator and he has always played the role of writer, not artist. But Stan decided this one time that he would draw a very special picture of Spider-Man for Jamel. New York Times writer, Michael Wilson, delivered the drawing to Jamel, with Lee’s signature in the corner.

Here are some pictures of Jamel with Stan Lee’s gift:

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Source: New York Times

New “Ant-Man” Promo Art

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Some new promo art for the upcoming Marvel movie “Ant-Man” has recently hit the internet. Lets’ take a look at what we could expect from the movie based on the concept art below.

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“Ant-Man” will open on July 17th, 2015.

Sideshow Collectible Corner

“The Hulk” From “Avengers: Age Of Ultron”

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Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys have done it again. Check out this amazingly detailed premium figure of The Incredible Hulk as seen in “Avengers: Age Of Ultron.”

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Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys are thrilled to officially present the Hulk Deluxe Sixth Scale Figure Collectible Set from this epic blockbuster!

The movie-accurate collectible figure is specially crafted based on the image of Hulk in Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. This deluxe set specially features two newly developed angry and screaming Hulk head sculpts with rolling eyeballs, a specially painted muscular body and a newly sculpted interchangeable Hulk smash pose upper body.

The Hulk Deluxe figure is available for pre-order exclusively through Sideshow Collectibles. The cost is $374.99 and expected to ship sometime in the fourth quarter of this year.

That’s it for this time!

VIDEO: Trailer For “Frozen Fever” Premieres

WDWNT on February 26, 2015

Walt Disney Animation Studios just released the first trailer for “Frozen Fever.”

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQRLVxZHKPs]

In “Frozen Fever,” it’s Anna’s birthday and Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever, but when Elsa catches a cold, her powers may put more than just the party at risk.

“Frozen Fever” will be shown before Disney’s upcoming live version of “Cinderella” which will open on March 13th, 2015.

2015 Movie Slate for Walt Disney Pictures

WDWNT on January 29, 2015

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Walt Disney Studios has provided us with a list of their upcoming theatrical releases for 2015 as well as their release dates. Lets take a look at what awaits movie theater goers for 2015.

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“Strange Magic,” a new animated film from Lucasfilm Ltd., is a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Popular songs from the past six decades help tell the tale of a colorful cast of goblins, elves, faeries and imps, and their hilarious misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion. Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and Industrial Light & Magic bring to life the fanciful forest turned upside down with world-class animation and visual effects.

Release date: January 23, 2015

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Based on the 1987 true story, “McFarland, USA” follows novice runners from McFarland, an economicaaly challenged town in California, as they give their all to build a cross country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner), a newcomer to their predominately Latino high school, with whom they ultimately bond to buil not only a championship cross-country team but an enduring legacy as well.

Release date: February 20, 2015

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A live-action feature inspired by the classic fairy tale, “Cinderella” brings to life the timeless images from Disney’s 1950 animated masterpiece as fully-realized characters in a visually-dazzling spectacle for a whole new generation.

Release date: March 13, 2015

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Life is an adventure for Maya, the clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey in “Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s new feature film set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia. Maya’s world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated extended family. Like all families, Maya’s has more than it’s share of colorful personalities and she’s determined to give her son a leg up in the world. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya’s whole family is forced to relocate, and she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to lead them to untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings. Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son’s future.

Release date: April 17, 2015

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When Tony Stark jumpstarts 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 they battle to save the planet from destruction at the hands of the villainous Ultron.

Release Date: May 1, 2015

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In Disney’s riveting mystery adventure “Tomorrowland,” a jaded scientist and an optimistic teen embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and place.

Release date: May 22, 2015

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Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by emotions – Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate to a new city, house and school.

Release Date: June 19, 2015

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The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.” Master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats.

Release date: July 17, 2015

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Directed by Jon Favreau (Chef, Iron Man, Elf), based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s classic animated film, “The Jungle Book” is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johannsson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire. The all-star cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack’s alpha male Akela. “The Jungle Book” seamlessly blends live-action with photo realistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world.

Release date: October 9, 2015

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Tom Hanks stars in Steven Spielberg’s Untitled Cold War spy thriller, which is the true story of James Donovan, an attorney who finds himself thrust into the center of the Cold War when the CIA sends him on the near-impossible mission to negotiate the release of a captured American U-2 pilot.

Release date: October 16, 2015

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“The Good Dinosaur” asks the generations-old question: What if the cataclysmic asteroid that forever changed life on Earth actually missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? In theaters May 30, 2014, the film is a humorous and exciting original story about Arlo, a lively 70-foot-tall teenage Apatosaurus with a big heart. After a traumatic event rattles Arlo’s tranquil community, he sets out on a quest to restore peace, gaining an unlikely companion along the way—a young human boy named Spot.

Release date: November 25, 2015

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Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take you back again to a galaxy far, far away as “Star Wars” returns to the big screen with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Release date. December 18, 2015

1/5/15 Marvel News Mash-Up (Avengers, More spider-Man Rumors, ETC.)

WDWNT on January 29, 2015

New “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” Trailer To Premier January 12th On ESPN

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During this year’s Rose Bowl, an advertisement was played for an exclusive new “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” trailer that will appear during the College Football National Championship, which will air on January 12th at 8:30 PM on ESPN. There will also be an ad during the Superbowl on February 1st on NBC. I’m not sure if these ads will be identical or not.

Here is the advertisement that aired during the Rose Bowl:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOSgoawQ7DE]

First “Ant-Man” Trailer To Premier January 6th During Marvel’s “Agent Carter”; First Promotional Banner For “Ant-Man”

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Marvel has announced that the very first trailer for “Ant-Man” will occur during the premier of “Agent Carter”, which will air on Tuesday January 6th at 8PM on ABC.

Actress Haley Atwell is reprising her role as “Agent Carter”, who was a character seen in both Captain America movies. The series will focus on Agent Peggy Carter going on secret missions for Howard Stark while trying to navigate life as a single woman in 1940s America. “Agent Carter” will fill in for “Agents Of SHIELD”, while it is on it’s mid season break.

Here is a sneak peak that Marvel released for the upcoming “Ant-Man” trailer:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ent7BoDR1yE]

Marvel also released the first promotional art for the movie “Ant-Man” which shows the title character, Ant-Man, and the villain, Yellow Jacket.

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New Promo Art For “Avengers: Age Of Ultron”

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Marvel Studios recently revealed some promo art for “Avengers: Age Of Ultron”. We get a very detailed look at Vision as well as some other Avengers and the villain Ultron. There are also promotional cards that describe Vision and Ultron’s origins. Let’s take a look:

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Source: Superherohype.com

“Captain America” Star Chris Evans Visits Young Cancer Patient

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Chris Evans stopped by to visit Kenny Botting, a young boy battling cancer. Evans was in Massachusetts for a fundraiser for Christopher’s Haven, a place that provides support for young cancer patients.

“It’s their strength that gives me strength. No matter what hurdles are in my life it’s nothing compared to what these families go through, so any way I can bring a smile it’s worth it,” Evans said.

Below is a  video of Evans visit with Kenny:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEgzt9FP9gI]

Source: Comicbook.com

“Daredevil” Series Rumored To Debut May 1st On Netflix; New Synopsis

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Twitter user, Marvel_Spider, noticed via his PS3 Netflix app that the first episode of “Daredevil” is scheduled to air on May 1st. This date is also the exact same date as the release “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” in theaters. Keep in mind that this date may just be a placeholder since “Daredevil” is expected to debut this May.

Marvel’s Jeff Loeb recently gave a brief synopsis about the “Daredevil” series:

“Within the Marvel universe there are thousands of heroes of all shapes and sizes but The Avengers are here to save the universe and Daredevil is here to save the neighborhood. It’s a very unique look at Hell’s Kitchen in New York, where Matt Murdock grew up and continues to defend it from people who would harm the people that live there.”

Marvel And SONY Meeting This Month To Discuss The Future Of The “Spider-man” Movie Franchise; Possible Plans

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We still do not have an official date but at some point during this month, Marvel and SONY will be sitting down to talk about Spider-man possibly joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Due to the recent SONY leaks, SONY Pictures needs all the help it can get to recover from the damage that these leaks have done to it’s reputation.  More than likely we can expect to hear some kind of announcement in February from both camps regarding an agreement.

FuriousFanboys.com recently did a story on one of the SONY email leaks and it contained the following points of information:

  • In Captain America: Civil War, Tony Stark would recruit Spider-Man and give him a suit (the Iron Spider suit?). He’d meet the rest of the heroes such as Cap and Black Widow, etc.
  • Following that the first Spider-Man standalone would have him back home in Queens with Aunt May and back in school, while living in a world affected by Civil War where heroes are split into groups.
  • Marvel would then want Spider-Man to appear in Avengers: Infinity War parts 1 and 2.
  • Sony then would want a second standalone Spider-Man by 2019 so there isn’t too much time between his movies.

All of these points sound great and hopefully we will see something like this in the future. I still feel it is important to have Spider-man in “Captain America: Civil War” and hope that he isn’t just a cameo or an after credits teaser for “Avengers: Infinity War”. Even though the script has been finalized, I am sure it is very easy to just change the character (rumored to be Black Panther) back to the actual character the Civil War comic is based on, Spider-man.

Sideshow Collectible Corner

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Here is another beautifully detailed premium collectible figure by Hot Toys and sold through Sideshow Collectibles. The “Tony Stark With Arc Reactor” collectible set includes a specially crafted collectible figure based on the image of Robert Downey Jr. as the genius billionaire Tony Stark in “Iron Man 2″, and features a newly developed head sculpt, an advanced body with light-up chest light, detailed outfit, and the Captain America shield prototype which he has used to level the particle accelerator and workshop accessories. This figure is currently available exclusively through SideShow Collectibles for pre-order for $199.99 and will ship sometime this month.
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That’s it for this week!

Major Character From Original Star Wars Trilogy May Be In “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

WDWNT on January 29, 2015

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Massive spoilers ahead so do not read unless you want to be spoiled.

RebelScum.com provided a list of the upcoming Hasbro toy line for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”. There is noting really exciting in the list, since it is just names, but one name that sticks out more than others is “Darth Vader”.

(This is only a section of the toy list. The rest can be found at RebelScum.com)

Star Wars 7 Signature Lightsaber
Star Wars 7 Deluxe Villain Lightsaber
Star Wars 7 Electronic Lightsaber Assortment
Star Wars 7 Extendable Lightsaber Assortment
Star Wars 7 Villain Extendable Lightsaber
Star Wars 7 Foam Lightsaber Assortment
Star Wars 7 Force FX Lightsaber
Star Wars 7 Force FX Lightsaber Assortment
Star Wars 7 The Black Series Villain Helmet
Star Wars 7 Mask Assortment
Star Wars 7 Chewbacca Electronic Mask
Star Wars 7 Lead Villain Electronic Mask
Star Wars 7 Darth Vader Voice Change Mask

It’s also interesting to note that Hasbro recently announced that they would not be revealing their “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” toy line at this year’s New York City Toy Fair.

The following is a press release from Hasbro:

As usual, Hasbro will be exhibiting a variety of fun and exciting Star Wars products from across its portfolio of brands, including Star Wars action figures, Star Wars Galactic Heroes and more. There will be no toys based on Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Star Wars Episode VII) shown at Toy Fair this year.

Obviously, we know that there’s a huge amount of anticipation for Star Wars toys this year, and we wanted to be forthcoming about this as we know it might make a difference for some of you in regards to travel plans. While we’re happy to host all of you at Entertainment Brand Preview Day and look forward to having you check out the latest and greatest toys from Star Wars and Hasbro’s other exciting brands, we want you to have as much information as possible to be able to plan your travel and coverage.

More than likely the reason that this particular toy line is being held back from Hasbro is because it will contain spoilers for the movie. To see Darth Vader packaged in their “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” toy line would reveal a huge spoiler.

Does this mean that Darth Vader will be in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”? I do think it is a safe bet that at the very least we will see Darth Vader’s helmet in the movie or maybe even in some kind of flashback. We also have seen some evidence through concept art (see below) that his presence will somehow be in the film.

Guess we will have to wait until December 18th before we all know for sure.

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