The Marvel/Sony Superhero Movies Thread

[Skitch]

http://www.starkindustriesnow.com/

[megladon8]

Two more cast in Thor.

Jaimie Alexander is playing Sif.

Colm Feore will be playing an as-yet-unnamed villain.

[The Mike]

Colm Feore will be playing an as-yet-unnamed villain.

:|

Visions of Riddick now dance in my head.

:|

[megladon8]

:|

Visions of Riddick now dance in my head.

:|

Actually, the Necromongers from The Chronicles of Riddick would be a pretty cool enemy in a Thor movie.

[Lazlo]

With "Kick Ass", "The Losers" and "Jonah Hex" tanking, the filmgoing public is definitely showing a lack of interest this year in comic-to-film adaptations based on lesser known properties. Now, Latino Review reports that Marvel Studios is considering a different strategy for their lesser known heroes - short films.

Much like Pixar does with their features, Marvel is apparently considering making ten-minute short films introducing lesser known superheroes (eg. Luke Cage, Dr. Strange) to play before Marvel's two big tentpoles next year - "Thor" and "Captain America".

This would seem to contradict talk earlier this year which emerged that the company was looking into generating lower budget films with promising directors to introduce their C-Grade characters. Then again both plans could well be in the works, but no official word on either approach is yet forthcoming.

Interesting, I guess. Good way of using these characters without risking a giant "Who the fuck is Dr. Strange" from the general public, perhaps.

[number8]

That's actually pretty smart.

[Skitch]

I like that idea.

[bac0n]

Probably is, but I think a full length Luke Cage film could be a whole lotta fun.

[megladon8]

Probably is, but I think a full length Luke Cage film could be a whole lotta fun.

Indeed, but casting is uber-important with that character.

They need someone who actually has acting chops. I know Tyrese Gibson was/is interested in the role, but that would suck.

[Dukefrukem]

Release date aiming for a May 3, 2013...

Avengers May 4, 2012

Captain America July 22, 2011

Thor May 6, 2011


So 2 Marvel movies next year and only 1 in 2012 and 1 in 2013?

[Ezee E]

Well, there is Spider-Man (3D) in 2012, and there will no doubt be something in 2013 also. Black Widow?

[Dukefrukem]

Ah. I forgot about Spider-man, which I'm not expecting much from.

A Black Widow stand alone? That could be about as interesting as Elektra.

[megladon8]

I sure as hell hope 3 is better than 2.

[Henry Gale]

I think I'm the one person that's a fan of both of the first two, but with the added aspect of liking the second one a lot more. I feel like people get too caught up in how the Avengers stuff doesn't work very well and how underutilized Rourke was as the villain, but forget how fun it was otherwise and how good all the cast was in it, especially Rockwell and Rourke.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, my expectations for #3 are pretty high.

[Ivan Drago]

Well, there is Spider-Man (3D) in 2012, and there will no doubt be something in 2013 also. Black Widow?

Deadpool?

[soitgoes...]

Wolverine will be out 2012ish.

[Skitch]

Batman...Superman...Antman...

As for Iron Man, I thought the sequel was equal to or greater than first. Need to see it again, but definately didn't think it was worse than first.

[Sven]

I agree he's got strong iconography, but then so does McDonald's, Mr Clean, and Tony the Tiger.

You have not made a point here.

I don't think a star on a shield drives hordes of people to the box office.

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/box-off...122004908.html

I'd call Cap generic because, outside the obvious propaganda built into the character, there isn't anything remarkable about him.

Right. Nothing remarkable about a character who's been around for 70 years and is as popular as ever.

[Irish]

You have not made a point here.

I did, but you missed it. Short take: Logos don't make a character and don't make a movie.

If iconography drives ticket sales for these kinds of movies, then how do you explain the failures of Wolverine, The Hulk, and Superman Returns?

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/box-off...122004908.html

Right. Nothing remarkable about a character who's been around for 70 years and is as popular as ever.

Summer tentpole film with a massive marketing and PR budget, but it's the icon that got people to the theater? Right. Caps is going to crawl to make its money back (I seriously doubt this movie is going to play well overseas).

I'm not sure longevity in comics is particularly meaningful, given how that business is run and some of the rights issues surround certain characters (like, say, Wonder Woman).

He's not particularly remarkable because most of what he does could be done by someone else. He's sort of an ersatz Superman in that regard.

The acid test is: How many people, before the movie opened, knew anything about this guys powers, character, or backstory? Very few, I'd imagine. That's why he's a second tier character and "bottom of the barrel."

[Winston*]

Are there only two tiers in a standard barrel?

[bac0n]

Right. Nothing remarkable about a character who's been around for 70 years and is as popular as ever.

What I find remarkable about Cap, and in these days it does make him stand out, is that he doesn't really have any emotional baggage, nor is he even close to any sort of anti-hero archetype. He's straight as an arrow, never doubts himself, always knows the right thing to do, and always does it.

Sounds cheesy, but if Tony Stark is the guy that made Number8 wanna become an American, Steve Rogers has always been the guy that made me want to be a better American.

[megladon8]

I get the feeling that Irish hasn't read much of either Iron Man or Captain America. Calling Stark a conservative, overly self-serious character just doesn't ring true with any Iron Man stuff I've read. Not even the crappy stuff.

[Sven]

Edit: I responded with a big post, some may have read it, but returning to it, I was unsatisfied with my response, so I have removed it and am not going to post a response. Sorry, Irish, but I just am not in the mood.

[number8]

I've decided to stay out of this thread until people stop insulting my favorite character, the character that is so inspirational and remarkable in what he does in his comics that he made me want to become an American. It fucks with my day too much.

[Irish]

I've decided to stay out of this thread until people stop insulting my favorite character, the character that is so inspirational and remarkable in what he does in his comics that he made me want to become an American. It fucks with my day too much.

So you posted to announce you're not going to post? 'kay.

I get that this character is special to you, but that doesn't magically make him culturally relevant to a wide audience.

What I find remarkable about Cap, and in these days it does make him stand out, is that he doesn't really have any emotional baggage, nor is he even close to any sort of anti-hero archetype. He's straight as an arrow, never doubts himself, always knows the right thing to do, and always does it.

It depends on when you read him. He's had plenty of emotional baggage in the past. Most of the other stuff you're citing could be true of any hero, in and out of comics (it's not as if James Bond has bouts of deep depression and ever feels any conflict about what he's doing).

I get the feeling that Irish hasn't read much of either Iron Man or Captain America. Calling Stark a conservative, overly self-serious character just doesn't ring true with any Iron Man stuff I've read. Not even the crappy stuff.

Enough to see a discernible difference between what's on the page and what's on the screen.