Sci-Fi Movies Friday: The Dark Knight Rises, Captain America, The Hobbit, Avatar, Super 8 + more

In this week’s Sci-Fi Movies column we have the first look at the Captain America movie, some details and a title for the next Batman movie, release dates for a Super 8 and more genre films, a Hobbit shooting update, another Star Wars rumor and much more, including the latest casting bites, images and videos.

 

GENRE MOVIE NEWS

First official look at Chris Evans as Captain America

This week’s edition of Entertainment Weekly — on newstands now — features a cover-story on "Captain America: The First Avenger" (June 22, 2011). Here’s a look at the cover, along with scans from the pages within –giving us new looks at Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter and Hugo Weaving as — a pre-Red Skull — Johann Schmidt. [Pow Watch | EW & ComingSoon.net]

Nolan’s third Batman gets a title: The Dark Knight Rises

Christopher Nolan has revealed the title for his third Batman movie: "The Dark Knight Rises". Here’s what the director told Hero Complex | LA Times about the title:

“We’ll use many of the same characters as we have all along, and we’ll be introducing some new ones,” Nolan said cryptically. I had an odd thought: What if Nolan somehow brings back Harvey Dent? The only reason I even mention it is because, back during post-production on the second film, Nolan told me that the title “The Dark Knight” was just as much about Dent and his fall from the status of shining-knight civic crusader. Dent was plainly dead at the end of the last film, though, and Nolan has been intent on keeping his Gotham City film firmly rooted in a gritty gangland realism– this isn’t a franchise that has veered off into the supernatural or even much super-science.

Nolan also ruled out the use of 3D — he’ll instead stick with a mixture of High-Def and IMAX — and ruled out the rumored use of The Riddler as the villain, "It won’t be the Riddler", Nolan told the site. With that casting rumor out of the way…how about we move forward with another? Moviehole reports that Nolan has begun the casting process for a new female lead:

Several young (“Late 20′s, early 30′s”) ladies are meeting with the Caped Crusader’s resuscitator this week to talk about the new film. Interestingly enough, quite a few of the ladies don’t actually know what role they’re being asked to read for/meet Nolan about (yep, security is tighter on this thing than the department store Jonathan Switcher worked at in “Mannequin” – Okay, maybe a bit tighter than that) they’ve just accepted an offer to “meet” with the filmmaker. Presumably, they’ll leave the meeting knowing quite a bit more.

One of the rumored characters is…Catwoman. "The Dark Knight Rises" is scheduled to hit theaters on July 20, 2012 (two weeks after the "Star Trek" sequel).

Avatar 2 and 3 set for 2014 and 2015

We’ll be visiting Pandora again sooner than expected. Director James Cameron has announced that he will film "Avatar 2" and "Avatar 3" back-to-back for release in theaters in 2014 and 2015, respectively:

“I’m looking forward to returning to Pandora, a world where our imaginations can run wild,” Cameron said in a statement released by Twentieth Century Fox, which is eager to go back to the jungles of a distant moon where the studio found the biggest box-office grosses in history. In a joint statement, Fox Filmed Entertainment co-chairs Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman said: ” ‘Avatar’ is not only the highest grossing movie of all time, it is a created universe based on the singular imagination and daring of James Cameron, who also raised the consciousness of people worldwide to some of the greatest issues facing our planet.”

The Hobbit will film in New Zealand; NZ passes law to make sure it stays in country

Last week "The Hobbit" director Peter Jackson was concerned about the status of filming on the two-part project, proclaiming that at the moment it appeared it would not film in New Zealand. However, Prime Minister John Key announced earlier this week — via press conference — that the movies will be shot in New Zealand [via Deadline]:

Producer/director Peter Jackson is celebrating. Warner Bros executives were locked in negotiations all day with New Zealand government leaders. Then Prime Minister John Key announced at a press conference tonight that The Hobbit back-to-back movies will be made in New Zealand. That’s a $500+ million project, and the Hollywood studio bargained considerable perks for itself. Tax rebates of up to an extra $7.5 million per movie are arranged, subject to the success of the pics. The NZ government will offset $10 million of Warner Bros’ marketing costs as part of the strategic partnership.

New Line/WB/MGM recently issued a statement:

New Line, Warner Bros and MGM are pleased to have concluded successful discussions with the New Zealand government this past week. We’d like to thank Prime Minister Key, his Cabinet and the other dedicated New Zealand officials for their support and cooperation, which helped assuage our concerns and enabled us to keep The Hobbit in its proper home of New Zealand.

We’d also like to express very special appreciation to Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and the people of New Zealand for their tireless support of The Hobbit and their commitment to maintain and grow their vibrant film industry. Filming is scheduled to begin in February 2011 and we look forward to returning to Middle-earth.

And what of future concerns relating to labor disputes? Variety reports that New Zealand legislators have approved an amendment to the country’s existing labor law. "Hobbit law" will assure the film is shot locally:

The change in the law was part of a package hammered out earlier this week by prime minister John Key to persuade Warners to keep the two pics in New Zealand. The revision — dubbed The Employment Relations (Film Production Work) Amendment Bill — specifies that actors and other film production personnel hired as independent contractors can not subsequently claim to be employees, preventing the workers from claiming additional rights.

There’s also news this week on the casting front with Sylvester McCoy (best known for playing the seventh TV incarnation of The Doctor) confirming that he will play the wizard Radagast The Brown in the films. "The Hobbit: Part I" is rumored to have a December 19, 2012 release date with ‘Part II’ to follow the following December.

J.J. Abrams’ Super 8 gets a date: June 10, 2011

Paramount has set J.J. Abrams’ secretive sci-fi project "Super 8" for release on June 10, 2011. Details on the project, which is currently filming in West Virginia, remain limited but rumors suggest it will involve aliens. This is Abrams’ first film since directing "Star Trek". Competition wise it’ll go head-to-head with the romantic comedy "Something Borrowed" and the action film "Fast Five". It’s also sandwiched between several expected hollywood blockbusters — releasing after "Thor" (May 6), "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (May 20), "The Hangover 2" and "Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom" (both on May 27) and releasing before "Green Lantern" (June 17), "Cars 2" and "Rise of the Apes" (both June 24) and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (July 1).

Super 8 set video [YouTube]

Watch another set video here

 In other box office release date news:

  • Universal has set a November 9, 2012 release date for "Ouija", a December 21, 2012 release date "Snow White and the Huntsman" and a May 17, 2013 release date for "The Dark Tower". [ComingSoon.net]
  • 20th Century Fox has picked June 22, 2012 (the week before the "Star Trek" sequel) as the release date for the Seth Graham-Smith-scripted / Timur Bekmambetov-directed "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" while Summit Entertainment has pushed back the Nicolas Cage-starrer 3D "Drive Angry" to February 25, 2011 (from February 11, 2011). [Deadline & Box Office Mojo]

Rumor: Warner Brothers wants Chris Pine to play The Flash

Could "Star Trek’s" Chris Pine next play Barry Allen / The Flash? That’s what Warner Brothers apparently wants. It’s pretty much just a throw-away line buried in a Screen Rant article on an interview Newsarama conducted with "The Flash" writer Marc Guggenheim, but here is what Screen Rant reports:

Current rumors for casting the lead point toward Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, The A-Team) although he denies it. Other rumors through the grapevine hint at Chris Pine as a sought-after lead.

Bolding added for emphasis. Chris Pine would be a good fit for the role, but the up-and-coming actor’s full schedule may have other plans. As previously reported the script for "The Flash", which is currently being written by Greg Berlanti, Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim, is due into the studio by this Christmas. You can watch the interview with Guggenheim at Newsarama, excerpts of which can be read at Screen Rant.

Lucas planning new Star Wars trilogy? Lucasfilm immediately denies

Could Lucas be planning a new "Star Wars" trilogy? That’s what the new IESB.net is reporting:

Uncle George’s modus operandi has not changed, the plan is that he will self finance the new trilogy after he rakes in an expected $500 – $750 million dollars with the re-release of the entire Star Wars Saga in 3D and on Blu-Ray.

As previously reported Lucasfilm will re-release all six "Star Wars" movies in 3D in theaters and on Blu-ray beginning in 2012 at a clip of one a year. The seventh film would reportedly be ready for release within 24 months of the sixth film (so 2012-2016 for the 3D re-releases and a seventh "Star Wars" by 2018). Here are some more details from the IESB.net report:

Too early for story details but one thing that our source is certain about, they will not be prequels but instead sequels. It’s not for certain if they will be the long awaited Episodes 7, 8 and 9 but could instead be Episodes 10, 11 and 12 or possibly even further out in the Star Wars timeline. And by giving space in the timeline, possibly even as far as 100 years or 1,000 years in the Star Wars universe future, Lucas avoids having to make these stories “fit in” with what the previous stories have told.

According to our sources, the most likely scenario for the films is that they will exist in the same universe but will not have anything to do with the Skywalker Clan. That story has been told, that starship has sailed.

Not surprisingly, Lucasfilm quickly debunked the report [via Underwire | Wired]:

“This is, of course, completely false,” Lucasfilm spokesman Josh Kushins told Wired.com in an e-mail Saturday about the report. “George Lucas has plenty of projects to keep him busy right now — including plenty of Star Wars projects — but there are no new Star Wars feature films planned.”


PREVIEW Videos & Images

Megamind

Clip [YouTube]

Watch two more clips here and here

Now (previously titled "I’m.mortal")

Set images of Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried [more at Daily Mail.co.uk]

Paul

Promotional stills [IGN]

Tangled

Promotional stills [via Cinema Blend]

Promo video [via Cinema Blend]

Watch two more promos here

The Thing (prequel)

Interview with Joel Edgerton and Eric Christian Olsen [Movies Blog | MTV]

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Possible teaser poster [TLAMB]

ET promo clip [YouTube]

Watch two more ET promo clips here and here

TRON: Legacy

Music video for Daft Punk’s "Derezzed" [YouTube]

New clip [YouTube]

X-Men: First Class

Interview with Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique) [Splash Page | MTV]

MOVIE BITES

  • Warner Brothers has picked up an original pitch by Kevin and Dan Hageman based on the fictional ACME warehouse from the "Looney Tunes". [Heat Vision | THR]
  • James Cameron reportedly wants Louis Leterrier to direct the 3D remake of "Fantastic Voyage", of which Cameron is producing. Cameron has also brought on board his frequent collaborator Laeta Kalogridis to do a "quick polish" of the Shane Salerno script. [Deadline]
  • "Paranormal Activty 2" grossed a R-rated record $6.3M from midnight screenings and grossed a supernatural horror record $40.7M last weekend. The previous record was for "The Grudge" ($39.1M). [Box Office Mojo]
  • Lucasfilm is expected to announce next month that they are converting the "Indiana Jones" saga to 3D for theatrical re-releases. [Blue Sky Disney]
  • Gary Ross is in negotiations to direct an adaptation of "The Hunger Games". [Shelf Life | EW]
  • Marvel Studios has delayed production on "Runaways". [Deadline]
  • Director Su-yeon Kim says he’ll be filming "Host 2" in 3D: "Given the nature of the film and the current trends in the global film market, we think that 3D is the medium to go…But this will delay the film’s release date and bring significant changes to the film’s logistics." [THR]
  • Check out a report from the set of "Green Lantern" over at IGN.
  • Warner Brothers has greenlit Bryan Singer’s 3D "Jack the Giant Killer" movie. [Deadline]
  • "The Avengers" director Joss Whedon says his version of the Hulk — played by Mark Ruffalo — will be more like Bill Bixby from the TV series: "We want him to be an everyman, not so dour. A little more charming or accessible. We’re still sort of working it out with the script. I’m not exactly sure what it’ll end up being, but we’ve talked quite a bit about the Bill Bixby version of the Hulk". [Digital Spy]
  • With Robert Rodriguez no longer attached to direct "Deadpool", a new name has entered the picture: Swedish commericial and video director Adam Berg. [24 Frames | LA Times]
  • There’s a report that Sony has cut the budget of "Ghost Rider: The Spirit of Vengeance" to $75M from its original projected budget of $135M. [The Wrap]
  • Sylvain White and Scott Stewart are in the running to direct Universal’s 2012 adaptation of the board game "Ouija". [Deadline]
  • Stephen Norrington is no longer attached to direct the proposed remake of "Crow". Norrington also wrote the script for the remake (although Nick Cave was brought on board to do a polish). [Mania]
  • It’s confirmed. Steven Spielberg’s next directorial project will be the Drew Goddard-scripted adaptation of the upcoming Daniel H. Wilson novel "Robopocalypse". The novel is about "the human race’s attempt to survive an apocalyptic robot uprising". Filming is expected in 2012 with a release in 2013. The novel will be published by Doubleday in June 2011. [Deadline]
  • Lionsgates’ "Saw 3D" took in an estimated $1.7M from midnight-Thursday screenings. The the seventh film in the franchise is expected to gross $20M through Sunday. Although no where near the record highs in the franchise — Saw III ($33.6M), "Saw IV" ($31.8M) and "Saw II" ($31.7M) — its signficantly stronger than last year’s "Saw VI" which grossed a franchise-worst $14.1M in its opening frame (en route to a $27.7M domestic cume). [THR]

CASTING BITES

  • Kristin Davis ("Sex and the City") has joined the cast of "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island". Davis will play the mother to Josh Hutcherson’s character and a love interest to co-star Dwayne Johnson [Deadline]
  • Colin Farrell is reportedly at the top of the list to play the lead in Len Wiseman’s reboot of "Total Recall". Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender are also reportedly rumored for the role. [Heat Vision | THR]
  • Michael Sheen will reprise his role as the vampire leader of the Volturi in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn". [Variety]
  • Robert Downey Jr. will reportedly have to exit Alfonso Cauron’s "Gravity" due to scheduling conflicts. [Deadline]
  • Stan Lee says he hasn’t filmed a cameo for "Captain America: The First Avenger" and isn’t sure if he’ll be able to since it’s filming in the UK: "I don’t know. They’re filming it in London and I don’t have the time to go there. Now if they shoot any scenes here in the States, I’m sure that I will be in one of them…". [freep via Comic Book Movie]
  • 20th Century Fox and director Ridley Scott have completed meetings with actresses to play the role of Ripley in the "Alien" prequel and Scott’s favorite is reportedly "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" star Noomi Rapace. [Deadline]
  • John Slattery and Sam Elliot are two names mentioned as possible actors to fill the role of Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson in Marc Webb’s "Spider-Man". J.K. Simmons played the character in the three Sam Raimi movies. [What’s Playing]
  • Summit Entertainment has announced that Olga Fonda (Love Hurts), Janelle Froehlich (Hacienda Heights), Masami Kosaka (The Runaways), Sebastiao Lemos (Brazilian TV series Força-Tarefa), Amadou Ly (The Tested, The Bridge), Ty Olsson (X2), Wendell Pierce (Ray), and Carolina Virguez have all joined the cast of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn". [via Cinema Blend]
  • Speaking of Rodriguez, the director is currently shooting "Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World" and Jeremy Piven has signed on to play the film’s villain. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on August 19, 2011. [/Film]


Follow Russ on his website: Your Entertainment Now and on Twitter: Twitter.com/YourEntNow.

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Chris Evans should make a terrific Captain America. I hope they get this one right.

Uncle George IS going to make episode 7…. he just doesn’t know it yet!

HA! Hugo Weaving as Red Skull?!? Waaaaaaaaaay awesome! He’s up there with Gary Oldman and Michael Wincott as far as favorite villain actors go. If only someone would bring Wincott back to American movies I’m sure he’d be back on the map over here in no time.

– 24thCRS

Wow, the next 2 years will be exciting for sure! Looking forward to GL, Cars 2, TDKR, ST:? I could care less about making Star Wars and indiana Jones into 3D. They are fine as is, IMO.
I remember back when I was in junior high school (early 80’s) about Lucas making 9 chapters in total. The first 3 being as they were ad the last 3 taking place after RotJ.

I think that Lucas is done with the Star Wars thing, and that he should be. I think the wind got taken out of the sales with all the bad press given the prequel trilogy.

MORE STAR WARS!

I would love to see episodes 7, 8 & 9. I would have loved to see what happened after the fall of the empire. However, too many real time years have passed, and the actors are not the same age they were during SW:ROTJ.

So, how about starting episode 7 like this: the new Republic has been thriving for the past 30 years, Luke has rebuilt the jedi order and restablished the temple; Leia is President of the Republic, and her husband, Han Solo is commander of the armed forces. Lando is in a secretary of state type position. All is well, until it is discovered there is a sith in the their midst…

It would be all the original cast, including Kenny Baker and Anthony Daniels and Peter Mayhew, plus a fantom appearance by Ewan McGregor as Obi-wan.

Well, I guess a fan can dream…

There will be more Star Wars. Either Lucas will do it or when he is gone, whomever controls the franchise will. You dont mothball a billion dollar franchise.

I think Lucas should hire quality writers and let them take Star Wars back to being a shining example in sci fi.

As for stories, I don’t know about anyone else, but I DO want to see more Skywalker.

@6: I don’t know about you, but I’d ADORE a new trilogy based on Timothy Zahn’s novels. Alan Rickman as Grand Admiral Thrawn. That is all.

Wasn’t Captain America supposed to be a skinny wuss before he gets the super-soldier treatment? I wonder how they’re going to pull that off? Chris Evans has never been what you’d call scrawny …

#8

Good question about Captain America. But, you know, after “Benjamin Button” I think the sky’s the limit on makeup FX. A skinny Chris Evans is probably a piece of cake compared to making an old man/child Brad Pitt—well, if they get the right FX people that is.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to this movie. I heard that Joe Johnston was using Raiders of the Lost Ark as inspiration, and it sure shows in those photos!

1. Captain Dunsel – October 29, 2010
Chris Evans should make….

Spoken like a true Captain.

I HOPE SO, TOO!!

#8

Oh, and agreed about Rickman as Thrawn. Excellent choice.

Oh Jesus, please make Transformers stop.

I find it interesting that Fox, sister company of right-wing Fox News, released the in your face liberal environmental movie “Avater.” I guess money has no political boundaries.

On “Super 8” being about aliens, well I guessed that by watching the teaser. (Teaser linked below.) The teaser script says part of Area 51 wsa closed. And a shipment was headed to Ohio. Folks, that’s probably Wright Patterson Air Force Base, another place where they allegedly keep secret alien stuff. Oh, watch the trailer, you see some supernatural force trying to break out of a train car. Below is a wiki link to the mind blowing claims of Bob Lazar about S-4 portion of Area 51. He says that’s where the U.S. government keeps the alien ships.

Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpzUCA5i6zY

S-4 wikipedia link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-4_(Sector_Four)

indiana jones in 3d? ……………………..why?….. I can understand converting the star wars films but……Just when I think uncle george is finally docked here on earth. I have to again accept that lucas is still living in a galaxy far far away.
Star Wars is big

indiana jones isn’t as big as star wars. I think ol’ george better release the remaining indiana jones films on blu-ray and watch the sales figures before he dumps (Yes I Know) his OWN money into such a project.

I very much enjoyed Indiana jones 1-3-4!

I have no desire to see temple of doom again on any format.

There will be for sure next STAR WARS movie features:

Star Wars Episode 7: The Hidden Circle
Theatrical Release Date: Thursday, 20 May 2021

Star Wars Episode 8: The Republic In Crisis
Theatrical Release Date: Thursday, 23 May 2024

Star Wars Episode 9: Victory of the Force
Theatrical Release Date: Thursday, 20 May 2027 (50th Anniversary of Star Wars Episode 4 A New Hope)

Nothing is in plan yet, as spokesman Josh Kushins told us, but George Lucas has already written a plot for each of this episodes.

“The Dark Knight Rises” .. ohh.. that sounds awful :P

Maybe they should go for another kenning for Batman, like The Caped Crusader. Sure that’s the goofiest of his names, but this next movie needs to be a bit uplifting after the DARK DARK DARK Knight. Anyway, all I know is that “The Dark Knight Rises” is awful.

Oh and, Yay Catwoman!

I can’t imagine Lucas doing one 3D film per year. The fact he’s starting with ‘Phantom Menace’ puts the hope of great financial returns at risk. Parents are not going to schlep the kids to a film they know will suck for over 2 hours, AND pay extra for the 3D, when it’s sitting in the DVD rack at home.

Why 3D?
I just don’t get the attraction. “Whoo it looks like it’s coming towards me”. So what?
I have to pay extra for the the privilage of having to where goofy sunglasses over my own prescription glasses.
It adds nothing to the plot of the film.
(I will concede that given how ol’ George likes to ‘tinker’ that might be different for SW).

Now when we get SW style holographic projectors then I’ll be impressed

Why is George ruining his movies by converting them into 3D

I don’t need 3D conversions of Indiana Jones, they were great the way they were.

19. And there’s no gun pointed at your head to watch them.

#7″ I too, want to see more Skywalker!

Luke’s story can’t be finished yet (for those of us wih no time to read the books). How can you grow up and learn your father is Darth Vader, learn that you are a master of the force, be a part of the team that overthrows the empire and then….nothing? Luke, like his Dad, would have temptations to go to the dark side. We saw it a little in SW:ROTJ when he was batling Vader. There could be those who actually WANT to use the power of the dark side who oppose him.

So much potential for fun and imaginitive story telling.

I could go for a new Star Wars trilogy but only if Mr Lucas doesn’t drench it in CGI, returns it to the fun and excitement of the original’s and allows other directors to direct at least episodes 8 and 9 – like he did with the original trilogy.

That looks nothing like captain America from the comics. May be a decent flick but like fantastic four and the x-men films is as far removed from jack kirby as you can get.

Dark of the moon for transformers is a terrible title i suppose Mr bay thinks he is rather clever making a reference to pink floyd’s dark side of the moon.

When is JJ Abrams going to reveal the title for Star Trek 2? The Dark Knight Rises comes out after Trek too and it already has a title!

SW 3-D? Yeh…I’ll probably be a butt in the seat.

#8–great idea. Zahn set the standard (not always lived up to) for SW novels, and Rickman would be excellent as Thrawn.

@15:
I should probably tell you that those titles and plots were cooked up by a charlatan named Mickey Suttle, aka SuperShadow, who claims he’s friends with George Lucas. Not even the slightest grain of truth to anything he says.

What the hell is the deal with Entertainment Weekly photoshopping the crap out of everyone that appears on their cover? They make everyone look like a cartoon. Or a wax statue.

Really digging the Captain America stuff. I love the old style technology and machinery. That shot of Chris Evans at te to…looks just like the first issue of Cap when he’s become the newly created super soldier. Cool. Looking forward to it. Hope it’s great.

Nice to hear Whedon and Ruffalo making reference and paying homage to Bixby’s Hulk. Was a great pathos. It was the fugitive done better than David Jansen did it. And Joe Hanell’s “Lonely Man” music sure helped also.

No one will ever replace Simmons for the role of JJJ.

Fact.

#29

Agreed. He owned that role… and then some!

First of all, I doubt Lucas has the scripts for a series of sequels. I’m firmly believe like most folks have already admitted that he doesn’t have this grand plan for the Star Wars universe and makes most of it up as he goes along. (Yes, I’m in that group that says he made the decision to make Leia the sister after Empire Strikes Back) He may have ideas that were originally meant to be in one movie that get dropped and picked back up in another film, but that is a far cry from having a set in stone plan. At best he has only the loosest of outlines that can be taken in any number of directions, depending on his mood, the political climate of the time, ect.

If he does make a series of sequels, his best bet would, in fact to set it off so far in the distant future that it has virtually no chance of conflicting with anything in the books that have been written in the time frame following RoTJ. Doing the Zahn trilogy might seem to make sense, but we all know that Lucas would insist on writing the screenplay himself, which means he’s going to screw up what is arguably the best written series of Star Wars books around, and you’re going to end up with a bunch of p.o’d Zahn fans out for blood. It would essentially be another “Han Shot First” uprising.

” ‘Avatar’ is not only the highest grossing movie of all time, it is a created universe based on the singular imagination and daring of James Cameron, who also raised the consciousness of people worldwide to some of the greatest issues facing our planet.”

Oh brother… believe your own hype much?

I don’t want Episodes 7-9 until Lucas kicks the bucket and someone re-makes episodes 1-3. I have no faith that George can tell a good story any more.

More than that, I don’t want to see Han Solo hiding in a fridge.

Am I the only one here who thinks the new Spiderman movie sounds like the biggest flop since “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes”?

@29, 30: Thirded. I only knew JK Simmons as Dr Skoda from Law and Order; watching him unleash the ham in Spider-Man was a revelation!

Avatar ain’t really as original as Mr. Cameron wants us to believe. There is a movie (Kaena: The Prophecy, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0297753/) and a MMORPG (Ryzom, http://www.ryzom.com/), both originating in late nineties, that are pretty much the essence of Avatar (without those silly Earth marines, that is).

@36: With a dash of Dances With Wolves and a sprinkling of Pocahontas, too. I never read any interview where Cameron claimed Avatar was original, original, though.

as for Starwars 6 7 8, what do you do about the fact that the books are a legitmate authorized part of the universe, do you write them as a movie, or movie script them out of the official storyline. That would get fanboys pissed, don’t you think. Immagine for instance if the pre-nemesis books that have come out all in continuity with each other were given an official seal of story approval. They were all considered an official part of the star trek universe. Then you go and make a movie, post nemesis that wipes it all out….not quite the same, but I think you guys can immagine that and see yourselves saying “hold on a minute, no thankyou, I’m skipping on this movie”

See my poin? 6 7 and 8 are not possible.

#34 No, you’re not! It’s going to crash and burn.

6

I don’t understand how anyone could want more Star Wars. Seems like we have way, way more than we ever needed, and the quality always goes down.

33

Agreed. Lucas will have to die, same with that Rick guy, before I will ever consider trusting the franchise not to be sh*t again.

@36, 37: And don’t forget FERNGULLY: The Last Rainforest!!

#34, 39.

I dunno. I’m hopeful. Andrew Garfield is quite a gifted young actor. I was amazed (in a good way) when he was cast.

#34 You’re right on. Rebooting Spider-man was a bad idea.

It’s too soon. The recent Spidey triligy was not only good, but hugely successful. Sony is going to competing with themselves.

Plus, it had wildely popular actors. think about it; JJJ was a minor part, and everyone, including me LOVED JK .

If Sony is rebooting the series so quickly, maybe we won’t have to wait too long after that one bombs to see McQuire, et al back in action.

Haha Joss Whedon rocks–after ME making comments here over n oover bout bill bixby/ferrigno hulk being ten times better than either movie with digieffex–finally one of the filmakers mentions bixby–now if only they drop the digihulk or only partly digitize him with ferrigno as hulk–yes-a chance hulk wont suck in the avengers!

UH-OH…this isn’t good…The Dark Knight Risesopening 2 weeks after the Trek sequel: NONONONONONONO… this isn’t good at all….:(((

On top of that Nolan is getting ex-Shinzon Tom Hardy in for a role…uh-oh… Revenge of Shinzon :(((

ummm….does anyone else think it is totally ridiculous that Ripley is going to be in the Alien prequels? How does that make any sense? Is this an alternate universe type of thing like Trek 09? So whenever it’s convenient for the plot, just invent a new timeline?

HELLO, RIPLEY ENCOUNTERED THE ALIEN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE 1979 ORIGINAL. How can you make a prequel set 30 years before with the same character?

They are just undermining their credibility by bringing Ripley into it. I’m sure the plot excuse will be ridiculous just like it was in Alien Resurrection. Completely absurd.

#46 Captain Braxton

You needn’t worry. It’s just the info. written above makes out there’s an actress required for the ‘Ripley’ role, when actually, the article it links too says the Alien prequel makers are casting for a ‘Ripley-ALIKE’ heroine!

Also….regarding Ruffalo and Whedon wanting to do Hulk closer to Bixby’s Hulk: Why are they acting like this is an original thought on their parts? I thought Ed Norton was paying pretty big homage in many areas…. to Bixby and other Marvel ideals. He himself said over and over he was paying homage to Bixby. He had a little scene of Bruce Banner watching TV and coming across “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” (an earlier Bixby show – and favorite of my childhood), He fought to have Joe Harnell’s “Lonely Man” theme from the Hulk show in the movie (should have used a little more, in my opinion) I guess Norton’s problem was he just was too rigid in what he wanted done (thus the reason they replaced him)….but still….I’d like to know how much more ‘Bixby Hulk’ can they get? What are they going to do that wasn’t done last time? Just wondering.

Stop with the 2D conversions to 3D! I’ve ranted on this over and over but these conversions look terrible. Exhibit A. “The Last Airbender.” It was too dark and the special effects did not match the 3D. That’s because it wasn’t made as a 3D film. I dare Lucasfilm to show a clip of Indiana Jones in 3D after conversion to prove to us that it’s as good as a movie shot in native 3D. If not, don’t do it.

And I willl type this until my fingers fall off. Listen Paramount. If you’re thinking about 3D for Star Trek then shoot the film in 3D. NO CONVERSIONS. We, Trekkers, deserve the same 3D quality as “Avatar.”

The “Alien” prequel just doesn’t seem like a good idea. I know Ridley Scott made the first one which is a classic, but it was the first one. It was a unique premise at the time. It was a sci-fi horror movie with an ensemble cast that turned Sigourney Weaver into a star. James Cameron knew all of this, and made Sigourney Weaver the star of the second movie. He made his film stylistically a bit different from the first. Cameron made it faster paced. He made the sequel more character-driven, fleshing out the character of Ripley. The supporting cast was great as well featuring solid group of actors who played well off of Weaver. The movie itself was more suspense than horror, yet the Xenomorphs were still scary cool, and remained somewhat mysterious.
The third movie was totally lame and boring. Killing off Ripley was dumb.
“Resurrection” was even worse. Ripley wasn’t even Ripley. She was just a lab creation made of the Xenomorph’s and Ripley’s DNA. The writers from that film must have stolen from “Species”. The last two movies as well as the “Alien Versus Predator” films portrayed the creatures as mere monsters. The first two portrayed them as being smart and stealthy, while not animalizing or humanizing them.