The LA Times today has a feature on Marvel’s upcoming slate of films, including this official publicity shot of Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki in the Kenneth Branagh-directed Thor movie.  I still can’t get over a deity who can miracle himself a strapless eye patch but can’t cure his own lack of depth perception, but whatever.

Oh hey, did I mention Thor and Captain America will be available in glorious, post-converted 3D?  Because you bet your smelly ass they will be.  2D is for your minstrel shows, grandpa.  For their part, the creatives involved acknowledged problems with post-converted 3D in the past and admit they were wary, but eventually welcomed the opportunity to charge five bucks more per ticket creative challenge.

[Captain America director Joe] Johnston did a one-day test shooting with a 3-D rig — as opposed to shooting in 3-D and converting — and said it was “a nightmare” due to bulky gear, calibration issues and restricted filmmaking options. He said he’s a firm believer, though, in the conversion approach if done right and he’s enthused to move forward. “It’s a new challenge and it’s exciting,” Johnston said.

[Marvel Chief Kevin] Feige, in London for “Captain America,” pledged that “an unprecedented amount of time” would be devoted to the conversion process. He also said the films will benefit from the fact that the 3-D choice was made early on with passion and planning and not in post-production, as was the case with a flurry of films that came on the heels of “Avatar.”

“In being able to think in 3-D from the start — and having every bit of our special effects rendered in true 3-D — we have the opportunity to do it right,” Feige said. “When you’re working with a director like Ken Branagh or Joe Johnston, they’re not going to settle for less than perfect image. They’re not going to settle for something that isn’t up to the artistry of everything else they’ve done on the film … they’re not going to put on some overlay in the last 10 to 12 weeks of post-production for a fiscal reason.” [LA Times]

Said the interviewer, “This Joe Johnston who won’t settle for less than perfection, he’s the guy who directed The Wolfman, right?”  And burst out laughing.  “I’m sorry, forgive me.  I was just… thinking of this funny thing that happened.  To my friend.”

(“I F*CKING HATE CHAIRS!!”)

I think an Avengers movie is more trouble than it’s worth, and that Marvel could sacrifice a little continuity to make better stand-alone movies.  Easily the lamest parts of Iron Man 2 were the parts involving Captain America’s shield and Thor.  Since no one cares what I think, they’re going ahead with the Avengers with Joss Whedon at the helm.  Hitfix was recently trying to find out if Edward Norton would reprise his role as the Incredible Hulk.  Long story short, Marvel said no, and they were a little bitchy about it.

[Emphasis added] In a statement sent in direct response to yesterday’s story from the set of “Captain America” in London, Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige forwarded the following exclusively to HitFix:
“We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in the Avengers. Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H [Hemsworth - Thor], Chris E [Evans- Captain America], Sam, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks.”

It’s a little weird that they’d so openly bash their actor, considering studios will usually just say it’s a scheduling thing in order not to step on anyone’s toes in public, like Dreamworks did when Sharlto Copley wanted to wear alien ears (despite their denials, my source stands by the original story, by the way).  Also, when did Kevin Feige turn into a kindergarten teacher?  “Edward N just isn’t a team player like Chris H and Chris E.  He won’t share his blocks and pretends to be asleep so he can peek up my skirt during nap time.”

I don’t trust a grown man who would publicly refer to another grown man as “Chris H.”

Read the rest of this entry »

If you watched Kinsey or Dreamgirls or Gods and Monster (for which Bill Condon won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay), you probably thought, “Gee, that’s great, but where are the snorkeling vampires, the c-sections, the wolf-on-baby love affairs?”  Well you’re in luck, because Summit has officially announced that Condon will direct the final chapter in the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn, as translated from Stephenie Meyer’s original elementary schoolese.  How say you, press release?

“Bringing Stephenie Meyer’s ‘Breaking Dawn’ to the screen requires a graceful and intelligent hand and we believe Bill Condon is exactly the right steward, having shown equal and abundant talents of immense creativity and subtle sensitivity,” said Erik Feig, President of Production and Acquisitions, for Summit Entertainment.

Added author Stephenie Meyer, “I’m so thrilled that Bill wants to work with us. I think he’s going to be a great fit, and I’m excited to see what he does with the material.”

“I’m very excited to get the chance to bring the climax of this saga to life on-screen. As fans of the series know, this is a one-of-a-kind book – and we’re hoping to create an equally unique cinematic experience,” said Bill Condon.

Yes, it takes a certain grace and a subtle sensitivity (as opposed to my own brand of overbearing, ostentatious sensitivity) to bring to the big screen a book with such plot points as:

The baby has telepathy, by the way, so everybody can read its thoughts while it’s in the womb, and it turns out to have an essentially adult mind. …In a moment that demands to be shown on the silver screen, Edward gives Bella an emergency C-section with his teeth.

Oh, let’s not forget the challenge of filming the baby itself:

The other challenge of course is Renesmee [Editor's Note: AHAHAHAHA!], Bella’s half-vampire, half-human daughter who is able to read, talk, run and hunt despite being a toddler. Producer Wyck Godfrey says “It’s certainly going to be visual effects in some capacity along with an actor. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being a full CG creation, but it also may be a human shot on a soundstage that then is used to shrink down.”

So basically, an Academy Award winner is directing the sparkly vampire version of Little Man.   How could that not be awesome?  I can’t wait to see how Kristen Stewart decides to play the scene in which her unborn vampire baby severs her spine.  Ten bucks says she plays it like really bad heartburn.  She’s such a subtly sensitive actress.

Marvel has announced the director on First Avenger: Captain America will be Joe Johnston, who most recently took over for Mark Romanek on Wolf Man, and whose previous credits include Hidalgo, Jurassic Park III, October Sky, and Jumanji.

Johnston first met with Marvel two years ago. When the two parties clicked, general talks turned into Captain America-specific meetings, with much of the project’s current direction resulting from those early conversations.

“This is a guy who designed the vehicles for ‘Star Wars,’ who storyboarded the convoy action sequence for ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark,’ ” [Marvel Studios head Kevin] Feige said. “From ‘Rocketeer’ to ‘October Sky’ to ‘The Wolfman,’ you can look at pieces of his movies and see how they lead to this one.”

Then why not hire him as the storyboard artist or the vehicle designer?  So far, all he’s been good at is visual effects.  With superhero movies, it’s the story that’s the hard part.  I smell another Fantastic Four.

Captain America is the heroic alter ego of Steve Rogers, who is rejected by the Army for being too sickly and undergoes an experiment that takes him to the pinnacle of human form. Paired with an indestructible shield, he became a symbol of the war effort, in and out of comics.

The character disappeared in the 1950s but was revived during the early era of Marvel Comics. He was reintroduced as part of the Avengers, the absence explained by having him being in a state of suspended animation during a war mission until found by the superteam.

The only way to revive this project is to cast Furry Captain America.  And if you can’t get him, I hear Gay Black Superman in Tevas isn’t doing anything.

In an interview with Variety Friday, Marvel studios head Kevin Feige revealed that not only will we get to hear the Hulk speak in the new film, he will be voiced by original Hulk/deaf guy/bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno.

Variety: Do I finally get to hear a good "Hulk smash!" or what?
Feige: Yes. After five TV seasons, several TV movies and the first feature, Hulk will speak. (Yeah, he had a line in the Ang Lee film, but it was a dream.)
Hulk’s verbal skills and intelligence have varied in the comics, but he’s never been as mute as the TV version. So it’s a little ironic that TV Hulk Lou Ferrigno will give voice to the Hulk in this film.
Producer Gale Ann Hurd says Ferrigno was a last-minute addition to a panel on the movie at New York’s Comic-Con. Director Leterrier invited him to "audition" onstage.
"Lou did this amazing, ‘Hulk smash!’ " says Hurd. "And (director Louis Leterrier) said, ‘Come in, we’ll record you next week.’ Everybody thought it was either a staged event or we wouldn’t really do it. But the next week Lou came in in L.A. and his voice is the voice of the Hulk." [Source]

So a deaf guy is good at saying “Hulk smash!”, big whoop.  I’ve seen a gorilla do sign language.  Which is more amazing?  I don’t know, but I say we settle this via thunderdome.