Fan Rants

One of the hot topics at that west coast convention last week (who’s name will not be mentioned since I couldn’t go) was Marvel Comics big movie for 2011, THOR!

The most excellent website io9 has got the full trailer available for your enjoyment. And it should certainly set your expectations. I was especially mesmorized when Anthony Hopkins was doing his best Marlon Brando from Superman impression.

Well it looks like Marvel has found their director for the upcoming Avengers film, Joss Whedon! I can just hear all the Buffy fans and Browncoats yipping in glee right about now.

Deadline New York reports that Marvel Studios is in final negotiations with Joss to direct the biggest Superhero film of all time. The film is going to be fast tracked for release May of 2012. Right now we are expecting Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and maybe the Hulk (Edward Norton).

This is an interesting choice, considering that Joss is better known for character creation and writing than he is for directing. But he has had some great success with the Marvel line over the last few years, in particularly the X-Men franchise with The Astonishing X-Men.

Frankly I was hoping he would take on the Runaways movie (not the Joan Jett biopic) coming from Marvel next year.  He was one of the writers for the second volume of this excellent Marvel comics series and definitely his forte with young characters. But I am quite happy to see him taking the lead on this diverse property and wish him the best on this film.

Okay…maybe not so much Wolverine 2, but the rest are going to rock our socks off.

First up we have the Avengers movie hitting theaters May 4, 2012. This will be the grand experiment, bringing together the Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk and Thor franchises together. Sounds like a lot of characters on the big screen, and a lot of ego’s on set.

Next we have Star Trek 2 (or is that Star Trek XII?), taking the coveted July 4th weekend spot with a June 29th release date. This was stated by Paramount Pictures last week. We know from previous news reports that JJ Abrams is working feverishly to get the script completed so he can work on his next project, Mission Impossible IV.

Finally we have the sequel to Wolverine coming Summer of 2012. In an interview last week at the People Choice awards, Hugh Jackman stated that the second film would start filming a year to a year and a half from now. I doubt that they will put the release to close to the Avengers, but at the same time you may want to capitalize on the super-hero fans as much as possible.

Whew…that is a lot of genre for one summer. The fan boys are going to have to get better summer jobs to pay for all those movies!

Umm…no, Stan is not deceased, but he will be making a cameo in the new Thor movie.

This really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone since he has shown up in the majority of the Marvel Comics films thus far. Stan gave us the scoop via the SmilinStan Lee twitter feed yesterday:

• Kenneth Branagh (of course I call him “Ken!”) said my cameo’s set for the upcoming Thor movie. –To him, it’s a cameo, to me– it’s a ROLE!
• I went easy on Ken Branagh when we discussed my role in Thor. Told him I wouldn’t insist on my name above the title, I think he was grateful
• Yeah, I mentioned Ken Banagh a few times, but I warned you I was a name driopper. Seriously tho’, with him directing, Thor’s a sure winner
• Of course, my previous tweet revealed the extent of my innate modesty. I really wanted to add “With me doing a cameo, Thor’s a sure winner”

Excelsior!

Here is a list, thus far, of Stan’s cameos…EXCELSIOR!

• Iron Man (2008) …. Hugh Hefner
• Fantastic Four 2 (2007) …. As himself
• X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) …. Waterhose Man
• Spider-Man 3 (2007) …. Man in Times Square
• The Incredible Hulk (2008) …. Milwaukee Man Drinking From Bottle
• Fantastic Four (2005) …. Mailman Willie Lumpkin
• Spider-Man 2 (2004) …. Man Dodging Debris
• Hulk (2003) …. Security Guard
• Daredevil (2003) …. Old Man at Crossing
• Spider-Man (2002) …. Man in Fair
• X-Men (2000) …. Hot Dog Vendor
• The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989) (TV) …. Jury Foreman

I am pretty pumped for the next big Marvel Comics film, Thor. Its being directed by one of my favorite directors, Kenneth Branagh. And its staring a good list of talent, Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Anthony Hopkins (Odin), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Jaimie Alexander (Sif), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster) and Sam Jackson (Nick Fury).

According to ProductionWeekly they will start filming in LA in mid-Jan and then move to the Sante Fe, NM area in March.

Release date has changed