JUSTICE LEAGUE Movie Characters Revealed?

And the unconfirmed Justice League movie details keep on coming.

Two weeks after the movie's plot was supposedly revealed, along comes a list of the roster for the DC Comics superteam with a few supporting character cameos as well.  Cosmic Book News cites an unnamed "DC Entertainment source" for their information, so there's no telling if these details are indeed legitimate.

Here's their rundown of the Justice League members for the 2015 film:

Superman -- "Superman is essentially the same character from Man of Steel and Zack Snyder is consulting regarding the writing of the character."

Batman -- "The strategist of the group.  Batman doesn't really want to be involved with these superpowered beings he considers too powerful.  Easily the most complex written."  The article also links to another article about a possible Batman movie reboot in 2016.

Wonder Woman -- "She has only been in Man's World a few short months.  The Wonder Woman script Michael Goldenberg is developing will be set before the Justice League movie."

Green Lantern -- "Will be Ryan Reynolds' character (Hal Jordan) from the Green Lantern movie, but will be freshly written with a more serious tone."

The Flash -- "The most popular hero in civilian eyes who loves media attention, but when called upon is very serious."  Sounds more like Wally West in terms of personality, unless Barry Allen is being depicted with Wally's persona.

Martian Manhunter -- "Alien who has lived on Earth in secret for over a hundred years who has knowledge of Darkseid and his reign."

Aquaman -- "Will be the King of Atlantis who has a key role in the film."  The article also links to another article about a possible Aquaman movie based on Geoff Johns' current "The New 52" series.

Additional characters include:

Alfred Pennyworth and Lois Lane in minor cameo appearances. 

"There will also be a heavy military presence in the film which in future rewrites could include characters featured in Man of Steel or even Amanda Waller (Angela Bassett) of which neither are included in the first draft."

Darkseid's Elite (No specific characters named) will "go up against the Justice League early on in the film."

Okay, Peter Parker is Dead...Now What?

Yep, here we are again with another dead Marvel superhero.

It's been almost two years since Marvel Comics got mainstream media attention for killing off the Fantastic Four's Human Torch, so time for someone else to die, right?  Well, Marvel's spinning Wheel of Death landed on none other than Peter Parker, the amazing/spectacular/sensational Spider-Man, in this week's The Amazing Spider-Man #700.  Yes, even though Marvel just killed off the Ultimate universe's version of Peter Parker in June of 2011.  Regardless, there's stilll plenty of media coverage and Twitter trending over the idea that Spider-Man died.

Just as Marvel did with the Fantastic Four's 50th anniversary year, they decided the best way to celebrate Spidey's 50th anniversary was to kill the character off.  Oh, and do it in the most ignoble way possible, by swapping Peter's body with the dying villain Doctor Octopus so that Doc Ock can pummel Peter to death with his own fists.  So Peter is dead and Amazing Spider-Man ends, replaced by a new Marvel NOW! series called The Superior Spider-Man starring Otto Octavius still in Peter Parker's body.

Will it last?  No, of course not.  Any comics fan that's been paying attention at least since the Human Torch died knows these sort of big hero deaths don't stick, especially when they're Marvel characters.  This goes double for a major superhero who just so happens to have a sequel to a major motion picture arriving in theaters in 2014.  What, do you honestly think Marvel is going to keep Otto around as Spider-Man while Peter Parker is still alive and web-swinging on the big screen?

And if the so-called "final issue" of Fantastic Four #588 is anything to go by, The Superior Spider-Man will probably run a year of two issues per month before The Amazing Spider-Man #724 arrives to replace or accompany it.  That is, unless Marvel decides to simply relaunch The Amazing Spider-Man again with Vol. 3 #1.

 

This storyline by continuing writer Dan Slott is designed to take Peter off the board for a while and see what stories can be made of a supervillain living the life of the superhero nemesis he replaced and allowed to die.  Peter's traditional supporting cast and fellow superheroes will turn their heads and wonder each time Otto does something very non-Peter Parkerish, eventually leading someone to finally piece things together and figure out what Otto did.  As for Peter's spirit or consciousness or what have you, it's backed up in an Octobot somewhere or survives in some part of Comic Book Limbo, waiting patiently to come back and make Spider-Fans happy once again.

 

So just enjoy the ride because we all know it's only temporary.  The notion of Doctor Octopus staying inside Peter Parker's body longer than a year?  Now that would be amazing.

 

 

DOCTOR WHO Series 7B Trailer Debuts for 2013

It seems the Eleventh Doctor has another companion with the habit of dying on a fairly regular basis.  And no, it's not Kenny McCormick from South Park.

Last seen in "Asylum of the Daleks," the mysterious Soufflé Girl known as Clara Oswin Oswald returned to Doctor Who in last night's Christmas special, "The Snowmen," only to end up dead once again by the end of the episode.  But...Jenna-Louise Coleman's character is about to go on several adventures with the Doctor in the spring of 2013, right?  Well, that's just impossible.

The "Coming Soon" trailer for the remaining eight episodes of Series Seven shows us otherwise.  Premiering at the end of "The Snowmen," the new trailer features Matt Smith's Doctor bursting in with his trusty Sonic Screwdriver flashing.  "Ha-ha!  Miss me?"  "Who the hell are you?"  "I'm the Doctor.  I'm an alien from outer space.  I'm a thousand years old, I've got two hearts and I can't fly a plane!"  Shots of Mark Gatiss' submarine story "The Crimson Horror" with guest-star Liam Cunningham.  The Doctor with a cybernetic facial implant, presumably from Neil Gaiman's Cybermen story "The Last Cyberman."  The Doctor wearing the robes of a monk, presumably from the story "The Bells of St. John."  The Doctor and Clara on the aforementioned plane the Doctor can't fly.  The Doctor and Clara riding a motorcycle along Westminster Bridge in London.  "Running away with a spaceman in a box, anything could happen to you."  "That's what I'm counting on."

"Where do you wanna go, eh?  What do you wanna see?"  The Doctor and Clara in the middle of a crowd of various aliens.  Actor Dougray Scott as a professor in Neil Cross' ghost story.  Clara walking with a resistance group featuring actors Tamzin Outhwaite and Warwick Davis.  The return of Strax the Sontaran, Madame Vastra and Jenny Flint.  Creepy-looking new monsters with strange gas-mask faces.  Creepy-looking new monsters with no eyes that look like the Gentlemen from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  A quick shot of Dame Diana Rigg in "The Crimson Horror."  Creepy-looking new monster that looks like a ghost.  The first look at the slimmer, redesigned Cybermen, who take a mace away from Clara.  "Is that her?"  "The woman twice dead."  "She's rather pretty, isn't she?"  "She's not possible!"  Clara menaced by a creepy-looking new monster in a glass cell.  Clara's throat is grabbed by a Cyberman.  "Right then, Clara Oswald...Time to find out who you are..."

(Sigh...)  At least three full months until we start finding out what all this means.  Well, here's the trailer to tide us over for a little while...

Hugh Jackman Confirms X-Man Cameo in THE WOLVERINE

He's the best there is at what he does...and what he does is brood over dead love interests.

During a recent interview with Parade to promote his upcoming film Les Misérables, actor Hugh Jackman was asked to give the magazine a scoop on next year's film The Wolverine, directed by James Mangold.  Jackman responded, "You want to get me into trouble, don’t you?  [laughs]  Okay, the movie takes place after X-Men: The Last Stand.  My character is at his lowest.  He is supposed to be able to heal himself, but he may encounter someone who has worked out a way to really hurt him.  And there is a cameo from one of the past X-Men in it."

For those who remember the 2006 movie, Wolverine was forced to kill his fellow X-Man and love interest Jean Grey after Jean went all Dark Phoenix and murdered both her boyfriend Cyclops and her mentor Professor Charles Xavier.  When last we saw Wolverine, it was presumed he remained with Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters as a teacher.

Well, chances are good that the X-Man getting a cameo in The Wolverine is indeed Jean Grey.  Two months ago, the site We Got This Covered posted rumors of Famke Janssen flying into Sydney to shoot a cameo, where The Wolverine was filming, which lines up nicely with the tidbit that Jackman revealed to Parade.  It's possible Jean appears in some form of flashback scene or perhaps a hallucination.

Jackman also recently signed on to reprise Wolverine once again in the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past to be helmed by returning director Bryan Singer.  Interestingly, he hints that his appearance will be more than just another cameo, saying on his Twitter account "Great to be back where it all began with Bryan Singer and 'X-Men: Days of Future Past.'  And to work with the new cast for more than four hours this time."

The Wolverine is scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 26, 2013.  X-Men: Days of Future Past arrives July 18, 2014.

ARROW Casts BSG's James Callis as The Dodger

So when do Caprica Six and Starbuck appear?

Following up on Tahmoh ("Helo") Penikett's recent appearance, the CW series Arrow is adding another Battlestar Galactica alum to its TV universe based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow.  TV Guide reported today that actor James Callis, best known as BSG's neurotic genius Dr. Gaius Baltar, is guest-starring in the upcoming episode "Dodger" as -- Surprise! -- The Dodger.

The character, created by Judd Winick and Mike Norton, first appeared in 2008's Green Arrow and Black Canary #7 as a thief who eventually becomes an ally for Oliver Queen.  Operating out of London, England, Dodger steals and/or sells anything from information to advanced technology.

According to TV Guide, Arrow's version of The Dodger is an elusive international jewel thief who "imposes his plans on the innocent, forcing them to carry out his crimes under duress.  When the Sherwood Ruby goes missing in Starling City, the ensuing investigation leads Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Diggle (David Ramsey) straight to The Dodger, but apprehending him won't be as easy as they may have thought."

Sherwood Ruby?  Well, of course.

It's also worth nothing that "Dodger" is the same episode to feature the debut of Colton Haynes as Roy Harper, just announced last week.  The episode is currently scheduled to air on the CW on February 20, 2013.

Jamie Foxx Discusses Electro in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2

You get the impression that actor Jamie Foxx is excited about playing the supervillain Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 when he keeps talking about that film during promotion for his current film, Django Unchained.

Foxx gave an interview to Blackfilm where he discussed costume changes to the Marvel Comics character, who first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #9 in 1964.

When asked if he was ready to don Max Dillon's traditional green and yellow costume, Foxx replied, "It won’t be green and yellow.  It will be a different color. They (the producers) want something for the future.  They want to have it more grounded and not as comic bookie, so it won’t be green and yellow.  They want to try new things, like a liquid rubber and things like that, and there are all these bolts and stuff in my arms when they are hanging me upside down and trying to figure out what happened.  How did he become this way? So, it will be some new stuff.  In the script, this villain, for the first time, will be written really, really well.  Andrew Garfield and Marc Webb both commented on how great the script is, so it should be an exciting time."

In another interview to MTV, Foxx gave considerable detail on how Electro's character and background will be portrayed in the film.  "You'll see that in his whole life, no one is talking to him.  People have stolen his ideas at the big company.  He's a nobody.  At a certain point, Spider-Man bumps into him and says, 'You're my guy.  You're my eyes and ears on the street.'  And he says his name -- No one has ever said (Max) Dillon's name."

This apparently makes a big impression on the future villain.  "He goes 'Wow!'" continues Foxx, "and when Spider-Man leaves, he sort of thinks that, 'I am Spider-Man's partner!'  He's cutting out Spider-Man's face and pasting it on all his boards...Everything goes bad with his mom.  She doesn't remember his birthday.  He has something tragic happen and when it turns on, he lights it up."

Foxx also remarked again on changes to the character's original comic book costume.  "Marc Webb and all of those guys, they're smart.  They know that it has to make sense in 2013, so the suit is really slick.  It's actually black.  It's a new age."

The sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man is currently slated to arrive in theaters on May 2, 2014.

TRON 3 Reloading Return to The Grid

Greetings, programs!

One of my favorite films of 2010 was Tron: Legacy, the stylish sequel to the 1982 cult classic Tron by director Joseph Kosinski that no one ever expected to happen.  The film had its critics, but still managed to pull in over $400 million worldwide with a reported production budget of $170 million, so a second sequel certainly seemed like a good possibility.

Earlier this week, Tron: Legacy star Garrett Hedlund, who played Kevin Flynn's son Sam, gave an exclusive to NextMovie that he would be reprising the role of Sam Flynn in Tron 3.  "Disney's very excited," Hedlund commented on the project.  "That's about that.  You know, yeah, I'm very excited, Disney's very excited."  The article also mentioned that Jesse Wigutow, who wrote the screenplay for Eragon, was in negotiations with Disney to rewrite Tron 3 for a possible production start in 2014.

Meanwhile, Kosinski was interviewed by MTV about the project and gave the following remarks.  "We've got an idea for the next movie that's really exciting to me," he said.  "I mean, obviously, the only reason to go back would be if we could do something spectacular and really push the ideas forward that we had established in Legacy.  We have an idea and an approach and a way into it that I'm really excited about, and now it's about execution on the level of the script.  So working hard on that in the background, and hopefully that'll all come together.

"It's still the same plan in that Tron 3 would deliver on the promises set up at the end of Legacy in different ways," continued Kosinski.  "You look at what happened in the closing scenes of Legacy.  I think it sets a clear direction for what could happen in the next chapter."

Kosinski also played the Star Wars card in seperate interview with Collider, with comparisons to that film series' original trilogy.  "I’ve said it would have to be our Empire Strikes Back for me to come back and for me to pull the whole team back together.  I think we do have that idea.  We do have the idea that feels big and really blows the doors off this franchise.  It’s hinted at promises of something for two movies now, for thirty years, so it’s time to deliver on that.  But the script’s got to be at a level that makes it worth going back for, because it’s a lot of work to make a movie like this and it’s a multi-year project.  So we’ve got our writer Jesse Wigutow on it right now writing, and fingers crossed if it all comes together, as we hope it will, there could be another Tron in the next few years, and it’s going to be awesome."

Concerning the time frame between Legacy and Tron 3, Kosinski remarked, "I think time has passed.  It feels like we’re kind of real-time in step.  So however much time has passed since Legacy came out would also have transpired in the real world.  So it will still be contemporary.  So let’s say if the Tron sequel comes out in 2015, then four or five years have passed since the last movie."

One of the highlights of Tron: Legacy was the incredible score by Daft Punk, so the subject of their return naturally came up as well.  "When it comes to building the team up for soundtrack they would absolutely be my first call," said Kosinski.  "As to whether or not they would do it, it depends on what they’re doing at the time.  They are very methodical in how they pick their next project, and they would only do it if they felt that they could dedicate themselves a hundred percent to that.  I know they have another album coming out, I’m sure that’s going to be their next big project, which I assume is going to be followed by a massive tour.  So, you know, hopefully if they’ve got the time and the creative willingness to dive back in."

Here's hoping the project continues moving forward, preferably without taking another 28 years...

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