Over the past few days more footage for both The Avengers and The Amazing Spider-Man has been released, and between the two, a MARVELous summer is surely in store. (See what I did there?!? Stop looking at me like that! It was punny!)

First up was The Avengers with a new commercial during the Super Bowl that brought us a lot of new footage.  We still don’t get a clear shot at who is working with Loki, but there are numerous theories floating around out there.

Next up is The Amazing Spider-Man which shows just how far off book the new movie is going … and it’s pretty darn far. Peter finishing The Lizard formula? His father having worked at Oscorp?  Why do they constantly insist on messing around with these origin stories is beyond me, but here we go yet again.

The Avengers hits theaters on May 4, and The Amazing Spider-Man on July 3.  (And both are based on comics from Marvel if you didn’t get my earlier joke …)

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The Avengers and The Amazing Spider-Man Promise a Marvelous Summer

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Columbia Pictures has released the official synopsis for The Amazing Spider-Man, and … yeah, it isn’t good news.

Not only did we not need a reboot of the Spider-Man series this soon, but we especially didn’t need it if it means they’re going to play with all sorts of aspects of the character’s past.

One of the world’s most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in “The Amazing Spider-Man.” Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

“The Amazing Spider-Man” is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance  leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

His parents left him? (yes, there is one version of the comics where it turned out they were spies) A briefcase? Connors worked with his dad at Oscorp?

There are times where some changes to the core story work (i.e. X-Men First Class didn’t make me cringe in terror for the most part), but some of these “tweaks” are just outrageously wrong.  His parents, the origin of Dr. Connors and so on just make me already completely turned off to this latest installment of the film series.

Come on, Hollywood.  The comics have years and years of history, that have worked on, why can’t you just pick a part that works and leave it mostly alone?

Post from: SeanPAune.com

Official Amazing Spider-Man Synopsis Leaves a Lot to be Desired

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Leave it to The CW to screw up a show before they even film it.

The TV Addict got ahold of the casting breakdowns for the upcoming Arrow series which will be based on the DC Comics character of Green Arrow.  From these listings its pretty obvious that just like the network did with Smallville the comics background doesn’t matter.

Oliver Queen
A 27 year old reformed bad boy, who after having spent five years shipwrecked on a tiny, brutally dangerous island in the South China Sea returns to town a different man. Or to be more specific, a tortured, thoughtful master of the bow with a ferocious determination to make a difference.

Dinah “Laurel” Lance
28 years old, smart sexy, Laurel is a legal aid attorney determined to use her life as a one-woman war against the 1% following the death of her younger sister Sara. A sister, who as luck would have it, just so happened to have died aboard Oliver’s yacht.

Tommy Merlyn
28 years old and devil-smooth, Tommy is a trustafarian like Oliver, a spectacularly rich young man whose life revolves around parties, clubs, liquor and lots of anonymous sex. Unlike Oliver, he can’t seem to understand his former best friend’s sudden change of lifestyle and direction.

Moira Queen
48 years old, a beautiful woman, Oliver’s mother Moira is a very wealthy woman who is not used to being shaken. Having remarried during the five years that former husband Robert and Oliver were both presumed dead, Moira has had free rein over the Queen billions. Not surprisingly, she’s deeply interested in learning whether or not Robert will also return unexpectedly, to ruin her present marriage and go over the books with a fine-tooth comb.

John Diggle
35 years old, African-American, Diggle is really, really big, a former military man who served with the Army Rangers in Afghanistan, and has been a bodyguard for hire for the last four years. Hired by Moira to be Oliver’s chauffeur and protector, Diggle soon finds he is trapped in a battle of wits, as Oliver repeatedly eludes his protection. But in fact, Diggle’s primary conflict is one of loyalty — he has to show that he’s working for Oliver, not Moira, before Oliver will give him a smidgen of trust.

Thea Queen
17 years old (suggest 17-22 years), Oliver’s Lolita-esque sister, Thea was a 12 year old girl when he went on his infamous yachting voyage — but now she’s a celebutante who’s testing the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Thea loved her big brother with all her heart, and is delighted to have him back in her life — but she’s spreading her wings, and is unprepared for Oliver to become the Bad Cop in the family, restricting her access to boys and drugs.

Thea Queen?  Well that’s a totally new character.  And imagine that, a bratty teenage girl character on The CW.  I’m shocked, shocked I tell you!  And Dinah “Laurel” Lance?  You mean the Black Canary, Green Arrow’s long time girlfriend?  Well, no mention of her being her super heroine alter ego, but perhaps they’ll add that down the road?  Who knows, it’s The CW, they could decided this is the “wrong” Dinah Lance or some other crazy idea.

Just once I’d like to see The CW do something faithful to a comic, but I guess that’s just too much to hope for.

[via The TV Addict]

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Arrow Casting Sheets Leak Out

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After relaunching its entire comic book line, DC Comics has also decided that perhaps it was also time to give its logo a fresh coat of paint … or more like a whole lot of coats of paint.

DC Comics has unveiled a totally new version of its logo that can be customized to the property it is being used on.  I.E. It’ll be one color on Superman books, but look totally different on Batman.

The idea is that the new logo represents peeling back to reveal the story, and if you’re reading on a computer, tablet or smartphone you’ll actually be able to peel it back to reveal the character.

While I can see what they’re going for, and I’m certainly no graphic artist, I think it’d be nice if you could actually figure out that the peeling part is supposed to represent a “D.”  As it is it looks like a C … with a vinyl covering?  Who knows, perhaps they should concentrate on making more good movies than just the current run of Batman.

… Just sayin’.

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DC Comics Redesigns its Logo

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To the surprise of absolutely no one, the Fantastic Four films are getting a reboot.

After two films that met poor reviews, the Fantastic Four are set to get a new movie with a new cast.  Obviously a third entry in the last series wasn’t going to happen as neither of them did well, but 20th Century Fox wants to keep the rights from reverting to Marvel/Disney, so they have to get something into production.  So long as the studio keeps something based on the property coming out every few years they can hold on to the right indefinitely, making sure that the growing Marvel movie studio doesn’t get its hands on one of its longest running sets of characters.

Who wants to bet that no one ever makes a movie deal like this ever again?

All I can hope for is that the new film is not nearly disappointing as the last two, but I’m not holding my breath for that quite yet.

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Fantastic Four to Get a Film Reboot

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It seems that The CW can’t give up on the concept of some TV series based on a DC Comics series.

With the end of Smallville, DC has been fishing around for another TV series they could launched based on a comic series with reports of series being possible developed on The Spectre, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold and, most notably, Deadman.  Now the rumor is that the network is taking a look at Green Arrow.

Previously Justin Hartley played the character on Smallville, and while there has been no information if this is the same version of the character, it has been reported that they are not looking into him playing the title character in this series.

Just because The CW is exploring these different series, it doesn’t mean any of them will make it to air, but seeing as Warner Brothers, the parent company of DC Comics, is part owner of the network, it only makes sense that the two would want to get another series on the air, it’s just a matter of finding the right property.

No word has been announced as to when we’ll hear a final decision on any of these.

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Green Arrow Series Being Eyed by The CW

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A picture of The Lizard from the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man film has been revealed on a toy, and … I’m not too thrilled.

While no official picture of The Lizard has been released, tie-in products have been showing up here and there that give us a glimpse, and the best yet comes from an upcoming remote control for a toy.  You can ignore the red dot on his head as that is a power indicator, but this is the best face-on image we’ve seen as of yet.  (You can click on it for a larger view.)

While not horrible, I am a real traditionalist when it comes to this character, and this is pretty much nothing like he appears in the comic books.  Here’s one rendition of him from the books.

I’ve always preferred the more feral, animalistic version of the character, and it looks to me like he’s going to be too much of just a giant brute in the film.  If you’re going to do this character, at least do him right.  You teased us with him in the last three films, we finally get him, and this is what you do with him?

… I really hate Hollywood some days.

[via Idle Hands]

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The Lizard from the Amazing Spider-Man Revealed in a Toy

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Thor 2 has picked up a new director in the form of someone who is best known for their TV work.

Marvel has announced that it has picked up Alan Taylor as the new director for the Thor sequel.  Taylor is best known for his work on Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire and Nurse Jackie, and directed the feature Palookaville.

The quick replacement of Patty Jenkins, who left the film earlier this month, means that the film can stay on track for its November 15, 2013 release date.  Apparently the comic company/movie studio was looking at multiple directors from the Game of Thrones series, and all one can figure is that they saw it as a similar style.

I guess what we’re learned here is being a director on a Marvel movie is a plug-and-play type situation.

[via Deadline]

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Thor 2 Gets a New Director

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At long last a full trailer has been released for The Dark Knight Rises, and it’s everything we hoped for.

We haven’t seen a trailer since the teaser was released last July, and since then it has been dozens of leaked set videos.  While the trailer still gives us next to no hints to the overall storyline, and it sure shows you enough to whet your appetite for the full release next July.  Anne Hathaway looks fantastic as Selina Kyle (though no hints to her as Catwoman), we only get a few glimpses of Tom Hardy as Bane and we’re left wondering why Christian Bale has a beard as Bruce Wayne again and appears to be in a prison.  (I’m calling that one right now as a flashback to when he was training during Batman Begins.)

Again it appears that Christopher Nolan has done a superb job with Batman, it’s just sad to know this is the last one for him and his team.

This is currently an unofficial copy of the trailer, so don’t be surprised if it gets pulled.  I’ll replace it with an official copy as soon as it’s released. UPDATE: Higher resolution copy now replacing the original.

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The Dark Knight Rises Gets a Full Trailer

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Promotion for The Dark Knight Rises is already hitting a fever pitch, and it’s not even due out for another seven months.

Despite the fact that set videos have leaked all over the place, official promotional materials for the third film in Christopher Nolan‘s Batman film trilogy have been a bit sparse as of late.  We had a teaser poster last July, and then an official picture of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, but with the upcoming premiere of some completed footage with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, it seems it’s time to step things up again.

Below is the second teaser poster for the film with the simple tagline “The Legend Ends,” and it shows Bane (Tom Hardy) walking away in the rain from a broken Batman mask.  Could this be an allusion to the infamous comic book storyline where Bane literally broke the Batman’s spine?  Could it just be a comment on this being the last of the Nolan series?  Who knows, but it sure sets the mind to wondering.  You can click on the poster for a larger view.

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Second The Dark Knight Rises Poster Released

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