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.
Things are not off to a good start for the Thor sequel.
According to Deadline, Patty Jenkins was set to direct the sequel to the original after Kenneth Branagh decided to pass on it. Now, with a November 15, 2013 release date hanging in the air, Ms. Jenkins has left the production over reported “creative differences.” (Hollywood-speak for she wasn’t getting along with someone.) Reportedly she may move on to another Marvel movie, but it will more than likely will be the first in a series as opposed to a sequel. About the only thing certain at this point is that Chris Hemsworth will be back in Thor 2 in the title role.
This is one of the issues with the new Hollywood model of picking a release date and then working backwards from that goal. If the slightest thing goes wrong, you then have to scramble to try to fix things as you don’t want to lose your locked date. It’s like a 21st century version of a land rush as everyone wants to stake their claim to a weekend and hope that no one else picks it in an attempt to usurp them. Although, in this case, I’d say move it. November is not a month known for comic book film adaptations and November 15 of any year just seems an odd time to release a film like this. Of course, Marvel has already laid claim to two dates in the summer of 2014 already that they haven’t even announced what the films will be yet.
Having finally watched Thor on a recent cross-country flight for business, I have to say it was a far better film than I expected, and probably the best Marvel film since the first Iron Man. (I just watched Captain America on the flight back from England and wasn’t quite as happy with it although I didn’t hate it.) I’m not even a big fan of the comic series and I enjoyed the movie, so I have high hopes for a strong sequel, but this is certainly not the way to get it off of the ground.
Hitting theaters on May 4, 2012, The Avengers is one the most eagerly anticipated comic book films of all time. So, why not start the marketing campaign now?
The first trailer for The Avengers was just released, and while it doesn’t give away everything we’ll see – rumors still persist the Skrulls are involved – it certainly gives us a lot to look forward to. Besides seeing Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) all together, it’s nice to see that Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) will be doing more than just walking around saying cryptic things.
And, yes, that is indeed Loki (Tom Hiddleston) from the Thor film in there as well.
Considering how long Marvel has taken to work up to this film with numerous movies building the mythos, here’s hoping it pays off large. Plus, on a personal level, I would love to see director Joss Whedon just blow everyone out of the water with the work he does on this.
While this is sure to be that much more exciting once it hits the big screen, seeing such iconic Marvel characters team-up like this is thrilling no matter what the quality of the video is. Sure, we’ve seen films like The X-Men before, but we’ve never seen a comic book team movie that was crafted in such a way that it multiple movies come before it to prep the audiences for the back-story of each character. You have to tip your hat just a little to the way the comic book company has gone about shaping this to make sure they can deliver the most interesting team movie yet.
Enough with the talk, lets take a look at some action.
Thor and Captain America team-up to fight those guys in the motion capture suits from the other day. I’m still fairly sure they are supposed to be the Skrulls.
On Aug. 4th, 1986 I opened Splash Page Comics, my comic book store. Despite the fact that in 1991 we moved to a larger set of digs, and in 2001 we closed the retail operation and became AnimeUSA full time, one thing has remained the same: The Thor poster.
Before we opened the store we set out to get some decorations, and we found a comic shop in souther Missouri that has a super fancy laminating machine and they would run comic book posters through it. They looked fantastic, and we bought four different one to decorate the store with. I don’t remember what all four were, but the Thor poster by well-known comic artist Joe Jusko went on the wall behind where I sat at the counter. I wasn’t ever a really big fan of Thor, but I liked the art, and it livened the place up.
Over time the other three posters feel off their push pins or found other ways to get damaged. As time went by, the store had two break-ins, a minor flood, a minor fire and who knows how many other issues, but one thing you could always count on was the Thor poster would still be hanging on the wall. It became a running joke that it was actually what kept the building standing.
When we moved to a larger part of the building in 1991 the poster got moved to the bathroom door, but it was still where it was visible to all of the customers. One day I walked in and found it missing. I immediately turned to the guy working as my manager at that time and asked in a frantic voice where the Thor poster was. He had put some form of promotion poster up in its place and said it was just too god of a spot to keep a poster up we weren’t even trying to sell. I immediately told him to swap it back. He tried arguing with me, but even my mother who was present at the time asked if he really wanted to risk his job over my attachment to the Thor poster.
The Thor poster went back up.
When we moved our business to our current warehouse in 2003, the Thor poster came with us, although it now hangs in frame as its top corners have begun to fray. For 25 years Thor and his Asgardians have greeted me each morning as I arrive at work, and I plan to keep it that way no matter what happens in my life.
I am well aware that the poster has no connection to my business staying open, it’s just more of my security blanket at this point. I doubt that there are many people that can say they have looked at the same poster every day for 25 years, but I definitely have, and I look forward to may more years with it.
(You can click the image of a larger view … which the picture was taken only a few days before this post.)
With 10 months to go, Marvel is wasting no time getting us all worked up for the upcoming film of The Avengers. Considering the amount of time and money the company has put into prepping for this film, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Released over the course of the San Diego Comic-Con was a series of seven character posters that would finally form one large image that showed you some of the history of each character as well as hints of what we’ll see in the new film. (Is that a Helicarrier I see behind Hawkeye and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents?)
While I normally don’t care for films with too many characters in them, especially in the comic book genre, but the only new introductions out of all those characters I listed that are new to the series are Cobie Smulders of How I Met Your Mother as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. (Yes, Hawkeye appeared in Thor for a sum total of an eye blink, I don’t count it.) If Marvel was going to try to introduce each character in this film I would go out of mind, but seeing as the characters have had their own films to prepare for this particular project, this concept works fine for me.
Can the world handle another dosage of the God of Thunder? Well, it better get ready as Thor 2 has gotten a release date.
While the first Thor film didn’t exactly burn up the box office compared to some of the other movies out there, that isn’t stopping Disney/Marvel from getting ready to release a sequel. The film will hit screens on July 26, 2013, only about two months after Iron Man 3 hits on May 3, 2013.
Chris Hemsworth will be returning to the title role, but Director Kenneth Branaghwill not be back for the second film. Reportedly his departure is not born out of any issues between him and the studio, but rather was a mutually agreed upon decision and was amicable on both parts.
No word on details such as a new director yet or if the script has even be started as of yet.
With the last few films building towards The Avengers coming out next year, I wonder if we’re now building towardsThe Avengers 2 by using solo movies to build things up again. Obviously there is a master plan afoot here, we just don’t know what it is as of yet.
The Avengers movie is still a little over a year away, but a promo poster at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas gives us a taste of what we’re in for.
You have to give Marvel credit, they’ve now literally spent years prepping for this movie. Each of the films produced by the studio have been giving us little tidbits so that the team film can just jump into the action without having to do a lot of backstory. Since the first Iron Man movie there have been hints to this project, and now it’s all coming together. The promo poster that was spotted at the Expo shows off Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and the yet-to-appear Hawkeye (the guy with the bow and arrow). And, yes, all of the actors from the various films are reprising their roles, so not only will get the ultimate team movie, but it will be star-studded as well.
Big bonus to this poster? The first look at the “modern” Captain America costume that differs from what we’ll see in his movie next month.
This poster alone is enough to get me excited. Who ever thought we’d really see all these characters in one movie some day? Add in Joss Whedon directing and I’m so there.
Financially, Thor had the third best start to a Marvel Comics movie franchise, but yet it was middle of the pack based on attendance. Thanks, 3D!
According to Box Office Mojo, the $66 million that Thor brought in this weekend was the third best opening for the first film in a Marvel series, coming in behind Iron Man and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. While impressive, going by attendance numbers, the film came in below Hulk, X-Men and Fantastic Four, but was ahead of Daredevil and Ghost Rider, which is not exactly high praise.
While some of this can be attributed to the inflation of ticket prices over the years, 2,737 of the 3,955 screens showing the film were playing the 3D version of the film. Seeing as tickets for 3D showings are higher than 2D, it accounts for the discrepancy between box office receipts and attendance. While I am unclear on what the average price differential is across the country between the two versions, in my own town it’s $2.
Considering the general panning I have seen from people of the post production conversion 3D effect, I imagine I’d be asking for my $2 back. (No, I have not seen the movie yet.)
As I noted late last year, movie studios have begun using 3D as a way to make up lost revenue from declining attendance numbers. Essentially we are being forced to pay extra for a special effect that in the vast majority of instances does not enhance the story. You hear about movies that have thousands of effect shots such as the Star Wars films, but yet you pay no extra to see those movies. Run a film through a 3D conversion process and suddenly it’s worth charging you more. Some cheap plastic glasses you are encouraged to not keep?
The studios have figured out a way to squeeze a few more dollars out of the audience, and they’re going to do it for every penny they can. They can’t use the argument that this is some sort of essential aspect of the movie because then they wouldn’t release 2D versions, and what about when they go to home video? While there are at home 3D solutions, they are cost prohibitive at the moment, and they have not achieved much consumer penetration. If it’s so important to the film, wouldn’t they release it only as a 3D version on Blu-ray despite the potential lack of sales? Of course they aren’t doing that because they want to sell as many as they can.
At the theaters they know a good number of people will opt for the higher priced version thinking they will get a better experience, but at home they know people just haven’t spent the money to adopt the technology so they will sell what they can get the most money from.
The consumer is getting played, and considering Thor’s opening numbers were lackluster in spite of 3D, we appear to be reaching a point where it’s no longer going to matter. While the studios have tried to convince us 3D is here to stay, it will only be for so long as they are making some extra money from it. When they see attendance numbers falling yet again, they will go back to 2D-only versions to cut the costs, lower the ticket prices and hopefully attract more people to the theater once again.
Until that time, vote with your wallets and opt for 2D versions of films, or simply don’t go at all. Stop letting Hollywood play us for idiots.
Marvel has released another trailer for Thor ahead of its May 6th release.
The first Thor trailer was released back in Dec., and with just over two months to go before its release, a second one has hit the Internet. I’ve never been the biggest fan of the comic series, but the movie is looking more and more promising with each additional bit of footage I see. Still, I don’t think we’re looking at anything as good as the first Iron Man film, but it looks like it should be very watchable.
Yeah, I know, “watchable” isn’t exactly a glowing endorsement, but in this day and age, that’s actually pretty high praise.
The Super Bowl has one big thing going for it every year … movie trailers.
As I stated the other day, I’m not a fan of the Super Bowl, but I do enjoy the insane movie marketing blitz that comes with it each year now. While I think it is silly how much they charge for these ads now ($3 million for a 30-second ad this year), at least it puts all of the commercials for the new summer films in one place.
I’ve gathered up a few of the film commercials, skipping things like Rio, Super 8 and Fast Five. They’re out there if you want to find them, but somehow I can’t bring myself to care about a fifth installment in The Fast and the Furious franchise when I didn’t care about the first four. And, oh yeah, they’re already planning a sixth.
Click below for the trailers of Cowboys & Aliens, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, Transformers – Dark of the Moon and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Thor is slated for release in the United States on May 6, 2011, and now we finally have a full trailer to go along with the film.
I can’t say I’ve ever been a huge fan of the comic book series, but I have read it from time to time over the years. In other words, I can actually judge this one based as being a film as opposed to adapting the source material, and I have to say this footage has caught my attention. Yes, I know the basic story of what we’re seeing here, but just basing it on the footage, I have to say I’d see this. It looks like it has a story, it appears to be visually appealing and since I know it is helping build towards The Avengers, why not?
Thor 2 has picked up a new director in the form of someone who is best known for their TV work.
Marvel has released another trailer for Thor ahead of its May 6th release.
The Super Bowl has one big thing going for it every year … movie trailers.
