Shooting Inside Colorado Theater Terrorizes The Dark Knight Rises

You go to the movies to escape reality.

So what can we say now after 24-year-old James Holmes reportedly walked into a packed Colorado movie theater, threw smoke into the crowd, and opened fire during The Dark Knight Rises midnight screening?

Our condolences here at AfterTheCut.com are with the families of those this tragedy has touched in Aurora, Colorado.

This act of evil is unfathomable, and truly seems like something out of a movie. Unfortunately, for the 12 lives already lost and the 71 wounded this morning, according to police, this was far too real.

The midnight release of the finale in Christopher Nolan’s Batman saga was supposed to instill excitement, happiness and a night full of entertainment, as millions flocked to the theaters for one of the most anticipated movies of the year.

We here at www.AfterTheCut.com were prepared to debut our site to the world today, coinciding with the biggest movie event of the year. This is what 7-20-12 was suppose to represent; greatness and joy with film lovers around the world.

Instead, the film’s opening weekend is now marred with a chaotic bloodbath that has forever impacted the lives of many with tragedy and sorrow.

Police and witnesses at the Century16 Movie Theater said the gunman wore a gas mask and bulletproof vest at the time of the shooting, and eyewitnesses have said they didn’t suspect anything out of the ordinary at the time—going as far as assuming Holmes’ actions were part of the movie-going experience.

Eyewitness Chris Ramos, who was in the theater at the time of the shooting, said in a CNN interview that the gunman didn’t shoot at targeted victims but rather at random areas of the theater for “about a minute or two” and then casually walked up the aisle like nothing happened.

Police apprehended the gunman, later identified as 24-year-old James Holmes, in the parking lot, and took him into custody. He is reportedly due in court on Monday.

In The Dark Knight Rises, the villainous Bane wears a Kevlar-like vest and mask around his mouth to help him breathe, and many in theaters across the country dressed in his likeness for this momentous release. It is possible, in my eyes, that people could have thought he was simply paying homage to a character in the movie, and thus didn’t think twice about his appearance.

It’s unfortunate how far from the truth that assumption was.

Though it is easy to draw parallels between Holmes and Bane, and even place some sort of blame upon Nolan and the many who contributed in the production of The Dark Knight Rises. They are entertainers, working to provide people with an escape, however fleeting, from the tragedies and hardships of everyday life.

Rather, we at AfterTheCut.com stand with actor George Takei, who famously portrayed Captain Sulu on the beloved Star Trek television series, and the statement he made on his Facebook page:

“Many victims of today’s tragedy were fans of science fiction/fantasy. They stood in line to be the first to see, to be inspired, and to escape. As a community of dreamers, we mourn this terrible tragedy and this senseless taking of innocent life.”

Special thanks to Bill San Antonio for his contribution to this article, along with everyone on the AfterTheCut.com team.

Review: The Dark Knight Rises

Christopher Nolan simply said, this film is about “pain.”

The pain of lost love, in Rachel Dawes, Gotham’s pain without Harvey Dent, Batman’s forthcoming pain at the hands of Bane, and perhaps the pain of this Batman trilogy coming to an end.

The four years since The Dark Knight have been chock full of assumptions, rumors, and flat out lies. When the clock strikes 12:01 A.M. on Friday 7-20-12, the truth will finally be revealed.

We are taken eight years after The Dark Knight, and the death of Harvey Dent still looms. Gotham’s streets are clean, no thanks to the Batman, and Bruce Wayne who, coincidentally, have been in exile for those eight years. Commissioner Gordon leads Gotham’s finest with an iron fist, protecting the streets from the crooks, and mobsters that once inhabited the city.

In true Nolan fashion, it is all about one-upping the competition, too bad this time, the competition is his previous work of art. You can tell, right away, from the opening scene that Nolan is in a fight with The Dark Knight, attempting to stun the audience the second they sit down, just like he did four years ago with the introduction of the Joker.

Exile, redemption, the fight of survival, rising above; these are the key elements of The Dark Knight Rises. How far will a hero go, how much sacrifice can be made to protect what he stands for?

With Batman gone for so long, it’s been on the shoulders of Gotham PD to keep the crime at bay, but there is only so much they can do. A new villain seeks destruction, he sees vulnerability in a city desperate for a calling, and thus Bane arrives.

Hailing from the depths of The League of Shadows, by way of South Africa; he is the devil reincarnated. Bane is the definition of evil, tearing Gotham down, bringing it to it’s knees, in an attempt to liberate the people from the tyranny of their so-called fearless leaders.

Fear is something they will get.

Tom Hardy assumes the role of Bane, having to gain over 25 pounds of muscle for the role, as well as a distinct new dialect, one which has been the main topic of discussion when it comes to this film, Hardy transforms himself.

Just because I say transform, don’t automatically assume it is on the level of Heath Ledger and The Joker, I know everyone is trying to compare the two, but you really can’t. These two villains are completely different, from their demeanor, to their end-game goals, the two couldn’t be further apart in similarity.

Hardy, who said the inspiration for Bane’s voice came from late bare-knuckle boxing champion Bartley Gorman, is as imposing of a figure as you will see in a movie. He is terrifying, yet calculated, it seems like he is always 10 steps ahead of Gotham PD, and Batman.

But the scrutiny surrounding Bane’s voice from months ago, and once again when the trailers hit, isn’t without merit.

Even though Nolan said there was a ton of post-edit work done to make Bane’s voice more intelligible, at times it is still very difficult to hear what he is saying. About 20% of his words are muffled. I know that sounds bad, but Hardy makes up for it with his acting, body movement, hand gestures, and eyes.

Depending on the theater you go to, the sound may be a bit too loud and that too could interfere with his voice, because there are times where it sounds like he is speaking into a microphone or on a bull horn through the mask. For some, his voice may be distracting, but I absolutely loved it. It’s different, and at times it becomes fun and playful, yet there is venom dripping from every word uttered, if that makes sense.

With the theme of the first quarter of the film being Batman’s whereabouts we are introduced to two new prominent characters. John Blake, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a young cop, cut from the same cloth as Commissioner Gordon, often regarded as a “hothead” with a savory appetite for justice. The other being a dastardly jewel thief named Selina Kyle, as she crosses paths with Bruce Wayne, the two clearly have a mind-state in common.

As we progress in the film, massive amounts of story-line are given to us, more than ever before in any Batman film, simply because this is the finale. Miranda Tate, played by Marion Cotillard, is a rich business woman with a goal of clean energy solution for the world. Her role with Bruce Wayne becomes greater once she is given the keys to Wayne Enterprises in order to lead it back to fiscal solvency.

From Bane’s terrorism of Gotham, to a potential nuclear explosion, the need for Batman is stronger now than ever before.

One thing is paramount in The Dark Knight Rises, the action and fight scenes are second to none. Nolan has really outdone himself.

There are two major fight sequences between Bane and Batman, the first of which absolutely blew my mind and made me sit up, and lean forward in my chair. The second is so masterfully presented; it will truly blow you away. Bane is so strong, so unflappable; he is unlike anything Batman has had to face before. This is what the saga is all about, when evil rises, we look to one man to protect us, the question is can Batman defeat something he was never prepared for?

Anne Hathaway delivers arguably the best performance of her career. Her role as Selina Kyle, in and out of the cat suit really carries the film at times, and I’d go as far as to say she stole the show almost every time on screen; she was THAT good. Her dry humor, and ability to not be phased by the rich and powerful along with Batman, brings a new element into the story. Figuring out what side she is playing for is a plot point all in and of itself, and one even she herself, has to fight.

Speaking of career efforts; Christian Bale, for the first time really acts, and shines as Bruce Wayne, more than Batman. This is by far his best performance of the trilogy, as it truly shows him as a broken man, leaving his riches, and persona behind, in order to restore his calling as the caped crusader.

It’s bittersweet, once you sit down you realize it will all be over soon. The journey you are about to embark on over nearly the next three hours is riveting, but at times hard to follow. It’s not confusing, but there is so much story that is happening all at once, that it is hard to digest in one sitting. With Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight the story was always straight forward, with us knowing there was more to come once the film was over. Now, knowing there would be nothing left to look forward to, bringing it all to a close had to be packed into a relatively short period of time.

While Nolan is great at putting together a story, I’m not surprised that I want to watch it again (and will be at midnight), just like I did with Inception, Memento, and The Prestige. What do they all have in common, they are brilliant psychological films. And while The Dark Knight Rises, is probably not suppose to be on that level, I think it is very close. There is much more beneath the surface to this film then you can imagine.

The human element, as always resides with Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, and Lucius Fox, and now John Blake. Michael Caine, the father figure to Mr. Wayne, must deal with his seclusion, after which letting Batman know he is up against a greater force than even he can withstand. Gordon has a smaller role here, than in TDK, but as always he plays for the good guys and has an impact on the way things end. Fox is tangled in a web with Tate thanks to Bane that plays a big role in the film. The ordinary characters we’ve come to know, play just as big of a role in the overall story as Batman, or Bane.

The Dark Knight Rises brought parallels of today’s world of political anarchy, terrorism, and the struggle for hope all onto the silver screen, in a way that was so beautiful, Nolan must be applauded for that.

Let me not forget to mention Hans Zimmer, who is always able to make a scene, or save a scene with his epic score, although at times drowning out some dialogue, probably not his fault. Expect an Oscar nomination.

It’s hard to dissect a film of this stature, one with such anticipation, and look for imperfections. It’s almost like a witch hunt, trying to locate the chinks in the armor, possibly subconsciously hoping it would not live up to the hype. That’s the reaction the “fan-boys” are giving, I don’t know if you can really blame them, but I will agree, this film is not perfect.

The character of Bane is nothing short of a monster, his presence is over bearing, and he is one villain the audience will fall in love with. However, I wish there was more back story to his character, the mask, and the pain he has endured. I felt there was a lot left to be desired for us to fully get a grasp of the man behind the mask.

At times the film’s plot gets sloppy, or simply suffocating, there is just so much going on at one time, we get scene jumps one-after-another, that it sort-of makes your head spin. Everything is eventually brought full circle, but it’s hard not to notice these deviations in the story. After watching the film for a second time, I was certainly more keen to the little nuances that I missed on the first go around.

I recommend everyone see this more than once, you’ll thank me in the end.

To Nolan’s credit, he gets very creative with the twists, and turns, the audience will collectively gasp many times, and that is always a good thing in my eyes.

The question everyone had in mind was would this be a fitting ending? With so many directions to go with the Batman character and story, how can it all just end? Rest assured, this is where the film shines the brightest.

There is as sublime of an ending as one could hope for. The final 10 minutes, and more specifically the last scene is simply flawless. Everything is tied into a Christopher Nolan-like bow, signifying closure, finality, and the end of an era.

Rating: 8.5/10

Trailer: The Master

The first full theatrical trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master went live tonight.

The film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lancaster Dodd, Amy Adams as Mary Sue and Joaquin Phoenix as Freddie Sutton, in a story revolving around a new religion being formed by Dodd, with Sutton being a main believer. The plot is said to be similar to that of Scientology.

The Master hits theaters on October 12th, 2012.

How Can The Dark Knight Rises Live Up to The Hype?

“Because he’s the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we’ll hunt him. Because he can take it. Because he’s not our hero. He’s a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight.” – Lt. James Gordon

$207,438,708 from 4,349 theaters in one weekend.

That is the astounding, record breaking bench mark, Joss Whedon’s The Avengers set for all films that followed. Every movie with a cape, or a super power showcased must kneel in awe of the supergroup that lambasted the box office, and set up the pressing question everyone has been asking since May 4th, 2012.

Can The Dark Knight Rises top The Avengers‘ weekend gross? Is it remotely possible?

The negatives are glaring, TDKR it’s a longer film at 164 minutes, opposed to Avengers’143 minutes. The of course means less time to replay, less theaters it’s playing in as well. TDKR is also not in 3D. Avengers was in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D.

But can Christopher Nolan overcome?

I wouldn’t bet against him.

This is arguably the most anticipated and hyped movie of all time. Certainly of my generation. People will be flocking to the theaters to see it, those people that “don’t care” about TDKR – care enough to talk about it and eventually give in to curiosity.

But how does Nolan follow up his masterpiece of The Dark Knight, tying a bow around his franchise, and ending it on July 20th, 2012?

Can Tom Hardy’s Bane, hold a candle to Heath Ledger’s Joker? Are the additions of Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake, Marion Cotillard and more to the cast, going to breed more success?

Is the fact that it’s over; make the suspense, anticipation, angst, and fervor to sit in a theater and indulge the finale worth it?

How does the most talked about film of the year, not only live up to expectations, but shatter them completely?

I’ve always said expectations are the worst things to have when you go to the movies. 9.5 times out of 10 you will be disappointed, I can promise you that.

But I don’t think you can help yourself now.

From the fire, evil will rise, and on 7-20-12 it’s time to bid farewell to Bruce Wayne and Gotham City.

Anthony Mackie in Talks Play Falcon in Captain America Sequel

One of my favorite actors, Anthony Mackie, is about to possibly take on the role of his career.

Mackie, who has slowly put together a great resume, is being courted to star as Falcon in Captain America: The Winter Solider. Why did I dub this “the role of his career,” because Falcon is one of the first African American superheroes in comics, and this will make Anthony a household name.

We all know that once you play a superhero in a film, no matter good or bad, your Hollywood star starts to shine a bit brighter.

Mackie will be playing Sam Wilson, the kid from Harlem with a troubled past that includes a life of crime after his father and mother were killed at different times by vagrants.  Wilson’s alter ego is Falcon, a superhero who ends up working with Captain America cleaning up the streets of New York.

Falcon’s super suit allows him to fly, and gives his added strength, but his main power is the ability to telepathically talk to birds, more specifically his bird Redwing.

The other day at Comic-Con, Marvel gave us tons of information about their next four projects, one being the Captain America sequel.

From the new title we are able to gather that the sequel will center around the loss of Steve Rogers’ childhood friend Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan. In the comics, Barnes is found alive and brought back to life by the Russian military. With no memory of what happened, or his life before, the Soviet’s turned him into an assassin called the Winter Soldier, and sent him across the globe killing high profile targets during the Cold War. However, his memory implantation caused mental instability, and he was kept in stasis between missions to prevent rebellion.

The issue remains that people close to the sequel have said that the Captain America story will be in present day, as we saw at the end of The First Avenger. So we have to speculate how Falcon, and Barnes will play into the story.

Now for the comic book lovers, they know that Falcon eventually becomes a member of The Avengers, so who knows maybe Mackie has big things planned in the future.

Captain America: The Winter Solider hits theaters on April 4th, 2014.

Downey Jr., Cheadle, Black and Feige Talk Iron Man 3

Marvel has been the star of Comic-Con, but this comes to no ones surprise. At their panel, the big guns were out, co-writer/director Shane Black and actors Robert Downey Jr. and Don Cheadle were joined by Marvel’s Kevin Feige to talk Iron Man 3.

During their meeting with the press, they talked about the desire to continue the level of production that was shown in The Avengers, the many sides of Tony Stark, and much more in the third installment of the Iron Man saga.

Question: The Avengers had such great action and set pieces.  What is the pressure for Iron Man 3 to have bigger set pieces and live up to that level?

KEVIN FEIGE:  We’re not aiming for bigger, necessarily.  We’re aiming for different and fresh and new.

SHANE BLACK:  There is an idea about being big, but to me it’s an idea about capturing and doubling the intensity that The Avengersmanaged to capture.  It’s that lightening in a bottle feel of really stuffing so much into a limited space.  We’re trying to get as much in this, as we can.  We’re just looking to get a ton of thrills in a short space, and make a nice little stew for you.

Question: Kevin and Shane, can you talk about the Iron Patriot rumors, the picture that was online, and how that fits into the film?

FEIGE:  The not fun thing is that it’s online and you don’t have a whole lot of control over that stuff anymore.  The fun thing is that the reason it was online is because it’s a real practical suit.  It was on the set and someone took a picture of it.  It’s actually an awesomely designed suit that Mr. Cheadle does get to wear, in certain points of the movie.

BLACK:  The good news and the fun thing for us, just in terms of the fans and the fan blogs, is just how much all the guessing is so wrong.  It’s completely off base.  We should just get someone to walk around as the most obscure Marvel villain ever, or get some costume at K-Mart and have that show up.  But, we love the rumors.  That’s fun!

Question: Shane, you’ve written a lot of big movies for other directors and producers.  Did that prepare you for directing your own big movie? What’s surprised you about being on the director’s side of things?

BLACK:  What surprised me, frankly, was just how much generous help was available to me.  That made it as easy as it could be.  Jon Favreau was available to give me all kinds of tips and advice.  He just made it like walking off of one platform, onto another and gave me the transitional feel that I needed.  Marvel has such an affective special effects machine that they could walk me through this process, hold my hand, and ensure that I was free to concentrate on story and character and scale.  I said, “I want to do this,” and they said, “Here’s how you do it,” and within a week, I knew.  They’re terrific!  They’ve done this a lot.  They do it all the time.

Question: Robert and Shane, how did the storyline and the success of The Avengers impact what you wanted to do with this movie, and what did you want to dig into with Tony Stark this time?

ROBERT DOWNEY JR:  The Avengerseven surprised us, to a certain extent.  Looking back on it, you can dissect why it was the right movie with the right people and the right director, at the right time, and we feel the same way about this now.  I feel that Rhodey and Tony had not entirely been explored as much as they could be.  That was always a big part of the comics, and the heart of it.  We also tried to be practical, in a post-Avengers world.  What are his challenges now?  What are some limitations that might be placed on him?  And what sort of threat would have him, as usual, ignore those limitations?

BLACK:  Truthfully, the way to go about doing a part 3, if you’re ever in that position, as I’m lucky enough to be, is to find a way that the first two weren’t done yet.  You have to find a way to make sure that the story that’s emerging is still ongoing and, by the time you’ve finished 3, will be something resembling the culmination of a trilogy.  It’s about, “How has the story not yet been completely told?,” and I think we’re getting there.  I think we’ve really found ways to make this feel organic and new, based on what’s come before, and that’s what I’m happy about.

Question: Shane and Kevin, Iron Man 2 really set up pieces for The Avengers movie.  How is Iron Man 3 going to focus on Iron Man, rather than setting up the next Avengers?

FEIGE:  This is a very Tony Stark centric film, meaning not just Tony, but his world with Pepper and with Rhodey.  It was important to us, as part of the grand plan, from Iron Man 1 to The Avengers, to build that up.  Frankly, the first step of the grand plan, with Iron Man 3, is to prove they’re just as interesting, if not more so, by themselves, as they were when they were all together in The Avengers.  Iron Man 3, by design, is a very serious character study.  It’s not a serious movie, but we seriously dug into exploring more of Tony, of Rhodey and of Pepper, without calling S.H.I.E.L.D. and calling Thor or Cap.

Question: Don, will we see you suit up again, in this film?

DON CHEADLE:  I do suit up.  There are some different iterations that War Machine goes through, in this film.  I don’t want to give them away, but it’s fun to see those things morph and shift.  The Iron Man suit is really spectacular in this film, I think, with the innovation that’s happened with it.

Question: Robert and Shane, will there be more sides to Tony stark in this?

DOWNEY:  Yeah, I think that’s the big idea.  But also, interestingly enough, this film has a lot of breadth to it.  We realized, at the beginning of Iron Man 2, Tony was dying, and then he had a party, and then he was drunk, and some people were going, “We don’t like him!”  There’s a way to enjoy all of that shadowy stuff.  We just kept thinking about, “What would it really be like, if this guy was in this country?  Where else could he go in this country?  What sorts of themes and backdrops could we explore?”  If you look to the history of the films that Shane has written and directed, there’s a real desire for me, just as someone who loves the movies, to harken back to some of those themes, and they will occur in Iron Man 3.

BLACK:  Although, Tony won’t fall off the wagon.

DOWNEY:  You haven’t seen my rewrites!  Rhodey picks him up at Betty Ford, in Scene 2.

Question: Can you talk about filming in China and how that will be incorporated?

BLACK:  We’re not really going to China.  Can I say that?

DOWNEY:  This is why I love Shane.  He says it, and then turns to Kevin [Feige] and asks if he can say it.

BLACK:  Basically, we’re setting aspects of the film in China, but the First Unit won’t be filming there.  But, don’t tell anybody.

CHEADLE:  That stays in this room.

Question: How do you ensure that this film doesn’t step on the toes of any larger Marvel projects?

FEIGE: Iron Man 3 is the beginning of the next phase, so it will set the tone, in a lot of ways.  Certainly, with Tony’s journey, things could spin forward, but it’s as self-contained a story that we’ve done since Iron Man 1.

Question: How important is romance to the story ofIron Man 3?

BLACK:  The remarkable thing that Jon Favreau managed to do when he forged these movies was establishing a precedent of espionage, high-tech, Top Gun style thrills, coupled with romantic comedy, in a strange way.  That’s always been the mainstay of these movies.  That’s one of my favorite things about it, too.  The romance is definitely a part of it.  We’ve got Gwyneth [Paltrow] coming back, and some time has passed.  In The Avengers, Pepper and Tony are together and doing great, and living together.

DOWNEY:  Kevin said there’s never been a movie like this where the lead guy is in a relationship with the girl he’s going home to, who’s Gwyneth Paltrow, telling him what to do.  However, Rhodes is single!  What are we gonna do about that?

CHEADLE:  Is this a dating service?!  Are you starting something?

Question: How do you guys keep all of these films fresh for audiences without people feeling overloaded by Marvel films?

FEIGE:  Well, I’ve been at Marvel for 12 years now, and we’ve had that concern, going back to when X-Mencame out, and then two years later,Spider-Man came out.  And then, in one year, there were three films.  The trick and the formula is just trying to make great movies.  We try to make them all great, all different and all fresh.  What you’ll see in Iron Man 3, that Shane is bringing to it, is some very unique plot points and directions that were taken with the franchise.  The same thing with Thor, and the same thing with Captain America.  As long as they all feel fresh and you don’t fall into some sort of formulaic mold, I hope [people will want to see them].

BLACK: We were allowed to take some risks, and I think that’s very notable.  I think it’s very admirable, in a superhero movie, to be able to take a few risks.  That’s why I wanted to do this.

Question: Robert, how does it feel to be a hero in all these movies?

CHEADLE:  This better be a great answer!

DOWNEY: Well, I think I can speak for any of us who get to live in this world.  There’s something about it where you go, “What a great opportunity!”  It’s an odd thing.  I take it as seriously as Shakespeare

Lots to say but it’s clear this is a fun bunch, and they are getting ready for a massive film. They have a tough act to follow with The Avengers, and now that The Dark Knight Rises, is on the way, I’m sure people will up the ante even more in terms of comparisons.

Thomas Jane Shows off New Punisher Short, Dirty Laundry

Comic-Con has been a full of surprises. From the Marvel news to the Sons of Anarchy panel and much more. So lets add another surprise to the pile. Thomas Jane, famous for playing The Punisher, and for his work on HBO’s Hung, surprised the crowd with a brand new short film titled  Dirty Laundy.

While Comic-Con has had thousands upon thousands of fans there, a select few got to see this short, but Jane made sure to post it online for all to see.

Alongside Jane we also see Ron Perlman in the short.

Jane’s quote in the YouTube description:

“I wanted to make a fan film for a character I’ve always loved and believed in – a love letter to Frank Castle & his fans. It was an incredible experience with everyone on the project throwing in their time just for the fun of it. It’s been a blast to be a part of from start to finish — we hope the friends of Frank enjoy watching it as much as we did making it.”

Marvel Surprises Comic-Con With Post Avengers Films

One of the biggest events at the 2012 Comic-Con took place yesterday at the Hall H panel for Marvel. Originally billed as Iron Man 3, but everyone knew there were more surprises in store.

They were correct.

The studio dropped major news that got the crowd fired up: new titles and details for all their upcoming films!

Marvel’s plate is full with sequels to Captain America: The First Avenger, and Thor; while films for Ant-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy are on the way.

So why are titles so important?

Because they give us a glimpse into the future!

Kevin Feige opened the panel by letting the crowd know Marvel was working on four films right now. The first is Iron Man 3, hitting the big screen on May 3rd, 2013.  He then revealed two new titles for the sequels mentioned above.

The sequel to Chris Hemsworth’s leading Thor, will be titled Thor: The Dark World, and that hits theaters November 8th, 2013. Followed by Steve Rogers next film, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, hitting theaters April 4th, 2014. That will be followed by the new Guardians of the Galaxy film on August 1st, 2014.

The Winter Soldier titled for Captain America should lead us to believe that the story line will involve Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) as a big part of the film.

Feige said that funny man Zachary Levi has been confirmed as Fandrel in the Thor: The Dark World, while also revealing the team that will make up Guardians of the Galaxy: StarLord, Drax the Destroyer, Rocket Raccon, and Groot.

The long “in-development” project has been a film for Ant-Man. Edgar Wright surprised the crowd at the panel yesterday to show test footage of Ant-Man and saying:

“I’m taking the Terrence Malick approach to superheroes,”

The unfinished footage that Wright showed the crowd mainly showed the Ant-Man morphing from big to ant-size, while beating up some guards, and traveling through air conditioning vents. Like mentioned by Wright and everyone at Comic-Con, it was very rough because it was shot only two weeks prior. But the morphing effect came out pretty well and the crowd enjoyed it.

Wright added:

“Ant-Man will kick your ass one inch at a time.”

Lots of big news as Comic-Con is in full swing. Comic book fans, and Marvel fans should be very excited for the future.

Jessica Biel Joins The Wolverine

Hugh Jackman A.K.A. Wolverine has another nemesis  in The Wolverine he has to worry about.

Jessica Biel has joined The Wolverine, a dark telling story about the famed X-Men hero with claws. Biel will assume the role of Viper, a friend-turned-foe of the Marvel mutant.

Biel joins a cast that already includes at Will Yun Lee who will play the other villain Silver Surfer, Brian Tee, Hiroyuki Sanada who will play Yakuza boss Shingen, Hal Yamanouchi, Rila Fukushima and Tao Okamoto.

James Mangold is directing the film, which begins shooting next month in Australia.

There is a tentative release date of July 26, 2013.

*****UPDATE*****

Talks between Jessica Biel and 20th Century Fox have fallen apart, and she is no longer assuming the role of Viper. The studio is currently talking to other top actresses to take over the role.

Trailer: Oz the Great and Powerful

The long awaited prequel of sorts to the famous Wizard of Oz, finally has a trailer.

Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful, kicks off in black-and-white, paying tribute to the original, then we get to the Land of Oz.

The story centers around Jame Franco, who plays a circus magician, who finds himself transported to the world of Oz, where he is thrusted into battle with the three witches; Thodora played by Mila Kunis, Evanora, played by Rachel Weisz, and Glinda, played by Michelle Williams.

The film also stars Zach Braff and Abigail Spencer. 

Oz the Great and Powerful hits theaters onMarch 8th, 2013.

Synopsis:

Disney’s fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.