Quick Take: Some Superhero News for All Us Fanboys

Welcoming us after this weekend is a trio of superhero news to kick the week into full gear…

Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish have Written Ant-Man:

In order for an Ant-Man film to be successful, there has to be a great creative team working on the project.  Ant-Man is one of the quirkier and less-known superheroes of the Marvel franchise so relying on name recognition won’t be enough to draw the average movie goer.  Fortunately, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish are part of that creative team as they have recently submitted a 2nd draft of their Ant-Man script to Marvel.  Edgar Wright is the creative mind behind Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World while Joe Cornish is making his feature writer/director debut this year with Attack of the Block.  Hopefully, in addition to writing the script, one (or both) of these men will also be involved as director.  This could be one of the most fun superhero adaptations to come to the big screen.

http://www.totalfilm.com/news/edgar-wright-and-joe-cornish-have-delivered-their-ant-man-script?ns_campaign=news&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=totalfilm&ns_linkname=0&ns_fee=0&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+totalfilm%2Fimdbnews+%28Total+Film+IMDb+aggregate%29

Tim Miller to Direct “X-Men Origins: Deadpool”:

In the tradition of Fox studios, they continue to make questionable decisions regarding the X-Men franchise.  After X-Men and X2 the franchise has completely taken a turn for the worse with X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.  This summer we’ll see if Matthew Vaughn can right the ship with X-Men: First Class; but even if he can another disaster is likely to follow.  Recently, Darren Aronofsky backed out of directing the 2nd Wolverine film (smart) leaving the film without a director, and the other origin story no one cares about is X-Men Origins: Deadpool.  With Ryan Reynolds still attached, apparently Fox still cares (sort of) because they’ve named Tim Miller their director.  This will be Tim Miller’s directorial debut with all of his previous film experience being in visual effects.  Just what we need, another director who thinks good story telling is about explosions…

This is what I think about story structure!

 http://www.deadline.com/2011/04/x-men-vfx-wiz-tim-miller-to-direct-deadpool/#more-121283

General Zod has been Officially Cast:

One of the biggest questions surrounding Superman: The Man of Steel has been who will be cast to play the lead villain General Zod, well this weekend we got our answer.  Other names surrounding the role have been Viggo Mortensen and Daniel Day Lewis, but the Kryptonian general will be played by none other than Michael Shannon.  Shannon was rumored for a villain role in the film but the part was not specified until he was officially cast as Zod.  Shannon is a fantastic choice for the role, an Oscar nominated actor who has recently delivered some strong performances in Revolutionary Road, The Runaways, and Boardwalk Empire among others.  Shannon will join the star studded cast including: Ashley Judd, Kevin Costner, and Amy Adams (oh yeah and some guy named Henry Cavill will play Superman).

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/04/10/superman-michael-shannon-zod/

Top 15 Alien Invasion Movies

To celebrate the release of Battle: Los Angeles releasing in theaters today, we’ve decided to take a look back at some of the best alien invasion movies ever released.  Ranging from horror to action to even comedy, these fifteen films (we couldn’t limit it to just 10) represent the best that hollywood has to offer when it comes to alien invasion.

15. Signs (2002)

Kicking things off on this list is M. Night Shyamalan’s last halfway decent film. Certainly not any great achievement in film, or the alien invasion genre, but it was effective and better than a lot of other efforts. What was different about this film than others on this list, is that it brought a sense of claustrophobia to the alien invasion, making the characters’ world smaller and smaller until it seems like there is no way out. Most invasion flicks try to show devastation on a massive scale, but Shyamalan smartly sticks to making this a very character driven story and pulls it off for the most part.

By character driven, I mean it drove its lead actors to eventually go insane.

14. The Faculty (1998)

Mixing alien invasion with 1990’s teen slasher, The Faculty is a very underrated and often overlooked movie when talking about the teen slasher.  Written by Kevin Williamson (Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer) and directed by Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk ’til Dawn, Sin City), The Faculty is a well written and well-directed horror film with a unique and entertaining concept, Despite the genre and the incredibly cliche movie poster.

This film’s story is enhanced by a cast littered with current future stars of its time including: Josh Hartnett, Jordana Brewster, Clea DuVall, Salma Hayek, Famke Jannsen, Christopher McDonald, Usher Raymond, Jon Stewart, and Elijah Wood.  As an added bonus for those of you watching the film as a repeated viewing; see how many Terminator franchise references you can pick up on, there are quite a few.

Pictured: Dr. Edward Furlong

13. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Sci-fi seems to work best when it fights the system. While this film is not very subtle about it, in the 1950’s it took a lot of grit to criticize society. In 1951, The Day the Earth Stood Still brought a new tent pole for the science fiction genre, even if now its special effects look like they would be fodder for Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Subtlety wasn't invented until the 1960s

To me, this was like the Citizen Kane of science fiction, great in its time, changing the genre forever, but it still has its flaws in story and acting. The updated version fails to have the effect that the original did, even with spectacular special effects, because its overt environmental message is no longer considered cool or subversive; all the guts that made the first one so great were removed.

12. Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

B-movie entertainment at its best, Killer Klowns… is a 1988 horror film that follows a town as they are being invaded by aliens disguised as clowns.  This film never deviates from its identity and is humorous and entertaining the entire way through.  Killer Klowns from Outer Space has develop a cult following over the past 20+ years and rightfully so.  Despite being a product of the 1980s and having a paltry 2 million dollar budget, the film has more camp in its story than it does in effects, and the costumes are actually quite terrifying, especially if you are afraid of clowns.

Good luck sleeping tonight

11. War of the Worlds (2005)

This version of the classic H.G. Wells story made the list because even if there is almost no depth to it, Stephen Spielberg sure knows how to make an exciting film. Sure, Tom Cruise is not convincing as a guy that works on the docks.

Hey guys, after we are done this back breaking work maybe we could head down to the local bar establishment and get some glasses of beer.

Ok, Dakota Fanning is annoying as hell and I would have been content to watch the aliens eviscerate her into an ashy mist, but man this movie looks cool. While normally excessive use of special effects means that something gets lost in the story, Spielberg still was able to make the story cohesive, even if it wasn’t anything spectacular.

10. Monsters (2010)

The alien invasion in Monsters is more of just a backdrop for the rest of the film.  The aliens are barely seen on-screen and are nothing more than a device that drives the plot.  This film focuses almost solely on its two main characters and their relationship as they travel through an infected zone in Mexico back to the United States.  The success of this film is driven by the two lead actors and the chemistry they have as their on-screen relationship develops.  A disappointment if you are expecting an epic invasion piece or a horror film as the title may suggest; but the cinematography and delivery of this film’s story is incredibly impressive considering the paltry budget that constrained it.

(If you want more on Monsters, check out the Weekend Film Recommendation from March 4, 2011.)

9. War of the Worlds (1953)

War of the Worlds banked a lot of its success off the popular trend of alien films in the 1950’s. What makes it better than the other films in that era is that it really tried to set itself apart from the others by breaking away from the stereotypes (i.e. saucer shaped UFOs and garishly clad aliens) to really bring a sinister new look to the alien invasion film.

Well...sinister for 1953.

The film, for as good as they could in 1953, really developed one of the first epic-scale productions of its time. Writer and Director, Barre Lyndon and Byron Haskin, took some creative liberties with the story, but they made sure they were good ones, which only added to the mystique of this famous story.

8. District 9 (2009)

While there is some debate as to whether this truly is an “alien invasion” film, you can make arguments on either side, but there are enough elements to include it in this list. Completed on a very modest budget, Neill Blomkamp burst onto the cinema industry with a sci-fi masterpiece. His special effects were superb for such a low-budget and gave the film a very real feel. Plus, as mentioned earlier, it used the sci-fi genre as a platform for a subversive message, just subtly enough that it didn’t get in the way of the story. Blomkamp also benefitted from a great performance by Sharlto Copley as the protagonist and all those elements combined to garner a Best Picture nomination in 2010.

7. Mars Attacks (1996)

One of the two pure comedy/satires on this list, taste dictates which of the two is more deserving of the higher ranking.  Less popular and far less acclaimed (51% on Rotten Tomatoes as opposed to 91%), Mars Attacks is the sleeper of the two.  Tim Burton’s most underappreciated work, probably because it doesn’t look at all like a Tim Burton movie, this film is laugh out loud funny all the way through.  Aside from Tim Burton, Mars Attacks features an incredible ensemble cast featuring:  Glenn Close, Annette Benning, Pierce Brosnan, Danny Devito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Tom Jones (yes that Tom Jones), Jim Brown (yes that Jim Brown), Natalie Portman, Pam Grier, Ray J (yes that Ray J), Christina Applegate, Lukas Haas, Jack Black, and Jack Nicholson.

And possibly an uncredited Johnny Depp

6. Men in Black (1997)

Men in Black parodied a lot of the films already mentioned in this list and featured the great comedic chemistry of loudmouth Will Smith and deadpan Tommy Lee Jones. The film was a box office and critical success, spawning a disastrous sequel and another sequel coming soon. What it lacks in suspense, it makes up for with witty one liners and delightful sight gags, and it still manages to pay homage to some of the sci-fi greats. The gadgets and special effects used were pretty cool as well and made for several toys that every kid wanted for Christmas.

5. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

The 1978 remake of the 1956 classic, this version updates the classic with more chilling suspense and a stellar cast.  Donald Sutherland is the headliner here but there are plenty of other names and faces you might recognize including Jeff Goldblum, Leonard Nimoy, Veronica Cartwright, and Robert Duvall in an uncredited role.  Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a chilling horror film about alien pods invading and taking over the human race creating drones devoid of emotion.  Not only known for its horror and unforgettable closing sequence, …Body Snatchers provides both humor and satire giving the film added depth.

4. Independence Day (1996)

This has become the film that immediately comes to mind when someone thinks of an alien invasion film. Utter devastation, iconic and ominous imagery, cheesy one liners and speeches that will be parodied for years to come.

Bill Pullman, the most inspiring and reckless president of all time.

While by no means a “great” film, it encompasses all the elements people look for when they go to a summer blockbuster. Roland Emerich somehow knew how to make everything work and use static characters in a good way to create a film that is just plain fun.

3. Superman II (1980)

Superman II may seem out-of-place on this list, but it certainly is worthy of ranking #3 among the best alien invasion movies of all time.  The follow-up to Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie, this film follows Clark Kent/Superman as he grapples with his immortality and falling in love for Lois Lane.  Meanwhile, three Kryptonian villains led by General Zod (the alien invaders) escape from the Phantom Zone and come to Earth looking both to rule and to destroy Kal-El.

Featuring Christopher Reeve as Superman, Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, and Terence Stamp as General Zod, Superman II is considered by many to be the best superhero movie ever made and the best film Richard Donner never made.  The Richard Lester credited theatrical version is the easiest to find and is a good film, but Superman II really belongs to Richard Donner and Mario Puzo.  If you can track down the Richard Donner cut released to DVD in 2006.

The Superman movie Richard Lester actually directed

2. Predator (1987)

The predator is an alien invader/warrior inhabiting the Central American jungle, that is until Arnold comes along.  Almost 25 years after this movie was released, the predator is now a staple in American pop-culture with the film spawning 4 franchise sequels (Predator 2, Alien vs. Predator, AVP: Requiem, and Predators).  None of those films come close to the original that blends both action/adventure with horror and suspense to create one of the best alien invasion movies ever.  Arnold delivers better in this film than any other mainly because he doesn’t ham it up with one-liners or cheap jokes, and an identifiable supporting cast including Carl Weathers (Rocky) and Jesse Ventura rounds out the action mix.

1. The Thing (1982)

John Carpenter is horror genius and this film is one of his best, and coincidentally tops the list of best alien invasion films. It does not accomplish this through devastating large cities or cool technology, it does it through disturbing make up and sheer cut-the-tension-with-a-knife paranoia. While this was not the original, but a remake, it certainly took the premise and ran with it. He combines the elements of sci-fi and horror so effectively that it leaves the viewer in awe. The ending, which I will not spoil, still leaves the audience left with the feeling of dread hanging over their heads and weighing heavy upon them. If you haven’t seen it is definitely worth a viewing…or two.

More than half of these movies are currently available on Netflix Instant (click on each title to add to your instant queue):

• The Day the Earth Stood Still
• Killer Klowns from Outer Space
• Monsters
• District 9
• Mars Attacks
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers
• Superman II (theatrical version)
• The Thing
• Bonus: Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Kevin Costner’s Role in the Man of Steel

With Deadline reporting that there is increasing interest in casting Kevin Costner for an unspecified role in the Superman reboot coming to theaters in 2012, speculation has risen as to what role he might play.  Recent box office performances by Costner have not been stellar as he is no longer the draw he once was.  His most recent film, The Company Men, quietly grossed just over 3 million domestically despite an ensemble of recognizable names.  Fans can’t forget the powerhouse that Costner once was, starring in such films as The Untouchables, Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, Dances With Wolves, Robin Hood, JFK, and The Bodyguard; almost all in succession.  A summer blockbuster like Superman: The Man of Steel could be the picture Costner needs to catapult him back into billing relevance, but the role and the capacity in which he contributes is still unknown.  I’ve listed the potential roles for Costner and taken my best guess at who he may play.

1. Johnathan Kent

This seems the obvious choice for Costner by anyone who has seen Field of Dreams (and that should be everyone).  Costner has shown he can play the simple-man farmer role with great success while providing the wisdom and moral guidance that the elder Kent provides for Clark.  Costner seems like a Hollywood version of John Schneider, the actor who played Johnathan in Smallville.  The problem with Johnathan Kent is that depending on which comic version they draw from, his age can vary greatly.  Costner would surely fit the age demographic for the silver and golden age superman, but the modern age versions have the Kents as a bit older and gray-haired.  However, Johnathan Kent’s role could be very important to the film if they follow the Death of Superman storyline which includes my favorite choice of villain – Doomsday.

2. Perry White

Casting Costner as Perry White would be mean a large change from the Perry White of Superman Returns, Frank Langella.  27 years younger than Langella, Costner’s White could provide a little more fire to the role of the Daily Planet’s editor.  If don’t see Costner in the new media type of role consider this; Christopher Nolan has said that he wants to present Superman in a modern context.  Given the current state of the print media industry, having Costner trying to revive what was once the most respected source of news in Metropolis, during economic decline, doesn’t seem like too far a cry from his most recent work in The Company Men.

3. Jor-El

Since this role has only been played by one man in both the Donner films and Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns, Kevin Costner would have the large shoes of Marlon Brando to fill.  Jor-El’s almost god like stature doesn’t seem like the perfect fit for Costner, but the role has mostly been voice intensive in previous film incarnations and Costner could certainly do that.  Though he seems more working class than regal, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Costner play Jor-El.  Just as Nolan said he wanted to bring Superman to a modern context, he has also mentioned the innovation of the Donner films for casting big name actors in non-leading roles.  Nolan has done this for Batman films and Costner certainly is a big enough name for the role of Jor-El.

4. Ron Troupe or Steve Lombard

This would certainly apply to a big name in a non-leading role.  Little to unknown by fans of the films, the two characters listed above are both reporters for the Daily Planet.  Ron Troupe is political columnist and Steve Lombard is a Sports Journalist.  Neither character seems relevant enough (based on their description) to warrant the casting of an actor like Costner, but their role in the plot could make them relevant.  As co-workers of Clark Kent and observers of his daily activity as well as the heroic acts of Superman, either one of them could become suspicious of Clark as Superman’s other identity.  Remember that in some origins Clark was an outstanding football player, something a sports journalist like Steve Lombard would be familiar with.  Casting Costner as either of these characters would require some character alterations though, since Lombard is a bit younger and more athletic than Costner, and Troupe is black.

5. Potential Villain

Even though Christopher Nolan is only producing this film in a Godfather capacity, he surely has a say in the casting.  Leave it to him to shock speculators just as he did in 2008’s The Dark Knight and cast an actor out of left field to play the villain (I’m sure you know who I’m referring to).  We have rarely seen Costner in a devious role (Mr. Brooks) so playing a villain might be the breath of air his career needs.  It is still unclear who the primary adversary for Superman will be in this film and that is a whole new can of worms, but there are some roles that Costner may be a fit for.  He is almost certainly too old to play Lex Luthor in this incarnation, but what about the second-most well-known of Superman’s villains… 

General Zod:   Terrance Stamp was 42 when he portrayed Zod in Superman II, and even though Costner is well into his fifties he doesn’t look much older than Stamp did.  We mentioned earlier this month that Zod’s soldier Ursa would likely appear in this film, so it seems likely that Zod will appear as well.  Zod on Earth would have all the same abilities as Superman, and with the right amount of Kryptonian soldiers by his side, even Costner would seem imposing to the Man of Steel.

Braniac:  It would take a lot of makeup or CGI to bring Braniac to life on-screen the way he appears in the comics, but this is a Zack Snyder film we’re talking about.  If that were the case, the most recognizable aspect of Kevin Costner as Braniac would be his voice; and as we mentioned with Jor-El, this would alleviate any doubt he could fill the physical presence the required for the role.  Braniac (as obvious by his name) is an intellectual foe to Superman and utilizes his vast knowledge and alien abilities to match strengths with Superman. 

Darkseid:  I’m hesitant to mention the words Kevin Costner and apocalypse in the same sentence for fear of bringing up memories of Waterworld but Darkseid is a villain who’s been in Superman lore for over 40 years and doesn’t get much love.  Costner as the alien from Apokolips is unlikely though, Apokolips would require a lot more physical confrontation with Superman than the previously mentioned villains and his physique is a lot more imposing.  However, there’s always CGI and the current incarnation of Darkseid in Smallville doesn’t seem to be staying true to the comic.  However, the very recent portrayal of Darkseid in Smallville also makes his appearance in the next film unlikely.

Doomsday:  Another physically imposing character for Superman to face, Doomsday is my preferred choice for a Superman villain.  Costner as Doomsday would require mostly voice (and possibly motion capture) acting as the alien has little human characteristics, so it is not out of the realm of possibilities.  Costner’s age may not be a concern if he were to play Doomsday either, keep in mind that Tim Roth played a similar role as The Abomination in 2008s The Incredible Hulk and he is only 6 years younger than Costner.  If the Doomsday storyline were to play out on film though, we’d likely see Costner in the role of Johnathan Kent.

At the moment though this is all speculation, one role among many that have yet to be announced for this film.  As we move closer to production for this film more and more of these announcements will come to light and the film’s plot will begin to take shape.  Superman: The Man of Steel is scheduled for release in December 2012.

Lindsay Lohan to appear in “The Man of Steel”?

Surely as the man tagged to helm the next film in the Superman franchise Zack Snyder understands the expression “Movie Kryptonite”, so I can’t imagine there is much truth to this rumor.  However, with February picking up where January left off as movie news purgatory, and with The Man of Steel being one of the most anticipated films of 2012, this is currently newsworthy.  Hardly reputable online tabloid TMZ reported that Lindsay Lohan is in talks to be cast in an unspecified role for Warner Bros reboot of the Superman franchise.  It has been confirmed that Lindsay is not up for the part of Lois Lane, but typecasting would suggest she’s one of Lex Luthor’s cell-mates.

Ms. Lohan, what are you in for this time?

While it’s hard for me to believe that Snyder, Nolan, and company would consider casting Lohan in such a high-profile film, especially considering her track record for irresponsible behavior (not to mention poor box office showings), there has already been some controversy surrounding the casting of this project.  There have been conflicting reports regarding Kristen Stewart’s link to the film and why she will not appear as Lois Lane.  The Snyder camp suggests they were interested in Stewart for the role but never offered it to her, while Stewart’s camp claims she was offered the role but turned it down.  Regardless of whether or not Stewart was offered the part or not, consensus seems to be she was considered which, combined with the Lohan rumor, makes that two suspect casting choices in a row. 

Tomorrow's news: The two frontrunners for General Zod

With filming for The Man of Steel to begin this summer, it is likely we will see a lot more news regarding the casting of this film; one role that will need to be cast will be the Kryptonian outlaw Ursa.  This news comes as a surprise not because anyone cares about Ursa, but more so because it seems unlikely the film will have her as a villain without General Zod.  We’ve seen General Zod before in Superman II and with him being one of the more well-known villains in the Superman universe, it has been long speculated that he may appear in this film. 

Ursa - AKA Kryptonian Outlaw #2

Surely we can’t believe every rumor we read on the internet, especially with high-profile films like The Man of Steel, a lot of these reports could exist just to throw fans off and garner free publicity and build anticipation.  However, many of the rumors floating around this project aren’t to the liking of Superman fans (this writer included) so the skepticism is starting to build.  What do you think, can a Superman film succeed if it features Lindsay Lohan?  Does the character Ursa mean we’ll also see General Zod, and are you excited about this?  Superman: The Man of Steel is slated for release at the end of 2012.

Villain Report: Rumors for Spider-man, Batman 3, and Man of Steel Villains

There have been a lot of rumors flying in the last week about the new villains in the superhero genres most prestigious franchises. We’ll start with Spider-man.

Rhys Ifans

Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill, The Replacements) was recently announced to be playing an unspecified villain in the new Spider-man reboot, but according to The Wrap, there is a good chance that he will be playing The Lizard, also known as Dr. Curtis Connors. Most of Spider-man’s villains come with some sort of emotional attachment and if the reboot decides to stick with the story arc that Dr. Connors is Peter Parker’s professor and mentor, this would fall very well into that category. However, in the comics, he is The Lizard before he is Parker’s professor, due to a regeneration experiment gone wrong. I think they could easily weave those storylines together and that Ifans would be a great Dr. Connors, embodying wit and badassery at the same time. I also think it is good that they aren’t re-hashing any of the villains that have previously been done in the series and starting fresh, even though I would really like to see the Venom story receive the appropriate treatment.

Yes, Spider-man 3, hang your head in shame.

Moving on briefly to Man of Steel rumors, Zack Snyder seems to be coming in and shaking things up a bit with the production of the next installment of the Superman franchise. After being called in to tell David S. Goyer that the script idea for emo Superman roaming the earth trying to figure out whether he should be Superman should “go in a new direction”…

Read: "This is a crap movie."

 Snyder is also now dispelling rumors that General Zod will be the villain (sort of). Over the last couple of weeks there have been a lot of sources saying that Zod will be the next villain and make his third appearance in the films, but Snyder says that is just a rumor for now. I am relieved to hear that as well, because if this is a reboot and they are trying to take it in a new direction, they should do the same as Spider-man and start with a new villain.

Now, we come to the biggest rumors on the block right now….Batman 3 (still untitled). While the pieces are coming together, the most recent one being that Tom Hardy (Eames in Inception) is joining the cast as the villain, there is still a lot of mystery about who exactly the villain will be. Right now, the strongest candidate, according to a couple of sources and due to the fact that it is being filmed in New Orleans, is Killer Croc, an aspiring crime lord based out of New Orleans, who suffers from a skin disease called atavism; giving his skin a scaly appearance.

Him?

 

I have to say that I am not a fan of this rumor, if it turns out to be true. I was more looking forward to Nolan’s  take on the Riddler because I think he could make it a dark delight and I think Killer Croc would be too simplistic of a

Black Mask

character. I thought the Joker would be simplistic as well, but Nolan proved me wrong there. I can see him taking almost any villain in the Batman comics and bringing depth to their characters, especially with Tom Hardy being the man behind the mask, but some are more desireable than others and I don’t really have an interest in seeing Killer Croc. The Black Mask might also be an interesting villain to see in the next film as well, because I think he would be a great foil to Batman and Hardy could encompass the upper class debonair/crime lord mix that is required for the role.

I am sure that there are some strong opinions on each of these three rumors. But what are your opinions on who the villains should be?