"Hulk sad."

Film rumor website HitFix has confirmed, in a statement from Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige that Ed Norton will not be taking part in the upcoming “Avengers” film, due for release in 2012.  According to the statement, the decision was not based on Norton’s salary, but rather “rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.”

Norton, who portrayed the jade giant as well as his human alter-ego Bruce Banner  in 2008′s “Incredible Hulk” was involved in an infamous spat with Marvel Studios and director Louis Leterrier over the final cut and direction of the film that nearly caused the production to be scrapped.  It is little surprise that Marvel chose to move in this direction due to their artistic differences, and Feige also assures that they will “announce a name actor who embodies these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks.”

In more positive news, Feige’s statement confirms that all other principle cast members, including Robert Downey, Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth are all still on board with the production. Black Widow was not yet confirmed as appearing in the film, though rumored, and the same can be said about The Hulk.

So, who should take Norton’s place?  Feige’s announcement specifically states that they will be hiring a “name actor,” so unknowns are off the table.  Speculators, start your engines!

Read Feige’s full statement, as well as a response released by Norton’s agent which seemingly confirms Joss Whedon as The Avengers Director, after the break.

(more…)

Over at Ted Naifeh’s website, the artist posted some images that give a hint of the things to come in the last chapter of the Good Neighbors series by scholastic, which is written by Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles). For those of you unfamiliar with the Good Neighbors series, it centers around a young woman named Rue, who turns out is half faerie and soon finds herself in the middle of a magic war for power. Naifeh is most known for his horror/fantastical style that echoes something out of “Pan’s Labyrinth”, and doesn’t disappoint with the pages he’s shown.

With the fantasy tale coming to a close, I’m sure Black and Naifeh will no doubt pull out the stops to deliver a modern day fantasy masterpiece.

Film industry rag Variety is reporting that further classmates for the upcoming Matthew Vaughn helmed “X-Men: First Class” film have been cast, namely Caleb Landry Jones as Banshee, and Nicholas Hoult as Beast.

Both announcements are very interesting, as the casting of Nicholas Hoult as Beast basically puts the final nail in the coffin on previous cast member Benjamin Walker taking the role, as reported by Newsarama here.  Further, the inclusion of Banshee is an interesting choice, as most X-Men fans undoubtedly know that he was not a member of the original team, though he did appear as a villain in an early story.  This will also mark Banshee’s first appearance on film.  Will it be as a villain, or a hero?  Only time will tell.

Nicholas Hoult and Caleb Landry Jones join a cast that already includes Michael Fassbender as Magneto, James McAvoy as Professor X, and possibly Aaron Johnson as Cyclops.

In the universe of DC Comics, the land of Atlantis was the nexus of magical energy on Earth. Eventually, disaster struck and land sank beneath the sea. Some Atlanteans survived this, though. The twin cities of Poseidonis and Tritonis now lay at the bottom of the ocean, protected by transparent domes. The people of Poseidonis used advanced science to obtain gills, enhanced senses and stronger, tougher bodies; while mystic forces transformed the Tritonians into actual mer-people. Members of the royal family born with blonde hair, an unusual trait among Atlanteans, often had a strong talent for magic. A blonde-haired monster named Kordax could even command sea life.

Thousands of years later, Atlanna of Poseidonis ran away from home and obligation. Near a place called Mercy Reef, she met Tom Curry, a reclusive lighthouse keeper, and the two fell in love. They married and had a son named Arthur, a blonde child with a special bond to the sea. After both of his parents were gone, Arthur went out into the world, eventually finding Atlantis and learning that its people saw him as a cursed freak due to his hair.

Thanks to his unique heritage, Arthur Curry had near-bulletproof skin, enhanced senses, superhuman strength, increased vitality, and was able to communicate with all forms of sea life. Seen as a freak by Atlantis and the surface world, he made the ocean itself his home and dedicated himself to protecting its creatures. Occasionally, he would venture onto land and fight super-villains, which helped him gain a reputation as a hero among the public and earned him the name “Aquaman.”

As a founding member of the Justice League of America, Aquaman’s fought costumed villains, aliens, demons and mad gods. A while back, he actually died only to later be resurrected by strange forces. Forced to reconsider his place in the world, he now travels the world with his former wife Mera, a warrior from another dimension, once again at his side.

So let’s look at what kind of wardrobe is worthy of the king of the seas.

(more…)

Saturday is traditionally the biggest day at Comic-Con International in San Diego attendance-wise (though they’re all pretty much equally big at this point), where walking around the convention center floor goes from “a struggle” to “nigh-impossible.” So it makes sense that Saturday is also the biggest day, programming-wise. And this year is as much of a doozy as you might expect. Yep, full schedule here, somewhat randomly selected highlights below. As is the trend this year, a lot of the bigger panels aren’t actually at the convention center, but at the nearby Hilton. Woop!

10:00-11:00 Marvel Comics Writers Unite!— The third in Comic-Con’s series of “Year of the Writer/Comics Writers Unite!” panels focuses on Marvel Comics and includes Comic-Con special guests Brian Michael Bendis (Avengers, New Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man), Matt Fraction (Invincible Iron Man, Thor), and Chris Claremont (X-Men Forever, X-Women) in a discussion with writer Mark Waid (Amazing Spider-Man, Irredeemable). Room 6DE

Pretty interesting mix of folks there, given the different eras of Marvel they represent, especially having current Uncanny X-Men Fraction writer up there with Claremont. (PS, what’s up with the “this is what you might know them from” things in parentheses? Is X-Women, released this week, really one of only two things that should be listed in Chris Claremont’s credits?)

(more…)

Take their teaser for “X-Men” #2.

I read the first issue. It was okay. Buck up, little campers!

As if he doesn’t have enough to do with his editorial duties and co-captaining and playing shortstop for the DC Bullets, Adam Schlagman also plays softball occasionally with the crew at Seamless Web, and he arranged to pit his teams against one another Thursday afternoon in Central Park.  Schlagman, fortunately, remained loyal to the Bullets and was in his customary third spot in the line-up.  However, Seamless Web had trouble mustering enough players for the game, so four members of the DC squad played for the opposition, giving each team a complete ten-player roster.

Though the Bullet volunteers played well for Seamless Web, it wasn’t enough to overcome a Bullet team hungry to snap a two-game losing streak.  Scoring in five of their six innings at the plate, led by Adam “no sympathy even if they are my other team” Schlagman’s 4-4, two-homer day (plus he scored four times, drove in four, and doubled) the Bullets didn’t give their opponent a moment to breathe.  Even with a late-inning defensive meltdown to make the score look more presentable, DC came away with an 18-12 win.

(more…)