The folks at Latino Review have learned of the latest names on Marvel’s radar for their forthcoming space epic, Guardians of the Galaxy. Indicating that director James Gunn has yet to find an actor for the movie’s lead role, Peter Quill/Star-Lord, the report reveals that Wes Bentley, 34, Chris Lowell, 28, and Cam Gigandet, 30, are testing for the part. More interestingly, according to sources of Latino Review, who has many Marvel credentials, Marvel is looking to nab well-known comedic actors seemingly for other members of the interstellar team. Jim Carrey, 51, and Adam Sandler, 46, have both been inquired about their availability for unspecified roles. Speculation already suggests that, perhaps, it’s the voice of the two comedians that Marvel is courting; likely for Groot and/or the gun-toting Rocket Raccoon.

(Source: latino-review.com)

Zack Snyder’s highly anticipated reboot finally gets rated by the MPAA; PG-13 for Intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and strong language. Sounds like a pretty good Superman movie to me!

Previous Superman films were rated PG up until 2006’s Superman Returns which got a PG-13 rating. When Zack Snyder was announced, I was hoping (but knew it was not going to happen) for an R rating. But with previous comic films such as The Dark Knight Trilogy, you can make really dark and realistic films without the extreme violence and a lot of language. I am NOT a Superman fan. Never have been. But when I saw the teaser trailer for this film, I was sold immediately.

1. The World’s End - The final film in Edgar Wright’s “Blood & Ice Cream Trilogy”. Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind’s only hope for survival.

2. Star Trek Into Darkness - After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

3. Iron Man 3 - Tony Stark uses his ingenuity to fight those who destroyed his private world and soon goes up against his most powerful enemy yet: The Mandarin.

4. Man of Steel -  Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan reboot the infamous tale of an alien infant is raised on Earth, and grows up with superhuman abilities. He sets out to use these abilities to guard his adopted world.

5. Pacific Rim - When an alien attack threatens the Earth’s existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace.

6. Evil Dead - Mia, a young woman struggling with sobriety, heads to a remote cabin with her brother and a group of friends, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads to danger and horror.

7. Kick-Ass 2 - The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect everyone Kick-Ass knows.

8. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - The Dwarfs, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the misty mountains, but Bilbo has gained the one ring. They all continue their journey to get their gold back off the Dragon, Smaug.

9. Thor: The Dark World - Thor battles an ancient race of Dark Elves led by the vengeful Malekith who threatens to plunge the universe back into darkness after the events of The Avengers.

10. This is the End - While attending a party at James Franco’s house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse.

12. World War Z - A U.N. employee is racing against time and fate, as he travels the world trying to stop the outbreak of a deadly Zombie pandemic. Based on the AMAZING Best Seller by Max Brooks.

13. Anchorman: The Legend Continues - The continuing on-set adventures of San Diego’s top rated newsman.

14. The Wolverine - Wolverine travels to Japan to train with a samurai warrior.

15. Monsters University - A look at the relationship between Mike and Sulley during their days at the University of Fear — when they weren’t necessarily the best of friends.

16. The Lone Ranger - Native American spirit warrior Tonto recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid, a man of the law, into a legend of justice.

17. OZ: The Great and Powerful - A stage magician is hurled into a fantasy world, and must use his wits to stay ahead of three enchantresses who have plans for him.

18. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2: Revenge of the Leftovers - Flint Lockwood now works at The Live Corp Company for his idol Chester V. But he’s forced to leave his post when he learns that his most infamous machine is still operational and is churning out menacing food-animal hybrids.

19. Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunter’s - In this dark spin on the fairy tale, siblings Hansel and Gretel are a formidable team of bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world.

20. The Hangover 3 - This time, there’s no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off.

3. Cage of Eden

2. Future Diary

1. High School of the Dead

20. This Means War

19. John Dies at the End

18. Rock of Ages

17. Chronicle 

16. The Watch

15. Butter

14. Red Dawn

13. Anna Karenina

12. Killer Joe

11. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

10. Les Miserables

9. Cabin in the Woods

8. Sleepwalk With Me / The Raid: Redemption 

7. The Dark Knight Rises / The Amazing Spider-Man (TIE)

6. Safety Not Guaranteed / Ruby Sparks (TIE)

5. Seven Psychopaths / Argo (TIE)

4. Django Unchained / Looper (TIE)

3. Moonrise Kingdom / Wreck It Ralph

2. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

1. Marvel’s The Avengers

10. Prometheus 

9. [REC 3] Genesis 

8. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn pt. 2

7. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

6. Silent Hill: Revelation

5. Savages

4. Silent House

3. Alex Cross

2. The Three Stooges

1. Project X

10. The Simpson’s Tapped Out / Slender (TIE)

9. The Amazing Spider-Man

8. The Walking Dead

7. Call of Duty: Black Ops II

6. Dishonored

5. Halo 4

3. Hitman: Absolution 

2. Farcry 3

1. Borderlands 2

It seems that X-Men prequel-sequel, The Wolverine has finally sharpened its admantium claws, ready to finally slice its way into filming.

After years of obstacles which included the exit of director, Darren Aronofsky (James Mangold has since taken the chair), the recent exit of would-be villainess, Jessica Biel, along with various delays and timing issues, the sequel to 2009 X-prequel, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is officially a go when filming starts at the beginning of August in Hugh Jackman’s home country of Australia.

What will this mean for the film that for years has been teased to adapt the famous 1982 Wolverineminiseries by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller which takes place in Japan?

In a welcome that was certainly not understated, the production of The Wolverine was greeted with an announcement by Australia Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, who confirmed that the $100+ million film would be coming to the Land Down Under, shooting at Fox Studio in Sydney.

On top of that, the PM would be providing the film a $12.8 million grant, accompanied by what is said to be a generous location tax rebate.

While that’s all well and good, fans are probably wondering how authentic the Japan-centric film, which at one point was set to physically shoot in Japan, will come across while shooting inside a studio in Australia?

According to director, James Mangold:

“It speaks to the incredible craftsmanship [here] that we can make so much of Japan - feudal Japan, urban Japan, sets - all here on our soundstages in Australia.”

Additionally, the years of delays certainly has not dampened Hugh Jackman’s enthusiasm as he has gone on record saying that:

“I have been working for 12 years on the Wolverine character and while the franchise will go well beyond me, it really has been the backbone of my career.” Adding that he will call it quits “when I stop loving it.”

The Wolverine is currently set to Fastball Special its way into theaters on July 26, 2013.

(Source: g4tv.com)

Warner Bros. officials have confirmed that The Dark Knight Rises star Christian Bale (Bruce Wayne/Batman) has visited the victims of the Aurora, Colorado movie theatre shooting of his own accord.

The Denver Post reports that Christian Bale has visited the victims of Thursday night’s shooting at the Medical Center of Aurora in Colorado. This was confirmed by an assistant for Susan Fleishman, executive vice president for Warner Brothers corporate communications in a statement issued earlier today. “Mr. Bale is there as himself, not representing Warner Brothers.” While petitions were started to get the actor to do this (some rather tastelessly suggesting that he appear in full costume as Batman), the fact he has done so of his own accord and without any photo opportunities is a VERY cool move on the actors part, and hospital personnel have apparently been overheard saying he was talking to patients. Earlier this week, Bale released a statement expressing his sympathies to those affected by the tragedy. “Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them.” Below are a couple of photos which were taken by those in the hospital and then shared on various social networking sites. Sound off with your thoughts on this in the usual place. 

(Source: comicbookmovie.com)

A couple of years back I broke the story that Marvel would be making short films. At the time it seemed like they would make shorts featuring lesser known characters, or as intros to movies (I was told a Hawkeye short might play in front of Thor). It turns out Marvel decided to make sort of lame promo shorts instead, where Agent Coulson runs around in between movies tying up continuity strings. What had seemed like an interesting concept had been turned into straight marketing.

Now Marvel looks to be steering their shorts into more intriguing territory. The Avengers home video release will come with a short called Item 47, which looks to be more than advertising for the next movie. In this short two civilians in New York City find a discarded Chitauri gun… and decide this is a sign for them to rob some banks. Lizzy Caplan is one half of the Marvel U Bonnie & Clyde, with Swimfan’s Jesse Bradford as her partner in crime. There are two SHIELD agents tasked with hunting them down, one of whom is playing by Titus Welliver, ie The Man In Black from Lost. 

Item 47 is 12 minutes long, much longer than the last set of shorts. And it looks to begin a new age of Marvel short films; apparently home video releases of the in-production sequels will all have similar tie-in shorts. What I like about this one is that it captures some of the feel of the Marvel Universe, the idea that there are other people impacted by the events and that the consequences of a story don’t end on the last page of the comic.

Louis D’Esposito, Marvel Studios co-president and director of Item 47, confirms my old scoop, by the way: “There’s always a potential to introduce a character. We have 8,000 of them, and they can’t all be at the same level. So maybe there are some that are not so popular, and we introduce them [with a short] – and they take off. I could see that happening.”

Item 47 will premiere at Comic Con.

(Source: comicbookmovie.com)