Casting Corner: Anthony Hopkins, January Jones and More

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: FOCUS, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Remakes, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Casting, Celeb News, Scripts, Upcoming Releases

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Anthony Hopkins: The Wolfman actor will soon play dad to another large character: Thor. Hopkins has been cast as Odin, father of the title character (Chris Hemsworth) who is sent down to Earth after reigniting an ancient war. The film - which also includes Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston - will open May 20, 2011.

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Stars Align For Spider-Man 4

Posted by Kathleen Kane Categories: Columbia Pictures, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Sequels, Thrillers, Celeb News, Filmmaking, Rumors, Upcoming Releases

After waiting for the will-they-won’t-they with Sam Raimi, Kirsten Dunst, and Tobey Maguire, Columbia Pictures has finally stamped a release date of May 5, 2011 for Spider-Man 4.

Considering that Thor is due out June 17, and The First Avenger: Captain America hits theaters July 22 that same summer, we’ll be in for quite a Marvel-ous theater-going experience three months in a row!

For all of the Sam Raimi fans, it has been revealed that Bruce Campbell has signed on for a major part this time around (in the first three Spidey films, the Evil Dead actor appeared in mere cameos)—quite possibly a villainous role, too.

Filming is expected to begin early next year, but if you can’t wait that long, there are always those Spider-Man comics to pass the time—you know, those things that these blockbusters originated from…

Read More | E! Online

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Disney to Pay $4 Billion for Marvel Entertainment

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, Corporate Shakeups

Disney has just added 5,000 characters to its arsenal.

In a deal announced today, The Walt Disney Company says it intends to purchase comic book giant Marvel Entertainment. The acquisition is worth a whopping $4 billion.

“This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories,” Robert A. Iger, Walt Disney Company’s President and CEO, said in a press release.

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Read More | Comix 411

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Casting Corner: Jon Hamm, Billy Crudup and More

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Lionsgate, Paramount, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Comedy, Thrillers, Casting, Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip, Upcoming Releases

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Jon Hamm: The Mad Men star has been cast opposite Ben Affleck in The Town, a film that Affleck will also direct. Ben will play a career thief who becomes romantically-involved with a bank manager (Vicky Cristina Barcelona‘s Rebecca Hall). Unfortunately, an FBI agent (Hamm) hunting the criminal also has his eyes set on the same woman. Production starts this month in Boston.

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Iron Man’s Downey Jr., Cheadle and Favreau Inked to The Avengers

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Sequels, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases

Robert Downey Jr. has signed on to reprise his role as Iron Man in the second and third installments of the series, as well as the forthcoming Avengers franchise launch, reports Marvel Entertainment.  The first Iron Man film has grossed $578 million in worldwide box office, and Downey Jr.‘s portrayal of Iron Man (Tony Stark) is regarded as crucial to the success of the production plan.

Not so Terrence Howard (who played Stark’s friend Colonel Jim Rhodes in the first film.)  Howard has been replaced in the role by Don Cheadle, who’s signed a contract that will have him appearing along alongside Downey Jr. in Iron Man 2 and 3 and the first installment of The Avengers.  Rhodes will eventually become an armored crime-fighter in his own right, as Iron Man’s ally War Machine.

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Read More | Variety

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Marvel’s ‘Thor’ Script Gets Thumbs Up

Posted by David Onda Categories: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction, Filmmaking, Scripts, Upcoming Releases, Short FilmCrunch

Comic book fans rejoice! The long-dreamt-of big-screen debut of Marvel’s Thor has just gotten one step closer to becoming a reality. As reported by The Guardian, director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake) and screenwriter Mark Protosevich have just finished the script for the mighty hammer-wielder’s movie this past week. In ever better news, Vaughn says Marvel has already approved it. They did, however, have one tiny issue:

“My phone has just rung. Marvel loves the script. The only problem is that it has been costed at $300m and they ask how I am going to reduce it by $150m. I think I prefer being asked what it’s like working with De Niro.”

One hurdle cleared – another $150 million hurdle to go.

Read More | The Guardian

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