Hey everybody! SEEN ANY GOOD MOVIES? Here's the continuing list of Comic Book Movies coming soon to a multiplex theater near you!
Part 2! The Sequel! The Return! The Revenge! The Quickening! The "fill in the blank!"
Sequel names are so much fun. What are some of your favorite movie sequel titles? Most people I know mention the memorable 80's classic, Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo. Try saying that one out loud to yourself right now...I'm sure you'll crack a grin!
Onto the Fanboy List...
Spiderman 3
When will it be out?
Next Year - MAY 4, 2007
Source: Sonypictures.com
Who is the Director?
Sam Raimi - He did the first Spiderman movies, the first Darkman, and was the producer for television hits such as Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. For fanboys, he will be forever loved for creating the horror cult classics The Evil Dead, The Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn and Army of Darkness.
Who is in it?
Tobey Maguire returns as Peter Parker a.k.a. Spiderman. Kirsten Dunst returns as Mary Jane Watson a.k.a. the girl Peter loves. James Franco returns as Harry Osborn a.k.a. The Green Goblin's son. Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy a.k.a. the new girl Peter falls in love with.
Who will Spidey be battling this time?
In the first movie, it was The Green Goblin. In the second movie, it was Doctor Octopus. This time it's... THE SANDMAN!
Source: Spiderfan.org
SANDMAN'S POWERS: The ability to transform any part of his body into a sand like substance. Kind of like the stretchy Mr. Fantastic from The Fantastic Four... but with SAND! Wouldn't YOU like to see a movie with a guy who can morph into sand to fight Spiderman? Pretty cool and interesting yeah?
Who is playing Sandman?
Thomas Hayden Church (recently nominated for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for the film Sideways) was cast as the Sandman, a.k.a. Flint Marko.
Thomas Hayden Church as the SANDMAN (Source: Sonypicture.com)
COOL NEWS: Sony Picture's Daily Bugle Newsletter points out that Spiderman's new costume is... BLACK! For Spidey fans, this means that the evil VENOM may appear!
Source: Amazingspidermancomics.com
Who is Venom you may ask?
Well, he's an incredibly powerful and scary villain in the Marvel Comics Universe. Basically an evil alien version of Spiderman... but with more powers! Like the Sandman, he has the power to stretch and morph. He also has very sharp teeth and a super long, red TONGUE! Now how cool and great a villain is THAT?!
Venom was such a fan favorite in the 1980's, he starred in his own spin-off comics and the first issue is now worth thousands of dollars.
Might we be treated to see something like this on the big screen in Spiderman 3?
Source: Spiderfan.org
For more info, visit the official Spiderman website at: spiderman.sonypictures.com
SPECIAL FANBOY TREAT:
CHECK OUT THE 1970's JAPANESE SPIDERMAN SHOW!
Toei Company, the same people that made the Japanese super hero shows Kikaida and Kamen Rider V3 (www.generationkikaida.com), was granted permission by Marvel Comics to make a LIVE-ACTION version of Spiderman back in 1978. The result? A funky Japanese Power Rangers meets Spiderman meets Kikaida type of show!
Source: http://incolor.inebraska.com/stuart/spiderman
See Spiderman drive a flying car! See Spiderman fight a monster that grows to become...a Giant Monster! See Spiderman command a Giant Transforming Robot! See the giant Spiderman Robot wield a glowing sword!
For those of you who might be thinking, "Wow, I didn't know Spiderman did those things?" Well... uuum... actually... he doesn't. Not in the U.S. anyway. Sorry to say, but Spiderman controlled sword wielding, flying, giant robots ONLY back in 1970's Japan.
So knowing something like that existed... while living in Japan, I hunted down and got a VHS copy. Because for fanboys, this was a true fun rarity! But now, thanks to the Internet, you don't have to travel all the way to Japan to watch this pop culture oddity!
Click here to see the JAPANESE SPIDERMAN SHOW!
EXTRA FANBOY GOODNESS!
Check out this video of Jiro from Kikaida meeting and shaking hands with Spiderman! Well, not really. But it IS cool to see actor Ban Daisuke a.k.a. Jiro from Kikaida, doing a cameo on Toei's Spiderman.
Source: incolor.inebraska.com/stuart/spiderman
It's pretty sweet to think that masters of American super heroes Marvel Comics (Spiderman/X-Men) and the masters of Japanese super heroes Toei Company (Kikaida/Kamen Rider V3) were partners back in the day!
Ghost Rider
When will it be out?
Next Year - FEBRUARY 16, 2007
Source: Chud.com
Who is the Director?
Mark Steven Johnson - He wrote and directed the comic book movie Daredevil, starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner. (If you haven't seen it yet, try skipping the PG-13 theatrical version and check out the "R-rated" Director's Cut instead.)
Who is playing Ghost Rider?
Nicolas Cage (From Con Air, National Treasure, Face/Off) is playing the cool and tormented character Johnny Blaze.
Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze a.k.a. Ghost Rider (Source: cinecon.com)
Who is Ghost Rider?
He is the Spirt of Vengeance, a black leather clad, flame throwing, chain swinging, justice seeking, motorcycle riding, 1970's Marvel comic book super hero. Oh yeah...and his head is a FLAMING SKULL! Pretty cool yeah?
Ghost Rider 2007
(Source: wikipedia.org)
Ghost Rider 1973
(Source: Toonpedia.com)
Click here to see a teaser video of the popular comic book hero coming to life on the big screen! Here is another quick glimpse of Ghost Rider in action... And click here to visit the Official Ghost Rider Movie website!
300
When will it be out?
Next Year/2007 - Exact Date TBA (To Be Announced)
Scene from 300 - Meeting the Greeks (Source: movies.yahoo.com)
Who is the Director?
Zack Snyder - He directed the slick and fun remake of George A. Romero's classic zombie film Dawn of the Dead (2004).
Who is in it?
It stars Gerard Butler. He played The Phantom from Joel Schumacher's movie version of The Phantom of the Opera(2004).
What is it about?
The ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army.
Is this a comic book movie?
Yup! It's based on the acclaimed epic graphic novel created by the legendary comic book writer/artist Frank Miller. The guy wrote and drew the Sin City graphic novels! He also wrote and co-directed the movie version of Sin City. Like Sin City, 300 is being done in the same faithful, green screen shot style as the graphic novel.
Refresher: What is a graphic novel? A comic book for adults readers... or a novel with graphics.
So if you like big, epic, bloody, swords and armor battle movies like Gladiator, Troy, King Arthur, Alexander and Kingdom of Heaven... This is the next one to look forward to!
Click HERE to visit the official 300 website and be sure to watch the cool "behind the scenes" footage in the Video Journals section.
Wonder Woman
When will it be out?
Next Year/2007- TBA (to be announced)
Source: movies.yahoo.com
Who is making it?
It's being directed and written by the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Joss Wheadon! He also wrote and directed the recent fanboy sci-fi/action favorite Serenity.
Mr. Wheadon is the perfect man for the job. Since he's wonderful (pun intended) with showcasing sweet, beautiful, funny, intelligent and butt kickin' female lead characters! I'm also very excited about this project because the producer of this new, big budgeted Wonder Woman movie is none other than the man who made the Matrix, the Die Hard, and Lethal Weapon movies, Joel Silver!
Who is playing Wonder Woman?
No word yet on who will play the new, big screen version of DC Comic's Amazonian Princess Diana. But you can discuss it with your friends... Who do YOU think would make a great new Wonder Woman? Catherine Zeta Jones? Angelina Jolie? Sarah Michelle Gellar? Jessica Alba? Eva Longoria? Charlize Theron?
SIN CITY 2
When will it be out?
The end of this year/2006 - Exact Date TBA (to be announced)
Source: Sincitythemovie.com
Who is the director?
Robert Rodriguez - He did hit action movies like Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, From Dusk Til Dawn and the first Sin City. He also created the Spy Kids series and The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D.
But for independent filmmakers (like me!) he's a true hero and inspiration. His filmmaking success story is legendary. In 1992, when only 23 years old, he made an action movie called El Mariachi for $7000. He borrowed film equipment and used his family and friends as actors. That movie became his "hot ticket" into Hollywood. Now he's directing superstars like Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba and quite possibly Johnny Depp in Sin City 2!
Who is in it?
Clive Owen returns as Dwight. Mr. Owen also was in the movie Closer... the one with Natalie Portman playing an unhappy stripper... ahem... a part time dancer at a club. Jessica Alba returns as Nancy, a dancer at a club. She also played Sue Storm the Invisible Woman from The Fantastic Four. Devon Aoki returns as Miho... not a dancer at a club, but a deadly, ultra-cool, ninja-like assassin. I wonder what would happen if you mixed the two? (Sorry, I digress.) She also played a cool, car racing gal in The Fast and the Furious sequel called 2 Fast 2 Furious. Ms. Aoki is also the daughter of Rocky Aoki, the founder of Behihana Steakhouse. Mickey Rourke returns as the "tough as nails" trench coat jacket loving character named Marv. He was also the star of the sexy 1980's hits Nine and a Half Weeks and Angel Heart. Basically, since Sin City 2 is a prequel story, it's cool that anybody can return.
What is it about?
It's based on Frank Miller's Sin City graphic novel called A Dame to Kill For, and also includes a new story, in which he's writing just for the movie version! Visit the official Sin City website at Sincitythemovie.com.
And finally, The grandest of all comic book and action movies heading our way...
SUPERMAN RETURNS!
Source: Supermanreturns.com
I asked Chris Lee, Executive Producer of this summer's Superman Returns... "What are some of your favorite action movies?"
Chris Lee's Action Films to Check Out!
(in no particular order)
- The French Connection
- Bullit
- Peking Opera Blues
- Hard Boiled
- The Road Warrior
- Bladerunner (all time favorite film)
There you have it! If you haven't seen those cool, classic and awesome action films yet... Write them down and run to your nearest video store!
This just in!
Check out this "SUPER" cool trailer for SUPERMAN RETURNS: THE VIDEO GAME! Coming June 28th to an X-Box near you!
And be sure to visit the official website for this summer's most highly anticipated movie... http://www.supermanreturns.com/.
The Fanboys and Fangirls are shaking with excitement! Whoo hooo! Superman's triumphant return to the big screen! Everyone loves excitement, adventure, romance and a hero right?
I hope this 2nd movie geek news column has been fun and informative for all of you out there!
So until next month...
ENJOY LIFE AND ENJOY A MOVIE!
PS. Your feedback and comments below will be greatly appreciated!
THANKS and ALOHA!
