245 replies to this topic

[Tyler]

CrimsonLine, on 13 April 2010 - 05:55 PM, said:

What has Whedon directed?

Serenity is his only feature film. Whedon's IMDB resume.

[Peter T Chattaway]

tyler1984 wrote:
: All the superhero discussions on this thread make a lot more sense now.

[Peter T Chattaway]

Jeremy Renner near deal to join Marvel's 'Avengers'
Jeremy Renner is in final negotiations to join "The Avengers," Marvel Studios' big-screen take on its superhero team that's being directed by Joss Whedon.
Renner will play the bow-and-arrow-carrying hero Hawkeye, who, while not one of the initial members of the team when it was created in the 1960s, became an integral member soon after when the misguided villain switched sides. . . .
Hollywood Reporter, June 3

[Overstreet]

Nathan Fillion as Ant-man?

Please please please please please.

[Overstreet]

Another Bruce Banner?

They're dropping Norton?

Lame.

[Jason Panella]

Peter T Chattaway, on 04 June 2010 - 01:26 AM, said:

Jeremy Renner near deal to join Marvel's 'Avengers'
Jeremy Renner is in final negotiations to join "The Avengers," Marvel Studios' big-screen take on its superhero team that's being directed by Joss Whedon.
Renner will play the bow-and-arrow-carrying hero Hawkeye, who, while not one of the initial members of the team when it was created in the 1960s, became an integral member soon after when the misguided villain switched sides. . . .
Hollywood Reporter, June 3

Renner has worked with Whedon before, too. Sweet.

[Jason Panella]

Ryan H., on 05 April 2010 - 01:03 PM, said:

Given his woeful script for ALIEN RESURRECTION, I'm not so sure. Whedon seems to do better when handling his own creations than when dealing with the creations of others.

In Whedon's defense, there's been a fair bit of talk since Alien Resurrection about how the final product ended up not at all what Whedon intended (echoes of the same situation with the Buffy movie). Who knows, though, it might've still been an awful movie.

[Ryan H.]

Jason Panella, on 10 July 2010 - 07:23 AM, said:

In Whedon's defense, there's been a fair bit of talk since Alien Resurrection about how the final product ended up not at all what Whedon intended (echoes of the same situation with the Buffy movie). Who knows, though, it might've still been an awful movie.

I've read his comments. His complaints seemed to lie with the direction/performances, the way in which they gave life to what he wrote on the page. Admittedly, I'm partially sympathetic to his claims--I think ALIEN RESURRECTION is a very ugly film--but the script, taken on its own, is still rubbish.

Edited by Ryan H., 10 July 2010 - 11:08 AM.

[Jason Panella]

Ryan H., on 10 July 2010 - 10:58 AM, said:

I've read his comments. His complaints seemed to lie with the direction/performances, the way in which they gave life to what he wrote on the page. Admittedly, I'm partially sympathetic to his claims--I think ALIEN RESURRECTION is a very ugly film--but the script, taken on its own, is still rubbish.

You're right, I think. I feel there's something to be said for intention, though; no matter how bad a, say, David Mamet script might be, I'll enjoy the movie infinitely more if Mamet himself actually directs it. (Well, in theory )

[Peter T Chattaway]

Overstreet, on 09 July 2010 - 07:42 PM, said:

Another Bruce Banner?

They're dropping Norton?

Marvel Studios responds to the Hitfix story:

"We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in the Avengers. Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H, Chris E, Sam, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks."

So apparently Norton isn't "creative" or, more to the point, "collaborative" enough for Marvel. No doubt this has something to do with the fact that Norton rewrote The Incredible Hulk when he came on-board that project, so I guess Marvel is concerned that he'll try to make too many changes to this film, too.

[Persona]

I vote for Michael Cera. It's the role he was destined to play. And besides, we need to smart the Hulk up a little bit. Send him to college, give him a good vocabulary. No more, "Hulk SMASH!" More, "I have taken this object that I am too enraged to properly identify and quantitatively throw it in your greatly announced general direction." Or something like that.

[Peter T Chattaway]

And now Ed Norton's agent responds to the Marvel Studios statement, saying it was "unprofessional, disingenuous and clearly defamatory" to his client, among other things.

BTW, did Norton ever do publicity for The Incredible Hulk? I know he threatened not to do any, following the clash between him and Marvel Studios over the final cut of that movie. But I can't remember whether he actually followed through on that threat.

At any rate, thanks to all the drama around that movie, I always figured there was a big fat question mark over Norton's continued association with this character, even after Marvel announced that they would be making The Avengers.

The big question for me NOW is whether any of the OTHER actors from The Incredible Hulk will be reprising their roles in The Avengers -- apart from Robert Downey Jr., of course, who had a cameo in Hulk and whose involvement in The Avengers is a given, now.

[Ryan H.]

Jason Panella, on 10 July 2010 - 01:01 PM, said:

Ryan H., on 10 July 2010 - 10:58 AM, said:

I've read his comments. His complaints seemed to lie with the direction/performances, the way in which they gave life to what he wrote on the page. Admittedly, I'm partially sympathetic to his claims--I think ALIEN RESURRECTION is a very ugly film--but the script, taken on its own, is still rubbish.

You're right, I think. I feel there's something to be said for intention, though; no matter how bad a, say, David Mamet script might be, I'll enjoy the movie infinitely more if Mamet himself actually directs it. (Well, in theory )

Not if that script is Mamet's HANNIBAL. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Peter T Chattaway, on 11 July 2010 - 07:17 PM, said:

BTW, did Norton ever do publicity for The Incredible Hulk? I know he threatened not to do any, following the clash between him and Marvel Studios over the final cut of that movie. But I can't remember whether he actually followed through on that threat.

I seem to remember he did do some publicity.

[Overstreet]

Would Joaquin Phoenix make a good Bruce Banner?

Well, if we *have* to lose Norton, and we *have* to give it to a famous actor, then sure... I like it. It works for me.

Edited by Overstreet, 12 July 2010 - 12:35 PM.

[Peter T Chattaway]

Link to the CHUD.com story that Slashfilm borrows its rumours from.

FWIW, I decided against posting this rumour here because it sounded so unlikely to me. Marvel is looking for an actor they can control, and Joaquin Phoenix -- especially at this point in his career -- would hardly seem the type. I'm sure we'll be hearing lots of other rumours over the next few days, but I'm waiting for what I presume will be the big announcement at Comic-Con.

[morgan1098]

One of the commenters in that Chud story suggested Sharlto Copley... I sort of like that idea.

As for Phoenix, for some reason when I think of him as the Hulk I think of that scene in Gladiator when the emperor quietly says "Am I not merciful?" And then he explodes and says "AM I NOT MERCIFUL?????" That's sort of a "Hulk! Smash!" moment right there.

[Jason Panella]

Peter T Chattaway, on 12 July 2010 - 01:12 PM, said:

FWIW, I decided against posting this rumour here because it sounded so unlikely to me. Marvel is looking for an actor they can control, and Joaquin Phoenix -- especially at this point in his career -- would hardly seem the type. I'm sure we'll be hearing lots of other rumours over the next few days, but I'm waiting for what I presume will be the big announcement at Comic-Con.

I would really hope that Phoenix would rap at some point in the movie if this were the case.

[Overstreet]

Jason Panella, on 12 July 2010 - 04:50 PM, said:

I would really hope that Phoenix would rap at some point in the movie if this were the case.

Or get bolder with the revisionism and replace Bruce Banner with a Johnny Cash/Hulk character.

"I fell into a burning ray of gamma... and it burns, burns, burns...."

"I hulked out on a guy in Reno, just to watch him die..."

Edited by Overstreet, 12 July 2010 - 05:43 PM.

[Overstreet]

Actually, now that I think about it, Two Lovers might have been even more interesting if Leonard's frustrations had made him hulk out.

[Peter T Chattaway]

Edward Norton has released his official statement on the casting brouhaha, and it's a pretty graceful one.

I gotta say, though, that I kind of agree with Drew McWeeny: "The real shame of it is that I thought they had the cast right. Whoever you cast as Banner needs to be able to stand toe-to-toe with Robert Downey Jr. and look like he can actually hold his own in an intellectual back and forth with the guy. I would love for the human scenes in the film to be as exciting as any of the superhero stuff, and I hope when Marvel does hire a new Banner, they end up with someone who brings real weight to the table."