Disney

I don't know if I am going to continue this blog...the whole Disney thing has me looking at Marvel in a new light...I'm no longer excitedly following the growth of a dynamic upstart movie studio whose work is based on some of the greatest modern myths of our time...myths created by a small group of caring individuals known collectively as "Marvel"...I'm instead now following one more arm of a corporate behemoth with countless arms, decades of experience and unparalleled success in many fields...Marvel is no longer an underdog...and from the X-Men to the Hulk to Wolverine to Spider-Man, Marvel in my mind has always been fundamentally about underdogs...and their ability to eventually succeed...if they just...tried...hard...ENOUGH!

To me, it always seemed like the path of Marvel the company mirrored the path of many of its characters...for years, Marvel, the underdog, survived despite not having a giant corporate parent......recently, with Marvel Studios, Marvel forced itself onto a playing field occupied by long established and deep-pocketed mega movie studios...Marvel was playing with the big boys...it may have been harder for Marvel...but they were doing it! ...because they tried harder...because they understood great storytelling...because they cared...because they wouldn't sell out...and then...

They sold out.

I am not sure what I think at this point. I may or may not continue this blog. Maybe in time this whole Disney thing won't bother me. I know it's business. I know the characters are the most important thing. The stories. But somewhere, in the back of my mind, I always associated the company with the characters. Subconsciously even, while I read.

So I don't know right now.

Fantastic Four reboot planned

All the Disney hub-bub overshadowed this bit of potentially promising news...

Marvel/Disney mash-ups

The comedic possibilities are endless...

STAN APPROVES

Stan Lee says buyout is a good thing for Marvel.

DISNEY TO BUY MARVEL

That's right - you read it correctly - DISNEY IS REPORTEDLY BUYING MARVEL!
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Just imagine...

...Raimi's episodes start to fizzle, or he loses interest, and Cameron decides to take a shot?

More Comic-con Marvel Movie fallout

• Captain America, Avengers possibilities: /Film
• Interview with Scarlett Johansson: io9
• Kick-Ass Comic Con clips: bscreview.com
• Jon Favreau interview: ComicBookMovie.com
• Robert Downey Jr. interview: ComicBookMovie.com
• Scarlett Johansson interview: ComicBookMovie.com
• Sam Rockwell interview: ComicBookMovie.com
• Kevin Feige on Iron Man 2: Latino Review

Ed Norton on his participation in Avengers: he didn't say "no"

Read this bit of non-news that may actually indicate there is news here.
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MMB: HULK

I thought Stark Industries was imaginary

And yet they have a website! :)
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MMB: IRON MAN

Jon Favreau discusses 3D technology

Perhaps we'll see Iron Man 3 in 3D...

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MMB: IRON MAN

New Iron Man 2 pic

Click for the larger image on JOBLO.COM.
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MMB: IRON MAN

Comic-Con 2009 tidbits

Some more Marvel Movie news coming out of this year's Comic-Con:

• Kevin Feige on Thor progress; starts shooting in 2010: ACESHOWBIZ.COM.
• Don Cheadle on War Machine in Iron Man 2: MTVSPLASHPAGE.COM.
• Feige on the Avengers roster: COLLIDER.COM.
• Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje possible for Black Panther: MTVSPLASHPAGE.COM.
• Ruminations on the possibility of the Skrulls in the Avengers movie: CHUD.COM.
  

Iron Man 2 at Comic-Con 2009: Description of footage; Scarlett Johansson interview

Read all about the Iron Man 2 footage shown at Comic-Con 2009 on Wired or AICN! And check out this interview with Scarlett Johansson:

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MMB: IRON MAN

Kevin Feige interview on THR.com

Is it me, or does everyone working for Marvel Studios seem to be really emotionally invested in what they're doing? Every time I read an interview with one of the actors, directors, producers, FX guys, or whoever, they always seem totally psyched to be on the team they are on and associated with whichever project they're involved with. Favreau and Downey Jr. seem like they genuinely want Iron Man 2 to be the best thing ever. Feige seems determined to make quality movies across the board - not just box-office hits but beloved films that people really enjoy, take to heart, and watch again and again.

I want to work for Marvel, dammit!
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MMB: KEVIN FEIGE

USAToday Iron Man 2 slideshow

Check out the eight image slideshow on USAToday.com. There are a couple of quotes from the cast accompanying the slideshow that seem to indicate they are all psyched for the film and very eager to deliver the goods to a very demanding fan base.

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MMB: IRON MAN

More pics from Iron Man 2

From /Film. Looks like some kind of courtroom drama in store for the sequel. Could Justin Hammer be using all sorts of attacks on Stark, including legal ones? Or might Stark be defending himself as a result of being framed by Hammer, as he was in the comics (the "Demon in a Bottle" storyline)...?

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MMB: IRON MAN

It's a wrap!

Iron Man 2 finishes principal photography.
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MMB: IRON MAN

And now the crispy clean first high-res image of Scarlett as Black Widow

Check it out on EW.com!

The accompanying article is pretty interesting and worth reading. Take for example this passage:

...Rourke, for his part, wanted to instill some lightness into the role of the heavy. "I told Favreau, 'I don't want to just play him as a one-dimensional p----,'" he says. "He let me have a cockatoo, who I talk to and get drunk with while I’m making my suit."

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MMB: IRON MAN

First blurry image of Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow

Thanks to FirstShowing.net!

She looks great! Rourke looks badass, Downey Jr. looks like Tony Stark come to life, Favreau is the best...this movie is going to rock.

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MMB: IRON MAN

Natalie Portman is Jane Foster

It's been rumored for a while, but now it's official: Natalie Portman has been cast as Jane Foster in Thor.

Two immediate thoughts:

1) She's perfect for the role. My 'mind's eye' summary of Jane Foster is: graceful, intelligent, energetic, beautiful, thoughtful and classy. In other words - Natalie Portman.
2) This says a lot about the growing clout of Marvel Studios. Robert Downey Jr., Ed Norton, Mickey Rourke, Samuel Jackson, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, and now Natalie Portman. Big, big names for what is essentially a new independent film company.

What are your thoughts? Yay, or nay? Leave a comment.

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MMB: THOR