Sony has announced that its reboot of Spider-Man will be produced in 3D for release on July 3, 2012, according to the Hollywood trades. Once the studio moved off its May 2011 dates and committed to a new director and cast, it was just a question of when a new script would be agreed upon and production scheduled. A script by James Vanderbilt, based on Bendis’ and Bagley’s Ultimate Spider-Man story of the high school Peter Parker, is planned as the basis of the new production.
A protest depicted in Captain America #602 has drawn the ire of Tea Party groups, resulting in an apology from Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada. Quesada’s apology was for a sign, drawn into the protest panel at the last minute by a letterer, with the slogan, “Tea Bag the Libs Before They Tea Bag YOU!” Quesada said that the letterer filled in the sign with a slogan from an actual sign held at a protest he found on the Web. The problem was that the protest in the story wasn’t supposed to have anything to do with the Tea Party movement, according to Quesada. The mistake should have been caught by the editorial group but was not. The art has been scrubbed so that any future printings of the story will not include the sign. The story caused a reaction that Fox News described as “a chorus of critics who noticed the apparent jab at the Tea Party movement and who accused Marvel of making supervillains out of patriotic Americans.” Which goes to show small minded people with idiot ideas and racist leanings sometime read comics too.
Dark Knight writer/director Christopher Nolan is developing a Superman live action feature, according to Deadline Hollywood. Warner Bros. is hoping that Nolan can bring some Dark Knight magic to Superman, which only brought in $391 worldwide in its most recent incarnation, Brian Singer’s Superman Returns. Now that Singer is back on X-Men, the way is clear for a fresh look at the character. Nolan is unlikely to direct the Superman movie, according to the report, but will supervise the development of a new start to the Superman franchise. Adding some urgency to the schedule for Warners is the fact that a judge ruled in a case involving the Siegel heirs that if no Superman film was in production by 2011, Warners could be penalized. Also, in 2013, the copyrights on the early comic issues featuring Superman revert to the creators, requiring a licensing deal to produce a film featuring the character.
Regency is developing a new Daredevil film, according to Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood. David Scarpa, who wrote "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is writing the script, according to the report. The first Daredevil movie was released in 2003 and starred Ben Affleck in the title role with Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Colin Farrell as Bullseye and the pre-Iron Man Jon Favreau as Foggy Nelson. It did $102 million in U.S. box office.
Tim Robbins is set to join the Green Lantern feature cast as Senator Hammond, according to the Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision blog. The Senator is the father of villain Hector Hammond, played by Peter Sarsgaard. Other cast members include Blake Lively as Carol Ferris and Ryan Reynolds in the title role. The film is set to start shooting in March in New Orleans.
Marvel Worldwide Inc. has filed suit against the heirs of Jack Kirby, asking a judge to invalidate the copyright termination notices sent to Marvel and other companies. The copyright termination notices were the first salvo in a battle by Kirby’s heirs to gain control of Kirby’s works and characters. The suit just filed by Marvel argued that Kirby’s work for Marvel was “for hire,” which would make the heirs’ claims invalid.
Ivan Reitman, who directed the first two Ghostbusters films, has revealed that he will also direct the third in an interview with MTV. And confirming what Harold Ramis revealed a few weeks back, the film is slated for a 2011 release.
Marvel has announced that it will swap one free Siege #3 Deadpool Variant for 50 stripped covers - which adds up to roughly $200 - worth of DC Comics involved in the Lantern Promotional Rings promotion. If retailers respond, the barter value will give Marvel great fodder with which to promote Siege, at DC’s expense.
Marvel has revealed a new Iron Man armor, designed by writer Matt Fraction and Ryan Meinerding - who is the designer on the Iron Man and Thor films. The new armor will premiere in Invincible Iron Man #25, shipping in April.
