Disney Buys Marvel For $4 Billion

In an enormous move that is sure to affect the entire entertainment industry, Walt Disney Company has come to an agreement with Marvel Entertainment. For approximately $4 billion, Marvel Entertainment and it's entire stock of characters (+5000) are now part of the Walt Disney Company.

Currently, it seems that Disney will not be interfering with Marvel's game licenses, instead praising their "smart licensing agreements with some of the best videogame manufacturers in the business". Disney also noted the possibility of a team up between Marvel and Pixar, that, unlikely, was being looked in to by both companies.

Now, I don't know about anyone else, but my mind has jumped straight to Kingdom Hearts, the famous Final Fantasy/Disney crossover. Would Marvel be able to make it's way into the series? Sure, it seems crazy now, but so did the entire idea for the game before it was released.

Disney also noted that, while current Marvel movie projects will remain untouched, the company hopes to be the sole distributor of the these films in the long-term. Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Fantastic Four were confirmed to remain untouched by Disney.

Review: District 9

In a surprising twist, District 9 turned out to be the biggest hit of the summer. While it didn't have an enormous budget, the brilliant marketing campaign crafted by the studio definitely stirred up a lot of interest for the movie. With large posters deeming certain areas in movie theaters and the San Diego Comic-Con "Restricted For Humans Only".

The movie's set-up isn't what you might expect from a story of aliens landing on Earth - it is in a documentary style, with the beginning of the movie having an assortment of people explain the events of

the past 28 years, when the aliens' mothership first landed on Earth. For three months, the ship hovered over Johannesburg, South Africa, until world governments dug into it and found over a million malnourished aliens, which were set up in "District 9" - a camp for the so-called "prawns" run by MNU (Multi-National United) which quickly became a slum.

However, the people of Johannesburg begin riots with the aliens, causing intervention from MNU. A plan to evict all 1.8 million prawns to "District 10", a similar camp 240 kilometres from the original, is set up, with main character Wikus van de Merwe leading the project. Him and a team of MNU agents go door-to-door, having the prawns "sign" an eviction notice.

While I won't divulge all of the plot details, I can tell you that the development team did a great job in making Wikus an interesting character despite being around the prawns - which were very interesting in their own right. It was easy to develop a sense of pity for the aliens, as they were forcefully evicted from their "homes" without an understanding of what was happening.

The treatment of the prawns by the entire human race serves as a metaphor of the treatment of African Americans during the Civil Rights movement, and the treatment of any group targeted by the world. Amazingly, the movie is heart-wrenching, and the humans' cruelty of the aliens exemplifies this.

And despite the somewhat small budget, the graphics were amazing. Closer to the end of the movie, we see plenty of firefights, with lots of interesting alien technology. While this does get rid of the "documentary" feel, it seems almost appropriate. If a sequel were to be made, it would certainly not be in documentary style.

Speaking of the sequel - before entering the movie, I had already heard people talking of a potential sequel. I dismissed it, because it seemed like the premise of the movie could not constitute a series, and also because most fans will ask for a sequel any time a movie is good, regardless of whether it could carry it. But after seeing the movie myself, I can certainly say that a sequel is not only possible, but probable.

SPOILER WARNING - - - At the end of the movie, it is revealed that Christopher Johnson, the MNU-given name of the protagonist alien, will be returning to his home planet for help before rescuing all of the aliens in District 9. This revelation occurs when he sees the horrific experiments MNU has performed on his race - this leads support to the idea the Christopher could return, but with an army of his brethren, and start a war on humanity. Looking at the alien technology seen in the movie, it seems they could easily win.

And where would that leave Wikus? At the end of the movie, he was seen fully transformed into a prawn, and is likely unable to change back to a human. Would he be a major character? Would any human be a protagonist? No matter the case, a "District 10" (a name idea for a sequel) would be much different from the original - the documentary style would have to be ditched to make room for a focus on sci-fi action. - - -

Critics have been raving about this film, specifically saying it is the best movie of the summer. I agree wholeheartedly; rarely do we see a film of this quality. If you haven't seen this yet, make the plans - this is the movie everyone will be talking about. 8.5/10

Image credit: Why So Blu? (here), The Freire Project (here).

What Happened To 'Spider-Man'?

It has been confirmed that the Spider-Man series will be continuing with a Spider-Man 4, Spider-Man 5, and Spider-Man 6. But so far, all we know about the movie is that Sam Raimi is directing, and Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst are returning as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson, respectively.

This is shocking because this is so basic. The "threequel" in the series was released over two years ago, and all the information we have is the most basic of all. No villians have been confirmed, though rumors strongly hint toward The Lizard and/or Carnage, and the rest of the minor characters (such as J. Jonah Jameson) haven't even been confirmed for the film.

Currently, the movie has a set release date of 2011, which is, in my opinion, laughable. Without a script, villain, or even cast beyond two people, there is no way a movie with such a large amount of special effects will be complete by 2011. If progress continues the way it

has been, they won't even start production by then.

I used to be very interested in the development of the fourth Spider-Man movie, enough that I actually started writing a script of my own. I never completed it, though it contains some basic ideas fans are asking for: bring back the entire cast, or at least as much of it as possible, have Dylan Baker (who plays Dr. Connors) transform into The Lizard, and cast someone as Carnage. But who would fit that role?

My opinion: Ryan Reynolds. He's definitely funny enough to play Carnage, and his role as Deadpool proved he could make a foray into the superhero world - in f

act, he has expressed great interest in the genre, and has even been cast in the upcoming Green Lantern as the titular character.

Meanwhile, fans have been picking their own would-be Carnages, and one actor that appears more than most is Robert Knepper, whose film history includes movies such as Transporter 3 and Hitman. While he isn't my first choice, there is no doubt that he could fit the role, and would likely be my second choice.

But enough speculation. Right now, we need some cold, hard facts about the upcoming movie. We need villains confirmed, the cast signed back on, and an actual script. Unfortunately, if these trends continue, Spider-Man 4 might get stuck in development hell - which could mean the end of Spider-Man's film career for some time.

Image credit: SonyPictures (here), Flixster (here).

Rest In Peace, John Hughes

John Hughes, born February 18, 1950, has died today of a heart attack. He was incredibly successful in the American film industry, as a writer, producer and director of such movies as Home Alone, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and many others. Currently, no details of his death have been released other than the fact that he died of a heart attack.

John Hughes was known for his trademarks, which appeared in most of his films. Characters speaking to the audience ("breaking the fourth wall") were seen in several of Hughes' movies. Many of his movies were also set in places where he himself lived.

Thousands of fans are now mourning over the loss of such an amazing movie-maker. Stay tuned for a batch of reviews of John Hughes' most famous movies in the next couple of days.

Image credit: Listal (here).

Making The Case: A 'Bones' Movie

The reason I chose Bones as opposed to any other crime drama is exactly what sets it apart from the others - characterization. The characters in Bones seem very life-like, making it an ideal candidate for a movie. We've seen Booth and Brennan both go into action several times before, and the "Gormogon" story arc proves the series can handle something more epic than a single episode.

Of course, a movie would have to wait until the next season is complete to work into the story (if you've seen the season finale, you'll know why), but that doesn't mean it couldn't work altogether. Booth and Brennan have already travelled to different locales before, which would seem to be the best idea for a movie - but there is no reason not to get the entire team involved.

One story idea is having a terrorist (or terrorist group) begin a series of murders around the D.C. area. The group could then attack the Jeffersonian, and the whole building would go on a lock-down. Booth and Brennan could chase down the terrorists through the Jeffersonian, and perhaps also chase them through the city.

How would the movie fit into the whole story arc of the show? While it would be terrible to see the series end, I think a full-length, theater-released movie would be a great cinematic ending to the series, with Booth and Bones finally "getting together" - though I would love to see the show progress at least two more seasons before it ended permanently.

Image credit: smh.com.au (here).

Comic-Con: Expansion of Dead Space

The original Dead Space, released in 2008 (along with a full-length animated film) was received with overwhelmingly positive reviews, including IGN's award for "Best New IP". But, this isn't the end of the franchise - a prequel, Dead Space: Extraction has already been announced for the Wii and is set for released later this year.

At Comic-Con, it was announced that two sequels for the original game are being planned, as well as a live-action movie. D.J. Caruso, director of such movies as Disturbia and Eagle Eye, has already been signed on as the director. Interestingly, both of those movies star Shia LaBeouf, and his next film, Y: The Last Man, also features LaBeouf, leading to the the possibility that LaBeouf could be featured in this film adaptation.

In more game-to-movie news, it has been confirmed that a Gears of War movie is being planned - however, it has not passed a "basic stage", and no details have been released. Check back for more updates!

Image credit: Gamepressure (here), SuperVoodoo (here).

'Harry Potter' Impresses Critics, Breaks Records

Despite being the sixth film in the series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has continued to dazzle audiences. Overall, the critical reception has been positive, with the cast being praised and the visuals praised as well. Among the top complaints was the confusion that newcomers likely felt watching the movie and the film "dragging" during the first half.

In the box office, Half-Blood Prince has been even more successful, breaking opening day records with $22.2 million and 5-day records at an astounding $394 million, beating Spider-Man 3 by $12 million. It is quite possible that the film might break even more box office records, considering the fact that the original movie in the series is the fifth highest grossing film of all time.

Image credit: Reading Cinemas (here).

Review: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is currently the highest-grossing film of the year, and that's not a surprising fact. An action movie with giant fighting robots and an immediately recognizable license is sure to attract a great deal of fans. But how does the film stack up?

The film revolves around Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) and his attempt to live a normal life, free of Bumblebee, an Autobot that has grown attached to him. However, his attempts are futile, as he begins seeing strange symbols whose origins are linked with the Transformers.

However, the plot is certainly not why you will see the movie. In fact, the plot is hardly interesting at all, though the parts of the film that most people will be interested in (namely, giant robot battles and Megan Fox) work for the most part. Nearly every part with the human characters is enormously uninteresting, with the exception of the parts with both humans and Transformers.

Leo Spitz, introduced as Sam's college roommate, is wholly unimportant and bland, though is featured a great deal in the movie. Megan Fox's character was so uninteresting (likely because of her inability to act) that I cannot

even remember her name - and didn't know it when watching the movie either. Mudflap and Skids, two Autobots, are also introduced in the movie, and are possible the most offensive characters in history - they are nothing more than racial stereotypes (one even has a golden tooth).

Overall, the movie is very poor by most standards; however, if you enjoy the license, you will certainly enjoy this movie. As much as I love Transformers, I have to give it a less-than-impressive 4/10.

Image credit: Mania (here), seventeen (here).

Wii Goes To The Movies

The Wii might not be the "media center" of your home yet, but that doesn't mean it isn't on it's way. In addition to the expansive Channels of the Wii, ranging from Weather to the Internet, a new service called "Everyone's Theater Wii" will allow Wii owners to rent movies for a small fee.

Currently, the application is only available in Japan, where Wii owners can download it for 500 Wii Points ($5.00) and rent Warner Bros. movies for 300 Wii Points ($3.00), which they can view for 48 hours. However, it seems that Nintendo will certainly release this same Channel in the U.S.

The service began today in Japan and launched with a total of 54 movies, such as: Batman Begins, Goonies, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Free Willy, and plenty more. That's quite expansive, considering the fact that only Warner Bros. movies are available.

This could be a major stepping stone in the development and the future of the Wii. Right now, only movies previously released are available, but The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will be released on this service on the same day it is released on DVD in Japan. In the future, a similar music service could also become available, and the Wii might become the "media center" of everyone's homes.

In other movie news, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, has broken the midnight records set by The Dark Knight. Harry Potter's $22.2 million opening night easily beat out the $18.5 million made by The Dark Knight in it's opening night. According to the trends, it seems that the sequel to this movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (which is to be split into two movies) will likely break this record as well.

Image credit: "Gambit's Blog" (here).

Ryan Reynolds To Play Green Lantern

It looks like the upcoming Deadpool won't be Ryan Reynolds last venture into the world of superheroes. After beating out actors Bradley Cooper, Jared Leto, and Justin Timberlake, Reynolds has officially signed on for the part of Green Lantern in the heroes upcoming film.

But is "the merc with a mouth" up for such a different role? Given Reynolds' usual roles, would it not make more sense for him to play The Flash? Perhaps this is exactly why he has given so much for this particular role. Actors and actresses rarely enjoy being type-cast, so could this be a permanent switch to more serious roles for Reynolds?

There is no doubt that this casting choice will be met with criticism - as most are - but it will be quite interesting to see what Reynolds can do with this role, and what it could mean for the future of DC Comics' films.

Image credit: Answers.com (here).

News Overview

Next Wii Zelda: According to Shiegru Miyamoto, the creator of the Zelda series (along with many others), the next Wii Zelda game won't be "that radically different". However, he has already stated that the game will certainly use the Wii MotionPlus, and has pointed out that this "older Link" is not wielding his famous Master Sword. While it seems that the art style of Twilight Princess will remain, it still seems that something will change - and not just the controls.

Transformers: The new Transformers movie, Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen, has been raking in over $450 million, only beaten by Angels & Demons, which garnered $469 million. This has all been against poor reviews, with critics claiming that the movie was worse than the original - but fans are still, clearly, excited.

The A-Team: The status of The A-Team movie is about to change, as the cast begins to settle in. With Liam Neeson set to play Hannibal Smith, and Bradely Cooper set to play Templeton Peck, the movie is truly coming along. And now, strong rumors are swirling that rapper "The Game" will play B. A. Baracus - stay tuned as more updates appear for The A-Team, set for realease June 11, 2010.

Bioshock 2: A strange, promotional record has appeared regarding the upcoming Bioshock 2. It seems to hint at a plot, though it is certainly left open to interpretation. Read more about it here. Bioshock 2 is set for release on November 3, 2009, for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Image credit: IGN (here)

June 25: A Day That Will Live In Infamy

Today, the world was stricken with grief as Farrah Fawcett, after a long battle with anal cancer, passed away. But, unfortunately the pain would not end as it has been confirmed that Michael Jackson has also passed away today.

Farrah Fawcett, who was most famous for playing Jill Munroe in the hit TV series Charlie's Angels, was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006, acted as a role model for cancer patients with her aggressive attitude toward her disease. She unfortunately passed away early this morning, at 9:30 PDT. Her documentary, Farrah's Story, aired a little over

a month ago, and documented her time with cancer. Fawcett also acted as a sex symbol of the 1970s.

Jackson's death, while confirmed by TMZ and the LA Times, has been met with both grief and skepticism. Because he is "known for his theatrics", a few believe that this may be a stunt - unlikely, however, has he did suffer a serious heart attack earlier in the day. Jackson was one of the most popular musicians of all time, having been admitted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. His most popular song, undoubtedly, was Thriller.

Fawcett and Jackson will be greatly missed, and June 25 will surely be a day that no one forgets.

Image credit: HamovHotov (here), ESPN (here).

Teaser Trailer For 'The Last Airbender' Released

Just yesterday, fans were given a treat when the teaser trailer for M. Night Shyamalan's upcomin film, The Last Airbender, based on the Avatar: The Last Airbender TV series. And while I was initally skeptical of the casting choices (and still am, somewhat), I am much more confident about the entire movie's ability to mirror the series.

The Airbending effects look much better than I had expected, and the sight of the fire nation ships bombarding the Air Temple was amazing - even if we still haven't seen Katara and Sokka, I can tell that the movie is shaping up to be amazing. However, it will still be quite a while before we get an actual trailer that will divulge some details.

New 'Mission: Impossible' Confirmed

The rumor mill was finally right - after rumors were flying regarding another Mission: Impossible movie, it has been confirmed that a forth movie is underway, and is set for release in 2011. Variety has reported that Tom Cruise and J.J. Abrams will be co-producing this sequel.

However, it is currently unknown if Abrams will be directing this latest installment, as he will be directing a sequel to Star Trek. Just like Batman 3 and Transformers, a new director is going to have to be cast soon.

Image credit: Variety (here).

Thoughts And Opinions: Indiana Jones V

Just a few days ago, Shia LaBeouf announced that George Lucas and Steven Spielberg had reached an agreement on the plot of the next Indiana Jones movie. Because LaBeouf announced this, it appears that he may already be casted for the next movie, along with, presumably, Harrison Ford.

Unfortunately, fans might be so pleased at this announcement. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of The Crystal Skull, the latest installment in the franchise, was considered a "bust" by many. Personally, while I did enjoy the movie while watching it, I agree with those who claim the alien plot was outlandish and unfitting.

But does this mean that we shouldn't give Indy another chance? The first three movies are already considered timeless classics. This proves that Ford is capable of carrying a blockbuster movie, as we already know. Personally, I do believe that we need to give Indy another chance.

Ford is aging, and eventually will not be able to make an action movie so easily. That's why I like to look at this upcoming Indiana Jones V as a sort of "goodbye" to Harrison Ford, allowing him to retire from his position as Indiana Jones.

And with the possibility of Ford retiring from the series, where does

that leave fans? The Crystal Skull left the obvious possibility of LaBeouf taking over as Indy. And he even did an amazing job in the movie, not to mention all of his previous undertakings that made him so famous (Eagle Eye, Disturbia, Transformers). I would be glad if LaBeouf took over as Indy, though fans might react differently. Watch out for more information on the next installment in the franchise.

Image credit: TIME (here), Collider.com (here).

Bay As "Had Enough" Of 'Transformers'

In a big shock to fans, Michael Bay is leaving the Transformers series. "After the three-and-a-half years I've spent making these movies, I feel like I've had enough of the Transformers world," he stated. He went on to explain, "I need to do something totally divergent, something without any explosions."

Seeing that explosions are a common element in Bay's film, this is an enormous surprise. But does this mark the end of the Transformers series? Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox are already signed on for a third movie, due sometime in 2012, but how will the series differ from the original two movies?

A new director is sure to be attached to the "threequel" soon, but what director would want the job? Transformers is a very recognizable series, and fans will be quite upset if Bay's successor cannot live up to his image. And, according to Bay, this won't be easy: "It's easy to go shoot an art movie in a winery in the South of France. But people have no idea how hard it is to create something like Transformers. They [critics] review me before they've even seen the movie." We'll just have to wait and see what happens to the series.

Image credit: MTV (here). Quote Credit: IGN (here).

Preview: Toy Story 3

The original Toy Story amazed audiences - it was the first movie to use CGI exclusively. And, amazingly, the sequel, Toy Story 2, did just as well. So, it seemed natural that Pixar would begin developing right away. However, that's not what happened...


Pixar remained silent on the potential "threequel" for years, until some information was released that a sequel was underway. The plot, accompanied by the following image, was that the "Buzz Lightyear" toys were to be recalled. As interesting as this plot is, it will not be the plot to the next installment in the series.


Recently, a teaser trailer was released for the movie. As exciting as this is, this "trailer" reveals no information on the actual movie - instead, it simply gives us reassurance that the movie is under production, and that the great voice acting we know and love will be returning. But that doesn't mean we don't know anything. A small bit of information has been released regarding the plot, separate from the teaser trailer. Apparently, Andy (the main human character), will be moving away to college, and Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the rest of the toys will be donated to charity. Stay tuned for more information!

Watch the trailer here!

Image credits: Slashfilm (here), Movie-Posters.ws (here).

'Batman 3' Updates

According to some recent rumors, director Christopher Nolan may not be attached to the next installment in the Batman trilogy. Batman-On-Film, the leading source on the latest Batman films, has reported that, despite his already working on a script, Nolan may not return for the end of the trilogy.

Christopher Nolan was apparently hit "hard" by Heath Ledger's death - this is understandable, as the two had been working together on the film for many months (Ledger passed away near the end of the production of the film). But is this enough to keep Nolan from returning to direct the next film?

Right now, no one knows if Nolan will return, though the signs say he will. However, Warner Bros. is preparing, just in case he doesn't come back. Warner Bros. listed Zack Snyder, the director of films Watchmen and 300 as a possible candidate to replace Nolan.

Personally, I could see this happening. While his style is certainly different the epic feel of 300 could easily be transferred to the Batman series, even if it would mean the loss of some of it's "darkness". However, most fans would be very upset at the change of directors - this would mean major changes, and cast members might be wary to return if the director has changed.

Image credit: pickmore.com (here).

Review: Land Of The Lost

I've never been a big fan of Will Ferrell - for some reason, his particular brand of comedy just never interested me. But that didn't stop me from going to see the recently released comedy Land Of the Lost, and, while it's certainly no milestone in the history of movies, it is "pretty decent".

A parody of the 1974 television series of the same name, Land Of The Lost takes many elements of the show and puts a humurous spin on them, much like the 2004 movie Starsky & Hutch. The most notable difference is the characters - in the TV series, the three characters who travel to "The Land Of The Lost" were a father and his two children. In the movie, the main character is simply an eccentric scientist who everyone mocks, the "daughter" is the one scientist who believes him (and his love interest), and the "son" is Will Stanton, a tour guide operator who is a reluctant part of the trip.

Will Ferrell takes on the hilarious role of Dr. Rick Marshall, a very arrogant scientist with a supposedly insane theory of traveling "sideways in time", to a place where past, present, and future combine. He is endlessly mocked for his theories, except by fellow scientist Holly Cantrell, who helps him eventually reach "The Land of The Lost".

The movies tries very hard to be funny, and, for the most part, it succeeds. At points in the movie, its humor doesn't go near as far as it should - but that doesn't mean this movie isn't very funny. I give Land Of The Lost a 6.5/10 because I think it's an enjoyable movie, but could have been done better.

First 'Whiplash' Image Released

The first image of Whiplash from the upcoming Iron Man 2 has been released, and the reaction has been less than positive.

Fans are unhappy with the "strange" appearance of Rourke, and his look has even been compared to 'He-Man'.

While we may not know if this is the final product yet, many are alreasy questioning the quality of the sequel to Iron Man. We will just have to wait until more images are released to see how Mickey Rourke will actually look as Whiplash.

In other movie news, rumors are stating that Afghanistan may be Bond's next location in Bond 23. Specifically, the rumors state that Bond will appear in Helmand, an area in southern Afghanistan where drug-trafficking is very high.