Warner Bros. 2015 Justice League movie may not have a director yet, but it looks like it has a villain. Latino Review is reporting that Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and their super colleagues will be throwing down against a major baddie, Darkseid from the subtly named planet, Apokolips, when the summer of 2015 rolls around.
If Darkseid, who was created by the legendary comic artist Jack Kirby, is indeed the villain who will be wreaking havoc in the DC movie universe, it’s an interesting choice, given that Marvel plans to feature the villain Thanos in Avengers 2, which it plans to release that same summer.
Justice League’s Darkseid vs. Avengers 2’s Thanos
As Comic Book Legends Revealed points out, Thanos was “roughly based on Darkseid” (although the character’s creator Jim Starlin didn’t originally envision him as such.) The connection between the two characters could help ratchet up the competitive tension between the rival movies as release time grows closer. (It’s only, like, years away.)
DC could also do some “our super-villain can kick your super-villain’s ass” sassing based on IGN’s Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time, in which Darkseid ranks sixth and Thanos is 47th.
If you ask me, these two dudes do look alike. That’s Darkseid on the left. Thanos is on the right. What do you think? Sound off in the comments section.
By the way, the unforgiving mug of the late actor Jack Palance inspired Darkseid’s face. Kirby based the villain’s evil nature on Adolf Hitler.
[Latino Review, Comic Book Legends Revealed, IGN]
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Also in Thursday’s round-up of news briefs, Disney Publishing is planning a book for Tim Burton fans who can’t get enough of Frankenweenie. Also this afternoon, a couple of new films that will be heading their way to theaters.
World Premiere of Hitchcock to Open AFI Fest
The film starring Oscar winners Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren as well as Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel and Vera Miles will have its World Premiere November 1st as the Opening Night Gala at AFI Fest 2012. Directed by Sacha Gervasi and based on the book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Rebello, the film is a love story about one of the most influential filmmakers of the last century, Alfred Hitchcock, and his wife and partner, Alma Reville, which takes place during the making of the distinguished director’s seminal 1960 movie, Psycho. The Fox Searchlight feature will open in theaters this November. The 2012 AFI Fest takes place in Los Angeles November 1 – 8. Lincoln by Steven Spielberg was previously announced as the event’s Closing Night gala.
J.K. Rowling Says Similarities Exist Between The Casual Vacancy and Harry Potter
The author said there are common themes between her new adult-oriented novel and her blockbuster Harry Potter series including religion and death, though unlike in the boy wizard novels, she said there are deaths in her new book that readers “won’t care much about,” THR reports.
Disney Publishing Frankenweenie: An Electrifying Book
Based on Walt Disney’s stop-motion animated film by Tim Burton, the interactive book uses video, music and original sketches to offer a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the movie that will be released October 5th. Available on the iBookstore, this book is Disney Publishing’s first to be created with…
Her novels have sold 40 million copies worldwide and the pending film version of the trilogy’s first installment has fans guessing worldwide who will play the male lead with nearly every hot young actor in Hollywood a possible contender. So what is a wildly successful author to do as an encore? Well, be in the movie of course! British author E.L. James, the mind behind the ever-so-hot Fifty Shades of Grey series said on the Katie Couric daytime talk show that she is eyeing a possible cameo in the big-screen adaptation of the novel, revealing that one of the smaller characters in the book is actually based on herself.
Speculation persisted all summer who would play the irresistible young business magnate Christian Grey and the guessing game flared up again recently between the possibilities of Alexander Skarsgård vs. Ryan Gosling at the recent Toronto International Film Festival (http://movieline.com/2012/09/17/ryan-gosling-alexander-skarsgard-fifty-shades-of-grey/).
James remained silent on who she expects to take on the lead roles, though she has several in mind, but that was the extent of her reveal: “I have three people who could play Christian and I think four who could play Ana, and I’m not going to tell you any of them,” she is quoted saying on the show via The Guardian.
She did, however, say that she appears in the book and may pursue being cast in the minor role as a cameo.
“I’ve actually written myself into the book. I play a very tiny cameo role and I might try and do that if I’m asked to … we’ll see,” she said, adding, “It’d be interesting to know if people can find me in the books.”
Set mostly in Seattle, Fifty Shades of Grey revolves around a virgin college senior who is…
Full Story »Last week at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone debuted their Broadway hit The Book of Mormon in L.A. previews and, following an enthusiastic opening, spoke about the catchy Mormonism-skewering play, future plans to adapt it into their third film musical. Parker even — half-seriously, I think — suggested who might be the perfect young actor to play the good-looking, All-American missionary hero who finds his dream of Latter Day stardom dashed when assigned to a remote African outpost with a schlubby, geeky partner. “Justin Bieber as Elder Price!” exclaimed Parker.
Parker and Stone’s fearless sense of humor permeates Book of Mormon, an energetic satire of the Mormon faith and practices including the tradition of sending young, clean-cut, and homogenized missionaries out into the world to spread the gospel and recruit new members, one doorbell at a time.
Like South Park and Parker and Stone’s previous movie projects — Orgazmo and Team America: World Police, for instance — Book of Mormon turns a hilariously caustic eye toward the relentlessly chipper Mormon missionaries and the cultural chasm that exists between them and the third-world inhabitants they seek to convert.
Elder Price (Gavin Creel) is the all-star missionary who dreams of being assigned to his happy place (Orlando, Florida) but finds himself — and, eventually, finds himself — in Uganda, where folks are more concerned with war, AIDS, and female genital mutilation than learning about the origins of the Mormon faith. His partner, Elder Cunningham (Jared Gertner), is a compulsive liar who seizes his chance to be hero by enticing local villagers with his own version of the gospel — the one where Darth Vader and Lt. Uhura and a few unfortunate frogs play prominent roles.
The story unfolds…
Full Story »Last week at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone debuted their Broadway hit The Book of Mormon in L.A. previews and, following an enthusiastic opening, spoke about the catchy Mormonism-skewering play, future plans to adapt it into their third film musical, and who might be the perfect young actor to play the good-looking, All-American missionary hero who finds his dream of Latter Day stardom dashed when assigned to a remote African outpost with a schlubby, geeky partner. “Justin Bieber as Elder Price!” exclaimed Parker.
(Don’t worry — he was joking. I think.)
Parker and Stone’s fearless sense of humor permeates Book of Mormon, an energetic satire of the Mormon faith and practices including the tradition of sending young, clean-cut, and homogenized missionaries venture out into the world to spread the gospel and recruit new members, ringing one doorbell at a time.
Like South Park, its musical feature spin-off South Park: Bigger, Longer, And Uncut, and Parker and Stone’s career output (Cannibal! The Musical, Orgazmo, BASEketball) Book of Mormon turns an unflinching, hilariously caustic eye toward its subject (Mormon missionaries, presented as rigidly chipper and desperately friendly as 1950s door to door salesmen) and the real world divide between first-world soul-savers and those they proselytize to.
Elder Price (Gavin Creel) is the all-star missionary who dreams of being assigned to his happy place (Orlando, Florida) but finds himself — and, eventually, finds himself — in Uganda, where folks are more concerned with war, AIDS, and female genital mutilation than learning about the origins of the Mormon faith. His partner, Elder Cunningham (Jared Gertner), is a compulsive liar who seizes his chance to be hero by enticing local villagers with his own version of…
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It is certainly one of the most anticipated questions in recent casting memory. Who is going to play the role of Christian Grey in the film version of Fifty Shades of Grey. Two of the rumored top contenders for the scintillating part, Ryan Gosling and Alexander Skarsgård seemed a bit blindsided by the question at the recent Toronto International Film Festival, with Gosling giving a mostly noncommittal response, while Skarsgård gave a more thoughtful exchange on the red carpet of the TIFF premiere of What Maisie Knew. Fans can even be heard screaming out, “You have to play him!”
Hitting a red carpet event, Ryan Gosling looked a bit shell-shocked with the question that has lingered in the press throughout the summer. Will he take on Christian Grey, the young business magnate who forms a powerfully sexual relationship with Anastasia Steele in the 2011 erotic novel by British author E.L. James. Whoever the actor that ultimately gets/takes the part will likely see a huge onslaught of attention from fans of the hugely popular novel and likely follow-ups as the story, mostly set in Seattle, is the first of a trilogy (and as evident in Hollywood cash cows, trilogies can often morph into four parts).
“I have yet to read the book, so I’m not sure that I can comment on it,” said Gosling as he politely but decidedly stepped away. “I’m not saying no or yes.” Still, not saying “no” titillated the E.T. host in the video and so the Will he or won’t he question will linger on.
Alexander Skarsgård, meanwhile, had a bit more to say over speculation he’ll play the hot rich thing in the film version. He has yet to read the book as well…
Full Story »“Want” doesn’t quite capture the glory of the hottest thing to hit the publishing world this week: The Ryan Gosling coloring book, which yes, you need in your life. As do I. When it comes to the Baby Goose, you deserve to treat yo’ self, girl.
I LOVE MEL’s Colour Me Good: Ryan Gosling coloring book offers 15 pages of Gosling sketches just begging to be lovingly filled in by the adoring Gosling fan. “Use your felt tips to colour in Ryan Gosling driving, eating, kissing, standing, walking, and all manner of handsome activities!” cries the back cover, adorned with a drawing of Gosling at the wheel a la Drive.
At just £7.50/about $12 a pop you can’t afford not to compulsively buy it now. How can you pass up the chance to draw yourself in as Lars’s real girl? (Thanks to Lauren R. for sending this my way knowing I’d have my credit card out faster than you can say “Ryan Gosling shirtless.”) More info at I LOVE MEL.
[via LAist]
Previously: Make Your Own Yarn Ryan Gosling: Some Heroes Are Crocheted
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I see you making a smug “My gold digger mission is complete!” face, Benjamin Millepied.
Natalie Portman and her ballerino piece Benjamin Millepied have been wearing wedding rings for months now even though they weren’t married in the legal sense, but they changed all that last night when they said vow stuff to each other under a chuppah (not this Chupa) at somebody’s house in Big Sur, CA. UsWeekly says they got married at around 8pm in the dark, but don’t ask them for anymore details, because they don’t have any right now. Even though no other details are known at this time, we can pretty much assume that Natalie’s vows included some quote from a philosopher none of us know and in lieu of gifts the bride and groom asked guests to plant a tree or broaden their minds by buying and reading a book on a subject that is foreign to them. NO JOKE. One of my friends went to a smart people wedding and the bride and groom didn’t want gifts, but they did want their guests to read a book and then to tell them about that book at the reception. Fuck that shit. I’m getting you a blender, bitch. This ain’t school. I’m just here for the cake.
If I was a guest at Natalie and Benjamin’s wedding,
…
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