'Batman v Superman' Casts Jena Malone; Is She Robin?

(Tread carefully; there are MAJOR SPOILERS ahead!) This morning, a news report from Channel 10 WILX in East Lansing, Michigan, confirmed that a female Robin will be appearing in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The news came from an extra who wished to remain anonymous. This matched up with earlier reports that actress Jena Malone had dyed her hair red to play Carrie Kelley, the Robin in Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns. Now The Hollywood Reporter is confirming that Jena Malone has indeed been cast in director Zack Snyder's Man of Steel follow-up. But is she playing Robin?
There is no confirmation from Warner Bros. or DC about this late addition to the cast, or which character she is actually playing. According to the Channel 10 news report, the character was added to the script late in the game during some last minute rewrites. Multiple sources confirm that Jena Malone is indeed part of the cast, but no one is confirming that she is playing Carrie Kelley just yet.
The actress was spotted a few weeks ago 'visiting' the set, setting off rumors that she had joined the cast. Shortly thereafter, she threw gas on the fire by revealing Instagram photos of herself with red hair. The report from earlier today described a scene at Lex Luthor's (Jesse Eisenberg) house, where the super villain gets in a physical altercation with Bruce Wayne. The military is called into break it up, but there is no mention of Bruce wearing his Batman costume during this intense moment in the film. There is also no mention of Robin or Jena Malone being a part of this scene as it was filmed.
In all likelihood, there is a female Robin in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as the director and Ben Affleck have both said on numerous occasions that the script is pulling elements directly from Frank Miller's work. Will it be Carrie Kelly, the young schoolgirl a grizzled and weary Batman saves on his first night out of retirement? We just don't know! And it could remain a mystery for sometime.
At one point, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was rumored to include Nightwing. Many thought Adam Driver was up for the role, but he took Star Wars: Episode VII instead. One version of the script was rumored to show Batman visiting a Robin shrine that he keeps hidden away in the Batcave. Its possible that Nightwing was written out of the script, and Carrie Kelly added later.
Like The Dark Knight Rises, it's believed that Robin's identity is supposed to come as a surprise to the audience, as it did with Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character. You can see the photos Jena Malone released on her Instagram here, where she shows off her Carrie Kelley hairdo:

Jason Momoa Talks 'Aquaman' Origin Story and 'Batman v Superman'

After being rumored to play Aquaman for almost a full year, Warner Bros. finally confirmed last week that Jason Momoa will in fact play the King of Atlantis in Justice League and his own stand-alone adventure. The actor made an appearance at Walker Con in Atlanta over the weekend, where he gave his first public comments about the role.
When asked about the level of secrecy involved in his casting, the actor said he tried to respect Warner Bros.' wishes to keep his casting a secret, but it was very hard for him to do so.
"Listen, I was asked to play it. You know, you audition and stuff like that, but the fact is you've just got to keep it quiet. You know what I mean, I was just trying to respect Warner Bros. and everyone's wishes. I'm really, really happy that I don't have to be quiet anymore, because that's really hard for me."
It is widely believed that, at the end of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the entire Justice League assembles, which includes Batman (Ben Affleck), Superman (Henry Cavill), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), The Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and Aquaman. This will lead into 2017's Justice League Part 1 and then the stand-alone Aquaman movie in 2018, which the actor believes will be an origin story.
"I don't know the director. I know about as much as you guys know. I know the Justice League will come first. That's really what we're going to focus on. I'm not sure if it will be [set] prior to Justice League or post. I don't know too much about it. It will probably be where he came from. It will probably be his whole origin story I would think...I mean I don't even want to get quoted on this s***. So I know we're going to do Justice League first. I don't even know when we're shooting yet, but it will be like 2016 or 2017, so there's plenty of time."
When asked specifically if he will be in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the actor wouldn't confirm one way or another.
"I really wish I could say something, but I don't even know. I found out some of the characters that are in Justice League that are casted that I didn't know. So you found out when I found out. And that stuff is pretty tight-lipped so I don't have anything to give."
The actor also spoke about his Polynesian heritage, and how he's honored to play a water-based character since it his family members are all "water men."
"Yeah, I did go to school for Marine Biology, but the cool thing is...the greatest thing for me is that Polynesians, our gods, Kahoali, Maui, all these water gods, so it's really cool and a honor to be playing a [water] character. And there's not too many brown superheroes, so I'm really looking forward to representing the Polynesians, the natives. My family are some of the greatest water men on earth. I'm not, but I'm going to go train with them. But it's really an honor just being a Polynesian. And water is the most important thing in this world and we all know it. It's cool be a part of DC's universe. I'm really excited to be with Warner Bros., and hopefully everyone likes it. And Zack Snyder's a genius, so I'm really excited to be hanging out with him."
When asked if the actor will wear the green shorts from the comic, he hinted that there may be a different costume.
"You should use your imagination. I've got green eyes so they're going to highlight my green eyes."
He also spoke about the potential for romance in an ensemble like Justice League, or lack thereof.
"I don't think there will be a romance any time soon in Justice League. I think we're going to be kicking some ass. But I don't know for sure, because there's no script yet."
While it isn't known exactly what Aquaman story will be adapted for the big screen, the actor was pictured with a copy of Aquaman Vol. 5 #0, where the character is seen with a harpoon attached to his arm, in place of his left hand. However, he wouldn't say for sure which story the movie will be based on.

"

It's really hard because you do these and they're like, 'Why's he looking at Aquaman? Why's he looking at this one?' So you can't really like research too much. When I was growing up, I really liked Spawn and Lobo. I read stuff like that. Lobo I was a big fan of. I didn't read a lot of Aquaman, but I am now, and I will do the research."

What do you think of the actor's comments? Chime in with your thoughts below.
Aquaman comes to theaters July 27th, 2018 and stars Jason Momoa.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice comes to theaters March 25th, 2016 and stars Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons. The film is directed by Zack Snyder

'Captain America 3' Avengers Team and Title Revealed?

Last night, Marvel Studios dropped a bombshell, with the news that Robert Downey Jr. is in talks to return as Tony Stark in Captain America 3, a movie that will adapt the Civil War comic book story line and forever change the Marvel Cinematic Universe. New details have emerged today that reveal Iron Man may be joined by a number of other Avengers, along with details on the possible title. There will be potential spoilers for Avengers: Age of Ultron below, so read on at your own risk.
Earlier this month, we reported that The Avengers 3 will feature a whole new team of superheroes, which was thought to stem from the main stars' contracts running out, and the desire to save their biggest stars for another huge movie. It's looking more and more like Captain America 3 will be that movie, which Badass Digest is calling "Avengers 2.5."
At the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, it's been long rumored that Captain America (Chris Evans) assembles a new team of Avengers. While the scene has not been shot yet, Badass Digest reveals this team will include Falcon (Anthony Mackie), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), all of whom will be present in Captain America 3, which will "re-shape the Marvel universe."
Along with today's earlier report that Captain America 3 directors Joe Russo and Anthony Russo are coming back for The Avengers 3 and The Avengers 4, Badass Digest also reveals that the Captain America 3 title may be Fallen Son. While the sequel will be adapted from the Civil War comic book, Fallen Son is the title they plan to run with. Though, that could change.
The site goes onto speculate that Cap may actually die in Captain America 3, which will leave all of the heroes "scattered and defeated". This theme will continue in The Avengers 3 and The Avengers 4. The latter of which is said to include the heroes' big showdown with Thanos, which was expected to happen in The Avengers 3. Where or how Guardians of the Galaxy fits into all of this has not yet been revealed.
Captain America 3 comes to theaters May 6th, 2016 and stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Frank Grillo. The film is directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo.

'Doctor Strange' Shortlist Includes McConaughey and Gyllenhaal

Earlier today, we reported that Marvel may be considering Ewan McGregor to play Doctor Strange in their Phase Three adventure, following the departure of Joaquin Phoenix, who had been in talks for the role since July. Now Variety has a list of actors on the short list of actors vying for the role, which includes new contenders such as Matthew McConaughey, Jake Gyllenhaal and Oscar Isaac, along with previously-reported candidates Ewan McGregor, Jared Leto and Ethan Hawke.
It isn't mentioned which of these actors is the true front runner for the role, but Marvel is "aggressively searching" for the right actor to play the Sorcerer Supreme, with an official announcement believed to be coming very soon, according to insiders. Jared Leto was first mentioned as a possible contender back in June, and now the actor is said to be "aggressively pursuing" the role, despite being notoriously choosy about movie roles.
The site notes that it isn't clear if Matthew McConaughey would be able to take the role, given his increasingly busy schedule, but Marvel does want a big star to play Doctor Strange, and the studio believes they can attract top-notch talent after nearly landing Joaquin Phoenix. Ethan Hawke was rumored to be up for the role earlier this month when Joaquin Phoenix dropped out, but he also pursued the role very early on, and is still in the hunt.
Jake Gyllenhaal is said to be "quite interested" in the role, after a string of dark and gritty films such as End of Watch, Prisoners and the upcoming Nightcrawler. After Tobey Maguire almost left Spider-Man 2 over 10 years ago, Jake Gyllenhaal was close to replacing the actor before his eventual return, and it seems he still is interested in the comic book world. Oscar Isaac is currently shooting Star Wars: Episode VII, and it is said that Marvel has had an "inside look" at his scenes in the highly-anticipated movie, which lead to him being on this list.
Do you think one of these actors will be the best fit for Doctor Strange? Chime in with your thoughts below.
Doctor Strange is in development . The film is directed by Scott Derrickson.

'Independence Day 2' and 'Hitman: Agent 47' Get New Release Dates

20th Century Fox made a few tweaks to its schedule today, shifting Independence Day 2 from the crowded July 1, 2016 release date to June 24, 2016, while moving Hitman: Agent 47 up nearly six months from February 27, 2015 to August 28, 2015.
Independence Day 2, which is reportedly bringing back Jeff Goldblum to star, would have faced Sony's Angry Birds, Disney's The BFG and Warner Bros.' Tarzan on July 1, but now it only has to contend with Universal's Untitled Mummy Reboot one week earlier. No story details have been given for Independence Day 2, which will not feature the return of Will Smith .
Hitman: Agent 47, which stars Rupert Friend as the title character, will now face the Dimension Films thriller Regression on August 28, 2015, instead of going up against Warner Bros.' Focus and The Transporter Legacy on February 27, 2015. The plot is based on the video game of the same name, which follows a sole assassin who works for a sinister corporation.
Paramount has also shifted Hot Tub Time Machine 2 from Christmas Day 2014 to February 20, 2015, where it will face Open Road Films' The Gunman, Relativity's Jane Got a Gun and Disney's McFarland USA. The comedy follows Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry and Clark Duke from the original on a quest to alter the future. The studio has also shifted Scouts Vs. Zombies from February 20, 2015 to a more fitting release date of October 30, 2015, just one day before Halloween, where it faces no direct competition yet. The horror-thriller stars Tye Sheridan and Logan Miller as Boy Scouts who try to save their town from a zombie invasion.
Finally, The Weinstein Company has moved its family comedy Paddington from December 25, 2014 to January 16, 2015, which puts it against Universal's Blackhat and Sony's The Wedding Ringer. With both Hot Tub Time Machine 2 and Paddington vacating from Christmas Day, that leaves just Sony's The Interview, Disney's Into the Woods and Universal's Unbroken opening in wide release on December 25. The Weinstein Company has also moved Underdogs from January 16, 2015 to April 10, 2015, where it will face 20th Century Fox's The Longest Ride.
ID Forever - Part 1 comes to theaters June 24th, 2016 and stars Jeff Goldblum. The film is directed by Roland Emmerich.
Hitman: Agent 47 comes to theaters August 27th, 2015 and stars Rupert Friend, Zachary Quinto, Hannah Ware, Thomas Kretschmann, Ciarán Hinds. The film is directed by Aleksander Bach.

'Batman v Superman' Wonder Woman Origin Revealed

Earlier today, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice producer Charles Roven revealed new details about why they cast Ben Affleck as Batman in this highly-anticipated superhero adventure. At the very end of his interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the producer revealed an intriguing tidbit about Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, that hints her origin story falls in line with the New 52 DC Comics reboot.
"Wonder Woman is in it. We know that. She has powers. She's a goddess. She's a demi-god. Her father was Zeus."
In the original DC Comics, Wonder Woman was literally molded from clay by Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons, who desired a daughter. The Amazons were created by the gods, using the souls of women murdered by men. There was one soul remaining, the unborn daughter of Hippolyta, the first woman ever to be murdered by a man. Hippolyta made a figure out of clay, and used the last remaining soul to bring Diana/Wonder Woman to life.
The New 52 reboot is much different, with Diana born out of her mother Hippolyta's union with Zeus, the Greek god who still walks the Earth along with the other gods. The "legend" of her clay creation is told to Diana by Hippolyta to protect her. It remains to be seen just how much of Wonder Woman's back story fans will get in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, since it will largely focus on the battle between the two title characters. Of course, it's possible this origin will be explored further in the impending Justice League and a potential Wonder Woman stand alone movie, which was hinted at in an unconfirmed report from June.
What do you think about Wonder Woman's origins in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? Chime in with your thoughts below.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice comes to theaters March 25th, 2016 and stars Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons. The film is directed by Zack Snyder.

'Smallville' Supergirl Has Important Advice for CBS Actress

The DC Comics universe is spreading quickly throughout the TV landscape, with Gotham, The Flash, Arrow and Constantine all airing on major networks this year. CBS, the only network currently without a superhero show, is getting in the mix by developing Supergirl, a character previously played by Laura Vandervoort on The CW's Smallville. While it remains to be seen who will be the new Kara Zor-el, Laura Vandervoort did have some advice for whoever signs on to play the title character.
"Make sure you have some Nike soles in there. Just kidding! So you can run. Just make it your own. Everyone has an idea of how she should be, which I was concerned about when I played her, but when you find a way to relate to her and then bring your own self into it, I think people appreciate it. You can't make everything the same. So, just make it your own."
The actress also wished the show well, while adding that she hopes to appear on an episode.
"I saw a lot of Twitter comments, with people wanting me to play Supergirl. I don't know what their plan is for it, but I wish them well, and maybe I can show up on an episode."
While there is still much we don't know about CBS' version of the character, we reported last month that the show will follow a 24-year-old Kara Zor-el, who has been hiding out on Earth and keeping her powers a secret, after escaping from Krypton. She decides to embrace who she really is and become the true hero she was always meant to be.
The show appears to be adapting the origin story that was set up in the New 52 comic book reboot, which doesn't include Superman, as Kara is left on her own to carve out her own identity. In the original comics, Superman helps Kara control her abilities until she can form an alter-ego all her own, but it's unclear if executive producers Greg Berlanti and Ali Adler will use this story line, or the New 52 story.
We'll keep you posted as soon as we have more details regarding Supergirl

'Justice League Part 1' and 'Part 2' Get Director Zack Snyder

Warner Bros. and DC Comics shook the world today when it officially dropped its massive upcoming movie slate. As part of that announcement, it was confirmed that long rumored Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice director Zack Snyder will be back at the helm for Justice League Part 1 and Part 2.
Also confirmed are Man of Steel stars Henry Cavill as Superman and Amy Adams as Lois Lane, along with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice star Ben Affleck reprising his role as The Dark Knight.
It's interesting to note in the official press release that Gal Gadot is not included in the returning roster. Does this mean she is not in the movie? That's highly doubtful. The same press release also reveals that a standalone Wonder Woman movie is set to be released in 2017, Ezra Miller is revealed as The Flash, and Jason Momoa is finally confirmed as Aquaman. Its assumed that they are all a part of one or both of these movies. The announcement also includes a Green Lantern reboot and a Cyborg standalone movie, with those characters expected to appear in Justice League as well.
Justice League Part 1 will be released November 11, 2017, with Part 2 coming in June of 2019. It was previously rumored that Batman and Superman would each be getting their own solo movies as part of this line-up, but those were not included in this list. They were, however mentioned in the press release, and may arrive before 2020, or in 2020. That has not been confirmed.
Justice League Part 1 comes to theaters November 11th, 2017 and stars Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller. The film is directed by Zack Snyder.

'The Flash' Movie Arrives in 2018 Starring Ezra Miller

Just one small part of Warner Bros.' massive announcement today that laid out their DC Comics movie slate was the news that Ezra Miller will play Barry Allen in The Flash, debuting in 2018. The actor will likely have a cameo appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, where the entire Justice League team will presumably be revealed for the first time.
The Flash doesn't have a writer or director attached at this time, but it will occupy one of two 2018 release dates (March 23, 2018 or July 27, 2018) that Warner Bros. set in August, with Jason Momoa's Aquaman movie taking the other slot. Ironically, the news comes just one week after The Flash TV series debuted on The CW, starring Grant Gustin as Barry Allen, but the show will have no connection to this burgeoning movie universe.
Ezra Miller is best known for his performances in indie films such as City Island, Every Day, Beware the Gonzo, Another Happy Day, We Need to Talk About Kevin and his breakthrough role in The Perks of Being a Wallflower. He most recently starred in Madame Bovary.

'Gambit' X-Men Spinoff Will Be a Unique Origin Movie

Back in May, producer Lauren Shuler Donner confirmed that Channing Tatum will star as the mystical, card-throwing Cajun mutant Remy LeBeau, a.k.a. Gambit, after the actor spent months campaigning for the role in various interviews. We also reported that the actor will first appear in X-Men: Apocalypse before his own stand-alone Gambit adventure. While doing press for The Book of Life, Channing Tatum offered an update on the movie, revealing that they are searching for a writer to give this character a unique origin story in what will be a smaller movie than we usually see in the X-Men franchise.
"We're finding a writer and sort of beating it out. We really do want to try our hardest to give something fresh. We're obviously going to go to the saving the world superhero movies eventually, but not for the first one. We kind of want to introduce this character in a very different way, and when you try to do something different, you never know, right off the bat, what that is. It takes a little time to get it right. We're really just feeling our way, and we have to prove that concept of that person."
It remains to be seen how Gambit will be introduced in X-Men: Apocalypse, which will be set in the 1980s, or when the stand-alone Gambit will be set. Gambit was first portrayed on the big screen by Taylor Kitsch in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
What do you think about these new developments? Chime in with your thoughts below.
Gambit comes to theaters in 2017 and stars Channing Tatum.

'Captain America 3' Starts Marvel's Civil War, Robert Downey Jr. Joins Cas

Marvel Studios is in final talks with Robert Downey Jr. to star in Captain America 3, which will introduce the popular Marvel Civil War comic book story line to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The story will pit Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man/Tony Stark against Chris Evans' Captain America/Steve Rogers, as they feud over the Superhero Registration Act, which forces anyone with super-human abilities to register themselves with the U.S. government, and agree to serve as part of a new police force. Stark supports the program, but Rogers does not, believing that it threatens the civil liberties of U.S. citizens. Rogers and others opposing the act are forced to go on the run. This story will also enable Stark to be a villain, of sorts, with his views going against the rest of his Avengers teammates.
Production is set to begin in the spring of 2015, with a May 6, 2016 release date already slated for the sequel. Variety reports that while a deal for Robert Downey Jr. to star in Captain America 3 is nearly finalized, it almost fell apart.
Marvel originally wanted the actor for a small role that would have only required three weeks of work on set, but Robert Downey Jr. wanted Tony Stark to be a much bigger part of the story, which naturally results in a bigger payday for the actor. Sources indicate that Marvel Entertainment chief Ike Perlmutter was so enraged that he ordered the screenwriters to write Iron Man out of the script. However, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige continued negotiating with the actor's reps, and tried to convince Perlmutter to see his grand vision for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and how the introduction of the Civil Wars story line would help drive new franchises and sequels for the next seven years.
The fallout from the government's and Stark's action will be a driving force in The Avengers 4, while helping to introduce new characters like Doctor Strange and even Ant-Man, which hits theaters in July 2015.
Sources claim that Robert Downey Jr. will earn $40 million from Captain America 3, plus a portion of the profits on the back end, and bonuses if Captain America 3 outperforms this year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which earned $714 million worldwide. The actor took home $50 million for Marvel's The Avengers in 2012.
The actor is also under contract to star in The Avengers 3, and he will next be seen in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. There was a report from last month that hinted The Avengers 3 may introduce a whole new team, with actors like Robert Downey Jr., who are nearing the end of their deals, being saved for an unspecified movie. It isn't clear, at this point, if the actor's new deal is just for Captain America 3, of if he has signed on for The Avengers 4 as well, since The Avengers 3 is believed to be the last movie the actor is under contract for.
Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) are returning to direct Captain America 3 from a script by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. The directors revealed last month that there is "a very big idea" at the center of Captain America 3, which now appears to be the Civil War story line. Captain America: The Winter Soldier star Frank Grillo is expected to return as Crossbones.
What do you think of this bombshell announcement? Chime in with your thoughts below.
Captain America 3 comes to theaters May 6th, 2016 and stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Frank Grillo. The film is directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo.

'Hobbit 3' Posters and Banners Tease Key Action Scenes

Thorin Oakenshield takes his throne as Gandalf
and Galadriel lay in the rubble of war in new
posters from 'Battle of the Five Armies'.
After a beautifully executed series of 9 character
posters released throughout last week, we now
get two more posters and three banners teasing
key action sequences from the upcoming trilogy
ending sequel The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five
Armies .
Gandalf ( Ian McKellen) lies amongst the rubble of
war, bleeding from the head as Galadriel ( Cate
Blanchett ) comforts him with a kiss in both a
poster and a banner. In the second poster, we see
Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, who has
become obsessed with his reclaimed treasure as
the Orcs march towards the Lonely Mountain.
That moment is depicted in the second banner.
And finally, we see Lee Pace as Legolas' father
Thranduil, who gallantly leads the charge as part
of the first army.
This December, The Hobbit trilogy concludes as
Bilbo Baggins joins the Wizard Gandalf and
thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on
an epic quest to keep the lost Dwarf Kingdom of
Erebor from being reclaimed. Check out this latest
sneak peek as we await the next trailer, which
should arrive soon.

'Batman' and 'Superman' Standalone Movies Coming Before 2020

Stand-alone 'Batman' and 'Superman' movies
are being developed along with the 10 superhero
projects Warner Bros. announced today.

Warner Bros. dropped a major bombshell
announcement today, revealing 10 DC Comics
movies that will be released between 2016 and
2020, which includes a two-part Justice League
movie and solo adventures for Wonder Woman,
The Flash, Aquaman , Shazam!, Cyborg and
Green Lantern . Buried within that news lies the
announcement that stand-alone Batman and
Superman movies are being planned as well, we
just don't know when. They will be released
before 2020, though.
Here's the full quote from Warner Bros.' press
release below.
"And, in a massive expansion of the Studio's DC
Entertainment-branded content, Warner Bros.
Pictures and New Line Cinema will release a
slate of at least 10 movies-as well as stand-
alone Batman and Superman films-from 2016
through 2020 that expands this prized universe
of characters."
Naturally, the stand-alone Superman will most
likely be a straight-up sequel to Man of Steel ,
with Henry Cavill returning as Clark Kent/
Superman/Kal-el. The studio has two movies
slated for each year between 2016 and 2020,
but it isn't known when this Man of Steel
sequel may hit theaters.
The Batman news doesn't come as much of a
surprise either, since we reported in June that
Warner Bros. is planning a stand-alone
adventure with Ben Affleck's Batman for 2019.
As it stands right now, per today's
announcement, the studio will be releasing
Shazam! and Justice League in 2019, with those
films likely taking the April 5, 2019 and June 14,
2019 release dates that were revealed in
August. If this new Batman movie is coming in
2019, it seems possible the studio could aim for
either a late summer or November/December
holiday release.
Take a look at the studio's full release slate of
10 DC Comics movies slated for release
between 2016 and 2010, which does not include
the stand-alone Batman and Superman movies.
The official Warner Bros. press release from
today did not include specific release dates, but
they all line up with the release dates handed
out back in August.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice -
3/26/16
Suicide Squad, directed by David Ayer -
08/05/16
Wonder Woman starring Gal Gadot -
06/23/17
Justice League Part One, directed by Zack
Snyder , with Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and
Amy Adams reprising their roles - 11/17/17
The Flash, starring Ezra Miller - 03/23/18
Aquaman starring Jason Momoa - 07/27/18
Shazam! - 04/05/19
Justice League Part Two, directed by Zack
Snyder - 06/14/19
Cyborg , starring Ray Fisher - 04/03/20
Green Lantern - 06/19/20

'Hobbit 3' Posters and Banners Tease Key Action Scenes

After a beautifully executed series of 9 character posters released throughout last week, we now get two more posters and three banners teasing key action sequences from the upcoming trilogy ending sequel The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies.
Gandalf (Ian McKellen) lies amongst the rubble of war, bleeding from the head as Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) comforts him with a kiss in both a poster and a banner. In the second poster, we see Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, who has become obsessed with his reclaimed treasure as the Orcs march towards the Lonely Mountain. That moment is depicted in the second banner. And finally, we see Lee Pace as Legolas' father Thranduil, who gallantly leads the charge as part of the first army.
This December, The Hobbit trilogy concludes as Bilbo Baggins joins the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on an epic quest to keep the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from being reclaimed. Check out this latest sneak peek as we await the next trailer, which should arrive soon.

'Ninja Turtles' Concept Art Reveals Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady

While this summer's live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot decided to stay focused on just one iconic villain, many speculate that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 will go a lot bigger and bring in some other familiar faces from both the comic book series and animated TV show. A new set of concept art images reveal that this was actually being considered for the first installment.
Conceptual artist Tsvetomir Georgiev, who previously worked on Green Lantern, has decided to share some of the work he did on Michael Bay's reboot, which at one time was considering the inclusion of such fan favorite characters as Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady. For the first time, we get to see how these characters may have appeared on the big screen.
These three super-villains did not appear in the film, but if this art is any indication, fans may not have been disappointed with their rebooted looks. It was rumored that Krang would actually be revealed in the first movie as living inside Shredder's abdominal region, which goes against the source material's origin story. That doesn't seem to have ever been the case though, at least not how Tsvetomir Georgiev envisioned it.
The artist also gives us a slightly different take on Shredder, Splinter and the four turtle brothers. Check it out:

'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Trailer Description from NYCC!

A Comic Book Movie reader has revealed that Marvel has unveiled a new trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron at New York Comic Con. However, the site also speculates that it's the same footage that was shown at San Diego Comic Con back in July, but that has not been confirmed. At any rate, take a look at the trailer description from an unidentified source below, which opens at a party at Avengers Tower.
"Avengers trailer!!!! Avenger trailer! Y'all y'all y'all. Spoilers! Big ones. I can't do a cut on my phone sorry. Open on big party in the tower! Everyone is trying to lift Thor's hammer. Tony tries, then Tony tries with Rhodey. Clint tries Bruce tries and pretends to hulk out, adorable. Cap tries and juuuuust moves it, Thor looks very scared but then Steve gives up. Nat doesn't even try. Maria is there too! Ultron shows up. Montage of action!!! Explosions everywhere!! Ballerinas! Snow! Bruce in the woods! Hulk touching Nat's hand gently!!! Hulkbuster fight!!! Thor attacking Tony! Cap fighting quick silver! Scarlet witch screaming after Nat says "nothing lasts forever" And then the final shot: Tony is on a battlefield. Cap's shield is on the ground. Broken in half. Cap and Thor and maybe more are lying on the ground. Ahhhhhhhhhhh we all freaked out and made them play it again."
It isn't known when this footage may be released for the fans to see, but does this description make you even more excited for the sequel?

'Resident Evil' and 'Mortal Instruments' TV Series in Development

German production company Constantin Film revealed at the Mipcom TV market in Cannes this weekend that they are developing TV show spin-offs for their film franchises Resident Evil and The Mortal Instruments. Here's what Constantin's Martin Moszkowicz had to say in a statement.
"We are moving rapidly. Constantin has a lot of feature film brands and we are moving them into television. For instance, we own the rights to the book series The Mortal Instruments, and we just hired a showrunner in Los Angeles, and our offices in Los Angeles and Canada are starting production next year on at least two or three international shows."
Ed Decter, who most recently produced TV shows such as Unforgettable and The Client List, is reportedly the showrunner attached to The Mortal Instruments, according to The Hollywood Reporter, with production slated to begin sometime next year.
The Mortal Instruments was initially slated to be a feature film franchise, starting with last year's The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, but the sequel, The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes, was shelved after the first movie opened to less then enthusiastic result. Martin Moszkowicz added that The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones has been doing well on DVD and will eventually turn a profit.
As for Resident Evil, production will begin after the last feature, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, hits theaters. We reported in August that production on the final movie was delayed to the summer of 2015, since star Milla Jovovich is pregnant with husband/director Paul W.S. Anderson's child.
What remains unclear about both shows is if franchise stars Milla Jovovich (Alice) and Lily Collins (Clary Fray) will return to reprise their roles, or if the shows will have a different focus than their feature film versions. Constantin Film is also developing a TV series based on the film Perfume.
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones was released August 21st, 2013 and stars Aidan Turner, Lena Headey, Lily Collins, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Robert Sheehan, Jamie Campbell Bower, Kevin Durand, Kevin Zegers. The film is directed by Harald Zwart.

'Game of Thrones' Gets an Unofficial Season 5 Animated Trailer

Game of Thrones fans have a long wait for new episodes. Currently in the midst of production, Season 5 won't debut until early 2015. And we won't get an official look at the acclaimed series' return until closer to the end of this year. If you can't wait that long, an 'unofficial' trailer has hit, and it's pretty great.
Culling moments from the first four seasons, animators Black Metal have recreated a stunning account of what has happened leading into Game of Thrones Season 5. If you've always wondered what a Saturday morning version of the hit fantasy drama might look like, this is as close as we may ever get.
The 90-second clip remembers significant Game of Thrones moments in animated form, and it serves as the perfect teaser for the impending continuation of this fan favorite series. The video is set to a haunting rendition of 'The Rains of Castamere' and it comes complete with sweeping shots of the Red Wedding, Jon Snow at the Wall and the Battle of the Blackwater.

'Daredevil' Netflix Series First Official Photos!

The biggest thing happening at New York Comic Con 2014 is the unveiling of Marvel's Daredevil Netflix Series. Marvel, working alongside the streaming service, has debuted the first photo from this highly anticipated small screen adaptation of the popular comic book, giving us our first look at Charlie Cox as blind lawyer Matt Murdock.
Marvel's Daredevil first costume is inspired by Frank Miller and John Romita Jr.'s seminal Daredevil: Man Without Fear, a series that is widely considered to be one of the most important and influential Daredevil stories of all time. The image harkens back to the original art by John Romita Jr. that inspired the costume.
Also announced at the New York Comic Con panel were new cast additions Ayelet Zurer (Vanessa Marianna), Vondie Curtis-Hall (Ben Urich), Bob Gunton (Leland Owlsley) and Toby Leonard Moore (Wesley). It was also revealed that Rosario Dawson will be playing Claire Temple, also known as Marvel's Night Nurse!
Premiering sometime in 2015, Marvel's Daredevil is a live action series that follows the journey of attorney Matt Murdock, who in a tragic accident was blinded as a boy but imbued with extraordinary senses. Murdock sets up practice in his old neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen, New York where he now fights against injustice as a respected lawyer by day and masked vigilante at night.
Marvel's Daredevil also stars Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page), Elden Henson (Foggy Nelson), and Vincent D'Onofrio (Wilson Fisk). Take a first look at Daredevil's new costume...What do you think?

'Doctor Strange': Keanu Reeves Responds to Casting Rumors

Marvel Studios was hoping to cast Joaquin Phoenix as Doctor Strange for their Phase Three adventure, with the actor in talks for the title role since July. However, he ultimately passed on the role earlier this month, with Marvel now back at square one trying to determine who will play the Sorcerer Supreme. Some have suggested that John Wick star Keanu Reeves would be perfect to play Doctor Strange, although the actor admitted in an interview with Screen Rant that he hasn't heard about the project.
The site listed the actor as one of five actors they would like to see as Doctor Strange, and when they asked if he would be interested in playing the title role, he had this to say.
"Yeah - you know, I don't know a lot about Doctor Strange."
He went on to add that he will check out the character.
"After this, I'm going to go check it out, because I heard about that. So I can't speak knowledgeably about 'Doctor Strange.' But would I be good for the guy?"
When the interviewer said he would be perfect for Dr. Stephen Strange, the actor had this to say.
"Cool. Well, I've gotta check it out. Because I like that kind of stuff."
The actor went on to say that he grew up on superhero movies, and that his action-thriller John Wick fits into the superhero world.
"Yeah, I mean, to me, I love that - I think 'John Wick' falls into this in a sense, the world creation. I like those movies. I go to those movies. I grew up on those movies. I like acting in those movies. You get to do fun, cool **** and entertain. I love all that."
Do you think Keanu Reeves would be the right actor to take on Doctor Strange? Chime in with your thoughts below.
Doctor Strange is in development . The film is directed by Scott Derrickson.

The Flash: Geoff Johns Reveals First Photos of Captain Cold

DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns has posted a pair of new photos of actor Wentworth Miller III in wardrobe as Captain Cold in The Flash. The series, which debuts tonight on The CW, will  reunite Miller with his Prison Break co-star Dominic Purcell, who will play Heat Wave

‘Batman v Superman’ producer: ‘We wanted Batman to tower over Superman’, Christopher Nolan is still invovled (video)

The Hollywood Reporter’s Stephen Galloway interviewed Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice producer Charles Roven and it’s without a doubt the most in-depth and revealing conversation about the movie we’ve seen so far! I encourage you all to just go watch the video above, but here are some highlights from producer Charles Roven:

• Christopher Nolan and his wife Emma Thomas are still executive producers.
• Nolan is still involved at different stages in an advisory capacity. He was involved in the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman.
• They wanted a very mature Batman, because they wanted to juxtapose him with Henry Cavill’s young Superman.
• They wanted a guy with big stature. Ben is 6′ 3″ or 6′ 4″. They wanted Batman to tower over Superman.  They wanted Superman to have to look up to Batman.
• Ben Affleck was the first actor they went to. He was their first choice.
• Bruce Wayne is a much more social animal. Batman is an extremely rough guy. Very, very, very rough.
• Man of Steel was made with the idea of expanding the universe and creating a world with other superheroes.
• Wonder Woman is a demigod. Her father was Zeus.

Christopher Nolan’s name was removed from all recent press releases, but according to producer Charles Roven he’s still involved. What do you think of all the interesting Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice details he just revealed? Let me know in the comments below.

Robert Downey Jr. Confirms 'Iron Man 4' Is Happening!

Robert Downey Jr. made it official on the Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show today. Yes, Iron Man 4 is happening!
The actor says that negotiations are still ongoing for his return in what will be his 7th featured role in a Marvel movie, and his 9th appearance as Tony Stark altogether. So he's careful not to confirm he is returning outright. When Ellen DeGeneres asks the question if there will be an Iron Man 4, Robert Downey Jr. responds:
"I know there's going to be a bunch more Marvel movies. And they have big ideas of how to do it best and we're in the middle of negotiation..."
After Ellen DeGeneres prompts him for a true answer, the actor finally gives in and says what everyone has wanted to hear:
"Okay, yes!"
He also had this to say about the movie on his recent Reddit AMA, addressing the idea that Mel Gibson might direct:
"It was an offhanded remark to a journalist and friend. I have other projects in mind for Mel and I - sooner than later the Marvel Roster will be made public and all questions will be answered."
Robert Downey Jr. is next set to reprise the role of Iron Man/Tony Stark in next summer's Avengers: Age of Ultron. This will be followed by The Avengers 3. Following his appearance in Iron Man 3, the actor's initial contract was complete, and on June 20, 2013, he signed a new agreement with Marvel and Disney for the next two Avengers Sequels. Appearing in Iron Man 4 will require the studio and actor to come to a new agreement, which will include a new contract.
This comes just as rumors begin to swell that Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans aren't actually returning in The Avengers 3. A whole new team of superheroes are reportedly appearing in the sequel, with the original cast being saved for a different movie, perhaps Marvel's Infinity Gauntlet or Marvel's Secret War.

'Deadpool' Movie Is Part of the 'X-Men' Cinematic Universe

While fans worry about the actual rating of the recently announced Deadpool movie, another aspect of this Marvel Comics adaptation that's being actively discussed is how or if it will tie into 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise. According to writer and producer Simon Kinberg, Deadpool is definitely part of the overall plan.
Ryan Reynolds, who first debuted as Deadpool in the X-Men spin-off X-Men Origins: Wolverine, will be back to reprise the Merc with the Mouth. And while early reports claimed that the screenplay was going Meta, with off-color jokes about Deadpool's appearance in that film, that may no longer be the case.
Simon Kinberg gives a vague overview of how Deadpool will ultimately fit into the X-Men cinematic universe.
"There's definitely a sort of overall plan that we've all been talking about for the X-Men universe now, and Deadpool obviously fits into that. So yeah, I guess I would say it's part of certainly an overall timeline and thought process that goes into these films, some of which is inspired by the comics and some which is inspired by seeing what Marvel's done with telling a larger tapestry and linking all those movies together, even as they stand independently as well. The same kind of thought is going to go into these X-Men movies at Fox."
This raises an obvious question: Will Deadpool make an appearance in X-Men: Apocalypse? Or will the 80s timeline not allow for that? Seeing as how X-Men: Days of Future Past altered the timeline of the franchise, its currently unclear where Deadpool fits in.

'The Avengers 3' May Feature All-New Superheroes

If a new, unconfirmed rumor is to be believed, Marvel's upcoming sequel Avengers: Age of Ultron may be the last time in quite a while that fans see all of The Avengers in the same movie. Badass Digest's latest report reveals that Marvel may be redefining their blockbuster movie universe.
Most of The Avengers are nearing the end of their multi-picture contracts, including Chris Evans, who only has two movies left, one of which will be Captain America 3. Last week, a rumor surfaced that Marvel may be splitting The Avengers 3 into a two-part movie. Badass Digest's sources claim that a two-part movie isn't happening, but The Avengers 3 will serve as a "springboard" to "something else" and that the Avengers themselves may not even appear in The Avengers 3.
There are no details about what this mystery project may be, which will feature all of the Avengers actors, although the site speculates it could be a huge "all-franchise" crossover that may be called Marvel's Infinity Gauntlet or Marvel's Secret War. As for The Avengers 3, it remains unclear who may star in that project, or when Marvel is planning on releasing the sequel.
The box office success of this summer's Guardians of the Galaxy proved that fans will flock to see new adventures with characters that haven't been previously-established as big box office draws, and Marvel Phase Three will introduce fans to another new group of characters, including Ant-Man and Doctor Strange. By the time The Avengers 3 comes around, fans may be willing to embrace a whole new team of Avengers.
What do you think about these new developments? Chime in with your thoughts below.
Avengers: Age of Ultron comes to theaters May 1st, 2015 and stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr., Elizabeth Olsen, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Cobie Smulders, Jeremy Renner. The film is directed by Joss Whedon.
The Avengers 3 comes to theaters in 2019 and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson.

Will Sony Share 'Spider-Man' with the Marvel Movie Universe?

Yesterday, we reported that Marvel Studios may introduce a new team of superheroes in The Avengers 3. This would allow Disney to save their superstar actors such as Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans for another massive project, which is speculated to either be Marvel's Infinity Gauntlet or Marvel's Secret War. Today, a new report from Hitfix suggests that Marvel is also in the midst of negotiating a deal with Sony Pictures to bring Spider-Man into their Marvel Movie Universe.
Hitfix's Drew McWeeny wasn't able to get confirmation on the exact plans, but you can take a look at an excerpt from his story below.
"While I can't get the confirmations I need to verify the story, I'm hearing that there are some very cool Spider-Man plans being discussed that would help Sony refocus their enormously important franchise while also opening up some connections in the onscreen Marvel movie universe that would blow fandom's minds. Will it work out? I don't know. I would love to be able to state for sure that it's happening. What seems clear from what I've heard is that Marvel wants to be able to play with all of their characters, and if they can make that work creatively and on a corporate level, they will, and that means the world gets bigger again."
We've known for awhile now that the Spider-Man franchise is in a state of flux, following the negative reactions to The Amazing Spider-Man 2. After writer-producer Roberto Orci left The Amazing Spider-Man 3 back in July, Sony gave their spin-off Sinister Six the November 11, 2016 release date previously slated for The Amazing Spider-Man 3, which will now hit theaters sometime in 2018.
While it seems unlikely that Sony will sign over their entire Spider-Man franchise to Marvel, it's possible they could be working on a shared-rights scenario similar to the deal Marvel and 20th Century Fox have for Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. As a provision of that deal, Marvel can't mention any of the siblings' mutant history, while 20th Century Fox can't mention any of their stories involving The Avengers. It could be feasible for Sony and Marvel to hammer out a similar arrangement that keeps both of their franchises intact, while adding Spider-Man to the MCU as a part of the Avengers.
What do you think of these new developments? Chime in with your thoughts below.
The Avengers 3 comes to theaters in 2019 and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson.