The Dark World Of Television...

There seems to be a lot of collusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe...

While DC Entertainment seems to be still struggling to make their plans solidify, Mighty Marvel marches on.  The newly started DC Cinematic Universe will extend only to films, while their television shows both animated and live-action are two other separate worlds. Marvel Studios on the other hand, seems to be including most of their live-action as one whole universe. While letting the animation department be its own world, it too though has influences with the MCU.

Many of you saw the announcement that an upcoming episode of "Agents of Shield" will tie in directly to the latest Marvel Studios film, "Thor: The Dark World".  This also stands to reason that the upcoming Marvel Studios film, "Captain America: Winter Soldier" will also play an important role in the series should AOS get a green light for a season two.  Even more so when "Avengers: Age of Ultron" rages across the screen.  It turns out it was a good thing making Marvel's first series a part of the MCU. Or maybe it was just unbelievable luck? Either way, there appears to be a lot more of it coming down the line.

With the monstrous deal signed with Netflix, Disney has placed on Marvel into an even broader playing field with even more platforms to distribute their brand.  And the shows appear to be connected to the main universe as well. Which means, we might see crossovers with other shows and possibly even additional movies.  It appears they've adapted a strategy for television similar to their successful film plan.  While Marvel Studios started out with Ironman and built up various characters until they had a group that could form the Avengers, these television heroes are each building until they become a group of their own, "The Defenders".  Television-sized of course.

Starting off first with Daredevil, then Luke Cage, Iron Fist and ultimately Jessica Jones, these grittier heroes will embark upon an area of the Marvel Universe not seen so far.  It will also be the introduction of Marvel's first superhero characters with secret identities. Something that the films avoided so far.  Unlike DC with their "Arrow" series, their "Flash" spin-off series, or their upcoming Hour Man show, these characters will be in the same universe as The Mighty Thor and The First Avenger.  There might even be a tie-in/crossover with Agents of Shield.  Although that could prove difficult since the AOS series is designed as a family show, and these four series (+miniseries) will be of at least a slightly more mature content than offerings on networks.  It's an exciting time right now for Marvel fans, comic book fans, and geeks in general.

It's hard for a DC Guy like myself to say, but Marvel really is doing a pounding on the former National Periodicals right now...

"NO"ing Your Enemy...

After five episodes of "Agents of Shield" it's time to start figuring out who the threat is…

The ultra, super-secret, global espionage organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. has many missions and many threats, but who is the nemesis of the new television series?  When the series began it was thought that the hactivist organization known as "The Rising Tide" would develop into the primary threat, but that has not happened.  Tide has turned out to be, so far, the Marvel Cinematic Universe equivalent of Greenpeace/Anonymous.  Essentially a group with an agenda, but not a worldwide threat to freedom.

So who is that threat?

Who is the group that is researching the Extremis Serum? Who is the one distrubuting the Centipede device; with shadowed individuals searching for a way to create more super soldiers.  Could this be a newly active A.I.M. under mysterious leadership after the death of Aldrich Killian?  Might possibly the Mandarin actually have been the real leader of A.I.M.?  Was he a brilliant deception, not only playing the "out of work actor "Trevor Slattery", but actually playing the actor playing the actor?  In which case the Ten Rings would/could possibly be the organization behind Advance Idea Mechanics.

We all know that the show AOS operates in the Marvel Cinematic Uuniverse. And we also know that Sir Ben Kingsley has filmed a secret project for Marvel, possibly one of their One Shot films.  Were he to be revealed to actually have been the Mandarin then that would open up opportunities for the organization in the television show. Either A.I.M. or the 10 rings could wind up being an organization if the upcoming short/project that Kingsley filmed reveals this aspect.  Just a unlikely possibility, but an interesting one.

Then there is the other possibility.

Could the organization behind all this be Shields ultimate threat: HYDRA?  Let's face it, in the world of pop-culture G.I. Joe has Cobra to contend with, and in the Marvel universe Shield has Hydra as it's foil.  Could the organization behind all this, and much of the activity in Ironman 3 actually be Hydra?  It may have been working behind the scenes all these years without the world knowing it.   Having failed at taking World War II from the Allies and the Axis, perhaps it sought a more stealth route to power?

If it's tentacles have been working silently to strangle the world could we see one of its many leaders surface in the series?  Will we see, say Baron Zemo, Commander Kraken or Madame Hydra show up on the show, or are they reserved for the films, presuming Hydra shows up within the present day MCU.  Will then they be based on Hydra Island ?  All manner of comic geekiness would then explode.

If not these groups what about a variation of Zodiac?  They've already played a role in Shield's past in the Marvel One Shot: "Agent Carter".  Perhaps a strain of the organization survived into the modern world?  Another group to not rule out would be the Masters of Evil as they are an Avenger villain group.  If they're an enemy of Earth's Mightiest Heroes then they could be an enemy of the Agents of Shield.

There are several great organizations that can't be used unfortunately.

Disney may own Marvel, but the comic company licensed out their rights to several properties that prevent the Marvel Studios films/television shows from using them.  Anything related to Spider-Man, X-Men or the Fantastic Four are off base.  No mutants.  So the chance of seeing the Hellfire Club are nil.  With the Web Head out to Sony there would be no sightings of the Sinister Six.  Without Reed Richards and his associates no Galactus and no Victor Von Doom.

Or does Agent Coulson and his crew have another, unknown force to reckon with?  One not seen in the comics?  I would doubt this simply because there are so many villains and threats in Marvel's catalog to be used without having to create entirely new ones.  The opportunities are there waiting to be opened.  Of course, this is all speculation and could turn out to be fanboy ravings.

At least that's what Hydra told me to say...

Mighty Marvel...

As a DC Guy I don't like to admit this...

Marvel is simply cleaning up.  They are Pixar in tights and a cape really.  With all the success they've had in film, they've started to move into television.  First they moved into animation a few years ago and now they've taken their first step into live-action with "Marvel's Agents of Shield".  Development is starting to gather steam on a possible adaptation of the Marvel One Shot short, "Agent Carter".  Now, according to the trades they're about to go for a BIG expansion.

Deadline Hollywood says that Marvel is in the early stages of putting together a package of four television series and a mini-series totaling 60 episodes (presumably four series with 13 episodes each, and an 8 episode mini-series = 52) that it plans to take out to several media outlets.  Netflix, Amazon and WGN America are the services being eyed for the pitch of the unnamed shows. Whoever does bite will be asked to carry the purchase of all four shows and the mini-series.  No meetings have been scheduled yet as Marvel Television is reportedly packaging the projects and talent has yet to be finalized.

We have no idea which characters will be the focus of each/any of these shows but Marvel has thousands of characters to choose from (look how WDAS chose the little known group Big Hero 6).  There are several characters that I believe would be great properties for small screen adaptation.

One group if characters that this type of project screams for is "The Runaways".  It would almost play like a teenage version of "Supernatural" via superheroes in the place of paranormal.  Another property that might make for an excellent transition to television is "Cloak & Dagger".  The drama surrounding these two characters could provide a dark representation similar to something like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".  Lastly, a cult classic like "Power Pack" could provide an alternative to most of the Marvel programming audiences are used to seeing.

Not that I have any knowledge as to what shows they are trying to develop.  This is just some friendly, unwanted I'm sure, advice.  Oh , and if they want to hire me as a consultant just e-mail me.

Developing (literally)...

Secret Agent Plans...

Marvel's first foray into the small screen continues to unfold...

Three weeks and three adventures out and "Marvel's Agents of Shield" is slowly evolving into another Whedonesque narrative.  Almost all Joss Whedon's shows start off slow and cautiously adding layers of character and plot; building a story-like snowball that rolls down a mountain gathering momentum until it crashes into what becomes the season finale.

It took me till season two of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to finally become addicted.  By the fourth episode of "Firefly" to need my fix of that series (my favorite Whedon show, "Objects in Space" was a great, sadly last story for the Browncoats of Serenity).  Something like "Dollhouse" took till the second season to grab me, although I feel it never found its true footing.

MAOS' Pilot started off setting the table in an intriguing world filled with pretty, bland characters that I wanted to like, but who seemed too distant to care that I cared.  The second episode "0-8-4", moved us out of the confines of New York and pushed the characters out into a broader world.  And it teases that there might be something to care about after all.  In its third episode "The Asset" appears to finally make me care about both the agents and the story.

And the story not only had double the villains, but also an origin issue of a super villain: Graviton.  I hope this means we'll have another episode featuring the repercussions of this one.  The character of Skye finally finds a purpose and chemistry with Ward starts to take affect (but he needs to unwind a bit to let us in).  The locales and globe trotting have continued to expand the perception of the reach of this super secret organization.  So the show is starting to grow on me after falling short of its huge expectations.

But is it good?

Or perhaps a better question would be: "Is it what I expected?"  The show is not perfect, but as long as it grows and gets better I 'll keep watching.  There are problems witht the show.  For one, the fights are badly choreographed (Buffy's were much better realized).  Bring in some choreographers to spring the fights to life and edit it a little tighter for the action, please.

Also, I know it's a television show so the budget is limited, but couldn't they have a couple of matte paintings/digital shots set up to show us what they're talking about?  The villain's Malta resort is shown on medium shots and we kept hearing the Shield Agents talking about how big it was.  Didn't buy that.  How about an establishing shot showing a ginormous structure to add to the believability?  It would help to show the expanse of this world.

The characters were stiff in the first episode, but have begun up loosen up each outing.  This is good and if it continues that'll help myself and the audience go from liking to loving the crew aboard the bus.  I do find it interesting that each episode teases what happened to Agent Coulson.  I hope they don't reveal it too quickly and expect they won't.  My own thoughts are that Coulson is the product of a Petrie dish.  He's a clone or some variant thereof implanted with the memories of the dead agent of The Battle of New York.  And then I wonder/dream that the eco-terrorist group The Rising Tide will be revealed as a cover group for HYDRA.  Don't worry, I won't be hurt if I'm wrong.

But I do like wandering around in a world of super heroes.  It's fun watching how the governments of the world react to their existence.  I also get a kick out of seeing an idealized organization made up of good intentioned government workers working for a benevolent bureaucracy.  Only in Hollywood (and comics, I guess) could this exist.  It does come from a company that is known for telling great fairytales.  And I happen to like enchanted dreams.

I look forward to each episode of this show praying it doesn't turn into a pumpkin after midnight...

Agents Of Zeppo...

The most highly anticipated show this season has to be the "Agents of Shield" series...

Debuting on the Alphabet Network next month, the show based on the human exploits in a world filled with superheroes is the most high profile live-action series announced by any network this year.  At least any broadcast network.  Not to mention that it's from Whedon and takes place in the MCU.

Whedon did an extensive interview with Entertainment Weekly and discussed a laundry list of opinions, not all based on Marvel.  When describing the show, the director tonally said AOS is the series version of a famous "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" episode:

The Zeppo.

If you're a fan of the cult series then you get a visage of what to expect.  In a world where these heroes take all the oxygen, others have to breath.  The world goes on,  people's lives continue.  Humanity is left to pick up the pieces and the show is about how normal people (that look remarkably pretty) deal with the repercussions a society after we come to terms with the existence of super powered underweared people.  Both good and bad versions of these beings.

Plus, being discribed as an "X-Files like model" by Jeb Whedon is a good thing also.  No shame in that kind of comparison.  Normal people investigating the abnormal parts of the life around us.  Watching this season develope will be interesting.  Joss Whedon's shows tend to get better as the seasons go on, like aged wine or cheese.  Here's hoping the show has a long, long run.

No more "Firefly" fates please...

Agents Access Granted...

Your authorization has been activated...

As if they'd want to feel the repercussions of the newly uber-powerful Joss Whedon, the programming heads of ABC have green lit his new television show, it just hasn't been made official to the public yet.  I know, shocking news.  But now fans can look forward to Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." on the network schedule.  Mid season or fall slot?  The announcements have been planned for today, with a major publicity event for Sunday.  Whether it happens exactly then or not, it the series will go forward.

A large marketing campaign will commence shorty afterward, leading up to the broadcast.  Expect a big roll out when the series debuts, and something that Whedon has always had trouble with: support and a prominent  time slot (sorry "Dollhouse").  Having the success of that little film last summer has given him a lot of wiggle room to have his way.  And with the exposure of the series of very popular superhero films, it'll have a great chance for people to see the show about a top secret organization officially set in the MCU.

Will there be more series that he watches over?  Doubtful with his busy schedule.  There's only so much time the man has between sleep.  It's not like he's Guillermo del Toro.  Jeph Loeb will be the guiding hand behind Marvel's ventures on the small screen.  Whedon has a lot of plates twirling in the air right now with the biggest coming out in 2015.  But we'll go inside the secret organization before then.

How deep we go, only Joss knows...

UPDATE:  The Hollywood Reporter is saying that it's official.  And as we mentioned, you'll get your first look at the show on Sunday night at 8pm.  The official presser:

Clark Gregg reprises his role of Agent Phil Coulson from Marvel’s feature films as he assembles a small, highly select group of Agents from the worldwide law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Together they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary. Coulson’s team consists of Agent Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), highly trained in combat and espionage, Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen) expert pilot and martial artist, Agent Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker); brilliant engineer and Agent Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) genius bio-chemist. 

Joining them on their journey into mystery is new recruit and computer hacker Skye (Chloe Bennet). From Executive Producers Joss Whedon (“Marvel’s The Avengers,” ”Buffy the Vampire Slayer”); Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen, “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” pilot co-writers (“Dollhouse,” “Dr.Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”); Jeffrey Bell (“Angel,” “Alias”); and Jeph Loeb (“Smallville”) comes Marvel’s first TV series. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is produced by ABC Studios and Marvel Television.

They haven't announced if it's for fall or a mid-season on the schedule.  We won't have to wait long though.  ABC will announce their fall schedule on Tuesday.

Roll Call...

Your mission, should you choose to accept it...

Well, we finally are starting to find out about that new Joss Whedon series...

The one that he's doing for Marvel Television, of course.  Whedon has been a cult hero to television viewers for a long time, but he never quite was able to translate that into a transfer to the big screen, until "The Avengers" happened.  And even when it comes to tv, he's never had the power of a J.J. Abrams until now.  With his new blockbuster cred, he's going to be able to get what he wants, how he wants, and the patience that Suits have with him will be much greater.

While "Buffy" was a very entertaining series, it's never been a staple in my viewing habits.  "Angel" was a natural spin-off of that show.  "Dollhouse" had a great premise, but didn't quite live up to that with the actual show.  Now, "Firefly" is a wonderful little jewel that was sadly overlooked.  Will this new show allow him the opportunity to explore territory he's wanted to go, but couldn't because of studio interference?  It's going to be interesting seeing the details of this S.H.I.E.L.D. series unfold as each month goes buy.

So  TVLine got their hands on a list of the main characters in the series and put it out for all Whedonesque viewers to see:

SKYE | This late-20s woman sounds like a dream: fun, smart, caring and confident – with an ability to get the upper hand by using her wit and charm. AGENT GRANT WARD | Quite the physical specimen and “cool under fire,” he sometimes botches interpersonal relations. He’s a quiet one with a bit of a temper, but he’s the kind of guy that grows on you. AGENT ALTHEA RICE | Also known as “The Calvary,” this hard-core soldier has crazy skills when it comes to weapons and being a pilot. But her experiences have left her very quiet and a little damaged. AGENT LEO FITZ and AGENT JEMMA SIMMONS | These two came through training together and still choose to spend most of their time in each other’s company. Their sibling-like relationship is reinforced by their shared nerd tendencies – she deals with biology and chemistry, he’s a whiz at the technical side of weaponry.

Read More at: http://tvline.com/2012/10/01/joss-whedon-s-h-i-e-l-d-casting/#utm_source=copypaste&utm_campaign=referral#utm_source=copypaste&utm_campaign=referral

• Skye – This late-20s woman sounds like a dream: fun, smart, caring and confident – with an ability to get the upper hand by using her wit and charm.
• Agent Grant Ward –  Quite the physical specimen and “cool under fire,” he sometimes botches interpersonal relations. He’s a quiet one with a bit of a temper, but he’s the kind of guy that grows on you.
• Agent Althea Rice –  Also known as “The Calvary,” this hard-core soldier has crazy skills when it comes to weapons and being a pilot. But her experiences have left her very quiet and a little damaged.
• Agent Leo Fitz and Agent Jemma Simmons – These two came through training together and still choose to spend most of their time in each other’s company. Their sibling-like relationship is reinforced by their shared nerd tendencies – she deals with biology and chemistry, he’s a whiz at the technical side of weaponry.

Now, the line up of characters are definitely the archetype that Joss works with, and you can see the resemblance to some of the roles in Firefly.  There's even a joke going around now that he's basically redoing that beloved show and setting it in the Marvel Universe with different names.  But, I'm sure this show will have plenty of originality and creativity when we finally get a look at it.

SKYE | This late-20s woman sounds like a dream: fun, smart, caring and confident – with an ability to get the upper hand by using her wit and charm. AGENT GRANT WARD | Quite the physical specimen and “cool under fire,” he sometimes botches interpersonal relations. He’s a quiet one with a bit of a temper, but he’s the kind of guy that grows on you. AGENT ALTHEA RICE | Also known as “The Calvary,” this hard-core soldier has crazy skills when it comes to weapons and being a pilot. But her experiences have left her very quiet and a little damaged. AGENT LEO FITZ and AGENT JEMMA SIMMONS | These two came through training together and still choose to spend most of their time in each other’s company. Their sibling-like relationship is reinforced by their shared nerd tendencies – she deals with biology and chemistry, he’s a whiz at the technical side of weaponry.

Read More at: http://tvline.com/2012/10/01/joss-whedon-s-h-i-e-l-d-casting/#utm_source=copypaste&utm_campaign=referral#utm_source=copypaste&utm_campaign=referral

SKYE | This late-20s woman sounds like a dream: fun, smart, caring and confident – with an ability to get the upper hand by using her wit and charm. AGENT GRANT WARD | Quite the physical specimen and “cool under fire,” he sometimes botches interpersonal relations. He’s a quiet one with a bit of a temper, but he’s the kind of guy that grows on you. AGENT ALTHEA RICE | Also known as “The Calvary,” this hard-core soldier has crazy skills when it comes to weapons and being a pilot. But her experiences have left her very quiet and a little damaged. AGENT LEO FITZ and AGENT JEMMA SIMMONS | These two came through training together and still choose to spend most of their time in each other’s company. Their sibling-like relationship is reinforced by their shared nerd tendencies – she deals with biology and chemistry, he’s a whiz at the technical side of weaponry.

Read More at: http://tvline.com/2012/10/01/joss-whedon-s-h-i-e-l-d-casting/#utm_source=copypaste&utm_campaign=referral#utm_source=copypaste&utm_campaign=referral

Now we have to wonder when Agent Nathan Fillion shows up...

MCU2TV...

Excelsiorvision...






Nikki Finke's website has a nice little rumor...

I don't link to Deadline anymore (if you want it, you can google it), but they had a small blurb about what Marvel Television's plans are in the future. While a series like the Guillermo del Toro produced "Hulk" series is not set in the MCU, the Superhero Studio and the ABC Network are working on a series that will be set in the movie universe: read that it'll be canon.

No word yet on what it'll be about other than it won't be about the characters in the film, but will be in the universe of the film. So it could be about everyday people dealing with a world with super powered heroes, or a special unit of S.H.I.E.L.D. perhaps? There has been talk of a rumored animated series, but it was nowhere near being green lit. Then again, this sounds barely out of that realm as well.

All we know it that they're looking for a writer for the show. May I suggest J. Michael Straczynski? He's a great writer that's worked in comics/tv/movies and knows how to travel between those worlds. He's written entire seasons of shows, so why not let him help them build this bridge from the MCU films to the MCU tv?

Heck, maybe even get Joss Whedon since he's talked so much about his love of tv lately...

Punishing Television...

Get ready for punishment...





So a non-Disney owned network gets a Marvel adaptation...

Fox will get the first show based on a Marvel property that isn't on a Disney branded (Disney XD, ABC, ABC Family) broadcaster, "The Punisher."

And purist of the comic will be upset at the deviations from the source material. As envisioned by "Criminal Minds" showrunner Ed Bernero, Frank Castle will do his punishment moonlighting style. New York Cop by day, vengeful vigilante by night. Many will be upset, but I'll hold my powder dry until I see the finished product.

It's also fitting that the show will be made by Disney, but broadcast somewhere else. Since the subject matter is darker than other Marvel properties the Mouse probably wants to distance itself from the direct relation to the graphic material. Will it be a hit after the three disappointing films?

Time will tell...

The Marvel Age...

Film making: The Mighty Marvel Way...



It's interesting to look at the body of work Marvel Studios has built up in less than half a decade...


Iron Man (2008)

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Thor (2011)

Captain America (2011)


Next year is the culmination of the comic book company's and many geek fans dream with the release of "The Avengers." It also marks a turn for Marvel Studios, in that it will be finally be working as an independent entity within the Mouse, a lot like Pixar. They won't be relying on an outside partner (Paramount) to distribute their films for a small percentage of the take. The Walt Disney Studios will take the reins of distributing and marketing them, but the Marvel executives will be the ones making the decisions; a semi-form of autonomy, with exceptions only when budgets start to go beyond a certain point.

But think of what they've accomplished. Marvel has essentially in less than a decade, become a live-action Lamp. They're the live-action Pixar. Now, this is not to say I don't have problems with "Iron Man 2," but I didn't hate it. It had it's moments and much of it was compelling. But it was very uneven to me, and much too much of just a calling card for Avengers. This is something that "Captain America" was accused of, but totally off base. That film works as a story until itself. If anything it only adds/accentuates the idea of seeing the spin off. I could easily live without any Avengers film so long as I got a couple more Cap films of the same quality. So far, no film Marvel has made has turned out to have been a dude, a bomb or truly bad. They've taken great care to make sure the adaptations that reach the screen are authentic and assessable to the public at large. And they clearly have a plan that reaches out for the next few years.


The Avengers (2012)

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Thor 2 (2013)

Possible film projects:

Doctor Strange (2013)

Ant Man (2013/14)

The Runaways (2013/14)

Captain America 2 (2014)

Iron Fist (2014)

Luke Cage (2014)

S.H.I.E.L.D. (2014)


While I'm a DC Guy, I begrudgingly have to acknowledge that Marvel is kicking their butts right now. With the exception of video games where DC is better represented, and home video where they have a slight lead with the quality of their DVD films. Marvel is clearly the company making the better decisions. Other than Batman and Superman, DC just hasn't been able to make any traction in adaptations. While "Green Lantern" may have not been a bomb, it was a huge disappointment. The didn't fully get what the character was about. Let's cross our fingers if a sequel is made that they realize the errors from the first film and rectify it. And any future adaptation had better be handled with care. Perhaps they should try the Marvel Way? Even in comics, DC's latest moves strike me as gimmicky and desperate (rebooting all your titles back to #1? Superman wearing pants? Really???). Warner Suits, please pay attention to what you're doing. You have the potential to make a great deal of money, or possibly alienate anyone you wish to see your films.

Even on television where "Batman the Animated Series" represents the pinnacle of great tv animation, Marvel is now leading the way. "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" is an example of an excellent show that is very well written, and the upcoming "Ultimate Spider-Man" looks promising too with the writing staff that has been hired for the first season. Not to mention that Paul Dini is now involved in the new "Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H."and that is a monstrously positive note as well. Now, when they finally get around to that Hulk television show from Guillermo del Toro I'll definitely be interested in seeing how they've handled it. And if they'd only green light that S.H.I.E.L.D. animated series I'd be really, really happy.

One of the ways they've accomplished this difficult feat of becoming a major Hollywood player, is to recreate a variation of the old studio system that was disbanded in the late Sixties. This was a system within the entertainment industry where talent was controlled, educated and trained, and most importantly, marketed by the moguls of Hollywood. Marvel has created a system where they lock up talent for long periods of time with multiple film commitments. This is something that hasn't been done to this level in decades. Most of the contracts for actors run 7 to 9 films. Samuel Jackson is signed for nine pictures total. The same contract was offered to Chris Evans, but he didn't want such a long commitment and was able to negotiate one for just six pictures. That's still a lot of films. Scarlett Johansson also has a similar contract. These deals, many of which are not for great amounts of cash, create a stable group of talent from which to draw from for their stories. One of the main reasons Marvel is able to do this is because of the cache value that superhero films have right now. They can turn a very good actor into a super star who can command and control his/her own destiny outside of Marvel's films. It's a small price to pay for benefits that would come from such a success.

Another reason that is even more important that the talent is the story. And Marvel doesn't have groups of committees that pore over scripts offering suggestions as to how to make it better. They have a small group of executives lead by Kevin Feign that actually knows the properties they're trying to get made. Somewhat like Pixar and the small group of film makers that John Lasseter relies on, this group is the one charged with choosing the characters, hiring the directors and green lighting the film for production. They typical Hollywood high concept assembly line that turns out one after another soulless films has been avoided.

It will be interesting to see what happens after 2013, because that is when most of the brand characters will have run their cycle and a new collection of stories and heroes will have to arrive on the silver screen.

We will then see if they can save the day...

Smashing Success...

Hulk crush puny humans in ratings...









So I'm recovering from jet lag right now...

Not only have I been away, but I was gone during Nerdvana so I didn't get to see some of my favorite people. Strangely, this years Comic-Con was a bit subdued. It didn't have the big surprises you normally expect. Not that there weren't surprises, just not anything earth shattering.

One of the surprising things that did get announced was another animated series for Disney XD based on the Marvel properties. It really is becoming the Marvel Channel, isn't it? For those uninformed, Jeph Loeb revealed that Doctor Bruce Banner was getting his own show on the cable network. His sidekick will be a tall, green man that looses his temper from time to time. No one knows who the band leader will be, but my suggestion is Michael Giachhino. Now that would make a heck of a theme song, don't you think? If you wanna see the logo for it click here.

The great think about this announcement is the revelation of who will be working on it. Non other than the great Paul Dini, who is now working on "Ultimate Spider-Man." So two Marvel series in a row? I always thought of Paul as a DC Man, I think he's defecting. Sad.

"Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H." will debut in 2012...

No Wonder...

It appears that David E. Kelly's planned adaptation of the Amazon Princess has hit a snag...

No one wants it. Or at least is willing to fork over the kind of cash it'll take to produce from pilot to series. Deadline: Hollywood has all the details here. So DC Comics hits a speed bump in their attempt to move more characters besides the Billionaire Vigilante and Kryptonian-American into the general public's consciousness. And to think: the Mouse had something to do with this.

We'll just have to wait and see if Diana gets off that island...

Gamma Ray Del Toro...

Hulk smash ratings...









Wow, now this is much happy geek news...

I've been gone all weekend enjoying the lovely weather we have here in Southern California and haven't really been on the computer. So imagine my surprise from a weekend of roasting marshmallows and hot dogs by the beach with old friends, when I saw what Deadline Hollywood had posted. Guillermo del Toro along with David Eick will produce the new Hulk series.

Say what?

I first thought that I must have misread that. Then I read it. Then I read it, again. Slowly a smile crept across my face. See, as a child it was always to my horror that I saw some film adaptation attached to someone that didn't get it or wasn't talented enough to be associated with it. So when projects like this come along it's almost like the stars aligning themselves in the right place at the right time. It's almost too good to be true. Guillermo is one of those that "gets" it. He's perfectly suited for something like this and to have him connected to it, somewhere the geek gods are shining down upon us. My interest in this project has just gone up one-thousand percent. My only question is when will del Toro let the world in on his cloning project? There is no way that one man can do as much or be attached to as many projects as he is.

He's starting to make John Lasseter look like a slacker...

ABC Sees Green...

Hulk not want screw up film adaptation...


It appears that Jeph Loeb is working at getting an old series rebooted...

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that the Alphabet Network is in the very early stages of commiting to a live-action "Hulk" series. I wonder how this will play out versus the actual cinematic version of the Big Green Guy? As much as I enjoyed the original, I don't think there is any way you're going to get away with spray painting a guy and saying he's a giant monster. Not for today's audiences. The FX had better be pretty good, which means it's going to be expensive and they had better have Super-Villains, not normal guys facing him. That would be lame. Just like the 70's "Spider-Man" series were he faced normal guys. That was lame. Just like the first half of the season of the early 90's "The Flash" series where he faced normal guys. That was lame (I mean, really, a biker gang? Really?). So, perhaps we can see other characters like "The Abomination" or "Rhino" and most obviously, "The Leader."

This better not be my daddy's Hulk or Honor SMASH...

Weaving Black Widow...

Widow, Black Widow...







And the possibilities just keep multiplying...

We all knew there were many characters to have the opportunity to exploit, but what appears to be happening is a build up to the "Avengers" film and then a build out from there. There's a really nice interview with Kevin Feige over at MTV's Splash Page. But the important quote is this:

"We've already started discussions with Scarlett about the idea of a solo movie and have begun putting together concepts," Feige told reporters, adding one very important caveat: "'The Avengers' comes first."

So the plans for Marvel Studios keep getting broader. As of now, the plan is for two movies a year as of 2013. That said, if more of these characters keep going through development then we may see a year where three Marvel films will be out before the middle of the decade. And remember, as of that year all the films and sequels that are distributed by Paramount will be solely under the Mouse. Of course, with the notable exceptions licensed by Fox and Columbia. In addition to these projects you have all the animated series, possible greenlighting of live action series and the upcoming Marvel Shorts, not to mention the internet series. It's going to be a Men-in-Tights decade for sure.

Developing...

October Avengers...

The beginning of the transformation of Disney XD into the Marvel Channel is almost upon us...

The Marvel Press Release:

New animated series "The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes!" will premiere Wednesday, October 20 at 8:30 p.m., ET/PT on Disney XD. Produced by Marvel Animation, the series features Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk, Ant-Man/Giant Man and Wasp. They form the Avengers, a team assembled when the powers of a single hero are not enough to save the world.

Beginning Wednesday, September 22, Disney XD, DisneyXD.com/Avengers, Marvel.com, MarvelKids.com and Disney XD Mobile will roll out 20 micro-episodes introducing the team's core members. Each five-and-half-minute episode focuses on the back story, allies and nemeses of the heroes before the Avengers were formed.

In the two-part series premiere, "The Breakout," Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man and Wasp have defeated some of the most dangerous Super Villains on the planet. But when the Super Villain prison system mysteriously shuts down, chaos is unleashed on the world. Earth's Mightiest Heroes must now band together as the Avengers to protect the planet from the threats that no single Super Hero could face alone. Their first task is to try and stop Graviton, a being whose power dwarfs anything ever seen. He's after Nick Fury, but will destroy the world to get to him. Individually the heroes have no chance, but together they can make a difference.

The complete multiplatform rollout is:

Wednesday, September 22

Disney XD will air a special sneak peek of the first micro-series episode, "Iron Man is Born!," at 8:30 p.m., ET/PT directly following premiere of the network's newest series, "Pair of Kings."

DisneyXD.com/Avengers, Marvel.com, MarvelKids.com and Disney XD Mobile will unveil a new micro-episode every day, for 20 days, leading up to the micro-episodes' premiere on Disney XD. DisneyXD.com/Avengers will also feature a gallery of each of the Avengers and offer inside information about Kang, Loki and the rest of the "most wanted" Marvel Super Villains.

Tuesday, October 5

Select micro-episodes will be made available as a free preview on iTunes.

Monday, October 11

Disney XD will roll out all 20 micro-episodes during "Avengers Week" from Monday, October 11 to Friday, October 15, with four micro-episodes stacked each night at 8:30 p.m., ET/PT.

The complete micro-series becomes available on Disney XD on Demand on AT&T, Verizon, Charter and Cox.

Wednesday, October 20

The series premiere of "The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes!" airs with two back-to-back episodes from 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., ET/PT. The series also launches on DisneyXD.com/Avengers, Marvel.com and Marvelkids.com.

Thursday, October 21

Full episodes launch on iTunes, Xbox Live, Sony Playstation and Disney XD Mobile VOD.

Monday, October 25

The series becomes available on Disney XD on Demand on AT&T, Verizon, Charter and Cox.

And there are still two more Marvel series that will premiere next year. Not to mention several other projects in the work for XD.

Maybe they could call it the Men-In-Tights Network...

Programming...

I figured since it was the weekend, I'd give you some homework...

Earlier in the month I did a post called "Channeling Success" that got a good deal of interest among the Marvel/Disney fans. There are a treasure trove of videos to watch on YouTube's Marvel Channel. I figured we could spotlight a few of them that were interesting and entertaining all at once.

If you were a fan of Joss Whedon's run on "Astonishing X-Men" then you should watch the first episode of the motion comic to his "Gifted" series run.

Bono and The Edge doing an interview about their involvement in "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," parts One and Two.

A nice little clip of Stan Lee talking about "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2" with some nice scenes that he narrates with that famous voice of his.

Those of you that have seen "Iron Man 2" remember that wonderful Stark Expo 74 film that was a homage to Walt Disney and his dream of EPCOT? Well, here is the actual video of it to watch without having to pay an admission ticket.

Remember when we announced that Marvel was forming their own internal television division, titled appropriately, Marvel TV? Well, here's a short discussion with Mar TV's VP, Jeph Loeb about his initial plans.

And finally, a short teaser clip for the new "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" that premieres next year on Disney XD.

There are many more videos of interest and I suggest you go over and take a look at all the fun stuff. You guys should really be happy I'm such a caring guy. All this Marvel news is really starting to wear at my sensibilities. I'm taking one for the team for you people by reporting all this stuff.

After all, I'm a DC Guy...

Small Footprints...

This only makes sense when you think about it...

Not wanting to deprive those of us that watch the small screen, Marvel Studios has set up an imprint/division that will focus solely on television series, films, shorts entitled, what else?

Marvel Television.

The name pretty much says it all. For those that haven't yet heard, the Mouse division has hired Jeph Loeb as the head of the TV division. Loeb, is an award winning comic/television writer that will be in charge of both live-action and animated forms of entertainment, the development and distribution of direct to DVD live-action/animated TV series and TV movies from Marvel.

If you don't know Loeb, he worked on "Heroes" during it's first couple of seasons, various other series, including "Lost" and has some rather iconic comic work. My favorite stuff of his is "The Long Halloween," which I highly recommend you getting if you want to read a very good Batman story. It's clear the man knows comics, let's now see how he manages and translates them to television.

Marvel is moving ahead with several properties that Loeb will have to address (S.H.I.E.L.D. series!) and hopefully give the greenlight to...

UPDATE: Super Hero Hype has a short interview with Loeb talking about his plans for the future.