Year Zero...

Crazy like a fox, or just trying to pull the wool over our heads...

Fox's hired geek guru has been giving updates about the adaptations the studio are doing...

Mark Millar, 20th Century Fox's adviser on how not to screw up superheros has been letting the fan base know what is going on with the upcoming slate of films.  He had some interesting things to say about the recent and soon to be released films:

"Looking forward to: In 2013? Kick-Ass 2. There can be only one. Also buzzed about Superman and - the big surprise, I think - The Wolverine. The script is amazing and Mangold is such a brilliant director. Seen the first 10 mins and it looks like David Lean doing a superhero movie."

I certainly hope so.  A lot of the time it appears that suits don't really know how to handle these characters properly, and with the exception of Marvel Studios, they still don't.  Warner Bros. has had success dealing with only the Last Son of Krypton and the Guardian of Gotham.  All the other characters in their stable have eluded them.  Mainly, I believe, because they simply don't have an understanding of the characters, or how to translate them.

I certainly hope that Warner doesn't screw up Batman and try to reboot the project through a Bruce Wayne-less character.  It would show they've learned nothing in their quest to move these nuggets of gold forward into the hole filled by Harry Potter.

While I have some sympathy for the Fox Suits, I kind of wish that the rights to all the characters would just expire and revert back to Marvel and the Mouse.  They've shown that they know how to handle them properly; plus it allows for crossovers that don't get caught up in legalistic quicksand that prevents them from being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Seeing as how that isn't going to happen anytime soon, Millar offers a glimmer of hope that the next decade at Fox could be an exciting one:

"This the one that's going to surprise people. This and First Class were Year Zero for the Fox Marvel movies as far as I'm concerned."

Year Zero?  That's a bold statement to make.  Hopefully he's right, and not just towing the company line.  Being as it's Millar, I think he'll stay true to himself and not say things for the check, especially since he doesn't need the Benjamins.

I get what he's trying to say, with "X-Men: First Class" being a great reboot of the original trilogy of films (especially with the weak third film).  It was a film that showed great care with the property, while still moving it forward in the cinematic realm.  If "The Wolverine" turns out to be that good it could be a great thing for Marvel/Disney and even Fox.

Now, if they can get the "Fantastic Four" reboot working on the same level.  Here's a hint, Mark.  Have them go back to the original script by Michael France and Chris Columbus.  It was very well written, faithful adaptation to the comic that didn't come off like a bad family drama.  Use that as your inspiration, but don't redo the origin, unless you want to have it told in flashback using the opening credits.  There is no need to keep telling us the beginning again.

The future is far more exciting...

Films Of Future Past...

In This Issue, everyone dies...


Not all of Marvel's movies will be released by Disney over the next decade or so...

After "Blade", one of the first films to bring on this new age of heroes was "X-Men" from 20th Century Fox. That series ended with a mediocre entree that Brett Ratner directed, only to be rebooted as the fantastically entertaining "X-Men: First Class". There has been very little news about the sequel to Matthew Vaughn's reimagining of the comic set in its original time frame.

Now it appears the sequel may not just be in a different time frame, but multiple time frames. Over at Ain't It Cool News they're reporting that the studio registered the title"Days of Future Past" with the MPAA Title Registration Bureau. For those of you that don't know what this means, just ask a comic geek/Marvel geek and you'll get a very detailed explanation.

The short of it is that that title is the name of a famous two-part story that is now a classic piece of comic culture. It involves the X-Men time traveling to the future and back to prevent the assassination of a Senator Robert Kelly. His death sets into motion a series of events that cause mutants to be hunted down and killed or put in internment camps. Mutants on the run are hunted down by large, killer robots called Sentinels. It's an awesome story that they used as a throwaway scene in the third X-Men film as a battle in the Danger Room.

If Vaughn is going to use this story, or at least parts of it, then it'll be interesting seeing how he portrays this tale of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and their battle with Charles Xavier's gifted youngsters. Key players will be missing (like: Wolverine, Kitty Pride, etc.). So structurally, it'll be different, but the story is fertile ground for a great film.

I guess if Disney via Marvel won't have control of some of these properties for a while, it's nice to know that there will be great and exciting stories at least in the meantime...

First Class Trailer...

X-Men unite...







The teaser trailer for Fox's "X-Men: First Class" film is out...

Looks pretty good for a taste of the flavor you'll get watching the beginning of the mutant saga. I can't wait to see an actual trailer with more footage and more fleshing out of the story. I know that many of the special effects for this aren't done, so you haven't seen the best of what it has to offer. But it's a fine start.

A first class teaser...

X-Tease See...

Schools out for summer...







The teaser poster for "X-Men: First Class" is out...

And it's decidedly minimalistic. I know some people will find this as a negative, but I don't. It's simply meant to give you an idea of what is to come. Seeing Professor Xavier's seal from his School for Gifted Youngsters is fine for now, because it's really a logo more than a poster. The next poster should show the characters; hopefully in action and not just a static scene.

I've read a lot of negative comments about this film, but I have faith in Matthew Vaughn, he's made three very interesting films so far. And I get the sense that he understands comics and how to adapt them far better than most who have tried. A retro-60's superhero film is a dream that I thought would/could never happen. Hopefully, it will live up to the expectations.

Now, about that trailer...

X-Wife Interview...

X-Cellent news...



Lauren Shuler Donner, producer of the X-Men series at Fox, as well as wife of Superman director Richard Donner has done a nice interview about the upcoming sequel/prequel...

Not too revealing, but some nice info about the film, as well as a little more confirmation that I may actually like the next "Wolverine" film. Go over to Crave Online and give it a read.

It starts shooting in days, starts playing next summer...

A Silver-Age Superhero Film...

I love this...

Harry over at Ain't It Cool News talked to Bryan Singer about "X-Men: First Class" and revealed that the film will be set in the early 60's. During the actual Silver Age of Comics, and right when the X-Men comic began. And it'll have a James Bond tech feel to it with uniforms that are closer to the comic!? How awesome is that?

I've been a big fan of Matthew Vaughn's first three films as well as the fact he's married to a hot supermodel, so this only adds to my great respect for the incredibly talented director/producer. If the script is as good as the rumors are saying, this could turn into seven shades of total coolness.

I await being seduced and dazzled...