BIG RUMOR: Sony's Leaked Casting Wish-List For SINISTER SIX

Another day and yes, another Spider-Man franchise rumor. The fate of Amazing Spider-Man 3 is pretty much known to us via leaked email exchanges, it's gone. However, Drew Goddard's Sinister Six hasn't been linked to getting cancelled. Actually it's been the opposite, with talk of it being the perfect launching-point for the reboot (via a pre-leak report by BadassDigest). Not to mention it being potentially the first collaboration between Marvel Studios and Sony for the rebooted franchise set within the MCU.

Before that is all worked out and made official an interesting piece of casting information has made it's way to ComicBookMovie. They are again claiming to have found more emails pertaining to Goddard's Sinister Six. This time involves Sony's ideas for the casting. The last name we had heard Sony wanted was Ryan Gosling when they put out feelers, when he voiced interest in the Ghostbusters reboot.

This potential casting wish-list seemingly reveals two villains previously never mentioned for the project. That would be Sandman and Scorpia who is the female version of hired goon The Scorpion. A female villain really hasn't been explored in a majority of comic book films, and I love the idea of using someone like Scorpia. Drew did an excellent job with the female lead in Cabin In The Woods, so I'm all for seeing more of his female characters. A lot of people (myself included) had assumed that Black Cat would be the female team member, that might not be the case. Although, Felicia Hardy is named-dropped but not her alter ego.

They mention that Sony wants Sandman to be the comedic relief and the casting seemingly reflects that since the names they were putting forward included a bunch of comedians. Including Danny McBride (Eastbound And Down, Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder, This Is The End), Jonah Hill (Moneyball, Wolf of Wall Street, Superbad, 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street), Chris O'Dowd (IT Crowd, Bridesmaids, Thor The Dark World) and Shartlo Copley (District 9, Maleficent, Elysium, Chappie). Others included Joel Edgerton, Jason Clarke from Planet of The Apes/Terminator franchises and Ant-Man's Michael Pena. The latter might be excluded depending on his Marvel contract.

My preference out of the bunch would be Danny McBride, as he'd make an excellent funny villain.

The ladies mentioned for the role of Scorpia include Emily Blunt (Looper, Edge of Tomorrow, Into The Woods), Ruth Wilson (Luther, The Affair, Lone Ranger), Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones, Terminator: Genesis) and Rose Bryne (Neighbors, Bridesmaids, 28 Weeks Later, X-Men First Class, Sunshine).

Amy Pascal would go on to make terrible comments about Blunt's weight in photos, so I assume that won't win the studio any favors. It's also possible that Emily Blunt is still on Marvel Studios wish-list for a female lead, let's hope that's Captain Marvel or Medusa in Inhumans. I feel like Blunt joining this franchise would be a huge waste of potential.

I'd have to root for Ruth Wilson, she deserves a lead role like this. Even though, I'd rather see her take a part in Marvel's main cinematic universe as Madame Hydra or Amora The Enchantress. If Marvel does get involved it could make for some interesting crossovers. I just think pairing her with Goddard could make for a scene stealing villainess.

Woody Harrelson (Zombieland, Hunger Games) is mentioned alongside Sean Penn as candidates for the role of Doc Ock who is said to be the group's leader. I doubt Penn would ever consider something like this. Woody has played dark villains previously films such as  Out of The Furnace and No Country For Old Men. It doesn't hurt he's widely popular from his role in the Hunger Games franchise. An actor able to balance both dramatic and comedy, a winning combo for a comic book villain. Let's not forget his amazing performance in HBO's True Detective, which sometimes get's overshadowed by McConaughey.

Oscar winning actor Colin Firth is mentioned for the role of Vulture, which I have zero issues with. Firth is seemingly able to balance both comedic and dramatic roles, and will take the plunge into comic book films with Matthew Vaughn's Kingsman.

Other names mentioned include Denzel Washington, Daniel Craig and George Clooney, I believe slightly out of their reach if you ask me. The big reveal was that they wanted Channing Tatum as Venom, but has already setup a franchise role as Gambit at Fox. Which would likely keep him from getting involved with competing comic book franchises. A cool casting choice though, I honestly wouldn't have minded Channing as Venom.

Another aspect is they are considering female versions of Venom and Carnage, which was explored in the comics. The female Carnage just happened to be Gwen Stacy, which could a way to bring the character back. The character Ann Weying, was the female version of Venom and could be apart of the female led spin-off.

A lot of the actors seem like bizarre choices in this piece and not mention Amy Pascal possibly making digs at actors like Emily Blunt, Idris Elba and Jared Leto. It could be real or completely made-up, the female versions of Venom and Carnage also sound weird to me. Since this isn't coming from a more reputable outlet take as a huge rumor for now. I'm shocked a casting list like this hasn't made waves over at TheDailyBeast. Names like Tatum and Jonah Hill could speak to Phil Lord and Chris Miller being candidates to take over the solo films.

Another aspect is that all this could be scrapped if Marvel steps-in, as their likely going to make their own casting choices. I'm sure suggestions like these would be taken into account, but I doubt previous working relationships with Sony will be top priority to Marvel. We also haven't heard if Drew Goddard will be sticking around, since I'm sure he's going to have to making a huge amount of rewrites to his existing script which was tied to Amazing Spider-Man 2.

SOURCE: COMICBOOKMOVIE

End Of Days Looming For Asgard In THOR: RAGNAROK Coming July 2017

The Marvel sequels were also announced by Marvel and they've slated a summer release for Thor: Ragnarok. It's title hinting to the end of days in Norse mythology, and there are already rumors (via BadassDigest) that Thor might not survive this epic battle. It's expected that Surtur the fire demon, will be our main villain and will threaten the existence of all nine realms. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston are the only two actors confirmed for the film at the moment. Kevin said a few words about the film. It's release date is set for July 28th, 2017.

"This is a very important movie for us in Phase 3," said Marvel's Kevin Feige. "We plan on taking Thor to another level. It picks up where we leave Thor in 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' and impacts everything that comes after." 

Surtur isn't the only new character rumored for the film, we've been hearing for ages that Amora The Enchantress will be involved. Granted, we've been hearing that bit since the first film. However, with Loki now taking the throne of Asgard and Odin likely in some cell in the dungeon. Having Amora take the place of Frigga, as the Queen of Asgard would sort of make sense. Given, the sorceress would have just as ambitious motives as Loki. Below is what Surtur looked like in the Thor movie tie-in video game (via concept artwork).

Hemsworth actually liked the suggestion of Charlize Theron in the role, when brought-up by a reporter. I also wouldn't mind seeing actresses such as Ruth Wilson (linked for Captain Marvel role) and Eva Green (Casino Royale, Sin City A Dame To Kill For, Kingdom of Heaven, 300 Rise of An Empire) considered for Amora as well. Ruth (Luther, Lone Ranger, The Prisoner) has actually worked alongside Tom before, so the chemistry would already be there. Either way, Marvel needs to find someone that keep-up with the devilish Hiddleston. Wilson plays a manipulative character named Alice on Idris Elba's series Luther making her a perfect candidate.



There has been talk that actors such as Idris Elba and Jaimie Alexander aren't fond of their Marvel contracts (has hindered roles in other superhero films), so I'm unsure if Marvel will want to have unhappy actors on set. Yet, Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins were begrudgingly brought back for The Dark World. I have to assume that production would begin sometime in Spring/Summer 2016.

There's no word on a director, and it's unlikely Alan Taylor will be returning. Due to his commitments to the Terminator trilogy, and will be shooting back-to-back sequels. I would be extremely curious if they would ask Patty Jenkins (Monster, The Killing) back. Patty was originally set to make The Dark World but exited over "creative differences". Considering the film is expected to be a lot darker it just might suit Jenkins better than the last installment. Who knows, they could even ask another Game of Thrones alumni to help them out. Director Michelle MacLaren (Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, X-Files, Game of Thrones) was on a shortlist for Warner Bros. Wonder Woman, but might be a better fit for Marvel. Marvel has picked television directors before, and have gotten excellent results.

A script is in place by writers Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost. It could be arguably the most important Marvel film. We could see either Thor give-up on helping Midgard to rule Asgard or die trying to save the realms. There's talk Thor won't be involved with Avengers: Infinity War.

SOURCE: MARVEL

Marvel's Kevin Feige Finally Confirms Active Development On CAPTAIN MARVEL And BLACK PANTHER Movies

It looks like we all missed-out on the coolest tidbit of information about Marvel's upcoming projects, that Marvel's Kevin Feige briefly mentioned to IGN at SDCC. He was asked point-blank about Black Panther and Captain Marvel movies. In which Kevin replied in a much more positive way, than previously when asked about the projects. It's the first time Feige has confirmed development on a Captain Marvel film, which I've been talking about being in development for months now.

"There both characters that we like..development work has been done on it, and it continues to be done on...and certainly the public.. It's the question I get asked more than anything else...More than Iron Man 4, more than Avengers 3, and that's sort of the first-time that's ever happened to us...So I think that makes a difference, I think that's something we have to pay attention to."

He was asked if public opinion or online demands fuel Marvel's choices to what to make next. Kevin reaffirmed that they have their plans set out in advanced (likely by phases), and that fans attitudes change frequently. While stating Black Panther and Captain Marvel might be exceptions to this. It's also extremely possible that Marvel has been keeping plans in-house for the moment, and wanted to see Guardians success before moving forward with similar "risky" projects.

"But in this particular case, I think it's a groundswell, and I think it means something substantial." 

It's sort of a big-deal for this to happen, considering we have Marvel about to release their 11th film in May. None of the films have included female or non-white solo leads. Having Marvel's most recognizable female and black superheroes in theatres is something fans have been demanding since Avengers. It could change the landscape of the genre, and open-doors to actors/characters which might have been ignored for tentpole potential.

I have a feeling we'll see a bit of diversity casting when it comes to Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage. However, making the jump to the big-screen, might ruffle the feathers of the studio dinosaurs, who have been blocking the change-up. Warner Bros. has both Aquaman and possible Wonder Woman films in development, which won't have the typical white-male lead. Sony is actually the first of the new wave to announce development on a female-driven Spider-Man spin-off coming in 2017. The likelyhood is that film will focus on Felicia Hardy aka Black Cat. Kevin might be saying it's fan demand, but it's also pressure coming from competing studios.

As it stands now Marvel has two in-house scripts for both Panther and Captain Marvel. Both characters are expected to be hinted-to in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Not unlike Doctor Strange's Stephen Strange in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The former project has a draft by Mark Bailey, which Marvel seemingly likes but could eventually get extensive rewrites. The latter has a script, which is rumored to have been written by Guardians of The Galaxy co-writer Nicole Perlman.

It was told to me that the Captain Marvel script was written in-house (as usual), and by someone who has already produced scripts for the studio. Nicole also wrote an updated draft for the Black Widow script while being apart of Marvel's screenwriting program. It's actually unknown how many scripts Marvel had her working on, because Marvel hasn't made that information public. Considering both Guardians and Widow are female-heavy scripts, it would make sense that Perlman would at least get a shot at Captain Marvel. Perlman is also one of the best known writers from the program, and one of the few that has actually earned writing credit for her work.

Speaking of casting, we haven't heard much in the way of T'Challa, since LatinoReview first revealed Chadwick Boseman (Gods of Egypt, 42, Get On Up) as a strong candidate back in May 2013. Boseman himself has been coy, but recently stated.."Ahhh, I don’t know anything about that…Until the contract is signed, I don’t know". It's not definitive, but sounds like the usual runaround answers actors talking with Marvel would be expected to say. Chadwick is charismatic and charming as hell, and would make one hell of a Black Panther.

The only source concerning the casting of Captain Marvel goes all the back to October 2012, which comes from the DailyMail (usually right when it comes to Bond news). They said that both Emily Blunt (Looper, Edge of Tomorrow) and Ruth Wilson (Lone Ranger, Luther) were the main candidates for the role of Ms Marvel, at the time was linked for Avengers 2. Since then, we've got confirmation that Ms Marvel indeed appears in the Age of Ultron script, and could make a cameo in the sequel. Interesting enough, Joss Whedon confirmed to HeyUGuys a fourth major female lead in Age of Ultron, which some have assume is actually Ms Marvel/Captain Marvel.

It would make sense that Emily Blunt would be in the mix for this role, considering she was forced out of the Black Widow role in Iron Man 2, because of a contract with 20th Century Fox. She's been since linked to a few other Marvel roles including Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger. I assume that she could become Marvel's go-to actress to head-up this franchise. We've seen her play badasses in both Looper and Edge of Tomorrow, which the latter seemed like a test-reel for a campaign to play Captain Marvel. I wouldn't rule out Ruth Wilson considering she's closely worked with both Thor alumni Tom Hiddleston and Idris Elba, but Blunt is currently my favorite for the role.



If I had to guess release dates, I would place Black Panther for either May or November 2017 (since we don't have a non-sequel announced for 2017, but have a cosmic one with GOTG2 and Thor 3 will take the Avengers-era spot), and Captain Marvel for a release in 2018 (since that year doesn't have either a cosmic film or new character). We can't be sure what Marvel's ultimate plan is until they make it official, but it sounds like Captain Marvel could be our next cosmic franchise and Panther our next new Earthbound hero.



SOURCE: IGN

CAPTAIN MARVEL Movie Apart Of Marvel's Phase Four Plans?

We've been hearing a lot of Captain Marvel talk in the last couple of months, and her possible addition to the Marvel cinematic universe. Carol Danvers has the potential to be a leading super powered heroine, who doesn't have a villainous origin. Having a troubled past is something that Black Widow and Gamora both have in common. It would be nice to finally see a lead female character shake-off the love-interest cliche and given level footing with the rest of The Avengers. It's been rumored for over a year that Danvers would be joining the Avengers ranks for Age of Ultron. The size of the role (Carol Danvers/Warbird/Ms Marvel/Captain Marvel?) has never been explained or revealed.

I started taking the news seriously when TheDailyMail reported, that Ruth Wilson and Emily Blunt were candidates for the role, back in the fall of 2012. This was the same source that recently confirmed Paul Bettany would be playing Vision in Avengers: Age of Ultron. I have solid reason to believe these two might actually be the ladies truly in the running for the role. I know this might disappoint all the folks who were fan-casting Yvonne Strahovski and Alice Eve.

Emily Blunt has a notorious history with Marvel, originally signing-on to play Black Widow (Johansson set to play Scarlet Witch) in Iron Man 2, only to have Fox call-up her contract for Gulliver's Travels. Scarlet Johansson would fill-in for Emily, and has been the female face of the Marvel films ever since. This wasn't the only role offered to Blunt, she turned down the part of Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger (which went to Ruth's co-star Hayley Atwell from the series The Prisoner) and possibly Gamora (rumored only) in Guardians. If I had to guess why, the roles weren't large enough for her commit that much time. The Marvel contracts are quite lengthly, usually anywhere from three to six films.

Emily has been kicking-ass in her recent films Looper and Edge of Tomorrow, the latter has her killing a bunch of aliens. She's proven the ability to play strong and complex characters, which means she could easily support a Marvel franchise on her own. Having a well-known actress in the role of Danvers, is sort of a must, as Marvel can't gamble with hiring talent on a project like this. It's go big or go home.

Ruth Wilson had recently taken two high-profile Disney roles in films Saving Mr. Banks and The Lone Ranger. Not to mention, previously co-starring with Marvel actors Idris Elba in the amazing series Luther, and with Tom Hiddleston in short-lived series Suburban Shootout. I love Ruth Wilson to-death, but I'd rather see her take a different role in the MCU. Considering her working relationship with two Thor actors, seeing her play Amora The Enchantress or Brunhilde The Valkyrie in Thor 3 would be sublime. That said, Blunt has a track record of turning down Marvel roles and it could be up for grabs, if Emily walks again.

Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, Riddick) teased that she might have been in the mix for the role, but it's possible her commitments to the horrible sounding ExpendaBelles might exclude her participation in the film. Let's not forget that Ruth and Emily, have been in the mix since 2012. It's quite possible Katee's "meeting" with Marvel was for something else entirely, non-Avengers related. I wouldn't rule out something like Inhumans, which is being compared to a mix of X-Men meets Game of Thrones. A property better suited for Sackhoff, as a team-based project is in her wheelhouse. Then again, I wouldn't be upset if she actually turns out to be in the running.

Joss Whedon would comment on using Ms Marvel, cutting down the character and teasing Tigra with a joke instead. Around the same time he was talking up the villainous twins Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, hard to allow fans time to support Scarlet, if he was talking up Danvers (possibly a character with a smaller part in the film) as well. Let's not forget, Fox was going to include the mutant siblings in X-Men Days of Future Past. Joss needed to establish the twins as major players in the film. He's also not going to give everything away in an interview, keeping important elements and characters of the sequel a surprise. Baron Wolfgang von Strucker and Vision were recently revealed, which we weren't expecting to be added to the cast.


Whedon is supposed to be a "champion" of leading female characters, however, we don't have a franchise led by one (team-ups don't count). This is on the heels of Ant-Man (Wasp's inclusion only rumor at this point) kicking-off Phase Three in 2015. Along with mostly male-dominated projects like Doctor Strange, Inhumans, Black Panther and new Hulk film waiting inline for their own release dates. Yes, we have Jessica Jones finally getting her due, but that's television darling. Marvel could very well edge-out Warner Bros. by releasing a Captain Marvel film, before the studio can get their shit together to release Justice League or a solo Wonder Woman film. But, adding Carol to Age of Ultron makes sense and given the problems Joss has with her, he has the ability to fix those issues and create the cinematic version of that character.

Going even further than just a cameo, a rumor started circling that Marvel was strongly considering a Ms Marvel/Captain Marvel movie. We would later hear from THR, that Marvel Studios was working on a Captain Marvel script with an unnamed writer. I would assume it was coming from Nicole Perlman (Black Widow, Guardians of The Galaxy), who is apart of the Marvel screenwriters program (THR refers to the program). Perlman has a tendency to write the studio's female focused scripts (usually under the radar) and she is likely the writer spearheading the Captain Marvel script for Marvel.

There are plenty of entry points for Carol to get her powers, Age of Ultron is one and the Guardians of The Galaxy (or the sequel) is another. Ronan The Accuser (played by Lee Pace), a high-level member of the Kree Empire and will be seen in Guardians of The Galaxy, in the service of Thanos. I don't doubt that by the end of Guardians or even in the second film (expected for Phase Three), they could interact with Earth and it might involve Danvers (comic cannon suggests she'll get her powers by involvement of The Kree). The Kree connection would make things very tempting, to have her gain her powers within that franchise. It wouldn't hurt having another female team member either, it would also be a way to bridge Guardians and Avengers worlds without the need of Tony Stark.

Phase Three is quickly filling up with Ant-Man, Captain America 3, Thor 3 and possibly Guardians of The Galaxy 2 taking up the spots. There is still the expectation Marvel "might" make room for Doctor Strange. This means that Captain Marvel won't be ready until Phase Four. The Phase One characters will have their trilogies wrapped-up at this point, giving the new wave of heroes a chance to finally get their solo flicks released.

RUMOR: Ms Marvel Next Addition To AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON?

We've been getting a bunch of new additions to the cast of Avengers: Age of Ultron, which include James Spader (Ultron), Aaron Johnson (Quicksilver), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), Thomas Kretschmann (Baron Wolfgang von Strucker) and Paul Bettany (The Vision). LatinoReview says that there is one more character to be added to the movie, and it's one that's been long rumored for the sequel. Ms Marvel or whatever they end up calling her, is apparently the next character that will be cast in the film.

Finally, we could get a superpowered female character among the main cast, something lacking in the MCU. One of the trades reported a while back, that Marvel is developing a Ms Marvel script, which could mean they intend the character to have her own franchise in the future.

There have been a couple of actresses linked for the role over the last year or so, they include Emily Blunt (Looper, Edge of Tomorrow), Ruth Wilson (Saving Mr. Banks, Luther, Lone Ranger) and Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, Riddick). Katee hinted to a meeting with Marvel a while back, which may or may not be for Age of Ultron. She went on to tell SchmoesKnow her thoughts on Marvel's female characters. I would like to think if Katee was offered Age of Ultron, she would take it over the horrible sounding ExpendaBelles. We've seen Katee's Riddick co-stars Vin Diesel and Dave Bautista land major roles in Guardians of The Galaxy, it's possible Marvel casting really digs the movie. 

“There’s obviously a drumbeat that is banging louder and louder that we want a female lead superhero,” he says. ”… [W]e have strong female characters in our films from Black Widow to Pepper Potts to Peggy Carter and you never know. Maybe there’s an offshoot film with one of them. Or Captain Marvel, you know?”

"It's hard," he says. "because we have a small group at Marvel. We do two films a year. To get those two films done and to do them right takes a lot of work and manpower. And female-power, obviously. To add a third film and to just put it in the slate right now is difficult. We have these next three, four, five films coming out and that's what we're really concentrating on."

SOURCE: LATINOREVIEW

How Baron Strucker Might Fit Into The MCU And What This Could Mean For CAPTAIN AMERICA 3

LatinoReview revealed yesterday that Baron von Strucker will play a key role in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and even named some candidates for the role. It had been also reported the part would be more of way to open the film, and introduce Scarlet Witch/Quicksilver to audiences. Strucker could have a larger role in future films, including Captain America 3. He's one of Cap's more notorious villains and with more solo sequels post-Winter Soldier, we have to assume Strucker could be apart of future movies. Strucker's origins for the film haven't been confirmed, but has slowed aging allowing to fight Cap in both WWII and present day settings. Below is a bit of the character's history via MarvelWikia.

Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, a former Nazi officer, was one of the leaders of Hydra and an enemy of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers, and the interests of the United States of America and of the free world in general. He was physically augmented to be nearly ageless and was seemingly killed in the past to return to plague the world with schemes of world domination and genocide time and time again.

Baron von Strucker came from a line of Prussian noblemen who were all military leaders, and was recruited by the Nazi Party in the 1930s. Von Strucker rose through the ranks and became wing commander of the Death's-Head Squadron. Von Strucker fought Nick Fury, Captain America, the Invaders and several other wartime heroes, losing every time. Adolf Hitler was angered by von Strucker's many losses and ordered the baron's death. Finding an ally in the Red Skull, von Strucker was sent to eastern Asia to build a power base; this eventually led to the creation of the international terrorist organization Hydra.

There might have been hints to Baron Strucker's inclusion to the MCU back in Iron Man 3. Aldrich Killian mentions being apart of Advanced Idea Mechanics, a terrorist organization that is a splinter group of HYDRA and founded by Strucker. It's possible that the Baron was going to be the buyer of the Killian's extremis-tech, or was in fact the one paying for the whole experiment. There has been speculation that A.I.M. could come into play in Edgar Wright's Ant-Man.

Toby Jones will return as Dr. Zola in The Winter Soldier, although it hasn't been confirmed if he'll be in his robotic form which was hinted to in First Avenger. Perhaps, the character has links to Strucker in the film and could end up the puppet-master of both Zola and Bucky. There were teases to Zola brainwashing Bucky in the first movie, which might lead to him becoming Winter Soldier. We already learned that he'll be the boss of villainous twins Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Quicksilver (Aaron Johnson), being behind Winter Soldier too wouldn't be a stretch. It might even be a great cliffhanger, as the film is expected to be the lead-in for Age of Ultron.

Frank Grillo plays S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Brock Rumlow in Winter Soldier, but will eventually become the villain Crossbones. He'll work with and be at-odds with Rogers in the film, leading him to take out the super soldier. It's unknown if this turn to Crossbones happens in the upcoming sequel, or is explored further down the line. Grillo has hinted about this transformation, but nothing is set in stone at the moment. I wouldn't be shocked to see him return apart of Strucker's team in Age of Ultron or future Cap installments.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IN CAPTAIN AMERICA 3

The likelihood of including Strucker is probably to resurrect HYDRA as a foil for S.H.I.E.L.D and Captain America. HYDRA has been one of the biggest launching grounds for villains and world domination plots. If we're going to have more Cap films, brining them back as a serious world threat ( something currently lacking in the MCU) would be a great way to continue Rogers' journey into present day. We don't really have a human threat compelling enough at the moment, it's been mostly cosmic and artificial origins (Thanos, Loki and Ultron). The Baron could be a way to give S.H.I.E.L.D an actual reason to exist, and give Rogers something worth battling between Avengers installments.

Let's face it, the villains of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D aren't worth Cap's time. Having HYDRA combine forces with A.I.M. and Roxxon could be a way to give the MCU real human adversaries.  Not to mention including advanced military technology like drones, robotic-enhancements and other weapons could put S.H.I.E.L.D on their asses. Think of how overwhelmed they would be if the enemy was using tech similar to Elysium or Avatar.

Strucker's right-hand is Ophelia Sarkissian, better known as Madame Hydra. She's also known as Viper, and that angle of the character was used in The Wolverine, turning her into a mutant scientist. Fox didn't refer to her as Ophelia but only Ms. Green along with a blond look over, leading me to believe that the Madame Hydra-side of the character is still game for Marvel to use, as she was clearly more connected to Captain America than Wolverine in the comics.

Marvel Studios has been upping their game concerning supporting female characters with Widow, Pepper, Sif and Jane getting more action and screen time. They haven't given us a main female villain in these films yet. There were some minor female villains in Iron Man 3, which is a step in the right direction but it would be nice to the ladies also given the heavier roles. A character like Whitney Frost would have been perfect for Iron Man 3, and for all we knew Maya Hensen (played by Rebecca Hall) could have easily became that villain but turned out to be just another minor character. Frost could show up in Age of Ultron but is unlikely set for Iron Man 4 (RDJ has signed on for Avengers 2-3, but not another Iron Man sequel), other sequels might be set for Phase Three. Nothing at this point is ruling out Thor 3 (Hela, Amora The Enchantress) or Captain America 3 (Madame Hydra, Sin), two projects that very well might see female villains.

The character hasn't been brought up recently but she was in early drafts of The First Avenger, along with Strucker and Baron Zemo.  I assume Sarkissian could show up in Age of Ultron, if not then Captain America 3, as you rarely see Strucker without her. The Avengers cartoon had Strucker as a primary villain on several occasions, which also included Madame as his second in command.

I'd love to see Eva Green (300: Rise of An Empire, Casino Royale, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For) or Ruth Wilson (Saving Mr. Banks, Lone Ranger, Luther) end up with the villainous role, as the two actresses are very capable of playing convincing villains. It doesn't hurt Green worked with possible Strucker candidate Marton Csokas in Kingdom of Heaven. Wilson had been my choice for Scarlet Witch but with Olsen now in the role, having Ruth still involved with the MCU is a must. Her role as Alice in Luther alongside Thor's Idris Elba, proves she's also able to play a strong villain, being apart of two Disney projects and linked as a candidate for Ms. Marvel could help her land in the MCU too.

It had been rumored that Baron Zemo would have an appearance in Winter Soldier, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Gods of Egypt, Game of Thrones, Oblivion, Headhunters) was linked as a possible candidate for the role. It's a possibility that Marvel was looking to cast Strucker and not Zemo at the time, as Nikolaj does fit the character description for Strucker (that was mentioned by LatinoReview). Zemo is still a great Marvel character since he has linage (like Union Jack) and has played both villain along with ally in recent incarnations. He could very well become the Loki character for the Captain America franchise if handled properly.

I've had a few actors on a wish-list to play Zemo, but after seeing Daniel Brühl take on powerful roles in films such as Inglourious Basterds and Rush (co-starring with Thor's Chris Hemsworth), I can totally support him for the role. Not to mention he's able to speak German, French and Italian, a talent that could be explored in a globetrotting adventure franchise like Captain America. Daniel could see his performance in Rush earn him an Oscar nomination, a key part of getting on Marvel's radar.

If Marvel is looking for more of a bruiser to play Zemo, my choice would be South African actor Sharlto Copley. The actor has taken on a steady stream of action roles in District 9 and The A-Team (alongside Rocket Raccoon's Bradley Cooper), not to mention playing a villains in Elysium and Oldboy. Copley is currently shooting Chappie which co-stars X-Men actor Hugh Jackman. Kruger has to be one of the best villains of 2013, seeing Sharlto take on more roles like him would be awesome.

Marvel has been hiring some rough and tumble actors for supporting roles in Winter Soldier, mainly Frank Grillo (The Grey, Warrior, Homefront, End of Watch) and Callan Mulvey (300: Rise of An Empire, Hunter) as S.H.I.E.L.D agents. It would be nice to see Union Jack finally come into play, as the character was hinted to back in Iron Man 2. I would assume that Joey Chapman would be the incarnation of the hero, since that was the UK racer mentioned in the Iron Man sequel. Giving Cap his own team like The Invaders could be a way to introduce another iconic heroes like Union Jack.

I've been dying to see Sullivan Stapleton (Animal Kingdom, 300: Rise of An Empire, Strike Back) take on a Marvel role, and Union Jack could be a perfect one for him. The Aussie badass was linked for roles in Guardians of The Galaxy and Star Wars: Episode VII, both Marvel and Disney see potential in the actor.

Carol Danvers Will Likely Be In AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON And How They Should Adapt Her For The MCU

Casting is currently underway for Avengers: Age of Ultron. We already know that new additions Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen?) and Quicksilver (Aaron Johnson?) will join Ultron (James Spader is confirmed) as the film's villains. Yet, we haven't really heard official news about new heroes joining the lineup. Ever since the release of The Avengers we keep hearing that Marvel is aiming to add a female hero to the lineup. Joss who is known for creating strong female characters such as the iconic Buffy seemed hopeful to EW the sequel would include another female member after the release of the first Avengers. Many outlets felt that Carol Danvers was the best candidate to join the team and eventually get her own film. At one point Wasp was going to be in Avengers which was confirmed recently by animatics that were leaked. She was excluded because Edgar Wright wants to introduce Janet in Ant-Man, which lead to Hank Pym also being axed from a reference in Thor.

"Studios will tell you: A woman cannot headline an action movie," said Whedon, who knows from experience; his widely distributed "Wonder Woman" screenplay was turned down by Warner Bros. some years ago. "After 'The Hunger Games' they might stop telling you that a little bit. Whatever you think of the movie, it’s done a great service. And after 'The Avengers,' I think it’s changing."

Whedon recently commented to DigitalSpy on using Carol Danvers and teased Tigra instead. This sounds like he wants the character to be reworked for the MCU and her powers to be a little less Superman-like. The thing of it is, with Carol's cosmic origins she'd make a great addition to the sprawling cosmic universe that Marvel is setting up with Guardians of The Galaxy. Since the Kree villain Ronan The Accuser (Lee Pace) will be in Guardians it's possible she could eventually interact with the aliens which causes her to gain her powers.

"You know, I do like a character whose powers are a bit more defined. Pietro and Wanda, I know what they're able to do. With her, we have set rules for the film. With somebody that's just awesome and flies around, and punches things...that actually makes our job harder! The easier life is for them, the harder it is for you." 

THR said Marvel is developing a Ms. Marvel/Captain Marvel script and actresses are already linked for the role. Marvel producer Louis D'Esposito commented on the possibility of making a female led superhero film to ComingSoon. Which he hinted Ms. Marvel could be on the table in the future. There have been a few ladies linked for the role which include former Black Widow actress Emily Blunt (Looper) and Ruth Wilson (Luther) according to TheDailyMail. Along with possible candidate Katee Sackhoff (Riddick, Battlestar Galactica) who revealed a meeting with Marvel. The studio checking to see if she was available around the time Marvel is shooting AOU.

"There's obviously a drumbeat that is banging louder and louder that we want a female lead superhero. We have strong female characters in our films from Black Widow to Pepper Potts to Peggy Carter and you never know. Maybe there's an offshoot film with one of them. Or Captain Marvel, you know?" 

"It's hard because we have a small group at Marvel. We do two films a year. To get those two films done and to do them right takes a lot of work and manpower. And female-power, obviously. To add a third film and to just put it in the slate right now is difficult. We have these next three, four, five films coming out and that's what we're really concentrating on." 

I have a few ideas of how Carol Danvers should to be introduced into the MCU. First of all she needs to be apart of S.H.I.E.L.D. or their cosmic branch S.W.O.R.D. Since Carol has connections to NASA and Air Force it would make sense to see her in more of a space-based role. It's a way to link her to both Avengers and possibly Nova Corps./Guardians. The codename Ms. Marvel is terribly outdated and the mantle of Captain Marvel should start with Kree hero Mar-Vell. Carol has used the nickname Warbird before which seems like a great S.H.I.E.L.D. alias (Black Widow/Hawkeye). Another issue is her unrealistic skimpy costume that seems like something that could hold the character back from being taken seriously by both male and female audiences. Giving her a costume more tactical seems like the best way to go.

When it comes to powers they need to reel her back a bit. Taking away the power of flight and super strength could be a good way to ground her a little bit. Since Thor, Hulk and Iron Man already share most of those powers. Marvel should focus on the ones different from the current lineup. That being Carol's photonic blasts, seventh sense and energy absorption. Along with her human abilities such as being multilingual, an expert pilot and combatant. Her origin could be changed to either become an Inhuman (which could be how Marvel get's around the mutant rights issue for Scarlet and Quicksilver) or having connections to the Extremis technology from Iron Man 3. 

Marvel Has Scripts For MS MARVEL And BLADE Reboot?

THR recently broke news concerning Marvel's plans for Avengers 3. They also broke the first real confirmation that Marvel is actually pursuing a Ms Marvel (Captain Marvel) film with a script already developed. A new Blade script is mentioned as well. It's a bit of a surprise since the character is best known for being an R-rated genre based franchise. While Thor's Idris Elba (Pacific Rim) has voiced his interest in playing the daywalker in future films. Strange, Black Panther and Iron Fist are still also in development. The former confirmed as a contender for Phase Three alongside Ant-Man and Avengers 3. It's unknown at this point if Panther, Ms Marvel or Iron Fist will end up making the cut, allowing for more sequels. A Guardians sequel and new Hulk film are strong possible candidates for Phase Three as well.

There had been previous talk of the role being linked to Emily Blunt and Ruth Wilson (Lone Ranger, Luther). Along with old rumblings that Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness) might also be in the running.

New Full Length LONE RANGER Trailer

TO BE CONSIDERED: Ruth Wilson As Scarlet Witch

The rumor over the weekend that Ms. Marvel could be a possible addition to the Avengers team in the sequel. Scarlet Witch is looking like a solid candidate for the roster as well. Ruth Wilson has been my favorite for the role for a while now. The daughter of conflicted mutant villain Magneto is also a legacy member of The Avengers/X-Men. Making her able to possibly play both baddie and heroine depending on the film.

Director Jon Favreau had cast Scarlett Johansson in the role of Scarlet Witch in Iron Man 2 before Emily Blunt's exit as Black Widow. Scarlett would end up playing Natasha instead and the Witch part was axed. There had been questions since if Marvel indeed owned the rights to use her in their films.Marvel's Kevin Feige confirmed over the summer that they co-own the Scarlet Witch film rights with 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise. This could mean the actress playing Wanda would be able to appear in both X-Men franchise and Marvel Studios' films.

It's very possible Fox could add her into Days of Future Past as the time-travelling aspect could see Wanda involved. Matthew Vaughn would need to make up to fans for his terrible casting of January Jones as Emma Frost in First Class. Hiring Ruth in the role seems like solid casting as Alice in Luther she was able to juggle both friend and dangerous predator very seemingly.

This could also bleed over to Avengers with the original lineup without a female superhero presence. Wilson is rumored for the role of Carol Danvers (Ms. Marvel) but seems better suited for Wanda instead. Her longstanding roots with the Avengers could be explored with a supporting role in the MCU.  Fox producer Lauren Shuler Donner recently stated she'd love to see the X-Men join the Avengers. Witch and Wolverine being the the standout mutants among the Avengers ranks.

Another possible actress who could swoop in and grab the role is Jessica Chastain (Lawless). She had been in talks for a supporting role in Iron Man 3 only to walk, giving it to Rebecca Hall. Jessica seemed very optimistic about working with Marvel in the future. The redhead is a solid choice for Wanda but her rising profile and demand could be a problem come contract time.

Ruth Wilson And Emily Blunt Wanted For Ms. Marvel In AVENGERS 2

We're finally getting our first casting talk concerning Avengers 2. DailyMail is reporting that Marvel is looking to cast either Ruth Wilson (Lone Ranger) or Emily Blunt (Looper) in the role of Carol Danvers (Ms. Marvel) for the sequel. There had been talk of Danvers joining the lineup for months, including development on her own solo film. We already know that Joss Whedon and Kevin Feige are aiming to add another female member to the team. Having a heroine with actual superpowers like Carol seems very likely. Scarlet Witch could also be an option as the character is co-owned by Marvel Studios and was going to be played by Scarlett Johannson before she took over the role of Black Widow in Iron Man 2.

That being said, this isn't the first rumor concerning Blunt there had been talk of her taking the role of Whitney Frost in Iron Man 3 which wasn't true. Emily had been cast as Black Widow before exiting Iron Man 2 for another film. She had tested for Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger. It's sounding like she has a first-look deal with Marvel for meaty female roles. Wilson on the other hand is best known for her television roles with Marvel alums Idris Elba (Luther) and Hayley Atwell (The Prisoner). Ruth recently nabbed a large role in Disney's The Lone Ranger which might have helped her land on Marvel's radar. I had pegged Wilson for the role of Scarlet Witch but you never know.

CAST EM': New Asgardians Of 'THOR 2'

While Iron Man 3 is currently casting, we likely won't be hearing new additions for Thor 2 until around Comic-Con in July. Production is expected to begin in August with Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones) set to direct with a November 15th 2013 release date. The sequel will be mostly set in Asgard and other worlds with the cast of Asgardians being doubled according to Kevin Feige. I've come up with who should play these Asgardians, some of which are friends and some are foes.

BENICIO DEL TORO AS TYR GOD OF WAR: Currently we have no idea who the main baddie of the sequel will be. However, when the cast of Asgardians is going to be doubled it could mean a rebellion in the kingdom of Asgard. Tyr, who was once a protector of the realm (like Thor) eventually leads a rebellion to overthrow Odin as King. I wouldn't be shocked to see this transpire with aligning himself with the some of the other kingdoms in Asgard which includes the rock trolls (who inhabit the undergrounds of Asgard). Benicio Del Tor (Usual Suspects, Savages, Traffic) feels a no-brainer for this role as he could bring an intensity to his powerful god-like villain. He had been in the mix for the Khan role in Star Trek 2 but ultimately walked. It was a missed opportunity to see Benicio get to be a badass villain in a blockbuster. If there was ever an actor to one-up Tom Hiddleston's menacing Loki it would be Benicio.

RUTH WILSON AS HELA: Odin's kingdom doesn't stop with Asgard as he also rules over Vahalla the realm of fallen heroes. Hela the ruler of Hel also sets her eyes on increasing her rule by invading Vahalla with an army of her own to conture it. I'd love to see an alliance between Hela and Tyr because the battles would end up more interesting with the creatures of Hel fighting Asgardians. Ruth Wilson (Luther, The Prisoner, Lone Ranger) has been a revelation from her small time as Alice in the series Luther an up and coming actress who will get her big feature film debt as the female lead in Disney's The Lone Ranger. She very well could be as interesting villainous casting choice as Benedict Cumberbatch jump to Star Trek 2 as Khan.

RICHARD MADDEN AS BALDER THE BRAVE: Just as powerful and good willed as his brother Thor. It's eventually revealed that Balder is the true heir to Odin's throne. I'm not sure if this is continuity to the film's mythology but it could play out an interesting conflict between to the two heroes. One of the more standout actors of Game of Thrones is Richard Madden who play's Robb Stark. Alan Taylor could end up having some of his Thrones actors read for roles. Balder seems like a role that should be included since the studio did do early concept art for him. The character would later be cut from the film mainly because Asgard wasn't center stage in the first installment.

ALICE EVE AS AMORA THE ENCHANTRESS: Amora could be a conflicted villainess with eyes for both Thor and Loki, while aligning herself with Tyr's rebellion to obtain power. She's just as mischievous and manipulative as Loki and could be a solid secondary villain. There could even be a bit of jealously concerning Thor's affections towards the human Jane Foster.

British actress Alice Eve has been in the mix with Marvel projects for years now. She was originally cast as Emma Frost in X-Men First Class as for Fox but ultimately exited because the role was lacking any real depth. January Jones ended up taking the part and was the worst aspect of the film. Alice was also a candidate to play Peggy Carter in Captain America before Hayley Atwell landed the role. Her connection to the Cap casting could mean she might be inline to play Sharon Carter in Captain America 2. However, fans have campaigned for her to take on the role of Echantress. She recently landed a role in Star Trek 2 which is expected to be action focused and possibly even villainous.

JESSICA BIEL AS BRUNHILDE THE VALKYRIE: Valkyrie is a standout female character from Asgard as she eventually joined the Marvel team The Defenders. That lineup included her, Hulk, Doctor Strange, Namor, Silver Surfer, Hellcat and Nighthawk. Like Sif, Brunhilde is a great warrior who is the leader of the mighty Valkyrior who take exceptional fallen human/Asgardian heroes to Valhalla. They also defend that realm from outside forces like Hela. She has powers similar to the rest of Asgardian warriors but is known as the strongest of the Valkyrior and rides a winged horse.

The Valkyrior are warrior goddesses of Asgard who ride winged horses. Originally, under the leadership of Brunnhilde, they took mortally wounded human heroes from German and Scandinavian battlegrounds and brought them to Valhalla, an area of the Asgardian dimension where the astral forms of the dead Asgardians and human heroes eternally feast and compete in friendly battles.


Jessica Biel previously played the vampire slaying daughter of Whistler in Blade Trinity. While the film was terrible it did highlight the talents of both Biel and Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool). It's not uncommon for actors to have multiple roles in superhero franchises. We'll finally be seeing Jessica back in action for Len Wiseman's Total Recall reboot. She had recently been in mix for both Man of Steel and The Dark Knight Rises but ultimately didn't join those movies. I feel like Biel could do the role justice and has the fitness level needed for the fight scenes.

CONAN STEVENS AS SKURGE OR ULIK: This Australian giant is surprisingly very steeped in the fantasy genre as an actor. He had a decently sized role on Game of Thrones as The Mountain the larger/elder/blood-crazed brother of The Hound. Conan had to leave to the show to focus on The Hobbit films where he plays a King of the orcs. While he regretfully missed out on a role in the new Conan film he did however have a reoccurring role on Spartacus: Blood And Sand. I think given this amount of experience not to mention a Game of Thrones connection he would make a decent Skurge or even Ulik the rock troll.

Jack White To Score 'THE LONE RANGER'

Variety reports that former White Stripes frontman Jack White has been hired by Disney to score The Lone Ranger. The film directed by Gore Verbinski (Pirates 1-3, Rango) stars Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer and Ruth Wilson. It will be interesting to hear what direction the film's score will end up considering the Spanish guitars that were used in the western themed Rango. I would assume that we'll end up getting some traditional Navajo music mixed in there.

FIRST LOOK: Johnny Depp As Tonto And Armie Hammer As The Lone Ranger

William Fichtner Will Play Lone Ranger Villain

Deadline reports that character actor William Fichtner has replaced Dwight Yoakum (Crank 1-2) as the villain in Gore Verbinski's (Pirates 1-3) The Lone Ranger. Fichtner is best known for memorable roles in films like Armageddon, The Dark Knight, Heat, Black Hawk Down and Drive Angry. He also has a part in Neill Blomkamp's upcoming science fiction epic Elysium. I'm glad to see William featured in another high profile project. The rest of the cast includes Armie Hammer (Social Network), Johnny Depp, Ruth Wilson (Luther), James Badge Dale (The Pacific, The Departed), Tom Wilkinson, Helena Bonham Carter and Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan).