Fox Wants Natalie Portman To Star In Alien Preuels

Vulture reports that 20th Century just received a new draft of the Alien prequel script from Damon Lindelof (Lost) and they love it. They add the studio is looking to pursue Natalie Portman for the lead role. The same role had actresses like Noomi Rapace, Carey Mulligan, Abbie Cornish and Gemma Arterton in the running.

Rhys Ifans Is The Lizard In Spidey Reboot

TheWrap reports that Rhys Ifans is in fact playing Dr. Curt Connors who becomes the Lizard. Dylan Baker previously played the role but never became the villain.

Tom Hardy Joins Batman 3

Deadline reports now that Mad Max 4 has been delayed Tom Hardy has a role in the untitled Batman 3. While the site says Tom is in the film his role is currently being kept under wraps. It's likely it's one of the villains.

Danny Boyle To Direct Third 28 Days Later Film?

DreadCentral reports that Danny Boyle is returning to the 28 Days Later franchise. Boyle is expected to direct the third film which should be larger than the previous movies and could expand the rage virus to a worldwide outbreak. It's been rumored since the second film was released that Boyle wanted to direct the third film. The site claims they have comments from Danny Boyle himself. While this is exciting he's been talking about this since 2007 and has gone on to direct Sunshine, Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours.

Adrien Brody Repsonds To Ant-Man Rumor

ScreenRant was also able to talk with Adrien Brody on the rumors of him being up for the role of Hank Pym in Ant-Man. While Adrien doesn't know if his people had been pursing the role he gives the impression he'd be up for it. I really hope Marvel doesn't overlook the fact that an Oscar winning actor like Brody is considering the non-formula superhero film from Joe Cornish and Edgar Wright.

“I haven’t been involved in any of those discussions – I have mentioned it to my reps who have been kind of covert about their response as well, which is very strange to me. I said ‘Is there any validity to this, what is this?’ and they said ‘Well…it’s too early to say.’ It was very strange and I kind of dropped it at that…Not everything that is bandied around the Internet is factual, but sometimes there are elements that do stem from truth that people who are in the middle of it aren’t aware of either. We’ll see.”

 “I’m enthusiastic about it. The key is to constantly push the boundaries and to find things that allow me to be creative and do things that, you know, I enjoy and grow from.”

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Still Wants To Play Black Panther

ScreenRant was able to speak with actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje at the New York Comic-Con while promoting The Thing prequel. Adewale talked about his desire to play the Marvel hero Black Panther and is still actively campaigning for the role. He understands that Marvel Studios is busy with their current projects but hopes their attention will move to Panther. It's been mentioned a few times by Kevin Feige that Marvel is interested in a Black Panther film and even had ester egg for the hero in Iron Man 2.



“I would love to see that happen, and I think the more we – my people – campaign for that, the more viable it will be. And I mean, obviously appearing in cult-classics and blockbusters
all help, we’re very much on [Marvel's] radar…I think it’s all about campaigning, I’m going to keep knocking on their door.”

Weta & Rhythm+Hues To Work On X-Men First Class

20th Century Fox has hired special effects companies Weta Digital and Rhythm+Hues Film to work on X-Men First Class. It will be interesting which compny will get the bulk of the effects workload. Of course Weta is best known for their work on the Lord of The Rings trilogy but have also worked on films such as King Kong, District 9, X3 and Avatar. Rhythm+Hues Films has experienced credits as well working on the first two X-Men films a long with Incredible Hulk, Wolfman, Superman Returns, Riddick and The Rundown. I'd like to think Fox will be shelling out more for effects than they did with Wolverine which suffered from cheaply done work.

Rhys Ifans To Play Villain In Spider-Man

Deadline reports Sony has hired their villain for Marc Webb's Spider-Man reboot. Rhys Ifans has been cast as the film's villain yet it's unknown which one it is. There have been rumors of Venom returning along with the possibility of the Green Goblin since there is connection with Gwen (Emma Stone). Yet Sony could be giving us a new villain like Electro, Scorpion or even the Vulture.

Bradley Cooper Warner Bros' Top Choice For The Flash?

MovieHole reports that Bradley Cooper (Hangover, A-Team) is on the top of the Warner Bros' list to play The Flash. Cooper was inline to play Hal Jordon in Green Lantern at one point before the studio chose Ryan Reynolds. It doesn't look like Cooper will have to wait too long before movement starts on the film. Deadline reports that writers Marc Guggenheim and Michael Green will be delivering both scripts for The Flash and Green Lantern 2 by Christmas to the studio. The only problem according to Deadline is that there isn't a director in place and it's unlikely Greg Berlanti who was rumored will take the project.

Robert Rodriguez Teases Sin City 2

During a Facebook Live chat (via ThePlaylist) director Robert Rodriguez commented on his next film which he believe will be Sin City 2. It's looking very doubtful that Rodriguez will be directing Deadpool. He still also has his science fiction action film Nervewracker in the works and could go as well. Yet Robert doesn't call out the backup project by name so there could be still hope for Deadpool. I'm just wondering if Spy Kids 4 is really worth delaying other more interesting projects like Deadpool or Sin City 2? No offense to Rodriguez but I don't think anyone who enjoyed Machete or Planet Terror will ever go see his kiddie flicks.

"Frank Miller and I are working on it," Rodriguez said, with one caveat."It's slated to be the next one, but if the script is not ready, then we'll have to move to the next one," 

The Thing Prequel Teaser Description

UGO was one of the many film blogs attending The Thing panel at the New York Comic-Con. They've just posted a detailed description of the teaser trailer which was shown. From the sounds of things it's going to have what we've all wanted. Faithfulness to the original film which filmmakers, writers and producers had been promising along with practical effects. I assume the teaser will be released online sometime this month since it's only a short teaser.


"It opens in New York (which, from our The Thing set visit, we know will open the film). Eric Christian Olsen's Adam invites Mary Elizabeth Winstead's Kate to join him on a job to Antartica, something he believes will be a life-changing for the paleontologist, an "opportunity to do something big."


The film relocates to Antartica, where the Norwegians from the original Thing are about to crack open a block of ice that contains...someTHING. The trailer intercuts a drill slowly splitting the ice with shots of the cast (Joel Edgerton, Winstead, Olsen, Lost's Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) looking terrified over...someTHING.


A title card: "In a place where there's nothing..." The trailer doesn't skimp on alien shots: tentacles, gaping mouths, the hatch to an alien spacecraft...and it looks practical, so wipe that sweat off your brow."

Chemical Brothers To Score Hanna

FirstShowing is another film site covering the New York Comic-Con and was able to attend the Hanna panel. The film stars Saoirse Ronan as a teenage assassin (think La Femme Nikita) which also stars Eric Bana and Kate Blanchett. Director Joe Wright revealed that the Chemical Brothers would be scoring the entire film. It's something that caught my interest the same way when Disney brought on Daft Punk to score Tron Legacy.

Stephen Lang Talks Cable

ScreenRant was able to talk with actor Stephen Lang (Avatar, Conan, Public Enemies) at the New York Comic-Con about fans wanting him to play the X-Men's Cable. Interesting enough he knows about the rumor and seems up for it if offered.

“One of boys mentioned to me – he says, ‘Hey pops, they’re talking about you for Cable,’ and I said ‘Who would that be?’ and so he Googled him for me and I saw him and I thought ‘Oh wow, he’s cool.’"

“Yes, I’m there. [Laughter] Sure, why not. I’d be happy to. You read it all, everything that comes across. And if it makes sense, if it’s a cool character, if it’s a theme you want to explore…sure.”

There had been talk that 20th Century Fox wanted to use Cable in future films.Yet it doesn't seem like he'll be in Deadpool, X-Men First Class or even Wolverine 2. I have to assume their plans involve a solo film. Lang is apart of the biggest film of all time and it just happened to be from Fox. If we were ever going to see Stephen Lang kick-ass in his own film Cable would be it. New Mutants is one film that Fox is trying to develop and Cable was it's leader. It just depends if they want to make another X-Men clone or something more in the realm of a futuristic science fiction superhero film.

David Gordon Green Talks Pineapple Express 2

Director David Gordon Green is currently promoting his next film Your Highness at the New York Comic-Con and CinemaBlend was there to cover it. When asked about the possibility of making Pineapple Express 2 he responded with interesting comparisons. It gives an idea of how large the scale of the film could be along with more violent action scenes. Yet this doesn't confirm the project is actually happening but it's very likely it will if Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg end up writing the script.

"Every now and then there's an idea. Any time Seth [Rogen] and Evan [Goldberg] start talking about making it more like Scarface or Clear and Present Danger… I could be in for that."

 

Deadpool Details From New York Comic-Con

BleedingCool is reporting on some story and character details from the Deadpool film. We haven't heard much about the film's story or characters. It will be unknown until the film starts casting if these tidbits are real so I'll treat them as rumors for now. Hopefully this means if people are talking story it's closer to going into production. Robert Rodriguez has yet to sign the offer to direct and the film has yet to be greenlit.

They reveal a possible love interest which could be Vanessa Carlysle better known as Copycat. It's unknown if she'll even be mutant in the film. Her powers in the comics were shape-shifting like Mystique but is also able to mimic powers. I had assumed we would end up seeing Domino but I guess they could be saving her for future X-Men films.

Weapon-X will have a strong presence in the film characters like Wyre, Ajax, Sluggo and Garrison Kane will appear in the film. The site also assumes we'll see more members featured. I feel this will be one of our last glimpses of the Weapon-X program so they might as well use all the characters. It makes sense considering they didn't really explain the "true" origin of Wade Wilson to Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Now comes inclusion of an X-Men member. While I thought it would be Wolverine they say it will be Piotr Rasputin better known as Colossus. It's unknown if Daniel Cudmore who played Piotr twice will be returning to the role. Personally I think it's decent a hero to choose from. My assumption with both the inclusion of the Weapon-X program and Colossus we could be seeing Omega Red in the film. Of course there is also the chance that they're using him in X-Men First Class. He's one of the remaining X-Men villains who has yet to make the films.

Producer Lauren Shuler Donner told Empire some of the characters we should expect in film would be Blind Al, Weasel, along with villains like Black Tom and Slayback. BleedingCool confirms Blind Al and the inclusion of barman-come-mercenary dispatcher Patch.