First look at Peter Sarsgaard as Green Lantern villain
Some dude was walking by the Green Lantern movie set in new Orleans and totally got lucky with this photo of Peter Sarsgaard as villain Dr. Hector Hammond. In the comic, Hammond is one of those guy--with-a-giant-deformed-head--who-rides-around-in-a-chair types who are so prevalent these days, a problem caused by a run-in with a meteor back in the day.
Are superhero movies creatively bankrupt?
That's more or less what Matt Zoller Seitz is saying in this widely-quoted Salon piece : The comic book film has become a gravy train to nowhere. The genre cranks up directors' box office averages and keeps offbeat actors fully employed for years at a stretch by dutifully replicating (with precious few exceptions) the least interesting, least exciting elements of its source material; spicing up otherwise rote superhero vs. supervillain storylines with "complications" and "revisions" (scare quotes intentional) that the filmmakers, for reasons of fiduciary duty, cannot properly investigate; and delivering amusing characterizations, dense stories or stunning visuals while typically failing to combine those aspects into a satisfying whole.
As Iron Man 2 is poised to become the biggest opening ever, it's worth revisiting the genre and pointing out that as movies -- like movies with themes and acting and set pieces that aren't fights and so on -- the genre has gotten as formulaic as the wifebeaters all of Marvel's heroes wear. We'd slap Seitz on the wrist for conflating "comic book" with "superhero" in the above quote -- and while we can't argue that SUPERMAN RETURNS and Ang Lee's HULK were the most daring attempts at a larger meaning, they still weren't all that...successful. Matthew Vaughn aboard X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
Joining the elite three-time (Stardust, Kick-Ass) club for comic book movie directors, Matthew Vaughn has signed on to direct X-Men: First Class after a lot of back and forth. Bryan Singer was originally on board to direct but he pulled out due to scheduling -- the helmer of the first two X-flicks will stay aboard as producer. Vaughn had been rumored for a while -- he was originally scheduled to direct the third X-men movie before pulling out at the last moment himself, leaving Brett Ratner to have his way with the franchise.
Jackie Chan Miyagi
Things That Should Not Be? or The March of Progress? [via Jackie Chan ] Chris Hemsworth as Thor is moody
Brubaker and Phillips' INCOGNITO optioned
Another Icon comic is Hollywood bound, Michael Fleming reports, as INCOGNITO, the supervillain vengeance caper by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, has been optioned by by Fox. Peter Chernin and Circle of Confusion's David Engel will produce and the screenwriter attached is playwright Robert Schenkkan.
JONAH HEX: the trailer
Marvel movie news: Ant-Man, and other things, get smaller; GHOST RIDER's empty saddle
LOSERS lost at B.O.
A bad week for comic-book movies?
End Times: Gilligan’s Island, The Movie
