by Shannon O’Leary

My apologies for the absence of Studio Coffee Run last week. I was in Vegas and couldn’t be disturbed. But I kept it nerdy. Check me out on the slots…

Sadly, Frodo and the One Ring did not rule them all. I don’t wanna talk about it though. Lady luck gone sour is a sad, old story.

What I’d really like to talk about is how well The Green Lantern will fare this weekend scrilla-wise. Reviews of the highly anticipated would-be summer blockbuster are decidedly unmixed, with Rotten Tomatoes currently giving it a ratings average of 20% (via The Beat). MSNBC film critic and dapper talking head, James Rocchi, provides an interesting and well thought out analysis of the state of superhero cinema as viewed through the Lantern’s (hopefully green) lens, entitled Seven Notes on the Current Super-Hero Cinema and its Discontents, which is definitely worth a read for those both cinematically and superhero minded. Since it’s already been fairly well established that this one won’t be a critical feather in Warner Brothers’ cap, the big question on everyone’s minds now is whether or not the film will trump its bad notices and make back its approximately $300 million investment.

X-men: First Class held onto the #2 spot this past weekend. In spite of having the lowest opening weekend for an X-Men epic thus far, solid word of mouth is making it a box office winner for Fox Pictures (via Newsarama)

Are movie studios pulling back from Comic-con? It sounds like it could be a less crowded, less star-studded Hall H this year. I’m keeping my personal feelings about this on mute but feel however you want about it and sound off in the comments if you haven’t already (via The Beat)

Green Lantern Lego Statue at The LA Times Hero Complex Festival

Robert Downey Jr. said Joss Whedon is “nailing it” Re: The Avengers at The LA Times Hero Complex Festival this weekend (via Slashfilm). I didn’t see RDJ but I did go to the fest and saw screenings of Superman I and II, along with a really lovely and interesting panel discussion with their director Richard Donner, who warmly embraced his once upon a time loyal intern, Geoff Johns (current Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment). Johns (who serves as an Executive Producer on The Green Lantern film) spoke fondly of his time working for Donner and mentioned that he hopes the current generation of kidlets will feel the same way about Green Lantern that he did about Star Wars.

Speaking of the Man of Steel, Russell Crowe is confirmed to play Superdaddy, Jor-el, in the upcoming Superman reboot (via The Beat)

There’s been a behind the scenes change on another well known superhero franchise. James Mangold (of Walk The Line fame) will replace Darren Aronofsky as the director of The Wolverine . The 1982 Wolverine miniseries by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller will be the template of sorts for The Wolverine (via Spinoffonline)

South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone with their Tony bling bling

Spider-Man, on the other hand, can’t catch a break. Everyone hates Peter Parker on Broadway (via The Beat), including Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park fame, who call it, “a trainwreck.” Hey, if anyone’s qualified to offer a critique, it’s them. Comedy Central’s long time resident bad boys, mega-swept last week’s 65th Annual Tony Awards. The duo brought home a whopping total of nine statues for their upstart musical revue, The Book of Mormon (via The Hollywood Reporter). But not all the Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark news is bad. Love, along with injurious aerial stunts, is reportedly in the air. Co-stars Reeve Carney (Peter Parker/Spiderman) and Jennifer Damiano (Mary Jane Watson) are hookin’ up (via The NY Post)

SPOILERS!!!! NOT COMICS One can also assume that Sean Bean of the HBO nerd must watch series Game of Thrones is hooking up. Bean was stabbed in a bar brawl while defending the honor of a Playboy Bunny last Sunday night right after his character Lord Eddard Stark got his head chopped off! What an f-ing badass! (via The New York Daily News) Despite the recent woes to their clan, fans of the House of Stark can take heart. It’s been hinted that the good Lord Stark will appear before two of the Stark children on this Sunday’s season finale (via TV Guide). Long live Winterfell!

KINDA COMICS In other nerdy-esque HBO series news, a heretofore resolutely straight True Blood character is reportedly gonna get their gay on in Season Four (via TV Line). Season Four begins Sunday, June 26th. My official bets are on Tara, because what else are they going to do with her now anyways?

NOT COMICS Dr. Who fans may see less of the good doctor and his magic screwdriver in 2012 due to the Dr. Who 50th Anniversary Special slated for 2013 (via EW)

In development news, Darkhorse’s critically acclaimed Beasts of Burden by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thomspon is getting CGI’d (via The Beat)

And last, but hardly least, the pilot based on the Brian Bendis and Avon Oeming comic book series Powers (from Marvel’s creator owned imprint, Icon) is almost dunzo and ready to air on FX (via Newsarama). Powers is about police detectives who investigate superpower-related homicides.

1 COMMENT

  1. Well nuts. That killed my interest in Game of Thrones. I only saw the first two episodes so far.

    Google reader didn’t have the large “spoilers” warning. :p

  2. I could not love a show more than I do Game Of Thrones. Doctor Who comes close. That show has been killing it this season. But GOT is untouchable.

    Go team Daenery!

  3. Chris – don’t let that keep you from watching the show eventually, please. The other characters are incredibly interesting and the intrigue leading up to what was mentioned above is really riveting.