Lionsgate and Marvel Studios have both reached an interim agreement with the Writers Guild of America enabling striking Hollywood writers to work on their projects, the Reuters news service reported. Marvel Studios is financing film versions of Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. Upcoming Lionsgate films include The Eye, while its television series include Mad Men and a new show, Fear Itself. Writers and producers resumed talks this week aimed at ending a nearly three-month strike that has stopped most prime-time television production, and some hope smaller deals put pressure on the big studios.
Kevin McKidd, star of NBC’s upcoming time-travel series Journeyman, talked about the rampant rumors that he may play the title character in a big-screen version of the Marvel comic book Thor. Speaking in a conference call on September 6, McKidd (HBO’s Rome) called the reports “semi-true.” “I didn’t know about it either until I heard the rumors and I called my agent,” McKidd said. “And he went, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, we’ve been talking to them about it.’ But the last I heard from my agent, they’re talking that they want to go for somebody much younger, a 19- or 20-year-old, for that role. So they’re reconceptualizing it as we speak.”
Matthew Vaughn (Stardust) is set to direct Thor for Marvel Studios, and he reportedly wants McKidd, whose credits include The Last Legion, for the lead role of the God of Thunder. Even if a younger actor were to play Thor, McKidd hastened to add, he might still appear in the project. “I think there’s the other main male character in that movie that I’m in consideration for,” the Scottish actor said. “But, certainly by no means it’s not in the bag or anything and, to be honest, until I read a script I don’t really know. I haven’t really had a look at a script. This is all still just information that’s coming in. So, you know, it could be fun, but it just depends on what’s on the page. I think it all starts and finishes with the quality of the script.”
The IESB is reporting that Marvel Studios is developing a live action Doctor Strange film and is presently pitching it to potential directors. Strange follows Stephen Strange, a brilliant but arrogant neurosurgeon whose career was cut short when a car accident resulted in nerve damage to his hands. Hoping for a miracle, a despondent Strange traveled to the Himalayas to seek the counsel of the Ancient One, a Tibetan sorcerer. Though the world at large believes he is no more than an eccentric occult authority, Dr. Strange has inherited from his mentor the mantle of Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme. A full length animated feature of Doctor Strange was officially released by Marvel this week on DVD & Blu-Ray.
Marvel Studios is setting Matthew Vaughn to direct Thor, based on the Marvel Comics character. Marvel is aiming for a pre-strike production start this winter. Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend) did the adaptation of the comic book franchise that launched in 1962. Thor is a blonde-tressed, hammer-wielding hero who’s sent to Earth to protect mankind. Vaughn’s deal is closing just as Paramount releases the Vaughn-directed Stardust today. Thor marks Vaughn’s second effort at a superhero pic. He was attached to direct X-Men: The Last Stand before bowing out for personal reasons. Vaughn, who produced the Guy Ritchie-directed films Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, made his directing debut with the Daniel Craig starrer Layer Cake.
Marvel Studios mega-producer Avi Arad confirmed to MTV that 2-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank filmed some top-secret moments for Iron Man, the highly-anticipated superhero flick due in theaters next May. It could be assumed that her role would lay the groundwork for a future, bigger Marvel appearance. The rumor mill first began circulating Swank’s name after director Jon Favreau capitalized the “s” in “Swank” in a MySpace blog post.
“How do you know [about that]?,” a stunned Arad replied when asked about Swank. After a few beats, he admitted: “It’s a cameo.” Following along the lines of secret Iron Man actors, the man behind the Spider-Man and X-Men films dodged a question about Samuel L. Jackson’s foreshadowing scenes as Nick Fury, saying “I can’t talk about that.” Clearly a bit frustrated, Arad then amended himself. “The Sam thing was supposed to be the biggest secret of them all,” he shrugged. “It’s amazing how it got out.” Nevertheless, the existence of Jackson’s hard-boiled superspy reveals a newfound willingness by Marvel to begin mimicking the way its comics mix different characters into each other’s storylines on a regular basis.
Continue reading Avi Arad Confirms Swank And Jackson Iron Man Cameos
Ain’t It Cool News is reporting that the currently-filming Iron Man movie will feature an appearance by Nick Fury that would serve to set-up the rumored Avengers movie. This version of Fury is based off of the Ultimate Avengers comic/movies with Samuel L. Jackson cast for the Iron Man cameo. Ain’t It Cool News believe this is not just rumor, but fact, and that Jackson is filming his scenes this week.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has confirmed the company’s next independently financed project will be a new version of Captain America reports Sci-Fi Wire. Mixing a period story with a contemporary one, the PG-13 superhero film is currently being penned by David Self (Road to Perdition) with a director to be announced shortly. “We’ll have to play with Captain America as being a patriotic propoganda machine on one hand but also being a very human Steve Rogers, . . . [an] interesting, fascinating hero in his own right,” Feige told reporters on the set of Iron Man. Shooting begins this time next year.
Variety reports that Bill Smitrovich has been cast in Iron Man, joining Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Shaun Toub and Leslie Bibb. Marvel Studios is producing with Jon Favreau directing. Lensing began this month. The actor also stars in Fox comedy pilot Me & Lee as the father of Jamie Kennedy’s character. He recently guested on Criminal Minds.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby star Leslie Bibb has landed a role in Marvel Studios’ Iron Man, to be distributed by Paramount Pictures on May 2, 2008. Bibb joins Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Shaun Toub in the Jon Favreau-directed comic book adaptation. She will play a fast-talking reporter. Bibb will also star in Regency Enterprises comedy The Bachelorette Party. Hal Lieberman is producing the project, which was written by Matt Olson. The film is based on Karen McCullah Lutz’s new novel about a Los Angeles bachelorette party gone awry. Bibb’s upcoming credits include Wristcutters: A Love Story and Midnight Meat Train.
Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow has joined the cast of Iron Man, a Marvel Comics superhero movie starring Robert Downey Jr. Downey plays the armor-clad title character and his alter ego, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark. Terrence Howard will play Stark’s best friend Rhodey. Paltrow will play Stark’s personal assistant Virginia “Pepper” Potts, one of the few people in Stark’s life who can go toe-to-toe with him and who occasionally serves as his conscience. The pair also share a secret attraction to each other.
“Her representatives let us know that she wanted to do a movie like this,” said Kevin Feige, Marvel’s president of production. “A few phone calls later from all parties involved, and over the weekend it happened.” Jon Favreau is directing the movie, which will be distributed by Paramount Pictures. Production is scheduled to begin in March in Los Angeles. Paltrow, who won an Oscar for her work in “Shakespeare in Love,” most recently appeared in “Running With Scissors.”
