Comic Con 2012: ‘Game of Thrones’ season 3 lands a March 2013 premiere date, new cast members introduced

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Game of Thrones season two just ended last month so what better way to bide your time than by marking your calendars with the season three premiere date. Ready? Here it is: March 31, 2013.

Other than announcing this special day, the Game of Thrones panel at Comic Con moderated by author George R.R. Martin included a five-and-a-half minute recap of the epic second season and a brief introduction to (a whopping) 14 new characters we will be forced to know next season. The former video is embedded above while the latter one hangs after the break. Under that video there’s a listing of all the new characters explaining how they’re each tied to the ones we already know. Continue reading Comic Con 2012: ‘Game of Thrones’ season 3 lands a March 2013 premiere date, new cast members introduced →

Comic Con 2012: Marvel dates new ‘Thor’ and ‘Captain America’ movies, announces ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and ‘Ant-Man’

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The Marvel panel at Comic Con made some major announcements concerning its upcoming movie projects. The next slate of movies set in the Marvel Comics universe is being referred to as “Phase Two.” Without further ado…

Iron Man 3, directed by Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), is out May 3, 2013.

Thor: The Dark World, directed by Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones), is out November 8, 2013.

Captain America: The Winter Solider is out April 4, 2014.

Guardians of the Galaxy is out August 1, 2014.

Ant-Man, directed by Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) does not have a release date yet.

There’s the “Phase Two” lineup. At the panel, footage from Black’s Iron Man 3 rallied fans with the introduction of Tony Stark’s new nanobot technology that allows him to remotely suit up and a first look at the movie’s villain Mandarin played by Ben Kingsley. For Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel detailed the five superheros who make up this new (potential franchise-worthy) team and they are Drax The Destroyer, Groot, Star-Lord, Rocket Racoon, and Gamora; see them all depicted above. What will likely connect this team to the one we already know (read: The Avengers) is that it is Drax’s ultimate mission to defeat Thanos, the yellowish grinning alien seen in the post-credits scene during The Avengers. For Ant-Man, Wright showed off test footage of the superhero who can grow extremely tiny and immensely large at will. Wright exclaimed, “Ant-Man will kick you ass one inch at a time.”

Check out the logos for all of the “Phase Two” Marvel movies in the gallery below. Download hi-res versions at Marvel.

Comic Con 2012: New look at Zack Snyder’s ‘Man of Steel’

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Director Zack Snyder and star Henry Cavill took part in the Man of Steel panel at Comic Con last week. There they unveiled footage from the flick as well as the Comic Con branded poster seen above. Snyder says that fans will get a taste of the footage Con attendees were privy to when The Dark Knight Rises hits theatres this Thursday; a teaser trailer for the upcoming Super-Man reboot will play before Christopher Nolan’s anticipated conclusion to his Batman trilogy. The teaser will be uploaded here once it hits the ‘Net.

Snyder and Cavill made it a point to say that their mission with this new Superman is to make him relatable. “How would you feel if you were Superman?” Snyder posed to the excitable crowd.

Man of Steel is out next summer.

Movie trailer: ‘Oz: The Great and Powerful’

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Sam Raimi, the director of the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy, is back in Oz The Great and Powerful. In it he tells the fantastical origin story of The Wizard of Oz, a character originally invented by L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The story serves as a prequel to the famous 1939 film starring Judy Garland. A synopsis follows:

When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot–fame and fortune are his for the taking–that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity–and even a bit of wizardry–Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

Oz: The Great and Powerful opens March 8, 2013 in 3D.

‘The Hobbit’ movies wrap principal shooting, ready for Comic Con (new poster inside!)

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On the fifth of July Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson hopped on Facebook to post the image you see above and tagged it with this: “We made it! Shoot day 266 and the end of principal photography on The Hobbit. Thanks to our fantastic cast and crew for getting us this far, and to all of you for your support! Next stop, the cutting room. Oh, and Comic Con!” Having followed all of Jackson’s production video blogs this a giant sigh of relief for the production team and fans alike. Part one An Unexpected Journey is on track to release December 14, 2012; one year later part two There and Back Again comes out.

Also posted to Facebook is a beautiful image you can see after the break: a brand new poster designed specifically for Comic Con fans to collect at the con later this week. It features Gandolf standing high above The Shire where the unexpected journey begins with our friend Bilbo Baggins. Check back here for the latest on The Hobbit movies as more details surrounding the highly anticipated prequels come out of the con. Continue reading ‘The Hobbit’ movies wrap principal shooting, ready for Comic Con (new poster inside!) →

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ 13-minute featurette

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In just over a week the epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy hits theatres. To catch up on Bruce Wayne’s story thus far and get a glimpse into where the upcoming movie will take the character, watch this 13-minute featurette featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and plot and character insight from the stars, producers, and special department heads. You’ll hear from director Chris Nolan, stars Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman, Michael Cane, Morgan Freeman, Marion Cotillard, producers, Emma Thomas, Jordan Goldberg, Kevin De La Noy, screenwriter Jonathan Nolan, production designer Nathan Crowley, special effects supervisor Chris Corbould, director of photography Wally Pfister, stunt coordinator Tom Struthers, and visual effects supervisor Paul Franklin.

“What we’re constructing here is a very, very elemental conflict between good and evil,” Nolan says of his final venture into the world of Gotham City. “Every great story deserves a great ending, and we’re really trying to be true to that.”

All in all this flashy clip doesn’t include any major spoilers, so it’s safe to watch before seeing the movie. Unless of course you want to go into this thing having watched none of the previously released trailers and casting scoops.

Other things you can do to help carry the time: the official movie website has been updated with a new synopsis and additional cast and crew information; and you can stream the entire 15-track soundtrack from trilogy composer Hans Zimmer at Empire. Also, after the break you’ll find a brief recorded interview with Nolan courtesy of Nightline and a very funny parody clip from Above Average featuring Batman, Bane, and 60’s Robin.

The Dark Knight Rises hits theatres July 20. Continue reading ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ 13-minute featurette →

‘Firefly’ reunion special coming to TV this fall

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Firefly is coming back to TV. But not in the same sense as Arrested Development. Instead of a series revival, fans will have to do with a 10th anniversary reunion special. EW confirms that the special is called Browncoats Unite and will feature footage from the upcoming reunion panel at this week’s Comic Con in San Diego and “an in-depth behind-the-scenes roundtable interview that will dive deeper into burning fan questions about the beloved series.” The beloved Joss Whedon space western only lived to see a single 10-episode season and FOX cancelled it in 2002. Recently the series found a new home at the Science channel where that network has been re-airing it so fans can remember it fondly. Science will air the reunion special on Sunday, November 11; preceding it will be a requisite all-day marathon of the first season in its entirety.

Science released this statement: “Firefly is a landmark work of science fiction and a favorite with our viewers. Ever since it premiered on Science, fans have asked us to do something special to mark its 10-year anniversary. With this signature celebration, punctuated by Browncoats Unite, we will connect the minds behind this classic franchise with its legions of passionate fans.”

If you’re attending Comic Con and want to attend the Firely reunion panel, start lining up now. The panel, featuring stars Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, showrunner Tim Minear, writer Jose Molina, and creator Joss Whedon, will be held in Ballroom 20 at 12:30 on Friday, July 13.

[Via EW]

‘Arrested Development’ on Netflix: “IT’S ALIVE”

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We already know that the short-lived cult comedy Arrested Development is getting revived for a brand new 10-episode season on Netflix in 2013. But after years of speculation, some fans remain skeptical about the truth behind all this. Let this breaking news quell your fears and further ramp up anticipation. Renowned filmmaker and series executive producer Ron Howard took to Twitter to confirm that the ball has indeed started to roll on this thing.

First Howard tweeted, “Arrested Development for Netflix. IT’S ALIVE. This is what the writer’s room looks like.” Attached was a picture of conference room with tons of colored index cards clinged to walls with indecipherable episode ideas scribbled on them. (See the image of the the break.) A couple hours later Howard took another picture and tweeted, “Mitch [Hurwitz] let Jason [Bateman] and I in on some of the twists and turns ahead. hilarious.” This one features Howard, AD creator Mitch Hurwitz, and star Jason Bateman. (The image is embedded above.)

And to top things off, Bateman also jumped onto his Twitter account to share this exciting bit of news: “Taken at AD mission control, today! All systems are go. Filming for the new episodes starts in four weeks. Woo!” Another picture was attached, this one also starring Howard, Bateman, and Hurwitz in mid-laughter. (See the image of the the break.)

So yeah, Arrested Development is coming people. There’s no denying it, so detractors keep silent. IT’S ALIVE. Wink. Continue reading ‘Arrested Development’ on Netflix: “IT’S ALIVE” →

‘Community’ creator Dan Harmon opens up about his ousting

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Dan Harmon was fired from his show Community this past spring just as the third season of the cult NBC sitcom came to a close. This week he sat down with G4’s Attack of the Show guest host Marc Maron and opened up about his recent ousting. Is he bitter? Maybe a little. But he was actually anticipating the show getting cancelled due to low ratings and so the firing didn’t make him sink into a deep depression after all. Watch the 11-minute interview to hear what Harmon has to say about the situation (his feud with Community star Chevy Chase is not discussed, however) and what he has planned for the future (a multicam comedy, perhaps).

‘The Walking Dead’ marathons this weekend with a peek at season 3

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Do you need your Walking Dead fix? This weekend is your antidote. Over the course of two days, AMC will be re-airing the first two seasons of The Walking Dead. The marathon begins Saturday, July 7 at 11:30AM and all nineteen episodes will have been played come Sunday night at 8PM. What happens after that? A very special edition of Talking Dead will air Sunday at 9PM and host Chris Hardwick will tease fans with a glimpse into season three including a scene from the new season, a tour of the new set (the prison!), and interviews with the cast, executive producers, and celebrity fans. And that’s not all. Following the marathon and Talking Dead, AMC will screen the pilot episode “Days Gone By” in black-and-white! Before the show premiered in October 2010, executive producer Robert Kirkman experimented with the black-and-white formula because that is how he tells the zombie saga in his comic books. View a full schedule of the two-day ‘thon right here.

While the popcorn’s popping, here’s a season 3 sneak peek for you to gaze upon. Open the gallery below to view pictures of the mysterious Michonne (played by Danai Gurira) and The Governor (David Morrissey); also bunched in there is yet another still of Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) pointing his gun menacingly (also seen above) and (spoiler alert!) the return of Daryl’s racist, one-handed brother Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker). The cherries on top are two images provided by EW: one that features our gang of survivors fending off a hoard of walkers as a unit Avengers-style and the other starring Maggie (Lauren Cohan) doing her best karate chop with a sharp machete.

Dead heads rejoice. This is your time.

[Via TWD 1, 2]

A&E greenlights a 10-episode season for ‘Bates Motel’

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Are you ready to check into Bates Motel? Well get ready because A&E is skipping over the pilot stage and ordering a ten episode first season of the Psycho prequel series from Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Kerry Ehrin (Friday Night Lights). Traditionally networks will decide if a series is worth producing in full after they’ve watched a pilot episode; in this case, however, the cable execs jumped the gun because they believe in the concept that much.

A&E released a statement saying, “We are proud to be partnering with Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin on their thrilling reinvention of one of the most compelling characters in cinematic history. It’s a provocative project from two of the best storytellers in the business, and we’re looking forward to getting started.”

The press release provides an updated synopsis: “Bates Motel, inspired by Hitchcock’s genre-defining film, Psycho, is a contemporary exploration of the formative years of Norman Bates’ relationship with his mother, Norma, and the world they inhabit. Viewers will have access to the dark, twisted backstory and learn firsthand how Norma helped forge the most famous serial killer of them all.”

Pre-production and casting are already underway (who do you think will fill the shoes originally worn by Anthony Perkins?) and A&E promises a series premiere in 2013.

[Via A&E]

HBO renews Aaron Sorkin’s ‘The Newsroom’

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Jeff Daniels’ epic monologue was worth it; after two episodes had aired HBO renewed Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom for a second season. The June 24 series premiere attracted a healthy 2.1 million total viewers. The drama follows network anchor Will McAvoy (Daniels) and his newsroom staff led by executive producer MacKenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer) as they attempt to revamp the way news is reported to viewers whilst weaving their way through personal entanglements. The premiere was solid and typical Sorkin: dialogue-heavy, which can be dizzying but at the same time quite invigorating. Have you seen his previous TV effort The West Wing and his award-winning recent screenplay in The Social Network? The Newsroom is intellectual and highly entertaining; if anything it’s an uplifting look into the chaotic world of reporting. If you missed the premiere you’re only two episodes behind; catch up because this isn’t one to miss.

In related HBO renewal news, True Blood is coming back for a sixth season (but without series creator Alan Ball because he’s moving onto a new show for Cinemax called Banshee) and Eastbound & Down will swing once more in season four (the network ordered eight more episodes).

The Newsroom airs Sunday nights at 10PM on HBO; True Blood precedes it at 9PM.

[Via Deadline 1, 2]