Posted by
Jeff Penner
- Saturday, March 15, 2014
The Fantastic Four reboot is ready to start filming ... or is it? The rumors around the production have them moving forward while scrapping the director, script, and cast! Which is which?
Just recently, the cast was revealed: Miles Teller as Mr. Fantastic, Kate Mara as the Invisible Woman, Michael B. Jordan as the Human Torch and Jamie Bell as the Thing. It's said that casting for the script's villain, Dr. Doom, will be finalized very soon. Director Josh Trank is ready to shoot in April with the script he developed with Simon Kinberg.
This week, Bleeding Cool reports that an extremely confident source has the production starting pretty much from scratch. However, CinemaBlend contradicts this claim. Though Bleeding Cool has posted an update to the story, the update holds strongly to the rumors and the site's confidence in its source. Throw in ScreenCrush uncertainly calling the rumor debunked, and you've got a recipe for Doom, indeed. Could this be the end of Marvel's First Family before the ink dries?
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| This image in reference to nothing. She's just hot. |
As a fanboy, I know these sites have a fairly respectable history, so I'm extremely confused as to which reality to choose. Perhaps next week there will be a press release, or the actors or director will speak out. Either way, this is a frustrating way to start on a film that many people were excited for. The bad taste left from the first two films needs to be washed away. They had their merits but ultimately fell flat. Fox is planning on creating a universe around these characters, much like Sony is attempting with The Amazing Spider-Man (and his Amazing friends ... and enemies). From a world where there were too few superhero movies, are we about to go into overkill?
What do your brain voices tell you on this one? Should production companies focus on making one good movie and not worry about the universe it takes place in yet?
Posted by
Jeff Penner
- Friday, March 14, 2014
In a world…without Hal Douglas, our movie experiences will never be the same. The iconic voiceover artist passed away at 89 years of age last week from pancreatic cancer.
You may never have known his name, but you'll definitely know his voice......
Hal was the voice behind nearly every movie trailer you've ever impersonated. His dramatic baritone helped set the standard for movie trailers and inspired a generation of voice artists to enter the field. It will be interesting to see where trailers go from here, will they attempt to impersonate him or set a new path?
The humble performer appreciated his workload but never considered himself gifted. He told The New York Times in 2009, "I'm not outstanding in any way. It's a craft that you learn, like making a good pair of shoes. And I just consider myself a good shoemaker."
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Ruth Francis Douglas; their daughter, Sarah Douglas; and two sons from a previous marriage.
Obviously, his passing is sad, and we're all proud of his legacy. However, I'm definitely curious about my above query: where do trailer voiceovers go from here? Do they emulate his example or do we forge a new path of variety? Thoughts?
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Thursday, March 13, 2014
Hey, Hey, Hey Dacetacular Nation! Check out Episode 38 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, and Frank Ward and regulars Travis Goss, Nikki Mills, and Michael Burhan!! All-star-packed show for you this week!!
Join The Dace Man and crew this week as they break down the following:
::SPORTS NEWS:
- Current NHL standings
- MLB Spring Training standings
- 2014 NFL Free Agency
::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::
::FRANK'S CORNER::
::CELEB NEWS::
- 2014 Internet Goddess Tournament Elegant Eight
- Pot Luck this week…gotta listen to hear what we talked about.
- This week in 1959 Barbie debuted
- Who has Lindsay Lohan had sex with?
Plus the High Five: Top 5 Reasons Why We Hate Gibby and The Douche Bag of The Week. All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | I Got Game Play | Geek Speak | Rose Colored Reviews | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime
Posted by
Marc Anthony Gonzalez
HBO curated a Game of Thrones exhibition at South by Southwest 2014's interactive festival. The showcase displayed original costumes and set pieces from the popular HBO series complete with the Iron Throne. However, by far the most appealing exhibit was the opportunity to enter Westeros via an Oculus Rift and walk along the Wall of Castle Black.
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| Exhibition lines were packed with hipsters (whom I confused for people cosplaying the Unsullied) |
The gallery of costumes and weapons added to the experience of immersion. Seeing the personalized weapons and clothes for each character added an element of high fantasy oft overshadowed by the show's immensely thick plot (and neglected by mainstream audiences). I gawked at the length of Eddard Stark's greatsword, Ice, along with the other weapons. It was fun for this Dungeons and Dragons fan to imagine what attribute bonus each article or weapon gave its user.
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| Ice curses its user with a -1 penalty to survive the first season |
Costume pieces simulated the effect of standing face to face with each character, and nearly every major character's outfit was on display. The crowd of college girls around Jon Snow's leather armor certainly gave testament to that. Each piece really helped me appreciate the personalized intricacy overlooked on the show. Stannis Baratheon's armor looked as unbecomingly functional as his hairline, and Joffrey Baratheon's armor equated to the fantasy-world version of a black Misfits t-shirt and JNCO jeans.
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| I still can't tell if my mind was playing tricks on me or if Stannis Baratheon's outfit really did smell like Old Spice |
In terms of immersion, no costume or prop succeeded so much as the virtual reality simulation of walking along the Wall at Castle Black. Ninety-minute lines became completely justified once I strapped on the Oculus Rift and entered north Westeros. Starting off in a lift to ascend the Wall, I gazed upon the grounds of Castle Black. I might have seen Jeor Mormont or Samwell Tarley walking around (the latter of whose lunch money I would've attempted to steal). Ascending up the lift felt as real as any hotel elevator. I exited and walked about the allure where a chilling wind whistled through the walls. Once at the edge, I enjoyed a breathtaking panoramic view beyond the wall that was so real that I had to remind myself where I truly was. Gazing off into the distance looked as detailed as the ending cinematic of S3E6. I was actually in Westeros! Words cannot express how enjoyable and breathtaking the whole experience was. 10/10, would relive.
Did you get a chance to see the Game of Thrones exhibit? If so, what did you think? What would you like to have seen in such a exhibit? Would you have chosen a different locale to view through the Oculus Rift? Let us know in the comments section!
Posted by
Jeff Penner
- Wednesday, March 12, 2014
The Guardians of the Galaxy will be cruising around said galaxy in style this summer. Chris Pratt's character, Star-Lord, jumps from adventure to adventure in the Milano, his super-sleek spaceship of unknown origin (at least until we see the movie).
Below is a close-up promotional image being used by hardtofindpartysupplies.com for napkins that tie in to the film's surely upcoming merchandising bonanza.
The film may feature the ship, but it is my understanding that much of the story will take place on Knowhere, an interdimensional spaceport of sorts. If you haven't checked out the 2008 Guardians of the Galaxy comic book series by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning yet, you're missing out. Pick it up on Amazon or at your local comic book store.
As spaceships go, I think this design is pretty cool. Do you think this looks like it could make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs?
Some official details on the movie, for those interested in minor spoilers:
From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team—the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits—Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand—with the galaxy's fate in the balance.
Posted by
Michelle Quillen
If there was ever a winning combo in fighting game history, the latest collaboration between Capcom and Twitch should have Street Fighter fans celebrating a major victory.
Recently announced by the industry leader who brought us the Mega Man, Resident Evil, and Devil May Cry franchises, the Capcom Pro Tour will celebrate the popularity of the Street Fighter franchise by forming the first-ever fighting game league for its series.
Over the remainder of 2014, various tournaments and premier events will take place to provide organizers, sponsors, and the fighting game community an opportunity to gather and allow the best players to reach the finals of the Capcom Cup.
The beginning of the Street Fighter IV-focused tour will highlight Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition. Then, after its release in June, Ultra Street Fight IV will be phased in until the conclusion of the tour in December.
The Capcom Cup finals will offer 16 total spots for fighting game hopefuls, and there are two ways to qualify for their occupancy. Attend and win a premier event, and you’re instantly greenlit. The rest of the spots will be awarded though a new point structure that tracks the ranking of players as they compete.
Here are the dates and cities of seven of the premier events:
• Final Round (March 14~16 – Atlanta, GA, USA)
• NorCal Regionals (April 18~20 – Sacramento, CA, USA)
• Southeast Asia Majors (June 20~22 – Singapore)
• Community Effort Orlando (June 27~29 – Orlando, FL, USA)
• Evolution Championship Series (July 11~13 – Las Vegas, NV, USA)
• The Fall Classic (October 10~12 – Raleigh, NC, USA)
• DreamHack Winter (November 27~30 – Jönköping, Sweden)
Details about three more premier events are to come. The last six of the Capcom Cup spots will be determined using the aforementioned point structure after a preliminary group of ten premier events takes place. Twitch’s contribution to this partnership is in utilizing its widely known streaming capabilities to broadcast each faceoff on the Capcom Fighters Twitch channel. Subscribing to this stream will cost viewers $4.99.
Points will not only be awarded to the 16 spots at premier events, but also ranking tournaments (which are managed and streamed separate from the Capcom Pro Tour).
The current line-up of these ranking events is as follows:
• SoCal Regionals (February 28~March 2, Los Angeles, CA, USA)
• PAX East (April 11~13 – Boston, MA, USA)
• E3 (June 10~12 – Los Angeles, CA, USA)
• San Diego Comic Con (July 24~27 – San Diego, CA, USA)
For regional spots in southern California, points will be given retroactively. There is also more info regarding forthcoming ranking events to be announced at a later time.
Participants and spectators alike can follow the Capcom Pro Tour action via its official website. Is there an event taking place near you? Let us know how you’d fare in a Street Fighter tournament in the Comments below.
Posted by
Eric Minton
- Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Kristian Nairn, who plays the slow-witted giant Hodor on HBO's Game of Thrones, interviewed with WinterIsComing.net on March 11. While the actor discussed a number of things—his taste in music, his interest in World of Warcraft, his work on the TV drama Ripper Street, and the LARP documentary Treasure Trapped—his most noteworthy statement was that he's gay.
I have some friends in the gay community, "bears" as they're wont to call themselves, who hold you on a pretty high pedestal. One good friend of mine (I’ve known since we were in the 5th grade together) says your bear following is "extensive." Is this something you’re aware of?
Kristian: Well, in all honesty, when you talk about "the gay community," you are talking about MY community, haha. I AM aware of it yeah, and I think it's really lovely. There’s not a day that I don’t get a few messages, but 99% or more are super sweet and nothing smutty at all! Again, it’s a privilege, and I really mean that. I've never hidden my sexuality from anyone, my whole life in fact, and I’ve been waiting for someone to ask about it in an interview, cos it's not something you just blurt out. I’ve tried to lead the questions a few times, to no avail!
Well I think most people are respectful enough these days not to ask that sort of stuff directly, especially in print media interviews. But I am curious, seeing as how some people might react negatively to it, did most of the cast and crew have an understanding of it? Or was it just never really brought up?
Kristian: I had an upbringing to respect other people's privacy, and their right to be and choose what they want, and I expect, no, demand no less for myself. It’s a very small part of who I am on the whole, but nonetheless, in this day and age, it's important to stand up and be counted. I have and always will stand my ground. So, yeah, people have been great, on the show, but I don’t see why it would be an issue.
Surprised? Enthused? Interested in discussing the finer distinctions between bears and wargs? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
