Marvel Comics – Page 2 – Cinefantastique

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance & The Secret World of Arrietty – CFQ Spotlight Podcast 3:7

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Dan Persons

Hot Plot: Violante Placido (right) and Nicolas Cage battle the devil in GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE.

In a pair-up as enticing as a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE combines the rich, nutty goodness of Nic Cage with the tasty junkiness of the Neveldien/Taylor directing team. Transporting Marvel’s tortured, soul-sucking biker to Eastern Europe, the sequel has him joining forces with Idris Elba and Violante Placido to save a young boy from the clutches of Satan — here portrayed by Ciarán Hinds — and his minions. As befits a GHOST RIDER story, much road-based action ensues; as befits CRANK-masters Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, much frenetic craziness gets layered onto that.
Cinefantastique Online’s Steve Biodrowski, Lawrence French, and Dan Persons rally together to discuss whether the Neveldine/Taylor style is enough to overcome the script’s stock elements, and whether even the extensive depth of the 3D screen is enough to accommodate a Nic Cage performance. Also: Steve gives his capsule review of THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY; and what’s coming in theaters and on home video.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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New 'Amazing Spider-Man' Trailer

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Tom Powers

This new trailer gives us more insight into Andrew Garfield’s disctinctly edgier Peter Parker and Spider-Man, plus a better look at the Lizard.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Due out July 3rd from Sony/Columbia Pictures.

“THE AMAZING SPISER MAN is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.”

'The Avengers' Superbowl Spot

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Tom Powers

'The Avengers' in Empire

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Tom Powers

Disney/Marvel’s THE AVENGERS is featured in this week’s Empire Magazine , which hits the stands Thursday.
In addition to this cover picture, alternate solo covers featuring Scarlet Johansson’s Black Window, Chris Evans as Captain America, Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man and Chris Humsworth as Thor can be found at the link above.
A tidbit from the article gives us Tom Hidddleston’s take on Loki, and his importance to the film. “He knows who he is now, and what his powers are.

“In order for The Avengers to come together, Loki has to be more menacing, and all of his malevolence is founded in a completely delusional dream.”

Sounds very much in keeping with the Marvel theme of tragic underpinnings to their heroes and villains.

New 'Ghost Rider: SOV' Trailer

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Tom Powers

Whatever the merits of the film might eventually turn out to be, I think this new GHOSTRIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE trailer is worth a look.

Directed by Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor. Starring Nicolas Cage, Ciarán Hinds, Idris Elba, Violante Placido, Christopher Lambert, and Johnny Whitworth.

Due out Feb. 17th from Marvel Knights, Hyde Park Entertainment and Columbia Pictures.

'Ghost Rider's' Blackout Not True to Comic

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Tom Powers

Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, the directors of GHOSTRIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGENCE, admitted to MTV that they’re not exactly sticking to the spirit of the Marvel Comics that inspired the character of Blackout, played in the film by Johnny Witworth.
The character in the film will be a mortal villain who is transformed by the Devil (Ciaran Hinds) into Blackoutbook, a demonic creature with powers that “cancel out” the Ghostrider (Nicholas Cage).
In the Ghostrider comics, Blackout was a human-demon hybrid, cursed from birth. A light-sensitive albino, the character had superhuman strength and speed, and the ability to negate all light in the area around him. He had metal fangs and claws, with the implication that these were mechanical implants the product surgery at some point in his lifetime.

Co-director Brian Taylor revealed “We didn’t really honestly do a lot of research into the comic book version of Blackout… We kind of just took the visual of him and went from there.”
Well, it’s a honest admission, at least. It remains to be seen whether the decision will adversely affect the film’s box office in a significant way. Certainly, it will alienate hard-core fans.

'The Avengers' Assemble for EW

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Tom Powers

Entertainment Weekly’s latest covery story is Marvel Studios’ THE AVENGERS .
The article mentions that although the cast got along famously, the assembled Avengers do NOT hit it off well at all. Well, no surprise there, if you’ve read the comics…
Director Joss Whedon notes that much of the dialog is being rewritten as they go, somestimes on-set. Iron Man Robert Downey Jr has been urging Whedon to push the boundries, it seems. Hopefully, it will give the film extra drama and humor, which has worked well in the past with the Marvel characters.
THE AVENGERS is due in theaters May 4th, 2012.

'The Wolverine' Faces Rewrites

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Tom Powers

Variety reports that 20th Century Fox has brought in Mark Bomback (LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD) to rewrite Christopher McQuarrie’s screenplay for THE WOLVERINE.
Hugh Jackman will be back both to play the Marvel Comics superhero and to Executive Produce the film, now slated to be directed by James Mangold. Mangold who helmed Jackman’s KATE AND LEOPOLD , replaces the departed Darren Aronofsky (BLACK SWAN).
This film entry will be set in Japan, and filmed there and in Vancouver, B.C.
Mark Bomback also did rewites on Bryan Singer’s upcoming (X-MEN) JACK THE GIANT KILLER and TOTAL RECALL “re-imagining”.

'Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance' — Trailer

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Tom Powers

Sony/Columbia’s Official Trailer for Marvel Knights’ GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE seems to offer a wilder ride than his first cinematic outing.
Directed by Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor. Starring Nicolas Cage, Ciarán Hinds, Idris Elba, Violante Placido, Johnny Whitworth, and Christopher Lambert.
Due in theaters Feb. 17th, 2012.

'Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance'—Pics

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Tom Powers

From Empire magazine via SuperheroHype comes these two official (one presumes) pictures from GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE.

This new Ghost Rider film takes Marvel Comics’ Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) to Europe where he’s driven towards thwarting the plans of the Devil to become incarate.
Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (CRANK) from a story by David S. Goyer and screenplay by Scott M. Gimple and Seth HoffmanSeth Hoffman screenplay.
Also starring Ciarán Hinds, Johnny Whitworth (CSI: MIAMI) as Blackout, Idris Elba, Violante Placido, and Christopher Lambert.

Due out Feb, 17th, 2012 from Columbia Pictures Studio, the film is not a direct sequel to 2007’s GHOST RIDER, but a kind of “soft reboot”, keeping lead actor Cage, taking place “eight years later”, but more or less ignoring the details of the first film.
Shot in various Eastern European locations, notably Romania and Turkey, it remains to be seen if the relatively modest-budgeted film will find more favor with fans than the inital cinematic outing.