Source: Coming Soon

The past few hours have rolled out some very interesting news about Marvel’s biggest superhero flicks. First, a new photo from Kenneth Branagh’s Thor has hit the web. It features Thor (with hammer), Loki (his adopted brother) and Odin their father and ruler of Asgard. But there’s some things that just feel weird about the picture. Second, a new rumor has surfaced that Mark Ruffalo is in final talks to take up the role of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in Joss Whedon’s The Avengers. As you may recall, Edward Norton is no longer attached to the roll. Last, both Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger are getting some special Hollywood treatment, which honestly now isn’t so much of a surprise. Check out the headlines below.

Weird #1 – Thor

There’s three things about this picture that strike me in a funny way. First, Chris Hemsworth (Thor) looks like Heath Ledger. I’m wondering with keeping the Norse mythology if they will speak in Olde English or sound Shakespearean. Loki doesn’t have his trademark huge-horn hat, like how Thor doesn’t have his, but I can’t help but feel there’ll be some shot or scene with it considering it’s such a staple of his character. Last, Anthony Hopkins looks like a futuristic pirate.  I’m not feeling the eye-patch but it could be a temporary thing, like Odin took an elbow in the face during a pickup game of basketball or something.

Weird #2 – Hulk in The Avengers

Mark Ruffalo is a good actor. I’ll give him that much. He was fantastic alongside Adrien Brody in The Brothers Bloom. I just wish Norton stayed with the role. According to Edward’s statements, it sounds like Marvel were the ones who cut ties with him. Apparently, Edward Norton is a difficult person to work with, so they might be pulling a Terrance Howard/Don Cheadle swap a la Iron Man 2. Cheadle played the role of James Rhodes differently from Terrance Howard, and I’m wondering how Ruffalo will do if he indeed is cast. He sort of doesn’t look comfortable in his own skin, so maybe Mark Ruffalo will have a deep understanding of having a giant monster caged inside himself.

Obvious – The Third Dimension

I wonder how people who have one eye feel about 3D. I imagine they get dragged to 3D flicks by family and loved ones, yet no doubt think to themselves about talking to movie theater managers about getting cheaper tickets. The best looking 3D features are the ones shot in 3D, like Avatar and Jaws 3-D. However, since Hollywood has caught on that they can make anything 3D and people will go to it, there’s been a major push to make movies 3D, including doing post-production 3D. Post-production 3D looks terrible, but it looks like both Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger will be made 3D in post-production. Speaking about the changes to the films, Captain America director Joe Johnston said they are giving the 3D process a lot of time and effort and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has said that the special effects in both movies began in 3D replication. Hope it looks better than Clash of the Titans or The Last Airbender.