We’re just about two weeks away from the start of the Summer 2012 movie season, and right out the gate comic book fans are going to get a feast with Joss Whedon‘s The Avengers. Superhero fans have been waiting their whole lives to get a good team-up flick, and it looks like Marvel is the first to cross the line with a star-studded cast and plenty of surprises in store. We’ve speculated about theories fans have been chatting about, but knowing Joss, he’ll have some big events that will put smiles on fans’ faces. I have written about some of the what, but equally important is the who. Since Comic Con 2011, we’ve known the lineup of main stars, but could The Avengers have some cameos foretelling the direction Marvel goes post-Avengers? Take a look at some of the Not-So-Usual-Suspects who could pop into the film.

Ant-Man

Heroes come both big and small; sometimes they are both big and small. Take Hank Pym: scientist, inventor, and a guy with a big heart. Known for his ability to change size at will, Hank was actually a member of the first team of Avengers, finding the chilly Steve Rodgers/Captain America frozen in ice in issue #4. Edgar Wright, a talented writer/director of films such as Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, has been working on the screenplay with writing partner Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) and have expressed Marvel’s interest in the project. Wright would produce and direct the film if the suits give the green light, but we’ll have to wait and see if anything comes to fruition. Whedonites have been hoping Nathan Fillion would play Pym, but at this point nothing official has been expressed about casting.

Doctor Strange

The Sorcerer Supreme isn’t something of a Mexican menu, he’s the defender of magic in our realm. Stephen Strange studies magic and becomes the arbiter of magic, drawing on the supernatural to fight forces threatening our world. His residence, the Sanctum Sanctorum has served as a place of respite for Avengers and other heroes throughout comics, and his associate, Wong, provided assistance to Strange and other heroes in need of help. At some point after Disney’s acquisition of Marvel, screenwriting team Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer worked on a treatment for a Doctor Strange film, the fate of which is unknown. However, it is common in Hollywood for people to rework screenplays and things might be being kept hush for now.

Fantastic Four

If you’re thinking, “Hey, they already made Fantastic Four into two movies” you are not mistaken. But Marvel was not happy with how they left things with the team on-screen, and plan on giving audiences a new introduction to the residents of the Baxter Building. If Avengers does want to tie into the universe of Fantastic Four, there are all sorts of ways. Making mention of their ill-fated trip to space (which gives them their powers), talk of a brilliant scientist named Richards, or something even more bold, revealing the existence of Victor von Doom.

Daredevil

Daredevil might not be as big of a hero as the others mentioned, but Matt Murdock is a formidable foe for criminals and evil. His stomping grounds being New York, one could easily work a Daredevil reference into Avengers, as the climactic battle occurs in the Big Apple. Out of all listed heroes, Daredevil’s inclusion is least likely, especially after news broke that director David Slade is taking a break from the project. If it was something that Marvel was looking for being a big summer hit, they have quite a problem on their hands. As much as I am skeptical of people in Hollywood and like to think misdirection is a fun trick they play on fans, this doesn’t feel like that sort of ploy.

So, why might one (or more) of these heroes have a little role in The Avengers? It’s simple, each of these franchises is currently being tooled around for a Marvel feature. The last two, Fantastic Four and Daredevil, already slugged baddies around on-screen, but both are getting the reboot treatment. Ant-Man is a fan-favorite for a lot of Avengers readers, as he has had a prominent role in the team at various times. Doctor Strange is a great character, but he’s never been alluded to in any of the Marvel films.

I think it would be great for one of these heroes to get a small mention or a brief introduction a la Hawkeye in Thor. What would be disappointing is if there is too much dedicated to the future of the Marvel movie universe in The Avengers. Fans should be able to sit back, enjoy the ride they’ve been patiently waiting for since Iron Man, and then get a big grin when they see a touch of foreshadowing. The great thing about Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013), Captain America 2 (April 4, 2014) and Thor 2 (November 15, 2013) all hitting theaters before Summer 2014, the rumored “other feature” Marvel will have sharing the summer with the already-announced The Amazing Spider-Man 2, if they pass on throwing in a hero cameo in Avengers, they’ll have plenty of opportunity to do so.

Which hero (listed or not) would you like to see most? And remember, just because there’s a screenplay or work being done on a movie, that doesn’t mean it’ll see the light of day.

Shooting a giant action scene for The Avengers, director Joss Whedon is using Cleveland as a stand-in for New York City. If you haven’t been paying attention to the films, The Avengers are a dream team of superheros, handpicked by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to take on a threat to the world. The roster includes Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). We know, after the events of Thor, that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) will get possession of a powerful artifact (the Cosmic Cube introduced in Captain America: The First Avenger) and will seek to punish his brother Thor along with humanity with it. A couple of interesting pieces of media have leaked from the set, including Captain America taking on some baddies in a pretty large scale fight. We ran a great shot of Chris Evans rocking out his 21st century outfit, but some more pictures and video made their way online. Take a look at some photos and video from the set of The Avengers, and feel free to let us know if you have any theories about the film. The Avengers assembles into theaters May 4, 2012.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Marvel has released several new one sheets for The Avengers. These posters are concept art which shows us what we can expect the characters and costumes to look like when the film hits theaters next summer. These awesome posters include Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Chris Evans as Captain America, and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. The final poster includes the S.H.I.E.L.D agents Nick Fury, Agent Coulson, and Maria Hill.

If you want to know more about The Avengers check out our article on Who Are the Avengers for a cast and character breakdown. Check out these posters below and let us know what you think.

Today is the eve of the biggest geek gathering in the world, also known as the San Diego Comic-Con. At last year’s convention we learned that Marvel was putting together a film based on The Avengers, a universe of superheroes that includes Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, and Captain America. One year later the film is now in production and today we have the first teaser poster which features a giant “A” and the tagline: “Assemble 2012.”

Also launching today is the official website for the film which you can check out right here. There isn’t much to discuss with this simple, almost too simple of a poster, which doesn’t really give us all that much to look at. I was hoping for a little more since Marvel will not be showing any footage at Comic-Con for the film. But I can guarantee that we will be hearing much more about The Avengers in the coming months.

Check out the full poster below:

The Avengers is directed by Joss Wheedon and arrives in theaters May 4th 2012. The film stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg and more

Source: Walt Disney Pictures

Today, Disney announced that Chris Hemsworth will be reprising his starring role in Thor 2, opening in theaters July 26, 2013. Thor, a big success for Marvel, has already grossed $437 million at the box office. However, there’s someone who won’t be returning to their spot from the first; director Kenneth Branagh will not be returning to the director’s chair. He might be looking at a different project that will conflict with the production. I bet Disney set the date to coincide with Iron Man 3‘s May 2013 release, looking to capitalize on their hoped success on The Avengers, and Branagh might be wanting to do something else at that point. He might still be involved in producing or oversee the script, but I wonder who Disney will be looking to direct. Who would you like to see fill the director’s chair? Let us know below.

If you weren’t already excited about the upcoming Avengers movie, set to open in theatres May 4th, 2012, the new promo poster should definitely build your anticipation. The Marvel Comic franchise (Marvel Entertainment) and Paramount Pictures have been doing a great job thus far, teasing the upcoming feature film by placing Easter eggs and cameos in all of their latest movies. But this is the first time we’ve seen the superhero dream team all together, at least “officially.”

According to an article featured on the MTV Splash Page the promo poster image was snapped by a fan at the Las Vegas Licensing Expo 2011 and then immediately tweeted for all the Avengers fandom to enjoy. Thanks to modern technology we get to see a precursor to what’s sure to be one of next years “super” (pun intended) hits. The image also reveals the new costumes of Captain America, who has his own movie opening in theatres July 22nd and Hawk Eye, who had a quick cameo minus the new threads in the latest Thor movie.

The other night, I watched Thor again. I understand why some people found it slow in parts and a bit nerdy, but what do you expect for a movie dealing with Norse gods. It’s a fun action flick that serves as the linchpin for the upcoming team-up The Avengers. After the movie, my friend and I watched a few episodes of Arrested Development. At first, I didn’t think anything of it. But after a few episodes, I realized there were a few things that reminded me of Thor. So, here’s a list of a few things from Thor that reminded me of Arrested Development.

The Dads Are Hesitant To Hand Down The Legacy

Odin loves his son, as any father should. However, his son is a proud and haughty. Thor thinks he’s ready to rule, thinking like a warrior and less diplomatic. He wants to destroy the enemies of Asgard, without considering the consequences. George Bluth, head of the Bluth Company, broke a lot of laws. Other than being a philanderer, he dabbled in some tricky book keeping schemes and light treason. He went to announce his successor, but ended up putting his wife in charge. Michael Bluth wanted to leave, but knew he had the best opportunity to help his family.

The Brothers Are Tricksters

Loki is the god of mischief. He ends up becoming a villain against the good heros of Asgard, but he didn’t start out that way. Loki uses magic to trick people, sometimes appearing as someone else, or magically bringing things to him. GOB Bluth (pronounced Job from The Bible) has a heart of illusions. He doesn’t perform tricks though, tricks are what a whore does for money, or cocaine. GOB rides a Segway, which looks complicated and probably uses some form of magic. He also makes a yacht disappear, though he technically sinks it.

Daddy Wasn’t There

Odin occasionally enters the Odinsleep, a coma in which he absorbs energy and regains his strength. In Thor, Odin collapses, and we don’t know if he’s going to awake. George Bluth, after a laundry list of charges, sits in a cell in prison. However, despite faking a heart attack and going on the run, he gets caught and we discover he was actually building houses for Saddam Hussein. That would be the light treason I mentioned earlier.

They Live In Seclusion

Asgard exists in a far away place in our galaxy. Using the Bifröst, the citizens of Asgard can cross the galaxy and come to Earth. However, their place is not accessible from our end. At the end of Thor, the hero and his love are cut off from each other, but there’s always hope they’ll find each other again. The Bluths, who realize they don’t actually have a lot of money anymore, live in the model home the company owns. So, most of the stuff in the home doesn’t work, and eventually begins to fall apart after realizing there isn’t any actual plumbing in the unit.

I love Arrested Development, and if you don’t you should watch it. If you have seen it and don’t like it, I do feel sorry for you.

Adapting the comic book character of Thor for mainstream audiences is one of the biggest risks Hollywood has taken lately. Despite the success of comic book hero movies lately, such as The Dark Knight and Iron Man, Thor is a fantastical story. Whereas heroes do not exist in our world, most of the features we’ve seen lately have highlighted the “mostly grounded in reality” style of said capes and costumed warriors. Thor is not a monicker taken by a mutant who’s power is similar to the Norse god of thunder, he is in fact that same Thor. While the movie attempts to explain that they are essentially beings from another part of the galaxy that happened to be worshiped by Vikings of the past, it’s still a big stretch for mainstream audiences unaccustomed to seeing realms like Asgard and Jötunheimr. Thor is a big, risky gamble that’s meant to stand alone as an action movie yet still be tied to the Marvel universe for the upcoming Joss Whedon feature The Avengers. And by the hammer Mjöllnir, it is absolutely fun.

The story is one that’s been told for generations: a hero loses his way, is no longer a hero, and has to learn how to get back to becoming the hero he is meant to be. However, there’s a lot in-between that helps Thor overcome some of these cliches. First, we open to a desert, where a freak storm sends down a mysterious man. We jump into the realm of Asgard, with helpful narration by Anthony Hopkins, and sort of get how this foreign world works. Odin, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki’s father, has had a strained relationship with the Frost Giants, a warrior race from another world. When they attack, Thor and Loki, along with a few warriors, travel to the Frost Giant realm to take them out. For his brass actions, Thor is stripped of his power and sent to Earth. Meeting the lovely Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and a few other scientists, he becomes accustomed to his new home, finding out he cannot retrieve his hammer (being protected by S.H.I.E.L.D.). Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has been plotting Thor’s fall from grace all along, and wants to rid the universe of Thor and their father, who’s fallen into a coma.

Loki is, in my opinion, the best thing about the film. Portrayed absolutely brilliantly by Tom Hiddleston, the god of mischief is the most deep character in the film. At the start, we see his plotting glances while Thor contemplates taking the fight to the Frost Giants, breaking the truce between their worlds. He’s not overtly evil, he speaks in whispers and reverse psychology. He lets Thor feed off his feelings, knowing exactly how to manipulate. His intentions, though, are not exactly evil. His descent to becoming evil is slow, just as it is in our world. His motivation to get rid of Thor and his plans for Asgard are flawed, yet still understandable. The depth of the character is a suprising addition to a rich mythology the movie crafts.

Thor is a fun, entertaining action flick that’s a perfect way to start off this summer’s comic book movie series. While the movie does have some issues balancing Asgard and Earth and does rehash some of the same story arcs about heroes becoming “worthy” of their power, it is still a great story told in a fascinating way. If not for the action, the movie is worth watching just to see how the character Loki is handled. As the god of mischief, he’s still a character seeking acceptance and even redemption. He’s flawed, doing what he thinks he needs to for the best of Asgard. He’s not a super evil crazy maniac like we typically get in comic book movies. In many ways, it’s a Shakespearean take, one that probably would not have worked had Thor not been directed by actor-turned-director Kenneth Branagh. Thor is a fun summer movie, a bit beyond what audiences may have become accustomed to, but none the less brings the action and entertains with rich story.

Fanboyz Grade: B+

Stuart Immonen delivers us an updated look at a classic grouping of Marvel Comics big three. Iron Man, Thor and Steve Rogers are done well here, yet very simply. Even with Steve Rogers not in his Captain America uniform you know that you’re in for a fight. This really does look like a very plain cover. What really sold me was the grouping of heroes in the background. I love how they look in that starry universe. It’s very compelling. The way Ms. Marvel looks is intimidating. She looks like she could take on the whole page of heroes.

What do you think of this weeks COW? Post below.

It has been a while since we have seen anything for Warner Brother’s Green Lantern movie starring Ryan Reynolds. In fact the first and only trailer premiered back in November, and since then we really haven’t seen much other than the occasional promotional photo (like what is above.) So what the hell is Warner Brothers waiting for!? All signs point to epic failure if a movie that is set to be released in three months does not have a big marketing push right now.

With Marvel’s Thor and Captain America also arriving in theaters this summer, the WB better get it together. They may be a little late to the party since it is being reported that a new trailer will debut in front of Thor on May 6th. That is still over a month away – what is with the long wait?

The first trailer we saw was met with a lukewarm reception, so hopefully this new trailer and give us something new to talk about. According to WB’s worldwide marketing president, Sue Kroll:

“Part of the reason the response to the first trailer was lukewarm was that the big-scale sequences weren’t ready to show, and we suffered for it. We can’t afford to do that again.”

This weekend new footage is scheduled to be shown at both CinemaCon and WonderCon. Hopefully some much needed buzz will come from this.