« December 2006 | Main | March 2007 »

February 2007 Archives

February 1, 2007

Hulk Director Answers Fans' Questions!

The following was originally posted on Superherohype.com:

The Incredible Hulk director Louis Leterrier is answering fans' questions at the Superhero Hype! message boards and has already revealed a few items on the new movie, scheduled for a June 27, 2008 release.

Leterrier said that the role of Bruce Banner, played by Eric Bana in the first film, is close to being filled (Bana is not ruled out yet) and the rest of the cast will follow soon after. "Thunderbolt" Ross is the main villain with Emil Blonsky (aka Abomination) not far behind. The Hulk will be CGI with prosthetics used in certain scenes where needed. The title character will also show feats of strength.

Leterrier added that the film is still on track with no delays. Aaron Sims is working on the Hulk design, which will still be green.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

February 8, 2007

Marvel Stays True To Superhero Characters In Transition To Big Screen

The following was originally posted on FortWayne.com:

2008 release date is also set for "The Incredible Hulk." The green-skinned behemoth first stormed into theaters in director Ang Lee's "Hulk" in 2003. Feige says he's proud of the angst-ridden first film.

But he's eager to deliver a movie that explores a different angle of the Hulk, "which is that element of wish fulfillment, of overcoming an injustice or a bully and tapping into a strength that you didn't quite realize you had in yourself."

For the complete article, click here.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

February 9, 2007

The Incredible Hulk Now Smashing Into Theatres June 13, 2008

Universal has moved The Incredible Hulk away from Disney/Pixar's WALL• E and up two weeks to June 13, 2008. There is also no competition on that date yet.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

February 12, 2007

Have They Cast The New Hulk?!

The following was originally posted on Aintitcool.com:

Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.

First time source here.

You know what that means. This is a rumor, and nothing more at the moment. Still, it’s a fascinating rumor, and if this does pan out, I think it’s a really cool choice for “puny Banner.”

Hey Harry –

I've been a longtime fan and wanted to fill you in on the latest casting news coming out of Hollywood. The movie? HULK 2 - which is one movie I have little desire to see. I'm still not quite sure WHY movie execs feel they need to remake this movie. Anyway, it seems they've signed their leading man and will be unveiling him to the public soon. The name is familiar and an interesting choice.

ADRIEN BRODY.

I'm curious as to what you think of him in the role? I haven't seen the script yet but my sources inside the studio say it's pretty good. If you share this news on your website, please keep my name secret.... you can refer to me as SCRUPLE.

Keep up the great work.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

February 13, 2007

Arad Updates Marvel Film Slate

The following was originally posted on Scifi.com:

Former Marvel Comics chief Avi Arad, who is now a producer, said that his plate is full with upcoming Marvel film adaptations through 2010, starting with Iron Man and the sequel The Incredible Hulk. That's in addition to the upcoming sequel for The Punisher, a possible fourth Spider-Man film and a second Ghost Rider; the first one opens Feb. 16.

"We have Iron Man starting in March, and The Incredible Hulk is starting in June, and across town somewhere happening right now is a meeting about Punisher 2," Arad said. "And we will see what happens to Ghost Rider [2], but I would like to get that going."

For the complete article, click here.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

February 14, 2007

The Incredible Hulk To Shoot in Toronto or Vancouver?

The following was originally posted on HollywoodNorthReport.com:

The Universal/Marvel Entertainment production Hulk 2 aka The Incredible Hulk, reportedly starring actor Adrien "The Pianist" Brody as 'David Banner' (?!), has been scouting studio locations to set up shop in either Toronto or Vancouver.

Budget is said to be in the $125 million range.

The comic book-to-film has been scheduled for a June 13, 2008 release.

French director Louis "Transporter" Letterier will direct the film, with producer Avi Arad confirming 'The Abomination' as the main villain. Screenplay is by Zak "X-Men: The Last Stand" Penn.

For the complete article, click here.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

February 15, 2007

Avi Arad On The Hulk

The following was originally posted on Superherohype.com:

This is a big year for Marvel Comics and next year's going to be a big one for Marvel Studios, so producer Avi Arad has a lot of his plate right now. "Every year is a big year," he told us, and when asked what they might have coming up after Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk he replied, "This is enough for now. They're starting production in March on one and the other one in June."

He also shared the story of how he picked Louis Leterrier to make the Hulk sequel, since he directed one of our favorite action movies Unleashed: "Actually, Louis turned me down the first time, and then I met with him again and I had laryngitis, so I pitched him the story for 40 minutes. I think he felt so bad, he really listened, but he fell in love with the project. Then we met in France, and he went home and actually did some homework and came back with storyboards and amazing art, and I knew he was hooked. We love him, he's a great filmmaker."

For the complete article, click here.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

February 23, 2007

Peter Gallagher NOT Bruce Banner In The New Incredible Hulk Film

The following was originally posted on IESB.net:

So can the OC star be the next Dr. Bruce Banner in the Marvel retelling of the Incredible Hulk? Or a villain or supporting character?

This morning I received a very interesting email from one of our readers. Before you read the following, I want to be very clear on this, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM ANY OF THIS! Okay, here it is:

Thought you might be interested. My fiancee works at the CW network in **********. We just watched that last episode of THE OC on screener. Not bad. If you want spoilers, email me. Anyway, thought you'd be interested to know that Peter Gallagher has been up [he may have it by now? or not] for a role in the "Hulk" sequel. His scenes on the final episode had to be shifted around, because of some kind of test on the movie. Anyway, could be old news....

“D”

Update: Gallagher's publicist just gave us a call with another quick update, so what did she have to say? That the story is not accurate. He has not yet read for a role and as far as she knows no casting has been done for the film.

For the complete article, click here.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

February 26, 2007

Site Update

Hey guys,

I know it's been a long time coming, but I finally made some much needed updates to the site and message boards. The original site is still accessible via the links on the navigation bar above. Let me know what you think.

Bruno

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

The Biz: Marvel Powers Up Iron Man, Incredible Hulk For 2008

The following was originally posted on BrandWeek.com:

MARVEL Entertainment is looking ahead to summer '08 with licensing programs for Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, the first two movies from its new self-financed and -produced film slate.

Partners include Hasbro and Hallmark.

With retail real estate so competitive among film-based properties—especially during the summer blockbuster period—Marvel is signing licensees that will take on both superheroic stories in order to get a full-season of shelf space at retail.

"What we're looking to do, from a strategic standpoint, is kind of 'own' 2008," said Paul Gitter, svp-consumer products for North America, Marvel Entertainment. "The goal is to go out to manufacturers and retailers, and create some continuity with both films from May through the back-to-school window."

Iron Man and Incredible Hulk licensees include Hasbro (master toy licensee), Hallmark (social expressions and party goods), Kids Headquarters (boys & girls apparel), Jay Franco (domestics), Mad Engine (T-shirts), Fruit of the Loom (underwear), Disguise (costumes), BBC (footwear), Berkshire (headwear and cold weather), Mega Bloks (construction toys) and Jakks Pacific (plug & play games), AME (sleepwear), Sideshow (collectibles), FAB (back-to-school & arts and crafts) and MGA (die-cast vehicles). Marvel is looking to add partners in other key licensing categories, such as food & beverages, consumer electronics and publishing. Licensees were given a directive to incorporate innovation into their products and urged to view their creations as components of a collection, not one-off items. Transformation also is a key element of both properties.

The strategy of signing licensees for both properties to "own" summer follows a successful run with Spider-Man on screens and at retail. Sony's third film in the franchise hits theaters this summer and Spidey has become a day-in, day-out business for Marvel.

Gitter hopes new film properties could turn in to perennials, too.

The Paramount-distributed, Jon Favreau-directed Iron Man (May 2, 2008) stars Robert Downey Jr. (as Tony Stark/Iron Man), Terrence Howard and Gwyneth Paltrow. The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008) will be distributed by Universal, but is not a sequel to the studio's Hulk (2003). The film is not yet cast.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

The Incredible Hulk Scheduled To Begin Principal Photography Later This Year

The following was originally posted on Businesswire.com:

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: MVL), a global character-based entertainment and licensing company, today reported operating results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2006.

Marvel’s Chairman, Morton Handel, commented, “We are pleased to announce that we intend to launch the next stage of our evolution as a global entertainment company by commencing principal photography on our Iron Man film on March 12th. The profile of the Iron Man character and the Marvel brand have been instrumental in attracting top-tier talent to this project. Later this year, we also plan to commence principal photography on our second self-produced feature film, The Incredible Hulk. With both of these movies scheduled for summer 2008 release and work on other Marvel-produced films also underway, future growth prospects for Marvel are strong.”

For the complete article, click here.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

'Hulk' Heading to Toronto for Flim Shoot

The following was originally posted on the Associated Press:

'The Incredible Hulk' Heading to Toronto for Summer Film Shoot

TORONTO (AP) -- Torontonians beware! The Incredible Hulk is coming.

The city has been chosen as a principal filming location for the upcoming Marvel Studios production of "The Incredible Hulk."

"The Hulk" is to be directed by Louis Leterrier ("Transporter" 1 & 2, "Unleashed").

The film's executive producer Jim Van Wyck ("Lemony Snicket," "Armageddon"), shot in the city two years ago on the action flick "16 Blocks" and said he found the Toronto film community to be "exceptional," lauding the co-operation from the city and the province.

"The Incredible Hulk" is expected to begin shooting this summer for about four months. The cast has yet to be announced. Marvel Studios is a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment Inc., which publishes characters including Spider Man, X-Men Captain America and Ghost Rider.

The announcement gives a boost to the local film industry which is still suffering the after-effects of a six-week strike by Canadian performers. A tentative deal between ACTRA and producers was reached Feb. 21.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

February 27, 2007

New Hulk Video Game Coming?

The following was originally posted on ComicsContinuum.com:

During its fourth quarter earnings webcast on Monday, Marvel announced:

Marvel isn't revealing the budgets for Iron Man and Incredible Hulk for "competitive reasons."

Incredible Hulk will begin production in the second quarter of 2007 for a June 13, 2008

Marvel has a partner for the video game based on the new Hulk movie that will be announced soon.

For the complete article, click here.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

More On The Incredible Hulk Filming Schedule

The following was originally posted in The Toronto Star:

The Incredible Hulk's executive producer, Jim Van Wyck, (Lemony Snickett) said Marvel Studios' decision came down to Toronto or Vancouver.

"I shared with everybody here at Marvel Studios my experience shooting 16 Blocks (in Toronto) two years ago," he said. "It was just an exceptional experience in terms of the calibre of people who worked on the film, the level of co-operation from the city, mayor's office and OMDC, everybody.

"It was just one of those terrific filmmaking experiences," he added.

Preparations start almost immediately for shooting to begin this summer. Van Wyck says the production will be in Toronto for 14 to 15 weeks, with a majority of the work being done in downtown Toronto and Hamilton. The movie will be released in mid-summer 2008.

There will be many big names involved with The Incredible Hulk, including producers like Avi Arad and Kevin Feige, who created the Spider-Man, X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises. Gale Anne Hurd, who produced Terminator 1, 2, 3 and Armageddon, will also work as a producer.

Louis Leterrier (Transporter 1 & 2 and Unleashed) will direct.

For the complete article, click here.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.

Marvel Secures All $525 Million For Film Slate

The following was originally posted on Newsarama.com:

Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: MVL) announced today that it has satisfied all funding requirements under the Company's previously announced $525 million non-recourse credit facility and has begun borrowing from the facility to finance its first self-produced and financed feature film, Iron Man. Additionally, Marvel has finalized distribution deals for Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk in the international territories for which it controls distribution rights. Paramount Pictures will distribute Iron Man and Universal Pictures will distribute The Incredible Hulk in North America and all other international territories. Iron Man is scheduled to be released May 2, 2008, kicking off the Summer 2008 movie season with The Incredible Hulk scheduled to follow in June of 2008.

On the distribution side, Marvel Studios has secured agreements with top international distributors for Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. As previously announced, Paramount will distribute Iron Man and Universal Studios will distribute The Incredible Hulk in North America and in all other international territories.

MVL Film Finance LLC, a special purpose, bankruptcy-remote indirect subsidiary of Marvel is the borrower under the facility. The borrowings are non-recourse to Marvel Entertainment and its other affiliates.

For the complete article, click here.

Wanna talk about this bit of news? Start a discussion over at the boards.