KennethBranagh Tagged Articles at Cinematical

The news on anything from the world of comics has been painfully slow, and while I hate reporting non-news, it's such a slow day that I've dug up my old Geek Daily graphic and compiled a bunch of quotes from the pre-production world. Hopefully, there's something to get you talking about in here, even if all you want to do is complain that you still don't know who will play the Emerald Knight, or that you haven't seen a photo of Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow.

First, let's talk The Green Lantern -- or rather, read what Marc Guggenheim told Sci Fi Wire about it. He assures fans that the film is moving forward, and that he's written yet another draft of its screenplay. "You know I really can't [say anything]. I've sworn a blood oath of secrecy in relation to the project. But, you know, the thing I can tell you is that it is a very loving and respectful approach. The goal here is to do the best cinematic representation of the Green Lantern character. You know, there's no desire on anyone's part to completely change the character and just call this other character Green Lantern and try to ... draft off the name recognition. This is all about 'How do we bring the best version of this character to the silver screen?'"

SciFi Wire also caught up with Don Murphy for a We3 update. John Stevenson is still attached, the script is done, and now they're just looking for a studio that'll give it a home. "We're working with a director named John Stevenson. Don't be confused, though. Even though he directed Kung Fu Panda, the movie's going to be live action. It's going to be a combination CG, puppetry [and] real animals. We have a great script, a great director, and we're trying to figure out who's going to pay for it in this marketplace, but we're looking."

The main item on our agenda today is a bite-sized Thor update. Marvel's editor Joe Quesada and Avengers writer Brian Michael Bendis held a very public conversation via Twitter yesterday which revealed they had been chatting with Kenneth Branagh about Thor. Twittered Quesada: "Okay, three words describe my day today: 'Branagh gets it!' ... Sweet is when [Branagh] starts quoting continuity and past storylines. The man has immersed himself in Marvel." Bendis remained pretty silent on the topic, but the idea that he's involved with Thor's movie is really promising.

The excited-to-be-cast Brandon Routh told Collider that Edgar Wright will be making Scott Pilgrim Vs the World a mix of animation and live action. "It's a really interesting movie, people are gonna be shocked by this. It's a great mix of real time, real people and some drawn animation. [There are] some really cool things that [Wright] is doing with it. It's going to look awesome."

To celebrate the Ghostbusters 25th anniversary, Mattel is releasing a full line of 12-inch Ghostbuster figures, complete with equipment -- and this time around, you'll actually get a Peter Venkman that looks like Bill Murray! Prototypes will be at the New York ComicCon, so if you're going, keep your eyes peeled for them. There will also be a set of 6-inch figures that will debut at San Diego ComicCon -- and this set is supposed to come with ghosts to actually bust.

Three new international posters for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince have arrived online, courtesy of MyMovies.it and MSN. We've added all three to the gallery below; the one with the close-up of Harry's glasses is definitely one of the better posters we've seen so far this year. What do you think?

• Darren Aronofsky won't be directing Lone Wolf and Cub any time soon. MTV's Splash Page asked him for its status, and it turns out that the book never quite made it out of Japan. "The rights from Japan were never cleared. They tried for a while. I don't think it's getting out of there anytime soon." If they do, count him in to direct. "I'd love to do that. It's one of [Japan's] great pieces of literature. "

• IESB.net caught up with David S. Goyer, who reports that just about all the DC properties are on hold at Warner Bros. "A lot of the DC movies at Warner Brothers are all on hold while they figure out, they're going to come up with some new plan, methodology, things like that so everything has just been pressed pause on at the moment." Does that include Green Lantern, which was reportedly on the runway, ready for take off? Will Warner Bros ever find their way with those DC properties?
  

• Also on IESB.net are unconfirmed reports that Kenneth Branagh is taking on a little Thor role, similar to what Jon Favreau did in Iron Man. There are also reports that the script has been revised to include Dr. Donald Blake -- while the movie will largely deal with Thor in Asgard, his human identity gets a set-up. I'm surprised that wasn't the angle they were originally going with ... and it's a relief if they do, since it would fit nicely into that real world Jon Favreau painted in Iron Man.

• Finally, Marvel has introduced a special Spider-Man Meets Barack Obama issue of Amazing Spider-Man, and it takes place in Washington D.C. on Inauguration Day where Spidey has to thwart an old nemesis' plot to mess up the swearing in. Check out an image from the issue below (and no, we do not know why Obama looks like Jamie Foxx).

There are some great things to discuss, today, so let's just jump right in. But take a moment to admire the art , because I couldn't let Scott Weinberg outshine me anymore!

• Rendering my Tuesday column somewhat obsolete, George Miller has informed the world that he is still attached to Justice League Mortal, and that the film is still very much alive. Apparently, he was never even on the Australian television show to make such fatal statements. Oh well. We can still talk about whether or not you can ever make a Justice League movie, right? [via SuperheroHype]

• Kevin McKidd told IGN that he is in the running for Thor -- and not for a secondary character, as he previously said, but as the god himself. Nothing is definite, there's just a lot of talk back and forth, but he's very excited that Kenneth Branagh is on board. It's a deal I'd like to see done, as the combo of McKidd and Branagh seems like a winner to me. (I particularly like that IGN caught McKidd at the Punisher: War Zone premiere -- Titus Pollo and Lucius Vorenus, together again!)

• Lexi Alexander might replace Neveldine and Taylor as the director of Jonah Hex. She told Latino Review that she had been sent the script, and really liked it. "I like it even more that Mr. Josh Brolin is still attached. Who knows if he'll stay, but it's more exciting than I thought. You get a story like this you think, 'Oh God, I'm going to be doing the same thing over and over again.' but it's really, really interesting." I haven't seen Punisher: War Zone yet, but all the reviews are positive, and indicate she'd have a similar take to Neveldine and Taylor. Go for it, Alexander!

• Also wanted -- one director for Magdalena. Gale Anne Hurd is looking. She has her cast lined up, and now she just needs a director. They'll have a very prepared star in Jenna Dewan, who Hurd says has "steeped herself" in the character. [via ShockTillYouDrop]

• The running time for Watchmen currently clocks at 2 hours, 35 minutes. Zack Snyder envisions the director's cut to be 3 hours and 10 minutes. And he's putting Tales of the Black Freighter together as you read this. [SciFi Wire]