Cinematical

New 'Incredible Hulk' Trailer! (Now with More Smashing!)

Erik Davis — 2008-05-14T11:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Movie Marketing, Remakes and Sequels, Trailers and Clips

A new trailer for The Incredible Hulk has just arrived online, and I'm definitely diggin' it. This is the trailer currently playing before Speed Racer, and, is it just me, or is that a little tease of the classic TV show's music there at the end. Have we heard any of that yet? Maybe I missed it in another trailer, but I first noticed it just now -- and, man, did it take me back.* This new preview gives us a whole lotta Hulk and no Abomination -- just Hulk running and smashing things, like those two cars he's holding up at the end. (Does insurance cover a monster destroying your automobile?)

The Incredible Hulk stars Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt and Tim Blake Nelson. The film marks Marvel's second self-financed flick, following the very successful Iron Man, and it was directed by Louis Leterrier (The Transporter, The Transporter 2). So now that you've gotten a good look at three trailers and tons of images from the film, whaddya think? Worth a shot? As good or better than Iron Man? Check our our pretty massive Incredible Hulk gallery, and sound off below ...

*The music is also featured at the end of the second trailer; thanks to Peter for pointing that out.

Gallery: The Incredible Hulk

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New 'Incredible Hulk' Images (Plus a Peek at Captain America)!

Erik Davis — 2008-05-12T10:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Images

A whole crop of new images from The Incredible Hulk have hit the net, including the one above showing some assistant dude (Tim Blake Nelson) holding the super serum that's eventually injected into Tim Roth (which, of course, gave him super powers and turned him into Abomination). Ah, but those of us at New York Comic Con were told that this serum is, in fact, the same kind used to create Captain America. Additionally, First Showing is running around claiming there's a shot of Captain America's shield on Tony Stark's workbench in Iron Man -- and, while they've watched the scene several times and say it's true, I don't believe anyone from the Favreau camp has confirmed this yet.

Now that Iron Man has ~~literally~~ destroyed the box office, it will be interesting to see how their second self-financed film does when The Incredible Hulk hits theaters on June 13. The two scenes we watched at Comic Con were enough to convince me that this version of Hulk will definitely kick a bunch of ass. That's a given. But will it succeed with fans? (Something tells me there's already a whole bunch of people who will hate this film regardless, but that's their problem -- we'll certainly go in with an open mind and an open heart). Definitely check out all those new images (mixed with some older ones) in the gallery below.

Gallery: The Incredible Hulk

[via Movieland]

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'Thor' Needs New Director, Hulk to Cameo in 'Iron Man 2'?

Erik Davis — 2008-05-08T15:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Deals, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

There's all sorts of madness going on at Marvel right now in the wake of Iron Man's ridiculous opening weekend. Marvel's Kevin Feige was promoted to God and now it's time to start looking toward the future. While we await the release of Marvel's second self-financed flick (The Incredible Hulk) later this summer, The Hollywood Reporter tells us Matthew Vaughn is no longer directing Thor (currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on June 4, 2010, not July 4 as previously reported -- unless HR made a typo). According to HR, Vaughn's holding deal expired. In the meantime, Marvel is waiting for a script polish from writer Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend).

On what we should expect from Thor, Feige says, "It's very much a Marvel superhero story but against the backdrop of nothing you've seen before. " He then described the flick as a "period fantasy in the vein of The Lord of the Rings." Sounds pretty cool to me. Who do you think they should get to direct Thor? Heck, why not throw Peter Jackson on it -- I'm sure fans would freak over that one.

Additionally, and this is just a rumor right now, HR also claims that Hulk might be featured in Iron Man 2 (due out April 30, 2010). They don't go any further than that except to say we should expect cross-referencing in all these films now that Marvel has control over the movies its characters are in. However, one thing's NOT for sure right now -- and that's Robert Downey Jr.'s participation in the Iron Man sequel. He's signed on, but HR says Marvel may have to "sweeten the pot to reward the movie's star." Oh, they'll sweeten ... or else millions of fans will look to bring on a world of hurt.

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A Spooky New Trailer for M. Night Shyamalan's 'The Happening'

Jessica Barnes — 2008-05-05T14:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Horror, Thrillers, 20th Century Fox, Movie Marketing, Trailers and Clips

Despite having one of the worst reputations in Hollywood, it would appear that things are starting to look up for M. Night Shyamalan. You can check out the latest trailer Shyamalan's The Happening above, and it already has me sold on the apocalyptic thriller. Even though I was relatively impressed with the first trailer, this one has definitely amped up the creep factor (caused some serious heebie-jeebies when I saw it in front of Iron Man last weekend).

Mark Wahlberg stars as a meek and mild high school science teacher who lands smack dab in the middle of an end of days scenario. And might I add that it will be nice to see Wahlberg play something other than his usual tough guy role -- I mean, it's been too long since he's really had to act. Zooey Deschanel co-stars as his estranged wife and the criminally underused John Leguizamo, Spencer Breslin (brother to Abigail) and Ashlyn Sanchez play fellow survivors.

The Happening is scheduled for release on Friday June 13th, which will put the thriller in direct competition with The Incredible Hulk for opening weekend supremacy. Between the critics who call Shyamalan a one-trick pony, and the bad buzz for the big green guy, it's going to be a tough call for audiences. I know which film I'm going to see first -- how about you?

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Monday Morning Poll: Will 'Iron Man's' Awesome Weekend Help 'The Incredible Hulk'?

Erik Davis — 2008-05-05T11:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Monday Morning Poll

In case you haven't heard by now, Iron Man took home a whopping $201 million worldwide over the weekend, with that amount pretty much split right down the middle between domestic and international. Not only is it the second best non-sequel opening ever, but it also proved that Marvel (now self-financing their films) is in it to win it ... big time. Fortunately, folks won't have to wait long to see if Marvel will strike gold twice -- in a little over a month from now (on June 13, to be exact), The Incredible Hulk will debut in theaters. Last time a Hulk film was in theaters, Ang Lee directed and Marvel did not self-finance the flick. After seeing what Iron Man did to the box office over the weekend (and what fans thought of the film), something tells me we're in for a completely different kind of re-boot this time around.

Right from the start, folks haven't been giving The Incredible Hulk a fair shake, myself included. It took a long time to get those first images, and even longer for a trailer. But now that the film's marketing campaign is in full swing, I'm starting to see the fans turn. I witnessed the full "field scene" from the trailer at New York Comic Con last month, and I can assure you it looked awesome. Everyone is talking up the Iron Man cast, but have you noticed that The Incredible Hulk cast is just as good (not to mention I think Tim Roth will play a better villain than Jeff Bridges)? And now that Iron Man killed, does that change anything for The Incredible Hulk? Do more people now want to see it? Are expectations higher? Sound off below in the poll and in the comments section ...

View Poll

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'The Avengers' Set for July, 2011!

Erik Davis — 2008-05-05T10:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Deals, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek

Folks expected a huge opening take for Iron Man, but $201 million worldwide? Damn. And doesn't it feel a whole lot better when a film that makes that kinda money actually deserves to make that kind of money? Anyway, as expected, Marvel went absolutely nutty over this news and, while announcing quarter one profits, took some time to give us tentative release dates for Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers. Marvel Entertainment will not release a film in 2009, but first up in 2010 will be Iron Man 2 on April 30. Two months later, on July 4, 2010, Thor will debut in theaters. So, like this summer, we'll be getting two Marvel flicks in 2010 -- and if Thor wants to claim fourth of July weekend, that film better know how to kick some serious ass. You don't jump on July 4th without knowing you have a set -- know what I mean?

Similarly, in 2011, Marvel Entertainment will debut another two films. First, on May 6, 2011, we have The First Avenger: Captain America (new title I believe). Then, in July, the biggie -- The Avengers! There was no word of an Ant-Man film in there, though last we heard it was in development with Edgar Wright attached. Honestly, unless they push The Avengers to 2012, I don't see where Ant-Man could fit in. Additionally, I imagine we'll have to wait to see how well The Incredible Hulk does, seeing as they may want to sequel-ize that one too. Otherwise, Iron Man will be the only franchise to debut a sequel prior to an full-on Avengers flick.

Phew. Chime in, folks. What do you think about it all?

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Discuss: Is Hollywood Misogynistic?

Eric Kohn — 2008-05-04T17:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Comedy, Casting, New Releases, Executive shifts, Celebrities and Controversy, Box Office, Fandom, Exhibition, Politics, Images

In these supposedly progressive times, gender equality is one of those touchy issues relegated to the last paragraph of a trend piece nobody reads. When Katherine Heigl suggested to Vanity Fair that Judd Apatow's movies were sexist, the assertion came across like an after-the-fact shrug of acceptance. Ever the galvanizing provocateur, New York Times critic Manohla Dargis confronts the issue head-on with a thorough analysis of the gender bias in this year's summer blockbusters.

With "Iron Man, Batman, Big Angry Green Man" and other massive expressions of virility invading the box office, female roles appear to be relegated to the back of the multiplex. Dargis touches on the rumors that Warner Bros head Jeff Robinov believes no woman has been able to sell a movie since Julia Roberts (a point that Natalie Portman might contest, but not Paris Hilton) before sizing up numerous upcoming studio releases, with particular attention paid to Anna Faris, "who could be the next Judy Holliday but without the right material will, alas, probably end up the next Brittany Murphy." It's the kind of pronouncement that hits you in gut.

Faris, it's worth noting, landed one of the least sexualized female roles in a potentially mainstream comedy as the goofy stoner in Gregg Araki's Smiley Face. (Sadly, the film barely found a theatrical release before it got dumped on DVD.) While her performance as a rejected Playboy mansion inhabitant in The House Bunny looks like a confirmation of Dargis' dour thesis, at least it allows a woman to step into the limelight of the big screen, just as Baby Mama has done to great success. For now, however, Dargis remains unconvinced. "In 2008, when a white woman and a black man are running for president and attracting unprecedented numbers of voters partly because they are giving a face to the wildly under-represented, you might think that Hollywood would get a clue," she writes, concluding, "Nah."

What do you think? Are female roles marginalized by Hollywood studios?

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Trailer Park: We Could Be Heroes

Matt Bradshaw — 2008-05-03T17:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Comedy, Drama, Independent, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Trailer Trash, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Trailers and Clips

Iron Man is hitting screens this weekend, leaving a trail of positive reviews in its wake. Check out James' and Scott's reviews, and if you need even more iron in your diet, head on over here. With that in mind, this week's Trailer Park is all about the heroes.

Batman: Gotham Knight
Returning as the voice of the caped crusader is Kevin Conroy, who lent his voice to The Bat in Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, and Justice League. This new version, however, doesn't look like any previous animated version of the character. Going straight to DVD shortly before The Dark Knight hits theaters, this feature offers six different visual interpretations of Batman from six celebrated anime artists. The approach is similar to The Animatrix, which gave an anime take on the universe of The Matrix films. The trailer looks amazing with striking interpretations of not just Batman, but also of the urban sprawl of Gotham City.

Hancock
I mentioned the teaser for this one in a previous Trailer Park, but now we've got a full length preview to ogle. Will Smith plays Hancock, a hero with super strength, the ability to fly and the power to piss off just about everybody (you don't get that from your average Kryptonian). His hard drinking ways have damaged his public persona seemingly beyond repair, but a PR agent played by Jason Bateman sets out to heal Hancock's relationship with the people. The humor is still there, but the new preview plays up the action, and I've got to say I'm dying to see this. While I'm not as down on Rob Zombie's Halloween remake as some, that film's detractors will probably get a kick out of the scene where Hancock tosses Daeg Faerch, the actor who played the young Michael Meyers, almost into orbit.

The Incredible Hulk
Again, we talked about the earlier trailer for old Jade Jaws, and while I liked the first one to a certain degree, this new preview has really piqued my interest. As we all know by now, the franchise is being rebooted with Ed Norton in the role of the tortured Bruce Banner, a fellow you definitely won't like when he's angry. We see more of the pre-transformation Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) and the man's got stones for standing up to The Hulk like he does here, even if he does apparently get the crap kicked out of him for it. This new film seems to be playing up the heroic side of the Hulk, which is interesting because I never saw the Hulk as a hero so much as a monster existing in a super hero universe. Things start going green on June 13.

Hero Wanted
I like Cuba Gooding Jr., though his choices of film projects haven't always impressed me. I'm hoping this one will at least make people forget Daddy Day Camp. The use of the word "Hero" has more of an ironic touch here. Gooding plays a garbage man who attempts to impress a woman by setting up an elaborate heist that he will thwart at a key moment. Things go wrong, of course, and Gooding's character ends up hospitalized and the woman dead, setting him on a path of revenge. Ray Liotta also stars. I don't think this will be the one to revive Gooding's career, since it's recent DVD release comes only a month after its limited theatrical run. Overall it seems pretty unimpressive. Check out the trailer yourself:

Baghead
Have you ever noticed how sometimes by the time I get to the fifth trailer, its relationship to the week's theme is a bit strained? If not, sit back and admire as I B.S. my way through this one. No heroes super or otherwise in this one, but it does feature a masked man. Like I said, I'm stretching it. Anyway, a group of aspiring actors in a secluded house in the woods decided to jump-start their careers by making a film about a creepy guy with a bag over his head. While there are apparently horror film elements here, the film is mostly character driven, exploring the relationships of the young wannabe actors. It's obviously a modestly budgeted independent that may be of interest, but let me just say I'm tired of small flicks that wave the independent flag by using onscreen titles that look hand written. Here's Eric's review of the film.

This week's new trailers on AOL Moviefone:

Glass: A Portrait of Philip in 12 Parts - Documentary covering a year in the life of composer Phillip Glass.
I Served the King of England - From the director of the Oscar-winning Closely Watched Trains comes this tale of a manservant's dreams of wealth in 1930s Germany. Check out the trailer here:
The Spirit - Will Eisner's classic costumed crime fighter comes to the big screen by way of director and comic book legend Frank Miller.
Henry Poole is Here' - Luke Wilson stars as a bitter angry man who just wants to be left alone, but the appearance of a Jesus-shaped water stain on outer wall of his house attracts unwanted attention.
Rogue - Killer Crocodile in the Australian wilderness.
Tuya's Marriage - When a Mongolian woman is injured at work she must divorce her invalid husband and find a new spouse who will be able to support both her and her ex.
American Teen - Documentary following four Indiana teens through their senior year.
Savage Grace - Based on true events, Savage Grace features Julianne Moore as a wealthy socialite whose attempts to "cure" her son's sexual orientation end in tragedy.
Hamlet 2 - An unemployed actor turned teacher stages a horrifically over the top Hamlet sequel to keep the drama department at his school from being shut down.

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The New 'Incredible Hulk' Trailer!

Elisabeth Rappe — 2008-04-30T22:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Universal, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Trailers and Clips

It's here, in glorious Quicktime, and not a moment too soon for a June movie. Head over to Apple to watch it. This trailer is a vast improvement on the first, shades of the television show abounding everywhere. And this is definitely going to be much more action packed than Ang Lee's version. Erik Davis was right on the money in his NYCC report -- read his take on the trailer here.

I can't help but feel it was too long though -- between the two trailers, I feel like I've seen the whole movie, barring 18 minutes of that purported 20 minute fight between Abomination and Hulk. The encounter (pictured above) between Tim Roth and the Hulk is absolutely priceless, though. I won't say what it is and spoil it -- but I can't say I haven't wanted to do the same to a few of Roth's nastier characters.

Eager to hear your take, as always. The Incredible Hulk opens June 13th.

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NYCC: 'The Incredible Hulk'

Erik Davis — 2008-04-20T12:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Exhibition, DIY/Filmmaking, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Religious, ComicCon

The picture above takes place toward the very end of the scene they showed us yesterday at New York Comic Con, and it comes toward the end of a battle between armed forces and the Hulk. This scene is also predominantly featured in the new trailer which will play before Iron Man in about two weeks. Essentially, the military have Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) on the run. They chase him into this glass tunnel, lock both entrances on either side and launch two smoke-type bombs into the area. Outside, jeeps and a slew of troops gather awaiting Banner's transformation. They want this monster and they want him bad.

Suddenly, as the smoke builds up, we see Banner press his hands against the glass -- his eyes go green, his face fighting the beast within. Smoke fills the screen; it's quiet. Everyone waits. Then ... BOOM! -- the Hulk crashes out of the glass onto this huge field, running for his life. Several jeeps give chase, guns firing from every corner of the screen -- bullets ripping into Hulk's skin; he bumps one jeep and the vehicle rolls over. He gets to another one, picks it up and proceeds to smash it until the thing is in a million pieces. Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth), who at this point has been given a few injections of that super serum, heads out to where Hulk is. Hulk tries to beat down Blonsky, but the latter has an extra bounce in his step. For some reason, he's not like the others -- he can move pretty fast. After a brief cat and mouse, the two approach each other (seen above). Blonsky says, "Is that all you got?" Hulk looks down, winds his leg back and goes to deliver a giant kick to Blonsky's stomach ... and we ... cut to black.

Those doubting the energy, the fights and fun of this re-boot of The Incredible Hulk should worry no more. Based on the footage shown (which included another scene where Blonsky gets the serum injections for the first time), it would appear director Louis Leterrier got this one right. So far it's been the film low on the anticipation meter; one that hadn't produced a lot of marketing materials like the other summer films, and one that already came attached to this other Hulk film that most people didn't like all that much. But the footage we saw proved this flick is going in an entirely different direction -- a run, fight, kick ass sorta direction.

During the panel, Leterrier kicked things off by telling the audience that they're beginning the final mix next week and that the score is "Star Wars good." The crowd sort of grumbled at that statement; I don't think Leterrier realized what he had said. He carried on, though, saying this one includes "many fights and long ones," featuring Hulk vs. the Army, and Hulk vs. Abomination.

Speaking of Abomination, Tim Roth was on hand to answer a few questions -- once he got past all the fans who wanted to tell him how awesome he was in films like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. Asked about how he prepared, Roth said he looked to the comic book -- not knowing anything about the character prior. He took this role for his kids, and as he practiced a scene, he asked his kids whether it was cool or not -- refusing to do anything unless they approved. This, I thought, was very cool -- what an awesome dad. Leterrier did mention -- in a half-jokingly way -- that the special serum they give to Blonsky is red, white and blue -- like the kind Captain America gets. Not sure if this was a joke or not -- but it seemed like they may have been thinking ahead.

After the clips were shown, Kevin Feige was asked about an Avengers movie. He said he'd love to see one eventually, but they needed to see how these other films did first. Once they got on the subject of the Hulk talking, it was time to bring out the BIG surprise -- Lou Ferrigno! And the dude still looks crazy huge! Leterrier said of Ferrigno's role; "it's not a cameo, it's a part and it's funny." Then they got into the whole Hulk talking thing, and Leterrier pointed to Ferrigno, shouting: "Ladies and gentlemen -- the voice of the Hulk!" Ferrigno then did a version of "Hulk Smash" for the crowd. So, based on that, one imagines Ferrigno will be providing the voice of Hulk.

From there we got a look at the world exclusive trailer that will run before prints of Iron Man. A good amount of the trailer reveals the scene we saw in its entirety; it takes us through the film showing Banner on the run, Blonsky's transformation, a little romance between Banner and Betty Ross, and it ends kinda like the other trailer does with Norton preparing to do battle against Abomination. Then, we were all told to hang around a few seconds after the trailer finished for another scene.

We see General Ross wasted at a bar, and in walks this shadow. It's Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark! There are a few lines of dialogue I missed because the crowd is freaking out -- but Stark takes a seat next to Ross and goes, "I hear you have an unusual problem." Ross replies, "You should talk." Then Stark goes, "You should listen." Not sure if the scene ends there or if it goes on, but that's all they showed us. Overall, I was very impressed with what I saw and heard from this film, and I'd like to think this one will surprise us in turning out to be the launching pad for another groovy franchise. We shall see when The Incredible Hulk smashes theaters on June 13.

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NYCC: Tony Stark's Cameo in'The Incredible Hulk' Revealed!

Elisabeth Rappe — 2008-04-19T16:49:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, RumorMonger, Newsstand, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Images, ComicCon

Davis has just reported in from The Incredible Hulk panel, where the new trailer played to a pretty impressed audience. Davis says it "looks awesome" and will be writing a detailed description of it later tonight. The rest of us will have to wait until it premieres in front of Iron Man.

Lou Ferrigno and Tim Roth were both in attendance -- and Ferrigno claimed he was the voice of the new big-screen Hulk, but it wasn't clear if he was joking or not. If that's true, the television homage has stopped being a homage -- it's a remake! But hey, you won't hear us complaining, the TV show was pretty awesome. On Ferrigno's part, it's said to be an actual part, not a cameo and it's "funny."

The panel audience got a special treat that we in theatres (most likely) won't -- after the trailer, they showed the much-discussed cameo that Tony Stark makes in Hulk. Stark is sitting with General 'Thunderbolt' Ross in a bar -- and Ross is completely drunk. Stark says "I hear you've got an unusual problem." "You should talk," replies Ross. Stark then shoots back, all smooth: "You should listen."

Additionally, Empire has two new stills from Hulk out -- one is posted above to provide a fresh illustration to some fun news. I hope they don't get mad at me for using it. Hey, buy the special Hulk issue when it hits stands! 3-D cover.

The Incredible Hulk hits theatres on June 13th, 2008.

UPDATE: Erik here -- new Dark Knight trailer just premiered to a thunderous applause. The trailer will be available "in about two weeks" and from what I gather it will come via the viral marketing campaign (we were told to hunt it down from here). Trailer looks great -- lots of Joker dialogue, lot more of Harvey Dent and a possible prelim glimpse at Dent's transformation into Two Face -- though we do not see Two Face in the trailer. Dent does have one awesome line in the trailer; he says, "You either die a hero or you live long enough to become the villain." Once again, we were told everyone will see the trailer in about two weeks from now. The Dark Knight arrives in theaters on July 18.

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Edward Norton Responds to 'Hulk' Bashing

Erik Davis — 2008-04-16T12:01:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

For the past several months, folks have been questioning The Incredible Hulk and whether Edward Norton's extremely "hands on" involvement hurt or helped the finished product. It took a very long time for any images from the film to hit, and even longer for an initial trailer. Some have claimed that part of the hold-up had to do with a dispute between Norton, director ~~John~~ Louis Leterrier and Marvel -- with the latter wanting a more commercial cut of the film and the former, according to Entertainment Weekly, wanting a "more meditative cut of the film that ran about two hours and 15 minutes." From what I've heard, Norton is notoriously hard to work with -- so much so that everyone around him must refer to the guy as Edward, not Ed or Nort or Dude from Fight Club. I imagine folks just go along with it so they don't have to see him angry. In case you didn't know, you don't want to see Edward Norton when he's angry.

After trying for more than a month to interview the guy, EW has just published a 257-word statement (approved in advance by Universal and Marvel) from Norton. In it, he briefly addresses some of these accusations in saying, "Every good movie gets forged through collaboration, and different ideas among people who are all committed and respect the validity of each other's opinions is the heart of filmmaking. Regrettably, our healthy process, which is and should be a private matter, was misrepresented publicly as a 'dispute,' seized on by people looking for a good story, and has been distorted to such a degree that it risks distracting from the film itself, which Marvel, Universal and I refuse to let happen.''

I'm sure we won't hear the real story until well after the film is out in theaters (if there even is a real story), but we'd like you to chime in here: Should this sort of off-screen dispute worry fans of the film? And would you rather see a more commercial or meditative cut of The Incredible Hulk (which, mind you, hits theaters on June 13)?

Check out Norton's full statement to EW after the jump ...

THE FULL TEXT OF EDWARD NORTON'S E-MAILED STATEMENT

"Like so many people I've loved the story of The Hulk since I was a kid, so it was thrilling when Marvel asked me to write and help produce an altogether new screen incarnation, as well as play Bruce Banner. I grew up reading Marvel Comics and always loved the mythic dimension and contemporary themes in the stories, and I'm proud of the script I wrote. In every phase of production, including the editing, working with Louis Leterrier has been wonderful...I've never had a better partner, and the collaboration with all the rest of the creative team has been terrific. Every good movie gets forged through collaboration, and different ideas among people who are all committed and respect the validity of each other's opinions is the heart of filmmaking. Regrettably, our healthy process, which is and should be a private matter, was misrepresented publicly as a 'dispute,' seized on by people looking for a good story, and has been distorted to such a degree that it risks distracting from the film itself, which Marvel, Universal and I refuse to let happen. It has always been my firm conviction that films should speak for themselves and that knowing too much about how they are made diminishes the magic of watching them. All of us believe The Incredible Hulk will excite old fans and create new ones and be a huge hit...our focus has always been to deliver the Hulk that people have been waiting for and keep the worldwide love affair with the big green guy going strong.''

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Zak Penn Now Writing 'Captain America?!'

Erik Davis — 2008-04-15T12:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Deals, RumorMonger, Fandom, Scripts, Comic/Superhero/Geek

UPDATE: Cinematical was contacted by Penn's rep a little while ago, and informed that Zak is NOT writing Captain America. The wording in the interview made it sound that way (and the transcript was correct), but Penn was actually talking about being attached to The Avengers, not Captain America. Obviously this probably means David Self's script is still in the mix, and we'll update you when there's more info.

In a new interview over at ComicMix, writer-director Zak Penn talked up a ton of projects including his latest film The Grand (which I loved, and which you should see), as well as his geeky comic-related screenwriting projects like The Avengers, that X-Men spinoff flick (featuring the young X-Men), The Incredible Hulk, a new one called Bermuda Triangle and, finally ... Captain America? Oh yes, though he doesn't go into much detail (aside from saying he's attached), apparently Zak Penn is now the guy writing Captain America. (Not sure what happened to David Self?) And assuming Edward Norton doesn't sign on to star, Penn's final script may actually make it before cameras this time.

As far as The Avengers goes, Penn admits they're waiting for other Marvel characters to debut their solo films first, like Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and they may even wait for Captain America as well. So with all those films still left to go before cameras, I'd get used to waiting ... patiently. Penn also talked up the X-Men spinoff story he's still attached to write and also direct; he says it involves "a younger group of X-Men at the beginning" and that "it's a little bit more of getting back to the classic X-Men." No word on when that will see the light of day.

It's good to see Penn is writing Captain America, because if he's the guy penning that Avenges movie, you'd like to see him involved in as many of these as possible. Of course, I'd like to hope he'll find time to stuff in another tiny mock like The Grand, if only to see which ridiculous character he has Werner Herzog play this time.

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'The Incredible Hulk' Poster!

Erik Davis — 2008-04-14T17:52:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, DIY/Filmmaking, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Posters

The first official poster for this summer's The Incredible Hulk has just arrived over at IGN (head over there for a larger version). As you can see from the image above, the Hulk is trying to capture Edward Norton using the muscles in his back. Personally, this is exactly what I imagined the poster to look like -- some sort of combo between the green monster and Bruce Banner, with a bunch of helicopters and tanks shooting in the background. I expect a few character posters (one with the Hulk, one with Abomination, etc) to follow in the coming weeks.

Despite its solid cast, The Incredible Hulk has enjoyed (or maybe not) its share of controversy since word of the film first hit the net. An obvious re-do (following Ang Lee's not-so-successful effort a few years back), rumors have spread about Norton's control-freak mentality; how Zak Penn was quietly replaced as writer and how studio folks have clashed with Norton over the final product. Me? I still think it looks pretty cool -- and dammit if Tim Roth doesn't rock out as the villain in this movie!

What do you think? Does The Incredible Hulk have the, er, strength to compete with this summer's other big whales?

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New 'Incredible Hulk' Promo!

Erik Davis — 2008-04-05T11:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Fandom, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Trailers and Clips

From National CineMedia comes this brand new in-theater promotional video for this summer's The Incredible Hulk. The clip above is sort of a behind-the-scenes look at what inspired the film (featuring interviews with producer Kevin Feige and director Louis Leterrier), as well as clips from a few scenes we haven't yet seen. Granted, a majority of what they show was already released in that first trailer, but there's definitely some new stuff thrown in.

Most of the people I've run into as of late are iffy on this film, but only because of the smaller marketing push. Personally, I really want to love it. In their last podcast, James and Scott spoke about Iron Man and the amazing cast that comes with that comic book flick. Well, Incredible Hulk isn't much different. You have Edward Norton, Tim Roth (who, honestly, will probably make a sick villain), William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson, Liv Tyler ... and, heck, Robert Downey Jr. will also make an appearance as Tony Stark. I dunno, it's hard for me to NOT anticipate this film with that cast. I really hope it rocks.

The Incredible Hulk arrives in theaters on June 13.

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Monday Morning Poll: Best Summer Blockbuster Trailer?

Erik Davis — 2008-03-31T11:32:00+00:00

Filed under: DIY/Filmmaking, Movie Marketing, Monday Morning Poll, Trailers and Clips

(Note: Above image was chosen totally at random. Yup. We'll go with that.)

It's beginning to look a lot like summer blockbuster season everywhere you go.

I've heard the words "calm before the storm" mentioned more times in the past week than I have all year. That's because it's almost April, which means the official start to the summer movie season is only one month away. One month! That's it! Are all of you as excited as we are? (Don't all stand up and cheer at the same time.) Anyway, pretty much all of the big summer flicks have released trailers by now (with the exception of The Mummy 3 ... and maybe something else that I'm forgetting -- it is Monday after all).

We've seen trailers for The Dark Knight, Iron Man, Speed Racer, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Incredible Hulk, WALL-E, Prince Caspian, Hellboy II, The X-Files, Wanted, The Happening, Hancock ... and so on. Of course, some films have been a little more aggressive than others -- like Iron Man (which comes out first), WALL-E (a few trailers, teasers and a very early viral campaign) and The Dark Knight (one teaser, one trailer and 50 billion viral sites). Indy's shoveled out a bunch of videos, as well as a trailer, and The Incredible Hulk has given us one trailer and a few images. One imagines all of these films will ramp up their marketing as their release dates draw closer.

But here's our question today: Which summer blockbuster trailer pumped you up most to see the film? Feel free to answer the poll below or write in your favorite in the comments section. (Me? I'm going with The Dark Knight.)

View Poll

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Trailer Park: A Random Sampling

Matt Bradshaw — 2008-03-14T19:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Trailer Trash, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Trailers and Clips

Nothing fancy this week. I'm tossing darts at the latest trailers and writing up whichever ones I hit. Time now for a random sampling.

Righteous Kill
Robert De Niro and Al Pacino doing a cop movie together? Sounds like a license to print money. The last police drama I saw was the tepid We Own the Night which really soured me on a genre that has already been beaten to death on television, but the star power behind this one sets things at a whole new level (despite some of the uninspired comedies with which De Niro has padded his resume). Our two stars play a pair of world weary police detectives who have no sympathy for the scum who make a mockery of the justice system. Apparently they aren't the only ones who feel this way, because our heroes are soon on the trail of a vigilante killer. As with most teasers it's hard to get a feel for the movie. We get the basic idea of the plot followed by lots of quick cuts set to The Stones' "Sympathy For the Devil." I'm still probably going to see this, but more for who's in the film than what's in the trailer. Here's Monika's take on the trailer.

The Incredible Hulk
The onscreen representation of Marvel Comics' jade giant has come a long way. I first saw him as a crappily animated character who barely moved in the Marvel Superheroes animated series in the 1960s, then as a body builder wearing grease paint and green tights (easier than applying makeup to his shins, I suppose). And let's not forget the 80s animated incarnation whose clothes would magically reappear when he returned to human form. The all CGI version seen in Ang Lee's Hulk made many mistakes, but I think the biggest one was to make his face too sympathetic. The Hulk is not a superhero, people, he's a monster and should look like one. That problem appears to have been addressed in this latest incarnation. This is one badass Hulk, and his foe -- the equally gamma irradiated Abomination -- looks pretty cool too, though his head is tiny. I never thought Eric Bana had much screen presence, and what we see of Edward Norton as the new Bruce Banner has a lot more appeal.

Speed Racer
That last Speed Racer trailer was a tough act to follow, but this new one has still got my interest. We get a bit more characterization this time, seeing more of Christina Ricci and Susan Sarandon's charcters. This is of course from the Wachowskis who directed The Matrix films, and it promises to be the most visually spectacular film of the year. I'm not a fan of the original cartoon, but this looks like it's going to be amazing.

Deal
I know poker has gotten to be a big thing on television in recent years, but personally I find nothing more boring than watching someone play cards. A film whose big dramatic moments revolve around hands of poker just repels me. Burt Reynolds is an aging poker champ who made a promise not to gamble again, but that doesn't stop him from putting up the money for a hot shot college kid with a gift for the game. Shannon Elizabeth is on hand as well, looking as fetching as ever. The two eventually have a falling out and find themselves competing against one another. It's nice to see Reynolds getting a meaty role in a big release, but I'll pass on this one.

The Strangers
This is the second trailer for this fright flick and I'm really hoping the film can live up to these promos because they scare the living crap out of me. Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman star as a couple accosted in their home by a group of people wearing creepy masks. When asked why they are doing this we are told "because you were home." The scene where Tyler is standing in the kitchen and a figure steps out of the darkness behind her was creepy as hell when I viewed it online, and I'm dying to see how well it works on a theater screen.

New Trailers on AOL Moviefone:
My Blueberry Nights - A young woman embarks upon a cross country journey of self-discovery in the wake of a difficult break up. Check it out right here:

My Brother is An Only Child - Italian film set in the 60s and 70s and dealing with two brothers who hope to change the world in their own way, one through communism and the other through fascism.
Flight of the Red Balloon - In Paris a loving but preoccupied woman hires a new nanny to care for her young son.
Shotgun Stories - When Cleaman Hayes dies he leaves behind three sons from his first marriage and four from his second, and the two families are soon violently warring with one another. Here's the trailer:

Sputnik Mania - Documentary on the historic launch of the first Soviet satellite and its effect on the word.
Iron Man - Second trailer for the highly anticipated Marvel Comics adaptation.
Pineapple Express - Stoner comedy starring Seth Rogen as a man on the run after witnessing a murder.

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Your 'Incredible Hulk' Questions Answered (Possibly!)

Elisabeth Rappe — 2008-03-14T11:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Universal, Fandom, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

Somehow this feature slipped right by me -- hopefully, it slipped by you too so that this post's existence is justified.

Now that the dust has settled on the new trailer for The Incredible Hulk, you might have a few questions about it -- like "What's up with Abomination?" or "Who's that guy?" or "Why does it look all unfinished?" Just don't ask "Why didn't I like it?" because there are no answers for your worries, my friends.

Well, director Louis Leterrier has answers. In an Empire exclusive, he takes viewers frame by frame through the trailer and explains what is going on, why he did what he did, and that, no, the effects aren't done. Oh yeah, and that the final fight between Hulk and Abomination will be a doozy: "Our final battle - unlike a normal movie where the final fight scene is six minutes long, ours is 26 minutes long! So you get 26 minutes of two monsters pummelling each other through New York City, jumping up and down, ripping helicopters from the sky and stuff. You know, lots of green blood on the street, splashed all around. So it's pretty cool."

26 minutes? Wow, I think I'm tired just reading that, let alone watching it. Still, at least this isn't a movie where the Hulk rips Wolverine in half -- then we'd never get an ending at all ...

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'The Incredible Hulk' Trailer is Here!

Elisabeth Rappe — 2008-03-12T18:55:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Trailers and Clips

It's here and it is early, courtesy of MTV! Go watch it, now!

What do you think of the trailer, after this incredibly long wait?

I don't think it's particularly inspiring myself. It doesn't look like Edward Norton really added anything special -- and I was expecting more out of someone with his caliber. Maybe there was just too much hype and expectation. (Or maybe it's just the trailer!)

The action looks solid though. Who doesn't love to see two giant monsters fighting each other on the streets of New York? And I definitely dig the chase element. It's fun to imagine the Hulk hiding fearfully in alleys and dingy apartments, afraid of being caught.

And this supporting cast is certainly excellent. No one makes a better bad guy than Tim Roth. But couldn't they at least have given Liv Tyler one line of dialog? And not made her wear glasses to look like a Smart Sexy Science Girl?

The Incredible Hulk stomps across the globe on June 13.

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Is There Trouble for 'The Incredible Hulk'?

Monika Bartyzel — 2008-03-11T13:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Tech Stuff, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

I miss the days when the Incredible Hulk used to evoke only images of green-muscled mayhem and comic goodness. Since Ang Lee's take on the film, the name is met with as much apprehension as it is fan praise. Of course, we're getting a re-do soon courtesy of Edward Norton, The Incredible Hulk, but so far, the production has not quashed fan fears, and it looks like it might succumb to them.

We're finally getting the trailer debut on Wednesday night, 9:56 p.m. on all MTV channels, VH1, and Spike. The trailer's super-late release hasn't helped get fans pumped, and if Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily is right, that's not the only reason to be apprehensive. Her sources say that Norton and Marvel are fighting over how to cut the film. "Insiders say Norton was 'promised tremendous involvement and access'" into the feature, and now there is "a lot of posturing going on between Edward's camp and Marvel over how you edit the final version." They go on to say that the camps are meeting to try and come up with an "amicable resolution."

Some are saying that Norton is being his difficult self. Others say that Marvel won't listen to him. Whatever the case, this could definitely hurt the film -- will the best cut reach our apprehensive eyes? If Norton isn't happy, will he promote the film? And if he doesn't, what will that mean for the expensive, action-packed picture?

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