Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

"Captain America 2" Is a Go -- What Villain Will He Face?

by Nick Nadel on Apr 10 2012
"Captain America 2" Is a Go -- What Villain Will He Face?
While The Avengers has yet to be released, Captain America fans can rest easy: The Star-Spangled Avenger will return to theaters in a second solo outing on April 4, 2014. (For those keeping score, Iron Man 3 will hit on May 3, 2013, while Thor 2 bows November 15, 2013.) 

Of course, this announcement brings several questions. (Like, why is what was presumably a summer movie being released in early April?) All we know so far is that the story will continue from The Avengers with Cap still out of place in the modern world. (Presumably there will be World War II-era flashbacks, but nothing has been confirmed yet.) Chris Evans will return as Steve Rogers, but beyond that, casting is up in the air. With Red Skull having been disintegrated by the mystical Tesseract at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger, it's anyone's guess whether he'll return for the sequel. So who should get the brunt of Cap's shield? Check out some possible villain contenders for Captain America 2 ...
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

The Best Comic Book Movie Trailers of All Time

by Nick Nadel on Mar 27 2012
The Best Comic Book Movie Trailers of All Time
With the trailers for The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises pumping up audiences for this summer's crop of comic book movies, it's a good time to look back at some of the trailers from years past that had fans buzzing months in advance of a film's release.

While the movies didn't always live up to the hype, these trailers successfully pumped up fans through their brilliant mix of music, special effects, and unforgettable characters.

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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

5 Answers to Your Burning Questions About "The Avengers"

by Nick Nadel on Mar 13 2012
5 Answers to Your Burning Questions About "The Avengers"

If you've seen the amazing new trailer for Marvel's summer movie epic The Avengers, chances are you've got some questions. Well, you've come to the right place. Expanding on the brief teasers, the action-packed new trailer offered more footage of the team in action and hints to the alien force (where did that spaceship at the end come from?) that will cause Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Captain America, and The Hulk to come together as a team.

Writer-director Joss Whedon addressed some Avengers rumors at a panel at the SXSW festival promoting his horror movie Cabin in the Woods. Here are answers to some questions you might very well have after watching the new trailer. 
 
alien ship avengers.jpg
Will the Skrulls be the movie's real villain?
While we know that Loki will be menacing the Avengers, there has been much speculation as to the movie's real, to borrow a phrase from Joss Whedon, "big bad." After seeing the alien warship at the end of the new trailer, fans are speculating that the Avengers will be tussling with the shape-shifting alien race the Skrulls along with Loki. Not so, says Whedon, who put any rumors of an appearance by the Skrulls (or the Kree, another race of Marvel aliens) to rest while discussing the film's alien bad guys at SXSW. Whedon joked, "It's the Vulcans. I don't know a lot about the Marvel universe, and I thought there were Vulcans. I know we're going to get a lot of emails about that one." He went on to add, definitively, "It is not the Kree or the Skrulls. Those two aliens are Marvel mainstays and have enormous back stories. They have a big life of their own that just could not be contained in a film where I already had seven movie stars." It's possible that Whedon couldn't use the Skrulls for Avengers since they are tied up in the Fantastic Four franchise, which 20th Century Fox currently owns the rights to. So has Whedon devised a new alien race to invade Earth?

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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

6 Great Comic Book Movies Snubbed by the Oscars

by Nick Nadel on Feb 28 2012
6 Great Comic Book Movies Snubbed by the Oscars
Another Oscars season has come and gone, and while there were some worthy winners, none were adapted from comic books. Unlike recent years, which saw everything from The Dark Knight to Hellboy II garnering nominations, the 2012 Oscars failed to feature a single comic book flick. (Superhero movies like Thor and X-Men: First Class were even shut out of the visual effects category.) This despite a strong year that saw superhero epics (Captain America: The First Avenger) and even adaptations of European comics (The Adventures of Tintin) connecting with audiences. 

But this isn't the first time that comic book movies failed to score Oscar gold. Despite multiple nominations, many highly acclaimed movies based on comics came up short on the big day. Here are six comic book movies that deserved to take home a little gold statue.
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

Kevin Smith's Best Comic Book Movie Moments

by Nick Nadel on Feb 7 2012
Kevin Smith's Best Comic Book Movie Moments
Few filmmakers are as associated with comic books and geek culture in general than Kevin Smith. Pretty much every movie he's made is peppered with references to Star Wars, Marvel Comics, and more. (He even thanked comic book writers like Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore in the credits for Dogma.) 

In addition to Smith's work in print on characters like Daredevil and Batman, there's his unproduced screenplay for Green Hornet (which he later adapted to comics) and his stories about working with producer Jon Peters on an aborted Superman movie which have become the stuff of geek legend. (Peters wanted Smith to add scenes to the script where Superman fights polar bears and a giant mechanical spider.) And, of course, there's his comic-book store Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, the setting of AMC's new reality series Comic Book Men (premiering this Sunday at 10pm/9c). 

There are so many comic book references in his movies, it's hard to pick just one. Let's take a look at a few of the best moments in Kevin Smith's geek-friendly filmography. 
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

5 Fantasy Comic Books That Should Be Made into Movies

by Nick Nadel on Jan 31 2012
5 Fantasy Comic Books That Should Be Made into Movies
Fantasy is hotter than ever right now. On TV, fans of dragons and fractured fairy tales have Game of Thrones, Once Upon a Time, and Grimm. Gamers are currently avoiding work and friends in favor of logging hours in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's vast magical world. And the coming year in movies boasts everything from updated takes on classics (Snow White and the Huntsman) to the first installment of Peter Jackson's long-awaited The Hobbit.

Despite this groundswell, if you look at the coming year's slate of comic book movies, you'll find a lot of superheroes. Outside of the Conan the Barbarian movies -- which drew from the character's comic book stories (though technically he started out in short fiction) -- there haven't been any movies based on fantasy comics. (Yeah, 300 is somewhat fantastical, but it is ostensibly based in history.) Which is a shame, because there are a number of comics featuring fantasy tropes that are begging to be turned into the next blockbuster franchise. Take a look at five examples below.
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

2012 Comic Book Movie Preview: "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Avengers," and More

by Nick Nadel on Jan 10 2012
2012 Comic Book Movie Preview: "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Avengers," and More
It's 2012, and everyone has bats on the brain. Yes, The Dark Knight Rises is out in a few short months. But there are plenty of other comic book movies hitting theaters in this most apocalyptic of years. In fact, with two major reboots, three sequels, and the biggest superhero team-up ever to hit the big screen, 2012 is looking to be the best year for comic book movies in a long while. If the world has to end in December, at least we're going out with a bang! 

Take a look at what the year holds in store for comic book movie fans.

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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

From "Thor" to "Green Lantern": The Highs and Lows in 2011 Comic Book Movies

by Nick Nadel on Dec 27 2011
From "Thor" to "Green Lantern": The Highs and Lows in 2011 Comic Book Movies
As 2011 draws to a close, it's time to reflect on this year's comic book movie crop. This was a make-it-or-break-it year for Marvel, which successfully launched not one but two huge franchises (Thor and Captain America) as part of its buildup to next year's The Avengers. 

Meanwhile, stuck between two Batman movies, DC bet the farm on Green Lantern to be the next Iron Man only to find that Hal Jordan's weakness is in fact not the color yellow but poor scriptwriting and lackluster special effects. And Iron Man director Jon Favreau teamed up with Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford in what seemed like a surefire ... well, you'll have to read this list of the "highs" and "lows" of the year in comic book movies to find out where that one ranked.
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

Seeing "The Adventures of Tintin"? Here's What You Need to Know

by Nick Nadel on Dec 19 2011
Seeing "The Adventures of Tintin"? Here's What You Need to Know
Like many this holiday moviegoing season, you're probably curious about Steven Spielberg's new film The Adventures of Tintin. Perhaps you're intrigued by the visually unique motion-capture animation, which blends live-action and cutting-edge special effects. Or maybe you think it looks like a rollicking, old-fashioned adventure film like Raiders of the Lost Ark. But did you know that it's actually based on one of the most popular comic books in the world? 

Before you head out to the theater, take a look at our cheat sheet for newbie Tintin fans. The movie is just your first step into one of the richest four-color worlds in modern literature.
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

Christian Bale's Batman Departure and Other "The Dark Knight Rises" Rumors Addressed

by Nick Nadel on Nov 29 2011
Christian Bale's Batman Departure and Other "The Dark Knight Rises" Rumors Addressed
It's official: Filming on The Dark Knight Rises has wrapped. While we won't see the final installment of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy until next summer, rumors and plot details have been circulating faster than the Batmobile peeling down a Gotham back alley. So let's separate the fact from the fiction in the Dark Knight Rises rumor mill. 

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How Much Time Has Passed Since The Dark Knight?
Answer: 8 years. As I speculated when the first teaser trailer for The Dark Knight Rises hit, much time has passed since Commissioner Gordon and his annoying son watched Batman run off to become the "hero that Gotham needs." In the brief clip of an injured Gordon talking to Batman (or is it Bruce Wayne?), we learn that the Caped Crusader has been "away" for some time. Now we know that Batman has been absent from Gotham for nearly a decade. Nolan revealed to Empire, "Our story picks up quite a bit later, eight years after The Dark Knight. So he's an older Bruce Wayne; he's not in a great state." And, from the looks of the early photos of Bane in action, neither is Gotham.
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

Bradley Cooper as "The Crow," Joss Whedon's "Wonder Woman" and Other Comic Book Movies That Never Were

by Nick Nadel on Nov 15 2011
Bradley Cooper as "The Crow," Joss Whedon's "Wonder Woman" and Other Comic Book Movies That Never Were
We're in a golden age of comic book movies right now, where even the most obscure comics (ahem, Cowboys & Aliens) can become blockbusters. But while fans have gotten movie versions of everything from Ghost Rider to Kick-Ass, there are still plenty of comic book movie properties that fall through the cracks. 

Recently, filmmakers like Joss Whedon and George Miller have spoken up about their failed would-be comic book franchises. Let's take a look at Whedon's Wonder Woman, Bradley Cooper's near performance as The Crow and other comic book movie "might-have-beens."
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

5 Reasons "Batman: Arkham City" Should Follow "The Dark Knight Rises"

by Nick Nadel on Nov 1 2011
5 Reasons "Batman: Arkham City" Should Follow "The Dark Knight Rises"
As The Dark Knight Rises continues to film in New York, the buzz for Batman fans is fully on Batman: Arkham City, the acclaimed followup to 2009's video game smash Arkham Asylum. Dense, action-packed, and featuring a storyline written by Batman comic book and animation scribe Paul Dini, Arkham City debuted to rave reviews and more than 2 million copies sold in its first week.  

With talk that Arkham City is the best Batman video game ever, it's only a matter of time before Hollywood takes notice. Warner Bros. hasn't discussed plans for Batman after The Dark Knight Rises, opting instead to let Christopher Nolan end his trilogy gracefully before planning another reboot. It's safe to say, though, that Batman won't lay dormant for long.

So how will Warner Bros. inject fresh blood into the franchise post-Nolan? Where will they find a grim and gritty story worthy of Nolan's films? The answer is currently rocketing up the video game sales charts. Here are 5 reasons Arkham City is begging to be adapted for the big screen.
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

"The Avengers" Preview at New York Comic Con

by Nick Nadel on Oct 18 2011
Mark Ruffalo at The Avengers Preview at New York Comic Con
Cast members from next summer's superhero blockbuster The Avengers swooped into New York Comic Con on Saturday for a panel featuring new footage and a lively Q&A session. Chris Evans (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill), Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), and Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige were all in attendance, shedding light on what's in store for fan-favorite characters. As if that wasn't enough, we were also treated to an exclusive scene and clip reel hot off of director Joss Whedon's edit bay.

Here's what the panelists had to say about their characters, the process of working on an ensemble superhero film, and Marvel's future big-screen plans -- along with our exclusive photos from the Avengers panel.
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

What Does the DC Comics Reboot Mean for Anne Hathaway's Catwoman -- and Beyond?

by Nick Nadel on Sep 27 2011
Anne Hathaway Catwoman
As you may have heard, DC Comics just relaunched its entire line of comics with 52 new first issues featuring fresh story lines meant to entice new readers. The new DC titles start from scratch, with younger heroes unencumbered by decades of backstory. But in comic books, the only constant is that everything changes and nothing changes. So it's no surprise that DC Comics has changed several characters while also keeping much of the status quo.

Many of DC's changes have been made to attract new readers who might be drawn in by upcoming movies like The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel. (Several characters are now closer to their big-screen counterparts in both appearance and story line.) Let's take a look at how the new Superman, Catwoman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and more could be reflected on the big screen. (Spoilers ahead for those who aren't caught up on their comic books.)
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

Agent Coulson and 6 More Unsung Heroes of Comic Book Movies

by Nick Nadel on Sep 13 2011
Agent Coulson, Thor
S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson (ably played by Clark Gregg) has come a long way since his first appearance as an amusing thorn in Pepper Potts' side in 2008's Iron Man. He's appeared in both Iron Man 2 and Thor doing the nitty-gritty Avengers team-building work for S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and has been the connective tissue of Marvel's shared movie universe. 

Now comes the short film The Consultant, a day-in-the-life tale of a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent featured on the Thor Blu-ray and DVD (out today) that serves as a prequel to next summer's blockbuster The Avengers. (You can watch a clip of The Consultant here.) 

With Agent Coulson confirmed for The Avengers and beyond (a second short is in the works and word is he'll be appearing in Iron Man 3), I thought it was time to honor the hard-working S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and other unsung heroes of comic book movies.
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

How Marvel Can Fix Ghost Rider After "Spirit of Vengeance"

by Nick Nadel on Aug 30 2011
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Trailer
Did you see the first Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance trailer? Did you even know there's going to be a second Ghost Rider movie? You're excused if Nicolas Cage's return to Marvel's flaming undead motorcycle enthusiast slipped under your radar in a summer filled with quality comic book movies like Captain America and X-Men: First Class. While Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance won't be out until next February, the new trailer is raising hopes that the sequel will be an improvement on the 2007 original.

Directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank) have clearly upped the action, delivering visceral chase sequences and some creative uses of Ghost Rider's chain. (Ghost Rider tossing a bad guy in the air is better than anything in the first movie.) The special effects have also greatly improved.

That said, fans are divided over the campy scene where Ghost Rider literally pees fire. The overall tone of the trailer suggests that, like audiences, Neveldine and Taylor don't take Ghost Rider very seriously. Which is a shame, because Ghost Rider is one of Marvel Knight's (the banner that Marvel groups their edgy comics under) flagship characters. Here are some tips for how Marvel can fix Ghost Rider for the inevitable third movie, along with some new photos from Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

Rainn Wilson in "Super" Joins the Nuttiest Real-Life Superheroes

by Nick Nadel on Aug 16 2011
Rainn Wilson, Super
As comic book movies have shown, it takes a special kind of person to put on tights and a cape in the name of truth and justice. As Rainn Wilson's deranged anti-hero demonstrates in the dark and gory indie comedy Super, sometimes all you need is a wrench and a snappy catchphrase. ("Shut up, crime!") Real world superheroes are all the rage these days, thanks to movies like Kick-Ass and the recent documentary Superheroes, about ordinary folks who don costumes in order to keep their neighborhoods safe. Perhaps they were inspired by these everyday heroes from the big screen? With Super just released on DVD and Blu-ray, it's time to pay tribute to some ordinary heroes who are more Travis Bickle than Bruce Wayne.

rain-super-wrench.jpgRainn Wilson, Super
Frank (Rainn Wilson) dons the persona of The Crimson Bolt for reasons similar to those of the Blues Brothers: He's on a mission from God. Depressed after his wife leaves him, Frank gets the idea to become a wrench-wielding vigilante after being visited by corny hero Holy Avenger (Nathan Fillion) in a hallucination. (This is after tentacles rip open his brain. It's a weird movie.) But Frank doesn't just reserve his wrench beatings for criminal scum -- he also puts the beat down on social rule-breakers who cut in front of him in line at the movies. (Basically, he's like a superhero version of Larry David.) Frank eventually rescues his drug-addled ex-wife from Kevin Bacon's sleazy strip-club proprietor, but not before racking up a body count worthy of The Punisher.
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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

The Teaser for "The Avengers" Is Here! Let's Make Some Predictions

by Nick Nadel on Aug 2 2011
The Avengers Trailer

Fans who stayed after the credits of Captain America: The First Avenger (you do stay after the credits for Marvel movies, right?) caught the first glimpse of next summer's Marvel superhero extravaganza. Now that the first teaser trailer for The Avengers has been released online along with the (spoiler alert!) end of Captain America, fans are poring over every brief image looking for plot details and clues about possible costume changes. Join me as I break down the Avengers trailer and offer my predictions for where Earth's mightiest heroes will go next.

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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

10 Questions Raised By The Dark Knight Rises Teaser

by Nick Nadel on Jul 19 2011
10 Questions Raised By <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i> Teaser
With the deafening buzz swirling around the first teaser trailer for The Dark Knight Rises, it's easy to forget that it was attached to the final Harry Potter movie. (Which, ironically, bested The Dark Knight's opening weekend record.) Now that we've seen a brief, oblique snippet of next summer's sure-to-be-blockbuster, fans are poring over the 90-second tease for clues. In keeping with past promotion for Christopher Nolan's films, the first teaser offers more questions than it does concrete answers. (Thus, response to the teaser has been mixed.) Keep in mind that much of what's below is speculation, as scant plot details have been released. Let's take look at some questions raised by the first look at The Dark Knight Rises.

neeson-batman-begins-125.jpgWill Liam Neeson return?
The teaser starts with a familiar voice: Liam Neeson as Ra's al Ghul delivering a line from Batman Begins. ("If you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal, then you become something else entirely. A legend, Mr Wayne. A legend.") Amid shots of a young Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins, the onscreen text tells us that "every hero has a journey" and "every hero has an end." As fans have speculated, it appears that The Dark Knight Rises will bring things full circle from Batman Begins. While Neeson is rumored to appear, we don't get any new footage of Ra's al Ghul. Though having Ra's as the teaser voiceover indicates that some link will be made to the first bad guy Batman tangled with in Nolan's franchise.

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Nick Nadel: Comic Book Movies

Looking Back at The Rocketeer 20 Years Later

by Nick Nadel on Jul 5 2011
Looking Back at <i>The Rocketeer</i> 20 Years Later

It's hard to believe it's been 20 years since Billy Campbell romanced Jennifer Connelly and battled Nazis atop a zeppelin as The Rocketeer. At the time of its release in 1991, moviegoers weren't sure what to make of a square-jawed throwback to the days of RKO serials in the wake of star-studded blockbusters like Batman and Dick Tracy. Two decades later, the film has developed a cult following thanks to its action-packed plot, strong supporting cast (Alan Arkin as Peevy is a delight), and copious shots of the aforementioned Connelly in low-cut period dress. (Check out this nifty fan film, which envisions what Pixar's take on The Rocketeer might look like, for evidence of the film's lasting impact on pop culture.) To celebrate the 20th anniversary of this enduring comic-book classic, the cast and crew of The Rocketeer (including director Joe Johnston, who also helmed the upcoming retro superhero flick Captain America: The First Avenger) reunited for a special Q&A screening hosted by Kevin Smith. Join me as we take a look back at the twisty path the film took to the big screen as well as some fun facts you may not know.

fridaythe13thpart3-125.jpgThe guy who made Friday the 13th Part III almost directed.

The Rocketeer's journey to big screen began when director Steve Miner, helmer of such "gems" as Friday the 13th Part II and Soul Man, optioned the rights to Dave Stevens's comic in 1983. Stevens, protective of his creation, didn't see eye-to-eye with Miner's take on the character. When Miner's option ran out, the rights were picked up by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo, two screenwriters who had discovered the series at the Golden Apple comic book store in Los Angeles. Stevens decided to sell the movie rights to Bilson and De Meo after seeing Zone Troopers, a low-budget World War II-era sci-fi flick that the pair had made. 

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