17 Minutes of Gameplay from ‘Batman: Arkham Origins’

Batman: Arkham Origins releases in just four days, and to get you warmed up for its release, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has released an extensive gameplay clip. The video- which showcases The Dark Knight gliding around Gotham City, beating up thugs, using some of his classic gadgets, and even traversing the Bat Cave- should set the minds of any doubters still left at ease.

Clearly, Warner Bros. Interactive was able to build on what Rocksteady perfected, and you can see that for yourself in the video below.

Perhaps the most exciting new aspect shown in this gameplay trailer is the Bat Cave, which will allow you to upgrade your gear throughout the game, and serve as the in-game hub for challenge maps, among other things. What I'm most looking forward to, though, is what is being teased at the end of the video; we see a young Barbara defending Batman to her father, who, along with the rest of the police force, isn't quite ready to trust Bats just yet. We all know how this ends up, but it should be a treat to see this play out. The only issue I noticed in this video was Batman's cape, which, while usually incredibly realistic, was sort of phasing right through him and things around him.

Be sure to put in your pre-orders so that you can get the Black Mask Challenge Maps, and, if you have an iOS device, you can check out the Batman: Arkham Origins mobile game to unlock exclusive content for the console version.

[ComingSoon]

‘Thor’-gasm! AMC Marathon and First Reviews for ‘Thor: The Dark World’

It's almost time for Thor: The Dark World to grace American big screens so I guess that means people will be wanting some of the latest info. Well, we here at the big NB have gotz it for you, that's fer damn sure. As a matter of fact, we gotz the news on an AMC Thor marathon coming up, as well as the first reviews of Thor: The Dark World. Check below to discover our Thor-gasmic secrets.

In celebration of the Thor: The Dark World release, AMC Theaters is putting together yet another Marvel-tastic marathon for you to watch. You can get a triple dose of the hammer-wielding hero on November 7^th at 2:30 PM by sitting your butt down for eight hours and viewing Thor, The Avengers and Thor: The Dark World. This event is happening all over the place, so just check your local theaters to see which ones have got the goods.

Next up, those damn Brits have had the chance to see our movies before us yet again. And since Thor: The Dark World has already released in the UK, we might as well have a listen to what they have to say about it. Here are a few (annotated) samplings of said reviews, courtesy the hard work of the folks at ComicBookMovie:

Digital Spy's verdict -

Despite its occasionally bipolar quality, Thor: The Dark World is a hugely entertaining and sharply written continuation of Marvel's Phase 2, combining heart, spectacle and a shrewd lightness of touch.

Empire Online's verdict -

...it's also packed with a Smegload of fridge moments, those pesky plot-holes that will keep you awake at 3am, while its grasp on science (or, as Thor would have it, magic) is fairly flimsy, with respected actors spouting nonsense about gravitons and wibblyflibs like they're in a 1950s B-movie... But the whole thing clips along at such a brisk rate - at just over 100 minutes (not including credits, or post-credit stings, or post-post-credits stings) it wraps up when most blockbusters are grinding their gears - and is so entertaining that it doesn't seem to matter.

Hey U Guys' verdict -

...Hemsworth has taken such ownership of Thor that it's difficult to imagine anyone else playing him. He is an engaging presence throughout, but it's when he is paired with Hiddleston's Loki that we get the film's best moments. Elsewhere Natalie Portman's Jane Foster is smartly given more to do without her screen time feeling forced, but it's a shame we don't get to see more of Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander) and the Warriors Three, who are restricted to fleeting, if entertaining moments. Nonetheless, Thor: The Dark World is an ambitious, thrilling and often hilarious superhero sequel.

The Hollywood Reporter's verdict -

Amiable hunk Chris Hemsworth may play the title character in this sub-set of Marvel's meta-Avengers franchise, but this well-intentioned "witless oaf"... is practically a guest at his own party here, as scads of new characters and millions of dollars worth of CGI crowd the screen. Most of it pales into insignificance when Loki takes the stage... Although director Alan Taylor manages to get things going properly for the final battle in London, the long stretches before that on Asgard and the other branches of Yggdrasil are a drag...

/Film's verdict -

Thor: The Dark World is as funny as it is exciting. A slick balance of action, humor and comic book sensibilities. Fans are going to find so much to like about this movie, not only because it's fun, but because of its place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Besides the two credits scenes, Thor: The Dark World has ramifications that'll be felt for years to come. So while the film might not have the psychological complexity or sheer scope of the previous two Marvel movies, it's more balanced and feels weightier.

The Playlist's verdict -

The result is a film that is enjoyable in spots, but haphazard and ultimately unsatisfying... For all the good gags and eye candy, this ultimately boils down to yet another quest to find a magical MacGuffin that will stop a portal in the sky from opening... And while the hardcore geek crowd may eat that up, the rest of us need these films to distinguish themselves a little more if we're going to have one every six months.

The Wrap's verdict -

Filmmakers haven't put a lot of new ideas between Chris Hemsworth and his hammer, but there are enough thrills and laughs to keep it aloft. ...plenty of excitement and panache to make it lots more fun than the first one. This time around, we get no ticky-tacky small-town sets, and director Alan Taylor strikes just the right balance.

And Variety's verdict -

...as helmed by Alan Taylor, this robust, impersonal visual-effects showpiece proves buoyant and unpretentious enough to offset its stew of otherwise derivative fantasy/action elements.

Thanks to /film for the heads-up and for more on the reviews, head to ComicBookMovie.

*Update: Teaser Trailer Teaser Now Online & New ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ Production Stills

The water is starting to simmer in the Captain America: The Winter Soldier marketing pot. Yesterday there was a new movie poster, today there's two new production stills, and tomorrow there's a teaser trailer hitting.

****UPDATE****

There's a teaser for the teaser. GO figure, but here it is. Holy crap this looks good.



The first has Chris Evans and Samuel L. Jackson reprising their roles as Captain America and the one-eyed Nick Fury. Cap must be showing Fury a funny new cat video he found on the Internets. Fury is not amused, you've got to figure Fury is more into the skateboard/guy on a bike accident type of videos.

The second shows Cap with a bunch of sleepy guys. I guess when Captain America says, "Take a nap." You drop everything and take a nap. Bad guys look so much cuter when their sleeping.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, flings its way onto theater screens on April 4th, 2014, starring Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Frank Grillo, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Scarlett Johansson, Toby Jones, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell, Maximiliano Hern ndez, Robert Redford and Georges St-Pierre.

Via: Comingsoon

New ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Game Gets Launch Trailer

Just a couple of months ago, a new TMNT game was released on XBLA, titled TMNT: Out of the Shadows, but a new game, simply titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is being released. While Out of the Shadows was more of a fusion of the gritty comic style and the new Nickelodeon television series and featured an adventure style of gameplay, this new game comes directly from the show, sporting cartoonish art and utilizing a side-scrolling play style more akin to the classic TMNT games. Check out the trailer after the jump!

This game looks surprisingly similar to the "Arcade Mode" portion of TMNT: Out of the Shadows (NerdBastards Official Review), which makes me wonder why they would release this one so close to that one. While OotS had it's fair share of issues, it was an enjoyable game with a ton of content, and even looked quite a bit better than this one, to be honest. Nonetheless, you can check out the launch trailer below:

For those interested in picking up a copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it's out now for the Xbox 360, Wii, and the Nintendo 3DS.

[Coming Soon]

Feige Talks About ‘Ant Man’ and Confirms ‘Black Panther’

It's the midst of all this promotion for Thor: The Dark World, it seems that we're getting a lot of news and insight about movies that are not called "Thor: The Dark World." To wit, in new interviews with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, the el hefe of all things cinematic at Marvel talks about the far future of his studio: specifically, the development of 2015 s Ant Man and the indeterminant release of a little project called Black Panther.

First, while in discussion with IGN UK, Feige talked about what we might expect the upcoming Ant Man movie to look like, and the producer called it, of all things, "a heist movie." That gets two thumbs up from me, the idea of a super-powered Ocean's 11 or The Thomas Crown Affair, because I think any other direction might look like a superhero version of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.

In other news, Feige adds that the casting of Ant Man himself should be a done deal by year's end, and that we might also expect to see a Guardians of the Galaxy trailer by the time the clock runs out on 2013 too. Check out the IGN interview below:

Next up is Feige's interview with BlackTree TV in which he discusses the actual fact that a Black Panther movie is in development. Feige confirmed it saying "we have plans to bring him to life someday," which is a cause for optimism, but is also a cause for pessimism given the "someday" timetable. Feige points out though that the concept of vibranium has already been introduced so a bit of that ground work's been laid. Here's the interview from BlackTree:

Tune in tomorrow, or perhaps even later today, for the next edition of "Kevin Feige talks about other movies that aren't the one coming out in two weeks."

Source: /Film

New ‘Thor: The Dark World’ Featurette – This Time With 200% More Loki!

That's right folks, we got some more Thor: The Dark World marketing materials for ya right here and now! So step right up and see what the good people of Disney/Marvel have for us this time around - a featurette showcasing that loveable and potentially fatal guy known as Loki.

And check out Thor: The Dark World in all its hammer-hurling fury when it hits the big screen come November 8^th.

Thanks to Coming Soon for helping to spread the love.

Editorial: Is ‘Firefly’ Dark Horse’s ‘Star Wars’ Back-Up Plan?

Last month, we told you about the return of Firefly - in comic book form - to the known verse, but we didn't know when the book would touch down, or who would be piloting it. Thanks to the deluge of info coming out of this weekend's New York Comic Con, now we do, but beyond a continuation of Firefly's legacy, is this project the perfect back-up plan to guard against the defection of Star Wars?

Dark Horse Comics has announced that Zach Whedon has been tabbed to take the reigns as writer on the (as of now) six issue series, teaming up with Buffy Season 8 & 9 artist Georges Jeanty. This isn't just a case of nepotism, though. Zach, like Whedon's other, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. co-showrunning brother Jed, is an accomplished writer in his own right, scripting three episodes of Fringe, co-creating Dr. Horrible, and writing Terminator and Firefly comics (co-writing The Shepherd's Tale) previously.

In an interview with Nerdist, Whedon talked about building on the existing story, brother Joss' involvement (it doesn't sound like he's heavily involved, at all), the abandonment of the once planned Inara deathly illness, and the absence - in this new series - of both the Blue Sun corporation, and more crushingly, Hoban Washburne (so, that gaping chest wound is insurmountable, but Phil Coulson's can be healed with a band-aid?) - who, according to Whedon, will not really appear in flashbacks.

Here's Whedon on the absence of Wash:

"I called it that (Serenity: Leaves on the Wind) because I felt like it was a way to honor Wash and the effect his death had on the crew. They are still reeling from that event in many ways, and beyond that they are drifting a bit, pushed all over the verse by forces out of their control."

Whedon also indicates that there won't be many hi-jinks in the new book as the crew deals with the aftermath of the events that occurred at the end of Serenity, the cinematic follow-up to the Firefly TV series - namely, their outing of the Alliance's wrong doing and the origin of the Reavers.

Here's the synopsis for the book:

"As the series begins, Mal and the crew are recouping from their recent strike against the sinister interplanetary government, The Alliance, in which they exposed government agencies as those responsible for the creation of the Reavers - the scourge of the universe. With River Tam in the co-pilot chair and a very pregnant Zoe reeling from the death of her husband, Wash, Mal is finding himself and his ship in greater danger than ever."

So, can this work?

That depends on your perspective, but Dark Horse and Whedon don't seem to be charting a course that goes right through the fan service sweet spot.

It would have been so much easier and more certainly successful if they had, drenching this thing with Wash flashbacks, given us a familiar and unresolved villain like Blue Sun, and gone more toward the familiar tone of the show, allowing Browncoats to be greasy chinned, fat, and happy from their fast food meal. But in putting the crew on the run, with a series of fractures running right through them, Whedon flies closer to where the show would have likely gone had the dear and fluffy lord answered all of our prayers and delivered a new series unto us after the film - and that makes them mighty. It also makes me more interested in where this is going - assuming it goes beyond these first six issues, though the possibility of this becoming a monthly series flies in the face of Dark Horse's previous views on the idea.

When I spoke to Dark Horse editor Scott Allie two years ago at New York Comic Con I asked him about making a monthly Firefly comic, and he told me:

"Not a monthly title. We don't have any interest. It'd be great to do commercially, but creatively that's not where we're headed."

So, why the change of heart?

Two things have happened since I spoke with Allie: the Firefly tenth anniversary celebration generated a lot of buzz and interest in the brand's beautiful corpse, and Disney (owners of Marvel Comics and all of their fiefdom) bought Star Wars, prompting fears that Dark Horse could lose their Star Wars license to Marvel (the initial home of Star Wars comics).

Back in December, there was a rumor that the transfer was set in stone, but since then, Dark Horse has launched two high profile Star Wars projects - Brian Wood's Star Wars film continuation and The Star Wars, an adaptation of George Lucas' original concept - with little news on the future of the license.

When asked about the possibility of Marvel re-absorbing Star Wars by EW in April, though, Dark Horse President Mike Richardson said:

"We have it for the foreseeable future, though, so we're just going about business as usual. It is what it is. Look, from day-one we always knew it was a possibility that someday we might not have the license. We're prepared for it. We have other franchises to move into that space, but we got involved with publishing in part because we loved Star Wars and so sure it'll be disappointing on a business level, but probably more disappointing on a personal level."

Is Firefly one of those franchises and did the potentially looming need for something to fill the Star Wars void help push past any concerns, bringing this project into life? Maybe yes, maybe Star Wars has nothing to do with the re-birth of Firefly - we may never know, but it could be an interesting prologue to the next chapter in the long ignored Firefly saga.

Serenity: Leaves on the Wind hits comic shop shelves on January 29th.

Source: EW, Nerdist, Very Aware

‘Walking Dead’ at NYCC: More Season 4 Casting Announcements

This weekend was a great one for Walking Dead fans. Not only was there the Season 4 premiere (Reviewed for you right over here.), but at New York Comic Con there was a panel held featuring Robert Kirkman, Scott Gimple, Greg Nicotero, along with an assortment of the cast, at which some very important casting news was announced.

Michael Cudlitz (Southland, Band of Brothers) and Josh McDermitt will be joining The Walking Dead as Abraham and Eugene, respectively; rounding out the trio of newcomers we knew were on their way since the announcement Christian Serratos was playing Rosita.

This is old news, though, if you watched the live stream of the NYCC panel. Were you watching said live steam you were undoubtedly confused when the first question of the Q&A portion had a rowdy audience member calling showrunner Gimple a motherfucker, repeatedly. Only to have it turn out to be Cudlitz in what is easily the most fun anyone's had with a casting announcement. And if that prank was only a tease of what Cudlitz is bringing to Abraham, absolutely no one will be disappointed.

In equally pleasing news, Nicotero confirmed McDermitt will indeed be, "fully mulleted" for his role as Eugene. Aw yiss.

The Walking Dead airs Sunday nights at 9pm EST on AMC. When will Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene make their first appearance? Sooner than later, I hope!

Hated ‘The Hobbit’ in HFR? Too Bad! ‘X-Men: DOFP’ Getting 48fps Release

Youd' think with how much of X-Men: Days of Future Past was teased on Twitter by director Bryan Singer we'd already know whether or not the film had been shot in 48fps. That's the high frame rate, or HFR, Peter Jackson chose to shoot and release The Hobbit in; a decision cinephiles are still debating.

Today, AICN received confirmation DOFP was indeed shot in 48fps, as had been rumored, and is intended to be released in the same format. Here's a snippet they received from their sources,

X:DoFP was shot in HFR and will be released in 48fps. The filmmakers played coy because of the negative reaction to the technology when the Hobbit film was released, but love the results and will be standing behind a theatrical release in high frame rate.

The negative reaction The Hobbit's HFR received doesn't seem to have stalled filmmakers from adopting the new technology at all, so I can't say I'm surprised. And personally, I totally dug the HFR. Sure, it was weird at first and took a few minutes to adjust, but once I had I never wanted to see a fight scene or any fast-paced action sequence in a slower frame rate ever again! The amount of detail noticeable in the motion was incredible! I'm a fan, and I can't wait to see DOFP in the same cinema magic.

And apparently, Quicksilver's super speed was shot at 3600fps. Can't even imagine what that's going to look like!

What do you Bastards think of the news we'll have the chance to see DOFP in 48fps? Did you love it or hate it when you saw The Hobbit?

Source: AICN via Geek Tyrant

Who Shall Be the Ant-Man? We Got the Shortlist Here

We all know that Ant-Man is part of Marvel's 'Phase 3' of super hero flicks, but so far, aside form a few pre-scheduled release dates, not much is known about any of the upcoming films. Now, it looks like Ant-Man is at least getting a little bit closer as the studio is down to just two actors to play the famous, shrinking super-hero.

And the winners are...

Number 1 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Yup, it seems as if the former Dark Knight Rises star may be switching sides and heading over to Marvel. Considering that Ant-Man, if successful, will likely spawn multiple sequels, this could be a good chance for JGL to make a buttload of cash as well as cementing his name in the minds of geeks (and movie producers) everywhere.

Number 2 - Paul Rudd

Known for a long list of smaller bits and bigger, mostly comedy-oriented bits, Rudd seems to me to be the underdog in this one. For some reason, I'm having flashbacks of Ryan Reynolds as The Green Lantern...

There's always a chance that a third, dark-horse contender will come up if these two can't make the grade, but for now they're the top choices. Keeps your eyes on the Internetz (and Nerd Bastards in particular) to learn the result of this casting contest.

Thanks to /film for the heads-up.

Marvel Planning to Bombard the Airwaves with Four New Shows and a Miniseries

With the success of super heroes on the big screen, it's only natural that we should see them all moving down to the small screen as well. DC figured this out with their successful take on Green Arrow and then Marvel followed that up with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the snowball continues to roll. If the rumormill is to be believed, Marvel has four new shows coming, along with a miniseries.

The source of said rumor is Deadline, who said that Marvel is...

...quietly putting together a package of four drama series and a miniseries - a total of some 60 episodes - that would be taken out to the VOD and cable space, with Netflix, Amazon and WGN America rumored as potential candidates.

Of course, that doesn't tell us what they plan on putting together, though I'm sure they'll be letting us know as soon as they have some solid ideas ready to go. There have been rumors about an Agent Carter television show, so that's way up on the list. But what else could they be planning?

Anyone out there in Nerd Reader land care to hazard a guess at what Marvel characters we could see in the near future?

Thanks to ComicBookMovie for the heads-up.

Mark Hamill Who? Hear ‘Arkham Origins’ New Joker Read From ‘The Killing Joke’

When it was announced Mark Hamill would not be reprising the role of The Joker for the third Arkham game, Batman: Arkham Origins, I was sad, like I'm sure were many of you. It's difficult to imagine anyone else bringing that same sneer mixed with a hint frivolity to the voice. That was, until I heard this.

This video comes from the Batman: Arkham Origins panel at NYCC where the new Joker, Troy Baker, gave the audience a taste of what he's got. Reading an excerpt of the Joker's monologue from The Killing Joke, Baker simply kills it! (The Joker starts talking at about 2:12 mark.)

WOW. All my doubts have been cast aside! Not that Hamill has been bumped from the top spot, he's still the best Joker ever. But Baker? I'm super impressed. What do you all think of Baker's Joker? Worthy of following Hamill in the Arkham series?

Source: Nerd Approved

Malekith Awakens in Latest ‘Thor: The Dark World’ Clip

This time around the big bad of Thor's second solo feature, Thor: The Dark World, is Malekith the Accursed, brought to life by former Time Lord, Christopher Eccelston. He's a nasty dark elf hell bent on either controlling or destroying Midgard. Not really sure which. The trailers don't give much insight to the dude's motivation, and neither does this clip.

Though it's sure a nifty introduction to what I'm hoping will be a truly menacing villain. No pressure Eccelston, you only have to follow Tom Hiddleston's Loki-err, ouch. That's one tough act to follow.

Oh! And I just noticed this, but it appears he doesn't start the movie with half his face blackened and burnt. Hmm...

Thor: The Dark World opens November 8th.

Source: IGN

A Compendium Of Cool Comics Cosplay: January 17th

Once again it's time for our Friday comics cosplay feature, casting the spotlight on the best comics related costumery from the cosplay community. As always, we're focusing on those cosplayers who we think deserve special recognition for their hard work creating the best costumes, whatever their budget, and also the work of those photographers who capture them for posterity.

This week we're featuring some awesome cosplay of Black Canary, Thanos, Wonder Girl, Emma Frost, Blue Beetle, Rogue, Shadowcat, The Question, Sif, Catwoman, Thor and Loki!

Gamma Squad is committed to giving a voice to the cosplay community. Each week we aim to spotlight our favorite costumes and we encourage all cosplayers, costumers and photographers to submit pictures of their work to our Flickr group to be considered for inclusion in our regular cosplay features.

Now enjoy this week's selection!

Triple Canary photographed by Paul Cory. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

Thanos cosplayer at Comikaze Expo 2013. Photo by Jon (av4rice). Source: Flickr

Donna Troy cosplay by Mariedoll. Photography by Mineralblu. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

Emma Frost cosplayer at MCM London Comic Con 2013. Photo by Dave Pearce. Source: Flickr

Blue Beetle cosplayer at Dragon*Con 2013. Photo by Pat Loika. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

Rogue and Shadowcat with Lockheed at Comickaze 2013. Photo by Ryan C. Source: Flickr

The Question cosplayer at Dragon*Con 2012. Photographed by TheGeekForge. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

Lady Sif cosplayer at Comikaze Expo 2013. Photo by Jon (av4rice). Source: Flickr

Catwoman cosplay by Caroline Knight. Photo by V Threepio. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

Asgardians Gangnam style photographed by Greyloch. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

The Midas Flesh #1 Lacks a Golden Touch

The Midas Flesh #1 (of 8)

Published by Boom! Box (Boom! Studios)

Written by Ryan North

Art by Shelli Paroline & Braden Lamb

Boom! Studios had the right idea with their newest division, Boom Box. Think of this as the "Fox Searchlight" to Boom; more off-the-beaten path, more outside-the-box ideas that are given special consideration as far as time allotted to build an audience is concerned. I must say, I've yet to read a book in recent months as outside the box as The Midas Flesh.

North has some very interesting ideas with the two parallel storylines, one set in the far-flung future and one in the distant past. The future characters prepare for a secret mission in a forbidden sector of space, while the past story focuses on the excess and lavish lifestyle of those characters. Both sets of characters were unique and quirky enough to leave a lasting impression. (One of the groups gave me a Red Dwarf vibe; the others brought back fond memories of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys). My concern: there didn't seem to be any sort of thematic bridge between both threads. When the two threads inevitably merge, it feels like it's by happenstance, not planned. Also, the dialogue didn't quite flow, and the landing wasn't nailed with much banter.

Paroline and Lamb gave the book energy. The thick line work and character "acting" were spot on. There were some lush backgrounds and economical layouts that didn't waste space on unnecessary splashes. The colors, though, fell a bit short. The Earth scenes had a strong palette, but space should have used more flare stars, auroras, and photospheres.

I am convinced enough to see this mini-series through to the end. The first chapter was rough around the edges, but the originality alone warrants further reading. -3.5 out of 5

Samuel L. Jackson Confirms Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ OR Does He?

When the man himself, Samuel L. Jackson, speaks, people listen, unless you're a kid that won't Go-the-F*@K-to-Sleep. Jackson was talking with the Wall Street Journal about his recent Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. cameo and also dropped an Avengers: Age of Ultron Scarlet Witch bomb. Or did he?

Let's start with the quote from the Journal that's blazing it's way across the Internet today:

I don't think we begin shooting before March of next year," Jackson said of "The Avengers: Age of Ultron," the next film to begin shooting in the Marvel universe. "I know we're shooting in London, that James Spader is Ultron and going to be the bad guy, and that we added Ms. [Elizabeth] Olsen [who will play the Scarlet Witch], but I don't know what she's doing, if she's on the inside or the outside. I haven't seen a script.

Now let's take out the Brackets that were added by the Journal to help explain Jackson's statement to readers and we get this:

I don't think we begin shooting before March of next year," Jackson said of "The Avengers: Age of Ultron," the next film to begin shooting in the Marvel universe. "I know we're shooting in London, that James Spader is Ultron and going to be the bad guy, and that we added Ms. Olsen, but I don't know what she's doing, if she's on the inside or the outside. I haven't seen a script.

Now, what does that do to the quote that is supposedly confirming Olsen's role? Kinda waters the whole thing down doesn't it? Jackson says Spader is Ultron, but does not say what role Olsen will play. That "inside or out" part is most likely about whether or not she is on the inside, i.e. part of the Avengers, or the outside, not in the Avengers.

So really, what we've got is confirmation that Olsen has a role in Avengers: Age of Ultron, not what role she is playing. You've got to match that with the rumors about her being in talks to take on the role of the Scarlet Witch to make that jump, which means the whole thing is still just a rumor and not a true confirmation.

Now, this whole thing should put Olsen in the 75% range of confirmation as the Scarlet Witch. The papers just haven't been finalized or we'd be seeing tweets announcing her role. Until then, we've got to still consider this officially unconfirmed.

Via: The Wall Street Journal

Giamatti to Play Rhino in at Least One More Spidey Flick

Spidey fans are abuzz regarding Paul Giamatti's upcoming appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as Aleksei Sytsevich, aka The Rhino....

It could be the best or worst part of the highly anticipated sequel, depending on who you ask, and Sony seems to be banking on Giamatti's drawing power: In a recent interview with Collider while supporting the upcoming release of Parkland, the acclaimed actor admitted that he's signed a multi-picture deal. Rhino will definitely be appearing in The Amazing Spider-Man 3, and possibly 4-if 4 actually happens, that's yet to be confirmed.

Giamatti has also hinted strongly that he'll be participating in a Sinister Six movie-again, nothing's been set in stone.

In any case, it appears Rhino's involvement in ASM 2 will be relatively light (probably because Jamie Foxx's Electro will be the principle baddie), setting the stage for a larger role in part 3.

Source: Bleeding Cool

Millar Goes Crazy-Pants After Viewing the ‘Nemesis’ Adaptation Screenplay

Mark Millar, the brains behind Kick-Ass among other things, is moving ahead with yet another project adapted from his works. The new one, Nemesis, has been given the treatment by Joe and Matthew Carnahan and the latter half of that duo will also be acting as director as far as things currently stand. Now, the hype for the adaptation begins as Millar took to the Internetz and began making claims that this movie will be the biggest flick of the entire decade. Check below to see exactly what Millar had to say after the jump:

How can I put this?

Nemesis is one of the most relentless and powerful screenplays I've ever read. I was actually SHELL-SHOCKED after reading it, thinking about it for hours afterwards and discussing it with the family. As a movie, the Carnahans have crafted something we've never actually seen before and I feel like someone in Julia Phillips' office must have felt when Schrader's TAXI DRIVER script first landed on their desk. This is going to be one of the best movies of the decade. The fact that it's a SUPERHERO movie is incredibly exciting to me. This is the next step for where a comic-book adaptation can go and, simply as a viewer, I'm now counting down the days until I can sit in a screening room and see the first cut.

This is going to be MASSIVE.

And I'm not being hyperbolic here. Joe and Matthew Carnahan are two of the most respected people in the business and Joe's most recent movie, The Grey, ranks as my favourite in a year that had a lot of my favourite movies. He upped his game again with the Death Wish screenplay, which was one of the most compelling scripts I've ever read, but he's blown his other work out of the water with Nemesis. I had no idea where he was going with this (I wrote the book back in 2010, co-created with the brilliant artist Steve McNiven), but Joe had been tight-lipped on what he had planned and wanted me to experience the entire package for maximum impact when I sat myself down with a nice bottle of whisky and soaked this up over a two hour period.

There's nothing else I can really say. I've been blessed with the people adapting these Millarworld books so far, some of the best writers and directors currently working in film, but NOTHING prepared me for this. This is huge, operatic, tragic, monumental. This is about America right now and the world the audience is walking back into the second they leave the cinema. Nemesis is about America's worst nightmare in the form of a costumed billionaire attacking a city and doing everything he can to tear it down. The high concept, it's been said, is if Batman was The Joker and that's quite a fun way of looking at it. The cop who goes up against him, the Blake Morrow character in the book, is going to be a movie icon after this picture. I don't know who's going to be playing him at this stage, but I know that after reading the script everyone is going to WANT to.

It seemed odd to me in the economic downturn that we'd all be rooting for a costumed billionaire out there fighting poor people in GothamCity every night. That's what was in the back of my mind when I first sat down to write the book, this notion that richest guys on the planet could actually be the most terrifying. But what Joe and Matthew have done with this is practically alchemical. I joked to Joe on the phone last night that he's basically a brilliant plastic surgeon who has taken a decent-looking individual and turned them into a sex-bomb.

This is my new favourite movie and it's still a year or two away from anyone even seeing it. It's going to be the biggest and smartest action movie we've all seen in a very, very long time.

Get excited.

Best,

Mark Millar

For those that don't know the story of Nemesis, it's basically about a really rich guy (kinda like Bruce Wayne) that decides to become a super villain instead of a super hero. The story certainly seems interesting enough (sorry, but I haven't had the chance to actually read it yet...), and maybe the screenplay really is all that, but there's a lot more stages between here and there and to be calling this the best film in years might be premature at the very least.

First and foremost, Carnahan has nothing worthwhile under his belt as far as directing goes. We all saw what a director can do to help or harm a flick when Kick-Ass ended up with a director change from #1 to #2. Even if we're looking at a Taxi Driver level screenplay, Carnahan is certainly no Martin Scorsese.

But at the very least, Millar is an excitable fellow. So I guess it doesn't do any harm to let the guy have his popcorn and pee his pants for a while. When the first casting begins, then I'll start to care more about this.

Thanks to /Film for the heads-up.

Ask The Bastards #22: Nerd Rage, Batman’s Undies, Star Wars and a Very Important Casting Question

Hello, and welcome to another terrifyingly titillating (because we're all about sexually confusing you) installment of Ask the Bastards, the feature where you, the readers, get to ask us, the writers of Nerd Bastards, anything you want about your favorite nerdy topics. This week we've got a rather diverse crop of queries, ranging from the latest Marvel Comics event to books we'd like to see on the big screen to who we'd like to play us in a movie (No really, someone actually asked that, and strangely not one of us said Benedict Cumberbatch.). Plus, we're talking Star Wars VII (because really, who isn't?), long distance comics fandom, Batman's crotchal region and a whole lot more (No, I'm not going to spell it moar, because that's idiotic...damn it, I did it anyway, didn't I? Can I go to bed now?).

For those of you who've never done this before, it works like this: Every time we're getting ready to launch an Ask the Bastards installment, we'll send out the call for questions on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure you're following us at both of those places, then wait for your time to shine and ask any nerdy question you'd like of us. We"ll do the rest. And if you're curious what we've answered before, you can browse the Ask the Bastards archive HERE.

Jan Michael Rempt: What do the bastards think of the Infinity crossover so far?

I think like a lot of big comic book crossovers it is was it is. A lot of build-up, too many books to follow, a lot of deeply convoluted backstory from months and years of teasing and details only accessible to hardcore fans. Of course, Thanos having a son is a cool detail, but a bit Maury Povich as we're forced to ask the inevitable question, who is Thanos' baby mama? - Adam A. Donaldson

Jason Koppel: What book, that already hasn't been turned into a movie, would you pick to have turned into one?

Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet. It's a great military space battle series with an interesting twist. Any of the books on this list would also fit the bill. - Mark Poynter

The Kama Sutra. Make it... with puppets. Naughty, bendable puppets whose carnal urges can't be slowed by silly things like self-respect. - Jason Tabrys

Stranger In A Strange Land; Heinlein's a tad sexist and homophobic in places, but the story is strong, and I believe it would translate well to the big screen...That is, if a way could be found around the copious, non-erotic nudity. - James P. Daniels

When I first read S.G. Browne's Breathers: A Zombie's Lament I could instantly visualize the movie in the my mind. This was long before our culture became so zombie obsessed, by now virtually zapping all the fun out of the genre, but Breathers is able to put an interesting and darkly funny spin on such a tired storytelling scenario. Here's its basic premise: in a world where zombies aren't a terror but are rather begrudgingly incorporated into our society, albeit with less rights than household pets, Andy must come to terms with his new life as an Undead American. He attends Undead Anonymous meetings, lives with his resentful parents, and even begins exploring a relationship with fellow zombie and UA member, Rita.

The book is laugh out loud funny, told through Andy's voice which is full of thoughtful and often biting (pun 100% intended) commentary on the sorry state of his fellow zombie citizens. The parallels between the experiences of the undead and any marginalized, disenfranchised sect of society are obvious, but no less eye-opening. And in fact, there is supposedly a movie adaptation of Breathers in the works but there's hasn't been much news on that for ages. Either way, I couldn't recommend the book enough.

And Jason, I'd only accept a movie version of The Kama Sutra with puppets if Matt Stone and Trey Parker were involved. - Sarah Moran

I'm a big fan of Austin Grossman's Soon I Will Be Invincible, a clever and insightful look into the superhero genre through the eyes of Fatale, a cybernetic superheroine, and Dr. Impossible, a super-villainous scientific genius in the vein of Dr. Doom. it combines the superhero dysfunction of Watchmen with the typical tropes and themes of the Justice League, while being somewhat lighter in tone. If you liked The Incredibles, this is worth checking out. In fact, it's almost surprising that this hasn't be made into a movie already. - Adam A. Donaldson

I don't read often, but when I do, it's because of books like Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. RPO is a nerdtastic novel that reawakens feelings of 80s geek culture. Incredibly full of video game, TV show, and overall pop culture references from that era. Even if you don't get the references, it's fast paced, exciting read! A fantastic story that is filled with gripping turns and twists, fun dialogue and originality. One of my favorite reads of all time!

This book is really a look at what a Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMO) would look like with virtual reality. As such, it would make for an excellent movie! Thrilling experience for '80s fans and video game fans through a virtual immersion treasure hunt? Come on, '80s geek culture is always a good thing. I want this book to be a movie! - Luke Gallagher

We're living in a time when young adult genre fiction is being optioned left and right. If that's the state of things, I'd like someone to take notice of Daughter of Smoke and Bone, a weird, creepy and wildly inventive fantasy by Laini Taylor. - Matthew Jackson

Matthew Smedley: What would the Bastards want to see in the new Star Wars movie?

Puppet fucking. - Jason Tabrys

I'd like to see a nod to those among the SW fandom who followed the post-ROTJ story in the EU novels: Throw in a Timothy Zahn or Kevin J. Anderson character, maybe....Just something to show us they appreciate our continued loyalty, even back when no one thought a 7th film could ever be made. - James P. Daniels

George Lucas in carbonite - Luke Gallagher

Anything that isn't cheap-looking CGI or overly-complicated plot points that take away from the simple, adventurous spirit of the original Star Wars. - Sarah Moran

Sarah and I are on the same page, what I will add is that I want storytelling that doesn't seem like a complicated flashback with a lot of padding. George Lucas himself said that 60 per cent of the story was in Episode III, and the other 40 per cent was spread in Episodes I and II. Call me old-fashioned, but I happen to think that a movie should have 100 per cent of the story you want to tell, and so should Episode VII. - Adam A. Donaldson

I will build on what James said and give you a three word answer: Grand. Admiral. THRAWN. - Matthew Jackson

Kieran O'Hare: Who would you get to play you in a movie about your life?

I pretty sure I wouldn't rate more than an After School Special. - Mark Poynter

Puppet. - Jason Tabrys

Wallace Shawn, 20 years ago...with hair. - James P. Daniels

Keira Knightley. Though, she'd need an even bigger boob job than the one they photo-shopped on her for the poster of King Arthur. - Sarah Moran

I'd have to go with Brett Dalton, the guy who's playing Agent Grant Ward on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. right now. He's got some sweet moves, he's handsome as all hell, and he knows how to work his mojo with the ladies. None of that resembles me, but we have similar haircuts. -Brent Cook

I'm not sure. I tell you one thing, though, the actor playing me would have to have one magnum sized, throbbing, eye widening, panty dropping... personality. What, did you think I was going to say something else? Oh, I dunno, any funny, charming, loveable fat guy would do. Kevin James, Patton Oswalt, or Tyler Labine (Sock from the show Reaper). Side mental note: must become closer friends with Sarah Moran, the power of boobies compels you. - Luke Gallagher

I'd be an animated character, voiced by Sam Elliott. - Matthew Jackson

Thomas J. Sproson: I must have the most boring question ever. Alright, how often do you guys turn up to work as the Justice League?

If we ever did have an office to meet in, I think this kind of thing would happen most often:

-Mark Poynter

We don't have an office. I've never met any of these people and I'm not entirely convinced that this whole thing isn't just one big Catfish scam. - Jason Tabrys

AS the Justice League? What makes you think we're NOT the Justice League? - James P. Daniels

Me? I never "turn up" for work. I just sit in The Watchtower munching on cookies like Martian Manhunter. - Sarah Moran

There's an open invite to all NB staffers to come and party with me. Sadly, no one has come. I'm THAT kid sitting at the table wearing a Batman costume with cake, balloons and favors laid out, but there's nothing but empty seats around me. My head peaks up every time I hear a car drive by. Ultimate sad face. - Luke Gallagher

I'm pretty sure Luke is always dressed like Aquaman and just never tells anyone. I'm also pretty sure Jason is a 93-year-old woman from Wyoming who makes money by making videos of herself sitting on bratwurst. - Matthew Jackson

John Bruce: Have you ever felt that your just feeding nerd-rage about a topic?

I don't think so, but I really don't give any thought to how something will be perceived when I'm writing it. I've been surprised that some things have inspired "nerd-rage", but such is life. - Jason Tabrys

Every now and then it's occurred to me that a subject, or part of a subject that I'm writing about is going to be contentious-but that hasn't stopped me yet. I do not consider a reader's "Nerd Rage" threshold to be my problem. I don't bait my readers deliberately, but I'm not going to censor myself just because something I'm writing might get someone's knickers in a twist. - James P. Daniels

Nerd rage really isn't the kind of thing that needs to be fed, and trying to deliberately starve with what you write (or don't write) doesn't help at all. See all the people who just decided to yell at Damon Lindelof on Twitter after watching Breaking Bad last Sunday. He didn't provoke anyone that night. They just turned up. Nerd rage appears out of nowhere, like Nightcrawler but much more annoying. - Matthew Jackson

Danny Weinberg: Does batman wear undies under his suit?

I'm sure Alfred wouldn't let him out of the Batcave without a clean pair. - Mark Poynter

I guess. But I'll tell ya what I miss is when Batman wore his undies on the outside of his suit. Damn you, New 52! - Sarah Moran

Superhero tights cause major wedgies. That's why superheroes wear their undies on the outside. - Adam A. Donaldson

Bruce Wayne strikes me as a guy who'd go tactical and rock a pair of compression shorts under his gear, but really, that's just good sense. - Brent Cook

Batman is all about preparation, so I'm pretty sure he's got a catheter and an adult diaper under there, just in case. - Matthew Jackson

Scott Baker: Here's a serious question. What is a good way to get comics (DC and Marvel in my case) when you live a long way from a comic/book store? I would like to get crossovers to other series/comics as well when they occur. I have considered subscriptions and electronic.

I enjoy going to my local shops so I've never had the need to use a subscription service. This CBR forum posting might help point you in the right direction. Unless a fellow Nerd Bastard has a go-to service. - Mark Poynter

I hear that Mile High Comics has a good service. I went digital last year and I couldn't be happier. I miss going to my shop, but I found that I would buy paper books and forget that I had them. You can't beat the convenience of ComiXology. It's also a lot easier to discover new, indie comics that a lot of local shops don't carry. - Jason Tabrys

I also definitely suggest the switch to digital, and in that case it's Comixology all the way. Sure, I too lament the passing of the brick and mortar shops, but the convenience, the price, and the saving on space makes digital all the more appealing. And especially if you're not already loyal to a local shop (something that guilts me every time I shop digitally). - Sarah Moran

Digital is certainly a way to go if you don't mind not having the physical books. It's instant and easy. If you want the physical books, Mile High is a good way to go, as are shops like Midtown and Things From Another World. They'll usually let you pre-order and subscribe so the books show up faster, but there are shipping costs to consider. I wouldn't go the subscription route directly from the publishers, though. I tried that once with a DC book, and I didn't get the comic until at least a week after it was released, sometimes a good deal more, and I was told by customer service that they don't even consider the book to be late until it's been at least a month since the release. - Matthew Jackson

Pryde’s Picks 9/27/13 – Comic Book Reviews

EDITORS NOTE: In partnership with Youtube personality Kelly Carlton (aka F'N Pryde), we bring you another weekly installment of badass, foul mouthed comic book reviews. So without further ado here's F'N Pryde with her weekly comic book rundown. It's "Pryde's Picks!

I don't know if you can feel it but down here in Swelterville, Florida, I'm noticing the weather is a little less miserable. Fall is coming and with that all my favorite shows are back on TV! Lucky for you guys I was able to squeeze in a hefty load of comics between season premieres and eating my feelings.

I have to say Marvel is dancing a thin line with me as of late. I am loving/hating Battle of the Atom with every other book. Luckily, their god awful A+X is so trashy it's almost a guilty piss-on-it pleasure. DC's villains month can't end soon enough but they did deliver a pretty solid book with Secret Society #1. Unfortunately for the big boys, Image Comics has won my pull this week. Image delivered some trashy reads and surprisingly warm fuzzies. If you want sex that'll blow your mind and stop time, foul mouthed little girls killing orcs and The Lion King with a super hero twist... This is your week!

(Oh and sorry I frakked up on my Lion King metaphor. Simba's mom is Sarabi not Nala. I'm such a jackwagon.)

As always, if you're easily offended tread carefully. Pryde's Picks is full of boisterous inappropriate humor and way too much geek rage.

This week features: Guardians of the Galaxy #6 Wolverine & the X-Men #36 (Battle of the Atom: Chapter 5) A+X #12 Joker's Daughter #1 Sinestro #1 Secret Society #1 Saga #14 Revival #14 Jupiter's Legacy #3 Rat Queens #1 Sex Criminals #1

Like what you see? There is more on YoutTube page and you can also"like" me on Facebook!

Via: Pryde's Picks