Upcoming Marvel - 08/07

Care of Marvel Entertainment via the fine folks over at Comingsoon.net, here is Marvel's upcoming slate of in the works projects...

Licensed Marvel Character Feature Film Line-Up
Wolverine - Fox - Director engaged (Gavin Hood)
Punisher 2 - Lionsgate - Director (Lexi Alexander) and lead actor engaged (Ray Stevenson)

Film Projects Being Developed by Marvel - partial list
Iron Man, Marvel - Completed principal photography; May 2, 2008 release
The Incredible Hulk, Marvel - Commenced principal photography; June 13, 2008 release
Ant-Man, Marvel - Writer (Edward Wright, Joe Cornish) and director (Edgar Wright) engaged
Captain America, Marvel - Writer engaged (David Self)
Nick Fury, Marvel - Writer engaged (Andrew Marlowe)
Thor, Marvel - Writer engaged (Mark Protosevich)
The Avengers, Marvel - Writer engaged (Zak Penn)

Marvel Character Animated TV Projects
"Spider-Man," Sony - In development; US distribution agreement with Kids' WB
"Wolverine and the X-Men," First Serve Toonz (India) - 26, 30 minute episodes in development
"Iron Man" Method Films (France) 26, 30 minute episodes in development

Marvel Character Animated Direct-to-DVD Projects
Doctor Strange, Lionsgate - August 14, 2007 release
Teen Avengers, Lionsgate - Targeted July 2008 release
Hulk Smash, Lionsgate - Targeted October 2008 release

Marvel Character Live Stage Projects
"Spider-Man the Musical," Hello Entertainment/David Garfinkle, Martin McCallum, Marvel Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment- In development/opening date to be determined; Julie Taymor director; music & lyrics by U2's Bono and The Edge

Marvel 2008 Video Game Releases (Release dates controlled by Publishing partner)
"Iron Man," Sega - Targeted 2008
"The Incredible Hulk," Sega - Targeted 2008

Awesome all around :) This makes me very happy. The only thing I'm dissapointed by is that they havent offciially announced a Silver Surfer film yet. But I'm especially glad to see the continuation of the direct to dvd animated films. I've been really enjoying that line. Also, I think that's the only stuff on this list I wasn't previously aware of. I'm sure in the weeks and months ahead we'll be talking more about everything on this list. Hooray!

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Nick Mutha F--in' Fury

So some truly great superhero movie news has come down the pipeline today. They have finally cast the howlin' commando himself Nick Fury. And who can it be? Why the most badass mutha f--in' actor working today; your hero and mine. SAMUEL L. JACKSON...

Nick Fury is the head of Marvel's super espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D., and has been a small yet integral player in the Marvel universe for years. A few years back when Marvel revamped and relaunched a number of their key titles creating the Ultimate line of books they somewhat controversially changed Fury from white to black, and started drawing his character based on Sam Jackson. I'm not kidding. With the actors full permission they revamped Fury into a mix of that character that Jackson is famous for: the Jules from Pulp Fiction, the cop from Snakes on a Plane, the badassedness of Mace Windu. They kept his trademark eyepatch, but changed how he looked to match exactly Samuel Jackson.

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Really when you look at it, you have to admit Sam Jackson is perfect for the role.

So I forgot one of the most important aspects of the story. While Marvel has plans on the books for a Nick Fury film. I mean another Fury film. They actually made a very cheesy made for tv Nick Fury film in the early 90s starring non other than David Hasselhoff. And he has appeared in both the recent animated direct to market Ultimates films. However he's going to have to wait just a bit longer for his big screen solo effort. He can first be seen in Favreau's Iron Man film, coming out next spring. I am really looking more and more forward to this film. With this caliber of actor they're really setting themselves up for something great.

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