Josh Hutcherson NOT Yet Offered Spider-Man Role, May Be Cyclops in 'First Class'

Josh Hutcherson NOT Yet Offered Spider-Man Role, May Be Cyclops in 'First Class'

Despite report that he has been cast as the lead actor in the 'Spider-Man' reboot, sources say Hutcherson has not been offered the part.

A lot of buzz come from the casting process of untitled Spider-Man reboot lately. Blue Sky Disney recently claimed Josh Hutcherson has been chosen to play Peter Parker in the upcoming film after he followed several test shoots. The site stated their sources informed that helmer Marc Webb and Sony bosses think the "Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D" actor is the best for the role and Hutcherson has accepted the job.

However, on Wednesday, June 30, CHUD debunked the report, stating Hutcherson has not been offered the part. Though there is still a chance that he could get the offer, the site suggested it is unlikely that the 17-year-old star will be cast in the film. However, the site did not further mention a reason for this doubt.

Hutcherson, in the meantime, has confirmed that he joined audition to play the superhero in the upcoming "Spider-Man" movie. "I think a lot of people are auditioning and talking about it, so it's an honor to be considered on the same list with some of these actors that I'm up against," he told Coming Soon. "It would be an honor to play that role, it's a big thing, it's a total game changer. I really want to play a comic book hero."

While rumor about him playing in the web slinger film is yet to be over, CHUD has sparked another casting report mentioning Hutcherson's name. It is said that the depicter of Walter in "Zathura" is a favorite to play Cyclops in another big project, "X-Men: First Class".

"Spider-Man" reboot, which will see Peter Parker during his high school age, is slated for July 3, 2012 release in the U.S. Meanwhile, "X-Men: First Class", which will be directed by Matthew Vaughn and chart the epic beginning of the X-Men saga, secures June 3, 2011 as the U.S. release date.

Will Wolverine appear in X-Men: First Class? | Filmonic

Will Wolverine appear in X-Men: First Class? | Filmonic
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One of the main reasons I am looking forward to X-Men: First Class is due to the prospect of having an X-Men film revolve around the X-Men and not Wolverine. Sure, he’s a cool character and Hugh Jackman is great in the role, but the bastard hogged all the screen time in the trilogy and other characters had to suffer in order for him to shine (Cyclops and Storm mainly). So with Wolverine on course to getting his own trilogy, it may finally be time for an actual X-Men film with X-Men: First Class, which will focus on young versions of Cyclops, Jean, Beast and Storm (among other’s yet to be confirmed) as they undertake their first year at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

However, with X-Men Origins: Wolverine making big money this past weekend, mainly due to Hugh Jackman and people’s interest in Wolverine, would Fox ever consider making an X-Men film without an appearance from the clawed one?

From MTV:

“Do you think Wolverine will be in the ‘X-Men: First Class’ movie?” I asked Jackman, expecting to hear a simple “no” or “no comment.”

“I don’t know,” he responded with a grin, leaving the door open. “You’re asking good questions. You’ve done your research.”

“I’ve got nothing to do with that movie, they don’t need me,” Jackman cautioned, then cryptically added, “…as a producer.”

Which brings up a good point: Although the “producer” in Jackman is already working hard to make a Wolverine spin-off sequel, it seems likely that the “actor” in him wants to leave the door open to guest appearances in the movies of other mutants.

“I haven’t even read the script,” he tried to explain of “First Class,” but once again added honestly: “But, we’ll see.”

Finally, I thought I’d give Hugh one more shot at a stronger confirmation or denial, so I asked if he’d be willing to do a small cameo in “First Class,” along the same lines of what Patrick Stewart did in his film. “Yeah,” Jackman grinned, escaping while he could. “You have done your research.”

A cameo would actually be quite cool, considering there would be little or no interaction between Wolverine and the characters he meet for the first time in X-Men 1. From X-Men Origins: Wolverine it is hinted that First Class would takes place after those events, so it could work. However, if Wolverine end’s up on-screen for more than 20 seconds I’ll showcase some berserk rage of my own.

New 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' Images

Several more stills from X-Men Origins: Wolverine have popped up online. Click the stills for bigger versions.

Hi, I'm a Marvel...and I'm a DC: Wolverine (Cyclops) and Watchmen (Nite Owl)

Another member of the "Watchmen" cast finds himself facing someone from the new "Wolverine" movie...Just not the person he was expecting.



By: ItsJustSomeRandomGuy

The League of Extraordinary X-Gentlemen and Avenging Yeomen

From: ToplessRobot.com

I love custom toys. I can't make 'em myself, but I love seeing them, and some of my favorite have been the steampunk interpretations of Star Wars and so forth. I guess these Marvel superheroes customs -- pointed out to me by my sometimes friend, sometimes foe Great White Snark -- are more just Victorian than steampunk, but I still think they're hella awesome.

From left to right, starting with the top row: Nightcrawler, the Hulk, Wolverine, Dardevil, Spider-man, Falcon, and Cyclops; bottom row: Jean Grey, Black Widow, Ant-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, Nick Fury, Red Skull, Doctor Doom, and a Doom-bot Arnim Zola. Please, check here, here and here for more pics, along with the detailed stories of these guys, who were created by Bruce Ross and Josh Izzo. (Via Super Punch);

Virginmedia ranks the X-Men

Virginmedia.com have been putting up various best-of lists, and the X-Men made the cut:

Your favourite movie badass... revealed!
3. Wolverine
Movies: The X-Men series (2000-2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Badass qualities: Retractable adamantium claws, sarcastic quips, legendary sideburns... then there's his tendency to fly into berserker rage. Too cool.
Sample badass dialogue: Sabretooth: "Do you even know how to kill me?" Wolverine: "I'm gonna cut your goddamn head off. See if that works." Growl!

The best movie insults
X-Men (2000)
Wolverine and the gang are chasing some renegade mutants, who plan to set off a machine which will turn a symposium of gathering world leaders into mutants themselves. But one of the baddies is a shape-changer who has assumed Wolverine's form. But which is the real Wolverine?
Wolverine: "Hey! It's me." Cyclops: "Prove it!" Wolverine: "You're a dick." Cyclops: "Okay."

Wolverine & the X-Men Toys Announced by Ebay

From: ToplessRobot.com

No one should be surprised that Hasbro is making toys for the Wolverine and the X-Men cartoon; it's a cartoon, it's X-Men, of course merchandising is half the point. However, I am mildly surprised that these toys are getting into the hands of Hong Kong eBay sellers before the toys have actually been announced. Usually the announcement comes first, then Hong Kong/eBay, then U.S. stores. Weird.

So if you check here, you can see auctions for Beast, Colossus and Avalanche. I'll make an educated guess and say that there's at least a Wolverine and a Cyclops in the first wave, but there's no way there's a White Queen (she'll be in a barely released third wave, if history has taught s anything). Since these are in package, they have to be close to shipping to the U.S., so expect to see them not long after the cartoon debuts on NickToons on January 23rd. Much thanks to Great White Snark for the tip, and thanks to eBay seller Dreamcab for announcing these things, as Hasbro obviously wasn't going to.

Meet the Uncannily Nude X-Men

From: ToplessRobot.com

So when I was searching for pics of Avengers last night for today's Daily List, I came across a wonder. It's not fan fiction, per se; and it's not exactly fan art, either. It is absolutely bat-shit crazy: some enterprising young nerd has taken it upon him or herself to find pictures of nude models to represent the X-Men and every other mutant he/she can think of. You can see a playful Gambit above.

Now, that would be weird by itself, but the project has its own little fiction—that a mutant named Marie Sinclair wanted to make a coffee table book of nude mutant photography. As Cyclops puts it in his introduction (I swear I am not making any of this up):


Three years ago, a gamma-level mutant refining her powers at the Xavier Institute embarked on a project to photograph members of the various alpha-level mutant militias. She was uniquely suited to do so, having both light-manipulation as her mutation and intimate access to the alpha-levels at home. The project began with the permission of team administrators, on the condition that no one would be pressured into being photographed against his or her will.

To date, everyone who has participated has been satisfied with the results. Most of the pages devoted to individuals have been produced in collaboration with those individuals, and nothing currently appears without the participant's consent.

I'm sure Marvel will be glad to know Jubilee didn't pose nude against her will. Anyways, it's really just an insane excuse to post a lot of pictures of nekkid guys and gals with X-Men names and a list of mutant powers next to them. Frankly, I'm stunned. If you want to see 40 pictures of nude models in various states of undress—it's totally NSFW, obviously—and there are a few penises, just so you know—who are supposedly mutants ranging from the original five X-Men to nth-tier mutants like Marrow and Husk—by all means, check it out. I'm going to beat myself unconscious with a scotch bottle.

X-Men go west, to San Francisco

From: Chronicle Datebook.
by: Peter Hartlaub.

If you pay attention to the national news, it's been the world against San Francisco lately. If we aren't getting hammered for the city's activism in the gay marriage debate, our role as a "sanctuary city" routinely causes controversy.
But San Francisco just got some pretty big (albeit fictional) allies in its progressive fight for equality: The X-Men have moved to the Bay Area.
This isn't a small deal in the world of comic books. The X-Men, who settled in the Bay Area in the just-released 500th issue of the Uncanny X-Men, are arguably the most popular and recognizable superhero team in comic book history. And they've spent most of their 40-year existence based out of a mansion in Westchester County, N.Y.
But it should be no surprise. The trials of the X-Men, who discover at puberty that they are mutants, and are often forced to hide their true identities out of shame, have a lot in common with left-leaning causes, most notably the gay rights movement. In the comics, the X-Men have had gay and bisexual team members and associates, and their numbers were once decimated by a virus that had strong similarities to the AIDS epidemic.
Marvel Comics Executive Editor Axel Alonso says the city will be more than just a backdrop for the comic.
"The X-Men moving to San Francisco isn't just a physical move, it's a spiritual move. I love San Francisco and we want to see it really represented," says the city native during an interview last week at Isotope Comics in Hayes Valley. "Anyone who looks at the X-Men, the analogy is right there: If you're different in any way due to race or sexual orientation or just being nerdy, there's an X-Men character for you. They're about being different and finding strength in that weakened position."
Action movie fans will note that the X-Men and their nemeses have already been to San Francisco, destroying the Golden Gate Bridge and much of Alcatraz in the 2006 film "X-Men: The Last Stand." But for that sequel, the filmmakers didn't do any meaningful filming in the Bay Area. The movie was shot in Vancouver, and visual effects were used to add a few landmarks to the background.
The comic has much more of an insider's vibe. Marvel Comics artists will be visiting San Francisco frequently to get a feel for the fashion, architecture and even the way residents walk and talk. There are no cable cars in the first issue, but the artists did include a KRON TV news truck and a panel where the iconic mutant Wolverine walks through Noe Valley. The heroes make their base in the concrete bunkers beneath the Marin Headlands and join the protest of a controversial art installation at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Perhaps most significant, they seem to appreciate San Francisco's much publicized (and recently criticized) role as a sanctuary city.
"San Francisco is now a mutant sanctuary," X-Men group leader Cyclops proclaims, near the end of Issue 500. "Any of you - and your family or loved ones - are invited to join us here, and know safety and protection our kind has never known."
Of course, this being a comic book featuring a guy who looks like a giant blue cat, there are a few moments of pure fantasy. While the leader of San Francisco in both worlds is a young attractive politician with great hair who seems more than a bit starstruck, in the comics, the mayor is a woman not named Gavin Newsom. And the X-Men somehow establish their enormous base without a historical society protest or a single tree-sitter in sight - although, to be fair, they do set up a hippie-friendly hydrokinetic power plant, presumably using tidal power from the ocean.
"We believe that homo sapiens superior represent the future, so we better start living like it," says X-Men member Beast, sounding as if he's about to run for governor. "Soon the X-center won't just be green, it'll be positively viridian."
Whether the X-Men will settle here for the next four decades isn't known, although Alonso says the story arc is mapped out for at least a year. Marvel Editor in Chief Joe Quesada says the length of their stay has a lot to do with reader reaction.
"Temporary or permanent is a weird thing in the world of comics," Quesada says. "As far as we're playing it right now, we just got to San Francisco. We're not planning to leave any time soon."

X-Men and the sanctuary city
Parallels between the X-Men and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement have been so strong that some real-life conservative groups have denounced the comics and movies for being pro-gay rights. Here are a few themes from the X-Men comics:
-- The X-Men don't discover their super powers until puberty. They often try to hide their differences until finding others like themselves.
-- The mutants suffered (mostly in 1990s comics) from the Legacy Virus, which wasn't understood at first and killed many mutants before treatment was found.
-- Anti-mutant slurs are frequently heard in the Marvel Universe. ("Mutie" is a common one.)
-- Efforts have been made to "cure" mutants by changing them back into nonpowered humans.
-- One of the biggest struggles for the X-Men is a political: establishing rights for mutants that are equal to humans without powers.

X-Men Auctions

Want to get your hands on some real X-Men articles.
Check out these online auctions:

-Hugh Jackman Wolverine leather jacket from X-Men.
-Original Cyclops visor from X-Men: The Last Stand.
-Ian Mckellen & Anna Paquin costumes from X-Men.
-Sabertooth and Toad costumes from X-Men.
-Kelsey Grammer grad. ring X-Men: The Last Stand.

Fox Opening Registration for X-Men: First Class?

From:

An interesting listing at Production Weekly caught our eye - "X-Men: First Class." Could 20th Century Fox be developing a movie based on the series written by Jeff Parker and pencilled by Roger Cruz? Or are they using the title of that comic for their proposed Young X-Men spin-off?

What makes it even more interesting is that X-MenFirstClass.com redirects to FoxMovies.com.

The "X-Men: First Class" was an eight-issue mini-series published from September of 2006 through April of 2007. As Special was also released in May of 2007 followed by a monthly series that started in 2007 with the same creative team. The comic is described as follows:

For millions of years, mankind's place on Earth was unchallenged – until five young people paved the way for a new kind of human. While students at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, Beast and Iceman taught the world what it meant to be X-Men. These are the hidden stories of the team that laid the foundation of a mutant dynasty!

We'll have to wait and see if official news on this hits.

Fury of the Phoenix: Famke Janssen blasts X-Men: The Last Stand

From:
By David Bentley

ACTRESS Famke Janssen has spoken out and says her character Phoenix received poor treatment in the 2006 superhero movie X-Men: The Last Stand.

The 42-year-old former supermodel said she fought with the film-makers to give the character more development but they didn't do the story the way she wanted.

In the X-Men movies, Famke played Jean Grey, a mutant telepath/telekinetic who sacrificed herself to save her team-mates at the end of the second film.

But Jean had not died - she returned in the third movie where it was revealed that her powers had previously been restricted to moderate levels by her mentor Professor Xavier, using mind-blocks which had now broken down. A second personality had developed behind the mental blocks, simmering with resentment at being caged - it took over and she became the super-powerful, unstable and destructive Phoenix. At the end of the movie, she allowed Wolverine to kill her before she destroyed everything.

The story is one of Marvel's most classic comicbook tales - a tale of corruption by absolute power and of ultimate sacrifice. But it was told differently in the films (notably with the death and absence of Cyclops) and, in the third movie, it shared the screen with two other stories - the cure for mutation, and Magneto's villainous activities escalating to public terrorism and war.

Many fans online were unhappy - first the material was changed from the comics and then, to make matters worse, that altered storyline had to compete with other plots within a film that was just 1hr 44minutes long. If it had been better developed, the changes from the comicbooks would no doubt have been more forgivable.

Now, two years after X-Men: The Last Stand was released, Netherlands-born Famke Janssen (it's pronounced fam-kuh yan-sin), has said she was not happy with the Phoenix treatment either.

Famke, who was also in medical drama Nip/Tuck and was the deadly Xenia in Bond movie GoldenEye, told Indianapolis Entertainment's website: "I know how important the Phoenix Saga is to the fans, and I don't think it was addressed properly. It's such a great storyline."

She spoke about the issue in more depth at The Film Experience website. She said: "When I did the first one [X-Men film] people kept saying 'Jean Grey turns into the Phoenix!' So I looked into the story and thought 'Oh wow, I hope one day they're doing it.' They didn't do it the way I would've liked to have them do it. "

Agreeing that there were too many subplots, she explained: "The way it works is that some people get paid a lot of money on those movies and I'm not one of them. And they need to give them as much screentime as possible. That's really how it works.

"And I kept fighting it, too. I said 'Look, you set up the character like that in the beginning of the film. You have her kill Patrick Stewart's character. You have her kill her own fiancé in the film. And then where do you take it? You've got to follow it through. You can't just leave it dangling there.' But they did."

"People I know who really like the X-Men comic books really love that [Phoenix] story arc. It felt to me like a missed opportunity. People ask 'Are they going to come back and do it and I say, no that's now done. It was done in that way."

She had told Radio Free Entertainment during the build-up to the film's release: "I think that Phoenix is not just purely evil. She was in the comicbooks at some point, but the way the writers created her and how we all sort of talked about her was that she was torn with her powers taking over and trying to control them at the same time, so it was a little bit more schizophrenic in that.

"You want to make sure that you stay true to what the comic lovers are expecting of you...In this one, because we take a lot of liberties, and my character changes a lot, we go out on a limb and we hope that this is something that the fans will still like and look forward to.

"I talked to the writers a lot about the ending of the film, wanting to make sure that it was clear that [Jean] wasn't taking a side between Magneto or the X-Men, and that it was a constant struggle in her head. But you know, if this had been a movie just about the Phoenix, we would have had a lot more time to explore all the different avenues that you can explore for that. But given the fact that there are so many characters in the X-Men, and we have to do justice to every single one of their storylines, we have to use broader strokes in that case, and you have to hope that it's clear."

Her comments came as the website of film artist Adrien van Viersen revealed dramatically epic storyboards (see top picture) for her character which were never filmed. These show the power of Phoenix destroying San Francisco in a grand climax. Other Phoenix scenes were filmed but cut and can be seen in a large section of deleted material on the DVD release for the film.

X-Men fans such as myself are hoping for an extended edition of the film to reinstate some of this deleted material and create a more powerful and satisfying movie. Perhaps Fox will release one when the trilogy comes out on Blu-ray, which will probably be timed to coincide with the release of the Wolverine prequel.

After all, Daredevil got an improved Director's Cut, Fantastic Four got an improved Extended Edition, longer versions of the 80s Supergirl movie have been released, Oliver Stone re-released historical epic Alexander as a Director's Cut and then again as a Final Cut, the Definitive Edition of Kingdom of Heaven included another 45 minutes not in the original release, and there are five versions of Ridley Scott's sci-fi classic BladeRunner (now all brought together in an Ultimate Collector's box). However, neither Elektra nor Ghost Rider were improved by extended editions.

New Wolverine and the X-Men Trailer

From:

Marvel.com has posted a brand new trailer for the animated series, "Wolverine and the X-Men."

In the series, coming to Nicktoons Network in the first quarter of 2009, the story begins as an explosive event shatters the lives of the X-Men and takes away their mentor, Professor X. The beaten heroes, including Beast, Storm, Cyclops and Nightcrawler, walk away from it all but then they are given a rare glimpse into the future, where they see a world in utter ruin ... ruled by giant destructive robots. They discover the world has spiraled out of control because the X-Men have given up. So now the most legendary of all X-Men, Wolverine, must take the lead on the ultimate mission -- to prevent the world's destruction -- while fending off enemies Magneto and The Brotherhood.

You can watch the trailer here!

Scott Summers Appearing in Wolverine?

From:

Scooper 'Retroman' posted on the Superhero Hype! message boards a discovery that an agency has Australian actor Tim Pocock listed as playing Scott Summers (Cyclops) in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

'A1ant' then followed-up with the agency who confirmed the casting. "Yes, that information is correct. He was cast as the younger Scott Summers," they said.

Directed by Gavin Hood, the May 1, 2009 Fox release stars Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Kitsch, Will.i.am, Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan, Daniel Henney and Lynn Collins.

Nick and Marvel Join Forces for Wolverine & Iron Man

From:

Nicktoons and Marvel Entertainment have officially announced that they are joining forces to bring the animated adventures of Wolverine and Iron Man to television. The two brand new series will debut on the Nicktoons Network in First Quarter 2009.

Nicktoons Network, Nickelodeon's 24-hour animation channel, has joined forces with Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: MVL - News), to bring iconic heroes Wolverine and Iron Man from the page and big screen to television in two brand-new animated series, "Iron Man: The Animated Series" (a co-production with French based Method Films) and "Wolverine and the X-Men" (a co-production with Toonz Entertainment Pte Ltd., Singapore and First Serve International Ltd.). Debuting exclusively on Nicktoons Network in first quarter 2009, Wolverine and the X-Men and Iron Man each feature 26 action-packed, half-hour episodes that follow the respective heroes through dynamic action, adventure and drama as they face foes both familiar and new to their fans.

"Nicktoons Network is first and foremost about showcasing the most creative and unique animation there is, and this partnership with Marvel is another crucial way to super-serve our audiences with something fresh and new," said Keith Dawkins, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Nicktoons Network. "The fact that these Marvel characters span books, feature films and TV speaks to their massive appeal. We hope this deal signals to the marketplace and our audience, particularly boys, that we are the home for big hits and exciting, adrenaline-fueled animation."

"Nicktoons has a reputation for delivering some of the highest quality animation programming to the youth entertainment market, and Marvel is thrilled to be joining hands with such a dynamic channel," said Eric Rollman, Executive Vice President, Animation & Television for Marvel Studios. "Marvel is uniquely positioned to bring two shows with incredible brand momentum and awareness to this partnership, and we look forward to being in business with Nicktoons to launch this programming."

Wolverine and the X-Men (26 half-hour eps):
The story begins as an explosive event shatters the lives of the X-Men and takes away their mentor, Professor X. The beaten heroes, including Beast, Storm, Cyclops and Nightcrawler, walk away from it all but then they are given a rare glimpse into the future, where they see a world in utter ruin ... ruled by giant destructive robots. They discover the world has spiraled out of control because the X-Men have given up. So now the most legendary of all X-Men, Wolverine, must take the lead on the ultimate mission -- to prevent the world's destruction -- while fending off enemies Magneto and The Brotherhood.

[Info on Iron Man here.]

Iron Man and Wolverine are two of the most popular Super Heroes in the Marvel universe, with over forty years of story telling between the two characters. Reflecting this popularity, two new major motion pictures featuring these characters are being readied for the big screen, Iron Man on May 2, 2008, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine on May 1, 2009.

X3 icons for your blog.

Part1:
( Rogue ) ( Phoenix / Jean Grey ) ( Pyro/John ) ( Arch Angel/Warren Worthington )

Part 2:
( Beast/Hank McCoy ) ( Callisto, Psylocke & Arclight ) ( Juggernaut/Cain Marko ) ( Cyclops/Scott Summers ) ( Colossus/Piotr Rasputin ) ( Storm/Ororo Munroe )

Part 3:
( Iceman/Bobby Drake ) ( Wolverine/Logan/James Howlett ) ( Professor Xavier/Charles Xavier ) ( Multiple Man/Jamie Maddorx )

Part 4:
( Mixed ) ( Magneto/Eric Lensherr ) ( Shadowcat/Kitty Pryde ) ( Mystique/Raven Darkholme )