CAST EM': Thor 2

Similar to Iron Man 3, casting will start to ramp up soon for Thor 2 with the production starting this summer. A majority of the original cast will be returning such as Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Anthony Hopkins (Odin), Natalie Portman (Jane), Jaimie Alexander (Sif), Idris Elba (Hemidell), Ray Stevenson (Volstagg), Tadanobu Asano (Hogan) and Josh Dallas (Fendral). Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones) will be directing with a script from Don Payne (Thor, Simpsons) and Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan, Falling Skies, Warcraft).

It was revealed by Marvel's Kevin Feige that we'll be seeing the cast of Asgardians doubling in the sequel. With director Alan Taylor mostly known for directing television episodes Marvel might be looking at TV actors to fill new roles. The studio is notoriously tight with paying their actors and Thor 2 could be a stomping ground for rising actors alongside well known ones. I've done this CAST EM' multiple times but it's been updated to compliment director Alan Taylor.

BENJAMIN WALKER AS BALDER THE BRAVE: Balder is one Asgard's greatest warriors and had been wanted for the first film. Artists for the movie had did early costume concepts but the character didn't make the cut. When Thor earns the title of Prince of Midgard and becomes Earth's protector, Balder takes his place in Asgard.

Benjamin Walker was originally in talks to play Hank McCoy (Beast) in X-Men First Class but wouldn't land the role. He did end up getting the lead in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter instead. Walker is a rather bulky actor and seems like he would fit in nicely with the rest of the cast at six foot three inches. Ben has an extensive background in theater, comedy and now action films, a perfect combo. Recently he was cast in Paradise Lost but the Warner Bros. production is currently being delayed.

EMILIA CLARKE AS BRUNHILDE THE VALKYRIE: Valkyrie is one of the best known supporting Asgardians and was involved with the Marvel superhero team Defenders. She's also one of the only female warriors in the realm. It would be nice to see Sif  have competition and someone she can identify with. Brunhilde is also known to have adventures on Earth so she could be great for cameos in other films including Avengers 2.

Emilia Clarke has previously worked with Alan Taylor on two seasons of Game of Thrones. She's a newcomer and hasn't had much experience with films. Marvel would be able to hire her for their minimal fee and Emilia already has an international following because of the series. I'm sure Clarke would jump on the chance to make a film of this scale.

MELANIE LAURENT AS AMORA THE ENCHANTRESS: Amora is a fan favorite and one of the best villains in Thor's rogues gallery. She uses her skills in magic and manipulation to bend others to her will. I could see the character teaming up with Loki to gain power in Asgard. Also, she could be conflicted and jealous of Thor's intentions with the human Jane Foster.

French actress Melanie Laurent is someone I believe could do this role justice. Not just a pretty face this actress can be both dramatic, sweet and vengeful. Her performances in Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds and this year's The Beginngers have made a large impact on critics. Melanie is an excellent young talent and should be in more event films.

JOE MANGANIELLO AS SKRUGE THE EXECUTIONER: Amora's side-kick and equally as powerful as any other Asgardian, Skruge is another along anticipated character. The Executioner follows Amora like a loyal dog and could be an excellent combatant for Thor. I felt the Destroyer was a terrible villain since it was a faceless object. A villain needs to have dimensions to care about their actions. I would hope that if Skurge is used he isn't just another mindless bruiser.

A lot of fans have been mention stuntmen or wrestlers for this role but I feel Marvel goes the extra mile with casting well known characters. True Blood's Joe Manganiello is my choice and could be a way for him to live out his dreams to play a superhuman. Joe had been a candidate to play Superman in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel but ultimately lost the role. The problem for the casting team is that they'll have to hire someone bigger than Chris Hemsworth which is sort of challenge. Not to mention someone who has an acting background. Joe is around two inches taller than Chris and has slightly more bulk to him. He's also no stranger to the genre playing Flash Thompson in the original Spider-Man film.

CATE BLANCHETT AS HELA: When thinking of who could be as menacing as Colm Feore's Laufey, Tom Hiddleston's Loki or even Anthony Hopkin's Odin, Hela is equally as powerful and threatening. While in the comics it's revealed Hela is Loki's daughter I'm sure it could be changed for the films. In charge of the underworld there have been events where she alines herself with Loki and takes the fight to the gates of Asgard.

When I think of an actress that could carry this booming character it comes down to Cate Blanchett. She is a versatile actress and like Hopkins equally renowned for her performances. She's someone I believe can keep up with the diverse cast and the scene stealing Hiddleston. The only issue could be her involvement in the extensive Hobbit shoot.

Robert Rodat To Do Rewrites On Thor 2 Script

Deadline reports that screenwriter Robert Rodat has been brought on to do some late rewrites on the Thor 2 script before the summer production start in London. It's interesting that Marvel would be pushing rewrites since pre-production I assume is already underway on the Thor sequel. Rodat is best known for writing Saving Private Ryan and The Patriot but was also involved with writing Sam Raimi's adaptation of Warcraft. Rewrites are a common thing, the original Thor film was also written by Don Payne but writers Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz added to the script in a similar way.

Tom Hiddleston Confirms Thor 2 Shooting This Summer

While doing a web chat with Empire, Tom Hiddleston who plays Loki confirmed a production start for Thor 2. He also again confirms that Alan Taylor will be directing. Here's hoping that new casting announcements start rolling out in the next couple of months. The sequel is set for a November 17th 2013 release date. I'm curious if we'll be seeing any on location shooting in the UK since the production is headed to London.

"And all I know about Thor 2 is that we're supposed to film it in London in the summer and that it's being directed by Alan Taylor."

Marvel Officially Hires Director Alan Taylor For Thor Sequel!

Marvel Studios has finally chosen a new director for Thor 2. Deadline reports Marvel has indeed picked television director Alan Taylor to replace Patty Jenkins (Monster). While I was shocked Jenkins exited the project I think hiring Taylor is a solid move by the studio. Alan has been directing episodes on some of the best shows ever airing on television. Those credits include Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Sopranos, Oz, Mad Men, Rome, West Wing and Deadwood. He's proven to be able to handle large casts which will be needed with the cast of Asgardians more than doubling in the next film. The Thor sequel will be released on November 15th 2013 with production expected to start in fall 2012.

Marvel has left the door open for Patty to perhaps direct another one of their budding franchises in the future. I'm hoping that Marvel ends up using Jenkins for projects like Doctor Strange, Black Panther or even Iron Fist. Since she seems more like the type of director to start a superhero franchise with her own vision, not just to continue another one.

RUMOR: Could Marvel Be Using Vampires In Doctor Strange?

A new rumor points out that the Avengers post-credits scene could involve a vampire or vampires has surfaced via ComicBookMovie. This doesn't seem to fit with Iron Man 3, Thor 2 or even Captain America 2. So if true this could mean that we'll be seeing a new film that vampires would inhabit. That narrows things down to Blade or Doctor Strange.

Blade comes to mind but they don't have a script, director or even a new Blade. I assume when Marvel Studios regained the Blade rights from New Line they got all the vampire characters back including Deacon Frost, Hannibal King, Dracula, Lilith (Dracula's daughter), Morbius and The Blood Pack.

Morbius was going to be the main baddie in Blade 2 before Guillmero del Toro came in for the sequel. The living vampire had a cameo at the end of the first Blade movie but was ultimately cut out. One of the great things about Morbius is that he's also been a hero so he could be an interesting conflicted character.

The rights would also include Jack Russell from Werewolf By Night who had a cameo in a Blade 3 cute scene. There had been talk of Werewolf By Night film in development but nothing came of it. I figure all these characters are now fair game at Marvel and could be used in many different films.

Doctor Strange just happens to be the best bet to what this post-credit scene could be teasing. The film has a script and has been the one project most voiced by Marvel as apart of their next lineup. It's unknown what angle they'll be going with Strange but he runs the gauntlet of cosmic, magic, occult and horror elements. Strange has run into a few vampires in his time which includes Morbius, Dracula, Lilith, Baron Blood (his brother Victor) and many others. I would love to see Strange end up becoming more of a horror style Marvel franchise. A vampire could also just be one of the many monsters that Strange will have to face in the movie.

Horror comics were once a major part of Marvel, titles included The Living Vampire, Tomb of Dracula, Werewolf By Night, Brother Voodoo, Son of Satan, Legion of Monsters, Santana and others. It would be interesting to see Marvel Studios bring this sort of comic book universe to the screen. It had been sort of teased with the Blade films but the occult, magic, other creatures and demons were never the focus.

RUMOR: Alan Taylor Front-Runner To Direct Thor 2?

Questionable sources are saying that television director Alan Taylor is now in talks with Marvel Studios to helm Thor 2. Patty Jenkins (Monster) and Brian Kirk (Game of Thrones, Luther) were both involved in different stages before the studio went on another director search. Taylor's name recently came up and seemed like a solid choice considering he's been involved with a bunch of successful series.

His extensive TV directing credits include Oz, The West Wing, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, Lost, Rome, The Sopranos, Mad Men, Nurse Jackie, Bored To Death, Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones. Alan has ran the gamete of almost every genre possible and seems perfect for the multiple layered Marvel cinematic universe. If he doesn't get the Thor 2 gig, Marvel would be smart to nab him for a future project. Pre-production will need to begin soon to meet the projected September production start date.

Game of Thrones Directors Alan Taylor And Daniel Minahan In The Mix For Thor 2

HeatVision reports that Marvel is looking at other directing options now that Patty Jenkins is off Thor 2. Two names that have come up are Alan Taylor (Boardwalk Empire, Sopranos, Mad Men) and Daniel Minahan (True Blood, Deadwood) who both have directed episodes of Game of Thrones among other television shows. Marvel seems to be hot for anyone involved with Game of Thrones since Brian Kirk another director of the series was in early talks to helm the sequel. If I had to guess the stronger of the two directors it would be Taylor since his credits seem to be stronger. No offers have been announced but they'll have to move quickly and push ahead with pre-production.

They also mention a few screenwriters who could work on Don Payne's current draft of the script. The writers include Sheldon Turner, John Collee (Master And Commander), Robert (Saving Private Ryan) and Roger Avary who was Quentin Tarantino's writing partner on Pulp Fiction. The two (Tarantino/Avary) went on to win an Oscar for the screenplay. Strange to see Roger's name in the mix because he was just released from a one year prison sentence. After a drinking and driving accident that killed his passenger. Disney doesn't seem like the company to hire ex-cons to write their family films I can only imagine the backlash during the press tour.

Marvel rushed into Iron Man 2 putting together a haphazard script that made you give up on caring for Stark and didn't up the action from the first film. Hard to believe since the first 40 minutes of the first film he was in a cave just building shit. Tony was mainly wining and self-centered in the sequel reverting back to his former dicky self, which basically threw out any character development from the first story. There have been concerns that Avengers sub-plots could invade Thor 2 similar to Thor and Iron Man 2, hijacking the Thor side of things. Along with hindering the expansion of the cosmic world of the realms. I'm hoping that there is limited to almost zero interaction on Earth and we finally get a solid good look at Asgard, it's people and the rest of the realms. I want what most fans are looking for a Thor adventure not Avengers 1.5. Iron Man 3 seems to have been spared this interconnection as that film will be an Iron Man only affair.

Who Should Direct Thor 2?

Now that we know that Patty Jenkins, Brian Kirk and Kenneth Branagh aren't options to direct Thor 2, who could? Previously we've seen some names that seem like odd matches before but have turned out great for Marvel Studios like Jon Favreau and Branagh. I think with the production date looming the studio might want to consider a few names. They very well won't workout because of scheduling issues but I feel these directors could bring something to the table.

RUPERT SANDERS: He's new to the movie industry but is cutting his teeth with a rather large project currently Snow White And The Huntsman which stars Chris Hemsworth. Rupert already has a working relationship with Hemsworth and seems to be able to handle a project of this size along with it's budget restrictions. Huntsman features a lot of fantasy aspects that could be interesting seen in a Thor sequel. The humor might be an issue for Sanders since Huntsman looks like it could be a lot more serious than Thor. However, the last film was able to balance between many different emotions and could go darker if need be. While Huntsman will get a June release date between now and then Sanders is likely going to be busy as can be with post-production on the film.

NICOLAS WINDING REFN: Nicolas is film geek gold winning over many with his conceptual eye-popping thriller Drive this year. He's been itching to make a comic book film being on many people's list to step in for future Batman films. Not to mention Refn's own intentions on making a serious Wonder Woman film for Warner Bros. but has yet to be taken up on the offer. Refn has stated his favorite of his own films was Valhalla Rising which featured a one eyed mute Viking slave who was a prize fighter. If Marvel really wanted to go the auteur route Nicolas would be that route. He's currently shooting another smaller film title Only God Forgives which could easily be edited on the fly. I could see him being able to handle the genre and it's humor my only concern would be it's pacing. The only issue could be his in development remake of Logan's Run could end up being his next project if WB wants it to be.

DUNCAN JONES: He's been linked as a contender for Man of Steel, The Wolverine and Iron Man 3, the latter more rumor if anything else. Jones is a solid science fiction director his films Moon and Source Code run the gauntlet of emotions which doesn't often happen in the genre. Thor is equally set in fantasy as it is science fiction which could be explored greatly with Jones behind the camera. He currently doesn't have a set film on his slate while the others on the list do. Duncan has yet to fully jump into franchise territory and is unlikely to do so without a serious reason to. One of his passion projects Mute has been lacking in financing which could change if he knocked out something like Thor 2. I liken Duncan to Matthew Vaughn early in his career, so I dying to see what he can do with a Marvel property.

Patty Jenkins Won't Direct Thor 2

Deadline reports that Monster director Patty Jenkins won't be directing Thor 2. The studio and Patty had a disagreement over creative issues which lead to her exit. However, they state Jenkins could end up directing another one of Marvel's laundry list projects. Marvel will have to move quickly as production is expected to start in September of next year with a release date a little over a year after that date. Giving a director enough time to put together pre-production, set creation and new casting additions. Thor 2 is expected to be a rather large sequel with it's Asgardian population rumored to be doubling in size. Not to mention the fact there has been talk the movie is likely to be set in other realms which is very costly for the studio.

Brian Kirk (Luther, Game of Thrones) had also been in talks with the studio but also left over creative and budget issues. This isn't new for Marvel as the original Thor film went through a similar process to find it's director. Names like Matthew Vaughn and Sam Raimi were once attached to direct before Kenneth Branagh was ultimately hired. Jenkins could better suit a majority of the other projects in development and I'm sure will be back at Marvel in the future.
If Rupert Sanders wasn't busy with Snow White and The Huntsman I would have felt he was the director for the job. The film has a similar scale and tone which also stars Chris Hemsworth.

Marvel Unwilling To Create Any New X-Men Characters Because Of Fox?

Ever since Marvel Studios started making their own films and subsequently bought by Disney there seems to be tension between between Marvel and other rights holders. Rob Liefeld in an extensive  interview with WordBallon points out that Marvel hasn't created any new X-Men characters and it's not based on laziness. The comic book writer/creator is responsible for giving birth to Cable, Deadpool, Domino, Feral and X-Force. So when he talks X-Men he does have insider information. He's also been in active talks with 20th Century Fox over the Deadpool movie and possibly adding Cable to the X-Men films. 

Liefeld states Marvel/Disney isn't in the business of creating characters only to hand them over to 20th Century Fox for new additions to their films. Currently the studio holds the film rights to all the characters in the X-Men universe (hero and villains) which is an extensive group. I'm not sure if that also means that Fox gains rights to new characters as they are introduced in the comics. It's further pointed out that Marvel holds the toy rights to X-Men First Class but didn't release any over the summer when it was released. Since they would have competed with Captain America and Thor toys which Marvel gets a bigger profit from. He's pointing out Marvel is undercutting Fox's growth of their X-Men franchise where they can.

My take is that Marvel is smart by not helping Fox by handing over new characters bound by an old rights deal. They could feel the deal was unfair since it was drawn up during Marvel's financial troubles during the 90's and might not have predicted the future of the company. Hopefully there will be a way to wiggle the film rights back to Marvel other than cutting a billion dollar cheque which Rob suggests. I feel when the studio uses up all the villains they'll end up selling the rights back. The X-Men universe doesn't have a lot of film-friendly villains which must be annoying for Fox.

New Avengers Posters

David Hayter Talks About His Axed Black Widow Film

Back in the 2000's Lionsgate and Marvel Entertainment were developing a live-action Black Widow movie with David Hayter set to write and direct. David talked to FemPop revealing what happened to the film and some of the plot points. A slew of poorly made and unsuccessful female led action films basically sabotaged it's progress. It would get the axe and the rights reverted back to Marvel. Later on the character was eventually added to Iron Man 2 with Scarlett Johansson in the role.

Currently Marvel Studios is open to making a solo film with Johansson and have talked about developing a new treatment with writers. Anything is possible after the likely success of the Avengers. Johansson has signed an extensive picture deal with Marvel which means that they really only have to announce it.


"What I tried to do was use the backdrop of the splintered Soviet Empire – a lawless insane asylum with four hundred some odd nuclear missile silos. It was all about loose nukes, and I felt it was very timely and very cool. Unfortunately, as I was coming up on the final draft, a number of female vigilante movies came out. We had Tomb Raider and Kill Bill, which were the ones that worked, but then we had BloodRayne and Ultraviolet and Aeon Flux. Aeon Flux didn’t open well, and three days after it opened, the studio said, “We don’t think it’s time to do this movie.” I accepted their logic in terms of the saturation of the marketplace, but it was pretty painful. I had not only invested a lot of time in that movie, but I had also named my daughter, who was born in that time period Natasha – after the lead character in Black Widow. I named my daughter after a movie that I wasn’t working on anymore."

Captain America Nabs $52 Million In First Week DVD/BR Sales, Sequels Are Imminent

Looks like fans of Captain America won't have to worry about the unknown status of the sequels. As The First Avenger just beat out first week DVD/BR sales of both sequel bound X-Men First Class and Thor. Nabbing an impressive $52 million not including iTunes and VOD sales. Putting the total gross of the film over $400 million which it sort of needed to reach for the studio move forward with more films. Of course there has already been talk of the second film being in development stages with the writers but no official release date has been announced. These new numbers cement the strength of the budding franchise and could light a fire under Marvel Studios to set one of those slated 2014 release dates for Captain America 2.

Shane Black Talks Villains & Casting For Iron Man 3

Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Lethal Weapon) the director and co-writer of Iron Man 3 was speaking at the Long Beach Comic-Con (via ComicBookResources). He gave up brief details on the third installment which included one villain that won't be included along with who will be returning.

Mandarin is a villain Black doesn't want to see included as he's "a racist caricature". Which might be a shock to Jon Faverau who originally wanted to use him. Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle are expected to reprise their supporting roles. He also stated the film won't be focused on The Avengers or Easter eggs.

RUMOR: Fin Fang Foom In Avengers?

One of the most interesting things about the Avengers trailer is that we don't ever see what is causing all the destruction in New York City. During the Avengers' Cleavland shoot there was a mystery scene code named Leviathan. Could it refer to the space ship of Loki's army or an actual giant monster the reeks havoc on the city? We've been hearing lots of rumors that the Skrulls are in fact Loki's army in question but it has yet to be confirmed by the studio, director or the cast. There is also the possibility that the Atlantians (Namor the Sub-Mariner) could be involved as the Leviathan is a sea monster. A Leviathan monster doesn't sound out of the question considering the cosmic and magic themes used in previous films. Fin Fang Foom has been brought up by ComicBookMovie as the possible identity of the monstrous creature.

Foom is best known as the giant dragon-like villain of Iron Man. Hulk and Thor have also gone up against him in the comics. He was briefly spotted in Iron Man 2 on a billboard as an Easter egg. It's unlikely that we would see the character in Iron Man 3 since there's been talk that future films will be more grounded. Avengers on the other hand is a perfect place to bring in creatures like Foom into the picture. Since he could be called out of the other realms, outer space or with magic pulled out of the billboard into reality by Loki. While I think Avengers is a great film to use Foom Marvel Studios' isn't known for overloading their movies with villains. I also don't think Whedon is looking to have his own "Release The Kraken!" moment.

Could Zemo & Strucker Be The Villains In Captain America 2?

It's been long rumored that Captain America villain and leader of the Masters of Evil, Baron Zemo would be featured in Captain America: The First Avenger. Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely confirmed to IFC that in early versions of the script Zemo and Baron Strucker indeed were involved. However, it seemed like a waste to use both so early in the franchise. It's likely that the two villains could show up in Captain America 2 or future Marvel films.

There were a few classic villains that were planned for the first film, only to be removed in subsequent drafts. The pair previously revealed that evil despot Baron Zemo was in an early draft, but he wasn't the only sinister side character in those versions of the script.

"Baron Strucker was in there for a while, but he wasn't doing enough to justify wasting him in the film," said McFeely. "We certainly tried things, and ended up settling on the more useful Red Skull and Arnim Zola. But they're all still on the table," he teased. 

"There wasn't a sequence with Master Man that ended up on the cutting room floor or anything," laughed Markus. "But there was an endless array of scenes we could've drawn from, and may draw from in the future. I'm not being cryptic when I say that, either - I'm just being a comic book geek. For example, some day, whether it be in an 'Iron Man' movie or a 'Captain America' movie or any other Marvel movie, I want to see M.O.D.O.K. float down the hall." 

Zemo along with creating The Masters of Evil (a group of villains that fight The Avengers) is also responsible for putting together the original Thunderbolts group. The Thunderbolts were similar to the Dark Avengers as they are villains posing as heroes to gain the world's trust and plan to eventually take it over. Other incarnations of the group included villains released from super prisons to reduce their sentences working for SHIELD on different missions. I wouldn't be shocked to see Zemo become a baddie in Avengers 2.

Strucker on the other hand is heavily involved with both Hydra and A.I.M. which could mean that he might be a modern villain that could resurrect Hydra or bring A.I.M. into the forefront. Considering Modok a known member of A.I.M. has been mentioned a few times by the screenwriters. He seems a good bet for Captain America 2 or the Nick Fury film. Hopefully we'll see Madame Hydra ends up alongside Strucker.

Dum Dum Dugan In Captain America 2 & Nick Fury Film?

Recently Neal McDonough was speaking with IAmRogue (via CBM) about his future with Marvel Studios. He mentioned the possibility of showing up in Captain America 2. Being featured in either flashbacks or present day scenes. Neal goes even further and mentions possibilities to include him in the Nick Fury film which has been mentioned since the first Iron Man. Saying the film could be set in the 60's or 70's.


"Yeah the talk now is that they are going to flashback to WWII and without going to much into, because I’m not supposed to say too much at all, but whatever they do I guarantee you this … it’s going to be an awesome movie. The villain is going to be crazy, and it will be really terrific. The origin of Cap being in WWII is definitely paramount to the guys over at Marvel."


"In the origin with Dum Dum, he got a small portion of the super serum himself and he was actually the head of S.H.E.I.L.D. until four or five years ago. So he aged really slowly. He aged quicker than Nick and quicker than Steve Rogers did but he aged quite slowly. He was chronologically frozen him self for ten years. So there are all kinds of stuff that I’ve read in the comic books but who knows how they’re going to do it. I know they are going to go back to WWII in Cap 2. You know in flashbacks but past that I’m not sure. Also what would make me happier than a pig in poop would be to be part of and see Sam Jackson as a ‘60s or ‘70s version of Nick Fury. That would just be awesome. Hopefully we’ll get that one done soon. I know Sam is very excited about it."

In a separate interview with ABC News (via CBM) Neal stated that again he would be alongside Samuel L. Jackson in a Fury movie.

"Oh yeah, Cap 2 is in the works. The script is written and hopefully we will go into production fairly soon. I'm really looking forward to the Nick Fury films. Sam Jackson and myself will be partners in that one. And I know Sam is really excited about doing it. So fingers crossed we start that one up pretty soon."


His character does get exposed to a different super soldier formula known as the infinity formula. That ends up slowing down his aging along with Nick Fury and the Howling Commandos in the comics. If the studio wants more period pieces perhaps focusing on the Cold War in the Fury film or having flashbacks of the Howlers fighting a numerous amount of war campaigns the infinity formula is a good way to do it. It's unknown if Marvel is going to use this avenue but it would be a science fiction way to include the Howling Commandos in present day films.

Captain America Screenwriters Talk Sequel & Howling Commandos Spin-Off

 While talking with IFC (via ComicBookMovie) screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely talked about Captain America 2 confirming they've completed an outline for the the sequel. Along with seemingly colaberating with Joss Whedon to figure out where Cap's character should be in Captain America 2. Since a few things that likely were planned for the second film are now being included into The Avengers.

McFeely: "We needed to read Joss' 'Avengers' before we could go on and do 'Captain America 2.' We needed to see if he did anything different, character-wise - and he hadn't, he's an excellent writer - but we also needed to see what he had done in terms of Steve poking around the modern day and dealing with it." 

Markus: "So much of Captain America's adventures occur in the present day, so there are a lot of things I'd like to touch on. That said, we did leave the center section of 'Captain America' baggy enough to let him have adventures you didn't see [in the first film]. So, we kind of have enough room to play with [for the sequel]." 

McFeely: "Still, if he had another adventure entirely set in World War II, the stakes are kind of lessened, because you know he survives and you know what happens to Bucky and you know the Howling Commandos survive long enough to have a toast in a bar." 

Markus: "You know Cap wins and you know that whoever he was fighting didn't destroy the world, because you've already seen things that happen after it. So the stakes are, well... But then again, did that bother anyone with the second 'Indiana Jones' movie?" 

I'm a big fan of the first film so I'm excited to see that they're going forward with the sequel with Joe Johnston still expected at the helm. My only concern is that Joss Whedon had added things to the last film's script to incorporate the Avengers and I assume to add humor as well. Whedon is well known for his whitty oneliners which seemed all over The First Avenger. So hopefully Joss is still going to be apart of the screenwriting side along with Markus and McFeely. There also seems a rich story to be told with Winter Soldier whether it's in a sequel or the Howling Commando spin-off.



The pair also mentioned the potential Howling Commandos spin-off that has been rumored for a while now. Which they're open to making and could end up being very similar to Kelly's Heroes and Inglourious Basterds. The latter isn't surprising as Quentin Tarantino took inspiration for The Basterds from The Howling Commandos comics.


McFeely: "They're certainly cool, and in a different movie, we would've certainly had a little more 'Kelly Heroes' or 'Magnificent Seven". thing going on. (Talking about if they had more screen time) 

Markus: "It would've been like 'Inglourious Commandos." 

McFeely: "Personally, I'm a big fan of that type of movie - the ne'er-do-wells banding together to fight a common cause. So I'm open to it, but... well... I'll just say I'm open to it."

I have to admit that I almost enjoyed the scenes with the Howlers more than the solo Cap scenes. So I'd be on board with a Howling Commandos spin-off. Yet, I'm concerned with the amount of spin-off talk considering the laundry list of other original projects at Marvel that have yet to get off the ground. Their has already been talk of spin-offs for Nick Fury, Black Widow, War Machine, Hawkeye and The Warriors Three. I assume it's just way for Marvel to pump up audiences/fans to root for the supporting characters.

Could Joe Cornish Direct Ant-Man?

We've been hearing lots of updates concerning the script of Marvel Studios' Ant-Man which is being written by Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish. The pair previously worked together on Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of The Unicorn that's being produced by Peter Jackson. Last thing we heard is that the duo handed in a second draft which the studio seemed thrilled about. Now word from HitFix is that they're aren't finished the script leading us to believe that a third draft is currently being worked on. Joe also stated Edgar hasn't been announced as the official director and that he would leave all the announcements about the film to him [Wright]. Marvel Studios has neither announced a release date or even a director for the film.


I'm getting the feeling that Joe might be in a better position to direct Ant-Man than Edgar. Cornish is slowly gathering steam as a director with his cult film Attack The Block and unlike Wright doesn't have his plate full of projects. Marvel is notoriously cheap and would likely lock a director into a two picture deal. Something I feel could be too much for Wright who does as much producing as he does directing. Likely wanting the breathing room to make his passion projects such as Baby Driver, Them and World's End along with producing other things. Cornish was recently linked as a candidate to direct A Good Day To Die Hard the fifth film in the Die Hard franchise before John Moore was hired.

Doctor Strange Part Of Marvel's Phase 2?

Recently during the New York Comic-Con Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige confirmed that Iron Man 3 would be the first step in moving forward with Marvel's phase two leading to Avengers 2. Feige gave a brief statement to IGN which might give fans hope that Doctor Strange could be involved in the new phase as well. There have been rumors of Benedict Cumberbatch (War Horse, Sherlock Holmes) and Javier Bardem (Bond 23, No Country For Old Men) being linked for the film.

" I love Doc Strange, I think I can finally say sooner than later....I would love to see him part of phase two."