“Much Ado About Nothing” SIFF Opening Night

Nathan Fillion (Castle, Firefly, Serenity) stars in Joss Whedon’s retelling of Much Ado About Nothing. Fillion joined the director and other “Whedonverse” alum (Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Clark Gregg) for Opening Night of the Seattle International Film Festival.

Fillion explains the appeal of  Whedon’s modern take on William Shakespeare’s classic romantic war of words and wits:

The new film was shot in just twelve days at Whedon’s home as part of his break after The Avengers. Fillion has worked for Whedon on Firefly, Serenity, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Doctor Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog.   The star explains how being a member of the “Whedonverse” family of actors has been a big part of his life and career.

In Much Ado About Nothing Fillion plays constable Dogberry and Tom Lenk (Andrew from Buffy The Vampire Slayer) is his lieutenant Verges. The two are hilarious with perfect comedic timing. Fillion’s Firefly co-star Sean Maher also appears in film as the villain Don John but it’s Angel co-stars Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof that headline the romance as bickering lovers Beatrice and Benedick.

Watch for Much Ado About Nothing in theaters this summer. Here’s the trailer courtesy Roadside Attractions:

Along with Castle returning next season you can hear Fillion reprise his role as Hal Jordan in Green Lantern: The Flashpoint Paradox animated film, hear him in Monsters University (also playing during SIFF) and on the big screen in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters in which he plays Hermes.

By Editor

Nathan Fillion on Joss Whedon & Shakespeare is a post from: ComicsBlend

photo by Josh Lewis, courtesy KOMONews.com

Amy Acker plays Beatrice in Joss Whedon’s new film Much Ado About Nothing, the Opening Night Film of this year’s Seattle International Film Festival. Acker’s Angel co-star Alexis Denisoff, along with Nathan Fillion and Clark Gregg joined Whedon in the Emerald City for the big event. Acker explains how Shakespeare has always been a part of the “Whedonverse” family of actors.

“This experience has really been amazing. People think it seems like such a stretch for Joss to be this but since I met him…like the first scene that I auditioned for on Angel was a scene he wrote that’s on the dvd extras that’s me, Alexis and J. And it’s a take on A Midsummer Night’s Dream so I kind of me Joss in this vain and it’s been really fun.”

Whedon shot the modern take on the romantic comedy in twelve days at his home. Acker said she and a group of fellow actors have been “inspired by Much Ado” and will attempt to shoot their own film with an original script in twelve days.

“Whedonverse” fans will enjoy seeing Acker share romantic scenes and a war of word with Alexis Denisof as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. Acker played Winifred “Fred” Burkle an Denisof was Wesley Wyndam-Pryce on Whedon’s supernatural series, Angel, a spin-off of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer.

Watch for Much Ado About Nothing in theaters this summer. Here’s the trailer courtesy Roadside Attractions:

By Editor

Thanks to Josh Lewis. Check out more of his Red Carpet and After-Party pictures here on KOMONews.com.

Amy Acker on Joss Whedon & Shakespeare is a post from: ComicsBlend

photo by Josh Lewis, courtesy KOMONews.com

  Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD will hit television screens this fall. Clark Gregg reprises his role as Agent Phil Coulson on the new series set in the world of The Avengers cinematic universe. The television pilot is from The Avengers writer/director Joss Whedon.

Gregg joined Whedon (along with Nathan Fillion, Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof) at Opening Night of the Seattle International Film Festival. Before the screening of Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing I asked Gregg about joining the “Whedonverse” extended family of actors.

“I was the new guy. It was pretty much a crew of “Whedonverse” regulars. I had just met Joss on the Avengers but I loved him immediately and loved working with him even thought he chose to kill off my character. (Laughs)

Gregg says he was at barbecue at Whedon’s house when the creator revealed his post-Avengers vacation was shoot a modern take of the Shakespeare comedy at his house. Gregg was asked to join the film and says he started shooting the next day.

Agents of SHIELD courtesy ABC

When asked about his knowledge of the Whedonverse, Gregg said he’d love Buffy and Firefly but become a “bigger fan” after reading the script for the Avengers and he wrote such a “spectacular demise which I loved and then he called me again,” on Agents of SHIELD.

While the night was devoted to Much Ado About Nothing I did ask Gregg if Agent Phil Coulson would be a new Nick Fury with his own elite team on the new series:

“Yeah, I’ll certainly never live up to the Nick Fury thing and I certainly will get to keep all of my eyes – I hope – but I will have my own team of young SHIELD agents.

Gregg plays Leonato in Whedon’s new film version of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy. Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD will Tuesdays at 8pm this Fall on ABC.

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AVENGERS Star Clark Gregg on AGENTS OF SHIELD is a post from: ComicsBlend

Avengers Vs X-Men #6 variant courtesy Marvel

Joss Whedon has (almost confirmed?) that Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver will be part of Avengers 2. While promoting Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD at the ABC Fall presentation this week Whedon was asked again by IGN about the inclusion of Magneto’s mutant twins:

“You know, they had a rough beginning. They’re interesting to me because they sort of represent the part of the world that wouldn’t necessarily agree with The Avengers. So they’re not there to make things easier. I’m not putting any characters in the movie that will make things easier.”

Thanks to Spinoff Online.

Could it be that Wanda and Pietro could be supporting villains in the sequel? In the X-Men comics Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants before reforming and joining Earth’s Mightiest Heroes along with Hawkeye (another reformed criminal.)

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Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver for Avengers 2 is a post from: ComicsBlend

courtesy Valiant

The Harbinger Wars aftermath, Bloodshot’s origins and the return of The Eternal Warrior highlight Valiant’s August offerings:

courtesy Valiant

BLOODSHOT #0 Written by MATT KINDT Art by CHRISCROSS
Discover the declassified secret history of Project Rising Spirit’s Bloodshot program and its most successful soldier. From the darkest days of World War II and Korea, and through the hell of Vietnam and Afghanistan, Bloodshot’s origin leaves a bloody trail of discarded lives and forgotten families. But which memories are real? Which families? Which children? Is Bloodshot many men…or no man at all? Is he simply a soulless killing machine or something more? Who is responsible? And why have they engineered the most dangerous weapon ever conceived by man? This issue holds the answers…but also reveals that we may have been asking the wrong questions all along…
August 21st.

courtesy Valiant

HARBINGER #15  Written by JOSHUA DYSART Art & Cover by BARRY KITSON  In the wake of Harbinger Wars, start reading here as Joshua Dysart and new series artist Barry Kitson (Amazing Spider-Man, FF) begin the next year of Harbinger with a mind-bending trip to the outer limits of the Valiant Universe!
It’s been a brutal few months for Peter Stanchek and the Renegades, culminating in the harrowing events – and losses – of the Harbinger Wars.  But now the members of the team have woken up to the Best. Day. Ever. As Lou Reed sang, it’s just a perfect day, problems left all alone. But for Peter Stanchek – a kid who deserves a good day – something seems off…like all is not what it seems…

August 14th.

courtesy Valiant

QUANTUM AND WOODY #2 Written by JAMES AMSUS Art by TOM FOWLER Eric and Woody Henderson have accidentally blown up their father’s life’s work – and themselves along with it! Now, as their bizarre new superpowers begin to manifest, will they be able to outmaneuver the squad of trigger-happy cops that think Eric and Woody are to blame for their dad’s murder? Plus! The mysterious cabal targeting the world’s worst superhero team only gets creepier. Seriously, it’s like an iceberg of creepy. Only 10 percent is showing! And Quantum and Woody are about to crash right the %$!@ into it!
August 7th.
 

courtesy Valiant

X-O MANOWAR #16 Written by ROBERT VENDITTI Art by LEE GARBETT
X-O Manowar and the Eternal Warrior. Once they were brothers-in-arms, comrades sworn to the same cause. But now they find themselves on opposing sides of a battle for the very fate of civilization itself. Aric of Dacia, and the immense power that he wields, have the potential to the plunge the world into a new era of war, and the only man who can broker a world peace also happens its to be its most fearsome warrior. But can Gilad settle this conflict with words rather than weapons? And does he know how? As the world watches, two of Valiant’s most fearsome heroes will meet once again – and the outcome of their latest clash will decide the fate of us all.
August 21st.

courtesy Valiant

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #12 Written by FRED VAN LENTE Art by PERE PEREZ
General Redacted has laid claim to the greatest secret in a time-lost dimension that’s practically built on ‘em. Must be a doozy, huh? Well, it’s big enough that Redacted and his army of alien greys are laying waste to anyone and anything that approaches their occupied lands of the Faraway. Now, it’s down to Archer & Armstrong to run the greatest infiltration/liberation/inebriation mission history has ever known, which would be a cakewalk if its wasn’t for all the UFOs, hostile natives and, of course, the dinosaurs. Yup, could definitely do without those dinosaurs.
August 14th

courtesy Valiant

SHADOWMAN #9 Written by JUSTIN JORDAN Art by NEIL EDWARDS
Jack suffers a devastating betrayal as Master Darque’s ultimate plan stands revealed. Now, with the Brethren on the verge of wiping out Dox and the Abettors and the Deadside threatening to explode into our world, Jack will have to call on everything he’s got to stop them…or lose everything trying.
August 7th.

This month will include the current X-O Manowar arc:

X-O MANOWAR VOL. 3: PLANET DEATH TPB Written by ROBERT VENDITTI Art by CARY NORD and TREVOR HAIRSINE  The invasion is here – and X-O Manowar is the invader! From superstar creators Robert Venditti, Cary Nord and Trevor Hairsine, jump on board one of the year’s most ambitious series as X-O Manowar ignites an interstellar war and changes the landscape of the Valiant Universe forever!
Aric of Dacia, a fifth century Visigoth armed with the universe’s most powerful weapon, is all that stands between the Earth and all-out annihilation at the hands of the alien race that abducted him from his own time. Now, the day of Aric’s reckoning has finally come. As his Visigoth forefathers sacked Rome, Aric will take the battle directly to his oppressors on the Vine homeworld of Loam. He will decimate their armies, he will level their cities – and he will not stop until the whole of their empire is reduced to ash. This is PLANET DEATH!
Collecting the complete PLANET DEATH saga from X-O MANOWAR #9-14.
August 21st.

courtesy Valiant

VALIANT MASTERS: ETERNAL WARRIOR VOL. 1 – THE FIST AND STEEL HC  Written by BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH, JIM SHOOTER and KEVIN VANHOOK Art by BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH, JOHN DIXON and YVEL GUICHET Cover by BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH
For a thousand generations, Gilad Anni-Padda has defended the innocent and dealt out justice as the Eternal Warrior – the undying champion of the Geomancers, the Earth’s chosen Fist and Steel. An unsung veteran of every war ever waged, Gilad’s hard-fought quest from the ancient world to modern day Los Angeles is about to force him to the forefront of the Valiant Universe – and into a brand new kind of battle alongside the likes of Bloodshot, X-O Manowar, and his own long-lost brother, Armstrong.
Featuring never-before-collected work by Eisner Award-winning comics legend Barry Windsor-Smith, along with all-time classic stories by Jim Shooter, Kevin VanHook, John Dixon and more, this Valiant Masters volume re-presents Eternal Warrior (1992) #1-7 and Archer & Armstrong (1992)/Eternal Warrior (1992) #8.
Collecting Eternal Warrior (1992) #1-7, Archer & Armstrong (1992)/Eternal Warrior (1992) #8.

August 28th

Keep scrolling for more covers to the August books:

courtesy Valiant

courtesy Valiant

courtesy Valiant

courtesy Valiant

courtesy Valiant

courtesy Valiant

courtesy Valiant

By Editor

Valiant’s August Books Preview! is a post from: ComicsBlend

Guardians of the Galaxy #5 courtesy Marvel

The Age of Ultron finale will unleash a powerful new force into the Marvel Universe. Angela (a co-creation of Neil Gaiman in Todd McFarlane’s Spawn series) will be introduced in Age of Ultron #10.

Gaiman joins Brian Michael Bendis on Guardians of the Galaxy #5 which picks up Angela’s adventures in the Marvel Universe. Earlier we saw Joe Quesada’s redesign of Angela and now Marvel is sharing Sara Pichelli’s cover to Guardians of the Galaxy #5 which arrives July 24th.

Will Angela be an ally or enemy of Star-Lord and his crew? Will Angela have a role in Infinity?

Stay tuned!

By Editor

Angela Powers Up Guardians of the Galaxy #5 is a post from: ComicsBlend

courtesy 007.com

The director of the The Dark Knight trilogy and Inception taking on James Bond?

Christopher Nolan is in talks with producers of the 007 franchise to possibly direct Bond 24 according to The Daily Mail.

“It does no harm for Broccoli and Wilson to talk with Nolan, even if nothing happens this time round.”

Nolan is a fan of the 007 films and there’s a key scene in Inception that looks like an homage to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

Skyfall director Sam Mendes will not return to focus on theatre projects.

Thanks to Digital Spy.

Christopher Nolan in Talks for James Bond 24? is a post from: ComicsBlend

photo by Josh Lewis, courtesy KOMONews.com

Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Alexis Denisof, Amy Acker and Clark Gregg helped kick off the Seattle International Film Festival. Whedon followed up Marvel’s The Avengers with his modern take on Shakespeare‘s Much Ado About Nothing.

photo by Josh Lewis, courtesy KOMONews.com

While I work on my interviews with Fillion, Acker and Gregg (yes, I asked about Agents of SHIELD!) here’s an interview with Molly Shen of KOMO 4 News (the home of my secret identity.)

Stay tuned for more pictures and interviews!

Check out more of Josh’s pictures at komonews.com.

By Editor

Nathan Fillion, Amy Acker, Alexis Denisoff on MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING is a post from: ComicsBlend

Batman #21 courtesy DC Comics

We’re getting a first look inside the epic that reveals how Bruce Wayne became the Dark Knight! Batman #21 kicks off Zero Year – an eleven issue arc revealing Bruce’s early days as a crime fighter in the New 42. DC Comics shared this first look at Greg Capullo’s art from Batman #21 and writer Scott Snyder talks about the origin of Batman arc:

Batman #21 courtesy DC Comics

“He becomes Batman pretty early in this,” Snyder tells COMIC BOOK RESOURCES , “You’ll see him as Batman not too far in. So in terms of that origin, that’s part of it. But part of this is the first big adventure he had as Batman. It’s not just how Bruce becomes Batman. That’s certainly a big part of ‘Zero Year’ at the beginning, but it’s also about how the city changes for him. It’s about how he becomes its hero. What does that mean? And what kind of threat is it going to throw at him to challenge him and make sure he’s worthy of that?”

Batman #21 arrives next month.

By Editor

Batman Zero Year Preview is a post from: ComicsBlend

Infinity #1 courtesy Marvel

An eclectic unit of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes star on this Infinity #1 variant cover by the one and only Arthur Adams. Captain America, Black Widow, Hulk, Spider-Woman and new recruits Manifold and Shang-Chi in this outer space themed cover.

When the Avengers must head into deep space, who will protect Earth from the forces of Thanos! In this preview Marvel revealed the key to protecting the Universe from the Mad God is hidden on our planet and the only hero who may be able to protect us is Black Bolt, leader of the Inhumans!

By Editor

INFINITY #1 Variant: Avengers in Space! is a post from: ComicsBlend