Anne Hathaway in The Dark Knight Rises courtesy Warner Brothers
Will Anne Hathaway work for her The Dark Knight Rises director again? Deadline reports the Oscar winner is close to joining the cast of Christopher Nolan’s next project: Interstellar.
The actress who played Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Nolan’s Batman finale will star opposite Matthew McConaughey. Nolan is working on a script now.
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Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do #2 courtesy Marvel.com
Speculation is fun but sometimes Hollywood confessions make you ponder what might have been. Case in point: Imagine Anne Hathaway as Felicia Hardy aka Black Cat! Director Sam Raimi tells Vulture he wanted the now Oscar winner to play the femme fatale in Spider-Man 4 and about how his fourth Spidey film didn’t happen.
“It really was the most amicable and undramatic of breakups: It was simply that we had a deadline and I couldn’t get the story to work on a level that I wanted it to work. I was very unhappy with Spider-Man 3, and I wanted to make Spider-Man 4 to end on a very high note, the best Spider-Man of them all. But I couldn’t get the script together in time, due to my own failings, and I said to Sony, “I don’t want to make a movie Continue reading
courtesy Warner Brothers
As we count down to this year’s Oscars I can’t help but sigh that the Academy fails to recognize the powerful performances and amazing talents behind 2012′s big sci-fi and comic book (I’m including James Bond because I love him and why not) based films?
Here are my films, stars, creators that should be nominated plus some of my own geeky categories:
Best Picture: The Dark Knight Rises, Looper, Skyfall
Best Actor: Christian Bale, The Dark Knight Rises
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, Rian Johnson
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Caine, The Dark Knight Rises Javier Bardem, Skyfall Michael Fassbender, Prometheus
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway, The Dark Knight Rises Emily Blunt, Looper
Best Song: Skyfall, Adele
MVP of 2012: Continue reading
The Dark Knight Rises one sheet courtesy Warner Brothers
It’s hard to believe the Christian Bale as Batman era is over. You can now watch The Dark Knight Rises in your own home. Christopher Nolan’s final chapter of his brooding Batman trilogy features a broken Bruce Wayne, a terrorist with ties to the first Batman film and a seductive cat burglar who inspires and betrays the Dark Knight. I would love to see Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine nominated for their amazing performances. Christopher Nolan and his entire team of artists deserve every accolade and award possible. No matter how award season turns out – he will have the eternal love of comic book fans.
The Dark Knight Trilogy collects Christopher Nolan’s entire epic: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. Superhero films will never be the same.
The Dark Knight Rises teaser poster courtesy Warner Brothers
If you want to read a compelling story that inspired The Dark Knight Rises then check out Batman: No Man’s Land.
In The Dark Knight Rises Gotham City is cut off from the rest of the world and under siege from criminal factions thanks to Bane. In the comic books an earthquake rocks Gotham City in Cataclysm. The governor declares the city uninhabitable and orders everyone to leave. Those left behind in No Man’s Land are caught in the turf war between Gotham’s biggest and new crime lords. Batman and his family (Catwoman, Robin, Batgirl, Nighwing) are the only protection for those stranded.
The big difference in the comic book storyline is Bane is on a mission for Superman villain Lex Luthor. The Joker plays a critical role in the finale of the crossover in a showdown that affects Commissioner Gordon. This storyline featured many top writers (Chuck Dixon, Greg Rucka, Dennis O’Neill) at the top of their game.
courtesy Warner Brothers
Anne Hathaway won huge praise from director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale for her performance as Selena Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises. Nolan even said Hathaway’s Selena Kyle deserved the opportunity to star in a Catwoman solo film. Bale reportedly said that Hathaway “has the toughest job on the film because the Catwoman role has been defined previously.”
Catwoman: Nine Lives of Femme Fatale Poster by Brian Bolland courtesy DC Comics
Catwoman is one of the most iconic female characters in comic book history. I was inspired to collect some of Catwoman’s greatest “cuts” as the world waits to see how Christopher Nolan and Anne Hathaway will portray her in The Dark Knight Rises.
Television: As a little kid I raced off the school bus so I didn’t miss a moment of the Batman television show. I loved Julie Newmar as Catwoman. The dramatic purrs on words were part of the show’s camp but Newmar embodied the conflicted bad girl you hope would change her ways for Batman. Eartha Kitt only played Catwoman three times but what an impression. Kitt played Catwoman with a harder, dangerous edge. That cat would do a lot worse than scratch!
Movies: Michelle Pfeifer’s Catwoman was a deadly kitten with a whip in Batman Returns. Tim Burton’s origin for Selina was very different from the comic books but Pfeiffer made it work. This secretary turned feminist avenger was a deadly mix of empowerment and sex appeal.
Comics: Bob Kane created The Cat as a socialite turned catburglar villain for Batman. Selina Kyle developed into an antihero with love/hate romantic relationship with Batman. In the 1990′s writers took Selina’s character into dark territory. Modern creators interpretted her disguise and life of crime as a response to a history of abuse. Selina became an avenger of women on the streets of Gotham City.
Catwoman: The Dark End of the Street courtesy DC Comics
The Dark End of the Street, Crooked Little Town, Relentless, and Wild Ride show Catwoman as a vigilante antihero in modern crime noir tales. During this era Selina takes in an ex-hooker and junkie as a protogee in her war on crime. The look in these collections are similar to the style Anne Hathaway has in photos on the set of The Dark Knight Rises.
Trail of the Catwoman marked Selina’s return to her infamous persona after a long absence with a new costume. Selina hunts a serial killer targetting the streetwalkers of Gotham City.
When in Rome is Catwoman versus the Falcone crime family. This is a sexier colorful tale of the cat burglar on a mysterious adventure in Italy.
Hush is one of my all time favorite Batman epics. The Dark Knight and Catwoman’s twisted relationship is at this most romantic and intense during this year long mystery in which a new villian uses Batman’s greatest enemies as pawns in a mind twisting game. Jim Lee’s Catwoman is perfect.
Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes courtesy DC Comics
I have to give Adam Hughes praise for his portraits of Catwoman. Cover Run includes many of his iconic DC covers starring the femme fatale.
Now the wait begins for the actor who will portray Batman in a future Justice League film but no one will forget Christian Bale and the daring vision of Christopher Nolan.
By Editor
The Dark Knight Rises one sheet courtesy Warner Brothers
As we count down to the release of The Dark Knight Rises Christopher Nolan made a big revelation about how his Batman Trilogy could have been very different. According to The Playlist Nolan said Heath Ledger was one of many actors he interviewed for the role of Bruce Wayne for Batman Begins.
“He was quite gracious about it, but he said, ‘I would never take a part in a superhero film.’ ” Nolan said. The filmmaker said he thinks Ledger changed his mind eventually because, “I explained to him what I wanted to do with ‘Batman Begins’ and I think maybe he felt I achieved it.”
The story goes on to report that because of Batman Begins Ledger signed on the play the Joker in The Dark Knight without a completed script. Nolan gave his star A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess and books on the paintings of Francis Bacon to prepare for the role of the Joker.
For more of the story here’s The Playlist link.
Op:
I have always believed what makes Christian Bale so good as Bruce Wayne is that he would also be perfect as the Joker. If you saw Bale in his pre Batman Begins roles in American Psycho, The Machinist and Reign of Fire (even the Shaft remake) you could see the man knows how to tap into rage and madness.
The Dark Knight Rises is out on blu-ray/dvd next week.
By Editor
courtesy Tri-Star
The sci-fi Looper is getting critical and fanboy buzz. Joseph Gordon Levitt (The Dark Knight Rises) and Bruce Willis star in the time travel thriller. Director Rian Johnson is generating more geek excitment with talk about his future projects including the possibility of a superhero movie.
“There’s always conversations. It’s flattering to be in that circle of people who are thought about for those things, and I’m a big fan of those movies, so it’s fun to talk about them. Right now, I’m focusing on writing my next film, and it’s an original thing I’m working on. Not that I’d shut down the possibility in the future, but I’m in this spot right now where I can get these original movies made, and that’s not going to last forever. As long as that’s happening, I want to get as many of my own things made as possible,” Johnson tells Vulture.
Perhaps Johnson could reteam with Gordon-Levitt on a future chapter of The Dark Knight Legacy? See my theory here.
The helmer of the time travel hit man film also expressed interests in taking on the ultimate in time travel adventures.
”What I’d really kill to try, although it would be terrifying because I’m such a big fan of it? Doctor Who,” Johnson revealed on Reddit.
Thanks to Digital Spy where you can see Johnson talking about Looper here.
By Editor
Batman Incorporated #3 courtesy DC Comics
Update: Batman Incorporated #3 was released today. The issue was originally scheduled to come out the week after The Dark Knight Rises but was postponed due to the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado. I will have a review later.
Please note: There is a fundraiser for the victims of the tragedy this weekend. Here’s a link to learn more about Aurora Rising Benefit Event featuring top comic book creators and auction items.
Original Story:
DC Comics is delaying the release of Batman Incorporated #3 by Grant Morrison due to the tragedy in Colorado. Artist Chris Burnham revealed on Twitter that the already printed issue will be delayed out of respect for the victims.
“Batman Inc #3 is going to be delayed a month due to some grim imagery that would seem wholly inappropriate given the Aurora killings.”
“The book printed on time. I’m looking at a copy on my desk right now. This isn’t a scheduling excuse, we’re trying to do the right thing.”
“It’s not just a Batman comic with guns in it. There’s a specific scene that made DC & the whole Bat-team say: ‘Yikes’. Too close for comfort.”
Thanks to Digital Spy
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Tom Hardy as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, courtesy Warner Brothers
Director Christopher Nolan updated Bane for the big screen but cut a sequence explaining his back story according to a story in Vulture. The Dark Knight Rises offers glimpses of why the villain dresses and acts the way he does but there’s no explicit origin sequence.
Costume designer Lindy Hemming was discussing other costumes for the final Batman film when she started revealing the flashback sequence to GQ.
“The thing that you should have seen during that sequence is [Bane] being injured in his youth. So one of the fundamental things about his costume is that he has this scar from the back injury. Even if he hasn’t got the bulletproof vest on, he still has to wear the waist belt and the braces. In that scene in the prison, where he’s learning to fight the same way Batman learned to fight, he’s wearing an early version of his waist belt. It’s showing support, but it’s not the finished one he eventually wears. He’s also wearing an early version of his gas mask, all glued together … If you look at the film, unless they’ve cut it—and I’m sure they haven’t—there’s a whole early section for Tom Hardy where he’s fighting and being taunted by people. He’s got chains on him, and he’s standing on a wooden thing while people are attacking him. And in that scene, he’s wearing a much more ragged, primitive version of the mask.”
The Dark Knight Rises teaser poster courtesy Warner Brothers
When the interviewer told her that sequence is not in the final film she reportedly responded, “Well that’s an awful shame, but I suppose you have to cut things. I won’t elaborate on it too much, because it isn’t in the film, but there was another section that showed you why he had the mask and where it came from.”
Watch for this on the Blu-ray? If you want to dive into Bane’s comic book origins here’s a link to Batman vs. Bane and Knightfall by the legendary Chuck Dixon.
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courtesy TriStar
Joseph Gordon-Levitt was a dramatic action hero as police officer John Blake in The Dark Knight Rises and could potentially carry on the Batman franchise.
The rising star has two more action roles this year: Premium Rush and Looper.
A new poster for Looper was unveiled today featuring Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis. The sci-fi film will launch the Toronto Film Festival on September 6th. Here’s the trailer:
Thanks to Digital Spy.
Here’s my take on how Joseph Gordon-Levitt could carry on the Batman legacy.
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The Dark Knight Rises one sheet courtesy Warner Brothers
Where was the Joker in The Dark Knight Rises? Christopher Nolan said earlier in the year that his final Batman film would not reference the character in light of Heath Ledger’s death. Greg Cox novelization hints where the Joker was during the movie Nuke the Fridge is reporting.
In the movie Gotham City’s worst criminals were in Blackgate Prison due to the Harvey Dent Act.
“The worst of the worst were sent here, except for the Joker, who, rumor had it, was locked away as Arkham’s sole remaining inmate,” reads the novelisation.
“Or perhaps he escaped. Nobody was really sure. Not even Selina.”
Thanks to Digital Spy.
Batman #13 teaser courtesy DC Comics
After a year-long absence the Joker returns in the comic books this October in a storyline called Death of the Family in Batman #13 by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo.
Here’s a link to The Dark Knight Rises novelization and if you want to know why the Joker has been missing in DC Comics here’s a link to Detective Comics: Faces of Death.
By Editor