Hot Toys Bruce Banner 1/6th Scale Figure

Hot Toys is still not done with the Avengers as they're about to release *gasp* the 1/6th Scale Bruce Banner figure based on the likeness of actor Mark Ruffalo.

Dr. Bruce Banner was one of the great highlights of The Avengers. Mark Ruffalo’s wonderful performance as the gamma radiated doctor has been well-received by fans and critics.

Now Hot Toys is excited to present this widely anticipated 1/6th scale Bruce Banner Collectible Figure from the movie for fans to complete their Avengers collection. The movie-accurate collectible is specially crafted based on the image of Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner in the film, featuring the newly developed head sculpt, highly-detailed costume and accessories.

Check out more photos below:

Not too impressed. Can't say they nailed it. For me, it's really so-so. Still it's a must have for collectors and completists.

Also it's the perfect figure if you're a big fan of Ruffalo's other big movie "Now You See Me" where he plays the role of the Fifth Horseman/ Mastermind behind the "Four Horsemen" outfit.

Marvel Studios OFFICIALLY Casts Kick Ass' Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Quicksilver

Joss Whedon will be getting a new player for his mega-movie for 2015, Avengers: Age of Ultron in the form of Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

Superherohype reports more on this:

"We both have them," Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told SuperHeroHype of the shared studio rights to the character last summer. "There's a specific arrangement with those two characters that would allow us to use them with 'Avengers,' but not discuss or reference their mutant or Magneto-related lineage. They can use them as mutants and as Magneto's relatives, but cannot have anything to do with 'The Avengers.'"

Avengers: Age of Ultron will be hitting theaters May, 2015 from Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Studios PH.

Drawing Parallels Between Age of Ultron and Avengers 2

My feed is ablaze with so much Avengers 2 (now called AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON) that I just needed to draw parallels between the event book "AGE OF ULTRON" and AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON. Here are a few things.

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON director Joss Whedon was quick to point out that the movie is an origin story for Ultron. It's an origin story without Hank Pym. Now before you release the fanboy/ fangirl rage, it seemed like Whedon was choosing his words wisely. He never really said anything about the removal of Hank Pym (Ultron's creator) in the story but more on the lines of the would-be Ant-Man not being present in the second movie.

If you squint closer or lean closer, you might have also noticed that this is very similar to what occurred in the comic book written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Carlos Pacheco, Brandon Peterson, Bryan Hitch and Joe Quesada.

In this world, Ultron had won by going into the future, taking over the Vision from there and then wiping the floor with the rest of the world's superbeings and then getting taking over the world. The story has been notoriously looked down upon for being a 'forgettable' event book. But it does have a couple of shock factors.

One of the biggest shocks that AGE OF ULTRON (the book, has provided) was this:

Yes, in a nutshell, Wolverine and Invisible Woman travel to the past with the intention of murdering Hank Pym in order to stop Ultron from ever becoming, well, Ultron. Things go from bad to worse as they find out that a world without Hank Pym as an Avenger is even worse with IRON MAN taking over the world as it's top hero/ cop while Morgan Le Fey tries to conquer it. 

So what's the common factor? it's a movie or a world without Hank Pym. In a way it could be said that without Hank Pym aka Antman to help out (or cause in some cases) there's bound to be chaos. Pym is both the instigator and the unifier. Sadly Marvel Studios really plans to NOT show Pym in the movie set for release this coming 2015.

Avengers: Age of Ultron opens 2014 and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo, Cobie Smulders and Clark Gregg. It's directed by Joss Whedon and will be released by Marvel Studios to be distributed locally by Walt Disney Studios Philippines. 

AVENGERS 2 Officially Titled AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON

Not to be outdone by the Superman/Batman announcement, Marvel Studios took to the stage at SDCC 2013 and revealed details regarding the next installment on their wildly popular AVENGERS franchise.

Here's a description of how things panned out in the Marvel panel in SDCC 2013 from Collider:

"Marvel President Kevin Feige is about to leave the stage in Hall H following the panels for Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Guardians of the Galaxy. An amped up crowd is shouting “More!” Feige returns, takes a seat, and says “There’s only one more person here. He wanted to say, ‘Hi.’ Joss Whedon!” Whedon takes the stage. “Hi. I know it’s time to go,” he says, “and I don’t have a lot to say, but I have something to add.” We cut to a trailer of quotes from The Avengers over something metal being hammered. The metal has a strange red glow. The last quote we hear is what Nick Fury told Maria Hill about the group coming back together when they world will need them. The camera then pulls out to reveal Ultron’s helmet. We then get the title for the highly-anticipated sequel: The Avengers: Age of Ultron."

Now the countdown begins for May 1,2015, to be distributed locally by Walt Disney Studios Philippines. 

One more thing, being that this is going to be AGE OF ULTRON, should we expect to see ANGELA at the end? 

Update: People think I was serious with the question. Obviously they just borrowed the title because it sounded cool.  C'mon guys. Seriously???

Marvel Studios Eyeing Kick Ass Star Aaron Johnson for Quicksilver Role

Kick Ass star Aaron Johnson is currently being the apple of Marvel Studios' eye for the role of the mutant speedster Quicksilver for Joss Whedon's AVENGERS 2. 

We all know that Bryan Singer's already got his Quicksilver locked down in the form of Evan Peters for X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST so it was only a matter of time before Marvel Studios announced who they would be casting for their own version of Pietro Maximoff aka the son of Magneto and twin brother of the Scarlet Witch. 

No confirmation yet but I think that Johnson can be a perfect Quicksilver for the movie.

5 Things I Want To See from Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The trailer and the extended trailer for ABC's "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." has been officially launched and it's getting viral quickly. That being said I like to take the time to look at the different aspects of the Marvel Universe that's just begging to make an appearance in this new TV series from Joss Whedon.

The countdown begins after the cut...

5. Dormammu and the Mindless Ones

Since we're dealing with unknown things in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) why not go to the one place where everything is just 'unknown'. Coulson and friends could investigate a case involving rampaging mindless ones in a small town where a portal could have opened. Or they could be summoned to a crime scene that spelss 'mystical'. The appeal here isn't just flamehead. You have to remember that the 616 Universe is filled with all sorts of supernatural creepers and heroes alike. This thread  could also open up a new tapestry for the Doctor Strange series that's in development. 

4. Monster Madness

In the 50s and 60s, monster books were all the rage for comic fans and Marvel was at the forefront. At the top of my head I'm think of Fin Fang Foom (who sadly never made it to Iron Man 3 despite the obvious use of The Mandarin). Maybe 'Agents' can do an episode where they get to investigate and classify 'Monster Island' [or the Savage Land if Fox is willing to play ball being that it's more of an X-Men thing]. Oh and I would give anything to see Fin Fang Foom in this series since it's highly unlikely that we'll see this dragon in Iron Man 4.

3.Aliens and S.W.O.R.D.

What's a shield without a sword right? It doesn't have to be a full blown encounter with their 'space police' counterparts. A simple nod to the idea or the notion of having S.W.O.R.D. might be a good thing or even better if we actually witness in one of the episodes the birth of SWORD. Oh and then there's Agent Abigail Brand... Plus it'd be nice to encounter aliens that Marvel has free reign with such as the Badoon, the Dire Wraiths and the Brood. Again, maybe Fox can play ball and lend the Skrulls and the Kree for this series...

2. Classic Locales

Marvel's pretty rich when it comes to various locales and that is something I would definitely want to see. There's Atlantis, the Savage Land and Genosha (which I hope Fox wouldn't mind). There's Madripoor and the Blue Area of the Moon and a whole lot more. It's this plus my # 1 that makes me really think that 'Agents' will be a fine TV series that will tie in to the MCU.

1. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s finest and a Nick Fury cameo



The number one thing I'd like to see for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. would probably be a cameo of Nick Fury. That may never happen especially since one appearance will decrease the number of films that Samuel L. Jackson can appear in but this is me doing wishful thinking scenario. Cobie Smulders does have a higher probability of appearing here especially since 'How I Met Your Mother' is set to end soon. Other notable agents of SHIELD I'd like to see in the series include:

Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine 

The Contessa is quite possibly the only femme fatale in SHIELD. She also happens to be the caucasian Nick Fury's lover. She's known not just for her beauty but also for her mad skills. 

 Dum Dum Dugan 

Yes, blame First Avenger for not seeing the bowler hat guy in Avengers. There was no Fury blood transfusion here in the MCU so we can only assume that he's already dead; so are the rest of the 'Howling Commandos'. It would be nice if there was a reference to him somewhere in the show even as an easter egg.

Jasper Sitwell

Sitwell is one of SHIELD's top interrogators. He's also a known member of the new age version of the Howling Commandos and was trained personally by Nick Fury. The MCU already has a Jasper Sitwell (Maximiliano Hernandez). The real question is whether or not he could appear in an episode or not. 

The Intricacies of the Helmets of Thanos and Loki

Marvel shared a closer look at the helmets worn by the dastardly villains for "The Avengers" namely Loki and Thanos.

PREVIEW: Hot Toys Loki

The nefarious god Loki is the next target for Hot Toys. Here's a preview for the upcoming figure.



Hot Toys is proud to present the collectible figure of the 6th Avenger from the hottest movie of the town - the 1/6th scale Loki Limited Edition Collectible Figurine of The Avengers from Marvel Studios. The movie-accurate collectible is specially crafted based on the image of Tom Hiddleston as Loki in the movie, highlighting the newly developed head sculpt, highly detailed costume, weapons and accessories.





More images after the cut.

Some Concept Artworks for Marvel's The Avengers

Oh this one I totally like. This was downplayed in the movie but I totally loved the Thor vs Hulk fight inside the Hellicarrier.

Why The Shawarma Scene from The Avengers is Cool

After the April 11 Screening of Marvel's The Avengers the cast and crew returned once more to film an extended scene at the end of the credits. 

The scene looked pretty neat if you ask me. In this scene the Avengers share a table eating, yup, you guessed it, SHAWARMA. The same dish that Tony Stark kept rambling on about after he tosses the nuclear missile into the Chitauri's dimension.

Sadly, the scene will only be available for US moviegoers. Guess we all have to wait for the Bluray release to see this.

On this note, you also have to consider that this isn't the first time the Avengers have had some witty banter while enjoying breakfast. Writer Brian Michael Bendis continually does this in the pages of the two volumes of New Avengers.

WTF: Buffy The Vampire Slayer XXX Trailer Goes Online

Aaaannnd the endless "AV" parodies just keeps rolling and rolling with the release of a trailer for a porn parody of Joss Whedon's cult classic "Buff the Vampire Slayer". But the good news dear fanboys is that it's got LEXI BELLE in it playing the titular character.

So check out the slightly NSFW trailer for this "film". Oh and hey they have Willow in the cast played by Jessie Andrews. You know what that means. *wink wink nudge nudge*

And just so you know, Ms. Belle also played Batgirl in the massively popular Batman parody they did years back. And she looks perfect as Harley Quinn.

Another LOL moment is the fact that the film will be directed by a certain "JOSS WHELDON" not WHEDON (whom I now refer to as Dyos Whedon).

UPDATE: Joss Wheldon tweeted me and gave me the correct information. It's actually Lee Roy Myers that'll direct this AV.  Thanks for the heads up Joss. And thanks for reading this as well.

Source: Bleedingcool

MOVIE REVIEW: Marvel's The Avengers - Contains Spoilers

Here's a raw review for Marvel's The Avengers which might contain minor spoilers. The film comes from Walt Disney Pictures Philippines and is now showing in theaters everywhere.

And no your "oh my god you spoiled the movie for me" angry rants aren't welcome here because I've had enough of that from the social networking sites the past few days.

So on to the review itself. The film is firstly directed by Joss Whedon who also wrote the script together with writer Zak Penn. It stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlet Johannson, Jeremy Renner, Cobie Smulders, Clark Gregg, Tom Hiddleston and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

OVERALL: It's a good solid action movie with a lot of fan-service moments and even funnier scenes. It's got a tinge of drama thrown into the mix and offers tons of Avengers level action moments for each and every member of the team. There's a new powerful mystery villain that this newly minted superhero group must face down the road or in a few years which was totally excellent. The film has some nice visuals that will make you go "wow" and the final battle looks awesome. The cast definitely got their characters down right including newcomer Mark Ruffalo who replaces Ed Norton as Bruce Banner aka The Incredible Hulk. The down side about this is that there are some plot points in the film that are not fully resolved or given any semblance of closure. Believe it or not, the 3D in this movie works well as compared to what we've seen in the film "Thor".

Now that ends the "safe" part of the review. If you feel like not getting any form of spoilers I suggest you turn back now.

Marvel's The Avengers" Defends the World in IMAX 3D (Opens Apr 25)

Marvel Studios and The Walt Disney Studios recently announced that the epic super hero adventure “Marvel's The Avengers” will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX® 3D format and released in IMAX® digital theatres in the Philippines on April 25, simultaneous with Digital 3D and regular cinemas across the country.

“Marvel's The Avengers,” based on the well-known Marvel comic book series, is written and directed by Joss Whedon and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson.

Distributed by The Walt Disney Studios, “Marvel's The Avengers” marks the third Marvel Studios film presented in IMAX, following the releases of “Iron Man 2” in 2010 and “Thor” in 2011.

This highly-anticipated gathering of Marvel's epic superheroes combined with the brilliant vision of Joss Whedon is sure to wow audiences when presented in IMAX 3D," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "The Avengers is a perfect film to kick-off our 2012 summer slate and we anticipate this limited IMAX engagement will be a must-see for fans around the world."

The IMAX release of “Marvel's The Avengers” will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX 3D Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Marvel Studios presents, in association with Paramount Pictures, “Marvel's The Avengers” – the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow.

When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

(“Marvel’s The Avengers” will assemble in the Philippines on April 25 2012. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Marvel's “Spider-Man” and “The Incredible Hulk” animated series are now aired over ABS CBN, comprising an hour of early programming on Sunday mornings from 8:30-9:30am. ABS-CBN previously aired Marvel's “The Avengers” and “X-Men” animated series.)

How Marvel Cast The Avengers

Completing the award-winning cast of “ Marvel’s The Avengers” proved to be a breeze for the filmmakers. “One of the great things when you make a film that’s been set up like this is that you start the casting process 80% done,” informs producer Louis D’ Esposito.

Leading the cast are Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

Every team has a go-to guy when the chips are down and “The Avengers” is no different as they turn to billionaire, industrialist playboy Tony Stark aka Iron Man. One of the cornerstones and fan favorite of the Marvel Universe, the first two installments of the “Iron Man” franchise, starring Robert Downey Jr. have grossed a combined 1.2 billion at the worldwide box office.

A Litte Joss Whedon Interview to Prep You for The Avengers

The Avengers director was very candid and very gracious when recently interviewed as part of the promotion for his new film "The Avengers" from Marvel Studios and released locally through Walt Disney Studios and Columbia.



DIRECTOR JOSS WHEDON BRINGS UNIQUE STYLE TO “MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS”

There are few writer/directors in the world who have inspired the kind of fan devotion that Joss Whedon has. Beginning with the cult hit “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and moving on to “Angel,” “Firefly” and “Serenity,” Whedon has imprinted himself on an entire generation of audiences. There are Joss Whedon fan sites, and his life and career take up a very long and informative Wikipedia page. English professors even use episodes of his TV shows to teach their students writing and storytelling.