"Indy" Grosses $311.1 Million Worldwide

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" proved more than up to the task of drawing people away from their Memorial Day barbecues and into the cold dark recesses of the cinemas.

The Steven Spielberg-directed adventure film grossed $126 million domestically during the extended holiday weekend, making it the second highest Memorial Day opening behind last year's "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," which made $139.8 million.

But when you count the five-day cumulative, which we laid non-monetary bets on last week, "Crystal Skull" made $151.1 million domestically and $160 million internationally (though it opened on Wednesday overseas). This puts the total gross at a whopping $311.1 million. As you may have noticed, this number is miles away from our guesses. thisfuckinguy guessed $237.9 million total, ingenuus guessed $220 mil, and I went with $222.8 mil. So TFG is closest for worldwide, while I got closer on the 5-day domestic (my $132.8 to his $126.7 million), though we were still both off by leaps and bounds.

"Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" dropped down significantly to $28.6 million, while "Iron Man" stayed relatively steady making $25.6 million in its fourth weekend on the market.

After those big three, there really wasn't much more money to spread around. "The Visitor" managed to creep onto the top ten, but only made $917,000, the first time in a while I've seen a movie in the top ten with less than a million dollars. The indie dramedy by Thomas McCarthy ("The Station Agent") has made $4.57 million to date.

(Variety)

Sydney Pollack Dies of Cancer at 73

Director, producer, and actor Sydney Pollack passed away yesterday at his home in Los Angeles at age 73.

His long career began in the late 1950s as an actor and acting teacher of such notable thespians as Robert Duvall, Rip Torn, and Brenda Vaccaro. He quickly took a spot behind the camera for acclaimed films such as "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?," "Jeremiah Johnson," "Three Days of the Condor," "Tootsie," and his only Oscar-winner "Out of Africa."

His films were notable almost equally for their political content, their commercial viability, and their overall artistic quality. He eventually hit a slump of sorts with "Sabrina" and "Random Hearts," though "The Interpreter" and his final film (and only documentary) "Sketches of Frank Gehry" were more favorably received.

During that aforementioned slump in the 90s and early 00s, he focused more of his time and energy on acting and producing. He appeared in such films as "Changing Lanes," Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut," "Michael Clayton," and unfortunately, his final acting role, "Made of Honor." He formed Mirage Enterprises with Anthony Minghella, who passed away himself only two months ago, and produced a great number of films such as "Leatherheads," "The Talented Mr. Ripley," and "Michael Clayton."

Variety has a fairly extensive obituary for the man who George Clooney calls "a class act" who made "the world a little better, movies a little better, and even dinner a little better." Rest in peace, Mr. Pollack. Even though you regularly played morally questionable executives, you still seemed like a good guy.

Update: If that Variety article isn't long enough for you, The New York Times has a great obituary, too.

"Harry Potter" Actor Rob Knox, Dead at 18

Rob Knox, the 18-year-old actor who will appear as Marcus Belby in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," was fatally stabbed outside a bar in Southwest London on Saturday night.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Knox got caught up in a brawl that sent five young men to the hospital, including a 21-year-old who has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

His character is a Ravenclaw who is interviewed for Professor Slughorn's exclusive group of students in the sixth book, but Belby never plays a significant role in the series. Principal photography has already wrapped on the production.

According to the Times Online, Knox was protecting his younger brother from a man wielding two knives. Though this killing was not gang-related, teenagers in London are apparently being stabbed at alarming rates.

Captain America will be set in World War 2

Apparently a big pile of media types got to sit in with Kevin Feige and chatting worked its way around to questions about Marvel Films. Specifically Captain America and his two appearances slated for 2011 films, The First Avenger:Captian America and The Avengers later that summer.

IESB.net says:

IESB asked Feige if the Captain America film would be a period piece. He confirmed yes, the story will take place during World War II, just like the comic book origin story. He says they plan to remain very faithful to the source material and completely traditional.

Feige also confirmed that it was definitely the Captain America shield that was seen in IRON MAN on Tony Stark’s work-station as he’s removing his suit for the first time. It’s just an Easter Egg and probably won’t have anything to do with the Capt. America story

I like that they confirmed the Easter Egg bit in IronMan as I tend to geek out about movie crossovers and tributes (you should have seen me go into fanboy mode in the XMen films)

But more importantly, I am jonesed about the idea that they are going with a World War 2 Captain America story (I hope they do the traditional pointy shield) and likely that will mean that Steve Rogers gets himself frozen like Encino Man to be thawed out later for the Avengers Movie. I speculated this might happen and it seemed like the logical thing to do with the movies both coming out in the same season. Hype on top of more hype=money.

And despite how inspired I thought the casting of Matthew McConaughey would have been its been debunked from the source, so the debate rages on (please don’t pick a professional wrestler!!)

Pssst. DC/WB? See? Ok, go back to work.

This reminds me of that calm reassuring feeling like when your mommy kisses the booboo better. Its just words, but it makes you so confident that everything is going to be alright.

More Details On Upcoming Marvel Superhero Movies

Over at CHUD.com there's a report that details the upcoming slate of superhero movies coming from Marvel Studios on the heels of the spectacular performance of Iron Man so far.

They had a chance to sit down with Kevin Feige, the head of the fledgling studio and hounded him for answers about upcoming movies.

Included in the interview were details about the upcoming Captain America movie, the Avengers movie (which seems a heck of a lot more likely to happen than the stillborn Justice League film), Thor and Iron Man 2.

Among the news bits are the fact that the Captain America movie will remain titled The First Avenger: Captain America instead of the preferred (by most) Captain America: The First Avenger. They're scheduling the Cap movie to be released only a month and a half before the Avengers movie, so the emphasis on the group in the title of his stand alone movie seems to be quite calculated.

As to when the film will take place: World War II timeframe, so it will be a full-on origin story taking place entirely in the past. I think that's a GREAT idea and I'm betting that a lot of the Avengers film will concentrate on his adjustment to present day following his being in suspended animation at the end of his movie. That's speculation but it would be awesome to have a cliffhanger in his film resolved only six weeks later instead of having to wait two full years (can you say Han Solo frozen in Carbonite?).

Feige also stated that they are in negotiations with Jon Favreau to come back and do Iron Man 2 which I stated was a no brainer a few days ago.

I really like how Marvel is approaching the idea of building a universe of superheroes that they'll bring together for an ensemble movie. The DC route seemed like a bad idea, but this direction is a good one.

For more on the upcoming movies from Marvel including more details on Captain America, Iron Man 2 and even some Thor details, head over to the full interview at CHUD.

Transformers 2 Casting Call in Philadelphia

Transformers 2 is going to be talked about a lot here, and it is just beginning. Filming locations and reports are coming in from all over and we reported two current locations that are soon to be invaded. Bethlehem Steel will become an industrial Japanese locale, and Philidelphia is going to be providing the University campus for Sam.

Now the casting call has been thrown out for Philly residents who want to be in the film, but don’t jump just yet unless you have your SAG card handy.

SuperheroHype says

Needed are SAG background men and women, ages 18-65, all ethnicities, for scenes to shoot in the Philadelphia, PA and Princeton, NJ areas. Shooting will take place in June 2008.

We especially need college-age talent for this project.

If interested and available, please e-mail a picture/resume to Tr2philadelphia@gmail.com

If your headshot is older than one year, do NOT send it. Instead, send a recent snapshot - that has you alone in the picture – a close-up is preferred (no party pictures holding a beer…)
Your picture must be attached as a “.jpeg" file.

I didn’t post this to rub it in to those superfans in Philly who were hoping to be on set for this movie. I posted it because of the direct contradiction presented in this announcement.

They INSIST on using SAG certified background actors. Presumably because they want professionalism, and not some freaky fanboy wasting film. I am assuming they wont wast their time with hacks. Professionals right?

Then they feel the need to add the line “no party pictures holding a beer”

What? Really? These professionals you are counting on would do that? Hell, I have never been an extra on set but if I had to send in a picture to be considered not only would it be current, but it would be the very BEST picture of me that I could find. I would run down to Walmart in the hopes that they could make me look better.

Party pictures holding a beer? Have they been sent this before???

I am speechless.

Professionals.

The Dark Knight's New Joker Poster

I know that we're all incredibly excited for The Dark Knight; with each and every day, my heart begins to beat faster at the prospect of finally seeing the highly anticipated Batman Begins sequel. This brand new poster has been floating around for a few days, but we thought today would be a great day to finally feature it. It's a wonderful compliment to the previous poster we showed you in April that only featured Batman. This time around, the Joker makes a solo appearance. I know as we count down the days to The Dark Knight, fans are beginning to solidify their allegiances: Batman or Joker. Which side are you on?

Thanks to Batman-on-Film.com for debuting this banner. I'm not as fond of this as I am of the other final poster or the five other international posters released recently as well. It might be partially that I'm rooting for Batman or it might be partially that this just isn't as striking as the others. Thoughts?

The Dark Knight is again directed by Christopher Nolan (Memento, Batman Begins, The Prestige) and co-written by Nolan, his brother Jonathan Nolan (The Prestige), and David S. Goyer (Blade, Batman Begins). The movie arrives in theaters worldwide on July 18th this summer!

Saw V and Saw VI Updates

I lost all interest in the Saw series after Saw IV last year. I really enjoyed Saw III, quite a bit, but Saw IV didn't have the same great feeling as the previous three. Of course we already know that the Saw franchise has films scheduled through Saw VI in 2009, and probably more as long as they keep making money.

Remarkably, I don't think there has been any major updates on any of the films since IV hit theaters last year, so now is our chance to bring everyone back up to speed. Lionsgate has released some new information on both Saw V and Saw VI, including characters, a director, a plot synopsis, and much more. If you're still a fan of the Saw series, then you'll definitely want to hear about all the latest.

In Saw V, due in theaters on October 24th this year, Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) is seemingly the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) legacy. But when his secret is threatened, Hoffman must go on the hunt to eliminate all loose ends. The full cast also includes Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Mark Rolston, Carlo Rota, Julie Benz, Greg Bryk, Laura Gordon and Meagan Good. Producer designer David Hackl is directing with a script by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan (of Feast and Saw IV).

Series producer Mark Burg spoke with Bloody Disgusting recently at a meet-n-greet for Saw V, and told them some juicy details about what to expect with the fifth installment. What he promises below sounds like it definitely won't let fans down.

"[We have] six different traps, more gore" he tells Bloody-Disgusting. "People escape one trap, just to get caught in another; it's closer in feel to the original SAW as thematically it's about teamwork. I am far and away convinced that these are the best traps we have ever had."

"This film is far less confusing and more linear, and there are TWO great twists," he explains. "Just when you thought you figured it out, we twist again. We bring in some new characters that you really get to know… we bring in some peripheral characters that play out in SAW VI - the people that you think will live… not a chance!"

These quotes just reminded me how entertaining this entire series really is and encouraged me to check out the first three again for the hell of it. Although we've updated you with the latest on Saw V, we've got some new information on Saw VI already.

Bloody Disgusting also broke the news yesterday that David Hackl won't be directing Saw VI, instead Kevin Greutert will take the reigns. Greutert will be making his directional debut with Saw VI, but he's no newcomer to the series. Greutert has edited all four of the films so far and is editing Saw V as we speak. If anyone, Greutert definitely sounds like he's familiar with the intricacies of the series at this moment and she be able to handle the sixth by himself.

How many of you are looking forward to seeing the newest Saw film?

New Incredible Hulk Trailer And Poster

So it looks like the marketing machine is finally getting in gear for The Incredible Hulk. We've got an new poster and a new trailer for the film which shows more action than we've seen before.

I'm hoping that this Hulk film ends up surprising everyone and exceeding expectations. I'd love to see a kick-butt Incredible Hulk movie as a follow up to the previous, much slower moving version.

Check out both the new trailer and the poster below.

Sorry about the quality of the trailer but there's not a better copy out there yet.

The Incredible Hulk opens on June13.

Sources: IGN.com (image) Trailer Addict (trailer)

Cine Hulk trailer movie comics poster upcoming movies Avengers Incredible Hulk

Cine Hulk trailer movie comics poster pelicula video Incredible Hulk

Marvel Wants Brad Pitt for Thor

Our friends at LatinoReview are reporting that Marvel wants Brad Pitt for the upcoming big screen adaptation of Thor.

Let's face it, isn't Brad Pitt on every project's preliminary casting lists for dream stars? Of course, no offer has been made to the star, and when one is, I doubt he would actually be interested (but you never know with these Iron Man $$$ numbers). Would Pitt make a good Thor? You certainly need someone with acting skills to pull off this role. The old school approach of casting a muscular model-like actor like Arnold could only result in an extremely cheesy film.

Discuss: Who would you cast as Thor? Is Brad Pitt on your short list?

photo credit: FSR

The X-Files 2 Trailer Is Here

Without further yakking, check out at long last the trailer for X-Files 2 aka X-Files: I Want to Believe...

It DOES look very "X-Filesy" to me and I think fans will get all X-cited when they hear the theme music in the trailer. It looks like it'll be good for those folks and I thought it wasn't too bad (except for that cliched music towards the very end.)

X-Files: I Want to Believe opens on July 25th.

Source: IGN.com

Bioshock Movie Set In Motion

It appears Bioshock is the next video game set for film adaptation. We get the following news and game description from our friends over at moviesonline:

Today it has been announced by Variety that Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski will be helming the movie adaptation of the hugely popular Bioshock game.

Developed by 2K Boston and 2K Australia, BioShock is a “genetically-enhanced” first person shooter set in Rapture, an underwater art deco-inspired utopia torn apart by civil war. Caught between powerful forces and hunted down by genetically modified “splicers” and deadly security systems, players have to come to grips with a deadly, mysterious world filled with powerful technology and fascinating characters. To survive, players can turn everything they encounter into a weapon, biologically modify their body with plasmids, hack devices and security systems, upgrade weapons, craft new ammo variants, and experiment with different battle techniques. No encounter ever plays out the same and no two gamers will play BioShock the same way.

Video game films have not caused much enthusiasm to date. They have a less than stellar track record, and the list of shit seems to grow every year. In time, a good adaptation will be made, it has to happen eventually (i hope). Will Bio Shock be the first to lift Excalibur from the stone in victory, where all others have failed?

I haven’t played this game yet - but it looks bad ass and I may need to pick it up. The Deco inspired under water city is an amazing backdrop fro the action, the bad guys look rad, and the story line seems like it could lend itself well to a film version.

For those of you that have played the game; are you excited to see it adapted into a feature film? If so, please share your thoughts on what you would like to see in the move, and explain why you think this game has the potential to break the curse.

Fate of Ghost Rider 2 uncertain

“Iron Man 2”, “The Avengers”, “Captain America”, and “Thor”. It’d be hard to pack more awesome in Marvel’s upcoming slate than is already there, especially now that they own their own properties and can cross mingle their franchises.

But what of the titles that aren’t there? Films like “Magneto,” “Spider-Man 4,” and “Ghost Rider 2.” Are they still in the pipeline?

The simple answer, of course, is that Marvel doesn’t own the rights to those films, and that they are going ahead as previously scheduled with other studios.

Or not.

Consider “Ghost Rider 2.” Although producer and former Marvel head honcho Avi Arad claimed last year that they were developing a sequel to the Nic Cage starrer about Johnny Blaze, a hero who is literally hell on wheels, that plan has either stalled or been completely abandoned, said star Eva Mendes, insisting to MTV News that she hasn’t so much as heard even the teensiest rumor about a big-screen follow-up.

Warts and all, it’s not like the first film wasn’t a big success at the box office, scoring over $115 million in its domestic run.

So what gives? Would you like to see a “Ghost Rider” sequel? If so, who would you want to see portrayed? Aqueduct? Zodiak? Blackout? Do you want Nic Cage and Mendes back? Or would you rather Blaze made a cameo in another of those upcoming films? Sound off below.

Cine Ghost Rider 2 Marvel Johnny Blaze movies The Avengers Captain America

Cine Ghost Rider 2 Marvel Johnny Blaze movies The Avengers Captain America

Preview The First 7 Minutes of Speed Racer

Ok, folks... here's your chance to get a real taste of what Speed Racer will be like before you decide whether to plunk down your hard earned money for a ticket.

I'm not going to tell you what I think until I see a few of your reactions below. BTW, I will be adding my two cents to the list of Speed Racer reviews some time this weekend. I wanted my first viewing of it to be in IMAX so I didn't catch a pre-screening of the film.

So... fess up: are you a lover or a hater, 'cuz there ain't gonna be a middle ground on this one...

For higher res versions head over to Yahoo.

Speed Racer opens May 9th.

The Cast of GI Joe

Paramount has released photos of the cast of Stephen Sommer’s live-action G.I. Joe movie.

Chris Eccleston as James McCullen Destro XXIV. McCullen’s Military Armaments Research System is the largest manufacturer of state-of-the-art weaponry, providing high-tech arms to any side able to meet his price and will incite war where it does not exist. Unfortunately the character photo was taken before McCullen’s face was disfigured, and covered by A swarm of nano-mites, giving him the iconic metallic mask, which allows the Cobra Commamder to control his mind. I think it would have been much cooler to show what Destro looks like in the mask. This photo is just a lame photo of a business man standing in-front of a vault that reads “MARS”.

Byung-hun Lee as Storm Shadow, the white ninja a henchman and adversary for Snake Eyes. Throughout their history, the duo have been everything to one another from the bitterest of enemies, to the most loyal of friends (and blood brothers) who would fight and die for one another. He is the only member of the team to change sides several times, conflicted in loyalties between Cobra, G.I. Joe and his long relationship with his swordbrother Snake-Eyes.

Former Lost star Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Heavy Duty, who serves as the G.I. Joe Team’s heavy ordnance specialist with a passion for classical guitars and Bach. He is described as being unafraid of any situation despite heavy enemy fire.

Saïd Taghmaoui as Breaker, the team’s original communications officer who has a habit of chewing bubblegum in any situation. He is also familiar with practically every bit of communication gear on the planet.

Sienna Miller as The Baroness. Baroness serves as the COBRA Organization’s intelligence officer and lieutenant to Cobra Commander. In both comic and cartoon incarnations, the ruthless femme fatale has had romantic relationships with Destro.

Dennis Quaid as General Hawk. He looks anything but tough, and the opposite of cool.

Channing Tatum as Duke, a First Sergeant and field commander who is second-in-command of the G.I. Joe Team after Hawk. At least his body armor looks cool.

Marlon Wayans as Ripcord, ranked Sergeant, an Airborne and demolition specialist of the G.I. Joe Team.

Ray Park as Snake Eyes, one of the original members of the GI Joe series. Hasbro has released over 30 figures of the character since his debut in 1982. Not much is known about the ninja master’s real identity, as it has remained classified throughout the series. The U.S. Army Sergeant First Class (E-7) is known for his stealth like movements and extensive knowledge of multiple forms of martial arts. Snake-Eyes is romantically involved with fellow G.I. Joe member Master Sergeant Shana M. O’Hara, a.k.a. Scarlett.

Rachel Nichols as Scarlett. Ranked Master Sergeant, red-headed Scarlett is the first female character in the GI Joe action figure line. Her weapon of choice is the crossbow (pictured in the promo photo), and her specialty is counter intelligence.

G.I. Joe hits theaters on August 7th 2009.

Discuss: What do you think?

Cine GI Joe Movie marketing upcoming movies Dennis Quaid movies Rachel Nichols Channing Tatum Ray Park Sienna Miller Paramount G.I. Joe

Cine GI Joe Movie marketing upcoming movies Dennis Quaid movies Rachel Nichols Channing Tatum Ray Park Sienna Miller Paramount G.I. Joe

Matthew Vaughn No Longer Directing Thor

What is with Matthew Vaughn signing up to direct Marvel movies and then dropping out (or being dropped).

As some of you remember, Matthew Vaughn (who did an amazing job directing “Stardust”, probably the single most over looked movie from last year) was originally supposed to direct the last X-Men film but then he backed out at the last minute to then be replaced by Brett Ratner.

It was with great joy that we then heard Vaughn was brought on to direct the new Marvel film “Thor”. This was great news for the god of thunder. However, it appears that yet again, Matthew Vaughn is off a marvel film he was supposed to do. The good folks over at IGN give us this:

“Matthew Vaughn no longer is attached to direct the project because his holding deal expired December.” Marvel Studios is currently waiting for I Am Legend screenwriter Mark Protosevich to turn in a script polish. “It’s very much a Marvel superhero story but against the backdrop of nothing you’ve seen before,” Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said of Thor.”

So another possible Vaughn directed superhero movie dream gets shattered yet again. I can’t really tell if this was a matter of Vaughn deciding to drop out, or if the studio decided to go in a different direction. It doesn’t matter… this is BAD news. I love Vaughn’s style and I think he would have done a masterful job with Thor. Having said that, they can still get another great director who could also do a great job… it’s just a shame that it won’t be Vaughn.

What are your thoughts? Who could you see directing Thor now that Vaughn is off?

Terminator Salvation Begins Shooting

It looks like the Terminator fears not the wrath of unionized labor! The project will start to roll even though the SAG has yet to strike a deal with studios. We get the following news from the Teamster caves of Yahoo:

Cameras began rolling this week on the latest “Terminator” movie — estimated to cost about $150 million — for what many Hollywood watchers say is a late start given concerns that labor tensions could lead to an actors strike by July. “Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins”, began shooting on Monday in New Mexico, bucking a trend in which studios have mostly avoided launching new productions they cannot be sure of completing before the Screen Actors Guild contract expires on June 30, a date being treated as a facto strike deadline.

SAG and Hollywood’s major studios hit a stalemate on Tuesday after three weeks of talks, stoking fears of renewed Hollywood labor unrest after a 100-day screenwriters strike that ended in February. Union leaders say they still hope to reach a deal without resorting to a walkout, and SAG has yet to even seek authorization from its 120,000 members to call a strike.

The SAG is stalling to try and milk as much as they can, but I am going to bet that they will not strike. With the bailing of the AMPTP, they are going to be fucked if they don’t chalk a deal, but the AMPTP does. The SAG will be seen as the less reasoned and co-operatine of the two, pushing the power of AMPTP up and of the SAG down. With luck, everything will be shored up soon, and the two unions can work out the problems between them. Having two separate unions weakens their bargaining power considerably.

Terminator 4 has its own deadlines to meet and I think going forward with production is the right thing to do. If a strike happens; they are fucked - but It’s a gamble they have to take, and I think it’s the lesser of two evils in this situation.

The beginning of production will put to rest rumors that the film has been axed, and with luck, this project will do justice to the terminator universe.

Cine Terminator 4 Terminator Salvation The Future Begins T4 movie photo Sci-Fi upcoming movies

Cine Terminator 4 Terminator Salvation The Future Begins T4 movie photo Sci-Fi upcoming movies

The New USS Enterprise

We received a very nice photo of the new USS Enterprise from the upcoming Star Trek movie.

click the image for larger view

Personally I think it´s awesome. Let us know your opinion.

Cine Star Trek USS Enterprise movie photo Sci-Fi upcoming movies

Cine Star Trek USS Enterprise movie photo Sci-Fi upcoming movies

Clone Wars Poster & Trailer News

We have a poster for the upcoming Clone Wars Film and news about the trailers release. Thanks to cinematical for the hookup:

The poster has been released to herald the debut of the trailer, which will air May 8th simultaneously on Cartoon Network, TNT, TBS, CNN and Boomerang. It will air at 7:58 in all U.S. time zones.

This animated feature will launch a series on the cartoon network. I think a theatrical release is a better idea than a made for TV movie that stretches over a few weeks. It’s more fun, and you don’t have infuriating commercials.

I am skeptical that I will enjoy this cartoon; so I am not too jazzed about the film or the show. I do love the Star Wars universe, but the prequels have killed all hope for further projects. I just have no love for Darth Vader outside of his suit - he sucks.

The release of this animated film will be upon us August 15th! For those of you in need of a Star Wars fix - there is one right around the corner!

Cine Star Wars Clone Wars movie poster movie trailer animated movie animation George Lucas

Cine Star Wars Clone Wars movie poster movie trailer animated movie animation George Lucas

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li First Photo

We have this alarming photo from the upcoming Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li. Thanks to moviesonline for the hookup!

Well this sucks really bad. Not only does Chun Li look like she will be starring in the upcoming G.i. Joe movie, she is surrounded by a swat team? Chun Li is awesome because she wears a blue dress and still kicks everyone’s ass. I don’t want to see her with a black top and jeans, looking like a cock slut at a martini bar.

I didn’t have high hopes for this film - but now I have completely written it off from this one image. Is that unfair, probably. Do I care…not particularly. The Legend Of Chun Li: Curse Of The Video Game Movie.

International friends - what does this picture do for you. Do any of you like it? Do any of you have hope?

Cine Street Fighter Chun Li movie photo upcoming movies

Cine Street Fighter Chun Li movie photo upcoming movies

Wolverine and the X-Men Trailer

One thing is for sure, Marvel is on a roll - The new X-Men animated series doesn't look half bad. Check out the new trailer below.

Wolverine and the X-Men 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.

Wolverine and the X-Men will be shown on the Nicktoons Network, Nickelodeon’s 24-hour animation channel in 2009.

Cine Wolverine X-Men animation Nickelodeon Marvel Magneto animated series

Cine Wolverine X-Men animation Nickelodeon Marvel Magneto animated series

Matthew McConaughey Possibly Captain America

Say it ain't so! Hot on the heels of Marvel's announcement yesterday of a Captain America movie for 2011, a scoop from Cinema Blend names Matthew McConaughey is one of the actors in the running for the lead role.

It would easily be the biggest travesty in all of Marvel history if McConaughey was cast as Captain America. The scoop says that although the film is still three years out from release, they're currently searching for their star and he is one of the few that is being considered. I really hate talking about rumors like this, but everyone is hungry for something to chew on after Marvel's announcement and here it is.

While Cinema Blend claims their source is reliable, this whole idea is not only a bit far fetched, but a final decision won't be made for quite some time. In case you're not familiar with Captain America, he is (typically) the altar ego of Steve Rogers, a sickly young man who was enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental serum in order to aid the United States war effort. He can be identified by his American flag-like uniform and indestructible shield that can be thrown as a weapon. In the most recent comics, he has become the leader of The Avengers, which seems like the direction Marvel is going in with the movies: The First Avenger: Captain America and The Avengers both in 2011.

The real question regarding the upcoming The First Avenger: Captain America is how they're going to turn him into a character that can actually be appreciated in today's day and age. Captain America was originally created in the 1940's as patriotic government propaganda in order to help encourage even more animosity towards the Nazis. Matthew McConaughey is not only a piss poor actor to begin with, but he really doesn't seem to find the iconic Captain America that I envision. Not only does the right person need to be a very commanding actor, but the character needs to really be adapted into modern times and given the right story to succeed in a world where patriotism isn't the biggest focus anymore.

I'm pretty sure I know that everyone is on the same level of me in my distaste for McConaughey as Captain America. Instead, I'm curious to hear what people really think about the character and who might be a better choice consideration the aspects of him. Leave your thoughts below!

Cine Captain America Matthew McConaughey casting news movie news Marvel The Avengers The First Avenger upcoming movies

Cine Captain America Matthew McConaughey casting news movie news Marvel The Avengers The First Avenger upcoming movies

Three Minutes of Speed Racer

Warner Bros has released three minutes of Wachowski Brothers’ Speed Racer online.

Think you've seen the crazy cinematography of the wacked out action sequences in the trailers? Think again. This new clip shows how it's all cut together with insane non-stop transitions and I'm actually surprised at how much it actually plays like a cartoon. Check out the clip below.

Discuss: What did you think?

Cine Speed Racer Warner Brothers Movie Marketing Wachowski Meteoro upcoming movies anime

Cine Speed Racer Warner Brothers Movie Marketing Wachowski Meteoro upcoming movies anime