Sunday, March 8, 2015

No Longer Posting Here.

Just a heads up: I will no longer be posting on this blog.

You can now follow my posts over on MCU Exchange, where I'll be blogging along with a few other Marvel fans. http://www.MCUExchange.com

Friday, March 6, 2015

Why AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. is Worth Your Time.


When AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. first premiered, fans had very high expectations. We were told from the beginning that it wouldn't be a superhero show, and yet, that's exactly what fans were expected. Yes, the pilot hinted at them going that route with Mike Peterson (played by J. August Richards), but after that, the show seemed to take on more of a case of the week format. Which I didn't mind, but I could understand why a lot of the fan-base did.

The numbers when the show premiered were huge, but week by week, they continued to drop. They've been steady since then, for the most part, but the show has never been able to pull back in that audience. Which is a shame, really, because after about six episodes in the first season, the show seemed to be slowly finding its footing. Was it perfect? Absolutely not. Was the payoff in the end worth it? Absolutely yes.

Here's the thing I think most people overlook about season one: Other than Coulson, every main character was written specifically for the show. They had to make us care about these characters, they had to let us get to know these characters, or else "Turn, Turn, Turn" would have never left as much of an impact as it did.

So yes, while the show wasn't perfect during season one, I'd say they did a great job of introducing these characters into the MCU (characters that are now officially a part of the comics). And while it may have taken a while to get to that point, the pay off was more than worth it, because what they are doing now in season two? I feel as though I can safely say AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. has not only become the show fans were hoping for from day one, but it has become the best comic book series currently on television.

Now, before you decide to call me crazy, hear me out for a moment:

1. The show has been the origin story of a super heroine all along: One of the best revelations to come out of season two is that, since the first episode, the show has pretty much been an origin of a superhero. Sure, a lot of fans complained about the actress playing Skye early on, and back then, I understood those complains. But both Skye and Chloe Bennet have grown since the pilot episode. This is no longer the annoying hacker tagging along with the team. She is a vital part of this series. Her story is the one we've been asking for from the beginning, and while it was a slow burn to get to where we're at now, the way it was written and executed was pretty damn great.

2. The show is no longer crippled by the movies. The THOR: THE DARK WORLD episode of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. was bad. I say this as someone that actually loves AoS. It was really, really bad. And while I didn't hate the Lady Sif episode, it could have been written a lot better. Those episodes felt like a bone throw to the fans just to remind them that the show was a part of the MCU. But then CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER happened, and S.H.I.E.L.D. fell, and then the show seemed to really find a way to exist within the MCU while not feeling forced, if that makes any sense. (You have to give it to the showrunners, they knew what direction CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER would take the MCU and what it would do to S.H.I.E.L.D. and they had to find a way to work around leading up to "Turn, Turn, Turn" and I think they did a dang good job.)

3. The Inhumans: This also goes with the second point. The show introduced INHUMANS into the MCU. That's a pretty big deal considering the movie won't be out until 2019. (I love you, Spidey, but now I have to wait even longer for Medusa and Lockjaw and this makes me sad.) While there's only so much they can do on ABC with the budget they have, I feel as though they've done a great job with how they are showcasing the Inhumans and their powers. They look really good, honestly. And while I don't see the show introducing the Black Bolt and family on this show, we know that they do plan to bring in a decent amount of humans thorughout the second half of season two.

4. Diversity: Here's the deal, I love Marvel and the MCU, but they really do need to focus on adding more diversity. I get that. And while we're nowhere near where we should be, AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. has been pretty good about that.

5. The characters: Like I said, season one was all about making us care about these characters. Season two seems to be about turning everything on its head and character growth. Every single character on this show has shown significant growth this season, especially Fitz & Simmons. If you hated FitzSimmons (which.... seriously people?) you'll enjoy this season, because it is all about testing these characters. They are all in different stages than they were in season one. The writing has been great in season two, but the cast has really sold the story-lines. (Iain De Caestecker will rip your heart out this season.)

6. Bobbi Morse: Do I really need an explanation here? Adrianne Palicki has proven to be a great addition to the cast this year, and I'm beyond thrilled that she has become a series regular. I'm hoping we'll see her make her way to the films, but for now, I'm enjoying having Bobbi exist within the MCU on AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

Honestly, if you're not watching AoS this season, you're not only missing out on some entertaining television, but you're also missing out on exciting storytelling within the MCU. (Seriously, the Inhumans are a part of the MCU... four years before their movie comes out. That is reason alone to be watching!)

I will also be writing one of these for AGENT CARTER. Since that show's first season is over, it'll be more of a reason as to why you need to check it out through Amazon, iTunes, etc.

Thursday, March 5, 2015

New Stills for Episode 2x12 of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: "Who You Really Are".

Marvel and ABC have released promo images for this upcoming Tuesday's episode of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. titled "Who You Really Are". The images focuses on Lady Sif, who is back in her second appearance on the show, and Agents May & Skye, along with Bobbi & Mack.













Here's the synopsis for "Who You Really Are":
"Who You Really Are" - Coulson and team come to the aid of a confused Lady Sif, who has lost her memory after fighting with a mysterious warrior whose true mission will send shockwaves through S.H.I.E.L.D. Meanwhile, Bobbi and MacK continue to hide their true mission from everyone close to them, on "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Tuesday, March 10 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." stars Clark Gregg as Director Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Agent Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons and Nick Blood as Lance Hunter.

Guest starring are Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse, Henry Simmons as Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie, Jaimie Alexander as Lady Sif, Eddie McClintock as Vin-Tak, Alexandra Manea as nurse, Lidia Porto as head nurse, Danny Lopes as Bruno, Ben Griesse as Tiago, Ruben Rabasa as Mr. Cardozo and Markell Andrew as officer Carvalho.

"Who You Really Are" was written by Drew Z. Greenberg and directed by Roxann Dawson.
Don't forget that "Who You Really Are" airs on March 10th on ABC at 9PM EST. Make sure to tune in!

Source: Far Far Away.

New AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Poster Featuring Lady Sif!

This Tuesday's episode will see the return of Lady Sif on AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D., so it's only fitting that the second limited edition poster revealed by Marvel & Entertainment Weekly today focuses on the character.


The poster was designed by Marcos Martin, who is a Eisner Award-winning comic book artist. This poster is pretty great. The colors are wonderful - they really pop. And while it focuses on Sif, we still have Skye front and center in the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo (which just so happens to shattered). Had I not already blown a ridiculous amount of money on last week's poster, I'd probably snatch this one too when it goes on sale tomorrow. 

Along with this great poster reveal, EW also had an interview with Exectuive Producer Jeff Bell to talk about the upcoming episode and what Lady Sif's arrival means for the characters of S.H.I.E.L.D.:
EW: I love everything about this piece. I love Marcos Martin and I love his work. Was there something in particular about his style that you felt specifically fit for this episode?
JEFF BELL: We love his covers, and we love his clean graphic quality, and he’s done a bunch of cool Batgirl stuff and some Wonder Woman stuff, and we just like the way he draws characters that way. There’s a real dynamic quality to them. I like really clean images, and for Lady Sif, it just seemed to really capture that. And then also having a concept ID behind it so it wasn’t just, “Oh, here’s a poster of a cool person,” but with S.H.I.E.L.D. crumbling, with what you see inside, and Skye centered within that, I thought that captured our story really well. Because you go, “Oh, is the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo shattering because of her sword? Or because of something else?”
We know Sif will appear on Earth after having lost her memory. Aside from the fun I know you’re going to have with this, can you talk a little bit about Sif’s reaction to Skye’s powers? Because right now, she has no idea what a superhero even acts like, right?
That’s a really good question. The other thing is that technically, Sif’s an alien. Technically. So we as S.H.I.E.L.D. have been experiencing a lot of alien weirdness towards the first half of the season. And we don’t know much about it. And suddenly, we have a person here who might be able to help, but doesn’t have any memory that’s really helpful. So there’s potential to learn things about other alien stuff, and perhaps we also presume that she doesn’t remember much…so that might be part of why this character is here now.
Also, I can’t not mention the title of this episode: “Who You Really Are.” This is obviously a nod to Sif remembering, but also, it’s a nod to Skye embracing her identity. I think the premiere was very much about the immediate aftermath of everything that happened, and now it’s how do you move forward.
I think for all of us, “who you really are” is revealed in these kind of situations. Which side are you on, how do you feel about that, who do you stand with, how do you feel about that? So very much on point with that is Lady Sif, and one of the things on point with that is Skye, but one of the things that I think is nice about that title is it also reflects on the rest of the team as well.

You can read the full interview by going to the link above. 
And make sure to tune into AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. this Tuesday at 9PM EST.

New BLACK WIDOW Pop! Figure Coming in May!

Were you disappointed when the AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON figures were announced and Black Widow wasn't included? A lot of fans - including myself - definitely were. She's a vital character in the AVENGERS (even if she doesn't have her own movie series), so it was a bit upsetting to see her absent from the Pop! line-up. Thankfully, Funko listened to the fans and officially unveiled the new Black Widow Pop! figure coming this May!


As you can see, this new Pop! figure showcases her new uniform and her batons, and it's pretty awesome.

It's set to be released in May, and I'm sure you'll be able to pre-order it on Entertainment Earth within the next couple of days. (Amazon usually takes a bit longer to add new products to their site.) 

While we're on the topic of Black Widow, Entertainment Earth is also selling Black Widow Light-Up Batons for $17.99 that are set to release sometime this month:

Avengers 2 Age of Ultron Black Widow Light-Up Batons

They are modeled after the batons she uses in the movie and you can grab them by clicking on the image above.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Interview Round-Up Post!

It's probably too early to do a round-up post for the AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON interviews as I'm sure we'll be getting more over the next two days now that movie bloggers are able to post their set interviews. But there are already a bunch of them out there (nearly all of which contain the same content, really), so I've decided to try and compile them.

Again, as most of these interviews were conducted during the same session, the content will not vary much by blog. The only thing that may vary is the wording.
I was going to do a big summary post, but honestly? There's a lot to cover in these interviews, and there are some potential spoilers that I'd rather not post here as I know there are people that want to try and go into this movie as blind as possible. (I've spoiled myself on accident enough to know how annoying it is to stumble upon spoilers.) So, instead, I'll post a few lines that I think are worth reading:

After the events of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, S.H.I.E.L.D. is no longer around to really give these guys orders or to back them up. Speaking on this matter, Chris Evans went on to talk about how Captain America really steps up as a leader in this movie: "“The team doesn’t have anyone to report to now,” Evans points out. “There’s no more S.H.I.E.L.D., so we’re all kind of depending upon one another. But that gives him an opportunity to take more of a leadership role, since there’s no one else giving him orders, he doesn’t have to question the chain of command or anyone’s motives, but it does mean he needs to rely on his team a lot more. It’s added a little bit more tension to the actual dynamic of the Avengers.”

One of the biggest differences between the first AVENGERS movie and this movie is the increase in the main cast. Joss Whedon spoke briefly about what it was like working on this movie with the larger cast this go round: "They’re very disparate characters. The joy of the Avengers is they really don’t belong in the same room. It’s not like the X-Men who are all tortured by the same thing and have similar costumes. These guys are just all over the place. And so it’s tough. Honestly, this is as though as anything I’ve ever done, and I haven’t worked this hard since I had three shows on the air."

And finally, Fandango breaks down seven things Chris Hemsworth told them about AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON.

Sources are all listed above!

Episode 1x01 of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: DOUBLE AGENT: Infiltrating the Set.

ABC has released the first episode of their mini-webseries: AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: DOUBLE AGENT.


For those unaware of what this webseries is exactly, it's basically just to give fans a behind the scenes look at the show. It is sponsored by Lexus, and fans will have a chance to win prizes from the set of MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. by choosing where they think the Mastermind will send the Double Agent next.

It's a fun thing for fans that'll (hopefully) also help to bring back some viewers - depending on what they choose to reveal in these videos.

Source: MarvelsDoubleAgent.com

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes Released.

To go along with the release of the third & final trailer for AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON, Cineplex Movies has released three behind the scenes featurettes.

The first video features intereviews with Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) and Joss Whedon. We get to see a small bit with Jeremy filming a scene in front of a green screen, he also talks about where the Avengers are at when this movie starts. As for Joss, he talks about how THE AVENGERS was more of an introduction, and how AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON allows them to just jump right into it.


In the second video, they talk more about the South Korea shots in the movie as a scene with Hawkeye is being filmed (same shot from the first video). They also talk about the shawarma post credits scene from the first movie and how Joss wants to do something different from that with this movie.


The third & final part focuses on the props for the movie. We get to see the various shields they have on hand for Captain America, the hammers they have for Thor, and Hawkeye's new bow, along with a bunch of his different types of arrows. What is most interesting is the last prop that is displayed. It looks a lot like the item people were questioning from the trailer released earlier today.


Here's a screengrab of Hawkeye's latest arrow:



So yeah, anyone thinking it's Klaw or something else? It's not. This confirms it's one of Hawkeye's new arrows.

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON releases on May 1st. Tickets are available now through Fandango & MovieTickets.com.

Source: Comicbook.com.

Brand New AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Trailer!

We all thought we'd be getting the trailer tomorrow.
Well, Marvel decided to surprise all of us today when they posted a tweet asking fans to help unlock the trailer earlier today. It took a few hours and a crap ton of tweeting. But the trailer was unveiled around 1PM EST today. And it was absolutely perfect.


Here are a few awesome gifs from Tumblr because, nearly two hours later, I'm still not over the new trailer:


And to top it off, you can now purchase your tickets for AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON. (If you're impatient like me, you can grab tickets for the April 30th showings.)

And for those looking to marathon the entire MCU? AMC has you covered with their Ultimate Marvel Marathon. All 11 films back-to-back: https://t.co/P8iar14P7Q

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the trailer, so feel free to comment below!


Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Promo for Episode 2x12 of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: "Who You Really Are".

Tonight's episode of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. was a roller coaster of emotions, and it doesn't look like next week's episode will be much different.


"Who You Really Are" was written by Drew Z. Greenberg & directed by Roxann Dawson.

Here is the official synopsis for those that may have missed it:
"Who You Really Are" - Coulson and team come to the aid of a confused Lady Sif, who has lost her memory after fighting with a mysterious warrior whose true mission will send shockwaves through S.H.I.E.L.D. Meanwhile, Bobbi and MacK continue to hide their true mission from everyone close to them, on "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Tuesday, March 10 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." stars Clark Gregg as Director Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Agent Skye, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons and Nick Blood as Lance Hunter.

Guest starring are Adrianne Palicki as Bobbi Morse, Henry Simmons as Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie, Jaimie Alexander as Lady Sif, Eddie McClintock as Vin-Tak, Alexandra Manea as nurse, Lidia Porto as head nurse, Danny Lopes as Bruno, Ben Griesse as Tiago, Ruben Rabasa as Mr. Cardozo and Markell Andrew as officer Carvalho.
Source: Marvel.

Mike Colter Talks LUKE CAGE!

During an interview with IGN for the upcoming release of HALO: NIGHTFALL on Blu-Ray and DVD, Mike Colter talked about LUKE CAGE for the first time.


He goes on to say that the show will be "geared towards an adult audience", which is something that should be expected. DAREDEVIL has already received a TV-MA rating, and it has been expected that the rest of the shows would do the same.

LUKE CAGE is expected to hit Netflix in 2016 along with IRON FIST.

Random note time: I know some fans are still begging for Terry Crews to be Luke Cage, but Mike Colter is a good actor, and he's going to nail this role. (If you doubt him, watch him on THE GOOD WIFE - he's excellent.)

Source: IGN.

Marvel Receives Various SATURN AWARD Nominations!

The nominations for the 41st Annual Saturn Awards were announced today, and Marvel received a ton of nominations for both their film projects and television projects!
Best Comic Book-to-Film Release:

The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Guardians of the Galaxy

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Best Actor in a Film:

Tom Cruise                          Edge of Tomorrow
Chris Evans                         Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Jake Gyllenhaal                   Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton                    Birdman
Matthew McConaughey       Interstellar
Chris Pratt                            Guardians of the Galaxy
Dan Stevens                        The Guest

Best Supporting Actor in a Film:

Richard Armitage                  The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Josh Brolin                             Inherent Vice
Samuel L. Jackson                Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Anthony Mackie                     Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Andy Serkis                           Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
J.K. Simmons                        Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress in a Film:

Jessica Chastain                     Interstellar
Scarlett Johansson                 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Evangeline Lily                       The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Rene Russo                            Nightcrawler
Emma Stone                           Birdman
Meryl Streep                            Into the Woods

Best Film Director:

Alejandro G. Innarritu                                  Birdman
James Gunn                                                Guardians of the Galaxy
Doug Liman                                                 Edge of Tomorrow
Christopher Nolan                                        Interstellar
Matt Reeves                                                Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Joe Russo, Anthony Russo                         Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Bryan Singer                                                X-Men: Days of Future Past

Best Film Writing:

Captain America: Winter Soldier                  Stephen McFeely, Christopher Markus
Edge of  Tomorrow                                       Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth
The Grand Budapest  Hotel                          Wes Anderson
Guardians of the Galaxy                               James Gunn, Nicole Perlman
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies    Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro
Whiplash                                                       Damien Chazelle

Best Film Editing:

Captain America: The Winter Soldier            Jeffrey Ford, Matthew Schmidt
Edge of Tomorrow                                         James Herbert, Laura Jennings
Guardians of the Galaxy                                Fred Raskin, Hughes Winborne, Craig Wood
Interstellar                                                      Lee Smith
Unbroken                                                       William Goldenberg, Tim Squyres
X-Men: Days of Future Past                          John Ottman

Best Film Production Design:

Captain America: The Winter Soldier             Peter Wenham
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes                      James Chinlund
The Grand Budapest Hotel                             Adam Stockhausen
Guardians of the Galaxy                                 Charles Wood
Interstellar                                                       Nathan Crowley
Into the Woods                                                Dennis Gassner

Best Film Music:

Captain America: The Winter Soldier              Henry Jackman
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes                       Michael Giacchino
Godzilla                                                            Alexandre Desplat
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies       Howard Shore
How to Train Your Dragon 2                            John Powell
Interstellar                                                        Hans Zimmer

Best Film Costume:

Dracula Untold                                                  Ngila Dickson
Exodus: Gods and Kings                                  Janty Yates
Guardians of the Galaxy                                   Alexandra Byrne
Into the Woods                                                  Colleen Atwood
Maleficent                                                          Anna B. Sheppard
X-Men: Days of Future Past                              Louise Mingenbach

Best Film Make-Up:

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes                         Bill Terezakis, Lisa Love
Dracula Untold                                                   Mark Coulier, Daniel Phillips
Guardians of the Galaxy                                    David White, Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies         Peter King, Rick Findlater, Gino Acevedo
Into the Woods                                                   Peter King, Matthew Smith
X-Men: Days of Future Past                               Adrien Morot, Norma Hill-Patton

Best Film Special/Visual Effects:

Captain America: The Winter Soldier                 Dan Daleeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill, Dan Sudick
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes                          Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett, Erik Winquist
Edge of Tomorrow                                              Gary Brozenich, Nick Davis, Jonathan Fawkner, Matthew Rouleau
Guardians of the Galaxy                                     Stephane Ceretti, Nicholas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner, Paul Corbould
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies          Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, R. Christopher White
Interstellar                                                           Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian  Hunter, Scott Fisher

Best Superhero Adaptation Television Series:

Agent Carter
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Arrow
Constantine
The Flash
Gotham

Best Actress in a Television Series:

Haley Atwill                          Agent Carter
Caitronia Balfe                     Outlander
Vera Farmiga                       Bates Motel
Jessica Lange                      American Horror Story: Freak Show
Rachel Nichols                     Continuum
Rebecca Romjin                   The Librarians

Best Guest Performance in a Television Series:

Dominic Cooper                    Agent Carter
Neil Patrick Harris                 American Horror Story: Freak Show
John Larroquette                   The Librarians
Wentworth Miller                   The Flash
Michael Pitt                            Hannibal
Andrew J. West                     The Walking Dead
The winners will be announced at the 41st Annual Saturn Awards Ceremony on June 25, 2015

You can read the full list of nominations by going here.

Debuting Tomorrow: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Double Agent.


ABC and Marvel Television have announced a new web series titled MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.: DOUBLE AGENT. It will officially premiere tomorrow over on Marvelsdoubleagent.com, ABC.com and the Watch ABC app.

Here's an exclusive clip from Mashable:


It will consist of five episodes, and it will "leak" information about upcoming episodes. Basically, the show will give us behind the scenes information.

Source: Mashable.

Full Body Promo Shots Revealed for AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON!

Thanks to some full body promo shots discovered by Comic Book Movie, we now have the best look yet at most of our Avengers. (The only one missing below is Iron Man.)






Source: ComicBookMovie.

Hot Toys Unveils 1/6th scale Hulkbuster Collectible Figure

Are you a fan of Hot Toys? Do you own a few of their Marvel figures? If so, they've just unveiled another figure that you'll more than likely want to add to your collection:















Here is what Hot Toys had to say about the figure:
This is the Iron Man armor you have been waiting for!
Ever since the first official appearance of the massive anti-Hulk Iron Man suit, Hulkbuster, in Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer, fans worldwide have been filled with excitement! Its fight against Hulk is an unforgettable moment from the clip and pushes the popularity of the huge machine to a new level even before the movie launch! 

Today, we are proud to officially introduce the collectible figure that many fans and collectors have been longing for – the spectacular 1/6th scale Hulkbuster Collectible Figure!

The movie-accurate collectible figure is specially crafted based on the image of Hulkbuster in Avengers: Age of Ultron. This colossal figure stands approximately 55 cm (21 inches) tall, featuring a Mark XLIII bust inside the Hulkbuster with LED light-up eyes and arc reactor on chest. The metallic red, gold and silver armor with weathering effect, and over 16 LED light-up areas located in the eyes, chest, repulsor palms, back, and legs.

Prepare to make room for this gigantic machine in your Avengers: Age of Ultron collection!
Source: Hot Toys' Facebook Page.

CAPTAIN AMERICA Character Poster for AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON.

The poster I think most of us have been waiting for has finally been revealed!

I've loved all of the character posters so far, but this one and the Black Widow poster are easily my favorites. What do you think? Do you have a favorite?

Don't forget, the new trailer will hit on Thursday. We'll probably get posters for the twins (and maybe even Ultron) by then. *That is just me speculating, do not take my word on it!*

Source: Chris Evans' Twitter.

New Teaser for the Third AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Trailer!

So, it's looking more and more like Thursday's "big" announcement is the third trailer for AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON likeI thought. Marvel and ABC were a bit sneaky and aired this promo last night without any forenotice. It's a bit strange that they've decided to pair it with AMERICAN CRIME instead of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.  since it is back tonight, but yes, the new trailer for AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON will hit Thursday night.


As you can see from the above promo, we can expect a bit more footage from this one.

Are you excited for the final trailer to hit?

Monday, March 2, 2015

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Mega Post!

Today was a pretty busy Marvel day. Not only did we find out who'll be writing and directing the next SPIDER-MAN movie along with getting a new character poster, but a whole bunch of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. goodies were also released.

Because a lot of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. stuff hit the web, I've decided to make a single post to try and make it easier for everyone.
First up is Entertainment Weekly:

This is easily the best interview that came out today, mainly because newcomer Luke Mitchell comments on his character, and what he has to say proves to be interesting. If you'll recall, in a recent interview with HitFix, he wasn't able to say much of anything - seriously. So it's nice to learn more about Lincoln, and how he'll fit in on the show!
As Skye copes with what her new change means, she’ll soon find some assistance from fellow Inhuman Lincoln (Luke Mitchell). “He helps Skye adjust to her new powers in a way that makes her more comfortable with them,” Bennet says. “And they might like each other at some point… He’s going to be a breath of fresh air to the show and change things up. He brings on a whole other part of the show that people are going to be excited about. His powers are dope!”
“He’s reasonably confident in his own abilities,” Mitchell coyly adds of Lincoln. “He’s quite knowledgeable and very enthusiastic about the whole Inhuman thing.”
Despite this new change, executive producer Jed Whedon stresses that she’s still the Skye we’ve come to know and love over the last two seasons. “Her dad thinks she’s Daisy,” he says. “We’ll see if she ever gets to the point where she believes that that’s something that she would want to call herself. But right now, she has her own identity.”
Moving onoto comicbook.com's intereview with Clark Gregg! 

As the mid-season finale showed, while we know that Skye is now Daisy and that she is now an Inhuman (along with Raina), the characters on the show don't know this yet. The second half of season two will basically serve as an "origin" story for Skye/Daisy, and over the next couple of episodes we should see how all of this effects her team.

Gregg had this to say about what happens next: "We don't quite know what happened. And yet something clearly happened, and that's really the tension of the first couple episodes back is what happened to Skye. This is one of the things that I've liked most about this season in that that relationship got so tight by the end of last season and only more so this season. And yet, she's risen to a place where she's one of the most effective agents he has. And so he's put in this position where she's a daughter to him. She's the closest thing to a daughter. And what bonds them is their dedication to this cause, whereas head of S.H.I.E.L.D., he doesn't get to be quite as touchy-feely as he was season one. He has to make choices that are simply for the greater good that S.H.I.E.L.D. provides which is protecting the world from the strange, the weird, the line that Joss wrote in the pilot. And it means putting her in dangerous situations. And I think it makes him feel very responsible for whatever's going on with her."

You can read the rest of the interview by following the link above. It's rather short, but Gregg's answers are lengthy. 
While on Larry King Now with Elizabeth Henstridge, Iain De Caestecker and Brett Dalton, Dalton explains Inhumans to Larry King. The cast also has some fun goofing off. I can't embed the videos, so you'll have to head to the source to watch them.

TV Line has a rather lengthy interveiew with Chloe Bennet. She teases how Trip's death will impact her character, the Inhumans, Raina's transformation, and SkyeWard.
TVLINE | The showrunners told me that Trip’s death will weigh heavily on both Skye and the team at large.
Yes, [BJ Britt] was a dear friend on and off screen, so it wasn’t too hard for us to get to that point of being really upset that he’s gone. So, yeah, everyone is really mourning that loss — especially Skye. She feels a huge responsibility for his death, considering that he went in to save her and I came out with these powers. It’s going to be weighing on her for the better part of the rest of the season, if not forever.
TVLINE | Does the term Inhuman already exist in this universe, or is it coined in the course of diagnosing Skye?
That’s something that we address a little bit later, as we see some more characters get introduced. Let’s just say that the show gets much “broader.”
TVLINE | And how would you tease Raina’s own reaction to the Terrigen Mist?
She for her whole life has been waiting for this moment, and really has done anything to get to the point where she is able to turn — but Skye really could not have cared less, so things went in an “interesting” direction for both of them. [Laughs] I would not have wanted that response [that she had], let’s just say that!
 Edited to add another Clark Gregg interview. I'm not sure how I missed this one, but I did. Oops!

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. returns TOMORROW night on ABC at 9PM EST, be sure to tune in!

Drew Goddard In Talks to Direct the Next SPIDER-MAN Movie!


Every new piece of information that slips out regarding the new SPIDER-MAN movie is making me more and more excited, and today's latest bit of information is no different.

Latino-Review dropped a HUGE scoop today when they announced that Drew Goddard will be writing and directing the next SPIDER-MAN movie. Now, I trust Latino-Review as they are usually the first to break the big Marvel news, but since all of the others trades are cautioning that Goddard will not meet with Marvel until Tuesday regarding the matter, I'm using "in talks" instead of "set".

Here are the details from Latino-Review:

There has been much reported on and some news neglected in recent weeks.  Kevin Feige and the Marvel team will be producing the new series at Sony in what is envisioned as a three part series to come out over consecutive summers.  There is talk about calling the series SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN after yet another Marvel comics series ala the last films being called “Amazing.”
Key things to look for in the new series
·         No new origin story, Spidey exists from the beginning, taken as a given
·         New actor, probably an unknown, he will be specifically based in High School and they want him to be able to grow up into the role.  The thought being if this works, Spidey can do multiple trilogies for years ala Harry Potter.
·         A major part of the first film will involve Spider- Man fighting Iron Man and then trying to pass the “audition” to join the Avengers
·         The first film will involve the Sinister Six coming together with the thought to later maybe spin them off.
I know the brave Reddit Warriors are talking about Dylan O’Brien but of the guy is 23 and already in a series, I doubt he’s the guy- and in fact casting will not begin for a number of months yet while Sony and Marvel cross the t’s.
One thing is for certain- the Supreme Leader of North Korea will NOT cameo in the new series.
So there you have it. Drew Goddard will not only direct the new Spider-Man film but he will also write it..
I haven't been this excited since Joss Whedon was announced as directing THE AVENGERS.

The Wrap also had a few new details to share regarding this news:
[Update 2:50 PT: Insiders caution that Drew Goddard doesn’t quite have the job yet, telling TheWrap, “Drew has not yet met with Marvel but will soon; along with several others.” Other sources describe Goddard as the heavy favorite and say it’s unlikely he would pass on the project if it was officially offered to him.]
(For those doubting Marvel would get final say with the new SPIDER-MAN movies, the above tweet makes a very good point. If Goddard hasn't meant with MARVEL yet, that clearly indicates Marvel has the last say here.)

Again, while most of the trades are cautioning that this is not final and that Goddard is in early talks still, Latino-Review IS a legit source. They broke the SPIDER-MAN news a whileeee before Marvel and Sony announced anything. They dropped the Chadwick Boseman as BLACK PANTHER bit almost a year before Marvel. They also announced GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY before Marvel. So yeah, I trust them on this.

And one final bit of SPIDER-MAN news that I saved for the end, in case you'd rather avoid spoilers for where SPIDER-MAN may appear in the MCU... other than CIVIL WAR:
The site's source says that there won't be an origin in this new film - they're just jumping right in. That makes sense, as Spidey will be appearing in other Marvel movies first (we all expect him in Captain America: Civil War, but I've been told he will ALSO show up in Doctor Strange. We'll see!).
How do you feel about this news?

Sources: Latino-Review, The Wrap, & BadAss Digest.

And yes, unlike Reddit, all of those sources listed above ARE legit.