Considering the intricate mapping of Marvel's cinematic universe, it's interesting to note how simple it was for the comic book studio to write out a key movie from its first phase. The second attempt at a Hulk standalone film (after the 2003 Ang Lee-directed version) came in the shape of 2008's The Incredible Hulk, which landed mixed reviews and a middling box office return. It has since been referred to as the sole flop of the entire MCU - a rather harsh conclusion - and for the most part, the events depicted within its two hour running time have largely been forgotten. Except for one character who was reportedly in the running for Avengers: Age Of Ultron some time ago.
To say former CIA operative Bryan Mills has been through the ringer is a bit of an understatement. One of the most relentlessly harangued characters in recent years, he's suffered the kidnapping of his daughter followed by the similar snatching of his wife. In his third - and likely final - outing, the poor chap is keyed up for one last perilous adventure in Taken 3.
The forces behind the biggest cinematic universe of all time - Marvel - often have many factors to contend with. One of their chief issues when adapting their own comic book storylines for the big screen is factoring in surprises for diehard fans of the printed panel. In layman's terms, it's nice for everybody to have a few twists on screen, and it's a trend that appears to be continuing. With their next major release - Avengers: Age Of Ultron - set to hit cinemas in a mere four months, the background of a couple of that movie's pivotal players may differ from their comic book counterparts.
As one of the reigning action heroes of the 70s and 80s that's still going strong, Sylvester Stallone has proven time and time again that age ain't nothing but a number. If you thought he'd be cashing in his chips after the final misfire of The Expendables 3 (its regrettable PG-13 rating an issue Stallone himself isn't happy with), think again. Taking to Twitter to outline his future forecast, the actor posted three short Tweets to inform fans of his upcoming works, including Rambo: Last Blood.
After an electrifying turn in this summer's brilliant Edge Of Tomorrow, Emily Blunt's ass-kicking credentials are fully up-to-date. Taking to the challenge of tussling with Tom Cruise for a large portion of the film, Blunt's prep saw her transform into a muscled badass ready for anything. So, it stands to reason that a majority of her vocal fan base have been crying out for the British actress to step into the Marvel Cinematic Universe for Captain Marvel. However, as it turns out, she's already been approached.
Bruce Willis might have not had a huge box office hit in a while, but he's jumping on one of the most popular genre bandwagons - sci-fi - for his next outing. Directed by Brian A. Miller, Vice is a dark, morally-askew mix of technological craziness and mankind's incessant greed. Sounds terrific, right?
With 2015 mere days away, its time to reflect upon the cinematic treats gifted to us in 2014. Well, we always do that in the shape of Best-Of lists that serve as happy reminders of the year's finest big screen achievements. So, in the spirit of Scrooge and all things miserly and cheap, we can now see the top 20 most pirated films of the year thanks to piracy-tracking firm, Excipio (via Variety). Excipio's report was drafted with raw data which was collected between January 1st, 2014 and December 23rd, 2014.
It's hard to imagine a world where political comedy, The Interview, might once have been valued on its own merit. The mass hack on Sony, which resulted in the studio pulling the movie from its original Christmas Day release, caused major waves across the entire industry. The largest casualty - or winner, depending on how you look at it - was undoubtedly the Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy. Yanked out of multiplexes across the globe, its fate dangled in limbo for days after cyber terrorists threatened violence upon any movie theater who dared screen it.
This upcoming drama from director Nathan Frankowski takes its inspiration from the real not-for-profit organization, To Write Love On Her Arms. Their mission statement since inception has been to assist those struggling with addiction, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and depression. In this mix of fantasy and reality the charity's formative years are explored as youngster Renee grapples with the dark side of life.
Seven. That's how many movies are lined up for release before Marvel drops Inhumans into theaters. The film's release date is still some three years away, but that hasn't stopped one Marvel alum from dropping hints. Prior to the release of this summer's smash, Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vin Diesel teased his involvement in that interstellar superhero caper via his Facebook page. Judging by his latest spot of handiwork - the above image - subtlety is still not his forte.
