The Avengers DVD release date – September?

The Avengers continues to dominate at the box office, but that hasn’t stopped Disney and Marvel from looking ahead to the eventual DVD and Blu-ray release. According to Joblo The Avengers DVD release date has been pencilled in for September 25th, and they got their hands on some of the potential special features which includes alternate opening and endings, commentary from director Joss Whedon, and a whole bunch of deleted scenes.

Check out the features below:

AVENGERS 4-Disc BD Combo Pack, 2-Disc BD Combo Pack and 2-Disc DVD Combo Pack Special Features:
• AUDIO COMMENTARY BY DIRECTOR JOSS WHEDON
• MARVEL ONE-SHOT: ITEM 47
• SECOND SCREEN
• GAG REEL
• DELETED SCENES
- Alternate Opening – Maria Hill Interrogation
- Extended Scene – Loki & Barton Strategize
- Steve Rogers – Man Out of Time
- Nick Fury & World Security Council
- Extended Viaduct Fight – Raw Footage
- Fury & Hill Discuss the World Security Council
- Extended Scene – Banner and Security Guard
- Alternate Ending – Maria Hill Interrogation
• FEATURETTES
A Visual Journey
- Assembling the Ultimate Team
• SOUNDGARDEN MUSIC VIDEO – “Live to Rise”

AVENGERS DVD Special Features:
• AUDIO COMMENTARY BY DIRECTOR JOSS WHEDON
• FEATURETTES
- Assembling the Ultimate Team

Whedon’s first cut of The Avengers was 3 hours long, so it’s not surprising to see that many deleted scenes in the special features.

Apparently there will also be a 10-disc set released around the same time which will include all the pre-Avengers films (Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America), but no official details have been released yet.

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As The Avengers speeds towards $1 billion worldwide (and beyond) it is no surprise at all to hear that Disney CEO Bob Iger has put a sequel into development. Don’t expect it any time soon though, as we still have Iron Man 3, Thor 2 and Captain America 2 to get through first.

The earliest we can probably expect to see the sequel is 2015, a year after the Captain America sequel hits. Those who stayed behind during the credits will have an idea of where the next film is headed, and Joss Whedon has an option in his contract to return so i’m sure everyone at Disney and Marvel will want that to happen.

I’m just glad we’ll get to see Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk on the big screen again.

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Samuel L. Jackson’s brief cameo at the end of Iron Man in 2008 forever changed the possibilities for superhero films. No longer did every franchise have to be a distinct entity – multiple movies could now take place in the same fictional universe, and the collective imagination of fans everywhere exploded at the potential for a massive crossover event bringing everyone together in one film.

With The Avengers, Marvel has achieved a seemingly impossible task: not only did they spend years building the foundation that supports this film by bringing together A-list stars from different franchises, but they managed to turn a project that could have collapsed under the pressure of its own ambition into one of the most crowd-pleasing superhero movies ever created.

Look no further than the 2002 series “Firefly” and its spinoff film Serenity for proof that Joss Whedon was the perfect choice to corral all of these monumental heroes into one storyline. Whedon is one of the best writers in the business, and he really excels at crafting meaningful relationships among ensemble casts and writing strong female characters, two things that were a requirement for a successful film adaptation of The Avengers. He was helped here by a terrific stable of actors, veterans of the industry who understand one of Marvel’s greatest strengths in these properties: the ability to keep the story critical to the film but allow enough humor that it won’t suffocate under its own seriousness.

The character work in The Avengers is fantastic, especially considering this particular team-up is jam-packed with characters that have already had entire films devoted to their singular adventures. Whedon gives each of them multiple moments to shine, and everything that we loved about them in previous films is on display here (and oftentimes it’s even improved). Even in scenes near the beginning of the film that contain massive amounts of setup and exposition, he manages to insert little “Whedonisms” to lighten the mood; there’s a gag with a $10 bet between Captain America and Nick Fury that’s a really small moment overall, but it brings a lot of humor to a sequence where people are just sitting around spouting information. Tony Stark has never been wittier, and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner actually has a personality outside of sulking in corners and fighting the beast inside him. (The Hulk is funny this time, too!) Natasha Romanoff is far better drawn than she was in the disastrous Iron Man 2, so ScarJo fans can rest easy.

The action sequences are spectacular and choreographed so that we know where our heroes are at all times. (That in itself is a pretty incredible feat because the sheer scope of this movie is so huge.) The climax is breathtakingly constructed, mixing spectacle and destruction with legitimate character moments and not letting the (admittedly awesome) visual effects take over the movie. There are memorable setpieces spaced throughout the movie, resulting in easily the most entertaining Marvel film so far.

Because there is so much ground to cover, I did feel a little like Loki’s villainous intentions were a bit unclear. He’s working with some sort of alien race, but we don’t ever find out why the destruction of Earth is so paramount to their greater mission. Also, how did Thor even arrive on Earth for this movie? At the end of Thor, they establish that the bifrost has been destroyed. I understand how things wrap up at the end of The Avengers, with the Tesseract from Captain America playing a key role in the travel element, but there was so much happening that they didn’t have time to get into the hows and whys of things like that. Granted, I’m not sure that I would have wanted them to if it meant cutting out anything from what we see in the final film; it’s easy to see how Whedon’s first cut was over three hours long, and I’d love to see that movie in its entirety at some point if it ever gets released.

But ultimately, the few tiny gripes I have are cancelled out by the sheer geeky thrills in this movie. Marvel is the new Babe Ruth: they called their shot, and freaking blasted it out of the park. At long last, The Avengers finally came together on screen and, thanks to the only man who could have made it succeed, it surpassed all the hype. I probably don’t need to tell you that this film deserves to be seen on the big screen to get the full impact, but I guess I just did (and you can skip the 3D – it’s passable, but not great). The Avengers is everything I wanted it to be and more, and I sincerely hope that a few years from now I’ll be writing about The Avengers 2 written and directed by Joss Whedon. But until then, we can thank him for giving audiences the most fun movie of 2012. Until next time…

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If by some miracle you’re reading this without having seen any trailers, TV spots, or clips of The Cabin in the Woods, do yourself a favor and keep it that way before you see the movie. In a world of leaked set photos, trailers for trailers, and general marketing overload, I tend to lean toward avoiding as much of that stuff as I can for most movies anyway, but this movie unquestionably deserves that treatment. There are few films these days that offer up as many twists as The Cabin in the Woods, and there’s nothing quite like that revelatory feeling of being completely surprised at the movies. For fans of horror movies, and even those who just have a cursory knowledge of the cliches of the genre, this is a must-see.

Drew Goddard (the writer of Cloverfield) is making his directorial debut here, and he’s got a perfect writing partner for the sort of genre deconstruction that pervades this movie: none other than “Buffy” and “Firefly” creator and The Avengers director Joss Whedon. As detailed in this great piece at The Playlist, Whedon has been working in the industry for a long time and has a unique screenwriting voice; this collaboration with Goddard provides one of the freshest takes on the tropes of horror movies I’ve ever seen, as the duo manages to find that magical balance between parody and crafting an entry into the genre it’s sending up.

The story here is as basic as they come: five friends take a trip to an isolated old lake house, and scary stuff starts happening. But The Cabin in the Woods isn’t content with just rehashing tired stereotypes; instead, it features a separate narrative that runs parallel to the main story that completely subverts everything we’ve ever known about horror films and how they work. There are also a ton of references to other horror films – the cabin looks eerily similar to the one from The Evil Dead, for example, and the entire third act is loaded with enough great imagery for horror fans to sift through for months on end, dissecting every last wink and nod to the films that informed this one.

The dialogue is smart and funny, and the whole cast – particularly Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford playing characters that I won’t even mention – seems like a great fit for the material. Fran Kranz (“Dollhouse”) does especially great work, and the beautiful Kristen Connolly provides the heart of the film while also being an audience interpreter for what’s going on. For those not as keen on horror flicks who may fear the entire movie is one long scare-fest, think again: Whedon and Goddard infuse the story with plenty of humor to counterbalance the intense moments (of which there are definitely a few).

The whole thing culminates with one of the best “Eff You” moments to authority committed to screen since R.P. McMurphy roamed the halls of the mental institution in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. To give away anything more would be to rob you of the joy of experiencing this gem on your own, so see this movie as quickly as possible so nobody has the chance to ruin it for you. I know it’s still early, but with its wholly original take on the conventions of horror films, The Cabin in the Woods is an early contender for one of the most fun and interesting movies of the year. Until next time…

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Acclaimed documentarian Morgan Spurlock has made a career out of dissecting aspects of popular culture in the zeitgeist, and his newest effort is no different. This time, he sets his sights on San Diego Comic-Con, one of the largest pop culture gatherings in the country. What started out as a small way for fans to meet comic book artists and writers back in 1975 has exploded into a huge event that features first looks at some of the most highly anticipated comics, television, and movies of the year, regularly playing host to over 100,000 attendees. Spurlock has a behind-the-scenes team that knows a thing or two about this world: “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” creator and The Avengers director Joss Whedon “presents” the film along with comic book legend Stan Lee, while Legendary Pictures’ Thomas Tull and Ain’t It Cool News creator Harry Knowles are two of the film’s producers.

The movie feature interviews from everyone you’d expect in something like this: Kevin Smith, Frank Miller, Eli Roth, Whedon, Knowles, Stan Lee, etc. But most of what these heavy hitters have to offer is simply setting the stage, painting the basic picture of what Comic-Con is and what it means to geeks everywhere for audience members who may not be aware of its significance. (I realize that if you’re reading this, you probably have a decent idea about Comic-Con’s influence on pop culture since the American media landscape has been feeling those effects for the past decade. But this is a documentary and it’s conceivable that some people who watch it might not have a lot of prior knowledge of this particular subculture and may be looking for a brief education.)

The best part about the doc isn’t the big name guys and their talking head segments, though they’re very entertaining; the best part is the people Spurlock has chosen to profile. He picks five subjects and details their reasons for attending, documenting the journeys of two prospective comic illustrators, an old school comics dealer, a video game costume designer preparing for a big Masquerade event on the Saturday night of the convention, and a young man hoping to propose to his girlfriend at that year’s Kevin Smith panel. It’s a fascinating look at the variation within a community, proof that being a geek just means being passionate about something. For an event that is often presented in the media as tens of thousands of fans descending on a city for a few days, Spurlock’s subjects put human faces to the movement and allow a rare glimpse into their passions that I hope comes off as more endearing than embarrassing.

More than anything, Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope shows both the soaring highs of success and the devastating lows of failure among its subjects. (I wouldn’t dare spoil the fates of the specific people, since most of the film’s fun rides on their journeys.) It pays equal time to each, giving a fair look at the often grim reality of the competitive nature of the industry in addition to the amazing catharsis of the titular hope that only the luckiest (and hardest working) fans experience. It also details the fall of comic books from prominence within the convention, relaying the rise of other media to the forefront of the convention. Thankfully, the movie doesn’t get bogged down in bitterness over that aspect, or bother with exhaustive histories about the founding of Comic-Con or the early days - it’s mostly concerned with its characters, and that’s to the film’s benefit. There are some truly hilarious comments from the subjects, including my favorite: “There are three billion women on the planet and not a lot of great comics.”

Stylistically, everything is pretty expected. Transitions occur in comic book style panels, and each subject is profiled and rotoscoped with a moniker next to his or her name. It’s a good style that fits well with the direction of the film, but it might have been nice to see an occasional flourish here and there that was a bit more unexpected. (Credit where credit is due, though: there’s a great homage to Raiders of the Lost Ark during a scene in which the comic book dealer is walking a cart through a massive warehouse.)

I was at Comic-Con 2010 when they were filming this, so on a personal note it was cool to see that experience replayed on the big screen. While there’s nothing quite like being there in person, this documentary comes about as close as you can get. For landlocked comic book geeks who don’t have the means to travel to the convention, watch this in a double feature with Greg Mottola’s Paul and you’ll be set. Until next time…

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Joss Whedon’s The Avengers is unquestionably one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2012, and it might even have a legitimate shot at being one of the most anticipated films of all time. The way this movie came together is unprecedented, and now Marvel has teamed with Norton (not Edward, the antivirus company) to trace the origins of this superhero team-up film, featuring quick interviews with all of the major stars and even Whedon himself.

Here’s the official synopsis:

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. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012. In “Marvel’s The Avengers,” superheroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.

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Earlier this month a German trailer for The Avengers hit the web and gave us some new snippets of footage. Now a Russian trailer has been released which is a mix of both the German and US trailers, but contains more shots Loki, the villain of the film once again played by Tom Hiddleston.

Watch below:

The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon, will star Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Chris Evans (Captain America), Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) and will be released May 4th, 2012.

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The German arm of Marvel has released a new trailer for Joss Whedon’s The Avengers. It’s similar to the teaser trailer we got earlier this year, but contains new footage of Black Widow and Bruce Banner meeting and a few new action shots. Those who don’t speak German probably won’t be able to understand it, but it’s still worth a watch.

From De.Marvel (via CBM):

The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon, will star Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Chris Evans (Captain America), Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) and will be released May 4th, 2012.

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The first trailer for the long-delayed horror flick The Cabin in the Woods went live yesterday. Now you guys will probably ask (and for good reasons) why be interested in this flick with so much garbage around every corner, even more so with horrors. Well I have three names that will at the very least raise an eyebrow: Joss Whedon, Chris Hemsworth and Drew Goddard.

Yes fanboys and fangirls of the world, this is for you.

The first minute of this preview makes the movie look like one of the most generic horrors to come in some time, but like the tagline at 1:03 says, “Think Again”. The Cabin in the Woods comes with a twist mixing a lot of what we’ve come to expect from the genre into one crazy ride that will definitely be worth the price of admission. Can you expect anything less from a story written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard (who also directs).

For those living under a rock, Joss Whedon wrote and directed The Avengers (coming May 2012) and he was also behind such cult classic TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dollhouse, Firefly and the movie that continued the series, Serenity (among my favorite films of all time). He was one of the writers of Toy Story (1995) Alien: Resurrection and a bunch of other stuff ranging from comics to just about anything you can imagine. Drew Goddard on the other hand makes his directorial debut and has been a long time writing collaborator of Joss Whedon with Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel. Goddards is also credited for writing Cloverfield and a few episodes from the very popular TV shows Alias and Lost (one of my favorite shows of all time).

The Cabin in the Woods, which completed filming way back in May 2009 but was hindered by MGM’s financial troubles, is finally set to open April 13th, 2012. Chris Hemsworth (pre-Thor workout) stars alongside Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Jesse Williams, Kristen Connolly, Anna Hutchison, Brian White, Amy Acker, Reila Aphrodite and Jodelle Ferland.

Is the duo of Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard enough to get you excited for The Cabin in the Woods?

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As expected, Marvel Studios has revealed the first official trailer for The Avengers, a movie they’ve been planning for quite some time.

The trailer is heavy on explosions and Iron Man/Tony Stark, but we see each member of the team in action, and get a brief glimpse at The Hulk towards the end.

Watch below:

When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as SHIELD, 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.

The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon, will star Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Chris Evans (Captain America), Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) and will be released May 4th, 2012.

Thoughts on the trailer? Does it meet the hype?

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