The Avengers Film Thread

EXCLUSIVE: Back on July 14th, I scooped that Mark Ruffalo Is In Late-Stage Talks To Be Marvel's New Hulk in 'The Avengers'. Now I've just learned the ink is drying on the deal reached by Brillstein Entertainment Partners with Marvel. (There's no official confirmation yet from Marvel whose reps aren't available for their usual "No comment".) So it looks like Marvel movie mastermind Kevin Feige may pull this off and bring Ruffalo along with as many other of The Avengers superheros he can corral to tomorrow night's panel at Comic-Con.

Of course, imagine the Hollywood actor whom you'd least expect to play The Incredible Hulk in The Avengers, and maybe, just maybe, you'd come up with the Ruffalo's name. He's always been an actor's actor and is getting critical raves in Focus Features' The Kids Are All Right which opened this month. Ruffalo, of course, replaced Edward Norton as Hulk. Marvel made a pittance of an offer to Edward Norton to continue in the role. But it caught the actor by surprise that the studio decided to replace him altogether with no advance warning. Like Norton, Ruffalo would bring real chops to the role. But, unlike Norton, he won't be an on-set asshole.

Remember everything that went on in 2008 when Marvel and Norton were privately and publicly feuding over the remake of The Incredible Hulk, details of which I scooped back then? Eventually they settled their issues after clashing over how to cut the $150+ million pic. But what was released was Marvel's cut of the movie, not Norton's. Now remember that Norton was promised big involvement and access after Marvel Studios chairman David Maisel invited the actor into the core team to rewrite Zak Penn's script. But, in the end, Marvel ignored Norton's ideas about how to cut the film. Even the film's director, Louis Leterrier, joined with Norton to lobby for a longer, more detailed, more character-driven film while Marvel Studios wanted a faster, leaner one.

Sure, Norton has a difficult reputation. And he never does a lot of publicity for pics. But, basically, Marvel found him to be a pill. At the same, Marvel's Maisel acted like a jerk. I always thought the studio would recast. Now they have.

SDCC News – AVENGERS Has its Ant-Man

Written by Skott Stoland on 07/23/2010 – 9:40 PM -

It’s been kind of a fan-wanky rumor that Nathan Fillion might play Ant-Man in Joss Whedon’s Avengers film. You know, since they’ve worked together before. Well, sometimes if the internet talks about something enough it happens (I’m looking at you Betty White hosting SNL.).

During Whedon’s panel at Comic Con, Fillion asked a question from the audience while in disguise. That question, “Who is your favorite actor?” After the writer/director/god of geeks answered “Nathan Fillion,” the actor took off his disguise and revealed himself .

Whedon then told Fillion that he wanted him to play Ant-Man in Avengers, confirming the casting.

Does this mean than he’ll also be playing the character in Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man film, or will the two directors be using different characters under the mask? There were three different Ant-Men, after all.

Dr. Wade Fucking McNasty wrote:"But it caught the actor by surprise that the studio decided to replace him altogether with no advance warning."

Marvel needs to seriously work on this. They pulled the same stunt with Terrence Howard and Iron Man 2. In any business, it's bad to do things like that. If you decide you don't want someone, just tell them. It's akin to burning bridges if you don't.

comicgeekelly wrote:

Dr. Wade Fucking McNasty wrote:"But it caught the actor by surprise that the studio decided to replace him altogether with no advance warning."

Marvel needs to seriously work on this. They pulled the same stunt with Terrence Howard and Iron Man 2. In any business, it's bad to do things like that. If you decide you don't want someone, just tell them. It's akin to burning bridges if you don't.

You also have to take into account that Howard was asking for more money than RDJ to play a supporting character.

colossus1979 wrote:awesome news!

SDCC News – AVENGERS Has its Ant-Man

Written by Skott Stoland on 07/23/2010 – 9:40 PM -

It’s been kind of a fan-wanky rumor that Nathan Fillion might play Ant-Man in Joss Whedon’s Avengers film. You know, since they’ve worked together before. Well, sometimes if the internet talks about something enough it happens (I’m looking at you Betty White hosting SNL.).

During Whedon’s panel at Comic Con, Fillion asked a question from the audience while in disguise. That question, “Who is your favorite actor?” After the writer/director/god of geeks answered “Nathan Fillion,” the actor took off his disguise and revealed himself .

Whedon then told Fillion that he wanted him to play Ant-Man in Avengers, confirming the casting.

Does this mean than he’ll also be playing the character in Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man film, or will the two directors be using different characters under the mask? There were three different Ant-Men, after all.

I would love to see Fillion play Eric O'Grady.

@NathanFillion: Joss' comment: Funny and very clearly a joke. People hear: Whatever they wanna hear.

SDCC: Nathan Fillion is NOT Ant-Man in The Avengers

by SuperHeroHype
Jul 24th, 2010

Some confusion arises from today's panel
There seems to be some confusion that Joss Whedon announced Nathan Fillion will be Ant-Man in The Avengers at a Comic-Con panel today. While we couldn't attend, Marvel has confirmed to us that he was joking.

"Nathan Fillion is Ant-Man," he said, adding, "unfortunately Ant-Man isn't really in the movie."

is he getting a solo movie.....so confused.

Denim wrote:It has been confirmed, Jeremy Renner from The Hurt Locker will be Hawkeye

Spazzy wrote:it will either be epic, or a horrible failure..

Dr. Wade Fucking McNasty wrote:

comicgeekelly wrote:

Dr. Wade Fucking McNasty wrote:"But it caught the actor by surprise that the studio decided to replace him altogether with no advance warning."

Marvel needs to seriously work on this. They pulled the same stunt with Terrence Howard and Iron Man 2. In any business, it's bad to do things like that. If you decide you don't want someone, just tell them. It's akin to burning bridges if you don't.

You also have to take into account that Howard was asking for more money than RDJ to play a supporting character.

I'm aware of that. That's when you go, "no, we'll find someone else then" and do so. I can understand looking for another actor if the negotiations are going bad but doing so without warning as it seems here is bad. And since this does tend to happen in Hollywood and these guys are so surprised at Marvel makes it seem like Marvel gave them the impression they would be back and surprised them with this. That's bad.

It's akin to you asking for a raise and your boss saying he'll think about it and then the next day, finding out in the newspaper that your boss hired someone else to do your job.

G_Zatara wrote:I'm still weary in a sense of this movie, but hoping Marvel has a heavy hand in the production.

Spazzy wrote:it will either be epic, or a horrible failure..