Jeremy Renner is in final negotiations to join “The Avengers,” Marvel Studios’ big-screen take on its superhero team that’s being directed by Joss Whedon.

Renner will play Hawkeye.

This is the first shot we’ve seen of the Norse god wielding his hammer, Mjolner.

Thor is being directed by Kenneth Branagh. The film also stars Natalie Portman as love-interest Jane Foster, Anthony Hopkins as Thor’s Father, Odin, and Tom Hiddleston as Loki. The film also stars Ray Stevenson, Tadanobu Asano, and Joshua Dallas as the Warriors Three. Idris Elba as Heimdall, Stellan Skarsgard as Selvig, and Jaimie Alexander as Sif.

Thor hits theaters on May 6, 2011.

Aint It Cool News has posted images of what, in theory, is the design of the new costume for Joe Johnston’s Captain America Movie.

Here is your first look at Kenneth Branagh’s live action Thor Movie.

According to EW.com 28-year-old actor Chris Evans (Human Torch from Fantastic Four) will playing the superhero Captain America. The movie is title The First Avenger: Captain America. Chris was offered this role last week, trouncing other candidates such as Channing Tatum, Sebastian Stan, and Ryan Phillippe.

Apparently this deal include 8 more movies. WOW!  It includes 2 Sequels, 3 Avengers movies, and 3 yet to be announced crossovers.

Rumor has it that the director is Joe Johnston(Wolfman). Also rumored is Hugo Weaving(For real?) to play the Red Skull. Captain America’s main nemesis.

A release date has been set for July 22, 2011.

by Allen Panakal

Friends, Romans, Countrygeeks, lend me your ears! Deadline brings us news that Joss Whedon is thisclose to directing the upcoming Avengers adaptation, the mega-sequel-spinoff that will bring together Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and more Marvel superheroes. PopWatchers, I’m dying. I’m on the floor, choking on happiness, while my brain is simultaneously imploding and exploding with disbelief and rapture.

Marvel is not commenting on this news, but if there’s even a ring of truth here, that’s cause for rejoicing across the globe. I had, frankly, been a bit worried about the Avengers movie. Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man is a more-than-proven quantity, but we’re still a year away from seeing Chris Evans as Captain America and Chris Hemsworth as Thor. And balancing so many big personalities in the same movie, while also making time for beloved B-players (Hi, Hawkeye!), would take a very particular kind of a director: A fizzy-dialogue-writing, massive-cast-juggling, funny-sad-thrilling-terrifying-singing-dancing filmmaker genius.

Enter Joss Whedon, who excels at all that and more. PopWatchers, are you as excited as I am by the news that the Buffy/Firefly/Dollhouse/Dr. Horrible maestro might be taking hold of Marvel’s superteam? Aren’t the casting possibilities just endless? I see Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz playing married superheroes Wasp and Ant Man, and Anthony Stewart Head playing the Avengers’ butler Jarvis, and Nathan Fillion playing Hawkeye…

by Darren Franich

Popwatch

Usually, Superman is the guy who does the rescuing. But after 2006′s “Superman Returns” underperformed at the box office, it looked like the comic book hero’s movie career might be finished.

So Hollywood called in their own Man of Steel, director Christopher Nolan, to help revive the struggling franchise, just like he did with “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight.” In a lengthy interview with the Los Angeles Times, Nolan talked for the first time about his plans for relaunching Superman, and his intentions to make a third and final Batman film.

Nolan admits in the interview that the idea for his take on Superman came about when he was stuck while working on the story for the next Batman movie. In a fit of writer’s block, David Goyer, who crafted the stories of the previous two films with Nolan, made an off-hand proposal of what they could do with a Superman movie.

“He basically told me, ‘I have this thought about how you would approach Superman,’” Nolan said. “I immediately got it, loved it and thought: That is a way of approaching the story I’ve never seen before that makes it incredibly exciting.

Goyer recently left his position as the showrunner of ABC’s drama “Flash Forward” to begin work on the Superman screenplay. Nolan will not be directing the film himself; instead he will oversee its development as a producer.

The other bombshell in the interview is that Nolan intends for his follow-up for the hugely successful “The Dark Knight” to be his last Batman film. He says that his brother Jonathan, who co-wrote the last movie, is currently at work on the screenplay. Nolan says that finding an ending to Batman’s story is the main appeal for him to return to Gotham City.

“I’m very excited about the end of the film, the conclusion, and what we’ve done with the characters,” Nolan tells the Times. “Unlike the comics, these things don’t go on forever in film and viewing it as a story with an end is useful.”

Nolan also says he and his writing partners are applying the lessons they learned from the Batman series and applying it to Superman. He said they are “trying to find an incredible story in a way that audiences can engage with it the way they engage with contemporary action films.” Just don’t expect the two superheroes to cross paths. Nolan makes it clear in the interview: “Each [superhero] serves to the internal logic of the story. They have nothing to do with each other.”

Ever since Nolan’s involvement in a new Superman film was announced, the internet has been flooded with rumors and speculation about the project. Nolan’s wife and producing partner, Emma Thomas, laughs off the gossip, telling the Times, “I don’t know where this stuff comes from.” And as for which villain Batman will face in his final outing, all Nolan will say is “It won’t be Mr. Freeze.”

Before we see the return of either costumed hero, though, Nolan will be bringing an original story to the screen — his first since his breakout indie “Memento.” Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, “Inception” is a globe-trotting, mind-bending thriller that will hit theaters on July 16. While there have been unconfirmed reports that the third Batman film will begin production later this year, the Times article says that Superman won’t be flying onto screens until 2012 or 2013.

by Matt McDaniel · March 10, 2009 —-Article from Yahoo.com

Well, that record didn’t last long.

Just three days after a Superman book became the first comic to sell for $1 million, a Batman comic book sold Thursday at auction for about $75,000 more.

Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas reports that a rare copy of Detective Comics No. 27 from 1939 — in which “The Batman” made his debut — sold for a record-setting $1,075,500.

The consignor and the buyer — who purchased the comic online via a “click bid” — chose to shield their identities (how apropos). And holy deja vu, Batman: Like the Superman comic that sold Monday in New York, the Caped Crusader comic is graded to be in “8.0″ condition on the industry’s 10-point scale.

“It really has an amazing appearance,” says Lon Allen, sales director for Heritage’s comic books division. “The bright yellows with Batman swooping in — you can really tell it was stored properly from the beginning.”

There are only between 100 and 200 copies of Detective Comics No. 27 in existence, Allen says, and perhaps none in such “very fine” condition. In 1939, the comic sold for 10 cents; the consignor bought the book in the ’60s for $100.

Before Monday, the record for a comic book sale was $317,000 (in 2009, for another copy of the 1938 Superman-debut issue).

“I think this is ushering in a whole new ballgame” in sale prices, Allen says. “This is going to give a boost to the . . . highest-grade of all comics.”

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – John Krasinski as Captain America?

It could happen as Marvel conducts screen tests this week in its search for the actor to play Steve Rogers, the alter ego of the title character in its “Captain America” movie.

The company’s latest superhero movie is being directed by Joe Johnston (“Wolfman”) and tells the story of the young infirm man rejected from enlisting who becomes America’s symbol of liberty during World War II and eventually a member of Marvel’s superhero team the Avengers.

About seven actors have moved to the front of the super soldier serum testing line and have either tested or are expected to screen test this week and next at Marvel’s Manhattan Beach, Calif., headquarters.

Those known to be on the list with Krasinski include Michael Cassidy (who appeared in “Smallvile” and who tested for the Superman movie when McG was going to direct it), Patrick Flueger (one of the stars of ” The 4400 ” who most recently appeared in the Tobey Maguire movie ” Brothers “), Scott Porter (TV’s ” Friday Night Lights “), Wilson Bethel (” Generation Kill “) and Mike Vogel (” Cloverfield “).

Chace Crawford is also in talks to screen test, though no deal has been made.

Garret Hedlund, already starring in Disney’s “Tron,” was also on the list to test but has fallen off, at least for now, because of scheduling conflicts. Insiders say he may still make the testing round. Jensen Ackles is another actor who had scheduling conflicts.

The studio has put the actors on 30-day holds during the testing process.

Sources on both sides caution that an actor may not be found from the tests, which happened during Marvel’s search for the man who would be “Thor.” For that movie, currently shooting in Manhattan Beach, the studio conducted several rounds of testing but found its star, Chris Hemsworth, late in the game, after initially passing on his audition reel.

While Marvel is looking for someone on the youngish side and who can play rugged, one key ingredient emerging is that the actor be American, according to insiders. So far, no British or Australian actors have been seriously considered though the search could widen if no suitable candidates are found.

It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s the First Million Dollar Comic Book! First Superman Comic Shatters All Records with Unprecedented $1,000,000 Sale. Rare Action Comics #1 Unveiled in New York

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February 22, 2010

They said it couldn’t be done. They said that no comic book—no matter how rare—would ever sell for $1,000,000. This week, they were proven wrong. And in the midst of a recession, no less!

That’s because ComicConnect.com, one of the industry’s leading online auction/consignment sites, just sold an extremely rare, top-condition copy of the world’s most coveted comic book for exactly $1,000,000. That figure is more than three times higher than the prior record-holder, also set by ComicConnect.com.

That comic book, of course, is Action Comics #1, which marked the debut of Superman in 1938 and promptly changed the course of pop culture forever.

This particular copy has been in a private collection for more than 15 years, and it’s likely to disappear again once it’s been turned over to its new owner. However, ComicConnect.com will allow the media to view it briefly in its New York City showroom (873 Broadway, Suite 201, 212-895-3999). The showroom is also home to ComicConnect.com’s affiliate, Metropolis Collectibles (metropoliscomics.com), the largest vintage comic book dealer in the world.

“It’s the Holy Grail of comic books,” says founder Stephen Fishler, one of the leading experts on collectible comics.

“Before Action Comics #1, there was no such thing as a superhero or a man who could fly,” notes Fishler, who created the 10-point grading scale which today is used universally to evaluate the condition of comic books.

“It’s the single most important event in comic book history,” adds ComicConnect.com co-owner and COO, Vincent Zurzolo.

Only about 100 copies Action Comics #1 remain in existence, and of those 100, only two have received a grading of 8.0 (Very Fine) or higher. This particular book is one of them, making it among the rarest of the rare.

Up until now, the record-holder was another Action Comics #1, this one with a grading of 6.0. It sold on ComicConnect.com for $317,200 in 2009.

According to the Overstreet Price Guide to Comic Books—the industry bible—Action Comics #1 is indisputably the highest-valued comic book of all time. In second place is Detective Comics #27, which marked the first appearance of Batman in 1939. An Action Comics #1 graded 8.0 or higher is priced about 25% higher than a comparable Detective Comics #27.

Until last week, some collectors weren’t aware of the existence of this million dollar copy. Fishler, however, knew it well, because 15 years ago, he sold it for $150,000.

But why the big jump in price?

“High-grade copies are rarely, rarely offered for sale,” explains Zurzolo. “When they do come on the market, you can expect to see a big leap in value.”

“I knew that someday, there would be a seven figure comic book sale, and I dreamed of being part of that historic moment. But I didn’t think it would happen so soon, particularly given the current state of the economy.”

Imagine: back in 1938, this very comic book sold for ten cents, its sole purpose to entertain a child. 72 years later, some very fortunate adult is willing to spend $1,000,000 for the privilege of owning it—something most experts believed would never happen.

“Is it worth it?” says Fishler. “Absolutely. There is nothing else like it.”