Monday, April 28, 2008

Transition of Iron Man, Hulk from comics to big screen to game screen is ‘Marvel’ous
By Michael Lafferty

SEGA to release games to coincide with theatrical releases

In a few days time, Tony Stark makes his big-screen debut as Iron Man. In June, Bruce Banner gets another video treatment when The Incredible Hulk hits theaters. As the films hit the theaters, gamers will have the chance to play out the superheroes in video games being released for existing and next-gen console systems.

It is a wonderful marketing ploy by Marvel and game publisher SEGA, but more importantly, it is a boon to comic-book fans who are also video gamers. Why? Because technology has finally evolved in the video-game industry to bring these treasure comic-book characters to glorious life in a game setting. Long gone are the days of platforms and sprites, and we have entered the age when the boss battles are big and grand and play out in glorious three dimensions.

While licensed film IP translating into games has been hit and miss, what is more remarkable is that the melding of comic books to film and video games is getting serious attention. Sony Pictures and Marvel scored huge with Spider-man. Sure, Daredevil and Electra didn’t do as well in their big-screen iterations (too complex of characters, perhaps?) but the Fantastic Four was a fun ride, even though you had to keep your eyes on multiple targets.

But when it comes to the lone hero, battling inner demons, confronted with huge adversaries, nothing beats the depth that Marvel brought in its universe. Stan Lee created characters with depth that had real-world problems. Until recently, when cartoons and television shows (and video games, to some extent) tried to capitalize on those heroes, the treatment was often superficial and light. That’s not to say you can’t have fun with the license, but it is the brooding and the darkness that explodes into epic battles full of flash and fire that truly excites people. Yes, we want to see the hero win, but we also want a sense of that hero’s humanity.

For those who don’t know the characters, let’s break down Tony Stark and Bruce Banner …

Tony Stark:

Stark made his first appearance in Tales of Suspense #39 in March of 1963. After being injured (events depicted in the upcoming film starring Robert Downey Jr.) he is held and is being forced to create a devastating weapon for his captors. Instead, he creates a powerful suit of armor to escape with. That armor is refined, hiding the frailty of the man inside with the servos, gyros, thrusters and enhancements that make Iron Man an incredibly powerful hero. But Stark was flawed and has his moments when his wealth and intellect can’t give him comfort. His sense of worth comes through when it dons the suit and fights crime.

Bruce Banner:

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby released the first issue of The Incredible Hulk in May 1962. It told the tale of Dr. Bruce Banner’s transformation when exposed to a lethal amount of gamma radiation. Instead of dying, Banner found that his anger triggered a metamorphosis in which he grew to a rather large and very muscular size. Unfortunately, though, what Banner gains in physical presence, he loses in intellect and the Hulk – while a feeling creature – is more a brutish beast than a man.

Both characters have appeared is numerous comic books and even been in television series. The Hulk was the subject of a 2003 Ang Lee film starring Eric Bana. For the 2008 motion pictures, Robert Downey Jr. and Edward Norton take on the roles of Stark and Banner and also voice the characters in the video games as well. For Iron Man, actors Terence Howard and Shaun Toub (both appearing in the movie) lend their voices to the SEGA game; Incredible Hulk (2008) actors Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, Tim Blake Nelson and William Hurt all voice their characters in the SEGA title.

Comic books have long been the stuff of high fantasy. They introduced us to characters we embraced and lived vicariously through with each issue released. Once again, though enthralled, we sat and watched the exploits on television screens or bigger screens, but while we watched we never could live those lives except in our imaginations … until recently when technology advance to create the capabilities to carry that fantasy, in semi-believable ways, to video games. It is a wonderful marriage of the mediums.

Summer movies drive toys full-speed to shelves

LOS ANGELES — Forget the battle of the box office. This summer will mark a showdown of movie toys.

More than 2,000 toys and 6,000 other merchandising tie-ins — from fast-food trinkets to life-size, limited-edition busts — are flooding stores to coincide with summer's biggest movies, including Iron Man, Speed Racer, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Dark Knight and The Incredible Hulk.

And for now, Speed is in the lead. Mattel has begun its largest movie-related toy launch by releasing 1,500 action figures, race tracks and versions of the TV show's famous Mach 5. Nearly 3,000 items, including blankets, underwear and video games, will arrive in time for the movie May 9. Also vying for kids' attention and parents' wallets:

•Iron Man, out Friday, has 275 toys based on the comic book hero and another 1,475 merchandise promotions.

•The Incredible Hulk, due June 13, will feature about 260 green-hued toys and 1,340 promotional items.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Steven Spielberg | Star Wars | Spider-Man | Batman | Indiana Jones | Tim Burton | Cars | Kingdom | Hasbro | Iron Man | Crystal Skull | Incredible Hulk | Mach | Dark Knight | Speed Racer

•The Dark Knight, due July 18, will have 950 toys and another 4,000 merchandising items, plus hundreds of Batman toys and clothes that have been available since Tim Burton revived the franchise in 1989.

Lucasfilm, which is releasing Skull, is notoriously tight-lipped about product sales. The company is a toy tie-in veteran and has collected billions in sales from the Star Wars franchise.

The merchandise showdown is, in many ways, an ad war. "Especially for kids, they'll see the toys before they'll see the movie ads," says Paul Gitter of Marvel, which owns the rights to Iron Man and Hulk. "If they want the toy, they usually want to see the movie."

That's icing for studios. Though the toy industry staggers in the face of competition from electronic gadgetry, it still thrives when it comes to movie tie-ins, sometimes raking in more than $500 million in sales for retailers and $100 million in royalties to studios for such films as Cars and Spider-Man.

Toymakers are now being invited to movie sets so they can replicate props and costumes exactly. Even secretive Skull director Steven Spielberg divulged key plot points and photos to Hasbro craftsmen. "We were sworn to secrecy," says Hasbro's Eric Nyman. "But that's pretty cool access."

Of course, there's risk if the film flops. "It still depends on the movie," says Greg Anzalone of Sideshow Collectibles, which is selling a $700 Iron Man bust. "If people don't like the movie, they aren't going to want a piece of it."

Hugh Jackman Looks Towards ‘Batman Begins’ For ‘Wolverine ...
MTV.com -Apr 29, 2008

At the moment, you’re likely drooling with anticipation to watch “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk” and “The Dark Knight” over the next few months. Heck, maybe you’ll even go see “Punisher: War Zone.”

But once these thrills have come and gone, what comic book movies will come next? It’s a question we’re all dying to know, and vague promises of “Captain America” and “Thor” movies aren’t cutting it. So instead, we hold out hope for a new take on a familiar hero.

“It feels different,” Hugh Jackman told us recently about “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” which he’s currently shooting with eyes towards a May 2009 release. “But I don’t think its going be night and day.”

After being the breakout character in three blockbuster mutant flicks, Logan will try and set a spin-off blueprint that could eventually yield a “Magneto” movie and more. “We are dealing with a character who is probably one of the darker comic book characters ever created,” Jackman said of the flick, which co-stars Liev Schreiber, Dominic Monaghan and Ryan Reynolds. “The movie has a lot of fun elements, but there are layers of pain and darkness to this character.”

“Tonally, I would put it more in the ‘Batman Begins’ sort of realm,” he said, distancing the flick from past “X-Men” movies. “That’s sort of where we’re headed.”

And if Jackman has his way, “Origins” won’t be the last time we see him wielding adamantium claws. “There are two conditions for me doing any more: One is will anybody want to see it, and the second is: Will I still have the passion for it?” he explained. “I really wanted to do this spin-off movie, because I felt we hadn’t truly found who this character was.”

“Right now,” Jackman added, fueling hope for the fanboys, “I feel like I could do another ten or eleven.”

House of Ideas

Beejey Enriquez
Associate Producer
SEGA of America

"The Hulk needs help. And no matter what he’s done or you’ve done…you’re still his friends."
-Taken from The Incredible Hulk, Issue 106

How do you take a character that’s been around for over 40 years, lived in practically all forms of media and somehow manage to make him new, yet faithful to the source material?

Easy.

You get help from the people who made him.

No one knows more about the Hulk than Marvel. (Surprise!) And that is one of the great things about working with them. Both sides of this alliance have been working side by side on this project before the ink even dried on the dotted line. And all the way through the creation of it, no one’s lost sight of the end goal, which is to make a “marvelous” game that stays true to the property.

Like any licensor, Marvel is protective of its properties. They keep a high bar for us, which makes us better. In turn, we bring their characters off the page and into the fans hands. This deal was not simply Marvel tossing over the Hulk name and checking in with us the day before the game ships. It’s them giving everything we need to succeed in terms of resources and quality control.

And that is what makes them a great partner to work with. It’s that willingness to open up their archives and secret vaults in order to help make an outstanding game. Marvel has been involved in the whole process the entire way. Whether it is access to the comic archives or a special delivery of movie reference, they have made sure to keep us in the loop as much as possible. We would like to think that we have been given unlimited access to everything we need to cover every inch of the Hulk’s vast universe.

Hulk smash Fourth Wall!

Of course, as a responsible licensee, SEGA works closely with Edge of Reality to make sure the game stays true to the IP. That’s one of the places where the fun and work blend together. It is fun and easy to pick characters and situations to drop into the game, but it is work to ensure those characters and situations fit in the type of game that we are creating. Unfortunately, sometimes the cool ideas do not make sense with the vision of the license, especially with a game based on a new direction for the Hulk movie franchise. We cannot just throw anything into the game. It has to go through Marvel’s approval process. I can bore you with all the steps involved, but to get to the point, Marvel has the ultimate say. As well they should. They are essentially letting us play with their toys, so we should make sure to treat them with respect.

However, they are great about it, and that is the best part. We can each make a case for what will be good for the game, and we discuss it. And in this regard, it is fortunate that I am such a comic book junkie. (Hmm…maybe I should not have said that out loud…I probably dropped off 20 girls’ speed dials.)

Speaking about legal stuff, doesn’t the Hulk know someone who works here?

One of the most fun parts for me was helping pick what comic book content gets put into the game. The main thing that was essential for us to remember was that the game takes place in the movie (i.e. “real”) world, not the Marvel 616 universe. So while we were able to bring in some familiar faces, such as the U…oops…can’t talk about that yet, we had to make sure that we picked things that made sense and fit alongside the logic of the film.

These lawyers better not “dare” to take on Hulk.

Probably one of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to adapt these characters to a game. Sure their abilities are set and their visuals are pretty much done, but while the comics showcase their powers easily, we have to make sure it translates into a game mechanic that is not only balanced, but also feels good to the player, whether they are on the giving or receiving end. We had to pick good aspects of the character that make the game fun and show off things that people know is very true to their four color counterpart. Not that easy to do, but it is fun figuring it out. (There will be another post all about turning Hulk into a game character later.)

With great power, right?

And the one thing tying all the stuff from the comics and video game worlds together?

The fun in the movie.

With Hulk re-debuting, Marvel wanted to make sure we delivered a clear, consistent vision of their character. And how were we able to do this?

We got movie stuff.

Imagine being one of the first people to see what the Hulk looked like in the new movie MONTHS before the teaser launched. Imagine reading the script in April 2007. Imagine meeting the filmmakers themselves? That was freaking cool. (I either just made a bunch of new friends, or enemies with that last statement.) The point of all that was not to brag though (ok, maybe a little…). It was to show how vested Marvel & SEGA are in making sure that the audience receives a quality experience that is an example of complete synergy.

The Baxter Building. Maybe Hulk is trying to peek into Jessica Alba’s window.

Looking back on all that, it should be a comic/video game/movie fan’s dream that Marvel opened up to us and gave us access to everything we needed and asked for in order to get this game done. Marvel was more than our licensor, they were our partner. They were into the whole process just as much as we were. Both SEGA and Marvel have been making games for a long time and with both companies lending their strengths to one another, we all can be pretty sure that all the necessary elements to try and make this the definitive Incredible Hulk game are all in place.

As for myself, can a fanboy ask for anything more than to be working with the “House of Ideas” on a video game? Well, to be honest, I did ask for one more thing, and I got it.

‘Nuff Said

Indeed. That is me with Stan Lee, co-creator of The Incredible Hulk.

(Here’s a little secret. The red shirt I’m wearing is actually a Daredevil shirt.)

Man, I’m such a geek.

House of Ideas

Beejey Enriquez
Associate Producer
SEGA of America

"The Hulk needs help. And no matter what he’s done or you’ve done…you’re still his friends."
-Taken from The Incredible Hulk, Issue 106

How do you take a character that’s been around for over 40 years, lived in practically all forms of media and somehow manage to make him new, yet faithful to the source material?

Easy.

You get help from the people who made him.

No one knows more about the Hulk than Marvel. (Surprise!) And that is one of the great things about working with them. Both sides of this alliance have been working side by side on this project before the ink even dried on the dotted line. And all the way through the creation of it, no one’s lost sight of the end goal, which is to make a “marvelous” game that stays true to the property.

Like any licensor, Marvel is protective of its properties. They keep a high bar for us, which makes us better. In turn, we bring their characters off the page and into the fans hands. This deal was not simply Marvel tossing over the Hulk name and checking in with us the day before the game ships. It’s them giving everything we need to succeed in terms of resources and quality control.

And that is what makes them a great partner to work with. It’s that willingness to open up their archives and secret vaults in order to help make an outstanding game. Marvel has been involved in the whole process the entire way. Whether it is access to the comic archives or a special delivery of movie reference, they have made sure to keep us in the loop as much as possible. We would like to think that we have been given unlimited access to everything we need to cover every inch of the Hulk’s vast universe.

Hulk smash Fourth Wall!

Of course, as a responsible licensee, SEGA works closely with Edge of Reality to make sure the game stays true to the IP. That’s one of the places where the fun and work blend together. It is fun and easy to pick characters and situations to drop into the game, but it is work to ensure those characters and situations fit in the type of game that we are creating. Unfortunately, sometimes the cool ideas do not make sense with the vision of the license, especially with a game based on a new direction for the Hulk movie franchise. We cannot just throw anything into the game. It has to go through Marvel’s approval process. I can bore you with all the steps involved, but to get to the point, Marvel has the ultimate say. As well they should. They are essentially letting us play with their toys, so we should make sure to treat them with respect.

However, they are great about it, and that is the best part. We can each make a case for what will be good for the game, and we discuss it. And in this regard, it is fortunate that I am such a comic book junkie. (Hmm…maybe I should not have said that out loud…I probably dropped off 20 girls’ speed dials.)

Speaking about legal stuff, doesn’t the Hulk know someone who works here?

One of the most fun parts for me was helping pick what comic book content gets put into the game. The main thing that was essential for us to remember was that the game takes place in the movie (i.e. “real”) world, not the Marvel 616 universe. So while we were able to bring in some familiar faces, such as the U…oops…can’t talk about that yet, we had to make sure that we picked things that made sense and fit alongside the logic of the film.

These lawyers better not “dare” to take on Hulk.

Probably one of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to adapt these characters to a game. Sure their abilities are set and their visuals are pretty much done, but while the comics showcase their powers easily, we have to make sure it translates into a game mechanic that is not only balanced, but also feels good to the player, whether they are on the giving or receiving end. We had to pick good aspects of the character that make the game fun and show off things that people know is very true to their four color counterpart. Not that easy to do, but it is fun figuring it out. (There will be another post all about turning Hulk into a game character later.)

With great power, right?

And the one thing tying all the stuff from the comics and video game worlds together?

The fun in the movie.

With Hulk re-debuting, Marvel wanted to make sure we delivered a clear, consistent vision of their character. And how were we able to do this?

We got movie stuff.

Imagine being one of the first people to see what the Hulk looked like in the new movie MONTHS before the teaser launched. Imagine reading the script in April 2007. Imagine meeting the filmmakers themselves? That was freaking cool. (I either just made a bunch of new friends, or enemies with that last statement.) The point of all that was not to brag though (ok, maybe a little…). It was to show how vested Marvel & SEGA are in making sure that the audience receives a quality experience that is an example of complete synergy.

The Baxter Building. Maybe Hulk is trying to peek into Jessica Alba’s window.

Looking back on all that, it should be a comic/video game/movie fan’s dream that Marvel opened up to us and gave us access to everything we needed and asked for in order to get this game done. Marvel was more than our licensor, they were our partner. They were into the whole process just as much as we were. Both SEGA and Marvel have been making games for a long time and with both companies lending their strengths to one another, we all can be pretty sure that all the necessary elements to try and make this the definitive Incredible Hulk game are all in place.

As for myself, can a fanboy ask for anything more than to be working with the “House of Ideas” on a video game? Well, to be honest, I did ask for one more thing, and I got it.

‘Nuff Said

Indeed. That is me with Stan Lee, co-creator of The Incredible Hulk.

(Here’s a little secret. The red shirt I’m wearing is actually a Daredevil shirt.)

Man, I’m such a geek.

Deja view: Hollywood turns to the past in its search for summer blockbusters

by James Sanford | Kalamazoo Gazette

Wednesday April 30, 2008, 11:36 AM

The conventional wisdom used to be that no one would pay good money to see something they could see on TV for free.

This summer, Hollywood wants to disprove that theory once and for all.

Between May and August, it might be tough to tell the difference between your local cineplex and the program guide on your cable system. SPEED RACER, SEX AND THE CITY, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, GET SMART, THE X-FILES' -- they're making the leap from the small screen to the big screen. (In the case of HULK, SMART and X-FILES, it's the second time they've jumped.)

Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) are back for more Manhattan misadventures in "Sex and the City: The Movie."

If vintage TV doesn't appeal to you, perhaps you'll be tempted by these familiar faces and places: Indiana Jones, Batman, Narnia and JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH Even the big musical of the season -- MAMMA MIA -- features Meryl Streep belting out ABBA's greatest hits.

It remains to be seen whether moviegoers consider all of these updates and remakes to be retro-chic or "so five minutes ago.'' But you bet there are a whole lot of studio executives who are fervently praying that, at least in movie theaters, familiarity does not breed contempt.

(Note: Release dates are subject to change -- in fact, they may be changing even as you read this.)

Friday
"Iron Man" -- Comic-book-inspired superhero movies are hardly a rarity, but how many of them star Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow? He's a not-so-nice inventor who takes on a new alter-ego after a brush with a brush with terrorists; she's his devoted secretary/potential lover.

"Made of Honor" -- Longtime friends Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan try to maintain their supportive relationship as she asks him to fill the maid of honor role in her upcoming wedding. He has other plans.

May 9
"Speed Racer" -- The lovably tacky Japanese cartoon series from the 1960s gets a slick and stylish makeover from the Wachowski Brothers ("The Matrix," "V for Vendetta"). Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon and Matthew Fox star.

"What Happens in Vegas" -- What happens is a spur-of-the-moment wedding between Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, immediately followed by morning-after confusion and regret. Despite what it sounds like, no, Cameron and Ashton are not playing Britney Spears and Jason Alexander.

May 16
"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" -- The Pevensie kids are whisked back to Narnia, but it's no vacation: The fantastic realm is now being ruled by a tyrant, who is trying to keep Caspian (Ben Barnes), the rightful ruler, away from the throne.

Ray Winstone, Shia LaBeouf and Harrison Ford star in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

May 22 "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" -- The Man in the Hat is back, a full 19 years after his last screen adventure. In a tale set in the 1950s, Indiana (Harrison Ford) takes on a devious Russian beauty (Cate Blanchett), a new cohort (Shia LaBeouf) and his old flame, Marion (Karen Allen).

May 30
"Sex and the City: The Movie" -- Four years have passed for columnist Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her friends, but their concerns have not changed: careers, shopping and men -- perhaps not in that order. New to the gang is Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls"), playing Carrie's assistant.

June 6
"Kung Fu Panda" -- Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan and Angelina Jolie are among the easily identifiable voices in this animated tale of a panda who waits tables in a noodle restaurant when he's not trying (futilely) to keep the peace in the Valley of Peace.

"You Don't Mess with the Zohan" -- Judd Apatow, Robert Smigel and Adam Sandler pooled their talents to write this comedy about an Israeli secret agent who begins a new life as a New York hairdresser. Mariah Carey appears in her most demanding role to date: She plays herself.

June 13
"The Happening" -- Once-hot writer-director M. Night Shyamalan, who went down in flames with his laughable "Lady in the Water" two years ago, hopes for a comeback with this shocker in which the plants of the world begin to practice self-defense by emitting chemicals that spawn suicidal urges in humans. Mark Wahlberg stars.

"The Incredible Hulk" -- If at first you don't succeed -- and millions would agree that director Ang Lee's 2003 "The Hulk" was not a success -- try, try again, right? This time, it's Edward Norton who's turning green. Liv Tyler and William Hurt head up the supporting cast.

Super-spies Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) and Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) are back in action in "Get Smart," a revamping of the 1960s TV comedy.

June 20 "Get Smart" -- Steve Carell tries to fill the phone-equipped shoes of Don Adams in a revamp of the satiric 1960s series about the spy game. Anne Hathaway plays his chic partner in espionage.

"The Love Guru" -- Mike Myers tries to launch another "Austin Powers"-style franchise, playing Pitka, a groovy guru who falls head over heels for the wife (Jessica Alba) of one of his clients (Justin Timberlake). Please let it be better than Myers' last live-action film, the awful "Cat in the Hat."

June 27
"Wall-E" -- Pixar, which hit big both critically and commercially with "Ratatouille" last year, introduces an industrious little robot assigned to clean up a now-abandoned Earth.

"Wall•E" tells the story of one robot's comic adventures as he chases his dream across the galaxy.

"Wanted" -- In what looks suspiciously like the fourth "Matrix" film, James McAvoy plays an everyday office worker drawn into a secret circle of assassins by professional killers portrayed by Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman.

July 2
"Hancock" -- Derelicts can be superheroes, too, you know. Well, perhaps if they're played by Will Smith. Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman co-star. The original script, titled "Tonight He Comes," was considered a hot property in Hollywood.

"Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" -- Abigail Breslin plays Kit, a child growing up in the Depression Era who is absolutely certain that the sun will come out tomorrow. Oops, wrong girl. Kit is actually one of the much-loved American Girl dolls, and this is the company's first attempt at taking the hugely popular brand to the screen.

July 11
"Hellboy II: The Golden Army" -- Ron Perlman once again plays the half-human/half-demon hero who must decide whether to side with humanity or the supernatural world in a battle for world control.

"Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D" -- Brendan Fraser leads an expedition into the depths of the Earth in a lighthearted science-fiction tale inspired by Jules Verne's novel.

"Meet Dave" -- Aliens trying to take over the world avoid detection by taking on the form of a hapless human (Eddie Murphy). But the plan goes haywire when love enters the picture.

July 18
"The Dark Knight" -- Batman (Christian Bale) is back and he's not doing so well, thanks to persistent misgivings about his double life and the threats posed by The Joker (Heath Ledger), a maniac who gets a kick out of crime. Warner Bros. premiered the first 10 minutes of Christopher Nolan's follow-up to "Batman Begins" last Christmas in front of the IMAX version of "I Am Legend," and viewers were excited, to put it mildly.

"Mamma Mia" -- Hotel owner Meryl Streep thinks she's done a great job of raising her daughter, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried). But when Sophie decides to get married and wants her dad to attend the ceremony, Mom finds she has a lot of explaining to do -- and a whole lot of ABBA songs to sing. Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard and Colin Firth play Streep's ex-lovers.

Meryl Streep has something to sing about in the film version of the ABBA-inspired musical "Mamma Mia."

"Space Chimps" -- "Pigs in Space" was only the beginning. A playful chimpanzee has to get serious about vanquishing a wicked ruler on a remote planet.

July 25
"Step Brothers" -- Will Ferrell didn't have much success with "Semi-Pro" earlier this year. John C. Reilly didn't manage to turn "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" into a blockbuster. Will this comedy about enemies who become stepbrothers turn around their fortunes at the box office? Mary Steenburgen plays Ferrell's mom, and Richard Jenkins plays Reilly's dad.

"The X-Files: I Want to Believe" -- If you don't remember what was going on the last time Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) were probing the mysteries of the paranormal, don't fret: According to the filmmakers, this is a "stand-alone story" about the complex relationship between the two.

Aug. 1
"The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" -- "Mummy" series veteran Brendan Fraser gets a new wife (Maria Bello) and a new son (Luke Ford) as he combats a scheming sorceress (Michelle Yeoh) and an ancient emperor (Jet Li) who's a bit cranky after being awakened from a 2,000-year-long nap.

Aug. 8
"The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" -- In the sequel to the sleeper hit of the summer of 2005, four friends (Blake Lively, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera and Amber Tamblyn) face new opportunities and frustrations as they prepare for college life.

"Pineapple Express" -- Drug addict (James Franco) and drug dealer (Seth Rogen) have to hit the high road after they stumble across evidence of corruption in the police force. It's hard to imagine, but this wackiness was directed by David Gordon Green, who tends to make far more dour, sober-minded dramas.

Aug. 15
"Mirrors" -- You know how sometimes an outfit can look absolutely great when you check yourself out in the dressing-room mirror and then look terrible after you take it home? In this shocker, the opposite is true of personalities: Seemingly stable people turn psychotic after gazing into a certain looking glass.

"Star Wars: The Clone Wars" -- Perhaps you're still wondering exactly what happened between "Episode II: Attack of the Clones" and "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith." George Lucas tells all in this animated feature based on the adventures of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padme Amidala.

It's Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi as you've never seen him before in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." It's the first animated project from George Lucas and Lucasfilm Animation.

"Tropic Thunder" -- Life imitates (bad) art as a group of actors making a war movie are suddenly thrust into a real life-or-death situation on location. Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. star.

Aug. 22
"The Accidental Husband" -- Mouthy radio talk-show host Uma Thurman winds up living unhappily ever after when she ends up "married" to the rebuffed fiance (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) of one of her callers.

"The House Bunny" -- Kicked out of the Playboy Mansion, a disgraced Bunny (Anna Faris) falls in with seven ditzy sorority sisters and teaches them some valuable life lessons. Like how to do the famous Bunny Dip properly, I guess.

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

Yahoo! Movies has posted some brank new images from The Incredible Hulk, which comes to theaters on June 13. Click on the image below to see the entire gallery from this film which stars Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, Tim Blake Nelson, Ty Burrell and William Hurt.

The Incredible Hulk kicks off an all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular superheroes of all time. In this new beginning, scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) desperately hunts for a cure to the gamma radiation that poisoned his cells and unleashes the unbridled force of rage within him: The Hulk.

Living in the shadows--cut off from a life he knew and the woman he loves, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler)--Banner struggles to avoid the obsessive pursuit of his nemesis, General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt), and the military machinery that seeks to capture him and brutally exploit his power.

As all three grapple with the secrets that led to The Hulk's creation, they are confronted with a monstrous new adversary known as The Abomination (Tim Roth), whose destructive strength exceeds even The Hulk's own. And on June 13, 2008, one scientist must make an agonizing final choice: accept a peaceful life as Bruce Banner or find heroism in the creature he holds inside--The Incredible Hulk.

‘Iron Man,’ ‘Indiana Jones,’ ‘The Incredible Hulk’ — what will your kids be watching this summer?

By Nicole Villalpando | Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 09:58 AM

Friday kicks off the big summer movie season with “Iron Man.” Talk about Iron Man is all over my house. They’ve been to Burger King for the toys. They’ve pulled out the comic books and started rereading them. They’ve watched the “Ultimate Avengers” cartoon. My husband’s making plans to take the kids, 4 and 7, from school to movie theater Friday afternoon.

Yet, I’m the mom saying wait a minute. It’s PG-13. Tony Stark, the Iron Man character, has an alcohol problem and is played by recovering addict Robert Downey Jr.

I consulted one of our movie critics who saw it last night to get his thoughts. While the alcohol issue isn’t a big part, the sex, violence, torture and children in danger is.

I live in a household that has been counting down the days. Will I let them go? Probably. They’ve seen “Batman Begins,” “Spider-Man 3” and “Superman Returns” in recent years — all PG-13 movies. Yet, for some reason this one is making me uneasy.

We’ll face the same issues with the new “Indiana Jones” later this month and “The Incredible Hulk” in June. Commercials run on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network and tie-ins to fast-food kid’s meal, toys, candy etc. just elevate the battle between kid enthusiasm and mom head shaking.

What will you see this summer? Do you preview movies before you let the kids see them?

MovieWeb -1 hour ago

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

Apple.com has just released the brand new trailer for The Incredible Hulk, which explodes onto screens on June 13th. Click below to watch the big green guy in action.