Marvel has released an extended version of the commercial they aired for The Avengers during Super Bowl XLVI.

The teaser trailer for the Wrestling Retribution Project is now online.

WRP is a professional wrestling television program developed by Jeff Katz. Founded in 2011, the promotion is based on a 13 week serial schedule. Upon completion of production, the program will be distributed by Image Entertainment, and will be available via streaming media and DVD.

Check out wrestlingretributionproject.com for more information.

Also, make sure to check out our interview with the man himself: The Geek Generation – Bonus – Jeff Katz interview

Source: Deadline

With the recent departure of Lily Collins from the film, Jane Levy (Suburgatory) has stepped in to take the lead role in Evil Dead.

Levy will play the part of Mia, a drug addict who is heading to the cabin along with her friends in an effort to detox. This female role will replace the character of Ash (Bruce Campbell) from previous versions of the franchise.

Evil Dead is coming courtesy of Ghost House Pictures, with the help of Sam Raimi and original producing partners Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell.

In addition to the casting news, director Fede Alvarez shared a photo via Twitter of the woods they plan on shooting the movie in. He referred to the pic as “the path to hell.”

Article by: Hunter Etherington

This week I will be describing the processes I used to distress and stain the shield. This portion of the project has actually spanned two weeks but can be done in one. The reason it took more time for me is because I forgot how long it takes to stain wood. Once again the materials needed are very easy to get a hold of.

Materials:

• indoor wood stain (Ebony)
• paper towel

Tools:

• sander
• wire brush
• chisel or multicrafter (oscillating blade tool)
• paint brush

I really wanted to achieve an authentic look to the shield and to do that I had to distress it. I first attached a wire brush to an electric drill and went over most of the shield with it. In some spots I used pressure to create more texture. From there I wanted to replicate the appearance of a weapon strike. To do that I used a Multicrafter with an oscillating blade and started taking out chunks of wood.

From there I went on to staining; this is where I misjudged my time. If you haven’t done any staining, it’s a pretty simple process. The first step is to apply an even coat across the entire surface. Once that is done you have to wait for 10 to 15 minutes and then use paper towels to wipe off the excess. After it’s wiped off, it will take 4 to 6 hours to fully dry. While it’s drying it’s okay to flip it over and do the other side. Just use gloves or a paper towel to flip it and place it on a raised surface like a paint can. Repeat the steps on the back side and leave it to dry. When you come back, check if it’s as dark as you would like, if not add another coat. Repeat until you achieve the desired color. I only needed two coats and it turned out really well.

Next week I am going to paint the main yellow color and the emblem onto the front of the shield. If you need any directions clarified or have any other questions just leave a comment and I will answer you.

Lionsgate has released the new trailer for The Hunger Games.

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains.

Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The Hunger Games is directed by Gary Ross, with a screenplay by Gary Ross and Suzanne Collins and Billy Ray. Opening in theaters and IMAX on March 23rd, the film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Wes Bentley, Toby Jones, Alexander Ludwig, Isabelle Fuhrman, Amandla Stenberg, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland.

The final teaser for the “found footage” superhero movie Chronicle has come online.

Coming to theaters on Friday, February 3rd, the Josh Trank-directed film stars Dane DeHaan, Michael B. Jordan and Alex Russell.

In the movie, three high school students make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides begin to take over.

Warner Bros. Pictures has released a new trailer for the Todd Phillips-produced Project X.

Directed by Nima Nourizadeh, the movie stars Miles Teller, Oliver Cooper, Jonathan Daniel Brown, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Dax Flame, Nichole O’Connor, Thomas Mann, Alexis Knapp and Jillian Reynolds.

Project X is an out-of-control comedy that follows a group of buds who set out to throw the most epic 17th birthday party ever. The film documents a high school party that gets completely out of control, shot from the perspective of the digital cameras that the kids have with them.

Source: DC Universe: The Source

This summer, DC Entertainment will publish all-new stories expanding on the acclaimed Watchmen universe. As highly anticipated as they are controversial, the seven inter-connected prequel mini-series will build on the foundation of the original Watchmen, the bestselling graphic novel of all time. Before Watchmen will be the collective banner for all seven titles, from DC Comics.

“It’s our responsibility as publishers to find new ways to keep all of our characters relevant,” said DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee. “After twenty five years, the Watchmen are classic characters whose time has come for new stories to be told. We sought out the best writers and artists in the industry to build on the complex mythology of the original.”

Stepping up to the challenge is a group of the comic book industry’s most iconoclastic writers and artists – including Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets), Lee Bermejo (Joker), Amanda Conner (Power Girl), Darwyn Cooke (Justice League: New Frontier), John Higgins (Watchmen), Adam Hughes (Catwoman), J.G. Jones (Final Crisis), Andy Kubert (Flashpoint), Joe Kubert (Sgt. Rock), Jae Lee (Batman: Jekyll and Hyde), J. Michael Straczynski (Superman: Earth One) and Len Wein (Swamp Thing).

Before Watchmen includes:

- Rorschach (4 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: Lee Bermejo

- Minutemen (6 issues) – Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke

- Comedian (6 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: J.G. Jones

- Dr. Manhattan (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artist: Adam Hughes

- Nite Owl (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artists: Andy and Joe Kubert

- Ozymandias (6 issues) – Writer: Len Wein. Artist: Jae Lee

- Silk Spectre (4 issues) – Writer: Darwyn Cooke. Artist: Amanda Conner

Each week, a new issue will be released, and will feature a two-page back-up story called Curse of the Crimson Corsair, written by original series editor Len Wein and with art by original series colorist John Higgins. There will also be a single issue, Before Watchmen: Epilogue, featuring the work of various writers and artists, and a Crimson Corsair story by Wein and Higgins.

“The original series of Watchmen is the complete story that Alan Moore and I wanted to tell. However, I appreciate DC’s reasons for this initiative and the wish of the artists and writers involved to pay tribute to our work. May these new additions have the success they desire,” said Dave Gibbons, Watchmen co-creator and original series artist.

“Comic books are perhaps the largest and longest running form of collaborative fiction,” said DiDio and Lee. “Collaborative storytelling is what keeps these fictional universes current and relevant.”

Justice League: Doom is coming to Blu-ray and DVD as a full-length animated film on February 28th. Featuring the voices of Kevin Conroy, Nathan Fillion, Tim Daly and Michael Rosenbaum, the movie has released two clips featuring the Royal Flush Gang in mid-heist.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member.

Columbia Pictures, Happy Madison and Hasbro, Inc. are in final talks to develop Candy Land, a live action movie based on the bestselling Hasbro board game with Adam Sandler attached to star. Kevin Lima (Enchanted) is attached to direct the project for the studio with Sandler and Robert Smigel in talks to write the screenplay.

Commenting on the announcement, Doug Belgrad, President of Columbia Pictures, said, “‘Candy Land’ is more than just a game. It is a brand that children, parents and grandparents know and love. The world of ‘Candy Land’ offers an extraordinary canvas upon which to create a fantastical, live-action family adventure film with a larger than life part for Adam. We are thrilled to partner with Hasbro and Happy Madison on this project.”

“The creative talent on board for this movie is amazing and we are excited to bring alive the world of ‘Candy Land’ for kids and families everywhere,” Brian Goldner, Hasbro President and CEO, added. “Sony/Columbia has been a wonderful creative partner as we develop another of our games, ‘Risk,’ for the big screen. We are looking forward to working with Sony/Columbia and Adam Sandler and his team at Happy Madison Productions on this film.”

Candy Land is one of the most beloved and best known games of all time. Created in 1949, it has been played by generations of families. In the game, players go on a magical journey through fantastical lands made of candy, sweets, and ice cream: the Peppermint Forest, the Gum Drop Mountains, and the Lollypop Woods. Along the way, players encounter such iconic characters as Princess Frostine, Lord Licorice, Mr. Mint, and King Candy.

Chronicle is the story of three high school students that make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides begin to take over.

Directed by Joshua Trank and written by Max Landis and Trank, the movie stars Dane DeHaan, Michael B. Jordan, Alex Russell and Michael Kelly.

Source: Deadline

The CW’s pilot Arrow, based on the DC Comics property Green Arrow, has found its lead in actor Stephen Amell.

The series will see Amell in the role of Oliver Queen, a Star City billionaire who doubles as a vigilante superhero using his skills in archery, martial arts, and technology to fight crime.

Amell has made recurring appearances on both 90210 and The Vampire Diaries, with other recent appearances on HBO’s Hung and ABC’s Private Practice.

Three human-shaped RC planes were flown around New York City to create the illusion of people flying as part of a viral marketing campaign for the movie Chronicle. If I saw this in person, I probably would have flipped out… and attempted to join them.

From the official AMC site comes this midseason teaser trailer for The Walking Dead.

AMC has also recently released the first three minutes of the returning episode, titled “Nebraska.”

The Walking Dead returns on Sunday, February 12th at 9:00 PM EST on AMC.

In this follow-up to 2008′s Journey to the Center of the Earth, the new 3D family adventure Journey 2: The Mysterious Island begins when young Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, reprising his role from the first film) receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. It’s a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean’s new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot (Luis Guzman) and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever.

With the release of Jackie Estacado Deuce right around the corner, we have our first impressions on the demo here.

The original Darkness met with much fanfare when it was released early in the career of the PS3. While not a huge fan of the original, the demo for the sequel looks like it has great promise. Cel-shaded graphics coupled with a unique quad-wielding ability that utilizes all the trigger buttons for four separate attacks, The Darkness II looks like an interesting and innovative foray into first person shooters for 2012. Jackie may be in trouble at the start of the game, but The Darkness II will probably have no trouble appealing to comic fans and shooter addicts alike with its intriguing story of redemption and gunplay.

A few days ago I met up with an old friend of mine. Since I’m your standard Polack from Cleveland, Ohio we naturally chatted over a few pints of beer at one of my favorite bars. As the conversation drew on we wandered from topic to topic until we landed on how excited I was to see Beauty and The Beast in 3D.

“Typical,” he muttered under a soft chuckle, “a girl whose heroes are Disney princesses…”. As his sentence faded into a fresh sip of beer I found myself aggressively denying his accusation. How could he possibly think a Girl Among Geeks could find any real inspiration from a Disney character?

Our actual heroes? Well… they pack a bit more punch.

As I explained to my bud, it’s not that I don’t appreciate a good Disney movie. In fact, as a child of the late 80s/early 90s I grew up during the heyday of the Disney musical. I knew every word to every song, and in my more tender years I would dance and sing around my house pretending I was a beautiful princess.

However, over the years I have come to see that while Ariel and Belle may be strong protagonists, they are by no means formidable role models for young girls.

At this point in the conversation my friend and I ordered another round and began to go back and forth naming Disney princesses that, while generally headstrong and each possessing unique character traits, all eventually made decisions that in real life would be the foundation for a typical Lifetime movie.

Ariel is willing to undergo life altering permanent physical changes and agrees to give up her family and voice (aka her greatest talent and joy) to go after a man she’s never even spoken to. Jasmine is treated as a commodity by her father, is easily duped by the men around her, and has no true power besides her sexuality to impact any change on those who control her future. And Belle, the very princess I was dying to see in 3D, is a victim of Stockholm syndrome who falls for her emotionally and physically abusive captor.

I’ll spare you the remainder of the list that continued to grow. Essentially we discussed that every Disney princess is an example of how Hollywood and society in general has valiantly attempted to teach girls two things. First, that they can and should vibrantly be their own person, and second, that they will never be complete without the approval of their neighbors and a man, the latter of which must be won over at any cost so that he can swoop in and save them from their lives, making it so they never again have to be the strong individuals that made them unique in the first place.

It’s fairly depressing when you sit down and think about it. Especially when one realizes that many young girls view these beautifully drawn characters in fantastic far off places living heightened lives, and naturally want to be them. They may not be the heroes that we want our young girls looking up to, but unfortunately they are the heroes that we give them first access to, and sadly for many they seem to be ones that stick.

Eventually my friend and I let the conversation move on. We finished our drinks and went our separate ways. As I drove home, though, I found my mind wandering back to the princess portion of the night and my wheels started turning. Yes, I was one of the girls that started out worshiping Disney princesses, but at some point I ditched those role models and grew into new heroes. But who were my Girl Among Geek heroes? And what does that say about myself and my comrades?

The fact is that most every individual needs role models to look up to. Naturally we all have family members, friends, and historical figures that can fill these roles, but many of us also look to fictional characters as examples of the people we long to be but don’t necessarily see in our day-to-day. In general, this goes double for the geekier members of society that tend to spend their younger years standing on the fringes. We grew up saturating ourselves with pop culture references, so it only stands to reason that the characters that we most identify with come from TV, film, and comics.

For Girls Among Geeks, finding strong female characters is of vital importance. If we don’t want our lives to be exercises in changing who we are to appease those around us we need to find examples of women who refuse to compromise their character to be our beacons. Our heroines need to be intelligent, quick-witted, physically capable, enigmatic individuals who can stand up to the most daunting of opponents and not bat an eye. In short, they need to be truly badass.

This is where characters like Sarah Connor from the Terminator series come in. She’s a rough and tumble woman who is literally taking on other worldly creations in order to protect her child. She is physically impressive despite her size, and she regularly shows that she can outwit her competitors in a brilliant illustration of how one can utilize all of her strengths to defeat the toughest of foes.

Which leads me to the iconic Star Wars heroine Princess Leia. Like Sarah Connor she is a fighter, and both women refuse to compromise their missions for anyone or any reason. Over the course of three movies she proves a warrior, a military strategist, and overall an amazing leader. However, we do get to see her softer side when she mourns the loss of her home planet and gradually falls for Han Solo, which has proven to many young girls that one doesn’t have to ignore their emotions in order to be a true badass.

Not that Girls Among Geeks need those pesky emotions at all. Catwoman aka Selina Kyle requires neither an excess of feelings or morals to be one of my role models. True, she breaks the law on a very regular basis with little to no concern for the effect it will have on others. She is undoubtedly a villain. Despite that, though, she is a beautifully complex woman that is rarely found in the male-oriented comic world. When one removes her illegal activities from her character traits, she still stands as a fit, intelligent, crafty individual whose feminine wiles are developed enough to capture a piece of Batman’s heart, even if she will never do anything more than toy with it.

And then there’s Buffy. The iconic Vampire Slayer may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I can tell you that for myself and many of my friends Joss Whedon’s most iconic character is a perfect example of how a strong young woman can grow out of a literally hellacious childhood. Over the course of seven seasons we see Buffy juggle the same growing pains that many young girls will experience (i.e. dealing with relationship woes, friendship drama, and the difficulty of fitting in) with the responsibility of being chosen to defend her town, and more than once the world itself, from utter destruction. She combines all the common traits that the previous women did with a tenderness that is highly identifiable for young women, making her resilient strength all the easier to identify with and therefore seem more reachable for those that look up to her.

These vividly-drawn dynamic women are my fictional heroes. Unlike the Disney princesses that possess individuality but are willing to compromise it for the approval of others, my role models are definitively who they are at all times. In the face of adversity they neither shrink away nor bend their character. Growing up as a Girl Among Geeks I needed role models that aren’t afraid to be their true selves regardless of the circumstances to help me to feel more comfortable being the same. I’m truly grateful for how they have shaped me.

So, my fellow Girls Among Geeks, who are your fictional heroes? And how have they helped to shape who you have become?

Alpha Brain is a dietary supplement from Onnit Labs. Here’s how the company describes their product:

The idea behind the Alpha Brain dietary supplement was to create the first ever fully balanced nootropic. GPC choline and Huperzia Serrata maximize acetylcholine levels while other ingredients assist in elevating dopamine and GABA levels, crucial components to remaining calm, focused, and mentally driven. Our vinpocetine assists in delivering oxygen and nutrients to the brain via increased blood flow, and the combination of neuro-specific antioxidants, led by our proprietary AC-11® helps to clear away mental fog and reduce free radical burden. The result experienced by many of our satisfied customers is an extraordinary combination of lucid dreams, mental drive, focus, memory, and mental acuity.

As someone still feeling the aftereffects of a 2-year battle with vertigo (the condition, not the Batman villain), I was very curious to try out a product that promised some mental clarity. Onnit Labs was kind enough to send me a 30-capsule bottle to take on a trial basis so I could report my results.

I should also note that I’m straight-edge, meaning that I’ve never taken alcohol, tobacco, or recreational drugs. The reason Alpha Brain looked safe to me is that it’s an all-natural supplement and the ingredients are all water-soluble, so if any side effects surfaced they would soon wash out of my body.

These are the instructions for usage according to the Alpha Brain bottle label:

Suggested Use: For enhanced mental performance take 1 capsule in the morning with food. Depending on body size and tolerance you may increase this dosage to a maximum of 3 capsules. For enhanced dream state, take 1-2 capsules 6 hours prior to sleep. Do not exceed 3 capsules in any 24 hour period unless otherwise directed by a physician.

With only a 30 capsule supply and knowing that a body can take some time to adapt to a new supplement, I opted to use the following schedule:

• 1 capsule daily with breakfast for about the first three weeks
• if no effects are noticed in that time, increase to 2 capsules daily with breakfast for 3 days
• on the last day take no capsules in the morning, but two in the evening in hopes of encouraging lucid dreams

I proceeded with the planned schedule and these are my findings:

• Week 1: no effects noticed, no negative side effects
• Week 2: a less foggy mind when waking up the following morning, no negative side effects
• Week 3: a less foggy mind when waking up the following morning (same level as Week 2), no negative side effects
• After increase to 2 capsules daily: a less foggy mind when waking up the following morning (same level as Week 2), no negative side effects
• After evening dosage: no change in sleep, no negative side effects

Conclusion: After taking Alpha Brain for the roughly 3 weeks that I did, the only benefit I received was waking up with a slightly clearer mind. I didn’t notice any lasting effects throughout the day, even after increasing to 2 capsules in the morning. Taking capsules at night lead to no change in my quality of sleep. I’ve read other reviews where people felt positive effects after increasing their dosage to 3 capsules in the morning and 2 later in the day, thus surpassing the recommended dosages. I was not willing to attempt this. I also didn’t feel it beneficial to increase my dosage to the maximum 3 capsules a day, as that would make a 30-capsule bottle last only 10 days. At a price of $34.95 for a bottle of this size, you’d have to shell out a ridiculous amount of money for the month, not to mention the year. While Alpha Brain didn’t live up to my hopes, I’m happy to report that there were never any negative side effects either, so if you’re curious to try it out for yourself you can get it at the Onnit Labs online store.

With a hook that will keep old school, pulp horror fans interested and fans of classic 80′s licenses squealing with unbridled delight, this year’s Infestation event is shaping up to be another cross dimensional, rip-roaring event of escapism starring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Danger Girl, Dungeons and Dragons, and 30 Days of Night. A quick synopsis: The CVO (Covert Vampiric Operations) is back to combat the threat of H.P. Lovecraft’s Elder Gods who have escaped their prison. After issue one, it looks like Artillica (the fusion of magic and technology made manifest) is ripping open portals to other dimensions, causing some major headaches for our favorite characters! Will they each be able to stand against the cross dimensional threat? Duane Swierczynski scripts and David Messina provides some vibrant pencil work for the “book ends” of Infestation 2. Definitely recommended for fans of any of the franchises and for good, blockbuster, escapist entertainment! Stay tuned next week for Comic Bits on Transformers: Infestation #1.

Paramount Vantage has revealed the trailer for writers/directors Jay and Mark Duplass’s Jeff, Who Lives at Home, coming to theaters on March 16. The comedy-drama stars Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Judy Greer, Susan Sarandon and Evan Ross.

On his way to the store to buy wood glue, Jeff looks for signs from the universe to determine his path. However, a series of comedic and unexpected events leads him to cross paths with his family in the strangest of locations and circumstances. Jeff just may find the meaning of his life… and if he’s lucky, pick up the wood glue as well.

Host: Rob Valois
Co-hosts: Mike Volpe, Anna Zifcak, G1

The Geek Generation – #067 – January 30, 2012 News
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Show notes:

• Got feedback??
  • E-mail it to podcast@thegeekgeneration.com
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  • Call 508-316-9787 and leave a voicemail
• Blu-ray and Video Game releases
• News:
  • DC Entertainment reveals new logo
  • Resident Evil 6 announced
  • DC announces ‘We Can Be Heroes’ to fight hunger
  • The Expendables 2 will be rated PG-13
  • Kevin Feige addresses the villains of The Avengers
  • Season 3 of The Walking Dead gets 16 episode order
  • Lily Collins drops out of Evil Dead
  • Green Arrow pilot gets the green light; first details emerge
  • Netflix abandons plans to offer video games
  • The Crow reboot resurfaces with a new writer and director
  • Beavis and Butt-head in real life
  • Street Fighter X Tekken won’t have Xbox exclusive fighters
  • Street Fighter X Tekken gets PS exclusives Mega Man and Pac-Man
  • Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition announced
  • No more Resistance from Insomniac
  • Doctor Strange movie script is complete
  • Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock reveals the game’s monsters
  • The Muppets take LittleBigPlanet 2
  • DC Comics cancels 6 titles and launches 6 new titles

Source: VG247

Insomniac CEO Ted Price made a very simple, very definitive statement during a recent interview with VG247: “We won’t be making any more Resistances.”

The developer, who also created the Spyro The Dragon and Ratchet & Clank franchises, is now focusing their concentration on their upcoming multi-platform, four-player co-op shooter Overstrike.

Even though Insomniac is out of the Resistance business, Sony owns the rights to the name and is currently developing a PS Vita game titled Resistance: Burning Skies from developer Nihilistic Software.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has announced the Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, a content-rich version of 2011’s award-winning Mortal Kombat videogame. The 2011 iteration of the legendary fighting franchise sold more than three million units worldwide.

Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition delivers the critically acclaimed game and all previously released downloadable content. The DLC includes fan-favorite warriors Skarlet, Kenshi, and Rain, as well as the infamous dream stalker Freddy Krueger. The game also offers 15 Klassic Skins and three Klassic Fatalities for Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Reptile.

The Komplete Edition of Mortal Kombat will be available for PS3 and Xbox 360 on February 28.

One of the world’s most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in “The Amazing Spider-Man.” Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

“The Amazing Spider-Man” is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

Source: Fans Share

The site Fans Share is reporting that a script for Doctor Strange has been completed by Thomas Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer (Conan The Barbarian, Sahara) and that Marvel Studios are now actively seeking a director to come in and helm the project.

The budget for Doctor Strange is not expected to be anywhere near as much as that of the bigger Marvel movies but it is still believed that, with the right script, the right director and the right cast, a good superhero movie could definitely come out of this. Production on Doctor Strange is expected to begin this year, with a release date likely to be sometime in 2013.

Originally a rumor generated by Chuck Norris, it’s now been confirmed by Sylvester Stallone that The Expendables 2 will be rated PG-13.

The rumor started when Chuck Norris gave an interview in which he said the following (translated from the original source):

“In Expendables 2, there was a lot of vulgar dialogue in the screenplay. Fot this reason, many young people wouldn’t be able to watch this. But I don’t play in movies like this. Due to that I said I won’t be a part of that if the hardcore language is not erased. Producers accepted my conditions and the movie will be classified in the category of PG-13.”

Ain’t It Cool News asked Sylvester Stallone about the rumors, to which he replied:

“The PG13 rumor is true, but before your readers pass judgement, trust me when I say this film is LARGE in every way and delivers on every level. This movie touches on many emotions which we want to share with the broadest audience possible, BUT, fear not, this Barbeque of Grand scale Ass Bashing will not leave anyone hungry.”

Two of videogaming’s most iconic characters are entering the ring and going toe to toe. Exclusive to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita versions of Street Fighter X Tekken, Capcom’s very own Mega Man will be joined by Namco’s mascot, Pac-Man.

For the first time, the version of Mega Man featured on the original Mega Man 1 box art will make the jump from the cover to be a playable character, with Pac-Man taking on all challengers as he rides atop Mokujin.

Mega Man and Pac-Man join the previously announced PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita exclusive characters, Cole from inFAMOUS plus Toro and Kuro.

Sources: Deadline, the TV addict

The Green Arrow pilot has officially received the green light from The CW. The name of the series, however, has dropped the “Green”, simply going with the title Arrow.

Sidenote: Marvel was smart enough to preserve brand recognition by making sure Captain America: The First Avenger kept Cap’s name in as many international outlets as possible and it seems to have worked. Why wouldn’t DC be smart enough to maintain the Green Arrow brand??

In addition to the green light, a casting breakdown has made its way online that includes several characters including Oliver and Dinah Lance, better known to comic fans as Black Canary.

OLIVER QUEEN
A 27 year old reformed bad boy, who after having spent five years shipwrecked on a tiny, brutally dangerous island in the South China Sea returns to town a different man. Or to be more specific, a tortured, thoughtful master of the bow with a ferocious determination to make a difference.

DINAH “LAUREL” LANCE
28 years old, smart sexy, Laurel is a legal aid attorney determined to use her life as a one-woman war against the 1% following the death of her younger sister Sara. A sister, who as luck would have it, just so happened to have died aboard Oliver’s yacht.

TOMMY MERLYN
28 years old and devil-smooth, Tommy is a trustafarian like Oliver, a spectacularly rich young man whose life revolves around parties, clubs, liquor and lots of anonymous sex. Unlike Oliver, he can’t seem to understand his former best friend’s sudden change of lifestyle and direction.

MOIRA QUEEN
48 years old, a beautiful woman, Oliver’s mother Moira is a very wealthy woman who is not used to being shaken. Having remarried during the five years that former husband Robert and Oliver were both presumed dead, Moira has had free rein over the Queen billions. Not surprisingly, she’s deeply interested in learning whether or not Robert will also return unexpectedly, to ruin her present marriage and go over the books with a fine-tooth comb.

JOHN DIGGLE
35 years old, African-American, Diggle is really, really big, a former military man who served with the Army Rangers in Afghanistan, and has been a bodyguard for hire for the last four years. Hired by Moira to be Oliver’s chauffeur and protector, Diggle soon finds he is trapped in a battle of wits, as Oliver repeatedly eludes his protection. But in fact, Diggle’s primary conflict is one of loyalty — he has to show that he’s working for Oliver, not Moira, before Oliver will give him a smidgen of trust.

THEA QUEEN
17 years old (suggest 17-22 years), Oliver’s Lolita-esque sister, Thea was a 12 year old girl when he went on his infamous yachting voyage — but now she’s a celebutante who’s testing the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Thea loved her big brother with all her heart, and is delighted to have him back in her life — but she’s spreading her wings, and is unprepared for Oliver to become the Bad Cop in the family, restricting her access to boys and drugs.

Source: Engadget

During a recent investor’s meeting, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings announced that the service has “no plans” to offer video games for rental. This was first mentioned as a possibility during the time when Netflix had an identity crisis and tried splitting the service in two… good riddance Qwikster.

Additionally, in regards to 3D movies, Blu-ray 3D discs are already being offered while the company is “looking into” streaming 3D.

Marvel’s Kevin Feige recently talked to Empire about the long-rumored villains in The Avengers movie. Feige had the following to say:

“Who said they were aliens?” he teases.

“Beings from the Nine Realms, then?” ventures Empire.

“Closer…It’s not Skrulls, I’ve been clear about that. Beyond that, we want to hide it. The identity of the alien race is not impactful. It exists in the comic books, but we’re not setting up the Kree-Skrull war or anything like that.”

He also addressed the rumor that Red Skull would be making an appearance:

“Was Skull vaporized at the end of the movie, or thrust into another realm?” asks Feige. “That remains to be seen. It would be fun to see Skull in the future, but he’s not in this one.”

Source: DC Universe: The Source

DC Entertainment, home of the world’s greatest super heroes, has unveiled an unprecedented giving campaign to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa. This multi-million-dollar commitment over the next two years will be supported across all Warner Bros. Entertainment’s and Time Warner’s businesses and feature DC Entertainment’s iconic Justice League characters, including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg, issuing the call to action, “We Can Be Heroes.”

We Can Be Heroes will support the efforts of three humanitarian aid organizations working in Africa—Save the Children, International Rescue Committee and Mercy Corps—as part of the global effort to fight the current hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa. The region is suffering its worst drought and famine in over 60 years, with 13 million in need of critical assistance and 250,000 facing starvation in Somalia alone. Each partner organization was chosen for its track record of effective and expeditious humanitarian aid efforts in Africa.

We Can Be Heroes will be supported via promotional exposure across all of Time Warner’s divisional advertising platforms (Warner Bros., Turner Broadcasting, Time Inc., HBO), generating millions of consumer impressions and creating crucially needed awareness of this crisis worldwide. Save the Children, International Rescue Committee and Mercy Corps will equally share a corporate donation of at least $2 million over the next two years comprised of cash donations, employee matching funds and consumer matching funds.

“Warner Bros. has a long history of corporate philanthropy and outreach, and this campaign proudly continues that tradition,” said Meyer. “We are a global company, and this is a global issue. By marshalling our expertise in consumer and fan engagement and creating global awareness, we hope we’re able to inspire others to join us in becoming ‘heroes’ and make a difference in the Horn of Africa.”

The Justice League characters were chosen by DC Entertainment both for their global recognition as well as their demonstration of strength in unity and numbers. The campaign’s graphic identifier features the iconic Justice League characters—Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg—outlined in silhouette against the African continent. Each of these characters is a super hero in his or her own right, but when they band together as the Justice League, they become an unstoppable force for good and right in the universe—a key message of the We Can Be Heroes campaign. While many individuals may feel powerless to effect change on their own, as part of a global campaign such as this, their efforts, combined with those of other donors, can create a world of change.

A key launch element of We Can Be Heroes is the campaign’s website, www.WeCanBeHeroes.org. Here, consumers can make donations which DC Entertainment will match 100 percent (up to $1 million in donations), purchase specially branded merchandise, with 50 percent of the purchase price going to fight the hunger crisis via We Can Be Heroes, sign up for newsletters and updates, and join the We Can Be Heroes online community. The site will also feature information on each of the partner organizations and updates on current conditions in the Horn of Africa.

“This campaign goes straight to the heart of our core competency, as Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment both have a rich legacy of telling socially relevant, compelling stories with characters embraced by global audiences,” said Robinov. “The fact that we’re able to take what we do and use it to raise awareness—and inspire action—around a cause as important as this is gratifying. With the support of the entire Studio and our Time Warner sister companies, this campaign, like the DC Comics super heroes, will make a great impact on an important issue.”

“The members of the Justice League are an international team of super heroes beloved by a broad range of fans, including men and women, young and old. This makes them the perfect ‘spokescharacters’ for this campaign,” said Nelson. “Their dedication to social justice and commitment to band together to defend the helpless brilliantly supports the ideals of the We Can Be Heroes campaign. The hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa is something we can reverse if we all work together. I’m proud and grateful we’re able to harness the power and standing of the DC Comics brand and iconic characters as well as for the support from both Warner Bros. and Time Warner that has allowed us to pursue this unprecedented initiative.”

“This is a tragic situation affecting millions and millions of people. Everyone has the ability to be a part of the solution and efforts such as We Can Be Heroes help bring us closer to that goal,” said Dr. Jill Biden, who visited refugees in Kenya in August and has worked to raise awareness of the crisis. “I commend the efforts of DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. and other organizations who are using their global reach to help raise awareness of the crisis.”

For more information on We Can Be Heroes, visit www.WeCanBeHeroes.org. For more information on the campaign’s partner organizations, visit their websites: www.savethechildren.org (Save the Children); www.rescue.org (International Rescue Committee) and www.mercycorps.org (Mercy Corps).

Source: Heat Vision

While it was recently reported that Lily Collins was given the lead in the upcoming remake Evil Dead, it’s now being reported that she’s had to drop out of the project as a result of scheduling conflicts.

Collins would have played the part of Mia, a drug addict who is heading to the cabin along with her friends in an effort to detox. This female role will replace the character of Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) in previous versions of the franchise.

With Collins out, who do you think should be cast as the female lead in Evil Dead??

Even though Bradley Cooper and director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo have left the project, the reboot of The Crow refuses to die. Relativity Media and Dimension Film’s have announced that they’ve closed a deal with F. Javier Gutiérrez to direct the film. Writer Jesse Wigutow has signed on to pen a new script.

Even with a changing of the guard, the plan remains to retell the story of Eric Draven, who returns from the grave as The Crow on a mission to avenge his wife’s murder so that his soul can finally rest.

Source: Xbox360Achievements

While the PlayStation 3 and Vita versions of Street Fighter X Tekken are set to include inFAMOUS‘s Cole MacGrath and Sony’s Japanese cat mascots Toro and Kuro, it looks as though Xbox 360 players won’t be getting any exclusive character surprises.

When asked about this, Producer Yoshinori Ono stated:

“We do have the exclusive characters for the Sony platform. We have Cole, the two Sony cats, Kuro and Toro. But basically for the Xbox 360, we were in discussions with them (Microsoft) for which character to put in as an exclusive, but we weren’t able to decide on a character because of differences in timing and things like that. So unfortunately for Street Fighter X Tekken, only the PlayStation family will be getting the exclusive characters, but it’s something we wish could have happened. It’s just too bad, basically.”

Ono did have hopes to see a couple particular Xbox characters in the game:

“In terms of characters we wish we could have put in the game, Master Chief or Marcus Fenix from Gears of War would have been really cool, but it was just really difficult.”

Source: PlayStation Blog

In addition to the trailer reveal for Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock, Simon Harris (Executive Producer for BBC Worldwide) has announced the monster line-up for the game: the Silence, Cybermen, Silurians and the Daleks. It was also revealed that two new versions of these monsters have been created as bosses in the game. Apparently, “there is a tiny sight of one of them in our new monster trailer” below…

Source: LittleBigPlanet 2

The audience whispers excitedly as the lights dim in Muppet Theatre. Indeed, tonight’s Muppet Show features quite the special guest. It’s none other than Little Big Planet’s very own Sackboy! But beware; the mysterious Phantom has plans to get in the way. With the help of new inventions – Attract-O-Gel and Attract-O-Tweak – it’ll be up to you to help the Muppet cast put on the show of a lifetime. On with the show!

The Muppets pack is filled with tons of decorations, stickers, objects, music tracks, sound effects, and voices, plus 7 new trophies, 12 new pins AND a bonus costume of Rowlf the Dog.

But that’s not all folks, that new glowing blue Attract-O-Gel material mentioned above allows Sackboy to walk on walls and ceilings, whilst the Attract-O-Tweak gadget can be used to give these sticky properties to any material.

The Muppets Premium Level Kit is available today, January 24th for $5.99 on PSN.

I remember seeing the hulking monitors at New York Comic Con showcasing Asura’s Wrath, a game I think will arguably become Capcom’s next big-time franchise. With the release a little less than a month away, the demo is available now on PS3 and Xbox 360.

Asura’s Wrath really is something quite unique from this gamer’s perspective. It is inherently episodic in nature, having an hour television show-like quality to it. The demo offered up Episodes 5 and 11 and boy was I floored at the graphics alone. Everything in this game screams big, brash, and loud with a sick amount of detail. It is epic in its scale, as much as it is unique in its gameplay, which was pretty easy to pick up and also varied.The majority of the game, from what I could tell, involves highly stylized cinematic battles akin to the boss battles in games such as God of War and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Most notably, however, is that this was a good chunk of the first demo level, yet it was interspersed with a rail shooter-like element which has protagonist Asura charging the boss and using the triangle button to take out parts of his body in order to weaken his foe and build up something called a burst gauge. This enables a powerful attack and is also  used to advance the battle, which relies heavily on the cinematic and stylistic. Eventually, the gameplay style changes and you are using an energy blast type of power to take out a large flying ship and using a melee attack to take out ground enemies. I won’t go much more into detail on the gameplay other than saying it is a varied affair and you never know what buttons you are going to have to press to interact with the bosses.

The chapter 11 boss battle was completely different in the gameplay department, with a third person battle on some kind of asteroid or planet surface. The same button pressing was required but it was more melee combat centered than running and firing energy bursts like the boss of the previous episode. The action is over-the-top, insane, and crazed.

So, we have Asura’s Wrath shaping up to be a unique entry into the stale winter video game market. It is definitely unique, melding elements of sci-fi and mythology together and I like the variation from episode to episode, especially when it comes to Asura’s arms which grow and fall off when he is damaged. The story is a bit simple with Asura trying to rescue his daughter from the enemy deities, but it’s interesting, as are the characters I have seen thus far. It definitely draws heavily on Japanese anime wildness with its over-the-top characters. My only pending gripe may be the game’s length. Since it takes place in episodes, I feel I should pose these two questions: 1) Will it end definitively? 2) How long is the game? Capcom needs to focus on length if they want to launch a successful new franchise because I was done with these two levels in about 45 minutes. I guess we’ll have to wait and see when the game is out of the gate on February 22. Until then, the demo is a recommended download.

Peter Jackson has released a brand-new production video from the set of The Hobbit, clocking in at nearly 12 minutes and filled with extensive behind-the-scenes footage.

Source: DC Universe: The Source

Recently, DC Comics announced that they are canceling 6 of the  ‘New 52′ titles launched in September 2011, to be replaced with 6 all new titles.

Canceled with issue #8 in April are Men of War, Static Shock, Mister Terrific, OMAC, Hawk and Dove, and Blackhawks.

Starting in May are their replacements:

BATMAN INCORPORATED – Writer: Grant Morrison. Artist: Chris Burnham. The acclaimed ongoing writer of Action Comics, Grant Morrison, presents a fresh take on Batman Incorporated, in which the Batman brand is franchised globally in preparation for a major international threat.

EARTH 2 – Writer: James Robinson. Artist: Nicola Scott. The greatest heroes on a parallel Earth, the Justice Society combats threats that will set them on a collision course with other worlds.

WORLDS’ FINEST – Writer: Paul Levitz. Artists: George Perez and Kevin Maguire. Stranded on our world from a parallel reality, Huntress and Power Girl struggle to find their way back to Earth 2. Perez and Maguire will be the artists on alternating story arcs.

DIAL H – Writer: China Miéville. Artist: Mateus Santoluoco. The first ongoing series from acclaimed novelist China Miéville, this is a bold new take on a cult classic concept about the psychological effects on an everyman who accidentally gains powers to become a hero.

G.I. COMBAT – Writer: J.T. Krul. Artist: Ariel Olivetti. Featuring the return of a classic DC Comics series, The War That Time Forgot, along with rotating back-up stories and creative teams – including The Unknown Soldier, with writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti and artist Dan Panosian; and The Haunted Tank, with writer John Arcudi and artist Scott Kolins.

THE RAVAGERS – Writer: Howard Mackie. Artist: Ian Churchill. Spinning off from Teen Titans and Superboy, this series finds four superpowered teens on the run and fighting against the organization that wants to turn them into supervillains.

If you thought you knew all about the Voltron legacy, think again. Writer Brandon Thomas and artist Ariel Padilla take the characters and the “lion knight” in a whole new direction that blends both past and present seamlessly. A must for fans of the 80′s cartoon and the toys of any generation, Dynamite’s Voltron is pull list worthy and will have your megathrusters going. Recommended.

Host: Rob Valois
Co-hosts: Mike Volpe, Bryan Lipsitz

The Geek Generation – #068 – Chris Gore
[See post to listen to audio]

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Show notes:

• Got feedback??
  • E-mail it to podcast@thegeekgeneration.com
  • Tweet it to @GeekGeneration on Twitter
  • Call 508-316-9787 and leave a voicemail
• Geek Outs:
  • Edge going into WWE Hall of Fame
  • Ninja Turtle pajamas
  • SBV Protein hitting stores
  • New indy wrestling season
  • Lisa Lampanelli
  • Macho Man dragons invade Skyrim
  • The Phone Stack
  • Sophia Bush on Last Week on Earth podcast
  • GLaDOS GPS voice for Garmin
• Freak Outs:
• Phones in movie theaters
• Chris Jericho’s ‘botched’ return
• Forgot to pay bills
• Going on medication
• PodCRASHed by Chris Gore

Additional links:

• Chris Gore’s website: www.chrisgore.com
• Chris Gore on Twitter
• PodCRASH on Twitter

Chris Gore joins us for a new episode this Monday, January 23rd!! He spent tons of time with us, but the highlight of the episode might be when we played F/Marry/Kill and put his co-workers Olivia Munn, Sara Jean Underwood, and Alison Haislip on the chopping block.

Here’s a little taste of what you can hear on Monday: [See post to listen to audio]