One major star confirms their Iron Man 3 casting, while another bows out. Leonard Nimoy plays coy about the Star Trek sequel. American Horror Story adds a seriously awesome actor, and a bunch of British acting heavyweights join Angelina Jolie's Maleficent!
Spoilers from here on out!
Top image from Prometheus.
The Avengers 2
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige lays out the groundwork all the upcoming sequels will do to set up the pretty much financially guaranteed Avengers sequel:
If we do an Avengers 2 it will be after [Iron Man 3, Thor 2, Captain America 2]. They have to grow, they have to change. What they've gone through in this movie will impact their state of mind and where they stand in their next movies. Then whatever they go through in those movies is going to affect where we meet them in the next Avengers film. But I think people will be surprised to see, as we go forward — particularly in Iron Man 3 — the notion of how singular the stories can become. Iron Man 3 is a very singular Tony Stark story. As is Thor 2. Cap, who is stuck in the modern day with no friends or family, there will be some revelations of who is still alive from his days in WWII, but SHIELD and Nick Fury are kind of his confidants right now. So of all these movies, Captain America 2 will be most closely associated with Avengers.
[C.H.U.D.]
There's also the matter of Thanos, who was introduced in the Avengers post-credits scene. The current rumor seems to be that he could be crucial to the planned Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but you've got to assume he would show up in the Avengers sequel. Kevin Feige credits Joss Whedon for coming up with the idea of including Thanos, and Whedon explains what appeals to him about the character:
He for me is the most powerful and fascinating Marvel villain. He's the great grand daddy of the badasses and he's in love with death and I just think that's so cute. For me, the greatest Avengers was THE AVENGERS annual that Jim Starlin did followed by THE THING 2 in 1 that contained the death of Adam Warlock. Those were some of the most important texts and I think underrated milestones in Marvel history and Thanos is all over that, so somebody had to be in control and had to be behind Loki's work and I was like "It's got to be Thanos." And they said "Okay" and I'm like "Oh my God!"
There's much more on the decision at the link. [/Film]
Also, this is a long, long way off, but there's a rumor that the movie's huge response in India will lead to some of the sequel being filmed in the world's second most populous country. Specifically, the rumor is that three locations would be used - Hardwar and Uttar Pradesh in North India and another location in Maharashtra. [Comic Book Movie]
Iron Man 3
Gandhi actor Ben Kingsley confirms that it is now "official" that he will be in the third Iron Man movie, and that he will turn his attentions to his undisclosed role once he's done filming Ender's Game. [Huffington Post]
In other casting news, the omnipresent Jessica Chastain — whose credits include Tree of Life, The Help, Take Shelter, and about thirty other movies made last year — has just become slightly less omnipresent, as it turns out she won't be playing a "sexy scientist" in the third Iron Man movie. She posted to her Facebook the following explanation:
Sorry to say that ‘Iron Man' 3 isn't going to work out. My schedule is jammed packed and I can't fit anything else in. The press announced my possible attachment far too soon. I know many of you wanted me to be involved, and I'm so sorry to disappoint you. Hopefully there'll be another Marvel film in my future. Shane Black and everyone on the IM3 team are really wonderful. I'm very excited to see the film when it comes out. xx
[/Film]
The Amazing Spider-Man
Person of the Interest
Here's the official description for the May 17 season finale, "Firewall", which guest stars genre favorite Amy Acker:
PSYCHOLOGIST BECOMES THE TARGET OF ONE OF HER PATIENTS, AND THE FBI CLOSES IN ON REESE ON THE FIRST SEASON FINALE OF "PERSON OF INTEREST," THURSDAY, MAY 17
Amy Acker ("Angel," "Cabin in the Woods") Guest Stars As the Psychologist and POI
"Firewall" – When a psychologist's number comes up, Reese must protect her from one of her patients while eluding capture by the FBI, who are closing in fast. Meanwhile, Finch receives an unwelcome visit from an old acquaintance, on the first season finale of PERSON OF INTEREST, Thursday, May 17 (9:00 – 10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Amy Acker ("Angel," "Cabin in the Woods") guest stars as the POI.
[KSiteTV]
Once Upon a Time
Here's a promo for the season finale, "A Land Without Magic", which airs on Mother's Day (which is this Sunday, in case you needed a friendly reminder.)
Supernatural
Here's a sneak peek for this Friday's episode, "There Will Be Blood."
American Horror Story
The great James Cromwell, whose credits include everything from Star Trek: First Contact to Babe to L.A. Confidential (and that's just 1995 to 1997), has been cast as Dr. Arden, part of the staff at this season's all new setting, a mental institution for the criminally insane. While commenting on the news, series creator Ryan Murphy revealed that there definitely won't be any links back to the first season, as "the second season is set in a completely different time period." Presumably, that means sometime in the past, although I don't think we can even remotely rule out this being a mental institution in the 22nd century or whatever else. [The Live Feed]
Continuum
Here's a promo and two sneak peeks for the Canadian time travel series starring Star Trek supporting player Rachel Nichols.
Teen Wolf
Here's a trailer for season two. MTV says five million views will unlock a preview of the first ten minutes of the new season - as of this writing, they're only 4,928,564 away!
Additional reporting by Ben Vrignon and Charlie Jane Anders.