Zack Snyder explains why Superman and his fellow D.C. characters are special among superheroes. An Avengers 2 rumor is confirmed... maybe. Check out the latest Star Trek Into Darkness videos. Steven Moffat offers new hints about the Doctor Who finale. Spoilers from here on out!
Top image from Doctor Who.
Star Trek Into Darkness
Here are two more TV spots. [Coming Soon]
And here's a behind-the-scenes video focused on the Klingons. [MTV Movies Blog]
Man of Steel
Director Zack Snyder discusses the appeal of the D.C. Comics characters in general and Superman in particular:
They truly are purer archetypes. They're literally Biblical. If you get the DC characters right, they can be important, they can be about us. It's not just a romp. That's the fun, for me, of working on this movie. We got that it was important. We weren't apologizing for Superman, which I feel happened in the past. It's Superman, for God's sake. He's a thing to be celebrated.
And his wife and producer Deborah Snyder discusses the thinking behind Superman's costume:
What was important for Zack was that the costume did not come out of nowhere. It had to have a reason. We go to Krypton and see this world where everything had its place. If they're in space he wanted it to feel like a space suit, and he wanted it to feel like the underlayer that they would maybe put armor over. It's also a caped society, so when you go to Krypton he wanted to see variations of this costume. Finally, when Clark finds the costume and puts it on, you've established where it comes from.
The Avengers 2
A recent Entertainment Weekly cover story on Iron Man 3 mentions that they have confirmed with a source that, just as Joss Whedon recently hinted, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver will indeed join the team for The Avengers 2. For his part, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige would only say this:
“I’m not confirming or denying. The draft could change six months from now.”
Although that seems like a pretty standard denial, it's actually a good reminder that we're still at such an early stage that entire characters could indeed be added to or removed from the film, so it's still probably too early to say the pair will definitively appear in the sequel. [EW]
Black Panther
This is coming from a somewhat shaky source, so I would take this rumor with the usual grain of salt, but a new name has emerged as a contender to play T'Challa, and it's actually fairly plausible. Chadwick Boseman, who just got decent reviews for playing Jackie Robinson in 42, is reportedly a candidate for the role, and he makes more sense than a lot of other possibilities inasmuch as he's a relatively young, up-and-coming actor who has already been the star of a decently successful film. That doesn't mean anything, especially when Black Panther doesn't seem to be a priority for Marvel even as much as, say, Doctor Strange is, but Boseman at least seems like the sort of actor Marvel would choose for the role. [Latino Review]
Transformers 4
Kelsey Grammer, best known for playing Frasier Crane and Sideshow Bob and more recently known for emphatically not winning an Emmy for Boss, has reportedly joined the cast of Michael Bay's fourth Transformers movie as the primary human villain. He will reportedly play "Harold Attinger, a counter intelligence guy." This sets up the big confrontation between Mark Wahlberg and Kelsey Grammer that I never realized I wanted to see, but I now know will be the greatest scene in cinema history, even if it does happen within the context of Transformers 4. Seriously, Dirk Diggler vs. Frasier Crane should be one hell of a fight. [Deadline]
R.I.P.D.
Screenwriters Matt Manfredi and discuss how the film about two undead cops evolved from their original script to the finished cut:
Manfredi: A lot of the core scenes from our early drafts are still there. They’ve remained through every version of the script. I think where it changed a little bit from the first draft to the last draft is that it just got bigger and bigger in scope. And so, the finale was a smaller set piece in our first draft and it developed. We were in a meeting recently, and we were like, “do you remember when this ended on a farm, like Witness?” (laughs) It also evolved in terms of screenplay structure and in terms of the desire for more spectacle. Things had to build and build, and it got bigger.
Hay: But in this case it’s like the core scenes that are the soul of the movie. Interestingly, so much around it changed as we pursued different avenues, and got more interested in certain characters and others fell by the way side. But there were these anchor scenes that are all about the relationship between Nick and Roy – the characters that are played by Ryan [Reynolds] and Jeff [Bridges] – that relationship has always been the guiding light of this movie. Because, really, what we realized, is that in the trailer, you see a lot of great spectacle in there. But in the movie, it’s a lot of two guys driving around in a car together and driving each other insane. That’s what this movie is and what’s it’s always been. I think that Jeff and Ryan do incredibly well together.
There's a bunch more at the link. [Collider]
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
For what has to be the fifth or sixth time, this cursed project has crawled its way back out of the grave with a new director and potentially a new star. Yes, after losing David O. Russell, Mike White, Craig Gillepsie, Natalie Portman, and maybe even Bradley Cooper, the adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's adaptation of the Jane Austen novel is reportedly moving ahead, although the movie's directorial pedigree has now slid all the way from "The guy who made The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook" to "The guy who made Charlie St. Cloud... you know, that movie where Zac Efron has a brother and a sailboat, or something." Yes, Burr Steers — who, to his credit, also wrote and directed the rather better received Igby Goes Down — is reportedly the movie's new director, and Mirror Mirror star Lily Collins is reportedly in line to play Elizabeth Bennet. So, that all sounds great, at least until the thing inevitably collapses again in a month or two. [Variety]
Doctor Who
Here's a preview clip for this Saturday's episode, "The Crimson Horror."
Steven Moffat offers this preview of his season finale, "The Name of the Doctor":
We've only just finished shooting the actual completed ending – it's ridiculously secret – but it's quite a thing, hopefully. There's often an element of throwing in some lovely names, and then figuring it out later, but I've always had a sort of plan for the Doctor and Trenzalore. Things will be resolved. Things I've left hanging in plain sight – and sometimes not in plain sight – will be tied up...
Once Upon a Time
Here's a sneak peak at this Sunday's episode, "Second Star to the Right." There's also a synopsis included below. [TV Line and SpoilerTV]
"Second Star to the Right" - Emma, Mary Margaret and David go in search of Regina when they discover that she - along with some magic beans - have gone missing. But against Neal's protests, Emma still believes that Tamara had something to do with Regina's disappearance; and Mr. Gold contemplates telling Lacey the truth about his ability to conjure magic. Meanwhile, after Rumplestiltskin abandons his son and lets him travel alone through a portal, young Bae finds himself back in 19th century London and is taken in by the Darling family — befriending their daughter Wendy.
Arrow
Showrunner Andrew Kriesberg discusses one set of characters they hope to use, as well as what to expect from the rest of the season:
The Suicide Squad is definitely something we've discussed with DC Comics. There's no definitive plans right now to introduce Amanda Waller, but certainly we carefully chose A.R.G.U.S. and did not make Lyla Michaels work for the FBI or CIA. A.R.G.U.S. is the S.H.I.E.L.D. of the DC Universe, and it felt like a fun thing to introduce into our world. And we hope it'll play a bigger role in Season 2.
Even as Ollie lost touch with Dig in this episode, it seemed like you guys were setting the stage for Thea and Roy to join up with him. Can you talk about how much their hunt for the vigilante is going to be a focus in these episodes?
Everything that we've set up in the last couple episodes is going to play out in the final three. Everyone is sort of on a collision course. Oliver with his mother and Malcolm, and Thea and Roy closing in on Oliver. There's big, emotional stakes coming up and a lot of conflicts and relationships coming these characters' way in the last couple of episodes.
He also discusses what's ahead with the flashbacks:
The final two episodes are the culmination of the first year of Oliver's adventures on the island. When last we left them, Yao Fei had seemingly betrayed them. Oliver, Shado and Slade are now back in Fyer's grip, as it were. We'll find out what Fyers' ultimate plan is. We get a brief glimpse of who he's working for. And it's really Oliver's first step towards becoming the hero he is today.
So in terms of the flashbacks, is the plan for every season to generally explore one year of Ollie's life on the island.
Yeah, that's the current plan. We always thought that the flashbacks would run throughout the entire series, and that the very last flashback in the last episode of the series would be Oliver seeing the boat that rescued him in the pilot, so that it was one, long, continuous loop. It's really two long series going on simultaneously.
There's still plenty more at the link. [IGN]
Falling Skies
TNT has released descriptions for every episode of season three, which is sure nice of them. Here's the complete, lengthy rundown:
Season Premiere Part 1: "On Thin Ice" – Sunday, June 9, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – TV-14-LSV
Season three of Falling Skies opens seven months after the 2nd Mass arrived in Charleston. In the interim, Tom has been elected to political office, but he has his hands full as the resistance continues to battle the alien invaders. Tom's decision to have the rebel skitters fight alongside humans creates tension and raises suspicions that someone may be feeding secrets to the enemy. Meanwhile, Hal struggles with nightmares that seem so real, he has difficulty knowing if he's awake or dreaming. And Tom and Anne prepare to welcome their baby. Terry O'Quinn and Gloria Reuben guest star.
Season Premiere Part 2: "Collateral Damage" – Sunday, June 9, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – TV-14-LV
With hostilities escalating between the resistance and the alien invaders, Tom calls on a nuclear specialist (guest star Robert Sean Leonard) known as "The Rat King" to come up with a plan that will strip the aliens of their power. As suspicion continues to mount about a mole within the resistance, Tom and his leaders make a drastic decision that jeopardizes trust among the group. Anne, meanwhile, has a feeling that all is not right with her newborn. Gloria Reuben also guest stars.
"Badlands" – Sunday, June 16, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – TV-14-LV
The two-year anniversary of the alien invasion is fast approaching as the people of Charleston prepare for another potentially devastating offensive. A sniper attack by an unlikely gunman creates questions and doubts within the new government. Hal believes he knows the identity of the mole. And Anne's concern for her baby continues to grow. Gloria Reuben guest stars.
"At All Costs" – Sunday, June 23, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – TV-14-LSV
After the people of Charleston defeat another alien attack with the help of new advanced weaponry, Tom is invited to meet with a powerful leader (guest star Stephen Collins). While Hal wrestles with an invasive evil, Ben struggles with his identity and the notion of being human again. And Anne uncovers startling new information that puts everyone in jeopardy. Robert Sean Leonard guest stars.
"Search and Recover" – Sunday, June 30, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – TV-14-LV
When a mission goes terribly awry, Tom and Pope must rely on each other to survive. Meanwhile, Weaver and company search desperately for two members of the 2nd Mass who have gone missing. And Marina (guest star Gloria Reuben) takes matters into her own hands in Charleston, disregarding Tom's authority. Robert Sean Leonard guest stars.
"Be Silent And Come Out" – Sunday, July 7, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
Hal finally reveals his internal struggle to everyone, and it doesn't bode well for the Masons. Lourdes experiments with a risky new medical procedure. And Charleston's government sees a massive shift in leadership when a group breaks away on a search and rescue mission. Gloria Reuben guest stars.
"The Pickett Line" – Sunday, July 14, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
The Masons run into trouble on the road when a family of outlaws intercepts their search-and-rescue mission. Meanwhile, looming doubts over the construction of a massive alien weapon ignite a conflict of interests. And an investigation to apprehend a killer on the loose hits a road block. Gloria Reuben guest stars.
"Strange Brew" – Sunday, July 21, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
Things seem much too calm for Tom, making him suspicious of his surroundings. On his way back to Charleston, he makes a number of discoveries, some incredibly surprising and others utterly horrifying. Meanwhile, Weaver and Pope butt heads over how to handle the suspected mole. Gloria Reuben guest stars.
"Journey to Xilbalba" – Sunday, July 28, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
Tom uncovers confidential intelligence about the heart of the alien operation. Meanwhile, Charleston prepares to mount an offensive against the Espheni, but a massive explosion brings the operation to a halt. And the identity of the mole is finally uncovered, but not before more blood has been shed. Robert Sean Leonard and Gloria Reuben guest star.
Season Finale: "Brazil" – Sunday, August 4, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
When the 2nd Mass destroys a crucial Espheni base, a relentless enemy is taken down and the Mason family is reunited with those who had been lost. But the arrival of more interstellar players puts the fate of the Earth's remaining survivors in doubt. Robert Sean Leonard guest stars.
Additional reporting by Katharine Trendacosta and Charlie Jane Anders.