Zack Snyder's 'Batman Vs. Superman' Casts Jesse Eisenberg As Lex Luthor And Jeremy Irons As Alfred

As time has gone on, things have proven to us that history has a tendency to repeat itself, and just today, the many fan boys and girls of the internet have proven that exact theory. Thus far, we've seen similar reactions for just about every casting announcement for Zack Snyder's upcoming Batman Vs. Superman film. Fans went crazy when Ben Affleck was cast as our new Batman, they questioned the sanity of Snyder when he cast Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and today they have their pitchforks sharpened as we have confirmation that Jesse Eisenberg has been cast as Superman's famed arch-nemesis Lex Luthor, and Jeremy Irons has been cast as Bruce Wayne's right hand man and trust butler Alfred Pennyworth.

So I guess we'll start things off with the less controversial (Or surprising news) bit of news, which is that of Jeremy Irons (The Borgias) as Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred Pennyworth. It seems Snyder decided to give in to the general fan favorite with this pick, probably because he knew the Eisenberg/Luthor casting was gonna brew up some fan riots, but that surely doesn't distract from the brilliance of this casting decision. While we were never quite sure if Alfred would be a supporting player in Batman Vs. Superman, it's nice to see that we'll be already getting a taste of the new Batman universe in the film, as well as making the possibility of a few scenes in Gotham seem all the more likely.

Now while Jeremy Irons as Alfred seems to be going down well with the fans, Jesse Eisenberg's casting hasn't exactly garnered the same reaction. Originally people wanted Bryan Cranston to be Lex Luthor due to the fact that he does resemble Lex Luthor, has the body physique, and based upon his role in Breaking Bad, could portray not only a menacing super villain, but he also displayed the ability to be a sympathetic character. But recent rumors had suggested that other actors were being looked at for the part including Denzel Washington (Flight), Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson (Fast and Furious 6), Idris Elba (Pacific Rim), and most recently Joaquin Phoenix (Her), who rumors suggested was all but locked in to play Lex. So much for that.

Now while there's obvious concern over Eisenberg's age and overall resemblance to the character of Luthor, there's no denying that the man is talented. While audiences originally wrote him off as just another Michael Cera-esque socially awkward comedian, Eisenberg wowed critics, movie goers, and even the academy with his turn as Facebook inventor Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network. Taking into account that Lex Luthor is more of the genius mastermind rather than the actual physical threat of most of schemes, fans shouldn't be too concerned about Eisenberg's overall physicality in comparison to Cavill and Affleck. With Eisenberg as Lex, we can now expect Snyder to cast a much more physical villain that'll do Luthor's dirty work for him. I'm still putting my money on Metallo. So will Eisenberg prove to be the new and fresh Lex Luthor we've been waiting to see on the big screen? I guess only time will tell.

So how do you feel about Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons as Alfred? Are there any other actors you would've preferred to see in the roles? Let us know below!

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Garrett Hedlund Cast As Lead Role Of Hook In Joe Wright's 'Pan'; Hugh Jackman Signs On As Blackbeard

In the midst of Warner Bros. recent Batman Vs. Superman delay, in that same statement the studio revealed what movie would be taking over the vacant release date, and that would be a new Peter Pan film. 'Pan' is the supposed back story of the protagonist Peter Pan of Neverland, who we all know as the boy who refuses to age, and resides with a number of stranded children with whom he plays with Indians and battles pirates. But in Joe Wright's (Hanna) upcoming film 'Pan', we'll apparently be seeing a prequel to the original film, which will presumably explain how the rivalry between Pan and Hook began, and now we have the first bits of casting news for two of the film's key roles.

The first bit of casting news we have here might confuse some readers, but it's that of Hugh Jackman (X-Men: Days of Future Past) as Blackbeard, who rather than the infamous Captain Hook will be the primary villain of this film. Rumors had circulated that Jackman was up for a part in the film just a few weeks ago, which many believed was that of Hook, but it seems Wright has elected to take a different route with that character. As for Blackbeard, Jackman has officially confirmed he's won the part, beating out previously rumored candidate Javier Bardem (No Country For Oldmen).

Now along with the casting of Jackman, Deadline has also reported the Tron: Legacy star Garrett Hedlund will be signing on to the lead role of a younger version of Captain Hook. Apparently, Hedlund beat out stars Ezra Miller (The Perks of Being A Wallflower) and Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire) for the coveted role. With the star power of both Jackman and Hedlund, it's likely that film will definitely do well financially, but now it's more of a matter of whether Pan proves to be a worthy prequel story to the original tale. The younger version of Hook that Hedlund will be playing may possibly a member of Blackbeard's crew, being that this is a back story of the initial contact between how Peter and Hook's hatred for one another came to be.

As for a story line, there has yet to be an official casting for Peter Pan, or any of the lost boys, yet a good recommendation is to possibly look into touching upon some of the matters addressed in the Peter and the Star Catchers novels. The film doesn't necessarily have to be dark, yet it does have the liberty of expression through the imaginative side of the Peter Pan story. Director Joe Wright has previously worked a story around a young character as he did in Hanna, so we can expect him to cast a relatively unknown young talent as the boy in green himself. Personally, I think Dakota Goyo (Real Steel, Thor) would be an interesting choice who resembles the original version the character look and age wise, and sure enough, worked great opposite Jackman on screen in Real Steel.

So do you like this casting for the upcoming Pan film? Do you have anybody in particular you want to cast as Peter Pan? If so, comment below!

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Chris Pratt Confirms He'll Be Joining Bryce Dallas Howard And Ty Simpkins In Colin Trevorrow's 'Jurassic World'

It's times like this that make it truly great to be a movie blogger (Or movie blog reader). Not only is there the sheer excitement of being able to report on the developments of the upcoming sequels to classic movies such as Star Wars: Episode VII, Independence Day 2, Terminator: Genesis, and the upcoming Jurassic World, but we're also seeing the next generation of movie stars shaped right before our eyes. And Guardians of the Galaxy leading man Chris Pratt is one of those very rising talents that's going to make it big in the next couple of years, especially now that he's confirmed that he's signed on as the lead in Jurassic World.

Rumors of Pratt's first emerged after The Wrap brought word that Josh Brolin (Oldboy), who was originally tapped to play the lead role in the film, had dropped out. The site had reported that director Colin Trevorrow was considering Pratt to take over as the character originally intended for Brolin, a role which is being described as a "rugged ex-military dude". It's still unknown why Brolin dropped out of the part, but it's interesting that the studio elected to go with the ten years younger Pratt for the part, which may or may not be a romantic love interest for Bryce Dallas Howard's (The Help) character.

During a press junket for his upcoming film The Lego Movie, Pratt had the following to say about his upcoming role in Jurassic World: “For me, Jurassic Park was really kind of my Star Wars. I lined up at the theatre to see it, I saw it opening night, I saw every sequel, I’ve seen it a whole bunch of times… for me that was my big movie, I think I was 13 or 14 when it came out. And so it’s a big deal for me to be any part of that, let alone this part I’m going to be playing. I’m thrilled about it.” So if anything, it sounds as if Pratt really is a big fan of this franchise, and apparently even it's lackluster sequels.

Pratt joins the aforementioned Bryce Dallas Howard, as well as child star Ty Simpkins (Iron Man 3) as the film's only official cast members as of yet. There's been many names tossed around including that of Nick Robinson (Kings of Summer) as the brother of Simpkin's character, as well as Trevorrow's past collaborator Jake Johnson (Safety Not Guaranteed), and most recently Jason Schwartzman (Inglorious Basterds). The Wrap had also mentioned that Life of Pi and Slumdog Millionaire star Irrfan Khan had been up for a part in the movie, although there still has yet to be confirmation of this from the studio or Khan himself.

So what do you think of Chris Pratt joining Jurassic World? Would you have preferred Josh Brolin in the part? Let us know below!

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Marvel Moves Up Edgar Wright's 'Ant-Man' To Former 'Batman Vs. Superman' Release Date Of July 17, 2015

July 17th, 2015 was going to be a monumental day for DC when their two money making power houses were set to collide on the big screen in Batman Vs. Superman, yet they had a change of plans. But Warner Bros. made the surprising announcement last week that the film would be delayed, and not by a few months, but for an entire year.  As if given a sign from the heavens, Marvel has seized the opportunity in order to capitalize on their release for the summer of 2015 by moving one of their biggest gambles, Ant-Man, up a few dates to take the old Batman Vs. Superman date.

For the time being, Marvel is heading into its prime, with nobody to stop it in terms of comic book movies coming out in the upcoming year. It isn't until the year 2016, when DC is going to release the sequel to their film Man of Steel, which in total is about three years. Marvel released their Avengers film in the year 2012 and next year 2015 The Avengers: Age of Ultron is due to come out, yet why does the wait not seem as long? Because Marvel has individual films coming out within months of one another. Yet, despite how bad things seem to be, DC is planning to reign during the later years-well nobody knows exactly when-but with films such as Batman Vs. Superman, Justice League, and a newly announced independent Wonder Woman solo film, it will be interesting to see what happens in the years to come.

While movie goer and fans alike were skeptical when Ant-Man release date had first been moved from November to July, it seems Marvel really does have a lot of confidence in selling the film as a summer blockbuster, which if anything is quite reassuring. Being that Ant-Man has cast fan favorite Paul Rudd (Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues) as Scott Lang, and power house Michael Douglas (Behind the Candelabra) as former Ant-Man Hank Pym (Which has stirred up it's fair share of controversy among comic book fans), as well as the possibility of Michael Pena (End of Watch) and Clifton Collins Jr. (Pacific Rim) playing villains in the film, there seems to be a bright future ahead for the upcoming film.

From what we know so far, things seem to be playing out very similarly to the original draft of the script Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish had back in 2006, which included an older Hank Pym mentoring Scott Lang to become the new Ant-Man, and was sort of a spy thriller, a genre Marvel Studios has yet to test with any of their other characters. With the charismatic Rudd as the film's lead, and Douglas is a supporting role, many signs are pointing to this film being the studio's Iron Man, as in taking a non-a-list superhero and turning him into a character audiences will be begging to see join The Avengers line-up in the near future.

So what do you think about Marvel moving on up into the old Batman Vs. Superman date? Is it risky, groovy, or could you care less? Let us know below!

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Warner Bros. Announces Zack Snyder's 'Batman Vs. Superman' Film Will Be Delayed Until May 2016

To add insult to injury, the 2015 release date for Batman Vs. Superman (Supposed title) is being snubbed back, all the way to May 6, 2016. Previously said to be taking place during summer of 2015, up against Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron, DC's Man of Steel sequel involving a battle between the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel is now being shoved back, almost a full ten months to May 2016. In place of the film, as announced by Feldman, the Peter Pan adaption "Pan" will be coming out in summer of 2015.

Fans were initially hoping for a glimpse of the Dark Knight's new suit for the film, along with the rumored Wonder Woman armor to appear, yet with this set back fans will be forced to postpone their celebration for another two years. On a positive aspect, DC does give themselves lead way, with Marvel having heavy hitters such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Ant-Man coming out, DC now has some time to regroup and re-establish their vision of developing a Justice League film (Which is suppose to take place directly after Batman Vs. Superman).

Currently the cast has only added new comers Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as the first ever screen adaption of Wonder Woman. Due to an extended filming date, now these two individuals have time to work out a little bit more in order to compensate for the extremely demanding roles, not only physically, but mentally as well. Developing more distinct personas that can be defined as Bruce Wayne and Princess Diana will make all the more beneficial for the people.

DC also then has a good range of time to market the Batman Vs. Superman film, being that many fans will begin to choose sides on who would win the brawl between the two. But as of now many fans are some what sorrowful that the epic battle will be pushed back two years, it would be smart of WB/DC to start accumulating their Justice League cast and developing their standalone films. With rumors floating around that Snyder's planning on filming Batman Vs. Superman and the Justice League film back to back (Similar to what Peter Jackson did with the Lord of the Rings films), it's possible Snyder and Goyer needed more time to organize both scripts and casts.

So how do you feel about the decision to move the film's date from a 2015 release to a 2016 release date? Sound off below on how you feel about the change.

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Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Reveals He's Met With Warner Bros. For A Future DC Role, But Who Is He Playing?

With the announcement that Gal Gadot will be playing Zack Snyder's Wonder Woman in the upcoming Batman Vs. Superman film, and Vin Diesel confirming his role as Groot in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, it seems many stars of the Fast and Furious roles have been landing comic book movie roles. Well now you can add Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to the growing list, as the actor's now confirmed via his Twitter that he has in fact met with Warner Bros. to discuss a potential role in an upcoming DC film that will apparently be filming this year. But does this mean The Rock will be joining Batman Vs. Superman?

Now of course while it's easy to draw a correlation between Johnson's announcement and the aforementioned Man of Steel sequel that'll begin filming in just a few months, there's still a possibility that he's talking about another property entirely. It's worth noting that DC has recently announced that they'll be releasing some other films in the coming years that will be based on their less well known character and produced on lower budgets. These films will reportedly be godfathered by Man of Steel screenwriter David S. Goyer, and we've already seen DC move forward with these plans with Joseph Gordon-Levitt set to direct and star in an adaption of Sandman, and Matt Damon and Ben Affleck both adapting DC and Vertigo's Sleeper for Warner Bros.

So where does The Rock come to play in all this. Well Johnson's been attached to a film based on the DC character Lobo for quite some time now, which would've been from director Brad Payton who recently directed Johnson in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. But early last year it was reported that Johnson had left the project for unknown reasons, with the film since being put on the back burner. But it's possible that with DC's new set plan for their cinematic universe, Johnson may now be on board once again to play the iconic antihero. But with Johnson's tweet teasing that that production for the DC project he's working on will begin this year, it's possible Johnson could be making an appearance as the Lobo character in Batman Vs. Superman. While the characters inclusion doesn't seem all that likely, given the recent rumors that many other character from the DC universe will be showing up, we wouldn't count it out of the realm of possibility.

Of course if Johnson is in fact being considered for a role in Zack Snyder's team-up film, there's cavalcade of characters that he could be portraying. He could be possibly up for the same role as Game of Throne's Jason Momoa, which was rumored to be that of Superman villains Metallo, Doomsday, or Justice League member Martian Manhunter. But it's also possible (To a much larger stretch) that Johnson could be one of the many actor being considered for the film's primary antagonist; Lex Luthor. We've seen a number of different actors of varying ages and ethinicty rumored for the part including Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Denzel Washington (2 Guns), Idris Elba (Pacific Rim), and Joaquin Phoenix (Her). While it'll definitely be a concept hard to grasp for some people, Johnson could definitely make for a much more physically menacing version of the character than we've ever seen onscreen (If anything).

But surprisingly enough, the recent buzz on the rumor mill has been that Snyder's looking at Johnson to take on the role of John Stewart, the man who becomes Green Lantern after Hal Jordan. While it may be a bit hard to grasp at first, the rumor itself isn't to far fetched considered how awful the original Green Lantern film which featured Jordan (Played by Ryan Reynolds), it's not surprising that Warner Bros. isn't interested in bringing him back, and may be wanting to start on a clean slate with an entirely new Lantern. Just a few weeks ago there was buzz from the site Nuke the Fridge that Washington was being looked at for this specific role as well, but at this point that's all purely speculation. A year ago Johnson had actually dropped a hint via his Twitter that he was interested in the role of John Stewart after a fan asked him how he felt about playing the character, so could that have been an early signal that Johnson was already circling the part? It sure as hell is a possibility.

So how do you feel about Johnson joining the DC cinematic universe? What role would you prefer to see him play?

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