Disney Resumes Talks To Purchase Fox; Could The 'X-Men' and 'Fantastic Four' Join The MCU?

Picture this. Its early 2014, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier has just wowed critics and audiences with how far the Marvel Cinematic Universe has come. Meanwhile, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 hits theaters and (putting it nicely) a mess Sony slapped together in order to forcefully start their own cinematic universe. Nobody would've thought just three years later, that whole planned Sony universe would be history, and instead the Spider-Man character would be making his appearance in Infinity War. Well if you thought that was hard to believe, imagine the same happening to the current Fox X-Men and Fantastic Four universes. As hard as it might be to wrap your head around the once thought to be impossible scenario, it might just happen.

Just a few weeks ago, word broke that now struggling 20th Century Fox studio was up for sell. As the past has taught us with studios such as LucasFilm and Marvel Studios, Disney is more then keen of the idea of bringing even more properties under their belt. By the time the news broke though, the two studios had apparently stopped talking after not being able to settle on a deal. This made the entire idea of Marvel reacquiring pretty much the only characters who they don't currently own the rights to seem like a dream what-if scenario.

But according to Deadline's latest report, the possibility of seeing Wolverine stand side by side with Spider-Man and Iron Man (That is if one of them doesn't die in Infinity War) is back on the table. The Wallstreet Journal have stated that the only other serious competition Disney has in buying the company is Comcast, but that talks with the latter are starting to hit up. Whoever reaches the deal will be purchasing 20th Century Fox's TV and movie studios and more, which come out to an estimated worth of $48.5 billion. Sony and Verizon were also apparently contenders, but it seems more likely the House of Mouse will be the company willing the churn up that kind of dough. The Murdochs who own the company apparently want to reach a deal by the end of the year, which my accelerate things.

Now that I've gotten all the business and logistics talk out of the way, lets get to the part that us comic book fans really care about, what does this mean for the movies. Well right now several projects are already in the works at Fox including X-Men: Dark Phoenix, New Mutants, and Deadpool 2. All these films don't exactly seem up Disney's alley but will be released by Fox regardless, but this will certainly effect any movie that Fox has planned beyond that. We can assume Disney would want to incorporate these characters into the MCU as soon as they can, and the only way to do that would be by rebooting them like they did with Spider-Man.

While this is all hypothetical right now, its interesting to speculate what would happen to all these properties in the hands of Disney, and whether its actually whats best for these characters. I think we can all agree Fox has already failed with Fantastic Four twice and is all but out of chances and ideas, so those characters would better off at Marvel. But the X-Men films despite their messy timelines have really had some great adaptions and casting choices, especially in the last few years. Rebooting would mean giving all that up, but with our reward being getting to finally see them interact with other Marvel characters (And hopefully in their actual costumes). Deadpool is probably the character most at risk, as those films have been given so much freedom and lack of censorship that I just can't see happening under the watchful eyes of the Disney heads. 

So what do you think of the possibility of Disney landing a deal with Fox? Would you like to see the X-Men and Fantastic Four in the MCU, or do you prefer them in the hands of Fox? Let us know below!

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As Promised By The Russo Brothers, Marvel Has Officially Released The 'Avengers: Infinity War' Trailer

It felt like this day would never come for Marvel fans, yeah here it is. The officially released trailer for next years Avengers: Infinity War has been released to the public. While we got a low quality leaked version of the trailer shown at Comic-Con earlier this summer, fans have been waiting for a high quality version but had no idea when they'd get to see it. Thankfully the last few days the directors Joe and Anthony Russo began to drop hints that we were going to be seeing the trailer in the coming days, and sure enough it made it debut on Good Morning America. Not only did Marvel go through with their promise, but we also got tons of new footage that wasn't even shown in Comic-Con trailer.

Below is the first official trailer for Avengers: Infinity War:

To say this trailer is every Marvel fans dream would be a massive understatement. Ten years of build-up through solo movies has led to this one huge film, and its safe to say Marvel isn't holding back. We got a lot of great shots that we saw in the trailer now in better quality, including Steve Rogers now bearded and no longer carrying the mantle of Captain America fighting alongside Bucky, Black Widow, Falcon, War Machine, Iron Man in his Hulkbuster armor, and Black Panther in Wakanda. We still have no idea how these character all end up in the same place, but its assumed this will be the first scene in the movie where they all do. There's a significance absence of Thor in this scene, which has already left movie goers concerned about his fate.

In the mean time we see Tony Stark alongside Doctor Strange, Wong, and Bruce Banner (Who is apparently found by Strange and Wong). It appears Tony may be the first to go one on one with Thanos, and judging by the fact he's getting the shit beaten out of him, I'll assume he isn't going to come out on top. Spider-Man also seems to be sharing a similar fate, as we see him basically being crushed by Thanos in his new Iron-Spider suit. Speaking of the suit, we get some great clear shots of it which confirm its the exact same one Tony offered to Peter at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming (Which he clearly has changed his mind about).

We also see Vision with his now romantic interest Scarlet Witch in a human form, which is strange but could have something to do with him losing the mind gem. Thanos is seen crushing him and ripping the gem off his head to add to his gauntlet, which many fans have speculated means Vision might be meeting his end in this movie. Its hard to tell he might actually bite the dust in this movie as we see just about everybody in distress at some point in the trailer. Now surprisingly absent from the trailer were the Guardians of the Galaxy, who only are shown at the very end meeting Thor which is a snippet of the full scene we saw in the Comic-Con version. This could mean the play a small role in the overall movie then we initially thought, but its still hard to tell. 

So what did you think of the Infinity War trailer? Did it live up to your expectations? What are your predictions for the movie? Let us know below!

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DC And David F. Sandberg Cast Former 'Chuck' Star Zachary Levi As Their Leading Man In 'Shazam!'

Unlike guys like Superman and Batman, DC's own Captain Marvel doesn't really have much of a place in most Justice League line-ups. But that hasn't stopped Warner Bros. from working on his own solo movie, and who could blame them. The idea of a kid who turns into basically his own version of Superman after yelling a single word has box office hit written all over. We've heard for years now about the idea of a Shazam movie, but never really got much movement other the occasional rumors. Now with a director in place the movie has also found its star, and it isn't who would expect. Its none other than Chuck himself; Zachary Levi.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Levi beat out several other actors for the role including Zane Holtz, Derek Theler, Billy Magnussen, and Jake McDorman. As I stated above, Levi isn't exactly the first guy that comes to mind when you an Alex Ross version of Shazam. With The Rock rumored to play Black Adam in this universe, some had even thought he might take on a duel role as both characters. Many fans also wanted to see someone who looked like they could go toe to toe with The Rock, with names like John Cena being thrown around. If there's one thing that for sure, Levi's going to have to start hitting the gym before he takes on Black Adam.

What this casting really does show is the version of the character director David F. Sandberg is going for. Levi has proven time and time again to be the likable every man, with a sense of innocence and childlike energy to him. This seems perfect for a role that will literally have him playing a teenager inside the body of a grown superhero. Its a stark departure from actors like Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck, who have obviously taken much more serious approaches to their characters. 

Now that Sandberg has his Shazam, the big question is who will play his alter ego the teenage Billy Batson. I wouldn't doubt if Warner Bros. has their eyes on some of the kids from IT and Stranger Things for this role. Recent audition tapes of also suggested the entire Shazam family may make an appearance, so we'll definitely be getting some cast additions in the coming weeks. We also still don't know if The Rock will actually be showing up in the movie as Black Adam, so hopefully we'll get some news on that soon.

So who do you think should play Billy Batson? How do you feel about Zachary Levi playing Shazam? Let us know below!

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Leonardo DiCaprio Reportedly The Favorite To Play The Joker In Upcoming Scorsese Produced Solo Film

The last few weeks have no been so kind on Warner Bros. and the DCEU, with rumors running rampant all over the web. From seeming confirmation that Ben Affleck wasn't going to be Batman in Matt Reeves' upcoming solo movie (Which has since been debunked), to the news that a Joker movie was in the works without Jared Leto, its become hard to track whats real and whats fake. Well it seems the last bit about a Joker movie may actually be true, as the studio seem to already have an actor in mind to take over in the role. None other than Leonardo DiCaprio is reportedly the top choice to play the lead in the project, which will be produced by Leo's longtime collaborator Martin Scorcese (The Wolf of Wall Street).

The rumor was reported by The Hollywood Reporter, who claim Warner Bros. are hoping Scorsese will help lower DiCaprio to the project. It sounds like it will be a solo DC based project outside of the expanded universe, amongst many others the studio has in the pipeline. With the DCEU having struggled in the past, this could be a cool way to see a different (And maybe even better) take on certain characters. The movie was thought to be a Joker origin story, but apparently will follow him as a crime boss in Gotham. Its certainly sounds like a film up both Scorsese and DiCaprio's alley, and it will be directed by Hangover director Todd Phillips.

The choice is certainly inspired, as DiCaprio has proven time and time again he is one of the greatest actors of our generation. He has finally earned himself an Oscar, and we've seen the rage and passion he has brought to roles that are required by any actor who plays a role as iconic as The Joker. The only problem comes with Jared Leto, who is portraying the current DCEU version of the character. The actor is reportedly not happy with the idea of DiCaprio simultaneously playing the role, which is very understandable.

While DiCaprio's version will be completely separate from the other DC movies (We won't see him facing Ben Affleck's Batman at any point), it may be a hard idea for audiences to get behind. For one thing, despite how passionate he was of the role, Leto's portrayal of The Joker in Suicide Squad was not well received. The actor had many of his scenes cut, and also had the misfortune of proceeding Heath Ledger's brilliant performance. DiCaprio's Joker could be a match made in heaven, and give us a worthy Clown Prince of Crime up there with Ledger and Jack Nicholson's iconic versions. 

Art by BossLogic

So what do you think of the idea of DiCaprio as The Joker? Do you think he'd be a better fit for the role then Jared Leto? Let us know below!

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Riz Ahmed Joins Tom Hardy In Sony's 'Venom' Movie; Could He Be Playing Carnage?

Ever since the character's less then stellar appearance in Spider-Man 3, Venom hasn't made his way to the big screen since. Well after several years in development hell, Sony finally seems to have gotten their act together on a solo Venom film. Just a few months ago, we learned that acclaimed actor Tom Hardy had been cast in the title role of Eddie Brock. We also found out Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) would be directing the projecting, and it will apparently have an R rating. Despite speculation about whether it will or will not take place in the MCU, we now have gotten our second bit of casting news. 

According to Variety, Riz Ahmed has joined Venom in a key role as a fan favorite Marvel character. While there's many candidates to speculate over, one clear choice is Cletus Kasady aka Carnage. We've already heard for sometime that Carnage would be the villain of the film, and would loosely adapt the famous Carnage vs. Venom comic. Ahmed is not the first person to come to mind when you think of Kasady from the comics, but seeing him face off against Hardy would certainly make for some great performances. 

Although the site suggest Ahmed is already in talks for the mystery role, apparently many other well known actors were up for the part including Matt Smith (Dr. Who), Pedro Pascal (Narcos), and Matthias Schoenaerts (Red Sparrow). All three are very accomplished actors, but really don't provide any clue as to who the character may be. Ahmed probably has the strongest chance considering his recent credit in the big screen Star Wars film Rogue One, as well as his acclaimed work as the lead in HBO's The Night Of. 

While we might not know much about the film right now, the Venom movie is certainly getting some exciting big names on board. Sony is banking of the film to start their own series of Spider-Man spinoffs, including the upcoming female led Silver and Black (Featuring characters Black Cat and Silver Sable). Its still is hard to tell whether Hardy's Venom (And possibly Ahmed's Carnage) will be featured in the MCU, but it would be exciting to see them face off against Tom Holland's Spidey. 

So what do you think of Riz Ahmed possibly playing Carnage? Is their another character you would like to see him play? Let us know below!

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'Ant-Man and The Wasp' Reveals Cast Including The Likes Of Michelle Pfeiffer And Laurence Fishburne

The leaked Avengers: Infinity War trailer might've stolen the show at Marvel's Comic-Con panel this year, but there were some other exciting announcements made about upcoming solo movies as well. One such announcement was the reveal of the cast and characters that will be joining Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly's Ant-Man and Wasp, and the upcoming sequel to the 2015 film. Ant-Man was a surprise hit despite early troubles after losing director Edgar Wright, and took some liberties from the comics by making Hank Pym a 70 year old Michael Douglas, and his daughter as the new Wasp. But now we know who else will be joining the returning core cast of the first film (T.I., Michael Pena, Douglas, and more).

Marvel announced that Michelle Pfeiffer will be portraying Hank Pym's wife Janet van Dyne, the past Wasp who was thought to be dead after she was lost in the quantum realm (A fate Scott Lang almost shared in the first movie). While both Hank and Hope believe Janet to be dead, this news basically confirms she is still somehow alive and will be making an appearance in the movie. Its unknown how important she will be to the plot, but its certainly exciting to see Pfieffer back in a comic book role (Previously Catwoman in Batman Returns) opposite Douglas.

Another big name announced was Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), who will be coming on board as Bill Foster. Foster was a colleague of Pym in the comics, who became Goliath and eventually the second Giant-Man. While its unlikely we'll see him suit up as Goliath in the film, its possible he had teamed up with Pym and Janet's Ant-Man and Wasp during their past missions. The other characters confirmed are Randall Park as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jimmy Woo and Walton Goggins as smaller villain Sonny Burch.

The new poster shown at Comic-Con featuring Lang, Van Dyne, Luis, Lang's daughter Cassie, and Pym

Lastly, we finally learned who the film's main villain will be, and that's Ghost to be played by Hannah John-Kamen (Ready Player One). The character is typically an Iron Man villain in the comics, and invents a suit that allows them to become invisible. Given Ant-Man's smaller (And less impressive) rogues gallery, the character of Ghost seems like a good fit as a villain given the fact the she also wears a tech based suit with impressive abilities.

So what do you think of the recent casting announcements for Ant-Man and The Wasp? Are you more interested in the movie now? Let us know below!

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Full 'Avengers: Infinity War' Trailer Shown At Comic-Con Leaks Online For The Rest Of Us Fans

While not all of us can make it out to San Diego for Comic-Con, we still get to hear and see some of the very exciting announcements made there every year. Unfortunately, many Marvel fans were hoping the studio would drop some sort of footage from their upcoming massive team-up film; Avengers: Infinity War. But sadly, that wasn't the case, as we were limited to descriptions and left praying someone would leak the footage. Well it seems our prayers have been answered, cause not only did a piece of the trailer leak, but now a full version has popped up online. Enjoy.

Here is the full trailer that was shown:

The footage is pretty overwhelming, and matches with the descriptions we've read. It starts on a lighter tone with Thor crashing onto the windshield of Star-Lord's ship The Milano. It then gets much darker, but some highlights include Peter Parker rocking the amazing Iron Spider suit offered to him at the end of Homecoming. Another is Bucky Barnes being unfrozen and an entire army of Wakandan soldiers lead by Black Panther ready to head into battle. We also get a glimpse of an emotional scene between Tony and Peter, and a face off between Tony and Thanos. Its a lot to take in, but watch it while you still can folks.

Two parts of the full Comic-Con poster given to fans

Spidey isn't the only character we see get a makeover in this movie, as we see a badass long haired and bearded Steve Rogers (Not as Captain America). Rumor has it he has vacated the mantle and will be taking on the identity of Nomad, like he did in the comics. Black Widow also isn't sporting her trademark red hair, and instead will have blonde locks this time around. From what we can gather, Thor somehow ends up in space after the events of Ragnarok and comes across the Guardians. In the meantime, Rogers is in Wakanda where Bucky is being kept and presumably fights alongside T'Challa's army. And Scarlet Witch and Vision are both imprisoned somewhere, but its too vague to tell where.

The last Comic-Con trailer released showing the remaining missing characters from the film

So what did you think of the footage? Did it live up to your expectations? Let us know below!

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