Tom Hiddleston Frontrunner To Land The Lead In Upcoming Timur Bekmambetov Directed 'Ben-Hur' Remake

If you were to ask any one you know what film earned the most Oscars in history, they'll probably be quick to answer with the likes of The Lord of the Rings series or Titanic. Yet, only those who are really knowledgeable of the vast history of film will recall that honor also belongs to the 1969 film Ben-Hur. The film itself starred Charlton Heston of Planet of the Apes fame in the title role, and is arguably considered on of the greatest movies of all time, yet of course that hasn't stopped Hollywood from wanting to remake it for a 2016 release. Of course the best case scenario is that we get a classic film updated for modern audiences with it's classical value intact, and this new rumors seems to be fitting the remake already on the right track.

According to Deadline, the Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) directed remake is eyeing Tom Hiddleston for it's lead role. Hiddleston is of course best known for his turn as Loki, the primary villain of the films Thor and The Avengers, which is credited for his rise in star power. Eyeing an actor with the theater credits and large fanbase like Hiddleston's makes sense given the time of star a role like Ben-Hur requires. The remake is seemingly taking the right route but not simply going with one of Hollywood's top award winning actors who wouldn't even fit the role, yet still choosing someone who is well known enough to lead a film like this for a new generation.

Biblical films are beginning to experience a resurgence in Hollywood, although it's still hard to tell whether their directors and actors are aiming for them to be award contenders or swords and sandals action flicks. Despite being directed by acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) and starring a bankable star as it's lead (Russell Crowe), last year's Noah didn't leave as much of an impression on audiences and critics (Aside from religious controversy) as it's cast and crew had hoped it would. Yet despite the problems Noah faced, this hasn't stopped Ridley Scott from finally releasing his Exodus: God and Kings this year, which will hopefully help pave the way for Ben-Hur's success. 

Of course the main concern for most fans of the original film is whether direct Timur Bekmambetov will be able to deliver a quality film despite his lackluster track record. Aronofsky and Scott were both able to attract a lot of great talent to their films thanks to their past work, which as an advantage Bekmambetov lacks in comparison. The involvement of Hiddleston would certainly help in that regard, hopefully convincing more talented actors to look past Bekmambetov's track record and focus on the opportunity to co-star with Hiddleston in such an important film.

So how do you feel about Tom Hiddleston possibly playing Ben-Hur? Will you see the film when it hits theaters on February 26, 2016?

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First Look At Gal Gadot Wearing Her Full Wonder Woman Armor In 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice'

I wish I could say I wasn't expecting to see this headline today, but I'd sure as hell be much more disappointed if I didn't see it. Following our full official looks at Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman in Zack Snyder's Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, we've all anxiously been anticipated our first look at Gal Gadot (Fast and Furious 6) suited up as the first ever big screen incarnation of Wonder Woman. And just as was expected, Warner Bros. finally let the cat out of the bag during their panel at Comic-Con, with the high quality image making it's way online mere minutes after the reveal.

Below is the official first photo shown to audience at Comic-Con of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice:

Following the backlash from fans upon the announcement that the frail framed Gadot would be portraying the famous amazonian warrior princess, Snyder and co. are certainly hoping this new image will win over skeptics (Much like the first image of Affleck's Batman did). While we've heard a few rumors hear and there about what approach the filmmakers were going to take for this design, the final product generally fits with armored ancient Greek influences we expected given Snyder's past work on 300.

The armored look that Wonder Woman is sporting in the picture certainly fits well with Snyder's style, and won't look nearly as ridiculous as some had feared it would alongside Batman and Superman. That being said, fans who were hoping we'd get a slightly less revealing costume (Similar to that used in the New 52) sadly were not given what they wanted. There's still certain details about the suit that we can't make it with just the one image, namely the actual color of the suit. Although it at least isn't in black and white like the first Batman picture, it's hard to tell whether Wonder Woman donning her classic gold, blue, and red colors because of the filter and lighting used in the photo.

Just as the first two photos of Affleck as Batman were able to do, this new image of Gadot has already began to ease many fans concerns over the actress' casting. As I stated above, Gadot's frame has been the primary problem for many fans, but given Snyder's track record with intense training regimens for his actors, it isn't too surprising that Gadot's already put on a bit of muscle (Yet still not as much as many had hoped). While seeing the Snyder and co. have gone with the costume design that most fans were hoping to get is very reassuring, winning over audiences with the character's appearance is really only half the battle. We'll really be able to judge just how well Gadot's able to take on the character once we see some footage, and of course after the release of the film itself in 2016. 

So what do you think of Zack Snyder's take on the Wonder Woman costume? Is it better or worse than you were expecting? Let us know below!

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Much Better Look At Ben Affleck's Cape And Cowl From The Upcoming 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice'

Despite all the rumored descriptions and supposed "official" photos we've seen of the costume Ben Affleck will be dawning as our new Dark Knight in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, we've really only had one legitimate look at the mysterious suit. Well thankfully we now have a much more detailed look at our new caped crusader, or at least his cape and cowl. While it still isn't the the high quality better lit color photo of the suit that we were hoping for, it does give us a much better feel of how different Affleck's Batman will look on screen in comparison to past iterations. 

Below is the new close-up of Ben Affleck as Batman, along with a display of the new cape and cowl spotted at Comic-Con: 

As I stated above, these new images admittedly aren't much in comparison to the big reveals that hopefully await us during this year's Comic-Con, but hey, at least they're something. As we already know by now, Affleck and Snyder's Batman is going for a much more different look than the most reason Nolan/Bale version. Where as the Nolan suit didn't focused more on being practical as opposed to being a loyal translation of the costume of the comics, Snyder's certainly seems to be taking it's influences from a number of variations of the character (Batman: Noel, Dark Knight Returns, Jim Lee, etc.)

Like Nolan, Snyder's obviously gone for the shorter ears on his cowl, which debunked early speculation that we'd be getting a long eared version reminiscent of the current Arkham video game series. As for the color of the cowl, this is the first time we can really confirm that it will indeed be black. Past rumors suggested the cowl could have a blueish tint to it like early versions of the comic book character, as well as the possibility that the cape and cowl could be dark grey. We still don't know for sure what the colors of the rest of the costume are, but we can only assume they'll be some shade of grey very distinctive of the masks color.

The much darker and slightly depressing mode of the picture above could be hinting us at yet another gritty interpretation of the character (As if we expected anything else from someone nick-named "The Dark Knight"). Snyder and writer David S. Goyer (Man of Steel) have already spoken about how Affleck's Batman is set to be a more veteran and beat down version of the character, so the new image fits well with that apparent theme. There's also no question that Dawn of Justice isn't shying away from a dark approach, with our first look at Superman even having a very brooding a somber tone to it. 

So are you happy with the way Ben Affleck's cape and cowl look for Batman v. Superman? Are you more confident in his casting after seeing this photo? Let us know below!

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Rumored Schedule For DC's Upcoming Films Reveals What We Should Expect From The Studio In The Next Five Years

DC and Marvel fans may never truly admit to any of their rivals strengths or their own brand's flaws, but if there's one thing that both companies' fans can agree on in unison it's that Marvel is currently killing it on the big screen. While DC gave us an acclaimed Batman trilogy and a generally will received Superman reboot, they still have yet to expand their universe and give their wide array of characters a chance with movie goers. Well now it seems those years of scratching our heads wondering what plan WB had under their sleeves may finally be worth it, as a rumored schedule for DC's upcoming films has finally been revealed, and fans will certainly like what they see.

Below is the upcoming schedule according to Nikki Finke as well as the possible Batman reboot reported by Latino-Review. Also below is what we know so far about each movie and how they'll tie to the DC cinematic universe: 

May 2016 - Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice

From what we know so far the film will of course introduce audiences to our new Ben Affleck Batman, as well as Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor as the villain, and a possible undisclosed secondary villain (Who could be played by Callan Mulvey). It'll also introduce us to our new Alfred played by Jeremy Irons, and three more future Justice League members in the forms of Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and Aquaman (Jason Momoa). Rumor has it we could also see a Flash cameo and an appearance by Batman's former sidekick Dick Grayson as Nightwing.

July 2016 - Shazam!

Has no known writer or director attached as of yet, and has yet to officially cast any of it's lead roles. Most likely will star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as either the titular hero, or his arch-nemesis Black Adam (A role that Johnson has been a fan favorite for for years). Will most likely catered to younger audiences with a little less violence and grit and more humor and a light hearted tone. Shazam! could possibly be a member of the Justice League if the film's popular, and could take a similar route the New 52 comics recently did.

Christmas 2016 - Sandman

Most likely will be DC's anti-thesis to Shazam, with a much darker tone and older target audience. Could be directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Don Jon) who's already producing the film and he'll most likely star in the lead role as well. It'll probably stand much more on it's own in comparison to the rest of DC's upcoming releases, and it's highly unlikely that he'll have any involvement with the Justice League. 

May 2017 - Justice League

It's line-up will most likely include Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Cyborg, and Aquaman, with Martian Manhunter as a wild card (Given writer David S. Goyer's recent criticism of the character). Will most likely have all the already cast member return from their appearances in Dawn of Justice (Cavill, Affleck, Gadot, Fisher, and Momoa) along with a newly cast Green Lantern (Replacing Ryan Reynolds). It's unknown whether the Flash TV show universe will be canon with this film, thus it remains to be seen whether Grant Gustin will reprise his role as the Flash. The film will almost certainly be directed by Zack Snyder, and it's villain is rumored to be Darkseid. 

July 2017 - Wonder Woman

Could take place after the events of Justice League or could serve as a prequel/origin story for Diana Prince. Will of course star Gal Gadot, and will most likely feature a predominantly female cast as her fellow warriors in the Amazons. It'll most likely feature a lot of mythological Greek lore including gods such as Zeus, Artemis, and Ares. The film will probably introduce Prince's human love interest Steve Trevor, and somehow tie him into the action. Warner Bros. likely is seeking a female director, and Zack Snyder could be involved to some capacity given his past work on 300. 

Christmas 2017 - Flash and Green Lantern team-up

As surprised as many people have been about this project, a year ago we actually had a feeling DC and Warner Bros. would take this route once Batman v. Superman was announced. This is seemingly a way for the studio to give more screen time to two of their newly rebooted characters, without having to take the risk of making another Green Lantern film following the failure of the first film. Ryan Reynolds will almost undoubtedly not be returning for this film, and it's still unknown whether Grant Gustin's Flash will be involved with the cinematic universe. While it's believed we'll be seeing the Barry Allen and Hal Jordan versions of these characters on screen, WB may be considering using their equally as popular (If not more well known thanks to the Justice League cartoon) successors Wally West and John Stewart. 

May 2018 - Man of Steel 2

Will serve as a much more direct sequel to Man of Steel rather than Dawn of Justice, and more than likely will bring the focus back to Superman rather than to any other heroes. Will probably return most of the film's supporting cast including Diane Lane's Ma Kent, Amy Adam's Lois Lane, and Laurence Fishburne's Perry White. Jesse Eisenberg will also probably return as Lex Luthor, perhaps in a less (Or more) prominent role than he'll have in Dawn of Justice. Could see the appearance of many of Superman's most popular villains including Brainiac or even Doomsday. Snyder will most likely return to direct in what could be his last project for the studio, and Supergirl may appear as David S. Goyer has hinted at in the past. 

2019 - The Batman?

This film will of course have no ties to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, and will bring back both Affleck and Irons in their respective roles. It'll likely introduce us too many newly rebooted supporting characters including Lucius Fox and Commissioner Gordon. We'll also most likely see Nightwing return if he is in fact included in Dawn of Justice, and we could see a new Robin working alongside Batman. It's heavily believed that Ben Affleck will direct the film along with starring in it, and could be involved with writing it as well. The film might use a Batman antagonist who has yet to make it onto the big screen, and it's widely believed that Warner Bros. won't use the Joker so soon into the rebooted franchise.

Now of course this is a lot to digest, as we went from knowing almost nothing more than that a Justice League would be following up Dawn of Justice, to now apparently knowing DC's entire plans for the next few years. It's worth noting that these rumors should of course be taken with a grain of salt, and if true will most likely be revealed in part at this year's Comic-Con. Now it's also worth mentioning that filmmaker Kevin Smith seemingly confirmed that these rumors were in fact true, and given his close friendship with Ben Affleck, and his inside knowledge on what's going on at Warner Bros. (He was one of the first people to see Affleck's batsuit), his input should at least help provide some credibility for the time being.

So how do you feel about DC's upcoming line-up for the next few years? Are their any films you feel don't belong on this schedule? Are their in projects your disappointed to not see included? Let us know below!

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Scott Derrickson To Helm 'Doctor Strange'; Jared Leto, Benedict Cumberbatch, & Tom Hardy Up For The Lead Role

With Marvel Studios recently having gone through hell trying to find a replacement for Edgar Wright (At World's End) as the director of their upcoming Ant-Man film, it seems the studio felt it important to reassure fans they're still perfectly capable of signing on directors to their projects. It has now been announced that the upcoming Phase 3 adaption of Doctor Strange has finally found it's director in the form of Sinister's Scott Derrickson. Not only do we now know who will be directing the film, but we also have word of who Marvel's eyeing for the lead role of Dr. Stephen Strange himself.

The first big piece of Doctor Strange related news came courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, who revealed that Scott Derrickson (Sinister) would be directing the film. Following the conclusion of Marvel's extensive search to find a replacement director for Edgar Wright on Ant-Man, its certainly nice to see Marvel land another director for one of their future projects, who will hopefully stick around. While Doctor Strange isn't a horror property, Derrickson's past work on Sinister will certainly carry over into some great supernatural elements for the plot of Doctor Strange.

Derrickson didn't exactly impress with his first action film; the remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still, but he's really made a name for himself after the critical success of Sinister, making him one of the few currently well respected horror directors on the map. With a director like Derrickson now involved with the project, it's become pretty clear that Marvel isn't shying away from a lot of the mystical elements involved in the magic based side of their universe. Marvel's competitors over at DC are too testing out one of their most popular supernatural characters with NBC's Constantine TV shoow, so Marvel's eagerness to kick this portion of their universe into gear for Phase 3 isn't too surprising.   

Of course now with a director attached, the real question on everyone's minds is who will be taking on the lead role of Stephen Strange himself. Early reports have made clear Marvel's desire to make Strange the new face of their cinematic universe once Tony Stark (And Robert Downy Jr.) decide it's time to call it a quits. This would make the role very pivotal in the casting process, and it seems Marvel's looking at some pretty big names. Although we'd heard that names such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Johnny Depp were considered in the past, the first name we've now heard thanks to BadassDigest is that of Oscar winner Jared Leto (Dallas Buyer's Club).

Although Leto has many films to his credit, he doesn't seem like that type who would be interested in a superhero role at this stage of his career. That being said, Leto is the more left field choice for Marvel, and could be a gamble that ends up paying off for the studio. The other two names Marvel's considering according to Deadline should be much more familiar to fanboys, and are that of Benedict Cumberbatch (Star Trek Into Darkness) and Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises). Cumberbatch has been a fan favorite for the role for quite some time now, where as Hardy is a welcome possibility as well. Both actors fit the mold of the character in their own way, so it'll probably be their upcoming schedules more than anything that will factor into whether they land the role or not.

So how do you feel about Derrickson directing Doctor Strange? Which of the contending actors do you feel is best fit for the part? Let us know below!

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'Game of Thrones' Star Jason Momoa Will Reportedly Join 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice' As Aquaman

After weeks of speculation and denial, fans can breathe a sigh of relief, has been confirmed by both Hitfix and The Hollywood Reporter that Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones) will be playing Aquaman in DC's upcoming Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. After Momoa consistently denied his involvement with both the role and the film, fans still remained persistent that Momoa would eventually end up with the part. With his work on Game of Thrones showing how well his persona fits the role, as well as his physique fitting the realistic element that Zack Snyder is trying to implement within the new DC film universe, Momoa seemed to be the clear choice.

Being that the original Aquaman was a blonde (Hence why actors such as Matt Damon and Lost's Josh Holloway were rumored for the part), mid range body type, sported a orange scale costume and green gloves, it may be evident that a change in costume design will be evident later on. If fans are correct, Jason Momoa will portray a more barbaric looking Aquaman that fits the description of Aquaman a lot more. Aquaman is described as a individual who boast of his adventures and great war triumphs, as well as proving his rightful ranks amongst other league members.

Hitfix; the site that first broke the news of Momoa's casting, also brought up a few new rumored character details about how Aquaman will fit into the film. Apparently through the events of Man of Steel, The world engine mechanism that General Zod implemented within the ocean in order to reshape the Earth into Krypton landed in the Indian Ocean. This will then lead to conflict between Superman and Aquaman, due to the fact that a piece of his home was destroyed, or aquatic life was effected.

His role in Batman v. Superman is unclear, yet one thing is obvious to fans, and that is the film may be trying to clutter things. With Batman (Ben Affleck) already taking a clear presence alongside Superman in this film, along with future Justice League members Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and now Aquaman, it's possible we could see even more JL heroes make an appearance somewhere in the film. Without having a objectified film aimed at showing the brawl between the two main DC power houses, then it is obvious that this film will become a simple Justice League set up.

So what do you think of Momoa being cast as Aquaman? Do you feel that the adaption that Zack Snyder is making is appropriate? Comment Below!

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'Yes Man' Director Peyton Reed To Take Over For Edgar Wright On 'Ant-Man' With Adam McKay Working On Script

For Marvel and Ant-Man fans, it's safe to say these last couple of weeks have been pretty stressful. It seemed the upcoming film was in tip-top shape, with big stars such as Michael Douglas and Paul Rudd headlining the film, and acclaimed comedy director Edgar Wright finally bringing his vision of the character to the big screen. Yet Ant-Man hit a pretty major and surprising speed bump when Wright decided to part way with Marvel, leaving the studio to resort to an extensive desperate search for a replacement. Well now, fans can thankfully stopping holding their breathe, because Ant-Man has finally landed both a director and new writer.

The news comes courtesy of Marvel themselves, who announced that after hearing several names up to replace Wright, Yes Man director Peyton Reed will be at the helm when filming commences later this year. Not only do we now know who will be directing, but the studio also revealed that Anchorman director Adam McKay (Who was previously thought to be Wright's replacement) will actually be tweaking the film's script. Reed's involvement isn't exactly too reassuring, as his resume of films (Yes Man, Bring It On, and The Break-Up) pale in comparison to Wright's. Yet, McKay involvement certainly helps make up for those concerns, as he has numerous comedy hits to his credit.

This all began with the unexpected departing of director Edgar Wright from Ant-Man, who's best known for his work on Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The Worlds End, Shaun of the Dead, and Hot Fuzz. The director's exit came as a major shocker to fans, especially considering the fact that Wright had been working on the film since 2006. Fans have yet to get a solid answer as to why Edgar Wright left the film, but the buzz around the film world suggests that Marvel wanted to add ideas in which did not fit his style of film-making, or he saw unnecessary to be implemented. While many had already been a bit concerned that Wright's 2006 script for the film wasn't going to fit in the current mold of the MCU, Marvel Studios president Kevin Fiege had assured fans that they'd make adjustments through rewrites, so perhaps this could've been the source of this script rewrite conflict.

Now of course many fans as well as fellow Marvel directors (Particularly James Gunn and Joss Whedon) have addressed their disappointment in not being able to see Wright carry out his vision, but Marvel still remained determined that the show must go in. In the last couple of weeks we've seen Marvel go through several American comedy directors to take over the reigns, with McKay (Who's now writing the film) having passed on directing the film along with fellow contenders Rawson Marshall Thurber (We're The Millers) and Nicholas Stoller (Neighbors). Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) was also in contention at a point, but has now gone on to be the frontrunner to direct Ghostbusters 3, and there was no word on how close Michael Dowse (Goon) had been to landing the gig.

With the confirmed involvement of both Reed and McKay, and considering all the directors Marvel was considering for the Ant-Man gig, it's become increasingly clear that Marvel plans on making this a comedy film. Yet it's a bit discomforting knowing that neither of the two have had as much experience in the action department as Wright had, although this certainly isn't the first time Marvel has taken a risk hiring slightly inexperienced directors. Avengers director Joss Whedon had a background primarily made up of TV show before helming the major blockbuster, where as Captain America: The Winter Soldier director Joe and Anthony Russo merely had a few episodes of Community under their belt. And who could forget Jon Favreau, who directed Iron Man (The film that started it all) following his work on the family films Elf and Zathura.

So how do you feel about Peyton Reed and Adam McKay now working on Ant-Man? Would you have have preferred if one of the other contenders got the gig? Let us know below!

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