Casting Rumors

[Geekyfanboy]

So many casting rumors going around I thought I would start a thread of it's own..since these are not facts I didn't want to put them in the movie threads..

First rumor is about Captain America...

Is Will Smith The New "Captain America"?
By Garth FranklinMonday, September 8th 2008 11:13am

How do you sell a character as anachronistic as Captain America to a modern audience? Get the one actor so wide-appealing that he can sell anything to a global audience.

Out doing press for Spike Lee's "Miracle at St. Anna", actor Derek Luke let slip an interesting casting rumor he heard on the grapevine.

"I heard they offered Will Smith 'Captain America'...just shows you how times have changed" the young thesp told MTV News. Luke himself said he is keen on certain roles - "I would love to jump into Green Lantern. There are a lot of stories I'm into... [like] Black Panther."

Of course Smith's schedule is highly in demand this report is little more than second-hand gossip for now, but it does bring up some interesting possibilities.

[Geekyfanboy]

Next up.. more Batman III rumors

Depp & Hoffman In For Next "Batman"?
By Garth FranklinMonday, September 8th 2008 11:11am

While Chris Nolan is still on break and hasn't begun considering a third "Batman" flick, Warner Bros. Pictures execs may have already got the next film's villains and who they want to play them in mind it would seem.

Talking with MTV News, Michael Caine revealed that he not only heard the rumors of the various villain casting choices for the next film floating throughout the media, but that he brought up the topic with a Warner executive who seems to have confirmed that some of them were right.

Caine says "When Christopher [Nolan] said we were going to do 'The Dark Knight' next, I didn't what that meant in Batman terms. I said, 'What's the story?' and he said The Joker. I said, 'Oh, s–t! How are you going to top Jack [Nicholson]?' He said, 'Well, I've cast Heath Ledger. And I went 'Ha! I couldn't top Jack, but if anyone could, maybe Heath could.' And he did."

He then added "I was with [a Warner Bros.] executive and I said, 'Are we going to make another one?' They said yeah. I said, 'How the hell are we going to top Heath? And he says 'I'll tell you how you top Heath — Johnny Depp as The Riddler and Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin.' I said, 'S–t, they've done it again!."

Hoffman's name as a British or Russian arms dealer version of 'The Penguin' first floated around in 2006, right after "Batman Begins" but before the villains of "The Dark Knight" were set. Depp's link to 'The Riddler' is more recent but the most talked about of the rumors and Depp himself recently said he'd be open to considering the opportunity.

Of course all of this remains up in the air and depends upon the whim of Christopher Nolan who'll decide whether he wants to do the project and which villains and actors will be involved.

[Geekyfanboy]

Here is more Spiderman IV rumors...

Raimi & Maguire Set For Spidey 4 & 5?
By Garth FranklinFriday, September 5th 2008 6:59pm

Some seriously good, or bad depending upon your perspective, news today from Deadline Hollywood Daily which indicates that Tobey Maguire and director Sam Raimi will be returning to the "Spider-Man" franchise for a fourth and potentially fifth film.

Sources say Sony has only just locked in both veterans, though there's no deal yet for Kirsten Dunst even though the character of Mary Jane Watson is in the film.

Expect a more light-hearted approach like the first two Spideys rather than a grim "The Dark Knight" tone - "Spider-Man is its own thing... the difference between Spider-Man and Batman is that Batman is duelling with a dark side of himself, and that's not what Peter Parker's struggle is" says an inside source.

There's also re-iteration of an old Cinematical story that the studio is trying to figure out if it can feasibly shoot a fourth and fifth "Spider-Man" at the same time because doing so is cost effective.

No villain announced yet either but a source says "once you find out who the villain is, you'll know who's playing it." Shooting doesn't start until next Fall because of the recently postponed May 2011 release.

Sony is also going forward with the Broadway musical and "Venom" spin-off .

[Meds]

Will i sound terribly un-pc if i say that I'm getting a bit tired of this crap about changing characters to fit in with a "modern world" Will Smith as Captain America, please... Now i like Will, love his films, well apart from Bad Boys 2 but do we really have to change things to please the world of PC propaganda. Its bad enough Hollywood changes History (especially bloody Mel Gibson eg Barveheart and The Patriot) now we're changing comic books to suit the PC mass market. Sorry to rant but I'm a amiable fellow who is not racist, sexist or any other ist (well apart from artist) but i cant stand this changing stuff. BAH!!!

As for Batman, Hoffman is always a winner, Depp as The Riddler, hmmmm think we'd see a bit of Jack sparrow in it i fear. As for Spiderman, I'm worried they are flogging this horse a bit too much.

[Geekyfanboy]

I don't have a problem with them choosing black, white, red, yellow or a brown actor to play Captain America.. as long as they actor is good and can do the role. You have to remember all these comic books to movies are adaptations which means they are not 100% duplicated from the comic books. If Will Smith can pull it off.. then great.. but again this is just a rumor.

Plus there was nothing in that article that said they were trying to be PC.. the person just said "it was a sign of the times" and I agree as 40 years ago a black actor would have never gotten this role.. I see it as progress not being PC. But those are just my opinion as I respect your opinion as well Meds.

[X]

Also, there is the whole story that the first Captain America was black and has kids and grand kids that have since taken up the mantle. Since the whole testing on people story hasn't been explored, it might be interesting, but I really doubt they offered Will Captain America when they have yet to do anything with Black Panther.

[Meds]

Right first i know little of captain America history, all i know is him being a white blonde haired blue eyed chap so for that i apologise but my meaning is right. I have no problem with whoever plays the part and thats why i pointed out that my comment is not racists i just disagree with the wording. Modern Times, come on how patronising. Whats wrong with just saying Will Smith is a great actor lets give him the role, not saying well lets make it all modern worldy by having a black actor, thats what they are saying, they are being insulting to HIM. Maybe i'm being over the top, if so guys i apologise.

[Geekyfanboy]

Captain America Is Not Will Smith
By Josh Tyler: 2008-09-09 02:37:29
   
Captain America Is Not Will Smith Rumor debunking has become almost as big a traffic getter as coming up with actual rumors for a lot of websites. These days, as soon as someone comes up with an interesting story, the internet's hungry, bloated bloggers immediately hit their keyboards looking for ways to disprove it and get credit for it. AICN has won the Will Smith is Captain America rumor debunking lottery, and posted a story decrying the casting rumor reported by MTV earlier today.

So to recap, actor Derek Luke told MTV that he'd heard Will Smith was being offered the part of Captain America. AICN called up all their buddies at Marvel, who told them Derek Luke doesn't know what he's talking about, and that Marvel never offered him the part or even at any point considered him for it.

Now that the rumor is out there though, what are the chances that they might consider him now? It's happened before. Besides, something about it seems right. Black president, black symbol of America wartime propaganda (that's Captain America). It's hip, it's current, it's vaguely but not overtly political. Why not do it?

[Meds]

Hmmmmm now you put it like ha ha. Trouble is he's Hancock. ;)

[Darth Gaos]

I just hope Nolan et al. tread lightly around the whole "More than one villain played by big stars" bit.  That is actually what makes me nervous because it doesn't always work so well in a 2-3 hour movie....there is too much going on.  He did a great job with The Dark Knight so hopefully he can pull it off again

[Geekyfanboy]

More rumors.. this time it's about the new Sherlock Holmes movie..  I hope this is just a rumor as I'm not a big fan of Colin Farrell.

Colin Farrell The New Dr. Watson?
By Garth FranklinWednesday, September 10th 2008 11:01am

According to sources for JoBlo, Irish hunk Colin Farrell is in talks to star as Dr. Watson in Guy Ritchie's upcoming reinvention of "Sherlock Holmes".

As of right now no one is "officially" signed on to play Watson, a role that Russell Crowe was erroneously linked to the other week. Certainly Farrell seems an odd choice to play Holmes less incisive documentarian.

Robert Downey Jr. is officially set as Holmes, Mark Strong is pretty much set for a key role, and rumors of Crowe as Professor Moriarty are still out there and have yet to be officially commented on.

[Meds]

Oh for Fraks sake, no. Every new bit of news about this is filling me with dread. I'm a Holmes fanatic and although i'm very dubious about guy rich tea biscuit and dubiours about RDjnr I'm positivly annoyed at this useless sex tape acting cretin farrel as watson. No wonder Holmes was on the 7% solution.

[celestialteapot]

Colin Farrell as Watson? Oh dear... on the plus side they might intend him to be the 'lady magnet' leaving Holmes to continue to be fuzzy about his sexuality!

[Meds]

Hmmmm, we'll see. This whole thing just sounds wrong.