Some new Avengers posters will give you a whole new look at Marvel's premiere super-team. New companion Jenna-Louise Colman talks Doctor Who. The Mummy is getting rebooted... this time, without Brendan Fraser. Plus Supernatural makes a change, and is almost certainly getting a new season!
It's spoilers all the way down!
Top image from Total Recall.
The Avengers
Here's a bunch of cool posters featuring illustrated versions of the cast. There also some new character wallpapers below. [Coming Soon]
Star Trek 2
Co-writer Alex Kurtzman has some high praise for Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch — who we're about 99.9999% sure is playing the main villain, even if that hasn't been officially confirmed — as well as director J.J. Abrams:
"[Benedict Cumberbatch is] incredible. What he does with language is incredible. His training is amazing and he's so magnetic, he holds the screen in any size frame, he really is a joy to watch. The movie is going unbelievably well," he added. "J.J. as usual is crushing it, he's doing an amazing amazing job. I think as much as we put all of our love and effort into the first one, there's even more in this one and he is really, he's such an exacting and beautiful director. What I watch him do, it's so amazing, he inspires everybody around him and he's been so utterly true to everything that we all have honored and loved about Trek so that's kind of where we're at right now. The finish line is in sight."
He also suggests the crew is still going through some growing pains in the sequel:
Without spoiling anything, the challenge is that you don't want to jump too far ahead and assume that just because they got together they're all comfortable with each other. They're still all working out their kinks and still becoming the bridge crew that we remember from the series. That's still very much alive and look, any good sequel is about the challenge that the group faces in order to become the unified team and I think that that challenge in this movie is going to be hopefully amazing."
Avatar 2 and 3
Producer Jon Landau says the previously announced release dates of 2014 and 2015 for the two Avatar sequels aren't looking likely - it sounds like 2016 for the first sequel is the earliest realistic possibility - but they are still making some progress:
We're not really naming dates on that, but I think 2014 will be a tough date for us to make. To us it's about getting it right. Titanic was supposed to be a summer movie; it was a December movie. The first Avatar was supposed to be 2008; it was 2009. Movies make release dates; release dates don't make movies. We want to get it right. We've started already. WETA are already working and we have our core team, (animation supervisor) Richie Baneham and (digital effects supervisor) Nolan Murtha, working with us. They are working on environments, they are working on. And we're working on underwater performance-capture. Some of the movie is going to be underwater, how do we do performance capture underwater. [The underwater sequences are] going to be like the Floating Mountains in the first movie. It's not going to be all underwater; it's going to be a place we go to, leave and come back to.
Landau also promised there will be some cool underwater technology, presumably some form of kickass submersible. [Empire Online via /Film]
Catching Fire
Considering The Hunger Games is the first mega-hit of 2012, it seems likely Lionsgate will want to keep the same creative team in place for the sequel Catching Fire, and that starts with director Gary Ross. The current rumor is that Gary Ross wants a significant raise over the $3 million plus 5% of the back-end he got for The Hunger Games — which was already more than Lionsgate usually likes to pay directors. As such, Ross and Lionsgate are probably pretty far apart right now, but reportedly the odds are still good that things will indeed work out and Ross will sign on in time for the film's fall start date. There are more details at the link. [The Hollywood Reporter]
Skyfall
Greek actress Tonia Sotiropoulou has revealed that she will be appearing in the new James Bond movie. The current rumor is that she will appear in an Istanbul-set sequence at the beginning of the movie. [Coming Soon]
The Mummy
Because apparently the prospect of continuing the current reboot series with an immortal Brendan Fraser just wasn't all that appealing, Universal has reportedly decided to do a new reboot of their not particularly venerable but certainly quite old Mummy franchise. Sean Daniel, who produced all the Fraser Mummy movies, will again be producing, while Jon Spaihts, who wrote a pair of Alien prequel scripts that eventually evolved into Prometheus, will work on the screenplay. [Variety]
The Haunter
Zombieland's Abigail Breslin is reportedly set to star in Splice director Vincenzo Natali's horror movie told from the ghost's perspective. Here's a description of the premise:
A reverse ghost story, "Haunter" follows Lisa (Breslin), a teenage girl who died under sinister circumstances in 1986 along with her family. Trapped in their house together and unable to move on, Lisa must reach out from beyond the grave to help her present-day, living counterpart avoid the same fate she suffered.
[Variety]
Doctor Who
New companion Jenna-Louise Colman drops some more cryptic hints about what to expect from her character:
"I know what my introduction is. and I have a general idea of where we're going to go. There's definitely a story arc. It sounds really interesting, really exciting. I don't think anything's been done like it before, but there are lots of secrets and intrigue, and I think it's going to throw and confuse a lot of people, and surprise a lot of people..."
There should be more details once the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine is officially released. [Blogtor Who]
True Blood
HBO has set an official season five premiere date for June 10. [EW]
Here's a casting call for episode nine, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", which confirms we'll be seeing teenage versions of Alcide and Debbie Pelt:
ELIJAH] Male, Caucasian. In his 20s to 40s, a very strong, cocky, Marilyn Manson-esque vampire. 2 episodes. Guest star.
[JACKSON] Male, Caucasian. 50s. Seen in flashback to the late 1980s, he's a giant of a man, powerful and inspiring and heroic. In the present, however, he's a sad, old man who's given up on life. Recurring. Guest star. (20)
[LOCAL REPORTER] This reporter grills Andy outside the Sheriff's Station. Co-star.
[SEXY VAMPIRE] Female, 20s. This sexy female vampire is a customer at Fangtasia. Co-star.
[TEENAGE ALCIDE] Male, Caucasian, 14. Seen in flashback, he is Alcide (Joe Manganiello) as an innocent-faced 14-year-old. Co-star.
[TEENAGE DEBBIE] Female, Caucasian, 14. Seen in flashback, she is Debbie (Brit Morgan) as an innocent-faced 14-year-old. Co-star.
Once Upon a Time
Here's a short synopsis for episode twenty, "The Stranger", which airs April 29:
August takes Emma on a journey that will show her how to beat Regina and possibly attain custody of Henry; Regina tries to seduce David.
Grimm
Here's a sneak peek for this Friday's episode, "The Thing With Feathers."
Touch
Here's a promo and a sneak peek for tonight's episode, "Kite Strings."
The first season will wrap up with a two-hour season finale on Thursday, May 31, making it by far the last show to finish up the 2011-2012 TV season. It would appear episodes twelve and thirteen are actually being combined into a single 86-minute episode (plus commercials) for the finale. [The Futon Critic]
Supernatural
Here's the official description for episode twenty, "The Girl With the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo", which airs April 27 and guest stars nerd favorite Felicia Day:
Dick Roman (James Patrick Stuart) acquires Frank's hard drive that contains sensitive information about the Winchesters and gives it to an unsuspecting brilliant hacker named Charlie (guest star Day) telling her she has 48 hours to crack the firewall or she is fired. Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) are tipped off that Dick has the hard drive and race to get to Charlie before she breaks the code. Meanwhile, Bobby (Jim Beaver) tries to help the brothers, but his rage towards Dick for killing him starts to get in the way.
The season finale has reportedly changed titles from "Get Dick" - which was such an awesomely wrong title that I almost wanted this to be the final season, just so Supernatural could go out on an episode actually called "Get Dick" - to the far less ludicrous "Survival of the Fittest." I actually feel kind of sad about this. [SpoilerTV]
That said, an eighth season renewal is pretty much a certainty at this point, as a show doesn't hire a new showrunner if there won't be any more show for them to, uh, run. Jeremy Carver, one of the two showrunners on Syfy's Being Human, is replacing Sera Gamble as one of the showrunners. It's not immediately clear if fellow showrunner Robert Singer will be leaving or staying on. Carver worked on Supernatural as a writer, story editor, and co-producer during season five. He also wrote or co-wrote several episodes, including "A Very Supernatural Christmas," "The Rapture" and "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid." [TV Guide]
The Vampire Diaries
Here's the official synopsis for the twentieth episode, "Do Not Go Gentle", which will air April 26:
WHAT THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER - Alaric (Matt Davis) finds an unexpected ally to guide him on his dangerous new path, while Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Meredith (guest star Torrey Devitto) try to figure out what their next move should be. At the school's 1920s Decade Dance, Bonnie (Kat Graham) asks Jamie (guest star Robert Ri'chard) to go with her and, at Caroline's (Candice Accola) suggestion, Elena (Nina Dobrev) asks Stefan (Paul Wesley) to be her date. Caroline is pleasantly surprised when Tyler (Michael Trevino) shows up at the dance determined to sweep her off her feet, but Klaus (Joseph Morgan) does his best to come between them. The dance takes a deadly turn when Damon and Stefan realize they need the help of Matt (Zach Roerig), Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) and especially Bonnie to undo a spell that could prove devastating for everyone.
[KSiteTV]
The Secret Circle
Here are some promo photos for the next episode, "Crystal", which airs April 19 after the show gets back from its brief hiatus. You can also check out the official description below. [KSiteTV]
THE OTHER BLACKWELL CHILD IS REVEALED - To protect themselves from the witch hunters, Jake (Chris Zylka), Cassie (Britt Robertson) and Faye (Phoebe Tonkin) seek out Jake's grandfather Royce, (guest star John de Lancie) to find his family's crystal and are confronted with disturbing theories about the events of sixteen years ago. Meanwhile, Diana (Shelley Hennig) tries to balance her pursuit of the Glaser crystal with Melissa (Jessica Parker Kennedy) and Adam (Thomas Dekker) with her romantic life with Grant (guest star Tim Phillipps), who demands to know what she's hiding. At the same time, Callum (guest star Michael Graziadei) attempts to re-insert himself into Melissa's life. Charles (Gale Harold) and Jane (guest star Ashley Crow) plot their move against Blackwell (guest star Joe Lando).
Here's a description for episode twenty, "Traitor", which airs April 26:
THE CIRCLE DOES MAGIC TO FIND THE REMAINING CRYSTALS - When a crystal is magically stolen from the abandoned house, the Circle decides it was the traitor witch working with Eben (guest star Sammi Rotibi) so Jake (Chris Zylka) calls for a meeting with Isaac (guest star JR Bourne) to see if they can get him to change sides. Cassie's (Britt Robertson) loose grasp on her dark magic threatens to destroy any possible alliance when their pursuit of the traitor leads them to the "Creepiest Place on Earth." Meanwhile, Faye (Phoebe Tonkin) and Jake (Chris Zylka) work together to steal Dawn's (Natasha Henstridge) crystal, Melissa (Jessica Parker Kennedy) and Adam (Thomas Dekker) pair up and uncover a new magic trick. Meanwhile, a frustrated Diana (Shelley Hennig) reaches out to Charles (Gale Harold) for help.
[KSiteTV]
Lost Girl
Filming on the third season reportedly begins April 11. [SpoilerTV]
Additional reporting by Ben Vrignon and Charlie Jane Anders.