The Incredible Hulk

Superhero Film ‘Hancock’ With No Superhero Ancestry Proves Bold But Deadly Decision

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:35:37 -0700

CHICAGO – With superhero films as hot in 2008 as psychedelics were in the 1960s, the new blockbuster superhero film “Hancock” fits in with the label but without any of the ancestry.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

While 2008 superhero films such as “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “The Dark Knight,” “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” and “Punisher: War Zone” (along with “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” coming in 2009) are all based on previous stories with a previously ravenous fan base, “Hancock” with an alcoholic and listless Will Smith and Charlize Theron – who hides a surprise bombshell – literally comes from nowhereland.

Read Adam Fendelman’s full review of “Hancock” in our reviews section.

View our full, high-resolution “Hancock” image gallery.

In fact, “Hancock” is the only 2008 superhero film not derived from a previously established comic book.

The original script for “Hancock,” which was inked by Vincent Ngo in 1996 and called “Tonight, He Comes,” was shuffled through the Hollywood director’s circuit until director Peter Berg (“The Kingdom,” “Friday Night Lights,” “The Rundown”) finally ate it up in Oct. 2006. Filming began in July 2007.

Its truly original origin could have either been its golden savior or its deadly assassin. The decision ultimately proved treacherous as everything it tried to do to be different just made it the same.

Its originality actually might not seem so novel, too, once you consider the 1983 film “The Return of Captain Invincible”. In that film, Alan Arkin plays Captain Invincible and Christopher Lee plays his nemesis (Mr. Midnight). Captain Invincible is asked to return from retirement to the superhero battlefields, but this time around, he’s a raging alcoholic. Sound familiar? Uh huh.

“Hancock,” which features Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman and director Michael Mann in a small acting role, opened everywhere on July 2, 2008.

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “Hancock” review.

Charlize Theron (left) and Will Smith in “Hancock”.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Will Smith (center) “Hancock”.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “Hancock” review.

Chicago’s ‘August: Osage County’ Shines at Tony Awards; ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ Gets Green Light

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:56:01 -0700

CHICAGO – The 62nd-annual Tony Awards, which were held on Sunday night, reflect a diverse but weak year for original theatre. Revivals bested originals nine to two.

Taking home the most awards that night with seven was Bartlett Sher’s revival of the Oscar Hammerstein classic “South Pacific”. The original musical “In the Heights” and the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “August: Osage County” got three and four awards respectively.

“August: Osage County” got its start at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. Company member Rondi Reed took home the Tony for best actress in a play.

Though the Tony Awards were one night celebrating American theatre, sources point to the stagehand strike and a lack of runaway hits like “Spring Awakening” or “Jersey Boys” this year as the foundation for Broadway failing to set new box-office records as it has done the past three years. The full list of the 2008 Tony Awards follows.

Book (musical): “Passing Strange” (Stew)
Original score (music and/or lyrics): “In the Heights” (music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda)
Revival (play): “Boeing-Boeing”
Revival (musical): “South Pacific”
Actor (play): Mark Rylance, “Boeing-Boeing”
Actress (play): Deanna Dunagan, “August: Osage County”
Actor (musical): Paulo Szot, “South Pacific”
Actress (musical): Patti LuPone, “Gypsy”
Featured actor (play): Jim Norton, “The Seafarer”
Featured actress (play): Rondi Reed, “August: Osage County”
Featured actor (musical): Boyd Gaines, “Gypsy”
Featured actress (musical): Laura Benanti, “Gypsy”
Direction (play): Anna D. Shapiro, “August: Osage County”
Direction (musical): Bartlett Sher, “South Pacific”
Choreography: Andy Blankenbuehler, “In the Heights”
Orchestrations: Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman, “In the Heights”
Scenic design (play): Todd Rosenthal, “August: Osage County”
Scenic design (musical): Michael Yeargen, “South Pacific”
Costume design (play): Katrina Lindsay, “Les Liaisons Dangereuses”
Costume design (musical): Catherine Zuber, “South Pacific”
Lighting design (play): Kevin Adams, “The 39 Steps”
Lighting design (musical): Donald Holder, “South Pacific”
Sound design (play): Mic Pool, “The 39 Steps”
Sound design (musical): Scott Lehrer, “South Pacific”

Previously Announced:
Regional Theater Tony Award: Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Special Tony Award: Robert Russell Bennett
Lifetime Achievement Award: Stephen Sondheim

In other news, the graphic novel “Cowboys & Aliens” is coming to the big screen. Robert Downey Jr. is currently in talks for the starring role as a former Union Army gunslinger named Zeke Jackson. Even though the comic book has only been out a few years, the film has been in development for the last decade.

The comic cover for “Cowboys & Aliens”.
Image credit: Platinum Studios Comics

The latest draft of the screenplay was written by Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus (“Iron Man,” “Children of Men”). DreamWorks and Universal are currently seeking a 2010 release for the film. The story conceived by Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley follows the adventures of Old West settlers, Native Americans and – of course – aliens from space.

Finally, the big green brought the green into the movie theaters this weekend. “The Incredible Hulk” took the No. 1 spot at the box office with Jack Black’s “Kung Fu Panda” coming in second. M. Night Shamalyan’s “The Happening” performed better than expected.

Weekend Box-Office Estimates:
1) “The Incredible Hulk”: $54.5 million (gross), $54.5 million (cume)
2) “Kung Fu Panda”: $34.3 million (gross), $118.0 million (cume)
3) “The Happening”: $30.5 million (cume), $30.5 million (cume)
4) “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan”: $16.4 million (gross), $68.8 million (cume)
5) “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”: $13.5 million (gross), $275.3 million (cume)

By DUSTIN LEVELL
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
dustin@hollywoodchicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com Podcast, Episode 1: Summer Blockbusters

HollywoodChicago.com — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:37:53 -0700

CHICAGO – In the inaugural HollywoodChicago.com podcast, our staffers debate 2008’s summer blockbuster films. Staffers Adam Fendelman, Dustin Levell, Patrick McDonald and Lauren Fendelman all chime in and cast their predictions on this 24-minute podcast.

Our discussion covers the full gamut of summer blockbuster films including “The Dark Knight,” “Wanted,” “WALL-E,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Get Smart,” “The Happening,” “Hancock,” “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” “Iron Man,” “The X-Files: I Want to Believe,” “The Rocker,” “Step Brothers,” “Pineapple Express,” “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Tropic Thunder”.

Listen to the episode-one podcast immediately in streaming mode.
Download the full HollywoodChicago.com episode-one podcast now.
Subscribe to the free HollywoodChicago.com podcast RSS feed.
Subscribe to the HollywoodChicago.com podcast in iTunes.

Clockwise from left to right: HollywoodChicago.com staffers Adam Fendelman, Lauren Fendelman, Patrick McDonald and Dustin Levell discuss 2008’s summer blockbuster films in episode one of the HollywoodChicago.com podcast.
Image credit: HollywoodChicago.com

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

‘The Incredible Hulk’ Jacked Up on CGI Roids, But Medusa’s in His Face

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:01:00 -0700

CHICAGO – Technology has done double-edged service and disservice to the legendary Hulk superhero character from Stan Lee’s Marvel Comics.

In peering at the CGI-created ripped body of nothing remotely reminiscent of Edward Norton, the 2008 film iteration of “The Incredible Hulk” has a leg light years up on Lou Ferrigno’s character in the 1978 television series of the “The Incredible Hulk”.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Then, Ferrigno only had the luxury of makeup. The rest was the real deal. On the other hand, Ferrigno – who treats 2008 audiences in a gasping reveal when he appears in a brief cameo in the new Louis Leterrier-directed feature film – is still the soul, spirit and most critically the face of the green-skinned behemoth.

Read Adam Fendelman’s full review of “The Incredible Hulk” in our reviews section.

View our huge, high-resolution “The Incredible Hulk” image gallery.

Aside from Ferrigno’s brief face time, he also lurks notably in the background as Norton’s voice when he gets royally pissed and transforms into the Hulk. When Norton fumes past his human limit, honing in on the Hulk character’s technologically enhanced face is awkwardly unrealistic and utterly painful.

It’s like gazing into the eyes of the sea nymph Medusa whose monstrous face could threateningly turn onlookers to stone.

While Hollywood’s big-budget technology department both strikes out and smashes a homerun with its revamped and roided-up Hulk character, Tim Roth’s altered ego gets the just-right royal treatment.

When Roth becomes the Abomination to rival the Hulk, the abominable baddie is so disgustingly repulsive and out of such reality whack that his CGI renovation plays perfectly.

The unbridled force of rage known as The Hulk on the streets of New York in an all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular superheroes of all time in “The Incredible Hulk”.
Photo credit: Rhythm & Hues

A monstrous new adversary known as The Abomination faces off with The Hulk in an all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular superheroes of all time in “The Incredible Hulk”.
Photo credit: Rhythm & Hues

Read Adam Fendelman’s full “The Incredible Hulk” review.

In the Forums: ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ ‘The Dark Knight,’ ‘10,000 B.C.,’ ‘Drag Me to Hell,’ Pixar’s ‘Up’

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:23:15 -0700

CHICAGO – While our discussion forums are an unfettered venting ground for all of our readers, we also originate a wide array of must-read news there from other trusted, high-quality entertainment publications.

For those of you who don’t frequent our forums and for those of you who typically read us via RSS or our daily mailing, the purpose of this In the Forums package is to bring the news we’re publishing in our forums front and center into our news section, RSS feed and daily mailing.

As you can see from our first In the Forums below, the package consists of a compilation of links to the most interesting and important local and national news items originating from our forums.

A preview of “The Incredible Hulk” trailer is now online.
Watch it now here!

The New York Times has visited the set of “The Dark Knight” and has released new production stills.
See them now here!

Despite atrocious reviews from critics everywhere, “10,000 B.C.” has brought in $35.7 million in first weekend.
Read more here!

Justin Long will now star in Sam Raimi’s “Drag Me to Hell”.
Read more here!

Filming on Terry Gilliam’s “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” is back under way in Vancouver.
Read more here!

Disney says Pixar’s 2009 film “Up” will be released in digital Disney 3D.
Read more here!

The Neo-Futurists conclude their last Chicago theater series with “Picked Up,” which is a series of six never-before-seen television pilots performed live on stage.
Read more here!

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Universal Releases Two New High-Resolution Production Stills For ‘The Incredible Hulk’

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 08:09:55 -0700

Universal Pictures on Thursday released two new high-resolution production stills for “The Incredible Hulk” as part of its 2008 preview.

The film, which is slated to open on June 13, 2008, stars Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth and William Hurt. The new photos are below. You can click on them for high-resolution versions.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

“The Incredible Hulk” kicks off an all-new, explosive and action-packed epic of one of the most popular superheroes of all time.

In this new beginning, scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) desperately hunts for a cure to the gamma radiation that poisoned his cells and unleashes the unbridled force of rage within him: The Hulk.

Living in the shadows – cut off from a life he knew and the woman he loves (Liv Tyler) – he struggles to avoid the obsessive pursuit of his nemesis (William Hurt) and the military machinery that seeks to capture him and brutally exploit his power.

As all three grapple with the secrets that led to The Hulk’s creation, they are confronted with a monstrous new adversary known as The Abomination (Tim Roth) whose destructive strength exceeds even The Hulk’s own.

One scientist must make an agonizing final choice: accept a peaceful life as Bruce Banner or find heroism in the creature he holds inside.

News You Need: State of ‘Play,’ Carnahan’s Updates, Embry Gets ‘Eagle Eye,’ Ambrose With ‘Wild Things,’ ‘Hulk’ Photos

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:48:46 -0700

State of Pay or Play: According to Variety, Russell Crowe is in talks to take over for Brad Pitt in “State of Play,” which is an adaptation of the 2003 BBC mini-series.

Brad Pitt.
Photo credit: WireImage.com
The film was written by Matthew Michael Carnahan (“The Kingdom”) and directed by Kevin Macdonald (“The Last King of Scotland”). It was undergoing a rewrite by Tony Gilroy (“Michael Clayton”) and Peter Morgan (“The Queen”) before the WGA strike.

While Pitt has been notorious for dropping out of pictures at the last moment, his publicists claim he wanted to postpone shooting until after the strike.

Crowe – who is currently shooting Ridley Scott’s al-Qaeda/CIA-themed “Body of Lies” with Leonardo DiCaprio – is also prepping “Notingham” with Scott.

If Crowe turns down the role, Universal will likely go after Tom Hanks and Johnny Depp. Their strike movies (Ron Howard’s “The Da Vinci Code” prequel “Angels & Demons” and Mira Nair’s “Shantaram,” respectively) were also postponed.

“State of Play” already had the cast of Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman (reportedly playing a Mohawked “bisexual fetish club promoter”), Rachel McAdams and Robin Wright Penn lined up.

Nikki Finke off-handedly reported that Variety held off the story of Pitt’s exit for 10 days “at the request of Universal Pictures”.

‘White Jazz,’ ‘Killing Pablo’: Carnahan’s brother – director Joe Carnahan (“Narc,” “Smokin’ Aces”) – recently made two posts on his blog about the in-flux productions “White Jazz” and “Killing Pablo”.

“White Jazz” was adapted by both brothers from the James Ellroy “L.A. Quartet” novel.

The first post was simply a picture of Marvel’s Juggernaut, which was played in “X-Men: The Last Stand” by Vinnie Jones. He made a vague and playful inference that Jones was up for a role in either “White Jazz” or “Killing Pablo”.

Vinnie Jones.
Photo credit: IMDb
Jones – who was central in Guy Ritchie’s first two films – actually wasn’t in “Smokin’ Aces” (though it’s easy to mistake that film of Carnahan’s for one of Ritchie’s).

The second post pointed out that Christian Bale – who AICN has rumored to be playing John Conner in McG’s fourth “Terminator” – is still in “Killing Pablo”.

Christian Bale.
Photo credit: WireImage.com
Carnahan’s blog has been consistently entertaining and honest since George Clooney exited out of “White Jazz,” which then was set for a Jan. 2008 shoot date.

Carnahan even leaked the shooting scripts to “White Jazz” and “Killing Pablo” before being told hours later to take them down.

New ‘Eagle Eye’ FBI Agent: “Eagle Eye,” which has been shooting in Chicago, just added Ethan Embry (“Freakylinks,” “Brotherhood”) to its cast to play Rosario Dawson’s FBI partner.

Ethan Embry.
Photo credit: IMDb
In Other ‘Can’t Hardly Wait’ Alumni News: Lauren Ambrose will replace the voice of Michelle Williams in Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are”.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the filmmakers got along with Williams but felt her voice “didn’t match their original vision”.

Lauren Ambrose.
Photo credit: Theo Wargo, WireImage.com
The film co-stars Catherine Keener along with the voices of James Gandolfini, Forrest Whitaker, Tom Noonan, Paul Dano and Catherine O’Hara.

Written by Jonze, Michael Goldenberg and Dave Eggers (who is writing an adult novel adaptation), the film is to combine live action, computer animation and puppetry.

“Where the Wild Things Are” finished shooting in Dec. 2006 and is set for a fall 2008 release.

“Where the Wild Things Are”.
Photo credit: MTV
Ambrose is also set up to co-star with Parker Posey in Fox’s mid-season sitcom “The Return of Jezebel James” from “Gilmore Girls” creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.

The network did, however, reduce its show order (thus giving it this Fox seal of quality: probable fait accompli cancellation).

Hulk Smash: ComingSoon.net has posted new photos and video of “The Incredible Hulk” along with a first look at the smartly cast William Hurt as General Ross.

Zey Don’t Belong Here, Mozambique: MovieWeb has a spoiler-full and potentially obnoxious rumor about potential cameos in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” by “old friends”.

Hint: They know sign language, and no, it isn’t the digitally generated ghost of Francois Truffaut.

By Shane Hazen
Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com

Major Plot Spoilers Surface For ‘The Incredible Hulk’

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:15:21 -0700

Major plot spoilers surfaced on Tuesday to “The Incredible Hulk,” which stars Edward Norton and Liv Tyler.

This information comes from a Latino Review scooper who also revealed George Miller as the director of “Justice League of America” and Heath Ledger’s role as the Joker in “The Dark Knight”.

Latino Review says the scooper has read the first draft of the film. Warning: spoilers are ahead.

Be spoiled.
3:32 p.m. update: IESB.net has also published a new spoiler-heavy report on this film.