Scruffy McGhee says: Holy shiite! This is going to break some records, my friends! How many? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

VIA IGN:

A new Japanese trailer for Marvel‘s The Avengers shows the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier and Iron Man‘s Gwyneth Paltrow reprising her role as Pepper Potts, as well as lots more aliens and superhero action! You can see it all for yourself (and in Japanese) below:

Scruffy McGhee says: Could we be seeing the developing of the Nine Realms as a potential story arc?

Clark Kent says: Before you read this if you haven’t checked out Part 1 then you can find out how the first two days of the NY Comic-Con went by clicking HERE!!!

The last day of the New York Comic-Con was bittersweet. On one hand you know most people aren’t going to give back their costumes until Halloween, so you’ll be seeing them rock Naruto characters for the next three weeks. On the other hand, it’ll be sad that the camaraderie will have to be put on hold until next year. Either way, the final few hours to Comic-Con were impressively awesome and zombie-rific.

Day Three:

If they were giving out jobs during the “How To Get a Job in Video Games,” I would have missed my chance. After having a quick breakfast with my accomplice I arrived just in time to hear about the video game journalism industry. Personally I’m not looking for a career change as much as I am a life overhaul. I’ve been a scribe since I was two-years-old and a professional one since 2004 in the music world. Since being inducted in the 99ers Club a year ago I started my own media company (Fresh Thinking), jump started my own site (DLYDJ.com), and found myself content in professionally curating the culture that I’ve been a part of since my mom got me a Nintendo Entertainment System with the Zapper.

Tracey John immediately stuck out to me. You never really see too many women spotlighted in the video game writing community. There’s Leigh Alexander, Alexandra McKweenie, MetalGearBae, and Jessica Chobot, but can you name anything they’ve written? That’s not a shot just an attempt to echo the sentiments that Ms. John let the audience know during the panel discussion. “We need more women in the industry,” she says. The rest of the guys joke that the game is still a “boy’s club” but a club without women is a horse of a different color in my book.

The knowledge was valuable and I definitely am going to pitch my skill-set to people like Ms. John. An interesting side-note — when these panels end and people rush to pass off business cards or ask for any personal advice — why don’t people ever say, “Excuse me,” or “Pardon me“…? Just a thought. The last nugget of wisdom that I took away from Ms. John and the panel was this:

“Write your ass off.”

A part of me has definitely been slacking with the amount of work that goes into this “blog” site, but I have no excuses that I can’t regain the level of productivity that I had when I was a part of Corporate America.

The last day of Comic-Con was all about seeing The Walking Dead before anyone else. I snuck into IGN Theater early when M. Night Shymalan was speaking on the anniversary of his superhero-twist-flick, Unbreakable. It’s been ten years since folks were treated to another original concept film from the mind that gave us The Sixth Sense and the filmmaker had some interesting things to say.

Although the atmosphere was just to my liking to take a nap, I fought the Sandman to hear the man who ruined Avatar: The Last Airbender talk about why he is apprehensive to make a sequel to the film starring Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson.

Talking with MTV the director mentioned how he was hurt by the reception he received for Unbreakable. “Kids would spot me, recognize me on the street, and make fun of me,” he admitted. “The cinema numbers weren’t good and while all this is going on you have some people just trashing the film.” “You felt like you were on to something but everything and everyone else said no.” The crowd didn’t give as much sympathy as one would have thought when Shymalan quipped, “The kids flat out said that ‘Unbreakable‘ sucked,” and a healthy percentage of the audience laughed.

But in the end it was all about The Walking Dead. Some people had been waiting three-to-four hours just to get a good up close seat to the action. Myself included. Imagine our surprise when IGN workers barked orders for us to give up our third row seats (the first two were reserved) for imaginary AMC executives. Some bristled against the order, others gave up their seats without a fight, and yours truly simply tried to hold on for dear life to his chair. I was later ousted once people started piling in but I quickly found a seat a few rows behind so I wasn’t too far away from the action.

Robert Kirkman and Frank Darabont, along with Gale Anne Hurd, were the first to come out. Kirkman and Darabont need their own show. With Robert’s self-deprecating humor and Frank’s sharp wit, they could be the Odd Couple to define all odd couples. Mr. Darabont absolutely had the audience bowled over in their seats when he said, “We’ll make ‘Breaking Bad’ look like p*$$!*s,” and put Standard & Practices on notice.

Contrary to a report by Empire Online (via Fangoria) — The Walking Dead did not get the okay for a second season. Fans groaned and even the cast who eventually came on stage were hoping that their Halloween premiere sets the tone to be able to make more episodes and more seasons in the future. “We’re going for M.A.S.H.’s record,” joked Robert Kirkman.

They shouldn’t have too much trouble as the show will air in 120 countries over the course of their premiere week. Will you be watching when it runs on Oct. 31st?

Clark Kent says: To answer my own question — yes I will. But will you? Share your thoughts in the comments section and check out the trailer to ‘The Walking Dead’ below:

Clark Kent says: Missed Comic-Con? Me too… But the good folks over at SuperHeroHype got us all covered. Find out what we didn’t see after the jump.

VIA SHH:

Marvel Studios also revealed the Captain America shield and the Infinity Gauntlet from Thor at the studio’s booth today at the San Diego Comic-Con! Both items that were on display are the actual ones used in the two films! Throughout the week, Marvel Studios also revealed Odin’s throne, the Destroyer and Thor, Loki and Odin’s helmets.

Below are just a few images from the San Diego Comic-Con:

Clark Kent says: I’m not yet sold on ‘Thor’ but definitely dig Cap’s shield. Are you excited about ‘The Avengers’…? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Clark Kent says: There are some perks to being your own boss — you can see what you want, when you want! It took me two times to watch ‘Iron Man 2′ to come to this conclusion. Did Robert Downey Jr. win big with Don Cheadle on his team? Find out after the jump.

GOOD: ‘Iron Man 2′ has been a project fan’s have been anticipating ever since Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. first brought Tony Starks to the silver screen. The sequel sets out to introduce the audience to more of Starks’ world. The sights are a delight to behold. From the menacing sight of Mickey Rourke as Whiplash to Don Cheadle taking over for Terrence Howard as Lt. Col. James Rhodes and donning the War Machine suit — Favreau has fun with his new toys. Cheadle brings more gravitas to the role as Rhodes — a feat that Marvel was banking on after the fallout with Howard.  Everything in ‘Iron Man 2′ looks astounding as special effects pop with John Debney’s memorable score adding on to the experience. Sam Rockwell — who plays Justin Hammer — gives Tony hassles as the biggest thorn in his side. Rockwell has the perfect balance of cockiness and incompetence that makes him the Wile E. Coyote to Stark’s Road Runner. Favreau and Justin Theroux (‘Tropic Thunder’) never spend too much time on one character or storyline for it to ever turn stale. Robert Downey Jr. again is so smug and outspoken as Tony Starks that he turns even the most serious situations into pure comedy. Intellectually cool and surrounded by the beautiful duo of Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johannson) — Iron Man and the rest of the major players fill their roles nicely and never divert your attention from everything else that’s going on in the film.

BAD: ‘Iron Man 2′ and its plot comes off as subtly shallow in many regards. Scenes featuring many of the major players find them appearing and disappearing at random — with some being lost in the shuffle. Favreau and Theroux’s story rushes from one set-piece to another and never establishes itself as one the audience particularly needs to be involved in. Sharply uneven a lack of new ideas or surprises after the first reel help to make the narrative disappear amidst the action sequences. The CGI works as a crutch in this case and ‘Iron Man 2′ suffers from not building on the dramatic foundations of the first movie. Even some of what is carried over from the first film doesn’t work either — most notably the relationship between Tony and Pepper. Originally what came off as delightful and cute in ‘Iron Man’ comes across as forced in the sequel. Their burgeoning romance loses its charm amidst all the other sub-plots that are going on in the flick.

UGLY: To put it plainly — ‘Iron Man 2′ is a worse movie than its predecessor. Visually stunning and armed to the teeth with CGI special effects meant to leave your jaw on the theater floor, returning director Jon Favreau and writer Justin Theroux spend 124 minutes of our time and don’t really do too much storytelling amidst all the sights and sounds. Sam Rockwell absolutely delights on-screen as Justin Hammer. Stepping up to the plate he is smarmy in a way that no one else can do half as well. Gwyneth Paltrow and Scarlett Johannson are left with table scraps and very few scenes, while Don Cheadle and Samuel L. Jackson are equally underused. Mickey Rourke is spectacular as supervillain Whiplash and deserves credit for trying to pull off a Russian accent. Unfortunately, Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Tony Stark comes off more cheaply with very little depth. Facing his own personal issues, none of the nuance and self-loathing is in ‘Iron Man 2′, Starks comes off as a fun drunk in an Iron Man suit. It’s as if the minds behind the movie never looked at the ‘Demon in a Bottle’ saga. While ‘Iron Man 2′ is an entertaining Summer movie — it feels more like a bridge to an action-packed third movie than a repeat of what was so special about ‘Iron Man’.

Clark Kent says: In short… See It! If only to see for yourself how good the movie was and how great it could have been. Let’s hope that Favreau and company are taking note and step it up for the third installment. Got an opinion? Share it below and enjoy the trailer!

MTV talked to Bruce Willis, who says that M. Night Shyamalan is still thinking about doing an Unbreakable 2.

Clark Kent says: He also talks about doing another ‘Die Hard’ movie. Re-runs… all these damn re-runs! More after the jump.

VIA SHH:

“I talked to [Shyamalan] over the holidays, and he is still thinking about doing the fight movie between me and Sam that we were gonna do,” Willis said. “We chose to do the origin.” He says he’s up for it as long as Samuel L. Jackson is.

Also, according to Empire, the action/adventure star also talks about doing another ‘Die Hard’. “I think we’re going to do a Die Hard 5 next year,” he told MTV, which, given the relative success of Die Hard 4.0 (or Live Free And Die Hard in the US), isn’t too much of a shock.

So far, it’s just the ruminations of one man – but when that man is the living embodiment of John McClane, it’s only fair to listen a little closer. And just what would Willis’ next step be?

“I would hire Len Wiseman right now,” he says, and he’s even got an idea for where the film needs to go to follow that sequel: “Well it’s got to go worldwide. That would be my contribution to the next movie.”

Clark Kent says: I didn’t get a big kick out of the last ‘Die Hard’ flick, but I would like to see if they can pull off an ‘Unbreakable 2′. Check out what Willis had to say below:

Samuel L. Jackson and Josh Duhamel have signed on to supernatural thriller Sympathy For The Devil, from director Boaz Yakin.

Clark Kent says: Maybe Sam can convince the devil to stop effin’ with Haiti.

VIA E:

The plot finds Duhamel and Jackson as Louisiana lawmen who are tasked with stopping the assassination of a charismatic preacher. But they soon discover that far more powerful forces are behind the crime, and that they’re facing a cosmic confrontation between Heaven and Hell.

Sounds perfect for a little Samuel L. Jackson action, even as Latino Review’s report mentions it’ll be both controversial and violent.

Clark Kent says: This means it’ll be another NSFW trailer coming soon!

Oscar-nominated actress Adriana Barraza (Babel, Drag Me to Hell) is in negotiations to join the cast of Marvel Studios’ Thor.

Clark Kent says: Ms. Barraza was stellar in both ‘Babel’ and ‘Drag Me to Hell,’ I hope the same can be said for ‘Thor’.

VIA SHH:

Barraza joins a large cast that includes Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Jaimie Alexander, Colm Feore, Samuel L. Jackson, Stellan Skarsgard, Stuart Townsend, Ray Stevenson, Tadanobu Asano, Idris Elba, Kat Dennings and Rene Russo. To be directed by Kenneth Branagh, the big screen adaptation is tentatively scheduled for a May 6, 2011 release, depending on what happens to Spider-Man 4.

At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

Clark Kent says: This is definitely shaping up to be a must-see movie… even though I’m not a big Thor fan.

Stan Lee confirmed today via his Twitter account that he will have a cameo role in Thor.

Clark Kent says: I wonder what else he can be. He’s been pretty much every profession possible in the Marvel universe. You can read his amusing tweets after the jump.

VIA SHH:

Hey, I got an email from the multu-talented director of Thor, Kenneth Branagh. Not enough space left to tell what he said– stay tuned–

Kenneth Branagh (of course I call him “Ken!”) said my cameo’s set for the upcoming Thor movie. –To him, it’s a cameo, to me– it’s a ROLE!

I went easy on Ken Branagh when we discussed my role in Thor. Told him I wouldn’t insist on my name above the title, I think he was grateful

Yeah, I mentioned Ken Banagh a few times, but I warned you I was a name driopper. Seriously tho’, with him directing, Thor’s a sure winner

Of course, my previous tweet revealed the extent of my innate modesty. I really wanted to add “With me doing a cameo, Thor’s a sure winner”

Can’t tweet anymore. Due to Thor, I must start rehearsing my thee’s and thou’s. So, if thou objecteth not, I wish thee well! ‘Nuff saideth

Auditions are starting this week for the movie, with filming to start in January. Opening in theaters on May 20, 2011, the adaptation stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Jaimie Alexander, Colm Feore, Samuel L. Jackson, Stellan Skarsgard, Stuart Townsend, Ray Stevenson, Tadanobu Asano, Idris Elba and Kat Dennings.

We saw the first teaser poster for Iron Man 2 last week, but here’s the new international teaser poster for the film – and darn it if Tony Stark isn’t looking grumpier by the minute.

Clark Kent says: The more info about this movie that comes out the more fans start to pop-up with glee!

VIA E:

Yes, by the looks of this poster things are going to get a lot tougher for one-time playboy Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr., as if you didn’t know) this time around. He’s got the government trying to co-opt his invention, a powerful competitor after his business in the form of Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer, a new enemy in Mickey Rourke’s Whiplash and a new frenemy when Don Cheadle’s Colonel James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes dons the War Machine armour for himself. Oh, and there’s Scarlett Johnasson’s Natasha Romanov in there as well, complicating everything further (we’re guessing), Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury hovering and Gwyneth Paltrow’s Pepper Potts providing romantic entanglement.

Clark Kent says: ‘Iron Man 2′ is out next May 7 in the USA, and on April 30 here in the UK. Let us know what you think of this latest poster below.

Paramount Pictures has provided SuperHeroHype with the hi-res version of the new Iron Man 2 poster as well as more photos from the anticipated May 7 release (the Scarlett Johansson/Black Widow isn’t new, but it’s the first time we have a good quality version of it).

Clark Kent says: Fangasm!

VIA SHH:

Directed by Jon Favreau, the sequel stars Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Garry Shandling, John Slattery, Kate Mara, Clark Gregg and Olivia Munn.

Clark Kent says: If you’re not excited about this then you’re dead from the neck down.