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Ah, young love-- there's nothing like it. Especially when one of the lovers is actually a 100 year old superhero and the other is the great-niece of that centenarian's former flame.

Can you imagine replacing Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. with lego characters? Entertainment Weekly reports that one YouTube creative, known as JimA73, decided to shoot a lego-themed version of the Captain America: Civil War movie trailer. The video embedded above features the fan-made piece.

The actual film adaptation will hit theaters on May 06, 2016. The Wall Street Journal reports that when the original trailer first made its debut, the video drew more than 61 million views in 24 hours. Click on these links to watch the first trailer and an international trailer. (via Comic Book Resources)

Marvel has announced that ABC will shoot a one-hour special called “Marvel’s Captain America: 75 Heroic Years.” Joe Simon and Jack Kirby introduced Steve Rogers and his superhero alter ego to the world back in 1941; the show will feature a look back at how the character has evolved.

Some of the Hollywood names who have agreed to take part include Marvel legend Stan Lee, actor Chris Evans, actress Hayley Atwell, and the family members of both Simon and Kirby. The air date has been scheduled for Jan. 19, 2016.

Here’s more from the press release: “Captain America has been the moral compass that has inspired generations to do better and believe in more than themselves. Whether it be leading the Avengers or fighting for his beliefs, even when it meant taking sides against those closest to him during Marvel’s Civil War, ‘Cap’ has been a beacon of light in the Marvel Universe and a central figure in the vast and dynamic world that Marvel fans know and celebrate today.”

Marvel Entertainment has unleashed the international trailer for Captain America: Civil War. The video embedded above offers glimpses of Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. reprising their roles as Captain America and Iron Man.

According to TIME, the new trailer “focuses more on the politics and Rogers’ disagreements with Secretary Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).” The Russo Brothers served as the co-directors for this film adaptation.

Variety reports that the theatrical release date has been set for May 06, 2016. Click here to watch the first trailer. (via Entertainment Weekly)

Marvel Entertainment has unleashed the first trailer for the Captain America: Civil War.

Entertainment Weekly reports that the plot “was inspired by the seven-part storyline written by Mark Millar in 2006-07 which pitted heroes against heroes in a crossover event that had the entire world of characters choosing up sides behind either Captain America or Iron Man. That happens in this movie, too, with veteran characters Black Widow, Falcon, Hawkeye, Ant-Man, and Scarlet Witch, among others, taking up arms against each other.”

The video embedded above features scenes with Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Scarlett Johansson reprising their roles as Captain America, Iron Man, and Black Widow. The Russo Brothers teamed up to serve as the directors for this movie. The theatrical release date has been set for May 06, 2016. (via ComicBook.com)

“I’m going to tear you apart from the inside.”

Is it possible that Ultron is the first truly worthwhile “dyed in the wool” bad guy that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had since Loki? He’s striking a menacing enough presence in this new Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer that I’m hoping the end of toothless, dull villains like Ronan the Accuser and Malekith is nigh.

There’s quite a bit to absorb here, but watching scenes of Captain America and Ultron fight hand to hand, and Hulk and Iron Man in a massive brawl…it’s rather exhilarating stuff. I didn’t think it possible, but Marvel may actually be able to top their recent high-point in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy. Here’s hoping!

It’s fun to be excited about things!

Here’s the official synopsis:

When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.

Avengers: Age of Ultron opens May 1st.

WHOA. It turns out that Civil War tease Marvel sent out was just the prelude to the real blockbuster news: Robert Downey Jr. will play a major role in Captain America 3 which will feature the Civil War storyline.

Variety has all the details. It seems RDJ was negotiating for Iron Man 4, and a smaller role in Cap 3, but now it’s war:

The new pact is significant for the Marvel cinematic universe considering the plot will pit Stark against Captain America’s alter-ego Steve Rogers, played by Chris Evans, as they feud over the Superhero Registration Act, which forces anyone with superhuman abilities to reveal their identities to the U.S. government and agree to act as a police force for the authorities.

Stark supports the program, but Rogers does not, saying it threatens civil liberties, causing sides to be taken and Rogers, among others, to go on the run to avoid arrest. The moral question and battle with his Avengers teammate essentially makes Stark a villain of sorts in “Captain America 3,” providing Downey with a meaty role he could play out into future Marvel films, including a fourth “Avengers.”

Captain America 3 comes out on May 6, 2016.

According to Variety, Downey’s larger role in Cap 3 riled up Ike Perlmutter, who didn’t want to pay Downey a hefty salary. Ike ordered Iron Man written out of the script completely, until Kevin Feige insisted on staying the course with his plans for the MCU.

It’s worth noting that RDJ is th eonly person in Hollywood who is brave enough to publicly call Ike out, as he did over the summerwhen commenting on negotiations for his return.

“It’s down to Kevin [Feige, Marvel Studios president] and Ike [Perlmutter, CEO of Marvel Entertainment] and Disney to come to us with what the proposal is, and that’s on us to agree or disagree,” Downey said. “When things are going great, there’s a lot of agreement.”

Devin Faraci at Baddass Digest has more on the story, including how the Russo Brothers will not only direct Cap 3 but are the favorites to pick up Avengers 3 and 4 which will continue the Ultron and Civil War storylines.

I’m not clear on how the Civil War story will play out, since the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t have secret IDs to reveal, but I can tell you this: the fallout of Avengers: Age of Ultron is going to be huge in this movie. There is a lot of destruction in that film. It makes an impact. 

More than that, Marvel is looking at Cap 3 as Avengers 2.5. It’s going to be another ensemble picture, and it could feature Cap’s new team from the end of Age of Ultron. Last I heard (and they haven’t shot this scene yet, so it could change) that team is Falcon, War Machine, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch and Black Widow, as well as probably The Vision (although I have been told Black Widow will not be much of a presence in Cap 3). And once again the events of a Captain America movie will reshape the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Could the Marvel Cinematic Universe get any more like a comic book?

As I noted in my previous piece, Civil War, in which Iron Man and Cap butt heads over whether individual freedom should be surrendered for the greater good, is very much a product of the post 9/11 mindset, but the comic itself remains a Marvel best seller. t would certainly make for an interesting movie storyline, although it would be interesting to see how the context changes.

All that said, Mark Millar, you’ve done it again.

SIGGRAPH has announced the winners of its 41st annual Computer Animation Festival. These projects will be shown amongst more than 100 pieces at the 2014 conference that will take place August 10-14 in Vancouver, Canada.

By Kate Farquhar-Thomson

It was down to the trustworthy sat nav that I arrived safe and sound at Hay Festival this year; torrential downpours meant that navigating was tougher than usual and being told where to go, and when, was more than helpful.

Despite the wet and muddy conditions that met me at Hay, and stayed with me throughout the week, the enthusiasm of the crowd never dwindled. Nothing, it seems, keeps a book lover away from their passion to hear, meet, and have their book signed by their favourite author. But let’s not ignore the fact that festival-goers at Hay not only support their favourite authors, they also relish hearing and discovering new ones.

My working holiday centres on our very own creators of text, our very own exponents of knowledge, our very own Oxford authors! Here I will endeavour to distil just some of the events I was privileged to attend in the call of duty!

Peter Atkins was an Oxford Professor of Chemistry and fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford until his retirement in 2007 – many of us, including myself, studied his excellent text-books at ‘A’ level and at university. What Peter Atkins does so well is make science accessible for everyone and none less so than an attentive Hay audience. Peter puts chemistry right at the heart of science. ‘Chemistry has rendered a service to civilization’ Atkins says ‘it contributes to the cultural infrastructure of the world’. And thereon he took us through just nine things we needed to know to ‘get’ chemistry.

Ian Goldin’s event on Is The Planet Full? addressed global issues that are affecting, and will affect, our planet. So, is the planet full? Well, the Telegraph tent for his talk certainly was! Goldin, whose lime green sweater brought a welcome brightness to the stage, is Professor of Globalisation and Development and Director of the Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford. His words brought clarity and insight: “politics shapes the answer to this question,” said Goldin.

Hay mixes the young with the old and academics with us mere mortals, and what we publishers call the ‘trade’ authors with the more ‘academic’ types. This was demonstrated aptly by Paul Cartledge who right from the start referenced an earlier talk he attended by James Holland. Cartledge is A.G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at University of Cambridge and James (who is an ex-colleague and friend) is a member of the British Commission for Military History and the Guild of Battlefield Guides but a non-academic. The joy of Hay is that it brings everyone together. Paul Cartledge was speaking about After Thermopylae, a mere 2,500 years ago, but rather a more tricky period to illustrate through props and pictures which Holland so aptly used in his presentation.

OUP had 15 authors at The Hay Festival but the Hay Festival also had other visitors such as Chris Evans whose show was broadcast live from the festival as it was the 500 Words competition announcement and I was lucky enough to be there.

So what does Hay mean to me? It’s a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with heroes in literature and culture, as well as academia. It’s a week of friends, colleagues, and drinking champagne with Stephen Fry whilst discussing tennis with John Bercow – and wearing wellies every day!

Kate Farquhar-Thomson is Head of Publicity at OUP in Oxford.

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Image credits: Stephen Fry, Ian Goldin, and 500 Words competition at the Hay Festival. Photos by Kate Farquhar-Thomson: do not reproduce without permission.

The post Post-Hay Festival blues appeared first on OUPblog.

        

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The first official trailer for Marvel’s The Avengers has arrived. What do you think?

Directed by Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon, the star-studded cast includes Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Chris Evans as Captain America, , Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Chris Hemsworth as Thor.

The Huffington Post talked to Evans about the film. He explained: “It’s not easy trying to bring all those characters together and find a story, but the best thing about Joss is that Joss is a fan, Joss is a comic book guy … the people I am trying to please is Joss. Joss is one of those dudes. And if Joss is happy with the dialog, if Joss is happy with the wardrobe, if Joss is happy, then I’m happy. Because he’s Comic-Con, he’s one of these dudes who would be in the audience geeking out, so if he’s happy, I’m happy.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

This grainy scan from tomorrow’s EW is running around the internet. We smell something, and it smells like The Rocketeer.

We managed to get hold of a pdf of today’s EW story on Captain America and we won’t be stinkers and post the whole thing in readable form, but there are LOTS of pictures including

Proof that Chris Evans worked out — AND got a chest wax.

Evans in GI gear, with a costume peeping out.

Stanley Tucci plays the scientist father figure role, Hugo Weaving is the Red Skull

There will be motorcycles

And a love interest, Sharon Carter, played by Hayley Atwell. And a shield-shaped shield. How’s that for irony?

According to the piece, the story involves the Cosmic Cube (aka a tesseract), and Nazis and a lot of realistic action.

The film opens July 22, 2011.

Review of The Light of Burning Shadows: Book Two of the Iron Elves by Chris Evans

The blurb:

"They might be doomed, damned and buggered for all eternity, but that didn't mean they couldn't sparkle like a diamond in the sun and grin like a skull in the moonlight on their way to oblivion."

Musket and cannon, bow and arrow, and magic and diplomacy vie for supremacy once again in the second epic fantasy adventure from acclaimed author Chris Evans. As the human-dominated Calahrian Empire struggles to maintain its hold on power in the face of armed rebellion from within, the Iron Elves' perilous quest to defeat the power-hungry elf witch, the Shadow Monarch, takes on greater urgency.

The Iron Elves, shunned by their own people for bearing the mark of the Shadow Monarch, and desperately wanting to forever erase this shame, became legendary for their prowess on the battlefield as the Calahrian Imperial Army's elite shock troops. But when their commanding officer, Konowa Swift Dragon, murdered the Viceroy of Elfkyna, he was exiled, and these brave elves were banished to a remote desert outpost, doomed and leaderless, their honor in tatters.

Recalled to duty to reform his regiment from the dregs of the Imperial Army, Konowa thwarted the plans of the Shadow Monarch at the Battle of Luuguth Jor - ensuring that the fabled Red Star, a source of great natural energy, did not fall into Her hands. Now Konowa must cross storm-tossed seas to seek out the lost elves and the prophesied return of another Star somewhere in the desert wasteland roiling with mysterious power, infernos of swirling magic, and legends brought back to life in new and terrible ways. And the fate of every living creature will come to depend on a small band of ragged and desperate soldiers, whose very loyalty to the Empire they have sworn to serve is no longer certain. When death is but a temporary condition, a terrifying question arises: who is the true ally-and fearsome enemy-in a growing conflict that threatens all?

Review:

The Light of Burning Shadows continues the story of the Iron Elves a few months after the end of the Battle of Luuguth Jor depicted in A Darkness Forged in Fire. The Iron Elves have won a reputation as fearsome fighters with unwavering loyalty to the Calharian Empire. Their reward for success and beating suicidal odds? More impossible assignments.

Traveling to remote islands and the deserts of the Calharian Empire, the Iron Elves encounter a new supernatural enemy. As they make sense of their new enemy's powers, the Elves discover powers of their own that derive from their oath.