Superheroes rule! The buzz at last weekend’s San Diego Comic-Con belonged to both Marvel and DC. Fan boys and girls’ prayers were finally answered with the announcement of a Batman/Superman team up for 2015, with a “Justice League” franchise coming to a theater near you in 2017. Not to be outdone, Marvel held court with sizzle reels for “Thor: The Dark World,” “Captain America 2″ and Joss Whedon confirming a follow-up to last year’s “Avengers” tentatively titled “Avengers 2: Age of Ultron.”
We’ve rounded up seven highlights from this year’s ultimate geekfest:
1. Jamie Foxx, “Amazing Spider-Man 2″
One of the most buzzed about movies at Comic-Con was the sequel to “Amazing Spider-Man 2.” Jamie Foxx will play the movie’s villain, Electro. Andrew Garfield, true to Method acting form, was dressed in his Spider-Man costume for almost half of the panel’s duration. Foxx took a more somber turn when voicing his disappointment about the not guilt verdict in the George Zimmerman trial and showed support for Travyon’s mother, Sybrina Fulton:
“She’s always been courageous in saying this has never been about race. She said it’s about 17-year-old kids. We have to protect our kids. So I stand with her forever.”
“Amazing Spider-Man” opens May 2, 2014
2. Omar Sy and Halle Berry, “X-Men Days of Future Past”
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Director Bryan Singer, who originally helmed the first two “X-Men” films, is back in the saddle for the franchise’s most ambitious storyline. Based on the 1984 comic, “Days of Future Past” deals with alternate timelines so Singer has brought together cast members (Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Ellen Page, Hugh Jacksman) from the original trilogy as well as 2011′s “X-Men First Class” ( James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult). Joining the crew is French actor Omar Sy, who will played a dreadlocked Bishop.
Berry, who is back as the lightening-wielding mutant Storm, observed, “Besides being a bada*s when she needs to be, she’s kind of the mom of the group. What I hate about Storm is that she never gets any love.”
“X-Men Days Of Future Past” opens May 23, 2014
VIDEO: “Days of Future Past” panel (courtesy of Clevver Movies)
3. “The Walking Dead” Season 4
After a heart-stopping third season, “The Walking Dead” returns with more post-apocalyptic pandemonium. Executive Producer Scott Gimple hinted at “smarter” zombies, causing more problems for Rick and his crew of human survivors. Larry Gilliard Jr. (“The Wire”) joins the cast as Bob Stookey, a former Army medic with a haunted past. Let’s hope “The Walking Dead” can do a better job of keeping two Black men alive on the show this season
“The Walking Dead” returns on AMC, October 13, 2013
VIDEO: Danai Gurira discusses a possible Michonne/Rick hook-up
“The Walking Dead” Season 4 Trailer
4. Zoe Saldana and Djimon Hounsou, “Guardians of The Galaxy”
Fresh off the success of “Star Trek Into Darkness”, Zoe Saldana dished on her latest role as Gamora, a green-skinned alien assassin: “Well, the rainbow has a lot of colors. I dig it. I like being in space. I get to play less girlfriends, more female parts, more women. So I find it meaty.” Djimon Hounsou will play Korath The Pursuer, a deadly Kree warrior.
“Guardians of the Galaxy” opens August 1, 2014
WATCH: “Guardians of The Galaxy” Panel
5. Michael Jai White, “Arrow”
Michael Jai White will put his martial arts skills and that smokin’ hot bod to good use when he joins the second season of CW’s “Arrow” as the claw-wielding Bronze Tiger, who will join forces with villainess China White (Kelly Hu) to bring down The Arrow.
Season 2 of “Arrow” premieres on the CW, October 9th, 8PM EST
6. “Game of Thrones” Season 4
If you’re still all up in your feelings over last season’s “Red Wedding” episode, attendees at the “Game of Thrones” panel found some closure with the presence of Richard Madden (Robb Stark) and Michelle Fairley (Catelyn Stark). Madden admitted that on the last day of shooting: “I cried a lot actually….I’m missing that a lot.”
David Benioff, the show’s executive producer shared: ” It was a rough day when we wrapped the Red Wedding. I hugged Michelle (Fairley). The crew was crying. It’s such a testament to Michelle and Richard (Madden) … that these fictional deaths had them on the set in tears. And they knew it was coming.”
The highlight of the panel was the “En Memoriam” reel set to Boyz II Men “So Hard To Say Goodbye.”
“Game of Thrones” returns to HBO Spring 2014
7. Will we finally get a “Black Panther” movie???!!!?
One of the most persistent rumors at this year’s Comic-Con was the possible announcement of a “Black Panther” movie. While Marvel’s other franchises are peppered with actors of color (Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle), no Black actors/actresses have been cast in the lead since Wesley Snipes’ “Blade.” To our dismay, Marvel seems intent on keeping their headlining superheroes lily-white. If DC and Warner Bros. really want to start some trouble, re-booting the “Green Lantern” franchise with John Stewart will guarantee bragging rights to having a black superhero on their roster.
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