Over the weekend, it was announced that Edward Norton was not gonna be Brucey Banner no more. It was all totally contentious.

Marvel talked shit:

via slashfilm:

Our decision [to recast the role] is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members.

Then Edward Norton’s agent fired back:

via slashfilm:

Here are the facts:   two months ago, Kevin called me and said he wanted Edward to reprise the role of Bruce Banner in The Avengers.   He told me it would be his fantasy to bring Edward on stage with the rest of the cast at ComiCon and make it the event of the convention.   When I said that Edward was definitely open to this idea, Kevin was very excited and we agreed that Edward should meet with Joss Whedon to discuss the project.   Edward and Joss had a very good meeting (confirmed by Feige to me) at which Edward said he was enthusiastic at the prospect of being a part of the ensemble cast.   Marvel subsequently made him a financial offer to be in the film and both sides started negotiating in good faith.   This past Wednesday, after several weeks of civil, uncontentious discussions, but before we had come to terms on a deal, a representative from Marvel called to say they had decided to go in another direction with the part.   This seemed to us to be a financial decision but, whatever the case, it is completely their prerogative, and we accepted their decision with no hard feelings.

And what should have been a quiet weekend letting nerds like me jack off in peace turned into something interesting. I’m pretty bummed that Eddie is out. He’s one of my favorite actors, and the idea that I could have seen him and RDJ on screen at the same time was totally invigorating to my southern continent.

Today it came out that Joaquin Phoenix may be the dude to fill Norton’s shoes in the Avengers movie.

via chud:

Reliable sources tell me that Marvel has already put out an offer, and the actor they’ve spoken to is Joaquin Phoenix, believe it or not. Phoenix is taking time to mull over the offer and the bigger implications – Marvel may yet resurrect the Hulk franchise – but Marvel hopes to have him in place by Comic Con, which is when they want to announce their new Bruce Banner.

Shit be percolating for sure. If Norton has to leave, why not cast someone who is bat shit crazy like Joaquin Phoenix? I’m sort of feeling it. Drop your thoughts in the comments box.

One of my more recent obsessions is Moon. Well, uh, by recent? I guess I mean the entirety of 2010. Sam Rockwell’s performance continually rocks the socks off my little piggies. It doesn’t help that the visuals are gorgeous Space Odyssey Sex, and the soundtrack is by the inestimable Clint Mansell.

If you haven’t seen Moon, see it. If you have seen it? Seen it again.

Cindel: Don’t you have a star cruiser?

Wicket: Bitch, if I had a star cruiser you think I’d still be on a goddamn forest moon? Fugg that, I’d be getting my drank on in a Coruscant suite.*

*Translation provided by P. Krueger

[via sarcastically, i am : click to enlarge]

Ohhh shit! Who knew that Tatooine has such ballin’ beaches?

Good god, Christopher Nolan would love to take a stab at a Bond flick:

via bbc and slashfilm:

I’ve loved the Bond films since I was a kid. For me, they’re always about the expansiveness of cinema. The first Bond films set up infinite possibilities about the world they create. I’d love to do a Bond film.

Christopher Nolan is my boy! My fucking homeboy. I want his Inception more than I want a Diet Mountain Dew. And I’m positively tremulous from lack of caffeine right now! Just kidding! Duh. I’m seeing the eyes of God amidst a pile of emptied aluminum.

I love Daniel Craig as Bond, and I’ve loved his two flicks in the role. And this is all despite the fact that I have almost no clue about what happened in the flicks due to the knotty, non-sensical plots. Can you imagine if Nolan and his brother got a crack at the universe and a script?

Yes please.

My excitement for Inception is beginning to reach critical mass. I don’t know if anything has occurred during this blog’s existence where I’ve really just gone into a fanboy ejaculation frenzy. Mass Effect 2? Maybe? Final Fantasy XIII? I don’t know man, I’m starting to lose my god damn mind. I’m walking around telling everyone I specialize in subconscious security and staring confusedly at streets when they don’t bend in upon themselves.

July 16, why art thou so far away?

I’ll tell you the problem with the scientific power that you’re using here: it didn’t require any discipline to attain it. You read what others had done and you took the next step. You didn’t earn the knowledge for yourselves, so you don’t take any responsibility… for it. You stood on the shoulders of geniuses to accomplish something as fast as you could and before you even knew what you had you patented it and packaged it and slapped it on a plastic lunchbox, and now — you’re selling it — you want to sell it!

Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. “Mankind.” That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can’t be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it’s fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom… Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution… but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: “We will not go quietly into the night!” We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!

[image courtesy of slashfilm]

Fug yeah, Damon Lindelof is starting work on the script for the Star Trek sequel. I’m stoked, stoked, I say!

I can only imagine he may in fact be a bit excited to work on something that isn’t a monstrous, unwieldy bloated mess, too. I mean, I love LOST, despite its flaws; and intrepid LOST fans, spending more than ten minutes after the emotional resonancy of the finale has worn off will bring countless to light. By the end, it must have seem burdensome for everyone involved. But here Lindelof will get to work with a universe, while enormous, isn’t attempting to tie together six seasons of storylines with a bow.

Or, I suppose, not tie them all together! Zing!

No seriously though, I’m excited.

Emma Frost has become, in recent years, a ridiculously over sexualized member of the X-Men universe. To the point where even I, horndog personified, have been like: alright, c’mon now, calm down. Nonetheless,   Alice Eve, also known as That Chick from She’s Out Of My League has been cast as the White Queen.

via slashfilm:

Briefly: Alice Eve, the lead actress from She’s Out of My League, is in talks with Fox to play Emma Frost in Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming X-Men: First Class, reports Deadline. Not long ago, very tenuous rumor had suggested the role might go to Rosamund Pike, but Pike has also been linked to the role of Moira McTaggert.

Yes? No? What do you guys think.