The film will star Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield and Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug. Several actors from The Lord of the Rings will reprise their roles, including Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm, Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom. Also returning for the production are a big part of the production crew; among others, illustrators John Howe and Alan Lee, art director Dan Hennah and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie. As with the trilogy, props will generally be crafted by Weta Workshop and visual effects managed by Weta Digital. Additionally, composer Howard Shore, who wrote the score for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, has confirmed his role in both parts of the film project.

The two parts, titled The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again, are being filmed back to back and are in production in New Zealand; principal photography began on 21 March 2011. They are scheduled to be released on 14 December 2012 and 13 December 2013, respectively.

Website: http://www.thehobbit.com/index.html

The film is being distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and will be released in the United States on March 9, 2012. Filming began in November 2009 and principal photography spanned from January 2010 to July 2010. This project marks the first time that Andrew Stanton has worked on a live-action film, as his previous work includes the Pixar animated films Finding Nemo and WALL-E. The film will be released in Digital 3D and IMAX 3D formats.

A soundtrack will be released featuring score by Academy Award winning composer Michael Giacchino.

The film is largely based on A Princess of Mars, the first novel to feature John Carter. The novel was originally published as a magazine serial in 1912 and then brought out in book form in 1917. In the novel John Carter is an American Civil War veteran who is miraculously transported to Mars, known to its inhabitants as Barsoom. He learns that the planet is dying from the loss of its atmosphere and water, and that only a peaceful alliance of its intelligent inhabitants can save the species of Barsoom from extinction.

Director Andrew Stanton (whose fame comes from his previous work for Pixar) is helming the project and Taylor Kitsch got the lead role as John Carter. Besides Taylor Kitsch the cast of John Carter of Mars can boast Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, Thomas Hayden Church, and Willem Dafoe.

Plot:
“The movie John Carter of Mars chronicles the journey of American Civil War veteran John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who finds himself battling a new and mysterious war amidst a host of strange Martian inhabitants, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins).”

Movie cast:
- Taylor Kitsch as John Carter
- Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris
- Willem Dafoe as Tars Tarkas, a Barsoomian warrior and ally of John Carter
- Thomas Haden Church as Hajus, a vicious Thark warrior
- Samantha Morton as Sola, daughter of Tars Tarkas
- Dominic West as Sab Than, prince of the Zodangans
- Polly Walker as Sarkoja, a merciless, tyrannical Thark
- James Purefoy as Kantos Kan, Captain of the ship Xavarian
- Mark Strong as Matai Shang, ruler of the godlike Therns
- Ciarán Hinds as Tardos Mors
- Bryan Cranston as a Civil War colonel who comes into conflict with Carter
- Daryl Sabara as Edgar Rice Burroughs

(source: http://john-carter-movie-trailer.blogspot.com/)

One of a continuing slate of films being produced by Marvel Studios based on the Marvel characters, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER joins Thor which was released on May 6, 2011 and Marvel’s The Avengers which is coming to theaters on May 4, 2012.” Paramount Pictures will distribute CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER nationwide on July 22, 2011.

Published: 1310774400
ISBN: 978-1-907992-15-5
Pages: 320

Web: http://www.abaddonbooks.com/

——–

About the Author:
Pat Kelleher is a freelance writer. He has written for magazines, animation and radio. He served his time writing for a wide variety of TV licensed characters, translating them into audio books, novels and comics. Yes, he¹s written for that. And that. And even, you know, them. He has several non-fiction books to his credit and his educational strips and stories for the RSPB currently form the mainstays of their Youth publications. Somehow he has steadfastly managed to avoid all those careers and part-time jobs that look so good on a dust jacket.

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn’t doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn’t stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has no body, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends — and his own soul — Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic…

To be released in hardcover from Roc publishing, July 26, 2011.

Former Stargate Atlantis co-star Jason Momoa‘s plays the lead role in director Marcus Nispel’s remake of Conan the Barbarian.

The studio has released the first teaser trailer for the movie, plus the first Conan poster — both of which feature Jason.

Conan the Barbarian also stars Rachel Nichols, Ron Perlman, Stephen Lang, and Rose McGowan. The story follows Conan’s bloody revenge quest after the murder of his family and his village. It opens wide in 3D on August 19, 2011.

Former Stargate Atlantis co-star Jason Momoa‘s plays the lead role in director Marcus Nispel’s remake of Conan the Barbarian.

The studio has released the first teaser trailer for the movie, plus the first Conan poster — both of which feature Jason.

Conan the Barbarian also stars Rachel Nichols, Ron Perlman, Stephen Lang, and Rose McGowan. The story follows Conan’s bloody revenge quest after the murder of his family and his village. It opens wide in 3D on August 19, 2011.

This DVD edition is in English with optional English subtitles. Special features include: Trailer, “Making Of” Documentary, Interviews, B-Roll.

Find the it at Amazon or search for it on Ebay.

Product Details
Actors: James Purefoy, Max von Sydow, Mark O’Neal, Robert Orr, Richard Ryan
Directors: Michael J. Bassett
Format: Import, NTSC, Anamorphic, Widescreen
Subtitles: English
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Run Time: 100 minutes
Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars
See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
ASIN: B00425R930

“Conan: Road of Kings picks up the barbarian on the Vilayet Sea, at nearly the easternmost edge of Robert E. Howard’s map of the Hyborian age, and has twelve breathless issues to deliver him — black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand — to the westernmost shores of that age undreamed of,” Thomas continued. “To reach his destination, he must travel the fabled Road of Kings that winds its way through the civilized kingdoms — but along his path lurk inhuman monstrosities, malevolent sorcerers and not a few power-crazed men and women who are determined to see to it that he doesn’t make it.

“Dynamic artist Mike Hawthorne and I intend to make Conan’s westward odyssey a chapter in the Cimmerian’s life that readers won’t soon forget,” Thomas explained. “This will be a quite different take on Conan’s life than the one I pioneered at Marvel in the seventies and the nineties, with new adventures, new antagonists, even new and alternative sides to characters you thought you’d met before.”

The current Conan creative team of writer Tim Truman and artist Tomás Giorello are set to continue their adventures with the Cimmerian, as well. Jumping ahead in Conan’s timeline, King Conan: The Scarlet Citadel features the adventurer years in the future—after he’s become the king of Aquilonia — and adapts one of Robert E. Howard’s original Conan tales. This four-issue miniseries will hit comic shops in early 2011.

Dark Horse Comics is also slated to continue its run of successful Conan reprints with King Conan Volume 1 on sale August 25, The Savage Sword of Conan Volume 8 on sale September 22, and Conan: The Newspaper Strips Volume 1 on sale September 8, all featuring the writing talents of Thomas alongside other greats, like Doug Moench, John Buscema, Gil Kane, Ernie Chan, and more!

Conan: The Road of Kings #1 (Dale Keown cover)

The pirate world is about to get 100 percent more savage as Conan and his crew of brigands ravage the seas in search of treasure and glory. But when the beautiful Olivia appears aboard one of the captured ships and starts speaking of prophetic dreams and king’s fortunes, Conan and his crew head in another direction–one that leads straight to the ROAD OF KINGS!

* Joined by artists Mike Hawthorne and John Lucas, and master scribe Roy Thomas returns to the pages of Conan in this first issue of a new era in the adventures of Conan!

* 100% Adventure from Dark Horse Comics!

Conan: Road of Kings #2

Being a warrior on the road of kings will only get you so far; youll also need plenty of gold to keep you going. Luckily, Conan is skilled at separating the wealthy from their spare treasure! But when he discovers a pit of gold, he may have met his match in the form of a tentacled horror intent on killing any intruders!