The Hidden S in 2010...

The Hidden S look into his crystal ball for 2010.... Say what you will about 2009, but it was not a great year for superhero films: Watchman underwhelmed a tad and X-Men Origins: Wolverine did nothing to have even the most hardcore Wolverine fans clamoring for a follow up. What then to think of '10? No sequel to The Dark Knight on the horizon; no Superman re-boot; even the Green Lantern film seems a pipe dream despite the casting of Mr. Johannson. Marvel has thus far lapped DC a couple of times with its success in Hollywood. This year's underwhelming Watchmen and talk about a DK sequel just being talk means that 2010 will likely be a strong year for Marvel yet again with Iron Man 2 and filming to begin on Thor and possibly Captain America. What can a respectable comic fan look forward to? I give you the following... Iron Man 2 The most anticipated superhero film sequel since The Dark Knight, Iron Man 2 looks to put up DK like numbers when it is released on May 2010. The film's trailer is surprisingly dark, focusing on Mickey Rourke's promisingly charismatic turn as Whiplash. The trailer's money shot is Rourke/Whiplash bearing down on a dazed and confused (non-ironclad) Tony Stark with supercharged whips. The film also promises a leather encased Scarlett Johannson as The Black Widow. Despite this, there are some troubling signs from Marvel. First,the X-Men Origins: Wolverine film was not much beloved (I know there is talk of it, but don't hold your breath for X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2), and the company has gotten into a slightly sloppy habit of using some of there flagship films as a tryout for minor characters (Electra anyone?). I can already see talk of a Black Widow film with an EW cover story on Johnannson and how she worked out to get into her leather catsuit. Solomon Kane This film has had a lot of internet chatter for (seemingly) several years and most of the buzz has been positive. The character, a strange superhero type who is both a badass and a 17th century Puritan has great movie potential and the film stirred up a minor buzz at the San Diego Comic-Con (for the few who were happened to see the trailer). Oddly enough, it seems a little unclear whether the film has a proper US distributor yet (it looks like Lionsgate picked it up in November, however). Editor's Note: I can vouch for the awesomeness of that trailer. Solomon Kane, a character created by Robert E. Howerd of Conan The Barbarian fame, looks to be part of a mini-resurgance of the Sword and Sorcery genre, and, more importantly, a possible resurgance of the hoary old sword and sorcery genre that had a mini resurgence in the early 80's with Conan: The Barbarian, Excalibur and Dragonslayer. Sword and sorcery films typically have a very narrow, yet rabid, following and if this film ever sees the light of day it could make a significant impact and pave the way for remakes of er, Conan: The Barbarian, Excalibur and Dragonslayer. Kick Ass This film promises to be a kind of "Napoleon Dynamite of superhero films" with its every line a catchphrase and every frame an ironic comment on comics and itself (how very post-modern). In any event, this film is as much anticipated by hard core comic fans as Iron Man 2 because nobody knows what the fuck to expect from the film realization of Mark Millar's mini- classic. This film will not put up Iron Man 2 box office, but it might be a breakthrough for more esoteric comic works to get on the silver screen. The scene where the little girl gets shot while wearing a bullet-proof vest? Priceless... S....

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