Without a Marvel film being released this year all we can do is sit around and wait for the next batch of casting rumours or set pictures to emerge. Marvel currently have Iron Man 2, Thor, The First Avenger: Captain America and The Avengers in the pipeline with a rumoured Hulk sequel, Nick Fury film and countless other projects in line for production. A few weeks ago now we got our first pics of Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man in the second film. You can see him just chilling on a wall and hanging in the war room with his suits in the background.












It was also revealed this week the first shot of Mickey Rourke as the films bad guy Whiplash. Unfortunately you'll have to go to the Marvel website to see this shot as I can't find one to post yet. All I can say is so far he looks a lot cooler and a lot less Gimp than the comicbook version did. So far no shots of other newcomers Scarlett Johansson as super spy Black Widow, Sam Rockwell as rival business Justin Hammer or Don Cheadle as Rhodey/ hopefully War Machine.










Also in Marvel film news Thor, the Norse god of Thunder who kicks some ass with a giant hammer, has also been given the film treatement and the two main characters, Thor, and villain Loki have been cast. Aussie Chris Hemsworth who plays Kirk's dad in the new Star Trek film gets the role of Thor whilst British actor Tom Hiddleston has been cast as Loki. To wider audiences these two guys are relative unknowns and I think that is a good choice by Marvel. Thor and Loki are gods who have a certain way of speaking and overall manner and I think it's easier to see someone you aren't familiar with acting that way than a known actor like Josh Hartnett or Brad Pitt who were rumoured at one time.











The First Avenger: Captain America is a long way off at 2011 but it does have a director attached to it. Joe Johnston who directed Jumanji, Jurassic Park 3, Hidalgo and the to be released The Wolf Man has been given the reins of this film. No casting confirmed yet but the rumour mill is into overdrive. The film needs a Cap but someone who can be scrawny and then buffed up after recieving the super soldier serum and will more than likely include a Bucky his gun totting sidekick who is probably one of the least annoying and best sidekicks in comics. Leonardo DiCaprio, Channing Tatum and Brad Pitt have all been rumoured as Cap whilst wrestler come actor John Cena has been thrown in to the mix. Cena I think is too big to begin with, Cap is tiny originally then bulks up after super soldier serum. Once again they should go for an unknown here, Captain America is such an icon and was such an unknown before he got the super soldier serum that the person who plays him needs to be similar. Samuel L Jackson will probably make an appearance as Nick Fury after signing his 9 picture deal. An actor like the star of Torchwood John Barrowman could be a good choice for Captain America as he has the acting ability but not yet the expected star attached to it. He also looks like he can slim down and bulk up well.












As yet we have no real good rumours about Marvel's most ambitious project, The Avengers. The Avengers are a team of superheroes brought together when Earth is in dire straits and one hero is not enough. The Avengers roster is so diverse that just pinning down who will be on it will be hard enough. Logic would have you believe Iron Man, possibly War Machine, Thor and Captain America will be apart of it and originally super heros like The Wasp, Ant Man and The Hulk were part of it. The way the Hulk ends makes you believe that the Avengers may be teamed together to take down the Hulk. Probably most pressing for Marvel is deciding on who will direct the film and how to give all their stars equal time. Hulk, Iron Man, Thor and Cap are all being directed by different people giving each film a different feel so teaming those guys up may not result in the same Iron Man in the Avengers we are use to. Certainly an ambitious project indeed.