Sunday, July 29, 2012

Kevin Nash teases NWO - New World Order return

Entertainment news, WWE current and future legends, NWO, Hollywood, Australia, Sin City, Las Vegas, Olympics, gaming and more...

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Kevin Nash teases NWO - New World Order return...

Kevin Nash, who was likely joking, teased an nWo reunion on his Twitter account recently, writing, "A lot of you wanted an NWO reunion,there will be one.As you know we only come in take over mode.Stay tuned!!!" The message was then re-tweeted by TNA Executive Eric Bischoff.
Nash later wrote, "Rock will never walk out of the Rumble with the belt we got Phils back... Sorry @CMPunk we got your back!!!!"

Nash also stated that Punk would be the leader and that the nWo army would be there "to protect the gold."


Wrestling legend Rey wants Pacquiao-Floyd in WWE ring...

During Rey Mysterio's tour stop in Manila, Philippines, Mysterio teased a mixed tag match with top boxing stars Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who "competed" at WrestleMania 24 four years ago. “I love Manny. In fact, Manny, if you’re watching right now, I’m inviting you to join forces with Rey Mysterio in the WWE to take on “Money” (Floyd) Mayweather," Rey said on Manila TV, playing off Mayweather and Pacquiao unable to come together on a dream boxing fight. "I know you don’t need me to take him on but this is just a teaser: me and you versus him and Alberto Del Rio."


'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and 'Iron' Mike Tyson at WWE Summerslam weekend function...

WWE Hall of Famers "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Mike Tyson are scheduled to attend a Summerslam Weekend function in Los Angeles, according to WWE announcer Jim Ross. Ross wrote in his latest blog on jrsbarbq.com: "If you see me wandering around L.A. Summerslam weekend, I'm there for a major, THQ function at the Grammy Museum the night before the PPV. Among those scheduled to attend the private affair are @steveaustinBSR and @miketyson, among many others."


WWE Announcer Legend Jim Ross Blog Update...

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with his latest blog about Monday's 1,000th episode of RAW, here are just a few highlights:

RAW 1000: "Memorable week especially kicking it off with RAW1000 in St Louis. No guarantees that any of us will be around for RAW2000 so I particularly enjoyed my experiences Monday night.

"The reality of the matter is this...it is highly unlikely, thanks Gorilla, that exact collection of performers will EVER be under the same roof again. I look back upon my attendance at RAW1000 as a privilege and am grateful to have had the opportunity to see so many old friends that have meant a great deal to me over my long career."

Inducting Mick Foley in the WWE Hall of Fame: "@RealMickFoley when asked who would induct him if/when Mick goes into the WWE HOF mentioned Terry Funk and yours truly. While I would love to honor Mick on that special occasion, there is no way that I would ever put myself in the same category with Terry Funk. Terry mentored Mick and treated Mick like a son. While I'd love to induct Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy into the WWE HOF, I think that Terry Funk is the best choice. However, I stand ready if called upon."

If CM Punk would reform the nWo: "A follower on @JRsBBQ on Twitter asked if I thought @CMPunk would reform the nWo. I have no idea if this topic is any thing more than speculation based on my friend Kevin Nash having some fun with the subject on Twitter. Bottom line is that I don't know but I would be surprised if Punk headed up a faction at this time because he seems to be such a solitary man. The only way that I see that ever happening at this stage of Punk's career is if he had complete control on who comprised the group."


Pro Wrestling giant Great Khali has tumor removed...

WWE wrestler Great Khali (Dalip Singh) had a tumor removed on Wednesday, which will put him out of action for 2-3 months. The tumor was on Khali's pituitary gland, which caused him to increase in height to over seven-feet-tall. However, if left untreated, the tumor could have been fatal, according to WWE's chief medical director, Dr. Joseph Maroon. It's the same issue that affected Andre the Giant. Surgery was performed at UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh, Pa.


TNA Video: Funny or Die Olympic training featuring Kurt Angle and Rob Van Dam...

TNA stars Kurt Angle and Rob Van Dam are featured in Funny or Die video. The theme is Angle returning to the Olympics with RVD as his trainer. You can check out the video at http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/636c3d08e1/olympic-trials-with-kurt-angle?playlist=featured_videos


‘Squirrelly’ move puts U.S. wrestler on map...

LONDON — It began as a goof — two brothers horsing around, dreaming up exotic wrestling moves straight out of the Vince McMahon WWE handbook and trying them out on each other.

The move has since gone viral as a YouTube sensation, become a nickname and, before the 2012 London Games are over, it might become part of U.S. Olympic lore — a highlight burned into our minds forever.

Ellis Coleman and his older brother, Lillashawn, used to wrestle with each other at their high school outside of Chicago when they would dial up crazy moves to use on each other.

The best of them was called the “Flying Squirrel.’’ Ellis never forgot it, and now has turned it into a cottage industry for himself.

Coleman, at age 21 the youngest member of the six-man U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team, has used the move about a dozen times in competition.

Perhaps the highest profile time he used it was in last year’s Junior World Championships to come back and beat his opponent in the semifinals. ESPN ranked the move third on its “Best of the Best Highlights’’ for 2011.

“It’s been crazy,’’ Coleman said yesterday. “Every time someone sees it, kids are reaching out to me on Facebook and Twitter asking me to show them the move.’’

In the words of Coleman, one of a host of athletes at these Olympic Games representing the New York Athletic Club, here’s how the move is executed: “You snap the opponent’s head down, leap over him and, as you land on your feet, you grab his waist, pull him over, pick him up and throw him down.’’

In Greco-Roman wrestling, the competitors get points for their various moves. Five points is the most you can get for one move. Coleman said he has used the move about a dozen times and usually gets at least three points for it.

He first unveiled it out of desperation in a match he was losing, stunned his opponent with it and went on to win it.

Coleman said he likes to use the move as an element of surprise and isn’t sure if he will use it in the Olympics.

“If I’m losing, though, you’ll definitely see it,’’ he said. “It’s a risky move. It’s a spur-of-the-moment thing. It’s so sudden you can’t stop it. I always pictured myself, even in the Olympic setting and losing in the finals match, third period with 15 seconds left, hitting the ‘Flying Squirrel’ and everyone going crazy. I still picture it.”

Though Coleman’s teammates chide him for the move, they also embrace his guts for using it.

“They should probably put him on medication for even trying that,” teammate Justin Lester said jokingly. “He’s crazy for doing it, but that’s what’s going to make him good in the long run. You’ve got guys like him who are innovative and aren’t afraid to wrestle.’’

“It’s definitely a move of desperation,’’ said Dremiel Byers, the elder statesman and heavyweight of the Greco-Roman team at age 37.

“It’s his wild card. It lets the opponent know he’ll do anything to win.’’

U.S. Wrestling Greco-Roman coach Steve Fraser said Coleman’s flash has “brought a lot of attention to wrestling and Greco. He’s talented, hungry and young … and a pleasure to work with. He’s a very coachable kid. We love him.”

The “Flying Squirrel’’ craze reached such a pitch that Coleman recently bought himself a live flying squirrel pet and named him Rocky, who is about 45 days old and eats lot of apples and seeds.

“They bond with their owners,’’ Coleman said. “He sleeps during the day and is very nocturnal, so I’ll take him out of his cage and he’ll crawl on me and fly to the curtains. Eventually, when he bonds with me, I’ll be able to take him out in my pocket and he’ll stay there without flying away.’’

Coleman dreams of flying away from these Olympics with some hardware. Something gold, perhaps. (The New York Post)


NSW govt investigates 'floating casino'...

The NSW government is investigating whether cruise company P&O operated an illegal floating casino off the NSW coast.

Hospitality Minister George Souris on Wednesday said a government authority was investigating an allegation that passengers could play blackjack, pontoon, poker and roulette on a cruise that left Sydney on Friday night.

The cruise ship also had 40 poker machines onboard and let passengers charge $5000 on their credit cards for gambling, News Ltd reported.

"I've asked the Office of Liquor and Gaming to investigate whether a casino operation was under way in NSW territorial waters or whether gambling operations were under way in commonwealth waters," he told reporters in Sydney.

"It may be that NSW jurisdiction was breached, it may be that the commonwealth jurisdiction was breached. It may be even that both were breached."

He said NSW had no jurisdiction beyond 12 nautical miles from shore.

"Those are international waters," he said.

"In international shipping after the 12-nautical-mile limit it opens boats to gambling but also to duty-free liquor sales."


James Packer to speak at tourism conference in Canberra...

Billionare James Packer will be the drawcard for hoteliers, resort operators and owners attending a tourism conference in Canberra in late October. Mr Packer will open the Tourism & Transport Forum's annual "Leadership 2012" conference.

The gaming tycoon is a major tourism player given his Crown resorts in Perth and Melbourne attract 25 million visitors a year...


Jackman to Begin Filming ‘Wolverine’ in Australia...

Hollywood star Hugh Jackman will begin filming the next installment of his “X-Men” spin-off movies in Sydney next week, even though the female lead is yet to be confirmed.

Jackman, who admitted struggling to get into shape after packing on the pounds to play Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables,” said his role as Wolverine, which he first played 12 years ago, was “the backbone of my career.”

“I love the character. I still love the character,” he said. “I had no choice at the time, I was going to take anything that came along, but I happened to have walked into probably the most interesting and complex of the superhero characters.”

“I’ve always loved playing it and when I stop loving it I’ll stop doing it,” he added.


Melco Crown Project Gets Red Light on Casino...

Macau casino operator Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. MPEL +2.32% still doesn't have permission to build a casino at its latest project, according to a revised government contract published Wednesday.

The Macao Studio City project, in which Melco Crown has a 60% equity interest, is designated for a five-star hotel and film facilities, indicates the latest government contract detailing various revisions to the agreement. But the document doesn't mention any casino facilities despite the company's earlier statements they hope to open up to 400 gambling tables at the property. It's possible the government could give the green-light on a casino later, but the uncertainty could complicate the company's efforts to finance the project.

Melco Crown, backed by Lawrence Ho and James Packer—the sons of Macau gambling tycoon Stanley Ho and the late Australian casino-and-media magnate Kerry Packer—is one of six casino license holders in Macau, where it already runs two casino-resort properties in the world's largest gambling hub.

A representative for Melco Crown didn't respond to requests for comment.

In June 2011, Melco Crown signed a $360 million deal to gain control over the Macao Studio City project, resolving a bitter dispute between the project's earlier partners that had escalated to the Hong Kong courts, stalling development for years. New Cotai Holdings LLC, an arm of U.S. investment firms Oaktree Capital Management L.P. and Silver Point Capital L.P., retained its 40% stake in the project.

Earlier this month Melco Crown announced plans to enter the burgeoning Philippines market by teaming up with local property developer Belle Corp. BEL.PH -0.20% to partner on a casino resort that will cost at least $1 billion in an area the Philippines hopes will become Manila's version of the Las Vegas Strip. (The Wall Street Journal)


First Second unveils André the Giant comic...

First Second has confirmed its André the Giant biography.

Cartoonist Box Brown is working on the book charting the life of the professional wrestler and actor, reports ICv2.

André Roussimoff was a star and one-time champion of the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE).

He is also known for his role in cult classic movie The Princess Bride.

Roussimoff has the condition acromegaly, which saw him grow to 7'4" in height. He died of heart failure in 1993 at the age of 46.

Box is the author of Xeric grant-funded graphic novel Love Is a Peculiar Type of Thing.

The untitled André the Giant biography is scheduled for release in 2014. (Digital Spy)


The Expendables 2 slapped with R rating for extreme violence...

Action star-laden sequel The Expendables 2 has been given an R rating for its violent and sexual content in the US.

Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and co will even be throwing some bad language into the mix as they bat off hostile attackers in this follow-up to the 2010 action-packed extravaganza.

Lionsgate was rumoured to have been considering a PG-13 rating for the film, which is due for release in the States on August 17th.

Once again, Stallone assembles his hardened team of old-school mercenaries for a special mission - taking revenge after one of their squad is murdered on the job.

Director Simon West was never in any doubt that the film would receive such a high rating, given the 'very hard' violence and language perpetrated by the all-star cast throughout the film.

'I'm sure there were some financial people who wanted it to be PG-13 because they thought it would somehow make more money or have a broader audience, but there was no way,' he told wegotthiscovered.com.

'When you get these guys on the set, they can't say a line without putting the F-bomb in it, and they can't pick up a gun without blowing several limbs off.' (Metro)

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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

WWE RAW 1000th Episode Screens In Australia today; Movie, Hollywood, Celebrity and Casino News; The Dark Knight Rises, The Wolverine, Amazing Spider-Man, Marvel Games...

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Pro wrestling fans down under in Australia - are you ready? The WWE RAW 1000th episode screens today at 2.30pm EST on FOX8. Most of the modern day wrestling legends who helped make RAW as great as it is will be appearing. Today the Media Man agency report also offers up news and info on comic book movies and games associated with 'The Dark Knight Rises', 'The Wolverine' and 'Amazing Spider-Man'. Then we check out the Australian casino scene, and pick up a bit of political and celebrity news for good measure. Keep checking the news website portal daily for some of the most superior news coverage on the internet.

WWE Boss Vince McMahon on his WWE; (Q&A interview)...

As the 1,000th episode of "Raw" approaches, the wrestling king offers his thoughts on professional wrestling aka "sports entertainment" (The Hollywood Reporter).

Vince McMahon has the final say at the WWE. He is the chairman and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, and his wife, Linda, is running for the U.S. Senate from Connecticut. McMahon, 66, is preparing for the 1,000th episode of USA flagship live show Raw, the longest-running episodic primetime program in the U.S. Raw, which reaches more than 600 million homes worldwide and contributed massively to the network's $340 million in revenue from live and televised entertainment in 2011. Today they kick of with adding a third hour and becoming the most interactive show in pro wrestling, and in just about any other medium or genre.

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: You started on USA, moved to another network and then returned to USA …
Vince McMahon: We became the No. 1 show on USA. And they wouldn't be No. 1 right now in primetime if not for Raw. We switched one time to what became the Spike network and became the No. 1 show there. We have proved that we can pretty much make TV networks.

THR: WWE and your performers have started using Twitter more.

McMahon: Back in the early days, our performers elicited a response -- a boo or a cheer. Today, we use all this social media. We are going to do Tout, in which the WWE just invested. With that, you get a 15-second video shout-out that goes straight to our TV programs. Beginning with the 1,000th show, people can participate in terms of the types of matches and what actually happens on air. It will be the most interactive TV programming in the world.

THR: Over the years, you had ups and downs. You had the Monday night ratings wars with WCW, for example.

McMahon: Ted Turner was a bit of a battle [when he bought the World Championship Wrestling circuit]. Ted was part of Time Warner; that was difficult to compete with. But perseverance is extremely important in life and in business. The other guys got tired of traveling each and every week to do TV. They just didn't have the same passion we do. They were working for a paycheck. It was only a matter of time until they burned out.

THR: Why has so much of your talent, like The Rock, gone on to film careers?

McMahon: Our talent is taught not to be prima donnas, to be on time and know their lines. And quite frankly, people in Hollywood, once they see what we do, they are amazed. Our talent doesn't demand the biggest trailer or a certain amount of grape juice or whatever the hell it is. Our talent is extremely flexible and knows how to act, so it's a logical extension for them.

THR: UFC gets big pay-per-view numbers. How do you stack up against them?

McMahon: We're in show business, they are a sport. Their ratings are abysmal. They are in the pay-per-view business, and they do reasonably well there. We just set a record for WrestleMania. We had 1.3 million buys for this year's WrestleMania, and our pay-per-view numbers for our shows have been up 30 percent since then. So, we are looking pretty good.

THR: Are you going to watch the Olympics?

McMahon: I consider our business the Olympics, and it doesn't just happen every few years, but every night. My favorite part will be the closing ceremonies. That means the Olympics are over, and everyone will settle down and Raw, Smackdown! [on Syfy] and WWE will have more prominence.

STORY: ION Enters Pro-Wrestling Ring with 'WWE Main Event'

WRESTLING ROOTS

Dwayne Johnson/The Rock: The third-generation wrestler began his film career with The Mummy Returns. Next: G.I. Joe: Retaliation, The Fast and the Furious 6.

Stacy Keibler: Keibler wrestled and managed WWE stars, then placed third on Dancing With the Stars. And, oh yeah, she's been dating George Clooney since 2011.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin: McMahon's beer-swilling adversary appeared in The Expendables.
Hulk Hogan: He's acted in Rocky III, starred on his own reality show and done voice acting for Robot Chicken.

Freddie Prinze Jr.: The She's All That star and WWE fan was hired to help create Raw storylines in 2008. He has guest-hosted on the show as well.


WWE Triple H Talks Talent...

Promoting this coming Monday's historic 1000th episode of Raw, Paul Levesque, also known as Triple H, addressed a number of topics including Randy Orton's ongoing sixty-day suspension for his second violation of WWE's Talent Wellness Program.

Orton, who hails from St. Louis, Missouri, the site of Monday's show, will be unable to appear due to the suspension. Though Levesque won't divulge what Orton did wrong, he notes "The Legend Killer" will be back once the suspension concludes.

"It is important to remember that all of our wrestlers are human but they also have to be accountable," Levesque says of Orton's suspension.

As WWE's Executive Vice President of Talent and Live Events, Levesque's corporate role is to discover tomorrow's Superstars. He admits it's a struggle.

"We're trying to teach them to be the Stone Colds and the Undertakers of tomorrow, but the one thing we can't teach is charisma," said Levesque. "You can teach people to do moves and create story lines and the psychology of what we do, but you can't teach someone to be the Rock. It's an innate ability to walk into a room and have everyone pay attention. Put aside the athleticism and what happens in the ring, what our business is really about is connecting with people emotionally. If you are emotionally connected to your character, then people will want to see you. It's true in Hollywood and movies. You don't have to be the best actor, just be a presence."

Triple H, The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin created on-screen personas "fans loved, hated or loved to hate" on Raw in the late '90s. Levesque feels they were the first stars of reality television.

"Every guy we have, whether it's me, whether it's the Undertaker, whether it's John Cena playing the character John Cena, is a performer," said Levesque. "What we did is very much the beginning of reality television. 'Jersey Shore,' whether people want to believe it or not, is a scripted kind-of show. They don't give them every single word, but they give them premises and they set things up. It's not a documentary where you follow them around brushing their teeth. And that's what we are — we blur that line and that's what people find intriguing."

Levesque also offers insight on The Rock and Kane's on-stage personalities, WWE's decision to make their shows "PG" television, critics denouncing wrestling as "fake," and more.


WWE Raw Supershow - What To Expect On The Broadcast
Live in St. Louis, Mo, USA


The three-hour WWE Raw era will start with a new signature WWE open capturing WWE through the years.

Rapid-fire clips of memorable moments throughout Raw's history - Vince's "Bret screwed Bret" speech, Shawn Michaels losing his smile, Edge retiring, Ric Flair retiring, and Triple H tributing Eddie Guerrero.

A video package focusing on "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and and Bret Hart becoming friends again.

Vince McMahon to welcome and thank the fans.

DX reunion with most members.

The Rock to address the WWE Title.

Brock Lesnar accept Triple H's Summerslam Challenge?

Daniel Bryan and A.J. to get married.

WWE champion C.M. Punk vs. John Cena for the WWE Title

1 -- World Hvt. champion SHEAMUS & REY MYSTERIO & SIN CARA vs. CHRIS JERICHO & DOLPH ZIGGLER (w/Vickie Guerrero) & ALBERTO DEL RIO

2 -- JACK SWAGGER vs. BRODUS CLAY (w/Mick Foley)

3 -- IC champion CHRISTIAN vs. THE MIZ -- Intercontinental Title match

Charlie Sheen via Skype to talk wrestling and "anger management".

4 -- HEATH SLATER vs. LITA


The Undertaker returns to RAW.


5 -- WWE champion C.M. PUNK vs. JOHN CENA -- WWE Title match

*special thanks to our friends at WWE, Pro Wrestling Torch, Wrestling Observer Newsletter and Wrestling Inc in assisting with this report.


New X Men, Wolverine 2 Film Revealed Possible New Viper Actress...

New X Men, Wolverine 2 film revealed possible new Viper actress. According to a new report from Collider, talks with Jessica Biel to play character Viper in the new Wolverine 2 flick, did not workout,so now, this new Russian actress Svetlana Khodchenkova is currently in talks to play Viper instead. It’s also reported that Svetlana is expected to close a deal with the studio pretty quickly.

The character of Viper is said to be of Eastern European decent, and has a complex relationship with Wolverine that includes, at one point, a sham marriage. Svetlana is mostly known for her work in Russia, but she appeared last year in the espionage flick “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.”

On location work on The Wolverine will be done in Japan, while stage work will be shot in Australia in August. The movie stars: Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hal Yamanouchi, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima, Brian Tee, and is scheduled to hit theaters on July 26th,2013. Stay tuned.


Wolverine sequel: Jessica Biel out...

Just days after Jessica Biel was announced to play Viper in the forthcoming Wolverine sequel, The Wolverine, it has emerged that the actress has now walked away from the project after contract talks broke down.

James Mangold has taken the reins for this installment with Hugh Jackman returning to play the titular title role. It will hopefully stay faithful to the Chris Claremont/Frank Miller series which sees Wolverine transported to Japan in one of his darkest storylines.

Biel had been cast as Viper, a character who has a tempestuous relationship with Wolverine/Logan, including blackmail, a forced marriage and the odd wound – both physical and mental. Viper is also known as Lady Hydra, a high ranking officer in the Hydra network, but this may not be referenced in The Wolverine as the rights to Hydra are with Disney/Marvel Studios and Hydra was used in Captain America: The First Avenger.

The Wolverine has had a bumpy ride so far getting to the big screen, with Darren Aronofsky leaving the project very early on. This caused a delay in filming, which then grew as Hugh Jackman had commitments to film Les Miserables.

It’s another setback for the production that commences in Australia this August before filming on location in Japan. Sources say that Fox are now talking to other actors about the role as they look to move quickly to replace Biel.

The film is scheduled for release July 2013.


Marvel Entertainment movies; Thor, Spider-Man boost popularity of online slot games...

The Media Man agency reports that Marvel comics themed games such as Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk have received a boost thanks to recent and upcoming movie releases tied in with Marvel Entertainment. For the gaming world that Excelsior! (as Marvel legend Stan Lee would say). Check em out at PartyCasino, as featured across the Media Man network.


Comic Book Movies News Update...

DC Comics:

Director and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino will soon be scripting for DC Comics. The announcement, made at San Diego Comic Con, was nothing short of cryptic, and we are waiting on more details to be divulged.


Marvel Comics:

The Marvel NOW! Point-One teaser sequentially revealed the heroes that will be strongly implicated in the special issue to be released this Fall. The characters are Nick Fury, Jr., Cable, Ant Man, Loki, Wiccan, Miss America, Nova and Starlord.


Film and Television:

Dreamworks recently entered a bidding war for Classic Media film and television rights to properties like He-Man, Godzilla, Voltron, Turok, Dick Tracy, Archie, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and many more.

Marvel Studios is investigating the leak that uncovered the production of a Guardians of the Galaxy film weeks before the film's planned announcement at San Diego Comic Con.

The Dark Knight Rises has reportedly earned $162 million at the box office in its opening weekend despite tragedy. The gross puts TDKR third behind Marvel's The Avengers and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II, both of which had inflated grosses due to 3D ticket sales.


O'Neill formally takes over as Echo chairman - 23rd July...

Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill has officially taken over as chairman of casino operator Echo Entertainment Group's board.

Mr O'Neill takes over from John Story who stepped down on June 8 following a campaign to remove him by James Packer, head of rival casino operator Crown.

Mr O'Neill, a non-executive board director and chief executive of the Australian Rugby Union, subsequently assumed the role of Echo's acting chairman.

His appointment received Mr Packer's support.

Mr Packer, seeking a presence in the lucrative Sydney gaming market, wanted to to increase his influence on Echo, which holds the city's sole casino licence.

Crown took a 10 per cent holding in Echo.

Echo operates The Star in Sydney, the Jupiters casinos on the Gold Coast and in Townsville, and the Treasury casino in Brisbane.

Crown operates the Crown casino in Melbourne and the Burswood casino in Perth.


Steven Spielberg Wants Chris Hemsworth for Robopocalypse...

Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth was a relative unknown Stateside only a couple years ago, but he has become the go-to guy for roles requiring a handsome badass who fights inhuman threats. Hemsworth has battled Frost Giants in Thor and alien invaders in The Avengers as Thor — and Thor's wicked brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), in both movies — and trolls as the Huntsman in Snow White and the Huntsman, and it looks like he will soon be battling robots for director Steven Spielberg in Robopocalypse.

The three-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker has been trying to put together an adaptation of Daniel H. Wilson's best-selling novel of the same name since before the book was completed, and now it seems he's finally ready to start moving forward with it. According to Deadline, Spielberg recently met in secret with Hemsworth to discuss starring in the movie and has chosen him to lead the resistance against the artificial intelligence Archos, which seeks to annhiliate the human race.

Further details on the adaptation are scarce at this point. Goddard wrote the initial screenplay adaptation of his book, but Deadline reports that Kario Salem (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) has been hired to rewrite Goddard's script. Here's the synopis of the book from Random House's website:

Not far into our future, the dazzling technology that runs our world turns against us. Controlled by a childlike — yet massively powerful — artificial intelligence known as Archos, the global network of machines on which our world has grown dependent suddenly becomes an implacable, deadly foe. At Zero Hour — the moment the robots attack — the human race is almost annihilated, but as its scattered remnants regroup, humanity for the first time unites in a determined effort to fight back. This is the oral history of that conflict, told by an international cast of survivors who experienced this long and bloody confrontation with the machines. Brilliantly conceived and amazingly detailed, Robopocalypse is an action-packed epic with chilling implications about the real technology that surrounds us.

It's the robots' world, we just live in it...for now.

Random House also has a one-minute video short set in the world of Robopocalypse on its site. The director of the short, Stephen Lunsford, is no Spielberg, but the short is worth watching solely for the creepy, child-like voice of Archos declaring itself humanity's god.

Robopocalypse will be a joint Dreamworks-Fox production distributed by Disney. It is slated for release on April 25, 2014.


Hugh Jackman echoes sorrow over massacre...

Australian actor Hugh Jackman has expressed his sadness following the mass shooting at a US screening of The Dark Knight Rises.

'All I can echo is the sorrow I feel for the families, the community, for everybody,' he says.

'It's an issue that goes way beyond, obviously beyond acting, beyond film or anything like that.

'This is just a tragedy on a level that we have experienced in Australia many years ago in Tasmania and it's devastating and I can't comment on (it) anymore than as a human being and my feelings for those people involved.'

Jackman was speaking in Sydney at a press conference on Tuesday for his new film The Wolverine, alongside its director, James Mangold, and Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Jackman was sporting a red right eye, but it wasn't because of training for the action movie, but rather 'a very energetic game of tag with my kids', which he thinks burst a blood vessel.

Jackman says it wasn't easy getting back into shape for the part, particularly coming from his last role as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables.

'That was a particular challenge because Les Mis, I had to start at 83 kilos and I finished at about 97 kilos by the end of the movie,' he says.

'We did have a holiday recently, but it was more like boot camp for me. But the kids and Deb (his wife, actress Deborra-Lee Furness) were happy.'

Shooting of The Wolverine is scheduled to start in Sydney on July 30, after a number of setbacks for the sequel to X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Last March, director Darren Aronofsky left the project, and Mangold stepped in to replace him. Then the shoot, which was originally meant to be in Japan, was postponed last October because of weather conditions.

Mangold says The Wolverine is based on a series of comics that detail the mutant's journeys in Japan and he refuted reports that Jessica Biel had turned down the lead role of Viper.

'The story couldn't be more of a fantasy frankly, in terms of what I was reading, so it was nothing more than a list of people we were considering and still are,' he says.

Jackman, who has played Wolverine now in five different movies over the past 12 years, says he takes the movies on one at a time.

For The Wolverine, he saw the screenplay and was sold.

'I feel like a golfer, always looking for a hole in one and I thought this was the best script we've had,' he says.


Hollywood declares box office truce after massacre...

The Hollywood studio behind the Batman movies has decided not to publish weekend box office figures after the Colorado theatre massacre.

Twelve people were killed and 58 injured when a gunman dressed in full body armour opened fire at a packed midnight premier of The Dark Knight Rises in Denver.

James Holmes, 24, was taken into custody outside the cinema after the attack. He is in solitary confinement and is due in court on Monday morning.

Within hours of the attack, Warner Brothers had cancelled the movie's Paris premiere, which was to have been accompanied by a press junket with the cast and crew including director Christopher Nolan and main star Christian Bale.

The company also cancelled red carpet events for the film in France, Japan and Mexico, although screenings will go ahead as planned.

Warner Bros has now confirmed it will not publish weekend takings - a form of crowing about box office success - until Monday.

This was despite the fact that unofficial figures cited by industry daily Variety suggest that it made $US75 million on Friday alone, the third biggest opening day ever at the US box office.

The move was swiftly followed by major Hollywood rivals including Disney, Fox, Sony, Lionsgate and Universal.

After initial radio silence from most of the cast and crew, Nolan issued a statement lamenting the "senseless tragedy," and expressing "our profound sorrow at the senseless tragedy that has befallen the entire Aurora community".

On Saturday Bale, who plays Bruce Wayne aka Batman, also expressed his sadness.

"Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them," he said in a statement.

In a separate move Warner Bros scrambled to pull a trailer for another film, Gangster Squad, including a scene in which mobsters shoot at theatre audiences. (AFP)


Christian Bale: My Heart Aches for Victims

The film is expected to be among the most lucrative movie openings and possibly contend with the record $207.4 million brought in by "The Avengers."

"The Dark Knight Rises" star Christian Bale said Saturday that his heart goes out to the victims of the Colorado shootings, a tragedy that brought Hollywood studios together in a rare show of solidarity as they opted to give the weekend box-office a rest.

"Words cannot express the horror that I feel," Bale, who plays the caped crusader in the film, said in a statement. "I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them."

Meanwhile, Sony, Fox, Disney, Universal, Fox, Paramount and Lionsgate said Saturday that they are joining "Dark Knight Rises" distributor Warner Bros. in withholding their box-office numbers for the weekend.

Warner Bros. announced Friday that it would forgo the usual revenue reports until Monday out of respect for the victims and their families in the Aurora, Colo., shooting that killed 12 and wounded 58 at the midnight show of "The Dark Knight Rises" earlier in the day.

The other studios said they also would not report numbers until Monday. Box-office tracking service Rentrak, too, said it would not report figures this weekend.

Sunday box-office estimates are a weekly routine for Hollywood, with studios jostling for bragging rights as the No. 1 movie and always aiming to break revenue records.

Before the shooting in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater at a midnight screening of the new Batman film, the box-office performance of "The Dark Knight Rises" had been eagerly anticipated. The film is expected to be among the most lucrative movie openings and possibly contend with the record $207.4 million brought in by "The Avengers."

But that now appears unlikely, even though "The Dark Knight Rises" earned $30.6 million from midnight screenings alone. Hollywood trade publications Variety and Hollywood Reporter reported estimates of roughly $75 million to $77 million for the film on Friday, based on box-office insiders.

That would put it on track for somewhere around $165 million for the weekend. Such a total would be the second highest weekend opening ever, after "The Avengers."

Any projections, though, are bound to be rough approximates given the atypical nature of the situation. Many of Friday's tickets were presold before the shooting. Moviegoers making their way to theaters also faced increased security and, in some places, bag checks. AMC Theaters, the country's second-largest movie chain, said it would not allow costumed fans or face-covered masks into its theaters.

Warner Bros. rushed to react to the tragedy, immediately canceling a Friday night premiere in Paris. On Saturday, it also canceled the other remaining red-carpet extravaganzas in Mexico City and Tokyo.

The studio, a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., also moved to pull trailers from its upcoming film "Gangster Squad" from theaters. The trailer of the film, which stars Sean Penn and Ryan Gosling in a ruthless war between Los Angeles police and the mob, includes a scene of mobsters firing into a crowded movie theater from behind the screen.

Christopher Nolan, the director of "The Dark Knight Rises" earlier responded to the tragedy, expressing his sorrow for the victims and their families.

Said Nolan: "The movie theater is my home and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me."

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Sunday, July 22, 2012

Entertainment, Hollywood, Gaming, Celebrity, Wrestling and WWE News

Gaming, Entertainment, Hollywood and Celebrity News: Spider-Man movie, The Dark Knight Rises, movie ratings, The Wolverine, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, Highest paid actors includes "The Rock"; WWE, Pro Wrestling, Gaming and more...

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Warner Bros Says 'The Dark Knight Rises' Won't Beat 'The Avengers'...

The Hollywood Report is reporting that the pre-release tracking numbers for "The Dark Knight Rises" are so high that the movie should have no problem topping the $158 million opening of "The Dark Knight" and getting the best U.S debut for a 2D film.

According to Warner Bros, Christopher Nolan's third Batman film has already grossed $25 million in advance ticket sales, which is one of the best results of all time. The studio believes that "The Dark Knight Rises" will end up at around $170 million for the weekend, but box office experts believe that the film will likely end up between $185 million and $195 million.

As predicted earlier, "The Dark Knight Rises" will likely not beat "The Avengers" ($207.4 million) for the highest-grossing opening weekend, but should surpass "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" ($169.2 million). Both of the films had the advantage of being released in 3D. Roughly $35 million of "The Avengers" opening numbers came from the extra charge that comes with watching films in 3D.

The other problem that "The Dark Knight Rises" faces is being 2 hours and 43 minutes long. Very often people tend to wait for lengthy films to come out on DVD/Blu-ray. Plus, theaters won't be able to squeeze in as many screenings as they could for a shorter movie.


Warner, China Film clash on 'Dark Knight' debut against 'Spider-Man'...

A plan to open superhero movies "The Amazing Spider-Man"and "The Dark Knight Rises"on the same date in China has prompted a tense standoff between film authorities in Beijing and Hollywood's biggest studio.

Warner Bros.' Batman sequel "The Dark Knight Rises" and Sony Pictures' reboot "The Amazing Spider-Man" have both been scheduled to open in China on Aug. 30 , according to to several people familiar with the Chinese movie market not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Release dates in China are set not by studios, but by the state-owned China Film Group.

Such a move would almost certainly depress the box office grosses of both big-budget pictures as they compete for audiences and screens.

In response, Warner Bros. is lobbying China Film Group to delay the opening of "Dark Knight Rises" to September, the knowledgeable people said. The negotiations are delicate, however, as China Film's decision-making process is opaque to Hollywood studios.

The underlying question in the dispute is which side has more leverage: China Film Group, the gatekeeper to the world's second-largest movie market; or Warner Bros., which controls one of the most anticipated movies of the year, expected to gross more than $1 billion worldwide.

Spokespeople for Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures declined to comment.

"Dark Knight Rises" is opening in the U.S. on Friday as well as in many other countries in Europe and Asia; "Spider-Man" has already been open for several weeks in most territories.

Should China Film refuse to change the opening date of "The Dark Knight Rises," Warner Bros.'s only apparent option would be to hold back the movie entirely, potentially giving up tens of millions of dollars in box office revenue from the country in order to stand on principle.

REVIEW: 'Dark Knight Rises'

The news comes a week after the revelation that the 3-D animated movies "Ice Age: Continental Drift" (from 20th Century Fox) and "The Lorax" (from Universal Pictures) will premiere against each other on July 27 in China.

In the past, it has been highly unusual for similar movies to open on the same date in China as the government sought to boost box office receipts, which hit $2 billion last year and are projected to rise to $3 billion by the end of 2012.

But Chinese authorities may be concerned that Hollywood movies have been performing much better than local product so far this year, according to people with ties to the Chinese film market who did not want to be identified publicly because it might jeopardize their relationships there.

These people said that executives at China Film appear to be opening similar American movies against each other in order to minimize their box office takes.

Xiao Ping, the general manager in charge of importing movies at China Film Group, said she had not received any "official confirmation" of the release dates of "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Dark Knight Rises."

"I'm not sure when those two movies will be released in China," she said. "It all depends on the market conditions."

She referred a Times reporter to other executives at China Film. One who worked in the legal department said that the China Film Distribution and Exhibition Assn. is in charge of scheduling release dates.

However, a woman who answered the phone at the association said she couldn't comment and referred questions back to China Film Group.

There has been an unofficial "blackout" on American movies in China for the last several weeks -- with only local product appearing in theaters--from the opening of the animated film "Brave" on June 19 until "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" arrives on July 25.

Consequently, there is expected to be a back-up of Hollywood summer tentpole pictures opening on top of one another over the next couple of months.

If China Film Group decides to continue opening American movies on the same dates, it could impact such pictures as the 3-D animated films "Hotel Transylvania," "Frankenweenie," "Wreck-It-Ralph" and "Rise of the Guardians," as well as "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and the James Bond picture "Skyfall."


Jessica Biel Bails on 'The Wolverine,' a Superhero Movie That Can't Get a Break...

After three successful X-Men with a total domestic gross of nearly a $1 billion, a spin-off, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and one of the greatest modern cameos of all time (his f-bomb in X-Men: First Class is truly inspired), one would think Hugh Jackman getting another round of mutant comic book action off the ground would be easy peasy lemon squeezy. Not so.

The latest hiccup for Wolverine's second outing, simply titled The Wolverine, sees Jessica Biel vacating a role that she never quite had. Rumors were swirling around Comic-Con that Biel was in talks for the costarring role of "Viper" in the film. The actress was in talks with the studio for the part on Friday, but the negotiations fell through. Biel, who previously lent her action acting skills to the third installment of the Blade franchise and the upcoming Total Recall, reportedly had "cold feet" regarding the role and opted out of joining the sequel.

The departure of Biel is another bump in the road for The Wolverine. After the middling success of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, questions over whether the gruff, ballbusting hero would get another chance at a solo career. Director Gavin Hood insisted that a second film was on the way, with writer Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects, Jack Reacher) hired to pen a script in August 2009. When Hood was not asked to return for a follow-up, plans for a sequel were stuck in limbo. But after the success of Black Swan, Jackman's former Fountain director Darren Aronofsky stepped in to helm the picture with a revamped title that separated it from the previous Origins series: The Wolverine.

Aronofsky boarded The Wolverine in October of 2010, but by March of 2011, he was bowing out of the project, citing the need to remain in the country with his family (the director had split from his wife Rachel Weisz in November, following the announcement). The departure of the director wasn't even The Wolverine's biggest issue: McQuarrie's script for the film took the action to Japan, following one of the character's most famous arcs, but just before Aronofsky's departure, Japan suffered a massive earthquake that devastated the country and left business out to dry. Once again, Fox was stuck with a project they were dying to make but with no one and no where to make it. An immediate search began for a new director, and by June 2011, the studio settled on James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma, Knight & Day) to helm the picture. The film was on the fast track to shoot in fall of that year in Australia.

With whether concerns in Japan a lingering problem, The Wolverine bounced around start dates with its star eventually taking on another project in the interim, the musical Les Miserables. But after years of false starts, the pieces for the comic book sequel are falling into place, Jackman confirming at this year's CinemaCon that production would begin in August for a release date of July 26, 2013.

The Wolverine has already begun assembling its primarily Japanese cast, signing on Hiroyuki Sanada, Hal Yamanouchi , Tao Okamoto and Rila Fukushima for key roles, but the loss of Biel comes as a blow to the production. The star is one of the few go-to female action heroines — and her profile is only growing. Who can go toe-to-toe with Jackman on both a physical and emotional level. In the comics, The Viper character begins in a romantic relationship with Wolverine before double-crossing him and taking him down. The casting of Biel is an indication that, at the very least, Viper will be seeing a bit of the action in the film (and with a name like Viper, how could she not?). There's no word yet on who could fill Biel's shoes, but if Total Recall is any indication, actress Kate Beckinsale has the chops to contend with Biel. An ample replacement? Who should take over Viper from the quickly-departed Biel?


Dwayne Johnson to play Lobo...

Dwayne Johnson has confirmed he is in talks with producer Joel Silver and director Brad Peyton to play comic book star Lobo....

Dwayne Johnson has confirmed he is in talks to play comic book star Lobo.

The 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' star - who also wrestles in the WWE as The Rock - took to his twitter account to reveal he has entered negotiations with producer Joel Silver and director Brad Peyton about taking on the role of DC Comics' Czarnian bounty hunter.

In response to a fan's question about whether he is playing the character, he tweeted: "Rumors of me possibly playing LOBO are true. Joel Silver and Brad Peyton working on it now. That could be fun.. (sic)"

Earlier this year, Brad took up an offer from Warner Bros. to make the DC Comics movie as his next project.

The filmmaker teamed up with Dwayne on 'Journey 2: The Mysterious Island', which features Sir Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson and Vanessa Hudgens, and sees the wrestler star as explorer Hank Parsons.

Dwayne's next movie role will see him portray Roadblock on forthcoming action motion picture 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation', and he recently admitted he signed up for the project because he thought there was "room for improvement" in the franchise after watching 2009's 'G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra'.

He explained: "I was even more than 'Yeah I'm in.' But also too, you wanna be a little bit poised with your excitement at first. When I first heard it, the idea of starring in 'G.I. Joe', first of all you get a second crack at something that is - the franchise is that big, the title is that big, the first one did well [but there was] room for improvement.

"We get a second crack at bat with this; I wanted to grab this by the throat and not let go. The moment I locked in, we all agreed, I'm in."


‘Dark Knight Rises’ SRO Official Academy Screening Begins With Moment Of Silence For Colorado Tragedy Victims...

The Colorado movie theatre shooting tragedy apparently did not dampen the want-to-see factor for The Dark Knight Rises among members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. At Saturday night’s official screening at the Academy’s 1012 seat Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in Beverly Hills an SRO crowd , the largest so far this year and easily one of the largest in many years , turned out to see the much-awaited conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. The Academy crowd was so big that in a highly unusual move for one of these official weekend Acad member screenings ( which often draw far less than capacity audiences) an announcement was made that anyone not having a seat or not happy with the seat they did have could go to the lobby and they would begin filling the Academy’s adjacent Little Theatre.

In another highly unusual move for one of these regular screenings Academy President Tom Sherak was on hand and made a few remarks before asking for a moment of silence for the victims of the horrendous tragedy which occurred early Friday morning shortly after the first midnight screening began at the Aurora, Colorado theatre.

I am told this is what he said in part, “… (this was) such a thankless act of violence by a deranged individual who took the lives of so many innocent people and wounded so many others. The movie-going experience is one which we should be able to enjoy with others in our community in an environment that is safe. We should be able to go to our local theatres and leave our problems behind and allow the movie to transport us to a place that entertains us and captures our imagination. For now though, we understandably feel angst and uneasiness with this tragic event and question the why and the how. Let us take a moment of silence before we begin to hold those innocent people and their families in our hearts and in our prayers. Our condolences surely go out to all of them”.

At least one observer told me reaction to the film itself was “fantastic with much applause at the end”. Although it is far from the studio’s or anybody’s mind this weekend – and should be – Warner Bros is known to have high Oscar hopes for the film. The Academy’s switch from five to ten Best Picture nominees in 2009 is widely thought to have been instigated by the omission of a Best Picture nod for 2008′s The Dark Knight which was nominated overall for 8 mostly below-the-line Oscars and won for Sound Editing and most notably a posthumous Best Supporting Actor statuette for Heath Ledger who played the Joker.

Official Academy screenings of The Dark Knight Rises continue Tuesday in New York and Thursday in San Francisco. London-based members saw it last Thursday.


Studio Quiet on “Dark Knight Rises” Box Office; Will it Top “The Avengers?”

In the wake of the tragic shooting at a screening of “The Dark Knight Rises,” it would potentially appear callous to focus on the whopping box office success of the highly-anticipated film.

As such, Warner Brothers Pictures issued a statement saying it will not officially report box office data over the weekend. Studio estimates often help formulate the “reports” movie buffs read on Saturday morning and then again Sunday afternoon. Official results are not delivered until Monday.

Those with inside sources, however, are reporting that the film’s tracking looks very strong. The question remains whether it will beat “The Avengers.”

Though it had a stronger midnight opening, “Dark Knight,” according to Deadline, will likely land in line with the other film’s opening day total. Given the passionate following for the latest Batman film series, this phenomenon makes sense–seeing the movie at midnight was a bona fide event for millions, but it is not necessarily a more widely-appealing movie than the star-studded “Avengers.”

Like “Avengers,” “The Dark Knight Rises” is tracking for about $80 million on Friday. “Avengers” held up reasonably well over the weekend to earn $207 million; it remains to be seen if interest in “The Dark Knight” is too front-loaded to bring another $120 million to the table on Saturday and Sunday.


Marvel & Latino Review: Studio Allegedly Threatens Movie Writer Over 'Guardians Of The Galaxy' Leak...

On June 28, Latino Review writer Dave Gonzales -- writing under the pseudonym Da7e -- broke the news that Marvel was planning to make "Guardians of the Galaxy" one of its next films. Trades like Variety and THR were quick to pick up the news -- Deadline.com did as well, but without crediting Gonzales for the story -- and by the time Marvel officially announced "Guardians of the Galaxy" at Comic-Con on July 14, it seemed nearly everyone with a Twitter account was already aware of the project.

That apparently didn't sit very well with Marvel.

On Thursday, Gonzales posted an email he received from someone posing as a Marvel representative -- the writer was later revealed to be Robert Grosser, a vice president of loss prevention at Marvel, by THR -- that asked for the source of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" news. (Gonzales also broke a story about "Iron Man 3.")

The executives at Marvel are extremely upset regarding the release of this information and they have instructed me to find you and ascertain how you received it. My goal is to accomplish this in a quiet manner. I do not want to see you or anyone else get into trouble nor do I want to see anyone’s career be tarnished because of this. However I am very confident that through your efforts and mine, we will be able to work through this together. I personally feel that you did not have any malicious intent when you posted your spoilers on the fanboy website. Like many fans out there, you just wanted to be the first one to post something on the internet. I get it, however the "Iron Man 3" and "Guardians of the Galaxy" information was confidential and you did not have Marvel’s consent to post it. That was illegal!

Needless to say, Gonzales wasn't thrilled about the accusations or threats. Not only did he post the email online, he wrote this in response:

I’m not responding to this e-mail outside of this post, because I’ve done nothing wrong. A representative of my favorite comics house just stepped into my life with no legal authority to demand anything and threatened my career for doing my job well.

According to THR's legal blog, THR, Esq., Marvel would have a difficult time bringing any charges against Gonzales, a reporter, for reporting a story.

As for "Guardians of the Galaxy," Marvel announced the film at Comic-Con and will release it into theaters on Aug. 1, 2014.

For more on the legal ramifications of this story, head over to THR. To check out Gonzales' full report, hit Latino Review.


Thor: The Dark World - Stuntman Leak?...

At Marvel Studios’ panel at Comic-Con, it was revealed that the sequel to ‘Thor’ would be called ‘Thor: The Dark World’. But then the new title left people wondering what made Thor’s world so dark. It seems that stuntman James Grogan may have the answer to that.

In an interview with IReviewToo (via Comic Book Movie), Grogan may have just revealed who Chris Hemsworth will have to face in his next outing as the God of Thunder, beside Tom Hiddleston, who’s reprising his role as Loki. Here’s what the stuntman had to say:

“The other day for example, this is quite random but I was working on ‘Thor 2’. I had a load of stunt guys in and the director came in and he said ‘Look, we want you all to be elves,’ and I was like ‘What the hell is an elf anyway?’ and he said ‘I want you all to walk around like these supernatural animals,’ honestly it was the most ridiculous thing ever but you just have to not be self aware and get on with it.”

Elves? In ‘The Dark World’? Well for those in the know, one might assume that Thor will be facing off against the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim under the leadership of Malekith the Accursed. Back when Mads Mikkelsen was in talks for the role of an unnamed villain in Alan Taylor’s film, I speculated that he would play the demon Surtur, but now that we have more information to go on, could it be that the Danish actor who left the production was set to play the evil elf? And who’s lined up to play the villain now to fill the vacancy?

Also, as CBM notes, Loki and Malekith have been in cahoots before to acquire the Cask of Ancient Winters, which was featured in the first journey in Asgard, so maybe Taylor will be inspired by that comic storyline for his movie. Since production begins next month in London, I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough.

‘Thor: The Dark World’, directed by ‘Game of Thrones’ favorite Alan Taylor, starring Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Idris Elba, and Anthony Hopkins, is scheduled for release on November 8, 2013.


Dwayne Johnson Up For "Lobo" Film...

After being asked by a fan, Dwayne Johnson has revealed that talk of him playing alien bounty hunter "Lobo", in the proposed DC Comics feature film adaptation in development at Warner Bros. Pictures, has some weight to it.

"Rumors of me possibly playing LOBO are true. Joel Silver and Brad Peyton working on it now. That could be fun" he states on Twitter. The studio has not set a release date yet for the film.

If cast, Johnson would reunite with his "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" director Brad Peyton on the movie.


Russell Crowe, 'Harry Potter' star Emma Watson to shoot 'Noah' on Long Island, New York...

Director Darren Aronofsky ("Black Swan," "The Wrestler") Thursday tweeted the first photo of the Noah's Ark set he's constructing on Long Island for his upcoming "Noah," based on his own graphic-novel reimagining of the Biblical epic.

"We're shooting in Oyster Bay, Long Island," a Paramount spokeswoman told Newsday. "Confirmed cast includes Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman and Douglas Booth." Oscar-winner Crowe is set to play a version of Noah, whom the graphic novel's publisher, Le Lombard, describes as "a Mad Max out of the depths of time." (Connelly will play Noah's wife, and Hopkins the 900-year-old Methuselah.)

"I dreamt about this since I was 13," Aronofsky, 43, tweeted. "And now it's a reality. Genesis 6:14," he said, referring to the Bible passage that reads, "Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch."

Meanwhile, Grant Wilfley Casting has scheduled an open call for "Noah" extras Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Greek Orthodox Church of Holy Resurrection in Brookville, specifying "men and women with toned-slender runner's bodies, who are willing to work at night in the rain." A previous open call had taken place June 29 in Manhattan.

"Noah," scheduled for release March 28, 2014, will adapt the graphic novel by writers Aronofsky and Ari Handel and artist Niko Henrichon, which was published in French last October.


Bwin loses German hand...

The uncertain state of European gaming, particularly regulation, and the need to gear businesses up for social networking contributed to a profit warning from Bwin.Party. With Europe in general almost intolerably volatile it is now difficult to be optimistic about Bwin's prospects for the rest of this year.


Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson In Highest Paid Actors List...

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was listed at #4 on the Forbes annual list of the highest paid actors in the world over the past year. Johnson was reported as earning $36 million this past year, behind only Tom Cruise ($75 million), Leonardo DiCaprio ($37 million) and Adam Sandler ($37 million).


Roddy Piper gives tips to CM Punk...

WWE Hall of Famer Roddy Piper continues to praise WWE Champion CM Punk. Piper says he is going to sit down with Punk at Monday's big RAW and give him some advice for his troubles with Big Show. Piper wrote:

"Watched @CMPunk on Raw. A great job. I fought Andre so many times going to sit down with Punk at 1000 Raw a tell him a secret. He's worh it!"


AW Wants To Be WWE RAW GM...

AW says he is the one to take us back to the WWE Attitude Era. He wrote the following in response to fans criticizing his open mic work on RAW:

"If you're annoyed by me on the mic it's not me u hate it's ur own lack of internal fortitude you despise. #StopHatingO's. I'm not politically correct. If u get offended deal with it. #AttitudeEra is my motto. I grew up on it, I live it!!! #F*ckFearDrinkBeer!! If anybody's gonna take us back to the #AttitudeEra it's me. Doubt me if u will, don't let the suit fool you. We've only just begun...."


WWE Has More Legends Confirmed for RAW 1000; Stone Cold Steve Austin...

On rumors that Steve Austin will face Heath Slater on Raw 1,000: "Austin will definitely give him the stunner, ya' know thats coming! Fans get ready, you're gonna see a Stunner!"

On if he will be apart of Raw 1,000: "I will be making an appearance...people will see that my spikes were excellently repainted! Yeah, I'll be there all painted up, with bells on boys! If it happens it happens, I'm ready!"

On what else to expect for Raw 1,000: "It's gonna star studded, on my flight alone is me, DDP and Bret 'Hitman' Hart!"


WWE Focus On recruiting...

Within WWE, recruiting is now the highest priority it has been since more than a decade ago when WWE had the original strong class in Ohio Valley Wrestling. Gerald Brisco and Canyon Ceman, a recent Triple H hire, were recruiting new talents this past week at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. They were specifically looking at wrestlers, weightlifters and track athletes. Brisco was highest on a bobsled racer who he thought had a great look and who loved wrestling. The racer is the pusher for his bobsled team and may want to wait until after the 2014 Winter Games. (Wrestling Observer Newsletter)


ICP’s annual Gathering of the Juggalos...

Wrestling stars announced for ICP’s annual Gathering of the Juggalos JCW BloodyMania event include Scott Steiner, Vader, John Morrison, Carlito, Bobby Lashley, Chavo Guerrero, Shane Helms, Matt Hardy, The Headbangers, The Rock ‘n Roll Express, Colt Cabana, Vampiro, Steve Corino and others. As noted before, Ric Flair will also be present as the host of the Main Stage.


Dave "Batista" Bautista to have GQ feature...

Former WWE Champion Dave "Batista" Bautista took part in a photo shoot for men's magazine GQ on Thursday to promote the upcoming martial arts film written by RZA and Eli Roth, The Man with the Iron Fists. The noted wrestler appears in the flick with Academy Award winner Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu and mixed martial artist Cung Lee. It is set for release in North America on November 2, 2012.


WWE SmackDown Results: July 20, 2012...

Five nights after Money-in-the-Bank, the 674th edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown came to you from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, CA. After their shocking engagement on RAW and their even more shocking wedding date for the 1,000th Episode of RAW, the bride and groom-to-be, AJ and Daniel Bryan, would be the special guests on The Peep Show, hosted by Intercontinental Champion Christian!

Match Results

8-Man Tag: The Prime Time Players, Hunico, & Camacho (with A.W.) def. R-Truth, Kofi Kingston, Primo, & Epico by Darren Young pinning Primo following the gutbuster.
Damien Sandow def. Zack Ryder by pin following the straightjacket neckbreaker.
Kane def. Daniel Bryan by DQ after AJ interferes.
Road Warrior Animal def. Heath Slater by pin following a jumping elbow drop.
Sheamus & Rey Mysterio def. Dolph Ziggler & Alberto Del Rio by DQ after Ricardo Rodriguez interferes.


Warner Bros. Consumer Products Announces Worldwide Licensing Program For The Dark Knight Rises
Epic Conclusion of the Dark Knight Trilogy Hits Theaters on July 20...


BURBANK, Calif., July 19, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Bat-Signal soars above the skies as Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) and its global partners launch the worldwide licensing and merchandising program that supports the eagerly awaited epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's phenomenally popular Dark Knight trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. As the summer blockbuster swoops into theaters, beginning July 20, WBCP unveils the unprecedented lineup of global licensees and products capturing the excitement for the film around the world.

"Batman is one of the most iconic characters in the world and our global merchandising program inspired by The Dark Knight Rises offers fans of all ages an opportunity to extend their experience beyond the theater," said Brad Globe, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. "The characters, gadgets and vehicles created by Christopher Nolan have opened up a world of great product opportunities."

In support of The Dark Knight Rises, WBCP and its host of renowned licensees are rolling out a vast product lineup generating awareness and enthusiasm just in time for the tentpole film's release. Led by global master toy licensee Mattel, the film will also be supported by key partners such as The LEGO Group, Hallmark, Kinetix, Converse, Rubie's Costume Company, and Titan Books, among many other licensees worldwide. The myriad of merchandise supporting The Dark Knight Rises will bring the film to life and into the homes of fans with a licensing program that boasts offerings across multiple categories from toys and games, to collectibles and costumes, to apparel and accessories, to publishing, party goods and domestic decor.

Mattel, global master toy partner for the film and DC Comics, will have a broad lineup as part of its Batman toy collection including action figures, playsets and collectible figures, highlighted by the fan-favorite Movie Masters(TM) line for the older fans and serious collectors, which captures the superior accuracy and details of the characters from The Dark Knight Rises. In addition, the authentic film-inspired toy line introduces the innovative play technology QuickTek(TM), which offers snap-and-slide armor and accessories.

The much-anticipated film is also being supported by LEGO, the official partner in the construction category, with a construction set inspired by The Dark Knight Rises; Rubie's Costume Co., bringing a wide range of costume products based on the entire DC Comics portfolio, including The Dark Knight Rises; and Hallmark offering collectible ornaments.

Additional licensees also supporting the film include: PPW Toys' DC Super Heroes collectible line of Mr. Potato Heads, including a "Caped Cru-Tater" figure inspired by The Dark Knight Rises; Jakks Pacific with a range of film-inspired novelty and large scale figures and plush; and Cardinals Industries' games and puzzles based on The Dark Knight Rises and Batman, as well as other legendary DC Comics characters. Funko brings its fun stylized plush and vinyl collection; Mezco unmasks colorfully detailed vinyl figures; Hornby Hobbies revs it up with a Scalextric limited edition Batman Tumbler vehicle; Thinkway Toys brings their best-in-class innovation to a range of remote control vehicles, figures, and basic role play toys inspired by Batman and The Dark Knight Rises; and McFarlane Toys unveils a special edition collectible action figure of former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and two-time Super Bowl champion, Hines Ward, in his Gotham Rogues uniform as worn in The Dark Knight Rises.

The licensing program for The Dark Knight Rises reaches multiple product categories. In apparel, high-end fashion from Kinetix and Kids Republic, to Braccialini's cat-walk Catwoman-inspired clutch, to trendy apparel from Bioworld, Junkfood, French Connection, Converse, New Era and Diesel, gives fans a chance to don the look with t-shirts, limited edition sneakers and caps, accessories and more inspired by the artistry and graphics from The Dark Knight Rises; as well as Under Armour with their specialty athletic gear as inspired by their Gotham Rogues uniforms in the film. Collectibles from Hot Toys, Kotobukiya, Mobius Models and Noble Collection offer discerning collectors a chance to display the most artistic and detailed figures and replicas; Mimoco offers cool-collectors' high-tech USB flash drives for all fans; and home goods from Franco, and more will bring Batman to life in any room in the house. In publishing, WBCP and its partners take an in-depth look at all of the vehicles, gadgets, uniforms and more as seen in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. Titan Books will bring the film to the page with its official tie-in novelization; Abrams releases The Art and Making of the Dark Knight Trilogy; HarperCollins caters to younger fans with a publishing program that includes a Junior novelization, I Can Read book series and assorted activity books; and Insight Editions lets fans and auto aficionados get into the driver's seat in Batmobile: The Complete History coffee table book about the iconic Batmobile through the years, as well as giving an inside look at the secrets to being Batman in The Dark Knight Manual.

Other licensees that are part of the exciting roll-out for The Dark Knight Rises program, including Lava Lite LLC, Skinit, Inc., Cufflinks, Inc., Graphitti Designs, The Northwest Company, Thermos, Trends International, Muckle Mannequins, Molli Toys and Bakery Crafts, among many others - each offering inspired product that will delight all fans.

About The Dark Knight Rises Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' The Dark Knight Rises is the epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. The film stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Morgan Freeman. Christopher Nolan directed the film from a screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven are the producers, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers, and Jordan Goldberg co-producing. The Dark Knight Rises is based upon Batman characters created by Bob Kane and published by DC Comics.

Opening in theatres and IMAX on July 20, 2012, The Dark Knight Rises will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language. www.thedarkknightrises.com


Gazillion Entertainment President David Brevik Talks Marvel Heroes MMO
The new game will offer dynamic environments...


SAN DIEGO -- Gazillion Entertainment have Comic-Con 2012 fans a first play of the free-to-play online game Marvel Heroes. The game combines the energy of action role-playing games with the breadth and immersion of the MMO genre, while sharing some popular features from Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo games.

Fans were able to play one of four iconic Marvel characters at the convention and battle through the war-torn streets of Mutant Town and Fort Stryker to defeat Magneto and retrieve William Stryker from his clutches. Along the way, players got a taste of the extensive loot and costume options for each hero. Developers of the game were at the Marvel Entertainment booth, which featured Iron Man 3, to guide players and answer questions during play.

“San Diego Comic-Con is the perfect venue for gamers and Marvel fans to play Marvel Heroes for the first time,” said Brevik. “Marvel Heroes is a great leap forward for the MMO genre, combining the rapid pace of an action-RPG with the depth of an MMO.”

During San Diego Comic-Con, fans also were able to play through the game to find the Tablet of Life and Time, which is a powerful item in Marvel Heroes. The Tablet has been stolen in a daring raid, and to help get it back the Marvel Heroes Task Force needed help. San Diego Comic-Con attendees were deputized and issued a unique photo ID badge, then put hot on the trail of the Tablet. Over the course of The Con, fans won t-shirts, beta codes and other prizes.


WWE Triple H Talks Talent...

Promoting this coming Monday's historic 1000th episode of Raw, Paul Levesque, also known as Triple H, addressed a number of topics including Randy Orton's ongoing sixty-day suspension for his second violation of WWE's Talent Wellness Program.

Orton, who hails from St. Louis, Missouri, the site of Monday's show, will be unable to appear due to the suspension. Though Levesque won't divulge what Orton did wrong, he notes "The Legend Killer" will be back once the suspension concludes.

"It is important to remember that all of our wrestlers are human but they also have to be accountable," Levesque says of Orton's suspension.

As WWE's Executive Vice President of Talent and Live Events, Levesque's corporate role is to discover tomorrow's Superstars. He admits it's a struggle.

"We're trying to teach them to be the Stone Colds and the Undertakers of tomorrow, but the one thing we can't teach is charisma," said Levesque. "You can teach people to do moves and create story lines and the psychology of what we do, but you can't teach someone to be the Rock. It's an innate ability to walk into a room and have everyone pay attention. Put aside the athleticism and what happens in the ring, what our business is really about is connecting with people emotionally. If you are emotionally connected to your character, then people will want to see you. It's true in Hollywood and movies. You don't have to be the best actor, just be a presence."

Triple H, The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin created on-screen personas "fans loved, hated or loved to hate" on Raw in the late '90s. Levesque feels they were the first stars of reality television.

"Every guy we have, whether it's me, whether it's the Undertaker, whether it's John Cena playing the character John Cena, is a performer," said Levesque. "What we did is very much the beginning of reality television. 'Jersey Shore,' whether people want to believe it or not, is a scripted kind-of show. They don't give them every single word, but they give them premises and they set things up. It's not a documentary where you follow them around brushing their teeth. And that's what we are — we blur that line and that's what people find intriguing."

Levesque also offers insight on The Rock and Kane's on-stage personalities, WWE's decision to make their shows "PG" television, critics denouncing wrestling as "fake," and more.


100 Million Fans Like WWE...

STAMFORD, Conn., July 20, 2012 – WWE® (NYSE:WWE) today announced that it has eclipsed 100 million fans through its global social media networks, further cementing its position as one of the most followed brands in the world.

To celebrate this milestone, WWE has surprised its 100 millionth social media fan, Alex Guerrero, Jr., 27 from San Antonio, Texas with a free trip to Monday Night Raw’s 1,000th episode live from St. Louis, Mo. this Monday. Guerrero will also appear on the show and be featured across all of WWE’s social media platforms, including Tout, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and on WWE.com, making him an online Superstar.

Currently, WWE has more than 73 million Facebook fans and 30 million Twitter followers across all of its networks. WWE’s network of Facebook pages has more fans than the NFL’s Facebook league page and its 32 team pages combined. WWE’s flagship Facebook page has a stronger following than brands such as MLB, ESPN, Nickelodeon, HBO, Pepsi and CNN. On Twitter, @WWE has more followers than the NHL, McDonald’s, TMZ, CNBC, and Coca-Cola. Earlier this year, WWE and its Superstars received six 2011 Mashable Awards including “Digital Company of the Year” and "Must Follow Brand on Social Media."

The 1,000th episode of Monday Night Raw not only marks a new 8/7C start time on USA Network, but an expanded three-hour format that will usher in a new era of interactive programming, where viewers will become part of the action by using social media platforms to have a voice in the show.

About WWE
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 600 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.


McMahon releases 2010 tax returns...

NORTH HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Senate candidate Linda McMahon has released tax returns showing the former wrestling executive and her husband earned $30.6 million in 2010.

The endorsed Republican candidate in the race for Connecticut's open U.S. Senate seat says her 2011 returns also eventually will be released.

The campaign provided copies of the 2010 returns to The Associated Press on Friday. The vast majority of the income for McMahon and her husband Vince, the CEO and president of WWE, formerly World Wrestling Entertainment, came from stock dividends. They paid $4.7 million in federal taxes.

A McMahon spokesman said the Greenwich couple is releasing only the 2010 returns for now because the 2011 returns have not been completed.

McMahon is facing former Congressman Christopher Shays in the Aug. 14 Republican primary election.


Marvel Entertainment movies; Thor, Spider-Man boost popularity of online slot games...

The Media Man agency reports that Marvel comics themed games such as Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk have received a boost thanks to recent and upcoming movie releases tied in with Marvel Entertainment. For the gaming world that Excelsior! (as Marvel legend Stan Lee would say). Check em out at PartyCasino, as featured across the Media Man network.


Pensioners to be Banned From Titanic II's Casino - 18th July...

Pensioners will be banned from the casino onboard Titanic II -- as will anyone travelling in steerage -- according to the man behind the project, eccentric Australian billionaire Clive Palmer.

Palmer wants to protect pensioners from themselves and questions whether anyone who can't afford a First Class ticket should even be gambling onboard.

Speaking at a press conference in Brisbane yesterday, Palmer also revealed the deck plans for the replica ship -- which will follow the original plans as closely as possible but with one or two modern additions, including lifts, air-conditioning -- and enough (modern) lifeboats.

The ship, which is being built in China, will be about four feet wider in the beam, with an extra deck to carry more passengers, lifeboats and safety equipment, including escape chutes. The hull will be welded (rather than riveted), and it will be diesel-powered, rather than run by coal, despite Palmer making his billions from mining.

Teijo Niemela, Editor of Cruise Business Review, questioned how closely it would be possible to stick to the original design: "It's quite an interesting problem that they're going to have with the design. The closer they keep the design to the original, the less the ship will be modern. After a few years when all who are interested have seen the product, how many will want to go back to a ship whose design is 100 years old?

On the other hand, if they incorporate too many modern features, such as the gadgets Queen Mary 2 has, then the problem is it wouldn't be Titanic II."

Like the original, Titanic II will be divided into first, second and third classes, with those in steerage sharing bathrooms and sitting at long tables for meals.

Clearly influenced by the James Cameron movie, Palmer said that's where he would be found –- dancing jigs (presumably with a Kate Winslet lookalike) –- in third class:

"It's more fun to dance around with an Irish drum than it is to sit at a casino all night," he said at the press conference. "That's where I'll be -- that's where the fun will be!"

First-class tickets on the original ship in today's money would cost about £57,000 -- about the price of a world cruise on a six star ship today, and out of reach of all but the most wealthy. Palmer said: "I'm sure we can do better than that," when asked what a first class ticket would sell at.

When pressed why he wanted to ban pensioners from the casino, Palmer insisted he did not want to cause offence to the elderly: "I love pensioners. My closest relations are pensioners," he said. "I was just trying to say that we need to protect and respect people who have given a lot service to this country and make sure that we don't act positively to impoverish them later -- that's all it boils down to. We have to have some social responsibility too."

The casino is likely to be located in first class, so as with on Cunard's Grill Class, it will be possible to segregate passengers, Palmer explained: "There will be some sort of screening to make sure the people who do go there are people who can afford to go there. I think third class we'd have to have questions about, wouldn't we? If you can afford a first class ticket at the prices that I'll be charging, you can probably afford to go to the casino. We'll only locate the casino in first class probably, so we should be able to segregate."

The drawings released yesterday depict nine decks, complete with first-, second- and third-class staterooms, as well as officer and crew accommodations. From deck D upward, engineers Deltamarin have managed to keep the public rooms, passenger stairs, cabins and features in similar locations as in the original ship. The board of his shipping company, Blue Star Line, is yet to approve the final design. The first voyage is set for late 2016.

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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Spider-Man inspired by masked luchadors; Spider-Man movie has strong ties to pro wrestling; "Macho Man" Randy Savage connection

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Movies Hollywood Wrestling WWE Spider-Man Amazing Spider-Man Marvel Entertainment




Spider-Man Inspired By Masked Luchadors...

In The Amazing Spider-Man, which hit theaters Tuesday, Peter Parker is inspired to create a mask after winding up inside a wrestling ring surrounded by posters of masked luchadors. It is not the first wrestling connection in the movie franchise as in the premiere film released in 2002, Peter enters a wrestling tournament and squares off against a character portrayed by the late Randy "Macho Man" Savage.


Spider-Man movie has strong ties to pro wrestling; "Macho Man" Randy Savage connection...

The Amazing Spider-Man was released during the Independence Day week and so far the flick has performed well, netting in $35 U.S million on its opening day.

While the record-setting Tuesday opening is awesome, it is something else which has pro wrestling fans excited about the latest reboot of the superhero franchise.

In the original film, starring Tobey Maguire, we witnessed Spider-Man enter a pro wrestling match in order to win a sum of cash which would allow him to purchase a used car he thought would impress Mary Jane.

Initially, Peter Parker wanted to be called The Human Spider, but Bruce Campbell put a stop to that nonsense and sent him down to the ring as Spider-Man.

As if seeing the man most famously known as Ash Williams wasn't enough, we were treated to a second cameo within seconds.

Spidey was facing off against Bonesaw McGraw, who was played by the late, great Randy "Macho Man" Savage.

It was here where Spidey first faced off against a foe who put him through hell.

This cameo by the legendary "Macho Man" was warmly welcomed by wrestling fans who had missed Savage. The new film, featuring Andrew Garfield as the webby one has gone back to its roots and given Peter Parker another wrestling-based inspiration.

At one point in the film Peter Parker is walking away from a group of hoodlums he had just schooled when he falls through a roof, landing in the middle of a wrestling ring.

When he stood up and looked around he saw what provided him with the inspiration for his signature mask.

The small arena was filled with signs featuring Lucha Libre masks, one of which catches Parker's eye more than the others.

The mask is red with dark-colored designs surrounding the eyes, nearly an exact copy of Spidey's look sans the webbing all over the face area.

Director Marc Webb made a lot of wrestling fans happy by inserting another inspiration for Spider-Man which is based in the world of pro wrestling.

Wrestling fans and comic book fans have a large cross over audience which these film makers have smartly plugged into - further casting their own web, to help increase net profits of course.

Comics and pro wrestling have a few elements in common. They both feature people dressed in fancy outfits, have signature attacks / finishing moves, and have a good VS evil theme for the most part.

Both Marc Webb and Sam Raimi chose to use wrestling as a launching pad for Peter Parker is also another point that wrestling fans are high on.

This latest part of the Hollywood - pro wrestling connection has gone over well and may even lead to the wrestling themes been further cast out in the Hollywood movie web and the movie industry wrestles attempting to get back some of the glory and money it used to make.


Marvel Entertainment Movies: Amazing Spider-Man, Thor 2, The Avengers Et Al Boost Popularity Of Marvel Slot Games...

The Media Man agency reports that Marvel themed online slot games across the network, and featured at partner, PartyCasino.com , are boosting the popularity of the superhero themed online slot games. Bwin.Party currently offers The Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four, with more expected to soon hit the popular gaming and entertainment website destination.


WWE Keen To Work With UFC Fighter; Ties To C.M Punk And "Stone Cold" Steve Austin...

Various news media is reporting that WWE is interested in working with 35 year old UFC fighter "The American Gangster" Chael Sonnen. Sonnen lost to Anderson Silva at Saturday's UFC 148 pay-per-view but word is that WWE is ready to negotiate. No word yet if they want him to wrestle or play another kind of role.

Sonnen has ties to WWE as he is mates with WWE Champion CM Punk. Punk was ready to accompany Sonnen to the Octagon for a fight several months back but that was nixed.

Sonnen is also close to WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin. Austin has been bringing Sonnen out to his Broken Skull Ranch in Texas to help him with strength and conditioning training.


UFC 148: Chael Sonnen's Coach Planned Appeal, Demands Rematch from UFC Top Brass Dana White...

Although middleweight contender Chael Sonnen seemed to accept his loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 148, we have learned that Sonnen's team is less forgiving of Silva's potentially illegal tactics. They think that a knee strike to a seated Sonnen, which hit the challenger in the chest, also connected solidly with Sonnen's face, making it an illegal strike.

"Chael's not the kind of guy who likes to complain after a fight," Sonnen's head trainer Scott McQuarry said. "I felt I needed to take this action to protect him. At the point of impact, Anderson had his hand locked in the cage and his feet left the ground. We believe his intentions were clear.

"We started the process of filing a complaint with the Nevada Athletic Commission. We believe the knee that Anderson Silva threw was illegal with the clear intent to strike the face. And it did in fact connect with the face. Chael bit his tongue and needed eight stitches."

McQuarry believes the potentially illegal knee changed the remainder of the fight, creating the opening for Silva to finish the bout with punches. After contacting Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer to determine how to proceed, he was informed that filing a complaint would almost certainly not result in the fight being declared a no contest.

Rather, McQuarry is taking his case to the fans and UFC president Dana White.

"What I'm going to do is change my tactic," McQuarry said. "We're going to ask for a rematch. We deserve a rematch. If the only way Anderson Silva can win is by cheating, we need to keep a closer eye on Silva before and during a fight. And we need a rematch now. Legal knee or illegal knee, there's enough doubt with all the fouls to warrant a rematch."

In addition to the knee strike, Silva was also caught rubbing Vaseline on his chest. Although referee Yves Lavigne caught this, McQuarry says that the substance sinks into the pores, making simply wiping it off ineffective. Additionally, Silva was warned twice for grabbing Sonnen's shorts during the fight.

"I think it did make a difference in the outcome," McQuarry said. "I know that Chael grabbed Silva's shorts briefly too in response, but not for 15 seconds and two punches."

While Sonnen and his team weigh their options, McQuarry hopes the people will make their voices heard.

"They need to call the UFC. We need a rematch. Chael is a great champion and deserves a fair fight."

In the meantime Sonnen is understood to be keen to further open up lines of communication with the WWE, and this will likely be facilitated by friends in the business including "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and C.M Punk.

Right not Sonnen is hot property and is doing well to keep his name in the press as excitement grows as to what next for this unique and tough as nails talent.


WWE Legend Bob Backlund May Return To WWE RAW Tonight...

Former two time WWF Champion Bob Backlund is heavily expected to be the returning “main event” legend during tonight’s WWE Raw SuperShow. The likelihood is he will be wrestling or at the very least will be involved in an angle with Heath Slater, as has been the segments in previous weeks involving Vader, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Psycho Sid and Doink The Clown and "Diamond" Dallas Page.

News media reports that Backlund was visiting his mother at her Minnesota rest home this past weekend and was telling people there that he was heading to fly right out to Denver, Colardo, which is the location for tonight’s WWE Raw SuperShow.

Backlund last appeared on WWE television back in 2007 at the RAW 15th anniversary show that December where he participated in a Battle Royal. That appearance came just a few short months after Backlund defeated Alex Shelley at TNA’s Slammiversary pay-per-view and also after wrestled at TNA Victory Road.

62-year-old Backlund holds the record for the second longest WWF title reign in history and was one of the biggest wrestling stars of the late 70′s and early 80′s. He had a second, less successful stint with the WWF in the early 90′s and even appeared in the Attitude Era at the 2000 Royal Rumble and briefly managed former Olympian Kurt Angle.

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