Warner Bros. recently released a Man of Steel trailer titled “Ideal of Hope.” It’s rather awesome and it has us incredibly excited for this blockbuster’s June 14 release. But is it as awesome as the version recreated by Steelehouse Productions, which is dubbed “Mine of Steel” and which uses nothing but blocks/character from the game Minecraft? Compare the previews now and decide for yourself! Man of Steel Trailer: Minecraft Style! Man of Steel Trailer: Extended
Sitting through the interminable credits of a special-effects laden comic-book superhero movie is not my idea of fun, but after reading Drew McWeeny’s HitFix post on Joseph Gordon-Levitt donning the Batsuit, I’m starting my glute exercises early in preparation for Warner Bros. and DC Comics June 2013 release of Man of Steel . The blogger explores persistent rumors that, as The Dark Knight Rises hinted, Gordon-Levitt will inherit the cowl from Christian Bale and that Warner may introduce him in Zack Snyder’s reboot of the Superman franchise, Man of Steel , as a way of teasing JG-L’s eventual appearance in the Justice League movie, set for 2015. The idea makes plenty of sense, especially since TDKR mastermind Christopher Nolan is credited as a producer and a writer on Man of Steel . McWeeny even envisions a smart scene in which the two caped crusaders could be introduced: “How crazy do you think fans would go if Superman were to take to the skies at the end of Man Of Steel , finally ready to fully accept his role as mankind’s most powerful protector, only to have the closing credits interrupted when something catches his attention and he swoops down out of that sky, landing on a rooftop where Jim Gordon stands next to the Bat-Signal, interrupting just as the new Batman arrives for a chat about Gotham’s latest problem?” Or maybe Supes and Bats could just grab some shawarma. [ HitFix ] Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Man of Steel enjoyed one of the more bonkers receptions at this weekend’s Comic-Con, culminating in — what else? — a teaser poster just for its San Diego coming-out party. They’ve thought of everything. It doesn’t reveal much of Henry Cavill’s Superman, however, which led Movieline pal Grace Randolph to hit up costume illustrator Phillip Boutte for more details about the look of Zack Snyder’s upcoming blockbuster. Click through for the poster and video.
‘I think I won a lot of people over,’ he tells MTV News after leaked set photos. By Kara Warner Henry Cavill Photo: Max Morse/ Getty Images For the “Superman” fans out there, it’s safe to say that by now, you’ve probably seen and overanalyzed “Man of Steel” star Henry Cavill looking all ripped and rugged in the leaked photos from the film’s set . For the most part — nitpicky casting and director complaints notwithstanding — the collective judgment that has come down via various fan sites was: “Cavill looks awesome.” And no one was more relieved to hear and see those reactions than the hard-working actor in question. When MTV News caught up with Cavill recently as he promoted his upcoming sword-and-sandals flick “Immortals,” we asked for his thoughts about the constant attention paid to him and the production, as well as his reaction to the leaked photos. “I think the best part has been recently when people have sort of seen all the work that has gone into it,” Cavill said, speaking to his physical transformation. “I think I won a lot of people over, and I felt the support really come behind me, which is a really good feeling, because when you’re doing this all for [the fans], telling a story for them … you want to do it justice,” he said, adding that on the particular day when the shirtless photos were snapped, he was fighting very chilly temperatures and 80 mph winds from a helicopter hovering above him. “It’s wonderful to have all the people online going, ‘This is great, this is amazing, I can’t wait, thank goodness it’s him.’ It’s wonderful, so thank you to everyone out there,” he said, speaking to camera. “I do appreciate it.” What do you think of Cavill’s commitment to becoming the Man of Steel? Tell us in the comments! Check out everything we’ve got on “Man of Steel.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Photos Analyzing The ‘Man Of Steel’ Costume
Movie goers may have gotten Footloose (Footloose!) this weekend, but they also packed theaters again to watch Hugh Jackman and a handful of robots do battle inside the squared circle. Indeed, Real Steel repeated as box office champion. Footloose Movie Trailer A horror movie, political thriller and kids’ flick rounded out the top five, as the top 10 box office results from the weekend is listed here: Real Steel – $16.3 mil Footloose – $16.1 mil The Thing
‘Real Steel’ was victor at the weekend box office, with ‘Ides of March’ at #2. By Ryan J. Downey Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly in “Real Steel” Photo: DreamWorks “Real Steel” was the clear victor at the box office this weekend. The action-packed robot-boxing movie took in $27.3 million, according to studio estimates, which easily bested the rest of the flicks in theaters, both new and old. Of course, the contest wasn’t exactly along the lines of George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali. Industry watchers long suspected the mass audience appeal of “Real Steel” to beat the suspenseful nature of George Clooney ‘s “The Ides of March.” “Real Steel” features Hugh Jackman opposite Dakota Goyo , a generally relatable 11-year-old. It features effects-heavy action, a family story and big thrills aimed at a broad audience. It was also executive-produced by Steven Spielberg . DreamWorks will undoubtedly continue to campaign hard for “Real Steel,” considering its estimated $110 million budget. The weekend’s #2 movie, “The Ides of March,” is a dramatic tale of political intrigue aimed for a more discerning, grown-up audience. “Ides” was directed and co-written by George Clooney, who also stars. It debuted with $10.4 million. Clooney’s face is split on the poster with co-star Ryan Gosling , whose “Drive” opened with $11.3 million in August by comparison. Last weekend’s #1 movie, “Dolphin Tale,” slid gracefully to #3 with $9.2 million for a $49.1 million total — a decline of just 34 percent. Brad Pitt’s “Moneyball” took in $7.5 million to land at #4 with a $49.3 million total. The Joseph Gordon-Levitt/ Seth Rogen dramedy “50/50” was #5, with $5.5 million in its second weekend of release. The low-budget picture has made $17.3 million playing in roughly two-thirds the number of theaters as “Real Steel.” “The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence” took $54,000 in just 18 theaters in its debut. Next weekend’s new releases include a pair of blasts from the past: the remake of “Footloose” and the remake-turned-prequel “The Thing.” They’ll open alongside a handful of smaller pictures with big stars including “Fireflies in the Garden” (Julia Roberts, Ryan Reynolds), “Trespass” (Nicolas Cage, Nicole Kidman), “Father of Invention” (Kevin Spacey) and “Texas Killing Fields” (Sam Worthington). “The Big Year,” which stars Owen Wilson, Jack Black and Steve Martin, debuts as well. Check out everything we’ve got on “Real Steel” and “The Ides of March.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Ryan Gosling MTV Rough Cut: Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman flick’s ‘well-staged’ fighting sequences and father-son spats leave critics ‘pleasantly surprised.’ By Josh Wigler Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly in Real Steel Photo: DreamWorks Pictures Moviegoers have proven their affection for gigantic robots smashing the ever-loving sparkplugs out of each other in the heat of war — thanks for that, Michael Bay! — but machines beating each other into a tarry pulp purely for sport in the middle of a heartfelt family drama? That’s something the Autobots and Decepticons have yet to cover. But it seems that “Real Steel,” from “Night at the Museum” director Shawn Levy and “Wolverine” leading man Hugh Jackman, is more than meets the eye. Those who originally targeted Levy’s first foray into the action arena as nothing more than a big-screen Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots have seemingly been proven wrong, with critics praising “Real Steel” for its strong performances, moving story and, yes, the primal pleasure derived from watching two cybernetic gladiators tear each other to bits. Read on for a veritable scrap heap of “Real Steel” reviews: The Story “Taking place in a not-too-distant future that’s neither utopian nor dystopian, but kind of semi-topian, ‘Real Steel’ follows Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman), a former boxer who participates in the sport of robot fighting. (According to the ‘Steel’ timeline, human boxers will get out of the game soon because they can’t hit hard enough to make audiences happy — so enjoy those humans pounding on each other while you still can.) In a world where there’s no more human boxing, Charlie is a charmer/degenerate/bum lugging around a scrappy bot who fights at state fairs. He’s not at the level of ‘league fights’ — you know, the World Robot Boxing League, which is known, because it must be, as ‘the show.’ ” — Linda Holmes, NPR The Man and his Boy “As Charlie, Jackman is mostly surface gloss — he knows how to work a greasy tee and a bad attitude, glaring and growling at everyone. He softens slightly with [Evangeline] Lilly’s Bailey (so nice to see her bruised, buff beauty back since ‘Lost’ wrapped). But it is with [Dakota] Goyo that Jackman warms up. Their father-son spats, truly some of the film’s best sparring, is what gives it heart. Not ‘Rocky’ heart, or ‘Raging Bull’ heart, mind you, but ‘Real’ enough.” — Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times The ‘Bot Bouts “The robot, despite its unyielding metallic expression and the glowing blue eyes, is surprisingly endearing, especially when he’s doing the pre-match two-step with Max. … As a ‘sparring’ robot meant only for practice fighting with other robots, he’s a long-shot contender in the ‘Rocky’ mold. But with ex-boxer Charlie’s moves — transmitted via voice command software — he’s suddenly got a shot at the title against the unbeaten Zeus. And, as in the original ‘Rocky’ mold … well, that would be too much of a spoiler. … Lovers of blood sport action (or perhaps crankcase oil in this case) are going to enjoy the well-staged fighting sequences, which are tension-filled and exciting and will have many writhing in their seats.” — Bruce DeMara, Toronto Star The Mechanic Message “As much as ‘Real Steel’ is an escapist pop confection, it forces you to consider the evolving relationship between humans and machines at a time when robots are replacing people in the workplace and in war. The movie doesn’t question our ever-deepening love affair with technology and foolish trust in it. As increasing numbers of people are kept mobile through spare parts, whether flesh, plastic or metal, we are ourselves becoming more droidlike every year. Behind it all is a collective fantasy of invulnerability, omnipotence and eternal life. ‘Real Steel’ at least acknowledges that machines require maintenance to be superhuman.” — Stephen Holden, New York Times The Verdict ” ‘Real Steel’ is a real movie. It has characters, it matters who they are, it makes sense of its action, it has a compelling plot. This is the sort of movie, I suspect, young viewers went to the ‘Transformers’ movies looking for. Readers have told me they loved and identified with their Transformers toys as children. [The robot] Atom must come close to representing their fantasies. Sometimes you go into a movie with low expectations and are pleasantly surprised.” — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times Check out everything we’ve got on “Real Steel.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Hugh Jackman MTV After Hours With Josh Horowitz
Before getting in the ring with Hugh Jackman, check out our handy guide. By Eric Ditzian Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly in “Real Steel” Photo: DreamWorks Shawn Levy was in the midst of editing “Date Night,” the Steve Carell and Tina Fey-starring comedy, when an unlikely call came his way: Steven Spielberg wanted Levy to helm “Real Steel,” a futuristic action flick about boxing robots. No matter that Levy had made his name capturing Ashton Kutcher making sure what happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas and Ben Stiller running through a magical museum. Spielberg wanted him, Levy had always wanted to make a sports movie, and so a new phase in his career began. That fresh cinematic direction hit theaters Friday with Hugh Jackman in the starring role and the #1 spot at the weekend box office virtually assured. Pretty nice work for a new guy. To fully understand how it all came together, let’s flash back to 2009 to learn everything there is to know about “Real Steel”: Training Spielberg, a producer on the film, signed Levy up for the directing gig, but at that point in ’09, they hadn’t nailed down who would play Charlie Kenton, a down-on-his-luck ex-boxer in a future where machines now do the fighting and in which Charlie and his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) build a robot who just might be able to be a contender. Think “Rocky,” or maybe another Sylvester Stallone flick, “Over the Top.” Or, as many have scoffed, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots on the big screen. But the film is actually based on a short story by Richard Matheson, whose work has given rise to “I Am Legend,” among other Hollywood fare. That was a pretty good pedigree for Jackman, who entered into talks to play Charlie that October and officially signed on the next month . “Real Steel,” Levy said the next spring, is “a weird amalgam [of influences]. What it’s not is “Transformers” or “Terminator.” There’s definitely shades of that ‘Rocky’ paradigm. There’s shades of “Paper Moon,” in that it is a father/child road movie. And it’s really kind of a redemption movie. It’s got some humor, but it’s definitely not a comedy. It’s got a lot of action, really kind of muscular action, and a lot of … heart.” Entering the Ring Filming kicked off in June with co-stars Anthony Mackie (a boxing promoter) and Evangeline Lilly (um, just a friend of Charlie’s) coming along for the ride. The first look at the flick appeared just as filming began in the summer of ’10, showing off both slick futuristic robots and gritty dystopian environs. The first trailer had an undeniable “Transformers” vibe, despite Levy’s assurances that his movie is an entirely different (robotic) beast. But the comparison is hardly a negative one, especially considering the billions that Michael Bay’s franchise has garnered. And audiences were responding well — so well that Disney reportedly kick-started work on a sequel this past April. The Big Fight As October approached and another trailer appeared — this one focusing less on the “Transformers” actions and more on the “Paper Moon” emotion — we debuted a picture of the “Real Steel” boxing ring as part of our Fall Movie Preview and chatted with Levy, who spoke at length about his motion-capture robots. “This is motion capture with real fighters in a real ring, consulting in the ring with me and Sugar Ray [Leonard], wailing on each other in full contact,” he told us. “We took that captured fight as data and we converted it into robot avatars. That was a big thing. To do the movie as mo-cap instead of animation was a big choice. Mo-cap allows the director to direct a performance; it’s not left to the imagination of an animator that sometimes you don’t even meet. It was huge. Every day we were making sure the robots were cool-looking in terms of design and full-contact fighting.” So, sure, there’s a ton of brawling, but as Jackman told us at the red-carpet premiere recently, there’s also a ton of heart. “A lot people [say], “What is it, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots?” But it’s got a lot of heart,” he said. “This movie is really about the relationships of everyone involved, and I think it’s going to surprise people. I saw it with my mother-in-law, my wife and my kids at the same screening, and they all were crying at one point, laughing, and they really got into it.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Real Steel.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
Ready or not, Real Steel will box its way into theaters Oct. 7. Before deciding whether you want to spend $15 worth of your hard-earned WWE funds on robo- Rocky , check out Hugh Jackman train his mechanical fighter below.
