Robert Downey Jr.’s character warns the villain: ‘You’ve managed to piss off every single one of us.’ By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Tom Hiddleston in “The Avengers” Photo: Marvel/Disney For a guy going up against Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Hulk, you wouldn’t think Loki would be so cavalier. In our exclusive clip from the highly anticipated ” The Avengers ,” Robert Downey Jr. , as Tony Stark, breaks down the teams for Loki ( Tom Hiddleston ), and the good guys have quite the lineup. “Your brother, the demigod. A super soldier, a living legend who kind of lives up to the legend. A man with breathtaking anger-management issues. A couple of master assassins. And you, big fella, you’ve managed to piss off every single one of us,” Tony Stark says. Audiences will finally be able to see which side prevails when the long-awaited “Avengers” finally hits theaters in a few weeks, on May 4. The fight has been years in the making, with the lead-up spread over five films thus far, from the first ” Iron Man ” to ” Captain America: The First Avenger .” We know from the trailers and the clip that the fight between Loki and the Avengers will be a little more even when the time comes, but the identity of the alien “army” remains a mystery. Tom Hiddleston stopped by MTV News last year to talk about his work on “The Avengers,” and he hinted that when the secret is revealed, it will definitely please fans. “Loki has help, obviously, because if Thor could beat Loki on his own at the end of ‘Thor,’ surely why, logically, does it take eight of them to beat him this time?” Hiddleston revealed. “Also, there is an evolution to Loki as well,” he explained. “He’s more self-possessed; he’s more menacing. If the Loki in ‘Thor’ was about a spiritual confusion — ‘Who am I? How do I belong in this world?’ — the Loki in ‘Avengers’ is ‘I know exactly who I am, and I’m going to make this world belong to me.’ ” Check out everything we’ve got on “Marvel’s The Avengers.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Videos Assemble Yourself For ‘Avengers’ Sneak Peeks Related Photos ‘Avengers’
For ‘Twilight’ Tuesday, we chat with experts about why young readers relate to the YA heroines. By Kara Warner Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate No matter how you feel about “The Twilight Saga” as a film franchise, Stephenie Meyer ‘s vampire romance inspired millions of young readers to pick up a book and read. Anything that gets young people to lose themselves in the written word — whether it’s “Twilight,” “The Hunger Games” or “Game of Thrones” — is a positive step. This week’s “Twilight” Tuesday is all about understanding what it is exactly about the characters in these books, particularly the very popular YA genre, that gets us obsessed and day-dreamy about them. Why do we love Bella and Katniss? What does that say about young readers today and the future of the genre? I took my questions to a few very informed experts. “The thing with the Bella phenomenon, she was kinda like an empty vessel, and I feel like part of the appeal there was just a really blank slate on which people could project their own identities,” said Lauren Oliver, best-selling author of “Delirium” and “Pandemonium.” “It was fantasy. It allowed you to float up through it. “In terms of heroines now, I think what’s really interesting about them is that, many of them, for example ‘The Hunger Games,’ certainly in my books, the characters don’t necessarily start out being so fierce and badass, which I think to some extent would be not even off-putting, but alienating,” she continued. “Because I’m not sure that people feel that way. I do think what’s significant is that these characters are portrayed as being very much at the start, normal girls, but very moral normal girls who because of a set of very extraordinary circumstances are able to step into strength that they didn’t know they possessed. I think that really resonates with people because everybody I assume would like to feel that, if given the chance, they could be someone special.” Dr. Jenn Berman, host and therapist on VH1’s “Couples Therapy” said the love for both types of heroines hearkens back to classic literary characters we’ve loved for centuries. “Both characters are appealing on a very archetypal level. One is very much a damsel in distress, this sort of empty, insecure vessel, which I think is very identifiable for young women,” she explained. “The other is sort of this superhero, strong, independent woman who doesn’t need anybody, which I think is also something that is very inspirational for women. In each one of us we have both of those entities, and as a result, people are drawn to these characters.” Kristin Rens, senior editor at HarperCollins, pointed out that while Bella and Katniss are pretty different, they also share a few qualities to which a lot of teens relate. “Bella and Katniss are obviously very different characters. But one thing they have in common is their drive — the fact that they both very much know what they want, and they won’t stop until they reach their goals,” Rens said. “When you’re a teen, there are so many parts of life that are out of your hands, so there’s something very aspirational and appealing about characters like Bella and Katniss who are able to take control of their own lives, even when the odds are stacked against them.” Dr. Berman added that we all have a little damsel in distress in us, as well as a superhero; the trick is balancing them. “In order to become fully formed people, we have to find a way to both make friends with our damsel in distress and find a way to rescue her on our own,” she said. “As long as you understand why and what you need to do with that archetype, it’s OK, but to romanticize the damsel-in-distress archetype, you set yourself up for unhealthy relationships. What you do [to prevent that] is you say, ‘Wow, there is a part of me that would really like to be rescued, but I’m not going to give into that part of me. I’m going to rescue myself instead.’ ” The same goes for the superhero Katniss archetype, however, in that romanticizing that type of woman can also set you up for an unhealthy perspective. “Healthy relationships aren’t interdependent,” Berman said. “If you are an island, then you’re not having an emotionally intimate relationship, so the truth of a healthy relationship lies somewhere in between both of these archetypes.” How do you relate to Bella? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet me @karawarner! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘The Hunger Games’ Related Photos The Hunger Games Twilight: Breaking Dawn
‘After difficult but sincere consideration, I have decided not to direct ‘Catching Fire,’ ‘ Ross says in a statement. By Katie Byrne and Kara Warner Gary Ross Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/ Getty Images A roller-coaster week for “The Hunger Games” just got even bumpier: Director Gary Ross has officially announced he won’t direct the sequel, “Catching Fire.” The week began positively enough, with “The Hunger Games” topping the box office for the third weekend in a row, earning nearly $303 million since its debut. But that news was quickly followed Monday with a surprising Playlist story claiming Ross wouldn’t return for the movie adaptation of “Catching Fire,” a report that has now been confirmed via statements from Ross himself and “Games” studio Lionsgate. “Despite recent speculation in the media, and after difficult but sincere consideration, I have decided not to direct ‘Catching Fire,’ ” Ross said in his statement. “As a writer and a director, I simply don’t have the time I need to write and prep the movie I would have wanted to make because of the fixed and tight production schedule. “I loved making ‘The Hunger Games’ — it was the happiest experience of my professional life,” the statement continued. “Lionsgate was supportive of me in a manner that few directors ever experience in a franchise: they empowered me to make the film I wanted to make and backed the movie in a way that requires no explanation beyond the remarkable results. And contrary to what has been reported, negotiations with Lionsgate have not been problematic. They have also been very understanding of me through this difficult decision.” Lionsgate echoed Ross’ disappointment in the ended “Games” partnership: “We’re very sorry that Gary Ross has chosen not to direct Catching Fire. We were really looking forward to making the movie with him. He did an incredible job on the first film and we are grateful for his work. This will not be the end of our relationship, as we consider Ross to be part of the Lionsgate family and look forward to working with him in the future.” Ross’ heartfelt sentiments did not end with his thanks to the studio. “I also cannot say enough about the people I worked with: Producer Nina Jacobson, a great collaborator and a true friend; the brilliant Suzanne Collins, who entrusted us with her most amazing and important story; the gifted and remarkable Jennifer Lawrence whose performance exceeded my wildest expectations, and the rest of the incredible cast, whom I am proud to call my friends,” he added in his statement. “To the fans I want to say thank you for your support your faith, your enthusiasm and your trust. Hard as this may be to understand I am trying to keep that trust with you. Thank you all. It’s been a wonderful experience.” There will likely be a long list of directors gunning to fill Ross’ shoes, but until we receive word of an official list of names, we have a very well-thought-out list of our own we hope Lionsgate considers. Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Gary Ross Related Photos The Hunger Games
Lamar Odom Had Locker Room Confrontation With Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban During Last Game Poor Khloe… Turns out Lamar is dumber than we thought. Come to find out, this fool was beefin with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban during the last game before Dallas declared him “inactive! “ Lamar Odom clashed with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban during halftime of his final game with the team, it was reported today. Odom, who was placed on the team’s inactive list and can be traded after the postseason ends, reportedly got into a dispute with Cuban in between halves of the Mavericks’ 94-89 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, ESPNDallas.com reported. According to sources, Cuban confronted Odom, asking the reigning Sixth Man of the Year if he was “in or out.” Odom has averaged career lows in points (6.6), rebounds (4.2), assists (1.7), shooting percentage (35.2) and minutes (20.5) after being traded from the Lakers before the season started. Odom was send to the D-League last month. After the altercation, Odom waited until the third quarter had already started to take his seat on the bench. A source told ESPNDallas.com that Odom even coming out for the second half came as a surprise. Page Six reported today that in addition to the poor playing performance, Odom’s family drama and off-court antics led the team to part ways with with 32-year-old forward. “They grew tired of his BS and kicked him to the curb,” an NBA source told Page Six. “[The team] didn’t need someone pouting like a little kid.” Odom was faced with family drama after his father fell ill in February and was involved in a car accident in which is driver struck a motorcyclist which also resulted in the death of a 15-year-old. Despite the reports of locker room and management discord, Odom and Cuban maintained that the parting was a mutual decision. “We thought it was in the best interest of the Dallas Mavericks that we went our separate ways” said team owner Mark Cuban. Odom said in a statement it was a mutual decision: “The Mavericks and I have mutually agreed that it’s in the best interest of both parties for me to step away.” Mark Cuban is not somebody you want to beef with. SMH… What is it they say about biting the hand that feeds you? Source WENN More On Bossip! Part 3 Beyonce Never Seen Photos Of Family Plus Her And Blue Ivy Take A Stroll [Video] Vida Guerra Wants To Remind You She’s Alive By Showing Off Her Tight New Body On Twitter! We Want Prenup!!! Ruben “Teddy Bear Swag” Studdard Doesn’t Have To Hand Over A Dayum Dime To Golddiggin’ Ex-Wife High And Dry: The Most Disrespected Exes Of All Time
Iggy Azalea, Don Trip and Roscoe Dash take the stage to celebrate hip-hop magazine’s freshman class. By Rob Markman, with additional reporting by Nadeska Alexis Machine Gun Kelly performs at XXL ‘s Freshman show on Monday Photo: Steve Mack/ FilmMagic NEW YORK — On his 1986 classic “Eric B. is President,” the great Rakim famously rapped “MC means move the crowd,” and last night the 2012 XXL Magazine Freshman class did just that — well, the bulk of them anyway. On Monday night, the rap mag, in conjunction with sponsors like Monster Energy Drink and Reebok, held its annual rookie concert, showcasing Machine Gun Kelly , French Montana , Future, Danny Brown , Hopsin, Macklemore, Roscoe Dash, Iggy Azalea, Don Trip and Kid Ink. Things started a bit slow as the crowd filed in to the Best Buy Theater in Times Square. It was approximately 8 p.m. when L.A. MC Kid Ink took the stage to perform joints from his Wheels Up mixtape; Don Trip followed with a poignant performance that included his soul-bearing “Letter to My Son.” It was 9 p.m. when the night’s hosts, Hot 97’s Cipha Sounds and Peter Rosenberg, introduced Iggy Azalea, XXL ‘s first-ever female freshman. She started with “My World” from her Ignorant Art mixtape and ended with her latest single “Murda Bizness” sans her Grand Hustle mentor T.I. “I wish Tip was here,” Iggy told MTV News on Monday just hours before she hit the stage. “It’s so sad that he’s not.” A few other ATL talents were in attendance though. Roscoe Dash ran through a collection of his own hits and high-powered collaborations like Waka Flocka Flame’s “No Hands” and Big Sean’s “Marvin & Chardonnay.” Then Seattle rapper Macklemore brought a tremendous amount of pageantry to the stage, being the only freshman to rock with a horn player. Hopsin came out to his “Ill Mind of Hopsin 4,” the song where he takes aim at Odd Future. “All these no-flow, gimmicky-ass, fired-up behaviors/ With wack beats and gap teeth like Tyler, the Creator,” he spit as the crowd cheered in approval. Hop continued to thrill the crowd by bringing out Tech N9ne to perform their collaborative single “Am I Psycho.” However, things took a turn when Detroit rapper Danny Brown took the stage with the tongue-in-cheek single, “Radio Song.” The crowd jeered in disapproval, but later turned around when he brought out snubbed- XXL freshman Schoolboy Q. As the night began to wind down, XXL rolled out their heaviest hitters. Atlanta’s Future, with an astronaut mascot in tow, promoted his upcoming April 17 album Pluto by rocking songs like “Tony Montana” and his current single “Same Damn Time.” Hometown hero French Montana was next up. Not only did the Coke Boy perform all of his underground favorites like “Choppa, Choppa Down” and “Everything’s a Go,” French and his team flooded the stage to deliver his biggest hit “Shot Caller.” He then brought out Bad Boy labelmate Red Caf
Jury selection continues in the murder trial of William Balfour. By Gil Kaufman Jennifer Hudson Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/ WireImage Jury selection continued on Monday (April 9) in the trial of William Balfour, who is accused of murdering three members of Oscar-winning singer Jennifer Hudson ‘s family. It is expected to take three days to find the 12 jurors and six alternates for the trial from among the 150 prospective jury members and, according to the Chicago Tribune, the shadow of Hudson’s fame could become a factor in the selection. Balfour is accused of murdering Hudson’s mother (Darnell Donerson), brother (Jason Hudson) and nephew (Julian King) on October 24, 2008 and while the singer has rarely spoken out in public about the tragedy, her fame could have an impact on the proceedings. The judge in the case, Charles Burns, will attempt to purge the jury pool anyone who might be swayed by the star’s celebrity, while the lawyers on each side will strive to find a mix of deliberators who will favor their arguments, regardless of how they feel about the star. Balfour, 30, is facing a maximum life sentence if convicted, but Burns warned any would-be jurors who oppose the death penalty that he cannot be put to death because the state of Illinois outlawed capital punishment in 2011. Testimony is slated to begin on April 23 and officials expect Hudson to attend every day of the trial, which could last a month. She is also on a list of 300 potential witnesses, though it has not yet been confirmed that she will take the stand. Burns also instructed the potential jurors to avoid watching news coverage of the case, though it’s possible they will see Hudson on TV this Thursday, when she will return to sing on “American Idol,” where she finished in seventh place in 2004. Everyone involved in the case is aware of how Hudson’s presence could sway the trial, which explains why nine out of the 66 questions on the questionnaire filled out by would-be jurors last week were related to her career. Among them was one that asked if they’d ever seen her Oscar-winning turn in the movie “Dreamgirls,” as well as others about her work on television and if they’d ever read books by or about Hudson. Details emerged recently about the incidents leading up to the murders . At the time her career was peaking, Hudson made a point of calling or texting her mother at home in Chicago every day between 9 and 11 a.m., according to reports. But when she didn’t hear back by late in the morning of October 24, she texted and realized something was wrong when there was no response. A few hours later, the bodies of her mother and brother were found in the family’s Englewood home, followed three days later by the discovery of her young nephew’s body in a stolen vehicle abandoned on the city’s west side. Balfour was the estranged husband of Hudson’s sister, Julia. Related Artists Jennifer Hudson
After spending an elusive third straight week at #1, ‘The Hunger Games’ now ranks among the biggest box-office successes in history. By Kevin P. Sullivan Josh Hutcherson in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate For the third weekend in a row, “The Hunger Games” proved its power as a serious box-office champion. Two competitors stood a chance to take the top spot, but both “American Reunion” and “Titanic 3D” fell short, leaving “The Hunger Games” at the top with earnings of nearly $303 million since its debut. Now that “The Hunger Games” has racked up its third consecutive weekend at #1, it seems like an appropriate time to see where the film stands among the all-time box-office champs, what records have been broken and what records still stand. Consecutive Weekends With so many movies coming out each week, it’s often difficult for a film to retain the top spot in its second weekend, let alone its third. Repeat weekends have become a mark of true success at the box office and signs of a real hit. With this weekend, “The Hunger Games” became the first film in 2012 to spend three straight weeks at #1. The most recent movie to achieve that was “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1” back in November of last year. Versus “Twilight” Speaking of the vampire romance series, “The Hunger Games” officially passed the highest-grossing film in “The Twilight Saga,” “Eclipse.” The third “Twilight” movie grossed just over $300 million, right behind where “The Hunger Games” stands after its third weekend. Many had compared the two series throughout the lead-up to “The Hunger Games,” but since its debut “The Hunger Games” has thrived off word-of-mouth and a larger male audience than “Twilight.” Champion of 2012 Right from the start of the summer movie season, the biggest tentpole films of the year already have a film to beat. “The Hunger Games” is far and away the highest money earner of the year so far. Its total gross currently stands roughly $104 million ahead of its closest competition, “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.” The toughest competition has yet to come, however. With releases like “The Avengers,” “The Dark Knight Rises” and the first “Hobbit” still on the lineup for 2012, it will be difficult for “The Hunger Games” to hold onto that spot. Opening Week So much of the “Hunger Games” buzz came from its enormous opening weekend, the third best of all time behind “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” and “The Dark Knight.” With a $152 million bow, it also ranks as the best March and spring opening ever. All Time Granted the movie is only three weeks old, “The Hunger Games” still has a long way to go before ranking among the highest earners of all time. It currently stands at #37 behind “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” Do you think “The Hunger Games” will be the highest-grossing film of 2012, or will “The Dark Knight Rises” take the glory? Leave your comment below! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos Hunger Games MTV Rough Cut: Gary Ross MTV Rough Cut: Jennifer Lawrence MTV Rough Cut: Jennifer Lawrence And Josh Hutcherson Related Photos ‘Hunger Games’ Cast Hits NYC Inside ‘The Hunger Games’ Capitol
Kris Humphries Has Attorney Checking Into Whether Kim Kardashian Spent Money On Kanye West During Their Marriage We felt bad for this guy at first, but now this is just getting annoying. Kris Humphries continues to try to use Kanye West as a means of squeezing more cash out of Kim Kardashian. According to RadarOnline reports : Kris Humphries has instructed his divorce attorney to determine if his soon-to-be-ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, spent any money on her boyfriend, Kanye West, while the former couple were married, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting. As we previously reported, Kim was snapped slinking out of Kanye West’s NYC apartment last Thursday morning wearing the same outfit she was wearing on her date with the hip hop star on Wednesday. Despite reports that say Kim and Kanye started dating just two weeks ago, sources tell Radar that Humphries says that it has been on/again off/again between his estranged wife and the Grammy award winning hip hop star for much longer. Even though California is a no-fault divorce state, if a spouse spends money on a lover while married, the other person is legally entitled to recover those funds. “Kris absolutely wants to know if Kim spent money on Kanye while he was married to her. If Kim took Kanye out to dinner, bought him any gifts, etc., Kris wants to know how much she spent, if anything at all. Under the law in California, Kris is legally entitled to that money and he deserves it, if it can be proven,” a source close to the situation tells RadarOnline.com exclusively. The new issue of Star, on newsstands now, has surprising revelations about how Kanye cheated with Kim while she dated Kris, prior to her televised wedding. This guy needs to just take responsibility for his own actions. You wifed her, you can’t get mad because she couldn’t stand you longer than 72 days. Please Kris, have a seat. Before Ye has Jay drop you from the team! WENN/PacificCoastNews More On Bossip! Part 3 Beyonce Never Seen Photos Of Family Plus Her And Blue Ivy Take A Stroll [Video] Vida Guerra Wants To Remind You She’s Alive By Showing Off Her Tight New Body On Twitter! We Want Prenup!!! Ruben “Teddy Bear Swag” Studdard Doesn’t Have To Hand Over A Dayum Dime To Golddiggin’ Ex-Wife High And Dry: The Most Disrespected Exes Of All Time
In a New York Times Magazine profile, White hints that the dynamic between him and Meg White ultimately led to the band’s demise. By James Montgomery Jack White Photo: WireImage Jack White gets deep in a New York Times Magazine feature, discussing his marriage, his children and his relationship with former wife/ White Stripes drummer Meg White (he also talks about being taught how to weld by Bob Dylan, though perhaps that’s a story for another day). For the first time since announcing the end of the Stripes last year, White talked about the dynamic that ultimately led to the band’s demise, intimating that it was Meg who didn’t want to continue making music, and that he was forced to bring the project to a close “so we can move on with our lives.” “Some people can live their whole lives in limbo,” White said. “There came a point where I said, ‘If we’re not doing this, we need to put an end to it right now.’ And that’s what she wanted to do.” When asked by writer Josh Eells why Meg no longer felt like being a part of the White Stripes, Jack responded: “You’d have to ask her. I don’t know what her reasons are. Having a conversation with Meg, you don’t really get any answers. I’m lucky that girl ever got onstage, so I’ll take what I can get. “Meg completely controlled the White Stripes,” White continued. “She’s the most stubborn person I’ve ever met, and you don’t even get to know the reasons.” Meg White declined to be interviewed for the Times piece, though Jack seemed to backtrack on claims he made to British magazine NME last month, when he said there was “absolutely no chance” he’d ever re-form the Stripes, admitting that he misses making music with Meg. “I’d make a White Stripes record right now. I’d be in the White Stripes for the rest of my life,” he said. “That band is the most challenging, important, fulfilling thing ever to happen to me. I wish it was still here. It’s something I really, really miss.” In the meantime, he’s moving on. White’s first solo album, Blunderbuss, is set to hit stores on April 24. Related Videos Goodbye To The White Stripes Related Photos The White Stripes: A Career In Photos Related Artists The White Stripes
