Some GiANT news from Marvel at this years SDCC

I've never been to Comic-Con in San Diego, although I am registered for pre-registration for tickets to next years event (I kid you not, you have to register your interest in registering for tickets before the tickets even exist!) they do NOT make it easy to get your hands on the geek worlds equivalent of one of Wonka's Golden Tickets, so this year, like many others I am left to trawl the internet for info about what went down in Hall H over the weekend.

First up is the news from Marvel Studios, who made some huge announcements on Saturday about what they have planned post Avengers, in what they are calling "Phase Two" of their self-produced movies.

Some of the announcements were expected, whilst others were a bit of a surprise. So, what did we learn?

Plagiarism Or A Tenuous "Link"? - Author sues Ubisoft

American science fiction author John L. Beiswenger is having a stab at suing Ubisoft over alleged similarities between his novel "Link", and the Assassin's Creed franchise. This isn't the first time someone has tried to call "minesies" on a rather lucrative intellectual property but this guys claims may actually have some weight.

Plagiarism or a tenuous Link?

The main point of the authors suit is that the premise of his novel; that the memories of an Ancestor can be "accessed, recalled, relived and re-experienced" by using a nifty gadget called a "Bio-synthesizer" has been ripped off by Ubisoft, with nothing more than a name change to hide it.

Now I'll admit that that does sound quite similar to Ass Creeds "Animus", but then again I don't think that Beiswenger solely owns the rights to the concept of Memetic Legacy...

A Thousand Kisses Deep - Not An Underground Romcom

If I had to guess what type of film "A Thousand Kisses Deep" was without knowing anything about it, I would probably think it was some sort of saccharine sweet Romcom. Something starring the standard girl next door/greasy douche bag combo who spend an hour and a half gawping at each other as the standard "will they? wont they?" horse shit plot unfolds to its soppy conclusion. Maybe it takes place deep underground...

Something like this.
Don't you just want to punch them?

Well I'd be wrong. Turns out it's a British made psychological thriller, directed by Dana Lustig (Wild Cherry, Stranger Than Fiction) starring Emila Fox, Jodie Whittaker and Dougray Scott.

I'll put the trailer before the plot run down because it gives quite a bit away in terms of the stories twists & turns, and you might think it a bit spoiler-y.

David Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis" Teaser Trailer

Check out the trailer for the new David Cronenberg film: "COSMOPOLIS" an adaptation of the Don DeLillo book about a 28 year-old billionaire who crosses Manhattan for a haircut. Sounds about right for a film with Sparkles McDouchenstein in it... But this is a Cronenberg movie so I'm not writing it off just yet.

Sourpuss Gets a Haircut (Working Title)

The story follows Eric Packer. A young billionaire financier who, whilst on his way to have his mop chopped, manages to lose all of his wealth by betting against the rise of the Yen.

Still sounds a bit dull, right? But like I said this is Cronenberg, I'm sure he can pull it off. 

Along the way, Packer's voyage is obstructed by traffic jams caused by a Presidential visit to the city, a funeral procession for a rap star and a full-fledged riot. He also has several chance meetings with his wife in very strange locations & is stalked by two men, a comical "pastry assassin" and an unstable "credible threat". 

OK, maybe there's a bit more to it than haircuts...