For that past ten days, character photos have been released of the dwarves who will be the companions to Bilbo Baggins in part one of Peter Jackson‘s Hobbit films. We’ve seen Nori, Ori, and Dori; Oin and Gloin; Fili and Kili; Bofur, Bombur & Bifur; and Balin and Dwalin. But, of course, we’ve all been waiting to see the head honcho himself, Thorin Oakenshield.

Well, today, we finally get that first look at Richard Armitage as the dwarf lord Thorin Oakenshield, holding his weapon of choice — Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver — in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Check out the image here [...]

Let me start off this article by saying something that I know a lot of people think but rarely vocalize: Sean Bean is a great actor and one badass motherfucker. When he’s not kicking ass in movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and the recent Black Death and on television in HBO’s Game of Thrones, he’s waving off stab wounds after defending the honor of his girlfriend in a bar fight.

He’s also been killed more times on screen than most actors I or you can think of, and usually in spectacular fashion. Never let it be said the man didn’t know how to make a great exit. A few days ago, Harry Hanrahan over at Pajiba put together a 4-minute-long video compilation of Bean’s death scenes and set to Giles Lamb and the Dead Island Quartet’s theme music from the announcement trailer for the video game Dead Island.

You can watch the video here [...]

The t-shirt deal of the day over at RIPT Apparel today is the Harry Potter-themed shirt called “I Open at the Close” by artist Karen Hallion.

The shirt went on sale at RIPT today, Sunday, July 17, 2011, at midnight CST, and will continue for 24 hours from then, and once it’s over, it will not be sold on the site anymore [...]

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been having a blast checking out the character photos of the dwarves who will be the companions to Bilbo Baggins in part one of Peter Jackson‘s Hobbit films.

We’ve seen Nori, Ori, and Dori; Oin and Gloin; Fili and Kili; Bofur, Bombur & Bifur.

Now it’s time to get acquainted with the brothers Balin and Dwalin from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The new photo shows Ken Stott as Balin and Graham McTavish as Dwalin [...]

The Gold Box spotlight deal of the day over at Amazon today is The Pink Panther Ultimate Collection DVD box set for only $34.99 (that’s 83% off the list price of $199.98).

This DVD box set contains 8 Pink Panther films starring Peter Sellers as bumbling French detective Inspector Jacques Clouseau, as well as the 2006 reboot The Pink Panther with Steve Martin in the lead role. There’s also nine cartoon classics and the Pink Panther encyclopedia Pink Panther, The Ultimate Guide to the Coolest Cat in Town! by Jerry Beck, along with over 60 minutes of never-before-seen footage [...]

The video game deal of the day over at Amazon today is LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4.

Playstation 3 – $14.99 (50% off the list price of $29.99).

Xbox 360 – $14.99 (50% off the list price of $29.99).

Nintendo Wii – $14.99 (50% off the list price of $29.99).

Nintendo DS – $14.99 (25% off the list price of $19.99).

PC – $14.99 (25% off the list price of $19.99).

Note, this deal is valid only for today, Sunday, July 17, 2011, til midnight PST while supplies last [...]

Winnie the Pooh
Written by Burny Mattinson
Based on the characters by A.A. Milne
Featuring the voices of John Cleese, Craig Ferguson, Jim Cummings
Rated G
Disney Pictures
Release Date: July 15, 2011

If you are tired of seeing a summer blockbuster involving superheroes, wizards, or transforming robots, perhaps a trip through the Hundred Acre Wood would do you some good. For the first time in six years, Winnie the Pooh returns to the big screen in a brand new feature from Disney Pictures simply titled Winnie the Pooh.

Pooh’s friend Eeyore’s tail has gone missing and it is up to Pooh to find it. Pooh discovers soon that a tail is not the only thing that is missing. It seems his human friend Christopher Robin has also disappeared, leaving a curious note behind. Where has Christopher gone? Does it have anything to do with Eeyore’s missing tail? And who or what is a “Backson?”

The film, which is based off of three Pooh stories written by creator A.A. Milne, doesn’t try hard to reinvent the wheel. The characters are not rebooted or remade for the new generation. Its sole purpose is to tell an entertaining, by the book story about Winnie the Pooh and accomplishes this task with flying colors [...]

Just over a week ago, character photos of the main dwarves in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit films have been released every few days. So far, we’ve seen Nori, Ori, and Dori; Oin and Gloin; and Fili and Kili, putting us over the halfway mark.

The latest dwarves to be revealed for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey are Bofur, his brother Bombur, and their cousin Bifur. Check out the photo above.

The new photo shows (L to R) Stephen Hunter as Bombur, James Nesbitt as Bofur, and William Kircher as Bifur [...]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Directed by David Yates
Staring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes
Rated PG-13
Warner Brothers Pictures
Release date: July 15, 2011

If there was ever a review-proof movie, it would be this — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Honestly, if you haven’t checked out the Harry Potter film series yet, you’re probably not going to start with the final movie. By the same token, if you’re a devoted Harry fanatic, it isn’t like you are going to skip the finale. So as a film reviewer, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a great chance to cut loose. I’m willing to bet that few subjects have been written about more than Harry Potter in the 21st century, so there’s not much I can add to the discourse at this point. I can say whatever I want here, and it’s not going to change your decision about whether you’re going to see this movie or not. So, does the Harry Potter film franchise go out with a whimper, or does it go out with the best bang since the big one?

This is of course the finale to a film series that has been going on for almost a decade. It’s the final showdown between everyone’s favorite boy magician, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), and his arch-nemesis, the evil Lord Voldermort (Ralph Fiennes). Since the final book has so much going on, the filmmakers decided to split the film adaptation into two parts. The first part dealt with Harry and his best friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermoine (Emma Watson) searching for Horcruxes, items that contain pieces of Voldemort’s soul that keep him alive. This part deals with the gang finding and destroying the final Horcruxes, returning to Hogwarts school, and facing down an army of darkness [...]

Sucker Punch
Blu-ray | DVD | Video On Demand
Directed by Zack Snyder
Starring Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung
Warner Home Video
Release Date: June 28, 2011

Sucker Punch, a film from Zack Snyder, the visionary director of 300 and Watchmen, is an enigma. After 3 viewings of this film, I’m still not certain if I love it or hate it because, while it has plenty of flaws that would make any average movie crumble like the CGI sets of this movie’s fantasy-in-fantasy, it also has a lot of truly amazing surface level elements that have the ability to provide a real enjoyment of the film. And to appreciate this movie, I think you have to have the ability to enjoy it for what it is: A cheesecake, live-action adaptation of a burlesque poster for the movie Inception. Confused yet? Of course you are! So am I!

So let’s try to clear this up. Sucker Punch centers around the character of Baby Doll (Emily Browning), a girl who tries to kill her abusive stepfather while he is in the act of assaulting her sister. Unfortunately, during this attempted murder, Baby Doll accidentally kills her sister because she is a terrible shot, which is a theme that continues throughout the movie. After the accidental death, her stepfather sends her to a mental institution to cover up the accident and his actions, while also cheating Baby Doll out of her deceased mother’s fortune. The stepfather also makes a deal with the institution’s orderly, Blue (Oscar Isaac), to have Baby Doll lobotomized so that she can never contest her stepfather’s actions [...]

We’ve been hearing about a 300 prequel/sequel/spinoff for a while now, but we knew it would be a long while before we actually saw it because creator Frank Miller still had to work on the graphic novel for which the movie would be based. In fact, it was almost one year ago that Zack Snyder confirmed that he was working on the script for the prequel, and we haven’t heard much of anything major since then.

At that time it was unclear whether or not Snyder would return to direct the movie, which is now titled 300: Battle of Artemisia (previously titled Xerxes, which is the name of Miller’s graphic novel), though it sounded like he very much wanted to, saying “It’s really going to depend on what the studio wants to do…I don’t have a directing deal in place but we are writing it, so call it intent. If there was a crime they could probably convict me.” But we now know that what the studio (Warner Brothers) wanted, was for Snyder to take on their reboot of Superman, titled Man of Steel, which will star Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, and Michael Shannon, to name a few. [...]

The most active of the many Snow White projects as of late is Universal Pictures’ Snow White and the Huntsman, but let’s not forget the other high–profile Snow White projects being developed: Disney’s Snow and the Seven is still on the way, and Relativity Media also has one on the way that’s putting together its own decent cast.

The movie was once called The Brothers Grimm: Snow White, but is now said to be “untitled,” so it’s unclear whether that title is still in play. This version of the fable stars The Blind Side and Abduction actress Lily Collins as Snow, with Julia Roberts playing her evil stepmother and Queen, and The Social Network and new Lone Ranger Armie Hammer playing her prince charming–type love interest.

Now the man you have to cast if you have the chance to cast him, Sean Bean, has been added to the party. Bean is in final negotiations to play the role of the King and father to Snow White. [...]

This news broke earlier this week, but there was a bit of confusion as to an important detail. It was hoped that there would be a little clarification by now, but nothing more has been said, and so on we go.

Variety has reported that Nick Frost, star of movies like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Paul, and Attack the Block, has been cast in the final dwarf role in Universal Pictures’ Snow White and the Huntsman. And this is where the confusion sets in—after an amazing list of actors were announced for various dwarf roles, it was thought that the seventh and final role was then filled by Ray Winstone. Now with word of Frost being cast in the final role, heads are being scratched.

Apparently one of the drafts of the script did call for eight dwarfs instead of the expected seven, so that could be the reason why. But the report also fails to mention Eddie Izzard, who was said to be playing the part of Tiberius. Whether there will be eight dwarfs or if Izzard had to drop out it appears we’ll have to wait a bit for an answer to. [...]

If you’ve been following the planned remake of animated Japanese cult classic, Akira, you know that Menace II Society and The Book of Eli director Albert Hughes was attached for quite some time. Hughes departed the project not too long ago, leaving the door open for someone new to step in and perhaps help highly skeptical fans to get a little excited for the not–so–popular decision to remake such a beloved title.

Warner Brothers has chosen the director to replace Hughes, but he’s not quite as known as one might have assumed he would be. The studio has hired Jaume Collett-Serra to direct the Akira remake, after showing off his knack for producing titles that make money while sticking to the planned budgets. Collett–Serra’s previous titles include the 2005 remake of House of Wax, the 2009 horror, Orphan, and the recent Liam Neeson thriller, Unknown.

This comes as a bit of a surprise, as many expected a name along the same lines as—if not bigger than—the previous director in Hughes (though both have around the same amount of directorial credits to their name). [...]

Warner Brothers has released the first trailer for their Sherlock Holmes sequel, titled Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, which is once again directed by Guy Ritchie.

The movie sees Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Watson (Jude Law) re–teaming for more adventures, while this time having to deal with the evil mastermind, Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris).

You can see the trailer for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, as well as read a lengthy synopsis, by continuing on below now. The movie will be released on December 16, 2011.

SYNOPSIS
Sherlock Holmes has always been the smartest man in the room…until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large–Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris)–and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may actually give him an advantage over the renowned detective.

When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, the evidence, as construed by Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan), points to suicide. But Sherlock Holmes deduces that the prince has been the victim of murder–a murder that is only one piece of a larger and much more portentous puzzle, designed by one Professor Moriarty. [...]

The Batmobile returns to the big screen when it rides onto the Pittsburgh set of Christopher Nolan‘s The Dark Knight Rises.

The use of Nolan’s Tumbler in The Dark Knight Rises marks the first time in Batman movie history that we’ve seen a consistent Batmobile through the entire run of the franchise. Historically, the images released for the Batmobile have been one of the most anticipated sights from upcoming projects, including the Batman Live theater show. Normally, we’ll see an updated model to reflect higher tech of the day, so this is a nice change of pace [...]

The TARDISblend returns for the premiere of the first episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day, where the world is facing perhaps its most unusual threat ever: global human immortality. Without explanation, dying ceases to occur among humans on Planet Earth, causing everyone to be immortal – threatening global peace, access to resources, and additional population explosion problems.

When the Miracle Day begins, the CIA is tipped off to a single word: Torchwood – bringing forth a sequence of events that reunite Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) to investigate the cause of the miracle. Along the way, they meet Rex Matheson (Mekhi Pfifer) and Esther Drummond (Alexa Havins), in which it seems inevitable that Torchwood is destined for resurrection.

During TARDISblend 30, we review the events of The New World, the beginning of the 4th series of Torchwood, this time crossing the globe from the UK and into the United States. We discuss what the events of Miracle Day hold for our main hero, Captain Jack Harkness, in a twist that the character will find quite challenging [...]

Thwipster, an online deal-a-day geek site, is offering the first volume of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon‘s seminal anti-hero series Preacher for an astonishingly discounted price of $20.99 with a $3 shipping and handling rate. The standard retail price of the book is $39.99, so you’re saving 47 percent. If you’ve been waiting to find a great deal to get you started on this series, there is no better time than now. Check out the video at the bottom of this article to see some specifics about the book.

Thwipster is a great site, and I’ve already ordered two books from them in the past week. They are easily the cheapest place to find comics right now. For example, at the beginning of the week they were selling the first volume of Morning Glories by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma for only $5.99, while last week they were selling Batman: Year 100 for $12.99. Thwipster offers a daily deal that goes up from midnight EST, which lasts 24 hours, considering it doesn’t sell out, of course [...]

The first trailer for legendary director Martin Scorsese‘s upcoming holiday season family fantasy adventure, titled Hugo, has been released online by Paramount Pictures.

The movie stars Asa Butterfield (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Wolfman), Chloe Moretz (Kick–Ass, Let Me In), Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat, Sweeney Todd), Ben Kingsley (Shutter Island, Ghandi), Jude Law (Road to Perdition, Sherlock Holmes), Ray Winstone (The Departed, The Proposition), Christopher Lee (Lord of the Rings, Corpse Bride), Helen McCrory (Harry Potter, The Fantastic Mr. Fox), Richard Griffiths (Harry Potter, Sleepy Hollow), Frances de la Tour (The History Boys, Alice in Wonderland), Emily Mortimer (Shutter Island, Lars and the Real Girl), and Michael Stuhlbarg (Boardwalk Empire, A Serious Man).

You can see the trailer for Hugo and read a synopsis for the movie by clicking on over to the other side now!

SYNOPSIS
Hugo tells the story of an orphan boy living a secret life in the walls of a Paris train station. [...]

It’s been a long, long road for the hit Starz original series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, after its star, Andy Whitfield, was diagnosed with non–Hodgkin’s lymphoma, forcing the unfortunate–yet–necessary decision to replace him with a new actor.

After a significant amount of time off (the first season’s finale aired on April 16, 2010)—helped along by the 6–episode prequel series, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena—the actor chosen to replace Mr. Whitfield was revealed to be Liam McIntyre.

That was just the first step toward a second season of the show finally making its way to us, but production is now underway on season 2, which will be called Spartacus: Vengeance, and all signs are that it will arrive in early 2012. To hold us over, Entertainment Weekly has the first official images of McIntyre as Spartacus. You can see them below now, and share your thoughts on how the replacement looks! [...]