‘Iron Man 3’ Trailer Hints at Dark Third Chapter for Tony Stark and Co.

Looks like shawarma doesn’t cure all ills. Still reeling from this battle alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes against an invading alien force in the conclusion of The Avengers, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces new enemies and his own demons in Iron Man 3. The debut trailer for the Shane Black-helmed sequel has hit the web, giving fans their first look at Ben Kingsley as iconic Iron Man villain Mandarin and some hints at the perils that Ol’ Shellhead must overcome this time around.

There’s certainly a lot riding on Iron Man 3, as it is the first post-Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After Stark joined forces with such fantastical characters as Thor, Captain America and Hulk to take on a maniacal demigod and hordes of snarling aliens, the onus was on Black to rein in the narrative and tell a grounded, more human story. Will he succeed? Watch the trailer and judge for yourself.

Iron Man 3 blasts into theaters in April 2013.

‘Ghostbusters 3’ News Continues to Slime the Internet, Baffle Fans

I could hardly contain my excitement upon realizing that my return to the blogosphere coincided with yet another exhausting piece of Ghostbusters 3 information that’s got a lot of people talking … or facepalming, I’m not sure which.

As reported by Deadline.com, veteran Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman is expected to film the highly anticipated third movie in the Sony Pictures franchise next summer without its biggest star, Bill Murray. Take this for what it is, but it’s clear among Hollywood brass that Ghostbusters 3 is at least a possibility, and evidently isn’t the joke that everyone else seems to think it is.

So, Ghostbusters 3 is still a thing that might or might not happen, but someone, somewhere is taking it seriously. Yay?

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A New Beginning

An English professor at the University of Connecticut once told me that one of the most important exercises for a writer is to keep the pen moving. Now, aside from the multitude of wedding cards I’ve signed over the past few weeks, I haven’t gotten all that much use out of physical pens. Nevertheless, the advice is still pertinent: A writer should always be writing.

Fortunately, my career as a digital media producer has afforded me ample opportunity to write extensively just about every day. However, that dedication to the craft forced me to make some sacrifices, and I begrudgingly made the decision to close up shop on The Wort Report after maintaining it for the better part of six years.

Since my attention has needed to be focused elsewhere, I just couldn’t bear to allow something I cared about to kinda-sorta exist “just because.” As such, on Sept. 24, 2012, I hit the “publish” button on what I believed at the time to be my final blog post.

Well, looks like it wasn’t.

 With my fandom for all things nerdy reaffirmed at New York Comic Con this past weekend, I’ve come to the realization that blogging about the things I care about is very much a part of who I am.  With that, I’d like to officially welcome you all back to The Wort Report.

*Allow me to reintroduce myself:

• My name is James Wortman. I’m a digital media producer in the sports-entertainment industry. My writing is sometimes known for its excessive, outrageous and aggressive alliteration.
   
• Comic books are kind of my thing.
   
• I frequently play video games. Minecraft terrifies me ... too many sharp edges.
   
• I own many action figures. A friend of mine recently got me into Mattel’s Masters of the Universe Classics line, which will no doubt lead me down a dark path lined with Battle Cats and Moss Men. Tempting, right ladies?
   
• Coffee? I like it.
   
• Bustin’ makes me feel good.

Well, there you have it. For better or for worse, The Wort Report has returned. Check back here for updates and random thoughts from my shiny dome, and be sure to follow me on Twitter (@JamesWortman) for 140-character nuggets of nerdiness.

*You read that in Jay-Z’s voice, didn’t you?