And We’re Back!

In the aftermath of a move to a new apartment and a massive work-related event revolving around fisticuffs and the mental state associated with said fisticuffs, I’m happy to say that The Wort Report has officially returned!

We’re just one week away from the opening of Iron Man 3, and who could ignore the impending releases of Star Trek Into Darkness and The Man of Steel? And didja get a load of that Thor: The Dark World trailer? All things worthy of your geeking out in the weeks and months ahead.

But before all that, I’d like to address news that Microsoft is planning on unveiling a brand-spanking new Xbox on May 21st at 10 a.m. PDT. Although I’ve gotten giddy about such tantalizing reveals in the past, I’m wary this time around. It might be because I’ve grown very attached to the Xbox 360 over the past seven years (I’ve gone through three of them in that time), and the thought of building up a new game library for an entirely new piece of hardware just doesn’t seem that thrilling to me. Moreover, my time for gaming has shrunk to near-nothingness recently, so I’m not all that confident I’ll be making the plunge into the next generation of consoles ... at least not right now.

 What do you guys think? Are you excited about a “Next Gen” Xbox? Tweet your thoughts using the hashtag #XboxReveal, and check back here this weekend for more emblogginations.

First Look: Henry Cavill as Superman!

This Man of Steel publicity still of Henry Cavill wearing Superman’s iconic threads has been making comic book geeks lose their mind all day, and deservedly so. Judging by the shot, director Zack Snyder’s going to be putting a lot more emphasis on action this time around, which should be a welcome change of pace after Bryan Singer decided to make The Last Son of Krypton mope around for about 30 minutes too long in 2006’s Superman Returns.

Now, Cavill as Superman? He certainly looks the part, even though Superman’s iconic “S” spit curl seems to be missing and the suit looks like it might have more of a scaled texture to it than the spandex we’re used to. However, this graphic—with all of its sparks and twisted metal and unnatural light—suggests that Snyder is still giving in to his excessive stylistic urges. This means we’ll likely see an abundance of slow-motion action scenes and CGI environments which, after his polarizing Watchmen and his bizarre Sucker Punch, might not be received all that well by casual audiences. We’ll see.

Man of Steel is scheduled for release on June 12, 2013.

Michael Shannon Cast as General Zod in ‘Man of Steel’

It looks like Superman will face General Zod in Zack Snyder’s forthcoming franchise reboot, Man of Steel. The studio confirmed that Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road, 8 Mile, Boardwalk Empire) will be playing the role of the maniacal Kryptonian supervillain.

In a Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures press release, which you can read in full at Superhero Hype, Snyder said that “Zod is not only one of Superman's most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others don’t.”

He continued, “Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role.”

Zod first crossed paths with Kal-El in the pages of Adventure Comics back in 1961, but the character garnered mainstream recognition following his appearance in Richard Donner’s Superman (1978) and, most notably, Superman II (1980). In the Donner films he was played by Terence Stamp, who ordered the world to “kneel before Zod” while Kal-El traded his sun-enhanced abilities for a chance at a normal life with Lois Lane. Various iterations of Zod—most of which have been influenced by the film version—have appeared elsewhere, including Superman: The Animated Series and Smallville.

Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns (2006) has been ripped to shreds for its laborious tribute to Donner’s films, and I was under the impression that Snyder was going to approach Man of Steel as if no Superman films came before it. Why, then, is he going after the one memorable villain from the original series that wasn’t Lex Luthor? Furthermore, will Snyder and Shannon be able to resist the urge to mimic Stamp’s iconic performance? Is there any chance we won’t hear the “kneel before Zod” line at least once in this flick? Am I asking too many questions?

Man of Steel hits theaters in December 2012.

Batman Begins Writer David S. Goyer to Pen The Man of Steel

Warner Bros. has hired Batman Begins and The Dark Knight scribe David S. Goyer to write The Man of Steel, a new Superman film, Latino Review reports. The franchise reboot will involve Supes baddies Lex Luthor and Brainiac, and will not be an origin story. It will also reportedly feature a struggling Daily Planet newspaper—accurately reflecting the state of the industry—and will set up a vast Kryptonian mythology.

Earlier this month, Deadline Hollywood broke the story that Begins/Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan has been tapped to oversee production on the next Superman film in a “godfather” capacity. While there hasn’t been any word on who will direct The Man of Steel, Superman Returns director Bryan Singer is not expected to helm the project.

This could be the best Superman film since Richard Donner’s 1978 original. Here’s hoping the filmmakers up the ante in terms of action set pieces and really cut lose. And while this is a reboot, they should really stick with the John Williams theme. That music is as legendary as the character himself.