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Top Maniacal Rumors: Shazam-mess , Avengers Team & Super Survival

The Trials of SHAZAM!
© DC Comics

It’s time for another edition of Mania’s Most Maniacal Rumors, where we blow the lid off the week’s juiciest gossip and hush-hush industry whispers.

If you have a rumor you want to contribute, we’re all ears. Just send it to jarrod@mania.com.

Shazam Adaptation On Hold?

Rumor: Despite earlier reports that Billy Batson and the Legend of Shazam is ready to go with Dwayne Johnson set to lead as the villain, new reports have surfaced suggested a rewrite and WGA issues have stalled the film.

Mania Verdict: TRUE---Unfortunately for Shazam fans, it looks like the film will be on delay until screenwriter John August is done with previous commitments. Here’s what direct Peter Segal had to say.

"An interesting little development, but it's an annoying one, is that after a strike there are residual effects and one was that everyone who was a writer suddenly had a back log of assignments as did John August, so we started to do our re-write process but he had to service some of these other prior commitments. So now we're kind of waiting in line to get him back but it's worked out okay because we've been working on the marketing of this and getting this going, so we've been doing enough to keep ourselves busy and as soon as this movie gets released then we're going to focus again on 'Billy Batson and the Legend of Shazam.'

Guillermo Del Toro Open to Directing Hellboy III?

 

Rumor: With the sequel hitting theaters in just a few weeks, a new report popped up that director Del Toro would be willing to step back into the franchise for a third installment.

Source: 34^th Annual Saturn Awards

Mania Verdict: MAYBE---Of course, Del Toro would be willing to step back into the franchise for a third film but he’s said everything is on hold until after he is finished on The Hobbit films, something which he is committed to for the next four years. Would Universal Pictures be willing to wait 4-7 years for a third film? An alternative would be Del Toro having a friend like Alfonso Cuaron take on the third installment.

Frank Miller Working on a 300 Prequel?

 

Rumor: Previous rumors suggested a possible sequel to the Zack Snyder-led comic adaptation of 300. Now, reports have surfaced hinting at the possibility that Frank Miller is working a prequel instead.

Mania Verdict: TRUE---Director Snyder confirmed that Miller is indeed working on this prequel, which opens more storyline possibilities about the “300” legend.

Avengers heroes are locked in by Marvel Studios?

 

Rumor: Iron Man director Jon Favreau, who will be directing Iron Man 2 most likely and would love to direct The Avengers, has said that the current heroes planned for the team-up is set at Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man and Iron Man.

Mania Verdict: TRUE---While there have been various heroes on the roster of the comic, the biggest names above all have some sort of production rolling from Marvel Studios. Matthew Vaughn is working on bringing Thor to the big screen while Edgar Wright is focusing on Ant-Man. Captain America is also in the script stages as well. The Avengers is currently set for a July 2011 release.

Superman: Man of Steel Begins Production Next Year?

 

Rumor: After a year of countless rumors suggesting otherwise, Justice League Mortal has now been downgraded to development hell until 2011 or 2012. At the same time, it looks like the next Superman sequel will begin production next year.

Mania Verdict: TRUE---Brandon Routh that the screenplay is currently a priority with director Bryan Singer while he wraps up Valkyrie and he will be donning the suit early next year.

"I think it seems as though [the 'Justice League' movie is] not happening, it's on the back burner right now so it's just 'Man of Steel' now," Routh said. "I know, they're busy writing a script and then I trust we'll be starting next year, early next year. That's my timeline anyway."

Cloverfield 2 on hold?

 

Rumor: Despite making profits at the box office and DVD markets, a new report suggests that Cloverfield 2 won’t be coming anytime soon as executive producer J.J Abrams works on his projects and director Matt Reeves focuses on his next project The Invisible Woman.

Source: Frosty at Collider

Mania Verdict: TRUE---Both J.J Abrams and director Matt Reeves are working on separate projects and Reeves has said many times, including the link above, that they want a unique and fresh idea for bringing back the monster concept before going into production.