Marvel

When the first trailers for "Iron Man 3" hit the interwebs a few months ago, one thing jumped out at fans right away: The debut of Iron Patriot, which is basically a suit of Iron Man armor painted to look like the American flag. Seriously, just when you thought Iron Man couldn't get any cooler, this thing comes along, smashing evil ideologies with the fist of superhero righteousness. U-S-A! U-S-A!

But that kind of got us thinking: Why do we need an Iron Patriot? Isn't Iron Man himself patriotic enough?

With that in mind, we decided to take a look at some of cinema's biggest superheros and rank them from least patriotic to most patriotic — because while truth and justice are nice, you can't have the whole package without The American Way.

8. Thor

So, here's something you should know about Thor: He's not actually human. And technically he's not from our planet at all, hailing instead from the mythical realm of Australia Asgard (sorry, Chris Hemsworth). Now, Thor is quite devoted to his home of Asgard, so in that sense he is patriotic to a degree. But when it comes to the nations of Earth, frankly, we're not sure he even knows his Asgard from his elbow. After all, the dude is an immortal god and has lived long enough to see every country in history rise and fall. Yeah, his sometimes-girlfriend Jane Foster is American, as are most of his buddies in the Avengers. But when Flag Day rolls around, well, we have a feeling Thor will be sitting that one out.

7. Kick-Ass

We know what you're thinking: What could be more quintessentially American than dressing up in a goofy costume and making a fool of yourself on YouTube, as Aaron Johnson did in "Kick-Ass"? But while there's no doubt that Kick-Ass is a red-blooded American boy through and through, there's little sign that he's overtly patriotic. Yes, in the upcoming sequel "Kick-Ass 2" he does hang out with a guy named Colonel Stars and Stripes. But we're not sure Kick-Ass has really spent any time thinking about patriotism one way or another. For now, he's just too busy being a regular kid — who happens to fight crime in his long johns. Maybe once he gets to college and starts taking Civics 101 he'll change his tune.

6. Batman

The thing about Batman is that he's so darn focused on his beloved Gotham City that he doesn't really have much time left to worry about the rest of America. And for good reason. Seriously, have you seen Gotham? That place is a mess! But beyond that, Batman has got to be kind of ticked off at the rest of the country for just letting Gotham get taken over by terrorists in last year's "The Dark Knight Rises." Plus, as we saw in "Batman Begins," Batman ditched the U.S.A. to get all of his training overseas. What, our home grown shadowy killers aren't good enough for you, Bruce? For Batman, the message seems to be clear: America is cool as long as it doesn't get in his way.

5. Wolverine

The man we now know as Wolverine began life as something even stranger and more bizarre than a mutant: he was born a Canadian. And on the surface of things, he doesn't necessarily seem like the most patriotic guy around as he spends his time wandering around in an emo stupor, drinking, smoking and threatening truck drivers with his built-in Swiss army knives. But as we saw in the flashbacks in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," Logan actually served his country in multiple wars before later becoming a government agent ... which just goes to show that somewhere underneath all that body hair, his heart still pumps out pure maple syrup.

4. Iron Man

When it comes to capitalism, no superhero embodies its ideals like Tony Stark. And we've seen how patriotic Tony can be when it comes to his work as an arms manufacturer. After all, when we first met him in the first scenes of "Iron Man," he was preparing to sell his latest inventions to the U.S. military. Of course, since then he's decided to go on this whole "philanthropist" jag, which has put him at odds with the American government more than once ... so there are some limits. But then again, we're sure Iron Man would tell you that being faithful to our nation's ideals is more important than being faithful to its government. Tony Stark is as American as apple pie, as long as he gets to decide which slice to eat.

3. Green Lantern

All-American test pilot Hal Jordan gets slapped with that "all-American" label for a good reason, and it's not because he was played by Canadian Ryan Reynolds in the 2011 big-screen misfire. With his wholesome brand of go-get-em courage and his devotion to the girl next door (in this case, Blake Lively, who is also his boss), Hal Jordan is a living embodiment of old-fashioned American ideals. Want proof? After being tasked with defending a large section of the galaxy, what does he do? Patrol space? No, he heads right back to America's heartland, presumably to take in a ball game. Sorry, galaxy, but for Hal Jordan, the U.S. of A. comes first.

2. Superman

Like Thor and Wolverine, Superman wasn't born in America. In fact, he wasn't even born on Earth. And yet over the past 75 years, perhaps no character in pop culture has been more closely associated with America than Superman. Based on the "Man of Steel" trailers we've seen, the reasons why are at the heart of Zack Snyder's upcoming reboot: Adopted by a good-hearted midwestern family, Clark Kent learns the importance of truth, justice and the American way, a way of life he strives to protect as only Superman can. Superman's origin has been described as the ultimate immigrant story, and who are we to argue with that?

1. Captain America

Of course, there's no real question which superhero is the most patriotic. The guy's name is Captain America, after all, and he has a friggin' American Flag painted on his chest. And his shield. And probably tattooed on his butt. In fact, he's so associated with the United States that Marvel Studios was concerned that international audiences wouldn't even go to see "Captain America: The First Avenger" when it came out two years ago, which is one reason why it got that clumsy "First Avenger" subtitle in the first place. Luckily for everyone, even international audiences love them some Cap, guaranteeing that a sequel (next year's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier") would be made. All we can say is: Captain America, f**k yeah!

Entertainment Weekly

According to a new press release from Marvel Studios, filming has begun on the blockbuster superhero sequel "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." And fans looking for for their "Marvel's The Avengers" fix can start getting pumped up right now, as it turns out that Captain America will be teaming up with an old friend this time around: Natasha Romanoff, aka The Black Widow.

Two down, four to go!

Of course, it has been rumored for a while that Scarlett Johansson would be joining Chris Evans for "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." After all, in the acclaimed "Winter Soldier" comic book story by writer Ed Brubaker, which details how Cap's best buddy Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) was saved from certain death during World War II only to be brainwashed into becoming a Soviet assassin known as the Winter Soldier, the Black Widow is Bucky's former partner and lover. So it's hard to tell the story without her.

But it's still pretty awesome to get confirmation that she'll be on board. And there are plenty more teasers in the press release as well; beyond the sweet first pic from the set showing Captain America at SHIELD headquarters, Marvel has confirmed via press release that they will be pretty closely following the comic book story thanks to the inclusion of key players like Captain America's high-flying partner The Falcon (Anthony Mackie). Not to mention a slew of SHIELD agents, including fan favorites Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders as Nick Fury and Maria Hill, Hollywood legend Robert Redford as Agent Alexander Pierce and "Revenge" star Emily VanCamp as Cap's mysterious love interest, Agent 13.

And there are also some hints about just who the bad guy will be. Toby Jones is set to reprise his role as Nazi scientist Arnim Zola, whose main claim to fame in the comics is the fact that he regularly resurrects The Red Skull whenever that jerk ends up dying. Though there is no mention in the press release of the Red Skull, it's worth noting that "Zero Dark Thirty's" Frank Grillo is listed as playing Brock Rumlow, better known to comic fans as the Red Skull's right hand man, Crossbones. Could the "powerful yet shadowy enemy" teased in the release be the Red Skull himself?

One thing is certain: We sure as hell can't wait to find out. How awesome does this one sound, you guys?

• That's his shield, all right. And S.H.I.E.L.D. [Splash Page]

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• Best Shirtless Performance: A Channing Tatum GIF Retrospective just for you. [Hollywood Crush]

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They are two of America's greatest icons: Captain America and Robert Redford. One is a costumed champion of liberty. The other is a square-jawed, blue-eyed idol to millions. But ask yourself this: Have you ever seen them together at the same time?

It makes you wonder, right? But while it might seem like Robert Redford actually is Captain America, it turns out that they are different people — and they may indeed be about to appear side-by-side, as according to the The Hollywood Reporter, Redford is close to signing a deal to appear in the 2014 superhero sequel "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."

Face it, baseball and apple pie: You just got pwned.

So just what will Redford be doing in his first superhero film? Well, here's what we know about "Captain America: Winter Soldier:" After being revived by SHIELD at the end of "Captain America: The First Avenger," Chris Evans' star-spangled hero is still trying to adapt to the modern world when he's thrown a curveball in the form of the deadly Russian assassin The Winter Soldier. But Winter Solider isn't Russian at all — he's actually Cap's best friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), who survived his apparent death in World War II only to be captured by the Soviets, brainwashed and placed in hibernation, only to be thawed out when new targets need killing.

None of that exactly screams Robert Redford, but The Hollywood Reporter says that Redford "will be playing an older member of secret government agency SHIELD" whose role is "similar to the one played by Ralph Fiennes as M’s replacement in last year’s James Bond movie 'Skyfall.'"

That suggests that Redford may actually be appearing as an older version of Dum-Dum Dugan, the rough and tumble WWII sergeant who was played in "Captain America: The First Avenger" by Neal McDonoguh. In the comics, the post-war Dum-Dum Dugan eventually ended up becoming Nick Fury's second in command as Deputy Director of SHIELD.

Whatever the case, the idea of a Hollywood legend joining a comic book movie is fantastic, especially since it means a whole new generation of fans will be introduced to Redford's amazing talents. Which is no doubt an opportunity the founder of Sundance is quite aware of.

After all, no matter who he ends up playing in the film, the guy is no Dum-Dum.

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Here's the latest lady whom the ever-gentlemanly Steve Rogers will call "Ma'am" more than once.

Emily VanCamp will be making the jump to the big leagues big time as she's close to officially joining the cast of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," according to Deadline.

VanCamp is probably best known for her role as Emily Thorne, the main protagonist on ABC's hit drama series, "Revenge." She beat out the likes of Alison Brie, Felicity Jones and Anna Kendrick for the role of Sharon Carter, a descendant of Peggy Carter (played by Hayley Atwell in "Captain America: The First Avenger) and, as fate would have it, the new love interest of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans).

Plot details on the "Captain America" sequel are being kept under wraps, though it's said to pick up shortly after the events of "The Avengers" (which could be said for all of Marvel's Phase Two films, but we'll take what we can get). We also know that we'll see the return of Rogers' war pal James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes (Sebastian Stan), resurrected as the villainous Winter Soldier.

VanCamp joins a cast that also includes returning Marvel players Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Colbie Smulders (Agent Maria Hill) and Toby Jones (Arnim Zola). Anthony Mackie will be playing Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon, and Frank Grillo will be playing the dastardly Brock Rumlow, aka Crossbones.

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" will be the third film in Marvel's Phase Two, following the increasingly depressing-looking "Iron Man 3" (May 3) and "Thor: The Dark World" (Nov. 8). The film will hit theaters on April 4, 2014.

Marvel Films

The new year is fast approaching and, on the Internet, that means just one thing: Time to put together some top 10 lists. And since "The Avengers" was undoubtedly the film event of the year — $1.5 billion worldwide doesn't lie — we thought it would only be fitting to ring out the old by taking a look at the Top 10 Avengers of 2012.

Just how awesome are the Avengers? They're so awesome that they get a Top 10 list even though there were only six of them in the movie.

And that's because "The Avengers" wasn't just the top grossing film of the year; it's also become the centerpiece for Marvel's ever-expanding film universe. Which means there were characters who didn't even appear in "The Avengers" that still managed to produce some of the most buzzed-about moments of the year in Hollywood.

So grab your Uru hammer and strap yourself in, because this list is about to show you why "The Avengers" aren't just the coolest characters of 2012 — they're also about to become the dominant pop culture characters of the next decade.

10. Vision

Marvel

Okay, quick primer for those who don't know about Vision: One of the mainstays of the team in the comics, Vision is a synthezoid (like an android, only ... well, okay, he's an android) who was created using the brain patterns of a dead team member. So how does Vision rate on our list? Well, read that description again and then take ten seconds to Google "Agent Coulson Vision." Remember, this is the world of comic book heroes, where being dead doesn't necessarily mean you're dead. Considering how beloved Clark Gregg's dear departed S.H.I.E.L.D. agent is among fans, buzz about the possibility of him being resurrected as Vision in "The Avengers 2" began before the closing credits even started rolling. That's a pretty good start.

9. Spider-Man

Sony

Yes, folks, in the comic books, Spider-Man is a member of the Avengers. Of course, in the real world, there are some villains even the world's mightiest superheroes can't defeat — such as corporate lawyers. Which is why we'll likely never get to see Spidey in an "Avengers" movie, as Peter Parker's film rights are controlled by Sony, not Marvel. Still, you can't deny the great year everyone's favorite wall-crawler had, what with "The Amazing Spider-Man" being successful enough to already warrant a buzz-building sequel. Sure, we'd love to see him trading quips with Iron Man, but this is one Avenger who may actually be better off solo. For now, anyway.

8. The Wasp

Marvel

When her father was killed by agents of a foreign power, socialite Janet van Dyne underwent an experimental process that gave her the ability to shrink, grow wings and shoot bio-energy wasp stings at bad guys. In the comics, she also was a founding member of the team, coming up with the name "Avengers" — in fact, she was in the first draft of "The Avengers" script but was eventually elbowed out due to superhero overcrowding. Now that notorious girl-power champion Joss Whedon is large and in charge of the franchise, though, rumors have been flying that The Wasp will not only have a major role in "The Avengers 2," she'll actually be played by Stephanie Szostak in "Iron Man 3" next summer as well. That's still a rumor, but it's not just a rumor that her partner in superheroing — and the guy who gave her her powers — will be getting his own solo film that leads into "The Avengers 2," making it even more likely we'll be seeing The Wasp very soon. Which brings us to our next Avenger ...

7. Ant-Man

Marvel

For a guy so small he rides ants to work, Ant-Man has been having a very big year. For example, the long rumored "Ant-Man" movie finally got an official green light from Marvel, meaning that Ant-Man — again, a guy who rides and talks to ants as his super power — will be getting his own feature film before such better-known superheroes as Wonder Woman, The Flash and Shazam. The fact that his movie will inevitably lead into "The Avengers 2" and other future projects, assuring him of a larger role (no pun intended) in the shared Marvel universe, is just the frosting on the epic cake that was Ant-Man's 2012. And, oh yeah, word on the street has it that the bonus scene after the credits in "Iron Man 3" is going to lead into "Ant-Man." Who's laughing now?

6. (tie) Black Widow

Marvel Films

Scarlett Johansson's deadly secret agent Black Widow was already familiar to fans thanks to 2010's "Iron Man 2," but while she was cool in that film, she didn't really get to do much other than one scene in which she flopped around a little and knocked out a couple security guards. Ho hum. In "The Avengers," though, Natasha Romanoff got to kick some major butt, anchoring three key scenes in the film: Her opening sequence, where she wrecks some bad guys while tied to a chair; a fantastic verbal game of cat-and-mouse with the god of trickery himself, Loki; and the final showdown of the movie where, oh by the way, she manages to save all of Earth from an alien invasion. Not bad for someone who doesn't actually have any super powers. Now why the heck hasn't Marvel started working on a solo film for her already?

6. (tie) Hawkeye

Marvel Films

Well, maybe Marvel isn't working on a solo Black Widow movie because they know that fans really want to see a team-up film featuring her and her mysteriously sexy soul mate, Hawkeye. Of course, we do think that Jeremy Renner's ultra-intense bowman could stand on his own, but the chemistry — and still to-be-revealed history — he shares with Johansson's Black Widow makes them a terrific twosome (thus the tie). From a meaningless cameo in "Thor" to potentially getting his own franchise as a result of kicking butt in 'The Avengers"? That's what we call a good year.

4. The Hulk

Marvel Films

Third time really was the charm for The Hulk, who disappointed both in 2003's "Hulk" starring Eric Bana and 2008's "The Incredible Hulk" starring Edward Norton. Despite those missteps, Marvel was convinced the character still had appeal to fans and it turned out they were right — all they needed to do was add Mark Ruffalo as the new edition of Bruce Banner, beef up the CGI to levels undreamt of in previous attempts and inject some much-needed humor into the character and movie. Hulk's violent interactions with Thor provided some of the most exciting moments of the film, but it was his epic takedown of Loki that still has fans buzzing. In one year, and with one movie, the Hulk went from two-time Hollywood failure to fan favorite and Internet meme machine. And with Ruffalo so jazzed about being in talks for a new Hulk solo film, well, we have to say that in 2012, Hulk truly did smash.

3. Captain America

Marvel Films

And now we get down to the big three. While Thor and Iron Man may be ahead of Cap on our list, in a way "The Avengers" was really Captain America's movie. Think about it: The main story arc is about the team learning to trust each other and work together and at the heart of that is Steve Rogers coming to grips with the modern world and inspiring the others to follow his example once he gets his head on straight. Chris Evans topped his performance in 2011's "Captain America: The First Avenger" as he provided the heart for both the Avengers and, well, "The Avengers." Plus, he's already hard at work on 2014's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," which was given the green light as soon as the opening weekend box office results of "The Avengers" rolled in.

2. Thor

Marvel Films

Yes, it's hard to top Captain America's year, but Chris Hemsworth and Thor managed to do just that in a squeaker. Like Cap, Thor also got the go-ahead for a sequel, next year's "Thor: The Dark World," which Hemsworth is currently filming. Plus, Thor not only got to share some hilarious moments with fellow titan Hulk, he also added some major pathos to "The Avengers" thanks to his fascinatingly troubled relationship with his brother, the irredeemably villainous Loki. 2011's "Thor," for all its box office success, was a bit of a niche film — thanks to "The Avengers," though, Thor is about as popular and mainstream as you can get, which is saying something for a figure from Norse mythology. Even immortals recognize a good year when they live one.

1. Iron Man

Marvel Films

Seriously, was there ever any doubt? Robert Downey Jr.'s complex and narcissistic hero Tony Stark entered "The Avengers" as  Marvel's biggest box office draw and he left the same way. There's no question that the good will generated by "Iron Man" and "Iron Man 2" went a long way in getting fans fired up for "The Avengers," so the fact that Stark provided the film with its best one-liners — and the fact that Iron Man ended up saving the day in the last scene while also maybe saving his own soul — ensured that fans walked away from the theater satisfied. Want more? Well, how about the fact that the first trailers for next May's "Iron Man 3" have been burning up the Internet for weeks? Which leaves us with this amazing fact: As great a year as Iron Man had in 2012, he is poised to have an even better year in 2013.

Avengers Assemble.

Get more Best of 2012 here.

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All of the week's hot casting news in one fell swoop ...

• John Cusack is a triple threat this week! In just the past few days he's scored roles in the legal drama "Due Process," the Stephen King adaptation "Cell" (Cusack's second King adventure, following "1408") and Roger Avary's "Duel"-type thriller, "Airspace."

• Hollywood loves it when a one-night stand leads to true love (and, often, a baby ... and not always in that order). Deadline reports that Amanda Seyfried and Patrick Dempsey will be playing unexpectedly expecting parents in "Wonderful Tonight," a romantic comedy that we hope gets a new title sooner rather than later (sorry, Mr. Clapton, but do you really need the extra money?).

• Harrison Ford and Zac Efron? We're so there, especially since their team-up is described as being kind of like "Cape Fear." The duo have signed on for Rob Reiner's thriller, "You Belong to Me," in which the bonding between a psychiatrist (Ford) and the brother of one of his patients who committed suicide (Efron) takes a sharp turn when the young buck starts seducing the doc's wife and daughter.

• A "Muppets" movie is always good for some pretty cute casting. The Hollywood Reporter brings word that "Inglourious Basterds" and "Water For Elephants" villain Christoph Waltz has joined the Europe-set "Muppets" sequel in the rather heroic role of an Interpol inspector.

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• We'd make a getaway — clean or otherwise — with Imogen Poots any day. Heat Vision says the "Fright Night" beauty will be joining Aaron Paul in "Need For Speed," the tricked-out thriller based on the popular series of racing video games that was probably greenlit because the "Fast and Furious" movies make a ton of bank.

• Now here's some "Genius" casting! Michael Fassbender and Colin Firth will be starring in the true-life drama that chronicles the relationship between author Thomas Wolfe (Fassbender) and renowned editor Max Perkins (Firth).

• The latest "Sin City" census reveals that both Jaime King and Jamie Chung are residents of Robert Rodriguez's "A Dame to Kill For," with King playing Wendy, the twin sister of her slain character Goldie from the first movie, and Chung replacing Devon Aoka as Deadly Little Miho. Now, who will be playing Ava Lord, the dastardly "Dame" in question?

• Now that the Red Skull has been blasted into outer space (or something), Steve Rogers needs himself a new nemesis. Variety brings word that Frank Grillo will be taking on the red, white and blue Avenger as the villainous Crossbones in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."

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• Call it a "Panic Room" for the mid-19th century. Olivia Wilde, Hailee Steinfeld and Nicole Behaire have signed on to take a stand in "The Keeping Room," a Civil War-set drama in which three women must defend their home from an invasion by a group of Union Army deserters.

• Let it be, let it be ... Benedict Cumberbatch! The Playlist brings word that the "Sherlock" star and future "Star Trek" villain will be playing Brian Epstein, the manager of The Beatles, in a currently untitled biopic (how about "Brian"? or "Epstein"? or "Let It Be"?) to be produced by Tom Hanks.

• Hugo Weaving's digging the "everything is connected" kinds of movies lately — at least more than, say, "Transformers." The "Cloud Atlas" star will be joining Rose Byrne in "The Turning," a collection of 17 stories that revolve around turning points in the lives of the people of the Australian coastal town of Angelus.

• Vince Vaughn just wants you to know that he's still busier than you. The "Made" man is taking a break from comedy for the first time since "Domestic Disturbance" (2001) with "Triple Time," an action thriller about a U.S. marshal tasked with escorting a prisoner accused of an environmental disaster to Washington, D.C.

• He didn't exactly hang ten in "Chasing Mavericks," but that's not going to keep Gerard Butler from getting back on the board. Deadline reports that Butler will be sticking with land sports in "Dynamo," the true-life story of the landmark soccer game that took place between an occupied Ukrainian team and their Nazi captors during World War II.

• Hopefully she won't be losing as much weight as Matthew McConaughey has. Deadline reports that "Elektra" beauty (and Ben Affleck spouse) Jennifer Garner is in talks to join the now super-skinny "Magic Mike" star in "Dallas Buyer's Club," the true-life drama about a man with AIDS who managed to live six years beyond expectation by smuggling illegal medicine into the U.S.

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With the likes of Anna Kendrick and Felicity Jones vying to be the love interest of Steve Rogers in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," it's given new meaning to "America's Got Talent."

Now a whole bevy of beauties want to be contestants on "Who Wants to Marry a 100-Year-Old?," with Deadline reporting that Jessica Brown Findlay ("Downton Abbey"), Teresa Palmer ("Warm Bodies"), Imogen Poots ("Knight Of Cups"), Alison Brie ("The Five Year Engagement‘s"), and nudity-prone "Game of Thrones" star Emelia Clarke are all in contention for the female lead.

Apparently Cap is going to have to use his shield to deflect hot ladies more than bullets, especially since the article also says that Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow will be doing some sexy avenging in the Marvel Studios sequel as well.

No wonder star Chris Evans seemed so game when interviewed about the film.

Evans can let his (literal) wingman The Falcon (Anthony Mackie) get some residual action from Cap's runoff, although directors Joe and Anthony Russo have yet to confirm which character all these lovely ladies are presumably tearing each other's hair out over. Safe money says its Sharon Carter, alias Agent 13, an ex-S.H.I.E.L.D badass and niece of the Peggy Carter character played by Hayley Atwell in "Captain America: The First Avenger."

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" will race into battle on April 4, 2014.

[From MTV News] It's not quite "The Avengers," but you can bank on the fact that a colorful assortment of heroes and villains will collide when "Captain America" returns for its 2014 sequel, titled "The Winter Soldier."

Based on a run of comic books written by noir-minded writer Ed Brubaker, the "Winter Soldier" story deals heavily with the apparent resurrection of Bucky Barnes, played in "Captain America: The First Avenger" by Sebastian Stan. In the comics, Bucky resurfaces in the form of a brainwashed Russian assassin known as the Winter Soldier, and it's up to his old partner and friend Steve Rogers to bring him back to the side of the angels. Exactly how faithful the Marvel Studios film plans to stick to that source material remains to be seen, but actor Chris Evans insists that the seeds for "Winter Soldier" were planted long ago.

"There were always hints at that," Evans told MTV News about the "Cap" sequel during a Toronto Film Fest interview about "The Iceman," his new hit-man biopic featuring "Man of Steel" villain Michael Shannon. "The best thing about [Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige is he's a fan. He's not just a businessman, he's a rabid comic book fan. Even during the first 'Captain America,' well before 'The Avengers,' there were whispers of ['Winter Soldier'] being the sequel. So I'm excited to tackle that."

To find out why he's so excited, head to MTV.com.

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So who's up for the role of Steve Rogers' new sweetie?

Anna Kendrick, Imogen Poots and Felicity Jones are rumored to be the frontrunners for the female lead in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," according to The New York Post.

The details of the role are being kept under wraps, but fans are speculating that it will be Sharon Carter, the niece of Peggy Carter, played by Hayley Atwell in "Captain America: The First Avenger." We have a feeling that if Marvel is indeed going with Sharon, she'll be adjusted to be Peggy's grand-niece (think about it; it makes more sense) as well as the agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. that she is in the "Ultimate" comic book series.

We love Anna Kendrick and all (can't wait for "Pitch Perfect," opening Oct. 5), and Imogen Poots certainly proved she has some fightin' spirit with her performance in last summer's "Fright Night," but we kind of hope the part goes to Felicity Jones (if indeed it's down to these three ladies). We think she'd do quite well in the Marvel universe ... and would look the most at home sharing a frame with Chris Evans (even if Kendrick could probably pass the most for a relative of Atwell's).

Felicity Jones also recently lost the part of Mrs. "Jack Ryan" to Keira Knightley, so, you know, Hollywood owes her a franchise!

But that's just us. Who do you think should be the Captain's new ladyfriend? Let us know via the poll below.

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier," which will feature Anthony Mackie as Falcon (awesome), will hit theaters on April 4, 2014.

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Hot on the heels of Marvel's announcement at Comic-Con over the weekend that the upcoming "Captain America 2" had been renamed "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" comes this latest bombshell: Anthony Mackie is in talks to join the cast — and he'll be playing the high-flying Falcon.

Looks like the supervillains might as just retire right now.

Here's a quick run down for the uninitiated: In the comic books, The Falcon is a social worker named Sam Wilson who takes to the skies to fight crime thanks to a special suit that allows him to soar alongside his telepathically-linked pet falcon, Red Wing. He also acts as Captain America's best friend and right hand man, assisting with everything from shutting down small time hoods to saving the universe.

And now he appears ready to take on the same role in the movies, as  The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that "The Hurt Locker's" Mackie is in negotiations to star as The Falcon in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." And it's likely to be a fairly important role, considering the "Winter Soldier" is Bucky — the man Wilson replaced as Cap's partner.

So does this mean we can expect to see Marvel's newest superhero join the ranks of Earth's Mightiest heroes in "Avengers 2?" Well, you know what they say: Birds of a feather...

Stars at San Diego Comic-Con 2012

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If there was one victor among the movies paneling at San Diego Comic-Con this year, it'd have to be … Marvel. Or was it "Man of Steel"? Or maybe "The Hobbit"?

Another Con's in the can, and we've emerged with new intel on a handful of high-profile mega-movies. There weren't necessarily any groundbreaking casting announcements this year, but first footage from movies like the new Superman flick, "Oz: The Great and Powerful," "Pacific Rim" and "Elysium" had fans and bloggers buzzing big time.

Check out the biggest movie scoops below. What we should add, #16: Getting in line at 7 a.m. does not guarantee you entry into the con's marquee venue (Hall H). Not even for a 6 p.m. panel. And yep, we learned that the hard way. – By Bryan Enk and Kevin Polowy

There's a Whole Lot of Marvel Movies Going On as 'Phase Two' Is Unveiled
Excelsior! Marvel Mania hit Comic-Con as the studio revealed its master plan (well, some of it, anyway) for the next wave of super-movies (or "Phase Two," as it's being called). Some of the upcoming sequels got official titles as "Thor: The Dark World" (awesome) will hit theaters on Nov. 8, 2013; "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (AWESOME) will be released on April 4, 2014; "Guardians of the Galaxy" (we still can't believe they're doing a movie of that at all, much less this soon) will come out on Aug. 1, 2014 and, to the delight of the geekiest of fanboys, Edgar Wright's take on "Ant-Man" will probably creep into theaters sometime in 2015. The star of the Marvel panel was — no surprise here — Robert Downey, Jr., who danced on stage to the delight of fans and showed off some "Iron Man 3" footage that gave us a glimpse of the new suit. Oh, and Ben Kingsley is indeed playing the Mandarin, which is, of course, perfect.

Sci-Fi Is the Future
What a week it was for sci-fi films at Comic-Con. Three of the best-received movie panels were the futuristic mind-benders "Elysium," "Looper" and "Pacific Rim." Neil Blomkamp's "Elysium" pits Matt Damon and other freedom fighters against the one percenters hovering in a spacecraft over a ruined Earth; Rian Johnson's "Looper" finds Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a time-hopping assassin tasked with knocking off an older version of himself (Bruce Willis); and Guillermo del Toro's "Pacific Rim" pits giant robots against giant monsters, giving us all giant nerdgasms. "Looper" lands this fall, while "Elysium" and "Rim" are set to thrill in the spring and summer of 2013, respectively.

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At Least the First Seven Minutes of 'Breaking Dawn - Part 2' Are Going to Be Really Good
We knew we were going to see something from the last installment in the "Twilight" series, but we certainly weren't expecting to be treated to the entire first seven minutes of the film — nor, admittedly, were we expecting those seven minutes to be quite so jaw-droppingly good. "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" picks up right where "Part 1" left off, with Bella opening her red vampire eyes; from there, she gives Edward a powerful hug that takes his breath away (so to speak) before they're off to the forest for her first hunt. The sight of Bella scrambling up the face of a mountain, drunk with bloodlust for a poor mountain climber with a bleeding hand wound is pretty sweet, but nothing can prepare you for her claiming a freaking mountain lion as her first official meal as one of the undead. Kristen Stewart has never looked more beautiful — death most definitely becomes her. | Read "Twilight" panel recap

'Man of Steel' is Man With Some Edge
Imagine if Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan have a baby and name it Kal-El. Yeah that'd probably be one lucky yet confused kid. But that's how "Man of Steel" producer Thomas Tull describes the new Superman reboot, which is music to our Batman-loving, "Superman Returns"-hating ears (Snyder directs while Nolan produces). The Hollywood Reporter claims the trailer — which starts with a young Supes saving a busload of children, has a clearly darker tone than previous Clark Kent incarnations and also give us peaks at Russell Crowe (Jor-El), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Michael Shannon (Zod) and, of course, Henry Cavill's grown-up hero — brought fans to tears. "Goosebumps" and "chills" were also common refrains on the Twittersphere. The most super news? You won't have to wait too long to see it yourself. The teaser will wow moviegoers before Nolan's final Bat flick, "The Dark Knight Rises" starting Friday.

Stallone & Schwarzenegger Just a Couple of Bros
It's not every year you get action titans like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger sharing the stage in Hall H, but that's exactly what happened with Thursday's mantastic "Expendables 2" panel. There were career retrospectives, a trailer and new clip, and appearances by co-stars Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews and Randy Couture ... but really the most intriguing thing about this hype fest for the August release was observing to the genuine connection between the two legendary screen stars, who have been buds for over three decades. Of course, like any bromance, there's a healthy competition in place. "Sly's killed 288 people, I've killed 289," the former Governator said. But who's counting? | Read "Expendables" panel recap

Bros Part 2: 'The Hunger Games' Tributes'
While at the "Hunger Games" DVD/Blu-ray junket (it's out Aug. 18, you know), we also bore witness to the tight bond formed between Tributes Alexander Ludwig (Cato), Dayo Okeniyi (Thresh) and Jack Quaid (Marvel). The trio, waiting to do interviews on a Hard Rock Hotel terrace, laughed and goofed with each other incessantly like they were old college chums (or as they and other "Games" cast members often describe the experience, summer camp alums), talking about everything from their love for the cult comedy film "Super Troopers" (it's the bear-screwing scene that gets them) to prospective web series ideas. It's a shame — for their friendship, anyway — that none of them return for "Catching Fire."

Yes, There Is Absolutely a Three-Breasted Hooker in 'Total Recall'
Sure, hovercars are cool and all, but the question fans (okay, or at least us) really have on the top of their minds is: Will Len Wiseman's reboot of the Philip K. Dick sci-fi yarn/Arnold Schwarzenegger actioner include that iconic three-breasted hooker? We asked the cast on the red carpet, and while co-stars Bryan Cranston and Jessica Biel were hesitant to spill the beans (though "Breaking Bad" star Cranston does admit to having his own three-breasted prostitute), Kate Beckinsale came right out and confirmed it. And yes, they're fabulous, the actress (and wife to director Len Wiseman) says. Wiseman also teased the genetic marvel's appearance in the panel footage. Three cheers for all of you. | Watch "Total Recall" cast confirm it

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A Whole Lotta 'Hobbit' Appeases the Masses
After mixed reactions to the 48 frames-per-second footage shown earlier this year at CinemaCon, perhaps the film with the most to prove was Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" (a two-part prequel to the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy). Jackson decided not to show the Comic-Con crowd footage in his fancy new 48fps style (saying it can't be fully appreciated in excerpts), so the director made up for it with quantity, showing a whopping 13 minutes of crowd-pleasing scenes spanning both films. Jackson was joined on stage by Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan and Elijah Wood, and the crowd ate it up, rewarding the Middle-earthlings with a standing ovation to close the panel.

'Looper' Is the New '12 Monkeys'
We've been waiting almost 17 years for something to be referred to as "the next '12 Monkeys,'" and it looks like we're finally getting it in the form of Rian Johnson's new mind-crunching sci-fi action film, "Looper." Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the writer-director's unofficial muse (they previously rocked the house together in "Brick"), joined him for the panel, much to the delight of the Con crowd. The trailer released a few months ago was amazing enough, but the extended look we were given here promises a film that's going to be as exciting and entertaining as it is thought-provoking and smarty-pants cool (just like "Monkeys"). It's fun to see JGL and Jeff Daniels, who plays the head "looper," reuniting after their terrific teamwork in another bit of noir nastiness, "The Lookout," but it's the scenes between Gordon-Levitt and Willis — as they play the same person — that we're most looking forward to. In particular, there's a tense scene in a diner that demonstrates the idea of "beating yourself up" in rather imaginative ways. The film opens Sept. 28. | Watch "Looper" cast interviews

'Elysium' Is a Worthy Successor to 'District 9'
Peter Jackson introduced Con-goers back in 2009 to the scrappy duo of writer-director Neill Blomkamp and actor Sharlto Copley, who were in San Diego to promote their rather impressive-looking science-fiction film, "District 9." We couldn't wait to see what Blomkamp had up his sleeve as a follow-up, though we feared he may fall victim to the infamous "sophomore slump" in trying to at least match something as amazing as "D9." Now, after seeing the footage for his new movie, "Elysium," we fear nothing. Blomkamp has his satirical eye on the rich's exploitation of the poor in this story of a working stiff (Matt Damon) on a ravaged future Earth whose only chance for survival after being exposed to radiation is to journey to an off-world space station where the wealthy live disease- and worry-free. The grungy production design is astonishing enough, but our favorite part of it all has to be a nearly-unrecognizable Copley as some sort of bizarro "Mad Max"-ian villain who makes things difficult for our hero Mr. Damon. Bring on March 1, 2013! | Watch Sharlto Copley interview

'ParaNorman' Stars Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts
Laika Studios' stop-motion animation follow-up to the critically adored "Coraline" looks just as fun and family/adult-friendly as its predecessor, but after meeting three of the film's voice leads on the red carpet, it's almost a shame we won't see them appear together in live-action form. Kodi Smit-McPhee (who voices the lead, a bullied boy who can speak to the dead), Anna Kendrick and Christopher Mintz-Plasse riffed off one another with razor-sharp wit, even when attempting to convince us that paranormal spirits don't actually exist. That's right, none of them believe in ghosts. We'll just have to agree to disagree — and secretly hope one or all of them move into a haunted house one of these days. |  Watch "ParaNorman" stars talk ghosts

'Oz: The Great and Powerful' Looks Both Great and Powerful
Sam Raimi, ever the gentleman geek, treated us to the first trailer for this sorta-prequel to the 1939 classic, "The Wizard of Oz." Raimi's take on more whimsical material than what he's usually known for looks absolutely magical, with a Kansas-set prologue that's filmed in black-and-white as an homage to the first act of "Wizard." James Franco plays the carnival magician who takes the yellow brick road from shady cad to a truly "Great Man" via a tornado that whisks him away to a magical land known for its majestic Emerald City, mystical creatures, clever witches (both good and bad) and, of course, nasty flying monkeys. Franco's perfect for this part, and ever-smiling pixie Michelle Williams as Glinda is quite the stroke of casting genius, too; the trailer also offered brief glimpses of both Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz (who are playing the aforementioned "bad" witches) and closes with a very Raimi-esque shot of a certain green hand with black nails slamming onto a table. Well played again, Sam. | Watch the trailer

It Helped If You Had Actually Read 'The Host'
We knew before heading into Hall H for the "Twilight" panel that Stephenie Meyer was going to be in attendance … and not just to talk about "Breaking Dawn - Part 2." We knew she was going to be doing something in regards to "The Host," and at Comic-Con "something" usually means showing a clip or two. What we got was a seven-minute highlight reel showing key scenes from the sci-fi flick about a future world in which most of the human race has been enslaved by alien parasites. The footage was most definitely impressive (this movie has the kind of budget that the "Twilight" movies never quite had but probably should've) as it offered looks at Saorise Ronan as Wanderer, Diane Kruger as The Seeker and a strikingly well-designed dystopian landscape. However, somewhat unfortunately, the reel had no sense of a narrative thru-line, coming across simply as a mishmash of random scenes that probably left those unfamiliar with the book somewhat confused.

'Django' Looks Off the Chains
There were no major revelations to come out The Weinstein Company's Saturday morning panel for "Django Unchained," besides maybe Quentin Tarantino's declaration that a scene in the thriller about a slave-turned-bounty hunter (Jamie Foxx) involving a cameo by Jonah Hill could very well be the funniest thing he's ever written (and he did later announce at a different panel that "Django" will also come in comic book form). But what became further evident: The film looks fantastic. Tarantino, who appeared in Hall H with Foxx, Kerry Washington, Christoph Waltz, Walton Goggins and a ponytailed Don Johnson, unveiled an eight-minute sizzle reel that expanded on the film's recently released trailer and stoked the hearts and minds of Comic-Con faithful.

We Won't Be Getting Any 'Resident Evil' Movies For Much Longer
The wild and loose "Resident Evil: Retribution" panel was tons of fun, with Milla Jovovich being her usual dorky-hottie self with a crowd-pleasing sense of genuine excitement for being back in San Diego and getting to play the ass-kicking Alice for the fifth (!) time. The new RE movie makes for something of a reunion, as several cast alums are making appearances — whether their characters were killed off in previous installments or not. Michelle Rodriguez, a super-cool lady in her own right, seemed especially psyched to be back with "the family," though the get-together had a slightly bittersweet tone to it as director Paul W.S. Anderson announced the "Retribution" is, indeed, the "beginning of the end" for the series. In fact, Alice herself might shuffle off this mortal coil in the new film that opens on Sept. 14 — though Jovovich was being a bit coy about confirming that one way or the other. | Watch the cast talk zombie apocalypse

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