the buzz log
From the Hall of Justice to the Convention Hall
San Diego is bracing itself for an onslaught of spandex-clad superheroes and archvillains—and the fans who love them—as Thursday's opening of Comic-Con 2009 nears.
Lookups on the annual comic-book convention are already up 64% this week. And if Search is any indication, below are the characters that will inspire Comic-Con's most popular costumes, movies, TV shows, video games, and action figures (super villains not included):
Filed under: Superheroes
Justin Timberlake: Superstar to Become Superhero?
We always knew Justin Timberlake was a triple threat: The star can sing, he can dance, and he can even act (think "SNL" digital shorts). So maybe it's not a surprise that the heartthrob who is "bringing sexy back" is rumored to be in the running for the role of Hal Jordan in the upcoming "Green Lantern" flick.
What the heck is a "Green Lantern"? The superhero comes from DC Comics. His backstory is this: Hal Jordan, a hotshot Air Force pilot, gets a super-powered ring along with the call to join an intergalactic crime-fighting force of Green Lanterns. The ring turns the guy green, and allows him to fly minus a plane and fight the bad guys. Its fatal flaw is that it's powerless against the color yellow—Green Lantern Kryptonite. Sounds good, right? Now picture JT as your Hal.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Timberlake has some serious rivals: Ryan Reynolds ("The Proposal") and Bradley Cooper ("The Hangover"). Both have big summer hits and can really act. JT better be prepared to do more than sing for his ring.
Filed under: Superheroes, Justin Timberlake
What a Difference 10 Minutes Makes: "Wolverine" Leak Controversy Flares Anew
Not too many summer blockbusters prompt FBI investigations, but the Feds have been tracking the villain(s) who leaked a rough cut of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" on March 31. Criminal investigations aside, the bootleg unleashed a torrent download, blogosphere reviews, and pirated DVDs on sale all over the globe. Even a Fox News columnist got axed when he published his (rave) review about the illegal screener.
The studio, 20th Century Fox, has been huffing and puffing to undo any box-office damage, including a promise that the final version—due May 1—would be different. But now the Huffington Post begs to differ. Here's the back-and-forth:
- The leak was bad, very bad, but Fox chairman Tom Rothman declares that the bootleg's raw, "10 minutes shorter" and a "complete misrepresentation."
- That's a lie, according to the Huffington Post, which points a finger at the official running time: 107 minutes, same as the bootleg.
- Just lunacy, retorts Fox. Yes, the movie runs 107 minutes, but the spruced-up final includes new edits, music, wirework, effects, and footage.
The exchange likely won't change the movie's status as a summer must-see. Plus, the title has dropped from the 10 most pirated film list as the premiere gets closer. In the past week, "X-Men Origins" pulled in the most blockbuster title searches on Yahoo!, edging out "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." ("Wolverine," though, hasn't inspired the same online fervor that "Iron Man" did last summer.)
What the promises and fingerpointing could do is revive conspiracy whispers, like the rumor that the leak was "nothing more than guerrilla marketing to the nth degree." Early buzz hadn't been kind about "Wolverine's" solo outing, but the fuss (did we mention the FBI?) kicked up publicity. So even if the mutant sinks, Huffpo points out, Fox can blame the cyberpirates. Sounds like a new plot for another "X-Men" outing.
Filed under: Movies, Cyberculture, Superheroes, X-Men
Buzz Multipex: Watch and Learn
"Watchmen" has taken the Buzz Multiplex hostage. Fans are seeking out reviews and soundtrack information, refreshing themselves on the characters, and studying the cast ... but the first blockbuster of 2009 may not fare so easily in its ambitions. Follow the rundown—and the reservations—on this cult classic:
Who's Watching the Watchmen. Yes, this is the male bonding-nostalgia-passing-on-a-tradition movie of the week. Guys through age 54 make up 72% of the online followers. Nearly every state in the union save six are looking into the phenomenon. The longest lines? Tucscon, Ariz, followed by Flint (Mich.), Harlingen (Tex.), Los Angeles and New York City.
The Fathers of the Watchmen. Alan Moore wrote about them, Dave Gibbons drew them, and John Higgins colored them. Big interviews in Buzz: Moore discusses education through comics to Salon, Gibbons talks technique to Wired, and Higgins stays quiet.
Character Studies. The Star Ledger sums up the primary six characters. The most sought-after character in searches on Yahoo! from the past 7 days: Dr. Manhattan, closely followed by Rorschach and Silk Spectre.
All About Akerman. Malin Akerman, who plays Silk Spectre II, doesn't just have double the searches of the movie's title: She has received more Web look-ups than the movie, cast, and character combined.
Box Office Projections. The take may bust this weekend's box ofice, but "Watchmen" isn't likely to break any records. Business Insider offers five reasons why the film will be a bust in the long run. Here's some data to back up the reasoning: The movie landed in the top 400 searches from the past 7 days, but films like "Spider-Man" have had stronger and longer lead-in Web activity. Considering the high number of "reviews" searches, fanboys (or men, considering the graphic novel came out in 1986) may be looking to save themselves from seeing Hollywood ruin some Moore.
Review Round-Up. Moore's boycotting it, but that's just based on personal principle and past experience. For those who have seen it, critical reaction ranges from grade As (Roger Ebert, E! Online) to Cs (USA Today, LA Times). What's good: The "superhero-noir murder mystery" boasts "visceral" graphics with characters that have "surprising conviction." Naysayers find the nearly three-hour exercise "plodding, convoluted and forgettable," a both "nihilistic and campy ... soap opera" absent the graphic novel's "cerebral tone," and with heroes in "silly Halloween get-ups."
Filed under: Movies, Actors, Comic Books, Superheroes
Look, Up on the Screen: The Superhero Quest
Leaping tall buildings in a single bound is a lot easier than making the leap from comic book to the silver screen. Hopes have been meteoric for Alan Moore's graphic novel "Watchmen," which has waited 23 years for its cinematic transplant.
Yet, for every Dark Knight or X-Men cinematic exploit, lesser comic book heroes such as The Spirit, The Phantom, Judge Dredd, and the Punisher (thrice) have taken critical beatings and been ignored by the masses. And let's not forget Moore's abused adaptations (which the comic artist himself boycotted, including this latest): "From Hell" (2001), "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" (2003), and "Constantine" (2005). (The verdict on a fourth, "V for Vendetta" (2005), was marginally kinder.) Cracked.com makes the point with its round-up of "least faithful comic book movies," while Reuters revives the specter of Howard the Duck in its box office list.
Enough box-office successes, though, mean a never-ending line of graphic protagonists ready for their big shot. Come May 7, the X-Men series returns to focus on Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, the sexiest mutant alive. G.I. Joe and his kung-fu grip was an action figure before a comic, but buzz for "Rise of Cobra"—due out Aug. 7—is busting out all over.
In 2010, the skies and multiplexes will be crowded with Iron Man's return (May 7), followed by big-budget newcomers Norse god Thor (July 16), Western anti-hero Jonah Hex (Aug. 10), and Green Lantern (Dec. 17).
Originally slated for June 25 but looking mighty unlikely: the comic dream team of Stephen Chow (" Shaolin Soccer") and Seth Rogen in " The Green Hornet." Possibly replacing Chow as director is Michel Gondry ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"). Comic books have pulled in heavyweight actors and directors (e.g. Liam Neeson in "Dark Man"), and the upcoming ones promise Oscar nominee Josh Brolin as Hex and director Kenneth Branagh behind Thor.
Among the never-ending search for superheroes online, favorite Wonder Woman still has not lassoed a real deal. Who's the villain behind that one? Below is a list of those who have made the leap from strip to multiplex.
Most Searched Big Screen-Comic Book Heroes, past 30 days
- Batman AKA Dark Knight
- Watchmen
- G.I. Joe
- Superman
- Dragonball
- X-Men
- Hulk
- Green Lantern
- Wonder Woman
- Iron Man
Filed under: Movies, Batman, Comic Books, Superheroes, Superman
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worst Airports For Delays 2009 | Breakout! |
| 2 | How To Survive A Recession | Breakout! |
| 3 | Ice Cream Calorie Counter | Breakout! |
| 4 | Jayson Williams | Breakout! |
| 5 | Alexandra Kerry | Breakout! |
| 6 | Chaz Bono | 10707% |
| 7 | Kelly Osbourne | 3298% |
| 8 | Jennifer Hudson | 3218% |
| 9 | Nicole Richie | 2075% |
| 10 | Thierry Henry | 1125% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Friday | +413 | 1016 |
| 2 | Elizabeth Lambert | -677 | 263 |
| 3 | NFL | +66 | 235 |
| 4 | New Moon | +74 | 213 |
| 5 | Bing | +83 | 209 |
| 6 | Kelly Osbourne | +193 | 199 |
| 7 | Hulu | +7 | 139 |
| 8 | Nicole Richie | +124 | 130 |
what's the buzz?
A subject's buzz score is the percentage of Yahoo! users searching for that subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Weekly leaders are the subjects with the greatest average buzz score for a given week.
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