Upcoming Marvel Comics Movies

Now that Marvel Comics has it's own studio it's pumping out movies that mirror it's comic book universe more closely than DC's movies. With hits ranging from Spider-Man to X-Men, the Marvel Comic's Universe has a rich set of characters to adapt. Marvel Studios is on the job, creating films that interconnect to mirror the comics universe where any superhero worth his salt operates out of New York City and runs into Spider-Man once a week. Here are some movies coming down the pike to watch out for.

The Incredible Hulk

This movie stars Edward Norton as the beleaguered Bruce Banner, scientist-turned-superhero because of an accident during an experiment for the government. Hulk, Ang Lee's 2003 effort, was panned by fans as being to experimental and spending too much time on the origin. In the new movie the filmmakers assume the audience already knows the Hulk's origin and concentrates on the action. With Tim Roth as The Abomination and Liv Tyler as Betty Ross the cast is phenomanal, and actor Edward Norton even re-wrote the script to make it closer to the 1970's television show starring Bill Bixby. Comics fans can even expect a cameo by another Marvel Movie Star.

The First Avenger: Captain America
Directed by Nick Cassavetes and written by Zak Pen (X3), Captain America is a period piece set during World War 2. When Steve Rodgers volunteers for the government's Super Soldier Serum Project he becomes America's last hope in the war against the Nazi's. Much like in the original comics, it is rumored that the movie ends with Captain America being frozen alive in the Arctic wasteland. Captain America is due out in 2011. While nobody has been cast as the personification of American bravado, odds are he'll be signed to a multi-picture deal because of the next movie in our list.

The Avengers
Also written by Zak Penn and due in 2011, The Avengers are Marvel's premiere superhero team. Featuring Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr), The Hulk (Ed Norton), Captain America, Ant-Man, and The Wasp they have been fighting crime since the 1960's. It is rumored that this movie mirrors the comic in the it opens with the other heroes finding Captain America frozen in a block of ice. The movie will also star Samuel L. Jackson as S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Nick Fury, and has already appeared as the character in Iron Man. Releasing mere weeks after Captain America, Summer 2011 is all about the new Marvel Movie Universe.

Other Marvel films in development are Ant-Man (Written and Directed by Sean of the Dead's Edgar Wright), Thor, Runaways, and multiple direct-to-DVD animated projects featuring all the Marvel characters. Marvel Studios has positioned itself as the premiere studio for superhero films, and it's slate shows no signs of shrinking.