June 16, 2008
Whiz of the Web: Monday Meat Slices
The best of the internet, chopped into tiny bits and grilled for your enjoyment.

- If you, like this Phillyist, went to see The Incredible Hulk this weekend and were completely unable to spot the Captain America cameo, even after staying through the entire end credits sequence, well... there's something you should know: the director recently revealed that the cameo scene he'd promised us in a previous interview had to be cut out because it was too dark and it could have scared the kiddies. Apparently during the cut sequence, Banner traveled up into the icy North and considered killing himself. Cinema Blend points out that there are plenty of other scary scenes in the rest of the movie that probably shouldn't be seen by kids, either, but whatever. In other Captain America news, the latest casting rumor has Leonardo DiCaprio in line for the role. Our immediate reaction is fear and horror, but we guess DiCaprio could work...
- The Onion reports on the impending release of World of World of Warcraft. (Via Sarah)
- The latest poster for The Spirit is... kind of hot. Whatever you say, Ms. Johansson!
- Christopher Eccleston has signed on to play Amelia Earhart's flight navigator, Fred Noonan, in the upcoming biopic Amelia.
- Warner Bros. has purchased a yet-to-be-titled fantasy pitch about two brothers who, while visiting their grandfather in NYC, meet a man who shows them a mystical realm in Central Park that is in danger. Sounds kind of neat.
- Hancock, apparently biting off of Iron Man, has moved its release date up from Wednesday, July 2nd to Tuesday, July 1st. Very strange.
- A YouTube video features a couple of German researchers who have managed to hack the Wii Balance Board to control movement in things like Google Earth and World of Warcraft. (Via)
- The big story in the video game world this weekend was a supposed leak of tons of information meant to be announced by Microsoft at E3. Game|Life has the whole run-down, but here are our favorite bits: supposedly Microsoft is going to introduce Mii-like customizable characters called Avatars; the next Tony Hawk game will have a Wii Balance Board-like controller; Guitar Hero World Tour will have a touch-sensitive fretboard that lets you slide up and down for analog solos during songs; Spider-Man vs. Marvel Zombies is headed to 360, PS3, and Wii; Disney is bringing out a 360, PS3, and Wii game called Ultimate Band, which you'll be able to play with Rock Band instruments, normal controllers, and Wii Remotes (for this there's even a video).
- Warner Brothers has hired Lawrence Kasdan, of all people, to write the feature film adaptation of the anime classic Robotech. This could be interesting.
- Robert Downey Jr. is in negotiations to star in DreamWorks/Universal's Cowboys & Aliens, which is based on a graphic novel about an Old West battle between the Apache and western settlers which is interrupted by a spaceship crashing into the prairie nearby. Downey Jr. would play a former Union Army gunslinger named Zeke Jackson.
- The Japanese character Astro Boy will be voiced by British actor Freddie Highmore in the upcoming movie—and Highmore will be using an American accent. The mind boggles.
- Here's a robot that emits different smells depending on whether he's happy or sad. Forget Skynet—we've already gone too far!!
- Here's some interesting news for us and our fellow bloggers out there: the Associated Press recently announced that it will, for the first time, attempt to define clear standards as to how much of its articles and broadcasts bloggers and Web sites can excerpt without infringing on The A.P.’s copyright. (Via Sarah)
- Capcom has announced a contest that will see one lucky American fan's face appear on a character in the background of Street Fighter IV. (Via)
- Apparently you can watch the entire season premiere of The Venture Brothers online. Nice. (Via)
- Remember that rather infuriating "geeks and otaku" comment made by a Nintendo of Europe executive a while back? Well, he sort of apologized for it recently. Actually, it's more like he said he actually wasn't being offensive and he was just misunderstood: "I would never use and I didn't use this terminology in such a context or way to cause offense."
- Nintendo has sued Nyko, claiming that its wireless Nunchuk controller violates Nintendo's patents and trademarks.
- Warren Ellis is at it again! He reveals that parts of the raw materials to make the first molecules of DNA and RNA may have come from the stars; tells us about an acoustic cloak that would make objects impervious to sound waves; and then warns that Earth's decision to beam a Doritos ad into space may bring the alien invaders down upon us (also, there's actually a calculator for determining how dangerous intergalactic transmissions are).
- Our favorite Father's Day post.
- Wii-friendly NES, SNES, and N64 controllers! Thank your friendly neighborhood hacker.
- We don't like all of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming—some of it is just too weird—but we have to admit Fat Guy Stuck in Internet sounds pretty damn funny.
- Could the Doctor Who episode The Doctor's Daughter inspire a new spin-off show?
- J.J. Abrams is setting up a deal with D.C. Comics to draw up a prequel to his upcoming series, Fringe.
- Robert Downey, Jr. is interested in being a part of Guy Ritchie's upcoming Sherlock Holmes flick. No word on exactly which part he would play, but Phillyist thinks we're all assuming Holmes.
Image Credit: Flickr user .::Caprica::.







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The last time a man who showed us a mystical realm in Central Park that is in danger, he was soon busted by the NYPD for indecent exposure.