Today at Comic-Con saw less news, but much more high-profile announcements. Most of the action took place in Hall H, which was bogged down with some serious line management problems, but we’ve got it all summed up right here for you.

The first big presentation of the day was from Warner Bros. First, the first footage from Green Lantern was screened. Although nothing spectacular, the fans enjoyed it overall, but were disappointed with the lack of Reynolds in the suit. This only confirms the fact that the suit is a work-in-progress. Still, I am looking forward to this film and hope that it can be a simple, fun superhero origin story, which we haven’t seen a lot of recently. Also, I’m looking forward to the more fantastical elements of the hero. Producer Donald DeLine said that many other Green Lanterns are featured and that the movie is part space opera, which is a good sign that they’re not ignoring that area of the Green Lantern mythos. And although the Green Lantern announcements are cool, DC has really not stepped up their game to challenge Marvel’s cinematic dominance. Geoff Johns is now in charge of their creative decisions moving forward, which is a great move, but the company has not centralized their film properties as Marvel has to such enormous success. Also, there was no word on Batman, which was a huge missed opportunity. Still, I’m hoping that after Green Lantern DC gets their act together and makes something great, maybe a Justice League movie? (Although I’m torn on whether or not Chris Nolan’s Batman should be a part of anything like that.) After a short Harry Potter trailer and panel, Zack Snyder came onstage for Sucker Punch. This new movie is based on his idea and stars an ensemble cast of women who are breaking out of a mental institution and includes Carla Gugino, Jamie Chung, Vanessa Hudgens, Jena Malone and Emily Browning. I’m not sure what to think about this movie, but the footage got a fantastic reception and it sounds truly unique. Hopefully the trailer gets released online soon so we all can see it.

Let Me In, the American remake of the Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In, has had an enormous 360 when it comes to the public’s view. After a period of resenting the fact that such a movie was being remade, it seems like every detractor has been shut up by footage from the upcoming movie. I know I wasn’t too excited for this, but now its definitely on my radar. Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), from what I can tell, is doing a fantastic job helming the movie. He talked about how Steven Spielberg gave him tips for interacting with young actors, and that is what has me most excited for this film. Both Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road) and Chloe Grace Moretz ((500) Days of Summer, Kick-Ass) have a lot of potential to give amazing performances and I hope they both pull it off. Check out this trailer for the film:

At this point, Hall H screeched to a halt after a fight broke out. It’s still unclear what actually happened, but the prevailing rumor is that someone asked another guy to move and when he didn’t, he stabbed him in the face with a pen. That’s speculation, but the scene was pretty grisly with blood everywhere and the victim being taken out on a stretcher, all with 8 or 9 cops in the vicinity.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost then introduced their new film, Paul. In the movie, the duo travel to Comic-Con and then embark on a road trip to Roswell, New Mexico. On the way they meet an alien named Paul, who is voiced by Seth Rogen. Paul is directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad) and the supporting cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Jason Bateman, and Jeffrey Tambor. I am really looking forward to this movie as Pegg and Frost are consistently hilarious and the story is pretty original. Paul is not your typical alien – he basically thinks of himself as an everyday Joe. Road trips are always pretty fun so having one with this trio of comedians and an alien should be awesome.

Once again Jon Favreau showed his skill at captivating the geek demographic by creating huge anticipation for Cowboys & Aliens, his new movie starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, and Sam Rockwell. Although the idea is great, it takes skill to blend such two very different genres, but Favreau is going for a very Western feel. After explaining that he is trying to emulate the Sergio Leone/John Ford films of the 40s and 50s, while using practical effects from the 80s as well as CGI for the aliens, he decided to just screen some early footage. Although the crew has only been shooting for three weeks, attendees were very impressed by the scene. In a surprise appearance, Harrison Ford was brought on stage in handcuffs by two security guards. It was his first appearance at the convention and the crowd went nuts. This a natural reaction, of course, to the man who played Han Solo and Indiana Jones, as well as many other awesome characters. I hope Favreau can really nail the Western feel and deliver a really fun, interesting film due out next summer, July 29th.

Now the presentation you’ve all been waiting for: Marvel. What Marvel is doing with their properties on film is incredible. By going independent and forming Marvel Studios where writers can collaborate and come up with great, interlocking stories for all of their superheroes, the company shows that it knows what its doing. Hopefully the result will be incredible, but there are a lot of moving parts, and all of them must come together perfectly. Captain America was first, as a short teaser showed Chris Evans in full costume throwing the iconic shield at the camera. After some discussion, the filmmakers actually had some footage to show which involved Hugo Weaving as Red Skull searching for an artifact that has something to do with Odin. I really like the Indiana Jones/World War II period piece vibe I’m getting for this movie. I hope Joe Johnston can create a very good atmosphere and seeing Cap killing Nazis is going to be sweet. Next up was Thor, which is much farther into production. A lot of footage was shown, and I can’t wait to see the trailer. Apparently the costumes are not nearly as cheesy as they looked in the first images we were shown. Reactions were very positive, which is a relief. Finally, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige brought on The Avengers. After years of rumors, this movie is finally actually happening. The final lineup was announced: Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson, Scarlett Johansson as Natalie Rushman/Black Widow, Chris Hemsworth as Donald Blake/Thor, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye, and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk (see the full cast in the photo from the event). It’s going to be insane seeing so many heroes on screen at the same time. I hope Joss Whedon can bring together all of this madness and deliver an amazing film.

Behold the cast of "The Avengers"

Well that was a very big day at Comic-Con, and while we knew most of this going in, it was still awesome to see all of these projects materializing before our eyes. Its going to hard, but we can’t fuel the hype too much. I’m looking forward to all of these films as much as anyone, but I’m not going to let the anticipation ruin my enjoyment of the movies as movies.

From macho Spartan warriors to conflicted superheroes to… heroic barn owls? Really Zack?

Based off a collection of popular children’s books called The Guardians of Ga’hoole, this actually looks like a mash-up of 300 and Watership Down, except with owls of course. The imagery of the owls soaring and the idea of giving the standard quest film a makeover with these wooly birds is actually appealing. Just ignore the horrid pop song in the trailer and you will be fine.

Snyder has a good handle on visual style, but both of his last films fell flat for me outside of the first viewing. This one looks like it might hearken back to the days of Secret of Nimh and the like. I’m digging the flying effects and after just seeing How To Train Your Dragon in 3D, I admit that the format is perfect for animated films like that want to capture a sense of something thrilling like flight.

Guardians releases in September and has just landed on my list of anticipated movies. What do you think of it?

Action-film fans, graphic novel enthusiasts, and those who enjoy watching scantily clad men battle on screen, rejoice! The creator/artist, director, and producer of 300 have been in discussions about making a prequel/sequel to the original film.

Director Zack Snyder has said that, if the movie does get made, the action will take place before the Battle of Plataea, which is where the first film leaves off. This means audiences will likely get to see more of the battle scenes that defined 300, and get the background leading up to what takes place in 300.

More importantly, 300‘s star Gerard Butler has expressed his interest in remaining part of the 300 cast if the second film is made. This means a second chance to see the Hollywood hunk exert his battle prowess– an idea which should appeal to audiences across the board.

If the film gets made, action lovers will be effortlessly drawn in by the prospect of more of the intense fight scenes of 300, while female viewers will delight in another 2 hours of watching a buff, shirtless Gerard Butler strut his stuff.

Sounds like a win-win situation for all!

While most of the time studios wait to double dip with DVD/Bluray extended editions for a while after the initial bare bones release, the upcoming Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut, set to be released on November 3rd, is following hot on the heels of the director’s cut we got a few months back.

This version will integrate the “Tales of the Black Freighter” animated feature starring Gerard Butler with a lenghty cut of Watchmen, alongside the complete motion comic adaptation of the source material. With a running time of 215 minutes and a new commentary with director Zack Snyder and illustrator Dave Gibbons, this is the most comprehensive version of Watchmen that you could possibly ever want.

The 4-disc Bluray set will be selling for $59.99, while the 5-disc DVD set will sell for $43.87. The specs of the DVD from the official press release are as follows:

· Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut film

· Audio Commentary with Zack Snyder and Dave Gibbons

· The Phenomenon: The Comic that Changed Comics (RT: 28:50) – Learn how the subversive, thematically complex, award winning comic that changed literature, inspired analytical debate, and won countless fans, was created.

· Real Super Heroes, Real Vigilantes (RT: 27:28) – Explores the fascination and psychology behind real-world vigilantes and where that behavior crosses over into actually donning the hood and behaving as superheroes.

· Mechanics: Technologies of a Fantastic World (RT: 16:46)  – The creators of Watchmen had a great understanding of engineering and science, allowing for plausible mechanics in their characters tools and the world itself.  This featurette will guide the viewer through the filmmakers process of turning these technologies into cinematic reality.

· Watchmen: Video Journals

· My Chemical Romance video Desolation Row (RT: 3:16)

· Under The Hood (RT: 36:00) – A retrospective look on the biography by Hollis Mason – the original Nite Owl – and the world of those who stood for hooded justice.

· Story Within A Story:  The Books of Watchmen (RT:  26:00) – Weave through the nuanced layers of detail to see how a comic-within-a comic acts as parallel commentary to the acclaimed work of Literature, Watchmen.

· Digital Copy of the Theatrical Version

· Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comics

Actor Scott Glenn will be jumping into Zack Snyder’s latest project called Sucker Punch. He joins up on the cast that includes Emily Browning, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm and Vanessa Hudgens. Glenn will play mentor and a guide to Browning’s character Baby Doll. The story is about a young girl is institutionalized by her wicked stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, she envisions a plan which will help her escape from the facility (IMDB).

This project has been slowly coming together after Snyder’s release of the comic book adaptation Watchmen. Dealing with problems like loosing particular cast members due to conflicts, everything finally came together for this film. The release date is set for March 25, 2011 under Warner Bros. Pictures.

Jon Hamm, more commonly known as Don Draper in AMC’s hit TV series Mad Men, is ready to get knocked around in an insane asylum in Zack Snyder’s latest creative endeavor, Sucker Punch. Snyder’s film has gone through its shares of ups and downs with casting, from the on and off situation with Amanda Seyfried to the just random casting. Although it is not completely confirmed who Hamm will be in this feature, rumors swirl that his character is called High Roller.

Sucker Punch is a 1950s set movie about little girl who is trying to hide from the pain caused by her evil stepfather and lobotomy. She ends up in mental institution and while there she starts to imagine alternative reality. She plans to escape from that imaginary world but to do that she needs to steal five objects before she is caught by a vile man. The Warner Bros film is still set for a March 25, 2011 release, filming will be taking way in Vancouver this fall.

Gratuitous

Something about Carla Gugino is very foxy. I’m not sure if it’s the Old Hollywood aesthetics or her dressed as a superhero in Watchmen, but something is downright hot.

While we’re on the subject of Carla Gugnio, she has just been added to Zack Snyder’s (300, Watchmen) upcoming Warner Bros. drama Sucker Punch.

Centering on a girl (played by Emily Browning) who is placed into an insane asylum by her evil stepfather, the girl retreats into an alternate reality as she learns to cope with her new-found predicament.

Cugino will play a nurse who (what) becomes (for) a (it) a madam at a brothel in the girl’s alternate world.

The film also stars Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone and Abbie Cornish.

Sucker Punch is targeting a March 2011 release and begins production this fall.

Gracing its way onto shelves on July 28th, practically a couple of days after the San Diego Comic Con International, is what in this reporter’s opinion is one of the best comic book adaptations of this decade with Zack Snyder’s Watchmen. The complex and engaging story from Warner Bros will be packed up in a neat little package, the selections being 1 disc DVD, 2 disc Director’s Cut and 2 disc Director’s Cut on Blu-Ray.

What exactly is in there might you ask? Well the good stuff jumps itself in with the 2 disc, including such things as the full thirty minutes of the production video journals, the director’s cut with around 25 minutes of additional footage, My Chemical Romance’s Snyder directed music video of Desolation Row, a digital copy and The Phenomenon: The Comic that changed Comics.

Blu-Ray has got even more of that good stuff, packing on all of those extras including Mechanics: Technologies of a Fascinating World and Real Super Heroes, Real Vigilantes featurettes. You want to see how pretty the artwork is? Click below and check it out.