Paramount Pictures & Hasbro Creating Film Universe

During the 1980's, Hasbro entertained children and promoted the toy manufacturer's products through several popular television cartoon and comic book series.  Paramount Pictures and Hasbro are going to try and bring back some of that magic from the 80's through the creation of an interconnected movie universe featuring popular toy brands from that era including G.I. JOE, M.A.S.K. (Mobile Armored Strike Kommand), Micronauts, ROM and the Visionaries.  I grew up watching the cartoons and reading the comic books tied to these toy lines, so it was exciting news that filled me with nostalgia when Paramount Pictures and Hasbro announced they've created a writers room of top Hollywood talent who will be focused on making these films a reality.

This group includes Academy Award Winner Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind), who will be responsible for overseeing the writers room as well as serving as Executive Producer on all the films within this cinematic universe, along with Lindsey Beer (Wizard of Oz / Kingkiller Chronicle ), Pulitzer Prize Winner Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay ), Cheo Coker (Luke Cage, Ray Donovan), Joe Robert Cole (Black Panther, People vs OJ ), Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel), Jeff Pinker (Lost, the Dark Tower), Nicole Riegel (Soldier Girls), Geneva Robertson (Atlantis, Tomb Raider) and Brian K Vaughan (Under the Dome, Lost).  Allspark Pictures, Hasbro's film label, plans to produce the films based upon the cross-property universe.  Hasbro also plans on bringing in an unprecedented number of top artists and designers to assist Goldsman and the writing team with visualizing this all-new cinematic universe.  I love movie concept art so am especially looking forward to seeing what emerges from these artists as they help the writers script these films.

Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)

Paramount and Hasbro's movie partnership has had mixed results since it began in 2007 with the release of the first TRANSFORMERS movie.  That film franchise directed by Michael Bay has earned more than $3.8 billion to date and its movies are amongst the highest grossing movies of all time.  Unfortunately, on the other hand the G.I. JOE movies the Hasbro / Paramount partnership created have squandered the popularity and goodwill that brand had developed with consumers. While the G.I. JOE movies have earned $675 million worldwide each has been lackluster.  From someone who has such wonderful childhood memories of playing with G.I. JOE toys in my backyard, watching the cartoons every day after school and waiting in anticipation each month for a new issue of their comic book to arrive at the news stand, I just have to say it is a shame how immemorable the movies Paramount and Hasbro have produced for this franchise are.  Hopefully this new cross-over cinematic universe will not only reboot G.I. JOE with a film that will wow people but also mimic Disney's efforts with Marvel creating something special through a series of movies that the adults who enjoyed these characters as kids can now share and enjoy with their own children. 

G.I. JOE - RETALIATION (2013)

I am optimistic that these new films featuring G.I. JOE, Micronauts, M.A.S.K. and ROM will be exciting and enjoyable to watch because Hasbro and Paramount are investing the resources and talent to make them extraordinary.  I wasn't into the Visionaries as a kid and they were a bit of a flop back then so not so sure how that is going to fit into the mix with these other franchises which seem a little easier to interconnect with each other but we'll give them the benefit of the doubt and hopefully will be positively surprised with the outcome. Hasbro and Paramount have made some incredible movies featuring the Transformers so we know with the right amount of effort and leadership they can do it again with this new cinematic universe. So I'll be eagerly keeping an eye out for news and information about how this project is progressing. Stay tuned for future updates from A Geek Daddy!

Ant Man Fun Facts & Kids Activity / Coloring Sheets

Ant Man may have been a founding member of the Avengers in the comic book world but in Marvel's cinematic movie universe this small character made his first appearance on the big screen with the recent theatrical release of his own feature film.  Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant Man suit.  Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world. This high stakes, tension filled adventure which stars Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas and Darren Cross began playing in theaters in the United States on Friday, August 17, 2015. The 117 minute long action/adventure movie directed by Peyton Reed is rated PG-13.

Courtesy of our friends at Marvel Studios, A Geek Daddy has some fun facts about the movie and children's activity/coloring sheets to share with our readers:

• If you ever wondered how the Ant Man suit works, here's the answer. The suit encapsulates the Pym Particle technology that allows a person to shrink down to the size of an ant.  When the wearer wants to change size, he uses a button on the suit that regulates the Pym Particles, which run through the suit and helmet like an intricate system of veins.  The particles are volatile and change the distance between atoms, so the suit and helmet serve as protection for the wearer.   Although Ant Man does not technically have super powers, when he shrinks down in the suit, he actually exceeds the strength of a normal person because energy and mass compacted create a more powerful force.

• The Ant Man helmet has 54 different pieces to it as well as 10 LED lights. Ant Man's suit contains over 159 LED lights, which are controlled remotely.  All the circuitry and batteries for the lights are in a very small backpack which allows the whole suit to light up, including the gloves and belt.

• Marvel did a lot of research into ant behaviors and what the different species of ants could bring to the movie in terms of what filmmakers needed for the heist.  For instance, the Paraponera clavata or bullet ants have a very painful sting and resemble dinosaurs in the movie; the Solenopsis or fire ants are like architects as they can link together and form bridges and rafts to help Ant Man; and the male Camponotus carpenter ants can fly, providing Ant Man with a helpful mode of transportation.

• Marvel's Ant Man is set in San Francisco, California and many exterior shots were done there, including shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Tenderloin District, and the exterior of a Victorian home used to portray Hank Pym's house.  Following filming in San Fransisco, production took place at Pinewood Studios' newly built facilities in Atlanta, Georgia which Ant Man was the first movie to be filmed at.

• For the younger Hank Pym flashback scenes, Michael Douglas came up with a wig that he still had for a film he was going to do about President Reagan and it worked perfectly for Marvel's Ant Man.

• When you watch Marvel's Ant Man look closely at some of the set dressing for Hank Pym's house.  You'll see a little chair or a tiny weapon or other miniature everyday items.  There are items placed all around the house that hint at the adventures Pym had when he was Ant Man and suggest the experiments that he made shrinking inorganic objects before he made the breakthrough to shrinking organic objects.

• For the scaled down Ant Man sequences, the filmmakers used a combination of motion picture macro photography, still macro photography, motion capture with actors, motion capture with stunt people, and for every set they built a miniature version called a macro set.  Macro photography is extreme close up photography that produces photographs of small items larger than life-size.

• In the spirit of shooting everything in miniature, the macro photography team built a mini clapperboard, the device filmmakers use to help synchronize picture and sound.  Originally made of wood and handwritten on with chalk, clapperboards now have digital features, but the one for the macro sets was of the old fashioned variety.

• In the film, Scott Lang has a best friend Luis who owns an old brown van that has seen better days.  The van keeps changing its appearance through the course of the movie and the different versions were dubbed the Mark 1, the Mark 2, the Mark 3, in a tongue in cheek reference to the Iron Man suits.  The Mark 1 is the old brown van that Luis is really proud of but in reality is a "beater".  The Mark 2 is accessorized for a job by the thieves and boasts things like bigger mirrors so they can see who is coming and going and side boards for fast ins and outs.  The Mark 3 is geared up for the Pym Tech heist and is painted and accessorized to look like a Water & Power utility vehicle.

• Growing up, director Peyton Reed was an ardent Marvel fan boy.  When he was in high school, Reed made a pencil drawing of the punk band he was in, in which he depicted the band as a recreation of "The Avengers #1" cover where each of the band members was a different Avenger.  Perhaps in a flash of precognition, Reed drew himself as Ant Man.

Download & print out these fun Ant Man kids activity sheets & coloring pages:

For more information, visit Marvel.com/antman

Scooby Doo and KISS sleuth a Rock & Roll Mystery

Scooby Dooby Doo does A Geek Daddy blog have a fun giveaway for you!  Courtesy of Warner Home Entertainment we have a blu-ray of the new animated movie Scooby Doo! and KISS: Rock & Roll Mystery to giveaway to a lucky reader.  Play around with the Scooby Doo and KISS: Rock & Roll Mystery Soundboard below and share your favorite classic Scooby Doo sound effect for a chance to win.

To win a Scooby Doo! and KISS: Rock & Roll Mystery Blu-ray+DVD+Digital HD movie gift pack you must be a US or Canadian resident over 18 years old and submit one or more of the following entry methods to earn up to 10 entries prior to 11:59 pm EST on Friday July 24, 2015:

UPDATE (7/25/15): Congrats to Ann from Troy, Michigan on winning the Scooby Doo & KISS animated feature on blu-ray.

EMAIL (1 Entry)  E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com your name and mailing address. Share with us in the e-mail your favorite sound from the Scooby Doo and KISS: Rock & Roll Mystery Soundboard.  Email subject line should be Doo Kiss Scooby. 

FACEBOOK COMMENT (1 Entry) Visit A GEEK DADDY on Facebook and leave a comment on our contest post sharing your favorite sound from the Scooby Doo and KISS: Rock & Roll Mystery Soundboard above.

FACEBOOK PHOTO (4 Entries)  Decorate and cut out the KISS mask below.  Share a photo of someone modeling your KISS mask on Facebook tagging A GEEK DADDY BLOG and #ScoobyDoo   It can be you, a child, your pet be creative and have fun with it!

TWITTER PHOTO (4 Entries) Decorate and cut out the KISS mask below.  Share a photo of someone modeling your KISS mask on Twitter tagging @Geeky_Dad and #ScoobyDoo

Get ready to Rock! Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. Gang team up with the one and only KISS in this all-new, out-of-this-world adventure! We join the Gang at Kiss World – the all-things-Kiss theme park, as they investigate a series of strange hauntings. With help from Kiss, they discover that the Crimson Witch has returned to summon The Destroyer from the alternate dimension of Kissteria! The evil duos ghastly plan, to destroy the earth! Can the Gang's cunning and Kiss's power of rock save the day?! Tune in to this Rock and Roll Mystery for some thunderous, heavy FUN!

Disclaimer & Rules:

 A Geek Daddy Blog will select a random winner ( 1 winner will be selected from a random draw of all eligible entries - each submitted entry will be assigned a number and a random number will be drawn to select a winner based upon total entries ).  A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest, but Warner Home Entertainment is responsible for fulfillment and delivery of the prize. By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion. Submitting a photograph for this contest serves as consent for it being published and promoted by this blog's publisher and the contest sponsor. A Geek Daddy Blog hosted this contest and blog post based upon  Warner Home Entertainment providing the prize to the selected winner.  Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Prize will be delivered by UPS or FedEx so no P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses. A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this giveaway as a benefit to our readers.  Information for this post was provided by Warner Home Entertainment.  A Geek Daddy Blog did not receive any financial compensation for publishing this post.