Amazon Pulls "Avengers" Blu-Ray Set

Amazon has stopped taking pre-orders for The Avengers 10-disc Blu-ray set, presumably as a result of a lawsuit filed over the packaging. The limited edition set, Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One: Avengers Assembled was slated to include all five movies leading up to The Avengers, as well as 3D versions of The Avengers, Captain America, and Thor, plus a bonus disc of The Phase One Archives It was to be packaged in a replica of the briefcase used by Nick Fury in The Avengers, a Rimowa case with a design so distinctive it’s been granted trademark protection.

The lawsuit, filed August 1st in federal court against Marvel Entertainment and Disney home video division Buena Vista Home Entertainment, alleges trademark infringement, trademark dilution, and unfair competition. The trademark claims were made as a result of the parallel, evenly-spaced horizontal bands that run across and around each of the cases, a trademark of Rimowa. The use of the mark was unlicensed, according to the complaint.

Chris Evans Offered "Captain America"

Chris Evans, who played Johnny Storm in two Fantastic Four films and who also stars in two other comic book-based films due out this summer, The Losers and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, has been offered the key role of Captain America. Reportedly the deal includes three Captain America movies, a similar number of Avengers films as well as appearances in several other Marvel movies.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the story that Evans has been offered the title role in Captain America: The First Avenger, which Joe Johnston (The Wolfman) is directing. According to The Reporter, the film will be shot in England and released on July 22nd, 2011.

If the report is correct and Evans does take the job, it will mark the end of one of the major casting competitions of recent years. A horde of hunky young actors including Michael Cassidy, Patrick Flueger, Wilson Bethel, Chace Crawford, John Krasinski, Mike Vogel, Scott Crawford, and Garrett Hedlund have all been mentioned in conjunction with the role.

Captain America Actor Will Get 9-Picture Deal

The question of who will wield the shield is one of the most intriguing casting mysteries in contemporary Hollywood. It appears that Marvel has narrowed the field down quite a bit, though it is still unclear whether the studio will decide to go with a relative unknown or someone with a modest resume like Chris Evans (the Human Torch in the FF movies). The success that directors like J.J. Abrams who chose Chris Pine for Star Trek and James Cameron who went with Sam Worthington for Avatar have enjoyed certainly tends to indicate that casting unknown actors is no deterrent to creating a box office bonanza.

According to Borys Kit of The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel has already crossed a number of names off the well publicized list of Captain America wannabes including John Krasinski (The Office), Michael Cassidy (Smallville), and Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl). Actors who are “still in the running” include Wilson Bethel who starred in HBO’s Generation Kill and is currently appearing in the Young and the Restless, Mike Vogel (Cloverfield), Garrett Hedlund (Four Brothers, Tron Legacy), and Chris Evans, who is currently shooting the movie Safety Point in Texas.

According to The Reporter, Marvel Studios wants to sign its Captain America to a 9-picture deal, with The Avengers film being the second movie. The Captain America movie is set to debut on July 22, 2011.

Marvel Studios Updates It's Pipeline

Marvel Studios Updates Its Pipeline: 'Iron Man 2' Starts Shooting in April; Kenneth Branagh To Direct 'Thor'

Below is an updated look at the Marvel Studios' product pipeline. The company also announced today that Kenneth Branagh is set to direct Thor which Paramount Pictures will distribute worldwide. It will be released domestically on July 16, 2010. And Iron Man 2 begins principal photography in early April.

Marvel Studios Entertainment Pipeline(According to its 4th quarter earnings report. Scheduled release dates are subject to change)

Self-Produced Feature Film Line-Up: Iron Man 2 (Marvel), scheduled for May 7, 2010 release, starts principal photography in April directed by Jon Favreau, stars Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle ;Thor (Marvel), scheduled for July 16, 2010 release, directed by Kenneth Branagh ;The First Avenger: Captain America (Marvel), Scheduled for May 6, 2011 release ;The Avengers (Marvel), scheduled for July 15, 2011 release

Licensed Feature Film Line-Up: X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Fox), scheduled for May 1, 2009 release

Self-Produced Animated TV Series Line-Up: Super Hero Squad (Marvel Animation) 26 thirty-minute episodes in production with Film Roman, scheduled for Q3 2009 release on Cartoon Network ;The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (Marvel Animation) 26 thirty-minute episodes in production with Film Roman; scheduled for Q3 2011 release.

Licensed Animated TV Series Line-Up; Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes (Moonscoop SAS - France), 26 thirty-minute episodes airing internationally and on Marvel.com and Marvelkids.com ; Spectacular Spider-Man (Culver Studios - U.S.) Will air on Disney XD in the U.S. beginning in March and currently airing on various networks internationally ;Wolverine and the X-Men (Marvel Animation / First Serve Toonz - India), 52 thirty-minute episodes. Episodes 1-26 are currently airing on Nicktoons in the U.S. and are on air internationally, Episodes 27-52 are currently in pre-production ; Black Panther (Marvel Animation / BET) 8 thirty-minute episodes in production, scheduled for Q2 2009 release on BET ; Iron Man: Armored Adventures (Marvel Animation / Method Films - France) 26 thirty-minute episodes in production, scheduled for Q2 2009 release in the U.S. on Nicktoons and various networks internationally

Licensed Animated Direct-to-DVD Projects : Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (Lionsgate), released September 2, 2008 ;Hulk Vs. (Lionsgate), released January 13, 2009 ;Thor: Son of Asgard (Lionsgate), scheduled for September 2009 release

Licensed Broadway Stage Project: Spider-Man, the Musical, Julie Taymor director; music & lyrics by U2’s Bono and The Edge(Hello Entertainment/David Garfinkle, Martin McCallum, Marvel Entertainment/David Maisel, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Jeremiah Harris)Slated for a February 2010 opening

Fury in Nine Marvel Films

Samuel L. Jackson has been signed to play Nick Fury in up to nine Marvel films, according to the Hollywood trades. At one point, negotiations had “broken down,” according to Jackson, but the longer deal apparently made things work for both sides.

The films will include Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America, Avengers, and potentially a starring role in a S.H.I.E.L.D. movie.