Guillermo Del Toro's Incredible RED Hulk?

[TheButcher]

From Deadline:
Guillermo Del Toro And David Eick To Create New 'Hulk' TV Series For ABC And Marvel

Talk about a dream pairing for film and TV sci-fi/comic book fans: Guillermo del Toro, the mastermind behind Pan's Labyrinth and the Hellboy movie franchise, and Battlestar Galactica executive producer David Eick are finalizing a deal to create the new TV series version of The Hulk for ABC, which is being produced by Marvel TV and ABC Studios. It will mark Marvel’s first series project for ABC and ABC Studios since Disney's acquisition of Marvel last year and the launch of Marvel's TV division in June. It also marks del Toro's first TV project. Details of the premise are sketchy but I hear that the series will follow an origin story. In it, physicist Bruce Banner, whose alter ego is the green and raging Hulk, will be in his mid-twenties, less reactive and more energized as the world is still his oyster. Unlike the two Hulk movies, in which the monster was a pure CGI creation, the series will employ a mixture of prosthetics, puppetry and CGI. Del Toro and Eick will break the story for the pilot script together, sharing story and created by credit. Eick will write the script, with del Toro attached to direct subject to his availability. Del Toro will also oversee the designing of the Hulk character, which is expected to draw on previous comic book incarnations, as well as the original 1978-82 Incredible Hulk TV series, with a few wild tweaks on the old look. Because the project is still in its nascent stage and will require a lot of prep work, it won't be ready for next fall consideration. I hear that Marvel is looking to launch the series following the July 2012 release of The Avengers, which features the Hulk character, so the series will probably be targeted for fall 2012. Del Toro and Eick are executive producing the project with Del Toro's manager/producing partner Gary Ungar of Exile, Marvel TV topper Jeph Loeb and Marvel Entertainment's chief creative officer Joe Quesada. "I have always been attracted at the combination of comic book heroics and monsters, Jack Kirby's Demon or Kamandi or DC's Deadman or Marvel's Dr. Strange, Morbius, Metamorpho, Mike Mignola's Hellboy, etc," Del Toro said. He said that The Hulk has been at the top of his list and he first pursued it as a feature film around the time of the 2002 release of Blade II, which he directed. Del Toro added that, with partner Eick "we coalesced a respectful but powerful way of retelling the Banner/Hulk story in a fresh way."

Marvel TV identified The Hulk as a property they wanted to pursue for a TV series in the summer and, along with ABC Studios, launched a search for a writer to pen the adaptation. Eick, who is under a blind script deal at ABC Studios, floated the idea of a Hulk series to Del Toro, whom he has known for awhile. Separately, ABC Studios had been chasing del Toro ever since Patrick Moran landed at the studio as head of drama in July. As a drama development executive at 20th TV, Moran signed del Toro to his only previous TV deal, a first-look pact at the studio. Shortly after their original conversation, WME-repped Eick and del Toro met and began discussing a Hulk series. Then, they pitched their idea simultaneously to ABC, ABC Studios and Marvel TV, and the pitch was very well received across-the-board.

Eick, creator/executive producer of Battlestar Galactica's Blood & Chrome spinoff that was recently picked up to pilot at Syfy, has been involved in several series that re-imagened popular properties/characters, including Battlestar Galactica, Bionic Woman and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. "I've enjoyed the challenging, rewarding process of revisiting beloved characters," he said. Eick called The Hulk "one of the crown jewels of the Marvel world for generations" ans said it was a "dream opportunity to join one of my all-time filmmaking heroes, Guillermo del Toro, in a faithful but unique retelling of the primal, emotionally-rich tale of one of my all-time comic book."

[TheButcher]

From the live feed:
ABC's Paul Lee: 'We'd Love to Make a Marvel Franchise Work'

Lee added that recent development deals from the Marvel universe for Jessica Jones (from Melissa Rosenberg of Dexter and Twilight) and The Incredible Hulk, from Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labrynth) were an example of the importance of working with strong showrunners. “These are A-list showrunners we think are critical,” he said.

“We’ve got a little glint in our eye that we’d love to make a Marvel franchise work on our network,” Lee said. “We have the properties to do it, and they won’t be the only two properties we do, either.”

[TheButcher]

From Hero Complex:
ABC chief: Bring on the Hulk TV show

ABC’s entertainment chief says he would love to have Marvel characters on the network, with Incredible Hulk and Jessica Jones among the front-runners.

ABC executive Paul Lee said Monday that he’s “thrilled” to have Marvel Entertainment in the family, a reference to The Walt Disney Co.’s acquisition of the comic book giant. The 2009 deal gave Disney ownership of a bevy of Marvel characters.

It’s easier to launch a known project, Lee said, but what distinguishes a show is the executive producer. He noted that movie writer-director Guillermo del Toro of “Hellboy” fame is working on the Incredible Hulk pilot.

From EW:
ABC wants 'Incredible Hulk' ratings smash

ABC entertainment president Paul Lee says the chance of The Incredible Hulk and other Marvel titles joining network’s schedule is pretty high. (ABC and Marvel are both owned by the Walt Disney Company.)

ABC has been developing a slew of Marvel properties, including superhero-turned-detective Jessica Jones and the return of the not-so-jolly green giant.

“I’m thrilled we have Marvel within our family, it’s a superb opportunity for us,” he says. “If you’re going to bring back a franchise, it’s easier to launch a well-known franchise, but what really distinguishes these are the showrunners — we have A-list showrunners.”

Indeed, Jessica Jones has Melissa Rosenberg (Dexter exec producer and Twilight screenwriter) and Hulk has Guillermo Del Toro and David Eick (Hellboy director, and Battlestar Galactica exec producer, respectively).

“We would love to make a Marvel franchise work on the network,” he says. “They probably won’t be the only two Marvel things we do.”

That last line sounds like a pretty strong endorsement of getting a comic book series (or three) on the air.

Which Marvel title would you like to see ABC bring to life? And who should ABC cast as The Hulk?

[TheButcher]

Will ABC order Hulk? Change risque pilot titles? What's up with 'Poe'? Burning questions answered

ABC is taking some of the biggest creative swings this pilot season with several intriguing titles in the works. Below, the network’s scripted development chief Suzanne Patmore-Gibbs gamely answers our burning questions about some of this year’s most buzz-worthy projects…

And since The Incredible Hulk reboot wasn’t among the fall drama pilots, is there a chance of it being shot for midseason?

We always knew from the beginning it would be pretty much next year, due to everybody’s schedules. We haven’t seen [a script] on it yet. We would love to have a go at it early for next season [2012-13].

[TheButcher]

From IGN:
The Incredible Hulk - Video Interview

Guillermo del Toro gives an update on the new Hulk series he’s developing for ABC and the challenges of bringing the character back to television.

[TheButcher]

“Incredible Hulk” TV Revival Moving Ahead, Guillermo Del Toro Says

“NBC may have rejected David E. Kelley’s Wonder Woman pilot, the other television superhero revival, ABC’s slow-brewing Incredible Hulk, remains very much alive.

“We turned in the outline to ABC about four weeks ago,” filmmaker Guillermo del Torro, who’s developing the series with David Eick, tells FEARnet. “And then we did a rewrite for ABC on the outline, and now we are lining up the pages.”

Announced in October, just two weeks after Warner Bros. unveiled its Wonder Woman plans, the Hulk revival is thought to be a priority for Marvel’s fledgling television division. The revival, which would mark the character’s first appearance on live-action television since 1990, is reportedly being targeted for a fall 2012 premiere.”

“Eick, executive producer of the Battlestar Galactica remake, is working with del Toro on the pilot story and will write the script. Del Toro, meanwhile, will oversee the design of the Green Goliath, expected to be a blend of prosthetics, puppetry and computer animation. If he has time, he’ll also direct the pilot.

Asked by FEARnet whether this Hulk will be different from what we’ve seen before, del Torro replied, “I think so. Or we wouldn’t be trying it. Actually, one of the points of this project early on with Marvel, was ‘We’re going to do this thing different, and here’s how. Are you interested?’ And they were.”

Also in the pipeline from Marvel and ABC Studios are live-action series featuring Cloak & Dagger and Jessica Jones.”

“Eick, executive producer of the Battlestar Galactica remake, is working with del Toro on the pilot story and will write the script. Del Toro, meanwhile, will oversee the design of the Green Goliath, expected to be a blend of prosthetics, puppetry and computer animation. If he has time, he’ll also direct the pilot.

Asked by FEARnet whether this Hulk will be different from what we’ve seen before, del Torro replied, “I think so. Or we wouldn’t be trying it. Actually, one of the points of this project early on with Marvel, was ‘We’re going to do this thing different, and here’s how. Are you interested?’ And they were.”

Also in the pipeline from Marvel and ABC Studios are live-action series featuring Cloak & Dagger and Jessica Jones.”

[Spinoff]

I’m not too sure about the proposed combined approach to the Hulk’s design. I know that obviously, a TV series would have a smaller budget than a film, but I just fear that it won’t look consistent, and if anything, will make the Hulk look even worse than the previous CGI efforts. Saying that, it could turn out to look fantastic, but I’m someone who didn’t think that he looked that bad in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.

As for the direction of the series itself, I’m fairly interested. Considering the angle of Bruce Banner being on the run has been done a few times now with varying success, I’m curious as to what this different and new approach will be.]

I’m not too sure about the proposed combined approach to the Hulk’s design. I know that obviously, a TV series would have a smaller budget than a film, but I just fear that it won’t look consistent, and if anything, will make the Hulk look even worse than the previous CGI efforts. Saying that, it could turn out to look fantastic, but I’m someone who didn’t think that he looked that bad in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.

As for the direction of the series itself, I’m fairly interested. Considering the angle of Bruce Banner being on the run has been done a few times now with varying success, I’m curious as to what this different and new approach will be.

[DennisMM]

Prosthetics and puppetry? I assume by puppetry that they mean some sort of motion-control system, quite possibly full-sized, but that still sounds like crap. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (may we curse its name eternally) used prosthetics to portray Mr. Hyde's huge build, but it was only partly convincing.

[minstrel]

Prosthetics and puppetry? I assume by puppetry that they mean some sort of motion-control system, quite possibly full-sized, but that still sounds like crap. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (may we curse its name eternally) used prosthetics to portray Mr. Hyde's huge build, but it was only partly convincing.

It was UNconvincing! Some people seem to think that if the guy's big, that's all he needs. But the muscles have to move properly in order to be convincing. The producers of a Hulk show should hire a bodybuilder to go through the planned motions of a Hulk scene so that the animators and special-effects guys can see what muscles move where and when, and make sure that they LOOK right. It's not just about size, it's about anatomical reality. None of the live-action Hulks, except for Lou, of course, have gotten this right!

[DennisMM]

I was speaking more of the look, which in the case of Hyde was supposed to be unnatural. But you're correct, the "muscles" don't move property in many cases.

[TheButcher]

The Hulk will hopefully look like Mr. Wink from Hellboy 2.
Troll Market Battle Scene - Hellboy 2:

[Nice Marmot]

I think everyone's overthinking this. . .



It really shouldn't be that hard to pull off . . .

[Fried Gold]

Hulk has a fairly interesting story built-in, and if Del Toro's in charge it should be pretty decent.

The problem they have is creating a somewhat realistic and not laughable looking Hulk and, in this case, on a TV budget.

Foam suit? Green make-up on a bodybuilder? - probably not good enough these days. CG? - can it be done well enough and often enough?

[minstrel]

Green make-up on a bodybuilder won't work. Too '70s, and too TV, and no bodybuilder comes close to looking like the Hulk.

Foam suit? Look at the Thing in the Fantastic Four movies. Were you happy with that look? I wasn't.

I think the only way you can do the Hulk is with Avatar-style motion capture, and build a very detailed and expensive virtual Hulk. It will take a lot of money, but anything else will look cheap and out-of-date.

[TheButcher]

IGN Video:
Comic Con - Hulk TV Show - Guillermo Del Toro Interview

[TheButcher]

From IGN:
ABC Approaching Hulk TV Show as Family Entertainment

With ABC president Paul Lee speaking to the press today at the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour, questions naturally arose about the Marvel Comics projects in development at the network.

Said Lee, "We're extremely excited by having Marvel in the fold. We've developing aggressively both AKA Jessica Jones (based on the Brian Michael Bendis comic book series, Alias) and The Hulk. Hopefully we'll have two very good choices to look at around the pilot season next year."

Referencing ABC's new shows this coming season, which include a couple more genre series, Lee remarked, "We were having a lot of fun this summer when I took my two sons to Comic-Con and they actually enjoy my sessions, which never happened when I was on ABC Family, because I was there with The River and Once Upon a Time. But yeah, if we got The Hulk my kids would finally be proud of me."

I asked Lee about the fact that still, Hulk – which Guillermo del Toro and David Eick are developing -- was quite a shift for ABC, with their focus on female-centric series. Replied Lee, "The network, yes, it's got this core target of shows like Revenge and Desperate Housewives and Pan Am, but we do family entertainment, I believe, more naturally than the other networks. We have more co-viewing [family] shows – something like 13 out of the top 20. Once Upon a Time is a really family entertainment show."

"Family entertainment, Hulk is a classic example of it," remarked Lee. "You remember No Ordinary Family wasn't our best moment and yet it was the highest co-viewing show of the year. So I absolutely think there's room. I think Charlie's Angels is an example of it. I think Last Man Standing is an example of It, for great family entertainment. And that's a sort of wider band around our central target."

That wasn't all Lee had to say about Marvel on ABC...
Click here for his surprising news about a Marvel character appearing on an ABC series already on the air.

[TheButcher]

From MTV:
'Hulk' TV Series: No Movie Connection, Says Guillermo Del Toro

Don't get distracted by that hairy-chested Hulk filming "The Avengers" in New Mexico, because Guillermo del Toro wants you to know that there's another Hulk on the way

The last time MTV News heard anything about del Toro's planned "Hulk" TV series was back in June when he said that he and "Battlestar Galactica" executive producer David Eick had turned in an outline for the show a month before. When MTV caught up with the "Pacific Rim" director recently, he confirmed that his plans for the show are still underway.

"David Eick and I are hard at work," he assured us. "We've gone through a lot of iterations with the ABC project and we're very happy where we are right now. We're just waiting for the green light to go to pages."

But just because they're still waiting on ABC to approve the "Hulk" TV show doesn't mean that they're not getting any work done. Del Toro said he and Eick have worked on "three or four treatments with variations," and that they're trying to figure out how to adapt the comic book on a TV effects budget. The "Pan's Labyrinth" director is known for his stylized effects, so it will be interesting to see how he gets around budgetary limitations.

The one limitation they won't have to deal with, though, is trying to adhere to the "Hulk" mythology being used in the Marvel films. Del Toro said that he has been given license by Marvel to do his own take on the Hulk mythology.

"There's so many things in the Hulk universe that's powerful strands of narrative," he said. "They know we are being faithful to those strands, and the movies have their own continuity."

[TheButcher]

RULK TV : Red Hulk a villian in new ABC HULK Television Series?

When it was announced that writer / director Guillermo del Toro was developing a new “HULK” television series for Disney’s ABC network, there was a lot of speculation regarding what type of Hulk incarnation would Guillermo bring to home audiences. Would it be faithful to the framework the film “The Incredible Hulk” starring Ed Norton already established? Would it be a reboot of the classic Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno 1970’s television series? Apparently, del Toro wasn’t even sure at first.

“We've gone through a lot of iterations with the ABC project and we're very happy where we are right now. We are just waiting for the green light to go to pages.” he told MTV. Ultimately, the majority of Hulk fans had no idea what to expect.

Then, this morning I received the following brief e-mail.

“David Eick and Guillermo del Toro submitted a treatment that includes the development of the Red Hulk as a villain. Thought you might like to know”

Bam. That’s it.

I have no way of collaborating this info, and I haven’t been able to determine who this person is or his/her legitimacy is at this point. Could it be possible? Maybe. Maybe not. We do know that Guillermo has publically praised the work of writer Jeph Loeb (co-creator of the Rulk) in more than one occasion, and expressed his desire to create a series more faithful to the comic. We also do know that the Red Hulk comic has been outselling the Green Hulk comic for a couple years now (and executives pay attention to sales). But would ABC approve such a storyline? Maybe… but please take this rumor for what it is… a rumor.

Stay hopeful, throw salt over your shoulder, and wish the demons and warlocks away.

[TheButcher]

Guillermo del Toro: 'Hulk TV show has strong angle'

Guillermo del Toro has insisted that his take on The Incredible Hulk is "really strong".

The Hellboy director is developing an adaptation of the Marvel comic for ABC alongside Battlestar Galactica's David Eick.

"We've been coming up with an angle that is really strong," del Toro wrote in a post on his official site. "I am a fan of [comic writers] Peter David, [Greg] Pak and [Jeph] Loeb but I like very much what individual writers and artists have done through the decades."

Del Toro also suggested that he is only interested in "monster" superheroes, citing Hellboy, The Hulk and Deadman as a few of his favorites.

"I have no interest [in] the straight ones, even when I've been offered the keys to the kingdom," he insisted.

ABC president Paul Lee previously claimed that the new Hulk series will appeal to viewers of all ages.

"Family entertainment, Hulk is a classic example of it," he said. "We do family entertainment, I believe, more naturally than the other networks."

The series is in the works for ABC's 2012 television season.

[TheButcher]

From Newsarama:
NYCC 2011: MARVEL Television Presents with Jeph Loeb - LIVE!

Another previously announced project is up next - Hulk.

Loeb obliquely referenced Guillermo del Toro's involvement without mentioning him by name.

Loeb said that the goal is to have the TV Hulk resemble the Avengers movie Hulk as closely as possible. "I'm very, very confident that the Hulk you're going to see when we finally get on the air on ABC, is going to look like something other than us putting a lot of paint on Lou Ferrigno."

From MTV 08/12/11:
'Hulk' TV Series: No Movie Connection, Says Guillermo Del Toro

Don't get distracted by that hairy-chested Hulk filming "The Avengers" in New Mexico, because Guillermo del Toro wants you to know that there's another Hulk on the way

The one limitation they won't have to deal with, though, is trying to adhere to the "Hulk" mythology being used in the Marvel films. Del Toro said that he has been given license by Marvel to do his own take on the Hulk mythology.

"There's so many things in the Hulk universe that's powerful strands of narrative," he said. "They know we are being faithful to those strands, and the movies have their own continuity."

[TheButcher]

From IGN:
NYCC: Is the Mark Ruffalo Hulk Also Going to Be the TV Hulk?
We think so...

Marvel has already impressed fanboys everywhere with their unprecedented strategy of setting all their movies in the same universe, but how cool would it be if their upcoming live-action TV shows also were set in that world?

This weekend at New York Comic-Con a couple of interesting tidbits came up that have got us thinking that this could be where things are going -- particularly in regards to good old Doc Bruce Banner, he who hath been belted by gamma rays. You know, the Incredible Hulk!

Head of Marvel TV Jeph Loeb talked yesterday about the currently in-development Hulk TV show. While it's still early days on the ABC series, Loeb stated that the recent trailer for The Avengers was basically our first glimpse of the TV Hulk. Wha?!

It makes sense, really. In order to pull a show like this off budget-wise, Loeb says that Marvel will be pushing the technology to its limit. That apparently means that all the intensive CGI modeling and design work that is being done for the movie Hulk will be recycled for the TV version. And don't forget, Marvel is pretty notorious for being cost-conscious. So why not recycle Hulks?

Of course, don't expect Mark Ruffalo to give up his thriving movie career to channel Bill Bixby on a weekly basis right now. But that wouldn't matter anyway, as Loeb says the series is a different take on the Hulk, one that will focus more on the relationship between Betty Ross and Bruce at the very beginning of the Hulk's existence (when Hulk is still unknown to the world at large). So you cast a younger, Ruffalo-esque actor then.

Now, this shared TV/movie universe idea seems to go against previous statements made by the Marvel brass. So we asked Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige about the matter last night. And he, essentially, said it could happen.

This is all very tentative, but it does compute when one considers how Marvel has worked in the past. Their other live-action shows that are in the works are a.k.a. jessica jones (featuring Jones, Carol Danvers and Luke Cage), Cloak and Dagger (for ABC Family, set in post-Katrina New Orleans and featuring "science, the supernatural and the environment") and Mockingbird (also ABC Family, with a S.H.I.E.L.D. tie-in). They could all be smaller stories that take place in the bigger Marvel movie universe without really interfering with that world, right? And you don't think Marvel's just dying to recycle its helicarrier sets for that last one?

[TheButcher]

Pooping Vampires And Giant Robots: A Chat With Guillermo Del Toro

And how's your Incredible Hulk TV show progressing?

Very good. We delivered the screenplay to the network. I have a very specific idea of how to do it, and we're waiting for the green light. We know all the iterations of the Hulk pretty good. We've read all the essential stories, and we're then riffing on that. There are so many incarnations and ideas. Jeph Loeb — who did a good run [on Hulk: Grey] — is involved, and I love Peter David's Hulk. But there's really no part in that mythos that we don't know, so we are trying put our own personal spin on it.

[TheButcher]

Head of Marvel Television Jeph Loeb Gives Updates on THE INCREDIBLE HULK, AKA JESSICA JONES and THE PUNISHER TV Series

[TheButcher]

From IGN:
The Incredible Hulk (del Toro Series) - Marvel Live-Action TV Update

[TheButcher]

Upfronts 2012: Marvel's 'Hulk' Still in the Works at ABC

Network president Paul Lee says the adaptation of the Marvel Comics series wasn't ready this development cycle and is optimistic the Guillermo del Toro effort will be ready next year.

NEW YORK -- Paul Lee still wants the Hulk to smash on ABC.

The network's entertainment president told reporters Tuesday during a conference call ahead of his formal upfront presentation to Madison Avenue ad buyers in New York that he'd still like to "see some Marvel projects come to television."

"Hulk is in development," he confirmed. "It wasn't going to be ready this season but we hope it's going to be ready for next season."

Oscar nominee Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labrynth) is developing the project for the Disney-owned network after ABC's parent company purchased Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion in late 2009.

With Disney distributing box office hit The Avengers, Lee touted the corporate synergy and expressed optimism that he plans to expand its superhero slate. "We're immensely proud to be a company with The Avengers," he said. "We're going to continue to develop aggressively."

Pressed for details, Lee remained mum only noting, "We've got some in development, but none that I can talk about at this point."

More recently, ABC Studios and Fox gave a put pilot commitment to an adaptation of Marvel's The Punisher, with Criminal Minds' Ed Bernero that didn't move forward.

The update news comes as The Avengers continues to build to its box office cume. The film, which stars Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, has already topped $1 billion worldwide.

[TheButcher]

From Den of Geek:
Could Joss Whedon be the ABC's Hulk series' mystery writer?

[TheButcher]

Tracking The Developments On Guillermo del Toro's HULK Adaptation For ABC

A run down of the rumors concerning director Guillermo del Toro's Hulk television show for ABC, starting in October 2010 all the way up to the latest news tidbit that dropped this past week.

October 2010 - Gullermo del Toro's rumored interest first reported

November 2010 - The news was confirmed by Deadline

June 2011 - del Toro confirms that an outline was turned in to ABC in May

July 2011 - del Toro states that he's drawing heavily from the comic books for inspiration for the show and that he's working with Hulk writer and Marvel Television head Jeph Loeb

August 2011 - del Toro reiterates that the television series will have NO connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Paul Lee, Entertainment President for ABC says that they could have a pilot as early as next year.

September 2011 - It's rumored that the Red Hulk or 'Rulk' will be the main antagonist of the show.

October 2011 - Loeb states that the Hulk in the television show will resemble Mark Ruffalo's Hulk in The Avengers 'as much as possible.'

November 2011 - del Toro says he's delivered a screenplay to the network and he knows how he wants to proceed, he's just waiting on a greenlight. Loeb says that Betty is a big part of the show and so is the love story between her and Banner. He also claims that the show WILL BE SET BEFORE the movie and that they'll use make-up and costumes rather than motion-capture and CGI.

May 2012 - Paul Lee (ABC) again says they hope the show will be ready for airwaves next year. Later that month, Marvel's The Avengers is released, Hulk steals the show.

July 2012 - del Toro announces that ABC is looking for a new writer

August 2012 - del Toro announces that a writer has been found and that it's a very recognizable name, however the writer's schedule is currently full and they have to wait for it to clear up. Later this month, a S.H.I.E.L.D. series was announced for pilot by Joss Whedon.

October 2012 - del Toro reveals some skepticism about the project moving forward but says he still wants to direct the pilot if the show moves forward. Later that month, the director says the show is inactive.

November 2012 - del Toro is rumored to helm a Justice League Dark movie for Warner Brothers.

January 2013 - del Toro reveals that the Justice League Dark film, now titled Heaven Sent Dark Universe is currently negotiating with a screenwriter. del Toro reveals that after The Avengers, there's been complete 'radio silence' between himself and Marvel. "I had one more meeting after 'Avengers' with Jeph Loeb from Marvel and he said, 'We're working on it, we're waiting for a writer,' he gave me the name of the writer and their resume and I said, 'That sounds great, let's wait for him' because we had delivered a teleplay and I haven't heard since then." There's currently speculation that the popularity of the Hulk in The Avengers may have killed the chances of the show as the studio may look to try one more time with a Hulk film. Coincidentally, Whedon's S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot will begin shooting sometime later this month.

So there's the rundown. Things appear to have become murky after the release of The Avengers and it honestly seems unlikely that the show will be moving out of perpetual development anytime soon. It's even more telling that the S.H.I.E.L.D. show, first announced less than 5 months ago, is reportedly shooting its pilot sometime this month. Still, there's always the chance of another movie or at the very least, he could feature heavily in one of the solo films for Captain America, Thor, Iron Man or some other Marvel character.