SPOILER WARNING: The below scoop, while still a "rumor," contains potential spoilers for both GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2. By reading the below information you have given up your right to bitch and moan about spoilers. The gavel has been rapped.
To go along with our TRANSFORMERS 4 exclusive, we've also got some "marvelous" confirmations about two other franchises, namely those of the upcoming GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2. We've had little more than some concept art and casting news for GUARDIANS, which is just about to go in front of the lens, and there's been a lot of speculation about the villains in the film. Thanos has long been speculated to be the frontrunner, but with a main "henchman" that does the heavy lifting, such as Phalanx, The Controller, or The Collector.
According to our source the main villain will in fact be Ronan the Accuser, the ruler of the alien race known as the Kree. Ronan has fought the likes of the Fantastic Four, The Inhumans, and Guardians of the Galaxy in the comics and is a mainstay of the Marvel cosmic universe, so it's well in line for him to be featured as the main villain, especially with Marvel looking to expand it's cinematic adventures to the far reaches of space. Could this be a lead-up to the Kree-Skrull war in THE AVENGERS 2? It's anyone's guess, but Ronan is certainly a formidable threat and a solid lead villain for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.
Actor Lee Pace was recently cast as a "villain" in the film, but it's hard to say if it's for Ronan the Accuser. There's nothing to say that he couldn't be playing the other rumored villains, but if he's playing the lead, then he's playing Ronan if our source is correct.
Our last little confirmation tidbit should put some fan's expectations to rest on THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2, which features two villains as well: Electro and The Rhino (with hints at others, of course). Paul Giamatti plays Aleksei Sytsevich/The Rhino, and thus far we've only seen him in his "thug attire," leaving fans questioning whether we'll see the traditional "horny" costume or not. Rest easy, folks, as our source confirmed that Giamatti will "transform" into The Rhino throughout the course of the film. How the costume will look is still up in the air, but there will be some variation of a metamorphasised Sytsevich at some point during the film (again, I lead you to the Oscorp cannister he's stealing in the recent set pics. I'd bet good money that plays a role in his transformation).
Some interesting info, for sure. There's no official confirmation on this information, so take it with a grain of salt, but if true you can breathe a sigh of relief for The Rhino and start researching Ronan the Accuser.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, directed by James Gunn and starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Beautista, Michael Rooker, Lee Pace, and Ophelia Lovibond gets galactic on August 1, 2014.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2, directed by Marc Webb and starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Shailene Woodley, Jamie Foxx, Paul Giamatti, Dane DeHaan, Chris Cooper, Colm Feore, B.J. Novak, Felicity Jones, Martin Sheen, and Sally Field, swings into theaters on May 2, 2014.