The good news is that a number of Marvel comics properties are back in the hands of Marvel Studios and may once again be seen on screen.  The bad news is that the feature treatment ain’t happening for all of them.  Marvel’s Kevin Feige talked about a number of planned and possible superhero films coming up in the next few years, including an adaptation of the lesser-known property Inhumans.  More recognizable names – like Blade, Punisher, Ghost Rider and Daredevil – are also under Marvel’s control once again, but will have to find the right time, place and treatment to fit into the studio’s current plans.  Hit the jump for updates on the above-mentioned properties and more, including the chances of a Marvel Zombies one-off.

Over the past few months, we’ve been reporting quite regularly on Marvel’s Runaways movie (based on Brian K. Vaughan’s comic).  The last time we wrote about it, Keke Palmer was in talks for one of the lead roles, director Peter Sollett (Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist) was all set to helm the film, and production was going to begin early next year.

But according to Deadline, Marvel is hitting the brakes on the movie as Sollett has been “invited to take another film first.”  According to the report, Marvel is busy with projects like The Avengers, Iron Man 3, and they’re also trying to finish up Thor and Captain America.  Instead of trying to tackle too many projects at once, they’re going to take their time with Runaways and they’ve put the project on hold.  More after the jump:

Actress Keke Palmer says she’s been asked to join Marvel’s adaptation of Brian K. Vaughan’s comic Runaways.  Speaking to Essence Magazine [via /Film], Palmer said,

“I’ve had a nice little break with the steady TV show but I’m definitely ready to do some more films again. I was just asked to join a new Marvel comic project called, “Runaways.”

Palmer current costars on the Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP and she also played Akeelah in Akeelah and the Bee.  Hit the jump for a recap on what we know so far about Runaways.

Marvel’s Runaways is set to begin filming in March 2011.  Production Weekly tweets that shooting will take place in Los Angeles, which is where Brian K. Vaughan’s comic is set.  The series centers on a group of teenagers who go on the run when they discover that their parents are supervillains.  While on the lam, they each learn they’ve inherited particular gifts and abilities.

Interestingly, PW tweets that the movie is called “The Runaways (aka “Small Faces”).  If Marvel is choosing to rename the project, it’s likely because they want to avoid confusion with the music biopic starring Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning that came out earlier this year.  However, I don’t want to believe that Marvel would provide a title as terrible as “Small Faces” to one of their movies.

Either Marvel’s Runaways is going to be far more epic than originally thought, or I’m having serious trouble understanding the reported shooting schedule for the film.  Production Weekly tweets “Marvel’s ‘The Runaways’[sic] is planning a January – July 2011 shoot.”  For those who don’t know, Runaways was created by Brian K. Vaughn (Y: The Last Man) and is about a group of teenagers who run away from home when they discover their parents are supervillains.  Each runaway has a special power or ability, so there will obviously be some special effects required and daring heroics to be shot.

But there’s nothing in the books to suggest that a seven month shoot is required to tell a contained story that takes place in LA and involves a handful of young actors.  And when you stop to consider that this isn’t a flagship superhero and the property is known only to comic book readers, you can hopefully begin to understand my confusion.  Hopefully, we’ll have a better grasp on the situation soon.

Drew Pearce has been tapped to write the adaptation of the Marvel superhero series Runaways for director Pete Sollett (Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist).  Deadline reports that Pearce is a good choice because he created to UK comedy series No Heroics, which is about superheroes living daily lives (think Mystery Men but the characters actually have superpowers).  After seeing the trailer for the show, I’d have to agree.

For those who don’t know, Runaways is about a group of teenagers who go on the lam when they discover their parents are supervillains.  Created by the brilliant Brian K. Vaughn (Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina) with the second “season” written by Joss Whedon, the series is a must-read.  It’s smart, funny, and pokes fun at the Marvel Universe from time to time (one of my favorite jokes is when they’re arguing about which superhero teams Wolverine is and isn’t on).

Hit the jump to check out the trailer and a brief synopsis for No Heroics.

Earlier today, Hayley Atwell was cast as the female lead in The First Avenger: Captain America.  When geek news like this breaks, I’ll often talk to Peter from Slashfilm on the phone and we’ll tell each other what we think.  It’s conversations like these that originally led to us to record our first video blogs.  After a few minutes of talking today, we realized with the recent announcement of Joss Whedon on The Avengers movie, we both had a lot to say about not only Captain America and The Avengers, but the future of Marvel movies and the choices the studio has made and might make in the future.

Cut to us recording an extended video blog.

Some of the things we discussed were Marvel casting choices, who should direct Marvel movies, the pros and cons of Joss Whedon, casting unknowns versus movie stars, what’s up with Ant-Man and is Edgar Wright going to direct it, is Marvel being cheap with their actors and directors, did Jon Favreau get offered Avengers, Thor talk, Runaways talk, will the merger of Marvel and Disney lead to a Pixar Marvel movie, why hasn’t someone hired Brian K. Vaughan to direct a movie, and I try and pitch a show called “The Marvel Universe” and how it would be a perfect fit on ABC.

If you’re a fan of Marvel movies, or just like watching two geeks talk, check out our epic video blog on the future of Marvel movies.

Joss Whedon is in final negotiations to direct Marvel’s big superhero crossover movie, The Avengers.  The sound you just heard was my mind exploding all over my apartment.  IESB reported a couple weeks ago that Whedon was on the short-list to direct the pic, but I brushed that off as madness even after Hero Complex confirmed the story.  I thought it far more likely that Whedon would direct a smaller Marvel Comics movie, Runaways, since he wrote the second volume of the series. It turns out that Peter Sollett (Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist) has gotten that gig.  Deadline reports that Whedon is going to take the helm of Marvel Studio’s biggest planned project.

Whedon’s only previous feature film was 2005′s Serenity.  Despite a relatively small budget of $40 million, the film still flopped and only earned $25 million domestically.  Marvel now wants him to direct the film that Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America are all building to.

Hit the jump as I piss off Whedonites with my explanation of why this is a bad idea.

Director Peter Sollett  (Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist) is in negotiations with Marvel Comics to helm an adaptation of Brian K. Vaughn’s Runaways, but Joss Whedon may be in the running as well.  Deadline says Sollett is in talks with Marvel for the gig while The Playlist says Whedon’s under consideration to take the helm.  As you can expect, I side with Whedon, not only because I don’t much care for Nick and Nora, but because Whedon has shown he knows how to write smart, believable teenagers.  Oh, and he just so happened to write the second volume of the comics.

Deadline describes the project as, “The Breakfast Club with superheroes,” which really doesn’t do justice to the series created by Brian K. Vaughn (Y: The Last Man).  Yes, it does start out with a group of kids who don’t have anything in common.  But instead of growing close due to a stay in detention, they runaway together because they discover their parents are supervillains, and an eclectic bunch at that: mob bosses, alien invaders, dark wizards, mad scientists, telepathic mutants, and evil time-travelers.  The kids steal their parents’ gadgets and discover their own special powers as they try to avoid being caught by their illegal guardians.  The first two volumes of the series are great and I highly encourage you to pick them up.