MARK RUFFALO & COBIE SMULDERS IN TORONTO FOR "THE AVENGERS" | SIGNED PHOTO SET GIVEAWAY

Mark Ruffalo & Cobie Smulders in Toronto - April 2012

Hot on the heels of it grossing a whopping $185.1 million overseas this weekend, Marvel's The Avengers Stars Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk/Bruce Banner) and Cobie Smulders (Agent Maria Hill) are bringing the action north of the Border for the Canadian Premiere of the Action-Blockbuster. If you think that's impressive, consider that it has only thus far opened in 70% of Overseas markets and furthermore, has yet to even open in North America!

Ruffalo and Smulders joined forces for an appearance on CityTV's Breakfast Television. Ruffalo who made his first appearance in Toronto since TIFF 2008, revealed that in addition to slimming down on a strict Regimen for his dual role, he also faced some great challenges. "I enjoy working with Actors" he says, explaining that it was a great challenge filming fight scenes before a Green Screen on his own.

Vancouver Native Smulders made a welcome return her Homeland, ensuring to grab a Tim Hortons Coffee first thing today. The Actress who has gained much popularity for her work on CBS Series How I Met Your Mother as Robin Scherbatsky, praises Ruffalo for giving The Hulk a comedic spin, yet remaining v. human. She also expressed excitement at being able to do her own stunts in some of her more physical scenes in the Joss Whedon Film

The Avengers sees a Team of Superheroes - including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) - assembled to fight the evil Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and his Army from destroying the Earth. 

Marvel's The Avengers hits theatres in North America Friday, May 4, 2012.

To enter to win a Signed Photo Set from Ruffalo and Smulders, click "like" on this Post at Mr. Will-W.:Pop Maven on Facebook. You must also be following on Twitter also. Your deadline is June 4, 2012.  Good luck!

More to come...

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

MARK RUFFALO & COBIE SMULDERS TO APPEAR AT CANADIAN PREMIERE OF "THE AVENGERS"

Mark Ruffalo at TIFF 2007

In case you missed it, you can catch all the excitement from the World Premiere of The Avengers last week in Los Angeles' El Capitan Theatre! Gracing the Red Carpet were the likes of: Robert Downey Jr (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill), Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Joss Whedon (Director).  

And if this weren't exciting enough, Toronto will be hosting the Canadian Premiere of The Avengers on Monday, April 30, 2012 at Scotiabank Theatre with none other than Hulk himself, Mark Ruffalo and Canadian Actress Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother) scheduled to make an appearance!  This will be gracious Ruffalo's first visit to the City since TIFF 2008 when he was promoting The Brothers Bloom and Blindness.  This is just what the City needs and we'll be there!

Enjoy The Avengers World Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals below:

The Avengers opens in theatres May 4, 2012.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W. | Video credit: Marvel)

"WAR HORSE" AVAILABLE ON DVD, BLU-RAY, ON-DEMAND & DIGITAL APRIL 3, 2012

War Horse 4-Disc Combo Pack

One of my favourite Films of 2011 will soon see a DVD/Blu-ray release and Fans of the Film have every reason to be excited. Best Picture-nomianted War Horse from Director Steven Spielberg will be available in a gratuitous a 4-Disc Combo Pack (2-Disc Blue-ray + 1 Disc DVD + Digital Copy) which includes the following: 

• A Filmmaking Journey - Academy Award®-winning Director/Producer Steven Spielberg provides a unique and unprecedented look into the making and filming of War Horse. 

• Editing & Scoring - Multi-Oscar® winners Michael Kahn (Film Editor) and John Williams (Composer) discuss specific aspects of editing the film and composing music for War Horse, as well as the secret to their long and successful collaborations with Steven Spielberg. 

•  The Sounds of War Horse - Seven-time Academy Award®-winning sound designer Gary Rydstrom takes us through the sophisticated sound design he created for War Horse

• Through The Producer's Lens - Producer Kathleen Kennedy shares the photos she took during filming and recounts how she discovered the source material, as well as her appreciation of Steven Spielberg's vision, the team that sounds him, and why War Horse appealed to her. 

• War Horse: The Look - Director/Producer Steven Spielberg introduces us to his creative team of production designer Rick Carter, Costume Designer Joanna Johnston and Director of Photography Janusz Kaminski, who discuss what it took to design the look for the film. 

• An Extra's Point of View - Film extra Martin Dew explains how and why he was brought in -along with a hundred other men- to be featured alternately as both German and British Soldiers.

Read my Review of War Horse here.

War Horse will be available on DVD, Blu-ray, Digital and On-Demand April 3, 2012.  Order it here.

(Photo credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada)

WATCH: 60-SECOND "THE AVENGERS" PREVIEW

The Avengers

For those of you who missed it lats night during the Super Bowl, here's the full 60-second Preview of Marvel's The Avengers in anticipation of its May 4, 2012 release.  Are you ready for the most epic battle ever to have been captured on camera?  Iron Man, Black Widow, The Hulk, Captain America, Hawkeye, Thor.  Together at last.

Watch the 60-second Preview of The Avengers below:

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Motion Pictures Canada)

CHAT WITH DIRECTOR AND CAST OF "THE AVENGERS" ON JANUARY 31, 2012

Still from The Avengers

Great news for fans of The Avengers!  The eagerly-awaited Action-Adventure won't be hitting theatres till May 4, 2012, but Fans in the meantime will have a chance to chat with Writer/Director Joss Whedon, Tom Hiddleston and Clark Gregg much sooner.  For the first time ever on the Big Screen, we'll be seeing Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow on-screen together.

Marvel Studios will be sponsoring a 30-minute Live Chat on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 2:00 PM EST and to participate, you can follow @Avengers on Twitter and Tweet with the Hashtag #Avengers. During the Chat, Fans will have a chance to answer Avengers Trivia and win Prize Packs too!

  A 30-second TV Spot will be airing also during Super Bowl XLVI on February 5, 2012 on NBC. Stay tuned.

(Photo credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

"WAR HORSE" - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from War Horse

After his Father Ted (Peter Mullan) makes the impulsive decision to purchase a Thoroughbred Horse for 30 guineas, Albert (Jeremy Irvine) finds himself scrambling to train it into a Workhorse in hopes of recouping its expensive price.  The Boy develops an inseparable bond with the Colt, whom he names Joey, ably training him into a contributing Helper on their Farm.

Possibly facing eviction by their ruthless Landlord Lyons (David Thewlis), Ted sells Joey off to Captain Nichols (Tom Hiddleston) at the onset of World War I.  This breaks Albert's spirits completely as both he and Joey are separated indefinitely - their futures uncertain in dangerous times.  War Horse is the heartwarming Story of two unlikely Heroes - Human and Equine - who are driven apart by times of change and also inspired to fight to survive under those same circumstances.

Director Steven Spielberg pulls out all stops to deliver a compelling Story on the grand scale which it deserves to be told. His characters are multidimensional and human and he truly takes us on a real Journey where we grow with both Albert and Joey, empathizing at every unfortunate turn and setback along the way.  "The War is taking everything from everyone", we are reminded in the Film.  Admittedly I could not stop crying throughout War Horse - especially in a powerful sequence where Joey breaks free from his Captors - and also the beautifully-lit final moments of the Film.  Literally, I teared-up so much that my face began feeling numb at the end of the two-and-a-half hour Journey. And that's a good thing.

"WAR HORSE" WORLD PREMIERE PHOTOS

The Cast of War Horse with Director Steven Spielberg

The great-looking Cast of Steve Spielberg's War Horse hit the Red Carpet at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts' Avery Fisher Hall last night for its official World Premiere. If emerging Actor Jeremy Irvine isn't on your radar yet, by all means he will be after seeing War Horse.  The heartwarming/heartbreaking Tale opens via DreamWorks Pictures on Christmas Day. The six-time TONY Award Winner opens at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto also on February 10, 2012.

Stars Irvine, Tom Hiddleston (sporting a Goatee), Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Celine Buckens, David Kross, Robert Emms, Director Steven Spielberg all attended the high-profile Premiere.   See how dapper Irvine looks in his Burberry Suit, paying homage to his native Britain. Mega-hot Elizabeth Olsen (getting lots of Oscar buzz for Martha Marcy May Marlene) and Gossip Girl's Ed Westwick also showed-up to show their support.

See more Photos from the Premiere below:

TOM HIDDLESTON AT TIFF 2011 FOR "DEEP SEA BLUE"

Tom Hiddleston in Toronto - September 2011

Already being touted as Oscar winner Rachel Weisz's strongest performance yet, Deep Sea Blue premiered this evening at Bell Lightbox and her Co-star Tom Hiddleston (Thor) was out and about the City tonight, spotted earlier in Yorkville and later this evening partying in Entertainment District.

The 30 year-old Brit appears later this year in Disney's War Horse and also the eagerly-awaited The Avengers where he will reprise his role from Thor as Loki.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)