Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark / Iron Man

Although I learned this yesterday, I was waiting for 100% confimation (like Jon Fraveau's blog), that Robert Downey Jr. who earned an Oscar nomination for Chaplin, has won the title role in Paramount's big-screen version of Marvel Comics' Iron Man.

Picture: Artists impression of Downey with Tony Stark's 'tache.

Producer and Marvel Entertainment exec Kevin Feige advised "We looked at everybody, and we found the best person for the role. It's as confident a casting move as we've ever done. The proof will be in the pudding, but he is Tony Stark." Apparently Downey worked out and grew a goatee to convince the filmmakers that he was the right man for the job.

The movie will reportedly be a contemporary version of Iron Man's origin story, set in the present rather than the character's Vietnam-era roots and the production is preparing for a February 2007 start in L.A.

Personally, I'm overjoyed at the news, while no saint in many roles on screen (and even worse off-screen), Downey always demands my attention when on celluloid in everything from the hilarious farce of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang to the actioneer U.S. Marshals. He was actually one of my original speculative choices for Iron Man along with Johnny Depp, Matthew Perry and Joaquin Phoenix.

And look at it this way: at least Downey can claim his next round of substance abuse as "method-acting" for the sequels- LOL

Sources: AICN, IGN, John Fraveau himself

2IGTV Episode 26

In this hard-hitting* episode, we ask: Have Bill and Leonard actually spoken to J.J. at all? Who is signed up for Live Free or Die Hard? Mega Marvel Movie news and the incredible fantasy-land of David Hasselhoff. Why is Chris Nolan’s own brother going to write The Dark Knight? And what happens when UbiSoft leave their files lying around on public ftp sites? Brian DePalma (left): Genius or Has-Been?

*Mark hits me and Uwe Boll hits all his critics.

Get it here.

Duel Of The Fates- Simpsons style

The Colonel returns from R&R in Dublin

Not all of Dublin is a shithole.

There I've said it; Let the walls of reality come crashing down. In retrospect, I think perhaps it was because my experience of the Pale was limited to the decrepit inner city and not the more enchanting outlying areas which I saw a lot of over the weekend. How naive I was to think that the whole city was a dump, it's not so.

Let's go back to the start for the moment, my rest and relaxation- (if one could use that military term to describe the weekend) began with a journey I've taken many times before: the train to Dublin. I was somewhat disappointed that no inbred-yokels from "de wesht" got on the train and debated Reganomics with me like last time I took the train so I had to be content with the entertainment provided by the October issues of my PC Gaming mags and soothing tones from my soon-to-be-decommissioned iPod.
I choose to sit down in a booth with a middle-eastern looking man even though a) he's not someone I would choose to talk to and b) there was plenty of empty booths further down the cabin. No I choose him because if he turned out to be terrorist filth I'd be in a good position to jam the Phillips screwdriver part of my multi-tool into his temple if he made one wrong move. Thankfully I guess, all he did was stare out the window, sleep and eat a revolting egg sandwich from a tupperware lunchbox.

The purpose of my visit to Dublin was to take part in the celebration of a friends 30th Birthday, an event of my own last year that I tried to forget and attempted to will it not to happen. This man however embraced its inevitability with passion and a fridge full of Heinekin. His brother, a man I've known for almost 27 years who was also my first C.O. collected me from the Railway Station, fed me and brought me to the first event of the day: Go-karting.
Now those of you who have been Go-karting, especially a somewhat tame indoor senario have no concept of what this lethal Dublin version has in store. Rather insanely we were racing around a course at top speed in torrential rain; so the brakes didn't work, your hands slipped on the steering wheel and the rain itself almost completely obscured your vision. Oh yes in the space of a lap of the course, one was completely saturated to the skin. But yet somehow throughout all that, it was a fantastic rush and an incredible riot. An experience I'd choose to repeat albeit with waterproof overalls.

After drying off and recovering from that. I was able to take a few moments to appreciate the tranquility and serenity of Phibsborough where the apartment which would serve as my base of operations was situated. See how relaxed I am, as I see how some Dublin people live, by the beautiful canal, teeming with the life of swans and ducks, birds chirping and families walking their assorted canines.

Darkness soon came upon us however, and it was off to Temple Bar where we began the evening festivities. These commenced with a fine feed at Luigi Malone's, the Dublin branch of a franchise whose restaurant I frequent in Cork from time to time. The fillet steak was exquisite, but I made the tragic error of drinking practically an entire bottle of wine with it- something that would come back to haunt me the next day.

After embarrassing the birthday boy enough with a 20-voice rousing rendition of the most famous and most sung song in the world- we adjourned to a local pub to down a few pints (or as in my case a few shots- see where this is going?) of our favourite tipple.


A short taxi-ride brought us to our final destination, the birthday boy's house where he had previously amassed one of the largest collections of alcohol I've witnessed for some time, including an enormous sink filled with ice and Heinekin (and no Miller to the annoyance of his brother) . No one was injured by the bullet popping corks from the champagne (unlike the last party I was at) and by the time we fell out the door some at around 4am ?? I doubt there was much of any drink left; there was certainly much less of one of two bottles of Jack considering my unusual need for Neurofen, being limited to tea & toast the next morning and falling asleep for practically the entire train journey home (thus rendering me useless to thwart any terrorist attacks at that point) .

New mental note: Wine + champagne + Jack = Evil.

Gun-Toting freaks should be eliminated before they do damage.

You've all probably heard of Kimveer Gill, the nutter who blew away a load of folk in Dawson College, Montreal, Canada recently. My question is: Could this atrocity have been avoided?

Gill, on his online blog postings said he hated authority figures like police and school principals. He described Natural Born Killers as his favourite movie and was a fan of the video game Postal (in which I believe you play Gary Diff'rent Strokes Coleman, a pimp who urinates on his whores and shoots others). He lamented that the his favourite weapon: the Tec-9 semi-automatic handgun was not legal in Canada. "Metal and Goth kick ass. Life is a video game, you've got to die sometime.'' he is quoted as saying. In his user profile: he wants to die, "Like Romeo and Juliet or in a hail of gunfire". Gill also posed wearing black and brandishing weapons on his blog photos.

Now I know any attempt to curtail the activities of people who do this shit would mean doing so to half the internet population, but at least appoint some class of "Psycho Internet Nutter" watchdog agency with broad powers of arrest, detention, interrogation and psycho-analysis where loonies like Gill can be "eliminated" before they cause harm to decent law-abiding citizens. But until then, I call on everyone to watch out for violence-loving, gun-toting, psycho internet nutters posting pictures of themselves with their armoury on their blog and report it to the relevant authorities.

Oh before I go- did I show ya'll my new H&K MP5A3?

Because people shouldn't die from bullets (unless they're shot).

I can't say I give much of a shit about the environment. Normally any effort one has to go to in order to take care of it either expensive or time-consuming, neither of which appeals to me as someone who has to be available 24/7 to save the planet from Alien Bugs. I believe people like Al Gore are mindless cretins, and members of Greenpeace should either be shot on sight or charged with terrorism and incarcerated and I unceremoniously turn away from my door anyone canvassing for The Green Party come election time.

That said, I do condone initiatives like the effort of BAE Systems, Europe's largest defence company to protect the environment by designing an "environmentally friendly" lead-free bullet. They say that "lead used in ammunition can harm the environment and pose a risk to people", which naturally I can assume to be people that are not meant to be actually shot by the ammo!

The firm's director of corporate social responsibility, Dr Debbie Allen, said that although it may seem strange to have a "green" policy for munitions, it was important to consider their environmental impact. "Weapons are going to be used and when they are, we try and make them as safe for the user as possible, to limit the collateral damage and to impact as little as possible on the environment,".

On its website, the defence giant says it also aims to design shells which are less likely to explode by accident.

Source: Sky News

New Casino Royale Trailer

Watch the new release trailer for the blonde Bond here.

Transformer Leaders Unveiled

While the characters look awesome, I wonder what the actual toys themselves will look like?

In my time in college, I was repeatedly chastised or even failed for producing potentially lethal designs of everyday objects. This was based on my philosophy of being able to defend your home with any object without relying on the weight of a blunt object to kill or maim an intruder.

If these character designs are reproduced faithfully in toy form, I'll buy them and bring them up to Carlow Institute of Technology to show my former professors screaming "See? See? This is what I was trying to do!!!"

2IGTV Episode 25

In this episode: We talk about Star Trek's 40th anniversary. The Colonel gets his gun off and Mark almost requires paramedics as we discuss the Terminator TV Show, Peter Jackson, The (possibly) forthcoming A-Team movie, Mel Gibson swiped by Jerry Lewis, Joe Eszterhas' new book (caution) and the most unlikely couple: Heather Locklear & David Spade.





Get it here.

From the ashes of 9/11: The Freedom Tower

There was horrific loss of life in New York this day 5 years ago. Please do not forget the 124 Military personnel and civilian contractors who lost their lives in The Pentagon in Washington on the same day.

Today it is comforting to know that The World Trade Center Plaza will rise from the ashes of Ground Zero like a phoenix, defiant against evil Islamic fascists and those who would seek to plunge the western world into terror.

The 1776-foot Freedom Tower is the most symbolic of four buildings planned. The design fortifies the building against another attack -- a steel and concrete core supports the structure and a wide staircase egress route is separate from the entry for emergency workers in case disaster strikes again.

The Freedom Tower will be a beacon of truth, it will stand for all of humanity, in defiance of tyranny. It will stand for the freedom of will that every conscious being on this planet possesses. That freedom of choice, the divine free-will we have to choose to respect the other beings of this planet, cooperate, live together in peace.

America should declare that the Freedom Tower is to stand for all of humanity, in the choice to live together in freedom and respect; then would not all of the world come to America to help build it?

The Colonel's Eagle: 1st Anniversary

Indeed it is folks, on this day in 2005, I created this blog with this post. Admittedly it's not awe-inspiring, but one has to start somewhere yes?

Who would have thought that people like Lt.Col. Oliver North, Paris Hilton, William Hootkins and Iron Man would come together in one place let alone a place of my creation?

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many contributors to the success of "The Colonel's Eagle" over the past year, I doubt if I would have continued on for this long or posted as much as I did if you lot had no interest in me or what I have to say. I especially thank the more active commentators who contribute their opinion, knowledge or generally heckle to keep me on my toes- Sith Apologist, Civilian Overseer, Cubaboy, Mark, Master Guns, Aaron, PF, Vaughan, Former Grunt, D K eeshan, Pint Of, Interloper Prime, Seeker of Wisdom and No Angel.

Are you ready for another year?

40 Years Of Trek

The first episode of Star Trek was broadcast on NBC on Thursday, September 8th 1966 at 20:30 EST, that's exactly 40 years ago today.

(Left: Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner)

It's doubtful that anyone working on the show at the time would realise that they created an iconic science-fiction series that would redefine the genre for almost a generation.

Many have tried to define the reasons for Trek's pheonomenal success, most say "It's an optimistic vision of the future" In contrast to most visions of the future lately being somewhat "dystopian" or "Orwellian", Trek paints a somewhat more realistic vision of our future. As Mark said here "Things are getting better not worse", so Star Trek, while Utopian in nature can be achieved if we work at it.

I was not "into" Star Trek long before the extraordinary events of the 25th Anniversary of Star Trek in 1991. That was a great time for Trek fans: Star Trek VI was released, Star Trek: The Next Generation was at the peak of its popularity and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was in the conceptual stages. Fans of Star Trek were charged like batteries and even in as remote places as Macroom and Buttevant in Co. Cork here in Ireland, they had visions of creating Star Trek clubs in the "big city"- and they did.

While in the present day, there's less of a physical gathering of fans- their presence on the internet has never been stronger. While there's no new Star Trek episodes broadcast on television, the future of Trek is bright- with a whole new vision being concieved for Star Trek XI, The original series going to be broadcast again over the next year with all its SFX shots been revamped with new CGI effects and Fan-Films are actually gaining prestiege and notariety as producers have nabbed real Trek writers and actors to assist in their own vision of Gene Roddenberry's universe.

Will there be a 50th Anniversary of Trek? Yes. But for now, enjoy 40 years of something that has enriched all our lives. Happy Birthday Star Trek!

When free speech should be silenced.

I was reading this during the week and I'm disgusted that the First Amendment covers this sick filth.

Marines have fought and died to defend this and other principles, for what: so the Klan can have it's say? On a sacred battleground where this level of thinking was defeated and on the very spot no less where President Abraham Lincoln himself invoked the principles of human equality during his most famous address.

Had I been there, I doubt it would have been such a 'peaceful' demonstration.

Sizemore's reality show

Tom Sizemore will star in his own reality show on VH1. in an attempt to repair his damaged reputation after several years of bad publicity that has been well documented in the tabloids and here on The Colonel's Eagle.

Sizemore has had a long battle with drug addiction and was convicted in 2003 of assault and battery against his former girlfriend Heidi Fleiss. Sentenced to 17 months in jail and four months in a drug treatment facility after repeatedly failing drug test last year and was caught using The Whizzinator, a prosthetic penis sewn into his boxer shorts and filled with a clean urine sample kept warm by a heating pack to fake the results of his drug tests.

Also last year, approximately eight hours of celebrity sex tapes were released on the internet starring Sizemore. VH1 senior vice president of series production Jeff Olde says, "You literally watch a man come unglued and unravelled from his own point of view. He lays it all out there."

The series will follow the now-sober actor as he embarks on acting jobs, including a movie for the BBC being filmed in Canada. Sizemore will narrate the show, which will also include flashbacks to his battles with drugs and sexual addiction using video footage he shot on his own.

"He’s still one of my favourite actors and I think he’s the only person who could play a ‘real’ Colonel Creedon on screen". Colonel Creedon said last September.

Source: IMDB

Crikey! Croc Hunters' been Killed

Famed adventurer, environmentalist and TV personality Steve Irwin, known around the world as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray during a diving expedition off the coast of Queensland, Australia; he was 44.

John Stainton, a friend and colleague, said Irwin swam too close to the ray while he was diving off his boat Croc One near Batt Reef, northeast of Port Douglas. "He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart," said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat at the time.

Stings usually occur to people when they step on or swim too close to a ray and can be excruciatingly painful but are rarely fatal, said University of Queensland marine neuroscientist Shaun Collin. He said he suspected Irwin died because the barb pierced under his ribcage and directly into his heart. "It was extraordinarily bad luck. It's not easy to get spined by a stingray, and to be killed by one is very rare,".

Prime Minister John Howard, said he was shocked and distressed at the death. "It's a huge loss to Australia. He was a wonderful character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He brought joy and entertainment and excitement to millions of people."

"I always admire a man who has less fear than I have..." Colonel Creedon said after news of Irwin's death reached The Bunker "...but they say a man without any fear is insane and this guy was really nuts."

Irwin will no doubt be remembered for an eternity for his Discovery Channel antics in Crocodile Hunter and the development of the Australia Zoo wildlife park.

Sources: Fox News, IMDB News, Yahoo News, BBC News, Sky News.

Fall Of Liberty

Winston Churchill was hit by a taxi on 5th Avenue in New York, in December 1931 and was killed. Without his battle cry to inspire the Allied troops, the Nazis emerged victorious and on December 7, 1951 they launched a devestating attack on the United States and emerged victorious.

Spark Unlimited, the team behind Call of Duty: Finest Hour, are creating Fall of Liberty, which will be released on PC and casts the player as a resistance fighter battling not for the liberation of Europe, but for their nation's freedom in enemy-occupied America in an alternate reality where World War II wasn't won by Allied forces on the beaches of Normandy, but instead the Nazis overthrew Europe and, within a decade, had invaded and conquered America.

Although the game is still at an early stage in its development, Codemasters promises an "intense and cinematic" experience with real-world locations to fight through, including a White House draped in Swastikas and a Manhattan Island that's under threat from nuclear attack. It's a totally fresh approach and with Spark's pedigree of creating believable, compelling gaming experiences, Fall of Liberty could give the historical FPS genre the shake up it needs when released at the end of next year.

Source: IGN, Gamespy

President Bush Assassinated

Thankfully only in a British television movie, a controversial new drama that shows US President George W Bush's fictional assassination.

Titled Death Of A President, the drama uses the style of a real-life documentary and a blend of computer generated special effects, as well as archive-type footage to show Bush's "assassination" by a sniper as he arrives for an anti-war rally in Chicago, Illinois in 2007. The investigation that follows, points to a Syrian-born suspect as the assassin.

The show will be premiered at the Toronto Film Festival to be held later this month and later will be broadcast on the UK digital channel More4 in October this year. More4 boss Peter Dale said that the drama was a "pointed political examination of what the war on terror is doing to the American body politic. I'm sure there will be people upset by it. I hope people will see the intention as a good one,".

UK TV watchdog John Beyer warned the movie was irresponsible and might inspire a real-life assassination attempt. "If something happens as a consequence of this film, then blood is on their hands."

The White House refused to comment, saying only the drama "does not dignify a response." I can appreciate that from such a dignified institution, but as a Marine in service to the man depicted- I think it's a travesty that the incumbent Commander-In-Chief will be dipected as being shot as some form of entertainment for anyone. It's typical of the leftist liberal media to create this distasteful nonesence. I wouldn't be at all surprised if this had democratic backing from accross the pond. Shower of Bastards.

I echo John Beyer's warning- this irresponsible shit could have disasterous effects if it gives even one wacko an idea to make Dick Cheyney 44th President of the USA. I formally condemn this film and ask that you do not support it.

Sources: Yahoo, SkyNews, Interloper Prime

David Brent @ Microsoft

If you are a fan of BBC's The Office then you'll like these training videos produced exclusively for Microsoft UK in 2003 which are the hottest property on the 'net right now. Starring Ricky Gervais as the 'ultimate manager' David Brent and Steve Merchant playing it dead-straight as a Microsoft nerd. These videos are the real deal folks and Gervais was furious that they were leaked.

Somehow I fail to see how these would in any way benefit any employee of Microsoft as Brent's sexism, political incorrectness and utter self-absorbtion deflates any kind of message that a 'training video' should instill in the viewer.

They're still up on Google video: Video 1 and Video 2 37 mins in total, but maybe not for long.

Source: ZDnet

2IGTV Episode 24

In our milestone 24th episode, Bill Shatner leads the way as Andy Dick goes apeshit, Tom Cruise is out on his ass, Ryan Phillippe could be Dent, George Lucas may be loosing his mind and Osama Bin Laden's taste is completly up his ass. We also review Snakes on A Plane, Lady In The Water and A Scanner Darkly. Our much vaunted discussion on SG-1 vs. Atlantis also comes to it's thrilling climax, all here in one Podcast!!!

Get it here now!

Splinter Cell: Double Agent - Mega Preview

When it was released for the original Xbox, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell was one of the most technologically advanced console titles ever. Although many people bought the game to check out the amazing dynamic lighting and impressive stealth action, they kept coming back for more because there was just something about the world-weary Mr. Fisher's lack of enthusiasm about the spy game.

In his latest outing, as you might be able to glean from the title, Double Agent finds Sam going a bit Jack Bauer, attempting to infiltrate a terrorist organization. The line between good and evil starts to blur quite a bit as you'll spend much of your time in the terrorist group's headquarters, where you'll live, eat, and sleep near them as you go deeper undercover. While some games might be content to simply let the hero make his way, Double Agent forces Sam to make a number of tough ethical choices. The game will actually change depending on what you do, and some parts of the game will only be available if you play in a certain manner. There are multiple paths from start to finish, and there will be a number of endings; if it'll be a bit more than the choices in Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight then we may have something cool here.

In each level there will be several objectives for both the NSA and the terrorist organization, and they'll often conflict with one another, somewhat like Alias. Sam will face quite a few ethical quandaries, such as whether to personally kill an innocent civilian to save hundreds of lives. Of course, killing the innocent will get you in good with the terrorists who are testing you, but the NSA won't be happy. If you don't, there will be implications further down the line, and things might turn out worse than if you had just pulled the trigger. Much of these sequences played out during what the developers are calling "directed moments," which are essentially interactive cutscenes. Although the directed moments are very cinematic, they never really pull the player out of the action, instead infusing the proceedings with emotion and action.

From the screenshots released, it looks like we'll be seeing the same sort of stealth action that made the series so great in the first place. In one level, Sam must make his way through a war-torn urban area in Zaire. Like many next-gen titles, the developers are eliminating traditional HUDs in favor of more immersive indicators. Sam will have a small light on his shoulder that will change color depending on his visibility. Another level, takes place in the frozen wastelands of Western Russia. The level begins with a HALO jump, in which you can control the camera and Sam's trajectory and speed. After landing, you makes your way through swirling, dynamic snow to an opening in the ice. Double Agent finds Sam with the ability to swim, and he'll be able to break through the ice to drown his foes.

Given that the Splinter Cell series was always one of the best looking franchises on the Xbox, it's no surprise that Double Agent looks great running on the Xbox 360 and PC. There are some impressive lighting effects, such as when Sam's swimming underneath the ice. You'll see light diffuse dynamically as you look up, and you can even see the silhouette of the enemies above you.

If you're a fan of the Splinter Cell franchise, there's no doubt that you'll be happy with the changes made to the series in Double Agent. The good/evil mechanic sounds nuanced and intricate, and the idea of taking wildly divergent paths as you play through the game sounds superb. This game will take the series in darker and more interesting directions, and will help cement Sam's place in the gaming world.

Micheal Ironside returns as Sam Fisher in Splinter Cell: Double Agent, deployed on October 19th.

Sources: GameSpy, IGN and 3DGamers