There will be a sequel to "The Avengers."
And in other news, the sun came up in the east this morning.
Disney CEO Bob Iger made the announcement Tuesday, stating during a conference call that a second installment of the enormous hit is in the works.
Though Iger's statement marked the first official announcement of an "Avengers" sequel, it's hardly surprising -- the Joss Whedon-directed "Avengers," which opened in the U.S. May 4, has already amassed a global box-office take in excess of $700 million.
You can pretty much count on Disney making plans for Superheroland to be built next to Disneyland, since all they're making is superhero movies from now on.
Disney has three other Marvel superhero films on its slate. Next year, the third "Iron Man" film arrives in May and a "Thor" sequel is set for November 2013. The sequel to "Captain America: The First Avenger" is planned for April in 2014.
BRITNEY SPEARS JOINING 'X FACTOR': It's official: America will get to watch Britney Spears on television every week, according to E! News.
After months of eight-figure negotiations, the pop star has finally signed her contract to join Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid as a judge on "The X Factor." Spears will get $15 million for one season's worth of work. She had agreed in principle to the deal weeks ago and had spent the last several days working out the fine print.
Fifteen million to sit in a chair and alternately
giggle and look confused. What a country."The contract is signed," said a source close to Spears. "There's been a lot of back and forth over the past few weeks as they negotiated the small details, but she's on. It's all completed and Britney is beyond excited."
Waffles and ice cream for everyone!
Cowell detonated the show's cast at the end of its inaugural season, firing judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger and host Steve Jones. Now, with Britney aboard, Cowell's looking for a fourth judge (Since Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato have been in talks, reports say) and a host ("Glee's" Darren Criss reportedly turned down the job). More announcements are expected when Fox announces its fall schedule on Monday.
As for Spears, "She's ready for this," the insider said. "She can't wait to sit down next to Simon at the judges' table and give this everything she's got. She is excited about showing the world that she can do this, and do this well. This is the perfect next stage in her career. Both Britney and Simon are very excited to work together."
Has she actually met Simon Cowell?
This will be Britney's first network TV project since her short-lived "Britney & Kevin: Chaotic" reality series with ex-husband Kevin Federline.
RANDY JACKSON DENIES HIS BROTHER WANTED HIM SHOT: Randy Jackson is denying that his brother Michael -- you may have heard of him, the King of Pop, etc. -- ordered his bodyguards to shoot Randy.
A story broke Tuesday that Michael Jackson's former bodyguard Matt Fiddes told U.K. publication the Sun that in 2005 Jackson, surrounded by Nation of Islam bodyguards, became so paranoid that he ordered his brother shot.
Randy Jackson's spokesman told TMZ the allegations "couldn't be further from the truth ... it's absolutely absurd."
Fiddes told the Sun that Michael was being hounded by his family to go out on a Jacksons reunion tour. He said Randy showed up at his house and tried to push his way in, which was allegedly when Michael -- who he said was on drugs at the time -- ordered guards to shoot Randy.
Randy's rep says the Jackson family is choosing to ignore Matt, rather than engage him in a legal battle, because "it's a nonissue."
Fiddes is full of juicy stories that no one else corroborates. He also recently told the Sun that Michael Jackson had a romance with Whitney Houston, and that the pop star hated his skin color so much he almost burned off his penis with bleaching creams.
TRAVOLTA SAYS HE HAS PROOF THAT SEXUAL BATTERY CLAIM IS FALSE: John Travolta's camp says the actor was 2,475 miles from L.A. the day a masseur claims the actor sexually assaulted him at a Beverly Hills hotel, and TMZ has obtained a photograph which his people say will prove it.
TMZ reportedly was told the photo was snapped January 16 in New York City. Travolta sources say they have proof positive of the location and date of the photo.
The photo could torpedo the case of John Doe #1, an unidentified male masseur who filed suit against Travolta for allegedly grabbing his penis and scrotum the very same day during a massage session at the Beverly Hills hotel.
The Travolta camp also has a receipt from a meal Travolta ate at Mr. Chow in New York, also dated January 16.
The bill totaled $382 and the tip was $100 -- the kind of generous tip for which Travolta is known. TMZ says it confirmed Travolta ate the meal at Mr. Chow.
Another masseur filed suit against Travolta on Tuesday, claiming the actor tried to grab his penis during a massage session on January 28 in Atlanta. The same lawyer is handling both cases.
Travolta's attorney Marty Singer called both lawsuits "absurd and ridiculous."
SOFIA VERGARA SINGLE: Sofia Vergara has split with her boyfriend, environmental businessman Nick Loeb, according to People.com.
This explains all those late night phone calls I've been getting.
On Monday, the Modern Family actress, 39, attended the Met Gala in New York City solo and told other guests that the relationship had ended, the New York Post reported.
A rep for Vergara was not immediately available for comment.
In March, Vergara said she wasn't in any rush to get married or start a family with Loeb. "They have been fighting a lot recently and have been on the brink of splitting many times," a source told the Post.
The couple first stepped out together in 2010, the same year Loeb was critically injured in a car accident. He later made a full recovery and even considered a run for the U.S. Senate in 2012.
BRAD PITT NOW SELLING PERFUME: Brad Pitt is the new face of Chanel's No. 5 perfume.
That's women's perfume.
Someone must be extremely secure in his masculinity ... or he lost a bet.
The French-based company announced Wednesday that the 48-year-old actor will star in an upcoming ad campaign for its signature women's scent. Other famous names who have been the face of Chanel include other noteworthy men, like Catherine Deneuve, Nicole Kidman and Audrey Tautou.
Chanel's founding designer, the late Coco Chanel, also modeled in ads in 1937 for what is now the company's oldest fragrance. It remains one of the world's top-selling perfumes.
The Associated Press story didn't mention how much Pitt will be paid. But he'll likely get a lot of free Chanel No. 5 to make him smell pretty.
PUNK SINGER WANTS TO BE A WOMAN: Tom Gabel, the lead singer of punk rock band Against Me!, says he's becoming a woman, according to the Associated Press.
The 31-year-old told Rolling Stone he felt disconnected from his body as a kid and has a condition called gender dysphoria. He plans to take hormones and undergo electrolysis. He also is considering gender reassignment surgery.
"Growing up, my experience with transsexualism was nothing but shame," he said.
He probably shouldn't move to North Carolina.
Gabel says his new name will be Laura Jane Grace. He says he's not attracted to men and will still be married to his wife. They have a 2-year-old daughter.
Against Me! is best known for the song "Thrash Unreal." The group will hit the road for its tour with The Cult later this month.
The June issue of Rolling Stone hits newsstands Friday.
Follow Tony Hicks at www.facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.TonyHicks and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/insertfoot
MAY 10 IN HISTORY
Thursday is May 10, the 131st day of 2012. There are 235 days left in the year.
1611: Sir Thomas Dale arrived in the Virginia Colony, where, as deputy governor, he instituted harsh measures to restore order.
1774: Louis XVI acceded to the throne of France.
1775: Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys, along with Col. Benedict Arnold, captured the British-held fortress at Ticonderoga, N.Y.
1865: Union forces captured Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Irwinville, Ga.
1869: A golden spike was driven in Promontory, Utah, marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States.
1924: J. Edgar Hoover was given the job of FBI director.
1933: The Nazis staged massive public book burnings in Germany.
1940: During World War II, German forces began invading the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium and France. The same day, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain resigned, and Winston Churchill formed a new government.
1941: Adolf Hitler's deputy, Rudolf Hess, parachuted into Scotland on what he claimed was a peace mission. (Hess ended up serving a life sentence at Spandau prison until 1987, when he apparently committed suicide.)
1960: The nuclear-powered submarine USS Triton completed its submerged navigation of the globe.
1977: Actress Joan Crawford, 72, died in New York.
1981: Socialist Francois Mitterrand defeated incumbent Valery Giscard d'Estaing in the second round of France's presidential election.
1994: Nelson Mandela took the oath of office to become South Africa's first black president.
2002: Cuban activists delivered more than 11,000 signatures to the National Assembly demanding a referendum on broad changes in the socialist system, an unprecedented challenge to Fidel Castro's 43-year rule. Former FBI agent Robert Hanssen was sentenced by a federal judge to life in prison without parole for spying for Moscow. NBA owners approved the Hornets' move to New Orleans, ending the team's 14-year era in Charlotte.
2007: British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced he would step down June 27. (Blair was succeeded by Gordon Brown.) The Democratic-controlled House, by a vote of 255-171, defeated legislation to require the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq within nine months. A federal jury in Santa Ana, Calif., convicted Chinese-born engineer Chi Mak of conspiring to export U.S. defense technology to China. (Mak was later sentenced to 24½ years in federal prison.)
2011: The bulging Mississippi River rolled into the Mississippi Delta after cresting before daybreak at Memphis, Tenn., causing widespread damage. In a one-two punch against Moammar Gadhafi's forces, NATO war planes struck a command center in Tripoli and pounded targets around the besieged port of Misrata.
BIRTHDAYS
Author Bel Kaufman ("Up the Down Staircase") (101), sportscaster Pat Summerall (82), rhythm-and-blues singer Henry Fambrough (The Spinners) (74), TV-radio personality Gary Owens (73), writer-producer-director Jim Abrahams (68), singer Donovan (66), singer Dave Mason (66), former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., (54), rock singer Bono (U2) (52), rock musician Danny Carey (Tool) (51), model Linda Evangelista (47), rapper Young MC (45), actor Erik Palladino (44), rock singer Richard Patrick (Filter) (44), race car driver Helio Castroneves (37), actor Kenan Thompson (34), singer Ashley Poole (Dream) (27), actress Odette Annable (TV: "House, M.D.") (27), actress Lauren Potter (TV: "Glee") (22).
Associated Press
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