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Rumor Police: 'Batman 3' News and McAdams Not in 'Spider-Man 4'
Filed under: Casting, RumorMonger, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek
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Obviously folks can't handle not knowing anything about the next Batman film because once some random person mentions anything having to do with the movie, the entire online blogging world jumps, squirms and runs out the door with a story. The latest, so you're all caught up to date, is that some anonymous source told the Batman on Film fansite that Warner Bros. and Christopher Nolan would be making a decision regarding Nolan's participation in the next film by January. Some claim he's already signed on to direct, but last we heard he wasn't. Regardless, Batman on Film does make a good point in saying that it's probably in Warners best interests to make an announcement prior to Nolan doing press for Inception since he's bound to be inundated with Batman-related questions. Will it by January? Who knows. Either way you're most likely not going to see a new Batman movie in theaters before 2012, so take a chill pill and let's wait this thing out.
In other news, guess who's not going to be playing Black Cat in Spider-Man 4? Yup, Rachel McAdams has officially denied claims that she's up for the role. She told Entertainment Weekly, "That's a total rumor, I have to say. I was hanging out in Toronto the other day and someone came up to me and said, 'I just heard you're doing Spider-Man 4.' And I said, 'Really? No one told me!' It's not true." A rep for Sony Pictures concurs: "It's an Internet rumor, as so many things are these days."
Then again, even if she was circling the part, her lips would be sealed, so are we really any closer to finding out the real truth? Probably not. But at least you're clued in to the latest goings-on.
'Thor' Finds His Warriors Three!
Filed under: Casting, Paramount, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek
The ranks of Asgard are just about full! Marvel Studios reports that the Warriors Three will be joining Thor in all of his frosty battles, and as usual, Kenneth Branagh has done a bang up job with the casting. Stuart Townsend, Tadanobu Asano, and Ray Stevenson have joined the cast as Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg, respectively. The official announcement comes on the heels of Zachary Levi revealing to USA Weekend that he had been cast as Fandral, but was forced to drop out due to an extended Chuck workload. While I feel for Levi, I'm actually very pleased that Townsend has stepped in, as I find him to be a bit more Errol Flynnish than Levi. (Though pulling up his Google Images reveals a guy who looks a lot more dashing than Chuck Bartowski. Wow. I might have to eat my words on that.) I'm anxious to see the once-and-never Aragorn get another shot at the fantasy genre, and prove himself to be dashing.
I'm not familiar with Asano's work beyond Mongol, but he turned in a very charismatic performance, and I'm always thrilled to see casting directors look to countries other than Northern Europe. But my heart really couldn't beat any faster than it is at Stevenson's casting. He'll be perfect, and it's awesome to see him get another shot at the Marvel Universe since it doesn't look like we'll ever see him return as Frank Castle. Filming begins in January 2010, and from there it'll just be one big geeky countdown.
Movie Tie-ins: a Look at 'Star Trek: The Art of the Film'
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek
I was obsessed with Jurassic Park when I was a kid. I can pinpoint it as the sole film that was responsible for not only my love of film, but my love of how films were made. Obviously seeing realistic dinosaurs on the big screen was the reason for the former, but the reason for the latter was a book my parents bought me called The Making of Jurassic Park, which included pages and pages of behind-the-scenes photos and sketches detailing how many of the film's major sequences were done, as well as showcasing ideas that never made it into the final film. I'm sure at that young age (I was eight when the film came out), I didn't understand what was actually being explained in the book, but even then I knew it was showing me a side of movie magic I'd never seen before.Despite that book being my bible for a summer or two, I haven't thought of it in years; not until I picked up Star Trek: The Art of the Film by Mark Cotta Vaz. I have no doubt that this book is going to do for some kid today what The Making of Jurassic Park did for me. It's an absolutely gorgeous coffee table centerpiece that, as the name implies, chronicles the making of JJ Abrams' Star Trek from the perspective of its legion of artists, featuring everything one could wish to see from behind the scenes: candid conversations with everyone from the director to the producer to the prop master to the CGI artists to the costume designers, all of which are thoroughly supported by a treasure trove of unseen concept art, pre-renders, and test photographs.
Fan Rant: Please Don't Let Paul W.S. Anderson Direct 'Metal Gear Solid'
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sony, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek
Dear Sony,As I am sure you are aware, you own the film rights to any adaptation of Metal Gear Solid, the outstanding brainchild of video game auteur Hideo Kojima. I have no doubt that since the property became a gaming icon after Konami brought it to the Playstation in 1998 many have tried to get a film adaptation off the ground. I'm sure you've heard pitch after pitch, and maybe even solicited some of your own, so I appreciate that no ground has been made on turning the beloved series - arguably the most cinematic game of all time - toward the big screen.
Yet I fear that with a big budget adaptation of Prince of Persia on the horizon, you might start getting antsy about making a big budget video game movie of your own; and if that's the case, please do not take up Paul W.S. Anderson on his desire to be the man who brings Solid Snake to movie theaters around the world. For the love of all that is sacred to gamers, please, please, please do not allow that to happen. I could rattle off a handful of different directors better equipped to bring the sweeping world of espionage, intrigue, double-twists, and giant robots than the man who simultaneously rendered two beloved franchises irrelevant with Alien vs. Predator.
Now I'm not opposed to making Metal Gear Solid into a movie. Though Kojima's storylines for MGS have become more twisted and entangled than a snake orgy at this point, I have no doubt that a competent screenwriter could make an excellent script out of the series' latest episodes. But it's going to take a director with real vision to transform Solid Snake from a game icon into the film God he deserves, and Anderson just doesn't have the minerals to do that.
Julian McMahon, Ernest Borgnine, and More Circle 'Red'
Filed under: Action, Casting, Comic/Superhero/Geek
Wanna make your comic miniseries-turned-feature film into a big-buzz event? Jam it full of interesting actors. It all started with Bruce Willis. Then Morgan Freeman entered the project, followed by Helen Mirren, John C. Reilly, and Mary-Louise Parker. So where do we go from here? The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision Blog reports that Julian McMahon, Ernest Borgnine, Richard Dreyfus, and Brian Cox are all in negotiations to board the project.As we know, Bruce Willis will play a retired black ops dude who faces off against "younger, more high-tech assassins who show up to kill him." Turns out Mr. McMahon will be the center of this conspiracy, playing the "Vice President with a dark side." Meanwhile, Borgnine will take on "the keeper of the CIA's darkest records," Dreyfus will play a wealthy dude making a mint on government contracts, and Cox will be a baddie once again, playing "a former Cold War spy and nemesis of Willis." As Elisabeth mentioned in the earlier posts, Summit is definitely taking the safe and secure road with casting, but with all these names, that isn't seeming like such a bad thing.
Ernest frickin' Borgnine. That's enough for me! Are you ready to see Red?
Quick List: Five Favorite Ice-Bound Movie Moments
Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Lists
I typically end up missing out on most kid films during their theatrical runs (there just isn't enough time to catch all the G-Forces of the world), but I recently caught up with the money-making monster that is Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs from the comfort of my own couch. Between watching baby dinosaurs swallow other baby Ice Age critters and thinking about winter's approach, my mind soon drifted towards some of my favorite ice-set moments in film.
I don't know what it is, but having nice, frozen centerpieces in a flick always lure me in. Though I do have my limits, as you won't be finding any of the brain pain that is 10,000 BC on here. Note, these are in no order of importance.
See A Little 'Kick-Ass' In This Teaser Trailer
Filed under: Action, Comedy, Independent, Lionsgate Films, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Trailers and Clips
The teaser trailer for Kick-Ass has arrived! Having been subjected to so much hype by everyone luckier than me at ComicCon, it's a bit of a let down because there's just not much ass-kicking going on. It's basically an animated version of the poster, introducing you to the characters while showing a little more blood and smacks. But hey, this is just the beginning and I don't expect them to spill all the cool stuff in the first glimpse.
I do like what I see, though. On the surface it looks like a teenage Watchmen but with a lot of emphasis on how fun it is to be a vigilante. There's no awkward geek humor on display. The characters are young comic book fans, but we aren't subjected to any "Ow, it hurts to be an action hero" moments. Instead, it's all about the action and potential for violence. Kick-Ass is confident! He doesn't shirk from being a superhero. In his mind, he's as worthy as Batman, and he's able to take the pain and punches. I like that, and I expected no less from Matthew Vaughn. My favorite remains Hit Girl, though. Her costume is practical, there's nothing creepy or sexual about her (so far), and her knife-flinging is lethal. Plus, she does appear to have Nite Owl's greatest fan as her father. The resemblance goes further than just the poster, and I want to believe we'll leave this theater saying "This makes up for Bangkok Dangerous, Mr. Cage."
The trailer is embedded below the jump, courtesy of MySpace. Kick-Ass hits theaters April 16, 2010.
The Geek Beat: Rated M For Mature
Filed under: Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek, The Geek Beat
Due to it being a quiet news week thus far, I decided it might be fun to discuss a little ruckus that's been brewing in Lexington, Kentucky. Two library workers became obsessed with Alan Moore, and not in the way familiar to those who found him via Swamp Thing or Watchmen. It seems the Jessamine County library got a copy of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume IV: Black Dossier as many self-respecting libraries have. Employees Sharon Cook and Beth Boisvert saw it (it's not clear how) and decided it was unfit for public consumption.
After challenging its shelf place and failing, they debated "spilling tea on it" before taking the less destructive measure of checking the book out. Ms. Cook kept it out of circulation for an entire year until one library patron said "Holy crap, my library has Volume IV! I shall check it out immediately!" and put it on hold. Using her employee privileges, Cook discovered the Moore fan was an 11-year-old girl (way to go!) and took matters into her own hands. She took the patron's hold off. When their censorship was discovered, they were fired, but have subsequently earned a lot of support all over the world. One Flickr stream even has "the naughty pages" up for your perusal with the stern question of whether or not children should be allowed to see such things. One of the pages is headlining this column, with a stupid joke from me.
'Clash of the Titans' Trailer Now Online!
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Warner Brothers, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Trailers and Clips
In a scant twelve years, Louis Leterrier has gone from being a production assistant on Alien: Resurrection to directing what has just, with a single trailer, become one of my most anticipated films of 2010: Warner Brothers' remake of Clash of the Titans. Sure, he has progressively proven himself a champion of the fantastic, evolving from The Transporter series to last year's The Incredible Hulk, but as much as I've been impressed by his eye for spectacle thus far, I wasn't ready for how fun his take on Titans looks. It's just our first look, but I couldn't stop smiling by the end of this teaser.
And yet, I don't know why I should be so surprised. The original is, after all, a landmark fantasy film packed with Ray Harryhausen's indelible stop-motion imagery. Add on Leterrier commanding a great cast ranging from Liam Neeson to Ralph Fiennes to Sam Worthington, and a script whose bones were written by Raiders of the Lost Ark screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan before WB brought in the duo of Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi to flesh things out. Perhaps the shock of seeing this trailer came from just how indelible Harryhausen's Titans actually were. I knew it would undergo an extreme visual overhaul, but in the back of my mind I was still expecting stop-motion giants, not Troy by way of God of War.
There's nothing stop-motion about this new re-envisioning of the wars between Gods and men. Purists will not be on board with the amount of digital wizardry, but any fan of seeing mythological worlds brought to life should be in love with the energy Leterrier has infused in his Clash of the Titans. You can see for yourself after the jump, then click over to Moviefone to grab it in a variety of HD flavors. Additionally, we've got some fantastic screenshots in the gallery below.
'Shazam' Movie Still Has a Pulse at Warner Bros.
Filed under: Fandom, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek
By: John GholsonScreenwriter John August declared the Shazam feature film completely dead in January 2009, unable to come up with a screenplay that seemed to satisfy Warner Bros. "By "dead," I mean that it won't be happening. I don't think it's on the studio's radar at all, " August stated in a blog post.
I'm happy to report that John August was wrong. Shazam is most definitely on Warner Bros radar, and they've tasked DC Comics scribe Geoff Johns and rookie screenwriter Bill Birch with a new version of the script. Birch spoke to CineFOOLS about the project, "The way the story is shaking out, Geoff and I see this not as 'dark' as Dark Knight but definitely as cool...Tonally, I think it's important to successfully find the balance of comedy and danger in the story. That's a major aspect I'm focusing on. Frankly, hitting the right tone is what's going to either get this made or keep it in development hell."
Read the rest over at SciFi Squad
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