Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Geek Daily: The Woes of Green Hornet, Green Lantern, Spider-Man 4http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/09/geek-daily-the-woes-of-green-hornet-green-lantern-spider-man/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/09/geek-daily-the-woes-of-green-hornet-green-lantern-spider-man/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/09/geek-daily-the-woes-of-green-hornet-green-lantern-spider-man/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



It's been awhile since I got to break out the old Geek Daily graphic. I've really missed it! Today, it's coming in handy thanks to a smattering of news and rumors ...

First, Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Cameron Diaz is in talks to play the female lead in The Green Hornet. Her reps declined to comment. She'd be a natural against Seth Rogen, that's for sure. I still don't even know what to make of this project, but I do want it to get underway so I can judge it with a little less of a kneejerk reaction.

Spider-Man 4 has a new writer, says The Hollywood Reporter. Gary Ross has been brought on to do a rewrite. Ross has worked with Tobey Maguire before on Seabiscuit and Pleasantville, and is collaborating with him on Toyko Suckerpunch. He's the third screenwriting heavyweight to tackle it, as James Vanderbilt and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire have both tried to crack the web-spinner. Should we start seeing red flags? Or will the combo of Vanderbilt, Ross, and Lindsay-Abaire make something Shakespearean out of Spider-Man?

Edgar Wright told Omelete that he's eager to return to Ant-Man, and plans to return to the erstwhile Avenger once Scott Pilgrim is done. "Ant Man is something that I need to return to. I wrote a draft before Scott Pilgrim started and it's kind on back burner slightly just because I've been busy with this. But it's something that I have got to return to. I have to do another draft after Scott Pilgrim is done ... When you come away from something it's good and fun to rework what you've already done. But I'm very happy with the first draft and we need to get back into business." [via Collider]

More below the jump ...

Continue reading Geek Daily: The Woes of Green Hornet, Green Lantern, Spider-Man 4

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]]>Ant-Mancameron diazCameronDiazdavid lindsay-abaireDavidLindsay-abaireedgar wrightEdgarWrightGary RossGaryRossjames vanderbiltJamesVanderbiltmarc guggenheimMarcGuggenheimmichel gondryMichelGondrySeth RogenSethRogenSpider-Man 4Spider-man4stephen norringtonStephenNorringtonThe Crowthe green hornetThe Green LanternTheCrowTheGreenHornetTheGreenLanternElisabeth RappeThu, 09 Jul 2009 12:02:00 ESTMacGruber: Because 'SNL' Movies Have Such a Great Track Recordhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/because-snl-movies-have-such-a-great-track-record/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/because-snl-movies-have-such-a-great-track-record/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/because-snl-movies-have-such-a-great-track-record/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Why not make a movie based around one of the unfunniest recurring characters of late, the normally likeable Will Forte's MacGruber? Yes, it's true. Monika wrote in May that Lorne Michaels said he's considering a feature-length film version of the Saturday Night Live MacGruber sketch, and now Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are confirming that the wheels are in Mac-motion. They are also reporting that Val Kilmer and Ryan Phillipe could join Wiig and Forte in this comedy of errors, which is being written by Forte and fellow SNL writers John Solomon and Jorma Taccone, who will also direct.

The MacGruber skits on Saturday Night Live poke fun at the popular MacGyver TV series, which aired from 1985 to 1992 and starred Richard Dean Anderson as a secret agent who concocted useful devices from the objects around him -- hence the term MacGyvering. MacGruber, who is MacGyver's long-lost son, is not as successful as dear old dad at defusing situations or bombs, and ends up getting himself, his assistant Vicky (Kristen Wiig), and whoever that week's hapless guest host is blown up.

Continue reading MacGruber: Because 'SNL' Movies Have Such a Great Track Record

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]]>MacGruberJenni MillerWed, 08 Jul 2009 10:02:00 ESTRandall Wallace Rewriting McG's '20,000 Leagues'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/randall-wallace-rewriting-mcgs-20-000-leagues/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/randall-wallace-rewriting-mcgs-20-000-leagues/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/08/randall-wallace-rewriting-mcgs-20-000-leagues/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Two months after being replaced on the He-Man movie Greyskull, Justin Marks has lost another big screenwriting gig: McG's Captain Nemo: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. You can speculate and snicker all you like. In the meantime, The Hollywood Reporter says that screenwriter Randall Wallace has been brought aboard to rewrite the script before taking his directing job with Disney's Secretariat. (So handy to have those screenwriter / director guys just hanging around the studio!)

20,000 Leagues is being envisoned by Disney as an origin story for Captain Nemo, and that nifty little colon after his name indicates that they'd like to make him over into a nautical franchise to complement their ongoing Pirates of the Caribbean series. Everyone is kind of hoping they'll draw on Jules Verne, and explore Nemo's background as given in that lesser-known sequel, The Mysterious Island. He was revealed to be the Indian Prince Dakkar, who had lost his wife, children, and kingdom after participating in the rebellion of 1857.

While the film is being labeled as an action-adventure, I think it's extremely likely that Wallace is being brought on board precisely to flesh out that tragic backstory, and up the anti-imperialism. This is the screenwriter of Braveheart, Pearl Harbor, and The Man in the Iron Mask, after all. If he has a specialty, it's perilous wartime romances, especially if they're set against the backdrop of revolution. We're probably in for a very frothy 20,000 Leagues, but at least its steampunk setting allows for that. Now cast Naveen Andrews so it'll be sexy steampunk.

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]]>000 Leagues Under the Sea000LeaguesUnderTheSeaCaptain NemoCaptain Nemo: 20CaptainNemoCaptainNemo:20DisneyfeaturedJustin MarksJustinMarksMcGRandall WallaceRandallWallaceElisabeth RappeWed, 08 Jul 2009 09:03:00 ESTNorrington and Dorff Returning to 'Blade' Franchisehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/norrington-and-dorff-returning-to-blade-franchise/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/norrington-and-dorff-returning-to-blade-franchise/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/norrington-and-dorff-returning-to-blade-franchise/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Marvel's Blade universe is a fairly extensive one, with the character crossing paths with such branded standbys as SHIELD and Doctor Strange. Naturally, very little of this was ever used in the Blade film trilogy, and if you longed to see a touch more of the comic series on the big screen, there might be hope. According to Comics2Film, Steven Norrington is returning to the franchise, and spinning a Blade-less, Wesley Snipes-less spinoff.

Norrington and Stephen Dorff have apparently been talking about a Deacon Frost spinoff for some time. Dorff initially broke the news via The Sunday Mail. "It will be a prequel to the Blade movies, Deacon's story. It's a new trilogy the director has created. It will [be] cool. We hope to shoot the first film next year. Frost is a character I have never been able to shake." Norrington confirmed the story, but quickly added that the movie wasn't exactly what the Mail described before crediting Dorff with the idea.

More on Horror Squad!

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]]>BladeBlade trilogyBladeTrilogyDeacon FrostDeaconFrostmarvelstephen dorffstephen norringtonStephenDorffStephenNorringtonwesley snipesWesleySnipesElisabeth RappeTue, 07 Jul 2009 11:02:00 ESTSo the View Master Movie Wasn't Just a Twitter Joke...http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/the-viewmaster-movie-wasnt-just-a-twitter-joke/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/the-viewmaster-movie-wasnt-just-a-twitter-joke/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/07/the-viewmaster-movie-wasnt-just-a-twitter-joke/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Tales of a Viewmaster movie have been floating around for a few days now, and I thought it was just the fevered imagination of Twitter. But no. Now it's in The Hollywood Reporter. DreamWorks is talking to Mattel to acquire the rights to the toy, and has asked Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci "to do some Transformers-style magic on it."

The reason I thought it was a Twitter joke is that Brad Caleb Kane announced via 140 characters that he was penning the script. "It'll be like the old '80s Amblin movies: Goonies, Young Sherlock ... in that vein." The Tweet was subsequently deleted, though the plan is still in the works. DreamWorks really wants to make a family friendly film out of the ViewMaster, and is trying to get everything signed and official. Let's stress that -- it's not signed, and Kurtzman and Orci seem to be the deciding factor. One can hope that if they declare it to be ridiculous, DreamWorks will come to its senses and realize you cannot make a film out of an inanimate object. I mean hey, I loved the ViewMaster too, and I felt like I was transported into a magic film cell world, but it doesn't mean it can actually be a movie.

Besides, the ViewMaster already tried to make it onscreen in the 1980s, and failed. Go below the jump and remind the toy it's just not ready to be a feature after this performance.

Continue reading So the View Master Movie Wasn't Just a Twitter Joke...

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]]>alex kurtzmanAlexKurtzmanBrad Caleb KaneBradCalebKaneDreamWorksMattelroberto orciRobertoOrciViewMasterElisabeth RappeTue, 07 Jul 2009 09:03:00 EST'T.J. Hooker' to Get the Movie Treatmenthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/t-j-hooker-to-get-the-movie-treatment/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/t-j-hooker-to-get-the-movie-treatment/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/06/t-j-hooker-to-get-the-movie-treatment/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

When we rant about remakes and reboots, it's easy to hide in hyperbole. It seems like there are a lot of them, but maybe we're just really sensitive to Hollywood's bouts with unoriginality. But then Peter wrote the piece "Which Remake/Reboot Are You Looking Forward to the Least," and when my eyes hit his list of those announced in only one month, it hit me: No, we're not exaggerating. There's a lot of frakking reboots and remakes out there. And now we've got one more on the way.

Variety reports that T.J. Hooker is going to head to the big screen as an action comedy with Short Circuit scribes Brent Maddock and S.S. Wilson writing it, and Chuck Russell (The Scorpion King and The Mask) negotiating for the directorial spot. Producer Ryan Heppe says: "The series was the poster child for cop TV shows in the 1980s with great stunts, so we think there's a fun movie to be made from it." Hmmm, think they were inspired by Kevin Smith's A Couple of Dicks? It seems a little more than coincidental.

Whatever the case, I'm currently in the "not another Shat-free remake!" phase, but I fully admit that's from watching both his meddling cameo in Fanboys and part of a Star Trek episode with some classic Shatner acting over the weekend. In reality, I imagine that it'll be a non-offensive law-filled diversion. Think Adrian Zmed will pop up?

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]]>Brent MaddockBrentMaddockChuck RussellChuckRussellCinematicalSS WilsonSsWilsonT.J. HookerT.j.HookerTJ HookerTjHookerWilliam ShatnerWilliamShatnerMonika BartyzelMon, 06 Jul 2009 10:03:00 ESTOlympia Dukakis Grabs a Lesbian 'Thelma and Louise'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/02/olympia-dukakis-grabs-a-lesbian-thelma-and-louise/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/02/olympia-dukakis-grabs-a-lesbian-thelma-and-louise/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/02/olympia-dukakis-grabs-a-lesbian-thelma-and-louise/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Same-sex love is most definitely in the air. I already wrote about Julianne Moore and Annette Bening were coupling up for a new film today, but they're not the only ones. In a Thelma and Louise meets The Bucket List move, The Hollywood Reporter posts that Oscar winners Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker will star in a new road trip comedy from Thom Fitzgerald called Cloudburst.

Dukakis and Fricker will play a couple who have been together for 30 years. Itching for a little adventure, the two "break out of a nursing home and head to Canada to get married, picking up a young, male hitchhiker along the way." I can't begin to count the ways these two films are great. Both have long-term lesbian couples, played by women with oodles of talent, and in this case, feature an older generation of actresses -- a theme which seems to be slowly gaining momentum in Hollywood as the boomers get older.

I've got to wonder -- are these gigs thanks to the anger incited by Prop 8? It's rare to get one LGBT film, let alone two at the same time. Whatever the case, it's a nice and refreshing change to see some originality heading towards Hollywood. Think Dukakis and Fricker can give Sarandon and Davis a run for their money?

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]]>Brenda FrickerBrendaFrickerCinematicalCloudburstOlympia DukakisOlympiaDukakisThom FitzgeraldThomFitzgeraldMonika BartyzelThu, 02 Jul 2009 14:33:00 ESTSeth Rogen Might Be Taking a Road Trip With ... Barbra Streisand! http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/01/seth-rogen-might-be-taking-a-road-trip-with-barbra-streisand/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/01/seth-rogen-might-be-taking-a-road-trip-with-barbra-streisand/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/01/seth-rogen-might-be-taking-a-road-trip-with-barbra-streisand/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost aren't the only ones getting to take a road trip with Seth Rogen. He's gotta move, gotta get out, gotta leave this place, gotta find some place. Some other place, some brand new place ... with Barbra Streisand. (I know, I can't believe I know those lyrics either.)

HitFix has the scoop that Rogen is developing a comedy called Mother's Curse, and while it's one of an estimated 300,000 projects the unlikely A-Lister is working on, this one has Streisand. Mind you, she's not even officially attached, and the movie doesn't even truly exist. Curse's storyline is under tight development wraps, and the script is still in the process of being written. As Drew McWeeny notes, "When I asked Seth about the film, he referred to it as 'one of the many projects I may or may not do in the next fifteen years,' which is a fair description. So keep in mind... I'm not saying this will or won't happen ... just that it could." It's a pet project of Paramount's new head of production Adam Goodman, so that alone could get it made under that fifteen year mark.

Just the names of Rogen and Streisand together is pretty delightful though, isn't it? I like this new trend of mature, Oscar-loaded actors being game for just about anything. It's like we went back to the Golden Age of screwball comedies when it was ok for everyone to cut loose onscreen, and comedy wasn't just Meet the Spartans schlock.

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]]>Adam GoodmanAdamGoodmanbarbra streisandBarbraStreisandDreamWorksMothers CurseMothersCurseparamountSeth RogenSethRogenElisabeth RappeWed, 01 Jul 2009 20:02:00 ESTRuffalo Lends Bening and Moore Some Spermhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/01/ruffalo-lends-bening-and-moore-some-sperm/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/01/ruffalo-lends-bening-and-moore-some-sperm/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/07/01/ruffalo-lends-bening-and-moore-some-sperm/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What do you get when you mix Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo in a comedy? A same-sex couple and one eager sperm donor. (Bet you weren't expecting that!) Variety reports that the trio, plus Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabithia) and Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland), will star in a new film called The Kids Are All Right.

Bening and Moore are playing a couple who long ago used donated sperm to start a family. Years later, when their son and daughter (Hutcherson and Wasikowska) have grown up, they want to find the man behind the sperm. So, they hunt down Ruffalo's character, and he "totally upsets their family dynamic once he enters their lives."

This project is coming from Lisa Cholodenko, which bodes particularly well for the already-unique story. You might remember that she's the writer and director of Laurel Canyon, one of the few films to show the lovely Frances McDormand as a beautiful and carefree woman, rather than a quirky gal steeped in kitsch.

So, a filmmaker who can challenge the norm, a same-sex couple played by two multi-Oscar-nominated actresses, and an original storyline to boot? Pinch me, I must be dreaming. The film just started production, so I can only hope we get to see how this all pans out soon.

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]]>Annette BeningAnnetteBeningCinematicalJosh HutchersonJoshHutchersonJulianne MooreJulianneMooreLisa CholodenkoLisaCholodenkoMark RuffaloMarkRuffaloMia WasikowskaMiaWasikowskaThe Kids Are All RightTheKidsAreAllRightMonika BartyzelWed, 01 Jul 2009 14:03:00 ESTMatt Reeves Talks 'Let The Right One In' Remakehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/30/matt-reeves-talks-let-the-right-one-in-remake/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/30/matt-reeves-talks-let-the-right-one-in-remake/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/30/matt-reeves-talks-let-the-right-one-in-remake/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

As much as I enjoyed the shaky-cam mayhem of Cloverfield, I'm pretty bummed about the idea of Matt Reeves helming a remake of the 2008 vampire film, Let the Right One In. Even before the original film had hit theaters stateside, there were deals in place for Reeves to remake the film for U.S. audiences -- and that's what has me worried. Whenever something is remade for North America, what it usually means is that a little 'sanitation' is in order. For better or for worse, audiences tend to react badly to seeing children in a decidedly non-childlike way, and that's what made The Right One so memorable. But I guess I better get used to the idea, because Reeves recently told the L.A. Times that he's been scouting locations and that a second draft of the script has already been completed and now has the new title, Let Me In.

Let the Right One In was the story of Oskar, a young boy living in the suburbs of Sweden who begins a friendship with a vampire child named Eli who has moved in next door. For Reeves' remake, he's kept the time period in the 80's, but relocated the story to Regan-era Colorado. Most importantly, he's promised that he won't be making his Oskar and Eli any older in an attempt to appeal to the 'Twilight Crowd', and the success of his remake will all come down to who Reeves casts for his two leads. The director has already started working with Avy Kaufman to try and find the perfect cast, and luckily, Kaufman has experience when it comes to casting 'creepy kids', having been the casting director for The Sixth Sense and The Ice Storm.

After the jump: the original film's director and screenwriter give their two cents...

Continue reading Matt Reeves Talks 'Let The Right One In' Remake

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]]>cloverfieldforeignlet the right one inLetTheRightOneInmatt reevesMattReevesremakevampirevampiresJessica BarnesTue, 30 Jun 2009 18:20:00 ESTAlex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci Have 'License to Steal'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/29/alex-kurtzman-and-roberto-orci-have-license-to-steal/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/29/alex-kurtzman-and-roberto-orci-have-license-to-steal/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/29/alex-kurtzman-and-roberto-orci-have-license-to-steal/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Oh, the obvious jokes you can make about Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci being involved with a project called License to Steal. Considering they penned both of Michael Bay's robot-gasm installments, and Star Trek, plus produced The Proposal, one could say that this was their Hollywood life story.

But it's not. According to Variety, License to Steal is actually based on Marc Weingarten's Salon.com article The Learjeat Repo Man, which examines world of repo men. Not just any repo men that come after your flatscreen or your Prius, but the "big game" hunter who steal / repossess private jets, yachts, helicopters, and whatever else it is rich, corrupt people own. For the dangers they face (and oh, do they face dangers) they receive a cut of the overall value.

The script is being penned by Shane Salerno, Kurtzman and Orci are its executive producers. The project was shopped around by WME to three major studios, all with directors lined up to bid, and Salerno pitching it each and every time. McG took the project to Warner Bros., Timur Bekmambetov took it to Universal, and Bryan Singer took it to Sony. But Paramount snapped it up before anyone else had a chance to bid, and without a director attached. But Paramount has the dynamic duo pulling the strings, so they'll undoubtedly pull some major name in to tell the story they describe as "a smart, lighthearted action movie ... with a lot of unexpected plot twists." As you wait for the talent to hook themselves up, you can read the Salon piece, and dream of success and adventure ... either those enjoyed by Weingarten's repo men, or that of Kurtzman and Orci.

(Oversight! Thanks to ScreenRant for the photo up there! -- Weinberg)

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]]>alex kurtzmanAlexKurtzmanBryan SingerBryanSingerLicense to StealLicenseToStealMarc WeingartenMarcWeingartenMcGroberto orciRobertoOrciShane SalernoShaneSalernoThe Learjet Repo ManTheLearjetRepoMantimur bekmambetovTimurBekmambetovElisabeth RappeMon, 29 Jun 2009 14:02:00 ESTPixar Promises a Mature and Classy 'Toy Story 3'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/28/pixar-promises-a-mature-and-classy-toy-story-3/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/28/pixar-promises-a-mature-and-classy-toy-story-3/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/28/pixar-promises-a-mature-and-classy-toy-story-3/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

When Toy Story 3 was announced to the wider world thanks to that little teaser before Up, a lot of people groaned. I don't know of a single person who hates either of the Toy Story films, and I don't think it's too mushy to say that they hold a pretty special place in everybody's heart. You don't want to see that watered down and exploited.

Thankfully, it's PIXAR at the helm rather than sequel-squeezing Disney, and they assure everyone that the third installment will actually bring closure to the series. SciFi Wire caught up with animator Angus MacLane at the Saturn Awards (he was responsible for Burn-E, and has been with Pixar since Toy Story 2 where he created the crazy Buzz clone), and he spilled a few secrets on the newest adventures of Buzz and Woody. To the surprise of no one that saw Up, their final installment will be a bittersweet one. Lee Unkrich will be directing, and the storyline will center on Andy leaving for college.

"I feel like we've grown up making these movies, and each of the films represents where the filmmakers were at the time of making the films," MacLane said. "Certainly we're approaching this film 10 years later, so I think we're sort of coming at it from the standpoint of [Andy] has grown up, and we've grown up with these toys, and we have a reverence for them, but we also have different things as a priority." In other words, you should start stocking up on Kleenex now, and prepare to feel old and tired when you leave the theater.

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]]>Angus MacLaneAngusMaclaneDisneylee unkrichLeeUnkrichPixarToy Story 3ToyStory3Elisabeth RappeSun, 28 Jun 2009 18:03:00 ESTFrank Darabont Will Die To Make 'Fahrenheit 451'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/28/frank-darabont-will-die-to-make-fahrenheit-451/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/28/frank-darabont-will-die-to-make-fahrenheit-451/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/28/frank-darabont-will-die-to-make-fahrenheit-451/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A new adaptation (I refuse to use the word remake here) of Fahrenheit 451 has been in the works for ten years now. I was very excited by the news that Mel Gibson was planning it as a Braveheart follow-up, as it seemed like that would mark a new and serious phase of his directing career. I wish that was something I could have been right about.

Frank Darabont was the next one to take it on, and he's been attached to it since 2001, rewriting Terry Hayes' script and being delayed by everything from Indiana Jones IV, Mission Impossible III, The Mist, and Law Abiding Citizen. SciFi Wire caught up with Darabont at the Saturn Awards, and the director / writer declared that it was really time to get on with it already ... and that it might actually get underway this time, depending on whether or not the Big Name Actor he wants signs on.

"Fahrenheit is the thing I'm trying to get up next, which is casting-dependent, so it's one of those. I'm out to somebody at the moment, fingers crossed, because, boy, do I want to make that movie. I'm not giving up. I'll die in the traces before I don't make that movie ... It's not one of those movies that are vastly expensive by any contemporary standard, but money is still money, and it's of a price that requires somebody that will justify that investment. This is definitely going to be more than The Mist, so those other considerations do come into play."

You can go crazy wondering just who that Big Actor who can pull in the money and box office might be. Could it be someone that rumors have long attached, like Tom Hanks (Darabont's pick for years), Brad Pitt, or Tom Cruise? Or could we be looking at someone newly bankable, like Johnny Depp?

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]]>Brad PittBradPittfahrenheit 451fahrenheit451Frank DarabontFrankDarabontJohnny DeppJohnnyDeppMel GibsonMelGibsonTom CruiseTom HanksTomCruiseTomHanksWarner BrosWarnerBrosElisabeth RappeSun, 28 Jun 2009 11:02:00 ESTKatherine Heigl Nabs Herself a Dramahttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/katherine-heigl-nabs-herself-a-drama/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/katherine-heigl-nabs-herself-a-drama/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/katherine-heigl-nabs-herself-a-drama/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's not all sh*ts and giggles. After tackling some heavy cancer treatment on Grey's Anatomy, Katharine Heigl has grabbed herself a big-screen drama. The Hollywood Reporter posts that Heigl will star and executive produce an upcoming film called Life As We Know It, which Greg Berlanti (Everwood) is directing.

Written by Ian Deitchman and Kristin Rusk Robinson, and in turnaround since 2001, the film will focus on two singles "who suddenly become caregivers to an orphaned girl after the parents, their mutual best friends, are killed in an accident." What? No romance and laughs in sight? Can it be?

Not so fast. It looks like this script has gotten one hell of a face lift, because when Fox 2000 originally bought it, the basic plot of the project was the same, but it was described as a romantic comedy. I guess someone along the line figured that sad, orphaned children don't make for happy stories ... unless Peter Pan is involved. The film will retain, however, the lingering scent of romance. Although THR says nothing of it, the Variety piece calls it a romantic drama.

Whatever the case, no starting date has been set, but the project is expected to be fast-tracked. Are you ready for Heigl to jump out of the ugliness of The Ugly Truth and into something meatier?

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]]>CinematicalGreg BerlantiGregBerlantiIan DeitchmanIanDeitchmanKatherine HeiglKatherineHeiglKristin Rusk RobinsonKristinRuskRobinsonLife As We Know ItLifeAsWeKnowItMonika BartyzelSat, 27 Jun 2009 17:03:00 EST'Arrested Development' Documentary Coming to the Big Screen http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/arrested-development-documentary-coming-to-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/arrested-development-documentary-coming-to-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/arrested-development-documentary-coming-to-the-big-screen/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



My mom and I have only just discovered the delights of Arrested Development on DVD. There's nothing more bittersweet than discovering a television show after its far too late to help its ratings, but at least we can still join the "Please, oh please make an Arrested Development movie" club.

When I was on the Jonah Hex set, Will Arnett said that it was actively in the works. "We're trying to get it done, trying to get all the pieces together to do it. It's something we're actively in the process of doing. There is no script yet, but I've been talking a lot to Mitch about it, and I think that the goal has been to start shooting by the end of the year. It's really just a matter of getting a script. I know that the studio is ready to go and everyone's kind of ready, but there's a lot of moving parts. There's a lot of people in the cast, a lot of schedules and stuff, but we're in that process now of figuring it all out, actively." Of course, Michael Cera's made comments to the contrary, so put your faith where you will.

In the meantime, one group of fans have pooled their resources and put together an Arrested Development documentary. Their official website reports that they're currently going from town to town, interviewing fans in order to raise awareness about the show and its tragic fate.They've already gotten a trailer together featuring interviews with the cast and crew of the show. Maybe the quotes are new to you, maybe they're not, but they might help stave off the pangs of addiction. The trailer is embedded below the jump. Enjoy, and keep flying Bluth flag.

[via Film Junk]


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]]>Arrested DevelopmentArrested Development documentaryArrested Development movieArrestedDevelopmentArrestedDevelopmentDocumentaryArrestedDevelopmentMovieMichael CeraMichaelCeraWill ArnettWillArnettElisabeth RappeSat, 27 Jun 2009 14:02:00 EST'Drake's Fortune' Will Get the Big Screen Treatmenthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/drakes-fortune-will-get-the-big-screen-treatment/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/drakes-fortune-will-get-the-big-screen-treatment/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/27/drakes-fortune-will-get-the-big-screen-treatment/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Talk about inevitability! Any video game with guns like Lara Croft and a hero like the Prince of Persia, one that sold tons of copies, is destined for the big-screen treatment. The Hollywood Reporter posts that Columbia has grabbed PlayStation 3's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for development, and Kyle Ward (who is also busy with the pointless Hitman 2) is set to write the script.

The game focuses on the adventures of Nate Drake, as he pulls his ancestor Sir Francis Drake's coffin from the sea floor, only to find that there's no body inside -- only a diary that details the way to El Dorado. Naturally, Nate sets out to find the fabled land of gold, fighting rival hunters, only to find a forgotten island and a rather curse-ridden statue that takes things into the world of Indiana Jones. In other words -- cursed Nazis and supernatural occurrences. There's an old friend who serves as Nate's right-hand man, and a female journalist/love interest in need of saving.

As a game, it all seems well and good, but will people really bite into a story so very reminiscent of Indy? I guess every generation needs their historically inclined action hero. I just wonder how he'd fare against Lara Croft, who has her own reboot on the way...

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]]>CinematicalKyle WardKyleWardUnchartedUncharted: Drakes FortuneUncharted:DrakesFortuneMonika BartyzelSat, 27 Jun 2009 12:02:00 ESTRyan Reynolds Gets Buried Alivehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/ryan-reynolds-gets-buried-alive/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/ryan-reynolds-gets-buried-alive/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/ryan-reynolds-gets-buried-alive/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

He might grab paychecks for romantic fluff like Definitely, Maybe and The Proposal, but Ryan Reynolds is definitely doing what he can to keep things fresh too. He's got his Deadpool gig, was obsessed with The Nines, and got busy with vamp fighting in Blade: Trinity. But now he's getting buried alive, which should take him to a whole new realm of cinema.

Variety reports that he will star in a new film called Buried, which was written by Chris Sparling and will be directed by Rodrigo Cortes. The film will focus on "a civilian contractor who's kidnapped in Iraq and awakens buried in a coffin in the desert, armed only with a cell phone, a candle, and a knife." Are they sure this is Buried? It sounds quite MacGyver to me, and as you know, there is a big-screen to-do on the way.

Anyway, Reynolds has been pretty successful in his career thus far, and a whole heck of a lot of it is do to the actor's charisma. He's just so darned likable. But what happens when all that is ripped away and he's caught in a dark box? There could be some flashbacks or out-of-coffin scenes, but it sounds like we might just get an entire film set in the claustrophobic darkness -- the Variety piece also says he'll hold "the screen through most of the picture." I'm intrigued.

Production begins next month in Barcelona.

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]]>BuriedChris SparlingChrisSparlingCinematicalRodrigo CortesRodrigoCortesRyan ReynoldsRyanReynoldsMonika BartyzelThu, 25 Jun 2009 20:02:00 EST'Hitman 2' - Another Sequel Nobody Wantshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/hitman-2-another-movie-nobody-wants/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/hitman-2-another-movie-nobody-wants/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/hitman-2-another-movie-nobody-wants/#commentsFiled under: ,

'Hitman'I may have to hold my nose for this one. Hitman 2 is in development, says Variety, and 20th Century Fox has hired Kyle Ward to write a script that incorporates elements from "Hitman 5," a video game due for release in late 2010. So a movie sequel will be cribbing from a video game sequel, and more crappy product will fill the corporate pipeline.

Reportedly, the first Hitman was made for $30 million. It grossed $40 million in the US and $60 million overseas, according to Box Office Mojo. The overseas total and DVD sales must have pushed it well into the black, ensuring that a sequel would be inevitable. Putting aside the bottom line, the film itself was relentlessly mediocre. I entered with modest expectations, having heard that Fox had taken the project away from director Xavier Gens, who made the ferocious horror thriller Frontière(s). The studio denied the rumors, but Hitman felt flat and flaccid, only occasionally offering glimpses of the brilliance Gens had shown. Whether it was sophomore slump or studio interference, I ask you: did anyone leave the theater pumping their fist in the air, shouting, "More! I want more! More Hitman! Now!"

I didn't think so. Timothy Olyphant, who was so good in Deadwood, wasn't a very compelling assassin, and Olga Kurylenko supplied nothing more than decorative value. For those who care, Hitman 2 finds Agent 47 "at a low point. He must build himself back up psychologically and physically to reclaim his mantle as the world's most feared assassin." I can hardly wait.

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]]>hitmanhitman 2hitman movieHitman2HitmanMoviekyle wardKyleWardolga kurylenkoOlgaKurylenkotimothy olyphantTimothyOlyphantPeter MartinThu, 25 Jun 2009 19:02:00 ESTThe Latest on Live-Action 'Cowboy Bebop' and 'Robotech' Movieshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/the-latest-on-live-action-cowboy-bebop-and-robotech-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/the-latest-on-live-action-cowboy-bebop-and-robotech-movies/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/the-latest-on-live-action-cowboy-bebop-and-robotech-movies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



It was just last week that anime fans the world over breathed a sigh of relief that Leonardo DiCaprio's live-action Akira was no more. But, that doesn't mean Hollywood has lost its taste for anime, and there are still plenty of other reboots headed our way. So while most of them have stayed in development limbo, two of the more popular titles: Cowboy Bebop and Robotech have started to make new ground, and some of the people involved are starting to talk.

Cowboy Bebop:
When the live action film of the beloved anime was first announced, fans were not thrilled with the idea. Plus, it probably didn't help that Keanu Reeves was taking the role of Spike. But, maybe we shouldn't count out the film yet, because when it comes to the film's screenwriter, there is good news and some bad news. But, let's start with the good news. In an interview with Anime Vice, Craig was asked about whether or not he was familiar with the series, and to his credit, Craig went into full fan-boy mode, telling them about some of his favorite episodes and that both he and Reeves have been meeting with Sunrise studio (the creator of the anime) to make sure that the original 'feel' of the show remains intact. According to Craig, "they [Sunrise] were very specific about their vision for the series, and how it might convert to a live-action film." -- sounds promising, right? Well, the bad news is that Craig has zero experience with sci-fi, and made his name writing about con-men and dysfunctional families. But, I'm going to remain hopeful that with Sunrise watching over the flick, there might be a chance we get something a little better than expected.

Read the rest over at SciFi Squad

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]]>animecowboy bebopCowboyBebopkeanu reevesKeanuReeveslive actionlive-actionLiveActionpeter craigPeterCraigrobotechrobotstom rob smithTomRobSmithwbJessica BarnesThu, 25 Jun 2009 18:25:00 ESTZack Snyder Might Deliver a PG-13 'Sucker Punch'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/zack-snyder-might-deliver-a-pg-13-sucker-punch/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/zack-snyder-might-deliver-a-pg-13-sucker-punch/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/25/zack-snyder-might-deliver-a-pg-13-sucker-punch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

While Zack Snyder was out talking up the Watchmen Director's Cut, he managed to find a little time to sit down with Devin Faraci of CHUD and give an update on Sucker Punch. If you were dying to hear a few more details about that glorious grindhouse throwback, look no further, but beware of what might be a spoiler.

The biggest surprise is that Snyder might actually aim for a PG-13 rating -- but don't think he'll soften the action any. "If you can make Taken PG-13, you can make this movie PG-13. That's what I believe. Because it's more fantastic. No one really dies in the movie. I think Sucker Punch is a smart movie. It absolutely is challenging, and it's f***ing hardcore. [A]t the end she gets ... it's dark! But it's f***ing actiony like nobody's business. We hope the action we're creating is off the charts, and it's not stupid."

The action really will be off the charts, as the institutionalized Baby Doll and her companions battle are all kinds of crazy, ranging from WWI soldiers to creatures straight out of Dungeons and Dragons, but with realistic grit. "I like fight choreography and I like being able to see what's happening in action. When the girls are fighting, [like] they're on their way to kill a baby dragon, they've killed all of these orc-like creatures and they're entering a door [and] it's this classic, real Navy SEAL style room clearing. They have machine guns but they're fighting mythic creatures, impossible creatures. The hand to hand stuff is all brutal, because Damon [Caro] did all the [fights] in Bourne and it has that vibe to it." I'm so on board with this ... even if we might already know the ending!

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]]>Damon CaroDamonCarosucker punchSuckerPunchWarner BrosWarnerBroszack snyderZackSnyderElisabeth RappeThu, 25 Jun 2009 14:02:00 EST