So while I haven't read Journey to the Center of the Earth in years, after watching the new trailer for the 3-D kid's flick, I doubt it would matter even if I did remember the source material. Cineplex is now hosting the first trailer for the digital kiddie flick based on Jules Verne's classic novel. The film was directed by Eric Brevig (who has the dubious credit of Captain EO on his IMDB resume) and stars Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, and Anita Briem.

Besides being the first wide-release film to be released exclusively in the Real D Cinema format, Journey is an update on Verne's original story about three adventurers in, well, a journey to the center of the earth. Michael Weiss' script does away with a lot of the original plot; Fraser now stars as Trevor, a scientist who is the laughing stock of the academic community and who likes to teach his son (Hutcherson) about Jules Verne's book. It turns into the field trip of a lifetime when Trevor proves to the kid that these stories are very real.

Erik had brought us the poster for the film back in January, and there have been a few photos, but this is the first trailer to hit the net. After watching the trailer once or twice, I'm afraid to tell you that there isn't all that much to recommend (I guess you really do need the 3-D). Luckily, I don't have any little ones that I have to take to the movies, so I think I will be skipping this one. Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D opens July 11th, 2008.

[via Empire]

So in spite of everything, I have always enjoyed watching Brendan Fraser on screen. There have been highs, and God knows there have been plenty of lows, but I have stuck with the fellow Canuck through thick and thin -- up until now anyway. CinemaBlend is hosting a gallery of images from the update of Jules Verne's sci-fi classic, Journey to the Center of the Earth. The story has been updated ever so slightly and now centers on Fraser "as a science professor whose untraditional hypotheses have made him the laughing stock of the academic community. But on an expedition in Iceland, he and his nephew stumble upon a major discovery that launches them on a thrilling journey deep beneath the Earth's surface, where they travel through never-before-seen worlds and encounter a variety of unusual creatures". Joining Fraser are Josh Hutcherson as his nephew and Anita Briem as a fairly glamorous-looking mountain guide helping Fraser find his lost brother.

Rumor has it that originally the indie director Paul Chart had been slated to direct, but once the 3D technology was part of the production, Chart bowed out. His loss was visual effects artist Eric Brevig's gain, and Journey is Brevig's first foray into directing a feature film. Erik brought us the exclusive first look at the poster for the film a few days ago, and it's kind of funny that a film that is going to rely on the visuals has released not one but two sets of relatively blah images -- I guess you really need the glasses to make it pop. Well, at least the film still has the distinction of being the first wide-release to be released exclusively in the emerging technology of Real D Cinema. Journey is set to arrive on over 1500 screens on July 11th, 2008.

For a while, "Freak Show" meant a gathering that showcased anyone who was a bit different. Perhaps they had much excess hair, or were particularly tiny or tall. Maybe they were twins who were bonded by more than sibling love, or dudes missing appendages. But times have changed, and that's not really acceptable anymore. So, if you want to delight in all things freak, you've got to be able to stomach seeing dudes nail things into their body, or, in the case of cinema, see a Freak Show that's more fantastical than "freakish."

The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Cal Naughton Jr., aka John C. Reilly, Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabithia), and Chris Kelly (Boys Life) are in final negotiations to star in Cirque du Freak -- a kidlit adaptation that's being put together by Universal. Based on a series written by Darren Shan, the story focuses on best friends (Hutcherson and Kelly) "who visit an illegal freak show, where an encounter with a vampire and a giant deadly spider forces them to make life-changing choices that result in vampire servitude and vampirism itself." (The show also has a really bitey werewolf.) Believe it or not, Reilly will play "Larten Crepsley, the centuries-old vampire and owner of Madame Octa, the spider." This crazy, yet weirdly appealing, story is the brainchild of About a Boy writer/director Paul Weitz, who wrote the script and will direct it when production starts in February. So, what do you think? Are you ready to see Reilly get his bite on?