Max Makowski Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Just one week after news surfaced that the big-screen Voltron was going into turnaround with Fox's Relativity Media, Latino Review is now reporting that Max Makowski has been signed to direct the live-action update. Now I know what you are thinking: 'Who the heck is Max Makowski?' Well, he might not be a household name, but according to Latino's sources "he's actually a great choice." Well, I guess we will have to take their word for it, because Makowski has a pretty scant list of credits to his name. The Brazilian born writer-director has been hired to direct an update of the 70's TV series Kung-Fu, along with penning the update to Hawaii Five-O.

Voltron has been languishing over at Fox since 2005, and other than a few rumblings about Justin Marks' script, the project seemed to have stalled. Marks' take is described as "a post-apocalyptic tale set in New York City and Mexico. Five ragtag survivors of an alien attack band together and end up piloting the five lion-shaped robots that combine and form the massive sword-wielding Voltron that helps battle Earth's invaders." But now that Relativity has finally secured the rights to the big-guy, I guess all the loose ends have been tied up. Besides, what's one more giant robot movie to add to the pile?

So if you are a hard-core Voltron fan with nothing but contempt for a live action version, at least you can take solace in the fact that nothing has been confirmed -- but you might want to get used to the idea of an 'MTV generation' Pidge now.

Last week I told you about the ComingSoon.net report that Max Makowski had been hired to direct the upcoming big screen adaptation of 1970s TV series Kung Fu. (You remember that show: it starred a bald David Carradine, pictured.) Now Variety is weighing in with additional details. Makowski replaces Allen and Albert Hughes, who had been signed to direct. I speculated on the reasons why they may have jumped ship; Variety says they are busy preparing to film The Book of Eli for Warner Brothers. We already knew about that deal; it's the post-apocalyptic drama Erik Davis told us about in May.

Adding credence to my thought that the brothers may not have been happy with the Kung Fu script rewritten by Cory Goodman, Variety also reports that the "project is out to writers in order to get the script ready to go before a possible strike." Goodman's script may have been great, but maybe not completely in tune with what the Hughes Brothers wanted. Or, maybe they preferred the "lone hero" at the heart of The Book of Eli to Caine, the lone hero of Kung Fu.

In any event, Makowski reportedly intends to give Kung Fu an edgier take than the series. Does that mean less philosophy and more ass-kicking? In his review of the first season DVD box set, Stuart Galbraith of DVD Talk noted: "By today's standards, the martial arts sequences only look silly. They have no vitality or authenticity." I'd love to see some dynamic action scenes in the new Kung Fu, but not at the expense of the life lessons imparted by the Shaolin temple monks to young Caine. We'll keep an eye on this one, grasshopper.

Yes, grasshopper, it may be true: the movie adaptation of the 1970s Kung Fu television series appears to be moving forward. Christopher Campbell reported last November that Allen and Albert Hughes (Dead Presidents, From Hell) were slated to direct the movie. Production was to start some time this year in anticipation of a 2008 theatrical release to tie in with the Beijing Olympics. Cory Goodman was signed to do a rewrite of the original script by Howard Friedlander and Ed Spielman. Now ComingSoon.net is reporting that Max Makowski has been hired to direct.

Does that mean that Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures liked the rewrite, but the Hughes Brothers did not? Did the Hughes Brothers jump ship in favor of another gig? More than likely, the official answer would be "creative differences" or "scheduling conflicts." If the report is true, what will Max Makowski bring to the project? Born in Brazil, Makowski now lives in Hong Kong, according to an indieWIRE profile that ran when his crime film One Last Dance screened at Sundance in 2006. The plans are to film Kung Fu in China, so his background would be a plus. Makowski has also directed episodes of the TV spy show The Agency.

Bruce Lee came up with the original idea and wanted auditioned * to star as a Shaolin monk wandering the American West. Instead, David Carradine got the part of "Caine." Carradine was fine; the show itself never transcended the episodic formulas of its time, but was distinguished by solemn philosophical touches and a message that martial arts were not primarily about beating people up -- Caine always restrained himself. ComingSoon.net says a new casting call has gone out, looking for "a handsome mix of East (Chinese/Asian) meets West (American)," which is discouraging to read. Thirty years after Bruce Lee was denied, a Chinese actor is still not preferred for the part?

* UPDATED: Without specifically citing a source, commenter "pvitari" says that Ed Spielman came up with the original idea. (Perhaps this is supported by the DVD that "pvitari" mentions, which I don't have.) I should have indicated that my source was IMDB, which lists Lee as co-creator and cites Lee's widow as their source. Wikipedia has more information and two more sources. To avoid confusion -- and pending further investigation -- I've modified the article.-- PM.

There is still some "owski" in this new remake, but not the kind you're probably thinking. Way back in September of 2005, Erik Davis posted that the Wachowskis were interested in remaking Shinobi, and turning it into a spy caper, of all things. Now the Japanese action hit is getting a remake, but with Max Makowski instead. Variety has reported that Universal nabbed the remake rights to the film, and set up Makowski to write and direct it. The director's last film was the 2005 Asian gangster feature called One Last Dance, which premiered at Sundance, and got him a nomination for the festival's Grand Jury Prize.

Our Kim Voynar reviewed the original Shinobi last year at SIFF, and described it as a "visually stunning" and "satisfying little flick." Now the question is -- just how much is going to be different for this remake? While it is still keeping the ties to Romeo and Juliet, Makowski plans to modernize it and reset it in his home-base of Hong Kong. Instead of rival ninjas dueling, "the victor of a 160-year-old feud between two multinational security forces is being decided, with a love affair complicating matters." Sticking to his last theme, the director will incorporate Asian gangster elements, along with some from ninja films. Well, at least it isn't spies! But really, with all of these changes, why not start from scratch? This is sounding a lot more like an "inspired by" instance, and not a remake. Plans are to finish the screenplay by the end of this year, and start production in early 2008.

Odds and ends from Tuesday:

• Paramount digs murder and the mob after acquiring an untitled action drama, in which they've brought on Max Makowski (who took the Sundance and Cannes scene by storm with his crime thriller, One Last Dance) to serve as director. Written by Dave Callaham, the noir-style pic is said to revolve around the murder of a mob boss and the current and former bodyguards who look to avenge his death.
• According to a story in the New York Daily News, cyclist Lance Armstrong has privately confirmed to sources at ESPN that Jake Gyllenhaal will indeed portray him in an upcoming biopic. Armstrong had been spending a lot of time with Gyllenhaal and Matthew McConaughey in hopes that one of them would take the role. Unfortunately for McConaughey, Gyllenhaal looks better in spandex.
• The Harry Potter Fan Zone has confirmed that Jessica Stevenson (Shaun of the Dead) has been brought on by Warner Bros. to play the part of Mafalda Hopkirk in next summer's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Those of you Potter fans will remember Hopkirk as a witch from the Improper Use of Magic Office. [via Coming Soon]