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Nathan Fillion: The Greatest American Hero?

Filed under: Action », Comedy », Casting », RumorMonger », Fandom », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Remakes and Sequels »

For the last 28 years, William Katt has been The Greatest American Hero. Ralph Hinkley was just trying to go about his business and be a good teacher, but an alien suit left to help rid the Earth of baddies turned him into a bumbling hero. Hinkley could have been cool and slick in that red suit, but that whole lack of an instruction manual made such hopes impossible.

There have been murmurings before about a new feature film -- 2008 was filled with them -- but they haven't gone anywhere. And now one fan's dream makes me wish they would. In a talk with IFC, Nathan Fillion said there was one superhero film he thinks he can handle, a redo of GAH. In his mind: "With the technology we have available today for effects, I'd say it's largely the same idea, the same story, but the suit would be able to change and morph into whatever it is you needed him to do. So it could become armor, a scuba suit -- you could do that stuff." And while he isn't actively making it at this point, he's met both Katt and Robert Culp on the set of Castle, and the show's stunt coordinator is the guy who did Katt's stunts on the '80s show. So, as Fillion says, "I've got my all my fingers in the right pots."

I have to say: I love the idea. Fillion knows how to be both earnest and goofy. He's charming and likable, and could pull off a new Hinkley without being a bleak caricature or completely re-imagining the character. (And imagine what that suit would do without a manual!) If anyone is going to make this, they should give him the reigns. But one question remains: Who would play Culp's Bill Maxwell? Without the right man, a remake would be pointless.

Twitter: Bringing You Ever Closer to the Fame Flame

Filed under: Fandom », Tech Stuff »

If you're on Twitter, you already know that it's a drug. It's like a big get-together where you can talk to hundreds of people without committing yourself too seriously and before you know it ... poof ... you've just spent three hours talking about your summer reading. I've made a concerted effort to not let it overtake my life and I've generally succeeded.

But one aspect of Twitter that I find so pathetically alluring is the celebrity follow. Now, my time on Cinematical has already introduced me to a lot of Big Names, and while it's always fun and exciting to meet someone you like onscreen, it's often just work. Often, it's awkward work. I say that not to brag or play down the experience, but to stress that chasing celebrities just isn't my thing. Except on Twitter.

Twitter is like this shadowy, secret party where Hollywood's creme de la creme are eating, drinking, laughing, and filming, and they're coyly letting you watch. They casually drop names and TwitPics, and there's something about it that's so alluring once paired with a timestamp. The most recent example (and the one @scotteweinberg dared me to write about) was this Tweet from @F_Gary_Gray, director of the upcoming Law Abiding Citizen:



Continued below the jump

'Captain Blood' Remake Heads for Outer Space

Filed under: Action », Classics », Casting », Deals », Warner Brothers », Fandom », Scripts », Remakes and Sequels »

If you know your pirates and are a fan of classic cinema, then I'm sure I don't need to tell you about Captain Blood. The 1935 swashbuckling classic starred Errol Flynn as a doctor convicted of treason who escapes to the Caribbean to join forces with a French pirate, and was the role that made Flynn a star. But here we are 74 years later and suddenly the word 'remake' started to come up in conversation over at Warner Bros. That was almost a year ago, but not only is the film still in the works, the story is about to get one hell of a venue change. Variety now reports that Daybreakers duo Michael and Peter Spierig have been hired to direct an update that would transplant the action to outer space.

Back in December, Monika brought us the news that John Brownlow had been hired to pen a faithful remake, but now it looks like Brownlow will be going back to square one with his script. Blood's producer, Bill Gerber, promises that even though there are some changes afoot for the update, "There are some things you don't mess with, and that is as classic a movie storyline as you will ever find."

But here's the big question: Who will be our new Captain Blood? It's a mighty big part to fill; Flynn was a legend of Hollywood and the granddaddy for every bad-boy with a heart of gold to come after him. It's a role that requires charm, action, and a way with the ladies. The project could be a gamble for WB, but I guess as long as it doesn't turn into Ice Pirates 2, things should work out just fine.

After the jump: My suggestions for the new interstellar Captain Blood
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Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper, Justin Timberlake Finalists for 'Green Lantern'

Filed under: Action », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Casting », Warner Brothers », RumorMonger », Newsstand », Comic/Superhero/Geek »

Hal Jordan might just be bringing sexy back. Or he might look an awful lot like Deadpool. Or he might just have a really wicked hangover.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros and director Martin Campbell have narrowed he who will wear the ring to three candidates: afore-mentioned Bradley Cooper , Ryan Reynolds, and Justin Timberlake. (Give one up for Ain't It Cool News, who had Timberlake in the suit on Thursday.) Lest you think these are just overblown screentests, THR reports that Timberlake, Cooper, and Reynolds all had holding deals with the studio, though all three expired Monday. That puts the clock to ticking and will force the studio to make a decision soon, as they'll be free to accept new roles. They've all done two rounds of screen tests, and survived the other finalists, including Michael Fassbender, Henry Cavill, and Jared Leto.

So, there you have it. My personal pick would be Cooper, because Reynolds is already associated with Deadpool, and I don't like my superheroes crossing over into other superhero roles. I think we all know that if Timberlake nabs the role, all hell is going to break loose, though I'm willing to keep an open mind. The most unlikely choices have consistently worked for superhero roles, and Timberlake could shock everyone. Besides, it's not that hard to see -- he's got the cockiness of a test pilot, the charisma of a superhero, the physicality for the stuntwork, and the cleft chin. He's proved to be a capable actor, and I really think time and experience could make him into a very good one. The only real issue I see with it is that it smacks of stunt casting, and a way to lure in audience members who wouldn't know Abin Sur from Ras al Ghul.

News Bites: Beethoven, 90210, and PG Porn

Filed under: Action », Comedy », Deals », Shorts », Distribution », Family Films », Home Entertainment »

Sixteen years ago, we got Beethoven -- not Ludwig, but rather the big ol' St. Bernard. Just in case four sequels and a stint on television wasn't enough for you, The Hollywood Reporter posts that Universal is releasing yet another direct-to-DVD sequel on December 30 -- Beethoven's Big Break. I guess they gave up punning on Ludwig with their titles. But just because it's not going to the big screen doesn't mean you can't see the pup in huge glory -- it seems that a giant Beethoven balloon will be part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year. I bet it'll be cuter than the movie.

In other DVD news: Have you ever scoured the DVD shelves, discovered some strange, old film with current stars, and comment on how someone unearthed the crappy flick to make money on the actor's newfound fame? Well, this next bit is something like that. THR also reports that ex 90210 gals Tori Spelling and Shannen Doherty are hitting DVD shelves with Kiss the Bride and Kiss Me Deadly (respectively, and I don't think connected) to tap into some of that spotlight currently shining once again on Beverly Hills High. Ever watch either flick? Thumbs up ... down?

Finally, James Gunn's PG Porn has debuted. You can check it out after the jump. Remember -- just because Aria Giovanni is in it doesn't mean that it's going to be explicit. So, check out Nathan Fillion acting like a porn star who doesn't get the goods -- it's not quite Funny or Die funny, but I'll definitely keep watching.

New 'Wonder Woman' Trailer Lacks Voice(s)

Filed under: Animation », Casting », Movie Marketing », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Trailers and Clips »



Have you seen the recently-released trailer for the animated Wonder Woman? If not, you can check it out above.

Firstly, I must admit that they certainly did a great job portraying Wonder Woman's toughness, although it's a bit tainted by the lone piece of dialogue in the trailer: "It's not polite to hit a lady." There's nothing to weaken the muscles of toughness like references to ladies and impoliteness. If they changed "lady" to "goddess," then I'd be good -- it would be a nice play on words.

Anyway, what really surprises me is that there's no dialogue, save for the above quote. Sure, it's important to show the action, but considering the voice talent connected to this project, I see no better way to get people interested. Keri Russell is Wonder Woman, Virginia Madsen is Hypolyta, Nathan Fillion is Steve Trevor, Alfred Molina is Ares, Oliver Platt is Hades, Rosario Dawson is Artemis, and David McCallum is Zeus.

Now that's the sales kicker for me. The feature will hit shelves in February of 2009.

Elisabeth's Favorite Moments of SDCC 08

Filed under: Festival Reports », Fandom », ComicCon »



How fast time flies! A week ago today, we were all hitting the convention floor, and having to battle for seats to the Masters of Web panel. I can't believe it's all over -- and I can't believe I haven't recovered. The bright-eyed Lara Croft you saw only days ago is barely recognizable in the physical wreck that I am now. Despite the toll it takes every year, I'm always sorry when it ends. I miss San Diego, the ocean, the fabulous tacos at the Tin Fish, and the surprises around every corner. But most of all, I miss meeting up with my friends after a long day of panels, enjoying my well-earned dinner, and showing off my swag. While I'm happy to be home in my own bed, and snuggling with my pug, I can't help but miss the thrills of con. So, it's my turn to recap my favorite moments of the con, and hope that those of you who were there have recovered enough to share yours, too.

-- The Watchmen panel. Maybe the Q&A wasn't all that great (no fault of those onstage), but the footage was just so cool. There is a lot of film footage trotted out at SDCC, and while much of it is cool, very little is jaw-dropping. 300 was probably the last time I was truly impressed with what I saw in Hall H, Watchmen may have topped it. (It's even convinced my mom to read the graphic novel! Let's all cheer!)

-- The Owl Ship. The floor displays this year were pretty tame, but this would take the cake in any given year. Whenever I doubt that anyone at SDCC has read a comic book, something like the Owl Ship lands and sends everyone into a nerdy tizzy. At any given time, you could find a crowd exclaiming over it, not because it was from a movie, but because it was from a comic book. Amazing.

Dr. Horrible is Here! Catch it Before It's Gone!

Filed under: Music & Musicals », Fandom », Home Entertainment », Comic/Superhero/Geek »

If you're an iTunes subscriber and a Joss Whedon fiend, you were probably giggling yesterday as most fans (like me) kept desperately refreshing and going back to drhorrible.com all day to see Act I of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Now it's up on the new server with no problems and a lot of singing goodness. Free! Some days I really, really love the Internet!

Having just watched Act I for myself, I can tell you that it is so worth the 13 minutes and 49 seconds. It starts off mellow (but still funny), and soon enough -- there are simple, yet ridiculously catchy songs, evil schemes and deeds, and that charming Captain Hammer.

Think Venture Brothers done Whedon style, and the only critique I can come up with right now is that "The Evil League of Evil" doesn't sound as cool as "The Guild of Calamitous Intent." Still, I'm happy. Neil Patrick Harris. Nathan Fillion. Felicia Day. Pure, musical awesome.

Oh yeah, and the MySpace page even has a comic!

Finally! A Trailer for 'Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog'!

Filed under: Fandom », Home Entertainment », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Trailers and Clips »


Teaser from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog on Vimeo.

I might adore Joss Whedon, but I don't think I'm biased when I say that the above trailer for Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is the best thing since sliced bread. Check it out above. Aren't I right? Good lord, I could watch the trailer on repeat. It's further proof that with enough talent, you don't need a lot of money to make something great. Yeah, this isn't exactly a big-screen piece of cinema news, but we're talking Nathon Fillion, Neil Patrick Harris, Adam Baldwin*, Felicia Day, and Joss Whedon -- all of whom have been in films, most of whom have been in some pretty awesome films (or made them).

But to keep this on the movie track: I hereby declare that no one should make a crappy spoof movie unless Joss is involved. Watching the trailer, I kept thinking about Date Movie, Disaster Movie, and all the rest of the crap that has come out, and how Whedon could've made them monumentally better.

And one more thing: When is Nathan Fillion getting his own superhero or bad-guy role on the big screen? Look at him -- he's perfect for it!

*Unfortunately, the man with the goggle-like thing, that I mistook for Adam Baldwin, is actually (I think) Rob Reinis.

Rumor Patrol: Is Thomas Jane 'Jonah Hex'?

Filed under: Casting », Warner Brothers », RumorMonger », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Images », Western »



So what do you think? Is former Punisher Thomas Jane the right man to bring gun-slinging Jonah Hex to the big screen? Film School Rejects is posting what they claim might be test shots of Jane as Hex in the adaptation of John Albano and Tony DeZuniga's western comic -- and if it's a fake, it's a darn good one. The photo might look legit, but there hasn't even been a casting announcement for the film, which leads me to believe that it could just be an overzealous fan with some time on their hands (and Photoshop on their computer). There had been some chatter that Firefly's Nathan Fillion was in talks for the lead, but nothing was ever confirmed.

Hex is the story of a former confederate solider turned bounty hunter with a drinking problem and an itchy trigger finger. In the original run of the comic, Hex stuck to traditional western story lines, but in a later incarnation, there was a touch of the supernatural thrown in; pitting Jonah against zombies and werewolves. Warners first announced the project last year, with Crank's Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor to write and direct; the two had promised that they would be using the later 'supernatural' editions of Hex as a starting point for the story.

But for now, it's all rumor and speculation, so stay tuned to Cinematical for the official word.

UPDATE: Shock says it's a fake, straight from the mouth of Mark Neveldine. So there goes that ...

UPDATE 2: FSR spoke to Jane who says the photo is real, and it was part of his audition to play the character.
 
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