Runaways Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Well look who's all grown up. It seems like just yesterday that little Dakota Fanning was winning the world over as precocious little girl, and then horrifying us as a tween rape victim. But now she just might be one of the biggest icons in girl-power history. Variety reports that Fanning is currently in negotiations to star in The Runaways, the story of the all-girl proto-punk band of the same name. Fanning is in talks to play Runaway's lead singer, Cherie Currie, alongside Kristen Stewart (as Joan Jett). But that's not all, because at the bottom of the same notice, Variety also confirmed that the gal is booked for the Twilight sequel, New Moon later this year, with Fanning at her blood-thirsty best.

But back to Runaways, because lord knows there will be plenty of time to dissect New Moon between now and November, 2009. Cherie Currie was a 15-year-old (the same age as Fanning) dynamo who made her musical debut with the Runaways, and despite her young age was known for her rough and ready singing style. After leaving the group, she recorded some solo albums and even tried her hand at acting, but like so many before her, Currie became caught up in drugs and a hard-partying lifestyle -- but luckily for her, she managed to sort herself out before becoming another punk casualty. Her book, Neon Angel: The Cherie Currie Story, served as the source material for the film and was adapted by The Runaways director, Floria Sigismondi.

The Runaways is scheduled to start production this spring, and New Moon was rumored to start shooting this month. So I hope that Stewart and Fanning get along, because it looks like the two are going to be spending an awful lot of time together in the near future.

Cabin in the woods, ooooh. A cabin in the woods (yeah). I don't know if it'll be about five college students on their way to an old, abandoned cabin in the woods, but there's a project on Joss Whedon's plate that isn't Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog or Dollhouse. In a discussion with MTV, the uber-awesome Buffy creator talked about the projects that are coming to fruition, and those that are falling to the weight of busy schedules. We already know about the awesome Dr. Horrible, and the sing-along commentary, but what else is there?

Cabin in the Woods. While this may seem more like Sam Raimi territory, it's actually a project being cooked up between Whedon and Buffy writer and Cloverfield scribe Drew Goddard. The latter says: "It's got a harder and darker edge, but it's also got classic Whedon qualities. It'll rip your heart out and be heartfelt at the same time." He wouldn't say what it's about other than how it'll be their take on the horror-filled cabin experience. Right now, Whedon says that they're working out budgeting, and hopefully it'll be figured out soon. Considering the depth he brought to the vampire slayer, I can only imagine...

However, if you were hoping to see Joss involved in Brian K. Vaughan's Runaways production, dream on. Whedon already has "guilt" over his busy-ness and lack of involvement in the project. He's also got Serving Girl, a short he planned with Summer Glau, on the back burner because he's got his gigs lined up while Glau is "busy terminating everybody."

"I'm only one man!" he cried to MTV. That may be the case, but he's a man while awesome-sounding projects on the way.

Earlier this month, Marvel Studios, basking in Iron Man's smashing success, announced its production schedule for the next few years: nothing in 2009, Iron Man 2 and Thor in 2010, Captain America and The Avengers in 2011. A couple of weeks later we got a scoop that two more Spider-Man sequels might be in the works, to be shot simultaneously. Now, Marvel has tweaked its earlier announcement with a rarity: the possibility that a comic written this century might get lavish big-screen treatment. Runaways, written by Lost writer and co-producer Brian K. Vaughan, is now in development with Vaughan himself writing the screenplay (another rarity). There's no director, cast or release date just yet.

The comic, which is available in a series of volumes like this one, follows six kids who discover that their parents are actually a cabal of super-villains. They run away and vow to fight, discovering their own inherited powers in the meantime. It's a killer concept, and the teen-oriented material could have very broad appeal. What's interesting, too, is that Joss Whedon recently took over the series from Vaughan; might he get involved in the movie sooner or later? I suppose it might depend on how his new show fares.