joel silver Tagged Articles at Cinematical

The cover of Whitley Strieber's The Nye Incidents (as well as that famous Communion cover) is enough to scare the crap out of me, so I really don't relish the idea of sitting through a big screen adaptation of it. Nevertheless, I'll have to because it's on its way courtesy of Dark Castle, who has snatched up the rights. According to Variety, Todd Lincoln is set to direct, but no screenwriter is attached.

Devil's Due (who has a preview up) claims this is the story Strieber was "too terrified to tell himself," a viewpoint that is oddly shared by Amazon's one lone reviewer. It's centered on a medical examiner named Lynn Devlin who copes, as all M.E.'s and pathologists of pop culture do, with cool, rational logic. But in true Agent Scully / Temperance Brennan fashion, she is faced with something she can't explain away ... the gruesome murder of an alien abductee, and frightening dreams of oval shaped eyes.

In other words, its exactly the kind of alien story that makes me sleep with the lights on. (I know, I'm a dork.) I'm afraid your girl geek will fail you on this one, as there's no way in hell I will read it and tell you whether or not it'll make a cool movie. However, it warms my heart a little to know that the truth is still out there, flying free and making medical examiners doubt their belief in science.

For legions of Joss Whedon fans, one of his most lovable qualities is his outspoken nature. Sometimes it gets him into a little trouble, but hey, its all in good fun right? Well, DC Comics might not see it that way now that Whedon has thrown in his two cents about why DC hasn't had the same success as Marvel when it comes to bringing comic books to the multiplex. Elisabeth brought us the bad news back in January, that WB had put their DC properties on hold for the foreseeable future (with maybe the exception of a certain caped crusader), but, there are still a few DC properties that have survived. With Jonah Hex and the Green Lantern at the top of the list.

So what makes some superheroes successful at the box-office while others are destined to languish in development? According to Whedon it all comes down to humanity -- and what else would you expect from one the biggest touchy-feely comic book geeks around. Whedon says, "DC's characters, like Wonder Woman and Superman and Green Lantern, were all very much removed from humanity. Batman was the only character they had who was so rooted in pain, that had that same gift that the Marvel characters had, which was that gift of humanity that we can relate to." Even though Whedon is an expert when it comes to comics, I'm not sure if he has me convinced. The genius of a character like Superman is exploring the feelings of isolation and the price that is paid when you become someones protector and savior -- and if you need a great example of how to bring somebody like Superman into the real world, check out Tom DeHaven's It's Superman!

After the jump, Whedon gives the lowdown on Wonder Woman...

When it comes to Veronica Mars, I know fans have some pretty strong feelings about the possibility of their beloved TV show getting the big-screen treatment -- but it looks like fans are going to have to get used to the idea. iF Magazine recently spoke with Mars creator, Rob Thomas and he told them that the unexpected scale-back of his current series Cupid has freed up plenty of time to get to work on the feature film version of the teen sleuth, and that it looks like a feature film will be gearing up for production.

For those of you who might have missed Veronica's short run on TV, here is a little primer: Mars (as played by Kristen Bell) was a high school student/private investigator who each week would take on a different small town mystery. Once described as "a little bit Buffy, and a little bit Bogart", Mars would solve crimes all the while dealing with the blow back from being abandoned by the popular crowd, and some serious personal issues. The show was beloved by fans, and even though it only lasted three seasons, it hasn't stopped fans from being awfully protective of their blond P.I.

The last time we heard from J. Michael Straczynski about his remake-but-not-really of The Forbidden Planet, it ended up being a lot of misquotes that the screenwriter quickly refuted. MTV caught up with him this week, and he explained his take on the classic sci-fi film: "I've always wanted to do something involving Forbidden Planet. It's my favorite science-fiction film of all time. I've watched the rights go from one company to the next. I heard that the rights at Dreamworks were about to expire and I went to Joel Silver and said I think if you move quickly you can grab it and I can write it. And he did. It's the dream of a lifetime to play in that universe."

While he remained relatively tight-lipped on the plot, Straczynski was careful to point out what it isn't. "I told Joel [Silver] this is how you do Forbidden Planet without pissing on the original that no one has ever thought of. When I told [the idea] to him, his eyes lit up. It's not a remake. It's not a reimagining. It's not exactly a prequel. You'll have to see it. It's something that no one has thought of when it comes to this storyline."

While in London last week visiting the set of Sherlock Holmes, Cinematical had a chance to sit down with producers Joel Silver and Susan Downey and chat up a bunch of projects that may or may not still be in the works. There's been a whole bunch of chatter recently surrounding Lethal Weapon 5, and how Mel Gibson didn't want to do it, but Shane Black did ... blah blah blah. Well Cinematical asked Silver flat out whether a Lethal sequel was in the cards, and here's what he had to say: "No, I tried and we talked about it, but it was something that Mel didn't want to do now. It doesn't mean that he wants to do it ever, but as of right now, he didn't, and if we can do it, it would be fun to do. Shane (Black) had a great take on it, a great idea, great feeling about it. He did a really complex kind of treatment/outline, very complicated and very good, but we can do it one day. The idea that they wanted to get it up right away, we couldn't do that, but we'll see what happens."

Both Sgt. Rock (based on the popular comic) and a remake of The Dirty Dozen are in similar situations. Both projects had been circling Guy Ritchie, but following RockNRolla, the writer-director wanted to go back to work right away and not only was Sherlock Holmes "different and unique," but it was also the farthest along in development.

I'm inside the oldest church in London, tucked into a cold, creepy corner with three other online journalists, and we're sitting on wooden benches older than our grandfather's grandfather while mega-producer Joel Silver speaks right through the loud gun shots going off in the background as if they didn't even exist. Surreal? Yes. Exhilarating? Definitely. Over in the main section of the church, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Dr. Watson (Jude Law) are filming a crucial scene on three cameras (before they switch to hand-held), while Guy Ritchie -- who, might I add, directs wearing a nice, sharp grey suit -- strums an acoustic guitar between shots. Even though there are roughly 40-or-so crew members lingering about, this is probably one of the more intimate sets I've ever been on. It's dusty, spooky and kinda dangerous; above me hangs a memorial stone engraved in Latin, and all I understand are the dates 1582-1616 scrolled underneath. God, this place is old.

Later on, as we stand around a set of monitors, someone taps me on the shoulder. I turn to find Joel Silver with a laptop, a pair of headphones and a smile a mile wide. Though they'd only been shooting this film for three weeks, Ritchie managed to cut together a scene and he wanted us to see it. I sit down, Silver delicately places the laptop on the table in front of me, and as the realization sets in that I'm practically the first person to view an actual scene from one of the most talked-about films of 2009, he hits play. Roughly two minutes later, I stand up, look over to Silver (who's obviously waiting for a response), and the only words that manage to escape my mouth are: "Now that's Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes!"

We'll have much more from the set of Sherlock Holmes (including interviews with Downey Jr., Jude Law, Joel Silver, Eddie Marsan and producers Susan Downey and Lionel Wigram) at a later date. The film is due in theaters on November 20, 2009.

The remake of The Forbidden Planet has danced around Hollywood for years, with various big names like James Cameron dropping in and out of the project. Now it's finally moving forward at Warner Bros, with determined producer Joel Silver at the production helm, and the ever-popular J. Michael Straczynski penning the script. Still, it was news that wasn't welcome to several of our readers, which is understandable. It's a sci-fi classic, and beloved by many.

Well, this might ease your fears a little bit. The gang over at Ain't It Cool News snagged some exclusive details. Apparently, Straczynski's script will be more of a continuation, or a companion piece, than an actual remake. It's possible the new movie retcons the story a bit, and leaves Altair 4 intact and alive. The beloved Robby the Robot will be in it, and the movie will be "an enormous, giant, retro sci-fi movie ... nothing sleek or 'chromy'" in its visuals.

If you were a Babylon 5 fan, you know Straczynski's love for the original film runs as deep as anyone else's. It sounds like he's trying to do right by the story, and yet give fans a little something new. If it's a movie that continues the nightmares of the original, I think that could be pretty darn cool, and a nice break from the reboots and outright remakes that are taking over Hollywood. But, let's turn it over to you Planet fans in the comments, and see if this softens the blow, or just rubs salt in the wound.

OK, get it out of your system right now, before we begin. All together now: "Holy crap I can't believe they're remaking an unquestionable classic like XXXX and I'm completely certain that Hollywood has officially run out of new ideas. Argh!" Feel better? Good, because an unquestionable classic like Forbidden Planet is officially being remade.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. and producer Joel Silver are moving forward on their new version of the 1956 sci-fi favorite, which itself was (loosely) based on Shakespeare's The Tempest, so that makes it sort of a remake in its own right. From THR: The original "told the tale of an expedition sent from Earth to check on a colony of scientists on a far-off planet. They find two members, a man who has found alien technology that doubled his intellect, Dr. Morbius, and his daughter, both of whom have managed to survive an unseen monster roaming the planet." And yes, this is the one with Robbie the Robot. Classic character to be sure, but dare I say one that is ripe for a "re-imagining"?

The new version will spring from the word processor of J. Michael Straczynski, a veteran sci-fi creator who recently went in a new direction with his screenplay for Clint Eastwood's Changeling. And while I'd definitely agree that Forbidden Planet is one of the true-blue classics of the sci-fi genre, I'd also admit that I'm pretty interested to see where a new version would go. Obviously a lot depends on who Silver and WB tap to direct the remake.

And heck, are there many more science fiction classics that haven't been scheduled for a remake? Between War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, I Am Legend, The Invasion, Planet of the Apes, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and When Worlds Collide ... has anyone optioned this one for a remake yet?

If you read my posts regularly, you might be under the impression that the only movies that make me truly weak in the knees are Marvel adaptations. But my heart belongs more to rogue cops than it does superheroes, and if I could have my film wish, it would be for a renaissance of the action/thriller. And you know, I think it might be on its way ...

First comes a story from The Hollywood Reporter that Paramount has hired Josh Olson to adapt Lee Child's novel One Shot. It's the ninth in Child's Jack Reacher series -- why they aren't adapting the first, I have no idea. Now, I haven't read the series, but from all accounts Reacher is the kind of man we haven't seen onscreen since Harry Callahan or Wendell "Bud" White. And that's why Olson (who was also behind the adaptation of A History of Violence) took the job: "I had just finished watching the first two Dirty Harry movies on Blu-ray. And I thought, 'No one's making movies like that anymore.' It coincided perfectly. It's just the kind of movie that I haven't seen in a while. It's a tough, smart, action-oriented thriller." (In a really funny twist, I was watching Dirty Harry last weekend and thinking the same thing -- and also how much I want to date Clint Eastwood circa 1971.)

Obviously, One Shot isn't enough to revive the genre, but Entertainment Weekly reports that rumors continue to gather around Lethal Weapon 5, particularly with Shane Black's Cold Warrior catching everyone's interest. Seems he's down for writing and directing the fifth installment, though all waits on the approval of Mel Gibson. I'm intrigued by the new story details, as it introduces a pair of young New York cops. Now, if Lethal Weapon 5 was more of a reboot/origin story for two new characters who could carry some films of their own, well, that would be pretty darn cool.