Just when you thought Astro Boy was never going to make it to the big screen, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We have received the official press release from Imagi Studios and Summit Entertainment (who are partnering for the flick) with the full cast for the anime update. Imagi finally found their lead in Freddie Highmore back in February and they have announced that joining Highmore in the cast are Nicolas Cage, Bill Nighy, Nathan Lane, and Eugene Levy. There is no word yet on which characters from the original series will be making an appearance, but I could definitely see Lane doing a respectable job as Hamegg.

Astro Boy is the story of a boy robot looking for love and acceptance after being abandoned by his creator. After a Pinocchio-like journey of servitude in a circus, Astro was whisked off to safety by the understanding Professor Ochanomizu. Of course, Astro also spent his time battling mad scientists and out of control robots in between bouts of abandonment issues.

It looks like Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum are popping out of the woodwork today. Empire Online reports that in an interview with TV Guide, James Marsters (better known as Spike) gave them a few tidbits about the upcoming big-screen version of the classic anime, Dragonball Z. (Marsters plays Piccolo, the main baddie in the story.) The actor told TV Guide: "Oh, Dragonball is the coolest television cartoon in the last 50,000 years. It's got a Shakespearean sense of good and evil. The movie has incredible action scenes with characters with unbelievable powers. It's going to be really visually exciting." While I've got nothing against Dragonball Z, 'Shakespearean' is a bit of an overstatement.

News of the film adaptation first hit back in October, and the casting notices have been appearing fast and furious ever since. Joining Marsters is Chow-Yun Fat as Master Roshi, Justin Chatwin (War of the Worlds) as Goku, and Emily Rossum as Bulma. James Wong adapted Akira Toriyama's original manga, and his script focuses on a "warrior alien who protects the Earth from an endless stream of rogues bent on dominating the universe and controlling mystical objects known as Dragon Balls." When Wong first signed on to write and direct, it didn't exactly go over all that well with fans. Well, at least Wong has Marsters' vote of confidence; on the official Dragonball site, Marsters said: "I'm not really allowed to talk about any of the movie details, but I can say that (writer/director) James Wong is obviously a gifted and insightful director." Dragonball is currently shooting on location in Mexico, and is set for release on August 15th.

While I never really considered myself a huge Astro Boy fan, for some reason I'm really starting to look forward to ImagiAnimation's feature film about the little robot boy fighting danger while struggling to reconcile his circuitry with his burgeoning humanity. First Showing got the chance to speak with animator/director Colin Brady (Toy Story 2) and got an exclusive first look at some of the concept art for the film. So for the fans who were worried that their beloved Astro was going to get a big-budget makeover; don't worry, it looks like it's still the boy-robot you know and love. Although, for fans of the TV version back in the 60's (or its revival back in 2003), I'm afraid Brady has done away with the kitschy 60's vibe -- and instead, he'll be making an "epic Sci Fi fantasy".

Brady tells FirstShowing, "AstroBoy is kind of a dark Pinocchio story, but unlike Pinocchio, Astro never can become real flesh and blood. Astro's journey of self discovery and acceptance is directly linked to the hardcore killer robot fights, and to the rejection by his creator, Dr. Tanner". Brady also hinted that the film wasn't going to be strictly for the kids: "We're going for as hard PG as we can. Luckily robot violence is less disturbing than humans fighting each other with guns". Amen to that. So far there is no word on a cast but Brady did say it would likely be a mix of American and Japanese actors, but that "they have to be right for the part". Astro Boy is scheduled for release in 2009.

So while we are all trying to cope with the fallout of the writers strike, it still seems like it's business as usual in Hollywood -- at least for the productions that were given pre-strike priority. ComingSoon reports that Mexican newspaper El Norte says that the big-screen version of Dragon Ball Z is coming to shoot on location in Durango, Mexico. Back in October, rumors first surfaced that James Wong of X-Files fame was slated to direct a live-action version of the classic manga. Judging by what I've seen in terms of fan reaction to the choice, it doesn't look like Wong has gotten the seal of approval just yet.

First appearing on Japanese television in 1989, Dragon Ball Z was based on the original Dragon Ball manga. The story focused on Son Goku (the protagonist from the original manga) now passing along his "butt-kicking wisdom" to his sons. According to ComingSoon, the script for the film will focus on a "young boy called Goku. He faces Evil Vegueta [sic], who tries to destroy the hero to prove that Goku is not the legendary warrior many believe he is".

While original reports had the film shooting in Montreal Canada, I guess the allure of warmer climates won out in the end. According to Coming Soon's sources, the production will be using "Mexiquillo Forest, Marley Ranch, Hacienda la Providencia, La Joya Ranch, Laguna Seca de Santiaguillo and a forum from a Convention Center in the Culture Institute". Construction for the sets will begin later in the month, and start shooting in January. Dragon Ball Z is tentatively scheduled for release in 2010.

Fans of the classic anime Astro Boy were probably relieved when Mark had reported last year that the new feature film would not be headed for a 'Hollywood' update. Instead, it was going to take a strictly 'classic' approach to creating an animated feature film -- albeit one with the latest technology. Latino Review has posted an early glimpse at the poster for the flick. I'll admit; I don't know much about Astro Boy (although I always did dig his groovy red 'Rocket Boots') but the eye catching one-sheet does command your attention whether you're a fan or not. Simple, and straight to the point -- which isn't necessarily an easy trick to pull off. The last anyone had heard from the film was in 2006 -- until last week, when IGN reported that Warner Brothers and The Weinstein Company had joined forces with Japan's ImagiAnimation Studios to distribute the film.

Originally broadcast on Japanese television in 1963, the story of Astro Boy is a relatively simple one. Astro Boy (aka Mighty Atom) is a cyborg who was abandoned by his creator and eventually taken in by a kindly professor. Atom then puts his super strength and skills to good use fighting crime and injustice -- usually battling other cyborgs or a variety of other kinds of technology gone awry. Plans for a feature film version have been kicked around since 2001, but it wasn't until last fall that Colin Brady was finally attached to direct. Brady has made a career in visual effects and animation, and Astro Boy will mark his second directorial effort (his first was Everybody's Hero, although he was uncredited). Astro Boy is scheduled for release in 2009.

This OVA (original video animation) is the second animated incarnation of Hellsing, the popular Japanese comic book or manga series. Hellsing was made into an animated television series in 2002 which was broadcast here in the U.S. on Starz Encore Action channel starting in 2003. While I haven't seen the TV version, sources indicate that this new adaptation strives to be more faithful to the original manga.

Hellsing is an organization working for the British government to rid the world of supernatural creatures and things that go bump in the night. The outfit is run by Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing (who, despite the "Sir" title, is a woman), a position she inherited from her father. Along with the family business, Integra has acquired her father's secret weapon for fighting evil: A vampire named Alucard, which is of course, Dracula spelled backwards. Owing, no doubt, to a glitch in the Japanese to English translation, the character is called "Arucard" on the box cover, in chapter titles and on the official website. In any case, he is an extremely powerful creature, even by vampire standards.

I don't know if you are the sort of person who reads comic books and/or manga, but if you aren't, you might want too change very soon or you're going to miss out on some serious action from Henson Company in the coming months. In July, the manga company TokyoPop will be rolling out Return to Labyrinth, a manga story which follows the life of the child Toby (cruelly stolen by David Bowie in his infancy), who is still being secretly watched and guarded by the minions of the Goblin King who have been tasked with keeping him safe until the time comes for him to return to King Jareth's side and rule. Also rolling out in early 2007 will be a Legends of the Dark Crystal manga, but no story details have been released for that title at this time.

If you don't read manga but are thinking this may be a good time to start, you should consider purchasing The Jim Henson Fantasy Collection, which is coming to DVD in early September. Not only will you get several awesome DVDs (including the recent MirrorMask), but you'll also snag yourself previews of both previously-mentioned manga stories. I'm curious as to what role (if any) these stories will play in the rumored sequels to their respective films. Regardless, I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to obtain new Labyrinth tales in any form.

Here's one from deep in the files of "Dear God, please let this never happen," although I already envision an army of rabid fanboys beating a path to my door to kill me for saying that. The story comes from the Japanese magazine called Animage, who report Fox has claimed the rights to Sailor Moon, and hopes to make a live-action, English langauage version of the popular story. And that's not all! The magazine further reports Fox's desire to enlist the writing/directing talents of geek kingpin Joss Whedon, and the acting ... erhem ... talents of Lindsay Lohan, presumably for the title character.

Now I know a lot of you out there are excited by the idea of Lindsay Lohan in a magical school-girl costume, and I know you are already enraged at the idea of anyone suggesting it shouldn't happen, so please don't destroy me in your righteous fanboy wrath. Frankly, I just think there are a dozen or so other anime titles I'd much rather see on the silver screen before Sailor Moon. I don't have anything against it, per se, I just wouldn't put it on the top of the list if we're talking about anime being turned into American film.

[via comics to film]

I bet if I told you a manga title just got optioned by a film studio your jaw would drop in shock, right? You'd be absolutely flabbergasted to hear of such an outrageous risk being taken, I imagine.* Well hang on to your hat, my friend, because the impossible has happened! Germany's Stallion Film has licensed the rights to a Japanese manga series called Wicked City for creation as an live-action, English language film. They've tapped Mark Dippe (the Spawn guy) to direct and co-produce on a $50-60 million budget. Dippe will apparently also be co-writing the film, pulling off the movie trifecta. Now he just needs to cast himself in the film and he'll be covering all angles.

Now I'm not an expert on manga, but I've read my fair share ... and if I remember correctly, Wicked City dances awfully close to the hentai line. I've never actually read the series, so I could be entirely making that up; fans should chime in here to set me straight.

[via Superhero Hype]


*Okay, I'm going to be honest ... I only went with that intro because I wanted to use the word 'flabbergasted.'