universal studios Tagged Articles at Cinematical

I am appalled this awesome little news item slipped past my radar, and even more upset that I am just now hearing that Rashida Jones has a comic book called Frenemy of the State at Oni Press. As if that isn't neat enough, Variety reports that Frenemy has just been optioned by Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment. I mean, a comic book that's not only penned by a woman, but stars a young woman is actually being optioned. It's the stuff geek girl dreams are made of.

But I'm jumping the gun a little here, because if you're as out of the loop as I was, you don't know what Frenemy of the State is about. It stars a young heiress who works undercover for the CIA, and was described at ComicCon as "What if Paris Hilton was a spy?" But Jones describes the heroine as being a little classier than that: "She has lived a life of privilege, attended the best schools and learned every language, but her obsession with spying on exes gets her into trouble and she is recruited to be a spy in exchange for not going to prison. There is a comic element to it, this girl who is so conscious of social standing and wearing the right shoes, suddenly becoming responsible for these dangerous, life-threatening missions." If that sounds a bit drippy, remember that Lara Croft started off as a careless young heiress too, until she discovered the thrill of artifacts and firearms.

If you're a fan of the classic Universal Studios movie monsters, including Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Mummy, and more, then you've probably found yourself haunted by a severe lack of ginormous books that focus on your obsession. With Halloween just around the corner, Michael Mallory's Universal Studios Monsters: A Legacy of Horror arrives just in time.

It's chock full of over 300 black and white and 25 color behind-the-scenes photos, original movie posters, publicity shots, and articles from people like James Whale (director of Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and many more), makeup marvel Jack P. Piece, FX man John Fulton, and more. It's officially endorsed by the studio, so I'm not sure if this will be the Bela Lugosi tell-all expose that you're looking for. The whole package is 252 pages long, and at 9" by 12 ", it can double as a blunt object if you need to brain anyone.

Check out a very cool exclusive pic from the book over at Horror Squad.

Like everyone in the civilized world, I love Robert Downey Jr., and it's because I love him that I fervently hope that this fangbanger rumor hits sunlight, and bursts into flames. Bloody Disgusting reports that Universal is looking to cash in on the blood-sucking frenzy, and reboot Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles, and that Downey is in talks to play the famous Lestat de Lioncourt.

Lestat was the hero of most of Rice's vampire novels. Blond, bisexual, and a blend of poetry and snark, his seductive powers led him into all kinds of scrapes. He seduced men and women, ran around with the Devil, swapped bodies with humans, seduced the first vampire (who just happened to be an Egyptian queen), and found time to be a rock star. At thirteen, he was one of the most wonderful literary characters I had ever met and by my 20s I found him pretty annoying. Your mileage may vary. But I was one of the few who actually liked Neil Jordan's Interview with the Vampire, and enjoyed Tom Cruise in the role, and was always disappointed that they didn't go on to make The Vampire Lestat together. I think Cruise could have done good things with that installment.

To bring it back now just feels wrong. It feels like a series that time has just passed by, and so much of Rice has been ripped off by every vampire series after that it's not going to really offer anything new. But if they go through with it (and with Twilight and True Blood winding everyone up, I have no doubt they will), they have to look elsewhere for Lestat, don't you think? Downey is wrong for the role, far more ill-suited to the Frenchman's fangs than Cruise ever was. Hopefully, it won't come to pass, and a new Chronicles will only happen in a universe where Alexander Skarsgard can take the role because he isn't on True Blood.

Don't you just love when you hear about Hollywood options before ComicCon, so that you can pick them up at the con as a tasty treat for the ride home? Somehow I've missed catching Fear Agent, but I can sense a new addiction coming on, and just in time for the movie adaptation.

THR's Risky Biz Blog reports that Universal is in the early stages of developing Rick Remender's series Fear Agent. If you're like me, and never got to pick it up, the official site has a 23-page preview of Volume 1 up. The star of the series is one Heath Houston, a Texan who is one of the last "fear agents," a fancier way of saying "alien hunter." He's one of the last guys out there fighting the good fight to save planet Earth, but unfortunately he chooses to do it under the influence of whiskey. Yay for bitter, alcholic heroes! He reads like a cross between Bruce Campbell, Wolverine, and John McClane and could be a nice, beefy part for any actor worth his machismo. (I believe there were a few of those passed over for The Green Lantern -- maybe they could give this space cop a try?)

It's currently open to writers, but the studio may buy up a spec owned by producer Jonathan Shestack, and bring him on to help oversee the project. So far, of all the Universal / Dark Horse pair-ups, this one looks the most exciting, and a snarky antidote to Star Trek.

Gore Verbinski and Bioshock just can't catch a break. Back in April, Universal put the breaks on the video game adaptation because of its swollen budget, estimated to be $160 million and rising. The studio was pushing Verbinski to move production to the U.K. and take advantage of the tax credits there.

Even then, Verbinski seemed reluctant to uproot the production, and now he's told the LA Times that he may be off the film because of it. "The bottom line is it has to shoot out of the States for budget reasons and my schedule may be prohibitive. There's a great script and a really interesting cast. It really comes down to the financial model now. Big movies are just not being shot in the States. I'm weighing whether I can physically go the U.K. or Australia or one of those other places with a tax rebate for a year-and-a-half."

It's entirely possible Verbinski will walk, and Bioshock will go forward with another director who won't mind going overseas to shoot. In the meantime, we can wonder if "interesting cast" is a confirmation that Wentworth Miller is really to play Frank Fontaine (doubtful since his alleged Twitter account that produced the rumor has been suspended), wonder who could replace Verbinski, and lament that the U.S. ships its big movies overseas in this economic crunch.

Hmm, how do I want to be crushed to death today: by a giant freakin' robot from another planet, or by a freak-ish contraption some warped serial killer dreamt up? Chillax folks, no one has gone and created a theme park ride that kills people (except for that one time when ... and that other time ... oh, and remember that time ...). Visitors to Universal Parks & Resorts will be treated to a brand new Transformers attraction at the parks in both Hollywood and Singapore come early 2011. Variety tells us the ride will "use 3-D HD footage with special effects, robotics and track to place humans in the middle of a war between the friendly Autobots and evil Decepticons, who can turn into cars, trucks, planes and other vehicles." No word on whether they'll be a Megan Fox ride for adults over the age of 18, but Vegas is only a few hours away from Hollywood, so ...

But maybe you're not into a ride that tries to trick your brain with dumb 3-D images and harmless explosions. Perhaps you want something a little more ... ballsy. Well, as previously reported, a theme park in the UK is actually planning a ride based on the Saw franchise. Instead of silly robot wars, however, this one boasts a beyond vertical drop of 100-degree from a height of 100ft, as well as three inversions. Nutty, huh?

So which would you choose to ride first?

It looks like another quiet week in the land of the geek -- particularly since all my friends are off at Fantastic Fest. If you're one of the lucky people attending, eat a Wild at Artichoke Hearts pizza for me at the Alamo Drafthouse. I lie awake at night thinking about it, and wishing for the skill to replicate it.

• The biggest news of the weekend was a story that hit Variety late Friday night: Stephen Chow has landed the role of Kato in The Green Hornet and the director's chair. Rumors and Seth Rogen's wishes have attached him for some time, but now it's official, and definitely shows that the project is going to be heavy on the comedy. (Incidentally, I never realized before now what huge Green Hornet fans my geek parents were -- let's just say Rogen's ears must be burning.) The movie is scheduled to be released June 25th, 2010.
  

• Tintin has run into some major financial problems. According to the LA Times, Universal has passed on the film, leaving Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson to scramble for a new studio to financially back them. It's as embarrassing as you can imagine -- not only because its two of the biggest names in the business, but because Spielberg may have to make nice with Paramount (who's financing half the film) just as he and David Geffen are trying to extricate themselves from it. It also leaves Spielberg without a project to direct, as Tintin was supposed to be next in line, and it delays the whole thing even longer. But hey, at least struggling directors the world over can now do something they never thought possible -- feel just like Spielberg!
  

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Oni Press just inked another deal with Universal. This time, it is for The Last Call, a two volume series by Vasilis Lolos. The adaptation will be penned by Evan Spiliotopoulos.

The story is a horror-adventure about two young teens who are out for a joyride in a stolen car, when they are struck by a "ghost train." The train is responsible for ferrying departed souls from one dimension to another, and the boys find themselves in a bit of trouble when they are caught riding without a ticket. In trying to escape, they find themselves embroiled in a mystery that, if solved, may allow them to return to the living.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Universal has snagged the rights to The Dragonology Handbook. It purports to be a nonfiction guide to the mythical beasts, penned by Victorian researcher Dr. Ernest Drake.

You've probably seen this book (or one of its relatives like Pirateology or Egyptology) on the bargain rack of your local Barnes and Noble. They are quite lovely to look at, but they are like a coffee table book for children. Pretty to look at, vaguely educational when discussing Greek myths, but not exactly storytime material. When there are so many children's books that tell great stories, it's downright disheartening to see what Hollywood picks up to spin into a tale for the kiddie set.