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Dan O.Bannon, 63, Passes Away
17 December 2009 9:55 PM, PST
Dan O’Bannon, science fiction screenwriter and director, passed away on December 17, 2009 in Los Angeles. He was best known for his work in the science-fiction and horror genres, with hits that included Alien, Total Recall, and The Return of the Living Dead.
O’Bannon made his first splash in 1974 with Dark Star, which expanded a low-budget, 45-minute short co-written with fellow USC student John Carpenter. Although the film had sci-fi trappings, such as a space ship and cryogenic freezing technology, Dark Star was essentially a quirky, black-hearted comedy about the ship’s misfit crew members. The movie became a cult hit; and not only did O’Bannon work on the screenplay, but he had an acting role as a character named Sgt. Pinback.
A few years later, after working on special computer animation and graphic displays for a little feature called Star Wars, O’Bannon wrote the script for Alien, …
Doc Holiday Straps on His Guns for Paramount
17 December 2009 9:50 PM, PST
Paramount Pictures has picked up the action-adventure spec "The Further Adventures of Doc Holliday" from Chad St. John, with plans to adapt the project into a Western-style tentpole akin to 'Pirates of the Caribbean'.
The studio is keeping the plot under wraps, but the story is described as a history-based action adventure tale in the vein of Pirates. Holliday is the famously tuberculosis-ridden gunfighter best known for his friendship with Western lawman Wyatt Earp and for his role in 1881’s Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Ariz.
The character is historically interesting, and has also been a great source of drama in the past, perhaps most recently as personified by Val Kilmer in 1993's Tomstone. Holliday developed a reputation as a 'gentleman criminal', yet corroboration of his wrongdoings was never apparent; falling into the category of hearsay only.
Hollywood's love affair with the Western has been on again, off …
It's 'Red. vs. 'Saw'
17 December 2009 9:45 PM, PST
Bruce Willis will be taking on Jigsaw next October.
No, it won’t be in the same movie. But Variety is reporting that Summit Entertainment has settled on October 22 as the release date for Red, its espionage thriller based on the DC/WildStorm comic by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner.
Saw VII, the latest in Lionsgate’s torture-porn series, is scheduled for release on the same day. The 'Saw' franchise has become a regular staple of late Octobers, but Red might draw a wider audiences; along with Willis, the film stars Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and Mary Louise-Parker.
The film revolves around a former black-ops CIA agent who has quietly retired, until the day a high-tech assassin shows up to kill him. With his loved ones in danger, the old school spy must reassemble his old team, and figure out who is coming after him. Red is directed by Robert Schwentke. …
Fishburne Joins 'Predators' Cast
17 December 2009 9:40 PM, PST
If he’s tough enough to battle robots that have enslaved humanity, then surely Laurence Fishburne can handle a few Predators, right?
We‘ll find out soon enough. According to Bloody Disgusting, the Matrix star has joined the cast of writer/producer Robert Rodriguez's Predators, the fifth cinematic appearance of the titular alien game hunters. The movie, set for release on July 9, 2010, already features a sizable cast that includes Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Walton Goggins, Alice Braga and Danny Trejo.
Fishburne, who currently stars on the television series CSI, will play a character named Noland, the details of whom remain under wraps. In the film, a group of humans find themselves stranded on the Predators’ home planet and must survive a number of ordeals. At the time Fishburne’s involvement was announced, it had been reported that production had moved from Kolekole, Hawaii to Robert Rodriguez’ studios in Austin, …
Raimi Clashing With Sony Over 'Spider-Man 4' Villains?
17 December 2009 9:35 PM, PST
Keep your fingers crossed for Spider-Man 4, because it sounds like there’s trouble behind closed doors. Recently, it was reported that director Sam Raimi was butting heads with Sony Pictures studio execs, the reason being an incomplete script. The reason that it’s incomplete? According to IESB, both parties have different ideas about who should be the film’s main villain.
Although Raimi is pushing hard for the Vulture (He may have also been on-board with the Lizard, but that’s uncertain), it appears Sony heads want whatever character is selling 'Spider-Man' comics right now, although they have no idea who that may be. As a result, it was reported that last Thursday, several department heads working on Spider-Man 4 were told that production would be halted.
Sony has since contacted the site and denied the story. For their part, they have said that production is on normal holiday hiatus, …
'Forever After' Trailer Reminds Us Why We Love Shrek
17 December 2009 9:32 PM, PST
The trailer for Shrek Forever After has been released, and you can check it out by clicking on the Trailer tab above, or by heading over to Apple where it's also available in a variety of high def QuickTime sizes.
You can also check out the official poster below.
In the new film, Shrek is feeling over-domesticated. He has lost his roar. He used to send villagers running away in terror. Now they run to him and ask him to sign their pitchforks and torches. To regain his ogre mojo, he strikes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin. The pact goes awry and Shrek must confront what life would be like in Far Far Away if he had never existed. That translates into Donkey being forced into cart-pulling duty, fat and lazy Puss in Boots trading his sword for a pink bow and the underhanded Rumpelstiltskin ruling the kingdom.
The new film stars Mike Myers, …
Bryan Singer To Direct 'X-Men' Prequel
17 December 2009 9:30 PM, PST
Fans of the 'X-Men' movies have a reason to feel hopeful: Bryan Singer, who helped launch the franchise with its first two installments, is set to return to the fold with X-Men: First Class.
Apparently, Twentieth Century Fox moved on a deal after Singer wrote a treatment for the film, which will explore the origin of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, as well as the relationship between Professor Charles Xavier and the villain Magneto.
Singer said he had long considered returning to the franchise, but only recently found a storyline that would stand on its own. "This is the formative years of Xavier and Magneto, and the formation of the school and where there relationship took a wrong turn," Singer said, according to Variety, "There is a romantic element, and some of the mutants from 'X-Men' will figure into the plot, though I don't want to say which ones. …
Disney Puts the Brakes on 'Wild Hogs' Sequel
17 December 2009 9:15 PM, PST
Walt Disney Pictures new head, Richard Ross, has been making some pretty abrupt project development changes at the studio recently, including a suspension of both McG's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Robin Williams' comedy Wedding Banned. Now, according to Variety, the latest project that's been halted is a follow-up to 2007's Wild Hogs.
Brad Copeland, who wrote the original film, had already drafted the script for the sequel, and new writers were in the process of being hired to take over. Moreover, discussions had already commenced with the stars of the first film, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy and Tim Allen, but since no monetary contractual obligations had been established, Ross decided to leave well enough alone and kill the project.
No explanation has been offered, surprising, given that the first Wild Hogs earned $250M globally at the box office. Speculation has ensued that it may have …
'Thor's' Queen of Asgard to be Played by Rene Russo
17 December 2009 9:10 PM, PST
Veteran actress Rene Russo has signed on to play Frigga the wife of Odin — portrayed by Anthony Hopkins in the film — and the mother of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in Kenneth Branagh’s anticipated adaptation, Thor, reports Variety.
Thor spans the Marvel Universe; from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment.
Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
Thor will begin filming next month with a May 20, 2011 theatrical release targeted. …
Check Out Owen Wilson's 'Marmaduke'
17 December 2009 9:05 PM, PST
USA Today has debuted a first look at the Great Dane from 20th Century Fox's Marmaduke film, starring Owen Wilson as the voice of the titular character.
Based upon the long-running comic strip, the story ostensibly contains elements of Fox's Marley & Me (also starring Wilson), and follows a family named the Winslows who move from Kansas to Orange County with their dog Marmaduke, a slobbery pooch who creates chaos wherever he goes.
Directed by Tom Dey, the film also stars the voice talents of Judy Greer, Lee Pace and William H. Macy play the humans, while Fergie, Emma Stone, George Lopez, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Steve Coogan, Damon Wayans and Marlon Wayans.
Marmaduke is slated to arrive in theaters on June 4th, 2010.
…
'Iron Man 2' Trailer Debuts!
15 December 2009 9:30 PM, PST
Apple has debuted the first trailer for Iron Man 2, and it looks pretty sensational, we must say. It has all the terrific action combined with the fine touches we've come to expect of director Jon Favreau. You can check it out using the Trailer tab above.
Opening May 7, the sequel stars Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Garry Shandling, John Slattery, Kate Mara, Clark Gregg and Olivia Munn.
Now, if you've noticed that Iron Man's chest piece changes from round to triangular after he teams with War Machine, well, there's a reason for that.
In the comics, it denotes Tony Stark's Extremis armor. He injects his nervous system with a modified techno-organic virus to save his own life after a battle left him critically injured. The net result was that Stark's armor became fused to his …
Sam Worthington: 'Captain America's Worth Killing For'
15 December 2009 9:25 PM, PST
Now that doesn’t sound very American.
Sam Worthington, who stars in Avatar and will play Perseus in the upcoming Clash of the Titans remake, recently expressed an ostensibly sincere interest in playing Captain America for Marvel Studios' film adaptation.
That is, a sincerely homicidal interest. "As I said, I think I'd be lynched if I played the role, but I'd kill to play it," Worthington told MTV News. "There's a headline on the MTV blog: 'Sam Worthington Would Kill To Play Captain America.'"
Worthington, who claimed to be a big fan of comics and Captain America, went so far as to show up to an Avatar Q&A event wearing a T-shirt with the Sentinel of Liberty’s name emblazoned on it. The stunt caused a stir across the Internet, with some viewers believing it to be a joke, while others assumed the Terminator: Salvation star had landed the coveted role. …
James Cameron to Direct New 'Forbidden Planet'?
15 December 2009 9:20 PM, PST
For the past year or so, we’ve been reporting on the proposed Forbidden Planet movie J. Michael Straczynski has been writing. According to him, it’s not exactly a remake or prequel, but a take on the 50’s sci-fi classic no one has thought of yet. (And if you think you know exactly what Straczynski has planned, we remind you that back in March, the writer confirmed that he had to terminate his script and start over, after so much of it had been leaked on-line.)
Well, whatever his Forbidden Planet ends up being, it now appears James Cameron could be on-board in some capacity, although he doesn’t even know what form yet. "That's a project that I'm actively involved in, but I haven't made any decisions about it yet," Cameron told MTV at a junket in London. He added, "I love 'Forbidden Planet.'"
One supposes …
Studio Ghibli.s Next Film Announced
15 December 2009 9:15 PM, PST
Studio Ghibli’s next full-length feature film will be Karigurashi no Arrietty (translated as The Borrower Arrietty), an adaptation of Mary Norton's Carnegie Medal winning novel "The Borrowers". It will be directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi.
It sounds like Hayao Miyazaki’s house is continuing its trend of adapting western books (after Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponyo), and whether you’d prefer to see the production team dip its pen in Eastern culture again, this is exciting news nonetheless. Below are details based on Studio Ghibli’s original announcement, which can be found here.
Unlike the original novel, which tells a story about tiny people who "borrow" things from normal humans during the 1950's in Enland, Studio Ghibli has transferred their version to Tokyo Koganei in 2010 (Koganei is where Studio Ghibli is settled) to tell the story of 14-year-old little Arrietty. Yonebayashi earlier worked as a key animator on …
Depp and Marshall Phone-Tag Over 'Pirates 4'
15 December 2009 9:10 PM, PST
So much for the fourth 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie being directed by Gore Verbinski or nobody. According to a recent interview, director Rob Marshall got somebody’s blessing, and it may have been the only person who really matters.
"I was so surprised they called," Marshall told ComingSoon.net regarding how the offer came about. "It was Johnny Depp and Jerry Bruckheimer. Jerry called me, but Johnny was interested in working with me. It's a wonderful thing when something like that happens, so we sat and met and he could not have been more lovely."
That certainly seems like a good sign, especially since Depp hadn’t sounded all too excited about reprising Captain Jack Sparrow for the proposed Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Marshall, however, said he could envision working with Depp, based on the phone interview. "He's the nicest man," Marshall said about the star. …
Tobey Maguire Denies 'Hobbit' Rumor
15 December 2009 9:05 PM, PST
It looks like those Tobey Maguire-'Hobbit' rumors are just that. Yesterday the actor stated that neither he nor his representatives are in discussions regarding the part of Bilbo Baggins.
"I have not met with [Guillermo] del Toro. We don’t have any near future plans. I don’t know if something got misconstrued or miscommunicated but the source was not accurate at all," Maguire said, referring to a recent Latino Review article connecting him to the upcoming 'Hobbit' films.
According to The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision blog, Maguire was under the impression James McAvoy had already been cast in the role. The long-waited, highly-anticipated Middle Earth adventure is set to go before cameras next year, but according to Peter Jackson, the casting process has only just started.
For his part, Maguire did sound open to playing some part in The Hobbit. "I love Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, …
'Xerxes': Frank Miller.s Marathon '300' Sequel
14 December 2009 9:50 PM, PST
Late last year, we reported that Zach Snyder had expressed interest in directing a 300 follow-up, based on a graphic novel Frank Miller was working on. It now appears the project has a title, Xerxes, and according to the La Times' Hero Complex blog, it will take place roughly 10 years before the events of 300.
"It’s the Battle of Marathon through my lens," Miller said in an interview. "I’ve finished the plot and I’m getting started on the artwork."
For those, like me, who don’t know their ancient Greek history, a little research indicates the Battle of Marathon took place in 490 BC, between the combined armies of Athens and Plataea against a Persian invasion force. The battle is considered a major turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars, as it showed the Greeks that the much-feared Persians could, in fact, be defeated.
It would hardly be surprising if a …
Gibson to Share His 'Summer Vacation'
14 December 2009 9:45 PM, PST
Say what you will about Mel Gibson’s personal behavior at times, but the man’s got a serious work ethic. Along with signing on to direct a Viking drama featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Gibson will write and star in How I Spent My Summer Vacation, a prison actioner to be financed by the actor’s Icon Productions.
According to Variety, Summer Vacation will center around a career criminal who gets caught by Mexican law enforcement authorities and sentenced to a drug and crime-filled prison. There, the character learns how to survive with the help of a 9-year-old boy.
This will be Gibson’s first screenplay since Apocalypto, and although he has an Oscar under his belt for helming 1995’s Braveheart, Summer Vacation will be directed by Adrian Grunberg, who served as first assistant director on Gibson’s Mayan adventure film. Stacy Perskie, who was second assistant director on Apocalypto, is set to produce. …
'Creature From the Black Lagoon' Gets New Director
14 December 2009 9:40 PM, PST
Universal's gestating remake of Creature from the Black Lagoon has tapped a new director to replace the outgoing Breck Eisner. And while many wondered if the reborn story of the Gill-Man would languish indefinitely, it turns out he'll probably be back to terrorize audiences once again (one way or another).
Carl Eric Rinsch, the commercials director, who was once a contender to direct the Alien prequel, and who recently signed on to direct the samurai adventure 47 Ronin for Universal, is in talks to shepherd Black Lagoon for the studio.
Gary Ross penned the script for the story that concerns a mythic monster who dwells in the Amazon, but the studio has reportedly gone back to the drawing board with the script; starting over entirely.
It almost seems as though within the onslaught of remakes headed our way, there's a bevy of sub-genres being reimagined as well. A good example is …
Russell Crowe Kicks Ass in Ridley Scott's 'Robin Hood' Trailer!
14 December 2009 9:35 PM, PST
The international trailer for Ridley Scott's Robin Hood has broken cover thanks to ComingSoon.net and Tribute.ca…and you can watch the ComingSoon version using the embedded player at the bottom of this page.
The film looks solid, like so many of Scott's other period pieces; I'm thinking in particular of Gladiator and the truly magnificent Kingdom of Heaven.
At 72, Scott is an inspiration to the rest of us young whippersnappers—he still cranks out the occasional epic magnum opus, and this looks to be just that.
Meanwhile, the Courier-Mail has debuted eight new photos from the film, including the one to your left, and the one below.
Here's the story's synopsis (as if most of us couldn't have guessed much of it):
In 13th century England, Robin Hood (Russell Crowe) and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against …
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