Elisabeth Rappe
Denver, Colorado - http://
Hold up your badge. That's how they know you're a policeman.
The Geek Beat: Man of (Impossible) Steel
Filed under: The Geek Beat
If you've been following the trials and tribulations of Warner Bros and Superman, then you know the Last Son of Krypton has been shelved for the time being. Anne Thompson reiterated that last week, noting that the studio is using the legal woes as an excuse to stave off development, though the truth is that no one really knows what to do with the character. Do they reboot, as they breathlessly announced they would last summer? Do they invite Bryan Singer back? Or do they just avoid looking at the property for another five or ten years before reinventing it all over again?
It really is a dilemma, and one we've discussed quite often on Cinematical. No matter where you stand on superheroes and their adaptations, I think we all agree there seems to be something criminal in keeping him shelved when all his compatriots are flying free on the silver screen. Superman is an icon whose reach extends beyond the comic page. His shield is tattooed on many a bicep, and you can't go anywhere without running into Superman merchandise. You could probably go to the frostiest point of the Arctic Circle and find a Superman t-shirt for sale next to the reindeer fat and snowshoes. Yet he's too problematic to make into a movie. Why is this?
The answers are pretty battered from the repetition. He's boring. He's too perfect. He doesn't work in an era of dark and gritty superheroes. Bryan Singer mucked up his mythology. It's impossible to put him in conflict. Yet readers continue to flock to his "boring" adventures on the page week after week, month after month, and they tune into his Smallville adventures. Superman has never gone out of print or popularity, and yet he's proving more impossible to adapt than Watchmen.
It really is a dilemma, and one we've discussed quite often on Cinematical. No matter where you stand on superheroes and their adaptations, I think we all agree there seems to be something criminal in keeping him shelved when all his compatriots are flying free on the silver screen. Superman is an icon whose reach extends beyond the comic page. His shield is tattooed on many a bicep, and you can't go anywhere without running into Superman merchandise. You could probably go to the frostiest point of the Arctic Circle and find a Superman t-shirt for sale next to the reindeer fat and snowshoes. Yet he's too problematic to make into a movie. Why is this?
The answers are pretty battered from the repetition. He's boring. He's too perfect. He doesn't work in an era of dark and gritty superheroes. Bryan Singer mucked up his mythology. It's impossible to put him in conflict. Yet readers continue to flock to his "boring" adventures on the page week after week, month after month, and they tune into his Smallville adventures. Superman has never gone out of print or popularity, and yet he's proving more impossible to adapt than Watchmen.
Disney Remaking 'The Black Hole' With 'Tron' Team
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Deals, Disney, Scripts, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Remakes and Sequels
It's a new day at Disney with their new studio chief, Rich Ross, and everyone has been rather eager to see what new direction the studio moved in, and what projects they fast tracked. It turns out that their new vision is a rather old one. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney has dug deep into the vaults and decided to remake The Black Hole. They've put Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski and producer Sean Bailey on the project, hoping that they can make The Black Hole as cool as they've made all things Tron. I feel terrible, but I have absolutely no memory of this film. I know I probably saw it at some point, but its lovable droids have been wiped out by multiple viewings of Star Wars, so allow me to recap. The 1979 original centered on a group of space explorers discover the lost USS Cygnus, floating dead on the edge of a black hole. Logically they haven't seen Event Horizon, so they happily board the ship to what's become of the crew. There they meet a scientist and his group of robot friends (some cute, and one mean, red, and named Maximilian), and he claims his crew deserted him when he tried to travel through the black hole. Of course, he's not telling the truth. The robots are the former Cygnus crew, and the scientist has no intention of letting them leave. Dun dun dun ...
Naturally, the remake won't be a straight-up retelling, and Disney is keeping the plot a secret. The only thing they're willing to reveal is that the menacing robot Maximilian will return, and that the black hole will be more of a plot point. Science will also be involved, and I imagine a little Star Trek too. Will it inspire the instant excitement of Tron: Legacy? Or will it be an entirely new concept to most moviegoers?
New 'Iron Man 2' Photos Have Everyone Thinking
Filed under: Action, Paramount, Fandom, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Images
On the heels of the first Iron Man 2 poster come a few official stills straight from Paramount. Everyone looks very serious. Whiplash is seriously working on something, surrounded by pictures of Tony Stark to keep his hate burning and his ethic cheerful. Black Widow is seriously up to no good, even if she looks slinky doing it. Even Tony isn't taking things lightly -- not the destruction to his house, and not whatever he's brewing in his latest science project.
There's nothing really new on display here -- the Black Widow photo has been around in varying degrees of resolution since before San Diego Comic Con -- but it's just nice to see the characters out and about, isn't it? If you're given to intense plot speculation, you can all give your take on just what Tony and Whiplash have brewing, and just who caused Tony's marble floor to shatter into a dozen pieces. Did he fly through the ceiling again? Is he building an access portal so that it doesn't ever happen again? Or did some nefarious individual blast a hole into his luxurious tile, hoping to get into his secret lair of Iron Man suits?
We'll know on May 7th, 2010. Until then, just spin your own stories, and delight in a peek at the finished product. The first stills from a film always remind me of the good old days of Disney Adventures when this is all you'd have to go on until summer rolled around.
UPDATED: Paul Greengrass Quits 'Bourne 4'
Filed under: Action, Thrillers, Universal, RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Remakes and Sequels
Everyone and their grandmothers seems to want a fourth Bourne film, and the question of "When, when, when?!" has dogged Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass for a long time. Shockingly, the answer may now be "never," as The Playlist is reporting that Greengrass has quit Bourne 4. Script problems and a fractious relationship with Universal are said to be the cause of the split.
Two scripts have been penned for the film, and reportedly no one is fond of George Nolfi's take. Josh Zetumer came aboard to write a new one, a decision that irked Greengrass as he wasn't consulted as to the choice of writer. But that's a relatively minor point, as the real problem seems to be Greengrass' free-wheeling style, which has cost Universal millions and millions on every film he's made. While Bourne turned a fine profit, the studio is concerned about Green Zone, which is now estimated to have cost $150 million due to all of Greengrass' famous tinkering. This is a film that doesn't carry the Bourne brand name, and deals with the very un-blockbuster topic of Iraq.
So, Greengrass and Universal have been butting heads, as he wants to continue his usual approach on Bourne 4, and they want him to keep the budget under control. Thus, he's upset at the way he's been treated, and has now walked away. Rumors swirl that he might return, but there's just as much feeling that the studio could hire a new director. This leaves everyone uncertain as to whether Damon would return since he's been famously loyal to Greengrass. For now, everyone is watching the trades to see what'll be announced (and with Damon doing Invictus press, maybe it'll come up unofficially), and hoping for the best. The last thing anyone wants is Bourne without the guys that made it great.
UPDATED: Head after the jump for a statement from Paul Greengrass
The First 'Iron Man 2' Poster Appears!
Filed under: Action, Paramount, Fandom, Newsstand, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Posters
Marvel Studios, Paramount and Jon Favreau have given you an early Christmas present. Yahoo! Movies has debuted the first poster for Iron Man 2, and as cheesy as it is to go nuts over marketing, it's an awfully cool poster. It's their exclusive, so you'll have to click the picture to see the entire thing, but I've given you a tiny preview above.
The best part? Those of us who didn't get to see the pants-wetting footage at Comic-Con finally get a glimpse at War Machine! There's something deliciously geeky about the buddy cop stylings of this poster. I could live quite comfortably in a world where Iron Man 2 was something akin to a super-suited Lethal Weapon, couldn't you?
Of course, as nice as the poster is, it's no substitute for seeing these guys actually take flight. Faverau has hinted via Twitter that we might see the first Iron Man 2 trailer this Christmas, and that it'll be attached to that other Robert Downey Jr. franchise, Sherlock Holmes. Maybe if you're very good boys and girls, Santa will grant your wish, and we'll get it a few days before Holmes hits theaters. I can't think of a more festive way to ring in the holidays than with a flying hero of red and gold.
Mirren to Play The Queen Again in Star-Studded Biopic?
Filed under: Drama, Foreign Language, Independent, Casting, Newsstand
The legendary Helen Mirren may once again be serving crown and country as Queen Elizabeth II. WENN is reporting that Mirren is being called upon to play the once and current queen in Mother: The Indira Ghandi Story, a biopic about the Indian prime minister who was asassinated in 1984.Tom Hanks and Tommy Lee Jones are also reportedly in talks to play Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon, respectively, while Emily Watson is attached to play the formidable Margaret Thatcher. Director Krishna Shah calls it "the project of my life" so one hopes this could actually come together for him with this kind of cast. The film is scheduled to be released in 2010, which seems a bit too optimistic with so many schedules to coordinate, but we'll see.
Obviously, this should be filed firmly under "rumor," but it's an intriguing prospect. Indira Ghandi is certainly long overdue for a biopic, and the cast would be fantastic. It would be fascinating to see Mirren go back and play a younger Queen Elizabeth II, even for just a small part in a larger historical picture. Besides, with Michael Sheen doing triple duty as Prime Minister Tony Blair, it seems very appropriate that his onscreen monarch get another shot at the throne.
First (Official) Look at 'The Karate Kid' Remake - Updated with More Photos
Filed under: Action, Sony, Family Films, Newsstand, Movie Marketing, Remakes and Sequels, Images
Update: Check out three more images in the gallery below.
The initial trauma over Columbia's remake of The Karate Kid seems to have passed for the children of the 1980s, enough that the first official image (not counting the teaser poster Erik Davis posted in September) shouldn't be salt in the wound. Instead, you might be thinking "Hey, for the first image of The Karate Kid, shouldn't there be, you know ... karate?" Yes, yes there should. But instead People Magazine gave us a tender look between the new kid, Jaden Smith, and his mentor, Jackie Chan. 1980s children will be relieved to know that his name isn't Mr. Miyagi, but Mr. Han, and he's a maintenance man who befriends the troubled and unhappy boy who's been relocated to China. He also can kick major ass.
Smith and Chan give a few excited quotes for Kid. Smith reveals he trained for four months with the film's fight coordinator, Master Wu, which was probably interesting enough to warrant its own training montage. As he became wise in the way of karate, he learned discipline that extended all the way to his personal habits. "His dad told me that Jaden had changed," says Chan. "When he takes his shoes off, he doesn't throw them in the corner, but puts them away neatly!"
Admittedly, there could be some lovely Chinese eye candy in this. One sequence will take place on the Great Wall of China, so we're in for at least one (hopefully) breathtaking sequence that could actually rival any crane kick Ralph Macchio performed. The Karate Kid hits theaters on June 11, 2010.
First Glimpses of 'The Voyage of The Dawn Treader'
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, 20th Century Fox, Family Films, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Movie Marketing, Remakes and Sequels, Images
Over the holiday weekend, we received our first official glimpse of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. This is a film that hasn't really attracted a lot of fervent interest or rumor-mongering, something that seems to have marked the ill-fated series as a whole.
But Dawn Treader is coming, with Michael Apted at the helm and 20th Century Fox directing its trade wind. I know I've stated it a million times before, but this is one Narnia installment that I'm desperate to see. It was my favorite of the books, and the film might actually work on a level that Wardrobe and Caspian haven't. There was more to be mined from those first two books than the films managed, but Dawn Treader is rather glossy and adventurous, a series of "What's that -- oh no!" moments that should make for a pretty entertaining movie. Sure, there's the heavy handed morality tale of selfish cousin Eustace, but that's a pretty simple thing to translate since it's a lesson as old as Grimm's -- bad kids are punished, regardless of religious inclination!
Narnia has chosen to launch its first images in a very unlikely place: Facebook. A production blog has started up there, and the first images were tacked onto the end of it. It should be fun to follow along with as we inch closer to its release date of December 2010. Meanwhile, the photos are in the gallery, and they certainly are pretty to look at.
Now 'New Moon' Prevents Skin Cancer!
Filed under: Fandom, Newsstand
It's a slow news day, so forgive me for dipping back into the New Moon well. But it's impossible not to! Not only is the series encouraging abstinence, making men feel inadequate, and provoking all manner of "Is it or isn't it dangerous reading" debates, now the film is responsible for keeping girls away from the tanning salon. According to The Daily Mail, sales of pale foundation is soaring as girls seek to emulate the bloodless pallor of the Cullens.Some are taking issue with the statistics, and pointing out that it is winter, when even the most outdoorsy girl forgoes her tan and has to buy foundation to match her winter skin. Or is supposed to. With tanning salons and spray tans being common in every strip mall, not many girls willingly abandon their shade of bronze. But now, tan skin makes Edward Cullen sad. Or turns him off. Either way, girls now want to be as pale and ethereal as their favorite immortal, a trend that the Daily Mail labels "sinister."
Unless they're mimicking pre-modern Europe and practicing bloodletting to achieve the desired skin tone, I think this actually a New Moon trend that could prove quite beneficial. Not only will it encourage girls to stop damaging their skin for fashion, but it'll give a self-esteem boost to the girls doomed to such burns and fairness that they might as well be vampires. As one such lass (and you wouldn't believe the "Go get a tan!" snark that's come my way), I will embrace this Twilight trend, and give Stephanie Meyer a grudging bit of applause.
Warner Bros Will Make Clint Eastwood Fans' Day
Filed under: Action, Classics, Warner Brothers, Distribution, Newsstand, Home Entertainment
If you're lucky enough to be graced with cash or gift cards this Christmas, and you have a big hole on your DVD shelf where Clint Eastwood ought to be, Warner Bros will be happy to help you out. On February 16 they're releasing a massive, 19-disc collection Clint Eastwood: 35 Films, 35 Years at Warner Bros that celebrates the actor / director / producer. Included will be a booklet and a feature length documentary by Richard Schickel. The retail price will be a hefty $179.98.Warners didn't release a complete list of those 35 films, but it spans the tender years of Where Eagles Dare all the way to 2008's Gran Torino. I imagine there will be some crossover with what you already own, like the entire Dirty Harry collection and The Outlaw Josey Wales. But most of his output from the late 1970s onward was done at Warner Bros, so all those films you've forgotten he ever made -- The Gauntlet, Bronco Billy, Honkytonk Man, Tightrope, Firefox, Heartbreak Ridge, A Perfect World, Pink Cadillac -- and can't find on DVD will make this a must have for the fan who needs everything.
Or almost everything. If you're looking for his directorial debut Play Misty For Me, or forgotten gems like Thunderbolt and Lightfoot or The Beguiled, you'll have to wait until Universal or MGM decides to put out a boxed set of their own. On that day, you better reinforce your bookshelf with steel frames to support the other 30 odd films he's done, even without Francis in the Navy.
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The First 'Iron Man 2' Poster Appears!
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