Sydney Pollack

Sydney Pollack 1934-2008

John Williams Scoring Superman Sequel.

I was talking to one of my friends last week who happens to be a writer from a movie website. We were discussing the Superman Returns sequel and passing info back and forth, and it came up that I had some info that John Williams is in line to score a Superman Returns sequel. Low and behold, around the same time a poster on http://www.superherohype.com/ also was talking about Williams being in line for the sequel.

http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=14751545&postcount=110

Now the Boston Globe is reporting that Williams is indeed going to be the next composer for Man of Steel. See below.

Ready for a new round of Indy music? Film composer John Williams will be in town this week to reunite with his old friends the Boston Pops, and he'll be premiering selections from his soundtrack to the new "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," which opens in

Williams is laureate conductor of the Pops and a longtime collaborator with Steven Spielberg, director of the "Indiana Jones" series. He will conduct Film Night performances at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. On tap is memorable movie music including Williams's work from the "Star Wars" and "Harry Potter" series. Actress Lynn Redgrave will join in each night to narrate what's being called the "Harry Potter Grande Suite."

The program will include a tribute to David Lean, the visionary director behind "Doctor Zhivago," "Lawrence of Arabia," and "Oliver Twist." Film clips will be featured along with music.
The Pops' Film Nights events are typically evenings of good fun. Two years ago, when Williams led a similar event, "a roar of welcome from a sold-out Symphony Hall" greeted him when he took the stage, wrote Globe reviewer Richard Dyer. "Thirty years on, the special effects in the early 'Star Wars' films are beginning to look a little cheesy, but the music is still stirring," Dyer wrote.

Williams, now 76, was conductor of the Pops from 1980 to 1993. According to industry reports, he remains a busy man, with soundtracks for "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," "Jurassic Park IV," and "Superman: Man of Steel" all scheduled for his touch.

http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2008/05/17/the_music_indy_runs_on/

Iron Man Review

Iron Man has dropped and its eye popping action sequences are exciting fans, here is a review from Hunter Rider of Superherohype.com.

Just got back, I absolutely loved it, Ive got no complaints, RDJ for me gives the best lead performance in any comic book movie, his charisma and deft ability to shift from defiant to cocky to sincere and passionate is fantastic to watch and makes you care about Stark all the way.Paltrow was charming and sexy as Pepper and gave Tony that human link to himself, Jeff Bridges was all presence and menace as Stane, simply brilliant! For me the movie struck a great balance, the story was interesting and followed itself through in a smart and logical path while developing Stark and showcasing the creation of the armour and tech he uses. The humour worked in all the right places and never felt like it was shoved down my throat like in some other movies. It was also balanced well with some warm moments and some dramatic ones. The scenes between Stark and Yinsen were particularly well played, adding some real heft to the film.

The action and effects were awesome, great sequences shot with plenty of verve and money shots, in fact there were a lot of tremendous "money" shots that didn't even involve action. I also liked that the action and suit time didn't crowd out Stark, Pepper and Stane, it felt to me like they did a great job of spacing the action out into healthy doses. Terence Howard is a bit underused but it's clear he will expand his role in a sequel and there simply wasn't room to use him anymore than he was in this one.

The summer movie season is off to a great start. 9/10

Thomas Tull Talks Superman Sequel

Speaking at Hamilton College, Thomas Tull mentioned a Superman Returns sequel in which he hopes to invoke more of the image of "an angry god".

See a sample of the article below, click the link for the entire article

Thomas Tull '92, founder, chairman and CEO of Legendary Pictures (the company jointly responsible for producing the films Batman Begins, Superman Returns and 300), spoke to Hamilton students on April 17 in Wellin Hall about his journey from Hamilton to film production. Tull expressed appreciation for Hamilton's impact on establishing his success, and reciprocated by screening never-before-seen footage of Legendary Pictures' upcoming Batman sequel, The Dark Knight. While lecture attendees were required to sign a nondisclosure agreement about the contents of the film clip, audience members were treated to a short scene from the movie featuring Heath Ledger in his last performance as the Joker. Tull mentioned that the lecture required his creative team to bring substantial video and sound equipment up to the Hill to screen the movie, a decision attendees undoubtedly appreciated.

While he explained that Legendary focuses on commercial projects over independent films, he said that the company seeks to make the stories they tell "elevated" and take the source material seriously. Legendary's roster of upcoming films includes a wide variety of properties, including Watchmen (from the renowned graphic novel), Akira (a remake of the popular Japanese anime film), a Superman sequel (in Which Tull hopes to invoke more of the image of "an angry god"), Clash of the Titans, Where the Wild Things Are and a film of Paradise Lost (Tull is particularly interested in the "[story] arc of Lucifer"). Tull is also sponsoring the Legendary Film Treatment Challenge, an upcoming opportunity to submit film treatments to Legendary Pictures for consideration.

http://www.hamilton.edu/news/more_news/display.cfm?id=13939

Another Nail In The JL Coffin?

Chud caught up with Joel Silver at the Speed Racer Junket and he did his best to put the final nail in the seemingly long closed coffin of JL...M?

I'm in Long Beach at the Speed Racer junket and I briefly cornered producer Joel Silver to ask him how the Justice League movie would affect Wonder Woman. The answer: it won't. According to Silver, who would be in the know, Justice League has been 'tabled.'That means a lot of you can breathe a sigh of relief; while 'tabled' doesn't mean the film is officially canceled, it's likely that it won't be happening any time soon, and likely without that cast.As for Wonder Woman, Silver said it takes time to get these films made - he had Speed Racer in development for twenty years. He's still trying to get DC's Amazon on the screen but doesn't have much else to report right now.

http://chud.com/articles/articles/14429/1/JUSTICE-LEAGUE-DISBANDED/Page1.html

David Hayter On Man of Steel

David Hayter was a guest speaker at York University in Toronto Canada about 2 1/2 weeks ago. He came in to discuss his profession with the class and somebody asked him about Superman Returns and what his thoughts were on the movie. He said he thought it was great but the films biggest problem was that "it couldnt decide whether it was a richard donner film or a reboot Singer film"

He said bryan is working on the sequel and hes talked to bryan about it and Bryan is aware of the fanboy complaints with SR and is committed to more modern comicbooks for MOS. He also said that Bryan was a hawk when it comes to trying to please the fans and will go all out for this one. He also told the class how much he loathes X-3.

Charlton Heston

Charlton Heston 1924-2008

Has WB Found The Next "Harry Potter"?

Internationally acclaimed Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur is all set to direct a $200-million Hollywood fantasy-epic for Warner Brothers titled “Larklight”. “I was in LA last week to collaborate with writer Steve Knight for ‘Larklight’. It’s something I had signed on three months ago. It’s a franchise book and being hailed as the new ‘Harry Potter’. Warner Brothers has bought the rights. Steve and I are currently working on the screenplay,” an excited Kapur, who made the acclaimed Hollywood film “Elizabeth”, told IANS.

“Steve and I are good friends. We’ve been working on the script extensively. It’s a &200-million project, probably the most expensive film I’ve made and will ever make,” he said.
“Larklight” is the current craze on the bookshelves and its author, Philip Reeve, is being touted as another J.K. Rowling. It was an instant bestseller across the world when released in 2006.
What comes as a surprise is that Kapur has been chosen to direct the screen version. However, Kapur is no stranger to science-fantasies. Remember the aborted “Time Machine” with Aamir Khan, which he is now going to produce for director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra? A young, bright and serious boy plays the lead. Let’s not forget Kapur discovered Jugal Hansraj for his Bollywood film “Masoom”.

Interestingly, Knight conceived and wrote the popular game show “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”, which later became our “Kaun Banega Crorepati”. His last screenplay was “Eastern Promises”. Kapur will first complete “Larklight” in Hollywood before proceeding to do the much-talked about “Paani” in Mumbai.

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/shekhar-kapur-to-direct-200-mn-film-for-warner-bros_10031950.html

Mike Dougherty Is Calling All Robots

Mike Dougherty is going to be busy the next couple years, I for one am happy for him. This project sounds pretty exciting if you ask me, and as for Mike, "Heck, I'm a fan."

http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=5377

Call this "sci-fi." Call this "action." Call it unworthy of Shock coverage. But we're...

a.) Big fans of Mike Dougherty (Trick 'r Treat, Superman Returns).

b.) Fans of the creators involved in this project.

c.) Anyone who cites their movie is inspired by "Godzilla" flicks wins instant kudos in our bloody

book.

Dougherty is going to direct the animated feature Calling All Robots for Walt Disney Pictures and Robert Zemeckis' ImageMovers. He's co-scripting with Breehn Burns and Simeon Wilkins. Furthermore, because of the scope of the project, he's using the same performance capture Zemeckis used on Beowulf."I grew up watching Godzilla movies. This film is very much rooted in those movies," Dougherty tells Variety. The plot is being kept secret at this time.We hoped that, with this news, will come a break in release date info for Warner Bros. Trick 'r Treat. Alas, Variety offered nothing new other than it was pushed from last October's slot to avoid competing with the slasher fare opening that month.

http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=20354

Disney is giving another shot at the whole "performance capture" style of computer animation with a new flick called CALLING ALL ROBOTS. The project comes from X2 and SUPERMAN RETURNS co-writer Mike Dougherty, who's teaming with Robert Zemeckis' company ImageMovers for the flick. Details on the story are scarce, but it's a sci-fi adventure that Dougherty (who hails from an animation background) cryptically describes as a "throwback to old Godzilla movies." Don't be too surprised if it's available in three dimensions as well.Zemeckis' company was also responsible for BEOWULF and POLAR EXPRESS, and is currently working on A CHRISTMAS CAROL with digitized Jim Carrey. Meanwhile, Dougherty's directing debut TRICK r TREAT was curiously not released last Halloween.

Extra Tidbit: One of the reasons the human characters in BEOWULF look so spooky and lifeless: nobody really blinks.

Another Meal At The Peach Pit?

Brandon and Dylan are just as shocked as I am. A spin off of 90210 is returning to primetime thanks to CW and Rob Thomas. If some of the cast was returning, I might be a little mroe interested in this project, but it doesn't seem that will be the case. The Hollywood Reporter sheds bit more light on this return to Beverly Hills.

Meet the Mills, the three-generational Beverly Hills clan at the center of the CW's contemporary "Beverly Hills, 90210" spinoff. A detailed breakdown for the pilot released Monday night sheds more light on the plot and the characters of the untitled show, which is being written by Rob Thomas. Like the original "90210," the spinoff revolves around a family with two teen kids the same age -- a boy and a girl -- who recently moved from the Midwest to Beverly Hills. But this time, the dad, Harry Mills, is a Beverly Hills High alum who moved after graduation and settled in East St. Louis. He is forced to come back when his 1970s movie star mother's alcohol problem gets out of control. Joining him are his wife, Celia, a former Olympic medalist; biological daughter Annie; and adopted son Dixon.

The breakdown includes five other characters, four of them 16-year-old students at Beverly Hills High. None of them seems directly related to any of the characters on the original series, however, 16-year-old Daphne Silver and her twentysomething brother, Max Silver, share the same last name as David Silver (Brian Austin Green), who married Donna Martin (Tori Spelling) in the original "90210" series finale. Although Max may be too old to be David's son, it nevertheless is intriguing that he and his sister live alone in a mansion as their parents have been "on a cruise" for as long as anyone can remember.The spinoff also reflects the current realities at Beverly Hills High, where about 40% of the students are of Persian descent: One of the students is named Navid Shirazi.

To get the high-profile project ready for the network's upfront in May, CW and producing studio CBS Paramount Network TV opted to begin casting before the script has been completed, a practice also employed by other networks during the abbreviated post-strike pilot season. Mark Piznarski is set to direct the "90210" spinoff's pilot, which, according to the breakdown, is eyeing an April 3 production start date.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifff588c2bae9eaff73b077dd116fe4f0

Jeepers Creepers...Another Sequel?

Blood Disgusting is reporting that a third Jeepers Creepers is in the works...I didn't even know there was a second one.

Phillips breaks the new exclusively to Bloody-Disgusting that she is in facts in talks to play a role in Victor Salva's third film. "I will say that, I can’t talk about it, but I can say we are in talks, she explains. "There is a script and there is work being done on it. Here’s the thing, I also produce films, when I have my producer hat on …that’s my job, and when I have my actor hat on, then that’s my job, I try not to intervene unless you have a director who wants your opinion. The great thing about Victor is that he is very collaborative. He not only wanted my input, he almost demanded it, It was always like what do you think what do you think. I trust him and I think he is a very talented writer. If things are to come together, and he wants my input… I have a lot to say!"

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/11630

Don't Move Creep...Robocop Reboot?

Moviehole is reporting on news from AICN that MGM is tossing around the idea of rebooting the Robocop franchise. I have to agree with Clint here, not only am I tired of all of the reboots, I am even more tired of bad reboots.

AintItCoolNews pointed out a press release from MGM that lists a new "RoboCop" movie alongside upcoming franchise films already in development like "Quantum of Solace," "The Thomas Crown Affair 2" (with "RoboCop" director Paul Verhoeven on board) and for some reason, "The Pink Panther 2" and 3. Unfortunately, it looks like MGM would rather reboot the "Robocop" franchise rather than give us an easily forgettable sequel. Great - I'm sure this new remake will totally miss the point with the shocking violence, sick humor and sharp satire of the original.

While we're at it, maybe we can put some bling and spinning rims on Robocop as he chases generic hoodlums all around Detroit.The thing is, the original couldn't get any darker or more relevant - it still holds up and is an amazing piece of societal satire. Why would someone want to ruin that and tarnish the name of "Robocop" for good?

http://www.moviehole.net/news/20080317_is_robocop_back_on_duty_1.html

Independent Jerry?

The NY Post is reporting the return of comic Jerry Seinfeld to NBC, the network that made him famous. The yet to be named sitcom will be debuting in June and will feature a similar template as Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Jerry Seinfeld is rumoured to be planning a major TV comeback. The 53-year-old is reportedly in talks for a new prime time sitcom on the NBC network, where his hit comedy originally ran. And the New York Post says he is taking a leaf out of Seinfeld co-creator Larry David’s book – with the show billed as ‘just like Curb Your Enthusiasm, but with Jerry, instead of Larry’. Seinfeld is set to play himself ‘in an exaggerated reality’ in the as-yet untitled series – as David does in his acclaimed HBO series. The newspaper says the new series, which would be set in New York, is expected to launch in June.

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2008/03/07/6504/seinfeld_plans_tv_comeback

JL(M) Is A Go For 2009

According to the juggernaut that is Variety "Justice League Mortal", which is the rumored new title, is fast tracked to drop in 2009. This is a almost a complete 180 to recent news floating around the internet the last couple days speculating that JLM might be pushed back to 2010 and moved to Canada. Even George Miller, the JLM director, called the movie's status "precarious". Exerpts from the Variety article below:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117981504.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Now that the writers strike has been resolved, Warner Bros. is pushing ahead with its plans to make "Justice League" in time for a 2009 debut. Warners tried to get "Justice League" into production earlier, but put it on indefinite hold in January, allowing the cast options to expire. At the time, the studio said it didn't want to move ahead until the scribes had another shot at the script.

Scribes Kieran and Michele Mulroney are busy polishing up the script, which is expected back at the studio in several weeks, and the cast has been advised to keep training for their superhero roles. Director George Miller is in pre-production in Australia.

Now from all reports Adam Brody is playing The Flash, Common is playing Green Lantern, Megan Gale has won the role of Wonder Woman, and Arnie Hammer may or may not be playing Batman. What about Superman? As of now the actor who is supposed to strap on the cape as Superman seems to be shrouded in mystery. DJ Controna and Scott Porter seem to be the front runners to pull on the tights but I can already hear the Welling Rumors being whispered in my ear again.

What does this mean for Man of Steel, the sequel to Superman Returns? I assumed this might mean that a sequel to Superman Returns is completely dead. From what I am hearing that might not be so. There are now rumblings that Man of Steel may have finally found their writer(s). Interesting.

Monopoly The Movie?

Fox News is reporting Hasbro and Universal have reached a deal to develop four movies based on board games such as Monopoly and Battleship...

"On Broadway" March 12th in Boston

As you know I love when local talent takes a shot at the film industry and this is no exception. I received the below email this afternoon and wanted to pass the word around. Please check out the On Broadway official site and myspace page along with Dave McLaughlin's myspace page and the IMDB page. All links and synopsis in blue below. I hope to see you there on March 12th.



On Broadway tells the story of Jack O'Toole, a 30-something Boston everyman, who writes a play about his dead uncle as a way to reconnect with his hard-nosed dad. With no money and just his gut to guide him, Jack quits his job as a carpenter so that he can mount a production of his play on the only stage he can afford: in the back room of his neighborhood pub, on a little street called Broadway.

Hello all,

How would you like to help support a couple of local guys with their Boston-based film? The movie is called “On Broadway”. My friend Lance Greene (Cambridge) is an actor/producer starring in this movie. And Dave McLaughlin (Boston) is the writer and director. I was out with Lance and Dave over the weekend and we were chatting about the future of the film. It turns out the movie will be back in circulation for a few weeks in and around Boston.

On Wednesday March 12th On Broadway will have its Theatrical release at either the AMC Regal Fenway or the AMC Loews Boston Common. The movie will also be running at 5 other local theaters, including the Somerville Theater located in Davis Square starting on Friday March 14th (check theaters for listings & times).

Lance and Dave are very talented, hard working, family guys who sacrificed so much of themselves to make this thing happen. Please help move this film to the next level. The best way to do this is to sell out the theaters. Go see the movie and spread the word to EVERYBODY. Check out the links below for more info on the movie.

Thanks much!
DT

http://www.onbroadwaythemovie.com/boston/

http://www.myspace.com/onbroadwaythemovie

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796339/

http://www.myspace.com/davemacboston

The Signal

At last year's Sundance Film Festival, "The Signal" was hailed as sure to end up a cult classic. The picture is the latest in a growing subgenre of horror movies that use the media as their source of fear and loathing. The film is about an electronic transmission that, for unexplained reasons, changes people into deranged murderers. The signal might come from your TV, your cell phone, or any medium. But the result is always bloody mayhem.

"The Signal" is also unusual in that it was written and directed by three young filmmakers, each of whom handled one of the film's three segments. The sections differ in tone and are meant to highlight various aspects of the story.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/17/PKCGUVQB0.DTL&feed=rss.entertainment

Selma Blair Revolted By Movie

http://www.wazthemovie.com/

Selma Blair was so revolted by the gore in new movie WAZ, the director was forced to cut her facial expressions out of the horrific scenes. The actress admits she's unlikely to appear in another horror movie again after her recent role as Jean Lerner in the scary film left her feeling sick. She says, "They kept having to cut away from my face. I couldn't be disgusted in the movie. This was a difficult movie to shoot. You're talking to someone who couldn't even dissect a little pig in seventh grade, and that was after all the blood had been drained out of it. "I just need to appear in a period piece really soon. A lavish, beautiful non-gory period piece."

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/blair%20sickened%20by%20movie%20role_1059811

Rhode Island's Animated Horror

This seems like a very interesting project. I am always proud to see film news originating from the Northeast.

Rhode Island firm, students to create animated horror movie.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) --

http://www.wpri.com/global/story.asp?s=7886620

A local animation studio is teaming with students from the Rhode Island School of Design to create a first-of-its-kind computer-animated horror movie. The Providence-based studio, The Story Hat, is planning to begin preproduction this week on the movie called Bloodline, according to the Providence Journal.

The movie tells the story of tattoos that grow and change, wreaking havoc on the people who bear them. Director Michael Corrente says he hopes the movie puts Rhode Island on the map as an animation headquarters. The studio estimates that the film could give jobs to as many as 200 people at peak production.

Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.projo.com/

The Story Hat: http://www.thestoryhat.com/tsh-home.html

Friday the 13th Shooting This Spring

Friday the 13th Films is reporting that the the reboot of the slasher franchise will launch this Spring deep in the heart of Texas.

With the writer's strike now over (yay, more Lost!), it's time to get on with the New Friday.

"We received word that Platinum Dunes' remake of Friday the 13th will now shoot on April 21 in Austin, Texas. No casting has been announced thus far, but expect some updates once the untitled David Goyer projects gets rolling. This shouldn't effect the planned February 13, 2009 release date by New Line Cinema."

http://www.fridaythe13thfilms.com/

Indiana Jones Trailer!

The new trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull dropped on Good Morning America this morning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7Gqi2IeIL0

JLA: Death of Superman Arc?

Rumors are circulating that the Justice League script features the Death of Superman by the hands of Doomsday! I for one am shocked that WB would be using this storyline after it just dropped as an animated film, in fact, I have been saying for years that there is no way WB would return to this story arc. Isn't my face red.

Warner Bros Targets New Line

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Warner Bros is considering the elimination of New Line Cinema. Link and article highlights below.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120269302876657799.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

New Line Cinema, the studio behind the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, has spent the best part of a decade fiercely protecting its turf within Time Warner Inc. Now, barely a month into his new job, Time Warner Chief Executive Jeff Bewkes is looking to dismantle one of the company's longest-standing fiefdoms.

Moving swiftly to streamline Time Warner's movie business, Mr. Bewkes has flagged New Line as an immediate target for cost-cutting, forcing the studio to confront the scenario it has always fought against: being folded into Time Warner's main movie division, Warner Bros. Entertainment.

People familiar with the New Line situation say Time Warner is considering two options: folding the studio into the Warner Bros. division or keeping it separate and having Warner Bros. handle certain areas such as home video and international distribution. In both scenarios, New Line would be considerably scaled back and given a mandate to go back to its roots of primarily making lower-budget movies.

Selling New Line isn't an option currently being explored. The library, which in addition to the "Rings" trilogy includes the "Austin Powers" movies, the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series and the "Rush Hour" movies, is too valuable for Time Warner to give up, people familiar with the situation say.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Roy Scheider

Roy Scheider 1932 - 2008

Superman Not Taking Flight In 2009

Now I for one enjoyed Superman Returns, the movie had its flaws, and I can understand the criticism the movie has received from some fans. It obviously did not perform the way that WB projected. That being said I was optimistic when I heard a seasoned screenwriter was coming in to take over the reigns with either a Superman Returns sequel or another Superman movie. Not because I didn't like what Mike Dougherty and Dan Harris did with the Superman Returns script, but because I want to see Superman on the big screen again. I urge anybody who hasn't read the Superman Returns script to check it out, in my opinion, it flows much better than the movie did in some respects.

Anyway, this is what the Hollywood Reporter has to say about the possibitlity of a Superman Returns sequel.

There are at least nine more projects that are not dated but could be slated for 2009, according to one source. But one studio tentpole, the sequel to "Superman Returns," is not so lucky. There apparently are no current plans to add the project to the slate, according to a studio source.

Read the rest here:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i09f751dd163aa4110d36b46a59d23839?pn=2

New Superman Screenwriter?

Some rumors are circulating that the WB is preparing to bring a "famous screenwriter" in to discuss a possible Superman Returns sequel or a totally different Superman movie. Right now of course this is just a rumor. However, with the strike seemingly winding down and the latest news before the strike being WB was bringing in various writers to meet with, one has to wonder.

Thanks to Super Kal of Superherohype for the above manipulation.

It's Happening...A New M. Night Shyamalan Film

The teaser to M. Night's new scare flick The Happening has dropped and from the looks of it, M. Night has some more tricks up his sleeve. Check out the teaser below.

M. Night Shyamalan directs this thriller about a father (Mark Walhberg) who tries to escape with his family after an apocalyptic event. The Happening costars Zooey Deschanel and John Leguizamo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwyNsic-iDk

Venom...The Movie?

IESB is reporting that there is a stand alone Venom film on the horizon and I for one agree with Rob in regards to the horrible misrepresentation of the character in Spiderman 3. I hope this happens.

One of the biggest disappointments from Spider-Man 3 was how they developed the villains, or actually how they didn't develop the villains, but between the three baddies that we had to contend with the biggest let down was Eddie Brock A.K.A. Venom.Venom, by far one of the coolest villains in the Spider-Man universe, was played poorly by Topher Grace and was definitely one of the biggest let downs in the entire Spider-Man trilogy. Not to say Topher Grace was the wrong man for the job, but with poor material and a badly put together movie, you just weren't going to get any stellar performances. I mean, asking God to kill Peter Parker is one of the lamest lines I've ever heard.But Venom fans rejoice, Marvel is moving forward with a new stand alone film, yep you heard right, Venom is coming back to the big screen.

http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4249&Itemid=99

The Cloverfield Monster Drawn To Scale

http://www.jacklovesyou.com/misc/Cloverfield.jpg

A Nightmare On My Street!

Halloween Remake? Check.

Friday The 13th Remake? Check

Nightmare on Elm Street Remake?

Freddy Krueger is getting a wakeup call.

Platinum Dunes partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form have been set by New Line to relaunch the movie series centered on the iconic killer, who haunts the dreams of teenagers and kills them in their sleep. The trio will create a new franchise based on Wes Craven’s 1984 film “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Originally played by Robert Englund, the Krueger character haunted nine films and two TV series in what was New Line’s most lucrative franchise until “The Lord of the Rings.”

Deal comes as Bay, Fuller and Form ready an early May start for “Friday the 13th,” New Line’s relaunch of another iconic baddie, Jason Voorhees. Marcus Nispel will direct from a script by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift (“Freddy vs. Jason”). Both franchises will be given a complete overhaul, just as Platinum Dunes did with the Nispel-directed “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” New Line won’t hire a writer on “Nightmare” until the writers strike ends. At Rogue Pictures, the Platinum Dunes team is prepping an exorcism thriller to be directed by David Goyer and a “Near Dark” remake to be directed by Samuel Bayer. Bay, Fuller and Form are also developing a Universal remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” with Martin Campbell directing Naomi Watts.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117979807.html

January 29th Is Groundhog Day!

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/groundhogday/index.html



The picture speaks for itself.

Bryan Singer Back For Man of Steel?

Slice of Sci Fi is reporting that Bryan Singer will indeed go forward with a sequel to Superman Returns according to the below movie talk snippit and podcast report.

Movie Talk: Contrary to reports last year that director Bryan Singer opted out of returning to helm the “Superman Returns” sequel, the famous director has decided to accept Warner Bros’ offer and return to the center seat.

http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2008/01/26/slice-of-scifi-145/

Thanks to "\S/JcDc\S/" of http://www.superherohype.com/ for the scoop and "Super Kal", also from The Hype, for the Superman manip.

*The Podcast is reporting the budget will be 170 million and the movie will not be out until 2011 or 2012 with a start date of 2010. According to the podcast there are no screenwriters attached and it seems that the studio is now straying from the Jason storyline and it this could mean the end of Brandon Routh as Superman.

This report sounds as if it is being pieced together from previous reports but the 2011 and 2012 release date sounds off to me.

Cloverfield Review

Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Cloverfield - or how I wasted an hour and a half of my life

By Brad L.

I'll be upfront with you. No mincing words in this blog. I didn't like Cloverfield. It was overhyped and underwhelming. And this is coming from someone who didn't even follow the hype. I saw that teaser in front of Transformers and I was instantly hooked. Too bad the movie couldn't live up to that short teaser.So let's get this bad boy under way.

The Plot:

Rob Hawkins is moving to Japan. His brother and a bunch of his friends throw him a going away party. He's in love with this girl Beth but is acting all non-chalant since he's leaving anyway and despite the fact that she loves him too, but God knows why. A monster attacks New York and madness ensues. People die. Jokes are told at inopportune times (for the characters but opportune times for the audience). Let's get this straight. THERE IS NOTHING REVOLUTIONARY ABOUT THIS MOVIE. It's Godzilla meets The Blair Witch Project. It's the Godzilla Witch Project. Period. Full Stop.

The Good:

1. The movie was meant to look like it was shot on a camcorder and Matt Reeves was successful in this. I applaud the filmmakers for taking so many long single takes and the actors for managing to get it right. It all looks very cohesive.

2. The special effects are top notch. From the destruction to the monster itself, all the effects are well integrated into the final product. It definitely does a good job of making you feel like you are in the middle of an actual monster invasion. Very visceral.

3. Hud. Get it? The guy behind the camera is named Hud. You know, like your Heads Up Display in a first person shooter. How clever. Seriously though. The guy is funny and his comic relief is much needed and appreciated.

The Bad:

1. The actors. Besides Hud and Marlena, everyone was superficial. It did not cease to amaze me that the crappiest of the actors was also the lead role. Bad decision making.

2. The characters. Not only were the actors bad but the characters were written poorly. I never got a chance to actually develop any feelings towards Rob and Beth nor cared if they ended up together. And sure, Beth might have been easy on the eyes but she was not established enough that I would believe someone as weak willed as Rob would actually grow balls and traverse a monster infested Manhattan for her. And I think there were other characters too but they were equally forgettable.

3. No resolution. First of all, I don't want to hear that it was so gutsy for the filmmakers to leave the movie so open ended, not explaining anything about the monster and having the main characters die. It's not cool or "indie" of them. It's been done many times over in film history. Just look to Romero's original Night of the Living Dead and you'll see no explanations for the zombies or where they came from. And the major characters die. The difference? Night of the Living Dead actually has a resolution, even if it is cynical. Cloverfield does not.

Overall, the movie feels cheap. It feels like a cheap thrill. It feels like the camcorder look was used to avoid having to light the project well and worry about cinematography. The ending felt like a cheap cop out and a way to get audiences hooked into a possible sequel. It felt like the writers Googled "monster movie" and just copied and pasted clichés and plot threads. The characters were poorly developed and on top of that, the actors did a piss-poor job portraying them.

What a waste, really.The filmmakers said that their inspiration for the teaser trailer and resulting hype was Close Encounters of the Third Kind. That trailer teased you with the different kinds of Encounters but really gave you nothing of the movie itself. It put audiences into a frenzy with excitement for the project. Spielberg knew this and actually made a satisfying film. Matt Reeves certainly captured the teaser correctly. He should have taken another page out of Spielberg's book and created a film to match expectation.

Jerry O'Connell as Tom Cruise!

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/3f716ffebe

Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger 1979 - 2008

Deathly Hallows Split In Two?

Warner Bros is contemplating splitting Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows into two films which according to the below report, could translate into an extra 1 Billion in worldwide box office for the studio.

'Deathly Hallows' split into two films?
By JIM SLOTEK and KEVIN WILLIAMSON -- Sun Media

It's the kind of math even a muggle can appreciate.

If the climatic Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows gets split into two films, as has been reported this week in the UK press, it will probably mean an extra $1 billion in worldwide box office for Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling's empire. Given this, you may wonder why they didn't just start dividing the books up into two and three parts apiece in the first place? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- at least the first part -- should be in theatres by 2010.

Read the full report below.

http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/2008/01/19/4782786-sun.html

Writers Could Resume Talks Next Week!

According to a report on YAHOO the writers are heading back to the negotiating table with the studios.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080119/ap_en_tv/hollywood_labor_talks

Striking Hollywood writers could begin informal talks with studio chiefs as early as next week in an effort to end a two-month walkout that has hobbled the entertainment industry, according to a person familiar with the bargaining strategy of the writers union. Word of the possible break in the stalemate came Friday, a day after the Directors Guild of America announced a tentative contract deal, and studio heads urged the Writers Guild of America to join in talks that could lead to the resumption of formal negotiations that broke off Dec. 7.

In its tentative deal with producers, the Directors Guild resolved new-media compensation issues that are also central to the Writers Guild dispute, including compensation for movie and TV projects delivered over the Internet. In a joint statement Thursday, top executives from eight major companies, including Fox, Paramount Pictures, The Walt Disney Co., CBS Corp., Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros., MGM and NBC Universal called on the Writers Guild to join in the kind of informal talks that preceded the directors' negotiations.

Moviehole talked to ''Sweeney Todd'''s Timothy Spall who confirmed he'll be back as Peter Pettigrew in another ''Harry Potter''.

“Well I'm actually.... yes... I'm in the next one”, reveals the British actor. ''And I'm also in the one at the end – I have a very big scene in that. I think they might be shooting two of them back-to-back – hard to know though, what with this writer's strike and all. They're shooting the penultimate one at the moment – which I have a brief appearance in it. I should be doing that soon.''

Spall appeared as Peter Pettigrew in ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' and ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban''.

http://www.moviehole.net/news/20080118_spall_talks_his_harry_potter_f_1.html

Star Trek Teaser!

Star Trek Teaser!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLMKVJEhK-g

Clover Field Monster Description

*UPDATE: VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THE MONSTER*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrK5wHF7YGQ

Below is a description of the Cloverfield monster from one of my favorite sites, "What Would Tyler Durden Do."

Just got home from a preview screening of Cloverfield in Brisbane, Australia. They had some "local celebrities" (read: no-name local radio DJs) who introduced the film and told us it was supposedly the first public screening in the world. Who knows.Anyway thought you might like to you, that fan drawn picture of the monster (drawn in black on a grey piece of paper) is actually pretty accurate. The fancy colour ones are way off. The bit that looks like ears on the drawing are big red uh, bulgy things that go in and out as it breathes, kinda like a frog. The front legs are stuck on backwards, with the knee joints sticking up much higher, so it appears to walk like a spider on the front. The face is distinctly less anthropomorphic, and flatter. Sadly I can't draw for crap so this description will have to do. Anyway he goes "rawr" a lot and people get scared. Basically imagine a giant mix between an amphibious lizard with a spidery front. And a big tail. You don't see it's bum at all in the film so nobody knows what that part looks like.

http://www.wwtdd.com/

The Artistic Underground

I don't know about you, but I can't wait for the Dark Knight to be released. Looks like "Babycakes" of The Hype can't either.




http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=13822039&postcount=14312

Justice League Delayed

I will let Variety do the talking...

Warner pulls plug on 'Justice League'
Cast options lapse; spring start scrapped

By DIANE GARRETT, MICHAEL FLEMING

"Justice League" is no longer moving faster than a speeding bullet.
Warner Bros. has let the options lapse on the young cast that director George Miller chose to play DC superhero staples. The move made it clear that the project is no longer eyeing a spring start. It most likely won't get underway until late summer or fall at the earliest.

Castmembers were informed late Tuesday that their options would not be exercised, but they were also told that the studio is determined to make the film, with them in it. Unfortunately, there were insurmountable problems that made a delay the best option. The studio's reasons included not getting the official response it needed on tax breaks from shooting in Australia. And while WB execs like the script they got from Kieran and Michele Mulroney, it would benefit from a little more work, something that isn't possible because of the writer's strike.

Some were surprised that the studio didn't exercise cast options anyway. The deals gave WB the flexibility to exercise the deals immediately, or in July, and the actors will be making salaries in the low six-figure range. While Adam Brody, cast as The Flash, has a track record, most of the cast is comprised of newcomers like Armie Hammer Jr., who plays Batman, and Megan Gale, who will play Wonder Woman.

The studio now risks losing them to other film jobs. But it is likely most if not all of the cast will make sure to be available starting late summer and fall, just in case. That's because of the starmaking potential of "Justice League."

Studio had set this week as the deadline to greenlight the superhero tentpole, which it was racing to get into production for 2009 release. That was always considered a dicey proposition, particularly when the writers went on strike, and because the film needs to be completed before the SAG deal expires in June.

With "Justice League" on indefinite hold, the studio has a superhero gap on its 2009 slate, for the status of the next "Superman" pic is also uncertain.

The Critic's Corner

Our first of many comic reviews, this one hit stands last week and Matt wasn't to happy with this one.



Superman #672
Written by Kurt Busiek
Art by Peter Vale & Jesus Merino
Cover by Vale

It's Superman versus the all-new Insect Queen on the Moon, for the life of Lana Lang. Meanwhile, Lana (on the Moon) makes a startling discovery that could transform LexCorp's future. And back in Metropolis (sadly, not the Moon), Chris Kent's power problems build to an explosive payoff. Superman

On Sale January 9, 2008


SERIOUS TROUBLE
Review by Matt Rape

Chris Kent has contracted what seems to be a common cold. Lois calls in a nanny to watch after Chris as she heads out for the day to work. She attempts to contact her husband, Superman, but he happens to be in the outer reaches of space and not within range of her voice. Superman is on a course to the moon to find the now abducted Lana Lang. The dreaded Insect Queen has Lana trapped deep within her secret moon colony and worst of all, the Queen has not only taken on her general appearance but the structure of Lana's DNA and memories. To make matters worse, Lex Luthor has been in contact with the Queen for some time now, hoping to from a bond with the Queen and her colony of insect people.

Luthor, up to his old tricks, betrays the Queen and she now focused on finding his whereabouts with help from Lana Lang. If Lana is unable to help the Queen find Luthor in her desired amount of time, she will become nothing more than protein to the high lady and her people.Superman begins his search near a baseball target that was placed on the moon. This target was placed there weeks ago when Superman had attempted to knock a baseball from the field to the target on the moon, for charity. Eventually The Man of Steel stumbles upon the great insect moon colony. He's attacked by a few of the lackey insect moon creatures and tosses them into the depths of space, but not out of the moons gravitational pull, mind you.

We are now treated with inner thoughts from Lana that are displayed as notepads from her personal desk notebook, but marked out to state that these words are actually from her mind. She cuts her way out of her slimy cocoon prison because the bug guards have conveniently stopped paying attention to her. Superman finally makes his way through the nest and to his astonishment sees a working hive full of insects and layers of eggs.Lana takes down the insect guards with the newly acquired moon powers with no idea of how they were acquired, but shrugs them off as if they were an old memory. She begins to escape through the cocoon shaft only to be subdued by other humans living inside of the hive. Lana's mystery humans turn out to be workers from LexCorp were trapped there while working on Lex’s project. Some of their buddies were turned into insects as well after the already dwelling bugs injected serum into their throats. Meanwhile, Superman confronts the queen and demands that she give Lana back immediately.

Back on Earth, Lois is interrupted at The Planet by a call from the Nanny, saying Chris was feeling worse than before. She darts out of the office, mistakenly calling a very visibly dark headed photographer Jimmy. Her son’s sudden illness has her that confused.Meanwhile back on the moon, Superman battles a million insects. The Insect Queen begins to have strange emotions towards the Man of Steel, almost as if she loves him. This is the DNA and make up from Lana's body residing within her now calling the shots.Back to Earth where Lois quickly dismisses Nanny. She checks on Chris to find that his anti super being watch has cause his arm to grow like the Incredible Hulk and also glow vibrant neon red. She removes the watch and his body explodes into a violent glowing red light until it eventually explodes and destroys the upper half of the Kent's apartment. Mean while back on the moon, The Insect Queen sticks a giant wooden steak from her mouth into Superman’s neck.

Story:

Okay. Is this what I will be treated to with Superman for the coming months? I sure hope not. My first problem sits with the Insect Queen. She steals the likeness of Lana Lang but also has her heartbeat pattern as well as her attractions to Clark still embedded within? Also, each time she uses an "s" in her words its emphasized with a "z" instead. This becomes very annoying and just unnecessary after the first page. It’s really that bad. Sure, I understand that you want her to talk as a real life evil Insect Queen, but we really don't need all the "z"'s thrown in there. I have a problem with her constantly calling Lex Luthor, simply THE LUTHOR. Like he’s a professional wrestler now, coming down the aisle with his championship belt around his waist.

I understand that Superman is a good guy. He has upstanding morals and knows where he stands when he makes a decision. This is the reason why Superman has been my favorite character since the tender age of three. What I don't understand is why his dialogue is so bad in this issue, that it seems like I wrote this comic when I was three years old.I quote actual words from Superman’s mouth in this issue "To begin with, I've come for Lana Lang. Tell me where she is. And she'd better be all right, or you're going to be in serious trouble." Serious trouble. SERIOUS TROUBLE?? Even young children today have a better grasp at the English language than this. Come on Supes, where’s that Kryptonian spirit when we really need it?I don't even want to begin on Chris's "Red Sun" watch and the fact that his arm grew bigger than Superman’s thigh, then turned a glowing red, only to explode seconds later.

I really have no idea where this story is headed, and haven't since Busiek started way back at the beginning of the Camelot Falls arc. I apologize to Mr. Busiek, I don't know if he’s just in a bad position right now, and is being thrown this stories to write, but this stuff is really bad. It just misses on so many levels. If they're trying to go for the more silver age Superman, then they are missing terribly. Those stories were fun, and enjoyable. These stories are atrocious and almost unbearable to read. I almost put the issue down after Superman’s "Serious Trouble" remark.

Art:

The art isn't so bad. It’s not really anything that jumps out and grabs your attention either. Certain expressions on Superman’s face are awkward at times, but overall it’s tolerable. Lana is drawn nicely, she reminds me a bit of the older stuff from the 90's. I grew up with that art so I am drawn to it whenever I see any similarities.

Cover Art:

This is the best part of the issue. It steps out and makes you say, "Hey, why is Superman tangled up in that web?" It’s not because he was battered at the box office by that other red and blue wearing hero. The cover reminded me very much of some old issues I have collecting dust in a drawer and really peaked my interest as to what was happening on the pages. Too bad it didn't deliver. If you want to read really well written Superman stories in current circulation, pick up All Star Superman. This is some of the best Superman stuff we've seen in years. Also Action Comics is going along quite well right now with some good Legion action. Both titles are perfect examples of what classic silver age Superman stories brought into modern times should be.

The Cloverfield Monster Revealed!

Cloverfield is dropping this coming Friday and I am extremely excited for this film. I think they did a fantastic job with the marketing campaign especially in regards to keeping the look of the monster a mystery...up until now.

Hollywood Kryptonite Foils Man of Steel?

The build up toward Superman Returns was a fantastic experience for me. I was found myself scouring the internet for news throughout casting, pre-production, production, and I am still discussing this movie on forums across the internet even now. Fortunately, I was able to get close to some of the people involved in production of Superman Returns on both sides of the fence along with others in the industry who had first hand knowledge of production. Naturally said industry insiders were also able to give me some information on a possible sequel, which now seems to be in jeopardy. Below is a message I received on August 26th of 2007 from a internet message board I frequent. I have blocked out some of the message as well as the identity of the poster in order to protect their identity.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i267/IronGiant29/ManofSteel.jpg

The next day Film Ick ran the same story which you read if you click the link below. Either Film Ick had the same source on this one, or they ran with my story.

http://www.filmick.co.uk/2007/08/whats-gonna-come-of-man-of-steel.html

What really surprised me looking back at the message, is the information on Tom Welling and JLA. The source introduces the idea of Welling being cast in JLA after season 8 is completed. Obviously the strike has changed things and Welling might be free to sign on sooner than that. We'll all find out where this project is going by tomorrow.

Truth, Justice, and the Hollywood Way?

Superman! Batman! Wonder Woman! All of them together on the big screen? Sounds like a fanboy dream but it seems that it might be a nightmare for Warner Bros. George Miller's Justice League of America has yet to be "officially" announced but comic book fans all over the country have sure had a lot to talk about in relation to the project. The biggest discussions and debates swirling around on forums across the internet has involved casting, the biggest question, who is going to be playing the Man of Steel?

The first bomb was dropped by Rob over at IESB on G4's Attack of the Show, where he announced that Tom Welling "most likely" will be Superman and was "pretty confident" in his sources. Click the first link below for video the announcement and the 2nd link for the article at IESB.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9cZvKOZaXg
http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_ezine&task=read&page=1&category=1&article=3138

What happened next can only be described as "Kingdom Come" as fans of Tom Welling rejoiced while fans of Brandon Routh were feeling the disappointment of their Superman being passed up for the role. Rob's announcement instigated some heated debates among fans as well as an explosion of rumors debunking the Welling announcement and rumors that further supported Rob's information.

Although the first most of us heard about Welling being up for Superman was from Rob's announcement there were those claiming that a poster from Countingdown had beat Rob to the punch long before his announcement on G4. The poster, known as Emijayne or Jayne, made her appearance on IESB to contribute what she knew about Welling and Superman and her following from Countingdown multiplied. You can check out her blog below, some believe she is a fraud, some swear by her information, but one thing is for sure she has turned herself into an internet celebrity by no fault of her own. I have given Jayne a little bit of heat from time to time indirectly on some of the forums, but she is definitely tied into the movie industry. Judge for yourself.

http://theinfamousemijayne.blogspot.com/

Some of the more recent news out of Hollywood is now pointing to Justice League being delayed or even canceled with a report today suggesting if the movie is not greenlit by Jan 15th, then it will be revisited after the strike.

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/01/and-justice-for.html

If this movie doesn't end up happening or if Tom Welling is not cast as Superman, it is not because of lack of support from the fans of Smallville and Tom Welling. They have stormed every major website and every major poll showing their support for "their" Superman. Check out the poll below for a sample of this devotion to their hero.



Special Thanks to Mike22 & OobeDoobBenubi of The Hype for the above manip.
http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=13217106&postcount=217

A New Nightmare?

Speculation has been circulating around the boiler rooms of Hollywood for quite awhile now in regards to the future of horror's favorite slasher icon, Freddy Kreuger. In 2003 Jason vs Freddy was a hit at the box office for New Line and there has been a debate on whether to go with a sequel to that movie, another sequel in the Nightmare franchise, or a prequel showing the origins of Freddy Kreuger.

Clint at Moviehole has posted a new article about the franchise including an interview from Fear.net with none other than Robert England himself. It seems that there are reports that New Line is looking to reboot the series similar to what Rob Zombie did with Halloween. Check out the links below.

http://www.moviehole.net/news/20080110_caffeinated_clint_10108.html
http://www.fearnet.com/MCNewsDetailPage.aspx?catid=30&mid=12389

I'll throw more logs on the fire, sources are telling me that New Line is very strong on a sequel to the Nightmare series rather than rebooting the franchise. Stay tuned




Thanks to Mac for the above rendering.

http://graphicboredom.blogspot.com/

The Artistic Underground

There are many talented artists across the internet on various forums that go unrecognized and hopefuly The Artistic Corner will give them a little bit of the notice they deserve.

Here is a manipulation of the Eddie Yang concept by Super Kal of "The Hype".

http://forums.superherohype.com/showpost.php?p=13767861&postcount=3135

Return to Krypton

Believe it or not Superman Returns is still being discussed on http://www.superherohype.com/ & http://www.bluetights.net/. The colors of the suit, Superman's curl, Bryan Singer's directing choices, and Lex Luthor's plot points are all being debated back and forth by fans even now.





One of the debates revolves around the Return To Krypton scene or RTK as it has been dubbed by the fans. Above is some amazing artwork done by Ben Proctor who not only worked on the RTK scene but also some Smallville scenes and the FOS (Fotress of Solitude). Ben's work is truly amazing and you can check out what he did with Superman Returns and other movies such as Transformers by clicking the link below.

http://www.benprocter.com/SITEv2/HTML/HOME.html

While on the subject of Superman Returns, as above one of the hot topics before, during, and after production was the suit. Thanks to Steve Younis at Supermanhomepage and concept designer Eddie Yang, we can compare Bryan Singer's version of the suit to the concepts below before Bryan was brought on board to direct Superman Returns. I would advise if you're a Superman fan that you check out Eddie's page, you will also find concept designs for Tyzor, a villian from JJ Abram's Flyby script. Enjoy.

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php

http://www.eddieyang.com/portfolio/costume.html