- Sound Off: The Happening - What Did You Think?
- Rant: How Does This Shit Get Made?! Disaster Movie Trailer
- Rumor: Marvel Wants Leonardo DiCaprio as Captain America?
- Official Title Revealed - Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen
- Rumor: Stephenie Meyer's New Moon Already In Development (Jul 5, 2008)
- Eli Roth and RZA Teaming for The Man with the Iron Fist (Jul 4, 2008)
- Val Kilmer and Xzibit Join Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant (Jul 3, 2008)
- Rumor: 'Friends' Movie in the Works - Please Be Fake! (Jul 3, 2008)
Rumor: Stephenie Meyer's New Moon Already In Development
I'm hesitant to write about this, but I know it'll bring in the Twilight fans. One would assume that since the Twilight feature film already has an excessive amount of buzz surrounding it, the studio would already preparing the sequel. STYD reports that this indeed the case, although it's only a rumor at the moment. Summit Entertainment, the distributor who is putting out Twilight this December, has already optioned the rights to Stephenie Meyer's New Moon and is developing it for release in December of 2009. Although I'm not personally into the series at all, I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt and say that it could potentially become a thrilling new vampire franchise similar to Harry Potter or the Saw series, but for pre-teen girls more than anything. Yes, I did just compare Twilight to Saw…
Eli Roth and RZA Teaming for The Man with the Iron Fist
An interesting tidbit of news was unearthed today surrounding Wu-Tang Clan's The RZA and Eli Roth over on SlashFilm. In an interview on Billboard, The RZA said that he has "developed a martial arts film with Hollywood pal Eli Roth called The Man with the Iron Fist." He also mentions that the project has "the blessing" of his teacher Quentin Tarantino. Roth is an outspoken fan of chopsocky and The RZA worked closely with Tarantino on the Kill Bill soundtracks as well as provided the score for the "Afro Samurai" anime series, so we know this is somewhat of a passion project for both of them. As for what exactly it might involve, who knows? Either way, the prospect of Roth, RZA, and Tarantino working together to create a martial arts film sounds incredibly awesome no matter how you look at it!
Val Kilmer and Xzibit Join Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant
It was announced early last month that the Ghost Rider duo, Nicolas Cage and Eva Mendes, would be starring in Werner Herzog's take on the 1992 cult classic Bad Lieutenant. Now we also learn today that a slew of others have now joined the cast, notably low-laying Val Kilmer and rapper-turned-actor Xzibit. Kilmer is set to star as Cage's sidekick, who will headline the movie as the cop with questionable morals, while Xzibit will play "a villain" named Big Fade; it's doubtful the X-Files supporting cast member will play the primary villain, however (at least I hope so). Production is scheduled to begin later this summer for an expected 2009 release of Bad Lieutenant.
Rumor: 'Friends' Movie in the Works - Please Be Fake!
I knew it! When I was discussing the success of Sex and the City with some friends, I mentioned that one of the only other franchises that could bring big female crowds to the theaters is Friends. But then I thought to myself, there's absolutely no way that it would happen! The show (thankfully) ended four years ago and they all went on their own separate ways, plus how the heck could they turn a 30-minute sitcom into a movie? Well, The Daily Mail claims that a big screen adaptation will happen "within the next 18 months." Frankly, I don't believe it, any word of it. It's just too, well, ridiculous, to be true. I know that Hollywood is looking for ways to recreate the financial success of Sex and the City, but I just don't think this Friends movie is going to happen. Keep dreamin'!
New Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Photo and Early Romance Buzz! Updated!
Not only does the latest issue of Empire featuring an awesome photo of Harry Potter all bloodied up, but USA Today has also published an article on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Remarkably, the sixth film is already due out in theaters in only five more months - just over a year since we all saw Order of the Phoenix last summer. Harry, who is now 16 years old in the film, starts to develop that teenage sense of attraction, and that never mixes well with magic. If you're a Harry Potter fan, and have read Deathly Hallows multiple times over, you might want to take a look at these new photos and read on for a brief teaser.
David Fincher Developing Animated Version of The Goon
The last time Fight Club's David Fincher supported a movie called The Fall, it ended up being an amazing discovery. Now Fincher is a on roll scooping up various properties for big screen adaptation, the latest of which is a cult comic called The Goon. Previously Fincher announced in March that Heavy Metal would be headed to the big screen as an animated feature film being created by Blur Studios. Now we learn that Fincher and Blur Studios will be working together again to create the animated adaptation of The Goon. Considering there isn't much out there from Blur yet, let's hope they're as good as Pixar, because otherwise this and Heavy Metal sound like exciting projects that could turn out incredible.
Mark Millar's 21st Century Superman Pitch Moving Forward?!
The comic book publisher battle is heating up again. We all know Marvel is kicking ass with Iron Man and Incredible Hulk this summer, but DC Comics is about to drop The Dark Knight in just a few weeks. And in December when we all frown upon Marvel's Punisher: War Zone yet again, we'll already be hyped about DC's upcoming Watchmen. As great as DC Comics is, one of their biggest characters, Superman, still seems to be stuck in a rut after Bryan Singer's "return" in 2006 didn't bring in the box office "returns" that Warner Brothers was expecting. Well, you may remember a little article from October last year, where legendary comic book writer Mark Millar talked about putting together his own pitch for a new version of Superman for the 21st Century - his dream project. Given Singer's Superman Returns sequel is still stuck, Millar has begun ramping up his pitch - and now he's got his team already in place!
Sacha Baron Cohen and Will Ferrell Taking on Comedic Sherlock Holmes
Move over Guy Ritchie, Sacha Baron Cohen and Will Ferrell are stepping up to take on the detective Sherlock Holmes! Cohen and Ferrell have officially been cast in Sony's currently untitled comedy as Holmes and Watson, respectively. While there is no director attached yet, Judd Apatow is producing and Etan Cohen (Idiocracy, Tropic Thunder) is writing the script. The comedy is inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes tales, but as for where the comedy will come from, we can only expect it will be an over-the-top quirky comedy similar to Get Smart. As hilarious as Cohen and Ferrell are individually, will they be able to actually pull off a comedy better than Talladega Nights?
Mark Wahlberg Updates Darren Aronofsky's The Fighter
Requiem for a Dream's Darren Aronofsky has two similarly titled films in the works: The Wrestler and The Fighter. The first one is about Randy 'The Ram' Robinson and stars Mickey Rourke. The second one is about 'Irish' Micky Ward and stars Mark Wahlberg. We already know that Aronofsky has been shooting The Wrestler for a while and is actually probably finishing post-production on the film right now anyway. However, Wahlberg himself finally updates MTV on the status of The Fighter, the film I'm more interested in, and says that they're expecting to start shooting in October. If you're concerned about it being another bleak boxing movie, don't worry, so is Wahlberg.
Phillip Noyce Attached to Direct CIA Drama Edwin A. Salt
Australian filmmaker Phillip Noyce (seen above) is in negotiations to direct Edwin A. Salt, a drama about a CIA agent, with Tom Cruise potentially starring. The script was written by Kurt Wimmer (of Sphere, Equilibrium, Street Kings). The story focuses on CIA officer Edwin A. Salt, who is accused by a defector of being a Russian sleeper spy. He eludes capture by superiors who are convinced he is out to assassinate the president and attempts to reunite with his family and prove someone else is the traitor. Cruise has been attached since the beginning through various drafts of the script and various directors, but Noyce was only attached recently. There isn't any solid confirmation at this point that Cruise will still star, but at least they've nabbed a solid director to bring the film to light.
The Wackness Wins LA Film Fest Audience Award!
We've been talking about it non-stop since seeing it for the first time back in January at Sundance, now it's finally hitting theaters this week. Jonathan Levine's The Wackness was awarded the audience award for narrative feature this past Sunday at the Los Angeles Film Festival. This is the second audience award it has won, also taking home the same award at Sundance. If this isn't yet another indication that The Wackness is a brilliant film that deserves your time this July, then I can't do anything else beyond suggesting you watch the red band trailer a few more times. And please go see it this week if you live in New York or Los Angeles!! I want this movie to be a huge success and I've been waiting for Sony Pictures Classics to put it out in theaters and give it a chance to breathe.
Wall-E Officially the Best Reviewed Movie of 2008!
Rotten Tomatoes has officially announced that Pixar's Wall-E is, so far, the best reviewed movie of the year. The film has a 96% fresh rating with 149 reviews counted, which beats out Iron Man at 93%. Additionally, this makes Wall-E Pixar's third best reviewed film in its history, just barely above Ratatouille at 96%. Let's hope it holds out as a few more reviews trickle in, since Iron Man has 209 reviews counted. I've talked so much and so highly about Wall-E over the last few months, that I think this intro is best left to Rotten Tomatoes. "It's rare that a picture earns comparisons with Chaplin's City Lights and Kubrick's 2001. It's rarer still that said picture is also praised as intelligent, visually remarkable, darkly funny, and ultimately, heartwarming family fare. However, critics say the good folks at Pixar have done just that with WALL-E, perhaps the studio's most audacious film yet." Congratulations Pixar!
Helena Bonham Carter Joins McG's Terminator Reboot
If the involvement of Christian Bale and Common wasn't enough to help lessen my worry of McG (director of the Charlie's Angels films) helming the new Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, then today's news of Helena Bonham Carter definitely will. Bonham Carter is apparently in talks to join the film, which has already begun pre-production down in New Mexico. Honestly, Tim Burton's girlfriend seems an interesting choice for the sci-fi flick, but I'm not going to hope for anyone better. Bonham Carter is a brilliant, devilishly complex creature that seems right at home amidst a post-apocalyptic earth. Having lived in Burton's world for some time, she should be used to dim lighting and harried landscapes. Unfortunately her role is not as big as you may think.
Luke Goss Says Tekken Movie Will End Up Rated R
Considering the R-rated Wanted was a big success this weekend, I'm certain studios are starting to open up to allowing more of their big blockbusters to go R - as long as it's appropriate. While at the press junket for Hellboy II today in Los Angeles, Luke Goss said that he "thinks" the Tekken movie in the works will end being rated R. Like Street Fighter, Tekken is a live-action adaptation of a very popular platform fighting video game from Namco. The film is being directed by Dwight H. Little, of Rapid Fire, Free Willy 2, "Prison Break", and "Bones", and has a script penned by Alan B. McElroy, of Spawn, Wrong Turn, and The Marine. Not the most talented individuals involved unfortunately. Is the prospect of an R-rated Tekken more interesting than a PG-13 rated Street Fighter?
Promise of Resident Evil 4 Limps Along Like a Zombie
Sure, it's an undead carrot of good news, but it piques my horror curiosity nonetheless. With the success of the third installment of the Resident Evil franchise (with $147.7 million worldwide), it's typically just a mathematics decision for launching another film in the series. However, considering the presumed conclusion of the franchise with the aptly named Extinction last year and the widely reported news that sexy zombie slayer Milla Jovovich would be retreating from the series, talks for another installment have been slow. MTV caught up with writer/producer Paul W.S. Anderson recently and talked with him about the prospect for a fourth movie. "I'm just starting to talk to Sony about it. I don't even know if anything will come of it, but there's a possibility it might happen."
Eddie Murphy is Retiring - Our Prayers Have Been Answered!
It looks like the life support is running out on Eddie Murphy's movie career. Presumably, the near 50-year-old and recent bachelor is set to please audiences nationwide - something he hasn't done in years - by going back to his comedy nightclub roots and staying out of the theater. Murphy recently told Extra, "I have close to fifty movies and it's like, why am I in the movies? I've done that part now. I'll go back to the stage and do stand-up." This news is taking much longer to type, as I can't stop from clapping. Now, I'll certainly admit the guy has done some good work (Dreamgirls, the voice of Donkey in Shrek), but the vast majority of his films in recent memory has been awful. If you need any proof of that, check out this ludicrous advertising for his next project, Meet Dave.
More Insight Into Oliver Stone's W. Courtesy of the LA Times
We continue to keep tabs on Oliver Stone's upcoming Bush biopic W., largely in the vein of car wreck curiosity — all of the variables at play give the film a very eye-catching nature. Obviously, one of the bigger questions surrounding the project is how Stone will ultimately cast one of history's most controversial Presidents. Thanks to the LA Times, we have a better sense of the upcoming portrayal. Stone tells us, "I love Michael Moore, but I didn't want to make that kind of movie. W. isn't an overly serious movie, but it is a serious subject. It's a Shakespearean story… I see it as the strange unfolding of American democracy as I have lived it. [Bush] won a huge amount of people to his side after making a huge amount of blunders and really lying to people. We are trying to walk in the footsteps of W and try to feel like he does, to try to get inside his head. But it's never meant to demean him."
Jon Favreau Updates His Iron Man 2 Involvement - He's Working It Out
Ever since we reported that Jon Favreau might not return for Iron Man 2, fans have been in a frenzy over the news in a fight to make sure he returns. Since then we haven't heard much besides some rough confirmations that Marvel is indeed trying to work it out with him. However, IESB recently caught up with Favreau and asked him about all the latest details. His response: "It's going to work out, I have a feeling… We're working it all out. They've actively engaged with us." Favreau goes on to talk more about production on Iron Man 2, his considerations on The Avengers, and a quick tease about The First Avenger: Captain America. Although it's still at least two years out until we see Iron Man return, Marvel is hard at work preparing for the next few installments in the ever-growing universe of superhero films.
Matthew Fox Joins Adaptation of Oni Press' Billy Smoke
After kicking ass as Racer X in Speed Racer earlier this summer, Matthew Fox will go on to star in Billy Smoke, an adaptation of an upcoming comic being published by Oni Press. The story focuses on an elite hitman who is nearly killed during a job and realizes that his only way to find redemption is to rid the world of all assassins. After the success of Wanted this weekend, it sounds like Hollywood is interested in even more hitmen and assassins. The comic book series will first be published in 2009 and is written by B. Clay Moore and illustrated by Eric Kim. No director or writer has been announced yet, but the film is being produced by Warner Brothers and Oni's Eric Gitter.
Hans Zimmer and The RZA Team Up for Babylon A.D. Score
I'm just a fews hours away from seeing The Dark Knight and one of the aspects that I'm looking forward to is hearing Hans Zimmer's brilliant score. In my interview with Zimmer and James Newton Howard that I did a few weeks back, it was obvious that I'm a huge fan of both composers. Zimmer's work on films like Batman Begins and Gladiator have made me come to appreciate scores so much more than I did before. Now news comes from Wu-Tang Clan's The RZA via Westword that he has teamed up with Zimmer to create the score to Mathieu Kassovitz's Babylon A.D.! This combination sounds like a potentially amazing partnership that will result in a truly unforgettable new score. I can't wait to hear it!