Movie News

Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment have an agreement for Paramount to distribute Marvel's next five self produced features. It's an extension of the original agreement, so now it includes theatrical distribution in foreign territories. The titles and changed release dates are Iron Man 2 (May 7,2010), Thor (July 16, 2010), The First Avenger: Captain America (May 6, 2011), The Avengers (July 15, 2011), and Iron Man 3.

According to Variety, more directors want to film in IMAX, “Michael Bay will film at least three action setpieces using Imax cameras for ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,’ which is lensing. Jon Favreau has discussed using Imax cameras in filming ‘Iron Man 2,’ while ‘Eagle Eye’ director D.J. Caruso has expressed interest in doing so for future projects such as ‘Y: The Last Man.’"

“Digital Cinema Implementation Partners (DCIP) announced today that it has entered into long term agreements with Twentieth Century Fox, Walt Disney Motion Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios and Lionsgate Films for the deployment of digital projection systems to nearly 20,000 movie theatre screens across North America, including the AMC, Cinemark and Regal theatre chains.”

Sundance Channel now has the international rights to Isabella Rossellini starring short series Green Porno.

Horror Camp Hope has been pushed to early 2009.

George Romero has written and started production on an untitled zombie movie. Alan Van Sprang, Kenneth Welsh, Kathleen Munroe, Devon Bostick, Richard Fitzpatrick, Stefano Colacitti, and Athena Karkanis will star in the movie about an island community where the dead rise and eat their relatives. The living must decide whether to kill them or hold them while looking for a cure.

Universal has bought Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger’s comedic take on The Borne Identitiy. The Jack Black vehicle is about an “American who washes up on the shores of Cuba with no memory of who he is or how he got there. He comes to the inaccurate conclusion that he must be a superspy like Jason Bourne.”

Live Schreiber and Helen Hunt will play a couple whose marriage is strained to the breaking point in Richard Levine’s drama Every Day. It’ll be Levine’s feature directorial debut. Filming begins this month.

Prequels, Sequels & Remakes

Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance will open in Japan in early summer of 2009.

Zack Snyder says that the 300 sequel will take place between the Battle of Thermopylae and the Battle of Plataea (where 300 ends with Dillios [David Wenham] finishing his story).

Kirsten Dunst on Spiderman 4 & 5 to MTV: “’I’m in,’ said the actress matter of factly. However, when pressed to make the announcement official, Dunst quickly changed her tone, and rather cryptically added, ‘I’m not saying anything, I know there’s rumors…’”

DreamWorks is moving forward on a 3-D sequel to Kung Fu Panda called Pandamonium. Kung Fu Panda’s head of story Jennifer Yuh Nelson will direct, and Jack Black and Angelina Jolie have already signed on. It’ll be about Po’s continuing journey of master kung fu and being the chosen one. Slotted release date is June 3, 2011.

Chris O’Donnell and Jack McBrayer will star in live action and CGI mix Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. Brad Peyton’s directorial debut will continue “the story of the battle between cats and dogs for control of Earth.”

Producers Michael De Luca, Alison Rosenzweig, and Michael Gaeta will develop a remake of 1987's Angel Heart. They have also optioned the rights to William Hjortsberg's novel Falling Angel, which the original was based on. The novel is about Harry Angel, "a New York detective hired by a mysterious client to track down a once-popular performer indebted to him. While pursuing this seemingly routine investigation, Harry encounters dark and supernatural forces."

Harrison Ford says that "George [Lucas] is in think mode right now" about Indy 5.

James Cameron on Terminator 4: "It could be a big steaming pile, or it could be brilliant. Sam Worthington is in ... Avatar and the new Terminator, and he likes the script, but I never saw it. There was no blessing involved."

Adaptations

A description of the Watchmen footage Zack Snyder screened, and the Q & A.

Kenneth Branagh is in negotiations to direct the Donald Blake written adaptation of Marvel’s Thor. Marvel will set a distributor soon.

Sony has the rights to Mark Millar and Tony Harris’ comic book War Heroes, and is currently looking for a writer. The superhero military story is about an “experimental military program that gives ordinary soldiers superpowers. When a small group of recruits break off to use these powers for a criminal enterprise, a hero rises from their ranks to prevent catastrophic results.”

Ridley Scott has cast Russell Crowe as both Robin Hood and the sheriff of Nottingham.

Max Payne has won a PG-13 rating from the MPAA.

Brett Ratner will direct the God of War movie.

Ash Brannon will direct a Yogi Bear live action/CGI mix for Warner Brothers. Joshua Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimilia will write.

My Neighbor Totoro

"Landmark Theatres' Tivoli Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri will be screening My Neighbor Totoro at midnight on Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4. Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's acclaimed children's anime film will also run at noon on Saturday and Sunday."

More info here.

News item from here

Speaking of sychronicity...

Here we have William Shater responding to JJ Abrams about Star Trek XI. (Seriously, unplanned Star Trek-itude)

"...Bang...."

Director Zack Snyder has signed with Electronic Arts to develop three original games. "Snyder will work with EA's Los Angeles studio in Playa Vista to produce his games. EA will own the intellectual properties, but under the deal the publisher may turn some or all of them into films that will be produced by Snyder's Cruel & Unusual Films company, which is run by the director with co-president Deborah Snyder and producer Wesley Coller."

October 11, horror props auctioned for charity.

Stormtroopers and Cybermen to teach reading.

Fiat to launch limited edition Lupin III car.

12 coolest deaths in science fiction history. What do Spike Spiegel and Spock have in common? I cried at both their deaths. *sniffle* Also, completely coincidence that MRFH's banner this month is from The Wrath of Khan. Sychronicity: You know I love it!

A cake NON-wreck, from Cake Wrecks (cool site BTW): The Muppet Cake. I don't think I could ever bring myself to eat it.

Pod Wars Ducks. "If you only knew the power of the duck side."

Alien tables.

How to build a steampunk lightsaber.

DVD Releases

While She Was Out - October 27
Hellboy II: The Golden Army – November 11
The Dark Knight - December 9
Akira (Blu-ray) - February 20, 2009 (Japan); February 24, 2009 (US)

A rundown on the Iron Man retail exclusives

Amazon is running a Halloween sale on DVDs and Blu-ray, and a buy one get one free on select horror movies.

Technically not DVD, but rental related: Netflix and Starz have announced an agreement on instant streaming.

Screamfest

October 11-19, Hollywood, Screamfest 2008 will be at Grauman's Mann Chinese Theater 6.

Titles include:

Trick 'r' Treat
Burrowers
Feast 2: Sloppy Seconds
Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story
King Of The Hill (El Rey de La Montana)
Dante 01
Splinter
Eden Lake
Let the Right One In

More info here.

Black Bear Film Festival

October 17-19, in Milford, Pennsylvania, is the Black Bear Film Festival:
"MISSION: Support of innovative and independent films, artistic expression, education, diversity, and cultural enhancement... promotion of the region’s clean air and water, abundant wildlife, natural beauty and the entities that protect them... Recognition of the area’s history as the birthplace of the American conservation movement and as a popular filmmaking location..."

Titles include:

The Cake Eaters
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Absurdistan
Dreams With Sharp Teeth: A Film About Harlan Ellison
Wendy and Lucy
The Poker Club

More info here.

TV News...

The CW is preparing a show for Batman sidekick Robin ala Smallville. Producers Kelly Souders, Brian Peterson, and McG are behind the pilot for hourlong show The Graysons. It'll be about Dick Grayson before he became Robin, and is a potential replacement for Smallville. Considering the Flying Graysons were a family of acrobats, I imagine it being a lot like this.

Fox has picked up David Gordon Green's pilot for animated series Good Vibes. It'll be written and exec-produced by Green and Brad Ableson will handle animation. It'll be about “two high school surfer dudes living near the beach in California.”

True Blood guest stars Mehcad Brooks, Todd Lowe, Deborah Ann Woll, and Michelle Forbes will be regulars in the HBO show's already ordered second season.

Doug Hutchison will be back on Lost. [kinda spoilery]

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: "In the first episode, 'Ambush,' Jedi Master Yoda and three clone troopers must face off against Count Dooku's dreaded assassin, Asajj Ventress, and the massive Separatist droid army to prove the Jedi are strong enough to protect a strategic planet and forge a treaty for the Republic."