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The International 'Iron Man 2' Poster Subtracts a Suit
Filed under: Action, Paramount, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Images, Posters
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Given the frenzy that surrounded the release of the first Iron Man 2 poster and the early stills, I thought it was fitting that we should end the week with a trilogy of marketing material. Empire has debuted the international version of the Iron Man 2 poster which you can see to the right in mini form. If you click on the link, it'll take you to a larger version.While our poster gave you two Iron Man suits for the money, the international audience only gets one -- and Tony Stark isn't even wearing his helmet! We should pity the overseas people who will be denied that awesome look at War Machine. On the other hand, they get the soulful eyes of Robert Downey Jr. I feel like there's some kind of commentary on the difference between American audiences and international ones here. They're sold by an intense, human gaze whereas we're sold by big metal suits that hint at the promise of explosions.
Yes, I'm reading too much into it. Come on, I have to make my word count ... and I don't know what it says about me that this is the one I'd put on my wall. I'm a sucker for the man inside the suit, I guess.
Iron Man 2 hits American theaters on May 7, 2010, but the UK reportedly gets an earlier look on April 30, 2010. Truly devoted fans might want to book that plane ticket now.
Box Office: Everybody's Armored Brothers
Filed under: Action, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Box Office, Box Office Predictions
New Moon did 70% less this week but still managed to hold onto first place. Just as interesting is that The Blind Side had an 18% increase from last week while only appearing in 30 more theaters. Old Dogs just didn't have the energy and landed back in fourth with Ninja Assassin taking sixth. Here's the top five:
1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon $42.8 million
2. The Blind Side: $40.1 million
3. 2012: $17.6 million
4. Old Dogs: $16.9 million
5. A Christmas Carol: $15.7 million
Four new releases this week:
Armored
What's It All About: A group of underpaid armored car drivers join forces to swipe a big pile of loot, though of course nothing goes as smoothly as planned. Matt Dillon and Laurence Fishburne star.
Why It Might Do Well: The success of Ocean's 11 and its sequels would seem to indicate there's a market for heist movies.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Unfortunately this movie lacks the flash and star power of the Ocean's series.
Number of Theaters: 1,900
Prediction: $18 million
Brothers
What's It All About: In this remake of a 2004 Danish film Tobey Maguire plays a soldier believed to have been killed in Afghanistan while his brother helps care for his sibling's family back home.
Why It Might Do Well: With Natalie Portman playing Maguire's wife we've got three amazing leads here.
Why It Might Not Do Well: 56% at Rottentomatoes.com isn't a deal breaker but it doesn't fill me with confidence.
Number of Theaters: 2,000
Prediction: $16 million
1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon $42.8 million
2. The Blind Side: $40.1 million
3. 2012: $17.6 million
4. Old Dogs: $16.9 million
5. A Christmas Carol: $15.7 million
Four new releases this week:
ArmoredWhat's It All About: A group of underpaid armored car drivers join forces to swipe a big pile of loot, though of course nothing goes as smoothly as planned. Matt Dillon and Laurence Fishburne star.
Why It Might Do Well: The success of Ocean's 11 and its sequels would seem to indicate there's a market for heist movies.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Unfortunately this movie lacks the flash and star power of the Ocean's series.
Number of Theaters: 1,900
Prediction: $18 million
BrothersWhat's It All About: In this remake of a 2004 Danish film Tobey Maguire plays a soldier believed to have been killed in Afghanistan while his brother helps care for his sibling's family back home.
Why It Might Do Well: With Natalie Portman playing Maguire's wife we've got three amazing leads here.
Why It Might Not Do Well: 56% at Rottentomatoes.com isn't a deal breaker but it doesn't fill me with confidence.
Number of Theaters: 2,000
Prediction: $16 million
Summit Moves From Sparkly Vamps to an Assassin's 'Alibi'
Filed under: Action, Deals, Scripts, Comic/Superhero/Geek
Back in September, I wondered what Summit would spend their big wad of Twilight cash on. They're primed to rake in a couple billion by the time this is all over. The company made almost $385 mil at the box office with the first installment (having spent only $37 mil), and so far $476,334,668 with the second (having spent only $50 mil). And now they're turning their attention toward assassins. Variety reports that Summit Entertainment has signed on to bring the comic Alibi to the big screen -- a production that kicked into gear back in August. Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov and illustrated by Jeremy Haun, Top Cow's Alibi focuses on the classic socialite-with-a-secret-job scenario. But instead of just putting on a flimsy mask and getting to work, this assassin's got the perfect cover -- a secret twin brother. See, one is the assassin and one is the socialite, and they both work under the same identity. John Hlavin, who will write the next Underworld installment, has been tapped to pen the script.
I think Summit is on the right track -- grabbing a big action film that is in high contrast to the teen-led vampire and werewolf world, and also has the ability to make some good cash. And, let's hope, they continue to find the ways to make big movies cheaply, rather than soaring to new heights with a franchise before seeing it all wash away (yes, I'm thinking about New Line).
'Green Lantern' Will Choose Adventure Over Origin
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Warner Brothers, Scripts, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek
Every day, I hope we'll get another big piece of The Green Lantern casting (and not just an open casting call) such as Sinestro or Carol Ferris, or even Abin Sur. This is a movie we're all really eager to see take shape. But for now, we'll have to be content with hints about the script, which Ryan Reynolds gave to the MTV Splash Page. Reynolds revealed that Hal Jordan won't be the beneficiary of a very intense origin story: "It is [an origin story] to a certain degree, but it's not a labored origin story, where the movie [truly] begins in the third act. The movie starts when it starts. We find out Hal is the guy fairly early on, and the adventure begins." That probably comes as a surprise to anyone even remotely familiar with Lantern mythology, as the intergalactic world Hal comes to inhabit is pretty complex and detailed. It would be an easy thing to bog the movie down in that, though, and maybe giving it a more cursory approach is better. This is intended as a franchise after all, and they can always go deeper with subsequent films.
The man who will be Hal Jordan also stressed that the film won't be just about the green and black suit, but about the man who inhabits it. "I think you walk away from this first film, and the moments that you remember and the moments that mean so much to you, not unlike Iron Man, are the moments where the guy's not in the suit. That to me is the tough thing to get right."
Halcyon Auctions Off 'Terminator Salvation' Props & Costumes
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, Remakes and Sequels
This is getting ridiculous, and I can only assume that James Cameron is shaking his head somewhere and muttering: "Jacka**es." We wondered if the Terminator franchise was in trouble back in August, and then learned that Halcyon -- the company who owns the rights to the franchise -- filed for bankruptcy and was gearing up to auction the whole thing off. Being a stand-up kind of guy, Joss Whedon then offered to buy the rights for ten G's. Now? Still in a crunch for money, IESB reports that The Halcyon Company has teamed up with Hollywood Parts online auction service to sell off all the movie props and wardrobes now that Terminator Salvation is out on DVD (guess we can wave goodbye to any sequel set in this world).Rather than doing this the eBay way, where awesome props start off cheap and work their way up, these items start with a price of a couple hundred dollars and then work their way up to $10,000 for a full John Connor costume. However, they do allow buyers to make an offer price and see what happens -- but you just know that no person who bids $100 on that Connor costume has a shot in hell of getting it even if no one else bid.
For any fans who like the film enough to fork over some cash, this should be a sweet deal, but it's just an added piece of embarrassment to a franchise that started off so wonderfully. I wonder what's next -- some cult company like Troma or Asylum turning it into cult pulp?
Everything You Need to Know About Peter Berg's 'Battleship'
Filed under: Action, Fandom, Newsstand
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When it comes to films based on board games, folks are immediately inclined to make fun of the idea and trash the project -- which is why Universal decided to get out in front of the negative buzz by sending a group of movie writers down to San Diego to meet with Battleship director Peter Berg prior to production to find out exactly what the man (and studio) have planned when it comes to this particular board game adaptation (which is the first of many in the pipeline). So ... what, are we looking at a film set in 1987 about two 10-year-old kids trying to sink the other dude's Battleship before mom calls them inside for dinner? Not quite. Here's the quickie version:
- Battleship will follow a small fleet of American and international (ie: Japanese) ships (5 in total) that for some reason get separated from the rest of the Navy and must take on an opposing fleet of alien ships that have arrived on earth in order to build some sort of "bridge" that will help their alien race in some way.
- These aliens are called The Regents (which has nothing to do with the High School exam ... we think), and they're not here to destroy earth or humankind -- they're just here to use the planet to help save their own species. However, they will defend themselves if provoked, and, well, what else are we to use our giant massive Naval ships for?
- The aliens will be a mix of human actors and CGI. Berg compared them to Davey Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean.
- The Regents aren't all that superior to us either, as Berg noted that the fight will be a fair one. The story will be more strategic, like the game, in that it will focus on each party (human and alien) using their skills to locate and destroy the other before they themselves are destroyed.
- And yes, someone will say "You sunk my Battleship!" at some point during the film.
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.
Free Flick of the Day: Vexille
Filed under: Action, Animation
How about a little feature-length anime to brighten the first day of December? Brand-new on SlashControl is Fumihiko Sori's eye-dazzling Vexille, which is a sci-fi action tale that's way too complicated to cover here. Suffice to say it's got lots of cool ideas, epic moments, awesome action sequences, and a rather excellent Paul Oakenfold score.
As a matter of fact, I actually reviewed this film from the Toronto Film Festival way back in 2007. Here's a piece from that review:
"On a technical scale, Vexille (aka Bekushiru: 2077 Nippon Sakoku) is an undeniable treat for the eyes. Combining 2-D and 3-D animation (as in his earlier Appleseed), Sori eschews belabored backstories and mystical blather in favor of a straightforward sci-fi action-fest. Plus the two main heroes are women, which I found to be a nice switch. (And again, the stuff in between the action is actually interesting!) Fans of the manga comic book of the same name may be interested to know that Vexille is a new story within the established serial, but speaking as a complete newcomer to the series I thought it was a fun, flashy way to spend two hours."
And while you can see and enjoy the film right after the jump, I'd consider it just a teaser. Yes, you get the whole film (and free of charge!) but if you like Vexille ... you gotta see it on DVD in HD widescreen. Just lovely.
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
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Johnny Depp to Play Pancho Villa?_thumbnail.jpg)
The International 'Iron Man 2' Poster Subtracts a Suit
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