Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Spike Lee Moves Forward on 'Inside Man 2'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/spike-lee-moves-forward-on-inside-man-2/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/spike-lee-moves-forward-on-inside-man-2/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/spike-lee-moves-forward-on-inside-man-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Funny, too, because my friends and I were just discussing Inside Man last night. My good pal has a thing for when Denzel yells, "This ain't no robbery!" -- and for some odd reason, he's always saying it (in Denzel's voice). Everyone has THAT quote-crazy friend, ya know? But anyway, The Hollywood Reporter tells us that Spike Lee is moving forward with a sequel to Inside Man over at Universal -- a project that's been in the works for awhile now, but took a backseat when Lee decided to make Miracle at St. Anna. The director would return to the film in the same role, with Terry George (Hotel Rwanda, Reservation Road) currently in negotiations to write the screenplay.

Universal and Lee made a killing on the first Inside Man, which, in my opinion, was one of the more enjoyable heist flicks of the past few years, and so it's no surprise they're looking to dive in for more. Though they're not signed on yet, both Denzel Washington and Clive Owen are interested in reprising their roles -- and THR says the sequel will "continue the relationship between the two man characters but in a new high-tension situation." Not a big fan of the "it made $175 million so we have to do the sequel" thought process, but if there's a duo I'd like to see reunited on screen, it would be Clive and Denzel. Both were excellent in the first film.

What do you think? Down for more Inside Man? And where could you see them taking these characters?

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]]>cinematicalclive owenCliveOwendenzel washingtonDenzelWashingtoninside maninside man 2InsideManInsideMan2spike leeSpikeLeeErik DavisSat, 06 Sep 2008 12:32:00 ESTMark Cuban Picking Up 'Che'?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/mark-cuban-picking-up-che/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/mark-cuban-picking-up-che/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/06/mark-cuban-picking-up-che/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The New York Post ran a little piece yesterday about hearing a rumor that Mark Cuban's Magnolia pictures has signed to distribute Steven Soderbergh's Che, which James and I saw at Cannes and very much enjoyed. I emailed Cuban earlier to ask whether the rumor is true, and got back from him "working on it," which to me sounds very promising. Cuban's a smart guy and he's not afraid to take risks; now he'll just have to figure out how to package and market the damn thing.

Many of us who loved the film at Cannes pondered over drinks after that screeing who would be brave enough to pick it up for distribution, and whether if it did get picked up it would show in one part in its entirety with an intermission, as we saw it at there, or two separate films, or perhaps one greatly edited shorter film. I'm glad to hear that someone's going to pick it up, and I'm curious now to see which way Cuban will play the release of the film. Any thoughts from those who've seen it as to which you'd prefer?

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]]>chemark cubanMarkCubansteven soderbergKim VoynarSat, 06 Sep 2008 08:02:00 ESTJennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany Debate 'Creation'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/jennifer-connelly-and-paul-bettany-debate-creation/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/jennifer-connelly-and-paul-bettany-debate-creation/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/jennifer-connelly-and-paul-bettany-debate-creation/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Acting couple Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly must have decided that life would be too calm after November 2008 -- so they have signed to play Charles and Emma Darwin in Creation. Yes, the Darwins. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film will be directed by Jon Amiel, from a script penned by John Collee, and based on Randal Keynes' book Annie's Box. (Keynes is Darwin's great-great grandson.) The film will portray Charles Darwin as a man torn between his love for his deeply religious wife, and his growing belief in a world where God has no place.

I hope that they explore Darwin's personal struggles and belief more deeply than the plot description suggests. To sell him as an athiest smacks of wanting to stir up controversy -- Darwin always called himself an agonostic, and his rejection of Christianity stemmed as much from the tragic death of his daughter, Annie, as his research. It's a complex and fascinating biography, one that, as a lover of science and the history of it, I would love to see done with real justice.

The cast is certainly more than capable -- Bettany and Connelly are both wonderful, and they'll be joined by Jeremy Northam, Toby Jones, and Benedict Cumberbatch. Annie Darwin has yet to be cast. (I can't help but be amused by the fact that Bettany and Northam have played Darwin-inspired characters before, in Master and Commander and Possession, respectively. Pet interest, perhaps?)

I know the merest mention of Charles Darwin is enough to cause an epic flame war in the comments. If it's possible, try to keep discussion only to the film, the actors, the book, and Darwin's biography. That may be too much to hope for, but I beg you to remain respectful and tolerant of one another.

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]]>Annies BoxAnniesBoxBenedict CumberbatchBenedictCumberbatchCharles DarwinCharlesDarwinCreationEmma DarwinEmmaDarwinJennifer ConnellyJenniferConnellyJeremy NorthamJeremyNorthamJohn ColleeJohnColleeJon AmielJonAmielPaul BettanyPaulBettanyRandal KeynesRandalKeynesToby JonesTobyJonesElisabeth RappeFri, 05 Sep 2008 13:40:00 ESTDenzel to Star in 'Book of Eli'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/denzel-to-star-in-book-of-eli/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/denzel-to-star-in-book-of-eli/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/denzel-to-star-in-book-of-eli/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A double Academy Award winner is going back to the future. Denzel Washington will star in the post-apocalyptic drama Book of Eli, to be directed by Albert and Allen Hughes, according to Variety. He will play "a lone hero in a not-too-distant apocalyptic future who must fight across America to bring society the knowledge that could be the key to its redemption." Sounds like the best of all possible worlds, doesn't it? Denzel as an intellectual action hero of the future.

Denzel has been resolutely dealing with modern-day problems for the last decade, so maybe he felt like a change of pace. As far as I can tell, the only time that Denzel's tipped his toe into future waters was back in 1995 with Brett Leonard's Virtuosity. In that movie, set just four years into the future, he faced off against a virtual reality Russell Crowe. How far into the future will Book of Eli be set? Who gets the blame for the apocalypse? Will this be a tale of weary, wary survivors or vengeful warriors? And what's in that book, anyway?

Amazingly, this will be the first feature from The Hughes Brothers since 2001's graphic novel adapatation From Hell. They'll be working from a script originally written by Gary Whitta (the two new Akira films) and re-written by Anthony Peckham (Clint Eastwood's upcoming The Human Factor and Sherlock Holmes for Warner Bros). Joel Silver is on board as one of the producers. Filming begins in January.

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]]>albert hughesAlbertHughesallen hughesAllenHughesdenzel washingtonDenzelWashingtonhughes brothersHughesBrothersjoel silverJoelSilverPeter MartinFri, 05 Sep 2008 11:03:00 ESTTom Cruise to Play a Serial Killer?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tom-cruise-to-play-a-serial-killer/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tom-cruise-to-play-a-serial-killer/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/05/tom-cruise-to-play-a-serial-killer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

I bet when you woke up this morning, you thought the same thing I did: "When are we going to get to see Tom Cruise viciously murder a whole bunch of people on the big screen ... again?" Right? We're SO on the same wavelength here, like internet, movie-related soul mates from outer space! That said, fellow soul mate, Variety tells us that Cruise and United Artists have acquired rights to The Monster of Florence, based on the book by Douglas Preston. Cruise will produce and possibly star, though there's no word on whether he'd play the killer or one of the men trying to crack the case.

This is actually a pretty crazy story, and I believe it was the subject of a recent 48 Hours Mystery (or Dateline) where these two guys -- Preston and Italian journalist Mario Spezi -- were on an intense search to find out who exactly committed eight gruesome double homicides between the years of 1968 and 1985. Both men claimed to have found the guy, but then -- since they knew so much about the case -- both became actual suspects themselves. It's a pretty wild story and one that's ripe for the big-screen treatment. Only problem is it kinda suffers from "the Zodiac issue" where no one currently knows who the killer is, and so they won't be able to tie a nice, shiny bow around this puppy. Regardless, it's a good story and I'm curious to see what they do with it. You?

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]]>cinematicalthe monster of florenceTheMonsterOfFlorencetom cruiseTomCruiseErik DavisFri, 05 Sep 2008 10:02:00 ESTBREAKING: 'Ghostbusters 3' is (Maybe) ON!http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/breaking-ghostbusters-3-is-on/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/breaking-ghostbusters-3-is-on/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/breaking-ghostbusters-3-is-on/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

We've stayed away from all the Ghostbusters rumors these past couple days because last time we crossed this road, we were told nothing existed. Well, seems that's not at all true: Variety reports that Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky (The Office, Year One) have been asked to write a script for a Ghostbusters sequel (reported earlier today by Pajiba.com) that may or may not "pass the torch to a new group of ghost chasers." Funnily enough -- and even though he flat out told us he had nothing to do with it -- this is totally in line with those early rumors that "The Apatow Clan" would be involved in some capacity; namely Seth Rogen. When we asked him about it during the Pineapple Express junket, however, the man denied knowing a thing. Then again, he's an actor ... and he's paid pretty damn well to pretend.

The Apatow connection is also there in that these two writers are behind the Apatow-produced Year One, which, ahem, is being directed by Harold Ramis -- who, in case you forgot, played Dr. Egon Spengler in both Ghostbuster movies. No word from Columbia Pictures on the project, and Variety is simply throwing out all the same fluff that's been reported on other sites for months now. Could we see a reunion and a torch passing? Will the Apatow folks take over the Ghostbusters franchise? I'd certainly be down for it.

You?

(And now we shall continue to run circles around this monster until someone finally caves ...)

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]]>cinematicalfeaturedgene stupinitskyGeneStupinitskyghostbustersghostbusters 3Ghostbusters3judd apatowJuddApatowlee eisenbergLeeEisenbergseth rogenSethRogenErik DavisThu, 04 Sep 2008 20:05:00 ESTThe Russo Brothers Travel to 'Ciudad'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/the-russo-brothers-travel-to-ciudad/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/the-russo-brothers-travel-to-ciudad/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/the-russo-brothers-travel-to-ciudad/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

After the unpleasantness that was You, Me and Dupree, Anthony and Joe Russo are looking to explore a different kind of darkness -- the gritty and corrupt city of Ciudad del Este. According to Variety, they're set to direct Ciudad, which will be based on a graphic novel they're writing for Oni Press.

The story will follow a battered hostage negotiator, who travels to Paraguay and the above mentioned city to rescue a kidnap victim. They've been researching the story for years, traveling to crime-infested cities across the world to flesh it out more. Ciudad del Este is next on the travel agenda, a city labeled by the U.S. government as "a threat to national security" that shelters terrorists, drug runners, and all manner of scary people. So stay safe, you two.

The brothers are said to be aiming for a return to their indie roots with this one -- they were formerly behind Pieces, and the seedy George Clooney outing Welcome to Collinwood. (That's a bit of a lost film, isn't it? Weren't those the days when people were still screaming he should have stayed on ER? How things change.) I wish I could say more, but the graphic novel won't be out until 2009, and there's nary a preview on Oni's website. All we can do at this point is give them props for their research, wonder if George Clooney liked them enough to play the weary hostage negotiator, and make glib comparisons to Proof of Life or even Man on Fire.






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]]>Anthony RussoAnthonyRussoCuidadJoe RussoJoeRussoOni PressOniPressElisabeth RappeThu, 04 Sep 2008 18:02:00 ESTFincher Battles Paramount; Del Toro, Snyder Among 'Heavy Metal' Directorshttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/fincher-battles-paramount-del-toro-snyder-among-heavy-metal/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/fincher-battles-paramount-del-toro-snyder-among-heavy-metal/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/04/fincher-battles-paramount-del-toro-snyder-among-heavy-metal/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

We all know that David Fincher is an uncompromising director (and why shouldn't he be? The guy is one of the best working today). But, even if you don't like the man, you have to admire someone who is truly willing to put his money where his mouth is. In an interview unearthed by The Playlist, Heavy Metal publisher (and Fincher's collaborator on the Metal reboot), Kevin Eastman, confirmed that the reason for the project's move from Paramount to Sony was not because of problems with the sex and violence (as earlier reported), but because of another film altogether. When Metal first jumped studios, there was speculation that Fincher was having trouble getting the green light because of Metal's risqué subject matter. But, it wasn't Metal they were fighting about, it was Fincher's upcoming fantasy tale, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

According to Eastman, "We developed it [Heavy Metal] for Paramount in January... And it was time for them to make a decision [about going forward with the project] and they were at odds with Fincher over another project, 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,' [because] they wanted him to reduce the running time... and so they said, 'Until you step up to do what we want you to do with Benjamin, we're not going to green light any other of [your] movies.' And David said, 'Fine, f**k you, I'm going to set up [Heavy Metal] somewhere else,' so we jumped over to Sony and set it up there." You can't help but wonder what Paramount was thinking? Maybe the likely answer is that they were not prepared for Fincher to call their bluff.

After the jump ... guess who's directing Heavy Metal???

Continue reading Fincher Battles Paramount; Del Toro, Snyder Among 'Heavy Metal' Directors

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]]>david fincherDavidFincherfeaturedfeudHeavy MetalHeavyMetalKevin EastmanKevinEastmanThe Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonTheCuriousCaseOfBenjaminButtonJessica BarnesThu, 04 Sep 2008 13:15:00 ESTJeff Nathanson Penning '39 Clues', Spielberg to Direct?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/jeff-nathanson-penning-39-clues-spielberg-to-direct/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/jeff-nathanson-penning-39-clues-spielberg-to-direct/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/jeff-nathanson-penning-39-clues-spielberg-to-direct/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Remember that ginormous project called 39 Clues that was announced awhile back -- a worldwide mystery to span books, interactive games, trading cards and a movie deal, courtesy of Steven Spielberg? The first book in the series, The Maze of Bones, hits shelves all over the world next Tuesday, the same day as its interactive online game. Will it spark an obsession along the lines of Twilight or Harry Potter? Time will tell.

Steven Spielberg has confidence in it, though. Acccording to Variety, he's hired his old pal Jeff Nathanson to pen the script, marking their fourth collaboration together. They paired up previously on The Terminal, Catch Me If You Can, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Spielberg is still eying Clues' director's chair, and it will be interesting to see where this can fit into his busy schedule, where Tintin and Lincoln were taking precedence. Does he want this worldwide money hunt (the prize for solving the project's mystery is $10,000) to be over before the movie, or will the bloom be off the rose by then? What if the whole multiplatform concept fails spectacularly? Are the books still filmable? The ambition of 39 Clues leaves me doubting whether it can deliver -- but I can hardly pretend to have better judgment than Spielberg. At any rate, I'll be watching the book pages with interest to see what audiences make of The Maze of Bones -- if anyone out there buys it, give us the scoop!

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]]>39 Clues39CluesDreamWorksJeff NathansonJeffNathansonsteven spielbergStevenSpielbergElisabeth RappeWed, 03 Sep 2008 11:02:00 EST'Watchmen' Has Its Court Date Sethttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/watchmen-has-its-court-date-set/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/watchmen-has-its-court-date-set/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/watchmen-has-its-court-date-set/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

The date has been set for Warner Bros and Fox to go head to head -- and it should soothe the fearful. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studios will be going before the judge on January 6th. There's plenty of time, even at a snail's pace, for the issue to be resolved before the March 6th opening. (It's like the court is going along with the movie marketing -- we'll get a video journal the same day. There really is no such thing as bad publicity in Tinseltown!)

Furthermore, U.S. District Court Judge Gary Allan Feess says that Fox shouldn't attempt to file a preliminary injunction against Warners to stop the release of the film because the issues surrounding the case were too complex to be solved in an interim basis. Instead, both studios are being ordered to put their cases together, and start expedited discovery and depositions. This thing could get quite big -- as the New York Times pointed out, Paramount, Legendary Pictures, and even Universal could get hauled into it, alongside Lawrence Gordon, who's really the man in question in all this.

And remember, this is if it actually makes it to court. This could easily be settled before Christmas, with Warners handing over a nice chunk of The Dark Knight change just to be done with it. (How appropriate that Bruce Wayne help out other costumed vigilantes.) It depends how fierce the studio is feeling, and how certain they are of their case -- but all signs point to you keeping your March 6th moviegoing plans.

You really have to feel bad for the cast and crew on this one, though. All that happy buzz of ComicCon panels and promo posters squashed under a heap of legalese. Oh well, at least Fox can't take away what we've already been given. Check out our Watchmen gallery below.

Gallery: Watchmen

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]]>20th century fox20thCenturyFoxAlan MooreAlanMoorefeaturedWarner BrosWarnerBrosWatchmenWatchmen legal battleWatchmenLegalBattleZack SnyderZackSnyderElisabeth RappeWed, 03 Sep 2008 09:45:00 ESTStephen Sommers Directing 'Tarzan'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/stephen-sommers-directing-tarzan/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/stephen-sommers-directing-tarzan/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/03/stephen-sommers-directing-tarzan/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

There's an interesting trend going on in film right now -- everyone is grabbing up classic characters of pulp and adventure literature right and left. We've got Conan, Sherlock Holmes, John Carter, and now Tarzan. There's a sociological study in here for an aspiring student.

Tarzan has seen many a reboot, and there's always whispers of someone wanting to make a new version. This current project has been floating around since 2003 (the same year Warner Bros tried to bring Tarzan to television and the modern city), and once boasted Guillermo del Toro's name. Now, according to Variety, it has landed in the hands of Stephen Sommers, who is cowriting a script with Stuart Beattie. Beattie boasts some impressive credits, like Pirates of the Caribbean and Collateral, so the Lord of the Apes might be in quite capable hands.

But Sommers' movies tend to fall a bit short of expectation, to put it kindly. And I mean it kindly, from someone who does actually own Van Helsing -- I could write a long defense as to why, but it really just comes down to liking Hugh Jackman and David Wenham a lot. But, in my defense, I reportedly audibly booed the ending when I saw it at the theater, though I can't remember if it was because they so visibly CGI'd pants on a naked post-werewolf Jackman, or the floating head of Kate Beckinsale. I think it was the floating head, but knowing me, it may have been the pants.

So, while I want to think about how cool a new Tarzan movie could be, what hot dude they'll put in a loincloth, how feisty Jane will be, I can't. Because I'm picturing the whole thing saddled with the same CGI Sommers has used since The Mummy, a jungle peppered with apes that can stretch their jaws for miles. Am I wrong, readers?




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]]>stephen sommersStephenSommersstuart beattieStuartBeattieTarzanElisabeth RappeWed, 03 Sep 2008 08:45:00 ESTFanboy Bites: 'Persia' Pics, 'Poltergeist' Remake and 'Guitar Hero: The Movie'??http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/fanboy-bites-persia-pics-poltergeist-remake-and-guitar-he/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/fanboy-bites-persia-pics-poltergeist-remake-and-guitar-he/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/fanboy-bites-persia-pics-poltergeist-remake-and-guitar-he/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



While you suffer through those back to school blues ...

Guitar Hero: The Movie -- I have to start with this one. Have to! Because not only are we talking about a possible big-screen movie based on the popular video game, but we're also about to tell you who wants to direct the thing. Can you guess? Here's a hint: It's not Uwe Boll. And if it's not Boll, it has to be ... Ratner! YES! (I really do think I love this maniac in a totally platonic, yet sadistic way -- sorta how you love a great movie villain.) Anyway, Brett Ratner tells MTV that he'd love to make a Guitar Hero movie, possibly about "a kid from a small town who dreams of being a rock star and he wins the 'Guitar Hero' competition. One of these dreams-[come-true] kind of concepts." Ratner adds, "I would love to do a 'Guitar Hero' movie, if Activision would ever let me. I'm trying to convince them, but why would you have a movie screw up such a huge franchise? Not that I would make a bad movie. So that would be cool, to do a 'Guitar Hero' movie. " I'm leaving this one to you, folks -- have at it!

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time: In case you're interested in seeing what a standard Persian-esque set looks like, Korben.info has put up a few select shots (see one above) of the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time set. Based on the popular video game (hurray for themes in posts!), Prince of Persia stars Jake "I didn't know he was Persian" Gyllenhaal as a young prince who teams up with a hottie princess (Gemma Arterton) to stop an evil ruler from doing evil things.

A director has been chosen to remake Poltergeist and Cinematical says we likey him ... after the jump ...

Continue reading Fanboy Bites: 'Persia' Pics, 'Poltergeist' Remake and 'Guitar Hero: The Movie'??

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]]>brett ratnerBrettRatnercinematicalguitar hero the movieGuitarHeroTheMoviejake gyllenhaalJakeGyllenhaalpoltergeistprince of persiaprince of persia the sands of timePrinceOfPersiaPrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTimevadim perelmanVadimPerelmanErik DavisTue, 02 Sep 2008 21:02:00 ESTAre More Chuck Palahniuk Novels Headed for the Big Screen?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/are-more-chuck-palahniuk-novels-headed-for-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/are-more-chuck-palahniuk-novels-headed-for-the-big-screen/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/are-more-chuck-palahniuk-novels-headed-for-the-big-screen/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you are a fan of Chuck Palahniuk then today might be your lucky day, because it looks like audiences could be getting more Palahniuk (and his merry band of screw-ups) on the big screen than they can shake a stick at. Before you get too excited, keep in mind that Mr. Palahniuk loves to mess with people, so we should probably take this news with an enormous grain of salt. The latest chatter to hit the net is that the feature film version of Palahniuk's 2002 novel, Lullaby, has begun the casting process. But that's not all! According to The Cult (the official fan site for the author), Rant (a great 50's sci-fi inspired tale) has also been optioned by an unnamed producer.

The news about Lullaby comes from Film School Rejects, who claim that they got their scoop from the man himself. According to Rejects, "Lullaby, an adaptation that hasn't been tracked nearly as closely as his other works, is already at the casting stage. The financing is in place, and even though the production won't tell Palahniuk who they are looking to cast, he believes they are waiting for a concrete production start day to make the announcement." I don't mean to be cynical, but don't you think if this was the real deal, Palahniuk would have been told that information?

Continue reading Are More Chuck Palahniuk Novels Headed for the Big Screen?

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]]>bookChokeChuck PalahniukChuckPalahniukLullabyRantJessica BarnesTue, 02 Sep 2008 15:45:00 ESTNo, No, No! Could 'Watchmen' Get Delayed to 2010?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/no-no-no-could-watchmen-get-delayed-to-2010/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/no-no-no-could-watchmen-get-delayed-to-2010/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/09/02/no-no-no-could-watchmen-get-delayed-to-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Frakking lawsuits.

Last month, Elisabeth alerted you to the legal turmoil bubbling around Watchmen. Basically, 20th Century Fox used to have the rights, and claim they still have them, so they're trying to prevent Warner Brothers from releasing the eagerly awaited film. Warner Brothers, meanwhile, claims that Fox has sat silently until the film was set to go, knowing full well what was happening.

Now The New York Times says that Warner is pushing for a trial date of April, with Fox pushing for June. Assuming that the film can't be released until this is cleared up, we might not only not get Watchmen in March, but also not in the summer of 2009. Will we have to wait until 2010? I don't want to think about it. There's a whole swarm of moviegoers peeved about the Harry Potter delay. I can't imagine what a year-long delay would do to Watchmen fiends. Where's Doctor Manhattan when you need him? Or a jail-storming Nite Owl and Silk Spectre?

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]]>CinematicalfeaturedWatchmenWatchmen delayWatchmen legal troublesWatchmenDelayWatchmenLegalTroublesMonika BartyzelTue, 02 Sep 2008 12:02:00 ESTJohn Lennon Will Hit the Big Screen Again with 'Nowhere Boy'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/30/john-lennon-will-hit-the-big-screen-again-with-nowhere-boy/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/30/john-lennon-will-hit-the-big-screen-again-with-nowhere-boy/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/30/john-lennon-will-hit-the-big-screen-again-with-nowhere-boy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Bringing the story of John Lennon and Mark David Chapman to the big screen didn't help Chapter 27. But perhaps a story of his life, one without Jared Leto and Lindsay Lohan, will fare better. And I raise that perhaps to a probably since this new biopic is coming from the writer of Control, which makes the news pretty damn sweet.

The Hollywood Reporter posts that a new biopic centering on John Lennon is in the works. Titled Nowhere Boy, the film was written by Matt Greenhalgh and will be helmed by visual director Sam Taylor-Wood. Nowhere will focus on Lennon's "childhood and subsequent journey to icon status." Basically, just the earlier years, and not the time that brought Yoko, Julian, and Sean. The script is said to portray his personal life as "a lonely teenager growing up as his aunt and the mother who gave him up fight for his love. His only escape is music, art, and his fateful friendship with Paul McCartney."

Casting is underway now, with plans to shoot on location in Lennon's hometown of Liverpool. I imagine that we'll see a collection of lesser and bigger actors flood the roles, but do you have anyone in mind for the famous Beatle(s)?

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]]>CinematicalJohn Lennon biopicJohnLennonBiopicMatt GreenhalghMattGreenhalghNowhere BoyNowhereBoySam Taylor-WoodSamTaylor-woodMonika BartyzelSat, 30 Aug 2008 17:33:00 ESTRumor Patrol: 'Voltron' Is Back in Business and Signs a Directorhttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/30/rumor-patrol-voltron-is-back-in-business-and-signs-a-director/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/30/rumor-patrol-voltron-is-back-in-business-and-signs-a-director/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/30/rumor-patrol-voltron-is-back-in-business-and-signs-a-director/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Just one week after news surfaced that the big-screen Voltron was going into turnaround with Fox's Relativity Media, Latino Review is now reporting that Max Makowski has been signed to direct the live-action update. Now I know what you are thinking: 'Who the heck is Max Makowski?' Well, he might not be a household name, but according to Latino's sources "he's actually a great choice." Well, I guess we will have to take their word for it, because Makowski has a pretty scant list of credits to his name. The Brazilian born writer-director has been hired to direct an update of the 70's TV series Kung-Fu, along with penning the update to Hawaii Five-O.

Voltron has been languishing over at Fox since 2005, and other than a few rumblings about Justin Marks' script, the project seemed to have stalled. Marks' take is described as "a post-apocalyptic tale set in New York City and Mexico. Five ragtag survivors of an alien attack band together and end up piloting the five lion-shaped robots that combine and form the massive sword-wielding Voltron that helps battle Earth's invaders." But now that Relativity has finally secured the rights to the big-guy, I guess all the loose ends have been tied up. Besides, what's one more giant robot movie to add to the pile?

So if you are a hard-core Voltron fan with nothing but contempt for a live action version, at least you can take solace in the fact that nothing has been confirmed -- but you might want to get used to the idea of an 'MTV generation' Pidge now.

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]]>hawaii five-oHawaiiFive-ojustin marksJustinMarkskung fuKungFuMax MakowskiMaxMakowskirelativity mediaRelativityMediavoltronJessica BarnesSat, 30 Aug 2008 13:03:00 ESTVadim Perelman in Talks to Direct 'Poltergeist' Remake?http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/30/vadim-perelman-in-talks-to-direct-poltergeist-remake/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/30/vadim-perelman-in-talks-to-direct-poltergeist-remake/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/30/vadim-perelman-in-talks-to-direct-poltergeist-remake/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I haven't quite processed the notion of a Poltergeist remake just yet -- it still seems more conceptual than actual to me. Yet the fact that they've picked a pair of screenwriters, and that the late Heather O'Rourke has condemned the remake from the grave, tell me that it's about as actual as it gets. Now Bloody-Disgusting has started a rumor that Vadim Perelman -- quasi-arthouse director of House of Sand and Fog and The Life Before Her Eyes -- is in "heavy talks" to direct the new movie. That would be a heck of a contrast to the screenwriters of Boogeyman.

I'm as down on this project as everyone else -- the original film is a moment in time that ought not be disturbed -- but I like the idea of Perelman, mostly because I like the notion of otherwise "respectable" directors trying their hand at genre films. His brooding, portentous style might be a good fit for Poltergeist, I guess. And maybe this will wind up like the doomed adaptation of The Talisman, to which Perelman was attached for a while (and which he seems far better suited to), never making it past the development stage.

Anyway, I emphasize that I'm commenting on a rumor, not relaying hard news. Make of it what you will.

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]]>poltergeistthe talismanTheTalismanvadim perelmanVadimPerelmanEugene NovikovSat, 30 Aug 2008 09:03:00 ESTWB and Fox Searchlight Team Up to Release Danny Boyle's Latesthttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/wb-and-fox-searchlight-team-up-to-release-danny-boyles-latest/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/wb-and-fox-searchlight-team-up-to-release-danny-boyles-latest/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/wb-and-fox-searchlight-team-up-to-release-danny-boyles-latest/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

It's so heartwarming to see rival studios playing nice with each other, even if it's only for purely financial reasons. It's especially good when the result of their cooperation is that a film by Danny Boyle (pictured) will get the theatrical release it deserves.

Slumdog Millionaire, about a Mumbai street kid who strikes it rich on an Indian game show before having his knowledge called into question, will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next week. And now it'll hit multiplexes, too, on Nov. 28, thanks to a deal hammered out this week between Fox Searchlight and Warner Bros.

The film was originally part of Warner Independent Pictures' slate. But that division got shut down earlier this year, and Warner Bros. was left to deal with its leftover movies. It's like Warner Independent was a slightly irresponsible young adult, and Slumdog Millionaire was one of its children. Then Warner Independent died penniless in the gutter, and the child's grandmother, Warner Bros., being the only living relative, got custody. And Nana Warner Bros. loves the kid, thinks it's a great movie that people will enjoy, but ol' WB is on a fixed income and can't really support it. WB has kids of its own still living at home, for crying out loud.

So WB sidled up to Fox Searchlight, the dashing playboy son of billionaire Twentieth Century Fox, and struck up a relationship that involves Fox Searchlight paying for the film's marketing and distribution. Nobody has any illusions about this arrangement -- there's certainly no romance involved -- and they all live happily ever after. I just hope Fox Searchlight's dad doesn't find out, considering mean old Twentieth Century Fox is busy suing Warner Bros. over Watchmen. It's a pretty thorny situation, but hey, you gotta do what's best for the kids. It takes a village, right?

Continue reading WB and Fox Searchlight Team Up to Release Danny Boyle's Latest

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]]>danny boyleDannyBoyleslumdog millionaireSlumdogMillionaireEric D. SniderFri, 29 Aug 2008 18:33:00 EST'Aeon Flux' Scribes Sign for 'The Boys'http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/aeon-flux-scribes-sign-for-the-boys/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/aeon-flux-scribes-sign-for-the-boys/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/29/aeon-flux-scribes-sign-for-the-boys/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I can't help but feel bad for Garth Ennis because it seems like lately, the guy can't catch a break. It was bad enough that the long-awaited adaption of his controversial series Preacher was shelved at HBO; but this is just adding insult to injury. The Hollywood Reporter announced that Columbia Pictures has hired Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay to adapt Ennis' anti-superhero comic, The Boys. Back in February, Elisabeth gave us the heads up that Columbia had picked up the property in the 'spirit' of looking for some titles that could give Watchmen a run for their money on the topic of superhero subversion.

Originally published in 2006, The Boys was created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The story was "set in a contemporary world very much similar to real one, with one notable exception: a number of people have some form of superpower. The series follows a superpowered CIA squad, known informally as "the Boys", whose job it is to keep watch on superheroes and, if necessary, intimidate or kill them."

So you might be wondering why the addition of Manfredi and Hay isn't good news. I mean everyone likes a comic book movie, right? Well, a quick glance at their collective resumes solves that mystery. Between the two of them, they have created some truly awful scripts (notably, The Tuxedo and crazy/beautiful). Hopefully the two have been brushing up on their 'superhero skills' by finishing their adaptation of R.I.P.D. for Universal. If not, I can't imagine that fans of the dark and violent world of The Boys will be pleased.

[Thanks: Comics2Film]

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]]>aeon fluxAeonFluxcolumbia picturesColumbiaPicturesCrazyBeautifulMatt ManfrediMattManfrediPhil HayPhilHayr.i.p.d.the boysTheBoysJessica BarnesFri, 29 Aug 2008 10:03:00 EST'Strangers' Sequel Set to Scarehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/strangers-sequel-set-to-scare/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/strangers-sequel-set-to-scare/http://www.cinematical.com/2008/08/28/strangers-sequel-set-to-scare/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Back in early July, we made mention of the fact that Bryan Bertino, writer/director of The Strangers, had at least two projects going on at Rogue Pictures since he ended up giving them a good ol' summer sleeper success story, the grosses for which inevitably prompted talk of a possible sequel.

Well, Variety now tells us that there surely will be a second Strangers, and that Bertino is returning to write (if not direct) it, with a certain star standing to return as well (profitable as the film may have been, I'd rather not risk spoilers, so don't bother clicking on either that Variety link or the 'certain star' one if you've yet to see the film -- after all, it doesn't open in the UK 'til tomorrow).

I felt that The Strangers milked enough tension out of a somewhat sparse premise to merit a watch, but I'm that much more concerned about how redundant or ridiculous a second one would have to be in order to follow it up. The point remains that, if they make it, I will watch it, and so will plenty of others. Let's face it: There are more vicious cycles operating in the world today.

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]]>bryan bertinoBryanBertinoliv tylerLivTylerscott speedmanScottSpeedmanthe strangersTheStrangersWilliam GossThu, 28 Aug 2008 16:03:00 EST