Comic book movies

[The NZA]

Just in case no one posted it yet: from Newsarama

 

ARAD's LATEST MARVEL MOVIE TALK

 

In an interview published Monday with MTV.com, Marvel Chairman and CEO Avi Arad updated Marvel’s Hollywood production schedule and dropped a few new details about Marvel projects in development.

 

Among the highlights:

 

# Regarding Brett Ratner’s X3, Arad said, "Dark Phoenix should not be the centerpiece of the movie."

 

# Two X-Men spin-offs, including 2007/’08’s Wolverine with Hugh Jackman ("Totally different, just Wolverine's journey") and a movie about a young Magneto are in development.

 

# On next August’s Ghost Rider, Arad said the big-budget Nick Cage "morality tale” will sport a PG-13 rating and a "Southern rock" soundtrack and ethos, that one scene will feature Ghost Rider facing off against a CGI, The Perfect Storm-like tidal wave, and at one point he’ll be completely submerged… though Arad added you can’t extinguish hellfire.

 

# Spider-Man 3 remains on target for May 2007, and Arad debunks rumors films 3 and 4 will be shot simultaneously. Also, Dylan Baker will return for the third film as Dr. Curt Connors

 

# Turning his attention to the slate of up to 10 films (which could include sequels) that Marvel will self-finance and distribute through Paramount, Arad named Captain America, Nick Fury, Dr. Strange, Black Panther (“a big, big, big deal”) and Ant-Man (“a Honey I Shrunk the Superhero kind of story”) as part of the possible production slate.

 

# On Captain America, Arad says Marvel has a writer (and the script will take some time as it has to be a “masterpiece”) and someone in mind to star and direct. Arad called him Marvel’s second most famous character by name after Spider-Man, and called the project a “man out of time” story, about someone “looking at our world through the eyes of someone who thought the perfect world was small-town America.”

 

# A major announcement regarding a Silver Surfer project is promised soon, which Arad described as, “Independence Day meets Marvel, times 10." Arad described a director who’s “mentally committed to it” and currently lensing another film as, “incredible with visuals” and “a spiritual guy, a Zen Buddhist."

 

Plans are for Galactus (“a force of nature, not a being”) to be part of the film."

 

# Marvel is "very close" to striking a deal for an Iron Man" movie, and Arad described its development as a “war” with co-producers New Line Cinema. He also promised an announcement in a few weeks announcing Nick Cassavetes as the writer, who he said as unique emotional attachment to Iron Man's alter ego, Tony Stark, due to Cassavetes relationship with his father, a legendary filmmaker in his own right, John Cassavetes.

 

# A sequel to 2004's The Punisher is planned, with Jigsaw as the villain and will be among a handful of Marvel films with an ‘R’ rating. Of the first film Arad said, "blood and intestines should have been blown out on the wall, because that's the Punisher."

 

# Other possible ‘R’ films mentioned include, Cloak and Dagger (“maybe”), Iron Fist (ditto). Arad mentioned 'Shang Chi and Luke Cage as ‘PG-13’.

 

The latter John Singleton helmed film Arad described as “Big studio movie” and said Diamondback will be villain.

 

# The Hulk sequel is targeted for 2007, which [as compared to Ang Lee’s first film] Arad described as “Diet Hulk”. The CEO wants to play up the Hulk’s child-like curiosity in the second film, ala a Frankenstein’s monster.

 

# On the opposite track, Arad would like to make a “darker” Daredevil sequel, and would make it if they got the licensed film rights back.

 

And as far as Elektra MTV.com describes a red rubber bracelet Arad wears on his wrist to remind him of past mistakes, and gets Arad to “somberly” admit, "I think Elektra is on ice now," but not before suggesting one way to make a sequel would be to return the character to her roots, by way of Sin City.

 

# Finally, Arad played round robin on a number of other possibilities. Nick Fury ("I'm going back in time. I'm going back to the classic on this. It's about him; it's about S.H.I.E.L.D."); Thor ("We are feverishly working on Thor. It's a vast 'Lord of the Rings' sort of universe"); Deathlok ("There is an actor, a very big star, that we want to do it, and we'll talk to him within a month"); Namor, which he compared to Jurassic Park; and Black Widow (“It's going to be 'X-Men' writer David Hayter's directorial debut”.)

 

For much more with Arad on all these films, check out the full interview at MTV.com.

[Silent Bob]

That guy's a master at making vague statements about movies that really amount to absolutely nothing. I'm curious to see how exactly Namor could be compared to Jurassic Park. My vote's Jude Law as Namor, though.

[The NZA]

Xzibit pimped out the Ghost Rider's bike, it seems...looks sharp! check it out here:

http://zcultfm.com/~comic/viewtopic.php?t=27489

[Reverend Jax]

In case any of you (Panch) were worried Sony wasn't going to make enough Spidey movies to quench your appetite or flesh out the story, Amy Pascal (chairman of Sony's motion picture group) she's Sony intends on making 6 Spidey films total, and Sam Raimi says if he continues to feel the same way he's felt about all the previous films, he's be happy to helm them all. Also, there's a rumor that SM3 and SM4 are secretly being filmed together.

[The NZA]

Hmm...might explain how there's 2 villians signed on, at least.

If Toby wants out after IV or so, i say we get a scab, no one'll notice!

[King of Snake]

Yeah as good as he is in the role I don't think he's indispensible, they already had Jake Gyllenhall (sp?) lined up for no 2 just in case Tobey's back couldn't make it...

[Silent Bob]

A rumor from Dark Horizons:

 

Bruce Willis is being tipped to play Nick Fury Agent of Shield in the film adaptation of the comic says SFX Magazine & Moviehole.

 

The eye-patched adorned, cigar-chompin Marvel comic character is the director of an international espionage organization called S.H.I.E.L.D, who are constantly going up against rogues like the wicked Hydra. Samuel L. Jackson was rumoured to be up for the lead last year.

 

Much like "The Punisher" with Dolph Lundgren, 'Fury' first hit the screen in the 90's as a lacklustre David Hasselhoff video vehicle. This new version will hit 2007/2008.

 

Man, I like Willis but...Fury? I really wanted to see Jackson play Ultimate Fury, but I guess... I dunno, I can't see Willis as classic Fury, I was thinking someone like Clooney.

[Cougar]

Anyone been reading DC's The Losers? Anyway i was reading through a few universal blogs and it looks like Mel Gibson is in talks trying to get a movie version of the book off the ground. seemingly one of his daughters reads the book and pimped it to him. Personaly i think it would make for a pretty damn good flick.

 

i for one think that Hoff should be given another shot at Fury

[The NZA]

Cougar...cmon man, he kept some kinda bomb in his eyepatch, it was horrid...

 

SB: Clooney had his chance, rumor has it he turned it down after readin some of Ennis/Roberston's awesome "Fury" Max mini-series. Besides, youre thinkin of the Steranko-esque 007 Fury arent you? For an old war dog, I think Willis could nail it down a la The Siege, but of course im a Willis fan.

Jackson as Ultimate Fury's a no-brainer, too.

[Silent Bob]

I think Clooney could've nailed either version. I think a gruffer version of his Three Kings role would've been great for the old war dog Fury. But I didn't know he had already turned it down, 's too bad.

[The NZA]

 

Ex Machina gets a movie?

 

EX MACHINA FILM SET UP @ NEW LINE

 

Thursday’s Hollywood Reporter reports that New Line Cinema has picked up the rights to Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris’ critically-acclaimed and Eisner-nominated Wildstorm series Ex Machina.

 

HR describes the series as a political thriller “that tackles the question of what happens when a man who has superpowers realizes he can be of better service to humanity by becoming a politician - in this case, the mayor of New York. The comic explores such hot-button issues as Sept. 11 and gay marriage, the shades of gray in political realities and the idea that there is no room for heroes in politics.”

 

According to the Hollywood trade, two versions of the script are being prepped as part of the deal. Vaughan is writing one version, while Glen Brunswick, co-creator of John Romita Jr.’s The Gray Area, will write an adaptation as well. Brunswick also is attached in a production capacity.

 

Vaughan, whose star continues to rise, sports one of the more impressive roster of titles in terms of critical reception in recent industry memory, including Ex Machina, Marvel’s Runaways, and the Eisner-nominated Vertigo series Y-The Last Man, which is also set-up at New Line with David Goyer co-producing.

 

This could be a memorable weekend for the writer. Vaughan, who currently resides in San Diego, was nominated for a total of seven Eisner awards, the most of any nominee, including Best Writer. Ex Machina was nominated in six categories, four shared by Tony Harris and Tom Feister including Best New Series, Continuing Series, Single Issue, and Serialized Story, and one for Best Coloring by J. D. Mettler. The series is the most nominated at this year’s awards, taking place Friday evening at SDCC

[Reverend Jax]

V For Vendetta Trailer

 

I know fans of Alan Moore here on teh board (and I'm sure beyond Gondo's) have been disappointed with all the other screen adaptations of Moore's work, and I can't say how Moore fans will like this one, but I do know this. I thought From Hell and LXG were shit and I never read the books, and this movie doesn't look like shit.

Edited July 27, 2005 by Jack's Meandering Thoughts

[Silent Bob]

I know fans of Alan Moore here on teh board (and I'm sure beyond Gondo's) have been disappointed with all the other screen adaptations of Moore's work, and I can't say how Moore fans will like this one,

 

Moore himself has expressed his disappointment and hatred of how the movie is turning out, so I'm sure the fans won't like it either. From Hell wasn't a bad movie, it just didn't follow Moore's at all. To me, it's like I Robot and Constantine - people wouldn't have quite so much of a problem with it if it wasn't "adapted" from a piece of work that was completely different. One thing I will say about V, I'm glad they didn't change the plot after the London bombings.

[Reverend Jax]

More bad news for comic book-lovers and film-lovers alike...The Ghost Rider Trailer.

 

Annoyingly, you need to get Quicktime 7, which you can get here, to watch it.

[Darth Fett]

Unfortunately, for those who were unable to see the trailer, it turns out:

 

 

 

Ghost Rider footage hit the Web last night and was removed this morning because it was just meant to be shown at Comic-Con. The studio released a statement explaining the situation:

 

Ghost Rider only recently wrapped principal photography, and the footage that appeared on this site represents the earliest version of a character that has not been fully rendered. While we were pleased with the overwhelming enthusiasm the footage received at Comic Con, this special convention piece was never intended for release on the internet. A final look of Ghost Rider is a long way from being realized and we look forward to your feedback more than a year from now when the film makes it way to theaters.

[Darth Fett]

In early July, Lions Gate Films announced the company had signed a deal to acquire feature rights to various graphic novel titles by Steve Niles. The films would serve as starring vehicles for actor Thomas Jane, who previously starred in Lions Gate's The Punisher.

 

One of those titles is The Lurkers, and the studio has already released this teaser poster for the film. In the graphic novel, Los Angeles detective Jack Dietz is having one of the worst days of his life. One body is bad enough, but when another turns up with human bite marks, he knows his world has just turned inside out...

 

Other titles in development include In the Blood and The Dark Country.

 

 

[dante]

I'm still stumped as to how Nick Cage is gonna pull off the Ghost Rider thing...he just seems a little too old. Isn't Johnny Blaze supposed to be this early twentysomething? I feel their going to try and pull a Peggy Sue Got Married over us...maybe twenty years ago we would have believed this character can be a teenager and then a middle-aged man, but come on.

 

Also, Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut? He's tall for sure but does he fill out that suit? Can anyone fill out that suit without making it look ridiculous?

[Silent Bob]

Eh, I think Cage can pull it off. Maybe it's just because I'm not a hard-core fan, but I've never really thought the Ghostrider character was defined enough that the movie-version needs to be exact to do it justice (unlike, say, John Constantine). I think, if anything is going to kill that movie, it won't be Nic Cage as Johnny Blaze, it'll be a flaming CG skull.

 

And yeah, I agree about Vinnie Jones, I just can't see it. But I guess he's a better choice than any of the typical wrestler-turned-actors (with the exception of the Rock, who I think has become quite a good action hero in this new Arnold-less Hollywood). But let's face it, Juggernaut has one of the most ridiculous looking costumes in the comic books - and that's saying something - so just about anyone will look funny in the suit unless they pull off a phenominal new design job on it.

[Reverend Jax]

Well, they've been pretty careful to keep costumes from looking rediculous ("wouod you prefer yellow spandex?").

[Silent Bob]

Yes they have, and we've been blessed with some pretty good comics-to-film costumes in the recent years (though I still have my reservations about the one in Batman Begins, and don't get me started on the neon blue and maroon Superman costume) I just think this one will be a particular challenge. I mean, the guy wears a bowl over his head with eyeholes, for crissake.

[The NZA]

Industry hype, or...?

 

DUNST: VENOM & SANDMAN IN SPIDEY 3

 

On a press junket for her upcoming film Elizabethtown, actress Kirsten Dunst appears to have let the cat – as well as the sand and the symbiote – out of the bag.

 

In talking to the website Zap2It.com, Dunst apparently confirmed what has been rumored for months, that is, the villains in the upcoming Spider-Man 3 will be Venom and the Sandman, played by Topher Grace and Thomas Hayden Church, respectively…she thinks. Although she had the order reversed at first and then corrected herself, then added, “Maybe I wasn't supposed to say that."

 

According to the report, Dunst checked with her rep, who assured her that the information had already been released. Yes, by Dunst, right then, technically, but to date, there has been no official word from either Sony or Marvel in regards to the villains in the film, though, as stated, rumor and speculation had been focused on the two villains since their respective casting announcements. Of course, as is this is far from an "official" word, and publicity stunts are far from unheard of in Hollywood, there's also the chance that the whole thing could be a worm on a hook put out there to see what nibbles it would get. Although, given that Elizabethtown and Spider-Man 3 a coming from different studios, the using of one press junket to advertise another studio's film casts the "publicity stunt" angle into some doubt.

 

Filming on Spider-Man 3 is slated to begin in January for a May, 2007 release.

[huntercrow]

I'm still stumped as to how Nick Cage is gonna pull off the Ghost Rider thing...he just seems a little too old. Isn't Johnny Blaze supposed to be this early twentysomething?

 

On the entire Ghostrider thing I still have my reservations for the casting of Nick Cage as Ghostrider but it's for different reasons that don't have anything to do with his age. Although, if they intend to start from the beginning with Blaze’s days with the carnival in which case yeah a 20 something year old would make better sense, unless the studio intends to use that as flashback material. Other than that Blaze being played b an actor of Cage’s age is fin, it will give him a more worn look which is need for a person with a tormented soul. Unless they were going with Danny Ketch, but that’s not happening. The way I figure it is at least Cage is a hardcore comic book fan a as sc hopefully he won’t let the rest of us down.

 

As for Juggernaut, well that’s a whole other can of worms that is just going to be hard to explain. I’m having a hard time seeing the production studio creating the Juggernaut costume and much less bring in his comic book origins. I don’t see them explain anything about how he’s Xavier’s step brother or how he’s not a mutant and got his power form the crimson gem of cytorak. The whole juggernaut thing might break the X-franchise.

[Silent Bob]

I'm sure they'll gloss over Jug's backstory, like they did with most of the seconday mutants (they never even hinted at the relationship between Nightcrawler and Mystique in X2). I can see them as least including the fact that he's Xavier's step-brother, though. Why else would they make sure to get a Brit in the role?

[Ganny McVagflaps]

X-MEN 3

 

drunkmebed...heheheh...wolverine....ohhh...phoenix....drunkmebed..

[The NZA]

!

 

Apparently ending months of speculation, Sony has let the cat out of the bag by posting an image of actor Thomas Hayden Church in a very familiar-looking striped shirt from the upcoming Spider-Man 3.

 

Though the image was no accompanied by any comments from Sony, aside from “Guess Who?” above it and "Thomas Haden Church as Flint Marko" beneath. Spider-Man fans will of course recognize the outfit as that of Flint Marko, aka the Sandman.

 

The reveal fits with (at least part of) Kirsten Dunst’s previous accidental revelation that Church would play Sandman, while Topher Grace would play Venom.

 

 

Also, now that they got their own studio, they got Iron Man back, which is good.