Random Movie News

[Peven]

"i am not an animal, i am a ..... wait. i AM an animal!"

[Al Shut]

[TheButcher]

THR MARCH 22, 2017:
'Spider-Man' Spinoff: 'Thor' Writer Tackling Silver Sable, Black Cat Movie (Exclusive)


BMD Oct. 30, 2014:
What Is GLASS CEILING, And What Does It Have To Do With The Spider-Man Movies?
A rumor coming out of Sony about the women of the Spiderverse.

[TheButcher]

Variety:
Vice Dives Into Digital Scripted Content With Productions From Luc Besson, Bryan Singer, Zoe Cassavetes (EXCLUSIVE)

The Blackpills content on Vice will include Zoe Cassavetes’ drama series “Junior” (pictured above), about a teenage girl ensnared in an unexpected love triangle with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend; and “Playground,” created by Luc Besson, about a teenage girl who joins a school for assassins and uncovers the mystery of her parents’ death. (No details are available at this point for Singer’s project with Blackpills.)

[TheButcher]

'King Arthur: Legend of the Sword' Sets a Path for Revenge at CinemaCon

[TheButcher]

Oscar Isaac to Star in Nazi Hunting Thriller 'Operation Finale'

[TheButcher]

'Fantastic Beasts' Star Alison Sudol Joins 'The Last Full Measure' (Exclusive)

[Peven]

no Ghost in a Shell posts after that trailer yesterday. no mention of the Valerian trailer and how awesome that looked.

this place is barely a shadow of what it used to be.

and sorry, but throwing up a bunch of "news" posts with the same amount of input as a bot would give along with it doesn't exactly help add life to this place, it shows no real connection to the material and does nothing to help further discussion and interaction on here.

[Fievel]

no mention of the Valerian trailer and how awesome that looked.

viewtopic.php?p=850494#p850494

[Al Shut]

Well, sometines it sparks of few posts of response, more often it doesn't but it's sure more informative and better than nothing.

I don't remember the first Valerian trailer to be that much differernt, my guess is that reaction have pretty much stayed the same. Who was it that didn't like the song again?

[TheBaxter]

no Ghost in a Shell posts after that trailer yesterday. no mention of the Valerian trailer and how awesome that looked.

this place is barely a shadow of what it used to be.

and sorry, but throwing up a bunch of "news" posts with the same amount of input as a bot would give along with it doesn't exactly help add life to this place, it shows no real connection to the material and does nothing to help further discussion and interaction on here.

wait, have you just been one of Kirks' alts all this time?

[TheButcher]

no mention of the Valerian trailer and how awesome that looked.

viewtopic.php?p=850494#p850494

New trailer for Valerian.
I really like the look of this.
Here's hoping........

THR MARCH 28, 2017:
'Valerian': Lush 3D Trailer Screens Early at CinemaCon

/film March 29th, 2017:
‘Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets’ Trailer: Director Luc Besson Takes Us Out of This World

io9 Yesterday 9:37am:
Let the New Valerian Trailer Shove a Crazy Vision of Space Action Into Your Brain


io9 11/18/16:
A Guide to the Epic Scifi Movie Valérian, and the Fantastic European Comics That Inspired It

io9 10/17/16:
Valerian Is The Movie That Luc Besson Has Waited His Whole Life to Make

io9 11/10/16:
Luc Besson's Valerian Looks Like All Your Scifi Dreams Come True

THR 01/11/2017:
Why Luc Besson's 'Valerian' May Determine the Fate of Europe's Most High-Profile Studio

[Wolfpack]

no Ghost in a Shell posts after that trailer yesterday. no mention of the Valerian trailer and how awesome that looked.

this place is barely a shadow of what it used to be.

and sorry, but throwing up a bunch of "news" posts with the same amount of input as a bot would give along with it doesn't exactly help add life to this place, it shows no real connection to the material and does nothing to help further discussion and interaction on here.

The Valerian trailer was released and it looks awesome.

[caruso_stalker217]

no Ghost in a Shell posts after that trailer yesterday. no mention of the Valerian trailer and how awesome that looked.

this place is barely a shadow of what it used to be.

and sorry, but throwing up a bunch of "news" posts with the same amount of input as a bot would give along with it doesn't exactly help add life to this place, it shows no real connection to the material and does nothing to help further discussion and interaction on here.

wait, have you just been one of Kirks' alts all this time?

My thought as well!

[Peven]

right, try to insult me by saying I'm Kirk, how fucking weak can you get. that is your best comeback and all you have to offer? talk about a complete absence of wit. no wonder I feel like posting in here is like trying to talk to a bunch of kids at times, it's like high schoolers' group mind in action. why not just hang out in the talkbacks if you want to be a dick without any intent to discuss shit? oh right, people can't handle an opinion from someone with a different take on things because it hurts your fragile ego.

btw, the idea that calling me kirk is an insult is so fucking lame it just goes to the small-minded and childish mindset that is so prevalent here, it's exactly the kind of thing people like to mock Trump for doing. avoid the issue, just try to throw ignorant insults. right. and why should being called kirk be an insult? because you have done so much more with your life than he has? you think you're so much better? give me a fucking break, you people are fucking pathetic sometimes

[caruso_stalker217]

You seem to be the only one taking it as an insult, bud.

[TheBaxter]

right, try to insult me by saying I'm Kirk, how fucking weak can you get. that is your best comeback and all you have to offer? talk about a complete absence of wit. no wonder I feel like posting in here is like trying to talk to a bunch of kids at times, it's like high schoolers' group mind in action. why not just hang out in the talkbacks if you want to be a dick without any intent to discuss shit? oh right, people can't handle an opinion from someone with a different take on things because it hurts your fragile ego.

btw, the idea that calling me kirk is an insult is so fucking lame it just goes to the small-minded and childish mindset that is so prevalent here, it's exactly the kind of thing people like to mock Trump for doing. avoid the issue, just try to throw ignorant insults. right. and why should being called kirk be an insult? because you have done so much more with your life than he has? you think you're so much better? give me a fucking break, you people are fucking pathetic sometimes

[Wolfpack]

Interpreting being called Kirk as an insult is not being very nice thing for the Kirk.

[Peven]

Joss Whedon is writing and directing a Batgirl movie. see, that is breaking, relevant news.

wow, I am surprised to see Mr Marvel taking over a DC property. i wonder if it is part of the long term plan at DC and will lead to Batgirl showing up in other DC properties like Justice League II (or whatever they'll call it). see, that is commentary following the news I just dropped. isn't that so much more personal and engaging than a cold, indifferent hyperlink without comment or human touch whatsoever?

[Wolfpack]

But the Butch is the Zone News Director.

[caruso_stalker217]

Joss Whedon is writing and directing a Batgirl movie. see, that is breaking, relevant news.

wow, I am surprised to see Mr Marvel taking over a DC property. i wonder if it is part of the long term plan at DC and will lead to Batgirl showing up in other DC properties like Justice League II (or whatever they'll call it). see, that is commentary following the news I just dropped. isn't that so much more personal and engaging than a cold, indifferent hyperlink without comment or human touch whatsoever?

I imagine your commentary would have packed more punch if it weren't being overwhelmed by the general smug dickery of the rest of your post.

That being said, I've never trusted Whedon and I never will. I could never forgive him for the death of my boy.

I wouldn't mind a BATGIRL movie, though. Especially if we get a Tara Strong cameo (with cleavage).

But there's still the Whedon problem. He's really just J.J. Abrams with less hair. Maybe he'll make a BatMUSICAL. That'd be original, Joss!

[TheButcher]

Forbes JUL 28, 2016:
Exclusive: 'Jonny Quest' Could Be Warner's Next Big Franchise

Jonny Quest is one of the all-time great action-adventure characters, launched as a hit primetime animated series by Hanna-Barbera back in 1964 and continuing in multiple incarnations on television, in comics, and via video games every decade since. A live-action Jonny Quest feature film has been in development for a long time, and recently the project took a big leap forward when Dan Mazeau's Jonny Quest screenplay was rewritten by Robert Rodriguez and Terry Rossio. Well, I've read their draft of the screenplay, and I can confirm it's the Jonny Quest big-screen adaptation fans have been waiting for, and a potential tentpole picture capable of spinning off a whole expanded universe of franchises for Warner Bros (which owns Hanna-Barbera). So I've got you my review of the script, word on which directors could be in the mix for the film, and a look at what makes Jonny Quest a perfect choice for a new movie franchise.

First, some quick background is in order. The original Jonny Quest series enjoyed strong viewership among kids and adults, as well as critical acclaim. It has lived on in syndication while occasionally getting rebooted -- first in the 1980s with The New Adventures of Jonny Quest, and later as The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest in the 1990s. The '80s series spun off two animated TV movies, Jonny's Golden Quest and Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects. Comics based on Jonny Quest were published in the 1960s and 1980s, and the characters later appeared in Scooby-Doo's 2015 comic series. Video games were also created during the 1990s to expand the Quest brand's multimedia footprint.

DC Comics' 2016 release of the comic book series Future Quest had high sales numbers, with June's #1 issue outselling Batman's Detective Comics title and Superman's Action Comics to take the #30 spot among comics sold in North America. Reactions have been quite positive, with the series garnering good reviews from fan sites and readers, and it has revived interest in Hanna-Barbera generally but especially in a few key properties, most notably Jonny Quest.

That interest seems to be spurring movement for the feature film project, as it appears a few directors might be looking at the project. After doing some digging, I heard that Joe Cornish was considering it, that there were some discussions with Justin Lin, and that the screenplay was sent to Scott Derrickson. I have no idea (yet) in what order any of that might have happened, nor who else has or hasn't been approached. If things are in place by this fall, then production discussions could begin by the end of this year. No performers have been approached yet for casting talks yet, but apparently the "wish list" includes Idris Elba, Bradley Cooper, or Will Smith for the role of Race Banon.

Which brings me to my review of the latest draft of the Jonny Quest screenplay. So, let's get right into it!

The script takes inspiration from a few specific stories and elements in the original 1960s TV show, (including a certain robot arachnid). Race Bannon is a government agent similar to a cross between Indiana Jones and Jason Bourne, and this is his introduction to the Quest family. Jonny and Dr. Benton Quest have a nice subplot for their relationship, providing added dimension to Jonny's overall characterization and particularly his drive to explore and get into adventures against his father's wishes. And Hadji has an "origin" that provides more detail to his background and lets him take a more active role in the main plot. Jade plays a significant role in the story as well, as the female adventurer whose loyalties are uncertain and whose past relationship with Race is a source of much tension and humor.

I don't wish to give too much away about the plot itself, other than to say an old nemesis returns with a plan to unleash a major threat upon the world, and it's up to Jonny, Race, Jade, Dr. Quest, and Hadji to stop the evil scheme from succeeding. The ancient mythology of the tale and competing motivations among the antagonists create an added layer of detail and mystery to the whole affair.

It's a story that slows down enough to give us amusing and touching character moments, but then races off to the next action set piece. Fast paced and full of witty banter, fights, and lots of sci-fi technology -- jet packs and the aforementioned robot spiders, for example -- this is a terrifically fun screenplay that is easy to envision as a big, successful summer popcorn flick. There's a retro-coolness alongside a decidedly modern sensibility, allowing it to service our desire for nostalgic relief while not relying on nostalgia for its primary appeal. This could easily be a new concept and new original characters, and it would still be an excellent script promising a hit movie.

Jonny Quest is like Harry Potter in an Indiana Jones movie, if Harry had James Bond's gadgets to go along with the magical elements of the story. That's the way to think about the feature film potential of this character and his world, and this script certainly delivers on the promise of that premise.

So, why Jonny Quest and why now? Read on for my explanation of why this is the next big franchise Warner needs...

Deadline March 24, 2017:
Robert Rodriguez To Direct ‘Escape From New York’

Deadline March 28, 2017:
Robert Rodriguez To Direct ‘Ugly Dolls’ For STX For May 2019 Bow – CinemaCon

[TheButcher]

ScreenRant:
Mission: Impossible 6 – First Look at Rebecca Ferguson On Set

[TheButcher]

Vulture April 21, 2017:
Brie Larson’s New Movie Proves She’s Too Good to Only Make Blockbusters


BMD: Ben Wheatley And His Lovable Baddies
The more surreal his films get, the more grounded in reality his characters become.


Ben Wheatley Teases ‘Freakshift’; Says It’s in the Vein of 50s B-Movies
The upcoming action flick stars Alicia Vikander and Armie Hammer.

[TheButcher]

Deadline April 28, 2017:
Lionsgate Dates Mila Kunis-Kate McKinnon Comedy ‘The Spy Who Dumped Me’ For Summer 2018

Lionsgate has set a release date of July 6, 2018, for the Susanna Fogel-directed comedy The Spy Who Dumped Me, starring Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon.

Co-written by Fogel and David Iserson, the pic centers on friends Audrey (Kunis) and Morgan (McKinnon), whose lives are shifted when Audrey’s unassuming ex-boyfriend shows up at their apartment with a team of deadly assassins on his trail. Surprising even themselves, the duo jump into action when two men are shot dead on their floor, grabbing a top-secret thumb drive and taking off on an undercover mission to save the world.

[TheButcher]

From Collider:
An Early Look at the Film Noir Puppet Comedy THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS

Melissa McCarthy to Lead Long-Developing R-Rated Puppet Comedy ‘The Happytime Murders’
Jim Henson's son Brian Henson directs the noir-tinged project, which has been in development hell for a decade.

[TheButcher]

Harry says Guy Ritchie's KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD goes Frazetta & Tolkien - cool

Pretend you’ve never seen EXCALIBUR – you didn’t see Disney’s THE SWORD OF THE STONE - You never read a book about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table – you’ve never seen MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL. You don’t know anything about the legend at all. Now you're ready for...



Before I saw Guy Ritchie’s KING ARTHUR: THE LEGEND OF THE SWORD – and as Father Geek and I were driving to the theater, we got into a discussion about what the expectations were for Guy Ritchie’s KING ARTHUR movie, a film that was made to kick off a franchise – with 5 more films to come, if this is successful. I was aware of the multi-cultural castings – like Djimon Hounsou as Bedivere and Tom Wu as Kung Fu George and Kingsley Ben-Adir as Wet Stick. Before Dad could pop out with the “so-called realities of England” – I mentioned… You know, that the Arthurian Legends come from an 11th century so-called Historia Brittonum and 12 century poetry relating events of the late 5th Century & early 6th Century repelling of the Saxon hordes. But really… This is Dark Age material. Who knows what England was truly like then.

If ever there was a Once upon a time, the Arthurian legends are from a time before us. Which gives folks a great big honking latitude for being whatever they wish to make of the tales we’ll never know for sure about. One thing is true, the Romans had already left Brittania at this juncture in time. So while England had yet to sail the world, certainly the British might’ve come across a great many peoples of Earth – and perhaps in this period, people were more relaxed than folks of another time period. Doubtful, unlikely… but what the fuck, I’m certainly no EXPERT. I love the legends – and in particular – I really fucking love John Boorman’s EXCALIBUR.



Warners and Guy Ritchie have another tact. Or at least this is my reading of their approach based upon witnessing the film tonight.



Imagine that J.R.R. Tolkien’s desire to give England a pre-history mythology with THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS… Let’s just say – all that shit really happened. Ok? And let’s say that Frank Frazetta was tapped into all that era too. Then, let’s say the only time you heard anything about King Arthur was a series of bedtime stories that your Great-Grandmother read to you as a infant – and you decided to mix your VAGUE memories of Arthur with those two sources.



That – in a nutshell is Guy Ritchie’s KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD.



The movie launches you into this madness after a few screens of quasi-explanation… but right from the get go – we’re at CAMELOT, which was under the attack of Mordred. Now, you remember in Paragraph 1 – I told you to let go of all Arthur knowledge. If you don’t – you’ll be like me in the opening thinking… OH – a flash forward to the end. Because everyone that knows Arthurian legend knows that Arthur’s in-bred asshole of a son, made with half-sister Morgana, was named Mordred and comes to battle with Arthur at the end of all things. BUT AGAIN – that’s not this movie. Nope.



Mordred is a mage, apparently gone made with power and bent on killing Uther Pendragon… just go with it… and well, he’s got LOTR style oliphants swinging enormous wrecking ball maces with their trunks, really laying waste to Camelot.



Uther sets out to take Mordred down – and when you see Eric Bana’s Uther grab Excalibur with both hands… the sword and his Eyes have a bit of a power up blue haze happen – It’s a little crazy awesome actually – until he has to deal with Frank Frazetta’s DEATH DEALER or a Ralph Bakshi Ring Wraith – or the two mixed. He’s enormous – and wielding a scythe that seems… empowered. At this point, I’m like. Ok - not entirely sure what’s going on, but in now way shape or form did it feel like a Guy Ritchie movie at this point.



Little Arthur gets swept down a river to Londinium where he gets adopted by some nice ladies at a brothel. Then we get a growing up montage, where we see Evil Jude Law come to power and Arthur learning to be a street rat, scoundrel… you know the song, part of Ritchie’s next movie. Anyway – next thing we know, a great many things change. For one, Charilie Hunnam is now Arthur, he has multiple treasure chests of gold and like Neo, he knows Kung Fu. Thanks to Kung Fu George, who, like everyone else in the story – ages not an ounce, whilst Charlie Hunnam is all growed up. But then, Dark Age skin care was truly amazing – and mud packs had special herbs and spices long since gone from our world.



Every young man of an age close to the rumored BORN KING (Arthur) is taken to Draw the Sword which is embedded in a stone – and what the stone is – is explained later, and I actually dig the fuck out of it. Now – through the Arthur of the Brothel stages – we see Arthur much like Jax from SONS OF ANARCHY, he knows the measure of things at a preternatural level.



Now – I’m not gonna step you through the entire film. I loathe those kinds of Book Report attempts at Film Reviewing. I find them tedious and unnecessary, especially when so many of you wait to read a review after you’ve seen the film.



But I will say – I will go into SPOILER TERRITORY from here on out.



Spoilers in 10



9



8



7



6



5



4



3



2



1





Arthur, once he pulls the sword – gets sent into memory flashes of the night he lost his parents – this comes with two hands upon the sword. It’s overwhelming initially and lays him on his ass. He’s sent by a mage to place the sword upon a stone table – and he gets the clearest vision of all, but before that happens he must quest for it through the Dark Lands which are filled with beasties not currently in England, except maybe the giant rats that supported Brexit.



The absolute best parts of this film come from the back and forth between Arthur’s group. The mage is neat, reminding me of the changeling a bit from KRULL in her eyes, not that she looks like a blind old man or anything. She definitely has a 3-eyed raven running around somewhere cuz she seems capable of that whole bag of tricks.



We learn pretty quickly that Jude Law is our big baddie of the film – and Jude just doesn’t feel imposing at all. But if he kills a loved one and lets their body go in this underground waterway, with octopus ladies (just like my arm tattoo btw, cool beans) well they grant him… DEATH DEALER Form, which is fucking awesome, but… imagine if DARTH VADER could only look like Darth Vader for a little bit of STAR WARS and most of the time he had to be puny Hayden Christensen. So, Jude spends most of the film pouting and throwing hissy fits – then when the shit hits the fan, he powers up. I would have preferred him be a full on evil DEATH DEALER dude for the entire film.



Having most of that DEATH DEALER screentime be Arthur Flashbacks… just was underwhelming and repetitive.



However, EXALIBUR powers – fucking rocks. It is a bit like that opening of FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS when Cate Blanchett is hypnotizing you into Middle Earth with her story about the Ring. When Sauron shows up with his Mace – and ring on the outside of his armored finger – and it just lays waste to the foes before him. EXCALIBUR is a full on super magic blade… Kind of something I’ve secretly wished for FOREVER! More than that though, it affects the man wielding it. Suddenly he’s a god of combat, moving faster, chopping arrows in mid-flight. It’s mighty fun. Once you have him and DEATH DEALER fighting – it’s full on going on.



We don’t get Merlin in this first film. But Astrid Berges-Frisbey… remember that Frazetta CONAN painting with the giant Snake? She’s got one, that looks JUST LIKE THAT ONE. But I liked it. I like all the beasties you see in the film, I like the magic, the visit with the Lady of the Lake, the character work – and the rhythm of the movie.



The biggest complaint was that the film was clearly made for 3D. Most of the big sequences feels designed for 3D, not 2D, where all the elements get smooshed. The action in 2D with all the fury going on around them, in 2D, it’s a bit hard to track the action.



There’s no Guinevere, no real use of Merlin, no Morgana, no Gawain or Lancelot. No Holy Grail or quests for it. This is about Arthur becoming king. Nothing to do with what he does as king. No real joy or whimsy to the magic, it’s all rather serious here, except for Arthur and his boys, which are filled with fun between battles. Hell, even the bad guys are likable and have a bit of fun.



I’m curious to see if this does well enough for Warners to pursue more. It’s certainly better than any Arthurian work SINCE the unassailably great John Boorman film, EXCALIBUR. I’m curious to see their Merlin in this verse. And what other things lay dormant in the earth waiting to be awoken.



I went into this film with very little prayer for having a good time – and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had a great time. Seeing it again in 3D is a must for me, as I feel it’d definitely help with some of the action. Plus I know the 3D team is proud of their work upon it. Curious to put that to the test as well.



Jude isn’t BAD exactly, it’s just… Baby Pope is too fresh in my head and I found him more refined in the role than I’d care for – even if he went to Mage School all Harry Potter style.



Keep it cool,



Harry

Variety :
Box Office: ‘King Arthur’ Looks Like an Epic Flop


STRANGE THINGS ARE AFOOT AT THE WB (STUDIO SERIES)

Guy Ritchie reunites with 'Holmes' producer for a six-film 'King Arthur' franchise
Warner Bros. seems determined to figure this one out


Will Guy Ritchie Pull Sword From Stone After All And Make King Arthur Movie At Warner Bros?

EXCLUSIVE:
After numerous attempts by Warner Bros to make a new version of the King Arthur legend, I’m hearing that Guy Ritchie is again looking to make the movie. This one is a tentpole fantasy retelling of the Arthur legend, meant to span six films. It was created by Joby Harold, who wrote the script for the first film. Producing is Akiva Goldsman through Weed Road, Harold and Tory Tunnell through Safehouse Pictures, and Ritchie’s partner Lionel Wigram. Ritchie and Wigram previously developed a version of the King Arthur saga based on a script by Trainspotting scribe John Hodge, but it lost steam when it looked like the one by David Dobkin was going to happen.

Warner Bros got closest to a production start with Dobkin’s Arthur & Lancelot, with Colin Farrell most recently at the center of talks to revive the project as Lancelot, and they chased Gary Oldman for the Merlin role. Warner Bros paid $2 million to acquire Dobkin’s script, but unplugged the film the first time because its $130 million budget was $20 million too high, with Game Of Thrones’ Kit Harington to play Arthur and Robocop‘s Joel Kinnaman to play Lancelot. Those young upstarts were unproven screen commodities. Other projects previously considered by Warners was a remake of the 1981 John Boorman pic Excalibur that had X-Men helmer Bryan Singer attached; there is also a Harry Potter-style take being produced by Donald DeLine that isn’t really impacted by any of this.

Ritchie, who’s been filming The Man From U.N.C.L.E. with Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander and Hugh Grant for Warner Bros, is repped by CAA.

[TheButcher]

Capone says Guy Ritchie's KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD is more style than substance!!!

Charlie Hunnam (PACIFIC RIM, THE LOST CITY OF Z) plays the man who would be king as a young man unaware of his royal heritage. He’s actually the son of the previous king, Uther (Eric Bana), who was usurped by his beloved brother Vortigern (Jude Law). There is the obligatory drawing of the sword Excalibur from the stone by Arthur, but when the sword begins to glow blue and pulls Arthur into blood battles that he doesn’t even remember after the fact, we begin to realize that this story is about powers and not about valor, nobility, or sacrifice—traits a real king would cherish and seek to enhance.

[TheButcher]

Exclusive: ‘God Particle’ Writer Oren Uziel on How the Film Became a Cloverfield Movie
Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo, and Daniel Brühl lead the original sci-fi thriller.

[TheButcher]

Deadline May 24, 2017:
Andy Bellin Comes Aboard To Adapt ‘Drone Warrior’ For Michael Bay

EXCLUSIVE: Given what has happened in Manchester, it is not surprising that this project is moving forward — who doesn’t want to obliterate Isis? Andy Bellin has been signed by director and producer Michael Bay to adapt the action thriller Drone Warrior, based on the book of the same name from author and Pulitzer Prize-winning Wall Street Journal writer Christopher S. Stewart. The project, which is about a small group of elite soldiers, is set up at Paramount Pictures.

Paramount picked up the book for Bay about a year ago after a bidding war. The book is based on the true story of how ISIS rose to power, the behind the scenes tactics of drone warfare and what our military has done to try to destroy the terrorist group.

Bellin has several projects around town. His screenplay Think Aaron, an HBO drama produced by Tribeca and Eric Roth, is currently out to directors, and his New York, New York teleplay is set up at Paramount Television with John Krasinki. Bellin’s company Sunday Night os producing and Brian Koppelman, David Levien and Cary Fukunaga are on as executive producers.

Paramount’s Geoff Stier is overseeing production.

Drone Warrior is about the U.S. Army’s highly trained soldiers who hunt and kill terrorists with drones and told from the viewpoint of one of them: insider Brett Velicovich. Paramount also optioned Velicovich’s life rights.

The book Drone Warrior: An Elite Soldier’s Inside Account of the Hunt for America’s Most Dangerous Enemies hits the streets from Dey Street Books on June 27th.

Velicovich’s account is filled with breaking news from the nearly ten years he spent as a member of Delta Force, the U.S. Army’s most elite unit. He was one of roughly a dozen people in the entire military with the authority to select targets and issue death orders, and his Delta force team successfully killed/captured 14 of America’s 20 most wanted terrorists across Iraq within only three months.

Bellin is repped by WME, The Gotham Group, and attorney Mike Adler.

[TheButcher]

Tracking Board MAY 23, 2017:
“NARCOS” DUO TO REWRITE “CHARLIE’S ANGELS” FOR SONY AND DIRECTOR ELIZABETH BANKS (EXCLUSIVE)

[TheBaxter]

Tracking Board MAY 23, 2017:
“NARCOS” DUO TO REWRITE “CHARLIE’S ANGELS” FOR SONY AND DIRECTOR ELIZABETH BANKS (EXCLUSIVE)

shame on you Butcher. this should be in the "Hollywood has run out of original ideas" thread.

why do they think we need a remake of a 20 year old film that was, itself, a remake of a 40 year old TV series? is there really a large audience out there clamoring for this property to return? i get that Hollywood wants to get more films with female leads and female directors and female-oriented action, and that there aren't exactly a lot of pre-existing properties that fill that bill... so why not come up with something original and new? is there any unexplored territory left in the concept of 3 hot crime-busting women working for an invisible boss?

[TheButcher]

This summer, Sofia Boutella will kiss everyone!

[Peven]

after looking over the upcoming roaster of movies coming out and considering we have already gotten Guardians and WW so far I am anticipating this year as a good one for movies, a very good one indeed.

[TheButcher]

Deadline June 12, 2017:
‘Cannonball Run’ Revving: Rawson Thurber In Talks To Direct, Lennon & Garant To Write Script

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros is negotiating with Thomas Lennon & Robert Ben Garant to write and Rawson Thurber to direct a relaunch of the Cannonball Run franchise. Andre Morgan and Alan Gasmer (Vikings) are producing. Studio set this up last year, originally intending for Etan Cohen to both write and direct. Lennon & Garant wrote the Night At The Museum franchise. Thurber helmed Dodgeball and Central Intelligence and will next team with Dwayne Johnson in Skyscraper for Legendary and Universal.

This isn’t a remake as much as a relaunch of a film based on the famous “Cannonball sea to shining sea memorial trophy race” that was captured in three Hal Needham-directed films that starred Burt Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr and Dom DeLuise atop a whole ensemble of ’80s stars. They played roles in the re-enactment of an illegal cross-country race where the participants were not above playing dirty tricks on one another.

The new version is being spearheaded by producer Morgan, who has been making movies at Warner Bros since Enter The Dragon in 1973 (that film also was backed by Golden Harvest, which orchestrated the Cannonball Run films). Warner Bros acquired all sequel and remake rights to the franchise from original copyright owners Brock Yates, the Hal Needham Estate and Fortune Star LTD. Albert S. Ruddy and Raymond Chow are the exec producers.

The first film was released by Fox in 1981; Warner Bros released the 1984 sequel; and Orion released the 1989 third film, which starred John Candy, Donna Dixon, Eugene Levy and Brooke Shields. The original films and the legend of the original races on which they were based have generated international interested; people are still running their own time-lapse races to beat the records established in the original five races.

UTA and Principato-Young rep the writers; WME and Gretchen Rush rep Thurber.

Guy Ritchie Directing CANNONBALL RUN Remake?

[TheButcher]

Deadline June 12, 2017:

Lionsgate Making 2 Live Crew Movie; RJ Cyler Eyed To Play Luther Campbell

EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate is moving quickly on The Book Of Luke, a drama about the provocative hip hop group 2 Live Crew and its leader Luther Campbell, whose parody version of the Roy Orbison hit song Oh Pretty Woman went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court before a landmark ruling favored Campbell and paved the way for fair use sampling for music judged to be parody.

Craig A. Williams is writing the script, which will be developed for up-and-coming actor RJ Cyler to play Campbell in the film. Cyler played Earl in Me And Earl And The Dying Girl, and followed by playing the Blue Ranger in Lionsgate’s Power Rangers film, and more recently he plays a pivotal role in the Brad Pitt-starrer War Machine just released by Netflix. He’s currently filming White Boy Rick.

The Book of Luke is based on the memoir Book Of Luke: My Fight For Truth, Justice And Liberty City. Temple Hill’s Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey are producing with John Fischer overseeing the project for Temple Hill, and Mike Epps and Industry Entertainment exec producing. The film will tell a story that is Straight Outta Compton meets The People Vs. Larry Flynt, the rise of a provocative hip hop group and its envelope-pushing antics that got Campbell out of his poverty-stricken origins in Miami to become a millionaire and a galvanizing symbol of free speech.

Aside from the charisma he has shown in his work so far, you might say that Cyler was born to play this role: word is that his parents met at a 2 Live Crew concert. Cyler is repped by JLA Talent and Landis Simon Management.

Williams scripted Pandemonium, the story of WWE impresario Vince McMahon that Glenn Requa & John Ficarra are directing for TriStar, and also wrote Underdog. The scribe is repped by UTA and Aperture.

[TheButcher]

Ang Lee's 'Gemini Man' Gets October 2019 Release
Will Smith is set to star as an aging assassin fighting his own clone who is 25 years younger than him and at the peak of his abilities.

[TheButcher]

ScreenRant 07/06/2017:
Sources indicate Netflix is developing a television adaptation of Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá’s comic book series The Umbrella Academy.

[Peven]

can anyone remember a year where this many genre movies have been so highly critically rated? and we're only halfway through the year. I think this will possibly be the best year of genre movies ever.

[Peven]

ironically, despite this year boasting a pretty solid crop of entertaining movies the numbers at theatres are down badly, AMC is taking a real hit, for example. disheartening

[TheButcher]

{TB EXCLUSIVE} BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH SET TO PLAY THOMAS EDISON FOR WEINSTEIN COMPANY’S “THE CURRENT WAR”
The spec, which sold to The Weinstein Co. in 2012, follows the intense rivalry between inventors Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse as they battled to be the first to commercially implement a practical system of electricity.

Its good to see Cumberbatch branch out into action-comedy.

THR:
Rooney Mara's 'Mary Magdalene', Benedict Cumberbatch Thomas Edison Biopic 'The Current War' Get Release Dates

The Dark Story of Thomas Edison and Topsy the Elephant

Topsy: New book tells how Thomas Edison electrocuted an innocent elephant at Coney Island

[TheButcher]

Deadline September 29, 2017:
Sony Sets ‘Men In Black’ Spinoff For Summer, 2019; Script by ‘Iron Man’ Team Holloway & Marcum

EXCLUSIVE: The Men in Black are back. Sony Pictures has fast tracked a spinoff of its billion-dollar alien franchise. The studio today will stake out a May 17, 2019, release date for an untitled film that has a script by Matt Holloway & Art Marcum, the writers of Iron Man and Transformers: The Last Knight.

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones aren’t expected to reprise, but the film acknowledges and builds on the world they inhabited. Holloway & Marcum have scripted a contemporary sci-fi pic about the black-clad secret force that protects earth from the alien scum of the universe, focusing on new characters chasing villains that put the picture on more of a global scale than the two previous films. The ambition is akin to the way that Jurassic World rebooted and expanded that franchise. The MiB spinoff film is being produced by Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald and executive produced by Steven Spielberg. They are actively involved in meeting with top directors right now and expect to land one quickly.

The project is a surprise, because it was expected that the next Men in Black movie would be a mashup with another Sony Pictures hit franchise, 21 Jump Street, with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill’s characters donning the black suits. That idea remains in development, but the spinoff is moving quickly and will come first. Sony, which separately is rebooting its Charlie’s Angels reboot with Elizabeth Banks directing and Kristen Stewart and Lupita Nyong’o in talks.

The studio also is moving on multiple fronts with its Spider-Man universe, working simultaneously on a Phil Lord & Christopher Miller-scripted animated film for Christmas 2018, as well as the Ruben Fleischer-directed Tom Hardy-Michelle Williams starrer Venom to be released October 5, 2018, and Silver & Black, with Gina Prince-Bythewood directing the two female superheroes in the Spidey universe for February 8, 2019. There is also the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming, with Jon Watts directing Tom Holland and the Zendaya-led ensemble. That will be released July 5, 2019.

Parkes confirmed the Men in Black spinoff. “It’s so rare to get to the end of the script and know you’re holding a movie in your hands, but Art and Matt have written a spinoff that somehow is true to the core of the MiB world and yet expands the franchise to a fresh new place,” he said.

David Beaubaire is overseeing for Sony.

[TheButcher]

Deadline November 17, 2017:
Millennium Pacts In Exclusive Deal With ‘Curious George’ Rey Estate For Origin Story

EXCLUSIVE: Millennium Media has signed an exclusive deal with the H.A. and Margaret Rey Estate, authors of the beloved children’s books, Curious George as well as the estate of Lay Lee Ong, estate literary executor. This is quite a departure for Millennium, and signals the kind of material it will start to produce with its new co-presidents Jonathan Yunger and Jeffrey Greenstein at the helm.

They will start developing an untitled project that will tell the incredible origin story that saved the character Curious George, the true story of H.A. and Margaret Rey. This comes after Millennium Media’s Jonathan Yunger and Jeffrey Greenstein had been chasing the project for nearly two years.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have the Rey estate’s complete confidence and consent, and the approval of Lay Lee, to tell this story. We are also grateful to our friend and writer, Sam Cohan, for bringing us the project,” Yunger said.

It was Cohan who introduced them to Ema Ryan Yamazaki, director of Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators, a documentary exploring the extraordinary lives of H.A. and Margret Rey. A deal was then signed with Yamazaki to engage her and her documentary for the adaptation of feature by Cohan.

The Orchard acquired distribution rights to the Yamazaki documentary last year. Meanwhile, a live-action musical based on the character Curious George is works at Universal with Andrew Adamson attached to direct and Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and Erica Huggins producing alongside David Kirschner and Jon Shapiro. That one is not an origin story.

“The epitome of mixing passion with business is being blessed to tell this tremendous story of the great lengths H.A. and Margaret Rey went through to save their manuscript, while fleeing Nazi occupied Europe for their lives. Curious George went on to inspire and charm millions worldwide, and soon, so shall the Reys’ unbelievable true story,” said Greenstein.

This project comes only a couple off weeks after Greenstein and Yunger were upped to co-presidents at Millennium Media. Producing will be Yunger, Greenstein, Yamasaki and Cohan. Executive producers are Avi Lerner, Trever Short, Boaz Davidson and John Thompson.

While H.A. and Margaret Rey passed away in 1977 and 1996, respectively, the character of Curious George is beloved with children around the world and has been for about 75 years.

There is even a Curious George Foundation which was established in 1989 to fund programs for children and for programs that benefit animals, not only through preservation but also to prevent cruelty to animals. The foundation supports community outreach programs that emphasize the importance of family, from counseling to peer support groups. So, a portion of the film’s proceeds will be donated to that foundation.

Cohan’s other credits include Fishing Without Nets which was co-written with director Cutter Hodierne, and went onto to win the directing prize at the Sundance Film Festival. He also penned The Closest Thing to Rain.

He is reped by Jeff Hynick at Jackoway, Tyerman, Wertheimer, Austen, Mandelbaum, Morris & Klein.

[Peven]

looking over the movies release schedule this year, and thinking how the genre audience has become spoiled. Black Panther. Solo. Avengers Infinity War. Deadpool II. Jurassic World. A Wrinkle In Time. Ready Player One. Ant Man and the Wasp. The Predator. Venom. Mowgli. X-Men Dark Phoenix. Fantastic Beasts II. Spider-Man II. Aquaman. and those are just some. I am going to have some fun at the theatre this year. growing up in the 70's and 80's big budget quality genre movies were almost unheard of. that is part of why Star Wars and Raiders and E.T. stood out so much, people weren't used to getting stories told with fantastical premises in big movies. sometimes I think that I am able to get more thrill from seeing a quality genre movie than a 20 yr old who has grown up with so many choices available

[Peven]

hey Kirks, this should brighten your day........

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/79440

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Maybe, if Ellen didn't leave me for the entire female population. I've been taking estrogen pills and wearing slutty woman's clothes (make that EVERYTHING they wear, as all women are sluts, fuck you MeToo, get on your knees and suck my strap on) and bench pressing like a MoThorfucker trying to get into shape for a superhero movie just to get boobs so I can be a woman for her.

All that happens though is I get hit on by all the supersexy sluts at my local nightclub who I failed to pull as a man. I don't want you girls anymore! I want ELLEN!!! (Even though some said she is a bit boyish)

[Peven]

keep your chin up, maybe she'll pull an Anne Heche

[Peven]

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/isle_of_dogs_2018/

Wes Anderson is about as money as it gets, he has never made a bad movie as far as I am concerned, and most of his work is exceptional. one of the best directors of his generation with an accomplished filmography already and still many many years of work ahead of him.

[Fievel]

JAMES MCAVOY, BILL HADER IN TALKS FOR IT: CHAPTER 2

Bill Hader would be awesome. I like McAvoy, but don't see him as Bill. But as good as the first film turned out, I won't question the casting.

[Ribbons]

I actually think Hader would make a better Bill than James McAvoy (and no, not just because of his name). He kind of looks like the kid and has proven he can do dramatic acting when the part calls for it.