Film News Roundup “ July 2009 “ Week 1
Why Zack Snyder thinks his action fantasy Sucker Punch will blow 300 away
“Damon [Caro is] my stunt choreographer and fight choreographer, and I like fight choreography. I’m not a gimmick-based [filmmaker]. I’m not looking to do a big rubber CGI double jumping from building to building and [an] unkillable crazy hero. So I do like sort of hard effects. Give me a machine gun and some kind of cool fighting hand to hand, and let’s get it on. To me it’s about trying to use technology to kind of just seam up the impossible parts of it, but still stay as raw as you can.”
Watchmen director Zack Snyder exclusively reveals more details about his Illustrated Man adaptation
Snyder said that the movie will comprise five of Bradbury’s 18 classic short stories, which are loosely knitted together as a novel, linked by the common thread of the title tattooed man, whose “illustrations” come to life for an unnamed narrator. Perhaps the most famous of the stories includes the virtual-reality cautionary tale “The Veldt” and a tragic tale of an astronaut about to re-enter the atmosphere, “Kaleidoscope.”
Daniel Craig awakes to ‘Dream’
Latest Bond eyes psychological thriller at Morgan Creek
Daniel Craig is in early talks to star in “Dream House,” a psychological thriller. Craig would play a man who moves his family to an idyllic small town, only to find his house haunted by its former inhabitants, who were murdered there.
Oscars’ best picture race: 10 in 2010
Academy doubles the nominee field for next year
In a move designed to let more movies share in the limelight that surrounds the contenders for the Academy’s top award, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ board of governors approved a rule change Tuesday night that ups the ante by doubling the number of movies that will be welcomed into the best picture category.
‘Transformers’ robots under fire
Film’s twins criticized for perpetuating stereotypes
Skids and Mudflap, twin robots disguised as compact hatchbacks, constantly brawl and bicker in rap-inspired street slang. They’re forced to acknowledge that they can’t read. One has a gold tooth. As good guys, they fight alongside the Autobots and are intended to provide comic relief. But their traits raise the specter of stereotypes most notably seen when Jar Jar Binks, the clumsy, broken-English speaking alien from “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace,” was criticized as a caricature.
Michael Bay in ‘I Am Number Four’ deal
DreamWorks, Bay buy rights to sci-fi book
The studio completed a deal to purchase pre-emptively the film rights to “I Am Number Four,” an unpublished science fiction book, for Bay to produce and possibly direct. It is the first in a planned six-volume series co-written by “A Million Little Pieces” author James Frey. The “Four” story line involves nine alien teens assimilating to high school on Earth after their planet is destroyed by an enemy species. The fourth of the group discovers that the enemy is now after him on Earth.
Chinese censors tinker with ‘Transformers’
Government bleeps name of Shanghai during battle scene
China’s government once again demonstrated its sensitivity to portrayal of the country in foreign movies. Even-handed online debate in China about “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” and its depiction of Shanghai didn’t stop media monitors from bleeping the name of China’s biggest city from the soundtrack of the DreamWorks film, which was released here this week.
Michael Jackson scene cut from ‘Bruno’
Universal also leaving scene out of theatrical version
Uni removed a scene in which Bruno, the flamboyant Austrian journalist played by Sacha Baron Cohen, interviews an unsuspecting LaToya Jackson about a number of topics, including her brother. Among the gags is a joke about the King of Pop’s high-pitched voice, as well as a reference to his trademark white glove, all done in Baron Cohen’s characteristically absurdist tone.
‘Werewolf’ redo in works
Dimension remaking John Landis’ 1981 horror-comedy
Dimension Films has set its sights on remaking John Landis’ 1981 cult classic horror “An American Werewolf in London.” Dimension has picked up the rights from Landis in what was described as a competitive environment. No writer or director is on board but Dimension and the producers hope to make an elevated genre picture that will keep the fun comedy elements of the original as it seeks to be relevant to contemporary audiences. Landis will act as an exec producer and possibly consult.
Fincher circles Facebook movie
Director in talks for Columbia’s pic about website
Columbia Pictures is in advanced talks with David Fincher to direct “The Social Network,” the Aaron Sorkin-scripted film for Columbia Pictures about the formation of Facebook. The film will focus on the evolution of Facebook from its 2004 creation on the Harvard campus by sophomore Mark Zuckerberg to a juggernaut with more than 200 million members.
Ryan Reynolds to star in ‘Buried’
Actor will follow up ‘Proposal’ with indie film
Reynolds will star in “Buried,” playing a civilian contractor who’s kidnapped in Iraq and awakens buried in a coffin in the desert, armed only with a cell phone, a candle and a knife. He decided to go the indie route as a way to stretch his acting chops in a movie with a claustrophobic premise, and one in which he holds the screen through most of the picture.
Fox sets sights on ‘Hitman 2′
Kyle Ward tapped to pen sequel
Studio has hired screenwriter Kyle Ward to write a script for the movie that catches title character, Agent 47, at a low point. He must build himself back up psychologically and physically to reclaim his mantle as the world’s most feared assassin. The film will contain story elements from “Hitman 5,” the upcoming Eidos vidgame that will be released in late 2010.
WB adds pair for ‘Dicks’
Lee, Trachtenberg join Willis, Morgan in film
Jason Lee and Michelle Trachtenberg have joined the cast of Warner Bros. cop comedy “A Couple of Dicks,” starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. Kevin Smith is directing. Story centers on a pair of cops who track down a stolen baseball card, rescue a Mexican beauty and must deal with gangsters and laundered drug money.
Zack Snyder Transforming ËœHigh School Musical’ Star Vanessa Hudgens Into A ËœSucker Punch’ Badass
You’re going to see her shooting machine guns, fighting, beating the sh-t out of people, Snyder revealed. It’s funny – we sat her down for her physical evaluation, and she was really athletic. She’s a dancer, so all the choreography is gonna be fun for her.
The Oldboy Must Go On
Legal troubles no problem for remake?
Futabasha, the Japanese publisher of the Oldboy manga, is suing the Korean film production company Show East, the makers of the film, over the remake rights to the story. Spielberg and Smith are said to be working on an American remake of the property for mainstream American consumption, but now to complicate matters — or perhaps simplify them — Reuters is reporting that Show East has shut down and its CEO, Kim Dong-Ju, has disappeared. Big Egg, a co-producer of the cult fave film, has also ceased operation and its ex-staff members are “unreachable.”
The Fine Print
This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire weeks’ news. All stories are chosen by me for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.
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