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Film News Roundup – March 2010 – Week 1

‘Germ of an idea’ for fifth Indiana Jones film
“Steven [Spielberg] and George [Lucas] and I are sort of agreed on a germ of an idea and we’re seeing what comes of it. The process works like this,” Harrison Ford said. “We come to some basic agreement and then George goes away for a long time and works on it. Then Steven and I get it in some form, some embryonic form. Then if we like it we start working with George on it and at some point down the line it’s ready and we do it.”

What works, what sucks and what’s coming for 11 horror remakes!
Sequels notwithstanding, the studios are churning out one remake, reboot or “re-imagining” after another of familiar and not-so-familiar horror movies and franchises, the latest of which is The Crazies, Breck Eisner’s update of the 1973 George Romero movie of the same name. While the jury’s still out on A Nightmare on Elm Street—which probably qualifies as the Holy Grail of horror remakes—here’s a closer look at some of the other classic horror films that will return to the screen in the not-so-distant future and why the originals deserve to stand on their own.

Video game incursion into Hollywood could continue with Space Invaders
With a movie version of Missile Command essentially set up at Fox and an adaptation of Asteroids in development at Universal, it was only a matter of time before a studio decided to take on the grandfather of all video games, Space Invaders. Warner Bros. is negotiating to acquire feature rights to the landmark shooter from Taito, the Japanese company that originally manufactured the game.

Director Catherine Hardwicke to Wage DOT WAR
Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke is attached to helm Dot War, an action-adventure that’s described as a mix between Real Genius and War Games.  According to Pajiba, the film is about, “video-game programmer who is trained by the government to fight terrorist using virtual technology.”

GILLIGAN’S ISLAND Movie being Scripted by Wild Hogs Writer
Warner Bros. and Atlas Entertainment have brought on screen-writer Brad Copeland (Wild Hogs, Arrested Development) to script a big-screen adaptation of the iconic 1960′s CBS sitcom Gilligan’s Island. After a terrible storm, during what was supposed to be a three-hour tour, the passengers of the S.S. Minnow — Gilligan, the Skipper too, a millionaire and his wife, a movie-star, the Professor and Mary Ann — become stranded on an an uncharted and uninhabited island in the Pacific after their boat is shipwrecked.

Mickey Rourke Confirmed to Play Villain in WAR OF THE GODS
Mickey Rourke was in negotiations to play the villain in Relativity Media’s War of the Gods, which follows a young warrior Theseus who leads his men into battle with the immortal Greek gods to defeat evil and the powerful elder gods of the Titans in order to save mankind. It is confirmed that Rourke has been cast opposite Henry Cavill (The Tudors), who is playing Theseus, Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) has been cast as Phaedra, an oracle priestess who must join Theseus on his quest to prevent the cataclysmic war from erupting. Rourke will play the part of King Hyperion, the ruler of Ancient Greece who does battle with the divines.

Warner Bros. is Releasing Sundance Hit SPLICE on June 4, 2010
One of the best films from this year’s Sundance Film Festival was director Vincenzo Natali’s Splice.  Starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley as genetic scientists that create a new life form with severe consequences, the film is original, dark, twisted, and it looks like a Hollywood produced film.  Basically, it’s a perfect film for a studio to buy and release on thousands of screens around the world. And that’s exactly what Warner Bros. is going to do as they’ve set a June 4 release date.

Guy Ritchie Attached to Direct Excalibur
Warner Brothers has put a production into development. But this one is not a remake of the Boorman film, it’s a big-screen adaptation of Warren Ellis’ Excalibur treatment . Now, the fact that Warren Ellis is working on a Excalibur movie isn’t new — he announced it on his own blog last July. The news here, actually, is who is angling to direct this version of Excalibur: Some dude named Guy Ritchie.

RIDLEY SCOTT’S ALIEN PREQUEL WILL OF COURSE BE IN 3D
When asked about if the new film could resurrect the franchise, art director Roger Christian seemed convinced. “I do,” he said. “Ridley told me some of his ideas when we were here in Toronto. He has a very clear understanding of where this should go. They kind of stopped dead one of the greatest horror franchises there’s ever been, and it had legs to go on. So I’m hoping he’ll revive another three. The world certainly wants it, and the fans want it – everybody. ”

Universal taking another ‘Midnight Run’
Robert De Niro will produce and star in comedy sequel
The studio is developing a sequel to “Midnight Run,” the 1988 action comedy that starred De Niro as a bounty hunter who must bring back an embezzler, played by Charles Grodin, across the country. Timothy Dowling, the writer behind Universal’s comedy “Role Models,” is being brought on board to pen the script that would bring back De Niro’s character, Jack Walsh, and pair him with a younger comedic foil.

30th Annual Razzie Award Winners Announced
The Golden Raspberry Award Foundation have announced the “dis-hours” for the year in film that was 2009. Michael Bay and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was the big “winner”, taking home three awards: Worst Screenplay (Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci must be proud), Worst Director and the not so coveted “Worst Picture of 2009″. Sandra Bullock, who is up for a Best Actress Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards for the movie The Blind Side, takes home two dishonors: Worst Actress (for her performance in All About Steve) and Worst Screen Couple (shared with Bradley Cooper for, yes, All About Steve).Bullock had said that she would accept her award in person if she won, and was true to her word. You can watch a video clip of Bullock’s acceptance speech embedded after the jump.

God Stars In 3D Book Of Genesis Bible Tale
The world’s oldest story is on a collision course with cutting-edge Hollywood technology. Paramount Pictures and former Walden Media co-founder Cary Granat producing with Reel Fx are mounting In The Beginning, a 3D telling of the creation story. The film is using The Book of Genesis as its primary resource. A script has been written by John Fusco (Hidalgo), and directing will be TV vet David Cunningham.

Amanda Seyfried Confirms Involvement with RED RIDING HOOD
Last year word broke that Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way banner is developing a Gothic reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood and that Orphan screenwriter David Leslie Johnson was going to write the script. Shortly after the film was announced Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke was brought on board to develop the film, which would be titled The Girl With the Red Riding Hood, the movie is being described as a werewolf movie, with a teenage love triangle at its center. It was rumored that Warner Bros. was looking at Amanda Seyfried to take on the lead. Last night on the red carpet she confirmed her involvement and gave a few thoughts on the project saying, “It’s amazing. It’s gothic. It’s dark. It’s beautiful. You get to play someone that’s unlike you…It’s a period piece and it’s going to be amazing.”

Liam Hemsworth to star in ‘Arabian Nights’ adventure movie
The actor is in negotiations to star in Inferno Entertainment’s 3D adventure directed by Chuck Russell. Written by Russell and Barry P. Ambrose, the period epic centers on a young commander (Hemsworth) who, after his king is murdered in a coup, joins forces with Sinbad, Ali Baba and the Genie from the magic lamp to rescue the queen, Scheherazade.

Muppet Update: Michael Gracey Sought to Direct Jim Henson Biopic, Fraggle Rock Goes Pop
The Henson company and Walt Disney appear to have come to an agreement and seem to be pressing ahead with the picture together. They have reportedly even agreed on the director they’d most like for the job. His name is Michael Gracey and this would be his debut feature after a slate of music videos and commercials, most famously the Evian spot with somewhat off-looking roller-babies that went atomic as a viral video. Gracey’s other work can be seen at the Partizan website.

The Cutting Room Floor

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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About The Author

Scott From LA

Scott is an art director, writer and comics creator living in Los Angeles. He has been a pop culture maven from a very young age. His very first job was as a manager of a comic book store. He spent several years working in a video store, and yes, we are talking VHS tapes. A student of literature and Writing, he brings his obsessive love of comic book trivia, movie history and science fiction/fantasy writing to bear on the work he does for CoolShite.

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Article Information

  • Posted: Thursday, March 11th, 2010
  • Author: Scott From LA
  • Filed Under: Movie News,News
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