Cinematical just received a tasty little scoop from one of our trusty top secret super delegate Hollywood insiders, and it's purty interesting (all you Spidey fans might want to listen up): Apparently, in the last few weeks, James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) has turned in a working draft of Spider-Man 4to the studio. However, according to our source, "his story arc has encompassed two films, making Spider-Man 5 shootable at the same time. The studio saw dollar signs and is in the process of reworking his deal to snatch up the story arc." Don't expect anything immediately, though, since we've been told both sides are still trying to negotiate the deal.
Right now we have no word on what that arc is or where Vanderbilt is taking his script, but it's interesting to know that they're looking to spread the next Spidey storyline across two films, instead of shooting one more and taking it from there. Obviously Sony has wiped away the bad buzz from Spidey 3 and is interested in stretching this franchise as far as they can. After three flicks, I can't see Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst returning to shoot two Spider-Man films together (would be a lot to take on), but you never know. In the meantime, here's what we know: Looks like Vanderbilt is writing Spider-Man 4and Spider-Man 5, and the studio might look to shoot both flicks at the same time. We'll update this post should we hear more ...
An extended clip from M. Night Shyamalan's new film The Happeningis now online (watch it above or in higher quality over on Yahoo), with an introduction from M. Night himself saying how he was inspired by films like The Godfather and The Exorcist. What we get are snippets of scenes we've seen previously from the trailers, as well as the extended version of the train scene when Mark Wahlberg walks up to those conductors and says, "With whom?" (I love that part and I don't know why.) This is M. Night's first R-rated film, and he claims it's "the scariest movie he's ever made." I guess we'll see about that.
Or maybe someone already did. Yes, folks, there's the "early screening scooper" over at Collider who's written in with a very, very negative review of The Happening (check it out here, but watch for spoilers). This person goes after the acting most of all, as well as the awkward pacing -- going so far as to say "it's bad on an epic scale." Now it's clear M. Night asked for a certain small town, passive-aggressive tone out of Wahlberg, which he's delivered before (to a certain degree) in films like Boogie Nights. But I do agree that his whole shtick seems very odd here, though we're seeing one scene out of context so I won't go off and declare The Happening an absolute failure.
Personally, I hope this film is good. I WANT to love this thing. It looks creepy and uncomfortable, and I dig that about it. Who knows; fingers crossed. The Happening lands in theaters on Friday, June 13th.
UPDATE: JoBlo has revealed a new Red Band trailer for The Happening. Check it out over here. (P.S. And it might contain spoilers, so beware!)
Other than the official videos released by Zack Snyder, it has been shockingly quiet on the Watchmen front. (And if you missed the videos, there's one on set design and one on costuming so far.) It was, unsurprisingly, a tight set. Those who visited (ahem) still aren't allowed to publish anything about it.
While watching the two behind-the-scenes videos thus far, I saw all those extras and wondered "How the heck did they keep them all quiet?" Well, they didn't. One of them has been sending quiet reports to Comic Related throughout production -- and the amount of stuff she knows is incredible. I'm amazed this has been lurking in a corner of the Internet and no one noticed. She was an extra during many a crucial scene -- and she has written the first description of Billy Crudup's performance as Doc Manhattan.
Her latest post features numerous photos, and a map, illustrating the sets. Start there and work your way backward. Now that this is hitting the wider Internet, it may be yanked, so enjoy it while you can. Those who have not read the graphic novel may want to avoid it, as it's full of spoilers. Those who have, and are worried about Snyder's handling of the material, will find many an answer here. If you too want to see the movie fresh, I will save your innocence and assure you of one thing -- the ending remains unchanged.
This week, Walt Disney Pictures releases The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. To some, it's special for its literary roots, but to others, I imagine it's a blast back to a time when Disney was all about throwing real kids into amazing adventures. These days, they don't do it very often, but Disney used to rule the world of family adventures that sparked the imaginations of kids everywhere. Sure, they put out a lot of classic animation, but they also released a number of adventure stories where kids got to do the unbelievable, whether that be death-defying adventure on the high seas, or slipping inside a cartoon.
In honor of the release of Prince Caspian, I give you seven great Disney films where real kids got to have amazing adventures. Some are new, and some are quite old, but all of them are quite memorable.
Maybe I'm just in one of those moods today, but these illustrations cracked me up. I stumbled across the blog for this dude Donald Soffritti while surfing, and though it's all in Italian, it would appear as if the entire site is dedicated to his drawings of superheroes after they've grown old. The image of Batman and Robin above is definitely my favorite, although a close second would be Thor (because he looks exactly like my cousin), Aquaman (the fish bowl and warms got me) and the one of Galactus and Silver Surfer (just because a really old Surfer is amusing). There's also a comic strip on his blog called Super Zeros featuring, what looks like, Batman and Wonder Woman as young, fat kids. No joke. Perhaps someone who reads Italian can let us know what he has to say about some of this; nevertheless, I've had a ball looking at them all. (When is someone gonna make THAT movie!?) You can see a few of my favorites in the gallery below, and head over to Soffritti's blog to see the rest.
The first trailer for City of Ember has just arrived online (watch it above or over on the film's official site). Cinematical premiered the teaser poster for City of Ember not long ago, and it looks like the folks from 20th Century Fox and Walden Media are itching to get the buzz going on this one by debuting a trailer long before the film's October 10th release date. This will also be the same trailer that plays in front of Prince Caspian this weekend. Based on the best-selling novel, City of Ember was produced by Tom Hanks and stars Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, Toby Jones and Harry Treadaway. Directed by Gil Kenan (Monster House), the synopsis for Ember looks like this:
"For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights - underground. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing . . . and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. Now, two teenagers in a race against time, must search Ember for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the city's existence, and help the citizens escape before the lights go out forever."
What say you? I think it definitely has potential, especially with that cast. (Seems like a cool book, too.)
This isn't really earth-shattering news on The Spirit, but it is an interesting item nonetheless. Frank Miller has written a blog for Spike all about his experiences at New York Comic Con. (And if you missed it, which I did, he also reminisces fondly about his rocky relationship with Will Eisner over on the movie's official site.)
Miller writes all about his love for New York, admiration for a comic convention that is rivaling San Diego ("San Diego -- New York's hot on your ass!"), and the excitement of debuting the teaser trailer. "It was with provincial pleasure that I got to introduce The Spirit teaser trailer in the city that so wonderfully inspired Will Eisner, and inspires me like a son of a bitch today. It was, to say the least, the perfect setting."
He continues, "The Spirit movie is a love letter to New York, and here we were: Deborah Del Prete, my producer and a behind-the-scenes warrior without whom the movie would've been unachievable, me, Eva Mendes, who brought Sand Saref to unforgettable life, and Mike Uslan, the man who held tight to the license, and the trust Will Eisner extended him, until he was confident Eisner's treasure could be portrayed with the respect it deserved. And right there, filling the hall was a raucous New York crowd, roaring in response to their first glimpse at what, I believe, is a dream come true for all of us. Only two regrets: I'd have happily suffered Eisner's inevitable criticism, and our inevitable argument, were my Mentor alive to see it."
An early Cannes favorite, Cinematical's Kim Voynar describes Waltz with Bashiras a "beautiful, disturbing and deeply compelling film" that "could wind up with an Oscar nod come January." The animation looks stunning (love the gold in those beach scenes), and I'd definitely agree with Spout's Karina Longworth who calls it "Grand Theft Auto: Beirut, Meets A Scanner Darkly" in the title of her post showcasing the trailer above. More from Kim's Cannes review: "Waltz with Bashir documents the struggle of the filmmaker, Ari Folman, to come to terms with the gaps in his memory surrounding the part he played in the first Lebanese war and the 1982 massacre of Palestinian civilians in the West Beirut refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila."
I'm not sure if there are still people who still don't believe that Justice League: Mortal is dead, but here's another nail in the much-hammered coffin for you: Adam Brody talked to Empire, and it may interest you to know that even those on board were no more informed than you or I. I find it more funny than interesting -- scary, too, because directors and producers make way more money than I do, and should be much more organized.
Apparently, none of the actors were ever officially let go or told anything, and Brody has no idea whether or not the film will ever be made. He says, "Actually, I probably shouldn't be commenting on it, but who cares. I don't really know – I still feel like an outsider on that somehow. I know there was a tax credit thing and I know that the strike was a hindrance. Also, you've got Batman coming out and Singer wants to do another Superman. This is only speculation on my part, I have no inside knowledge of this, but, as a fan, I think there's controversy about going off and trying to [show a different Superman and Batman] ... I think maybe it will still happen, but I truly don't know any more than you do".
I'm not sure what they're putting in the water over in Cannes, but some pretty wild deals are beginning to emerge from that fest in France. Only a day after Werner Herzog signed to direct Nicolas Cage in a remake of Bad Lieutenantcomes word from The Hollywood Reporter that Herzog and David Lynch have teamed up on a film called My Son; a murder drama to be tentatively shot next March. Based on a true story, My Son will tell of a "San Diego man who acts out a Sophocles play in his mind and kills his mother with a sword." HR says the film will jump between the murder scene and this disturbed man's story. Nice family film from two completely sane directors.
Additionally, and this shouldn't come as a surprise (considering the two guys we're talking about), My Son will be shot guerrilla-style with digital video. Herzog, who co-wrote My Son with Herbert Golder, will first shoot Bad Lieutenant in July before directing the Victorian-era drama The Piano Tuner for Focus Features. One can only imagine what the finished product will look like when you've got Herzog and Lynch working together on the same movie -- especially one with a nutty storyline like this one. Not for nothing, but I think I'd rather watch the documentary of them making this film rather than the film itself. You?
UPDATE: We've been asked to take down the trailer as it hasn't been approved for distribution yet. Note: You might want to kick up the speakers a bit here; this one comes in a tad low.
Above you will find the first trailer for the film Traitor, starring Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce and Jeff Daniels. The wild thing about this film is that Steve Martin (yes, THE Steve Martin) came up with the idea for Traitor, though he left scripting duties to writer-director Jeffrey Nachmanoff. Based on what we see above, Traitor seems like one of those "have fun figuring it out" types. Pearce plays a straight-edge FBI agent who heads an investigation on international conspiracy, where all clues lead back to former U.S. Special Operations office, Samir Horn (Cheadle). Thus begins what appears to be a dangerous cat and mouse game between the two -- with Daniels playing a veteran CIA contractor with his own agenda.
What I'm liking about this one is that Cheadle looks pretty rough, tough and ready to rumble -- and we don't get to see him much in roles where he can beat the living hell out of anyone within shouting distance. Go Don Cheadle! That guy always gives a tremendous performance, so no matter what I believe Traitor will be worth the watch just to see Cheadle in action. But let us know what you think.
This is just too cool not to share with you all, and I hope you pardon my indulgence. I know I should look at this cynically as yet another piece of ridiculous movie marketing, but I don't want to. My grasp on reality is officially slipping (or I've regressed into a five-year-old), because my cynicism has melted, and I am now convinced Wall-E exists. There is video proof. He is real.
My life will be forever incomplete because I want one for my very own. I want him to wheel around my house and chirp at me. Thanks, Disney/Pixar -- I will never be happy again. (It does make you wonder what happens to things like this. Seriously, Disney, if you need a home for one, call me. I will treasure him forever.)
When Heath Ledger passed away earlier this year, he left the planet as one of this generation's great actors; a guy who battled many personal demons off the screen, for sure, but one who gave everything to the role. And while we won't get to see his latest creation on the big screen until July 18th, early footage shows Ledger's version of Batman's arch-nemesis could go down as the darkest, baddest and craziest we've ever seen. My question to you, then, is: Will it be enough to land Ledger another Oscar nod come next year?
Sure, the Academy isn't all too keen on recognizing superhero movies unless we're talking about special effects or sound editing, but with bigger actors taking on riskier comic-related roles, isn't only a matter of time before one of these guys (or girls) turns out a performance worthy of a gold statue? Are these characters not meaty enough; are they not conflicted, troubled and crying out for a hug? If an Oscar can go to Javier Bardem for playing a sadistic, calculated murderer in No Country for Old Men, and Johnny Depp can be nominated for playing a sadistic, calculated murderer -- both in the same year -- I see no reason why Ledger's Joker can't be taken into consideration.
It's early still, I realize that -- but should this guy turn in the kind of performance we're all expecting, shouldn't he be recognized with an Oscar nomination? What are the chances here, folks?
On this side of the Atlantic, there has always been the Trapp Family Lodge. Nestled in Stowe, Vermont, you could go there, ski, get fat on maple sugar, and revel in all things von Trapp. However, being in Vermont, and not Austria, it can't immerse The Sound of Music fans into the Austrian experience of the uber-popular film.
And now there's a new vacation spot to steal the Vermont Lodge's thunder. Reuters reports that the original family villa near Salzburg, Austria, is going to open as a hotel this July. I kinda feel bad for the US lodge, because what can compete, for fans, with sleeping in their rooms, or getting hitched in their chapel? You can even sing "Sixteen Going on 17" in Liesl's gazebo (a "self-assembly construction set"). To make things even more appealing, there are no large-scale renovations in store. The plan is to make minimal changes, like paint and rewiring, before the hotel opens and masses of fans can step back into time for a quite reasonable 100 euros a night. I wonder if the halls will be alive with music, and how long it would take to drive a normal traveler mental?
Ever since director Jason Reitman knocked one out of the ballpark with Juno, folks have been itching to see what the man takes on next. Yes, he's taken to producing a few things (like the Diablo Cody-penned Jennifer's Body), but what, exactly, will be his next directorial project. Well, according to Latino Review, they've heard from a source that the younger Reitman will direct an adaptation of the novel Up in the Air, written by Thumbsucker author Walter Kirn. Apparently, some digging reveals that Jason's dad Ivan Reitman is already executive producing the film after picking up a script from Sheldon Turner back in 2003.
Recently, Reitman told MTV that he was "writing something" and would "direct it at the end of the year." When pushed to reveal something, anything, Reitman said "it's a comedy and a drama [book adaptation]. Think Thank You For Smoking, but instead of political it's corporate." And if you look at the synopsis for Up in the Air over on Amazon (I've never read the book personally), it fits right into the above description.
Here's a taste: "Officially, Bingham is a management consultant, specializing in the lugubrious field of career transition counseling (i.e., he fires people for a living). But what Kirn's airborne protagonist is really doing is pursuing his own private passion, his great white whale: accumulating one million miles in his frequent-flyer account. As Up in the Air opens, Bingham has set out on a final, epic traveling jag. He intends to visit eight cities in six days, thereby achieving his own vision of Nirvana somewhere over Sioux Falls, South Dakota."
No official word on this one yet, but the pieces definitely seem to be coming together. Anyone read the book? Is it a good fit for Reitman?
UPDATE: LR provides the following update: I just got off the horn with Jason Reitman's publicist. She did in fact confirm that Jason is adapting the book but that no deal is YET in place for him to direct.
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I'm not sure if there are still people who still don't believe that Justice League: Mortal is dead, but here's another nail in the much-hammered coffin for you: Adam Brody talked to 
I'm not sure what they're putting in the water over in Cannes, but some pretty wild deals are beginning to emerge from that fest in France. Only a day after 
On this side of the Atlantic, there has always been the Trapp Family Lodge. Nestled in Stowe, Vermont, you could go there, ski, get fat on maple sugar, and revel in all things von Trapp. However, being in Vermont, and not Austria, it can't immerse 
Ever since director 
