WEEKLY MOVIE NEWS

FH · 09-15-2003, 02:39 AM

New Line Takes on the Titans Source: Variety Monday, September 15, 2003

New Line has bought the pitch Titans and set Michael France (The Hulk) to write the script.

The unusual film is a coming-of-age story of a group of teens who just happen to be the future gods of Mt. Olympus. The story begins when they are teenage mortals in Greece who've learned of their futures and must come to grips with their destiny.

The central figures are Zeus, Hera, Hades and Poseidon, and the teens must embrace their powers soon because the planet is being ransacked by the Titans, who consist of unsavory figures such as Kronos and Lucifer.

The project will be produced by Horseshoe Bay Productions, run by Gary Foster and director Mark Steven Johnson. Those two have a spring production start at Sony on Ghost Rider, with Nicolas Cage starring. They are also working on a Daredevil follow-up to be built around the character of Elektra, played by Alias star Jennifer Garner. That film is being scripted by Raven Metzner and Stu Zicherman and will begin production during Garner's series hiatus next summer. They are also producing Father Knows Best at Paramount and Nickelodeon, with Tim Allen starring early next year.

FH · 09-15-2003, 02:40 AM

Fox Animation & Blue Sky Telling Iguana Brothers Tale Source: The Hollywood Reporter Sunday, September 14, 2003

Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios are finalizing a deal to bring the children's book The Iguana Brothers: A Tale of Two Lizards to the big screen as an animated feature with John Leguizamo voicing and producing.

Academy Award nominee Jeremy Pikser (Bulworth) is adapting the screenplay, which will also be produced by helmer Robert Luketic and Fonda Snyder.

The book by Tony Johnston and illustrated by Mark Teague includes three brief tales about iguana brothers Tom and Dom who give up their regular diet of bugs to become flower eaters, explore their physical similarity to dinosaurs, and affirm their friendship.

FH · 09-15-2003, 02:44 AM

With the announcement this week of Christian Bale playing Batman (full details right here), things are heating up now for Warner Bros. to get the new Bats movie greenlighted and going.

We've heard from a source who likes to be called "The Other Mr. Voorhees" about what sort of secrets the BATMAN production is keeping, and we'd like to share them with you today. Things like who the bad guy is, when this Bat-film takes place in the character's continuity, and why Bale may have won the role over other, older contenders.

"Think of Nolan's film as 'Gothamville,' the Batman version of SMALLVILLE," writes our Mr. Voorhees. "The entire cast is believed to be made up of young people. Warner Brothers looked across town to Culver City (Sony) and realized they needed to go SPIDER-MAN and cast young."

Bale is 29-years-old, the youngest actor to don the cowl and cape in the film series since it began back in 1988.

The majority of David Goyer's script, which no one has seen yet, is believed to take place in London and a desert locale. According to our scooper the film's primary villain is R'as al Ghul, literally the "Demon's Head" in Arabic, an immortal man seeking to save the world by controlling it. If the Joker is the dark opposite of Batman, chaos over order, insanity over reason, R'as al Ghul is the penultimate version of what drove a young Bruce Wayne to become a protector of the innocent. If Batman was born from the deaths of Bruce's parents and his drive to stop needless violence, R'as al Ghul seeks to save the world from destruction, war and obliteration by taking it over.

The villain achieves a kind of immortality by using a device called the Lazarus Pit to rejuvinate his aged body. This way R'as can watch the seeds of his many strategies bear fruit over the coming decades. R'as also admired the Batman and his mission, and in fact sought to make him his heir by marrying his daughter, Talia. He also controls a vast army of killers the world over known as the League of Assassins.

How much of R'as al Ghul's comic book origin story has been brought into Goyer's script remains unknown.

Part of our information is being corroborated by Ain't It Cool News. That site also claims that the film's villain is R'as al Ghul and that part of the film takes place in London.

Nolan's BATMAN is scheduled to begin filming in early 2004.

['The Other Mr. Voorhees' would like people to know he's not responsible for any of those Crystal Lake shenanigans.]

FH · 09-15-2003, 02:46 AM

It may sound unbelievable to horror fans but according to the Creature Corner website it's true: Dimension Films is thinking about remaking John Carpenter's classic 1979 movie HALLOWEEN -- and they want Carpenter to shoot the new version.

Before you think there can't be any truth to this rumor, consider that a new version of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE is about to be released next month. Also, the Corner's source provided them good intelligence previously about the proposed remake of another Carpenter film, THE FOG -- and that was later confirmed by multiple sources.

FH · 09-15-2003, 09:45 AM

Batman: Intimidation: Batman on Film has heard one interesting casting speculation for the 'slightly younger but middle-aged' Commissioner Gordon role - Dennis Quaid.

ericgtr · 09-15-2003, 09:49 AM

Now we're talking! Dennis Quaid sounds perfect for that roll.

wip5150 · 09-15-2003, 10:10 AM

Ugh....I am growing quite wearly of all Batman movies.

Folks, it's over. Batman has left the building.

TopJimmy78 · 09-15-2003, 10:17 AM

[ QUOTE ]
FH said:
Batman: Intimidation: Batman on Film has heard one interesting casting speculation for the 'slightly younger but middle-aged' Commissioner Gordon role - Dennis Quaid.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think Dennis Quaid might be a good fit as Commissioner Gordon, I am really starting to get exited about this film. [img]images/smilies/icon_cool.gif[/img]

wip5150 · 09-15-2003, 10:26 AM

He might be a good fit, but I'm just so freaking tired of retreading movies to "update" them.

Please, for the love of God, let Batman die in peace.

FH · 09-15-2003, 10:29 AM

This Batman will be more of a prequel to the earlier ones. If they're following Frank Miller's brilliant "Year One" run, it'll be great!

wip5150 · 09-15-2003, 11:05 AM

I'm still skeptical. I say give Shazam another shot!

NewHalen5150 · 09-15-2003, 08:44 PM

theres gonna be another batman flick..right on..

FH · 09-16-2003, 02:49 AM

28 Days Later Director Opens a Cold Storage Source: The Hollywood Reporter Tuesday, September 16, 2003

Danny Boyle, who directed the independent summer hit 28 Days Later, is in talks to direct Warner Bros./Imagine Entertainment's Worcester Cold Storage. There is no start date yet.

The project (aka "The Perfect Fire") is an adaptation of Sean Flynn's book "3000 Degrees: The True Story of a Deadly Fire and the Men Who Fought It." It was initially an Esquire magazine article that Flynn wrote in 2000 about a fire that claimed the lives of six Worcester, Mass., firefighters in December 1999.

Scott Silver (8 Mile) adapted the screenplay, which is being produced by Brian Grazer.

FH · 09-16-2003, 02:51 AM

Wrestler Triple H Confirmed for Blade: Trinity Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com Tuesday, September 16, 2003

World Wrestling Entertainment star Triple H is confirmed to have signed on to battle Wesley Snipes in New Line's Blade: Trinity.

Triple H will play one of the heavies who take on Snipes' vampire-hunter character in the third installment of the franchise. The film is being directed by David Goyer.

While Triple H has made several television appearances, "Trinity" will mark his first appearance on the big screen.

FH · 09-16-2003, 03:00 AM

If this news is true – it’s sweeter than day old honey. “Angel” collaborators David Boreanaz and writer Joss Whedon might be resurrecting the “Batman: Year One” concept from development hell. According to a report on the Silver Bullet Comics website, “A couple of sources (Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent) have led me to believe that the Darren Aronofsky Batman: Year One project may not be as dead and buried as people believe. I'm not sure how much credence to put into this but apparently David Boreanaz (Angel) has expressed a very serious interest in the title role and he is supposed to be bringing the huge comic book fan and Buffy creator [Joss] Whedon onboard too. This does sound like a fanboy's dream, but I've been unable to find out anything more.” Interesting….Thanks to Counting Down for the heads up.