‘John Carter of Mars’ Update From Director Andrew Stanton

Things have been quiet on the news front for John Carter of Mars since filming began over a year ago. Disney played release date chicken with FOX before scheduling its sci-fi flick for a different date than Ridley Scott’s Alien-inspired flick, Prometheus, but otherwise no one has heard anything recently about Pixar director Andrew Stanton’s fantastical project.

Now Stanton has opened up a bit about his progress on John Carter of Mars, which is based primarily off the first novel in Tarzan author Edgar Rice Burrough’s other-wordly, 11-volume Barsoom series.

MTV caught up with the Oscar-winning WALL-E and Finding Nemo filmmaker, who offered the following in regards to the status of his John Carter adaptation:

“I’m not in post-production — I’m in digital principal photography now, which goes on for the rest of 2011, so I’m only halfway through the movie… I didn’t try to make it look like anything else. I really tried to make it its own thing. I tried to make a very historically accurate Martian film if that makes sense, so I’ll let you decipher that.”

John Carter of Mars was scripted by Stanton in collaboration with storyboard supervisor Mark Andrews (The Incredibles) and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay). It’s expected to be a PG-13, F/X-heavy adventure flick that will have its own unique visual style that differs significantly from that of illustrator Frank Frazetta’s work in Burrough’s original novel(s).

Wolverine‘s Gambit and future Battleship star Taylor Kitsch is playing the titular role of John Carter, a Civil War veteran who is inexplicably transported to Mars after taking refuge from a group of Apache Indians by hiding in a cave. Fellow Wolverine alumni Lynn Collins also appears in the film as the humanoid Martian princess (and love interest) Dejah Thoris, while Oscar-nominee William Dafoe (a.k.a. Green Goblin from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man) plays the compassionate but fierce alien warrior and eventual king, Tars Tarkas.

Stanton joins fellow Pixar creative head and Mission: Impossible 4 director Brad Bird as yet another acclaimed computer-animation auteur whose next release will be a high-profile, expensive live-action affair. Both of these gents are renowned for being excellent storytellers capable of crafting empathetic characters and creatively-realized settings (be it the ocean, outer space, or an exquisite French cuisine establishment), so there’s good reason to be excited about both of their new films. John Carter of Mars should be all the more interesting in particular, since its source material is that of an old-fashioned sci-fi/fantasy serial. That all but assures it’ll feel and look quite different than every other upcoming title that involves extraterrestrials, most of them visiting (or more likely destroying) Earth.

John Carter of Mars is scheduled to hit 2D and 3D screens around the U.S. on March 9th, 2012.

For more movie and TV news, follow us on Twitter @screenrant and @feynmanguy.

Source: MTV

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‘Primer’ Director Shane Carruth Working on Rian Johnson’s ‘Looper’

Director Rian Johnson (Brick, The Brothers Bloom) is taking on his most ambitious project to date with Looper – a sci-fi thriller about a futuristic crime syndicate that sends its victims back in time to be executed. While details are few and far between at this point, the film has attracted a talented ensemble of actors that includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, and Paul Dano.

Using time travel as a plot device certainly opens up an infinite amount of narrative possibilities, but it’s also an inherently complex subject – and potentially a very problematic one as well. Setting up the rules of how it works, playing by those rules, and side-stepping the obvious paradoxes is a tricky business. Luckily for Johnson, he happens to be good friends with a heavyweight in this particular arena – Primer director Shane Carruth.

Carruth was something of a one-man-band with his 2004 debut – he wrote, directed, edited, scored, and starred in Primer. Although the film is unmistakably low-budget, Carruth clearly knows how to play to his strengths. The result is a tense and thought-provoking movie that demands repeat viewings. If you consider yourself a sci-fi fan on any level and you haven’t seen it, I can’t give a higher recommendation.

Although I have a tremendous amount of faith in Johnson, it was reassuring to hear that he’d passed the Looper script on to Carruth for inspection after it was finished.  There’s no word on what sort of feedback Carruth may have provided, but thanks to Looper‘s official Tumblr we know that his services have now gone beyond proofreading.

Johnson shared the above header image of Carruth on the Looper set and wrote:

Shane Carruth is working on Looper.

If you haven’t seen his film Primer, run don’t walk.

Shane Carruth and Rian Johnson

Obviously that’s a rather ambiguous statement, so Badass Digest asked Johnson if he could elaborate on Carruth’s involvement with Looper. Johnson clarified that Carruth will be helping out with some of the film’s visual effects – specifically, the time-travel sequences. If you remember the way he handled the mechanics of time-travel in Primer, you’ll probably agree that this is exciting news.

It’s unfortunate that Carruth hasn’t directed another film yet, but he’s evidently had some trouble locking down the financing for his next project – another sci-fi film which is reportedly titled A Topiary. While we wait patiently for that to move forward, hearing that he’s collaborating with Johnson on Looper is a pretty substantial consolation.

I absolutely loved Johnson’s previous films and it’s clear to me that he’s a director who brings a very specific and unique vision to everything that he does. I think his level of potential as a filmmaker is staggering and I can’t wait to see what he and Carruth have in store for us.

Looper is scheduled to hit theaters sometime in 2012.

Source: Tumblr and Badass Digest.

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‘Winter’s Bone’ Director Involved With ‘Pippi Longstocking’ Movie

Who better to bring one of children literature’s most famous heroines, Pippi Longstocking, back to the big screen than an acclaimed filmmaker whose previous project revolved around a fiercely independent young woman who courageously confronts drug-smugglers and other unscrupulous types in order to protect her family?

Debra Granik (Winter’s Bone) may not seem quite the perfect fit to adapt Swedish author Astrid Lindgren’s red-haired creation at first glance, but the writer/director has taken on the job and is currently working on a new Pippi Longstocking movie.

In a recent LA Times article that covered the evolution of traditionally dumbed-down female characters in movies – and highlighted Winter’s Bone along with True Grit as films that bucked this trend – there was a bit of information about a new Pippi Longstocking pic being in the works. It seems that Granik and her Winter’s Bone co-writer/producer Anne Rosellini are currently penning a treatment for the children’s literature adaptation – however, there’s no word yet about whether the pair will actually write the screenplay or if Granik has plans to direct.

For those not familiar with the character, Pippi Longstocking is a nine-year-old girl with fiery red hair and pigtails that stick out horizontally. A slightly more realistic female counterpart to Peter Pan, Pippi possesses superhuman strength (she can lift her horse with one hand), lives in an unusual house called Villa Villekulla with her monkey, Mr. Nilsson, and is a irrepressibly free spirit who delights in giving pompous and condescending adults their comeuppance. Sidebar – the late Stieg Larsson envisioned the character of Lisbeth Salander (a.k.a. the titular lead in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) as a grown-up version of Miss Longstocking.

Pippi Longstocking - then and now.

A number of capable young female characters in literature have made the jump to the big screen in recent years. Besides Ree Dolly from Winter’s Bone and Mattie Ross in True Grit, there’s also Hermione in the Harry Potter films; a more battle-ready Alice that appeared in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland; and 16-year-old Katnis Everdeen will fight for her life in the upcoming adaptation of The Hunger Games as well. That’s not to forget the most deadly adolescent from literature (yes, comic books count) who leapt off the big screen last year – Hit-Girl in Kick-Ass.

It’s a pleasant change of pace to see that there are more teenage female characters in movies who actively take control of their destiny, are able to handle themselves in dangerous circumstances without assistance – and whose lives involve more than just romance (Bella from Twilight, looking at you). What better time for Miss Longstocking to make her return to theaters than now?

We’ll keep you updated on the development of the new Pippi Longstocking movie as more news is released.

Source: LA Times (via Vulture)

Header Image Art by Sarah Mensinga

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Exclusive ‘Project Arbiter’ Poster, Stills & Interview with Director Michael Chance

In late March of 2010, we were introduced to a teaser trailer for a short concept film entitled Project Arbiter. The teaser got us excited to learn more, so we spoke with writer/director Michael Chance about the project.

The 20-minute concept film is designed to pique interest in a proposed feature trilogy that includes trans-media integration -- meaning video games, toys and novels. As the director of a number of short films and commercial projects, Chance is ready for the next level, talking on a potentially career-defining franchise. If a studio is as impressed as we are by the work he has done on Project Arbiter so far, expect big things in the future.

The short film is still a mystery to many, so we discussed it with Chance in detail over an hour-long phone call. All we really knew back in March was that the story twists the reality of World War II into a genre-bending action sci-fi movie. But Chance doesn’t want audiences to see this as an alternate reality like Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds -- it falls closer to an untold story based firmly in reality, according to the director:

“It is NOT an alternative reality or new history. This IS very much rooted in historical events. I would consider it more like a Saving Private Ryan or a Band of Brothers in that we are following a group of people encountering key battles and individuals within the history of World War II.  I think what [Quentin] Tarantino did with Inglourious Basterds was awesome in that you just didn’t see that twist coming at the end. But at the same time I think our film strays away from that type of fantasy in that ours is very much rooted in reality. More so we’ve gone very deep into what is technologically possible and the amount of electrical hertz that can go through a body for example. Jesse Boots and our visual effects team are working hard with me to create a cloaking technology that is visually different from anything you’ve seen -- this is just one way we are taking the WWII experience in a completely new and virtually unexplored territory on film. That type of open collaboration within our team is what has allowed us to continually expand the story and its presence.”

The cloaking technology he refers to is a major aspect of Project Arbiter. While it may look like a run-and-gun action movie, it actually focuses more on the stealthiness of a soldier who finds temporary invisibility with an unprecedented chemical and the situations that ability gets him into.

“In science fiction, there has been much emphasis on weaponry as in explosives, guns, and different kinds of battle armor. I thought what would be more interesting is if a soldier has the ability to go invisible and moreover put the emphasis on the difficulties that come with that responsibility. There are personal moral decisions with such a power and there are severe consequences when using raw chemical materials that have the capability to change you forever. You are basically an invisible person that could go into virtually any room undetected and do whatever you want. The possibilities are limitless and when put in the hands of a trained soldier, it’s a lethal combination.”

Project Arbiter is as much a character study as it is an action film, if not more. Chance is proud of the emphasis on character, stating that the main character of Joseph Colburn has a “darker turmoil inside that is personified by the way the suit looks.”  The engaging short film should have no problem finding a core audience, but the story always takes precedent to cool weaponry.

“The story follows Joseph Colburn [played by Lex Cassar] who is part of the O.S.S. and he is paired with his S.O.E. handler Tom Hardy [played by Jake Lyall]. At the beginning of the film they are on a mission to secure more information on a specific individual who created the German version of the suit. On this journey, they switch up the plan to potentially capture this target, which increases the risks and rewards. The Arbiter parachutes out of a prototype aircraft while they are hit by anti-aircraft flak fire from the location they are trying to infiltrate. Along the way, there is a series of battles and confrontations that the Arbiter encounters with specific individuals on the Nazi side of the story. We focused on creating a conflict that unfolds Joe through action, mystery, and personal growth.”

The future of Project Arbiter relies heavily on the reactions to the 20-minute concept short. While it has been designed as its own short film, it exists for the greater purpose of jump-starting a franchise. But as any independent filmmaker will tell you, getting the right attention is the hard part. Chance has made the rounds by attending 2010 San Diego Comic-Con, speaking with the press and simply getting the word out through social media. We noticed the work before filming even finished, so he must be doing something right.

But the big question is how Chance, producer Vicki de Mey, and the rest of the Project Arbiter team will push the film to the next level. Independent filmmaking is a tough market, but short films have been picked up in greater numbers lately and Chance sees his opportunity to pounce.

“What’s been interesting is having the comparison to District 9 or The Raven, which was recently picked up by Mark Wahlberg. It is a really exciting time for independent filmmakers to get their films seen. The biggest thing that Hollywood and the industry looks for is an immediate reaction to a concept. If you can solidify your concept within two minutes, and then gather enough steam to create a concept short that’s 20-minutes, you can show beyond the concept that the group of filmmakers that created it have the ability to follow through on a feature film.”

TRON: Legacy was pitched to Disney with a concept short in the same vein as Project Arbiter and that resulted in a mega-million investment. While Project Arbiter may not have a predetermined fan base like TRON, there is enough to get excited about in just the teaser trailer from last year.

Chance says they are at the halfway point in post-production, with nearly 50% of the 220 visual effects shots finished and an original score in the works by composer Ryan Leach. If you have any doubts about the visuals in the original teaser, rest assured only a half-year has passed since production wrapped and they are already enhancing it further. Below are the first stills to be released. Chance expressed how thrilled he is with the imagery and detail that cinematographer Jason Beckwith and colorist Tashi Trieu have created.

It will be interesting to see the finished product and follow the attempt to turn this into a bankable franchise.

Original concepts are difficult to come across these days in the movie business. While it is an appealing aspect of Project Arbiter, it will also be its biggest enemy. With a few strokes of genius marketing, like the unexpected Arbiter custom LEGO mini-figure created by Amazing Armory in Hong Kong, Arbiter has a chance to mimic Neill Blomkamp’s journey from Alive in Joburg to District 9. But Michael Chance will be the first to urge you to stray away from comparison and experience Project Arbiter as its own entity.

If you haven’t seen the teaser from last year, watch it one more time and share your thoughts with us on the short film.

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Finally, check out the exclusive new Project Arbiter “CODE: Red” poster below, by concept artist Robert Simons (Click for a larger version):

You can visit the Project Arbiter website for more details and follow production updates on Twitter and Facebook.

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Hasbro’s Ouija Board Says McG Will Be The Director

The executives at Universal gathered recently to discuss their choices in hiring a director for their upcoming film, Ouija. Stumped with making a decision they turned to the very thing that was the focus of their film -- the Ouija Board. That’s when one of the interns brought out his brand new Hasbro Ouija Board and they all gathered around to ask the dearly departed for guidance in choosing a director.

Recently the directorial choices for Ouija were down to Terminator Salvation’s McG and The Crazies’ Breck Eisner but it would seem the spirits from the great beyond have sent their recommendation and Universal is listening to their advice. Deadline is now reporting the planchette has landed squarely on the letter “G” – so of course this indicates spirits want McG as director. As a result, Universal has entered into negotiations with him to direct their upcoming supernatural action adventure film.

McG joins already hired writers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis (whose most recent work can be seen in TRON: Legacy) with Hasbro’s Brian Goldner and Bennett Schneir along to produce. Deadline is also reporting that Michael Bay’s studio Platinum Dunes is attached to produce Ouija as well – although the report wasn’t specific to whether Bay would be involved with the project personally.

For those unfamiliar with an Ouija Board, it’s a tool first used by spiritualists to contact the other side and help people communicate with their deceased loved ones. Parker Brothers turned it into board game that was marketable to the masses. Hasbro purchased it in 1991.

I was "chosen" to direct this film!

There’s not a whole to playing the “game” of Ouija other than sitting in the dark (for effect) with your friends while everybody places their fingers on the planchette. Then everyone takes turns asking the spirits questions and supposedly they will answer by spelling out words or selecting “Yes” or “No”.  Inevitably there is always one person in the group who influences the direction of the planchette and ruins the game but everyone swears they aren’t moving it. Check out this old commercial for the game below to get a sense of how it works.

Hasbro obviously thinks Ouija will enjoy the same big screen success as their other games and toys although it’s not as popular an item as their other properties. Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon is sure to have another blockbuster opening this summer; G.I. Joe did well at the box office and they’re also turning the popular board game Battleship into a movie which is now filming with Peter Berg (Hancock) in the director’s chair.

Only the spirits know if McG can turn this one-dimensional game into a viable movie franchise but if you have any questions just put your fingers on the planchette and ask – hey stop moving it!

Ouija answers all your questions November 12th, 2012.

Follow us on Twitter for TV and Movie News @Walwus and @ScreenRant

Source: Deadline

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Posters and Images from Director Juan Solanas’ Sci-Fi Romance ‘Upside Down’

Some people like to think that their one true love is waiting for them somewhere on the other side of the world. In his upcoming film, Upside Down, Argentine director Juan Solanas is taking that idea to an interesting extreme.

The movie, which merges science-fiction with romance, tells the story of a man, Adam (Jim Sturgess), who pines for the love of Eve (Kirsten Dunst), a women he once met long ago in another world. The twist is that the other world isn’t some unknown planet, but rather an inverted world in the sky that has its own gravity. (In essence an Upside Down world, as the title implies).

The core conflict of the movie is as old as time: star-crossed lovers fight to be together, despite overwhelming odds. However, Solanas’ interesting premise (the lovers are not just separated by class, but quite literally by the laws of physics) makes this film much more intriguing. Setting aside the plot, just consider how interesting the film might look.

In addition to its award-winning director (Solanas directed the  innovative short film The Man Without A Head), Upside Down boasts a talented production crew that includes Production Designer Alex McDowell (Watchmen) and Supervising Art Director, Michelle McGahey (Dark City, The Matrix). If these early images are any indication, the team has gotten off to a fine start in bringing this upside down world to life.

Check out the first images of the film, which come our way thanks to the French blog Into the Screen (via io9), as well as two posters for the movie. You can click the top two images for higher resolution versions. Check out the official synopsis for the film after the images.

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Look up towards the sky and rub your eyes because you won’t believe what you see: cities, forests, and oceans with their own inverted gravity, only an arm’s length away, yet completely unreachable. Take a leap over to this alternate reality, two worlds – one above, one below- facing each other, and you’ll land in the extraordinary world of Upside Down, the new ground-breaking film of Juan Solanas, the director of the innovative Cannes and César-prized short film The Man Without A Head and heartbreaking 2005 Cannes film Nordeste.

Adam is a seemingly ordinary guy in a very extraordinary universe. He lives humbly trying to make ends meet, but his romantic spirit holds on to the memory of a girl he met once upon a time from another world, an inverted affluent world with its own gravity, directly above but beyond reach… a girl named Eve. Their childhood flirtation becomes an impossible love. But when he catches a glimpse of grown-up Eve on television, nothing will get in the way of getting her back… Not even the law or science!

Upside Down will likely hit theaters sometime in 2012. We’ll keep our eyes out for any additional images from this interesting-sounding film until then.

Source: Into the Screen via io9

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‘TRON: Legacy’ Interview With Director Joseph Kosinski

We recently had the opportunity to speak with TRON: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski about what it’s like to be on the cusp of the opening weekend for his first feature film. Kosinski is in the unusual position of making his feature debut with not only one of the most anticipated movies of the last several years – but also (potentially) one of the most expensive.

Of course, according to recent projections, widespread audience awareness of the film does not seem to be quite what we, in the world of online movie news, might have assumed it was, and getting an exact read on the budget for TRON: Legacy has been a bit of a slippery affair.

Over the last several years there have been budget reports for the film with estimates as high as $300 million; however, Steven Lisberger (the original Tron creator/director and a producer on TRON: Legacy) has denied that the film cost “anywhere near Avatar money.”

Whatever the exact numbers turn out to be, the team behind TRON: Legacy is definitely feeling the pressure. A virtual army of workers are at the ready, waiting to see how TRON performs this weekend – hoping that the film will do well enough to justify a third instillation in the Tron franchise, and the plethora of merchandise that’s already in the pipeline.

Kosinski has already given a lot to the project: his cinematic vision (he was formerly an architect), tech savvy, understanding of video game culture (he directed video game commercials – prior to TRON: Legacy), and of course, three years of his life. Now, the only thing left for him to do is to sit back, let go, and wait.

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Screen Rant: I’m guessing you are pretty much all talked out right now (we were scheduled with Kosinski at the close of a day full of interviews). But were gonna force you to talk just a little bit more.

Joseph Kosinski: Bring it on.

SR: I’m bringing it! Tell me what it’s like to have TRON: Legacy be your first feature film?

JK: It’s been an incredible experience, I feel very lucky to have gotten the chance. It’s been a long process, but, it’s been an incredible experience.

SR: Well from out here, it looks like there must be a lot of pressure for this movie to perform. This is one of the most ambitious projects that Disney has undertaken, does it feel like a lot of pressure from the inside?

JK: Certainly there’s pressure while your making the movie. You know you want to…I’m glad you used the word “ambitious,” because that’s what we strove to be in all aspects of this film – there is a lot to live up to in terms of the first film. How ambitious it was, conceptually, and visually, and technically. So, I definitely felt pressure in making the film. As to where we stand now; my work on the movie is over, and now it’s just about spreading the word. But in terms of my job, the pressure has certainly eased a little bit.

Disney has been working very hard at getting the word out over the past few weeks. Soft opening weekend box office predictions (about $35 million) seem to have the studio reaching into, what might have before been, territories they would never agree to enter. There is even a TRON: Legacy themed spread in Playboy.

SR: You must be paying at least some attention to the critical response and the box office expectations?

JK: Well it’s hard not to because, ideally, you want the film to be critically successful – you certainly want the film to be financially successful so that you can…well, because that’s how movies like this are made, you know, they  need to make money. But as a director, you can only make the movie that you want to make. You can’t take those things into consideration while making the movie, because then you’ll start running around in circles trying to please different masters. So, I think that while you’re making the film it’s important to just keep your eye on the ball and make the best movie you can, and then realize that it’s out of your control.

SR: From everything we’ve heard, this feels like it was a very collaborative effort as the film evolved, even more so than many films. Jeff Bridges wanted to bring in elements of Buddhism, and his work with Buddhist monk Bernie Glassman; Michael Sheen seemed to have a great deal of influence on the look and mannerisms of his character, Castor. How collaborative was it?

JK: Well any film is a collaborative process, and in a movie like this, this big, you’ve got thousands and thousands of people working on it, so my idea on it was that the best ideas should win. It’s important to listen to those around you, and ultimately you have to decide which path you’re going to go down. You know, you’ve got an actor like Jeff Bridges with something like seventy movies under his belt and your certainly going to listen to his thoughts about the character. You know, I thought he brought a lot to the character of Kevin Flynn. There is a lot of Jeff’s ideas in Flynn’s character, and even some of Flynn’s lines are Jeff’s lines.

SR: Like which ones?

JK: “Chaos, good news.”

SR: What about “your messing with my zen thing man?”

JK: I’ve got to give credit to Michael Arndt  for that one.

Continue to our talk with Kosinski about the message of TRON: Legacy…

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‘The Lone Ranger’ Signs Director Gore Verbinski

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen an episode of The Lone Ranger – my childhood, I believe – and I can scarcely even remember if I enjoyed it. There have been several iterations of the character, first in radio, then as film serials, then in television, and even as a two-hour TV movie on the CW -- starring Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill).

For months, there have been rumors about Jerry Bruckheimer producing and Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean 1-3) directing a Lone Ranger film starring (or co-starring?) Johnny Depp as the Ranger’s “sidekick,” Tonto. Now, those rumors may have been confirmed.

Deadline is reporting that Disney and Bruckheimer have officially signed Verbinski on as director.

It’s unclear as to whether or not Johnny Depp is officially locked to play Tonto, but he did just finish voice-work for Verbinski’s first animated film, Rango, about a “goggle-eyed lizard.” Clearly, he enjoys working with Verbinski, so it’s not too much of a stretch to expect him to work with the director again on The Lone Ranger.

Will Depp join Verbinski for The Lone Ranger?

Additionally, there’s still no word on when production for the film will begin or who will play the titular masked character – names like Nicholas Cage and George Clooney have been tossed around at one point or another – though you can expect such news to come sooner rather than later. Obviously, Clooney would be a fantastic choice, but frankly, I’d say that about almost every character in every movie (with the exception of his portrayal of Batman). Then again, maybe the guy just needs a second chance? (The Dark Knight Returns, anyone?)

Previously, we reported that Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road) was attached to write The Lone Ranger screenplay. One wonders what sort of Ranger screenplay was penned by the author of the most depressing, dramatic screenplay of 2009 – so depressing and dramatic that it killed at least one marriage, and possibly millions of unreported marriages, too.

For those unaware, The Green Hornet is actually a Lone Ranger spin-off, hence the reason both properties have the same basic premise: Masked good guy fighting bad guys with the assistance of a minority sidekick. In fact, in the original continuity, the Green Hornet is the great-nephew of the Lone Ranger. The NOW Comics Green Hornet series even referenced this relationship with a portrait of the Lone Ranger in the Green Hornet’s home. Knowledge is power!

The Lone Ranger spin-off The Green Hornet, directed by Michel Gondry and starring Seth Rogen and Jay Chou, hits theaters January 14th.

Stay tuned for more Lone Ranger news as it develops. When we know something, rest assured, so will you.

Source: Deadline

Image Source: John Cassaday

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‘Pan’ Snags Director of Animated ‘Deathly Hallows’ Sequence

Peter Pan is (sort of) returning to theaters in the form of a macabre thriller called Pan, which was originally set up as a directing vehicle for the ever-busy Guillermo del Toro (no connection to his Pan’s Labyrinth, sorry to say).

Social Capital Films and Energy Entertainment have acquired Ben Magid’s Pan screenplay and now have a director for the project in the form of Swiss filmmaker, Ben Hilbon.

Variety broke the story about Hilbon being brought onboard for Pan, which re-envisions J.M. Barrie’s literary classic about the boy who never grew up as a fantastical detective story – one in which the Captain Hook character is the protagonist and Peter himself is a vicious kidnapper. Pan will certainly present a different perspective on a much-beloved fictional character, though we doubt it’ll be quite as mind-bending as Disney’s Snow and the Seven, in which Snow White trains alongside Shaolin monks.

Hilbon’s name may not ring a bell for most moviegoers, but he was the man in charge of the animated “Deathly Hallows origin” sequence featured in Part 1 of the final Harry Potter movie. The visual design of that scene (which is reminiscent of David McKean’s work) certainly bodes well for the potential look of Pan, with Hilbon at the helm.

Some moviegoers will be interested in seeing a more sinister take on Peter Pan, though we doubt Pan will be as adult in tone as Alan Moore’s take on the story in his controversial graphic novel Lost Girls (sorry folks – not posting any pictures from that book here).

Peter Pan will be a much more sinister character in 'Pan'.

There are so many “updated” or “inspired by” takes on literary classics in the works nowadays that it boggles the mind just thinking about it. Besdes Pan, there are upwards of half a dozen different Wizard of Oz pics, multiple Treasure Island films, and a couple of Three Musketeers movies being developed.

What do you think? Does Pan sound intriguing? Or should it be tossed onto the increasingly large pile of unnecessary Hollywood “re-imaginings?”

Source: Variety

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‘Taken’ Director Attached to Alien Invasion Film ‘Earth Defense Force’

Have you ever noticed how certain types of movies tend to come out at the same time (such as Dante’s Peak and Volcano or Armageddon and Deep Impact)? This isn’t a fluke. Hollywood filmmaking is about making money first and foremost, which is why studios release similar films to try and anticipate popular trends.

Currently, the trend that seems to be sweeping Hollywood is alien invasion. Not including Skyline, which is in theaters now, or the canceled Roland Emmerich film The Zone, next year will see multiple alien invasion movies, including Cowboys & Aliens, Battle: Los Angeles, and Battleship. Now, we can add one more alien invasion film to that list: Earth Defense Force, or EDF.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, director Pierre Morel (Taken) is attached to direct the movie, which, as the name implies, focuses on an effort to protect Earth from an invading force of alien attackers. The film is being produced by Sam Raimi and Bill Block and will be distributed by Warner Bros.

THR writes that Morel turned his attention to EDF after Universal passed on his pitch for Ouija. Check below for a brief (and we mean brief) description of the project.

“EDF is set after three alien fighters attack the planet, leaving countries humiliated. The governments of Earth then race to create a space fighting force in preparation for a second attack by an approaching alien horde.”

There’s nothing wrong with a good sci-fi movie, and Pierre Morel is a more than competent director, so on the surface this should be good news. However, something just doesn’t sit right with the fact that this is yet another alien invasion movie. There’s also the fact that EDF‘s plot sounds a lot like Year 12 and/or Falling Skies, two upcoming projects (a movie and TV show, respectively) set in the aftermath of an alien invasion.

Will audiences eventually tire of seeing aliens destroy the world’s major cities? Maybe, maybe not. In either case, this news doesn’t inspire much confidence that Hollywood will be abandoning this trend anytime soon.

Perhaps I’m being cynical, though. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, I still enjoy Independence Day when it’s on, and that may be the most formulaic of all modern invasion movies. What do you think of a Pierre Morel-directed alien invasion film?

Source: THR

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Alien Invasion Pic ‘Year 12′ Snags A Director

Extraterrestrials seem desperate to conquer the tiny speck of rock in the universe that we call Earth and they’ll be at it again in the flick Year 12, which now has a director in former photographer Fredrik Bond.

What separates Year 12 from this past weekend’s alien invasion pic, Skyline, and the upcoming Battle: Los Angeles, as well as the comic book flick Cowboys & Aliens, is that the former takes place more than a decade after the non-Earthlings declare war against humanity.

Edward Ricourt penned the spec script for Year 12, which The Wrap reports as being set twelve years after an alien invasion of Earth. The plot of the film itself revolves around “an underwater uranium miner who is recruited by the human resistance to smuggle uranium in his blood so they can use it to blow up the alien mothership.” Give the humans in Year 12 credit – that does sound like more of a fail-safe plan than uploading a PC virus into the extraterrestrials’ communications network, in the hopes that they haven’t installed AVG (a la Independence Day).

The sci-fi action flick is being produced by Joe Roth, the man behind Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, as well as the upcoming fairy tale retelling, Snow White and the Huntsman. Bond is also attached to direct an English-language version of the cult Korean flick, The Host, though we’ll be crossing our fingers in the hopes that that remake won’t come to pass.

Aliens drastically reduce the value of L.A. real estate in 'Skyline'.

With so many upcoming movies about humans doing battle with otherworldly beings due to arrive over the next year, moviegoers might be quite tired of seeing flying saucers lay waste to civilization by the time Year 12 hits theaters. Add to that the fact that Bond is a novice at helming feature films and it’s difficult to not suspect that this will be one alien invasion flick that comes and goes with little fanfare.

The premise for Year 12 is interesting since it takes place in a post-invasion world where humans must struggle to survive amidst a devastated landscape (as opposed to being another run-of-the-mill “aliens invade/people fight back” flick). Perhaps the film will focus in part on the nature of human existence in a world laid to ruin by monsters, a la The Walking Dead?

Do you think the premise for Year 12 has potential? Sound off in the comments section below.

Source: The Wrap

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Tumblr Lands Major Investor, New Director Of Product

November 14th, 2010 | Twitter

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New ‘Monsters’ Clip & Interview With Director Gareth Edwards

We here at Screen Rant occasionally like to use our platform in order to help support films that we enjoy – films that could more exposure to a wider audience. You might remember that a couple of weeks ago (after a bit of prodding from other Screen Rant staff members) I watched and reviewed a film called Monsters, which was made on a micro-budget by newcomer director, Gareth Edwards.

In my official Monsters review, I praised Edwards for making a sci-fi movie that took the genre back to its roots: where real life and experience is explored by juxtaposing what is fundamentally human against circumstances or organisms that are extraordinarily inhuman.

Well, we’ve been holding on to a clip from Monsters that will better give you an idea what this movie is all about. It was also exactly a month ago today that I was lucky enough to sit down with Gareth Edwards at the New York Comic Con for an interview.  What started out as a routine chat quickly became a passionate discussion about the wide range of possibility that is currently open to filmmakers working in the digital era, as well as the wide divide amongst sci-fi fans over what they expect from the genre today.

Check out the Monsters clip below, followed by a few bits of background info about the film and snippets from my interview with Edwards.

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Edwards and the film’s two leads – Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able – filmed on location in several South American countries with only loose ideas about the story they wanted to tell. Edwards later manipulated that footage to make it feel cohesive. Guerrilla filmmaking at its best.Edwards shot 4.5 hours of film and spent months cutting that down to a 90 minute story.He wanted a monster movie that was “10 minutes of nuts and 80 minutes of therapy.”He believes that many monster movies have great effects but lame characters; his movie wanted to avoid that.One possible theme for Monsters is that “You can’t fight nature.” It’s a theme that runs parallel between the aliens’ maturation on Earth and the main characters, their attraction and the issues in their respective lives.Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able eventually got married after shooting Monsters. The chemistry you see onscreen is real.The Monsters themselves originated from theories about a Jupiter moon, Uropa, which has a deep-sea ocean. They are ocean creatures.The film cost more than the rumored 15k, but was still relatively inexpensive to make and is already in the black.Edwards is cool with both the positive and negative Internet attention – anything to gain exposure.Edwards filmed Mexico’s famed “Día de los Muertos” festival and twisted that footage into a protest against the aliens for the film.

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Screen Rant: Good science fiction (to me) usually functions as allegory, reflecting real-world issues or experiences. Can you talk about the allegory at work in Monsters?

Gareth Edwards: The allegory that was there on purpose I guess was more about the war on terror. Like, of course in the world there are things that are bad, but at what price is it worth getting rid of them? Like, if you kill more people to get rid of them than they killed, is that worth it? Is it worth it if tons of foreigners die to save one Westerner? So those are the sort of questions I was interested in – inside amongst the movie – they’re the allegorical things I’m happy with.

There’s a lot of other [allegories] – like immigration – that weren’t there by design, but I totally get the fact that since we chose Mexico and the boarder with America that it was going to be a major talking point for some. And it became a major talking point as we were filming – like when you were explaining to the non-actors, the Mexican people, etc., what our film was about – when we’d talk about the wall and things like that – they would respond quite heavily because they live with that [sort of stuff] all the time.

Continue to discussion about the modern sci-fi genre…

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