Author: Timothy

  • Sacha Baron Cohen in Queen’s Freddie Mercury Biopic

    GK Films, Tribeca Productions, and Queen Films have combined efforts to film a biopic on the front man of Queen, Freddie Mercury. Peter Morgan is penning the screenplay which will focus on the formation of the band to Queen’s 1985 appearance at Live Aid. Not too surprisingly, Sacha Baron Cohen has been cast to play Freddie Mercury.

    The biopic has secured the rights to a catalog of Queen’s songs, although, it’s not clear if Baron Cohen will be singing or if they’ll use Mercury’s vocals. Yes, Baron Cohen is capable of singing, but Mercury’s singing is hard to match. He was unique. Nevertheless, Sacha Baron Cohen looks remarkably like Freddie Mercury, and he does have acting chops.

    “Queen is one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and a music brand all unto itself. Freddie Mercury was an awe-inspiring performer, so with Sacha in the starring role coupled with Peter’s screenplay and the support of Queen, we have the perfect combination to tell the real story behind their success.”

    -Graham King of GK Films

    Roger Taylor, Brian May, and John Deacon of Queen gave the okay for the licensing and music publishing rights for the first time for a movie about the band — and went as far as creating Queen Films to become a part of the production team. It’s strongly evident that they have faith in the film project. I’m entirely looking forward to the Freddie Mercury biopic.

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Deadline][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • Voltron Making a Return

    Screenwriters Thomas Donelly and Joshua Oppenheimer have been taking on film projects that would make geeks like me happy — they scribed the upcoming Conan movie and are currently penning the adaptation for Marvel’s Dr. Strange. Recently they have been hired by Atlas Entertainment to write the script for the big screen adaptation of Voltron.

    A lot of us remember Voltron being a cartoon from the 80s about a group of five men who pilot five lion robots that combine to form  Voltron. Together known as the Voltron Force, the group protected the planet Arus from King Zarkon and his ilk. Full of nostalgia yet?

    Concept art for Voltron has recently been released. And it’s looking incredibly badass. Let’s hope they don’t film the action scenes like Transformers. Pull back the shot; let the audience see their massive scale.

    It’s hard to be pessimistic about this project. It has potential. The kid in me is excited. We’ll see how it pans out for Atlas Entertainment.

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Joblo’s exclusive photos can be seen HERE][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • Columbia Has Hopes for Goosebumps

    Remember R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps book series from the early 90s? All the children’s horror novels that drew you in? How some of the stories eventually got the TV treatment — The Haunted Mask comes to mind. Well, Columbia will adapt Goosebumps into a feature film. And they’re hoping it will have potential to become a franchise. The screenwriter for Disturbia Carl Ellsworth is attached to pen the screenplay. There’s no word yet on which story will be translated to film, but it’ll be sure to be nostalgic for a lot of moviegoers.

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Risky Business][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • Update on Deadpool Film

    Escaping from the train wreck known as X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Deadpool will have his own film starring Ryan Reynolds. As I mentioned before, the screenwriters of Zombieland Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese have penned the screenplay. These three alone posses a lot of potential for the Deadpool adaptation, and it’s rather exciting.

    Then there’s 20th Century Fox still in talks with Robert Rodriguez; wanting him in the director seat. And who could blame them? He would be an excellent fit for the movie.

    Ryan Reynolds recently discussed the Deadpool character and the direction of the film:

    “It goes in such a different direction than a superhero movie usually goes. It’s a nasty piece of work. It’s just based in so much emotional filth, completely. It’s like Barfly if it were a superhero movie. It sort of treads into the world of an emotionally damaged person.  I always say that Deadpool is a guy in a highly militarized shame spiral…. It’s so different than the superhero movies to date, it departs so far from that.”

    -Ryan Reynolds

    He went on to say that the events that took place in Wolverine won’t affect the Deadpool film in any way, and confirmed that Wade Wilson (Deadpool) will break the fourth wall and talk to the audience. He’s described as a deranged Ferris Bueller armed with katana swords.

    Reynolds addressed the inconsistency in the writing for the comics of Deadpool, but that the core of the character remains intact. Wade Wilson’s moral flexibility is an important aspect that will remain; as will his witticisms. After all, he’s “the merc with a mouth”.

    Ryan Reynolds’ devotion to both Green Lantern and Deadpool — and wanting to get them right — is certainly earning him cred with comic book fans. He’s a perfect fit for Deadpool, and the fact that he understands the character only makes it more enthralling.

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][LA Times’ Hero Complex][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • A Different Take on a Watchmen Adaptation

    Before Zack Snyder was directing the adaptation of Watchmen, there was director Paul Greengrass of The Bourne Supremacy. With 20th Century Fox, Greengrass planned for the film to be a modern take on the graphic novel. Production designer Dominic Watkins designed much of the pre-production art, and didn’t hesitate to show his personal collection while discussing his and Greengrass’ could-have-been take on Watchmen.

    “It would’ve been done a little bit documentary-style, with a little news reporting mixed in. I feel like that would’ve been really interesting to see it as real-feeling as possible. Obviously, Doctor Manhattan was always going to be the biggest challenge to that. When there’s a 50-foot blue man, it’s hard to cinematically make it feel real. I felt they actually did a good job with that in Snyder’s.”

    -Dominic Watkins

    The documentary approach with some of the film would have been a nice touch, and is something I would’ve really liked. Despite that it would deviate a bit from the graphic novel, it still would have kept the essential feel of the story.

    Watkins discussed the differences between Snyder’s glass palace and his version of Doctor Manhattan’s Mars construct:

    “These photographs I found were of magnified tiny particles and the photographs of the cosmos and the similarities between them. When he’s creating it, the notion was that he’d start with these atoms and neutrons and combine them. They’d look very much like living atoms, but they’d combine into this vast cosmos that he’s creating and pulling in his hand. That was something where I felt we had something quite original and unique.”

    -Dominic Watkins

    It’s an effect that would have put audience members in complete awe to see Doctor Manhattan manipulate matter in such a way. And it would’ve added more to the science part of Doctor Manhattan. It was a perfect fit.

    Overall, I’m still glad we got Zack Snyder’s take on an adaptation of Watchmen. He stayed very close to the source material with only a few changes that are disagreeable. Although, implementing some of the ideas like above from Watkins would have propelled the film higher.

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Comic Book Resources’ exclusive photos can be viewed HERE][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • Sherlock Holmes 2 News and Rumors

    Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes 2 will be underway starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. Noomi Rapace, the star of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has been cast to play the female lead. It’s rumored that she will portray a French gypsy, but aside from that, it’s unclear how her character fits in the story.

    Another rumor is that Holmes’ nemesis Moriarty will be playing a bigger role in the scheme of things; and could possibly be portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis — who I wholeheartedly think would be a great casting decision.

    Straying from the rumor mill — Sherlock Holmes’ older brother Mycroft Holmes will be in the sequel. Mycroft holds an unclear position in the British government, and has deductive skills that surpasses Sherlock’s, but lacks practicality. And Mycroft won’t attempt to verify his own conclusions.

    The first film was a lot of fun, especially with the chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. I’m stoked for the sequel, and interested in seeing who will be cast as Mycroft Holmes.

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][The Wrap][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • The Dark Tower is Adapted by Universal

    Stephen King’s fantasy series The Dark Tower has become Universal’s next franchise. It will be produced as both three films and a TV series. An interesting thing is that Ron Howard will be directing both the first movie and the first season of The Dark Tower. It will definitely keep the two coherent with each other, and that in itself is rather unique.

    The Dark Tower is Stephen King’s series of books that can be described as a fantasy gunslinger. It also incorporates horror themes. Naturally. The plot revolves around Roland Deschain, the last survivor and gunslinger of Arthur Eld. Nations have been torn apart; some as far as merely vanishing. And time isn’t orderly. Roland searches for the Dark Tower, a building that’s only talked about; a building that is the nexus of universes.

    The fact that the first movie and the first season of the TV series for The Dark Tower will have the same director is an exciting endeavor. Though, I’m curious if they’ll be using the same actors or not. Hopefully they do. And making it a series on HBO would be a good move.

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Heat Vision][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • Terry Gilliam’s (Don Quixote) Curse

    I wrote about Terry Gilliam’s Don Quixote film months back, and it looks like the project is still riddled with bad luck. After disastrous prior attempts, this latest attempt fell through due to finance collapsing. At this point many feel that the film project is a curse for Gilliam, who has been trying to shoot Don Quixote since 2000. Nevertheless, Terry Gilliam hopes that in the near future production resumes — and I hope so too. It would be a celebration for him to finish what’s perceived as the impossible.

    [AV Club]