More Trouble For Watchmen

Seems there is bad news for Watchmen as 20th Century Fox will seek an injunction blocking the films March release date. The New York Times has published an article on the joint report that was submitted to the federal court on Friday by lawyers for both Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox about the Watchmen rights.

Fox has said it will seek an injunction blocking Warner's planned release of the film next March. Warner has argued that Fox should not be allowed to stop the movie, after standing by while Warner and its partners on the film, Paramount Pictures and Legendary Pictures, spent more than $100 million on the production, directed by Zack Snyder ("300").

The report also outlined conflicting requests for a trial date: as early as next June, if Fox has its way, or April, if Warner prevails.

Is This The Biggest Badass Ever?

Its been a bit of a slow news week, so I thought I should show you my nomination for the universes most badass dude.

"You better back up a claim that Bruce Lee does not compare or compete with you" and Bolo Yeung does it in spades as the first and only Muscle Mad Monster of the martial Arts! Ma tou da jue dou or Chinese Hercules.

No-one is safe from this bone cracker, head cusher, body breaker monster. Men, women, old, young, one or many all fall to the hand of the superhuman beast from the east. No wonder why in Enter the Dragon, Bruce Lee left John Saxon to fight him, if it were up to me I would have got Mr T and He-Man to take him on.

Star Trek Plot Revealed

Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman writers of the new Star Trek have reveled some of the plot details of the film on the Fox Movie Channel show, Life After Film School. The the story follows Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, as he goes back in time to stop the Romulans from killing a young Captain James T. Kirk before he boldly goes where no man has gone before, kinda like The Terminator only with Spock.

This gives JJ Abrams breathing space to do his own take of the franchise without ignoring what has come before, so its a prequel, reboot, sequel all rolled into one.

Tarantino Casts 'The Jew Hunter' In 'Inglorius Bastards'

Chief villain of 'Inglorious Bastards' Hans Landa 'The Jew Hunter' has been cast and will be played by 51-year-old German TV actor Christoph Waltz. Landa is the diabolical Nazi colonel who demonstrates a useful knack for sniffing out hiding Jews in Axis-occupied Europe.

German movie star Bridget Von Hammersmark will now be played by Diane Kruger (Troy).

Paul Rust, who played 'Wheelchair Darren' in 'Semi-Pro' has also joined the cast.

Shooting is scheduled to start in seven weeks!

Expect more cast announcements to be announced very, very soon!

Nowhere Boy Has A Director

Nowhere Boy the film about John Lennon's early life has a director, visual artist Sam Taylor-Wood will helm the film according to The Hollywood Reporter. The choice feels very similar to Anton Corbijn directing Control, so hopefully Nowhere Boy will be as good.

Produced by U.K. shingle Ecosse Films, the script from "Control" screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh will focus on the Beatle's childhood and subsequent journey to icon status. Filming is set to take place on location in Lennon's hometown on Liverpool.Greenhalgh's script details the story of Lennon as a lonely teenager growing up as his aunt and the mother who gave him up fight for his love.

His only escape is music, art and his fateful friendship with Paul McCartney.Casting for the major roles "is under way," the backers said of the project that is being co-developed with the U.K. Film Council.Sales and finance house HanWay Films is handling worldwide sales and will be trying to get sellers to tune in at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival.

"The women in John's early life truly shaped who he became," Taylor-Wood said, "and the strengths and weaknesses of their relationships are central to this film."Ecosse and HanWay also worked together on "Becoming Jane" and "Brideshead Revisited."

John Lennon Childhood

A Clip From "W."

Tidbits: Super Bumper Edition

Ghostbusters Tops Funniest Movie Poll

Voltron: Defender of the Universe Gets It's Director

Thomas Jane Is Not Jonah Hex

The Dark Knight A Flop In Japan?!

Aaron Sorkin Writing Facebook Movie

Towelhead Title Offence Addressed

Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire Images

The Strangers Sequel Planned

Poltergeist Remake Has A Director?

Body of Lies Poster

Astroboy Movie Images

Rob Zombie Not Involved With Halloween 2

Tropic Thunder Faux Documentary Rain of Madness Is On Itunes

Buy A Role In Spider-Man 4

The Spirit Review Hints The Film Is Bad

Righteous Kill Clip

Ron Livingston (Office Space) Joins The Company Men

Todd Solondz Next Is Now ‘Quasi-Sequel’ To HAPPINESS

US Office Execs/ Writers Scripting Bad Teacher

Max Payne Trailer

Robert Downey Jr. and Tina Fey To Voice MasterMind

EW is reporting that Robert Downey Jr.and Tina Fey are in negotiations to voice characters in DreamWorks Animation's MasterMind, which is due out in 2010.

MasterMind is based on a script from Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simons and will be directed by DreamWorks animators Cameron Hood and Kyle Jefferson.

Produced by Ben Stiller's production company, Red Hour Films, the film is a satirical send-up of the superhero genre, built around the story of a super villain who must find a new motivation after accidentally killing his archrival, Uberman, in the opening scene of the movie.

Jason Reitman Wants George Clooney 'Up In The Air'

George Clooney is in talks to star in "Up in the Air," with Juno director Jason Reitman taking the reigns reports Variety.

Up In The Air is an adaptation of the Walter Kirn novel that Jason Reitman has adapted and will direct for DreamWorks.

Clooney will play an unapologetic corporate downsizer whose untethered life is consumed by collecting air miles.

Reactions To Superman Reboot Franchise

Various sites have seeked out reaction to the announcement from Warner Bros. that the Superman film franchise would be reintroduced. The genral concensus is they ain't liking the idea of a dark themed Superman.

The good folks at Superman Homepage had this report:

Greg Rucka (writer at DC Comics) said, "Hmm...well, yeah, I think a reboot is a good idea at this point. While there are elements of Returns that I thought worked quite well, the film utterly failed, in my opinion, to demonstrate why Superman is, frankly, the best of the best. And there's the tiny little problem I have with making any kind of Superman movie that you can't bring an 8 year old to see, let alone a 10 year old. Batman? Sure, PG-13 all the way. But Superman, especially as a film, needs to be something that both kids and adults can enjoy -- in many ways, it goes to the core of the character, his universality. So I don't think a reboot is a bad idea -- as long as we don't end up with a take on the material that has Kal getting his power from a special suit, or that turns Doomsday into his long-lost brother."

As for whether Rucka could see himself writing the script for the next Superman movie, "Oh hell yeah! Will it happen? I can't imagine it. But damn, I'd be there in a micro-second, no question."

Jack O'Halloran, who starred as Non in "Superman: The Movie" and "Superman II", says the decision to reboot comes down to money. "Warner's weren't happy with the returns on Superman Returns." As for who he'd like to replace Bryan Singer if the director decides not to continue on with the Man of Steel, O'Halloran says, "I hope if they are rebooting Superman they hand the reins to Richard Donner. It would be the salvation of the series. Dick has such a passion for the series, the fan base would finally get what they have been waiting for someone with the passion to light up the screen."

Comic book writer Mark Waid told SaveSuperman.com that he thought the reboot was necessary but that he has reservations. "I think it's a good idea - though the idea of making Superman "darker" chills me to the bone. Still, what Batman Begins did for Batman gives me confidence. I have enormous respect for Singer, for Routh, and for all the people involved with RETURNS, I really do - and I'm sorry the sound bites picked up for the MTV piece didn't really reflect that - but as much as I loved RETURNS, and I really did, I grudgingly accept that the general audience thought of it as a misstep and that a reboot is probably necessary."

MTV also seeked out reaction:

”How stupid is that?” exclaimed “Hellboy” and “Buffy” writer Christopher Golden. “That announcement made my head spin. ‘Iron Man’ isn’t dark. ‘Iron Man’ worked because Favreau brought in all the best Iron Man creators and had them read the script and asked them, ‘Tell me what we did wrong?’ — and it worked because it had all the best things about Iron Man boiled down into the best movie they could make. ‘The Dark Knight’ was really good because it had all the best things about ‘Batman’ boiled down into the best movie they could make. Making a dark and gritty Superman movie because Dark Knight made a ton of money is incredibly stupid.”

While he wasn’t as direct as Golden, fan-favorite writer/director Kevin Smith also had reservations on a newer, darker Man of Steel. “You always have to always keep Superman very distinct from Batman,” he related. “Batman can be brooding and bleak and dark but Superman — if you want to take a realistic approach to him that’s fine, but I don’t think you can turn him into an angry character. Superman is about the hope in people, the good in people, whereas Batman is about the more driven, hungry for justice angry side of us. [So] I don’t know if doing a dark Superman is the approach, but I’m all for a reboot.”

“Superman, the character, inspires hope, as opposed to Batman, who inspires fear,” elaborated Jeph Loeb, who added that his “Superman for All Seasons” (which he created with frequent collaborator Tim Sale) could be a proper approach for a possible revamp of the franchise. “‘Superman For All Seasons’ is about Clark Kent trying to deal with the fact that he has this incredible power and responsibility, and that was an interesting concept to me. And one of the other things that I find interesting is that he’s set out to perform a job that will never finish, a never-ending battle. Is that dark? I don’t know.”

Meanwhile, Steven T. Seagle — who’s groundbreaking graphic novel “It’s a Bird…” took a unique look at Superman through the eyes of a comic book writer — feels that Superman has been a “dark” character all along. “Heroic struggles are basically all dark in tone. The idea of ‘villains’ implies something bad happening to good people most of the time, and that’s dark. Heroes look brighter emerging from dire consequence successfully,” said Seagle.

Longtime DC Comics scribe Mark Waid tended to agree with that assessment. “I [focused] on the part where they’ll make the films as dark as the characters allow us to go,” he said. “Hopefully they realize that Superman is not a dark character, but that doesn’t mean the story can’t be darker or more threatening. What makes Superman hard to write in the 21st century is that he’s a creature of hope and he lives in a brighter, more optimistic world than, say, Batman.”

However, Seagle seemed to sum up the announcement best with a point both sides of the argument could agree on. “‘Dark?’ ‘Light?’ Whatever. ‘Good’ is the main thing we’re looking for when we plunk down our ten bucks.”

Preacher Rejected By HBO, The Boys Being Adapted As A Film

We here at Flicks News are massive fans of Irish comic book writer Garth Ennis. If you haven't read Preacher we highly recommend you do. We had been unsure about a tv show adaption, but then came talk came that Robert Rodriguez was interested in directing a few episodes and we quickly shifted to being interested. Well news has come that the show has been rejected by HBO.

Comics Continuum spoke to Mark Steven Johnson who says that his adaptation of Garth Ennis's "Preacher" won't be happening at HBO.

"We were budgeting and everything and it was getting really close to going," Johnson said. "But the new head of HBO felt it was just too dark and too violent and too controversial. Which, of course, is kind of the point!

"It was a very faithful adaptation of the first few books, nearly word for word. They offered me the chance to redevelop it but I refused. I've learned my lesson on that front and I won't do it again. So I'm afraid it's dead at HBO."

In other Garth Ennis adaption news Ennis's The Boys is heading to the big screen.

Sribes Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay will adapt The Boys for Columbia Pictures, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Neal H. Moritz and his Columbia-based Original Films are producing the project, which adapts the comic book created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson.

The comic follows the adventures of a CIA squad, known informally as "the boys," whose job is to keep watch on the proliferation of superheroes and, if necessary, intimidate or eliminate them.

No Batman Sequel Plans For Christopher Nolan Just Yet

Warners and Legendary are both interested in doing a third in the series, but all involved say it will be up to Nolan to come to them with a story and a plan.

"There are a lot of us who emotionally would love to do it," Roven says. "But it's really Chris' call. Chris is the kind of filmmaker who just doesn't think about the next movie before he has completely finished the movie he is working on."

For now, Nolan is taking a well-earned vacation.

Says Roven, "When he comes back, we will see how he feels."

Head here to read full 2 page article.

Letter Campaign Starts To Keep Brandon Routh As Superman

Head over to here, where fans of Brandon Routh have started a letter campaign to keep Routh as Supes.

Suspending the current storyline out of perceived commercial expedience is not the way to go, particularly as a knee-jerk reaction to the success of the Batman franchise, and especially when there are plenty of fans out there that want to know how the relationships established in Returns are dealt with in the context of peril that the sequel had promised.

Flicks News has to agree with these fans, Routh was one of the best things about Superman Returns and we genuinely would not like to see someone else take his place.

Che Poster

Che Trailer


Ricky Gervais On Che Guevara, From Radio Doco Che Lives!

Still No Red Dwarf Movie, But Possibly An Hour Long Special

If you, like us here at Flicks News have been waiting for a Red Dwarf movie since 1999, we have some bad news and some very good news.

The bad news is the film is still in devolpment hell, the good news is that Robert Llewellyn announced to a small crowd at the KTCS9 20th Anniversary that a brand new one hour Red Dwarf episode had been commissioned by BBC Worldwide, to be filmed in October 2008. He wouldn't spoil the storyline, but did mention that the script is being finalised right now.

There has been rumours aplenty that something was being planned for Red Dwarf's 20th anniversary, it may not be the film announcment we have all been waiting for but it's still damn smegging good news!

Smoke Me A Kipper, I'll Be Back For Breakfast!



What A Guy!

Maniac Cop 4 In The Works

Cult video favourite Maniac Cop looks like he may be coming back for a fourth encounter:

At this past weekend’s Anthology Film Archives screening of the first two films in the MANIAC COP series, director William Lustig broke the news that the franchise, on which he teamed for three movies with screenwriter Larry Cohen, will soon see a rebirth. “Larry and I have gotten the sequel rights back for MANIAC COP, and we’re preparing to do a MANIAC COP 4,” Lustig tells Fango. “I don’t have any more details other than that; this all happened within the last month, so it’s so fresh… When I get back to Los Angeles, Larry and I are going to sit down and work on something.” No doubt Lustig will be seeking more creative control than he had with the last installment, 1993’s MANIAC COP 3, which ran afoul of producer interference.

Maniac Cop Trailer

Fast & Furious Trailer

Danny Elfman To Score The Wolfman

AICN has got the scoop that Danny Elfman is scoring Universal’s remake of The Wolfman.

Toy Story 3 Has Found It's Ken

IESB has news that Micheal Keaton has been cast in Toy Story 3 as the voice of Ken Carson, Barbies long time love interest, apart from when he got dumped for Blaine back in 2006 but true love prevailed.

Not much is known about Toy Story 3 at this stage other than it will be directed by Lee Unkrich, who edited the previous films, and co-directed Toy Story 2, the plot outline is Woody the cowboy and his toy-box friends are dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, leaves for college. All the original cast Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Wallace Shawn, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, John Ratzenberger, and Jodi Benson are confirmed to return and join Michael.

Expect to see Toy Story 3 in 3D in June 2010.

New York, I Love You Trailer

Marvel Goes Anime

Not content with invading Hollywood and DVD stores with straight to DVD releases. Marvel Entertainment are now moving east in partnership with animation studio Madhouse to develop new versions of its characters for four anime series that will premiere in spring 2010 in Japan.

The New York Times broke the news and talked with Simon Philips, president of Marvel International and Ungo Maruta, the president and chief executive of Madhouse on there thoughts if the collaboration:

Rather than simply importing American characters and concepts, said Simon Philips, president of Marvel International, the goal is to create something that is part of the fabric of society. This means reimagining the back stories and redesigning the look of Marvel’s stable of characters to reflect Japanese culture. It will create an entire parallel universe for Marvel, he said.

Marvel today is so open-minded, said Jungo Maruta, the president and chief executive of Madhouse, through his interpreter, Alex Yeh, the chief operating officer of the studio, during a recent meeting in New York. “Marvel gives creators freedom to fly.

We are very excited to be involved, Mr. Yeh said as he showed a handful of manga-influenced drawings of Iron Man. Mr. Yeh said working on the Marvel characters is different from his past experiences. Although they say, ‘I want Japanese anime,’ it’s not what they actually want. They want a hybrid between Japanese and Western animation.

Madhouse are no strangers with western heroes, recently bringing Batman to anime with Batman Gotham Knight, so this should prove to be a very interesting collaboration.

Japanese Spider-Man

Doctor Who Movie Is Now A Possibility

Steven Moffat the new head writer of Doctor Who says he would not object to the TV series being made into a film. Asked at the Edinburgh International Television Festival whether he would like to see the series become a film, he said:

"I'm not against it. I don't think it's the most important thing for Doctor Who.

"A movie is one 90 minutes a year. So yes, so long as it never gets in the way of the show. If it gets in the way of the show that's appalling."

"It's been in the cinema, with Peter Cushing. It would be good to see it in the cinema so long as it's great and fantastic."

He also revealed Steven Spielberg was a Doctor Who fan and that Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson had one of ex-Doctor Sylvester McCoy's outfits. Moffat has written the script for the 1st Tin Tin movie that Spielberg and Jackson are working on, he turned down wrting duties for the other 2 films to take over as Doctor Who head writer and executive producer.

The Mindscape Of Alan Moore Is Coming To DVD

The Mindscape of Alan Moore is a feature documentary which chronicles the life and work of comic genius Alan Moore, author of acclaimed and influential graphic novels From Hell, Watchmen, The Killing Joke, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and V for Vendetta.

It is the directorial debut of DeZ Vylenz. It is the only feature film production on which Alan Moore has collaborated, with permission to use his work.

Alan Moore presents the story of his development as an artist, starting with his childhood and working through to his comics career and impact on that medium, and his emerging interest in magic.

The film features the first film adaptations of scenes from Moore's acclaimed series V for Vendetta and Watchmen, shot in early 2002. Another key scene features a direct reference to the character of John Constantine from the comic book Hellblazer.

The documentary won a special recognition award for creative achievement in documentary filmmaking at the San Francisco World Film Festival.

The film though made in 2002 is finally getting a DVD release in the US on September 30, 2008. Ireland and UK readers rejoice, it has already been released our side of the pond!

Production Halted On The Sweeney Movie

Fox Searchlight has delayed production on Nick Lowe's big screen adaptation of The Sweeney.

Bosses are unsure that the $16 million remake of the British cult cop series will have international appeal, reports Variety.

Ray Winstone is lined up to play lead character Jack Regan, while soon to be an Inglorius Bastard Michael Fassbender was linked to the role of George Carter.

It is believed that producers are delaying production so they can attract big name stars, which would help sell the film outside the UK.

The original '70s TV show starred John Thaw and Dennis Waterman.

Transporter 3 Trailer

Head here to watch it in Quicktime

Frost/Nixon Offical Trailer

For HD version click here!

WB Exec Speaks About Superman Sequel & Future DC Films

WB Executive Jeff Robinov spoke to the Wall Street Journal about their current plans for Superman and other DC movies. The plan looks likely that WB will produce as many as 8 big budget releases a year with many of them expected to be from the DC catalouge and to be in a similar dark style to The Dark Knight. It also mentions that the next Superman film will now be a reboot. No word on if Singer or Routh will be attatched.

Mining the comic-book franchise is central to the success of Warner Bros.' strategy. Its lineup of "tent poles" -- Hollywood-speak for big movies that are the foundation of a studio's slate -- has thinned. Warner Bros. has been slow to capitalize on DC, and it now faces a rival in Marvel Entertainment Inc.'s Marvel Studios, the company behind box-office gusher "Iron Man."

Superhero films based on comic-book legends, like "The Dark Knight," have emerged as some of the strongest players in the global market, in part because they're natural candidates for tie-ups with consumer products and games that can also be marketed globally.

"Superheroes are more global than ever in today's commercial world, existing in 30 languages and in more than 60 countries," says Paul Levitz, president and publisher of DC Comics. The characters are "a world-wide export," he says.

"Films with our DC properties have the opportunity to support other divisions in the company in a way that our other movies don't," Mr. Robinov says, for example, with products such as a Superman game or toys. By 2011, Mr. Robinov plans for DC Comics to supply the material for up to two of the six to eight tent-pole films he hopes Warner Bros. will have in the pipeline by then.

A movie referred to internally as "Justice League of America," originally said to be for next summer, was planned as one of the studio's major releases. With that film, starring a superhero team, Warner hoped to spark interest in DC characters like Green Lantern who haven't yet attained the level of popularity of Batman. But script problems, among other things, have delayed the movie.

Warner Bros. also put on hold plans for another movie starring multiple superheroes -- known as "Batman vs. Superman" -- after the $215 million "Superman Returns," which had disappointing box-office returns, didn't please executives. "'Superman' didn't quite work as a film in the way that we wanted it to," says Mr. Robinov. "It didn't position the character the way he needed to be positioned." "Had 'Superman' worked in 2006, we would have had a movie for Christmas of this year or 2009," he adds. "But now the plan is just to reintroduce Superman without regard to a Batman and Superman movie at all."

With "Batman vs. Superman" and "Justice League" stalled, Warner Bros. has quietly adopted Marvel's model of releasing a single film for each character, and then using those movies and their sequels to build up to a multicharacter film. "Along those lines, we have been developing every DC character that we own," Mr. Robinov says.

The studio is set to announce its plans for future DC movies in the next month. For now, though, it is focused on releasing four comic-book films in the next three years, including a third Batman film, a new film reintroducing Superman, and two movies focusing on other DC Comics characters. Movies featuring Green Lantern, Flash, Green Arrow, and Wonder Woman are all in active development.

Many of the studio's directors credit Mr. Robinov for taking Warner Bros.' films in a darker and deeper direction. Christopher Nolan, who directed "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight," says Mr. Robinov "really encouraged the logic of the villain" from "Batman Begins." That led to focusing heavily on the Joker in the sequel. "At the script stage, Jeff really wanted us to be very clear on the Joker's lack of purpose," he says.

Reading the article, the one worry that comes to mind is over saturation. Comic book films may be the in thing now, but if every big budget film is a comic book film, WB and Marvel are gonna effectively kill their cash cows. It is also worth noting there is no problem if WB studios plan to copy The Dark Knight Ethic in terms of quality and the future DC films are given the time, talent, script, budget etc. that is needed to achieve this, but if the plan is to copy The Dark Knight in tone, no one wants to see a number of Dark Knight copies or knock off's a year with a different protagonist and there is a reason Batman is called the Dark Knight.

Hayao Miyazaki's 'Ponyo' Massive Hit In Japan

Studio Ghibli's latest offering is doing massive business over in Japan.

Hayao Miyazaki's toon "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea" has passed the symbolic Yen 10 billion mark ($93.2 million) at the Japanese B.O. The first local picture to pass this milestone in four years, after Miyazaki's 2004 "Howl's Moving Castle."

"Ponyo" accomplished the feat on its 31st day on release on August 18. Admissions totaled 8.43 million. This compares with 25 days for Miyazaki's 2001 smash "Spirited Away," which went on to earn $280 million -- the all-time high for any pic released in Japan.

"Moving Castle" required 33 days to achieve this mark and Miyazaki's 1997 hit "The Princess Mononoke" took 43 days.

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea is set for release in Ireland and UK April 3, 2009, no word yet on US release date.

Nicolas Cage Is In To Kick-Ass

Nicolas Cage is set to play a former cop who wants to bring down a druglord and has trained his daughter to be a lethal weapon, in Matthew Vaughn's adaptation of the Mark Millar comic book.

THR also reports on other cast additions Aaron Johnson plays the dweeb and title character, while Lyndsy Fonseca will play the object of the teen's infatuation who believes Dave is gay. Chloe Moretz will play Cage's daughter.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse is also in the cast and is expected to play enemy the red mist.

Head over to /film for a picture comparsion of cast to the book!

Trick 'r Treat Going Direct To DVD?

Shocktillyoudrop is reporting that a trusted biz source writing in anonymously as "Moviesnob" says, "Just got an email. Warner is keeping Trick 'r Treat, but it's going direct-to-DVD."

The story has since been updated with 2 new updates:

Update #1: First, Dougherty dropped us a line to say this is "Not quite the whole story. Stay tuned!" Secondly, an insider informs us the film has resurfaced on Warner's schedule for '09. So, what's going on now? A possible limited theatrical release? More festival runs this October? We'll have to wait and see.

Update #2: New Yorkers, learn how you can see the film this October right here!

Update: Jean Reno Suffers A 'Massive Heart Attack' Claims Denied

Update: A rep for French actor Jean Reno has denied reports that the 60-year-old is hospitalized after suffering a “very serious heart attack.”

On Thursday reports surfaced that Reno had a heart attack while vacationing in the Caribbean. Sources alleged that the actor was in intensive care at a Caribbean hospital. Reno’s rep confirms that he did go to the hospital but not because he had a heart attack.

“Reports that actor Jean Reno is in the hospital due to a heart attack are false. He is vacationing in the Caribbean and went to a local hospital as a precaution for some discomfort he was feeling due to heartburn and gastroenteritis. It was definitely not a heart attack,” Reno’s publicist tells People magazine.

Despite going to the hospital, the rep added that Reno is “fine and healthy and enjoying the rest of his vacation traveling in the Caribbean.”

Sad news, French actor Jean Reno has been rushed to hospital after suffering a serious heart attack, it emerged today.

The 60-year-old actor, famous for his role in 1994 thriller Leon, was on holiday on the Caribbean island of St Barts with his wife Zofia Borucka when he was taken ill, and subsequently airlifted to hospital where he remains in intensive care.

It's Alive Trailer

It's Alive is a 2008 remake of the Larry Cohen's 1974 horror film of the same name. A baby born to a human couple turns out to be a mutant monster with an appetite to kill when scared.

Original (1974) It's Alive Trailer

Ennio Morricone Coming To Ireland

Amazing, brilliant news, Legendary composer Ennio Morricone is set to perform his first ever Irish engagement at the Opening Concert of the Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen's.

The Italian composer, behind some of the most instantly recognisable film music of the last forty years, will make a rare live appearance at Belfast's Waterfront Hall on Friday 17th October, just days before his 80th birthday. He will conduct the Roma Sinfonietta Orchestra and Belfast Philharmonic Choir, with over 100 musicians flying to Belfast especially for the occasion.

Ennio Morricone has won five BAFTAs for Best Score and been nominated five times for an Oscar. He finally received an Honorary Academy Award in 2007 "for his magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music". His credits include Sergio Leone’s 1960s Westerns ‘A Fistful of Dollars’; ‘For a Few Dollars More’; ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’; ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ and ‘A Fistful of Dynamite’. Morricone also scored other iconic films including ‘Once Upon a Time in America’, ‘Days of Heaven’, ‘The Untouchables’, ‘Cinema Paradiso’ and ‘The Mission’.

The Ecstacy Of Gold

Is This The Most Exciting Film Ever Made?

Just discovered this via Graham Linehan's blog. I think his question is a valid one, this film has everything and thats just the trailer.

Mike Judges 'Extract' Finds It's Lawyer

Variety have the info on Mike Judge's latest film offering entitled Extract, which has just added Ben Affleck to the cast, hopefully for Judge and the film, he will have better luck at Miramax than he did at previous studios with the brilliant Office Space and Idiocracy.

Ben Affleck is ready to suit up for Miramax's Mike Judge comedy "Extract."

The actor is in negotiations to play an ambulance-chasing lawyer in the pic, which centers on a flower extract factory owner (Jason Bateman) who's dealing with workplace problems and a streak of bad luck, including his wife's affair with a gigolo.

Clifton Collins Jr. is also joining the cast as a factory worker who loses a body part in a freak accident and is now due for a huge settlement. Mila Kunis and Kristen Wiig have already boarded the project, which begins lensing Monday in Los Angeles.

Judge penned the screenplay and is producing with John Altschuler and Mike Rotenberg via the Ternion Prods.

Guillermo del Toro Was Offered The Watchmen

IGN have an interview with Guillermo del Toro where he reveals he was offered the chance to bring The Watchmen to the big screen:

“"You know, at one point or another, Larry Gordon and Lloyd Levin asked me if I wanted to do The Watchmen and I just couldn't get my head around The Watchmen being two or three hours long. I always thought that the series depended on almost-miniseries build-up."

del Toro did go on to praise the trailer's faithful recreation of the work, however. "I think Zack Snyder is a brilliant visual creator and everything in the trailer seems right - if not completely dead-on. To be absolutely honest, I even got a little bit of a geekgasm."

Check out here too, where del Toro talks about effects for The Hobbit:

Like Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, del Toro has a soft-spot for the traditions of model-making and real-world workshop effects - something that he intends to carry through to The Hobbit.

He explained, "You have to be very careful not to rely on a single tool – and this is another thing that I share a passion for with Peter Jackson. We both are huge fans of 'old-world' techniques like maquettes, models, miniatures, paintings – and in the case of The Hobbit, I do intend to continue this trend and bring much more animatronics into the mix.

"We need to keep that art form alive, because it brings a textural power to the movie that ultimately affects the content. The creatures somehow seem more tactile and more tangible than CG."

Frost/Nixon International Trailer

Frost/Nixon is a 2008 drama film based upon the play of the same name by Peter Morgan. The film version is directed by Ron Howard. The film reunites its original two stars from the London and Broadway productions of the play, Frank Langella as former US President Richard Nixon and Michael Sheen as British TV broadcaster David Frost.

The film focuses on a series of interviews that David Frost (Michael Sheen) conducted with Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) in 1977.

Highlights Of The Original Frost/Nixon Interviews

W Posters & Featurettes

The Man Of Steel Will Be A Hybrid Sequel/ Revamp?

Following yesterdays news by Anne Thompson at Variety. Steve Younis at Superman Homepage had this to say on the matter:

I received an email earlier this week stating that writers have been hired, and Bryan Singer (who is still attached to direct) is having writing sessions with them twice a week. I'm unable to get the names of those writers at this point in time, but have put in a call to my source to get a response to Anne Thompson's report.

Batman-On-Film also has some news about a Superman Sequel:

I can report that a spec script has drawn the interest of the folks over in Burbank. While it is a direct sequel to SUPERMAN RETURNS, it also revamps and adds a lot of the current Superman comic book mythos into the film franchise.

The confusion rumbles on and on and on so!

Actors Could Soon Be A Thing Of The Past?

For all you budding directors out there, your troublesome un-reliable actors may soon be a thing of the past. Technabob have a great piece about Image Metrics and ICT project. But just look at video below.


Technabob:

Using ICT’s special scanning system that can capture facial details down to the individual pore, the face of actress Emily O’Brien was transformed into a digital representation of herself, which could then be entirely machine-manipulated. A special spherical lighting rig captured O’Brien in 35 reference facial poses using a pair of high resolution digital cameras. The facial maps were then converted into 3D data using Image Metrics’ proprietary markerless motion capture technology.

Image Metrics then generated a new animation sequence and precisely superimposed it onto the live actress’ head. As you can see from the video above, you’d be really hard-pressed to tell the difference between digital Emily and real-world Emily.

Wolverine: Power Struggle Between Director And Studio?

What is it with studios and directors when it comes to comic book films, there always seems to always be a power struggle. After recent struggles with The Incredible Hulk and more recently Punisher 2 comes news by way of Hollywood-Elswhere which would suggest all is not well between Wolverine director Gavin Hood and 20th Century Fox.

There was/is a huge Wolverine set being recently used. I'm not even sure which lot it was built on, but the look or mood of the set is, according to a source who was told Hood's view of things, supposed to be on the dark, dinghy and somber side. I only know what I was told, but the basics are that Hood was away from the set for whatever reason (shooting something else, taking a day or two off), and when he returned to the big somber set he was shocked to find that it had been repainted top to bottom on Rothman's orders. The murky-scuzzy vibe was gone, and a brighter and less downish look had taken its place.

That's all I know, but at the very least, given my confidence in the source, it suggests that a creative tug-of-war is going on, and that Rothman, one can reasonably gather, feels a certain managerial-slash-territorial investment in the X-Men franchise (the technical name of the film is X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and believes that he, being the big Fox cheese and an inheritor of the spirit of golden-age Fox strongman Daryl F. Zanuck, is more or less entitled to make his own Wolverine calls, whether or not Hood fully concurs.

That said, the situation probably isn't quite as cut-and-dried as suggested by this story. But I do know that Hood was utterly surprised when he got back to the set and saw what had been done.

The Flaming Lips Christmas On Mars Trailer

Christmas on Mars is the science fiction feature film from the The Flaming Lips. It started development in 2001. Filming was completed in October of 2005, and the film premiered on May 25, 2008 at the Sasquatch! Music Festival. A DVD release is expected for Christmas.



Major Syrtis goes insane as he tries to improve morale in an abandoned colony on Mars through a Christmas pageant, where the first colonist baby will be born.

Ricky Gervais Is Going Back Podcasting, Details On New Film

Good News, Ricky Gervais has recorded another series of his brilliant podcasts. Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington will return too for four half-hour episodes.

Unfortunately he is back charging for them on itunes. (Karl must need a new fridge!)

The Ricky Gervais Podcast is downloaded an average of 4.54 million times a month. That's about 55 million downloads a year and over a million per week- nearly 4 times the amount that broke the world record three years ago.

In other Ricky Gervais news, Ricky has just finished writing the script for The Men at the Pru a film he describes as a cross between The Office and Mad Men. The Independent had this to say bout it:

The story is a "coming-of-age" tale about two friends who work for the Prudential, then a building society, amid the concrete "glamour" of the town where Gervais grew up. The idea first started as a television series, but has now morphed into a feature film which is due to begin filming next year. Gervais and his creative partner, Stephen Merchant, visited the Pru's London headquarters in February. They tried to reassure the financial services company that it would provide a backdrop for the drama and not become subject to the same lampooning of white-collar workers as shown in The Office. Jon Bunn, the PR director at the Prudential who met the comedians during their research, said: "They came in to look through our old archived stuff and Merchant then came in separately and went though the archives in more detail. They wanted to find out what the Prudential was like in years gone by.

"They looked at recruitment material, advertising, staff magazines and various other literature. There was also a recruitment advertisement that was shown in the local cinema in Reading which featured actual members of staff. It was an induction video for the Prudential, about it being a good place to work, which they said in a 1970s kind of way," he said.

Gervais is not speaking about the film, but wrote on his blog: "Did a bit of scouting for The Men at the Pru. Filming won't start 'til next May or June but locations can really inspire. I've also been reading books about my home town of Reading. That's where the HQ of the Prudential Building Society was in the '70s." Gervais has said it would be set "in the 1970s in a seaside town the sexual revolution never hit ... I'd be a 45-year-old in 1970, so I'd be one of those people who thought the permissive society was disgusting. That's why we're losing our empire."

The wisdom of Ricky

* Pol Pot – he rounded up anybody he thought was intellectual and had them executed. And how he decided if someone was intellectual or not was whether they wore glasses. If they're that clever, take them off when they see him coming!

* Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

* Avoid employing unlucky people – throw half of the CVs in the bin without reading them.

* If you treat people with love and respect, they will never guess you're trying to get them sacked.

* If work was so good, the rich would have kept more of it for themselves.

* If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried.

Thomas Turgoose joins 'The Scouting Book For Boys'

This Is England and Somers Town, Thomas Turgoose will take the lead Tom Harper’s directorial debut “The Scouting Book for Boys”, reports Variety.

Turgoose will again play a troubled teen in “Scouting Book,” which is about a boy who helps a girl run away from home.

Michael Fassbender Is The Bastard Simon Pegg Was Meant To Be

Michael Fassbender looks set to replace Simon Pegg who had to pull out in Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Bastards. According to Variety, Fassbender will now play Lt. Archie Hicox the British officer who aids Raine's efforts in Nazi-occupied Europe, Ironically Fassbender is German, but was raised in Ireland.

German born Irish raised Fassbender's screen credits include Band Of Brothers, 300 and most recently playing the late Bobby Sands in Steve McQueen's Hunger.

Hunger Trailer: Starring Michael Fassbender

The Fellowship Of The Hobbit Unite

Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens have offically joined Guillermo Del Toro to pen 'The Hobbit' reports EW.

Sources tell EW.com that the scribes' deals are all complete and they have already begun writing. (With shooting scheduled to begin Fall 2009, at the earliest, in New Zealand, the quartet better get busy!) The Hobbit will center on Frodo's uncle, Bilbo Baggins, and his initial discovery of the immensely-powerful ring. New Line and MGM plan to release the two films Christmas 2011 and Christmas 2012.

If you are in Ireland or UK make it your business to see 'HELLBOY II: The Golden Army' today or over the weekend, it absolutely brilliant! The Hobbit is in very very safe hands!

Hellboy 2 Trailer

'Burn After Reading' 2 New Clips

Mighty Boosh Director To Helm The Bunny & The Bull

The Mighty Boosh director Paul King is in place to direct The Bunny And The Bull.

According to The Sun, the big screen project is like "Being John Malkovich with a UK spin". It is scheduled to be released next summer.

It is being produced by Warp X Films and has cast Edward Hogg and Simon Farnaby in the lead roles.

Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding and Dean Learner himself Richard Ayoade will also appear.

No details yet on the promised Mighty Boosh film unfortunately!

If you ain't familiar with the brilliance of Mighty Boosh watch video below:

Mighty Boosh : Journey To The Centre Of Punk

The Great Superman Confusion Rumbles On

Variety's Anne Thompson who has been more or less reporting since last year that the sequel wasn't happening and Singer is off project has posted another update regarding The Man Of Steel.

The debate continues to rage about what Warner Bros. should do with Superman. The last movie, Bryan Singer's Superman Returns, paid hommage to the Richard Donner Superman movies without completely updating the franchise the way Christopher Nolan did with Batman Begins.

Fans have been clamoring all over the web--and on this blog--for a complete reboot. And within the halls of Warner Bros. the same debate rages on. They too believe that the last movie didn't break the mold and wound up in some kind of middle limbo. Today I was told that it is a priority at the studio to find the right direction and if Bryan Singer is willing to do that, fine, but if he gets in the way, he may not stay on the project. There are no writers working on a Superman script now. The studio wants to figure it out. "It might be better to start from scratch," one exec admitted.

The question continues to rumble is Singer's Superman done for? Singer made a far superior X-men sequel to the original, so he has the skills to raise the game with the The Man Of Steel. If Warner's are going to go ahead and reboot Superman it would probably be in their best interests to put it aside for a few years, as look what happened with The Incredible Hulk reboot (it made same money as its predecessor and less overseas), I know Superman is a far more iconic and popular character but the risk is there (also Superman Returns did very well overseas).

Also it is worth noting Batman Begins didn't favour as well as people now seem to assume, now that the Dark Knight is out and is a monster hit. Batman Begins found it's legs and audience once it hit DVD and blitzed Revenge Of The Sith DVD sales. Another thing to note comic book film adaptions must now be at there peak so it is very much strike while the iron is hot if a sequel is to be made as the great comic book film backlash can't be that far away due to over saturation of comic book adaptions.

No doubt the great 'is it happening?' will continue to rumble on till Warner's pull the finger out and decide what it is they want! It took 18 years for a fifth Superman film to be made with countless directors, writers in and out the door and each time failing to do it and that's not even to mention all the problems that plagued the follow up to the original. Singer came on board and just done it, it may not have been to everyone tastes but he made it and got it done. Everyone chiming in on Superman reboot seems to have a different way of what they want done with Superman, one would hope history does not repeat itself.