MOVIE NEWS
SIN CITY
A poster for Robert Rodriguez' Sin City has been revealed (see below-right),
keeping in tone with Frank Miller's original graphic-novel. At 'Comic-Con' a
live-action poster of star Jessica Alba was also unveiled. (see right)
DEATH'S DAY
'New Line Cinema' has attained the movie rights to Neil Gaiman's
graphic-novel Death: The High Cost of Living. According to 'Variety', Gaiman
is in talks to make his directorial debut on the film, which he has written
the script to.
The movie, renamed Death's Day, involves a teenager called Sexton who
contemplates committing suicide, before meeting a mysterious teenager who
claims she is Death herself.
She explains that once every hundred years she comes to Earth to learn the
value of the lives she takes. The film takes place over a 24-hour period
where Sexton learns to love life by spending a day with Death.
EAST OF EDEN
'Universal Pictures' and 'Imagine Entertainment' are close to a deal with
John Steinbeck's estate to film an adaptation of East Of Eden, to be written
by Paul Attanasio for Ron Howard (Apollo 13) to direct.
Steinbeck's modern retelling of the Cain and Abel story was published in
1952, and turned into a 1955 film starring James Dean. Howard and Grazer
have tapped Attanasio to return to the pages of the Steinbeck classic,
rather than doing a straight remake of the original film.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 3
J.J Abrams (creator-writer of TV espionage series Alias) is apparently under
consideration to direct Mission Impossible 3, after director Joe Carnahan
(Narc) left the project.
SEVEN SECONDS
'Variety' reports that Wesley Snipes (Blade) is currently starring in Seven
Seconds, for director Simon Fellows.
The film is currently in production at Romania's 'Castel Studios', and
concerns a heist expert who accidentally steals a bag containing a Van Gogh
painting and must find a way to save his partner, whose held hostage by
gangsters pursuing the artwork.
Tamzin Outhwaite (TV's EastEnders) co-stars in the movie in her first
Hollywood role. As I'm sure any avid reader of the tabloids will know
already...
STAR TREK XI
'Sci Fi Wire' spoke to Trek producer Rick Berman about the next Star Trek
movie. Berman revealed he's had "very, very early" talks with Next
Generation star and director Jonathan Frakes about the proposed prequel.
Berman: "I spoke to Jonathan about a half an hour ago. He's in Japan, and
he's coming here [because] his film [Thunderbirds] is premiering Saturday
here in Los Angeles. There are very, very early conversations going on about
a film project. But they're so early that it's really kind of silly to talk
about it now."
Berman confirmed that the prequel movie will have "... an entirely new
setting and an entirely new set of characters, and it would take place prior
to any of the series."
This conflicts with the idea that the prequel will concern the
Federation-Romulan conflict; since that war, as all good Trekkers
undoubtedly know, takes place in the future of the TV series Enterprise. But
does Berman know this?
HARRY POTTER & THE GOBLET OF FIRE
'The Leaky Cauldron' reports that actress Miranda Richardson (right) (Sleepy Hollow)
will star as Daily Prophet reporter Rita Skeeter in Harry Potter & The
Goblet Of Fire, due out in November 2005.
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE - THE PREQUEL
Michael Bay's 'Platinum Dunes' will make a prequel to last year's remake of
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, reports 'Variety'.
The Longest Yard screenwriter Sheldon Turner will pen the script, thought to
revolve around a group of sibling soldiers who cross paths with the
chainsaw-wielding Leatherface.
Screenwriter Turner recently finished a polish of Scott Kosar's script for a
remake of The Amityville Horror.
'New Line Cinema' had to pay $3 million more than expected to keep the
franchise with the studio, after 'Dimension Films' made a large bid with
original rights holders Tobe Hooper (the original's director), Kim Henkel
(the original's writer) and Robert Kuhn.
STAR WARS EPISODE III
The title for George Lucas' final prequel movie has been confirmed. No, it's
not The Creeping Fear as originally, well, feared. It is, drum roll
please.... Star Wars Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith. Not very original,
but the best title of the prequels so far and with a nice mirroring to
Return Of The Jedi.
TOUCH
Jenna Elfman (Looney Tunes) is set to star in Timothy Scott Bogart's movie
Touched, reports 'Production Weekly'.
Touched is the story of Scott, a man who awakens from a coma having lost the
ability to feel. The nurse assigned to care for him, Angela (Elfman), begins
to examine her own feelings about love, loss and her patient. Production
will begin in Los Angeles this August.
TRANSFORMERS
'DreamWorks' are teaming up with 'Paramount Pictures' and toy company
'Hasbro' to develop a live-action movie based on Transformers, the robotic
heroes that spawned a 1980's comic-book series, TV show and animated movie
film (famously with Orson Welles' vocal talents as his last role!)
'Variety' reports that Steven Spielberg will executive produce the film,
which is aiming for a summer 2006 release. 'Hasbro' will work with the
production team on all aspects of the film's creative development, marketing
and merchandising.
TEAM AMERICA
The first picture from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone's new
film, Team America: World Police, have appeared online at 'IGN Filmforce'.
The $20 million action-comedy-musical, written by Parker, Stone and Pam
Brady, centres on a prototypical action hero who's drafted to help Team
America thwart the world's evil forces.
'Paramount' will promote the marionette superhero film at this week's San
Diego Comic-Con, ahead of its October release.
WATCHMEN
According to 'The Hollywood Reporter', 'Paramount Pictures' has picked up
the movie rights to 'DC Comics' Watchmen. Darren Aronofsky (Requiem For A
Dream) will direct the film, which has been adapted for the big-screen by
David Hayter (X-Men) from Alan Moore's celebrated 1986 graphic-novel.
Watchmen is a mystery-thriller revolving around a team of retired
superheroes who are being systematically murdered...
NEXT WEEK...
It's the 100th edition of Dan's Movie Digest! Has it really been that long?
To celebrate this centenary, DMD will be temporarily transformed next week
into a four-day event entitled "THE 100 GREATEST UNDERDOG MOVIES" (GUM)!
GUM is a list of 100 films that: deserve reassessment, remain enjoyable
flops, were wrongly savaged by critics, or just sadly ignored by audiences.
Every film on the list has its fans, despite generally being considered
"unsuccessful". So GUM is the chance for these underdog movies to shine!
Part 1 of 4 is released on Monday 2 August, but none will include Dom's
favourite so-crap-it's-good movie, Freejack (right).
I hope you enjoy it!
** IN THE PIPELINE **