News and Featuretttes I've Missed: 'Prince of Persia,' 'Predators' and 'Captain America'

I've been away from anything movie news related for a while due to a massive amount of school work, but now I have returned with full blogging force!

Here are some interesting tidbits that have appeared online while I've been slaving away in projects and papers.

"Prince of Persia"
Below is an excellent featurette on the film that reveals what all "Prince of Persia" fans have been wanting to see more of - parkour!



"Predators"
Here are two new featurettes for "Predators," the first taking a look at Topher Grace's character, Edwin, and the second one with producer Robert Rodriguez and D\director Nimrod Antal talking about getting involved with "Predators," casting the actors and using CG in the film.





"Captain America"
With all the waiting to hear about who would be cast as Captain America before Chris Evans (The Fantastic Four, Push, The Losers) was chosen, you'd figured he would have been one among many of those who audtioned. But it looks as if director Joe Johnston (The Rocketeer, The Wolf Man) wanted him from the start.

“Chris didn’t audition at all.” said Johnston talking to Earths Mightiest. “I was already familiar with everything he’d done and was championing his cause, not that I had a fight from the Marvel team. They were fans of his as well. He came in to the art department to say hi, saw all the jaw-dropping art and designs on the wall and reacted the way I’d hoped he would. It was really his wonderful enthusiasm for everything he saw that cinched the deal. We have some of the best designers and illustrators in the industry working for us and the art is just incredible to wander through. He will bring the perfect balance of dramatic performance and physicality to the role."

The other question is whether Evans will be playing Steve Rogers both before and after he gets the super soldier serum. That means going from a skinny runt to a buffed up hero.

“Casting Captain America is really casting two roles…Steve Rogers before and after the transformation from 98 pound weakling to perfect physical specimen. I can’t divulge how we’re going to do it, but the performance will be Chris Evans from beginning to end. An actor playing Captain America has to embody that backstory and let it inform his understanding of his new self. One of the interesting aspects of the character is the effect that kind of total transformation would have on the his psyche. It gives the character more dimension and the actor playing him a wider range of interesting choices.”

Wonder if they're going to us CGI like they did on Sam Worthington's legs in "Avatar."

"Lobo" and "Green Hornet"

While they may not be the best known or most anticipated comic book movie adaptations out there, the upcoming "Green Hornet" film and potential "Lobo" movie definitely have their share of fans looking forward to both.

But according to IESB, both projects aren't doing well.

Word is in that Sony executives got an early look at "Green Hornet" and their reaction wasn't enthusiastic. They say that the movie is too campy, director Michel Gondry’s direction is off, and that Seth Rogen (even though he’s lost weight for the part) doesn’t work at all in the lead.

A "Lobo" film has been in the works for a while now, but with Guy Ritchie leaving to do "Sherlock Holmes 2" and Warner Bros. not apparently not to happy with how "The Losers" and "Jonah Hex" are turning out - a "Lobo" film may start sitting on the backburner.

That's some pretty shitty news on two films I was looking forward to. Then again, "Lobo" isn't a well-known character in the DC universe and "Green Hornet" was written by the same team behind "Superbad."

That's a whole lotta news and I still need to get back to school work.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Guy Ritchie Drops 'Lobo' for 'Sherlock Holmes 2'

Little did we know that when Robert Downey Jr. made the decision to leave Jon Favreau's "Cowboys & Aliens" for a sequel to "Sherlock Holmes" that he would be setting a precedent. Now Hero Complex reports that director Guy Ritchie has left "Lobo" in favor of working on "Sherlock Holmes 2."

According to Hero Complex, Ritchie has cleared his schedule to start preparing work on "Sherlock Holmes 2" for Warner Bros., meaning that his attachment to "Lobo" is no longer a certainty.

"I don't think he's going to do ['Lobo']," said Joel Silver, who is a producer on both projects. "The studio wants us and Guy to focus on making another 'Sherlock Holmes.' So I think we're going to be doing that."

Surely the $388 million worldwide box office cumulative combined with a surprising Golden Globe win for Downey's portrayal of the famous detective has something to do with the studio's quick interest and swift action in putting together the sequel.

While there's a chance that Ritchie could still direct "Lobo," that would mean a postponement for the project. Silver thinks it's more likely that the comic book movie will go to another filmmaker.

"I would guess ['Lobo' will go to] a different director," he said. "It's all happening at once now. Everybody is talking about everything. ... It's an ongoing conversation."

The news of Ritchie's departure from "Lobo" isn't entirely out of nowhere. Back in December, Ritchie said that his attachment to the film was far from a certainty.

Though I would've liked to see Ritchie direct "Lobo" (after all, he’s been directing lowlife criminals, thugs and general bad guys for almost his whole career) and would’ve liked to see Downey battle aliens as a cowboy, I can’t say I blame either of them. After all, with almost $400 million in the bank for the first "Sherlock Holmes" (and more still on the way), a sequel is pretty much a guaranteed success.

Are you disappointed Guy Ritchie is apparently off the "Lobo" adaptation? Which director would you like to see pick up the reigns instead? Do you think the "Sherlock Holmes" sequel be as good and successful as the first?

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, First Showing, Screen Rant

Will Guy Ritchie Direct 'Lobo'?

MTV News had the chance to speak with "Sherlock Holmes" director Guy Ritchie at a press junket in London. and they asked him about the upcoming adaptation of DC Comics’ "Lobo."

Back in September, it was reported by Variety that Ritchie was attached to direct "Lobo."

However, the reports of Ritchie's attachment to the project could be a bit premature as Ritchie himself said his involvement is not a fact.

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"Is it a matter of fact that I'm doing it?" Ritchie asked when told of reports framing his participation in "Lobo" as a done deal. "I don't think it's a matter of fact. In fact, I can tell you it's not a matter of fact."

From that claim it would seem that DC/WB has been courting Ritchie for "Lobo" and perhaps a preliminary deal has even been put in place. But from Ritchie’s statement it seems that the dotted line has yet to be signed and that Variety may have jumped the gun in their initial report.

Did you have your heart set on Guy Ritchie directing "Lobo" or do you perhaps see a window of opportunity for a different director?

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, MTV News

WB/DC Get Their Act Together and Create DC Entertainment

Warner Brothers announced some big changes on the DC Comics front today—big enough to rival last week's Disney/Marvel merger.

Confirming an early report on Deadline Hollywood, WB announced the creation of DC Entertainment, a new subdivision of WB aimed at better exploiting Superman, Batman and the rest of DC's stable of characters across various media platforms. The new company will be helmed by Diane Nelson, who previously served as president of Warner Premiere, the subdivision responsible for many of the animated, direct-to-DVD, DC Universe features. (Nelson also serves as caretaker for the wildly successful "Harry Potter" property at WB.)

The WB announcement also confirmed that DC president and publisher Paul Levitz will step down from his role with the company. While this certainly indicates that WB is finally beginning to take notice of the DC brand, details are slim regarding the potential effects on the publishing side of DC and any immediate changes we're likely to see on the movie front.

However, that doesn't mean we can't glean a few potential implications from the news.

According to Deadline Hollywood, WB is "calling back" many of the high-profile films in development involving DC characters. Much like Disney's desire to bring all of Marvel's properties under one roof and cut back on third-party deals to produce films based on the company's characters (i.e., "Spider-Man" and the "X-Men"), the report alledges that WB is putting a hold on many of the high-profile DC films that involved production partners outside the company.

"My understanding is that Joel Silver, who is buddies with [WB Pictures Group president Jeff] Robinov, was allowed to continue bringing low profile 'The Losers' to the big screen under his Dark Castle banner. But Silver's 10 years of developing 'Wonder Woman' is history now," reported Deadline Hollywood.

The fact that DC Entertainment—and Nelson—will now be reporting directly to Robinov also says quite a bit about the company's new approach to the DC brand. Where the home of Superman and Batman existed somewhat independently in the greater WB picture prior to today's shuffle, DC Entertainment's new role appears to be in service of the theatrical division of WB first and foremost.

Exactly where publishing comics will fit into this new picture remains one of the biggest questions surrounding the news. Will comics receive more or less attention under DC Entertainment—or is the publishing division too small for anyone to bother changing?

On the movie front, however, the move certainly looks good for WB's much-discussed problems getting films involving DC characters off the ground. Fans hoping to see the Superman franchise finally return to theaters will likely get their wish under the new, re-structured DC Entertainment banner, and many of DC's other notable properties will probably receive more attention from the studio than ever before.
Often plagued by studio interference, the starting and stopping of scripts in the works, and without any solid DC franchises, save Batman, the creation of DC Entertainment is looking to rectify this — and fast. But DC is still a far-cry away from Marvel's stranglehold on the comic book-movie genre. Perhaps under the fixated umbrella of DC Entertainment, DC Comics can more equally compete with Marvel in theaters. Though, as a branch of Warner Bros, it's as of yet unknown if WB will be as hands-off as Disney has promised for Marvel, or if DC Entertainment will hold as much control as Marvel did when they were self-financed.

Regardless, it is still exciting to see Warner Bros making a strategic and bold move with DC. Now let's roll these franchises out. Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Justice League — I'm hoping all these films follow the example of Nolan's successful Batman franchise. What do all of you think of this news?

Current DC properties in development and/or production at Warner Bros. Entertainment include:

–"Human Target" is being produced by Warner Bros. Television for a mid-season debut on Fox.

– "Midnight Mass" is in series development at Warner Bros. Television for consideration for the 2010-11 season.

– "Jonah Hex," Warner Bros. Pictures' supernatural Western starring Josh Brolin, Megan Fox and John Malkovich, recently wrapped production in Louisiana.

– "The Losers," Dark Castle/Warner Bros. Pictures' action-adventure drama starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana and Chris Evans, began principal photography mid-July in Puerto Rico.

– "The Green Lantern," Warner Bros. Pictures' next big superhero tentpole release, recently cast Ryan Reynolds as the titular character. The film has a projected second quarter 2011 release date.

– "Lobo," based on the DC Comics anti-hero, has Guy Ritchie attached as a director; Joel Silver, Akiva Goldsman and Andrew Rona are producing for Silver Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures.

– Warner Bros. Animation currently produces "Batman: The Brave and the Bold," which airs on Cartoon Network.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: First Showing, MTV News, UGO Movie Blog

Guy Ritchie to Direct DC/WB's ‘Lobo’

DC Comics interstellar bounty hunter, "Lobo," has a feature film in the works and Guy Ritchie ("Sherlock Holmes") will be the man helping to realize the vision.

Variety is reporting that DC/Warner Bros. has attached Ritchie to the project, which they hope to have in production by early next year. If you’re not familiar, Lobo is the foul-mouthed, interstellar bounty hunter of the DC Universe. He rides a pimped-out space bike, is strong enough to take on Superman, with enough energy left over to drink, party and get laid all night by the lovely ladies of the cosmos. All when he isn’t brutally slaughtering bad guys and collecting bounties, that is.

"What I like is a world where you have major broad poetic license, whether its comic properties or whatever," Ritchie said. "I like stepping into an animated world. Exactly how that animation manifests itself is secondary. The primary thing is to leave what we perceive as a normal world and depart into a '300'-type or 'Avatar'-esque. And that appeals to me. I like 'Sin City' and '300' and 'Watchmen.' I like departing from a normal world."

Ritchie seems like a good fit for the material of "Lobo" because most of his previous films portrayed anti-hero types set in the London underground ("Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," "Snatch") With the upcoming big-budget adventure film "Sherlock Holmes" getting released this Christmas, Ritchie has certainly demonstrated he can tackle high-profile studio projects. Still, the WB is aiming for a PG-13 rating for "Lobo," something that producer Joel Silver revealed a few short months ago.

"I think ['Lobo' is] structured now as a PG-13 movie," the producer said of the film's rating. "I think we've done it that way, but I love it."

But how “high-profile” is a Lobo movie? The character is not nearly as recognized as Superman, Batman or even Green Lantern (though for a brief run in the 1990s was one of the most popular characters). I figure they’ll push the limits for a PG-13 rating with the language/violence, but still keep the movie clean enough to have teenage boys flocking to the theater.

Are you excited to see Lobo on the screen before The Flash or Wonder Woman? And are you happy Guy Ritchie is at the helm? No word yet on when DC/WB wants to have "Lobo" in theaters or who will play the Main Man.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, MTV News, First Showing

'Lobo' To Be PG-13?

Producer Joel Silver, the Hollywood power-player behind "Sherlock Holmes" and "The Matrix," has his eye on DC Comics' "Lobo," the intergalactic biker with a fowl mouth and Gene Simmons-styled eye makeup.

However, the movie version of "Lobo" might be slightly more family-friendly than his original comics incarnation, according to Silver.

"I think it's structured now as a PG-13 movie," Silver told a group of reporters, according to Sci Fi Wire. "I think we've done it that way, but I love it."

Originally created as a peripheral character in Keith Giffen and Roger Slifer's Green Lantern spinoff comic Omega Men, Lobo was reinvented as an antihero in the early 1990s by writer Alan Grant and artist Simon Bisley, who elevated the exaggerated biker persona to epically monstrous levels.

Though Silver declined to reveal further details, he suggested that the technology that James Cameron is currently working with might play a role in realizing Lobo's transition from page to screen.

"When any of you see 'Avatar,' see pieces of it, the technology is genius, the stuff that's out there that is doable is fantastic," he noted.

The story for the proposed film is already in its early stages, and bringing it into production sounds like something Silver wants make happen in the near future.

"'Lobo' is one I'm very excited about maybe doing one day, hopefully soon," Silver said. "I think we can do it. We've got a script we like."

Sources: MTV News, Sci Fi Wire

Lobo

Lobo is an intergalactic bounty hunter who gets his target in probably the most violent way possible. He was a character from DC comics that became popular during the time of excessive violence in the mid-1990s.

Now WB and DC plan on bringing a Lobo film to life.
Head over to Latino Review to see a review of the script of the film and decide on your own whether this kind of movie can work (it is unembeddable, so you have to go to Latino Review to watch it).

Do you think a Lobo movie can work? Will it be able to do well if rated R?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!