Movie News Rush 12

The crazy busy schedule of my past month is almost up. Hopefully I can start going back to my regular posts soon. Also been trying to think of a cool way to do a multi-blogging event like a "Crisis on Infinite Blogs." Yes, taken from the famous DC Comics storyline, but what if a bunch of blogs worked together to create an event where a piece of the continuing story was on multiple blogs and to find out what was happening (I dunno - some sort of Internet evil virus taking over blogs or something) you had to go to each blog to see what was happening. It sounds cool in my head...anyway - on to movie news!

"Captain America: The First Avenger" and "The Avengers"

The news - I smell deceit! After the whole crazy issue of Jeremy Renner ("The Hurt Locker") in talks to play Hawkeye and then him saying it wasn't happening we now get news he actually is in talks to play Hawkeye. Get your head around that.

It is also being pointed out that Neal McDonough ("Minority Report") is in talks to play "Dum Dum" Dugan in "Captain America." Dugan worked with Nick Fury and SHIELD back in WWII.

McDonough and Renner join the powerful cast which already includes the recently added Tommy Lee Jones in addition to Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes.

Deadline (on McDonough)
THR Heat Vision(on Renner)
The Geek Files (on Renner)
The Geek Files (on McDonough)
Screen Rant (on Renner)
Screen Rant (on McDonough)
Latino Review (both)
First Showing (both)
UGO Movie Blog (on McDonough)
MTV News (on Renner)
MTV News (on McDonough)

"The Expendables"

The news - while the first trailer for the film was quite explosive, a new trailer has it the 'net and feels more like a teaser trailer as it shows no footage. Still, it does build up excitement for the film.

More The Expendables Videos

"Batman 3" and "Superman: Man of Steel"

The news - Chris Nolan, the godfather of DC Entertainment, will be bringing new Batman and Superman films to theaters in 2012. In speaking with Empire magazine, Nolan says he wants to go back to the essence of what Superman is about and that there will be no Joker in the next Batman film. So we take the good with the bad. Click on the links below for more quotes from the man himself.

Obsessed With Film (Superman)
Obsessed With Film (Batman)
First Showing
Screen Rant
MTV News
The Geek Files

No Superman Cameo in 'Green Lantern'

One of the earliest rumors about the "Green Lantern" film was that it included a cameo by a certain Man of Steel. This rumor first surfaced when IESB got an early look at the "Green Lantern" script and picked up on a scene where Clark Kent is approached as a possible candidate to wear Abin Sur's emerald power ring.

This naturally set off a rumor-bomb of speculation about who would play Clark Kent for the "Green Lantern" cameo (Tom Welling? Brandon Routh?) – but all that talk is now moot, as MTV News has confirmed that there will NOT be a Superman cameo in the film.

MTV News confirmed the news while talking with "Green Lantern" director Martin Campbell, who had this to say:

“No, that won’t happen…None of the other DC characters will appear in the film.”

So down goes any Superman, Batman, Flash, or any other DC hero rumor you heard about regarding "Green Lantern." While many of us comic book movie fans have enjoyed the sort of crossover cameos Marvel Studios has packed into their films as a lead-in to their "Avengers" movie, it seems DC/WB is letting their directors go the Chris Nolan route and establish independent universes for their individual heroes before they do any swapping and sharing.

Seeing as how Superman is in an awkward state of affairs right now because of the lawsuit that took away certain rights to the character from WB/DC and WB even saying there were no plans to make a new "Superman" movie any time soon, having a cameo wouldn't make sense as it would get fans hopes up for no reason.

Once everything gets settled for "Green Lantern" and the next "Batman," maybe we can hope for a new "Superman" and maybe a "Wonder Woman" film as well. Don't get your hopes up though.

Are you crushed that you won’t see Superman in "Green Lantern"?

"Green Lantern" begins production in March and hits theaters on June 17, 2011.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Screen Rant

Lawsuit to Blame for Superman Delays

The legal battles between Warner Bros/DC and the heirs of Jerry Siegel has been blamed for causing delays to a further Superman film.

Earlier this week, the head of Warner's new DC Entertainment unit said there were no current plans for another Superman movie.

It's now reported that Warner Bros has admitted that ongoing litigation has stopped any attempts to get Superman back on the big screen.

According to fansite Superman Homepage, Warner Bros senior vice president of corporate communications Scott Rowe has said in an email: "Superman is an important member of our family, but because of ongoing litigation we cannot announce any concrete plans at this time.

"That said, at some point in the future, you're likely to see a new Superman. So... have no fear."

Warner Bros has been locked in a protracted legal dispute over rights with the heirs of the character's co-creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The studio faces a lawsuit from the Siegel estate if it does not begin production on another film by 2011.

In 2013, all rights revert to the heirs, which means Warners would subsequently need their permission to proceed with another film. It also means the heirs could take the character to another studio.

Are Warner Bros. therefore headed for more legal action if no Superman movie plans are made by 2011? We'll just have to wait and see.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: The Geek Files

DC Entertainment Has No Current Plans for Superman

MTV News spoke to Diane Nelson, the newly-anointed head of Warner Bros.’ DC Entertainment Inc., and asked her about how the new venture will affect the DC films already in the pipeline and which heroes we can expect to see onscreen in the near future.

Anyone hoping we would see Superman soar again following the recent formation at Warner Bros of a DC Entertainment (DCE) division, tasked with exploiting the potential of DC Comics heroes in other media such as movies, is going to be sorely disappointed.

Diane Nelson, the new president of DCE, told MTV News: "We actually don't have any current plans for Superman."

She added: "We've obviously done a lot of great things behind the property in our history, and it's a key part of the family, but we don't have current plans behind Superman."

Warner Bros faces legal action from the heirs of the character's creators if it doesn't have a Superman film in production by 2011. So it could be that news will follow further down the line; there is still time to get moving before that deadline.

2009 is almost done and one year is a hell of a short time to get a massive tentpole like a Superman movie underway, so unless the studio has a secret plan, it looks like the chances of us seeing another Superman film in the works before the legal deadline are pretty slim.

All rights to the character revert to the creators' families in 2013, which means the film rights can then be offered to other studios, including Marvel/Disney.

Honestly, I can't imagine why Warner Bros. and DC wouldn't want to do everything they could to bring back Superman in the way that Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns" was supposed to. While I didn't hate "Superman Returns," I believe that it was a lackluster return for Krypton's last son, and Superman deserves a more thrilling contemporary adaptation.

If WB has the competence to work with producer Charles Roven to bring together such an amazing team to bring Batman back in a huge way, then why not Superman? I'm hoping that DC Entertainment is simply taking a big breath before they make their next move, and that Superman won't be on the backburner for much longer.
For the meantime, let’s remember that the goal of DCE is to maximize the profitability of the ENTIRE DC brand - not just trying to find new ways of cashing in on the same character. The studio already has "Jonah Hex," "Green Lantern," "Deadman," "The Losers" and "Lobo" - all lesser-known DC heroes - headed to the movies, so why not continue to focus efforts on turning no-names into show-names? Superman will always be king, whenever he returns to the big screen.

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

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

Warner Bros. Loses Superman’s Past

A legal battle between DC/WB and the heirs of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joel Schuster over the copyright to Superman has been raging for going on a decade now. In recent months, a judge ruled that in 2013, the Siegel/Schuster heirs will own the full copyright to Superman - however, many of auxillary elements of character developed by DC Comics after Siegel and Schuster’s initial introduction of the character have remained on the legal battlefield. Until now:

Warner Bros. no longer has access to Superman’s origins.

Variety reports that on Wednesday, Judge Stephen Larson ruled that the Siegels now control a lot of Superman’s early history, including his brief infancy on Krypton, his parents, baby Kal-El and the whole “sent to Earth from a dying planet” storyline. The Siegels also captured ownership of early Superman comic-strips and early Superman/Action Comics issues.

So what does this mean for the next Superman film?

It's already been reported that DC/WB is facing a ticking clock: Judge Larson has already ruled that unless the two companies get another Superman movie into production by 2011, they will forfeit the opportunity to do so entirely and the full rights to Superman (including any depictions of the character on TV/Film) will pass into the hands of the Siegel/Schuster heirs. With this latest ruling it looks like we won’t have to sit through yet another all-too-familiar origin story.

The studio still owns the rights to a lot of auxiliary elements of the Superman universe, including Lex Luthor, Superman’s ability to fly, kryptonite (the term), Jimmy Olsen, Superman’s powers and the character’s “expanded origins.” Plenty of stuff left to craft a fresh and original take on the Man of Steel. Time to get creative.

What do you think - does this latest ruling further hamper the possibilities of the next Superman film, or will it inspire an injection of much-needed fresh perspective on the character?

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

James McTeigue Weighs In On Movie Rumors

It's hardly a secret that the Wachowski brothers are into geek culture, but they're particularly pivotal in the comic book arena thanks to their work on "V for Vendetta" with director James McTeigue. The online rumor mill has suggested McTeigue and the Wachowskis' involvement in some other comic properties -- but according to McTeigue himself, fans shouldn't get their hopes too high.

McTeigue spoke with SlashFilm recently about his rumored connections to a variety of superhero projects, including "Plastic Man," "X-Men Origins: Magneto" and the untitled "Superman" reboot. The "Ninja Assassin" director said that the reports were off-base for the most part, but he's keeping one of those rumors in play for the time being.

Regarding "Plastic Man," McTeigue said, "Obviously, Larry and Andy [Wachowski] did a script for 'Plastic Man' back in the day. I'll be very surprised if that movie gets made. We haven't ever really talked about it. But I know it's still a Joel [Silver] property or a Warner property."

McTeigue was similarly skeptical about his involvement with "Magneto," a film that he was alleged to direct in David Goyer's stead. The director laughed off the report, saying: "I think that David Goyer would be surprised about that actually."

"[Magneto] was just one of those rumors that started out and I don't know where it came from or how it came up," he said, but added: "I mean, you know, it's not a bad idea."

Finally, the filmmaker spoke about rumors that he'd direct the latest "Superman" film with the Wachowski siblings on board as producers. Interestingly, he was more coy regarding this project than the others.

"You know... I... I would say... I'll keep you guessing, actually," McTeigue reportedly said. "It's good not to dispel every rumor, right?"

Does he seem to hesitate on that last question?
McTeigue was so forthcoming on previous questions, and quick to deny false rumors. I hate to read too much into his answer (or as it may be, his non-answer) but his hesitation seems to suggest there might be something to it. Maybe there have been some early talks, or possibly it is something the Wachowski Brothers are developing. But the non denial seems rather odd, especially coming off of denials on a handful of other rumored projects.

McTeigue's next project will be the period piece "The Raven," which is a fictional tale about the final days of Edgar Allan Poe.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: MTV News, SlashFilm

What's Next for 'Superman'?

Robert Sanchez at IESB has the scoop on the latest details leaking out of the Warner Brothers camp for the Superman franchise.

According to Robert and his search for information on the Man of Steel, WB is treating Bryan Singer’s "Superman Returns" as a sort of conclusion to the film franchise as it was before, and are heading in new direction with new people.

We knew this already with Brandon Routh’s and Bryan Singer’s contracts expiring, but Robert now has some clues as to who may be involved with the franchise’s future.

And from the recent lawsuit we all know that the new Superman film must be in production by 2011 and IESB has learned that it has indeed been put on the proverbial "fast track".

There is one thing we know for sure, there is currently a very short list of potential directors to bring Supes back to the big screen. Who are the frontrunners?

James McTeigue and the Wachowski brothers!
From what he’s gathered, it sounds like the Wachowskis may produce with McTeigue at the helm, in the same way they’ve been working on the action-packed "Ninja Assassin" movie.

There are several obvious factors making this a believable possibility: the history of the Wachowskis working with WB in the past ("Matrix" movies, "Speed Racer"), McTeigue’s relationship with the brothers and the court hearings that are forcing WB to get this movie fast-tracked for a 2011 start at the latest.

This court decision stated that WB needs another Superman film in production by 2011, or they’d be subject to potential lawsuits from the heirs of the Superman creators.

The information on the next Superman film has always been consistent on at least one important aspect of the movie: its action. The one absolute mandate WB and DC have for the new Superman film is for it to be action packed, something "Superman Returns" was sorely lacking. With the Wachowskis and McTiegue potentially taking command of the project after doing "Ninja Assassin," and with their history of incredible fight sequences in the "Matrix" trilogy, we’re certain to get plenty of that.

What do you think of the latest on Superman and where would you like to see the future Warner Brothers DC movies go?

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

Warner Bros Forced to Start Next Superman Movie by 2011

The legal battle between the heirs of Superman creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel and the companies that house the Man of Steel, DC Comics and Warner Bros., has finally reached a decision.

On Wednesday, Judge Stephen G. Larson ruled in favor of DC Comics and Warner Bros. in a suit filed by the heirs of Jerry Siegel, according to Variety. The Siegel family asserted that they are owed profits on “Superman Returns” due to a “sweetheart” deal between DC and the WB, but the court disagreed with the claim.

Yet, in what could be viewed as a silver lining for the Siegels and Shusters, the judge ruled that if production on a new “Superman” film does not begin by 2011, the families will be eligible to sue Warner Bros. for damages, as they will own the entire Superman copyright in 2013.

“[The] entire accounting action pales in comparison to the fact that in 2013, the Siegels, along with the estate of Joe Shuster, will own the entire original copyright to Superman, and neither DC Comics nor Warner Bros. will be able to exploit any new Superman works without a license from the Siegels and Shusters,” said Marc Toberoff, who represents the Siegels in the case.

“The Court pointedly ruled that if Warner Bros. does not start production on another Superman film by 2011, the Siegels will be able to sue to recover their damages,” he added.

The logical step for Warner Bros. and DC Comics, then, is to get started on the “Superman” reboot they announced last year, but as Warner Bros. chariman Alan Horn testified, there are no current developments on a sequel — no director, no script, nothing. Horn said that the very earliest another “Superman” film could be released was 2012.
He told the judge: "We had hopes to keep the character alive and to once again reinvent Superman. We are -- our hope is to develop a Superman property and to try again. What hurt us is that the reviews and so on for the Superman movie . . . did not get the kind of critical acclaim that Batman got, and we have other issues with Superman that concern us."

It becomes easy to see why DC/WB might suddenly halt other planned comic book films to focus all their attention on Superman. After all, he is the most recognized superhero in the world and anything released with his name on it is automatically going to have a better chance at ma$$ appeal.

But what can DC/WB do at this point? Developing and producing a Superman film takes a great deal of time and lots of money. And 2011 is NOT far away.

So, the big questions: Should DC/WB try to push out one more Superman movie before the legal deadline? Should they try to go live action, or focus on an animated feature like the upcoming "Superman/Batman: Public Enimies?" Should they be in backrooms right now, trying to beg the Shuster/Siegel heirs to cut them a new deal before Superman ends up playing for team Marvel (it is possible)?

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

Movie News Mash 21

GREEN HORNET
If you’ve been looking forward to Seth Rogen and Michel Gondry’s live-action “Green Hornet” movie, it looks like you’ll have to wait a little longer to see the pulp hero’s upcoming return to the big screen. Sony announced today that it’s moving the release date of “Green Hornet” from June 25 to July 9, 2010.

According to Variety, the move was made to allow room for the studio’s Adam Sandler-penned comedy, “Grown Ups,” which will feature Sandler and a long list of other popular comedy actors. While “Grown Ups” is currently the only film scheduled to open June 25, Rogen and “Green Hornet” co-star Stephen Chow will now go up against the animated film “Despicable Me” and the Robert Rodriguez film “Predators.” (MTV News)

ASTRO BOY
Kristen Bell is lending her voice talent to “Astro Boy,” the upcoming 3-D animated movie from Imagi Studios based on the popular manga series. In the film, Bell voices a human role opposite the titular robot hero, but she nonetheless insists that her character can hold her own.

“I play Cora, who is a girl who befriends Astro when he comes down from Metro City onto the surface of Earth,” Bell told Sci Fi Wire. “She runs a little kind of like Peter Pan group of kids. She’s pretty tough, pretty sassy.”

“It looks amazing,” Bell said of the film. “To be involved in the process is really exciting, because you see the layers that they put on, and you see when they don’t have the 3-D involved and then when they do, and you see when it’s just penciled out. It was a really interesting process.”(MTV News)

SUPERMAN
Early this morning First Showing was sent a link to an article on the Brazilian movie site Omelete where they had a few new quotes from Brandon Routh who they caught up with on the set of Edgar Wright's "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World." We've heard plenty of unconfirmed details about the status of Superman inside of Warner Brothers, but not all of it was accurate. Routh (via a rough translation) says that he knows nothing about what's currently going on and, most importantly, that his contract to play Superman has since expired. "But if they call me again, back to the character without thinking twice [sic]!" (First Showing)

How will this affect the "Superman" franchise from here out? It will most likely be rebooted and a new star will don the blue and red costume.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

This has nothing to do with the upcoming "Public Enemies" starring Christian Bale and Jonny Depp, but instead is a new animated film coming out later this year based off a popular graphic novel.

In "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies," Superman and Batman are framed by President Lex Luthor and must join forces to defeat a horde of bad guys (and some good guys) who are trying to bring them down.



Fan favorites Tim Daly, Kevin Conroy and Clancy Brown will all reprise their previous roles as the voices of Superman, Batman and Lex Luthor respectively. DC animation guru Bruce Timm will be involved with "Public Enemies" as well - although sadly director Lauren Montgomery ("Wonder Woman," "Green Lantern: First Flight") won’t be helming the film, as she is on a hiatus. Stepping into her shoes is Sam Liu, who recently directed the Marvel animated feature "Hulk vs. Thor." And, like "Green Lantern: First Flight," "Public Enemies" will boast a PG-13 rating, so older folks don’t miss out.

"Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" will be avialable for sale on September 29, 2009.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: Screen Rant

No Wachowski Superman

According to Slash film, "Remember that report that showed up on AICN last week claiming that The Wachowski Brothers had been offered a reboot of Superman? Sorry to get you guys all excited but I have just gotten confirmation from two independent sources that the report was completely false. I don’t know if an interview with James McTeigue actually aired on RTL1 or not (I’m guessing not) but The Wachowski Brothers have definitely never had any talks with DC or Warner Bros to helm a Superman film. This is confirmed."

I would have really liked to see what version of Superman would have been done if the Wachowski's ended up helming it.
But this is the first bit of news (though just a rumor) that had any really Hollywood directors attached to the future of Superman.
I don't know when DC and Warner Brothers plan to release any information on this matter, but until then we can only speculate and wait.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Movie News Mash 5

Unnamed Comedy

According to First Showing, "Columbia Pictures has hit the jackpot! Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider and David Spade are negations to star in an untitled comedy to be directed by 'Happy Gilmore' and 'You Don't Mess With the Zohan' helmer Dennis Dugan. Sandler's Happy Madison is developing and is planning to shoot over the upcoming summer. Taking a cue from some of Judd Apatow's comedies that take place over one day of time, the story, written by Sandler and Strange Wilderness writer Fred Wolf, is about five best friends from high school who reunite 30 years later on a Fourth of July weekend. Hilarity ensues."

That is a good list of funny people. Will have to hear more news and see a trailer to see the full potential of this film.



A New Superman

According to MTV News, "AICN tipster 'Ballack' has reported that frequent Wachowski collaborator James McTeigue (who directed their adaptation of Alan Moore’s 'V For Vendetta') told an interviewer in Berlin that the next project on the brothers’ plate was originally scheduled to be the “Plastic Man” movie — but a shakeup at the studio has delayed the film indefinitely. This development, however, has opened up a discussion with the Wachowskis to possibly helm a three-part reboot of the 'Superman' film franchise."

Having the guys behind the Matrix Trilogy do Superman? I am all for it.



The Delayed Knight

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Christopher Nolan has set up his next project with Warner Bros., an original screenplay he wrote called 'Inception.' The 'Dark Knight' director hopes to shoot the sci-fi action film in the summer for a release during summer 2010.

'Chris Nolan is a visionary filmmaker who continually raises the bar with each movie he makes,' Warner Bros. Pictures Group president Jeff Robinov said. 'We are thrilled to be collaborating again with him and Emma on this exciting new motion picture.'

This pushes back any potential filming on a new Batman film, but three years -- and 'The Prestige' -- passed between 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight.'"

With "Dark Knight" being No. 5, "Memento" No. 27, "Prestige" No. 83 and "Batman Begins" No. 105 on IMDB's Top 250 movies of all time, this man can direct anything.
I would like another Batman, but I have no doubt it will be made within the next three years.

McG Wants Another Shot at Superman

Didn't I just do a post with Mcg?
The "Terminator Salvation" director wishes to have another go at directing a "Superman" film.

According to The Geek Files, "McG was previously attached to the unfilmed 'Batman vs Superman' in 2002, before leaving to take on 'Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle.' A year later, he took over from Brett Ratner in the unmade origin film 'Superman: Flyby,' written by 'Lost' creator JJ Abrams, but dropped out after clashes over budget and locations.

Warner Bros is planning to 'reintroduce' the character in a new film that is unconnected to Bryan Singer's 2006 'Superman Returns.'"

In an interview with io9, McG spoke about his vision for Superman.

"I talk to JJ [Abrams] a lot about that. We went through a lot on that whole thing, I don't know. I talk to the DC guys, [President Paul] Levitz is here and I just saw Greg. Food for thought.

"I think it's a great character, I would want to make the character infinitely more dark and complicated, and get away from the big Blue Boy Scout a little bit and get into the alien among us. And how that could be lonely and interesting. It's not that I would make it depressing, I'd would just make it a little tougher... Which I suspect people would respond to.

"We have the glorious 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight,' which to me is an excellent example. I like the Schumacher pictures and everything Burton did but it needed to be reinvented to some degree and I think we're all better for it. We're all happy it went that way at least."

McG's next film is the remake of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."

A dark Superman can be interesting if done correctly, but I don't want to see another "Dark Knight." It was good, but Superman is different than Batman. Yes, he is alone among the humans, but he makes friends (and many enemies). Superman is just always seen as the good guy, but there is always a little darkness in everyone.
I say bring in Doomsday and do the death of Superman (like "Superman:Doomsday") thing for real!
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Will Superman Return?

Bryan Singer has finished his film "Valkyrie" and is working on a remake of "Logan's Run," but now according to the LA Times he may be taking a break from making movies.
Does this mean he won't be making the next Superman film, "Man of Steel?"

"At the moment, I haven't decided. I really don't know.," Singer told the LA Times. "I'm taking a genuine break. The last four years have been really busy with the miniseries, the TV and the movies.

"I'm taking a few months to collect myself and figure out what I'm going to do in that regard. We did a lot of development on [Logan's Run] and a lot of work. To start it up again, I wouldn't start it up again without a full commitment. So I have decisions to make. Right now, that's just hanging around."



Back in April, Singer was already talking about doing a follow-up film to "Superman Returns," the latest Superman film that dealt with a lot of harsh criticism.

That movie made $400 million!" Singer said to Empire Magazine. "I don’t know what constitutes under-performing these days...Look, I can understand, I suppose, what some people mean. Perhaps some people went in with the expectation of it being like an X-Men film, and Superman is a tougher character than that. Especially bringing him back. It really goes back to the fact that you can only please some of the people some of the time. But, yes, I’m just getting back with writers after the strike. We’re just in the development phase. I’m starting to develop a sequel...with the intention of directing it.

“The first one was a romantic film and a nostalgic film,” Singer said. “I’ll be the first person to own up to that without making any apologies for it. I knew it was going to be that from the outset. And now that the characters are established, there’s really an opportunity to up the threat levels...Clearly there’ll be a body count [laughs]. From frame one, it will be unrelenting terror! All those teenage girls who found the movie and mooned over James Marsden or Brandon? Well, I’m going to wake them up!”

Then in August, Warner Bros. Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov said, "'Superman Returns' didn't quite work as a film in the way that we wanted it to. 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. But now the plan is just to reintroduce Superman without regard to a Batman and Superman movie at all." [The Geek Files]

Robinov said no team movie of DC characters was going to come out and that Superman was going to have a reboot, with the possibility of the character going darker in tone (such as "The Dark Knight").



In October, Brandon Routh told IESB that he was still going to play Superman in the sequel.

Routh said that he was contracted by Warner Bros for the Superman sequel.
"I confer with them on my schedule because they have a contractual obligation to my time for a certain amount of time until that contract expires at which time I have to say 'hey I'm going to be unavailable during this time, do you want to exercise your right to use me in another Warner Bros film?' But, that's all the power they have over me right now."

He also confirmed reports that he had met Paul Levitz, president of Warner Bros comic-book division DC Comics, to talk about playing Superman in a sequel.
"We talked about what Warner Bros were thinking and what the situation was and obviously, thankfully, he is still wanting me to be a part of it and I certainly want to be a part of it.

"I don't have a time-frame. I haven't really heard the studio's stance, I've just heard what's in the media and that every time I see somebody from Warner Bros they tell me that they are working on it and are going to figure it out soon. But that's about the answer I get."

In December, UGO Movie Blog asked Singer if he was still going to be directing "Man of Steel."

"I wish I had an answer," Sinder said. "I love Superman and I cannot tell you anything else. I wish I could, but there's nothing I have to tell." Asked if he was officially involved in talk of the new film, he said, "I am not officially involved in the talk, no. I have relationships with Warner Brothers and with the character and it's just the way things work out." He added he was not totally 'divorced' from Superman at that point.



So where are we now? Warner Bros. is currently still trying to reboot the franchise. Will Bryan Singer be involved? Will Brando Routh return as Superman? Will Lex Luthor play the main villain or be secondary to a new threat to Metropolis?
We will have to wait to hear more news from WB while Marvel stays very open about what ti hopes to achieve with its "Avengers" series coming into play in the next couple of years. Warner Bros. is staying very quiet when it comes to any DC possible film though talks of "Green Lantern" and "The Flash" are running around the Internet. WB will have to step up since the current rights to Superman run out in 2013 (unless they wish to renew from DC).
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

DC Movies on Hold

According to Screen Rant, "In an IESB interview for 'The Unborn,' director/writer David Goyer says all DC properties are currently on hold for the time being in regards to film development."

When asked about "Supermax" [a kind of "Green Arrow" movie] and "Justice League," Goyer had this to say.

“A lot of the DC movies at Warner Brothers are all on hold while they figure out, they’re going to come up with some new plan, methodology, things like that so everything has just been pressed pause at the moment.”

Screen Rant continued and said, "Including the two movies mentioned, 'Superman' and 'Green Lantern' would also be on hold. With an across the board freeze, Warner Bros. may be looking to create a cohesive DC Universe."

Goyer was also asked if the success of "The Dark Knight" attributed to this freeze.

“It was the double header of both ‘Iron Man’ and ‘The Dark Knight’ coming out, so more than ever I think they’ve realized, I think DC was responsible for 15% of Warner Brother’s revenue this year, something crazy like that, so they realized that comic books, it’s become a new genre, one of the most successful genres.”

What are your thoughts on this freeze? Do you think it might be that WB will try to connect the heroes the way Marvel is?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

DC Movies

Alan Horn, President of Warner Bros., recently had some Batman, Superman and Green Lantern questions thrown at him by the good folks at Collider.
Check out the interview below!



Interesting news for DC fans! What are your thoughts?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Brandon Routh on next Superman

IESB.net got to speak with Brandon Routh, Clark Kent/Superman from the movie Superman Returns. He was asked about the next Superman film and its rumored dark tone.


“I don’t think the character necessarily has to be darker," Routh said. "I think he is kind of dark in a sense, emotional dark, in Superman Returns, and the movie as a whole was slightly dark…You make the stakes higher, you make the villain darker, I think that’s a way to do it. But I don’t think Superman himself needs to be darker. He definitely has to struggle, how does Superman be a part of the world? And does he have to make sacrifices to be a part of that world? To fit in and what purpose does he really play in the world? Those are all kind of dark places to explore. But, I don’t think Superman should ever be dark and brooding, that’s not his nature.”

In addition to the hot topic of Superman going dark, Routh was also pressed on the status of a follow-up and if he’d be a part of it.

“I don’t have a time frame,” said Routh. “I haven’t really heard the studio’s stance, I’ve just heard what’s in the media and that every time I see somebody from Warner Bros. they tell me that they are working on it and are going to figure it out soon. But that’s about the answer I get.”

Superman: Man of Steel is getting no news recently, but if Chris Nolan signs on to do the next Batman, then maybe more news will be released.
Man of Steel is still aiming for a 2011 release.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Superman: Man of Steel

Latino Review got an exclusive talk with Paul Levitz, the President of DC Comics.
When asked about Superman: Man of Steel, Paul had this to say.

“Everyone is waiting for Nolan to sign on for another Batman, once that happens, the release date for Superman and all other future projects will follow.”

And there is more. DC wants Brandon Routh, Superman from Superman Returns, to return as the Son of Krypton.
So it won't be a full reboot if it has the same actor.
DC is waiting for Chris Nolan to sign the deal with the next Batman, and DC wants him to commit to a July 2011 release. If that happens then the following superhero films will be released.

Green Lantern Summer 2010
Batman 3 Summer 2011
New Superman reboot Summer 2012
Also in the mix is The Flash.

Green Lantern will come out before Superman, but what if Brandon Routh did a cameo in the Green Lantern film as Clark Kent (as a recent rumor I heard said might happen)? Would DC be trying to copy Marvel in the wake of the Avengers to create, *gasp*, the Justice League?

Superman and Batman

The Dark Knight did amazingly well in Box Office (check out one of my earlier posts about that) but Superman Returns didn't do as well. Yes, it did kind of well...but...it's Superman!
James Marsden, who played Richard White in the latest Superman film (and Cyclops in X-men), explains why it didn't do so well, according to MTV News.
“One of my favorite films growing up was the Christopher Reeve Superman. Obviously, it was Bryan Singer’s as well. He had great affection for Richard Donner’s movie. [Given 'Returns' debt to that classic film] I was actually baffled by [the fact that it didn’t do that well]. The movie did okay. It did well, but it’s Superman. This is the ultimate superhero."

So how will Warner Bros. turn Superman around? By making him even darker, Warner Bros. Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov said.
"Superman didn't quite work as a film in the way that we wanted it to," Robinov said of Singer's movie, which made just $215 million domestically. "It didn't position the character the way he needed to be positioned," he continued. "Had 'Superman' worked in 2006, we would have had a movie for Christmas of this year or 2009, but now the plan is just to reintroduce Superman. We're going to try to go dark to the extent that the character allows it."

Can't wait to get more news on the next Super man movie titled Man of Steel (not slated for release until 2011). Other than that, The Dark Knight is slated for a DVD release on Dec. 9.
Also...what is in store for Batman 3?