'Witchblade' Adaptation

It's been a while since we last heard about "The Witchblade," the planned feature film based on the publisher's long-running, fan-favorite comic book series about a female police detective who fights evil with the aid of a supernatural artifact. Back in May, Top Cow president Matt Hawkins said the project was still looking for a writer, but financing had already been secured and director Michael Rymer ("Battlestar Galactica," "Queen of the Damned") was attached.

MTV News has a recent conversation with Hawkins, who said very little's changed in that respect—but they have come up with a new take on the movie's plot.

"We sat down with a couple of guys, [co-producer] Platinum Studios and Marc Silvestri and I, and we banged out a three-page document that says here’s the basic story idea we want to do," said Hawkins. "It’s sort of a balancing act—it’s very different from the book, but thematically, it’s very much the same."

"Witchblade" previously found its way to the screen as both a live-action television series and a well-received anime that each offered a unique spin on the property and its mythology. According to Hawkins, the live-action movie would also present a slightly different take on the character, too.

"We always say you don’t want to stay ridiculously faithful to the comic, but at the same time, if you make it so radically different, what’s the point?" he explained.

Still in search of a new screenwriter, "Witchblade" presents some unique challenges to potential scribes, said Hawkins.

"When you do a female-lead film that’s successful, they always turn it around and they say it was the effects," he explained. "People in Hollywood... When you talk to people about something like 'Underworld,' it’s always the werewolf/vampire thing and it’s not Kate Beckinsale. ... It's not that they always think a female lead film is going to fail, but... I don’t know. It’s just one of those things."

Even though the project could lose the aforementioned financing if it doesn't go into production soon, Hawkins said they're not keen on rushing the process.

"Yeah, if we don’t have it in process next year, we’re going to run into trouble—but trouble is irrelevant. You can always just start over," he said. "It’s certainly not a property we’re going to give up on, we’re on issue 140 in the comics. ... But I’d rather there not be a 'Witchblade' movie or television show if it’s going to be some piece of crap. If we're going to do it, it's got to be good."

Are you keen on seeing a "Witchblade" movie? Are you glad they are taking their time with it?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: MTV News

Witchblade

It has been a long time since any word on the "Witchblade" movie has come out, but finally some news from Matt Hawkins, who works at Top Cow, the company that publishes the Witchblade comics.

According to MTV News:

"Witchblade," the long-running Top Cow property created by Marc Silvestri and Michael Turner, has enjoyed a celebrated comic book run for the past two decades and has even seen anime and live-action television adaptations — but as the Splash Page archives will tell you, there’s been very little movement on a big screen version of the sultry comic book heroine.

Newsarama sat down with Top Cow’s Matt Hawkins to figure out why it is that Sara Pezzini and her scantily-clad but nonetheless mystical armor has veered away from movie theaters. According to Hawkins, it’s not for lack of trying — they just don’t have the right material to work with yet.

“We simply do not yet have a script yet that we all like,” revealed Hawkins. “We had a window to go into production that has clearly passed but the project is very much alive and kicking. I don’t think I’ll lay out any dates at this point given the delays but we’re in the process of working with a new writer.”

Hawkins’ comments indicate that Top Cow is treating their long-running franchise with the TLC it deserves — a notion that’s refreshing as many other studios are accused of pushing projects into development just for the sake of achieving comic book box office numbers, regardless of the film’s quality. Hawkins said that this is something that he’s keenly avoiding.

“Ultimately ‘Witchblade’ is a very important project for Top Cow and to date we’ve had successful and critically lauded turns in both live action TV and anime,” he explained. “We’d rather there not be a live-action film than have one we’re not proud of and 100-percent behind.”

And while “Witchblade” has yet to hit theaters, that’s not to say that it won’t get off the ground anytime soon.

“Best case [scenario], we could go into production by the end of the year but that’s overly optimistic with no script at this point,” Hawkins said. “We’re working on it. I should follow my own advice and not give dates on stuff, but if we had a script that we all liked we had the financing to make the film in that window. We still have all the elements for production with the money being the most crucial, but we need a script!”

(MTV News)

I hope they start working on the script soon otherwise this film will just continue to sit there and probably never get made.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Luke Goss on Magdalena

Luke Goss, most recently known as Prince Nuada from "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," spoke to MTV News about his upcoming role in the film "Magdalena."

"Magdalena" is about a holy warrior protagonist named Patience, who will be played by Jenna Dewan.
Dewan breaks down the story of "Magdalena" in this interview clip.

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"Basically, I had a meeting with Gale [Gale Ann Hurd, producer of the movie], and Gale said, ‘You’re the guy for me,’” Goss said. “You know you’re in good hands with her. She’s wonderful. And she was adamant about bringing in a screenwriter who was going to bring a rich story to it. We’re not going to hold back. We’re going to make it a rich mythology. People realized with Downey [in "Iron Man"] that when you put a story behind a superhero, it’s actually quite irresistible.”

The film will also deal with religious content that is a heavy part of the plot form the comics.

“For me, it’s almost like ‘Da Vinci Code’ with substance, and more action,” he said. “And I don’t think she’s going to shy away from that religious foundation. It’s not a religious movie at all, but she’s not going to shy away from that content.”

Goss said that by the time they start filming — “I was told the first third of next year” — he needs to be pretty fit to play Kristof, Patience’s mentor/trainer. “It’s a two-hander,” he said. “For me, there’s going to be a lot of physicality. So it’s a case of, I’ll get a little bigger, put on 20-25 pounds, get fit and strong, and learn some new techniques.”

Goss also wants to spend time developing his chemistry with Dewan, since their characters’ interaction is a big part of the film. “She gets handed this responsibility,” he said, “and as great as she is, she still needs to evolve, and I’m going to be there for that.”

More interesting clips from Dewan! On her sexy super heroine outfit.

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On story lines for possible sequels. "Witchblade" crossover will be a possibility!

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"Magdalena" is set to come out sometime in 2010. More news to come! Catch ya' later!

Magdalena

Producer Gale Ann Hurd (producer of the "Hulk" franchise, "Terminator" franchise and "Punisher" franchise) talked about the upcoming film "Magdalena" with MTV News.

“We’re in the early script phase at the moment,” explained Hurd. “There should be some [casting announcements] within the next month and a half on this.”

According to MTV News, "So far, the only actors cast in “Magdalena” are Jenna Dewan (“Step Up”) and Luke Goss (“Hellboy II”), with more on the way. Based on the Top Cow comic, the flick will tell the story of Patience (Dewan), a tough warrior who can trace her lineage back to Mary Magdalene. This being a comic, the character’s path has sometimes crossed with “Witchblade,” but the producer could neither confirm nor deny that the movie would have a similar crossover.

“I can’t speak to that,” she insisted. “That would be something for a Top Cow or Platinum Studio person.”

Hurd was eager, however, to address the rampant rumors that her film would be forced to trim back religious aspects of the comic to appease mainstream audiences. “I don’t think you can separate ‘Magdalena’ completely from the legacy of her descent or the fear of destiny or many things that are connected with her as part of the comic book franchise,” she explained. “But at the same time, it’s not a religious movie in that respect. We’re not going to disregard it, but if you’re familiar [with the comic] it is not a movie that examines religion per se, but it’s a character who comes from a religious tradition.”

Taking things a step further, Hurd compared the film to “The Da Vinci Code” franchise in that religion is present, but mainly in the background to set up story. “That’s a perfect analogy,” she said. “Same thing with ‘The Omen,’ or films like that. It’s a jumping off point. It is not untrue to its background, but that’s not what the story is about.”

Hurd said that Dewan is about to undergo some serious training, so she can continue the producer’s impressive history of giving us strong, no-nonsense cinematic heroines. “Being a dancer, she’s in great shape already, and she’s done quite a lot of action training in the past so I think she’ll pick it up very quickly,” the producer explained. “I’ll tell ya, Jenna is all for it. She is ready to get in there and kick some butt.”