Category: Studios

I, FRANKENSTEIN is Alive

You see, all you kiddie, movie bloggers.  If you keep up with your writing, eat your vegetables, and make some connections, you can get somewhere in this business.  IESB’s Robert Sanchez and Shock Till You Drop’s Ryan Rotten are among the executive producers on I, FRANKENSTEIN.  The Heat Vision Blog is reporting Lakeshore has picked up the script and the production reigns on the film, which Death Ray Films has had in its sights since April.  Patrick Tatopoulos is set to direct.

The new film will be a modernized tale featuring the classic monster as well as other monsters of classic, Universal fame.  Set in the world of film noir, the film follows Frankenstein, who is a private detective, as he stands between the human race and supernatural creatures set on wiping it out.

Concept art was released back in August, and, from the look and concept of this project, it seems like it is going to be quite cool.  Plus, it’s always a good sign when fellow website writers/owners break out in any way.

No release date or start date on production has been announced.

IFC Films Will ENTER Gaspar Noe’s VOID

At every Sundance Film Festival, one of the most talked about aspects involves the films that are picked up for distribution.  That is, after all, the main reason film makers and production companies show their films at this huge event.  And, just like clockwork, every year has in store a few surprise distribution deals that come before the opening gates of the festival have even opened.

Such is the case with Gaspar Noe’s ENTER THE VOID, as is being reported by IndieWire.  Evidently, IFC Films has announced they have picked up all US rights to Noe’s film about a teenager who dies during a botched drug deal but continues to roam the Earth as a ghost.  This is Noe’s first feature film since the highly controversial IRREVERSIBLE in 2002.

Says IFC Entertainment President Jonathan Sehring:

ENTER THE VOID is an experience that is almost impossible to describe.  Gaspar Noe is at the peak of his filmmaking powers with this film that is destined to become a cult classic.   The entire team is thrilled to be working on this film and with Gaspar. It’s the perfect film for all of our platforms.

The film debuted at Cannes and Toronto last year.  It makes its US debut this coming weekend at Sundance.  Be sure to check back for our coverage of the film including a review and an interview with Gaspar Noe during the festival.

Expect ENTER THE VOID to hits theaters and on-demand viewing at home some time in 2010.

No More April Showers for PIRANHA 3-D

Maybe it’s just because I never really spent much time thinking about it or observing it until recently (writing for a movie news site will do that to you), but it seems more and more movies are having their release dates shuffled around like living room furniture.  Particularly is the case with the Weinstein Company, which, according to the LA Times, has decided April 16 just isn’t the right time of year for PIRANHA to infest local theaters.  Instead, the Alexandre Aja-directed, 3-D remake/sequel is going to gnaw its way into theaters in August, and that’s at the very earliest.

The reasoning behind this move?  In a nutshell, their scared of Lionsgate’s KICK-ASS, set to release on April 16, a film that will pretty much be aiming itself a the same, core audience.  A rep from Weinstein made note that the date change had no financial motivations.

The article in the LA Times goes on to speculate the potential future of the Weinstein Company, since much of their recent slate hasn’t brought in high numbers and their future slate becomes a jumbled mess when you look at all the release date changes involved.  Don’t count the Weinsteins out, though.  Just when you think their out, they reach out and pull themselves back up.

What do you think?  Were you looking forward to PIRANHA 3-D in April?  How do you think this change will effect its box office?  Is this one more note in the death knell for the Weinstein Company?  Let us know by shooting us a comment below.

ROBOCOP Remake Halted: Another Reason to Love Darren Aronofsky

No, we don’t love Darren Aronofsky because we think a ROBOCOP remake is a horrible, awful idea and anything he can do to muck up the waterworks is A-okay in our book.  We, actually, are frothing at the mouth at the idea of Aronofsky making a run at the ROBOCOP reboot, hoping that his style and love for hard-hitting, edgy drama will kick both the film and us in the theater seat-filling ass.  No, the reason we love Aronofsky so much is because here is a man who knows when a studio is full of reactive, gimmick-hungry pinheads who wouldn’t know an original idea if it pulled a pistol from its holster and shot them between the legs.

And, so it goes with a report today from Moviehole that pre-production on the remake has been put on hold.  Evidently, Mary Parent, the chairperson of MGM, wants ROBOCOP to be shot in glorious, guts-in-your-face 3-D.  Aronofsky, to the immense credit the man deserves, gave her, the studio, and Leo the Lion the proverbial finger.

Actually, let’s let the scooper Moviehole got this information provide the details:

I’ve spoken with Phoenix Pictures [and] asked them about the status of ROBOCOP… they told me that the project is on hold. The problem is that Mary Parent, Chairperson of MGM,  wants a 3D movie for the new ROBOCOP. But ,as you know, Darren Aronofsky is a real artist and he’s not interested in Gimmicks like,3D,CGI,Filming digital, he wants to do everything as real (organic) as possible just like THE FOUNTAIN.

To which I say, “Bravo, Mr. Aronofsky.  You are a true man of your craft.”

Unfortunately, it hasn’t looked good for ROBOCOP in recent months, anyway, especially with all this auction/selling itself off to the highest bidder MGM is going through right now.

Of course, we can all thank James Cameron and the wonderful 3-D in AVATAR for putting this little bit of poison in the ear of studio execs around the world.  Every film and its brother are going to have their run through the 3-D gamut, and, it’s fortunate for all of us that there are still directors like Aronofsky out there who are willing to stand up for their craft and against this type of gimmick-idolatry.  It could, indeed, mean we’ll never get to see Aronofsky’s version of ROBOCOP, but at least the man stood up for what he believes.

BOND 23 Pre-Production Put on Hold

Screenwriter Peter Morgan recently said he was working on a “shocking story” for the upcoming BOND 23, but the real shock came today, as Anne Thompson via her IndieWire Blog says EON Productions is putting pre-production on the film on hold.   Work on the next adventure for 007 is on hold pending the outcome of the MGM sale.   First bids on the auction of the studio’s properties were expected after Thanksgiving, but no word has come down on any, serious offers.

In a recent interview with Total Film, producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli had this to say about the film’s status:

Our timeline’s a little up in the air what with the situation at MGM, so we have to be flexible. We just don’t know enough about the situation to comment, but we know it’s uncertain.

Of course, the writing has been on the wall for some time regarding BOND 23’s fast-track pre-production status.   Morgan has indicated that pre-production wouldn’t get fully underway until February, and stars Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench have indicated actual production on the film wouldn’t begin until the last quarter of 2010.

Word could come any day that a solid buyer has swooped in to take up the BOND franchise, and the same could be said for THE HOBBIT project, which seems may have a likely delay, as well.   The only thing for certain is that BOND 23 will be happening, it’s just a matter of when at this point.

Summit Sticking With Vampires on VLAD

brad pitt vampire

You got to Summit Entertainment credit on one front.  They are sticking with vampires like a nicely placed stake through the heart.  It’s probably a good thing for them, too, considering, at the pace they are going, the TWILIGHT films are going to run out in the next two years.  The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Summit is staying with vampires but going in a slightly altered direction.

The studio has picked up rights to VLAD, a screenplay by Charlie Hunnam, who some of you may know as the lead character, Jax, on FX’s biker series SONS OF ANARCHY.  Brad Pitt’s Plan B production company is also on board to produce, and negotiations are underway with music video director Anthony Mandler to helm.

The film, referred to as a more action-oriented telling of Dracula as a young prince, has been sitting at Summit for some time.  It wasn’t until execs saw a reel of Mandler’s work that the project got the boost it needed.  Mandler’s work has been compared to the work Zack Snyder did on 300, not something that would make a studio exec yawn for someone else.

No word on whether Pitt will have a role other than producer or when a start date on production is planned.

BLACK HOLE Coming From TRON: LEGACY Team

Blackhole1979

TRON: LEGACY is raising tons of hype in the geek community after their impressive display of special effects at this past Comic-Con and their awesome viral marketing with Flynn’s Arcade. The mythology of Tron has always been very close to me because my uncle played the title character. Enough about that though! Word has reached the film blogs (via HeatVision) that the team behind the upcoming TRON: LEGACY will be teaming up to reinvent the 1979 Disney Sci-Fi film, THE BLACK HOLE. I have not seen the film (alas, one has slipped through the cracks…I’m not perfect) but here is the plot synopsis from IMDB:

It is the year 2130 A.D. An Earth exploratory ship, the USS Palomino, discovers a black hole with a lost ship, the USS Cygnus, just outside its event horizon. Deciding to solve the mystery of the Cygnus are: the Palomino’s Captain, Dan Holland; his First Officer, Lieutenant Charlie Pizer; journalist Harry Booth; scientist and ESP-sensitive Dr. Kate McCrae, whose father was the Cygnus’s First Officer; Dr. Alex Durant, the expedition’s civilian leader; and the robot known as V.I.N.CENT. The Palomino attempts a dangerous fly-by of the darkened ship. As they come within close range of it, the buffeting they experience (due to the black hole’s gravity) suddenly ceases. They bring more instruments to bear on the derelict, but do not even realize the gravity-free zone is artificial; slipping outside it, they are almost drawn into the black hole, an abyss from which no one can escape. Matters worsen when Reinhardt holds the crew captive, after realizing that they can help him reach his goal. The squad must now figure out a way to flee from Reinhardt — before it’s too late. (Summary Credit: IMDB User Anthony Pereyr)

Sounds quite cool to me (as I click “add” on my Netflix queue) and I feel that based on what footage we saw from Comic-Con, Director Joseph Kosinski and Producer Sean Bailey may just be the guys for the job. With TRON: LEGACY coming out in December of 2010 however, Kosinski’s plate seems pretty full so we may not see any more news on this for at least a few months.

Check out the trailer for the 1979 original below and leave your thoughts on this new development!

MGM on the Auction Block Soon?

mgm for sale

Here’s something for everyone of you out there who were saving up for the TERMINATOR franchise but just couldn’t quite pick up the funds.   Variety is reporting that MGM may be putting itself out to the display window, and an auction on the studios library and logo may be occurring in the next couple of weeks.   A third auction for United Artists may be planned, as well.

The company has been going through major upheavals since CEO Harry Sloan was bumped from his position last Summer.   A restructuring of the company were attempted, but, it appears, the total assets of the company may end up being worth as little as $1.5 billion.

While some bondholders have stated they have not been contacted yet, a sale of the company would require a two-thirds majority vote.   Time Warner is expected to make a last minute bid.

MGM has been struggling for quite some time with only the James Bond franchise as a major player.   What this means for BOND 23 is anyone’s guess, but someone could, possibly, step in to take over marketing and distribution duties.   There is no telling where this will leave the other films on MGM’s upcoming slate including the RED DAWN and POLTERGEIST remakes and the two HOBBIT films.

Paramount Signs First-Look Deal With Platinum Dunes

paramount logo

Paramount really wants their horror, and they want it early.  According to Variety, the studio has signed a first-look deal with Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes, famous for developing and backing low budget horror movies, most of them remakes.  This marks the first term deal from Adam Goodman, since he stepped in as president of the Paramount Pictures Film Group in June.

Says Goodman about the deal:

What makes us so excited to have Platinum Dunes here at Paramount is how Michael, Brad and Andrew carved out an important niche for themselves over the past few years.  They have consistently created excitingly commercial movies that have proven to be a formidable force at the box office. We look forward to a long and productive partnership with them.

Two projects are on tap for Paramount to take a look at.  First up is ‘The Butcherhouse Chronicles,’ a thriller written by ‘The Grudge’ scribe Stephen Susco, which is being touted as ‘The Breakfast Club’ in a haunted house.  Also on deck is ‘Property of the State,’ a Howard Franklin (‘Hollow Man’ and ‘Antitrust’) scripted thriller about a white-collar criminal whose efforts to go straight are hindered by a menacing parole officer.

Platinum Dunes partner Brad Fuller says the hopes for the production company are to branch out from the horror genre and into action films and thrillers.

The key is making them at a low budget.

WAMG Exclusive: Fox Acquiring James Bond Distribution

daniel craig fox bond

James Bond is finding a new home, and he’ll have Jedi and aliens to welcome him into the fold.  For the last few weeks, movie goers have been curious as to what is going to become of some of MGM’s more prominent franchises.  Over the last, couple of days, the company has entered into a forbearance agreement.  The agreement expires in the middle of December, and, for now, ‘The Hobbit’ is safe and sound where it is.  However, the company said nothing of the future of 007 adventures.

Well, fear not you shaken-not-stirred fanatics.  A source close to the dealings has let We Are Movie Geeks know that Bond is alive and well, and will be settling into his new domicile for marketing and distribution at 20th Century Fox.  That’s right, expect the official word to come out any day now, but it looks like ‘Bond 23’ is going to be running behind the Fox banner.

Sony, who acquired MGM in 2004, has run the last, two James Bond films, ‘Casino Royale’ and ‘Quantum of Solace’ through their own, Sony Pictures distribution and marketing company.  Up until these, two films, Fox handled all home video and international marketing for MGM, so the transition to Fox for domestic releases for the Bond franchise from here on out should not be that difficult a move.

There is no word in what state this leaves ‘Bond 23,’ though, with MGM/Sony still backing the production side, this bit of news shouldn’t cause much if any kind of delay.  The film is still tentatively scheduled for release in 2011.