Tag: 20th Century Fox

‘Alien’ Reboot Not Just a Rumor

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I read a little about this earlier this morning, and I wanted to push it out of my mind as quickly as possible.   Unfortunately, more and more blogs and movie sites are picking this bit of information up and running with it, so it pains me to bring you this bit of news.   Slowly this news is starting to seep into my brain as if it were acid blood eating its way to my central core.   I want like hell to close my eyes to this news and make it go away, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Granted, this could still end up being nothing but speculation, but, evidently, Michael Costigan, Ridley Scott, and Tony Scott are all on board to produce a new ‘Alien’ film.   That wouldn’t be such bad news, but the words “reboot” and “prequel” are being bandied about.   Along with these men on board to produce, commercial and music video director Carl Erik Rinsch will be at the helm.

The idea is for the new film to, at the very least, go back to the basics and have one alien on board one spaceship.

Of course, if you have been following 20th Century Fox’s track record over the past couple of years, the idea of “rebooting” the ‘Alien’ franchise doesn’t seem that far-fetched.   Just look at all the “wrong” Fox has done lately.

All of this calls to mind the final lines of dialogue from ‘Aliens’:

Newt: Are we gonna sleep all the way home?
Ripley: All the way home.
Newt: Can I dream?
Ripley: Yes, honey. I think we both can.

No, you can’t dream.   It’s not safe.   Fox is currently on duty, and none of us can sleep tight.

Source: Bloody Disgusting

Will Ferrell to Join the ‘Neighborhood Watch’

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Will Ferrell and David Dobkin are in negotiations to star and direct, respectively, the new comedy ‘Neighborhood Watch’ for 20th Century Fox. Â  Shawn Levy, who was originally attached to direct the film, will serve as producer.

The film centers on a man who moves to the suburbs, joins the neighborhood watch there, and gets involved in a sci-fi/alien adventure. Â  Jared Stern serves as first-time screenwriter on the project.

Dobkin has directed such comedies as ‘Wedding Crashers’ and ‘Fred Clause,’ and he is set to direct ‘The Flash,’ if that project is ever to get off the ground. Â  With ‘The Flash’ set for release in 2010, there is no telling whether that or ‘Neighborhood Watch’ will be next on his slate.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

‘Wolverine’… In the Study… With the Lead Pipe

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Yeah, I know that headline is a little cryptic, but it’s apropos.   Word came down over the weekend from an advanced screening of ‘Wolverine’ that the film may have different endings depending on where you see it.   According to director Gavin Hood, who introduced the film on the 20th Century Fox lot on Friday, Fox and Marvel have hidden multiple endings on different prints of the film.   Different theaters may have different endings of the film.

Of course, the different endings aren’t going to have major variances of each other.   The differences might be extremely slight and will more than likely not alter what occurs in the story whatsoever.

The last time a studio did something like this was with the 1985 release of ‘Clue,’ the comedy adapted from the popular board game.   Three different endings with three different murderer reveals were shot and released randomly in theaters.   Once released on video, however, all three endings were included.

What do you think?   Is this a smart idea for Fox and Marvel?   How different do you think each ending will be?   Will this effect the number of times you see the film in hoping you might have a different ending?   Let us know by commenting below.

Source: First Showing

Robert Rodriguez’s ‘Predator’ Reboot is Happening

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There were rumblings a few months back that Robert Rodriguez and 20th Century Fox were “rebooting” ‘Predator.’Â   Those rumblings have turned into a Richter Scale-shattering fact today, as IESB is reporting that these rumors have been confirmed.

At a news conference today at Troublemaker Studios, Rodriguez had this to say, “”I’m going to be able to shoot my upcoming ‘Machete’ here, a sci-fi action film called ‘Nervewrackers’, a re-boot of the ‘Predator’ series called ‘Predators’, and a couple of smaller movies called ‘Sin City 2’ and ‘The Jetsons’.”

Take all of this for what you will, however, as Rodriguez is in the habit of making announcement that he never really follows through on.   ‘Red Sonja’ and ‘Barbarella,’ anyone?

Hearing that he plans on doing a film called ‘Predators,’ however, gets my geek-juice flowing.   This calls to mind James Cameron doing a little, small-scale sequel to ‘Alien’ called ‘Aliens.’   We all know how that turned out, don’t we?

Source: IESB

Fox Atomic No More

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Amazingly enough, when I was doing my article a few weeks back on everything 20th Century Fox was doing wrong, lately, I totally side-stepped the whole Fox Atomic angle.   It wasn’t concious.   I just didn’t think about them.

Apparently, Fox didn’t think much of the division, either, because word came down yesterday that Fox Atomic was closing its doors.   The division, formed in 2006, was in the business of   releasing films that were geared more towards the teen audience.   Hence the release of such horror films as ‘Turistas’ and ‘The Hills Have Eyes 2’ and comedies like ‘The Rocker’ and ‘The Comebacks.’   The last film Fox Atomic released was the John Cena-vehicle ’12 Rounds,’ which has pulled in $11 million in its 27-day release period.

’12 Rounds’ is just the latest in Fox Atomic releases that have fallen short both financially and critically.   Last Year’s ‘The Rocker’ made $8 million domestic off of a $15 million budget.   The only “succesful” film Fox Atomic put out was ’28 Weeks Later…’ which raked in $64 million worldwide.   A scheduled third film in that series, ’28 Months Later…,’ will more than likely still get made just under the 20th Century Fox or Fox Searchlight umbrella.

Fox Atomic had two films on the slate for release in 2009, ‘I Love You, Beth Cooper’ and ‘Jennifer’s Body.’   Both were poised to be Fox Atomic’s biggest hits, the former a high school comedy directed by Chris Columbus and starring Heroes star Hayden Panettiere and the latter a horror film written by Diablo Cody and starring Megan Fox.   Both of these will, like ’28 Months Later…,’ likely be moved over to Fox Searchlight.

Despite the lack of good films coming out of Fox Atomic, the division did have a pretty good eye for marketing.   Granted, two of those three posters above are identical twins of each other, but they are both effective.   The trailer marketing for ‘The Hills Have Eyes 2’ was among the best in 2007, but that film didn’t deliver in any way, shape, or form.

Word of Fox Atomic’s closing comes from Variety.   The studio could not be reached for comment.

Source: Variety

Discuss: What is 20th Century Fox Doing Wrong?

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Just to start off this article, I’m going to reiterate my opening comments in my  review for ‘Max Payne’.

‘Aliens’, ‘Predator’, ‘Die Hard’, ‘Die Hard 2†², ‘Point Break’, ‘Speed’, ‘Die Hard With a Vengeance’.   What do all of these films have in common?   They are all action films released by 20th Century Fox between the mid-80s and the mid-90s.

‘Daredevil’, ‘I, Robot’, ‘Alien Vs. Predator’, ‘Transporter 2†², ‘Live Free or Die Hard’, ‘Hitman’, ‘Babylon A.D.’.   What do all of these films have in common?   They are all action films released by 20th Century Fox in the past five years.

See a drop-off there somewhere?

And that’s just in the action department.   This idea that every action film has to be a PG-13-rated, accessible motion picture is wrong, wrong, wrong.   But that has been Fox’s moniker when it comes to action for the better part of a decade. Continue reading Discuss: What is 20th Century Fox Doing Wrong?

Next ‘Narnia’ Gets a Release Date

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20th Century Fox picking up Walden Media’s production of ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader’ seems, so far, anyway, to be a good thing for the series. Â  The next installment is getting a release on December 10th, 2010, according to Variety.

This means the series will once again be a “winter” series. Â  The first film was released on December 9th, 2005, while the second film released on May 16th, 2008. Â  The first film went on to make over $291 million while second one did under half that at just over $141 million.

Fox and Walden feel the franchise is better suited for a December release. Â  As of now, the film has the December 10th date all to itself.

Source: Variety

Emily Blunt Officially Out of ‘Iron Man 2’

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The news that Emily Blunt would not be starring in ‘Iron Man 2’ as Black Widow has been in the pipeline for quite a while now.   There has even been news about her replacement.

Well, I guess the official word had not come down until now, as Jon Favreau, the director, told The Playlist that 20th Century Fox had exercised their option on Blunt to star in ‘Gulliver’s Travels’, and she is officially out of ‘Iron Man 2’.

Favreau said he is disappointed but did not give any news as to who might be replacing her.   I guess we’ll have to sit back and wait for any news on Johansson stepping into the role.

As for Mickey Rourke, Favreau only said that he wasn’t officially cast but that he is a fan.   Whatever that means.

‘Iron Man 2’ is slated for May 7th, 2010.

Source: The Playlist

Bullock’s ‘Steve’ Gets Pushed to the Fall

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What comes out March 6th?   Quick!   Don’t think about it, just answer!   If you said ‘Watchmen’, give yourself a pat on the back.   However, that wasn’t the only film to come out on that day.   Up until today, that is.

‘All About Steve’, the new rom-com starring Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper, was all set to come out on March 6th.   However, 20th Century Fox decided ‘Watchmen’ wasn’t something to contend with regardless of how counter-programmable your film is.   ‘All About Steve’ has been pushed back from it’s March 6th spot all the way to a “to be announced” date in the Fall.

Fox also cites the over-saturation of female-driven films coming out around this time as their reasoning behind the move.

Source: Variety

Second ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ TV Spot

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The second of three 60-second spots for ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ aired last night.   This one is titled “Brothers”, and you can check it out right here:

The third spot airs tonight during “American Idol”.   If you aren’t interested in watching that, though, we’ll be sure to have the clip for you as soon as it airs.

Source: First Showing