Weta MoCaps For Games, Pixar Must Stay On Top, & Astro Boy
Fishburne Signs On To The Alchemist
(Variety) Laurence Fishburne and indie banner A-Mark
Entertainment have acquired feature rights to Paulo Coelho's adventure
novel The Alchemist from Warner Bros.
Fishburne has written the screenplay for the feature and is also set
to direct. He'll produce with "The Lord of the Rings" producer Barrie
Osborne and Helen Sugland in a reteaming of the producers for Akeelah
and the Bee.
A-Mark co-chairmen Steve Markoff (Alpha Dog) and Bruce McNall will
executive produce.
The story centers on a young Spaniard who embarks on a quest to find a
hidden treasure within the Egyptian pyramids. Since its debut in 1988,
the novel has sold more than 40 million copies in over 150 countries.
Weta Digital Brings Facial Performance Capture To Games
(vidilife.com) Take a look at video footage of the motion
capture process used for making Heavenly Sword inside the Weta Digital
Facilities. The video shows how body and facial movements from actors
has been translated into the characters of the game..
Take a look:
http://www.vidilife.com/video_play_977616_Motion_capture_PS3_film_called_Cinematic_feat_Andy.htm
Paul Giamatti Invents A Rocket Belt
(cinematcial.com) Paul Giamatti and Emily Mortimer have
signed on to star in the indie comedy Pretty Bird for Paul Schneider
who, from the looks of it, will make his directorial debut on the
film. Up until this point, Schneider has primarily done work as an
actor, starring in films like Elizabethtown, Live Free or Die and The
Family Stone. Giamatti, who's been dabbling in drama as of late,
returns to a quirky comedic role which sort of reminds me of his take
on Harvey Pekar in American Splendor. Pretty Bird finds him playing a
lovable loser who attempts to invent a rocket belt in hopes that it
will make him famous. In order to make it work, he enlists help from
some of his friends -- only they succeed, and subsequently begin to
turn on one another. Giamatti will produce the film along with his
wife Liz.
The always-enjoyable Mortimer will play a girl named Mandy; the
Director of Marketing for their rocket belt operation. How does one go
about marketing a rocket belt in this day and age? I'm not exactly
sure, but I do know that the film will shoot in New Jersey this August
-- which means my original question will have to become even more
complex: How do you market a rocket belt in New Jersey? Giamatti will
next show up on screen as a badass villain in Shoot 'Em Up, opposite
Clive Owen. Based on the trailer (in which Giamatti looked absolutely
nuts), I'd say it will be one of his more fascinating roles. He'll
also appear next to Vince Vaughn in Fred Claus later this winter.
Mortimer, on the other hand, can next be seen playing a (real-life
doll?) in the upcoming Lars and the Real Girl.
ILM Gets 39,000 Hack Attempts on Servers
(xpressmag.com.au) Transformers directgor Michael Bay's long
been a favourite target of the critical establishment who bemoan the
death of cinema quality on the altar of lucrative sequel rights and
tie-in merchandising lines, but it's easy to forget how good he is at
what he does. Like the Star Wars prequels, if you watch a Michael Bay
film but fast-forward through the drama and exposition you'll think
you're in the hands of a master.
That hatred was joined by the chorus of howls from long-time
Transformers devotees who came out of the woodwork to leave death
threats on his blog and make 39,000 attempted hacks onto the servers
of Industrial Light And Magic – the Lucas-owned company responsible
for the movie's effects.
But with Steven Spielberg's influence and money behind him, Bay forged
ahead and has delivered one of the better films in his canon,
certainly the biggest. You have to feel for the guy and wonder if all
the scorn is worth it.
"You're never going to make everyone happy and I knew that going into
this, but you've got to respect the fanbase," he states. "You can't
change Spider-Man's outfit too much. When they put nipples on Batman,
you saw that. You have to be respectful to certain arguments but
you've got to make your own choices as a filmmaker. Many fans who saw
clips really gave it their stamp of approval and they were only seeing
2-D images."
Source: http://www.xpressmag.com.au/archives/2007/06/michael_bay_met.php
Shooting Henson's 'Dark Crystal' A Near Disaster
(sfgate.com) Dave Goelz vividly remembers the first day
filming Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal," mostly because it was such a
disaster.
It took six performers to control each of the animatronic Skeksis
creatures, with two jammed in the bird-like body and four more
shuffling in near darkness on a platform underneath the scene. On the
film's very first shot, Goelz teetered off the raised landing, pulling
one of his colleagues with him.
"I stepped off the riser. I just felt us start to tilt and go. Luckily
a stagehand or somebody caught me before we took a horrible fall,"
remembered the puppeteer, who also performed Gonzo on "The Muppet
Show," and is now settled in rural Marin County. "After that, I
thought, 'Jim has really bitten off more than he can chew this time.
We're never going to get this done. His optimism is going to do him
in.' "
More: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/06/25/DDG56QKBCU1.DTL
Pixar Upgrades RenderMan Tools
(digitalartsonline.co.uk) Pixar Animation Studios has
announced two major releases of its RenderMan software – RenderMan
Studio 1.0 and RenderMan for Maya 2.0 – together with a new licensing
policy delivering major performance increases on multi-core computers.
RenderMan Studio is a major expansion of Pixar's next generation
render tool suite for the advanced professional, including a "pro"
version of the RenderMan for Maya plug-in, major enhancements to the
Slim graphical RenderMan shader editor, the Alfred dispatcher for
managing network rendering, the "it" image compositing tool, and
unrestricted RIB generation. RenderMan Studio 1.0 directly interfaces
with Pixar's RenderMan Pro Server 13.0, and an optional floating
internal RenderMan Embedded Renderer is also available for either
render preview or final output.
In a major upgrade, RenderMan for Maya 2.0, Pixar's advanced rendering
plug-in for Maya, introduces powerful multi-threading, substantial
increases in ray-tracing performance, improved fur, new camera
effects, caustics, point based global illumination, and compatibility
with Maya 8.5.
Additionally, both RenderMan Studio 1.0 and RenderMan for Maya 2.0
incorporate a new licensing policy permitting up to four threads or
four parallel renders per host machine, potentially quadrupling
performance or more on a per frame basis.
RenderMan for Maya 2.0 is available on Windows XP and Mac OS X for US
$995 per licence. Pricing for RenderMan Studio 1.0 starts at US $2,000
per licence and is available on Windows XP, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Upgrades from RenderMan Artist Tools 6.5 to RenderMan Studio 1.0 are
free to all RenderMan Artist Tools customers on current maintenance.
A Monster Squad Reunion Movie?
(moviehole.net) Like a lot of genre pics, "The Monster
Squad" didn't do much on its initial theatrical release but has become
somewhat of a cult hit thanks to video. There's a renewed interest in
the popular 80s flick - Young kids form a club that is devoted to
monsters, but soon get more than they bargained for when Count Dracula
adjourns to Earth- with a brand spankin' new special edition DVD due
out for the film any day now, and its got director Fred Dekker
thinking sequel.
"At Monster Mania, I was sitting around with the Squad and we started
talking about 'where are these characters today?'" Dekker tells Dread
Central. "I got really excited about it the more we talked about it;
imagine Rudy as an auto mechanic in Detroit with a crumbling marriage
and an alcohol problem, and he gets a phone call from his old pal Sean
who tells him they gotta get back together. That's a movie I would go
see!"
Will this happen? I dunno, will the "X-Files" sequel ever happen? –
your guess is as good as mine. Anything's possible, especially with
today's resurgence in making direct to DVD sequels.
India Embraces Satellite Distribution for Movies
(economictimes.indiatimes.com) From celluloid prints to
digital format, the Indian cinema and its distribution channel has
come a long way. But, now taking a step further, the Indian cinema
industry is slowly turning a new leaf in the distribution network,
'satellite distribution of movies'.
"India is a country with diverse geographical conditions and difficult
terrain. Hence, satellite delivery takes care of all logistical
problems associated with film distribution and exhibition. It ensures
that even the remotest corners of the country receive all films -
first day, first show. Also it builds in a lot of flexibility with
regard to theatre programming. It is equivalent to Video on Demand,"
says Raaja Kanwar, Vice-Chairman, UFO Moviez, specialising in
distribution of movies through satellite. It recently won the
'Innovation award in Indian Cinema' at IIFA Awards in Yorkshire early
this month.
Sensing, the future growth prospects of the technology and also the
cost cutting factor, major cinema theatre groups are now planning to
enter the satellite distribution market.
"We view it as a critical market. We are already using the latest
digital format. Satellite distribution is something for which we are
in talks with some companies. But, by next year, we might just have
our own satellite distribution company for our own theatres," says
Ashish Shukla, Chief Executive, PVR Cinemas, the largest multiplex
chain in the country.
According to industry estimates, there are nearly 1500 screens in
India which currently use satellite to relay movies directly to the
screens.
The Year CG VFX Didn't Take Home Oscar
(bestwow.blogspot.com/) TRON was passed over for an Academy
Award for Best Visual Effects because the Academy felt that the film
makers *cheated* by using computers. In fact, a number of Disney
animators refused to work on the project because they feared that CG
animation would mean the death of hand-drawn animation. They we
correct, though Disney didn't close the doors on its hand-drawn
animation studios for another 22 years.
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial claimed the award for Best Visual Effects
that year (1982) with Cocoon taking it in 1985, Who Framed Roger
Rabbit in 1988 (due to it's blending of traditional animation and live
action) and The Abyss in 1989 for its use of that same cheaty *CG
Animation*.
Fox Atomic Cut Back on Horror
(moviehole.net) Fox Atomic, who made their name as Rothman's
spin-off label for horror features like "The Hills Have Eyes" and "28
Weeks Later", are apparently cutting back on the amount of horror
films they do. Whether its because they lost money on that whole
"Revenge of the Nerds" fiasco or whether they're just taking some
time-out so the oversaturated horror market can clear the backlog, one
thing's for sure, says Bloody Disgusting, they only have one – yep,
one – horror movie in the works at the moment.
Says mr buddy Mr D at BD, "Meeting various development folks around
town have led me to some really interesting news. Apparently the ONLY
horror film in the works right now over at Fox Atomic is their PG-13
remake of The Entity, which is being directed by Japanese filmmaker
Hideo Nakata (The Ring Two, Ringu). What's even more disappointing is
that Fox Atomic had planned on taking the 28 Days Later franchise up
until 28 Years Later, which as of this moment, will never happen. Now
if DVD sales are through the roof for 28 Weeks Later and horror
regains some lost momentum, maybe we'll work our way towards seeing 28
Months Later. Go support your genre and help kick-start the flooded
engine".
Have heard similar things myself – mainly in regards to their iffiness
on whether a third "28" should happen – so there could be something in
this. As Brad/Mr D says, get out there and support the horror movies….
If even checking out the "Hills" sequel via NetFlix.
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix To Be Relased In Japan First
(mediafax.ro) The latest movie on the world''s most famous
wizard, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, hits the screen
here on Thursday, just weeks before fans will at last learn his final
fate, AFP reported.
The modest, bespectacled wizard has charmed a wide range of Muggles --
non-magical humans -- from children avid to join Harry''s
Dumbledore''s Army to Guantanamo Bay inmates who are reportedly
entranced with the Potter series.
British writer JK Rowling''s six Harry Potter books have sold 325
million copies worldwide and have been translated into 64 languages,
with the series converted into a successful film franchise starring
Daniel Radcliffe.
T2 Scribe Plans WWII "Escape"
(Variety) William Wisher (Terminator 2: Judgment Day) has been
set by 20th Century Fox to write and produce Escape of The Pacific
Clipper.
The film is a fact-based adventure about a race to get a Boeing B-314
back from New Zealand after the attack on Pearl Harbor in WWII.
Wisher did uncredited writing work for Fox on Die Hard with a
Vengeance and Live Free or Die Hard and he is an executive producer on
the latter. He most recently scripted Pilgrim, a contemporary Middle
East espionage drama, which John Moore will direct for Endgame.
In "Pacific Clipper," a ragtag crew of 11 is ordered to take the
aircraft, which had just dropped passengers in New Zealand when Pearl
Harbor occurred, to Hong Kong. When they arrive and discover that Hong
Kong has been overrun by the Japanese, the crew is ordered by Pan Am
chief Juan Trippe to fly a secret mission around the world. The U.S.
did not want the design to fall into the hands of the enemy. The
secret mission soon becomes public, and the crew races against the
Japanese and Nazis to make it home.
The Pixar Predicament: Staying On Top
(boston.com) It didn't take Pixar long to show how good
computer-generated animation could be. Its first animated feature,
"Toy Story" (1995), showed how good screen animation could be, period.
The studio's latest release, "Ratatouille," the story of Remy , a
Parisian rat who dreams of being a master chef, opens Friday.
After Pixar's second feature, "A Bug's Life" (1998), each of the next
three outgrossed the one before. The studio's logo, with that
extension-lamp "i," seemed a guarantee of both commercial and critical
success.
"Finding Nemo" (2003) became the all-time top-grossing animated
feature. The Museum of Modern Art mounted a major exhibition
commemorating the studio's 10th anniversary. Pixar had supplanted
Disney as the gold standard for Hollywood animation. Even Disney,
Pixar's distributor, thought so. Last year it bought the company for
$7.4 billion. Pixar had become the ultimate example of Hollywood
synergy: the studio as star.
The lamp's bulb has been dimming, though. "Nemo" held its box-office
crown only a year, thanks to "Shrek 2." Since then, Pixar releases
have lost the almost-reflexive pop-cultural cachet they had had. At
least some of that cachet has gone to Dream Works Animation, with its
"Shrek" franchise.
"The Incredibles" (2004) grossed less than "Finding Nemo." "Cars"
(2006) grossed less than "The Incredibles." "Cars" also got the
weakest reviews of any Pixar release since "A Bug's Life." And
Disney's gain might be proving Pixar's loss -- the studio's founder
and creative mastermind, John Lasseter, now has responsibility for
Disney animation, too.
Of course, the Disney effect may help as well as hinder. Advance word
on "Ratatouille" has been very strong (Brad Bird , the film's
director, also directed what may be Pixar's most impressive artistic
achievement, "The Incredibles"). And lest we forget, Disney long ago
demonstrated the not-inconsiderable appeal of animated rodents.
Mickey Mouse, meet your cartoon cousin, Remy Rat.
Cheese, anyone?
ILM ALUMNUS COLIN BRADY TALKS DIRECTING 'ASTRO BOY'
Imagi Studios has posted an exclusive interview with Colin Brady about
his new CG-animated feature film "Astro Boy. Visit Imagi's official
website at www.imagi.com.hk to read the interview. Click on "What's
New".
Brady has worked over a decade in the animation industry at such
studios as Rhythm & Hues, Pixar (lead animator on "Toy Story",
co-director on "Toy Story 2") and Industrial Light & Magic ("E.T.: The
Extra Terrestrial Special Edition", "The Hulk", "Men In Black 2",
"Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events"). Most recently,
Brady directed the CG-animated movie "Everyone's Hero".
"Astro Boy" tells the timeless saga of a young robot boy created by a
brilliant scientist in the image of the son he has lost. Astro Boy
embarks on a journey to find acceptance in the human world and to
learn how to use his powers for good. It's a story that will appeal to
a wide audience as a hip action-packed film with heart.
(Variety) Laurence Fishburne and indie banner A-Mark
Entertainment have acquired feature rights to Paulo Coelho's adventure
novel The Alchemist from Warner Bros.
Fishburne has written the screenplay for the feature and is also set
to direct. He'll produce with "The Lord of the Rings" producer Barrie
Osborne and Helen Sugland in a reteaming of the producers for Akeelah
and the Bee.
A-Mark co-chairmen Steve Markoff (Alpha Dog) and Bruce McNall will
executive produce.
The story centers on a young Spaniard who embarks on a quest to find a
hidden treasure within the Egyptian pyramids. Since its debut in 1988,
the novel has sold more than 40 million copies in over 150 countries.
Weta Digital Brings Facial Performance Capture To Games
(vidilife.com) Take a look at video footage of the motion
capture process used for making Heavenly Sword inside the Weta Digital
Facilities. The video shows how body and facial movements from actors
has been translated into the characters of the game..
Take a look:
http://www.vidilife.com/video_play_977616_Motion_capture_PS3_film_called_Cinematic_feat_Andy.htm
Paul Giamatti Invents A Rocket Belt
(cinematcial.com) Paul Giamatti and Emily Mortimer have
signed on to star in the indie comedy Pretty Bird for Paul Schneider
who, from the looks of it, will make his directorial debut on the
film. Up until this point, Schneider has primarily done work as an
actor, starring in films like Elizabethtown, Live Free or Die and The
Family Stone. Giamatti, who's been dabbling in drama as of late,
returns to a quirky comedic role which sort of reminds me of his take
on Harvey Pekar in American Splendor. Pretty Bird finds him playing a
lovable loser who attempts to invent a rocket belt in hopes that it
will make him famous. In order to make it work, he enlists help from
some of his friends -- only they succeed, and subsequently begin to
turn on one another. Giamatti will produce the film along with his
wife Liz.
The always-enjoyable Mortimer will play a girl named Mandy; the
Director of Marketing for their rocket belt operation. How does one go
about marketing a rocket belt in this day and age? I'm not exactly
sure, but I do know that the film will shoot in New Jersey this August
-- which means my original question will have to become even more
complex: How do you market a rocket belt in New Jersey? Giamatti will
next show up on screen as a badass villain in Shoot 'Em Up, opposite
Clive Owen. Based on the trailer (in which Giamatti looked absolutely
nuts), I'd say it will be one of his more fascinating roles. He'll
also appear next to Vince Vaughn in Fred Claus later this winter.
Mortimer, on the other hand, can next be seen playing a (real-life
doll?) in the upcoming Lars and the Real Girl.
ILM Gets 39,000 Hack Attempts on Servers
(xpressmag.com.au) Transformers directgor Michael Bay's long
been a favourite target of the critical establishment who bemoan the
death of cinema quality on the altar of lucrative sequel rights and
tie-in merchandising lines, but it's easy to forget how good he is at
what he does. Like the Star Wars prequels, if you watch a Michael Bay
film but fast-forward through the drama and exposition you'll think
you're in the hands of a master.
That hatred was joined by the chorus of howls from long-time
Transformers devotees who came out of the woodwork to leave death
threats on his blog and make 39,000 attempted hacks onto the servers
of Industrial Light And Magic – the Lucas-owned company responsible
for the movie's effects.
But with Steven Spielberg's influence and money behind him, Bay forged
ahead and has delivered one of the better films in his canon,
certainly the biggest. You have to feel for the guy and wonder if all
the scorn is worth it.
"You're never going to make everyone happy and I knew that going into
this, but you've got to respect the fanbase," he states. "You can't
change Spider-Man's outfit too much. When they put nipples on Batman,
you saw that. You have to be respectful to certain arguments but
you've got to make your own choices as a filmmaker. Many fans who saw
clips really gave it their stamp of approval and they were only seeing
2-D images."
Source: http://www.xpressmag.com.au/archives/2007/06/michael_bay_met.php
Shooting Henson's 'Dark Crystal' A Near Disaster
(sfgate.com) Dave Goelz vividly remembers the first day
filming Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal," mostly because it was such a
disaster.
It took six performers to control each of the animatronic Skeksis
creatures, with two jammed in the bird-like body and four more
shuffling in near darkness on a platform underneath the scene. On the
film's very first shot, Goelz teetered off the raised landing, pulling
one of his colleagues with him.
"I stepped off the riser. I just felt us start to tilt and go. Luckily
a stagehand or somebody caught me before we took a horrible fall,"
remembered the puppeteer, who also performed Gonzo on "The Muppet
Show," and is now settled in rural Marin County. "After that, I
thought, 'Jim has really bitten off more than he can chew this time.
We're never going to get this done. His optimism is going to do him
in.' "
More: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/06/25/DDG56QKBCU1.DTL
Pixar Upgrades RenderMan Tools
(digitalartsonline.co.uk) Pixar Animation Studios has
announced two major releases of its RenderMan software – RenderMan
Studio 1.0 and RenderMan for Maya 2.0 – together with a new licensing
policy delivering major performance increases on multi-core computers.
RenderMan Studio is a major expansion of Pixar's next generation
render tool suite for the advanced professional, including a "pro"
version of the RenderMan for Maya plug-in, major enhancements to the
Slim graphical RenderMan shader editor, the Alfred dispatcher for
managing network rendering, the "it" image compositing tool, and
unrestricted RIB generation. RenderMan Studio 1.0 directly interfaces
with Pixar's RenderMan Pro Server 13.0, and an optional floating
internal RenderMan Embedded Renderer is also available for either
render preview or final output.
In a major upgrade, RenderMan for Maya 2.0, Pixar's advanced rendering
plug-in for Maya, introduces powerful multi-threading, substantial
increases in ray-tracing performance, improved fur, new camera
effects, caustics, point based global illumination, and compatibility
with Maya 8.5.
Additionally, both RenderMan Studio 1.0 and RenderMan for Maya 2.0
incorporate a new licensing policy permitting up to four threads or
four parallel renders per host machine, potentially quadrupling
performance or more on a per frame basis.
RenderMan for Maya 2.0 is available on Windows XP and Mac OS X for US
$995 per licence. Pricing for RenderMan Studio 1.0 starts at US $2,000
per licence and is available on Windows XP, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Upgrades from RenderMan Artist Tools 6.5 to RenderMan Studio 1.0 are
free to all RenderMan Artist Tools customers on current maintenance.
A Monster Squad Reunion Movie?
(moviehole.net) Like a lot of genre pics, "The Monster
Squad" didn't do much on its initial theatrical release but has become
somewhat of a cult hit thanks to video. There's a renewed interest in
the popular 80s flick - Young kids form a club that is devoted to
monsters, but soon get more than they bargained for when Count Dracula
adjourns to Earth- with a brand spankin' new special edition DVD due
out for the film any day now, and its got director Fred Dekker
thinking sequel.
"At Monster Mania, I was sitting around with the Squad and we started
talking about 'where are these characters today?'" Dekker tells Dread
Central. "I got really excited about it the more we talked about it;
imagine Rudy as an auto mechanic in Detroit with a crumbling marriage
and an alcohol problem, and he gets a phone call from his old pal Sean
who tells him they gotta get back together. That's a movie I would go
see!"
Will this happen? I dunno, will the "X-Files" sequel ever happen? –
your guess is as good as mine. Anything's possible, especially with
today's resurgence in making direct to DVD sequels.
India Embraces Satellite Distribution for Movies
(economictimes.indiatimes.com) From celluloid prints to
digital format, the Indian cinema and its distribution channel has
come a long way. But, now taking a step further, the Indian cinema
industry is slowly turning a new leaf in the distribution network,
'satellite distribution of movies'.
"India is a country with diverse geographical conditions and difficult
terrain. Hence, satellite delivery takes care of all logistical
problems associated with film distribution and exhibition. It ensures
that even the remotest corners of the country receive all films -
first day, first show. Also it builds in a lot of flexibility with
regard to theatre programming. It is equivalent to Video on Demand,"
says Raaja Kanwar, Vice-Chairman, UFO Moviez, specialising in
distribution of movies through satellite. It recently won the
'Innovation award in Indian Cinema' at IIFA Awards in Yorkshire early
this month.
Sensing, the future growth prospects of the technology and also the
cost cutting factor, major cinema theatre groups are now planning to
enter the satellite distribution market.
"We view it as a critical market. We are already using the latest
digital format. Satellite distribution is something for which we are
in talks with some companies. But, by next year, we might just have
our own satellite distribution company for our own theatres," says
Ashish Shukla, Chief Executive, PVR Cinemas, the largest multiplex
chain in the country.
According to industry estimates, there are nearly 1500 screens in
India which currently use satellite to relay movies directly to the
screens.
The Year CG VFX Didn't Take Home Oscar
(bestwow.blogspot.com/) TRON was passed over for an Academy
Award for Best Visual Effects because the Academy felt that the film
makers *cheated* by using computers. In fact, a number of Disney
animators refused to work on the project because they feared that CG
animation would mean the death of hand-drawn animation. They we
correct, though Disney didn't close the doors on its hand-drawn
animation studios for another 22 years.
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial claimed the award for Best Visual Effects
that year (1982) with Cocoon taking it in 1985, Who Framed Roger
Rabbit in 1988 (due to it's blending of traditional animation and live
action) and The Abyss in 1989 for its use of that same cheaty *CG
Animation*.
Fox Atomic Cut Back on Horror
(moviehole.net) Fox Atomic, who made their name as Rothman's
spin-off label for horror features like "The Hills Have Eyes" and "28
Weeks Later", are apparently cutting back on the amount of horror
films they do. Whether its because they lost money on that whole
"Revenge of the Nerds" fiasco or whether they're just taking some
time-out so the oversaturated horror market can clear the backlog, one
thing's for sure, says Bloody Disgusting, they only have one – yep,
one – horror movie in the works at the moment.
Says mr buddy Mr D at BD, "Meeting various development folks around
town have led me to some really interesting news. Apparently the ONLY
horror film in the works right now over at Fox Atomic is their PG-13
remake of The Entity, which is being directed by Japanese filmmaker
Hideo Nakata (The Ring Two, Ringu). What's even more disappointing is
that Fox Atomic had planned on taking the 28 Days Later franchise up
until 28 Years Later, which as of this moment, will never happen. Now
if DVD sales are through the roof for 28 Weeks Later and horror
regains some lost momentum, maybe we'll work our way towards seeing 28
Months Later. Go support your genre and help kick-start the flooded
engine".
Have heard similar things myself – mainly in regards to their iffiness
on whether a third "28" should happen – so there could be something in
this. As Brad/Mr D says, get out there and support the horror movies….
If even checking out the "Hills" sequel via NetFlix.
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix To Be Relased In Japan First
(mediafax.ro) The latest movie on the world''s most famous
wizard, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, hits the screen
here on Thursday, just weeks before fans will at last learn his final
fate, AFP reported.
The modest, bespectacled wizard has charmed a wide range of Muggles --
non-magical humans -- from children avid to join Harry''s
Dumbledore''s Army to Guantanamo Bay inmates who are reportedly
entranced with the Potter series.
British writer JK Rowling''s six Harry Potter books have sold 325
million copies worldwide and have been translated into 64 languages,
with the series converted into a successful film franchise starring
Daniel Radcliffe.
T2 Scribe Plans WWII "Escape"
(Variety) William Wisher (Terminator 2: Judgment Day) has been
set by 20th Century Fox to write and produce Escape of The Pacific
Clipper.
The film is a fact-based adventure about a race to get a Boeing B-314
back from New Zealand after the attack on Pearl Harbor in WWII.
Wisher did uncredited writing work for Fox on Die Hard with a
Vengeance and Live Free or Die Hard and he is an executive producer on
the latter. He most recently scripted Pilgrim, a contemporary Middle
East espionage drama, which John Moore will direct for Endgame.
In "Pacific Clipper," a ragtag crew of 11 is ordered to take the
aircraft, which had just dropped passengers in New Zealand when Pearl
Harbor occurred, to Hong Kong. When they arrive and discover that Hong
Kong has been overrun by the Japanese, the crew is ordered by Pan Am
chief Juan Trippe to fly a secret mission around the world. The U.S.
did not want the design to fall into the hands of the enemy. The
secret mission soon becomes public, and the crew races against the
Japanese and Nazis to make it home.
The Pixar Predicament: Staying On Top
(boston.com) It didn't take Pixar long to show how good
computer-generated animation could be. Its first animated feature,
"Toy Story" (1995), showed how good screen animation could be, period.
The studio's latest release, "Ratatouille," the story of Remy , a
Parisian rat who dreams of being a master chef, opens Friday.
After Pixar's second feature, "A Bug's Life" (1998), each of the next
three outgrossed the one before. The studio's logo, with that
extension-lamp "i," seemed a guarantee of both commercial and critical
success.
"Finding Nemo" (2003) became the all-time top-grossing animated
feature. The Museum of Modern Art mounted a major exhibition
commemorating the studio's 10th anniversary. Pixar had supplanted
Disney as the gold standard for Hollywood animation. Even Disney,
Pixar's distributor, thought so. Last year it bought the company for
$7.4 billion. Pixar had become the ultimate example of Hollywood
synergy: the studio as star.
The lamp's bulb has been dimming, though. "Nemo" held its box-office
crown only a year, thanks to "Shrek 2." Since then, Pixar releases
have lost the almost-reflexive pop-cultural cachet they had had. At
least some of that cachet has gone to Dream Works Animation, with its
"Shrek" franchise.
"The Incredibles" (2004) grossed less than "Finding Nemo." "Cars"
(2006) grossed less than "The Incredibles." "Cars" also got the
weakest reviews of any Pixar release since "A Bug's Life." And
Disney's gain might be proving Pixar's loss -- the studio's founder
and creative mastermind, John Lasseter, now has responsibility for
Disney animation, too.
Of course, the Disney effect may help as well as hinder. Advance word
on "Ratatouille" has been very strong (Brad Bird , the film's
director, also directed what may be Pixar's most impressive artistic
achievement, "The Incredibles"). And lest we forget, Disney long ago
demonstrated the not-inconsiderable appeal of animated rodents.
Mickey Mouse, meet your cartoon cousin, Remy Rat.
Cheese, anyone?
ILM ALUMNUS COLIN BRADY TALKS DIRECTING 'ASTRO BOY'
Imagi Studios has posted an exclusive interview with Colin Brady about
his new CG-animated feature film "Astro Boy. Visit Imagi's official
website at www.imagi.com.hk to read the interview. Click on "What's
New".
Brady has worked over a decade in the animation industry at such
studios as Rhythm & Hues, Pixar (lead animator on "Toy Story",
co-director on "Toy Story 2") and Industrial Light & Magic ("E.T.: The
Extra Terrestrial Special Edition", "The Hulk", "Men In Black 2",
"Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events"). Most recently,
Brady directed the CG-animated movie "Everyone's Hero".
"Astro Boy" tells the timeless saga of a young robot boy created by a
brilliant scientist in the image of the son he has lost. Astro Boy
embarks on a journey to find acceptance in the human world and to
learn how to use his powers for good. It's a story that will appeal to
a wide audience as a hip action-packed film with heart.
Comments