Articles by josh-wigler
Thu Oct 30, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
Nolan: Marvel's Crossover Agenda Won't Work For Batman
Director Says 'Neesh-Neesh' To Cross-Pollination
While The Dark Knight dominated the summer movie market, Marvel pulled off something incredible as well: creating the foundations for a Marvel movieverse. From Nick Fury mentioning The Avengers to Tony Stark's cameo in The Incredible Hulk, Marvel Studios began a new era of crossover events that will culminate in The Avengers in 2011. Most fans are elated by this method, but there's one guy who isn't totally down with the concept, at least on his own franchise: Chris Nolan.
In the final portion of a three-part interview, The Dark Knight director Nolan tells The L.A. Times that "cross-fertilization" isn't something that bodes well for his vision of the Caped Crusader.
"I don't think our Batman, our Gotham, lends itself to that kind of cross-fertilization," says the filmmaker. "It goes back to one of the first things we wrangled with when we first started putting the story together: Is this a world in which comic books already exist? Is this a world in which superheroes already exist? If you think of Batman Begins and you think of the philosophy of this character trying to reinvent himself as a symbol, we took the position -- we didn’t address it directly in the film, but we did take the position philosophically -- that superheroes simply don’t exist. If they did, if Bruce knew of Superman or even of comic books, then that’s a completely different decision that he’s making when he puts on a costume in an attempt to become a symbol."
Nolan regards other super-hero films such as Superman Returns as coming from "a different universe. It's a different way of looking at it. Now, it's been done successfully, very successfully, in the comics so I don't dispute it as an approach. It just isn't the approach we took. We had to make a decision for Batman Begins."
Warner Bros. unleashed the wrath of a million super-hero lovers when they unveiled their plans for Justice League: Mortal. The film would have been released prior to solo adventures for the majority of the team's roster, including The Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman. Another strike against the film was its alleged casting choices, pitting newcomers and undesired stars alike in the roles of fan favorite characters. Adam Brody (The O.C.) would've played Wally West, Common (Wanted) would've played John Stewart, and Megan Gale (Stealth) would've played Wonder Woman.
One of the biggest casting controversies came in the form of Armie Hammer. The 22-year-old actor, whose most high profile project to date is a guest stint on Desperate Housewives, was attached to the play Batman in Justice League. For fans of Nolan's work, it was bad enough that Bale wouldn't be involved in the team-up flick. Hammer's involvement was the salt in the wound.
Some comfort can be taken in the fact that the WB announced a refocusing of their DC Comics properties, taking a cue from Marvel's crossover agenda. To date, Green Lantern is moving forward with Hal Jordan as the hero and Green Arrow will headline the super-human prison escape flick Super Max. There's already talk about a third Nolan-helmed Batman and active plans for a Superman relaunch, which Mark Millar is heavily lobbying for.
But despite all of this, the Justice League: Mortal actors are still attached to the project on IMDb, which is slated for a 2011 release date. Within the last few months, Armie Hammer has spoken about the film as if it's still on the horizon. In the end, it might take a real life Justice League to ensure that Justice League the movie can match the inevitable success that The Avengers is poised to see.
Wed Oct 29, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
Laugier Directing 'Hellraiser' Relaunch
Pinhead to Raise More Hell
The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Pascal Laugier is in final negotiations do direct Dimension's reboot of Clive Barker's Hellraiser. The director is most known for his controversial French horror film Martyrs. Dimension has attempted to relaunch the Hellraiser franchise for several years now, with Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo originally attached to write and direct the picture. Most recently, Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton wrote a new draft, but it's unclear if their vision will be used for Laugier's picture.
"This is a dream project for me," Laugier said of Hellraiser. "I know Clive Barker's work very well, and I would never betray what he has done. Fans are expecting a definitive Hellraiser, and I don't want to take that away from them."
Anyone worried about how hard R the film might be can stop worrying now. Laugier's Martyrs has been described as a torture porn and yielded an 18+ rating in France, which is the equivalent of NC-17 in the United States. According to THR, several people reportedly fainted during a screening at the Toronto International Film Festival. Sounds like Pinhead's going to have his hands full.
In Clive Barker's Hellraiser, Frank Cotton is sent to Hell when he foolishly plays with a mysterious box called The Lament Configuration. His former lover Julia, an adulturus woman in an unhappy marriage, assists Frank in finding three victims so that he may escape Hell and live again. In the end, it's assumed that both Frank and Julia fail at their task and are sent back to Hell. Hellraiser spawned multiple spin-offs, though none directed by Clive Barker, and most largely panned by critics.
Hellraiser joins a growing list of classic horror icons remade for the 21st century. Rob Zombie reinterpreted Halloween back in 2007 to mixed reviews. Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Wes Craven's The Hills Have Eyes also saw mildly received remakes recently. There are active plans for a Robert Englund-less Nightmare on Elm Street reboot, as well as a new Kane Hodder-less Friday the 13th debuting in 2009. Of all these horror remakes, perhaps the best shot at success goes to the planned Child's Play update, as the iconic Brad Dourif is set to voice the homicidal Good Guy doll, Chucky, once again.
Wed Oct 29, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
'Villains' Target Theaters
Adaptation Heads to Universal
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Universal has picked up the movie rights to the upcoming Viper Comics graphic novel Villains. Universal reportedly paid a mid-six-figure sum for the rights, which could prove profitable if the lesser-known property enjoys the same super-hero buzz that other films in the genre have yielded. Sean Bailey produces via his Idealogy banner, and Matt Jennison and Brent Strickland are set to write the screenplay. Jennison and Strickland are also working on the stalled Wonder Woman for Warner Brothers and Joel Silver.
Villains, not to be confused with the current Heroes volume on NBC, is a four issue mini-series by Adam Cogan and Ryan Cody. Villains focuses on Nick Corrigan, "an aimless 20-something who discovers that his aging neighbor used to be the notorious supervillain known as 'Hardliner,' now retired and living in hiding for the past few decades. Rather than turn him in to the authorities, Nick decides to blackmail him in exchange for lessons in the fine art of career super-crime. But the old pro is about to teach his student some lessons he'll never forget."
The original series was originally published by Viper Comics in 2006. A second mini-series is set for this fall, which should provide solid source material if Villains does well enough at the box office to warrant a sequel.
How do you guys feel about Villains heading to film? Psyched? Meh? Think there's other super-villains that should get their big screen licks in first? Personally, I'd love to see The Hood first.
Wed Oct 29, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
'Torso' Grows Legs
Bendis Adaptation Close to Reality
Bill Mechanic, the former chairman of 20th Century Fox and now founder of independent production company Pandemonium, told Collider that the long planned adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis' Torso is heading into production soon.
"Torso is moving right towards the starting gate," Mechanic tells the site. "We've got a screenplay and we're waiting for Paramount to decide when to make it."
He also confirms what many have heard: David Fincher will direct the feature.
"I'm hoping we're shooting in March or April ... [so] it should be [Fincher's next project]," says Mechanic.
And while he has a ton of faith in the project, he does admit that there will be departures from the source material, much in the way that the movie Fight Club broke off from the novel.
"Torso the movie, which may not be called Torso the movie at the end of the day ... makes the book better reading because it doesn't follow [the book] literally," Mechanic says.
Though he's known today for revitalizing The Avengers, killing all the mutants in House of M and making Skrulls a threat again in Secret Invasion, Brian Bendis' roots as a comics creator go back to his days at Caliber Comics. He published a string of noir crime comics with Caliber, including Fire (1993), A.K.A. Goldfish (1994) and Flaxen (1995). His most known early works are Jinx (1996), which is the namesake of his Web site JinxWorld, and the comic in question, Torso (1998). It may be hard to believe with top artists Leinil Yu and others illustrating his work, but Bendis actually illustrated a large part of his early work, including Torso. Bendis also co-wrote the novel alongside Marc Andreyko (DC's Manhunter).
Torso is a historical fiction limited series published by Image Comics. The story focuses on the "Torso Murderer," an actual serial killer in the 1930's who left behind only the torsos of his victims, making them very difficult to identify for police without DNA testing. The investigator on the case and protagonist of Torso is Eliot Ness, Cleveland Chief of police and one-time head of the Untouchables, the police task force that enforced Prohibition and went after crime lord Al Capone.
Though no official casting has been made, Mechanic did tell Collider that "a lot of things being written [online] about [the film] are probably true." Jake Gyllenhaal and Matt Damon are the two actors long rumored for Torso, so perhaps they'll be the guys to star in the feature.
Wed Oct 29, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
Marvel 'Irons' Out 'Avengers' Trio
RDJ, Favreau and Cheadle Extend Their Deals
While Tony Stark is drunk on booze, Robert Downey Jr. is drunk on Tony Stark. Marvel has announced that the actor will once again don the superheroic lush's iron clad boots for Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3 and The Avengers. While it was widely assumed that RDJ would return, this is the first official word from Marvel Studios themselves. It's also the first casting decision made for The Avengers, insuring that at least some continuity will carry over in the Marvel movie-verse.
Additionally, Jon Favreau and Don Cheadle have also made deals with Marvel. Favreau is officially announced as the director for Iron Man 2 and will serve as executive producer on The Avengers. Favreau had publicly declared his hopes to direct The Avengers, but conceded that it was an unlikely scenario given the close proximity to working on Iron Man 2.
Cheadle, meanwhile, has officially dotted the i's and crossed the t's to play Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes for Iron Man 2. Marvel notes that "Cheadle is also signed on to perform the same role in The Avengers and subsequent installments of the Iron Man franchise." It's almost a sure thing that War Machine will pop up in Iron Man 2 so that he can team up with Stark and the other heroes in The Avengers. Cheadle's official casting is sure to crush some spirits that were hoping for a last minute Terrence Howard revival.
Interestingly enough, Favreau is the only one of the three not officially signed for Iron Man 3. Months ago, Marvel was reportedly set to drop the director from Iron Man 2 due to financial disagreements. That, as it later turned out, was Terrence Howard's downfall instead. Still, it appears that the studio is keeping Favreau's involvement at a slight arm's length in case the money problems pop up once again.
Either way, it's exciting to have some official movement on Iron Man 2 and The Avengers. The next few years should be pretty solid for comic book fans.
Tue Oct 28, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
Fox Takes 'Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test'
Van Sant to Adapt Novel
At long last, the 1968 written The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test from Tom Wolfe is heading to film. Fox Searchlight has picked up the rights for the novel, with director Gus Van Sant and writer Dustin Lance Black attached to the project. Richard Gladstein and his Film Colony banner will produce.
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test is a drug-addled new journalism epic in the vein of Hunter S. Thompson. The novel follows the hallucinogenic exploits of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest novelist Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters, proponents of psychedelic drugs, as they drive across the country. Their vehicle of choice is a DayGlo painted school bus named "Furthur." Some prominent figures featured in the novel include The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Allen Ginsberg, Bob Dylan and Timothy Leary. Sadly, the Kool-Aid man does not play a prominent role.
Gus Van Sant and Dustin Lance Black recently collaborated on the upcoming Milk starring Sean Penn and Josh Brolin. The film debuts on November 26, 2008 in limited release.
Van Sant has directed high quality films such as Good Will Hunting and Finding Forrester, one of Sean Connery's final films before retiring. Black is a writer on HBO's successful Big Love, a series about a Mormon polygamist and his very large family.
Producer Richard Gladstein originally enlisted Van Sant and Black for Kool-Aid with an eye for a 2009 release, but he was unable to find financing. Now that Fox Searchlight is backing the film, development should move much quicker.
Tue Oct 28, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
'Harry Potter,' 'Twilight' Trailers
New Looks at Upcoming Fantasy Flicks
The international trailers for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Twilight have hit the internet.
First up is Potter, which can be found over at Trailer Addict or watched below. The new trailer offers some interesting glimpses into the film, including Dumbledore's curse-ridden hand and Potter chasing after Snape while shouting, "Fight me, you coward!" You also get to see the cave where Harry and Dumbledore have their last great team-up together. All in all, looks like a fitting adaptation of the series' penultimate chapter.
Click below to watch!
Next is Twlight, an adaptation of the young adult vampire/romance novel by Stephenie Meyer. The book has spawned three sequels: New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. It follows the romantic relationship between a human named Bella and an animal-feeding vampire named Edward. The film stars Kristin Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Cam Gigandet, Peter Facinelli and Nikki Reed.
Head here to see the trailer.
Tue Oct 28, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
Chris Pine Talks 'Star Trek'
Captain Kirk's a Democrat?
Right now, fans across the world identify Captain James T. Kirk with actor William Shatner. That's likely to change when the J.J. Abrams helmed Star Trek premieres this coming May with newcomer Chris Pine in Kirk's captain's chair. Collider got the chance to speak with Pine at the recent Hollywood Awards, where the actor initially shrugged off the epic scope of his upcoming film.
"[I'm in] a small, small movie called Star Twars," jokes Pine. "It's a mix between Star Trek and Star Wars."
Pine acknowledges that he's stepping into some hefty shoes, and knows that some fans are already "giving the middle finger" to the project. However, the endorsement of Kevin Smith was a huge morale booster for the young actor. When he found out about Smith's glowing review of both the film and Pine's performance, Pine was through the roof.
"[I sent him an e-mail and said], 'Thanks dude. I couldn't have asked for a better thumbs up from someone [of Smith's caliber]," Pine says. "This far away from the release date, to have someone say I did a good job, especially with the potential naysayers out there, it was a nice ego boost for a Wednesday."
Unless Kevin Smith can create millions of clones, Pine and the rest of the Trek team will need to appeal to a much wider audience. In that regard, the soon-to-be Kirk isn't worried about the detractors.
"It'll be what it'll be," says Pine. "People will like [our movie] or they won't. I'm really proud of it. From what I've seen I think we did a great job. We just have to leave the rest [up to] the peanut gallery."
For now, after months of fighting Romulans and avoiding Spock's death grip, Pine's working on a project that's just a tad more small scale.
Tue Oct 28, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
Nolan Talks 'Batman 3'
Does He Have One More Left?
Batman, Batman, who's got the Batman? The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan sure did, but according to a new interview with The L.A. Times, he might be hanging up the cape and cowl.
"There are two things to be said [in deciding whether or not to make a third Batman]," Nolan tells Geoff Boucher. "What's the story? Is there a story that's going to keep me emotionally invested for the couple of years that it will take to make another one? That's the overriding question.
"On a more superficial level," he continues, "I have to ask the question: How many good third movies in a franchise can people name? [Laughs] At the same time, in taking on the second one [The Dark Knight], we had the challenge of trying to make a great second movie, and there haven't been too many of those either. It's all about the story really. If the story is there, everything is possible."
There are rumors all across the internet of what that story might be. Many suggest Catwoman, with Angelina Jolie as the most often discussed actress for the role, while certain news outlets such as the National Enquirer are convinced that Philip Seymour Hoffman and Johnny Depp are locked as the Penguin and Riddler respectively.
Nolan, on the other hand, doesn't know much about what a sequel would entail. He admits that in filming The Dark Knight, his eyes weren't set towards a third film, despite leaving The Joker alive.
"I only deal with one film at a time," states Nolan. "We’ve never attempted to save anything for a sequel or set up anything for a sequel. That seems improbable to some people because, particularly with Batman Begins, the film ended with a particular hook [with Jim Gordon showing Batman a Joker playing card announcing the arrival of a new villain in town]. But for me that was just about the excitement of people leaving the theater with the sense that now we have the character up and running. I wanted people to walk away with that sense in their head. You know, that he’s become the Batman in the movie. That’s why we had the title come up at the end, because it was Batman Begins, and it was all very specific to that. Then I got excited about seeing where that character would go. It was planned in advance, but it followed in that way."
Mon Oct 27, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
WB Finds a 'Ninja Scroll'
Anime Gets Live-Action Treatment
Jubei Kibagami's strapping on the ninja gear and heading for theaters around the globe.
Variety reports that the acclaimed anime film Ninja Scroll will be adapted by Warner Bros. as a live action adventure. Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way will produce the picture alongside Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Mike Ireland. The film will be written by Alex Tse, who worked as a writer on Zack Snyder's Watchmen.
Set in feudal Japan, Ninja Scroll follows ninja for hire Jubei Kibgagami as he battles longtime rival Himuro Gemma. Gemma, who is seemingly invincible, dispatches a legion of dangerous villains to dispatch of Jubei, including the stone golem Tessai and the blind assassin Utsutsu Mujuro. Jubei is joined by the female ninja Kagero, the lone survivor of a team of killed Koga Ninja.
Ninja Scroll is one of the most beloved anime features to cross from Japan to American shores. It joins an ever growing list of anime-to-live action adaptations, including the in production Dragonball starring Justin Chatwin and Chow Yun Fat. James Cameron has stated for years that he plans to adapt Battle Angel Alita, which is rumored to be his next project after Avatar. M. Night Shyamalan has similar plans for a live-action trilogy of Avatar: The Last Airbender, which was announced in February 2007 and has a tentative release date of July 2, 2010. There's been little movement on the project thus far.
Perhaps most closely related to Ninja Scroll is Appian Way's involvement in the adaptation of Akira. Although Leonardo DiCaprio is not attached to star in Ninja Scroll, it's possible that he'll play a role in Akira, which is rumored to be set in America instead of Asia. The move is somewhat worrisome given the way Dragonball looks to be turning out with American actors in Japanese roles, but the prospect of Leo as the telepathic terror Tetsuo is awesome enough for us.
Mon Oct 27, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
Three Head Down the Rabbit Hole
'Alice in Wonderland' Scores More Talent
Following the news of Crispin Glover's casting as the Knave of Hearts in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland comes word that Christopher Lee and Eleanor Tomlinson are joining the cast, while Danny Elfman confirms his involvement on the musical end of things.
SlashFilm reports on Lee's casting, stating that the actor's role in the film has yet to be made known. Speculation exists that he'll either play The Caterpillar, King of Hearts or The White Knight. Lee is no stranger to fantasy films, as he's played Sith Lord Count Dooku in Star Wars and Saruman the White in Lord of the Rings. He's also a familiar face in the Burton circuit, having had roles in Sleepy Hallow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride and deleted scenes of Sweeney Todd.
Sixteen-year-old Eleanor Tomlinson has snagged the all original role of Fiona Chataway. Fiona, created specifically for Burton's vision, is a spiteful young peer of Alice's who appears in the film before Alice journeys down the rabbit hole.
Danny Elfman, meanwhile, is set to contribute to the score for Wonderland. Elfman is a staple in the Burton universe, composing music for Batman, Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas, among others.
Mon Oct 27, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
Two-Face Sees 'Clear and Present Danger?'
Eckhart Rumored for Jack Ryan Reboot
News about Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan film franchise has unfolded faster than one of the author's fictional terrorist plots. First came word that Sam Raimi was dropping out of the planned Ryan relaunch, then a report that the film was still a go ahead despite the director's departure. Now, Moviehole reports that The Dark Knight star Aaron Eckhart is being tapped to take over the spy franchise.
"Harrison Ford apparently won’t be getting another look in as Jack Ryan," says the site. "We’re told since this is a complete reboot of the series the studio wants someone new to play the literary hero.
"Rumored to be among the names on that wish list is Aaron Eckhart."
Moviehole states that while no offers have been made, Eckhart is "a name that keeps popping up in relation to the part of Ryan, so someone over [at Paramount] obviously likes him."
Things have been good for Aaron Eckart lately. His role as ill-fated District Attorney Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight launched the actor to world renown status. Before that, his performance as tobacco proponent Nick Naylor in Thank You For Smoking gained critical acclaim across the board, as has his work in Bill as a reluctant mentor to a rebellious teen.
Eckhart is not the only name attached to Jack Ryan. In addition to Harrison Ford, who previously played the role but is no longer considered in the running, there's the oft mentioned Ryan Gosling. Gosling was attached to play Ryan around the same time that Raimi was on board, but no official movement occurred in either direction. Funnily enough, Gosling's name is listed on the Jack Ryan Wikipedia page.
"It was reported on January 21, 2008, by the Empire official website and Moviehole, that a new reboot of the Jack Ryan franchise will take place in the near future, featuring Ryan Gosling in the title role," reports Wikipedia.
Just goes to show that the only news outlet you can rely on is ComicMix. Boo-yah!
Mon Oct 27, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
Review: 'Dexter' Episode #305
Dexter's 'Turning Biminese'
Note: Click here for last week's victim!
The Crime Scene: "Turning Biminese"
From Showtime: "While Dexter struggles with how to handle Rita’s desire for them to move in together before they get married, Miguel tells Dexter about a husband who has gotten away with killing two of his wives for financial gain. For Dexter, this seems like the perfect candidate to satisfy his dark urge and his need, like every man under relationship pressures, to get away. Dexter tracks the murderer to Bimini. While on the hunt, Rita has a medical emergency and he is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, Debra works with Anton, her confidential informant to track down one of Freebo’s criminal confidants. But Debra finds herself oddly (and disgustingly) attracted to Anton."
Blood Spatter Analysis
"Turning Biminese" is a weirdly unfit title for one of the most defining moments in Dexter history. The whole hour focuses on just how drastically Dexter's life has and will continue to change by the impending birth of his child and his newfound engagement to Rita, among a whole slew of other things. By episode's end, it's very clear that Dexter's life is about to get very, very different.
Mon Oct 27, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
Whedon Gives 'Dollhouse' Update
Speaks Out About Show's Hiccups
When it comes to Joss Whedon's new television series Dollhouse, "playtime" is the last word on anyone's lips.
The upcoming Fox show has experienced some pretty serious road bumps since its inception. A reshoot of the series pilot was ordered, shifting the originally shot first episode into the second episode slot. Soon after, a filming hiatus was announced to refocus the tone and direction of the series. Most recently, the full season pick-up of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has left some Whedonites wondering whether there's an adequate prime time slot for Dollhouse.
Now, Joss Whedon's breaking the silence about the mishaps on his blog, Whedonesque.
"Basically, the Network and I had different ideas about what the tone of the show would be," Whedon writes. "Their desires were not surprising: up the stakes, make the episodes more stand-alone, stop talking about relationships and cut to the chase. Oh, and add a chase. That you can cut to. Nothing I hadn't heard before on my other shows (apparently my learning curve has no bendy part) but frustrating as hell given our circumstances - a pilot shot, scripts written, everybody marching together/gainfully employed... and then a shutdown."
Despite the hardships, Whedon states that "nothing essential has changed about the universe [of Dollhouse]. The ideas and relationships that intrigued me from the start are all there (though some have shifted) ... and the progression of the first thirteen eps has me massively excited."
Whedon also writes that Eliza Dushku's performance is nothing short of "strong, radiant and unmistakable," calling her an actress "who could coast on talent and never ever does."
"Some things I'd intended to hold back are laid out much sooner," Whedon continues about the show's pacing, "and some are rolling out more slowly." Part of these pacing issues, he clarifies, include the full scrapping of the original pilot in favor of the reshot version. He doesn't say whether or not the original pilot is still set to be the series' second episode despite previous reports.
Other than that, there are some casting changes, as the Dollhouse head of security, Laurence Dominic (Reed Diamond), is sticking around the show longer than the single first episode he was originally planned for.
"Most of my problems seem to involve my actors making themselves indispensable," Whedon concedes, then clarifies: "This is the good problem kind."
The first promos for the series, marked only as "coming soon", began airing during the World Series broadcasts and looks pretty cool.
Sat Oct 25, 2008 — by Josh Wigler
'Lost' Secrets Unearthed
A Preemptive Look at the New Season
While the networks are busy slugging out the fall television season with competing series both new and old, the viewers are left without a shepherd to guide them towards true quality programming. In 2009, that shepherd returns, and its name is Lost.
ABC's award-winning smash-hit Lost has gained an unbelievable following in its four short years. It's often a show of balance as some mysteries get solved ("What's in the hatch?") and some never do ("What's the frickin' monster?"). Despite some of the rockier terrain that seasons two and three trekked through, fans have stuck through the turbulent times by having faith that their loyalty would be rewarded.
When Lost returns early next year, the shape of that reward will come into sharper focus. Season five marks the penultimate year for the series, as showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse previously inked a deal with ABC to end Lost after six seasons. Since that move, each episode instantly gains a higher sense of importance for both the show's mythology and its fans' patience. Nary an hour can be wasted with so many pressing questions to be answered, and with Lost officially on the downhill end of the slope, Lindelof and Cuse promise that the series will shift away from generating mysteries and into "answer mode."
There's still some months before the new season, but information about the plot, characters and more are slowly find their way onto the internet. We've done some digging around and compiled the following list of points regarding what you can expect from Lost in the future. Be warned, however, as there are some spoilers ahead. Proceed with caution...
