Author: Robert Greenberger

Donna Noble to Return in ‘Doctor Who’ Special

Donna Noble to Return in ‘Doctor Who’ Special

  • News
  • September 8, 2008

England’s The Sun is reporting that Catherine Tate will be seen once more as Donna Noble in one of the four Doctor Who specials now filming for 2009. Bernard Cribbins will also return as Donna’s grandfather Wilf.

The paper also reports that John Simm will also return as The Master, despite apparently dying in front of the Doctor.  Whether he will be in the same special as Donna was not revealed.

Summing up what we know to date: two of the specials are being film in America, likely pairing the Doctor with American assisntats yet to be named.  Donna is back for one special and the Master is back for one special which may be or may not be one of the three we know about.

A source told the tabloid that the current Doctor, David Tennant, was likely inclined to sign on for a full season. “David loves filming Doctor Who. The upcoming specials have given him more freedom to work on other projects this year and now he’s ready to come back to film a proper series to go out in 2010.”
 

‘Strait Jacket’ to Make Domestic Debut on DVD

‘Strait Jacket’ to Make Domestic Debut on DVD

  • News
  • September 8, 2008

Anime fans can look forward to the October 7 release of Strait Jacket on DVD. The film, created by Ichiro Sakaki (Scrapped Princess), was a major success in Japan and comes to America with high anticipation.Sakaki wrote the screenplay for the feature, based on his original light novels, which to date have sold more than half a million copies in Japan.

According to a release, the film is about: “In a world where sorcery and science co-exist, the power of magic comes with a price: Humans who do not take proper precautions are transformed into horrific demons. Those who destroy these demons – and run the highest risk of all – are tactical sorcerers known as ‘Strait Jackets’.  But when terrorists unleash a plague of demonic carnage, the Sorcery Management Bureau must enlist unlicensed assassin Leiot Steinberg to stop the slaughter.  Even if this rogue killer and a mysterious young girl can end the outbreak, will they be able to face their own dark secrets?”

The dub cast includes Crispin Freeman (Hellsing, Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex) and Kari Wahlgren (Samurai Champloo, Steamboy).

The 76-minute film is being released domestically by Manga Entertainment Ltd. and comes with holographic “O-card” packaging and  will retail for $19.97.

Cooke Brothers Storm Manhattan

Cooke Brothers Storm Manhattan

  • News
  • September 8, 2008

Something for the New York area comic fans:

Andrew D. Cooke, director of the full-length feature film documentary Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist, and his brother Jon B. Cooke, writer/co-producer of that movie and editor of the award-winning Comic Book Artist magazine, will be guests of New York City’s acclaimed improv comedy group the Comic Book Club this coming Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 8:00 p.m., at the Peoples Improv Theatre on 154 West 29th St., in Manhattan! Tickets are five bucks each.

The Comic Book Club is a weekly comic book talk show featuring the best comedians in New York talking shop with industry professionals from all corners of the comic book world. Hosted by Justin Tyler, Pete LePage, and Alex Zalben, Tuesday’s episode will feature an excerpt from the Cookes’ documentary, which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival and is about the life and career of one of comics’ most gifted artists, who not only created The Spirit (adapted as a major motion picture this coming Christmas by legendary Frank Miller) but was a seminal influence on the field up to his death at 87 in 2005. The brothers will be on hand to discuss the film, which showcases interviews with Eisner, Jules Feiffer, Stan Lee, Kurt Vonnegut, Art Spiegelman, Frank Miller, Michael Chabon, and many, many others, and no doubt the boys will also take a razzing from the CBC hosts.

For more information — and a look at the trailer — regarding Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist, please visit www.montillapictures.com

To check out Comic Book Artist magazine, go to www.topshelfcomix.com

Comic Book Club can be found online at http://popcultureshock.com/cbclub/ and is spotlighted in a spiffy New York Times article at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/theater/18comics.html (or on my Facebook page)

The Peoples Improv Theatre Web site is www.thepit-nyc.com

Comic Book Club is every Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. at the Peoples Improv Theater, 154 W 29th St., New York City. (212) 563-7488
 

‘Torso’ Seeks Tax Breaks in Cleveland

‘Torso’ Seeks Tax Breaks in Cleveland

  • News
  • September 8, 2008

Torso, the film adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis’ graphic novel, is looking to start shooting in early 2009.  The movie, set to star Matt Damon as the famed Elliot Ness, is looking to film in Cleveland but is seeking tax breaks to make extended shooting financially reasonable.

As reported in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, producer Bill Mechanic is seeking tax breaks or will lens interior scenes in Michigan, with its 40% tax incentives, and only shoot on location for exteriors.

"It all comes down to what’s the best place to get our movie shot for the least money," Mechanic said. "We want to shoot the entire movie, the interior and exterior shots, in Cleveland because that’s where the action takes place and so we wouldn’t have to relocate the crew. But without incentives, it doesn’t look like we can afford it."

The state’s legislation is stalled at the capitol.

Torso tells the story of the grisly Kingsbury Run murders where 13 people died between 1934 and 1938.  Ness, then the city’s safety director, never found the killer. It inspired Bendis and Marc Andreyko (Manhunter) to cowrite the graphic novel version of other story with Bendis providing the artwork. The six issue miniseries was later collected by Image Comics as Torso: A True Crime Graphic Novel, releasing it in 2001. The miniseries won the 1999 Eisner Award for "Comic Book Excellence, Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition".

The film rights were sold in January 2006 with screenwriter Ehren Kruger handling the adaptation for director David Fincher.  Mechanic is set to produce alongside Don Murphy, Todd McFarlane and Terry Fitzgerald.

‘Bangkok Dangerous’ Leads Weak Box Office

‘Bangkok Dangerous’ Leads Weak Box Office

  • News
  • September 7, 2008

You can tell the summer is over just by looking at the box office gross chart and see that the cool films have arrived and we’re in a lull as people focus on school and the arrival of the fall television season.

The number film this weekend, based on Box Office Mojo projections, is Nicholas Cage’s Bangkok Dangerous, which didn’t even screen for critics so there was zero buzz surrounding the film.  As a result, it took in just $7,800,000 to nab the number slot, just a few hundred thousand ahead of Tropic Thunder, which grabbed $7.5 million for number two. With a total haul of $96,811,000, this is one successful comedy.

Showing surprisingly strength with a mere 29.1% drop off after three weeks of play is Amt Seadris’ The House Bunny with a total of $36,999,000. Comedy continues to do well as Pineapple Express remains in the week’s top ten with a total of $84,158,000, clearly profitable given its $27 million budget. On the other hand, Disaster Movie sits like the turkey it is, earning just $3.3 million this weekend.

Still in the top five is The Dark Knight, pushing its total take to $512,198,000 as its weekly numbers ease down.

Despite being disavowed by everyone but the audience, Babylon A.D. continues to chug along, grabbing $4,000,000 and bringing its total to  $17,198,000 which likely will make this yet another financial disappointment for 20th-Century Fox.

(more…)

R. Crumb Exhibit Opens in Philadelphia

R. Crumb Exhibit Opens in Philadelphia

  • News
  • September 7, 2008

Philadelphia’s Institute of Contemporary Art has opened an exhibit, "R. Crumb’s Underground", running through December 7.  As a part of ICA’s Comics, Animation and Graphic Novels at Penn – A Year-Long Celebration, the exhibit chronicles Crumb’s work from the pioneering early days of Underground Comix through his more modern works of art.

The 100+ works of art were originally selected and organized by Todd Hignite, the publisher and editor of Comic Art magazine in 2007 for San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts before coming east.

The retrospective was reviewed by The New York Timeswhich noted, “Whatever the aesthetic and formal attractions of his work, Mr. Crumb’s penchant for barging past the limits of good taste and political correctness into psychologically juicy and dangerously complicated territory is still the main draw. His most amazingly provocative creation is Angelfood McSpade, a young, inky black, big-breasted African woman in a palm leaf skirt who was inspired by racist caricatures of the ’20s and ’30s. Sweet-tempered and dimwitted, the long-suffering Angelfood is subjected to all kinds of sexual abuse in various episodes Mr. Crumb has drawn. In one hilarious strip in the exhibition she is abducted and molested by aliens in a U.F.O.”

The review also recommends visitors allot up to three hours to properly take in the exhibit. Institute of Contemporary Art, 118 South 36th Street, Philadelphia; (215) 898-7108.

‘The Return’ Arrives at ABC

‘The Return’ Arrives at ABC

  • News
  • September 6, 2008

Greg Berlanti is rapidly getting busier in Hollywood.  In addition to his work with Marc Guggenheim and Michael Green on the screenplay to the Green Lantern feature film, he’s been working on the second season of ABC’s Eli Stone and Dirty Sexy Money and third season of Brothers & Sisters, all of which debut later this month. Variety reports that he must have a spare few minutes because he’s partnered with Rene Echevarria on The Return.  The science fiction series for ABC has a simple premise: aliens arrive on Earth.

Echevarria is now stranger to the genre having worked on Star Trek: Deep Space 9, The 4400 and Dark Angel.

Ramis Confirms ‘Ghostbusters 3’

Ramis Confirms ‘Ghostbusters 3’

  • News
  • September 6, 2008

The Chicago Tribune received an e-mail from creator Harold Ramis confirming the existence of Ghostbusters 3.

The e-mail missive reads:

"yes, columbia is developing a script for GB3 with my year one writing partners, gene stupnitsky and lee eisenberg.  judd apatow is co-producing year one and has made several other films for sony, so of course the studio is hoping to tap into some of the same acting talent. aykroyd, ivan reitman and i are consulting at this point, and according to dan, bill murray is willing to be involved on some level.  he did record his dialogue for the new ghostbusters video game, as did danny and i, and ernie hudson.  the concept is that the old ghostbusters would appear in the film in some mentor capacity.  not much else to say at this point.  everyone is confident a decent script can be written and i guess we’ll take it from there.
best,
harold"

The very mention of Judd Apatow shows the savvy thinking going into the third film. Apatow is the current tastemaker in comedy and once he gets involved, he brings with him a cadre of talents.  Reading between the lines, if the original team is on hand in some minor role, it’s clearly to mentor the next generation of slime hunters.  Imagine, if you will, the original quarter teamed with Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, James Franco and Michael Cera, Jason Segel and Craig Robinson.
 

‘Ciudad’ set up at Paramount

‘Ciudad’ set up at Paramount

  • News
  • September 6, 2008

Oni Press has sold the film rights to their forthcoming graphic novel Ciudad to Paramount Pictures.  Anthony and Joe Russo (You, Me and Dupree) wrote the comic and will pen and direct the screen adaptation according to Variety. The comic was drawn by Ande Parks (Green Arrow).

The trade describes the premise as “story centers on a weary hostage extractor who travels to Paraguay’s Ciudad del Este, a border town considered one of the world’s most dangerous and corrupt locales, to save a kidnap victim.”

The duo researched the story for years, traveling to South Africa and intend to return to their grittier filmmaking style.

Oni Press has optioned four other properties to Universal Studios where they have a first look deal.  Their Scott Pilgrim film begins shooting in a few weeks.

 

‘Veronice Mars’ goes to the Movies

‘Veronice Mars’ goes to the Movies

  • News
  • September 6, 2008

Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Ausiello has been one of the biggest supporters of Veronica Mars, the three season CW semi-hit that always had more buzz than ratings.  It did turn Kristen Bell into a star and helped creator Rob Thomas land additional work such as a revival of his Cupid for ABC.

Ausiello has been covering the growing rumors that a Veronica Mars feature film might happen and now it seems to be closer to a reality.  Producer Joel Silver, also a fan of the show, has gotten Warner Bros. interested in the notion of a movie version.  Thomas would write the feature for Silver and Bell has also indicated she’d happily return as the student turned sleuth.

When Thomas tried a Hail Mary attempt at a fourth season, he posited Veronica would have been recruited to work for the FBI.  For the movie, though, he’d send her to college and deal with a big campus mystery.

We here at ComicMix are also fans and will be keeping an eye on developments.

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