Tagged: Hollywood Reporter

Disney Adapts ‘Monster Attack Network’

  • News
  • August 5, 2008

When a graphic novel is billed as a cross between Men in Black and Jurassic Park, it’s no surprise to see a studio come running, dollar signs in their eyes.

Such is Disney with Monster Attack Network, according to a story in the Hollywood Reporter.

The book is published by AIT/Planet Lar and originally came out in 2007.

The adventure tale, written by Marc Bernardin and Adam Freeman with art by Nima Sorat, is set on the picture-perfect Pacific island of Lapuatu, which is populated by giant monsters. There, a team of adventurers deal with rampages and related crises and clean up messes afterwards. The team faces its biggest challenge when a shady industrialist shows up.

Paramount Drops HD-DVD

Paramount Drops HD-DVD

  • News
  • February 22, 2008

Well, that didn’t take as long as I thought it would. I figured it might be at least a few days before Paramount made the decidion to drop HD-DVD. But I guess they hated being last to the party with a date nobody wanted.

So today, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Paramount also dumped HD-DVD and will now be releasing content exclusively on Blu-Ray.

According to the Paramount press release quoted in the article:

 "We are pleased that the industry is moving to a single high-definition format, as we believe it is in the best interest of the consumer. As we look to (begin) releasing our titles on Blu-ray, we will monitor consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly."

Again, no mention about content currently in the pipeline that’s already HD-DVD. Maybe they’ll go back and redo all of them and then release on Blu-Ray? That would seem unlikely and pretty costly. But with the odd things Hollywood studios sometimes do, I guess anything is possible.

Live-Action ‘Akira’ On the Way from Leo DiCaprio

Live-Action ‘Akira’ On the Way from Leo DiCaprio

  • News
  • February 21, 2008

Yesterday, the Hollywood Reporter dropped the news that Warner Brothers has snapped up the rights to make a two-part, live-action version of the Japanese Anime classic Akira. Not only that, but producing the film will be superstar Leonaro DiCaprio. In addition, first-time feature helmer Ruairi Robinson will be taking on the directing duties and Gary Whitta is writing the screenplay.

But wait, there’s more.

Today, it was confirmed by Aint it Cool News that DiCaprio will, in addition to producing, star in the live-action film as the lead character Kaneda. Also confirmed is that Joseph Gordon-Levitt, soon to be seen in the upcoming live-action G.I. Joe, will join him in the cast as Tetsuo. 

In case you’re not familiar with Akira, it originally came out in 1988 as a manga and then as an animated film co-written and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo. The story, set in a futuristic post-nuclear war "New Tokyo" in the year 2019, concerns a teen biker gang member called Tetsuo who is subjected to government experiments which unleash his hidden and terrifying powers. Kaneda, the gang’s leader and Tetsuo’s best friend, must then find a way to stop the ensuing destruction caused by his friend, even if it means killing him.
 
I first saw the film in the early ’90s and was blown away. At the time it was like no other animation I had ever seen and I’ve always secretly harbored a desire to see it as a big-budget, live-action feature. I guess I’ll get my wish. Hopefully, that will be a good thing.
 
Warner Brothers is looking at a Summer 2009 release for the first film.

 

 

Oz to Justice League Filmmakers: Not Our Fault!

Oz to Justice League Filmmakers: Not Our Fault!

  • News
  • January 21, 2008

Following up on a previous Hollywood Reporter article in which Warner Bros. blamed the delays in production of a Justice League film on script issues and problems with potential Australian tax deductions, Variety now reports that the government of Australia has denied any fault in the matter. Apparently, Warner Bros.’ implication of the Aussies couldn’t have happened at a worse time, with the announcement hitting Australian wires on the first day of a government-sponsored celebration of American-Australian tourism and trade relations.

Australian officials were quick to issue a statement assuring the public that there was no conflict with tax incentives, but rather a conflict with "creative issues" related to the script. However, Variety‘s report would seem to indicate that the truth lies somewhere in the middle:

Pics seeking the uncapped 40% refund need to meet specific criteria to be deemed Aussie, and this is where "Justice League" appears to have failed to qualify, despite the studio having inked helmer George Miller in September and some Aussie thesps such as model Megan Gale.

 

ANDREW’S LINKS: Tentacoo Wape!

ANDREW’S LINKS: Tentacoo Wape!

  • News
  • September 14, 2007

Hey, guess which loathed-by-the-Internets cover came out this week? Yup…that one.

Comics Links

Forbidden Planet International’s Continental Correspondent visits the Brussels Comics Center, and isn’t terribly impressed.

The Seattle Post Intelligencer talks with Douglas Wolk.

The Beat has some serious thoughts about the professionalism – or lack thereof – of the current crop of comic shop owners and management.

ICv2 interviews Viz’s Senior Vice President Liza Coppola.

Silver Bullet Comic Books interviews Umbrella Academy artist Gabriel Ba.

Panels and Pixels awoke to find itself buried under a giant wave of Naruto books.

At Newsarama, Grumpy Old Fan ponders the recent wave of creators returning to the books of their youth at DC.

The Chicago Reader talks to Anders Nilsen, cartoonist of The End. [via Newsarama]

 

Comics Reviews

Inside Pulse reviews Punisher War Journal #11.

Comic Book Resources’s Hannibal Tabu lists his “buy pile” for this week.

Warren Peace Sings the Blues reviews Good As Lily, the Minx graphic novel by Derek Kirk Kim and Jesse Hamm.

Greg Burgas of Comics Should Be Good reviews this week’s comics, starting with Bad Planet #3.

Living Between Wednesdays also reviews this week’s comics, but she starts with Wonder Girl #1.

At The Savage Critics, Graeme McMillan also looks at Wonder Girl #1.

And Occasional Superheroine reviews the Justice League of America Weding Special.

(more…)

Dark Tower to be filmed

Dark Tower to be filmed

  • News
  • February 20, 2007

First it was the Marvel comic — now the Hollywood Reporter tells us that Stephen King and J.J. Abrams (Lost, Alias) are in talks to bring The Dark Tower to the screen. No word as to whether it will be for movies or TV.

The article also notes that Abrams co-hort Damon (Ultimate Wolverine/Hulk) Lindelof is also a huge King fanboy, bringing along a rare first edition of "The Gunslinger," Book 1 of the series, for King to sign at a recent round-table for Entertainment Weekly.

No word how this will affect Star Trek XI or any of the other myriad projects that have Abrams’s name attached.

Previously:

The Dark Tower: Interview with Peter David

Dark Tower signing at Midtown Comics

Speed Racer to start filming in May

Speed Racer to start filming in May

  • News
  • February 14, 2007

Based on the 1960s anime, Speed Racer will be filmed in Germany at Studio Babelsberg, according to the Hollywood Reporter, by — the Wachowski brothers? This is a return to where they shot V For Vendetta.  The Warner Bros. movie is currently in pre-production.

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