This also comes in from Dark Horizons:
Although it had been expected that Bryan Singer would do "Superman: The Man of Steel" sequel once he wrapped up work on the WW2 Tom Cruise flick "Valkyrie", that may no longer be the case.
Producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan tell Rotten Tomatoes that they have Singer lined up to direct "The Mayor of Castro Street," a story of gay rights activist Harvey Milk, within the next year.
Meron says "The next Superman, that's a ways off" and Zadan adds "Don't worry about it. Trust me. We may even start preproduction on Harvey Milk while he's on post production on the Tom Cruise movie."
Original plans had a "Superman" sequel aiming for a Summer 2009 release which means production would have to begin by mid-2008 at the latest. With both "Valkyrie" and "Castro" on his plate, it could be done but would be a rush job in all three cases - something that no-one wants.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Some Short "Dark Knight" Updates
This comes in from Dark Horizons:
Both good news and bad for Batman fans eager to hear anything on "The Dark Knight".
First up it's been confirmed that Warners will sadly NOT have any "The Dark Knight" footage to screen at this month's San Diego Comic Con as, quite reasonably, they don't think any of it will be ready in time. Wizard World Chicago a few weeks later however is likely to get something.
In other news, actor Christian Bale talked about further sequel possibilities to The Star Ledger, saying "The script leaves room for a very interesting follow-up, too. I think we could take it somewhere else."
Both good news and bad for Batman fans eager to hear anything on "The Dark Knight".
First up it's been confirmed that Warners will sadly NOT have any "The Dark Knight" footage to screen at this month's San Diego Comic Con as, quite reasonably, they don't think any of it will be ready in time. Wizard World Chicago a few weeks later however is likely to get something.
In other news, actor Christian Bale talked about further sequel possibilities to The Star Ledger, saying "The script leaves room for a very interesting follow-up, too. I think we could take it somewhere else."
'Simpsons' Kwik-E-Mart Becomes a Reality
This in from hollywood.com:
HOLLYWOOD - The Simpsons' fictional convenience store Kwik-E-Mart has become a reality thanks to a publicity stunt by 7-Eleven bosses.
To mark the release of The Simpsons Movie later this month, a dozen 7-Eleven stores have been turned into Kwik-E-Marts for the remainder of July.
The more-than-6,000 7-Elevens across the U.S. which have not been turned into Kwik-E-Marts will still sell Simpsons-related food and drink, including Buzz Cola and KrustyO's cereal, which have previously only been seen on the long-running animated TV show.
The Simpsons Movie is released on July 27.
HOLLYWOOD - The Simpsons' fictional convenience store Kwik-E-Mart has become a reality thanks to a publicity stunt by 7-Eleven bosses.
To mark the release of The Simpsons Movie later this month, a dozen 7-Eleven stores have been turned into Kwik-E-Marts for the remainder of July.
The more-than-6,000 7-Elevens across the U.S. which have not been turned into Kwik-E-Marts will still sell Simpsons-related food and drink, including Buzz Cola and KrustyO's cereal, which have previously only been seen on the long-running animated TV show.
The Simpsons Movie is released on July 27.
R.L. Stine's 'The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It' All-New Spooky Fare For The Entire Family
Star Pulse Movie News reports the following:
The newest thrill ride from Goosebumps author R.L. Stine will keep parents and kids on the edge of their seats this Halloween season when R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It comes exclusively to DVD September 4, 2007 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment and The Hatchery LLC. The latest entry in Universal's highly-successful made for DVD events, R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It features a sizzling young cast that tweens and their families will love, including Emily Osment (Hannah Montana, Spy Kids), Cody Linley (Hannah Montana, Hoot) and Brittany Curran (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and one of kidzworld.com's Five Faces to Watch in 2007), plus the quintessential movie villain Tobin Bell (the Saw franchise). Directed by Alex Zamm (Inspector Gadget II) with special effects from the Oscar®-winning team from The Chronicles of Narnia, R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It is filled with enough excitement, adventure and chills to thrill the whole family again and again.
In addition, Emily Osment makes her music debut, singing the film's theme song "I Don't Think About It." The song, along with a never-before-seen music video, will be available on the DVD. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It kicks off a series of spooky and suspenseful thrillers for the entire family based on the work of one of the world's best-selling children's authors. Stine catapulted to fame with the children's publishing phenomenon, the Goosebumps series, and became the #1 best-selling author in America three years in a row. His books, including The Nightmare Room, Fear Street, and Nightmare Hour have been translated into more than 20 languages and published in more than 30 countries. He has been honored with a Children's Choice Award, three Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, and three Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards.
Filmed in Pittsburgh, the film's original screenplay is written by Emmy Award® winners Dan Angel and Billy Brown ("Door to Door"), who also partnered as writers on the hit TV series The X-Files. Executive producers are veteran television production and programming executive Margaret Loesch (Benji: Off the Leash) and Bruce Stein, co-CEOs of The Hatchery, as well as Angel, a partner in The Hatchery, and Brown. Jane Stine and Joan Waricha, co-owners of Parachute Publishing, are co-executive producers.
Cassie (Emily Osment) is a 13-year old Goth girl struggling to adapt to a new neighborhood and a new school. Feeling like an outsider, Cassie acts out by playing spooky and outrageous pranks to frighten the popular kids at school, as well as her scaredy cat little brother, Max (Alex Winzenread). The day before Halloween, Cassie finds an odd little book called The Evil Thing that cautions readers "Do Not Read Aloud." When Max insists on hearing the story, Cassie starts down a road that begins in the mysterious woods behind their house and leads to a mysterious stranger who changes their lives forever.
Loesch, Angel and Brown are part of the team responsible for the television series "Goosebumps," which was the #1-ranked show on the Fox Kids' Network for four years. Based on R.L. Stine's Goosebumps children's books, which have sold more than 220 million copies to-date, the show was honored with a Writers Guild Award and was twice named by TV Guide as among the best television shows for children.
Spooky DVD Bonus Content
-The Making of Don't Think About It – This special feature sheds light on what goes on in the shadows during the making of the R. L. Stine movie.
-Think About It! R.L. Stine's Journey of the Imagination – R.L. Stine is one of the most beloved children's author's in history. Find out what scares the spookmaster and why his books are perennial fan favorites in this profile of the popular and prolific author.
-Interactive Scare-O-Meter – Are you scared of blood? Are you afraid of the dark? Viewers can rate their personal "Scare Quotient" with this exclusive interactive feature!
-Emily Osment's Never-before-seen music video.
The newest thrill ride from Goosebumps author R.L. Stine will keep parents and kids on the edge of their seats this Halloween season when R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It comes exclusively to DVD September 4, 2007 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment and The Hatchery LLC. The latest entry in Universal's highly-successful made for DVD events, R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It features a sizzling young cast that tweens and their families will love, including Emily Osment (Hannah Montana, Spy Kids), Cody Linley (Hannah Montana, Hoot) and Brittany Curran (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and one of kidzworld.com's Five Faces to Watch in 2007), plus the quintessential movie villain Tobin Bell (the Saw franchise). Directed by Alex Zamm (Inspector Gadget II) with special effects from the Oscar®-winning team from The Chronicles of Narnia, R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It is filled with enough excitement, adventure and chills to thrill the whole family again and again.
In addition, Emily Osment makes her music debut, singing the film's theme song "I Don't Think About It." The song, along with a never-before-seen music video, will be available on the DVD. R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It kicks off a series of spooky and suspenseful thrillers for the entire family based on the work of one of the world's best-selling children's authors. Stine catapulted to fame with the children's publishing phenomenon, the Goosebumps series, and became the #1 best-selling author in America three years in a row. His books, including The Nightmare Room, Fear Street, and Nightmare Hour have been translated into more than 20 languages and published in more than 30 countries. He has been honored with a Children's Choice Award, three Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, and three Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards.
Filmed in Pittsburgh, the film's original screenplay is written by Emmy Award® winners Dan Angel and Billy Brown ("Door to Door"), who also partnered as writers on the hit TV series The X-Files. Executive producers are veteran television production and programming executive Margaret Loesch (Benji: Off the Leash) and Bruce Stein, co-CEOs of The Hatchery, as well as Angel, a partner in The Hatchery, and Brown. Jane Stine and Joan Waricha, co-owners of Parachute Publishing, are co-executive producers.
Cassie (Emily Osment) is a 13-year old Goth girl struggling to adapt to a new neighborhood and a new school. Feeling like an outsider, Cassie acts out by playing spooky and outrageous pranks to frighten the popular kids at school, as well as her scaredy cat little brother, Max (Alex Winzenread). The day before Halloween, Cassie finds an odd little book called The Evil Thing that cautions readers "Do Not Read Aloud." When Max insists on hearing the story, Cassie starts down a road that begins in the mysterious woods behind their house and leads to a mysterious stranger who changes their lives forever.
Loesch, Angel and Brown are part of the team responsible for the television series "Goosebumps," which was the #1-ranked show on the Fox Kids' Network for four years. Based on R.L. Stine's Goosebumps children's books, which have sold more than 220 million copies to-date, the show was honored with a Writers Guild Award and was twice named by TV Guide as among the best television shows for children.
Spooky DVD Bonus Content
-The Making of Don't Think About It – This special feature sheds light on what goes on in the shadows during the making of the R. L. Stine movie.
-Think About It! R.L. Stine's Journey of the Imagination – R.L. Stine is one of the most beloved children's author's in history. Find out what scares the spookmaster and why his books are perennial fan favorites in this profile of the popular and prolific author.
-Interactive Scare-O-Meter – Are you scared of blood? Are you afraid of the dark? Viewers can rate their personal "Scare Quotient" with this exclusive interactive feature!
-Emily Osment's Never-before-seen music video.
Christian Bale Stung By Ants As Stunt Goes Awry
Star Pulse Movie News has this interesting tidbit:
Christian Bale was attacked by angry red ants when a stunt on the set of his new film Rescue Dawn went too far. The star agreed to hang upside down with his face buried in an ants' nest for a torture scene in the film, in which he plays a real-life prisoner of war.
But things got scary for the actor when a Thai crewmember misunderstood director Werner Herzog's call to get his star out of trouble.
Bale recalls, "One of the guys stepped forward and he started spinning me and I was spinning pretty fast. I was upside down so the blood is rushing to your head anyway and then Werner actually said, 'OK enough.'
"This guy took it to mean 'More,' so he jumped in and span me and he span me and I'm going so damn fast that I couldn't stand up for a good half hour after that. It was the real ants crawling all over my head and biting me as well. That wasn't a good day... I could've done without that."
Christian Bale was attacked by angry red ants when a stunt on the set of his new film Rescue Dawn went too far. The star agreed to hang upside down with his face buried in an ants' nest for a torture scene in the film, in which he plays a real-life prisoner of war.
But things got scary for the actor when a Thai crewmember misunderstood director Werner Herzog's call to get his star out of trouble.
Bale recalls, "One of the guys stepped forward and he started spinning me and I was spinning pretty fast. I was upside down so the blood is rushing to your head anyway and then Werner actually said, 'OK enough.'
"This guy took it to mean 'More,' so he jumped in and span me and he span me and I'm going so damn fast that I couldn't stand up for a good half hour after that. It was the real ants crawling all over my head and biting me as well. That wasn't a good day... I could've done without that."
Oliver Stone Plans Biopic Of Iranian President
This also in from Star Pulse Movie News:
Moviemaker Oliver Stone has petitioned Iranian officials in a bid to make a biopic about President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The maverick director, who has chronicled the lives of Richard Nixon, Jim Morrison and Alexander The Great on the big screen, has requested official support from Iran's Cultural Heritage & Tourism Organization.
Iranian filmmaker Ali Reza Jajjadpour and Ahmadinejad himself are currently considering the idea. Stone upset many Iranian scholars with his depiction of Persians in 2004 flop Alexander.
Hollywood recently came under fire from the same scholars for the depiction of Persians in hit action movie 300.
Moviemaker Oliver Stone has petitioned Iranian officials in a bid to make a biopic about President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The maverick director, who has chronicled the lives of Richard Nixon, Jim Morrison and Alexander The Great on the big screen, has requested official support from Iran's Cultural Heritage & Tourism Organization.
Iranian filmmaker Ali Reza Jajjadpour and Ahmadinejad himself are currently considering the idea. Stone upset many Iranian scholars with his depiction of Persians in 2004 flop Alexander.
Hollywood recently came under fire from the same scholars for the depiction of Persians in hit action movie 300.
Marvel Comics Buries Captain America At Arlington National Cemetery
This in from Star Pulse Movie News:
NEW YORK (AP) - It's a funeral fit for a superhero. In the drizzling rain at Arlington National Cemetery, thousands of grieving patriots solemnly watch as the pallbearers - Iron Man, the Black Panther, Ben Grimm and Ms. Marvel - carry a casket draped with an American flag.
Yes, folks, Captain America is dead and buried in the latest issue of Marvel Comics' ''Fallen Son,'' due on newsstands the morning after Independence Day. After 66 years of battling villains from Adolf Hitler to the Red Skull, the red, white and blue leader of the Avengers was felled by an assassin's bullet on the steps of a New York federal courthouse.
He was headed to court after refusing to sign the government's Superhero Registration Act, a move that would have revealed his true identity. A sniper who fired from a rooftop was captured as police and Captain America's military escort were left to cope with chaos in the streets.
But the sniper didn't act alone, and didn't even fire the shot that killed the captain.
Writer Jeph Loeb has been busy working through the stages of grief in his most recent titles. A book centered on Wolverine dealt with denial; one with the Avengers covered anger; and Spider-Man battled depression.
With the story line so relevant to present-day politics, and the timing of the latest issue so precise, it's hard not to think the whole thing is one big slam on the government.
''Part of it grew out of the fact that we are a country that's at war, we are being perceived differently in the world,'' Loeb said. ''He wears the flag and he is assassinated - it's impossible not to have it at least be a metaphor for the complications of present day.''
But Loeb says he was working with more personal material: the death of his 17-year-old son from cancer.
''So many people have lost their sons and daughters over the years, for the greater good or to cancer or other horrible things,'' said Loeb, an executive producer for NBC's ''Heroes.'' ''I wanted this to be something people would identify with.''
In the final frames of the book, the Falcon delivers a eulogy asking superheros old and young to stand up and honor Captain America. Loeb did a similar thing at his son's funeral.
''It was this moment where I realized that we were all different, but this boy, my son, made us all connected,'' he said. ''It was powerful.''
Captain America, whose secret identity was Steve Rogers, was an early member of the pantheon of comic book heroes that began with Superman in the 1930s.
He landed on newsstands in March 1941, nine months before Pearl Harbor - delivering a punch to Hitler on the cover of his first issue, a sock-in-the-jaw reminder that there was a war on and the United States was not involved.
Since then, Marvel Entertainment Inc., has sold more than 200 million copies of Captain America magazine in 75 countries.
In the most recent story line, he became involved in a superhero ''civil war,'' taking up sides against Iron Man in the registration controversy, climaxed by his arrest and assassination.
Marvel says you never know what will happen. He may make it back from the dead after all, although Loeb says that question isn't really important right now.
''The question is, how does the world continue without this hero?'' he said. ''If that story of his return gets told further down the line, great. But everyone's still been dealing with his loss.
''They aren't going to wake up and it's a dream, like it's some episode of 'Dallas.'"
NEW YORK (AP) - It's a funeral fit for a superhero. In the drizzling rain at Arlington National Cemetery, thousands of grieving patriots solemnly watch as the pallbearers - Iron Man, the Black Panther, Ben Grimm and Ms. Marvel - carry a casket draped with an American flag.
Yes, folks, Captain America is dead and buried in the latest issue of Marvel Comics' ''Fallen Son,'' due on newsstands the morning after Independence Day. After 66 years of battling villains from Adolf Hitler to the Red Skull, the red, white and blue leader of the Avengers was felled by an assassin's bullet on the steps of a New York federal courthouse.
He was headed to court after refusing to sign the government's Superhero Registration Act, a move that would have revealed his true identity. A sniper who fired from a rooftop was captured as police and Captain America's military escort were left to cope with chaos in the streets.
But the sniper didn't act alone, and didn't even fire the shot that killed the captain.
Writer Jeph Loeb has been busy working through the stages of grief in his most recent titles. A book centered on Wolverine dealt with denial; one with the Avengers covered anger; and Spider-Man battled depression.
With the story line so relevant to present-day politics, and the timing of the latest issue so precise, it's hard not to think the whole thing is one big slam on the government.
''Part of it grew out of the fact that we are a country that's at war, we are being perceived differently in the world,'' Loeb said. ''He wears the flag and he is assassinated - it's impossible not to have it at least be a metaphor for the complications of present day.''
But Loeb says he was working with more personal material: the death of his 17-year-old son from cancer.
''So many people have lost their sons and daughters over the years, for the greater good or to cancer or other horrible things,'' said Loeb, an executive producer for NBC's ''Heroes.'' ''I wanted this to be something people would identify with.''
In the final frames of the book, the Falcon delivers a eulogy asking superheros old and young to stand up and honor Captain America. Loeb did a similar thing at his son's funeral.
''It was this moment where I realized that we were all different, but this boy, my son, made us all connected,'' he said. ''It was powerful.''
Captain America, whose secret identity was Steve Rogers, was an early member of the pantheon of comic book heroes that began with Superman in the 1930s.
He landed on newsstands in March 1941, nine months before Pearl Harbor - delivering a punch to Hitler on the cover of his first issue, a sock-in-the-jaw reminder that there was a war on and the United States was not involved.
Since then, Marvel Entertainment Inc., has sold more than 200 million copies of Captain America magazine in 75 countries.
In the most recent story line, he became involved in a superhero ''civil war,'' taking up sides against Iron Man in the registration controversy, climaxed by his arrest and assassination.
Marvel says you never know what will happen. He may make it back from the dead after all, although Loeb says that question isn't really important right now.
''The question is, how does the world continue without this hero?'' he said. ''If that story of his return gets told further down the line, great. But everyone's still been dealing with his loss.
''They aren't going to wake up and it's a dream, like it's some episode of 'Dallas.'"
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