'Dark Tower' Not Dead Yet?

According to Deadline , Ron Howard’s ambitious version of Steven King’s THE DARK TOWER darktower_Coverbook series might very well still have life in it.
The site says that Warner Brother’s is  “very close to a deal”  that would give Howard the means to make the first feature film he planned in adapting the saga. 
Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman’s script would be used, and Goldsman would produce with Brian Grazer and Steven King. Warner Bros. has purchased Goldsman’s existing script (done for Universal), and he is now doing a polish on the screenplay for the studio. 
 Javier Bardem was previously tentatively attached as the anti-hero lead  Roland Deschain, last of the “Gunslingers” — in the Dark Tower world a kind of Western-themed Knight-Errant.  
javier-bardem_1Bardem’s continued participation is dependent on when the film, still to be directed by Ron Howard, is scheduled. This might be the beginning of 2013.
Right now, Javier Bardeem is playing the villian in SKYFALL , the new James Bond film, currently shooting in the UK. 
The production’s resurrection is a bit of a surprize to many, as Universal Studios backed off the plan to make three feature films and two TV mini-series out of the allegorical dark fantasy novels.
Apparently, HBO may pick up the project as a mini-series, if Warner Brothers Pictures ultimately greenlights the film.

2nd 'Wrath of the Titans' Trailer

Here’s the second, more monster-filled trailer for WRATH OF THE TITANS, sequel to the CLASH OF THE TITANS remake/re-boot.

“A decade after his heroic defeat of the monstrous Kraken, Perseus—the demigod son of Zeus—is attempting to live a quieter life as a village fisherman and the sole parent to his 10-year old son, Helius.
Meanwhile, a struggle for supremacy rages between the gods and the Titans. Dangerously weakened by humanity’s lack of devotion, the gods are losing control of the imprisoned Titans and their ferocious leader, Kronos, father of the long-ruling brothers Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. The triumvirate had overthrown their powerful father long ago, leaving him to rot in the gloomy abyss of Tartarus, a dungeon that lies deep within the cavernous underworld.
Perseus cannot ignore his true calling when Hades, along with Zeus’ godly son  Ares, switch loyalty and make a deal with Kronos to capture Zeus.
The Titans’ strength grows stronger as Zeus’ remaining godly powers are siphoned… “

wrath-of-the-titans-posterStarring Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Rosamund Pike, and Ralph Fiennes.
Directed by Jonathan Liebesman from a screenplay by Dan Mazeau David Johnson, and Greg Berlanti.
Due out March 30th from Legendary Pictures, Thunder Road, and Warner Brothers Pictures.

'Dark Kight Rises' in EW

DKR_ew_CVREntertainment Weekly features Christian Bale as The Batman from THE DARK KNIGHT RISES on its latest cover.
Regarding his role as the iconic character in the final film of the Christopher Nolan trilogy, the actor told the magazine:

“I can tell you the truth because I’m done with it; I felt immense pressure. And I think it’s a good pressure, because you owe it to the films — and the people’s expectations — to make great work.”

Slightly Spoilerific nuggets from the feature article includes the known-for- some-time fact that eight years have elapsed for Bruce Wayne since THE DARK KNIGHT. It confirms that the suspected plot element that the self-sacrificing deception  that the Batman and James Gordon (Gary Oldman) used to sheild the public from the truth of the murderous actions of respected D.A. Harvey Dent will come back to haunt them, as Bane (Tom Hardy) comes to spread anarchy in Gotham City.
Also, the Bat Cave will return to the screen, presumably fitted with high tech gear.  
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES  in standard and IMAX theaters on July 20th from Warner Brothers Pictures.
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The website above also features two more new photos from the film.

'Akira' Production Offices Closed

akira_movieAccording to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Brothers Pictures has told the Vancouver production offices of the sci-fi actioner AKIRA to close down, and send the “below-the-line talent and crew” home.
Apparently the studio wants director Jaume Collet-Serra (HOUSE OF WAX) to re-work the script and budget, possibly wanting to shave as much as $20 million from the 90 million-dollar manga/anime adaptation.
The project has no major stars attached, and that might be one of the concerns the studio has with the project.  Only Garrett Hedlund (TRON: LEGACY) was offically signed for the film, with negotiations ongoing with Kristen Stewart, Helena Bonham Carter, and
Ken Watanabe (INCEPTION).
AKIRA fans might actually feel feel relieved if the adaptation was abandoned, as the live-action production was being relocated from a post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo  to a American-ized “New Manhattan”, to facilitate using a largely non-Asian cast.
The manga was previously made as an animated feature in 1988.

'Game of Shadows' Posters

Warner Brothers Pictures, via Yahoo Movies, released the following “banners” of the manin characters and info about their upcoming SHERLOCK HOLMES sequel.

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) has always been the smartest man in the room… until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large—Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris)—and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may actually give him an advantage over the renowned detective.
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When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, the evidence, as construed by Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan), points to suicide. But Sherlock Holmes deduces that the prince has been the victim of murder—a murder that is only one piece of a larger and much more portentous puzzle, designed by Professor Moriarty. The cunning Moriarty is always one step ahead of Holmes as he spins a web of death and destruction—all part of a greater plan that, if he succeeds, will change the course of history.gameofshadowsbanner2

Directed again by Guy Ritchie, SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, written by Kieran Mulroney & Michele Mulroney, is due in theaters on December 16th.
 
 
 
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What, no posters of Mycroft Holmes (Steven Fry) or Irene Adlder (Rachel McAdams)?
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'Doc Savage' Still in Works?

Comic Book Resources interviewed IRON MAN 3 director Shane Black (KISS KISS BANG BANG) about his collaboration with actor Robert Downey Jr. on the upcoming  Marvel movie. Docsavage_P1
Bringing up his other genre projects (such as DEATH NOTE), Black affirmed that he’s still interested in doing DOC SAVAGE, a film adaptation of the famous pulp magazine hero from the 1930’s and `40’s.

“I do want to do DOC SAVAGE. The script is still evolving and I’m kind of busy, but I want to get it right and I want to do it… if we do DOC SAVAGE,  the challenge is make it adult. I think that there are so few practitioners of action movies these days who are doing worthwhile stuff that it behooves me to try to weigh in and try to do the “Raiders Of The Lost Ark”-type stuff, to try to recapture the magic.”

Shane Black does have a track record in action movies, wrting LETHAL WEAPON while still in his 20’s, and later LETHAL WEAPON II, THE LAST BOY SCOUT and others.
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Doc Savage was adapted for radio twice in the 30’s and 40’s, though no recordings are known to exist.  A number of scripts survive.
In the 1960’s and 70’s paperback reprints of the Doc Savage novels became a huge success, bring the character back from obscurity for a new generation of readers.
This led to an unfortunately campy 1975 Warner Brothers film starring former TV Tarzan Ron Ely, produced by George Pal and directed by Michael Anderson.
In the Street & Smith  pulps written by Lester Dent (as Kenneth Robeson). Doctor Clark Savage, Jr.  led a group of adventurers, The Amazing Five, experts in various fields of sciences and (mostly) rough and tumble fighters as well.
National Public Radio did an audio drama revival in the 1980’s which was generally well-received.
The Man of Bronze, with his arctic Fortress of Solitude, was one of the inspirations for the Man of Steel, Superman.

Cavill on playing Superman

 Henry Cavill, interveiwed by  reporter Chris Van Vliet from CBS-19 (Cleveland, Ohio) for IMMORTALS, talked about putting on his MAN OF STEEL  Superman costume for the first time.
The British actor  said “…To turn around and realize that I’m Superman… there’s no other feeling like it”, and said it was one of the best moments” of his life.

'Man of Steel' Green Screen Pics

*SPOILER ALERT*

MOS_cavill_grenS1SocialliteLife has a bunch of location green screen shots of Henry Cavill’s still-bearded Superman on what appears to be a ship, with a helicopter on its landing deck.
The massive greenscreen set was built outside in Vancouver, BC.

See the link above for more pics.
 
 

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'Dark Knight Rises' Promo—Go or No?


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AMC Theaters’ website seemed to confirm that there would indeed be a  six-minute prologue for Warner Brothers Pictures THE DARK KNIGHT RISES shown before  Paramount Pictures’ early IMAX release of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL on December 16th.  
However, this apparent confirmation of the internet rumor was quickly taken down from the website, with an advisory that Warner Brothers be contacted for information regarding THE DARK KNIGHT RISES.
What’s the real story? Stay tuned…