Controversial Joker Scene in TDK Being Cut?

Rumours claim Warner Bros. intends to cut a controversial Joker scene from this summer's The Dark Knight.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

This was bound to happen. Test screenings for The Dark Knight have been taking place all across the United States as of late and the film has been very well received. However, many test audiences have shown disgust towards a scene which, due to the recent death of Heath Ledger, has been labeled quite controversial. Warner Bros. is pondering whether or not they should snip the footage out of the film.



The scene in question features Ledger playing possum in a body bag.

It's easy to understand where these test audiences are coming from. Nobody wants to be reminded of Ledger's death while watching The Dark Knight and seeing the deceased actor in a body bag is sure to cause some moans. However, this is Christopher Nolan's vision and arguably Ledger's biggest performance, let the scene stand. The role of the Joker has always meant to be a controversial one and it would be a disservice to Ledger to tame the character due the Aussie's recent passing.

Hopefully Warner Bros. decides against cutting the scene from the film. However, if it is cut, the scene could easily be restored once The Dark Knight hits DVD. Also, keep in mind these are simply rumours and that Warner may simply leave the footage alone.

What are your guys' thoughts? Should a scene featuring Heath Ledger's Joker in a body bag be cut from TDK? Post a comment and share your thoughts.

The Dark Knight hits theatres on July 18th. Keep posted to MediaZEALOT as we'll keep you up to date on the film leading up until its release.

Cheers.

Subscribe in a reader

Enlarge Your Blu-ray Library

Amazon has a great deal cooking for all Blu-ray collectors.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

Amazon has put on a great promotion for customers wishing to increase the size of their Blu-ray libraries. For a limited time Amazon is offering a special buy-two-get-one-free deal on a large assortment of Blu-ray discs. There are 58 eligible titles and many of which are already marked down at least 30% off. So, if you're in the market to buy 3 Blu-ray titles for a grand-total of roughly $40-$45 this deal's for you.



58 titles may not seem much but Amazon has made sure to include an array of top quality discs. Blade Runner (Five Disc), Pan’s Labyrinth, The Fifth Element, 300, Run Lola Run, The Departed, Unforgiven, Reservoir Dogs, Big Fish, Crash, Halloween, Evil Dead 2, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Masters of Horror Season 1, and a whole lot more. It's a great deal that's worth checking out.

Click HERE to check out Amazon's 3-for-2 Blu-ray sale. I'll definitely be picking up a few titles.

Cheers.

Subscribe in a reader

Gyllenhaal a Persian Prince?

Jake Gyllenhaal has been offered the lead role in Disney's Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

It looks like Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney are gearing up for what appears to be another hot summer property. The two have their sights set on the Prince of Persia video game franchise with intentions of adapting it into a film trilogy on the scale of Pirates of the Caribbean. Director Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Donnie Brasco) has signed on to direct and today rumours have spread that Jake Gyllenhaal has been offered the lead role.



I'm a big Gyllenhaal fan and I've enjoyed almost everything he's done thus far. From his twisted performance in Donnie Darko to his gripping role in Zodiac to a gay dude in Brokeback Mountain. I even managed to appreciate his performance in Roland Emmerich's disaster The Day After Tomorrow. However, I simply cannot picture him as the lead in a Prince of Persia trilogy. While there's no doubt Gyllenhaal is a very marketable candidate, especially in a Jerry Bruckheimer picture, I can't see him playing the Persian Prince. I'd rather see a no-name play the part.

Also, if this rumour is true and Gyllenhaal does take the role, how does it affect the future of the Spider-Man franchise? Gyllenhaal has been rumoured to be Tobey MaGuire's replacement as Peter Parker for years and I had always assumed Gyllenhaal would step in if Maguire decided he didn't want to do a fourth film. I'm not sure this would be possible if Gyllenhaal was tied up shooting a Prince of Persia trilogy. Who knows, this is all speculation.

What do you guys think of this rumoured casting? Nothing has been confirmed as of yet so there's still time to debate whether or not Gyllenhaal would make a good Prince. Post a comment and we'll get a discussion going.

Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer hope to bring Prince of Persia to the big screen next summer. Check back to MediaZEALOT as we'll keep you up to date on this rumoured casting and the Prince of Persia film.

Cheers.

Subscribe in a reader

Firefly Coming To Blu-Ray

Joss Whedon's space western is coming to HD.
by dares

Fox Home Entertainment has confirmed that Joss Whedon's Firefly TV series will be released on Blu-Ray sometime soon.



The rumors started surfacing earlier this week with a video posted on YouTube. The video, taken at Australia's Supernova Pop Culture Expo, has Jewel "Kaylee" Staite anwsering a few fan questions. When was asked about the possibility of a sequel to the Serenity movie, the actress revealed that she had been asked to participate in a Firefly commentary recording session in the spring.



There is still no word on a Serenity release on Blu-Ray. The movie, which is a direct sequel to the Firefly series, had an HD DVD release in 2006 and a Collector's Edition DVD late last year.

I'm really looking forward to seeing Firefly on HD. I desperately needed a reason to continue living.

Will you be picking this up? What kind of special features are you hoping for? Post a comment and let's talk Whedon.

Later days!

Subscribe in a reader

Building Watchmen - Behind the Scenes Video

Warner Bros. has released a video showcasing the first behind-the-scenes look into Watchmen.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

I have mixed feelings about Zack Snyder's upcoming Watchmen flick. I love the source material and want to get excited about the film property however I'm not certain Snyder can do the adaptation the justice it deserves.



Well, some of my doubts have been put to rest. Warner Bros. has released a behind-the-scenes video giving fans a very good look into the film. The video focuses on the construction of sets and the practical reproduction of locations found in the graphic novel. This is the first video in a series of 12-web diaries that will be released every month on the 6th leading up the film's release. Check it out below.



Seeing the locations come to life in this video is quite a treat. Watchmen has some of the most distinct backdrops and I was worried they wouldn't translate well to the silver screen. Seeing them being constructed as close to the graphic novel as possible is reassurance that this film is on the right track.

What did you guys think of the video? Is Zack Snyder doing Watchmen the way it's supposed to be done? Post a comment and let me know what you think.

Cheers.

Subscribe in a reader

Rooster Teeth's New Machinima Series

Rooster Teeth, the machinima team behind the Halo-based Red vs Blue, have a new project cooking.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

Rooster Teeth are going comedy-free in their next machinima series. Red vs Blue: Reconstruction is the new series from the Red vs Blue creators and it looks to have quite a serious tone. The trailer has gone live, check it out below.



There's no denying that Rooster Teeth puts out what are arguably the best machinima videos. They've been doing it for over half a decade and the quality of their stories and cinematography is top notch. However, it'll be interesting to see how the team handles a non-comedic series. Rooster Teeth have relied on the funnies to make Red vs Blue so successful and it'll be interesting to see how they fare with the laugh-factor out the window. Regardless, the trailer for Red vs Blue: Reconstruction has me hooked.



Click HERE to visit the official Rooster Teeth site for full details.

Cheers.

Subscribe in a reader

Cloverfield Alternate Endings

Two alternate endings found on the upcoming Cloverfield DVD have made their way onto YouTube.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

Two alternate endings found on the upcoming April 22nd DVD release of Cloverfield have found their way onto YouTube. While neither ending differs too much from the theatrical ending they are both worth the watch. The first unused ending cuts from the rubble to Rob and Beth flirting at a subway station. The second is very similar to the ending used theatrically but features a clip of someone, possibly the government, removing the camera from the rubble. Check out the alternate endings below.



The Cloverfield DVD hits shelves in a few weeks on April 22nd. Paramount has not yet revealed any details on a Cloverfield Blu-ray release but it's only a matter of time before the film hits the High-def format. It was originally speculated that Paramount was rushing out a barebones Blu-ray disc to coincide with the April 22nd DVD release but that no longer seems the case.





What do you guys think of these alternate endings? Would you have preferred to see one of these instead of the ending that was used theatrically? Post a comment and we'll start up a discussion.

Cheers.

Subscribe in a reader