The marketing campaign for The Dark Knight has hit it out of the park yet again. by Larry_Chimp_Man
With less than three months until release the marketing for The Dark Knight is really starting to heat up. The unveiling of a new trailer is imminent, viral campaigns are going stronger than ever, and photos and press from the flick are being spread all over the net. Today Warner Bros upped the ante, revealing a new poster for the public to feast on. Check it out below.
The art of the one-sheet, or movie poster, is easily one of my favourite parts of the cinema experience. It's the perfect piece of film memorabilia, providing a window into the movie it portrays. This new poster for The Dark Knight is no exception. It's visual and symbolic but is able to stay open for interpretation. Christian Bale's Batman looks badass as always, especially in the new suit, as the blazing emblem above menacingly glares down at him. And, while there's no trace of The Joker in this poster just seeing the signal aflame is enough to bring him to mind.
The Dark Knight has really made its mark when it comes to quality posters. The marketing team has continued to one-up previous posters with each new release, something to be proud of considering the excellence of the initial teaser sheet. It's incredibly hard to pick a favourite out of the lot and I'll probably end up buying them all.
What do you guys think of the new poster for The Dark Knight? Which TDK poster have you named as your favourite? Post a comment and let us know what you think.
The Dark Knight hits theatres on July 18th. Are you ready for a world without rules?
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.
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.
The Eisner Award Winning comic series has a date with the silver screen.
According to The Hollywood Reporter Jeff Smith's Bone is set for a film adaptation. Warner Bros has optioned the movie and brought in producer Dan Lin to supervise the project. Lin is one of the executives involved with the Thundercats movie and has also worked on The Doom Patrol and Masters of the Universe. A director has not yet been attached and there have been no details on what style of animation the film will employ.
I'm not too excited about a Bone adaptation. While I'm a big fan of the comic series I can't see the film sharing the same tone as the books. Bone is great because Smith blends light and dark and isn't afraid to take risks. The film would no doubt be geared towards a children's audience and would have to gear down and play it safe. There are some characters and situations in the comics that would have to be removed or changed in the adaptation to keep this film kid-friendly.
Warner has brought Smith on board as executive producer allowing him to overlook the project. Hopefully he can help maintain the integrity of his comic book creation.
I am skeptical of this project and will continue to be so until I hear more about it. Bone has the potential to be an amazing animated film. However, I'm not so sure it will happen.
Can Warner Bros put out a solid Bone adaptation? Who would be the best choice to direct? Who would you cast as the voice of Fone Bone? Post a comment and let me know what you think.
An alternate ending of the film has leaked its way onto YouTube.
One of the special features planned for the March 18 release date of I Am Legend on DVD and Blu-ray is an alternate ending. Originally director Francis Lawrence and Warner Bros had shot and planned to use a different ending but test audiences made them change their mind. A video of the alternate ending has leaked onto YouTube just two-weeks prior to the DVD release. The video file was pulled by YouTube's staff but has been uploaded elsewhere online, check it out below.
While this ending doesn't come close to saving what I thought was a poor film I like this finale a lot more than the one used theatrically. It leaves more open for interpretation and feels like better suited end to Robert Neville's character arc. However, I would have preferred the ending used in the book over both of the filmed conclusions. Also, how do Robert and Anna drive out of New York? I thought it was established that all the bridges had been shot down to quarantine the city?
I Am Legend hits DVD on March 18th. There will be a single-disc DVD, a special edition featuring a theatrical and alternate version of the film, and Blu-ray and HD DVD versions featuring everything found on the special edition. It is unclear whether or not the alternate version of the film is completely re-cut or whether it just uses the different ending.
Did you see I Am Legend? Which ending do you prefer?
The British star is displeased in his lack of involvement in the American remake of Spaced.
I love Spaced. It's one of my TV favourites and was the start of my appreciation for Simon Pegg and director Edgar Wright. Warner Bros must feel the same was as they have been planning a US version of the show for the past few months. The catch is both Wright and Pegg have not been asked to get involved in the American remake of the series. This annoys me greatly and has obviously gotten under the skin of Simon Pegg as well. The actor has released an official statement about the show, read it below.
SIMON PEGG'S OFFICIAL STATEMENT REGARDING THE US SPACED
Now that the pilot has been officially announced, I thought it might be a good idea to clarify my position on the subject. The whole affair seems to have inspired some spirited debate and some heartening displays of loyalty and love. All this for a show which is almost 10 years old, is all rather wonderful and a vindication of all the blood, sweat and tears (both of joy and pain) we shed in the show’s creation. It was always our aim to create a comedy which spoke to its audience on such a personal level, it almost felt one on one. It would seem the fan reaction to the news that Fox has appropriated the format, confirms at least, that we succeeded.
As far as remaking TV shows for different territories is concerned, I don’t have a problem. The Office remake being a perfect example. Yes, the original British version is a wonderful and compact piece of comedy writing and performance, but I think it’s bit much to expect a large scale American television audience to fully relate to the minutiae of day-to-day business life in an obscure British suburb. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you are the type of person who takes pleasure in the variety of entertainment you enjoy, relishing the differences between our various cultural touchstones but there is a massive audience out there, which perhaps isn’t as culturally savvy (euphemistic phrase for ‘geeky’) as we are and need their signifiers to be a little more familiar. So, Slough is replaced by Scranton, and the office archetypes become a little more archetypal to an American audience. The spirit of the show remains intact. The performances are uniformly great and the show scores big ratings and wins EMMYs, whether we as comedy purists prefer the original or not. The success of the remake is born out by it’s undoubted success and appeal.
My main problem with the notion of a Spaced remake is the sheer lack of respect that Granada/ Wonderland/Warner Bros have displayed in respectively selling out and appropriating our ideas without even letting us know. A decision I can only presume was made as a way of avoiding having to give us any money, whilst at the same time using mine and Edgar’s name in their press release, in order to trade on the success of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, even professing, as Peter Johnson did, to being a big fan of the show and it’s creators. A device made all the more heinous by the fact that the press release neglected to mention the show’s co-creator and female voice, Jessica Hynes (nee Stevenson). The fact is, when we signed our contracts ten years ago, we had neither the experience or the kudos to demand any clauses securing any control over future reversioning. We signed away our rights to any input in the show’s international future, because we just wanted to get the show made and these dark days of legal piracy seemed a far away concern. As a result, we have no rights. The show does not belong to us and, those that do own it have no obligation to include us in any future plans. You would perhaps hope though, out of basic professional respect and courtesy, we might have been consulted. It is this flagrant snub and effective vote of no confidence in the very people that created the show, that has caused such affront at our end. If they don’t care about the integrity of the original, why call it Spaced? Why attempt to find some validation by including mine and Edgar’s names in the press release as if we were involved? Why not just lift the premise? Two strangers, pretend to be a couple in order to secure residence of a flat/apartment. It’s hardly Ibsen. Jess and I specifically jumped off from a very mainstream sitcom premise in order to unravel it so completely. Take it, have it, call it Perfect Strangers and hope Balkie doesn’t sue. Just don’t call it Spaced.
It’s a shame, since the pilot is now a certainty, whether we like it or not, a simple phone call and a few reassurances might have helped to at least curtail the tide of indignation from fans and creators alike. I have, as of yet, heard nothing.
Simon Pegg
This is disappointing. The least Warner Bros could do was bring Pegg and Wright on board as consultants for the show. After all, the original Spaced was entirely their vision. Remaking it without them isn't a smart idea.
The McG produced Spaced will hit TVs later this year. If you haven't seen the original Spaced give that a watch before you check out the American remake.
The most successful independent studio over the last 40 years has joined Warner Bros.
New Line Cinema, due to repeating box office failures including last year's The Golden Compass, has turned to the Warner Bros juggernaut for help. The always-independent studio which produced such trilogies as Austin Powers, Rush Hour, and The Lord of the Rings has been forced to throw in the towel and will now be a subsidiary of Time Warner. The studio will continue to release films but most likely in a more condensed fashion than before.
It's too bad that New Line is forced to make this move. They have always been ready to push their films over the line and take risks other studios wouldn't dare dream of. While they didn't have much success last year I would have liked to see them stick it out just a bit longer to try and save their 40 year history of independence. Then again, I'm sure this deal will help their cause and with any luck they'll be able to continue to produce excellent films.
What do you guys think of this acquisition by Time Warner? Post a comment and let me know.
Peter Segal's film adaptation of the 1960 TV show now has a second trailer.
I'm looking forward Get Smart's summer release later this year. The TV show was great and It'll be interesting to see how the film adaptation is handled. I liked everything I saw in the teaser trailer that's been out for a few months but wanted to see more footage from the movie. Thankfully Warner Bros has answered my prayers and released a second Get Smart trailer which is now online. Check it out below or visit Apple for HD.
The second trailer looks pretty good and features quite a good mix of funny dialogue and slapstick humour. It would be easy to rely on cheap laughs in a film like this but it appears Segal is staying away from as many as he can, at least in the trailer. A lot of the comedy in this film will fall on the shoulders of its superb cast but I have no doubts they can pull it off. Steve Carell is a genius and while he has been playing similar roles in most films I don't see myself getting sick of him anytime soon. I'm also a huge Anne Hathaway fan and can always enjoy a great performance by Alan Arkin. The Rock and Terrence Stamp fill out the rest of the cast.
Get Smart hits theatres on June 20th. I'm really rooting for the film and hope it's successful. The public will no doubt compare this to Austin Powers but from what I've seen Get Smart will knock Mike Myers' dumbed down spy comedy out of the water.
Spike Jonze's problematic adaptation of the children's book will hit cinemas in October 2009.
Spike Jonze has had a ton of trouble with the film adaptaion of Where the Wild Things Are. The Being John Malkovich director had originally planned to release the film through Universal in 2001, it didn't work out. He then took his ideas to Warner Bros. who bought the rights to the film and pre-production soon got underway. In April of 2006 Jonze began shooting the film in Australia, a production that lasted a long nine months. The film has been in post-production since February of 2007.
It now appears Warner Bros. wants to go back and re-shoot the majority of the movie. The studio showcased the partially-completed film in front of three test audiences in Pasadena and found that it didn't work out as expected. Warner thinks the tone of Jonze's film is too dark and scary and not suited for children. The studio also has problems with actor Max Records playing the lead role in the film and stated that it's hard to connect with his character. Re-shooting the majority of the film will take months and therefore the release date has been pushed back until October 2009, a date 20 months away.
While I understand Where the Wild Things Are is a children's book and the film should be aimed at a younger audience I'd love to see Jonze's more adult-themed adaptation. The footage of the film released two weeks ago looked great and while it was clearly a work in progress it showed a great amount of potential. Maybe Jonze's original WTWTA will be pressed onto a director's cut DVD someday, you never know.
Haven't seen the clip, check it out below. Keep in mind that this is merely a proof of concept test and doesn't include the real voices or completed effects from the film.
Hopefully Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are is able to go problem-free from this point on and manages to hit theatres in October 2009.
Batman: Gotham Knight will hit DVD shops on July 8th.
DC and Warner Home Video have announced that their TheDark Knight anime tie-in DVD will arrive in July just over a week before the feature film hits theatres. There will be three versions available come the 8th. A standard one-disc affair, a two-disc special edition, and a Blu-ray version featuring all the content from the special edition. There was no mention of the release of the previously speculated deluxe-edition of Batman Begins.
Unfortunately, it appears that Christian Bale may not voice Batman in Gotham Knight as originally speculated. Apparently it was only a rumour that he was attached to the project and someone else will lend their voice to the character. Let's hope Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) is the one voicing the Bat. In an ideal world it would be Bale but Conroy comes a close second.
MediaZEALOT ran a sneak-preview of Gotham Knight earlier this month, click HERE to check it out. Stay tuned as we'll be keeping tabs on this DVD release and will review it come July.
The fourth installment of the Terminator film franchise will hit theatres on May 22nd, 2009.
Warner Bros. has announced that it will open McG's Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins in North America on May of 2009. The film will open on the 22nd, the start of Memorial Day weekend. This release date is also occupied by Fox's Night at the Museum 2 which is currently shooting up here in Vancouver right now.
I'm not sure what to think about this flick. I wasn't a very big fan of the last Terminator film and I think it'll just go downhill with McG (We are Marshall, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle) on board. Then again, I am an absolutely huge Christian Bale fan and will watch anything he performs in. He's been choosing nothing but great roles for the last three years and I doubt he'd willingly jump on to what he thought was a sinking ship. Warner Bros. hopes the film will be a new beginning for the franchise and the start of a new trilogy.
In today's other Terminator 4 news, Sony has acquired the international distribution rights for the film.
We'll see come May 22nd, 2009 whether or not Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins will be worth the wait. Check back to MediaZEALOT leading up to its release as we'll keep you up to date on the film.
Walmart has chosen BluRay. The retail giant has decided to stop backing both formats and has settled on Sony's blue disc. Come June you will no longer be able to find HD DVDs at all four thousand Walmart and Sam's Club stores across North America.
HD DVD has been on the decline since Warner Bros. signed on exclusively with Sony's high-def format back on January 4th. Best Buy and Netflix have also chosen to side with the format and I wouldn't be surprised if Walmart is the final nail in HD DVD's coffin.
I feel like a fool. I went with HD DVD late last summer and have been keen on it becomming the successor to DVD. It appears I was wrong, Blu-Ray has been picking up steam since the fall and now has a dominating stranglehold on the high-definition market. It's hard to see HD DVD making a comeback with 20th Century Fox, HBO, Lions Gate, Miramax, New Line, Disney, and Warner all on Blu-ray's side. I knew I had to plan on picking up a Blu-ray player sooner or later as The Dark Knight will be released exclusively for the format. This announcement just solidifies my choice.
Follow-Up Report: Toshiba has confirmed that it will no longer be manufacturing HD DVD players. The format is officially dead.
A sneak peak at the Batman: Gotham Knight DVD has hit the net.
Batman: Gotham Knight is an anime anthology DVD which will be released in the weeks prior to The Dark Knight hitting cinemas. There will be six interlocking stories on the DVD from creators such as Josh Olsen (A History of Violence), David S. Goyer (Batman Begins), Greg Rucka (Detective Comics), Alan Burnett (Batman: The Animated Series), and Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets). Christian Bale will, naturally, lend his voice to the project as Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Check out the sneak peak below:
Warner Bros has also confirmed that a deluxe edition of Batman Begins will be released at the same time as Batman: Gotham Knight on both DVD and Blu-ray. An uber-deluxe edition will also be released combining the two. Click HERE to pre-order your copy over at Amazon.
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