BKV is Big Screen Bound, and He's Bringing His Runaways

Brian K. Vaughan's hot Marvel book is headed to the big screen.
by Danger

According to Hollywood Reporter, Marvel Studios is going ahead with a Runaways film. Even better news is that the screenplay is being penned by co-creator, and original writer, Brian K. Vaughan. No word on who'll direct but Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige will produce.



The Runaways is a story of six teenagers who find out that there parents aren't exactly who they say they are. In fact, they are all part of a secret group called 'The Pride' who quietly run all of Los Angeles. After being bomb-shelled with the news the kids do what they think is best for them and run away from home, hence the name. The book's beautifully written by Brian K. Vaughan, who is also a co-producer and writer of ABC'S Lost, and with him at the screenplay helm there can be no wrong.

A possible movie comes as great news to all Runaways and BKV fans around the world. Runaways has been one of Marvel's greatest written books in the past few years, and it can only mean good things for the book to get the movie treatment. As a big fan of the series, I am stoked to hear this wonderful bit of info, even if the movie won't be out for a few years. Still, if the film is anywhere as good as Iron Man, then this will be an enjoyable movie for both the hardcore and new-school fan alike.

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CONFIRMED: Gyllenhaal is the Prince of Persia

Meh.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed last month's rumour that Jake Gyllenhaal has landed the lead role in a Bruckheimer-produced Prince of Persia film. Read our initial reactions to the rumour HERE.



Actress Gemma Arterton has also signed on to the film and will play Gyllenhaal's feisty princess accomplice. Arterton will be in the spotlight this fall as she plays Agent Fields in the upcoming Quantum of Solace.



Mike Newell, director of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as well as Love in the Time of Cholera, will helm the film. Jerry Bruckheimer will once again work with Walt Disney Pictures to produce the flick based on the hit Ubisoft video game.

If you've read our previous article on the subject you know I'm not a very big fan of this casting or the idea of a Prince of Persia film adaptation. Gyllenhaal is a great actor and he'll make a decent Prince of Persia but I'd rather see him doing something else. Also, in all likelihood, this casting takes Gyllenhaal out of the running to replace Tobey MaGuire if he decides to drop out of Spider-Man 4.

What do you guys think about all of this? Will Gyllenhaal make a good Prince of Persia? Will the film be any good? Is this the start of a new Bruckheimer trilogy? Post a comment and let us know where your opinions stand.

Cheers.

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Speed Racer Review

Speed Racer stalls and never really catches up.
by mr. b

I had gone into Speed Racer with a very open mind. Reviews and word of mouth were a mixed bag and I tried to not let them get in the way of my enjoying the movie. They didn't, and I still didn't enjoy it. There has been a lot of talk about the needless bashing of this film and how all the negative press is undeserved. Maybe so, but it still doesn't change the fact that this movie was unbearable to sit through.



Speed Racer, as played by the competent Emile Hirsch, is a rising race-star living in the shadow of his deceased brother. After turning down endorsements from a number of big name companies Speed manages to make an enemy in the biggest of them. What follows next is a formulaic story about shady corporate dealings and back stabbings which lead Speed to dangerous race after dangerous race. The story itself is standard blockbuster fluff, which I don't have a problem with, but it's execution was poor.



The much anticipated CGI sequences were, in actuality, the downfall of the film. Lost in the over-whelming, sensory numbing effects were an incoherent storyline and an all-star cast who phoned it in. All focus from the actors were lost in the neon glow of the sets and green screens. As hard as the main story was to follow, the stories within the racing scenes were even more difficult. Dizzying spins and blinding lights killed any kind of story that was trying to be told. I actually had to close my eyes for a scene were a number of cars went into a psychedelic cave.

Emile Hirsch, as mentioned before, played a conflicted Speed to the best of his abilities. His supporting cast was a disappointment. I've come to expect much better things from John Goodman and Susan Sarandon. Christina Ricci, however, manages to pull of a good performance and provides one of the movie's bright spots. They were few and far between though, considering everything else was so damn bright. Worst part of the movie? Spritle and Chim Chim. I cannot stress enough how much I wanted these characters to get run over. Annoying and needless is a pretty good way to describe these two.



The Wachowski's have a spotty track record, at best. I haven't been impressed with them since halfway through the second Matrix. I, for one, hope they can get their super secret Carnivore project rolling and get them back on the same track when they were making Assassins and Bound. Well, maybe just Bound.

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Mary Elizabeth Winstead Cast in Scott Pilgrim

Winstead will play Ramona Flowers in the adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's hit graphic novel series.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

This is movie is guaranteed to be awesome. Edgar Wright is pure genious, Michael Cera is the shit, and the source material is golden. Now Mary Elizabeth Winstead has entered the fray.



Winstead will play Ramona Flowers, the girlfriend of Cera's Scott Pilgrim character. Ramona has a history of seven evil exes, all of whom must be defeated by Scott in order for him to win her heart.



Mary Elizabeth Winstead is perfect. She's on the cusp of being a household name with roles in Live Free or Die Hard, Bobby, and the lead role in the upcoming Make It Happen. She's also acquired a bit of a cult status with roles in Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof as well as Final Destination 3. I can't wait to see how she treats the character and what she'll bring to Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

What do you guys think about Mary Elizabeth Winstead playing Ramona Flowers? Think it's a perfect fit? Think someone else would be better? Post a comment and let me know what you think.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is still casting and in pre-production. Check back to MediaZEALOT for more info on the film leading up to its release.

Cheers.

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Sony Demands Two Helpings of Spidey!

Rumours state the studio wants to shoot the fourth and fifth Spider-Man films at the same time.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

It's no secret that James Vanderbilt, scribe of David Fincher's Zodiac, has been hired by Sony to pen Spider-Man 4. Vanderbilt signed on to the film during the Writer's Strike last fall and has been cooking up a working draft since then. A few weeks back Vanderbilt turned in his draft to Sony and, according to Cinematical, they got more than they bargained for.



See, Vanderbilt didn't stop with one script, instead creating an arc spanning two Spider-Man films. Details of the plot aren't clear but one thing is; Sony is frantically reworking their deal with Vanderbilt to make his two-movie arc a reality.

As mentioned above, having scripts for both Spider-Man 4 and 5 completed simultaneously would allow the studio to shoot both flicks at the same time. Nothing has been confirmed but one can assume Sony is drooling over the possibility of two rapid Spidey releases and wants to make this two-picture deal happen.



If this is true and Sony decides to shoot Spidey 4 and 5 in unison who will return from the first three? Does Sam Raimi still have enough love for the character to return? What about Tobey MaGuire? Maguire almost dropped out of Spider-Man 2 because of his bad back. He also had complaints during the shooting of the third film, it looks doubtful he'd be willing to do two back-to-back. If MaGuire doesn't return one can assume Kirsten Dunst will drop out of the picture as well. Will Jake Gyllenhaal finally be given the chance to play Spidey? Who knows, Gyllenhaal has a full plate with Jerry Bruckheimer's planned Prince of Persia trilogy and he may not have time to fit Spider-Man into the picture.



Sony may have to clean house and bring in some new talent for Spider-Man 4 and 5 but I think it's a great idea to shoot the two films simultaneously. Releasing two films back-t0-back is great for the studio's wallet but it's also a treat for fans who don't have to wait years in-between flicks. Imagine the Lord of the Rings trilogy with three years separating each film, it just wouldn't be the same experience.

What do you guys think? Should Sony shoot Spider-Man 4 and 5 at the same time or should they take things slow and approach each film separately? Who do you think would make a great Peter Parker? What about Mary Jane? Post a comment and we'll start up a discussion.

Cheers.

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Microsoft Unveils Xbox's 2008 Lineup

Microsoft has announced which first-party games will grace the Xbox 360 in 2008.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

It's never too late to make plans. Well, at least Microsoft thinks so. It may be May, five months into the new year, but MS has come forward and announced their lineup of first-party titles they plan to release in the remaining seven months of 2008. The following list may not share any surprises but it does give a good look at what you'll probably be playing on your 360 in the near future.

GEARS OF WAR 2 (Epic Games)

The sequel to 2006's groundbreaking shooter, Gears of War 2 promises a plethora of new features as well as improvements upon the successes of the original. Gamers will once again join up with Marcus Fenix and his crew to fight a Locust horde that's more brutal and aggressive than ever. Gears of War 2 will feature a deeper and more engaging story, bigger and more intense boss battles, new weapons and characters, and improvements on one of the best co-op experiences ever.
Release Date: November

FABLE 2 (Lionhead Studios)

Fans of the first Fable should already be drooling over the thought of Fable 2. Peter Molyneux and his team at Lionhead Studios have been hard at work implementing a more dynamic game world as well as an immersive and cinematic storytelling experience for the sequel to 2005's hit RPG. Also promised is a deep co-op mode allowing gamers to team up, and level up, with their friends. Although, it hasn't yet been confirmed whether or not co-op will be available online over Xbox Live.
Release Date: October

NINJA GAIDEN II (Team Ninja)

The sequel to 2004's incredibly difficult Ninja Gaiden will feature an all-new gameplay engine as well as weapons and enemies not previously seen in the original game. Follow Ryu Hayabusa as he sets out to avenge his clan and stop the destruction of the human race.
Release Date: June 3rd

TOO HUMAN (Silicon Knights)

Too Human may look like your typical hack-and-slash action game at first glance but Microsoft and Silicon Knights feel as if the game has some potential. Mixing action elements with an RPG level-up system Too Human promises battles of epic proportions along with a solid variety of both close-quarters and long-range combat. Too Human will also feature a co-op mode so you can explore the futuristic take on Norse mythology with a friend.
Release Date: August 19th

BANJO-KAZOOIE: NUTS & BOLTS (Rare)

The third Banjo-Kazooie game is the first on a next-gen console and it's headed to the Xbox 360 in 2008. The game's premise is simple; collect items to build all sorts of vehicles and contraptions to beat the game however you choose. Gamers can address each situation according to their unique playstyle. Want to drive to your objective? Build a car. Want to fly? Find the parts you need to build a flying machine. Nuts & Bolts will also feature online multiplayer true to the style of the franchise.
Release Date: Winter 2008

That wraps up a pretty solid list of first-party titles Microsoft is releasing for the Xbox 360 in 2008. Which games are you most excited for? Post a comment and let us know what games you are awaiting in 2008, both for the Xbox 360 and other consoles.

And, as always, check back to MediaZEALOT for the latest video game news.

Cheers.

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