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.

Subscribe in a reader

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.

Subscribe in a reader

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.

Subscribe in a reader

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.

Subscribe in a reader

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.

Subscribe in a reader

Welcome to a World Without Rules

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?

Cheers.

Subscribe in a reader

New Spirit Poster

A new poster for Frank Miller's film adaptation of Will Eisner's The Spirit has hit the net.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

I was initially excited for a Frank Miller-directed The Spirit. Miller is a visionary in the comic book world and I was interested to see how he would translate the iconic character of The Spirit to the silver screen. My anticipation began to rise as Gabriel Macht, Sam Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, and Paz Vega all signed on to do the film. It's all been downhill from there. First it was the announcement that Miller would shoot the flick in sheer green-screen environments. Then it was revealed that Miller had changed the traditional colour-scheme of The Spirit from blue and white to black and red. Then the Sin City-esque teaser posters came out. Then the piss-poor set photos.

Now we have an official one-sheet. It's gritty, it's dark, it screams Frank Miller. Check it out below.



I have no problem with changing details when adapting a book, comic, whatever. However, I do have a problem with changing the tone of the source material. Will Eisner's The Spirit may have been chock full of noir and crime drama, Miller's got that down pat, but it was also lighthearted and romantic. Eisner's stories were often comedic and rarely dipped too deep into dark themes or disturbing content. That's not to say Eisner steered clear of gritty stories, he didn't, but he grounded his Spirit in a world where slapstick violence and comedy were key.

Frank Miller's vision of The Spirit doesn't seem to match. It's as if the writer/director picked up the character and plopped him down in his Sin City universe. It's a disgrace to the source material and it's a sign of disrespect o the deceased Will Eisner.

What do you guys think? Am I being too harsh on Miller or do I have a case here? Post a comment and let me know what you think about the above poster and Miller's vision for The Spirit.

Cheers.

Subscribe in a reader

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

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

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

Pegg, Wright, and Frost Gear Up for The World's End

The triple threat behind Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, and Hot Fuzz have a new project up their sleeves.
by Larry_Chimp_Man

They first attacked the zombie genre and created Shaun of the Dead, one of my favourite films of the past decade. They then took on films of the action variety, bringing the terrific Hot Fuzz to life. Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost now have their sights set on a new genre to be conquered; science-fiction.



The name of their next flick is The World's End. There hasn't been much info released as of yet but it's reported that the film follows a conspiracy-themed script about lizards running the world. It sounds pretty goofy but I'm sure Wright and Pegg are working on a top-notch sci-fi script full of surprises.

The World's End is part of a two-picture deal for Edgar Wright with Working Title Films. The second film Wright will helm for the British production company will be the twisted action film Baby Driver. Although, Wright will not be teaming up with either Pegg or Frost for the latter film.

What do you guys think of this news? Do Wright, Pegg, and Frost have it in them to pump out a sci-fi film as great as SotD or Hot Fuzz? What other genres would you like to see the three attempt? Post a comment and we'll get a discussion going.

Cheers.

Subscribe in a reader