2:00 PM, Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
 Syfy is re-teaming with writer/director Nick Willing to present Neverland, his original prequel to author J.M. Barrie's classic Peter Pan, it was announced today by Mark Stern, Executive Vice President of Original Programming, Syfy and Co-Head of Content for Universal Cable Productions. Production is set to begin on the 4-hour movie event next week in Genoa, Italy and Dublin, Ireland with a cast including Rhys Ifans (Pirate Radio, Notting Hill) as James Hook, Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies) as Captain Elizabeth Bonny, Oscar nominee Bob Hoskins as Smee (who previously played the character in Steven Spielberg's feature Hook), Raoul Trujillo (Tin Man) and Charlie Rowe (Pirate Radio) as Peter Pan. It is slated to air in 2011.
Neverland will be produced by Dublin-based Parallel Films on behalf of MNG Films in association with Syfy and Sky Movies HD and will be distributed by RHI Entertainment.
"Nick Willing is a master story-teller who has taken a literary Classic and cleverly updated it for a new generation," said Stern. "'Neverland' will captivate viewers with a gripping narrative, great characters, and unprecedented film-making techniques."
"RHI's creative partnership with Syfy continues to produce exciting appointment television for audiences worldwide," said Robert Halmi Sr., RHI Entertainment. "Viewers are in for a rare treat - and one they won't soon forget!"
Sweeping in time from the turbulent seas of the pirates of the Caribbean to the back alleys of Dickensian London to a world of pure imagination, Neverland is the inspired origin story of one of the most cherished characters of all time... Peter Pan.
Raised on the streets of turn-of-the century London, orphaned Peter (Rowe) and his pals survive by their fearless wits as cunning young pickpockets. Now, they've been rounded up by their mentor Jimmy Hook (Ifans) to snatch a priceless--some believe, magical--treasure which transports them to another world. Neverland is a realm of white jungles and legendary mysteries of eternal youth, where unknown friends and enemies snatched from time welcome the new travelers with both excitement and trepidation. These groups include a band of 18th century pirates led by the power-mad Elizabeth Bonny (Friel), and the Native American Kaw tribe led by a Holy Man (Trujillo), which has protected the secret of the tree spirits from Bonny and her gang for ages--and that has meant war. But as the fight to save this strange and beautiful world becomes vital, Hook, Peter, and the ragamuffin lost boys consider that growing old somewhere in time could be less important than growing up--right here in their new home called Neverland.
Source: Blastr Add a reply 
| 11:00 AM, Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
 Ronald D. Moore is back at NBC Universal with a new drama project for NBC that has landed one of the biggest commitments so far this pitch season. The project from Sony TV where the Battlestar Galactica developer inked a two-year overall deal in May, is described as an adult Harry Potter set in a world ruled not by science but by magic. I hear the drama got pilot and series penalties totaling close to $2 million.
Before going to Sony, Moore had three consecutive overall deals at NBC Uni's Universal Media Studios that were tied to his services on Syfy's Battlestar Galactica, a reimagening of Glen A. Larson's classic, which he executive produced and ran with David Eick. The duo is also behind the Battlestar Galactica spinoff Caprica.
Sony has made drama development a priority this season, signing deals with Moore, Smallville creators Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, who are behind the studio's Charlie's Angeles reboot, and director Michael Dinner, who will now focus more on writing-producing.
Source: Deadline Add a reply
| 10:00 PM, Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
Mark Ruffalo tells Australia's Sunday Herald-Sun that if he had been offered the role of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in the first feature film based on the Marvel comic hero, he likely would've passed without regret.
 "I probably wouldn't have done this movie in the past", Ruffalo tells the newspaper. "But because of what Robert [Downey Jr] had done and where that genre has gone since then, I did it".
Ruffalo, a fan of The Incredible Hulk TV show, says he's a bit way at the prospect of the green screen acting and the barrage of special effects he'll be acting alongside when The Avengers starts filming next year. But it sounds as if he's looking forward to playing a superhero - if only because he likes to do different things.
"I have always tried to stay ahead of being stereotyped and the more I felt you could f— with people's expectations of you, the longer a career you have. I consider myself a blue collar actor that way. What I do really enjoy is that rhythm and style and family and I like that kind of nomadic existence".
Ruffalo, currently promoting a new indy comedy called The Kids Are Alright, says he's "like, ';five for me and one for them'" - referring to the few studio tentpole pics he's made. "I have never really been one to go for the cash. If my dad knew how much money I had turned in my lifetime he would kick me in the a—".
Ruffalo says when he tests for something like The Avengers it has to feel like he's "going for more than a job".
Source: What's Playing Add a reply
| 5:00 PM, Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
 Welcome the latest award-winning talent into the House of Ideas, True Believers!
Nebula and Nightmare join the Squaddies
Marvel congratulates Jane Lynch and Jim Parsons on winning the Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, respectively!
The famed thespians earned top honors at last night's Emmy Awards for their work on "Glee" and "The Big Bang Theory," but soon you'll also know them in different roles as they lend their vocal talents to the upcoming second season of "The Super Hero Squad Show." Lynch will voice the hardnosed Kree space pirate, Nebula, while Parsons will send shivers down your spine as the villainous Nightmare.
"The Super Hero Squad Show" season two will debut on Cartoon Network in Fall 2010, bringing back all your favorite Squaddies as they journey across the cosmos to prevent Thanos from procuring the powerful Infinity Stones!
So join us in giving a round of applause to Ms. Lynch and Mr. Parsons for their stellar work-we can't wait to see what they have in store for us as "The Super Hero Squad Show" kicks off its new season on Cartoon Network this Fall!
Source: Marvel Add a reply
| 9:00 PM, Monday, August 30th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
As fans of the late Douglas Adams and his Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, we're thrilled the BBC is producing an hour-long broadcast based on another one of his books, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. But guess what? That's good news for Doctor Who fans, too.
 Because Dirk Gently, as it turns out, is based in part on the fourth Doctor's famed unaired episode, "Shada."
Adams had written the episode, "Shada," about a Time Lord living as a professor at Cambridge University who is visited by his old friend, played by fourth Doctor, floppy-hat-wearing Tom Baker. Part of it was filmed in 1979, but the rest fell victim to a strike at the BBC.
Fast forward to 1987, when Dirk Gently hits the stands. It's about an extremely old professor, a scattered, hat-wearing detective, and "the fundamental interconnectedness of things."
We not sure why the BBC would turn the 1987 novel into a one-off television show now, but better late than never. And who knows, healthy ratings could influence the BBC into expanding that single episode into something more.
Dirk Gently doesn't just borrow from "Shada": parts of the novel are seen in Adams' produced episode, "City of Death." In fact, Adams' work has long since been intertwined with Doctor Who. He turned his unproduced script, "Doctor Who and the Krikkitmen," into the third book in the Hitchhikers' series, Life the Universe, and Everything. He even worked on Doctor Who as the script editor for the seventeenth season.
When it comes to Douglas Adams and Doctor Who, looks like there's no doubt about "the fundamental interconnectedness of things."
Source: Blastr Add a reply
| 5:00 PM, Monday, August 30th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
 With the advent of Twitter, casting announcements can come from anywhere, including the stars themselves, which is why it was quite a breakthrough for actor John Cusack to make the official announcement on his Twitter feed that he would be taking on the role of Edgar Allan Poe in James (V For Vendetta) McTeigue's thriller The Raven.
ComingSoon.net first learned about the project when we spoke to McTeigue for his previous movie Ninja Assassin, and he told us that his movie wouldn't be a straight adaptation of Poe's poem, as much as a serial killer thriller in which the famed horror author would have to solve clues of a string of murders based on his stories. The story would be set in Baltimore during the 1850s.
We hadn't heard much else except that the Oscar-nominated man of the moment Jeremy Renner was signed on for the movie along with Ewan McGregor. One has to figure one of them was going to play Poe and with Cusack claiming that role, we have to wonder whether either of these actors are still on board. (Renner just signed onto Mission: Impossible IV and will be playing Hawkeye in Joss Whedon's The Avengers, so he may be too busy to do this.)
Source:Coming Soon Add a reply
| 1:00 PM, Monday, August 30th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
 A few weeks ago Toy Story 3 officially beat out Finding Nemo to become Pixar's highest grossing film of all time. Today it crosses another big box office landmark, when it rolls past $1 billion earned.
By the end of today, Toy Story 3 will have earned more than a billion dollars worldwide. In fact, it'll be the second Disney film this year to do so, making Disney the first movie studio in history to release two billion dollar pictures in a single year. Alice in Wonderland was the other one, having accomplished the feat earlier this year.
While Alice in Wonderland's merits are debatable, Toy Story 3 deserves every dollar. In the midst of what is shaping up to be one of the most dismal years for movies in recent memory, Buzz and Woody's final outing has been one of the few shining beacons of filmmaking quality. It's not just Pixar's biggest earner, it may also be their best movie. Just when you think they've topped themselves, they always find a way to do something even better.
Disney has had its failures this year, Prince of Persia was a massive flop by any measure. Consistency isn't exactly their thing. But they've produced the two biggest movies of 2010 so far, and better still, one of them was also the year's best reviewed film.
Source: Cinemablend Add a reply
| 7:00 AM, Monday, August 30th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
 If you missed out on "The Losers" back in April, you missed out on a great, action-packed adaptation of Andy Diggle and Jock's hit comic book series that impressed the heck out of me when I caught a screening. Along with its all-star cast, "The Losers" featured some great action sequences, witty dialogue, fun performances, and original art from Jock sprinkled throughout the marketing campaign and the film itself.
And now the DVD and Blu-Ray release of the film will get some new art from Jock, too.
The celebrated artist shared with MTV News some of the art he created for the Play.com exclusive DVD and Blu-Ray versions of the film, which will be available in the U.K. on November 10. The exclusive slipcase for the discs and accompanying poster feature the entire team engaged in a violent firefight, and sport the tagline "Anyone Else Would Be Dead By Now." Oh, and Max makes a cameo on the back cover of the slipcase, too.
See all the art at MTV Splashpage Add a reply
| 12:00 PM, Sunday, August 29th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
 Prolific creature designer Aaron Sims (Clash of the Titans, Percy Jackson, Wolverine, Green Lantern) has been updating Shock Til You Drop about the status of a couple of pipeline projects: namely James Wan's take on videogame Castlevania, and the long-gestating David Goyer re-think of The Invisible Man.
Castlevania, he says, has been back-burnered while Saw-director Wan gets on with Insidious (aka the Astral, aka The Further), but locations have been scouted in Romania, and work has begun on "a Medusa, and some vampires [with] a unique quality to them that falls into James' style". So with Titans and Percy, that's three Medusas in the same year! Must be tough to keep them distinct.
The videogame series has gone through endless permutations since its debut on the NES in the 1980s, and Sims says that Wan and co. are well aware of the franchise's giant fanbase. With that in mind, the filmmakers are trying to keep the project as indie as possible ("it's about trying to find the right investors"), the better to avoid studio interference. But it's hard to believe game-studio Konami won't have a major say in the proceedings.
Back in Studio World though, Sims says Universal are "really on board" with The Invisible Man, although "they have the property so they figure they might as well do something with it" sounds a bit half-arsed to us. Sims is scratching his head about how to make some new and fresh invisibility effects (since Hollow Man already did the gradual-skin-downwards schtick) and tests are ongoing.
David Goyer's take on HG Wells' see-through character reportedly involves a secret agent in a steampunk imperial Russia.
Source: Empire Add a reply
| 10:00 AM, Sunday, August 29th, 2010 - Posted by John Wilson
 James Wan, who co-created and directed the original Saw, has been set to direct Nightfall, the film adaptation of the graphic novel. The film is a coproduction between Scott Mitchell Rosenberg's Platinum Studios and William Stuart's Aurora Productions. The premise: a man is sentenced to time in a prison run by vampires. The graphic novel was published in 2007 and written and created by Scott O. Brown with art by Ferran Xalabarder. Wan will oversee the development of a script. His latest film, Insidious, plays in the Midnight Madness program at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival.
"The minute I heard the concept, I was in, Wan said. "Reading the graphic novel cemented that. Like Saw, it's a simple concept that, if executed properly, will be so cool."
Said Platinum's Rosenberg: "James' experience crafting the contained horror in Saw will be a big help in his informing the visual experience of Nightfall."
Platinum Studios is currently in production on Cowboys and Aliens, the Jon Favreau-directed interplanetary shoot-em-up that stars Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. They are in post production on the indie pic Dylan Dog: Dead Of Night. Both are based on Platinum graphic novels. Wan's repped by Paradigm and Testro International.
Source: Deadline Add a reply
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