revealed that Summit Entertainment is bringing Highlander back to the big screen. The 1986 sci-fi cult hit starred Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery and Clancy Brown as immortal beings who battled humans and each other. Lambert played Scottish swordsman Connor MacLeod, Connery portrayed the memorable Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez and Clancy was a barbarian known as the Kurgan. The film with the "There can be only one" tagline spawned four sequels and three television series.
There are those of us who think reboots of properties like Highlander, Flash Gordon and Poltergeist are completely unwanted and unnecessary. Yet there are others. The type of Joe's who couldn't get enough of Sci-Fi Channel's Highlander: The Source last year. This is the spoiler page for those Joe's.
While, admittedly, there aren't many actual "spoilers" ahead - stay tuned for updates as Highlander: The Remake inches closer to production in the coming weeks.
Confirmed:
* The remake was officially announced on May 20, 2008.
* The script will be written by the writers of Iron Man (Art Marcum and Matt Holloway).
* One source tells Entertainment Weekly that Highlander doesn't preclude Marcum and Holloway from working on an Iron Man sequel, but no deal is in place yet for that project for the writers and looks unlikely now that Justin Theroux has been announced for that gig. (EW.com)
* No director is yet attached.
* Peter Davis, one of the original producers, says the new Highlander will not just be a remake. It will incorporate more backstory elements and prequel aspects that will be fleshed out to expand the storyline in a way that is inventive yet faithful to the original story, he says. (Reuters)
* Davis has been quoted as saying: "I would hate to think that people viewed Highlander as a sword fighting movie because it's much more than that. The issues of an immortal falling in love with a woman and knowing she's going to grow old and die in your arms, those are very romantic issues to deal with." (Reuters)
* The project's new producers are promising a more "romantic" Highlander film. (The Hollywood Reporter)
* The screenplay will involve a sub-plot dealing with Connor MacLeod's love for a non-immortal woman. (The Hollywood Reporter)
* The producers have previously mentioned they would include medieval Scotland in their version of the story. (The Hollywood Reporter)
* Director Alex Proyas, who is not involved with the production, has been quoted raving about the studio behind the Highlander reboot and this year's TWILIGHT adaptation: "Summit, who I think are going to be a highly regarded genre studio, because they really respect genre movies and they have given me an immense freedom and at the same time an extraordinary support, so that has really reignited my belief in that there are good guys out there that you can actually work with as a filmmaker. " (Highlander Remake Boards)
Kevin McKidd
* Scottish actor Kevin McKidd (HBO's "Rome," "Journeyman," "Made of Honor") confirmed in a Dublin radio interview that he's been approached about starring in the Highlander remake. (JoBlo)
* Unfortunately, no word yet on a cameo from the original Highlander, Christopher Lambert.
Rumored:
* McKidd was reportedly a favorite to play THOR before director Matthew Vaughn exited the project. (JoBlo)
* The character of Methos is well known and rumors have circulated that the new movie may focus more on that character and less about Connor or Duncan MacLeod. (Highlander Remake Boards)
Got any others? Add it to the comments section below. Think these spoilers suck? Sound off and share your thoughts. Updates will be added to this page as more information becomes known. HIGHLANDER is scheduled for release in 2010.
UGO
Showing posts with label style: gritty reimagining. Show all posts
Showing posts with label style: gritty reimagining. Show all posts
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Crow (2011)
Stephen Norrington is set to write and direct a remake of The Crow. The man who brought us Blade and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is looking to recreate the character in an entirely different light to the one we saw him in (or out of) in the Alex Proyas directed film starring Brandon Lee.
This would mark the first film that Norrington has been involved with since The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a film that so many people slated upon its release.
Interestingly, when I look back on that film, I really enjoy it and its characters, and for a superhero ensemble film you have to admit that it works a hell of a lot better than films such as Fantastic Four (Filmstalker review). I enjoy watching that film and the characters and story are pretty damn good, I would have been excited to see them in a sequel, and yet after that film both Stephen Norrington and Sean Connery never made another film, and in fact Connery slates the film when questioned about it.
It seems, according to Variety, that Norrington was close to making another film a few times, he was close to making The Mutant Chronicles some time ago and then he was signed to direct Clash of the Titans but left after he said he could not excite Warner Bros. with his idea nor influence the script enough for his liking.
After The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen he felt demoralised and went away to concentrate on other aspects of his life, but now it would seem the time and the project are right. A recreation of The Crow.
Apparently he wants to create a realistic take of the character, in his own words:
Now that does have some appeal, although there's a concern that he would become just a dark vigilante. Or really is that a concern at all? Perhaps that would be a good turn for the character.
Reading the article it seems that there's still some paperwork to be done on the deal, but Stephen Norrington could be writing and directing a remake of The Crow very soon. The question is do we want one, is there space for another dark hero, and will enough people have accepted or forgiven The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?
Filmstalker
This would mark the first film that Norrington has been involved with since The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a film that so many people slated upon its release.
Interestingly, when I look back on that film, I really enjoy it and its characters, and for a superhero ensemble film you have to admit that it works a hell of a lot better than films such as Fantastic Four (Filmstalker review). I enjoy watching that film and the characters and story are pretty damn good, I would have been excited to see them in a sequel, and yet after that film both Stephen Norrington and Sean Connery never made another film, and in fact Connery slates the film when questioned about it.
It seems, according to Variety, that Norrington was close to making another film a few times, he was close to making The Mutant Chronicles some time ago and then he was signed to direct Clash of the Titans but left after he said he could not excite Warner Bros. with his idea nor influence the script enough for his liking.
After The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen he felt demoralised and went away to concentrate on other aspects of his life, but now it would seem the time and the project are right. A recreation of The Crow.
Apparently he wants to create a realistic take of the character, in his own words:
“Whereas Proyas’ original was gloriously gothic and stylized, the new movie will be realistic, hard-edged and mysterious, almost documentary style.”
Now that does have some appeal, although there's a concern that he would become just a dark vigilante. Or really is that a concern at all? Perhaps that would be a good turn for the character.
Reading the article it seems that there's still some paperwork to be done on the deal, but Stephen Norrington could be writing and directing a remake of The Crow very soon. The question is do we want one, is there space for another dark hero, and will enough people have accepted or forgiven The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?
Filmstalker
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)
Tony Scott and Denzel Washington love each other and they love each other so much they want to remake the '70s classic THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1, 2, 3.
This is one of my favorite films, so of course I don't like this idea, but I can say I really dug MAN ON FIRE.
If you haven't seen it, the film is about a team of criminals that hijack a NYC subway train and hold its passengers hostage. Robert Shaw played the head bad guy.
Denzel Washington is rumored to be taking the Walter Matthau role. I liked that Matthau was a kind of goofy guy, a smart-ass to be sure, but not a tough guy. The Entertainment Weekly article doesn't have much other information, but I'm wondering who is in the running for the Robert Shaw role. Is there anybody alive that can be as badass... as cool, calm and intelligent as he was?
Source: AintItCoolNews
How It Fared:
Budget: $100M
Box Office: $59M
The Audience Speaks:
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 50/100
Metacritic Rating: 55/100
Overall: C-
This is one of my favorite films, so of course I don't like this idea, but I can say I really dug MAN ON FIRE.
If you haven't seen it, the film is about a team of criminals that hijack a NYC subway train and hold its passengers hostage. Robert Shaw played the head bad guy.
Denzel Washington is rumored to be taking the Walter Matthau role. I liked that Matthau was a kind of goofy guy, a smart-ass to be sure, but not a tough guy. The Entertainment Weekly article doesn't have much other information, but I'm wondering who is in the running for the Robert Shaw role. Is there anybody alive that can be as badass... as cool, calm and intelligent as he was?
Source: AintItCoolNews
How It Fared:
Budget: $100M
Box Office: $59M
The Audience Speaks:
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 50/100
Metacritic Rating: 55/100
Overall: C-
Terminator Salvation (2009)
Reuters reports that Chrysler has unveiled plans to help underwrite Terminator Salvation . Chrysler, which has received $4 billion in emergency aid from the U.S. government, has a deal to place its vehicles in cameo roles in the film, scheduled for release on May 22 and starring Christian Bale, executives said on Tuesday. Financial terms of the sponsorship deal were not disclosed. "This spring, 'Terminator 4' comes out and we will be one of the sponsors," Chrysler director of media Susan Thomson said in a presentation at the Automotive News World Congress. "We have a following with the 'Terminator' movies and we are going to continue with that."
Source: Comingsoon.net
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 72/100
Metacritic Rating: 52/100
Overall: C-
Source: Comingsoon.net
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 72/100
Metacritic Rating: 52/100
Overall: C-
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
A Team (2010)
Director Ridley Scott has signed up to produce the big screen remake of 1980s TV show The A-Team, according to industry paper Variety.
The film, due out in 2010, will be updated so that the army veterans will have fought in the Middle East and not in Vietnam, Variety adds.
It says Joe Carnahan will direct and hopes to make a "popcorn movie" that "reflects on the real world".
The cult TV show starred George Peppard as Hannibal and Mr T as BA Baracus.
Dirk Benedict, as Face, and Dwight Schultz, as Murdoch, completed the quartet of mercenaries "accused of a crime they didn't commit".
Carnahan said 20th Century Fox had asked him "to make it as emotional, real and accessible as possible without cheesing it up", Variety added.
Actors including Bruce Willis and Ice Cube have been rumoured to be on board but no names have been confirmed.
Source: BBC
The film, due out in 2010, will be updated so that the army veterans will have fought in the Middle East and not in Vietnam, Variety adds.
It says Joe Carnahan will direct and hopes to make a "popcorn movie" that "reflects on the real world".
The cult TV show starred George Peppard as Hannibal and Mr T as BA Baracus.
Dirk Benedict, as Face, and Dwight Schultz, as Murdoch, completed the quartet of mercenaries "accused of a crime they didn't commit".
Carnahan said 20th Century Fox had asked him "to make it as emotional, real and accessible as possible without cheesing it up", Variety added.
Actors including Bruce Willis and Ice Cube have been rumoured to be on board but no names have been confirmed.
Source: BBC
Race to Witch Mountain (2009)
Ciaran Hinds and Alexander Ludwig have joined the cast of "Race to Witch Mountain," Disney's reimagining of its 1975 adventure movie "Escape to Witch Mountain." Andy Fickman is on board to direct what is described as an action thriller, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and AnnaSophia Robb. Disney-based Andrew Gunn, whose "College Road Trip" opens Friday, is producing via his Gunn Films.
Source: showhype.com
Source: showhype.com
The Thing (2011)
Universal will add a new chapter to "The Thing," lining up another take on the paranoid horror classic most recently brought to the screen by John Carpenter in 1982.
Studio has set "Battlestar Galactica" exec producer Ron Moore to write the script and commercials director Matthijs Van Heijningen to direct the re-imagining.
New project borrows heavily from the John W. Campbell Jr. short story "Who Goes There," the basis of the Carpenter film and 1951 Howard Hawks original "The Thing From Another World."
Source: Variety
Studio has set "Battlestar Galactica" exec producer Ron Moore to write the script and commercials director Matthijs Van Heijningen to direct the re-imagining.
New project borrows heavily from the John W. Campbell Jr. short story "Who Goes There," the basis of the Carpenter film and 1951 Howard Hawks original "The Thing From Another World."
Source: Variety
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