Author: Glenn Hauman

‘Twilight’ sequel keeps Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black

  • News
  • January 9, 2009

Twilight fans can rest easy with news that Taylor Lautner will return to play Jacob Black again in New Moon, Summit Entertainment’s movie sequel to Twilight, according to New Moon director Chris Weitz via Twilight book series author Stephenie Meyer:

My first priority was always what was best for New Moon—what was going to give us the best possible movie. I’m truly thrilled that Taylor was the one who proved to the director, to Summit, and to me that he is the best possible Jacob we could have. And I’m very much looking forward to seeing what he’s going to bring to Jacob’s character this year.

Production starts soon on New Moon, which is set for release November 20, 2009.

In New Moon, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is devastated by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) but her spirit is rekindled by her growing friendship with the irresistible Jacob Black.  Suddenly she finds herself drawn into the world of the werewolves, ancestral enemies of the vampires, and finds her loyalties tested.

Fox and Warner go all in on ‘Watchmen’, will let judge decide instead of jury

  • News
  • January 8, 2009

Here’s your latest test for geekdom: On January 20th, are you going to be more excited by Barack Obama’s inauguration, or by the court hearing to see if Fox can block Warner Brothers from releasing Watchmen?

The two studios have agreed to let Judge Gary Feess decide whether Fox is entitled to an injunction blocking release of the film, instead of going to a jury trial which would delay the release.  The hearing is currently schedule to begin on January 20th, unless the judge grants Warners’ request to move the hearing to an earlier date.

In addition to the agreement that the judge can decide the case, the two have agreed that neither will oppose requests to expedite an appeal.

 

My take? So it’s delayed. You kids today– you don’t even know what a delay is. I remember the months of delays just waiting for Watchmen #11 to come out, in the middle of a huge cliffhanger. Don’t even get me started on Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #3 or Camelot 3000 #12. (Oh, and while you’re at it, get off my lawn.) That said, I’m certainly looking closely at the outcome.

Entertainment rights on its last financial legs

  • Uncategorized
  • January 8, 2009

entertainmentrights-logo-md-3764598We haven’t had a good, depressing, "the economy sucks and it’s even affecting my comics!" story in a while, but here’s a doozy: ICV2 reports that British company Entertainment Rights, which owns the video rights for Gumby, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Felix the Cat, She-Ra, Ghostbusters, The Lone Ranger, Lassie, Mr. Magoo, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Veggie Tales and a host of other characters, as well as the Filmation archives and the Turok video game, is running out of time to find new investment or an acquirer to avoid going out of business– and like everybody else, is scrambling. The company loaded up with debt when it bought Classic Media in 2006 and ran into loan trouble last year.

Among options being considered are hitting up existing stockholders for additional investment, a sale of the company, or new loans. It received an infusion of 13 million pounds from its main lender in December, which will carry the company through February. Expenses are also being cut, with a third of the company’s employees let go. Bad debt from the failure of British retailer Woolworths is also weighing on the company.

No word how this would affect the numerous movie deals in place with a number of their characters, including the Masters of the Universe film, or any other licensing deals in place.

‘The Dark Knight’ wins five People’s Choice Awards, gets WGA nomination

  • News
  • January 8, 2009

The Dark Knight won a total of five People’s Choice awards last night, including favorite movie, favorite action movie, and favorite cast. Christian Bale was named favorite superhero and won, along with the late Heath Ledger, the favorite on-screen match up category.The film also was nominated yesterday for outstanding achievement in writing for the screen during the 2008 season by the Writers Guild of America. Winners will be honored at the 2009 Writers Guild Awards held on February 7 at simultaneous ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles.

Other genre friendly wins last night: Heroes won the People’s Choice award for favorite sci-fi/fantasy show and "Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog" won for favorite online sensation.

Disney shanghais McG for ‘20,000 Leagues Under The Sea’

  • News
  • January 8, 2009

Because Disney has done so well with sea pictures lately, they’ve just signed a deal with McG (real name Joseph McGinty Nichol, currently at work on Terminator: Salvation) to direct its family picture 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo, according to  Variety. Based on the Jules Verne novel, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Disney’s first adaptation of the book came out in 1954 with Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Peter Lorre, Paul Lukas and that big old visual effects Oscar winning giant squid. It was the studio’s first live-action movie.

But the big question I have is this: since they gutted the original 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride at Walt Disney World to make room for a Finding Nemo ride, what’s going to be the next creative demolition at the park? Frontierland better watch its back…

Licensing the 11th Doctor Who

  • News
  • January 7, 2009

With Matt Smith taking on the role of Doctor Who, BBC Worldwide says the property will be one of its licensing priorities through 2009, series 5 featuring the new Doctor in 2010, and forward. BBC Worldwide has renewed and extended the Doctor Who master toy license with Character Options, which has held the license since 2005.  BBC Worldwide is developing new style elements for licensees for series 5 with product expected to be available in summer 2010, probably just in time for the San Diego Comic-Con. 

Meanwhile this year will see the release of a range of items, including the launch of Time Squad collectible figures in spring, followed by repackaged and revamped Cyberman Age of Steel products to tie-in with the holiday 2009 special.

So if you’re the sort of person who just wasn’t satisfied with spending two hundred dollars for a remote control Dalek to terrorize your pet with, you’re in luck. And thank you for helping to stimulate the economy, even if you’re adding to the international trade imbalance.

‘The Prisoner’ streams for free on AMC

  • News
  • January 7, 2009

There was never a TV show before like The Prisoner. You could say that there hasn’t been a show like it in the forty-two years (!) since.

What? You’ve never seen it? Dude. I mean, dude. Seriously.

Luckily, now you can see them all. I don’t guarantee that you’ll understand them, but you can see them.

To promote its new reinterpretation of the show which just wrapped shooting and scheduled to premiere in November, AMC is now streaming the original series in full screen. This marks the online debut of all seventeen episodes of the classic British series starring Patrick McGoohan, which originally aired in England from 1967-1968.

And when you’re done with that, go buy the DC Comics trade paperback, which hits the flavor of the original series and yet somehow provides an ending. It was one of the first things I got to work on as a production guy at DC, and it impressed the hell out of me.

Japanese ‘Watchmen’ trailer out

  • News
  • January 7, 2009

Hooooooo boy. If nothing else, it highlights the difference in how they’re marketing this… even more paranoid than the original, if that’s possible. And if you’re like me, you caught even more places where the screen matches the page.

What do you think about it?

PREVIEW: ‘Batman: The Brave and the Bold’ with the Outsiders, Wildcat, and… B’wana Beast?

  • News
  • January 7, 2009

We’ve obtained preview footage of the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode, "Enter the Outsiders" airing this Friday, January 9 on Cartoon Network at 8:00 PM, guest starring R. Lee Ermey as Wildcat. And yes, that really is Black Lightning appearing in a DC Comics animated series after thirty years. Congratulations to BL creators Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden.

In this week’s episode Batman and his mentor Wildcat face off against a group of teens– the Outsiders– whose violent pranks turn to criminal activity under the control of the evil Slug. Take a look… (more…)

New heights in the Rob Liefeld swipe file

  • News
  • January 6, 2009

Okay, let me see if I have this straight. From Rich Johnston:

Rob Liefeld will be putting out a "SMASH! Extreme!" #0 re-printing of Smash’s previous appearances by Jeph Loeb and Liefeld from Image in April.

Rob says, "This will contain a new story which frees Smash! from his bonds and lead into the multi-part SMASH! storyline told in a series of specials pitting SMASH! against the Extreme universe. Then in May, we get ‘Smash! Brigade’ from Marat Mychaels and ‘Smash! Youngblood,’ ‘Smash! Prophet’ and ‘Smash! Supreme’ to follow through the year."

Smash! apparently is this big, shall we say, hulking individual pictured to the right who has been in exile for a good long time after stealing Elliot S. Maggin’s exclamation point, but he returns to wreak havoc on the entire universe in a company-wide crossover– waging war on the world, as it were.

Psst. Rob. The pants are what’s supposed to be purple, not the skin.

Oh, and eventually, it’ll end in a book called SMASH ASSEMBLED! where presumably an SOS goes out to Doom’s 4, but some mischevous individual reroutes the call to a bunch of other heroes who band together and fight him.

And some other even more mischevous individual reroutes the call to Marvel’s legal department. Which won’t be a problem because as we all know, Rob Liefeld is a stickler for credit.

 

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