Author: Robert Greenberger

After expressing interest in directing everything from the an adaptation of Valiant’s Harbinger to a feature film based on Guitar Hero, director Brett Ratner has finally chosen his next projects.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rater is about to sign a deal to direct a new Conan the Barbarian film.  The film will be co-produced by Nu Image/Millennium and Lionsgate Films. Conan was the subject of two films starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1980s and has been a frequent candidate for additional features ever since but the rights went from studio to studio with no traction.  John Milius, who cowrote the first film with Oliver Stone, has had a much admired King Conan script in development for years now.

Fans of Axel Foley can rest assured that the fourth film in the Beverly Hills Cop series is still likely to hit the cameras first for Paramount Pictures. Screenwriters Michael Brandt and Derek Haas (Wanted) have been working on a script as the studio tries to get everything lined up to meet the next hole in Eddie Murphy’s schedule.

Joshua Oppenheimer and Thomas Dean Donnelly (Sahara) have written a screenplay that was intriguing enough to get Ratner to commit but now the duo is working on a polish based on Ratner’s notes.  The story is inspired by the original Weird Tales stories of Robert E. Howard and none of the pastiches and interpretations that have followed in prose and comic books. It’s said to be a tale that introduces audiences to who Conan is and sets the stage for the inevitable sequels.

Lionsgate intends to release the $85 million film in 2010 the same year Paramount hopes to release BHC 4.
 

Lionsgate has announced the arrival of  Hulk Vs. in January.  According to a press release, “If Hulk alone weren’t enough, Hulk is now joined by the super-heroes of the next two Marvel tentpole films —  Wolverine and Thor in this newest addition to the Marvel Animated Features series.

“These dark and violent showdowns have been seen in various forms throughout Marvel comic book history, and the rematches have continued to thrill comic fans ever since.  Now Marvel and Lionsgate have taken the two epic comic book battles and merged them into two heart pounding tales on one DVD release that stays true to its comic book roots.  DVD and Blu-ray special features include commentaries, multiple featurettes and a trailer gallery.  The Standard Edition DVD features collectible 3D lenticular packaging.  On the Blu-ray Disc, the special features are in hi-def.”

The standard DVD will retail for $19.98; the special edition DVD will be $24.98; and the Blu-ray Disc will be priced at $29.99

X-Men Origins: Wolverine opens May 1, 2009 and Thor is scheduled for July 2010.
 

The BBC reports that the British Cartoon Archive has gone live online.  Based at the University of Kent, it has over 120,000 political and social cartoons from over 250 artists from the 18th century through today.

The archive is the result of two years’ work to digitize the University’s Carl Giles collection.

Dr Nicholas Hiley, head of the British Cartoon Archive, told the press, "Whether you are a cartoon fan or an academic interested in using the archive content for teaching and research purposes, the new website provides the widest possible access to the most important collection of British newspaper cartooning.

"The development of the site, catalogue and services over the coming months will extend the use of the resource to a far larger number of academics, specialists and enthusiasts and build a considerable international community around these important works."

The Sci Fi Channel has announced that Jack Kenny (Book of Daniel) and David Simkins (The Dresden Files) have joined the writing staff of Warehouse 13, a new dramatic series scheduled to run for 11 episodes on the channel in July.

The series begins production this February in Toronto and stars Eddie McClintock (Bones), Joanne Kelly (Jeremiah), Saul Rubinek (Frasier), and CCH Pounder (The Shield). It was conceived by Farscape’s Rockne O’Bannon and the two-hour pilot was written by   O’Bannon, Jane Espenson (Battlestar Galactica) and D. Brent Mote.

The network describes the series this way:

After saving the life of the president, two Secret Service agents find themselves abruptly transferred to Warehouse 13, a massive top-secret storage facility in windswept South Dakota that houses every strange artifact, mysterious relic, fantastical object and supernatural souvenir ever collected by the U.S. government. The Warehouse’s caretaker, Artie (Rubinek), charges Pete (McClintock) and Myka (Kelly) with chasing down reports of supernatural and paranormal activity in search of new objects to cache at the Warehouse, as well as helping him to control the Warehouse itself.

Kenny and Simkins join co-executive producer Dana Baratta (Runaway), supervising producer Drew Greenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Wars: The Clone Wars), co-producers Matt Federman and Stephen Scaia (Jericho) and staff writers Bob Goodman (The New Batman/Superman Adventures), Tamara Becher (Crash) and Ben Raab and Deric Hughes (The Operator, Afterworld).

In talking with What’s on Stage, actor David Morrissey gave away part of the plot for the Doctor Who Christmas Special.

“I play a character called The Doctor – a man who believes himself to be a Time Lord,” he revealed. “It was great to be on board, because I’m a huge fan of the program and of David Tennant. As for any talk of me taking over as the next Doctor, well, if or when they do choose someone, they would have to totally different to David, which I am!”

He makes his return to the stage in the European premiere of Neil LaBute’s In a Dark Dark House.