Author: Robert Greenberger

Will Tim Burton Sail Into ‘Pirates 4’?

Will Tim Burton Sail Into ‘Pirates 4’?

  • News
  • October 8, 2008

Cinema Blend is reporting that rather than Gore Verbinski, Tim Burton may helm the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean feature for Disney. While the rumor is unsubstantiated, the site values its source.

Additionally, the film may introduce a brother for Captain Jack Sparrow, giving Johnny Depp someone new to play off of. Additional rumors have the story centering on Sparrow’s search for the Fountain of Youth. Geoffrey Rush is also said to be interested in returning to the high seas.

If any of the above is true, we feel it will most certainly refresh the franchise and possibly allow it to sail towards open seas where the possibilities are endless as opposed to getting further tangled in its convoluted mythos. Certainly, replacing Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom as his foils would keep things new.

‘Amerlia Rules’ at Simon & Schuster

‘Amerlia Rules’ at Simon & Schuster

  • News
  • October 8, 2008

Jimmy Gownley’s delightful Amelia Rules! has been picked up by a division of Simon & Schuster for repackaging for the bookstore market.  Gownley began sel-fpublishing the comic in 2001 thoruhg his Renaissance Press imprint and features the advenuteres of Amelia Louise McBride and her fourth grade buddies.  Since its inception, the series has tackled real world issues through the prism of youth and has received priase.

The series has been nominated for three Eisner Awards,  two Harvey Awards, and a short list finalist for the Howard E. Day Prize. in 2002. In 2007 Amelia Rules Volume 3: Superheroes won the Cybil Award for Best graphic novel for readers twelve and under.

Ginee Seo Books, an imprint of Atheneum/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, will reprint the first four Amelia Rules! trade collections beginning with Amelia Rules!: The Whole World’s Crazy to be published in Spring 2009 and the last reprint Amelia Rules!: When the Past is a Present scheduled for release in Spring 2010. The fifth volume, Amelia Rules!: The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular will be the first original publication with the hardcover and paperback scheduled to come out simultaneously in Fall 2010.

“Jimmy is a true creative genius, and Amelia Rules! has that rare combination of mass appeal and literary substance that every publisher dreams about. We are thrilled for Jimmy to be joining the S&S list, as we work to expand our list with some of the top comic and graphic novel talent publishing today, and we look forward to making his name and his characters known to even wider audience beyond his already substantial following,” said Ginee Seo, VP, Editorial Director of Ginee Seo Books.

Jimmy Gownley added in a release, “It was important for me to find the perfect home for Amelia Rules! and I strongly believe Simon & Schuster and Ginee Seo books are a great match. I am more excited than ever about Amelia and kids graphic novels in general”

‘The Avengers’ get Assembled & Animated

‘The Avengers’ get Assembled & Animated

  • News
  • October 8, 2008

Marvel Comics sent out a press release this morning announcing that production has begun on a new animated series, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. 

Film Roman (King of the Hill) has begun working on the 26 30-minute episodes which will air on television in 2011, in the wake of The First Avenger: Captain America and The Avengers live-action films scheduled for that summer. Ciro Nieli will produce the show for the studio.  He’s no stranger to action considering his work on Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go! and Teen Titans. Christopher Yost will be script editor and his credits include Iron Man Armored Adventures and Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes.

As a result, there’s little surprise that the line-up resembles the film properties and the very first line-up of the team from 1963: Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man (called Giant Man in the release but clearyl wearing the cybernetic helmet), Wasp, and Hulk. Captain America joined the team with the fourth issue but will be here from the outset.

"The addition of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to our quickly expanding animation slate continues our plan to complement each of our tentpole live action features with an animated series," said Eric Rollman, President of Animation.  "This new ensemble series tracks perfectly with our highly anticipated ‘road to the Avengers’ strategy which includes some of Marvel’s biggest and most beloved characters, and which kicks off with two Avengers’ themed feature films in summer 2011.”

While the super-team has been seen on countless Marvel-related series in the past, this will be the first series they can call their own.  Previously, Lionsgate released two animated direct-to-DVD releases based on The Ultimates although branded as Avengers.

Marvel is making major inroads into animation after years of little production. BET will have the Black Panther in early 2009 while later that year Nicktoons will air Wolverine and the X-Men and Iron Man: Armored Adventures. Also coming is Marvel Super Hero Squad, whatever that is.
 

Trevor Von Eeden’s ‘The Original Johnson’ Debuts on ComicMix Tomorrow

Trevor Von Eeden’s ‘The Original Johnson’ Debuts on ComicMix Tomorrow

  • News
  • October 8, 2008

Trevor von Eeden returns to comics tomorrow with a series that is especially meaningful to our American culture.  It’s the story of boxer Jack Johnson, whom von Eeden describes as “the first psychologically free black man in American History.” This is the first major biography of Johnson created by an African-American artist.

The Original Johnson is the story about the man behind the face, a boxer who defeated white men in the ring and took their women after the show, who openly triumphed in white society. He was self-educated, well-read and fluent in three languages. And yet, as von Eeden says, “unlike today’s uncouth gangsta-rapper-thug black ‘stars,’ Jack Johnson had taste, style and class.  He conquered racist America because he saw everything from the point of view of his own private joke.  I want to explain that joke to our audience.”

Mike Gold, editor-in-chief of ComicMix, said, “I’ve known Trevor for more than three decades, and this is the best I’ve ever seen him do. This 240 page graphic novel is the work of a man reaching his creative peak.”

The timing could not be better as Congress last month passed a resolution, recommending President Bush grant a pardon for Johnson’s 1913 conviction, recognizing the racist overtones, and in order to exonerate Johnson and recognize his contribution to boxing. A similar Senate bill was sponsored by John McCain.

Johnson (1878-1946) was the first black heavyweight champion in the boxing world, reigning from 1908-1915 and participated in the first "Fight of the Century", defeating James J. Jeffries, the former champ, in 1910. The 1913 conviction was regarding his bi-racial marriage which was said to be a violation of the Mann Act.

After retiring from the ring, he opened a Harlem night spot in 1920 that became to be famously known a few years later as The Cotton Club. Johnson also holds a patent for modifications he made to a wrench.

Von Eeden remains the youngest artist employed by DC Comics, joining the company in 1977 and debuting on Black Lightning.  He continued to work for the company for years and may be best remember for his work on Thriller, co-created with Robert Loren Fleming.  He has also done extensive work for Continuity Associates and commercial efforts.

The Original Johnson will run every Wednesday on ComicMix.
 

Marvel Schedules 4 Films for California Studios

Marvel Schedules 4 Films for California Studios

  • News
  • October 8, 2008

Iron Man 2, Thor, The First Avenger: Captain America and The Avengers are now scheduled to film at Raleigh Productions in Manhattan Beach, California.

The facility has 14 soundstages and 300,000 square feet of office and support space, making it perfect to mount the four films over the next three years given the shared personnel and even props and cast if all goes as anticipated.

Louis D’Esposito, Marvel’s president of physical production, told Variety that Raleigh had been "incredibly accommodating in terms of financial structures".
 

Shyamalan Talks ‘Unbreakable’ Sequel

Shyamalan Talks ‘Unbreakable’ Sequel

  • News
  • October 8, 2008

While promoting today’s DVD release of The Happening, M. Night Shyamalan spoke about a possibly sequel to his super-powered story, Unbreakable.

During a press conference, the stylish director admitted, "How bizarre. I want to write it right now, but I want to write it for the right reasons. I want a story to pop into my head that is organic and expressive of who I am. You know, these are all kind of journals of where I am emotionally, so it’s kind of hard. I’m kind of trying to go back to the journal that existed in 1999 for me. But I know me: As soon as I give up on it is when the idea will come to me. It’s just I need to go into therapy; I guess that’s the end of that answer to this."

Of course, given the tepid reception his last efforts have received, the temptation to revisit a previous success has grown.  Not that he ever admitted that as a motivation.  Instead, he said, "I’m a strange creature. When Unbreakable came out, I was like, ‘God, man I’m so excited.’ I thought [it] was like comic books. No one has really done comic books like this: reality-based comic books. I really think this is a metaphor for things that people can go crazy over."

The film was more a commercial than critical success so demand was always there for a follow-up story. "When the reaction was mixed, kind of a disappointment, I was pettily hurt, and I was like, ‘God, I took so many incredible risks and things like that.’ I felt really hurt, and I couldn’t bring myself to write," he said.

He said filmmaking gave him an intimate connection with people. "It’s literally like a relationship I have with the audience. … And then, over the years, as it just grew and grew and grew, and people were like, ‘You know, I really like that. That’s actually my favorite movie, and I watch that all the time,’ and on and on. I’ll be on the street, and some kid will run across traffic with it in his backpack–he just is carrying it in his backpack–and he’ll be running [saying], ‘I can’t believe it’s you!’ Will you sign my Unbreakable DVD?’ And quoting the thing and all that stuff."
 

Sequel and Prequels in the News

Sequel and Prequels in the News

  • News
  • October 8, 2008

There’s a lot of prequel/sequel talk in the air this week.  First, rumors have it that Jennifer Aniston is being offered tons of cash to reprise her character in a follow-up to The Break-Up, opposite Vince Vaughn.

On the other hand, Corey Haim says he’s up for a Lost Boys film; one he claims will be a prequel to the first film and not a follow-up to the direct-to-DVD sequel that was released in July. He told Bloody Disgusting, “I’ve seen the whole movie; I don’t like it, to be honest with you. I don’t like it, I’m not gonna lie to you. I don’t like it as much as the first one.”

No official word has come from Warner Bros. or any of the Lost Boys participants so Haim could be drumming up work for himself. Still, he clearly had his own vision of how the next film should be done. “[The] direction [will be] more so like the first one…" Haim described. "As far as I heard, it will be thrown back into the proper genre it was when Joel [Schumacher] executed it.”

Warner Bros. announced yesterday that they have signed a three-year first-look deal with The Office’s Steve Carell. The deal, according to Variety, has led to the formation of Carousel Productions to be overseen by Vance DeGeneres and Charlie Hartsock.

The new deal does not guarantee a sequel to the television spin-off, but given its $230 million success around the world, the gears have started to turn.  Anne Hathaway, his co-star, already told the press she was up for a second film.

"My idea was to partner with friends of mine, people I trusted, with whom I share a certain sensibility," Carell told Variety. "I have some ideas for films, but I’ve gotten to know so many people who are funny, talented and fertile with ideas that I’m confident this very strong base of friendships will lead to projects."

After the fifth season of the NBC hit, he will co-star with Tina Fey as spouses in Date Night for 20th Century-Fox and director Shawn Levy.
 

Hathaway and Carter Play Queens for Burton

Hathaway and Carter Play Queens for Burton

  • News
  • October 8, 2008

The cast for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is rounding out with the addition of Anne Hathaway as the White Queen opposite Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film has already begun shooting with Mia Wasikowska scenes as Alice outside the looking glass having been completed in Australia.

The White Queen is described in the story as “a benevolent monarch who is deposed and banished by her sister, the Red Queen, who has an affinity for crying out, ‘Off with their heads!’

The cast also includes Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. Burton is shooting both live-action and motion-capture work for the film, which Disney Studios will release in 2010.
 

Could Velile Tshabalala be the Next Assistant?

Could Velile Tshabalala be the Next Assistant?

  • News
  • October 7, 2008

Velile Tshabalala will guest star in 2008’s Doctor Who Christmas special, “The Next Doctor”.  In a profile published in West Sussex Today, she revealed some details about her character Rosita, "I am just so excited about it. We filmed it in April in Cardiff and Gloucester and Monmouth and so it has died down a bit, but now it is getting closer and I just can’t wait.

"It is just a one-off Christmas special but out of all the episodes I could have been asked to do it is far better that it is this one. The Doctor is faced with another Doctor. Rosita is the assistant to the other Doctor but as the episode goes on she starts helping the Doctor we know."

Will she follow the debut of Donna Nobel in a special and become the Doctor’s next assistant?

"A lot of people have been saying that it hasn’t yet been decided who the next assistant will be. But obviously I would love to do more. At the moment I am just being positive about it, that I did it and that I had a great time. But I would love to be in it again if I can."

Tshabalala is a comedic actress who debuted first appeared on CBBC’s Kerching! fdollowed by three season of Tittybangbang and had an appearance on ChuckleVision.

Her film work includes 2004’s Streets.

Review: ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Platinum Edition

Review: ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Platinum Edition

Walt Disney Studios’ [[[Sleeping Beauty]]] holds up as a spectacular work of animation and it looks even better now that the studio has cleaned it up. The classic fairy tale has stood the test of time quite nicely and the Platinum Edition 50th Anniversary 2-disc set, released today, is a worthwhile addition to your home video library. It’s a great artifafct, and the end of an era of amazing animated fare from Disney Studios.  Every anuimated feature that has followed, through today, somehow pales in comparison to this effort.

The first disc of course is the film itself.  Disney’s technicians have painstakingly cleaned the animation so the colors are brighter, allowing us to appreciate the work of animator Eyvind Earle. The story holds up with relatable characters from the adorable Aurora to the three fairies who sacrifice their magic ways to shield the child for 16 years. The humor remains character-based and the story builds nicely to the climax between the Prince and the vile witch Maleficent. The animation remains a sumptuous feast for the eyes especially with the brighter, sharper colors allowing us to enjoy the fine design.  The transformation of Maleficent from witch to dragon remains a very powerful sequence and can still startle the younger viewers.

It was certainly the last of its kind.  The sumptuous design and color, the rendering of the characters and their actions, were painstakingly researched and executed. The movie took years and millions to make, causing Walt Disney concern over the viability of future of animation in the same style. Some of this and other interesting facts can be found on the second disc.  “Picture Perfect: The Making of Sleeping Beauty” is lively because of the archival materials that remain plus the recollections of those like Ollie Johnston, last of the Nine Old Men, and Don Bluth who actually worked on the film.

We see several pieces of footage of actors in costume who performed for a gaggle of animators, which helped the humans move with subtle and broad emotions.  On the other hand, we are treated to deleted songs and sequences via storyboards and remaining recordings.  As a result, you have a better idea of how the film took shape, from the initial concepts in 1951 through its 1958 release.

There is also a nifty interactive Original Disneyland Sleeping Beauty Walk-Through Attraction With Walt Disney Imagineering.

For the youngest of fans, there is a reading tutorial and “[[[Briar Rose’s Enchanted Dance Game]]]”.

There are additional features on the Blu-ray release, not screened by ComicMix, but it does come complete with a standard DVD version of the film.  It’s a first and a nice way to add to your library without buying new hardware quite yet.

As usual, Disney will keep this in circulation only for a limited time until it is retired and goes into the rotation, not to be seen again for a while.  Grab this while you can.

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