Author: Robert Greenberger

A Dummy’s Guide to Greek Heroes

One brave warrior, touched by the gods, must overcome all odds to save mankind from a merciless and powerful tyrant when IMMORTALS comes to Blu-ray and DVD on March 6th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Directed by visionary filmmaker Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) and written by Charles Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides, the home entertainment release is chock-full of must-see bonus features including an alternate beginning, two alternate endings, deleted scenes and an amazing graphic novel, creating the ultimate viewing experience.

From the producers of 300, Mark Canton, Gianni Nunnari, and Relativity’s CEO Ryan Kavanaugh, IMMORTALS explodes off the screen with action-packed battles, mythological adventure and an all-star cast including: Henry Cavill (Superman: Man of Steel), Luke Evans (Robin Hood), Kellan Lutz (Twilight), Isabel Lucas (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), Stephen Dorff (Public Enemies), John Hurt (Hellboy) and Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2). In this epic tale of vengeance and destiny, power-mad King Hyperion (Rourke) threatens to destroy all of humanity on his maniacal quest to obtain the ultimate weapon – the legendary Epirus Bow that gives the power to unleash war on both Heaven and Earth.  But Theseus (Cavill), a heroic young villager chosen by the gods, rises up to stop Hyperion’s brutal rampage.  With supernatural help from the beautiful oracle Phaedra (Pinto), Theseus embraces his destiny and leads a fierce band of warriors in a desperate fight for the future of mankind.

hercules-4046369The story for Immortals centers on the heroism of Theseus, a mortal man chosen by Zeus to lead the fight against the evil King Hyperion.  In celebration of the release of IMMORTALS on 3D Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray Triple Play and DVD on March 6, we will revisit other heroes in Greek mythology that you may (or may not) be familiar with, including Hercules and Odysseus, among others.

HERCULES

According to Greek mythology, Hercules is the son of the Zeus, the King of all the Gods, and Alcmene, a mortal woman, thereby making him a mortal God.  The goddess Hera, Zeus’ wife, hated Hercules because Hercules’ birth was out of Zeus’ infidelity to her.  Much of Hercules’ adventures have been written about but none as much as the Labors of Hercules, which vary in number depending on the source.  Hercules was sent on these labors by the Oracle of Delphi to make amends over killing his wife and children during a fit of madness sent by Hera.

ODYSSEUS

odysseus-300x405-3914375Odysseus is the Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey and Iliad.  Odysseus was best known for successfully leading the Greeks into victory against the Trojans with his idea of the Trojan Horse, which is depicted in the Iliad.  The Odyssey tells the story of his ten-year journey to get home to Ithaca post the Trojan War to reclaim his place as the rightful king.  The epic describes his adventures, including his encounters with Calypso, the Sirens and the six-headed monster Scylla, amongst others.

OEDIPUS

oedipus-300x298-1533530Oedipus was the Greek king of Thebes, best known for fulfilling a prophecy that said he would kill his father and marry his mother, bringing disaster to his family and his city.  The myth is the basis of neurologist Sigmund Freud’s theory, the Oedipus complex, which states the desire of a male child’s exclusive love for his mother, thereby stemming jealousy towards the father.

ACHILLES

achilles-300x400-1205173Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War and was a central character in Homer’s Iliad.  He was said to be a great warrior whose only vulnerability physically was his heel, which ultimately lead to his death when his heel was struck by an arrow during battle.  Because of that, the term Achille’s heel has come to mean a person’s primary weakness.

PERSEUS

perseus-300x400-6970584Perseus was a son of Zeus and was known in Greek mythology for the different monsters he defeated, including beheading Medusa, the snake-haired maiden who turned those who looked her in the eyes into stone.  He married Andromeda, a princess who had been punished by Poseidon for her mother’s bragging that her daughter was more beautiful than the Nereids.    Perseus saved her imminent death by rescuing her from a rock that she was chained to as a sacrifice to a sea monster.

Valiant’s Bloodshot Hollywood Bound

  • Uncategorized
  • March 1, 2012

modern-bloodshot-300x225-8655094Valiant Entertainment has been stirring things up as they prepare to relaunch their moribund line of characters in May. Now word has hit that Jeff Wadlow has sold a spec script for a Bloodshot film to be produced by Columbia Pictures.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Wadlow, best known for the film Prey, came up with the notion for the movie and tracked down the rights holders, Jason Kothari and Dinesh Shamdasani, convincing them he was the right man to tackle the property. The script has been kicking around Hollywood since 2008 and was even considered for the developing comic line although that appears to have been abandoned. In March 2010, X-Men First Class director Matthew Vaughn was attached to direct a version of Bloodshot that may or may not have included Wadlow’s script. Wadlow, though, has been paid $450,000 for the spec script and that could swell to $1 million should the movie actually go before the cameras.

bloodshot13-293x450-4528822Original Films will produce the film for Columbia with Neal H. Moritz set to executive produce. In the announcement, Hannah Minghella, Columbia president of production, said, “The Bloodshot character has been a fan favorite for nearly two decades, selling approximately 7 million comic books globally. Because there have been more than 1,500 pages of storylines published, there is a rich legacy to draw from as we develop the screenplay.  Neal is one of the best action producers working today and we know he is the right filmmaker to take on this potential franchise.”

Moritz is no stranger to comics and pop culture icons, having most recently worked on the remakes of 21 Jump Street and Total Recall for Columbia, and adapting Dark Horse Comics’ R.I.P.D. for Universal.

Meantime, Brett Ratner was announced to be directing an adaptation of Valiant’s Harbinger in 2008 as he sought a franchise he could call his own. Since then, there has been nary a peep from Valiant or Ratner on the property’s development.

Valiant, founded in 1989 by Jim Shooter, will return after a decade’s absence with X-O Man of War in May. Former Marvel editor Warren Simons has been carefully assembling creative teams with a slow roll out apparently mapped for 2012 and beyond.

Indiana Jones Finally Arrives in Blu-ray This October

  • News
  • March 1, 2012

raidersofthelostark1981-300x199-1388423Not that long ago, Paramount Home Video gave us the four Indiana Jones films in a wonderful box set but even then we began anticipating the eventually release of the movies on Blu-ray. This seems to be the year for Steven Spielberg movies to make their high definition debuts as we get Jaws in August and the Indy movies in October.

These are already being made available for pre-order at Amazon, discounting the list price of $99.99.

Of course, there are some completists out there still waiting for the young Indiana Jones television episodes to be spruced up and released but I guess we still need to wait a bit.

Here’s the official press release:

The man with the hat is back – and looking better than ever! The world’s favorite globe-trotting archaeologist is, at long last, embarking on his greatest adventure – when The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution. The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection will be excavated in the fall of 2012 and will include all four of Indy’s thrilling adventures, using the highest possible high definition picture and audio presentation – along with a “best of” collection of documentaries, interviews, featurettes and a few new surprises.

Production Finally Begins on Disney’s The Lone Ranger

lone-ranger_clayton-moore-mask1-300x178-1762115BURBANK, Calif. (February 28, 2012) — Production has commenced on location in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado on Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ epic adventure “The Lone Ranger.” The film reunites the filmmaking team of the first three “Pirates of the Caribbean” blockbusters—producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski—with Johnny Depp, who created Captain Jack Sparrow in his iconic, Academy Award®-nominated performance and contributed the voice of the title character of Verbinski’s Academy Award-winning “Rango.”

Depp plays spirit warrior Tonto in “The Lone Ranger,” with Armie Hammer (“The Social Network,” “J. Edgar”) starring in the title role. Depp and Hammer are joined by a prestigious international cast which includes Tom Wilkinson, two-time Academy Award nominee (“Michael Clayton,” “In the Bedroom”) and Golden Globe® and Emmy® winner (“John Adams”); William Fichtner (Jerry Bruckheimer’s productions of “Armageddon,” “Pearl Harbor” and “Black Hawk Down”); Emmy Award-winner Barry Pepper (TV’s “The Kennedys,” “True Grit,” “Saving Private Ryan”); James Badge Dale (“The Grey,” TV’s “The Pacific” and “Rubicon”); Ruth Wilson (television’s “Jane Eyre” and “Luther”); and two-time Academy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe nominee Helena Bonham Carter (“The King’s Speech,” “Alice in Wonderland”). The film is slated to open on May 31, 2013.

disney-logo-300x72-7170628“The Lone Ranger” is a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes. Native American spirit warrior Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid (Armie Hammer), a man of the law, into a legend of justice—taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption.

“The Lone Ranger” is written by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio of “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Eric Aronson and Justin Haythe. The executive producers are Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Eric Ellenbogen and Eric McLeod.

Jerry Bruckheimer and Gore Verbinski are joined by a remarkable team of behind-the-scenes artists, including director of photography Bojan Bazelli (Verbinski’s “The Ring,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”); visual consultant Mark “Crash” McCreery (production designer of Verbinski’s “Rango); costume designer Penny Rose (“Pirates of the Caribbean” films); film editor James Haygood (“Panic Room,” “Fight Club”); visual effects supervisor Tim Alexander (“Rango,” three “Harry Potter” films); Academy Award®-winning special effects supervisor John Frazier, a 10-time nominee whose previous collaborations with Jerry Bruckheimer have included “Armageddon,” “Pearl Harbor” and, with Verbinski as well, “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”; and stunt coordinator Tommy Harper (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2”).

Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Gore Verbinski has enjoyed tremendous box office success as the innovative director of both character-driven franchises and thoughtful genre-bending fare.  Most recently, Verbinski released his first animated film, the smash hit “Rango,” starring Johnny Depp. Grossing over $240 million worldwide, the film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film, as well as BAFTA and Annie awards, and received Golden Globe® and PGA nominations. Verbinski previously helmed the hit franchise “Pirates of the Caribbean,” directing the first three films starring Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley. The films have collectively grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide since release. He made his directorial debut with “Mouse Hunt,” starring Nathan Lane, followed by the road movie “The Mexican,” starring Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and James Gandolfini. He also directed the smash horror film “The Ring,” starring Naomi Watts.

Verbinski is also a successful award-winning commercial director, having been honored with four Clio Awards and a Cannes Silver Lion Award for his work on an assortment of memorable advertising spots. In addition, he directed music videos for bands including Bad Religion and Crystal Method.

First in partnership with Don Simpson, and then as the chief of Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Bruckheimer has produced an unprecedented string of worldwide smashes, impacting not only the industry, but mass culture as well. Bruckheimer’s films include (producing with Don Simpson) “Top Gun,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Beverly Hills Cop 2,” “American Gigolo,” “Flashdance,” “Bad Boys,” “Dangerous Minds,” “Crimson Tide,” “The Rock,” and (producing solo) “Con Air,” “Armageddon,” “Enemy of the State,” “Gone in 60 Seconds,” “Coyote Ugly,” “Remember the Titans,” “Pearl Harbor,” “Black Hawk Down,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” “Bad Boys II,” “Veronica Guerin,” “King Arthur,” “National Treasure,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” and the 2011 blockbuster “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.”

On television, Bruckheimer had an unprecedented 10 television series airing in the 2005-6 season, a record in the medium for an individual producer. JBTV’s series include “C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation” and its spinoffs “C.S.I.: Miami,” “C.S.I.: NY” and “Without a Trace,” “Cold Case” and the eight-time Emmy® Award-winner “The Amazing Race.”

Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Television have been honored with 41 Academy Award® nominations, six wins, eight GRAMMY® Award nominations, five wins, 23 Golden Globe® nominations, four wins, 105 Emmy® Award nominations, 21 wins, 30 People’s Choice nominations, 15 wins, numerous MTV Awards, including one for Best Picture of the Decade for “Beverly Hills Cop.”

“The Lone Ranger” will film exteriors and studio work in New Mexico, followed by locations in Arizona, Utah and Colorado.

Smallville star Michael Rosenbaum reprises role of Flash for JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM

  • Uncategorized
  • February 28, 2012

flash-mirrormaster-300x168-6903310Michael Rosenbaum makes his triumphant return as the beloved voice of The Flash in JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM, the next entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies. The film will be available everywhere on Tuesday.

Rosenbaum brought his own playful, gregarious, sometimes sarcastic personality to Flash for the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited animated television series, setting the standard as the voice behind the “fastest man alive.” Rosenbaum is one of eight actors returning to their original animated voice from the Justice League series.

Fanboy crowds also hold Rosenbaum in high esteem for his impressive performance as Lex Luthor for seven seasons of Smallville. He’ll soon be seen opposite Bradley Cooper and Kristen Bell in ‘Outrun,” and he’s currently in production on “Old Days,” a triple threat for Rosenbaum as he is writer, director and star of the film

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains discover and implement the Dark Knight’s “contingency plans” for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid and Howard Porter’s much-heralded JLA: Tower of Babel.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the all-new Justice League: Doom arrives today from Warner Home Video as a Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD, On Demand and for Download. Both the Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD will include an UltraViiolet™ Digital Copy.

Any interview with Rosenbaum is well worth the price of admission, as you just don’t know which direction the answer might come from. (more…)

REVIEW: JLA: DOOM

justice-league-doom1-300x4021-2474974When Mark Waid joined the creative team on JLA, he told a pretty terrific story about Batman’s secret protocols for neutralizing the Justice League of America falling into Ra’s al Ghul’s hands. In the “Tower of Babel” story, he used it to take out the League in order to execute a plan for world domination.  It made for a fine story arc that allowed Batman to leave the team for time and resonated with fans given the weighty thematic material. It has endured in memory and prompted Warner Premiere to approve JLA: Doom, an adaptation as a part of their ongoing series of direct-to-DVD animated features

The resulting production, on sale tomorrow, is bittersweet because it marks the final script from the talented Dwayne MacDuffie. And it needed series editing which clearly was not done, making it a deeply flawed adaptation of the source material. The dramatic core is here, but given short shrift in two brief scenes while the remainder of the story is a series of chaotic and badly choreographed fights strung together. Any semblance of characterization for the heroes or villains is seemingly accidental as the story allowed the JLA to trade blows with a variety of familiar villains. (more…)

Steven Spielberg’s War Horse Coming to Video on April 3

  • Uncategorized
  • February 26, 2012

war-horse-dvd-7204576BURBANK, Calif., February 21, 2012 – Legendary Academy Award®-winning motion picture director/producer Steven Spielberg presents the critically acclaimed and multi Academy Award®-nominated epic adventure “War Horse” on Blu-ray™, DVD, Digital and On-Demand, April 3. This newest home entertainment release not only enthralls viewers once again with its visually stunning and emotionally heartwarming story on the Blu-ray, but also offers an unprecedented look into the making of the film by Spielberg himself.

The extraordinary journey of courage and friendship as seen through the eyes of one unforgettable horse named Joey and his miraculous journey to find his way back home, “War Horse” is a must own contemporary classic for everyone’s home entertainment collection. Spielberg’s renowned creative passion and artistry not only shine throughout the film but are also evident in all the fascinating bonus features included exclusively on the Blu-ray disc. (more…)

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Coming to VIdeo on April 17

  • Uncategorized
  • February 26, 2012

mi4_bd-combo_3d_skew-300x369-9063482HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – (February 21, 2012) Called “a powerful thrill ride that is simultaneously gritty and dazzling” (Claudia Puig, USA Today) the global smash hit MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE—GHOST PROTOCOL explodes onto Blu-ray and DVD (both with UltraViolet™), On Demand and Digital Download April 17, 2012 from Paramount Home Media Distribution.  Boasting “a bullet train of action and an arsenal of cool gadgets” (David Germain, Associated Press), MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE—GHOST PROTOCOL delivers non-stop thrills and breathtaking stunts, including a dizzying ascent up the world’s tallest building that Roger Ebert called “one of the most spellbinding stretches of film I’ve seen.”  The extraordinary Tom Cruise returns as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, along with an exceptional cast of actors including Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), Simon Pegg (Star Trek), Paula Patton (Precious) and Michael Nyqvist (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo).  With a worldwide box office take of more than $650 million, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE—GHOST PROTOCOL is the must-own action-thriller of the year. (more…)

Categories

Archives

Everything you need to make great comics!

comicmix-pro-300x69-2

Nucleus X

Bookshop Zaks