Category: News

In yet another example of print publications migrating online, The New Frontiersman has opened up a web site. It’s bare at the moment, but it’s expected to go live on Monday.

And according to AP, things are progressing on the movie release front:

Attorneys for rival studios fighting over the release of the superhero flick told a federal judge on Friday that they’re having fruitful settlement talks.

Attorneys for 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. asked the judge to delay a hearing Friday so those discussions can continue over the weekend.

U.S. District Judge Gary Allen Feess agreed to continue the hearing but says a trial over whether to block the film’s March release is still set for Jan. 20.

Lou Karasik, who is representing Fox, told Feess that the delay would be "very, very helpful" to settlement discussions he deemed "productive."

Friday’s revelation surprised Feess, who noted that Warner Bros. had been seeking to move up the Jan. 20 trial to next week, citing the film’s marketing campaign and its March 6 release date.

Also, Heidi MacDonald points us to Film Esq., which has the best play-by-play of the legal wranglings going on around Watchmen.

Please please please… is there anyone out there who can translate this from Japanese? Because if I can’t, I’m just going to have to assume this is either DC’s last chance to publish a successful manga book, or Warner Brothers’ fallback position if Fox scuttles the release date of the movie. (Hat tip: Mike Sterling.)

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.

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.

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.

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…