REPO!

Repo! the Genetic Opera just opened and has already been marketed by Lionsgate as the cult successor to the Rocky Horror Picture Show.  The movie opened this weekend in just eight theaters and earned $51,000, averaging an impressive $6450 per screen.

Director Darren Lynn Bousman told Moviehole he’s already planning a sequel to the Paris Hilton, Alex Vega film.

”I want to start a sequel next year. But again, everything — I’ll end my whole thing on a soapbox, which I love to get on,” Bousman told the site. “This movie is all about support from the Internet, and support from fans. This is not a movie where you’ll see billboards or bus stop ads or trailers on TV. It’s a movie that exists in a grass roots kind of a fashion. It exists when fans go and see it, and they go on message boards and talk about it.

"I would love to follow up Repo and finish the story, because it was conceived as a three-part movie. But I’m doing an action film next. I can’t say exactly what it is yet. It’ll be announced next week. But I’m doing a big action film next, which is really exciting."

ANIMATED OSCARS

The year isn’t even over but already 14 movies have been submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration in the best animated feature category. Only three will get the nomination.

The contenders are Bolt, Delgo, Dragon Hunters, Fly Me to the Moon, Igor, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, $9.99, The Sky Crawlers, Sword of the Stranger, The Tale of Despereaux, Waltz With Bashir, WALL-E, and Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!

While Disney’s Wall-E is the hands down favorite among the masses, the other two spots will receive tremendous competition.

The Oscar nominations will be announced January 22 according to The Hollywood Reporter.

JADEN SMITH IS THE NEXT ‘KARATE KID’

The parade of unnecessary film remakes continues as Variety reports that Will Smith’s son Jaden Smith will star in a new take on The Karate Kid.

The 1984 film with Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita and Elisabeth Shue spawned three sequels and was a major hit for Columbia Pictures. The final film in the series proved to be the big screen debut for Hilary Swank. Morita was nominated as the best supporting actor by the Acamdey Awards and Golden Globe Awards for his work as the teacher, Mr. Miyagi. The film also spawned many of-trepeated one-liners and images making it a true pop culutral phenomenon.

The new script is coming from newcomer Chris Murphy and will be set in China with filming set for Beijing among other locales. No director was named.

Jerry Weintraub returns to the franchise to produce the new version working alongside Overbrook Entertainment’s James Lassiter, Will Smith and Ken Stovitz.  Jaden Smith made his screen debut as his father’s son in last year’s hit, The Pursuit of Happyness. He will next be seen in December’s other unnecessary remake, The Day the Earth Stood Still.

VIZ Media has announced the upcoming release of a special Bleach Posterzine, which features 11 massive full-color posters inspired by the smash hit Manga and animated series created by Tite Kubo. The title will be released December 2, retailing for $9.99 with two original creations made especially for this unique release. Each poster in the collection folds out to 16” x 22” and depicts the heroic Soul Reaper Ichigo and his friends as well as villains rendered in beautiful detail. This special publication will also include 2 free Bleach sticker sheets and an iTunes gift card valid for a free download of episode 59 of the popular Bleach animated series and access to an interview with the creator of Bleach Tite Kubo.

Bleach follows the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a fifteen-year old student with the ability to see ghosts. His fate takes an extraordinary turn when he meets Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper who shows up at Ichigo’s house on the trail of a Hollow, a malevolent lost soul.  Drawn to Ichigo’s high level of spiritual energy, the Hollow attacks Ichigo and his family, and Rukia steps in to help but is injured and unable to fight.  As a last resort, Rukia decides to transfer part of her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo. Ichigo, now a full-fledged Soul Reaper, and Rukia join together to face the challenges that lie ahead.

Christopher Boily, VIZ Media Sr. Director, Magazine Sales, Brand & Product Marketing, said in a release, “Building upon the incredible momentum and excitement which surrounded the first ever North American appearance of creator Tite Kubo at San Diego Comic-Con, we’re ecstatic to release this special collectable Bleach Posterzine, which features two amazing images created exclusively for this publication by Studio Pierrot, which animates and produces the massively popular animated series. We look forward to fans visiting their local newsstand to pick up this special release!”

Aurora Publishing has announced two new josei/shojo fantasy Manga to debut during the first quarter of 2009.  Tengu-jin ($10.95, 160-pages) by Sumomo Yumeka, will be a one-volume Manga released in February containing two fantasy stories, one set in a future Japan that has split apart into two warring factions, and the other in a feudal kingdom.

Then in March will be the first book in the two-volume series of Chika Shioma’s Queen of Ragtonia ($10.95, 160-pages). Princess Faruna is the last hope of her kingdom when it is attacked by evil sorcerers in this action-packed fantasy series.
 
Both Tengu-jin and Queen of Ragtonia were published in Japan by Shodensha (Paradise Kiss, Happy Mania, Suppli).

Warner Bros. has released six character-specific one-sheets for next Mach’s Watchmen extravaganza.  Take a peek:

With tongue in cheek, Kevin Smith pokes fun at when we can expect the next two issues of this week’s Batman mini series, plus:

• Guillermo DelToro fills us in on the Hellboy DVD extras
• Get your checkbook – BSG props for sale
• A Beatles Rock Band?

All that and more – but only when you Press the Button!
 

And remember, you can always subscribe to ComicMix Radio podcasts via or RSS!

 

As fans anxiously await the release of the first full Star Trek trailer on Friday, Paramount Pictures has released two new character posters featuring Chris Pine as Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock.

Meantime, Pocket Boosk today released the cover to June 2009’s Star Trek: Troublesome Mind, written by Dave Galanter.  The artwork was created by Cliff Nielsen.

It’s nice to see people remember that L. Frank Baum wrote stories featuring characters other than the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.  In fact, he also tackled someone even more impressive: Santa Claus.

Variety reports that Hyde Park Entertainment will team with Toonz Entertainment to adapt The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus as a CGI-animated film, similar to the just-announced John Boorman-directed interpretation of Oz. And like the oft-adapted Oz, this one will be coming for Christmas 2010.

Tom Tataranowicz, president of Gang of 7 Animation, will direct alongside Rich Arons, and Dick Sebast. Tataranowicz co-wrote the script with animation veteran Mark Edward Edens (Hot Wheels, Sonic, Young Hercules). The film is being produced at the Toonz Animation Studio in India.

The trade describes the story as following “Santa’s formative years, including a battle against the heart of evil that establishes the Santa mythology.” There’s a lot more to it and was a personal favorite to read the kids in days gone by.

The 1902 novel has previously been adapted less often than Oz, beginning with the 1985 Rankin-Bass production. Japan, in 1994, tried their hand with Shounen Santa no Daibôken (Young Santa’s Adventures). America folded it into The Oz Kids’"Who Stole Santa?"  In 1996. Gen Hill also did an animated version in 2000.  Michael Ploog also turned it into a graphic novel, published by Tundra in 1992.
 

While awaiting some real news about a potential third Ghostbusters movie, Sony is already beating the drums for the franchise’s 25th anniversary in 2009.  First, Atari has announced that Ghostbusters: The Video Game will be featuring the voices and likenesses of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, William Atherton, Annie Potts and Brian Doyle-Murray. The story is set two years after the events of the second film and was written by Aykroyd and Ramis. Atari and Terminal Reality anticipate the game to be available on multiple platforms.

Expect a complete array of anniversary toys, t-shirts, comic books, prop replicas and a theme park attraction.  Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will also release Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II on Blu-ray for the first time.