Tagged: IESB

Craig Won’t Visit Asgard; Seeks New Director

daniel-craig-bond-1321660With Quantum of Solace just weeks away now, the publicity machine has started cranking up with all sorts of interesting tidbits popping up.

First, there’s the confirmation from star Daniel Craig that he was approached by Marvel to see if he might be worthy of wielding Mjolnir, Thor’s magic uru hammer. As quoted over at IESB, the report said, “Craig said yes they [Marvel] did approach him but he turned it down. He added jokingly, it would have been too much of a power trip, both Bond and Thor, and running around with long hair and a hammer.”

Meantime, FirstShowing has quoted director Marc Foster as saying he will not return for the next installment of the series.

“They offered me the next one, but at this point the pressure is so intense — it’s a year of not having a life,” Foster told the site. “And I don’t know if I want to do that again. It’s literally not having a life, and I mean that, it’s not exaggerated. I feel like life is short, you have to find a balance.”

Sony has already started talking about Bond 23 as coming out in 2010 but first they have to see how well this does and how quickly a screenplay can be readied and an appropriate director located.  Any thoughts as to who should guide Craig in his next mission?
 

Djimon Hounsou Set for Comics Trilogy?

djimon-6614754During a weekend press junket for the upcoming film Never Back Down, actor Djimon Housou told IESB that he’ll be taking a role in a comic book trilogy and referred to it as a dream project. The full article is right here.

Hounsou wouldn’t specify which trilogy, though, so the rumor mill can go ahead and start churning. Here’s what the folks at IESB theorized:

The obvious answer is that Hounsou is talking about staring as The Black Panther in the inevitable Fantastic Four 3. Tim Story mentioned in an IGN article nearly a year ago that Hounsou was his ideal choice for the Wakandan King. If this is the case, it’s actually perfect casting (outside of it being another Story-directed Fantastic Four film).

The other possibility, though, that I’m not entirely willing to shake is that Hounsou might be talking about Tintin.

Hounsou mentions that this is a dream project for him. While Tintin may not be the biggest bit of pop-culture this side of the Atlantic, it’s still extremely popular in Europe — especially in France where Hounsou moved when he was 13. Add in the Spielberg connection and the fact that Tintin‘s being done as a trilogy and I think its speculation with some potential.

Hounsou’s page at IMDB doesn’t have any mention of a project yet, and there aren’t a whole lot of other comic book trilogies on the horizon. Y: The Last Man is supposedly in the works, though Hounsou obviously wouldn’t have a place in that, unless the director decided to be very creative in casting Agent 355.

Larry Hama joins G.I. Joe Film, Devils Due loses license

Sure, there have been a lot of recent announcements regarding the live-action G.I. Joe feature film, but they all pale in comparison to this one, folks: Larry Hama, the architect of much of the G.I. Joe mythology for several decades now, will be joining the G.I. Joe film in some capacity!

According to The Latino Review, an announcement is expected later today, but it’s believed that Hama will be a creative consultant for the film.

Hama is well-known for writing the Marvel Comics’ G.I. Joe series that ran for 155 issues (1984-1992). He also wrote the "file cards" on the G.I. Joe action figures produced during that period, and many of the characters are named after Hama’s friends, family and favorite historical figures.

In other G.I. Joe news of note, Devils Due Publishing will not have their contract renewed with Hasbro, owners of the G.I. Joe license.

First reported over at IESB, it’s speculated that Marvel or IDW will receive the license, with IDW the more likely recipient due to their current contract with Hasbro for the Transformers license.

Devils Due was widely regarded as a savior of the G.I. Joe property when they acquired the license in 2001, publishing numerous critically praised stories under the G.I. Joe banner, including the 2006 Snake Eyes: Declassified miniseries.

With the G.I. Joe feature film scheduled for a 2009 release, it appears as if Hasbro is looking to consolidate its film properties with a single publisher, much to the disappointment of G.I. Joe comics fans.

 

Iron Man’s all shiny!

ironman_suit-9555339Thanks, Entertainment Weekly!  This is the shiznit!

Okay, I know lots of people out there liked the old square tincan one, but this — this is sleek and brassy and colorful and… well, it just looks like I’d picture Iron Man’s armor looking.

Kudos to FX guy Stan Winston, who designed them to fit on a real-life and, we’re figuring, increasingly sweaty Robert Downey, Jr.

Also?  IESB has some video from the set of the Iron Man movie.

Bureaucracy of robotics

When it comes to robots, it’s fairly well acknowledged that Japan’s been kicking other countries’ butts since the days of Astroboy.  Now, reports IESB, "the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has drafted a hugely complex set of proposals for keeping robots in check. The document, entitled Draft Guidelines to Secure the Safe Performance of Next Generation Robots, extends to nearly 60 pages of civil service jargon."

robot-8047595The document calls for the formation of a special study group — including lawyers — to draw up a set of firm proposals to govern the development of robots.  But they’re not counting on robot lawyers!

According to our step-sister website Engadget, "Under Japan’s plan, all robots would be required to report back to a central database any and all injuries they cause to the people they are meant to be helping or protecting. The draft is currently open to public comment with a final set of principles set to be unveiled as early as May." 

And did you know Japan is not the first country to draft ethical robot legislation?  South Korea and Europe had already unveiled their versions.  Apparently South Korea in particular has been wrestling with this for awhile.

New stills from Stardust

starduststill-6462590

The title really says it all: IESB.net has posted 30 new images from Stardust, which as we know is adapted from the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, and will be in theaters real soon now.