Holy Excalibur - Warren Ellis writing King Arthur movie

Interesting news indeed from the blog of a certain Warren Ellis - writer of Planetary, Transmetropolitan, Crooked Little Vein and so much more.

I was actually cleared to talk about this at San Diego, but all the press I
did there was Japanese-oriented for the Marvel Anime deal… so I’m going to
mention it here, to say I did, and to maybe make up for that by giving the
comics news sites something to post post-SDCC.

I’m writing a film treatment for Hollywood Gang, who co-produced Frank Miller’s 300. Hollywood Gang have previously optioned my graphic novel (with Chris Sprouse) OCEAN.

On my desk, the treatment is called Untitled Arthurian Project.

On their desk, the project is called EXCALIBUR.

I’m working directly with Gianni Nunnari, Oliver Kramer and Craig Flores (whom I was delighted to bump into on the Warner’s lot the other day) and having a great time.

So… yeah. Movie stuff. Other things to talk about soon. I’ve been sitting on that one for months

What do you reckon to that? Will it feature hints of the bleed or a certain snowflake existing in 196,883-dimensional space?

What do you want to see in a King Arthur film by Ellis?


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300 sequel may have the return of Gerard Butler?

“Frank Miller's working on something,” revealed producer Mark Canton when MTV spoke to him, telling them that he’s onboard to return for Snyder’s 300 sequel. “That, Zack has said.”

“Things are always looking good with ‘300,’ it’s a blessing and a gift. Zack’s a genius, and no matter where you go it’s the one movie that people around the world seem to somewhat identify with the most,” explained Canton “We’re thrilled for [a sequel]; it’ll be a blast. There’s a new Blu-Ray coming out all over again shortly, so that’s great. It’s like the gift that never stops giving.”

“[The key to the sequel] is about getting it right, you know,” the producer said of their dilemma after having killed off virtually the entire cast in the first film. “Frank is a perfectionist, and so is Zack. And I think they set the bar pretty high.”

Canton had the surprising news that even Gerard Butler's King Leonidas could be brought back from the dead. “Never assume anything; never assume anything,” he repeated when I asked if the original cast were gone for good. “It’ll be what it’ll be. But if we really do it, in this case, we have a visionary creator and a visionary filmmaker.”

I loved 300. Thought it was great, but I really don't see any need for a sequel. Especially if they bring characters back whose whole point was to die a warriors death. However, if it was a prequel then of course it would make sense for the characters to return or maybe it will be another tale told to the warriors waiting to go into battle.

I am also a bit fed up with this visionary creator tag continuously being slapped on Zack Snyder. He has not yet created anything visionary. Dawn of the Dead was a remake, 300 and Watchmen were pretty much the comic book on screen - all creations of other visionaries - George Romero, Frank Miller, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

Is Snyder a visionary? How do you think Butler could return as Leonidas? Should he return?

The “Complete Experience” Blu-Ray disc is out on 21st July.

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Odysseus will find you and will kill you.

Warner Bros. Pictures has picked up the sword-and-sandal actioneer Odysseus according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Utilising the character from Homer's 'The Iliad' and 'The Odyssey', the story seems to skip almost all of the events of 'The Odyssey' which followed the journey home from Troy of the famed king of Ithaca - That means no Circe, no Cyclops, no Sirens etc.

In this incarnation the story begins upon his arrival home, only to discover it is under the brutal occupation of an invading force. He single-handedly defeats every last man and takes back his wife, his son and his kingdom.

That makes it sound like a cross between Taken, Die Hard, 300, Rambo and Point Blank. Actually Liam Neeson would make an excellent Odysseus.

Ann Peacock penned the script and Jonathan Liebesman is attached to direct once he wraps work on "Battle: Los Angeles". Gianni Nunnari is producing.

George Miller and Brad Pitt are also developing a futuristic outer space version of 'The Odyssey' for the studio that I mentioned back in October last year.

Who do you think would be good to play the hero Odysseus? Do you like the idea of using this part of the tale for a film?

Leave a comment on this post below.

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Centurion - Michael Fassbender on the run

Neil Marshall's latest film is Centurion, currently shooting in Surrey, and Empire have a new picture from the film, with star Michael Fassbender (300, Hunger) on the run from some savage Picts.

Leave a comment on this post below.

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Watchmen running out of time, but the DVD will be lengthy

MTV have news on the running time for the Watchmen movie and some news about what other cuts and extras will be on the DVD.

The final length of the theatrical version of “Watchmen” isn’t quite finalized, but director Zack Snyder and producer Deborah Snyder are getting close, the husband-and-wife team recently told SciFi Wire. Further, while the director’s cut of the film has been finalized (around a hefty 3 hours, 10 minutes), there are plans for a “hardcore” version of “Watchmen” that will integrate the “Tales of the Black Freighter” animated comic with the live-action film, according to the duo.

“We’re getting really close,” said Deborah. “We’re at two hours and 35 minutes [for the theatrical cut].”

Along with sharing some details on their progress cutting the film down to theater length (Snyder’s previous directorial project, “300,” came in just under 2 hours), the director shared some details about his plans for integrating the “Black Freighter” animated feature with the live-action “Watchmen” film.

In the “Watchmen” graphic novel, “Black Freighter” is a comic-within-a-comic tale of a shipwrecked seaman who is desperate to get home before a pirate ship arrives on his family’s shores, and is read by one of the characters throughout the story. It provides a constant comparative element to the goings-on in the overarching superhero story, and Zack Snyder previously announced he’d be filming an animated version of “Black Freighter” to be released as a companion DVD to the film.

“The ‘Black Freighter’ version of the movie that we’re working on–which has the ins and outs of the Black Freighter comic book woven through it, with an animated version of the Black Freighter–will be about three hours and 40 minutes,” explained Zack. “So there’s a huge epic version of ‘Watchmen,’ which will probably come out after the movie’s theatrical release, for hardcore [fans].”

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301 or 299? What will the next 300 movie be?

IESB have news on the what is next for the 300. Will it be a sequel or a prequel? According to Zack Snyder it will be both.

Snyder says he's spoken with Frank Miller who will be writing and drawing the graphic novel that the second film will be based on. Upon Miller's completion of the book, then, and only then, will they delve into writing a script for the movie.

Snyder continued and said he would not have any input into the novel and wants it to be a creation of Miller's 100%.

He also said it will take place between the Battle of Thermopylae and the Battle of Plataea, the battle that narrator Dilios is at while re-telling the story of King Leonidas and the mighty Spartans to a new group of warriors at the end of 300.

As Dilios says, there's a whole year between Thermopylae and where he currently stands.

There is a whole year between the battles to explore. And that is where we will find this film.

Snyder also told IESB that would definitely direct this sequel/prequel and is looking forward to Miller's completion of the book.

I really enjoyed the original graphic novel and thought the movie Zack Snyder made was fantastic, but I still don't really see the need for a sequel / prequel. However, I'll wait and see what Frank Miller comes up with. What do you think of the news?

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