Depp will be Rex Mundi. Should Snyder direct it?

Johnny Depp’s production company, Infinitum Nihil, already has its script and an impressive lead actor in Depp himself tagged for the live-action adaptation of Arvid Nelson and Eric Johnson’s comic book series Rex Mundi.

According to Infinitum Director of Development Sam Sarkar, the studio wants a talent on the level of “Watchmen” mastermind Zack Snyder to bring the Dark Horse series to the big screen.

“We really need to find a guy who has that kind of visual style — not unlike Zack Snyder,” Sarkar told MTV News. “You need a guy that’s that kind of visionary to do ‘Rex,’ because it’s a really visually complex world.”

To be honest I really don't get the "Visionary" director thing being attached to Zack Snyder. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy his work, but both 300 and Watchmen are Frank Miller, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon's visionary work. Snyder just made very faithful adaptions of them both. That is by the by. I mention it as it just seems a bit weird.

I have not read Rex Mundi, I've seen it in the comic shops and heard it mentioned on various websites, but it does seem to have a pretty cool concept.

The series is a quest for the Holy Grail told as a murder mystery. It is set in the year 1933, in an alternate history Europe, where magic is real, feudalism persisted, and the Protestant Reformation was crushed by a still politically powerful Roman Catholic Church. All of this is woven together as "... a meditation on the prophecies surrounding the advent of the Bahá'í era.” The book takes its name from the Latin term meaning 'King of the World'. It is derived from the Cathar heresies of the Middle Ages, and taken up in works like Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Within the Cathar context it seems to have been equated with the Demiurge.

Real magic, vast conspiracies, the Holy Grail, 1930s. That all sounds cool to me. Not your superhero kind of deal, but also not the kind of thing that I would associate with a director like Zack Snyder. I think that the subject matter would work better with a director not associated with comic books. The little synopsis gives me a Ninth Gate meets The Da Vinci Code meets Angel Heart kind of vibe.

Thanks to Pam for sending me the link. Have you read the comic book? Do you think
Snyder would do it justice? Who would you like to see direct it?

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Hallelujah - Millar's American Jesus may rise to the big screen

Director Matthew Vaughn ("Stardust," "Layer Cake") is eyeing American Jesus, another adaptation of a comic by Wanted author Mark Millar, as his next film says The Hollywood Reporter.

The story centers on the return of Christ in the modern world, leading to a final confrontation with the Antichrist in a bid to save humanity.

The comic began life as a three-issue Dark Horse mini-series in 2006 entitled Chosen. That plan was expanded into a trilogy of mini-series with the second, The Resurrection, being released this Autumn.

Vaughn is presently in post-production on the adaption of Millar's "Kick Ass". Like that film, it's likely this one will be financed independently.

The pair are also developing a still unannounced action film project.

Now I've read Chosen and unless I'm getting mixed up with another comic that deals with a kid who finds out he is actually the second coming of Christ and then has to convince the World, then I am not sure how the series can carry on as expected. Anyone else read it and know what I'm talking about?

Needless to say that, like Kick-Ass, this will have people up in arms once it hits the mainstream.

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The Goon - Early concept art

We recently had our first glimpse of what The Goon will look like on in all his CG glory. Now here are a couple of pieces of concept art by Sean McNally (Blur Studios and Dark Horse) for the David Fincher directed film.

They are excellent pictures and very in keeping with Eric Powell's original comic. I really can't wait to see some actual footage from the film.
I wonder who they will get to voice the characters? Who would you like to hear as the voice of The Goon?

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El Zombo Fantasma - The Latino Hellboy

/film had the news on what could be an amazing film.

Kevin Munroe (TMNT) will write and direct an adaptation of the Dark Horse comic El Zombo Fantasma for Death Ray Films and Maya Entertainment.

The story follows the mysterious murder of the world’s most notorious Mexican wrestler who bargains his way out of an eternity of fiery damnation by returning to Los Angeles to play guardian angel to a troublesome teen, Belisa Montoya. He soon discovers that the teen is not what she seems and that their fates have been intertwined for centuries.

Death Ray Films and Maya Entertainment will bring tales of the undead masked wrestler to multiple mediums starting with the live action feature followed by a new animated series.

Who could you see playing the masked El Zombo Fantasma? Don't say Mickey Rourke.

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Sin City 2 News - The script is finished and filming to begin this year...maybe

MTV have more news on the fate of Sin City 2

Jamie King appears to have confirmed last year’s reports that Frank Miller has turned in his script for “Sin City 2” and the film may even begin shooting in 2009. The “Fanboys” and “The Spirit” actress hopes for a start date soon and said that she doesn’t have any nude scenes in Miller and Robert Rodriguez’s sequel, according to George “El Guapo” Rousch at Latino Review..

The report stokes a prolonged trickle of “Sin City 2” rumors from the past year, as good a sign as any that Miller’s classic Dark Horse Comics series is inching closer to becoming a reality behind the scenes.

King played the role of Marv’s murdered gal pal Goldie, as well as her twin sister Wendy, in the first “Sin City” film and is slated to return for the new follow-up. The Golden Globe winning star of the “The Wrestler,” Mickey Rourke, may or may not return as Marv when filming begins. Miller says Marv has a big role to play in the film and wants Rourke back if he’s willing.

There are many possible reasons for the film’s delay, not the least of which is Rourke’s reluctance. The star has experienced rejuvenated stardom since the first “Sin City” hit it big. Now, with a Golden Globe under his belt and a potential Oscar on the horizon, it’s entirely possible he wants more for his labor.

Meanwhile, Robert Rodriguez’s controversial break from the Directors Guild to give Miller directing credit in their first outing together proved to be a hurdle before. If they’re looking to return to “Sin City 2” in that unsanctioned dual-directing capacity, there is likely to be red tape to cut once again.

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DirecTV Commercial featuring Hellboy

Ron Perlman reprises his role of Hellboy from the Guillermo del Toro film based on the Mike Mignola Dark Horse comics.

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Gerard Way talks about The Umbrella Academy film adaption

The creator and writer of Dark Horse’s “The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite” and the frontman of My Chemical Romance, Gerard Way talks to CBR TV about his and artist Gabriel Bá’s newest collaboration, “The Umbrella Academy: Dallas,” issues #1 and #2 of which are on sale now.

In this second installment of an exclusive five-part on-camera interview, Way discusses with CBR TV the proposed Universal Pictures film adaptation of “The Umbrella Academy,” including what role he and Bá will play in each stage of its creation, from script to direction to scoring.

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Gerard Way talks about The Umbrella Academy's next series and the film adaption

“Umbrella Academy” writer (and My Chemical Romance frontman) Gerard Way and artist Gabriel Ba have been busy at work on the next mini-series of the excellent and weird comic book. Gerard has been talking to MTV about both. (The Wiki entry for it is here to bring you up to speed)
With the critical and commercial success of “The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite” under its belt, the Eisner-winning collaborators continue with “The Umbrella Academy: Dallas,” which hits stores this week through Dark Horse Comics. Bearing fan expectations in mind, the duo spoke confidently of their vision for the future of “The Umbrella Academy” — both in terms of the comic series as well as the fast-tracked “Umbrella Academy” feature film.
“We really truly hadn’t anticipated ['Apocalypse Suite'] to be so well-received and get so much attention,” said Way, “So that obviously kind of raised the stakes, [and] not in a negative way. If anything, it’s forced us to go even further to not pay attention to what people think about it or what they’re going to think about it.”
His collaborator, Ba, agreed, and thinks fans have been quick to realize that the platinum-selling artist is one of their own (not really a secret, considering before starting MCR, Way attended art school and interned at DC Comics). “I think that we have overcome the initial point of ‘Gerard is a musician writing a comic’ and all the attention that got us, both good and bad, and now we just have to focus on doing the best we can on the following series,” said Ba.

“Dallas” opens to a familiar sight. “Are we really fighting another monument?!” shouts a ten-year-old Kraken as he and his super-powered siblings engage a giant, fire-breathing Lincoln Monument. Once again Ba’s economic line balances form with function, adding stylish gravitas to Way’s quirky, cinematic dialogue. It’s like a Wes Anderson movie penned by a feverish Grant Morrison.
“Every single issue is taking some kind of very big risk, and that’s been amazing,” said Way.But “Dallas” isn’t the only project expanding the “UA” mythos. With the “Umbrella Academy” movie green-lit for production through Universal, Way’s been busy navigating Hollywood for the right talent to ensure a faithful-yet-fresh film.

“They want me really involved, which is flattering. So I’m going to be as involved as I can, while at the same time relinquishing control of the stuff,” said Way, “I’d like to be available to them but at the end of the day I’m not going to tell them how to do their job.”

As involved as Way is though, there is one thing he won’t be doing – writing the script, especially with writers like Diablo Cody (”Juno”) popping up as potential candidates.

“I’m definitely going to turn it over to a screenwriter. I even got Final Draft so I can figure out what they do,” said Way, “The craft of actually writing the screenplay as far as the pacing, that’s something that’s alien to me.”
Way says he wants an entertaining script with action, but most importantly it needs to feel like, “a quirky art-house film.”

Busy at the drawing board, Ba hasn’t involved himself with the movie just yet, but has high hopes for a future “Umbrella” onscreen adaptation as well as for comics themselves.

“I’d like [the film] to be a great experience for the public who doesn’t even know it was a comic book and I’d love to get everyone who sees the movie into the stores to buy comics.”

MTV also have a preview for issue 1 of The Umbrella Academy: Dallas so go on over and take a look.

Have you read the first Umbrella Academy mini series? What did you think of it? I loved it and thought it had a Grant Morrison Doom Patrol vibe running through it, plus the artwork was stupendous. If it does make it to the big screen who would you like to see playing the various members of The Umbrella Academy? I personally feel it should be a stop motion thing in the vein of The Nightmare Before Christmas, but that's just me.

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UPDATED: The Umbrella Academy - Gerard Way's vision to be a movie?

First Showing have been talking about this - IESB talked with My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way and learned that his comic, The Umbrella Academy, has been optioned by Universal and is on its way to become a feature film.

The Umbrella Academy is a six-issue comic book series written by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance and illustrated by Gabriel Bá. The first issue was published last year by Dark Horse Comics and the series eventually went on to win the 2008 Eisner Award for Best Limited Series. In the comic, the members of the Umbrella Academy, a disbanded group of superheroes, reunite after the death of their adoptive father, Sir Reginald Hargreeves. Hargreeves, an alien disguised as a famous inventor, collected the seven members of the Umbrella Academy shortly after their birth and trained them to save the world from an unspecified threat. Now they'll carry on his plan to save the world.

UPDATE: MTV have been speaking to Way about this news.

“It’s a pretty recent development,” explained Way from an interview from the floor of this year’s San Diego Comic Con. “Mike Richardson, who runs Dark Horse and owns it, just signed a three picture deal with Universal because he has a great relationship with them from ‘Hellboy,’ and the first film that he wanted to get made – that they wanted to option – was ‘Umbrella Academy.’”

Yet as excited as Way is for an “Umbrella Academy” film, the unabashed comic geek who was once an intern at DC Comics and graduated from New York’s School of Visual Arts with a degree in cartooning, is quick to say that he hopes that a few more volumes of “Umbrella Academy” can hit shelves before a film hits theaters.

“You know how it goes, you wanna see it happen so you get really excited, but you gotta kinda be patient,” said Way. “By the time the film comes out, I think we’ll be on series four [of "Umbrella Academy"] which I think is important. I think if a movie came out right now, we only have one series under our belt, and it’s not enough mythology out there.”

I've read the first few issues of the first mini and think it is pretty cool. Weird concepts, cool visuals and a great story. What do you think? Will it make a good film?

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