Villains to be Fight Club of the comic book film world?

This sounds like if could be interesting if done right.

Viper Comics miniseries Villains, follows a main character who decides he wants to learn the dark art of villainy after discovering the old guy living next door is actually a retired baddie. Sounds a bit like Apt Pupil but with super powers.

Universal is giving the series the big-screen adaptation treatment and producers are conceiving the film as a big-budget, super-dark adventure directed by someone with a sensibility similar to the men who’ve helmed “Fight Club” and “Collateral.”

“I think we want to go big with it,” producer Sean Bailey told MTV News. “My personal ambition is to have it be operatic and epic. If Michael Mann or David Fincher were ever to go make one of these movies, what would that look like? That’s my hope for it. To be in that kind of world.”

“If you look at any war movie or any crime movie, who the hero is, is solely a question of the point of view,” Bailey continued. “So we wanted to look at the rise of a villain—why and how it happened. It’s got a different slant than you’ve seen.”

The project was announced last year and “Wonder Woman” screenwriters Matt Jennison and Brent Strickland recently handed in a first draft of “Villains.” The studio and producers handed back notes, and now the writers are at work on a second draft.

With the script not yet nailed down, Bailey hasn’t yet begun the search for a director, nor thought deeply about casting choices.

“We’re still in the script stage,” Bailey laughed.

Have a look at a preview of the first issue.

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Despicable Me - Trailer

In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by a small army of minions, we discover Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon (Yes, the moon!) in Universal's new 3-D CGI feature, Despicable Me.

Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays, and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad.

The world's greatest villain has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo, Edith and Agnes.

It also features the voices of Russell Brand and Jason Segel.

Due out on 9th July 2010.

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Bioshock has run out of Adam for now

Universal Pictures has put the brakes on Bioshock, the Gore Verbinski-directed live-action adaptation of the bestselling Take-Two Interactive vidgame according to Variety.

The picture was in pre-production, but the studio has halted that effort -- and let some production staff go -- as Universal and Verbinski figure out a way to make the film on a less costly budget.

The John Logan-scripted picture was gearing up to shoot in Los Angeles, but that changed when the budget rose to about $160 million. Universal and Verbinski are looking at alternatives, such as shooting in London, as a way to pare costs.

The story takes place in the underwater city Rapture, where a pilot crash-lands near a secret entrance and becomes involved in a power struggle.

“We were asked by Universal to move the film outside the U.S. to take advantage of a tax credit,” Verbinski said. “We are evaluating whether this is something we want to do. In the meantime, the film is in a holding pattern.”

Verbinski and sources at the studio say they are determined to make the pic. Indeed, Verbinski (who has also been directing the Paramount animated film “Rango”) bowed out of directing a fourth installment of “Pirates of the Caribbean” so he could direct “Bioshock” and produce under his Blind Wink banner.

Studio sources said that the budget simply became untenable, but Universal sources said the situation is no different than when the studio delayed the start of the untitled Robin Hood pic that Ridley Scott is now directing with Russell Crowe starring. Universal is making that picture for $130 million, a much smaller budget than in its first incarnation. For a number of reasons that included the need for extra script work, that picture temporarily halted, which enabled Crowe to star in “State of Play” when Brad Pitt fell out.

All parties vow that “Bioshock” will not become another “Halo,” the would-be live-action adaptation of the Microsoft game that was cancelled when U and Fox got cold feet over budget fears.

Cheers to Pam for sending me the news. I personally hope the film does get made as it is a brilliant game with a cracking story. Do you want to see a Bioshock film? Would you want Verbinski to carry on directing it if it does start up again?

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Fast & Furious

Universal Pictures teamed with legendary graffiti artist Mister Cartoon to create an original, one-of-a-kind billboard for the upcoming action-thriller Fast & Furious. Assisted by artists Revok and Toomer. Check out the incredible video featurette that captures the step-by-step process it took for Mister Cartoon, Revok, and Toomer to create the stunning Fast & Furious billboard.

Born and raised in L.A., Mister Cartoon began his career as a graffiti artist in the 1980s. Cartoon went on to gain notoriety for his unique tattoos, album cover designs, logos, advertisements and custom lowrider car murals. His richly detailed, hand-rendered designs are inspired by the style of tattoos that originated in the hard streets of 1970s L.A. Cartoon’s art embodies the true soul of L.A. street culture and has taken the fine line, black and grey tattoo culture to the masses. Cartoon’s unique position within the art world helps bridge the gap between corporate America and L.A. street culture.

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Fast & Furious - 2 TV Spots

A couple of TV Spots for Fast & Furious.

Re-Tooled

Honor (Honour)

Director: Justin Lin
Writer: Chris Morgan
Studio: Universal Pictures
Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez

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Public Enemies - Official Trailer

The official trailer for Universal Pictures' Public Enemies.

In the action-thriller Public Enemies, acclaimed filmmaker Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard in the incredible and true story of legendary Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger (Depp)the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoovers fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis (Bale), and a folk hero to much of the downtrodden public. No one could stop Dillinger. No jail could hold him. His charm and audacious jailbreaks endeared him to almost everyonefrom his girlfriend Billie Frechette (Cotillard) to an American public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the Depression.

But while the adventures of Dillinger's ganglater including the sociopathic Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham)thrilled many, Hoover (Billy Crudup) hit on the idea of exploiting the outlaw's capture as a way to elevate his Bureau of Investigation into the national police force that became the FBI. He made Dillinger America's first Public Enemy Number One. Hoover sent in Purvis, the dashing "Clark Gable of the FBI". However, Dillinger and his gang outwitted and outgunned Purvis' men in wild chases and shootouts. Only after importing a crew of Western ex-lawmen (newly baptized as agents) who were real gunfighters and orchestrating epic betrayals from the infamous "Lady in Red" to the Chicago crime boss Frank Nittiwere Purvis and the FBI able to close in on Dillinger.

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USA Network and Universal in 9-Figure Film Deal

USA Network inked a nine-figure deal for the basic cable and broadcast premiere rights to two dozen of Universal Pictures' films, including Will Ferrell-led Land of the Lost and Borat sequel Bruno.

The deal, which covers mostly pre-buys of theatricals to be released throughout 2009, could be worth north of $200 million, depending on how the titles perform at the box office. If the slate were to underperform in theaters, the package would cost USA about half that.

Cable deals for theatricals are generally paid on a 10%-13% sliding scale of box office returns, depending on performance. This deal is constructed that way, sources say.

Despite massive job losses nationwide in January 2009, the U.S. box office tally was the best ever for a January: $1.030 billion, according to Media by Numbers. The returns marked a 19% year-to-year increase over 2008.

What's more, basic cable networks across the board rely heavily on theatricals during the daytime and on weekends, and use them as a platform to lead viewers into original programming, the only genre that tends to outperform theatricals in cable ratings.

“We knew we would have to go in aggressively and pay what it takes to get [the films], and we knew what they wanted to make from it,” says Jane Blaney, executive VP of programming, acquisitions and scheduling for USA.

FX bought the rights to much of Universal's 2008 slate last year in what the studio claimed was a “groundbreaking deal.” That agreement covered 15 films, and was estimated to be worth about $100 million when it was signed.

In addition to Land of the Lost and Bruno, the USA agreement includes State of Play, with Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe; Duplicity, starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen; Fast & Furious, with Vin Diesel; Public Enemies, with Johnny Depp; Funny People, with Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen; The Wolfman, starring Benicio Del Toro; and already released titles such as Milk and Frost/Nixon. Other movies in the package star Philip Seymour Hoffman, Matt Damon and Jennifer Aniston.

“This is one of the biggest slate deals that you would see, across the board in term of volume,” says Frances Manfredi, executive VP and general sales manager for cable and non-theatrical sales at NBC Universal Television Distribution. “USA put a killer deal on the table, they were very aggressive, and very wisely aggressive. We think this will serve them very well.”

USA will get to air some of the movies starting in 2010, with most heading to the network in 2011, following a premium cable window on HBO.

Source: B&C
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Public Enemies - New photos. Depp has a gun, Bale looks like a smooth criminal

Aceshowbiz had some new photos from Public Enemies. They show Christian Bale's Melvin, Marion Cotillard's Billie Frechette and Johnny Depp's John Dillinger.
"Public Enemies" revolves around legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger and FBI agent Melvin Purvis. In the time when the Great Depression storms America and Dillinger and his gang are unstoppable, J. Edgar Hoover is trying to elevate his Bureau of Investigation into the national police force that became the FBI. Declaring that Dillinger America's first Public Enemy Number One, he sends Purvis in the thrill ride to capture the charismatic bank robber.
Adapted from Bryan Burrough's book Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34, the crime drama is directed and co-written by Michael Mann. As well as Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard and Johnny Depp the film also stars Channing Tatum, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Dorff and Billy Crudup. Universal Pictures helm the film and it's due out on 1st July in the USA.


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Dude! Keanu is going to be a Samurai in 47 Ronin

Keanu Reeves is set to become a samurai swordsmen in an epic period film titled 47 Ronin for Universal Pictures. The screenplay is being written by Chris Morgan (Wanted, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift).

It is based on the true story of a band of samurai swordsmen who avenged the death of their master on December 14th, 1702 in Japan. According to First Showing, Reeves will play one of the swordsmen and the film will be a stylized version of the story, mixing fantasy elements with gritty battle scenes like to those in Gladiator.

Is there nothing Ted "Theodore" Logan can do?

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The Boat that Rocked - Trailer

The Boat That Rocked is an ensemble comedy in which the romance takes place between the young people of the '60s and pop music. It's about a band of rogue DJs that captivated Britain, playing the music that defined a generation and standing up to a government that, incomprehensibly, preferred jazz. The Count, a big, brash, American god of the airwaves; Quentin, the boss of Radio Rock -- a pirate radio station in the middle of the North Sea that's populated by an eclectic crew of rock and roll DJs; Gavin, the greatest DJ in Britain who has just returned from his drug tour of America to reclaim his rightful position; Dave, an ironic, intelligent and cruelly funny co-broadcaster; and a fearsome British government official out for blood against the drug takers and lawbreakers of a once-great nation.

Director: Richard Curtis
Writer: Richard Curtis
Studio: Universal Pictures
Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans

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Wanted: Weapons of Fate - Trailer for video game based on James McAvoy film based on Mark Millar's comic

Wanted: Weapons of Fate is an upcoming video game developed by GRIN and published by Universal Studios. It is set to be released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game is set in the continuity of the 2008 film and picks up where the movie left off with Wesley (James McAvoy) taking on the French chapter of “The Fraternity”.

The Wiki entry states, "Based on Universal Pictures’ action-thriller Wanted, starring James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie, the Wanted videogame, Wanted: Weapons of Fate, promises to deliver the same fantastic visual style and edge-of-your-seat action as the blockbuster motion picture.

In Wanted: Weapons of Fate players continue the story of hero Wesley Gibson, picking up the action where the film left off to create an entirely new chapter exploring both Wesley’s journey to becoming an unmatched überassassin and the epic fiction of “The Fraternity" in the Wanted mythology. Players will take on the role of Wesley or his father Cross and confront all new enemies, including the French chapter of the Fraternity, a group that is fanatical about upholding the code of the Loom of Fate. The French chapter is headed by The Immortal, a severe Fraternity leader with a grudge against Wesley and his family, and also employs Araña, a beautiful but deadly Spanish assassin, and Brummel, the businessman assassin who is as street smart as he is sophisticated.

Featuring intense third-person action, Wanted: Weapons of Fate will take combat to the next level with iconic moves such as “Curving Bullets” and “Assassin Time” drawn directly from the film, as well as an innovative, multi-layered cover mechanic."

Now that states the game follows on from the film, but you can play as Wesley's father Cross, who apparantly died in the film. Not sure if this will be as a flashback in the game or just a wiki-error.

Here's the trailer.

Wanted (Game) Trailer
by GamersMOTION

What are your thoughts on this after seeing the trailer?
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Dante's Inferno video game rights won by Universal

Universal Pictures came out the winner in a bidding war for an unreleased Electronic Arts videogame that will be called Dante's Inferno by the time it hits the marketplace next year, according to Variety.

The deal -- an option fee against seven-figure purchase price -- ended an auction that pitted four studios against one another.

Both the Dante's Inferno game and movie involve a journey through the depths of hell.

The gamemaker intends to become more closely involved with movie and TV transfers of its games. Making a movie deal well before the game's release will give EA a shot at seeing a movie released closer to the beginning of the game's life cycle.

What do you think of that?
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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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Jack Black in Bourne spoof

Now don't get me wrong. I'm a fan of Jack Black's comedy gig. I find him funny and a pretty good actor. I also dig Tenacious D and have seen the D in concert where they rocked my socks of as it were. However, this just leaves me feeling a bit cold inside at the sheer naffness of it all.

Jack Black and "Kung Fu Panda" writers Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger are re-teaming for an untitled live-action action comedy at Universal Pictures says The Hollywood Reporter.

Described as a comedic take on "The Bourne Identity", the story sees Black as an American who finds himself washed up the shores of Cuba with no idea of who he is and how he got there. He comes to the conclusion that he must be a superspy, though in reality he is far from one.

You can see the hilarious consequences this will bring. It all seems a little forced and unoriginal in my opinion. It has shades of the pretty good Bill Murray movie, The Man Who Knew Too Little, and a whole sprinkling of Code Name: The Cleaner which IMDB describes as, "Cedric the Entertainer plays Jake, a seemingly regular guy who has no idea who he is after being hit over the head by mysterious assailants; when he finds himself entangled in a government conspiracy, Jake and his pursuers become convinced that he is an undercover agent."

Does that sound like a certain Jack Black news story that you've only just read? What do you think of the Jack Black Bourne movie idea? Can you see it hitting the screens? How do you think the plot will develop?


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God Help Us! Brett Ratner to make God of War

Coming Soon mention that director Brett Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand, Red Dragon, Rush Hour) has finally confirmed that he is attached to direct the God of War movie in an interview with UGO.

Universal Pictures secured the movie rights to the popular video game created by Sony Computer Entertainment back in the summer of 2005. Mosaic Media Group's Charles Roven and Alex Gartner were announced as producers at the time.

Set in ancient Greece, the game follows the battles of the warrior Kratos, who tackles mythological beasts including Medusa, Cyclops and the Hydra. Players navigate Kratos on his quest to find Pandora's Box and destroy Ares, the god of war.

The game, created by David Jaffe and Shannon Studstill, was released for PlayStation 2 in March of 2005. A sequel was released in March of 2007 and a prequel, exclusive to PlayStation Portable, in March of 2008. A third title is in development for the PlayStation 3.

In addition to God of War, Ratner also mentioned he has Playboy and Beverly Hills Cop 4 in development as well.

We've got his movie, 2 Hercules and a Jason and the Argonauts being made along with a remake of Clash of the Titans. The next few years are going to be sword and sandals all over the place!

What do you think of this news? Never played the game - is it good and would it make a worthy movie? Is Ratner the one to make that movie?

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You don't know Dick! Timur Bekmambetov to direct Moby Dick reimagining?

Universal Pictures has picked up Moby Dick, and plans to reimagine the Herman Melville whale tale with Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) attached to direct.

According to Variety, Adam Cooper and Bill Collage (both of New York Minute and Accepted) will script the screenplay.The writers revere Melville’s original text, but their graphic novel-style version will change the structure. Gone is the first-person narration by the young seaman Ishmael, who observes how Ahab’s obsession with killing the great white whale overwhelms his good judgment as captain.This change will allow them to depict the whale’s decimation of other ships prior to its encounter with Ahab’s Pequod, and Ahab will be depicted more as a charismatic leader than a brooding obsessive.

"Our vision isn't your grandfather's Moby Dick," screenwriter Adam Cooper explained. "This is an opportunity to take a timeless classic and capitalize on the advances in visual effects to tell what at its core is an action-adventure revenge story."

Source: Movieweb

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Shane Black puts Lethal Weapon 5 on hold to make Cold Warrior

Variety reports that Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) is signed to direct a Cold War-era spy film titled Cold Warrior for Universal.

Chuck Mondry’s script tells the story of a spy who returns for retirement, and must team with a younger new school agent to confront a domestic terror threat from Russia.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was a great movie that many people missed when it came out. Go and do yourself a favour and watch it as soon as you can. Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer are brilliant in it.

Still too early to tell what Cold Warrior will be like. The idea sounds pretty good but a little generic. It is also not clear if Black will be doing a rewrite on the script.

What do you think? Did you enjoy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang? Do you wish Black would just get on with Lethal Weapon 5?

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The Random

Johnny Depp to be the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

Tarantino goes with the Weinsteins and Universal Pictures to make Inglorious Bastards

Darren Aronofsky's Robocop movie to be rated R. Thank God is all I say! It will also be a reimagining of the character similar to Batman Begins

Sam Raimi at the recent comic con said the following, "I would love to work with Bruce again because I’d love to test those limits. I’d love to make another Evil Dead picture. And actually that’s in the wheelhouse. I’d like to work on it with my brother Ivan [Raimi] when he comes up next week.“ Aces as Army of Darkness is one of my all time faves.

James Franco (Spider-Man, Pineapple Express) is to play Allan Ginsberg in a biopic entitled Howl. I know Street Pete will be made up with that.

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