X-Men Origins: Wolverine

It's taken me a while to write about news on the "Wolverine" movie mainly because news was slow and uncertain. The spin-off on the popular X-Men franchise is now gaining some traction though in the past few months. It has also since been renamed, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine". Which I think is a horrible idea for a title. By this time, most everyone is aware of the character Wolverine, and I think it's unnecessary to rename it.

The film is set for a May 1st 2009 release now and is to be directed by Gavin Hood who most recently directed the political thriller "Rendition". Gavin Hood seems to me to be an interesting choice and hopefully will add some needed dramatic elements to the origin story of this iconic character. The story will revolve around how Logan, AKA Wolverine first became involved with the Weapon X program before he ever joined the X-Men.

The movie will obviously star Hugh Jackman in the title role, along with some new characters, and a few familiar ones. The first being the character of William Stryker, who was last seen in 2003's X2, played by Brian Cox. Stryker was the man responsible for giving Wolverine his unbreakable Adamantium skeleton. Actor Liev Schreiber is in talks to play a younger version of the character. I really like this casting choice, Schreiber is a solid actor and I enjoyed his work in The Manchurian Candidate in particular.


Also rumored to star is Actress Maggie Q (Die Hard 4, Mission Impossible 3) as Logan's love interest Silver Fox. In the comic version, she is an important part of Logan's past, and should be as important in the film adaptation. I don't have much of an opinion on Maggie Q's acting ability, but she does fit the look quite well.


Another rumor is that the director is attempting to get Gerard Butler to star as the psychopathic killer mutant Victor Creed, who eventually becomes Wolverine's arch-nemesis, Sabretooth. Sabretooth was featured in the first X-Men movie, played then by ex-wrestler Tyler Mane. I was incredibly unhappy with how they depicted the character in that movie, and I think Butler would make a much better Victor Creed. I thought he did very well in "300" as King Leonidas, and I'd be curious how he handles an awesome role such as this one. Apparently the role was originally offered to Karl Urban (Doom, Lord of the Rings), but he has since moved on.


The movie starts filming early next year in Australia, more news as it develops.


**UPDATE**
News rolls in fast.... the studio has just released the official synopsis, which shows an interesting nugget at the end.... I wonder what mutants they're talking about? I have heard rumors of characters such as Deadpool, Juggernaut, The Blob, and Gambit being included in the story. I guess we'll have to wait. Read on...

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is set to star Jackman and will be directed by Gavin Hood (Tsotsi, Rendition). The producers are Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter (who produced all three previous "X-Men" films), along with Jackman and his Seed Prods. producing partner, John Palermo. The film will be executive produced by Marvel Films' Kevin Feige.


Leading up to the events of X-Men, X-Men Origins: Wolverine – written by David Benioff (The Kite Runner, Troy) – tells the story of Wolverine's epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed, and the ominous Weapon X program. Along the way, Wolverine encounters many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe.

More Dark Knight Pics!

Here are some more cool "Dark Knight" pics for you, including some better versions of ones I already posted. Check it out...

Indiana Jones 4 Poster

Here is the brand new poster for Indy 4, aka Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. That's a long title if I've ever heard one. I don't have a lot of interest in this movie, but it is one of the biggest movies of next year, so i suppose it deserves attention. Also, I kinda like the style of this poster. It looks like the older Indiana Jones movies and other classic posters of the past. The flick opens May 22, 2008.

Punisher: War Zone Picture & Interview

Surprisingly, there is another Punisher movie in production right now and the first picture from it has been released. Apparently the first movie did well enough on DVD to warrant a sequel. FRANKly,(geek joke)I had issues with the first one and how the whole thing was handled. There was too much comedy and not enough flat-out violence. Anyways, they're giving it another go, and this time around it's with a new actor in the lead role, Ray Stevenson (HBO's Rome), and a new director, Lexi Alexander. Alexander is most notable for 2005's "Green Street Hooligans", which I really liked. Hopefully the new blood will make this kick some major ass. We'll see next September. In the meantime, check out a short interview below from Cinematical with the director...

Cinematical was lucky enough to attend a conference call earlier today with The Punisher: War Zone director Lexi Alexander in which we talked about the new film, the characters and the exciting Punisher universe. Above you will find the first image from the film, featuring Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle (aka The Punisher), a former FBI agent who wages war on the criminal underworld following the death of his family. The film arrives in theaters on September 12th, 2008. Here's a bit of our conversation:

Does this movie take place more in the Marvel universe or in its own world?

Lexi Alexander: Well I think in the sense of the other Marvel characters, it's definitely in its own world in terms of location, though, we call it the Marvel New York because, you know, rather than setting it in the real New York, we wanted it to have a little bit of a surreal feeling.

What one thing do you think distinguishes your take on The Punisher compared to the last Punisher movies that fans of the comic will truly appreciate?

LA: Well, the last Punisher movie really wasn't relevant to us. There's a lot of comparison to it, but none of the people on my team ever looked at that and said how can we be different or better -- we just kind of made our own film. The one thing I concentrated on was to really really make it as close to the MAX series as possible. I think we really achieved it as far as the look, as well as the tone. When I look at the dailies that I'm getting, I seriously feel like I'm looking at a MAX comic book right in front of me.

Related question: I think one thing the comic fans will realize immediately is that the world we created feels like the comic book in terms of the look as well.

Will this be a Hard-R Punisher?

LA: Well, it definitely will be a Hard R, and luckily Lionsgate's been great about it. They haven't given me any guidelines in terms of violence. I think they're a real good studio to make a violent movie, and I really like violent movies. So it's definitely going to be a Hard R.

Photo credit: Jonathan Wenk/Lionsgate

What is the significance of the subtitle War Zone to the story we'll be seeing?

When we were discussing titles, and obviously Marvel has a big input on that, we wanted to go with one the fans would recognize as the title. When they suggested a few, War Zone seemed like the one. This one in particular has something to do with the ending; it will make more sense once you see the film. I think the ending really justifies the title War Zone.

How much hand-to-hand fighting do you expect Frank Castle to engage in, or will most of the action be gunplay?

LA: I would say it's about 70% gunplay, and 30% hand-to-hand combat.

Your storyline incorporates elements from the Welcome Back Frank story arc. Why was the decision made to bring in Jigsaw who is not a part of that storyline?

LA: The first script I received had Jigsaw already in it, and at that point I wasn't very familiar with where Jigsaw came into the series. But he was there, he was the antagonist, he was the villain -- and I fell in love with this character, He's a great villain, and I wanted to keep him. So I don't think we strictly went for one story in the comic books; I think we took parts out of the world of Frank Castle and tried to make the best story possible.

Note: Jigsaw is being played by Dominic West.

What was the most brutal scene that you've shot, and do you have a favorite kill?

The most brutal scene would have to be two weeks ago when we shot part of the finale. It was really cold and toxic building, and we all had to have these masks on ... which didn't help a lot because we all got sick anyway. It was toxic, so we had to shoot the entire time with these oxygen masks on. Except for the cast; they didn't get any. I do have a favorite kill; without giving too much away I can say it has to do with a head-butt.

Is this a complete re-boot, or is it more like Batman Forever (ie: different characters in the outfit, but the same Frank Castle from the last movie)?

LA: I would say it's a complete different re-boot, just because neither one of the previous [films] were relevant. And with Castle, it's one story -- the mythology stays the same -- and I think I just have a very very different take on it. I was lucky to put it in the right environment, which was dark and cold.

Will Microchip be Frank's ally or enemy in this film?

LA: He's his ally; definitely his ally.

Do you have any particular interest in a Green Street Hooligans 2?

LA: No, no Hooligans 2 -- I know you're a big fan, but that's definitely not in the future. Those are the sort of mytholigies I like, so they're might be something in that area.

Speed Racer Trailer

I was never a fan of the original "Speed Racer" cartoon as a kid. Maybe I didn't get it. Or maybe I just get kinda creeped out by cheap Japanese animation. So when I heard the Wachowski Brothers were even bothering to make a live action version, I was pretty skeptical. After watching this trailer, I have to say I'm twice as skeptical. It looks visually different I suppose, but I'm not sure if it's a good thing. I also am not too crazy about the melodrama. Isn't it supposed to be a fun, family movie? It just put me off altogether. Matthew Fox looks kinda cool as Racer X though. Follow this link to see the trailer.



If you're into this stuff, you'll be delighted to hear that they're making a live action "Dragonball Z" movie as we speak. Oh, glorious day.

Doesn't this pic below look like a level out of "Sonic The Hedgehog"?

Harold & Kumar 2 Trailer

Check out the new R-Rated trailer for "Harold & Kumar: Escape From Guantanamo Bay" that was recently released. It actually looks pretty funny to me. I was a fan of the first one actually, despite it's cornball premise. Hopefully this one will be as good. Check it out below.



Any movie with this as a teaser poster is worth giving a chance.

Where in the world is Osama Bin Laden?

News surfaced recently of a new documentary by Morgan Spurlock entitled "Where In The World is Osama Bin Laden?", in which Spurlock attempts to locate the world's most wanted fugitive. Word is that he's apparently found something worthwhile, and some are speculating he actually did what the U.S. government couldn't and actually tracked down the Al Qaeda leader. The film which screened only 15 minutes for potential buyers at the Berlin Film Festival, was quickly snatched by The Weinsteins for 25 million. This leads me to believe that they witness some pretty juicy material to pony up that much cash. On the other hand, I can't really imagine he did, in fact, find Bin Laden, as he would surely be crucified for not immediately disclosing the info to the government so they could capture him. But whatever he found, I'm very curious to see what it is. The film’s cinematographer Daniel Marricone refers to footage they captured as “the holy grail.” We'll have to see how it all plays out once it premieres at Sundance next month. If the buzz continues to gain momentum, this film could easily catapult Spurlock into the national spotlight and make him the most commercially successful documentarian since Michael Moore.
More on this story as it develops. (oooooh, I feel like a fancy news reporter!)

I'd recommend checking out Morgan Spurlock's other hit documentary, "Super Size Me", and FX series "30 Days" now on DVD. Both are very entertaining and thought-provoking looks at the world we live in.

Joker Madness!!

There's been a flood of new "Dark Knight" info all over the web the past few weeks, including more viral web sites, new photos and a teaser description.

For some very in depth coverage on the viral marketing campaign going on for months now, I suggest checking out the continuing story on Superherohype.com's website. They've been updating progress on the whysoserious.com viral site, which has been posting very intriguing challenges and puzzles to fans in the guise of being a recruitment tool for the Joker's gang. Last month, fans were encouraged to send in photos of themselves dressed as the Joker causing mischief around their town, specifically by a notable landmark. Many of those photos were posted on this site for people to see, and a few used in an actual printed version of The Gotham Times. The fictional newspaper was then sent to the participants' homes.

There are also links to a multitude of fake sites, including one for the aforementioned Gotham Times Newspaper, which you can call an actual number and subscribe. And a Gotham Police Department site where you can leave anonymous tips. It should be interesting to see how these intertwine with the actual story in the new movie. Here is a list of links to all the different sites that have popped up so far.

THEGOTAHMTIMES.COM
THEHAHATIMES.COM
REMEMBERINGGINA.ORG
GOTHAMNATIONALABANK.COM
GOTHAMPOLICE.COM
WHYSOSERIOUS.COM/PERSONALITYPROFILE
GOTHAMUSD.NET
GOTHAMCAB.COM
ACMESECURITYSYSTEMS.COM
GVAFOUNDATION.ORG
GPDIAD.COM

You can also e-mail LetterstotheEditor@TheGothamTimes.com and Stories@RememberingGina.org.


In addition to the viral sites, there have been a slew of new photos popping up all over the net, mostly of the Joker, played by Heath Ledger.

Here is the pic that was revealed after fans completed a challenge on whysoserious.com on Halloween



Here is a pic that was slowly revealed on Empire.com last week to be the new magazine cover for this month. You can see the pic without the excess text here.


Here is the new cover to Wizard Magazine, sporting a great shot of the Joker.



Here are some apparent publicity shots from "The Dark Knight"





Most recently, there is a description of the 7 minute teaser footage set to premiere before "I Am Legend" playing in all IMAX theatres. The footage is believed to be the first 7 minutes of the movie, where you're introduced to the Joker for the first time. You can read about it in detail here. If you want to be surprised, I wouldn't read it. I will say that it sounds absolutely fantastic, and a perfect way to introduce this iconic character. I can't wait to see this footage in action, and I'm even more excited for the whole movie opening July 18th, 2008.


**UPDATE**
Less than an hour after posting this, they released the first teaser poster for the movie. Pretty cool and original if you ask me. Click here for a higher resolution version. And click here for an ultra hi-res version. (it will take a LONG time to downlaod)

Hellboy 2 Posters

Here are three brand new posters for next years sequel to "Hellboy", the 2004 comic book adaptation directed by Guillermo Del Toro. All the original cast is back in the next chapter titled "Hellboy II: The Golden Army". I think the posters look great and I'm excited to see how this movie will improve on the last one. I've been hearing some great things about the story in which Hellboy battles, amongst other things, an army of mythological creatures. You can see some great production art that gives a really good idea of what to expect on the movie's official site. It also has great videos from the creators, and has been updated with new material often since going live a few months back.

"Hellboy II: The Golden Army" opens July 11th, 2008

No Country For Old Men Review

Lately, it's rare to find a movie that actually meets your expectations, much less exceeds them. With my sometimes picky tastes, it's even rarer for me. Therefore it was a pleasant surprise when "No Country For Old Men" managed to be even better than I had expected it to be.

The film is the latest from the Coen Brothers (Fargo, The Big Lebowski) and stars Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, and Tommy Lee Jones. The story revolves around Brolin's character, Llewelyn Moss, who stumbles across a drug trade gone very, very wrong, and acquires a large sum of money. He then becomes a target for a psychopathic assassin, Anton Chigurh (Bardem), who's unconventional choice of weaponry is almost as strange as his hairstyle. Meanwhile, The local Sheriff (Jones) is trying to piece together what is going on. The story is an intense game of cat and mouse between these characters that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.

It was interesting to see just how well the Coen Brothers managed to immerse you in the film from the very start. The cinematography, the character development, and the dialog, all work in unison to craft what I think will be considered a modern classic years from now. Javier Bardem's performance as the baritone-voiced, ruthless murderer is quite impressive and far scarier than any slasher movie released in recent memory.

What has most people divided on this one is the ending. Basically, some people have said that it's too abrupt. But it makes perfect sense when you realize the story is like a game of chess, and you never know when it's checkmate.

If you like the best Coen Brothers films and other similar stories like Sam Raimi's fantastic "A Simple Plan", this film should suit you just fine.