Update on Godzilla reboot

Legendary Pictures will be bringing Godzilla back to the big screen with a release aiming for 2012. The film will reportedly be in 3-D, and a T-shirt was handed out at Comic-con with concept art for the Godzilla’s new look (picture on the left). Nothing else has been heard about the film since.

Producer Brian Rogers spoke at the 3-D summit this year, and gave a few details on the film (via Bleeding Cool):

• The project’s origin as a 3D IMAX movie

• How he realigned the concept as a wide-release for digital 3D as back as 2007

• That Legendary want to homage the traditional Godzilla character (perhaps more properly, Gojira) and not make “the same decisions” as the last US Godzilla picture

• So, that means no Iguana-style anatomy

• The project compares to Batman Begins

• Despite rumours to the contrary, this sculpture has nothing to do with the film. (see Here)

Godzilla is going to be a CG character in a live-action film.

• There’s going to be another monster, or monsters, that Godzilla will fight. Not having this goes against the “spirit of the character”.

I am disappointed (but not surprised) to hear that Godzilla will be completely CG. I do find suitmation to be superior and more realistic than any CG creation could ever be. It’s good to know that LP will be taking this film seriously, and not give us a repeat of the nightmare Roland Emmerich gave us in 1998. What I’m concerned about is the inclusion of another monster. I think it would be best if this film served as a solo film for Godzilla, and add another monster for a sequel. It also brings into question what monster it will be. If this film traces back to Banno’s IMAX film (which was basically a remake of ‘Godzilla vs. Hedorah’), does that mean they’ll be using his concept for the film?

Only time will tell.

The untitled Godzilla reboot is scheduled for a 2012 release.

Star Wars coming to Blu-ray next year

I’m a huge fan of George Lucas’ Star Wars saga. Well, I should say a huge fan of  the original trilogy, but not the prequels. So, fans have been waiting for a Blu-ray release of the films for a while now. That wait is now over, as Lucas has announced a release for next year.

Lucas told The New York Times just why it’s we’ve waited soo long for a release:

“We’ve been wanting to do it as soon as we possibly could, but we just wanted to do it when enough people would be able to buy it and see it.”

While you may be excited, but it may disappointed you to know that it’ll be the prequels and the SPECIAL EDITIONS (Greedo shoots first) in this release:

“You have to go through and do a whole restoration on it, and you have to do that digitally,” he added. “It’s a very, very expensive process to do it. So when we did the transfer to digital, we only transferred really the upgraded version.”

This pretty much kills all the anticipation I had when I heard the news. Will I buy them? I may buy Revenge of the Sith and Empire Strikes Back when they become available to purchase separately, but not any other. This is being done for fans to double dip, so Lucas can milk even more money from the series.

Neill Blomkamp to direct The Hobbit?

Speculation and rumor about who will be replacing Del Toro as director of The Hobbit films have been coming in lately. There have been many names, including Brett Ratner to the list. Fans want Peter Jackson to direct the prequel to his Lord of the Rings Trilogy, but he has stated that he may not be able to (unless he has too). So why not Jackson’s protegé, Neill Blomkamp?

According to TheOneRing, that Neill Blomkamp could be directing the films. Now before you get too excited, let me say it isn’t certain that he is even in talks for the job. The thing is that MGM and Warner Bros. want Jackson to come back, but he doesn’t want to. Jackson was said to have a strong influence on seeing the “right person” get the job, enter Neill Blomkamp. Everyone knows that Jackson and Blomkamp worked together on District 9 without Peter Jackson having too much influence.

All my enthusiasm for The Hobbit films have been whining down to the point where I don’t even care for the films anymore. However, I would love to see Blomkamp take over as director, but I don’t see it happening. Why, because he  has stated before that he doesn’t want to make big-budget films. Also, I loved District 9, and is what I think is the greatest film from last year. That doesn’t make him a great director. Blomkamp hasn’t shown that he can handle a big budget, and he could very well be a one-hit wonder.

Would you like the idea of Neill Blomkamp directing The Hobbit?

The latest on Transformers 3

While many may not be looking forward to the next installment in Michael Bay’s Transformers series, but we have been left in the dark regarding many details on the film. Those who are willing to give the film a chance are wondering what the story will be and whether or not it will be shot in 3-D. Collider has the latest updates on the third film:

Transformers 3 will be in 3D

Characters that die stay dead

Bay says “This one really builds to a final crescendo. It’s not three multiple endings.” He goes on to say, “As a trilogy, it really ends.  It could be rebooted again, but I think it has a really killer ending.”

The villain is Shockwave

“Shia has this great line: ‘You know, I’ve saved the world twice, but I can’t get a job,’ ” di Bonaventura says.

The movie features a  space race between the U.S.S.R. and the USA

They aim to upgrade the franchise with a more coherent story and less goofball humor

Regarding the criticism of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Bay says, “I’ll take some of the criticism.  It was very hard to put (the sequel) together that quickly after the writers’ strike (of 2007-08).”

Also, Siebertron has word that James Avery, best known as Uncle Phil on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air will be voicing the Autobot Silverbolt:

“James Avery is doing great and will assume the voice role of “Silverbolt” in the upcoming blockbuster Transformers 3.”

 

This finally puts an end to the debate about the legitimacy of the “script” that was leaked back in December. If anyone knows me, then you know how I feel about the film being shot in 3-D and knew it was inevitable. When Bay says that characters will stay dead, I wonder if that means Optimus will die once again. Having Shockwave as the villain seems odd to me as he was always one of Megatron’s lackies. Also, I really can’t see him taking on Optimus or Megatron, but we’ll see. I’m just glad the character will be brought in.  The humor has always been a problem when it came to enjoying the films and it’s good there will be less of that. Bay did state that Agent Simmons will return, but guarantees The Twins will not be in the film. Bay briefly spoke on the departure of Megan Fox stating they dropped her character a week before filming began. I’m sure Lebeouf will be alright with her replacement Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. No word on how the absence of Fox’s character will be explained.

 

I wonder with the inclusion of Silverbolt that we’ll get to see the other Arialbots, and maybe even Superion.

 

Your thoughts?

Avatar sequel coming in 3 or 4 years?

James Cameron’s has yet to be chosen. Will it be Battle Angel, Avatar 2, or any other of his several planned projects? According to The Hollywood Reporter (via Sci-Fi Wire),  Cameron may is looking to once again push technology with his next project, rumored to be Avatar 2:

“James Cameron expects to release his next film in three to four years, and it may be the “Avatar” sequel that News Corp. executives have previously said they have discussed with him.”

“According to the Wall Street Journal, Cameron told the All Things Digital conference on Wednesday that his next movie could also be “some other big film” that uses 3D. He wants to push 3D technology to new levels with whatever project is next.”

 Cameron is no stranger to pushing technology, has done this for every one of his films. However, please note that Cameron has stated that he is planning to use the same 3-D technology that brought Avatar to life in his live-action Battle Angel Alita film. However, with the many projects he has line up, it will be difficult to determine which will be next for him. I’m crossing my fingers that it’s Battle Angel Alita.

The Joker not returning for Batman 3

When Heath Ledger was cast as The Joker, many among the comic-book fan community was skeptical about this decision. However, after seeing the film, Ledger’s performance became one of the greatest ever given by an actor. With the sad passing of the actor, the question remained if Nolan would re-cast the role of Batman’s greatest enemy. In the latest issue of Empire Magazine (via Collider), Nolan confirms The Clown Prince of Crime will not return while he’s in charge:

“No”, says Nolan emphatically and unhesitatingly. He resists elaborating simply because, quite understandably, he says, “I just don’t feel comfortable talking about it”.

I find this as to no surprise as Nolan has stated in the past Ledger’s passing hit him hard. However, I think The Joker should be in the film. Not as the main antagonist of course, but maybe as a way to introduce Harley Quinn (that is, if Nolan wants to bring that character in). But while he may not be in this film, he could very well show up in the Batman 4 (you know there will be). The biggest question would be: Who could replace Heath Ledger? In my opinion, any actor can be replaced, but some are more difficult than others. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has shown to be a great actor, but many want him cast because of his uncanny resemblance to Ledger.

Batman 3 will open on July 20, 2012.

Del Toro won’t direct The Hobbit, nor will Peter Jackson

Remember when all that speculation was going around about who will play Bilbo Baggins? Well, now the question is: Who will direct The Hobbit? With all the delays conerning of The Hobbit, Guilmero Del Toro announces that he will not be directing the film. According to Deadline Hollywood, Del Toro announces that he is not directing the highly anticipated prequel:

“In light of ongoing delays in the setting of a start date for filming The Hobbit, I am faced with the hardest decision of my life. After nearly two years of living, breathing and designing a world as rich as Tolkien’s Middle Earth, I must, with great regret, take leave from helming these wonderful pictures. I remain grateful to Peter, Fran and Philippa Boyens, New Line and Warner Brothers and to all my crew in New Zealand. I’ve been privileged to work in one of the greatest countries on earth with some of the best people ever in our craft and my life will be forever changed. The blessings have been plenty, but the mounting pressures of conflicting schedules have overwhelmed the time slot originally allocated for the project. Both as a cowriter and as a director, I wish the production nothing but the very best of luck and I will be first in line to see the finished product. I remain an ally to it and its makers, present and future, and fully support a smooth transition to a new director.”

I know that after the shock is gone your first thought would be for Peter Jackson to take over, right? Sorry, but apparently that won’t be possible. According to Jackson’s manager, Ken Kamins, he will be unable to direct as well:

“Peter has and has had obligations and commitments to other films that would make it impossible for him to direct The Hobbit at this time, even if it was offered, which it hasn’t been,” Kamins told me. “I’ve been quietly working on setting up a film for him to direct while Guillermo would have been directing The Hobbit. What you saw in their respective statements must be taken at face value. All of that said, Peter and Fran’s commitment to The Hobbit is total and they will do everything necessary to protect the franchise and the investment made by New Line, Warners and MGM.”

Jackson has stated that he may “have to” direct if a suitable director can’t be found. Currently Jackson is contracted to direct the 3-D sequel to Speilberg’s Tintin, as well as other projects. Many names have been thrown in as potentials, including Jackson’s protege, Neil Blomkamp. However, Blomkamp has stated before that he will not make big budget films, so that’s out of the question. The best news to come of this is that Jackson will be heavily involved in who is chosen to replace Del Toro as director.

Your thoughts?

Will Machete start a race war?

With the trailer for Robert Rodriguez’s Machete released on May 8 comes controversy that it may be a “Call to arms”. Movieweb posted a video from Alex Jones from Infowars.com, stating the film will cause a race war when released:

To watch the video click on the link above.

This is just another example of people taking a movie (a work of fiction) way too seriously. Will it cause a race war? In all likely hood, no.

Machete is set to be released this fall.

Did Megan Fox quit Transformers 3?

So news broke yesterday that Paramount decided not to option Megan Fox’s contract for Transformers 3. But now,  /Film reports that she wasn’t fired, but decided to quit:

“Megan Fox will not be starring in Transformers 3…It was her decision not to return. She wishes the franchise the best.”

To me this just sounds like she’s trying to make herself look good about the situtation. Fox literally doesn’t realize how much she needs this franchise, especially after Jeniffer’s Body showed that she can’t handle her own film. You can say what you want about the films, but Fox’s presence did little to nothing to make them successful. Either way I’m happy.

There’s already candidates (many) to replace her as the most useless character in the film.

Transformers 3 will open in theaters on July 1, 2011.

Matt’s best/worst sequels

There are many films that get sequels that turn out good, but many that turn out bad, very bad. Here is a list of my top 5 most loved and most hated sequels made. This list will feature some films you may have not heard of, but I don’t limit myself to Hollywood.

Best

5. The Dark Knight

This is a film that I consider to be very over-rated, but I can’t deny how much I love this film. The film features what I believe to be the greatest performance ever given by Heath Ledger as The Joker. It also has some great action, terrific acting. The story is pretty weak, but well told. I know you are probably wondering why it’s the lowest on my list, but there are films that I consider to be far more impressive than this film.

4. Bleach: DiamondDust Rebellion

I wasn’t one bit interested in this film, as I hate the character of Hitsugaya, so a film centered on the character didn’t interest me at first. After viewing the film I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed. I would go so far as to say it’s one of the greatest anime films I’ve seen.

3. Terror of MechaGodzilla

This is a film that many fans don’t like as it is still features Godzilla as a superhero, but I just love it. It has a dark storyline, dark characters, and what I see as one of the most under-rated Godzilla foes, Titanosaurus. We also finally get to see MechaGodzilla go wild in the city, which was missing from the previous entry. The only thing I don’t like about is Godzilla is still a superhero in this movie.

2. Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris

Not since Gojira has there been a kaiju movie so great. Actually, you could almost call this a horror film with Giant Monsters in it. Many didn’t like the ending, but I thought it worked perfectly.

1. Terminator 2: Judgement Day

I really don’t even feel the need to explain why this movie is so great. Even if you don’t like the story, you can still enjoy all the great action the film delivers.

The Worst

5. Destroy All Planets(Gamera vs. Viras)

The Showa Gamera films don’t have much credibility to them, but are all still fun to watch, except this one. The film is pretty much is 90 minutes of poorly done stock footage. In fact, there’s exactly 20 minutes straight of nothing but stock footage. The film is shot in color, but uses stock footage from the first film, that was shot in black and white. Overall, this film a prelude to hell.

4. Godzilla vs. Megalon

Anyone who knows me, knows that I absolutely love Godzilla, but this film is pathetic. Like many Godzilla films of the 70s it features poorly done stock footage, and it what’s worse is the director didn’t even seem to try to cover it up. The story is also is as complex as an episode of Power Rangers, and features one of the biggest plot holes I’ve seen in a film. Here’s a bit of trivia, the film took only 2 weeks to film, and it really shows.

3. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Terminator should have ended with T2. I really don’t want to get into why I hate this, so you can just read my review here.

2. X-men Origins: Wolverine

OK, so it’s not a sequel, but a prequel. The film has many contradictions to Wolverine’s past that was somewhat established in X2. Pre-Phantom Menace special effects, bad acting, very weak story, cliche moments. These are just some of the reasons why I wonder why people like this movie, but to each their own.

1. Batman and Robin

Batman is my favorite superhero ever, but I was never a fan of Burton’s films and always had hope they could get better. However, after watching this film is completely destroyed any interest I had in a Batman film. I even skipped out on Nolan’s Batman Begins(til DVD) because of my hatred for this film. The only time this film should be viewed is when you want to torture someone.

So there’s my list of most hated and loved sequels. What are some of yours?