Public Enemies - What Did You Think?
Mark Millar Pushing Through Kick-Ass 2 And More
Posted on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 by Brendon Connelly
Most of the key cast members in Mark Millar and Matthew Vaughn’s too-young-to-drink superhero saga Kick-Ass are currently going through those formative years where a sudden Harry Potter-style growth spurt could end up maturing them dramatically almost over night. As such, any sequel to the movie would need to be put on the fast track and, according to Sci Fi Wire’s new interview with Millar, that’s indeed what is happening. As well as the sequel, Millar also mentioned the planned adaptations of War Heroes and American Jesus. Details after the break.
/Filmcast Ep. 48 - State of Play (GUESTS: Tyler Smith and David Bax from Battleship Pretension)
Posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 by David Chen
In this episode of the /Filmcast, David Chen, Devindra Hardawar and Adam Quigley weigh the stupidity of Fox’s multiple Wolverine endings, speculate on David Slade’s capacity to direct Eclipse, and grow ever more dubious of McG’s credibility. Special guests Tyler Smith and David Bax join us from the Battleship Pretension podcast.
You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us next MONDAY night at Slashfilm’s live page at 9 PM EST / 6 PM PST as we review X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
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Last week we reported that Evan Spiliotopoulos, co-writer of Pooh’s Heffalump Movie and its DVD Halloween spin-off, had been hired to write Wanted 2. Like others, I was a little surprised that a screenwriter with a past filmography comprising of family animated films was hired to pen the sequel to a balls-to-the-wall action-filled comic book adaptation. Comic book creator and producer Mark Millar has finally commented, coming to the defense of Spiliotopoulos:
Pooh’s Heffalump Movie Scribe to Write Wanted 2?
Posted on Friday, April 17th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
Universal has hired a new writer to pen a sequel to the popular comic book movie action film Wanted. Who did they hire? Evan Spiliotopoulos, co-writer of Pooh’s Heffalump Movie and its DVD Halloween spin-off. It doesn’t make sense, but it doesn’t really have to make sense. The screenwriters of the first film wrote 2 Fast 2 Furious and Catch that Kid.
Matthew Vaughn Reteams With Mark Millar for American Jesus
Posted on Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
Earlier today, Mark Millar admitted that he would be moving on from trying to get his Superman pitch off the ground, and now we have some idea why. THR reports that Millar will reteam with his Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn on a live-action big screen adaptation of Millar’s American Jesus comic book. Vaughn is looking to produce the film independently, and they are eyeing a Summer 2009 start.
The comic started as a miniseries titled “Chosen”, and eventually evolved into a trilogy of miniseries retitled “American Jesus”. The second volume, subtitled “The Resurrection”, is due out this Fall. The story follows a twelve-year-old boy who suddenly discovers he’s returned as Jesus Christ. He can turn water into wine, make the crippled walk, and, perhaps, even raise the dead! How will he deal with the destiny to lead the world in a conflict thousands of years in the making? Basically, American Jesus is Millar’s re-telling of The Book of Revelation from the Bible, set in contemporary times.
You can read the first full issue for free on Newsarama. The first volume gets released in a 72-page tradepaperback on April 8th, and is available for preorder on Amazon for $9.99.
Mark Millar has been talking about his pitch for an 8-hour epic trilogy of Superman films for w while now. He even claimed that he was working with an unnamed big director on a pitch for the studio. But now the comic book writer admits on his website that it likely won’t happen after all, or at very least, not anytime soon.
“Warner’s talked to us and a few other writer/ director teams, but things seem to be in stasis right now. As far as I understand, nothing is happening with Superman at the moment and so the director and I are just working on another project. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t, no biggie. Kick-Ass taught me that creating your own stuff can be at least as much fun and you don’t have to answer to anyone. It’s the future, baby.”
I think Warner Bros is being very cautious and are very unsure of how they should proceed with Superman . You have to respect that they aren’t trying to rush a new movie into production in a time when it seems like comic book movies are as hot as they’re going to get.
/Film reader Roque R sends over the first official photos from Matthew Vaughn’s adaptation of Mark Millar’s Kick Ass. Newsarama scored the first photos that feature Aaron Johnson as high school student Dave Lizewski aka Kick-Ass.
Plot Synopsis (beware of possible comic book spoilers): Dave Lizewski is a kid growing up in a rundown suburb of America, he isn’t a gamer, he isn’t a jock, he isn’t a mathlete, he’s just a regular kid. When he is not hanging out at the local comic store with his friends Todd and Marty, he is fantasising about his school teacher and Katie Deauxma, the class hottie. The only thing that is unusual about Dave is that about a year ago his Mother died. But somehow through this blend of normality, teenage angst and irritation at being continually mugged, Dave makes the decision to become a superhero’ KICK ASS! Dave’s first foray into being a Superhero results in him being stabbed and run over. When Dave recovers he realises he can’t walk away from being a hero, and when he successfully steps in on a mugging he brings himself to the attention of the US media and Frank D’Amico could this be the guy who knicked his coke? As Dave gets sucked into the dark world of vigilante crime fighting he gains a sidekick named ‘Red Mist’.
/Filmcast Ep. 24 - Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Posted on Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 by Devindra Hardawar
Dave, Devindra, and Adam fly guest-less in this episode of the /Filmcast, as they cut through the B.S. of Mark Millar’s Superman trilogy pitch, reflect on the career of Sam Mendes, and cry over the lost potential of Joaquin Phoenix’s abruptly terminated acting career.
Have any questions, comments, concerns, feedback, or praise? E-mail us at slashfilmcast@gmail.com or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us next next week as we review Role Models.
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Mark Millar Pitches His 8-Hour Epic Trilogy of Superman Films
Posted on Wednesday, October 29th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta
Mark Millar is known for telling stories, on and off the page. For the last year he’s been going around saying he is working with an unnamed big director on a pitch for Superman. While I’m not against the idea of a Millar-penned Superman movie, I just don’t believe it. But Millar keeps on talking to anyone who will listen, and this time tells Empire Magazine that his pitch is for an 8-hour saga told over the course of three films, each which he hopes would be released one year apart.
“It’s gonna be like Michael Corleone in the Godfather films, the entire story from beginning to end, you see where he starts, how he becomes who he becomes, and where that takes him. The Dark Knight showed you can take a comic book property and make a serious film, and I think the studios are ready to listen to bigger ideas now.”
Millar certainly knows how to get the fanboy inside me excited, but I just don’t see it happening. Especially the gigantic ending he sees for the new trilogy:
“I want to start on Krypton, a thousand years ago, and end with Superman alone on Planet Earth, the last being left on the planet, as the yellow sun turns red and starts to supernova, and he loses his powers.”
I somehow doubt Warner Bros would ever even consider that ending, as cool as it might be in concept. You have to remember, Warner Bros cares about the character as a franchise, and a franchise can’t exist if it has a finite conclusion.
/Film reader Dan B sent in a photo from the Toronto set of Matthew Vaughn’s adaptation of Mark Millar’s Kick-Ass.
“Coming back from a Jays game happen to catch what appeared to be 2nd Unit for Kick-Ass. Didn’t see Matthew Vaughn on site. They seemed to be shooting the opening shots of the movie. The camera starts off facing the wrecked taxi and ends up on a close up of the license plate that reads ‘Kick-Ass’ Here are the shots taken with my Iphone.”
And here are some screenshots of the panels of the scene from the comic book:
Clark Duke to Kick Ass in Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass!
Posted on Monday, September 15th, 2008 by Hunter Stephenson
With buzz climbing for his performance in the October comedy, Sex Drive, actor Clark Duke has landed a role in Matthew Vaughn’s violent comic book flick Kick-Ass. Ever since we laughed our asses off at Duke being repeatedly mistaken for a girl on the web series, Clark and Michael, we’ve hoped to see him stake a claim in cool features, so this is great news. And yeah, based on the trailers, Sex Drive looks friggin’ meh, but supposedly it delivers. Duke will play Marty, a good friend to the film’s titular character, a teenage would-be superhero, and Marty’s described on the movie’s official character list via Moviehole as…
About 17, a chubby Caucasian high school student who loves comic books. He is Dave’s funny best friend. Together with Dave and Todd, he loves to go to comic book stores, and checks out the latest issues, while talking about school, girls, the futility of teenaged life, and the exciting adventures of Myspace insta-celebrity Kickass. He never suspects that Kickass is in fact Dave Lizewski — and neither would you if you knew Dave.
Perfect. For our recent casting report on Vaughn’s $70 million indie film. click here. Duke had a bit part in Superbad, so this will be his second film co-starring Christopher Mintz-Plasse aka McLovin, who plays the teen antagonist Red Mist. The comics’ creator, Mark Millar, has gone on the record as saying something like “I bet you all my balls that Kick-Ass will be the best movie of 2009.” And even though Millar talks more shit than Reggie Miller and even though Nic Cage bums us out, this movie should definitely live up to its title. And yeah, expect more headlines like the one above. Clark Duke, invest.
Exclusive: Mark Millar’s War Heroes vs. Grunts
Posted on Sunday, September 14th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta
My Hollywood spies claim there is a battle going on behind the scenes over two conflicting big screen adaptions, neither of which have been officially announced. The projects in this development rumble include:
Mark Millar’s comic book War Heroes
and
Shannon Eric Denton and Keith Giffen’s comic book Grunts.
According to my source, a film adaptation of Millar’s new comic has been making its way around Hollywood, but executives are crying fowl because Grunts came out first and has a similar concept. Apparently Grunts has also been in development for a couple years. Rumor has it that Steve Buscemi might be in talks to star and produce the film with the same guys behind his upcoming film, Saint John of Las Vegas. But it is a double sided dagger, and the conflict might prevent Grunts from moving forward, especially if the star and producer were to get cold feet and jump ship.
Millar describes War Heroes as “Full Metal Jacket meets The X-Men”. The series is “set a couple of years in the future. John McCain has just won the election and the war in the Gulf is getting bigger, so they give the troops superpower pills. That gets all the young American kids signing up to fight the Iraqis.”
Grunts is described as “24 meets the X-Men” with “Tom Clancy on speed” military style action. The pitch: “During World War II, an American squad encounters a German superhuman assault squad and starts a Eugenics Race that carries into present day! “
