One of the first pieces of online film journalism to truly legitimize the profession was Drew McWeeny’s September 2002 evisceration of a J.J. Abrams script for a film eventually referred to as Superman: Flyby. McWeeny, then working for Ain’t It Cool News under the name “Moriarty,” ripped apart Abrams’ script so completely, and in such a public forum, that he is widely credited for killing the film. To this day, the piece is a fantastic read.
This was before Superman returned and before Batman began. At the time, Warner Brothers was hoping to reinvent their superhero franchises with filmmakers like McG and Brett Ratner. They couldn’t know that the man who would eventually revitalize Batman was already working for them or that their Superman screenwriter would do the same for Paramount and Star Trek years later. This wasn’t the J.J. Abrams of Mission: Impossible or Lost. This was the Alias and Felicity J.J. Abrams.
Years later, we’ve got a tiny glimpse at what might have been if Abrams’ script got made, as well as another huge “almost” in Superman movie lore. Special effects guru Steve Johnson, who was responsible for revealing the Tim Burton costume tests for a failed late Nineties Superman reboot, posted a gallery on his Facebook with concept art for different Superman costumes as well as some sketches of Doomsday, who apparently was being considered as a villain if director Bryan Singer got a second crack at the Man of Steel after Superman Returns. Check them out and more after the break. Read More »
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Add one more to the cast of McG‘s This Means War, in which Chris Pine and Tom Hardy go to war over the affections of Reese Witherspoon. (Angela Bassett was just cast the other day.) Mad Men‘s Abigail Spencer has signed on; she’ll play Tom Hardy’s ex-wife. Personally, I might do more fighting over her than Reese Witherspoon, but that’s just me. [THR]
After the break, Ben Foster joins a Mark Wahlberg movie, and John Singleton will direct the younger Hemsworth. Read More »
Briefly: McG has been shooting his action-filled romantic comedy This Means War for a few weeks, with Chris Pine, Tom Hardy and Reese Witherspoon starring. Now Angela Bassett has been added to the cast.
The story follows two agents and best friends (Pine and Hardy) who go to war over the affections of one woman (Witherspoon). Angela Bassett will play the CIA boss of the who men; she’s a lifer, and has no real experience or interest outside the agency. Additional cast includes David Koechner, Chelsea Handler, Til Schweiger and Leela Savastas. Despite the direction of McG and the fact that the script has been floating around in development hell for years, I’m curious to see how this one turns out. Can’t resist Tom Hardy as a comically aggressive CIA agent, and Angela Bassett is always a welcome sight. [Variety]
Despite harboring ambitions to make a biopic about Salvador Dali, director Simon West is sticking with action for now. He’s got Jason Statham film The Mechanic, a remake of a Charles Bronson film, ready to release. He’ll next direct Dwayne Johnson in Protection. And now he’s being linked to The Medallion, a thriller produced by McG and written by Safe House writer David Guggenheim. Read More »
Lately, the man dead set on selling space to millionaire tourists, Virgin Atlantic billionaire Richard Branson, has been getting into the movie business and he currently has his sites set on Columbus, a script by T.S. Nowlin. The 300-esque retelling of the Christopher Columbus story has McG attached to produce and direct and Branson is reportedly close to acquiring the script for his Virgin Produced film company, a joint venture with Relativity Media. They’re also in the middle of producing a Kentucky Fried Movie type comedy featuring segments with Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Uma Thurman, Gerard Butler, Julianne Moore and many, many more. Hit the jump to read more about both projects. Read More »
Briefly: McG is now working on his romantic comedy with action overtones, This Means War. The core cast — Chris Pine versus Tom Hardy — is enough to make me ignore past feelings about McG and generate some interest for the film. Reese Witherspoon is playing the woman the two guys are essentially fighting over, and now Chelsea Lately host Chelsea Handler has signed on to play the best friend and confidante of Witherspoon’s character.
As we’ve said before, This Means War is a script that has been kicking around for a long time, but was recently rewritten and put on a fast track to production. With the script as it stands now, Hardy and Pine are “two best friends, both of whom are spies, who go to war with each other after falling in love with the same woman (Reese Witherspoon). It’s about what’s more important — your best friend or the love of your life — and what happens when the two come into conflict with each other.” [Deadline]
Briefly: Crap, now I have to be early in line to see McG‘s next film. The director has been prepping This Means War, a significantly rewritten version of a script that has been floating around Hollywood for years. The lead role was recently offered to Sam Worthington, but the actor has officially bowed out and a deal has reportedly been signed for Tom Hardy (Inception, Bronson) to step in. Opposite Hardy will be Chris Pine. In other words, the new Captain Kirk and one of the breakout actors from Inception (and the next Mad Max) are in a big city-rocking war in this new movie? That might do most of McG’s work, right there.
The script has changed quite a bit in the past year or so as it has been back in active development. At this point, Hardy and Pine would be “Two best friends, both of whom are spies, who go to war with each other after falling in love with the same woman (Reese Witherspoon). It’s about what’s more important — your best friend or the love of your life — and what happens when the two come into conflict with each other.”
[Vulture]
Tinkerbell has already appeared in film four times now—first in the silent 1924 version of Peter Pan; most memorably in the ’50s animated classic; later in Spielberg’s Hook, where she was played by Julia Roberts; and most recently in 2003′s Peter Pan, as portrayed by the gorgeous (and frequently clothesless) Ludivine Sagnier. But never before has the character been the star of her own theatrically-released feature.
Until now.
Elizabeth Banks will star as Tinkerbell in Tink, a live-action romantic comedy from Disney which “plays with the mischievous nature of the Tinkerbell character”. Learn more after the break. Read More »
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