With four horror pictures under his belt, Rob Zombie is starting to feel that audiences may be pigeonholing him somewhat. Though he’s currently on tour and has a new album out at the beginning of February, he’s obviously already at work on his potential next projects and is hoping to mount something to break our preconceptions of him a little.
So, to that end, he’s said once again that he’s hopeful his underground fighter film Tyrannosaurus Rex will be the next Rob Zombie joint out of the pipe and not the Blob remake he’s also already attached to. Seeing as the Blob picture has yet to be greenlit, and as far as we know might never be, he could well get his wish.
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Rob Zombie‘s $10 million, hard-R animated film, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, is headed straight-to-DVD next month via Anchor Bay. Zombie previously discussed the politics involved and the theatrical set-backs with /Film; outfitted with a voice-cast that includes Paul Giamatti (as villain Dr. Satan), Rosario Dawson, Brian Posehn, and Danny Trejo, we remain as bewildered over the prolonged release limbo as he was. And apparently a teaser trailer was issued for Beasto earlier this season, but today is the first we’ve screened it. Co-written and -directed by Mr. Lawrence (SpongeBob, Rocco’s Modern Life), the professional style of the animation and overall sinister-pop sensibility is fluid and appealing and seems a natural inclusion for Halloween marathons (and Clint Howard cos-play fiestas). Update: Zombie has revealed to STYD that his ’70s-action film, Tyrannosaurus Rex, is once again off development cinder blocks and slated to be his follow-up to the forthcoming Halloween 2. Score one for the non-remakes.
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In the second installment of /Film’s in-depth chat with Rob Zombie, we discuss the limp yet horny state of the American horror film. Zombie also rants on why getting original projects made in Hollywood has become a lamer development hell. Given that his last theatrical movie as a writer/director was a remake (Halloween), and that this summer’s H2 (Halloweeen 2) is a sequel, it’s interesting to hear Zombie get the lead out in such bold fashion. But consider that a release for his $10m animated film with Paul Giamatti, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, is on the burner indefinitely; and that his T-Rex—a violent ’70s-set flick about a heathen war vet/boxer—now revs at a yellow-light. The status of both projects is discussed below.
While Zombie’s vision for Michael Myers has proven divisive, the privilege to re-shape one of the top three monsters of modern horror was well-earned. His directorial debut, 2003’s House of 1000 Corpses, has held up nicely in the years since; a fun-house experience akin to falling down a broken disposal, Corpses wallows in the slime of decades’ worth of deranged genre influence. 2005 brought his signature film, The Devil’s Rejects, arguably the most nefarious celluloid celebration of murder and nihilism set loose in theaters this decade. Four years later, even he’s a little surprised that it exists. But exists it does; a major studio picture that feels like the extroverted, distant Southern cousin to William Lustig‘s ode to the NYC lurker Maniac.
Rejects solidified Zombie as the rare, talented filmmaker sitting high on the pop-cult ladder whose work craps on any and all moral barometers. And after speaking at length, we’re convinced that there isn’t a working director in the U.S. more dedicated to the hard-R picture-show. (Click here for Part 1)
Hunter Stephenson: How you depict violence on film sets you apart. It seems like much of the violence in American horror films these days, it’s very routine and mundane. A lot of the violence in your films seems flat-out wrong, but in a really good way. [Zombie laughs] You were never part of the torture-porn trend, when Hostel and Saw came out, and what not.
When you show violence on screen, it serrates but then you move on, and I think it’s very effective. I’m wondering, what films do you watch to get your kicks for violence? What films do you draw on when you’re making them?
Rob Zombie: Well, I like when violence seems real and I like when it seems ugly. I like when the act doesn’t seem fun. I was never a fan of ‘80s slasher movies. I think they are cartoony and silly. I was more into the violence in movies like Taxi Driver, The Wild Bunch, and Bonnie and Clyde. The violence in those films makes a statement in some way. You know what I mean? It’s saying something. And it’s either brutal, or depressing, or it’s real. But it’s never fun.
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Rob Zombie has released yet another piece of concept art from his upcoming film Tyrannosaurus Rex. Zombie posted the comic book cover above on his MySpace page with the description “The comic that started it all!” In other news, Zombie has announced that his fake movie trailer in Grinhouse, Werewolf Women of the SS, is being turned into a comic book series!
“The wacky exploits of Commandant Hess, Lt. Boorman, Von Strasser Eva and Gretchen Krupp, Fu Manchu and even Hiltler will be coming you way. Everything you ever wanted to know about Project Pure Wolf but were afraid to ask!”
How cool is that? I’m buying it!
More pulp violence from Rob Zombie today, with the director posting a new piece of art from his secretive, live-action film entitled Tyrannosaurus Rex on MySpace. The art is in the same style as the previously released teaser poster, and bears similarity to this cover of The Nail, the Dark Horse comic book Zombie collaborated on a few years ago. However, Zombie has emphasized to fans that his movie is not a direct adaptation. Here’s the rumored logline according to Bloody Digusting from back in February:
“T-REX is about a wrestler named Tyrannosaurus Rex who is on the run from a biker gang from hell. Furthermore, the idea for the film is loosely based on the comic book Zombie did with Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) entitled THE NAIL.“
/Film still hopes to see Zombie take advantage of the literal potential in the film’s title by including an homage to the JP-ripoff Carnosaur. Alas, that seems unlikely. Cool art though.
Discuss: The art. The Nail. The movie (re: not his underrated Halloween remake).
Rob Zombie has released the first teaser poster for his next movie Tyrannosaurus Rex. We still have no idea what the film is about. A biker gang possibly? It is becoming less likely that a real live dinosaur is involved, although one is pictured in the smokey background of Alex Horley’s poster art. What do you guys think? Tyrannosaurus Rex is scheduled to hit theaters on August 28th 2009.
Here is a round up of stories that just didn’t make the /Film front page, or what we like to call…. Page 2!
WALL-E has been spotted hanging on to the side of San Francisco’s MUNI Fast Rail public transit system. [flickr]
Phillip Noyce is in negotiations to direct The Art of Making Money, a DreamWorks project about a notorious counterfeiter who printed more than $10 million in fake bills. [thr]
MTV has the poster for Henry Poole is Here.
United Artists and Lakeshore Entertainment have hired 24 co-creator-executive producer Joel Surnow to develop a contemporary spy thriller that will be directed by Casino Royale helmer Martin Campbell. [Variety]
Starship Troopers 3: Marauder will arrive on DVD and Blu Ray on July 29th. [bloody-d]
Oscar winning screenwriter Diablo Cody is now on Twitter. /Film is also on Twitter too!
Warner Bros will release movies for Apple TV the same day as dvd. [gizmodo]
FirstShowing takes a look at all the comic books you should read before seeing Iron Man.
Disneyland will be hosting Indiana Jones events starting on May 22nd: “Indiana Jones: Summer of Hidden Mysteries” will be made of 2 different street shows, one involves a female Archaeologist and the other features Indy fighting on rooftops. [theraider]
ShockTillYouDrop has posted the first photos from Rogue’s The Last House on the Left remake.
Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann, the original kid stars of Disney’s 1970s “Witch Mountain” movies, are coming back for Race to Witch Mountain. [thr]
Watch the video for Scarlett Johansson‘s first single “Falling Down” which features David Bowie on backup vocals (but not in the video). [badandugly]
Our friends at MarketSaw have photos of a t-shirt made for James Cameron’s AVATAR from 1996 which Digital Domain was working on concepts. Jeeez, this film has been in development for some time.
Mark Ronson told the BBC that Amy Winhouse submitted a demo for the next James Bond film Quantum of Solace: “The demo sounds like a James Bond theme, hopefully. But I don’t know if it’ll get used.” [empire]
Disney will be releasing an Ultimate WALL-E programmable toy robot manufactured by Thinkway, which will retail for $189.99 USD. It will feature 10 motors for realistic movement, and also a “variety of sensors” to allow for voice activation, navigation, and detection of obstacles, among other capabilities. [pixarblog]
Spout wonders if Iron Man is Too Critically Acclaimed to be a hit?
Alamo Drafthouse had a special advanced screening of Iron Man where they had a guy in a jet pack dressed as Iron Man flying around the parking lot. How cool is that?
SFGate have put together a cool Google Maps mashup of famous movies shot in San Francisco. Now if only someone created a Google Map containing every movie shot in San Francisco. That would be cool.
Rob Zombie has posted a cryptic Dylan Thomas poem on his Tyrannosaurus Rex blog.
Here is a round up of stories that just didn’t make the /Film front page, or what we like to call…. Page 2!
Rob Zombie has updated his MySpace profile with a new image which reads “Tyrannosaurus Rex – 51% Motherf—er, 49% Son of a Bitch” which gives us a couple new clues to his next film.
Shock has new set photos from the upcoming adaptation of Twilight.
Transformers 2 is set to begin shooting on June 2nd 2008 (presumably in Philadelphia?). [tfw2005]
Nick Stoller has been hired to write and direct Get Him to the Greek for Judd Apatow and Universal Pictures. The film will star Jonah Hill as a fresh-out-of-college insurance adjuster who is hired to accompany an out-of-control rock star (Russell Brand) from London to a gig at L.A.’s Greek Theater. [variety]
Kevin Smith will release a series of online short behind the scene videos in the lead up to Zack and Miri Make a Porno. [MMM]
Crocs plan to release footwear inspired by WALL-E. I’m guessing they will still look like clown shoes. [pixarplanet]
Wesley Snipes‘s tax-evasion hobby will cost him three years in jail. [defamer]
The Incredible Hulk has been spotted selling EAS’ Myoplex in Magazines. [SHH]
The founder of the first ever British Jedi Church and his brother were attacked by a Darth Vader impersonator while being filmed talking about Star Wars by a local TV documentary crew. District Judge Andrew Shaw demanded that police track down the impersonator and said: “I hope the force will soon be with him.” I kid you not. [telegraph]
Filmmaker Spike Lee has hooked up with Nokia to direct a movie made with cell phone footage from everyday people in what he calls the democratization of film. Sounds like Spike Lee got a Nokia payday. [UGO]
io9 has a look at Toxic Avenger: The Musical.
Last week a new Rob Zombie project popped up on the production boards as The Weinstein Co / Dimension Films set an August 28th 2009 date for “Rob Zombie’s Tyrannosaurus Rex“. But what is Tyrannosaurus Rex? Zombie wrote a blog entry on myspace which revealed very little.
“My next live action feature is called TYRANNOSAURUS REX. I don’t want to give away any details yet, but I will tell you that it has nothing to do with dinosaurs.”
A studio source tells us it is instead “something very special”. Whatever that means. Let the speculation begin…
Anyone out there have any real information about this project? Comment below or email me anonymously.
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