Bryan Singer On Again Off Again Relationship With Fox Continues.

Bryan Singer is a busy man. So busy in fact; he has officially dropped out the running to direct X-Men: First Class. This is due to his prior commitment to Warner Brother's to shoot Jack The Giant Killer, a large-scale 3D (is there any other way?) CGI movie, locked down to begin this summer.

Singer, of course, has prior history with Fox's X-Men franchise, having directed X-Men and X:2. But, has not returned to direct for Fox ever since they controversially pushed ahead with the third instalment without him. Instead of waiting for Singer to finish his commitment to Superman Returns, they opted to install Brett Ratner to direct the 'final' chapter of the trilogy; X-Men: The Last Stand.


Now it seems Fox has dealt the deja vu card, with Deadline Hollywood reporting that Fox loved the script penned by Jamie Moss from Singer’s treatment so much that they are not prepared to wait for him, again.


Still, it obviously was the right decision for Last Stand wasn't it? Just imagine if they had hired somebody who had got Vinnie Jones, in all his cockney glory as Juggernaut, spewing line's like "I'm the Juggernaut bitch!"  Oh. 


Yet, there is a beacon of light with Singer announced to be apart the the producing team,  joining Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg.

The film, for those who don't know, First Class is an origin story that focuses on Xavier and Magneto. Apparently Moss has taken a page out of the JJ Abrams Star Trek manual and  will rewrite the lore from the first trilogy. 

MATT RICHARDSON

Orson Welles Returns To The Big Screen

The late Orson Welles will once again don our movie screens. Welles' return has been sourced from the discovery of some ‘seemingly lost’ recordings of him narrating Christmas Tails, a children's book, which will be used to contribute to the new movie.

When the actor past away in 1985, he did so leaving a legacy that spanned cinema, theatre and radio; with his most notable role's including: Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons. It was believed that he had made his last ever appearance in cinema being the posthumous release of Moby Dick in 1999.

However, In 1985, Robert X Leed self-published the book Christmas Tails, and got a friend - Welles -to narrate. But the film-maker died shortly after, apart from giving away certain copies the recordings remained unused, collecting dust on a shelf in Leed's Las Vegas home.

The story revolves around Santa in dilemma; with his customary reindeer out of action, who will save Christmas? Well, they say a dog is man's best friend, and in this case his canine friends step in to the breach to ensure that the presents are delivered.

Its resurrection follows a conversation back in 2008, between Drac President Harvey Lowry and colleague Karl Fritz, who mentioned the rumour that the ‘lost tapes’ existence.

Lowry contacted Leed and "worked out a deal to option the book, and I got the recordings from him," Lowry tells The Hollywood Reporter. Lowry continued, "it’s a movie about how Santa’s dog saves Christmas, but on one level, this is a story about the discovery of Orson’s lost tapes". With the Welles estate consent, the tapes have had to undergo the process of a chemical bath and baking process inorder for the tapes to be digitized for use.

The film, being produced by Drac Studios, best known for their make-up and special effects contributions to movies such as “Curious Case of Benjamin Button”. But now, they are stepping up to plate to develop Christmas Tails, a 3d live-action/CGI hybrid directed by Todd Tucker.

With the opportunity to appear in a film starring Orson Welles is allegedly attracting huge interest amongst possible casting candidates. So, It is likely the film will attract surprising star turns when Tucker starts the reels in motion. Leed is set to serve as consultant with Fritz will be an executive producer. Christmas release 2O11.

MATT RICHARDSON

John Singleton to helm Abduction

Abduction created a lot of buzz with a frenzied bidding war last month, eventually being snapped up by Lionsgate. Twilight’s ever-shirtless love sick-pup Taylor Lautner appears to be on aboard, and now they have shaped up their director in the form of John Singleton.

After Four Brother’s, Singleton’s output has been stifled, with development, or the lack thereof on The A-Team production is accredited with blame. However, it appears he is feverishly snatching at any project that comes his way. Abduction potentially joins Tulia, (a project that will reunite Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton) Marvel’s Luke Cage and Vin Diesel’s The Wheelman.

Abduction, most likely revolves around Lautner discovering his own baby photo on the missing person website, and starts to realise that his ‘parents’ are not all what they seem, hence the title? It’s interesting concept, but unless it’s a whole big government cover up, or his real parents are in actual fact ravenous werewolves, how much story is there to tell?

MATT RICHARDSON.

Colin O'Donoghue Has The Rite

Colin O’Donoghue star of The Tudors’ is set to launch his career on the big screen and he is among good company, starring opposite Anthony Hopkins in The Rite. He will play a seminary student mentored by Vatican exorcist, Hopkins. But O’Donoghue must combat his own uncertainties of faith when he faces dark forces.

The film will be helmed by 1408 director Mikael Hafstrom and will shoot from Michael Petroni’s (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Dawn Treader) script. It has been sourced from Matt Baglio’s book The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist. However, while the book aims to dispel myths surrounding exorcism concentrating on reaffirming faith, it is likely, from the synopsis at least, that the picture will take another direction.

Do not be confused. This is not an extension The Exorcist franchise. It is simply another one. Though we would say the market was cornered, but that’s just us. No start date has been mooted as of yet, with production unlikely to begin until Hopkins has finished his duties on the upcoming Thor.

MATT RICHARDSON

Brad Bird's Mission Impossible

Ever since Tom Cruise confirmed that his next project was to be the reprisal of Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible franchise, he and producer JJ Abrams have been searching for a director. Now it seems they have uncovered an unlikey contender in the form of Brad Bird, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

With the release date now set by Paramount to May 27, 2O11, production needs to step up a gear if it is to begin shooting in early summer. Paramount believe this is necessary due to large scale production that will boast worldwide locations and action set-pieces which are as much apart of the franchise as Cruise himself.

Bird may be viewed as a left field choice as a potential M:I director. However, back in 2006 the elected director of Mission Impossible III was similarly a unknown entity: JJ Abrams. His previous roles had only amounted to television but that decision proved to be decisive; sparking the Mission Impossible franchise back to life.

Admittedly in the post-Paul Greengrass/ Matt Damon Bourne outings, The M:I-III did not quite deliver their scale; however what it did achieve was to produce a very good fast-paced action-thriller.

According to Heat Vision Blog, a number of candidates have been interviewed for the role, including Zombieland’s Ruben Fleischer and Edgar Wright who is currently scurrying through post-production on Scot Pilgrim Vs The World, and thus unavailable to consider such appointment.

While Bird, akin to Abrams, has no live-action film directing experience, he has got an increasingly strong back catalogue of animated features including The Iron Giant, Ratatouille and The Incredibles. It is clear from these films that Bird not only has an excellent eye for a set piece; Incredibles is especially a testament to this inate ability to produce on a large scale, but also that he can do so without losing the integrity, heart and soul behind the picture.

His lack of live-action experience is not for want of trying. Bird has being trying to get 19O6 off the ground for a while now, but due to a lack of funding, or possibly the lack of believe in his ability to bring a live-action to the big screen he has not been able to do so.

Accepting his 'Mission Impossible' might provide a means to an end; with Bird given the opportunity to show his ability to adapt to live action, he may get the camera's rolling on 1906 sooner rather than later.

Personally, If Brad Bird is able to bring himself into the project rather than being a hired gun, then we’d for one would kill to see Bird’s incarnation.

MATT RICHARDSON

Ruben on Demand

He cannot stay out of the headlines right now, every studio it seems is vying for this mans attention, and Warner Brother’s are no exception offering an untitled action comedy that has been acquisitioned by DreamWorks.

The Hollywood Reporter have revealed that the unnamed script is being penned by Mike Arnold and Chris Poole based on an idea by Fleischer, though details are scarce it has been reported that subjectwise it will be a buddy cop comedy.

Zombieland producer Gavin Polone and Get Him To The Greek Director Nick Stoller are producing the project, which can now be added to the ever increasing list of possible projects that Fleischer has to choose from.

MATT RICHARDSON

Wes Craven To Take My Soul

Wes Craven’s first directing stint since 1994’s Wes Craven’s New Nightmare finally has a release date, and its no surprise. According to Shock Till You Drop, Take My Soul, previously titled 25/8 (when you fight the devil, '24/7’ is not enough, get it? Simples) is released 29 October 2O1O. 


Overshadowed, or simply forgotten with the recent talk of the 'Scream 4: Friends Re-united' it has fell off the radar. After all, it did start production in 2008, and nowadays with the constant bombardment of T.V, attention spans are at an all time...squirrel.

The film revolves around a serial killer who was presumed dead for sixteen years. However on this anniversary of his alleged death he returns to murder children whose birth date falls upon this particular day.

Is it Ground-hog day? Or have I heard this one before. Well it certainly seems rather familiar; and suggests that the project did not exert the creator of Hallowe’en. But hell, its taken 16 years to get him back we will forgive and forget if he produces anything near the aforementioned title.

On a rather bizarre note, Craven talking about the film back in march said his new creation ‘lives under bridges and deep in the woods and eats bark’. Random. Was he pulling our leg here, in order for us to 'bark' up the wrong tree? We will find out in October. 

The film has no stand out stars, with Max Thierot, John Magaro, Paulina Olszynski, Nick Lashaway and Emily Meade. 

MATT RICHARDSON

Spot The Difference: Angela Bassett Casted In Green Lantern

With Green Lantern shooting in New Orleans as we blog, Casino Royale director Martin Campbell has added to his cast in the form of Angela Bassett, last seen in Notorious. She will play Dr Amanda Waller, a government agent, and joins Ryan Reynolds, Peter Sargaard, Mark Strong, Tim Robbins and Blake Lively.

Waller is a staple of DC comics, appearing alongside many superheroes and supervillians. She has, lets say, a distinctly chequered past. Abrupt attitude in toe, Waller is not a woman to mess with; combining roles as a government agent and helming shady organisations like the Suicide Squad, which had super villains working for the government in exchange for amnesty for their crimes.

In comic-book form, Angela Bassett is as far removed from a lookalike to Waller that their could possibly be. However, don't let her smile fool you, Basset has forged a no-nonsense career already with her stints as CIA Director in Alias and Mr and Mrs. Smith respectively, thus her casting should not be doubted.

The film, for the unitiated, will follow test pilot Hal Jordon (Reynolds) as he is bestowed with the a magic green ring that grants him otherworldly powers. But with great power, comes great responibility, Jordan must defend the entire universe to keep the peace.


We reckon lines of communication got mixed up on this one, everyone knows that those over the pond would much prefer a cold beer, the 'heart-clogger' hot-dog, and a game of baseball; but alas that is how the cookie crumbles for some. 

Green Lantern is destined for our screens June 17, 2O11.

MATT RICHARDSON

Tim Burton Circling Maleficent? Woolverton Signed To Adapt.

With Alice in Wonderland continuing to dominate UK and US box office, Heat Vision Blog have reported that Disney have united screenwriter Linda Woolverton to craft  ‘Maleficent’; a new take on the animated classic Sleeping Beauty revolving around the ‘mistress of all evil’ herself.

‘Maleficent’ could mark the reunion of Alice  collaborator's Woolverton and director Tim Burton; it’s one of many rumoured projects being considered by the film-maker, who has also been linked to a new Addam’s Family re-imagining in the last week. However, Burton is not officially attached to either project.

The intrigue of the feature is how Woolverton will approach a story centring on Maleficent. In Sleeping Beauty, she curses an infant princess at birth, why you ask?, Because she was not invited to her christening. Harsh. But that's not all; she commands a legion of evil dominions, has the ability to strike down her opponents with lightening and morph’s into a dragon to attempt to burn prince's to cinders.
I doubt she'll win a noble peace prize for being loveable that's for sure, and just how can you turn that into something fit for a Disney friendly audience? 

Still, the screenwriter’s stock is high, inspired by the Lewis Carroll classics Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass Woolverton crafted a successful original story that continues to exceed box office expectation after admittedly mixed reviews.  

The project certainly continues the steps taken by Disney with the recent release: The Princess and the Frog, which unravelled certain staples of a Disney classic to diversify their image. So goodbye to loveable but lazy prince's who have it all, and darling belle's of the ball who get what they wish upon a star. Disney has ripped up their own rule book. Now is the time for new beginnings, and the direction Maleficent is on course for is certainly one to keep watch of.

MATT RICHARDSON

Will Smith Mulls Next Role

Will Smith has been vacant from our screens of late, ever since his turn in the poignant drama Seven Pounds in 2008; he has stayed behind the lens producing The Karate Kid,  which stars his son Jaden. But now according to Variety, he has whittled the projects that will see his on-screen return to two choices: Sony’s Men in Black III or Twentieth Century Fox’s fantasy adventure ‘The City That Sailed’.

The choice is not straightforward with both projects sharing prior investment by Smith. Overbrook Entertainment, Smith’s own production company, was the first to get hold of and develop ‘The City That Sailed’ before bringing to Fox.

Penned by Gattaca’s Andrew Nicol, ‘The City That Sailed’ follows the story of a New York magician whose young daughter is relocated to London with her mother after the family splits. Yearning to reunite with her father, the daughter discovers magic candles that can make her wishes come true. Subsequently the island of Manhattan detaches from the US and starts floating closer to England, bringing her dad back to her.

There’s currently no director attached, however if Smith signs, Fox will look to shoot as soon as possible.

Alternatively Smith can head back to the lucrative Men in Black franchise which Sony are looking to push forward. The franchise suffered with the 2002 sequel leaving a trail of disappointed fans yearning for a return to the standards of the original.

Despite its popularity it still managed to churn out $441.8 million globally, providing Sony with a viable franchise to reinvest in. After eight years and the sequel a distant memory, Sony believe the time to launch the third installment is now.

MATT RICHARDSON

Zack Snyder on 300 revisited and Xerxes.

Speaking at ShoWest last week Zack Snyder delivered an intriguing insight to the possible future re-release of 300 and provided an update to its prequel currently being penned by Frank Miller, titled Xerxes.

Following the financial successes of Avatar and Alice in Wonderland, it has fast become accepted that with any studio announcement for a new release, comes with the prerequisite of being 3D orientated. Now, Warner Brother’s are taking this development a step further, with the potential rerelease of a 300 in 3D.

Speaking with SuperHeroHype, Snyder revealed that Warner Brother’s converted a section of the 2007 film in order to gauge its quality after transition. ‘ I saw maybe like a ten minute section [of 300] that they’d just done, I haven’t seen the whole movie but they’re talking about doing the whole movie’.

This move by Warner’s, would undoubtedly open the flood gates for studio’s looking to cash in on converting their back catalogue. James Cameron, for one has talked about rereleasing Titanic in 3D, and for what purpose? What would a revisualization bring to the aforementioned release? After all it is the highest grossing 2D film ever to be made and was handsomely awarded critically, with Oscar’s galore.

As for Xerxes, Snyder is currently waiting on Miller to finish writing his graphic novel prequel to 3OO. Still, he has shed light on the progression of the project and hints to the fact he will potentially direct that prequel.

"I'm waiting on Frank (Miller) for the sequel to '300' and there's a really good chance that will be the thing we do," he said, "He's been working hard, so he's supposed to show me something really soon; actually in the next few months, he's going to show me something. There was a big discussion about what we would do for the sequel to '300' and I said, 'I didn't tell Frank what to write the first time, and I'm not telling him what to write this time,'" he told us when asked who came up with the idea for Xerxes. "I'll take it and I'll adapt it and make it into a movie and I'll write a screenplay, but I want him to do whatever he thinks. I'm not going to say I'm 100%, like that's it, but on the other hand, I'm pretty confident it's going to be awesome."

For the uninitiated, Xerxes will resolve around the Battle of Marathon that took place in 490 BC during the first Persian invasion of Greece.  It will likely depict the vast Persian armada and infantry landing on Greek soil in retaliation to the supporting a revolt of Persian rule. Despite a numerical superiority, Athens immobilised an army to defend their territory against the Persians.  

You will be forgiven in thinking that the prequel reads like a large scale 300. That is exactly what it will entail. The question is, whether Xerxes can transcend that tag? Will the vision of Frank Miller and the adaptation of Snyder lead the prequel towards a fresh direction, or will it only seek to make a grander 3D [is there any doubt that it wont be?] sequel to 300? 

MATT RICHARDSON

Warner's Developing Spy Hunter

It was way back in 2003 when Universal Studio’s first acquired the rights to the 1983 arcade game ‘Spy Hunter’ from Midway Games. Yet, it has been stuck in neutral ever since, that is until Warner Brothers stepped in to rev up its production.

The studio snapped up the rights when it bought up Midway Games last year. Currently, scribe Chad St John who has been charged with the responsibility to craft the first draft for Sherlock Holmes producer Dan Lin.

In the original driving action game Spy Hunter revolved around the player taking the role of a spy, who would patrol the freeway driving a G 8155 Interceptor [think James Bond’s Aston Martin built for world war III] armed to the hilt. The aim of the game was to destroy all enemy vehicles that strayed onto your radar, while attempting to protect civilians.

For along period Dwayne Johnson saw this project as his ideal role but is not currently attached. And, while both John Woo and Paul W Anderson had separate incarnations ready for the off, neither got the project off the ground, and this latest version has yet to fill the vacant position of a director

MATT RICHARDSON

Lutz Signs To War Of The Gods

Kellen Lutz, more recently known as Emmet Cullen in The Twilight Saga, is to stay amongst the immortals in his next role, having agreed to play Poseidon for Tarem Singh’s ‘War of the Gods’.

The film, originally titled ‘Dawn of War’, has been in development for a number of years. At first it was believed that the project would go head to head with Louis Leterrier’s ‘Clash of the Titans’, but has yet to shoot.

The film revolves around the conflict between the Greek gods and elder gods known as the Titans. Henry Cavil [The Tudor’s] plays Greek warrior Theseus, fighting to stop the Titan’s led by Hyperion [Mickey Rourke] as the war rages through Greece. Lutz’ Poseidon will act to support Theseus in his titanic struggles.

Singh has revealed that he has a specific visual style in mind as he revealed to Firstshowing.com‘It's turning into, basically, Caravaggio meets Fight Club. It's a really hardcore action film done in Renaissance painting style. I'm going for a very contemporary look on top of that so I'm kind of going with, you know, Renaissance time with electricity… a bit like Baz Luhrmann doing Romeo + Juliet in Mexico; it's just taking a particular Greek tale and half [make it contemporary] and telling it’.

Singh will start shooting next month, with the script having been through the writer’s mill of redrafts, with Jason Keller’s the latest.

MATT RICHARDSON