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Movie Gossip
Carter Blanchard to pen WB's 'Spy Hunter' Thursday 14th February 2013
Carter Blanchard has come on to write "Spy Hunter" for Warner Bros.
Ruben Fleischer is attached to direct with Dan Lin and Roy Lee Producing. Fleischer, John Middleton and Doug Davison are exec producing.
The film is based on the video game that follows ex-fighter pilot who rids the world of spies, assassins, and other bad guys with his souped-up Interceptor car.
Blanchard, who is repped by Paradigm and Madhouse Entertainment, recently penned "Glimmer" for DreamWorks.
Albert Brooks Hooks Deal To Reprise In ‘Finding Nemo 2? Wednesday 13th February 2013
Albert Brooks has closed a fat deal to reprise the voice Marlin in Finding Nemo 2 for Disney‘s Pixar. The sequel has been long in the works; Deadline told you last July that the studio got the original’s helmer Andrew Stanton back in the fold (I’d heard that the studio will also give him another live-action shot after his disastrous live-action debut on John Carter), and Ellen DeGeneres came back shortly after. It took much longer to hook Brooks, who continued his renaissance as an actor in the Judd Apatow-directed This Is 40, following his turn as bad-ass Bernie Rose in Drive.
Brooks is also working on another novel, this coming after his first, Twenty Thirty: The Real Story Of What Happened To America, became a bestseller. It’s unclear though when he will next write and direct another one of those personal comedy vehicles for himself he used to do, like The Muse and Lost In America. He’s repped by WME and manager Herb Nanas.
Kasdan, Kinberg Talk "Star Wars" Future Tuesday 12th February 2013
While all the talk about the potential "Star Wars" spin-offs have been about what old characters could come back, those tasked with actually writing them seem more intent on moving forward. Screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan tells The LA Times:
"I’m trying to start fresh. There are certain pleasures that we think the saga can bring to people that they’ve been missing, and we’re hoping to bring them that, and at the same time, have them feel that it’s all new."
Scribe Simon Kinberg is more hesitant, telling IGN:
"As a fan, I wouldn't want to know too much… I understand the excitement, and I'm happy that people are interested, obviously. But I'd rather people have something left to discover when they go in."
Warners Scraps "Justice League" Script? Friday 8th February 2013
For some time now we've been hearing that Warner Bros. Pictures has been waiting on the latest version of a "Justice League" movie script by "Gangster Squad" scribe Will Beall.
It was thought that if the studio were happy with the script, and if "Man of Steel" were to be a massive box-office success, Warners would move forward with the DC superhero team-up project to have it in cinemas by Summer 2015.
Now, it seems that the studio is NOT happy with the script. Bad Ass Digest hears from multiple sources that not only are they not going to press on with further re-writes, they are chucking out the current script altogether. Here's the breakdown:
Beall's script supposedly includes Darkseid and a heavy cosmic threat. But the script has been half-baked from the beginning, with reports saying that heroes have been cut and added from the proceedings seemingly at studio executive will.
The latest word was that Warner Bros, experiencing real cold feet, had decided to wait until 'Man of Steel' to really move forward, but it's possible that moving forward now will mean a whole new script.
No director is yet attached either. This begs the question of where does the project go now? Will the studio press on, will it focus only on standalone franchises, or will it adopt the Marvel 'Phase 1' approach of launching several different franchises (in this case Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc.) in the lead-up to an eventual team-up movie which would have to be well into the second half of this decade?
Abrams Producing "Portal," "Half-Life" Films? Thursday 7th February 2013
Even though he is busy finishing up "Star Trek Into Darkness" and prepping for "Star Wars: Episode VII," producer/director J.J. Abrams is already looking at other projects to take on.
Speaking at the D.I.C.E. Conference in Las Vegas, the filmmaker has revealed that his company Bad Robot plans to work closely with game company juggernaut Valve to adapt their iconic games "Half-Life" and "Portal" into features.
Abrams and Valve co-founder Gabe Newell made the announcement during a keynote conversation kicking off the convention.
The film joins a recent surge of video game properties that have been put into active film development including "Assassin's Creed," "Splinter Cell," "Need for Speed," "World of Warcraft," "Deus Ex," "Uncharted," "Mortal Kombat," "Hitman" and more.
It's Official: Abrams Set For "Star Wars" Friday 25th January 2013
Disney has just issued this official press release confirming yesterday's news regarding the new director of "Star Wars: Episode VII". Here's the statement:
J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars: Episode VII, the first of a new series of Star Wars films to come from Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams will be directing and Academy Award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay.
"It’s very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new Star Wars movie," said Kennedy. "J.J. is the perfect director to helm this. Beyond having such great instincts as a filmmaker, he has an intuitive understanding of this franchise. He understands the essence of the Star Wars experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture."
George Lucas went on to say “I’ve consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller. He’s an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn’t be in better hands."
"To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor,” J.J. Abrams said. “I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid."
J.J., his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, and Bad Robot are on board to produce along with Kathleen Kennedy under the Disney | Lucasfilm banner.
Also consulting on the project are Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. Kasdan has a long history with Lucasfilm, as screenwriter on The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi. Kinberg was writer on Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.