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| The Dark Knight Blu-ray Revealed Posted: 27 Sep 2008 02:59 PM CDT After seeing The Dark Knight a handful of times in the theater, I’ve become somewhat worried over the fact that the movie is so good, so epic, that a standard DVD just won’t be able to do it justice. (Sorry, but I’ve been truly spoiled by those gorgeous IMAX sequences.) Now my worries have multiplied ten-fold, as the artwork for the forthcoming Dark Knight Blu-ray have hit the net. And I have to say, this Blu-ray is looking like something that definitely needs to be added to my hallowed collection. The only question now is where the hell am I going to get the money to buy a Blu-ray player????
The Dark Knight Blu-ray will come in several versions. Expect the standard 2-disc edition, featuring the movie on one disc and a butt-load of extras on the other, which will come in either Batman or Joker versions, both of which appear below.
Of course, for those who truly wish to commemorate the sublime experience that is The Dark Knight, a special 2-disc “Batpod” edition will be available in limited supply, complete with an intricately modeled Batpod throne for your 2 disc set to rest on (and pretty much look cooler than every other DVD/Blu-ray in your collection.)
Inserts for the special edition will look like this:
(Thank ComingSoon.Net for the fantastic images.) And if all that isn’t enough, it’s rumored that a 3-disc edition of the Dark Knight Blu-ray will also be offered, the third disc being a digital copy of the movie that can be downloaded onto your Ipod, or any other compatible digital media player. (Just in case you only get through two hours of the film at home, and wish to enjoy the other four hours on the go.) All versions of the Blu-ray will feature the “BD Live” option, allowing Internet-connected Blu-ray players to access downloadable content like Dark Knight ringtones and wallpapers. Pretty Hi-tech. The Dark Knight will be released on Blu-ray on December 9, 2008. Hopefully by that time, I’ll have scrounged enough change from out of my couch cushions to buy a Blu-ray player. Donations welcome. Source: Coming Soon | ||
| Another Icon Has Passed Away: RIP Paul Newman Posted: 27 Sep 2008 01:24 PM CDT
Sadly, we’ve lost another legendary actor and humanitarian: Paul Newman. He died Friday from an extended battle with cancer in his Westport, Connecticut home. He was 83. Where does one even begin when trying to sum up such a long, illustrious career and life both on and off the big screen?
Paul had his Hollywood career start back in the 1950s in theater and television - over the course of his career he was nominated for 10 Oscars and won 3. He has appeared in such classic films as Cool Hand Luke, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Hud, and achieved star status for his appearances in The Hustler, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and of course, The Sting (one of my all time favorite movies). He kept his handsome looks as he aged and in 1986 reprised his role as “Fast” Eddie Felson in The Color of Money, starring opposite a young Tom Cruise. He has been in far too many films for me to list here. Eventually his love of fast cars turned him towards professional racing, where he raced at LeMans and Daytona. Outside of acting and racing, he was always very generous towards charities and started up a company to market his oil and vinegar dressing as a joke back in 1982. That “joke” grew into a multi-million dollar business. Not only that, but he donated ALL of the company’s profits to charities - as of last year, over $175 million! That, my friends is an actor who puts his money where is mouth is. 2008 continues to be a brutal year as far as our losing beloved Hollywood people - people who actually made the industry a better place than it seems to be today. He will be missed and we offer our prayers and condolences to his family. For a much more extensive biography and list of his achievements, please click on the link below. Source: MyWayNews | ||
| Shane Black To Direct Lethal Weapon 5? Posted: 27 Sep 2008 12:29 PM CDT
However, I’m now torn due to the news that Black has been asked by producer Joel Silver to helm the project, leaving Dick Donner out of the project. Strange news indeed, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was an exceptional piece of entertainment, but I don’t know if I’d want to see a “Dickless” Lethal Weapon movie. So why has Lethal Weapon 5 not been offered to Donner - and will Mel Gibson star in the film?
The answer is simple enough. Several years ago Donner and Silver had a falling out, and it would appear that time has not healed the wounds. As Black now appears to be Silver’s new protégé (would you go near the Wachowskis again after Speed Racer?) it is the logical choice that he replaces Donner in the director’s chair - after all he did write the original movie. Apparently the production now hinges of Gibson’s involvement (obviously), but will he want to make the film when his friend and mentor (the pair have made six films) has been sidelined? Well, we all know that money talks in Hollywood, and I’m sure that a huge paycheck will be used to sway the actor - his salary for Lethal Weapon 4 in 1998 was a reported $35 million, so expect an increase on that! If the film does go ahead, expect Riggs and Murtaugh to be aided by a pair of young New York Cops (why not LA?). I’m not too sure about this one anymore, but if somebody is going to replace Donner then I’m glad that it’s Black, but will he have the magic to make Lethal Weapon 5 a worthy sequel? Source: EW | ||
| George Clooney As The Lone Ranger? Posted: 27 Sep 2008 12:24 PM CDT
Now Ain’t It Cool has a scoop saying that George Clooney has shown a keen interest in the role of The Lone Ranger. However, would the blockbuster-shy Clooney be interested in starring in such a blatantly commercial film? Keep reading to find out.
While Clooney has starred in such commercial fare as Batman and Robin (eek!), The Perfect Storm and the Ocean’s movies, he has usually chosen artier films and put quality of material above the paycheck. Clooney likes to surround himself with top tier cast and crew, and I feel that he could be persuaded to team with Depp, who is also an actor that walks a very thin line between art and commerce. The casting of Clooney would be ideal: He has the all American good looks to play the masked avenger (didn’t he already play one of those) and he would make one heck of a dynamic duo with Depp (again, hasn’t he been here before?). Although, the pair are knocking on a bit (both are well into their forties), could the film be about an older and wiser Lone Ranger and Tonto? Time will tell if Clooney does choose the role, and the choice will probably come down to the script. If he does decide to saddle up Silver, we can assume that the film will be a pretty big hit. Johnny Depp and George Clooney in a Bruickheimer-produced The Lone Ranger film could be the first western that has a bigger female attendance than male, and if it’s got that Disney sheen, then the sky is the limit. How long before the title of this thing changes to The Lone Ranger and Tonto? Source: Aintitcool.com | ||
| New Spirit Trailer Still Looks Goofy Posted: 26 Sep 2008 08:07 PM CDT
There is another (and presumbaly, final) trailer for Frank Miller’s movie version of The Spirit. Up until now, everything about his film has looked ridiculous and pretty awful. I will say that this latest trailer is MUCH better than the previous one or the footage shown at Comic-Con this Summer. But don’t take that as a ringing endorsement.
I won’t delay any more… watch the trailer for yourself:
To me, this still looks goofy and cheesy beyond belief. There are a couple of hints of the footage we saw at Comic-Con, but it is (wisely) shown only briefly throughout this trailer. I think this trailer is a reaction to the online reaction to what’s been seen so far, and an attempt to make it look more “serious.” I still don’t buy it. I could turn out wrong, but this looks to me like camp on the level of the old Adam West Batman TV series. I kid you not. I guess we’ll find out soon enough when The Spirit opens on Christmas Day. Source: Moviefone.com This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | ||
| What’s Happening With The Superman Sequel? Posted: 26 Sep 2008 07:33 PM CDT
With the news last month that Warner Brothers planned on rebooting the Superman film franchise, I thought it would be a good time to give an overall status report on everyone’s favorite big blue boy-scout. And let you folks know what’s going on…as of now, at least. First things first, no director or screenwriter(s) have been hired nor are any in negotiations at this time. Warner Brothers is simply looking at a few candidates as potential “feelers.” Nothing more, nothing less.
If there’s anything the studio learned from Superman Returns, it’s that they’re not going to hand over another blank-check to a “big name” director. So more likely than not, the eventual director will be someone who works well with the material, sees eye-to-eye with the approach they’re taking and (most importantly) can be easily controlled by the studio. An example of this would be when Peter Jackson was first hired for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Bryan Singer for X-Men, Sam Raimi for Spider-Man, etc. You get the idea.
The studio isn’t going to spend $150-$200 million (if not more) to produce Smallville: The Movie. Like it or lump it, that’s exactly what it’d be if they went with Welling. Additionally, the failure of X-Files: I Want to Believe this past summer further proved that cult following doesn’t equal mainstream audience. So one can’t argue that Welling would bring in “a big audience” during the opening weekend. I don’t care if you love or hate the idea of him as Superman on the silver screen. He’s not in the running. Sorry, but it ain’t gonna happen. Get over it. Whoever becomes the next Superman/Clark Kent will be an unknown for obvious reasons. For the studio, it’s easy to nab one down to a multi-picture deal (i.e. cheap) and for the filmmakers there won’t be any “baggage” coming into the project with said actor. Now what about Wanted and Kick-Ass creator Mark Millar who’ll tell anyone with a set of ears (and more importantly, a camera) that he wants the writing gig? Well, his claims about “being a Marvel guy” as the reason Warner Bros. rejected his pitch last year are 100% Grade-A B.S. Plain and simple, they hated it. But what of his recent claims of writing an epic Superman trilogy that’s a second away from being greenlit with his phantom “American action director” at the helm? Uh, that would be: no. I don’t doubt his love for Kal-El, and maybe he’s met with a director in the past. But if he was really in the running, he wouldn’t be talking out loud to the press before being heard (again) by the studio.
And Millar wasn’t the only comic-book writer the studio heard pitches from. The likes of Grant Morrison, Mark Waid and Geoff Johns also came in with takes on how to properly revive the franchise. And like Millar, they were shot down. So it’s safe to say they’ll begin hearing from screenwriters again. Quite frankly, I doubt we see Krypton’s last son return to the silver screen for… awhile. They’re currently projecting a 2011 release. The thing is though, Warner Brothers appears to be damn-near booked with arguably the three biggest blockbuster tent-poles for that year: Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows - Part II, Batman III and The Hobbit. They just plain don’t “need” Superman right now. Although it’s definitely a priority to get the Man of Steel back on track. But they can honestly afford to take their sweet time (which they are!). That, and after the reception of Superman Returns, they want to make damned sure this revival film will be something that everyone (i.e. WB, DC, Legendary Pictures, etc.) is 100% behind. But rest assured, Superman will return to the silver screen…eventually! |
As I huge fan of the Lethal Weapon movies, Mel Gibson, Richard Donner and the work of Shane Black, I was excited when news surfaced that Black had penned a treatment for Lethal Weapon 5.
When news broke earlier in the week that Johnny Depp would be playing Tonto in Jerry Bruickheimer’s 
Regarding the big question of casting before anyone asks, the answer is no: Tom Welling will not be Superman. For some of you, take a moment, and let whatever feelings you have about that out of your system.
Furthermore, he’s had a well-documented history of flat-out fabricating news-items just to get himself press (i.e. his claim of “knowing” Jim Caviezel would play Superman in Returns and Eminem “begging” to star in Wanted - both turned out to be bogus rumors that he started!) Therefore… you can’t honestly take him at his word on the matter - especially since there’s been no one to come out and back-up his claims.| You are subscribed to email updates from Screen Rant To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner |
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Posted By Eumen 7i to Celeb Flicker at 9/27/2008 01:02:00 PM
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