Get The Big Picture

Cool New 'Clash of the Titans' Poster

Colin Boyd — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:52:35 +0000

There's a new Clash of the Titans poster from IMP, marking its arrival as a 3-D sword n' sandal movie on April 2nd. I think it's safe to say the Kraken has been released...

Click to Enlarge the Krakren

Our source close to this production swears that 3-D is the way to go. He's seen it and told me weeks before it was made official that a release date change was the only way the studio would go ahead with the technological upgrade. So we'll take his word for it when he says the 3-D will make a vast improvement.

Tim Robbins Sires Peter Sarsgaard in 'Green Lantern'

Colin Boyd — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:18:31 +0000

He was rumored to be in Iron Man 2, but now Tim Robbins is more or less confirmed to co-star in another superhero flick, DC's Green Lantern. He's the latest name to join Ryan Reynolds in the cast, and shooting commences next month in New Orleans, which should almost be done celebrating the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras around then.

Heat Vision Blog indicates Robbins will play Sen. Hammond, father of Peter Sarsgaard's villainous Hector Hammond. And, for no reason at all, there is also a mention of Robbins' work in Howard th Duck, which is really a cheap shot. In addition to Robbins and Sarsgaard, director Martin Campbell has expressed interest in uber-bad guy Mark Strong for the role of Sinestro and Blake Lively will go all van der Woodsen on the role of Carol Ferris, Lantern's main squeeze.

Apropos of nothing, that's a tall cast. Reynolds and Strong are 6' 2", Sarsgaard - perhaps a tad generously - is billed at six feet even, and Lively is 5' 10". Add the 6' 5" Robbins to the mix and I think you can safely say there won't be a Tom Cruise cameo.

'Terminator' Rights Sold for $29.5 Million

Colin Boyd — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:27:47 +0000

We've been following the financial fates of Terminator ever since Halcyon declared bankruptcy late last summer, just two months after the release of Terminator Salvation and only two years after the company acquired those rights for $30 million. Now there's a new sherrif in town, although technically, it's the same sherrif.

Pacificor reportedly swooped in at the last moment and upped the ante to $29.5 million. That was significantly more than Lionsgate initial offer of $15 million plus 5% of future grosses. While the grosses may have played out in Halcyon's favor, beggars can't be choosers and they have a lot of debt.

Curiously, though, most of that debt is already owed to - wait for it - Pacificor, the company that lent producers Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson cash so they could buy Terminator in 2007, and now the proud owner of John and Sarah Connor. What a tangled web we weave.

'24' Movie Looking More and More Likely

Colin Boyd — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:52:27 +0000

24 may not be the consistent ratings powerhouse it was a few years ago, having surrendered that spot on Fox to House in terms of scripted drama, but it still has a very loyal following, one that grows with special episodes, like season premieres and last year's two-hour movie event. So now, it looks like the Jack Bauer feature film is closer than ever.

Entertainment Weekly says that Billy Ray (State of Play, Shattered Glass, Breach) has been contacted to write the script and that he has already pitched a concept to producers. Personally, I'd rather dance with the one that brought me than look outside for writing help, although Ray certainly does well with high-minded political intrigue.

This isn't the first time talk about a 24 movie has come up, although there is apparently legitimate concern that the show won't be back after this season. It's very expensive to shoot and again, ratings aren't what they were, even though it still gets over 10 million households a week for a new episode.

'Jaws' Rebooted? We're Gonna Need a Bigger Reason

Colin Boyd — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:26:24 +0000

I don't enjoy this one at all: Is Universal really planning a remake of Jaws? Oh, eff off.

Here's the story, if you can stand it: Cinema Blend cites a source at the studio as saying da U wants to pursue a 3-D Jaws, apparently blithely unaware that they've already made one of those and it is among the worst studio pictures ever produced, and yet it's still better than Jaws: The Revenge.

The idea is that Tracy Morgan would play the Richard Dreyfuss role in the remake, and that's not exactly worth the wait, either, do you think? We'll see if there's anything to it; right now, this is just "inside sources" and there's been no confirmation from Universal. Who could blame them for not opening up, though. This is pretty shameful.

Soderbergh, Damon Catch a 'Contagion'

Colin Boyd — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:29:10 +0000

It's been an odd few months for Steven Soderbergh. He went from the four-hour bio-pic of Che Guevara to a movie starring a real life porn star (both Sasha Grey and The Girlfriend Experience got good reviews) to being forcibly removed from Moneyball literally hours before cameras were to start rolling to the mini-comeback The Informant! to yet another change of direction.

The Playlist says that Soderbergh is putting on hold another bio-pic (that Liberace movie with Matt Damon and Michael Douglas in the title role), but this time, it seems like a really good reason. Soderbergh is tackling a script by Informant! writer Scott Z. Burns called Contagion. The site reports that the script is a globetrotting action thrilla about a viral outbreak that is described as "terrifying."

That alone might be worth it. But check out the propsed cast: Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, and Jude Law. For a time, Law made just about every movie he was in immediately better. That vanished after he found some success, but I think he's back on track. Damon and Winslet do consistently great work that audiences and critics alike rally behind. Cotillard...if you don't know, now you know. She's the real deal and the only reason to see Nine.

'Get Him To The Greek' Now Opening June 4th

Colin Boyd — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:48:34 +0000

Get Him to the Greek, an off-shoot of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, will arrive in theaters one week earlier than expected. Not a major change, but Box Office Mojo says the comedy will now open on June 4th instead of the 11th.

Why the change? (Shrug) Dunno. It could be a loose combination of factors, such as The Hangover opened in the same slot last year (superstitious studios play that game a lot), it would give Greek an extra seven days before Grown-Ups opens at the end of June, and it's the first male-oriented comedy of the summer, so why put it off any longer than you need to?

Useless Reboot #44: 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith'

Colin Boyd — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:01:00 +0000

Don't shoot the messenger; we just report 'em. Having said that, how in the world can anyone be serious about a reboot of Mr. and Mrs. Smith? It's not even five years old, didn't spawn a sequel, and is so generic by nature that you don't even need to steal the concept. And yet...

Vulture writes that Fox's Regency is piecing together "a quasi-prequel" to the Brangelina flick, although they would not be involved in the new epic. That's primarily an economic decision, since both stars command in the $15 - $20 million range now. Then again, Little Fockers has three contracts that size, so there you go.

The idea is simple enough: Keep the brand and people will come back for more. However, this is like New Coke to me. The formula Fox had the first time was just about perfect, and good luck finding a better tandem with broiling sexual chemistry with two other stars people are already interested in seeing. The truth is, chemistry can't be bought and it can't be manufactured. It either is or it isn't. Brad and Angelina have plenty of it and always have.

Marvel Adding Team of Heroes to 'Captain America'

Colin Boyd — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:11:15 +0000

This stuff really isn't rocket surgery, so why is it that so many potential blockbusters seem to be handcuffed by overthinking the process? If you're going to give us a Captain America movie, give us Captain America. And if you have to call it The First Avenger: Captain America because you're building to a greatest hits movie the next summer featuring other Avengers...don't put even more superheroes in Cap's first movie.

We found out over the weekend that, for some reason, Steve Rogers has to join the USO in order to wear his American flag-inspired outfit. I don't understand it, either: Lee Effing Greenwood can wear this tasteless leather monstrosity whenever he wants, but a super soldier has to join a song-and-dance group? Pointless.

Now here's worse news: CHUD reports that Marvel is so keen to introduce The Invaders in Captain America that they're essentially going to dominate half the movie. Director Joe Johnston confirmed as much, saying The Invaders are "in the entire second half," and that there will be six of them fighting alongside Cap in the WWII-period action flick. Six? As in more than five? Then why the hell do you need Captain America? Doesn't he have troops to entertain with Betty Grable and Bob Hope?

Trailer - Colin Farrell in Neil Jordan's 'Ondine'

Colin Boyd — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:27:45 +0000

It's been a while since I enjoyed a Neil Jordan film. The Brave One had its moments, but it was better in theory, ditto Breakfast on Pluto. I was at the Toronto premiere of The Good Thief, which wasn't terribly arresting, and actually, I think my favorite of his might have to be Mona Lisa, which is nearly 25 years old.

The odd thing is, I always kind of figured Jordan was one of those directors who made really good movies, and then I looked at his list of movies...it's really not that inspiring. Air Jordan is back with another one, the mermaid drama Ondine.

And yes, "mermaid drama" means exactly what you'd think it means, and is not some euphemism for a fish-out-of-water story. Although, come to think of it, that probably applies, too. But it's a mermaid, all right, and in the role of Tom Hanks: Colin Farrell.