Sci-Fi Movies Monday: Cabin in the Woods, Paranormal Activity, Predators, Spider-Man 4, Venom + more October 12, 2009
by Rosario T. Calabria , Filed under: Sci-Fi , trackback
This week’s Sci-Fi Movies columns features updates on Sony’s Spider-Man 4 and Venom spinoff, casting news for Robert Rodriguez’s Predators, Bryan Singer expressing interest in returning to the X-Men franchise and more, including the latest casting bites, images and videos.
GENRE MOVIE NEWS
Sam Raimi Wants To Start Shooting Spider-Man 4 in March 2010
"Spider-Man 4" director Sam Raimi told MTV that he hopes to begin shooting the fourth film in the popular franchise by March 2010: "We’re hoping that it’s the first week in March,” said Raimi. In the interim, Raim says that pre-production is underway, with screenwriter Gary Ross putting in a rewrite on a new draft after receiving notes from Raimi:
“The production is starting to come together,” Raimi told us. “I’ve got a production designer who is starting to design the sets and the environments that the picture will take place in. We just brought aboard Scott Stokdyk as one of the two visual effects supervisors, and I worked with him on all three ‘Spider-man’ pictures.”
"Spider-Man 4" is scheduled to hit theaters on May 6, 2011.
Gary Ross Hired to Write And Direct Venom
Speaking of Gary Ross, Columbia Pictures hopes to continue their relationship with the writer. Ross has been signed to rewrite "Venom" and will also direct the project. According to Variety, the character "will be transformed into an anti-hero who becomes a defender of the innocent". Columbia Pictures owns the rights to the character and villains in his universe in perpetuity, so their not limited by the recent Disney acquisition of Marvel Entertainment. Topher Grace portrayed the character in 2007’s Spider-Man 3, but isn’t locked in for the role, with the studio looking to go back to the drawing board with the spinoff.
Paranormal Activity Will Expand Nationwide on October 16th
As we noted last week, if Paramount Pictures received 1 million Demands to get "Paranormal Activity" shown in their market, they would open the film nationwide. Well it didn’t take long for fans to respond, and the film hit the demand goal and Paramount Pictures has announced that after two weeks of limited (but high grossing) release, the film will open nationwide beginning Friday, October 16th. Tickets will go on sale at ParanormalMovie.com by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13th. If you’ve already "Demanded" the film, you’ll get a first-alert e-mail:
"From the very beginning, we put this film in the hands of the fans and we trusted them to tell us where and when it should be seen. We couldn’t be more thrilled by their overwhelming support and we are happy to release the film in every town – big and small," said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures.
The clever marketing campaign has worked wonders for Paramount. It expanded to 160 theaters this weekend (up from 33 the week prior) and managed an extraordinary $7.9 million for an incredible $49,379 per screen average and a total of $9.11 million since it began midnight-only screenings on September 25th. It broke the record for highest-grossing weekend ever for a movie playing at less than 200 theaters ("Platoon": 3.7M at 174 locations).
- Sept. 25-27 — $77,873 from 12 (midnight-only) theaters ($6,489/screen)
- Oct. 2-4 — $532,242 from 33 (midnight-only) theaters ($16,129/screen)
- Oct. 9-11 — $7,900,695 from 160 (all-day) theaters ($49,379/screen)
Adrien Brody and Topher Grace Join Predators
Adrien Brody ("King Kong") has been cast as the lead character in the Robert Rodriguez-produced/Nimrod Natal-directed reboot "Predators". At the time of the signing, Topher Grace was in negotiations to join the project but has now been confirmed. Here’s a character breakdown of Brody’s character and the rest of the cast (Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Walt Goggins, Oleg Taktarov and Danny Trejo):
Brody is a man who ends up inheriting the mantle of leader and is known as a hunter of men. Grace would play an accountant-type whose unassuming facade masks a dangerous serial killer.
Braga is the tough female killer. Ali is a man not afraid to die, Goggins is the loose canon of the group and Taktarov is a former Russian special ops agent.
Trejo, already cast, is Cuchillo, a hardened warrior with twin uzis strapped to his back.
"Predators" will begin shooting in Hawaii next month and then moves to Austin, Texas with a release date set for July 9, 2010.
Bryan Singer Wants to Return to X-Men
Speaking at the Pusan International Film Festival on Sunday, Bryan Singer again expressed his desire to return to the "X-Men" franchise:
"I’m still looking to possibly returning to the ‘X-Men’ franchise. I’ve been talking to Fox about it," Singer said. "I love Hugh Jackman. I love the cast," he added.
Singer directed the first two films ("X-Men" and "X2: X-Men United") but departed the franchise before the third ("X-Men: The Last Stand") was released so that he could make "Superman Returns" for Warner Bros. ‘The Last Stand’ was instead directed by Brett Ratner.
NEW IMAGES
The Lovely Bones
Posters [MovieWeb]
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Promotional posters [more at Sci Fi Scoop]
Toy Story 3
Hamm and Jamie character posters [SlashFilm and ComingSoon]
Four more posters at MySpace (Rex), AICN (Slinky), Moviefone (Woody) and SpoilerTV-Movies (Buzz)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Stills [more at SpoilerTV-Movies]
CASTING BITES
- Two casting calls have gone out for "Thor". The first is looking for a group of people to play Warriors, a "fearless warrior race, where size, strength and ferocity define a member’s rank in both the social and military hierarchy."… [SpoilerTV-Movies]
- …While the second is looking for an actress–aged 20–to play Marcy Lewis, an "Aloof, jaded beyond her years" college student. [SpoilerTV-Movies]
- Rock band Anvil recently filmed a cameo for Michel Gondry’s "The Green Hornet". In the scene, the band explode while playing in a rock band. [LA Times]
NEW VIDEOS
2012
Theatrical trailer #2
TV Spot: "Warned Us"
Featurette: "VFX: Tidal Waves"
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Domestic trailer
Toy Story 3
Trailer #1
Where the Wild Things Are
Behind-the-scenes with the cast and crew
MOVIE BITES
- The UTA client agency has taken on World Event Productions — the U.S. rights-holder of Voltron — as a client. [THR]
- Sony Screen Gems has released the full plot synopsis for "Resident Evil: Afterlife (in 3D)". Here’s a snipit (read it in full at the source link): "Her [Milla Jovovich's Alice] deadly battle with the Umbrella Corporation reaches new heights, but Alice gets some unexpected help from an old friend. A new lead that promises a safe haven from the Undead leads them to Los Angeles, but when they arrive the city is overrun by thousands of Undead and Alice and her comrades are about to step into a deadly trap." [Sony Screen Gems via ComingSoon]
- Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman discuss their adaptation of Scott Mitchell Rosenberg’s comic book "Cowboys & Aliens". [SCI FI Wire]
- The duo also discussed their work on a film based on the View-Master toy: "What I’ll say is that some toys should be movies and some toys should not be movies, and I’d like to believe we know the difference between those things. The movies that work, work when there’s a story there that you could take the toy out of. But then, when you put the toy in, it becomes an even more amazing experience, for whatever reason," said Kurtzman. [io9]
- James Horner’s score to James Cameron’s "Avatar" is described as being as "epic" as the film and "hugely cinematic", according to Mike Knobloch, the executive vice president of Fox Music. [MovieScore via io9]
- Legendary Pictures has picked up the rights to the Warren Ellis-written comic book series "Gravel". Ellis will write the initial draft of the screenplay and serve as executive producer on the project. [Variety]
- Michael Dougherty is interested in a sequel to his recent straight-to-DVD release "Trick ‘r Treat" and revealed that he already has some of the proposed sequel mapped out, including how it would end. [MTV]
- “Mute”, Duncan Jones’ follow-up to “Moon”, is "mired in financing difficulties", but the director says that he is none-the-less encouraged that the film will ultimately come together and sees the difficulties as a good sign: ”Every problem,” he points out like a scientist happily positing a theorem, ”is proof that we’re planning a movie very different from the norm.” [The Age via io9]
- "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" is based, in part, on author Tim Powers novel "On Stranger Tides", which Disney optioned two and a half years ago. The film’s story will be about Blackbeard and the Fountain of Youth. [LA Times' Hero Complex Blog and Empire]
- "The Flash" screenwriter Dan Mazeau says that the project "is moving forward as planned", adding "I’m still writing the script. Geoff Johns is still consulting. Flash fans have no cause for concern, and — IMO — lots to be excited about." [IGN]
- MGM Studios has pushed back the release of “The Cabin in the Woods” from Joss Whedon (co-writer) and Drew Goddard (co-writer and director) to January 14, 2011. The film was originally scheduled to hit theaters on Feburary 5, 2010. The extended delay will allow for MGM to convert the film to 3D. [Shock Till You Drop]
- The "Warcraft" movie has received an official name. The Sam Raimi-helmed project is now called "Warcraft: The Rise of the Lich King". [MTV]
- Roland Emmerich (“2012″) is planning a trilogy of movies based on Isaac Asimov’s "Foundation" series of books. Emmerich also said he’s aware of fans being concerned that he’s taking on the material, but wants to assure him he’ll treat it right. [SCI FI Wire]
- There’s now confirmation that Ivan Reitman is definitely attached to "Ghostbusters III". Reitman is the studio’s choice to direct the project, but he hasn’t decided if he really wants to do it. In related news, the sequel reportedly "takes place when the paranormal researchers "reopen their ghost removal service after it has been closed for quite a few years". [Bloody-Disgusting]
Follow Russ on his blog: Your Entertainment Now and on Twitter: Twitter.com/YourEntNow.
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Comments»
Casting Adrian Brody in the new Predator movie is completely unexpected, and I think it’s a smart move. An Academy-Award winning actor brings a lot more credibility to the production, and further distances it from the AVP movies.
Ah, the long-awaited Toy Story 3. I remember seeing the first one when I was just a kid. Now I’m off at college….
2012 is just as much a comedy as ID4 was.
So yes. Ever seen Moon 44? Hilarious, I tell you. Emerich is comedy gold.
Whoever created those Parnassus movie poster should be shot as a warning against bad Photoshop
…ok that’s a tad severe, but *still*.
@CmdrR just wait until vampires are old news and its time for the mummies to make a comeback… http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/10/12/
Oh, and by the way, either Gilliam was trippin’ balls or that’s a
HUGE MAD WRATH OF KHAN REFERENCE
in the costuming around :14 of the trailer.
Isaac Asimov’s ‘Foundation?’ a series of movies? FINALLY!!! (if it is done right, I’ll be in heaven)… and if Mr. Emmerich treats it with the respect it so richly deserves, it should be a great cinematic experience!
Now if only Mr. Spielberg would get it in gear for his proposed remake of ‘When Worlds Collide!’ uh, and its sequel ‘After Worlds Collide’ would make an awesome series on SyFy (hint hint).
I welcome Bryan Singer’s desire to continue the ‘X-Men’ franchise. His directorial sense for that material is spot-on.
@ 8. Yea. I really hope he comes back for a fourth x-men movie. I really wanna see Bryan Singer ‘wrath of khan’ the fourth x-men movie, as he always loves to tell the media.
Emmerich better not lay his fingers on Foundation
It’s good to see they’re starting Spidey 4 – before the
original cast is using canes to get around…LAL
(laugh a little). Hope they have an original story
line instead of the same ol’ “Mary Jane gets kidnapped
because she loves Peter Parker” thing. Done in all
three movies, by the way.
Oops….that’s Jessie on the TS3 poster, not Jammie.
[...] this article: Sci-Fi Movies Monday: Cabin in the Woods, Paranormal Activity … Tagged as: bryan-singer, casting-news, columns-features, expressing-interest, franchise-and, [...]
Oh. My. God. Venom is NOT a hero, anti or not, EVER. Lame move guys. Lame move.
@4
ahhh no thats not too harsh those are craptacular
Thank god about Bryan singer. X-3 was shit compared to the first two. You can tell when a director is passionate about a project or when their just there for the money
2012 looks an eyesore !!! Come on Toy Story 3 !!!
#7 – I don’t know, I can’t shake the feeling that it seems like he ditched to “cheat” (I know it’s a metaphorical stretch, but forgive me) on the X-Men franchise in mid-project AFTER hundreds of millions in commitments from TWO major American studios, only to achieve marginal global market success and iffy-to-less domestic success. Even THAT wouldn’t be so bad if the results on BOTH projects didn’t end on a lot of lackluster, “we-saw-it-done-better-when-Donner-did-it” writing on the Superman end of things paired up with the “half-the-cast-ditched-with-Singer-and-now-it’s-a-Ratner-game-of-fill-the-plot-holes-bingo” writing on the X-Men end.
While I wholeheartedly agree with you that his command of the X-Men material (especially the iconic X2) is certainly bar-none, I think a lot of the stigma generated from much of the above paragraphs sentiments is going to be one hell of an entrant barrier to any attempt Singer makes at landing another X-Men, OR Superman, directorial seat in future.
Should Singer pull it off, I wouldn’t be disappointed, but I WOULD be quite surprised ~ either way, we’ll certainly see how all that plays out!
- 24CRS
# Ivan Reitman is attached to direct “Ghostbusters III”. Although he’s attached to the project, Reitman hasn’t decided if he wants to direct the film.
_______
…Noticed that info there is a little off.
If he’s attached to direct, why is he still deciding if he wants to “direct”?
__________
And if the director of Independence Day and Godzilla doesn’t want Foundation fans to worry, he’s going to have to be more specific about why it’s okay that he’s doing this. You can’t just say “don’t worry about it” and expect folks to say, “okay” and trust him. Asimov said himself, “my books are people talking to each other”. This guys scrips are 90% action and 10% characters asking other characters if they’re okay.
When we were all worried about Star Trek, we were worried it would end up like one of his movies.
“Foundation” … finally
@ 5
Both designs are probably based on traditional inuit snow goggles.
Like these: http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Clubs/socia/web_items/old_index2/images/inuit_large.jpg
I didn’t hate X3, I just felt that the A and B plots clashed and Famke didn’t get to make anything of what could have been a great role. I actually liked the make up of the Xteam best in ths film. If Singer had been involved, I think he could have made a much better film with more of a vibe akin the X1 detailing her descent into madness more fully. The Proteus plot with his reality bending psychic vampire would have made a great B story too.
The Wolverine prequel plot was so-so – they tried too hard to fill in the blanks instead of telling a decent story. It was a superficial, violent popcorn movie.
I really think that they should do an X4 Marauders Massacre. It’s the ideal plot to nobble some Xmen (Kitty, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Angel) and introduce some replacements from the reserves (Havok, Polaris, English version of Psylocke) or the refugees (e.g. Dazzler). They could even mix and match plots with Scrambler removing Storm’s powers or perhaps Rogue somehow nobbling Carol Danvers/Ms Marvel.
Plus the incidents in the Massacre (Angel & Plague’s rescue) lead into the introduction of the 4 Horsemen of Apocolypse in X5, possibly even paving the way for resurrected Cyclops and Jean (by way of Sinister) and the introduction of Cable in X6. I like to plan ahead. Get me Singer’s phone number!
There is no character I know of in Toy Story called Jamie. And Jamie is boy’s name anyway! Jessie. Not Jamie.
15
“You can tell when a director is passionate about a project or when their just there for the money
or has the time and talent. The only thing I’ll say in his defense (Brett Ratner) is he was put on it very late. I just don’t beleive he has vision or talent
#21 – “Nobble”???
#18 — Cleaned that up a bit.
Basically he’s attached to the project (at the moment as a director), but he may not ultimately direct (even though he’ll be involved in some capacity regardless).
I think Jamie is the name of the little brother in “Toy Story.”
The trailer looks promising for TS3, I’m getting flashes of Maggie breaking out of daycare in that one Simpsons episode while watching it.
Singer coming back to X-men now? I think it’s too late. He never should have left. He left and as a result we got a crappy X-men 3, crappy Superman movie, and a bleh Wolverine movie. He should have stayed on the whole time and forced out quality product, but instead he wants to come back to pick up the scraps.
2012 looks like fun destruction. And “Where the Wild Things Are” looks like pure delight. Not sure about “Dr. Parnassas.” Terry Gilliam’s direction is very hit and miss with me, though I do want to see Ledger’s last performance.
X3 wasn’t bad. I think it gets a bad rap.
Yes, if you look at ID4 as a tongue-in-cheek comedy, it’s brilliant. If you look at it as “serious” sci-fi, it’s horrible. I remember seeing it on the 4th and the crowd going absolutely insane over it. Not to mention, David Arnold’s score has become a modern classic.
Now 2012… I have my doubts it will succeed at all. Great visuals, but so what?
#5
Those are just snow glasses
Hmmm-yeh Roland Emmerich is kinda like michael bay-he does big movies with action n not much character development and plot holes big enuf to fly starships thru–does NOT sound like a good match with Asimovs foundation to me-he tells us not to worry?Well i am-sigh-You know what I would like to see–ee doc smiths lensman and skylark series made into movies or animated-bryan singer–never shoulda left the x-men–i dont think he would have allowed most of the cast to be killed off like in x3 and it was done so poorly as well–the phoenix saga was dumbed down to a bad carrie remake kinda story–the only good moments in the whole movie was the ending with Wolvie healing as Phoenix was trying to kill him, and Kelsey Grammer as the beast which was brilliant-woulda loved to see more of him in a movie—bryan singer did nothing with superman returns except pay homage to superman the movie, he kept reminding us how great that movie was without making the new movie good-he even re-used lines of dialogue from the old supes movie-i kept thinking yah those lines were great-how about thinking up some great dialogue or great anything for this movie? but he never did–
If Bryan Singer making X4 puts a stop to the Battlestar Galactica film, I’m all for it!!
Where is news about Independence Day 2?
2012 is made for weak mineded people who believes in a imaginary fairies.
The pics from Toy Story 3 should read Hamm and Jessie (not Jamie). I loved the first one when it was released when I was in the 7th Grade. My son is now a HUGE fan of both of them and I can’t wait to take him to see the 3rd when it’s released.
#29 – Count me in for a Lensman film adaptation any day of the week! It’s such a shame that the all-time greats take such a beating when they hit Hollywood though – it’s kind of a mixed bag really. You almost NEED a heavy-hitting project leader like an Emmerich, Bruckheimer, J.J. Abrams or even Verhoven for the studios to take it seriously enough to put the big bucks behind, but then there’s that dreaded chance that too much of the source material may wind up transmuted into something that only favors the personal styles of said project head.
Hahaha! Could you imagine “Michael Bay’s Lensman”
Starring: Ben Affleck as Kimball Kinnison and Liv Tyler as Clarissa McDougal with Samuel L. Jackson as Virgil Samms
Like, two-thirds of the movie would feature Liv Tyler in a busy control room crying while watching live footage of the rest of the movie!
-24thCRS!
hah hah 24th century rockstar i hear ya-re Lensman the movie–then again the Green Lantern comic borrowed heavily from Lensman anyway n that is being made into a movie-Also i gotta admit that ee smiths work while brilliant cuz he was the first to come up with the space opera concept not to mention tons of details/concepts to go with it that his writing style was kinda similar to a michael bay/roland emmerich big concepts without a lot of depth so maybe yer suggestions not too far off heheh
@13: “Venom is not a hero!”
See the comic series “Venom: Lethal Protector.” :-P