Showing posts with label Shawn Levy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shawn Levy. Show all posts

Sunday, December 11, 2022

A "Star Wars" Link-o-Rama 2022 by Negromancer - Update #47

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon.

NEWS AND RUMORS

MARVEL COMICS - From BleedingCool:  The site has news on Marvel Comics' 2023 plans for its line of "Star Wars" comic books.

FUTURE - From Deadline:   After he is finished directing "Deadpool 3" and working on the final episodes of Netflix's "Stranger Things," Shawn Levy will reportedly direct a "Star Wars" film for Lucasfilm.

ANDOR - From CBR:  Season 2 of "Star Wars: Andor" begins production Monday, Nov. 21, 2022.

FUTURE - From THR:  Apparently, Damon Lindelof ("Lost," "Watchmen") and rising screenwriting star, Justin Britt-Gibson, are writing a Star Wars movie set after the 2015-19 sequel trilogy.  Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is reportedly set to direct. December 2025 is apparently the earliest date the film would arrive.

EPISODE VI - From SFGate:   The artist Marilee Heyer helped create the look for Princess Leia in "Return of the Jedi," and she wants to finally get credit and recognition.

DARTH VADER - From ScreenRant:  Actor James Earl Jones has apparently retired as the voice of Darth Vader, which has been performing since the original film, "Star Wars" (1977).  He has assigned his voice rights to Lucasfilm and Ukranian A.I. audio company, Respeecher.

ANDOR - From RollingStone:  Showrunner Tony Gilroy and stars Diego Luna and Genevieve O’Reilly tell "Rolling Stone" why the latest Disney+ show, "Star Wars: Andor," paves new ground for the saga.

ROGUE SQUADRON - From TheWrap:  Director Patty Jenkins' "Star Wars" film, "Rogue Squadron," has pulled from Disney's release schedule.  The film was due for Dec. 2023.

TALES OF THE JEDI - From Variety:  D23 Expo reveals the six-episode first season of the new animated Star Wars series, "Tales of the Jedi."  Each episode will be 15 minutes long and will debut October 26th on Disney+.

From TheWrap:  D23 reveals new footage from "The Mandalorian" Season 3 and Baby Yoda/Grogu is back.

THE ACOLYTE - From Deadline:  "Squid Game" star, Lee Jung-jae, will play the male lead in the Disney+ "Star Wars" series, "The Acolyte."

THE LAST JEDI - From IGN:  Director Rian Johnson says he's "even more proud" of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" on its fifth anniversary than he was when it first came out.

JOHN BOYEGA - From VarietyJohn Boyea, who plays "Finn" in "Star Wars" Episodes VII to IX, says that he is done with the franchise.

ANDOR - From Deadline:  The "Rogue One" spinoff, "Andor," has a new trailer.  It will debut on Disney+ on Sept. 21st, 2022 with the premiere of the first three episodes.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Star Wars" titles for October 2022 are revealed.

DISNEY+ - From DeadlineAmandla Stenberg ("The Hate U Give") is reportedly playing the lead the upcoming "Star Wars" streaming series, "The Acolyte."  The Disney+ series will be set during the final days of the "High Republic" era.

COLLECTIBLES - From Gizmodo:  EFX Collectibles is showing off its animatronic Baby Yoda/Grogu.  Article includes a YouTube link.

FANDOM - From Variety:  Actor Simon Pegg says "Star Wars" fandom is the "most toxic at the moment."

STAR WARS - From IndieWire:  "A Nightmare on Elm Street" star, Robert Englund, talks about helping his friend Mark Hamill land an audition for "Star Wars."

SKELETON CREW - From Deadline:  Oscar-nominee Jude Law will headline a Disney+ Star Wars series, entitled "Skeleton Crew."  The series is from "Spider-Man" director, Jon Watts, and writer, Christopher Ford.

OBI-WAN - From ScreenRant:  The "Star Wars" Twitter feed takes on social media racism in defending "Obi-Wan Kenobi" actress, Moses Ingram, who plays the Imperial Inquisitor, "Reva Sevander."

EPISODE V - From THR:  The late Irwin Kershner, the director of "The Empire Strikes Back," had the perfect retort for those who complained about the film's ending. The film opened to U.S. theaters 42 years ago yesterday, May 21st.

OBI-WAN - From VanityFair:   The magazine gets a behind-the-scenes look at three upcoming Disney+ "Star Wars series from Lucasfilm, "Obi-Wan Kenobi," "Andor," and "Ahsoka."

THE ACOLYTE - From WeGotThisCovered:  The site has production and story details and more on "Star Wars: The Acolyte," the Star Wars project from "Russian Doll" co-creator Leslye Headland.

OBI-WAN - From Variety:  The release date of "Obi-Wan Kenobi" has been moved from Wednesday, May 25th to two days later, Friday, May 27th.  However, Disney+ will release the first two episodes that day rather than just release the first episode as planned.

From EWHayden Christensen gives an interview to "Entertainment Weekly" and says that it is a great honor to put the "Darth Vader" suit back on for the new series, "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

THE MANDALORIAN - From THR:  Actor Christopher Lloyd (the "Back to the Future" series) will guest star in the third season of the Disney+ series, "The Mandalorian."  There is currently no release date for the series' return.

OBI-WAN - From THR:  At one point, "Obi-Wan Kenobi's" production was halted and the show was overhauled.  Reportedly, one of the characters that did not make it to the revamped story is Darth MaulRay Park who played the character in "Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace," had returned to play the character, but his scenes were reportedly cut.

From Deadline:  Disney has unleashed the first trailer for "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

From EW:  The magazine has exclusive first-look photos from the Disney+ series, "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

From EW:  Get a first look at Ewan McGregor as "Obi-Wan Kenobi" on the April 2022 cover of "Entertainment Weekly," the last print issue of the magazine (after 32 years) before it becomes an all-digital media brand.

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OBITS - From Deadline:  In 1973, Alan Ladd, Jr., then head of 20th Century Fox, signed a deal with George Lucas to write and direct "Star Wars," died at the age of 84, Wednesday, March 2, 2022.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  A preview of 3 covers and 6 interior pages from Marvel's "Star Wars: The High Republic #15," which is due in comic shops March 2nd, 2022.

THE MANDALORIAN - From StarWarsMarvel Comics has announced a comic book adaptation of the Disney" series, "The Mandalorian."  The eight issue series will adapt each of the first season's eight episodes.  Rodney Barnes ("Killadelphai") will write and Georges Jeanty will draw.

OBI-WAN KENOBI - From Variety: Legendary film music composer and Oscar-winning "Star Wars" music master, John Williams, is writing the theme music for the Disney+ series, "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

From Variety:  The next Disney+ "Star Wars" series has a premiere date.  "Obi-Wan Kenobi" will premiere May 25th, 2022, which is also the 45th anniversary of the premier of the original "Star Wars" (1977).

AHSOKA - From THR:  Actor Ray Stevenson of the History Channel's "Vikings," has joined the cast of the Disney+/Lucasfilm series, "Ahsoka."

LUKE SKYWALKER - From Esquire:   "The Unbridled and Mildly Horrifying Evolution of CGI Luke Skywalker" by Brady Langmann.  And he has a synthesized voice.

MARVEL COMICS - From StarWars:  "Star Wars: Obi-Wan" is a new five-issue miniseries that will launch in May and is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Ario Anindito.

From BleedingCool:  The site has a 7-cover; 6-page preview of "Star Wars: Crimson Reign #2," which is due Wed., Feb. 2nd.

From BleedingCool:  The site has a 5-cover, 6-page preview of "Star Wars: The Halcyon Legacy #1," which is due Wed., Feb. 2nd.

From BleedingCool:  The site has a 3-cover, 5-page preview of "Star Wars: The High Republic: Trail of Shadows #4," which is due shops on Wed., Jan. 26th.
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AHSOKA - From THR:  Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead is joining Rosario Dawson and Hayden Christensen in the budding cast of the Disney+/Lucasfilm series, "Ahsoka."

From THRHayden Christensen will reprise his role of "Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader" in the Disney+/Lucasfilm live-action series, "Ahsoka."

MARVEL COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Here is a look at Marvel Comics' "Star Wars" comic book solicitations for April 2022.

BOBA FETT - From IGN:  "The Book of Boba Fett" star Temuera Morrison talks about filming that "Sarlacc pit scene" from the first episode of the series.

MARVEL COMICS - From BleedingCool:  In March 2022, writer Marc Guggenheim and artist David Messina launch a new ongoing "Star Wars" comic book, "Han Solo & Chewbacca."

EPISODE VI - From Deadline: "Return of the Jedi" is among 25 films that the Library of Congress has added to the "National Film Registry" for 2021.

COMIC BOOK NEWS:

From ComicBook:  A preview of Marvel Comics' "Star Wars: Crimson Reign #4" (April 27th) featuring the Knights of Ren.

From BleedingCool:  Here is a list of "Star Wars" related comic book titles shipping from Marvel in July 2022

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STAR WARS Movie Reviews:

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars"
From Negromancer:  "The Empire Strikes Back"
From Negromancer:  "Return of the Jedi"

From Negromancer:   "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Force Awakens
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008 animated film)
From Negromancer:  "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"
From Negromancer:  "Solo: A Star Wars Story" 

I Reads You "Star Wars Central" comics and graphic novel review page is here.

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Sunday, February 26, 2017

"Moonlight" Wins "Best Picture of 2016" Oscar

Best Picture

Nominees
Arrival - Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Aaron Ryder and David Linde, Producers

Fences - Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington and Todd Black, Producers

Hacksaw Ridge - Bill Mechanic and David Permut, Producers

Hell or High Water - Carla Hacken and Julie Yorn, Producers

Hidden Figures - Donna Gigliotti, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Pharrell Williams and Theodore Melfi, Producers

La La Land - Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz and Marc Platt, Producers

Lion - Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Angie Fielder, Producers

Manchester by the Sea - Matt Damon, Kimberly Steward, Chris Moore, Lauren Beck and Kevin J. Walsh, Producers

Moonlight - Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers - WINNER


Monday, January 30, 2017

2017 Producers Guild Awards Name "La La Land," "Atlanta" Among Its Top Winners

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) describes itself as “the non-profit trade group that represents, protects and promotes the interests of all members of the producing team in film, television and new media.” Film fans know the organization because of its annual PGA Awards.

All 2017 Producers Guild Award winners were announced on Saturday, January 28, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. This year, the Producers Guild presented special honors to Tom Rothman (Milestone Award), James L. Brooks (Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television), Irwin Winkler (David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures), the feature film Loving (Stanley Kramer Award), and Megan Ellison (Visionary Award).

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
La La Land
Producers: Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz, Marc Platt

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
Zootopia
Producer: Clark Spencer

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:
• O.J.: Made in America
Producers: Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow

The television nominees are:

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:
*The Long-Form Television category encompasses both movies of the week and mini-series.

The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (Season 1)
Producers: Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, D.V. DeVincentis, Anthony Hemingway, Alexis Martin Woodall, John Travolta, Chip Vucelich

The Award for Outstanding Sports Program:
* The PGA does not vet the individual of sports programs and the winning production will be recognized at the official ceremony on January 28th.

VICE World of Sports (Season 1)

The Award for Outstanding Digital Series:
* The PGA does not vet the individual producers of digital series and the winning production will be recognized at the official ceremony on January 28th.

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (Season 7, Season 8)

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:
Stranger Things (Season 1)
Producers: Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, Iain Paterson

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:
Atlanta (Season 1)
Producers: Donald Glover, Dianne McGunigle, Paul Simms, Hiro Murai, Alex Orr

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:
Making a Murderer (Season 1)
Producers: Laura Ricciardi, Moira Demos

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television:
The Voice (Season 9-11)
Producers: Audrey Morrissey, Jay Bienstock, Mark Burnett, John de Mol, Chad Hines, Lee Metzger, Kyra Thompson, Mike Yurchuk, Amanda Zucker, Carson Daly

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (Season 3)
Producers: Tim Carvell, John Oliver, Liz Stanton

The Award for Outstanding Children’s Program:
* The PGA does not vet the individual producers of children’s programs and the winning production will be recognized at the official ceremony on January 28th.

• Sesame Street (Season 46)

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Friday, December 2, 2016

"Arrival" Arrives at $100 Million Mark in Worldwide Box Office

ACCLAIMED FILM “ARRIVAL” REACHES $100 MILLION WORLDWIDE

HOLLYWOOD, CA - Paramount Picture’s ARRIVAL from director Denis Villeneuve and starring Academy Award®-nominees Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, has reached $100 million at the worldwide box office.  The film has grossed $65.777M in the US and Canada, and $35.123M internationally, thru Thursday.  Paramount Pictures handled distribution in the US and Canada, with FilmNation Entertainment as the international sales agent for all territories.

The acclaimed film received 10 nominations on Thursday from the Critics Choice Awards, including for Best Picture, Director, Actress and Adapted Screenplay and was recently named to the National Board of Review’s Top Films of 2016. The film’s star Amy Adams recently received the National Board of Review’s Best Actress award and was honored by the 2016 Gotham Independent Film Awards with a career achievement honor.

In its third week of release, ARRIVAL has earned $65.777M to date at more than 2,400 locations in the US and Canada. The Atlantic called it, "The best film of the year, ambitious in conception and extraordinary in execution."

Now entering the fourth week of release in the UK via distributor eOne, ARRIVAL has grossed £7.73M or $9.6M as of Thursday. The film has surpassed the lifetime cume of PRISONERS (£7.33M) and SICARIO (£4.96M), and is now the highest grossing title for director Denis Villeneuve in the UK.

Now entering the third week of release in Spain,where the film is being released by Sony Pictures Releasing International, ARRIVAL has grossed EUR 2.37M or $2.54M as of Thursday. The film has already surpassed the lifetime cume of PRISONERS (EUR 2.08M) and SICARIO (EUR 1.79M), and is now the highest grossing title for Villeneuve in Spain.

ARRIVAL is entering its fourth week in Australia, where the film is being released by Roadshow grossing AUD 5.77M or $4.44M as of Thursday. The film has surpassed the lifetime cume of SICARIO (AUD 5.36M) and PRISONERS (AUD 3.84M), and is now the highest grossing title for Villeneuve in Australia.

When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team - led by expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) - is brought together to investigate.  As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers – and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.

ARRIVAL stars Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Mark O’Brien. . From Paramount Pictures in association with FilmNation Entertainment, Lava Bear Films and 21 Laps Entertainment Production.  Produced by Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Aaron Ryder and David Linde.  Based on the story, “Story of Your Life” written by Ted Chiang, with screenplay by Eric Heisserer. Directed by Denis Villeneuve.


About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

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Wednesday, October 7, 2015

New Line Cinema Filming "Fist Fight" with Ice Cube and Charlie Day

Ice Cube and Charlie Day Square Off in the New Line Cinema Comedy “Fist Fight,” Now in Production

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Production is now underway on location in Atlanta, Georgia, on New Line Cinema’s comedy “Fist Fight,” starring Ice Cube and Charlie Day as high school teachers prepared to solve their differences the hard way. The film is being directed by Richie Keen (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”).

On the last day of the year, mild-mannered high school English teacher Andy Campbell (Charlie Day) is trying his best to keep it together amidst senior pranks, a dysfunctional administration and budget cuts that put jobs on the line. But things go from bad to worse when he accidentally crosses his much tougher and deeply feared colleague, Ron Strickland (Ice Cube), who challenges Campbell to an old-fashioned throwdown after school. News of the fight spreads like wildfire and ends up becoming the very thing this school, and Campbell, needed.

“Fist Fight” also stars Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”), Jillian Bell (“22 Jump Street”), Dean Norris (“Breaking Bad”), Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”), Dennis Haysbert (“The Unit”), and JoAnna Garcia Swisher (“The Astronaut Wives Club”).

The screenplay is written by Evan Susser & Van Robichaux (Funny or Die’s “What’s Going On? With Mike Mitchell”). “Fist Fight” is produced by Shawn Levy, Max Greenfield, and John Rickard. Serving as executive producers are Charlie Day, Ice Cube, Dan Cohen, Billy Rosenberg, and Marty Ewing.

Keen’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Eric Edwards (“Knocked Up”), production designer Chris Cornwell (“Ride Along,” “The Wedding Ringer”), editor Matthew Freund (Comedy Central’s “The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail”) and costume designer Denise Wingate (“Wedding Crashers”).

Principal photography will be take place primarily in and around Atlanta.

A New Line Cinema presentation, “Fist Fight” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

"Real Steel" Has Real Heart

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux


Real Steel (2011)
Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some violence, intense action and brief language
DIRECTOR: Shawn Levy
WRITERS: John Gatins; from a story by Dan Gilroy and Jeremy Leven (based upon Richard Matheson’s short story "Steel")
PRODUCERS: Shawn Levy, Susan Montford, and Don Murphy
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mauro Fiore
EDITOR: Dean Zimmerman
COMPOSER: Danny Elfman

SCI-FI/DRAMA/FAMILY with elements of action and sports

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Kevin Durand, Hope Davis, James Rebhorn, Karl Yune, and Olga Fonda

Real Steel is a 2011 science fiction boxing drama from director Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum), and Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis are among this film’s executive producers. Real Steel’s screenplay is based upon Richard Matheson’s short story, “Steel,” which was also adapted into a 1963 episode of The Twilight Zone. Although the film’s boxing sequences offer plenty of action, Real Steel’s heart is a gripping father/son story that will jerk a few tears from some viewers (as it did with me).

The film is set in the near future, the year 2020. By then, robot boxing has replaced human boxing as a top sport. Charles “Charlie” Kenton (Hugh Jackman) is a former boxer turned robot boxing promoter. Charlie’s most recent robot boxer, a robot named “Ambush,” is destroyed in a fight, and his erstwhile partner/girlfriend, Bailey Tallet (Evangeline Lilly), thinks that it is time for Charlie to make a change. Then, Charlie’s life takes a stunning turn. He learns that his ex-girlfriend has died, and that means he must show up in court to decide the custody of his 11-year-old son, Max (Dakota Goyo), whom Charlie has not seen in a decade.

Max’s Aunt Debra (Hope Davis) and her wealthy husband, Marvin (James Rebhorn), want custody of Max, which Charlie is more than happy to give. Charlie makes a $100,000 deal with Marvin that would have Charlie keep Max over the summer. Charlie and his estranged son are at odds; then, Max discovers a second generation robot, called Atom. Suddenly, Max has dreams of the Real Steel Championship, but can an old boxer and an old robot climb up from the bottom of the heap?

I would not describe Real Steel as a robot version of the Oscar-winning film, Rocky, although Atom the robot is also a little guy/underdog in a world of elite boxers. Real Steel is about a father-son conflict, and before there can be hope of reconciliation, the screenplay makes father and son fight their way back to each other. I honestly bought this film’s conceit that Charlie and Max might not ultimately make it. Yes, the loser father reunited with his chip-on-shoulder son has been done to death in Hollywood films, but when done right, as it is here, it seems so fresh and new. Real Steel is exceptionally well-written because it makes the characters really work for that happy ending, while also offering science fiction/action set pieces that had me jumping out of my seat and cheering on the heroes.

Director Shawn Levy gets everything right. The character drama has excellent character and drama, and the sci-fi is fantastic. As the father, Charlie, and as the son, Max, Hugh Jackman and Dakota Goyo, respectively, carry this film in way that seems effortless. They may not be Oscar-worthy, but they’re close. Although I’m a big fan of Hugh Jackman, I ignored Real Steel when it was first released to theatres. I was so wrong, but now I can do right with my Real Steel movie review by recommending it.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2012 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Danny Gordon Taylor, and Swen Gillberg)

Thursday, January 26, 2012


Friday, August 19, 2011

Negromancer New Bits and Bites for August 19 2011

Stuff I found interesting:

Deadline has the details on anti-Muslin toad, Congressman Peter King's plan to launch an investigation into Kathryn Bigelow's Bin Laden Film.

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Remember Hong Kong Phooey, the 1970s Hanna-Barbera animated series about a mild-mannered janitor-dog who is really masked crime fighter, Hong Kong Phooey?  There has been talk about a movie version going back to the early 1990s (that I remember).  I think the success of The Smurfs film means we'll be seeing more live-action/animation films made of old Saturdamy morning series.

Well, Eddie Murphy will be the voice of Penry the mild-mannered dog in Alcon Entertainment's live-action/animated Hong Kong Phooey.  For those who don't know, the late great Scatman Crothers was the voice of Penry.  Entertainment Weekly has some details.

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Variety reports that Disney is filling out its Summer 2014 schedule with three pictures:  There will be a Marvel Studios movie May 16.  Two weeks later, a Pixar film arrives on May 30.  The second Marvel picture arrives on June 27.  The films are unnamed, but Variety reports that Marvel has a number of projects in development, including a Captain America sequel and an Avengers spinoff.

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Deadline has an exclusive:  After finishing Prometheus, a kind of prequel to his 1979 classic, Alien, director Ridley Scott will return to another of his sci-fi classics.  Deadline is reporting that Scott has signed on to direct and produce a new installment of Blade Runner, with Alcon Entertainment, producing with Alcon partners Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove. Alcon apparently gained control of the Blade Runner franchise earlier this year.  There are conflicting reports about whether Harrison Ford, the star of the original Blade Runner will return, with some stating that he won't.

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Huffington Post reports that Will Smith is working on a double comeback.  I don't think Smith needs to come back from anything, but let's humor them for the sake of this story.  Smith is working on his first album since 2005.  He hasn't been in a film since 2008's Seven Pounds, but he is working on "Men in Black 3."  Also, Shawn Levy is trying to get Smith for a remake of the 1966 science fiction film, Fantastic Voyage.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Spike TV's "Deadliest Warrior" Heading to the Big Screen

Press release:

PARAMOUNT BRINGS SPIKE TV’S “DEADLIEST WARRIOR” TO THE BIG SCREEN

HOLLYWOOD, CA (September 14, 2010) – Paramount Pictures announced today it has made a deal for Shawn Levy's 21 Laps Entertainment to do a big-screen adaptation of sister company Spike TV's original hit series "Deadliest Warrior." The announcement comes on the heels of the show’s Season 2 finale, which brought about exceptional ratings for the network. Spike TV has renewed the series for a third season.

This partnership by Paramount and Spike TV marks the first time that the Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B) owned companies have worked together. “Spike has some of the most innovative and forward-thinking content on television today, “Deadliest Warrior” being no exception. The property has proven its ability to engage audiences across multiple platforms,” said Paramount Film Group President Adam Goodman. “We hope this is the first of much future collaboration with Spike.”

"Deadliest Warrior" pits history's greatest warriors against one another to determine who reigns supreme. Along with the use of 21st century science and the latest in CGI technology, the series enlists world-class fighters, historians and weapons experts to provide insight into the unique history and style of these combatants which culminates in a head-to-head final fight between two warriors to declare which one would have been the deadliest. The first two seasons showed such memorable battles as Spartan vs. Ninja, Viking vs. Samurai, Pirate vs. Knight, Yakuza vs. Mafia and Comanche vs. Mongol.

The film's storyline is being kept under wraps.

Shawn Levy and 21 Laps President Dan Levine will produce the film, with the possibility that Levy may direct. The property fits within Levy and 21 Laps’ ongoing expansion from family comedies to event action movies, following the “Night and the Museum” franchise and Levy’s current action drama “Real Steel” with Hugh Jackman for DreamWorks.


ABOUT PARAMOUNT PICTURES CORPORATION
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group, and Worldwide Television Distribution.

ABOUT SPIKE TV
Spike TV http://www.spike.com is available in 98.6 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.

ABOUT "DEADLIEST WARRIOR"
“Deadliest Warrior,” which just completed its second season in late July, is Spike TV’s most successful original franchise. The series is a hit with the network’s male fan base, ranking #2 in its timeslot on Tuesday nights with Men 18-34 on cable. “The Deadliest Warrior” Xbox LIVE Arcade game has been a top-selling title on Xbox LIVE Marketplace, selling over 190,000 units within the first month of its July 14 release. Season three premieres on Spike TV next summer with all new legends of the battlefield and unprecedented matchups. Richard “Mack” Machowicz, a Navy SEAL joins the cast for the new season, which includes Geoff Desmoulin and Dr. Armand Dorian.

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Saturday, September 4, 2010

Review: Steve Martin is His Usual Self in 2006 Version of "The Pink Panther" (Happy B'day, Beyonce)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 45 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Pink Panther (2006)
Running time: 93 minutes (1 hour, 33 minutes)
MPAA – PG for occasional crude and suggestive humor and language
DIRECTOR: Shawn Levy
WRITERS: Len Blum and Steve Martin; from a story by Len Blum and Michael Saltzman (based on characters by Blake Edwards and Maurice Richlin)
PRODUCER: Robert Simonds
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jonathan Brown
EDITORS: George Folsey, Jr. and Brad E. Wilhite

COMEDY/CRIME with elements of mystery

Starring: Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Beyoncé Knowles, Jean Reno, Emily Mortimer, Henry Czerny, Roger Rees, Jason Statham, and William Abadie

In the 2006 version of The Pink Panther, France’s greatest soccer coach, Yves Gluant (Jason Statham), is murdered in front of tens of thousands of people during a match, but no one knows who the murder is, and to make matters worse, his world famous diamond ring, The Pink Panther, is missing. Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Kevin Kline) wants to solve the case without the interference of the press, so he promotes small town policeman, Jacques Clouseau (Steve Martin), to inspector.

However, Dreyfus wants the new Inspector Clouseau watched, so he assigns a veteran officer, Gendarme Gilbert Ponton (Jean Reno), to keep an eye on Clouseau. Meanwhile, the bumbling Clouseau has taken on the case of Gluant’s murder as if he were France’s best officer of the law. He questions all of Gluant’s rivals and shady associates (usually asking the dumbest questions), but he falls under the spell of Gluant’s beautiful girlfriend, an international pop singer named Xania (Beyoncé Knowles). Could Xania be Gluant’s murderer, and does she have the Pink Panther? Clouseau is willing to follow her to America to find out.

What’s the point of another Pink Panther film, especially since Peter Sellers, the actor who originated the character in the 1963 film, The Pink Panther, and defined him in A Shot in the Dark, is long dead? Well, the grave was already desecrated long ago when Pink Panther franchise director Blake Edwards had Roberto Benigni try to fill Sellers shoes by playing Inspector Clouseau’s illegitimate offspring in Son of the Pink Panther (1993). When the announcement came last year that Steve Martin would become the new Inspector Clouseau, there was some excitement among movie fans and the entertainment press, but I was wary. But in this new film, also entitled The Pink Panther, Martin is his reliably funny and silly self. He doesn’t deliver the kind of comedy he did from the 1970’s to the mid-80’s, but that was decades ago; regardless of style and content changes, he’s wild and funny (if not as crazy) guy. All that matters is that in this movie, he is damn funny.

If you put Sellers’ Clouseau out of your mind (and it’s possible to do), you will find Martin’s take on the character to be exceedingly silly and amazingly funny. Martin, a very talented actor and comedian never lets up in this film, and he can run the gamut of emotions and make the audience feel them. I laughed at Martin’s Clouseau, was annoyed by him, felt for him, thought he was cool, and ultimately cheered his slyly hidden intelligence. In a movie plagued by a pitiful script and absent direction, Martin made The Pink Panther live. This is a solid Steve Martin vehicle in spite of the dead air that stifles this remake.

And while Martin sparkles, his supporting casts works well with him. Although they start off cold, Kevin Kline (always game) and Jean Reno (looking a bit worn here) are fine straight guys for Martin’s relentless goofy and dense Clouseau. Kline is usually dead on as the straight guy, and here he plays the frustrated foil with self-confidence that is above this poorly constructed movie. Reno has a few good moments, though his character Ponton is just a sounding board for Martin’s craziness. However, he really gives a Clouseau/Ponton dance sequence a professional’s touch. He does it the way a good actor should – like he has to sell the performance both to the audience and to a guard who stands in the way of Clouseau and Ponton. There is actually some sexual tension and chemistry between Martin’s Clouseau and Nicole, played in a nice comic turn by Emily Mortimer. It would have been good to see more of that pairing in the film. Although she is a poor actress and it’s never more obvious than in this movie, Beyoncé Knowles is fine and pretty to look at, and that must count for something, right?

In the final analysis of The Pink Panther, Steve Martin makes this thoroughly mediocre film his star vehicle with a little help from his supporting cast. Here, as Martin so often does, he gets the hard laughs – sometimes bringing me to tears.

5 of 10
B-

Monday, February 27, 2006

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Sunday, February 21, 2010

Review: "Night at the Museum" Proves that Mediocre Can Still Be Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 256 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Night at the Museum (2006)
Running time: 109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – PG for mild action, language, and brief rude humor
DIRECTOR: Shawn Levy
WRITERS: Robert Ben Garant & Thomas Lennon; from their screen story based upon the novel by Milan Trenc
PRODUCERS: Chris Columbus, Shawn Levy, and Michael Barnathan
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Guillermo Navarro
EDITOR: Don Zimmerman

FANTASY/COMEDY

Starring: Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs, Jake Cherry, Ricky Gervais, Robin Williams, Kim Raver, Steve Coogan, Mizuo Peck, Rami Malek, Charlie Murphy, Paul Rudd, Patrick Gallagher, and Owen Wilson

Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) is a good-hearted dreamer who thinks he’s destined for something big, but his lack of a steady job means he’s always being evicted from his apartment. He’s also a divorced father with a 10-year old son, Nick (Jake Cherry). His ex-wife, Erica (Kim Raver), delivers an ultimatum: Nick can’t stay with Larry until Larry has a stable living situation. Nick certainly has that with Erica, an attorney, and her new husband, Don (Paul Rudd), a bond trader, and Nick admires Don, which bothers Larry a little.

Larry eventually gets a job as a night watchman at the Museum of Natural History, where an extraordinary thing happens when the sun goes down. At night, all the exhibits come to life. Mayans, Roman Gladiators, and cowboys emerge from their dioramas to battle one another. African mammals, cavemen, and even Attila the Hun (Patrick Gallagher) roam the halls of the museum at night. The one exhibit Larry can turn to for advice is a wax statue of President Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams), that comes alive on his black stallion and helps Larry get the denizens of the museum under control.

The magical happenings at the museum come with one stipulation – nothing must enter or leave the museum at night. Still, something does go wrong. Larry has to stop a nefarious plot in order to save the museum and its inhabitants and maybe prove himself in his son’s eyes.

Night at the Museum is one of those films that work best during the feel good Christmas holidays. Warm and fuzzy, this family flick is chock full of magic and a sense of wonder. It also looks and acts like the mid-90’s CGI creature rampage movie, Jumanji, and some of the CGI and special effects look dated. The writers over-emphasize Larry’s quest to be a good dad, and some of the humor is forced. The writers make the women in the movie stock characters, and they’re little more than accessories to make male characters feel better about themselves.

Director Shawn Levy does give the film the same kind of frothy fun he did with the 2003 holiday hit, Cheaper by the Dozen. Night fairly hums with mystery and enchantment, thanks in no small part to Levy’s creative team. Cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, whose specialty is fantasy and supernatural films (From Dusk Till Dawn) and even family films (Stuart Little and Spy Kids) creates a look for the movie that is a sweet mix of charmed sepia and gooey warmth. Costume designer Renée April does work worthy of Oscar notice with a variety of costumes that span the history of human clothing, and Alan Silvestri’s score hits all the right notes in creating an atmosphere of action, adventure, magic, and mystery.

Ben Stiller tends to play characters that are edgy, smart-mouthed and sometimes annoying, but his Larry Daley is a good guy. He’s more genial than jerk, and Stiller has a nice way of making Daley’s smarty attitude always bubble under the surface without ever coming up. Jake Cherry makes a lovable son, and Robin Williams is subdued.

In spite of its faults and missteps, Night at the Museum is just that kind of movie that can turn an adult who isn’t too jaded into a kid wide-eyed at the wonder and magic of what is essentially an entertaining and amusing children’s movie.

5 of 10
B-

Sunday, December 24, 2006

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