Saturday, September 1, 2018

A Negromancer September 2018 to Remember

Welcome to September 2018.  Welcome to Negromancer 2.0.  This is the rebirth of Negromancer, the former movie review website as a new movie review and movie news site.

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All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.

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Friday, August 31, 2018

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 26th to 31st, 2018 - Update #17

Support Leroy on Patreon:

TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  Actress Vanessa Marquez, age 49, was shot to death by a South Pasadena, CA police officer on Thursday, August 30, 2018, during a welfare check, after she pulled a BB gun, which reportedly looked like a real fire arm.  Marquez had appeared on NBC's medical drama, "ER," from 1994 to 1997.  She claimed that she was blacklisted from the show after making accusations of sexual and racial harassment.

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MOVIES - From Polygon:  There is a lesbian slasher film, "What Keeps You Alive."

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TELEVISION - From Deadline:  ABC's "Roseanne" spinoff, "The Conners" starts production. Deadline has a first-look photo.

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MOVIES - From PageSix:  Turner Classic Movies has partnered with the African American Film Critics Association to bring “The Black Experience on Film” to the network for the month of September.

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MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Damon Herriman will portray Charles Manson for both Quentin Tarantino ("Once Upon a Time in Hollywood") and David Fincher (the Netflix series, "Mindhunter").

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STREAMING - From Engadget:  The DC Comics streaming service goes live September 15th, 2018 - Batman Day.

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MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Orson Welles' uncompleted final film, "The Other Side of the Wind," has been completed.  It will appear on Netflix in November after debuting at this week's Venice International Film Festival.

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  For the first time in decades, Woody Allen is not officially working on a film project.  Allen usually has one filmed released annually, but there are number of complications that have arisen.  Some are related to profitability of his films and others to the #MeToo movement.

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MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's long-planned "Big Trouble in Little China" remake is not actually a remake.  It is a sequel... of sorts...

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COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Alec Baldwin has signed on to appear in the Todd Phillips/Joaquin Phoenix "Joker" film as Batman's father, Thomas Wayne.

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RELIGION - From BuzzFeed:  "We Saw Nuns Kill Children."  This is not a joke!

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TELEVISION - From IndieWire:  John Goodman confirms Roseanne's fate in "The Conners," the spinoff of the "Roseanne" show.

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MOVIES - From Variety:  Guillermo del Toro sets the cast for "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," which he is co-writing and co-producing.

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 8/24 to 8/26/2018 weekend box office is "Crazy Rich Asians" with an estimated take of $25 million.  The film is a repeat winner, as it won last week's race.

From Variety:  Marvel's "Ant-Man and the Wasp" leads the global box office with $71 million in grossed in 28 markets, via its $68 million dollar debut in China.

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JAMES BOND - From TheGuardian:  Speculation and rumor suggest that Yann Demange, director of "'71," will take over as director of Bond 25, in the wake of Danny Boyle's departure from the production.

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TELEVISION - From Variety:  Jemele Hill Expected to Part Ways With ESPN, via a buyout by September 1st.

OBIT:

From Variety:  The legendary playwright, Neil Simon, has died at the age of 91, Sunday, August 26, 2018.  Called the "King of Comedy Playwrights," Simon won Tony Awards for "The Odd Couple," "Lost in Yonkers," and "Biloxi Blues," all which were adapted into films via screenplays he wrote.  Simon also won the "Pulitzer Prize for Drama" for "Lost in Yonkers."


Amblin Partners Begins "A Dog's Journey"

Amblin Partners Begins Principal Photography on “A Dog’s Journey”

Dennis Quaid and Josh Gad Return for the Heartwarming Follow-up to “A Dog’s Purpose”

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amblin Partners announced that it has begun principal photography on “A Dog’s Journey,” the much-anticipated follow-up to 2017’s beloved “A Dog’s Purpose.” Both films are based on the inspirational, best-selling books by award-winning author W. Bruce Cameron.

    “Our mission is to be a gateway for Hollywood into China and help great universal stories with positive energy maximize their potential with audiences in China and around the world”

Co-financed and co-produced by Walden Media and Alibaba Pictures, “A Dog’s Journey” reunites Dennis Quaid as Ethan with his cherished dog, Bailey, voiced by Josh Gad—who also returns. Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Henry Lau and Kathryn Prescott have joined the film, which is being directed by Gail Mancuso. The screenplay was written by W. Bruce Cameron & Cathryn Michon and Wally Wolodarsky & Maya Forbes. Gavin Polone is producing the film.

“A Dog’s Journey” will be distributed by Universal Pictures in the U.S. and select international territories.

In making the announcement, Amblin President and Co-CEO Jeff Small said, “We are excited to join with our partners at Walden Media and Alibaba Pictures to produce ‘A Dog’s Journey,’ the follow-up to our successful ‘A Dog’s Purpose.’ With Director Gail Mancuso at the helm, we can’t wait to share another beautiful story about the special bond between humans and their treasured dogs.”

Frank Smith, Walden Media’s President and CEO, said, “Walden Media is proud to produce content that warms the heart and bring entire families together. ‘A Dog’s Purpose’ beautifully conveyed the unconditional love dogs bring to our families and lives, and we are excited to be portraying this unbreakable bond once again with ‘A Dog’s Journey,’ produced together with Amblin Partners and Alibaba Pictures.”

“Our mission is to be a gateway for Hollywood into China and help great universal stories with positive energy maximize their potential with audiences in China and around the world,” said Alibaba Pictures President Wei Zhang. “‘A Dog’s Purpose’ was embraced by audiences globally with great storytelling and a heartwarming message. We are excited to build upon the success of that film by working with our partners at Amblin and Walden to bring the next chapter of this film to audiences around the world.”

Published by Forge Books, “A Dog’s Journey” spent weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list and has been released in 36 countries around the world.


About “A Dog’s Journey”
Audiences are invited along on “A Dog’s Journey,” the next chapter of the beloved best-selling series by author W. Bruce Cameron. The family film told from the dog’s perspective serves as the much-anticipated follow-up to the soulful story of one devoted dog who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love. Dennis Quaid returns as Ethan and Josh Gad once again voices Bailey. They are joined by newcomers to the series including Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Henry Lau and Kathryn Prescott.

Directed by Gail Mancuso (TV’s “Modern Family”), “A Dog’s Journey” is once again produced by Gavin Polone (“A Dog’s Purpose,” “Zombieland”). Mancuso directs from an adapted screenplay by Cameron & Cathryn Michon and Wally Wolodarsky & Maya Forbes, based on the book by Cameron. The film from Amblin Entertainment, Walden Media and Alibaba Pictures will be distributed by Universal Pictures.

About Amblin Partners
Amblin Partners is a content creation company, led by Steven Spielberg, that develops and produces films using the Amblin, DreamWorks and Participant Media Banners and includes Amblin TV, a longtime leader in quality programming. The company’s investment partners include: Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment, Entertainment One (eOne), Alibaba Pictures and Universal Pictures.

About Walden Media
Walden Media specializes in entertainment for the whole family, creating movies, books and television series that spark the imagination and delight all generations. A subsidiary of the Anschutz Film Group, Walden Media movies include adaptations of notable books, compelling biographies and thrilling accounts of historical events. The company’s films are entertaining and commercial, while also telling stories that are inspirational, aspirational and explorational. Past award-winning films include: “Wonder,” “A Dog’s Purpose,” “The Chronicles of Narnia” franchise, the “Journey to the Center of the Earth” franchise, “Nim’s Island,” “Charlotte’s Web,” “Bridge to Terabithia,” “Holes,” “Amazing Grace,” and the Sundance Audience Prize Winning documentary “Waiting for ‘Superman.’”

About Alibaba Pictures
Alibaba Pictures Group Limited (“Alibaba Pictures”) is the flagship unit of Alibaba Digital Media and Entertainment Group. The company’s operations integrate the full entertainment value chain, including investment and financing, content development and production, promotion and distribution, merchandising of intellectual property rights, as well as cinema services. Alibaba Pictures is listed on both The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited and the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited. Alibaba Group is the largest shareholder.

Alibaba Pictures and Amblin Partners have a comprehensive strategic partnership to co-produce and finance films for global and Chinese audiences, as well as collaborate on the marketing, distribution and merchandising of Amblin Partners films in China.

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Thursday, August 30, 2018

Image Comics Announces First "Isola" Graphic Novel

LAVISH FANTASY ISOLA, VOL. 1 ARRIVES IN STORES THIS OCTOBER

Collects issues #1-5

PORTLAND, OR— Gotham Academy creators Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl, with colorist MSASSYK and letterer Aditya Bidikar, will release ISOLA, VOL. 1 this October from Image Comics.

An evil spell has been cast on the Queen of Maar, and her Captain of the Guard will do anything to reverse it. Their only hope lies on an island half a world away—a place known in myth as Isola, land of the dead.

This desperate quest is a breathtaking fantasy adventure two decades in the making.

ISOLA, VOL. 1 TP (Diamond code: JUL180153, ISBN: 978-1-5343-0922-7) will be available in comic book stores on Wednesday, October 24th. The final order cutoff for comics retailers is Monday, September 10th. 

It will be available in bookstores on Tuesday, October 30th and can be pre-ordered via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indiebound, and Indigo.

Select praise for ISOLA:

Absolutely, positively breathtaking.” —ComicBook.com

ISOLA is brilliant! An atmospheric and intriguing story with masterful art.” —Frank Quitely

ISOLA is an example of the best fantasy storytelling that comics has to offer. Beautiful. Meaningful.” —The Oregonian

This blew me away. Just amazing.” —Tula Lotay

High fantasy with a colorful twist, imaginative and fresh.” —Paste Magazine

Holy cow, folks, you are not going to want to miss this. Lovely and immersive.” —Kurt Busiek

A beautiful comic.” —Bleeding Cool

Praise be to Karl KerschI and MSASSYK! ISOLA is one of the best-looking comics I've seen in years. Engrossing, warm, inspiring work; I love it.” —Tradd Moore

A visual feast, a puzzle, and a true journey into an otherworldly land.” —Multiversity Comics
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ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has six individuals on the Board of Directors: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, Jim Valentino, and Eric Stephenson. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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Wednesday, August 29, 2018

VIZ Media Obtains Home Media Rights to Netflix's "Castlevania" Season 1

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE ACQUISITION OF GOTHIC FANTASY ANIME SERIES CASTLEVANIA

VIZ Media Acquires Home Media Rights To Season 1 Of The Hit Netflix Animated Series CASTLEVANIA

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, expands its catalog with the acquisition of Season 1 of CASTLEVANIA.

VIZ Media announced the acquisition of CASTLEVANIA during its official panel held this past weekend at Comic-Con International, one of the nation’s biggest annual pop culture conventions. VIZ Media has acquired home media distribution rights to the American anime-influenced series, which is produced by Frederator Studios. CASTLEVANIA Season 1 has streamed to wide acclaim on Netflix.

Inspired by the classic video game series, CASTLEVANIA is a dark medieval fantasy following the last surviving member of the disgraced Belmont clan, trying to save Eastern Europe from extinction at the hand of Vlad Dracula Tepes himself. In Season 1, Trevor Belmont, embittered and excommunicated, finds himself drawn into a battle for the survival of Europe – a region that has brought doom upon itself by taking away the one thing its greatest monster loved.

“We are very excited to announce VIZ Media’s acquisition of the CASTLEVANIA animated series,” says Brian Ige, VIZ Media’s Vice President of Animation. “The series has drawn a wide following and we look forward to giving new and existing fans the opportunity to add this adventure to their personal collections.”

“CASTLEVANIA is one of those unique series that had instant global recognition and popularity. Frederator is proud to have VIZ as one of our special global partners, singularly equipped to reach our fans across the world,” says Fred Seibert, President & CEO of Frederator Networks.

VIZ Media has worked with Frederator Studios and Frederator Networks to license publishing titles based on popular properties from the company’s catalogs including BRAVEST WARRIORS, the acclaimed animated series from Pendleton Ward, the visionary creator of the Emmy Award-winning Cartoon Network show, Adventure Time. VIZ Media also published EASY EATS: A BEE AND PUPPYCAT COOKBOOK, inspired by the hit animated web series, Bee and PuppyCat, which was produced by Frederator Studios and seen widely on Frederator Network's Cartoon Hangover web channel.

For additional information on CASTLEVANIA and other anime and manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit viz.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.

Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at viz.com.

About Frederator Networks
Frederator Networks, A WOW! Unlimited Media company, consists of Frederator Studios and Frederator Digital.

Frederator Studios makes cartoons for television, movies, and the Internet. It was founded by serial media entrepreneur and former Hanna-Barbera president Fred Seibert in 1998 as a unique incubator for big animation ideas by producing original cartoons. More than 250 short films have resulted in 17 hit series for television and the Internet, including Bee and PuppyCat, Butch Hartman's The Fairly OddParents on Nickelodeon, and Pendleton Ward's Adventure Time on Cartoon Network.

Frederator Digital programs many online channels including Channel Frederator, Cartoon Hangover, and The Leaderboard, as well as manages the Channel Frederator Network (YouTube-based entertainment multi-channel network).  Launched in late 2012, Frederator’s Cartoon Hangover channel includes Bee and PuppyCat, Bravest Warriors, as well as many new shorts from the world's future animation superstars. Frederator’s Cartoon Hangover Select, a subscription video-on-demand channel, is exclusive to Ellation's VRV platform.

Frederator Networks has offices in Burbank, CA and New York, NY.

About WOW Unlimited Media Inc.
WOW Unlimited Media Inc. is creating a leading next-generation kids and youth animation business by focusing on digital platforms and content. The company's key assets include: the world’s #1 digital animation network (Frederator Networks), one of Canada's largest, multi-faceted animation production studios (Rainmaker Entertainment), one of the most successful U.S.-based independent animation production companies of the past 20 years (Frederator Studios) and multiple owned and operated VOD channels on digital platforms, including its latest launch of Cartoon Hangover Select on Ellation Media's VRV platform. Bell Media is the company’s strategic partner. The company operates out of offices in Toronto, New York, Vancouver and Los Angeles, and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V: WOW.A and WOW.B).

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Tuesday, August 28, 2018

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for August 29, 2018

BOOM! STUDIOS

APR181116    BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA OLD MAN JACK TP VOL 01    $16.99
JUN181237    BONE PARISH #2    $3.99
JUN188495    BONE PARISH #2 FOC CROOK INCV    $3.99
APR181124    EUGENIC TP    $14.99
JUN181258    JIM HENSON FRAGGLE ROCK #4 MAIN    $3.99
JUN181260    JIM HENSON FRAGGLE ROCK #4 RED VAR MYLER CVR    $3.99
JUN181259    JIM HENSON FRAGGLE ROCK #4 SUBSCRIPTION MYLER CVR    $3.99
APR181127    JIM HENSON POWER OF DARK CRYSTAL HC VOL 03 (OF 4)    $24.99
APR181123    JUDAS TP    $14.99
JUN188044    MMPR SHATTERED GRID #1 HOLOFOIL HAIRSINE VAR    $7.99
JUN181222    MMPR SHATTERED GRID #1 MAIN    $7.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for August 29, 2018

DARK HORSE COMICS

JUN180377    BLACKWOOD #4 (OF 4)    $3.99
JUN180378    BLACKWOOD #4 (OF 4) RUBIN CVR    $3.99
SEP170139    GOT DAENERYS MOTHER OF DRAGONS BUST    $99.99
AUG170093    GOT TYRION LANNISTER HAND OF THE QUEEN BUST    $99.99
APR180051    HERCULES ADVENTURES OF MAN GOD ARCHIVE HC    $49.99
JUN180336    MODERN FANTASY #3 (OF 4)    $3.99
APR180033    NGE SHINJI IKARI RAISING PROJECT TP VOL 18    $9.99
JUN180349    STARCRAFT SCAVENGERS #2    $3.99