June 2004

'Superman' studio gives McG the boot
Posted Saturday, June 26, 2004, 9:24AM CDT by Franklin Harris
After months of trying to cast a lead for the new "Superman" movie, director McG ("Charlie's Angels") has been booted from the project. That leaves "Superman" with no star, no director and a questionable script. Still, Warner Bros. hopes to begin filming next year for a 2006 release.

Source: Dark Horizons

'Speed Racer' movie gets a jump start
Posted Friday, June 25, 2004, 12:41PM CDT by Franklin Harris
After languishing in development hell, the live-action "Speed Racer" movie, based on the Japanese cartoon series, is moving forward. Actor Vince Vaughn will serve as one of the film's producers and will co-star as the mysterious Racer X, who is secretly Speed Racer's long-lost brother, Rex.

Source: Zap2It

Half of 'Fantastic Four' may be set
Posted Friday, June 25, 2004, 12:27PM CDT by Franklin Harris
Marvel Studios head Avi Arad hints that two roles for the upcoming "Fantastic Four" movie have been cast. Michael Chiklis ("The Shield") is rumored to have landed the part of The Thing, and Rachel McAdams ("The Notebook") may have snagged the role of the Invisible Girl.

Source: USA Today

'Punisher' sequel now in doubt
Posted Friday, June 25, 2004, 12:23PM CDT by Franklin Harris
Although a sequel was reportedly in the works, it is now doubtful that there will be a theatrical follow-up to "The Punisher." A source inside Lions Gate Films cites the first film’s disappointing box-office performance as the reason for shelving the project. However, a direct-to-video sequel, without star Tom Jane, may happen at some point.

Source: Moviehole

Live-action 'Dragonball Z' still lives
Posted Friday, June 25, 2004, 12:18PM CDT by Franklin Harris
Contrary to earlier reports, Fox is still developing a live-action "Dragonball Z" movie, based on Akira Toriyama's manga series. Ben Ramsey ("The Big Hit") is writing the screenplay.

Source: Superhero Hype

Frank Miller's '300' gets a director
Posted Tuesday, June 22, 2004, 12:04PM CDT by Franklin Harris
"Dawn of the Dead" director Zach Snyder has agreed to helm "300," based on Frank Miller's graphic novel about the 300 Spartan warriors who defended the pass at Thermopylae during the Persian-Greco war in 480 BC.

Source: Superhero Hype

'28 Days Later' sequel in the works
Posted Tuesday, June 22, 2004, 11:50AM CDT by Franklin Harris
A sequel to the sleeper-hit zombie movie "28 Days Later" is in the works. The tentative title is "28 Weeks Later." The original film's director and screenwriter, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, respectively, may assume producer roles.

Source: Dark Horizons

B5 creator pitches new 'Star Trek'
Posted Tuesday, June 22, 2004, 11:46AM CDT by Franklin Harris
"Babylon 5" creator J. Michael Straczynski told readers of his Internet newsgroup that he and "Dark Skies" producer Bryce Zabel were asked by Paramount to submit a proposal for a new "Star Trek" series. The two wrote a treatment that Straczynski says, "would restore the series in a big way. I actually think it could be a hell of a show. Whether that ever goes anywhere with Paramount, who knows?"

Source: Dark Horizons

CLARIFICATION: In a statement at JMSNews.com, Straczynski says that he and Zabel pitched their proposal for a new "Trek" series without prompting from Paramount. However, Paramount did approach him about joining "Enterprise" as an executive producer, a job he turned down.

Cusack to adopt 'The Martian Child'
Posted Wednesday, June 16, 2004, 8:00PM CDT by Franklin Harris
John Cusack ("High Fidelity") has agreed to star in "The Martian Child," a sci-fi film adapted from a story by David Gerrold. Nick Cassavetes ("The Notebook") will direct. Cusack will play a science fiction writer who adopts a six-year-old boy who believes himself to be a Martian.

Source: Cinescape Online

'Repairman Jack' movie gets director
Posted Wednesday, June 16, 2004, 7:49PM CDT by Franklin Harris
Douglas Aarniokoski ("Highlander: Endgame") is attached to direct "Repairman Jack" for Beacon Pictures. The supernatural adventure film is based on the character created by novelist F. Paul Wilson.

Source: Cinescape Online

Columbus sets sail with 'Sub-Mariner'
Posted Monday, June 14, 2004, 7:02AM CDT by Franklin Harris
"Harry Potter" director Chris Columbus has been asked to helm the big-budget, live-action adaptation of "The Sub-Mariner." Based on the Marvel Comics character Namor the Sub-Mariner, the film is scheduled for release in 2006. David Self is writing the script.

Source: Empire Online

'Clone Wars' continues in 2005
Posted Saturday, June 12, 2004, 8:08PM CDT by Franklin Harris
Cartoon Network and Lucasfilm will produce a second hour of the animated "Star Wars: Clone Wars" series. The new cartoons will debut March 21 and will air as 12-minute installments over five consecutive nights. Animator Genndy Tartakovsky ("Samurai Jack") will again helm the project.

Cartoon Network's first series of "Clone Wars" aired originally as 20 three-minute cartoon shorts. Both series are set between the events in "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" and the upcoming "Star Wars: Episode III."

Source: Dark Horizons

'Mad Max' sequel runs out of gas
Posted Saturday, June 12, 2004, 7:59PM CDT by Franklin Harris
After three years in development, "Mad Max: Fury Road," the proposed fourth installment in the "Mad Max" series starring Mel Gibson, is dead. The $100 million project had been scheduled to go before cameras in July. Director George Miller has moved on to another project, a second sequel to the family film, "Babe." And in recent months, Gibson has expressed little interest in returning to the role that first won him worldwide attention.

Source: Melbourne Herald Sun

New Line plans third 'Final Destination'
Posted Wednesday, June 9, 2004, 3:14PM CDT by Franklin Harris
New Line Cinema has greenlit "Final Destination 3." Glen Morgan and James Wong, the team behind the first "Final Destination," will return to write, produce and direct the horror sequel, which may be filmed in 3-D.

Source: Cinescape Online

Smith has second thoughts about 'Green Hornet'
Posted Tuesday, June 8, 2004, 7:50PM CDT by Franklin Harris
Kevin Smith reportedly is getting cold feet about directing "The Green Hornet." The director of "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy" now believes he may not be the right person to direct an action movie. However, Miramax head Harvey Weinstein has convinced Smith to put off a decision about directing the film until the screenplay is complete.

"I will happily write it but I can't guarantee that I will end up directing this movie," Smith told fans Monday in the United Kingdom.

Source: Cinescape Online

Twohy plans 'Riddick' spinoff
Posted Monday, June 7, 2004, 7:23PM CDT by Franklin Harris
"Chronicles of Riddick" director/writer David Twohy is writing a two-hour movie for the Sci-Fi Channel based on the character Kyra from "Riddick" and "Pitch Black." The TV movie will serve as a pilot for a series that would follow Kyra during the period between the two theatrical movies. Twohy said it is unlikely that Alexa Davalos, who plays Kyra in "Riddick," would return to the role for television.

Source: Cinescape Online

'Underworld' sequel set for 2005
Posted Monday, June 7, 2004, 7:04PM CDT by Franklin Harris
Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman will return to star in "Underworld 2," which is scheduled to start filming later this year, according to the film's screenwriter, Danny McBride. He said the sequel should hit theaters next year.

Source: Cinescape Online

Two get golden ticket for 'Chocolate Factory'
Posted Monday, June 7, 2004, 5:08PM CDT by Franklin Harris
The cast for director Tim Burton's remake of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," based on Roald Dahl's novel, is taking shape. David Kelly ("Laws of Attraction") has signed on for the role of Grandpa Joe, and Freddie Highmore will play Charlie, the boy who finds a golden ticket allowing him to enter the chocolate factory of the secretive Willy Wonka.

As previously announced, Johnny Depp will play Wonka.

Source: Cinescape Online

'Dexter's Lab' creator to ignite live-action 'Astro Boy'
Posted Thursday, June 3, 2004, 12:57PM CDT by Franklin Harris
Sony Pictures has tapped Genndy Tartakovsky, creator of "Dexter's Laboratory" and "Samurai Jack," to write and direct a live-action version of "Astro Boy."

Known in Japan as "Mighty Atom," "Astro Boy" is the creation of Osamu Tezuka, Japan's revered "God of Comics."

Sony is producing the film in conjunction with Don Murphy of Angryfilms and Lisa Henson and Kristine Belson of Jim Henson Pictures.

Source: Dark Horizons

Live-action 'Dragonball Z' powered down
Posted Tuesday, June 1, 2004, 4:12PM CDT by Franklin Harris
The live-action "Dragonball Z" film, reported to have been set up for production at Fox more than two years ago, is apparently dead, according to DragonballZ.com. The Web site reports that Fox is not making the film and goes on to debunk a rumor that Industrial Light and Magic would be handling the film's special effects.