Legendary Pictures Goes Comics

Legendary Pictures has appointed veteran comic book editor Bob Schreck to the role of Editor-in-Chief of the newly-formed Legendary Comics, it was announced by Thomas Tull, Legendary’s Chairman and CEO. Schreck joins Legendary Comics from IDW Publishing, and his appointment marks the launch of the new division dedicated to publishing original graphic novels.

Headed by Schreck, Legendary Comics plans to publish four to six graphic novels a year for both digital and traditional print distribution. The books will target Legendary’s well-established and powerful fandom demographic. Schreck begins at Legendary Comics the first week of November, and plans to release the inaugural project within the first half of 2011. He will be working closely with Kathy Vrabeck, President of Legendary Digital, and they will, as warranted, look to bring the newly-created comic-based IP produced by the venture to other entertainment platforms such as film and television.

“Bob is an iconic editor and one of most highly-regarded curators and editors of comic culture in our industry. He is the perfect leader with the right balance of passion and editorial skills to spearhead Legendary Comics,” said Tull. “Legendary Comics is committed to being a new home for groundbreaking artists and the characters and stories they create, in an art form we love.”

“Thomas and the Legendary team have a proven track record of cultivating talent and delivering unparalleled entertainment experiences, and I am looking forward to building Legendary Comics into a world-class label for the best writers and artists we know,” said Schreck.  “We have a real opportunity to deliver hard-hitting characters and exciting, innovative storylines to comic book aficionados.  We are in the fortunate position of already having major support from the community and collaborations lined up with world-class creators.”

Iconic comic creators Neil Gaiman, Max Brooks and Frank Miller are among those who are supportive of Legendary Comics.

Frank Miller stated, “Bob Schreck is a joy to work with. He's tough but affable, mindful of the publisher's needs but a happy warrior on the side of the artist. We've worked together to mutual satisfaction for years. Legendary has proven its 'fides all over the movie industry and I expect no less from its publishing arm. With Bob, they've made the perfect choice: the man's a talent magnet."

"To be attached to a creative engine of this magnitude is as thrilling as it is humbling," said Max Brooks.

Neil Gaiman added, "I'm thrilled that Legendary is going to be entering the world of comics. I've been amazed and delighted by their respect for creators in the movie arena, and it can only be good news for the whole world of pop culture that they are going to be encouraging creators to tell unique, smart stories while creating amazing comics for them."

Schreck comes to Legendary from IDW Publishing where he most recently served as Senior Editor. Prior to IDW Schreck spent nearly a decade working for DC comics where he started in 1990 after founding the famed Oni Press. He also worked at Dark Horse Comics, and is the recipient of numerous industry awards and acknowledgements.  

Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son Trailer

Fanboys talk about how huge The Avengers will be in two years (It's remains a question-mark, commercially speaking).

But you know what'd be a bigger hit, knowing the general public's tastes? Get together all the black comedians in drag characters for the be-all/end-all team-up. So get ready for Eddie Murphy, Tyler Perry and Martin Lawrence in Madea, Big Momma & the Klumps Save the World coming the July 4^th 2012 weekend!

But until that movie is (never) made, just settle back and check out the trailer for Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son courtesy of MSN.  It's the same crap you'd expect from this always-popular comedy sub-genre. But wait its two characters in drag here!? We're talking about a different beast then.

James Bond Will Return (Again) November 2012

Good to be wrong here, folks.

Bloomberg reports MGM is aiming their gun-barrel for the next James Bond  installment for a November 2012 release. If all goes according to plan, the studio will return to the tried-and-true formula of putting a new Bond out every two years.

My growing concern with their money-woes was the longer this dragged out, the less likely we'd see Daniel Craig in the role again. Since his introduction in the 2006 reboot Casino Royale was so well-received, the higher-ups were smart enough to fatten his contract from three films to, correct me if I'm wrong here, five. So retaining his services wasn't an issue.

Plans were well underway for his third outing (Peter Morgan was brought on to write and Sam Mendes to direct). But everything came to a grinding halt until MGM's problems were resolved. Thus Craig aligned himself with potentially two other franchises - David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Cowboys & Aliens. Hey, the man has to eat!

Well as we all know by now, MGM finally stopped shitting their pants and using the toilet (financially speaking), and here we are. The more we get outta the Craig tenure, the better.

New Sucker Punch Trailer

Zack Snyder has directed, what I think are, two great films (the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake and Watchmen), and I have faith he'll deliver the goods on Superman: The Man of Steel.

But I'm not feeling Sucker Punch. I didn't with the first trailer, and I'm definitely not after this one. Sorry, but this feels like everything a hyper-active teenage boy thinks as "cool" thrown into a blender and spit out. Maybe it'll surprise, but for the time being, I'll pass.

Scarlett Johansson To Play An Alien

Of course it is not the ugly variety with acid blood, but a sexy one that seduces men, it all sounds a bit like Species and in truth a bit crap, although I am sure many guys will be hanging out for an R rating and the promise of a bit of Scar Jo nudity.

Heat Vision has the scoop!

Scarlett Johansson as the perfect woman? A perfect alien woman?

That is what FilmNation is selling at AFM, launching Under the Skin, a sci-fi drama from Sexy Beast writer-director Jonathan Glazer.

According to the company, and sure to please many of Johansson’s many admirers, “Johansson plays an alien on earth, disguised as the perfect aesthetic form of a mesmerizing woman. She scours remote highways and desolate scenery looking to use her greatest weapon to snare human prey -- her voracious sexuality.”

But, wait, there’s more. “She is deadly efficient, but over time becomes drawn to and changed by the complexity of life on earth. With this new found humanity and weakening alien resolve, she finds herself on a collision course with her own kind. Taking her point of view throughout, the film presents a unique look at our world through alien eyes.”

Glazer co-wrote the script with Walter Campbell and is eying a production late spring 2011.
 
In a statement, FilmNation CEO Glen Basner said, “We’re so very excited to be working on this arrestingly original movie. How could we pass up the chance to work with a visionary director like Jonathan, especially when combined with the intriguing notion of Scarlett Johansson as a ruthless alien seductress?”
 
Skin is produced by Nick Wechsler and James Wilson and based on the Canongate-published novel by Michel Faber. Film4's Tessa Ross is executive producing with Tanya Seghatchian stewarding at the U.K. Film Council, with the assistance of Scottish Screen.

Johansson, repped by CAA, shoots The Avengers this winter.

Back to the Future Returns to Theaters

Great Scott!  If you missed the all-too-brief rerelease of Back to the Future in theaters last week, you're getting one more chance to see it on the big screen.  Due to popular demand, AMC Theaters will be bringing the 1985 time travel classic back for one more showing on Saturday, November 6th at 12:30pm. You can find the list of theaters here.

However, unlike the first two screenings, this final (??) showing will not include the free 25th Anniversary posters (one of which I got last week) or the pre-show trivia contest prizes (one of which I won last week).  Presumably they've simply run out of them from the last week's exceptionally popular screenings.

Given the popularity, it makes me wonder why Universal didn't go for a bigger re-release here in the US like they did in the UK - where it played for at least a whole weekend and actually cracked the top 10 at the box office, which isn't bad for a 25-year-old movie scheduled for a big blu-ray release in the same month.  When I saw it last week, I heard a lot of people saying that they wished there were more shows or even screenings of the sequels as well.

Regardless, Back to the Future will be coming back to theaters on Saturday, possibly for the last time for awhile - so if you have the chance to do it, GO.  Even if you've already bought the incredibly awesome new blu-ray box set.  Not only is still one of the greatest movies ever made and still funny as all hell, it is an absolute blast to see it in a theater full of fans.  Definitely don't miss it.

Leonardo DiCaprio To Star In & Produce 'The Devil in the White City'

Coming off the back of the mighty "Inception" whatever Leo decided to make next would have even more buzz than usual. He has "Prisoners" and the Clint Eastwood Hoover biopic in the pipes and today the Hollywood Reporter revealed that DiCaprio has another big option freshly added to his plate.

Erik Larson’s acclaimed novel The Devil in the White City is getting another shot at the big screen, this time with the help of Leonardo DiCaprio and his Appian Way shingle.

DiCaprio is attached to star and will produce with his Appian Way partner Jennifer Killoran, along with Double Feature principals Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher.

The Devil in the White City spent three years on the New York Times bestseller list, has sold 2.3 million copies and has been translated into 17 languages.

The nonfiction story focuses on the lives of two men who turned the 1893 Chicago World's Fair into their playground. One man, Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair's construction, in a short period of time was forced to overcome immense obstacles to construct the famous "White City" around which the fair was built. The other, H.H. Holmes, was a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor who is believed to be responsible for scores of murders around the time of the fair. Holmes devised and erected the World's Fair Hotel, complete with crematorium and gas chamber, near the fairgrounds and used the event as well as his own charismatic personality to lure victims to their death.

DiCaprio is to play the murder-minded Holmes.

White City has long captivated Hollywood’s top talent, although the period setting always seemed to pose budgetary roadblocks. Kathryn Bigelow was attached to direct and produce at one point, and Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner were also developing an adaptation.

Paramount was the home of the book until 2004, when it let the option lapse, but then it re-optioned it in 2007 for Double Feature to produce.

The project lapsed again, although Double Feature still hung on to the book. Right now, it has no studio home or financing, although DiCaprio’s involvement may change that sooner than later.

“I think that a guy who is that intelligent and that charismatic is nothing less than complex, and it’s that complexity that (DiCaprio) is drawn to,” said Killoran about DiCaprio's decision to play the evil Holmes. “And because people don’t know much about (Holmes), it makes it even more interesting.”

The plan now is to find a writer or a writer-director to help nail down the vast story, then move to setting it up.

I seem to recall David Fincher being interested in directing this at one point in it's many developmental lives and a Fincher/DiCaprio pairing could be special, the most exciting thing about this announcement though is that Leo will be playing the charismatic serial killer, that is a really interesting change of pace for him. 

Wizarding World Party for Deathly Hallows

Still looking for a Harry Potter fix after seeing Deathly Hallows on opening day?  Well, if you're a Preferred/Premiere Annual Passholder for the Universal Orlando resort, you're in luck.  According to Inside the Magic, the park will be holding a special after-hours event at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on Friday, November 20th. 

Once the park closes at 8pm, guests to the event will have access to the Wizarding World section of the Islands of Adventure theme park for an additional two hours, where they will be able to discuss the new film over butterbeer and chocolate frogs at the Three Broomsticks, explore the shops in Hogsmeade, enjoy the Flight of the Hippogriff and Dragon Challenge roller coasters, and most importantly, get to tour Hogwarts castle and check out the amazing Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride (which I rode 9 times when I was there last month).

Muggles who attend the event will also receive a free commemorative Wizarding World of Harry Potter poster, and will be able to purchase a Gryffindor lanyard and an exclusive Annual Passholder Pin for just $10.95 + tax.

While this sounds like a lot of fun, unfortunately the after-hours party is only open to Universal's annual passholders.  But if you're lucky enough to have an annual pass, it definitely sounds worth checking out.   Passholders can RSVP here.  Everyone else?  Well...the movie will be playing at CityWalk.

In other Harry Potter news, Mugglenet is reporting that ABC Family's upcoming Harry Potter Weekend, which will feature the first five Harry Potter films (with all that fun extra footage they always show on ABC Family), will also include some new footage from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.  New scenes include the reading of Dumbledore's will and some new footage of Kreacher.  The Potter movie marathon will run from November 11-14.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, of course, opens in theaters on November 19th.

New "Tron: Legacy" Poster & Clip

It will do well, it won't do well. The general public will love it, they won't love it. Fanboys will geek over it, fanboys won't geek over it. These are the questions that are left unanswered until "Tron: Legacy" is released. All I know is that its going to be pleasing to our retinas.

Empire has the exclusive on a new poster and MSN has jumped in with a new clip. Check out the poster below.

First Photos From "The Help" Released

The first photos from a movie that I never heard about called "The Help" have been released courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures. Now I do know there was a best selling book called "The Help" so as I write this it's all coming together.

The book is about a group of African-American maids living in Jackson, Miss., during the 1960s at the height of the civil rights movement. Click the photo below to head to the Coming Soon gallery for the rest of the shots.