Return to Oz. Again.

The Wizard of Oz is one of the very few films I would call perfect. Hell, it still gets me (and many others) to this day and also one of the great examples of putting an actor in an eternal time-capsule. Sure, Judy Garland was doped out of her mind in her final years. But that shit doesn’t matter. She will always be Dorothy Gale – the little farm girl trying to get home to her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.

Any attempt to revisiting it (even if the intention to merely to adapt the other L. Frank Baum books and not directly reference the 1939 film) will almost certainly fail. Check out the 1985 "sequel" Return to Oz. By no means is it a bad film, but they were begging to fall on their faces by following up Wizard of Oz. Don’t even get me started on last year’s Tin Man mini-series.

There have been various incarnations of a new Oz film in development over the years and I’ve frankly never paid any attention to their status. But that won’t stop Hollywood from trying. Pajiba got their hands on the plot synopsis for Oz: The Return to Emerald City as described below:

It’s a modern-day sequel. The story centers on Dorothy Neil, a bright and ambitious young lawyer for a prestigious law firm in Chicago. Neil is the grand-daughter of Dorothy Gale, who is now an old woman living in Kansas and telling her tales about her time in the land of Oz to a new generation of kids. However, trouble is afoot in Oz, as a new witch is destroying the magic that keeps the entire place running. While babysitting her boss’ kid, the kid and Dorothy Neil are brought back to Oz and united with the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow and tasked with killing an evil witch and restoring order in Oz.

This immediately gives off the Superman Returns and Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland vibe. At least it’s not the "Let’s make everything dark and fucked up" take Todd McFarlane was working on. As per Pajiba’s sources, that version is DOA and Return to Emerald City is out to new screenwriters for polishing.

Who Controls the Spice? Pierre Morel

The last update we got on Dune was the departure of Peter Berg (currently prepping Battleship for Universal and possibly helming a Hancock sequel over at Sony afterwards). Reports said Paramount was looking at District 9’s Neil Blomkamp and The Descent’s Neill Marshall to take over the property. Granted that was three months ago and another name has now come out of left field to sit in the director’s chair.

Entertainment Weekly reports that Pierre Morel (behind last January’s surprise smash Taken) has been given the gig. His hiring merely solves half the problem. The studio still needs another screenwriter on board and, yes they’re searching. The priority for this latest version is to remain faithful to the original 1965 Frank Herbert novel.

Color me surprised Paramount has a fire under their ass to get Dune on the big screen. It seemed like nothing more than talk, frankly. Plus to properly adapt the Herbert book will take a lot of money and I’m still questioning whether any studio is willing to do that.

Most Dune fans will be happy to know this probably means we won't see Robert Pattinson as Paul Atreides.

Sherlock Holmes Sequel Nixed For Gay Subtext?

During a recent interview to promote Sherlock Holmes (prior to its release), Robert Downey Jr. played up the possibility of a "more than just bromance" relationship between him and Jude Law’s Watson. Everyone had their laughs and moved on. Having seen the flick, I didn’t see that angle. The movie plays them up more as brothers more than anything else. Of course, there’s no denying the subtext isn’t there. But that’s why we all love film – it’s subjective. You say tomato, I say tomahto.

Andrea Plunket (who holds the US rights to the character) isn’t fond of having our heroes using their detective skills on one another’s anatomy. Speaking to Total Film, she said, "I hope this is just an example of Mr Downey’s black sense of humour. It would be drastic, but I would withdraw permission for more films to be made if they feel that is a theme they wish to bring out in the future."

Uh, considering the shit they’ve allowed to have happen to the character over the years (Seven Per-Cent Solution, anyone?), I’m not holding my breath expecting much to amount from this. If there’s anything we’ve all learned about the entertainment industry, it’s that money talks. The film is doing too well at the moment (currently at $140 million and is expected to hit $200 million) for such a retarded reasoning to block its inevitable sequel.

For me, the great concern is the participation of Guy Ritchie. Last we all heard, he was lined up to helm Lobo for Warner Brother and producer Joel Silver (presumably after seeing a cut of Holmes in its early rough-cut stage). With the reportedly impending unveiling of WB’s DC plans, Lobo might be a part of those plans. That would make his directorial involvement in the Holmes sequel questionable – especially dependant on when the studio plans to release it. My own personal guess would be Christmas 2011 - with or without Guy Ritchie calling the shots again.

The Thing Prequel Filming in March

If you were like me and hoping all this talk about a prequel to John Carpenter’s The Thing would amount to a whole bunch of nothing, prepare to be disappointed.

From their Twitter account, Production Weekly has confirmed that filming on the project (under the direction of Matthijs van Heijningen, Jr. and a script penned by Battlestar Galactica’s Ron Moore) starts up in March. As many have speculated, the prequel will detail the creature’s arrival on Earth and its infiltration of a Norwegian camp – the same we saw in ruins in Carpenter’s 1982 version.

Sorry, but I’m just not in the prequel fanbase. In fact, can anyone name a genuinely solid prequel? No, Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom doesn’t count. I’ve bitched about this before and but not every property known to geekdom needs a story to connect the dots for us morons. Some things are better left to our imagination – like the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

Frankly if Universal was itching for another take on The Thing, I have a crazy idea. Why not just do another remake? Both Carpenter’s take and the Christian Nyby/Howard Hawks 1951 Thing from Another World are great movies. Like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, it’s a great story that could benefit from another spin to reflect the times. Even if it sucked, we’ll always have the earlier versions to cherish.

Movie Moan - Even More Avatar Talk

What's that you're hearing? It's Jamie eating his words (Scrumdiddlyumptious!) as Avatar has broken past the $1 billion mark at the world-wide box-office. It wouldn't be Movie Moan without him and Phil bitching about James Cameron's latest money-printing machine..err..movie. All four of your favorite Movie Moaners have now seen Avatar and it's time to hear Ed and Lou's take.

In addition, our heroes also chat up Sherlock Holmes (and start throwing out casting suggestions for Moriarty for the sequel), Crazy Heart and the latest Inception trailer. Also is the failure of Princess & the Frog the "death" of hand-drawn animation over at Disney? Has James Cameron topped Michael Bay in displaying his military fetish? What are the career prospects for Sam Worthington now?

Most important of all - when will we all stop talking about Avatar?

Movie Moan - Even More Avatar Talk

Sam! Ah-Ahhhh!

Now that Avatar has proven its detractors wrong (like yours truly) at the box-office despite being an overrated piece of cliché-ridden boredom (If Uwe Boll or Brett Ratner made the exact same movie instead of Cameron, I guarantee the reception from critics/nerds would be a total 180), we’re going to be subjected to more Sam Worthington casting rumors.

Sure, some of them are legit and others total bullshit. Like any other casting discussion, it will most likely be nothing more than the producers saying "What about Sam Worthington?" followed by ten other names. You know, standard operating procedure when getting a movie under way. Nothing wrong with that.

This latest case comes from Hollyscoop that the Terminator: Salvation actor is being lined up to headline a new Flash Gordon movie. As per "sources," it’s down between him and Green Lantern Ryan Reynolds. Isn’t it safe to say that the latter’s plate is already full with franchises? That’s assuming the oft-mentioned Deadpool film actually happens after Lantern hits in June 2011. But you get what I’m saying.

They go further to chat up how "interesting" it is about Worthington being an Aussie considering Gordon is an American. That has yet to stop him in the past for roles. Unless you’re casting Superman (WB wants an American in that role, plain and simple) or James Bond (The Broccolis have long held their "We’ll never cast an American as 007" policy), that rarely matters.

I’ll tell you what, Flash Gordon filmmakers. Go ahead and cast Brian Blessed in your version and you can have whoever the Hell you want in the other roles.

Ghostbusters 3 Coming Summer 2011?

Dead slow news-day, folks, and it’s ironic that a big item (via I09) is about Back to the Future alum Tom Wilson singing his catchy li’l tune “Stop Asking Me the Question!” addressing every BTTF related question he ever gets. I say that because you have to think Harold Ramis feels the same way. That’s practically all he got asked last summer while promoting his comedy Year One.

Such questions will in fact never cease until they finally admit that Ghostbusters 3 is never happening or *Gasp!* the filmmakers go the other route. You know, make the damn movie.

While doing a career over-view interview with Heeb Magazine, the inevitable Ghostbusters 3 question was asked:

"Something’s going to happen. Dan [Aykroyd] did write a spec GB3 screenplay a few years ago, but no one was motivated to pursue it. Now, 25 years after the original, there seems to be some willingness to proceed and apparently a substantial public appetite for a sequel. We’ll introduce some new young Ghostbusters, and all the old guys will be in it, too. Think Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future"

Been there, heard all that before - minus the BTTF reference. What the Hell does that mean? An original Ghostbuster is killed by Libyan terrorists? One of the newbies travels back to 1985 and has to hook his parents up? Anything else, Dr.  Spengler?

"GB3 is progressing with plans to shoot next summer and release in 2011"

With all due respect, I’ll believe that when I see it. Correction: I’ll believe that a third Ghostbusters movie is happening when the trades officially announce that Bill Murray (whose been the lone holdout on doing another one forever and day it seems) has agreed to do it.

Until then this is just more of the same: Talk.

Flesh-Eating Nazis Headed Onscreen

Gil Adler seems like he’s a nice guy. Have absolutely nothing to go off that - just a hunch. He’s certainly built up a decent filmography over the years. His past credits have shown he digs horror (both Tales from the Crypt films Demon Knight and Bordello of Blood), comic books (Superman Returns and Constantine) and World War II (Valkyrie). Now why not have your cake and eat it too? Make a movie that encompasses all three genres, you say?

Funny you mention that, good reader. The trades report the producer along with Shane McCarthy has nabbed the rights to the horror-themed comic Night & Fog. The WWII set story entails a mist that turns its victims into the undead. Like any good horror tale, our protagonists are isolated somewhere they must escape before turning into zombie food. In this case, we’re talking about an island set military base.

Nazis and zombies together at last? Fuck yeah, I want to see that. Actually that’s not an original concept in any way, shape or form. Shock Waves and Zombie Lake immediately pops into mind among others. Adler just finished Dead of Night with Superman Brandon Routh and I guess he likes the notion of continuing with the horror/comic sub-genre.

Whatever works, man. As long as we’re not talking about another 30 Days of Night, I think we’ll be fine.

WB/DC Getting Their Act Together?!?

Dan Lin made a bold move. He gave up his seat as a high ranking executive at Warner Brothers (Many believed had he stuck around he’d be running the place eventually) to start his own production company. So what was the first film to be made under his direct supervision as a producer? Justice League: Mortal. It didn’t work out. Since then, he’d had his name attached to various WB properties as a producer including Terminator: Salvation and The Box with others currently in development.

With this past week’s Sherlock Holmes proving to be a success (with a sequel already in the planning stages and most likely soon to be put on the fast track), Lin can breathe a sigh of relief. Collider spoke to him recently while making the press rounds for the tentpole. When the subject of the ill-fated turkey in the making Justice League was brought up, he confirmed the obvious. It’s not happening anytime soon:

"It seems like they’re (Warner Bros.) building to Justice League instead of going with the team movie first and doing individual movies after that."

Furthermore, he confirmed that there should be an announcement on WB’s front towards their full-on strategy with DC-related projects. Of course, we’ve all heard this before. Soon-to-be big-cheese Jeff Robinov infamously stated the studio would unveil their plans for films ranging from a third Batman film to a Superman “reintroduction” film back in August 2008. That never happened.

The difference between then and now is the hiring of one Diane Nelson (with Robinov ultimately calling the shots) to get their act together. As for Lin when a Justice League movie is eventually made, I’d say he’ll have no more direct involvement in the finished product than Jon Peters on the Superman franchise. None.

New Inception Trailer

There was the French-language trailer that leaked last week. But if you caught Sherlock Holmes this weekend, you got to see the new trailer for Inception, the top-secret sci-fi mind-fuck actioner from director Christopher Nolan in English.

Having conquered the known world with his Batman Begins sequel The Dark Knight, the British filmmaker is currently in the "I can get whatever I want made" stage in his career. This, of course, is a feat that rarely comes to filmmakers. So he’s wisely taking advantage of said opportunity while he can.

Apple has the trailer up. I still can’t decipher what this is supposed to be about. Definitely intrigued and the cast is aces. Whether the general public will clamor to see this next July (directly against Disney’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice) remains to be seen.