Heroes = Dead?

I was never partial to Heroes. When everyone else was nerdgasming over how “awesome” it was during the first season, I couldn’t sit through the pilot. What can I say? It was crap from the get-go. Of course, it’s now in fashion to shit on the fledging superhero series. With things as bad as they are for NBC, they’ve kept it around even though the ratings have been bad. Hell, a lot of us thought the Peacock network would pull the plug a year ago.

Now a report from Airlock Alpha states that the producers have been told to wrap up the series. Right on queue, the network came out and denied any truth to such claims. But that’s just the thing. Regardless of whether it’s true or false (leaning towards the former myself), there’s nothing else they can do but cry foul.

But honestly at this point, who cares about Heroes? I mean if you can’t get viewers to tune in after seeing Zachary Quinto’s Spock this past summer in Star Trek (something that the general public, nerds and critics alike loved), what will get them to watch? I’m more curious about what this does to NBC as a whole.

Their big gamble with The Jay Leno Show hasn’t paid off and ratings are dropping increasingly by the week. The way things are going right now, it looks like they’re going to renege and not give Leno a second season (even though their deal with the former Tonight Show host is for two years). If that occurs, that automatically results in five hours of open-slots next fall in addition to the just-cancelled Trauma and (if the afore-mentioned report is accurate) Heroes.

Thus I’m willing to bet that low-rated shows like Community and Parks & Recreation will be spared and get renewed as well as fan-favorite Chuck (and maybe even the equally under-performing Mercy). We won’t know how Parenthood does until mid-season. And network staples like The Office, 30 Rock and both Law & Orders (the flagship and Special Victims Unit) aren’t going anywhere.

No network is going to depend on that much of their line-up on brand-new programs. They’re going to have to have returning shows just to cover their bases. Then again, it’s that same mind-set that could get Heroes a fifth season.

Terminator Franchise Being Auctioned Off

It’s not exactly breaking news that the Terminator rights are up for sale. Various reports (including ours) detailed about it a few months back including rumors that the Governator himself was being sought after for a buy-in with another company. That apparently didn’t work out (or it was just a bullshit Internet rumor).

Now Financial Times reports that franchise rights (which are for film and television related projects, but does not include the previous four movies or The Sarah Connor Chronicles) will be put up for auction later this month. A number of big studios (including Sony who distributed Terminator: Salvation to the international markets) are said to be keeping an eye on it.

Not one to be just a one-franchise studio (like MGM with James Bond), Summit Entertainment is also said to be interested. They’re the folks who turned Twilight from book phenomenon for emo tweens to a top-tier franchise.

For me (and presumably many of you good folks out there), the question is who wants to spend hundreds of millions of dollars behind a franchise that just attempted to revive itself to very indifferent results this past summer. Regardless of whether or not you liked McG’s “franchise revival” Terminator: Salvation, doesn’t its box-office underperformance (mixed with the failure of the Sarah Connor series) prove audiences don’t care about this series anymore? It seems like a waste of time and money to me.

Nicholson, Freeman & Segal Are Dirty Old Men

A spec script by the name of Dirty Old Men has caught attention right out the gate. THR reveals that cinematic elder-statesman Morgan Freeman is attached with Peter Segal circling around it.

So what’s it about? Doesn’t the title say it all? Essentially an aging playboy meets the love of his life and his BFF and wingman (Freeman’s role) tried his damndest to break them up. An R-rated raunch-fest starring actors past their 60s? I know this will immediately turn off at least half of the readers, but I must see that movie.

Even better is the revelation that Warner Brothers really wants Jack Nicholson to star alongside Freeman. He’s not involved at the moment - not signed on or attached but “aware” of it. But you can imagine the studio likes the notion of re-teaming Freeman and Nicholson after their last collaboration The Bucket List worked out well.

I also remember hearing that Nicholson was originally approached for Bad Santa and wanted to do it. But his commitment to Something’s Gotta Give prevented him from doing so.

From Tron to Ouija?

Played plenty of board-games during my younger years, but Ouija was never one of them. So reading the news (via Heat Vision) that Universal is moving forward on a film adaptation doesn’t send any kind of feeling – good or bad. I’m 100% indifferent towards the project.

The studio has put the screenwriting duo of Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (whose credits include various episodes of the short-lived Birds of Prey, Lost and the forthcoming Tron Legacy) up to task for making it worthwhile. They’re apparently aiming at something in the “supernatural action-adventure” genre.

No director is attached at the moment although Platinum Dunes are behind this. So heads Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller will be listed as producers. Whether they’ll be actively involved or just have their names slapped on and cash a fat check with zero participation (read: Jon Peters on the Superman movies) remains to be seen.

I wish them the best of luck. Maybe it could surprise us all. But like I said, this isn’t a property that gets a reaction outta me. Granted, I'm also not paying too terribly much attention to the other "board games-turned-franchise" adaptations like Ridley Scott's Monopoly (Russell Crowe as Uncle Money Bags?) or Peter Berg's Battleship.

Still waiting for the announcement of Guillermo del Toro's Candyland or Alexander Payne's The Game of Life.

Movie Moan - We're Back

Two weeks off the job, and they're finally back! Our heroes (Phil, Ed, Lou and Jamie) have returned for another edition of Movie Moan here at Think McFly Think. Of course, the delay was Jamie's fault. But it's all been resolved. So it's back to bullshitting about movies, the people who make them and everything else in between.

The second trailer to James Cameron's Avatar trailer is officially released causing Phil to race to his nearest IMAX for tickets while Jamie sits on his ass waiting to purchase his a week or so before it opens. Will it change the way everyone looks at movies? Will Jamie be forced to eat his words (yet again)? Tune in this coming December. Same Moan-Time! Same Moan-Channel!

The guys discuss a wide range of topics including Bronson actor Tom Hardy becoming the new Mad Max, Anthony Hopkins joining the cast of Thor, no John Rhys-David in The Hobbit and the coming of Men In Black 3. All of that, plus why we'll probably never see a new Dune movie, Jamie calling the Na'vi green (when they're clearly blue - thus making him an even bigger dumbass) and Phil getting cut off and returning soon after (thus breaking the 4th Wall of this podcast!)

Movie Moan - We're Back

Writers Hired For Roger Rabbit Sequel

I realize it can come across as a surprise from time to time. But when they're not hit-whoring with bullshit non-news like J.J. Abrams saying he's "game" to direct the next Superman movie, MTV can actually get some good exclusives.

Case in point: Remember when Robert Zemeckis was acting coy about a Who Framed Roger Rabbit sequel during Comic-Con? He wasn't kidding. MTV got confirmation straight from the Back to the Future and Forest Gump director himself. A follow-up is in development and the studio has gone ahead and hired screenwriters for the job.

They might sound familiar - Jeffrey Price and Peter Seaman. If you're too young to remember (or care), they were the writers behind the original 1988 film. That's all fine and good. But with old Bob already working on his update of Yellow Submarine for 2012, don't expect to see Roger Rabbit return in the near-future.

There's also the chance that this latest attempt to revisit Toon Town falls apart like previous ones did.

John Rhys-Davies Says, "No Thank You!" To The Hobbit

There have been rumors (don’t know how legit they are or where they started) that members of the Fellowship of the Ring could make appearances in The Hobbit and its sequel. Well, the ones who were alive during the events of the Lord of the Rings prequel (which would be future-King Aragorn and Legolas, I believe). That’s, of course, in addition to Sir Ian McKellan’s Gandalf the Grey.

Being that he has a role in the forthcoming adaptation, its logical to wonder if John Rhys-Davis (the actor who played Gimli in the Rings trilogy) might portray his character’s own father Gloin – not unlike Roddy McDowall in the original Planet of the Apes film series. Sorry, fans. But the actor tells Empire that you won’t be seeing him come back in any capacity.

It’s not like Guillermo del Toro, Peter Jackson and the gang didn’t ask him. As Davis stated:

"I've already been asked and to be honest with you, I wouldn't. I have already completely ruled it out. There's a sentimental part of me that would love to be involved again. Really I am not sure my face can take that sort of punishment any more."

Granted, we're still waiting to hear who will replace Sir Ian Holm as our hero Bilbo. Maybe we'll get word from the studio and/or filmmakers just in time for Christmas.

Anthony Hopkins Joins Thor

Don’t know how accurate these claims are. But you’ve probably read around how Anthony Hopkins was offered the role of Alfred in Batman Begins…and subsequently shot down the offer. If that’s true, you gotta know he’s been kicking himself ever since. Certainly explains this news-item.

Variety reports the British thesp has joined the cast of Kenneth Branagh’s Thor. He’ll play Odin, king of Asgard and big-daddy to our hero (played by Star Trek’s Chris Hemsworth) and baddie Loki (Tom Hiddelston).

Reminds me of how Sean Connery was offered Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but turned it down because “he didn’t understand it.” Then he was offered a role in The Matrix and again said, “No thanks!” citing his lack of “understanding” the story. Cut to both properties becoming blockbuster phenomenons. So when the producers of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen came to our favorite woman-smacking 007, he still didn’t “get” it. But he wasn’t going to pass up such an opportunity for a third time. Yeah…that worked out well.

Here Comes The Men In Black...For the 3rd Time

We've heard reports of this as far back as last April, but now it's official. Men In Black 3 is coming, according to THR.

Barry Sonnenfeld (helmer behind the first two installments) is attached with Etan Cohen commissioned for screenwriting duties. The big question mark revolves around the participation of leads Will Smith (aka The Biggest Movie Star In the Known Galaxy) and Tommy Lee Jones (whose been going through quiet the creative hot-streak as of late with The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, No Country For Old Men and In the Valley of Elah).

I seem to recall that getting all three parties to agree to return was the key reason why the second film (released in 2002) was released five years after the original. Is Sony willing to fork over even more mullah for a third go-around with Will, Tommy and Barry? That remains to be seen. Although, the trades (quoting "buzz in development circles") state that there is interest on Smith's end to return.

Sony apparently wants MIB 3 in production by next year - presumably for a summer 2011 release. Since it's been seven years since the last one (which last I remember was met with a "Meh..." reception from the general public), I say wait another year. 2011 is already going to be one insane summer. They're better off placing this in summer 2012 where there was still a lot of vacant slots.

Is Tom Hardy the New Mad Max?

Update: Literally a week since this story was first reported, THR now confirms that Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron will headline Fury Road with the former being the new Mad Max. Filming is expected to start up next summer in Australia. What follows is the original article from last week.

Mad Max 4 just got one step closer to happening.

E! Online reports that although the film is quiet a ways-off and Warner Brothers has yet to sign off on his casting choices (which was one of many reasons behind his Justice League: Mortal going the way of New Coke), director George Miller is said to have already found his lead actors.

So who might fill in that worn out leather outfit once donned by Mel Gibson? If their sources are to be believed, it will be British actor Tom Hardy. You may remember him from his recent rather high-profile role of notorious prisoner Michael Gordon Peterson in Bronson. He also has a part in Christopher Nolan's forthcoming Inception and us nerds out there remember him from Star Trek: Nemesis (aka seven years before the franchise was officially deemed "cool!")

Probably thinking that the studio might want a more recognizable name among the cast (which will most likely be choked full of non-American actors), Miller is said to have pegged Charlize Theron for the female lead. She's quiet the rarity - beautiful, smart and talented.

None of this is final, mind you. But based solely on these casting tidbits (plot wise Miller is said to keep any and all details closely vested to himself and key production staff), I like the direction this is headed in. Let's just hope it actually happens.