George Romero's Day of the Dead Getting Remade (Again)

Sad to think George Romero struggled against the Hollywood system to do what your average The Walking Dead episode does every week. Even the legendary original draft of Day of the Dead ("Ben Hur with zombies" often described by F/X artist Tom Savini) is nothing special these days. Ah, to be the same zombie-loving kid today instead of the mid/late 90s.

In the face of the continued TV success of Walking Dead and box-office receipts of the zombie movie-in-denial World War Z, Romero's Day of the Dead is getting the (re)remake treatment this time courtesy of producers Lait Grobman and Christa Campbell; responsible for Texas Chainsaw 3D. So whatever standards you had after the 2008 Day redo, keep them low.

That way your disappointment won't hurt as much or, God forbid, it surprises like Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead remake.

Source: LA Times

Spider-Man & Electro Check Each Other's Breath on EW Cover

Per Entertainment Weekly is the officially official first-look at Andrew Garfield in his new Spidey outfit and Jamie Foxx as Electro.

According to their brief description, Garfield's douchebag web-slinger is still searching for the truth of his parents. At least they're not letting that go unresolved like, say, finding Uncle Ben's "murderer." Damn you, Take a Penny, Leave a Penny tray!

Jeff Daniels Promises He'll Be "Dumber" Again

Put aside your admiration or disdain for Jim Carrey and remember there are those independent from him, his recent actions and statements who are affected. Like Jeff Daniels in Dumb & Dumber To.

The ten year-old me devoured everything Lloyd Christmas back in the mid 90s. The "adult" iteration of yours truly still laughs at Carrey in his prime but marvels at Daniels as Harry, the other half of the dim-witted duo. Always hear actors talk about how comedy is a harder feat than drama. Guess it would take a dramatic actor like Daniels to put the work (little looks, thought process, mannerisms, etc.) to make us believe he really is that stupid.

My reservations of recapturing that magic aside, if there’s any reason to want to see the sequel, it's for Jeff Daniels. He recently appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and confirmed everything is set to go for this September. That would seem a tall-order (We're in the middle of July after all). But films can, and are when need be, assembled post haste and there was nothing but assurance in his voice.

Final (and Good) Pacific Rim Trailer is Too Little, Too Late

For all the Monday morning quarterbacking (already) in play, this predicament Pacific Rim is in could have been avoided. Make this final trailer the first one out the gate, or at least in the spring when there was still time to reassess the game plan.

The best presentation they've had to offer from Guillermo del Toro's futuristic actioner. It's the same money-shots showcased earlier. Only it finally dawned on them monsters fighting robots wasn't a dealmaker. Focus on the humans.

Unfortunately, this is so late into the campaign (Opens next Friday on the 12th) it isn't going to turn everything around.

Christian Bale Reiterates Him and Batman Are Done Professionally

Christian Bale will never hear the end of the Justice League questions. Until he accepts those truckloads of cash or another actor is cast. That didn't stop him from having to reiterate his Batman tenure is over, a year after doing nothing but that during The Dark Knight Rises press tour:

"'We were incredibly fortunate to get to make three [Batman films]. That's enough. Let’s not get greedy,” says Bale, who called EW to promote his upcoming revenge drama Out of the Furnace (in theaters Nov. 27). 'Chris [Nolan] always said he wanted to make it one film at a time. And we ended up sitting there looking at each other, saying 'We're about to make the third.' We never really knew if we were going to get to be there, but if that was how it was going to be, this was where it should end as well.'

The actor says he hasn’t even been involved in official talks about a Justice League movie. 'I have no information, no knowledge about anything. I've literally not had a conversation with a living soul. I understand that they may be making a Justice League movie, that’s it.’ But he says he’s not sad to pass Batman’s cowl into new hands: 'It’s a torch that should be handed from one actor to another. So I enjoy looking forward to what somebody else will come up with.'"

Those rumors earlier this year aside, there has been no wavering. Bale and Christopher Nolan said they were done. Bale saying he was never "officially" in talks, I buy. There shouldn't be any doubt discussions were had, ideas spit-balled and Chinese was order during late night brainstorm sessions at Burbank.

If they're smart, they'll make a play for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. They can have their cake and eat it too. Leave the Bruce Wayne alone but still get to play in the Nolanverse sandbox, especially since Man of Steel was clearly set in the Nolanverse too. Don't let Zack Snyder, David Goyer or Nolan tell you otherwise.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

New Prisoners Trailer is OK, I Guess

The first trailer for Prisoners did a great job capturing the fear and helplessness of two couples (Hugh Jackman & Maria Bello and Terrence Howard & Viola Davis) as their little girls are missing and there is nothing to stop the lone suspect (Paul Dano) from leaving police custody. I'm seeing the movie based on the power of that trailer alone.

This new trailer falls more on generic thriller territory.

Maybe it's relying more on Jake Gyllenhaal as the lead investigator bugs me. Don't feel like I can get behind him. His character doesn't have anything at stake. The parents do, and who couldn't relate to them and their determination to get their children back at any costs?

Paramount Making Terminator Reboot For June 2015

Terminator: Salvation was meant to be a reboot, and the start of a new Terminator trilogy. Watch the McG-directed, Christian Bale-starring film and you'll see otherwise. That couldn't be the furthest thing away from a reboot. Executives and producers name-drop the term to look like the cool kids in the room, but don't bother grabbing a dictionary or Wikipedia in our Instant-Access-to-Everything environment.

Only now Paramount is doing a new Terminator and this time they swear it is a reboot. The press release they sent doesn't label it Terminator 5 but simply "rebooted Terminator movie." Alright, at least you got the terminology right on paper this time, Paramount. I grant you that.

"Skydance Productions, Annapurna Pictures and Paramount Pictures have jointly announced they will partner on a rebooted 'TERMINATOR' movie, to be released by Paramount Pictures on June 26, 2015.

The first in a stand-alone trilogy, 'TERMINATOR' will be produced by Megan Ellison of Annapurna and David Ellison of Skydance. Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake of Skydance will serve as executive producers. Laeta Kalorgridis ('Avatar,' 'Shutter Island') and Patrick Lussier ('Drive Angry') are attached to write the screenplay.

Launched in 1984 with star Arnold Schwarzenegger as the title character, 'TERMINATOR' spanned 3 subsequent films, which have earned over $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

David Ellison most recently executive produced, along with his partners at Paramount, 'World War Z,' 'Star Trek Into Darkness,' 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' and 'Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol'. A 5th installment of in the 'Mission: Impossible' franchise is in active development, along with a 3rd film in the 'G.I. Joe' franchise, among other films.

Megan Ellison most recently produced the Academy Award®-nominated 'Zero Dark Thirty,' 'The Master' and executive produced “Spring Breakers” via her Annapurna Pictures banner and has David O. Russell’s 'American Hustle,' Spike Jonze's 'Her,' and Bennett Miller's 'Foxcatcher' set for release later this year."

Not sure how that works out since (last I checked) Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning. My apprehension would ease in light of who directs. Megan and David Ellison could really reach to the starts for a "WOW, You got that guy?!" choice or a safe shooter to do whatever they're told.  

Of Course Paramount is Contemplating a World War Z Sequel

No revisionist history is coming. World War Z made big bank this weekend. I did not see it coming; props to those who did. At the same time I am not going to back down. The overall marketing campaign was awful. Paramount was hiding the zombies from its own zombie movie and focused on star Brad Pitt and sold it more as a global disaster. That and Pitt went everywhere on Earth in order to sell it hard for the last couple of weeks.

Word of mouth is another matter altogether. But in lieu of the year's worth of bad press, they did the impossible and got their big opening. That is all that matters to the studio. Since they are fat and happy in their well-deserved accomplishment, a sequel is on their minds, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Pitt has never been one for sequels, save the Ocean's 11 movies, and not sure where they would take it since it ended (Queue douchebag SPOILER ALERT warning) with the epidemic under control thanks to a vaccine. I say that with a straight face. This is showbiz. If they want a sequel, they will figure out a way to either make the zombies not fall for the afore-mentioned vaccine or find some other monsters.

World War V; vampires are still the thing, right?

Will Smith Won't Save the World in Independence Day 2

Say Independence Day and certain images come to mind. The alien mothership hovering over famous cities of the world, the White House being destroyed and, chief among them, Will Smith cigar in mouth quipping, "Now that's what I call a close encounter."

That single move told the world Smith, known for his rap career and TV's The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, was a movie-star. He would go to be the King of July 4^th box office filling up audiences with his genuine charisma in between special effects-filled action, one-liners and that oversized box of popcorn and pop. His familiarity and trust with the public even persuaded them into less blockbuster friendly territory like Enemy of the State, Ali, Hitch and The Pursuit of Happyness.

So when the news hit last week an Independence Day sequel was officially happening, everyone assumed Smith would be back. Doing so without him lacks common sense, and all your friends and co-workers will say is, "Hey where’s Will Smith?"

Strangely that is what is going down. Speaking to New York Daily News, helmer Roland Emmerich confirmed Smith will not return to defend Earth again citing his expensive price-tag and being "too much of a marquee name."

That latter kinda makes no sense. By the time it opens (July 3, 2015), it have been nineteen years since the original. That is a long, ass time and the public will want as much familiarity to that ironically cheesy sci-fi actioner as possible. Smith, after all, is coming off the biggest flop of his career in After Earth and is due for something safe.

Altogether possible this is taking contract negotiations public. Or Emmerich and 20^th Century Fox really are that dumb. I mean, no offense, I love Jeff Goldblum as much as the next film nerd, but do you think the public would rather see him return for Independence Day 2 or Will Smith?

Jim Carrey Steps Away From Kick-Ass 2

Jim Carrey took to Twitter to announce he will not promote Kick-Ass 2 in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy.

The response is split even. Half are commending the actor/comedian for standing up for what he believes. The other half retort if he feels so passionately on the subject, then donate your earnings (Guessing he didn't take much upfront in exchange for back-end points) to charities, anti-gun organizations, victims of shootings and their families, etc.

I, of course, am in the latter category.

If this is truly in his heart, I take no issue. No reasonable human being would. Just hand over the cash; since Carrey is treating it like blood money and to publicly come out to proclaim this move. If he doesn't and keeps harping on his self-righteousness, then you can add him to another in a long line of Hollywood hypocrites. If he practices what he preaches, then he deserves our respect.

One thing we can all agree on. Universal is not happy right now...