Johnny Depp Headlining Wally Pfister's Transcendence

The benefit of having Christopher Nolan as your executive producer is gets like this.

Johnny Depp will star in Transcendence, the directorial-debut of Nolan's cinematographer Wally Pfister. THR had more details than we're used to from the typically-secretive nature of Nolan productions:

"Plot details have been closely guarded, but sources say the film is described as in the vein of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Inception.

The story centers on a man who creates a computer that develops a malevolent awareness. Depp will play a husband who gets sucked into the computer, contigent on changes Pfister is making to the script, sources say."

Pfister wasn't exaggerating calling it a "fairly big concept" to the Herald Tribune.

Since Jerry Bruckheimer, Gore Verbinski and Tim Burton aren't within distance, perhaps Depp will get motivated out of his rut. Obviously too soon to know how he’ll transition to calling the shots from rocking those IMAX cameras, but Pfister doesn't strike as one to let Depp phone it in with his "colorful weirdo" crap.

The Red Band Trailer to the Evil Dead Remake

If it's possible, The Evil Dead remake may rival the original and its 1987 sequel in the blood department. Curious how severe the MPAA will force them to cut back.

What's there to take from the red-band trailer (Same one leaked last week)? Producers Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert and Bruce Campbell were cool enough, and not too full of themselves, to allow newbie helmer Fede Alvarez to take a bite at the (bloody) apple.

Say Hi to Your Mother for Me, Optimus!

This speaks to their working well together on Pain & Gain, I take it.

While not committing the act of proclaiming "done deal," Twitch says Michael Bay is talking Mark Wahlberg into starring in Transformers 4. Most recent rumors suggested a female lead to change things up for the departing Shia LaBeouf, who you will never convince me quit on his own accord. What moron walks from the gravy-train stuffing $10-$15 million paychecks in your wallet every two years?

One could argue the franchise doesn't require a human-face. This is all about Bay's fetishistic action and depiction of women, minorities and his pro-military hard on. And the fist-swapping robots. But Wahlberg is a likeable enough presence and the folks and us film-snobs equally dig him. That'll do, Bay.

Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin in Iron Man 3 - Minus the Racism

This is about as politically-correct as it's gonna get. Ben Kingsley's playing the Mandarin in Iron Man 3, a villain dreaded in the translation from 1960s comics to 2012 multiplexes. For obvious reasons. I remember the mid 90s Shellhead cartoon, and accompanying toy-line featured a green-skinned (!) Mandarin. Me so sowwy indeed, 90s politically-incorrect Marvel!

Courtesy: Entertainment Weekly

Warner Brothers Yanking the Justice League Chain, Again

Warner Brothers won big yesterday in the courts over Superman. Today they're cocky. Their victory opens up the possibilities to utilize Supes past The Man of Steel next June, including sequels, cartoons and most importantly the oft-rumored, oft-planned, oft-sighed upon Justice League movie.

In lieu of said big win, the LA Times says the studio is "aiming" Justice League for summer 2015. Yes, intentionally pitting them against The Avengers 2:

"The studio is expected to accelerate development of a planned ‘Justice League’ movie that would join Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and other characters, according to a knowledgeable person not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Warner hopes to shoot the film next year and release it in the summer of 2015. The studio already has a 'Justice League' script in the works. Next it needs to attach a director and then cast the lead roles."

We've heard this kind of excitement before from studio-brass (That Wall-Street Journal Jeff Robinov interview I've often referenced). More likely scenario is the Man of Steel follow-up hitting that summer instead. Until more information gets out, one would be wise to not take this development to heart.

Warner Brothers Scores Key Superman Rights Win

The Siegel/Shuster heirs don't have my sympathy. And that bullshit "Letter" written by co-creator Jerry Siegel's daughter (You can read it here) was a piss-poor attempt at gaining fan-support against big-bad Time Warner. You totally aren't cynically thinking us fans are idiots and don't understand that this continued legal disputes against Warner won't affect Superman negatively.

I have one simple question were I ever in their presence. One they can't answer. When your dads created Superman and sold away the rights fair and square decades ago, what grounds do you have to claim money now? This is 100% about grabbing as much cash from the Big Blue Boy Scout and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

The LA Times has a great breakdown on the latest court rulings. It's all a bunch of legal word-salad but in lament's terms, Time Warner defeated the estate of co-creator Joe Shuster's attempt at terminating their half of the copyright. Essentially they tried to weasel their way outta a 1992 agreement:

"Had Warner and its DC Comics subsidiary lost the case, they would have soon been unable to continue using certain key elements of the Superman mythos -- including his super strength and speed, secret identity as Clark Kent and girlfriend Lois Lane --without reaching a costly new agreement with the estates of Shuster and co-creator Jerry Siegel."

That, in effect, means puts less pressure on Zack Snyder's The Man of Steel, which the studio would have been stuck with any changes to the Superman mythos from here on out until any settlements. Far from over but this means you won't stop seeing Superman in his red and blue suit beyond next year.

Here’s Your Latest Ghostbusters 3 Fix, You Crack Whores!

Dan Aykroyd's repetitious non-news comments or yet another talk of Bill Murray's unwillingness causes the fingerprints of online movie-news pundits to bleed from typing so fast. But it never means a damn thing. Ghostbusters 3 still hasn't rolled cameras. The last bit of real news came our way via Vulture of Ivan Reitman's contractual smackdown stopping Sony from sequelizing and/or rebooting the property without his directorial consent. That was two years ago...

Here's a... kinda, sorta, could mean anything but maybe not "update."

Reitman is gearing up to for the elusive threequel next summer, without Murray (Duh). It's from "TOLDJA" (You know, the ass-hats our community whines about endlessly for stealing info but still link 'em like morons and whose Corporate Big-Daddy just bought Variety) in the middle of an item concerning real news; Paramount putting the Reitman/Kevin Costner vehicle Draft Day in turnaround.

We have the next eight months to see if this will result in something Ghostbusters related actually happening. Place your bets!

Too Soon to Mean Anything Sequel Alert: Tyler Perry May be Alex Cross Again!

Spoke to colleague/pal who saw Alex Cross, and was disappointed to hear Tyler Perry's wig didn't grow feet and jump off his head nor did helmer Rob Cohen explain how Matthew Fox was able to stay so lean while consuming so much ham. Not a "So bad, it's good" camp classic. So bad, it's a God awful chore to sit through.

Not one of those bloggers to shout "IDRIS ELBA!" every time a strong, leading man role calls for a black actor but as someone who read the James Patterson books during the early 2000s in high school, the British thesp as Alex Cross is a no-brainer. I understand why they traded up for Perry, a household name for his trademark comedies than the unknown Elba. But one look at the playwright in character and the aroma of distaster was too strong a scent.

I say this, Alex Cross opens tomorrow. For all I know it this might be Perry's permanent escape from the dress and Bible-thumping Maeda. QED, the production company that bankrolled Cross, was beginning the early stages of a sequel, in the event one is called for.

Their plans are to adapt Double Cross, Patterson's 13^th Cross novel. Here's the description courtesy of Coming Soon:

"Just when Alex Cross's life is calming down, he is drawn back into the game to confront a criminal mastermind like no other. The elaborate murders that have stunned Washington, DC, are the wildest that Alex Cross and his new girlfriend, Detective Brianna Stone, have ever seen. This maniac adores an audience, and stages his killings as spectacles in public settings. Alex is pursuing a genius of terror who has the whole city on edge as it waits for his next move. And the killer loves the attention, no doubt–he even sets up his own Web site and live video feed to trumpet his madness."

Jack the Giant Killer, Giant Slayer, What's the Difference?

Jack isn't changing his job occupation. Just his title. Don't worry he'll still kill giant. It won't be as severe! *Shrugs*

For some, undisclosed, reason Warner Brothers is tweaking the title to Bryan Singer's fantasy-actioner starring Nicholas Hoult from Jack the Giant Killer to Jack the Giant Slayer. That will all make the difference in the world and make everyone forget the terrible trailer, its sudden change from June 2012 to March 2013 and those "Jack the Company Killer" quibbles. Speaking of, the studio also is moving up the release by three weeks to March 1 from the 22^nd.

Prove me wrong, Bryan, but this looks like a stinker!

Jack Reacher Trailer Goes a Long Way to Sell Tom Cruise, Badass

Much outcry was heard upon the casting of Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher, the military cop-turned-cop. Fans of the novels said Cruise lacked any of Reacher’s physical characteristics. Creator Lee Child responded, "Trust me, it'll work..."

The trailer (via Yahoo! Movies) for the self-titled debut film intended as a franchise in the event the Chris McQuarrie-helmed actioner takes off this Christmas makes the case. A wonderfully '70's, Friedkin vibe on display, the idea of Werner Herzog as the baddie is a great example of "Fortune favors the bold," and Cruise has the drive to win over his detractors.