100% Grade-A Speculation: Could We Expect Another Wolverine 2 Delay?

Yesterday afternoon came the announcement of Hugh Jackman's re-committal to headline the crime thriller Prisoners. Highly-touted script (Made the Black List few years back), subject matter to hook the general movie-going public (A father takes the law into his own hands after his small child and her friend are kidnapped) and an actor Joe-Sixpack loves. As my cousin and her husband once said of Jackman, "He seems like a real nice guy, not some Hollywood asshole!" It has a director in place with Denis Villeneuve (Incendies), a November 2013 release date and scheduled to start shooting after the Wolverine sequel early next year. It says as much on the press release you can read at Variety.

That's all well and good. But something caught my eye I don't think anyone else has noticed correct me if I'm wrong. THR reports of a contractual tug-of-war between Fox and Lionsgate over Jennifer Lawrence. The latter is so confident in The Hunger Games (and this was before all those wacky box-office tracking reports hit), they set a November 2013 release for the follow-up Catching Fire. In the event it lives up to the commercial hype, production would start this summer in order to meet that date.

But Fox wants her for the sequel to X-Men: First Class, now with Matthew Vaughn, Bryan Singer and Simon Kinberg all set to return, and mulling over a fall start-date. Though no release date has been lined up for a second swinging, 60s-muttie adventure, there lies the issue. If the Wolverine sequel is a go, and to film this year, why would they be looking to start up that First Class sequel in 2012?

Again someone correct any errors on my end, but what was the last firm information we've had on The Wolverine? That James Mangold was directing and that July 26, 2013 release date. That's it. Shouldn't we be hearing about additional casting, location-scouting and the like? Of course if you've followed the history of the big-screen X-Men, you'll know every film has had nut-crunching tight schedules with the filmmakers racing to the finish line to meet deadlines. Most recent case in point: the production of First Class.

Also the afore-mentioned Lawrence article could be nothing more than news being "leaked" as to give one side the edge for negotiation purposes and Fox, truthfully, has no intention to move forward with X-Men: Second Class this quickly. Not trying to be a non-news running, hit whore but that struck me as off. Strictly playing devil's advocate, folks. We could look up and start seeing official Wolverine information thus making my speculation null and void, and that's fine.

Just some food for thought.

Moronic Decision-Making In Play - Universal Swapping Oblivion Out for 3D Jurassic Park

The thrust of this news-item (as broken by Variety's Jeff Sneider) is Jurassic Park added the growing list of populist fare we grew up watching getting a post-converted 3D theatrical release. Putting aside your love or distain for this, the real story is Universal’s decision to slot it on July 19, 2013.

Universal already had their big late-July tentpole in Oblivion. Its director Joseph Kosinski is coming off Tron: Legacy, true, and even Disney didn't want it after that didn’t bring back light-cycles and stoner Jeff Bridges as hoped. But its big science-fiction action spectacle, that July position has proven to be a prime spot and, most importantly, stars Tom Cruise, coming off Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the biggest hit of his career and widely-viewed as his comeback.

That will instead move up to April 26, 2013, and no doubt, Universal will hope to repeat with their "Summer starts with us..." campaign that made Fast Five steal thunder (No pun intended) from Thor.

Those guys may still have blue balls from all the risks they took that blew up in their faces, but swapping out a 20 year old blockbuster (popular as it is) and slapping on 3D in place of a brand-new blockbuster-in-the-making is a big bone-headed call.

Dark Shadows Trailer Is (and Isn't) What You Expected

UPDATE: Its officially up with embed below courtesy of The Daily Blam!

The trailer for Dark Shadows will officially drop tonight at midnight. But not one to lose sleep waiting to see footage from another Tim Burton/Johnny Depp collaboration unveiled, Ellen DeGeneres got to premiere said trailer on her talk-show this afternoon, and being the Internet as it is, footage from the broadcast has made its way online for your viewing pleasure:

For all the smack talk, yours truly has laid down, I have to tip my hat. This isn't the tone anyone expected. A tongue-in-cheek Burton, though keeping the typical gothic production designs, and a less-than-oddball Johnny Depp. Arguably the straight he's played a role with Burton since 1999's Sleepy Hollow.

My cynicism hasn't been chipped off completely though, and one finds it strange Warner Brothers waited this late in the game to present footage (The film opens May 11). But, to their credit, I'm not ready to write Dark Shadows off either.

New Snake Eyes Image!

Total Film has gotten hold of a new image of GI Joe's franchise player Snake Eyes, the badass mute ninja who is without doubt the icon of the popular comic and toy creation. It will be interesting to see if this sequel can turn him into a cinematic icon in the mould of a Darth Maul or Boba Fett.

First Footage of Total Recall Remake

What's Taiwanese for "I liked it better when Verhoeven and Schwarzenegger did it twenty-two years?"

The Film Stage has our first look at the Total Recall remake and Len Wiseman and Colin Farrell retreading the same territory. Only not on Mars. Because who would want to be faithful to the Phillip K. Dick short-story We Can Remember It For You Wholesale?

What's that? The 1990 film already covered that material? That begs the question, why did you even bother remaking Total Recall to begin with if you thought it was a good idea to nuke a vital plot component? To be fair, this isn't even a complete trailer; just 30 seconds taken from, what looks like, a Taiwan trailer. But you'll notice "COMICON" stamped on top. Your guess is as good as mine to the actual source here.

Regardless, to quote Buddy Rich; this guy... this is not my kind of guy....

Japanese Avengers Trailer Reveals The Hellicarrier

If you thought the US trailer made the movie look eye-poppingly awesome, then this new Japanese trailer may see them come right off their storks!

It features an actual line of dialogue from Hawkeye, several new action shots including the Quinjet in an aerial battle and a better look at Loki's alien army, as well as the first shot of the Hellicarrier rising up from the sea, it looks incredible!

Go now and gorge on the trailer over at Yahoo! Japan

Robert Rodriguez Promises Sin City 2 News-Item We've All Heard Before #92425234

Here's the thing.

Not only has Robert Rodriguez made these claims before. To the point where we all roll our eyes every time he promises it's coming. But the fact of the matter is he waited too damn long for Sin City 2. The idea of a return to Basin City has us drooling, hungry for more circa 2005 after its release. To his credit, Rodriguez brought the comic-book world of Frank Miller (down to the panels) to life in a way we'd never seen before. Up to that point.

Then we waited for that follow-up, said to be A Dame to Kill For. The rumors, at the time, said Rodriguez had cast Angelina Jolie and so content was he to use her he would wait till after her then-pregnancy. That was back during the days when I believed that kind of bullshit, "official" reasons. Then Jolie had her baby... and still no Sin City 2.

And then 300 came along and Zack Snyder got all the credit for literally doing the same thing Rodriguez did two years prior. But since 300 was a bigger hit, he got all the acclaim... and then The Spirit happened and the thought of a green-screened, comic-universe in live-action form (From Miller, no less) suddenly brought a sour taste in people's mouths... and yet we would still hear stuff about that Sin City follow-up... and then nothing would happen. Lather, rinse, repeat... here we go again.

Speaking at SXSW, via THR, Rodriguez is back to the Sin City 2 promises. This time it will come after he wraps Machete Kills (Another sequel he’s promised for awhile) this summer. Though is possible it happens because, one, a broken clock is right twice a day, and, two he works incredibly fast and well-known for being such a one-man crew. That sure, it could happen.

Not to mention, we know he's all for going back to the well since he helmed Spy Kids 4 last year. And like that, it looks like Rodriguez is trying his best to reclaim his past glories. In that case (as proven by the financial failure of said forth Spy Kids), then stop looking to the past for inspirations.

WB Resurrecting Arthur & Lancelot; Want "Star Power" - So They Cast Colin Farrell?

David Dobkin was supposed to start shooting Arthur & Lancelot this January. Warner Brother pulled the plug beforehand, citing costs. It turns out, per Variety, Jeff Robinov and his army of underling Yes-Men weren't crazy for writer/director Dobkin's casting choices for the title roles; Kit Harington of Game of Thrones and Joel Kinnaman (aka the new Robocop).

They wanted a star, the trades say, and now they're looking to grab one as Arthur & Lancelot, like the Lady in the Lake clutching the sword of Excalibur in her drenched, watery hands, has arisen again. So what big, bankable actor has the studio secured?

Colin Farrell.

Hey, Jeff, or whatever executive made this play, quick problem. Farrell is not, nor has he ever been, a star. Even during that period in the 00s where the press wouldn't shut up about his off-screen antics, partying with whatever flavor-of-the-moment beauty, guzzling whatever liquor in sight and snorting whatever drug in plain view, he was never a box-office draw. And of the films he appeared in that were successes, his participation had zilch to do with its profitability despite all the "He's the next big thing!" proclamation. Think Ryan Reynolds, only Irish and a much better actor.

From the sounds of it, he'd play Lancelot, and that's fine all things considered. But again by this "star" logic (If logic is the term you'd prefer use), then you're an idiot thinking Farrell will secure asses in seats, given his track record, when his salary would be substantially higher than either Harington or Kinnaman and at least you'd spend less money on them and put it towards the movie and/or marketing it. Its thinking like this cements what dumbasses run the studios.

Jack Bauer Vs. Development Hell

The notion of a 24 movie never made sense.

All due respect to its many fans, there was never a "right" time to bring Jack Bauer to the big screen. If you went the route of making it while the show was still on the air (As Fox did with X-Files), you face the problem of convincing people to shell out $10 to see the film version of a television series they get to watch every week for free. On the other hand if you wait till after it goes off the air, you run the risk of waiting too late and cashing in your chips long after said show's popularity, an argument to be made if the show was still viable to begin with why did it go off the air? Either way, it was a tricky predicament.

Despite reassurances from star Kiefer Sutherland, the 24 movie that last we all heard would commence production this spring isn't, reports "TOLDJA." Fox pumped the brakes on the production with a script by Billy Ray and a director who, according to the last set of rumblings though no firmly committed, looked to be Antoine Fuqua.

Sounds like budget woes were the culprit, but to the credit of both parties though they barked over costs we weren't looking at a $100 million+ price-tag. Well under that range with the filmmakers wanting $60 million (though still a lot of money obviously) and Fox big-heads aiming for $30 million. Nobody is happy (Read: Sutherland) and we'll see if this blows over. The film, as a whole, isn't dead. Yet. Just don't expect Jack Bauer screaming on a cell-phone and running down a highway in 2012.

First Poster For Seth MacFarlane’s "Ted"

Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane brings his boundary-pushing brand of humor to the big screen for the first time as writer, director and voice star of Ted. In the live action/CG-animated comedy, he tells the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), a grown man who must deal with the cherished teddy bear who came to life as the result of a childhood wish…and has refused to leave his side ever since.

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