News off the wire 7-2-07


NO WONDER, NO WOMAN, NO CRY
FIREFLY/SERENITY creator Joss Whedon is no longer attached to the big-screen adaptation of WONDER WOMAN, which is being produced by Warner Bros. Pictures and Silver Pictures.

On his site www.whedonesque.com Whedon said:

“You (hopefully) heard it here first: I’m no longer slated to make Wonder Woman. What? But how? My chest… so tight! Okay, stay calm and I’ll explain as best I can. It’s pretty complicated, so bear with me. I had a take on the film that, well, nobody liked. Hey, not that complicated.

Let me stress first that everybody at the studio and Silver Pictures were cool and professional. We just saw different movies, and at the price range this kind of movie hangs in, that’s never gonna work. Non-sympatico. It happens all the time. I don’t think any of us expected it to this time, but it did. Everybody knows how long I was taking, what a struggle that script was, and though I felt good about what I was coming up with, it was never gonna be a simple slam-dunk. I like to think it rolled around the rim a little bit, but others may have differing views.

The worst thing that can happen in this scenario is that the studio just keeps hammering out changes and the writer falls into a horrible limbo of development. These guys had the clarity and grace to skip that part. So I’m a free man.

Well, sorta. There is that “Goners” movie I can finally finish polishing, and plenty of other things in the hopper I’ve wanted to pursue. I’m as relieved as I am disappointed, and both of those things lead to drink, so that’s a plus. Truly, you may be hearing some interesting things brewing in the coming months. But all potential jets therein will be visible.

But most importantly, I never have to answer THAT question again!!!! And you don’t have to link to every rumor site! Finally and forever: I never had an actress picked out, or even a consistant front-runner. I didn’t have time to waste on casting when I was so busy air-balling on the script. (No! Rim! There was rim!) That’s the greatest relief of all. I can do interviews again!

Thanks for your time. You are the people who make the world go ’round. Or, no, science does that.”

Whedon was reportedly paid $2-$3 million to develop the WONDER WOMAN screenplay, and was to direct it once it was approved. Warner Bros. recently bought a WONDER WOMAN spec script from Matthew Jennison and Brent Strickland.

FLASH IN THE PAN
Sticking with DC Comic adaptations at Warner Bros. (DC is owned by TimeWarner), WB has hired Shawn Levy (director of the recent box-office hit NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM) to direct THE FLASH, based on the original comic, created in 1940, by writer Gardner Fox and illustrator Harry Lampert, about a superhero who could run extremely fast and had superhuman reflexes.

David Goyer, co-writer of BATMAN BEGINS, was originally set to write, direct and produce the film. Goyer wrote on his MySpace page, “I am sad to say that my version of THE FLASH is dead at WB. The God’s honest truth is that WB and myself simply couldn’t agree on what would make for a cool FLASH film. I’m quite proud of the screenplay I turned in. I threw my heart into it, and I genuinely think it would’ve been the basis of a groundbreaking film. But as of now, the studio is heading off in a completely different direction.”

NEW MARVELS
Meanwhile, over in the Marvel Universe GHOST RIDER, with Nicolas Cage is (finally) due out on March 2, SPIDER-MAN 3 is scheduled for May and THE FANTASTIC FOUR: THE RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER has been confirmed by Fox for release on August 10.

PAN’S LABYRINTH WINS ANOTHER CRITICS’ AWARD
With a host of BAFTA and Oscar nominations, Guillermo Del Toro and his stunning fantasy film have just been awarded Filmmaker of the Year and Film of the Year at The UK Regional Critics Film Awards. This will be added to the host of other international critics awards the film has already garnered.

CLASSICS COMING TO THE SCREEN
Jules Verne’s classic adventure tale JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH will be one of the first big commercial tests of the new Real D 3-D system. Slated for a summer 2008 release, JOURNEY 3-D is being made by New Line Cinema and Walden Media. It will be directed by Eric Brevig, an ILM vfx Supervisor on THE ISLAND and THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW. It will star Brendan Fraser.

Although C.S. Lewis is best known for his children’s fantasy series set in Narnia, he was also a prolific writer of science fiction and religious satire. One of his better known satires is THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS and it is being adapted for the screen by Ralph Winter Prods. and Walden Media’s Bristol Bay Prods. The novel, which was first published in 1942, follows a senior demon named Screwtape, as he advises his nephew, Wormwood, on how to undermine faith and encourage sin.

30 YEARS OF STAR WARS
This year is the thirtieth anniversary of the movie that brought sci-fi to the masses, and while it may be seen as both a blessing and a curse for the genre there is no denying its impact. As part of the celebrations a huge event has been organised at ExCeL London, in association with Lucasfilm. Star Wars Celebration Europe is a three day event running from July 13-15 and will feature live entertainment, celebrities from all six movies, special film and video presentations, an exhibit of original movie props and costumes, exclusive merchandise, pop culture tributes, interactive events, a costume contest, and much more. Bookings are open now at www.celebrationeurope.com where full details of the event are listed.

FREE HORRORTHON
Frightfest, the UK’s major horror film festival, in association with Lions Gate Home Entertainment, will be hosting a one-off special event to celebrate the DVD releases of SAW III – EXTREME EDITION, BLOOD TRAILS, ISOLATION and SNUFF MOVIE, and SAW TRILOGY.

On Saturday 24 February, 2007 three of the films will be shown on the big screen at the Rex Cinema, together with special guests and competitions. Timings are as follows:

2:30pm Doors Open
3.00 p.m. SNUFF MOVIE
5.00 p.m. BLOOD TRAILS
7.00 p.m. SAW III – EXTREME EDITION
9.00 p.m. Ends (approx)

This Extreme Edition of SAW III has been exclusively produced for DVD and has never screened in cinemas. Containing almost 10 minutes of unseen footage packed with gore, this will be the only time that this version of the film will screen in the UK.

For a chance to bag your tickets for this latest exciting FrightFest Presents event click on this link and follow the on-screen instructions. Entries close on Tuesday 20th February. Winners will be drawn at random and notified by e-mail. Entry to the event will be by names on the door.

SAW III – EXTREME EDITION, SAW TRILOGY & BLOOD TRAILS will be available on DVD from Monday 26th February, 2007.

SNUFF MOVIE & ISOLATION will be available on DVD from Monday 5th March, 2007.