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Bradley Cooper is Rumored Frontrunner to Play The Flash

By Simon Abrams (Subscribe to Simon Abrams's posts), Posted Oct 11th 2010 4:32PM
Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical
Recent news about Zack Snyder being tapped to direct an upcoming cinematic Superman reboot has gotten us thinking: With Marvel's major tentpole projects all building towards a major 'Avengers' movie, what's next for DC? Not one to leave us in the dark for long, Deadline Hollywood already has word that one of the next super-franchises in the works for DC will be 'The Flash'. Deadline's head columnist Nikki Finke reports that a new script for the project will be handed in for studio execs' approval some time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. DC writer Marc Guggenheim and screenwriter Michael Green (writer on 12 episodes of the superb and sorely missed 'Kings') are writing the script in question and Greg Berlanti, director of 'Life As We Know It,' contributed to the story. Berlanti may also direct the film.

The news of a new 'Flash' story is interesting as the property had previously moved ahead with David Goyer at the helm, as both director and writer had tentative plans for Ryan Reynolds to star. That project fell through five years ago, though, and with Reynolds starring in at least two 'Green Lantern' movies and maybe even a 'Deadpool' spin-off, it's highly doubtful (some would say impossible) that Reynolds will star. Who then will step into Reynolds', ahem, shoes? Moviehole speculates that Bradley Cooper, star of the recent 'The A-Team' reboot and 'The Hangover,' is a likely candidate. Cooper, as Moviehole reported, was a name that was bounced around to play Green Lantern for a while before Reynolds got the job.

What say you? Would Cooper make a good Flash? More of a Barry Allen than a Wally West, maybe? Speak your mind in the comments section, Flash fans.

Surprise! 'The Secret in Their Eyes' to Get an American Remake

By Simon Abrams (Subscribe to Simon Abrams's posts), Posted Oct 7th 2010 6:20PM
Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical
The L.A. Times' blog 24 Frames reports that an American remake of the Argentinian period thriller 'The Secret in Their Eyes' is being prepped. Director Juan Jose Campanella, director of 17 episodes of 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' and five episodes of 'House,' won the Oscar for Best Foreign Picture this past year for 'The Secret in Their Eyes,' beating out Michael Haneke's 'The White Ribbon' and Jacques Audiard's 'A Prophet.' The film' follows a decades-old murder mystery that lawyer protagonists pursue through cold case evidence and eye-witnesses' recollections.

The trouble with remaking 'The Secret in Their Eyes' will mainly be, as the Times' Steven Zeitchik pointed out, a problem of figuring out a way to translate the political payoff of the film into an American story. Much of the plot can be moved piecemeal without much difficulty, but there are elements specific to Argentinean history. It sort of reminds of how David Fincher decided to shoot 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' in Sweden (with English-speaking actors), where the original was based, instead of re-locating it to the United States.

Then again, as Zeitchik points out, a couple of Best Foreign Film winners, like 'The Lives of Others,' have previously been optioned to be remade in America but have never progressed beyond that point. It'd be a challenge for whoever were to adapt the film, and in light of Campanella's history as a television director, it wouldn't be that surprising to see him helm the remake too ... if it ever gets that far, that is.

Have you seen the film? Do you think it could be remade for an American audience?

'Red Eagle' Trailer: Thailand's Version of 'The Dark Knight'

By Simon Abrams (Subscribe to Simon Abrams's posts), Posted Oct 6th 2010 4:20PM
Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical
Thailand will prove it can kick a little superhero ass too when it debuts 'Red Eagle', the latest (and potentially) final film by Wisit Sasanatieng, director of the eye-popping "Pad Thai western" 'Tears of the Black Tiger.' Sasantieng. An immensely talented pop artist whose visual styles have lent themselves to several visually playful TV commercials and a handful of equally wonderful feature films, he's announced that he'll likely retire after directing the superhero flick.' 'Red Eagle' is a re-invention of the titular Thai superhero, whose franchise was most popular in the 1950s-1970s. The feature then is in the vein of Christopher Nolan's Bat-movies in that it re-invents the character for a new audience.

The trailer for 'Red Eagle' is a blast, full of the kind of visual flair that reminds us that comic book characters are flamboyant and serious. The violence looks about as over the top as other recent Thai actioners, but the fact that there's some hints of comic book surrealism in the trailer (can you say laser eyebeams?) make that typical severity go down nice and easy. Check out the plot synopsis and trailer for 'Red Eagle' after the break.
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'Superman' Update: Story Details, Script Issues and Who the Studio Really Wanted as Director

By Simon Abrams (Subscribe to Simon Abrams's posts), Posted Oct 6th 2010 11:46AM
Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical
With the net now abuzz with talk about 'Dawn of the Dead' director Zack Snyder having been tapped to direct 'Superman: Man of Steel', the upcoming 'Superman' reboot, news is hitting fast about which director Warner Bros. really wanted before they eventually settled on Snyder.

New York Mag's Vulture blog reports that 'The Fountain' director Darren Aronofsky was nearly handed the job until he learned that the studio opted to go with Snyder. Aronofsky was reportedly very interested in the original idea for the project (the one we assume was pitched by Christopher Nolan and David Goyer) -- where Clark Kent has to decide whether or not he wants to be Superman while traveling the world as a journalist.

We're not sure how close that storyline is to what's currently on the page, or what will eventually hit screens, but it definitely sounds like a more modern take on the iconic superhero -- one that would allow room for current political events and an indecisive Superman who's desparately trying to contemplate whether he should step in or stay away and let people deal with their own problems.

Upon learning he wasn't going to land the gig, Aronofsky -- who, on paper, seems like a much better fit for this sort of material -- started eyeing other new projects, which apparently includes Marvel Studios' 'Wolverine 2' and the WB property 'Tales from the Gangster Squad', which Ben Affleck just recently turned down (he also turned down 'Superman' too).
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Disney's Version of 'The Avengers' to Come with 'Magic Kingdom' Movie?

By Simon Abrams (Subscribe to Simon Abrams's posts), Posted Oct 5th 2010 9:28AM
Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical
Variety reports that Disneyland is now scrambling to assemble what the studio is calling their version of The Avengers. Meaning: with films like 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and 'The Haunted Mansion' having already been made from films (the latter is also working on a re-do with Guillermo del Toro producing), the studio is now interested in creating a film that could bring all of their other films together, while centering it on Disney's iconic Magic Kingdom.

The project is tentatively called 'The Magic Kingdom', and weirdly enough 'Battlestar Galactica' creator Ronald D. Moore (I know, the remake, not the original -- but still, it's an entity unto itself, damn it) had a go at the project, having written a full script for the film. Then again, Disney execs are reportedly still seeking a screenwriter to continue work on the script; one that may need to focus more on a story that works in all these other characters. The vibe they're going for is one that's similar to the 'Night at the Museum' films.

That having been said, 'The Magic Kingdom' is not a top priority at Disney right now but it is something that is being seriously thought about. Instead, execs have other projects on the front-burners, like 'Tron: Legacy' in December, as well as film version of Disney rides like 'Jungle Cruise', 'Tomorrowland' and the previously mentioned 'Pirates 4' and 'Haunted Mansion' projects. Plus, if Disney is going to work in multiple characters -- like Mickey, Donald, Goofy, etc -- they're going to want to move slowly and carefully as to not put out a film that hurts these characters' images in any way.

Will it happen? Probably. When? We don't know yet. Could you see something like this working for Disney?

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'Men in Black III' Casting News: Here Comes Emma Thompson

By Simon Abrams (Subscribe to Simon Abrams's posts), Posted Oct 1st 2010 4:20PM
Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical
Emma ThompsonFrom 'Nanny McPhee Returns' to 'Men in Black III'? Apparently so.

According to Variety, Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson is in talks to co-star in the third installment of the 'Men in Black' movie franchise, in which she would play Agent Oh, a "MIB agent from the '60s monitoring a prison break."

Franchise veterans Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are set to reprise their roles as Agents Jay and Kay in the film, which has Agent Jay time-traveling back to the '60s to enlist the help of a younger K, played by Josh Brolin ('Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps'). According to the report, 'Flight of the Conchords' star Jemaine Clement is in talks to play the film's villain.
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Fans Re-create 'Mad Max' During Badass Burning Man-Like Desert Festival

By Simon Abrams (Subscribe to Simon Abrams's posts), Posted Sep 30th 2010 5:05PM
Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical

Well I'd heard of island re-enactments of Patrick McGoohan's The Prisoner but this is...well, pretty awesome in its own right too. According to Jalopnik, October 22-24 is Wasteland Weekend, a three-day event where people can dress up like their favorite Mad Maxcharacters and head down to the Southern California desert to pay homage to all three Mad Max movies. While it's unclear how the festival works or what parts of what movies will be re-enacted -- I doubt people really want to be stuck re-enacting Beyond Thunderdome for more than an hour or two at most -- the idea sounds, conceptually, either like a lot of fun or like it will be the worst kind of Cosplaying. I hope it doesn't but fear it will license fans to indulge their mean streaks to the point where the fact that they're hanging around a real geographic location called Barter Town makes them think they can act like a post-apocalyptic @$$hole. Then again, it could be a blast, full of alcohol (Adults only! sez the press release), scantily clad ladies and lots of manly screaming.

Strangely enough, the press release for Wasteland Weekend says nothing about tying in with the upcoming fourth Mad Max movie, Fury Road, which is gearing up for production. There isn't even a hint of it, which means this might be more about the dressing up and blowing fire than it is about the movies. It's a strange choice, but hey -- if you're around Southern Cali and are a big Road Warrior fan, check this out. We've posted a commercial for the event and the press release after the jump. (And if you go, we totally want video!)
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