Film Junk » Books/Comics

Philip Seymour Hoffman to Star in John Le Carré’s A Most Wanted Man

Sean — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:53:45 +0000

Although Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy didn't exactly light up the box office, it did make its $21 million budget back and also earned Gary Oldman his first ever Oscar nomination, which is certainly a worthwhile accomplishment if ever there was one. The other indirect result of the film's critical acclaim is that it has brought the works of veteran spy novelist John Le Carré back into the spotlight. An adaptation of one of his more recent books is slowly taking shape over at FilmNation Entertainment with Anton Corbijn (Control, The American) in the director's chair. Now this week they've announced that Philip Seymour Hoffman is in final negotiations to play the lead role of Gunther Bachmann, the head of a German spy unit. Sounds pretty awesome if you ask me! Producer Gail Egan had this to say about the announcement:

"We are completely thrilled at the prospect of Philip Seymour Hoffman playing Bachmann in Andrew Bovell's brilliant adaptation of this very modern thriller by John le Carré. We will start shooting in Hamburg in September and are delighted to be working with Anton Corbijn on this film. His unique vision for le Carré's complex and stylish story is very contemporary, very real, very human."

Unlike Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, this will not be a period piece, and the plot revolves around a half-Chechen, half-Russian ex-prisoner who turns up in Hamburg looking to recover his father's fortune from a private bank. Something about him doesn't add up, however, and spies from three different countries watch over him, suspecting him of being a terrorist. The script was written by Andrew Bovell (Edge of Darkness). Although I wasn't a big fan of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy personally, I am always interested in spy movies and I'm very interested to see Philip Seymour Hoffman take on a potentially George Smiley-esque role. I also thoroughly enjoyed Anton Corbijn's The American, so this is definitely a project that I will be keeping a close eye on. Are you looking forward to A Most Wanted Man? Check out a promotional trailer for the book embedded below.

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The Amazing Spider-Man Trailer #2

Sean — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:56:58 +0000

It would seem that Sony had a new trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man prepped and ready to go in time for Super Bowl Sunday but decided to just save the money and release it online the next day instead. In retrospect, it was probably a smart move, although they would have easily been the talk of the Super Bowl since most of the other trailers underwhelmed. The release of this trailer also coincides with a fan sneak preview event called The Amazing Spider-Man: The Untold Story, where the trailer was screened in 3D for fans in select cities along with 7 minutes of additional footage. As for the trailer itself, it's two and a half minutes long and features all kinds of new footage including our first good look at The Lizard. It looks fine, but the big problem, as many thought it might be, is that it feels like we've already seen this story once before. I don't know that Marc Webb's take on the character is doing enough to distinguish itself from Sam Raimi's films, even though they are pushing this angle that Peter Parker's father was as an Oscorp employee who worked with Curt Connors. I guess the other thing it has over the previous films is the 3D element, but that's something we can't judge by simply watching this online. What do you think, are you sold on The Amazing Spider-Man? The movie hits theatres on July 3rd; check out the trailer after the jump and sound off in the comments below.

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The Hunger Games Super Bowl Trailer

Sean — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:05:25 +0000

The new Super Bowl commercial for The Hunger Games has gone online over at Yahoo!, and well... if this is all we can expect from this year's Super Bowl trailers, it could end up being a pretty boring game! Once again it consists primarily of footage we've seen before in other trailers, however, I will say that has a little more energy and urgency than the previous promos. It also has a little more Stanley Tucci, which is obviously a good thing. Lionsgate recently announced that The Hunger Games will be getting released in IMAX but for one week only. Will you pay a little extra to watch it on a really big screen? The movie hits theatres on March 23rd; check out the Super Bowl spot after the jump and see what you think.

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John Hawkes Signs on for Jackie Brown Prequel

Sean — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:17:11 +0000

Does John Hawkes look like a young Robert DeNiro? Writer-director Dan Schechter seems to think there is a resemblance of some sort, as he has just cast him to play a younger version of DeNiro's character from Quentin Tarantino's 1997 film Jackie Brown. A few years back, Schechter wrote a spec script for an adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel The Switch, a prequel that takes place 15 years before Rum Punch, the book that Jackie Brown was based on. Leonard ended up liking it so much that he granted him the rights to make the movie and also signed on as a producer. Now Schechter is also directing the movie, and Yasiin Bey (the actor formerly known as Mos Def) has also signed on to play Samuel L. Jackson's former role. The plot synopsis is as follows:

"Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara hit it off in prison, where they were both doing time for grand theft auto. Now that they're out, they're joining forces for one big score. The plan is to kidnap the wife of a wealthy Detroit developer and hold her for ransom. But they didn't figure the lowlife husband wouldn't want his lady back. So it's time for Plan B and the opportunity to make a real killing -- with the unlikely help of a beautiful, ticked-off housewife who's hungry for a large helping of sweet revenge."

My first thought after hearing about a Jackie Brown prequel is that it would like be nothing more than direct-to-video fodder, especially without the involvement of Quentin Tarantino. Dan Schechter has only two films under his belt, neither of which I have heard of previously (Goodbye Baby, Supporting Characters), and that doesn't seem particularly reassuring. However, they've now got two solid actors in Hawkes and Bey, and the fact that Elmore Leonard has given it his blessing should mean something as well... right? Are you interested in seeing a Jackie Brown prequel?

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Matthew Vaughn Confirmed for X-Men: First Class Sequel

Sean — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:32:16 +0000

A couple of months ago we got our first indication that an X-Men: First Class sequel might be in the works when Fox announced that they had hired Simon Kinberg (Sherlock Holmes, X-Men: The Last Stand) to pen the script. Although that wasn't an official confirmation that the movie was happening, it was difficult to imagine a scenario in which another X-Men movie wouldn't get greenlit. Although the last movie was the lowest grossing X-Men movie to date, there's a good chance that they can build on the positive buzz and strong word of mouth to create a bigger hit this time around. Now this week we have learned that director Matthew Vaughn has indeed signed on to direct the sequel, and Bryan Singer will once again be on board as a producer. All the pieces seem to be in place, but the one remaining question is where will will they take the story? The news of Matthew Vaughn's return comes courtesy of Deadline, although they don't have many other details about the project. Regardless of what you might think of Matthew Vaughn as a director, the idea to set X-Men: First Class in the '60s was largely his idea and I think we can all agree that it was an inspired choice. The sequel seems like it is in good hands and I wouldn't want to see anyone else take over at this point in time. As far as where the sequel might go, it is still anybody's guess. Vaughn himself has hinted that he'd like to have Magneto assassinate JFK, although it's unclear if he was just joking. A movie set during the Vietnam era has also been mentioned as a possibility and it would seem to make sense chronologically. What would you like to see in an X-Men First Class sequel? Are you glad that Matthew Vaughn is returning, or would you prefer to see someone else take a stab at an X-Men movie?

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The Crow Reboot Lands Yet Another New Writer / Director Team

Sean — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:35:47 +0000

Much like its undead protagonist, The Crow reboot refuses to die. After going through a number of directors and potential stars including Stephen Norrington, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and Bradley Cooper, Relativity Media's remake was slapped with a lawsuit from The Weinstein Company, who claimed that they owned the screen rights to James O'Barr's cult comic book. It was starting to look like a new Crow movie just wasn't meant to be, and I think a lot of people were okay with that. Well, this week that lawsuit has finally been settled, and although the terms were not made public, The Weinsteins and Relativity have confirmed that they will partner up for the film. More importantly, they've announced that they already have a new creative team in place with F. Javier Gutiérrez (Before The Fall) lined up to direct the film from a script by Jesse Wigutow. Before the Fall (Tres Dias) is a Spanish-language film that got a lot of attention on the festival circuit in 2008. It is a post-apocalyptic thriller about the end of the world, but instead of focusing on action and mayhem it is about what people choose to do in the three days before a meteorite hits the planet. It was produced by Antonio Banderas but as far as I know it never received a theatrical release in North America, although it is now available on DVD through MPI Home Video. As for screenwriter Jesse Wigutow, he wrote the 2003 film It Runs in the Family starring Michael Douglas but doesn't have many other recognizable films to his name. Supposedly he was involved in the writing of Tron: Legacy, 8 Mile and The Ruins, even though he didn't ultimately end up getting credit for them. He also recently did a rewrite on an upcoming remake of Robert Ludlum's The Osterman Weekend. In the end, I'm not sure that we can deduce much from this information. Both are essentially unknowns, and the real question is who will play Eric Draven? The press release claims that this will be a "gritty reboot" of the iconic character, but based on some of the leaked concept artwork, I don't see how it could be any less ridiculous than the original. Are you still interested in seeing a remake of The Crow?

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Bone Comic Book Adaptation Gets a Writer and Director

Sean — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:43:18 +0000

I've heard a lot of great things about Jeff Smith's Bone over the years, and yet I still know next to nothing about it. The black-and-white indie comic was published between 1991 and 2004 and spanned some 65 issues. Apparently the series revolves around three white, bald creatures who also happen to be cousins named Phoncible P. "Phoney" Bone, Smiley Bone, and Fone Bone, who are exiled from their hometown of Boneville. It is an epic fantasy series with a lighthearted, comedic tone and was eventually re-released in colour through Scholastic, selling over a million copies. With those kind of numbers, it makes sense that someone would want to turn it into a movie; Warner Brothers acquired the rights back in 2008 and are just now starting to move forward with it. Last week they announced that P.J. Hogan (Peter Pan) will direct the film from a script written by Patrick Sean Smith (Greek). The news comes courtesy Heat Vision, who note that it is Patrick Sean Smith's first foray into feature films, although his background with a popular ABC Family show will seemingly be put to good use. In addition to directing the 2003 version of Peter Pan, P.J. Hogan is also known for directing Muriel's Wedding, My Best Friend's Wedding and more recently, Confessions of a Shopaholic. The article does not specify whether the movie is planned as a live-action / CG hybrid or full-on CG, but the production house behind it will be Animal Logic, the same folks who did Happy Feet and Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole. I assume the plan is also to turn it into at least a trilogy of films, because no one options a property nowadays that doesn't have franchise potential. So what do you think? Has anyone out there read Bone and, if so, are you looking forward to a big screen adaptation?

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Sherlock Series 3 in the Works

Sean — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:03:28 +0000

So far I had been holding back on watching the last two episodes from Series 2 of Sherlock, partially because the show is so good and I didn't want it to be over just yet. However, the good news is that it now looks like this season won't be the last one after all. This week we've received confirmation from series co-creator Stephen Moffat that a third series was always in the cards, and Deadline has the inside scoop from production company Hartswood that another season is "in the early planning stages for 2013." Most importantly, both Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are expected to return. This makes me a happy man. Stephen Moffat posted the following clarification about the future of the show via Twitter earlier this week:

"Yes of course there’s going to be a third series — it was commissioned at the same time as the second. Gotcha!"

This is reassuring to hear, especially because we all know that Martin Freeman has been very busy with The Hobbit and Benedict Cumberbatch's career is blowing up right now, having recently landed a key role in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek sequel. Granted, given the popularity of the show, it is conceivable that they might try to recast it with two new leads, but I don't think it would work nearly as well. The series finale aired on BBC One on Sunday, although the new season has yet to air at all on PBS in the U.S. Were you satisfied with series 2 and are you looking forward to a potential series 3 of Sherlock?

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Marcus Nispel to Direct Hack/Slash Movie

Sean — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:46:30 +0000

Marcus Nispel is a director who has built a career on lazy reboots of classic genre franchises. I don't think many people would call his remakes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th or Conan the Barbarian particularly good (in fact, some would call them downright dreadful), but they still made enough money based on the franchise names alone that he somehow continues to find work. Fortunately, for his next project, it looks like he will take a break from the remakes in order to put together an adaptation of a popular comic book series instead. Unfortunately, that comic book is Tim Seeley and Stefano Caselli's Hack/Slash, and if you are a horror fan familiar with this series, I imagine you've got reason to be worried all over again. According to Heat Vision, Relativity has hired Marcus Nispel to direct Hack/Slash after having the project in development for over five years now. Previously both Todd Lincoln (The Apparition) and Fredrik Bond (The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman) were attached to direct, but Nispel seems to be getting good at taking over doomed projects that no one else will touch. The latest version of the script was supposedly written by Stephen Susco (The Grudge), but it is unclear if it will get a fresh rewrite. To be fair, the material does seem to fall within Nispel's wheelhouse. The comic book revolves around a former slasher victim named Cassie who now spends her days tracking down and killing horror movie villains with the help of Vlad, a large, disfigured man who wears a gas mask. The comic has had crossovers with many popular horror franchises including Chucky, Re-Animator and Victor Crowley from Hatchet. It seems unlikely that any of these characters would be licensed for the Hack/Slash movie, however. Are you a fan of Hack/Slash? Do you think Marcus Nispel is a good choice to direct?

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Fantastic Four Reboot to be Helmed by Chronicle Director Josh Trank?

Sean — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:45:11 +0000

It was over a year ago that we first started hearing rumours about a Fantastic Four reboot. The previous two films did more than just break even at the box office but they did not fare particularly well with fans and critics... which is why Fox decided to hire Akiva Goldsman to produce a new Fantastic Four movie with a brand new cast. Things went silent on that front for a little while, but now this week we're hearing that Goldsman has left and Josh Trank, the man behind the upcoming found footage superhero movie Chronicle, is Fox's top choice to direct it. Word on the street is that they will wait to see how well Chronicle does at the box office before they officially hand him the keys to the franchise. According to Variety, Fox execs are very pleased with what they are seeing in Chronicle so far and have been heavily promoting it. They even debuted exclusive footage of the film during some NFL wild-card games. It's hard to say just how well the movie will do since it isn't based on an existing brand or comic book property, but the trailer has been getting a ton of hits online and that seems to be a good sign. As for whether or not Trank is what the Fantastic Four franchise needs right now, that remains to be seen. Fans were unhappy with the lighthearted approach taken by Tim Story, so they're probably looking for something a bit darker and edgier. I can't see Fox having the guts to apply a found footage style to a major comic book blockbuster, but maybe they're hoping he can keep it a little more grounded in reality. More importantly, they'll probably be asking him to put together the reboot on a shoestring budget, not unlike Marc Webb's upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man. Are you looking forward to Chronicle? Does Josh Trank sound like a good choice for a new Fantastic Four movie?

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Green Arrow TV Series in the Works

Sean — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:04:56 +0000

After last year's fiasco that found NBC passing on a Wonder Woman TV series, it would seem that network execs still haven't learned that superheroes generally just won't work on the small screen. The CW has reportedly ordered a pilot for a live action Green Arrow series with Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim on board to write and executive produce. The duo wrote the script for last year's Green Lantern movie so at least they have some experience with the colour green. They also worked on the short-lived TV series No Ordinary Family, which was also about a family of superheroes. Although Green Arrow appeared in quite a few episodes of Smallville, Entertainment Weekly notes that Justin Hartley, the actor who played Oliver Queen / Green Arrow on that show, will not be involved. There has been no word on the approach they might be taking for the show, but the fact that it is being set up at The CW means there is a good chance it will be another young teen superhero soap opera. Smallville is obviously one of the few successful comic book-related TV shows from the past decade or so, so you can't necessarily blame them for following this formula. On the other hand, it could easily turn out like the ill-fated Aquaman show that they tried to get off the ground back in 2006. It seems like a lot of superhero shows fail on television because the budget simply can't support high quality special effects. The one good thing with Green Arrow is that he doesn't really have superpowers per se; he is based more in the "real world" and is comparable to Batman in that he is just a billionaire with a lot of gadgets and weaponry. What do you think, could a Green Arrow TV series actually work? Is this something you'd be interested in watching?

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Carrie Remake Gets a Director

Sean — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:55:09 +0000

Over the last few years, we've seen so many classic horror movies getting remade that it's actually become a bit of a challenge to find one that hasn't been remade. Brian de Palma's 1976 adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie is one of the few that has managed to escape the redo bug thus far, but that's expected to change soon with MGM and Screen Gems currently pursuing a new version of the story. Last summer we reported that playwright Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) would be writing the script, and now a director has been named for the project as well: Kimberly Peirce, best known for the Oscar-nominated film Boys Don't Cry. Well, I guess if someone's gotta direct it, that's not a bad choice. Peirce most recently directed the MTV Films drama Stop-Loss about veterans returning from the Iraq war, but she hasn't done much else over the past decade. Still, she clearly knows how to tell a tragic story about an ostracized and abused young woman. The next big step will be finding someone who can fill Sissy Spacek's shoes (please, anyone but Megan Fox). According to Deadline, the new version of Carrie is supposed to be a new retelling of the book rather than a remake of De Palma's film... sure, sure, that's what they all say. If you're worried about Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's previous credits, however, it's worth noting that he also wrote the Marvel Comics adaptation of Stephen King's The Stand. What do you think, can they actually pull off a remake of Carrie that isn't a total embarrassment?

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