For the next couple posts might make it sound like there is no other news online but Tron Legacy, but I just happened to trip on two tidbits I just had to share. The first of which is Frost/Nixon star Michael Sheen will be joining the cast of Tron Legacy.

Fused Film shares:

Apparently there has been a rumor floating around that Michael Sheen had role in the sequel, Tron:Legacy. Our British site partner, FilmShaft got a heads up on it from the Tron UK PR department. When he got a cast list from them and he saw Sheen’s name on it. Now it seems that Disney has confirmed the role via their Twitter feed. Way to go Craig on the scoop! Too bad most people will get the story via Twitter and never know our British brother’s journalistic integrity and investigative grit.

It wasn’t particularly clear as to which role he would have but it was rumored that Sheen was to play a villain that may or may not be human.

Michael Sheen has been scooping up some sweet parts lately with the voice of the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, Aro in Twilights New Moon. And now a possible villain in Tron Legacy.

I have always liked his presence and he has the ability to play a variety of convincing roles. I look forward to seeing what comes of this casting.

Edit: I am told that this is a reworking of Daft Punk’s theme by remixers Crydaluv and not the official mix. I will post more when I know for sure.

I was pleased with the news that Daft Punk was taking control of the soundtrack to Tron Legacy, and now you can sample the theme song to the long awaited Tron sequel right here.

I love the sound of this. Its not all that remarkable and doesn’t have the same riff I expected from the original. Its really not a remake of the original theme, but still very suitable with the digital sound.

Pretty groovy, but nothing earth shattering.

Still very suitable.

Via

The Secret of Nihm is getting another adaptation. Not remaking the animated classic, but adapting the original children’s book Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nihm.

Yahoo reports:

As rodents prove surprisingly likable on the big screen, the studio [Paramount] is developing a feature version of the Newbery Medal-winning children’s book “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.”

Director Neil Burger (”The Illusionist”) is in talks to write the screenplay.

The new “NIMH” likely will combine live action and animation in the manner of “Alvin and the Chipmunks” and other kiddie hybrids.

The Secret of Nihm by Don Bluth was one of my favourite animated films when I was younger. It was different from the other kiddie flicks and dealt with a more mature subject matter. It was the first time I saw animation that COULD be serious and opened up doors for me that I didn’t know were possible.

I am a little more encouraged that they wouldn’t be trying this as another animated feature, but very discouraged that they are trying to make it a “kiddie hybrid” and liken it to Alvin and the Chipmunks and G-Force which clearly cater specifically to a younger crowd.

My kids get bored at parts of Nihm, and mostly because it isn’t really a kiddie film, so for them to kiddie-fy the movie to be live action hybrid worries me.

This is a silly fun look at what Ghost Busters might have looked like if it was created in the 50s.

A lot of fun, and certainly would have worked.

I was actually fooled for a bit until I started noticing familiar scenes. I couldnt believe that Ghost Busters was a remake and that I didn’t know about it! Fortunately my faith in my moviegeek status is restored when I started to recognize it was a clever mashup. Quite convincing.

Seems that the vengeful redheaded vampire Victoria played by Rachelle Lefevre will now be played by Bryce Dallas Howard.

We Are Movie Geeks says:

Bryce Dallas Howard has replaced Rachelle Lefevre as the character of Victoria for the third installment of the franchise. No one is really saying why they are replacing Rachelle Lefevre as Victoria but honestly, I think that Bryce Dallas Howard is sexier and can play more of a seductress in the role.

Now I haven’t read the third Twilight book yet, so I don’t know how predominate Victoria’s role is in Eclipse. In new Moon, they could do most of Victoria’s involvement with suggestion as she spends most of the book skirting the town and trying to find a way to get to Bella. We don’t really see her, just her victims and reports of Wolves chasing her.

But I was itching to see more of Rachelle Lefevre in the role. She is seductively sexy and when reading the books, it is her face I see (thanks to the film of course) so replacing her with Bryce Dallas Howard (also a beautiful woman) just seems awkward. Maybe I just have to see her done up like Victoria. Any cast replacement is subject to a state of transition.

I am sure Bryce will do a fine job, and the fans will adjust (after throwing some fits) but they could have done worse.

No reasons are given why she was replaced.

News broke over the weekend that we would indeed see War Machine in the upcoming Iron Man 2. Clearly hinted at when Rhodey says “maybe next time” to a prototype armour suit in the first film, the fans were waiting for it despite Favreau’s insistence that War Machine was not in the works just yet.

Oh the clever deception of directors!

Well fans at San Diego Comic Con got a sneak peek at some Iron Man 2 footage which included the ballistics heavy War Machine suit, presumably worn by Rhodey but as of yet, there hasn’t been a clear picture released online. Intrepid bootleg bandits that leaked the footage out captured the dark screenshot of War Machine, and I have taken the image and lightened it some to get a better look.

Its still not all that clear, and I am certain that we will get plenty of chances to look at the cast of Iron Man 2 in the coming months, but for now this is the best we get for War Machine.

As with any big feature comic book film, everyone is wondering about the cast, but what would the movie be without a villain? While Hydra or the Hulk have been name dropped already as potential Avengers opposition, in an interview with Kevin Feige from Marvel Films dug up an option less conventional.

The Skrulls.

Live For Film quotes an interview bit with Kevin Feige:

‘Will the Skrulls be the villain in The Avengers?’ I asked.

Feige gave me one of those looks he’s good at giving and just said, ‘We do own them.’

More digging turned up the fact that Marvel Studios owns the Skrull race, while Fox own the Super Skrull.

Now I don’t think the Skrulls are “mainstream” enough but they certainly are a big part of the Marvel Universe, specifically Avengers related books. For those not in the know, the Skrulls are an invading warrior race that can shapeshift and the SuperSkrulls can even presume the powers of the person they become.

It would be interesting (as mentioned in the article) if some Marvel character we have already been exposed to turned out to have been a Skrull all along, but I worry about confusing the viewer for a film. Seems like a cheap cop out plot device if they wanted to go a different direction with a character. “Oh, that wasn’t me who was Venom, it was a Skrull” (Yes I know Sony has Venom - it was just an example of a character that could benefit a do-over)

While an alien invasion of shapeshifting warriors would be a suitable level of threat to the epic Avengers, I personally would rather see them take on the Hulk (Edward Norton has yet to be approached for this or a Hulk sequel)

ComicCon offered a number of great moments and announcements that every site is currently blogging their asses off with, so while we liked to share some of that too, we wanted to also share something that ISN’T happening.

But I wish it was.

This fake trailer is genius, and with a little polish, I would LOVE to see that movie come to pass.

THe rumour mill is in overdrive on a slow post ComicCon news day, and word has it that Miley Cyrus has auditioned for Batgirl on the off chance that they hope to include the character in an upcoming Batfilm.

World of Superheroes shares:

Cyrus auditioned for the role of Batgirl and might be considered by Warner Bros. for a future role in the series.

According to Hollyscoop.com, the “Hannah Montana” star reportedly “stunned” Warner execs during her audition, even dressing for the part in a “full batsuit.”

Now this just sounds like publicity stunt news (which I realize the irony that I am perpetuating) but I just can’t see them opting for a “Batgirl” character in the Nolan era Batman franchise. Keeping things simple and gritty real is working much better for the franchise.

Should Nolan continue on, I imagine he would maintain his “No Robin” rule, which as a subclause would likely imply a “no Batgirl” rule. Also, if they did choose to make a Batgirl movie unrelated to the current franchise, they should be reminded how well an unrelated off canon Catwoman did for them.

I know there are those who would mock Cyrus for the attempt, but I won’t rule her out as a Disney kid until she proves she can’t make it without the Mouse.

However I am sure that this will just turn out to be either blind rumour, or if it did happen, its validity ended with the amusement of those she “auditioned” for. Impressed by her enthusiasm.

Some concept art was released that will showcase the inner world of Tron for the upcoming sequel Tron Legacy and its just making my pants not fit right.

The images are wonderfully updated, while still staying true enough to the previous film’s dated image. I am loving it.

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I often profess my deep passion for a number of movie related things, but that’s the beauty of film. Its poligamist. There is room enough in my heart for a great number of loves. But the first among them is medieval epics.

Specifically the Authurian Legends. Well it appears that legendary comic book scribe Warren Ellis (an idol of mine) has gone and written himself a film that the Hollywood Gang (co-producers of 300) have offered the working title of Excalibur.

Obsessed with Film quotes Ellis from his official website

‘Untitled Arthurian Project,’ as I call it (just so I can’t feel John Boorman’s EXCALIBUR looming down at me from my DVD shelf), differs from the prior 751 King Arthur movies in many ways, but perhaps most obviously in that it is very specifically about the gathering of the Knights.

I can think of few others that would be more fitting for an Arthurian film. Ellis often plays on themes from this legend in his writing, and true to his insightful ways he is focusing on a less common tale of the Knights age.

One of the core elements of the King Arthur legends is the unique round table that brings a physical equality to the concept that Arthur shared with his nights. The table has no head, and despite him being King, at that table they were all equals.

It is only fitting that Ellis would ride this concept and bring us a story where all the characters are equals, and share a tale of how that Knighthood was established.

I can’t wait.

And Sean Connery needs to come out of retirement to play Arthur. Just sayin.

In the first of a series of two posts I will do about “guys with scarred faces” I present the first poster for Jonah Hex that hit the net yesterday.

Ok, now I drool over Megan Fox as much as the next guy (and yes, I am convinced all you haters who troll the net looking for Megan Fox posts so you can point out her toe-thumbs secretly find her attractive despite your insistance she isn’t “all that”. Maybe she isn’t your cup of tea, but its hard to deny shes got the looks) but honestly it makes me worry about the movie when they cannot just make the poster about HEX.

Why is Fox so predominately featured here? Because they are hoping the drool factor will make you want to see this. Forget that there is a badass scarred up muthafucker with a pistol ready to bring us some awesome action western story with a twist. No, that’s not enough. In fact, sihloette that bastard in the foreground and make sure we got some of Fox’s boobies in the poster.

Hey I am all itching to see Fox as an old west saloon harlot, but honestly I was hoping they didnt have to go this way with the marketing.

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This past weekend a new Nightmare on Elm Street poster was released, and it shows everything we would expect.

Freddy and his claws. What more do you need?

I love the blood imagery, and the picture hints at a more gritty realistic fire scarred face of Freddy. Despite the iconic imagery, I had hoped we would get something that would keep this along the same lines but still defines the look as a reboot. A more grusome Freddy face would do the trick.

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There are a number of King Kong films out there, and there is soon to be another. No, not a sequel to Peter Jackson’s King Kong, but an adaptation of the novel Kong: King of Skull Island.

Filmofilia says:

Spirit Pictures picked up the rights to the book “Kong: King of Skull Island,” a prequel to the well-known tale of the big ape - King Kong.

Written by Joe DeVito and Brad Strickland, the book focuses on the backstory of Skull Island and how the giant gorilla got there, it also introduces other duper-sized simians and dinosaurs only hinted at in the previous films.

So clearly with a line like “dinosaurs only hinted at in previous films” would mean that this is a prequel of some other film that wasn’t Peter Jackson’s King Kong since the TRex played a pretty big part in the action scenes with Kong.

Jackson’s Kong was visually stunning, and the very basis of a prequel would remove pretty much every element of the film that I didn’t like (namely the people parts) so I would be willing to give it a chance, but I just don’t know what to expect.

They are calling it a prequel, but I wonder which version they are prequelling. Sounds more like they are just making another unrelated King Kong movie, but starting at the very beginning.

A classic pg-13 horror film of the 80s is making its way down the comeback trail and will be getting a re-release dvd just in time for Halloween.

Horror Yearbook says:

Lionsgate Home Entertainment will open the gates of hell on October 6th and unleash a “Monstrous Special Edition” of the 1987 cult classic THE GATE on DVD. The long awaited special edition disc will include a commentary track with director Tibor Takacs, interviews with the cast and crew, a stills gallery, and the original trailer.

I just LOVED this movie. It was 15 when I saw this and nearly forgot all about this. (Look for it on this week’s Forgotten Friday review)

I have a vivid recollection of the scene where the zombie demon guy falls on the floor and it and shatters into a pile of little demon things, which kept coming after them. That creeped the hell right out of me.

This is one I will look forward to seeing a re-release of. Check out the trailer.

We saw a bootleg hint of this trailer LAST year at San Diego Comic Con, and for the year that followed all we were exposed to was the blurry copy.

Then all we were treated to a barrage of name changes and speculation over the titles like TR2N. And now we find out the official title is Tron Legacy, and ThinkHero has the Teaser Trailer for us.

This isn’t much more than what we saw in the previous trailer, aside from the official title and a MUCH more clear image. I love the look of the virtual world. It seems like they went out of their way to make it reflect that games and computers are upgraded, but still retained enough of the simplified dayglow look from the original movie.

Tron Legacy is looking incredible and I can’t wait to find out more and to find out what role Flynn is playing in all of this.

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Thanks for checking out our Forgotten Fridays feature. This is something we want to try out to review some older films that maybe you have forgotten about or maybe never got around to seeing that we just want to share.

I know this is NOT a very old film, but not one that I find most people know about. If you have, then this is your reminder to make other people watch it.

Today’s review is St Trinians

Release: December 21 2007
Genre: Comedy
Director: Oliver Parker, Barnaby Thompson
Staring: Talulah Riley, Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Gemma Arterton

THE GENERAL IDEA

St Trinians proudly continues to represent the unacceptable face of British education. When the new Minister of Education announces he will personally sort the place out he doesn’t realise either the enormity of the task or that the headmistress is an old flame. The school is anyway threatened with closure by their bank; with the staff clearly a waste of space the girls realise the responsibility to save the day falls on them. Perhaps a stealing and fencing off a very valuable painting would be the way out?

THE GOOD

The movie has all the charm of highschool cliques exaggerated to the most fun extremes. The misguided youth that self govern the school are all heaps of fun. Once the dotey new comer, the neice of the Headmistress (played wonderfully by the cross dressed Rupert Everett) finds acceptance, they try to figure out which clique she belongs with. The “makeover” scene is the most fun montage I have ever seen. Silly fun.

The movie features amazing performances by the students and the supporting cast. Russell Brand is a lot like his normal self but different enough to enjoy him. This was the film that introduced me to sex on a cracker known as Gemma Arterton, and she just oozes sex appeal that made her deserving of a Bond Girl (though I like her more in this)

Overall, there is nothing too shocking about this schoolgirl movie crossed with a comical heist film. Its just plain fun and riding stereotypes.

Small roles played by Lena Headey (From Sarah Connor Chronicles) and the quizmaster (Stephen Fry) as well as a blonde Mischa Barton as the former Head Girl.

THE BAD

This movie will not appeal to everyone. It grabbed me with the racy schoolgirl fantasy and kept me with its charming play and a fun romp of a movie. It really appeals to the Brit humour at times, and the occassional rolling of eyes. But its a lot of fun. Maybe just not going to appeal to everyone.

OVERALL

If you tend to find my Forgotten Friday Picks in line with your own tastes, I suggest you take a shot at this quirky comedy.

Also as a side note, the cast of this film is re-uniting for a sequel which will star the Former Doctor David Tenant and return Gemma Arterton to her slinky hot schoolgirl role in St Trinian’s: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold

Typically this is where we would write a “Out of 10″ rating, but since all of these Forgotten Friday reviews are going to be what I would already give a high rating to, I have made my own rating system.

TV - Make a point of watching it if you see it listed on TV.
Rent - Good enough to go out of your way to see it, but not enough to buy it.
Buy - So good. You will watch it again and again. Buy it!

So on a scale of TV, Rent or Buy I suggest Rent!

A wonderfully whimsical and equally creepy Alice in Wonderland trailer surfaced on the Tubes of You thanks to some ComicCon fans who like to run with scissors but they were immediately cut down.

Fortunately for us, Trailer Addict has the official release for us so we don’t have to wonder any more.

I think it looks absolutely amazing and some of the characters are just enough to give you chills. The giant head on the Queen of Hearts played by the hauntingly beautiful Helena Bonham Carter looks so real and unreal at the same time. That’s going to give me nightmares.

Pleasant surprise was to find that among all these crazy loopy acid trip characters, the white rabbit looks most like a real rabbit.

We have all been anxiously awaiting a followup to the Pirates of the Caribbean, if at least to renew hope in the franchise after the sequel got bigger and only offered to let us down easy. We expected too much after the first one was so great, and they gave us a BIG movie with less heart, and the excitement waned.

But it looks like they will be starting filming as early as next spring? Is there even a script?

Dark Horizons quotes Disney’s Head of Production Oren Aviv

“We’re going to shoot ‘Pirates 4′ in April and May of next year. We are going to release it hopefully in 2011 is the plan” said Aviv who adds that though this is only one movie, if successful it will “hopefully be the first of another trilogy”

He also expects the tone to be much smaller next time around - “We can’t get bigger… I want to kind of reboot the whole thing and bring it down to its core, its essence, just characters.”

I have to admit it was the first film that made me love Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but I found the sequels focused more on the bigger picture and the mythos.

Sure, the first one had its supernatural elements, but it didn’t dwell on them. The curse was just atmosphere. It was the character interaction and wonderful portrayals that made the movie.

I did notice however that despite setting a timeline, Aviv doesn’t spill WHO will be in Pirates 4. Will and Elizabeth’s story is over and done with, so no need to go there. Jack had a new adventure in his lap in the closing moments of part 3, so I would love to see more of Jack and Barbosa trading barbs.

But he refers to it as a “kind of reboot” which almost implies to me that they will be introducing a whole new set of characters and adventures to take place on the high seas.

If done right, I could be open to that too!

Comic Con has introduced us to the ONE film that we have been waiting for… to stop being made.

I have never been a big fan of the Saw series but I have watched them. I thought the first one was original and thought provoking in a “what would you do?” kind of way, but as they go on they just seem to be clinging to flimsy plot just to showcase some more torture porn.

When I start hearing rave reviews about Saw XXII, I might once again watch it, but after the first 5 hoping to have any of them offer me something other than a wincing squirm in my seat, I have officially given up.

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