Screenhead

For years, I have heard rumors of a movie version of the 24 television show. It would appear that a film is in talks with Billy Ray, the screenwriter for such thrillers as State of Play and Flightplan.

As I recall, they already did that 24: Redemption movie that didn’t really feel so hot, and I’m not certain how well a 24 movie will work. I would imagine if they use that realtime conceit, then it would actually be Jack Bauer going through two hours of even more hell.

Keifer Sutherland is excited about the possibility of a movie, siting that the media world is changing fast, and a TV show and movie can work together and not apart.

Well, if The Simpsons can have a movie, why not 24? Of course, would you want to watch a TV show with a finale that ends with: “To be concluded in the movie?”

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I’m not certain why Tom loves doing the Mission Impossible movies, but he will have his chance to do yet another one. In fact, Paramount studios wants to do Mission: Impossible IV, with J.J. Abrams, the director of M:i:III, at the helm. There is no word of a script, but it is apparently being hammered out by Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec, two writers of Abrams’ Alias.

I’m sorry, but didn’t Paramount pictures “fire” Tom Cruise a while back after the third Mission Impossible film was complete? Is this way of Paramount saying: “Oh yeah, Tom, you gave us Top Gun and the Mission Impossible series, so what can we do for you?”

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Louis Gossett Jr., who is best known for his role as Sgt. Emil Foley from An Officer and a Gentlemen, has been diagnosed with the early stages of prostate cancer.

The actor, who is now 73, but has been acting since 1958, taking various roles in both television and movies. It was Gossett’s decision to go public with his condition “to set an example for the large number of African-American men who are victims of this disease because of the comparatively low emphasis in our community on preventative examinations and early treatment.”

He also added: “I want to influence them to seek, as I have, the fine medical care and early detection now available.”

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Samsung Monte S5620 gets a peek, before MWC
Tragic Death of Trans Am
Skoota Personal Transporter
Darth Vader Concept Helmet

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Christopher Nolan Overseeing ‘Dark’ Superman Development
Weisz to Play Craig’s Wife and Watts’ Neighbor in Thriller
Soderbergh Casting Next Film, Damon and Law
Battle For Terra Movie Review–Avatar, Before There Was Avatar
No Ragetti In Pirates 4
Somebody’s Got To Be Doing Something With Batman 3, Right?
Back To the Small Screen For Stephen King
Doll House YouTube Review–And That’s A Creepy Doll
‘The Back-up Plan’ TV Spot and Love Shot Game
Giveaway — ‘Boondock Saints’ Poster Signed by the Director
Marshall Set for ‘Valentine’s Day’ Spin-off

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Ever since the triumph that was The Dark Knight finished in the cinemas, fans have been eagerly awaiting news of the next Batman sequel from director Christopher Nolan. Conversely, many were so disappointed in Bryan Singer’s frankly ridiculous Superman Returns that the appetite for more Superman adventures was lost. But news over at Deadline will appeal to both factions.

Warner Brothers are eagerly developing another Superman movie, and so they have hired Chris Nolan to oversee the development of the project. Superman Returns was considered to be a box-office failure as its worldwide take probably didn’t cover the production and marketing budget. And with The Dark Knight proving so successful, it’s not surprising that execs want to go the “dark” way of one of the most iconic superheroes. No other talent has been assigned, and while Bryan Singer and Brandan Routh have not been ruled out, it’s unlikely that they’ll return. But the interesting question is whether Superman should go “dark”. While Batman was inherently so, Superman is not, rather standing as a figure of hope and moral steadfastedness. Is darkening it merely a case of film execs being sheep and following whereever they think the money lies, or will they attempt to adhere to the elements of the edgier Superman comics? Well, bringing Nolan on board is at least a step in the right direction.

But Batman fans need not despair. Nolan does not seem to be directing Superman over Batman. In fact, scripting appears to have started on his third Batman film. Brother Johnathan Nolan and David Goyer (who recently backed out of helming the TV series Flashforward to focus on “film” projects) are working away on an idea that will best, or at least equal, the appeal of TDK.  And fans of Nolan’s work will be able to check out the intriguing Inception this summer.

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Rachel Weisz is set to play Daniel Craig’s wife and Naomi Watts’ neighbor in the thriller Dream HouseThe movie will be directed by Jim Sheridan from a script by David Loucka. 

The story focuses on a successful publisher (Craig) who quits his Gotham job. He relocates his family – wife (Weisz) and two daughters — to a quaint New England town.  Soon they discover that their perfect new home was the murder scene of a mother and her two children.

Watts will play a neighbor who was close to the slain family.

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Steven Soderbergh setting up his next film, which is an action-thriller called Contagion. It looks like he’ll be orchestrating an all-star cast. 

So far Matt Damon and Jude Law are on board. Soderbergh is in talks with Marion Cotillard and Kate Winslet. 

If all works out the way Soderbergh plans the production will start shooting later this year.

Contagion comes from a script written by Scott Z. Burns. The movie has multiple plotlines similar to Soderbergh’s Traffic. The story centers on the threat posed by a deadly disease.

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I didn’t get a chance to tackle this one when it first came out in theaters, so when I got the chance to finally catch Battle For Terra on DVD, I took it.  Was it worth it?  Well, you’ll find out directly.

Here, once again, humans are the bad guys as they go out not to look for shiny black rock that’s worth a mint per grain, but rather, for a new place to live.  They think they’ve found it in Terra, an Earth-like planet with one significant problem–a wonky atmosphere. Sound familiar?  It should.  The difference here, of course, is that this time, the Earthlings are planning to bring along their OWN atmosphere via a terraforming device (which is only slightly ironic–an Earthling terraformer device to be used on Terra to make it Earth-like.  This will, naturally, render Terra uninhabitable to the Terrans.

You may have noticed from the title that I’m taking the rather cheeky move of calling this Avatar before there actually WAS Avatar, and though it’s sure to get me flamed into insensate oblivion by numerous Avatar fans, I have to say it.  Remember, this sucker came out WELL ahead of Avatar’s release, even if Avatar was likely longer in the making.  First mover advantage, or in this case, first movie advantage, is everything.

And yes, Battle For Terra will prove to be every bit as breathlessly sanctimonious as Avatar would be, but with one key difference.  You’ll have to actually watch to see what it is, but suffice it to say that it’s pretty satisfying.

There’s just as much action in Battle for Terra as there was in Avatar, though it’s of a different sort, and Battle For Terra actually comes off looking sort of weak-sauce compared to its vastly large budgeted counterpart.  It’s hard not to look shabby against a movie with several times your budget.

Thus, the Screenhead Ten Scale can sympathize with the first but very much lessser iteration–the prototype, if you will–of Avatar, and gives it a six out of ten.

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It’s sounding worse and worse for Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides as it looks more and more like the only pirate actually coming back will be witty Jack.

Mackenzie Crook, the guy who played Ragetti in all three installments of Pirates of the Caribbean will apparently not be back.  And–wait, what?  You don’t know who that is?  Okay, it’s the guy with the wooden eye.  Yeah, I know–took me a minute too.

Anyway, the weird part is he’s actually GLAD he’s not coming back.  Quoth the bit player:

“They haven’t asked me. But actually I don’t mind at all….I’m a fan of the first one especially and I think the trilogy we’ve made is great. I’d almost like them to leave it there.”

So would a lot of us, Mackenzie.  Of course, there’s something to be said for finding out what all happened after that pretty good ending–with the new Davy Jones and all–but still, they did have a pretty solid ending and could easily cut it off here.

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