WARNER BROS., VILLAGE ROAD SHOW PICTURES TO PRODUCE 'OZ'

Feature Film Inspired by Todd's, 'Twisted Land of Oz'
August 22, 2007
Copyright 2007 TMP International, Inc.

Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures are joining forces on Oz, a revisionist take on the original The Wizard of Oz books by L. Frank Baum.

The project is based on an idea by Todd McFarlane; Josh Olson (A History of Violence) will write and McFarlane will produce with Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk. Rick Benattar (Shoot 'Em Up) is exec producer.

The news was released exclusively by Variety magazine on Wednesday, Aug. 22, generating a lot of buzz in the entertainment industry - and among McFarlane fans as well.

Todd's take on the classic is decidedly edgier than the original story, and McFarlane's Twisted Land of Oz action figures have a cult following among collectors. Olson's vision will tame that down a bit.

"I saw those toys, and Dorothy as some bondage queen isn't something I want to do," Olson told Daily Variety. "The appealing thing about the Baum books to me is how wildly imaginative they are. There are crazy characters from amazing places. I want this to be Harry Potter dark, not Seven dark."

Todd and Olson are in agreement on their vision for the project.

"My pitch was 'How do we get people who went to Lord of the Rings to embrace this?' " he says. "I want to create (an interpretation) that has a 2007 wow factor. You've still got Dorothy trapped in an odd place, but she's much closer to the Ripley from 'Alien' than a helpless singing girl."

Stay tuned to SPAWN.com for more details as they become available!

RELEASE DATE CHANGE - Sweeney Todd Update

It now looks as if Sweeney Todd will go WIDE on CHRISTMAS DAY!

Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp, left) takes Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter, right) into his confidence in “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” DreamWorks Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures Present A Parkes/MacDonald Production and A Zanuck Company Production A Tim Burton Film “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall and Sacha Baron Cohen. The film is directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by John Logan based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler originally staged by Harold Prince from an adaptation by Christopher Bond. Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The producers are Richard D. Zanuck, Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and John Logan. The executive producer is Patrick McCormick. This film is not yet rated.

© 2007 by DreamWorks LLC and Warner Bros. Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

BEOWULF

Paramount Pictures Presents
In Association with Shangri-La Entertainment
An ImageMovers Production
A Robert Zemeckis Film
Executive Producers Martin Shafer Roger Avary Neil Gaiman
Screenplay by Neil Gaiman & Roger Avary
Produced by Steve Starkey Robert Zemeckis Jack Rapke
Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Cast: Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Robin Wright Penn, Brendan Gleeson, Crispin Glover, Alison Lohman and Angelina Jolie

Synopsis: In a legendary time of heroes, the mighty warrior Beowulf battles the demon Grendel and incurs the hellish wrath of the beast’s ruthlessly seductive mother. Their epic clash forges the timeless legend of Beowulf.

Groundbreaking director Robert Zemeckis offers a unique vision of the Beowulf saga in a way that it has never been told before. "Beowulf" stars RAY WINSTONE in the title role and ANTHONY HOPKINS as the corrupt King Hrothgar, as well as JOHN MALKOVICH, ROBIN WRIGHT PENN, BRENDAN GLEESON, CRISPIN GLOVER, ALISON LOHMAN and ANGELINA JOLIE as Grendel’s mother.

Neil Gaiman (the graphic novel "Mirrormask," "Sandman") & Roger Avary ("Pulp Fiction") have adapted the legend to the screen.

Release: November 16, 2007

This film has not yet been rated.

SWEENEY TODD The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

DreamWorks Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures Present
A Parkes/MacDonald Production and A Zanuck Company Production
A Tim Burton Film
Produced by Richard D. Zanuck Walter Parkes Laurie MacDonald John Logan Executive Producer Patrick McCormick
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Based on the Musical by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler
Originally Staged by Harold Prince
From an adaptation by Christopher Bond
Screenplay by John Logan
Directed by Tim Burton

Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall and Sacha Baron Cohen

Synopsis: JOHNNY DEPP and Tim Burton join forces again in a big-screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s award-winning musical thriller "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." DEPP stars in the title role as a man unjustly sent to prison who vows revenge, not only for that cruel punishment, but for the devastating consequences of what happened to his wife and daughter. When he returns to reopen his barber shop, Sweeney Todd becomes the Demon Barber of Fleet Street who "shaved the faces of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard of again." Joining Depp is HELENA BONHAM CARTER as Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney’s amorous accomplice, who creates diabolical meat pies. The cast also includes ALAN RICKMAN, who portrays the evil Judge Turpin, who sends Sweeney to prison, TIMOTHY SPALL as the Judge’s wicked associate Beadle Bamford and SACHA BARON COHEN as a rival barber, the flamboyant Signor Adolfo Pirelli.

Release: December 21, 2007 (Ltd.) January 11, 2008 (Wide)

This film has not yet been rated.

NEW LINE CINEMA ANNOUNCES SPECIAL SING ALONG SCREENINGS FOR HIT MUSICAL COMEDY HAIRSPRAY

Screenings Set For 100 Theaters Nationwide Beginning Aug. 3

LOS ANGELES (July 30, 2007) – New Line Cinema will present a series of special sing along screenings of its hit musical comedy Hairspray, in 100 theaters nationwide beginning on Aug. 3.

The screenings, to be held in more than 30 cities including New York and Los Angeles, will feature special prints of the film that include lyric subtitles for each song.

"Audiences leave the theater singing and dancing," says Russell Schwartz, New Line’s President of Domestic Marketing. “This is another great way to celebrate the spirit of the film.”

Sixteen years after the release of the original film, New Line Cinema is bringing a feature film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Hairspray to life. Featuring new and original material based on John Waters’ 1988 cult classic about star-struck teenagers on a local Baltimore dance show, the comedy features a remarkable collection of talent including John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, Allison Janney, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Chicago), and director Adam Shankman (Bringing Down The House). The new screenplay for Hairspray was written by Leslie Dixon (Freaky Friday, Outrageous Fortune).

THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR

Universal Pictures will release
THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR
on Friday, August 1, 2008.

HELL BOY 2 -- REVISED RELEASE DATE

Universal Pictures will release HELLBOY 2
on Friday, July 11, 2008.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES/ DREAMWORKS PICTURES/NICKELODEON MOVIES UNVEIL EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE AND MAJOR CASTING ANNOUNCEMENTS AT COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL

J.J. Abrams Announces Two Mr. Spocks for New “Star Trek” Film: Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy

Steven Spielberg Reveals Return of Karen Allen For Fourth “Indiana Jones” Film

First Footage of “Iron Man” Shown by Director John Favreau

World Premiere Trailers For “Beowulf” and “Drillbit Taylor”

San Diego, CA – July 26, 2007 – The halls of the San Diego Convention Center were abuzz with the news that came pouring out of the panel today hosted by Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies. Exclusive footage and major casting announcements included:

Director/Producer J.J. Abrams revealed his first casting for the “Star Trek” adventure: Zachary Quinto (Sylar on “Heroes”) will step into the ears of the young Mr. Spock and veteran Leonard Nimoy will return to the role he made famous. Both Quinto and Nimoy made surprise appearances and were greeted with wild applause. Abrams, producers Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman answered questions from the audience. The new “Star Trek” film will be released on Christmas Day in 2008.

Appearing live via satellite from the set of the new “Indiana Jones” adventure, director Steven Spielberg and three of his cast members Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf and Ray Winstone discussed the film, and Spielberg revealed that Karen Allen, the co-star of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” will be returning for the fourth installment, which debuts over the Memorial Day weekend 2008.

In another surprise, director Jon Favreau shared world premiere footage from his upcoming “Iron Man” starring Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow. The action/adventure based on the Marvel Comic launches the summer season on May 2, 2008.

Paramount Pictures, Shangri-La Entertainment and Warner Bros. hosted the world premiere trailers, the first, for Robert Zemeckis’ epic adventure “Beowulf,” due for release November 16, 2007, which was introduced by the film’s writers Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary. Later in the day, there were invitation-only screenings of select 3-D footage for “Beowulf.”

Producer Judd Apatow and director Steven Brill sent a taped greeting to introduce the first-ever viewing of the trailer for the Owen Wilson comedy “Drillbit Taylor,” which opens nationally on March 21, 2008.

Other highlights of the afternoon panel included appearances by “Hot Rod” director Akiva Schaffer and actors Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone, who jointly introduced a clip from the film that is due for release August 3, 2007. Neil Gaiman also presented a clip from the film version of his graphic novel “Stardust,” which opens August 10, 2007. The film was screened at Comic-Con Thursday evening. A trailer from the upcoming “The Spiderwick Chronicles” was followed by a Q&A with the film’s director Mark Waters, Oscar®-winning special effects whiz Phil Tippett and Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, authors of the “Spiderwick” book series. “The Spiderwick Chronicles” opens February 15, 2008. And the first poster art was revealed for Tim Burton’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” starring Johnny Depp. “Sweeney Todd” opens December 21, 2007 in exclusive runs and nationally on January 11, 2008.

The Simpsons Movie: Review

I just returned from the advance screening of The Simpsons Movie and couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. We were all nervous as to if the Groening crew could still make us laugh after hundreds of episodes and the latter ones not really hitting the mark. That could be explained by them being distracted with making a non stop animated romp through Springfield and beyond like you've never seen it before, but I'm not accepting excuses when it comes to The Simpsons. In their first feature luckily I don't have to, the 90 odd minute film was so much more than just a super-sized episode, the animation is much cleaner and precise compared to its TV counterpart the pace faster and the jokes are everywhere. I'm looking forward to the DVD release as there are some scenes in the commercials that were not in the film, hopefully they will include them later.

Keep in mind if you are bringing the kids, this one is PG-13 and is not the TV Simpsons you may be used to, no editorial blurs or pixelating the naughty bits in this one! Here are some quick highlights - Otto smokes a bong, Homer shoots a double fisted bird to a ragging mob, Bart shows off his doodle (yes, animated wang!), the "secret" new character is a multi-eyed mutated squirrel, Lisa finally falls in love and... stick around for the credits and hear Maggie say her first word!

Mmmmm... spoilers.

-Max Michaels

THE METHOD

On August 14th, Palm Pictures proudly presents the release of Argentinean/Spanish psychological thriller, THE METHOD, directed by Marcelo Piñeyro and written by Mateo Gil of VANILLA SKY.