Filed under: Action, Comedy, Horror, Independent, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, Scripts, Newsstand, Remakes and Sequels

If you haven’t seen Bubba Ho-Tep, then stop reading this post immediately and go to your movie renting outlet of choice. If you have (and I imagine everyone on Cinematical has) then you may continue.

There has been talk of a sequel to Bubba Ho-Tep for I don’t know how long. I would venture to say that we were all pretty favorable to the idea, because more Bruce Campbell is always a good thing. But then came word that Campbell wouldn’t be reprising his role as Elvis Presely in Bubba Nosferatu … and well, who wants that?

Everyone associated with Bubba Nosferatu, apparently. Last year, director Don Coscarelli said he would replace Campbell with someone equally lovable. Word has it, according to an interview Ain’t It Cool News held with Paul Giamatti, that the new Elvis is none other than Ron Perlman. Says Giamatti: “Our thinking was kind of like, “Well who the hell do we find who is a really good actor and a guy who is going to fit right?” You know what I mean? It was sort of like, for a while we let the thing sit and then all of a sudden we were like ‘Well, maybe we should go to Ron Perlman,’ which just seemed like a great idea and he was up for it.” The plan is to start shooting Bubba Nosferatu in the spring, with Giamatti still attached as Col. Parker.

Call me a Debbie Downer, but my interest in Bubba Nosferatu died when Campbell dropped out. It kills me to say it, because the plot sounds terrific and I’d love to see Giamatti as Col. Parker. But I can’t see Perlman, talented as he is, as this particular Elvis. It might just be me, though, and everyone else will be happy enough to see Elvis ride again.

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Filed under: Action, Comedy, Independent, Remakes and Sequels

Few recent films have as loyal a fanbase as does Troy Duffy’s The Boondock Saints. I’m not sure if that’s proper English, but you get the point. Boondock fans (or, as I like to call them as of this minute, Boondoggies) have been SURE that Duffy was starting in on a Part 2 several times over the past few years — but they were wrong. Now they’re right.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, which reports on things from Hollywood, “principal photography has started in Toronto on Troy Duffy’s sequel to the 2000 indie.” Yes, Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery are coming back to reprise their roles. Also back on board are Billy Connolly and David Della Rocco. Other cast members will include Clifton Collins, Julie Benz, and Bob Marley. (Hey, that’s what it says.)

Notably missing from the sequel report is the participation of Harvey Weinstein, who famously set Troy Duffy up with a sweet deal and then gave the first-timer just enough rope to hang himself with. (For more on the original Boondock back-story, we turn to the lord Wiki.) Producer Chris Brinker has this to say about the project: “”We expect this film to be a truly intense, humorous and satisfying film for all those who have looked forward to the sequel for so long.” Which make sense since those folks are the only ones who’ll go see it.

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Filed under: Action, Thrillers, Casting

The futuristic, post-apocalyptic drama Book of Eli is one of those features that sounds like a lot of other films — man setting out in a wasteland to save the Earth. To me, it’s one robot away from Cyborg — well, a few pecs away as well, since star Denzel Washington isn’t as beefy as Jean Claude Van Damme. But where the old post-apocalyptic world was great in that terrible, crappy movie sort of way, Eli is getting packed with talent.

The Hollywood Reporter posts that the wonderful chameleon Gary Oldman is in negotiations to co-star. Better yet — it’s taking him back to the dark side and away from his recent good guy forays. As Washington’s Eli tries to make his way across America’s wasteland and “protect a sacred book that might hold the key to saving the future of humanity,” Oldman’s Carnegie will try and stop him. The despot of a makeshift town without laws, Carnegie wants to take possession of the book Eli is guarding, presumably for his own benefit. (Or maybe for his little community a la Blindness?)

So yeah, it’s Cyborg with a book instead of a robot, with less muscles, and a much better baddie. My hopes, they’re soaring high. Production will kick into gear next year, and unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until 2010 to see what Denzel and Gary make of this.

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Filed under: Action, Independent, Thrillers, Deals, Mystery & Suspense, Celebrities and Controversy, Scripts, Newsstand

Last week, the upcoming thriller Law Abiding Citizen was embroiled in a bit of drama when its director, Frank Darabont, unexpectedly dropped out seemingly just after it had managed to cast Jamie Foxx. Rumors still abound that the split wasn’t a friendly one — and given that there’s been a storyline switch-a-roo, we’re not even sure what we’ll see onscreen.

Well, happily for Citizen, they landed themselves a new director. Variety reports that F. Gary Gray has signed for the enviable job of directing Foxx and Gerard Butler (who is also producing). And while the story still focuses on a vigilante hounding a city and its assistant D.A., the roles have now switched. Foxx is now playing the assistant D.A., and Butler the vigilante, with the film set to shoot in December.

And for a movie about a vigilante, it’s leaving an appropriate amount of bodies in its wake. Thanks to the shift in directors, now Eric Bana has been left job less. Gray was all set to direct Armored, the heist thriller that had chased Bana around Star Trek before finally landing him. Oddly, Armored doesn’t even get the luxury of a replacement director — Millenium Films is reporting that Gray’s departure has left it dead in the water, a mere week after it had appeared in the trades.

I have an idea! Cast Bana in Law Abiding Citizen as the serial killer who controls the city and Butler’s vigilante, combining both script ideas into one film of crazy, blood-splattered fun questioning the nature of justice … or at least just ending violently in an abandoned warehouse. (By the way, if they need someone to die violently at the hands of justice-dealing Butler, I’m available. Call me!)

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Filed under: Action, Classics, Deals, Lionsgate Films, Warner Brothers, Scripts, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

There’s not much in the land of geekdom that can successfully follow up Star Trek, but here’s a round-up of what is fit to know.

• Richard Donner tells Variety that a sequel to The Goonies nearly happened — but the project is now as dead as a doornail. “We tried really hard, and Steven (Spielberg) said, ‘Let’s do it.’ We had a lot of young writers submit work, but it just didn’t seem to call for it.” Thank all that is holy. If you’re feeling nostalgic, check out the link to the full article, as there’s some funny behind-the-scenes stories, particularly about Josh Brolin.

• Variety also reports that Brad Ingelsby is writing Sleeper, Sam Raimi’s bigscreen adaptation of the DC/Wildstorm comic. I assume for the time being Tom Cruise still wants to star, and get in on this whole comic book thing.

• Yet another poster for The Spirit has been released, and this time it’s popped over at Bad Taste.

• Moviehole reports that the World of Warcraft movie is still going forward, and a script is being written — but no one can say anything more for fear of being shot.

• Playmates drops a few hints on their upcoming Terminator: Salvation figures. The “Terminator T-600 Voice ‘n’ Vision Skull” sounds rather amusing.

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Filed under: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense, Fandom, 20th Century Fox, Peter Jackson, Games and Game Movies

As is often the case with the translation of any geek property to the screen, this Friday’s release of Max Payne seems to elicit just as many hopes and doubts as one would expect from a big-screen adaptation of a popular video game (well, one not directed by Uwe Boll, that is). So, coming from a position of relative ignorance when it comes to most titles (trust me, my PS2 gathers more dust than yours does), what’s the current reading from fans on a film proudly rated PG-13, although based on a series of M-rated games?

And for which upcoming projects are you most hopeful: Halo — that is, with or without Peter Jackson? Gore Verbinski’s BioShock? Jerry Bruckheimer’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time? (And just when is The Rock’s Spy Hunter coming out anyway? Do you care?) (Should I?)

As for my fellow ignorati: does this look to you like an appealing action movie regardless? Which video-game movies worked best despite your lack of familiarity with the source material? My vote goes to the first Resident Evil, with some moderate supporting love going to Silent Hill and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within — no great blasphemy intended.

Oh, and just to keep things jumping, any thoughts on the following titles, or any left out, are more than welcome: DOA: Dead or Alive, Doom, Double Dragon, Hitman, the Mortal Kombat films, Street Fighter, Super Mario Brothers, the Tomb Raider franchise, Wing Commander.

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Filed under: Action, Casting, Paramount, RumorMonger, Fandom, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

Despite the heavy hints in Iron Man that Jim Rhodes, best friend to Tony Stark, would come to play War Machine in a future film, it won’t be Terrence Howard reprising his role as Rhodes in the forthcoming sequel, but rather Don Cheadle. According to the Hollywood Reporter, there hasn’t been a formal announcement by Marvel Studios about it, but the casting swap appears to have come as a result of money matters (natch).

Returning still are stars Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, in addition to director Jon Favreau, as Justin Theroux, fresh off the success of Tropic Thunder, currently tinkers away at the script. Last month, amidst the press blitz for the Iron Man DVD, Favreau confessed to wanting to incorporate both 3-D and IMAX technology in the making of the sequel (to which the world collectively replied “[BLEEP] yeah!”).

Alas, it remains for the Paramount/Marvel number-crunchers to determine in which format exactly we’ll see Downey Jr. and Cheadle team up come the summer of 2010.

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Filed under: Action, Fandom, Home Entertainment, Remakes and Sequels

Those interested in picking up Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull when it hits DVD on October 14th might want to pay attention to this post because there are several different options available to you. For example, above you can see an image of what’s being offered at Best Buy — a gift set with replica crystal skull from Sideshow Collectibles and a $25 gift card to Sideshowcollectibles.com. Pretty cool for you cats who’d have no problem staring at that freak-ish alien skull for all eternity.

Okay, the alien skull is a bit much — I get it — but, like I said, you have options. Case in point:

• Circuit City is handing out 2 lithographs of concept art from the movie.
• Target is fooling around with a very sweet looking 80-page hardcover book with behind the scenes photos and never-been-published images.
• Kmart and Sears will give you four exclusive LEGO mini-posters, each being a replica of the original theatrical poster from all four Indy films.
• Lastly, Trans World is offering exclusive steelbook packaging.

Check out images of all these specials, along with their descriptions, in the gallery below.

Which Indiana Jones DVD will you be purchasing? (Here’s where our first commenter says, “The one that’s not called Kingdom of the Crystal Skull!” Zing!)

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Filed under: Action, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Box Office Predictions

Despite having six new wide releases last week, only Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist cracked the top five. In its third week of release, Appaloosa expanded into an additional 1,031 theaters, allowing it to take the number five spot. Here’s the top five.

1. Beverly Hills Chihuahua: $29.3 million
2. Eagle Eye: $17.7 million
3. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist: $11.3 million
4. Nights in Rodanthe: $7.3 million
5. Appaloosa: $5 million

Body of Lies
What’s It All About: In this Ridley Scott film, Leonardo DiCaprio plays a CIA agent tracking terrorist activity in Jordan, with Russell Crowe playing the veteran agent who helps him infiltrate the terrorist underground.
Why It Might Do Well: This film reteams DiCaprio with William Monahan, the screenwriter behind The Departed, and the flick is sporting a 70% fresh rating at rottentomatoes.com.
Why It Might Not Do Well: This being an election year, there are already enough lies kicking around.
Number of Theaters: 2,500
Prediction: $26 million

Continue reading Box Office: Lies of Ember in the Quarantined City

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Filed under: Action, Independent, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Lionsgate Films, Warner Brothers, Fandom, 20th Century Fox, Newsstand, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Images, Trailers and Clips, Posters

There’s actually a lot of noteworthy geek news today — but alas, none of it is amazing enough to really warrant an entire post. Believe me, it makes me a sad panda not getting to devote an entire post to Wolverine. So, let’s just get right down to it:

• Producer Lauren Shuler Donner talked up X-Men Origins: Wolverine over on Superhero Hype: “It’s closer to the first X-Men in tone because it’s a little darker, but there’s a lot of action. It’s his origin story. It’s really good. I’ve been in the editing room the last couple of weeks and I think that it’s good and that audiences are going to like it. But it’s a little darker … You haven’t seen this side of him. It’s darker and sadder and it’s kick-ass. There’s a ton of action. It’s really kick-ass.” She also suggested the film borrows from Wolverine’s Victorian youth in one of my least favorite series, Wolverine: Origins.

• The troubled Punisher: War Zone has launched its official site, and it’s got all kinds of things to click on. The multiplayer game jammed up my computer so I don’t know what that’s all about. And IGN has the new poster, which will arrive in your local theaters framed in “real” guns. I must say, that is a pretty impressive piece of marketing.

• David S. Goyer, scribe of The Dark Knight, tried his best to end all these Batman 3 rumors. “It’s all B.S.,” he told MTV News. “ALL of it. Chris and I haven’t even talked about it. He quite understandably is taking a long, long vacation and wants to purge himself.” This will dampen the “Guess who’s playing Catwoman” rumors for approximately 3.5 days.

• Superhero Hype has 5 videos of Kick-Ass filming in Toronto. Mostly people standing around, and cars being driven on platform trucks. And /film has photos up of Dave “Kick Ass” Lizewski’s costume, filled out nicely by his stunt double.

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