The Lonely Island, the comedy team consisting of "Saturday Night Live" star Andy Samberg and writers Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer, has signed with Universal Republic, which will release its debut album, "Incredibad," on Feb. 10.
The CD/DVD's first single, "J**z in My Pants," premiered as a digital short on last weekend's "Saturday Night Live." The album also includes prior Internet sensations such as "D*ck in a Box" with Timberlake, "Iran So Far" with Maroon 5's Adam Levine and "Lazy Sunday."
Also expected to appear are "I'm on a Boat" with T-Pain, "Sax Man" with Jack Black, "Boombox" with the Strokes' Julian Casablancas, "Dream Girl" with Norah Jones, "Santana DVX" with E-40 and guest-less songs like "Who Said We're Wack," "We Like Sportz" and "Punch You in the Jeans."
A number of other Lonely Island original songs can be obtained from the trio's Web site.
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Fray Sets New Album Track List
The Fray has unveiled the track list for its self-titled sophomore album, arriving Feb. 3 from Epic. Lead single "You Found Me" has already sold 278,000 copies in three weeks of U.S. digital release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
That track stemmed from crises among friends and family that prompted singer Isaac Slade to confront the age-old question of why bad things happen to good people. Another song, "Enough for Now," tackles the fallout from the death of Slade's grandfather.
The sound of "The Fray" -- produced like the debut by Epic VP of A&R Mike Flynn and Aaron Johnson -- is "a little more extreme than the last record," Slade tells Billboard. "The quieter stuff is a little quieter than our last record and the rock stuff is a little rockier. It definitely spreads the spectrum a little bit."
The new album will be previewed with a handful of club dates early next year, beginning Jan. 6 in the Fray's Denver hometown and wrapping Feb. 4 in New York. The latter show will be cybercast on the band's Web site.
The Fray is also playing a free outdoor show Wednesday (Dec. 17) in Los Angeles as part of "Jimmy Kimmel Live." An extensive North American tour is likely to begin in June.
The new album is the follow-up to 2005's "How To Save a Life," which has sold 2.34 million copies in the United States.
Here is the track list for "The Fray":
"Syndicate"
"Absolute"
"You Found Me"
"Say When"
"Never Say Never"
"Where the Story Ends"
"Enough for Now"
"Ungodly Hour"
"We Build Then We Break"
"Happiness"
That track stemmed from crises among friends and family that prompted singer Isaac Slade to confront the age-old question of why bad things happen to good people. Another song, "Enough for Now," tackles the fallout from the death of Slade's grandfather.
The sound of "The Fray" -- produced like the debut by Epic VP of A&R Mike Flynn and Aaron Johnson -- is "a little more extreme than the last record," Slade tells Billboard. "The quieter stuff is a little quieter than our last record and the rock stuff is a little rockier. It definitely spreads the spectrum a little bit."
The new album will be previewed with a handful of club dates early next year, beginning Jan. 6 in the Fray's Denver hometown and wrapping Feb. 4 in New York. The latter show will be cybercast on the band's Web site.
The Fray is also playing a free outdoor show Wednesday (Dec. 17) in Los Angeles as part of "Jimmy Kimmel Live." An extensive North American tour is likely to begin in June.
The new album is the follow-up to 2005's "How To Save a Life," which has sold 2.34 million copies in the United States.
Here is the track list for "The Fray":
"Syndicate"
"Absolute"
"You Found Me"
"Say When"
"Never Say Never"
"Where the Story Ends"
"Enough for Now"
"Ungodly Hour"
"We Build Then We Break"
"Happiness"
A Sequel to The Phantom in the Works
An Australian production company on Monday announced it had secured the rights to The Phantom Legacy, a follow-up to the 1996 film, The Phantom, which starred Billy Zane as the masked hero who fights evil from his jungle headquarters.
According to The Associated Press, the adaptation is expected to cost $87 million and will focus on "the Father/Son relationship, and what it means to be The Phantom," scriptwriter Tim Boyle said in a statement. "The film will be set in the present day and will deal with the concept of destiny."
Producer Bruce Sherlock, who also served as executive producer of the first "Phantom" movie, said the new film will be a marked improvement over its predecessor.
"It has the makings of a blockbuster," Sherlock said. "There's some surprises that will thrill the 'Phantom' fans worldwide." Sherlock's Sydney-based Sherlock Symington Productions won the rights to the film.
The movie will likely be shot entirely in Australia, with production set to begin within six to nine months, Sherlock said. Producers are in talks with several "top talent" Australian and American actors, Sherlock said. He declined to provide names.
According to The Associated Press, the adaptation is expected to cost $87 million and will focus on "the Father/Son relationship, and what it means to be The Phantom," scriptwriter Tim Boyle said in a statement. "The film will be set in the present day and will deal with the concept of destiny."
Producer Bruce Sherlock, who also served as executive producer of the first "Phantom" movie, said the new film will be a marked improvement over its predecessor.
"It has the makings of a blockbuster," Sherlock said. "There's some surprises that will thrill the 'Phantom' fans worldwide." Sherlock's Sydney-based Sherlock Symington Productions won the rights to the film.
The movie will likely be shot entirely in Australia, with production set to begin within six to nine months, Sherlock said. Producers are in talks with several "top talent" Australian and American actors, Sherlock said. He declined to provide names.
The Terminator Will be Back for a Fifth Film
Halcyon Co. executives Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek are developing a fifth installment of the "Terminator" franchise with Terminator Salvation director McG, reports Variety.
The trade says the news came out of the Dubai International Film Festival. McG was in Dubai for the announcement.
No decision has been made as to where to film the next "Terminator," although the Middle East was mentioned as a locale.
Christian Bale has signed on in the role of John Connor for all three films in the newly planned trilogy. The next installment, after Terminator Salvation, is tentatively scheduled for a 2011 release.
Anderson and Kubicek had originally planned to wait until the release of Terminator Salvation next summer before deciding on whether to proceed with the next chapter, but the positive studio, fan and media reaction to footage from the current film has encouraged them to move forward ahead of schedule.
"We feel the time is now to start shaping the next part of this," Kubicek said.
The trade says the news came out of the Dubai International Film Festival. McG was in Dubai for the announcement.
No decision has been made as to where to film the next "Terminator," although the Middle East was mentioned as a locale.
Christian Bale has signed on in the role of John Connor for all three films in the newly planned trilogy. The next installment, after Terminator Salvation, is tentatively scheduled for a 2011 release.
Anderson and Kubicek had originally planned to wait until the release of Terminator Salvation next summer before deciding on whether to proceed with the next chapter, but the positive studio, fan and media reaction to footage from the current film has encouraged them to move forward ahead of schedule.
"We feel the time is now to start shaping the next part of this," Kubicek said.
Stephen Norrington to Reinvent The Crow
Stephen Norrington has signed on to write and direct a reinvention of The Crow, based on the comic created by James O'Barr, says Variety.
Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media is negotiating with producer Ed Pressman to acquire the film franchise and finance the film.
Pressman produced the 1994 Alex Proyas-directed adaptation, in which rock musician Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) is murdered trying to rescue his girlfriend from thugs, and returns from the dead one year later to exact vengeance.
For Norrington, The Crow deal marks the end of a long screen sabbatical. After making his breakthrough with Blade, Norrington took on a big-budget comic transfer with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Neither the director nor his star, Sean Connery, has made a feature film since.
"Whereas Proyas' original was gloriously gothic and stylized, the new movie will be realistic, hard-edged and mysterious, almost documentary-style," Norrington said.
Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media is negotiating with producer Ed Pressman to acquire the film franchise and finance the film.
Pressman produced the 1994 Alex Proyas-directed adaptation, in which rock musician Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) is murdered trying to rescue his girlfriend from thugs, and returns from the dead one year later to exact vengeance.
For Norrington, The Crow deal marks the end of a long screen sabbatical. After making his breakthrough with Blade, Norrington took on a big-budget comic transfer with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Neither the director nor his star, Sean Connery, has made a feature film since.
"Whereas Proyas' original was gloriously gothic and stylized, the new movie will be realistic, hard-edged and mysterious, almost documentary-style," Norrington said.
The Day the Earth Stood Still Takes First with $31M
The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend.
20th Century Fox's remake of the 1951 classic The Day the Earth Stood Still opened in first place with an estimated $31 million from 3,560 theaters, an average of $8,708 per location. Directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly, the sci-fi thriller also earned $39 million internationally from 7,700 screens in 90 markets over the weekend to bring its worldwide gross to $70 million. The film was produced for about $80 million.
The next five films each dropped one spot from last weekend as Four Christmases added $13.3 million for a total of $88 million after three weeks, Twilight made $8 million to reach $150.1 million in four weeks, Bolt collected $7.5 million for a sum of $88.9 million after four weeks, Australia earned $4.3 million for a total of $37.9 million after three weeks, and Quantum of Solace took in $3.8 million to take its domestic haul to $157.7 million in five weeks.
Overture Films' new dramedy Nothing Like the Holidays, with John Leguizamo, Freddy Rodriguez, Debra Messing and Alfred Molina, opened in the seventh spot with $3.5 million from 1,671 theaters. The Alfredo de Villa-directed film averaged $2,095 per location. Meanwhile, animated newcomer Delgo failed to make a mark, as the film was released in 2,160 theaters but made just $916,000, a disastrous $424 per theater.
Both Milk and Slumdog Millionaire continued to do well in limited release. The former made $2.6 million from 328 theaters and has reached $7.6 million in three weeks, while the latter collected $2.2 million from 169 theaters and is at $8.1 million after five weeks.
Four new limited releases also impressed, with Doubt taking in $525,000 in 15 theaters, an average of $35,000, Gran Torino debuting to $284,000 from six theaters, an average of $47,333, The Reader earning $170,000 from eight theaters, an average of $21,250, and Che making $60,100 in just two theaters, an average of $30,050.
20th Century Fox's remake of the 1951 classic The Day the Earth Stood Still opened in first place with an estimated $31 million from 3,560 theaters, an average of $8,708 per location. Directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly, the sci-fi thriller also earned $39 million internationally from 7,700 screens in 90 markets over the weekend to bring its worldwide gross to $70 million. The film was produced for about $80 million.
The next five films each dropped one spot from last weekend as Four Christmases added $13.3 million for a total of $88 million after three weeks, Twilight made $8 million to reach $150.1 million in four weeks, Bolt collected $7.5 million for a sum of $88.9 million after four weeks, Australia earned $4.3 million for a total of $37.9 million after three weeks, and Quantum of Solace took in $3.8 million to take its domestic haul to $157.7 million in five weeks.
Overture Films' new dramedy Nothing Like the Holidays, with John Leguizamo, Freddy Rodriguez, Debra Messing and Alfred Molina, opened in the seventh spot with $3.5 million from 1,671 theaters. The Alfredo de Villa-directed film averaged $2,095 per location. Meanwhile, animated newcomer Delgo failed to make a mark, as the film was released in 2,160 theaters but made just $916,000, a disastrous $424 per theater.
Both Milk and Slumdog Millionaire continued to do well in limited release. The former made $2.6 million from 328 theaters and has reached $7.6 million in three weeks, while the latter collected $2.2 million from 169 theaters and is at $8.1 million after five weeks.
Four new limited releases also impressed, with Doubt taking in $525,000 in 15 theaters, an average of $35,000, Gran Torino debuting to $284,000 from six theaters, an average of $47,333, The Reader earning $170,000 from eight theaters, an average of $21,250, and Che making $60,100 in just two theaters, an average of $30,050.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Race to Witch Mountain (2009) Trailer
Race to Witch Mountain is a thrilling action-adventure about a hard luck Las Vegas cab driver Jack Bruno (DWAYNE JOHNSON), whose life is thrown into chaos when apparent ‘runaway’ teenagers Sara (ANNASOPHIA ROBB) and Seth (ALEXANDER LUDWIG) jump into his taxi. He soon realizes his two fares are children with exceptional paranormal powers whom he must protect as they elude a collection of ruthless enemies.
Release Date: March 13th 2009
Release Date: March 13th 2009
Weekly Ratings: 12/7 – 12/12
Sunday Ratings for Race Finale, Leverage Debut and More
Just a few Sunday snippets, as CBS' procedurals took a knee:
7 pm/ET
The CW's first rerun of Jericho delivered 1.13 million total viewers.
8 pm
NBC's football coverage won the 8 o'clock hour and averaged 12.18 million viewers for the night (down 10 percent from last week). Extreme Makeover (10.35 mil) dropped 890 thou, while the finale of Amazing Race 13 (10.57 mil) performed eight percent better than the close of Cycle 12. TNT's The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice averaged 5.44 mil over its two-hour run.
9 pm
Housewives flirted with an audience of 16 million, up 370K.
10 pm
Rising 480K to 10.67 mil, Brothers & Sisters enjoyed its largest audience since the season opener. TNT's Leverage premiered to five mil and gave the cabler its "best delivery ever of adults 18-49 for an original series telecast during the broadcast season," says the press release.
Monday Ratings: CBS Is First with Laughs!
8 pm/ET
Charlie Brown and his scrawny tree topped the hour with 11.37 million total viewers. Combining for second, CBS' Big Bang Theory hit yet another (!) all-time high — 10.8 mil, up 600K from its last fresh outing — and Mother (10.49 mil, +450K) delivered its biggest audience since Britney circa March 24. Opposite a fuller slate, Chuck (6.93 mil) dipped 320 thou and Sarah Connor (5.2 mil) dropped 11 percent. Gossip Girl (3.01 mil) slipped a hair.
9 pm
CBS comedies ruled, with Men (15.65 million viewers) enjoying its best numbers since February and Worst Week (10.6 mil) gathering its largest audience since its premiere. Boston Legal placed second, averaging 10.2 mil over its two-hour swan song — a 21 percent surge from its previous episode. Heroes (7.78 mil, -220K), Prison Break (5.39 mil, -410K) and Privileged (1.9 mil, 0300K) all dropped, though the CW charmer matched its best numbers in target demos.
10 pm
CSI: Miami dominated with 13.6 million viewers, down 500K. Lagging behind Boston, My Own Worst Enemy (3.96 mil) continued its lame-duck decline.
Tuesday Ratings: Big Gains for Loser, But NCIS Rerun Tops Night
8 pm/ET
An NCIS repeat was the night's most watched program, delivering 14.1 million total viewers. Running a close second was a new House (go, Orangemen!), which surged 12 percent to 13.9 mil. The penultimate episode of The Biggest Loser: Families averaged 9.2 mil over its two-hour run, up 15 percent week-to-week.
9 pm
A repeat of The Mentalist dominated with 13.65 million viewers — or, quite impressively, 91 percent of the audience that watched the episode the first time around. A pair of According to Jims, averaging 5.2 mil (down 600K), lagged well behind a Fringe repeat (7.08 mil). Privileged added 1.06 mil to its Monday audience (the series returns Tuesday, Jan. 6).
10 pm
Opposite a warmed-over Without a Trace, SVU shot to the top with 10.9 mil (up 630 thou). Eli Stone matched last week's 4.9 mil.
Wednesday Ratings: Old Christine Eyes Another New High
8 pm/ET
The CBS sitcombo of Old Christine (8.25 million total viewers, up 650K) and Gary Unmarried (8.03 million, up 310K) claimed the top spot this Wednesday, with the former setting a new season high. Placing second (and, shoot me, winning the demos) was Fox's Secret Millionaire (7.19 mil), which dipped 190 thou from its debut. In fourth behind some NBC holiday thing, Pushing Daisies (4.96 mil) pushed up a teeny tiny bit.
9 pm
Criminal Minds led the hour and was the night's most watched program, with an audience of 14.7 mil (up 700K from its last fresh ep). Private Practice (6.86 mil) dropped 12 percent from last week's bloated numbers, but still was on the high side. Life (5.46 mil) was up 140K from its last "regular" outing.
10 pm
CSI: NY grew nine percent from its previous new episode to deliver 13.25 million viewers. Law & Order (7.47) slipped from last week's competition-free season high, but still improved on its typical audience by some 19 percent. Dirty Sexy Money (5.22 mil) dipped 480 thou — but hurrah for Blair Underwood and his Globe nod!).
Tuesday ratings addendum: TNT's Leverage scored 3.1 million viewers in its regular time slot premiere.
Thursday Ratings: The Finest Hour Yet, CSI Says "High" to Fishburne
This Thursday, as ABC sat the bench....
8 pm/ET
Survivor: Gabon — Earth's Last Eden/TV's Longest Subtitle rode to an easy win, delivering 13.24 million total viewers (a slight increase over the previous cycle's penultimate episode). My Name Is Earl (6.62 mil, up 520K) claimed second for the front half of the hour, but lead-out Kath & Kim (5.33 mil, +450K) got bested by the back end of Fox's Secret Millionaire.
9 pm
With Grey's on bed rest, Laurence Fishburne's CSI debut drew an audience of 20.6 million — an 18 percent increase over last week and the procedural's best numbers since the season opener. In second, both The Office (8.8 mil, +460K) and 30 Rock (7.47 mil, +330K ... though not including me, frickin' flaky Cablevision) saw gains.
10 pm
Eleventh Hour seized the opportunity to surge 23 percent week-to-week and deliver its best audience ever, 13.43 million viewers. At 8.92 mil, ER was up 700 thou.
Wednesday ratings addendum: Top Chef: New York served up the Bravo series' highest non-finale telecast ever among total viewers (3.02 million).
Just a few Sunday snippets, as CBS' procedurals took a knee:
7 pm/ET
The CW's first rerun of Jericho delivered 1.13 million total viewers.
8 pm
NBC's football coverage won the 8 o'clock hour and averaged 12.18 million viewers for the night (down 10 percent from last week). Extreme Makeover (10.35 mil) dropped 890 thou, while the finale of Amazing Race 13 (10.57 mil) performed eight percent better than the close of Cycle 12. TNT's The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice averaged 5.44 mil over its two-hour run.
9 pm
Housewives flirted with an audience of 16 million, up 370K.
10 pm
Rising 480K to 10.67 mil, Brothers & Sisters enjoyed its largest audience since the season opener. TNT's Leverage premiered to five mil and gave the cabler its "best delivery ever of adults 18-49 for an original series telecast during the broadcast season," says the press release.
Monday Ratings: CBS Is First with Laughs!
8 pm/ET
Charlie Brown and his scrawny tree topped the hour with 11.37 million total viewers. Combining for second, CBS' Big Bang Theory hit yet another (!) all-time high — 10.8 mil, up 600K from its last fresh outing — and Mother (10.49 mil, +450K) delivered its biggest audience since Britney circa March 24. Opposite a fuller slate, Chuck (6.93 mil) dipped 320 thou and Sarah Connor (5.2 mil) dropped 11 percent. Gossip Girl (3.01 mil) slipped a hair.
9 pm
CBS comedies ruled, with Men (15.65 million viewers) enjoying its best numbers since February and Worst Week (10.6 mil) gathering its largest audience since its premiere. Boston Legal placed second, averaging 10.2 mil over its two-hour swan song — a 21 percent surge from its previous episode. Heroes (7.78 mil, -220K), Prison Break (5.39 mil, -410K) and Privileged (1.9 mil, 0300K) all dropped, though the CW charmer matched its best numbers in target demos.
10 pm
CSI: Miami dominated with 13.6 million viewers, down 500K. Lagging behind Boston, My Own Worst Enemy (3.96 mil) continued its lame-duck decline.
Tuesday Ratings: Big Gains for Loser, But NCIS Rerun Tops Night
8 pm/ET
An NCIS repeat was the night's most watched program, delivering 14.1 million total viewers. Running a close second was a new House (go, Orangemen!), which surged 12 percent to 13.9 mil. The penultimate episode of The Biggest Loser: Families averaged 9.2 mil over its two-hour run, up 15 percent week-to-week.
9 pm
A repeat of The Mentalist dominated with 13.65 million viewers — or, quite impressively, 91 percent of the audience that watched the episode the first time around. A pair of According to Jims, averaging 5.2 mil (down 600K), lagged well behind a Fringe repeat (7.08 mil). Privileged added 1.06 mil to its Monday audience (the series returns Tuesday, Jan. 6).
10 pm
Opposite a warmed-over Without a Trace, SVU shot to the top with 10.9 mil (up 630 thou). Eli Stone matched last week's 4.9 mil.
Wednesday Ratings: Old Christine Eyes Another New High
8 pm/ET
The CBS sitcombo of Old Christine (8.25 million total viewers, up 650K) and Gary Unmarried (8.03 million, up 310K) claimed the top spot this Wednesday, with the former setting a new season high. Placing second (and, shoot me, winning the demos) was Fox's Secret Millionaire (7.19 mil), which dipped 190 thou from its debut. In fourth behind some NBC holiday thing, Pushing Daisies (4.96 mil) pushed up a teeny tiny bit.
9 pm
Criminal Minds led the hour and was the night's most watched program, with an audience of 14.7 mil (up 700K from its last fresh ep). Private Practice (6.86 mil) dropped 12 percent from last week's bloated numbers, but still was on the high side. Life (5.46 mil) was up 140K from its last "regular" outing.
10 pm
CSI: NY grew nine percent from its previous new episode to deliver 13.25 million viewers. Law & Order (7.47) slipped from last week's competition-free season high, but still improved on its typical audience by some 19 percent. Dirty Sexy Money (5.22 mil) dipped 480 thou — but hurrah for Blair Underwood and his Globe nod!).
Tuesday ratings addendum: TNT's Leverage scored 3.1 million viewers in its regular time slot premiere.
Thursday Ratings: The Finest Hour Yet, CSI Says "High" to Fishburne
This Thursday, as ABC sat the bench....
8 pm/ET
Survivor: Gabon — Earth's Last Eden/TV's Longest Subtitle rode to an easy win, delivering 13.24 million total viewers (a slight increase over the previous cycle's penultimate episode). My Name Is Earl (6.62 mil, up 520K) claimed second for the front half of the hour, but lead-out Kath & Kim (5.33 mil, +450K) got bested by the back end of Fox's Secret Millionaire.
9 pm
With Grey's on bed rest, Laurence Fishburne's CSI debut drew an audience of 20.6 million — an 18 percent increase over last week and the procedural's best numbers since the season opener. In second, both The Office (8.8 mil, +460K) and 30 Rock (7.47 mil, +330K ... though not including me, frickin' flaky Cablevision) saw gains.
10 pm
Eleventh Hour seized the opportunity to surge 23 percent week-to-week and deliver its best audience ever, 13.43 million viewers. At 8.92 mil, ER was up 700 thou.
Wednesday ratings addendum: Top Chef: New York served up the Bravo series' highest non-finale telecast ever among total viewers (3.02 million).
EXCLUSIVE: Kenneth Branagh Breaks Silence On ‘Thor,’ Says Casting Talk Is Premature
It’s been over two months since word broke that Marvel was courting Kenneth Branagh to direct their next big-screen re-launch of one of their cherished heroes, Thor. And since then we’ve heard nary a peep from Branagh himself. At today’s junket for “Valkyrie,” MTV News caught up with the actor/filmmaker and of course brought up the project.
“I am directing “Thor” or “The Mighty Thor’ as you might like to call it,” he said with a smile before clarifying what the title of the film will be. “I think it will be ‘Thor’.”
MTV has spoken to other writers about why Branagh would be such a good fit for the hero. But here was finally an opportunity to hear from Branagh about what appealed to him about the project. So what’s the appeal of “Thor,” Kenneth? “To work on a story about one of the immortals, Gods, extraordinary beings, inter-dimensional creatures,” he enthused.
He continued excitedly, “There’s science fiction and science fact and fantasy all woven into one. It’s based on Norse legends which Marvel sort of raided in a brilliant way.
So who will play Branagh’s hero? Asked about the rumors of Kevin McKidd being up for the role, the director waved it off as premature speculation.
“There’s been lots of talk [about casting] — I sound like a politician — but we are too early at this stage. We’re getting the story and the visual effects together and all of that is very exciting. Someone sensational is going to play the part but it is early days.”
Just because Branagh hasn’t worked on a project of this scale since “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein,” fear not. This “Thor” promises to be as large as the character would seem to call out for. “It’s a chance to tell a big story on a big scale,” said Branagh. “It’s a human story right in the center of a big epic scenario.”
“I am directing “Thor” or “The Mighty Thor’ as you might like to call it,” he said with a smile before clarifying what the title of the film will be. “I think it will be ‘Thor’.”
MTV has spoken to other writers about why Branagh would be such a good fit for the hero. But here was finally an opportunity to hear from Branagh about what appealed to him about the project. So what’s the appeal of “Thor,” Kenneth? “To work on a story about one of the immortals, Gods, extraordinary beings, inter-dimensional creatures,” he enthused.
He continued excitedly, “There’s science fiction and science fact and fantasy all woven into one. It’s based on Norse legends which Marvel sort of raided in a brilliant way.
So who will play Branagh’s hero? Asked about the rumors of Kevin McKidd being up for the role, the director waved it off as premature speculation.
“There’s been lots of talk [about casting] — I sound like a politician — but we are too early at this stage. We’re getting the story and the visual effects together and all of that is very exciting. Someone sensational is going to play the part but it is early days.”
Just because Branagh hasn’t worked on a project of this scale since “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein,” fear not. This “Thor” promises to be as large as the character would seem to call out for. “It’s a chance to tell a big story on a big scale,” said Branagh. “It’s a human story right in the center of a big epic scenario.”
SHH! EXCL: Frank Miller's Update on 300 Spin-Off & Sin City 2
Earlier today, Superhero Hype! had a chance to sit down for fifteen minutes with the one and only Frank Miller, creator of "Sin City" and "300," to talk about his upcoming movie based on Will Eisner's The Spirit. While he had a lot to say about that highly anticipated project, the questions continue to loom over some of the other projects based on his works, including possible sequels for successful movies based on Sin City and 300.
With a lot of rumors swirling about a potential sequel or prequel to Zack Snyder's 300, which was based on a standalone graphic novel, some have wondered how involved Miller would be, and if he might write or draw another graphic novel based on the subject matter as basis for another movie. "I've written a story that's not a prequel," he told us. "It's definitely a further story in the Greco-Persian Wars, and it involves some of the same characters but I'm not sure exactly how far along it'll get and again, until it's on a marquee, I don't believe in it."
Last week, we spoke to actor Mickey Rourke about returning as Marv in Sin City 2, and he seemed kind of tentative about spending three hours putting on Marv's make-up, but Miller shared, "He has a pretty big role. I hope Mickey plays it."
And as far as whether Miller might co-direct with Robert Rodriguez again or direct himself, now that he has The Spirit under his belt: "I hope to work with Robert. We're talking it over and trying to work out the mechanics of actually getting it made. It's always tricky with movies. I believe that a movie's going to come out as soon as I see its name on a marquee."
"I'll publish something," he hinted with a smile, when asked whether there might be a "Sin City" or "300" comic or graphic novel out before either movie.
When we spoke to Miller a few years ago, he mentioned wanting to direct a movie based on his series of graphic novels he did with Dave ("Watchmen") Gibbon starring Martha Washington, starting with "Give Me Liberty." Since it's been a few years, we were curious whether that's something he'd still want to do and if he thought it would still work today. "I think Martha Washington is begging to happen," he said when asked how the changing times might affect how people viewed that politically-tinged sci-fi story, especially considering how Zack Snyder intentionally set the forthcoming Watchmen in the '80s. "The thing is that Martha Washington starts in 1995, but it really doesn't kick off until about 2010."
"It's just a matter of finding the right venue, because Martha Washington isn't a movie, it's a series," he continued. "It would have to be like 12 episodes to fit the whole story in. I would not let it be truncated."
We'll have a lot more from our interview with Miller sometime in the next few weeks before The Spirit opens on Thursday, December 25.
With a lot of rumors swirling about a potential sequel or prequel to Zack Snyder's 300, which was based on a standalone graphic novel, some have wondered how involved Miller would be, and if he might write or draw another graphic novel based on the subject matter as basis for another movie. "I've written a story that's not a prequel," he told us. "It's definitely a further story in the Greco-Persian Wars, and it involves some of the same characters but I'm not sure exactly how far along it'll get and again, until it's on a marquee, I don't believe in it."
Last week, we spoke to actor Mickey Rourke about returning as Marv in Sin City 2, and he seemed kind of tentative about spending three hours putting on Marv's make-up, but Miller shared, "He has a pretty big role. I hope Mickey plays it."
And as far as whether Miller might co-direct with Robert Rodriguez again or direct himself, now that he has The Spirit under his belt: "I hope to work with Robert. We're talking it over and trying to work out the mechanics of actually getting it made. It's always tricky with movies. I believe that a movie's going to come out as soon as I see its name on a marquee."
"I'll publish something," he hinted with a smile, when asked whether there might be a "Sin City" or "300" comic or graphic novel out before either movie.
When we spoke to Miller a few years ago, he mentioned wanting to direct a movie based on his series of graphic novels he did with Dave ("Watchmen") Gibbon starring Martha Washington, starting with "Give Me Liberty." Since it's been a few years, we were curious whether that's something he'd still want to do and if he thought it would still work today. "I think Martha Washington is begging to happen," he said when asked how the changing times might affect how people viewed that politically-tinged sci-fi story, especially considering how Zack Snyder intentionally set the forthcoming Watchmen in the '80s. "The thing is that Martha Washington starts in 1995, but it really doesn't kick off until about 2010."
"It's just a matter of finding the right venue, because Martha Washington isn't a movie, it's a series," he continued. "It would have to be like 12 episodes to fit the whole story in. I would not let it be truncated."
We'll have a lot more from our interview with Miller sometime in the next few weeks before The Spirit opens on Thursday, December 25.
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