Posts Tagged ‘dream works’

1914 Video Game Adaptation In The Works For Paul Verhoeven.

I’ve been waiting to see Paul Verhoeven return to his “roots” with more insanely violent action flicks like those he used to make back in the 80s and 90s, but that hasn’t happened yet. Last we heard, Verhoeven was supposed to working on a thriller called Surrogate, but not anymore. MTV talked with Verhoeven recently who told them: “I am working on a movie now that is… situated in 1914. We are scripting it. It’s an idea that exists already… from another medium, and so we are making it now into a film narrative.” He wouldn’t say the name, but did confirm that it’s a video game that they’re adapting the script from. So what could it be?

Verhoeven adds that the story is “basically, Indiana Jones-ish you could say, but also Hitchcockian.” Well that’s no help. How many games can you even think of that are set in 1914? Peter from SlashFilm seems to think it could be an old 1997 PC game called The Last Express, a real-time adventure game created by Jordan Mechner, the same guy who recently broke into Hollywood with Prince of Persia (he created that game and also wrote the script). The game takes place on the Orient Express days before the start of WWI and was even described at the time as “a mix of Indiana Jones and Alfred Hitchcock.” We’ve got a winner!

So Verhoeven is finally returning to the war genre again, or at least he’s adapting an adventure video game that’s set entirely on a train (I think?) in 1914 before WWI. Sounds like a very unique concept and as long as it’s as crazy violent and fun as Verhoeven’s work from the 80’s and 90’s, then I’m in. I don’t think Verhoeven has lost his touch recently, he just hasn’t been working on any movies that are as risky and, to be honest, as entertaining as his earlier work. And whenever I re-watch an old Verhoeven movie, I always hope that we’ll see more like it again soon. Has anyone played The Last Express? Will it make for a good movie?

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Cast in Kubrick’s Lost Film include Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell

Wait, wait, wait – Stanley Kubrick had a long lost project? Apparently so. The film is called Lunatic at Large and is based on a treatment by pulp author Jim Thompson that was commissioned by Kubrick in the late 1950s, after the two worked together on The Killing and Paths Of Glory. The script was discovered the a few years ago (read a NY Times article on it) and has been floating around for at least a few years. However, Production Weekly is reporting today on their Twitter (via The Playlist) that both Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell are attached to star in Lunatic at Large. They’ve got a few good actors for now. Read on!

Set in New York in 1956, Lunatic at Large tells the story of Johnnie Sheppard, an ex-carnival worker with serious anger-management issues, and Joyce, a nervous, attractive barfly he picks up from a Hopperesque tavern scene. It’s described as “a dark and surprising mystery” about a person who is “the true escapee from a nearby mental hospital.” Kubrick was supposed to follow up Spartacus with this, but the only copy of the manuscript was lost and later found in his library. The latest draft of the script was finished by Stephen R. Clarke in 2006, but we don’t know too much else, including production details (when will it start shooting?).

It’s not surprising that Johansson and Rockwell were interested in this. Any and everyone in Hollywood is probably jumping at the opportunity to work on a project that has the late Stanley Kubrick’s name attached, even if it’s just as a writer. If it’s true that both actors have signed on, I’m sure a director is close behind, as they wouldn’t be this far along without one. Chris Palmer has been attached since 2006, but no word if he’s still involved at this point. This sounds like it could be a great project with touch of Kubrick, who hasn’t left any mark on the big screen since Eyes Wide Shut in 1999. We’ll keep you updated best we can. Stay tuned!

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Watch This: Awesome New Full-Length Trailer for Ong Bak 3

A brand new full-length trailer for Tony Jaa’s Ong Bak 3 showed up on YouTube today (via SlashFilm) for those who are fans of this franchise that began as a cult hit back in 2003. We also featured an early teaser trailer for this movie back in January, but this new trailer looks a lot better than that first one. It starts out very brutal and violent (so watch out) but then gets back to the awesome fighting we all want to see. There are no subtitles but you can still get a good idea for what’s going on. Although I have no clue who all these crazy supernatural people are or what they’re doing, but it still looks badass. Check out the trailer below!

Watch the full-length trailer for Tony Jaa’s Ong Bak 3:

Here’s a synopsis for those a bit confused: “The legend of Ong Bak 3 begins after Tien (Tony Jaa) has lost his fighting skills and his beloved step-father at the Garuda’s Wing cliff from the raid led by Jom Rachan. Tien is brought back to life with the help from Pim as well as Mhen and the Kana Khone villagers. Deep into the meditation taught by Phra Bua, Tien finally is able to achieve ‘Nathayut.’ His talents are put to the test again when his rivals including the Golden-Armored King’s Guard, the mysterious killers in black, and Bhuti Sangkha return for the final massive showdown.” The film was also directed by Tony Jaa. How’d it look?

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Barry Sonnenfeld Helping Develop ‘Pig Scrolls’ at DreamWorks

DreamWorks Animation seems to be putting a lot of different adaptations into development. Add another one to their slate, this time an adaptation of Paul Shipton’s novel Pig Scrolls about a talking pig who was transformed into the beast by the goddess Circe on her island. The story follows Gryllus and his endeavors to save the world (in Ancient Greece), plus it includes all the ancient Greek gods. Basically, Hollywood is a bit obsessed with Greek history at the moment (Percy Jackson, Clash of the Titans, War of the Gods) and now DreamWorks wants their Greek gods movie, too. So that’s where Barry Sonnenfeld comes into play.

Sonnenfeld, who has directed live-action movies like The Addams Family, Men in Black (I and II), and RV (bleh) but hasn’t directed a feature film since then. Pajiba says that DreamWorks has recruited Sonnenfeld to develop a Pig Scrolls adaptation “as a potential directing project.” So he’s not necessarily going to direct, but he is going to help give the project some direction early on. But considering Sonnenfeld has a lot of other options, including Men in Black III, a Scandal Makers remake, Edward Stratemeyer’s Swift, Lisa Lutz’ The Spellman Files, so who knows what he’ll eventually end up taking on as a his next full-time feature project.

Normally, I’m not too excited by ideas at DreamWorks, however after How to Train Your Dragon, I’ll give some of their movies a chance. Although I don’t know if I really want to watch a talking pig fight Greek gods for two hours anytime soon, do you? Has anyone out there read these books? Does they have any potential?

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