Category Archives: Entertainment

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ will resurface in reboot film, Joss Whedon not attached

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And the fanboys and girls shrieked!  That’s right–Buffy the Vampire Slayer is being primed for a comeback, but this time around Buffy (TV) creator and beloved showrunner turned Avengers director Joss Whedon is not attached to the project.  Today Warner Bros. and Atlas Entertainment announced that a Buffy reboot film is in the works.  Atlas’ Charles Roven and Steve Alexander and Vertigo Entertainment’s Doug Davison and Roy Lee are signed on to executive produce the upcoming vampire flick.  Whit Anderson, actress turned screenwriter, will pen the script.  If you didn’t know, Buffy actually started out in the movies.  Buffy the Vampire Slayer, created by Fran and Kaz Kuzui, hit theatres in 1992.  Joss Whedon worked his magic to spin the feature into a long-running TV series on The WB (1997-2003).  Warner Bros. managed to option the rights to Buffy from the Kuzuis to Atlas and Vertigo.  Let’s take a look at some choice quotes surrounding this surprising announcement.

Says Roven of Atlas: “Generally,  I wouldn’t have said,‘Let’s revive this,’ but Whit’s take is pretty compelling and a lot of fun, and it’s interesting to see all of this reimagined. This is a completely new reboot. Tone is extremely important, and you want the audience to realize what is at stake and the peril is real, but at the same time what’s going on should be fun and inviting and keep everyone engaged. It needs to be relevant to today too, and that is what Whit has found a way to do.” … “There is an active fan base eagerly awaiting this character’s return. … While this is not your high-school Buffy, she’ll be just as witty, tough and sexy as we all remember her to be.”

And Whedon made sure his two cents were heard ’round the world shortly after the announcement: “Obviously I have strong, mixed emotions about something like this. My first reaction upon hearing who was writing it was, “Whit Stillman AND Wes Anderson? This is gonna be the most sardonically adorable movie EVER.” Apparently I was misinformed. Then I thought, “I’ll make a mint! This is worth more than all my Toy Story residuals combined!” Apparently I am seldom informed of anything. And possibly a little slow. But seriously, are vampires even popular any more?”

You’re going to want hop after the break to read the rest of Whedon’s remarks.  In so many words, he is not happy about a Buffy comeback at this moment in time (he’d prefer it come “after [his] death”), but he understands that the situation is out of his hands.  Buffy fans, what say you?  Can a Whedon-less Buffy survive today?

[Via LATimes; EOnline; Deadline] Continue reading ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ will resurface in reboot film, Joss Whedon not attached →

Carlton Cuse’s next project is ABC civil war drama ‘Point of Honor’

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With fellow Lost collaborators J.J. Abrams (Odd Jobs, Alcatraz, M:I3) and Damon Lindelof (Cowboys & Aliens) having found work post-Island duty, it was only a matter of time before Lost co-showrunner Carton Cuse spilled plans about his next exciting project.  In a simple tweet today Cuse pointed his followers to a Variety news article that details his upcoming ABC series Point of Honor.  According to Variety, ABC is “eyeing it as a major event series”, so this is definitely something to get pumped about.  Cuse has teamed up with Randall Wallace (Secretariat) to write and executive produce this Civil War-based drama.  “The two are keeping mum on details other than to say it will be a story focusing more on fictional characters than on historical figures,” says Variety.  Cuse confirms it will be a serialized show with a clear-cut “beginning, middle and end.”  Cuse describes it as “very different from anything on TV right now.”  Both Cuse and Wallace share a deep interest in Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War era; Cuse admits that he and Wallace “just clicked” during early meetings about conceptualizing the show.  Time will tell if this new partnership can live up to the Cuse/Lindelof success story that came out of Lost.  With Cuse’s knack for smart, engaging storytelling and Wallace’s past experience working on Braveheart (there he proved he could use “historical events and connect them to fictional characters”, Cuse points out), I have little doubt Point of Honor will impress when it airs at an undisclosed time on ABC.  Cuse and Wallace are currently writing the script.

While we’re here talking about Carlton Cuse, do yourself a nice favor and read this fantastic interview that takes you on a journey through his interesting and fascinating career thus far.  It’s a great read!

[Via @carltoncuse; Variety]

FOX’s ‘Locke & Key’ finds its star

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The upcoming FOX drama Locke & Key spearheaded by Josh Friedman (showrunner/executive producer/writer), Steven Spielberg (executive producer), and Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (executive producers) has just cast its star player. Miranda Otto (War of the Worlds) will play Nina Locke the mother of three children “who survive an unspeakable horror and attempt to rebuild their lives at Keyhouse, their family home in Lovecraft, Massachusetts.”  Want a more extensive synopsis?  You got it!  “It is a mysterious New England mansion, with fantastic and transformative keys hidden inside its walls that are also being sought by a hate-filled and relentless creature with ties to the Locke family’s past who will stop at nothing to accomplish his sinister goals.”  Sounds like spooky fun doesn’t it?  Expect Locke & Key to air on FOX this summer.  Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo, Never Let Me Go) is currently in negotiations to direct the pilot.

[Via Deadline]

Jorge Garcia joins Abrams’ upcoming FOX pilot ‘Alcatraz’

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Jorge Garcia is island hopping from one J.J. Abrams show to another.  Lost’s Hurley will be joining Abrams’ show about the famous prison Alcatraz.  And Deadline’s got some insight into the mysterious plot.  It “centers on a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day.  It chronicles the efforts of a team of FBI agents to track them down and unravel the mystery behind their disappearance thirty years prior.”  And who will Garcia play, you ask?  A “hippy geek” Dr. Diego Soto, “the world’s foremost expert on Alcatraz.”  If you’re a Lost fan you must be feeling ecstatic!  Michael Emerson (Ben Linus) and Terry O’Quinn (John Locke) are returning to television in Abrams’ Odd Jobs (working title) and Garcia is set to return in another Abrams series.  Life is good, huh?

The Alcatraz spec script was written by Elizabeth Sarnoff (Lost, Deadwood), and she will serve as executive producer along with Abrams and Bryan Burk (Alias, Lost) on the Warner Bros. TV/Bad Robot project.  FOX picked up a pilot commitment for the show back in September, and production will begin in January.

[Via Deadline]

FOX announces midseason schedule, moves ‘Idol’ to Thursday, bumps ‘Fringe’ to Friday

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Today FOX announced their 2011 midseason schedule and it includes the return of Kitchen Nightmares and American Idol, four series premieres (The Chicago Code, Million Dollar Money Drop, Mixed Signals, Bob’s Burgers), and some series program shuffling.  American Idol will now air Wednesdays and Thursdays, and it will serve as a lead-in to Human Target and Bones on those respective days.  So what does all this mean for the fantastic sci-fi series Fringe?  Not good things.  Beginning January 28 the show will be bumped to Friday nights, also known as the the graveyard for ratings-deprived TV series (read: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Dollhouse). Now before you start panicking, you should know that FOX has made this move with good intentions.  According to Deadline “almost half” the show’s viewers record-and-watch using DVRs, and FOX prez Kevin Reilly has high hopes that Fringe’s cult following will stick with the show no matter what night it falls on (you’ve got that right, partner!). “Fringe has a very particular, loyal audience,” says Reilly. “If [Fringe] could stay near the current levels, we’ll get a big trade-up on Friday and will solve our problem there.” Fringe will replace The Good Guys in the 9PM slot. Though they won’t commit to cancellation just yet, FOX has confirmed that Guys and Running Wilde will not be receiving additional episodes this season.

Update: I managed to find a juicier quote from Reilly on the Fringe Friday situation: “We are not killing the show. Over the last week, over 45% of the audience time-shifted the show. That’s almost half of the dedicated audience watching it on their DVRs. It’s been such a loyal fanbase. I will be really disheartened if the viewer base decides to not watch because it shifted one night. I hope they go with it, and if not they have the option of picking it up on their DVRs. If it does anywhere near what it did on Thursdays, we can glue that show to the schedule because it can be a big win for us.”  And there you have it–no need to jump to scary conclusions just yet, Fringe fans.

Look after the break to view the FOX midseason schedule.

[Via Deadline, here & here; EW] Continue reading FOX announces midseason schedule, moves ‘Idol’ to Thursday, bumps ‘Fringe’ to Friday →

Glee’s newest member Darren Criss lights up Billboard’s Hot 100 with first performance

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In “Never Been Kissed”, the November 9th episode of Glee, new cast member Darren Criss (he plays Kurt’s new best friend Blaine) sang Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” and almost instantly crawled its way up  Billboard’s Hot 100 music chart.  The song debuted at #1 in digital track sales with 214,000 tracks sold.  This marks the first time any Glee song has made it all the way to the top.  Season 1’s Don’t Stop Believin’ made it to the #2 spot back in May 2009.  With the addition of the “Teenage Dream” cover, Glee has had a whopping 93 songs on the Hot 100 list.  The only other artist to rack up the chart-topping hits this high with 108 of ’em?  Elvis Presley.

In other related Glee news, another concert is in the works but this time the gang will be travelling overseas.  Glee Live! In Concert! will hit up Manchester, London, and Dublin this summer.  The show will include the following cast members: Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mark Salling, Dianna Agron, Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Harry Shum, Jr., Chord Overstreet, and Darren Criss.  Look after the break to see the European tour dates.

[Via Deadline; EW, here & here] Continue reading Glee’s newest member Darren Criss lights up Billboard’s Hot 100 with first performance →

Trailer: Cowboys & Aliens (this will blow your pants off)

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Jon Favreau, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Damon Lindelof.  What do all these names have in common?  Each of them serve a pivotal role in the making of Cowboys & Indians, an upcoming sci-fi western.  Yes, a SCI-FI WESTERN.  It is COWBOYS VERSUS ALIENS.  And the human regime is led by the dashing Daniel Craig, the sexy Olivia Wilde, and in a villainous role the veteran Harrison Ford.  The flick is based on a 2006 graphic novel created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg.  Until now this movie has been shrouded in secrecy; only bits and pieces were shown at this year’s Comic Con.  But hot damn does this trailer impress.  Lone cowboy Jake Lonergan (Craig), equipped with some foreign weapon attached to his arm, is ready to take on a full scale alien invasion set in the wild west.  Um, where do I line up?  Right–the movie releases July 29, 2011.  Check out some awesome stills in the gallery below.

[Stills via IGN]

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Trailer: Green Lantern

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Today Warner Bros. released the first full length trailer for Green Lantern, a Martin Campbell directed sci-fi extravaganza based on the DC Comic of the same name.  Ryan Reynolds is Hal Jordan aka Green Lantern, a test pilot who is granted a green ring that gives him awesome superpowers.  In addition to this fast action trailer, which includes just the right amount of aliens and superhero spankage, the studio released this synopsis:

In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan. Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax…he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all.

Green Lantern releases wide June 17, 2011.  Download the trailer in HD, courtesy of Apple.  And oh yeah, today Reynolds was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive.  Do what you will with that bit of information.

Eli Roth wants to make more horror movies

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Director/producer/actor Eli Roth wants to return to his torture porn roots (Hostel, Hostel Part II).  Though Roth had previously told Deadline.com’s Nikke Finke that he was ready to move from such gruesome tales, today he flipped-flopped and exclusively reported to Deadline that “old habits die hard.”

Clown is an upcoming horror flick Roth will likely serve as a producer on.  Partners Jon Watts and Christopher D. Ford are set to direct and pen the script, respectively.  Watts and Ford created a “mock trailer” for the movie which found its way onto YouTube and captured over 100,000 hits in a month and more importantly Roth’s attention.  The concept is simple yet killer.  When his son’s sixth birthday is looking gloom since the clown-for-hire doesn’t show up, a father puts on a clown suit that transforms him into a homicidal killer.  The mock trailer is embedded above and it’s super creepy and I’m pretty stoked about it.  Roth talked Cross Creek Pictures and Vertebra Films into financing a feature transfer.

Says Roth on Clown: “It’s new territory to make this a version of The Fly, where this guy can feel himself changing, blacking out only to find blood all over his clown suit. You’re sympathetic toward a monster until the monster actually takes over.”  He continued to tell Deadline, “With horror, you have to live in the danger zone. People are hungry for the next Freddy Krueger, Michael Meyers or Jason Voorhees, and while that has to be earned, we think this cursed clown suit can do it. I am giving us permission to go as hard at this as possible. I know I said I was moving away from horror, but old habits die hard. You think you’re over certain kinds of music and then you hear a Dead Kennedys song and say, ‘Why did I stop listening, I love the Dead Kennedys.'”

Roth also has Aftershock, a thriller based on the aftermath of the February 27, 2010 Chilean earthquake, and a sci-fi flick Endangered Species waiting in the wings for theatrical releases.  No word on when Clown will hit theatres, but I look forward to the real trailer to arrive.

[Via Deadline]

Paranormal Activity 3 gets a Halloween 2011 release date

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Hot off the heels of a stellar sequel, Paranormal Activity creator Oren Peli spilled the release date of the next movie in the series.  Paramount confirms October 21, 2011 is the day.  The original had a production budget set at $15,000 and generated nearly $197 million.  The sequel’s budget was upped to $3 million following the original’s success, and so far it has generated a worldwide gross of around $157 million–and it’s still in theatres. Greenlighting a three-quel is a no-brainer.  And with the Saw franchise (supposedly) out of the way, nothing’s stopping PA from raking in the cash next Halloween.  That is, of course, if Hollywood doesn’t find a worthy horror flick to pit against it.

[Via ComingSoon; TheNumbers, here & here]

Single: Dr. Dre – “Kush” (Featuring Akon & Snoop Dogg)

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Yeah, you read that right people.  A Dr. Dre single has landed on the Internet.  Detox, the follow up to 2001’s The Chronic 2001, was put on the back burner when Dre decided to help out fellow rappers in the studio as producer. But now it’s starting to look like things might just be moving forward with the creation and dissemination of this vapor-album.  Today a single called “Kush” hit the ‘Net and it features Dre, Akon, and D-o-double-g rapping on top of a thumping base line that should get your blood pumping.  The verse material is all about the marijuana, and in a radio interview Dre wanted to dispel rumors that Detox is only going to be about this particular drug.  “[The single is] about weed smoking and I don’t want people to think that’s what my album’s about,” he said.  “This is actually the only song with that type of content in it.  But it seems that  everybody likes it.  So we’re going to go ahead and push with it.”  Dre did not intend for “Kush” to release as a single, but the current crop of positive feedback is making him think twice about it.  Official single or not, you need to take a listen and add this song to your playlist right now. I’m not gonna scream Dre is back just yet, but I have a feeling that expected early 2011 release date is certainly on the horizon.

Download: Dr. Dre – “Kush” (Featuring Akon & Snoop Dogg)

[audio: Dr. Dre – Kush (Featuring Akon & Snoop Dogg).mp3]

[Via EW; NahRight]

T.I.’s new record renamed No Mercy, tracklist and album cover revealed

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T.I. just can’t catch a break these days.  Shortly after being released from prison on weapons charges, he was sent back to the doghouse for drug charges.  The King is not longer Uncaged, so the rapper decided to rename his seventh studio record No Mercy.  The tracklist includes some great featured artists including Kanye West & Kid Cudi on the opener “Welcome to the World”, Drake, Eminem, and Pharrell.

1. Welcome To The World (Feat. Kanye West & Kid Cudi)
2. How Life Changed (Feat. Mitchelle’l & Scarface)
3. Get Back Up (Feat. Chris Brown)
4. I Can’t Help It (Feat. Rocko)
5. That’s All She Wrote (Feat. Eminem)
6. No Mercy (Feat. The-Dream)
7. Big Picture
8. Strip (Feat. Young Dro & Trey Songz)
9. Salute
10. Amazing (Feat. Pharrell)
11. Everything On Me
12. Poppin Bottles (Feat. Drake)
13. Lay Me Down
14. Castle Walls (Feat. Christina Aguilera)

Though he’ll be behind bars when it drops, you can expect No Mercy to hit stores December 7.

[Via HipHipDX]