Category Archives: News

Universal granted rights to Stephen King’s ‘The Dark Tower’, film trilogy and TV series coming soon

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Big, big news for fans of The Dark Tower.  Deadline reports that Universal Pictures and NBC Universal Television Entertainment have been granted the rights to the enormously epic Stephen King book series (there are seven in total).  It is going to be adapted for the big and small screen with director Ron Howard at the helm.  He will be joined by his A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code cohorts Akiva Goldsman (writer, Fringe) and Brian Grazer (producer, 24, Friday Night Lights, Arrested Development).

The unprecedented plan to adapt The Dark Tower to the screen has me choked up in excitement.  A feature film will introduce the characters and universe to viewers.  A TV series will follow the first movie and act as a bridge to the second movie.  Next the sequel will hit theatres, then a second season will air on TV.  Instead of acting as a bridge to the final movie in the trilogy, season 2 will focus on the backstory of a young Deschain (the main character).  The last movie will pick up where the sequel left off, following a mature Deshain completing his journey.  Whoever is going to play Deshain (rumor has it it’ll be a big name star) will be required to carry on his role in both the feature films and the TV series.  Deadline points out that by using the same sets, cast, and crew on the movies and TV series the production team will contain costs on what promises to be an expensive undertaking.  It’s been confirmed that Howard will direct and Goldsman will scribe the first feature film and TV season.  Goldsman, Grazer, and King will serve as producers.

King originally approached JJ Abrams and Lost executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse with the idea of adapting The Dark Tower for the screen.  According to Deadline they “never cracked the sprawling plotline and all the characters”, so Goldsman wasted no time contacting his partner-in-crime Howard with the notion of helming the project.  Howard recalls Goldsman’s pitch: “Akiva said, ‘Stephen will not let go of it, but it’s like nothing else you’ve ever read.”  Howard continued, “It was frustrating because it’s one of those works where you read it, and then at odd times, the imagery and sensations just pop up in your mind.  This is going to be an amazing life experience for us, trying to do justice to the story and the universe.”

Howard shared with Deadline his thoughts on how his approach with adapting The Dark Tower compares to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Ring series: “What Peter did was a feat, cinematic history. The approach we’re taking also stands on its own, but it’s driven by the material. I love both, and like what’s going on in TV. With this story, if you dedicated to one medium or another, there’s the horrible risk of cheating material. The scope and scale call for a big screen budget. But if you committed only to films, you’d deny the audience the intimacy and nuance of some of these characters and a lot of cool twists and turns that make for jaw-dropping, compelling television. We’ve put some real time and deep thought into this, and a lot of conversations and analysis from a business standpoint, to get people to believe in this and take this leap with us. I hope audiences respond to it in a way that compels us to keep going after the first year or two of work. It’s fresh territory for me, as a filmmaker.”

King also commented on today’s news: “I’ve been waiting for the right team to bring the characters and stories in these books to film and TV viewers around the world. Ron, Akiva, Brian along with Universal and NBC have a deep interest and passion for the The Dark Tower series and I know that will translate into an intriguing series of films and TV shows that respect the origins and the characters in The Dark Tower that fans have come to love.”

A shooting schedule has not been mapped out yet, but you can be damn sure I’m keeping my hear to the ground and will report back any and all information regarding the plans moving forward for The Dark Tower adaptation.  For a major studio to sign on and agree to telling a story on two vastly different platforms is a rare, unprecedented feat.  With Howard, Goldsman, and Grazer on board, I have no doubt the upcoming epic will impress.

Update: Stephen King sat down for an exclusive interview with EW and shared more thoughts on the project.  Look after the break for the goods.

[Via Deadline; EW, here & here; IGN] Continue reading Universal granted rights to Stephen King’s ‘The Dark Tower’, film trilogy and TV series coming soon →

SNL: Jenny Slate OUT, 4 newcomers IN, Amy Poehler to host premiere

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With the unfortunate news of Will Forte’s departure still wrecking havoc in my mind, Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels has decided to move forward and hand pick four new cast members for the late-night sketch comedy show.  But before he could that, someone had to be let loose.  And that someone is Jenny “I said the F-word during my first SNL sketch” Slate.  In my opinion she really didn’t bring much to the table in terms of raw comedic talent, so I am feeling good about her leaving.

Moving on to the cast additions, Michaels is bringing on Taran Killam, Paul Brittain, Vanessa Bayer, and Jay Pharoah.  If you don’t recognize these names, you’re not alone.  The only reason I know Killam is because, um, I remember him as Spalding from Nickelodeon’s The Amanda Show (1999-2002).  He’s also been featured in How I Met Your Mother, MadTV, and Wild ‘N Out.  The only footage of Vanessa Bayer I could find online is this Blue Shield of California commercial on YouTube featuring just her head.  Jay Pharoah, on the other hand, can be seen doing all sorts of celebrity impressions on YouTube.  This eight minute “50 impressions” video includes some impressive parodies of Eddie Murphy, Chris Tucker, Christopher Walken, and Owen Wilson.  This guy’s got major potential.  Look out for him and the other three newbies when SNL premieres later this month.

Speaking of the premiere, we’ve got our first host!  It’s SNL alum and star of NBC’s Parks and Recreation Amy Poehler.  She will kick of SNL’s 36th season premiere on September 25 with musical guest Katy Perry.

[Via EW, here, here & here]

Syfy sets air date for ‘Red: Werewolf Hunter’ (starring Felicia Day)

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Syfy’s dark reimagining of the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood is ready for its televised debut.  Red: Werewolf Hunter (yep, the subtitle is new) will premiere during during Syfy’s “31 Days of Halloween” event on Saturday, October 30 at 9:00PM ET.  We’ve been anticipating this day since last March when news broke that Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible) would star as a gun-toting, werewolf-hunting descendant.  If you missed the trailer, check it out and then mark your calendars.  This is going to be a chilling, fun ride.

[Via futoncritic]

Kinect finds (another) new home in 250GB Xbox 360 bundle

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Holiday shoppers will have oodles of options to choose from when decision time comes to purchase Microsoft’s gesture-based motion tracking camera Kinect.  In addition to the standalone version ($149.99) and Xbox 360 4GB bundle ($299.99), Kinect will also ship with the higher capacity 250GB Xbox 360.  At a whopping $399.99 you will get the new “whisper quiet” shiny, black, and slim Xbox 360, Kinect, and a copy of a Kinect launch title, Kinect Adventures!.  The two bundles will ship on Kinect launch day, November 4.

[Via Engadget]

Willow Garage’s beer-fetching robot now on sale for $400k

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The tinkering geniuses at Willow Garage have decided to put their beer-fetching PR2 robot on the market for a cool $400,000.  Besides grabbing you a beer and informing you when the fridge is out of stock, PR2 can also play pool, clean up your mess with a cart, plug in devices, fold towels, and open doors.  The most exciting bit about PR2 is that the personal robot is open source; with the hardware platform and over 1000 software libraries open to potential buyers, developers, and hackers, Willow Garage is supplying PR2 owners with the tools to come up with their own applications.  In fact, the company imagine a future where a Robot App Store exists.  In this exciting (frightening?) world, human owners will have the option to purchase “robot apps” for their personal smart machines in effort to make life at home and work “more productive.”  Today’s PR2 is the first major step in that direction.  I’m excited to see what sorts of applications (people with tons of money to spend) come up with.

[Via WillowGarage; Engadget]

Seacrest debuts new Rihanna single [Update: iTunes DL link]

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Are you a fan of Rihanna’s music?  If you answered “yes” in your mind (or out loud if you’re that enthusiastic) then you’ll more than likely dig her brand new single called “Only Girl (In The World)”.  Ryan Seacrest debuted the track yesterday on his radio show.  Stargate, who also helped Rihanna make “Please Don’t Stop the Music” and “Hate That I Love You” into smash hits, also produced this track.  Though it’s not yet available to download on iTunes just yet, Seacrest has it streaming at his site.  Take a listen and share your thoughts in the comments below.  Rihanna’s upcoming fifth studio album Loud promises to take a detour from the sullen Rated R theme (think “Russian Roulette”) and head straight back into RiRi’s upbeat, fun roots (think “Umbrella” ella, ella).  Loud‘s expected release date is November 16.

Update: Def Jam has released the cover art for the single.  She’s totally nude under that dress!  And look at that long red hair!

Update 2: Today (9/14) the single has landed on iTunes.  And it’s already climbing the Top Ten chart (currently it’s at spot #4).  Purchase and download it here.

[Via RyanSeacrest; EW-MusicMix]

Duke Nukem Forever is finally, actually coming to a video game console near you in 2011

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This week at PAX 2010 2K Games announced that developer Gearbox Software (makers of Borderlands) is currently developing Duke Nukem Forever.  Let’s begin with some background information for those of you not in the know.  DNF is a game that was originally announced in April of 1997 as the sequel to 1996’s Duke Nukem 3D.  Almost every year since 1997 then-developer 3DRealms teased promotional material from the game promising that a final version was on its way.  3DRealms took so long to come out with actual gameplay that publisher Take-Two Interactive sued them in 2009; since then a settlement has been reached.  And now, 13 years after its originally announcement, DNF is very real thanks to a new development team backing the improved graphics engine.  Publisher 2K Games (a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive) pegs a 2011 release for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC.

Still don’t believe that Duke is making his long-awaited comeback?  To prove that he is no longer vaperware for the video games industry to make fun (though they likely always will), 2K Games offered 15 minute playable–I said playable–demo at PAX 2010 for those in attendance (17 years of age or older) in addition to a trailer.  Head over to Joystiq to read their account of all things DNF; it includes screenshots from the game.  2k Games even issued a press release to provide further proof that Duke is well and alive.  It’s sitting in full after the break, but here’s an excerpt that briefly details the first-person shooter:

Put on your sunglasses and prepare to step into the boots of Duke Nukem, whose legend has reached epic proportions in the years since his last adventure. The alien hordes are back and only Duke can save the world, again. Pig cops, alien shrink rays and enormous alien bosses won’t stop our hero from accomplishing his one and only goal: to save the world, save the babes and to be a bad-ass while doing it. The King of All Shooters is back with over-the-top weapons, massive aliens and unprecedented levels of interactivity. This game puts pedal to the metal and tongue firmly in cheek, among other places. Shoot hoops, lift weights, read adult magazines, draw crude messages on whiteboards or ogle one of the many beautiful women that populate Duke’s life; that is if you can pull yourself away long enough from kicking ass and taking names. Duke Nukem was and will forever be immortalized in gaming history, and this is his legend.

[Via Joystiq; Engadget]

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock full 93 track setlist revealed

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Fellow rock gods, the Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock setlist is here.  Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Anberlin, Avenged Sevenfold, Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Children Of Bodom, Def Leppard, DragonForce, Foo Fighters, Foreigner, KISS, Megadeth, Muse, R.E.M., Rush, Styx, Third Eye Blind.  And the list goes on and on.  Check out the full 93 track setlist after the break.  With Rock Band 3 and Guitar Hero (this is the sixth major game in the series) packing some amazing tracks, this holiday season promises to be the best one yet for music game lovers.  Guitar Hero: WoR releases September 28 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii.

[Via Joystiq] Continue reading Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock full 93 track setlist revealed →

Google celebrates 2 years of Chrome with new spankin’ version

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On September 2 Google celebrated Chrome’s second birthday by releasing version 6.0.472.53.  The faster and more streamlined version of Chrome features an even more minimalist and stripped down user interface.  “We combined Chrome’s two menus into one, revisited the location of the buttons, cleaned up the treatment of the URL and the Omnibox, and adjusted the color scheme of the browser to be easier on the eyes,” reads the Google Chrome Blog.

It’s hard to believe that so much has changed since Chrome was introduced in August 2008.  Back then JavaScript was 10 times slower and HTML5 support was pretty much non-existent.  In fact, Chrome’s JavaScript performance is three times faster than what it was in 2008.  Google boasts all of the handy features they’ve introduced over the years:  a more customizable New Tab page, browser themes, side-by-side view, password manager, better privacy controls, built-in Adobe Flash Player, Autofill, automatic translation, HTML5 capabilities and synchronization of various settings such as bookmarks, themes, extensions and browser preferences.

Wow, that was a mouthful.  Go ahead and download the new version of Chrome here.

[Via GoogleChromeBlog]

Skyfire attempting to bring Flash to the iPhone

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The warring atmosphere between Apple (backer of HTML5) and Adobe (Flash) over the Internet video standard is about to heat up once again.  Developer Skyfire submitted to the App Store the first mobile browser capable of running Flash content on Apple mobile devices.  The Skyfire browser for Apple devices embeds the Safari browser, meaning that the browser will look and run similarly to the built-in mobile Sarari browser and it will incorporate new features from Skyfire.  One major new feature is the ability to run Flash-based content within in the brower.  Skyfire has done their homework:

Skyfire for iPhone was built in tight accordance to Apple guidelines, including the use of a WebKit browser core shared with Safari, and h.264 adaptive streaming.  Skyfire’s famed cloud-computing technology translates Flash video on the fly from millions of web sites into HTML5 formats, and supports iOS devices via Apple’s HTTP live streaming standard.  Skyfire also avoids the concerns raised in Steve Jobs’ recent essay regarding Flash on mobile devices.  By optimizing Flash for iPhones and network conditions in the Cloud, Skyfire improves performance and maximizes battery life while playing video.  The browser also avoids alternate runtime environments and other security vulnerabilities.

In other words, the Skyfire browser technically does not run Flash content; it “translates” the content in the cloud (it talks to Skyfire’s servers) from Flash to HTML5.  And thanks to H.264 adaptive streaming, the browser will compress video data by an average of 75% so as not to create network congestion.  Adaptive streaming also promises a reduction in buffer time and enhanced battery life.  So cross your fingers and let’s hope Apple doesn’t destroy our dreams of watching more delicious content on our iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches.  Check out the video sitting after the break to see an iPhone play an episode of The Daily Show (Flash video) without hiccup.  Official PR is there, too.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading Skyfire attempting to bring Flash to the iPhone →

British woman smashes previous record to become world’s fastest text messager

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Melissa Thompson of Salford, Greater Manchester has gone ahead and broke the world record for fastest text messager.  Using a Samsung Galaxy S cell phone equipped with Swype input she texted the 160-character phrase the Guinness World Records uses for all text messaging records in 25.94 seconds.  That time demolishes the previous record held by American Franklin Page’s 35.54 seconds (who used Swype input on a Samsung Omnia II).  The phrase?  “The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human.”  Try beating this new record, I dare you.

*It is true that the Galaxy S device features a capacitive touchscreen and the Omnia II has a resistive touchscreen, so Thompson definitely had the advantage of using a more responsive display.  But a world record is a world record nonetheless!

[Via YahooNews; Gizmodo]

G.O.O.D. Friday: Kanye West – “Devil in a New Dress” (Update: he also addresses an apology to Taylor Swift)

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Early this morning (right past midnight eastern time) Kanye West dropped a new track off his upcoming yet-to-be-titled album.  “Devil in a New Dress” features a background tune that is very reminicent of his old work (think The College Dropout and Late Registration).  Though ‘Ye’s blood pressure doesn’t spike here (the song takes a detour from “Power“, the “Power” remix, and last week’s G.O.O.D. Friday track “Monster“), the Bink production grows on you after multiple listenings so give it a preview (and then download it) below.  In a tweet Kanye described the track like this: “classic… instantly gave me a feel I’ve missed in music for so long.”  At only 2 minutes and 52 seconds in length (plus there’s that abrupt ending) I have a feeling this is not the final version of the song.

Predictions for next week: Kanye still has “All of the Lights” up his sleeve (but I’m hearing that he’s waiting to perform it at the VMAs on September 12) and then there’s the Jay-Z collab EP waiting in the wings.  Will the EP drop soon, or will we be handed individual tracks before it releases?  Time will tell.

Download: Kanye West – “Devil in a New Dress”

[audio: Kanye West – Devil in a New Dress.mp3]

Update: Kanye hinted at what’s to come next week.  My predictions were a bit off this time.  “We might drop 2 new Good joints next week!!!” he tweeted.  “I got new joint with Pusha T and Big Sean… The Summer has to have this one …. I might drop it Tuesday if I finish my verse.”

Update 2: After releasing “Devil in a New Dress” Kanye West jumped onto Twitter to express all these thoughts that have clearly been bottled upside him for some time.  Nearly one year after the Taylor Swift incident at the 2009 MTV VMAs, Kanye addresses a second apology to the country singer.  Here are some choice quotes (erm, tweets) from his “stream of consciousness”:

“How deep is the scar… I bled hard.. cancelled tour with the number one pop star in the world [Lady Gaga] … closed the doors of my clothing office.”  “Remember in Anchor Man when Ron Burgandy cursed on air and the entire city turned on him? But this wasn’t a joke. This was & is my real life.”  “I wrote a song for Taylor Swift that’s so beautiful and I want her to have it. If she won’t take it then I’ll perform it for her.”  (Possibly at the VMAs?)  “She had nothing to do with my issues with award shows. She had no idea what hit her. She’s justa lil girl with dreams like the rest of us.”  “She deserves the apology more than anyone. Thank you Biz Stone [Twitter creator] and Evan Williams [Twitter CEO] for creating a platform where we can communicate directly.”  “I’m ready to get out of my own way. The ego is overdone… it’s like hoodies.”  “With new found humility … who am I to run on stage? I would never ever again in a million years do that. Sorry to let you down.”  “It is distasteful to cut people off as a general rule. What’s the point of dressing tastefully if I’m going to act the complete opposite?”  “Yes I was that guy. A 32 year old child.”  “When I woke up from the crazy nightmare I looked in the mirror and said GROW UP KANYE … I take the responsibility for my actions.”  “Why was it made into such a race issue. Taylor loves rap music… I love country music.”

After all this Kanye speaks directly to his haters: “I’ve hurt, I’ve bled, I’ve learned. I only want to do good. I am passionate I am human I am real. I wish I could meet every hater.  I wish I could talk to every hater face to face and change there a opinion of me one conversation at a time.  I wish they all knew how much I really cared about music and pop culture and art and peoples feelings.  I wish they could accept that I’ve grown and only want to do good for the world. I want to help as many people as I can.  I want to help starting with the music and ending with the smile.  I want to win there hearts back so I can continue to bring my take on culture to the masses with a clean opinion.  It starts with this…  [Drumroll, please] I’m sorry Taylor.”

Take what you will from this apology of sorts, but it looks to me that ‘Ye is finally turning the corner here.  He’s not holding back the music and he’s publically expressing himself like never before.  I welcome the “new” Kanye with open arms.  And I am really looking forward to this year’s VMAs.

[Via KWBlog]