The Dark Knight

New TV spots, which seem to confirm a pg-13 rating. Whilst this was never in doubt given the plethora of toys and mercahndising tie ins, the subject matter still seems to be pushing the envelope for a family rated movie.






source: empire

Bad Lieutenant

Abel Ferrera's hard hitting 'Bad Lieutenant', starring Harvey Keitel (and, unfortunately, a cameo from Little Harvey) is getting the remake treatment.

Nicolas Cage will be starring, and painful visions of his hammy histrionics in the role haunt me already.

But, and this is a big but, the film will be directed by Werner Herzog.  Herzog, who made a return to dramatic features with Rescue Dawn after a series of documentary films, is known for his arduous shoots and the sometimes surreal but always powerful films which result.  Whilst this is likely to be a mess, Herzogs involvement will mean it will at least be an interesting mess.  

Source:  Cinematical

Point Break Indo...

Is the working title for Jan De Bont's Point Break sequel.  IESB.net has the plot synopsis:-

When Billy Dalton, military special ops and star surfer, is disqualified from the pro-surfing tour, he takes off for the coast of Bali looking for the perfect wave. While there he’s recruited by a private security force who are trying to find a gang known as The Bush Administration, surfing outlaws and modern day pirates who work like “The Ex-Presidents,” a bank robbing crew from Malibu twenty years ago.
 
Hmmmmmmmm.....

Sounds slightly ridiculous, but then subtlety was never the original film's strong point and this story seems to leave the way open for the return of Patrick Swayze's character, if not Keanu.

Source: Aint It Cool News

Sgt Rock

Joel Silver has announced his intention to bring little known DC Comics character 'Sgt Rock' to the screen, with cheeky mockney Guy Ritchie attached to direct.

Whilst not having any particular super powers Sgt Rock seemed to take part in every single major event of World War 2 before going on to undertake covert work for the US Government.

Frankly, this sounds terrible, but as long as Ritchie avoids the temptation to cast old mate Vinnie Jones as the Sergeant I will keep an open mind.

SourceL Cinematical

The Incredible Hulk

New trailer, currently playing before Speed Racer in the US.

Source: Cinematical

TimeCrimes

Los Cronocrimenes (TimeCrimes to us gringos) is a mexican science fiction film which tells the tale of a man who gets caught up in a dangerous time loop when he tries to travel 30 minutes back in time to prevent a crime. The film has been a hit at festivals, and has been picked up by Magnolia pictures for United States distribution.

Given it's popularity, it is no surprise that a US remake is on it's way, with original director Nacho Vigalondo on board as producer, and Stephen Zallian tapped for scriptwriting duties.

Whilst this may seem like a run of the mill remake, Vigalondo has suggested that no less than David Cronenberg is in discussions to come aboard as director.

The themes of the film certainly seem a perfect fit for Cronenberg and will mark a return to sci-fi for the director following his more recent drama films. Suddenly this remake appears to be one to watch, although everyone should get a chance to catch the original if possible.

Source: CHUD.com

Fahrenheit 9/11 2

Michael Moore is working on a sequel / update to his polemic documentary Fahrenheit 9/11. Originally planned for a pre-election release, the Hollywood Reporter suggests that the film will not now hit theatres until 2009.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Point Break 2

Various sources report that Jan De Bont has announced he is to direct a sequel to eighties action classic Point Break.

The original screen writer is on board, but no word on whether Keanu Reeves or Patrick Swayze will be donning the surf gear again. Given Reeve's reported disdain for sequels and Swayze's current health problems it would seem unlikely.

21 Jump Street

Popular 80's teen drama 21 Jump Street, which featured a young Johnny Depp, may be getting a comedic re-do courtesy of Judd Apatow cohort Jonah Hill (Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall).

The original featured a group of young cops sent undercover in a local high school. Whilst the premise will no doubt be carried over Hill's involvement suggests that the tone will be somewhat different from the sometimes po-faced original.

Hill will be writing, co-producing and one assumes taking a role in the film, although little else is known at this time.

Source: Cinematical

The A Team

It's been over a year since we last reported on John Singleton's A Team redo. With the film due for a release next year, more casting news has begun to surface, with rumours that Bruce Willis is in talks to play Hannibal, the cigar chewing team leader played by the late George Peppard on the TV Series.

Woody Harrelson has previously been mooted for the Murdoch Role, with Ice Cube as BA Baracus.

This leaves only Face to cast. Dirk Benedict is still around and looking in good shape for his age, so why not stick with at least one of the original cast members?

Source: CHUD.com

X Files 2

Or, X-Files : I Want to Believe, to give it it's slightly cumbersome full title. Anywhere, heres a trailer. courtesy of ign.com

W

Scott Glenn, perhaps best known for Silence of the Lambs, has signed to play Donald Rumsfeld in Oliver Stones curently filming George Bush biopic W

Source (and comparison photo) : Aint it Cool News

Smodcast 49

The new Smodcast. featuring director Kevin Smith and producer Scott Mosier is now online at www.quickstopentertainment.com

The description for this episode is as follows:-

SModcast 49: Attack of the Banantulas -
In which our heroes cock an eye at a prairie legend, fret over eight legged stalkers, fear a Swedish Holocaust, and take issue with the plausibility of singing underwater.

Source: newsaskew.com

Bioshock

Gore Verbinski, of Pirates of the Caribbean infamy, has signed on to direct the movie version of popular video game Bioshock. The game is set in an underwater city and was one of the best reviewed games of last , year. John 'Gladiator' Logan will write the screenplay.

Video games have not made the best film adaptations in the past (Super Mario Brothers anyone?) but as the storyline of such games becomes more complex and cinematic, the crossovers start to make more sense. Unfortunately the long hoped for Hungry Horace movie is still trapped in development hell.

Source: Variety

W

The first image of Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks as George and Laura Bush, comes with confirmation of previous rumours that the film will get a pre-election release, with Lions Gate releasing Oliver Stone's bio-pic on 18 October. Given the last time Stone attempted a rushed post production we ended up with Alexander and it's multiple re-cuts, lets hope he has the time to finish the film to his satisfaction.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

New trailer, whilst similar to the previous few, does contain a few new scenes.

Source: Cinematical

S. Darko

In the news we have all been waiting for, a (presumably) straight to DVD sequel to Donnie Darko is on it's way. S Darko tells the tale of Donnie's now 18 year old sister (a returning Daveigh Chase) who begins to experience visions whilst on a road trip to Los Angeles.

Richard Kelly is unsurprisingly not returning, but directing duties have been passed to Chris Fisher, the auteur behind Nightstalker and Rampage : The Hill Side Strangler Murderers.

Source: Aint it Cool

Zack and Miri

New image from Zack and Miri make a prono. The logo on the ice hockey shirts is no doubt a reference to 'Dawn of the Dead', which shared locations with the new film.

Source: Newsaskew