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Category: Films

Headline News

BlueArc Storage Solution Tames The Incredible Hulk For Soho VFX

BlueArc Corporation, a leader in scalable, high-performance unified network storage, announced that Toronto-based vfx creator Soho VFX turned to a BlueArc storage solution for the superhuman task of bringing Marvel Comics' characters to life in this weekend's box-office smash, THE INCREDIBLE HULK.

Film Headline News

Walt Disney Studios And Ying Dong Media Announce China Panda Project

The Walt Disney Studios together with Chinese filmmakers Castle Hero Pictures and Ying Dong Media announced today at the Shanghai International Film Festival, that they are combining creative forces to make a movie tentatively titled TOUCH OF THE PANDA.

Universal Headline News

Universal To Study Dragonology

Universal has bought the rights to the children's book series DRAGONOLOGY by Dugald A. Steer, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

The mock nonfiction books will be adapted by Leonard Hartman, who will write and exec produce.

Steer's novels follow the premise that dragons actual exist, revealed by Victorian dragonologist Ernest Drake, and should be studied the same as any other rare series.

Headline News

2012 Reasons To Love Amanda Peet

Amanda Peet has been cast as the female lead in Roland Emmerich's epic disaster project 2012, per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Peet joins a cast already led by John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover and Oliver Platt. The film's plot starts with a global apocalypse and what the survivors do after the fallout.

Peet will play Cusack's ex-wife who has re-married a wealthy man. Cusack's character is a divorced dad trying to become a writer while working as a limo driver.

Comics Headline News

DC Comics' Red Heads To Big Screen

Summit Ent. is venturing into the comic book adaptation arena with the acquisition of WildStorm/DC Comics' RED, per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Brothers Erich and Jon Hoeber are penning the script for the action film, which will be produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and his longtime exec Mark Vahradian. This marks the first time a DC Comics title won't be produced by parent company Time Warner.

DC is however remaining active in this adaptation. DC SVP of Creative Affairs Gregory Noveck will serve as exec producer and will oversee RED.

Headline News

Mulan Writer Onboard For Jeannie Adaptation

Sid Ganis has hired writer Rita Hsaio (MULAN, ENCHANTED) to write the script for the big-screen adaptation of 1960s series I DREAM OF JEANNIE, per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Ganis is producing though his Out of the Blue Ent. shingle with Alex Siskin. Bob Simonds and Phoenix New Millennium's Michael Viner will exec produce.

Hsaio wrote MULAN for Disney and also rewrote 2007's ENCHANTED for the studio.

Effects Headline News

I.E. Effects To Provide VFX To Little Hercules 3D

Full service visual effects studio I.E. Effects will provide visual effects and stereoscopic 3-D compositing for the upcoming feature film, LITTLE HERCULES 3D.

Judd Nelson, John Heard, Elliot Gould and Hulk Hogan join 10-year-old body builder Richard Sandrak to star in the family film about a young boy of immeasurable strength who travels from Mt. Olympus to live in Los Angeles.

"We...look forward to providing what will be the first 3-D experience to many of the film's younger moviegoers," says I.E. Exec Producer and Co-Founder David Kenneth.

Animation Headline News

Sony Animation And Columbia Teaming Up For Smurfs Pic

Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation have obtained the motion picture rights to the SMURFS from Lafig Belgium S.A. via producer Jordan Kerner.

The parties will develop a live action/animated major motion picture based on the iconic and lovable sky-blue classic characters.

David Stem and David Weiss are in negotiations to be brought on board to write the screenplay. Stem and Weiss are the award-winning screenwriters behind SHREK 2 and 3, and other notable animated projects including THE RUGRATS MOVIE, and JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS.

Movie Headline News

Stuntman Killed On Set Of Woo's Red Cliff

A stuntman was killed and six people were injured Monday during second-unit filming on director John Woo's THE BATTLE OF RED CLIFF, per VARIETY.

For the most expensive movie in Chinese -- and Asian -- history, the death of the 23-year-old is another unfortunate setback. Production has been hampered by everything from cast changes to bad weather.

Imax Headline News

Kung Fu Panda Opens Strong In IMAX

IMAX and DreamWorks Animation announced that KUNG FU PANDA: The IMAX Experience opened with strong box office results at IMAX theatres over the three-day weekend from Friday June 6, through Sunday June 8.

The film grossed $2.3 million on 89 domestic IMAX screens and six international IMAX screens, for a per-screen average of approximately $24,000. The film will continue to open in international locations in the weeks ahead, ultimately playing on 36 international IMAX screens.

Studios Headline News

Everybody At The Movie Theater Was Kung Fu Fighting

DreamWorks' animated KUNG FU PANDA hauled in $60.24 million (actuals) at the weekend box office ending June 8, winning its opening weekend. Special effects on the Jack Black-led comedy were by PDI DreamWorks.

Adam Sandler's YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN (Sony, vfx by The Orphanage, Gentle Giant Studios, Lola Visual Effects and Stan Winston Studio) laughed its way to an expected No. 2 with $38.53M in its opening weekend.

Game Headline News

DiCaprio To Star As Atari Creator In Bio Pic

Leonardo DiCaprio is attached to star in ATARI, a film about the godfather of the video game industry, Nolan Bushnell, per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Writers Brian Heckner and Craig Sherman sold Paramount the story on Friday. DiCaprio's Appian Way shingle is producing; filmmakers hope the movie will incorporate elements from MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON and TUCKER.

Dreamworks Headline News

HP Technology Helps Kung Fu Panda Soar To New Creative Heights

Moviegoers worldwide are sure to be delighted by the breakthrough animation achieved through the combination of HP technology and DreamWorks Animation's creativity as DreamWorks Animation's KUNG FU PANDA, hits theaters today.

HP also partnered with DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon and McDonald's to bring KUNG FU PANDA to life outside the movie theater in fun, interactive ways, including an HP "The Computer Is Personal Again" TV spot featuring Po the Panda, downloadable activities and crafts, and a choreographed "The Panda" dance that the whole family can learn.

Imax Headline News

Kung Fu Panda Opens In IMAX Today

IMAX and DreamWorks Animation will release KUNG FU PANDA in 89 domestic IMAX theaters from June 2008 to May 2010. The film opens in theaters today.

The film will also open in 37 IMAX theatres internationally during the days and weeks following the domestic launch. Kung Fu Panda has been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with IMAX DMR technology.

Film Headline News

Thor Coming To The Big Screen In 2010

The Ice Man Cometh - back. This time in the shape of THOR and the ancient Nordic Gods in a new animated feature film set to burst onto the big screen in late 2010.

THOR, developed by CAOZ, an animation company from Iceland, will now join forces in a co-production with Magma Films of Ireland and their subsidiary Ulysses Films of Germany.

CAOZ is best known for their acclaimed ANNA AND THE MOODS film, which features the voices of Bjork, Terry Jones and Damon Albarn and is an EDDA and Pulcinella Award winner.

Headline News

Andrew Stanton Writing Pixar's John Carter Of Mars

THE PIXAR BLOG confirms that Andrew Stanton is currently penning JOHN CARTER OF MARS, the film version of Edgar Rice Burrough's novel.

The film is said to be a mix of live action and animation, a first for Pixar Animation Studios. Stanton is also rumoured to be the director on the project. He has been involved in all eight of Pixar's films as well as the upcoming release WALL-E.

Read the blog exclusive here: http://pixarblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/exclusive-andrew-stanton-confirms-....

Headline News

Ben Kingsley The Villain To Gyllenhaal's Prince Of Persia

Ben Kingsley will play the villain in Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer's feature adaptation of the Ubisoft videogame PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME, per VARIETY.

Kingsley will play Nizam in the fantasy action flick, who plots to kill his brother King Shahrman and blame it on Prince Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) so he can take over the throne.

Gemma Arterton and Alfred Molina also are playing leads. The film, under direction from Mike Newell, starts filming in July in Morocco and England and will be released next year.

Headline News

CineTel Buys Rights To Remake 70s Revenge Flick Spit

CineTel Films has purchased the rights to remake I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, the 1978 female revenge film reviled at the time for its depiction of sex and violence, per VARIETY.

Meir Zarchi, who directed, produced and wrote the original, owned the remake rights. Though the majority of CineTel's releases are straight-to-DVD, the company says it will make SPIT for a theatrical release.

Headline News

Cast Announced For Madagascar 2

DreamWorks Animation and Paramount Pictures today announced the cast line-up for DreamWorks Animation's upcoming comedy, MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA, which is slated for a November 7, 2008 theatrical release.

MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA is the sequel to the studio's hit, MADAGASCAR which grossed more than $532 million in worldwide box office and became the number one animated film of 2005.

Studios Headline News

Sex And The Box Office Winner

Despite some mixed reviews, hoards of SEX AND THE CITY (New Line, vfx by Big Film Design) lovers turned out to see what happened next for Carrie Bradshaw and the girls, earning $56.85 million (actuals) in the opening weekend, ending June 1. It's the best-ever opening weekend for an R-rated comedy.

Paramount's INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, last week's huge winner, placed a respectable second with $44.75M, easily pushing the two-week gross to $215.64M. The fourth Indy film's vfx were by ILM, Gentle Giant Studios and Stan Winston Studio.

India Headline News

Warner Bros Adds India To Slate

Warner Bros. will make its first animation feature in India, following a deal with director Jyotin Goel and his Goel Screencraft shingle, per VARIETY.

The deal is one of several Indian film deals announced by Time Warner units in the last year. The untitled pic is described by Goel as, "a journey into the lives of birds as they soar over dense jungles and teeming cities, giving them a point of view of the world that is hilariously different from ours."

Universal Headline News

Iron Man Writers To Tackle Last Ludlum Novel

Universal is moving forward on a screen adaptation of BOURNE author Robert Ludlum's novel THE SIGMA PROTOCOL, per VARIETY.

They have hired IRON MAN writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway to write the screenplay, based on the late author's final novel. Strike Ent. partners Marc Abraham and Eric Newman will produce with Paul L. Sandberg.

THE SIGMA PROTOCOL is about a young investment banker who discovers a secret organization manipulating the global economy. When he attempts to expose the scheme, he's targeted for death.

Headline News

Donnie Darko Sequel Adds To Cast

Cult hit DONNIE DARKO sequel S. DARKO has added Elizabeth Berkley and Briana Evigan to the cast, says THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Chris Fisher will direct and Ash. R. Shah is producing. Other cast members include Ed Westwick (CW's GOSSIP GIRL) and Justin Chatwin (THE CHUMSCRUBBER) join Daveigh Chase reprising her role from the original as Donnie Darko's sister Samantha.

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