Archive for the ‘Platinum Studios’ Category
Platinum Studios and Valhalla Motion Pictures have hired Ryuhei Kitamura to direct the movie adaptation of Top Cow Productions’ Magdalena property.
The Magdelena character, which first appeared in 1998, is a descendant of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. She has the ability to see into the human heart to give people a choice to redeem their sins.
Holly Brix has been tapped to write the screenplay.
Aphrodite IX, the sexy cyborg assassin, is getting the 3D treatment for the upcoming feature film. Platinum Studios, Threshold Entertainment, and Top Cow Productions are teaming up to bring the comic to the silver screen.
Threshold’s Larry Kasanoff and Platinum chairman and CEO Scott Mitchell Rosenberg are producing. Top Cow CEO Marc Silvestri and former Universal Pictures exec Randy Greenberg of the Greenberg Group are execu¬tive producers. Top Cow president Matt Hawkins and Platinum’s Rich Marincic are co-producing.
If this is going to be 3D, I wonder who the target audience is going to be. This could certainly be the Heavy Metal of its time if done in a way to traget the adult male demographic.
Dreamworks has announced it is making an adaptation of Platinum Studios Atlantis Rising, and currently has Len Wiseman attached to direct the sci-fi action flick. The film will be produced by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, and Platinum Studios CEO Scott Mitchell Rosenberg.
In “Atlantis,” an underworld civilization is discovered after seismic rumbles announce its presence. Hostilities with Earth’s land-dwellers ensue.
“In all the classic versions of this kind of movie, the threat is always from the stars,” Orci said. “The idea that it’s somehow our cousins who went off in a different path of evolution who have been here, literally, underneath our oceans. … That’s fascinating, the idea of secrets right under your nose.”
Currently Joby Harold is wooing the studio and producers to write the adaptation. Harold is currently writing the adaptation of Frank Miller’s Ronin for Warner Bros.
DJ Coffman’s website is mysteriously silent on the announcement that DJ Coffman has weighed in on the announcement Platinum Studios has struck a deal with IM Global to turn Hero By Night into a live action television series.
Under the agreement, IM Global will handle worldwide distribution for the project and will produce Hero By Night through their IM Global Television banner run by television veteran Gavin Reardon, who brokered the deal along with the Rigberg Entertainment Group.
Hero By Night, created by 2006 Comic Book Challenge® winner, DJ Coffman, tells the story of young landlord, Jack King, who uncovers the lair of the legendary Hero by Night . Determined to make a little extra cash, Jack auctions the Hero’s journal on eBay. His plans backfire when he attracts the attention of Hero by Night’s old arch-enemy. Jack must now embrace a buried legacy to stop a madman from completing his diabolical schemes.
I liked Hero By NIght when it debuted a couple of years ago, and respected what DJ Coffman was doing with his series. With all the smack talk he’s been spreading about Platinum Studios, I don’t know if he’ll gain financially, but at least it will get his name out there for any other project he is working on.
With IM Global behind the deal, we might actually see this series be made. But, we have to be somewhat realistic about any television series announcement. The IM Global could market this oversees only, or the show will fall into syndication hell, where it will be near impossible for the average viewer to find.
“That last one is really sad to think about. To think workers at Wal-Mart are making more than people inside Platinum right now? I mean… well, maybe that’s saying a lot on it’s own. At least they are being paid something, because the last I heard nobody was being paid anything at all.”
This from DJ Coffman, former friend and creator for Platinum Studios on the announcement the company is now paying their employees minimum wage.
When Heroic Publishing first began sending me solicitations about its titles availability on WOWIO, I was pretty excited. A free (or nearly free) digital comics distribution system that paid creators because of internal ads/sponsorships is a pretty great idea. I was able to access new content, or in the case of some of my favorite Clockwork Storybook folk (Bill Willingham, Matthew Sturges, Mark Finn, Chris Roberson) get stuff that is out of print circulation.
When it was announced Platinum Studios was buying WOWIO and “retooling” the entire system, I was a bit hesitant after the debacle with DJ Coffman (search our site, you’ll see DJ’s original praise for Platinum, that has now turned into hate). I let it slide at the time because the WOWIO system appeared to be working fine for everyone, in some cases earning creators upwards of $50,000 a year in royalties – not too shabby. Or should I say, not too shabby for the creators. According to WOWIO/Platinum the model wasn’t making them any money.
Platinum Studios is not a newbie to controversy, especially when it comes to creator rights, burning through captial, and that whole Cowboys vs. Aliens ranking issue that got the ire of many a LCS. So when word started filtering my way that WOWIO, now owned by Platinum Studios, had not been paying creators on time under the new contract, it wasn’t a surprise and has become the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Comic Book Resources has an excellent summary of what is going on with WOWIO, or as I’m calling them now – Wow, Oh No, and how the changes are affecting everyone.
What’s more, the creators say that Platinum’s new Wowio contract leaves something to be desired. Originally, Wowio provided users with free sponsored downloads and compensated their creators with a share of the ad revenue. While this option remains in place, the new deal instituted a pageview function which allows users to view any and all of Wowio’s e-books in their entirety in low resolution on the web, an option for which the books’ creators only see 20% of the generated ad revenue.
In otherwords, “Why download or purchase, when you can read online for free?” Not too shabby for Platinum Studios, who now gets a bigger piece of the pie.
As much as I like the stuff Heroic Publishing keeps sending us, and want the indie publisher to succeed, I think I’m turning my back on covering anything about WOWIO until somebody gets a half a brain and gets the Wow, Oh No house in order.
I’ve been fairly pleased with the offerings WOWIO has been giving away for free (internal ad support) from its website. A few weeks ago it was announced Platinum Studios purchased the company and plans on taking it global. That relaunch is in two days. Considering Platinum has been under fire by nearly everyone – including former Platinum Fanboy D.J. Coffman, I’m wondering if this relaunch is going to tank or if anyone will see any difference?
Thoughts?
Platinum Studios, Inc. (OTCBB:PDOS), an entertainment company that controls an international library of more than 5,600 comic book characters which it adapts, produces and licenses for all forms of media, today announced that it is in negotiations to acquire WOWIO, LLC, a leading online source for downloading digital books and comics. This acquisition would continue the expansion of Platinum Studios’ global digital media distribution strategy.
Regardless of what you think of Platinum Studios, you have to admit, it does know how to market and spin itself to megabucks. Cowboys and Aliens, the sci-fi western that finally saw the light of day last year, was sold to Dreamworks to be turned into a major motion picture, after 10 years in on again off again development hell.
The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Robert Downey Jr. is in negotiations to play the lead in the the flick.
“Cowboys & Aliens” derives from a graphic novel written by Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley from an original idea by Rosenberg. The story centers on an Old West battle between the Apache and Western settlers, including a former Union Army gunslinger named Zeke Jackson (Downey), that is interrupted by a spaceship crashing into the prairie near Silver City, Ariz.
Variety is reporting Platinum Studios, Top Cow Productions, and Arclight Films are teaming up to bring Top Cow’s popular character Witchblade to the big screen. As odd as the team up sounds, here’s how it breaks down:
- Marc Silvestri and Matt Hawkins of Top Cow and Rich Marincle of Platinum Studios will serve as executive producers
- Gary Hamilton and Nigel Odell from Arclight, and Scot Mitchell Rosenberg of Platinum Studios will produce
- The film will more than likely shoot in Australia beginning in September
- According to the article no director, star, or writer have been attached
With hundreds of issues under the belt, and published in 21 languages and 55 countries, and considering the cult nature the Yancy Butler television series has become, this could be one heck of a movie.
Platinum Studios is a silver sponsor for this year’s Free Comic Book Day being held in comic shops and books stores across the country. The company is taking it a step further by helping to get comics in the hands of military personel around the world.
Working with Operation Troop Aid, the companies will send 27,000 comics and graphic novels to troops stationed in Iraq.
In addition to sending comics around the world, Platinum Studios will be distributing a Hero By Night mini-issue, and a sneak peek of Gunplay. DJ Coffman, creator of Hero By Night, and Jorge Vega, creator of Gunplay will also make appearances to sign their issues. Coffman will appear at Larry’s Comics in Lowell, MA from 5:00 to 9:00 PM, while Vega and artist Dominic Vivona will sign at Jetpack Comics in Rochester, NH from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
DreamWorks is at it again, this time snatching up the rights to Atlantis Rising from Platinum Studios. Atlantis Rising is created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg who will act as one of the co-producers for the live action adaptation.
In “Atlantis,” seismic disturbances at sea force world militaries to investigate the deepest part of the world’s ocean, where an underground civilization emerges to wage war with planet Earth.
Ah, I get it now; Spielberg was so happy with War of the Worlds he’s hoping his movie company can hit a home run again with this flick.
The final installment of Atlantis Rising will arrive on store shelves toward the end of the month, no word on when we might see the film in the local theater.
The Platinum Comics 2007 Comic Book Challenge is over, and Jorge Vega has come out on top with the western comic Gunplay.
‘Gunplay’ is the haunting, bullet riddled tale of a Buffalo Soldier condemned to roam the Big Empty with a hellish curse slung at his waist: a demonic shooting iron that forces Abner to kill once a day or suffer soul searing pain. His only salvation lies in earning the trust of a boy hes never met, a boy with an agonizing secret of his own and Abner has just gunned down that boys father.
This four issue mini-series invites readers to ride alongside Abner and the boy, revealing how the black cavalryman fell victim to the gun and how an adolescent faith healer brought death to an entire township. Under a scorching western sun, their hostile relationship will be transformed with the boy not only offering companionship to a lonely soul, but providing Abner with the moral compass that will guide his curse, transforming the gunman from desert nightmare to high plains folk hero.
The winner was selected by viewer votes.
Platinum Studios and AT&T have announced the field of aspiring comic creators have been narrowed to three. This means the online voting is on for the second annual Platinum Studios’ Comic Book Challenge.
The Finalists
- Jorge Vega from Brockton, Mass., for Gunplay”
- Shawn Granger from La Verne, Calif., for Grey Shades
- Josiah Grahn from Richmond, Ky., for Banana Barry
Between now and Sunday August 26, you can visit the AT&T Blue Room (www.attblueroom.com) to check out the work by the creators, view the live pitch, and cast your vote.
The level of competition has been intense this year, said Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, chairman of Platinum Studios. The top 10 entrants should be extremely proud of their accomplishments. We are eagerly awaiting the public vote for the winner of
Platinum Studios Comic Book Challenge.
The winner of the challenge will be announced August 28, with the winner getting his comic book or graphic novel published and premiered at a major Wizard World Convention in 2008.
via Platinum Studios
Their credits include Shrek, Men in Black, Scrubs, and Hero by Night, and they just happen to be the judges for the Platinum Studios’ 2007 Comic Book Challenge presented by AT&T.
Included on the panel are John H. Williams, Donald Faison, Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, and D.J. Coffman.
The best part about this years panel for Platinum Studios 2007 Comic Book Challenge is that were truly a group of fans moonlighting as Hollywood insiders, said Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, chairman and CEO of Platinum Studios. Donald, John and I all grew up reading and enjoying the genre, and thats what well be looking for from these Top 50 entrants who have made it to the pitch phase of the Comic Book Challenge.
Next week at the San Diego Comic Con (July 25 – 29), the top 50 entrants to the Platinum Studios’ 2007 Comic Book Challenge will present their concepts to the panel. The winner will be announced in August.
Loading ...