Archive for the ‘Warner Bros.’ Category
Those who were hoping for a better retelling of Mattel’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe franchise in film form are going to have to wait a little longer now that Warner Bros. and Mattel have called it quits in regards to the character.
Mattel and WB didn’t see eye to eye over the direction of the project and made a mutual decision to let the option lapse this month. Story revolves around He-Man, a prince who becomes a warrior battling the evil Skeletor for control of his magical homeland.
Mattel will more than likely shop the property around, and Disney, who recently purchased Marvel, might be ready to strike. It’s a shame Warner Bros. decided to drop the property, because with Mattel’s already close relationship with the House of Mouse, it would be another punch in the gut to the WB if Disney cranked out a hit as the mega-corporation continues to roll on.
WARNER BROS. CREATES DC ENTERTAINMENT
Diane Nelson to Serve as President, DC Entertainment
Paul Levitz to Segue from President & Publisher of DC Comics
To Writer, Contributing Editor and Overall Consultant to DC Entertainment
(Dateline – Burbank, CA) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI) has created DC Entertainment Inc., a new company founded to fully realize the power and value of the DC Comics brand and characters across all media and platforms, to be run by Diane Nelson, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, and Alan Horn, President & COO, Warner Bros.
DC Entertainment, a separate division of WBEI, will be charged with strategically integrating the DC Comics business, brand and characters deeply into Warner Bros. Entertainment and all its content and distribution businesses. DC Entertainment, which will work with each of the Warner Bros. divisions, will also tap into the tremendous expertise the Studio has in building and sustaining franchises and prioritize DC properties as key titles and growth drivers across all of the Studio, including feature films, television, interactive entertainment, direct-to-consumer platforms and consumer products. The DC Comics publishing business will remain the cornerstone of DC Entertainment, releasing approximately 90 comic books through its various imprints and 30 graphic novels a month and continuing to build on its creative leadership in the comic book industry.
In her new role, Nelson will report to Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, in order to best capitalize on DC Entertainment’s theatrical development and production activities and their importance to drive its overall business with each of the divisions of Warner Bros.
Nelson will bring her expertise and more than 20 years’ experience in creative brand management, strategic marketing and content development and production to ensuring DC Entertainment’s dual mission of marshalling Warner Bros.’ resources to maximize the potential of the DC brand while remaining respectful of and collaborative with creators, talent, fans and source material. Additionally, Nelson will continue to oversee the franchise management of the Harry Potter property, which she has done since 2000, and also continue to represent the Studio’s interests with the author of the Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling. Nelson will segue from her post as President, Warner Premiere but maintain oversight responsibilities of that division. (An executive succession plan for Warner Premiere will be announced shortly.)
Paul Levitz, who has served as President & Publisher of DC Comics since 2002, will segue from that role to return to his roots as a writer for DC and become a contributing editor and overall consultant to DCE. This transition will take place as expeditiously as possible without disrupting DC’s business operations.
Warner Home Video sent us a bunch of images over the weekend, from the upcoming Superman/Batman: Public Enemies movie.
In the film, United States President Lex Luthor uses the oncoming trajectory of a Kryptonite asteroid to frame Superman and declare a $1 billion bounty on the heads of the Man of Steel and his “partner in crime,” Batman. Heroes and villains alike launch a relentless pursuit of Superman and Batman, who must unite – and recruit help – to stave off the action-packed onslaught, stop the asteroid, and uncover Luthor’s devious plot to take command of far more than North America.
I really never expected Lobo to be made into a movie before The Flash or Wonder Woman, but apparently that’s what the execs at Warner Bros. think is going to sell to the kids these days. To sweeten the deal, the studio has even signed Snatch director Guy Ritchie to helm the DC Comics adaptation.
Lobo was meant to serve as a parody of violent heroes such as Wolverine and the Punisher, with his stories featuring a nihilistic streak tinged with dark comedy and excessive violence.
No word on release date, cast members and the like. Some of you may remember a now defunct Virgin Comics which had also signed Ritchie up to direct the movie adaptation of The Gamekeeper, and we see where that is in development.
As villains go, Clancy Brown has covered the gamut of wicked characters across every medium with sinister perfection – but never is his evil expertise so evident as when he steps behind the microphone as the voice of Lex Luthor. Brown reprises his benchmark role as the focal point of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, the next entry in the popular series of DC Universe animated original movies.
Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation will present the all-new Superman/Batman: Public Enemies on Sept. 29 in a Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def edition, a special edition 2-disc DVD, and a single disc DVD. Warner Home Video will distribute the action-packed movie, which will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download on Sept. 29.
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Screenwriter Stan Berkowitz guides another classic DC Comics graphic novel to animated glory with the September 29 Warner Home Video release of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.
Berkowitz brought Darwyn Cooke’s landmark Justice League: The New Frontier from pages to screen in 2008, and this year he’s converted the words of Jeph Loeb into a summer popcorn-style blockbuster with the crafting of the script for Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.
The latest rumor surrounding the third installment of the Christopher Nolan helmed Batman franchise, now has Catwoman being played by Megan Fox. This news comes from The Sun out of the UK, which previously had Cher playing the cat-themed thief, and Eddie Murphy signed as the Riddler. Keep in mind, that many consider The Sun to be on par with Weekly World News, and that Nolan has even gone on record as to say that there is no script for the third Batman film, which puts this Megan Fox story clearly in the longshot bet category.
But hey, at least it got us to feature Megan Fox on the site once more.
For more interesting, and probably closer to reality news, IMAX and Warner Bros. have been hinting that the third film might be shot exclusively on the IMAX format. Portions for The Dark Knight were shot on the format with great success, but the lack of cameras, large size, and cost, might still prevent the IMAX experience from playing out.
As the voice of Black Lightning, LeVar Burton adds another level of fanboy cache to a cast thick with legends of the super hero genre in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, the next entry in the popular series of DC Universe animated original PG-13 movies.
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies boasts a cast headed by the definitive voices of its three central characters – Kevin Conroy (Batman), Tim Daly (Superman) and Clancy Brown (Lex Luthor), the original voices from the landmark Superman: The Animated Series and Batman: The Animated Series.
Burton is forever beloved by the sci-fi crowd for his memorable performance as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation and its feature film versions. However, Burton has done far more than go “where no man has gone before.”
In a career that essentially launched with his breakthrough performance in the landmark miniseries Roots, Burton has garnered seven Emmy Awards, three Image Awards, a Peabody as well as a Grammy, and in 1990 was permanently enshrined as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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G.I. Joe, Stretch Armstrong, ViewMaster, and by the time you read this, probably Slinky are getting the movie treatment, so it comes as no surprise that LEGO is being targeted by Hollywood for a film adaptation. Dan and Kevin Hageman have been hired by Warner Bros. to write a movie around the building toy.
The live action-CG hybrid is described as a movie set in the world of Lego that centers on the subject of child-like imaginations and examines themes of creativity and teamwork in the manner of “Toy Story.” While the pic will have elements for children, the studio is hoping the film is a four-quadrant play that can also appeal to adults.
With the success of the LEGO themed video games, and the fact the toys have been around since the mid 60’s, it wouldn’t surprise me to see more adults in the theater if and when the movie finally debuts. The big question is, what themed set should be featured in the film? Space, Castle, Adventure, or the ever popular City theme? If the City theme gets the nod, expect to see a ton of police and gas stations throughout the movie.
Have a fondness for the colored bricks? Take the jump and check out the LEGO timeline.
Press Release
Principal photography is under way on Dark Castle Entertainment’s action adventure “The Losers.” The film is based on the comic book series published under DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint, and is being directed by Sylvain White (“Stomp the Yard”).
“The Losers” features an ensemble cast that includes Jeffrey Dean Morgan (“The Watchmen”), Zoë Saldana (“Star Trek”), Chris Evans (“Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer”), Idris Elba (“Obsessed,” “RocknRolla”), Columbus Short (“Stomp the Yard,” upcoming “Whiteout”), Holt McCallany (“Vantage Point”), Óscar Jaenada (“Che: Part Two”) and Jason Patric (“In the Valley of Elah”).
Stepping away from the “fighty-fighty” polls once again this week to do some digging into what DC direct to DVD movies from Warner Home Video are winners, and which one stumbled.
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With breakout performances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and HBO’s OZ, Christopher Meloni has effectively played both side of the law. But he’s taking his next legal procedure in an altogether new direction.
Meloni provides the voice of Hal Jordan, the alter ego of the title character in Green Lantern: First Flight, the next DC Universe animated original PG-13 movie coming to DVD on July 28, 2009.
In his first-ever voiceover for animation, Meloni leads a stellar cast that includes Victor Garber, Trifica Helfer and Michael Madsen. Green Lantern: First Flight filled to capacity it 4,250-seat World Premiere at Comic-Con International on Thursday, July 23, forcing an encore presentation for an additional 900 fans on Sunday, July 26.
Meloni began his career in sitcoms, playing the ex-con quarterback Johnny Gunn in HBO’s 1st & Ten and then as a member of NBC’s The Fanelli Boys. He also supplied the voice of Spike in Dinosaurs. Meloni’s film credits include roles in Clean Slate with Dana Carvey, Junior with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Twelve Monkeys with Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt. It was seemingly a recurring role on NYPD Blue that finally steered him down the dramatic TV path.
Still, Meloni frequently dips into the lighter fair, stealing the spotlight as Freakshow in Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle and as the go-get-‘em football coach/prospective groom in Garry Marshall’s Runaway Bride.
Green Lantern: First Flight takes the best of Meloni’s prior performances – dramatic and comedic – and allows the actor to play to his strengths. In this Q&A with the actor, Meloni discusses Victor Garber’s acting, Alan Burnett’s writing, Clark Gable’s philosophy, and his personal pride in bringing Green Lantern into the spotlight. Read on …
Geoff Johns announced during the Smallville panel that he is writing an episode called Society that introduces the Justice Society of America to the Smallville universe.
Also announced during the panel is word that Allison Mack and Tom Welling will both direct episodes this season. And as we hinted at the other day, Clark Kent will don the Superman suit in the season’s debut episode. The producers do want the series to go to a 10th season, and are hoping the shows move to Friday night will help that.The appearance of Zod, played by Callum Blue, will help that as well.
The panel members also said they read all the blogs that talk about the shows – even when the talk is “mean”. Hello everyone from Smallville, take a look around, we have more Smallville stuff here too. Perhaps you might get Erica Durance to stop by and say hello…
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Lots of announcements coming out of the DC Comics panels today. Take the jump for word on Batman and more!
UPDATED WITH PHOTOS AND MORE ANIMATION INFORMATION
The Warner Bros. Panel wrapped up a little while ago, and here’s our Rapid-Fire Roundup of the talking points. The oddest part of these kinds of panels is there isn’t a whole lot of talking going on so much as it’s a chance for the studio to get its wares in front of fans. There were some surprise guests, and yes, Megan Fox was there.
There’s also something about a Batman 3 movie or something…
