Christopher Webster [Celluloid 06.17.09] movie news



[Editor's Note: Multiple Personality Disorder Reports are short news blasts meant to let you know about the stuff that didn't make it to the news page but still had us talking behind the scenes]

#1: Word War Z Delayed!

Director Marc Forster is not happy with the current screenplay for World War Z and is putting of the project until he is. I've read the screenplay (review here) and can attest to its greatness, so I'm not sure what Forster wants done. He probably wants to steer it away from its dramatic tone and turn it into more of an action pic or something. [via: scifiwire]

#2: "Machete" starts filming!

The webs exploded with news that Robert Rodriguez's fake-grindhouse- trailer-turned-real-movie, Machete, will begin filming imminently. I know a lot of people who are excited about this project. Me? I think it's going be a boring, post-modern bust that will confound audiences like Grindhouse did. But we'll see.

#3: "Death in Love" poster

the poster for writer/director Boaz Yakin's Death in Love, starring Josh Lucas, Jacqueline Bisset, Lukas Haas and Adam Brody dropped at comingsoon.net.

"The provocative psychosexual tale follows two brothers (Lucas and Haas) who are trying to climb out of the shadows of their Holocaust survivor mother's (Bisset) dark past – and the love affair she conducted with a Nazi doctor while in the camps."

#4: Aussie "Red Dawn" book, "Tomorrow, When the War Began" gets director

Stuart Beattie is making his directorial debut with "Tomorrow, When the War Began," a book about Australian teens defending their homeland from unnamed foreign invaders. Apparently the book is so popular in Australia they teach it in schools. Sounds like a great story, and yes it reminds us of "Red Dawn." [via: CHUD]

Check out 10 more news blasts after the break!


#5: "Deadworld" comic adaptation coming!

David Hayter (Watchmen, X-Men) will write the screenplay for Deadworld, an adaptation of the comic of the same name reports Variety.

"Deadworld veers from the popular zombie mythology of depicting an apocalypse in which humans are overrun by flesh-eating corpses. [It] picks up four months after that event, where the Dead overtake the Earth, with humans few and far between. Protag is King Zombie, a Harley-riding corpse who holds a grudge against the survivors who made him an outcast."

#6: Donnie Darko 3 is in development

20th Century Fox is working on a third installment in the "Donnie Darko" franchise. The rumor is that Darko creator Richard Kelly is actually involved this time. [via: Bloody-Disgusting]

#7: New Pegg/Frost scifi geek flick "Paul"

Scripted by Pegg and Frost (the dudes who wrote "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz"), the story follows two British nerds, fresh off a trip to Comic Con, who decide to go on a road trip to Area 51. They meet an alien named Paul, voiced by Rogen, who asks them to help him escape from the U.S. Government.

Geeks on a road trip to infiltrate a compund? Sounds like Fanboys. Let's hope its better. [via: /Film]

#8: James Franco in indie flick "In Praise of Shadows"

Head of the directing program at the graduate film school at NYU where James Franco is apparently going to school (egg-head), Jay Anania wrote "In Praise of Shadows" and recruited his most famous student to be in it. Now that's networking!

"The drama tells the story of William Vincent (Franco), and recounts his eccentric and curious journey that brought him back to New York City after four years in exile to rescue the woman he loves from a crime syndicate." [via: Variety]

#8: Runaways bio-pic coming!

Arguably the best girl-group ever is getting their own movie in "The Runaways," set to star Kristen Stewart (as legendary guitarist Joan Jett), Dakota Fanning (lead singer Cherie Currie), and "Gossip Girl" Stella Maeve. Most importantly though, Quiet Earth fave Michael Shannon is in it. That's right, this movie just got watchable! [via: Cinematical]

#9: Darren Aronofsky's next is "Balck Swan" with Natalie Portman... not Robocop

"Black Swan" is a thriller about an older ballerina and a rival protege. Word is it'll be Aronofsky's next with Portman now attached. Robocop is now pushed back to 2011.

#10: John Carter of Mars to starting shooting!

Andrew Stanton's live action adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs'classic scifi series, "John Carter of Mars," will finally begin shooting this November in Utah thanks to some sort of tax incentive.

Check out this awesome old video showcasing pre-production attempts from the 50s when the film was apparently up for production as well. [via: firstshowing]

#11: Tony Scott's The Warriors remake to be set in LA

The director of the remake of Taking of Pelham 123 (like we care) is set to do a remake of the classic 1979 Walter Hill flick The Warriors, but instead of being set in NY, they're doing it in LA. Scott says that he is planning one huge shot on a bridge comprised of gangs from all over LA which he's been meeting with. Reportedly this will be a more contemporary adaptation. via RT

#12: Heather's sequel coming?!

Considering this is classic 80s cinema and one of both Christian Slater's and Winona Ryder's best performances, I'm wary but excited. Slater is supposedly on board to return as an "obi-wan" character, but Winona who talked about the sequel in an interview has reportedly said this before.. so don'y hold your breath. via US Magazine

#13: Revenge thriller spec script Beautiful Girl picked up

While normally this wouldn't be something we reported on, the story sounds too good to pass up. Story concerns a shy but brainy high school girl who returns for senior year after having slimmed down six dress sizes. She finds herself flirting with the handsome English lit teacher, but the mutual crush turns deadly when the teacher's obsession with the student compels him to exact maniacal revenge on everyone who was cruel to her. I'm so in.

#14: Nazi comedy Iron Sky gets remaining funding!

We've been waiting on this for a couple of years now, a story about a bunch of nazis who escape to the moon and then come back to invade the Earth. If you missed it, check out the teaser. The last $1.1Million came from the Finnish film foundation and shooting should start in January for this cgi-heavy flick for a 2011 release. via HR

#15: Trailer for "The Time Traveler's Wife

The "Time traveler's Wife" looks like sort of a chick flick but it's got time travel in it and Rachel McAdams who I find adorable so I will watch it.

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