Tommy Wirkola To Direct ‘AFTERBURN’ Starring Gerard Butler
HeatVision reports that Norwegian writer/director Tommy Wirkola is now attached to the adaptation of the graphic novel Afterburn. Along with directing he would do some rewrites to the script. Gerard Butler is set to star with Neal H. Mortiz (Total Recall, 21 Jump Street) producing. Tommy had a great first outing with Dead Snow and has Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters is coming out in 2013. Some were worried about Witch Hunters being pushed back to 2013 but it sounds like waiting until the releases of Bourne Legacy and Avengers is a smart move.
“Set in a future where solar flares have left half the world a ravaged wasteland filled with mutants and pirates. Buried beneath the ash and rubble are priceless artifacts and some of the world’s most valuable works of art – for which wealthy Americans will pay any price. The story centers on a treasure hunter who leads his team into the quarantine zone, braving rival bounty hunters, rogue armies, pirate gangs and deadly mutants along the way.”
Dominic Cooper Could Join Noomi Rapace And Colin Farrell In ‘DEAD MAN DOWN’
Variety reports that British actor Dominic Cooper (Captain America, Devil’s Double, Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) is now in talks to join gangster flick Dead Man Down. The film from director Niels Arden Oplev (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) re-teams him with Swedish actress Noomi Rapace (Sherlock Holmes 2, Prometheus) and stars Colin Farrell (Total Recall, Fright Night). It focuses on a man (Farrell) that infiltrates a gang to seek revenge for the murder of his family leading him to meet a woman (Rapace) who has similar intentions.
Xavier Gens Should Direct The Escape From New York Remake
New Line Cinema has been slowly developing a remake of John Carpenter’s cult favorite Escape From New York. Producer Neal H. Mortiz (Total Recall) got a hold of the project and screenwriter Ken Nolan (Black Hawk Down) took a shot at the script. Scottish actor Gerard Bulter was attached for Snake Plissken when director Len Wiseman (Total Recall, Die Hard 4) was going to make the film. Wiseman dropped out to make Total Recall instead and it lead to Butler’s exit as well. Jonathan Mostow (U-571) came on to also work on the script with some intention to direct. That also didn’t pan out so the studio looked to newcomer Breck Eisner and he’s the last name attached to the remake. Jeremy Renner had been rumored for Snake but he would later deny his involvement.
While Len Wiseman could have made a fun action film I doubt the quality would have been there. I recently watched The Divide from French director Xavier Gens (Frontier(s)) which is a mix of genres that includes psychological thriller, science fiction and post-apocalyptic horror. The film isn’t breaking new ground as it takes key elements from projects like The Walking Dead and Screamers. That being said it ended up a great little low-budget genre flick. There are even some moments it felt like an John Carpenter film, I assume it was also taking cues from his films as well.
If New Line wants a visionary director who can work with a lower budget then I believe that Gens should be given a shot. Breck Esiner’s films Sahara and The Crazies didn’t exactly set the world on fire. As a fan I don’t have confidence in his limited vision. I feel the only reason he’s being looked at is because he’ll do it on the cheap. Xavier would be an inspired choice compared to Mostow, Eisner and Brett Ratner.
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo Talks Highlander Reboot
Director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later, Intruders) seems to be cautious these days when talking up future projects since he backed out of both The Crow remake and the Bio-Shock film. Another film that has him attached is Universal’s reboot of the touch and go Highlander franchise. Frensnadillo gave a brief to statement ThePlaylist on the direction his film that should ease the hardcore fans like myself of the original movie. He says he’s focusing on the original mythology of the first film. Ignoring the alien subplot of the second film and the inclusion of the television characters in the latter sequels.
“I’m developing the possibility of making ‘Highlander…I find the concept very interesting, immortality as a curse. We’re using the materials of the universe, but this is some kid of reboot, since the story could use a new approach.”
“Everything comes from the universe of the original film. There will be no aliens!”
Josh Trank To Direct Red Star For WB
Deadline reports that Josh Trank has finally signed on for his next film. They say that the Chronicle director will direct the feature film adaptation of the graphic novel The Red Star for Warner Bros. It’s been developed by producer Neal H. Mortiz (Total Recall, R.I.P.D., 21 Jump Street) with a script from Jason Rothenberg (Twilight Zone). The graphic novel written by Christian Gossett is set in an alternate USSR where futuristic technology co-mingles with magical elements. The protagonist is a Red Fleet soldier who goes up against an ex-leader who rules with an iron fist.
Trank had been offered to direct comic book films like the Fantastic Four reboot (Fox) and Spider-Man spin-off Venom (Sony) but never signed on. That doesn’t mean that Josh won’t still consider those films after he completes The Red Star for Warners.
Sony Making Bloodshot Without Matthew Vaughn?
We haven’t heard much in the development of the Bloodshot film since it was announced that Matthew Vaughn and writing partner Jane Goldman (Woman In Black) were going to put together a live-action film based on the comic book. It looks like the two have left the project as HeatVision reports Sony and producer Neal H. Mortiz have bought a pitch from writer Jeff Wadlow. A director isn’t named but since Wadlow has directed a few films I wouldn’t count him out.
Bloodshot entered the Valiant universe as mob killer Angelo Mortalli, who enters a witness protection program and then becomes part of a secret experiment to create the ultimate killing machine. His memories are erased and he is injected with microscopic computers called nanites. As he tries to rediscover who he was, he battles both the mob and the police.
Vaughn and Goldman seem to have passed on the project with this news. I assume for more creative and higher paying gigs. Mainly their own ventures and a sequel to X-Men First Class which Fox is quickly fast-tracking. Matthew currently has two other possible directorial projects in development which include The Secret Service and Superior both films based on Mark Millar comics. This said, there isn’t confirmation that Vaughn has entirely left the movie entirely. The biggest red-flag in my opinion is that Vaughn isn’t mentioned in the article and isn’t named as a writer or producer.
Mortiz is gathering a very large resume of genre focused productions with films like Total Recall, I Am Legend, 21 Jump Street, Jack The Giant Killer, Fast Five, R.I.P.D. and the Highlander reboot. I feel like he very well could put some interesting talent behind this project it could end up being at the very least a fun popcorn film.
Starship Troopers Is Being Remade
Producer Neal H. Moritz is known for taking on rather large projects and reboots. He currently has Total Recall and Bryan Singer’s Jack The Giant Killer to be released this summer. Along with a slew of other projects that include 21 Jump Street, R.I.P.D. (Ryan Reynolds, Jeff Bridges), RED 2, Highlander and Escape From New York. Neal is about to develop a remake of yet another film from director Paul Verhoeven this time according to Vulture it will be Starship Troopers. The 90’s cult classic was a massive misstep for Sony when the $100 million film didn’t make a splash at the box office when it first came out but then later made a killing in the home video market. It spawned two direct-to-DVD sequels which neither had the scale or action of the first film. However, it might be in good hands as Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz will tackle the remake’s script. The pair are credited for writing both Thor and X-Men First Class which were some of the biggest success stories of the year.
As a big fan of the original I’m unsure which angle they’ll be going for here. I was shocked how much they would exclude in Total Recall from the original film going as far as getting rid of the violence for a PG-13 rating along with Mars. To see a PG-13 Starship Troopers film would be an odd thing considering this a science fiction war film. Films like Saving Private Ryan and Platoon showed the realistic side to war but had to be R for this to happen. Even in science fiction the rules still apply just look at Aliens (which channeled Vietnam) for example if we didn’t see the marines taken out so harshly I don’t think the film would have had the same impact. Avatar for all it’s stunning special effects didn’t have the same urgency Aliens had because the realism was lost in it’s fantasy world of CGI.
My faith in the project will also come down to casting and the director. I feel like Sony could be working the Hunger Games/Ender’s Game angle here and looking to hire very young actors for the leads. Not unlike the original which had a fresh faced group of young actors put into combat. I would hope that the studio went for talent rather flavors of the month. Since I believe this reboot is likely a new franchise in the making. I don’t have a lot of directors coming to mind who could do this justice but newcomer Rupert Sanders is among them. Sanders who I hope will make a name for himself with Snow White And The Huntsman also did a great job on the some of the Halo live-action commercials.
Colin Farrell & Noomi Rapace To Star In Dead Man Down
ThePlaylist reports that director Niels Arden Oplev and actress Noomi Rapace will re-team for Dead Man Down. The pair previously worked together on the original Swedish version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Colin Farrell (Total Recall) will play the lead of the film. The film will be produced by Neal H. Mortiz and his Original Films. Mortiz has produced films like Jack The Giant Killer, R.I.P.D., 21 Jump Street along with Farrell’s SWAT and Total Recall reboot.
“The crime thriller focuses on Victor played by Colin Farrell, a right hand man to an underground crime lord in New York City who is seduced and blackmailed by Beatrice (Rapace), a crime victim seeking retribution. Their intense chemistry leads them spiraling into payback delivered in violent catharsis.”
Justin Lin’s Highlander Reboot One Step Closer To Production
HeatVision reports that Justin Lin’s (Terminator 5, Fast Five) Highlander reboot has got co-financing from RCR Media Group along with Summit. It will be produced by Neal H. Mortiz who helped bring together Len Wiseman’s Total Recall reboot, Jack The Giant Killer and R.I.P.D. The film’s script was originally written by Iron Man/Punisher War Zone co-writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway with some odd touch ups by Twilight screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg. I expect that it could be close enough that it might be Justin’s next film.
I’ve been a fan of the Highlander franchise for years seeing all the films and both TV series. My feelings are that there have been so many different takes within the films alone it’s ripe for a solid reboot too establish a single backstory for the immortals. Since in the second film it was revealed they were banished aliens from another world killing other immortals on Earth to be able to return home. Yet none of them understand this aspect and I don’t believe it’s explored other than in Highlander 2. I think if this is done properly they could combine characters from both films and television. Considering Colin and Connor were from the same Scottish clan they could be in the remake establishing them as brothers. Leaving things open for either hero to continue the franchise. Along with combining the lore and expanding the rich Highlander world.
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