With recent news that MGM is on the chopping block and the current debate on what the company will head/who it will turn to in the near, dire future, the overall change that seems to be going on in Hollywood (and in the world of film entertainment altogether) shines more and more apparent – that is, what it means (and costs) to make movies these days.
Whether it’s Tom Cruise buying United Artists the same year a Tom Cruise-headlined movie did NOT make $100 million domestic or Paranormal Activitygrossing over $100 million domestic with a budget of 15 grand and an ad campaign costing not much more, the tides have seemed to turn over. Big studios continue to go big ($200 million tentpoles) but no longer rely on domestic B.O. numbers. Sure, the $65 million take Sony’s 2012 took in in the States was nice, but it was the $160 million from other countries it was always counting on. Moviegoers overseas are less-jaded with the spectacle of cinema, and the people behind the big desks in Los Angeles know this. Read the full story
The relationship between film sites on the internet is sometimes incestuous. One site reports a rumor, another picks it up, than another and pretty soon it’s being reported as fact.
A few weeks ago Bloody Disgusting posted a story that director Neil Marshall (The Descent, Doomsday) was being tapped by Robert Rodriguez and 20th Century Fox to helm their franchise reboot Predators. We reported on this story along with manyotherfilmsites.
After bouncing around the echo chamber for most of the day, the folks at AICN,who are known to have contact with Rodriguez himself, were able to clarify that Marshall is only one of several directors vying for the job.
Here we go again?
Latino Review is reporting that Nimród Antal (Armored, Vacancy) is now the front runner to direct the film.
What does this all mean? Nothing until we get confirmation from either Rodriguez or Fox, but it would be an interesting choice. Vacancy was pretty strong but studio tinkering did it no favors. While popular in the fan community, most of Neil Marshall’s work has left me cold. The Descent seemed particularly overrated.
Hopefully we’ll have a concrete answer soon as Fox has the film fast tracked for July 7, 2010.
Who do you think is the strongest choice to direct Predators? Who would be your ideal director for the film?
The official teaser trailer for M. Night Shyamalan’sThe Last Airbender has been released by Paramount ahead of it’s debut in front of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen in a few days.
Based on the successful Nickelodeon American-anime series Avatar: The Last Airbender, the film follows the adventures of the main protagonist Aang (newcomer Noah Ringer) and his friends, who must save the world by defeating the Fire Lord, Zuko (Dev Patel).
Paramount is hoping this can become a new franchise for them, with an eventual trilogy planned. The original cartoon was well received critically and commercially, winning several Annie Awards (rewarding excellence in animation) and Primetime Emmy Awards.
It also marks a new start of sorts for Shyamalan, after the critical and commercial drubbing last summer’s The Happening took. This is his first film based on the work of another author.
The Last Airbender is scheduled for release July 02, 2010.
