Prepare for a sequel to 'Clash of the Titans'...

...in the near future too, according to The Los Angeles Times:

"Clash of the Titans 2" is seemingly turning into a bigger priority by the day.

Producers, along with executives at Warner Bros. and producer Legendary Pictures, have been busily meeting with directors, with an eye to shooting the sequel as early as January.

A number of filmmakers are in contention for the job, but one name that's risen to the top of the list is Jonathan Liebesman. Originally a horror director -- he made "Darkness Falls" and the 2006 "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" prequel -- Liebesman has re-fashioned himself as an action director. The filmmaker has a movie called "Battle: Los Angeles" -- about an alien invasion in this fair city -- coming next year. He's also onboard for another classic action tale (or an action tale set in a classic period) at Warner Bros: a re-imagining of "Odysseus" with the producers of "300," which Liebesman helped conceive and then sold to the studio.

The new director on "Clash 2" would of course replace Louis Leterrier, who opted not to direct the follow-up to his recent film.

Warners and Legendary have reason to move quickly on "Clash 2." The original (that is, the 2010 remake) pocketed a nice chunk of change -- $162 million domestically and a solid $325 million overseas, on a budget of only about $125 million. And this one will be shot in 3-D -- none of the conversion stuff. That means the movie could be more expensive, but at least it won't get hammered for its look.

Early 2011 is also a priority because the studio needs to make sure star Sam Worthington, who is committed to shoot "Avatar 2" (likely later in the year), is free and clear. Look for this one to continue to come together quickly.

-Well, it won't have to do much to be better than the first one, which was atrocious to me...thoughts?

Today's Posters: Gulliver's Travels, Resident Evil: Afterlife, and Joan Rivers

Thoughts?

Over a Dozen new Updates at The Awards Circuit!

A plethora of new Film Reviews (including some new perspectives to old ones, all found here):
Cyrus, The Square, Robin Hood, Looking for Eric, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Please Give, Iron Man 2, The Human Centipede, The Losers, Harry Brown, The Back-Up Plan, and Death at a Funeral.

New perspectives on: Kick-Ass, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Chloe.

We also have an article on the elevating 3-D trend that has been hitting our theaters, is it here to stay? READ Here.

Also, our first official TV Review of HBO's 10-part Mini-series, The Pacific, is here.

And in case you don't want to watch the video, here's a link to the list of the 2003 ACCA Winners. HERE.

Will the next 'Pirates of the Caribbean' flick be in 3D?

Yup, and not a 2D conversion either. Here's the story from Coming Soon:

A lot of the 2011 summer tentpole releases have already been announced as being either filmed in 3D or converted afterwards, but so far, May 2011 has been somewhat devoid of 3D release announcements... until now!

Walt Disney Pictures has announced that the fourth installment of Jerry Bruckheimer's popular action franchise Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, directed by Rob Marshall, will be filmed in Disney Digital 3D. Bruckheimer's only previous 3D movie before that was last year's G-Force.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is still slated for release on May 20, 2011.

-Least it's not a conversion, though I'm not a fan of the franchise...thoughts?

Today's Posters: The Chronicles of Narnia 3, Charlie St. Cloud, and The Last Exorcism

Thoughts?

Will 'Captain America' be Marvel's first 3D flick?

Perhaps, according to Cinematical:

With 3D films being seen as a license to print money, it's not at all surprising that Marvel would be pondering when to jump on the bandwagon. Rumors abounded that Iron Man would be converted into 3D, to accompany a 3D Iron Man 2. Those proved to be unfounded, though Kevin Feige admitted to Heat Vision that they thought about it, but ran out of time in post production. "We couldn't have turned over a version of the movie 10 or 20 weeks earlier for 3-D conversion without undermining the quality," he said. "We used all the time we had for mixing and editing and discovering the right tone." (Seeing the quick-and-dirty 3D Clash of the Titans may have helped that decision too!)

If Marvel is going to do 3D, they want to do 3D right. "The team has been doing a lot of research into 3-D processes, and we're looking at it on future films when we have the time," Feige said. "We will be doing it at some point." That point may be Thor (which wasn't shot on 3D cameras and would have to be converted in post), but it's far more likely to be The First Avenger: Captain America. That begins shooting this summer in England, giving them ample time to use 3D cameras and all kinds of technological wizardry. It would also be a pretty ideal character to debut 3D with -- Cap is, after all, known for throwing that indestructible shield of his. He also slams people around a lot. It's the ideal prop for 3D, moreso than Mjolnir. (That's my humble opinion, of course.)

Of course, to those who really don't care for 3D, this will come as a bitter disappointment. If there's one thing the Marvel Universe might not need, it's more bells and whistles. Then again, the possibility of seeing Iron Man do 3D pelvic thrusts is an awfully tempting one.

-I trust Marvel to not do conversion, but we'll see...thoughts?

What does a strong opening weekend mean for the future of Freddy?

Well, a sequel of course...in 3D, no less. Here's the story, according to Worst Previews:

Now that "A Nightmare on Elm Street" earned almost $33 million (on a $27 million budget) during its opening weekend, Warner Bros has decided to move forward with a sequel. According to Platinum Dunes producer Brad Fuller, the 3D sequel is "already in the works."

This doesn't mean that the second installment has received the greenlight, and there is a good chance that the new movie may never get made. "Friday the 13th" remake performed even better. It took in $40 million (on a $19 million budget) during its opening weekend, but then dropped by 80% the following weekend.

"Nightmare" is being trashed by the critics, which could play a part in the film's quick decline. Plus "Iron Man 2" is coming out, and that's not going to help. But if it is able to maintain decent numbers, then a sequel could be ready by as soon as next year. Stay tuned.

-I hated the film with a passion, but there's nowhere to go for them but up...thoughts?

Today's Trailers: Buried, Piranha 3D, and The Hole

We start things off with a new teaser for the horror-ish (I read the script, and it's not quite horror, but not quite a thriller) flick 'Buried':

Next we have a trailer for the 3D creature feature 'Piranha 3D':

Finally, we have a look at Joe Dante's 3D kids thriller called 'The Hole':

-Thoughts?

Does Ang Lee want to shoot his adaptation of 'Life of Pi' in 3D?

Well, according to Collider, he does. The full article can be found here, but this is a taste:

In February 2009, we reported that Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain) wanted to direct an adaptation of the Booker Prize-winning novel Life of Pi. The project had already passed through multiple directors including Dean Georgaris, M. Night Shyamalan, Alfonso Cuaron, and Jean-Pierre Jeneut. Then in October, we reported that Lee said Life of Pi would be his next film. Today, Indiewire reports that the project is now scouting locations Taiwan and Pondicherry, will be a big-budget film with a price tag of over $70 million, and will be a “3D magical fantasy adfventure crammed with visual effects.” This would be Lee’s first 3D film.

Life of Pi, in short, is about a child who shares a lifeboat with a hyena, an injured zebra, an orangutan and a hungry Bengal tiger. Hit the jump to read the official synopsis of the book and you’ll wonder how screenwriter David Magee (Finding Neverland) has managed to crack the script. Producer Elizabeth Gabler wants to begin filming this August for a 2012 release, but Fox hasn’t made a decision on whether to give the film the green light.

-This could be a decent use of 3D, if I have my sources right...thoughts?

Itching for another 'Ring' film, this one in 3D?

Well, even if you're not, The Hollywood Reporter says you're getting one anyway:

Combining two of Hollywood's consuming passions -- sequels and 3D -- Paramount is moving ahead with a new installment of the horror thriller franchise "The Ring."

The third entry based on the Japanese horror movies is being called "Ring 3D." David Loucka, who wrote the now-shooting thriller "Dream House" for Morgan Creek, has been tapped to pen the script.

Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are in negotiations to return as producers, and Vertigo and Benderspink are executive producing.

The original movie, an English-language remake of a 1998 Japanese film, was a critical and commercial hit when it was released in 2002, and it helped usher in a period in which Hollywood turned to Asia for horror inspiration. The movies made during that wave tended to be less gory and thus carried PG-13 ratings, and they tried to attract a more female-centric audience.

The first film also opened doors for its director, Gore Verbinski, who went on to direct Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, and gave a bigger American platform to its Australian star, Naomi Watts. A sequel was made in 2005.

"Ring" is one of the titles left behind during the Paramount-DreamWorks split and was thought to have been inactive.

The plot of the original film centered on a young journalist investigating a mysterious videotape that seemed to cause the death of anyone within a week of viewing it.

The new film is being fashioned as more teen-centric than the first, and though the logline is being kept under wraps, the aim is to reinvent the franchise. One potential scenario involves teens finding a VHS player that still works.

No director is on board.

Loucka is on a bit of a hot streak, with "Ring" the third high-profile project in which he's involved. In addition to "Dream House," which stars Watts and Daniel Craig, the Original Artists-repped scribe penned the most recent draft of "House at the End of the Street," a horror thriller from FilmNation scheduled to go before cameras this summer.

-So, this is pretty unnecessary, but hey...thoughts?

The next film in the 'Final Destination' franchise gets a writer...

...proving that unlike the people in these films, this franchise can't die. Here's the story from The Hollywood Reporter:

Eric Heisserer, the scribe who penned Universal's "The Thing" prequel, is writing "Final Destination 5," the latest installment in New Line's horror franchise.

The "Destination" movies, which center on the idea that one can't cheat death, usually begin with a group of people who survive a catastrophe because of the intervention of one person who has a premonition. Death, however, will have its due, and the survivors end up expiring in elaborate Rube Goldberg-like fashion.

The plot for the latest installment is being kept under wraps, though one scene involves a character undergoing laser-eye surgery.

The movies, produced by Craig Perry, have consistently been profitable for New Line because they tend to be made with modest budgets and generate solid returns, usually in the mid-$50 million range domestically.

The company thought the fourth installment, released last year in 3D, was going to be the last one because it was a tough production that faced reshoots -- and received a critical drubbing. However, when it grossed $66 million domestically and was a big success overseas, it was only a matter of time before another one came along.

News of the fifth movie came during ShoWest in March, when Warner Bros.' Alan Horn disclosed its development.

New Line, hoping to stave off a mummifying franchise, is trying to break out of the repetition of the first four movies and believes that Heisserer is part of the solution; the UTA-repped writer is developing a reputation for being the go-to guy for reinventing branded material. Heisserer wrote the greenlight draft of New Line's remake of "A Nightmare on Elm Street," which opens next week, as well as "The Thing," which is in production in Toronto with Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the lead.

New Line is putting together a list of directors for the project, which would be shot in 3D for a release next year.

-Thoughts?

Cary Elwes to return to the 'Saw' franchise!

If you're a fan of the series like I am, this is very interesting news, and we get it (along with a longer cast list and a first look at the ploy synopsis) courtesy of Bloody Disgusting:

We've been hearing rumors that both Cary Elwes and Monica Potter would be returning in Lionsgate's Saw 3D - the seventh film in the franchise - but haven't been able to get any surefire confirmation. This evening Lionsgate released the "revealed" cast listing, which confirms that Elwes will in fact be returning as Dr. Lawrence Gordon in the Kevin Greutert directed sequel penned once again by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton. Still no word on if Potter will return as Alison Gordon, but below we've got the rest of the cast and the official synopsis. Saw VII 3D opens against Paranormal Activity 2 on October 22.

Confirmed Cast: Tobin Bell, Cary Elwes, Costas Mandylor and Betsy Russell all return with the surprise addition of Sean Patrick Flanery (Boondock Saints), Gina Holden (Aliens vs Predator: Requiem, Final Destination 3), Chad Donella ("Lost", "X-Files"), Laurence Anthony, Dean Armstrong and Naomi Snieckus.

Synopsis: "This October, one of the biggest, most successful horror franchises in movie history arrives in theaters in vivid, chilling 3-D with the release of Lionsgate’s SAW VII 3-D.

As a deadly battle rages over Jigsaw’s brutal legacy, a group of Jigsaw survivors gathers to seek the support of self-help guru and fellow survivor Bobby Dagen, a man whose own dark secrets unleash a new wave of terror...

The first theatrical feature to be shot exclusively on the cutting-edge SI-3D digital camera system, SAW VII 3-D brings the horrifying games of Jigsaw to life like never before. The film stars Tobin Bell, Cary Elwes, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell and Sean Patrick Flannery. SAW VII is directed by Kevin Greutert, produced by Oren Koules, Mark Burg and Gregg Hoffman. SAW VII 3D is a Lionsgate Release. Twisted Pictures Presents a Burg/Koules/Hoffman Production."


-For me, Saw VI was the best installment since the original film, so this is something I'm looking forward to (give or take the 3D)...thoughts?

Ridley Scott lets us in on a few details about his 'Alien' prequel!

Coming Soon has the details:

Now that Ridley Scott is on the press circuit to talk about Robin Hood, Alien prequel talk is resurfacing. And it's no longer just a pipe dream. Scott says it's happening - a visual palette is being designed, concept art is being hashed out and a script is being finalized. But what's it about? Here are excerpts from MTV's interview.

"It's set in 2085, about 30 years before Sigourney [Weaver's character Ellen Ripley]. It's fundamentally about going out to find out 'Who the hell was that Space Jockey?' The guy who was sitting in the chair in the alien vehicle — there was a giant fellow sitting in a seat on what looked to be either a piece of technology or an astronomer's chair ... Our man [Tom Skerritt as Captain Dallas] climbs up and says "There's been an explosion in his chest from the inside out — what was that?" I'm basically explaining who that Space Jockey — we call him the Space Jockey — I'm explaining who the space jockeys were ... [The film] is about the discussion of terraforming — taking planets and planetoids and balls of earth and trying to terraform, seed them with the possibilities of future life."

Scott says he'll be approaching H.R. Giger to talk creature designs in an effort to create something new because he feels, "The alien in a sense, as a shape, is worn out." Very interesting.

Dark Horse Comics explored the whole "Space Jockey" story long ago.

Also, sources tell ShockTillYouDrop.com that by the time the Fox Alien Anthology Blu-Ray set comes along at the end of this year, we could very well see a "sneak peek" of Scott's Alien prequel!


-It sounds interesting, but he also said in Collider here that the film will be shot in 3D, so there's that...thoughts?

'The Green Hornet' gets delayed till 2011 to get converted to 3D...

...like every other project these days, it seems. Here's the story from Variety:

"The Green Hornet" is going 3D, but it's also on the move: Sony Pictures is moving the Seth Rogen starrer from the prime holiday slot of Dec. 22 to the slower Martin Luther King weekend.

The Michel Gondry-helmed pic will now open Jan. 14, 2011.

The studio bristled at the notion that bad buzz surrounding the project played a role in its decision to abandon one of choicest days on the box office calendar. Instead, Sony said that once the decision was made to incorporate 3D during the production process, "Green Hornet" needed to find a frame with sufficient digital screens. A number of 3D pics have already staked out December slots including "Tron: Legacy" and "Yogi Bear."

"We've had a lot of success with the Martin Luther King frame, including 'Paul Blart,'" said the studio's marketing and distribution topper Jeff Blake. "We couldn't be more excited about 'Green Hornet.' In fact, we're doubling down by making it 3D."

-I'm still hoping this flick turns out good, but it really needs to stop shuffling release dates...thoughts?

Apparently 'Men in Black 3' is happening...

...in 3D, no less (though with the original leads intact). Here's the story from Cinematical:

Looks like I'll have to wait for those sequels to Enemy of the State, Hancock and Independence Day a little longer, as Will Smith has officially signed on for a third outing of the Men in Black series along with Tommy Lee Jones, according to Barry Sonnenfeld. The director, who helmed the first two installments, told Roger Friedman of Showbiz 411 that he's ready to roll on Men in Black 3D -- and don't act surprised about that D at the end -- just as soon as the script is good to go.

Is the "awaited" script still the work of Tropic Thunder scribe Etan Cohen, who was reportedly halfway done with a first draft last October? Friedman didn't find out. Nor is there any update on the casting of Josh Brolin, who'd been linked to the part of a younger version of Jones' character, Agent K, for a plot involving time travel. But if Jones is indeed in, unexpectedly, perhaps the story has changed. That, or Jones has agreed to just appear in minimal, present-day capacity.

Friedman presumes Sony will push for MIB3D to hit theaters in a year due to the loss of Spider-Man 4 as a summer 2011 tentpole. Tradition would mean a July 1 release date, but that would put this up against Transformers 3. It also means the production does need to roll right away, though I'm the last person to think they'd care to take their time and deliver a quality sequel with a lot of substance. And that's sort of okay, since the MIB movies are at least enjoyable pieces of insignificant fluff. Thanks to the magic spectacle of 3D, the third movie will simply need some wild, screen-popping aliens and weaponry to get people in seats.

-Hopefully this installment is more like MIB 1 than MIB 2...thoughts?

Will Martin Scorsese's next project be in 3D?

According to this in Variety, it will be:

Martin Scorsese is taking the plunge into 3D.

The helmer will employ the technology for his next project, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret."

Sony, which is distributing the GK Films-produced pic, has dated the film for Dec. 9, 2011.

Based on Brian Selznick's best-selling children's book, story is set in 1930s Paris and centers on a 12-year-old orphan named Hugo, who lives in a train station and must finish what his late father started by solving the mystery of a broken robot.

Project, which will begin lensing in London in June, marks Scorsese's first foray into kid lit as well as his debut 3D film.

John Logan, who wrote Scorsese's "The Aviator," adapted the screenplay.

-Thoughts?

The Hollywood Reporter has an article on the 2D-to-3D conversion debate...

...and it's an interesting read. Check it out:

Hollywood is in the midst of a conversion experience.

"Avatar," designed and shot in 3D, has set the gold standard for 3D movies, having grossed $2.7 billion worldwide. But a pair of films that were shot in 2D and then converted to 3D -- "Alice in Wonderland" and the new "Clash of the Titans" -- also have attracted sizable audiences: "Alice" has collected more than $730 million worldwide to date, and "Titans" bowed to $61.4 million domestically and added another $44 million overseas.

With audiences flocking to movies that are converted to 3D as part of the postproduction process, 3D conversions are fast becoming an accepted option for both studios and filmmakers.

Warner Bros.' "Titans" was shot in anamorphic film as a 2D release. But the studio later opted for 3D, and the film was converted in roughly 10 weeks -- a remarkably fast turnaround -- in order to meet its release date. The cost was reportedly around $4.5 million.

But some tech insiders, as well as a number of reviewers, suggested that the rush to convert doesn't always lead to satisfactory results.

The New York Times' Manohla Dargis wrote, "The 3D in the 'Clash of the Titans' remake, which was added after it was shot, has none of the immersive quality of 'Avatar' and instead segments the image into discrete planes, bringing to mind the unintegrated levels of a pop-up book."

Said Roger Ebert, a 3D skeptic: "One word of consumer advice: Explain to kids that the movie was not filmed in 3D and is only being shown in 3D in order to charge you an extra $5 a ticket. I saw it in 2D, and let me tell you, it looked terrific."

Some are concerned that such reactions might threaten to put the brakes on conversion -- and possibly even derail the runaway 3D train.

Prime Focus, the Mumbai-headquartered postproduction business that did the conversion, defends its work.

"There are a lot of different techniques," said Chris Bond, president of Prime Focus, North America, and developer of the company's View-D 2D/3D conversion method. "I invite filmmakers to come and test their material, and to see 'Clash.' We have a lot of creativity and artistic drive to make sure the results look fantastic. I think it looks great."

The debate is sure to underline the importance of quality control as the nascent process becomes more widely used.

Proponents argue that post conversion gives filmmakers more creative flexibility with cinematography during live-action production. That was the deciding factor for Tim Burton and his "Alice" director of photography Dariusz Wolski when they decided to shoot in 2D and then convert to 3D.

Others contend that quality 3D must involve the entire chain from production and post to distribution and exhibition, including the way films are shot and edited. CG-animated movies are computer-creations and lend themselves to conversions, but making over a live-action movie can be trickier.

"3D is a different medium and requires thinking a different way," Sony Pictures Imageworks senior stereographer Rob Engle said. "For instance, (the animated) 'Monster House' was originally planned as 2D, and in some shots they added camera shake. For the 3D version, we dialed it back -- because we were able to dial it back in animation. In live-action, you can't take out the camera shake. There are photographic styles that don't lend themselves as well to 3D."

The bottom line, he said, is "conversion is really hard. You are taking shots that were not intended as a VFX shot and making them a VFX shot. That is neither easy nor cheap. If you don't have the appropriate amount of time, money and technical and creative talent, you are going to receive a result that is not satisfactory."

Dave Walton, assistant vp marketing and communication at JVC Professional, cautioned: "No 3D is better than bad 3D. Those who view bad 3D can get headaches and nausea within a few short minutes. So conversion has to be accurate, and you have to pay attention to the brain's ability to process the images without fatigue."

Of course, money has a way of overshadowing such concerns.

"There is a bit of gold-rush mentality right now," Engle said. "Can we make more money (at the boxoffice) at a controlled cost?"

He added: "There is also a race to the bottom in terms of (conversion) pricing. All of the vendors are hungry for work, if you look at how many vendors are wanting to get their first feature under their belt."

An increasing number of businesses are offering a number of 2D/3D conversion techniques at a different price points -- essentially creating a high, middle and low end for the fledgling market.

At the high end, companies including In-Three in some cases might charge more than $100,000 per minute, depending on the complexity of the material and time spent making creative decisions with the filmmakers. In less complex assignments, though, its charges can fall well below $50,000 per minute.

At the other end of the spectrum is a stereo image processor that JVC plans to launch this month at the National Association of Broadcasters convention. Essentially a box that automatically converts 2D content to 3D, it will be available for purchase for $30,000.

But JVC's Walton emphasized that the converter is intended to augment, not replace, the other conversion techniques where the filmmakers are involved in making creative 3D decisions. "There is no magic box that will let you convert everything, but the JVC system will speed the process up," he said.

Prime Focus' View-D conversion process combines proprietary automated software with manual work that reflects filmmakers' creative decisions. In the case of "Titans," helmer Louis Leterrier was closely involved in setting the creative direction. Bond said Prime Focus charges $50,000-$100,000 per minute of material.

While much of Hollywood's current focus revolves around whether to give feature releases the 3D conversion treatment, the same discussion is starting to take place within the television world.

U.K. satcaster Sky launched its 3D channel Saturday, and in its technical spec, the company stated that it would not accept converted material. Still, Sky will consider such programs on an individual basis.

The 3D TV channels lining up on the launching pad in the U.S. haven't signaled own policies.

-Thoughts?

Has the success of Avatar meant doom for a Darren Aronofsky helmed Robocop?

Perhaps, if this story is to be believed. Apparently the powers that be want it to be in 3D, and Aronofsky has been vocal on his distaste for that and preference for more traditional film making techniques. I think this is more or less the divide between trying to make a movie like The Dark Knight and trying to make a movie like Avatar. Both are successful big budget movies made by great directors, but one relies on computers a lot more, and that doesn't seem like Aronofsky's way. It'd be great to still see him tackle this, but who knows if it'll happen. I really just posted this to get a sense of how people feel about the current 3D craze, but comment on this however you like, since I just report the news.
-Which type of movie (Robocop or not) do you prefer?

Today's News: Stallone preps another Rambo, Bad Boys 3 might be in the works, and more...

In the news:

Sylvester Stallone will be bringing back John Rambo with a 5th movie in the franchise that began with First Blood.

The writer of the upcoming Ben Affleck directed film 'The Town' has been hired to write 'Bad Boys 3' with the hopes of reuniting the original cast and crew.

It seems that there will be a third Halloween film coming out (this one not directed by Rob Zombie, for better or worse), this one called 'Halloween 3D'.

Speaking of 3D, the writer and director of 'My Bloody Valentine 3D' will be making another film in the format, this one a revenge film starring Nicolas Cage called 'Drive Angry'.

The Norwegian Film Festival crowned the British film 'Fish Tank' with its top prize at the close of the fest.

Finally, noted composer Hans Zimmer will be making a foray into the world of video games by writing the music for the next 'Call of Duty' game.

-Thoughts?