• Option watch: Mandalay Pictures has picked up UNTHINKABLE by author Mark Sable and artist Julian Totino Tedesco. The book is published by BOOM!. Ross Richie and Andrew Cosby will produce, along with Mandalay’s Peter Gruber and Cathy Schulman.

Created and written by Mark Sable, “Unthinkable” centers on a brilliant man who was recruited just after 9/11 into a government think tank consisting of America’s most imaginative minds and tasked with dreaming up wild scenarios for possible attacks on U.S. soil. Years after the think tank was disbanded, the attacks the man concocted begin to occur, and he becomes the only one who can stop them. But the government has become his pursuer.

UNTHINKABLE gained a bit of notoriety earlier this year when Sable was detained at LAX after authorities found one of the scripts for the book.
• Meanwhile, Aurora has optioned Platinum’s NIGHTFALL by Scott O. Brown and Ferran Xalabarder. The story concerns a man in a prison full of vampires. Has anyone ever seen a copy of this comic?
• Warren Ellis’s GLOBAL FREQUENCY — a 12 issue maxiseries about eh covert operations that battles other covert operations– has already been the subject of a TV pilot, spearheaded by John Rogers and starring Michele Forbes. Although well received by those who saw it, it was never picked up, some say because of anger over the pilot being leaked onto bit torrent sites. (It seems like this would pass for valuable pre-awareness these days.) But someone is trying it again, Ellis writes:

The CW will again try to adapt Warren Ellis’ comic book “Global Frequency,” this time Scott Nimerfro will script the pilot.

Does this count as a remake?

• Idris Elba, lately of THE LOSERS, will play Heimdall in the Thor movie. We did not know Elba was Norse but welcome his participation.

Just to follow up on the earlier post about how only one movie in the top 20 highest grossing films of the Aughts was based on an original idea, lets check out the ’90s to see how they compare. Original stories are in RED.

1 Titanic — ORIGINAL
2 Star Wars - Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace — Sequel
3 Jurassic Park - Novel
4 Forrest Gump - Novel
5 The Lion King — ORIGIINAL (sorta)
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Trailer Park | MySpace Video
“That looks cool. What is it?”

“Kick-Ass!”

“I know it is, but what’s the movie called?”

“Kick-Ass!”

“RIGHT! I love the idea of super violent children in costumes. But WHAT’S THE NAME OF THE MOVIE?”

“KICK-ASS!”

Etc., etc.

¶ IGN has revealed a set of four posters for KICK-ASS. WARNING: the poster descriptions contain spoilers aplenty.

¶ Some kind of horrible live/CGI mutant version of YOGI BEAR is being planned, and Dan Aykroyd is believed to be voicing Yogi, while Justin Timberlake may be Boo Boo. Somehow, we just can’t wrap our head around this.

¶ As noted in our comment section, Toykopop president Stuart Levy has co-directed the adaptation of VAN VON HUNTER, a light-hearted Ameri-manga by Pseudomé Studio. The film is described as “Mockumentary/Comedy tracking the meteoric rise of the glorious evil-vanquisher-turned-celebrity, Van Von Hunter” and stars Yuri Lowenthal.

¶ We haven’t been reporting too much on Hollywood of late; but it hasn’t been for want of activity.

¶ A while ago, the miniseries RED by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner– the tale of a CIA gent who’s called out of retirement for One Last Case™– was optioned. Since last we met, it’s been moving right along, Splash Page reports. Robert Schwentke (THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE) is set to direct. Bruce Willis has been signed to star (guess he enjoyed THE SURROGATES); and Morgan Freeman and now Helen Mirren have been signed on. The story is being changed to more of a light-hearted “Old timers vs newfangled lawn-dwelling kids” type thing — Grumpy Old Spies — so presumably Mirren will be showing what a cagey vet can pull off, and knowing Mirren, it could just be her kit.
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Okay it’s not a comics, but nothing has influenced the imagery of Halloween more than James Whale’s classic, so let’s give it up for the king.

And with that, we’re off to Trick or Treat

!

Aw, come on, did you think iI was gonna leave out Bruce Campbell?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins has signed up as Odin, all-father and dad of the the hero in the Thor movie now underway.

Director Jason Reitmangets a sneak peek at some early SCOTT PILGRIM footage and gets all misty eyed:

It is a game changer for Edgar and the genre. It moves the speed of light and carries more unadulterated joy than Ive seen in recent cinema.

SP does what everyone our age has been dreaming about: achieves the first all encompassing film of the joystick generation.

I’m in awe of the sheer control in the filmmaking. It feels like a “Matrix” for love and how willing we are to fight for it.

Excited!

Via Sean T. Collins

By Mark Coale

There was plenty of talk last week about what kind of success WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE would have this weekend at the box office.

Well, it caused quite the rumpus, taking in almost $33 million and easily winning the week.

From the point-of-view of someone without children who didn’t go through a childhood divorce, it was very well made but melancholy. Certainly worth your time. No more details for fear of the comments section being flooded with whining of anti-spoiler zealots.

Geoff Boucher at the LA Times does a good job convincing people that screenwriter/director/producer Akiva Goldsman, given his other, more recent achievements, should be forgiven for writing the script to BATMAN & ROBIN — a movie so wretched it singlehandedly made Hollywood realize that if they kept making superhero movies this bad, the planet would crumble into barbarian chaos.

He recently directed the season premiere of the Fox series “Fringe” and is now lining up his feature-film directorial debut. And despite having written what is perhaps the most reviled comic-book movie adaptation of all time, he’s aggressively pursuing his childhood love of superheroes as the producer of five movies based on Marvel or DC comic books.

The article contains much info on Goldsman’s love of comics, his strong work with JJ Abrams, and plans for such movies as THE LOSERS and JONAH HEX. But then there’s this:

Goldsman won’t exactly apologize for the film [B&R], but he comes pretty close. He said he is proud of the effort put into it and weary of the conversations about its merit. He did learn a lesson from the film. “What got lost in ‘Batman & Robin’ is the emotions aren’t real,” Goldsman said, picking his words carefully. “The worst thing to do with a serious comic book is to make it a cartoon. I’m still answering for that movie with some people.”

And there, in a nutshell is why there can be no rehab for you in the hearts of fan boys, Akiva! Sometimes you leave a turd behind you. And the best thing to do is to say “Oh crap, that was a turd! What was I thinking! Ha ha, good thing I’m a grown up, and am totally continent now.”

Longtime wrestling manager Captain Lou Albano passed away today at the age of 76. In the 1970s, Albano was one of the big three managers in the WWWF, along with the already-deceased Classie Freddie Blassie and The Grand Wizard.

In the 1980s, Albano became a crossover celebrity after appearing in Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” video and parlayed that into things like the Super Mario Brothers Super Show television show.

Watch CBS News Videos Online
Once you get past a disturbing R-rated film about a naked woman whose shower attacks her with a radioactive coating, you’ll see Hugh Jackman telling Katie Couric a bit about a possible fifth outing for him as Wolverine. We also learn that Katie doesn’t do comic book, but that’s not a big surprise. Video taken from Couric’s new @katiecouric web show. You can watch the whole interview with Jackman here.

Thanks to CBS for the link.

It might not be new (since the Star Trek movie reboot has been out for a few months now) but there was no way after seeing these in the grocery store tonight that there was not going to be a post on THE BEAT about them.

I mean. Seriously. Star Trek Eggos.

§ Are they really gearing up for a second GHOST RIDER film? Looks like it. Star Nicolas Cage and writer David S. Goyer are expected to jump on the flaming motorcycle again. The move is part of a flurry of activity regarding Marvel characters at rival studios, now that Disney has bought the Marvel library:

Fox is: rebooting “Fantastic Four” with “Green Lantern” scribe Michael Green and producer Akiva Goldsman; mobilizing a “Wolverine” sequel and several “X-Men” spinoffs; is quietly developing a new version of “Daredevil” and working on a Silver Surfer film. Sony recently set James Vanderbilt to write the fifth and sixth installments of “Spider-Man,” and Universal continues work on “Sub-Mariner.” Paramount continues as distributor for “Iron Man 2” and several others expected to include “Thor” and “Captain America.”

§ Meanwhile, a few toys that were kicking around on the living room floor are being cleaned up for the screen. Barbie, at long last, is being developed for the big screen, following a successful series of low budget direct to DVD movies:

According to Mattel, the 50-year-old Barbie has 99% worldwide brand awareness, and it’s the No. 1 girls property in the toy industry, the top doll property in the U.S., and the No. 1 worldwide property in the traditional toy industry.

“Barbie is the most famous doll in history, a unique cultural icon in the world of brands,” said Universal Pictures chairman Marc Shmuger. “So many representations of Barbie frequent pop culture. We’re grateful to Mattel for entrusting us with this extraordinary opportunity.”

Mark said the next step will be to canvass writers and decide on a creative take for a family-friendly movie.

Gee whiz, the possibilities are endless! Maybe Barbie can be a dentist. Or a veterinarian! Or a astrophysicist! Maybe they will bring Skipper, Cock-Ring Ken, and potty-training Kelly along for the ride.

On the boys side, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe are also getting a revamp, landing at Sony after some false starts at Warner Bros.

The fantasy actioner will revolve around a prince who becomes the warrior He-Man and battles the evil Skeletor for control of his magical homeland, Eternia.

John Stevenson (”Kung Fu Panda”) had previously been attached to direct, with Justin Marks and Evan Daugherty having penned versions of the script. Rights to those scripts now belong to WB, meaning a new writer will likely be hired.

Both deals were negotiated by CAA, which reps Mattel.

§ Remember Platinum Studios and their library of 5,600 characters — bigger than Marvel, even? Looks like things are heating up! Variety reports that producer Tony Krantz is developing MAL CHANCE.

“Mal Chance” tells the story of Lola, part of an ancient clan of assassins targeted for death by a powerful gangster. Her only recourse is to bring down the gangster’s entire operation with the help of an honest FBI agent who is unaware of her true identity.

Pic will be exec produced by the Greenberg Group’s Randy Greenberg and Ross Dinerstein of Flame Ventures. Greenberg recently brought in the financing for Platinum Studios’ recent film, “Dead of Night,” done with Hyde Park Entertainment and Omnilab Media.

No one seems to know exactly what the graphic novel MAL CHANCE actually is, but it’s created by Spanish creators Martin Pardo and David Morancho. Maybe it’s the same thing as RED MANTIS? Pre-awareness is not high on this.

MEANWHILE, another Platinum property, THE WEAPON, is going into production. While the book is about a Chinese-American teenage superhero, is set in Chinatown, and is filled with Chinese imagery, and will now be made into a movie, the movie version will star white Disney Channel star as “Tommy Zhou”. Which has annoyed some people. (Thanks to Kate Fitzsimons for the link.)
 
Looks like Platinum’s film slate is getting off the ground. Collider looks at some of the other Platinum projects bubbling on the stove.

UPDATE: Rich Johnston solves the MAL CHANCE mystery: it’s a Spanish comic from the ’90s originally called LOLA.

Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta would have been 92 today.

Viva El Santo!

Io9 has some concept “art” for the Nicolas Cage/Tim Burton Superman movie that was thankfully strangled in its cradle.

Well, it looks like the Mouse is in a mood for changes. as studio head Dick Cook made an abrupt departure on Friday. The move — dictated by Disney CEO Bob Iger — comes after a disappointing 2009 for Disney: combative hamsters (G-FORCE) and The Rock in a kiddie move remake (RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN) just didn’t cut it.

And now, who will replace Cook? We hear it’s Hank Kanalz. NO! Wrong rumours! But Marvel studio head Kevin Feige is being named as a possibility in a few places, as is John Lasseter, although he would have a hard time replacing Cook’s strong ties with live action actors. For instance, the LA Times’ Claudia Eller caught up with Johnny Depp and you can just imagine Captain Jack Sparrow’s eyeliner running as he questions whether he can go on with a fourth PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN movie sans Cook. “There’s a fissure, a crack in my enthusiasm at the moment,” Depp said.

Now THAT is sorrow.

§ Access Hollywood has a rather flimsily sourced story that we so want to be true Bruce Campbell could have a larger role in SPIDER-MAN 4:

However, he may have a bigger role this time around. Bruce told Access that in the next installment in the superhero franchise, he’s been told he has a major part – but didn’t yet know anything about his character.

The villain – or villains — for the movie have yet to be revealed, though some fans have speculated that Bruce could take on the role of Mysterio – the master of illusion.

Fans have also suggested Campbell for Dr. Curt Connors, although Dylan Baker ended up playing the role. We say…what about…

Kraven the Hunter!

§ The Megan Fox-Michael Bay war is heating up! Three anonymous crew members write a tell-all on Fox; however, a comment at DHD and forensics reveal that the author may well have…Bay himself!

Speaking of Megan Fox, Laura Hudson casts an investigative eye on her comics cred:

People seem pretty excited that a beautiful movie star is actually saying the names of comic book creators and thus creating the illusion that she’s a comic book fan, but after multiple Comic-Cons and years of working in comics-related movies, she’s basically able to name 1) The guy who drew the comic book her next movie is based on (”Fathom”), 2) The comic book that launched the movie she just starred in (”Jonah Hex”) and 3) an obscure comic by the creator of “Babylon 5″ that he tried to make into a movie (”Midnight Nation”).

§ WHITEOUT got blanked at the box office, taking in an ultra-modest $5.1 million and garnering punishing reviews. On the plus side, Kate Beckinsale is still hot.

§ Jeffrey Dean Morgan is considering the role of Lobo, and why not?

I continued by asking Morgan if there was a comic book character in particular that he had his eye on playing. “You know, they’re making Lobo right now,” the actor replied. “That would be cool. Lobo would be very cool. I don’t think that I’m as big as Lobo is, but if you could, transplant Mickey Rourke’s body on my head, that would be just great. But I don’t know. It’s an untapped world for me as well. Every time I kind of hear about something I go out and get the book or I look it up. We’ll see. You’re always looking for material that’s kind of smart and fun and this seems to be where it is right now. The studios are really gravitating towards it. More than I’ve ever seen them gravitate towards anything in a long time. Comic books are really the thing right now and I don’t see that going away for at least the next couple of years.”

§ There’s a FANTASTIC FOUR franchise reboot afoot, but Chris Evans isn’t going to be involved, probably. Evans portrayed the Human Torch and was considered a bright spot by many who had to endure the duo of films. That is sad, because we won’t be able to post more pictures of Gratuitous Chris Evans Towel Scenes.

§ We weren’t all that sure that there was a Smurfs movie coming out, but there is. But it has been delayed because Gargamel stole the negatives or something.

Talk about a bromance! Manly director Guy Ritchie is set to direct the LOBO movie…let’s start the campaign to cast defining artist Simon Bisley in a supporting role NOW! There’s gonna be so much bonus testosterone on this project that Megan Fox is gonna turn into a sprint champion.

Warner Bros. has locked Guy Ritchie to direct “Lobo,” the live action adaptation of the DC Comics drama about an alien interstellar bounty hunter.

Don Payne wrote the most recent script draft, and Joel Silver, Akiva Goldsman and Andrew Rona will produce. Pic is a co-production between Silver Pictures and Weed Road.

[snip] WB is aiming for a PG-13 rating. Pic will be strong on visual effects, and Ritchie will bring the irreverent, gruff tone of past films like “Snatch” and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.”

PG13 — boo hiss.

Seems that the WB isn’t taking DisMarneyvel sitting down.