To whomever at Nintendo is guilty of World 9-7 in New Super Mario Bros. Wii:
I hate you. I love you. Well done.
I hate you. I love you. Well done.
Hey, look! Spider-Man reboot news!
Ah, Sony Pictures... having you and this godforsaken project to beat up on has gotten me over A LOT of personal and professional humps these last few weeks ;)
Anyway, The Hollywood Reporter's "Heat Vision" blog is reporting on "the details" of the "Spider-Man" reboot, more or less confirming what the web snoops have been saying all along:
http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2010/01/marc-webb-to-direct-spiderman.html
As expected: A dramatically lower-budget, no "big names" in the main cast (so look for lots of stunt-casting in the villain seats), a high-school setting beginning with at least three installments with heavy, openly-acknowledged influence from Brian Michael Bendis' deplorably-overrated "Ultimate Spider-Man" run. In other words, it's a Buffy/Smallville approach but without the sole saving grace of room-to-grow afforded by television. (How long has it taken "Smallville" to go all the way from complete-shit to kinda-almost-passable, again?) Oh, and Marc Webb IS directing - possible all of the first three - so you may as well get used to how HYSTERICAL the mainstream entertainment press thinks it is that a guy named WEBB is making a Spider-Man movie.
Elsewhere, Chud's Devin Faraci is intimating additional information, namely that the main overrarching plot thread is a chaotic romantic entanglement involving Peter, Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane and Flash Thompson. Yegh. Why not just relocate the whole thing to coastal Washington State and get it over with? http://chud.com/articles/articles/22215/1/WELCOME-TO-SMALLVILLE-SPIDER-MAN/Page1.html
Elsewhere in geek-world, the Fox Network is developing a (presumably Dr. Who-unrelated) "Torchwood" remake for the U.S. Gee... I wonder what the first thing NOT carried-over will be? ;)
Anyway, The Hollywood Reporter's "Heat Vision" blog is reporting on "the details" of the "Spider-Man" reboot, more or less confirming what the web snoops have been saying all along:
http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2010/01/marc-webb-to-direct-spiderman.html
As expected: A dramatically lower-budget, no "big names" in the main cast (so look for lots of stunt-casting in the villain seats), a high-school setting beginning with at least three installments with heavy, openly-acknowledged influence from Brian Michael Bendis' deplorably-overrated "Ultimate Spider-Man" run. In other words, it's a Buffy/Smallville approach but without the sole saving grace of room-to-grow afforded by television. (How long has it taken "Smallville" to go all the way from complete-shit to kinda-almost-passable, again?) Oh, and Marc Webb IS directing - possible all of the first three - so you may as well get used to how HYSTERICAL the mainstream entertainment press thinks it is that a guy named WEBB is making a Spider-Man movie.
Elsewhere, Chud's Devin Faraci is intimating additional information, namely that the main overrarching plot thread is a chaotic romantic entanglement involving Peter, Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane and Flash Thompson. Yegh. Why not just relocate the whole thing to coastal Washington State and get it over with? http://chud.com/articles/articles/22215/1/WELCOME-TO-SMALLVILLE-SPIDER-MAN/Page1.html
Elsewhere in geek-world, the Fox Network is developing a (presumably Dr. Who-unrelated) "Torchwood" remake for the U.S. Gee... I wonder what the first thing NOT carried-over will be? ;)
Golden Globes
Yes, I watched the Golden Globes.
Yes, the Golden Globes are an utterly worthless institution.
Yes, Sandra Bullock winning ANYTHING for "Blind Side" is preposterous, but it's not worth being outraged over because it's just a Globe and as mentioned before the Globes are worthless - position I will maintain up until if and when I'm nominated for one, at which point they will become a tremendous honor I've been dreaming of recieving since I was a small boy.
Yes, once Us/InTouch/etc "catch up" to the whole "and he's her ex-husband" thing, Kathryn Bigelow is going to be the most-sympathized-with woman in America - primary by women who've never seen one of her movies and had no idea what "The Hurt Locker" was before last night.
Yes, James Cameron actually delivered a portion of his acceptance speech in his own made-up space-alien language. I'm still trying to decide whether that's the most awesomely nerdy thing anyone has ever done at an awards show or just kinda lame. It would not surprise me at all to learn that he speaks Na'vi more fluently than I speak English.
Yes, I'd like to find out how much sound and/or light would be completely shut out if one tried to check Christina Hendricks' heartbeat. Failing that, I'd like to see the same experiment performed by Elizabeth Banks.
Yes, I'm starting to come-around on the "Avatar is very-possibly going to win Best Picture" train. It's not in my top-ten, it won't be my favorite of the nominees... but unless District 9 is also nominated I'm compelled to root for it. "Best Picture" going to an action-epic about blue kitty-people fighting soldiers piloting mecha-suits is a HUGE step forward for getting "genre film" out of the ghetto once and for all.
Yes, the Golden Globes are an utterly worthless institution.
Yes, Sandra Bullock winning ANYTHING for "Blind Side" is preposterous, but it's not worth being outraged over because it's just a Globe and as mentioned before the Globes are worthless - position I will maintain up until if and when I'm nominated for one, at which point they will become a tremendous honor I've been dreaming of recieving since I was a small boy.
Yes, once Us/InTouch/etc "catch up" to the whole "and he's her ex-husband" thing, Kathryn Bigelow is going to be the most-sympathized-with woman in America - primary by women who've never seen one of her movies and had no idea what "The Hurt Locker" was before last night.
Yes, James Cameron actually delivered a portion of his acceptance speech in his own made-up space-alien language. I'm still trying to decide whether that's the most awesomely nerdy thing anyone has ever done at an awards show or just kinda lame. It would not surprise me at all to learn that he speaks Na'vi more fluently than I speak English.
Yes, I'd like to find out how much sound and/or light would be completely shut out if one tried to check Christina Hendricks' heartbeat. Failing that, I'd like to see the same experiment performed by Elizabeth Banks.
Yes, I'm starting to come-around on the "Avatar is very-possibly going to win Best Picture" train. It's not in my top-ten, it won't be my favorite of the nominees... but unless District 9 is also nominated I'm compelled to root for it. "Best Picture" going to an action-epic about blue kitty-people fighting soldiers piloting mecha-suits is a HUGE step forward for getting "genre film" out of the ghetto once and for all.
Escape to The Movies: Book of Eli
And "Intermission" is about Spider-Man: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/moviebob/7014-Spider-Man-No-More
Spider-Man reboot thought of the day (again)
Everyone and their uncle is reporting that Marc Webb, a music video mainstay turned feature director with last year's "Mopey Guy Pursues Manic Pixie Dream-Girl Indie Rom-Com #472" (released in some markets as "500 Days of Summer,") is Sony's go-to guy for "Spider-Man: The New Class."
Webb had a lot of heat on him, even prior to "Summer," but he's new enough to not have precisely a ton of clout. Make no mistake - the only people they're looking to hire for this are people who're already in-sync with the pre-mandated approach OR people who can be pushed around INTO the pre-mandated approach.
The important detail to take away from all this is how fast it's been: Unless someone at Sony is blowing smoke, they had a script the DAY they announced #4 was canceled and now they may have already nabbed a somewhat-sought-after new talent for director. In other words, it looks more and more like they'd decided on this course of action faaaaaar in advance, and that all the stonewalling of Sam Raimi over the villain was quite possibly a manuver to get him to leave "voluntarily" so this reboot could proceed. Not at all an unheard of move in the business.
"Spider-Man: Breaking Eclipse" is currently slated for 2012.
Webb had a lot of heat on him, even prior to "Summer," but he's new enough to not have precisely a ton of clout. Make no mistake - the only people they're looking to hire for this are people who're already in-sync with the pre-mandated approach OR people who can be pushed around INTO the pre-mandated approach.
The important detail to take away from all this is how fast it's been: Unless someone at Sony is blowing smoke, they had a script the DAY they announced #4 was canceled and now they may have already nabbed a somewhat-sought-after new talent for director. In other words, it looks more and more like they'd decided on this course of action faaaaaar in advance, and that all the stonewalling of Sam Raimi over the villain was quite possibly a manuver to get him to leave "voluntarily" so this reboot could proceed. Not at all an unheard of move in the business.
"Spider-Man: Breaking Eclipse" is currently slated for 2012.
Spider-Man reboot thought for the day
(y'know what would be great? If this story stays big long enough that this title becomes no longer a joke...)
I was struck by a bitter thought today, regarding A.) this unfolding story and B.) the whiny, insecure twits who're still convinced that Peter Parker - gasp! - DANCING!!!! in "Spider-Man 3" is the worst, most horrible thing in the history of cinema. The following is addressed to them:
I hope you're happy now. I hope you're fucking thrilled.
I also hope that, in 2012, when we all get to see whichever "adorable" up-and-coming castoff from whatever the 2012 equivalent of "Gossip Girl" get's picked to don the hip, fresh n' with-it "reimagining" of the Spider-Man costume and do battle with an inexplicably all-important Eddie Brock (Mike "The Situation," perhaps?) under the direction of some hired gun director who's only prior credits are some Puma commercials and 2nd unit on a fucking Lady Gaga video (or just Bret Ratner, same difference really) ...I hope you're even happier.
I was struck by a bitter thought today, regarding A.) this unfolding story and B.) the whiny, insecure twits who're still convinced that Peter Parker - gasp! - DANCING!!!! in "Spider-Man 3" is the worst, most horrible thing in the history of cinema. The following is addressed to them:
I hope you're happy now. I hope you're fucking thrilled.
I also hope that, in 2012, when we all get to see whichever "adorable" up-and-coming castoff from whatever the 2012 equivalent of "Gossip Girl" get's picked to don the hip, fresh n' with-it "reimagining" of the Spider-Man costume and do battle with an inexplicably all-important Eddie Brock (Mike "The Situation," perhaps?) under the direction of some hired gun director who's only prior credits are some Puma commercials and 2nd unit on a fucking Lady Gaga video (or just Bret Ratner, same difference really) ...I hope you're even happier.
Maybe this means we'll get Morbius, after all...
(note: Anyone who's already "sick" of me covering Spider-Man Reboot news might as well just check out of this blog from now until about 2013, just so we're clear.)
EVERYONE on the Web is covering the Spider-Man story, but as of right now the best "day of" reaction I've come across was from Devin over on Chud: http://chud.com/articles/articles/22113/1/THE-DEVIN039S-ADVOCATE-TWILIGHT-FOR-SPIDER-MAN-AND-HOLLYWOOD/Page1.html
As is frequently the case, he's landed on a thesis that makes a depressing amount of sense regarding Sony's "send the series back to high school" angle: It allows them to morph the franchise into "Twilight" i.e. 'superpowers-as-teen-angst-melodrama.'
Yegh. Might as well start scanning The CW for whoever's going to take the lead (they'll be looking for "a less-edgy Michael Cera.")
EVERYONE on the Web is covering the Spider-Man story, but as of right now the best "day of" reaction I've come across was from Devin over on Chud: http://chud.com/articles/articles/22113/1/THE-DEVIN039S-ADVOCATE-TWILIGHT-FOR-SPIDER-MAN-AND-HOLLYWOOD/Page1.html
As is frequently the case, he's landed on a thesis that makes a depressing amount of sense regarding Sony's "send the series back to high school" angle: It allows them to morph the franchise into "Twilight" i.e. 'superpowers-as-teen-angst-melodrama.'
Yegh. Might as well start scanning The CW for whoever's going to take the lead (they'll be looking for "a less-edgy Michael Cera.")
