Slashdot Mirror

Here's the Coming Attractions page for the Ringworld movie.

Larry announced that it was happening in October '01, and James Cameron's involved somehow. Sounds like there's a liscencing swamp around it, though, so probably he can't say much, but maybe he can at least tell us if it's still got a chance of happening.

slashdot.org
newsforge.com
theregister.co.uk
my university's daily newspaper (no link!)
fark.com
the smirking chimp
dr. fun
the daily vault (although i review there once in a while)
google news
daily rotten
lwn.net
crackmonkey archives
the dot
kde-look.org
corona's coming attractions
snopes' update page
doc's weblog

And I think that's about it for a daily basis.

Coming Attractions (aka "Corona") has details about the movie available.

Coming Attractions (aka "Corona") has details about the movie available.

Actually I think it is more economic than anything else. I think we are past the post-Joel Schumacher/Batman and Robin backlash which iced the idea of comic book movies for a while. Then X-Men came along and, although flimsy, it went on to make big cash. From that Marvel was able to sell the rights to three of its biggest movies (Hulk, Daredevil, and Spiderman... along with franchising X-Men).

This occured after 2000 (when X-Men was released and became a hit). Soon after that the rights were sold and all the projects entered the development stages (I remember the whispers appearing online and in publications like Wizard at the time), over a year before 9-11.

Sure they might get more push now but you have to remember how long it takes for the movie industry to go from buying the rights on a movie to lining up the off-screen talent that will pick the on-screen talent to writing the screenplay... even before shooting starts.

Take Daredevil. According to the Coming Attractions page on it, February 24, 2000 was the first time that Mark Johnson's (the director) name was attached to the project and July 13, 2000 when New Regency locked him in along with the Electra and Kingpin properties to make the movie. Over a year before WTC.

Yes, see the Coming Attractions Rama page, which has rumours back to 1997, and lists it currently with "Project Phase: Development Hell."

Fincher has shown lots of promise with "The Game" and "Fight Club", but the rest of his efforts have been really sub-par. So it could go either way.

Another Fincher effort that is very much worth looking forward to is Hardboiled, which is, visually, possibly the most stunning comic book ever. It also has a very Phil Dickian plot, which is a great plus. More info on the comic can be found here

Sure sounds that way from this script review:

"One thing that did take me by surprise is the amount of action contained in the script, especially the second half. Once Norton and his crew start venturing deeper into Rama and into the southern hemisphere things start really happening. There seems to be more opportunity for the movie to have action sequences than I remember from the book's story arc, but I write that off as part of the financial necessities of adapting a novel into a mainstream cinematic story."

BLEH!

The way I see it, they'll wind up playing up on the big bad Hermians (cue sinister music), and throw in a bunch of details we didn't see (at least in the 1st book) of the two wives of Captain Norton (i.e., "insert love interest(s) here"). Otherwise, the only people who will bother to go see this movie are the ones who read the book. I mean, what would they put in a trailer that would not only draw people to go see it, but not ruin the awesome spectacles once would witness by actually going to see the movie?

Oh, I also found a script review while doing some Googling, which seems to have a bit more information.

As you can see from this Corona entry, this project came into existence 6 years ago! And that C|Net article didn't seem to have any news, really. It just said that Morgan Freeman's working on it, which was already the case 6 years ago... And according to Corona, they still only have an exploratory deal so far with Paramount.. certainly no go-ahead yet, thus, no real news.

• Some of the highlights
• April 6, 2001 - "On 4/4/01, Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary appeared onstage in Chicago at Comdex (for an Intel presentation) to show the audience samples of the computer-generated cylinder-world and the spider-like monster. They can rotate it and zoom in from hundreds of feet in the air. Freeman crossed his fingers and said it would be released in 2003."
• February 18, 2002 - You can read the full review of the Rendezvous With Rama screenplay by clicking here.
• July 22, 2002 - ZDNet Article about I.L.M. switch from RISC to Intel, and their work on the Rendezvous with Rama movie.

• Some of the highlights
• April 6, 2001 - "On 4/4/01, Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary appeared onstage in Chicago at Comdex (for an Intel presentation) to show the audience samples of the computer-generated cylinder-world and the spider-like monster. They can rotate it and zoom in from hundreds of feet in the air. Freeman crossed his fingers and said it would be released in 2003."
• February 18, 2002 - You can read the full review of the Rendezvous With Rama screenplay by clicking here.
• July 22, 2002 - ZDNet Article about I.L.M. switch from RISC to Intel, and their work on the Rendezvous with Rama movie.

• Some of the highlights
• April 6, 2001 - "On 4/4/01, Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary appeared onstage in Chicago at Comdex (for an Intel presentation) to show the audience samples of the computer-generated cylinder-world and the spider-like monster. They can rotate it and zoom in from hundreds of feet in the air. Freeman crossed his fingers and said it would be released in 2003."
• February 18, 2002 - You can read the full review of the Rendezvous With Rama screenplay by clicking here.
• July 22, 2002 - ZDNet Article about I.L.M. switch from RISC to Intel, and their work on the Rendezvous with Rama movie.

The best info on the movie, that I know of, comes from Coming Attractions. It appears that Chris Cunningham is still involved with the project (as of May '02), which is a good sign.

Cunningham is one of the best visual directors out there, and his style meshes really well with Gibson's prose. Cunningham worked with Kubrick while still in his teens. He did some of the initial design work for "A.I.", which is still visible even though Spielberg's usual crap surrounds it.

Of course, film is a collective artform, and a good director + good source material != good movie, in many cases. I don't know much about Cunningham's writing abilities, or how involved he is with the adaptation. Gibson's work has not been successfully adapted, yet (that's debatable, but most will agree with me).

It would be a real shame to see someone fuck up this project. I'm more forgiving of something like "Johnny Mnemonic" and "New Rose Hotel", because they were adapted from short stories, and therefore required a lot of reworking. I think "Neuromancer", with the right visual touch, could play really well without too much adaptation. One of the best things about Gibson's work, and "Neuromancer" in particular, is the viscerality of it all, the vividness... if they can capture that on film properly, there's a good chance it could be successful. The biggest danger in adapting this book is that there's great potential for the story to get really muddled.

The best info on the movie, that I know of, comes from Coming Attractions. It appears that Chris Cunningham is still involved with the project (as of May '02), which is a good sign.

Cunningham is one of the best visual directors out there, and his style meshes really well with Gibson's prose. Cunningham worked with Kubrick while still in his teens. He did some of the initial design work for "A.I.", which is still visible even though Spielberg's usual crap surrounds it.

Of course, film is a collective artform, and a good director + good source material != good movie, in many cases. I don't know much about Cunningham's writing abilities, or how involved he is with the adaptation. Gibson's work has not been successfully adapted, yet (that's debatable, but most will agree with me).

It would be a real shame to see someone fuck up this project. I'm more forgiving of something like "Johnny Mnemonic" and "New Rose Hotel", because they were adapted from short stories, and therefore required a lot of reworking. I think "Neuromancer", with the right visual touch, could play really well without too much adaptation. One of the best things about Gibson's work, and "Neuromancer" in particular, is the viscerality of it all, the vividness... if they can capture that on film properly, there's a good chance it could be successful. The biggest danger in adapting this book is that there's great potential for the story to get really muddled.

From Coming Attractions

December 19, 2002... Last weekend's net for Star Trek: Nemesis was the poorest showing for Paramount's long-running space franchise. Nemesis only took in $18.5 million and second place at the box office, edged out by Jennifer Lopez's Maid in Manhattan. That's not exactly a positive sign for the studio to rush ahead and develop a new adventure.

But even if Paramount decides to make Star Trek XI, there's new indication that the Enterprise's captain won't be coming back. At the London premiere of Nemesis, Patrick Stewart told reporters that Nemesis would be his last trip as Picard. "You never want to outstay your welcome. Just like an athlete, it's horrible to go on when the best is over," said Stewart. [Originally reported by Studio Briefing and Coming Soon.]

O.K., Neuromancer the movie (in case you didn't know) has been in the planning stages for a loooong time. Here is a Link. That provides a lot of good information.

And for those of you who have not read the actual William Gibson book, NEUROMANCER, here is a link to an online version of it, go here.

Yes, today I am a karma whore. Mod-up please.

Good theory, except apparently this movie isn't being driven by your aptly described tripe (read: Movie Execs). If anything it seems to be just the opposite.

According to Coming Attractions, after trying to revive Mad Max for some time, creator/director George Miller was able to win back the rights back to his franchise from Warner (who wanted to produce an updated, clean-cut "tripe" version, probably to make money selling toys) in exchange for handing "Contact" over to Robert Zemeckis. Since then he's been devoting a lot of his effort to developing this relatively risky movie and shopping around for a studio willing to produce and distribute it.

Now I'm sure he's hoping to make a bundle, but with the whole series combined earning well under the budget of this film, if profit was the only motive he'd still be milking the critical and popular success of "Babe" and producing completely mainstream star-of-the-week movies or maybe a direct to video "Babe IX" by now, not an expensive but bleak post-apocalyptic film that will have to be outstanding in order to favourably stand up to the originals and to deflect the sentiment (from fans, critics, and the general public) that they're just doing it for the money.

Here's hoping Rendezvous with Rama gets picked up. Morgan Freeman has been pushing it for a while now, and Dave Fincher will direct it if it goes ahead ...

This film was first called "Hardwired", then they inserted Susan Calvin and other Asimov elements into the script!

Read the story and scoop of this movie.

The complete list of cast:

Director: Alex Proyas

Writer: Jeff Vintar, based on his spec script, Hardwired; with characters & concepts from the short story collection by Isaac Asimov

Producers: Topher Dow, Mystery Clock Cinema;
Laurence Mark, Laurence Mark Productions;
John Davis, Davis Entertainment

Exec producer: Wyck Godfrey, Davis Entertainment

Fox execs: Peter Rice, Emma Watts

And it's supposed to be the first in a proposed series of robot films!

This page you may find enlightening. It discusses the fact that the movie was in the works as early as 1998, that is was always to be called Monsters, Inc. (but the animators referred to it as Hidden City due to a cafe nearby). They released the first image of Mike on August 22, 2000.

• Rendezvous with Rama - By Arthur C. Clarke.
  This book is pretty much pure sci-fi. A good jumpstart into the series, but has little to no religious content. It's also about to be a movie!
• Rama II - by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee
  With the collaboration with Gentry Lee, this book introduces many religious themes. But not much.
• Garden of Rama - by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee
• Rama Revealed - by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee
  Last of the collaborated works.
  Rumour has it that A.C.C doesn't feel comfortable with the religious angles that Gentry Lee wanted to take, so make this the last of the collaborative books. And hands over the Rama reigns for Gentry Lee to continue in his own style.
• Bright Messengers - by Gentry Lee
  Gentry Lee is now free to express his version of Sci-Fi meets Religion in the Rama universe.
• Double Full Moon Night - by Gentry Lee
  This is the last book in the Rama series and also one of the more controversal ones as far as comments go on Amazon.

Director Terry Gilliam, formerly linked with the project, is no longer involved with the Watchmen film.

October 26, 2001... In both of today's issues of The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, an announcement was made that Universal Pictures is optioning the film rights for Watchmen, for David Hayter to write the screenplay and to possible direct the film. According to Variety Hayter is getting at least $1 million dollars to adapt the 12-issue comic book into a feature length screenplay. [Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety.]

More info here.

Douglas Adams seemed to like the idea.

Coming Attractions has a very detailed and up-to-date listing for HHGTTG.

The write-up is obviously by a fan; includes this little known tidbit under "Rumors":

"Word has it the ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal is asking for a cameo or else he'll eat one of the associate producers."

Coming Attractions has a very detailed and up-to-date listing for HHGTTG.

The write-up is obviously by a fan; includes this little known tidbit under "Rumors":

"Word has it the ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal is asking for a cameo or else he'll eat one of the associate producers."

Latino Review also claims that they spoke to another journalist at the press event who said he asked Ratner if there was any truth to the rumor that Keanu Reeves will play Superman. According to the story LR reported, Ratner told the journalist it's false.

It's hearsay, but, really, the Keanu rumor doesn't sound terribly likely. (Then again, Nick Cage was connected to the thing at one time, so who knows?)

Well, Whoa-man is probably at least better than Nicolas Cage, who was previously on board the project.

http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/superman5.ht ml

Cheers
-b

I've been looking forward to the first book of his 'noughties trilogy'. As well as the slow progression (but certainly inevitable!) of Neuromancer and the Zen Differential, based on Count Zero, to the silver screen.

A big sigh of relief, and what a big boon to our understanding of the past's view of the future, it's now when hindsight truly makes the hopes and fears of past people known.

I've been looking forward to the first book of his 'noughties trilogy'. As well as the slow progression (but certainly inevitable!) of Neuromancer and the Zen Differential, based on Count Zero, to the silver screen.

A big sigh of relief, and what a big boon to our understanding of the past's view of the future, it's now when hindsight truly makes the hopes and fears of past people known.

Perhaps you meant here, or perhaps here.

Oh, forgot to add. Long before we see this movie made, we'll be seeing [drool] Ashley Judd as Catwoman [/drool]

What's scary is that Coming Attractions states that the director is hoping to get Matt Damon on board (but doesn't mention for which role). I can't see Damon doing either Batman or Superman. Maybe he can play Jimmy Olsen :P

I would love to see Keaton under the cowl again. As for Superman, there's not a hell of alot of choices out there. Dean Cain did a half-decent job in the Lois & Clarke shot, but I don't think he could carry the movie.

Who would you like to see play The Dark Knight and The Man Of Steel?

First look at the teaser poster and more plot speculations were reported first at corona.

Just go see it in the theater on Wednesday. It's being shown with Men in Black 2.

Actually, he wasn't sure as per his website www.wilwheaton.net. Current info is at Coming Attractions by Corona

To quote Corona quotion Joel Silver:

Producer Joel Silver says one visual effect for a shot in one of the sequels took two-and-a-half years to create, and prepares for production on "a 14-minute sequence that is the most complicated sequence ever put on film. Silver talks about reaching the peak of visual effects in a recent story in The Sydney Morning Herald, and promises that The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions will provide more than just spectacular visuals. "It's about all that stuff that's going on in our lives that we can't really grab onto." he says, suggesting the films will continue to explore the deeper themes tapped in the first groundbreaking film. Our only question is, this complicated sequence doesn't involve any combination of Keanu and advanced problem-solving, does it?

http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/xfiles2.html has more information.

Check out this page at Coming Attractions for the latest details.

"But the biggest damn shame was Resident Evil. We busted balls writing drafts of that screenplay. I'm talkin' marathons, seventy-two hours straight. I really wanted this project. I had directed a TV commercial for ResEv II, and being on the set again with zombies (by Screamin' Mad George), I was hooked. Deep in my heart, I felt that ResEv was a rip-off of Night of the Living Dead. I had no legal case, but I was resentful. And torn...because I liked the video game. I wanted to do the film partly because I wanted to say, 'Look here! This is how you do this shit!'"

---BEGIN SPOILER---
Jeff Bridges character does play a Colonel Kurtz-like character now permanently in cyberspace. The script also features a cyberspace ghetto where all of the obsolete software and videogame characters go when no one uses them anymore. This project had been cold for quite some time until recently, when Disney execs were surprised to learn of the strength of advanced sales for the 20th anniversary DVD going on sale next month (and which may be the best DVD ever produced by Disney). As a result, the sequel has apparently gained momentum as of late. Glimpses of pre-production material for Tron 2.0 will appear on the DVD."
---END SPOILER---

"Burnt out Captain Willard is sent into the jungle with orders to find and kill Colonel Kurtz who has set up his own army within the jungle. As he descends into the jungle he is slowly over taken by the jungles mesmerizing powers and the battles and insanity which surround him. His crew begins to succumbs to drugs and are slowly killed off one by one. As Willard continues his journey he begins to become more and more like the man he was sent to kill."

There is also some good info here as well, but it's mostly a rehash of other sites. Surprisingly UpcomingMovies.com doesn't appear to have any info on this.

---BEGIN SPOILER---
Jeff Bridges character does play a Colonel Kurtz-like character now permanently in cyberspace. The script also features a cyberspace ghetto where all of the obsolete software and videogame characters go when no one uses them anymore. This project had been cold for quite some time until recently, when Disney execs were surprised to learn of the strength of advanced sales for the 20th anniversary DVD going on sale next month (and which may be the best DVD ever produced by Disney). As a result, the sequel has apparently gained momentum as of late. Glimpses of pre-production material for Tron 2.0 will appear on the DVD."
---END SPOILER---

"Burnt out Captain Willard is sent into the jungle with orders to find and kill Colonel Kurtz who has set up his own army within the jungle. As he descends into the jungle he is slowly over taken by the jungles mesmerizing powers and the battles and insanity which surround him. His crew begins to succumbs to drugs and are slowly killed off one by one. As Willard continues his journey he begins to become more and more like the man he was sent to kill."

There is also some good info here as well, but it's mostly a rehash of other sites. Surprisingly UpcomingMovies.com doesn't appear to have any info on this.

"At the start of the Tron 20th anniversary menu screen, a cryptic promo is seen. After several moments of watching 80's computer graphics and designs (looking as if they're straight out of the original Tron movie) flash over a rolling timeline, the promo ends on the year 2003 and a web address flashes on the screen: www.tronkillerapp.com.

When you go visit that website you're given the impression that you have entered a restricted site by accident. A multiple answer question prompts you for your "Level 6" security clearance. Regardless of the answer you select, you are then taken to a screen where you appear to receive a communique from somebody trapped in the system:

Please...I need your help
System wide failure imminent
Must destroy system corruption Will continue contact shortly
Do not believe their lies

We've checked the WHOIS registration for www.tronkillerapp.com and it's owned by Buena Vista. If that doesn't convince you this is some kind of viral marketing idea for Tron 2.0, nothing will."

I totally agree with your comment that most people don't care, and that it makes the movies and games (and TV shows) more realistic. However, sometimes, (rarely?) these things pay off.... Remember what happened to Reeces' Pieces when it was in the move ET (see this story about the effect)? Yikes, everyone was eating those things! (And since the 20th anniversary of ET is going to yeild its re-release on 3/20/02, so we may have to endure it all over again!)

you can find out more about tron 2.0, including actors currently attached to the project, at corona films.

please support corona. they're a great site.

complex

This isn't necessarily definitive, either. E! Online is reporting that it's still George's call. This might, in fact, just be a ploy to get everyone to shut-up about it. Then Lucas could still sneak the cameos in without the majority of SW fanatics knowing until well afterwards, if ever at all.

I don't care either way, personally; people are making too big a deal about nothing. If the original Star Wars can have Billy Dee Williams in a major role, Episode II can have some meaningless pop stars amidst a hundred other extras in non-speaking, uncredited roles.

Probably one of the FEW novels that really NEED CGI in order to get it done...

Let's not forget one of the sci-fi classics -- Larry Niven's Ringworld.

The arc itself in the background of (almost) every scene, not to mention the Kzin and the Pierson's Puppeteer -- These would all require massive amounts of CGI.

Just my thoughts. BTW, I think Phil Tippett might be on board. Check Coming Attractions by Corona for details.

Steven Soderbergh(Traffic) is doing an english remake of Solaris starring George Clooney.
coming attractions
This will probably bring a lot more well-deserved attention to Lem and hopefully Tarkovsky.