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Monday, February 28, 2011

Will A Jon Chu Directed G.I. JOE 2 Be In S3D?

Interesting news about Jon Chu being the top choice for Paramount's upcoming sequel to G.I. JOE. We all know Chu is big on stereoscopic 3D so does this translate to a potential 3D G.I. JOE 2?

I think so.
Fingers crossed. I thought the first movie was a lot of fun - especially Snake Eyes. In fact, keep tuning in to MarketSaw as I will have a video unboxing and review of my new Sideshow Collectibles diorama, Snake Eyes vs. Red Ninjas! :-)

Chu has not officially signed on as of yet, but I see this happening soon.

From Movie Web:
With your background in dance and choreography, what kind of fight scenes can we expect to see between Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes in G.I. Joe 2?
Jon M. Chu: (Laughs) I am up for a lot of projects right now. But if I got Joe, I would feel extremely blessed and very happy. That would be really awesome. But, you know? It is a far-fetched dream right now. For me? I grew up with Joe. I loved Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Joe. I think we've been waiting for the Joe movie that we've always wanted, but have never gotten. I think there is an opportunity to do that. For me, with dance and choreography, it's about a love of movement. I am not a dancer myself. I like to dance. But I am not a dancer. I think movement tells the story. Whether it is John Wayne standing on the porch, or leaning on something, and then he puts his hands in his pockets. Movement can communicate so much. I feel like using movement in a story, especially in terms of action, you can do a lot with that. If I were ever lucky enough to get that, it would be pretty awesome.

Being a fan of the property, what do you hope to see out of G.I. Joe 2?

Jon M. Chu: I am trying to figure that out right now. I have a bunch of stuff written down. I have done a bunch of drawings and things. We'll have to see where that goes. Joe, to me, is iconic. It is as American as Coke and the Boy Scouts. To have that kind of history in a brand is so rare these days. And that is so powerful. So you can't treat Joe like its just another action movie. You can't treat Joe as just another petty commercial movie. Joe has history. Joe has always been a part of what America is, and now the world. What it means to be a leader and a hero. For me, it is about the fun stuff like Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes, and all the gadgets. All of that stuff. But it has heart. Its heart is what America, and what heroes and leaders around the world, strive to be. I think that is what the brand needs. It needs the respect to be treated in that way.

Clearly I want a G.I. JOE 2 to be shot in 3D! I think Chu has his mind in the right place for this to work.

Additional Source: Deadline


Saturday, February 26, 2011

ESPN Commits To S3DHD Broadcast Of The 2011 NBA FInals!!

I am a bit biased: I love 3D. I love basketball (I am 6'6" after all). Put the two together and I am suitably enjoying myself!

ESPN 3D has announced that they will be covering the 2011 NBA Finals in stereoscopic 3D!

Here's the official press release (emphasis is mine):
NBA Finals Televised for First Time in 3D

ESPN 3D, in its first year of distribution, will expand its NBA offerings to include The Finals – the pinnacle of the NBA season – this June, marking the first time the championship-crowning event will be presented in 3D. ESPN 3D televised the first NBA game in 3D when the Miami Heat visited the New York Knicks on December 17, 2010. Since December, ESPN 3D has shown six NBA games in addition to other programming.

ESPN 3D's upcoming NBA schedule (schedule subject to change):
Fri, Feb 25 8 p.m. Oklahoma City at Orlando
Fri, Mar 4 7 p.m. Chicago at Orlando
Wed, Mar 16 8 p.m. Oklahoma City at Miami
Fri, Apr 1 8 p.m. Boston at Atlanta
TBD TBD NBA Playoffs (First Round) – Game 1
TBD TBD NBA Playoffs (First Round) – Game 4
TBD TBD NBA Playoffs (Conference Semifinals) – Game 2
TBD TBD Western Conference Finals – Game 1
TBD TBD Western Conference Finals – Game 2
TBD TBD Western Conference Finals – Game 4
Thurs, Jun 2 9 p.m. Finals (Game 1)
Sun, Jun 5 8 p.m. Finals (Game 2)
Tues, Jun 7 9 p.m. Finals (Game 3)
Thurs, Jun 9 9 p.m. Finals (Game 4)
Sun, Jun 12 8 p.m. Finals (Game 5)
Tues, Jun 14 9 p.m. Finals (Game 6)
Thurs, Jun 16 9 p.m. Finals (Game 7)

Beginning Monday, Feb. 14, ESPN 3D began showing 3D content 24-hours a day. In its first year, ESPN 3D will telecast more than 100 live events.

About ESPN 3D
ESPN was the first to announce in the United States an exclusive 3D network in January 2010 which was the culmination of more than three years of testing 3D television. ESPN produced many 3D domestic telecasts in 2010, including: college football and basketball, the State Farm Home Run Derby, the Masters, the Harlem Globetrotters and NBA games. ESPN 3D first produced the USC vs. Ohio State college football game in September 2009 which became the starting point for the network. ESPN has developed best practices for utilizing and producing 3D technology in live game applications. In addition, ESPN utilizes cutting-edge technology located at the ESPN Innovation Lab in Orlando at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World to continue to develop innovative production enhancements. ESPN 3D is available in the United States to approximately 62.5 million households and has carriage agreements with AT&T U-Verse, Comcast, DIRECTV and Time Warner Cable. It will launch in 2011 on Verizon FiOS TV. Sony was named the first official sponsor of the network in January 2010.

Yes, I am predicting a Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Final! Mark. My. Words. :-)

PassmoreLab’s Acclaimed 3D Films Coming to NVIDIA’s 3DVisionLive.com

Extreme Sports Films, Nature Docs and Cult Classic “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D” Available on 3DVisionLive.com in April!

San Diego, CA (Feb 29, 2011)
(emphasis is mine) – The latest titles from PassmoreLab’s extensive library of 3D content will soon be available online to fans worldwide. Today, the San Diego-based 3D film studio announced that it has licensed a number of its latest 3D films to NVIDIA for 3DVisionLive.com, the company’s 3D online community and content destination.

3DVisionLive.com is an online community where NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ technology users can enjoy and share a broad range of 3D content on their PCs. It allows them to stream 3D films, trailers, music videos, sport clips, and video shorts, as well as upload, share and view full-resolution 3D photos.

“The mission of 3DVisionLive.com is to bring great 3D experiences to 3D Vision users and ultimately provide a marketplace for great 3D content,” said Phil Eisler, general manager of 3D Vision, NVIDIA. “NVIDIA is delighted to have PassmoreLab join the growing list of high-quality 3D content available for the world to enjoy easily inside their web browser.”

The licensing agreement consists of seven titles from PassmoreLab, with more to follow. Specifically, the titles include:
• The original 1968 George Romero zombie thriller “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!”
• Ed Wood’s 1959 cult classic “Plan 9 from Outer Space, Now in 3D!”
• Science documentaries “The Extreme Nature of Bats” and “Microworlds”
• Extreme downhill skateboard racing documentary “DROP 3D: My Life Downhill”
• Extreme snowmobile documentary “S:4 The Product”
• The PassmoreLab original animated short “Holy Moly”

“The adoption rate of 3D PCs is outpacing all other 3D delivery devices,” said Greg Passmore, president of PassmoreLab. “Working with NVIDIA is significant because it means our content will now be enjoyed on notebooks and desktops anywhere in the world.”

Analysts estimate about 75M 3D PCs will be sold per year within five years. (Source: Jon Peddie Research, 75 million PCs in 2014). The 3D Vision ecosystem now includes 1,000 products, including notebook and desktop PCs, displays, TVs, projectors, video applications, cameras/camcorders, GPUs, games, and the world’s first online 3D community – 3DVisionLive.com.

“It’s an exciting time for 3D, as art and technology continue to gain new ground,” said Steve Glum, PassmoreLab’s Head of Branding & Distribution. “As consumers, now we can all enjoy 3D anytime, wherever we happen to be – in offices, coffee shops, or sidewalk cafes.”

To experience PassmoreLab’s 3D films via 3DVisionLive.com, users will need a compatible NVIDIA® GeForce™ GPU-equipped PC, a 3D Vision Ready monitor and NVIDIA’s 3D Vision active shutter glasses and software, which are available for purchase at the NVIDIA store. A complete list of system requirements can be found at: http://www.3dvisionlive.com/requirements

About PassmoreLab
Passmorelab, the San Diego-based multi-media 3D production studio, has the world’s largest library of 3D content available for licensing. The studio custom-designs and builds its own RED camera 3D rigs for both conventional and rugged film productions. Passmorelab’s proprietary technology for state-of-the-art 3D post-production is known in the industry for quick turnaround times and competitive costs. Additional offices in Russia and the Philippines. More at www.passmorelab.com, or contact Steve Glum (steve(at)passmorelab(dot)com, 858.200.5813.

Great to hear this news! PassmoreLab's award winning S3D content is a pleasure to watch. More when I get it!

PassmoreLab is a sponsor of MarketSaw


Friday, February 25, 2011

The Lowdown: What Did You Think Of DRIVE ANGRY?

Post your comments here! I am checking it out in a couple of hours... Should be a fun movie!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

First Look: James Franco In RISE OF THE APES

Thanks to my friend Mike over at JoBlo we have the first official look at James Franco in RISE OF THE APES.

Franco plays Will Rodman, a scientist that discovers intelligent apes. Andy Serkis also stars and will be motion capturing Caesar who is the apes leader.

Stay tuned for more! RISE OF THE APES swings into action this November.


INCEPTION Being Converted To 3D For Disc!! And CLASH OF THE TITANS 2 Details...

I thought this wouldn't happen after hearing Wally Pfister carry on (and on and on) about 3D, but here it is at last!

An interview with Jonathan Liebesman by my good friend Steve at Collider has uncovered that Christopher Nolan's INCEPTION is being converted to 3D for disc!

Here is the excerpt of note:
Are you filming (CLASH OF THE TITANS 2) in 3D?
From the start, Clash 2 has been conceived as a 3D picture. The sets, the way I’m going to shoot the choreography of the shots, because what we’re gonna instead of say 4 shots we’re gonna do 1, I’m even gonna shoot it in a 1.8:1 aspect ratio. Sam Worthington put me in touch with Jim Cameron, we spoke a lot about aspect ratios and 3D. He said something that really stuck with me which was, 2D scope is 2.3:1. That feels scope in 2D, for 3D he felt like 1.8:1. And we have a lot of big creatures so I want that vertical space so I don’t have to cut so I’m also gonna shoot in 1.8:1. I did a bunch of test with different digital cameras…and the one thing that was very difficult for me was, I felt for a Greek epic I wanted to shoot on film to get that texture that I was looking for with that motion blur. The clincher for me was Warner Bros. showed me how far conversion had come. They showed me Chris Nolan Inception converting for the DVD, they showed me Harry Potter being converted. So now what we’re doing is, I wanna shoot film, we’re gonna have what are called stereographers on set who are guys who are sitting there advising you. It’s a completely different situation to Clash 1…Look I would always prefer to shoot native, I just feel like film is the way to go with a Greek epic. Especially the way I wanna shoot it, which is more old school.

Be sure to read or watch the rest of the great interview where Liebesman talks about the upcoming CLASH OF THE TITANS 2 3D conversion that he will be shooting WITH 3D IN MIND, an on set stereographer and in 1.8:1 ratio (perfect for S3D).

Says Liebesman: "For me, taking Greek mythology and all that fantasy and putting it in a real world that’s epic, like Gladiator, like a big Ridley Scott movie, and taking all that fantasy and putting it in, grounding it, making it feel real, that’s the movie that I wanted to see when I walked into Clash 1 and that’s the movie that Clash 2 is gonna be. That’s what I was looking for, I was looking to come in and have a real, intense, visceral kick-ass experience with spectacle but grounded, with great actors, and that’s what the second one will be."

Can't wait to see these!!


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Rutger Hauer To Play Van Helsing In DRACULA 3D!

Well that didn't take long! I asked Rutger Hauer in person after a screening of THE HITCHER (in my hometown where he shot HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN) about his feelings on 3D and while he is a generally open guy, he thought 3D was just a way of making money for studios. It was several months ago so I don't have an exact quote from him, but he was thinking it was gimmicky if I recollect correctly.

Spinning on a dime, he is now cast in Dario Argento's DRACULA 3D playing one of the leads, the infamous Van Helsing! Another great bit of casting of course! I am so glad he has elected to join the growing army of stereoscopic actors out there.

So welcome Rutger! I want to see more of you in 3D!! And you are welcome back to Dartmouth anytime :-)

Source: TwitchFilm


Tuesday, February 22, 2011

New MARS NEEDS MOMS Trailer

Robert Zemeckis' MARS NEEDS MOMS third trailer has been released by Disney and we've got it for you.

The movie is CLEARLY aimed at family audiences. Don't expect anything more than that guys! You know what to expect.

Official storyline:
Take out the trash, eat your broccoli – who needs moms, anyway? Nine-year-old Milo finds out just how much he needs his mom when she’s nabbed by Martians who plan to steal her mom-ness for their own young. Milo embarks on a quest to save his mom – a wild adventure that involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader. With the help of a tech-savvy, underground earthman named Gribble and a rebel Martian girl called Ki, Milo just might find his way back to his mom – in more ways than one.



Release is set for March 11 in IMAX 3D and Disney Digital 3D everywhere.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Dimension 3 Festival Call For Entries

An international competition for S3D content launches a call for entries!

Dimension 3 Festival, an event dedicated to all S3D contents, is calling for entries: the Festival’s fifth edition will be held as a part of Dimension 3, the International Forum on S3D and new images, in La Plaine-Saint-Denis (Paris area, France) from May 24 to 26, 2011.

Dimension 3 Festival’s call for entries is open from February 15 to April 15, and is aimed at all producers and creators of 3D content, who can sign up their S3D projects in one of the Festival’s 9 categories:

• Feature films (live, action or animation)
• Preview (feature film released in theaters)
• Special formats (theme parks, museums, IMAX…)
• Advertisements/Corporate films and visual identity
• Documentary
• Animation (single or series)
• TV fiction (single or series)
• Short film (school or independent production)
• Live acquisition (sports, live show, concert…)

Fourteen “Dimmy’s Awards” will be given by a jury of professionals during the Festival’s award ceremony on May 24, 2011. Members of the jury, who are prominent experts in the audio-visual industry, will award one prize in each category, as well as 5 special prizes:

• S3D visual effects
• 2D-to-3D conversion
• Stereographer’s prize awarded by UP3D (association of 3D professionals)
• Jury’s favorite
• Grand prize // Seine-Saint-Denis prize

“A unique international festival, Dimension 3 Festival presents contents that were creating using a great variety of S3D technologies: in 2010, our Festival presented 60 international programs from a dozen countries, a historical record for an event focusing on 3D images! The opening of S3D channels for TV broadcasts offers new perspectives for producers and directors whom we hope will submit many high-quality programs this year, once again,” explains Nathalie Klimberg, manager of the Festival.“Digital technologies give birth to many new codes of expression, and greatly enrich the potential of images. The writing opportunities offered by 3D technologies are incredible… The Festival’s 2011 edition aims, more than ever, at providing a showcase for contents with added creative or technological value; it also puts creators back under the spotlight of the image industry!” comments Stephan Faudeux, general manager of Dimension 3.

Thanks to the involvement of our manufacturer and contractor sponsors, the Dimmy’s Awards come together with valuable prizes. (Prizes in 2010 included S3D TVs and cameras, editing and pre-production software suites, laboratory work…)

Participants should fill in a registration form, available from March 2 in the “Festival” section of the Forum’s website: http://dimension3-expo.com

ABOUT DIMENSION 3
Dimension 3, the international forum on S3D and new images, welcomes professionals and experts from all around the world as well as French prosumers (teachers, physicians, architects…) to have a look at the state of the art in stereoscopic 3D creation and visualization solutions, as well as in the industry of new images and their applications. Dimension 3, en event held at the Pullman Dock and Haussmann Dock in La-Plaine-Saint-Denis (right outside Paris), offers a series of conferences, workshops and a Festival from May 24 to 26, 2011. Dimension 3 is co-produced by Avance Rapide and Seine-Saint-Denis Avenir, with support from the region of Seine-Saint-Denis’s local authority. (In 2010, the Forum had been attended by 120 speakers and 3,500 visitors).
www.dimension3-expo.com

Sunday, February 20, 2011

It's Official: Baz Luhrmann's THE GREAT GATSBY Will Be In Native 3D!

According to THR, Baz Luhrmann's THE GREAT GATSBY is going to be shot in native 3D and distributed by Paramount.

Leonardo DiCaprio has been attached to play Jay Gatsby.
Sydney, Australia has won the set location and it's estimated $120m influx of related spin off economy for the area.

More when I get it...

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Must Watch: THOR Is Looking Better And Better All The Time! New Trailer!!

Ahh! All this time I have been thinking that CAPTAIN AMERICA will be the biggest of the two Marvel releases in the coming months, but now that I have seen the latest trailer for THOR, I don't know!

Snapshot:
The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.

Director: Kenneth Branagh
Writer: Mark Protosevich
Studio: Paramount Pictures
S3D: Conversion
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston
Release: May 6, 2011



Have a look. Much more character development and the special effects look amazing. What do you think??

Thursday, February 17, 2011

HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS Hitting 3D Screens March 2, 2012

My first thought was "uh-oh", but then I saw that Will Ferrell is producing and all is ok. It's a comedy!!

Talk about talent lined up for this:
Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton and Famke Janssen have been inked to the $60 million project being directed by Tommy Wirkola (DEAD SNOW). And if you haven't seen DEAD SNOW yet - what are you waiting for? Comedic elements were brilliantly interwoven into that movie!

Release date? March 2, 2012. And if you haven't figured it out yet by the ages of the principal actors, the movie follows Hansel and Gretel as adults who are now witch bounty hunters!!

Again, Will Ferrell is producing. :-) Looking forward to this!

Source: THR


LOGAN'S RUN In 3D Closer To Reality?

We have known about a potential LOGAN'S RUN project happening (and even potentially in 3D) for some time now. But is it any closer to happening? According to Collider's interview with mega-producer Joel Silver the answer is perhaps!

Says Silver:
“We are talking about making Logan’s Run now and if we make it in 3D in a totally incredible world that we create from scratch, and it’s designed to be shot, filmed in stereo, and made in 3D, then I would like to see that and make it great if that is the plan.”

Further, we know Ryan Gosling is close to signing on to star with Nicholas Winding Refn directing.

From Deadline: In LOGAN'S RUN, Gosling will play Logan 5, a "Sandman" whose job it was to put to permanent sleep those who try to escape mandatory death, the downside of the blissful existence in the domed city that protects the inhabitants who survived a 23rd Century apocalypse. In the William F. Nolan novel, the age of extinction was 21, but it was changed in the original film to match up with original star Michael York. That age works great for Gosling, who just turned 30.

Ahhh. LOGAN'S RUN in native 3D! Bring it! More when it happens...


Guillermo del Toro Producing PINOCCHIO With Pathe And The Jim Henson Company

According to a report from Deadline, Guillermo del Toro will soon be producing PINOCCHIO, yet another upcoming project on the workaholic's plate. He will be partnering with the illustrious Jim Henson Company and Pathe to bring about this movie using S3D stop motion!

Gris Grimly and Mark Gustafson will co-direct later this year. Their version of PINOCCHIO will be darker, naturally.

From Deadline: The storyline was hatched by Del Toro and Matthew Robbins, and the script was written by the latter, who has collaborated with del Toro on scripts for Mimic, the remake Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, and del Toro’s next directing project At the Mountains of Madness. Del Toro will produce with Jim Henson Company’s Lisa Henson and Jason Lust, and Allison Abbate. Gary Ungar is exec producer along with Pathe’s Francois Ivernel and Cameron McCracken.

This version is aimed at an audience 10 years and up, and a bit scarier than the Disney film. Australian rock musician and film composer Nick Cave has signed on to be music consultant and the puppets and 3D elements will be developed with MacKinnon and Saunders, the UK-based facility that worked on The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, and the upcoming Frankenweenie. Del Toro supplied the accompanying photos to convey the feel of a film that shares a core theme from the Disney film: the innocent whose inherent goodness, purity and love for his father saves him from a series of harrowing adventures and temptations in his quest to morph from wooden puppet to real boy.

“There has to be darkness in any fairy tale or children’s narrative work, something the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson and Walt Disney understood,”
del Toro said. “We tend to call something Disney-fied, but a lot of people forget how powerfully disturbing the best animated Disney movies are, including those kids being turned into donkeys in Pinocchio. What we’re trying to do is present a Pinocchio that is more faithful to the take that Collodi wrote. That is more surreal and slightly darker than what we’ve seen before.”

Of course he is on the precipice of starting work on the mammoth AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS with James Cameron as well! Mountains of work for this man!!

We'll have more info in the coming months
about this stereoscopic 3D stop motion classic adventure!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Now THIS Is Cool 3D Marketing To Kids! They Will Be Watching TRANSFORMERS This Summer With 3D Helmets On!!

So cool. Hasbro has outdone themselves this time - not only have they embraced the new trend for 3rd party 3D glasses, they went ahead and integrated the lenses into TRANSFORMERS helmets that kids can wear to see the movie this summer! For those unacquanted, the yellow helmet would be Bumblebee and the blue Optimus Prime.

The helmet/glasses will be RealD theater compatible and work with most passive S3DHD television sets too.

They're called Transformers Cine-Power 3D Masks and they will sell for $9.99 - affordable for most! Look for them on shelves starting May 16 leaving about a month and a half before TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON opens nationwide.

Thanks for the PCMag link Tim!

My question is not how many kids will be wearing these things, but how many ADULTS?


Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Here's The Story Line For Tim Burton's FRANKENWEENIE

We've got the story line for you from Tim Burton's FRANKENWEENIE. The information comes directly from Walt Disney who is backing the remake of Burton's original short story.

Here's the synopsis:

In Tim Burton’s “Frankenweenie” young Victor conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences. A stop-motion animated film, “Frankenweenie” will be filmed in black and white and rendered in 3D, which will elevate the classic style to a whole new experience. From creative genius Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland,” The Nightmare Before Christmas”) comes “Frankenweenie,” a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.

Further details:
Genre: Comedy adventure
Rating: TBD
U.S. Release date: October 5, 2012
Voice Cast: Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer
Director: Tim Burton
Producers: Tim Burton, Allison Abbate
Executive Producer: Don Hahn
Screenplay by: John August
Based on an original idea by: Tim Burton

From creative genius Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland,” The Nightmare Before Christmas”) comes “Frankenweenie,” a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.

A stop-motion animated film, “Frankenweenie” will be filmed in black and white and rendered in 3D, which will elevate the classic style to a whole new experience.

In Tim Burton’s “Frankenweenie” young Victor conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences.

Notes:
· When Tim Burton originally conceived the idea for “Frankenweenie,” he envisioned it as a full-length, stop-motion animated film. Due to budget constraints, he instead directed it as a live-action short, released in 1984.
· “Frankenweenie” follows in the footsteps of Tim Burton’s other stop-motion animated films “Corpse Bride” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas”—both of which were nominated for Academy Awards®.
· Over 200 puppets and sets were created for the film.
· The voice cast includes four actors who worked with Burton on previous films: Winona Ryder (“Beetlejuice,” “Edward Scissorhands”), Catherine O’Hara (“Beetlejuice,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas”), Martin Short (“Mars Attacks!”) and Martin Landau (“Ed Wood,” Sleepy Hollow”).
· Several of the character names—Victor, Elsa Van Helsing, Edgar “E” Gore and Mr. Burgermeister— were inspired by classic horror films.

The story line is not surprising
as I already knew about his original short, but the details are interesting - like the sheer number of puppets being made. More when I get it.

Monday, February 14, 2011

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Swinging Into Theaters July 3, 2012!!!

Yes! We finally have a name for the Marc Webb reboot of Marvel's SPIDER-MAN! Sony has decided to go with THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and they have also launched a website too at www.theamazingspiderman-movie.com.

The movie's release date is July 3, 2012 - and I will definitely be first in line.

That's not all! The photo is the first official image of Andrew Garfield as SPIDER-MAN with his full costume on. Looks darn good if you ask me!

More spidey-info when I get it!


Robin McLeavy Snags Her First Tentpole! The First Lady Of A Vampire Hunter!

Apparently Robin McLeavy has edged out Mary Elizabeth Winstead for the coveted role of Mary Todd, the wife of Abraham Lincoln. However the movie is ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER so there is bound to be some "artistic freedoms" from actual historical fact. Or will there? :-)

Regardless, director Timur Bakmambetov is choosing to use lesser known actors for the roles. This suits me just fine. Audiences will be suspending their disbelief quite often in this movie so for me lesser known actors help. LatinoReview broke the story of her landing the role.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER is staked out for a June 22, 2012 release.

MasterImage 3D Reveals New Displays & Immersive 3D User Interface at Mobile World Congress

Showcases cell-matrix parallax technology on new 7" 3D display featuring an early look at an immersive 3D user interface...

Here's the official press release (emphasis is mine):

Hollywood, CA (February 14, 2011) - At the mobile industry's premiere event, MasterImage 3D, LLC is giving attendees a look at what's possible with mobile 3D today, via demonstrations of a 3D user interface and ultra-high quality 3D displays for smartphones and tablets. The company will demonstrate its new 7" 3D display and 3D user interfaces from content partner Scaleform at Mobile World Congress (MWC), February 14-17 in Barcelona.

At its exhibit stand, 2B13 in Hall 2, the company is showing its MasterImage Stereo Kit (MISK) to hardware, OS, carrier and content partners across the mobile ecosystem. The hardware/software system features an auto-stereoscopic 3D display based on MasterImage's cell-matrix parallax barrier, which delivers a wider viewing angle, brighter image and portrait/landscape modes than 3D displays that employ a 'striped' approach.

On this device MWC attendees will see a groundbreaking 3D user interface from Scaleform that shows the beginnings of the holographic mobile experience. MasterImage 3D demonstrations also feature a number of 3D movie trailers from the latest blockbuster films, 3D commercials, updated gameplay from Crytek's Crysis 2, and an assortment of AAA video game footage samples supplied by the S-3D Gaming Alliance (www.s3dga.com) and its member companies.

"These demonstrations give you a feel for where 3D is going," said Roy Taylor, GM of 3D Mobile Display at MasterImage 3D. "As 3D content starts to pop off the screen, the possibilities for gaming, mobile entertainment - even merchandising, get really exciting. 3D UIs are in their early days but stand to be highly disruptive on many fronts. The holographic chess game from "Star Wars" is truly on the horizon."

About MasterImage 3D LLC
MasterImage 3D LLC is a 3D technology company that provides pioneering solutions for theaters, mobile devices and gaming. With digital 3D cinema systems installed in 42 countries, MasterImage 3D is a fast-growing digital 3D cinema system supplier, offering audiences the clearest, sharpest 3D experience while providing exhibitors with a compelling ownership-based pricing model. The company invented, patented and mass-produced the cell-matrix parallax barrier, the leading 3D technology for auto-stereoscopic mobile display. It enabled one of the world's first glasses-free 3D mobile phones and is in development for devices in 2011. Its 3D camera ASIC empowers users to create 3D content. Founded in 2004, the company is privately held and headquartered in Hollywood, with offices in the UK, Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing.

Crytek and CryENGINE are registered trademarks or trademarks of Crytek GmbH in the USA, Germany and/or other countries. All Rights reserved.

Can't wait to see this portable 3D cell technology in action!!

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Friday, February 11, 2011

Nicholas Hoult Is JACK THE GIANT KILLER

Bryan Singer's anticipated take on the Jack And The Beanstalk tale is taking shape with the casting of the lead actor as a "farmer who leads an expedition into the giants' kingdom to rescue a kidnapped princess." Nicholas Hoult (X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, CLASH OF THE TITANS) hopes to continue his rapid ascention into greater and greater roles with this opportunity.

Singer is producing X-MEN: FIRST CLASS so it is not a great surprise that he has tapped Hoult for the part.

JACK THE GIANT KILLER is slated for a 2012 release. More info when I get it!

Source: Deadline


Charlize Theron Lands PROMETHEUS!

I was hoping for her to land the part and she did. Charlize Theron will headline Ridley Scott's PROMETHEUS sci-fi epic says Variety.

Theron will share screen time with Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender, both of whom are perfect for their parts IMO.

Theron is a great actor. Anyone who has seen MONSTER will attest to that. If she can bring that intensity to the role, than I think we have casting gold for PROMETHEUS.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Exclusive: Press Conference TODAY With "The Dwarves" Of THE HOBBIT!!

**SAME DAY UPDATE: And just as we said - here are the details from the conference (which PJ missed unfortunately). Not too earth shattering, but cool all the same! (Photo updated with shot of cast table)

**AND now a video of the conference!

EXCLUSIVE:
I have heard from one of my top sources on THE HOBBIT mere minutes ago and he says later today (Friday, New Zealand time) there will be a press conference with "The dwarves" in attendance!!

Wish I was there. The content of the conference is so hush-hush that even he doesn't know what will transpire. Further casting announcements perhaps?

What we DO know is that shooting will commence on March 21.
Hopefully Peter Jackson will be back up to par (or better) by then!

Will let you know what happens at the conference as soon as I find out!!
Stay tuned...


Tuesday, February 08, 2011

James Cameron Sends Shawn Levy On A FANTASTIC VOYAGE!

Apparently director Shawn Levy (NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, REAL STEEL) has been tapped to helm producer James Cameron's FANTASTIC VOYAGE for Fox!

I think the real strength here (other than the producer) is the writing. The first go at this was written by Shane Salerno (DOOMSDAY PROTOCOL) but even more importantly the rewrite is being massaged by Laeta Kalogridis who has been tearing it up since SHUTTER ISLAND, AVATAR and BATTLE ANGEL.

The early buzz on REAL STEEL sounds amazing! I think Levy has hit another one out of the park. No surprise here with Cameron selecting him; his future is definitely very bright.

Source:
Deadline

Monday, February 07, 2011

Here Are The Super Bowl Spots For Upcoming 3D Movies!

Here we go guys! Got all the trailers from yesterday's Super Bowl for upcoming 3D movies - and yes, it seems RANGO will be in 3D according to Empire Theatres! Until now, I have not heard anything about it!! I will get that confirmed ASAP.

So sit back, relax and take in the trailers (in no particular order):

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES
Director: Rob Marshall
Writer: Ted Elliott
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Penelope Cruz
Release: May 20, 2011



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CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
Director: Joe Johnston
Writer: Christopher Markus
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Cast: Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Hugo Weaving
Release: July 22, 2011



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THOR
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Writer: Mark Protosevich
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston
Release: May 6, 2011



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TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
Director: Michael Bay
Writer: Ehren Kruger
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Josh Duhamel
Release: July 1, 2011



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PRIEST
Director: Scott Stewart
Writer: Cory Goodman
Studio: Screen Gems
Cast: Paul Bettany, Karl Urban, Cam Gigandet
Release: March 4, 2011



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DRIVE ANGRY 3D
Director: Patrick Lussier
Writer: Todd Farmer
Studio: Summit Entertainment
Cast: Nicolas Cage, William Fichtner, Amber Heard
Release: February 25, 2011



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RANGO
Director: Gore Verbinski
Writer: James Ward Byrkit
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Cast: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin
Release: March 4, 2011



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RIO
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Writer: Don Rhymer
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Cast: Neil Patrick Harris, Anne Hathaway, Rodrigo Santoro
Release: April 8, 2011



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KUNG FU PANDA 2
Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Writer: Jonathan Aibel
Studio: DreamWorks Animation
Cast: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman
Release: May 26, 2011



I saw the TRANSFORMERS trailer in 3D in front of SANCTUM and it looked amazing! So much action and the 3D was dialed in!! I'll have a SANCTUM review up shortly.

Saturday, February 05, 2011

Marvel Unveils CAPTAIN AMERICA's First Teaser Poster!

Have a look guys! I love the caption "Avenge". Perfect to bring on thoughts of how they are going to tie him into THE AVENGERS movie - AND - how he deals with the WWII content of this movie.

Plenty of guts and glory in this one it seems - flying dirt and his shield definitely looks battle worn!

More when I get it...

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Elton John & Nelly Furtado Belt Out Crocodile Rock For GNOMEO AND JULIET!

A quick video for you of a split screened Nelly Furtado and Elton John singing John's Crocodile Rock for the upcoming 3D animation GNOMEO AND JULIET. Enjoy!



Here's the storyline:
Two garden gnomes, Gnomeo (voice of James McAvoy) and Juliet (voice of Emily Blunt), try to avoid tragedy and find a happy ending to their star-crossed love affair when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors.

In theaters February 11, 2011.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

James Cameron Update: AVATAR 2, BATTLE ANGEL, His Top Five Movies And A New Award!

Guys, it's time for a James Cameron update as he has been doing press junkets for his newly minted production SANCTUM.

First off, Cameron has given (via WSJ) some brief tidbits on AVATAR 2 and in particular how to improve the 3D viewing experience:

Says Cameron: “For ‘Avatar 2,’ what I’m most interested in is getting theaters to up their light level,” Cameron told Speakeasy in an interview Saturday in Los Angeles, Calif. “And we want to shoot the movie at 48 or maybe even 60 frames a second, and display it at that speed, which will eliminate a lot of the motion artifacts that I think are causing some people problems.”

“‘Sanctum’ was a cookie-cutter of the camera technology we used on [‘Avatar’],” Cameron explained. “It literally was, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, use it. But it will be in all of these different environments, water and all of that, where specific problems have to be solved that are external to the camera.”

“People talk about feeling sick or something like that, and I think it’s because the image is strobing,” Cameron observed. “That’s a function of the 24 frame frame rate, which has actually got nothing to do with 3D. It’s just made more apparent because the 3D is otherwise such an enhanced, realistic image, that all of a sudden you’re aware of this funky strobing which you weren’t aware of.”

Yes! Higher frame rates is the next holy grail to achieve in the AVATAR batting lineup and it will help S3D in many ways. While light levels for AVATAR were fine in my estimation, it is just like Cameron to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

MarketSaw is and shall be the top source for AVATAR universe updates before anyone else gets them - stay tuned!!

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Secondly, Collider spoke with Cameron specifically about his upcoming project BATTLE ANGEL. The problem being he has a couple of small art house films he is shooting back-to-back called AVATAR 2 and 3! So poor BATTLE ANGEL has been back-burnered.

Says Cameron: "I’m obviously going to be pretty busy for the next five years [with Avatar 2 and 3]. And so I had to consider, do I hand this project off to another director? And then I thought, ‘No, I love it too much.’ …It’s such a rich world. What I’m going to do is take the spine story and use elements from the first four books. So, the Motorball from books three and four, and parts of the story of one and two will all be in the movie."

BATTLE ANGEL is one of those movies you KNOW is going to be a massive, MASSIVE hit. Cameron has all the tools required to drive this one home and I will be following developments in this story VERY closely. You should know that I regularly inquire with my sources about anything to do with this film.

Follow all of our BATTLE ANGEL updates right here.

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Thirdly, Cameron serves up his top five movies of all time (Via RT)! They are as follows in no particular order:

- THE WIZARD OF OZ
- DR. STRANGELOVE
- 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
- THE GODFATHER
- TAXI DRIVER

No real surprises and all of them make my top ten list. I am definitely with him on TAXI DRIVER. No question!

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Finally, Cameron is set to receive the International 3D Society's first Harold Lloyd Award for 3D achievement!

Says Suzanne Lloyd, who is 3D pioneer Harold Lloyd's granddaughter and chairman of Harold Lloyd Entertainment:
"James Cameron has embodied Harold Lloyd's vision and passion for dazzling audiences across the globe. With Avatar and his commitment to 3D storytelling, it is appropriate that he is the first recipient of this most prestigious annual award."

Note: I am not quite sure if the award will look like the one pictured as this is a Lumiere Award from the same society.

This award makes perfect sense for Cameron to pick up and truly kicks off this inaugural award year in grand fashion! Congratulations Jim!


Oh and if you haven't already - add James Cameron for direct Twitter updates from the man himself! His new verified account is @JimCameron (@JamesCameron was already taken, by a pro blogger no less!).

That's it for now - will have more soon...

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Jim Dorey
Editor-in-Chief
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