News Week in Review 20th August – 26th August 2007

The coolest thing this week was the appearance of a trailer for Aliens vs Predator 2: Requiem that appeared on line. Finally it looks as though we may get a film that lives up to the cracking premise of Aliens vs Predator's after the luckluster Paul WS Anderson effort from 2004. You can see the trailer on youtube currently here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E5yIi96RLM

* This week there were some rumors flying around regarding the upcoming Justice League movie. Specifically at a press conference Batman himself Christian Bale was dismissive of playing Batman in such a film saying he hadn't been approached or didn't think it was a good idea depending on who you believe. Brandon Routh, Superman has confirmed he would be interested however but he is waiting to get the call for Bryan Singer's Superman Returns follow up The Man of Steel. Then it was whispered that it didn't matter who was playing anyone anyhoo as the whole film was being done motion capture by director George Miller in the style of the upcoming Beowulf. This is an interesting idea. Studios will be watching the box-office performance of Beowulf with great interest. If its a hit then expect to see lots more adult oriented motion capture films go into production.

* The best thing about Hustle and Flow was actor Terence Howard's lead performance. He plays Jim Rhodes in the upcoming Iron Man movie and is now starring in an as yet untitled film about bare knuckle boxing. The movie is directed by Dito Montiel who made an impressive debut with A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. Tatum O'Neal who was also impressive in that movie will star with Howard.

* 80's toy line GI JOE is to become the next movie to hit our screens after the success of Transformers. Stephen Sommers who has made good films (The Mummy, Deep Rising) and shit films (Van Helsing) will direct for Paramount. Stuart Beattie who wrote the awesome Collateral is doing a script re-write as we speak. This is GI JOE the specialist unit who fought Cobra not the Action Man size eunuch dolls that came before.

* The long gestating Dallas movie is back in the frame again. Betty Thomas who directed The Brady Bunch Movie and Private Parts is the latest director to sit in a chair marked career suicide. John Travolta is still attached to play J.R. The intention here is to go for comedy. Have we really run out of ideas that much that this is now a viable proposition? Has the world gone crazy??

* The also long in development Logan's Run remake once had Bryan Singer signed to direct. Singer has been replaced by first time commercials director Joseph Kosinski. The script is by Tim Sexton who wrote modern masterpiece Children of Men.

* Seth Gordon the director of the hit documentary King of Kong is set to make Four Christmases with Vince Vaughan and Reese Witherspoon. The plot concerns a married couple who are both children of divorce and have to make the rounds and visit everyone in the space of a day. For me Christmas is even better when there is a cynical Christmas film in theatres. That Christmas when Bad Santa was out?? Best Christmas Ever…..

* The hero to office workers the world over Ron Livingston has joined the cast of The Time Traveler's wife. He joins Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams as the central couple. The story concerns a man who travels back in time in moments of emotional stress. The film is based on the novel by Audrey Niffenegger. If this is done right this is going to be HUGE.

* The Wizard of Oz is due for re-imagining for the big screen. Warner Bros, History of Violence writer Josh Olson and Todd McFarlane are bringing this back to the screen Lord of The Rings stylee. McFarlane toys brought out some slightly saucy/sinister reimagining's of the characters in the their Twisted Land Of Oz toyline some time ago. Apparently its not based on this though and he see's Dorothy as more of a tough Ripley esque female trapped in an imaginary world.

* Greg Mottola who directed the supposedly awesome comedy Superbad will next make Adventureland. The plot concerns a college graduate who is forced to take a job at theme park in the late 80's when his dad loses his job. It is apparently based on Mottola's real life experiences.