As we encroach closer to the October season, you can already notice a few things in the air that signals the coming of the macabre time of the year: numerous Halloween stores popping up at local malls; candy be piled onto shelves at local WalMart and Target stores; and talk of horror movies being remade and receiving long-awaited sequels.

The latter is the cause with Rob Zombie’s remake of the Horror cult classic, Halloween. For quite a while, it was the talk of the horror culture underground, and the most anticipated remake of the genre. Zombie has a small reputation for creating twisted sounds, and equally twisted screenplays, as can be evidenced by his take on “The Devil’s Rejects“. However, it seems criticism is being thrown on heavy in the cause of his touching upon the Halloween series. Zombie takes the original story of Michael Myers, and gives light to the serial killer’s background and childhood, and a look into what made him into the resurrecting homicidal maniac we all know today. Apparently some were not too thrilled with this interpretation of how the story show look, however. I’ve heard some rather good thing from people who have gone to see this flick thus far, but the higher-ups of the horror circuit seem to look down upon the telling of this tale – citing it as “failing because of one simple reason- it’s not scary“, as put by the review of the film on Creature Corner. This seems to be an experience that will be determined on a person-by-person basis. Your either like it, or you don’t.

In the way of sequels, beyond the atrocity that will be released in the form of “Resident Evil: Extinction”, it would seem a second installment of another cult classic in the horror genre is in the works as we speak – The Lost Boys. Twenty years after the first movie hit the screens, and introduced a while new level of modern vampire films, it seems that many of the cast from the original movie are finally coming together for a sequel. Both Corey Feldman and Corey Heim are slated for return, though Sci-Fi reports Heim is having immigration problems that are holding up his arrival on the Canadian set of the proposed sequel film. It would also seem that Keifer Sutherland’s half-brother Angus is ironically being slated as the movie villain role. Whether or not this all hopes to be a grand reunion, or a hopeless flop will as of yet remain to be seen. Either way, it should prove amusing.

I loved Alien. Loved Aliens. Love Predator. But Paul WS Anderson’s mash-up movie was really boring.

Thankfully first time directors Greg and Colin Strause are taking the best they can do with both franchises and turn it into a real gore fest. I’m not sure this trailer isn’t merely spoiling all the best parts, but it at least shows they’re trying and not turning in a weak PG13 non-event like the last one. This is what happens when you let visual effects artists control the movie. One of the female leads even looks like Ellen Ripley, which makes me mad when I think about Sigourney Weaver in that DirecTV commercial.

Paramount Pictures is officially announcing Stephen Sommers as the director of the long anticipated G.I. Joe movie. Variety has the story.

The studio is hiring a writer immediately, and has set a February production start for a summer 2009 release.

The accelerated production schedule began right after Sommers pitched his version of the film to Par chairman-CEO Brad Grey and production prexy Brad Weston on Wednesday evening. He was hired in the room.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura will produce with Hasbro chief operating officer Brian Goldner. Sommers and his Sommers Co. partner Bob Ducsay will also be involved as producers.

IESB has a lead on that writer: Stuart Beattie. He wrote scripts for Collateral and Pirates Of The Carribean.

Well its official now, and if they’re not using any of the existing scripts that have leaked online or been reported on before, we should be fine. Because those scripts suck. I’ve got one here where Cobra Commander is Duke’s childhood buddy and was turned evil by Destro. Yeah.

IESB has been breaking all the news on this proposed JLA movie. They’ve received word that the way a JLA movie can come to pass and not interfere with any other movie series is an all motion capture computer generated imagery animated movie. Yes, they’ll cast actors, track their movements, and assign those to CG characters.
While Ryan Reynolds and Brandon Routh have made no secret they want to be on board as The Flash and Superman, respectively, Batman star Christian Bale says he hasn’t been approached, and adds: “It’d be better if it doesn’t tread on the toes of what we’re doing, though I feel that it would be better if it comes out after Batman 3”
Couldn’t agree more, but a CG movie would certainly elevate awareness of Wonder Woman, The Flash and any other hero they might want to turn into a bigger movie. And even if its very well animated and photo-real as promised, people are more likely accept it has nothing to do with current Superman or Batman movies, and re-casting would be perfectly acceptable.
Casting begins next week, we could be hearing some definite announcements very soon.

Read on for the show notes.

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A couple years back, Screenwriter David Goyer was getting ready to go on a movie based on the DC hero The Flash, and he made no mystery that he wasn’t Ryan Reynolds in the role. Then the movie died. Joss Whedon’s Wonder Woman isn’t happening either. Batman rolls on into the Dark Knight, and Superman is still tenatively scheduled to return again as Man Of Steel in 2009.
IESB reports that Warner Bros execs are gassed about a Justice League script they got and want to put it into production as early as next spring fro a 2009 release…

Our sources have confirmed earlier reports that the Justice League of America film will consist of at least Superman (Clark Kent), Batman (Bruce Wayne), Wonder Woman (Princess Diana), The Flash (Barry Allen), Aquaman and the Green Lantern (John Stewart) and will follow the OMAC storyline and also feature Maxwell Lord.
Within a few weeks, George Miller should be confirmed as the director and casting should commence immediately. The priority for the studio will have to be to figure out what they are doing with Superman and Batman.

I bolded that last part because its important. I don’t know if Batman or Superman as a franchise can survive with a JLA movie. I don’t know if Nolan & Goyer’s Batman would even work in this movie. And recasting Batman would be as big a mistake as keeping him and changing his character.
Fueling speculation is Ryan Reynolds dodging Flash questions. Why would he talk at all unless he was either already signed or seriously being considered for the role?

Personally I’d leave Batman and Superman out of it. If they’re so gung ho to get a League movie going, lets get Giffen and DeMatteis on it and make a Justice League Detroit or Justice League International movie.

Viacom has mentioned in this press release that Paramount and Dreamworks are now exclusively backing HD DVD over the competing Blu-Ray format. In recent months as many studios who had been backing HD DVD began releasing movies in both formats it’s a bit unusual to see studios taking the side that’s having less economic success.

Studios affected by this deal are Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Animation SKG, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films. The first features to be released exclusively to HD DVD will be Shrek the 3rd, Blades of Glory and Transformers.

No doubt this will mean great things for HD DVD as this format war really comes down to who gets the better exclusive titles. Naturally some biased people are getting their panties in a bunch over the whole debacle.

Coupling this with the resent increase in the number of weekly HD DVD titles released it certainly looks like the early lead Blu-Ray had in this format war may not have been the quick end it once seemed to be.

Found on The Movie Blog, here is a handful of phots from the set of Dark Knight. Don’t think theres anything super spoilery in this set, but skip past these thumbnails if you don’t want to see a couple close-ups of The Joker.
I’m kind of shocked to see the more traditonal garb for the Joker, but that face still looks pretty creepy. The Bat suit is decided more focused on utlity and movement than it was before. I believe this thing would work in a fight and still provide enough armor to be useful.