Cinematical

If you came of age in the '80s then chances are you remember V. Back in April, news began to spread that a feature film version was in the works, and creator Kenneth Johnson later confirmed that he was eying a big-screen debut for the legendary sci-fi title. Now, Latino Review claims to have gotten an early look at the script -- but I warn you there are plenty of spoilers in the review, so tread lightly.

According to LR, the script is an update of the original miniseries that aired back in 1983. V: The Original Miniseries centered on the arrival of aliens (or as they're better known, Visitors) and when an uneasy truce is struck between humanity and the new arrivals, it begins to become clear that our alien friends are not what they seem -- and, as it turns out, the only place for humans to turn is to another alien race who can bail out the planet earth from the 'lizard' invasion.

The original story was seen as a commentary on the rise of Fascism in the U.S as well an allegory for the rise of Nazis. But it looks like the script will be modernizing the story with allusions to Iraq and the War on Terror. According to the early review, the flick is a hybrid of V for Vendetta and Independence Day. But more importantly (at least from the point of view of Hollywood studios), is that the script has set the story up for two more sequels.

It is always a dangerous proposition to try and update something so beloved by fans, but at least this time the original creator is going to have something to do with it. Sound off below and tell me whether or not you want to see V on the big screen?

You know the old saying "You can't keep a good man down"? Well, it would appear that the same applies to big-budget video game flicks. Eurogamer recently spoke with id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead, and according to him the big-screen version of the popular first-person shooter Return to Castle Wolfenstein is still on and in development. It has been a year since Oscar winner Roger Avary was signed to write and direct, but in spite of the delays it looks like the project is back on the front burner.

Wolfenstein takes place in Nazi-occupied Europe and revolves around Army Ranger William "B.J." Blazkowicz. Along with another agent, Blazkowicz is sent to discover the truth about the SS Paranormal Division. Taking the role of Blazkowicz, the player must escape the Nazi stronghold while investigating the activities of the SS Paranormal Division, which include research on resurrecting corpses, and various secret weapons -- providing players with hours of gruesome fun.

A feature film version of the game has been a long time coming, with rumblings of a feature going back almost three years. According to Hollenshead, "With the writer's strike it took so long to get underway and Roger Avary, the writer, had a commitment that was in line before working the Wolfenstein stuff, but I've recently been in contact with Roger and he's actually working on the script right now." Avary hasn't had the best of luck lately, personal or professional, so for his sake I hope Wolfenstein manages to pull itself out of development limbo.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein is tentatively scheduled for release in 2010.

Well, what do you know? Here I was thinking I was one of the few people out there who actually had fond memories of Walter Hill's musical flop Streets of Fire, but you can now add Albert Pyun to the list of the film's dedicated fans. Reports have surfaced over at AICN that the B-movie director extraordinaire is planning a sequel of sorts to the 1984 cult classic. According to AICN, the title is The Road to Hell, and will bring back Streets' original star, Michael Paré, to star alongside Clare Kramer (Buffy) and Courtney Peldon (Boston Public).

If you haven't seen the original, then you are missing out on some prime '80s cheese. What other decade would feature a rock and roll musical set in an urban fantasy land with Willem Dafoe sporting vinyl overalls in a sledgehammer fight to the death? According to AICN, the film will not be a direct sequel to Hill's original flick, but instead a tribute film that will take "STREETS' mood and energy, infusing 50s styled "hardboiled" dialog and characters possessing "dark" shades of gray."

Now that we finally have confirmation from Pyun on that The Sword and the Sorcerer sequel, I guess we'll just have to wait and see which project Pyun makes first. So even though I'm not all that thrilled about a sequel to one of my youth's guilty pleasures, I can't say no to a plot description like this: "Consider it Moulin Rouge meets torture porn. A heavily torqued romantic fantasy where dreams still live but they carry very big knives. "

I'm sold. How about you?

Ladies (and gentlemen), start your drooling. Entertainment Weekly has two new photos from Baz Luhrmann's romantic epic Australia, and if the photo to your right is any indication; this is going to be one sexy flick. Back in June the film was the subject of a photo shoot for Vogue, and those images were stunning (and pretty romantic). This latest photo, though, has a little more carnality on the brain. Mind you, I'm not complaining; anything that facilitates a half-naked Hugh Jackman is okay by me.

News about the film has been pretty scarce, but we do know that Stuart Beattie's (G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra) script centers on an English lady (Nicole Kidman) left in control of a cattle station in Australia during WWII. When a drover (played by Jackman) shows up to help her bring the cattle across the country, their relationship becomes something more -- and judging from that photo, there's going to be a lot more.

Its been a bumpy road for Luhrmann's epic; there have been casting changes, and the occasional act of god. But don't feel bad, the film also has a lot of things going for it: namely that epic romances sell, especially during Oscar season. Australia will arrive in theaters on November 14th, 2008.

Now it's your turn, do you think Australia could be the landlubber's Titanic at the box-office this fall? Sound off below...

Well, for all of us out there waiting for Jake Gyllenhaal to don the infamous puffy pants for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, it turns out we are going to have to wait a lot longer than we thought. Variety announced yesterday that Disney has scrapped their original release date of June 19, 2009 for the big-screen adaptation of Ubisoft's best-selling game, and has pushed the release back to May, 2010 (that's right, almost a full year later). Disney has a lot riding on the production, and are hoping to turn it into their next big franchise -- so why the delay?

The official word from Disney was that the change was required to "to allow plenty of time for post-production considering that the tent pole will require extensive special effects to create its fantasy world and set pieces." Not to mention that the delay gives producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney some wiggle room in the event of an actor's strike. But the more logical reason for the delay was that if Persia kept its original release date, it would be going up against Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen -- and I think we all know who would win that box-office battle.

So what 'summer behemoth' will Persia battle instead? The lucky winner is Shrek Goes Fourth; which will probably prove to be an easier opponent for the video game flick at the box office. Director Mike Newell just started shooting on location in Morocco last week, and then will head off to London to finish the film. Now, if we can just get the film into theaters, we are all set.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time will now open in theaters on May 28th, 2010.

Now that comic book flicks are bringing in the big bucks (yes, really!), it seems like every title you could think of will be headed for the big screen sooner or later. The latest will be a feature film adaption of Repeat Offenders' upcoming graphic novel, American Reaper by Pat Mills and Clint Langley. The Hollywood Reporter announced today that the film rights were purchased by Xingu Films, which is Trudie Styler's (better known as Mrs. Gordon Sumner) shingle.

According to THR, "the story is set in a future where identity theft leads to victims having their minds erased and replaced by those of the elderly rich seeking a second youth or by criminals and terrorists with more sinister motives. A team of special agents, known as Reapers, are formed to track down and terminate those responsible." Mills will be adapting the story for the screen, and Xingu has already projected a budget of $50 million for the flick.

Styler will share producer credit with Alex Francis and Repeat Offender's Jeremy Davis will serve as executive producer. No cast has been attached, and Styler told THR, "It's rare for us to sign up to a project based on just a proposal, but the opportunity to work with proven talent like Pat and Clint from such an early stage, on a project with so much potential, was just too good to pass up." -- I'm sure the profit potential for comic book films had a little something to do with her enthusiasm for the project.

Now that studios are snapping up comic book projects at a furious pace, the important question still remains: How long will it take before audiences begin to suffer from comic book fatigue at the box office? Sound off below...

You would think that if Legend Films was looking to improve the general opinion of their big-screen reboot of Street Fighter, they would have picked some more exciting photos to tease us with. Legend is now hosting a new gallery of behind-the-scenes photos for the video game flick, and, well, they're a little underwhelming. The shots are mostly comprised of the sets and a few extras, but there are a couple of recognizable faces (including Robin Shou and Kristen Kreuk) in the bunch. However, on the upside, we do get a glimpse of action to tide us over.

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li centers on everyone's favorite "Hyakuretsu Kyaku" expert and Interpol Agent (as played by Kreuk). When her mentor and Tai Chi Master (played by Shou) is murdered by criminals, she goes on a quest for revenge. Justin Marks' script takes the character in a more realistic direction and even throws in some gangsters to go along with SF's usual baddies; Bison (Neal McDonough), Vega (Black Eyed Peas singer Taboo), and Balrog (Michael Clarke Duncan).

So even though I have yet to see anything that makes me think the film could work, I'll have to reserve judgment until I see something a little more final than a few on-set photos and the occasional blog entry. After all, isn't that what trailers are for?

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li is scheduled for release February 27, 2009.

[Thanks: Coming Soon]

Well, Woody Allen's newest film might not be generating the same buzz as his sexy Spanish romp, Vicky Christina Barcelona, but Allen is still out pounding the pavement for his latest romantic comedy. In a conversation with Duane Dudek of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Allen confirmed that he has finally christened his latest film Whatever Works. The flick stars Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood in what has been described as a "May-December romance". In the interview with the Sentinel, Allen tells Dudek that the film will be a comedy, but, "a slightly different one for me. It's a blackish comedy." -- and if there is one guy who has earned the right to be a little bitter about romance, it's Allen.

When it comes to David, it should come as no surprise that Allen is thrilled with his choice of leading man; the two seem perfect for each other. Allen tells the Sentinel, "He's got a great thing of his own. He's got a great, what would you call it, sarcastic, sour or vitriolic, wonderful, wonderful, no nonsense sense of humor." But don't feel bad for co-star Evan Rachel Wood; Allen saved a little of the praise for his latest ingénue, saying he was "stunned at how great" Wood was, despite her only being 20. So feel free to fill in your own joke about Allen and young girls here, because after 16 years of Soon-Yee jokes, I have officially run out of material.

Whatever Works is slated for release in 2009.

[Thanks: Big Screen Little Screen]

Do you ever get the feeling that you are completely out of step with the rest of your demographic? Well, I frequently do, especially since I sat down with fellow members of the female persuasion to watch Sex and the City -- talk about being a stranger in a strange land. So, you can understand why I will probably be avoiding the latest addition to the so-called chick flick cannon like the plague. Variety reports that Donald Petrie (director of such classics as Miss Congeniality, Just My Luck, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) has signed to direct the literary adaptation, Fashionistas.

Danny Fischer and Paula Chorley will be writing the script based on Lynn Messina's debut novel. Fashionistas centers on a young go-getter at a fashion house who conspires to take down her demanding boss by inventing a fictitious designer. The whole thing sounds like a little bit of Devil Wears Prada mixed with a dash of All About Eve; and without the genius of Meryl Streep or Bette Davis, I think Fashionistas will probably suffer by comparison.

Fashionistas was originally set up at Paramount, but the studio has since dropped the production and the project will now be produced independently. Since I haven't read Messina's book, I guess it could be considered unfair of me to dismiss its 'literary efforts'. But, as a general rule, any book endorsed by Lindsay Lohan is not the book for me.

Fashionistas is expected to begin production later this year.

For all the anime fans who hoped that certain titles would remain out of the grasp of Hollywood; I have some bad news for you. According to iFMagazine, Fox has given the green-light for a live-action version of the classic animated series, Cowboy Bebop. During the Television Critics Association press tour, producer Erwin Stoff let it slip that he now has a deal in place with Fox studios to bring the popular series to the big screen. Stoff told journalists, "I'm developing COWBOY BEBOP for Fox, but doing it as a live-action film, so I'm working on that at the moment, I'm really excited to be working on it, and it's in the really early stages. We just signed it the other day."

For the uninitiated; Cowboy Bebop was the story of a group of bounty hunters and their adventures aboard their ship, Bebop, in the year 2071. The series was a huge success in both Japan and in the US, and even spawned an animated film back in 2002.

For fans who might be worried that Cowboy could suffer the same fate as other anime-inspired flicks, there is a silver lining. Stoff promised that, "I have such an enormous admiration for its creators, that our first and foremost concern is going to be a real degree of faithfulness to the tone of the movie, to the mix of genres, and so on and so forth," -- I don't want to sound too cynical, but it's not like we haven't heard that one before.

Now on to the more important question: Who should take over for Jet Black and the gang on the big screen? Sound off below...