13 Comments | Add

 

Rate & Share:

 

Related Links:

 

Info:

• Series: Gantz, Astro Boy, Spawn Animated Series, Lobo, Venom, Superman 2, Magneto, Frenemy of the State

Rashida Jones goes C2F with FRENEMY OF THE STATE

Comics2Film: FRENEMY OF THE STATE
© Mania

'Office' and 'Parks' babe Rashida Jones goes comics-to-film with 'Frenemy of the State'. Plus: More indications of an all-new 'Superman'. Slow-acting 'Venom'? McKellan on 'Magneto' and more! Born in a house where the television's always on, it's your Comics2Film 9.10.14!

3 New ASTRO BOY Images

Comic Book Resources has three new images from the upcoming 'Astro Boy'. Click and enjoy!

More Indications of an All-New SUPERMAN

The vibe that's been building since the disappointing 'Superman Returns' is that when the man of steel returns to the big screen, it'll be as part of an all-new package.

This week Moviehole.net adds a tiny bit of fuel to that fire. Clint over there has been chatting with a Warner Bros producer and this unnamed party claims that the studio will be looking for a new leading man when they relaunch 'Superman' (again).

Supposedly this is not a slam against actor Brandon Routh, who Warner Brothers reportedly loves. No, instead it's because they simply want a fresh start for the franchise. Where as 'Superman Returns' aimed to exist in some weird continuity with Richard Donner's originals from the 1970s, any new effort will be a clean-slate reboot.

"They're thinking bigger - bigger names, bigger movie," anonymous is quoted as saying.

Thanks to AntoBlueberry for the submission.

Slow-acting VENOM?

The big news last week (hey, it was slow) was that Gary Ross was gearing up to write the script for, and possibly take the helm of a 'Venom' movie for Sony.

Well, now ThePlaylist reports that the Spidey spin-off will have to wait for another classic hero: Matt Helm. Supposedly Ross has latched onto the swingin' spy character after Steven Spielberg let it slip through his hands. Inside sources say Helm is a priority for Ross. Should he direct 'Venom' it won't be until after he completes work on 'Helm', which is to film next summer.

Careful readers will recall that last week's story only indicated for certain that Ross was writing 'Venom', so if Sony can't wait they may hand the drooling anti-hero off to another director.

GANTZ Manga slated for Double Feature?

Anime News Network reports that plans are afoot for a pair of back-to-back live-action films based on Hiroya Oku's science-fiction action manga 'Gantz'. Kazunari Ninomiya ('Tekkonkinkreet') and Ken'ichi Matsuyama ('Death Note') are set to star. Shinsuke Sato ('The Princess Blade') is directing.

The story follows a young Tokyo college student who is reanimated after a deadly subway accident. Kei Kurono (Ninomiya) and his friend Masaru Kato (Matsuyama) go on violent, seemingly endless missions at the behest of an unseen host. Filming is slated to run from November until next April. The films are due out in 2011.

Click through for more details...

Morgan Backing Away from LOBO

In a puzzling turn of events, actor Jeffrey Dean Mogran's name was one of the first to become attached to the just-announced 'Lobo' movie. The buzz originated when Morgan facetiously mentioned the character at a recent press event for 'The Losers'. C2F questioned the sincerity of the comment at the time. Now Morgan answers that question.

"I said that in passing," Morgan told MTV Splash Page.

Of course, Morgan knows better than to say "never". He also told MTV that the character does have some appeal and if Guy Ritchie wanted him he'd definitely consider it.

"Lobo happens to be a character that flies by the seat of his pants," said Morgan of the character's appeal. "I don't know if I'm the guy or not, but I think it's going to be one hell of a movie. I'll certainly be going to see it."

(Editor's Note: Grrrr...he's not really blue, in spite of what the trades have reported.)

McKellen Has no MAGNETO Expectations

Empire Online chatted up Sir Ian McKellen and asked him about the long-discussed plans for 'X-Men Origins: Magneto'.

"There's meant to be a Magneto script floating around, but I've not read it, so I suspect it wouldn't involve me," McKellen said. "I think it would be about the younger Magneto, and the most I could hope for would be to top and tail that. They can't have someone whose face is as lined as mine any longer!"

The actor did get a laugh out of the de-aged Patrick Stewart, who showed up all blurry-faced at the end of 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'.

"Ooh, he was very pleased with himself that he was going in to be in Wolverine," cackled Sir Ian. "It was only an hour's work! We were working on Waiting For Godot at the time!"

McFarlane Describes New SPAWN Toon

Todd McFarlane has been talking about bringing 'Spawn' back to animation almost as long as he's been talking about the movie follow-up.

Now he has an eye on a 2010 production for the toon show and he's talking once more, this time to MTV Splash Page. Apparently the hold-up on the return to animation centers on some legal-disputes which have now been resolved.

"We developed another 85-minute, movie-length storyline, but things got complicated near the end and there were some legal issues, so it got frozen because of that," explained McFarlane. "Recently, we were able to come to a compromise where everybody is happy. As a result of that, at the end of this year—as long as both parties do what they're supposed to—then all the rights come back to me. Not only do I get the rights, but I get all the work that was done, and the work is fairly extensive."

Click through for more on McFarlane's new plans.

Rashida Jones Goes From  Comics To Film with FRENEMY

You may know her as a one-time love interest for Jim on 'The Office' or as a player in the comedy troupe that backed up 'Chappelle's Show' or as one of the few sensible characters on the current sitcom 'Parks and Recreation'. But, comedic actress Rashida Jones is also a comic book writer.

Apparently she's created a book called 'Frenemy of the State' for Oni Press and now, according to Variety, Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment have picked up the concept for development.

The comic, co-created by Jones and writer Nunzio DeFilippis, involves a young wealthy heiress (think Paris Hilton) who works undercover for the CIA. 

Jones is lined-up to pen the screenplay along with actor Will McCormack, which will be their second collaboration. However she's not expected to star in the movie.

"It's intended for a girl much younger than me, about age 20, an interesting age for girls as they make that scary jump to adulthood," the actress told Variety. "She has lived a life of privilege, attended the best schools and learned every language, but her obsession with spying on exes gets her into trouble and she is recruited to be a spy in exchange for not going to prison. There is a comic element to it, this girl who is so conscious of social standing and wearing the right shoes, suddenly becoming responsible for these dangerous, life-threatening missions."

Brian Grazer is producing for Imagine. Oni rep Eric Gitter will be a producer for Closed on Mondays.