Home > News > Editorial > Maniacal Rumors > Top Maniacal Rumors: Ratner's Joker, Bourne Blackbeard and Foxy Aspen
Top Maniacal Rumors of the Week
53 Comments | Add a Comment

Send to a Friend Print

Send to a Friend



To: (email)


To: (name)


From: (name)


Message:




The heat is on for the Joker in THE DARK KNIGHT(2008).
© Warner Bros.

Related Links

0

Top Maniacal Rumors: Ratner's Joker, Bourne Blackbeard and Foxy Aspen

By: Jarrod Sarafin
 Date: Friday, September 26, 2008

It’s time for another edition of Mania’s Most Maniacal Rumors, where we blow the lid off the week’s juiciest gossip and hush-hush industry whispers.
If you have a rumor you want to contribute, we’re all ears. Just send it to jarrod@mania.com.
 
A Joker spin-off directed by Brett Ratner?
Rumor: Maniac Joeybaloney has won the craziest speculative tidbit of the week award with the insight of a Joker-led spin-off being desired by director Brett Ratner.
Source: MTV
Mania Verdict: While Ratner indeed mentions that he wants to direct a Joker-based spin-off of Christopher Nolan’s current franchise, there’s no chance of it actually happening with Warner Bros. executives still hoping to sign Nolan on the dotted line for a third installment. Still, here’s what Ratner had to say on it.
 “That would be really cool,” he said. But don’t we then run into the not-so-little problem of who could possibly fill Heath Ledger’s shoes?
“Heath was great,” Ratner said. “But the Joker is a great villain. That’s why Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger had so much to work with. And I think there will be another actor who can interpret that. It would be great to see [Robert] Downey [Jr.] as the Joker, for instance.”
 
Bourne’s Paul Greengrass leading the list for a Blackbeard feature?
 
 

Rumor: With the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy focusing more on PG-13 fantasy elements, the news last summer that an R-rated Blackbeard feature was coming out of DreamWorks raised a few eyebrows. Mania learned this week that Bourne Ultimatum and Bourne Supremacy director Paul Greengrass was leading the candidate list of possible directors.

Source: Mania
Mania Verdict: TRUE---We know from our sources within the production that Greengrass is ahead of a few others on the list. While the property looked to be moving from one studio to another at one time, with Paul as a top candidate, DreamWorks is hoping to bring this to the big screen after all.
 
M. Night and Samuel L. Jackson Hoping for an Unbreakable trilogy?
 
 

Rumor: Despite the first film being released nearly 8 years ago, recent news popped up this week that director M. Night Shyamalan and leading star Samuel L. Jackson were holding out hopes of continuing their Unbreakable storyline.

Source: MTV
Mania Verdict: TRUE— There are some questions as to whether their hopes will be proven victorious but the two are hoping to continue the storyline of Mr. Glass.
 
I tell you I get asked about it all the time, so it’s not [an idea] I ever forget,” Shyamalan told MTV News. “I genuinely just asked this question the other day — should I make ‘Unbreakable 2’?”
 
Brett Ratner leading the new Conan?
 
 

Rumor: One thing about Brett Ratner is true. He’s a website favorite when it comes to getting attached to high profile Hollywood projects. Here’s the second Ratner related item for this week, this one having him in charge of leading Nu Image’s Conan remake.

Source: Dread Central
Mania Verdict: MAYBE---We buy that his name is on the list since his name is frequently on a lot of possible director lists. As to whether he actually gets the job of leading Conan, we have our doubts whether he will win the job over the other rumored directors which include Neil Marshall, James McTeigue, The Strause Brothers, Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, Robert Rodriguez and Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.
 >
The new Megatron is a tank?
 
 

Rumor: Hot off the wires this week was some possible leaked photos that had Megatron switching from an flying super jet to a ground terrain super tank in Michael Bay’s upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Source:TFW2005
Mania Verdict: TRUE---Hasbro has confirmed the new look of Megatron for their upcoming sequel via the Hasbro Licensing Summit 2008. The sequel is due in theaters June 26, 2009.
 
 
Megan Fox is Aspen in the Fathom comic film?
 
 

Rumor: All has been quiet on the upcoming Fathom adaptation after creator Michael Turner passed away last summer from bone cancer. The latest rumor suggests that the project is still moving forward and they have a leading actress for the top role by way of Transformers’ Megan Fox.

Source:IESB
Mania Verdict: TRUE---We can see Fox fitting the bill for the fanboy favorite Aspen character. This wouldn’t be the first comic heroine that Megan is set to lead for comic fans. She’s also set to star as the rumored Hack/Slash leading lady. 

More Content By Jarrod Sarafin
Straczynski Updates on Writing WORLD WAR Z
(Thursday, December 4, 2008)
CBS Announces Mid-Season Line Up
(Wednesday, December 3, 2008)
Grazer Explains Crowe's Dual Roles in NOTTINGHAM
(Wednesday, December 3, 2008)
Johnny Depp Becomes The HAND OF DANTE
(Wednesday, December 3, 2008)
New Sneak Peek for Season 5 of LOST
(Wednesday, December 3, 2008)
WB Sets John Brownlow to Pen CAPTAIN BLOOD Remake
(Wednesday, December 3, 2008)
CAPRICA Hits SCI FI Channel in 2010
(Tuesday, December 2, 2008)
More Information On PLANET OF THE APES Prequel
(Tuesday, December 2, 2008)
Ray Stevenson Hunts Washington in BOOK OF ELI
(Tuesday, December 2, 2008)
Rob Zombie is Back for HALLOWEEN 2?
(Tuesday, December 2, 2008)
Buy These Related Products
Fandango Logo
Comments/Responses
1 2 3 4 > >>
saiyiansreign823 • Sep 26, 2008, 02:08am •
If it's a director that should never ever in his god given life touch a superbly acted classic comic villain such as the Joker, it would be this jackass Brett Ratner. That asshole must have been shooting some good H and was higher than Giraffe Pussy to make a statement like that. Christopher Nolan must be reading this bit of news and screaming do not to let this hack touch my vision of the Joker. If not, I'm saying it for him. Brett would probably fill in the Joker's origin, starting with an abusive childhood *yawn*, which would negate the whole "you want to know how I got my scars" anecdotes. He'll give the Joker a more humanized quality, instead just being a mysterious force of chaos and anarchy. It played quite well in Nolan's version of Batman. He's also up for Conan? Dear god, I shutter at the thought of him bring a Conan movie to the big screen. High adventure with silly gags and a bad plot. Stick to doing music video's for Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson & Rush Hour Series.

spiderhero • Sep 26, 2008, 04:34am •
No Joker movie at all, please. It simply wouldn't work.For the Joker to work as a character, he needs Batman to contrast against. A Joker spin-off is a BAD idea. ESPECIALLY with Ratner at the helm. This rumor makes me smell X Men 3...

ponyboy76 • Sep 26, 2008, 04:40am •
I was going to lay a big fat one on Brett Ratner but Saiyian beat me to it and said everything I wanted to. Except for that is one of the scariest fuckin rumors I have ever read. Ratner is a douche! There is no way in hell, heaven, or anywhere else that anyone in their right mind would let him go anywhere near a movie about the Joker. That dude isn`t worthy enough to sniff the Joker`s crotch much less helm a movie about him. He doesn`t even deserve to helm a Conan flick. Stick to remaking your Rush Hour flicks. And I don`t want or need to hear crap from you guys like "I don`t understand why there is all this hate for Ratner." Maybe because he sucks as a director. He has had a few good movies and has made a great career of making alot of money for his flicks, but just because a guy can paint like 20 pictures and sell them doesn`t make him freaking Leonardo DaVinci. The guy is a tool. And no I will not forgive him for Rush Hour 3 or X3. I thought that he was a decent director but after watching RH3, I realized that he was shite!

hanso • Sep 26, 2008, 05:01am •
Baloney why do you wish to hurt me so?

SpideyBD • Sep 26, 2008, 06:27am •
I am just curious what is with all the hate for Ratner? I know his movies are not oscar material but most aren't. X-men III was by far not his fault so don't use that excuse. I happen to enjoy that installment a lot or at least just as well as the others. His rush hour movies are descent just they have played their course kinda like Lethal Weapon did with 3 and 4. I know they are different and LW is far superior but both have the same cop-buddy thing. So why all the hate? I say this because it seems like a Band-Wagon thing than more of a substance or credit of Ratner's. Most movies are directed in a mediocre way just the substance might appeal to you. Superbad or movies like that are not my cup of tea but they are not directed "great" either and no-one goes of on those directing it. So again have I missed something because I don't get it. Is he a jerk in real life or something?

BTW I really think Ratners joker would be garbage because of the Heath performance. Would be hard to match. As far as Conan not sure about that but at least he can direct a movie seriously with no cheesy parts in it so who knows. Conan with wisecracking in it would be dumb in my eyes.

myklspader • Sep 26, 2008, 06:30am •
Well first it is a well known fact that Ratner has a habit of always putting his name on a project that never even exists half the time. Second, even if Warner were to think of doing a spin off (God knows why they would), I am sure DC would step in as well as Noaln and just take that idea away. I guess Ratner thinks he can do it all cause after all he has a branding company now… yeah it takes a REAL FUCKING GENIUS to add the words: “World Tour” to a fucking Guitar Hero title. And it takes an even BIGGER GENIUS to center Guitar Hero commercials around the “Risky Business” underwear/sing a long scene (like that scene has not been copied enough).

It is apparent that Ratner was not watching Noaln's movie… sorry film, sorry EPIC closely, TDK had the best line for why you can never have a spin-off movie, the part were The Joker says that Batman and him are meant for each other.

Besides Downey IS Iron Man, and odds are if he were to play The Joker he wouldn't understand or “get” the role and film anyway.

hanso • Sep 26, 2008, 06:34am •
I stopped reading SpideyBD's comment after he said he enjoys X-Men3.

SpideyBD • Sep 26, 2008, 06:41am •
Funny Hanso like I said Bandwagon or do you have a real complaint? I really am curious as to why everyone hates him. I understand they will be opinions but some one has to have a valid reason other than "his movies suck". I really want to know. I don't get it.

hanso • Sep 26, 2008, 06:56am •
Have you not seen his movies? Money Talks, After the Sunset, Rush Hour 3, X3? Let's not forget he also wants to make a Guitar Hero movie. No, you read that right, he wants to do a Guitar Hero movie.

ponyboy76 • Sep 26, 2008, 07:00am •
Hanso, I stopped reading after that too. Threw up in my mouth a little, then continued reading. As easy as it is for us to say we hate Ratner, its just as easy as you to label it "Bandwagoning" I have my reasons and they go beyond the shitefest that was X3. Saying that Ratner is blameless for that movie is like saying the soldiers in the Concertration Camps were just "doing their jobs". A good director, would have either not taken the job after reading the script or fought to make it work. Instead he just bent over and let them fuck in the ass. But like I said, the hate doesn`t come with just X3. I actually thank RH3 for waking me up as to how bad a director Ratner has become. Yes, become, because he actually has made some decent movies. The 1st Rush Hour was quality. Money Talks, Family Man and even Red Dragon all had their good points. RH2 was exactly like RH. RH3 was exactly like Rush Hour 2. All he did was change the locations. His shots are all music video like. He doesn`t shoot anything that looks beautiful. His movies are extremely formulaic. If you like him, that`s great, but I am not a fan. He has many fans. You are obviously one of them. That`s good for you. I think he`s a tool.
nuff said

1 2 3 4 > >>
Login to post a comment!
  Advertise on Mania | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy | Terms of Use | Sitemap
Mania is the premiere online destination for fans of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and anime entertainment. It is the largest community offering profiles, video, science fiction movies, sci fi TV, art, sci fi comics, photos, cheats, blogs, science fiction books, forums and feedback. Mania offers insider entertainment industry info and original content for science fiction, fantasy, and horror entertainment genres including: video games, comics, gadgets, movies, television, toys, music, books, DVDs and more.
Demand Entertainment