After presenting The Spirit at last month's New York Comic-Con, Lionsgate feels good enough about Frank Miller's solo directorial debut to move it from its January 16th dead zone of a release date to Christmas Day, 2008. So instead of going up against Mall Cop, starring Kevin James as a wacky security guard, and the Notorious B.I.G. biopic, The Spirit will face off against Adam Sandler's Bedtime Stories, the supposedly ultra-heartwarming Marley & Me, The Tale of Despereaux, and the aftershocks of Twilight and The Day the Earth Stood Still.
"Adult" Christmas counterprogramming has not traditionally fared too well. Last year's Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem actually did okay, but remember Black Christmas? No? What about Darkness? The move is indeed a vote of confidence, but it might up throwing the film to the wolves. The key is to position it as a prestige picture rather than a throwaway. There's been enough fanfare around the promotional materials released thus far to make that look like a possibility. If Lionsgate can put it on people's radar in advance as a Christmas Movie to See, rather than have it randomly show up to compete against the holiday heavy-hitters, it could work.
And thus begins Hollywood's rediscovery of Golden Age comics. Variety reports that the Creative Artists Agency has landed the rights to Will Eisner's estate, enlisting the late comic book legend as a client.
Their plan is to take Eisner's large library of comic book titles and package them up as movie, television, and other media properties. Interest in all things Eisner has been heating up, due largely to Frank Miller's upcoming adaptation of The Spirit. (And probably due to Eisner and the Spirit always being ever present at San Diego ComicCon, which Hollywood increasingly takes over.)
Obviously, there's no word on what titles are being looked at first, or by whom. I'm curious how diehard Eisner fans will take this -- do they want his titles remaining undiscovered and unsullied by blockbuster movies? Or are they going to jump at the chance to see anything and everything adapted?
Frankly, I'm always happy if original content is being adapted over remaking the movies of the 1980's. I imagine all his noir work will be snapped up first -- and I would be none too sorry to see Lady Luck. Hawks of the Seas would be ten kinds of fun, but I am a sucker for swashbucklers. I hope someone looks at his serious graphic novels -- Contract with God, Family Matters, and The Name of the Game could all be brilliant in the right hands. It will be interesting to see where this deal goes.
Remember those lines in your high school yearbook that claimed so and so was most likely to do such and such? You know, like most likely to succeed, most likely to be famous, most likely to be the target of a senatorial investigation. That's the angle were going with today as we look at five recent trailers with an eye for what they're most likely to accomplish.
The Spirit This one is the movie most likely to have people saying "who the hell is The Spirit." This is a character with a long and illustrious history in the world of comics (check out his Wikipedia entry for the full story) who was created by one of the acknowledged masters of the form, but outside of the comics niche, most people have never heard of him. To the best of my knowledge, the only time the character appeared in another medium was when Sam Jones of Flash Gordon fame played the him in a failed TV pilot in 1987. This film version is directed by Frank Miller and his Sin City style is very much in evidence. I like the look, and I like the fact that Miller has The Spirit leaping off the title logo as he often did in the comics. Here's what Elisabeth thought of it.
Sea of Dust This is the film most likely to give people Grindhouse flashbacks, as long as you see the version of the trailer that's up on Youtube or the one at upcominghorrormovies.com. The preview has the intentionally worn and scratched look consistent with what Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino did with Grindhouse. Not exactly an original idea, but it looks cool and it certainly got my attention. Oddly, the version shown on the film's official site doesn't have the weathered look. This period horror flick is an homage to both the classic Hammer horror films and the works of Italian scare maestro Mario Bava (there's a scene with a dank dungeon hallway lit with multi-colored lights that's pure Bava). The film stars Tom Savini as the villainous Prester John whose evil threatens the residents of a small village, with Hammer films alumnus Ingrid Pitt (The Vampire Lovers, Countess Dracula) also starring. I'm still a bit hazy on the plot even after reading the synopsis at the official site, but I love Hammer and Bava, so I have to see this one.
Frank Miller's place in comic book history is already secure, but these days, he's aiming to leave a sizable IMDB entry too. Miller revealed exclusively to MTV Movies that not only is there renewed interest in a film adaptation of his comic miniseries Hard Boiled, but that he's hoping to direct it himself. "We're talking about [it]. I've got a really unusual way I want to do it."
After co-directing Sin City, and helming The Spirithimself, he's officially caught the bug. "I'm in love with directing. I've found a way to expand my career. Comics and directing are really two sides of the same coin. That's what Robert Rodriguez taught me ... good drama is good drama."
Hard Boiled was originally published in 1990 by Dark Horse, and is one of the few Miller comics out there that the man himself didn't illustrate. It is about a humble insurance investigator named Carl Seitz, who unexpectedly discovers that he's a cyborg assassin named Nixon. Though psychotic, he's also heralded as the savior of the robot race. It was remarkably violent for its day -- and still is. At one point, it was in development to be directed by David Fincher, and starring Nicolas Cage.
People are really hating on Miller for this swerve in his career, but frankly, I think it's pretty cool. I always admire anyone who can transition from one field to another -- and it is always exciting when an author gets to helm their own work. Alan Moore should have totally gone this route.
You know that room Willy Wonka takes everyone in -- the one full of candy, and then the fat kid gets sucked into the chocolate pipe? For a geek, Comic Con is that room. Actually, Comic Con is like visiting 60 or 70 of those rooms for an entire weekend. I'm not even what you'd call a geek, gamer or fanboy, and I get absolutely overwhelmed each and every time I attend one of these conventions. It's seriously like losing yourself in another universe for awhile -- and then you get to watch a really sick trailer ... or three. NY Comic Con blew the f*ck (pardon my French) up this year. Last year, they hosted Hostel II and The Hills Have Eyes 2. This year, they had Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Wanted, The Incredible Hulk, The X-Files: I Want to Believe, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, Speed Racer, The Dark Knight, The Spirit, Prince Caspian ... and much more. Yup. In one year, NYCC has seriously kicked things up a notch and I was happy to be a part of the fun.
I'll do a whole recap thingy tomorrow (the scene they showed from Hulk brought the house down -- huge highlight for me), but in the meantime check out all these pics I took throughout the day. They're not all perfect, but they give you a pretty good idea of what it was like walking around, oblivious and in desperate need of some lunch. (Photos include: Hellboy panel, Spirit panel, Star Wars, Wanted panel, Iron Man video game, Hulk video game, hottie girls with guns, stormtroopers, and lots and lots of action figures.)
It's here! The day Frank Miller is going to make or break it on his directing debut. Oh, I know it is only the trailer -- but we all know that enough bad buzz on a comic book property (especially one as beloved as The Spirit) could sink it long before its release date.
The trailer comes to us by way of MTV so unfortunately we can't embed it. I barely caught the damn thing before it flashed off the main page. It looks very very Sin City -- which has already caused no amount of criticism. But I can't deny that I think it looks pretty intriguing. Maybe it's just that oh-so-sexy tagline. The Untouchables music is a nice touch, too, but also jarring. It started making me think of that movie instead of the trailer.
So, nothing new really -- Miller may be getting a fanboy reprieve. I'm in your corner though, Miller. The Spirit comes to the theatres January 15th, 2009.
Thanks to our reader Electrix for sending us the YouTube link! Now no one has to spaz out clicking the MTV link, and our international users can get in on the fun.
The first two posters for The Spirithave debuted online shortly before the trailer (which hits today at 4pm). The image above comes to us via AICN and it appears to be the official teaser poster. Included after the jump is the exclusive Comic Con poster for The Spirit (via Yahoo Movies), featuring Eva Mendes as Sand Saref -- bending down, oozing sexy in some tight black outfit. The gal looks pretty damn good, and I love how her character's name is only a few letters off from the name of a font. Fonts are hot! Right off the bat we can see these first two posters have that Sin City vibe Miller and Robert Rodriguez created a few years ago for the live-action version of Miller's other comic. The cold, newspaper-retro style with a splash of bright red.
Personally, I absolutely loved Sin City and so I'm definitely loving what we've seen so far from The Spirit. I do wonder how much Miller (who's directing The Spirit himself) borrowed from his experience with Rodriguez. Will we see an identical vision, or will Miller emerge with his own style, look and feel? What do you think?
Comic Con poster after the jump, or in the gallery below.
IGN has been given the gift of two official character stills from The Spirit -- and doesn't Scarlett Johansson look much prettier here than in that leaked costume test? Interestingly, the first official look of Samuel L. Jackson is a very buttoned down one -- not like the leaked stills that caused such a kerfluffle before being yanked. I'm really curious if those were simply tests, and this is the final choice.
Most of them are older still-in-progress shots, starring Frank Miller and a still visible green screen. Unfortunately we were not treated to a look at Gabriel Macht as the titular hero. But as we're getting a trailer very soon, it's not too disappointing. I would rather see the Spirit living and breathing, not just a static still. Can't wait! Head to IGN for larger versions of each.
UPDATE: Images have been removed at the request of the studio.
While she doesn't look all too excited, I'd gladly take this version of Scarlett Johansson as my nurse any day of the week. According to Egotastic!, the above image is part of three test shots of her character Silk N. Floss in Frank Miller's adaptation of Will Eisner's classic comic, The Spirit. In the film, Johansson will play a super sexy femme fatale; secretary and accomplice to the Octopus (played by Samuel L. Jackson). The Octopus is a villain who kills anyone unlucky enough to see his face. The Spirit also stars Gabriel Macht as Denny Colt (aka The Spirit); a rookie cop who returns from the dead to fight crime in Central City. Eva Mendes, Sarah Paulson, Jamie King and Paz Vega round out the cast. Check out more pics of Johansson in the gallery below.
The Spirit is scheduled to arrive in theaters on January 16, 2009.
Superhero Hype got their hands on some exclusive artwork for Frank Miller's adaptation of The Spirit. They're outdoor artwork, so you may be seeing these three posters at a movie theatre near you very soon.
I know I should scream "It's too Sin City!" but forget it, I think they are awesome. I especially love the tagline. As of right now, the MyCityScreams.com URL goes to the same Spirit website, but I bet they are about to revamp it. The teaser and the official poster is supposed to debut at New York ComicCon on April 21st, and then appear online shortly after. Can't wait.
If you'd like a hi-res version of the three posters, head over to Superhero Hype. The Spirit hits theatres January 16th, 2009.
Last summer, I attended a thesis presentation by one of my classmates. It was on the portrayal of women and minorities in comic books. I wasn't the only girl there, but I was the first one to arrive. As we waited for kick off and were casually discussing the topic, one of the other students piped up, "Hey, let's ask her -- you're a girl who reads comics, what do YOU think of Frank Miller? Is he a misogynist or what?"
Yikes. And I've since learned that no man or woman ever expects you to say "No" to that question. If you say "No, I really don't," jaws will drop and everyone will say "But what about that Vicki Vale thing?" Damning, to be sure -- but 95% of comic book writers and illustrators do the exact same thing. But, to make a long story short, I always point to Elektra, and we all begrudgingly agree to disagree.
Well, over at the official website for The Spirit, Miller has posted a new production blog. While he never specifically addresses the charges against him (and may not even be thinking of them as he posted this), Miller nevertheless has written a spirited defense. "I love writing tough, powerful women." And he has set out to do just that with one chick specifically -- Ellen Dolan, love interest of the title character. The character has proved to be a challenge, a weak stereotype of the age in which she was created. Miller calls her "a lousy character" and complains, "[The Spirit] even tossed her over his knee and spanked her. And she took it. Ellen Dolan made Donna Reed look like Angelina Jolie."
And here I was thinking "Wow, we haven't heard much about The Spirit lately."
Frank Miller has posted his third blog on the film's official site and this one finds him full of praise for his cast. "One outstanding reason I am a lucky SOB is because I get to work with beautiful goddesses and gods who also, by the way, can ACT." Miller certainly has lined up a fairly impressive cast -- though even the fanboys are skeptical that Jaime King and Eva Mendes fall into the "great talent" category.
I don't know if it's my compute or the site, but the blog goes blank about halfway through, so if it works for you, you'll have to fill me in on what else Miller says. All in all, his blogs make one hope that Miller directs as well as he writes about directing. . .
Sadly, while he opened the floor to heroic discussion, a look at the forum reveals he never actually stayed to listen. And here I was hoping I'd discovered the secret place where Miller hangs out and talks about bullets, broads, and booze.
Beyond Hollywood now has the second poster for Dominic Sena's (Swordfish) thriller based on Greg Rucka's graphic novel, Whiteout. Rucka's limited series was originally released in 1998, and the original story had two female agents investigating a murder in McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Rights were originally purchased in 1999, and here we are eight years later and after a few quick casting switches, Kate Beckinsale was signed to play U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko. Casting was finalized back in March when Gabriel Macht (The Spirit) singed on as UN operative, Alex O'Loughlin, and Tom Skerrit in an unnamed role.
A teaser poster had been released for ComicCon back in July, and, frankly, I thought it was pretty blah. Especially when you consider the quality of the art in the graphic novels; Beckinsale pouting just doesn't quite do it for me. So is the new poster any better you might ask? Well, it's better, but not by much. Maybe I'm asking too much from my movie posters, but I just can't get all that jazzed about something that looks like it could double as a Ray Bans ad.
It hasn't been an easy road to get Whiteout to production. Starting back in 1999 when Colombia Pictures first picked up the film rights and to commission a script from Jon and Erich Hoeber, oddly enough, the first order of business was to do away with one of the female leads in the story and to switch to a man (so much for girl power I guess). Whiteout is set for release in October 2008. See the full poster after the jump.
I'm not a comic-book reader, so I didn't know much about the subject of Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist before seeing the documentary at Austin Film Festival. I knew he was the creator of The Spirit, a comic-book series that Frank Miller is adapting into a feature film ... and that's about all I knew. Fortunately, the documentary filled in many of the blanks for me about Eisner and provided some interesting details about the artist's life.
Eisner is credited for being one of the pioneers in the comic-book form -- as the film's title indicates, he believed in making the comics sequential, giving them an ongoing storyline, which was not standard back in the 1930s when he started work as an artist. His character The Spirit was not a traditional superhero with crazy superpowers, but an ordinary guy in the smallest of masks, who happened to fight crime. During WWII and afterwards, Eisner created military instructional manuals that were drawn in a comic-book style to make them interesting and easy to understand. Later in life, he created more dramatic, personal comic books (A Contract with God) that he dubbed "graphic novels," and paved the way for this type of work to be taken seriously.
Frank Miller productions certainly know how to rack up the attractive women, unless, of course, the flick in question is about a graphic war or something. The Spirit has already got the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes, Stana Katic, and Sarah Paulson, but it isn't quite bursting at the seams yet. Now Variety reports that Paz Vega (Spanglish) has been added to the cast, along with Sin City alum Jaime King (Goldie). Is there any chance now that men won't be going to the theaters in hordes to see this?
The Spirit is not some cheerleader story, but rather the tale of a rookie cop named Denny Colt who returns from the dead to fight evil in Central City. The latest cast additions are playing what Booklist describes as "two of [Will] Eisner's most dangerous femmes fatale." Vega will play the knife-wielding, "treacherous French nightclub dancer" (and wonderfully named) Plaster of Paris, while King will play Lorelei Rox, "a siren who lured truck drivers to their doom." Paris considers herself "the toast of Monmartre, I stick to my man until death us do part!" While Lorelei, on the other hand, sings "a hypnotic song that mesmerizes her victims." (Go here for Rox and more Spirit characters.) Methinks they'll both be great. How about you? Are these actresses right for the roles, and are you reading for a little Spirit?
After presenting The Spirit at last month's New York Comic-Con, Lionsgate feels good enough about Frank Miller's solo directorial debut to move it from its January 16th dead zone of a release date to Christmas Day, 2008. So instead of going up against Mall Cop, starring Kevin James as a wacky security guard, and the Notorious B.I.G. biopic, The Spirit will face off against Adam Sandler's Bedtime Stories, the supposedly ultra-heartwarming Marley & Me, The Tale of Despereaux, and the aftershocks of Twilight and The Day the Earth Stood Still.
And thus begins Hollywood's rediscovery of Golden Age comics. 
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Last summer, I attended a thesis presentation by one of my classmates. It was on the portrayal of women and minorities in comic books. I wasn't the only girl there, but I was the first one to arrive. As we waited for kick off and were casually discussing the topic, one of the other students piped up, "Hey, let's ask her -- you're a girl who reads comics, what do YOU think of 
And here I was thinking "Wow, we haven't heard much about 
Beyond Hollywood now has the 
Frank Miller productions certainly know how to rack up the attractive women, unless, of course, the flick in question is about a graphic war or something. 
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Full 'G.I. Joe' Cast Photos!
