via bleedingcool.com – Brendon Connelly
During the original series of Star Trek, some episodes were conceived and written as vehicles for special guests stars, just as you’d expect. And so it was with Norman Spinrad‘s screenplay, He Walked Among Us, intended to showcase Milton Berle.
Berle was perhaps the all-time biggest and almost certainly the first real TV star, and I’m not at all surprised to know that Gene Roddenberry wanted to feature him on Trek.
But the script never made it to air. According to Spinrad himself:
“This original version was rewritten into an unfunny comedy by the line producer Gene Coon apparently unaware that Uncle Miltie was also a serious dramatic actor and a good one. It was so bad that I complained to Roddenberry… and he agreed with me. I killed my second Star Trek, which, down through the years has cost me tens of thousands of dollars in lost residuals.”
Ouch.
Spinrad considered the original script to be lost, and was surprised when he recently met a fan with a hard copy. In return for Spinrad’s signature, the fan made a PDF of the whole thing, and now it’s been published for the Kindle.
I doubt very much that this will help recoup those lost residuals, but I’d also expect that the hardcore Trek fans will be snapping up enough to give Spinrad a little bit of pin money.
At first glance, the story seems to be about a self-made god who needs to be taken down a peg or two by Kirk and co.
Note that Spinrad later used the same title for a completely unrelated novel – waste not, want not.
Via www.bleedingcool.com
via bleedingcool.com – Rich Johnston
It was mentioned in the solicitations. But now it’s appeared officially on panel, honest. With all the various discussions over which stories “happened” in the new 52, we now have positive on panel proof that, yes, Batman did get his back broken in the Knightfall story, by Bane.
Yes, this is news. Shush.
And in Batman: The Dark Knight, out today, he may have the opportunity to do so again. Possibly in an upcoming film.It’s odd how characters become known for one thing. Bane breaks backs, Dr Light rapes, Darkseid sits around in a armchairs drinking brandy, it’s almost as if they are… two dimensional.
Via www.bleedingcool.com
via bleedingcool.com
An amazing find.
345 comics found, neatly stacked in a closet, discovered by the late owner’s great nephew, in Virginia.
And they include Action Comics #1. Decective Comics #27. Captain America #2. All American Comics #16. Batman #1. Marvel Comics #1. Indeed, 45 of what are considered the most collectible comics of all time were in that closet. The conditions vary, from a CGC 3.0 Action Comics, to the CGC 8.5 Batman.Mentioning the comics to a co-worker months later, specifically the cover of Captain America, saw the family rush to a Price Guide, and their heads started reeling.
So up for auction today from Heritage, the “Billy Wright” collection, named after its original owner, is expected to sell for over two million dollars.
Via www.bleedingcool.com
via newsarama.com – Graeme McMillan
If you’re thinking “Is that an unprinted page of Frank Miller/Klaus Janson art from their Daredevil run?” then the answer is yes:
The page comes via Tom Brevoort’s uber-amazing Marvel Age of Comics Tumblr, where he explained:Here’s an unprinted page by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson from the two-part angel dust story that was originally intended for DAREDEVIL #167 and #168, and which was rejected by the comics code. The story eventually saw print, retooled, as DAREDEVIL #183 & #184, but this page fell by the wayside.
For those who like seeing scans of original art and/or Marvel ephemera, I can’t recommend that Tumblr enough.
Via blog.newsarama.com
via badassdigest.com – Devin Faraci
The latest Tim Burton stop-motion movie gets an animated poster.
Disney has debuted the motion poster for Frankenweenie on the film’s Facebook page. What we have here is a screencap; to see the poster in motion, go to https://www.facebook.com/FrankenweenieMovie
The movie is an adaptation of a live action short that Burton made years and years and years ago, about a young boy who brings his dead dog back to life. Hilariously, it was stuff like this that got Burton let go from Disney in the first place, and now he’s back making them billions.My aversion to modern Burton is well-documented, but I think his stop-motion stuff stands outside of that. i’m feeling hopeful for Frankenweenie, especially as the original short is pretty wonderful.
Via badassdigest.com
via spinoff.comicbookresources.com – TJ Dietsch
Robert Downey Jr. Nearly Played Lex Luthor in McG’s Superman
Wedged between Tim Burton’s unrealized vision for Superman Lives and Bryan Singer’s much-criticized Superman Returns in the storied on-screen history of the Man of Steel is Superman: Flyby, a planned origin story that turned out to be another false start for the superhero franchise.
With a script by J.J. Abrams in hand, director McG eyed Scarlett Johansson as Lois Lane and Shia LaBeouf as Jimmy Olsen. For the lead role, he screen-tested several relatively unknown actors, including the current Man of Steel Henry Cavill. But who did he want to play Superman’s arch-nemesis ?While making the rounds for his new action/romantic comedy This Means War, McG revealed to The Playlist that he’d secured Robert Downey Jr. ahead of the actor’s Hollywood comeback. “We had Robert Downey Jr. locked up to be Lex Luthor, which I think would have been extraordinary,” he said.
Ultimately, though, Flyby fell apart, primarily because McG’s fear of flying prevented him from going to Sydney, Australia, where Warner Bros. wanted to shoot the bulk of the film.
“J.J. wrote the script, and we got that to a really good place in the end,” he said. “But I’m to blame for [the film not happening].”
Via spinoff.comicbookresources.com
via animationmagazine.net
Del Toro, Gutierrez Collaborate on ‘Day of the Dead’ Pic
Guillermo del Toro will produce a new CG-animated feature, directed by Jorge Gutierrez, the creator of Nickelodeon’s series El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera. The movie, which is called Day of the Dead, will be produced by Aaron Berger and Carina Schulze of Chatrone Inc. at Dallas studio Reel FX. The movie will be ready for delivery in the fall of 2012.Described a a Romeo and Juliet story set against the colorful Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, the movie was penned by Gutierrez and Doug Langdale, whose long list of credits includes The Return of Jafar, Darkwing Duck, The X’s and Kung Fu Panda. It represents the first time in almost twenty years — since 1993’s Cronos — that del Toro has collaborated on a feature project set in Mexico.
“I have admired Jorge’s work for a long time,” say del Toro. “He has a unique aesthetic and sense of humor. Day of the Dead offers a perfect opportunity for his sensibilities to shine. This is a colorful, vibrant, vital fable that utilizes the animation medium in an incredible way. The object of the tale is not only to talk about life but to dazzle us – jolt us- into living to the fullest. To join Reel FX, Cary Granat and Jorge in this adventure is a privilege and a joy.”
In addition to Day of the Dead, Reel FX has secured and is actively developing multiple CG-animated and effects-driven, live-action projects. Projects underway include an animated feature adaptation of the Dark Horse graphic novel, Beasts of Burden, produced by Andrew Adamson (Shrek) and Aron Warner; and Turkeys, the studio’s CG-animated comedy directed by Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who!) Reel FX also produced I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat, and the other recent 3-D CG-animated Looney Tunes shorts, in conjunction with Warner Bros. Animation.
Via www.animationmagazine.net
via animationmagazine.net
Frederator Launches New Cartoon Hangover Channel
Indie animation company Frederator Networks will launch the premium YouTube channel Cartoon Hangover with three series beginning July 2012. Cartoon Hangover plans to produce and program 10 original series and 39 original shorts in the next three years. The programming will target young adults with character-driven comedy cartoons, according to Frederator founder and president Fred Seibert.
The channel’s three initial animated series are the start of a multi-year programming plan:
Bravest Warriors, created by Pendleton Ward (Adventure Time), stars four 16-year-old heroes-for-hire warping around galaxies, saving cute alien worlds with their emotions. Breehn Burns (Dr. Tran) will executive produce and write.
Based on his comic book series, James Kochalka’s SuperF*ckers follows the non-heroic adventures of a group of superheroes who drink, smoke, and swear, yet do nothing super (except by accident). Kochalka, the Vermont Cartoonist Laureate responsible for the Ignatz Award-winning online comic diary American Elf, will write. Indie filmmaker Fran Krause (“Nosy Bear”) is on board as showrunner. SuperF*ckers will be produced in association with Top Shelf Productions.
Under the Cartoon Hangover banner, Frederator will also produce a series of original cartoon shorts (The Cartoon Hangover Show) in the tradition of the company’s run of development projects for Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. Those programs are now responsible for launching more than a dozen hit series including The Fairly OddParents, Dexter’s Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, and Adventure Time.
“More than anything, we’re eager to help and support cartoon filmmakers, tomorrow’s hitmakers, realize their animated visions of remarkable stories and terrific characters,” says Frederator VP of Development Eric Homan. “Holy hell, are these cartoons funny,” adds Frederator founder and president Fred Seibert. “We’re confident our cartoons will put all other so-called Internet cartoons to shame. Eat it, broadcast TV!”
Frederator Studios was founded by Hanna-Barbera president Fred Seibert in 1998 as a unique incubator for big animation ideas by producing original cartoons. More than 200 short films have resulted in 16 hit series for television and the Internet, including Butch Hartman’s The Fairly OddParents, Genndy Tartakovsky’s Dexter’s Laboratory, Craig McCracken’s The Powerpuff Girls, Eric Robles’s Fanboy & Chum Chum, and Pendleton Ward’s Adventure Time. Frederator is also in partnership with Sony Pictures Animation to develop and produce feature animated films, and YouTube to create new cartoon content and channels.“This will be the fifth short anthology show we’ve produced over the years,” adds Seibert.
“We will be looking for outrageous, funny shots targeting over-14 age group. We’re always searching for the next great animation star, just as we did in the past, working with amazing talent such Genndy Tartakovsy, Craig McCracken. Butch Hartman and Penn Ward. We’re fortunate to be witnessing an unbelievable phase of our business, where shows such as Gumball , Adventure Time and Regular Show have allowed new voices to create dynamic content for a new world.”
Frederator is currently looking for Cartoon Hangover pitches. For more information, contact Eric Homan at eric@frederator.com.
Via www.animationmagazine.net
via animenewsnetwork.com
Kanojo wa Uso o Ai Shisugiteru Romance Manga Gets Film
The April issue of Shogakukan’s Cheese! magazine is announcing on Saturday that a film adaptation of Kotomi Aoki’s Kanojo wa Uso o Ai Shisugiteru manga has been green-lit. The front cover of the magazine does not specify if the adaptation is anime or live-action.
The story centers around Aki Ogasawara, a “sound creator” who composes for the popular band Crude Play and earns over 100 million yen (about US$1.3 million). Despite this, he conceals all of this and calls himself a NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). Seeking a life outside of music, he begins seeing a high school girl named Riko Koeda. However, what Aki does not know is that Riko is actually a huge fan of Aki’s music. Even with his girlfriend, Aki cannot escape the world of music.Aoki launched the manga in Cheese! magazine in 2009, and Shogakukan is publishing the manga’s eighth compiled book volume this month.
Via www.animenewsnetwork.com
via animenewsnetwork.com
Lollipop Chainsaw Game’s Newest Promo Video Streamed
The Japanese game website Gpara.com began streaming the newest promotional video for the Lollipop Chainsaw game from Grasshopper Manufacture (Heroman, Rebuild of Evangelion: Sound Impact) and Kadokawa Games. This 114-second video contains footage from the game’s adults-only Zakuraku version. In Japan, this version is only available in the game’s Premium Edition, which also features exclusive costumes and Japanese/English soundtracks.
Kadokawa Games plans to release this action game on the PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 consoles in Japan later this year. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will release the game outside of all Asian territories. James Gunn, writer-director of the 2010 film Super, co-writer of the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead, and writer-director of the films Tromeo and Juliet and Slither, is supervising the game’s story scenario. Suda51 (No More Heroes) is acting as creative director for the game.
Via www.animenewsnetwork.com
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