The Dark Knight Score Disqualified From Academy Award Consideration

Warner Bros. recently launched a “For Your Consideration” campaign for “The Dark Knight,” pushing Best Picture, Best Director and Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor among others but the score of “The Dark Knight” has been left out from Academy Awards consideration.

Formal letters to that effect are expected to go out this week to composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, who collaborated on the music.

Apparently the decision of whether to include the score for The Dark Knight in the running or not involved four hours of discussion over the past two executive committee meetings, but apparently the fact more than 60%, but less than 70%, of the score was credited to Zimmer and Howard was an issue. The unfortunate thing here is the decision to include the three additional names - music editor Alex Gibson, ambient music designer Mel Wesson and composer Lorne Balfe - was a way of financially rewarding parts of the music team who helped make the overall work successful. I guess karma doesn’t always work for awards, but with The Dark Knight now only $2.4 million away from over $1 billion in box-office receipts I would say karma has a way of working things out.

The original soundtrack for the Christopher Nolan-directed superhero movie has been released in four different formats, a standard jewel case CD, a 2 LP set of heavy-weight 180 gram vinyl version, a special edition digipack, and a collector’s edition with special artwork, on July 15. Containing original scores from composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, the orchestral soundtrack was recorded in London in April 2008.

Ridley Scott is Directing “Monopoly”!

A movie based on the popular board game by Parker Brothers, “Monopoly“, is moving forward and Ridley Scott has now been officially confirmed as the director.

The British director wants to give the Hasbro-Universal film a futuristic feel like his 1982 work “Blade Runner,” Reuters reports. He is also producing with Pamela Pettler ( Corpse Bride, Monster House and upcoming Nine)

Games and branded items, like Monopoly and Transformers, are said to be increasingly attractive to studios as they already have built-in audiences, helping to minimise risk.

Other Hasbro games are also making their way to the big screen. Platinum Dunes is producing its feature adaptation of Ouija Board, while the maritime classic Battleship is also in development at Universal.

14 Animated Features For Oscar 2008

Fourteen features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 81st Academy Awards.

Under the rules for this category, a maximum of 3 films can be nominated in a year in which the field of eligible entries numbers at least 8 but fewer than 16. Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also may qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.

The 14 submitted features are:

• Bolt
• Delgo
• Horton Hears a Who!
• Dragon Hunters
• Fly Me to the Moon
• Igor
• Kung Fu Panda
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
• $9.99
• The Sky Crawlers
• Sword of the Stranger
• The Tale of Despereaux
• WALL-E
• Waltz with Bashir

The 81st Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22nd 2009.

Source: The official site for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Paul McCartney in “Shrek 4″

According to thesun.co.uk, Sir Paul McCartney is in talks to write the soundtrack for “Shrek 4” and may also have a small speaking role in the movie.

The former Beatle will join Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas in the fourth movie in the Dreamworks saga, which is due for a 2010 release.

A source said:

“Paul has been discussing the possibility of providing the soundtrack to the next ‘Shrek’ film. His hit “Live and Let Die” was sung in the last movie at Shrek’s father-in-law’s funeral and was one of the funniest moments.

“If he says yes, Paul will compose a batch of original songs for the film and he could even voice a character.”

Paul said:

“I’m a huge fan of ‘Shrek’ as my little girl, who is three, loves it. I can do a really good impression of him - I put on my best Scottish accent!”

McCartney’s previous film work includes the Beatles films A Hard Day’s Night, Help! and Magical Mystery Tour. [source: MarketSaw]

Joe Johnston to Direct Captain America

Joe Johnston has signed on to direct Marvel Studios‘ “First Avenger: Captain America.”

Johnston is currently directing “The Wolfman,” which hits theaters on April 3. He is developing “The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud.” Johnston previously directed “October Sky“, “Jumanji“, “Jurassic Park III“, “The Rocketeer and Honey“, “I Shrunk the Kids“. Johnston won an Academy Award in 1982 for Best Visual Effects for “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. He now joins the ranks of Jon Favreau, Louis Leterrier, and Kenneth Branagh as Marvel’s dream team of directors set to turn bring the real Marvel universe to life in a series of films that will eventually converge in The Avengers in 2011.

The superhero blockbuster, based on a character created in 1941 by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, focuses on a weak man called Steve Rogers who is injected with an experimental serum which transforms him into a muscular superhero.

Captain America will be a World War II-set movie, and the character will appear in the modern day-set Avengers. No writers are on board but the studio expects to hire one shortly. Read the rest of this entry

Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron Set for “The Danish Girl”

Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron have signed on to star in “The Danish Girl,” film based on the true story of Danish artists Einar and Greta Wegener.

Their marriage took a sharp left turn after Einar (Kidman) stood in for an female model that Greta (Theron) was set to paint.

When their portraits become wildly popular in 1920s Copenhagen, Greta encouraged her husband to adopt the female guise. What began as a harmless game led Einer to a drastic transformation and landmark 1931 operation that shocked the world and threatened their love.

Anand Tucker, (Shopgirl,) is attached to direct the feature. Writer Lucinda Coxon adapted the screenplay from David Ebershoff’s 2000 bestseller.

Nicole Kidman will also produce the film and will next be seen in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming romantic drama “Australia.”

Pre-production has begun on the indie film, but no details on a principal photography start date have been revealed.

Jessica Alba Plays a Prostitute in “Killer Inside Me”

Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone) and Jessica Alba are teaming with director Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, A Mighty Heart) for film adaptation of “The Killer Inside Me,” the classic novel by Jim Thompson.

The story follows a West Texas sheriff named Lou Ford, played by Affleck, and his downward spiral from a boring small-town cop into a ruthless, sociopathic murderer. Alba plays a prostitute that he gets involved with. The book was first published in 1952 and was actually made into a film in 1976 that starred Stacy Keach. The adaptation was penned by Robert Weinbach and John Curran (Down Rusty Down).

Winterbottom will be directing, based on a screenplay by Weinbach and John Curran. MuseFilm’s Chris Hanley, Cyclone Prods.’ Robert Weinbach, Revolution Films’ Andrew Eaton and Bradford Schlei are producing the latest adaptation which is expected to begin shooting in mid-January.