Juan Carlos Fresnadillo To Direct Bioshock Movie
Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is in talks to direct the video game adaptation “Bioshock” for Universal Pictures.
Gore Verbinski, who dropped out of helming due to his commitment to animated movie Rango, remains the film’s producer through his Universal-based Blind Wink. Fresnadillo’s producing partner, Enrique Lopez Lavigne, is also in talks to become a producer. John Logan (Gladiator) wrote the script.
In order to keep costs lower (budget of “Bioshock” rose to $160 million) the studio has decided to move the production aboard in order to take advantage of production tax credits and try to squeeze more out of the dollar with the favorable exchange rates.
Pirates of the Caribbean 4 Shooting Next Year
Oren Aviv, Disney’s Head of Production, has confirmed that “Pirates of the Caribbean 4” will begin shooting next year with an anticipated release in 2011. The producer spoke to the guys over at ComingSoon.net at this year’s Comic Con about future Disney projects.
“We’re going to shoot ‘Pirates 4′ in April and May of next year,” Aviv told. “We are going to release it hopefully in 2011 is the plan.”
“It’s important to get the story right and it’s important to me to scale it down, because we can’t get bigger. The movies have subsequently gotten bigger and bigger and very complicated and they were satisfying on so many levels obviously, but I want to kind of reboot the whole thing and bring it down to its core, its essence, just characters.”
As we earlier wrote, Gore Verbinski, the director, informed Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer that he will not be directing the fourth installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. Still no word on whether Gore Verbinski might come back for the fourth movie.
James Cameron to Direct “Heavy Metal”
The remake of “Heavy Metal” is attracting some major names. James Cameron will co-executive produce and possibly direct a segment of the upcoming “Heavy Metal” anthology movie.
Producer Kevin Eastman tells Film School Rejects:
“I’ve got breaking news that David Fincher and James Cameron are going to be Co-Executive Producers on the film. Fincher will direct one. Cameron will direct one. Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) is going to direct one and Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy) is going to. Mark Osborne (Kung Fu Panda) and Jack Black from Tenacious D are going to do a comedy segment for the film. Three other directors have agreed but we haven’t signed them, but they’re equally as jaw-dropping. So we’re on cloud nine to be working with such an amazing amount of talent.”
The movie is a reboot of the original 1981 animated film, from executive producer Leonard Mogel, who was also the publisher of Heavy Metal magazine, the adult fantasy publication.
“Heavy Metal” is now waiting on a studio (Paramount Pictures) to step forward and fund it.
Pirates of the Carribean 4 Without Director
Keira Knightley said she had “completely fantastic experience” with Pirates but “it’s time to do different things.” Now “Pirates of the Caribbean” director Gore Verbinski tells the same.
“I had a fantastic time bringing Pirates to life, and I am eternally grateful to Jerry, Johnny and the rest of the creative and production team. I’m looking forward to all of us crossing paths again in the future.”
Verbinski has informed Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer that he will not be directing the fourth installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. Instead, Verbinski will be moving onto the live-action adaptation of the bestselling video game “BioShock” that has a John Logan script. The movie is expected to begin production in 2010.
The “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel is in development but not yet greenlit. Nobody knows how Verbinski’s decision will affect the movies’ schedule.
Verbinski is still working with Johnny Depp, though. He has been directing “Rango,” a CG-animated film for Paramount Pictures, with Depp voicing the title character.
“Pirates” Director Gore Verbinski Gets a “Clue”
Universal Pictures has attached Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean, The Ring) to direct and produce “Clue.”
The film will be a live-action murder-mystery based off the Hasbro board game, like the first Clue film made in 1985 and featured a cast that included Tim Curry and Christopher Lloyd, but details weren’t released on this new film version. The board game has users trying to solve the murder of Mr. Boddy, which was carried out by one of the game’s characters: Professor Plum, Ms. White, Col. Mustard, Miss Peacock, Mr. Green or Ms. Scarlet.
Released in 1948 by Anthony Pratt, the popular board game went on to earn more that $1 billion worldwide.
“Clue” will not be Verbinski’s next film as he will direct the videogame adaptation “Bioshock” first, also at Universal.
Hasbro has “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” and “G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra,” both of which will be distributed by Paramount this summer. At Universal, Hasbro hatched “Stretch Armstrong,” which just set Steve Oedekerk as writer; the Ridley Scott-directed “Monopoly”; “Candyland,” which Etan Cohen (”Tropic Thunder”) is writing for Kevin Lima to direct; and “Ouija,” which is being produced by Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes banner.
Isla Fisher Joins Johnny Depp In Rango
Isla Fisher has joined of Gore Verbinski’s toon adventure “Rango” as the female voice lead.
Fisher (”Confessions of a Shopaholic,” “Definitely, Maybe“) will play alongside Johnny Depp and Abigail Breslin (”Little Miss Sunshine“) in animated tale “Rango” for Paramount Pictures.
Alfred Molina, Ray Winstone, Harry Dean Stanton and Ned Beatty round out the voice cast.
Film centers on a household pet (Johnny Depp) who goes on an adventure to discover his true self.
The script is written by John Logan from the story by Gore Verbinksi who will also direct the movie.
Johnny Depp and Gore Verbinski Reteam on “Rango”
Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is reteaming with “Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogy director Gore Verbinski for “Rango,” an animated feature for Paramount.
The Paramount movie is about a household pet (Depp) that goes on an adventure to discover its true self. And while that may seem thuddingly generic and been-there-done-that, we’re trusting that Depp and Verbinski will bring a fresh approach to this material. And hiring John Logan to write the script isn’t a bad start.
Last time Depp lent his voice for an animated character was for clay-animated movie “Corpse Bride” back in 2005
John Logan (The Aviator) has written the script from an idea hatched by Verbinski. Verbinski will work with Industrial Light & Magic on the animation.
Rango aims to use cutting-edge animation techniques that “will allow us to capture and translate every aspect of Johnny’s performance, using it to drive the computer-generated character in a way that has yet to be seen in an animated feature,” Verbinski said.
Depp is set to start working on the film in January. Verbinski will direct the project as he continues to develop an adaptation of the Take-Two video game “BioShock” for Universal.
