Batman 3 title revealed! No Riddler?

Big news from Gotham. L.A. Times reveal the title of Christopher Nolan's third Batman movie(which is set to be a trilogy). Its title is "THE DARK KNIGHT RISES" And the film's release has also been set to rise on July 2012.

In addition, Nolan went on to dispell what many had begun to assume to be a given – “It won’t be the Riddler,” reports L.A.Times' blog Hero Complex. So easy to get ahead of yourself, isn't it? Of course, true to form, the director wouldn’t reveal who it would be.

What Nolan seemed most interested in imparting was that he’s convinced Warner Bros. to keep telling his story in 2D, and to continue down the path of hi-def IMAX sequences. And he’ll get no argument from us on the subject – if it ain't broke, etc.

The post contains one other potentially juicy, enigmatic Nolan quote: “We’ll use many of the same characters as we have all along, and we’ll be introducing some new ones.”

If it's not Riddler, then there are still so many characters out there that are still in Nolan's Gotham. Two-Face could still be alive, Scarecrow is still alive, Zsasz may still be out running free, and the League of Shadows could return just to complete a circle from the first movie. Since Nolan's Batman series is grounded, we could put in a more realistic (& more based on the original comicbook concept) Penguin and Catwoman. We all know now that Tom Hardy is the new guy to join in on Nolan's Gotham universe. He could play a new character like Deadshot, Black Mask, Firefly, or Doctor Hugo Strange. Well at least we trust Nolan to do what's best for the series. Let's just hope this third movie will not be hit by the same jinx that hit Spider-man 3, Blade 3, and X-men 3!

White House (2010)

LOUSY AND IDIOTIC
By Reymundo Salao

In White House, a Reality TV Show challenges its 6 contestants to stay in the White House for five days, but it looks like all of them may not even survive a single night on it, when they are being killed by the entity that haunts the place. On their side is a spiritual psychic who seeks to interpret the hauntings and hopes to save not only the contestants, but the soul of her daughter as well.

At the beginning of the movie, there are documentary-style interviews shown about the hauntings in this White House in Baguio, implying that what is about to be portrayed in the movie is based on actual accounts or well-researched facts. Yet when you finally get into the meat of the storyline, it all ends up being suspiciously nothing more than Hollywood rip-off fictionalization. To create a cartoonish fantasy about real places and real people (a badly-made fantasy at that) is just plain disrespectful.

Topel Lee's White House reeks of clichés, filled with cardboard stereotype characters. Predictable, one-dimensional and childishly-conceived. You could tell that the characters are lifeless because they are put into the movie's dramatic situation and they never really act out like they were in there, except for what is programmed by its poorly-conceived script.

Nobody acts realistically conscious about being inside a Big Brother-type "haunted house", nobody kids around about the fact that they are supposed to be scared by this contest, nobody questions if that kid (the kid character who is the brother of the probinsyana) is qualified for the reality TV contest, nobody gives a reference if there are actual rules, precautions, and objectives of the supposed Reality Show. Basic little details are absent to make the movie coherent and sensible.

Common Sense is also absent. If it's supposed to be about a reality show on a haunted house, it is obvious that they should have more than one back-up camera around. Likewise, there should be numerous security personnel and first aid medic teams ready to burst in at the slightest instance of real danger also. That is the problem with mainstream film-makers; they assume their common folk audience to be ignorant. When in fact, their common folk audience is way smarter than that.

Topel Lee has no sense of creativity in this film; everything in this movie feels like it is ripping off old overused lousy techniques in horror. He likes to rely on visual effects and jump scares. Jump-scares are always cheap. And in mainstream tagalog horror flicks, this is extremely overused, to the point that its nauseating.

The direction here has no sense of timing. It was too eager to scare you before it could even create a build-up. It is too desperate to show some neat camera tricks; sure some of the visual work may be impressive; but it is nothing if it does not come with a good build-up or a good storyline and directing.

All in all, WHITE HOUSE is nothing more than the same garbage that makes mainstream Tagalog horror films extremely embarrassing. Another movie that adds more stink to the reputation of local mainstream cinema.

The HOBBIT is now greenlit & now has a scheduled release date

People of Middle Earth, Rejoice! It is now officially confirmed that MGM and Warner Bros. have reached an agreement to move ahead with the highly-anticipated LOTR prequel The Hobbit!

Peter Jackson has officially signed on to direct the pair of films that will cover J.R.R Tolkien's seminal novel. They will be shot in New Zealand with an eye on a February start. The reported budget is estimated around $400 million for the total package.

While protagonist Bilbo Baggins has yet to be cast, Ian McKellen will reprise his iconic role as Gandalf the Grey, while Hugo Weaving's Elrond and Cate Blanchett's Galadriel are expected to appear.

The first installment in the epic two-parter will hit theaters in December of 2012 while the second will follow in December 2013, ten years after The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King hit theaters.

SOURCE: The Wrap

Tom Hardy joins the Batman 3 cast

For all of you who are eagerly anticipating some news for the upcoming third Batman movie from Christopher Nolan, well this week, geeks were geeking out to find that Tom Hardy (who was on Inception and also played Shinzon on Star Trek Nemesis) will be on the third Batman movie directed by Christopher Nolan. Insiders are keeping the role secret and won't even say if he's up for a villain role, but that seems a reasonable assumption. I think Hardy would make a fine Riddler, but I prefer Joseph Gordon Levitt for that role. Besides, there are still so many villains to choose from from the Batman universe rogues gallery. Who knows, Hardy might play the role of Black Mask or maybe an Azrael?

It has also recently been reported that Warner Bros. Pictures is looking to shoot Christopher Nolan's third Batman movie in New Orleans starting in April. We assume that won't be the only location they'll be filming, but the studio must like the city after recently wrapping the Green Lantern movie shoot there.

Other anticipated movies getting underway include: Men in Black III, which starts filming on October 18 in New York through May; Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, which will shoot in Romania and Turkey starting in November; the untitled Spider-Man

Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, & the Lizard on the new Spider-man movie

Casting news for the new Spider-man (reboot) movie. Emma Stone is cast to play Gwen Stacy in the Spider-man reboot, which is kind of a dumb choice for the role because Emma Stone, with the kind of aura she evokes, is perfect for Mary Jane Watson, not only that; she's also a redhead, as Mary Jane is! Yes, many also share this opinion; and the producers should reconsider; Emma Stone would not look as cute as a blonde, and would also not probably work as a serious character such as Gwen Stacy (Spider-man geeks out there know the fate of Gwen). Emma Stone for Mary Jane Watson!

As for the villain, Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill, Little Nicky) will play Dr. Curt Connors, better known as The Lizard. There had been rumors across the blogosphere that Sony was thinking of bringing back Venom for the franchise reboot, but that character will not be featured in the movie.

Andrew Garfield stars as Peter Parker, while Emma Stone will play Gwen Stacy, who rivals Mary Jane Watson for Spidey's affection. Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin are producing the movie, which begins production in December. If you can recall, Dylan Baker played Connors in Sam Raimi's two "Spider-Man" sequels.

"Spider-Man" will hit theaters in 3D on July 3, 2012.

No 3-D for Harry Potter 7

Warner Bros. axes new 'Harry Potter' in 3D
'Deathly Hallows, Part 1' will now only be released in 2D
By Gregg Kilday

Warner Bros. has scuttled plans to release its newest "Harry Potter" in 3D after deciding that it could not complete a successful 2D-to-3D conversion in time for the movie's release next month.

The studio said Friday that when "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" arrives in theaters on Nov. 19, it will be in 2D, in both conventional theaters and Imax theaters, but that "we will not have a completed 3D version of the film within our release date window."

Warners still plans to release the final installment in the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" in both 2D and 3D when it opens July 15.

In a statement, the studio said: "Despite everyone's best efforts, we were unable to convert the film in its entirety and meet the highest standards of quality. We do not want to disappoint fans who have long-anticipated the conclusion of this extraordinary journey."

Director David Yates added: "This decision, which we completely support, underscores the fact that Warner Bros. has always put quality first." While producer David Heyman said, "For 10 years, we have worked alongside [Warners president] Alan Horn and the studio, whose priority has always been to preserve the integrity of Jo Rowling's books as we have adapted them to the screen, and this decision reflects that commitment."

Working closely with the filmmakers, the studio had begun the conversion process, and according to Dan Fellman, Warners domestic distribution chairman, "the quality was exceptional," but with the clock ticking, it realized it would have to rush the work to complete it in time. "We made the decision because we want to protect the integrity of the franchise by making the best quality film we can," Fellman said.

Since the two installments of "Hallows" were shot back to back, the studio expects that it will have enough time to complete the conversion on "Part 2."

Recent 2D-to-3D conversions have been controversial, with many moviegoers and critics complaining about the look of the same studio's "Clash of the Titans," which underwent a similar conversion for release earlier this year.

While some fans expressed disappointment that the first part of "Hallows" won't be in 3D, others applauded the decision. "I'm REALLY GLAD that WB decided to not release it in 3D rather than a crappy post conversion and ruin the good name of HP," wrote one of the posters at Potter fan site theleakycauldron.com.

Warners experimented with the last two Potter movies by releasing Imax versions that did contain select 3D sequences. For example, the Imax version of "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" featured a 15-minute opening sequence in 3D.

SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter

Zack Snyder is directing SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL

Zack Snyder has been chosen to direct  the new installment of Superman for Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures. Snyder was on a short list of directors, as was recently revealed, who met with the studio as well as producers Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas. Other choices at the time included helmers Tony Scott, Matt Reeves, Jonathan Liebesman, and Duncan Jones. I think Snyder is a great choice. He is the visionary director who directed the films 300, Watchmen, Legend of the Guardians, and the upcoming Sucker Punch. Deadline revealed back on February 9 that the DC Comics stalwart Superman became a priority project when Nolan agreed to godfather it. He and David S. Goyer hatched the story and Goyer wrote the script. The new Superman's producers also include  Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder while co-financer Legendary Pictures' Thomas Tull will serve as executive producer.

Superman is one of those superheroes/superhero stories that require somebody who can really make it, not only one with a great storyline, but one hell of an action-packed movie. In my personal opinion, all the previous Superman movies failed because they diminish the action aspect and give too much weight on the love story aspect. And with the last Superman movie that completely diminishes the action aspect to almost zero content (all because its director wanted to pay homage to the old Superman movies), the franchise sealed its doom and was immediately set for a major overhaul (yet again). With Snyder on the helm, David Goyer on the pen, and Chris Nolan as its godfather; this certainly now looks immensely promising. 

source: Deadline New York

Captain America Movie Set Photos

concept art of the movie

As many of you know, there is going to be a Captain America movie directed by Joe Johnston and will star Chris Evans as the Marvel superhero and Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull. It will be entitled "Captain America: The First Avenger" (obviously it will lead up to the highly-anticipated Avengers movie). The film is set to be released July 22, 2011. The internet has been rich with set photos lately of how the movie looks so far...

This photo on the right is the photo-realistic CGI image revealed by Marvel when they first revealed what the costume would look like...

According to reports, the guy (below) with the Cap costume is a stuntman and not Chris Evans himself. The scene involves a motorbike chase between Captain America and agents of H.Y.D.R.A.

And here are the more recent photos, which includes Chris Evans himself all buffed up to be the Supersoldier Cap...