Movies
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo Leaves Rapture, No Longer Directing ‘Bioshock’
For my money, “Bioshock” is the best that the modern gaming era has to offer. Even though its sequel was incredibly disappointing, I can’t wait for “Bioshock Infinite”, primarily because it marks the return of Ken Levine to the franchise. One thing we may never be getting is the Bioshock movie. And to be honest, I’m increasingly fine with that. The first game is so perfect that I’m beginning to believe that a film depiction of that world could only disappoint.
When the initial incarnation of the Bioshock film was announced at Universal with Gore Verbinski at the helm, I was incredibly excited. Verbinski is nothing if not an incredibly talented visual stylist. But the Hard-R rating it would require combined with the fact that it would cost hundreds of millions to produce wound up stalling the project for so long that Verbinski stepped aside as a director (though he remains a producer) and they hired Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. The aim at the time was also very much on a more cost-friendly adaptation of the game. But that incarnation seems to have bitten the dust as well.
Fresnadillo told The Playlist, “To be honest, by now, I’m completely out of that, and developing other stuff. Right now it’s on hold. The studio and the videogame company, they have to reach some kind of agreement about the budget and the rating.”
Per the usual, Ken Levine isn’t in any hurry either. Last year he stated, “We got very close to having it get made – we had a deal in place and a director. But for us there’s no burning [desire] to have a movie made just to get it made,” Levine stressed. “For us and for Take-Two, it’s really got to be something that will a) give the fans something that they want, and b) for those who don’t know ‘Bioshock,’ really introduce them to something that is consistent with the game, and is it going to be a good representation of the game.”
What do you think? Do you want the “Bioshock” movie to happen or are you content with the games?
Director Casper Kelly (Too Many Cooks, V/H/S/Halloween) is back with another twisted vision this year, with his new movie Buddy coming to theaters from Saban on August 28.
Buddy centers on the titular unicorn mascot — a beloved children’s TV host with a squeaky-clean persona that belies his true nature as a dark and violent force of nature.
Watch the brand new official teaser trailer below to begin the nightmare.
Here’s the official synopsis: “Inside the colorful world of It’s Buddy!, a group of children spend their days singing, dancing, and helping Buddy spread happiness. But when one child refuses to play along, Buddy is not pleased and cracks begin to appear in this seemingly perfect world.”
Cristin Milioti stars as Grace, a suburban mother inadvertently drawn into Buddy’s nightmare world, with Delaney Quinn as Freddy, a brave girl who begins to fight back against Buddy when he shows his true self. Keegan-Michael Key voices Buddy. The horror movie’s cast also includes Topher Grace, Michael Shannon, and Patton Oswalt.
Casper Kelly co-wrote the movie with Jamie King (“Jessica Jones”).
“It’s an honor to be partnering with Roadside Attractions and Saban Films, two companies that have built reputations for championing bold films,” commented Kelly. “The theatrical experience means so much to me personally, and I made Buddy to be experienced in a theater. I’m thrilled that audiences will get the chance to see the movie in theaters everywhere.”
“Casper Kelly is one of the most wildly inventive and audacious filmmakers working today, and Buddy is a testament to his singular genius,” said Saban co-presidents Jonathan Saba and Shanan Becker. “He possesses a rare aptitude for taking the wholesome nostalgia of our childhoods and flipping it into a brilliantly unhinged, laugh-out-loud nightmare.”
Meagan Navarro wrote in her review, “Casper Kelly drops viewers straight into the world of a kids’ show with a high-concept horror comedy that dials up the absurdities of kids’ television programming to a lethal degree. Those on board with an experimental structure and Kelly’s darkly playful sense of humor will find this raucous midnighter highly entertaining.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.