“Akira” originated in 1988 as a manga and then as an animated film co-written and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo. Set in New Manhattan, the cyberpunk sci-fi epic follows the leader of a biker gang who must save his friend, discovered with potentially destructive psychokinetic abilities, from government medical experiments.
A re-imagining of “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”. It focuses on Jonathan Harker as the Scotland Yard detective who is tracking Dracula, and the script sets up the sleuth as a potential new franchise character.
About the crew of a state-of-the-art research vessel on a quest to find a missing TV explorer in the Amazon.
A movie about Revolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones — except with sea monsters.
Cooper would play real-life Revolutionary War hero John Paul Jones, albeit a much-younger Jones, well before he had famously “not yet begun to fight” the Brits. After he’s stripped of his British naval commission, Jones is hired by a shipping magnate to investigate the disappearance of merchant ships in the North Atlantic, which are used as toothpicks by a giant squid.”
House of Wax, Unknown and Orphan director Jaume Collet-Serra is in negotiations to take control of the long-gestating Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. co-production of Here There Be Monsters, a Brian Helgeland script which Vulture has also just learned will be offered to Bradley Cooper to star as its leading man.
If all goes to plan, “Cooper would play real-life Revolutionary War hero John Paul Jones, albeit a much-younger Jones, well before he had famously “not yet begun to fight” the Brits. After he’s stripped of his British naval commission, Jones is hired by a shipping magnate to investigate the disappearance of merchant ships in the North Atlantic, which are used as toothpicks by a giant squid.”
Collet-Serra is hardly the first high profile director to naval gaze on the project. Last July, it was Robert Zemeckis. Then, back in February, we reported that Brad Bird had been flirting with the project, but he too ultimately passed. Now Vulture reports that Collet-Serra has been brought aboard to ready the script for an early 2013 start — essentially, allowing production to begin on Monsters the moment Cooper finishes filming Legendary Pictures’ most pressing concern, the third Hangover film.
Collet-Serra is still attached to Akira, although that appears to be entering development hell. READ MORE
Earlier in the week we reported on a project called Harker, a new vampire film to be directed by House of Wax, Orphan and Unknown director Jaume Collet-Serra.
At the time Warner Bros. was closing still closing the deal to acquire Harker, a spec script by Lee Shipman & Brian McGreevy for a re-imagining of “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”. It focuses on Jonathan Harker as the Scotland Yard detective who is tracking Dracula, and the script sets up the sleuth as a potential new franchise character. It looks like that deal has been made.
Harker will be produced by Appian Way partners Leonardo DiCaprio (who is not planning to act) and Jennifer Davisson Killoran, in a coproduction with Mad Hatter Entertainment. Now there are reports that Russell Crowe may be taking the title role.
Vulture reports that, “Our spies tell us that Warner Bros. is in talks with Russell Crowe about starring in Harker, a reimagining of Bram Stoker’s Dracula that’s being produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. It tells the vampire story from the point of view of Jonathan Harker, who — instead of his traditional role as a lawyer — is now a Scotland Yard detective investigating the Count’s string of grisly murders in England.”
It seems that the scuttling of Akira made room for the film in Serra’s schedule. And, interestingly, the Vulture article makes Akira seem like a project Warner Brothers may be revisiting sooner than we thought after putting the kibosh on it recently.
What do you think of Crowe potentially playing this role? I’m hoping for two things. One, that it’s not too stuffy. And Two, that it’s not some Sherlock Holmes (or Van Helsing) type of rejiggering.
Warner Bros. Pictures’ Akira, which has been through several incarnations, is being shut down in the face of casting and budgetary issues, says THR. The production offices in Vancouver are being closed, with below-the-line talent and crew told to stop working. “Everybody is being sent home,” according to an insider.
Producers, who include Appian Way’s Jennifer Kiloran Davisson and Mad Chance’s Andrew Lazar, will hunker down with director Jaume Collet-Serra for the next two weeks to iron out the script. It is unclear if Harry Potter scribe Steve Kloves, who did a pricey rewrite on the project a year ago, will be brought in to help out.
If the issues cannot be resolved, the project could end up being shelved entirely. More inside. READ MORE
Twitch continues to ping-pong actors for Warner Bros. Pictures’ Akira reporting that Ken Watanabe (Inception, Batman Begins) has been offered the role of The Colonel in Jaume Collet-Serra’s adaptation. They state that Gary Oldman and Warners were unable to close a deal.
We won’t even bother attempting to explain who is in talks for the role of Tetsuo, you’ll have to click here for that info.
Right now the only confirmed role is Kenada, who will come to life courtesy of Tron Legacy star Garrett Hedlund.
“Akira” originated in 1988 as a manga and then as an animated film co-written and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo. Set in New Manhattan, the cyberpunk sci-fi epic follows the leader of a biker gang who must save his friend, discovered with potentially destructive psychokinetic abilities, from government medical experiments. READ MORE
Warners is moving like lightning on their live-action Akira.
Now that Tron: Legacy star Garrett Hedlund is nearly a lock for the Kenanda role, Twitch is reporting that Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight) has been offered the role of Colonel while Helena Bonham Carter (Dark Shadows) has been offered Lady Miyako.
To be clear, an offer can be refused by the stars and their representatives. We’ll report back with anything officially signed.
“Set in New Manhattan, the cyberpunk sci-fi epic follows the leader of a biker gang who must save his friend, discovered with potentially destructive psychokinetic abilities, from government medical experiments.”
After a series of false starts Jaume Collet-Serra (House of Wax, Orphan, Unknown) will direct. READ MORE
Warner Bros. has finally greenlit its live-action remake of the anime cult hit Akira for a late February/early March start, sources tell Variety.
In July, Warners tapped Spanish helmer Jaume Collet-Serra (House of Wax, Orphan, Unknown) to direct at a budget of $90 million, which was brought down from an initial figure of well more than $100 million.
Listening to fan outcry when the the studio had talked about casting the likes of Keanu Reeves, they’ve now turned their attention towards Tron: Legacy star Garrett Hedlund (pictured inside), who’s considered a front-runner. Though no offer’s been made, insiders say it’s only a matter of time.
And with that, we can all celebrate! READ MORE
Jaume Collet-Serra, director of House of Wax, Unknown and Orphan, has formed Ombra Films with Juan Sola. Funded by StudioCanal, the company will be dedicated to producing low-budget English-language horror, thriller and fantasy films made by emerging Spanish helmers.
First up on their production slate is Mindscape, written by Guy Holmes. The psychological thriller – about a man with the ability to enter people’s memories that is trying to figure out if a 16-year old girl is a psychopath or a victim of trauma, or both – is set to be directed by Jorge Dorado.
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Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognize him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired and on the run. Aided by an unlikely ally (Diane Kruger), Martin plunges headlong into a deadly mystery that will force him to question his sanity, his identity, and just how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.
Although Jaume Collet-Serra stumbled through House Of Wax, a dreadful rendition of Tourist Trap (with a single death being its saving grace), he surprised many genre fans with 2009′s Orphan. On February 18, Collet-Serra’s third film for Dark Castle, Unknown, will be hitting theatres, but B-D has a chance for Orlando readers to see it early. The screening will take place on Tuesday, February 15, at 7:30 PM at Regal Winter Park (510 N. Orlando Ave.). To win one pass (good for two people each), all you have to do is show up at 6:00 PM in front of the theatre, where we’ll be on hand to give out passes on a first-come, first-served basis.
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First reported by the duders over at Badass Digest, Deadline now has the official word on Harker, the new vampire film to be directed by House of Wax, Orphan and Unknown director Jaume Collet-Serra.
Warner Bros. is closing a deal to acquire Harker, a spec script by Lee Shipman & Brian McGreevy for a re-imagining of “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”. It focuses on Jonathan Harker as the Scotland Yard detective who is tracking Dracula, and the script sets up the sleuth as a potential new franchise character.
Harker will be produced by Appian Way partners Leonardo DiCaprio (who is not planning to act) and Jennifer Davisson Killoran, in a coproduction with Mad Hatter Entertainment. That label’s Michael Connolly will also be involved as a producer.
The writers are hot stuff. McGreevy wrote the supernatural mystery thriller novel “Hemlock Grove,” a book which just told to Farrar, Straus and Giroux. The novel teams an aristocratic vampire, a werewolf and Frankenstein’s monster, and places them in a Pennsylvania high school.
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The tragic loss of their unborn child has devastated Kate and John, taking a toll on both their marriage and Kate’s fragile psyche as she is plagued by nightmares and haunted by demons from her past. Struggling to regain some semblance of normalcy in their lives, the couple decides to adopt another child. At the local orphanage, both John and Kate find themselves strangely drawn to a young girl named Esther. Almost as soon as they welcome Esther into their home, however, an alarming series of events begins to unfold, leading Kate to believe that there’s something wrong with Esther–this seemingly angelic little girl is not what she appears to be. Concerned for the safety of her family, Kate tries to get John and others to see past Esther’s sweet facade. But her warnings go unheeded until it may be too late…for everyone.
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