Screen Rant » fathom

Mid-Week Movie News Wrap Up – April 17, 2009

Niall Browne — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:11:13 +0000

In this Weeks spell check busting installment: Matthew McConaughey is an Exchange Student; Heffalump writer Spiliotopoulos will write Bekmambetov’s Wanted 2 – will Angelina Jolie be involved? Megan Fox is Crossing over; John Carter of Mars is Chabon and which one of the Watchmen has Morning Glory for Star Trek’s Abram?

1. Matthew McConaughey’s production company J.K. Livin is producing a comedy called Exchange Student. According to The Hollywood Reporter:

“The story revolves around two exchange students, one who ships out from the U.S. and one who comes in, who experience new environments in very different ways: One has the time of his life, the other goes off the rails. The tenor of the project is described as a family comedy with wry overtones a la Wes Anderson.”

Mike Vukadinovich will write a script from the idea that originated with “Bongos” McConaughey, who may also take a role in the film.

The Sahara star will next be seen in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past opposite Jennifer Garner.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

2. Evan Spiliotopoulos will write the sequel to last years surprise smash Wanted.
The writer who previously wrote Pooh’s Heffalump Movie will take over writing duties from Michael Brandt and Derek Haas and Chris Morgan.

The Timur Bekmambetov directed film was based on a comic by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones.

The main question is will Angelina Jolie be written into the script or will it focus on James McAvoy’s blossoming hitman career?

I’d expect every effort be made to have Jolie return – but they might just have another actress star opposite McAvoy.

Megan Fox anyone?

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

3. Speaking of Megan Fox, the actress will take the lead role in The Crossing.

“(In the film) a couple returning from a Mexican vacation is carjacked and the husband kidnapped. The wife (Fox) must smuggle heroin across the border in order to spring him.”

No director is yet attached to the Screen Gems production, but several directors have met with the producers. If one is hired soon then the film might start shooting by July.

Megan Fox has a busy year ahead with Passion Plays with Mickey Rourke; Josh Brolin’s Jonah Hex and Fathom all on the way.

She’ll next be seen in low budget art house drama Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

4. Screenwriter and Novelist Michael Chabon is doing a rewrite on John Carter of Mars for Disney.
Chabon said:

“I’ve been hired to do some revisions to an already strong script by Andrew Stanton and Mark Andrews. I wrote my original screenplay The Martian Agent back in 1995 because I wished I could do (Edgar Rice) Burroughs’s Barsoom. So this is pretty much a dream come true for me.”

Andrew Stanton is slated to direct the film which could be released in 2012.

Source: Sugarbombs.com

5. Watchmen star Patrick Wilson has joined the cast of Morning Glory. Wilson will join the stellar line-up of Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Jeff Goldblum in the J.J Abrams produced comedy.

Morning Glory is the story of two warring television anchors (Ford and Keaton) who host a morning television show. McAdams is the producer brought in to try and sooth them and boost ratings. Wilson will play her romantic interest.

The Roger Michell directed comedy will start shooting in New York next month.

Abrams’ Star Trek opens on May 8th.

Source: Variety

That’s it for now. See you at the movies!

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Brian Austin Green Campaigns To Be The Green Lantern

Rob Keyes — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:22:10 +0000

Brian Austin Green, who plays Derek Reese in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, wants to play Hal Jordan in the upcoming DC superhero movie and he wants you thoughts on the matter.

Green is most famous for his role on Beverly Hills 90210 but more recently made a splash with his kick-ass role in the Terminator television series. With the second season of the show finishing up this week and no third season announced, the actor is trying to push his way into the movie business with a major role in the next potential DC franchise, The Green Lantern.

Comic Book Resources (CBR) News got a chance to speak with Brian about the role and released the first part of their interview. The conversation opens with CBR asking Brian what’s going on with him and The Green Lantern movie.

“Well, nothing’s going on right now. I’ve been sort of throwing myself into the mix and trying to get in to sit down with the producers and see what’s going on. I mean, from what I’ve heard and the response so far from what most people have heard, they’re planning on skewing younger with the character. I’ve heard somewhere in like the mid-twenties, which, being a Green Lantern fan, I don’t necessarily agree with. I’ve always kind of felt that Hal Jordan needs to be a man. He needs to be somebody who lives a little and experienced a lot. So right now I’m just sort of trying to throw my name in and make it something that they might consider. That’s about what I got.”

Brian then moves on to reveal that he’s not yet read the script or met in person with the producers, but his agent and manager have been communicating with them. He also talks about how this would be his first time in the type of role that would bring people into the theaters and that because of that, he’s a tough sell, not having movie fame and that large fan following.

CBR later asked about the risk of an actor throwing himself out there for the role and subjecting himself to what the fans think of him.

“You know, it’s the first time I’ve ever done it. It’s the first time I’ve ever really pushed for something the way I’m pushing for this. It’s odd, I was talking with someone about the way this all came down for me and it wasn’t something that was necessarily on my mind at the time. I didn’t even completely know that the film was in the process and that they were getting it together. A friend of mine just randomly sent me a text message and he was like, “Dude, I just saw a picture of you as the Green Lantern online and it was awesome.” I was like, “What are you talking about?” He sent me the link, I went on and some kid had just put my face on a classic Green Lantern shot, the one of him standing, making the fist with the ring on the finger.

It was funny because I saw it and I thought that it was pretty cool. At the same time, I’ve been playing a lot of “Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe ” and Green Lantern is one of my favorite characters. Then Megan [Fox] and I were sitting talking about it and it just kind of clicked. It made sense and I found it odd that somebody had mentioned it to begin with.”

I like what Green is saying, especially about the age. For me, Brian Austin Green was the best part of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and I like that he’s gunning for this role, demonstrating that he truly wants it. I was in support of the Chris Pine as The Green Lantern rumor but the more I think about it, I believe Brian Austin’s a better fit than the Star Trek lead actor and I also like that he’s a bit older.

Artwork by Jamie Tyndall

When asked about how he’d play the role of Hal Jordan, Green made the comparison to Iron Man (the producers said back in March that Green Lantern would have an Iron Man vibe) and he likes the idea of the hero with “internal struggle”.

Green’s final thoughts on the subject:

“I’m just intrigued and curious to see what the fans think. Ultimately, fans of the comic and the history should decide. If I’m not the right guy then I shouldn’t be playing the character but if people think that there’s something there, then let’s see where it can go.”

To see the full interview head over to Comic Book Resources.

I love the idea. Brian is relatively unknown for the movie business and I think that’s the type of actor they should choose for the lead role in this superhero flick – He has my support.

Green is currently keeping himself busy with producing his girlfriend’s upcoming comic book movie, Fathom. In the interview, that topic was also discussed and he said that the script is being written by the writer of Prince of Persia, Jordan Mechner, and the first draft is due in a few weeks.

Do you think Brian Austin Green could play a good Hal Jordan? He’d like to know.

The Green Lantern is scheduled to open December 17, 2010.

Artwork Source: Jamie Tyndall

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Megan Fox Plays Passion For Mickey Rourke

Niall Browne — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:26:16 +0000

With Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen getting ready for release, the Diablo Cody penned Jennifer’s Body already in the can and Jonah Hex and Fathom on the way, it looks like Megan Fox is getting ready to take over cinema screens across the globe.

The actress has now signed on to star opposite Mickey Rourke in Passion Plays, a 1940’s set dramatic thriller. The Transformers star’s character is described as “a slender beauty with wings who is part of a carnival.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

“Rourke will play a down-on-his-heels trumpet player, and Fox will play an angel in 1950s Los Angeles, with Rourke finding redemption in Fox after he attempts to save her from a gangster. Those familiar with the project describe it as a dramatic but heartwarming tale.”

Heartwarming and redemption? Period setting? Does anybody else think that this will get Mickey Rourke another Oscar nomination?

Passion Plays sounds like an interesting film with a period setting that can only add to the intriguing premise . Rourke does redemption with aplomb – one only has to watch The Wrestler and even Sin City to see this but will Fox be able to match the Iron Man 2 star’s intensity?

It’s doubtful – Fox is hardly known for her acting talent, but I’m sure her attachment wont harm the film getting funding or getting bums on seats for that matter.

Passion Plays will be directed by screenwriter Mitch Glazer.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Confirmed: Megan Fox To Star In ‘Fathom’ & ‘Jonah Hex’

Kofi Outlaw — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:01:36 +0000

We told you way back in September that Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen star Megan Fox had signed-on to play the lead role of Aspen, in Fox Atomic’s adaptation of Michael Turner’s Fathom.

Well now comes word that the project is indeed moving ahead, with the newly single Fox still attached to star and co-produce the film…along with her ex-fiancé???

Yes, oddly enough Megan Fox will be sharing production duties on Fathom with Safran Productions, whose roster includes Peter Safran, Steve Bessen and Fox’s ex-amour, Brian Austin Green. Won’t that make for some awkward situations on the set…

Especially since playing Aspen will likely require Megan Fox to be repeatedly drenched with water while draped in sure-to-be-skimpy “costumes.” Fathom, after all, is the story of an orphaned girl who discovers that she is actually a super-powered member of an undersea race. That kind of role demands a lot of time in the dunk tank. And poor Brian will be forced to watch and remember the time when she used to be his…

OUCH.

The script is being written by Prince of Persia video game designer, Jordan Mechner. The late Micheal Turner will be an executive producer on the film along with Frank Mastromauro. Fathom is currently slated for a 2011 release date. No word yet on who will direct.

You can learn more about what Fathom is all about by going here.

Does Megan Fox seem like a good fit for the role of Aspen? Do you think working on a film with her ex will provide us, the public, with hilarious on-set rumors and/or controversy? Do you think that somewhere, Michael Turner is happy with how Fathom is progressing?

[UPDATE: Fox is also in final talks to star alongside Josh Brolin in Jonah Hex, which is slated for a August 6, 2010 release.]

Source: Variety

You Might Also Be Interested In:

Megan Fox To Star In Michael Turner’s Fathom?

Kofi Outlaw — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:16:10 +0000

Megan Fox, starlet of Transformers and recent recipient of the title “Earth’s hottest girl” by Maxim Magazine, has reportedly signed on to play super-powered mermaid, Aspen, in the big screen adaptation of artist Michael Turner’s groundbreaking comic book series, Fathom.

Megan Fox sleek, sexy and wet? Just point me towards the theater.

There’s been morbid speculation that Michael Turner’s death in June of this year (after a long bout with bone cancer) had stalled any plans for a Fathom movie, which has reportedly been in development since 2003.

Looks like that speculation was unfounded, because word is that Megan Fox signed on the dotted line to star in the film this past week, which is coming our way courtesy of 20th Century Fox’s “genre” branch, Fox Atomic. (You mean the guys who made the Hill Have Eyes 2, Turistas and 28 Weeks Later? Yay.)

A movie adaptation of Fathom has been long coming; however, even as recently as last year, Turner himself was doubtful that the film would happen:

“The ‘Fathom’ movie is now not really happening,” Turner announced. “We had some problems with some scripting … It was definitely an experience that we had with Hollywood. All the scripts were completely different from what you know of ‘Fathom.’ We’re going back and starting again…” Turner said.

And so, as is the case with all quality films, Fox has reportedly decided to move ahead with Fathom, despite no confirmed script or director being attached to the project. According to a source over at IESB, the whole movie is basically being built around Megan Fox’s gorgeous face and… considerable talent. (Double Yay.) But hey, I guess you gotta start somewhere (and Megan Fox is a pretty good starting point for just about anything.)

The Fathom comic book series first debuted in 1998, under Image Comics’ splinter branch, Top Cow Comics. The series (about an amnesic and super-powered mermaid discovered at sea by a cruise liner,) ran until 2002, when Turner’s efforts as creator, owner, writer, and artist of Fathom were derailed by the sudden discovery of his cancer.

Other artists and writers continued to expand the Fathom universe until Turner’s cancer went into remission and he broke off from Top Cow to form his own company, a move which led to a legal battle with Top Cow.

Turner debuted a second installment of Fathom in 2004, under the banner of his own company, Aspen MLT Inc. The second run lasted for a miniseries (Fathom: Dawn of War), and also created a spin-off series (Fathom: Cannon Hawke). A third, posthumous installment of Fathom has been planned for Winter of 2008.

(Thank IESB for providing this bit of fan art by artist Jamie Tyndall, depicting what Megan Fox might look like if she were cartoonishly proportioned and dressed as Aspen.)

Artwork by Jamie Tyndall

Will Megan Fox do Fathom justice and honor its late creator; or will her “talent” be limited to giving us boys a whole lot of what we want to see? (Are the two even mutually exclusive?) Let us know what you think.

Source: IESB, Comic Book Resources, Maxim

You Might Also Be Interested In: