Author Archives: Sasha McBrayer

About Sasha McBrayer

Sasha McBrayer is a fan of Marvel Comics, science fiction films and bright nail polish. A list of her published, short, speculative fiction stories can be discovered over at her blog: nikanors-inn.livejournal.com. To see her weekly movie review visit coastalcourier.com and click on "Showtime with Sasha". http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/b6c8a69f9da49400b44cfcaa28774e90.png

‘Walking Dead’ Season 3 Premiere Breaks Cable Record … Again!

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I can tell you one thing. 75% of my Facebook friends were watching The Walking Dead on the AMC network on Sunday, October 14th. I read plenty a status message regarding the show. So, it comes as no surprise that the return of the popular series to the airwaves shattered a record.

According to the official press release celebrating the momentous occasion, The Walking Dead is safely being called the biggest show of the fall. That’s especially true for Adults, aged 18 to 49. When season three erupted onto AMC, season three’s premier out gunned both cable and broadcast hits alike, including Hatfields & McCoys, Jersey Shore, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory and The Voice. Hey, Modern Family is a TV giant! This is a real achievement.

The 9pm premiere drew in 10.9 million viewers resulting in a new series king. The episode is now the highest rated in series history. It was also the biggest telecast for any drama series in basic cable history among all viewers. And listen to this. When The Walking Dead played an encore at 10pm, 3.5 million viewers tuned in. When it happened again at midnight, 850,000 viewers watched, making a grand total of 15.2 million viewers on a single night for the horror series.

The official byline for the show reads this way: In an uncertain world, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his band of survivors must not only fight the dead, but also face a whole new fear: the living.

Of course fans know that The Walking Dead is based upon the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman and published by Image Comics. The series features actors Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Steven Yeun, Norman Reedus, Chandler Riggs, Lauren Cohan, Scott Wilson, IronE Singleton, Melissa McBride, David Morrissey and Danai Gurira. It is executive produced by Glen Mazzara, Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert with Greg Nicotero as co-executive producer.

I don’t know about your friends, but probably because a majority of mine live in the South, Norman Reedus’s Daryl Dixon is clearly a favorite.

Twilight Saga Marathon Trailer Released

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Do you remember how it all began? The boy at Forks High School with the strange eyes; Bella trying to figure out how he stopped the car from crushing her in the parking lot. Bella, alone in the woods with Edward, breathing the word vampire on the chill, humid air for the first time. How about the very first time Jacob transforms? When we first meet the sinister Volturi. Or the beautiful outdoor event that was Bella and Edward’s wedding?

These moments and more can be re-lived during the Twilight Saga Marathon event. So, call all your girl friends and buy your tickets soon.

Summit Entertainment is responsible for the cinematic event, which will include a five-film marathon of The Twilight Saga. That’s right, your ticket gives you access to re-watch Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn part one, all in one day, just before seeing for the first time ever, the latest and final installment, Breaking Dawn part two. Fandango has revealed that the event happens November 15th, 2012 at theaters across North America. They also unveiled a nostalgic new trailer just for the Twilight Saga Marathon. It features some of those famous Twilight moments, including the chilling scene where the army of Newborns walks out of the sea.

That ain’t all, either. Wait until you get to the part of the new trailer which features scenes from the new film! We’ve got more vampires to meet, and some of them have special abilities. What am I saying? We have yet to meet Mrs. Bella Cullen as a Newborn vamp! She’s got some surprises left to reveal herself!

I know what you’re thinking. Won’t a marathon of the magnitude last all day? Sure it will. But we hear the final film, Breaking Dawn part two, will strike at about 10 pm as a part of that event. Maybe that will give you an idea of how long you’ll be sitting in the theater.

If you have your own plans for marathon at home or just want to skip right to the exiting final film, worry not, you can choose to watch The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 all by itself in North American theaters, beginning on November 16th, 2012. That date isn’t so far away now, either!

Will the wolves team up with the Cullens and their new friends against the Volturi? Will there be betrayals? Will any of our favorites die? What will become of Bella and Edward’s daughter? Will Bella kill Jacob for imprinting on her?

I can answer one question. What’s the craziest part of this trailer? Near the end in the final, frozen, epic battle against the Volturi, it looks like Edward swings his wife into an enemy, putting some serious momentum behind her kick. That was a little weird, yes? It reminds me of Marvel comics Wolverine doing his fast ball special.

Breaking Dawn part one was the 4th highest-grossing film of 2011 worldwide. Will Breaking Dawn part two do just as well? Part two is directed also by Bill Condon. The screenplay came from Melissa Rosenberg and Stephenie Meyer herself. Seeing the last picture in the franchise is pretty exciting stuff, but you have also heard that there’s a special unscripted scene the actors got together and filmed as a gift and tribute to director Bill Condon. Now that will be a noteworthy sequence to watch!

Two of our newest vampires are Christian Camargo as Eleazar and Mía Maestro as Carmen. Maestro sang a track for the last film’s soundtrack.

Read The Official Synopsis for ‘Thor: The Dark World’

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Dust off your glasses and get ready to read all about it. Chris Hemsworth is returning to the big screen as America’s favorite thunder god in Thor: The Dark World and today we have the official synopsis for the action/adventure film.

Coming November 8, 2013, the movie will be directed by Alan Taylor.

Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Marvel’s Thor and Marvel’s The Avengers, Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Tadanobu Asano and Jaimie Alexander with Rene Russo and Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Thor: The Dark World is directed by Alan Taylor, produced by Kevin Feige, from a story by Don Payne (credit not final) and screenplay by Christopher Yost and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (credit not final) and is based on Marvel’s classic Super Hero Thor, who first appeared in the comic book Journey into Mystery #83 in August, 1962.

Thor: The Dark World is presented by Marvel Studios. The executive producers are Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Victoria Alonso, Craig Kyle and Nigel Gostelow. The film releases November 8, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Jaimie Alexander, who plays Sif, was in the news not too long ago, having sustained an injury while filming. All reports indicate, thankfully, that the actress is okay. You’ll also notice a familiar name up in the synopsis. It belongs to Zachary Levi, a.k.a. Chuck Bartowski of TV’s Chuck. What an awesome casting decision! Levi is Fandral, a member of the Warriors Three. He was acted in the previous Thor Joshua Dallas in the role due to his commitment on Once Upon a Time. Actually, I hear the role was originally offered to Levi, but he was all tied up filming Chuck. So, I doubt there are any hard feelings between the actors. The last thing we need is another Terrance Howard versus Don Cheadle hubbub over the role of Rhodey in the Iron Man franchise.

It has been a very exciting time for fans of Marvel comics and film. First we saw our heroes in solo gigs for films like Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, and then the splendid Joss Whedon directed them in one mighty blockbuster, The Avengers. Now, the story continues and more solo sequels debut and eventually an Avengers 2 will be delivered with a big bow on it.

Here’s what you can expect. Its more than just a second dose of Thor.

Iron Man 3 from director Shane Black
Thor: The Dark World from director Alan Taylor
Captain America: The Winter Soldier from directors Anthony and Joe Russo
Guardians of the Galaxy from director James Gunn
The Avengers 2 from director Joss Whedon
Ant-Man TBA

Am I the only true believe that’s ready to see a Dr. Strange movie!?

‘The Woman in Black: Angel of Death’ Finds Director

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Actor Daniel Radcliffe proved he was all grown up and ready to give us a scare in February of 2012. No, this was not when he went nude for Equus on the stage. Rather, that month saw the release of The Woman in Black, a horror film making headlines once again because a new sequel has been ordered.

The Woman in Black grossed about $127,730,736, worldwide. It was directed by James Watkins, with a screenplay by Jane Goldman. This was the same talented lady who did writing work for Stardust, X-Men: First Class and The Debt. The film was based upon the scary Susan Hill novel of the same name.

The story follows a young lawyer, acted by Radcliffe, who circumstances lead to stay in the home of some locals in the English countryside in the Edwardian era. That’s why you saw photos circulating the web of the Harry Potter actor in that great old-fashioned attire. Eel Marsh House; however, is haunted by, you guessed it, The Woman in Black.

The sequel, called The Woman in Black: Angel of Death, will be directed by BAFTA nominee, Tom Harper, of The Scouting Book for Boys and The Borrowers.

The sequel will be produced by Exclusive Media, Talisman, Cross Creek Pictures and Alliance Films, with Roy Lee as Executive Producer. Screenwriter Jon Croker, who also wrote Desert Dancer, has completed the screenplay, also based on an original story by author Susan Hill.

The story in The Woman in Black: Angel of Death kicks off four decades after the original. I think its safe to say Radcliffe won’t be rejoining the cast, in that case. Eel Marsh House is still standing, having been seized by the government during World War II. The was displaces a group of evacuated children who wind up staying at the house, only to encounter The Woman in Black.

Simon Oakes, Vice-Chairman of Exclusive Media and President & CEO of Hammer Films said: “We are assembling a terrific team to bring The Woman in Black: Angel of Death to the big screen and Tom is a great addition to that family. His unique visual approach and storytelling style perfectly compliments the smart, sophisticated horror movies that Hammer is championing.”

Xavier Marchand Alliance Films’ President of Worldwide Distribution and Managing Director of UK distributor Momentum Pictures, said “We know audiences in the UK and across the world love being terrified by ‘The Woman in Black’ so we’re excited to be partners in bringing them the next episode of Susan Hill’s haunting story, under Tom’s expert direction.”

Director Tom Harper said, “I am thrilled to be a part of The Woman in Black: Angel of Death. This will be a great opportunity for me to collaborate with a brilliantly talented team on the next installment in this exciting series.”

The original Woman in Black film is considered one of the highest grossing British horror film of the past 20 years. It had an atmospheric and noteworthy soundtrack by Marco Beltrami.

In Eric Eisenberg’s review of the original detailed that the picture used “shadows and low light to create a sense of disorientation and panic. The house in which Arthur is working is filled with terrifying toys and porcelain dolls that aren’t scary by themselves, but do a brilliant job adding a creepy ambiance to every scene. Unfortunately, the movie does make heavy use of jump scares, which will effectively raise the audiences’ blood pressure, but feel cheap and phony in the aftermath.

He also said, “As a whole it’s an effective and creepy ghost story. …It may not elicit screams from everyone that goes to see it, but it is guaranteed to send chills down the spine of even the bravest viewer.”

‘Arrow’ Most Watched CW Show in 3 Years

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The new comic book series, Arrow has hit the bulls eye over at the CW. The network has proudly announced that the ratings for their DC Comics flavored venture have been phenomenal. This is a victory for not just the CW, but for comic adaptations as well.

4.02 million viewers tuned in to the season premier of Arrow, starring Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, Colin Donnell as Tommy, Willa Holland as Thea Queen, with Susanna Thompson as Moira Queen and Paul Blackthorne as Detective Quentin Lance.

That’s a pretty impressive number and the news makes Arrow the most watched telecast on the CW of any show, on any night, in three years whole years. In fact, Arrow‘s premier was the most watched of any CW series premiere since the birth of The Vampire Diaries in 2009. Wow, has it been that long? Yes, it has!

If those aren’t enough statistics to get you excited, then take this! Arrow is also now the most watched show in a Wednesday 8PM time slot for the network in more than three years. Viewership for that time slot has doubled since last year.

Supernatural has its cult following, but Arrow, being the friendly super hero series that it is, also gave that CW series a bit of a leg up. Folks who tuned in for Arrow at 8, stuck around for watching Supernatural at 9, and this probably contributed to Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles’s show having it’s most watched episode ever! And those brothers have been fighting evil since 2005.

Suffice it to say, Wednesday of this week, was one big cause for celebration over at CW headquarters.

Arrow even managed to tie NBC’s original comedies in that time slot. That’s no easy feat. Animal Practice and Guys with Kids air on Wednesdays on NBC. I have to say, I’d rather watch Arrow, too, though. No offense, NBC.

From Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg and David Nutter, the hard-hitting action series reinvents the DC hero. After being marooned for five years on a remote island, billionaire Oliver Queen returns home with a mysterious agenda and very lethal new set of skills that he uses in a war on crime.

If you missed the pilot, get on board with all the action. You can watch the season premier online!

I raise my glass to the execs over at the CW. It was a risky move to cancel Smallville and then bring in Arrow. You hope Smallville viewers will be faithful to the new hero in town, but you can’t be certain they will. Green Arrow also doesn’t strike me as a hero quite as popular as, say, Batman or Superman. So, I’m glad people are tuning in. I hope the lucky streak continues.

Arrow‘s good news may translate as good news for a Marvel flavored comic book TV series. I’m talking about Joss Whedon’s plans to bring S.H.I.E.L.D. to the small screen. We’ll see what develops!

By the by, David Nutter directed the Arrow pilot. He has done directing for two of my favorite series of all time; The X-Files and Space: Above and Beyond. He worked on Smallville and Supernatural as well, and more popular series, too many to list really.

While I was scanning the info for coming episodes of Arrow, I also noticed that episode seven, titled “Muse of Fire”, is directed by David Grossman. He’s been behind the camera for episodes of Buffy, Lost, and Dead Like Me.

The Sixth Gun

Weird Western ‘The Sixth Gun’ Shopped to NBC

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The Sixth Gun

Oni Press has a Weird Western graphic novel series called The Sixth Gun. These tales are being revamped for television and that means you may just catch them on NBC.

When I use the term Weird Western, I do so in a very loving manner. That’s the name many of us writerly and readerly types give to Westerns with a paranormal bent. Cowboys & Aliens, as well as Jonah Hex, would definitely fit into the category of a Weird Western.

The Sixth Gun is written by Cullen Bunn with illustration by Brian Hurtt. Here’s the description of Volume 1. Bunn and Hurtt are names to remember. another Oni book series of theirs, titled The Damned, is in development at Showtime. I’d say it’s time to break out the champagne.

During the darkest days of the Civil War, wicked cutthroats came into possession of six pistols of otherworldly power. In time the Sixth Gun, the most dangerous of the weapons, vanished. When the gun surfaces in the hands of an innocent girl, dark forces reawaken. Vile men thought long dead set their sights on retrieving the gun and killing the girl. Only Drake Sinclair, a gunfighter with a shadowy past, stands in their way.

The girl at the center of the madness is Becky Montcrief. I can definitely see where this premise would make for intriguing television. Just mix Deadwood with Supernatural and I think you’d hook an audience.

Universal TV, along with the production company of Oni Press, which is called “Closed on Mondays Entertainment,” has agreed to produce the TV adaptation of the graphic novel series.

Carlton Cuse, who worked on the endlessly popular series, Lost, and screenwriter Ryan Condal, are teaming up to make the show a reality. Condal is working on the script as we speak and plans to executive produce the series with Closed on Monday’s co-founder Eric Gitter and Andy Bourne. Carlton Cuse is also hard at work on the Psycho prequel TV series called the Bates Motel, which will star the lovely Vera Farmiga at the A&E network, and he’s busy co-writing Guillermo del Toro’s The Strain pilot for FX. He’s shaping up to be quite the TV rockstar.

Bunn and Hurt like to add a twist of the supernatural to their graphic novel work. The Damned, for instance, takes place in the prohibition era, which is interesting enough for good crime and drama on its own. They toss in a black market soul trade and an ancient family feud. You’ve got to love that.

I hear screenwriter Ryan Condal is also piecing together a Hercules project at MGM. That could be interesting.

If I had to play the casting game for The Sixth Gun series, I’d say, let’s cast Adrianne Palicki as the female lead. She isn’t exactly tied up doing Wonder Woman, now, is she? She’ll appear next on the big screen in the Red Dawn re-make opposite Chris Hemsworth. In fact, Carey Elwes was going to star in Wonder Woman as well. He could play a male lead. Do you think he’d fit in a Western? Kevin Kline could also work. He did appear way back in 1999 in Wild Wild West.

Shailene Woodley

Shailene Woodley Up for MJ Role in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’

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Shailene Woodley

Ready for more Shailene? I am. And it looks like Spider-Man may also be ready for his dose. Young actress, Shailene Woodley is making news this week because she’s up for one big comic book movie role. You didn’t think Mary Jane Watson could go without entering Peter Parker’s life forever, did you? Well, she’ll be introduced to the young hero in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Woodley has been offered the role.

Watch your back Gwen Stacy, MJ is returning to the big screen! Of course Mary Jane is well-known as the Lois Lane to the world’s most beloved wall-crawler. Then again, these days Superman is dating Wonder Woman. So, in the Spider-Man reboot, Spidey, acted by Andrew Garfield, found his love interest in Gwen Stacy, a blond also often featured in the comics. She’s acted by wonder kid, Emma Stone.

Believe it or not, audiences best know Emma Stone as a red-head, but she’s a natural blond. She dyed her tresses red to turn more heads in Hollywood and it worked. So, when she was first cast in The Amazing Spider-Man, folks assumed she was playing Mary Jane Watson, another famous redhead. Then, Stone went dramatically blond. No one would have guessed it was a return to the familiar for the young star.

I think Shailene will look super in red. I also think this was an amazing casting decision. If a young lady is going to give Emma Stone a run for her money on the big screen, I think Shailene has the chops to do it! I can already hear her calling Peter Parker “Tiger”. Insert growling sounds here.

I know Woodley best from her seemingly out-of-no-where awesome performance in The Descendants. Directed by Alexander Payne, The Descendants should have been just another family drama, but thanks largely to the script, the locale of Hawaii, and to headliners, George Clooney, and Shailene Woodley, it got Oscar attention, winding up with a nom for Best Film and win for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Woodley is very feisty in the film and quite natural. It was only a matter of time before she got another big deal. Welcome to the world of super heroes, Shailene!

What other surprises are in store for us in The Amazing Spider-Man 2? Pow! Zap! It was announced that the roles Harry Osborn and Electro are also up for grabs!

Of course in the Spider flicks which starred Mr. Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst played Mary Jane Watson and Harry Osborn was acted by James Franco.

Electro sounds like an electrifying choice for villain. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Spoiler alert. If you did see the first Amazing Spider-Man, which came out this past summer, you saw a mysterious figure, acted by Michael Massee, in the end credits. We can assume that was Electro, yes?

Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, real life sweethearts now, are returning for the sequel. there’s a May 2, 2014 release date and Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner and James Vanderbilt are all writing the script.

Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams Circles ‘Suite Francaise’

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Michelle Williams

Suite Française, the novel by Irène Némirovsky (translated to English by Sandra Smith), is being adapted for the big screen. Will Michelle Williams star in it? That’s a possibility!

If the star of My Week with Marilyn signs on to the project, she play Lucille Angellier, an old-fashioned gal with gumption, living in Nazi-occupied France. What does she do? She goes and falls in love with a German officer. Woops! It won’t be easy choosing between love and country, either.

Lucille is married, too, but not in love with her husband, who leaves to join the fight, leaving her under the poor care of her overbearing mother-in-law. Lucille losses herself in the piano when things get tough. Of course, when the young German officer enters her life, staying in their home, revealing he’s a former composer, well, then the attraction becomes undeniable.

British director, Saul Dibb is making the proper preparations. Suite Française will be his next film. Four years ago he was sitting in the director chair for another period drama, The Duchess, for Paramount Vantage. That one starred Keira Knightley of course. Dibb also wrote it.

Williams is now a three-time Oscar nominee, and I’ll say that she earned every nomination. If she accepts the offer to star Suite Française, she’ll be agreeing to rejoin her My Week With Marilyn collaborators David Parfitt and Mark Cooper. Those two are producing Suite Française. Work should begin next spring in London.

Blue Valentine aside, (okay, and Brokeback Mountain aside, too) Williams does some of her best work in period films. She was simply haunting in Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island. did you notice her accent, too? And her work getting into the character of Marilyn Monroe has been unforgettable. My Week With Marilyn resulted in her first Golden Globe win. Soon we’ll see Williams as Glinda the Good Witch in Sam Raimi’s big show Oz: The Great and Powerful, coming from Disney on March 8.

Williams is the only young actress I’ve ever felt can compare in aptitude for acting to the immortal Ms. Meryl Streep. I haven’t had the chance yet to see her in Meek’s Cutoff, but the Western, which has circumstances not unlike the old Oregon Trail video game, sounds very intense. Her romantic comedy, Take this Waltz, was released in September. In it Williams shared the screen with Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman.

Author Irène Némirovsky is a Jew who lived in Paris as a successful writer even before her novel debuted. Unfortunately, in 1942 she was arrested and deported to Auschwitz, where she died. According to Goodreads, Suite Française remained hidden for sixty-four years. I also hear that because of her untimely death, the novel was never fully completed. Reviewers note the haunting beauty of Némirovsky voice in her book and say the story was riveting and heart-breaking.

Saul Dibb’s Duchess took home the Oscar for costume design and earned a Golden Globe nom for Ralph Fiennes. Dibbs is also working on a thriller called Codenames Only.

RZA and Grant Morrison to Adapt ‘Happy’

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Wu-Tang Clan front man, RZA, is throwing down in Hollywood in a major way. You may have seen the trailer for his riotous up-coming, Tarantino-esque, Kung-Fu flick, The Man with the Iron Fists already, but more trailers are in his future as he signs on to help adapt Happy!

Comic book giant, Mr. Grant Morrison is behind the comic book, called Happy! The story’s main character is Nick Sax, a shady former police officer who has become a hit man. I like him already. Sax is on a hit and it goes south, leaving him pretty badly hurt. These circumstances suddenly open Sax’s eyes to see Happy. Wait until you hear who and what Happy is.

He’s a horse. He’s a small, blue horse, with donkey ears, buck teeth, small feathery wings, and oh yes, a unicorn’s horn. And this hardened criminal is seeing visions of Happy. Happy is a real go getter, a positive, type-A personality, and his motto is to never give up. This is one crazy, exciting, hilarious premise. I can already see Mark Wahlberg cast as Nick Sax. Better yet, how about Donny Wahlberg?

As you would expect from the adult material within an Image comic book, the comic includes graphic sexuality, language and violence. This all makes the little blue sprite all the more hilarious. Did I mention that Happy is always, well, happy? In juxtaposing the cartoon carelessness of Happy and Sax’s gritty, ugly world, the character may just find redemption for all his darker deeds. I guess Happy is the angel on his shoulder.

The comic book first appeared only last month from Image Comics with art by Darick Robertson. THR called it a cross between It’s a Wonderful Life, Sin City and Care Bears. That’s priceless. And now it is soon to be a movie.

RZA is making his directorial debut with The Man with the Iron Fists and really hopes to direct Happy! on the big screen, too. He’ll also produce the project, alongside Reginald Hudlin, the same producer working with Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained. In fact, RZA and Tarantino will be mentioned in the same breathe fairly often, I should think, but more on that in a moment. Grant Morrison will write the script himself, to ensure extra goodness. No studio has signed on yet.

The trailer for The Man with the Iron Fists is a real showstopper. In the tradition of Kill Bill, Kung Fu Hustle, and other cool, darkly comedic, violent films, Iron Fists was written by RZA and Eli Roth. Quentin Tarantino agreed to place his name on the film with a “presented by” credit. It does look a lot like his style. In it, Russell Crowe, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, RZA, and Jamie Chung play a colorful assortment of warriors and assassins in 19th century China. There’s going to be a killer soundtrack and some wicked martial arts. It comes out November 2nd, and if it does well at the box office, excitement should grow for the Happy! adaptation in turn.

Screen Gems to Adapt ‘Black City’

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Black City is a young-adult fantasy series written by Elizabeth Richards. Get this. It isn’t even available for purchase yet, but it is soon to be a major motion picture, thanks to the kind folks over at the Screen Gems studio.

The first book in the series will be released to book sellers on November 13th. It’s coming from a publisher called Putnam Juvenile, which is an imprint of the Penguin Young Readers Group.

Screen Gems raced to buy the film rights to the series because already the franchise has a huge following online. Apparently, those who love young adult fiction are sniffing the air and predicting Black City will be a major hit. All Screen Gems needs now is a screenwriter adept at adapting books to film.

Black City, the first book in the what’s just being called The Black City series, is set in a metropolis where humans and the race of Darklings are separated by a really high wall. There’s a cold war of sorts going on in the aftermath of a terrible war. Tension is at an all time high, and sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and fall in love.

This sounds like your average star-crossed lovers tale, but here’s a cute twist. For some mysterious reason, Natalie literally causes Ash’s heart to beat. I’m guessing Darklings are a little bit like zombies, because Ash’s heart hasn’t beat in a very long time. Of course the young lovers face death if they are found out.

No, scratch that. I think Darklings are vampiric. My online research suggests they drink blood, have wings, and purple eyes. Watch your back Liz Taylor. You, too, Vampire Hunter D. I kid but, reviewers are already calling the book bloody and sexy, so this film will have a dark slant, I’m sure.

Oh yes, and while they’re at it, the paranormal pair uncovers a conspiracy at work within the city. Dun dun dun. Do you think you’ll be hooked?

Black City will be Elizabeth Richards’ debut novel. She’s an award-winning journalist who largely reviewed video games before becoming a travel writer and editor. She also has has experience as a website editor. Now it looks like she could be the next Stephenie Meyer. We’ll have to wait and see.

More and more we are seeing studios scooping up film rights to a hot book, even before it has been officially published. That speaks volumes about the popularity of fiction these days, especially young adult fiction. Twilight and The Hunger Games have been money-makers thus far. Still, there’s a gamble involved when you haven’t first seen the book make it to the best seller’s list.

The phenomenon isn’t secluded to the YA audience, however. The Care And Feeding Of Exotic Pets by Diana Wagman, as we reported not long ago, debuts November 13th, but a film is already in the works. That one is an adult thriller.

If you’re a fan of YA, especially YA of the paranormal variety, you are surely aware that The Host and City of Bones are two novels with film adaptations already under way.