Category Archives: Movie Adaptations

Stephen King’s Cell Adds Isabelle Fuhrman

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Clove is heading to Cell. According to a report from Deadline, Isabelle Fuhrman has joined the cast in the lead role in the upcoming film adaptation of popular Stephen King novel of the same name. Fuhrman will star opposite John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson.

Published in 2006, King’s novel is officially described as follows:

Artist Clayton Riddell had been in Boston negotiating a successful deal to sell his comic book project. His joy at finally hitting it big is shattered by an event called The Pulse which causes all those who were using their cell phones at the time of The Pulse to become zombies attacking and killing anyone in their way. Fortunately for Clay, he does not own a cell phone. In the panic to get out of Boston and find his way home to his wife and son in Maine, he is joined by Tom McCourt, a man he meets in the meleé immediately following The Pulse and a young girl, Alice, who they rescue from being killed by one of the “crazies.” The story follows their terrifying journey, avoiding capture—and worse—by the “crazies” who are beginning to “flock” and are led by one they call Raggedy Man as they attempt to reach Maine and a place called Kashwak which they hope will be their salvation.

The script was co-written by King alongside screenwriter Adam Alleca, who previously worked on The Last House on the Left. 

Marc Forster Targets Dystopic Sci-Fi Red Rising

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Marc Forster, the director behind Monsters Ball and World War Z, will be working on the big screen adaptation of the popular science fiction novel, “Red Rising,” according to a report from Deadline. 

The novel was written by Pierce Brown and is the first novel of a planned trilogy. It is described as follows:

“I live for the dream that my children will be born free,” she says. “That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them.”

“I live for you,” I say sadly.

Eo kisses my cheek. “Then you must live for more.”

Darrow is a miner and a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he digs all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of the planet livable for future generations. Darrow has never seen the sky.

Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better future for his children.

But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow and Reds like him are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow joins a resistance group in order to infiltrate the ruling class and destroy society from within. He will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies . . . even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

Brown is set to provide the screenplay for the adaptation while Palak Patel, Joe Roth and Renee Wolf are producing. There is no word on a projected release date.

David Goyer to Direct “The Breach” for Lionsgate

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Lionsgate has officially won the bidding war over the film rights to the novel, “The Breach.” The deal is a package that include David Goyer as director. The film will be the big screen adaptation of the 2009 novel written by Patrick Lee.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing The Breach alongside Justin Rhodes who is writing the script.

The story centers on a corrupt ex-cop who is trying to get his life back in order when he discovers a crashed plane in the Alaskan wilderness. The first lady is among those dead in the wreckage. That sets off an adventure featuring a beautiful survivor, assassins, a secret organization, alien technology and an end-of-the-world scenario.

“The Breach” is the first novel in a trilogy. It is followed by “Ghost Country” and “Deep Sky.”

The plans to adapt the novel began last year when Goyer optioned the rights and began developing it independently with di Bonaventura. A studio bidding war began when Liongsate, Warner Bros., Fox, Relativity and Millennium showed interest in the project.

Lionsgate’s president of production Erik Feig and Geoff Shaevitz, Summit Entertainment’s president of production, will oversee the project for the studio.

The “Pre-Apocalyptic” Story, Sheltered, Heads to the Big Screen

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According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Ed Brisson and Johnnie Christmas’ recently-released comic series, “Sheltered,” has been optioned for the big screen. The screenplay will be written by Jesse Peyronel, who is also set to direct.

“Sheltered” is officially described as follows:

A pre-apocalyptic tale of survival at any cost. The men and women of Safe Haven have been preparing for any-and-all end of world scenarios for years. However, their bunkers, weapons and training can’t save them from the one threat they never could have expected: Their own children.

Circle of Confusion, the production company behind AMC’s hit series “The Walking Dead,” are working to take the project to film. So if you weren’t convinced before, now you should feel reassured. Circle of Confusion is producing the adaptation, targeting a late 2014 production.

Considering the large amount of post-apocalyptic tales we have floating around, it will be nice to see the events that lead up to the end of the world.

Jesse Eisenberg and Jeremy Irons Cast in the Superman/Batman Film

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The upcoming Man of Steel sequel, tentatively referred to as Batman Vs. Superman, has officially cast the roles of Lex Luthor and Alfred with Jesse Eisenberg and Jeremy Irons respectively. The dual announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Zach Snyder, the film’s director said,

“Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman’s rivals, his unsavory reputation preceding him since 1940. What’s great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He’s a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions.”

He also commented on the casting of Alfred saying,

“As everyone knows, Alfred is Bruce Wayne’s most trusted friend, ally and mentor, a noble guardian and father figure. He is an absolutely critical element in the intricate infrastructure that allows Bruce Wayne to transform himself into Batman. It is an honor to have such an amazingly seasoned and gifted actor as Jeremy taking on the important role of the man who mentors and guides the guarded and nearly impervious façade that encapsulates Bruce Wayne.”

Snyder’s film stars Henry Cavill, reprising his role as Superman/Clark Kent, Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince. The film also reunites Man of Steel stars Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane.

Batman vs. Superman is set to open worldwide on May 6, 2016.

New Still From “The Maze Runner” Released

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The big screen adaptation of The Maze Runner is almost here and we have a brand new still featuring a few of the Gladers holding long wooden poles. The film is scheduled to be released later this year and an official trailer has yet to come. You can see the still above.

The film was directed by Wes Ball and is based on the novel by James Dashner. The Maze Runner is the first book in a young-adult dystopian science fiction trilogy. The official plot is as follows:

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recollection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as anyone can remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, for just as long, they’ve closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the Maze after dark. The Gladers were expecting Thomas’s arrival. But the next day, a girl is sent up- the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might find their way home… wherever that may be. But it’s looking more and more as if the Maze is unsolvable. And something about the girl’s arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he might just have some answers- if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind.

It stars Dylan O’Brien as Thomas, Kaya Scodelario as Teresa, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Newt, and Will Poulter as Gally.

Guy Ritchie and Warner Bros. Consider Six-Film King Arthur Franchise

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It has been almost 4 years since we first heard that Guy Ritchie was planning on a faithful big screen adaptation of Arthurian legend. Finally, the project appears to be moving forward. According to Deadline, new attempts at bringing the tale to life are being made as the studio is planning a franchise based on King Arthur’s exploits that may ultimately become six separate feature films.

An earlier iteration of the project was to feature a screenplay by John Hodge (Trainspotting) and was to be based directly on Thomas Mallory’s 15th century work “Le Morte d’Arthur” (which itself is divided into eight different books). As Mallory’s compilation of tales is pretty much the definitive source material for Arthurian legend, it’s a good bet that Harold’s screenplay is similarly influenced.

The script or the first film was drafted by Joby Harold and will produce alongside Akiva Goldsman, Tory Tunnell and Lionel Wigram.

Rawson Marshall Thurber to Direct Choose Your Own Adventure

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According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rawson Marshall has signed on to direct the big screen adaptation of the classic “Choose Your Own Adventure” books. Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon (Night at the Museum) have also signed on to screenwriter the project.

Choose Your Own Adventure, which began in 1979, was the brainchild of Edward Packard. The classic series offered nearly 200 different adventures, all of which allowed you, the reader, to determine what happened next by following instructions at the bottom of each page.

Marshall is most known for his work on the film, We’re The Millers. John Davis and John Fox will produce with Damien Saccani and Daniela Taplin set to executive produce.

Currently there is no word on what the exact plot of the film will be or how they will adapt the ever-changing story lines of “Choose Your Own Adventure” book. Also, the “Journey Under The Sea” book is clearly the BEST of the book series.

Ant-Man Moved Up to Batman vs. Superman’s Old Release Date

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Ant-Man has officially been moved up to take the place of Batman vs. Superman in the July 17th release slot. Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man has been moved up two weeks from July 31, 2015

The cast list for the project is finally filling up. Paul Rudd has been cast as Scott Lang/ Ant-Man while Michael Douglas will play Hank Pym.

Ant-Man will be the first film in the “Phase Three” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will follow Avengers: Age of Ultron‘s May 1, 2015 release. The movie will be begin production early next year and is set to be directed by Edgar Wright, who co-wrote the script with Joe Cornish.

“Atlas Shrugged: Who Is John Galt?” Starts Production With New Cast

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Atlas Shrugged: Who I John Galt, the third installment in the “Atlas Shrugged” movie trilogy, has officially gone into production without any of the primary cast members from the previous installment, though a complete change of acting talent has been the norm for this politically charged franchise.

In the movie, John Galt will be played by Kristoffer Polaha. You might know him from the CW shows Ringer and Life Unexpected. He also appears in the upcoming Fox show Backstrom, starring Rainn Wilson.

The story’s heroine, Dagny Taggart, will be played by Laura Regan, who was in the movie Unbreakable with Bruce Willis and has appeared on the AMC hit show “Mad Men.” Cast as Taggart’s love interest, the wealthy industrialist Hank Rearden, is Rob Morrow, while Eric Allan Kramer has been cast as Ragnar Danneskjold, a modern-day maritime pirate. Francisco d’Anconia, a brilliant entrepreneur with the reputation of a frivolous playboy, is to be played by Joaquim de Almeida, a Portuguese actor who has appeared in TV shows like Once Upon a TimeThe Mentalist and Revolution.

The film trilogy is based on the novel by Ayn Rand. Atlas Shrugged, the book first published in 1957, portrays a dystopian U.S. where soaring taxation, stifling governmental regulations and demonization of success are the norm. Eventually, the most productive members of society begin to voluntarily disappear in an attempt at a bizarre “strike” that is seemingly orchestrated by a mysterious figure known as John Galt.

The third Atlas Shrugged is scheduled for release by Atlas Distribution Co. in September, when Americans will turn their attention to midterm elections, and Kaslow says he is hoping the country’s focus on politics will spill into theaters where his film is showing. He also says the third film’s release pattern will stress the areas of the country where the first two installments were most popular.

In the first Atlas Shrugged, Taylor Schilling played Taggart, Grant Bowler played Rearden and Jsu Garcia played d’Anconia. In Part II, Samantha Mathis played Taggart, Jason Beghe played Rearden and Esai Morales played d’Anconia.