Category Archives: Movie Adaptations

Update For Iron Man 3 Features The Patriotic Armor

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SuperHeroHype has confirmed that Shane Black’s Iron Man 3 will feature the red, white and blue Iron Patriot armor. The tri-colored armor first appeared in 2009’s Dark Avengers #1.

Following the Secret Invasion crossover, Norman Osborn was mistakenly thought of as a hero, and made the leader of a group of government-sanctioned Avengers, according to SHH. Using technology from Stark Industries, Osborn designed his suit as an homage to the recently-deceased Captain America.

However, this won’t likely be how it works in the film though, because Osborn is a Spider-Man villain, and Sony Pictures owns the rights.

Iron Man 3 is currently in production in North Carolina, and stars Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce, James Badge Dale, Ashley Hamilton and Jon Favreau. The film is intended to be a sequel to 2010’s Iron Man 2 and the 7th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It will be in theaters May 3, 2013.

WARNING: Potential spoilers follow.

ComingSoon has also obtained photos of the new suit, along with a look at exactly who will be wearing it. James Badge Dale, who plays Eric Savin in the film, will be donning the patriotic armor. In the comic books, Savin becomes the cyborg villain Coldblood, though it is not known whether this will play into the film.

You can see the photos below:

The Effects of The Amazing Spider-Man To Be More Realistic

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Mark Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man, due in theaters July 3, may seem like just another comic book adaptation by a different director but it seems this one will at least differ in its stunts and practical effects from director Sam Raimi’s trilogy. Stunt coordinator Vic Armstrong, who has worked on James Bond films, the original Superman movies and the first three Indiana Jones movies, worked as second unit director and stunt coordinator on The Amazing Spider-Man and has brought his real world stunt work to the project.

In an interview with Flixist, he discussed his work for the film and the exact differences from Raimi’s work.

They came to me and my brother [Andy], who’s working on it as well as another stunt coordinator, and said, ‘Look, we want to try and make it more about physical flying than computerized flying,’ and Andy and I had been talking about that anyway, and we said absolutely, that’s how we’re going to do it.”

Armstrong also explained how he used his expertise from another film adaptation, Tarzan. He explained his choice of effects comparing it the character from that film.

Tarzan would grab one vine, fly diagonally away from it, sweeping down which gives him the momentum, and then at the height he would change to another vine when he’s weightless and sweep down in another direction. That propels him along.”

In his memoir The True Adventures of the World’s Greatest Stuntman, Armstrong explained why he isn’t a fan of using CGI in films when he can avoid it.

A good analogy for CGI would be morphine — morphine is an incredible drug if you use it for what it was intended for, used sparingly, in the right amounts,” he said. “But when it’s used too much, you get addicted and it’s a killer. And that’s exactly what CGI is. More movies have been killed by CGI than have been helped by it.”

The Amazing Spider-Man is based on the comic book of the same name and starring Andrew Garfield as the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It is the fourth Columbia Pictures film that portrays Spider-Man in film and is a reboot of the film series that stars the superhero. The cast includes Garfield as Peter Parker and his alter ego, Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy and Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors. The film will portray Parker as his super powers are evolving in high school and will explore him trying to discover the truth behind his parents. The film also brings to life new designs of the film franchise such as Parker inventing artificial webs like in the original comics instead of organic webs.

The Amazing Spider-Man will hit theaters on July 3, 2012.

You can see one of the TV spots for the film below:

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Announces Special Screening For Navy

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20th Century Fox took advantage of the holiday last weekend and released a new trailer for Timur Bekmambetov’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter on Memorial Day. The video gives fans a look at weaponry and numerous slayings over a recital of the president’s Gettysburg Address.

This is the third and final trailer to be released for the film. Fox also announced that there will be a special screening of the film for the sailors aboard the Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in June.

Cast members Benjamin Walker, Anthony Mackie and Erin Wasson are scheduled to attend the event, as well as Bekmambetov, screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith and producer Jim Limley.

We’re very excited that 20th Century Fox and Navy Entertainment wanted to provide ABE’s crew the opportunity to preview the new Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter movie while we’re out here on deployment,” Capt. John D. Alexander, Commanding Officer of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) said in a press release. “We’re extremely fortunate that the studio wants to give us an early showing. It’s something that we’ve never experienced before on this ship, and we’re extremely grateful for their willingness to share this with our sailors.”

Walker said he is looking forward to meeting the sailors, and hopes they enjoy the event.

I hope it brings them excitement, goodwill and a taste of home,” he said.

Lemley commented how he is pleased and proud to have such an opportunity.

We hope they enjoy our film and know how much everyone in the United States appreciates their service,” he said.

The cast and filmmakers are also scheduled to attend two other special screenings events at undisclosed locations, according to Ace Showbiz.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter will be in theaters June 22.

View the newest trailer below:

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is based on the novel of the same name written by Seth Grahame-Smith who also wrote the screenplay for the film. It was released on March 2, 2010, through New York–based publishing company Grand Central Publishing.

Several of the authors other novels are also on their way to the big screen including Pride and Prejudice and Zombies which was optioned by Lionsgate Entertainment, with Natalie Portman producing, and David O. Russell adapting and directing. Grahame-Smith is also attached as a producer for this project. It also been reported that his new novel, Unholy Night will be adapted in the future.

3 Great Book Couples Who Faltered On Screen

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I can’t help but love a good love story. Even if it is in the middle of a bad-ass sci-fi thriller or violent horror film I can’t help but root for love to win out. It may not be my main focus for watching something, but if it is there, I support it. I do this especially when it comes to novels. I don’t know if it is because it takes so long for a resolution when reading (say a few days to finish the book rather than 2 hours to finish a movie) but when reading, I become incredibly emotionally invested in the lives and loves of the characters.

That is why I hate when a character I have loved and invested in is ruined when brought to the big screen. Lovers, couples, burgeoning crushes, and heartfelt lifetimes together mean nothing if the actors playing those characters suck (or even the writing sucks in some cases.)

So here are three book couples that were ruined when brought to the silver screen.

Emma and Dexter – One Day

“Do you want to awkward almost kiss for this whole movie?” “Yes!”

I’ve written on here before about how much I hated the movie adaptation of the novel One Day by David Nicholls. In my mind it was terrible, losing all of the charm and wit on the novel. However, one of the big reasons I disliked it were the lead actors. Normally I love Anna Hathaway, she is incredibly talented and gorgeous. Same with Jim Sturgess, I mean he was FANTASTIC in Across the Universe. But the two of them together? NO CHEMISTRY.

The lives of Emma and Dexter were twisty and complicated with missed opportunities and sexual tension that was interlaced with comedic moments/ heartbreak and clever conversation. The Emma and Dexter of the film were awkward, clunky, and full of uncomfortable moments where I wished it would hurry to the conclusion.

“No one is ever going to believe we are a couple…”

I blame part of this unfortunate casting choice on the director who was easily bribed into hiring Hathaway who is not british and who’s accent was unwieldy and cumbersome. The director initially wanted a british actress to play the british character but Hathaway insisted on the part despite his reservations going so far as sending him a mix tape on why she should get it. Clearly she wouldn’t give up and he gave in. It seems this forced casting might have been a mistake.

Overall, the lack of chemistry between these actors have pushed this fictional couple from cute to unpleasant.

If only Dexter and Emma’s robotic love was as cute as this.

Clare and Henry – The Time Traveler’s Wife

“What year is this? Are you old enough to bone yet?”

I want to get this straight right off the bat. This is one of my favorite books ever written. I have probably read it 12 times. But the movie version? AWFUL. I have seen it once and probably never will again.

Honestly, this book is long, with ever changing point of views, years, and settings. I never thought it would become a movie because of its complex nature, and when it did, I wasn’t surprised by how many people felt it was convoluted and illogical. It really does not translate well to the big screen and because of that neither does the romantic nature of Clare and Henry.

This one has nothing to do with the actors, unlike the top entry. This has to do with the nature of the storyline. Clare knows Henry since she is 6 years old, but he only meets her when he is 28 and she is 20 – that alone would be difficult to transfer to a visual medium but also take note that the book is several hundred pages long, and constantly switches between her point of view at various ages, and his at various ages. To get depth and inherently loveliness and heartache of their relationship, nothing should be glossed over. Unfortunately not everything could be added into the movie, and to compensate several scenes were added into the film making it even worse.

As a fan I felt like the characters I loved and rooted for were nonexistent in the film and replaced with standard characters in an a standard romantic drama. And maybe I actually hated Eric Bana as Henry.

“I’m so torn on marrying you because I just saw you as a 6 year old and I naked… awkward.”

Katniss and Peeta – The Hunger Games Trilogy

“Ugh is he still staring at me?”

Everyone who has seen the film adaptation of The Hunger Games after reading the novel knows they left A LOT out. They also could probably tell that Katniss went from a resourceful smart heroin to merely a lucky survivor with emotionally cold tendencies.

The whole time I read the trilogy I was all about some Peeta and Katniss. I loved them together and I wanted so badly for them to be happy together. Through out the first book, we know Katniss is confused about her feelings, we know she feels something for Peeta that she can’t define or refuses to define yet (which honestly does continue till the end of the series). Yet the film made her seem cold and manipulative. We don’t see her struggling over Peeta and Gale internally but we do see her playing up her feelings for the camera.

I mean yes, in the book she also plays up her feelings for sponsors and help, but there are several instances where she acts because she wants to and because she cares, not just because the cameras are watching. And much of it has to do with the writing. I know that it is difficult to adapt a first person narrative in to a third person film. However, much of the underlying psychological issues of Katniss are lost in the film version making her seems superficial and selfish when book Katniss is not.

“Do you think he bought it?”

It is hard to be “Team Peeta” based on the movie when the film lacks any allusion to her having even the tiniest bit of real feelings toward him. However, we have two/three more movies to go, lets hope for the best. And lets face it I’ll always be Team Peeta… who’s arms smell of bread…

First Trailer For Les Miserables Adaptation Released

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Have you been yearning to see Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway in the new adaptation on Les Miserables? Probably not, but it is still pretty cool. Universal Pictures recently debuted the first trailer for the Tom Hooper directed project which you can see below.

Based on the novel by Victor Hugo and that globally renowned stage show, the story of  Jean Valjean has been seen by more than 60 million people in over 40 countries while being presented in over 20 languages.

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, the film tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption–a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever. It begins in 1815 and culminates in 1832 during the June Rebellion.

Les Miserables was published in 1862 by Hugo and has remained widely considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century. The novel and story are considered a “historical fiction” because it contains both a real setting and factual/historical events while containing fictional aspects.

You can see the brand new trailer below:

The cast of the upcoming adaptation is pretty lengthy with more than several main and supporting cast members. It includes:

  • Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, a Frenchman released from Toulon prison after 19 years of imprisonment for stealing bread and failed attempts for escaping from the prison.
  • Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert, a police inspector who releases Valjean on parole, then later dedicates his life to imprisoning him again.
  • Anne Hathaway as Fantine, a struggling factory worker and mother of her illegitimate child, Cosette. She is eventually forced to turn to prostitution.
  • Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, the illegitimate daughter of Fantine who has grown into a beautiful teenager under Valjean’s care and falls in love with Marius.
    • Isabelle Allen plays the younger version of Cosette.
  • Eddie Redmayne as Marius Pontmercy, a student revolutionary who is friends with the Thenardiers’ daughter, Éponine, but falls in love with Cosette.
  • Samantha Barks as Éponine, the destitute daughter of the Thénardiers who is friends with and secretly pines for Marius
  • Sacha Baron Cohen as Thénardier, a common thief who is also an innkeeper. He is also the father of Éponine.
  • Helena Bonham Carter as Madame Thénardier, the unscrupulous Innkeeper’s wife who, along with her husband, houses and abuses Cosette until Valjean “buys” her from them after Fantine’s death. She is also the mother of Éponine.
  • Aaron Tveit as Enjolras, the leader of a student revolt and a friend of Marius.
  • Daniel Huttlestone as Gavroche, a streetwise urchin who helps the revolutionaries. He is the abandoned son of the Thénardiers.
The supporting cast includes Colm Wilkinson, Frances Ruffelle, George Blagden, Killian Donnelly, Fra Fee as Courfeyrac, Alistair Brammer, Gabriel Vick, Bertie Carvel, Iwan Lewis, Adam Pearce, Marc Pickering, Michael Jibson, Hadley Fraser, Ashley Artus, Lynne Wilmot, Kelly-Anne Gower, Julia Worsley, Jonny Purchase, John Barr, Nikica Markot, Emmy Misheva, Ryan Laskey, Stevee Davies, Jos Slovick, Mary Cormack, Linzi Hateley, Sara Pelosi, Alice Fearn, Alison Tennant,Josef Altin, Caroline Sheen, Gemma Wardle, Katy Secombe, Gina Beck, Adebaya Bolaji, Alexia Khadime, Hannah Waddingham, Daniel Evans, Katie Hall, Adam Searles, Nancy Sullivan, Tabitha Webb, Jacqui Dankworth, Clare Foster, Adrian Scarborough, Kerry Ellis, Alison Jiear,Mark Donovan, Robyn North, Matt Harrop, Jackie Marks, Alea Young, Sophie Hutchinson, Matthew Corner, Lily Laight, Olivia Rose Aaron, Victoria Melanie Ryan, Kerry Ingram, Jamie Muscato, Mike Johnson, Jason Rowley and Andy Coxon.

Men in Black 3 Takes Top Spot At Box Office

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Many people may not be surprised that highly anticipated Men in Black 3 took the top box office spot in its opening weekend. Although some people may be surprised that it replaced Joss Whedon’s Marvel’s The Avengers which was steadily holding the number one spot until last weekend.

MIB3 opened to earnings of $54.6 million, making it Will Smith’s third highest-grossing Friday-Sunday debut to date behind I Am Legend ($77.2 million) and Hancock ($62.6 million). However, despite it’s very strong opening when these figures are adjusted for 10 years of ticket price inflation and 3D ticket prices, Box Office Mojo reported that MIB3’s initial attendance was significantly lower than that of MIB 2. 

 In “Men in Black 3,” Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) head back in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K’s life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him — secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of humankind. 

MIB3 stars Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement, Emma Thompson, Nicole Scherzinger, Alice Eve, and Michael Stuhlbarg.

The film has good reason for being number one though. It has been receiving positive reviews, with a 76 percent audience rating at Rotten Tomatoes. The film’s audience was 54 percent male and 56 percent over the age of 25, according to Sony.

Even though Marvel’s The Avengers was knocked out of the top spot, it is not about to lose steam. The film still made $46.9 million during the four-day weekend. Its three-day gross was $36.7 million, which is the second highest fourth weekend ever behind Avatar’s $50.3 million.

Other films that opened this weekend included Oren Peli’s horror flick Chernobyl Diaries as the 12 highest grossing movie, Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom also opened with the highest grossing indie debut of all time, according to Box Office Mojo.

Battle Royale Gets Theaterical Release In U.S.

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Over the holiday weekend last weekend, moviegoers had several choices but one stuck out: Battle Royale. Though technically it came out 2000, the film has finally gotten the theatrical release it deserved here in the U.S.

The film, which was directed by Kinji Fukasaku from a script by his son Kenta Fukasaku, was based on the 1999 book of the same name written by Koushun Takami. It follows 40 school children who are taken to an island, outfitted with exploding collars and told to kill each other.If they don’t by the end of the time limit, everyone will die anyway. There can only be one winner.

While, yes, the premise of The Hunger Games is *similar* to this book turned manga turned film, BR is so much more. With realistic amounts of gore, psychological terror, breakdowns, and more.

Times critic A.O. Scott said regarding the film:

American fans of “The Hunger Games” may not embrace — or even be permitted to see — “Battle Royale,” which is too bad. It is in many ways a better movie and in any case a fascinating companion, drawn from a parallel cultural universe. It is a lot uglier and also, perversely, a lot more fun.

You can see the trailer below:

Mia Wasikowska Announced To Star In Memoir “Tracks”

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Mia Wasikowska, most known for starring in the Tim Burton adaptation Alice in Wonderland, has confirmed that she will star in the big-screen adaptation of Robyn Davidson’s memoir Tracks. The King’s Speech duo Emile Sherman and Iain Canning will produce the film through their See-Saw Films banner and John Curran (The Painted Veil) will direct the indie drama.

Tracks tells the story of author Robyn Davidson, a young woman who traveled more than 1,678 miles through the Australian desert in 1977.  Sherman and Canning said they feel Curran will be able to tell the story in an effective way.

“John is an incredibly talented filmmaker and we feel the story of one woman, transforming her life by attempting the impossible, is both universal and timely,” Sherman and Canning said.

Davidson was celebrated internationally as “The Camel Lady,” according to Variety. Her journey, which included the company of four camels and a dog, was documented by photographer Rick Smolan for National Geographic.

Read the official summary below:

A cult classic with an ever-growing audience, Tracks is the brilliantly written and frequently hilarious account of a young woman’s odyssey through the deserts of Australia, with no one but her dog and four camels as companions. Davidson emerges as a heroine who combines extraordinary courage with exquisite sensitivity. One map.”

No word yet on who else will star in the adaptation or a projected release date.

Simon Pegg Tapped For Hector and the Search for Happiness

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Simon Pegg recently confirmed that he will play the title character in the upcoming adaptation of Francois Lelord’s Hector and the Search for Happiness. The dramatic comedy is being adapted by Peter Chelsom and Tinker Lindsay, and will feature the Shaun of the Dead actor as an eccentric London psychiatrist in crisis because his patients are getting happier.

He’s going nowhere.“ the press release said of the character. “Then one day, armed with buckets of courage and an almost child-like curiosity, Hector breaks out of his sheltered vacuum of a life into a global quest to find out if happiness exists. More importantly, if it exists for Hector. And so begins a colorful, exotic, dangerous and hysterical journey.”

The news was announced at the Cannes Film Festival by The Solution Entertainment Group. Pegg will begin shooting after he finishes The World’s End, a collaboration with his frequent partner Edgar Wright.

Chelsom said that he put a lot of thought into casting Peg for the part.

“I’ve been searching long and hard for a film that would bring me back to my European sensibilities,“ Chelsom said. “Not unlike Being There and Forrest Gump, ‘Hector’ is a contemporary love story, a fable wrapped around a very human hero’s journey. Nobody does the innocent abroad better than Simon Pegg: he is not only a brilliant comedian but a very touching actor. He is the Hector that you want to follow to the ends of the earth.”

Chelsom is best known for Shall We Dance?, Funny Bones, Hear My Song, and most recently Hannah Montana: The Movie. 

View the official summary below:

“Can we learn how to be happy? Hector is a successful young psychiatrist. He’s very good at treating patients in real need of his help. But many people he sees have no health problems: they’re just deeply dissatisfied with their lives. Hector can’t do much for them, and it’s beginning to depress him. So when a patient tells him he looks in need of a holiday, Hector decides to set off round the world to find out what makes people everywhere happy (and sad), and whether there is such a thing as the secret of true happiness.”

The book, which was published on August 31, 2010 has received very well by critics since its release. Marie Claire called it, “Intelligently naïve.” with BookPage calling it, “Utterly charming . . . Hector and the Search for Happiness turns psychological research into a fast-paced, enchanting story. Lelord himself is a psychiatrist, and his interest in the human mind is infectious. . . . Fans of Eat, Pray, Love and The Elegance of the Hedgehogwon’t want to miss this gem of a book.”

There is no word yet on when the project is projected to be released or who else will accompany Pegg in the cast.

Peter Weir To Adapt Jennifer Egan’s “The Keep”

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Peter Weir (Dead Poet’s Society) recently confirmed that he will direct an adaptation of Jennifer Egan’s 2006 bestselling contemporary gothing thriller The Keep. Weir will also write the screenplay and begin filming next spring with a budget around $30 million, according to Variety.

Ben Said’s Paris-based production-sales team SBS Productions, also the producer of Brian de Palma’s Passion, will produce the film.

The Keep will be the next film after The Way Back for Weir, Said added.

In it, two estranged American cousins reunite to rennovate a medieval castle, stirring up childhood traumas and fears along the way. The author, Egan, previously won the Pulitzer prize with her 2011 novel, A Visit From the Goon Squad.

View The Keep’s official synopsis below:

“From National Book Award finalist Jennifer Egan, author of Look at Me (“Brilliantly unnerving . . . A haunting, sharp, splendidly articulate novel” —The New York Times), a spellbinding work of literary suspense enacted in a chilling psychological landscape—a dazzling tour de force.

Two cousins, irreversibly damaged by a childhood prank whose devastating consequences changed both their lives, reunite twenty years later to renovate a medieval castle in Eastern Europe, a castle steeped in blood lore and family pride. Built over a secret system of caves and tunnels, the castle and its violent history invoke and subvert all the elements of a gothic past: twins, a pool, an old baroness, a fearsome tower. In an environment of extreme paranoia, cut off from the outside world, the men reenact the signal event of their youth, with even more catastrophic results. And as the full horror of their predicament unfolds, a prisoner, in jail for an unnamed crime, recounts an unforgettable story—a story about two cousins who unite to renovate a castle—that brings the crimes of the past and present into piercing relation.

Egan’s relentlessly gripping page-turner plays with rich forms—ghost story, love story, gothic—and transfixing themes: the undertow of history, the fate of imagination in the cacophony of modern life, the uncanny likeness between communications technology and the supernatural. In a narrative that shifts seamlessly from an ancient European castle to a maximum security prison, Egan conjures a world from which escape is impossible and where the keep—the last stand, the final holdout, the place you run to when the walls are breached—is both everything worth protecting and the very thing that must be surrendered in order to survive.

A novel of fierce intelligence and velocity; a bravura performance from a writer of consummate skill and style.”

There is no word yet on who is expected t star in the film or a projected release date.