Posted 8/24/09 12:02 pm EST by Josh Wigler in Image Comics, News
Earlier this year, Todd McFarlane spoke with MTV News and described his ambitions to reinvent the "Spawn" franchise for the big screen. But what was once just talk and speculation has now found its way into the realm of reality.
McFarlane recently declared via Twitter that he is finally writing the "Spawn" screenplay.
"I've officially begun writing the ['Spawn' movie] screenplay," wrote the writer-artist. "The story has been in my head for [seven or eight] years." Read More...
Posted 8/17/09 5:04 pm EST by Rick Marshall in Image Comics, News
Last week's announcement that the brilliant Robert Kirkman comic book series "The Walking Dead" was headed to AMC as a television series directed by Frank Darabont ("The Shawshank Redemption," "The Mist") was easily one of my favorite stories of the week. The combination of Kirkman's bleak, character-driven story with Darabont's considerable talent at bringing exactly those sort of stories to the screen seems like the perfect match—but it's a project that almost went in an entirely different direction, according to a recent report.
According to BleedingCool, "Hellboy" (and "The Hobbit") director Guillermo Del Toro was originally attached to bring Kirkman's tale of life after of the zombie apocalypse to the small screen. Instead of landing at AMC, the series was proposed as an HBO project, intended to be a sister series to vampire drama "True Blood." Read More...
Posted 8/14/09 3:02 pm EST by Rick Marshall in Image Comics, News
While actress Rachel McAdams makes the rounds promoting her starring role in "The Time Traveler's Wife" (premiering this weekend), there's a different film she's been connected to over the last year or so that has comics fans buzzing. I'm talking, of course, about David Fincher's adaptation of "Torso," the graphic novel by Brian Michael Bendis and Marc Andreyko that chronicled famed "Untouchables" detective Elliot Ness' efforts to catch a serial killer in the 1930s.
The rights to the film expired at Paramount back in January, but both Bendis and producer Bill Mechanic later promised that there was still movement with the project. When MTV News caught up with McAdams, we asked her if she'd heard anything about the film recently.
"I don't know what's going on with that project. I don't know that it's actually happening," said McAdams. "[Fincher] might be doing something else." Read More...
Posted 8/13/09 11:28 am EST by Rick Marshall in Image Comics, News
Robert Pattinson and his brooding "Twilight" alter ego might not be the first things that come to mind when contemplating the casting for Brett Ratner's upcoming, big-screen adaptation of the superhero series "Youngblood," but that's exactly whose name the filmmaker dropped when asked if he had any actors in mind.
"Definitely [Robert Pattinson] from 'Twilight,'" Ratner told MTV News when asked if he has his eye on any potential "Youngblood" actors at this point. "He just feels like he belongs in that world. I don't only see him as a vampire, he's a really good actor."
Given the roster of the comic book's team, Pattinson's leading-man resume and Ratner's previous comments about the "Youngblood" storyline, it's not too difficult to guess which role Ratner has in mind for the "Twilight" star. Read More...
Posted 8/12/09 12:29 pm EST by Rick Marshall in Image Comics, News, Video
Stalled for years due to studio shuffles, Rob Zombie's adult-oriented, animated adaptation of his "Haunted World of El Superbeasto" comic book was originally tagged for straight-to-DVD release, but now could enjoy a run in theaters, according to the musician/filmmaker.
"It started as a really cheap direct-to-video project, and then it kept ballooning over the years and the budget kept getting bigger and bigger, and the project kept getting bigger and bigger, and bigger names kept coming on to it," Zombie told MTV News. "And then it seemed like, 'Well, now it seems theatrical.'" Read More...
Posted 8/12/09 10:08 am EST by Brian Warmoth in Image Comics, News
"The Walking Dead" became one of the biggest breakout indie series of the last decade after Robert Kirkman launched it at Image Comics. Now, another entertainment upstart may be bringing the zombie serial to wider audiences with an adaptation courtesy of "Shawshank Redemption" and "The Mist" director Frank Darabont. AMC, the cable network who made an Emmy winner out of their original series "Mad Men" when it began dabbling in dramas, wants Kirkman's tale to join its programming schedule.
"This is not about zombies popping out of closets," Joel Stillerman, AMC's senior VP of programming told Variety. "This is a story about survival, and the dynamics of what happens when a group is forced to survive under these circumstances." Read More...
Posted 8/3/09 7:19 pm EST by Rick Marshall in Avatar Press, Best Bets, Image Comics, Radical
After taking a much-needed, post-Comic-Con week off, we're back with all of the regular features here on Splash Page -- and that includes your weekly dose of comics crossovers to look out for among this week's titles. Our spotlight comic this week is one of the most heavily promoted new series lately, with a famous creator who's taken every opportunity possible to let you know about his his new book.
"MAYHEM" #1 (Image Comics): Created by actor/musician Tyrese Gibson ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"), this new series is Gibson's first foray into the comic book world, but he's been saying all the right things and making all the right moves to prove it's not just a passing whim.
The story of a gun-slinging vigilante who battles with an evil drug kingpin in L.A., "Mayhem" has been the first (and last) thing Gibson's talked about during countless interviews and press events, while also never shying away from his status as a newcomer to the comics world. As he told MTV News back in June, he's knocking at the door of the comics world, and it's up to fans to let him in. Read More...
Posted 7/21/09 8:04 am EST by Josh Wigler in Image Comics, News
Given Matthew Vaughn's recent comments on "Kick-Ass" and Mark Millar's own film success with "Wanted," it's quite apparent that the director and the comic book writer have a good thing going on between them. It's so good, in fact, that Millar and Vaughn are said to be teaming up for "American Jesus" based on Millar's Image Comics series.
But is Vaughn really helming another Millar property? Not necessarily, said the director.
"I'm not [attached], actually," Vaughn told MTV News. "I've been talking to Mark, helping him with it, but people sort of read between the lines with that." Read More...
Posted 7/13/09 7:10 pm EST by Rick Marshall in Best Bets, Boom Studios, DC Comics, IDW Publishing, Image Comics
It's a big week for great science-fiction titles, but they aren't the only comics of note hitting shelves this week. Here are some of the highlights from the world of comic book and movie/television crossovers.
"DOCTOR WHO" #1 (IDW Publishing) -- Writer Tony Lee brings the BBC's favorite Time Lord into a new monthly series that promises to feature a wealth of in-canon adventures, but also offer up a great jumping-on point for readers new to the worlds of "Doctor Who" and its hit spin-off series, "Torchwood."
I previewed the first issue of "Doctor Who" last week, and spoke to Lee about his plans for the series -- so if you like what you see (and especially if you're a "Doctor Who" geek like I am), make sure to add this one to your pull list this week. It's sci-fi gold. Read More...
Posted 7/7/09 4:32 pm EST by Larry Carroll in Image Comics, News
Tyrese Gibson is a busy dude these days, between his record-breaking blockbuster “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” maintaining his multi-platinum selling music career, and dropping his face into a new field these days: comic books. When we caught up with the stocky star recently, he was eager to talk about teaming up with comics legend Todd McFarlane and the Image Comics team to publish “Mayhem!” next month.
“He’s a gun-slinging vigilante who seeks refuge from the basement of a church,” Tyrese said of the comics’ main character, who resembles the actor/singer/model in more ways than one. “He’s like a modern-day Robin Hood, who wants to take from the bad and give it back to the good and do whatever he can do to make life better in L.A.” Read More...
