Some Upcoming Film Projects Of Interest

Here are some news clips posted via the Cinefex weekly e-mail newsletter, so they have all got something to do with visual effects production. However, I guess they are interesting to me in their own right, so I thought I would pass them on. I made notes in italics below.

Transformers: IGN Filmforce reports on development of DreamWorks Pictures' live-action feature film based on Hasbro's animé-styled shapeshifting robot toys, and has debunked rumors that filmmaker Robert Zemeckis will be directing the project. Producer Don Murphy is quoted: "We're closing in on a writer and choosing to go with a younger guy who grew up with the mythology, like all of you fans. Should be announced in the coming weeks." The studio is reportedly aiming for a summer 2006 release.

The television animation series called Beast Wars Transformers was my first professional gig as a computer animator at Mainframe Entertainment. It provided me with my first 20 months of pay, and helped to eradicate my humungous student loan! So, overall it was a great start. I have a morbid fascination with what might be achievable in this day and age compared to our ridiculously limited abilities back in 1996. I guess we'll see won't we!

A Very Long Engagement: Aint-it-cool-news.com has posted screen grabs and a streaming video link to a trailer here for this Warner Independent release, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and starring Audrey Tatou, star of Jeunet's charming Amélie. A Very Long Engagement is an epic romance set against the backdrop of World War I France and, as usual for Jeunet, looks stunning and beautifully surreal. IMDb states Jeunet and Guillame Laurent adapted the screenplay from Un long dimanche de fiançailles, a novel by Sébastien Japrisot. Yves Domenjoud and Olivier Gleyze supervised special effects and Alain Carsoux supervised visual effects at Duboi. The film opens in France on October 27 and is scheduled for limited release in the U.S. on November 26.

I am one a very long list of people who have followed Monsieur Jeunet's work since Delicatessen (1991) blew me away. Of course, Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le (2001) was a very big accomplishment in modern French cinema and for many fans captured something of the feeling of Paris. I have often said "if you can not enjoy this film, you will never enjoy the cinema." This film looks absolutely stunning as well. I am intrigued to say the least.

King Conan: Crown of Iron: IGN Filmforce states filmmaker John Milius has secured funding for this long-in-development live-action sword and sorcery epic, Milius' third film based on Robert E. Howard's muscle-bound mythical adventurer. Finances have reportedly come from Turkey, where Milius is scouting locations, and conjectures have resurfaced suggesting that Schwarzenegger may be reprising his loin cloth, which he last wore in Conan the Barbarian in 1982 and Conan the Destroyer in 1984.

Who can deny that they wouldn't love to see Arnie reprise this role. A little known film trivia is that Oliver Stone penned the first Conan script, as a "see, I can do this" project for the studios. Savvy move. Imagine Conan a la Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven, and you have some idea of where I am thinking this could go. Ridiculous, but ridiculously good!

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell: Variety announced New Line Cinema is continuing to invest in fantasy film fare, purchasing the movie rights to this novel by Susanna Clarke. The story is about two rival magicians in 1800s England -- Norrell, who uses his powers to assist the British Empire in its war against Napoleon; and Strange, who attempts to harness the powers of an ancient Faerie King. New Line is also developing Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials fantasy trilogy; and Cornelia Funke's Inkheart, about a girl whose father has the power to bring literary fantasy characters to life.

I have just begun to wade into Mr. Pullman's opus. It will indeed be a contender for the like of the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter franchises which will hopefully mean a few hundred jobs a year or so until the production is complete. Still, no idea when it will start. I guess that this news goes in the "eagerly anticipated" camp.