MOVIE NEWS

“I’LL BE BACK” again, and again, and again.

It has been confirmed that Christian Bale is to play John Connor in the next three "Terminator" movies reports The BBC. Derek Anderson, a rep for the film's production company Halycon, says "he read the script and he loved it, so he's signed on for all three".Aussie actor Sam Worthington plays the lead role in this new film series and shooting is currently underway. A May 22nd 2009 release is planned.

In some ways, I'm pleased. I respect Bale as an actor and I'm a fan of most of his movies. They should just drop this idea of making PG-13 movies.

“THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE? ONE WHAT?”

"Iron Man" co-writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway have been hired to write a remake of the 1986 sci-fi cult hit "Highlander" for Summit Entertainment reports the trades. Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery and Clancy Brown starred in the original Russell Mulcahy-directed story of immortal beings battling each other through the centuries, looking to win "The Prize" at "The Gathering". Lambert (a Frenchman) played the Scottish swordsman Connor MacLeod, Connery an Egyptian and Clancy a Russian barbarian known as the Kurgan. The movie spawned four sequels and three television series. Production is aiming to begin later this year.

Why, why, why?!!! Can''t producers and studios just leave movies alone. I can't see any benefit in remaking this movie. See my Highlander 5 review here. The writing's on the proverbial wall.



“FLASH!” – OH, NO, NOT AGAIN!

Sony Pictures is in early talks to acquire the movie rights for a new film adaptation of "Flash Gordon" reports the trades. Flash was a football star who travels to the planet Mongo with his girlfriend, Dale Arden, and scientist Dr. Hans Zarkov. They find a world ruled by a dictator, Ming the Merciless, and meet strange inhabitants such as the Hawkmen and the Sharkmen. Flash helps launch a resistance against Ming's tyrannical rule. Originally it was a 1930s science fiction newspaper comic strip. It was first adapted to the screen via Buster Crabbe serials. In 1980 it became a moderately budgeted movie with Sam Jones as Flash and Max von Sydow as Ming. It dramatically flopped despite a popular score enhanced by Queen.

A low-budget Sci-Fi Channel series, reimagining the story last year, drew poor reviews and ever poorer ratings. Thankfully, it was cancelled. Director Stephen Sommers tried to adapt the property to film four years ago, but the project fell apart. Breck Eisner ("Sahara") will direct and Neal Moritz will produce. No writers are on board to adapt. Eisner is expected to work on his "Creature From the Black Lagoon" remake first.

With Barbarella being remade one wonders if there is a market for campy sci-fi