Meet the New Director of Thor 2

It's official, Patty Jenkins is the new Director of Thor 2.

Here's the press release:

Marvel Studios announced today that Patty Jenkins will direct THOR 2, which will be released in theatres on Friday, November 15, 2013. Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman will return to star in the film along with Tom Hiddleston. Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige will produce the sequel to this summer’s blockbuster THOR, which has grossed over $448 million worldwide to date.

Patty Jenkins previously directed MONSTER starring Charlize Theron, who won an Academy Award® for her performance in the film. Jenkins, who received an Emmy nomination for directing the pilot of AMC’s acclaimed series The Killing, has also directed episodes of Entourage and Arrested Development. Most recently, she directed “Pearl,” one of the five short films that comprise Lifetime’s original movie FIVE.

In addition to THOR 2, Marvel Studios is currently scheduled to release MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS on May 4, 2012, and IRON MAN 3 which is slated for release on May 3, 2013.

My Top 5 Women Directors who could make a Wonder Woman Film

We've heard a lot from male directors wanting to do a WW movie; but what about the women directors?

I think certain women directors could rock a Wonder Woman film. So, I have made a list of super women who could do this and do this well.

Catherine Hardwicke - She has 'Twilight' and 'Red Hiding Hood' under her belt. She she has a good flair of fantasy

Diablo Cody - 'Juno' and 'Jennifer's Body' are good starts. I believe her geekness and love for strong female characters could give her a great edge in creating a WW movie.

Kathryn Bigelow - Oscar winning director could give us the war/battle side of Diana and the human side of her.

Mimi Leder - She gave us 'Deep Impact', 'The Peacemaker' and TV shows 'John Doe' & 'ER'. She has the storytelling bug.

Julie Taymor - She gave us 'Across the Universe' and 'The Tempest'. Her stylings could make Diana into the mythological super woman we all want to see

Wonder Woman may have a Director?

The Wonder Woman pilot may have found a director in Jeffrey Reiner. He has a Sci-Fi background in directing the pilots for Caprica and The Event.

Maybe he can save the show... Maybe.

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The Possible Short List of Directors for the Superman Reboot

Deadline reports that Christopher Nolan (Batman Returns/Dark Knight) has a short list of directors for the Superman reboot.

So here are the hopefuls:  
Tony Scott Unstoppable
Matt Reeves Let Me In/Cloverfield
Jonathan Liebesman Battle: Los Angeles
Duncan Jones Moon
Zack Snyder 300


This is a rumor for now, but we will see which one will make the Man of Steel fly.

Director Nicolas Winding Refn talks about 'His' Wonder Woman Movie

I'm trying to stay calm about this. Last month, I talked Nicolas Winding Refn wanting to direct a WW movie; and I took that with a grain of sea salt.

But now, he gives details. Here's some of his interview in Movieline:

I found this awesome comment on your IMDB page: “If you do wonder woman, don´t make her violent, like that cartoon, that i would never show my children. Wonder woman cut the head of an enemy in it…not so good to look at…” How would you respond to that?
I would say I could never do that, because I have kids myself who would go watch Wonder Woman. But one of the things I encounter is that a lot of people have more opinions about me than have actually seen my films.

Yet when you have something like a Wonder Woman movie, which is based on a brand, it’s pretty in-your-face. There’s nothing especially subliminal about it.
At the same time there is, because the real origin of Wonder Woman is: What if women were more powerful than men? What would the world be like? That’s a subliminal theme.

But knowing what we know about Hollywood, is that the only way you’d make that movie?
No, it’s not the only way, but I think that would be a starting point for looking at it. You need a great, extravagant, marketable action film — and everything that comes with it. But I think that when Christopher Nolan did the Batman movies, I think he very cleverly went back to the source material and took themes that had maybe not been exercised. And he was able to make very good and successful films with them. So I think the audience is very much out there. It’s just how you do it. And I think that some of the films that have worked over the years have worked for different reasons than people sometimes think they do.

And where Wonder Woman on one hand is a great female character who can be included in many great fight scenes, she doesn’t have great villains against her. OK, so you create some. She doesn’t have a Joker or those classic Batman kinds of guys. But she does have her whole world that she comes from, which is fascinating. The whole idea of a woman who is basically more powerful than any man — and who will always be that, and comes from a society of women who are more powerful than men — is an interesting theme that I think can be very contemporary.

But if you were to show Wonder Woman in this context, getting pummeled by a male villain? Would it have to be a female villain to get your true point across? Well, that’s when it gets interesting, because you have to create a great countervillain to her. They tried in Catwoman — with not particularly good results. The trick with Wonder Woman is to find that antagonist who worked so well in the Batman concept — his villains are equally if not more exciting than Batman himself. Here, it’s basically coming up with who would be a great counterpart to Wonder Woman. Is it her mother who’s the real enemy? Something that’s biblical in a sense.

I'm liking this guy, so far. Still nervous and yet, excited. Really excited.

Thank you so much Son of Baldwin for sending me this!

Sam Raimi hired to direct the OZ prequel

Interesting news! According to Deadline, Sam Raimi was hired to direct Oz: The Great And Powerful.

And Robert Downey could be in it?

Let me confirm that Sam Raimi is set to direct Disney's extravagant 'Wizard of Oz' 3D prequel. I understand that talks to hire Raimi for Oz: The Great And Powerful turned into a deal last night finalized by CAA. It's a coup for new studio bosses Rich Ross and Sean Bailey, who are rolling the dice big-time by hoping that this pic will be a global hit like the billion-dollar-grossing Alice In Wonderland. "Robert Downey Jr. isn't set yet.

They are going to develop for him, if things go right. The script will be rewritten," one of my sources says. "The movie will happen, though." Downey would play the Wizard Of Oz before he became the Wizard Of Oz circa the 1939 iconic film: he's in fact a circus wrangler transported by tornado to the mysterious world of Oz where he gets mistaken for a know-it-all. This will be Raimi's first firm project since he exited Spider-Man 4, which prompted Sony Pictures to reboot the entire franchise earlier this year. Now the only question is whether Sam Raimi can do what Tim Burton just did.

This is could be a good movie. More to come.

Bronson's Director, Nicolas Winding Refn, wants to Direct Wonder Woman

Nicolas Winding Refn is an upcoming director and writer with a powerful record. He hits the scene with the critically acclaimed, Bronson and later with new hotness called Valhalla Rising.

But what got me paying more attention to him, is his wish to direct a Wonder Woman film.
See here... or if you want, jump to the 6:58 mark:


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Bill Condon's Open Letter to Twilight Fans

Dreamgirls' Guru, Bill Condon is the director of the Twilight's next movie, Breaking Dawn. And he is making sure fans will get to know him and trust him with their prized possession.

He just wrote a letter to them via Facebook:

Greetings Twihards, Twifans, Twilight Moms, Team Edward, Team Jacob and Team Switzerland,

I just want to say hello to all of you and let you know that I'm stoked to be getting underway on the adventure of making BREAKING DAWN. As you've probably heard, I've been given a very warm welcome by Stephenie and Team Summit - who are super-focused, as you know, on getting these movies right.

I'm pretty busy bringing myself up to speed on what you already know by heart: I've read BREAKING DAWN twice, rewatched Catherine's and Chris's movies 2-3 times each, have all four CDs playing in my car, and have Catherine's notebook, Mark Cotta Vaz's companion books, and even Volume 1 of the graphic novel here on my desk - a corner of my office is starting to look like Hot Topic. I realize that this barely qualifies me for "newborn" status in the universe you've been living inside for a few years now, but a guy's gotta start somewhere.

Like many of you, I've always been slightly obsessed with vampires, dating back to the prime-time series DARK SHADOWS, which I followed avidly as a kid. But that alone hadn't been enough to get me interested in making a vampire movie, even though my early screenwriting and directing efforts grew out of a great love for horror movies and thrillers. Since making GODS AND MONSTERS thirteen years ago, however, I've been yearning for a return to a story with Gothic overtones.

The wonderful world that Stephenie has created has obviously struck a chord with you, and I don't think it's difficult to see why. For me, her characters are simultaneously timeless, yet very modern. Rooted in a beautiful, real landscape with a great sense of place, Bella, Edward, Jacob, and the rest of the Forks/La Push menagerie, experience emotions that are primal, and universal: desire, despair, jealousy - and it all comes to fruition in BREAKING DAWN. This is a final chapter in the best sense; not just wide in scope and scale, but emotionally charged and intense throughout.

I'm a huge admirer of the already-iconic Kristen, Robert, and Taylor, and wanted to be the one to work with them as they face the challenges of bringing your beloved characters to the end of their journeys. Really, what could be more fun than that?

Please feel free to ask questions in the comments section below, and I'll do my best to answer them. I hope that this will be the first of many occasions I'll get to check in with you as we set to work bringing BREAKING DAWN to the screen. I am excited and grateful to have all of you alongside me for my TWILIGHT journey.

All best, Bill Condon

P.S. Answer #1: No, there won't be any musical numbers

Aww, "We Are a Family" would have been a great number for the Cullens.

Matthew Vaughn offered X-Men First Class Director's Job

Interesting move in the biz, Matthew Vaughn has been asked to direct X-Men:First Class.

In a move that may tilt the axis of fanboys worldwide, Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn is in talks to direct X-Men: First Class for Twentieth Century Fox. Why is this so bizarre? Because Vaughn is the very director who turned down directing X-Men: The Last Stand back in 2005 after he had already negotiated his deal with the studio. (Fox later hired Brett Ratner to helm the most successful of all X-Men films.) Vaughn went on to direct the disappointing Stardust for Paramount and, just two weeks ago, released the well-reviewed R-rated Kick-Ass.

I believe this could be good. I loved Kick-Ass and Matthew has a great eye for action. I think this would be a win for us.

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What's that, Bubo...Joss Whedon WILL direct The Avengers! UPDATED

Deadline claims this is true, so here's the news!

I'm told Marvel Studios is in final negotiations for Buffy the Vampire Slayer series architect Joss Whedon to direct Marvel Studios' The Avengers. That's the fast-tracked film that would amount to an all-star team of Marvel superheros, including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), as well as SHIELD leader Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).

Other signature superheros will likely be involved, but I've listed the actors in active superhero duty. Whedon has been rumored for this job for awhile, and is high on the fanboy wish-list. He's an interesting choice: despite his writing/producing TV series resume, his lone feature directing effort, Serenity, was not a hit.

It was a hit, just not by stupid people standards!

Yes, I'm a Whedonite.

UPDATE!!!

Variety Confirms IT!!!

Marvel Studios is wrapping up a deal for Whedon to helm "The Avengers," which assembles the superheroes in one pic on May 4, 2012, that Paramount will distrib. Whedon will also rework Zak Penn's script.

Get Excited!!!!

From Dreamgirls to Twilight... Bill Condon may direct the last of faux Vampire series

Merciful Minerva!

Bill Condon is very close to direct the last of the faux Vampire series, Twilight.

Bill Condon has emerged as the number one choice to direct the final two installments of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, I’m told.

Summit Entertainment hasn’t signed him, but I’m told that after several strong meetings, they are negotiating. Condon was among a list of A-list directors approved by Summit and Twilight author Stephenie Meyer.

Oh, well... Perhaps he can make it good? Maybe?
I hope he can do something to make it bearable. Bill did a great job with Dreamgirls, so it's possible.

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Hot Rumor! Joss Whedon on the short list to direct The Avengers

Another Joss post.

Word is he's on the short list to direct the Avengers movie!

Director Louis Leterrier has thrown his hat into the ring as wanting to bring Earth's mightiest heroes together under one tentpole but we are hearing it will not be his cross to bear. Leterrier mentioned a short list of directors recently that Marvel was looking at, he didn't know who else was on the list but IESB has found out one other member.

The same sources that spilled the beans to IESB about Spider-Man 4 being put on an indefinite hold back in December, have revealed that another leading contender on that short list to direct THE AVENGERS film is none other than Joss Whedon.

He can do it! I'm all for it!

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Bryan Singer will NOT Direct X-Men: First Class

Quick change!

Bryan won't direct X-Men: First Class, but he will produce the flick.

While many in Hollywood are having trouble finding work these days, Bryan Singer’s problem is there is only one of him to go around and everybody wants him. So Singer and 20th Century Fox have formalized his move from director to producer on X-Men: First Class. That is the bad news for X-Men die-hards who love the first two films Singer directed. Here's the good part: he is leaving because Fox liked the script that Jamie Moss wrote from Singer's treatment so much that the studio wants the film right away, envisioning it as the first leg of a trilogy. The hope is to have it ready for 2011 release.

Singer will join Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg as producers. He's not available because Warner Bros and Legendary are locked into a summer production start on Jack the Giant Killer. They’ll begin casting shortly. It is a big CG project, and they are likely to either shoot 3D or convert it later.

NOOOOOOOOO! Stop with the 3D, it's not the 80's anymore!

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Want to hear something funny? Summit wants Real Directors to do the final Twilight movie

This is crazy talk, a drunken idea that escaped the bar... Summit wants top-notch directors to finish off the Twilight movie series:

Sources tell EW that the studio has reached out to at least three top-notch directors, including Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation), Gus Van Sant (Milk), and Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) to gauge their interest in what is likely to be two movies. (Van Sant’s reps confirmed that he’s been approached, but Coppola and Condon’s people didn’t return phone calls by press time. Summit declined to comment.)

They got balls, I give them that, however it's kind of insulting to ask these directors.

Maybe Brett Ratner, Joel Schumacher, Uwe Boll or Michael Bay will do it.

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Kathryn Bigelow Turned Down the chance to Direct Spidey

This is some news!

Queen of the World, Kathryn Bigelow actually turned down the opportunity to direct the Spider-Man reboot.

Perhaps the most interesting tidbit comes out of "The Hurt Locker" camp, where sources say that Kathryn Bigelow was offered the Spider-Man reboot but turned it down. The mind dances at how she would have put her stamp on the franchise and how her version might look different from Marc Webb's (cue easy Sandman joke, and maybe tense web-dismantling scenes).

Well, I'm intrigued with what could have been the best Spidey movie ever. I wonder if she would consider directing Wonder Woman?

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Marc Webb is the Director of Spidey 4

The Spider-Man movie has found a new director. It's Marc Webb.

Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios announced Tuesday that the "(500) Days of Summer" director Marc Webb, will helm the next "Spider-Man" film following the departure of Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire, the director and star who worked on the previous three Spidey films. The fourth installment is set for a 2012 release and will focus on a younger version of the superhero.

Webb said in a statement he was not taking over the series from Raimi but instead wanted the "opportunity for ideas, stories and histories that will add a new dimension, canvas and creative voice to 'Spider-Man.'" Webb previously directed music videos, including Green Day's "21 Guns" and The All-American Rejects' "Move Along."

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Bryan Singer will Direct X-Men: First Class

Well, this is some news for the comic fans. Bryan is back with the X-Men!

During the Los Angeles premiere of James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’, Bryan Singer let it slip that he has recently signed on to direct “X-men: First Class.”

While being interviewed on the red carpet by a film crew from Myspace, Singer said "I'm ramping up to do a movie called 'Jack the Giant Killer' at Warner Bros, and I just yesterday signed a deal to do an 'X-Men: First Class Origins' picture, which is kind of cool. I'm very excited."

I'm very happy to hear this since he did a great job with the first 2 movies. I'm sure he will give it his all and keep Josh Schwartz away from the flick.

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Joss Whedon will direct an episode of GLEE!

I'm so happy about this news!

Joss Whedon has agreed to direct one of the back nine episodes that Fox just ordered.

Turns out, the genius who gave us not only the “Once More, With Feeling” musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer but also Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is a big fan of Ryan Murphy’s new phenom.

So when Twentieth (the studio behind Glee) approached him about the gig, pretty much his only reservation was scheduling.

“Joss directed one of the great musical episodes in the history of television on Buffy,” gushes Murphy, “so this is a great, if unexpected, fit. I’m thrilled he’ll be loaning us his fantastic groundbreaking talent.”

Get excited! I'm sure it will be an artistic smash.

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Interesting Quote: Sharon J. Lettman

"We must bring our families together. Gay and transgender people are our children, our brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, parents, co-workers and friends. They are a vital part of the black community, and it is time for everyone to recognize the real issues we all face when our brothers and sisters are denied full participation in the life of our community.

What has always drawn me to this work, and to the people I've been proud to stand alongside, is the knowledge that we must work together to create the better future we seek. In my new role at NBJC, that means lifting the voices of our community, building bridges so that all who experience discrimination can understand the common ground we share, and walking across those bridges together in greater and greater numbers toward equal rights for all."

She is the new Executive Director of The National Black Justice Coalition.

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Guess who will Direct the Battlestar Galactica movie?

BSG will be a movie and... Bryan Singer will produce and direct it.

It was confirmed today, due to a leak from other blogs and websites.

Singer has long been intrigued with "Battlestar Galactica" and flirted with relaunching it into a TV series right after he directed the original "X-Men." Back in 2001 I wrote about his plan, which involved teaming with Tom DeSanto to exec produce the series. Singer planned to direct the pilot of the new version of a series that originally launched on ABC in 1978 and ran two seasons. Here is what he said at the time, comments that certainly proved prescient:

"The lesson I learned on `X-Men' is to have a healthy respect for the fan base of sci-fi fantasy franchises, and I'm confident that the `Galactica' brand is a sleeping giant. It was a show I watched during its initial run, from the pilot to the final episode. The essence and the brand name is quite potent in a climate where there's a great deficit of scifi programming."

This has a great chance of being good. Hopefully, Bryan can deliver.

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