The Sword, Graphic Novel by US-based Filipino Writer/Artists, set for a Film Adaptation

THE SWORD is a graphic novel by US-based Filipino writers and artists known as the Luna Brothers; Joshua Luna and Jonathan Luna. The novel is a fantasy story set in modern day about a young woman named Dara Brighton seeking revenge on a trio of siblings with unique abilities. Dara's conflict with the siblings revolves around, and is aided by, an unusual sword. Now, Lakeshore Entertainment and Hopscotch Features are setting their sights on a film adaptation of THE SWORD and has tapped X-Men screenWriter David Hayter (X-Men, X2, Watchmen, The Scorpion King) to pen the screenplay. [read the full article after the jump]

Trailer Tuesdays: Pacific Rim, Before Midnight, The Numbers Station, Aftershock, Machete Kills

Our Trailer Tuesdays this week brings forth some trailers for the upcoming Before Midnight,  The Numbers Station,  and Aftershock. All of them set to open tomorrow July 10. While on July 11, we have the highly-anticipated Guillermo Del Toro movie Pacific Rim. We also get a glimpse of the return of Robert Rodriguez's Grindhouse hero Machete in "Machete Kills" this time with Mel Gibson and Charlie Sheen. Machete Kills is set to have its international release on October 4, 2013. [hit the jump to check out the trailers]

Minions Of Their Own; Creatures that Remind Us of The Minions

The Minions were such a hit in the recent Despicable Me 2. From their popularity in the first movie till now, and probably till the release of The Minions movie, they will probably continue to be such a hit. But there are other little gibberish-y annoying creatures in the movie world that are somewhat like them. Check out this list of movie munchkin creatures that remind us of the Minions...
[check out the list after the jump]

Jacob's Ladder set to be Remade

The 1990 cult hit movie JACOB'S LADDER is set to be remade by Mickey Liddell’s LD Entertainment and will be produced by Michael Gaeta and Alison Rosenzweig. Liddell also is producing with the company’s Jennifer Monroe. Jeff Buhler, who wrote the Clive Barker adaptation The Midnight Meat Train, is penning a script building upon an earlier draft by Jake Wade Wall, the scribe behind the 2006 remake of When a Stranger Calls. A director is yet to be named. [full article after the jump]

Here Be Monsters! adapted in The Boxtrolls

The children's fantasy novel written and illustrated by Alan Snow entitled HERE BE MONSTERS! has been adapted into a 3-D animated movie directed by Anthony Stacchi (co-director of the hit animated feature Open Season) and Graham Annable (story artist on Coraline and ParaNorman). The voice cast includes Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley, Academy Award nominee Toni Collette, Elle Fanning (marking her fourth movie with Focus), Isaac Hempstead-Wright (Game of Thrones), Emmy Award nominee Jared Harris (Mad Men), Simon Pegg (Star Trek), Nick Frost (of Focus’ upcoming The World’s End), Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd), and Tracy Morgan (30 Rock). It will be set for release on October 17th, 2014. [read more after the jump]

The 39th MMFF Entries Announced

The Metro Manila Film Festival, which is the country's biggest (unfortunately, also considered the worst) film festival, has recently announced its eight official entries that will be shown in December. There will be no Panday, Enteng Kabisote, and Shake, Rattle, & Roll movies, which is a good thing because the festival does need a refreshing change from these usual franchises that have become annoyingly repetitious. [entries enumerated after the jump]

Get Ready for PACIFIC RIM!

Warner Bros. are bracing themselves for the upcoming July 11 release of the Guillermo Del Toro directed robots-versus-monsters movie: PACIFIC RIM. Anticipated and forseen to be one of the gigantic movies this year, PACIFIC RIM hopes to attract the fans of big destructive monster flicks like Godzilla, and fans of flashy robot movies like the Transformers movies, as well as fans of mecha-sci-fi, and mecha anime, from the classic mecha anime of the 1970's Voltes V and Daimos, to the recent Gundam generations. [read the full article after the jump]

JM De Guzman backs out of San Pedro Calungsod movie

JM De Guzman as
Pedro Calungsod in an
early publicity photo

One of the entries for this December's Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the highly anticipated movie based on the life of the young Filipino saint Pedro Calungsod, entitled "San Pedro Calungsod: Batang Martir" But that film is currently facing a setback because its leading man JM De Guzman, who will be playing the titular character, is backing out from the project.

Ronnie De Guzman, JM's father confirmed that the actor will be withdrawing from his role citing health reasons, revealing that his son is "going through something" and he does not want him to suffer tedious production and hours required to film the movie. [full article after the jump]

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, set for Exclusive Release at SM Cinemas

Following the success of SM Cinema's release of the One Piece and Hunter X Hunter anime movies exclusively, SM Cinema is once again set to show another anime movie. This time it's DRAGON BALL Z: BATTLE OF GODS and it is set for release on AUGUST 14, 2013 Wednesday at all SM City Cinemas.

DRAGON BALL Z: BATTLE OF GODS was released in Japan on March 30, 2013. It is the first Dragon Ball movie in 17 years to have a theatrical release. It is the first film in the series to be considered an official part of the Dragon Ball storyline, being set between chapters 517 and 518 of the original manga during the ten year time skip, with original creator Akira Toriyama deeply involved.

The Minions Get Their Own Movie

Even before it opened, Despicable Me 2 has already been getting much buzz and hype. The reason behind it is the popularity of the funny little, gibberish-muttering creatures featured in the movie (both in the first movie and the new one) known as the Minions. Now, Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures has announced that they will be making a spin-off movie that centers only on those creatures, appropriately and simply entitled MINIONS.  [read the full article after the jump]

Del Toro and Perlman want a Hellboy 3

Hellboy 3 is still having a good chance of getting made. Director Guillermo del Toro and Ron Perlman (who plays Hellboy) sat down with Legendary Pictures head Thomas Tull during a break from the San Francisco-based weekend press tour for Pacific Rim, and expressed their interest in continuing the Hellboy series. [full article after the jump]

5 Filipino Films to be screened at the 36th Asian American International Film Festival

Five Filipino films will be screened at the 36th Asian American International Film Festival, to be held in New York City from July 24 to August 3.

To be screened are Loy Arcenas’ feature “REquieme!” July 26 9:00 PM, Benito Bautista’s documentary “Harana” July 31 6:30 PM, and Sheron Dayoc’s short “As He Sleeps” July 28 7:00 PM. 
The 1983 Pinoy film classic "Karnal" directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya, will also be featured (on July 28 8:00 PM), and will serve as a tribute to the filmmaker who passed away last year. The screenings will be held at the Anthology Film Archives 32 Second Ave, NY.

In 2002, Abaya received the Asian American Media Award from the fest’s organizer, Asian CineVision. Mona Lisa Yuchengco’s docu “Marilou Diaz-Abaya: Filmmaker at Voyage” will also be screened, to “celebrate female directors and honor Abaya.” It will be screened at The Philippine Consulate General, New York, July 26 7:00 PM

For more info, go to the festival's website: www.asiancinevision.org/aaiff

Christian Bale renounces any Involvement in the planned Justice League movie

Christian Bale has denied having any involvement with the planned Justice League movie, and expresses his enthusiasm about the Batman mantle to be taken on by new people.

The team of Chris Nolan and Christian Bale have successfully created a great Batman trilogy. A trilogy that seems to be created in a more real-world setting that would not seem to blend well with the fantasy/sci-fi aspects of other DC characters.

In case you did not know, Nolan's and Bale's run on Batman has already ended. Nolan himself has expressed that he would not continue the franchise, and that it would be more ideal to give the Batman franchise a re-introduction, with the kind of Batman that would possess the serious brooding atmosphere of the Nolan movies, but could also be the kind that would blend well with the other DC character's universe. [hit the jump to read the interview]

2 Sequels for Rurouni Kenshin, to feature Shishio as the Villain [UPDATED 7-3-13]

Several months ago, we reported that developments for the live-action Rurouni Kenshin sequel has begun. Now, it is confirmed that two sequels are indeed being prepped for what is intended to be a Rurouni Kenshin trilogy. And the sequels will be featuring the Great Kyoto Fire and Legend’s End story arcs which follow Kenshin facing off against the forces of the evil Shishio Makoto.

Update: Tatsuya Fujiwara, who portrayed Light Yagami in "Death Note" and Shuya Nanahara in "Battle Royale" has been cast as the diabolical assassin Shishio Makoto in the sequel. Keishi Ōtomo who directed the first movie, will be directing both sequels as well. In addition, both sequels now have a title: "Rurouni Kenshin: The Great Kyoto Fire Arc" and "Rurouni Kenshin: The End of a Legend Arc." (updated 7-3-2013) [read the full article after the jump]

Trailer Tuesdays: White House Down, The Bling Ring, Despicable Me 2, My Lady Boss, Aftershock, and Escape Plan

Our Trailer Tuesdays this week brings forth some trailers for the upcoming Roland Emmerich action flick White House Down,  Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring which stars Harry Potter superstar Emma Watson,  the adorable minions in Despicable Me 2, My Lady Boss, and Aftershock. All of them set to open tomorrow July 3. We also get a glimpse of the Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Escape Plan which is set to have its international release on October 18, 2013.
[hit the jump to check out the trailers]