Blade Running...

I'm conflicted about this news...

"Blade Runner" is an amazing film.  It's my second favorite film of all time.  So this little press release could be viewed with trepidation or sacrilegious feelings.  A sequel to the classic sci-fi noir film has been in development for decades.  And years ago Ridley Scott agreed to make one, even hiring Hampton Fancher to create the screenplay.  I always believed it was a money grab; a pay or play scheme to get money to tide him over while he worked on other projects.  I thought that he was thinking: "Hey, if they want to give me money to play with concepts, I'll take it."  But I never really believed that it would ever happen.  Ever.

And then the Alien prequel went forward and actually happened.

And for all the grief people gave that film I actually liked it.  It had so many concepts within it that I found fascinating.  It had plot holes, yes, but it also was an incredible vision from a man that is a sci-fi master.  I mean, Ridley Scott created the future we all envision.  At least on film he did.  Alien was a "monster in the house" film turned on its head, twisted into a space ship plot line and brilliantly brought to life by the director. Blade Runner is for good or bad, the most copied film in cinema when a studio makes a futuristic film.  Almost every film pays homage, or literally rips it off.  That's why when I see a film that goes in the opposite direction I have to give the film makers a certain amount of respect.  Even if their film fails, at least they didn't try to make a clone of this film.

And now Ridley is actually moving forward with this sequel.

I was totally against a sequel to Alien, as it wasn't necessary, and then I saw "Aliens" and was blown away.  So then I welcomed more vacations to this strange world.  Unfortunately we got "Alien 3" which was bad, and "Alien Resurrection" which was worse.  It couldn't get any worse, could it?  Then the "Alien Vs. Predator" films just so they wouldn't waste time and could destroy two franchises in one film.  So when it came to Blade Runner, I didn't want a sequel.  It wasn't a film that was designed to have another chapter.  That ending was perfect.  I didn't want to find out what happened to Decker and Rachel.  I wanted to have my own thoughts about what their lives would be like.  And for two decades I have.

Now we know that they've hired Michael Green to rewrite Fancher's draft, so they're determined to make the film, I guess.  Word is that Harrison Ford is in talks about possibly playing the character again (first Solo, now this?).  So it looks like we'll find out what happened after he fled with her from the apartment.  We'll have a conclusion we didn't need.  An exclamation on the end of a sentence not wanted.  But then again, I didn't need "Prometheus" and I got it.  And I actually enjoyed it.  So I'll just keep quiet until I see this on the big screen in the future.  Perhaps it'll come out in 2019 when the film takes place?  That would be a happy coincidence?

Here's the press release from Alcon:

ALCON ENTERTAINMENT IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH MICHAEL GREEN TO PEN ‘BLADE RUNNER’ SEQUEL REWRITE FOR DIRECTOR RIDLEY SCOTT 

LOS ANGELES, CA, MAY 31, 2013—Writer Michael Green is in negotiations to do a rewrite of Alcon Entertainment’s “Blade Runner” sequel penned by Hampton Fancher (“Blade Runner,” “The Minus Man,” “The Mighty Quinn”) and to be directed by Ridley Scott. Fancher’s original story/screenplay is set some years after the first film concluded. 

Alcon co-founders and co-Chief Executive Officers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove will produce with Bud Yorkin and Cynthia Sikes Yorkin, along with Ridley Scott. Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEO’s of Thunderbird Films, will serve as executive producers. 

Green recently completed rewrites on “Robopocalypse” and Warners Bros “Gods and Kings.” 

Alcon and Yorkin previously announced that they are partnering to produce “Blade Runner” theatrical sequels and prequels, in addition to all television and interactive productions. 

The original film, which has been singled out as the greatest science-fiction film of all time by a majority of genre publications, was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1993 and is frequently taught in university courses. In 2007, it was named the 2nd most visually influential film of all time by the  Visual Effects Society. 

Released by Warner Bros. almost 30 years ago, “Blade Runner” was adapted by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples from Philip K. Dick‘s groundbreaking novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” and directed by Scott following his landmark “Alien.” The film was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Visual Effects, and Best Art Direction). Following the filming of “Blade Runner,” the first of Philip K. Dick’s works to be adapted into a film, many other of Dick’s works were likewise adapted, including “Total Recall,” “A Scanner Darkly,” “Minority Report,” “Paycheck,” and the recent “The Adjustment Bureau,” among others.

Now we may find out if he really did dream of electric sheep...

Fantastic More...

I'm sure you saw the other news that was announced yesterday...

20th Century Fox has announced a reboot of "Fantastic Four" because they were unhappy with how badly they screwed up the last two. See, if these executives would only listen to me they wouldn't be in this position. If they would have filmed the script that was written by Michael France and Chris Columbus. Then maybe hired Columbus to direct it, or a good director whose last name wasn't Story. There would be no need to reboot. They'd have a great FF film. It was pure action-adventure wrapped in sci-fi. It was the comic. It wasn't a family comedy; a mediocre comedy to be exact.

Here's hoping that this new version gets the Akiva Goldsman that gave us "A Beautiful Mind" and not the one that gave us "Batman and Robin." To be fair to Goldsman, a good deal of the problems with that film were the director. Not all, but most. As for people that I've seen complaining about Michael Green, who'll write the script, I don't think you should fear too much. He co-wrote the script to the new "Green Lantern" film and it's a really good script that's faithful to the material. The funny thing is I had a discussion with a friend a couple weeks ago where I compared GL to FF. Essentially, I said that Lantern was DC's Fantastic Four, in the sense that he's more a sci-fi creation than a Super-Hero. Which is how I would describe the Fantastic Four. If Green gets it on Lantern, he'll get it on Four. Now, if only Goldsman knows this and lets him work through a treasure trove of forty years worth of material. And we don't need no origin again, that's been done. We get it. We know how they got their powers. If you want to rehash that then have a reporter in the film do a quick two-minute bio on the Quatro before he's going to interview one of them and that'll get everyone up to speed without wasting thirty minutes.

Now as for casting... My suggestion for Mister Fantastic? Jon Hamm would make a great lead. Whoever you get for the Thing, PLEASE make him CG this time. That suit was horrendous last time... it looked like something out of a bad slasher film. And this time, when you get someone to play Invisible Girl, please make sure you get a talented actress, because when you get Jessica Alba, you don't want to make her invisible, especially when she's naked. If she wasn't already taken by the Marvel Universe, I'd say cast Scarlett Johansson. The only people from the original that worked were Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans. That said, I'd still recast the parts and start over, it is a reboot after all.

That's my two cents worth, Fox. But remember, you better play well with those properties because the Mouse is watching you. It's got their lawyers watching you and anything you do to screw up will have them itching to take that franchise away from you. Because unlike the Fox Suits that have been mismanaging the Marvel properties lately, the Mouse Suits realize how valuable they are. But I have a feeling you now know this, because that announcement made yesterday wasn't planned for yesterday. It was made in a scrambling attempt to mark your territory. To show that you still controlled the property. And it's bought you time.

For now...