Johnny With His Tommy...

Yup, I knew it would be out soon...

I figured by tomorrow night on the web, but they've released it already in awesome, mind-numbing Quicktime... Don't you just love Apple's trailer site? I do.

Click to see why Mann is the man and Depp is a god...

Get 'Em While They're Hot, Or Not...

Well since my "Without Tights" post last month, there seems to have been a lot of movement on comic book properties...

Granted, some of these were already optioned, but they seem to be getting renewed focus of late. As Febreary's Variety mentioned about "Youngblood" being turned into a film by Brett Ratner. Uhm, that's not exactly what I meant, but I guess it's moving forward. Ratner has made a whole lotta ehh and adequate stuff over the last few years. I hope he knocks it out of the park on this one...

"The Bozz Chronicles" were in development in the earlier part of the decade and have languished of late. I hope that Disney notices this property and the fact they have Zemeckis in the House, he was developing it before... perhaps, again?

And then there's "The Umbrella Academy" that has been in development over at Atomic Fox for a time now. Actually, someone over at AF really likes comics because three or four of the titles I mentioned are optioned by them alone. In fact, so many of the comics I mentioned have been optioned that there aren't that many of them the Mouse could option! So maybe it's time I came up with another list? Probably... I'll have a part-two up by next week. But Disney better pay more attention when I do.

Because Hollywood is grabbing onto these properties almost as soon as the first issue hits. Comic books are the new "it" thing. Until one crashes and then they'll move on like a one night stand, but I have a feeling it may take a while(I say three or four years which is an eternity in Hollywood years). As long as films like the "The Dark Knight" are making a billion dollars, even Suits will have a little patience. I know Kingdom Comics was supposed to fill part of this idea void(the first title isn't to be revealed till Comic-Con this summer), but there are several great comic books still out there and a few that aren't yet published.

But they're going fast...

Ztudios Behind ZillionTV...

The Hollywood studios and the networks are getting behind something new...

Everything moves so quick in life, sometimes when a technology finally achieves critical mass it suddenly becomes obsolete. Enter ZillionTV, a new company and technology that's being supported and partially funded by the entertainment industry. It's going to be a way for them to stream content directly to the consumer, avoiding broadcast TV and have an exciting feature like commercials? Wait, commercials that can't be forwarded through? Yes, I know what you're thinking.

Entertainment is a business and I understand where they're coming from... believe it or not I also follow that model which says nothing in life is free. Everything comes with a cost. But give the Hollywood Reporter article a read and then later this year, those that are experimental can give it a chance. Those that are not can keep finding those bootleg copies out there on the Web. Not that I'm promoting or advocating any of that kind of activity. Remember, nothing of value is free and nothing free is valuable. Yada, yada, yada.

Developing...

A Very Keane Interview...

The Line Boil blog has posted a really great interview with animator, executive producer and would-have-been director of "Rapunzel" Glen Keane up for all to see...

One of his responses is directly along the lines of my post the other day:

"I want to explore new directions that hand-drawn animation can be moving in; directions that the computer has now made possible."

Give it a read, the man is an amazingly, talented genius...

Hat Tip to Cartoon Brew.

Artwork by Jim Kim.

Steamboat Willie's New Boat...

It appears that today the first of two new ships that the Mouse has ordered started construction...

The Cruise ship started on today will be delivered in 2011(there goes that year again) and the second will arrive in 2012. Now as to which will arrive on the West Coast, that's not really decided yet. DCL hasn't made a decision about having one of the new ships coming to Cali or simply bringing over the Wonder or the Magic. Still, it's great to see the line expand from two to four.

But it's a long way from the Disney Cruise Line that was envisioned back in the early 90's which had ten ships in it's fleet.

Turns out that'll take more than just Disney magic. But this boat? I have a feeling it'll be a Dream...

Sorcerous Casting...

Peter Sciretta of /film is reporting that Alfred Molina will be cast as an evil sorcerer opposite Nick Cage(Sorcerer) and Jay Baruchel(Apprentice) in Walt Disney Pictures "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." One of Disney's favorite Cast Members, Jon Turteltaub is directing the modern day take on the classic animated sequence in "Fantasia" that Disney fans have loved so much. Will it prove magical?

Time will tell...

Dangerously Competitive...

Oh boy, I can't wait to see this...

Whoa. This shows you the drawing power of Johnny Depp now at the box office. Once, he was considered a great actor with artsy taste and moderate draw for audiences. Captain Jack Sparrow changed that. He's above the title and Christian Bale is below it... wow. The trailer for it should be out very soon. By Friday at least...