WebProNews

Tag: Film

  • Minecraft: The Story Of Mojang Breaks Out On December 23

    Did you know that 2PlayerProductions was making a Minecraft documentary? You would if you were one of the 3,500 plus people who backed a Kickstarter last year. After a year and a half of hard work, a documentary on the creation of Minecraft is finally ready to be released.

    2PlayerProductions announced this week that Minecraft: The Story of Mojang will be available on December 23. For those wanting an advanced sneak peak, there will be a free screening of the film for Xbox Live Gold members on December 22 at 8 p.m. EST in the US and 8 p.m. CET in Europe.

    For those who have no idea what to expect out of a Minecraft documentary, here’s a synopsis from the film’s creators themselves:

    In 2009, independent video game designer Markus “Notch” Persson released a work in progress that would go on to break every industry rule for achieving success. Part exploratory adventure, part creative building tool, “Minecraft” evolved from a cult classic into an unprecedented hit, raking daily sales in by the thousands. By the end of 2010, Notch was able to quit his day job and live the dream of founding his own development studio, Mojang.

    This feature-length documentary follows the young company over the course of its first year as their profile expands across the world stage and into the homes of millions of gamers. Featuring insights from industry icons (Peter Molyneux, Tim Schafer), journalists (Geoff Keighley, Stephen Totilo), tastemakers (Gabe & Tycho of Penny Arcade), and players profoundly impacted by the game (Yogscast, The Shaft, Minecraft Teacher), the film serves as a time capsule for one of this generation’s most unorthodox success stories.

    If walls of text aren’t your thing, 2PlayerProductions has also released a trailer for the film:

    Details on how fans can pick up a physical copy of the documentary are forthcoming. Check out the official site for the film for more information.

  • New Star Trek Into Darkness Trailer Pulled By Paramount [Updated]

    Update: We initially embedded the trailer, but it now says Paramount has removed it. Sorry.

    There’s a new theatrical trailer for the forthcoming Star Trek Into Darkness (directed by J.J. Abrams), which was first shown in theaters with The Hobbit. Enjoy.

    Here’s a teaser that came out earlier this month.

    [via joblomovienetwork]

  • Check Out The New Man Of Steel Trailer

    Warner Bros. has posted a new trailer (#2) for the Man Of Steel, Zack Snyder’s upcoming Superman movie due out on June 14th.

    The film stars Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Russell Crowe as Jor-El, Michael Shannon as General Zod, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, Laurence Fishburne as Perry White, and Christopher Meloni as Colonel Hardy.

    The screenplay was written by David Goyer, based on a story by Goyer and Christopher Nolan, who is also a producer.

  • Now Streaming: Rare Hitchcock Film “The White Shadow”

    Now Streaming: Rare Hitchcock Film “The White Shadow”

    Thanks to the efforts of the National Film Preservation Foundation, you can now watch a recently-recovered mid-twenties Alfred Hitchcock film for free online.

    Well, kind of and kind of.

    Hitchcock is not the credited director of the film, called The White Shadow. That honor goes to Graham Cutts, a popular British director of the era. Hitchcock worked with Cutts on the film, and is the writer, assistant director, editor, and production designer of the 1924 drama.

    And the film is incomplete. All that survived were 3 of 6 reels, making for a 42-minute running time. Still, a lot of it is there and it is definitely worth a view for any Hitchcock fans or simply fans of classic cinema.

    Originally made in six weeks as a vehicle for star-of-the-times Betty Compson, The White Shadow follows the success of 1923’s Woman to Woman. It didn’t receive the same box-office take, however. From the NFPF:

    “Dazzled by their own success, producers Michael Balcon and Victor Saville rushed a second Compson picture into production — The White Shadow — and whisked it to theaters with a conspicuously clunky advertising tag: ‘The same Star, Producer, Author, Hero, Cameraman, Scenic Artist, Staff, Studio, Renting Company as Woman to Woman.’ It also had the same Paris setting, and again Hitchcock’s scenario was based on a work by Michael Morton, this time his unpublished novel Children of Chance. The box-office results were definitely not the same, however: ‘It was as big a flop,’ Balcon wrote in his memoir, ‘as Woman to Woman had been a success.’ This notwithstanding, plans proceeded for three more Cutts-Hitchcock pictures, commencing with The Passionate Adventure in 1924.”

    Thought to be lost, the film was discovered in August 2011 among a bunch of nitrate prints which were said to have been left at the New Zealand Film Archive in 1989.

    You can watch the film on the NFPF site.

    [h/t The Verge]

  • Clive Barker Posts Rare Set Pics From Original Hellraiser To Facebook

    Author/artist/director Clive Barker, who directed the original Hellraiser film (based on his own book, The Hellbound Heart), posted a couple of rare behind-the-scenes photos from the set of the film on his Facebook Page. These seemed worth sharing, as the film has a huge cult following.

    Barker (or whoever updates his page, at least) posted this one, saying, “On the set of Hellraiser with a resurrected Frank.”

    (image)

    On this one, Barker simply says, “Directing on the set of Hellraiser.”

    (image)

    Earlier this year, news came out that Amazon had tapped Clive Barker to develop Zombies Vs. Gladiators. We’re still waiting to see what becomes of that.

  • Who Will Direct Star Wars Episode VII? Moviefone Has Some Ideas

    So Star Wars is a Disney property now, and a new movie is scheduled to come out in 2015. That’s really not that far away. Disney must have some ideas about where they’re going to take this thing to get it out by then. Either that or it will be extremely rushed.

    There are certainly ideas about the direction the series should go in from fans, but who commands that direction will obviously have an enormous impact on how the film turns out. Who will it be?

    Moviefone has some pretty interesting thoughts about it, and drops a slew of possible names, the first being Steven Spielberg, as the head of the new Lucasfilm is longtime Spielberg producer Kathleen Kennedy (in addition to the fact that he has been said to have been the first choice for Return of the Jedi, and is credited as an assistant director on Revenge of the Sith). Moviefone’s Christopher Campbell goes on to say:

    However, perhaps more likely is the hire of another director Kennedy has worked with, including M. Night Shyamalan (“The Last Airbender”), Gary Ross (“The Hunger Games”), Simon Wincer (“Free Willy”), John Patrick Shanley (“Doubt”), Robert Zemeckis (“Flight”) or “Captain America: The First Avenger” helmer Joe Johnston, who actually worked as an effects artist on the first trilogy of “Star Wars” films.

    Then there are filmmakers in the Disney stable, such as Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland”), Gore Verbinski (“Pirates of the Caribbean”), Joseph Kosinski (“Tron Legacy”), Jon Turteltaub (“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”), Kevin Lima (“Enchanted”), Simon Wells (“Mars Needs Moms” and numerous animated films produced by Kennedy), Joe Nussbaum (“Prom” and, funny enough, “George Lucas in Love”) and the Pixar regulars. Maybe Andrew Stanton could make up for the “John Carter” flop with a similar sort of picture with a greater pre-sold audience? Another interesting possibility would be Edgar Wright, who referenced “Star Wars” a lot in his TV series “Spaced” and who will soon be working with Disney/Marvel on “Ant-Man.” That film is set for 2015 as well, though, so if he was game or gutsy enough he’d have to direct “Episode VIII” or a later film.

    It could be any of these people, or it could be somebody else entirely, but Disney is probably going to have to make an announcement sometime in the near future. It’s already almost 2013, which would put the release date at just over two years away. Or maybe the world will actually end in 2012.

    Who should it be? Any of those names grab you?

    Image: Tim Burton’s Official Facebook Page

  • Star Wars YouTube Channel Offers “Special” Anakin Skywalker Presentation

    The latest to come out of the Star Wars YouTube channel was this clip of George Lucas talking about selling to Disney. He said that when he was making the first film, everybody said it should have been a Disney film.

    Not too long before that video came out, the channel put this out – a five minute montage of Anakin Skywalker scenes, dubbed a “special video presentation” of the “stunning journey of Anakin Skywalker — the central figure of the Star Wars saga”.

  • George Lucas: When I First Made Star Wars, Everybody Said, “This Is A Movie Disney Should Have Made”

    George Lucas: When I First Made Star Wars, Everybody Said, “This Is A Movie Disney Should Have Made”

    As you have no doubt heard, George Lucas has sold Lucasfilm (and Star Wars) to Disney. A new Star Wars is coming out in 2015. More on the deal here.

    George Lucas talks about the deal and his thoughts about Disney more in this clip that was uploaded to the Star Wars YouTube channel:

    “I felt that I really wanted to put the company somewhere, in a larger entity, which would protect it. Disney is a huge corporation,” says Lucas. “They have all kinds of capabilities and facilities. There’s a lot of strength that is gained by this. The great thing about Disney, again, as we were saying before, is that you know, between the parks and all the things they’ve got going, it’s great that we have a chance probably to expand that. You know, there’s lots and lots of opportunities at Disney that we wouldn’t have at any other studio.”

    “When I first made Star Wars, everybody in Hollywood said, ‘Well this is a movie Disney should have made,” he said.

    That’s sure to get some conversation going.

  • Anonymous Documentary “We Are Legion” Now Available

    For the past few years, filmmaker Brian Knappenberger has been working on a documentary called “We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists.” It was the first real effort on the part of a filmmaker to document the history of one of the most notorious groups in contemporary history. After a leak and a few edits, the film is finally available to all.

    Speaking to Wired, Knappenberger said that his Anonymous documentary is now available through the film’s official Web site as a DRM-free download. He said that he wanted to “do it Louis C.K.-style” as it fit better with the idea behind Anonymous. That’s not to say that the film wasn’t going to be in theaters. Knappenberger told Wired that he actually walked away from a few lucrative distribution deals due to his desire of wanting to go DRM-free.

    Of course, the big question now is whether or not the film is worth watching again if you’ve already seen the leaked cut of the film. Knappenberger said that the leaked version was an incomplete cut. The final version of “We Are Legion” contains new footage that details the betrayal of Sabu from earlier this year.

    Since then, there have been a number of arrests and other activities from within Anonymous that would definitely warrant inclusion in the documentary. The only thing is that the film would never be finished if Knappenberger kept on including new content. He had to cut it off somewhere just to finish the film.

    Knappenberger doesn’t expect to recoup the costs of making the film, but he would donate 10 percent of all sales to the Electronic Frontier Foundation if he were to make a profit on the film.

    The film is available for streaming and DRM-free download now for only $9.99. It’s also available on iTunes starting today as well. The DVD and Blu-ray versions of the film, both of which contain an extra 22 minutes of footage, will be available on November 23.

  • Short Film Explores the Perils of Being “Hooked” on Facebook

    It’s much easier to lie about yourself (or embellish, if you will) on the internet than it is in person. How do you know that a person really “likes” a certain band or brand? How do you know that profile picture isn’t 5 years old? How do you even know if the person is really who they say they are?

    A new short film from Matthew Graham explores these questions. It’s called “Hooked,” and it tackles the worst case scenario when it comes to fake identities on social networks.

    Of course, befriending a random person on Facebook will rarely lead to your kidnapping and eventual torture and murder – but it’s not like Facebook cannot be a dangerous place. It’s a forum that, no matter how hard Facebook admins try, promotes a certain level of anonymity. The film’s creators said that this two-year-old Australian story about a missing girl lured away by a fake Facebook profile was their inspiration. We’ve also reported on almost unbelievable instances of criminals using Facebook to find victims. Facebook is an open-information platform at the center of the internet. Be smart, and be discerning.

    [via reddit]

  • Proof That The Exorcist Would Have Been A Hilarious Sitcom In The 80s

    When we see things like this, we are reminded of how much life has been improved with the advent of YouTube. You’ve seen plenty of other movies and shows recut as 80s sitcoms, no doubt (Breaking Bad is still a favorite). Now, here’s The Exorcist, just in time for Halloween, courtesy of FIlm School Rejects.

  • Iron Man 3 Trailer Teaser Uploaded By Marvel

    Marvel uploaded a new teaser trailer for Iron Man 3 to its YouTube channel on Sunday. It’s a whopping seventeen seconds long, and some of those seconds are spent without showing actual footage, so don’t expect a whole lot going in. Still, fans of the franchise have something to tide them over until something longer is released.

    Take a look:

    The trailer is coming to Apple Trailers on Tuesday.

    The film is currently scheduled for a May 3, 2013 release. It is directed by Shane Black based on a screenplay by Black and Drew Pearce. It stars Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szotak, James Badge Dale, Ben Kingsley, and Jon Favreau.

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger Will Share Your Best Memes

    It looks like John Matrix is a BuzzFeed fan. Actually Total Recall (Arnold Schwarzenegger’s new book) is a BuzzFeed partner, and the Terminator has been promoting this meme-style post of “15 Of The All-Time Best Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes” on Twitter.

    He’s tweeted this post a couple of times, along with a call for a contest, where he will share the best memes of any lines that people think were left out of the BuzzFeed list.

    So far, Arnold has retweeted a few:

    Now go get to work. There is plenty of untapped Commando dialogue. Speaking of which, I feel like there should be a Bill Duke meme contest as well.

  • Anonymous Documentary Leaked Online, Official Release Coming October 19

    There are a lot of misconceptions about Anonymous. Members of the group feel that the media unfairly portrays them in a negative light. To combat the negative image, a team of filmmakers have spent the last year filming a documentary that looks at both sides of the Anonymous movement.

    It was announced last week that the film “We Are Legion – The Story of the Hacktivists” would be first screened at select theaters on October 19. The film would then be available for online on October 30. An Anonymous group has released the film on YouTube, but the filmmakers say the leaked version is a rough cut. They will be releasing the final version, with new content, this month.

    If you want to watch the leaked version anyway, here’s what you’re getting into:

    We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists, takes us inside the complex culture and history of Anonymous. The film explores early hacktivist groups like Cult of the Dead Cow and Electronic Disturbance Theater, and then moves to Anonymous’ own raucous and unruly beginnings on the website 4Chan.

    Through interviews with current members – some recently returned from prison, others still awaiting trial – as well as writers, academics and major players in various “raids,” We Are Legion traces the collective’s breathtaking evolution from merry pranksters to a full-blown, global movement, one armed with new weapons of civil disobedience for an online world.

    The film is made by a team of expert filmmakers who have chronicled other powerful players and groups in the tech world. Their expertise in the subject matter shows as the film has been named an official selection at 14 film festivals around the world.

    The filmmakers have not announced pricing yet, but they mention comedian Louis C.K. as an inspiration for their pricing plans. You can expect the film to be released directly to prospective buyers on October 30 for a small price. Even if you check out the leaked version, supporting the official release would not be bad idea.

  • Google Play And YouTube Get Over 600 20th Century Fox Titles

    Google Play And YouTube Get Over 600 20th Century Fox Titles

    Google announced today that Google Play and YouTube are getting over 600 titles from Twentieth Century Fox, for users to rent and/or purchase.

    “Today you can buy Fox’s new release Prometheus in HD, available three weeks ahead of the Blu-ray, DVD and video-on-demand release,” writes Jonathan Zepp, Manager of TV & Film Content Partnerships at Google, on the Official Google Blog. “And over the next few weeks you’ll be able to rent or buy your favorite Fox movies like X-Men, Ice Age and Black Swan, and TV shows like ‘Glee,’ ‘Modern Family,’ ‘New Girl’ and many more.”

    That many more includes Family Guy, as Zepp makes clear in his post. “Google Play and YouTube offer the latest new movie releases and your favorite TV shows to enjoy on your Android phone or tablet and on the web,” he says. “But you’ve been missing one critical thing…Stewie Griffin.”

    The titles will be available in the U.S. first, but they’ll also be coming to other countries in the near future, though Google does not specify where or when that will be.

    Google now has all six of the major film studios on board, as well as a number of independent studios. It’s quite an accomplishment on Google’s part to have Fox on board, considering the company’s battles with Rupert Murdoch over the years.

    The news is just part of a broader initiative from Twentieth Century Fox, called Digital HD, which lets users download or stream over 600 Fox movies on various devices via Google Play and YouTube, as well as Amazon, CinemaNow, iTunes, Playstation, VUDU, and Xbox Live.

  • Robocop Remake: Fans Find Robo’s Suit A Little Too Batman-Like

    New set photos from the Robocop remake have emerged, showing off the titular character’s new suit. Fans have obviously taken to Twitter to share their reactions, and from what I’ve seen, they tend to lean toward the negative, or at least skeptical.

    Many are finding a striking similarity to Batman’s suit from the Christopher Nolan Dark Knight films. That may have been fine for Batman, but I don’t get the impression that everybody’s sold on such a look for their favorite crime fighting cyborg.

    Here’s a sampling of what the Twitterverse has to offer on the subject:

    Not everybody thinks Robocop looks like Batman, however:

  • Joaquin Phoenix Falls For an Operating System in Spike Jonze’s Next Film

    Apparently, we’re about to get the Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with Siri film we’ve all been waiting for.

    According to The Film Stage, Spike Jonze’s new film has just received an official title and an official plot summary. Set to release in 2013, the film is simply titled “Her.”

    Here’s the synopsis, courtesy of Annapurna films:

    In the not so distant future, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely writer purchases a newly developed operating system designed to meet the user’s every needs. To Theodore’s surprise, a romantic relationship develops between him and his operating system. This unconventional love story blends science fiction and romance in a sweet tale that explores the nature of love and the ways that technology isolates and connects us all.

    It’s a Spike Jonze project through and through, as Being John Malkovich director is writing and directing the film. IMDB lists it as being in post-production.

    Not only will it be Joaquin Phoenix’s second role since the whole “I quit acting to be a rapper” thing, but it also stars the A-list trio of Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, and Rooney Mara. At first, it’s easy to laugh at the premise. But when you really start thinking about it, you realize the incredible potential of the project. I mean, just imagine the first time you heard the plot summaries for Being John Malkovich or Adaptation.

    I’m excited. It’s about time that Hollywood recognized the romantic potential of a well-tuned operating system.

    [Lead image courtesy Just Jared]

  • Fox To Debut New HD Movie Downloads: $15, Weeks Before Blu-ray or On-Demand

    Apparently, 20th Century Fox sees a future in high-definition movie downloads. Starting this month, the studio plans to launch a brand new program that will see high-profile films become available for download weeks before they are available on a disc or streaming service.

    According to the New York Times Fox will call the initiative “Digital HD” or “DHD,” and it will start on September 18th with the Ridley Scott-helmed Prometheus.

    You’ll be able to download an HD copy of the film for around $15 on the 18th, which is more than two weeks before the film is set to launch on Blu-ray, DVD, and On-Demand. The system will be made possible by the UltraViolet digital locker system – which will make the films, once purchased, available for customers on multiple devices.

    “DHD” is set to launch in 50 countries around the world, according to Fox Chariman James Gianopulos. He says that many of Fox’s recent hits like “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” “The Watch” and “Ice Age: Continental Drift,” will be available for digital HD download soon.

    This move comes on the heels of an abandoned premium on-demand joint venture between Warner Bros, Universal, Fox, and Sony. Last year, those studios partnered to launch “Home Premiere,” a VOD service that would ‘ve charged people upwards of $30 for a 2-3 day rental. The only real draw was that the films offered through the service would be just 2 months out of theaters, meaning they were months away from DVD and regular on-demand release. Of course, Theaters around the country threw a fit, saying that it would cut into their already-struggling businesses.

    Is $15 still a hefty amount to pay for a download? Yes, to some people. If you can just hold off for a couple of weeks, the same movie could be rented for a little over $1 (Blu-ray) at Redbox. But “DHD” does offer movie ownership, weeks early, without having to leave your home. It may not be perfect as it is, but this program is definitely a step in the right direction.

  • New Django Unchained Trailer Hits YouTube

    New Django Unchained Trailer Hits YouTube

    Sony Pictures Latino America has uploaded a new international trailer for the highly anticipated Quentin Tarantino film Django Unchained. Suffice it to say, it’s awesome.

    Take a peek:

    Here are some previously released trailers for the film:

    In case you’re unfamiliar with the plot, the official synopsis describes it:

    Set in the South two years before the Civil War, “Django Unchained” stars Academy Award®-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award®-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles – dead or alive.

    The film also stars Leonardo Dicaprio, Kerry Washington, Kurt Russell, and of course, Samuel L. Jackson.

    More on Django Unchained here.

  • Star Wars Episode II & III 3D Release Dates Announced

    Lucasfilm and Twentieth Century Fox just announced the official release dates for the 3D editions of Star Wars Episodes II and III. Episode II will come out on September 20, 2013 and Episode III will come out the next month on October 11, 2013.

    From the official announcement:

    With its deeply detailed worlds and engulfing action, Star Wars is perfectly suited for the immersive 3D theatrical experience. Episode II and III deliver such captivating locales as the gleaming clone hatcheries of rain-swept Kamino, and the fiery lava planet of Mustafar as well as spectacular action sequences like Yoda’s unforgettable debut as a lightsaber duelist, the explosive space and ground battles of the Clone Wars, and the dramatic showdown between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.

    Supervised by Industrial Light & Magic, the meticulous 3D conversion was undertaken by Prime Focus, the global visual entertainment services company. With their proprietary View-D™ process, Prime Focus transformed Episode II and III into 3D with the utmost respect for the source material, and with a keen eye for both technological consideration and artistic intentions.

    Episode I was released in 3D this past February. It brought in a reported $102.7 million.

  • The Walking Dead Movie Reportedly Being Discussed

    There are no official talks for the release of a feature film of AMC’s The Walking Dead, as far as we know, but according to prominent horror movie news site Bloody Disgusting, there are non-official talks, or “rumblings,” among those working closely with the show’s crew and AMC itself.

    Lots more The Walking Dead goodness right here.

    Bloody Disgusting’s Mr. Disgusting writes:

    …I have some friends working closely with “The Walking Dead” crew and AMC who confirm with me rumblings of a feature film. But before you get your panties in a bunch, we’re only in the third season of the popular zombie show – adapted from Robert Kirkman’s astounding comic book – and when I say rumblings, I strongly suggest the idea has been passed off in non-business conversations. The show was originally shopped as a feature film before it went network, so the idea of ending the series with an hour and a half feature would be exciting. But as I stated before, “24,” “Lost” and “The Sopranos” had been rumored for years, and they all failed to make the jump. Emphasis added.

    Mr. Disgusting adds that “nothing is even close to official and don’t expect there to be any real talks for another few years.”

    The show is extremely popular, and already has a cinematic quality to it. It’s hard to imagine that it could not easily make the transition to the big screen. Zombie movies in general are also quite popular (some more than others). That very fact, combined with the popularity of the show itself, should make a feature film, if timed right, a pretty big hit. Probably not Avengers big, but certainly big as zombie movies go.

    On that note about timing, as Mr. Disgusting reminds us, both the X-Files and Sex And The City made relatively successful transitions to the big screen. Two features of the latter came out after the show itself was already over. The fist X-Files film, however, came out right in the middle of the popular show’s 9-season run. I wonder if a Walking Dead feature would be better timed sooner rather than later, while it’s still generating a great deal of buzz.

    That buzz, by the way, is in full effect for the upcoming season, which starts in October. AMC is catering to the buzz with the launch of a Walking Dead Facebook game. A deleted scene from the second season is also making the rounds.

    Image: AMCtv.com – Phto by Gene Page and Greg Nicotero