EXCLUSIVE: After revisiting his classic Alien with the upcoming 3D Fox film Prometheus, Ridley Scott is committing to direct and produce a film that advances his other seminal and groundbreaking science fiction film from the past. Scott has signed on to direct and produce a new installment of Blade Runner. He’ll make the film with Alcon Entertainment, producing with Alcon partners Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove. This would be the most high profile project for Alcon since The Blind Side. They got control of the franchise earlier this year, but it's a whole different ballgame with Scott at the helm.
I’m not getting a clear sense at this point whether Scott intends to do a sequel or a prequel to the 1982 film that was loosely based on the Philip K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Also unclear is whether they start fresh or reach out to Harrison Ford. The original took place in dystopian Los Angeles in 2019, in which organic superhuman robots called replicants escaped and are hiding somewhere on earth. Ford played Richard Deckard, a burnt out blade runner assigned to hunt them down. His tired life gets altered when he himself falls for one of the replicants and struggles to keep her from being destroyed.
The film was not a blockbuster when first released--it grossed $32 million in its original run--but the film has gained esteem over time. From the bleak but breathtaking visuals to the complex storyline and themes of mortality, Blade Runner became a classic. There has periodically been talks of doing a sequel but those never really went anywhere. After injecting state of the art 3D in reviving Alien, imagine what Scott can do with Blade Runner? Now, the filmmaker is ready to engage. Alcon has its output deal with Warner Bros, which remastered and released a 25th anniversary version on DVD and Blu-Ray in 2007. Warner Bros made the original film.
This is just the first step and the project will have to be written and it will likely evolve during that process. That's what happened on Alien, which began as a prequel to his 1979 classic. That changed when Lost's Damon Lindelof came in with a different take on the subject matter that imprinted on Scott and Fox executives. They wound up making Prometheus, which Fox considers an original but which I've heard is a cousin to the original Alien franchise. That film will be released June 8, 2012, with Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Patrick Wilson, Idris Elba and Guy Pearce starring. Scott is repped by WME.
Hilarious! I don’t know why Scare Tactics isn’t the number one show in television. This one is a close second to the Rat Boy clip. That might be one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Where do they find these dudes.
Let me share something special with you. This is Endhiran, a Bollywood action flick. It's like Terminator, The Matrix, and Transformers combined, but better. Or, as Jesus summarized, "an orgy of absurdity that not even Michael Bay can match."
It's definitely absurd. More absurd than it looked in the trailer, which was already pretty absurd. And for some reason, this compilation clip is dubbed in Russian, but I guess I wouldn't want it any other way. Update: A reader writes in with two important facts. 1) Robot is, in fact, a Kollywood movie (Tamil, whereas Bollywood is Hindi) and 2) it was the most expensive Indian movie ever made. Of course it was! [YouTube]
From:http://www.contactmusic.com/ The fourth and fifth sequels to 'The Matrix' may be shot in 3D, with creators Andy and Larry Wachowski reportedly keen to ''truly revolutionise'' the action movie genre.
Keanu Reeves has revealed plans are underway for two more sequels to 'The Matrix'.
The actor - who appears as Neo in the first three movies of the sci-fi action drama - hinted he and the writers of the franchise, Andy and Larry Wachowski, have discussed the possibility of shooting the two new movies in 3D and are reportedly seeking further advice from 'Avatar' creator James Cameron.
However, the Wachowskis are said to be keen to deliver something which has "never been seen" in the movie world and would "truly transform" the action movie genre.
Hearing Keanu commenting during a key note speech at the London School of Performing Arts, a reporter for Ain't It Cool News said: "They have completed work on a two picture script treatment that would see him return to the world of 'The Matrix' as Neo.
"Keanu says the brothers have met with Jim Cameron to discuss the pros and cons of 3D and are looking to deliver something which has never been seen again. He stated that he still has an obligation to the fans to deliver a movie worthy of the title 'The Matrix' and he swears this time that the treatment will truly transform the action genre like the first movie."
However, according to the reporter, the Wachowskis are looking to complete their current work on new movie 'Cloud Atlas' before discussing the possibility of adding to 'The Matrix' series.
We were just sent over some new pictures from Universal Pictures upcoming action-adventure, sci-fi-flick, Skyline. The film is directed by Colin & Greg Strause, two special effects masters who decided to make their own film instead of just working on others. In the film strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth — gives a whole to meaning to the phrase “don’t look up”. The film stars Eric Balfour, Donald Faison, Brittany Daniel, David Zayas, and Scottie Thompson.
In the sci-fi thriller Skyline, strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside like moths to a flame where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entire human population off the face of the Earth.
Skyline is directed and produced by the Brothers Strause (Alien vs. Predator: Requiem), whose company Hydraulx has provided visual effects for Avatar, Iron Man 2, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and 300.
According to the LA Times, Trent Reznor is working with HBO and BBC Worldwide Productions to develop "Year Zero," a sci-fi epic that NIN fans know well through Reznor's music and an Alternate Reality Game (ARG). He told the Times:
"We are in [the development phase of] pre-production with HBO and BBC [Worldwide Productions] to do a miniseries," Reznor said Monday. "It's exciting. I probably shouldn't say too much about it except that I understand that there's a thousand hurdles before anything shows up in your TV listing. It's been an interesting and very educational process and it cleared the HBO hurdle a few months ago and now we're writing drafts back and forth. So it's very much alive and incubating at the moment."
Reznor further added:
"Year Zero" began (as so many things do in the music of Nine Inch Nails) from a place of wrenching emotion and sonic adventure. Reznor found himself increasingly outraged by the geopolitical situation during the Bush years and he wanted to express the fury in music, but he found himself bored by traditional approaches to protest music.
From engines powered by garbage to a ray gun that zaps fat, these futuristic gadgets from movies, TV and novels were once purely the realm of science fiction, but now you can get the real thing.
Far future predictions of tech gadgets rarely work out. Not many of us ride a jetpack to work or step into a transporter to beam over to France on a whim, and the flying car is still a figment of the imagination (if not downright impossible). Even the light saber in Star Wars, which would be really handy as a hand-to-hand combat weapon, has never materialized. (Of course, it also defies the laws of physics.) Why can’t book authors and moviemakers ever get it right?
Well, it turns out that a few “far future” gadgets actually do exist, and you can order them on Amazon. Here’s a quick rundown of the best products and where you’ve seen them.
GE VScan
In the Star Trek movies, a tricorder provided a quick and painless diagnosis. This GE medical scanner uses the same technology. It works almost exactly like an ultrasound, but it can find critical issues such as fluid around the heart without any invasive surgery
. The pocket device, about the size of a smartphone, weighs about one pound. Scans take about two minutes.
Cyclone Power Technologies
In the Back to the Future movies, a DeLorean runs on garbage. Cyclone Power has a steam engine that runs on fuel made from corn husks, orange peels, or just about any biodegradable agent. The engine requires no fossil fuel oils at all, so it’s safe for the environment. Yet, the engine is no slouch: it has enough power for a large farm tractor.
StayHealthy Body Fat Analyzer
In the Doctor Who series, a body fat analyzer could convert your extra fat into an alien creature. This body fat analyzer doesn’t go that far. It sends a “mild” electrical current through your body and measures the amount of fat. That way, you can get a much clearer picture of exactly how much weight loss you really need, as opposed to just the bottom line.
Zeltiq fat burner
Matt Groening’s Futurama presents goofy science-fiction ideas as well-known facts. In several episodes, characters zap fat with a ray gun. Yet, the Zeltiq fat burner does just that, by freezing fat cells so they eventually deteriorate. The product is already in use as a cosmetic surgery aid but will eventually become a home appliance that anyone can use.
Geo-fencing
Arthur C. Clarke famously predicted we’d be using GPS tracking in his many novels, and even nailed the part about triangulation. He wrote about how objects and vehicles would be “geo-located” by revolving satellites. Yet, things are getting out of control: your location can be shared from your cell phone at all times and you can create a constant stream of your whereabouts, using tools such as Loopt and Google Latitude. Next year, your car will also stream its exact location (OnStar service does this already). Eventually, real estate agents will feed listings to you as you walk by a new home for sale. And what’s next? GPS will link more closely to credit card transactions – your Burger King stops will be much faster.
Ionator
In Philip K. Dick’s Zap Gun novel from 1967, he predicted that – in 2004 — we’d still be fighting a cold war with Russia, but our weapons would be consumerized into household aids. The Ionator, from a small Minnesota company, looks like something from the book. It zaps germs by spraying a chemical that separates grime from counter-tops. The hand-held gun is futuristic enough that, when you use one, you feel like you should be wearing a Star Trek uniform.
On August 2, 1985, the John Hughes movie 'Weird Science' hit theaters with stars Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith as Garry and Wyatt -- two high school losers who use their computer to build Lisa, the perfect woman (Kelly LeBrock). Just five days later on August 7, the very nerdy 'Real Genius' also premiered on movie screens across the country, with Val Kilmer starring as Chris Knight, the smartest and most sarcastic student at Pacific Tech. When he finds out his senior project is being covertly used as a military weapon, he and the other students team up to exact revenge.
Yes, two of the 1980s' most memorable portrayals of geek culture arrived at the same time to fight for your attention. 25 years later, the debate rages on over which is the superior geek movie. With the Geek Awards fast approaching, we thought now was the perfect time to finally answer this conundrum -- with a series of very scientific analyses. What is the better geek film?
EXPERIMENTS The 5-Megawatt Laser ('Real Genius') vs. Lisa, the Living Barbie Doll ('Weird Science')
The project at the heart of 'Real Genius' -- the development of a five-megawatt laser -- brings Chris together with freshman prodigy Mitch Taylor (Gabriel Jarret). They don't know it will be used as a weapon of destruction, but the laser is the perfect demonstration of why they are the two smartest students in school. And that's just the tip of the iceberg: Chris also builds a remote-controlled flying gyroscope, while the fast-talking Jordan creates an oxygen-retrieving scuba system and an automatic page turner for convenient study purposes, and turns Kent's braces into a messianic radio transceiver. Not to mention whatever Lazlo was working on in the basement. Lastly, we can't forget Ick, who develops rapid-evaporating ice -- perfect for an impromptu hallway skating party.
Meanwhile, Garry and Wyatt hook up a Barbie doll to a computer that's loaded with information and statistics on the ideal woman. After a lightning bolt strikes the house in 'Frankenstein'-like fashion, the doll is transformed into Lisa, an insanely beautiful woman gifted with magical powers.
WINNER: 'Real Genius.' Scientifically speaking, Garry and Wyatt lose control of their experiment almost immediately. On those grounds, we have to give this to the genius students of 'Real Genius,' who have taken their talents and devoted them to an important cause -- throwing awesome parties.
THE BAD GUYS Dr. Hathaway and Kent ('Real Genius') vs. Chet, Ian, and Max ('Weird Science')
At the head of the laser project is Dr. Jerry Hathaway, played by William Atherton. If you don't remember him from this film, perhaps you remember him as the arrogant news reporter from 'Die Hard' or the dreaded Walter Peck from 'Ghostbusters' -- roles that made Atherton the king of '80s blowhards. Right behind Hathaway is the sniveling Kent (Robert Prescott), who embarrasses Mitch, tries to steal Chris's job, sabotages their experiment, and will gladly pick up Dr. Hathaway's dry cleaning for him.
In 'Weird Science,' the boys get abuse on two fronts. At home, they deal with Wyatt's older brother Chet, who has just returned from military school and plans to abuse and blackmail them while the parents are out of town. At school, Garry and Wyatt are troubled by Ian and Max, who embarass our protagonists in the first minutes of the movie. They proceed to further humiliate them in front of an entire shopping mall, and then try to trade their girlfriends in exchange for a date with Lisa.
WINNER: 'Real Genius.' It goes God, then Jerry, then Kent.
MOST OUTLANDISH MOMENT Jesus Lives in Kent's Braces ('Real Genius') vs. Mutants, Missiles, and a Monster('Weird Science')
In their path of revenge against Hathaway, the students of 'Real Genius' turn Kent's braces into a radio transceiver/voice of Jesus. The poor henchman is driven insane following the voice until it leads him to a rapture-like explosion of popcorn.
' As for 'Weird Science' ... where to begin? Even if we accept Lisa and her digital origins, there's still the matter of Wyatt's frozen grandparents in the closet, Garry's father's sudden amnesia and the nuclear missile that grows out of the kitchen. Not to mention, their party is crashed by a band of mutant outlaw bikers who only back down when Gary threatens them with a water pistol real gun.
WINNER: 'Weird Science' The whole movie is a freak show.
FUTURE STARS Val Kilmer and Jon Gries ('Real Genius') vs. Anthony Michael Hall, Robert Downey Jr. and Bill Paxton ('Weird Science')
After 'Real Genius,' Kilmer went on to become one of the biggest stars of the '90s, in films like 'The Doors' and 'Heat'; he even played the Caped Crusader in 'Batman Forever.' He still appears in many memorable character roles, but has also earned a reputation as one of Hollywood's most intense -- and sometimes difficult -- actors. Outside of Val, the film's most notable cast member is Jon Gries, a.k.a. Lazlo Hollyfield, a.k.a. Uncle Rico in 'Napoleon Dynamite.'
'Weird Science' was another feather in the cap for Anthony Michael Hall on his quest to become king of the '80s geeks. The bullying Chet is played by none other than Bill Paxton, and of course, the jerky Ian is mega-star Robert Downey Jr.
WINNER: 'Weird Science.' As if having Iron Man in the cast weren't enough, 'Weird Science' has Bill Paxton, the only man in Hollywood to be killed by an Alien, a Predator and a Terminator.
THE GIRL Spastic Scientist ('Real Genius') vs. The Perfect Woman('Weird Science')
Young Mitch gets with the older Jordan (Michelle Meyrink), who seems like the perfect fit -- 19, brilliant, hyper-kinetic. She just needs to remember to knock first.
Lisa was designed to be the perfect woman, and who better to portray her than international supermodel Kelly LeBrock?
WINNER: 'Weird Science.' This is a tough one to call; it's down to super-model versus girl-next-door. But ultimately, we have to give it to Lisa, for her genie-like talents.
SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY Prestigious Sci-Tech School ('Real Genius') vs. Sex-Obsessed Teens('Weird Science')
'Real Genius' director Martha Coolidge researched laser technology and the practices of the CIA for months before filming, and she interviewed students at Cal Tech. TriStar Pictures also held what they claim was the first "computer press conference,' when Coolidge answered press questions, relayed over the CompuServe network. In 2009, 'Mythbusters' devoted an episode to finding out if the popcorn finale was scientifically possible. They did determine that it is possible to pop corn with a laser, but not on the scale used in the film.
''Weird Science,' the film, was inspired by 'Weird Science,' the old E.C. Comics magazine of the 1950s; and it's the last of John Hughes' 'National Lampoon'-style comedies before he moved into teen dramedies and holiday family films. Accuracy was sacrificed in the name of pulp sci-fi fun. But we did learn one important laboratory lesson: if you ever decide to build a woman using a lightning storm and a computer, you must never forget to hook up the doll.
WINNER: 'Real Genius' Any movie where we have to replay what they just explained must be smart.
GEEK VICTORY Popcorn Revenge ('Real Genius') vs. Shedding the Loser Image('Weird Science')
Chris and Mitch break into an Air Force base, re-program the laser's tracking co-ordinates and get Hathaway to fire the weaponized laser at his own newly, re-furnished house which explodes in an avalanche of popcorn.
Garry and Wyatt save the partygoers from mutant destruction and are no longer social misfits. More importantly, Lisa manages to instill them with the confidence they need to finally snag their real-life dream girls, Deb and Hilly.
WINNER: 'Real Genius.' Sure, Garry and Wyatt improve their self-esteem, and that's a great lesson. But on the other hand -- popcorn explosion. 'Real Genius' takes it.
POPULAR QUOTES 'Real Genius' Kent: "You're all a bunch of degenerates. Chris: "We are? What about that time I found you naked with that bowl of Jell-O?" Kent: "You did not." Chris: "This is true." Kent: "Look, it was hot and I was hungry, OK?"
Bodie: "He said he didn't feel like it. And I said, you'd better! And he said, or what? And I said, or else you're gonna be in trouble. And he said jam it." Professor Hathaway: "That's a wonderful story, Bodie. I noticed you've stopped stuttering." Bodie: "I've been giving myself shock treatments." Professor Hathaway: "Up the voltage."
Chris Knight: "So, if there's anything I can do for you, or, more to the point, to you, you just let me know." Susan: "Can you hammer a six-inch spike through a board with your penis?" Chris Knight: "Not right now." Susan: "A girl's gotta have her standards."
Student: "Dr. Hathaway? Are you wearing makeup?"
Chris: "Kent puts his name on his license plate." Mitch: "My mom does the same thing to my underwear." Chris: "Your mom puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?"
Mitch (as Jesus): "And Kent -- stop playing with yourself." Kent: "It is Jesus!"
Chris: "You get even with Kent. It's a moral imperative."
'Weird Science' Lisa: "So, what would you little maniacs like to do first?"
Chet: "You're stewed, buttwad!"
Garry: "It can't be a dream! How can 2 people have the same dream? OK, let's analyze this. In the middle of the night ... did I get up ... and yak in your sink? Didn't throw up? No? Maybe it was a dream then, you know ... a very weird ... bizarre ... vivid ... erotic ... wet ... detailed dream. Maybe we had malaria."
Lisa: "You know, there's going to be sex, drugs, rock-n-roll ... chips, dips, chains, whips ... You know, your basic high school orgy type of thing. I mean, uh, I'm not talking candle wax on the nipples, or witchcraft or anything like that, no, no, no. Just a couple of hundred kids running around in their underwear, acting like complete animals."
Garry: "Mom, I never toss off to anything!" Garry's Mom: "You told me you were combing your hair!" Garry: "But I was! I was!"
Chet: "How 'bout a nice greasy pork sandwich served in a dirty ashtray?"
Garry: "You know, I can't believe this, Wyatt. I'm so disappointed in us. I mean, all our lives we've been saying how great it would be if we went to parties, right? And now it's our party and we're in the john. We're in the john!"
Mutant Biker: "Can we keep this ... between us? I'd hate to lose my teaching job ..."
WINNER: 'Real Genius.' While it's hard to pass up Hughes, he wrote more memorable dialogue in other movies. Meanwhile, few movies remain as quotable as 'Real Genius.'
CONCLUSION: After a 25 years of debate, it has been decided -- according to our tests, with a score of 5 to 3, 'Real Genius' is the superior geek film.
Celebrate 25 years of Geekdom by adding these movies to your collection. 'Real Genius' (Rent | Buy) | 'Weird Science' (Rent | Buy)
'Sucker Punch' is being touted as Alice in Wonderland with machine guns. And if this trailer is any indication, it looks that promised is definitely going to be delivered. 'Sucker Punch' is in theaters March 25, 2011
Cast: Jon Hamm,Emily Browning,Vanessa Hudgens,Jamie Chung,Carla Gugino,Jena Malone
Thanks to a pair of knockout fake trailers, a team of Finnish filmmakers will soon start shooting an outlandish sci-fi Nazi movie financed in part by fans who flipped over the clips.
The first teaser for Iron Sky, embedded below, has pulled more than 1.3 million YouTube views since its release two years ago. The follow-up clip (above), released last month, continued the momentum as the project’s website harvested micro-investments from 52 fans enticed by the spooky-sleek visuals.
The trailers also generated buzz on the strength of the bizarrely original Iron Sky premise: During the closing days of World War II, Nazis in flying saucers escaped to the moon. In 2018, they plan a victorious return to Earth.
With 90 percent of the feature-length project’s $8.5 million budget now funded, casting for Iron Sky is nearly complete, with filming set to begin in Australia and Germany this fall.
CGI maestro Samuli Torssonen supervised Iron Sky’s visual effects after spending seven years working on zero-budget feature Star Wreck. For the Iron Sky trailers, “everything was either shot by ourselves or created by our VFX team at Energia Productions,” Torssonen told Wired.com in an e-mail. “I think for indie productions it is very important to have in-house creative which can archive visually impressive shots with a decent budget.”
Torssonen relied on Maya 3-D software to craft the trailers’ visual effects. “Every shot was filmed against blue/green screen in a local studio,” he said. “Every shot, of course, also had quite a lot of CGI.”
Fan investments in Iron Sky were augmented by money from 12 traditional financiers, according to producer Tero Kaukomaa of Blind Spot Pictures. “If we are able to make money,” Kaukomaa said, “then the crowd who invested will make money, and if that happens, it will speed up the possibility to fund films totally with crowds.”
But VFX man Torssonen cautions that “fan/community funding is not an easy way out. We didn’t come out of nowhere. We’ve been building our internet community and visibility since 1999, with Star Wreck. You have to invest a lot of time and energy to win the trust of the internet audience. The only way to do that is to deliver good quality. Mediocre stuff just won’t cut it.”
As a hybrid model blending conventional business cash with microdonations from sci-fi zealots, Iron Sky is emerging as the most expensive fan-curated movie to date. As such, it points the way toward a future in which audience and investor become one and the same.
“I think it’s great that the audience can, in some terms, ‘order’ a film that they find cool by investing, participating in the production or donating money,” Torssonen said. “They can give ideas and feedback, become part of the whole process, and finally see a film in theaters that has been tailored for their needs.”
There are many Stargate nerds outhere but this one has decided to build his own Stargate gateway. It was a tricky job, you need carpenter skills and autocad knowledge. Anyway, who knows why he started this project, maybe he wants to go at stargate conventions and be classy, to use his gate as a teleport. It’s not finished yet but still it could be useful with creative person, especially creative nerd.
We've got the first trailer for The Adjustment Bureau, a twisty sci-fi movie based on a Philip K. Dick short story; watch it here.
Following is the official description.
Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate us? Matt Damon stars in the thriller The Adjustment Bureau as a man who glimpses the future Fate has planned for him and realizes he wants something else. To get it, he must pursue the only woman he's ever loved across, under and through the streets of modern-day New York. On the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, ambitious politician David Norris (Damon) meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt)—a woman like none he's ever known. But just as he realizes he's falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart.
David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself—the men of The Adjustment Bureau—who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path ... or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.
The Adjustment Bureau is written for the screen and directed by George Nolfi (writer of Ocean's Twelve, co-writer of The Bourne Ultimatum). It is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick ("Total Recall," "Minority Report" and "Blade Runner").
Looks cool to us! It opens Sept. 17. Check out larger versions of images in the gallery below.
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All you art collectors out there. Here is a chance to get a Giclee copy of some of Ian M Sherwin work. Ian is planning on doing a whole series of Marblehead, Massachusetts paintings. His work is amazing.
GE VScan
Cyclone Power Technologies
StayHealthy Body Fat Analyzer
Zeltiq fat burner
Geo-fencing
Ionator
'Real Genius'
'Weird Science'
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