The Week In Geek: Dark Tower, Bruce Campbell, Pixar Meets Marvel?
THE DARK TOWER: THE GREAT EXPERIMENT
The big geek news of the week is that Stephen King’s epic 7 book/20 years in the making Dark Tower series is coming not only to the big screen, but also television as well. Director Ron Howard is planning not only a movie Trilogy, but a television series that runs in between movies. The plan right now is that the first film in this trilogy will be immediately followed by a television series that will bridge the second movie. After the second one, another television series will begin that will then lead into the third and final movie. Both the movies and the tv show will be filmed back to back, and the stars of the movies will also star in the television series. Don’t ever suggest Opie is not that inspired, because this could be a game changer.
Ron Howard will seemingly direct the first movie as well as the first season on tv. Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (yes, the man who brought us Batman and Robin) will be writing the first film and much of the first season. If this is pulled off, this will be the greatest example of multi media synergy for a genre project ever…Marvel Studios and the Avengers movie ain’t got nuthin’ on this one. Sure, Star Trek had movies and television shows running alongside each other during that franchise’s heyday in the 90’s, but always starring different casts, and they always remained more or less separate. This however, is on another scale entirely, and could change how these sprawling fantasy and sci fi epics are released to the public in the future.
PIXAR/MARVEL TO BRING US DR. STRANGE?
Ever since Disney bought Marvel Entertainment last year, fanboys have daydreamed about a possible collaboration between the talent at Pixar on some kind of Marvel porperty. After all, Pixar made a terrific Fantastic Four movie already with The Incredibles. This week, comic book artist Brendon McCarthy made what appears to be an offhand comment about Pixar Studios potentially being involved in a Dr. Strange movie. McCarthy says that during a meeting at Disney earlier this year, “the conversation drifted around to Pixar animating a Doctor Strange movie… Now, wouldn’t that be nice?” Of course, maybe he is just being a daydreaming fanboy here, or maybe we’re lucky and something will actually come of this. After all, Dr. Strange is the last of the iconic Stan Lee 60’s Marvel Comics properties that has not come to the big screen yet, and if anyone can make Stephen Strange work on the big screen, it is the folks at Pixar.
And speaking of Marvel, a few pics have leaked this week from a couple of anticipated Marvel Films coming out next summer….first one is from Captain America: The First Avenger. No, Chris Evans didn’t let himself go, that is just his pudgy stunt double. But at least we have out first good looks at the suit. I personally dig it, and the little painted wings on the sides? Perfect touch.
Also perfect is our first pic of January Jones as Emma Frost in X-Men: First Class, in full on 60’s go go boots and mini skirt and an awesome fuzzy hat.
BRUCE CAMPBELL AND THE ALL STAR HORROR SHOW
With The Expendables doing well in theaters this summer, extending the acting careers of many people whom I thought would have died already just a few years ago, Hollywood is looking to cash in on the Expendables formula. One of these people is horror icon Bruce Campbell, who wants to make the “Expendables of Horror” as a follow up to his movie My Name Is Bruce. While this sounds good on paper, horror produces more fictional icons than stars, with the exceptions of Bruce Campbell and Robert Englund of course. Make a Movie that features Ash, Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers, Pinhead and Chucky? People will eat it up. Make a movie about Bruce Campbell, Robert Englund and….who? Kane Hodder? Doug Bradley?Whoever it was that played Jason? I can’t see this one working, but stranger things have happened. Editor’s Note: Bruce will be a guest of honor at the Geekscape sponsored ZomBCon this Halloween weekend! We’ll get to the bottom of this from the man himself!
