Wednesday, November 4

• Terminator Rights for Sale

  Producers Derek Anderson and Victor Kubicek fought to keep the rights to the Terminator franchise for their Halcyon Co. production company, but The Financial Times reports that that the rights to Terminator will be auctioned off this month.

  Halcyon originally purchased the Terminator rights in 2007 for $25 million and produced a TV show, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and the movie sequel Terminator Salvation. While Chronicles was canceled, Salvation managed to gain $371 million in worldwide box office. Still Halcyon declared bankruptcy and sued their lender, Pacifcor, who Anderson and Kubicek claim pushed them into default on their loan. A bankruptcy judge allowed the producing duo to continue to develop Terminator 5, but it looks like that will come to an end once the rights are auctioned off.

  In an openly sarcastic letter to DeadlineHollywood, writer-director Joss Whedon made a bid for the Terminator rights, offering $10,000 and claiming he had solid ideas on what to do with the franchise.

  Terminator ... of the Rings! Yeah, what if he time-travelled TOO far ... back to when there was dragons and wizards? (I think it was the Dark Ages.) Hasta La Vista, Boramir! Cool, huh? "Now you gonna be Gandalf the Red!" RRRRIP! But then he totally helps, because he's a cyborg and he doesn't give a s#&% about the ring — it has no power over him! And he can carry it AND Frodo AND Sam AND f@%& up some orcs while he's doing it. This stuff just comes to me. I mean it. (I will also offer $10,000 for the Lord of the Rings franchise).

  Considering the rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise just sold to Nickelodeon for $60 million, and Terminator has been a far more profitable at the box office than the Ninja Turtles, Whedon may need to bid just a few more thousands.

  
  
  

  Hollywood Headlines

  Terminator for sale and more

  Posted 11/04/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Joss Whedon | Derek Anderson | Victor Kubicek | Terminator Salvation

Monday, October 12

• Joss Whedon's Cabin in the Woods Pushed to 2011

  The Cabin in the Woods, a twisted and unusual take on the usual formula, was written by Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Serenity's Joss Whedon and directed by Cloverfield screenwriter Drew Goddard. The movie was initially set for release on February 5, 2010, but ShockTillYouDrop reports that MGM Studios has decided to push the movie back to January 14, 2011.

  The good news is MGM claims the response to the movie has been "phenomenal," and will take the next six months to convert the movie into 3-D. The bad news is that Whedon fans will have to wait another year for the highly anticipated horror flick. To make matters worse, Cabin actor Brian White (Fighting) told Moviehole the movie is terrific.

  He's created a new take on the "Cabin in the Woods" formula and it's incredibly funny, it's gory, and it's smart. Any genre fan is going to really, really going to love this. If you're even remotely a fan of Joss I think you're going to love it. I hear they just did a screening, and it went down very well — he apparently hit it out of the park.

  Cabin in the Woods stars Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Bradley Whitford (Bottle Shock), Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and White. So far, the only other movie sharing the weekend with Cabin is Underworld 4.

  
  

  Posted 10/12/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Brian White | Joss Whedon | Drew Goddard | The Cabin in the Woods

Friday, October 9

• Eliza Dushku Interested in Wet Live-Action Movie

  Eliza Dushku was one of a short list of actors whose name was bandied about when the role of the Black Widow was being cast for Iron Man 2. Dushku lost out to Scarlett Johansson, and she recently sounded off about it to MTV, saying:

  I think it went straight to Miss Thing. I get it, you know? I get it. She's pretty fierce.

  Despite missing out on playing the Black Widow, Dushku could be portraying a movie action hero in the new future, if the Wet video game that was released last month is a big enough hit. Developed by Bethesda and A2M, Wet is an action shooter game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 that stars a ruthless female heroine in Rubi Malone. Dushku provided the voice of Malone for the Wet game and she said that she would be interested in taking the role to the next level by portraying Malone on the big screen.

  Well, this video game Wet that I just did, is sorta ... she's got a working-class Lara Croft thing going on. And, she's pretty kick-ass. And she travels the globe and she's in Hong Kong and she's in the UK and she's a gun for hire and she's got two samurai swords. She's pretty vicious. So, that's been something that maybe could turn into a live-action Dushku vehicle.

  Dushku is currently starring in Joss Whedon's Dollhouse TV series on Fox.

  
  

  Posted 10/09/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Joss Whedon | Scarlett Johansson | Eliza Dushku | Iron Man 2

Sunday, September 27

• No Ellen Page in X-Men: First Class

  Joss Whedon thinks Ellen Page, who played Kitty Pryde in X-Men: The Last Stand, should get her own X-Men movie. But despite the variety of X-Men movies in various stages of production, no Page-centric movie has been planned.

  For X-Men fans hoping Page might be included in the "young X-Men" world of X-Men: First Class, Page told MTV that she's not been keeping up with the X-Men universe.

  I don't even know what it is, so I couldn't tell you. I think Kitty Pryde's rad, so who knows what will happen. I have no idea, though. I'm not saying that as Internet innuendo.There's truly nothing happening.

  Page may not know what First Class is, but her Last Stand co-star Anna Pacquin stated that she wants to reprise her role as Rogue in First Class. X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner maintains that no role in First Class has been cast.

  
  

  Posted 09/27/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Ellen Page | Joss Whedon | X-Men: First Class | X-Men: The Last Stand

Friday, August 14

• New Wonder Woman Script Like Raiders of The Lost Ark

  With Warner Bros. looking to jump-start production on their DC Comics–related comic book movies, Wonder Woman may finally get her invisible jet off the ground and into theaters soon. No, the script's not the Joss Whedon one, which was inexplicably tossed in the trash by Warner Bros. and producer Joel Silver, but a brand new script from newcomers Brent Strickland and Matthew Jennison.

  The two screenwriters wrote a spec script involving Wonder Woman in World War II that got Silver's attention. Silver then asked for the script to be updated for modern times. In doing so, not unlike Whedon before them, Strickland says they had to take some liberties.

  We certainly took liberties on our spec Wonder Woman, but we also used a ton of stuff from the comic. My feeling is that ultimately something iconic like Wonder Woman needs to be a hybrid of the source material and the writer's original inspiration. We feel an obligation to the fan base not only to treat the property with respect, but also to make it fresh — to reinvent the story without reinventing the wheel, so to speak.

  So what can fans look forward to in this new script?

  There should be breathtaking action sequences alongside character beats that allow the audience to relate to this Amazon princess, and moments where they get to laugh but not because it's campy. People have described the spec as Wonder Woman meets Raiders of the Lost Ark. I think that's a pretty good tone.

  Now it's up to Silver and Warner Bros. to actually make the movie and not dump the script.

  
  

  Posted 08/14/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Joel Silver | Joss Whedon | Wonder Woman

Saturday, June 20

• Anthony Stewart Head Isn't Behind a Buffy Remake

  After news that a remake of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is in the works without creator Joss Whedon on board, several old cast and crew members have chimed in with their thoughts on the project. British actor Anthony Stewart Head, who played watcher Giles in all seven seasons of the show, recently expressed his opinion on the subject.

  "I wouldn't want to see it, no. The bottom line is if a movie was ever to be made, it should be made with Joss Whedon, whether it's a retrospective or not. The Kuzuis have the rights to because they have the rights to the original movie, but it should be interesting to see. It may be a bit like watching a car wreck."

  These sentiments are no doubt echoing through the Whedon fan-verse, with many die-hard Scoobies refusing to believe in such a thing. With the current popularity of vampires, it's understandable that someone should want to resurrect the '90s slayer. But if fans of the show are out, the only audience left will be teenage Twilighters who were too young to watch it the first time round.

  
  

  Posted 06/20/2009 by Jenny

  Related: Joss Whedon | Anthony Head | Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Sunday, June 14

• Joss Whedon Finally Contacted About New Buffy Movie

  When word got out that a Buffy the Vampire Slayer remake/reboot was in the works, it was surprising to find out that creator Joss Whedon wasn't involved — at all. Nor were the Buffy rights owners Fran and Kaz Kazui planning on using any of the characters from the beloved television series. Looks like the Kazuis changed their minds.

  Whedon told Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch blog that he was finally contacted after rumors surfaced about the Buffy reboot.

  I believe [the producers] did ultimately reach out to my agent after the news broke. I think that's something better left untouched by me. So, I wish them luck.

  A Buffy movie without Whedon has proven to be very unpopular with fans. Would you see a Buffy movie without Whedon's involvement? Drop us a comment below.

  
  

  Posted 06/14/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Joss Whedon | Fran Rubel Kazui | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Thursday, June 11

• Megan Fox Won't Play Buffy the Vampire Slayer

  Latest rumors surrounding the previously announced Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie have attached Transformers star Megan Fox as title heroine Buffy Summers.

  The 23-year-old Tennessee native has denied any links to vampires and slayers, with Buffy producer Roy Lee telling IGN:

  "The rumors of Megan Fox being involved with Buffy are just rumors. As with any film project with a female lead under the age of 30, Megan is the actress that most studios want so it is no surprise her name is mentioned. While I think she would be great for our project, we are still in the early stages of developing the script."

  The proposed movie will have no ties to either the 1992 movie or the TV show, which ran for seven seasons from 1997-2003. Sunnydale genius Joss Whedon won't be involved, and neither will fan-favorite Sarah Michelle Gellar. Original Buffy rights holders Fran Rubel Kuzui and Kaz Kuzui are clearly trying to cash in on the sudden popularity surge in all things fanged and, let's face it, it doesn't sound very good. A Buffy movie without Whedon or Gellar? What is the world coming to?

  
  

  Posted 06/11/2009 by Jenny

  Related: Joss Whedon | Roy Lee | Megan Fox | Sarah Michelle Gellar | Kaz Kuzui | Fran Rubel Kuzui

Tuesday, May 26

• Buffy Getting a Second Shot at the Big Screen ... Without Whedon

  Empire Magazine is reporting that we can expect a remake/reboot of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie, but it won't be with the man that made the TV series a success, Joss Whedon.

  How could this happen, you ask? It turns out the actual rights holders are Fran and Kaz Kazui, who bought them in 1992 from a pre-fame Whedon. The Kazuis are the geniuses responsible for bringing us the Kristy Swanson film of the same name -- the one that sucked eggs. Later, Joss resurrected the character with a reboot of his own, and that became the wildly popular TV franchise starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, with the Kazui brothers listed as producers.

  The snub at the character's creator won't make Slayer fans very happy. And as if that weren't bad enough, the Kazuis aren't even going to try to get the supporting cast -- Willow, Xander, Spike, or Angel -- from the show. Instead, they'e planning to restart the storyline by making use of the "Slayer for every generation" concept from the show. Um, will her name still be Buffy? That's not clear. It sounds like maybe these guys haven't thought this through.

  So, to summarize, at the helm of the new movie you've got the people responsible for gutting Whedon's original script and concept and churning out the awful 1992 Kristy Swanson movie moving ahead without the man or cast that succeeded in making Buffy enjoyable in the first place.

  We're not holding out much hope for this one.

  
  

  Posted 05/26/2009 by Jim

  Related: Joss Whedon | Sarah Michelle Gellar | Kristy Swanson | Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Tuesday, March 17

• Wonder Woman on Its Way?

  Looks like Lynda Carter may have been on to something after all. IESB reports that movement on a Wonder Woman movie is now "finally getting the go ahead."

  With Green Lantern now a legitimate project that is going into production this year, and a Batman movie years away, Warner Bros. is hoping for another superhero movie and so have been listening to pitches the last few weeks in their search for screenwriters for the Wonder Woman project .

  No word as to whether they will pick up Joss Whedon's script or use any of the two years he put into the project. Just remember, Warner Bros., Carter is ready to help "groom" your next Amazonian princess.

  
  

  Posted 03/17/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Joss Whedon | Lynda Carter | Wonder Woman | Batman 3 | Green Lantern

Tuesday, March 10

• Lynda Carter Approves Eliza Dushku as Wonder Woman

  Should a Wonder Woman movie ever come out, Lynda Carter would back Eliza Dushku as the Amazonian goddess. Carter, the Wonder Woman from the 1970s TV series, told WENN: "I've always liked Joss and Eliza would make a great Wonder Woman."

  Carter, who also offered her services to help "groom" the next Wonder Woman, is referring to director Joss Whedon, who wrote a script for the movie in 2005 that he was slated to direct only to leave two years later for creative differences. In February's Maxim, Whedon clarified what really happened:

  I have no idea the status of the movie and, honestly, I never did. I was told they were very anxious to make it. I wrote a script. I rewrote the story. And by the time I'd written the second script, they asked me...not to. They didn't tell me to leave, but they showed me the door and how pretty it was. Would I like to touch the knob and maybe make it swing? I was dealing with them through [producer] Joel Silver who couldn't tell me what they wanted or anything else. I was completely in the dark. So I didn't know what it was that I wasn't giving them. I've moved on.

  Whedon may have moved on, however, Wonder Woman hasn't moved at all. Silver, who commissioned the first Wonder Woman screenplay back in 2001, recently told Comingsoon.net: "It's [Wonder Woman] in a constant state of development, but we just haven't been able to find the right way to do it yet, but hopefully we can and we can make it soon."

  Whenever you do make it, Joel, Lynda Carter is ready to help.

  
  

  Posted 03/10/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Joel Silver | Joss Whedon | Eliza Dushku | Lynda Carter | Wonder Woman

Thursday, February 26

• Next X-Men Movie: Kitty Pryde?

  When X-Men Origins: Wolverine opens on May 1, possible spin-offs for the characters of Magneto and Deadpool, not to mention lots of younger X-Men in X-Men First Class, hang in the balance. However, Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator, occasional X-Men comic writer, and current Cabin in the Woods director Joss Whedon thinks they are forgetting a certain mutant character with a lot of potential: Kitty Pryde.

  Coventry Telegraph reports that Whedon told Maxim:

  I've mentioned this to Marvel several times over the last couple of years: Kitty Pryde is out there. She's a pretty fascinating character with a very visual power who, the last time I saw, was played by Oscar nominee Ellen Page. And they don't seem to think that that's awesome. I don't know why. You know, I'm just sayin'.

  Whedon's got a point. Maybe the reason Marvel is shy about a Kitty Pryde movie is that audiences might be reminded of the buzzkill that was Brett Ratner's X-Men: The Last Stand.

  
  

  Posted 02/26/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Ellen Page | Joss Whedon | X-Men: The Last Stand | X-Men Origins: Wolverine | X-Men: First Class | Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Friday, October 5

• Rumors of Serenity 2 cropping up again

  Fanboy alert! Moviehole.net is reporting that actor Alan Tudyk is fanning renewed flames of a possible sequel to Serenity.

  "They had to put [the new Serenity: Special Edition DVD] out because they’ve been selling out of the other one and so Universal’s like ‘So, let’s do another one’. And now… there’s now a chance there’s going to be another movie," said Tudyk to Moviehole.

  Word is Nathan Fillion would be excited to join up again, too.

  
  
  

  Nathan Fillion interview

  The star of Waitress talks to Heather Huntington.
  

  3:10 to Yuma clip

  Alan Tudyk can currently be seen in this western.

  Posted 10/05/2007 by reelz

  Related: Alan Tudyk | Joss Whedon | Nathan Fillion | Serenity | Serenity 2