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Monday, June 26, 2006

Watchmen gets...yet another Director on board...

After many failed attempts to start this comic-adaptation...


Zach Snyder is set to develop and direct the DC comic graphic novel, Watchmen for Warner Bros. Pictures.

The series was created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons set in 1985 in an alternative history United States where costumed adventurers are real and the country is edging closer to a nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Watchmen tells the story of the last remaining superheroes and the events surrounding the mysterious murder of one of their own.

After many attempts at a start of previous production, Warner is not releasing a production schedule for Watchmen.


Apparently, happy with the job Snyder did with the Montreal shot 300, another Frank Miller adaptation following the likes of Sin City, Warner has decided to add Snyder to the list of directors that at some point have tried to get this movie running. They've also hired Alex Tse to pen the feature. Not confirmed is whether this is a rewrite of the David Hayter attempt or not.
Rumors have come and gone. Paul Greengrass was the last director on board...but the project fell through.

Long ago, Terry Gilliam was brought onto the project but Joel Silver failed to raise proper finance for the film. Also, while interviewing Alan Moore, Gilliam asked him what he thought would be the best way to make the film come to life. The response?

Moore; "Don't".

I personally don't see how anyone could make this movie a viable adaptation. The comic was so outrageously great but so distinctly outta this world. It's not like Batman, or Sin City or even Superman. The things the comic takes for granted, that the reader easily gives in to, is not something the movie going public will likely be willing to. I fear, this project will yet again stall, for good or ill. And even if it does get made...I don't see it being one of the successes of comic adaptation. Moore was right.

FUTURAMA GETS NEW LIFE

Just a great, great decision. This was a show that picked up in it's 3rd and 4th season, really finding it's groove. I can only hope that they attempt to bring back a lot of the same writers...We'll see.

Here's the blurb...

Comedy Central has bought up the rights to produce and air new episodes of Futurama.

The cable channel is bringing back the series, from Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, which first aired on Fox from 1999-2003. The Hollywood Reporter says at least 13 new episodes will be produced for the first time since the series ended; the new batch is part of a deal the cable network made with 20th Century Fox Television last year to pick up syndicated rights to the show's 72 episode library.

Comedy Central also has an option to air any new episodes produced; no word on when the new episodes of Futurama will air.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Comics and the other men...

So to my faithful 3,3 daily readers out there (I'm assuming this constitutes; a man, a woman, a child, and 3 gold fish)- Where have I been? What have I been doing?

I know, I know. Shouldn't keep y'all waiting so long.

It's simple really. In the vast universe of Scribewisdom, Scribe-o-sphere, or procrastinating spec monkeys, there is an endless amount of high quality input and serious watchdogism of the industry and those within it. This is one of my favorites. This, even after he lambasted some of my comments regarding our own industry (that can be no doubt attributed to my own narrow, and thick skull). But it really is a great blog. Also, for all things television Shawna has continued to unleash predictions, lineups and solid comments.

These two typically keep my days full of reading and self loathing. There's something about looking at how others perceive the industry with such depth that I get lost in how I perceive it...and so, I revert into a nutshell of a fetal position and seek solace in my youth and inexperience.

But that's selling myself short.

So are y'all (3.3 of you) wondering what the hell I'm on about? No...oh, then stop reading and proceed to some better blogs. I'll wait.

Okay...

My experience, as short and budding as it is- lay in low to no budget deals and a whopping large project that's eaten about a year and a half of my life-
My comic book.

SYSTEMADDICT--

A little back-story-

I wrote 3 issues of this, and with the gracious help (and free to boot) of an energetic and possibly autistic artist managed to get three previews ready.

Myself and my editor (and damn fine gentlemen so long as you don't find yourself naked in bed with him) went down to the Holy Grail of all comic Festivals last year. We embraced the nerd in ourselves and others...and took it for what we could.

And what was that-

Well, 7 meetings. All from word of mouth...
From this we garnered interest enough to have 3 offers, 2 of serious merit. And none of feasible means...

We basically were told the concept, the art and the writing were great for some first-time comic slubs...and we were then promptly escorted to the table of hell.
"We'd like to offer you a deal"
"OH RLY?"
"Yes, you will be castrated of all artistic integrity and get enough money for about 3 boxes of Kraft dinner. Interested?"
"OH RLY!!"

Again, some serious fetal action, a cramped back and some limited options...
But limited options are what we were born from, and will continue to breed with.

We have since taken on the notion that we have something people wanted (of the 3 offers all wanted the film rights..."say mother-fucking what?"), but weren't willing to allow us to continue on. So we've retreated and restructured our battle plan...and now we are beginning the assault- so to speak.

All three issues have been revamped in narrative. We spun a 180 on the protagonist, for reasons I will explain when the time deems fit, and we've now come up with something far more cohesive, far more coherent and far more desirable. We are setting out on our plan to have all three issues ready for publication by years end.

And we're doing it ourselves. We're ponying up the cash. We're setting our limits and are expectations and we're making this our project- not for others to simply buy (or buy us out of!!)- but our project and our story to tell. This is something we want to tell the world, this is our sweat and blood (no tears, not yet).

And why does this impact the Scribeworld? At all? Well, it doesn't...yet...

But the comic was not born in it's current form- It was breastfed by my passion of screenwriting and storytelling. This- was a trilogy I planned and penned the first of. It's also the only script I ever turned down any form of offer on. Now that's 2 forms of medium that this 1 story has had offers on...and us involved deemed to important to us to simply sell off. (maybe it's $$ figures...but we won't admit it)...

So this is a journey ,(you're more than welcome to get off at the nearest stop) and I'm going to slowly over time explain all the things that it takes to break a story you want to tell to the world- all by yourself.

Feel free to stay awhile. Ask questions at will. Just don't offer to cut me out of my own sweat and blood manifested on pulpy matter- I'm not dealing that way anymore.

I'll get to screenwriting observations when I have something to add, or something to reveal...otherwise- all you're getting is the progression of a medium into all forms managed and even some imagined.