Women are an undeniable force in pop entertainment, both in the audience and behind the scenes, as the annual GIRLS GONE GENRE panel at Comic-Con attests. So what is the state of storytelling for women creatives working (and, frankly, kicking ass) today? Why is the genre world such fertile ground for female storytellers and strong, complex female characters? Join me as I moderate a panel of all-stars from TV and film — Marti Noxon (Buffy, Angel, Fright Night), Jane Espenson (Battlestar Galactica, Torchwood), Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood), Angela Robinson (True Blood, D.E.B.S.) and Gale Anne Hurd (The Walking Dead, The Terminator) — today at Comic-Con. Details after the jump!
more »
Years before Dorothy Gale plopped down in Oz right on top of that mean old stripey-footed wicked witch, a man — not just any man, but James Franco — accidentally found himself in the magical land, blown into a world of Technicolor whirlygigs and CG fairies by Sam Raimi. I mean, by a tornado. But as Raimi (along with surprise guests Michelle Williams and Mila Kunis) explained to the crowded Hall H audience Thursday at Comic-Con, his Oz won't have that much to do with the 1939 classic; for starters, those ruby slippers? Nowhere to be found.
more »
Also in Friday morning's round-up of news briefs, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone woo a Comic-Con crowd revealing some possible projects on the horizon. David Letterman meanwhile let's out a possible Dark Knight Rises spoiler (proceed with caution when reading) and finally Miguel Arteta boards a comic crime novel.
more »
Though The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn director Bill Condon was absent this year from Comic-Con, (he was off finishing the November release but pre-taped tidings), he sent in his stead stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner, over two dozen cast members, Stephenie Meyer, and new footage for the thousands of attendees in Hall H Thursday morning that included a slew of fan-pleasing moments – Bella Swan devouring a mountain lion among them. But while Breaking Dawn’s bright, well-paced clips (including the first seven minutes of the film) impressed, a surprise screening of footage from The Host – Meyer’s other fantasy-sci-fi-romance YA lit adaptation –confused viewers, indicating an uphill battle ahead for distributor Open Road.
more »
After creating a public persona with at least as much swagger as the character with whom he’s most strongly identified — Star Trek’s Captain Kirk — it came as little surprise that the first thing William Shatner said at the beginning of Movieline's interview for his new documentary was an explicit statement of purpose. “My film Get a Life is debuting July 28th on EPIX,” he said without being asked. “We’re going to show it at Comic-Con on Saturday – and we’re all excited about it.”
more »
Did we mention it's Comic-Con time around here? The geek pheromones are out of control, up to and including Wednesday night's Breaking Dawn - Part 2 event that brought Twilight players Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser and Jackson Rathbone (among others) to San Diego — which is where Movieline pal Grace Randolph caught up with them to discuss everything from rookie vampires and the joys of... worldbuilding. Watch for yourself.
more »
Also in Thursday morning's round-up of news briefs, DreamWorks Animation will lend its characters to a new theme park; director Joe Cornish is set to adapt a robot comic-book; James Cameron takes his mini 3-D camera to L.A.'s X Games and China cracks down even harder on internet movie and video content.
more »
“I hope you like your films dark and gritty,” Dredd 3D star Karl Urban declared as he introduced the debut screening of the sci-fi reboot Wednesday night before Comic-Con, emphasizing what Lionsgate’s hard-R action pic is not — namely, the second coming of Sylvester Stallone’s campy 1995 take on the comic book enforcer. “I want to apologize to anyone who’s a fan of Lycra and gold codpieces,” he added with a smile. “You’re just going to have to wait for two hours.”
more »
Be safe this week at Comic-Con, folks — according to reports out of San Diego, a 53-year-old woman who had been camping out with fellow Twilight fans ahead of Breaking Dawn's Thursday panel was struck and killed by a car while crossing the street near Hall H.
more »
An amusing-looking (and harmless) independent film called Iron Sky is hoping to make some noise at Comic-Con. The noise they've picked is that of goose-stepping — a publicity march of hot women dressed as pseudo-Nazis marching around the convention this Saturday. And you can hashtag your pics, too!
more »
This iconic image from Star Trek's “Amok Time” (Season 2, Episode 1) represents a moment of great internal conflict. When two of our heroes are battling to the death, for whom do we cheer? Luckily, in this case, Bones was on hand with a neuroparalyzer, allowing Kirk to feign death until the mind-altering effect of pon farr drained away from Spock, thus ending the koon-ut-kal-if-fee ritual. But who will be on hand with the hydrospray this week in San Diego? Whoooooo? The 2012 edition of nerd prom brings not one but two feature length documentaries that ought to be of interest to convention-going, costume-wearin', social anxiety-havin' fans – specifically, two documentaries about Star Trek enthusiasts.
more »
I'm hugely fond of the headline accompanying this Expendables 2 "Comic-Con poster" (just what the movie needed, seriously, because surely none of the thousands of culture obsessives in San Diego will know anything about it) on Ain't it Cool News: "This EXPENDABLES 2 Comic-Con Poster Has Enough Booms, Badasses, Barrels To Humble Even The Most Uppity Of Geeks!!" Yes, it certainly does. You know what else it has? Hilarity.
more »
In Tuesday morning's round up of news briefs, Nora Ephron planned her memorial, which took place Monday in New York. Also, the latest schedule is out with a packed schedule of Comic-Con events. An Agatha Christie adaptation will get U.S. distribution; and new castings for Sir Anthony Hopkins, Alicia Silverstone and Billy Burke.
more »
School principal Judd Nelson sees his bratty charges as he wants to see them... in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. Because they're all cliches in the Breakfast Club genre-spoof Bad Kids Go to Hell, an indie film adaptation of Matthew Spradlin's comic book/graphic novel. Watch the trailer for the horror comedy, which debuts at Comic-Con, after the jump, and decide if this kind of fast-talking self-awareness still seems fresh in a post-Detention world.
more »
Also in Tuesday afternoon's round up of news briefs, Susan Sarandon will lend her voice to an R-rated stop-motion comedy; Marvel moves the dates of its untitled 2014 super-hero juggernaut and Hollywood production stays flat.
more »
