Apparently whomever leaked the information about Pete Travis being locked out of the editing room for Dredd was full of it.

The other day I brought you the troubling news that Pete Travis had been locked out of the editing room on the upcoming comic book adaptation Dredd and that it was possible that screenwriter Alex Garland would receive a co-directing credit.  Well, the producers have stepped up with a statement to try to diffuse the possible damage this could due to the upcoming movie.

During all stages of the filmmaking, ‘Dredd’ has been a collaboration between a number of dedicated creative parties. From the outset we decided on an unorthodox collaboration to make the film. This situation has been misinterpreted. To set the record straight, Pete was not fired and remains a central part of the collaboration, and Alex is not seeking a co-director credit. We are all extremely proud of the film we have made, and respectfully suggest that it is judged on viewing when its released next year.

Could they be lying through their teeth? Duh. Could they be telling the truth? Who knows. So long as I get a Judge Dredd movie that doesn’t make me die little bit inside, I’ll be a happy man.

I’m not completely sold that this statement is the truth, but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.

If there is one rule in Hollywood that a movie is going to suck, it’s when the director gets kicked out of the editing room.

Pete Travis, director of the upcoming Dredd based on the long-running Judge Dredd comic has been locked out of the editing process on the film.  According to the LA Times, Mr. Travis butted heads with the producers, and now screenwriter Alex Garland has become so involved in the editing process that there is a chance that he could receive a co-director credit when the film is completed.

Reports are conflicting on just how locked out Travis is, but at the most he is keeping abreast of progress on the film via the Internet, so he essentially isn’t involved at all no matter how you slice it.

This is not an unheard of event on films, but for someone else to get a co-director credit on a film that they didn’t shoot even one frame of is pretty unique.  No matter how much editing Garland has done, this is still Travis’ filming that is being played with.  However, there is also a chance that Travis could demand his name be removed from the film, and in cases like this the Director’s Guild usually uses the infamous name “Alan Smithee” in the place of the real person.  (If you ever see that name on a film … run.)  This is usually granted when editing is messed with to an extent the director finds unacceptable, so I won’t be too surprised if it pops up here.

In short, the new Dredd is probably going to suck, and that makes me very, very sad.  I had some hopes when this project was first announced, but every new report and picture just makes it looks like it’s gone that much further off the rails into the land of suckdom.  Somehow I just don’t think I’m ever going to get a decent Judge Dredd movie at this point.

[via the LA Times]

AMC is kicking the marketing for the second season of The Walking Dead into high.

With the season premiere set for October 16th, get ready to see a ton of zombie action coming to your commercials everywhere you turn.  These first two definitely show the different sides of the series: Zombie action and character development.  Considering they changed the zombies from the comic (they can’t run or climb walls or stairs in the comic series), and the addition of new characters, and changes to others, who knows where they’re going with this.  (add in the fact some folks have lived longer than they should have already …)

I find myself getting mildly excited for our second go around with this series, but also ready to be horribly devastated once again.

Action promo

Hope Survives promo

The second season of The Walking Dead is almost upon us as it starts on Oct. 16th, and that means it’s time to start promoting the heck out of it.

If a lot of this footage feels familiar, you aren’t dreaming.  A good chunk of this was shown in the San Diego Comic-Con reel from back in July, but this is the first time it’s being used as the trailer.

Having just read the latest trade paperback in the series, I am reminded again of why the comic is so much better than the book, and especially when it comes to the character of Andrea.  The discussion she has in this trailer about how she chose to stay behind at the CDC for certain death?  The comic Andrea would have never done that.  And – spoiler, spoiler – she’s still alive in the book after 90 some issues.  She is one of the few remaining original characters, so that should tell you something about her toughness.

As I always say, I’ll still tune in and watch this season, but every clip just makes me that much sadder for the truly great story all of you only watch the series are missing out on.

Filming on The Dark Knight Rises continues in Los Angeles, and with that comes outdoor shooting that gives photographers a chance to catch shots of the actors in costume. And, yes, that includes full shots of Anne Hathaway in the Catwoman costume.

Although Warner Brothers released one official image of Anne Hathaway in the Catwoman costume, the fact that she was riding the Batpod (I die a little every time I write that name) concealed the majority of it.  The new shots obtained by JustJared, Splash News Online and Celebrity-Gossip show a very 1960′s Batman television series inspired outfit, somewhat reminiscent of the one worn by Eartha Kitt in the series.  It isn’t campy mind you, just skin tight and very much a catsuit.  Director Christopher Nolan is known to try to cement these films in reality, but I think he may have gone slightly off target with this one.

Oh, and countdown to this being a top Halloween costume in 2012 begins now.

Oh yes, those heels are sensible when fighting crime or being a burglar.  As for the “cat ears” on her head, reportedly that is the googles we’ve seen her wearing in other shots, and when pushed up they give the impression of ears.

I take it this picture is from between takes.

More pictures after the jump.

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Filming on The Dark Knight Rises has moved to Los Angeles, and some new photos have surfaced of Anne Hathaway filming a stunt fight scene … with an apple.

Just Jared posted the images of Anne Hathaway taking on a street thug as Selina Kyle (Catwoman) in the third Batman film.  While some images that leak out from production, these particular ones intrigued me.  If I was a gambling man, I’d say the street thug threatens the kid, Selina walks up and tells him to stop, lunges at her and she subdues him.  What intrigues me is the apple.  My guess would be this is an early scene introducing Selina as a bad ass that can take care of herself, even without losing her apple.  Cheesy?  Yes.  Potentially a kick-ass moment on screen?   Definitely.

Enough with the leaked photos, lets just get this blasted movie into the theaters!  (Yeah, yeah, July 20, 2012 … best birthday present ever to me.)

Filming on Man of Steel, the Superman reboot film, is currently taking place in Plano, IL which is doubling for Smallville in the film.  Thanks to this outdoor filming we have some images and … no.

We saw the first picture of Henry Cavill in the costume early last month, and it didn’t look too bad, the colors were just slightly off, but it didn’t look horrible.  Now we’ve seen some unofficial images which reveal some of the detailing and … what has Zack Snyder done?

Now, in his defense, this looks a little bit like the just released redesign in the comic book series, but not quite.  I never released how important the red briefs were until I saw this, and boy are they needed.

I have to say that Cavill looks amazing, and eerily like Christopher Reeve, but that costume … what in the world were they thinking?  I can even somewhat take the piping, but the oddity of the “S” symbol just makes no sense.

Oh this has left a bad, bad feeling in the pit of my stomach for this project.

In an effort to fill the hole left by the end of Smallville, The CW is working on developing a series based on the DC Comics character Deadman.

According to Deadline, Supernatural creator Eric Kripke is currently readying a development treatment for a Deadman series that will follow the original stories from DC Comics.  For those of you unfamiliar with the character, which is probably 99.9% of you as who ranks as a D list character as best, Deadman was a man named Boston Brand who was killed while he was a well-known trapeze artists.

Upon his death, a made up Hindu Goddess gave him the power to possess the living to try to find his killer.  Along the way he ends up helping other people he jumps through.  After finally finding his killer he continues with helping others.

If this sounds like a mixture of The Crow and Quantum Leap, well, yeah, kinda, except Deadman first appeared in 1967.  Most people would never realize this and think that a TV series based on the character was a rip off, but he actually did come first.

Beyond that, I can almost see this working as a TV series 20 years ago, but these days, and with The CW involved, I have nothing but reservations.  This is a network known for producing half-assed television shows, so I see this being nothing more than another of their excuses to make an over dramatic piece of tripe.  I’m sure they’ll throw in a love interest, lots of longing shots, musical montages … you know, just like Smallville.

Of all the characters in the DC Universe, and this is the one they pick to make into a series?  DC never ceases to amaze me.

Filming on The Avengers continues on the streets of Cleveland, doubling for New York City, and while the other day it was just shots of Chris Evans, but this time Chris Hemsworth joins in the fun as Thor.

While this is sure to be that much more exciting once it hits the big screen, seeing such iconic Marvel characters team-up like this is thrilling no matter what the quality of the video is.  Sure, we’ve seen films like The X-Men before, but we’ve never seen a comic book team movie that was crafted in such a way that it multiple movies come before it to prep the audiences for the back-story of each character.  You have to tip your hat just a little to the way the comic book company has gone about shaping this to make sure they can deliver the most interesting team movie yet.

Enough with the talk, lets take a look at some action.

Thor and Captain America team-up to fight those guys in the motion capture suits from the other day. I’m still fairly sure they are supposed to be the Skrulls.

Click the jump for more videos and pictures.

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While The Dark Knight Rises has taken over the streets of Pittsburgh to stand in as the mythical Gotham City, and has hence leaked out a ton of photos and videos, now the same is happening with The Avengers.  Filming in Cleveland, which is standing in for New York City, Chris Evans, spent the day yesterday in his Captain America costume, fighting … something/someone.

Here’s one picture and video, and then you’ll just have to follow after the jump.

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The Dark Knight Rises is continuing to film in Pittsburgh, but at the rate we’re getting leaked set videos, I’m not sure what will be left to be seen when this film releases on July 20, 2012.

Just kidding, although it feels like we’ve seen a ton, we’ve only seen what will work out to a few moments of the film.  It’s still a lot of stuff to take in, and I suggest if you want to go into this movie spoiler free, you need to not watch any of these videos, nor read anything from here on out as I will talk about each video from the Chris Nolan film.  I would suggest you come back tomorrow.

This is some of the best shots we’ve seen of the Selina Kyle/Catwoman costume yet. (No, this is not Anne Hathaway, it’s her stunt double.) We still have no idea why she’s on the Batpod, but does anyone care at this point?

For hose of you reading the normal blog, click the link.

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Despite the fact that Man of Steel, the Superman reboot film, has been pushed back to a 2013 release date, that hasn’t started the publicity machine from already firing up.

Released last week, but somewhat lost in The Dark Knight Rises photos leaking out, was the first publicity image of Henry Cavill in the Superman costume you see below.  (click it for a much, much larger version)

The film only recently begun production, and the release date was quickly pushed back from 2012, but judging by this first image … what the what?  Still images don’t usually do these types of costumes much justice, but has there ever been anything more rubbery looking?  Yes, I understand he’s an alien, and the concept of whether or not it was made of Kryptonian materials changes from time to time, so you could write it off as an “alien look,” but it still just looks odd.

We’ll just have to see what Zack Snyder has in mind, but as first images ago, this one just makes me nervous.  As for Cavill himself … eh?