Thursday 10 September 2009

Hollywood Babble On & On #368: Random News Bits...

Welcome to the show folks...

1. MORE WARNER BROS. NEWS

An interview with new honcho of DC Entertainment Diane Nelson shows that she is going to be giving serious consideration to profit/loss when it comes to DC products, especially movies. Hopefully this means putting an end to pissing away millions of dollars in "development" of projects by producers and filmmakers who don't understand or appreciate the nature of the source material. I also hope that both DC Entertainment and Marvel/Disney do something to try to open up the comics market. Sure, the geeks are a great audience, but they're aging, and they're not being replaced, their has to be a way to get people reading comics again, someone just needs to find it, and exploit it.

Warner is also trimming some deadwood, namely the inevitably lame film adaptation of Masters of the Universe. Toy company Mattel and producer Joe Silver are pledging to take the film somewhere else. My money is that Universal will take it on, because it would cost immense amounts of money, and most likely sink like a stone in theaters.

I know I sound cynical about it, but I can't help it. There's just something about the whole thing that works way better as a toy where kids make up their own stories, than having an adult trying to cash in on nostalgia and familiarity.

2. AMERICAN IDOL GIVES UP ON MUSIC

With the one time flagship talent show slipping in the ratings American Idol has decided to name comedian and talk show host Ellen Degeneres as the official replacement for Paula Abdul.

Despite what you may think of Paula Abdul, she at least had a background in music, and musical performance. Ellen, though very likable, is a comedian and talk show host, whose musical background consists of attacks of bodily arrhythmia on the set of her show that she calls dancing.

Though I do give a tip of the hat and a MAGNIFICENT BASTARD AWARD to her agents at ICM for not only getting her the gig, but for getting her signed to a five season deal.

Who is her agent? Reveen the Impossibilist? Will the producers and executives over at Fox think they're chickens when people snap their fingers?

I'll bet dollars to donuts that there's something in the contract saying she'll get bought out if she's ever fired, or the show gets canceled. The deal just reeks of a booby trap like that. Either way Ellen wins.

Anyway, it doesn't really affect me outside of admiration for her agents, because I only channel surf on commercial breaks to catch American Idol during the first auditions when Simon disembowels the delusional. It appeals to the sadist that dwells deep within me.

3. THE ROAD WON'T HIT THE ROAD YET

The flailing and failing Weinstein Co.'s Dimension Films has announced that they've bumped back their film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's post apocalyptic bleak-fest The Road until November 25, fully a year after it was supposed to be released.

I think The Road's director should have changed his name to Quentin Tarantino, then he might have had a chance of getting his film out before all the buzz around it completely fizzles.

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