8/4/2008

Speaking of dogs shaking things up in California…: …I’d be remiss if I didn’t offer you the opportunity to check out Triumph the Insult Comic Dog’s experiences at Comic-Con 2008, which prove at least as hilarious as the shots he’s taken at sci-fi geeks in the past.

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7/28/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Three - Sony: As the final major movie panel of the weekend, Sony really disappointed, which was a bit of a letdown, since it would have been nice to end Comic-Con with a bang. Instead, the studio limped its way through a presentation of the “Cloverfield”-inspired horror film, “Quarantine,” by just showing the trailer, while panels for “Underworld 3” and “Pineapple Express” seemed to come and go without anyone really taking notice.

“Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans” (guests: director Patrick Tatopoulos and stars Rhona Mitra and Bill Nighy)

The idea of making the “Underworld” series into a trilogy has been around since before the first film was even released, but after the disastrous sequel that was “Underworld: Evolution,” it’s hard to believe that they’re actually going through with another movie. To be fair, director Patrick Tatopoulos is mixing it up a bit by telling the tale from the werewolves point of view (not to mention setting the story in ancient times), but this prequel sounds about as interesting as another “Scooby Doo” movie. The fact that Bill Nighy is returning is encouraging, and he definitely sounded excited about coming back for another round. During the film’s panel, he proudly proclaimed “I’m a vampire, I’m a zombie, and I’m a squid” in reference to his roles in “Shaun of the Dead” and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Underworld” films. Rhona Mitra, on the other hand, was just a little too snooty for my liking (can’t movie stars do a better job of pretending that they enjoy promoting their films?), but she did promise that while her character won’t be wearing the popular PVC leather from the first two films, her outfit is still very “saucy.”

“Pineapple Express” (guests: director David Gordon Green, co-writer Evan Goldberg and stars Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride and Amber Heard)

After two lackluster lead-ins, I really hoped that the guys behind “Pineapple Express” would be able to lighten the mood, but the panel was quickly ruined by a series of awful questions from the crowd that led to Seth Rogen ripping on most of them – namely Bob Stencil, a Comic-Con favorite who Rogen called out for acting like a dumbass. A few minor details were also spilled along the way (like how everyone did their own stunts because of the film’s restrictive budget, or that the two stars weren’t really smoking weed during production), but there wasn’t anything particularly groundbreaking. Apatow did disclose that he has no plans for a new TV series in the immediate future (mostly out of fear of being cancelled again), but anyone that’s been paying attention to his career over the last few years could have told you that.

The one shining moment during the Q&A session was the random appearance of Human Giant. Paul Scheer asked who would win in a fight between Frank Miller’s Elektra and James Franco; Rob Huebel inquired whether the film was based on a Frank Miller graphic novel; and Aziz Ansari tried to give Judd Apatow the script he co-wrote with McG called “Superbad 2: Full Throttle.” It was a nice distraction for the crowd, but it didn’t really help with promoting “Pineapple Express.” Not that it mattered, because even though the four clips that were shown were all funny, this isn’t the kind of movie that people need convincing to see. Either you want to see it or you don’t, and you probably already made up your mind shortly after seeing the first trailer.

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7/27/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Three - Universal: If there’s one panel that totally took me by surprise this weekend, it was Universal. Most of the films represented probably didn’t deserve to be featured at a place like Comic-Con, but the studio had the fans eating right out of their hand thanks to their decision to bring just about every major cast member from all four of their films. They also debuted some great footage from two of the summer’s biggest remaining movies, as well as reconfirmed that Sam Raimi is still a master of horror.

“The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” (guests: stars Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, Michelle Yeoh, John Hannah and Luke Ford)

The movie may be opening in less than week, but that didn’t stop the cast of “The Mummy 3” from including San Diego in their international publicity tour. After showing an extended clip from the film involving a pack of Yetis that are called upon to help the O’Connell family escape from their latest misadventure, the cast spoke a little about the challenges of making a third installment after so much time had passed after “The Mummy Returns.” Brendan Fraser insisted that he was just sitting around waiting for the call for years, but the fact of the matter is, I don’t think Universal ever really thought about moving the franchise to a different part of the world until director Rob Cohen was brought on to the project. Michelle Yeoh agreed that Cohen is very much Chinese in the inside, and that one of the reasons the film was being made was because it featured “the fight that all of Asia had been waiting for,” referring, of course, to her onscreen duel with longtime pal Jet Li.

I’m not exactly sure I agree with that comment (wasn’t the battle between Li and Jackie Chan in “The Forbidden Kingdom” far more anticipated?), but Li didn’t say otherwise. In fact, the martial arts star was mostly tightlipped throughout the course of the panel, but he did lighten up later one, especially after an audience member asked Fraser who was more intimidating: Jet Li or The Rock? Fraser danced around the question, insisting that Li was such a professional that he could perform a roundhouse kick that only touched your shirt, but he eventually admitted that he didn’t know, since he never actually met The Rock on the set of “The Mummy Returns.” He went on to criticize just how unintimidating the Scorpion King actually looked in the film, stating that it was “no better than an avatar” and earning the collective applause of the audience for saying so.

“Death Race” (guests: director Paul W.S. Anderson, creator Roger Corman and stars Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Joan Allen and Ian McShane)

It’s pretty funny just how different Paul W.S. Anderson and Paul Thomas Anderson are from one another as directors, but despite their distinct career paths, both have experienced equal success behind the camera. The former is best known for making the king of mindless entertainment that is often criticized in the industry for glamorizing violence, and if the clip we were shown is any indication, Anderson has done it again. Anderson and cast spoke briefly about filming the 2008 update to Roger Corman’s beloved cult classic, and though Ian McShane seemed convinced that none of the actors did any of the driving in the film, both Jason Statham and Tyrese Gibson confirmed that they did in fact do most of the basic stunts (180 degree turns and such), while Anderson went on to include that the movie was shot entirely with practical stunts. When the question of whether the film would be using the points system from the original film was poised during the Q&A session, Anderson stated that his “Death Race” is actually a prequel to Corman’s movie and will help explain the origins of Death Race’s existence. Sounds cool – as long as Anderson’s version isn’t so bad that the original is actually looked at as the better of the two.

“Drag Me to Hell” (guests: director/co-writer Sam Raimi and stars Alison Lohman and Justin Long)

Let me begin by saying that I am a huge fan of Sam Raimi. I loved all three “Evil Dead” movies, all three “Spider-Man” movies (yep, even the third one), and I fully credit him for making Bruce Campbell the cult movie star that he is today. When news broke that Raimi would be returning to the horror genre with Ellen Page as his female lead, I was ecstatic. Then, Page had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts, and shortly after, the film’s first photo was released, lowering my expectations drastically. Thank God for Comic-Con, then, for giving Raimi the means of proving me wrong. “Drag Me To Hell” may not be “Evil Dead 4,” but it certainly feels like it. We were shown a trailer for the film, as well as two clips, and all I have to say is that it looks fucking awesome. Blending horror with his trademark slapstick humor (lets just say a stapler is used as a weapon in one scene), the only way this movie won’t succeed is if the studio sticks to its May 29th release date. This is a movie that shouldn’t have to fight for recognition, but if it remains a part of the summer season, it will have to do just that.

“Land of the Lost” (guests: director Brad Silberling, Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel, Jorma Taccone and Sid & Marty Krofft)

Of all the films on the panel, this one was probably the biggest waste of time. Most people were hoping that Will Ferrell would make an appearance, and though he did send in a funny clip meant to fake people into thinking it was a live satellite feed of him trapped in his room in San Diego, it was mostly just a fun little bit meant to fill up their obligatory block of time. The cast and crew really didn’t talk about the film a whole lot (other than director Brad Silberling’s confirmation that just about everything you loved about the original series would appear in the filmic version, except Uncle Jack), but when Sid & Marty Krofft were asked about the possibility of any of their other creations being adapted for the big screen, they said that movies for “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters” were in very early development stages.

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7/27/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Three - Fringe: Especially if you wanted to see panels on such phenomenon as “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” or “Battlestar Galictica,” getting into Comic-Con’s 4000 seat Ballroom 20 required fans to arrive significantly early, with some guests sitting through hours of events they cared little about to see the event they came to see in the first place. Such was not the case, however, if you wanted to check out the J.J. Abram’s led panel on “Fringe.”

The new show from super-creator Abrams (”Lost,” “Alias,” “Felicity”) and the co-screenwriters of Transformers as well as Abrams upcoming theatrical “Star Trek” reboot, has been the beneficiary of viral marketing and a significant amount of buzz, while also being the victim of an unauthorized Internet leak of an incomplete version of the show’s pilot. On Wednesday night, a complete version of the episode was screened as part of the Comic-Con’s preview night.

Though the pilot received good reviews from online critics for Time and MovieWeb, yours truly found those opinions fairly inexplicable. The eighty minute production slowly drains the energy from a fun and intriguing premise (what if most of what we now call pseudoscience was real science?). Though the cliche-ridden, often campy, dialogue was one problem, far worse was a dead-in-the-water of performance by Anna Torv as an FBI agent racing to discover what mysterious force killed all of a plane’s passengers and is now severely endangering her coworker/lover (John Valley). “Fringe” also features Joshua Jackson (”Dawson’s Creek,” “The Skulls”) as a cynical adventurer/scientist and John Noble (ultimate bad dad Denethor in LOTR) as his father — an actual mad scientist…or possibly merely an eccentric one. Not surprisingly, Noble steals all his scenes.

Still, who cares what I think? It’s the judgment of fans that counts for team Abrams. But, with Comic-Con attendees apparently voting with their feet, it was the job of the panel, moderated by Television Week’s Joe Adalian, to make that half-empty auditorium feel half-full. All the principles were on hand, including the three stars, Abrams, and writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (”Transformers,” “Star Trek”). Abrams did most of the talking and, while the mood was upbeat on the surface, damage control was under way. Later on, when an audience member praised the pilot, declaring it “awesome,” two or three audience pairs of hands out of some two thousand applauded.

Adalian’s first question was about whether the writers had establishing any unbreakable rules for the length of the series, along the lines of the creators of “Smallvillle” who decreed early on “No flights, no tights.” After some joking, the writers answered no, saying that their only rule was to make things as entertaining as possible and that any hard-and-fast would likely eventually be broken in any case.

Asked about the genesis of the show, the writers described it as a “planned pregnancy” in that they basically decided to create a show and then did so. Abrams added that the show was partially inspired by some of the science fiction films of his youth, particularly “Altered States,” early work by David Cronenberg, and Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone.” Regarding “Massive Dynamics,” a fictional megacorporation and whether the role the company was to play in the series related to the Bush Administration, J.J. Abrams talked about corporate identity advertising for megacorporations like General Electric and defunct eighties food giant Beatrice Foods, though the thrust of the series may be less traditionally conspiratorial than viewers might expect.

Moving on to the actors, Josh Jackson credited the script for his decision to agree to star on “Fringe.” When J.J. Abrams was asked what made Jackson right for the role, he quipped that the the character “was originally called ‘Pacey’” before praising the thirty year-old actor’s screen presence. Australians Anna Torv and John Noble were asked if they “bonded” over the issue of their Aussie accents before joking prevented them from discussing the matter, and with writer/producer Jeff Pinkner commented that with “perhaps the strongest writing staff in Hollywood” (including a genuine member of the Whedon family), “it’s up to us not to fuck it up.”

Answering the inevitable question about “mythology” vs. “regular episodes,” J.J. Abrams confessed to being sick of complaints about the complicated stories of past shows, particularly “Alias.” The aim with “Fringe,” at least initially, was to create shows that could be more easily understood without having seen every episode. Abrams added later that he feels that the pilot was burdened by the premise and that later installments would be more exciting.

After that, questions to the actors about their respective characters gave way to such joking questions about whether Jackson’s believes his “Dawson’s Creek” character of Pacey would still be with his series love interest, Joey (Katie Holmes) today. The actor sagely confessed that he hadn’t put a too much time into thinking about the matter.

Reverting back to the main topic, Abrams also discussed a possible tie-in comic book dealing with certain matters tangential to the main story of the shows as well as ongoing series of hidden clues to the subject of the following episode which may tantalize more observant viewers without distracting others.

Transitioning to audience questions, “Fringe” started to recede into the background while other topics came up, including the challenges associated with what Abrams admits is his “classic ADD” approach to working on numerous projects, as well as questions relating to “Star Trek,” the upcoming “Transformers” sequel, a possible non-sequel sequel to the Abrams’ produced “Cloverfield,” and the ultimate path of the plot of “Lost.” (Abrams promises an “endgame.”)

As the discussion devolved into a series of “lightning round” style questions on matters of crucial importance to geek culture (”Borg or Khan?” Jack Nicholson Joker vs. Heath Ledger Joker), one vastly significant matter was raised by Howard Stern fan in the audience: Would original Sulu George Takei be featured in the 2009 “Trek.” After declaring the recently married, openly and famously gay Takei “awesome”, the answer was an encouraging “yes.”

Still, the pithiest answer of the session came from Joshua Jackson, in response to the question of how to the characters in “Fringe” could avoid being compared to Mulder and Scully.

“Change the names.”

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7/27/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Three - Dollhouse: Of course, the “Dollhouse” event was a love fest. Actually, a mega-love fest.

That’s absolutely no surprise if you know anything at all about the kind of admiration (both lusty and talent-wise) aroused by star Eliza Dushku (”Tru Calling,” “Bring it On”) and the Bono-esque stature of multi-hyphenate series creator Joss Whedon (”Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,” “Firefly“) across a huge swath of Geektopia — a swath recently made even larger by the net-success of his second acclaimed genre-blending musical, “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.” Add to that the appearance of Dushku’s excessively handsome costar, Tahmoh Penikett of “Battlestar Galactica” (a show with a few gazillion ardent fans of its own) and you have fanboy and fangirl critical mass.

And, indeed, the first three quarters of the panel was loaded with silliness, over-the-top praise, jokey-silly putdowns (a Whedon trademark) and flirtatious asides between the three folks onstage as well as with the audience. Topics early on included the peripatetic Ms. Dushku’s trips to such locales as Iran, where she survived a “terrorist attack” from some errant Persian rugs.

Taking questions from the audience, the first question was about the source of the premise of “Dollhouse,” in which Dushku will play an “active,” a sort of human blank slate who is downloaded with a new personality and skill set for each new assignment, with jobs that range from from pre-tailored love/sex object to hyper-skilled operative. The show appears to take place in a world much like our own, and this sort of thing sure sounds highly illegal, not to mention extremely immoral, and BSG’s Pennikett will play a cop wondering just why this beautiful woman he keeps meeting never seems to be the same person twice. The show is currently set to premiere this January.

The inspiration, as Whedon has recounted numerous times basically came from “looking into the eyes” of Dushku during a lunch meeting, when Whedon took one of the more productive bathroom breaks in recent TV history and returned with the show’s character driven sci-fi premise. (An apparent problem for some Whedon fans, longing for even more overtly fantastical characters and surroundings — perhaps more vampires, but this time…in outer space!)

A second questioner brought down the house, noting that “There are already websites dedicated to saving the show” — a reference to the frequently endangered status of all of Whedon’s various past properties. The response was that it might just be in the nature of Whedon’s shows to be loved intently by a relatively modest number of viewers and have a certain number of issues with being absorbed by a wider audience.

Of course, topics touched on Whedon and Dushku’s past work together and a question asked about the actresses more memorable appearances as Faith, Buffy’s darker-edged co-slayer. (Dusku mentioned a “dancing and killing” scene in a bar, while the pathos-loving Whedon mentioned crying while editing her uttering the line, “I’m bad, kill me” while reprising the role on the “Buffy” spin-off, “Angel.”) More comments touched on differences between the characters of Faith and the active, Echo — which might not be so obvious as some might think, since Dushku promised more “Feist and fury.” (”Feist”?) And her work on the show as a “personality playground.”

But still innuendo-reigned supreme as, when asked about casting possibilites from among other actors associated with Whedon, Dushku expressed an interest in working between Pennikett and frequent female lust object, Whedon-regular Nathan Fillion (last seen as low-rent superhero Captain Hammer in “Dr. Horrible”). When the actress brought up the word “sandwich” in connection with the men, Whedon chastising Ms. Dushku: “I thought we said ‘no spoilers’!” Getting back to business, the ‘net-friendly Whedon also discussed a series of planned webisodes, perhaps involving a story arc.

The final third of the appearance took on a more thoughtful turn as one visitor asked about some fairly extensive reshoots that had been undertaken on the initial “Dollhouse” episodes, with Whedon reassuring fans that this was in no way a repeat of the early troubles on “Firefly,” though he did manage to work in a dig or two regarding a previous Fox regime’s well-known maltreatment of the show. He also joked that one of the mistakes he corrected with the reshoots was a failure to include any shirtless scenes for Pennikett, leading to the predictable outbursts from female audience members.

A question Whedon no doubt enjoyed answering a great deal more involved the significant amount of academic study his shows have inspired. Whedon, who was famously a TA for noted film professor Jeanne Basinger during his student days, is not just appreciative of the attention, but he respects the results, finding it “extraordinarily gratifying.” Commenting on how scholars occasionally find things he didn’t know were present in his work, but which he believed were certainly there. He also took a charactistic moment to acknowledge the contribution of some of his best known writers from previous shows, and expressed delight that many of them would be returning to the Whedon fold for “Dollhouse,” including the widely admired Steve DeKnight and “Firefly” co-creator (and frequent top writer for quickly canceled programs) Tim Minear, who has an almost Jossian cult of his own.

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7/27/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Three - The Simpsons: As mentioned near the start of this panel, “The Simpsons” has pretty much beat every other prime-time television show in terms of longevity, number of episodes, etc. — except for “Gunsmoke” and “Lassie,” which also makes it the all-time king of sitcoms. The enormous goodwill the show’s blend of sharp but good-humored slapstick satire has built up over the years, is enough to last it for more than one below par season. This appearance by the show’s main creative team was a predictably relaxed and mirthful affair in which creator Matt Groening and writers Al Jean and Matt Selman did most of the talking — quieter panelists included director David Silverman, who helmed “The Simpsons Movie,” and writer Carolyn Omine.

Before the official start of the panel, Groening introduced some clips from next Fall’s “Treehouse of Horror” episode, including a brief segment involving Homer Simpson and a particularly violent form of vote rigging, going well beyond the worst imagingings of Diebold-fearing liberals, as well as a spot on parody of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” with a Linus-like Milhous accidentally tricking the supernatural pumpkin into a form of vegetarian cannibalism. (It’s complicated.)

Wasting no time, the event was immediately thrown open to questions. The first young questioner asked if the long-suffering Marge Simpson, tiring from her numerous attempts to get the permanently obese Homer to lose weight, would start gaining weight herself. The writers’
response was they would promptly steal the idea and that it would likely show up in Simpsons comic book, if not the actual show.

Another question referred to a recent episode parodying the comic book world an appearance by mad comic writing genius Alan Moore (”Watchmen,” “V for Vendetta,” “From Hell”) and a joke about an animated “Watchmen Babies” series. Writer Matt Selman expressed his own intimidation at working with the artistically and personally imposing Moore, who apparently got the joke but also stipulated that the gag itself was also an example of an evil corporation (this is Fox, after all) debasing one of Moore’s creations.

Upcoming guest appearances were also discussed, including an episode written by and featuring Seth Rogen for some time in 2009. Other upcoming guest stars include Dennis Leary (something about his involvement in “Everybody Poops: The Movie”) and character actor Robert Forster, recreating, Simpsons-style, his role as bail bondsmen Max Cherry from “Jackie Brown.”

Groening and the rest of the panel responded to the inevitable questions about ongoing rumors of the show’s eventual end, saying that nothing was planned, and repeated his oft-repeated joke that the show’s producers needed three seasons to be wrap things up: one to coast, one to go downhill, and one to completely run it into the ground.

Responding to a question about his still ongoing “Life in Hell” comic strip (which Groening started shortly after moving to Los Angeles in the late seventies), Groening took the opportunity to plug an upcoming project. “Will and Abe’s Guide to the Universe.” The book is drawn from comments made by his two sons as they were growing up and Groening said it was probably his personal favorite project. He also took the opportunity to do as he has done for years and mock the reputedly anti-gay editor of the San Diego Reader for dropping “Life in Hell” on account of its resident same-sex couple, Akbar and Jeff.

Another subject that came up was the new Simpsons attractions at the Universal theme parks in Los Angeles and Orlando, Florida. The panel expressed pride in the ride, which reportedly racked up over a million visitors in record time at the Florida park. Groening compared the experience to watching “The Simpsons” while high and stated that such chemical enhancements were no longer neccesary. (Our own Will Harris recently experienced the attraction for himself here in California. We’re fairly certain he’s far too upright to be able make any comparisons, though he was duly impressed.) Matt Selman also claimed to have attempted to persuade Homer Simpson voice performer Dan Castellenetta to yell out obscene remarks in the voice of his character so that Universal vistitors would take it to be an official part of the ride, but the sensible Castellenetta reportedly refused.

Other questions involved the “influence” of animated Fox brethren Seth McFarland’s “Family Guy” and “American Dad” on “The Simpsons” — and Groening expressed happiness in a general sense on the progress of televised animation and said he hoped to see even more new animated shows of all types.

And then there was the age-old question of censorship. This time, the Simpson-ites related the story of how network “standards and practices” rejected their original name for a Viagra-like drug, “Bonestra,” but eventually accepted a substitution, “Jammitin.” Ah, comedy.

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7/27/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Three - Disney: Much like last year, the Disney panel wasn’t even remotely as entertaining as some of the others, but that’s mostly because they tend to look more at the technical side of the production process. Big names draw big crowds, and though the panel itself delivered plenty of first-look footage, it didn’t exactly do much in terms of wowing the crowd.

“Bolt” (guests: directors Chris Williams and Byron Howard)

When I first saw the poster for “Bolt,” I promptly rolled my eyes and thought, “John Travolta is voicing a dog in a Disney movie? Yep, this is going to be shit,” but after seeing about 20 minutes of footage from the film, I’m happy to say that it actually looks much, much better. Now, it isn’t quite Pixar-standard, or even Dreamworks-standard for that matter, but it does look like an entertaining kid’s movie with a nice blend of action and comedy. Most of that comedy comes from the basic concept of the film (about a canine TV star who believes he has superpowers just like the character he plays), but it also comes from the fine cast of voice talent they’ve wrangled up, including Susie Essman, Malcolm McDowell, James Lipton, Diedrich Bader and Nick Swardson.

“Up” (guest: director Peter Doctor)

The second part of Disney’s presentation was dedicated to Pixar’s new film, “Up,” a “coming of old age” story about a curmudgeonly widow who transforms his home into a makeshift air balloon and travels the world. If that description scares you a little bit, well, you’re not alone. Pixar movies are notorious for sounding so simplistic that they couldn’t possibly work as full length features, but as both “Ratatouille” and “Wall*E” have proven, it’s just not worth doubting these guys any more. Does “Up” scare me? You bet, but director Pete Doctor’s latest will probably be just as good as the others. Aside from the two clips shown, the only other nuggets revealed were the cast (which includes Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer and, of course, John Ratzenberger) and the fact that the movie will be jam-packed with plenty of Pixar Easter eggs.

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7/27/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Three - Terminator: Salvation: Guests: Director McG and stars Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Bryce Dallas Howard, Moon Bloodgood and Common

When it was announced that McG had signed on to direct a “Terminator” reboot staged in the future, it was met with a fair share of pessimism from diehard fans and moviegoers alike. There was no way the man behind “Charlie’s Angels” could ever make a decent “Terminator” flick, right? Well, after a presentation today that included a rough (but still impressive) trailer cut exclusively for Comic-Con, there’s not a doubt in my mind that those very same cynics are happily eating their words. It’s not that the trailer was so amazing that it’s all anyone could talk about for the rest of the day, but it definitely showed promise for a film that isn’t even done shooting yet. Take that Paramount, and kudos to McG for managing to scrap together some footage to show the crowd.

With Christian Bale away in Japan promoting “The Dark Knight,” McG brought the rest of his cast on stage to discuss the new film, including the possibility of Arnold returning for a cameo, and that pesky controversy over the film’s still undetermined rating. While speaking more on the latter, McG made it clear that the film comes first, and “if it’s an R-rated picture, it’s an R-rated picture.” The crowd seemed pleased with that response, and McG continued to play right into their hands with plenty of juicy details about the look of the film, as well as what Skynet creations to expect to pop up throughout.

Anton Yelchin also spoke on his preparation for the role of Kyle Reese, claiming that he studied the original “Terminator” in order to develop his younger version of the character into who he eventually becomes. Or as Anton himself put it: “I wanted to see him reach the point where Linda Hamilton would sleep with him.” I was actually quite surprised to discover just how much Anton and Sam Worthington (as a new character named Marcus Wright) are in the film, and though this is very much John Connor’s movie, that doesn’t mean there isn’t enough room for everyone to kick a little ass.

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7/27/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Three - Heroes & Lost: Guests: Creator Tim Kring and cast / Co-creators Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof and star Matthew Fox

I’ve already mentioned several times that Paramount’s decision to not bring anything to Comic-Con this year left many fanboys upset, but if there’s any good that came out of it, it’s that, for the first time ever, Hall H campers were treated to panels for two of the geekiest shows on television: NBC’s “Heroes” and ABC’s “Lost.” Though my colleague Will Harris already blogged about Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof’s visit to the annual TCA event last week, they still disclosed a few nuggets about the new season that I figured were worth mentioning here.

* The island didnt’ travel when the hatch imploded in season two.

* Fans will definitely see more of Rousseau’s story in the coming years, but not necessarily in flashback form.

* Kate will see Sawyer again, and while Cuse would prefer that Kate end up with Jack when all is said and done, he admits that the love triangle is far more dynamic.

* Faraday’s notebook will play a big part in the new season.

Unfortunately, the “Heroes” panel wasn’t quite as enlightening, but that’s more to do with them running out of time than the cast members being willing to speak. In fact, unlike Matthew Fox’s solo appearance with Cuse and Lindelof, every single series regular from “Heroes” made the trip down to San Diego, and the occasion was made even more special with a screening of the entire first episode of the third season. I’d like to talk more about what I saw, but I simply don’t want to ruin the experience. All I’ll say for now is that it is mind-blowing, and it’s exactly what the series needs after season two was interrupted by the strike. Some cliffhangers are explained and others aren’t. New characters with powers are introduced, while older characters reveal new powers of their own. And perhaps most importantly, it’s all done with a comic flair that was sorely missing from last year’s mini-season.

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7/27/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Two - Zack & Miri Make a Porno: Guests: Writer/director Kevin Smith, producer Scott Mosier, and stars Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Justin Long, Jason Mewes, Traci Lords and Katie Morgan

It probably goes without saying that Kevin Smith is a major draw at Comic-Con. Most fanboys relate to the filmmaker’s innate geekiness, and as a result, they’re treated to a very special episode of “A Night with Kevin Smith” each and every year. The dude’s pretty much given free reign to talk about whatever he wants, and this time around, he actually had a film to promote. Bringing along most of the cast of “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” Smith also treated those in attendance with an extended clip from the film in which Miri (Elizabeth Banks) attempts to hit on an old crush (Brandon Routh, AKA Superman) at a high school reunion, while Zack (Seth Rogen) gets to know said crush’s gay porn star boyfriend (Justin Long) in another part of the room.

Now, I wouldn’t say that the clip reminded be of classic Smith fare (his writing doesn’t sound as clever coming out of Seth Rogen’s mouth), but it does look like he’s trying to take his career in a slightly different direction. For starters, the visuals themselves look sharper (something even Smith admitted to being interested in getting better at), while the basic structure of the story looks to be more inspired by Judd Apatow’s recent work than his own. As for the rating, well, it has already been slapped with an NC-17 (twice), and now Smith is in the process of appealing the decision before its October 31st release. He went on to add that he’s contractually obligated to deliver an R-rated film, so if the appeal doesn’t overturn the original decision, he’ll have to go in and make some cuts – particularly with a scene that Smith claims the MPAA simply does not want in the film.

The rest of the night was filled with plenty of banter between the guests on stage, and though Smith and Rogen had their share of funny comments, it was porn star Katie Morgan who ultimately stole the show. Traci Lords, on the other hand, couldn’t have looked any more serious, and though it seemed like she might cry when an audience member brought up her past as an underage performer in the porn business, Smith brought down the house when he replied, “You’re like the Miley Cyrus of porn!”

Click here for more from Kevin Smith, courtesy of NBC.

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7/26/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Two - The Spirit: Guests: Director Frank Miller and stars Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson and Jaime King)

When the first trailer for “The Spirit” was leaked online a few weeks ago, the overall response probably wasn’t what director Frank Miller was hoping for. Some called him out for not knowing what he was doing behind the camera, while others just didn’t like the film’s similarities to “Sin City.” Personally, I didn’t hate it as much (nor did I see any similarities aside from the red-on-black scenes of The Spirit running across the skyscape), but after being treated to three additional clips during Lionsgate’s panel for the film, I’m beginning to lean more towards that camp.

The footage shown included an underwater sequence that, well, wasn’t actually shot underwater (and thus looked absolutely ridiculous), a comedic scene between Gabriel Macht and Sarah Paulson that played like an old Cary Grant film, and a Looney Toons-esque battle sequence between Macht’s Spirit and Samuel L. Jackson’s villainous Octopus that is so over-the-top it was actually entertaining. In fact, if there’s one thing that is going to save this film, it’s Jackson, who, oddly enough, also saved the panel from total suckage. When asked what his favorite action figure of himself was, Jackson suggested Mace Windu, but when a fan yelled out “Nick Fury” in reference to his cameo in “Iron Man,” Jackson quipped, “When I was a kid, Nick Fury was a white man.”

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7/26/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Two - Entertainment Weekly’s Visionaries: The Filmmakers:

The filmmakers involved in the final part of Entertainment Weekly’s three-part series of panels may not all be visionaries, but they are responsible for some of the most highly-anticipated films of the next six months. That is, except for Frank Miller, whose upcoming adaptation of “The Spirit” looks so stupid that it might just kill his career as a filmmaker before it even begins. Of course, since this panel was staged a little differently than others (essentially, it was just an open forum for fans to grill Kevin Smith, Judd Apatow, Zack Snyder and Miller about all things geek), and my recorder was unable to capture most of the sound over all the laughing, I’ve done my best to compile a few of the more memorable moments from the night. Enjoy, and be sure to check back later for a similar deconstruction of Smith’s annual 90-minute talkfest that followed.

 

Moderator: Comedy is such a subjective art. How much do you rely on audience testing, or do you just follow your gut?

Judd Apatow: Well, I like to test the movies… I feel that if a crowd isn’t laughing it’s pretty clear they aren’t working at all. Sometimes it’s not even laughing you’re tracking, sometimes you’re watching a movie and you’re tracking how much penis you can show in a movie without clearing out an entire room of people.

Kevin Smith: You stole all my cock jokes. Well, I tend to go with the gut, but my gut is prodigious, so that’s good. But my gut has lied to me many times in the past, cause my gut was like “’Jersey Girl’ is a good idea.”

 

Audience Member: In terms of mainstream Hollywood, do you think they allow for more creative freedom now as opposed to ten years ago, or do all the studios have all you guys by the balls?

Zack Snyder: By the balls.

Frank Miller: By the balls.

Judd Apatow: I might have their balls. Or at least one ball.

Moderator: Anyone else?

Kevin Smith: Me? You’ve gotta have balls to grab, and I don’t.

 

Audience Member: Because of your experience with Superman, I was wondering how you felt about the current situation and if you think a reboot would be a good idea?

Kevin Smith: Did you not like the last one, “Superman Returns”?

Audience Member: No.

Kevin Smith: Alright. I like Bryan Singer a lot… The Superman movie I was just hoping would be a little more gayer than it was. Um, I just thought there was ample opportunity… I’m all for the reboot. I’m all for giving it another take, or another shot. I don’t think Superman’s dead by any stretch of the imagination. I know they weren’t very happy with how it grossed… but it was a Year One story, and I always thought that “Superman Returns” was like “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which is just a bunch of shots of the fucking Enterprise – like 45 minutes of it. But for people that were into the Enterprise, it was like porn.

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7/26/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Two - Watchmen: Guests: Director Zack Snyder, co-creator Dave Gibbons, and stars Matthew Goode, Malin Akerman, Patrick Wilson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Billy Crudup, Carla Gugino and Jackie Earle Haley

If last year’s big event was Paramount’s worldwide trailer debut of “Iron Man,” then this year’s must-see presentation was surely Warner Bros.’ big-screen adaptation of “Watchmen,” the supposedly unfilmable graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Joining director Zack Snyder on stage for a lengthy Q&A was his entire principal cast, and they spoke quite intelligently on the making of the film like a bunch of fanboys desperate to “get it right.” That didn’t come as much of a surprise to Snyder, since that was the very reason he agreed to direct the film as well. After all, whether the movie turned out bad because of him, or because of another director, he would always be the one responsible. Below, you’ll find some other highlights from the panel:

* The actors were so insistent on staying faithful to the source material that they often requested the dialogue be changed to reflect what had been written in the novel.

* Jackie Earle Haley received a lot of help from fans on how to play the character of Rorschach, right down to his trademark grumble.

* The only green screen used throughout the entire shoot were Malin and Billy’s scenes on Mars. According to Billy Crudup, it was far too expensive to shoot on the red planet, even with the backing of a major studio.

* Matthew Goode’s preparation for playing Ozymandis resulted in the actor giving his character a half-American, half-German accent – something that he’s not entirely certain will fly over well with the fans.

Of course, the real highlight of the hour was an exclusive sneak peek at the film’s extended trailer, and from what we saw – including everything from Rorschach’s constantly morphing mask to the beautifully-shot opening featuring the Comedian’s death – the film looks like everything it ought to be. We didn’t actually get to hear any dialogue, but the characters (as well as most of the scenes) appear to have been ripped straight from the pages of the novel. After seeing it twice, I can only say one thing: this movie is going to be a fucking masterpiece. Forget about “The Dark Knight,” because if “Watchmen” turns out even remotely as good as this newest trailer indicates it will be, Snyder is going to have a helluva hard time outdoing himself the next time around. I mean, what other challenges are left short of adapting “The Bible” for the big screen?

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7/26/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day One - Lionsgate: If there’s one studio that might have been better off following Paramount’s footsteps and sitting out this year, it’s Lionsgate. The studio best known for the “Saw” series doesn’t exactly put out the kind of material that the Comic-Con crowd eats up, and though they did dial it back a bit by moving to a smaller venue, none of their upcoming films really grabbed my attention. I expected as much from the new “Punisher” and “Saw” films, but I was really disappointed to discover that Darren Lynn Bousman’s “Repo: The Genetic Opera” might not be as cool as I was initially hoping it would be.

Punisher: War Zone (guests: producer Gale Anne Hurd and stars Ray Stevenson and Julie Benz)

For many, Thomas Jane was the perfect Punisher. He had the look, the talent, and most importantly, the love of the source material. So why isn’t the actor returning for the second film? Quite simply, because the script sucked. Or so says Tom Jane. This prompted Lionsgate to switch things up a bit, and instead of following up the first film with a sequel, “Punisher: War Zone” is now being referred to as a reboot in the same vein as “Batman Begins” and “The Incredible Hulk.” Producer Gale Anne Hurd describes this latest version of the Punisher as “ruthless, violent, vigilante justice,” and while that may be true, it doesn’t exactly make it good. From the footage that was shown, “War Zone” is definitely ruthless and violent, but it also looks a little campy. Ray Stevenson may physically embody the Punisher from artist Tim Bradstreet’s covers, but he also looks like a giant tool that deserves to get punched in the face just as much as the guys he’s brutally killing. Furthermore, Dominic West’s Jigsaw was also prominently featured in the new trailer, and all I can say is: Schumacher Two-Face. Yes, it’s that bad, so here’s hoping that West (who was phenomenal in HBO’s “The Wire”) delivers a good enough performance to detract from his silly appearance. Stevenson may be God in the eyes of “Rome” fans, but he’s got a lot more work to do before he convinces me that he‘s even half the Punisher that Jane was.

Saw V (guests: director David Hackl and stars Tobin Bell, Julie Benz, Costas Mandylor and Scott Patterson)

When all is said and done, this might just be the most pointless panel of the entire weekend. Seriously, does anyone even care about these movies anymore? I sure as hell don’t, especially now that the franchise has become so saturated with D-list actors that it’s impossible to take seriously. Add to that the fact that none of the cast members would dare say a thing for fear of incurring the wrath of the studio, and you have yourself one boring panel. Some people might be okay with watching the same movie over and over again, but I’m not one of them.

Repo: The Genetic Opera (guests: director Darren Lynn Bousman and stars Alexa Vega, Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley and Ogre)

“Repo” is one of those films that I’ve been dying to hear more about ever since director Darren Lynn Bousman briefly discussed it during the panel for “Saw IV” at last year’s Comic-Con. I’m not a particularly big fan of musicals, but I have a few favorites, and “Repo” looked like it might easily fit into that group. The fact that Anthony Steward Head was playing one of the lead roles also helped, but with his absence from the panel on Thursday night, all attention was turned to Paris Hilton, who not only crushed most preconceptions of herself in the media with a genuine and dare I say humble presence, but also showed that her existence in the film was more than just stunt casting. Of the three musical sequences shown to the audience, Paris’ bit with co-writer Terrance Zdunich was by far the best of the bunch. She isn’t a better singer than Head, or even Ogre from Skinny Puppy, but she definitely holds her own in a performance that may surprise more than a few people. She also earned the biggest laugh of the night when she responded to a reporter inquiring about her visit to San Diego with the following comment: “I love Comic-Con. It’s hot.”

Among other things discussed were the film’s runtime (which was cut from 145 minutes to a more economic 95 minutes) and Bousman’s eventual plans for the discarded segments, which he claims should show up on the DVD release. Though my impressions of “Repo” weren’t quite what I’d hoped, I’m still weary of passing judgment on a film that can’t properly be criticized without seeing it in its entirety. And with that, I’ll say this: “Repo: The Genetic Opera” is definitely different, but whether or not it’s any good remains unclear. I’m really hoping that seeing the film in its finished form will change my mind, because this is exactly the kind of film that Hollywood needs.

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7/25/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day One - Dark Castle: Initially conceived by producer Joel Silver as Warner Brothers’ horror-only genre label, Dark Castle Entertainment has since expanded to include other genres as well. The first of the non-horror titles to be released under the brand also happen to be some of my most anticipated films of the next six months. “Ninja Assassin” promises to deliver a no-holds-barred action flick that will help make the winter months go by a little quicker, while “Rocknrolla” marks the grand return of Guy Ritchie, the man responsible for creating two of my all-time favorite films. It was a panel that couldn’t disappoint, and though there were some hiccups along the way, it never did.

Ninja Assassin (guests: director John McTeigue and stars Rain and Naomie Harris)

Though this panel certainly wasn’t the first time during the day when a particular didn’t seem too excited to be making an appearance, the film they were promoting also wasn’t very appealing to the Comic-Con crowd. Sure, most fanboys love ninjas, but the fact that it’s starring a relative unknown (Korean pop star Rain) isn’t going to help your chances to spreading the word. The Asian fangirls were out in full force to bow down in the presence of Stephen Colbert’s nemesis, but every time they asked him a question, Rain sort of just giggled them off. He even refused to answer a question about his future in music, citing that he would rather focus on “Ninja Assassin,” but he wasn’t doing a particularly good job of it. The movie itself looks jam-packed with plenty of action and gore, but the trailer just didn’t get my blood pumping like I had hoped. There’s still plenty of time to win over my favor before the film’s January 2009 release, but this first-look has certainly lowered my expectations.

RocknRolla (guests: director Guy Ritchie and stars Gerard Butler, Idris Elba, Jeremy Piven and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges)

Hands down the most enjoyable panel of the day. We may have only been shown the new trailer (of which will likely be officially released online within the week), but the banter amongst the guests on stage was more than entertaining. Director Guy Ritchie was fairly tightlipped throughout (he often replied to questions with a simple “yes” or “no”), but Gerard Butler made up for Ritchie’s timidness with plenty of funny comments and one especially entertaining anecdote about how Madonna gave him a shot of B-12 in the ass when he was sick during production. Many believed the current situation between Ritchie and Madonna was the main reason the director was being so quiet during the panel, but he actually spoke the most while helping tell that particular tale. Also offering some great moments were Jeremy Piven, who joked about how his character was originally written for a black man, and Idris Elba, who talked extensively on how his experience on “RocknRolla” and “The Wire” were very similar. All in all, not a bad way to spend 30 minutes – especially considering that this is the last film people were lining up to hear about at Comic-Con.

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7/25/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day One - Disney surprises fans with “Tron 2″ teaser: A funny thing happened after the Disney panel for “Race to Witch Mountain” – the lights went down and an announcement was made about a secret trailer for a film that no one else would see footage of for at least another year. (It’s official release date will be sometime in 2011.) That film just so happened to be “Tron 2,” a movie that not only looks to have benefited from the technological advances of the last 20 years, but also marks the return of Jeff Bridges in one of his most popular roles.

Most of the trailer revolved around a Light Cycle chase between a man in a blue battlesuit and a faceless man in a yellow battlesuit. When the blue rider crashes into the yellow rider’s Light Cycle trail, he admits defeat, but the yellow rider clearly has plans of his own. The trailer then cut to the real world where you see a much older Kevin Flynn (Bridges) rise from a meditation position with something in his hand. Back in the game world, the yellow rider’s helmet visor reveals Flynn’s face, and when his defeat opponent exclaims “But it’s only a game,” Flynn replies, “Not anymore.” I’m not exactly sure if this means that Bridges will be the villain in this second film, but he’s clearly not the good-natured computer programmer from the original. Let the speculation begin, but one thing is clear: “Tron 2” is going to be badass.

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7/25/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day One - Summit Entertainment: For their first year at Comic-Con, Summit Entertainment may have brought three films to present, but the crowd only cared about one: “Twilight,” the much-anticipated adaptation of Stephanie Meyer’s novel about a normal teenage girl who falls in love with a centuries-old vampire. That particular panel was so popular, in fact, that 20th Century Fox actually benefited from preceding it, yielding nearly twice the audience they would have attracted had the thousands of teenage girls and middle-aged women not camped out for primo seating. Of course, Comic-Con is all about waiting, so the best was saved for last, while the rest of the audience was subjected to sit through presentations for two of the most unoriginal sci-fi movies ever made.

Push (guests: director Paul McGuigan and stars Chris Evans, Camilla Belle and Djimon Honsou)

Paul McGuigan’s “Push” desperately wants to differentiate itself from the pack as a sci-fi actioneer about psychics living in the real world, but if there’s one thing I learned from watching the opening sequence and listening to the cast talk about the film, it’s that movies like these are rarely good. When you add to that the fact that Djimon Honsou had absolutely no interest in talking about the film (let alone even remembered anything about the character he played), and you have to ask yourself: if the actors themselves aren’t interested, how the hell is the audience supposed to get excited? Thank God for Chris Evans, then, for doing his absolute best to explain everything he possibly could about the movie’s complicated plot, as well as serve as the comic relief. Dakota Fanning was late to the panel, and therefore was unable to offer up her two cents (which might have been helpful, since she is the protagonist of the film), but I don’t think even she could have helped matters. The crazy “Twilight” fans had only one thing on their mind, while the rest of us simply couldn’t wait to get it over with.

Knowing (guest: director Alex Proyas)

Director Alex Proyas is probably best known for making one of the most underrated films of the past decade (“Dark City”), so why does his latest movie look so bad? A sci-fi tale about a mathematical cipher that has correctly predicted every major disaster of the past 50 years (cue obligatory reference to 9/11), there’s something so eerily familiar about the set-up of “Knowing” that it’s hard to imagine it took Proyas so long to work out the specifics of the story. The movie feels like a hybrid of “A Beautiful Mind” and “Déjà Vu,” but with Nicolas Cage hamming it up as a man who is convinced that the cipher really works. Cage appeared in a similar movie just last year (the pre-cog film, “Next”), and it really makes you wonder why he signed up for something so similar so soon. The trailer (which has been available on the web for weeks) is pretty unimpressive, but the movie just feels like a disaster of its own. It would have been nice to learn more about the story, but because Proyas was so hush-hush about the plot, it seemed almost pointless that he came to present anything at all.

Twilight (guests: director Catherine Hardwicke, author Stephanie Meyer, and stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Cam Gigandet and Taylor Lautner)

Sitting in Hall H during the “Twilight” panel was like attending an N ‘Sync concert in Japan during the height of their popularity. (Some fans had been waiting in line since 1:30 PM on Wednesday). Women screamed like Elvis himself had just been resurrected in the room, and as a result, the participating cast and crew had no idea how to react. Apparently, the actors didn’t have a clue as to just how rabid the fanbase was, and between the uncomfortable questions from the crowd (“What’s it like playing a super sexy vampire?”) and the uncomfortable answers from the panelists (“Ummm…”), the following 30-odd minutes were less than productive. Director Catherine Hardwicke introduced some promising footage of a major sequence from the end of the film, but I think fans were expecting much, much more. I mean, the movie is scheduled to open in less than five months, and with very little CG, it’s hard to imagine that more footage wasn’t compiled in time. Of course, the fans couldn’t have cared less. All they came for was to gawk at Robert Pattinson in all his messy-haired glory, and, well, he delivered. I’m not exactly sure how the British-born actor (best known for his role as Cedric Diggory) managed to cull such a large fanbase since his controversial casting as the film’s lead vampire, but whatever he’s doing has clearly worked.

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7/25/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day One - 20th Century Fox: After pulling out of Comic-Con last year, the suits over at 20th Century Fox must have gotten a mouthful from fans looking forward to the studio’s 2007 slate of films. It only seems fitting, then, that Fox chose to make their grand return as the first presentation at this year’s Con, offering up previews for two of their more geek-friendly films, as well as an unexpected surprise that might just be the highlight of the entire weekend. More on that later, but first…

The Day the Earth Stood Still (guests: director Scott Derrickson and stars Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connolly)

I’m not exactly sure if anyone was hunkering for a remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic, but from the response in the audience, it might just have a chance come this December. Updated with an A-list cast and special effects that obviously weren’t around 50 years ago, director Scott Derrickson seems adamant that his version can bring in new fans without losing any old ones. In order to do this, he had to be careful not to remove any of the essential elements that people loved about the original, and yes, that includes Gort. The director spoke in length about the creation of the infamous robot (including some pre-production sketches that featured him in human form), but from the little footage that we did see, it appears that Gort hasn’t changed much at all. He looks a little bigger in size, but his trademark, Cylon-like visor remains intact.

The spaceship, on the other hand, has been given a complete overhaul, and while I can’t exactly describe it in full, I will say that it looks a lot like a rotating planet. As for those involved, well, Keanu Reeves should definitely add to the campiness factor. His Klaatu doesn’t seem to be very different from past roles, and his vapid appearance onstage only seems to confirm that while he may seem like a great choice to play an emotionless alien, it doesn’t exactly help with the credibility of the project. This is one of those films where, after seeing some footage, I was neither intrigued nor put off, and while that doesn’t exactly denote that the film will be bad, it didn’t seem like the best way to kick off Comic-Con.

Max Payne (guests: director John Moore and stars Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges)

Everyone knows about Hollywood’s bad reputation of taking good video games and adapting them into bad movies, but for once, “Max Payne” looks like it might actually be good. For starters, it’s got a great lead in Mark Wahlberg, who has a great track record when it comes to choosing scripts. Second, it’s got Mila Kunis – one of the hottest (and more talented) young actresses in the industry. And finally, the movie looks bad ass. From the two clips and sizzle reel that were shown, “Max Payne” looks like a mix between “Wanted” and “Sin City” – a crime drama that isn’t afraid to kick ass and take names, but also has a solid story for a backbone. Director John Moore also spoke about a new camera system that was implemented in an attempt to create a new kind of bullet-time effect for the film, but I was more impressed with his ability to seamlessly integrate a first-person view into some of the fight scenes. This is exactly what “Hitman” should have been, and though it’s not the biggest movie coming out in the second half of the year, “Max Payne” could very well be a hidden pleasure in a season packed with Oscar bait.

Wolverine (guest: star Hugh Jackman)

Just when we all thought Fox’s time had run out, Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman, made a surprise appearance to chat up his new solo film, unnecessarily titled “X-Men: Origins – Wolverine.” He claimed that shooting had just finished a few weeks ago (a similar claim was made by at least one person on every panel throughout the day), but wanted to show off some rough footage to his legion of fans. As you can imagine, Jackman’s appearance alone brought down the house, but the mention of an exclusive first-look was the cherry on top. Along with featuring a look back at Wolvie’s past (his days in WWII with Victor Creed AKA Sabertooth), his recruitment by a young William Stryker, and his forced participation in the Weapon X program, the sizzle reel also showed why there were so many damn actors cast as mutants in the movie. Among those spotted include Gambit (finally), Deadpool (played by Ryan Reynolds, no less), John Wraith, a terrible-looking Blob, and either Silver Fox or Emma Stone. May 2009 is going to rock.

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7/23/2008

Comic-Con 2008: Day Zero: I’ve finally arrived in sunny San Diego, and while I wait for the plane carrying my Comic-Con roomies (Film School Reject’s Neil Miller, Kevin Carr and Brian Gibson) to land, it seemed like a good idea to discuss what goodies are in store over the next couple of days. Though last year’s Con may have seemed bigger, the studios (sans Paramount, of course) aren’t holding back with the amount of films and TV series being promoted during this year’s event. Below, you’ll find a list of the panels I plan on covering during my stay, as well as a little insight into the ones I’m especially looking forward to.

20th Century Fox kicks off Thursday with an exclusive look at the remake of “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and the big-screen adaptation of “Max Payne,” and along with having Keanu Reeves and Mark Wahlberg in person to discuss their latest projects, both films also promise to have plenty of footage to show off. Following Fox’s panels will be ones for Summit Entertainment’s trio of sci-fi/fantasy films (“Push,” “Knowing,” and the much-hyped “Twilight”) and Disney’s remake/sequel of “Race to Witch Mountain.” The day gets much better from there, however, as Warner Bros.’ first of many Comic-Con panels will include exclusive looks at Guy Ritchie’s newest film, “Rocknrolla,” and the Wachowski brothers’ “Ninja Assassin” (top right), which could erase the bad memories of their last film quicker than you can say “Go, go, Speed Racer!” Neither film is a particularly high-profile release, but suffice it to say, I’m really excited for both. Rounding out the first day will be Lionsgate’s late-night trio of panels for “Punisher: War Zone,” “Saw V” and “Repo: The Genetic Opera.” Of those three films, only “Repo” really interests me, and I can’t wait to see if Darren Lynn Bousman’s rock opera really can be the successor to “Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

If Thursday is the appetizer, then Friday is the main course. The day begins with the most anticipated panel of the Con as Warner Bros. brings director Zack Snyder and the cast of “Watchmen” (bottom right) to the illustrious Hall H to show off footage from the film and talk about the difficulties of adapting the greatest graphic novel in history. I’d be lying if I didn’t say this wasn’t my most anticipated panel of the weekend as well, but I still wish Snyder had held off on premiering the official trailer until after everyone at Comic-Con saw it first. The rest of the day is packed with plenty of other treats including a panel dedicated to Rick Baker’s makeup work on Universal’s “The Wolfman,” a first-look at Warner Bros.’ “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” and an Entertainment Weekly Visionaries panel with directors Zack Snyder, Judd Apatow, Frank Miller and Kevin Smith. And speaking of Miller and Smith, both men will also be headlining panels for their own films (Lionsgate’s “The Spirit” and The Weinstein Co.’s “Zack and Miri Make A Porno,” respectively), a double-header that should prove to be jam-packed with laughs. After all, there’s only one thing better than seeing Samuel L. Jackson in person, and that’s seeing Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Smith in the same night.

Saturday isn’t quite as star-studded as Friday, but there’s still plenty to look forward to. Last year, I was unable to catch any of the TV panels due to their overlapping time schedules with the movie-related stuff, but apparently, NBC’s “Heroes” and ABC’s “Lost” have become such cultural icons that they’ve finally been deemed ready for the big show. This year, the cast and crews behind both shows will be holding panels in the enormous Hall H, and thanks to my colleague Will Harris’ excellent coverage at the TCA over the past two weeks, I might just be able to sit back and enjoy. Then again, I’m sure there will be plenty of exclusive news and footage released to the Comic-Con crowd, so expect to hear something on that front. Also being featured in some capacity on Saturday is Warner Bros.’ “Terminator: Salvation” (sans Christian Bale, unfortunately), Pixar’s new film “Up,” and a Universal panel dedicated to upcoming releases like “The Mummy 3” and “Death Race,” as well as a first-look at “Land of the Lost.” Sony wraps up the night in style with the boys of “Pineapple Express,” and though I missed out on Seth Rogen and Co.’s antics last year during the “Superbad” panel, there’s no way I’m skipping out this time around. Expect big laughs and tons of footage.

For anyone that’s still around, Sunday is the day for catching up (on work, sleep, and anything else you may be seriously deprived of), but that doesn’t mean there still aren’t a few things going on. If time permits, I hope to check out panels for Focus Features’ “Hamlet 2,” the DVD release of New Line’s “Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay” (where Neil Patrick Harris will likely be asked more about “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog” than his work on the film), and Warner Bros.’s “Friday the 13th” reboot. Like I said, nothing particularly exciting, but news is news.

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