WB mulls redraw of DC Comics plan
July 12, 2008
From THR:
A big shake-up could be in the works at Warner Bros. for its DC Comics film properties.
In the course of the past couple of weeks, Warner Bros. Pictures Group president Jeff Robinov and Warner Bros. Pictures president Kevin McCormick have been meeting with DC Comics executives as well some of DC’s top talents, like Jim Lee, to discuss a new direction for film adaptations.
Up until now, the comic properties had been undergoing a hodge-podge development process. With the recent success of Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man” and “The Incredible Hulk” and that company’s plan to develop its many characters linked strategically together, Warners has been forced to take a close second look at its sister company.
With “The Dark Knight” near its release date, a new agenda is being set, one that not only sees the DC characters emerge with a higher priority but also one that would see them developed with an overarching goal in mind.
A Reboot Of DC Comics Before Comic-Con?
June 23, 2008
“With Comic-Con fast approaching (July 24-27) and all the Hollywood studios getting ready, I understand that Warner Bros has been nervously monitoring the deteriorating situation at its subsidiary DC Comics. There could be a major shake-up — especially if Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes keeps cleaning house inside the Big Media corp. There’s a lot of chatter, from comic book circles like io9.com to trade media like Publishers Weekly, that DC Comics Senior VP and Executive Editor Dan DiDio, who oversees the DC Universe line of superheroes, is in major trouble.” - from Nikki
Oscar-winning Picturehouse, WIP to close shop
May 8, 2008
Picturehouse and Warner Independent Pictures are closing, it was announced today by Alan Horn, president & COO of Warner Bros.
In a statement, Horn said, “With New Line now a key part of Warner Bros., we’re able to handle films across the entire spectrum of genres and budgets without overlapping production, marketing and distribution infrastructures. After much painstaking analysis, this was a difficult decision to make, but it reflects the reality of a changing marketplace and our need to prudently run our businesses with increased efficiencies. We’re confident that the spirit of independent filmmaking and the opportunity to find and give a voice to new talent will continue to have a presence at Warner Bros.
- From Variety
Picturehouse’s fate at Warner Bros. is cloudy
May 6, 2008
Goodbye, “Pan’s Labyrinth”? That’s the question hanging over Indiewood, as Warner Bros. contemplates the future of Picturehouse, the stalwart independent division of New Line that in its three years of existence helped introduce Americans to unique foreign flavors, winning three Oscars for Guillermo del Toro’s fantastical dream of Franco’s Spain in “Pan’s” and another Oscar this year for Marion Cotillard’s performance as Edith Piaf in “La Vie en Rose.” - From LATimes
James Mangold is a Cyclops
March 17, 2008
Warner Bros. has acquired film rights to the Alexis Nolent graphic novel “Cyclops” and will develop it as a feature vehicle for helmer James Mangold. Set in the near future, the actioner concerns mercenary forces whose soldiers wear Cyclops-like cameras in their helmets and broadcast in real time to both central command and living rooms. One mercenary chosen to lead an elite squad begins to realize he isn’t fighting for freedom and justice as much as for commerce.
Via Variety
WB Sticks it to New Line
March 16, 2008
Time Warner topper Jeff Bewkes has declared that he no longer wants to split rights on New Line movies. But if Warners wants to make the sequels to “The Golden Compass,” it may have no choice. Many of the key foreign distribs of “Compass” also have a first option to acquire “The Subtle Knife” and “The Amber Spyglass,” the next installments in Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy.
Via Variety
Toby Emmerich to run New Line?
March 13, 2008
WB is in talks with Emmerich to preside over a reconstituted New Line that would make six to eight pictures per year with budgets below $50 million. However, planned New Line pics “The Hobbit” and proposed sequels to “Wedding Crashers” and “Austin Powers” would exceed the $50 budget guideline. An existing exec staff of 15 will likely be pared to as few as four.
Via Variety
AOL acts like Eliot Spitzer, buys Bebo for $850 Million. Time for Big Bro Warners to start some Inditin’
March 13, 2008
AOL on Thursday announced that it would acquire social media site Bebo for $850 million in cash. The move is intended to better position AOL in the social media space, the company said. Bebo has approximately 40 million users, with a heavy presence in the UK, Ireland and New Zealand. In August 2007, Bebo ranked third in the United States behind MySpace and Facebook, according to Datamonitor statistics. In total, AOL will have a social network of approximately 80 million unique users worldwide, AOL said. However, those numbers also includes those using AIM and ICQ, both services AOL owns.
‘10,000 BC’ Gets Clubbed At Box Office
March 9, 2008
All those cool CGI effects were nearly sunk by cruel reviews as Warner Bros’ 10,000 BC will easily finish the weekend No. 1 but with $32 million in box office gross, not the great $40+ million which Hollywood first expected.
1. 10,000 BC/Warner Bros $12.5M Fri, x Sat (cume $12.5M)
2. College Road Trip/Disney $3.5M Fri, x Sat ($3.5M)
3. Vantage Point/Sony $2.2M Fri, x Sat ($46.3M)
4. Semi-Pro/New Line $1.8M Fri, x Sat ($20.7M)
5. The Bank Job/Lionsgate $1.7M Fri, x Sat ($1.7M)
6. The Other Boleyn Girl/Sony $1.2M Fri, x Sat ($11.8M)
7. Jumper/Fox $1.1M Fri, x Sat ($69.8M)
8. The Spiderwick Chronicles/Paramount $1.0M Fri, x Sat ($57.9M)
9. Step Up 2/Disney $1.oM Fri, x Sat ($50.9M)
10. Fool’s Gold/Warner Bros $865K Fri, x Sat ($60.8M)
Box Office: 10,000 BC up 9% Saturday for a Revised $34.5M 3-day
March 9, 2008
Roland Emmerich’s 10,000 B.C. (Warner Bros) received a better-than-expected 9% uptick in Saturday business, delivering an estimated $13.62M. Many were looking for a Friday-to-Saturday dip in ticket sales, but the badly-reviewed prehistoric epic wasn’t especially front-loaded. With an anticipated 38% drop on Sunday, 10,000 B.C. should rake in another $8.44M or so for a 3-day take of $34.57M.
Via Slashfilm
The WB to be revived with new site
March 8, 2008
Warner Bros. Television Group plans to resurrect The WB television network in the form of a new Web site. On the site, whose working title is wb.com, users will be able to catch free streaming episodes of all WB-produced series airing on the net during its 1995-2006 run, including “Gilmore Girls,” “Everwood” and “What I Like About You.”
WB Gets it Bone On
March 8, 2008
Warner Bros. has picked up rights to “Bone,” the acclaimed independent comic book series from artist Jeff Smith. Dan Lin will produce. The fantasy series followed three cousins from the Bone family who are small, white and bald humanlike creatures with big noses. The trio are run out of their hometown and find themselves in a mysterious valley where they are separated and hunted by other creatures. They are taken in by a girl named Thorn and her grandmother, and find out that the valley is threatened by an evil force called the Lord of the Locusts.
Via Variety
WB downs a Chaser
March 6, 2008
“Warner Bros. has picked up remake rights to South Korea’s surprise hit “The Chaser” from helmer Na Hong-jin. The midbudget thriller has earned more than $20 million in 20 days of release thanks to strong word of mouth from audiences and critics. Pic is based loosely on the exploits of a real-life serial killer, played by Ha Jung-woo (”Never Forever”).”
Via Variety