The STARSTORE Blog...

SAW V: CAST AND PLOT DETAILS REVEALED

Lionsgate have released some info on the next instalment in the relentlessly violent SAW movie series. The cast of SAW V is now set to include Julie Benz, Carlo Rota, Greg Bryk, Mark Rolston, Meagan Good, and of course, Costas Mandylor as Hoffman. Following the last person to carry on the legacy of the Jigsaw killer, all the loose ends must be done away with when his work is threatened. Once again, Scott Peterson and Betsy Russell are also back in their familiar roles of Agent Straum and Jill. Directed by David Hackl, the film has been given a provisional release date of October 24th. This is bringing up some questions. Firstly, is this just going to be a bridging movie to set up the sixth (and apparently last) SAW film? Secondly, why is everything being set up as a damn franchise these days? Some standalone horror films wouldn’t go amiss every now and again. That said, I guess a sequel isn’t a remake, which fans are also tiring of. With remakes of Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Hellraiser and loads more in the works, it really is looking like Hollywood is losing all of its faith in creating original horror. For want of a better phrase, horror is becoming much too safe, and that is a much more terrifying prospect than even Jigsaw could come up with…

VIDEO GAME MOVIE ROUNDUP

Let's take a look at a selection of forthcoming feature films based on popular video games titles. The genre has come on a bit since the dark days of the Van Damme Street Fighter and turkeys like Double Dragon and Super Mario Bros, and the next batch of films looks set to be a departure from the recent spate of films such as the Resident Evil series and Tomb Raider films. Here’s some of the big ones that are on the way…

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li

Currently being shot, this stars Smallville’s Kristen Kreuk in the lead role, and is set to (spinning bird) kick off a whole new series of films based on the massively popular Street Fighter games franchise.

 
Biosphere

The Biosphere movie is moving forward now that it has both a writer and director attached, and looks like it is going to be something very special. This one looks like it will be the one that breaks the mould of games movies.

 
Halo

The long awaited Halo movie is in a state of flux at the moment. Peter Jackson was set to direct at one point, and WETA were going to do the effects. Right now though, it appears that there’s nothing going on with it whatsoever. Anyone heard anything more?

 
World of Warcraft

The world’s biggest online game is set to arrive on the big screen in the next couple of years. There’s little news on who or what will be in it so far, or even if it will be live action or CG, but we are assured there will be a WoW film one day. Maybe.

 
Mortal Kombat

The 3^rd Mortal Kombat movie is set to be a reboot for the series, but is still said to be featuring Christopher Lambert as Lord Rayden, reprising his infamous role from 1995’s surprisingly watchable action fest.  Its working title is Mortal Kombat: Devastation

 
Resident Evil: Degeneration

This is a curious one. A fully CG’d film based closely on the games and their characters, it was made in 2005 and only just edging towards a release. The trailer was premiered on the DVD of Resident Evil: Extinction, and looks fantastic. The game fans are going to lap this one up.

American McGhee’s Alice in Wonderland

Hmm. From the research I’ve done I can trace this one back as far as 2000, when it was first announced. Currently, the rights to the American McGhees Alice movie are held by Universal and Collision Entertainment, who have been prepping the film since some time in 2007. I think we’ll still have to wait a while for progress on this, basically down to the subject matter and the associated rights. When it does hiot though, its going to be a huge event.

Assassin’s Creed

The first film based around the Assassin’s Creed game is still apparently due this year, but I’d say this is going to be pushed back to 2010, for the simple reason that shooting appears to have, erm, not started yet.

 
Devil May Cry

A movie based around the huigely popeular Devil May Cry games has recently been announced, but without any details of a director, writer or star. I think this one would work great in live action, but it would be difficult to cast someone who could pull Dante off well.

 
Gears of War

This has been given a provisional release date of late 2009, and like the Bioshock movie, I’d say this is going to be one of those genre-defying movies that brings a great deal of praise and will make people take a second look at the genre. Very promising.

 
Tekken

Woo-hoo! Now, this isn’t going to be anything but an hour and a half of action is it? I hope this movie is as dumb and pointless as the game, and just as much fun. This too is due in 2009, and is to be directed by Dwight H. Little, from a script by Alan B. McElroy. I bet the script largely consists of ‘They fight. They fight some more.’

ALIENS Vs PREDATOR 3: Dear Hollywood…

Thoughts on AVP3

The two AVP movies (Alien Vs Predator and Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem) have proven to be successful, but only commercially. I know that’s really the point of the exercise, but think of the original Alien movies: Successful at the time of release, and constantly popular for decades afterwards. Now look at the first two AVP movies. The first film is now languishing in every DVD shop’s bargain bin for a fraction of its original price. The second will go the same way after an initial rush of interest. The films are fun and please a section of fandom, but they seem to be lacking that spark that has given the originals such longevity.

It is known that a third AVP movie is on the way, and I’d like you to consider letting some fans of the originals have a go at writing it. We have the basics- it needs to be set in space, and needs both the Predator(s) and an Alien or two.

What it doesn’t need is another cast of characters without depth or motivation. The previous two films have had some decent characters, but for the most part they have come across as cannon fodder. What I’d love to do is offer up some more characters along the lines of the crazies in Alien 3. Not many of them. Just two or three human characters, a derelict spacecraft, a pair of Aliens and a Predator loose on board. Back to the very basics of the genre that these creatures created.

Some fans are also of the opinion that a third AVP movie would work really well with less dialogue and more tension. A bit more art house. The seats will be filled on the reputation of the series alone, so there’s no need to worry about that. The trick would be to add an extra dimension of creativity and tension, like the first Alien film, to ensure that the film would have a life beyond the first year, and also help the series attract back those fans that the more popcorn styled films have alienated (pun very much intended). So I put it to you, Hollywood types, let us, the fans, write the next movie. See what happens. Oh, and this time, try not to give the whole movie away in the trailer, eh? Cheers.

Stan Lee: Thank you- You are indeed 'The Man'.

After watching the recent iFanboy video interview with Stan Lee, I feel moved to write a little something regarding Stan ‘The Man’ Lee. Think of it as an open letter to him, from a pair of fans that have grown up on the characters and the stories he created and continues to create. This letter is written by staffers Andy (29) and Chris (19).

Dear Stan…

The Bullpen Bulletins and the ‘Stan Lee presents’ blurbs are the first memories I have of coming across your name, and the Bullpens in particular struck a chord. I’ve always admired the way you talk to your audience on the same level, involving us in everything you work on in the same manner whether we’re nine or ninety. I also really admire the amount of time you have for your fans, and I can’t begin to imagine what it must feel like to have parents and children enjoying your creations together. You’ve created some of the biggest names in modern culture and you still come across as a genuinely nice guy.

You come across as one of us, a dreamer with a head full of stories to share. Add to this a relentless sense of humour and a distinct air of a shrewd businessman, and you too are a hero amongst men. No wonder your popularity has endured for so long. You’re our friend, a storyteller, and a legend to all of us. Stan mate, I salute you. Thanks for the characters, the adventures, and for not giving up on them, or indeed, us.

THE DARK KNIGHT- WARNER BROS RELEASE THE FULL TRAILER

Ladies and Gentlemen, I think we have something truly momentous here. The full, final trailer for this year’s Batman extravaganza THE DARK KNIGHT is online now in high-def Quicktime and Flash versions. The media has been full of declarations that the film is incredible, and that the late Heath Ledger’s portrayal of The Joker is nothing short of definitive, and on the strength of this trailer alone I think we can all agree that is most certainly the case.

The Flash version of the trailer is the quickest to download, which you can check out at this location, and it has been making us whoop with joy even more than that extra scene at the end of Iron Man! It seems that this continuation of Nolan’s Batman series is every bit as dramatic and gripping as the first. The one problem I have with the trailer is that it most certainly gives too much away in one respect- the transformation of Harvey Dent into Two-Face. Not only does the trailer show the start of his transformation, but there’s even a shot where you catch a glimpse of his face post-scarring. Its only brief, but it does act as a massive spoiler for what will be the driving plot behind the third film.

 

That aside, the trailer looks fantastic, and this summer is looking very fun indeed. So hey, Why So Serious?

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY- A Great Tradition Returns

We’re having a great day today, we really are. Free Comic Book Day is upon us again and we’re having a ton of fun handing out the specially published comics. Interacting with people on such a level as this is something we should get into more. Free Comic Book Day is a great opportunity for us to talk to new readers and also chat with older fans about titles they may have missed out on so far. The crowd is a marvellous thing today, just the right side of chaos, and our stocks of free comics are being depleted in fine style. We do have the occasional problem persuading people the things are actually free, but they are, and we’re having a blast.

Getting small children into reading comics is a positive thing. There are so many worse things they could be doing, and today is a superb chance for us to offer the little ones something bright and fun to look at, which will then in turn lead on to them reading bigger and better things. Helping kids get into reading is a wonderful thing, just as much as getting old school comic fans into other titles. The variation in this year’s selection of comics also goes some way to underline that the comics industry isn’t just about spandex-clad superheroes. In fact, with titles such as The Simpsons, Maintenance, Dan dare, Hellboy, Superman, Transformers and loads more, there is something for all the family to get into.

I’m thrilled if I can get someone into a new title, or a classic, or a book or graphic novel series. Not just because it goes towards paying my wages and keeping me fed, but because there is a great thrill in sharing adventures stories and funny stories and tales of high fantasy along with everything else. We’ve all been wandering the store talking comics all day, and handing out free stuff that has made kids and parents grin, and hopefully won the comics industry a few more readers.

Hi, we’re comics fans, and we’ve come to expand your mind.

ENDER’S GAME- THE CLASSIC SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL COMES TO MOVIES AND COMICS

There are some incredible books in the science fiction genre, books that have defined generations and the genre itself simultaneously. Among their vast number are classics such as Larry Niven’s Ringworld, Asimov’s Foundation books, Alfred Bester’s The Demolished Man, HG Wells’ The Time Machine and so on. One book of that ilk is Orson Scott Card’s brilliant Ender’s Game, originally published in 1985, the book that kickstarted the Ender series in breathtaking style. Now, with Hollywood and other entertainment centres turning their gaze to more and more classic series, it only seems right that Ender would, erm, end up being offered too.

The long awaited feature film version of Ender’s Game may still be having teething troubles (namely losing its director, Wolfgang Peterson, recently), but the story has already made it onto shelves in the form of a comic book. Something that is very positive about the forthcoming movie adaptation is that Orson Scott card himself has written the screenplay for it, and you can’t get much more authentic than that can you? The story, that of a young boy being sent to take part in an intergalactic war, is timeless enough to enthral viewers and readers of any age. Its longevity has already been proven by the subsequent novels in the series, which now runs to nine books in total. The original book is an expanded version of the novelette of the same name, and it is that first book (and elements of the second tale, Ender’s Shadow) that is to form the basis of this leap to the big screen.

Unfortunately, it appears that with the departure of Wolfgang Peterson, the film is going through its fair share of troubles in its journey to the screen. The story is already getting out to people in a new form though, via the excellent new comic book series that is being published by none other than Marvel Comics. The comic series has taken a few liberties with the various designs of armour and technology, but for the most part it remains faithful to the original source material. Plus, the comic book series will provide a nice indication of how the movie would be accepted by audiences.

Under Card’s supervision, the comic series has been scripted by Chris Yost (New X-Men/X-Force) and pencilled by the incredible talent of Pasqual Ferry. While offering a unique look at a science fiction legend, the Ender’s Game comics also mark another point in the literary interests of Marvel Comics, who are proving that they are increasingly happy to try something a little different. Ender’s Game is finally starting to make the transition to other aspects of public consciousness, and with such a powerful message to convey, that can only be a good thing.

TORCHWOOD: NEW AUDIO EPISODE TO AIR ON RADIO 4

It has been announced in Torchwood magazine and elsewhere that a new episode, in the form of an audio drama airing as part of BBC radio 4’s popular Afternoon Play series. The play has been written by Joseph Lidster and will feature the voices of John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness), Eve Miles (Gwen) and Freema Agyeman (Martha). Expected to air in June or July, the story is to take place in Switzerland and involves the CERN nuclear facility. As the story doesn’t feature Naoko Mori or Burn Gorman, we can assume the tale takes place after the events of series 2, but, according to Lidster, they will have at least a mention.

It does make me wonder if there is a possibility of further audio stories involving the Torchwood team. I mean, the series of Doctor Who original audio dramas from Big Finish have been popular for almost a decade now, and have fed the hunger for new stories very well. A set of new Torchwood stories would be great for fans to keep them going until we hear anything about series 3, and they wouldn’t have to feature everyone- some solo stories would be a superb chance to get inside the heads of the characters a bit more, and also check out how they have been dealing with things since the end of series 2.

BLAKES 7 TO RETURN TO TV

In the wake of the massively successful revivals of classic shows such as Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica, plans have now been announced to bring back another science fiction property from the past- this time its none other than BLAKES 7. Those of you that remember the show will remember the dark plots and compelling characters as much as the wobbly sets and shoddy effects. Created by the late Terry Nation, who also created Doctor Who’s infamous Daleks, the new version of Blakes 7 is to surface on Sky One.

The last time we saw Blake and his crew, they were being gunned down in a bloody massacre, and now those character and their famous ship are to return for a brand new six part series, packed with the latest in special effects technology and modern production values. Finally the stories will be the focal point, as opposed to the effects and sets as had become the norm in recent years. This new series is said to tell the tale of the group’s formation. This is great news for old fans, and also damn fine news for sci-fi fans yet to discover the show- you’re in for one hell of a ride…

FRIDAY THE 13TH: JASON VOORHEES ‘CINEMA OF FEAR’ STYLIZED FIGURE REVIEW

Mezco’s CINEMA OF FEAR range continues to make the hairs stand up on the backs of fans’ necks with this latest figure of the FRIDAY THE 13TH antihero Jason Voorhees. Presented in a stylized edition that is going to be a hit with long-time horror fans, this new large-scale Jason Voorhees action figure stands approximately 9 inches tall and comes with: Axe, machete, spear, severed head, removable mask and real clothing. Supplied in a FRIDAY THE 13TH movie themed window-fronted display box, he looks imposing enough in the packaging!

One he’s out and unleashed, you can really see the extent of the work that Mezco have put into the creation of the figure. This Jason Voorhees action figure depicts the hockey-masked psychopath sometime in the latter part of the series (the outfit he wears is reminiscent of the one worn in FREDDY VS JASON actually), and shows some bloodstains and rips and tears from his various killings and battles. I think the fact that Mezco have stylized the figure to look a bit more comic-bookish than previous Jason Voorhees figures works brilliantly- the look of the item separates it quite clearly from older, more regular figures, and the thing looks great. Jason is still as ugly as ever though…