Sci-Fi Storm

Building on a previous news story, there are apparently negotiations taking place for David Tennant to continue his role of the Doctor – in a feature film. He is currently only contracted for 5 more episodes (a seemingly odd number, but British TV doesn’t follow U.S “rules”), but is apparently interested in moving on to movies. A BBC source said, “Part of David’s conundrum is that he wants to do films, so this looks like it would solve both issues.” Russell T. Davies pick for a companion in the film? Catherin Zeta Jones. I’ll note the error at the end of the article: there were THREE films made previously – Peter Cushing was in two. My only fear about this project is that it could provide an appropriate vehicle for a highly emotional ending – either to the 10th Doctor, or the Doctor in general.

Warner Brothers is planning a re-release of The Dark Knight for January, in an effort to remind the public – and the Academy – of the movie come Oscar time. And what’s a few extra dollars in the process? Although the DVD is scheduled for release around December.

Charge your proton packs: Harold Ramis has confirmed they are working on a script for Ghostbusters 3. The Office writing duo Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky are working on the script, which may deal with the old Ghostbusters passing the proton packs on to a younger bunch. In the meantime, Spider-Man may get a couple more installments, as it is being reported that Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire are “locked in” to make Spider-Man 4, and that Sony is considering filming two films back to back.

The previously mentioned legal tussle between Fox and Warner Brothers is heating up, with the lawyers of both sides firing volleys. Fox is planning to file an injunction against the movie’s release, schedule for next March, while Warners says Fox silently waited with full knowledge of the production until it was completed to complain – even giving Warners the rights to the title “Watchmen”, which Fox had registered with the MPAA. Interestingly, both sides filed for trial dates after the release date. Update: The trial date has been set for January 6th.

It has been a while since we heard anything, but star Vin Diesel believes that there WILL be two more sequels of the Riddick franchise (started with Pitch Black, and continued in The Chronicles of Riddick). According to him, writer/director David Twohy is writing the two scripts, and they have to decide whether they will film back-to-back.

I hadn’t head of this before, but apparently there is a proposed “reinvention” of the Highlander franchise, and it may star Kevin McKidd (Journeyman). Apparently McKidd said on a Dublin radio interview that he’d been approached by the producers about starring in it…but there are no other details.

I just caught wind of a couple of articles where new show-runner Steven Moffat talks about the possibility of a big screen effort for Doctor Who. The articles seem a bit more hopeful than his quotes suggest, but Moffat said, “It would be good to see it in the cinema so long as it is great and fantastic,” but cautioned, “…so long as it never gets in the way of the TV show. If it got in the way of the show that would be appalling.” The Doctor did get two big screen treatments before in the 60s, starring Peter Cushing in the title role. However, these movies were essentially remakes of the Hartnell episodes “The Daleks” and “The Dalek Invasion of Earth”, but the Doctor was merely a human who invented a time machine, and neither movie is really considered canon.

The upcoming Warner Brothers release of Watchmen, scheduled for March 6th, could face a delay – not due to production, however, but due to the courts. Fox is asserting that it still has rights to the film from a 1991 quit claim between the distributor and producer Larry Gordon of Largo Entertainment. In 1994 Gordon negotiated a buyout formula with Fox, but claims Fox did not follow the agreement. Speed up to 2006, when Warner Brothers acquired the distribution rights. Fox claims it still as the rights as Gordon didn’t but them out. A judge has denied Warner’s motion to dismiss, so it looks like this will end up in the courts, and I’m sure the first volley will be to file an injunction on the movie’s release.

Now that all the deals are done, writing has begun on the upcoming The Hobbit (and its unnamed, unplotted sequel). The writing team from The Lord Of The Rings trilogy – Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens – will work with director Guillermo del Toro to flesh out the script. Filming will not begin until Fall 2009 at least, again in New Zealand.

In a surprise announcement, Warner Brothers has announced the delayed release of the eagerly anticipated next installment of the Harry Potter franchise. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was originally scheduled for November 11th, but has now been pushed back until July 17th, 2009. They cited lingering effects of the strike, along with the lucrative summer movie season. They also said this will not affect production schedules going forward, with production on the two-part Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows scheduled to start on time.