http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com Hollywood North Report Latest News - Canada's Premier Film and TV News Source en-us Copyright 2003-2005 HNR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. hnr@hollywoodnorthreport.com hnr@hollywoodnorthreport.com http://backend.userland.com/rss2 30 Entertainment http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y78/hollywoodnorth/RSShnrlogo1.gif http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7869 Take a look at exclusive nighttime footage of Summit Entertainment's upcoming, Toronto-lensed comic book adaptation Red, starring Bruce Willis and John Malkovich, as Chicago police cars approach the Toronto Parking Authority parking garage, @ 2 Church Street, south of Front Street, March 3, accompanied by 'loud simulated gunfire'. Red is an adaptation of DC Comics graphic novel of the same name by author Warren Ellis. Cast also includes Mary-Louise Parker, Academy Award-winners Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman, Karl Urban, Brian Cox, Richard Dreyfuss, Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon, James Remar and Rebecca Pidgeon. "...Red is the story of 'Frank Moses' (Willis), a former black-ops CIA agent, who is now living a quiet life. That is, until the day a hi-tech assassin shows up intent on killing him. With his identity compromised and the life of the woman he cares for, Sarah (Parker), endangered, Frank reassembles his old team (Freeman, Malkovich and Mirren) in a last ditch effort to survive..." Directed by Robert Schwentke (The Time Traveler's Wife) from a screenplay by Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber (Whiteout), the film is produced by di Bonaventura Pictures' Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen). Executive producers are Jake Myers (Hollywoodland) and Gregory Noveck (Jonah Hex). Di Bonaventura Pictures' production exec David Ready is co-producer. Red reunites Schwentke with DP Florian Ballhaus (Marley & Me) and Oscar-winning film editor Thom Noble (Thelma & Louise). Red will continue shooting in and around the metro Toronto area before moving to New Orleans, late March for the final two weeks of principal photography. The film is scheduled for worldwide release, October 22, 2010. Ontario & Quebec News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7869 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:36:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7868 Syfy's Vancouver-lensed Stargate Universe TV series returns Friday, April 2nd. SGU was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, debuting with the first two parts of the three-part episode Air on Syfy, October 2, 2009. A second season of 20 episodes was announced by Syfy December 2009. The series follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational, exploration team unable to return to Earth after an evacuation to the Ancient spaceship 'Destiny', traveling in a distant corner of the universe. "...'SGU' follows a band of soldiers, scientists and civilians, who must fend for themselves as they are forced through a Stargate when their hidden base comes under attack. "The desperate survivors emerge aboard an ancient ship, which is locked on an unknown course and unable to return to Earth. "Faced with meeting the most basic needs of food, water and air, the group must unlock the secrets of the ship's Stargate to survive. "The danger, adventure and hope they find on board the Destiny will reveal the heroes and villains among them..." General Stargate News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7868 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:19:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7867 MVD Visual will release the complete Final 24 TV series on DVD, starting April 20, with Janis Joplin, Keith Moon, Gianni Versace and Nicole Brown Simpson. Final 24 is a Cineflix and Nextfilm co-production in association with Global Television (Canada), BIO (US), BSKY (UK) and Discovery Networks (Europe). "...'Final 24' is a compelling drama documentary series unlocking the hidden secrets, psychological flaws and events that result in the tragic deaths of global icons. Every episode maps out the final 24 hours of a different famous person's life. The series weaves the star's back-story with events from their last day, which lays bare the threads of fate that led inextricably from childhood to the moment of death. These are no ordinary biographies. They're psychological detective stories attempting to uncover the mystery of why the celebrity died..." "Final 24 goes to the very heart of how these celebrities lived - and died," said Nick Godwin, Executive Producer, Final 24. June 29 releases include Sid Vicious, John Belushi, Anna Nicole Smith and David Koresh. August 24 releases include River Phoenix, Marvin Gaye and Hunter S. Thompson. October 19 releases include John F. Kennedy Jr., Jim Morrison and Tupac Shakur. DVD News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7867 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:28:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7866 Toronto-born Corey Haim, the 38-year old actor, best known for his teen role opposite Corey Feldman in the vampire feature The Lost Boys, has died of a suspected drug overdose March 10, according to the Los Angeles Police Department... General News and Announcements http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7866 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:05:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7865 Take a look at the new trailer for the upcoming 3D, Vancouver-lensed Disney feature Tron Legacy. The science fiction adventure, directed by Joseph Kosinski, is a sequel to the 1982 film Tron, with original Tron director Steven Lisberger producing. Actor Jeff Bridges reprises his role as 'Kevin Flynn' and Bruce Boxleitner as 'Alan Bradley' with Garrett Hedlund as Flynn's adult son 'Sam'. Other cast members include Olivia Wilde, Beau Garrett and John Hurt. "...Sam Flynn (Hedlund), tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Bridges), looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin’s loyal confidante (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous..." Tron Legacy will be presented in Disney Digital 3-D and IMAX 3D, December 17, 2010, alongside a Tron Legacy video game tie-in. Vancouver & BC News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7865 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:13:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7864 As we first reported in January, DC Comics character 'Silver Banshee' aka 'Maggie McDougal' will appear in the 16th episode of the 9th season of Vancouver-lensed Smallville, airing Friday April 2 on the CW. Silver Banshee is played by Canadian actress Odessa Rae. Escape was written by Genevieve Sparling and directed by Kevin Fair. Created by John Byrne for DC's "Action Comics" #595 (December, 1987), 'Silver Banshee' has superhuman strength, agility, speed, endurance and resistance to physical/energy attacks, with a 'wail' that can kill within a certain range as long as she can see her victim and knows their true name. The villain can also use her sonic powers to teleport. In the comic books, 'Siobhan McDougal', first-born child of 'Garrett McDougal', patriarch of an old Gaelic family undertakes a supernatural ritual to lead her clan, but is interrupted during the process and dragged away to an 'infernal netherworld'. An entity called "'The Crone' grants her powers and the ability to return to Earth as the Silver Banshee, in exchange for an occult book that belonged to her father. When the book collection is shipped off for sale to the US, Banshee travels to 'Metropolis', killing anyone that stands in the way of her search... General Smallville News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7864 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:45:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7863 Bigpoint, recognized as a global market leader in browser-based Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG), will introduce 'Battlestar Galactica Online', a tactical space combat and adventure MMOG based on Syfy's Vancouver-lensed Battlestar Galactica TV series. The MMOG will launch worldwide exclusively this fall on Syfy.com for a 30 day period. The Unity co-developed MMOG will offer state of the art graphics that can be played directly in an Internet browser. Battlestar Galactica Online is licensed through Universal Partnerships & Licensing, on behalf of the NBC Universal Television Consumer Products Group. "...'Battlestar Galactica' is the gripping saga of humanity's last remnants and their struggle to find a new home while fleeing from their deadly Cylon enemies. Redefining the space opera with its gritty realism, Galactica's intensity, issues-driven topicality, and command performances have garnered it numerous awards, including three Emmy(R) Awards and the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award. The show was recognized by the American Film Institute (AFI) as one of the most outstanding programs of the year two years running. The series was produced by Universal Cable Productions and executive produced by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick. The outstanding ensemble cast was led by Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Tricia Helfer and Grace Park..." "Battlestar Galactica is a supremely gameable intellectual property, with compelling character classes, a fantastic array of ships and weaponry, multiple worlds, and a dramatic storyline," said Bill Kispert, VP & GM, Digital Platforms, Universal Partnerships & Licensing... General Battlestar Galactica News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7863 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:43:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7862 The Oscars/Academy Awards winners, presented March 7, 2010 are: Best Picture – "Hurt Locker" Best Director – Kathryn Bigelow ("The Hurt Locker") Best Actress in a Lead Role – Sandra Bullock ("The Blind Side") Best Actor in a Lead Role – Jeff Bridges ("Crazy Heart") Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Christoph Waltz ("Inglorious Basterds") Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Mo’Nique ("Precious") Best Animated Feature Film – "Up" Best Art Direction – "Avatar" Best Cinematography – "Avatar" Best Costume Design – "The Young Victoria" Best Documentary Feature – "The Cove" Best Documentary Short – "Music By Prudence" Best Film Editing – "The Hurt Locker" Best Foreign Language Film – "The Secret in their Eyes" (Argentina) Best Makeup – "Star Trek" Best Original Score – "Up" Best Original Song – "Crazy Heart" Best Sound Editing – "The Hurt Locker" Best Sound Mixing – "The Hurt Locker" Best Visual Effects – "Avatar" Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) – "Precious" Best Writing (Original Screenplay) – "The Hurt Locker" General Entertainment News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7862 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:36:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7861 Fringe, the Vancouver-lensed science fiction TV series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, has been renewed for a third season. The show follows a Boston-based FBI 'Fringe Division' investigative team, under the supervision of US Homeland Security, using unorthodox science/techniques to probe into 'The Pattern', a series of unexplained, ghastly occurrences regularly happening throughout the world. After a Fox TV-pilot, budgeted at $10 million was shot in Toronto, Fringe moved to New York, producing 24 episodes for the first season, then moved to Vancouver for their second season as a 'cost-cutting' measure (and before Ontario implemented their new tax credits). Fringe follows the exploits of special agent 'Olivia Dunham', scientist 'Walter Bishop' and his son 'Peter Bishop', as they get involved in aspects of fringe science including chimeras, psychic abilities and teleportation, produced by Bad Robot in association with Warner Bros. Television. Co-creator Abrams freely admits that he took the show's 'inspiration' from a range of sources, including director Ken Russell's feature Altered States and the TV series The X-Files (which in turn grabbed ideas from Kolchak : The Night Stalker. Vancouver & BC News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7861 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:32:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7860 As litigation intensifies over who holds ownership rights to "Superman" and "Superboy", the CW Network reports that Smallville, the Vancouver-lensed TV series featuring 'Clark Kent', aka 'Kal-El' (referred to in the series as 'The Blur') will return fall 2010 for an unprecedented tenth season. While showcasing DC Comics' superheroes, Smallville has also done a credible job of showcasing Canadian actors including Serinda Swan as 'Zatanna' and Laura Vandervoort as 'Kara' (aka 'Supergirl'). Starring Tom Welling, Smallville recently moved to Friday nights, currently ranking as the network's #1 series in its time period among men 18-34 and men 18-49. Smallville has also improved CW's overall ratings in its Friday 8:00-9:00 pm time period by 67% among adults 18-34, 200% in men 18-34, 75% in adults 18-49, 183% in men 18-49 and 74% in total viewers (3.12 million). Smallville was developed for television by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics' characters. Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson currently serve as executive producers with James Marshall, Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins and Joe Davola. Smallville is produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions, Millar/Gough Ink and Warner Bros. Television... General Smallville News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7860 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:51:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7859 According to reports, a lawyer for Brazil's Catholic Church has gone public with a dispute over the destruction of Rio de Janeiro's famous 'Christ the Redeemer' statue destroyed by CG effects in director Roland Emmerich's Vancouver-lensed action drama 2012. Archdiocese attorney Claudine Dutra said that Columbia didn't get a proper copyright license to depict the statue, created in 1931 by French artist Paul Landowski on commission from the Rio archdiocese. Landowski died in 1961, and the archdiocese says it holds the copyright on the statue until 2032. Apparently the church turned down Columbia's initial request to show the Redeemer being toppled by a giant wave. But according to the studio, Columbia did get permission. "Acting on a good faith belief that the estate of the sculptor of the statue held the copyright, we sought and received their permission to use the image in the movie", said Columbia. "We are currently in discussions with the archdiocese in hopes of reaching an agreement in this matter." The church says it is still trying to figure out its damages, depending on an expert's evaluation. "We want Columbia Pictures to publicly declare that it did not intend to cause offense". PG-13 rated 2012, released by Sony/Columbia November 13, 2009, budgeted at $200 million, earned $166,112,167 domestic and $603,541,428 foreign, for a worldwide theatrical total of $769,653,595. Vancouver & BC News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7859 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:48:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7858 Phase 4 Films will release the award-winning, Toronto-lensed cop TV series Flashpoint Season 2, Volume 1 on DVD March 23, 2010. "...'The Strategic Response Unit' is a team of cops like no other - they're the elite, the blueblood of the force. High risk is their business, and life-and-death stakes are their world. The SRU team is also unique; they rescue hostages, bust gangs, defuse bombs, climb buildings, see through walls and talk down suicidal teens. It takes years on the street, intense physical conditioning and elite marksmanship to qualify for the SRU. They have to prove that they're at the top of their game on a daily basis - because if they're not, there are hundreds of others willing to step in and take their place. The team uses state-of-the-art equipment - sniper rifles, snake-cameras, robots, flash-bangs, night-vision and Tasers. But beyond all of the cool gadgetry, the most important weapons in their arsenal are human intuition, a gift for words and their ability to read emotion. Each team member is uniquely trained in negotiating, profiling and getting inside a subject's head. They stand out because of the rare balance between lethal hardware and people skills: pure muscle and pure intuition. They're the envy of law enforcement everywhere. The stakes are always high in Flashpoint -- only here, the lives of the men and women on the team are also always on the line. That's the nature of the job. The SRU may be heroes, but they are also human. At the end of the day, they each go home haunted by what they've seen, by what they've had to do - pursued by new demons which they cram into already bulging closets. They lock down emotion and they second-guess decisions made in the heat of the moment. These individuals are constant witnesses to the extremes of human distress. Not everyone is cut out for this. "...If you're a cop, you're three times more likely to kill yourself than to be killed by a bad guy..." DVD News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7858 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:26:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7857 According to reports, Warner Bros new entertainment division wants Greg Berlanti to direct a big screen adaptation of DC Comics The Flash. Berlanti co-wrote Green Lantern for director Martin Campbell, co-created the TV series Eli Stone and previously directed the feature The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy. Created by writer Gardner Fox and illustrator Harry Lampert, the original 'Flash' debuted in "Flash Comics" #1 (January 1940). 'Jay Garrick', nicknamed the 'Scarlet Speedster', possessed 'super-speed', using superhuman reflexes that seemingly violated the laws of physics. Garrick, a college student, gained his speed through the inhalation of hard water vapors, wearing a winged metal helmet reminiscent of the Greek god Hermes (Mercury) . 'Barry Allen', a police scientist, gained his super-speed after being bathed in a shelf of chemicals struck by lightning, adopting "The Flash' name after reading a comic book featuring the Golden Age character. 'Wally West', was originally 'Kid Flash', gaining his powers through an accident identical to Allen's. Adopting the Flash identity after Allen's death, the character was given his own DC Comics series, introduced with: "My name is Wally West. I'm the fastest man alive."... The Flash was also showcased in a 1990 US TV series starring actor John Wesley Shipp as the DC Comics' character, co-starring Amanda Pays, developed by executive producers Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo for Pet Fly Productions. Composer Danny Elfman wrote the show’s title theme and Stan Winston Studios created the costume, designed by Robert Short, based on the 'Barry Allen'-era look. The pilot episode introduced 'Central City Police' forensic scientist Barry Allen (Shipp) having his crime lab struck by lightning, with his electrified body flung into a cabinet of chemicals. With the help of 'S.T.A.R. Labs' scientist 'Tina McGee' (Pays), Allen learns the accident changed his body's metabolism, gaining the ability to move at superhuman speed. To avenge the murder of a motorcycle police officer (his brother), Barry demands Tina modify a red S.T.A.R. Labs prototype deep sea diving suit for his costume, designed to withstand tremendous pressures. Throughout the 22-episode series, 'The Flash' takes on various comic book super-villains including 'Captain Cold' and 'The Trickster'. A 76-page comic book tie-in based on the TV series was published by DC in 1991 titled "The Flash TV Special" #1, featuring a behind-the-scenes look on the making of the series with photos. Click the images to enlarge... Movie News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7857 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:18:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7856 Team Canada's Sydney Crosby fired a shot past American goalie Ryan Miller at 7:40 of overtime to win 3–2 for Canada in the Olympic gold-medal men's hockey game @ Canada Hockey Place in downtown Vancouver, February 28. Team USA’s Zach Parise forced the overtime when he shot a loose puck into the Canadian net with only 25 seconds left to go in the third period, tying the game at 2–2. It's Canada's 14th gold of the Vancouver Games, breaking the record for most gold medals at a Winter Olympics. CTV has experienced huge TV ratings for this year's Vancouver-based "Olympics" coverage... Vancouver & BC News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7856 Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:58:00 EST http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7855 Take a look at two new posters, promoting the return, after a brief 'production hiatus', of ABC TV's Vancouver-lensed update of the 1980's 'reptilian agenda' TV series V. Production resumed in Vancouver January 2010, on the remaining 9 episodes in the 13-episode season order. The show returns to ABC March 30. "We always intended to break the show up into 'pods' to make it more of an event," said ABC entertainment president Steve McPherson. The new show debuted November 3, 2009, as a 're-imagining' of the 1983 miniseries created by Kenneth Johnson, chronicling the arrival on Earth of a technologically advanced alien species who have come "...to serve mankind..." on a dinner platter. V stars Morena Baccarin, Morris Chestnut, Joel Gretsch, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Scott Wolf, executive produced by Scott Rosenbaum, Scott Peters, and Jace Hall. On the first episode spaceships appear over 29 major cities throughout the world, as 'Anna' (Baccarin), leader of the extra-terrestrial 'Visitors' claims to come in peace. While a small number of humans begin to doubt the sincerity of the Visitors, FBI counter-terrorism agent 'Erica Evans' (Mitchell) learns that the aliens have spent decades infiltrating human governments, businesses and religious institutions in their plan to take over the world. Erica joins a resistance movement that includes 'Ryan' (Morris Chestnut), a Visitor sleeper agent who wants to save humanity, while the Visitors continue to win favor among the people of Earth by curing a variety of diseases and recruiting Earth's youth to their cause, including Erica's son 'Tyler' (Huffman). Vancouver & BC News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7855 Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:41:00 EST