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=7347 View-Master, the handheld 3D slide show device is being developed by screenwriter Brad Caleb "Uprising" Kane for Transformers producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to adapt as a feature film. Created in 1939, the device has been used for viewing seven 3-D 'stereo images' on a paper disk, originally marketed as a way for viewers to enjoy 'stereograms' of tourist attractions. In total, there have been 25 different models of viewers and 1.5 billion disks produced. Despite its long history and changes in models and materials, the same basic design of disks and internal mechanism has persisted throughout, ensuring that every disk ever made will work in every model ever produced. As part of the National Toy Hall of Fame of the United States, View-Master disks have been produced for Disneyland, TV series, movies, cartoons and the US military for airplane/ship identification and range estimation. The product is currently owned by Fisher-Price, manufacturers of The View-Master Discovery Channel Projector, allowing standard forward projection, with auto-advance, LED light source, focus ring and portable handle... Movie News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7347 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:41:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7346 On July 1, Universal Studios Hollywood debuted the live musical stage event, Creature from The Black Lagoon- A Raging Rockin' Show, adapting the 1954 Universal monster movie with a new original singing score and 'Broadway-level' production values. During the show, 'The Creature' made his grand entrance peering out from inside a traveling aquarium. "Audiences will be immersed within a menacing Amazon environment, completely enveloped by the exotic sounds of the jungle as they watch the twisted love story between beauty and beast unfold." Creature from the Black Lagoon- A Raging Rockin' Show is produced by Universal Creative for Tony Award-nominated director/choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett. Producer is Marc Routh, noted for the Broadway stage productions Little Shop of Horrors, Gypsy, Young Frankenstein and The Producers. In addition to "The Creature" musical, Universal Studios Hollywood attractions include "The Simpsons Ride,""Revenge of the Mummy- The Ride," "Shrek 4-D," "Jurassic Park- The Ride" and the newly enhanced 'Studio Tour' in HD. Universal Studios Hollywood is a unit of Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of Universal Studios, part of NBC Universal. The company is 80% owned by General Electric and 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal... General Entertainment News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7346 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:06:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7345 BigGameHunter reports that Universal Pictures, home of the most famous monsters in filmland, recently acquired screen rights to adapt the classic Atari arcade video game Asteroids into a feature film. Screenplay will be written by Matthew "Race To Witch Mountain" Lopez. Producer is Lorenzo ""G.I. Joe" di Bonaventura. Originally released as an arcade game in 1979, Asteroids had a single player control a space ship, while shooting and destroying incoming obstacles. Universal is currently adapting other game properties into films, including Hasbro's Battleship and Candyland. Sneak Peek the game play from the original Asteroids arcade game, a 1993 TV commercial for Battleship and a 1980's TV commercial for Candyland... Movie News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7345 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:31:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7344 Extract is the live-action Miramax feature written/directed by Mike "King Of The Hill" Judge, starring actor Jason Bateman as 'Joel', the owner of an extract factory, who deals with workplace problems and a string of bad luck. Also starring are Mila "Family Guy" Kunis as 'Cindy' and Ben "Daredevil" Affleck as 'Dean'. Judge is the noted animator, voice actor, writer, director and producer, of the TV series Beavis and Butt-head and King of the Hill. He also wrote/directed the features Beavis and Butt-head Do America, Office Space and Idiocracy. Extract will be released September 11, 2009. Sneak Peek the Extract trailer and behind the scenes as Beavis and Butt-head Do America... Movie News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7344 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:09:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7343 From TorontoFilm.Net comes the new character posters supporting producer Tim Burton's upcoming CG feature 9, directed by Shane Acker @ Toronto's Starz Animation, a Canadian production company that recently received a $23 million boost from the Ontario provincial government. Adapting Acker's 2005 computer animated Academy Award-nominated short film, the new movie will be distributed by Focus Features, following a 'sentient' rag doll, the last of its kind, living in the ruins of a decaying parallel world, hunted relentlessly by a mechanical beast that has killed eight other rag dolls by stealing their souls with a canister-like talisman. Rag doll '9', accompanied by his friend and mentor, one-eyed '5', scavenged the ruins of their world in search of tools that would help them survive, before the monster attacked 5, stealing his soul, with 9 narrowly escaping. In an attempt to destroy the monster, 9 prepares a trap, luring the monster into an old building where it is briefly subdued, allowing 9 to steal its talisman. But the monster breaks free and chases 9 through the building, cornering him onto a wooden plank elevated above the floor. Just as the monster approaches, 9 leaps to safety, knocking over the plank as the monster plummets to the floor impaled by the wood. After setting up a memorial for the other rag dolls, 9 puts two talismans together to create a larger canister, releasing the souls of the monster's victims, including 5. 5 turns to 9 and gives him an approving one-eyed wink and a nod, as 9 sets off for parts unknown, leaving the canister behind... Ontario & Quebec News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7343 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:59:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7342 Actress Drea "The Sopranos" de Matteo will join the cast of Desperate Housewives for its sixth season. De Matteo will portray an Italian matriarch whose family moves to suburban 'Wisteria Lane'. De Matteo is noted for her role in The Sopranos as 'Adriana La Cerva', the girlfriend of 'Christopher Moltisanti' (Michael Imperioli). De Matteo played in 56 episodes of the TV series from 1999 to 2006. Sneak Peek the last appearance of 'Adriana' in The Sopranos and a promo for Season 5 of Desperate Housewives... TV News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7342 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:11:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7341 Take a look at the new poster for Surrogates, from director Jonathan "Terminator 3: Rise of The Machines" Mostow, starring actor Bruce Willis, based on the Top Shelf graphic novel series The Surrogates. Screenplay is by Michael Ferris and John Brancato. Created by Robert Venditti/Brett Weldele, premise of Surrogates is set in a futuristic world where humans live in isolation, interacting with 'surrogate' robots. Producers are David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Max Handelman and Elizabeth Banks for Disney's Touchstone. "...FBI agents investigate a mysterious murder against a college student, linked to the man who helped create a high-tech surrogate phenomenon. This allows people to purchase unflawed robotic versions of themselves -- fit, good looking remotely controlled machines that ultimately assume their life roles -- enabling people to experience life vicariously from the comfort and safety of their own homes. The crime spawns a quest for answers: in a world of masks, who's real and who can you trust..." Surrogates will be released September 25, 2009... Movie News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7341 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:42:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7340 Sci Fi is developing a TV reboot of Alien Nation, adapting the 1988 feature that previously spawned a one-season spinoff TV series on Fox. The new show will be written by Tim "The X-Files" Minear. Fox 21, a production arm of producer 20th Century Fox TV will produce. Premise of the original feature followed an unlikely partnership between a street cop and his 'alien' detective partner, set against the larger tale of alien 'newcomers' who move to Earth. "It's absolute perfect timing for this type of show," said Fox 21's Chris Carlisle. "At the heart of Alien Nation, it's a cop movie. It's grounded. And it has a tremendous amount of dramatic possibilities and humour." "It's very much in keeping with what we've been looking to do," said Sci Fi original programming exec VP Mark Stern. "Themes that are more than just hard sci-fi, something that feels contemporary and relevant and invites a broad audience in." The show will most likely be shot in Vancouver, similar to Sci Fi's "Battlestar Galactica, set in the Pacific Northwest, 20 years after the first ship of aliens, crash lands on Earth. By 2020, the alien poulation on Earth has multiplied to 3.5 million. The original feature, directed by Graham Baker starred actor actors Mandy Patinkin as alien cop 'Sam Francisco' and James Caan as his reluctant human partner... TV News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7340 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:11:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7339 Couples Retreat is a new Universal comedy feature directed by Peter "The Sacred Fire" Billingsley and written by actor/director Jon "Iron Man" Favreau, who also stars in the film. Cast also includes actors Vince Vaughn, Faizon Love, Jason Bateman, Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell, Malin Akerman and Kali Hawk. Music is composed by Academy Award winner A.R. Rahman. The film follows four couples who go on a vacation to a tropical-island resort. While one of the couples is there to work on their marriage, the others fail to realize that participation in the resort's therapy sessions is not optional. Couples Retreat will be released October 9, 2009... Movie News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7339 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:01:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7338 Sneak peek the new international trailer for Inglourious Basterds, the 2009 war film written/directed by Quentin "Kill Bill" Tarantino, set in German-occupied France during World War II. Movie News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7338 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:31:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7337 Space may be the final frontier, but the newest Monopoly collector’s edition boldly goes where no one has gone before, as Star Trek fans get a chance to travel through the 'Star Trek Continuum', while exploring generations of 'Starfleet' history. Players buy, sell and trade memorable Trek locations from founding 'Federation' homeworlds 'Andoria' and 'Vulcan' to 'Bajor', 'Cardassia Prime' and the 'New Founders’ Homeworld'. Made by USAopoly under license from Hasbro and CBS Consumer Products, the game board features historic locations 'Argus Array', 'Cardassia Prime' and 'Remus', while 'Boardwalk' and 'Park Place' have been replaced by the 'United Federation of Planets Headquarters' and 'Starfleet Command'. Players can take a voyage around the board as one of six pewter tokens including the 'Vulcan Harp', 'Phaser', 'Communicator', 'Klingon Blood Wine Goblet', 'Shuttlecraft' and 'Captain's Chair'. Images around the board feature Starfleet Captains 'Kirk', 'Picard', 'Archer', 'Sisko' and 'Janeway'. Properties are purchased with specialized Monopoly money, featuring gold-pressed 'Latinum' bars, while custom title deed cards feature location data about all 22 properties including the 'U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D', 'Klingon Bird-of-Prey', 'Romulan Warbird' and the 'U.S.S. Voyager NCC-74656', which take the place of 'Railroads' in the game... General Entertainment News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7337 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:11:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7336 July 1 is Canada Day, celebrating the founding of the world's second largest country. The land was originally occupied by aboriginal people, but starting in the late 15th century, British and French expeditions explored and later settled along the Atlantic coast, with France eventually ceding all of its North American colonies in 1763 following the 'Seven Years War'. July 1, 1867, with the union of British North American colonies through Confederation, Canada was formed as a federal dominion of provinces. A parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state, Canada is a bilingual/multicultural country, with both English and French as the official tongues at the federal level. Technologically advanced and industrialized, Canada maintains a diversified economy reliant on natural resources, trade and a creative, highly skilled workforce... General News and Announcements http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7336 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:50:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7335 According to VancouverFilm.Net, Eclipse, the third film in the Twilight saga, will be filming at Vancouver Film Studios between August 17 and October 31. The newest adaptation of author Stephenie Meyer's novel, following this year's shooting of New Moon, will be directed by David Slade, from a screenplay by Melissa Rosenberg. Eclipse continues the story of 18-year-old 'Bella Swan' and her vampire lover, 'Edward Cullen'. The book was released August 7, 2007 with an initial print run of 1 million copies, selling more than 150,000 copies in the first 24 hours. In the book, Seattle is plagued by a string of unsolved murders, that Edward suspects is caused by a young vampire, unable to control its thirst for human blood. Bella explains to Edward her desire to see her werewolf friend 'Jacob Black' and begins to visit him, while 'Alice Cullen' has a vision that 'Victoria', a vampire who is hunting Bella for revenge, has returned to 'Forks'. A few days later, Edward proposes to Bella and she accepts. Bella and the Cullens soon realize the crimes in Seattle are being committed by newborn vampires controlled by Victoria and they join forces with the werewolf pack to combat the threat. As everyone prepares for battle, Edward, Bella, and Jacob camp in the mountains, hidden during the battle, later joined by 'Seth Clearwater', a member of the pack. In the morning, Jacob becomes upset when he overhears Edward and Bella discussing their engagement and threatens to join the fight and get himself killed. To stop him, Bella kisses Jacob and realizes she also loves him. During the battle, after Victoria tracks Edward's scent to where Bella is hidden in the woods, he is forced to fight. After Victoria and her army are successfully destroyed, Bella explains to Jacob that while she loves him, her love for Edward is greater. After receiving a wedding invitation from Edward, Jacob lopes away in his wolf form, angry at Bella's decision to become a vampire... Vancouver & BC News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7335 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:08:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7334 According to TorontoFilm.Net, the Ontario Liberal government will now allow a 25 per cent tax credit for the overall budget of films shot in the province. The 25 per cent credit had previously applied only to labour costs, usually half the cost of a production. The purchase of props, rental of studios and equipment can now be covered under the new measure. A 35 per cent Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit for labour costs for productions that qualify as domestic, will be made permanent. Film and TV production reportedly generates $2 billion annually for the Ontario economy, creating 276,000 jobs... Ontario & Quebec News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7334 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:17:00 EDT http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7333 Warner Bros. has emerged as the sole bidder for Midway Games Inc., the bankrupt video game publisher previously owned by Viacom Inc. chairman, Sumner Redstone. Midway is a well-known brand with a rich library of titles that Warners will be able to exploit as games, movies, TV shows and animation, expanding the scope of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, the studio’s video game division. Should the deal go through, the studio will take control of Midway’s assets, including Mortal Kombat, Joust and Spy Hunter, in addition to two production houses in Chicago and Seattle. Creditors in Midway's bankruptcy include Larry Kasanoff’s Threshold Entertainment, producers of two Mortal Kombat films, claiming exclusive film/TV rights to that series and Vin Diesel's Tigon Studios, said to be owed $200,000 for the actor's work on the Wheelman game... General Entertainment News http://www.hollywoodnorthreport.com/article.php?Article=7333 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:24:00 EDT