Category Archives: Medium

Merlin All Grown Up: A Sneak Peek at “Merlin” Season 5

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Trailers—both a blessing and a curse for fans everywhere.  They display tantalizing images to hype up our excitement, and yet explain absolutely nothing.  The new trailer for the upcoming fifth season of our beloved Merlin is a prime example of this frustrating phenomenon.

Giddy with excitement?  So am I.

Jumping in your seat?  Me too.

In agony because of all your questions?  I know the feeling all too well.

Fortunately for us, we also have the oh-so-generous creators/writers of Merlin to fill in a few of the blanks left behind in round table discussions that preceded the much-anticipated Merlin panel at Comic-Con.  Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy spilled the beans on a few aspects of Season 5 that we can be sure to look forward to—including a Camelot that has aged three years since the end of Season 4.

And what has changed in these 3 years?  Character-wise, we can expect an even more hardened Morgana, as well as a brand-new Mordred—literally.  The part of the Druid boy—excuse me, man—will now be played by Alexander Vlahos.

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Well, he’s certainly not a boy anymore.  Though I have to say, I think Asa Butterfield was somehow creepier.

To match the darkening of Merlin’s antagonists, Season 5 is reputed to be gaining a more mature tone as well—not surprising, considering that the main villain of the legend has finally passed puberty.  In fact, all of our favorite characters are finally growing up, and the writers have promised multi-stranded episodes to explore their development.

So which characters are you most looking forward to seeing more of?  The royal couple?  A favorite knight?  Or a delightfully evil antagonist?  Leave your comments below!

Zack Snyder’s ‘Man of Steel’ Trailer Teases an Origin for Superman

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Following the example of the recently wrapped up Batman series, the new trailer for Man of Steel gives us a little darker image of the iconic Superman. This was foreshadowed back in July with the release of the poster which showed a shadow-covered Henry Cavill sporting a suit seemingly made of chain-mail. Check out the teaser below:

With producer Christopher Nolan receiving a story writing credit for the film, alongside David S. Goyer as screenwriter, the team working on the film is sure to make it something special. And with General Zod credited as the villain for Zack Snyder’s new adaptation, it might be following Nolan’s formula even closer by providing an origin story for the Justice-League-bound superhero.

Though the trailer only gives us a look at front-man Henry Cavill, the film will also star Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, and Diane Lane. It is set to release June 14, 2013.

Click here for more comic book adaptation news!

Once Upon a Time Brings in Some Testosterone with Four New Male Cast Members

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The official countdown to Once Upon a Time Season 2 can now begin! ABC has announced its fall premiere dates, so we now know that our favorite fairy tale spin-off is returning on September 30 for its sophomore season. And Season 2 not only promises a newly magical Storybrooke, but also several new male cast members alongside the strong heroines we’ve already seen. Continue reading →

‘Cloud Atlas’ Directors Release a Trailer Complete with Commentary

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We reported back in June that the adaptation of David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas would be released October 26th. At the time, we really only knew about the book and it’s unique structure consisting of six nested stories. Now we have a bit more information about the upcoming film and an intense trailer to hike up the excitement.

The writers and directors, Tom Twkyer, Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski, released a five-minute long trailer for their new film, including a little intro of them explaining how they decided to make the film in the first place.

And now for the trailer.

The film certainly has an all-star cast which includes Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, Hugh Grant and Jim Broadbent. The poster, which was also recently released, highlights the extensive cast:

With all this new content, are you getting excited for the film? Leave your thoughts on the trailer in the comments.

Adaptation will be covering the novel and film in upcoming episodes, so stay tuned!

Ang Lee’s ‘Life of Pi’ Trailer Released

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Life of Pi, a novel by Yann Martel published in 2001, tells the story of a boy who survives a massive shipwreck and travels around on a small boat with the only other living survivor, a Bengal tiger. The film version, directed by Ang Lee, just released it’s first trailer.

To be released November 21st in the US and December 21st in the UK, the film stars Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Kahn and Tobey Maguire. According to IMDB Maguire is cast as author Yann Martel, so it will be interesting to see how screenwriter David Magee works him in.

Does the trailer make you want to see the film? Or perhaps read the book?

Adaptation will be covering the book and film in upcoming episodes, so stayed tuned!

 

New Six Minute Clip of Joe Wright’s ‘Anna Karenina’

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Following up on the release of the gorgeous posters and the riveting trailer for the upcoming adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, director Joe Wright has released a six minute clip from the film.

The film will be released September 7th in the UK and November 9th in the US. It stars Kiera Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Johnson, Kelly Macdonald and Matthew Macfadyen.

Following this clip, I’m really interested to see how the film comes together as a whole. The filming seems a little abrupt to me, but in a stylistic way that might make more sense when we can see it all from the beginning.

What do you think of this clip?

Don’t forget to stayed tuned for Adaptation #16 which will be discussing the novel Anna Karenina.

Adaptation #15: The Perks of Being An Infinite Lorax

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Kendyl, Corey and Dorin finally get to see the film Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax and then discuss the high school experience via Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Discussion of Perks starts at 31:47

Also, check out our episode on the Perks film!

*WARNING*

The Perks of Being a Wallflower contains mentions of child molestation, rape, suicide, teen pregnancy, abortion, drugs, sex, and mental health issues. As such, they are all a part of our discussion. If any of this offends you or could be a trigger for you, please proceed with caution.

Download This Episode – iTunes – Twitter – Facebook – Tumblr

Continue reading →

Adaptation #14: Joseph Gordon Levitt Rises (Literally)

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Kendyl, Jess and Ryan get together to discuss their reactions to The Dark Knight Rises: the surprises, the predictions and the debatable satisfaction received from THAT ENDING. Also, they get a little too distracted by the logistics of that bomb and how much can actually be accomplished in 11 minutes.

Download This Episode – iTunes – Twitter – Facebook – Tumblr

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Once Upon a Time at ComicCon…

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Once upon a time there was a magical festival, where people could gather and celebrate their love of TV shows, movies and series.  This annual event allows fans to meet royalty and hear them prophesize the future.

What is this festival, you ask?

ComicCon: imparting joy to every fangirl and fanboy since 1970.  And fans of ABC’s Once Upon a Time should be particularly joyous, as the related panel unleashed a slew of enticing tidbits about the upcoming second season.

In the last few weeks, we have posted quite a few updates about our favorite fairy tale show: we’ve heard about casting for Mulan and Sleeping Beauty, ties with the show Lost, and even been graced with Regina’s origin story—and a sneak peek of a certain hooked villain.  So what possible news could come out at ComicCon’s Once Upon a Time panel?

Answer?  A whole heck of a lot.  Allow me to recap:

First off, I think we all need to give a rousing round of applause for this absolutely amazing video, advertising the Singlebrooke Dating Service.  I laughed; I chuckled, and then finished it off with a nice round of chortles.

Secondly, the producers and actors of Once Upon a Time gave us quite a few revelations to look forward to, such as:

1.)  The identity of Henry’s father,

2.)  Who the heck Dr. Whale actually is (in the fairy tales),

3.)  Whatever happened to Baelfire

AND

4.)  Who Henry’s father is.

Oh wait, did I just repeat myself?  Maybe that’s because I am completely stoked about what this information might mean for the plotline of Season 2.  And the rumors are already flying: is it Baelfire?  Or a character yet to be introduced?  Will he be villainous, as Emma has already intimated?  Or is he another eager member of Operation Cobra?

UPDATE (07/14): Watch the OUAT Comic Con panel on YouTube, Part 1 and Part 2

Apparently, these are all questions for us to discover in season two, as the only ones already in the loop are the producers and Emma Swan herself.  But what do you think?  Give us your guesses below!

Click here for more Once Upon a Time news!

Finally, We Have Our Finnick!

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It’s been a long wait, but finally Finnick Odair has been cast for next year’s Catching Fire. There have been so many names flying around lately, but Lionsgate has finally narrowed it down to one. And the part of the flirtatious fisherman goes to…

Sam Claflin!

You may recognize him as Snow White’s childhood friend from Snow White and the Huntsman or maybe as Philip from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

If you’ve been listening to our podcasts, it will be no surprise to you that this is a welcome bit of casting for the Adaptation team. I hadn’t considered this before now, but I’m certainly not disappointed and I think that Claflin will be able to bring the right attitude to the role.

What do you think about this casting? Is he what you expected?

Click here for more Hunger Games / Catching Fire news!

Adaptation #13: M. Night, You Used Your Power Irresponsibly

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In episode #13, the hosts gush over The Amazing Spider-man, verbally flog M. Knight Shyamalamadingdong’s The Last Airbender and then profess their love to the television version.

Download This Episode – iTunes – Twitter – Facebook – Tumblr

Continue reading →

OUAT Fans Strike Gold With Regina’s Origin Story

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Since the finale of the first season of ABC’s hit show Once Upon a Time, a multitude of rumors have been flying around as to what the future holds for our favorite fairy tale characters.  Some of these questions were addressed in a recent TVGuide interview with executive producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis.  The producers talked about such topics as the significance of the curse breaking, the role that magic will play and how it will affect the relationship between Emma and Mary in the highly anticipated second season.

However, the real twist in this interview was not an answer to questions about the future, but rather the revelation of a detail from a past episode that had gone largely unnoticed—the true tie between Regina and Rumpelstilskin.  When asked about the possible return of Barbara Hershey, the actress who played Regina’s mother, Kitsis stated:

In the episode “Stable Boy,” she talked about how she was the miller’s daughter and she had to do a lot to keep Regina. If I remember correctly, the miller’s daughter was given to a prince because she could spin straw into gold. Therefore, she owed Rumpelstiltskin a baby. The question is, is that baby Regina? … When you get that Regina is the baby that’s promised to Rumpel, then you’re like, what did Cora do to get out of a deal with a man who usually kills people?

Gasp.  Jaw drop.  Reread.  Repeat.

That was my exact reaction when reading this Q&A, along with the incessant, deafening thought of “HOW ON EARTH DID I MISS THAT?”

Yeah, I admit it.  The whole Regina/Rumpelstilskin backstory passed completely over my head.  I was amazed, shocked and absolutely thrilled about this new information—or is it old information?  It adds a whole new dimension to the plotline, and though I’m slightly disappointed that I missed it the first time around, I can’t deny that the subtlety of how it was originally presented was masterful.

So now I’m even more excited to see what the producers of Once Upon a Time have up their sleeves.  And if this news didn’t shock you into the same excitement I feel, maybe this tidbit will: the very first promo for OUAT’s second season has been released!  Just short of a minute and a half, this video is short, intense and sure to keep you hooked!

Tell us in the comments if you had already caught the Rumpelstiltskin and Regina connection and what you think of the new promo!

Click here for more Once Upon a Time news!

Merlin’s Magic Hits Fifth Season with Facebook Game, Hints at Film and Cartoon

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In a land of film and a time of television, the destiny of a great series rests on the shoulders of a talented cast. This show?

Merlin.

Does anyone else get goosebumps right from the Great Dragon’s opening line? I know I do. And Kendyl and I nearly died from hysterics when Series Four opened by changing Merlin from a “young boy” to a “young man.” We’ve watched him grow up, grow into his magic, and now even more exciting things are happening with the popular BBC One series! Continue reading →

Superman in Chainmail!?

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The newest image of Superman released for Comic Con has done a good job of drumming up some excitement for Zack Snyder’s rendition of the comic book superhero: Man of Steel. The shadow covering Henry Cavill’s face directs attention immediately to the Superman costume which looks a bit like chainmail to this observer, somewhat playing upon the steel part of this super-man. Many observers seem to enjoy the return to a more classical style of insignia design as well.

If the old adage “The suit makes the man” holds true, Superman will truly soar and Man of Steel will manage to cash in.

David Letterman Might Have Spoiled ‘The Dark Knight Rises’

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But no worries, this article is spoiler free.

According to Film Drunk, last night while Letterman was interviewing Anne Hathaway, his excitement over the new installment in Christopher Nolan’s franchise caused him to say something that spoiled a big plot point in the film. There is debate as to whether the statement was simply a joke, but many think it was a genuine slip.

The Film Drunk article is also spoiler free, but it includes the video of the slip, so if you want to see for yourself head over and watch. I personally, want to remain spoiler free, so I can’t comment on whether Letterman’s statement seemed like a joke, although I admit it is very tempting.

Are you going to watch?

Tell us in the comments, but please leave any spoilers out of your answer.

Click here for more Batman / Dark Knight news.

First Look at the Ark in the Upcoming Epic ‘Noah’

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Earlier this week, we reported that Sir Anthony Hopkins joined the cast of Darren Aronofsky’s adaptation of the biblical story Noah’s Ark. Now, Aronofsky has given a first look at the set.

He tweeted a picture with the text, ‘I dreamt about this since I was 13. And now it’s a reality. Genesis 6:14.’

For those that haven’t memorized their scripture, Genesis 6:14 reads, ‘So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out’ (NIV).

Also in the cast are actors Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson and Logan Lerman. For more details, see the announcement we posted previously.

This set is a dream come true for Aronofsky. What do you think of it?

Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Comic-Con Shows Footage from the Film Adaptation of ‘The Host’

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While most of the attention is focused on The Twilight Saga, I have to admit that I am even more excited for the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s 2008 novel The Host. To be released March 29, 2013 it tells the story of earth post-alien invasion where ‘souls’ take over human bodies. One ‘soul’ called Wanderer is put inside the human body of Melanie who has been living with the last group of unoccupied humans on earth. Melanie’s mind fights the implantation of Wanderer and leads them both back to the group of ‘rebel’ humans.

The film is being directed by Andrew Niccol who also wrote the screenplay. The cast will include Saoirse Ronan as Wanderer/Melanie, Diane Kruger as the Seeker who is trying to catch the rebel humans, and William Hurt, Jake Abel, and Max Irons as part of the human community she is after.

Some footage from The Host was screened at the Twilight panel at Comic Con this week and ComingSoon.net reported on it. Here is what they said:

The footage they showed, not unlike Breaking Dawn, began with Saorise Ronan’s character opening her eyes to reveal an inhuman coloration. She’s in some kind a facility and has just been taken over by an alien life force. Diane Kruger’s character (also taken over) talks to her and reveals that most of Earth has been invaded and that human bodies are conquered and controlled. This new girl was formerly a famous resistance fighter and she needs the alien inside her to probe her memories.

The scene turns to a series of flashbacks with, in each shot, much of the frame blurred. Ronan explains that the girl was named Melanie Stryder and that she managed to escape the early wave of attacks on Earth. We see a home in Louisana where Melanie’s father kills himself rather than let his body be taken by men in all-white suits with white ties.

When the alien in her body reveals that she has a brother, Melanie’s personality fights back in her head, furious that her own mind is being used against her.

We see the story progress and Melanie go on the run with her brother and Max Iron’s character. There’s also a scene of Irons and Ronan making out against the side of a trailer.

A (presumably later) scene has the inhabited-Melanie being led to a cave in a series of desert mountains. There are men there that want to kill her because they don’t trust the alien within her, but William Hurt’s character (dressed like a grizzled cowboy) comes in with a shotgun and stops them.

A final scene shows a caravan of still-human people moving in trucks down a highway. They’re stopped by a helicopter (the body of which is completely covered in mirrors) and then pursued by cars of a similar design. There’s gunfire and the trucks finally pull over, but two of the drivers decide to crash into a wall rather than let themselves be taken. The footage cuts just as they’re about to collide.

I really wish that I could see these scenes for myself because I’ve been dying to know how they deal with the two-souls-one-body issue. I really enjoyed the novel so I hope that this film stays true to the themes the novel brings up, such as the definition of humanity and opposing perspectives.

What are you looking forward to in the film? What are you concerned about?

Leave your answers in the comments!

Hollywood Goes Musical-Crazy with Adaptations of The Jersey Boys and Wicked!

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As everyone has most likely heard by now, Hollywood will be trying their hands at bringing even more dearly loved musicals to the big screen.  Les Miserables, starring the talents of Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried, is due to be released in theaters in the US this coming December, and will premiere in November for you lucky UKers.

But Les Miz will not be the only musical brought to life in movie-form.  In the light of 2012 Comic-Con revelations, it has been announced that not one, but two more musical adaptations are in the works for the near future.

The first of the illustrious shows to make the leap from Broadway to Hollywood is the popular Jersey Boys, which is based on the story of the rock n’ roll group The Four Seasons.  The recipient of four Tony Awards and a Grammy, Jersey Boys is likely to be directed by Jon Favreau, known for his work on the two Iron Man films.

As for the second upcoming musical-turned-movie, Universal is currently in negotiations to acquire Stephen Daldry as director for the highly anticipated movie of Wicked.

A Wizard of Oz prequel, Wicked tells the true story behind the two witches of Oz—Elphaba the supposedly Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda (formerly known as GA-linda) the Good Witch.  With compelling twists to the old story and powerful musical numbers, it should be no surprise that this musical is among the most high-selling Broadway shows from week to week.

Now the question is, will the film be able to measure up to the hype?

My answer?  I hope so.  But they will definitely have a lot to live up to.  Since it’s premiere, Wicked has won three Tonys, six Drama Desk Awards and a Grammy, in addition to record-breaking ticket sales.

But the biggest shoes to fill, in my opinion?  Kristen Chenoweth as Glinda.  Her perfect comedic timing and unforgettable voice are always a tough act to follow for anyone.  And while casting the roles is still a ways away, I can only hope that whomever they cast as Glinda—and Elphaba—is up to the task of making the movie as magical as the musical.  Still, with the Broadway show casting such a big shadow, the Wicked movie may need Glinda’s expertise to become as popular as its Broadway component.

7 Minutes of ‘Breaking Dawn Part 2’ Airs at Comic-Con

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Anticipation is mounting for the new installment of The Twilight Saga that will be released this November. Part 1 of Breaking Dawn was released last November on a bit of a cliff hanger, with Bella’s eyes opening to reveal vampire red. At the Twilight panel at Comic-Con this week the first seven minutes of Bill Condon’s Breaking Dawn Part 2  were shown. Hollywood.com was there and wrote this description (SPOILERS!):

The movie opens with Bella’s (Kristen Stewart) eyes — picking up just where we left off. She has super senses, and Condon shows it off with zooms to dust particles, water droplets, and more. Looking around, Bella sees Edward (Robert Pattinson) reaching out for her hand. They embrace, and Twilight whips out a signature romantic cuddling moment.

Edward puts it bluntly: “We’re the same temperature now.” The two look in the mirror. Bella obviously loves the new look — Stewart even cracks a smile! She turns and gives Edward a big hug, and her newfound strength catches him off-guard. Frankly, she almost breaks him. When he stands back up straight after Bella’s enthusiastic hug, she gives him a good ol’ fashioned butt squeeze for good measure (and with vampiric muscle, it makes him jump).

Bella really wants to see Renesmee, but Edward insists she hunts first. The two run out the door and into the woods — at super speed! It’s like a Flash comic. Again, we see Bella’s super sense. She zooms in on blooming flowers and spider’s spinning web. She leaps over a waterfall. This is most definitely Super Bella.

Bella eventually picks up the scent of a deer, but she finds herself distracted by a nearby mountain climber (who is miles away). She can see his neck. It’s calling to her vampiric thirst. She runs at him, climbing up the face of a cliff in super speed. (It looks as nuts as you would hope.) Bella is ready to pounce —Stewart’s even looking like she’s in tiger stance. Fierce. Luckily, Edward talks her out of it. Bella jumps straight off the face of the cliff and focuses back on the deer. When she crosses paths with the creature again, she comes face to face with a mountain lion. No big deal, Bella wrestles the mountain lion. So good.

The seven minutes conclude with Jacob’s (Taylor Lautner) entrance. He thinks Edward and Bella look perfect together. Everyone’s happy! It all wraps up with Edward and Jacob bringing Bella in to meet Renesmee…

From that description, it looks like Part 2 is sticking extremely close to the book, and I for one cannot wait to see Bella do battle with a mountain lion.

A second clip was shown at the panel of the Cullens trying to teach Bella to act human. Hollywood.com seemed to really enjoy the comedy of it:

The Cullen family is coaching her on how to move with lots of handy insight: “It will irritate your eyes at first;” “Remember to cross your legs!” “Go slowly;” “Blink at least three times a minute.” “Remember to breath!” Lots of physical humor here in a way we haven’t seen in Twilight. Even Lautner gets a joke, comparing Bella to a cartoon character. Genuinely a hoot.

What does everyone think of these descriptions? They are certainly gettin me pumped for the November release!

Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Click here for more Twilight / Breaking Dawn news!

The New ‘Oz’ Trailer Hits and Actors Hint at a Sequel

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When I reported on the first poster for Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great and Powerful, I admitted that I was skeptical about how Oz would hold up to the classic images from the 1939 film. After seeing the trailer, however, my excitement has increased immensely.

I think the thing that really struck me was that they’ve done the beginning in black and white and done Oz in color, just like in The Wizard of Oz. It’s a small thing, I know, but it’s nods like this that will get fans on board right away. I have to say, though, Oz has a distinctly Wonderland feel to it, probably due to the fact that it has the same producers.

The cast will include James Franco as the young wizard from Kansas and Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz as the witches Theodora, Glinda and Evanora respectively. The movie will be released March 8 in the US and the UK.

While I was searching around for more info on the film, I found this interview with James Franco and Mila Kunis from back in April. They both describe the characters they play, and James hints that this film could start a franchise.

What do you think of the new trailer? And the possibility of more trips back to Oz?

Leave your opinions in the comments!