Michael Bay Gives Transformers 2 Updates

Does it seem all but assured that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will wind up being the top-grossing film of 2009?

Honest to God, I can't imagine another film coming out in the next 11 months toppling the Transformers sequel at the box-office. Mind you, this is coming from someone who hated Michael Bay's sci-fi action epic back in July '07.

Nonetheless, the good folks over at Collider were able to nab down Bay for a few minutes at the premiere of Friday the 13th last night - which not coincidentally he produced via his Platinum Dunes production company.

Among the scoops Bay provided were that 3 sequences have been filmed in IMAX ("It's different when you see Optimus Prime fighting in IMAX - just very different!"), more "personality" to the robots this time out and that the sequel will be considerably darker compared to the first film.

And if there's indeed a Transformers 3, it will have to wait a bit to get going because Bay plans to take a year off once the sequel hits theatres this coming June. Fair enough.

I do recall last year Bay saying he planned to make his sequel stand-alone - i.e. no "To Be Continued..." cliff-hangers like Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, The Matrix Reloaded and, yes Back to the Future Part II.

Then again, he's also made it a point to intentionally spread B.S. rumors in order to throw everyone off - which I actually think is pretty damn cool, but maybe that's just me.

To check out the full video interview, click here.

Exclusive: Is Scott Porter In the Running for the Flash?

A week or so back, our friends at IESB received word that Dan Mazeau (whose Johnny Quest script really impressed Warner Brothers) was tapped to write The Flash.

Now even as Mazeau is typing away at the script, the studio is already looking at two actors as possible candidates to done the red-and-gold suit.

We've received word from a very-reliable source that actor Scott Porter (formerly of the critically-acclaimed television-series Friday Night Lights) is one of those actors.

If you'll remember back in the Fall of 2007, Porter auditioned for director George Miller for his (now dead) Justice League: Mortal and was said to be a top candidate for Superman.

The word is the studio has been quietly keeping their eye on the actor, and been keen to include him in one of their DC properties since JLM fell through.

Brett Ratner Set to Direct 'Youngblood'

Talk about bad ideas.

Variety reports that the Indian production company Reliance Big Entertainment has nabbed the rights to the early 90s Rob Liefeld-created comic-series Youngblood with Brett Ratner set to direct.

As the Rush Hour and Red Dragon director explains:

"Most of the great graphic novels are gone, and ‘Youngblood’ is one of the few comicbooks left with tentpole potential."

Really?

I mean if they wanted to make a feature-length film adaptation from an Image comics property. Why not something worthwhile like Erik Larson's Savage Dragon?

And I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for this to happen. Although it's supposedly being fast-tracked into production.

But I can also recall the God-knows-how-many films Ratner was signed to helm that ultimately never happened.

There were biopics on Hugh Hefner and Frank Sinatra (I recall Ratner talking up a storm about the Hef one), a heist film that was to feature an all African-American cast, Beverly Hills Cop IV and the Conan reboot.

DreamWorks & Disney Together At Last?

After a rather bitter (and public) break-up from Paramount, things seemed at peace with DreamWorks SKG when they inked a distribution deal with Universal back in October.

Well, looks like the honeymoon's over.

The New York Times reports that the deal is off with the Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen-founded production company already in talks with Disney - a deal that could be signed, sealed and delivered as soon as sometime today(!)

The reported culprit behind the ordeal is said to be *shock!* the ecomony.

Actually, it's not a shock considering a number of the big studios are being forced to crunch their numbers. Even Warner Brothers (responsible for the second highest-grossing film of all-time The Dark Knight) handed out pink-slips just weeks back.

Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter got an official statement straight from Universal on the matter:

"Universal Pictures has ended discussions with DreamWorks for a distribution agreement. Over the past several weeks DreamWorks has demanded material changes to previously agreed upon terms. It is clear that DreamWorks' needs and Universal's business interests are no longer in alignment. We wish them luck in their pursuit of funding and distribution of their future endeavors."

All I say is it's rather telling of the harsh-economic times we live in when even Steven "King of the Blockbusters" Spielberg is feelin' it.

'Sex & the City' Sequel Moving Forward

You guys remember last summer when you dragged your girlfriends/wives to see Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull only to have the tables-turned and you being forced to watch Sex & the City the following weekend?

It's about to happen again.

New Line Cinema has announced that they have the cast from the HBO series and last summer's surprising smash-hit (who would be Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis for those who didn't know) as well as its director Michael Patrick King locked and loaded to return for a sequel.

The studio is gearing up for a Summer 2010 despite the absence of a script - at the moment, at least.

I know some are going to bitch and moan about this news. But I don't see what the big deal is.

I sat through a couple of episodes and found it quiet enjoyable. Plus the film grossed around $420 million - there's clearly a fanbase hungry for more.

Warner Brothers Plan More 'Batman' and 'Superman' Films

It could have honestly gone without saying.

Nonetheless, it was nice to hear it from the higher-ups at Time Warner.

Speaking at an Earnings Call yesterday morning, CEO Jeff Bewkes revealed they are planning on more installments of their perspective Batman and Superman franchises:

"We look at Harry Potter. It's fantastic to have franchises that last that long. We want to do that with Batman and Superman and perhaps Sherlock Holmes. The sequals are as good, with new characters added, as were the originals. That wasn't the case in the years ago. Warners has more tentpoles as an on-going strategy taht very much lifts its distribution and peformance. We think that's going to hold up our slate in the 2009 - 2010 period. We've got four more big tentpoles coming this year."

Again, we already knew about the World's Greatest Detective and Krypton's Last Son - their next films are both in the early writing stages.

But you can color me a bit surprised by Sherlock Holmes. We know that Warner Brothers is feeling confident in the Guy Ritchie-helmed/Robert Downey Jr. headlining take on Conan Doyle's legendary detective.

But I always assumed the plan was for it to be a one-shot-at-it solo film.

Garry Marshall Set for "Valentine's Day"

Warner Brothers (via New Line Cinema) is about to release the multi-story romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You this weekend, and the word is it's surprisingly good.

And it sounds like they've got a hit on their hands.

I say that because the studio has now lined up Garry Marshall to helm Valentine's Day - another multi-story romantic comedy from Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein who also wrote He's Just Not That Into You.

Hmmm, small world.

The project is being fast-tracked to meet a Valentine's Day 2010 release.

Are Depp and Penn "Stooges?"

There's just something irresistibly funny about three fat doofuses beating the shit out of each other for 15-20 minutes at a time.

So yes, I am fan of The Three Stooges.

That said, the news of the Farrelly Brothers helming a feature-length theatrical version doesn't ring to me (or damn-near anyone else) as a good idea.

Gossip site Just Jared reports that the past-their-glory-days There's Something About Mary filmmakers are eyeing (of all people) Johnny Depp for Moe and Sean Penn as Larry with the position of Curly yet to be filled.

Now, do I personally believe any of this? Uh, no.

But this news-item was just too crazy not to bring up.

Sly Refuses to Leave "Rambo" Alone

It's official: Sylvester Stallone is that friend of yours who doesn't have enough sense to know when to leave something alone - you know the type I'm talking about!

Amid criticism from everyone (including myself), Sly decided to resurrect his most-popular film character with Rocky Balboa.

And you know what? He's proved us all wrong. Balboa was a well-made and fitting swan-song to the franchise that wound up surprising critics and audiences alike with it's quality and box-office success.

Soon after, it was (not surprisingly) announced that Stallone would bring back his second most well-known film persona - that of 'Nam vet/action hero John Rambo.

And although Rambo ultimately wasn't met with anywhere near the acclaim of Balboa last year, it still wound up making a nice profit in theatres and (especially) home-video.

In the midst of pre-production on his forthcoming action-epic The Expendables, Sly confirmed that indeed a fifth installment is now coming:

"Yeah, we are doing another 'Rambo,' but the conflict is whether to do it in America or a foreign country."

I realize I sound like a dick with this post - certainly not the first time, nor will it be the last.

But seriously, Rambo (like Balboa two years before it) brought the character to a proper and fitting conclusion - regardless of whether or not you liked said film.

All Sly is doing now is beating a dead horse, and looking more and more desperate...

Is Emily Blunt Out of "Iron Man 2?"

A little over two weeks back, word hit that Emily Blunt was poised to play the Black Widow in the highly-anticipated Iron Man 2 - which our very-own Rob Hunter reported here.

But that might not be such a sure thing now that Blunt is set to appear in Guillver's Travels for 20th Century Fox and director Nicholas Stoller (who made last year's Forgetting Sarah Marshall).

According to Variety:

"While Blunt's reps are still trying to work out scheduling so she can play both roles, it will be an uphill battle because of scheduling overlap. 'Gulliver's Travels' will shoot in the U.K. in late March; 'Iron Man 2' is expected to begin lensing in early April in Manhattan Beach, Calif."

It only makes matters worse due to a pre-existing option with Fox - one that was inked back when she did The Devil Wears Prada with the studio.

It basically boils down to this, folks: If Fox so chooses, they can force her out of Iron Man 2 and into Gulliver's Travels.

Now before anyone starts screaming for the heads of Fox on a stick (certainly not the first time that's happened - what with the Watchmen lawsuit), this kind of stuff is common-practice. Not to mention, Blunt agreed to that deal back in '05.

Regardless of how this pans out, she'll be fine.