Posts Tagged ‘Disney’

Venom

Screenwriter Gary Ross, whom is currently working on the script for Spider-Man 4 (set to begin production next year) has also been hired by Columbia Pictures to write the script for and possibly direct Venom, a spinoff from the Spider-Man franchise. Ross aims to make Venom an anti-hero, defending the innocent. Topher Grace, who just signed on to Robert Rodriguez’s Predators, is not expected to reprise his role as Venom from Spider-Man 3.

Related: Disney, who now owns the rights to Spider-Man and the rest of the Marvel universe, reportedly plans to make another Ghost Rider film, as well as Silver Surfer (a spinoff from Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer).

Writer Jamie Vanderbilt is currently working for Columbia to write the 5th and 6th Spider-Man movies. Director Sam Raimi is so far not attached to them.

Sources: Variety, Hollywood Reporter

Miramax pre-reorganization

Miramax films will restructure their operations, by the authority of parent company Disney, consolidating various business and development branches in order to raise company efficiency. This will reportedly result in fewer movies being produced year to year. It was not said how many films the company will now release annually (they released 8 films per year the last 2 years).

Disney itself will also now handle certain marketing, distribution, and administrative functions to help with the process.

“Disney has a first-rate marketing and distribution team operating globally,” said Walt Disney Studios president Alan Bergman in a statement. “This restructuring maximizes operating efficiencies and provides significant cost savings while allowing Miramax to focus on its greatest strength; the creation of high-quality entertainment.” -Variety

Source: Variety

Star Wars: In Concert

The film medium is getting another ego boost, with a collection of multiple orchestral concerts scheduled throughout the country over the next few months that will be reserved specifically for movie music. High-profile venues such as New York City’s Lincoln Center and Radio City Music Hall, as well as the Warner Grand theater in San Pedro Cali., will play host to renowned orchestras like the Golden State Pops Orchestra and Seattle Symphony, with composer John Williams himself conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic on October 16th-18th.

Movie scores that appear the most popular for these concerts include Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Psycho, and various Disney collections.

It is speculated, and apparently corroborated, that symphonies have decided to give more attention and practice towards movie scores as a means to draw larger audiences in order to battle the ongoing recession, which has hit the performing arts world rather hard. It is thought that more people will pay to go to concerts that play familiar and well loved movie music who ordinarily would not think to spend money to see a live orchestral concert. The idea seems so good, one wonders why they didn’t think of it before.

“Good music is good music, period,” says composer David Newman (Hoffa), who often conducts concerts of classic movie music, “and film music is part of our shared heritage.”  – Variety

It’s refreshing to hear such sentiments from an accomplished classical composer, and surely he is not alone. But has the professional symphony circuit truly embraced movie scores as a medium capable of being of such high status as the work of Aaron Copeland, Tchaikovsky, and Bach?

Personally, I of course hope that the great works of John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, and others are finally getting their due by their orchestral peers. Audiences of films and concerts alike have appreciated their work for decades (ex., can anyone not hum the theme to Indiana Jones if asked to?). However, I wont believe that such great artists and their work have truly earned their peer’s respect until after the current economic recession concludes and symphonies no longer feel financially obligated to give them extra attention.

Do you think movie music is finally getting the recognition it deserves? Is the sudden showing of love for them purely to draw audiences for money? Tell us your thoughts by submitting your comments below.

Read more about this news, including when and where these events are occurring, by clicking here.

Source: Variety

December 17, 2010

Disney Studios has released that it officially plans to release its 3D sequel of their 1982 film Tron on December 17, 2010.

The new film, Tron Legacy, is another film on a growing list that will be simultaneously released on regular theater screens as well as IMAX screens. The film is supposed to take full advantage of IMAX’s visual technology.

Source: Variety

According to CEO of Disney Bob Iger the company’s buying of Marvel Entertainment was the latest step in their plans to reformulate the quality of their products, aiming to appeal to wider audiences and earn better returns.

In an article from Variety.com, Disney’s plans are candidly explained regarding how the entertainment powerhouse plans on dealing with the recession, as well as a recent string of unsuccessful films (Race to Witch Mountain, Bedtime Stories, Confessions of a Shopaholic).

The article goes into great detail, at length, providing enough information about Disney’s upcoming plans that a comprehensive calender could be constructed if one was so inclined to record one. All in all it is very informative and illustrates a relatively clear picture of what audiences and fans can expect from the “Mouse House” in the immediate and intermediate future.