Gore Verbinski

Started by Spike, August 22, 2003, 01:42:51 PM

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MacGuffin

Pirates Crew Eyes The Lone Ranger?
Bruckheimer, Verbinski and scribes reportedly heading west.

Now that Pirates of the Caribbean may be sailing off the silver screen for good (or at least for a few years until a fourth movie can be cooked up), the creative team behind that series is reportedly looking to reteam for a new film version of The Lone Ranger.

According to Collider.com, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Gore Verbinski and screenwriters Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott plan on bringing the masked Old West hero back to the big-screen after a 26 year-long hiatus (the last time he rode into theaters was 1981's The Legend of the Lone Ranger).

The site claims an announcement in the trades is forthcoming. Could the powers-that-be see this as the next big franchise? As Collider reminds us, westerns may be a dead genre, but so were pirate movies until Bruckheimer and company came along. Rossio and Elliott, it should be noted, previously resurrected Zorro for the screen.

The Long Ranger had been in-development at Red Wagon Entertainment with David Webb Peoples (Unforgiven) and Janet Peoples penning the screenplay.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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MacGuffin

Gore Verbinski to direct 'Bioshock'
Universal bringing videogame to bigscreen
Source: Variety

Universal and Gore Verbinski are going into "Bioshock."

Studio has signed a deal to turn last year's hit videogame, which won numerous awards and sold more than 2 million units worldwide, into a film.

The "Pirates of the Caribbean" helmer is attached to direct and produce. "Aviator" scribe John Logan is in talks to pen the screenplay.

"Bioshock" publisher Take-Two Interactive is getting a multimillion-dollar advance against gross points on the pic. It's believed to be the biggest videogame-to-movie deal since 2005, when U and Fox signed onto the since aborted "Halo" pic, for which Microsoft got $5 million against 10%.

Take-Two executive chairman Strauss Zelnick said the "state of the art" deal is structured so that "Bioshock" won't end up in turnaround like "Halo," which is back with Microsoft.

"The reason I structured it the way I did is to make sure it gets made," he emphasized.

"Bioshock" takes place in an underwater city based on the free market principles of Ayn Rand, but things have gone disastrously wrong. Players control a pilot who crash-lands at a secret entrance to the city, called Rapture, and is drawn into a power struggle during which he discovers that his will is not as free as he'd thought.

"I think the whole utopia-gone-wrong story that's cleverly unveiled to players is just brimming with cinematic potential," said Verbinski. "Of all the games I've played, this is one that I felt has a really strong narrative."

Take-Two has been approached by a number of producers and studios since the game came out in August but waited until it had swept most of the end-of-year industry awards and racked up impressive holiday sales before working with CAA to package the project. Universal got a first look and made a preemptive bid.

Zelnick, who was president of Fox in the early '90s, led the dealmaking for his company, rather than set the project up with a producer.

"One of the things we decided early on is that we didn't want to go through a producer," he commented. "It's terribly important to us to have a meaningful influence on how this project is produced. We didn't want any insulation between us."

Verbinski noted that Rapture's art deco design and visually arresting characters, such as the mechanical Big Daddys who protect genetically mutated girls called Little Sisters, particularly inspired him to see the game as a film.

Though no release date is even being targeted, Verbinski said he plans to start pre-production as soon as Logan's script is finished and approved by all involved.

Helmer has been regularly consulting with Ken Levine, the game's creative director, though it's not yet clear if the game developer will have a formal role in the film.

For Universal, project marks a return to the videogame space after the disastrous "Halo" experience. After more than a year of development, during which Peter Jackson was signed to exec produce and Neil Blomkamp to direct the "Halo" feature, U and Fox shut down the project over cost concerns.

"This deal gives Universal the opportunity to have the immersive, addictive universe of 'Bioshock' interpreted by a filmmaker with unrivaled abilities to convey story, action and large-scale, fantastical visuals," said U co-chairman David Linde.

Take-Two is developing a "Bioshock" sequel that will be released in 2009, almost certainly before the film comes out.

Though numerous videogames have been turned into movies and others are in the works, very few have been commercial or critical successes. Take-Two itself has turned down numerous attempts by Hollywood to option its Rockstar label's hit franchise "Grand Theft Auto." "Bioshock" marks the first movie deal ever for the publisher.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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MacGuffin

Gore Verbinski to direct 'Clue'
Universal drama based on Hasbro board game
Source: Variety

Universal has attached Gore Verbinski to develop "Clue," a live-action murder mystery based on the Hasbro board game that he would direct.

Verbinski will produce through his U-based Blind Wink banner, along with Hasbro's Brian Goldner and Bennett Schneir, who also have an overall deal at the studio.

Verbinski will next direct "Bioshock" for U.

"Clue" is one of the few board games to surpass $1 billion in sales, in more than 50 markets. It was developed in England by a retired legal clerk named Anthony Pratt during WWII and released in 1948.

A previous film version was released in 1985.

Hasbro has "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra," both of which will be distributed by Paramount this summer. At Universal, Hasbro hatched "Stretch Armstrong," which just set Steve Oedekerk as writer; the Ridley Scott-directed "Monopoly"; "Candyland," which Etan Cohen ("Tropic Thunder") is writing for Kevin Lima to direct; and "Ouija," which is being produced by Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes banner.

Verbinski followed the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films by directing the animated Paramount feature "Rango" with Johnny Depp.

"Clue" will be turned into a mystery that Blind Wink senior veep Jonathan Krauss called "A global thriller and transmedia event that uses deductive reasoning as its storytelling engine."
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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SiliasRuby

Typical, I read this in the trades the other day and I was hoping for a more inventive director to take this on.....sad.
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When you are getting fucked by the big corporations remember to use a condom.

There was a FISH in the perkalater!!!

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RegularKarate

Quote from: SiliasRuby on February 26, 2009, 12:24:08 PM
Typical, I read this in the trades the other day and I was hoping for a more inventive director to take this on.....sad.

wait... what?
Who were you hoping would take on fucking CLUE?  Aaronofsky?

Verbinski is at least a competent mainstream director who (with the exception of the second two atrocious Pirate movies) seems to be able to breathe life into really bad ideas.

SiliasRuby

You are right and on that same account, why are the bagging I'm hearing on Zach Snyder for 'watchmen'? I think hes perfect for it. Maybe I'm just a bit peeved that they are remaking a classic 80's film.
The Beatles know Jesus Christ has returned to Earth and is in Los Angeles.

When you are getting fucked by the big corporations remember to use a condom.

There was a FISH in the perkalater!!!

My Collection

Fernando

Quote from: RegularKarate on February 26, 2009, 12:37:26 PM
Quote from: SiliasRuby on February 26, 2009, 12:24:08 PM
Typical, I read this in the trades the other day and I was hoping for a more inventive director to take this on.....sad.

wait... what?
Who were you hoping would take on fucking CLUE?  Aaronofsky?

Verbinski is at least a competent mainstream director who (with the exception of the second two atrocious Pirate movies) seems to be able to breathe life into really bad ideas.

yeah, even Verbinsky is too competent for this shitty idea, btw, that monopoly movie project is stupid too...

Quote from: SiliasRuby on February 26, 2009, 01:09:23 PM
Maybe I'm just a bit peeved that they are remaking a classic 80's film.

wtf?! didn't even know there was an 'original' clue movie much less that it was a classic.

SiliasRuby

Yes, its pretty amazing. Very Fucking Funny. Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd and Michael Mckean. Great great film that has that type of 1930's slapstick/screwball comedy about it. Just amazing stuff. Buy it. Its really cheap. Released in 1985 and one of the gems of the 80's. I might just pop it in a few minutes after that bergman film.
The Beatles know Jesus Christ has returned to Earth and is in Los Angeles.

When you are getting fucked by the big corporations remember to use a condom.

There was a FISH in the perkalater!!!

My Collection

MacGuffin

Verbinski's had enough 'Pirates'
Director to focus on 'Bioshock'
Source: Variety

It's no longer a pirate's life for Gore Verbinski.

After spending the better part of the last six years directing the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy, which grossed $2.6 billion worldwide, Verbinski has informed Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer that he will not helm a fourth installment that's expected to set sail in 2010 with Johnny Depp back as Captain Jack Sparrow.

Sequel is in development but not yet greenlit. It's unknown how Verbinski's ankling will affect the pic's schedule.

Verbinski will instead focus on other projects that include "Bioshock," a Universal Pictures adaptation of the bestselling vidgame that has a John Logan script and is likely to be Verbinski's next film as a director.

"I had a fantastic time bringing 'Pirates' to life, and I am eternally grateful to Jerry, Johnny and the rest of the creative and production team," Verbinski said. "I'm looking forward to all of us crossing paths again in the future."

Verbinski is still working with Depp, though. He has been directing "Rango," a CG-animated film for Paramount Pictures, with Depp voicing the title character. Logan wrote the script based on an idea by Verbinski. Paramount has set a March 2011 release.

Verbinski's U-based Blind Wink Prods. is developing several other potential directing vehicles, including "Clue," a live-action murder mystery based on the Hasbro board game, and a drama based on a Wall Street Journal article about the online fantasy role-playing world and its debilitating impact on the real lives of players. Steven Knight ("Eastern Promises") is penning the latter.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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