Joss Whedon announces new script, updates projects
By Tamara Brooks
July 28, 09:26 PM
"Before [the Q&A], I want to answer the question that's been on all of your minds. I can see it in your beady little eyes - What have I done of you lately? Well, I wrote Wonder Woman...and that's enough about that."
And thus began fan-favorite Joss Whedon's panel Saturday late-afternoon. A lot of people showed up to honor the man many call their master now, greeting him with two lengthy ovations.
Breaking News:
"I'm getting sick and tired of not entertaining you guys enough." To that end, Joss is concentrating on doing "smaller scale" projects in order to get more works finished and out to the mass on a faster pace. "There are so many really creepy things swimming around in my head and I really need to get them out." That got the crowd very excited, and rightly so.
Starting with "Drew Goddard is tall and kinda sexy," Joss then announced that the two of them have collaborated on a script called Cabin In The Woods - "The horror film to end all horror films. Literally." It's not on the market yet but with a statement like that, it should be pretty dang interesting to say the least.
Projects in the works:
Goners - Joss is in the process of rewriting the fantasy/thriller and is his primary focus.
Ripper - The Buffy spin-off featuring Giles the Watcher is in talks/negotiations and, depending on the script, "there's a very real possibility that in the next year [he'll] finally be able to film" it. Stating that he had diner with Anthony Stewart Head "the other night" about it, "As [Head] said, "I'm for it." It will be a 90-minute piece produced for the BBC with distribution later. There are more discussions to be had but "everyone seems to be on the same page...[and it] can happen, should happen, will happen soon."
Sugar Shock - Joss' first original comic creation with Fabio Moon doing the art. Launched yesterday on Dark Horse's MySpace and is 100% free.
Serenity - A new comic is launching in late Winter from Dark Horse. Also, the Collector's Edition of the movie will be released August 21st. When someone shouted out for a sequel to the film, Joss responded by saying the new DVD edition of was coming out because "people keep buying the damn thing," implying that it's a possibility.
He's also composing the score for a short ballet he's doing with Summer Glau. The crowd dug the idea prompting Joss to state in surprise, "Boy, was I expecting silence." Entitled The Serving Girl, he's already found a choreographer and will film it once he's finished the score.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Comic - In regards to the current volume, officially known as Season 8, when asked if and when Oz (played by Seth Green) returns, Joss stealthy replied, "I can't tell you when but you don't have to ask if." He later added that while he doesn't know how long Season 8 will be ("I can't stop writing the Buffy comic. It's like a drug."), he "definitely know[s] how [it] ends and [he knows] how Season 9 begins."
When asked if he was doing anything more with the character Fray, a vampire slayer of the future, he replied with a yes. Adding "[I'm] not sure if I'm supposed to be saying that...but I did."
Angel: After The Fall - The comic he's working on with Brian Lynch, who will be the writer. It will be a twelve-issue maxi-series from IDW that shows what happens after the series finale battle with the evil law firm known as "Wolfram and Hart. " "What happens is very bad," he says conspiritiorily.
Projects not in the works:
Angel movies - "It's called Bones - Season 2."
Heroes - He was asked if he's been asked to direct any episodes and if he would. While he loves the show and would be honored, Joss regretfully doesn't have the time to really get involved, especially since he "can't do a little bit of anting."
Writing for Other Comics - Coming to the end of what his wife refers to as his "Merry Marvel Midlife Crisis", Joss wants to "concentrate on smaller, creator-owned things and filmed entertainment" and will only do solo-shot issues here and there, if any.
When asked if he was working on a musical, while he'd love to, Joss state that "musicals are the single hardest thing to write...Not only is it my dream, it is a plan. As I live, it will happen but I'm not sure when."
A fan brought up the possibility of Joss directing the seventh and last Harry Potter film when the time comes. Whedon expressed his interest in his usual understated manner - "Yeah, I could probably find a weekend for that."
Other Highlights:
An fan requested he do the "Dance of Shame". His response? "Guys...you're killing me. I love you, but I'm not going to dance."
A young boy got up to the microphone and really won everyone over. He became a fan because his dad wanted him to watch Firefly. Initially reluctant because his father usually has "lame taste," five minutes into it and he was hooked. His question: "What was going through your mind when you came up with the idea? Were you watching Star Wars and said, wow, I wonder what would happen if Clint Eastwood was in this?'" Joss responded, "No, but from now on yes."
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
This Just In.......
Star Trek XI news:
07.26.2007
Big Movie News from Comic-Con
J.J. Abrams and his creative team for the new Star Trek movie wowed the audience at Comic-Con in San Diego this afternoon as they revealed a casting coup: Heroes star Zachary Quinto will be playing Spock! And, to the delight of all 6,500 in the capacity crowd, Leonard Nimoy joined Quinto on stage as Abrams confirmed the elder Spock's involvement in the new film.
We've been waiting for over a year now since the next Star Trek movie was originally announced, but there hasn't been any real hard news other than who is writing and directing. But now, we have something to go on! Abrams also revealed new artwork for the second teaser poster. The lettering may be familiar — and once again we get an Original Series look — but this time the logo is inverted and written with starry letters, all on a white background. You can see a larger version by clicking here
07.26.2007
Big Movie News from Comic-Con
J.J. Abrams and his creative team for the new Star Trek movie wowed the audience at Comic-Con in San Diego this afternoon as they revealed a casting coup: Heroes star Zachary Quinto will be playing Spock! And, to the delight of all 6,500 in the capacity crowd, Leonard Nimoy joined Quinto on stage as Abrams confirmed the elder Spock's involvement in the new film.
We've been waiting for over a year now since the next Star Trek movie was originally announced, but there hasn't been any real hard news other than who is writing and directing. But now, we have something to go on! Abrams also revealed new artwork for the second teaser poster. The lettering may be familiar — and once again we get an Original Series look — but this time the logo is inverted and written with starry letters, all on a white background. You can see a larger version by clicking here
Friday, July 20, 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Friday, July 6, 2007
Buffynews
Scott Allie, Editor
BUFFY NEWS
Updated 7/6/2007
I was going through some old mail, and came across this email. Edited for secrecy . . . ! We were making plans for Tales of the Vampires, even as I was wrapping up the original Buffy monthly.
From: Scott
Date: July 7, 2003 4:01:59 PM PDT
To: Joss
Subject: Tales of the Vampires & Buffy
Joss,
Hope you had a good 4th of July. I spent it with hillbillies, so of course it was great.
You should have received a package of art samples by now. Please note the paintings by Eric Powell (The Goon, Arkham Asylum) and Ben Templesmith (Criminal Macabre); both of these are guys I'm considering for covers. Your feedback appreciated ...
Also, I would love to get some input from you on what to do with the regular Buffy comics series. My (modest, attainable?) dream: You give me one page telling me where to go after the conclusion of Season Seven. I really want to move beyond the TV show, but I don't want to do it without your approval and a little of your guidance. I could have said my dream is you writing this for me, but I'm trying to be realistic. I would of course do whatever you wanted with the damn thing, and would really like some direction. What do you say?
Scott
Note the date. July 2003. That was the first time I asked Joss to guide the comic beyond the show. We wrote back and forth a couple times that day, and his immediate response was that it sounded good, but not that he'd have any more involvement than what I suggested. It was another email, two years later, when he first used the terms "Season Eight" and "exec produce."
I seldom go through old email, but we're working on the Buffy Panel to Panel art book, which includes Tales of the Vampires, so I was doing some digging. I no longer have the email when Joss sent Season Eight #1, but as you can see, this email, four years old, set those wheels slowly in motion. It was more than two years before I had the first script-lo and behold, from Joss himself-and so much more than a page of direction.
When he first used that term, "exec produce," in October 2005, I didn't think much of it. I never know what people mean when they apply film terms to comics. "Cinematic storytelling"? For a lot of people that just means panels that are wider than they are tall. "The comic writer is the director"? Then who's the writer? I think I've seen people use the Executive Producer credit in comics, and usually it's either been the editor (who should more accurately be called Best Boy, Caterer, or Assistant to Mr. Bonaduce), or the Editor in Chief or Publisher, or maybe the rights holder. Joss is actually none of those things on the Buffy comic.
He's the Executive Producer.
The job that Joss did on the TV show, there's no perfect parallel in the world of comics-just as no title in comics is exactly the same as "director." Hell, even "writer" in comics doesn't really mean the same thing as it does in film. He was the boss, to whom everyone had to defer-including any writers, directors, or Assistants to Mr. Bonaduce. He guided the creative direction. Executive Producer can mean different things, and involve different tasks, but in Joss's case on Buffy--comics or TV--it means that the overall story comes from him, that the individual stories are worked out directly with him, and that each script goes through him. All talent is hired under his direction. Just the other day, we sent the script for Buffy #10, written by Joss, to artist Cliff Richards, my old buddy from the old run of Buffy comics. But it was Joss's idea to hire him. I offer opinions, sometimes Joss even asks for 'em, but it's all up to the big guy. Another advantage--with an Executive Producer like Joss on board, Fox gives us a pretty open field to play in. There's no better way of doing a licensed comic--because the studio has no desire to interfere with the guy who gave them the thing in the first place. Thank god.
Joss has years of experience of making great stories while working with talented writers. That was his job on every episode of Buffy, though he shared it on Angel and Firefly, and later season of Buffy. He knows how to give those writers the room to do their best work, while making sure that everything stays true to the vision and style. But just as Jane Espenson's episodes of Buffy (or Angel or Firefly) were usually the funniest, you can expect her contribution to be a crackup--and Brian K. Vaughan's Faith arc, starting in September, will absolutely read like a BKV comic.
I mean, why else would the Executive Producer have approached him?
Don't forget about the Equality Now auction on Ebay. Go to this link http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=joss-whedon-supports-charity, or type in www.ebay.com/josswhedon. The auction doesn't end until July 12, so turn in them bottles and cans and do your part for Equality Now and Joss.
See you in San Diego!
BUFFY NEWS
Updated 7/6/2007
I was going through some old mail, and came across this email. Edited for secrecy . . . ! We were making plans for Tales of the Vampires, even as I was wrapping up the original Buffy monthly.
From: Scott
Date: July 7, 2003 4:01:59 PM PDT
To: Joss
Subject: Tales of the Vampires & Buffy
Joss,
Hope you had a good 4th of July. I spent it with hillbillies, so of course it was great.
You should have received a package of art samples by now. Please note the paintings by Eric Powell (The Goon, Arkham Asylum) and Ben Templesmith (Criminal Macabre); both of these are guys I'm considering for covers. Your feedback appreciated ...
Also, I would love to get some input from you on what to do with the regular Buffy comics series. My (modest, attainable?) dream: You give me one page telling me where to go after the conclusion of Season Seven. I really want to move beyond the TV show, but I don't want to do it without your approval and a little of your guidance. I could have said my dream is you writing this for me, but I'm trying to be realistic. I would of course do whatever you wanted with the damn thing, and would really like some direction. What do you say?
Scott
Note the date. July 2003. That was the first time I asked Joss to guide the comic beyond the show. We wrote back and forth a couple times that day, and his immediate response was that it sounded good, but not that he'd have any more involvement than what I suggested. It was another email, two years later, when he first used the terms "Season Eight" and "exec produce."
I seldom go through old email, but we're working on the Buffy Panel to Panel art book, which includes Tales of the Vampires, so I was doing some digging. I no longer have the email when Joss sent Season Eight #1, but as you can see, this email, four years old, set those wheels slowly in motion. It was more than two years before I had the first script-lo and behold, from Joss himself-and so much more than a page of direction.
When he first used that term, "exec produce," in October 2005, I didn't think much of it. I never know what people mean when they apply film terms to comics. "Cinematic storytelling"? For a lot of people that just means panels that are wider than they are tall. "The comic writer is the director"? Then who's the writer? I think I've seen people use the Executive Producer credit in comics, and usually it's either been the editor (who should more accurately be called Best Boy, Caterer, or Assistant to Mr. Bonaduce), or the Editor in Chief or Publisher, or maybe the rights holder. Joss is actually none of those things on the Buffy comic.
He's the Executive Producer.
The job that Joss did on the TV show, there's no perfect parallel in the world of comics-just as no title in comics is exactly the same as "director." Hell, even "writer" in comics doesn't really mean the same thing as it does in film. He was the boss, to whom everyone had to defer-including any writers, directors, or Assistants to Mr. Bonaduce. He guided the creative direction. Executive Producer can mean different things, and involve different tasks, but in Joss's case on Buffy--comics or TV--it means that the overall story comes from him, that the individual stories are worked out directly with him, and that each script goes through him. All talent is hired under his direction. Just the other day, we sent the script for Buffy #10, written by Joss, to artist Cliff Richards, my old buddy from the old run of Buffy comics. But it was Joss's idea to hire him. I offer opinions, sometimes Joss even asks for 'em, but it's all up to the big guy. Another advantage--with an Executive Producer like Joss on board, Fox gives us a pretty open field to play in. There's no better way of doing a licensed comic--because the studio has no desire to interfere with the guy who gave them the thing in the first place. Thank god.
Joss has years of experience of making great stories while working with talented writers. That was his job on every episode of Buffy, though he shared it on Angel and Firefly, and later season of Buffy. He knows how to give those writers the room to do their best work, while making sure that everything stays true to the vision and style. But just as Jane Espenson's episodes of Buffy (or Angel or Firefly) were usually the funniest, you can expect her contribution to be a crackup--and Brian K. Vaughan's Faith arc, starting in September, will absolutely read like a BKV comic.
I mean, why else would the Executive Producer have approached him?
Don't forget about the Equality Now auction on Ebay. Go to this link http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=joss-whedon-supports-charity, or type in www.ebay.com/josswhedon. The auction doesn't end until July 12, so turn in them bottles and cans and do your part for Equality Now and Joss.
See you in San Diego!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Cloverfield
'Cloverfield': What the heck is it?
One of the coolest things about Transformers actually happened before the movie started: A trailer for an unnamed J.J. Abrams project premiered before the film, and it's been causing huge amounts of speculation and discussion online.
The movie -- its working title is Cloverfield -- appears to be a monster flick told from the point of view of people on the ground. The trailer depicts a group of New York partygoers who are suddenly interrupted by a huge explosion. Go here for a more detailed description and here to watch it on YouTube; if the video disappears, just search "Cloverfield" to find it again.
A website for the flick has popped up, though right now it only features a photo. It will reportedly be directed by Felicity's Matt Reeves and written by Lost's Drew Godard.
The rumors are swirling: Why all the secrecy? Is this an original monster movie, or does Cloverfield have anything to do with Lost? Is it a Godzilla movie? Is it a Voltron movie? Whatever it is, the publicity campaign is already working.
Posted at 11:21 AM/ET, 07/05/2007 in 'Lost', Movies | Permalink | Comments 26
One of the coolest things about Transformers actually happened before the movie started: A trailer for an unnamed J.J. Abrams project premiered before the film, and it's been causing huge amounts of speculation and discussion online.
The movie -- its working title is Cloverfield -- appears to be a monster flick told from the point of view of people on the ground. The trailer depicts a group of New York partygoers who are suddenly interrupted by a huge explosion. Go here for a more detailed description and here to watch it on YouTube; if the video disappears, just search "Cloverfield" to find it again.
A website for the flick has popped up, though right now it only features a photo. It will reportedly be directed by Felicity's Matt Reeves and written by Lost's Drew Godard.
The rumors are swirling: Why all the secrecy? Is this an original monster movie, or does Cloverfield have anything to do with Lost? Is it a Godzilla movie? Is it a Voltron movie? Whatever it is, the publicity campaign is already working.
Posted at 11:21 AM/ET, 07/05/2007 in 'Lost', Movies | Permalink | Comments 26
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
One of the Greats
And now, a very special presentation! And isn't this poster one of the most misleading of any classic SF movie?
Oh No! Not Harvey.
Harvey Birdman going down
Who will protect me from these lawsuits now?
The New York Post (I read it only for the Page 3 girls, honest) reports that Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law is ending its run after 39 episodes. The series, which helped launch CN's "Adult Swim" block back in the carefree days of September 2001, will air a new episode Sunday, July 15 (11:45 PM). That'll be followed by a 30-minute sendoff special July 22 (also 11:45 PM), in which Harvey falls into a drunken spiral after his methods are questioned and his past legal wins are overturned.
No word on what will happen to the characters, although I understand Peter Potamus is supposed to appear on the next season of The Biggest Loser, Avenger has something lined up with Animal Planet, and Myron Reducto is going to show up on Heroes -- although it will be a small part.
Artwork copyright HB. All Rights Reserved.
Comments (0)Tue Jul 3, 2007 1:57PM by Mike Raub
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Funny Commentary
No, I don't have an iPhone
I’ve been asked to leave Los Angeles. The iPhone has been out for over three days now and I don’t have one yet. In this town that’s unacceptable.
Okay, I didn’t get one Friday when they came out. All of the CAA agents made their assistants sleep out in front of Apple stores for four days to secure the first shipment. That’s understandable.
But by Saturday afternoon I was starting to get the threatening calls. Did I not understand WHY I had to have an iPhone? Did I really think I could exist in the world without visual voicemail, the ability to activate my itunes, or with no touchscreen capability? How was I going to browse the web while driving? If I wanted to live in the stone age, fine, but not in SoCali.
I pleaded: My Sony Erickson allows me to text message, take photos, download ringtones, play games, set alarms, IM, organize my calendar, and make phone calls. “Sony Erickson?!” they scoffed. They hung up and two hours later my pet was missing.
I called the police to complain. They asked what I was calling on. When I told them they sent over a black-and-white and took me downtown for questioning. Did I not understand the iPhone allowed me to activate and sync video? I said I was allowed one phone call and they said, “Not on a Sony Erickson you aren't.”
On Sunday I went to the local park pool for a dip. All of the mothers became hysterical and yanked their kids out of the pool. I heard one yell, “We value keyboard video in this neighborhood!”
The pressure continued. On Sunday night someone burned an apple in my lawn.
Someday I’ll get an iPhone. I’m sure the price will go down, more keen features will be added, and I’ll again be able to rejoin civilized society. I just have to time it right. I don’t want to get thrown out of Cleveland either.
posted by Ken Levine @ 7/02/2007 04:07:00 PM 2 comments
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