SF Signal: Tube Bits for 02/22/2008

Tube Bits for 02/22/2008

You may have seen this all over the nets yesterday: the classic manga and anime film, Akira, is getting the live-action treatment, courtesy of Leonardo DiCaprio and his poduction company, Appian Way. They are aiming for the film to actually be two films. Release is set for Summer 2009.

While no official word has come from NBC yet, it appears the cast and crew of Bionic Woman has been told to start making other plans. I'm not sure anyone really cares at this point.

The Saturn Award nominations are out and LOST has garnered 7 nominations, while Heroes gained 4. The awards will be handed out on June 24th in Universal City.

Concurring Opinions has an interview with Galactica's Ronald Moore and David Eicke (who now has more time for BG thanks to Bionic Woman being canceled). It's a four part audio interview, in .WAV format of all the crazy things. Parts three and four are to come.

I know some people care: Buddy TV has some promo pictures for season 4 of Galactica. Nothing spoilery there so go ahead and look if you want.

Want to make postive impact on the future? Then head on over to Sci Fi and vote in their 'Visions of Tomorrow' poll and "vote for the films, televisions programs, works of literature, and the most important things they believe individuals can do to save the world." Alright.

It's time once again to play John's favorite game: The Ratings Game! (cue Whipped Cream). Jericho isn't faring well, with ratings falling for the second episode and coming in dead last for its timeslot. Sara Connor also came in last in its slot with a 5.1/8. If I were a Jericho fan, I'd resign myself to 5 more episodes and an untimely end.

Did "Akira" really need a live action movie? Was there something wrong with the original?

Would you try to redo Casablanca?

Sorry but I can't get behind this one. I consider "Akira" canon for Anime.

The creators of this live action version better be using the animated version as a story board, because ANY deviation to Americanize this will only irritate me further.

So how long till Hollywood fucks up Ghost in the Shell? FYI Lucy Liu is too short to be Major Motoko Kusanagi you Hollywood thief's.

Posted by tditto on Friday February 22, 2008 at 3:38 PM

"Would you try to redo Casablanca?"

They re-did Psycho. They re-did The Haunting. They're re-working The Day the Earth Stood Still. They re-did The Manchurian Candidate.

So, yep, there's probably somebody out there floating that idea. So the idea of a Akira remake is understandable. A friend of mine who works in Hollowood says that it is "safer" to re-do a "proven" idea than to do something (gasp) new.

Posted by Fred Kiesche on Friday February 22, 2008 at 7:59 PM

Personally, I enjoy seeing what a new generation will do with an old idea. Loved the remake of 3:10 TO YUMA, for example.

And to float a very heretical notion: I'd be curious to see what one of the better of today's directors might do with 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY.

Now I'd better make a run for it before the stoning commences.

Posted by DBE on Saturday February 23, 2008 at 10:36 PM