76 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

WILL PROBABLY NOT HAPPEN:
The Hobbit

Oh no? I think they'd go ahead with this one.

I think Peter Jackson said that after filming King Kong he may possibly start The Hobbit, haven't heard much about it recently. As for King Kong I don't see why they want to tarnish such a classic.

And what's all this about bringing back all these old 80's franchises? Can't they just leave the original films alone? I suppose the almighty dollar prevails once again.

Yes, I heard something about The Hobbit happening in a few years.

Personally, I think he should go straight to the Hobbit now, and drop the King Kong project.

[Kingdom Come]

It is a true fact that all falling stars return to a series that put them in the spotlight and this may be the case for Gibson but when The Passion Of The Christ came by... well, little Mel didn't need it after all.

[Seannery]

Gibson wasn't a falling star at all before Passion. He was and is zooming along at the top of the heap. Passion just made him feel the need to go in other directions. Unfortunately that kills Fury Road--to me a huge disappointment.

[Loomis]

[quote name='Seannery' date='15 June 2004 - 18:44'] Gibson wasn't a falling star at all before Passion.

[Seannery]

Loomis I guess it is hard for us to know the reason. Perhaps it will come out in the wash later and the inside dope will leak out. The only thing I know for sure is that a potentially great project is dead. A shame.

[Kingdom Come]

Top of the heap?

Father's Day?
Man Without A Face?
Payback?
The Singing Detective?

All commercial and critical disapointments.

Seanery, the only thing your are correct about is he never needs to work again,
but that is true of every single star you can think of.

Sly & Arnie to name 2 more often go back to past successes when they are falling.

[IndyB007]

I like Payback

[Seannery]

Top of the heap?

Father's Day?
Man Without A Face?
Payback?
The Singing Detective?

All commercial and critical disapointments.

Seanery, the only thing your are correct about is he never needs to work again,
but that is true of every single star you can think of.

Sly & Arnie to name 2 more often go back to past successes when they are falling.

Father's Day was a cameo, Payback was a hit, Man Without a Face is way in the past, Singing Detective was an offbeat arty project that never was planned to be box office. They poll filmgoers about their favorite actors--Mel Gibson is always in the top 5 with Cruise and Hanks--last year he was number one before Passion came out. He takes some risks but overall his box office has been consistently strong for 15 years. So I have to respectfully disagree on that particular point.

[Loomis]

Sly & Arnie to name 2 more often go back to past successes when they are falling.

Not sure Sly does, KC. He could have done CLIFFHANGER 2 as well as ROCKY VI and RAMBO IV (in fact, I believe CLIFFHANGER 2 was in pre-production for a while - it was going to be set somewhere in the Caribbean), but since the 1980s he's avoided the easy-option sequels (Lord knows he's talked about ROCKY VI and RAMBO IV enough, though).

Mind you, there's an argument that DAYLIGHT was an attempt to do another CLIFFHANGER-type movie, and that DRIVEN was a bid to create another ROCKY. I guess he's always pretty much stayed in the action blockbuster game (or tried to stay in it, at any rate). But I don't think he's maximised his profitability in recent years. His career of late has given off the strong stench of "can't be bothered".

But I've never understood why the big studios haven't put him in LETHAL WEAPON/DIE HARD-type franchise-starter movies. Faded stars like Gere and Travolta are still offered such gigs, and on the face of it Stallone's no more over the hill than they are. Did no one think to approach Sly for, say, FACE/OFF? Or CON AIR? Or.... well, you know the kind of picture I mean. Does Hollywood have it in for the guy? Or is his agent just absolutely terrible at picking projects?

[Tarl_Cabot]

Hey, Tarl,

In my opinion:

WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN:
X-Men 3
Spiderman 3/4/5.....
Bourne Ultimatum
Zorro 2
Pirates of the Carribean 2
Shrek 3
Star Trek 11

WILL PROBABLY NOT HAPPEN:
Conan III
Mad max 4
Predator III
Unbreakable 2/3
The Hobbit
Thomas Crown 2
Rocky VI
Rambo IV
Terminator 4 (not with Arnie, anyway)
Episode 7,8,9
ID4 2
Godzilla 2
MIB 3
Daredevil 2
Hulk 2
INDY 4

FILMING AS I TYPE THIS:
MI3

I think Arnie will do an Unforgiven type of Conan finale after he finishes up his Governor gig. I've heard The Hobbit is definately going to be made with PJ, Ian Mckellen...etc. I've also heard Star Trek films are over indefinately by one of the stars from the 80's series-I hope so; I like Star Trek but I think it should stay on TV.

btw, I just read on Cinescape.com that Lucas has admitted that fans have guessed the title of Episode III and when asked if it was REVENGE OF THE SITH he was coy...or could it be BIRTH OF THE EMPIRE as your thread declared?

[IndyB007]

What ever happened to that rumored Conan picture for Arnie?

[Loomis]

Well, not only is MAD MAX: FURY ROAD officially alive again, but it looks as though George Miller and co. will be favouring us with not one but two new Max flicks.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/45663

Dunno about y'all, but it all sounds rather exciting to me, although I wish that Mel were returning.

Also, if this is gonna be a reboot/remake sorta thing as opposed to a BEYOND THUNDERDOME sequel, then I'd prefer them to call the new film simply MAD MAX.

[Turn]

I was surprised when I opened this thread to read it was started way back in 2004!

If they can keep churning out these Fast and the Furious sequels, why can't they bring back this classic character? I've long thought of Mad Max as a futuristic Australian version of Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name. It can't see it being any worse than the recent Indy or Die Hard updates. At least on paper.

[Tarl_Cabot]

No Mel...dunno...mel is still is younger than Liam Neeson, a huge action star! He's only 54! he doesn't have to have a parkour body to play Max...I just don't like this...I'll probably fold and pay to see this but...

[tdalton]

No Mel...dunno...mel is still is younger than Liam Neeson, a huge action star! He's only 54! he doesn't have to have a parkour body to play Max...I just don't like this...I'll probably fold and pay to see this but...

Same here, although I doubt that I'll end up seeing it due to Gibson's lack of involvement. I wasn't too keen on the idea of dusting off the Mad Max franchise anyway, but would have been willing to give it a chance if Gibson was reprising the part (especially since his starring roles nowadays are so few and far between). Now that it's pretty clear he won't be involved, my interest sits at about zero.

[dinovelvet]

No Mel...dunno...mel is still is younger than Liam Neeson, a huge action star! He's only 54! he doesn't have to have a parkour body to play Max...I just don't like this...I'll probably fold and pay to see this but...

Thing is, there are now two sets of ethnic groups/sections of potential audience who are just as at old Mel in general...

[Loomis]

No Mel...dunno...mel is still is younger than Liam Neeson, a huge action star! He's only 54! he doesn't have to have a parkour body to play Max...I just don't like this...I'll probably fold and pay to see this but...

Same here, although I doubt that I'll end up seeing it due to Gibson's lack of involvement. I wasn't too keen on the idea of dusting off the Mad Max franchise anyway, but would have been willing to give it a chance if Gibson was reprising the part (especially since his starring roles nowadays are so few and far between). Now that it's pretty clear he won't be involved, my interest sits at about zero.

I'm also annoyed that Mel isn't coming back. I wish he'd follow Stallone's ROCKY BALBOA/RAMBO example and give us great bookends to his two old action franchises in the shape of LETHAL WEAPON 5 and MAD MAX 4.

However, there's someone even more important to the Mad Max flicks than Gibson, and that person is, of course, George Miller. Who is coming back. That fact alone guarantees my interest.

If I had to choose between [A] a Mad Max movie without Gibson but with Miller, and [B] a Mad Max movie without Miller but with Gibson, I'd unhesistatingly and overwhelmingly choose [A]. I wouldn't even have to think about it. (Similarly, I'm sure TERMINATOR 3 would have been a far superior film without Arnie but with Cameron.)

I gather that Miller has been working on FURY ROAD on and off for at least a decade or so. Now, he can get other work. He has a very successful career. But he's kept on pushing this project. Which means he's obviously passionate about it. He isn't doing it for the money. Hell, does Mad Max even mean all that much to young American audiences these days? Wasn't BEYOND THUNDERDOME the series' only solid Stateside hit? If Mad Max were such a surefire cash cow, we'd be on about MAD MAX 7 by now. But the only Americans who like the character are the Ain't It Cool News geek brigade.

No, I reckon Miller is doing this for the right reasons and has some interesting ideas up his sleeve. Well, I hope so, anyway. I guess there's every chance that MAD MAX: FURY ROAD will turn out to be the next INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. But time will tell, and I for one am remaining optimistic.

[Harmsway]

I don't particularly care for any of the Mad Max flicks, but I'm quite interested in these new flicks. First, because I suspect Miller has something interesting to bring to the table, and two, because Tom Hardy is in the lead, and I find him an interesting young talent.

Hardy suggested that these new Max flicks are a sort of reboot, but take place in a world that resembles what the world of the originals would be like thirty years down the line. So, presumably, the landscape of things has shifted a bit.

Of course, as Loomis suggests, these could easily resemble such lackluster fare KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL or LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD. But hopefully it won't. Hopefully Miller will take things somewhere interesting. I have the same hope for Ridley Scott's upcoming ALIEN⁰, which could just as easily turn out to be rubbish, but Scott seems adamant that he has something new and exciting to bring to the table (the fact that the original, famous alien will not appear in the film, but rather that we'll see new creatures designed by Giger, backs up Scott's assertion).

[Loomis]

I don't particularly care for any of the Mad Max flicks

Well, I find MAD MAX 2 (while certainly very entertaining fare) preposterously overrated. At the same time, BEYOND THUNDERDOME is better than it's usually made out to be.

The first film, though, is by far my favourite. It has a wonderful weirdness to it, and it's also very Australian.

Tom Hardy is in the lead, and I find him an interesting young talent.

I think we may as well concede the possibility that Hardy may make a better Max than Gibson. After all, Craig proved a far superior Bond to some of his predecessors.

[doublenoughtspy]

I think we may as well concede the possibility that Hardy may make a better Max than Gibson.

He has tough shoes (and leather pants) to fill, so don't anoint him yet, Loomy.

[Loomis]

Didn't they say similar things at first about your boy Laz?

[Jackanaples]

Excellent. This is perhaps one of the only movie series from the 1980s that I'm excited to see making a return. Australian post-apocalyptic westerns are exactly what I need to see at the theater. Happy to hear that's a reboot too. Tom Hardy is a great actor, I'm sure he'll do a fantastic job with it.

What really intrigues me is that George Miller is making the movies though. Without him at the helm, I wouldn't have the slightest bit of interest in this.

As far as Mel Gibson goes, well I'm not going to miss him. His presence in the production would probably lead it down the wrong path.

Now, please let the movies be rated R.

[marktmurphy]

Tom Hardy is ace casting. He's going to be a big star I think.

Less bothered about Mad Max; not a massive fan. If they bring the car angle back I'll be a little more interested I suppose.

[Loomis]

What really intrigues me is that George Miller is making the movies though. Without him at the helm, I wouldn't have the slightest bit of interest in this.

Indeed. I don't think there are many franchises that absolutely depend on one particular director, but this is definitely one of them.

Incidentally, it was rumoured a while back that Miller had decided to develop MAD MAX 4 as an anime feature (and an R-rated, 3D anime feature, no less). Which would have been an extremely interesting move.

http://uk.movies.ign...9/959786p1.html

[Safari Suit]

I suppose Mel being out might be for the best, but I have to admit I'm not yet convinced by Hardy; he strikes as quite likely being another Bale, i.e. a fine "serious ac-tor", but not really possessing the right kind of charisma for franchise-headlining action hero roles. Just my own feeling, I fully admit he could well prove me wrong. Still, as long as Miller is involved I'll be interested, if it ever really, honest and for truly happens. Granted, he's hit and miss, but he stands a better chance of making a great Max than anyone else. And I'm certainly glad they didn't go the anime route.

For the record I too like the first Max best, and feel Road Warrior is somewhat overrated and Thunderdome underrated (which is not necessarily to say it is better). While none were huges US Box Office hits, Road Warrior did quite nicely for itself and became a big deal on VHS and TV.

[Harmsway]

I suppose Mel being out might be for the best, but I have to admit I'm not yet convinced by Hardy; he strikes as quite likely being another Bale, i.e. a fine "serious ac-tor", but not really possessing the right kind of charisma for franchise-headlining action hero roles.

I don't know about that. Unlike Bale, Hardy seems entirely capable of having fun.

[marktmurphy]

He's one of those actors that rather fascinates me, too. I just like the way he delivers lines; much like Matthew Macfaddyen and, happily, Andrew Garfield. Very watchable.

[Loomis]

Well, hold onto your potatoes, for here's a pretty big development on FURY ROAD:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/45706

[marktmurphy]

What; the 3D thing? Could be fun; seems a slightly odd one to do in 3D judging from the previous ones, but I love 3D so it's all good.

[Loomis]

What; the 3D thing?

Yes.

Could be fun; seems a slightly odd one to do in 3D judging from the previous ones, but I love 3D so it's all good.

I'm not as much of a fan of 3D as you are, but a 3D Mad Max flick doesn't strike me as an especially odd idea. Remember an early '80s 3D Mad Max ripoff called SPACEHUNTER? Now picture vehicle chases of the calibre of MAD MAX 2 and Thunderdome-style fights to the death married to today's 3D technology.