BREAKING MOVIE/TV NEWS

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Saban Brands Re-Launching "Power Rangers"

Saban Capital Group reports it has purchased the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" from the Walt Disney Company. Nickelodeon and Saban Brands will team up to program the characters on air for an 18th season. with 20 new episodes launched in 2011 and a back catalog of 700 episodes launching on Nicktoons later this year.

Produced by SCG Power Rangers LLC, the series will start new production this summer with original Executive Producer Jonathan Tzachor, a fresh teenage cast, look and theme for the show.

“Power Rangers is one of the world’s leading children’s entertainment properties and we are delighted to see its return,” said Haim Saban, chairman, chief executive officer, Saban Capital Group, Inc.

Following its introduction in 1993 on the Fox Kids Network, "Power Rangers" has been translated into several languages, becoming the #1 boys brand in the world from 1993-97, based on toy sales/TV ratings,


Airing in over 60 countries, the franchise's licensed products/promotions have generated over $5 billion worldwide.

The Walt Disney Company acquired the franchise in 2001 as part of its purchase of Fox Family Worldwide, which included Saban Entertainment and its library of children’s programs.

The acquisition is the first property for Saban Brands, a newly-formed subsidiary of Saban Capital Group, created to manage/license entertainment properties and consumer brands across media and consumer platforms.

Saban Brands also announced a new toy/video game license agreement with Bandai Namco Group, toy partner for "Power Rangers" since its inception. Saban Brands will manage the "Power Rangers" brand worldwide including licensing, merchandising, consumer promotions and brand extensions.

The original series, set in 'Angel Grove', California, followed two astronauts who discover an extraterrestrial container, inadvertently releasing the evil alien witch 'Rita Repulsa' from 10,000 years of confinement.

Upon her release, Repulsa and her army of evil space aliens set their sights on conquering Earth. When the sage 'Zordon' becomes aware of the release of the witch he was responsible for capturing, he orders his robotic assistant 'Alpha 5' to select a group of "teenagers with attitude" to defend the Earth from Rita's attacks.

The teens chosen are given the ability to morph into a formidable fighting force known as the 'Power Rangers', with an arsenal of weapons at their disposal and colossal assault machines called 'Zords', which can combine into the mighty 'Megazord'.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers"...



Evangeline Lilly: "Real Steel"


Canadian actress Evangeline Lilly ("Lost"), is gearing up to join lead Hugh Jackman in the upcoming feature "Real Steel" @ DreamWorks Pictures.

The film will be the first film for DreamWorks since raising $650 million production funding from J.P. Morgan Securities and India-based Reliance Big Pictures. Disney also contributed $175 million to the studio, for the exclusive distribution of new DreamWorks titles.

"Real Steel" will be set in the future, where human 'blood-sport' boxing has been outlawed for being ultra violent and high-tech 'rock 'em sock 'em ' robots pound each other out in the ring instead.

In the 1963 "Twilight Zone" episode "Steel", adapted by Rod Serling, based on author Richard Matheson's short story, boxing involving human fighters has been criminalized in the future, with the field now dominated by 'fighting robots'.

Former boxer 'Steel Kelly' manages an older model 'B2-model' robot called 'Battling Maxo'. When another robot gets damaged on the way to a fight event, Kelly is contacted to see if Maxo can fight in his place. Kelly assures the promoter Maxo is up to the task, as he and his partner use the last of their money to get to the venue, for one last shot at the big time.

But Kelly soon realizes Maxo's functions are broken down from years of wear and tear and disguises himself as the robot to continue with the fight, almost getting himself killed in the ring by a battling 'B7 robot'.

Maxo is awarded half the prize money for an amusingly 'poor' performance and loyal Kelly promises to buy parts to fix up the real Maxo, good as new.


"Real Steel" is one of 17 projects Spielberg and Snider retained as part of DreamWorks' split from Paramount. The studio will finance the film entirely, though not opposed to Paramount wanting to finance half, as part of a 'first-look' deal.

Spielberg has always been fond of robot projects, devouring "Famous Monsters Of Filmland" magazines and thrilling to "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots" TV commercials as a kid, with "He knocked his block off!" becoming a catch-phrase in every schoolyard.

DreamWorks initially acquired the project in 2005 for a reported $850,000, with writer John Gatins handing in the most recent draft screenplay. Production starts June 2010.

Click the images to enlarge...

A Taste Of "Honey West"



Moonstone's "Honey West", written by Trina Robbins, illustrated by Cynthia Martin, signals the return of the world's first TV female private eye:

"Nick Fury: S.H.I.E.L.D." ID Set


"...The next time you're asked for ID, show them a badge from ''Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury', the ultimate way to identify yourself as an avid 'Avengers' fan.

"In a custom display box with the 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' logo on top, this fancy wallet features genuine leather with metal reinforcing to keep its shape, and 2 ID cards (made like credit cards). One belonging to 'Nick Fury' and the other blank so you can be an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.!

"The permanently sewn-in badge is made of solid metal like you'd expect from official government issue..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Nick Fury"...

"Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo"

According to the new documentary "Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo", in Japan, insects are sold live in vending machines/department stores, and are the subject of the No. 1 videogame, "MushiKing: Battle Of The Beatles".

"...Through history and adventure, "Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo" travels all the way back in time to stories of the fabled first emperor who named Japan the 'Isle of the Dragonflies'. Interspersed with the philosophies of Japanese best-selling author/anatomist, Dr. Takeshi Yoro, 'Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo' is set to the rhythm of traditional Japanese values in its attention to detail, harmony, and the appreciation of the seemingly mundane.

"It quietly challenges the viewer to observe the world from an uncommon perspective that will shift the familiar to the fantastic and just might change not only the way we think about bugs, but the way we think about life..."


"Kick-Ass" - The Video Game

Sneak Peek new HD screenshots from "Kick-Ass" the video game.

The action/fighting game based on director Matthew Vaughn's "Kick-Ass" feature film, from developer Frozen Codebase, allows players to take control of the vigilante characters 'Kick-Ass', 'Hit-Girl' and 'Big Daddy', in a 3D co-operative environment.

"...Featuring multiple environments within New York City, players will be faced with eight story missions and encounter frantic super hero action as they face petty thugs and powerful mob bosses..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Kick-Ass" the video game...