Lena Heady Joins "Dredd"

Actress Lena Heady ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") has now joined the cast of "Dredd" as the villain 'Madeline Madrigal' (aka 'Ma-Ma'). DNA Film's is currently shooting, the $45 million budgeted, 3D adaptation of comic book character "Judge Dredd" in South Africa.

Karl Urban ("Star Trek") will star as title character 'Judge Joseph Dredd', a law enforcement officer from the futuristic Mega-City One' for director Pete Travis ("Vantage Point"), from a screenplay by Alex Garland ("Sunshine").

Reliance BIG Pictures and IM Global, a Reliance international sales company, will finance the live-action feature, based on the 2000 AD Publishing character created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra.

“The main thing about 'Dredd' is that it’s a fantastic comic," said producer Andrew Macdonald.

"Our idea is to make a very hard, R-rated, gritty, realistic movie of 'Dredd' in 'Megacity', so we’ve got to get the tone right. He’s going to hit people and it’s going to feel real."

"Alex Garland’s script is faithful to the original concept that made 'Judge Dredd' a favourite bad-ass hero," said "Judge Dredd" co-creator Wagner.

DNA has also signed Michael Murphy ("District 9") as a South African co-producer, along with Jason and Chris Kingsley, owners of Rebellion/2000 AD.

"The incredible writers and artists of 2000 AD were formative influences on me," said screenwriter Garland.

"This adaptation of 'Judge Dredd' will have an emphasis on adrenaline and realism, but with all the scale and spectacle of 'Mega-City One'. We think Pete’s propulsive, edgy style is a perfect match for the project."

Inspired by Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry", Dredd is a law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine powers of police, judge, jury and executioner. Dredd and his fellow Judges are empowered to arrest, sentence and execute criminals on the spot.

With 'bionic' eyes implanted after a time-traveling mission to the 'City Of The Damned', Dredd uses a 'lawgiver' pistol, while riding a cannon-mounted, artificial intelligence 'lawmaster' chopper.

'Joseph Dredd' and his brother 'Rico' were cloned from the DNA of 'Chief Judge Fargo', the first chief judge. Their growth was artificially accelerated, emerging in 2066 with all the appropriate knowledge for their age, electronically implanted in their brains by computer during gestation.

The name 'Dredd' was chosen by genetic scientist 'Morton Judd', to "instill fear in the population."

In 2070 the Dredds saw action for the first time during the 'Atomic Wars', when as cadets, they were temporarily fast-tracked through the 'Academy Of Law', assigned the rank of full judge and sent to restore order, after the US Justice Department deposed 'President Booth'. Joseph excelled as a judge, rapidly gaining promotion to the rank of senior judge, saving the world from being destroyed during the 'Fourth World War'.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Judge Dredd"...

The Hair-Raising Adventures Of "Vidal Sassoon"

Sneak Peek the poster supporting director Craig Teper's upcoming documentary "Vidal Sassoon: The Movie" :

"...'Vidal Sassoon: The Movie' is a true rags-to-riches tale, tracing Sassoon's path from a London orphanage to international success and celebrity. Producer Michael Gordon, founder of hair care company Bumble and bumble, first set out to document Vidal's life in a richly visual book about icons in the world of hairdressing. What started as an 80th birthday tribute to Sassoon became a movie when Gordon brought on director Craig Teper.

"While chronicling the fashion, style and social revolutions of the 1960s, 'Vidal Sassoon: The Movie", shows how Sassoon revolutionized the world of hair with his pioneering, geometric, Bauhaus-inspired styles and 'wash and wear' philosophy, literally changing the way women look and cut their hair today..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Vidal Sassoon: The Movie"...

Production Up In LA

According to non-profit "Film L.A.", whose core service provides centralized coordination of on-location filming permits, production of movies, TV shows and commercials was up 15 percent in the Los Angeles region in 2010, with 43,646 permitted production days in Los Angeles last year, compared to 37,979 counted for 2009.

Commercial production in the region was also up 28.1 % in 2010, the largest yearly increase since Film L.A. began tracking permitted shooting days in 1993, while feature production grew 8.1 % in 2010, and 28.1 % in the fourth quarter.

TV production ended the year up 11.9 % over all and 49.9 % in the fourth quarter, with sitcoms (up 77.9 %) and reality shows (up 46.6 % ) driving the growth.

Film L.A. attributed increased production to state film and TV tax incentives...

"Carl Palmer Drum Solos" - February 22

Drummer Carl Palmer, founding member of "Emerson Lake & Palmer" is the subject of the new instructional DVD, "Carl Palmer Drum Solos", due for release February 22, 2011, by Music Video Distributors (MVD).

The video is a unique study of Palmer's drum solos from the "Brain Salad Surgery" era of ELP, through his years with both "ASIA" and his own band, capturing three classic Palmer solos from different eras, at speeds of 25%, 50% and 100%. By watching solos in the slowest motion, drummers can peek into Palmer's methods.

The DVD also comes with note-for-note sheet music transcriptions of each solo, downloadable with Adobe Reader.

"It enables other drummers to get inside how I have crafted and arranged my solos over the years," said Palmer. "A drum solo is an extremely personal work of art, but others can learn from it and develop their own percussive expressions."

The idea for the DVD was conceived by fellow drummer Eric Fischer, who, with Palmer/ELP archivist Tony Ortiz, combed through hours of Palmer-related concert footage before settling on sequences for the DVD, including a performance of Palmer's drum solo from ELP's 1974 "California Jam" TV concert.

MP3 audio files of the solos are also included on the disc, complete with MIDI soundtracks, for drummers to play along. Bonus footage includes a snare drum only solo, a Palmer solo from his ELP-offshoot band "3" with Keith Emerson & Robert Berry; and a Carl Palmer photo gallery, featuring images from "The Crazy World of Arthur Brown"; ELP; 3; ASIA; and the Carl Palmer Band.

"This is not an instruction in the traditional sense of the word", said Palmer. "I view it as more of an examination of my work as a drummer and percussionist, that comes with an invitation for all drummers to join in. I learned my craft studying the work of the great drummers such as Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. Hopefully, this DVD will offer that same kind of inspiration."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Carl Palmer"...

Spielberg's "Terra Nova"

"Terra Nova", the new TV series from executive producer Steven Spielberg, set in the year 2149 follows the adventures of a group of pilgrims transported 85 million years to prehistoric Earth, through a time portal, airing Fall 2011 :

20th Century Fox Launching "Missile Command"

According to reports, the Atari video game "Missile Command" is being developed as a feature.

Released in 1980, the game involves the player protecting six cities from a variety of missile attacks with a group of defensive batteries. The six cities were meant to represent California's Eureka, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego.

While programming "Missile Command", the original programmer, Dave Theurer, suffered from nightmares of these cities being destroyed by a nuclear blast.

Peter Chernin will produce "Missle Command" for 20th Century Fox with Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama ("Dracula Year Zero") writing the screenplay.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Missile Command"...

"Buffy The Vampire Slayer"- Season 8 "Last Gleaming"

Dark Horse Comics' "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" Season 8, Volume 8: Last Gleaming", collecting Season 8 issues #36-40, is written by Joss Whedon, Jane Espenson and Scott Allie, with pencils by Georges Jeanty and Karl Moline, inks by Andy Owens, colors by Michelle Madsen and a cover by Jo Chen:

"Aliens Vs. Predator: Three World War"- June 29

"Aliens Vs. Predator: Three World War", collecting issues #1-6 of the Dark Horse comic book miniseries, is written by Randy Stradley, penciled by Rick Leonardi, inked by Mark Pennington and colored by Wes Dzioba, with a cover by Raymond Swanland.

"...A long-lost 'Predator' clan stakes its claim for galactic dominance, intent on exterminating its rival clan, the self-same trophy hunters who have plagued Earth's history. And if the advanced technology and military precision of this new threat weren't enough, they have an even more terrifying weapon -- a horde of 'Aliens' under their malefic control. Earthmen must now side with the warriors who have relentlessly hunted them, but is the enemy of my enemy my friend or just another enemy waiting for its turn to strike? ..."

"Aliens Vs. Predator: Three World War" will be available June 29, 2010.

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Its Hammer Time For Marvel's "Thor"

Sneak Peek the new French poster, supporting the upcoming Marvel Studios feature "Thor", based on the Marvel Comics character.

"Thor" will be the fourth film to be released in the 'Marvel Cinematic Universe', scheduled to be released in North America May 6, 2011.

The 3D fantasy adventure stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Jaimie Alexander and Anthony Hopkins, for director Kenneth Branagh. Screenplay is by Mark Protosevich, Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz and Don Payne.

"...'The Mighty Thor' is a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of 'Asgard' to invade Earth..."

An animated direct-to-video film, "Thor: Tales of Asgard" will also be released in May to support Branagh's film and the video game, "Thor: God of Thunder', developed by Sega, using the voices and likenesses of actors Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Thor"...

Mendes Prepping "Bond 23"

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and EON Productions report that the 23rd "James Bond" movie will go into production late this year, again starring Daniel Craig as author Ian Fleming's '007' British secret agent.

Sam Mendes who featured Craig in "The Road To Perdition" will direct from a screenplay by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan.

Sony previously distributed the last two Bond features 2006's "Casino Royale" and 2008's "Quantum of Solace".

Both films, starring Craig as Bond, had a combined gross of more than $1.2 billion in worldwide box office.

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Vancouver Courts "Fairly Legal"

Sneak Peek the new poster supporting the upcoming USA Network original, one-hour dramatic TV series "Fairly Legal" (aka "Facing Kate"), from Universal Cable Productions, starring Sarah Shahi, Michael Trucco, Baron Vaughn, and Virginia Williams, debuting January 20, 2011.

"...After the death of her father, 'Kate Reed' decides to change her profession from lawyer to mediator..."

Lensed in Vancouver, June 2010, the 90-minute pilot episode was directed by Bronwen Hughes.

The series was given the green-light for a first season March 15, 2010 with an additional 10-episode order.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Fairly Legal"...

"Family Guy: And I'm Joyce Kinney"- January 16

The new "Family Guy" episode "And I'm Joyce Kinney" will air Sunday, January 16 on Fox, featuring the voice of actress Christine Lakin as 'Joyce Kinnney' :

"...'Lois' befriends 'Joyce Kinney' the new TV news co-anchor, and then is outraged when Kinney airs a negative profile of her..."

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"League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen" In 1969 - July 2011

Sneak Peek the Top Shelf/Knockabout publication "League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Volume III): Century #2 - 1969", available July 2011, from writer Alan Moore ("Watchmen") and illustrator Kevin O'Neill :

"...events take place almost sixty years later in the psychedelic daze of 'Swinging London' during 1969, a place where 'Tadukic Acid Diethylamide 26' is the drug of choice, and where different underworlds are starting to overlap dangerously to an accompaniment of sit-ins and sitars. The vicious gangster bosses of London's East End find themselves brought into contact with a counter-culture underground of mystical and medicated flower-children and amoral pop-stars on the edge of psychological disintegration, while developing a taste for the occult.

"Alerted to a threat concerning the same magic order that she and her colleagues were investigating during 1910, a thoroughly modern 'Mina Murray' and her dwindling league of comrades attempt to navigate the perilous rapids of London's hippy and criminal subculture, as well as the twilight world of its occultists. Starting to buckle from the pressures of the twentieth century and the weight of their own endless lives, Mina and her companions must nevertheless prevent the making of a 'Moonchild' that might well turn out to be the antichrist..."

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ABC Bewitched By "Wicked"

Actress/producer Salma Hayek and ABC are developing an 8-part miniseries based on author Gregory Maguire's 1995 book "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West." The script is by Erik Jendersen, producer of HBO's Emmy Award-winning "Band of Brothers" miniseries. Hayek and Jose Tamez will produce the ABC minseries via their Ventanarosa Productions. "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West", was written by Maguire in 1995, with illustrations by Douglas Smith, based on the public domain writings of "The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz" author L. Frank Baum and seven authors after him who continued writing the book series.

Maguire's take is a 'revisionist' look at the land and characters of 'Oz', including violent imagery and sexual situations, following the story of 'Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West', who it seems wasn't so wicked after all.

It is the first in the "Wicked Years" book series followed by "Son of a Witch", published in 2005 and "A Lion Among Men", published October 2008.

In 2003, the first novel became the basis for the Broadway musical "Wicked: The Untold Story Of The Witches Of Oz", separately in development as a feature with Universal.

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