NeillBlomkamp

Can we all agree that Neill Blomkamp is the guy to watch when it comes to intriguing new science fiction films? Okay, I'd toss Duncan Jones up there with him, too, but that just ruins the elegance of my opening paragraph. Ruins it!

The LA Times has an excellent three-part discussion with the filmmaker, with Part One about his reaction to the success of District 9 and his desire to work outside of Hollywood, Part Two about his future plans, including further low-budget sci-fi and possibly some comedy, and Part Three about a little bit of everything, including video games, emerging technology and, uh, a District 9 prequel.

C'mon, Neill. There already is a District 9 prequel. It's called the faux documentary that opens the movie. What else do we need to know? Really? I'm not particularly interested in a sequel, either (the open ending is pretty much perfect), but that would definitely be preferable to treading old ground.

Thankfully, the prequel idea comes off as Blomkamp just pondering out loud and not him seriously considering it. The man has big plans and he's way too smart to be that stupid. We can tell that much from the rest of the interview, where he comes off as a man right at home with a lower budget but with a desire to make something epic. Although my second viewing of District 9 left me not loving it quite as much as the first viewing, it's impossible to deny the talent on display. The film world needs more Blomkamps.

The 67th Golden Globe nominations have been announced, with 11 science fiction related nominations in the 25 film and television categories. Avatar leads with four nominations:

• Best Picture: Avatar (Lightstorm Entertainment; Twentieth Century Fox)
• Best Director - Motion Picture: James Cameron (Avatar)
• Best Original Score - Motion Picture: James Horner (Avatar)
• Best Original Song - Motion Picture: "I See You" – James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell (Avatar)
• Best Screenplay - Motion Picture Written by Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell (District 9)
• Best Animated Feature Film: Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation; Sony Pictures Releasing)
• Best Animated Feature Film: Up (Walt Disney Pictures/PIXAR Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Best Original Score - Motion Picture: Michael Giacchino (Up)
• Best Television Series - Drama: True Blood (Your Face Goes Here Productions in association with HBO Entertainment)
• Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television: Michael Emerson – Lost (ABC)
• Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama: Anna Paquin – True Blood (HBO)

Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell both responded to their nominations. Blompkamp says, "we never expected this... I'm humbled and flattered. And I want to thank Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh -- they believed in us from the start and they're the reason we're here today."

Tatchell adds, "Everything about District 9 has been like a dream, and I really didn't think it could get any better! Talk about the icing on the icing! "

I was never fully on-board with the idea of Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) directing the latest adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune, but it's all a moot point now, since Berg and his production company have passed on the $175 million project for Paramount Pictures.

This means the search for a new director is on, and, according to Pajiba, Paramount has their eye on two genre filmmakers: Neil Marshall (The Descent, Doomsday, upcoming Centurion) and Neill Blomkamp (District 9). It's reported that producer Kevin Misher is a big advocate of Marshall, but the studio isn't 100% sure they can turn over a potentially huge franchise to someone who has yet to prove his blockbuster chops. Blomkamp was able to turn his own modestly budgeted original work of science-fiction into a critical and commercial success, but he has only one feature film under his belt so far.

Is Blomkamp the right director for Dune or is Marshall the man for the job?

We pretty much figured this out last month, but it's become official now: District 9 director Neill Blomkamp has signed a deal with Media Rights Capital to begin production on an untitled sci-fi film due to begin production in mid-2010. The great thing about signing with MRC instead of a major studio is that Blomkamp will have full control over the film without studio interference. He says, "MRC is letting me make the film I want to make and that is by far the most important thing here. The film will hopefully be commercial, but it is very much a singular film, that comes directly from me. `District 9' was a bit different. I was learning the process then, under Peter Jackson's wing. He had control, but was awesome enough to let me make the film I wanted to."

The plot of the film is being kept under wraps for now, and all we know is that it takes place on a distant planet. No word on whether he'll be working with a budget greater than the $30 million he received for District 9, though all signs point to folks throwing this guy a little more money considering what he achieved with his debut. Blomkamp adds, "Hopefully, this will be a bit unique, very much a reflection of me. It is absolutely another science fiction film, quite different from `District 9,' but some of the blending of genres and the tone might be within the same realm."

MRC hasn't had the greatest track-record this past year, churning out underwhelming films like Bruno, The Invention of Lying, Robert Rodriguez's Shorts and Richard Kelly's The Box, which isn't receiving the greatest advanced buzz. Will Blomkamp knock it out of the ballpark without Peter Jackson's involvement? Should be interesting to see how talented this dude really is ...

Finally! Proof that going to film school actually does make a difference! Ever since Neill Blomkamp (co-writer/director of District 9) busted onto the scene, folks have been talking about the man's short films -- especially the one that inspired D9, Alive in Joburg -- which have been available online for awhile now. Blomkamp is just one of many new filmmakers amassing a large following online before transitioning to the big screen -- a fact I absolutely love, because not only can we follow someone from the very beginning of their career, aspirings can also learn (and watch) how, in fact, this person came to be.

We've already shared a YouTube playlist of Blomkamp's short films, and now we're going back even further with the dude's film school reel. Blomkamp graduated from the 3D Animation & Visual Effects program at the Vancouver Film School in 1998. After the jump, watch the out-of-this-world, sci-fi-themed reel he put together while still in school.

Now that District 9 has successfully opened number one at the box office (during a very busy weekend) with $37 million, it's time to start talking sequel. And it's not like director Neill Blomkamp and producer Peter Jackson will have to force one either, since the film (without spoiling anything) sets up its follow-up beautifully toward the end. With buzz still real high and whispers of Oscar nods beginning to make their way around the internet, it shouldn't be hard for District 9 to reach between $70-90 million, which would make this small-time, no-name, foreign-made movie a huge success considering its budget was somewhere in the $30 million range.

As far as sequels go, Blomkamp is totally game. Here's a quick summary of his latest quotes on the subject:

"I would do anything to go back to the world of District 9 again. Or District 10." -- EW

"I'd love to make a sequel, because it's so creatively rewarding to me; there's just something about [the story] ... It's my background mixed with the science fiction that I loved. I'd really like to go back to the world of DISTRICT 9 -which, without Sharlto's character, would be a very different kind of movie. So I think automatically the two of us will be reunited again, should the public decide that this film is something they want to see and it's successful." -- Fangoria

Well, it's clear the fans want a sequel ... so long as it doesn't stray too far from the essence of this first film. Last thing we'd want is some big, shiny star-studded alien attack movie that sacrificed originality for lots of explosions and half-naked alien chicks. Or maybe you do want that?

What would you want from a District 9 sequel?

They're calling it this year's Cloverfield, and it's not hard to see why: Directed by Peter Jackson protege Neill Blomkamp, District 9, like Cloverfield, looks to be another alien-invasion story shot on a micro budget and with a man-on-the-street sorta feel to it. Also like Cloverfield, the film has already begun its pretty clever viral marketing campaign by plastering posters in bus shelters across the country, and now they've introduced these two new videos which use footage from the film to warn people of an alien escape.

See, the film is about these aliens who come to earth in peace, but instead of working with them, we hijack their ship and quarantine them in an secluded area in South Africa while world leaders figure out what the hell to do with them. Apparently at some point the aliens escape and, well, I'd rather wait to see the movie to see what happens next. Check out both ads after the jump.

District 9 hits theaters on August 14.

Not long after 20th Century Fox announced they'd be making an Alien prequel, word got out that producer (and Alien director) Ridley Scott had assigned newbie Carl Rinsch to direct what could potentially be a very big film. Rinsch is a commercial director with RSA Films (Scott's company) who specializes in a sort of futuristic style (watch his Saturn commercial here). At the time I thought it'd be a strange move for Fox to hand what could potentially be a franchise reboot (even though they're calling it a "prequel" as to not piss off fans) to an unknown director -- one who, sources say, is also dating Ridley Scott's daughter. Hmmm ...

Well according to Entertainment Weekly (via The Playlist), Fox is definitely thinking long and hard about this one, and they apparently want Ridley Scott to direct the film himself. Also, they might stick to their guns on this and not make the film at all unless Ridley returns to the franchise. Fans, of course, will probably side with Fox on this one -- I know I'd kinda love to see a new Alien prequel from Ridley Scott, especially one that went back to the franchise's earlier roots and focused on one single alien onboard a ship.

This whole thing sort of reminds me of when the studios ditched the planned Halo film when Peter Jackson wanted to put his apprentice Neill Blomkamp on as director. Outcome: The movie was never made, though Blomkamp wound up directing the very cool looking District 9, due out later this summer.

Discuss: Would you be down with an Alien prequel regardless of who directs it? Or must it be Ridley?

Above: The spaceship from District 9

Now that we've entered the month of June, folks are beginning to geek out about this year's Comic Con in San Diego, which looks to be already setting up some pretty awesome (and geektastic) treats for all those who make the trek out there. In a new story over at the New York Times, they reveal that Peter Jackson will make his first ever trip to San Diego Comic Con this year in order to help promote the upcoming flick District 9, which he's producing. Jackson will be joined by that film's director (and Jackson apprentice) Neill Blomkamp.

The film, which looks to be an extension of sorts of Blomkamp's fantastic short film Alive in Joburg (watch it here), tells of an alien race that's forced to live in a slum-like environment on earth while government examines the situation further. (Watch the Cloverfield-like trailer over here.) There's no word on whether Jackson will reveal any nuggets of coolness regarding his other upcoming movies like The Lovely Bones or the first Tintin film, though even if he doesn't I bet the Comic Con crowd will grill him to pieces during Q&A time.

Check out some of the clever outdoor marketing for District 9 in the gallery below (via Flickr).



After the Jump: Will James Cameron Bring Avatar to Comic Con?