PeterJackson

The Hollywood Reporter has a quick Q & A with Hellboy creator Mike Mignola concerning his design work on Guillermo Del Toro's film adaptation of The Hobbit. The comics legend was brought in for a week to lend a hand on pre-production designs, but felt that he really wasn't needed -- not when he's sitting beside the same artists who successfully established Middle Earth for Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson.

I guess that answers some questions about Del Toro's design approach. While it sounds like he's looking for ways to make it his own, he's also keeping it in visual line with Jackson's established universe. Mignola has a very specific design sense, and even he seems to think that his work won't be as visible here as it was in previous projects like Atlantis: The Lost Empire or the Hellboy movies.

I've been a Mignola fan since Rocket Raccoon back in the 80's, and I'm always pleased to hear him involved on any project, whether on film or on the printed page.

Peter Jackson is, to put it lightly, a very busy man. As a producer, he brought us District 9, is knee deep in preparing The Hobbit films, has Dambusters looking at a release sometime next year and, oh, a little project called The Adventures of Tintin. His latest directorial effort, The Lovely Bones, is rolling out across the country. And according to one New Zealand newspaper, Jackson may also be working on an adaptation of Phillip Reeve's Mortal Engines.

According to The Dominion Post, Jackson has had the rights to the award-winning post-apocalyptic novels. There are five books so far (the sixth will be released in April 2010) in the series, set in a world where cities have become massive moving entities that most devour one another in order to survive.

Jackson's publicist deferred to the writer/director/occasional genius, who was unavailable for comment. If this all pans out, it should be very interesting to see what Jackson and his Weta Workshop can do with some good 'ol steampunk. Personally, I have not yet seen The Lovely Bones, but just looking at the cover image for Mortal Engines, this seems like the sort of thing the Weta people could really sink their teeth into.

(via The Dominion Post)

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! "

Details on the Guillermo del Toro directed, Peter Jackson produced two-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit have been slow coming so far. Fans of Lord of the Rings are dying to know who, if any, of the trilogy's original cast will be returning in the new films; as well as who exactly will be filling the biggest roles from the book. Well now del Toro has stepped up to the plate and announced, via a translation of an interview with the director that aired on German TV, a new cast member for the film: himself.

Yep, the Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth director has set aside a tiny little cameo in the form of a small monster found in Middle Earth: "I had a hand on the design of the creature and I will personally sculpt the appliances that will be applied on my face and hands. I used to sculpt the creatures for NECROPIA (my FX company) and I miss it a bit. I will have a line or two and die quickly."

That's about the extent of the detail he gives, which has me wondering whether it'll be a noticeable cameo (as Peter Jackson's was in Fellowship of the Ring) or whether he'll be a background goblin that blends in with the horde. Whatever the case, I find it very, very cool that he'll be creating the make-up effects for the apperance himself. Should be an interesting Easter Egg to keep your eye out for when The Hobbit releases in a few years.

If you happen to speak German, feel free to watch the entire interview below, which deals mainly with del Toro's vampire project, The Strain.

Who knew they had antique clocks in heaven?

In a sprawling new fall preview over at MTV, they have up new images for roughly 22 films arriving in theaters over the next four months. Of course we're really only concerned with those that dabble in the sci-fi, and so above you can check out a new image from The Lovely Bones that depicts more of Peter Jackson's version of the heavenly space where the main character (played by Saoirse Ronan) hangs out as she watches over her family who are desperate to find the girl's murderer (played by Stanley Tucci, who some are already circling for awards buzz) and bring him to justice. Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon also star.

Check out the first trailer after the jump, and a larger version of the image above over at MTV.

Last night Ain't It Cool News held a screening of the much anticipated District 9 in Austin, TX followed by a Q&A with Writer/Director Neill Blomkamp and D9's charismatic star/first time actor Sharlto Copley. It was a tremendous film in its own right, but hearing the behind-the-scenes devotion that went into even the smallest of details made me fall farther in love with this special brand of Peter Jackson produced sci-fi adrenaline that Sony will be releasing in the US on August 14^th.

The hour long probing covered everything from what was shot that didn't end up in the film (a 900lb pig launched from a gas powered cannon), to what was written but never shot (including creatures not seen in the film), to what was in the film but never written (the majority of the dialog). I think it's all must-know stuff about what I'm sure will end up being one of the geek community's most talked about films of 2009.

Oh, and don't worry, I've kept the following spoiler free:

Last night Comic-Con was put on pause while we attended a screening of the Peter Jackson-produced District 9. We were prepared for massive amounts of CGI, but we were definitely not prepared for the huge amounts of awesome that were dumped into our eyes and brains. Honestly, I haven't been this moved by a film or a performance in quite some time. Lead actor (and relative unknown) Sharlto Copley brings such a dynamic human performance to the role while going through an extremely satisfying character arc. And in a sci-fi movie to boot.

This movie has flown under the radar for a lot of people, and Jackson himself said that no one contacted them during filming to try and get interviews and set visits, so they just quietly worked on churning out a movie that you'll definitely want to see when it opens on August 14.

Read on for some impressions, and expect a full review from us closer to the opening date.

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?