For all the talk of fidelity to the text, ''Red Dragon'' will open with some brand-new scenes. For the first time, we'll see the capture of Hannibal Lecter -- a sequence that's shown only in flashback in the book. According to co-producer Martha De Laurentiis, Harris himself came up with the idea to start the new movie by showing Lecter as a free man before anyone knew he was a serial killer. In a scene hinted at in ''Silence of the Lambs,'' Lecter will serve a (gulp) gourmet dinner to a group of guests unfamiliar with his culinary predilections.

The filmmakers are confident that Hopkins (who won an Oscar for his first portrayal of Lecter) will be convincing as a younger Hannibal. Despite rumors to the contrary, they say there are no plans to use computer-generated imagery to alter his appearance. ''I think audiences are pretty forgiving,'' Ratner says. ''Maybe at first glance you're like, 'oh no, he doesn't look younger.' But then hopefully you're immersed in the drama of the film.''

Plus, in the absence of Lecter's perversely affectionate relationship with Clarice Starling (the character is, of course, absent from ''Red Dragon'') Hopkins will get to portray a different side of the cannibal. Says Ratner: ''Hannibal Lecter in this movie is much more still, much more tense, much more angry.... He is Manson. He's a crazy f---.''

Some familiar elements from the Jonathan Demme-directed ''Silence'' and its Ridley Scott-helmed sequel ''Hannibal'' will help maintain continuity. Anthony Heald -- who in ''Silence'' played the slimy Dr. Frederick Chilton, the head of the asylum Lecter calls home -- will return in the same role for ''Red Dragon.'' And the asylum itself, including Lecter's glass-plated cell, will be an exact recreation of the set used for ''Silence,'' as created by returning production designer Kristi Zea.

Meanwhile, Ralph Fiennes will get a chance to create a new monster as Francis Dolarhyde -- a man whose beyond-Dickensian childhood leads him to become a serial killer preying on whole families. Like Hopkins, Fiennes is really getting into his part. ''He is totally immersed,'' says Ratner. ''He comes to the set, and he's in character. And he wears his false teeth and [fake] cleft palate when he's off-camera.'' Sounds like he's waiting for Dr. Lecter to invite him to dinner.

Cameron involved in alien 5? -- Paul

Thanks to IGN for the following:

Director Ridley Scott recently spoke to British magazine Total Film about his upcoming film projects. The possibility of an Alien sequel was obviously a hot topic, especially since Scott has a lot of other projects coming up that may jeopardize his involvement with the sci-fi-/thriller franchise. Among the possibilities vying for his attention are an adventure flick about the legendary buccaneer Captain Kidd, an epic feature about Alexander the Great, and the Willy Eaton biopic Tripoli. Who could take the Alien's reigns in Scott's place?

The surprising answer may be James Cameron (Terminator 2, Titanic, Aliens), who according to Scott is now involved with Alien 5. Scott didn't say in what capacity Cameron is involved – whether as a writer, director, or producer – but it could spell the self-proclaimed King of the World's return to sci-fi cinema, the genre that defined him as one of Hollywood's primo directors. It would also be Cameron's return to the Alien series, the second movie of which he directed back in 1986.

Total Film also reports that Sigourney Weaver, whose character Ripley proved to be the bane of the Aliens in all four previous films, "really, really" wants Alien 5 to go ahead. Understandable, considering the $20 million paycheck she'll get. However, she claims it will be her last Alien film. Sure, we've heard that before! Of course, she is 52, and one can only spend so many years hunting the scourge of the galaxy. The Alien Experience has the full story on the Total Film article.

Blade 3 begins to take shape -- Paul

Thanks to IGN for the following:

With Blade 2 nearing its release date and its producers confident of another success at the box office, writer and co-producer David Goyer has come clean on their plot to ambush moviegoers with a third Blade film. The next adventure of Blade, the ill-tempered vampire hunter, is definitely a go, and Goyer even went so far as spill the beans on the Blade 3 storyline.

The next Blade will take place several decades into the future – and what a grim future it is for mankind. Cinescape has the full story:

 

"'If we get our way in the third film, it's going to take place 25 years after Blade 2,' says Goyer. 'Blade, because he's half human/half vampire, he ages more slowly – he would still be played by [Wesley Snipes]. But when the third film opens – and Guillermo [del Toro] wants to come back and we'd do it together – nobody's seen Blade for like 15 years. Nobody knows where he is. And the world has changed and the vampires have actually taken over. In Blade 3, the vampires are the status quo. They've imprisoned all the humans. The humans are the slave force and are in concentration camps ... things like that.'"

Resident Evil: Nemesis... sequel gets greenlight -- Paul

The Resident Evil movie doesn't arrive in theaters until next Friday (March 15th), but the film's sequel has already been greenlit.  The principle cast of the film had leaked details of the planned sequel during recent interviews, but word was that it wouldn't get the go-ahead until the first film's box office numbers were in.  But today, Constantin Film and Sony's Screen Gems threw caution to the wind and inked a deal for a sequel based on presales and prerelease buzz alone.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, writer-director-producer Paul W.S. Anderson will be back for the sequel in at least the writing and producing capacity.  He'll probably direct the picture too, but that's not been confirmed.  The sequel has been tentatively dubbed Resident Evil: Nemesis.

THR even dished some details on the plot of the film, but beware of spoilers.  They report, as we know, that the film is set in an underground research facility called the Hive, hidden miles beneath the Midwestern town of Raccoon City.  And here's where the scoop comes in:  The film reportedly ends above ground with the remnants of a metropolis ravaged by destruction – that's where the sequel picks up.

And to answer your most frequently asked question:  Yes, the second movie's plot will delve into territory that's at least somewhat familiar to Resident Evil gamers.  The sequel will combine characters from the first film with characters from the video game.

Alien Vs Predator???? Yes please -- Paul

Thanks to IGN for the following:

The writers of the tentatively upcoming Alien vs. Predator film have a completed draft of film script now. But while new, separate Alien and Predator films keep looking more and more likely, the Versus project is still going nowhere. So what's the big hold-up?

Well, Coming Attractions reports today that the finished draft, penned by collaborators James DeMonaco and Kevin Fox (The Negotiator), has a storyline that is "pretty much word-for-word like the Dark Horse comic book (the storyline where the human girl becomes a predator alien hunter in the end)." However, this is not at all the direction that seasoned producer John Davis (Behind Enemy Lines, Waterworld, Predator) would like to take things. And having produced both Predator films, Davis can be expected to have a more original vision for the movie than the average Hollywood writer.

The Alien vs. Predator concept has been popular for many years already, spawning comic books, video games, and other paraphernalia. Davis would like to get away from the storylines that have already been thought up and do something original. To that end, he and his people have reportedly found a new writer to take charge of the project, one they think has the right kind of vision. They haven't said who just yet, but we'll let you know what happens.

Another video game comes to the big screen -- Paul

Thanks to IGN for the following:

The gang over at Moviefans.de has scored a really neat scoop from the House of the Dead game-to-film adaptation.  They've gotten their hands on a visual effects breakdown from Canadian effects house Rainmaker Digital Pictures, who will be working on the film.

The sheet gives some interesting details about the effects that are needed during the movie's opening sequence.  The opening is basically a back-in-time sequence that sets up the modern day events of the film.  Beware of some minor spoilers below.

In the first shot of the film, we'll see a Spanish galleon (CG-animated) cruising the stormy Atlantic.  And we cut to the inside of the ship where we see a man (Castillo) chained inside his cell.  The man frees himself from the chains, his bones snapping and popping, and attacks the ship's captain.  The captain only has time to scream in terror before Castillo unsheathes a blade and mercilessly eviscerates him.

From the looks of things, scribe Mark Altman (Free Enterprise) and Dave Parker (The Dead Hate the Living) haven't pulled any punches in terms of gore.  Check the sheet out for yourself here.

The film, helmed by German director Uwe Boll, is actually a prequel to the House of the Dead games.  The story is set on an island off the coast of Florida that is inhabited by zombies, monsters and creatures that wreak havoc on land, in the air and in the water. A rave being held on the island attracts an eclectic group that includes some college coeds and a Coast Guard officer, among others.  The group battles for their lives against an evil entity that resides in "The House of the Dead."

Upcoming Horror DVDs on Region 1 and 2 -- Paul

The following is a list of upcoming DVD releases scheduled for both Region 1 and Region 2 markets:

Region 1 (USA):

13 Gantry Row - 19/03/02

And Now The Screaming Starts: Special Edition - 30/04/02

Arachnid - 26/03/02

Back Lot Murders - 9/04/02

Biker Zombies - 2/04/02

Cannibal Apocalypse: Spec.Ed. - 19/03/02

Carnival Of Blood/ Curse Of The Headless Horseman: Spec.Ed. - 16/04/02

Dark Asylum - 5/03/02

Dark Shadows Set #1 - 30/04/02

Devil Doll: Spec. Ed. - 30/04/02

Dracula: The Dark Prince: Spec.Ed. - 23/04/02

Euro Shockers - 12/03/02

Evil Dead: Book Of The Dead Ltd. Spec.Ed. - 5/03/02

Fatal Attraction: Spec.Ed - 16/04/02

Flesh Hunter - 12/3/02

Guru: The Mad Monk - 19/03/02

Homicidal - 12/03/02

Knight Chills - 2/04/02

Mr. Sardonicus - 12/03/02

Night Of The Living Dead: Millennium Ed. - 12/03/02

Nomads - 16/04/02

Stage Ghost - 23/04/02

13 Ghosts - 2/04/02

Toxic Avenger 3: The Last Temptation Of Toxie - 16/04/02

Unseen Evil - 26/03/02

Vampire Obsession - 26/03/02

Voodoo Nightmare - 23/04/02

Watcher In The Woods: Spec.Ed. - 2/04/02

Winter Lily - 19/03/02

Zombie Holocaust - 26/03/02

Region 2 (UK):

Amityville Dollhouse - 11/03/02

Camp Blood 2 - 11/03/02

Children Of The Corn - 11/03/02

Children Of The Corn 2 - 11/03/02

Children Of The Corn 3 - 11/03/02

Cradle Of Fear - 22/04/02

Curse Of The Puppet Master - 11/03/02

Demon Fire (Witchhouse 3) - 11/03/02

Doomwatch - 29/04/02

Emmanuel & The Last Cannibals - 22/04/02

Evil Dead: Book Of The Dead Spec.Ed. - 18/03/02

Female Vampire (Bare Breasted Countess) - 25/03/02

Friday The 13th Part 5: A New Beginning - 18/03/02

Friday The 13th Part 6: Jason Lives - 8/04/02

Hellgate - 11/03/02

Madman - 25/03/02

Octopus - 11/03.02

She Devils On Wheels - 25/03/02

Skeletons In The Closet - 18/03/02

The Awful Dr. Orlof - 25/03/02

The Bloodsuckers - 11/03/02

The Creeping Flesh - 10/06/02

The Forsaken (Desert Vampires) - 25/03/02

The Frightening - 11/03/02

The Gore Gore Girls - 25/03/02

The Hole - 25/03/02

The Hunchback Of Notre Dame - 22/04/02

The Indestructible Man - 25/03/02

The Living Dead At Manchester Morgue - 8/04/02

The Vampire Lovers - 18/03/02

The Wicker Man: Spec.Ed. - 22/04/02

The Wizard Of Gore - 11/03/02

They Crawl - 29/04/02

Witchcraft - 11/03/02

Zombie Creeping Flesh - 22/04/02

Zombie Flesh Eaters 2 - 11/03/02

Release dates are accurate at time of press. Thanks to DC-DVD and Play for the dates.

28/2/02

News on Exorcist 4:1 -- Adrian

Liam Neeson will play the part of a younger Father Merrin in the Exorcist prequel EXORCIST 4:1, the part originated by Max Von Sydow in 1973. Neeson will play the character about thirty years younger than in the first picture. The prequel will tell us the story of Father Merrin's first encounter with demonic forces in Africa, shortly after the conclusion of World War II. The movie's screenplay has been written by William Wisher (Terminator 2) and Caleb Carr (author of The Alienist), and John Frankenheimer (Reindeer Games) will direct. Shooting of The Exorcist 4:1 is scheduled to begin in early summer 2002 in Spain and Britain,and both Ryan Phillipe and Billy Crawford have been cast in leading roles.

Hulk out of date... now Hulk want remake! -- Adrian

The big-screen version of The Incredible Hulk is currently in pre-production with filming set to start next month and a planned release for 2003. Eric Bana will star as both The Hulk and alter-ego Bruce Banner. Jennifer Connelly stars as Betty Ross and the film will be directed by Ang Lee. Bana was a huge fan of the TV series (starring Bill Bixby & Lou Ferrigno).

Halloween 8 gets yet another title change -- Paul

The new title for the formerly title Halloween 8: The Homecoming has now been re-arranged to Halloween: Resurrection. The film is set to open on July 19th in the US, with a UK release scheduled for October.

Jason x REVIEWED! -- Paul

Check out this brand new review of the forthcoming Friday The 13th revival, JASON X! Click Here. 

Legend: Ultimate Edition gets usa street date -- Paul

The oft-delayed DVD set of 'Legend,' the film which features Darkness from Movie Maniacs 5, has gotten yet another release date in Region 1. It may finally arrive in stores on 5/21. The Region 4 version has also been recently announced. Assuming that both have the same features, expect to find the following on your 'Legend' two-disc set: The first disc has a new 1 hour, 54 minute director's cut on disc one with DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround tracks, French and Spanish subtitles, and a new audio commentary with director Ridley Scott. Disc 2 features the original 1 hour, 30 minute theatrical cut with an isolated score by Tangerine Dream (that's the score from the American version of the movie), the new "Creating A Myth: The Making Of Legend" documentary, some deleted scenes, still galleries with storyboards and publicity photographs, the Bryan Ferry "Is Your Love Strong Enough?" music video, trailers, TV spots, and some as-yet-unknown ROM features. Thanks to Moviemaniacs.net & DVDFile.

Resident Evil 2??? Show us the first one please! -- Paul

During a chat with MSN, both Milla Jovovich and Director Paul Anderson confirmed a second RE movie is already in progress with the script currently being written - its greenlight status will depend upon the first film's box-office. Courtesy of Dark Horizons.com

Blade 2 Bloodpack revealed and Blade 3 in the works? -- Paul

Thanks to scifispace.com for the following: Timothy Bradstreet, contributed designs for the 8-member stylized band of vampires called the Bloodpack for the upcoming movie Blade 2: Bloodhunt. Some have tattoos, some are based on Bradstreet's 'gypsy white trash' vampire look as seen in several Vampire: The Masquerade and other books. They all bear the mark of the villain Damaskinos, and they are all battle-hardened vampire warriors. Bradstreet added that Tcheky Karyo was offered the role of Damaskinos, but said that Terence Stamp, David Bowie and Donald Sutherland were also being considered. Blade 2 star Wesley Snipes and director Guillermo Del Toro are deferring part of their salaries to cut costs of the movie.

The following come straight from the latest issue of Empire Magazine:

The results of screenwriter David Goyer's labours on Blade 2 are barely cooling in their tins and already Goyer is planning ahead for the third film in the series.

In an interview with Comics2Film.com, Goyer - who originally pitched Blade to New Line as a series of three movies - tells of his plans for Blade 3. 'I've always had in mind an idea for the third one that takes it into really uncharted territory and I'm curious to see if New Line will go for it or not.

'What I really want to do for the third one is set it about 20 years in the future and the vampires have actually completely taken over the world, so they are the status quo. Because Blade is actually half-vampire, he ages at a slower rate, so Wesley can still play himself.'

'In all these different stories the vampires are trying to take over the world,' Goyer goes on to explain. 'For the third film I just want to say, "Fuck it, they've won. Now what is the world like?"'

Verhoven to re-visit the Robocop series? -- Paul

Some exciting news from Empireonline.co.uk, according to the UK's number 1 film magazine, original Robocop forerunner Paul Verhoven has publicly expressed a keen interest in returning to the sci-fi franchise for another 'faithful' sequel. In a recent interview Verhoven said the following on the project:

‘About four weeks ago I was having lunch with Ed Neumeier, writer of Robocop and Starship troopers, and during our conversation we got into Robocop again and we both felt that it would be interesting to do something again, especially that we are now 15 years later nearly in time and a lot of things have happened to the American economy, the American military, politics and whatever.’

‘I would not redo the first one, I would probably do a sequel, the first real sequel. Both of us thought it would be very interesting, so I think if the internet petition (the petition launched by the Robocop Database) were to go to MGM studio that might help.’

At this point, the interviewer mentions that they’ve already asked the star Peter Weller for his reactions, which were positive. ‘Well, yes, I think it should be Peter Weller,’ agrees Verhoeven. ‘But he would have to be resurrected, like he was asleep for so many years and they didn't use him anymore and now in this time of terrorism or whatever they would say OK, he can be resurrected again. he would be laying like a mummy in a warehouse basically and... something like that. I think if you were to do it now you would have to reflect the world we live in now. I would start from scratch and find an inovative story that would satisfy all the people that are basically longing, like me, for a good sequel.'

You can sign the Online petition at by clicking here.

25/2/02

Queen Of The Damned Opens stateside! -- Paul

Another chapter in Anne Rice's 'Vampire Chronicles' made it's way on to US cinema screens this past weekend, with the current buzz not being entirely convincing at all. The movie, starring the late RnB star, Aaliyah, follows the life of the vampire LeStat as a modern day rock star. According to Steve Dallas at Aintitcool.com, "If you’re an Anne Rice Fanatic, you’ll have to see this film. It’ll be like going to a funeral for a close friend – unpleasant, but necessary. As for the rest of you, If you want to see a good movie about bloodsucking, evil creatures, Go rent THE FIRM." You can check out Steve's review in full by visiting the site here.

Jurassic Park 4 on the way?! -- Paul

According to cinescape.com, Sam Neill (star of both Jurassic Park and JP3), has openly expressed ideas on how a proposed Jurassic Park 4 plot should be - 

"I have looked at a possible plot [for JP4]. It's going to take place more on the mainland and dig real deep into inGen's past, a much darker movie, kind of a government conspiracy cover-up that was suggested in a line in JP3. We plan to return to the island with a new band of people, except this time, its not only the dinosaurs that kill people, but I think the idea is that it will be one of the team.”

Take that as you will. I personally did not like JP3, but then again, I'm not proposing another one. We'll bring more on this story as it develops. 

THE UNDEAD GO OFFICIAL! -- Paul

The anticipated Australian indie flick, 'The Undead' now has it's very own official site. The site is jam packed with pics and teasers, pictures and a brand new trailer to wet your appetite! More news on the film's release date to come.

ARNIE MEETS HIS MATCH IN TERMINATOR 3 -- Paul

According to Vanity magazine 22-year-old model Kristanna Loken will play the female Terminator (TX) in the upcoming sequel to the previous Terminator movies. The following is courtesy of The Unofficial fan page: 

Kristanna Loken will be the terminatrix who goes up against Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machine," Variety reports.

Loken, a 22-year-old actress who starred in such TV series as "D.C." and "Philly" and the film "Panic," has landed the much coveted role of the TX, a cyborg even more sophisticated than Robert Patrick's liquid-metal T-1000 in 1991's "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." She is pitted against Schwarzenegger's T-800 cyborg character in the big-budget film to be directed by Jonathan Mostow this spring in Los Angeles, California.

"T3" picks up the story a decade after the sequel, when a twentysomething John Connor reteams with his cyborg protector to battle the TX. Edward Furlong, who played John Connor in "Judgment Day," will not reprise his role.

Warner Bros. will distribute the film domestically in summer 2003, with Sony picking up most foreign territories. The film is reportedly budgeted at between $165 million and $180 million, with Schwarzenegger's fee accounting for $30 million.

Pitch Black 2 Confirmed -- Paul

According to superstar rapper Ja Rule, the sequel to Pitch Black, tentatively titled 'Riddick: Pitch Black 2', will start shooting in Australia as early as June. Ja Rule, who has spoken publicly of his involvement in the much anticipated sequel for sometime now, also confirmed that fan favourite Vin Diesel will be reprising the role that made him famous. Pitch Black 2 is currently slated for a May 2003 release in the USA and is said to be a direct sequel rather than a prequel as it was first regarded.Thanks to darkhorizons.com.

The proverbial beans spill on Final Destination 2 -- Paul

The following comes from darkhorizons.com:

Final Destination II: Producer Craig Perry, one of the key men in the success of recent teen films like "American Pie" and "Final Destination", spilled the beans on the 'Final' sequel in the works to 13thStreet. One big question, with only Ali Larter from the first film in it - is this a direct sequel or a completely new story? "We like to think it's a clever expansion on the mythology of the first one. It expands outward from the initial thesis in a provocative way. The second movie really could exist on its own. What I like about what the writers, Eric Bress and John Gruber, is that they've created a very straight-ahead storyline that, at a very relatively early juncture, suddenly the first movie smashes right into it. Then they start spinning together and oscillating around one another, and you start realizing the connections between the first and second movie that become apparent. The [writers] use that information to go and do lots of clever, fun, and exciting -- hopefully exciting -- things". Ali's character in the second one is most akin to Sarah Connor in T2 and most of the effects in this are practical with CG only being used for things like wire removal.