The Dark Crystal Sequel Still In Production

In 2005 the Jim Henson Company announced plans to make a sequel to the much beloved cult classic fantasy adventure The Dark Crystal, entitled The Power of The Dark Crystal. Based on a script by original Dark Crystal screenwriter David Odell and his wife Annette Duffy, the project initially had director Genndy Tartakovsky attached, followed by the Spierig Brothers (Daybreakers), who have since also departed. However earlier this year the Henson Company and special effects team Omnilab Media announced that after seven years of troubled pre-production the project was official on hiatus. Seemingly eliminating any hope that the sequel would ever become a reality.

However at a recent book signing in London for his latest book ‘Trolls’, Brian Froud the artist responsible for all the creatures and concept art behind the original film has confirmed that the project is in fact still alive and that hopefully more positive announcements may soon be forthcoming.

Having previously released a handful of stunning images to promote the film, Brian revealed that he continues to work on the project and has recently been producing more images for the Henson Company.

“I can let you in on a big secret… I can’t tell you much yet again. But we’re still working on it and hoping for the best. I’ve actually have done some more designs. I can’t tell you when, or if, or what sort of form it’s all going to take. But I’m getting tired of this all myself, so let’s hope for the best!”

Pushed as to whether or not this actually meant there was any realistic hope for film making it to cinemas the acclaimed illustrator seemed confident and jovial:

“Something’s on, I mean definitely. Otherwise I wouldn’t have done two weeks of… I mean I still actually need to be paid, just to let the Hensons know. So yes it’s that serious. Yes!”

Time will tell whether or not the sequel does finally overcome it’s troubled genesis to finally delight fans of the franchise. Interview clip with Brian Froud below so you can make up you own minds about how positive he really sounds.

Kristen Stewart In Line for Back Roads

Twilight star Kristen Stewart has reportedly been offered a part in Back Roads, the steamy thriller based on the bestselling book. The project already has Chloe Moretz attached as well as Director Adrian Lyne.

Lyne is best known for provocative dramas such as Indecent Proposal, Lolita, Unfaithful and Fatal Attraction. The source material for Back Roads certainly lends itself well to his usual style.

The story revolves around a young man, caring for his three sisters, who finds himself becoming a suspect in a local murder mystery after striking up an illicit romance with a married neighbour.

While Moretz is already confirmed as one of the three sisters, early speculation is that Kristen Stewart may be in line for Callie, the married mother of two caught up in the ill-fated affair.

However, in the wake of media scrutiny of her private life it remains to be seen whether or not Kristen Stewart would take on a role that may provoke some uncomfortable real life comparisons.

Let us know what you think in the comments. Would it be a brave choice or a big mistake to take the role?

Lincoln Full Trailer Released

The first full length trailer for Lincoln, Steven Spielberg’s long awaited biopic of America’s 16th president Abraham Lincoln has been released. The film stars Daniel Day Lewis as the iconic historical figure and focuses on the later stages of his presidency leading up to his infamous assassination.

Hopefully the film will do a better job at capturing one of the most prominent figures in American History than recent effort Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter did.

Lincoln has the obvious advantage of  a stellar cast that includes David Strathairn, Tommy Lee Jones and Jackie Earle Haley, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sally Field, John Hawkes, Jared Harris and James Spader.

Lincoln opens in the UK on 25 January 2013.

James Cameron Almost Directed Jurassic Park

Avatar and Titanic Director James Cameron has revealed that he almost directed Jurassic Park instead of Steven Spielberg.

“When I saw the film,I realized that I was not the right person to make the film, [Spielberg] was. Because he made a dinosaur movie for kids, and mine would have been aliens with dinosaurs, and that wouldn’t have been fair. Dinosaurs are for 8-year-olds. We can all enjoy it, too, but kids get dinosaurs and they should not have been excluded from that. His sensibility was right for that film. I’d have gone further, nastier, much nastier.”

It’s unclear just how much nastier you can really go than being eaten alive by a Velociraptor, so probably best that Cameron didn’t give it a go.

Joss Whedon talks Avengers S.H.I.E.L.D. TV Series

Joss Whedon is already confirmed to direct The Avengers 2 and busy overseeing all of Marvels next phase of superhero films, but he recently added a S.H.I.E.L.D. TV series to his schedule.

It was initially unclear how the new TV show would integrate into the existing Marvel movie universe and how much if any cross over there would be. Now Joss Whedon has begun explain the focus of the new show.

“It’s new characters. It needs to be its own thing. It needs to be adjacent but you don’t want to do a show where you’re constantly going, ‘Iron Man just left, but he was totally here a minute ago.’ You want them to do their own thing.”

On the subject of what made him want to compliment Marvel’s big screen Avengers universe with the spin-off series Whedon added:

“What does S.H.I.E.L.D. have that the other superheroes don’t? That, to me, is that they’re not superheroes. But they live in that universe. Even though they’re a big organisation, that [lack of powers] makes them underdogs, and that’s interesting to me.”

It’s yet to be confirmed if Whedon will be directing the new series or jut writing and executive producing it. But it will be some time before we see the Avengers sequel as Thor The Dark World, Captain America 2 and Iron Man 3 will all be released before Avengers 2 starts serious production.