Warners Comic Movie Dates

Warner Bros. updated some movie release dates yesterday for their films planned for release in the coming years. Warners announced that its new Sherlock Holmes film, based on a comic and starring Robert Downey Jr. will open Christmas 2009, later than originally scheduled.

2010 releases for Warners include Jonah Hex on August 6, 2010, and Green Lantern, December 17th.

Fury in Nine Marvel Films

Samuel L. Jackson has been signed to play Nick Fury in up to nine Marvel films, according to the Hollywood trades. At one point, negotiations had “broken down,” according to Jackson, but the longer deal apparently made things work for both sides.

The films will include Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America, Avengers, and potentially a starring role in a S.H.I.E.L.D. movie.

Brett Ratner to Helm "Youngblood"

Variety is reporting that Brett Ratner, director of the Rush Hour movies and X-Men: The Last Stand, has been tapped to helm the big screen adaptation of Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood comic book series. Reliance Big Entertainment, a Mumbai-based company which signed a $1.2 billion deal with Dreamworks last September, has acquired the rights to Youngblood for a mid-six figures price. The Indian media conglomerate has signed nine deals with the development companies of various Hollywood figures including George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Ratner. Reliance has also nabbed the rights to the French graphic novel Fly Wires for Ratner’s Rat Entertainment.

Youngblood, which was first published on its own in 1992 as the flagship release of the newly-formed Image Comics, is the saga of a team of superheroes working for the U.S. government. Ratner told Variety: "Most of the great graphic novels are gone, and Youngblood is one of the few comic books left with tent-pole potential. It was a real personal passion project for me, and a lot of people wanted Youngblood, but the amazing thing about the guys at Reliance is the speed with which they’re able to move.”

According to Variety the project is being fast-tracked along with Fly Wires, which Ratner is producing with Sylvain White (Stomp the Yard) directing.

Spike TV to Debut Afro Samurai: Resurrection

The Spike TV network has announced that it will premiere the Afro Samurai anime sequel, Afro Samurai: Resurrection as a two-hour movie on Sunday, January 25th at 10 pm (ET, PT). Encore airings of Afro Samurai: Resurrection will air as a series of four half-hour episodes starting on Friday, January 30th at 1:30 am (ET, PT).

Afro Samurai: Resurrection features the vocal talents of producer Samuel L. Jackson, who once again provides the voice of the series’ protagonist. Jackson is joined in Resurrection by Lucy Liu and Mark Hamill. Hip hop artist RZA (Wu Tang Clan) has created the soundtrack for the sequel as he did for the original series. For a review of Afro Samurai: Resurrection.

The original Afro Samurai series was a major hit for Funimation on DVD in 2007. Funimation plans to release Afro Samurai: Resurrection on DVD on Feb.3rd, just nine days after it debuts on TV, in Director’s Cut (MSRP $34.98), Spike TV ($29.98) and Blu-ray ($39.98) versions.

'Afro Samurai: Resurrection'
Debuts on Spike on January 25th
Published: 01/03/2009, Last Updated: 01/05/2009 01:04am

The Spike TV network has announced that it will premiere the Afro Samurai anime sequel, Afro Samurai: Resurrection as a two-hour movie on Sunday, January 25th at 10 pm (ET, PT). Encore airings of Afro Samurai: Resurrection will air as a series of four half-hour episodes starting on Friday, January 30th at 1:30 am (ET, PT).

Afro Samurai: Resurrection features the vocal talents of producer Samuel L. Jackson, who once again provides the voice of the series’ protagonist. Jackson is joined in Resurrection by Lucy Liu and Mark Hamill (see “Afro Samurai Sequel—A Movie”). Hip hop artist RZA (Wu Tang Clan) has created the soundtrack for the sequel as he did for the original series. For a review of Afro Samurai: Resurrection, see “Review of Afro Samurai: Resurrection.”

The original Afro Samurai series was a major hit for Funimation on DVD in 2007 (see “Afro Samurai Hits ‘TV on DVD’ Charts”). Funimation plans to release Afro Samurai: Resurrection on DVD on Feb.3rd, just nine days after it debuts on TV, in Director’s Cut (MSRP $34.98), Spike TV ($29.98) and Blu-ray ($39.98) versions.
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Matt Smith is New Doctor Who

The BBC announced on Saturday that BBC TV actor Matt Smith will take over as the new Doctor Who for the fifth series, which will begin airing in 2010. Smith takes over from David Tennant, who is leaving the show after completing a series of interim specials to be aired between the fourth and fifth series (see “The Doctor Is Out”). The first of those specials, a Christmas special, was the #2 show in the UK on Christmas day (see “Wallace and Gromit Biggest”). Smith will be the eleventh actor to star as Doctor Who.

Smith first had a major role in a BBC telemovie, Ruby in the Smoke, in 2006. Since then he’s appeared in BBC series Party Animals, Moses Jones, and others.

Steven Moffat will be the lead writer and Executive Producer of the fifth season; Piers Wenger will be the Exective Producer for BBC Wales on the show.

FUNimation Adds Three Series

FUNimation Adds Three Series
'Gankutsuou,' 'Slayers,' 'Gungrave'

FUNimation has announced three anime properties for which it has obtained licenses, one new and two previously released in the U.S. Slayers Revolution is a 26-eposide series following the three previous Slayers series (Slayers, Slayers Next and Slayers Try); FUNimation will release the complete series on DVD.

FUNimation acquired the rights to the 24-episode Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo series from GDH. The series was previously distributed in the U.S. by Geneon.

And FUNimation will distribute the 26-episode series Gungrave for Geneon, in addition to previously announced Geneon titles Ergo Proxy, Hellsing Ultimate, and Black Lagoon.