Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Toy News: Doctor Who Travels to Comic-Con with Exclusive New Action Figures from Underground Toys!



Underground Toys are very excited to now present their second wave of Doctor Who exclusive action figures: The Third Doctor, Jon Pertwee 2 Packs.


The 3rd Doctor figure with Sea Devil from ‘The Sea Devils’ and The 3rd Doctor figure and Dalek from ‘Death to the Daleks’.

These fantastic collector items will be available exclusively through Underground Toys in the US and through Forbidden Planet in the UK.

Product samples of these great Jon Pertwee 2 Packs will be unveiled at San Diego Comic Con at Underground Toys booth #3949 at 2.30pm on Thursday 23rd July!

The 3rd Doctor figure with Sea Devil from ‘The Sea Devils’The Doctor and Jo visit the Master in his high-security prison on an island off the south coast of England and hear from the governor, Colonel Trenchard, that ships have been mysteriously disappearing at sea. Investigating, the Doctor learns from the Naval base commander that the sinkings are centred around an abandoned sea fort. Visiting the fort, the Doctor and Jo are attacked by a “Sea Devil” - an amphibious breed of the prehistoric creatures or “Silurians” encountered by the Doctor not long before.

The Master is secretly building a machine to wake the Sea Devils from their hibernation, so that they can reclaim Earth from the human population. The Doctor tries to broker peace between them and humankind, but is captured by the Master. As the time approaches, the Doctor’s only hope to save the human race lies in sabotaging the device and entombing the Sea Devils.

Contents
This set features an exclusive Underground Toys action figure of the dynamic 3rd Doctor as played by Jon Pertwee with a magnificent Sea Devil figure with brand new and updated decoration. The Doctors cloak is removable and he comes with his trusty Sonic Screwdriver.

The 3rd Doctor figure and Dalek from ‘Death to the Daleks’
The Doctor and Sarah Jane arrive on the planet Exxilon, where all electrical energy is drained off by an unknown force. The Doctor meets a Marine Space Corps expedition from Earth, stranded by the energy drain, who tell him that a plague is sweeping the galaxy and that the antidote, parrinium, can be found only on Exxilon. Sarah meanwhile discovers a magnificent white edifice with a flashing beacon on top, but is captured by a group of savage Exxilons to be sacrificed for defiling their city.

The Doctor and the humans enter into an uneasy alliance with a group of Daleks who also land on the planet and whose weapons are also drained of energy. Rescuing Sarah, the Doctor and Marines escape into the tunnels around the city with Bellal, an enlightened native, as the Daleks reinforcements arrive, blazing machine guns in place of their energy weapons.

Contents
This set features an exclusive Underground Toys action figure of the dynamic 3rd Doctor as played by Jon Pertwee with Blue jacket and high boots. It also features a splendid looking Dalek resplendent in Silver and black livery and sporting a machine gun. The Doctor comes with his trusty Sonic Screwdriver.
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TV News: KONAMI AND ADULT SWIM ANNOUNCE METALOCALYPSE: DETHGAME FOR XBOX® LIVE ARCADE AND PLAYSTATION® NETWORK



Konami and Cartoon Network Enterprises Partner to Bring the Brutal Adventures of Dethklok to Next Generation Consoles This Fall


Konami announced today that a video game based on the hit Adult Swim series Metalocalypse is currently in development for Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®Network. Created by series co-creator Brendon Small and based on the top-rated Adult Swim animated series, the upcoming Metalocalypse: Dethgame will immerse players into the world of Dethklok, the world’s most brutal Norwegian heavy metal band.

“Konami is excited to partner with Cartoon Network Enterprises on Adult Swim’s Metalocalypse,” said Careen Yapp, Vice President of Licensing and Business Development for Konami. “Our position as industry leader in creating unique gaming experiences through licensed material coupled with Adult Swim’s pedigree as leader in creating ground-breaking programming is what is going to make Metalocalypse such a great project for us to publish.”

“Since its debut on Adult Swim, Metalocalypse has built a solid fan base and become synonymous with two things – animated destruction and metal,” said Christina Miller, vice president, Cartoon Network Enterprises, the licensing and merchandising arm of Adult Swim. “Working closely with Konami and the show’s creators, we have found a way to incorporate both of those qualities into our first video game for the brand and provide a truly authentic gaming experience.”

“We have gone above and beyond and found the biggest nerds in the industry to help develop and deliver what will without a doubt be the most successful downloadable cartoon death metal game in recorded history,” said Small. “I defy anyone to find another death metal cartoon that can claim the same. But I think the most important thing to remember beyond the record setting CD sales and astounding ratings and growing rabid fans around the world is that this game is going to be a blast to play. I am very excited to be a part of making video games metal."

In Metalocalypse: Dethgame, players will be immersed in the world of Dethklok. As a Klokateer, one of the band’s loyal roadies, players will be unleashed on a heinous rampage against rabid mutant fans in brutal combat. Fight mutants, explore the rooms and dungeons of Mordhaus and protect the METAL faithful. All of this action set to the music of Dethklok, including tracks from the best-selling Dethklok: The Dethalbum. Additionally, the game will feature three all-new songs from Williams Street Records’ Dethklok 2 which will be available later this fall. Complete with mini-games, Metalocalypse provides an optimal gaming experience rarely seen in a downloadable game.

Developed by Frozen Codebase, Metalocalypse is slated for release in Q4 2009. For more information on Metalocalypse, please visit:
www.konami.com/metalocalypse
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Movie News: Magdalena attaches writer and director




GALE ANNE HURD’S VALHALLA MOTION PICTURES, PLATINUM STUDIOS AND TOP COW PRODUCTIONS HAVE ATTACHED RYUHEI KITAMURA TO DIRECT AND HOLLY BRIX TO WRITE “MAGDALENA”


Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Motion Pictures and Platinum Studios, Inc. (OTCBB: PDOS), an entertainment company that controls an international library of more than 5,600 comic book characters which it adapts, produces and licenses for all forms of media and Top Cow Productions, an entertainment company specializing in building intellectual properties through comic book and graphic novel publication, have attached Ryuhei Kitamura to direct and Holly Brix to write the feature film “Magdalena” based on Top Cow’s comic book character “Magdalena.”



Kitamura previously directed “Midnight Meat Train” for Lionsgate and Lakeshore Entertainment, and he has directed numerous Japanese films including “Godzilla: Final Wars,” “Love Death,” “Sky High” and “Azumi” among many others.



“Brix previously wrote “The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations” released in January by Lionsgate and After Dark Films, adapted thriller “The Lost Girls” for MTV Films with Michelle Manning producing, rewrote “Smooth Operator” at Warner Bros for Jerry Weintraub Productions, and wrote “Mile Zero” set up at Phoenix Pictures with Marcel Langenegger directing and Milla Jovovich starring.



Gale Anne Hurd and Platinum Studios’ Chairman and CEO Scott Mitchell Rosenberg are set to produce. Top Cow’s CEO Marc Silvestri (“Witchblade,” “Darkness”) would serve as executive producer as would former Universal Pictures senior executive Randy Greenberg of The Greenberg Group, who helped negotiate the deal. Matt Hawkins, President of Top Cow Productions, is set to co-produce.



“Both Kitamura and Brix bring very unique visions to ‘Magdalena,’” said Hurd. “Kitamura’s visual style coupled with Brix imaginative narrative will truly make ‘Magdalena’ a compelling film on screen” added Hurd.



“We have wanted to work with Kitamura for some time and his appetite for the material is infectious,” said Rosenberg. “Brix has been on our radar, and we are thrilled that she has agreed to be a part of this project.”


“Magdalena is a very complex but visually stunning world and we believe that Kitamura and Brix are the right talents to bring this to life” said Silvestri.

Gale Anne Hurd and Valhalla Motion Pictures most recently produced the blockbuster feature The Incredible Hulk for Marvel Studios and Universal Pictures and Punisher: War Zone for Lionsgate and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Hurd has produced more than two dozen feature films that have generated billions of dollars of revenue. Her other credits include The Terminator, Aliens, Armageddon, Aeon Flux, The Punisher, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Terminator 3: Rise of The Machines among others. Hurd is also producer of the feature film “The Boston Stranglers” to be directed by Brian De Palma. She is executive producer of the upcoming Lifetime Movie Network project “The Wronged Man” starring Julia Ormond for Sony Pictures Television which premieres in November 2009.

Platinum Studios’ film and TV division is developing “Cowboys & Aliens” with producers Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer and DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Kurtzman/Orci (the writing team behind the “Transformers” franchise and the resurrected “Star Trek” franchise). In addition, Platinum is developing with “Harry Potter” producer David Heyman, “Unique” at Walt Disney Pictures, “The Witchblade” with “Wanted” executive producer Marc Silvestri, Top Cow Productions, Inc. and Arclight Films, “Atlantis Rising” with DreamWorks, Kurtzman/Orci and director Len Wiseman (“Underworld” and “Live Free and Die Hard”) , and an untitled project at Sony Pictures Animation.

Top Cow turned Wanted, an award winning series created by Mark Millar and JG Jones and published by Top Cow from 2003-2005, into a $340 million plus worldwide 2008 blockbuster directed by Timur Bekmambetov and starring James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie from which Warner Brothers Interactive released a top selling video game in March 2009. Their hit comic book series Witchblade was a live action TNT series from 2000 to 2002 and an award winning 24 episode anime series in Japan that were both released last year on DVD worldwide. 2K Games, Starbreeze Studios and Top Cow turned the Darkness into a million plus selling video game in July 2007 with a planned sequel in development.
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TV News: COMEDY CENTRAL ANNOUNCES THE PRODUCTION OF "THE DRAWN TOGETHER MOVIE: THE MOVIE!"



"The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!," Panel At Comic-Con In San Diego On Thursday, July 23

From 7:00-8:00 P.M. PT With Creators, Writers And Executive Producers Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser And Stars Cree Summer (Foxxy Love), James Arnold Taylor (Wooldoor Sockbat; The Jew Producer), Abbey McBride (Ling-Ling), Jess Harnell (Captain Hero) and Tara Strong (Toot Braunstein and Princess Clara)


From the warped minds of creators, writers and executive producers Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser, comes the most reprehensible and most guilty-pleasure movie of all time…"The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!," it was announced today by Lauren Corrao, president, original programming and development, COMEDY CENTRAL. Currently in production, the first animated film based on the "Drawn Together" series will be released by COMEDY CENTRAL Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment in March 2010.

"'Drawn Together's' reunion with COMEDY CENTRAL is like marrying an old ex-girlfriend," said Silverstein and Jeser. "I mean, are we doing this because we love each other and are destined to be together? Or is it because neither one of us could do any better? As is often the case, it's probably both."

"Matt and Dave are a creatively talented duo with a twisted sensibility that is completely uninhibited and admirable," said Corrao. "Without the constraints of producing for basic cable, this movie will showcase their chops the way fans of the show have been waiting for."

"The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" stars the incorrigible cast of the most hilarious animated reality show ever to air on basic cable. When the mystery-solving musician, Foxxy, notices she and her fellow housemates can curse without being bleeped - something they’ve never been able to do before - they realize that their show has been cancelled. Determined to get back on the air, they venture to such far-off lands as Bedrock, a Fairy Tale Village and the fantastical Make-a-Point Land, all the while outrunning their enemies who are hell bent on keeping them off the air and are prepared to use any means necessary to do so.

"The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" is bigger, badder and uncensored and certainly lives up to its tainted heritage and provides the audience with a not-so-healthy heaping of what everyone has come to know and secretly love from the show. Namely, copious amounts of drunken-revelry, taboo-busting and cartoon-on-cartoon violence.

A "The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!" panel will be held at Comic-Con in San Diego on Thursday, July 23 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. PT in room 6BCF. Join Silverstein, Jeser and stars Cree Summer (Foxxy Love, "Transformers: Animated"), James Arnold Taylor (Wooldoor Sockbat/The Jew Producer; "Star Wars: The Clone Wars"), Abbey McBride (Ling-Ling), Jess Harnell (Captain Hero) and Tara Strong (Toot Braunstein and Princess Clara) as they discuss their new film and host a round table discussion on the politics of religion in the workplace and where to get a decent sandwich.

"Drawn Together" premiered on the network in October 2004 and aired for three seasons and 36 episodes. The series presented a world where cartoon characters from various genres of animation were brought together to live under one roof. The characters left their animated "reality" and entered a new world where their cartoon universes collide with a bang, combining different styles of animation and different personalities, all "drawn together." This was COMEDY CENTRAL's first original animated series that was drawn traditionally and in 2-D digital ink and paint animation.

The eight stars/housemates represent iconic archetypes from the world of animation and include: "Captain Hero," a not-so-moral do-gooder reminiscent of the Saturday morning TV super heroes of the 70's; "Clara," a 20-year-old sweet and naive fairy-tale princess; "Toot Braunstein," a black-and-white pudgy heart throb from the 20's; "Foxxy Love," a sexy mystery-solving musician; "Spanky Ham," a foul-mouthed Internet download pig; "Ling-Ling," an adorable Asian trading card mini-monster; "Wooldoor-Sockbat," a wacky Saturday morning whatchamacallit; and "Xandir," a strong young gay video game warrior.
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Movie News: Blizzard Entertainment® and Legendary Pictures Sign Sam Raimi to Direct Upcoming Warcraft® Movie



Raimi, acclaimed director of the blockbuster Spider-Man series, will bring the forces of the Horde and the Alliance to life in epic live-action film. Charles Roven's Atlas Entertainment will produce alongside Raimi's Stars Road Enter


Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and Legendary Pictures announced today that Sam Raimi has signed on to direct the eagerly-anticipated major motion picture based on Blizzard Entertainment®’s award-winning Warcraft® universe. Raimi has, in the course of his career, clearly demonstrated a genius for developing and adapting existing fictional universes for mainstream audiences while staying true to the spirit of the original content.

Raimi directed the Spider-Man trilogy, which has broken box-office records around the world and garnered five Academy Award® nominations. Known for his imaginative filmmaking style, richly drawn characters and offbeat humor, Raimi wrote and directed the cult classic, The Evil Dead and produced 30 Days Of Night. He most recently wrote and directed the supernatural thriller, Drag Me To Hell.

“At its core, Warcraft is a fantastic, action-packed story,” said Raimi. “I am thrilled to work with such a dynamite production team to bring this project to the big screen.”

Charles Roven’s producing talents were recently seen with last summer’s blockbuster The Dark Knight, which grossed in excess of $1 billion, was nominated for eight Academy Awards® and won two. His body of work also includes the widely acclaimed Batman Begins and the sci-fi classic 12 Monkeys. Roven, with Atlas producing partner Alex Gartner, will be producing with Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull, Legendary’s Chief Creative Officer Jon Jashni, Raimi and Raimi’s producing partner Joshua Donen. Raimi’s partner, Robert Tapert, will be an Executive Producer and Blizzard Entertainment’s Senior Vice President of Creative Development, Chris Metzen, a Co-Producer.

“Partnering with Sam Raimi exemplifies Legendary's mandate of marrying the highest quality intellectual property to world-class filmmakers,” said Legendary’s Tull. “Sam's passion for 'Warcraft' is undeniable and we know that he will create an incredible film worthy of Blizzard's phenomenal franchise. We look forward to collaborating with our partners at Warner Bros. and continuing our successful relationship with Chuck in bringing this rich new world to the screen.”

“Blizzard Entertainment and Legendary Pictures have a shared vision for this film and we searched at length to find the very best director to bring that vision to life,” said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. “From our first conversation with Sam, we could tell he was the perfect choice. Sam knows how to simultaneously satisfy the enthusiasts and the mainstream audience that might be experiencing that content for the first time. We're looking forward to working with him to achieve that here.”

“Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft has become a second home for millions of players and Sam’s experience and talent make him the perfect director for this remarkable and action-packed world,” said Atlas’ Roven. “Alex and I are proud to be working with Sam and re-teaming with our friends at Legendary and Warner Bros.”

The film will fall under Legendary Pictures’ co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. “Warcraft is emblematic of the kind of branded, event films for which our studio is best known. We have enjoyed great success with our partners at Legendary, and this is an incredible opportunity for us to work with Sam on a project that is so eagerly anticipated by so many,” said Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft universe is a rich fantasy setting that revolves around the epic conflict between the opposing forces of the Horde and the Alliance. Since its debut in 1994, Warcraft has developed a loyal following across the globe, with several bestselling, award-winning PC games and a range of popular licensed products including novels, action figures, apparel, comic books, board games, and more. World of Warcraft®, Blizzard Entertainment’s subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in the Warcraft universe, is the most popular game of its kind in the world. Its most recent expansion, Wrath of the Lich King™, is the fastest-selling PC game of all time, with more than 2.8 million copies sold in its first 24 hours of availability and more than 4 million in its first month.

Further details about the upcoming Warcraft movie, including cast and targeted release date, will be revealed as development progresses.
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Comic News: WATCH HISTORY IN THE MAKING WITH MARVEL & THE PALM RESTAURANT AT SAN DIEGO COMIC CON!



The Palm Restaurant at 615 J Street in San Diego is quickly becoming known for more than its great food. It’s becoming a work of comic art, thanks to Marvel Comics and San Diego Comic Con.


That tradition continues on Thursday at 12:00 noon, PST, so come and be a part of it all! For the past 4 years, red-hot superstars have added to a growing mural of mighty Marvel characters as fans watched their process. Adding to the mural this year are fan-favorite creators Steve Epting (Captain America), and the team of Michael Ryan & Christina Strain (Runaways). The characters they will be drawing are top secret, so you’ll have to make like Spider-Man and swing by The Palm!

Fans will get the chance to watch artists make history, talk to the creators, and enjoy some amazing food as this living work or art gets two new additions! Come to The Palm and make yours Marvel!

When: Thursday 12:00-2:00 P.M.

Where: The Palm Restaurant

615 J Street

(619) 702-6500
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