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The 2010 remake of The Karate Kid was a surprise hit for Columbia/Sony, earning $359 million in worldwide box office. It only took days after The Karate Kid's $56 million opening weekend for Sony to start meeting with writers about a sequel, eventually hiring Kung Fu Panda screenwriters Cyrus Voris and Ethan Reiff to write a sequel script in August of 2010.
Looks like the studio is finally moving forward with the sequel, as Variety reports that The Incredible Hulk screenwriter Zak Penn has been hired to rewrite the script. Plot details are still under wraps, as is the sequel's title. The 1986 sequel to the 1984 original moved the action from California to Okinawa, Japan, but since the remake was set in China, the sequel could move back to the U.S., but that remains to be seen.
No deals have been finalized, but Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan are expected to return. No word was given about director Harald Zwart, though he admitted in 2010 that he was "open to anything."
Whatever the second Karate Kid is about, we suggest bringing back Ralph Macchio as the sequel's antagonist. You're welcome, Zak. Give us a call for more ideas.
Posted 02.08.12 by Ryan -
Marvel is clearly pleased after hiring fanboy favorite Joss Whedon to direct its upcoming Avengers movie (sorry, Louis Leterrier). So pleased, in fact, that Marvel is planning to have Whedon do some rewriting on not one, but two of the studio's upcoming Marvel movies.
Get details on Whedon's changes to the Marvel universe >> Posted 04.15.10 by Ryan -
Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada teased fans via his Twitter account that a screenplay for the The Avengers has, indeed, been written:
Definition of "goose bumps." Pressing enter and watching a screenplay entitled "AVENGERS" come out of my printer.
It's official, I have the greatest job in the world.
Marvel Entertainment often uses its staff to comment and aide the process of adapting a comic book property into a movie. What draft of the script Quesada received is unknown, though it would conceivably be early considering that screenwriter Zak Penn (The Incredible Hulk) was writing the outline of the movie last summer and both Thor and First Avenger: Captain America — two movies with an obviously huge impact on The Avengers — are far from completion.
Still, fans that will have to wait until 2012 to see the finished product have to be salivating over Quesada's tease.
Posted 03.03.10 by Ryan -
Marvel President of Production Kevin Feige has been very busy lately speaking about the upcoming slate of movies Marvel has in production, from The Avengers to Thor and even Ant-Man, giving plenty of updates about each one.
While he could not confirm another Incredible Hulk movie, Feige did confirm that Hulk will appear in The Avengers:
Now at least we can talk about Hulk being onscreen and Hulk being in a movie. It will have been four years since he was in a movie by that point. By 2012, I'd like to see him in it. We're just starting the story. I was on the phone with [Avengers screenwriter] Zak Penn this morning. He's coming in next week and he's going to work on the outline this summer. It's so intertwined with what we're doing before it. I almost wanted to get done with production on Iron Man 2, and the scripts to Thor and The First Avenger: Captain America well underway, before we even started The Avengers.
With many of the movies being intertwined, this means that several characters will make appearances in different movies, in particular Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Feige explained that he hopes to provide fans with a comic book experience, where characters from other books show up unexpectedly.
Feige gave an update on Thor confirming that Donald Blake, Thor's human alter ego, will not appear in Thor, which will take place on both Earth and Asgard. Meanwhile, The First Avenger: Captain America will "primarily" be a period piece taking place during World War II, with an appearance by Cap's sidekick Bucky "a safe bet."
As for casting Captain America, Feige clearly hasn't made a decision:
There are only a handful of stars that mean anything here, much lessoverseas. I do think that will be a factor in it. As long as we have the freedom to cast the best actor for the part. Whether it's an actorwho's been a great actor, but hasn't starred in marquee action movies before like Robert Downey, or somebody that came out of Australia that we've never heard.
As for the Ant-Man adaptation that Shaun of the Dead's Edgar Wright is working on, Feige said:
I want to make Ant-Man one of these days. I think that'll be surprising and funny. I love Edgar Wright. What he likes about it is that when he says he's doing Ant-Man, people go, 'Ant-Man? What thehell is that?' I think that's funny.
Ant-Man isn't the only movie Feige hopes to make post-Avengers, he's also excited about Doctor Strange:
I think Doctor Strange would kick ass. I think we've done very well atthis street-level superhero aspect of the Marvel Universe. I think with Thor, you'll see us cracking into the cosmic side of the MarvelUniverse in a very good way that's never been done before in our movies. I'd love to get into that supernatural element.
Marvel and Feige clearly have a lot on the horizon. However, ultimately, it's The Avengers that Feige is most excited about:
I think The Avengers is going to have it's own vibe. It'll have a different tone than the other Marvel movies. It is about saving the world, because there's no other reason for characters that powerful to band together. I think the scope and the scale will feel like a much bigger thing.
Iron Man 2 opens May 7, 2010, while Thor and The First Avenger: Captain America are due May 20 and July 22 of 2011, respectively. The Avengers should open May 4, 2012.
Posted 06.09.09 by Ryan -
Kevin Feige, President of Production at Marvel Studios, told Empire some updates regarding the adaptation of Thor and Avengers. First, he talked about Thor:
We will probably be having cast announcements in the next month or so on Thor. We're looking to cast Loki and Odin soon, and the main female role. And we'll also hopefully have lockdown shortly, gearing towards the beginning of production, which will be early next year. So I think there will be a lot of announcements between now and then.
Director Kenneth Branagh has already confirmed that shooting was to begin in January of next year. As for casting rumors, Josh Hartnett has been mentioned as the front-runner for Loki, and Natalie Portman the female lead, likely Thor's wife Sif. Looks like fans will know for sure sometime next month.
Feige also updated Branagh's pre-production:
Branagh's here, we're prepping, and he's put together some spectacular animatics already for our first action scene. We're digging into the second and third now, and we are just embarking on a rewrite of the draft.
As for The Avengers:
Zak Penn [X2: X-Men United and The Incredible Hulk writer] is already on board The Avengers [as screenwriter] and he's spending a lot of his time looking into what we're doing with Iron Man [2], Thor andCaptain America, seeing how we're tying it all together. And he's beginning to outline the script now -- he'll be doing that over the summer.
Feige offered no update as to whether Jon Favreau will direct The Avengers. Thor opens June 17, 2011, while The Avengers opens May 4, 2012.
Posted 05.06.09 by Ryan -
One of Hollywood's most in-demand screenwriters, Zak Penn, has taken a brief reprieve from the men in tights to write and direct the improv comedy The Grand, which hits screens this weekend.
As a screenwriter, Penn's resume includes the X-Men series as well as the upcoming Incredible Hulk and Avengers movies.
Reelz.com spoke to Penn in an exclusive interview about his latest project and a host of upcoming superhero-related material. Regarding this summer's Incredible Hulk, Penn told us his take on the beloved green beast will harken back to some of the themes explored in the 80's TV show:
"I think there's a different version of the movie that they thought could exist that's kind of grittier, more fugitive-y, if that word could be created for this. The TV show did a great job of adapting the idea of The Hulk and the lonely man theme and everything else that all of us remember from it. That's what they wanted from me and that's what I tried to give them - put Banner on the run, put him in South America trying to hide out from the authorities."
Check out our full exclusive interview with Zak Penn!
Posted 03.21.08 by reelz -
Marvel's The Incredible Hulk is staffing up fast and getting ready for shooting this summer in Toronto.
Today The Hollywood Reporter announced that William Hurt has joined the impressive cast linup that already includes Edward Norton, Liv Tyler and Tim Roth. Hurt will play General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, whom fans of the comic will remember as the man who dedicated his life to the Hulk's capture. He also happens to be the father of Betty Ross (Tyler), the love interest to Bruce Banner/The Hulk.
The Incredible Hulk is written by Zak Penn and directed by Louis Leterrier. It is currently slated for a 2008 release.
Posted 06.13.07 by reelz