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There are almost too many good options arriving on DVD this week, but our pick has to be the meta-horror/comedy Cabin in the Woods. Delayed for several years, Cabin in the Woods opened in April to mostly terrific reviews and more than doubled its budget at the box office. With a script from The Avengers writer-director Joss Whedon and directed by Cloverfield screenwriter Drew Goddard, the movie seemed like a slam-dunk, particularly with Thor and Avengers star Chris Hemsworth leading the cast.
Those looking for bonus features should be pleased with the commentary track, at least, Goddard hopes audiences will like it — he told MTV that he can't remember what he and Whedon talked about.
find all your trailers hereSaturdays 10:00a ET / 7:00a PT
more from goddard and check out our honorable mention >> Posted 09.18.12 by Ryan -
Paramount's zombie epic World War Z has been the subject of several distressing rumors of late, starting when the adaptation of Max Brooks' best-selling novel was pushed from its December release date to June 21, 2013. Then came reports of reshoots, followed by word of script trouble, with the studio bringing in screenwriters Damon Lindelof (Lost, Prometheus) and Drew Goddard (co-writer and director of Cabin in the Woods) to help fix the movie's ending. Last month, the latest trouble was a rift between lead actor Brad Pitt and director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace), who reportedly are no longer on speaking terms.
Goddard has finally spoken publicly about his involvement in World War Z and admitted to Collider that the rumors of trouble surrounding the project have been "blown out of proportion."
read goddard's comments >> Posted 08.01.12 by Ryan -
As we sift through the stories that occurred over the weekend while we were at Comic-Con, it seems that Paramount's adaptation of World War Z is in even more trouble. Last week, reports claimed that not only was screenwriter Damon Lindelof (Lost, Prometheus) brought in to help brainstorm a fix to the film's ending, but Cabin in the Woods co-writer and director Drew Goddard did the actual rewriting work, with another writer, Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects, Jack Reacher), possibly stepping in at a later date. Now comes word that Brad Pitt and director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) are no longer on speaking terms.
Vulture was the first to report the communication breakdown, with the site's multiple production sources claiming that Pitt has become so frustrated with Forster that, as the production prepares for three weeks of reshoots (initially reported as seven), that "when Forster had notes on a scene for Pitt, they had to be relayed through an intermediary — and vice versa." Pitt originally fought to bring Forster on board the movie, which Pitt's production company Plan B is producing, and which was rushed into production last July to make a winter release date that has subsequently been pushed to June 21, 2013. This was reportedly done after Pitt and Paramount execs were unhappy with how some of the movie's action sequences were coming together in the editing room. To be fair to Forster, he clearly went into production with a script that wasn't finished, so he may have a good reason for not shooting a movie without having much of a plan.
what is going on? >> Posted 07.18.12 by Ryan -
Poor World War Z. Already deemed an impossible-to-shoot book by its many fans, confidence wasn't high about a movie adaptation, and, as the production has moved forward, problems have continued to plague the movie like a, well, zombie outbreak.
Back in January, stars Brad Pitt and Mireille Enos were talking about World War Z as if it was the start of a trilogy, but, months later, the movie was pushed from December to June 21, 2013, giving time for director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) to engage in seven weeks of reshoots. Paramount president Adam Goodman told The Hollywood Reporter in June that "the footage from this film looks fantastic, but we all agreed it can have a better ending," prompting the studio to bring in screenwriter Damon Lindelof (Lost, Prometheus) to help rewrite the end of World War Z. While Lindelof reportedly helped figure out a new ending (which, considering the source, means there won't be an ending), another writer was brought in to pen the script and another writer might now follow, as well.
MORE >> Posted 07.12.12 by Ryan -
Next month, screenwriter Joss Whedon and director Drew Goddard's horror movie The Cabin in the Woods will finally reach theaters after spending three years on MGM's shelf after the studio's financial woes resulted in bankruptcy. "It wasn’t just us," Goddard told EW. "It was The Hobbit, it was James Bond. If they’re taking a while [to deal with those projects], we know, 'Oh, it’s going to take us a while.'"
That's still a long time to keep a movie's secrets under wraps, but that's what's happened. Intended as an alternative to "torture porn" horror movies like the Saw and Hostel franchises, Cabin in the Woods is now being distributed by Lionsgate, the same studio that launched said franchises. "It is actually perfect that it’s them," Whedon said of Lionsgate. "Not despite the fact that they’ve released some of the movies this is a reaction to, but because they have. Cabin is an insane frolic in some ways, but it is a horror movie. Their passion for horror is a great match."
And they also follow advice. Prior to Cabin's premiere at the South By Southwest Festival, Whedon made a special warning video against spoiling the movie, leaving the studio to reveal new photos and a new preview clip that promote the movie without spoiling it.
watch the clip and check out the photos >> Posted 03.27.12 by Ryan -
If the first trailer for The Cabin in the Woods was any indication of what the movie entails, fans could be in for one helluva tripped-out horror flick. Full of creepy backwoods types, beautiful people looking for a good time, and a force field that fries the occasional bird of prey... Wait, what? If the first trailer didn't provide you with enough WTF moments, allow us to augment your curiosity with the second trailer which has now been unleashed via FEARnet.
check out the new trailer >> Posted 03.06.12 by Jud -
2012 should be a good year for writer-director Joss Whedon. Not only does Whedon's The Avengers reach theaters this year, but his long-delayed horror movie The Cabin in the Woods, which Whedon scripted and produced, will finally see the light of day.
Starring a pre-Thor (and Avengers) Chris Hemsworth, The Cabin in the Woods contains a familiar horror movie story that follows five friends that head to a remote cabin, where, the synopsis tells us, "bad things happen." The synopsis also claims, "if you think you know this story, think again," and the first (and only) trailer for the movie shows that Whedon has certainly put a twist on a well-worn horror movie plot. During an interview with Total Film, Whedon called the movie a "very loving hate letter" to horror movies.
Whedon explains himself >> Posted 02.17.12 by Ryan -
The full schedule of events for the 2012 South By Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival has just gone live on the official SXSW website and the long-delayed horror movie The Cabin in the Woods will open the festival with a Friday, March 9th, screening, in advance of its April 13th theatrical release. This continues the trend of SXSW to open with commercially-oriented fare, with Source Code and Kick-Ass opening the 2011 and 2010 festivals, respectively.
Directed by Cloverfield scribe Drew Goddard, from a script by The Avengers writer-director Joss Whedon, The Cabin in the Woods was shot back in 2009, but its release was delayed several times — first for a 3D conversion, then because of MGM's financial woes — before finally getting picked up for distribution by Lionsgate. The movie follows five friends into the woods where they stay at a remote cabin and discover...something deadly. Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Brian White and Kristen Connolly star.
more about The Cabin in the Woods >> Posted 01.17.12 by BrentJS -
For a movie that has been sitting around for quite some time, there's still little known about the horror/comedy The Cabin in the Woods.
Written by The Avengers director Joss Whedon and directed by Cloverfield screenwriter Drew Goddard, Cabin was originally shot in 2009 and scheduled for release in February of last year before it was first pushed until January 2011 so it could be converted to 3-D, and then delayed inevitably after MGM filed for bankruptcy. Eventually picked up by Lionsgate, Cabin was (again) scheduled for release on April 13, 2012, in July.
Finally, promotion for Cabin in the Woods has begun, with AICN receiving the long-awaited poster for Cabin, as well as an official synopsis for the movie sent by the studio that ultimately proves as unrevealing as the Rubik's Cube-esque cabin that is the centerpiece of the poster.
read the synopsis >> Posted 12.02.11 by Ryan -
By Independence Day of 2013, robots are taking over the world.
THR reports that director Steven Spielberg's adaptation of Robopocalypse is officially moving forward as 20th Century Fox, who will co-finance the project with Spielberg's DreamWorks, has scheduled a release date of July 3, 2013, for the movie. Deadline first reported the studio partnership, which likely was done due to the size of the movie. At least, that's what we're hoping.
Originally announced last October, Robopocalypse was adapted by screenwriter Drew Goddard (Cloverfield) and based on Daniel H. Wilson's best-selling novel of the same name that was released in June. The book, and now the movie, follows humanity's struggle to survive after an apocalyptic uprising of robots. Wilson certainly seems pleased with the developments, admitting as much via Twitter.
I love the fact that I am living in a world where Steven Spielberg is making a film called "Robopocalypse."
We have to admit, so are we.
Posted 09.08.11 by Ryan