Talks are Heating Up for Zombie Sequel '28 Months Later'

Like the undead it's hard to keep any good (and sometimes bad) horror franchise down for long, even one that was kind of on the margins 28 Days Later and its sequel, 28 Weeks Later. For at least six years Danny Boyle has teased a return to the "zombie" thriller (they aren't really zombies), after directing the first chapter then passing the torch to Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. And after all this time it appears that Boyle, along with screenwriter/producer Alex Garland, may finally have a plan to bring the franchise back from the dead.

Garland spoke with IGN while doing press for his sci-fi film, Ex Machina, and revealed that talks with Boyle about a third chapter in the zombie series have gotten serious...

Garland: “We’ve got an idea. Danny [Boyle] and [producer] Andrew [Macdonald] and I have been having quite serious conversations about it so it is a possibility. It’s complicated. There’s a whole bunch of reasons why it’s complicated, which are boring so I won’t go into, but there’s a possibility.”

Both Garland and Boyle are likely to stay in producer roles as they were last time. He also says the expected title of 28 Months Later is probably what they'll be sticking with, although that hasn't been confirmed.  28 Days Later followed a man (played by Cillian Murphy) who woke up to discover that a virus had turned much of human population into fast-moving zombie-ish creatures. The sequel 28 Weeks Later centered on an attempt by the military to repopulate part of London.

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Universal Picks Up Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs Biopic; Michael Fassbender to Star

It wasn't expected to take long for Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs biopic to find a new home after Sony dropped it, and that's exactly how things turned out. THR reports that Universal, who were said to be considering the film, have secured the rights to the feature, plunking down a hefty $30M for it.

The story also says that Michael Fassbender is now "attached" to the role of Jobs, the Apple founder and tech giant who passed away in 2011. Leonardo DiCaprio was the first who had been on board to play Jobs back when David Fincher was still eying the project, followed by Christian Bale who dropped out only weeks ago. There's no mention of Seth Rogen who was said to be up for the role of Steve Wozniak, while Jessica Chastain was also up for a part possibly as Apple's head of marketing, Joanna Hoffman.

Production had been set for next winter and while nothing has been confirmed, Universal will probably try to stick to the schedule.

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Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs Biopic Dropped by Sony

Sometimes all the talent in the world can't get a promising project off the ground. Despite having Danny Boyle on board to direct from an Aaron Sorkin script, Sony has decided to drop their Steve Jobs biopic, putting the film in turnaround meaning another studio can grab it.

A lot of big names have circled the film for some time. David Fincher had been on board for awhile, with Leonardo DiCaprio eyed for the Jobs role. Most recently it was Christian Bale, confirmed by Boyle himself, until he too dropped out only to have Michael Fassbender's name emerge only days ago. At this point nobody is confirmed to play the Apple founder in a story that will chronicle three major product launches. 

A start date had been tentatively planned for next winter but that is obviously off the table until a new studio is found. Universal is said to be interested, but who knows how that will shake out. 

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Danny Boyle Takes Over Steve Jobs Biopic; Leonardo DiCaprio May Star

This is what one would call a lateral move. Just last week David Fincher exited the developing Steve Jobs biopic that would have reunited him with The Social Network screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin. All of this was over a salary dispute that just couldn't get ironed out, but Sony has managed to strike a deal with Danny Boyle to take over, and he may be bringing along an old friend.

According to THR, Boyle has signed on to direct the untitled Jobs film, and he's keen on re-teaming with Leonardo DiCaprio for the first time since 2000's The Beach. He's apparently approached DiCaprio to play the Apple founder, but at this time there are no deals in place. Fincher had wanted Christian Bale for the lead role but that doesn't seem to be in consideration any longer. This would be a very different biopic than the Ashton Kutcher-led version released last year. Sorkin plans to feature three 30-minute segments that highlight different achievement's in Jobs' career: the launch of the Mac, NeXT, and of course the IPod.

There's a potential hang-up, though, as DiCaprio is set to star in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's The Revenant, the long-developing film that has been revived for a fall shoot.

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Michael Fassbender in talks for Danny Boyle's heist film, Trance

When we had a chance to hang out with Danny Boyle last year before the DC premier of 127 Hours, the director talked about how he wouldn't be doing much of anything this year or the next. At leas not on the big screen. He had some pretty good reasons. He'd be helming a stage interpretation of Frankenstein for a good part of this year, and then after that he had to start gearing up for the 2012 Olympics in London, which he's serving as a creative director on. So he's got a decent excuse. Then came the surprising word that Boyle would squeeze in one quick film before the Olympics, and that would be the art heist flick, Trance. Good news? Well yes, yes, and no.

THR reports that Michael Fassbender is in talks to join the film, which is absolutely fantastic news. They say Fassbender would play "An assistant at an auction house masterminds the heist and teams up with a gang of thieves, but suffers a blow to the head and wakes up with amnesia. He is the only one who knows where the painting’s location is and after his continued failure to remember, the gang begins to suspect duplicity on his part and hire a female hypnotist to get into his brain." Weird.  Trance is remake of a 2001 British TV movie by Joe Ahearne.

So it's great that we'll get to see more of Boyle sooner than we thought, and it's obviously a good thing if Fassbender signs on. You can already count me in for this one, because we haven't seen Boyle do this type of flick in years. The only thing that sucks is that the film will be shot this fall, but it won't be edited or finished until after the Olympics. So we probably won't see it until 2013.

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The Sunday Drive: 3/6/11

3. Take Me Home Tonight
Underachieving genius(Topher Grace) tries to weasel his way into his dreamgirl's life by lying about his job prospects. As if working at Goldman Sachs is more honorable than shelf jockey at Suncoast Video!? A retro 80s comedy from the writers of That 70s Show, this is a film that gets the tone and the style of the decade absolutely perfect. Dan Fogler does his best Belushi sidekick character as Grace's troublemaking best friend, and Teresa Palmer continues her scene stealing trend begun in last year's The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
2. Rango
Get this: a lonely pet chameleon finds himself freed from his confines starts on an existential journey to find himself. Along the way he runs into  Don Quixote-like armadillo, The Man with No Name, and ends up in a dust bowl town that's ripped straight out of the Old West, where our hero transforms himself into a gunslingin' outlaw. Oh, and Johnny Depp provides the lead voice. Sounds like some crazy shared fever dream of Sam Peckinpah and Tim Burton, but it actually springs from the mind of director Gore Verbinski, Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean partner. Along with amazing visuals from the special effects masters over at ILM, Rango features a quirky script, fun villains, and enough film references to keep adults entertained the whole way. Kids might not be as enthusiastic at the realistic presentation and mature dialogue.

1. The Adjustment Bureau
How much control do we really have over our lives? Do we forge our own destinies, or are we just slaves to fate? The Adjustment Bureau asks these heavy philosophical questions while engrossing you in a love story like no other. Matt Damon is aspiring politician David Norris, who meets Elise(Emily Blunt), the girl of his dreams on election night. The spark is undeniable, but then David comes to realize that some men in very high places want to make sure he and Elise are never to be together. As the veil is lifted over an unseen curtain, David and Elise's love is put to the most ultimate of tests. Written and directed by George Nolfi(The Bourne Ultimatum) and based on a short story by Philip K. Dick, The Adjustment Bureau is the first truly great film of 2011. 

DVD Pick of the Week: 127 Hours
If there's still any doubt left about James Franco's ability to captivate, then it should all be silenced by his performance in 127 Hours. As adventurous free spirit Aron Ralston, who found himself trapped in a canyon by a collapsing boulder, Franco's charisma is undeniable. Essentially a story told from one location with only a handful of characters, Franco carries all of the emotional weight. Danny Boyle, still fresh off his Best Picture win for Slumdog Millionaire, controls what could've been a very static film with his typical camera flourish. This is a remarkably personal, inspirational film well deserving of all the accolades it received.

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Danny Boyle's Frankenstein stage play to broadcast in US movie theaters for one night only

When we had a chance to meet up with Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle last year while doing press for 127 Hours, he revealed that he'd be busy for the next few months putting together a theater adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. As sick as that sounded, the chances of any of us poor critc schlubs seeing it were slim since it was only playing in the UK. Turns out we might get our wish afterall, as Deadline reports that the  March 17th show will be broadcast in movie theaters around the world.

375 cinemas will be showcasing the event, with 85 of those here in the United States. So hopefully one of those will be in my neck of the woods, otherwise I might have to cut somebody. A second showing has also been set aside for Europe and the UK only, which will feature the two lead actors, Johnny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch swapping the roles of Frankenstein and the monster.

The play has been met with overwhelming financial success right from the start, selling out the first 10 weeks and getting extended until May. This is the first play Boyle has directed in over 15 years. Once we have details on the theaters that will be showing this event you can bet we'll have it here on the site....after I've already bought my ticket.

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The Sunday Drive: 12/5/10

3. 127 Hours
Few directors can make a film about a guy stuck in one spot for 90 minutes seem as alive and energetic as Danny Boyle. 127 Hours features a powerful performance by James Franco as Aron Ralston, who was forced to take drastic measures after getting his arm trapped under a boulder and being stuck for 5 days. A true story of heroism and determination.
2. Faster
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is back to kicking ass and taking names again in the season's most violent, action packed film. Keep the kids at home for this one.
1. Black Swan
You'll never look at ballet quite the same way again. Natalie Portman gives an Oscar caliber performance in Darren Aronofsky's haunting tale of obsession, passion, and the eternal battle between good and evil within us all. A must see.

DVD Pick of the Week: Going the Distance
I was surprised as anybody to walk out of the theater thinking that Going the Distance might be the best romantic comedy of 2010. Drew Barrymore, always a staple of the genre, pairs up with her on/off again boytoy Justin Long as a lovestruck couple trying to make a living in two very different, very far apart cities. I'm no fan of Long, but he and Barrymore together are clearly loving every moment they're spending together, and it makes you feel closer to them both. This isn't the first time we've seen a comedy on this subject, but rarely is it treated with this level of maturity while maintaining a humorous, adult edge.

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The Sunday Drive: 11/28/10

3. Love and Other Drugs
There's no doubt that I have my issues with Ed Zwick's romantic comedy set in the pharmaceutical boom of the 1990s, but Anne Hathaway's performance as a commitment phobic woman with early onset Parkinson's Disease is a must see. Expect Oscar nominations to follow.
2. 127 Hours
There's still time to check out Danny Boyle's uplifting, inspirational tale featuring one heroic performance by James Franco, the best of his career.

1. Faster
Did I give Faster a higher rating than either of two movies below it on the  chart? Absolutely not. But ask me which movie I'd rather watch right this second and the answer is clear. Faster is a chiseled, muscular action action flick that puts Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson back at the top of his game. Unforgivably bloody and violent, you won't have a better time at the movies this week.

DVD Pick of the Week: The Expendables
What'd you think I was going to pick? Santa Paws? Sylvester Stallone's gathering of action hero icons is like a busted up trip through the 1980s, with ridiculous dialogue and grizzled, muscled up 'roid heads reliving their glory years. Take one look at the scene featuring Sly, Bruce Willis, and the Governator himself and you'll know what I mean. There's nary an explosion in sight or a punch thrown, but the testosterone in that room could fuel a fleet of jets.  The Expendables might not pack quite the punch as we expected, but it builds up nicely to the most amazing symphony of over-the-top violence that you'll see all year.

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Danny Boyle to direct 28 Months Later?

It's been nearly two years since we first heard that Danny Boyle might step back into the director's chair for the next film in the 28 Days Later series, unofficially titled 28 Months Later. Back then he stated that the idea he had in mind was strong and that directing was a possibility...

Boyle: "I feel the idea is quite a strong idea, and it could well involve directing it. Yeah, absolutely."

At the time he was busy promoting eventual Oscar winner, Slumdog Millionaire, so he didn't elaborate too much on that possibility. Now he's back and saying many of the same things, at least if Dread Central's reporting is spot on. Their information comes second hand, so take it with a grain of salt, but reportedly when Boyle was asked about producing the next sequel he said "Actually, I want to direct it." Boyle passed the directing reigns over to  Juan Carlos Fresnadillo for 2007's 28 Weeks Later.

So basically we're at the same point we were before, only with a bit more "oomph" behind it. Boyle's schedule is essentially free and clear once 127 Hours is released. He has a stage play he'll be working on, but who watches plays anymore if their kid isn't in it? 

We'll actually be meeting with Danny Boyle tomorrow and I hope to pepper him with questions about 28 Days Later and any future plans, so hopefully we'll have more on this story in the coming days.

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Double Trailer Time: Danny Boyle's 127 Hours, and Going the Distance starring Drew Barrymore & Justin Long

Partly because it's late and I got stuff to do, and partly because I really want to highlight  both of these flicks. We're getting the first teaser trailer for Danny Boyle's next film, 127 Hours, starring James Franco as Aron Ralston. If the name sounds familiar, Ralston was the mountain climber who spent 127 hours trapped on a mountain after a boulder crushed his arm and trapped him in a canyon. I'm loving the look of the trailer, and it shows us quite a bit more than I was expecting. In particular I like the way they used Boyle's diverse filmography to show that this film is just as much a spectacular adventure as the rest. Plus it's always cool to see his amazing fairy tale, Millions, get a mention. If you haven't yet seen it, you should rent it right now. Anyway, 127 Hours is set to release on November 5th, 2010. Thanks to Slashfilm for the screen grab.

And second, the trailer for Going the Distance, which releases next week. Drew Barrymore and Justin Long star as a couple who find eachother at the worst possible time, as both have lives to lead on totally different coasts. Their attempts to forge a lasting long distance relationship prove harder than either of them anticipated. The reason I want to  mention this seemingly formulaic rom-com is that it's not at all what you expect. Without giving too much away, let's just say that it treats the material with more respect than the trailer might indicate. I'm in love with Drew Barrymore all over again. Just thought I'd throw that in there. Havent liked her this much since Fever Pitch. That's right. I'm the guy who liked Fever Pitch.  Our review of Going the Distance will be up next week, but mark it down as a flick to see with your significant other.

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