Baltasar Kormakur Directing 'Vikingr'; Jacques Audiard Helms 'Erran'; Joe Dante Plans 'Ombra Amore'

Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormakur continues to make in-roads in Hollywood where he's found success making genre flicks with some pretty big stars. The Contraband and 2 Guns director has lined up his next project, Vikingr, based on the classic tales of Vikings and Nordic settlers.The gig keeps Kormakur in partnership with Universal Pictures, who backed his prior U.S. features and will distribute his next film, Everest, which stars Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, and John Hawkes. [Deadline]

You know how much I loved the brutally tough Rust & Bone a couple of years ago, and I've been waiting patiently for word of Jacques Audiard's next film. Well now comes word that he will write and direct Erran, about "a Sri-Lankan Tamil fighter who is a political refugee in France, where he works as a caretaker on an 'unruly' council estate in the Parisian suburbs." Even better, filming begins next week with the plan to have its premiere at Cannes. [Cineuropa]

Joe Dante (Gremlins, Burying the Ex) continues his comeback with the supernatural romance, Ombra Amore. Set in the midst of Italy's current economic crisis, the story centers on the love affair between Pete, a werewolf whose pack is responsible for the economic downturn; and Maggie, a vampire whose aristocratic family was bankrupted by the greedy wolves' schemes. How is this not titled The Wolf of Via Veneto? [THR]

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'Gremlins' reboot to be produced by the guy behind 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter'

Rumors of a Gremlins 3 have been swirling around since 1990's Gremlins 2: The New Batch, but earlier this year it looked like Warner Bros. and Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment were finally pushing ahead, only with a total reboot of Joe Dante's classic. Why? Eh, there's money to be made. Need any other reason than that? At the time it didn't sound especially close to happening, and that may still be the case, but with the addition of two high-profile producers clearly a major step forward has been taken.

The Gremlins reboot is "officially moving ahead" according to BloodyDisgusting, adding Seth Grahame-Smith and the powerful David Katzenberg to produce. Grahame-Smith is best known as the author behind horror mash-ups Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, also having adapted the former for the big screen last year. He also wrote Tim Burton's Dark Shadows and is working with him on Beetlejuice 2, so clearly he's a guy familiar with fleshing out older properties. He's currently working with Fox on their Fantastic Four relaunch, so the guy is pretty much everywhere right now.

So far there's no writer or director attached, but it wouldn't be a stretch to think Grahame-Smith could end up with the gig. Not sure if that will inspire a lot of confidence or not considering his resume. Unfortunately, nobody seems to be ringing Dante's phone to come back and direct it. Maybe once Spielberg starts making his voice heard on the matter that will change.

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Warner Bros. looking to reboot 'Gremlins'

We've probably reached the point now where no beloved classic is truly considered untouchable. Every one of our childhood favorite is grist for the remake or reboot machine at some point, and that now includes Joe Dante's classic, Gremlins.

Vulture reports that Warner Bros. and Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment are talking again about rebooting the 1984 horror comedy, which introduced us to the infamous three rules of owning a Mogwai. Gremlins 3 has long been rumored, but it unfortunately never happened. As for the reboot, it's been talked about for awhile but due to the cost, and Spielberg's insistence of having some creative input, things have never come to pass. Vulture says it may happen this time, though. Exactly why isn't totally clear to me.

So just tuck this under your hat as a possibility, remember not to feed Gizmo after midnight, and save your anger for something more concrete.





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