Because You Demanded It: 'The Mortal Instruments' and 'Resident Evil' to Become TV Series

The number of YA adaptations that actually succeed is shockingly few, which is why it was kind of a big deal when The Maze Runner hit $200M last week. Many of these films bomb hard, and one that audiences simply stayed away from last year was The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. The $60M film based on Cassandra Clare's gothic supernatural books banked about $30M domestic (another $59M internationally) and was gone faster than you could say Shadowhunter. Producers moved ahead anyway on sequel, City of Ashes, which was to have arrived this year, but obviously that didn't happen and now they're headed in a different direction entirely.

According to THR, The Mortal Instruments will live on as a TV series, developed by Constantin Film and led by showrunner Ed Decter (Helix, The Client List). The drama series will go into production next year but no word on if the original cast will be involved.  Many of the film's stars have extensive TV backgrounds, like Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Kevin Durand (The Strain), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors), and Jamie Campbell Bower (Camelot) but are also extremely busy or occupied with other shows.

So expect to see an entirely new The Mortal Instruments and probably a new approach to the material, one that Constantin Film's Martin Moszkowicz says will be able to go deeper than the movie could ever hope to.

Moskowicz:  “It actually makes sense to do (the novels) as a TV series. There was so much from the book that we had to leave out of the Mortal Instruments film. In the series we'll be able to go deeper and explore this world in greater detail and depth.”

They're also reportedly working on a Resident Evil TV series, along with one based on the serial killer film, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.  Resident Evil isn't expected to go into development until after the final movie in 2016.

Read More

Jonathan Rhys Meyers joins 'The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones'

We haven't had much of a chance to see Jonathan Rhys Meyers on the big screen these last few years, as he's been busy indulging his every appetie as King Henry VIII on the Showtime network series, The Tudors. He did give us the unfortunate From Paris with Love, but not much else. Well, ladies, you can prepare to dive into those big blues of his again at your local theater, as he's Meyers has just joined the cast of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.

Based on the Cassandra Clare supernatural teen-lit series, the story follows Clary Fray(Lilly Collins), a New York gal who discovers she comes from a long line of demon killers known as Shadowhunters. Meyers will play Valentine Morganstern, an insane Shadowhunter with hopes of turning the world "pure".

Jamie Campbell Bower, Lena Headey, Kevin Durand, Jemima West, Robert Maille, Robert Sheehan, Jared Harris, and Godfrey Gao will co-star in the Harald Zwart-directed film. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones will open on August 23rd 2013. [THR]

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Read More

Lena Headey and Jared Harris join 'The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones'

Cassandra Clare's popular The Mortal Instruments novels span six-issues, so the hope is clearly to turn Harald Zwart's film adaptation into a successful series. After getting off to a rough start, the newly subtitled The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones has now added a couple of names who know a thing or two about top-grossing franchises.

Lena Headey(300, Dredd) and Jared Harris(Sherlock
Holmes: A Game of Shadows) are the latest to join the film, along with
Godfrey Gao(All About Women). Starring Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell-
Bower, Kevin Durand, Jemima West, and Robert Maillet, the story follows a
girl named Clary Fray who discovers she's part of a long line of demon killers known as Shadowhunters. Headey will take on the role of Jocelyn Fray,
Harris as Hodge Starkweather, and Gao as Magnus Bane. All of them sound like extras on Game of Thrones, a show Headey is quite familiar with.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones opens on August 23rd 2013. [THR]


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Read More

Sure Shots: 'The Mortal Instruments'; Brie Larson; '300: Battle of Artemisia'

* After seeming like it was dead in the water, the long-gestating adaptation of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments has been proceeding pretty quickly over the last few weeks. Today sees two additions to the cast in perennial tough guy Kevin Durand(Real Steel) and ex-WWE wrestler Robert Maillet(Sherlock Holmes). Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell-Bower, and Jemima West star in the film about Clary Fray, a young girl who discovers she's part of a long line of Shadowhunters, a secret group that protects the world from demons. Durand will play Pangborn, while the 6 foot 11 inch Maillet will be Blackwell, both considered antagonists in the story. Harald Zwart will direct, with The Mortal Instruments set to hit theaters on August 23rd 2013.[Variety]

* As you'd expect from an unconventional actor like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, he's putting together an atypical cast for his directorial debut, Don Jon's Addiction. With JGL set to star as the titular porn addict and modern day Don Juan, he's now added the always awesome Brie Larson(21 Jump Street) to play his sister. JGL wrote the script, which follows Don Jon's attempts to become a less selfish person after meeting an older, widowed woman played by Julianne Moore. Scarlett Johansson, Tony Danza, and Rob Brown co-star in the currently filming romantic comedy. [Variety]

* Dude. I thought 300: Battle of Artemisia was dead as a fallen Spartan? It's been so long since we've heard anything about the slowly developing swords 'n sandals flick, that getting any news on it seems strange. Whatever the case, there's been a new addition to the cast with Brit actor Jack O'Connell(Harry Brown) jumping aboard. He'll take on the role of Calisto, which was vacated when Jamie Blackley dropped out back in April. I can't figure out if Warner Brothers is taking this movie seriously, as they seem to be doing everything in their power to make it as inferior to Zack Snyder's hit film as possible. First they made the unusual choice of hiring Noam Murro(Smart People) to direct, and then filled the cast with people most don't care about. Rodrigo Santoro is back as Xerxes, joined by new arrivals Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, and Callan Mulvey. 300: Battle of Artemisia is set to open next year on August 2nd. [DailyMail via ThePlaylist]

Read More

'The Mortal Instruments' moves forward with Harald Zwart to direct; Lily Collins to star

It looks as if that adaptation of Cassandra Clare's popular The Mortal Instruments books is moving forward after all, just a few weeks after losing Screen Gems as a producer. In fact, there's been quite a bit of turnaround on it ever since, with Scott Stewart(Legion) leaving the director's chair to go work in TV.  It didn't take long for Constantin Film and Unique Features to find his replacement, today naming Harald Zwart as director, and confirming Lily Collins is still on board to star.

Set in modern day New York, the story follows 15-year old Clary Fray, who after witnessing a strange murder take place, discovers she comes from a long line of demon-hunting Shadowhunters. The film will be based on City of Bones, the first book in Clare's six-book series. Two more books are already in the planning, with the next one slated for May 8th. It remains to be seen if Jamie Campbell Bower(Anonymous) is still attached to play Jace Wayland, a fellow Shadowhunter and probable love interest to Clary. Bower wasn't mentioned in the press release so I'm gonna say he's out.

Zwart makes for an interesting choice, as mostly he's done lighter films like The Karate Kid remake and Agent Cody Banks. Production is expected to begin on August 15th in Toronto.

Read More