Dhep 191 - Falling for TV

On this episode we talk about 2011 Fall TV, the ones we are looking forward to and the news one coming. Enjoy.

Movie Kombat!!!

New Line is planning a new Mortal Kombat movie, according to Deadline. The new film will be written by Oren Uziel and directed by Kevin Tancharoen, who self-produced an unauthorized Mortal Kombat short that ultimately led to this production. The short, Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, was an eight minute live action Mortal Kombat story. As a result of the short (which was leaked online), Warner Premiere commissioned a 10-episode Web series, which went up on YouTube this year. The Web series got a strong enough reaction that New Line put the movie deal together. New Line parent Warners acquired the assets of Midway Games, which owned Mortal Kombat, out of bankruptcy in 2009.

Renger's Budget

Disney is trying to revive the shuttered production of The Lone Ranger, which it shut down in August (see “Disney Torpedoes ‘The Lone Ranger’”), according to Hollywood Reporter. The production, with Johnny Depp starring, Gore Verbinski directing, and Jerry Bruckheimer producing, was shut down over budget concerns; Disney reportedly wanted to cut the budget from $250 million to $200 million but were unable to do so.
The revived production would reportedly have a $215 million budget, with the reductions coming from reduced fees for Depp, Bruckheimer, and Verbinski; the cutting of some expensive scenes; and asking vendors, including special effects houses and hotels, to cut prices to keep the production alive.

52 Top Sales

DC Comics has announced that all 52 first issues of its New 52 titles have sold out and gone back to press, an unprecedented phenomenon for a full month’s comics. Given that the final week’s books were beyond the Final Order Cut-off date when the New 52 titles kicked off - that retailers ordered substantially more on those titles, see “Inside the New 52” - sales must have continued at a higher level than expected, even after the first week’s books were in stores. The company also shared some info on quantities sold, announcing that an eleventh title, Aquaman, now had sales of over 100,000 through Diamond, joining the ten titles previously announced. This number includes non-U.S. sales, which are not included in American monthly estimates, but does not include channels other than comic stores, which have been included in previous sales announcements from DC.

You Can't Fight Some Wars

The Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-ray became the #1 Blu-ray title in history last week, after selling over 1 million copies worldwide in its first week, according to Variety. It generated over $84 million from worldwide sales. Around 515,000 copies were sold in North America.
Director George Lucas’ decision to make changes to the films for the Blu-ray release, and to not release the original versions, brought protests and the threat of a boycott from fans, apparently to little effect.

Dressed Cat

Set photos from the Los Angeles shoot have revealed the Catwoman costume worn by Anne Hathaway in her role in The Dark Knight Rises

DHep190 - Baltimore Invasion

The Hideout invaded Baltimore for the comicon and Baltimore survived the experience. On this show we talk about our experience at the con, the Hurricane Apocalypse, the people who shouldn't do CosPlay and the parts of Baltimore The Wire never told us about. Enjoy.

DC's Don't Ask Don't Tell

Over the weekend Teen Titan artist Brett Booth confirmed that Bunker, a new character in the relaunched Teen Titans written by Scott Lobdell (and drawn by Booth) is gay. He may not be the first gay Teen Titans character (there were rumors about Jericho), but he is certainly the most flamboyant, openly gay character in the group’s history. Bunker appears in the background on the cover to Teen Titans #1, which is due to hit retail on September 28th, and makes his full debut appearance in issue #3, which hits retail in November. On his blog, Booth reprinted Lobdell’s thumbnail bio of the character: “His real name is Miguel Jose Barragan. He was raised in a small Mexican village called El Chilar. He was very loved by his family and the village as well—and they were as accepting of his homosexuality as they were of his superpowers when they first manifested. To that end he grew up in an angst free environment. He was born out of the closet and so he has a very refreshing outlook on life.”

Dynamite Entertainment will release The Art of Howard Chaykin, a 200-page 9” x 12” hardcover, in December. The volume, written by Robert Greenberger, includes perspective from long-time friends and colleagues, and extensive selection of artwork, including many never-before-published pieces. Chaykin is widely known for American Flagg!, The Shadow, Batman, New Avengers, Dominic Fortune, Black Kiss, and more. Black Kiss is being revived by Image Comics.

Live Chopper

A live action Web series starring Tyler Mane, who played Sabretooth in The X-Men, and Andrew Bryniarski - from Texas Chainsaw Massacre & Batman Returns - will premiere October 18th to promote the launch of Chopper, a new five issue mini-series from Asylum Press. The first issue of Chopper, written by Martin Shapiro with art by Juan Ferreyra (Falling Skies, Rex Mundi), streets October 5th. The series targets “horror hounds, heavy metal fans, and motorcycle enthusiasts,” according to the publisher. The story is a re-imagining of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, with a headless Hell’s Angel on a motorcycle who collects the souls of sinners in the afterlife.