"ECHO" WILL BOMB THE BIG SCREEN

Last week, Variety reported - two days before the San Diego Comic-Con - that “Watchmen” and “Hellboy” (1&2) producer Llyod Levin acquired the screen adaptation rights of Terry Moore’s comic book series, “Echo”. The story is about Julie Martin, a photographer who becomes nuclearly powerful after being spattered by some liquid metal, because of a failed military experiment.

Terry Moore also created the popular "non -superhero" series “Strangers in Paradise”, a self-published black-and-white comic book drawn and written by him, about the love triangle between two women and one man. The series ended in 2007 after 14 years (the complete story – 2200 pages! - might be still available in a very limited edition. Check it out HERE).

Very pleased about the “Echo” movie adaptation project, Terry Moore also said on his blog that he plans to make “Strangers in Paradide” a TV series of quality (like a HBO one).

Links : Strangers in Paradide website – Terry Moore's Blog

SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE ADLER POSTER

One month after the two posters showing the lead male characters of Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holdmes” (Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. Watson), Warner Bros just revealed a third poster with the main (Canadian) actress of the movie, Rachel McAdams (“Mean Girls”), who plays the charming Irene Adler. This character featured in only one story written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (“A Scandal in Bohemia” – 1891), but she’s considered like the most interesting female character of the Sherlock Holmes stories (“She has the face of the most beautiful of women, and the mind of the most resolute of men”).


Also, between 1990 and 2004, American writer Carole Nelson Douglas wrote 13 mysterey novels and short stories leaded by Irene Adler. Concerning the movie (which is not a novel adaptation, but , a comic book one, created by producer Lionel Wigram – who put Doyle’s public domain characters in an original story) it definitly looks more like an action comedy than a suspense movie. US release: December 25th, 2009. French release: February 3rd, 2009.



Link: Who is Irene Adler?

"SPIDER-WOMAN" MOTION COMIC TRAILER

The first episode of "Spider-Woman" Motion Comic (a.k.a. “a hybrid of comic book and animation”) wrote by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Alex Meleev, will have its worldwide premiere at the San Diego Comic Con between July 23rd-26th, 2009.

One year after DC’s "Watchmen: Motion Comic", the rival team, Marvel, hope to attract the comic fans but also the non-comic readers with this brand new and original concept, that they're also using for a remake of the "Astonishing X-Men" series by writer/director Joss Whedon ("Buffy", "Serenity") and comic artist John Cassaday.

Each episodes of the “Spider-Woman” Motion Comic series will be available on iTunes, one or two weeks before the printed comic version. Check out the official trailer of this very anticipated piece of work.

Other links: Brian Michael Bendis interview about "Spider-Woman" Motion Comic - Marvel Motion Comics - Official Site for Brian Michael Bendis - The Spider-Woman “Motion Comic,” Direct Market Implications and a History of the Format

SCARLETT JOHANSSON IS THE BLACK WIDOW

Less than 10 months before the official US theatrical release of “Iron Man 2”, the magazine Entertainment Weekly is publishing in its n°1057 issue (available from July 24th, 2009) exclusive photos from this very awaited sequel, including some showing for the very first time a redhead Scarlet Johanson as the Black Window, a Russian spy, skilled in martial art and weaponry, alter ego of Natasha Romanoff, the new assistant of the millionaire industrialist Tony Stark (a.k.a. Iron Man, played again by Robert Downey Jr.). EW website put online one week before the mag release the first official photo of the Black Widow (shot by veteran still photographer Francois Duhamel).

Also, Marvel Comics just announced that a 4-part miniseries about Black Widow's origin (entitled logically "Black Widow: Deadly Origin"), draw by comic book artist Tom Raney ("Annihilation: Conquest") wrote by TV and comic writer Paul Cornell ("Doctor Who") will debut next November.

"Iron Man 2" will be released theatrically in America on May 7th, 2010 and will probably be screened at the Cannes Film Festival as well.

SUPERHEROINE DARNA RETURNS ON TV

Five years after the now famous Angel Locsin, the Filipina greatest comic book super heroine Darna, created in the late 40’s ’s by Mars Ravelo, will be played in a TV series remake named “Narda” (which is the name of the human alter-ego of Darna), by local actress and commercial model Marian Riviera. Facing her, the younger Iwa Moto will be Darna’s snakes-haired worst enemy Valentina.

Since the early 50’s, Darna was played for the big screen by Rosa Del Rosario (1951 & 1952), Liza Moreno (1963), Eva Montes (1965), Gina Pareno (1969), Vilma Santo (2 movies in 1973, 1 in 1975, 1 in 1980), Dolphy (1979), Rio Locsin (1979), Nanette Medved (1991), and Anjanette Abayari (1994)

The previous TV series, produced by GMA-7, the Philippines' n°1 television network, aired in the Phillipines between April 11th and November 25th, 2008, and did one of the biggest audience rating at that time. Also produced by GMA-7 and directed by Dominic Zapata and Don Michael Perez, the “Narda” series is slated to air from August 10th, 2009. Check out the following trailers and behind-the-scenes videos...

SILK SPECTRE II OFFICIAL COSTUME

Following the US DVD/Blu-ray release of the director’s cut of “Watchmen”, here come for Halloween, five official movie costumes from Zack Znider (best) movie.

"Watchmen" movie posters (©Warner Brothers)

Next September, guys will have the choice between the outfits of Rorschach (the mask, gloves and hat are already available), Nite Owl II, the Comedian or Ozymandias. Ladies will be able to wear the sexy Silk Spectre II costume only, which includes the gloves, belt, boot tops and romper with garters.

Silk Spectre II official costumes (left & right) + Malin Akerman in "Watchmen" (©Warner Brothers)

The costume worn by Malin Akerman in the movie, is radically different from the one in the original comic book series, as you can see below...

Silk Spectre II from the "Watchmen" comic book series (left & right) + Fan costume designed and worn by Ruby Rocket

The movie’s costume was designed by Michael Wilkisnson and Syren Couture, a L.A. based production house specialized in latex and leather designs for more than 17 years (they created the unforgettable Michelle Pfeiffer/Catwoman suit for “Batman Returns” as well).

"Watchmen" poster + promo still (©Warner Brothers)

Check out the following article from Syrnen website: Developing & producing the Silk Spectre II at Syren Couture.