Ridley Scott Developing ‘Brave New World’

In June 2008 we told you that Ridley Scott’s next film would likely be first major Hollywood adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s 1932 classic Brave New World, possibly with Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead.

Over a year later, the project has just now been officially announced and set up at Universal. Scott will produce, and hopes to direct. Dicaprio will produce, and might star. DiCaprio and Scott’s involvement beyond producing depends on the script and the timing of the development, which has has only just begun. According to RiskyBiz, Apocalypto scribe Farhad Safinia has been hired to pen the adaptation, and will begin shortly.

Scott has waited 20 years to get his hands on Brave New World, and now that he has his chance, I would doubt that he is going to do whatever he can to make it happen. Last year he publicly said that he hoped to go into production on World after his Robin Hood project, then titled Nottingham. The book, which was first published in 1932, can be read online for free, or purchased on Amazon for around $10. Here is a description of the plot from the book’s cover:

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Fox Wants Ridley Scott to Direct ‘Alien’ Prequel

As hesitant as I am to get behind an Alien prequel, I’m even less enthused about the possibility that Ridley Scott might direct it. Entertainment Weekly, by way of The Playlist, says that’s the first choice for Fox, and it shouldn’t be too surprising. Scott is one of the more accomplished directors working, and studio boss Tom Rothman said last month that the only way to really do it is to have Scott on board.

At the time, everyone probably assumed that meant getting Ridley as a producer, in large part because it’s 30 years later and Scott also has a mountain of other projects. But Fox reportedly isn’t interested in going forward with this at all unless Scott is behind the camera.

But why don’t I want him to direct it? Because Fox has had no clue what to do with the property since 1986, or certainly since 1992, when the third movie came out, and if Scott really wanted to make more Alien movies, he would’ve directed the second one.

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Ridley Scott Announces Blade Runner Webseries ‘Purefold’

Director Ridley Scott has announced that his commercials company, RSA Films, has launched a new division to make Purefold, a web-series set in the Blade Runner universe. According to the NY Times (via: io9), Ridley, along brother Tony and son Luke, are teaming up with an independent studio, Ag8, to produce the ambitious series.

Prefold will take place in 2011 which is pre-Blade Runner’s 2019 time frame, and will probably not feature any of the characters we all love. Still it could be cool.

Okay, but wait, here’s the rub: It’s all going to be very web 2.0 in its approach. See the five to 10 minute episodes will use the social aggregator site FriendFeed to cull viewer desires and help fans drive the story. Blah blah blah, whatever. I’d be stupid to deny the impact of the web 2,0 revolution on how we all use the web to share information and communicate, but I have yet to be convinced that writing by committee has yielded any truly entertaining fruits. In my mind, its a quick and dirty way to get a large community fast and sell ad inventory. But hey, prove me wrong Scotts, prove me wrong.

So, what do you guys think? Do we want/need a Blade Runner web-series?

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‘Alien’ Prequel Confirmed By Tony Scott

On Thursday, we expressed our unhappiness about Fox seeking to crack open the Alien vault and do either a remake or a prequel. It was well-informed talk from Bloody Disgusting that got it started, and Collider now has confirmed we’re getting another Alien movie.

It’s going to be a prequel, according to Ridley Scott’s brother Tony, who, along with Ridley, runs Scott Free, the company that will produce the new movie. “Yes, Carl Rinsch is going to do the prequel to Alien,” Scott confirms. Rinsch is a commercial and music video director who works for Scott Free, so Ridley is kind of keeping it in the family.

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Carl Erik Rinsch To Direct ‘Alien’ Remake?

In April it was revealed that director Ridley Scott is “toying around with the idea” of doing a Alien prequel or reboot. Bloody Disgusting’s sources claim that Michael Costigan, Ridley Scott and even Tony Scott are all on board to produce a new film in the Alien series, with commercial/music video director Carl Erik Rinsch at the helm. Rinsch is also a member of Ridley Scott’s production company RSA. No details about the plot or timeline (we’ve heard the words “reboot” and “prequel”), but apparently the plan is to return to the original idea of one alien on one spaceship.

I have compiled some of Rinsch’s more impressive commercials in another post called The Commercials of Carl Erik Rinsch. You must check out his work. Watching his commercials, it’s easy to see why he might be a choice for a 21st Century Alien film. He is able to effectively combine realistic visual effects with live action imagery to create a magically compelling story.

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First Look: Russell Crowe As Robin Hood

Universal Pictures has released the first photo of Russell Crowe as the title character in Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood. Producer Brian Grazer tells USA Today that Robin Hood’s look has been completely updated: “He doesn’t have the old Robin Hood tights. He’s got armor. He’s very medieval. He looks, if anything, more like he did in Gladiator than anything we’re used to seeing with Robin Hood.” I like the new look a lot. What do you guys think?

Official Plot Synopsis: Crowe stars as the legendary figure known by generations as Robin Hood, whose exploits have endured in popular mythology and ignited the imagination of those who share his spirit of adventure and righteousness. In 13th century England, Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power. And whether thief or hero, one man from humble beginnings will become an eternal symbol of freedom for his people.

The untitled Robin Hood adventure chronicles the life of an expert archer, previously interested only in self-preservation, from his service in King Richard’s army against the French. Upon Richard’s death, Robin travels to Nottingham, a town suffering from the corruption of a despotic sheriff and crippling taxation, where he falls for the spirited widow Lady Marion (Blanchett), a woman skeptical of the identity and motivations of this crusader from the forest. Hoping to earn the hand of Maid Marion and salvage the village, Robin assembles a gang whose lethal mercenary skills are matched only by its appetite for life. Together, they begin preying on the indulgent upper class to correct injustices under the sheriff.

With their country weakened from decades of war, embattled from the ineffective rule of the new king and vulnerable to insurgencies from within and threats from afar, Robin and his men heed a call to ever greater adventure. This unlikeliest of heroes and his allies set off to protect their country from slipping into bloody civil war and return glory to England once more.

The main cast has already been announced: Russell Crowe as Robin Hood, Cate Blanchett as Lady Marion, Vanessa Redgrave as Queen Eleanor, Mark Strong as Sir Godfrey, Oscar Issac as King John, Léa Seydoux as French Princess Isabella, William Hurt as Earl of Pembroke, William Marshall and the Merry Men: Scott Grimes as Will Scarlet, Kevin Durand as Little John, Alan Doyle as Allan Adayle.

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