Wednesday, April 9, 2003
MARK STEVEN JOHNSON TO DIRECT GHOST RIDER
Mark Steven Johnson, who wrote and directed the Daredevil movie, has signed to direct Ghost Rider for Columbia Pictures, with Nicolas Cage attached to star.
Gary Foster, who produced Daredevil and is producing Ghost Rider with Avi Arad and Crystal Sky's Steven Paul, told The Continuum that Johnson's involvement in Ghost Rider won't impact either the announced Elektra film or Daredevil sequel.
"Mark and I are producing Elektra with Avi for April/May '04," Foster told The Continuum on Wednesday. "Hence, it won't affect it at all.
"DD2 is still in the mix for MSJ after Ghost Rider."
Johnson is rewriting the script by Shane Salerno, and production of Ghost Rider should start either late this year or early next year.
Cage, who took his stage name from Marvel character Luke Cage, has been linked to several super-hero movies, including Superman and Constantine. He was originally attached to Ghost Rider when it was written by David Goyer, to directed by Stephen Norrington and set up at Miramax.
That version went into turnaround, and Columbia picked up the rights.
X-MEN: EVOLUTION UPDATE
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Greg Johnson, story editor of X-Men: Evolution, told The Continuum that the fourth season of the show will include new villains in addition to the continuation of the Apocalypse story arc.
"Yes, we have some new villains, one of which will take everyone by surprise," Johnson told The Continuum on Tuesday.
The fourth season will have nine episodes, and work is well underway.
"Season 4 has some of the most unique stories of the entire series, thanks to the spirited creative sessions I have with Boyd Kirkland and Craig Kyle, in which we tend to throw things at each other," Johnson said. "Well, not really. But sometimes we'd like to.
"All of the stories have been generated in-house, and we've been pretty hard on ourselves in trying to keep every idea fresh. Often times, outlines have literally gone back to square one -- a frustration for the great writers who contribute to the show, like Bob Forward, William Cluverius, Marsha Griffin, Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost, and Michael Merton."
Johnson is writing four episodes himself.
"I am just getting into the two-part season finale now," Johnson said. "And if we've all done our jobs correctly, as the episodes roll, you'll be waiting for that finale with great anticipation."
The final four episodes of Season 3 will air later this month on Kids' WB!.
Look for more on X-Men: Evolution soon here in The Continuum.
FINAL BUFFY EPISODES
UPN has released loglines for the final four episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Following is a rundown:
"Empty Places," Tuesday, April 29
As Sunnydale evacuates in anticipation of the big battle, Caleb works with The First in setting a trap for Buffy. While the unlikely pair of Spike and Andrew investigates a mission that had been attacked by Caleb in the past, Faith takes the potentials out for a night of blowing off steam, causing Buffy to lose control of the group.
"Touched," Tuesday, May 6
While the Bringer army forges an arsenal, and The First and Caleb plot together, a dejected Buffy holes up alone, and Faith leads the potentials in capturing a Bringer in order to get info on The First's plan. Spike confronts Faith before going to Buffy's side where he gives Buffy a pep talk that eventually sends her back into the fight with Caleb while, simultaneously, Faith and the potentials raid The First's army of Bringers.
"End of Days," Tuesday, May 13
Buffy reclaims her role as leader before going back into battle with a newly juiced Caleb...and Angel shows up to help Buffy in the fight.
"Chosen," Tuesday, May 20
In the stunning series finale, Angel and Buffy have an emotional reunion… Buffy hatches a plan which leads the gang towards one last awesome mission into the Hellmouth itself.
ELFQUEST ANNIVERSARY EDITION
DC Comics has announced a July 2 release for Elfquest: 25th Anniversary Edition, a 40-page one-shot created by Wendy and Richard Pini that reprints the introductory story from Elfquest #1, originally published in 1978.
"It's great to be getting underway," Wendy Pini says. "It's been a long time since I've worked to a schedule. This is like a rebirth for me, really getting back into the trenches. It's so satisfying to be making the changes and upgrades to the original artwork for new readers, and I'm very emotionally connected to the new storyline which I'm starting this month."
Richard Pini added, "As an erstwhile publisher, I have to admit I wondered what I would do to fill my days. Happily, I now have more than enough to do and it feels wonderful to be teaming up again full time with Wendy."
Newly relettered and recolored by Wendy Pini and featuring the cover image from Elfquest #1, this story introduces readers to the Wolfriders and their proud leader, Cutter.
The issue is the inaugural item in an expansive Elfquest line from DC that will include color hardcover archives, black-and-white trade paperbacks and collected editions, and new, original material. Elfquest: 25th Anniversary Edition also features an interview with the Pinis discussing DC's publishing plan for the library of Elfquest stories and previewing the first all-new Elfquest story in years, "The Searcher and The Sword."
ZEN COLORING
When Zen #0 arrives in the comics shops later this month, it will feature a new colorization process by Dan Cote and Cotecolors.
"We're calling it 'SFX Colorization,' because page after page is loaded with amazing eye-candy," said publisher Steve Stern. "Dan's coloring has always been exceptional, but now he's working on a whole new level of visual special effects."
Zen Comics has provided The Continuum with panels of art from Zen #0 that are representative of the SFX Colorization process. They will also be posting a new complete page during each week of April at the official Zen fan club site, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_fanclub.
"This is an exciting time to be a colorist," said Cote. "When I was airbrushing my books, I loved having the ability to create textures and visuals that no one else was doing, simply because the comics medium wasn't exploiting the airbrush as a tool for storytelling. Now that I'm collaborating with my computer, I can accomplish things that were simply impossible with an airbrush. Printing technology and coloring technology have evolved to such a degree that today's comics must aspire to reach a higher level of sophistication. The playing field has leveled. We indy publishers have the same tools as the big boys."
Series artist Bill Maus said, "Dan's coloring style gives the book a unique flavor that's very refreshing and different. He's doing a great deal more than simply coloring things in...he's creating his own unique art form and adding a dimension to the book that wouldn't exist without him."
BRIEFLY
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