The Electric Playground

[zenith16]

Cage, Sutherland, Lane, Nighy and Levy join


Summit Entertainment and Imagi Studios have entered into a global alliance whereby Summit will distribute Imagi's upcoming CG-animated motion picture Astro Boy worldwide except for Imagi's reserved territories of Japan, Hong Kong and China. The announcement was made jointly by Rob Friedman, Co-Chairman and CEO of Summit Entertainment and Douglas Glen, CEO of Imagi Studios.

"We are pleased to join with Imagi Studios in bringing the exceptional world of 'Astro Boy' to both existing and a new generation of fans alike," said Friedman. "The team at Imagi Studios is capturing the spirit of this popular post-modern franchise by doing great things with the story, characters and animation. 'Astro Boy' promises to be an excellent addition to our existing slate of family films."

Glen said, "'Astro Boy' has been one of the world's best-known and most loved superheroes for more than fifty years. We are pleased to partner with Summit to deliver 'Astro Boy''s first CGI feature film to worldwide audiences on a grand scale. Imagi and Summit are a great fit, with high energy, entrepreneurial cultures and a vision of building movie-driven global brands."

Slated for worldwide theatrical release in 2009, "Astro Boy" will feature the voices of Academy Award®-winning actor Nicolas Cage, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy and Eugene Levy with Freddie Highmore in the title role. David Bowers is directing ASTRO BOY from a screenplay written by Timothy Harris, with Maryann Garger producing.

ASTRO BOY was created by the "god of manga", Japan's Osamu Tezuka, in the early 1950s. The iconic character has since found wide popularity around the world as the hero of three acclaimed animated television series spanning the past four decades, besides being one of the top licensed properties for merchandising.

Set in futuristic Metro City, Imagi Studios' Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist to replace the son he has lost. Unable to fulfill the grieving father's expectations, our hero embarks on a journey in search of acceptance, experiencing betrayal and a netherworld of robot gladiators, before he returns to save Metro City and reconcile with the man who had rejected him.

Astro Boy is the second CG-animated feature film from Imagi Studios, following its 2007 release TMNT

Source: Imagi Studios
_________________
later Zenith.

WARREN/BETSY club member #28

Bobby and Emma club member#2

Vist our site @ our new Address

http://www.mutanthigh.com/

The best X-Men Reference site on the Web.

[Samz]

Well Freddie Highmore is the title role, so it should be good. Pretty much everything that kid touches is good.

[frezal]

[newf]

Not bad at all.
_________________
"Be grateful you died by Irish steel!"

[Samz]

[zenith16]

[img]http://www.aolcdn.com/mf_movies/30167_p_m[/img]



Summit Entertainment has revealed the first teaser trailer for Imagi Studios' CG animated Astro Boy, coming to theaters on October 23, 2009. Directed by David Bowers from a script by Timothy Harris, the adventure film features the voices of Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy, Eugene Levy, Matt Lucas and Freddie Highmore.

Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist to replace the son he has lost. Unable to fulfill the grieving father's expectations, our hero embarks on a journey in search of acceptance, experiencing betrayal and a netherworld of robot gladiators, before he returns to save Metro City and reconcile with the man who had rejected him.

You can watch the trailer in High Definition QuickTime and Flash Player format here!

http://www.moviefone.com/movie/astro-boy/30167/main

Source:Moviefone

discussions in session.
_________________
later Zenith.

WARREN/BETSY club member #28

Bobby and Emma club member#2

Vist our site @ our new Address

http://www.mutanthigh.com/

The best X-Men Reference site on the Web.

[zenith16]

Imagi has posted this new artwork from Astro Boy on its official website. Summit Entertainment will release the big screen adaptation, directed by David Bowers, on October 23. It is voiced by Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy, Eugene Levy, Matt Lucas and Freddie Highmore.














http://mirrorus.imagi.com.hk//web/main.php
Source:Imagi

Coming to theaters on October 23

hmmmyou'd think they'd give him more of an updated but what ever.

Discussions in session
_________________
later Zenith.

WARREN/BETSY club member #28

Bobby and Emma club member#2

Vist our site @ our new Address

http://www.mutanthigh.com/

The best X-Men Reference site on the Web.

[zenith16]

To voice characters in the adaptation


Director David Bowers has just announced that both Samuel L. Jackson and Charlize Theron are set for roles in this fall's Astro Boy, joining an all-star celebrity cast that includes Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Donald Sutherland and Nathan Lane, among many others.

Though it is unclear exactly what characters either actor will be voicing, Bowers specifically mentioned that Jackson's role is a special cameo as a robot, which should come as no surprise as Jackson is a self-professed comic fan.

plus

SDCC Exclusive: David Bowers on Astro Boy

Director of the big screen adaptation

David Bowers, director of Flushed Away is set to bring his talents to the world of Osamu Tezuka's Metro City in this fall's Astro Boy. As part of the SDCC panel, it was revealed that Charlize Theron and Samuel L. Jackson have joined the cast. Bowers explains a little bit about who each are playing and talks about dream projects he could imagine for the future; including adapting the classic British cartoon "Danger Mouse."

CSSHH!: The first question I have, actually, comes from my dad who was a big "Astro Boy" fan growing up and, when I told him there was a movie coming, he wanted to know if the old theme song was going to be around at all.
Bowers: We have our own theme music. We have John Ottmann who is just an amazing composer. He's created just a really wonderful, stirring Astro theme song for our movie. I'm sorry to disappoint your dad, but he can just pop in a DVD of the '60s show any time he likes. So, no, it's a whole new start. But the score sounds fantastic. We recorded it in Abbey Road just a couple of weeks ago. It's unbelievable. Just a huge orchestra. It sounds wonderful.

CSSHH!: How far away are you from a final cut?
Bowers: We have a final cut. We're just waiting for a few scenes of lighting. Just finishing a few things off. We're mixing at the moment at Fox and then it's just color-timing and then it's done. That's the movie.

CSSHH!: What sort of running time are you looking at?
Bowers: I think that, with credits, it's just over 90 minutes.

CSSHH!: It seems like you keep adding more surprises. Today I was happy to see the footage in the trailer of Astro battling the giant tentacled monster.
Bowers: (Laughs) Yes! We try to keep the audience guessing. It keeps things fresh and keeps things new.

CSSHH!: There's definitely that balance between the classic "Astro Boy" and your take, but I did notice that, in the trailer, there's one big action shot of him in his classic outfit, shirtless with shorts.
Bowers: You do. Actually, in the first sequence, where he's created, he's just in that classic outfit. But even in the Manga and TV show, he wears regular clothes. It would be strange to have him wander around in just a speedo. But by the end of the movie, he's actually 100% classic Astro Boy.

CSSHH!: You had two big cast announcements: Charlize Theron and Samuel L. Jackson. Who are they playing?
Bowers: Samuel L. Jackson, I don't want to give it away, because when his voice comes into the movie it's such a great moment. But he is playing a robot and Charlize Theron, we have a little movie that opens the film. A movie within a movie. Charlize Theron is narrating it.

CSSHH!: Is that in the "Astro Boy" universe or is it a short?
Bowers: Oh, it's in the "Astro Boy" universe. It's part of the movie. It just sort of explains where we are and what the world is like. What purpose robots serve. It's called "Our Friends, the Robots." It sort of starts things off.

CSSHH!: Of course Samuel L. Jackson is a big comic book fan. Did he come after the movie?
Bowers: We approached Samuel L. Jackson. We sent him stuff and showed him some stuff and showed him what we'd like to do. He's so gracious and just wonderful. He has just a few pivotal lines, but a really wonderful voice. He sounds great. Very impractical.

CSSHH!: Imagi is building up a reputation of taking known properties and doing very faithful adaptations with this, "TMNT" and now "Gatchaman." Is there anything in particular you'd love to one day adapt?
Bowers: There are a few things. "Danger Mouse." It's a wonderful British show from the 1970's. I'd love to see a big-screen version of that. There are a few properties from comics that, I remember as a kid and I would like to see. But I don't want to mention any of them (Laughs).

CSSHH!: Do you find it easier or harder to take something that already exists and bring it to the screen?
Bowers: I think easier in the case of "Astro Boy" because there's just so much great material to take and bring to the screen. "Flushed Away" was a different kind of movie. It was kind of a joke movie. For "Astro Boy" I kind of wanted to make something different. There's much richer sort of "soil" in the manga. It's more emotional. It's still very funny, though.

CSSHH!: There's a lot of emotional bits you've screened in the past and Kristen Bell said that it really got her. Was there ever a point where you thought it was just too much for a younger audience to handle?
Bowers: I don't think so, no. I was looking at films I loved as a kid. "Pinocchio," which is very similar to "Astro Boy" in many ways. It's a scary and very, very dark movie. Same thing with "Bambi" and "Dumbo." These are the films that people remember and that people like and love. This is where classics come from. Drama makes for good movies. To have drama, you have to have peaks and valleys. It can't all be sweetness and light. I think it's good. I think it encourages people to think about what the characters are going through which, in turn, means that you really care about them during the action sequences. In turn, that really makes the action sequences all the better. Real characters with real problems makes the movie all the better.

Astro Boy opens October 23rd. Check back soon for more interviews and a full-transcript from the panel.

http://www.superherohype.com/news/featuresnews.php?id=8551

source: Suprehero Hype
_________________
later Zenith.

WARREN/BETSY club member #28

Bobby and Emma club member#2

Vist our site @ our new Address

http://www.mutanthigh.com/

The best X-Men Reference site on the Web.

[zenith16]

MSN has debuted the full new trailer for Astro Boy, coming to theaters on October 23rd. Directed by David Bowers, the big screen adaptation features the voices of Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy, Eugene Levy, Matt Lucus and Donald Sutherland.

Set in futuristic Metro City, b>Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist named Tenma (Cage). Powered by positive "blue" energy, Astro Boy (Highmore) is endowed with super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly. Embarking on a journey in search of acceptance, Astro Boy encounters many other colorful characters along the way. Through his adventures, he learns the joys and emotions of being human, and gains the strength to embrace his destiny. Ultimately learning his friends and family are in danger, Astro Boy marshals his awesome super powers and returns to Metro City in a valiant effort to save everything he cares about and to understand what it takes to be a hero.

You can watch the trailer here.

http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&vid=955ef9eb-5d55-4774-9f3b-b4cd2f1861ee

Source:Summit Entertainment

Discussions in session
_________________
later Zenith.

WARREN/BETSY club member #28

Bobby and Emma club member#2

Vist our site @ our new Address

http://www.mutanthigh.com/

The best X-Men Reference site on the Web.

[zenith16]

Kristen Bell was interview on this movie by coming soon.net and it's on super hero hype.



You can watch the interview using the player below!
http://www.superherohype.com/news/featuresnews.php?id=8776

Source:Super HeroHype!


Discussions in session.
_________________
later Zenith.

WARREN/BETSY club member #28

Bobby and Emma club member#2

Vist our site @ our new Address

http://www.mutanthigh.com/

The best X-Men Reference site on the Web.