Over the past few years, Hollywood’s main focus seemed to be on a more mainstream, commercialized level with movies based on toys (more specifically, action figures), with film franchises like Transformers and G.I Joe bringing inanimate objects to action packed life.

Following a similar fashion board games are becoming another target for studios, with adaptations of Battleship, Monopoly, Risk, and Candyland quickly materializing. Well, add one more icon to that list as MGM has plans for a live-action movie based on Where’s Waldo, an idea we were hoping gets even more lost than the character from the popular children’s book.

Now of course this will be a more family friendly adventure, but is this really something everyone’s just dying to see? Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there’s a few (and I stress, few) individuals who would love to see a movie about a guy with a red and white striped sweater who constantly gets lost (riveting I know), but honestly, can there really be a strong enough story to make this concept work?

There’s not much to work with regarding the source material, other than the characters and scenery, but I guess they could always go the “man who’s been separated from his family as a boy and goes on an adventure to find them” route that has been rumored for a while. However, it’s one of those plots that feels like a cop-out, that without the iconic spectacle-wearing character, it would just be a generic movie. In order for it to be done right, there would need to be an abundant amount of little hints and Easter eggs as well as inside jokes that aren’t afraid to poke fun at itself, maybe even a few “breaking the fourth wall” moments to get the audience involved with the light-hearted premise.

All in all, this is more proof of the lack of originality in Hollywood because, again, most of the time when we are given a movie based on toys or board games, without all of the flair and recognizable characters; it’s just a standard movie with an interchangeable plot that can work as just a standalone movie. But, alas, my ranting won’t solve anything and, for all it’s worth, maybe this will mean we’ll finally see a movie adaptation based on the popular search and find I Spy books. Please don’t let that happen.

Here’s the MGM press release:

MGM’s President of Motion Picture Group Jonathan Glickman today announced that the studio has secured feature film rights to bring Classic Media’s Where’s Waldo?® to the big screen in a live-action family adventure.

Created by Martin Handford and first published in 1987, Where’s Waldo? is one of the most recognizable characters in the world and a pop-culture icon. A publishing phenomenon with more than 55 million books sold worldwide from New York to Sydney to London to Tokyo, Where’s Waldo books are available in more than thirty-eight countries and have been translated into more than thirty languages. Where’s Waldo has also been spotted in gaming, selling more than 4.6+ million Apps for iPhone and iPad.

“We are thrilled to be bringing the search for Waldo to the big screen. Along with our partners at Classic Media, we look forward to making a worldwide adventure that will appeal to Where’s Waldo? fans of all ages,” Glickman said.

“Waldo is the most searched-for character in the world,” said Eric Ellenbogen, co-CEO, Classic Media. “With thanks to MGM, fans everywhere will find Waldo in movie theaters with his motion picture debut.”

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Things are on the up and up for Vin Diesel. With the latest in the Fast/Furious franchise just about to head north of $500 million worldwide, Deadline are reporting that franchise addict Vin Diesel is set to star in and produce an action comedy titled The Machine for MGM, written by previous Diesel collaborators Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant (Night at the Museum, The Pacifier).

Here’s an outline of the film:

‘The story involves Diesel playing a human-like machine created in secrecy by the Pentagon to be the world’s first ultimate weapon. Some 20 years after the machine was decommissioned and buried, The Machine is discovered, reactivated and befriended by a kid. When the government learns that The Machine is back in operation, the ultimate weapon’s mission becomes to protect the family that is harboring him.’

Jonathan Glickman, MGM Motion Picture Group president gushed about the news,

“We could not be happier to be partnering with Vin again, especially on a film with such classic themes that will appeal to his broad audience around the world,”

So far so Terminator 2 you may be thinking. However Deadline state that the script is more in the tone of The Iron Giant, which just so happened to feature Diesel’s gruff tones. But that was hardly an action comedy more a touching animated drama.

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Back in July last year MGM’s RoboCop reboot was officially declared dead as at the time the company was still knee deep in bankruptcy, with no sign of a way out. Since then the company has emerged from bankruptcy with the help of Spyglass Entertainment and is moving forward with The Hobbit and Bond 23.

With their main projects under-way they are starting to look at other movies to develop, and it looks like they are revisiting plans to reboot RoboCop.

From Variety:

The Lion has finally started to really stir, with MGM announcing its first post-bankruptcy co-financing deal Thursday and studio execs telling creative reps that it’s moving on a quintet of projects, including remakes of 1980s pics “Mr. Mom” and “The Idolmaker” and long-gestating reboots of “RoboCop” and “Poltergeist.”

A reboot of “RoboCop.” Pic was being fast-tracked for a 2010 release as the first potential tentpole to come together under Parent’s regime, with director Darren Aronofsky attached at one point. Phoenix Pictures’ Mike Medavoy, who produced the original film for Orion in 1987, was on board as producer alongside Arnold Messer, Brad Fischer and David Thwaites.

Darren Aronofsky will be occupied with The Wolverine for another year, but in November he said he was still interested in directing his version of RoboCop. David Self (Road to Perdition) had written the script, and while no details were released, Self said it was “definitely not a sequel. It’s an origin story, it’s an origin to the original Robocop. So, it’s basically a ‘reboot’.” MGM could wait for Aronofsky and continue to develop Self’s script, or they could start again from scratch with another director and writer.

As well as RoboCop, MGM also plan on proceeding with a new Hercules project — one that sees the mythical hero turning his back on the gods and forming a ruthless army — and a fourth installment to the Poltergeist franchise.

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After more than a year of financial limbo MGM today announced that it was officially out of bankruptcy, and now has $500 million in place to start making movies again. This means that Bond 23 will likely get a greenlight sometime soon and the company can pay its share of The Hobbit budget which it is co-financing with Warner Bros.

The Hobbit has already been moving forward for a month or two now and is preparing for a February shoot, so it will be Daniel Craig and expected director Sam Mendes that will be most relieved by this news. MGM are aiming for a November 2012 release for Bond 23 so filming will likely begin next year.

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MGM finally got round to filling for bankruptcy this week after working out a deal with Spyglass Entertainment (the production company behind Star Trek, Wanted and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra). After years of delays The Hobbit is moving forward (with a lot of help from Warner Bros.) but unfortunately 007 will have to wait a bit longer to get going as MGM wants to keep the franchise for itself.

According to Bloomberg the intention is for MGM to have Bond 23 ready for a November 2012 release, which means filming will likely begin sometime in 2011. MGM also intends to fully own and fund Bond 24 itself, which will probably arrive in 2014 or 2015. Funding The Hobbit at the moment is a struggle, but Bond is a profitable franchise which will guarantee $$$ for many years to come, so keeping is it vital for the company’s future.

Daniel Craig has said on a number of occasions that he can’t wait to get going again, and director Sam Mendes will likely be sitting in the directors chair if all goes according to plan. Mendes was unofficially hired as director back in January and has been flirting with various projects while MGM dragged out it’s debt problem for most of the year. Hopefully with a release date penciled in and MGM’s bank account looking healthier they can set a start date with Mendes officially signed up to direct.

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Earlier today it was reported that The Hobbit has received the greenlight and will begin filming in February. Now director Peter Jackson, Warner Bros president Alan Horn and New Line Cinema president Toby Emmerich have released a statement confirming the news.

From Stuff.co.nz:

“Exploring Tolkien’s Middle-earth goes way beyond a normal film making experience” Jackson said, “It’s an all-immersive journey into a very special place of imagination, beauty and drama.

“We’re looking forward to re-entering this wondrous world with Gandalf and Bilbo – and our friends at New Line Cinema, Warner Brothers and MGM”.

“There is no human being on the planet as qualified as Peter Jackson to direct these films,” said Warner Bros president Alan Horn.

“Peter is incredibly talented and has the creative vision and experience to bring this beloved property to life in a way that no other film-maker could.

And the team of Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have proven through their work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy that no one is more skilled at transforming Tolkien’s written words into a vibrant, living language that makes the audience believe they are not merely visiting Middle Earth, but actually living in it.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled and look forward to seeing The Hobbit take shape under Peter’s stewardship and the team he is putting together.”

“Peter is a filmmaker of incomparable ability; having him return to Middle-earth to produce and direct is a dream come true. A true original, Jackson is a gifted story-teller, visionary director and pioneer in film technology,” said New Line Cinema president Toby Emmerich.

“Reuniting with Peter, Fran and Philippa on truly makes it feel like we are going ‘there and back again.’”

After years of delays it is finally happening! The current plan is to release the first Hobbit film in December 2012, and the second in 2013.

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While no official announcement has been made, The Wrap is reporting that The Hobbit has been given the greenlight and will begin filming in February. They say Peter Jackson finalized his deal to direct this week, and MGM and Warner Brothers have agreed to give the project the go-ahead.

While MGM’s situation is still unresolved they had to commit to The Hobbit so that filming could begin. The L.A Times reports that, as a back-up plan, “Warner Bros. has agreed to loan MGM the money in exchange for additional rights”. Warner Bros. will release The Hobbit in the US, while MGM has overseas rights.

One hurdle left to overcome is the dispute with the acting unions, who told their members not to take roles in the The Hobbit because actors in New Zealand had “struggled on non-union contracts” for some years and those contracts “provide no minimum guarantees of wages or working conditions”. Peter Jackson warned that he could move the production to eastern Europe, so it will be in everyone’s interest to get this resolved as soon as possible. New Zealand doesn’t want to lose The Hobbit, and Jackson will be wanting to cast actors ready for filming.

So far Ian McKellen is the only confirmed cast member, with Andy Serkis, Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving possibly returning should the script require it. Martin Freeman confirmed earlier this week that he had to turn down the role of Bilbo Baggins due to schedule conflicts, but if things can be working out he “could give it a go”.

Expect to hear a lot of Hobbit news over the upcoming months!

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Could The Hobbit finally be getting somewhere? According to The L.A Times “Warner Bros., its subsidiary New Line Cinema, and partner Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer appear to be close to greenlighting” The Hobbit following years of delays.

They say the studios “have nearly finalized a deal with director, producer and co-writer Peter Jackson” and “the one remaining hurdle is getting an official go-ahead from MGM” who “could give Warner Bros. the official okay in the next few days”.

MGM still needs to come up with its half of the budget, which is expected to be around $500 million in total for both movies which will be shot back-to-back. Should a greenlight be given shooting will begin in January for a December 2012 release. Any further delays could mean the first Hobbit movie won’t be hitting screens until 2013.

It would be a shame for fans to get too excited, so we’ll have to wait and see how things develop over the next few days/weeks. Hopefully everything comes together so they can confirm casting and get filming.

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With MGM in talks with Spyglass for a merger it looks like the situation holding up The Hobbit and Bond 23 may be over soon. The delay has lost us Guillermo del Toro, but Peter Jackson is still steering the project forward and may or may not end up directing. No beacons can be light while MGM are still in debt, but Jackson revealed in a recent interview that The Hobbit will have “certainty” sometime soon.

From Stuff.nz (via The One Ring):

A decision was still to be made on whether he would direct The Hobbit, which is in limbo while problems are resolved with Warner Bros and MGM, which is heavily in debt and up for sale.

But he said yesterday that Warner Bros was “making progress untangling the MGM situation, so we should have certainty with The Hobbit sometime soon”.

The article also mentions Jackson is eager to sort out his Hobbit duties (whether directing or just producing) as it will allow him to map out a five-year plan for projects “that will keep many people very busy”.

With fans, MGM, Warner Bros. and Guillermo del Toro wanting Jackson to direct the two Hobbit films it would seem like a difficult decision to turn down, but Jackson has projects he wants to work on so the sooner a green-light is given the better.

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Back in February writer David Self said that he and director Darren Aronofsky were still on-board the Robocop reboot despite MGM’s financial troubles. However we are now nearly 6 months on and while The Hobbit and Bond 23 are holding out until things can be resolved, Robocop won’t be.

The Financial Times are reporting that Aronofsky has officially left the project, and Moviehole caught up with one of their sources at Comic-Con who said the movie is “Gone. Kaput. Canceled” and Aronofsky “lost interest”, which is understandable.

Not a lot was known about the movie story-wise, although David Self said it was “definitely not a sequel. It’s an origin story, it’s an origin to the original Robocop. So, it’s basically a ‘reboot’.” Once MGM are debt-free they may decided to start working on another Robocop project (they will still be wanting to put the rights into use) but this incarnation that has been in development for the last few years appears to be dead.

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