Ron Howard Is Going To Direct 'The Graveyard Book'. I Think I Just Died...

The Graveyard Book is one of my favorite pieces of fiction by Neil Gaiman. He is a killer author who has written some killer books (Anasi Boys, American Gods, Star Dust) and comic books (Sandman, The Eternals, Marvel 1602) over his illustrious career. But reason why I love The Graveyard Book so much is because it is for kids... but Gaiman doesn't dumb things down and make them soft for the kiddies. nope, this book STARTS with a brutal murder of an entire family by a calculating killer, and the escape of a little infant named Bod from said killer. Bod was the target, and the wandering infant finds refuge in local Graveyard where he is taken in by two ghosts. They raise Bod, and the book chronicles his growing up among the dead bodies, ghouls, ghosts, and monsters that occupy the graveyard. It is so great, yet it maintains the creepiness and scary level of horror that Gaiman is known for. Last year Henry Selleck (Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas) was set to bring the book to the big screen via a stop motion film in collaboration with Disney. But Selleck has parted ways with The Mouse House, so the movie has been spinning in developmental hell. But now Disney is announcing they are moving forward with a LIVE ACTION version of the book directed by Ron Howard! Ron Fucking Howard... WOW! This is probably the best news I can ever ask for as a fan of the book. I love Howard's work, especially his work with family/teen subject matter. This is great news. I acn't wait to see how this plays out. Akiva Goldsman is probably going to re-write the screenplay, and whenever these two get together magic usually happens. If you haven't read the book, pick it up now. And also check out a short animated book trailer narrated by Gaiman himself after the jump...



 

The Bluths Are Back... You Better Get Your Netflix Accounts Right!!!

Arrested Development may very well be one of the all time best comedies to ever air on American television. Anybody who has watched the show knows this to be true. But in that statement lies the problem... Fox constantly moved the show's time slot and it never garnered the ratings that the network wanted. So it got cancelled way before it should have. Ever since it was cancelled, there have been all kinds of rumors of the return of the Bluth family: a series revival, a new network, and even a possible movie. But all of those things proved to be false... Netflix Instant is going to be the platform where we get more misadventures from this classic cast!!! Click after the jump for more details on the announcement...

Here are some blurbs from the Netflix press release:

"Netflix's bold entrance into original programming presents an exciting new opportunity for our two companies" commented Peter Levinsohn, Fox Filmed Entertainment's President of New Media & Digital Distribution. "Bringing a classic show back to production on new episodes exclusively for Netflix customers is a game changer, and illustrates the incredible potential the new digital landscape affords great content providers like Twentieth Century Fox Television and Imagine."

"We also pride ourselves on breaking the rules at this studio, and after bringing back two canceled series – 'Family Guy' and 'Futurama'—to enormous success, we are bullish on the prospects for this brilliant series. We can't wait to get back to work with Mitch, Ron and Brian on bringing the Bluths back to America's living rooms," they added. 

And here is some encouraging words from producer Ron Howard:

 "Of all the projects we've been involved with over the years, we probably get more questions about Mitch Hurtwitz's brilliant 'Arrested Development' than any other-- everyone, ourselves included, seems to feel like the Bluths left the party a bit too soon. Bringing a series back from cancellation almost never happens, but then, 'Arrested' always was about as unconventional as they get, so it seems totally appropriate that this show that broke the mold is smashing it to pieces once again."

Finally, thanks to the gang over at ScreenRant for the screen caps of tweets from Brian Grazer & Jason Bateman:

You can catch the full run of Arrested Development (three seasons) on Netflix Instant currently, and the new episodes of the show are proposed to start in 2013. I for one can't wait!!! I guess there really is money in that banana stand!!!!

The Dark Tower Find It's (Not) TV Home

It's been a long arduous road for The Dark Tower's journey to the big and small screen. Pretty much from the moment Stephen King put pen to paper in the early 80's there have been rumors about a live action adaptation. Everyone from Spielberg to Cronenberg with Clint Eastwood starring, to the Lost team of JJ/Lindelof/Cuse with Viggo Mortensen in the lead has been mentioned. The latest team is the mammoth Ron Howard-Brian Grazer connection with an ambitous plan. Click after the jump for more...

A few months back King and Howard announced that the series would be adapted as three live action films, with several seasons of a TV show in between. A fittingly large plan to cover all the material in the seven novel long opus. Javier Bardem was cast as Roland Deschain of Gilead. Almost as quickly as that was announced, Universal, who was the studio attached, dropped the project over budget concerns. BUT this week we got word that the Gunslinger's small screen prospects just got a little bright. A network has picked up the show.


Could there be a better home? I mean, don't you really kind of want HBO to make every show? Even their shows that I don't like are still so well produced. I like what they are adapting into as a network as well. HBO came into real power in the late 90's with "The Sopranos," and it's programming was largely gritty and reality based, with "The Wire," "Six Feet Under" etc. Now Showtime and AMC are big time in that game. With this acquisition HBO are going to be the premiere genre network. "The Dark Tower," "Game of Thrones" and "True Blood." HBO recognizes the power of the nerd. This is indeed excellent news. Now if we can only get them to handle that live action "Star Wars" series, a "100 Bullets" anthology show we'll be in business!

The Dark Tower is a mammoth story that blends horror, science fiction and fantasy in amazing ways. if you haven't read it I highly recommend. It deserves epic treatment and it's looking like it will indeed get it. I'm very excited to see the rest of the casting, and with a big screen version of The Stand seemingly in the works as well, hopefully we'll see the appropriate Randall Flagg/Man in Black cross casting.