Apr 27 2009 Here's Megan Fox Without a Front on Her Dress
Coming Soon has some shots of Megan Fox having her guts crushed in the name of idealized womanhood on the set of Jonah Hex. In the comic book adaptation, Fox continues taking roles that used to go by Jessica Biel by playing a prostitute love interest to Josh Brolin's Hex.
Audiences will surely be measuring the success of their Wild West romance against the epitome of the such an affair, the love/hate relationship of Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster in Maverick, so these guys had better nail it.
Apr 1 2009 Will I Be Able to Take Will Arnett Seriously in 'Jonah Hex'?
Ah, some much-needed Will Arnett to tide us over until the Arrested Development movie (I'm still pretending the Arrested Development movie will happen). The Hollywood Reporter has announced the actor, most famous for portraying Gob on the beloved sitcom, and Michael Shannon have joined Jonah Hex:
Will Arnett and Oscar nominee Michael Shannon are boarding "Jonah Hex," Warner Bros. and Legendary's action Western based on the DC Comics character.Jimmy Hayward is directing "Hex," whose cast also includes Josh Brolin, John Malkovich and Megan Fox. It's the story of Hex (Brolin), a scarred bounty hunter tracking a voodoo practitioner (Malkovich) who wants to raise an army of the undead to liberate the South.
Arnett will play a Union soldier who enlists Hex and is blindsided by the dirty fighting style of his enemies. The role is not inherently comic.
I don't want to typecast someone as talented as Will Arnett, but keep trying to imagine him being sincere and I'm getting absolutely nothing. I can only conjure images of Gob in a cowboy hat, his raspy voice muttering "Jonah" in the same suspicious, condescending tone he so often whispered "Michael." But in fairness, prior to Jim Carrey's dramatic breakthroughs, I probably would have only been able to imagine him doing The Truman Show as Fire Marshal Bill, so I'm sure Arnett will be fine.
Mar 4 2009 Good News if You Like Looking at Megan Fox
This news will make a handsome giftset with the Ratner-directing-Youngblood revelation in the category of Awful Comics Being Brought to Life By Hollywood Talent So Blindingly Appropriate that Fans and Haters Alike Cannot Help But Resoundingly Approve. Megan Fox starring as the hot, raven-haired, oft-naked heroine of the comic book Fathom? That is not disagreeable, except for the part about a Fathom movie:
Megan Fox is ditching the robots and taking her career to Western and underwater frontiers.Fox is in final negotiations to star opposite Josh Brolin and John Malkovich in "Jonah Hex," Warner Bros.' action Western based on the DC Comics character. She also is attached to star and develop "Fathom," Fox Atomic's comic book-based underwater adventure.
In "Hex," being directed by Jimmy Hayward, Fox will play Leila, a gun-wielding beauty and love interest of Hex (Brolin), a scarred bounty hunter tracking a voodoo practitioner (Malkovich) who wants to raise an army of undead to liberate the South.
"Fathom," a comic created by recently deceased artist Michael Turner, follows a young woman named Aspen who learns she is a member of a race of aquatic humanoids who possess the ability to control water.
As for the Megan Fox-in-Jonah Hex news... I guess? I still don't know why Jonah Hex is being produced as a film. This is going to be the Pets.com of comic adaptations--the one that finally bursts the already thinly-stretched skin of the bubble. Sell your Comic Book Movie stock (CBM) now.
Feb 12 2009 Malkovich Fighting Deformed Confederate Soldier
There are less than two years left before the end of the decade, and we still haven't made every comic book into a movie yet. It's going to be really tough to hit our deadline, but we've got everyone doing overtime on this one, so I'm hopeful. And we've got an update on the Jonah Hex front: director Jimmy Hayward is diligently working on his adaptation of the comic no one has really heard of, and he's just added a Malkovich to the cast:
John Malkovich will square off against Josh Brolin in "Jonah Hex," the Warner Bros. adaptation of the DC Comics property that begins production in April.Malkovich will play Turnbull, a wealthy Southern plantation owner whose son is killed by Union soldiers during the Civil War. He blames Hex, a former confederate soldier-turned-hardened bounty hunter and gunslinger. Jimmy Hayward ("Horton Hears a Who") is directing the script by "Crank" scribes Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.
Malkovich as a wealthy Southern plantation owner? I thought there was a law in place that all depictions of wealthy Southern plantation owners had to be obese, such that the moist Southern heat makes them sweat enough to necessitate constant handkerchief dabbing. Maybe I'm mixing up wealthy Southern plantation owners and charismatic Southern attorneys.
Malkovich, Brolin set for 'Hex' [Variety]
Jan 7 2009 Cartoon Elephant Director Taking Half-Mangled Confederate Project
When Crank co-directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor left the Hex adaptation over creative differences, Warner Bros. knew they'd have to find a new director that could bring that certain something to make the project work. And when I'm saying "certain something" here, what I mean is the ability to direct a CGI adaptation of a Dr. Seuss book, because that obviously translates to a gory, supernatural, comic book-based Western. From THR:
Jimmy Hayward, who directed the animated "Horton Hears a Who!" will make his live-action debut with "Jonah Hex," the Warner Bros. western based on the DC Comics character.Josh Brolin is attached to star in the film, which previously had Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor ("Crank") on board as directors. The duo, who also wrote the script, bowed out over creative differences in November. The studio, which hopes to put the movie into production in March or April, went on a fast-track search, putting together a short list that included such names as Andy Fickman and McG before narrowing it down to Hayward.
OK, I'll assume Jimmy Hayward has diverse enough talent to handle this--he's never been anything but great to me--but why is this being made again? Losing-the-directors time would have been a great time for a Warner executive to speak up and say, "You know what? I'm not sure why we're even pursuing this property. Hex? Who the eff is Hex? We're really making that? Let's just do an Aquaman. Everyone good with an Aquaman? OK, 2010, here comes Aquaman. Good meeting, Warner Brothers."
Oct 9 2008 Has 'Brand' Been Cast in 'Hex'?
About four months ago, an image of Thomas Jane in Two-Face makeup and a cowboy hat showed up on internet, and people started saying, "Whelp, looks like Thomas Jane might be playing Jonah Hex, a comic book character I've only now heard of." Some questions were raised over its authenticity, and Thomas Jane came forward to say, "Yes, that's me in makeup and a cowboy hat, but not because I'm in the movie. I just thought that would be a good way to get the part." Then Hex directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor responded, saying, "Wow, that's really cute, Thomas Jane, but sorry, we're not going to let you play this character that absolutely no one else is enthusiastic about but you."
Now that you're caught up, here's the latest development. Hollywood Elsewhere is reporting Josh Brolin has been signed on for the part (though Brolin has so far denied it):
I'm told that the deal is sealed for Josh Brolin to star in Jonah Hex, based on the graphic novel and directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank, Game) and to be funded and released by Warner Bros. Brolin's rep is not only denying this but claiming Brolin is "not attached," but a voice is telling me to consider the word of a friend who tells me the deal was locked down last night.
I liked Tom Jane a lot on Arrested Development, and he seems like a decent guy, but is it wrong that I kind of want to have Josh Brolin deliver this news to Jane personally by showing up at his house in full Hex costume and firing a gun that pops out a flag that says "I'm hired," which would be videotaped and posted on YouTube? Because I think we should do that.
Jun 20 2008 Thomas Jane as Hex Photo is Sort of Real, Sort of Not Real, Completely Unreal
Thomas Jane has finally come out to address the dubious photograph of him made-up like half-disfigured comic cowboy Jonah Hex, saying, "Yes, that's me dressed as a comic book character, but not in any official capacity. I just thought maybe if I dressed up like Hex, they might cast me as him, and it's only kind of pathetic." From Film School Rejects:
Yeah, the pic is real all right – my pal Akiva Goldsman told me about the project and I fell in love with the idea right away. Being a huge fan of all things Hex – I just couldn’t help myself. I called up my buddy Chris Nelson and we spent a Saturday afternoon working up some make-up for this impromptu shoot and I fired a few pics off to Warners. How do people get a hold of this shit? It’s a little embarrassing seeing my fanboy enthusiasm spilled all over the web, but great scripts don’t come around too often, especially for characters I love.
We can only hope Warner Bros. takes note of Jane's commitment to career-forwarding cosplay and gives him the chance to finally be recognized as a comic book character with guns.
Jun 18 2008 Thomas Jane as Jonah Hex, the Cowboy Two-Face?
Film School Rejects has received what is either an early test shot, concept art, or something for people to comment is a fan photoshop of Thomas Jane as DC comics Western anti-hero Jonah Hex. No names are yet attached to the project in any official capacity, but DC and Warner reportedly hope to get to work on this by mid-2009, just in time to ride the fading wake of The Dark Knight's half-disgusting-face popularity.
