As promised this morning when I posted the poster, here’s the full trailer for Rango, from Paramount Pictures, starring the voice of Johnny Depp.  Normally I couldn’t care less about the dumb movies your annoying wiener kids drag you to, but I really like the look of the animation in this one.  Plus I enjoy it when every character has an over-the-top Mexican accent. Reminds me of junior high.

The trailer immediately made me think of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but I wondered if I was making too much of it — is there really a connection beyond Johnny Depp in a Hawaiian shirt in the desert? Then I watched it again and I caught the almost subliminal shot (it’s only a few frames) in which the filmmaker’s clearly reference it themselves.

Anyway, I love a good Hunter S. Thompson reference in a children’s film.

“Daddy, daddy, what’s Fear and Loathing?”

“Oh, it’s just a book about a guy who drives out to Las Vegas in search of the American Dream.”

“Does he find it?”

“Well, not really, but he’s awesome and does lots of drugs.”

I just wanted to let you all know that it’s totally safe to stop wearing your seat belts, going to church or continuing your leukemia treatment, because thanks to another video game film adaptation, the world will soon be safe again. Back in April, Vince reported on pre-production issues which had halted the upcoming Gore Verbinski production of Bioshock, an XBox 360 game being adapted for the big screen *sad trombone*. Well good news, in an effort to save money on the proposed $160 million production, Universal has slated the film to shoot overseas, taking full advantage of foreign tax cuts. This info knocks Verbinski out of directing duties, stepping aside to producer while 28 Weeks Later director, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (first read as Fresna”dildo”) is negotiating to take over as director.

With “Bioshock,” Fresnadillo is stepping into one of the highest-profile projects on the Universal roster. Verbinski came attached as director when Universal made a multimillion- dollar against gross percentage acquisition from Take-Two. Verbinski then stepped away from directing his fourth “Pirates of the Caribbean” film because he expected to be in production on “Bioshock” last spring in Los Angeles. [Variety]

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Heavy Metal was a 1981 film founded on the idea that the only thing better than tits is tits, fire, and aliens.  Such timeless themes are bound to come back, which is why it had a sequel in 2000, and now there’s a new version in the works.  The surprising thing is the amount of talent rumored to be involved.  Heavy Metal magazine editor Kevin Eastman recently said in an interview with FilmSchoolRejects…

I’ve got breaking news that David Fincher and James Cameron are going to be Co-Executive Producers on the film. Fincher will direct one. Cameron will direct one. Zack Snyder is going to direct one and Gore Verbinski is going to. [Kung Fu Panda director] Mark Osborne and Jack Black from Tenacious D are going to do a comedy segment for the film. Three other directors have agreed but we haven’t signed them, but they’re equally as jaw-dropping. So we’re on cloud nine to be working with such an amazing amount of talent.”

It just goes to show, everyone will show up when you’ve got chicks sword fighting with their boobs out.  It’s something I try to remember every time I throw a house party, bris, or quinceñera.

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Say what you will about The Ring being a pretty good remake or The Mexican not being as bad as everyone says, it’s impossible to put a positive spin on the phrase “the director of Pirates of the Caribbean 3 is doing a videogame movie.”  That’s the story behind Gore Verbinski’s Bioshock, which recently halted productions due to cost overruns.

The picture was in pre-production, but the studio has halted that effort — and let some production staff go — as Universal and Verbinski figure out a way to make the film on a less costly budget.  The John Logan-scripted picture was gearing up to shoot in Los Angeles, but that changed when the budget rose to about $160 million. U and Verbinski are looking at alternatives, such as shooting in London, as a way to pare costs. Story takes place in the underwater city Rapture, where a pilot crash-lands near a secret entrance and becomes involved in a power struggle. [Variety]

Okay, two things: 1. Street Fighter is probably the most well-known videogame of all time, and the movie has so far grossed $11 million worldwide, even with a performance for the ages from Chris Klein. No way you spend more than $10 mil on a video game movie (which, let’s be clear, are NEVER EVER GOOD). 2. London? A pint of beer costs like $15 in London.  If it’s cheaper to shoot a movie there than in the supposed entertainment capital, something is seriously wrong with Los Angeles.  Something besides Entourage, even.

Hasbro has already announced production on movies based on The Ouija Board, Candyland, Stretch Armstrong, and Monopoly.  Now they’re threatening to make the Pirates of the Carribean of Clue remakes.

Universal has attached Gore Verbinski to develop “Clue,” a live-action murder mystery based on the Hasbro board game that he would direct.

Despite a totally metal first name, Verbinski is the director responsible for Pirates of the Caribbean 3 and there’s no excuse for that.

A previous film version was released in 1985.  “Clue” will be turned into a mystery that Blind Wink senior veep Jonathan Krauss called “A global thriller and transmedia event that uses deductive reasoning as its storytelling engine.” [Variety]

Well that sounds great, Jonathan, but on the other hand I hope you die.  In the shed by Admiral Pink with the rape stick.