The Energon Pub

News Credits: 2 · by **Shadowman** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:59 pm

Even though I don't hate Mr. Anderson, this is still good news.

For those too lazy to click a link:

Variety wrote:White stakes out 'Castlevania'
Rogue to release vampire film in late '08
By MICHAEL FLEMING

Sylvain White has been set to direct "Castlevania," a live-action adaptation of the Konami vampire videogame that's co-produced by Rogue Pictures and Crystal Sky Entertainment.

Pic will shoot late fall in South Africa and Romania. Rogue, the genre arm of Universal-based Focus Features, will co-finance and distribute in late 2008.

Deal was worth seven-figures for White, who has been in demand following the sleeper hit "Stomp the Yard." While White has deals to develop "Static" at Columbia Pictures and the Frank Miller graphic novel "Ronin" at Warner Bros., "Castlevania" will be the next film he directs.

Scripted by Paul W.S. Anderson ("Alien vs. Predator"), the drama begins as a Transylvanian knight leads his men into a gothic castle to seek refuge from the Turkish army. The knights soon discover the castle is controlled by the original vampire.

Crystal Sky's Steven Paul and Benedict Carver are producing with Anderson and Jeremy Bolt.

White grew up playing the game in the early 1990s, and was attracted to the chance to make a vampire film. The script sets up a generational clash between Vlad the Impaler and the Belmont family, a clan that unleashed the original vampire and battles to defeat him.

"Most of the vampire films have been present or set in the future, from 'Blade' to 'Underworld,' and I was attracted by the chance to make a dark, epic period movie that almost has an anime feel to it," White said.

Anderson wrote the script with the intention to direct, but stepped aside to helm the remake "Death Race." White, who's repped by WMA and Principato Young, will work with Anderson on a rewrite.

by **AbsumZer0** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:27 pm

It's still primarily scripted by Paul W.S. "let's make my wife the superhero star of Resident Evil!" Anderson. But now its being directed by a guy best known for a direct-to-video sequel to "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and a standard teen "you can do anything if you try hard enough!" drama. He hasn't exactly proven himself as an action director. I think it could go either way at this point, but unless he completely throws out Anderson's script I'm not going to get my hopes up.

Honestly, I'd probably be more hopeful if Anderson was directing and someone else wrote the script.

News Credits: 1 · by **Duke of Luns** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:07 pm

Ah Castlevania, a video-game based movie that I actually have an interest in!(I'm not a survival horror fan).

But if it's like the games, the plot'll be pretty predictable and not groundbreaking, but it might turn out to be a surprise, or have some good fight scenes at least.

by **Nightracer GT** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 12:40 am

Thank God they're mixing in actual history. Thank God.

Dare I hold my breath for Grant, Sypha, and of course, Alucard?

Not putting Alucard in a Castlevania movie is like not putting the Cyberdemon in a Doom movie.

Oh wait...

News Credits: 49 · by **Senor Hugo** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:10 am

AbsumZer0 wrote:It's still primarily scripted by Paul W.S. "let's make my wife the superhero star of Resident Evil!" Anderson. But now its being directed by a guy best known for a direct-to-video sequel to "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and a standard teen "you can do anything if you try hard enough!" drama. He hasn't exactly proven himself as an action director. I think it could go either way at this point, but unless he completely throws out Anderson's script I'm not going to get my hopes up.

Honestly, I'd probably be more hopeful if Anderson was directing and someone else wrote the script.

I think I would actually agree with you about that.

Paul Anderson, while a completely crappy director(even though the first MK movie rocked), he would do a decent job with this.

However, he's still writing it, now I'm just waiting to hear from him in an interview.

"I thought about doing Castlevania the movie back when I first saw Dracula, I had the idea for Castlevania years ago."

Like what he said for AvP

News Credits: 2 · by **Shadowman** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:37 am

Dark Zarak wrote:Thank God they're mixing in actual history. Thank God.

Dare I hold my breath for Grant, Sypha, and of course, Alucard?

Not putting Alucard in a Castlevania movie is like not putting the Cyberdemon in a Doom movie.

Oh wait...

Considering Alucard was in less than half the games? It'd be cool to add him in a sequel, but not the first movie, at least as not much more than a cameo.

by **Nightracer GT** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 1:08 pm

Shadowman wrote:
Dark Zarak wrote:Thank God they're mixing in actual history. Thank God.

Dare I hold my breath for Grant, Sypha, and of course, Alucard?

Not putting Alucard in a Castlevania movie is like not putting the Cyberdemon in a Doom movie.

Oh wait...

Considering Alucard was in less than half the games? It'd be cool to add him in a sequel, but not the first movie, at least as not much more than a cameo.

Less than half the games, but each and every last one he was in were the best ones.

Castlevania III
Symphony of the Night
Dawn of Sorrow

Symphony of the Night revolutionized the franchise. Kept a 2D side scrolling series going through 3 generations of 3D consoles.

Adrien Fahrenheit Tepes, the illigitamate son of Vlad the Impaler. Watched his mother die by the hands of an angry mob. Immortal. Can turn into a bat, a wolf, and a cloud of mist.

How is he not good material for a movie?

News Credits: 2 · by **Shadowman** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 1:24 pm

Dark Zarak wrote:
Shadowman wrote:
Dark Zarak wrote:Thank God they're mixing in actual history. Thank God.

Dare I hold my breath for Grant, Sypha, and of course, Alucard?

Not putting Alucard in a Castlevania movie is like not putting the Cyberdemon in a Doom movie.

Oh wait...

Considering Alucard was in less than half the games? It'd be cool to add him in a sequel, but not the first movie, at least as not much more than a cameo.

Less than half the games, but each and every last one he was in were the best ones.

Castlevania III
Symphony of the Night
Dawn of Sorrow

Symphony of the Night revolutionized the franchise. Kept a 2D side scrolling series going through 3 generations of 3D consoles.

Adrien Fahrenheit Tepes, the illigitamate son of Vlad the Impaler. Watched his mother die by the hands of an angry mob. Immortal. Can turn into a bat, a wolf, and a cloud of mist.

How is he not good material for a movie?

It'd be better as a cameo. They're supposed to go into Dracula's background, so they could involve Alucard in the flashbacks somehow. Then, at the end, put him in as a full-grown dhampir (Half-vampire, for you non-vampire fans) hinting that Dracula would return someday.

Then, in a sequel, have Alucard as an uneasy ally to the Belmont for that movie.

by **Nightracer GT** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 3:30 pm

Shadowman wrote:
Dark Zarak wrote:
Shadowman wrote:
Dark Zarak wrote:Thank God they're mixing in actual history. Thank God.

Dare I hold my breath for Grant, Sypha, and of course, Alucard?

Not putting Alucard in a Castlevania movie is like not putting the Cyberdemon in a Doom movie.

Oh wait...

Considering Alucard was in less than half the games? It'd be cool to add him in a sequel, but not the first movie, at least as not much more than a cameo.

Less than half the games, but each and every last one he was in were the best ones.

Castlevania III
Symphony of the Night
Dawn of Sorrow

Symphony of the Night revolutionized the franchise. Kept a 2D side scrolling series going through 3 generations of 3D consoles.

Adrien Fahrenheit Tepes, the illigitamate son of Vlad the Impaler. Watched his mother die by the hands of an angry mob. Immortal. Can turn into a bat, a wolf, and a cloud of mist.

How is he not good material for a movie?

It'd be better as a cameo. They're supposed to go into Dracula's background, so they could involve Alucard in the flashbacks somehow. Then, at the end, put him in as a full-grown dhampir (Half-vampire, for you non-vampire fans) hinting that Dracula would return someday.

Then, in a sequel, have Alucard as an uneasy ally to the Belmont for that movie.

I still say star the complete Castlevania 3 crew. Well, call Trevor Simon just for familiarity's sake but otherwise...

You know, Grant Danasty comes from Dinesti, a real family that Vlad Tepes was feuding with? When he says "Dracula killed my family" in the game, they aren't kidding.

It's stuff like that that makes me excited for this movie despite the so called talent involved.

News Credits: 2 · by **Shadowman** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 3:45 pm

Well, the first MK and RE movies were great. Turns out, everything else attached to his name, (Like the other MK and RE movies, and DOA) wasn't even written or directed by him.

AvP, if you can accept it purely as a Predator sequel and Alien prequel, (And NOT an adaptation) is a really good movie.

It turns out, that every time Pauly DOESN'T direct/write a sequel to his movies, the sequel sucks.

News Credits: 49 · by **Senor Hugo** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 5:37 pm

Shadowman wrote:AvP, if you can accept it purely as a Predator sequel and Alien prequel, (And NOT an adaptation) is a really good movie.

You mean and if you look past all the glaring mistakes.

Like, for instance, Predators only choosing to hunt in places where it's exceptionally warm.

The fact from the Alien films stating that no alien has ever been on earth, and must never step foot on Earth.

ect

News Credits: 2 · by **Shadowman** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 5:44 pm

Senor Hugo wrote:
Shadowman wrote:AvP, if you can accept it purely as a Predator sequel and Alien prequel, (And NOT an adaptation) is a really good movie.

You mean and if you look past all the glaring mistakes.

Like, for instance, Predators only choosing to hunt in places where it's exceptionally warm.

I heard somewhere that they're Hunting Rites were in the Antarctic because that would be counter-effective to the normally-tropical Predators. Hunting in less-than-desirable situations, and winning, would really prove themselves as hunters.

Senor Hugo wrote:The fact from the Alien films stating that no alien has ever been on earth, and must never step foot on Earth.

ect

Hrm. I could easily say "Maybe they never knew about the incident in AvP," but that wouldn't work, because the one chick would have to tell someone. (You don't come back from an expedition alone, and not raise some eyebrows.)

AvP2 is even more guilty of this, because Xenomorphs actually attack a city.

News Credits: 49 · by **Senor Hugo** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:03 pm

Shadowman wrote:
Senor Hugo wrote:
Shadowman wrote:AvP, if you can accept it purely as a Predator sequel and Alien prequel, (And NOT an adaptation) is a really good movie.

You mean and if you look past all the glaring mistakes.

Like, for instance, Predators only choosing to hunt in places where it's exceptionally warm.

I heard somewhere that they're Hunting Rites were in the Antarctic because that would be counter-effective to the normally-tropical Predators. Hunting in less-than-desirable situations, and winning, would really prove themselves as hunters.

Senor Hugo wrote:The fact from the Alien films stating that no alien has ever been on earth, and must never step foot on Earth.

ect

Hrm. I could easily say "Maybe they never knew about the incident in AvP," but that wouldn't work, because the one chick would have to tell someone. (You don't come back from an expedition alone, and not raise some eyebrows.)

AvP2 is even more guilty of this, because Xenomorphs actually attack a city.

The unfavorable hunting conditions I could understand, but then, you'd think killing a handful of aliens would be proof enough, since they are pretty much the ultimate killer.

And as for AvP2, I'm gonna see it just to see the Predator kill folk in Wal-mart, he'll be making a dream of mine come true.

by **Nemesis Cyberplex** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:30 pm

Dark Zarak wrote:Thank God they're mixing in actual history. Thank God.

Dare I hold my breath for Grant, Sypha, and of course, Alucard?

Not putting Alucard in a Castlevania movie is like not putting the Cyberdemon in a Doom movie.

Oh wait...

Considering that they waited untill near the end to have a pinky...aka one of the tougher grunts, they might have been holding the Cyberdemon for the sequel....

In all honesty, the only thing that they did wrong in Doom was the chromosone 24 thing instead of demons, & that was probably because most in most zombie movies anymore they are due to viruses/genetic research & because they didn't want the religious community tearing them down for making a demon movie where they died via bullet rather than the power of Christ(the second one is really just guessing, though). But they had the zombies, research facility on Mars(looked like it was ripped straight from Doom 3, too), teleporters, imps, guys wandering around in the dark, calling the BFG a big f***ing gun, fight with the Sarge(Kelly?), even had a God mode...everything else was Doom through & through. It really just flopped because it seemed to be meant mainly for Doom fans, yet by dropping the whole demon thing turned off their main audience.

Er.....what was this thread about? Oh yeah, Castlevania. Sounds neat. If the general plot outline turns out to be as good of a movie as it sounds...we could be in for one of the best vampire movies ever....

....ha, I just realized I said that about a video game movie.....that's a riot.....

......but seriously, I hope it's good.

by **AbsumZer0** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 12:47 am

Shadowman wrote:Well, the first MK and RE movies were great. Turns out, everything else attached to his name, (Like the other MK and RE movies, and DOA) wasn't even written or directed by him.

AvP, if you can accept it purely as a Predator sequel and Alien prequel, (And NOT an adaptation) is a really good movie.

It turns out, that every time Pauly DOESN'T direct/write a sequel to his movies, the sequel sucks.

He actually wrote all three Resident Evil films. The only film of his I've really liked is Event Horizon and that, along with Mortal Kombat, were directed but not written by him. I think he shows a good eye at times, the first 20 minutes of Resident Evil actually had me thinking the rest might not suck, but I think that may be his only strength. On the other hand, as I said, I think he's a terrible writer and I'd far rather see him direct someone else's script than watch one of his shot by someone else.

I hated Alien VS Predator. Not because of the canon inconsistencies (anything outside the 4 films is riddled with them including the comic books so it isn't anything new) but because I found it boring. It starts-off on the most overdone sci-fi cliche ever (aliens are responsible for the world's great anient civilizations!), every event including the cliffhanger ending was completely predictable, and the battles were either too dark and poorly shot to enjoy or weren't dark enough and the suits and breakaway sets became painfully obvious in their cheapness. I wasn't a big fan of Alien3 or Alien Resurrection either but neither of them left me wondering if the franchises should simply be allowed to die like this did.

Anyway, Paul Anderson seems to be the 'go-to' guy when the studios want to make a decent buck off an existing property while investing as little as possible so if he was involved in some way the film is probably doomed to B-actors and latex suits made by some lesser-known effects company to start with.

News Credits: 3 · by **muswp1** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:35 pm

It sounds like they are kind of using some of Lament of the Innocent's plot for the movie. As long as it's better than Van Helsing and they don't for get about Belmont's whip (that's kind of important), it hopefully should be decent.

by **Nightracer GT** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:40 am

It just occured to me how easy it would be to make this movie into Van Helsing meets a rip off Indiana Jones.

That's why Alucard is so sorely needed. Soooo sorely needed.

And hell, make him as much of a pretty boy as in the games. How often do you see that in a hero? Make it interesting.