COWBOYS & ALIENS shoots up a trailer!

From ComingSoon.net:

"Universal Pictures has revealed the trailer for Cowboys & Aliens, the Jon Favreau-directed graphic novel adaptation starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Adam Beach, Paul Dano, Noah Ringer, Keith Carradine, Clancy Brown, Ana de la Reguera and Abigail Spencer. Written by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof, the action thriller hits theaters on July 29.

1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear.

But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.

Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival."

From IRON to MAGIC?

From ComingSoon.net:



"Jon Favreau is now attached to Magic Kingdom, a family feature that takes place in a fantasy version of Disneyland, reports Variety.

Favreau, currently gearing up to release his [film] Cowboys & Aliens with Universal next summer, will helm the project for Disney. Currently without a script (though a version by Ronald Moore was allegedly written and shelved), the project is being compared to Night at the Museum, treating the theme park in the same way that museums have been treated for that franchise.

Separately from Magic Kingdom, Disney is filming Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth film in the franchise, The Haunted Mansion with Guillermo del Toro, Tomorrowland [supposedly starring Dwayne Johnson] and Jungle Cruise, all of which are based on existing Disney theme park rides."

Jon Favreau = the right man for the job.

The plot for COWBOYS & ALIENS

From ComingSoon.net:

"DreamWorks Pictures has revealed the official synopsis for Iron Man films director Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens, starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell and Noah Ringer. Opening July 29, 2011, the film was written by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof:

'1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear.

But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.

Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.'"

Harrison Ford is a villain? Again?!

Aang in the Wild West

From ComingSoon.net:

"The Last Airbender star Noah Ringer has been cast in director Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens. He joins a cast that already includes Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde.


The sci-fi Western, based on the Platinum Studios Comics graphic novel, explores what would happen if the traditional Old West enemies -- cowboys and Native Americans -- found the prairie attacked by aliens in mid-1800s Arizona.

Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof wrote the script for the film, hitting theaters on July 29, 2011."

That Noah guy's going places!

Harrison Ford in COWBOYS AND ALIENS

From Slashfilm:

"He’s had experience with aliens, and he’s turned up in the Old West before, but never at the same time. It could be time to pull one ridiculous fanboy daydream into reality, as it seems like Harrison Ford might well be joining the cast of Cowboys and Aliens.

Latino Review are reporting that they received a tip-off last week that Ford would be joining 'a huge comic book movie to be directed by a director coming off a soon to be released huge comic book movie'.

This tip was given a little added weight when Favreau tweeted 'Some very cool Cowboys & Aliens casting news coming soon…' so the rumour finally made it online."

That sounds so cool! If only Robert Downey Jr. was still in the movie. At least he would with the current James Bond, Daniel Craig.

UPDATE:

Iron Man 2 helmer Jon Favreau has confirmed a Latino Review scoop that Harrison Ford is joining Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde in the director's graphic novel adaptation Cowboys & Aliens.

Favreau posted the following on his Twitter account.

'Please stop asking if Harrison Ford is in Cowboys & Aliens. Okay? He is. Please don't tell anybody.'"

Taylor Lautner is STRETCH ARMSTRONG

From ComingSoon.net:

"Universal Pictures has announced the The Twilight Saga star Taylor Lautner will will play the title character in Stretch Armstrong, which will be made in 3D, while the studio has moved back Battleship to Memorial Day Weekend in 2012:

'Universal Pictures announced breaking news about two of its upcoming event films based on popular Hasbro brands, Stretch Armstrong and Battleship. The announcements were made today by Universal Pictures Chairman Adam Fogelson and Co-Chairman Donna Langley.

Taylor Lautner (The Twilight Saga) will play the title character in the upcoming 3-D superhero adventure Stretch Armstrong, to be released in 2012.

The epic action-adventure Battleship has moved its release to May 25, anchoring the Memorial Day weekend of 2012.

'Universal has put all the elements in place to successfully launch two of our classic Hasbro brands on the big screen,' said Brian Goldner, President and CEO of Hasbro, Inc. 'The addition of Taylor Lautner and the 3-D twist to Stretch Armstrong, in addition to giving Pete Berg and the filmmakers the extra time and resources to make Battleship an even bigger summer blockbuster, is sure to pay dividends when the film is released in 2012.'

Peter Berg (Hancock, The Kingdom) came aboard in Fall 2009 to produce and direct Battleship, which will unfold as a massive Naval adventure across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Originally slated for release in July 2011, the film was moved to give it the time and resources to thoroughly realize its huge-scale ambitions and position it for Memorial Day weekend in 2012. Scott Stuber (The Wolfman, Couples Retreat) is producing Battleship through his Universal-based Stuber Pictures, and Sarah Aubrey (The Kingdom, upcoming Dune) is producing with Berg for Film 44. Brian Goldner and Bennet Schneir are producing for Hasbro.

'We believe in Pete Berg and the incredible vision that he and the Battleship team have for this film,' said Fogelson. 'We're honored that Hasbro is partnering with us to turn one of its landmark properties into a huge summer box-office hit.'

Stretch Armstrong is moving to 2012 to allot time to shape the project into a 3-D superhero adventure and to accommodate Lautner's existing commitments.

'In the past two years, Taylor has emerged as a real star at the global box office. He brings the perfect balance of energy and athleticism to the role of an unlikely super hero with a fantastic super power,' said Langley. 'We couldn't be more pleased that he has agreed to be our Stretch.'

Stretch Armstrong is based on the iconic action figure made popular around the world beginning in the 1970s and re-launched in the 1990s. Academy Award®-winning producer Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind, 8 Mile, American Gangster) will team with Hasbro to bring Stretch Armstrong to life. Steve Oedekerk (Bruce Almighty) has written the screenplay, and Hasbro's Goldner and Schneir also produce."

You know what this means, don't you? Girls will now be able to purchase their own stretchable Taylor Lautner. Know what I mean? Let's just hope they don't rip whatever's in Stretch Armstrong all over themselves.

UPDATE:

"Universal Pictures announced on Friday that the Peter Berg-directed Battleship was moving from July 29, 2011 to May 25, 2012. That would have left the July 29 spot to only Sony's The Smurfs, but Universal now also says that the Jon Favreau-directed Cowboys & Aliens will be coming to theaters that weekend.

The DreamWorks project, based on the Platinum Studios Comics graphic novel written by Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley, will star Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde. Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof wrote the script.

The sci-fi Western explores what would happen if the traditional Old West enemies -- cowboys and Native Americans -- found the prairie attacked by aliens in mid-1800s Arizona."

Wilde Wilde West

From ComingSoon.net:

"Olivia Wilde (upcoming Tron Legacy) is in negotiations to star opposite Daniel Craig in the graphic novel adaptation Cowboys & Aliens, to be directed by Jon Favreau for DreamWorks.

Based on the Platinum Studios title written by Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley, the sci-fi Western explores what would happen if the traditional Old West enemies -- cowboys and Native Americans -- found the prairie attacked by aliens in mid-1800s Arizona.

Wilde will play a character named Ella who joins up with the mysterious slinger [Zeke Jackson] (Craig).

Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are producing and wrote the script with 'Lost' co-creator Damon Lindelof. Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer are also producing along with Scott Mitchell Rosenberg. Favreau and Denis Stewart are serving as executive producers."

Seriously, am I the only who came up with the bad (but funny) pun, "Wilde Wilde West"? (Her name is pronounced "Wild" but spelled "Wilde" like Oscar Wilde).

Robert Downey Jr. is not a COWBOY

From ComingSoon.net:

"The Los Angeles Times says that Robert Downey Jr. won't be reteaming with his Iron Man franchise director Jon Favreau for Cowboys & Aliens, DreamWorks' adaptation of the graphic novel. Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof wrote the script.

Favreau will still direct, but Downey Jr. had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Production is tentatively set to begin this year for a planned release in summer 2011 [June 24, 2011, coming the same day as Disney/Pixar's Cars 2]. The sci-fi Western explores what would happen if the traditional Old West enemies -- cowboys and Native Americans -- found the prairie attacked by aliens in mid-1800s Arizona."

While I was hoping to see RDJ as a cowboy, I'd rather see him as Iron Man/Tony Stark and Sherlock Holmes anyday!

UPDATE:

From Collider:

"Robert Downey Jr. has dropped out of the adaptation of Scott Mitchell Rosenberg comic book series Cowboys & Aliens. But now we are hearing through sources that Daniel Craig is in negotiations to replace him in the lead role of Zeke Jackson. Obviously, this would be very cool since it would be his first collaboration with Jon Favreau, who is directing the film from a script by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek), and Damon Lindelof ('Lost').

Let me stress: 'In negotiations' means that Craig has not been cast in the role. What it means is that they’re trying to work out a deal for him to star, but sometimes things don’t work out. Maybe the schedule for Bond 23 moves up or he decides to do a different project. Whatever the reason, let me stress once more: Daniel Craig is in negotiations for the role, but he has not been cast. "

James Bond as an American cowboy? Hmm.

Kurtzman and Orci talk new TREK also!

From ComingSoon.net:



"Finally, a couple of Hollywood screenwriters that are treated like rock stars – or at least gurus of geek chic. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are easily the hottest name-brand writing team in Tinseltown after a year of major hits including Star Trek, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and their producing efforts 'Fringe' and The Proposal.

ComingSoon.net played the third wheel as the duo weighed in on what's about to come forth from their dual computers.

On building a brand new adventure or borrowing and tweaking more 'Star Trek' canon for the highly anticipated Star Trek sequel:
Alex Kurtzman: 'Every franchise has a different need. So you have to look at them differently based on whatever kind of a mandate is there. But in the case of Transformers it was very important to us to have a sequel idea that stood on it's own. You need to have been able to not have seen the first movie to appreciate the second one. I think that for us it's always about going back to the sequels that we loved as kids and asking ourselves why we loved them. Empire Strikes Back, Superman II, Aliens, Terminator 2, Star Trek II, what do all of those movies have in common? Well, they are amazing stories all on their own. You didn't have to see the first movie. There was some incredibly emotional test of character in all of those movies. Superman has to give up his powers for love. The Spock and Kirk relationship is being tested by Khan. Ripley finding a daughter, essentially. All of those things are such big ideas in and of themselves. And you really can't tell those kinds of stories in movie #1, because movie #1 is very much about establishing a world.

On the things on their Star Trek wish list that didn't make it into the first film that might be revisited in the second:
Roberto Orci: 'You know, we had a few characters in early drafts. [Christine] Chapel – maybe some of the friends in the Academy. But in terms of big concepts? No, nothing that was like 'Oh, not going to be able to fit that in.''
Kurtzman: 'Right. We kind of threw it all in the first one!'

On the possibility of introducing concepts from the various 'Star Trek' sequel series - like The Borg, for example - into the relaunched franchise:
Orci: 'I think we would think about it, because we do love 'The Next Generation'.'

Do they have a priority or any particular element of those sequel series that they most would like to put into the movie?
Kurtzman: 'I think our instinct would be to first look at the original series before we would consider that, but all of that would be on the table for us, it is on the table.'

On the possibility of doing Star Trek 2 and 3 back-to-back:
Kurtzman: 'I think we tend to look at this as it's very, very important to us to make sure that each movie is good. It's not 'Hey, let's do as many as possible.' But rather 'Let's make sure that they are good.' I think that we feel like we've inherited this incredible honor, in this mantle of 'Star Trek' and the most important thing is to make sure that we are protecting that first. So, if the studio wants more than one, then great, but our thinking is going to be very much about the story.'
Orci: 'The story.'
Kurtzman: 'Whether the story prescribes there will be more than one. Part of what is great about 'Star Trek' is that it's a continuing adventure so you naturally think that there will be many, hopefully. But we only focus on what comes next and then build off of that. So, right now we are not thinking specifically about making two and three. It may come up but it's not where our heads are right now.'

On adding an allegorical element to the plot of the second film – including an Internet-rumored Guantanamo Bay metaphor:
Orci: 'The Gitmo thing was just a for instance. We're not doing a story that is going to be about Guantanamo Bay. Now that we've established the characters we can have a more philosophical allegory where what is happening in the future represents, like the best versions in the '60s did it – represented women's rights, racial equality, and progressive issues. We're still just brainstorming internally and going to get together soon and bust our riffs out, see what happens, and start putting it together.'

On whether the success of the first film will influence their storytelling decisions on the sequel:
Orci: 'I think it's the exact same pressure as the first one. Great, I'm glad we had a nice victory but now we have to do it again. Same amount of trepidation and reverence for 'Trek'.'
Kurtzman: 'But the excitement of knowing that we have everything in place. Going into the first movie we had no idea of what the actors were even going to look like, so now knowing what the feeling was, and who is playing the parts, will definitely be helpful.'

On the potential for adding pre-established 'Star Trek' elements, such as Khan Noonian Singh – into the sequel storyline:
Kurtzman: 'Where we are starting is 'Okay, where are our characters now and what are interesting complications that we can put in their lives? What feels like an organic emotional place for them to get to? How do we want to test them?' Then you look at everything. You look everything and start asking 'Who would be the best foe?'
Orci: 'There are mental exercises we play with them – in fact, we even at one point had one conversation I think was all about the first movie. It could have ended on '…and then the Botany Bay floats by.' You can't be fans of this and not sit around one night and go 'What if we…?' So we've gone through probably whatever you've gone through in your minds.'
Kurtzman: 'The short answer is that we haven't landed on anybody yet.'

On collaborating on their next film, Cowboys & Aliens, with director Jon Favreau:
Kurtzman: 'It's the greatest.'
Orci: 'We just started and we're getting along really well. We actually sent ourselves back to school and we're watching Westerns together, analyzing them, and just kind of getting into it.'
Kurtzman: 'Yeah, we had a lot of these Westerns in our heads but Jon is an incredible fountain of Western knowledge.'
Orci: ''Star Trek' was pitched originally as a space Western anyway. So Star Trek was a nice lead up to this project.'
Kurtzman: 'I think also that Jon comes from a very similar emotional place. Because he's an actor and he knows what plays and what doesn't play very quickly. We're having an unbelievably good time working with him on that.'

On the status of The Defenders, the gaming-themed movie they're developing with 'Heroes' star Masi Oka:
Orci: 'We're still working out the story.'
Kurtzman: 'We actually can't say too much about it, but Masi is amazing. He's wonderful to work with.'
Orci: 'Gary Whitta is writing it.'
Kurtzman: 'Gary Whitta is writing it and he wrote Book of Eli which is coming out this year.'
Orci: 'He's developed a great story and we have to go pitch it to the heads of the studio. We'll find out what happens.'

On their latest toy-themed project, View-Master, which they'll be producing:
Kurtzman: 'Here's what is really interesting about that, because we've read a lot of the response – and a lot of the wildly cynical response – to it. Here's what I'll say. Some toys should be movies and some toys should not be movies. I like to believe that we know the difference between those toys. The movies that work, work when there is a story there that you can take the toy out of, but then when you put the toy in it because an even more amazing experience for whatever reason. Brad Kane, who is a writer for us on 'Fringe' came to us with an amazing idea that had absolutely nothing to do with View-Master, we loved it, thought it was fantastic, and then along comes...'
Orci: 'We said 'It's missing one thing, I don't know what that thing is…''
Kurtzman: 'Then along comes View-Master, right? It felt like a perfect marriage of ideas. It's because we started with a story that felt like it could be told all on it's own before that came along. So in some ways its like 'Bring it on, if you want to be cynical about View-Master then great.' We're so confident in where it's going to end up going that we feel like in some ways there is nowhere to go but up. Brad is finishing a script and then he's going to start writing.'
Orci: 'Actually, Spielberg told us once that his first draft story of E.T. didn't have an alien in it, but it was a family drama about a kid missing his father. So that's always stuck in our mind as 'Wow, you have to be able to take out the thing.''
Kurtzman: 'Take out the giant robots and what's the story you have left over?'

On how they won't likely be returning to pen a third Transformers film:
Orci: 'We've been working on Transformers longer than I was in college. I think we have our degree in Transformers now.'
Kurtzman: 'I think it's just a question for us of, the franchise is so wonderful and it deserves to be fresh all the time. I think we just felt like we had given it a lot and didn't have an instinct for where to go with it next. We said 'You guys should do it right.''
Orci: 'The studio said 'Oh yeah, if you guys want to come back, come back.' But we never want to do that unless we have an idea. We always think that the best idea should win. That means opening it up to everybody.'"

Hi-yo! COWBOYS & ALIENS?

From ComingSoon.net:

"Jon Faverau has signed to direct Robert Downey Jr. in the DreamWorks/Universal sci-fi Western Cowboys & Aliens, based on the Platinum Studios comic book series. This will be the third pairing of the duo who had enormous success with last year's Iron Man and are currently finishing up that movie's anticipated 2010 sequel Iron Man 2. It's being reported that this will be Favreau's next project on completion of the sequel.

The comic explores what would happen if the traditional Old West enemies -- cowboys and Native Americans -- found the prairie attacked by aliens in mid-1800s Arizona.

The project has been in development for many years under a variety of producers and writers, the most recent version being written by executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, along with 'Lost' executive producer Damon Lindelof. The project has long been in development by Imagine Entertainment's Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, who remain on as producers, along with Platinum president Scott Rosenberg."

Hmm. I like hearing about Robert Downey Jr.'s new roles - a cowboy? I'll buy that.