Liam Neeson boards BATTLESHIP

"Liam Neeson has joined the cast of Universal's Battleship, the Hasbro board game adaptation directed by Peter Berg.


The film also stars Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna and Hamish Linklater

Neeson will play the Admiral Shane character alongside Kitsch, who portrays a Naval officer and Shane's future son-in-law. Decker is playing Shane's daughter. Skarsgard will play the brother to Kitsch's character.

Battleship 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.

Universal Pictures is scheduled to release the movie on May 18, 2012."

Maybe Liam Neeson will make this movie better, who knows? Though his last two films (The A-Team and Clash of the Titans) haven't done well.

BATTLESHIP's newest star is...

From ComingSoon.net:

"Rihanna is set to make her feature film debut in Universal's Battleship, the Hasbro adaptation to be directed by Peter Berg.

The recording artist, songwriter and model will be joining Taylor Kitsch and Alexander Skarsgard in the film, scheduled to hit theaters on May 18, 2012.

Battleship 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. Kitsch stars as a Naval officer who leads the fight and Skarsgard will play his brother in the film.

Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber wrote the screenplay, which was revised by Brian Koppelman and David Levein."

Oh, good Lord. I gotta admit this gave me a laugh when I needed it.

By the way, this is post #700!!!

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."

Michael Bay sets the date for TRANSFORMERS III

From ComingSoon.net:

"Director Michael Bay has announced on his official website the release date for Transformers III and says they are jumping right back into it! Oh, and he included a note to Megan Fox as well...

'Well its official: We have a great Transformers 3 story. The release date is now July 1st 2011. Not 2012.

Today is Day One. This morning started with an ILM meeting for five hours in San Francisco. Currently I'm flying with writer Ehren Kruger to Rhode Island to talk to Hasbro about new characters.

P.S. Megan Fox, welcome back. I promise no alien robots will harm you in any way during the production of this motion picture. Please consult your Physician when working under my direction because some side effects can occur, such as mild dizziness, intense nausea, suicidal tendencies, depression, minor chest hair growth, random internal hemorrhaging and inability to sleep. As some directors may be hazardous to your health, please consult your Doctor to determine if this is right for you.

Michael'

This puts it up against the Peter Berg-directed Battleship, also based on a Hasbro property, so we're guessing Universal will be moving that adaptation somewhere else.

Transformers made $709.7 million worldwide and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has made $832.4 million."

AWRIGHT!! He moved back a whole year! Rock some steel, Mike! Rock some... you know, Megan.

UPDATE:

Battleship has officially moved to August 5th, 2011.

BATTLESHIP sets sail for July 2011!

From ComingSoon.net:

"Universal Pictures has set a July 1, 2011 for the Peter Berg-directed Battleship, a live-action adaptation of Hasbro's board game.

Variety says the deal is part of a two-picture pact Berg has made with the studio, where he'll follow Battleship with the Afghan war drama Lone Survivor.

The Battleship script was written by Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber. Production is scheduled to begin next spring.

Berg called the film 'a contemporary story of an international five-ship fleet engaged in a very dynamic, violent and intense battle.'

Other projects in development for Berg, including Dune and Hancock 2, will come later.

Other Hasbro adaptations in the works at Universal include Stretch Armstrong (April 11, 2011) with Steve Oedekerk, Clue with Gore Verbinski, Monopoly with Ridley Scott, Candy Land with Kevin Lima and Ouija with Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes."

I'm hoping he puts at least some humor in it, like The Rundown and Hancock.

BATTLESHIP: The Movie?

From ComingSoon.net:

"Peter Berg is in talks to direct Battleship, based on the strategy board game. You may remember one of its previous movie appearances here. The game, of course, involves two opponents placing ships on a board and then each trying to guess where the other's ships are in order to sink them. This version will be less with the peg boards and more with the 'epic naval adventure'."

Are any of these board game movies actually in production yet?