Activision becomes independent, buys $8.2 billion in shares from Vivendi
The largest video game publisher just became independent. Activision Blizzard, the publisher behind the Call of Duty, Warcraft, and Guitar Hero franchises, bought back an $8.2 billion share from parent company Vivendi earlier today. Under the Activision Blizzard name, 429 million shares that equate to roughly $5.83 billion will be bought, while Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick and co-chairman Brian Kelly will head a group that will purchase 172 million shares (roughly $2.34 billion). Vivendi will still have a 12% stake/82 million shares in the company following the transaction.
This comes after Vivendi was looking to offload its shares in the video game company last summer. The French company, which also owns Universal Music Group (Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, etc.) and the French TV channel/movie production company Canal+, originally merged its Vivendi Games unit with Activision Blizzard for $9.8 billion in 2009. The move made Activision Blizzard the largest video game publisher alongside Electronic Arts.
With its newfound independence, Activision is banking on its franchises' successes without a parent company funding them. Considering the most recent Call of Duty game, Black Ops 2, made $1 billion in its first 15 days of release, I think it's safe to say Activision will be able to prosper on its own.
[via New York Times]
Chuck Palahniuk is planning a Fight Club sequel
I'm not the biggest Chuck Palahniuk fan, but Fight Club, the film adaptation of the book of the same name, was my introduction to David Fincher and Edward Norton. Needless to say, the film has a soft spot in my heart, as well as many other easily-influenced teenagers when the film was released. Many have clamored for more stories revolving around Tyler Durden, but those cries have fallen on deaf ears... until now.
Palahniuk recently revealed his plans to continue the Fight Club story through a graphic novel series as early as 2015. With the news and the already visual format of medium, it's not hard to believe that a film adaptation of the graphic novels could also be in place down the line, especially considering how viable and successful comic book film adaptations have become in Hollywood.
About the graphic novel, it’s true. Chelsea Cain has been introducing me to artists and creators from Marvel, DC and Dark Horse, and they’re walking me through the process. It will likely be a series of books that update the story ten years after the seeming end of Tyler Durden. Nowadays, Tyler is telling the story, lurking inside Jack, and ready to launch a come-back. Jack is oblivious. Marla is bored. Their marriage has run aground on the rocky coastline of middle-aged suburban boredom. It’s only when their little boy disappears, kidnapped by Tyler, that Jack is dragged back into the world of Mayhem.
What do you guys think? Would you rather all of the time and money potentially being invested into the series be used towards a proper film sequel, or are you more interested in seeing the story become expanded on a larger scale through the graphic novel format?
[via /Film]
Sacha Baron Cohen drops out of Queen biopic
Sacha Baron Cohen won't be a Killer Queen after all. Years ago, the Borat actor was attached to an upcoming Queen biopic to portray frontman Freddie Mercury. However, as time passed, the project continued to stall, despite Cohen's efforts to attract big-name directors to the film. Yesterday, word came out that Cohen dropped out of the film due to creative differences between him and the surviving members of the band. While Cohen wanted the film to be a gritty tell-all film that explored Mercury's "dark side," the band wanted a PG-rated film.
It's no surprise that Cohen has dropped out of the film, considering all of the missteps throughout its pre-production. Cohen was an interesting choice to play Mercury, but he at the very least physically resembled the singer. It would have been interesting to see exactly how audiences would have reacted to see him play a role that didn't involve acting like a total jackass. Oh well.
[via /Film]
Man of Steel sequel being directed by Zack Snyder, will also feature Batman
The stage has been set for the unified expansion of the DC film universe with the announcement that the Man of Steel sequel will also feature Batman. Dark Knight Trilogy director Christopher Nolan will continue his role as executive producer, but will also have at least some sort of role involving the plot, considering Batman's inclusion.
Of course, the announcement carries many questions, the least of which is who will actually play Batman. Christian Bale has been very adamant about not portraying Batman again. Who can possibly follow Bale's legendary performances as the future of Batman, both in "Man of Steel 2," but also going forward as DC grows its film stable. Furthermore, exactly what kind of Batman would be in use?
Production for the film won't begin until next year with a Summer 2015 release targeted.
[via Collider]
Max Landis isn't writing Chronicle 2 script
When Chronicle came out in February 2012, it surprised a lot of people with its personal, darker take on superhero origin stories. Shot in a documentary/found-footage style, the film followed three friends as they are endowed with superpowers that, eventually, leads one of them down the wrong path. On a basic narrative level, Chronicle was as realistic of a superhero film that a film could be within the genre. A huge part of that was because of co-writer Max Landis' script that helped set the film's tone.
Unfortunately, Fox has had problems with Landis' script for a proposed Chronicle sequel, primarily having a problem with the purportedly darker tone. The screenwriter confirmed on Twitter yesterday that he won't be a part of the film. This comes as a huge blow to fans of the film, as director Josh Trank's involvement was already expected to not exist, but with Landis out, I fear that the sequel won't carry the same level of gravitas the original did without its primary co-creators.
No word has come out in regards to who will be replacing Landis. I still have hope that Fox will be able to hire a team of screenwriters that understand what made Chronicle special and will attempt to stick as close to its tone as possible. Then again... Hollywood is a big business, and the franchise itself could become nothing more than an annual cash cow that spits in the face of what it was built upon.
[via Collider]
RiFF RaFF plans a lawsuit against Spring Breakers
In the most unsurprsingly surprising move of the year, rapper RiFF RaFF has announced his intentions to file a lawsuit against the makers of Spring Breakers. The polarizing independent film by Harmony Korine is a saccharine spring break film that explores the darker side of the St. Petersburg crime scene. Most viewers have noticed James Franco's (Freaks and Geeks) character as being very similar to RiFF RaFF, despite both his and Korine's assurances that the "Alien" character was mostly inspired by underground Florida rapper Dangeruss.
RiFF RaFF, who is said to want between $8 to $10m, said the following in regards to the film:
"It's like if I have a front yard and you're planting soil and you're planting trees and building peaches and houses and selling parking lots on my property then I deserve to be compensated for some portion of that money."
No word from Korine, Franco, or Spring Breakers' US distribution studio, A24 Films, has been released on the matter.
[via NME]
AT&T allows annual phone upgrades... with a catch
Technological advances happen so much that we've become used, for better or worse, to a constant stream of new laptops, tablets, smart phones, etc. every year. AT&T is doing their small part to ensure consumers can continue to be happy... while spending more and more money on yearly device upgrades. Starting on July 26th, both new and existing AT&T customers can enroll in a new subscription plan that will allow them to pick up a new phone or tablet with no down payment.
However, monthly payments will be made to recoup the initial down payment cost. After 12 payments, the user can continue using the device, or they can opt to trade it in for another unit. If the customer decides to keep the unit, the monthly payments will end after 20 payments. So, for example, if you want one of the new iPhone 5S phones coming out this fall, but can't cover the cost of the phone, you can enroll in the new subscription plan to pay it as you go over the next year.
Of course, it seems as if the overall cost of the plan will be more expensive than simply paying for it up-front. However, it seems like the perfect plan for techies and those who just have to have the latest and greatest in cell phone trends.
[via IGN]
James Wan's direction for Fast & Furious 7 rooted in a revenge thriller genre
As James Wan begins to plan his vision for the next Fast & Furious film, he shared a bit of where he sees the seventh entry going. For whose who haven't seen Fast & Furious 6 yet (and really, why haven't you?), its ending sets up as a direct segue into the next film. Wan, known mostly as a horror film director, will be thrust into the franchise at the peak of its popularity following ex-director Justin Lin's successful upheaval of the action franchise.
“Then there's the drive of Number Seven, which was set up at the end of Number Six, which is a classic revenge story. I'm a big [genre] fan, so that's how I'm approaching it: I'm looking at it like a gritty, '70s revenge thriller, but one that still fits into the 'Fast and Furious' series."
A finely-tuned revenge thriller would be amazing to see. Again, alluding to F&F6's ending, the revenge angle would help frame the film, as well as allow Wan to leave his own mark on the franchise. However, in saying that, a few changes to the established formula will have to be made. Perhaps the focus could move away from Dom and the gang and fully get behind the antagonist? However Wan crafts the film, I have confidence in the prospect of the film, the least of which relating to the actors attached.
[via The Playlist]