X-Movie randomness and His Dark Materials

Am I the only one that thinks it's rather sad, with a huge and quality franchise like this, the best bits we're hearing at this point is stuff like "Well, I'm slightly more optimistic about things... but I'm not contractually obligated to return". From Famke... Jean frickin' Grey. Someone they kind of have to have if they're going to make an "X-Men" sequel at all. *sighs* Not that I blame her or anything. If they got someone like, I don't know, Paul W. S. Anderson for "X3"... I wouldn't want to touch it with a 10 ft. pole. Patrick Stewart seems to be one of the few in the cast *really* optimistic about "X3" chances, he keeps talking July 2006. IMHO, I'd rather the movie delayed longer, much longer, if they could get Bryan Singer back by whatever. means. necessary. Although, if "Superman" is the hit folks are understandably expecting it to be, then he really won't ever have to come back to "X-Men", he might not want to with another potentially huge superhero franchise under his belt. Even though those movies are pretty much and probably will always will be *his*. Even if they got someone of Singer's calibre or better to direct... they would always be Singer's to some degree.

It looks like Hugh is going to be one of the producers for "X3" and "Wolverine". That's at least something. Also, not too surprising, considering how much his character makes those movies and the new & considerable monetary compensations Fox was likely going to bestow him. I also take this as a good sign. Unless of course, Stephen Sommers is mentioned for either project. Then I'll have to go in a dark corner and roll into the fetal position. I'd rather hope Hugh makes more friendly with Darren Aronofsky (who he's making "The Fountain" with). Aronofsky directing an "X-Men" movie could be something to see (What sort of horrors could he unfold with Jean and Dark Phoenix, I wonder?) ... although I'd still have preferred he stuck with "The Watchmen"... but Requiem for a (Telekinetic's) Dream would work for me too. ;)

Moving on to more pleasant (allbeit, not much more concrete) fangirlish news... if "The Golden Compass" does well (::crosses fingers::), the WB is committed in dropping the major coin to film the second/third of HIS DARK MATERIALS back to back. They're talking "The Matrix" and LOTR sort of coin. Which is cool and does give me faith the WB is seriously behind this project. I so want it to do well. More good news, Chris "American Pie" Weitz is no longer attached to direct due to "not having the expertise to tackle such a technologically difficult movie." Well shit. I could have told him that. Before he ever signed on. Like the movie wouldn't have CGI from top to bottom. We can't all be creative innovators like Dave McKean/Neil Gaiman or Selick/Burton, can we? Sometimes, you just need the CGI, Weitz never gave me confidence he could work with it ... or without it, truthfully (but then, I'm not an "American Pie" fan. At all). With Weitz gone, I'm hoping maybe Alfonso Cuaron's or maybe Marc Forster's names get tossed around. Although Cuaron seems pretty adamant in not directing another big-ass franchise movie, at least for awhile (He has said he'd eventually come back for another HP though if he were asked. Kudos. HBP maybe?).

HP Poll: Death Eaters' Loyalty

[Poll #416171]

The above question was spurned partly from reading Red Hen's "Tom Riddle & the Knights of Walpurgis" essay and just my general suspicions that erupted at the end of OOTP. It does seem Voldemort has been lying to the whole of his Death Eaters, claiming he's a pureblood (Bellatrix's reaction). However, a lie some of them, possibly Lucius and a few others, may already be aware of. Red Hen's essay went further and really made me wonder... who may potentially be screwing over who here? Has Voldemort gotten the better of these ancient pureblood families... or could they still be playing him like a fiddle. Tom's obsessive quest for eternal life - despite all his power & Legilimens ability - distracts him and/or his arrogance makes him underestimate his loyal Death Eaters? Did the pureblood elitists always plan to stand behind someone who they themselves would classify as a "mudblood"... even if he is the legitimate last Heir of Slytherin? Tom does seem to have tried to bury his "mudbloodedness". Maybe they simply didn't know Tom was a half-blood... it seems they do have the opportunity to find out now. Is Harry just going to keep quiet about the cat he let out of the bag during the Death Eater confrontation? That seems really unlikely to me, unless Dumbledore prevents him for whatever inexplicable reason.

HP Poll: The prophecy publicized?

[Poll #416176]

This sort of ties together with my last poll. I do wonder what the Death Eaters / pureblood elite would do if they discovered the prophecy?

Random MI-5 (Spooks) observations: American Promotion

Why does it seem to be that the American trailers for "MI-5" seem to be rather painfully dependent on assrock? First it was Three Doors Down (which I will admit, I have a miniscule softspot for "Kryptonite" ... and only "Kryptonite". The S1 ads were festered with "When I'm Gone")... but "Someday" by Nickelback? Why god? How exactly does that song or that band do the show any justice? And on A&E? Has the trashiness of "Growing Up Guido" and the "Bounty Hunting Mullet" gone to their heads?

I've come to prefer "MI-5" over "Alias" for storytelling quality... but "Alias" plays vastly better songs in their ads. I'll have to give ABC that much, even if their announcers sometimes say the dumbest shit ("Double OOOooohh Yeah"). "Mama" by Genesis? Good! Nickelback? BAD! Play some Blur or Pulp for god's sakes A&E.

( Cut for spoilery reasons likely explaining my Spooks whining. )

More randomness, but in those future unknown Matthew Macfadyen projects, in my land of dream castings, I think one of them should include Christopher Meloni (aka, Det. Stabler from "Law & Order: SVU" ). They both have that very hot penal code quality to them. Maybe a good cop (spy) / bad cop (spy) sort of movie.