Anime adaptations looming

Well, that's that, I guess.

In any case, I'll be looking forward to your other projects Peter.

Bummer...

:(

a last time for everything...

Very upsetting news, sorry Peter. Earlier last week, it had been announced that Time-Life would be releasing a massive 26-disc complete set of The Real Ghostbusters this fall, so I figured with the upcoming AF announcement it would be a fantastic week of entertainment news for me all-around, but no dice.

Peter I'm sure we'd all like to hear any tidbits about how this all happened, specifics on what you were planning, etc., if and when you ever have the inclination.

The details of what happened aren't important or relevant. Maybe some day.

The story ideas will be worked into future projects.
At this point, I'm happy to immerse myself in something new that reflects my current frame of mind.

Ever since I saw Matriculated I've really just been hanging out for the next project by Peter Chung. Possible new AF episodes were an exciting prospect, but if you have the freedom, Peter, to work the story ideas you had for AF into future projects, thats sounds similarly exciting.

I've just watched the first installment of the new Evangelion Tetralogy. There recapping the series with various changes to structure, animation etc, making it more movie like. It will apparently lead into new storyline picking up from the "End of Evangelion" - And I wonder how altered EoE will be.

Perhaps Anno's attempting to sign post towards his ideal of an Eva live action adaptation.

I have to mention a strange dream I had last night, which I just remembered:

Peter, I met you at your home just as it was being invaded by some terrorists/criminals/etc. Instead of fighting back or escaping, you decided to burn the house with the criminals and yourself still inside. The interesting part was that the house contained all the reels of your work, and you intended to die along with them. It sounds grim, I know, but I guess this thread here probably inspired the dream...

Also, along with Sam, I'm not necessarily just an AF fan, but a fan of all your work Peter. In fact, I'm maybe more excited at seeing something new that is not AF. As interesting as it was, that world would just become another constraining setting, in a sense. So nothing is really lost here, in my opinion (except maybe another smidgin of sympathy for the corporate interests that would deny Peter Chung a creative outlet -- Hello!?)

Going back to the original thread topic, I have been working on a new movie of Shotaro Ishinomori's Cyborg 009, as well as doing design work on a live action version of Wicked City. Along with the storyboards I did last year for the upcoming Astroboy movie, that makes three Hollywood "anime" adaptations I've been involved in recently.

Far out! So are these all being adapted to live action? Or just Wicked City?

I hadn't considered Hollywood might ever do a hand-drawn cell animation adaptation of an anime. But I suppose adaptations to cgi are pretty likely.

Peter, those really are animes looming! Live action of Wicked City sounds very interesting.

But doggone it, Aeon Flux no longer even on the back burner, I'm bummed.

Here's hoping this link works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UQyPXbjL-A

Yeah, a live action Wicked City sounds quite interesting. I wonder if it will contain sex with manhood stealing demons?

Hey Sam, he's doing Wicked City, not Charmed.

Sam, jk, you know. I fell asleep while Charmed was on the other day, it must be in my subconscious or something,lol.

Ha ha, Yeah I didn't think Charmed had ever got as hardcore as wicked city .

Thanks for recommending Speed Racer, Peter! I'm not sure if I've ever been swept up in a films climax quite like I was with Speed Racers abstract impressionist finish.

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/07/david-fincher.html

OK. So it's in the trades, so I might as well tell it.
Earlier this year, I got a call from David Fincher saying he'd like to include a 3D animated Aeon Flux short as one of the segments in the new Heavy Metal movie being developed for Paramount. Paramount owns the character, so it seemed like a perfect fit.

I wrote a 12-16 minute script and did designs for a version of AF that would play as a 3D CG R-rated theatrical short. David was very enthusiastic about my story, and I was excited about the prospect of finally doing Aeon unconstrained by both TV budget and content standards. As long as the movie was to be made at Paramount, I was pretty much guaranteed that Aeon would be included in the lineup. Other directors, writers and artists prepared proposals, all of which was compiled and presented to the Paramount execs. It was (and is) an amazing collection of pitch art, the likes of which has rarely been seen.

Paramount passed on the whole package. Heavy Metal 3D may still get made at another studio, but of course, without Aeon.

I should add that working on the pitch was a real privilege and a pleasure, in spite of the end result. Thanks to Tim Miller at Blur studios for all his support, and I look forward to seeing Goon:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i1ede78880f527007bf209c6ad5e03c5f

Blur did a fantastic job with the intro to the AF game, (although not what the Heavy Metal version would have looked like).

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/7825.html?type=

Aww, makes me sad. I do think it's kinda cool that David Fincher had a role in things... he's a favorite director of mine. I kind of consider him an "MTV alum" like yourself, Peter (since he got his start in music videos). I wonder if that played a role in your pairing?

By the way, if anyone likes this sort of high-quality CG stuff, here's a new trailer for the coming Final Fantasy XIII:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36222.html

I won't speak for the story quality, but I always love the designs for Final Fantasy games.

I'm not sure I understand, why can't Aeon be included if another studio decide to do the project?

Because Paramount owns Aeon Flux. I guess conceivably it could possible somehow to buy the rights for a single project, but I'm sure it'd be a legal nightmare.

As Matt says, it would be a financial and legal liability for another studio to acquire the rights to use the character for a short segment of a feature film. There's nothing in it for them to go to the extra trouble-- unless they could be convinced that including Aeon Flux would increase box office. Plus, most studios already have rights to their own characters which could be repurposed for such use.

For more samples of Blur studio's work, their website has a nice selection. It's just a small fraction of their output.
They are very prolific and versatile, though their definite specialty is superheroes, scifi and fantasy action. You can easily imagine what a 3D R-rated feature from them would look like.

http://www.blur.com/

Looks like Blur has done a lot of video game work, too.

Speaking of trailers and adaptations, surely some of you have been hearing about Watchmen?

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/watchmen/hd/

I knew nothing about the original book or the movie until just recently, but now I'm really intrigued. What do you guys think? If it's as close to the source material as I hear it will be, this will be a very atypical comic book movie, which will be nice in this period of oversaturation.

Also, can anyone say "Demiurge"?

That is a real drag about Aeon. Let's hope somehow...someway....

Actually, I'd rather see something some of Peter's newer ideas.. *cough Lovula *cough... where can I get one of those T shirts anyway?

It seems any story for Aeon could be retro-fitted onto another character without a great deal of trouble. I suppose you wouldn't have the established backstory though.