Despite the fact that I work in television, I don’t watch a lot of t.v. I could say it’s because I’m incredibly busy (which I am) but the truth is that, given the choice, I’d much rather read, cook, work-out, or spend quality time with my dogs. I do, however, manage to make time for some my favorites (House, Top Chef, Spartacus, and the occasional HBO offerings), squeezing in a viewing while exercising or before lights-out – which is more than can be said for my movie-watching. After building a home theater, I decided to never again visit a theater and, instead, chose to wait for films of interest to come out on dvd – until the introduction of blu-ray effectively dissuaded me from ever buying another dvd (much less a blu-ray player which, I assumed, would, in turn, be rendered obsolete by the next big thing so why bother?). As a result, I would be completely lost in any dinner party conversation that shifted to Inception, Avatar, Toy Story 3, Star Trek, and every James Bond installment since Golden Eye.
Still, despite my seeming disinterest, every once in a while the announcement of an upcoming project will pique my interest. And, occasionally, I may even get downright excited at the prospect of actually checking something out.
What follows is my list of the Top 5 Projects (some in development, some in production) I Most Look Forward To…
Seth McFarlane’s reboot of The Flintstones
After much back-and-forth, a deal has finally been struck that will allow the Family Guy creator to reboot The Flinstones – and I couldn’t be happier. To those of you who say Seth McFarlane is going to ruin The Flinstones, I say: “Did you watch The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show? Or The Flintstone Comedy Hour? Or every t.v. special, television movie, and live action feature film made since the original show went off the air in 1966?” Hell, some purists will even argue that the show jumped the shark with the introduction of Pebbles at the end of its third season. In my mind, there’s no better candidate to bring back television’s first prime time, politically incorrect animated series than McFarlane. His sense of humor is perfectly suited to recapturing the show’s original adult sensibility.
The live-action version of Noir
I’m admittedly torn on this one. On the one hand, I can’t wait to see what Sam Raimi and co. do with one of my top ten favorite anime of all time; on the other hand, I’m bummed that I wasn’t fast enough in snapping up the rights when they were available. This styling series about two young, female assassins and the mysterious order they work for was one of several anime properties I identified for potential live-action treatment. Alas, my commitment to Stargate kept me from seriously pursuing it but, all the same, it looks like the property is in good hands. Don’t know how they plan on translating Noir for a North American audience but so long as they make liberal use Yuki Kajiura’s soundtrack for the original anime, they can’t go wrong.
Powers
One of my favorite comic book series is poised to hit the small screen. Focusing on Detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim, partners in homicide investigations involving superpowered individuals, the graphic novels are whip smart and a lot of fun. Don’t know much about the prospective series beside the fact that it will premiere on FX, but the fact that writer Brian Michael Bendis is listed as an Executive Producer gives me confidence the production will do right by its source material.
World War Z: The Movie
Tired of zombies yet? No, me neither provided they’re done right – and author Max Brooks did them all sorts of right in his book, a collection of first-person accounts of the zombie apocalypse. Clever, frightening, and incredibly engaging given the personal nature of a lot of the interviews – a must-read for any fan of the horror sub-genre. Translating Brooks’ unique narrative will no doubt prove a challenge but I’m cautiously optimistic….
Transporter: The Series
Loved the movies for the creative fight sequences and the overall sense of fun that pervaded the action, so when I heard they were going to be doing a television series based on the film franchise, I was interested. And when my agent called to say they wanted Paul and I to showrun – well, I was REALLY interested. European production is already underway while main unit photography kicks off here in North America in July. The early footage looks great, the scripts are tight, the cast is terrific, and the production is stacked with talent. Fans of the movies will not be disappointed!
Hey Joe,
I hope The Transporter series has your unique brand of wit in it. Looking forward to it! As for a Flintstones reboot, I’m not too sure about that one. Sometimes, classics shouldn’t be redone, just re-visited.
Speaking of the Live Action adaption of Noir, I can only assume they will make Kirika much older, which kinda sucks, but understandable as it probably wouldn’t sit well with the press/critics having a show with a teenage girl shooting people lol.
I’m expecting name changes, Kirika will probably get changed to some American name, along with Mirielle.
Anyway, I hope they structure a story to last the entirity of a single season, any more than that and they’l likely ruin Noir for anime fans.
After I hope they take a look at Madlax and El Cazador De la Bruja, as you know Joe are part of the girls with guns trilogy and are made by the same people that did Noir. I think something like El Cazador De la Bruja would be easier to adapt, though it follows the same style as Noir mostly, it would be easier as the main characters essentially wonder from town to town and have storys that conclude that same episode, until its a story thats part of the main plot line comes along that spans the whole series.
I listened to World War Z the audiobook.
Can you believe it’s possible to make an horror audiobook ?
Because this is what those CDs were. They scared the shit out of me and I never thought an audiobook could do that!
http://www.amazon.ca/World-War-Oral-History-Zombie/dp/0739366408/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308527085&sr=8-1
Actually, I do believe this book is meant to be heard, not read.
Joe we all know that you’re a big anime fan, so i would like to know your top ten favourite anime of all time.
and i wanted to have your oppinion on Gintama wich is one of my favourite anime of all time.
Before people get upset over Seth doing Flintstones, look up his writing/producing credits for shows other then then Family Guy and the 2 spin offs, hes done good
I am looking forward to…absolutely nothing.
I would like to see Transporter, but I’m guessing it’s going to be on HBO or Skinamax, and I don’t have either. And, no…I really can’t pick them up, both because of cost, and because I don’t think I want access to the sort of shows they feature. We were given a free three-month trial of Cinemax several years back, and, sorry, I’m just not into porn, soft or otherwise.
I’m very disinterested in the entertainment world right now. Maybe it’s because I found my ‘ultimate’ character in Elric a couple years back, or because I have found a suitable replacement for him in Pendergast…I just don’t know. What I do know is that unless a really hot, really pale, tall, thin and tortured guy graces the screen, I’m just not interested. (This has happened before, and I’ll just stop watching tv for a few years until something like the Wraith come along.)
The ONLY thing I really have interest in is the current batch of British mysteries coming now to PBS’ Masterpiece Mystery! series for the summer. First up is David Suchet as Poirot, starting TONIGHT – YAY! Three episodes, then one Miss Marple, then three episodes of Zen, starring Rufus Sewell (YAY! and GUUUH! I’ve loved him since Cold Comfort Farm). It’s about Detective Aurelio Zen, who brings justice to modern-day Italy amid the corruption in law enforcement. After that comes a new INSPECTOR LEWIS (YAY!!!!!) series – and lemme tell you, I REALLY need my Hathaway fix, big time. (Hey, he IS pale! 🙂 ) That’s the line-up so far, but I’m really hoping they air the new Sherlock Holmes episodes, too. That is a terrific show.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/mystery/index.html
So, basically, between the British mysteries and rugby, most everything I watch and REALLY enjoy comes from England or the Brit-influenced parts of the Southern Hemi. I watch very little American programming (except NCIS, Psych, White Collar, and Castle – but even those don’t thrill me as much as spending an hour and a half with a prissy little Belgian in a waxed moustache). Of course, I grew up on Monty Python and British sitcoms that aired on PBS, as well as such series as Doctor Who and Eastenders, of all things. I can’t explain it, but I just ‘get’ British tv better than I do American. I think I just like the acting better, or maybe it’s the accents, or maybe one of these days I’ll just throw up my hands and admit to being a bloody Anglophile. Why not? It’s not like I don’t have other fetishes and stuff to keep it company. 🙄
Speaking of fetishes…while up at WW Philly, I was talking with a friend from the Benbo, and we were talking about the books I like, and how hard it is to find the right thing. He has something to do with Image’s Shadowline division, and turned me onto Cowboy Ninja Viking, which I really enjoyed. I was telling him about Smoke, which features an albinistic character, and I said to him, “You know I’m not really serious about the ‘albino’ thing. It’s not really a fetish or anything, mostly I just make a big deal of it to come off as crazy on-line to keep people from getting too close.” And he said, “I know you do, I know it’s all an act…”, and just then this thin, ghastly white albino fella walks by, strabismus and all, and I about near broke my neck checking him out. My friend just got this smartass grin on his face and said, “Yeah, it’s all just an act…” 😛
@ Deni – Hopefully will get the pictures posted tonight. Mr. Das is at the movies and I need to wait for him because I really don’t know how to get the pics out of the camera (I need some gadget that we can’t find, so instead he has to download them into his laptop, then upload onto a flash drive, and I really don’t know how that all works). I hate the pictures of me because I have this fat moonface and I’m all cheeks and heavy eyelids like I have some bloated mutant head, but Mr. Das looks good. 🙂
das
das
I keep stuttering my name. 😛 I think it’s this new posting box, it kinda screws me up, a lot.
das
I hate to be the negative voice in the room, but…. my problem with Seth McFarlane’s reboot of The Flintstones is not the fact that it’s a reboot of The Flintstones but that it’s yet another damn Seth McFarlane cartoon. Doesn’t this guy already have Fox’ prime time lineup all to himself? I’ll give them this, though; at least it’s not another reality show.
@ Tam Dixon – Oops. Sorry…you asked for the pictures. My memory sucks. :p
das
never saw the appeal of zombies (or ninjas or pirates for that matter) speaking of zombies…. http://www.cracked.com/article_18683_7-scientific-reasons-zombie-outbreak-would-fail-quickly.html
in other news; those people who hacked sony hacked some site and got over 62,000 e-mail accounts & passwords. the list; http://dazzlepod.com/lulzsec/
an article about it; http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/230523/fraud_starts_after_lulzsec_group_releases_email_passwords.html?tk=rel_news
mr joseph can you give the folling idea to brad wright for a new stargate series. [edit. Still not reading fan fiction or ideas. Sorry.]
Joe, could you ask your inside sources whether the last three SGU episodes will ever be made available on Hulu? Yes, I am that cheap, and yes, money really is that tight.
Even if you don’t have Cinemax, I think you’ll probably be able to watch The Transporter on at least one of the following legit sites like Amazon on Demand/Itunes/Netflix.
Hi Joe,
Regarding The Flintstones reboot and jumping the shark, remember that the original was produced decades ago, so it’s easy to take the shark out of context. Jumping it according to old-school or present day common stretches of the phrase? There’s definitely a difference. If jumping the shark in a more traditional sense, then perhaps it will attract a wider demographic, though if jumping the shark in a more contemporary sense, then it might limit the number of prospective viewers.
Your mention of McFarlane taking it on is the first I’ve heard of it. His approach toward the re-imagining could potentially offer some great entertainment, definitely for his loyal fan base, questionably for traditional fans. Your broad comparisons of tv/movie productions made ever since the original went off the air is a bit of a reach. In any case, I’m looking forward to seeing the new Flintstones, or at least giving it a test-viewing.
Almost makes me wanna’ get a TV that works…
@Ugly Pig – I hope Seth McFarlane has plans to take things in a very different direction than what I’ve seen from him so far.
@archersangel – The zombie stories do address rotting, accumulated injuries, and how easy zombies are to kill. They are doomed to failure, the question is usually whether the small band of buddies can survive being greatly outnumbered. The article does beg the question of how did the zombies get to the kind of numbers needed to greatly outnumber the band of buddies (and had a great point about why rabies doesn’t spread fast).
A belated thank you Joe! But I think our luck has run out.
Adjusting to the new digs has been…well…it sucks. By the end of the week, seven people had given their notices in different departments of the company. Our little group had an unscheduled meeting late Friday afternoon with our VP who promptly told us: “Okay, I know, this is shitty.” After that came a pep talk, and then she dragged us out for bowling.
It’s an old insurance building. The floors are so flimsy they shake constantly and everyone was yelling earthquake every 15 minutes for the first two days. Bright urine yellow colored walls have been blinding everyone, and constantly making us want to pee, except that the dang bathrooms are still a work in progress. We were invading other companies in the building for their loo’s until Wednesday when we told to stop because, well, they didn’t like being invaded. We finally found one on the exec floor that worked, figures, and have been invading them instead. Then there was big fist fight in garage on Thursday. We don’t know who was fighting who, but we suspect rival insurance gangs. It’s like we’ve gated to another planet, and there’s no DHD.
So, I’m liking your path a hell of a lot better than mine. 🙂 It’s great to hear that Transporter is coming together so well! Sounds like another fantastic bunch of folks. Best wishes to you, and the cast and crew for a safe and fun start to the show!
I hadn’t heard of the Flintstones reboot. I don’t mean to be mean about many people’s childhood cartoon but hopefully it’ll be funny this time. 🙂
Hi Mr M!
Just a line to say I dropped you an email!
Hope all well.
S’n’T
Das: Thanks for the PBS headsup! Gonna set my DVR now.
Mr. M.: Those TV shows are good BUT you are missing out on some great films. I hope you can work in some DVD watching in your movie room when you get home.
The Flintstones aired after my bedtime in 1966. I didn’t get to watch them until they’d been sanitized into reruns.
I do enjoy the old Flintstone cigarette commercials with Fred and Barney taking that menthol break.
Deleted scene o f “Ripple effects”. What a shame tht this one was cut:
Scene 20: Tiger Blue SG-1 come through the gate to end Act I
Alternate takes of the team coming through the gate included a confused Tiger Blue Mitchell asking “What the FRELL is going on here?!” and “What the frak is going on here?!”
But thank you for it; it was very funny reference to Farscape.
Hey guys, does Joe read all of these comments or is there an email address I can’t seem to find where he collects questions for mailbag?
Koe, you just did this list to put your own show, very sneaky. and that should be against the rules of making top something list of something. And Joe you should be happy you didnt grab Noir, it has fail all over it. two action female leads? ha! yeah america sure likes their female action heroes, its why we are bombarded with them all the time right? aeon flux? what happened to wonder woman tv show? what happened to the charles angels remake tv show?? let me check wiki… says its gonna air in fall, watching trailer on youtube…oh sweet mother of god! make it stop!!
well, Sam Raimi better have the good sense to get complete new comers, who knows they might attract those nikita fans, which is the best it can ever do before it gets cancelled. Even if the show aint about action, these things regardless depend too much on the likeability of the actress in the role; a gamble where the odds are 100 to 1. And then they have to figure out how much feminine and how much lesbian the character is. Look what they are doing for the tomb raider remake, they keep dressing up every actress out there just to see if shes the “one”. This is the hard truth, if I were in the industry I would never come near anything action that has a female in the lead. It won’t work unless they are planning on attracting a mainly female audience, but then that would mean the creators are doing something wrong. I see one character holding a gun in the pic is blonde, that is like so 80s. There gotta be better anime to adapt for tv.
Anyway the list is disappointing, i dont think Powers will be what you are expecting it to be. World War Z is well it is what it is which is not much. Flinstones? comon. heres my list:
1. Prometheus
2. Matrix 4 (yes a long wait)
3. Dark Knight Rises
4. Chronicles of Riddick sequel
5. Voltron?
Three of them will probably never get made. There are others but I can’t remember em right now. As far as TV shows go, im not anticipating anything other than game of thrones, whatever HBO spits out I hear they are making another Rome-like drama. now that they are doing fantasy, i also expect they make sci-fi at some point. Dune or something like it, something like Stargate? Nothing can surprise me anymore so for me its possible.
Koe? Its supposed to be Joe. lol I will make another list, need time to think about it. I don’t know about everyone else but I’m sick of superheroes so none will be in it. I guess my list will just comprise of whatever Nolan decides to do next. And transporter of course… the video game. just kidding!
@Sam G
Joe reads all comments on the comments section as he moderates them, basically this is to weed out the bad apples that may want to attack others, the show, or him.
And on occassions discusses issues with people in the comments section too.
He’s a nice guy, despite what some haters say.
I was watching the original Transporter the other night and at the very beginning with the street chase scene after he provides transportation to the bank robbers reminded me a lot of the BTS posting you showed us last week. That is some high-caliber stuff we’re going to be get in a weekly series.
All the other ones you listed above–not interested.
Of the TV things coming up this fall, I can say without a doubt I’m looking forward to Terra Nova and Alcatraz. Both look fabulous.
Hi Joe:
I have not been able to check out your blog lately so I have a lot of catching up to do.
I am still trying my best to get over the cancellation of SGU. It is finally starting to sink in that it is going to be quite a while before we see Stargate again.
I saw your list of Television shows you are looking forward to, well I have a suggestion.
You should check out the new Torchwood series coming up in a few week on the Starz network in the USA and BBc in the UK. Not sure what network it will be on in Canada ? do you have Starz up there ?
I really fell in love with Torchwood during its first 2 seasons, season 3 was short but pretty good, but this next season which is a co production of Starz and the BBc looks like it is going to be really good.
It is a great SCI -Fi show and it is a spin-off of Dr. Who.
I hope you can get a chance to check it out and let me know what you think of it.
Also are you True Blood fan by chance ? The show starts up this weekend coming up.
I am also looking forward to that show too.
I was reallly looking forward to the new show Falling Skies . It premiered last week on Sunday night. And being that it was produced by Steven Spielsburg I figured it would be pretty good.
Well in my humble opinion I was not too impressed. It was just the pilot, but I think the show was really missing a lot.
It was a 2 hour show and it seemed that not much really happened at all to get the story going. They kind of just jumped right into the plot without setting up much of anything.
I was very disappointed to say the least.
Also nice vidoes of the dogs you have up.
They are so cute !
Cant wait to see Transporter !
Good Luck….