ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL Sneak Peek At Comic-Con! (Kinda)

It's on! If you're headed to San Diego's Comic-Con you may have an opportunity to see James Cameron's and Robert Rodriguez's ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL!... if you successfully complete a scavenger hunt in time (only 100 tickets up for grabs) to win tickets to the event.

The hunt involves visiting 6 booths at Comic-Con (Loot Crate, Sideshow (Prime 1), Sideshow (Hot Toys), Weta Workshop, Titan Entertainment, Funko) to collect stickers. Note that the event will not be at the Con, but instead at the Regal Theater Horton Plaza (this Friday, July 20).

Ok, it's a sneak peek, but there will be questions and answers with some cast members (Rosa Salazar and Keean Johnson), Rodriguez and producer Jon Landau.

Says Landau: "What makes it special is that it has the trademarks of a typical James Cameron movie. It has a strong female protagonist with universal themes. Alita as a character goes on a journey of self-discovery. She thinks of herself as an insignificant girl. Through her journey, she comes to realize that within her is the ability to make a difference. I can think of no greater universal message today."

The QandA is worth the effort alone, but of course, the sneak peek is sure to blow the roof off of the theater. Wish I was going this year! If you are going and feel up to the challenge - good luck!

ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL is slated for release on December 21, 2018.

Source: THR

MUST WATCH: New BATMAN v SUPERMAN Trailer

**Update: Apparently that wasn't the Suicide Squad trailer - DC is holding it back for some reason - fine see if I post it when it comes out - whenever. I could care less about it. Big day though for DC and Warner Bros' other tent pole at Comic-Con as they release their BATMAN v SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE trailer. Now THAT looks like a movie!

BvS looks amazing. The trailer knocked it out of the park and while I have issues with Batman's "attire" the whole thing resonates with raw emotion and energy. I won't spoil it for you but have a look.


BATMAN v SUPERMAN opens on March 25, 2016 while SUICIDE SQUAD is slated for August 5, 2016 - that is if they decide to show to the public instead of just comic-con attendees squeezed into a box.

Comic-Con 2012: Advance Screening Of DREDD 3D!!

Are you going to Comic-Con 2012? Then I have some good news for you! Masters of the Web are presenting DREDD 3D at the Reading Cinemas Gaslamp, 701 5th Avenue, San Diego on Wednesday, July 11 at 10pm. First come, first served!!

Oh and Karl Urban may show up to deal out justice. He will definitely be at the Masters of the Web Panel, Thursday, July 12 at 4:30pm in room 24ABC.

Retweet via this link to register!!

 

Some New AVATAR THE GAME Screencaps...

**SAME DAY UPDATE: High resolution images are here! Thanks Phil.

Jim here. Thanks Jacob for bring these to my attention. Got some new shots from within AVATAR THE GAME and they look awesome.

They were posted to the Comic-Con site today. Check out the human vs. winged creature and land creatures on Pandora!

Lets see who can name these creatures first...

:-)

Avatar Toys Show Off Augmented Reality "i-TAG" System

Hi, Michael here with video of the augmented reality "i-TAG" system being demoed in the Avatar section of Mattel's booth here at Comic-Con.

Each Avatar toy will come with a special card. After a one-time software download, any card can be scanned with a webcam, summoning an AMP Suit, RDA Gunship, or other model onto the screen, which can then be moved around or given special commands.

I was very impressed with the quality of the digital models and the speed and fluidity with which the on-screen models responded to user movements or "button" input.

Check out the video below for a demo of the AMP Suit:



RDA Gunship:



The Mattel representatives were giving out the following scannable cards. http://www.avataritag.com/ should have more info soon.

Cameron Still Wants to Do Battle Angel! Plus more from Cameron/Jackson Panel

Michael here with a report on the James Cameron / Peter Jackson panel. I'll be updating this post soon with videos and audio.

Here is our podcast of the entire panel:




Both the best news and funniest line of the night came when an audience member asked Cameron whether he was still interested in making Battle Angel Alita.

Cameron said that he really wants to do it, but that asking about his next project now is like asking a mother-to-be about her next baby while she's crowning.

Cameron talks Battle Angel:



Cameron also revealed that he hopes to include a feature on the Avatar Blu-Ray where you can see the actors' performances and those of their CG counterparts side by side so the audience will be able to see how perfect the facial capture has become, and how even the smallest details are replicated.

There was also a great discussion on the absolute importance of story and emotion in film that generated a huge audience applause.

More Videos-

Cameron on Filmmaking Tech in 20 Years (including higher frame rates):



Cameron on 3D Titanic, Jackson on Lord of the Rings 3D, and 3D Industry Discussion:



Also, head over to Movies Online, which has a transcript of yesterday's post-footage press conference with Cameron. It's a very good read.

Avatar Panel Vids!

Michael here with videos of the Avatar panel.

I'll be posting this in parts. If a video is not yet working, it means that Youtube hasn't finished processing it yet.

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:



Part 4:

Avatar Footage Report: Pandora is REAL

UPDATE 07/24/09: a bit more on the "photorealism" question some are asking about. Avatar is a revolutionary leap forward in that it is the manifestation of a huge number of first-time achievements in filmmaking. Cameron has created an amazingly cohesive, detailed, and beautiful world that I believed I was there, and, like the Time magazine writer, I wish I could go back now.

As for photorealism, the humanoid chararacters are at least two steps ahead of the best CGI characters to date (King Kong and Davey Jones).

In the first few seconds of seeing Jake's avatar my mind was a bit boggled - *very slightly* rejecting it because I knew on a *factual* level it does not exist (or at the very least, humans have never laid eyes on any alien creature). But this wore off after about 4 seconds. The CG is perfect. The aliens exist. Cameron and his team have achieved their goals with flying colors.
If such aliens were real, that is what they would look like. Their clothing, the lighting, the interaction with the jungle, the dirt and cuts they may get...all are real.

Michael here. Right now I am mindblown from experiencing 24 minutes on Pandora. Cameron has visited another planet and shot footage there.

Jaws were dropped, minds were blown, and people are still processing how far beyond anything we've seen this is. I'll be updating with more detailed impressions soon.

SAME DAY UPDATES:

There aren't any "effects" in this movie: everything is real. The world - from the huge trees to the smallest insects to the retracting, spiral-shaped plants to the moss that lights up when stepped upon - simply exists. I believe that Avatar is such a remarkable accomplishment in so many different ways that I would agree that it looks 10 years ahead of anything out there. And the 3D is the most seamlessly immersive I have ever seen.

But the most important point I want to get across: the characters work, the performances pop off the screen and already come across as iconic.

Emotion and tension are not only present, they infuse every scene. I was immediately reminded of Aliens and the amazing chemistry between the characters in that film. Jake, Ney'tiri, Quaritch, Dr. Augustine, Spellman, Tsu'Tey all vibe with each other wonderfully, creating some great moments of interaction. These characters WORK.

And the non-human characters are real. You will not only believe that the Na'vi and Avatars exist, but you will immediately begin forming the audience / character bond. There is no problem with the uncanny valley here - we are now looking at it firmly from the other side. The way in which the avatars resemble their human controllers goes a long way towards accomplishing this, as do their large, catlike eyes (the eyes of the na'vi seem even larger).

At the press conference following the Hall H presentation Cameron mentioned that Sigourney Weaver recently saw the film, and cried afterward. Cameron knows that this has to be an emotional journey at the core, and that the action - as mind-boggling as it is - must have stakes. He said that this is the reason a chase scene in the first Terminator film still holds up so well today.

I'm looking forward to an extraordinary film this December. As Cameron said at the press conference, it's firing on all cylinders.

More details soon.

More Pictures from Mattel's Avatar Booth!

Michael here with more pics from the Avatar section of Mattel's booth.

The Ampsuit is making a huge impression - everyone loves it. A ton of people can't wait to see the footage tomorrow. Comments I overheard ranged from "I've got to see this" to "this is as cool as the Owlship last year" to talk about how great a director Cameron is.











Here are the pics:

MarketSaw is at Comic-Con!

Hi everyone, Michael here. As of about 3:30 pm the line for Thursday's Hall H events is already at least 150 plus, with groups of people waiting underneath tents or with blankets and sleeping bags.

Many of the chairs are unoccupied, so it seems people are taking turns waiting in line, or holding seats for people who have not yet arrived. So the actual number of people holding spaces could be 300 or even higher.

And, yes, I spotted lots of Twilight shirts, and one of the Comic-Con staff asked me if I was looking for the "Twilight line." However, I did talk to a few people while waiting in line for my badge who were at Comic-Con for Avatar. One of them could barely contain her excitement for it.

Stay tuned to MarketSaw for the very latest from CC09!

3D At Comic-Con: List of Events

Hi, Michael here with a list of 3D-related panels at Comic-Con 2009. Thursday is the huge day for 3D, but Friday's "The Visionaries" discussion with James Cameron and Peter Jackson on the future of film promises to be incredible.

The main floor should have lots of displays relating to many of these 3D projects. And, of course, there may be surprise announcements!

Thursday, July 23

11:00-12:30 Disney: 3D Panel— Walt Disney Pictures presents key filmmakers, select cast members and previously unseen footage from its upcoming slate, including Disney’s A Christmas Carol, Alice In Wonderland and Tron. Special guests include Robert Zemeckis, Tim Burton, Sean Bailey, Steve Lisberger, and moderator Patton Oswalt. Hall H

12:00-1:00 Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey— Key production personnel and cast members discuss the making of Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey, the 3D, CGI Large Format film that combines beautiful animated sequences with actual space imagery captured during seven ongoing NASA and NASA/ESA space missions. Featuring a stellar voice cast that includes Neil Armstrong, Chris Pine, Samuel L. Jackson, Hayden Christensen, Amanda Peet, Robert Picardo, Jason Alexander, Tom Kenny, Sandra Oh, Brent Spiner, James Earl Jones, Williams Shatner, Mark Hamill, Doug Jones, Abigail Breslin and Gary Graham, Quantum Quest has been endorsed by the X Prize Organization, the International Space University, Challenge Center for Space Science Education, and the Young Astronauts Council. Producer, screenwriter, and co-director Dr. Harry Kloor, whose writing credits include Star Trek: Voyager, the animated series Godzilla, and Earth: Final Conflict, is joined by co-director Daniel St. Pierre (co-director, Everyone's Hero, production designer, A Shark's Tale, art director, Tarzan), space scientists, and key cast members. The panel will offer new work-in-progress clips and an in-depth exploration of the science behind the film. Ballroom 20

12:45-1:30 3D Showcase: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, The Hole, The Final Destination— Get a first look at 3 brand new films in stunning 3D! First up, it's Columbia Pictures and Sony Animation's Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, inspired by the classic children's book, the film focuses on a town where food begins to fall from the sky like rain. See an extended 3D clip from this eagerly awaited animated film!

Next up, legendary director Joe Dante (Gremlins 1 & 2, Innerspace, Explorers, The Howling) makes his return to the genre he knows best with the 3D thriller The Hole. Three kids come face to face with their darkest fears after they unlock a bottomless hole in the basement that makes their nightmares come to life. Join Dante—along with actress Haley Bennett (The Haunting of Molly Hartley)—as he discusses his return to thrillers, working in 3D, and The Hole.

Catch a sneak peek at New Line Cinema's 3D visceral thrill-ride horror film The Final Destination. Producer Craig Perry introduces a clip from the film. Hall H

1:00-2:00 Spotlight on Kevin Eastman— TMNJ co-creator Kevin Eastman not only reflects on his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle years (with a preview his Comic-Con exclusive 25th Anniversary hardcover collection of favorite TMNT stories!), but also shares sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes teasers or trailers for his upcoming animated film projects—War of The Worlds: Goliath! and Underwhere—and introduces the new Tor Books Novel line Heavy Metal Pulp and the in-development Biz and Buzz animated series. Last but not least, Kevin will give you an update on the new David Fincher/James Cameron–produced Heavy Metal film! Room 5AB

3:00-4:15 20th Century Fox and James Cameron present Avatar— In this first public screening of footage in 3D from his much-anticipated action/adventure/fantasy, James Cameron, producer Jon Landau, and cast members take you to a spectacular new world beyond imagination. Conceived 14 years ago and over four years in the making, Avatar breaks new ground in delivering a fully immersive, emotional story and reinvents the movie-going experience. Hall H

Friday, July 24

10:30-11:30 Coraline— Visionary director and screenwriter Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and Newbery Medal-winning author Neil Gaiman discuss the making of the LAIKA/Focus Features 2009 breakout animated hit film Coraline. In celebration of Universal Studio's Blu-ray Hi-Def and DVD release of the critically acclaimed stop-motion film, Selick and Gaiman will be joined by lead animator and LAIKA CEO/president Travis Knight, producer Bill Mechanic (CEO of Pandemonium and producer of Dark Water and The New World), character fabrication supervisor Georgina Hayns (Corpse Bride), and voice talent Keith David (Crash). Panelists will offer an in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpse at how this astonishing and suspenseful adventure—the first stop-motion animated feature originally produced in stereoscopic 3D—was painstakingly brought to life. The panel wis moderated by IGN movies/DVD editor-in-chief Eric Moro. Room 6A

6:30-7:30 Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries— A discussion with iconic filmmakers James Cameron (Avatar) and Peter Jackson (District 9) on the Future of Film—EW moderates an in-depth conversation with these two cinematic giants about the art of film narrative and how technology and global culture will alter the art of on-screen storytelling in the next 20 years. Hall H

Comic-Con Avatar Panel Announced!!!

Michael here. Here we go!!!

Thursday, July 23:

3:00-4:15 20th Century Fox and James Cameron present Avatar— In this first public screening of footage in 3D from his much-anticipated action/adventure/fantasy, James Cameron, producer Jon Landau, and cast members take you to a spectacular new world beyond imagination. Conceived 14 years ago and over four years in the making, Avatar breaks new ground in delivering a fully immersive, emotional story and reinvents the movie-going experience. Hall H

Click here for the full Wednesday night and Thursday Comic-Con programming schedules

Avatar Figures & Models Available for Pre-Order! Plus Comic-Con Advice

Michael here. Two Mattel models from Avatar are up for Pre-Order on Amazon, and from the descriptions they seem to be detailed, high quality collectibles. No pictures are up yet, but I would expect to see these and the other models and figures very soon

Desciptions and details from Amazon.com:

James Cameron's Avatar Na'vi Leonopteryx Collectible Figure This item will be released on November 1, 2009. Click for Amazon.com product page Product Features From James Cameron's film, Avatar The fiercest and most feared Na'vi creature in all of Pandora! Giant 20-inch wingspan 20 points of articulation and the ability to carry any basic Avatar figure on its back Great collector's item! Product Details Product Dimensions: 14 x 2.2 x 12 inches Shipping Weight: 8.7 pounds James Cameron's Avatar RDA Scorpion Chopper This item will be released on November 1, 2009. Click for Amazon.com product page Product Features From James Cameron's film, Avatar Scorpion Chopper, recreated here in intense, movie-accurate detail Comes with over 24 points of articulation Includes dual firing projectiles, quadruple spinning blades, and rotating gun barrel Articulated cockpit that fits all basic Avatar RDA and Na'vi figures Product Details Product Dimensions: 14 x 4 x 12 inches Shipping Weight: 7.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies). Also, Acme Archives Limited will be selling a Comic-Con exclusive print of Avatar: Avatar Exclusive Print Acme Archives Unlimited will have an exclusive print of James Cameron's Avatar... More to follow.

Later today the Comic-Con programming schedule is expected to be released, so stay tuned for details on the Avatar panel as well as the other cool stuff we will see in San Diego in two weeks.

Some advice if you want to get in to the Avatar panel: (UPDATED to reflect actual Comic-Con schedule / panel times)

1. You need either a 4-day or Thursday badge to get in. The panel will be on Thursday, July 23, from 12:45 to 2:00.

2. You will need to get in line with your badge already in your possession *at least* 6 hours before the first Hall H panel - the Disney panel - starts at 11:00 am. That means you should get in line at 5:00 am to secure a good seat relatively close to the front and center. If you want to have one of the best publicly available seat in the house, you will likely need to camp out overnight or arrive at 3:00 am or so, since, unfortunately, the Twilight/New Moon panel is happening the same day directly after the Avatar panel, and those Twilight fans will clog up many of the seats. Bring earplugs, too, in case you decide to bite the bullet and endure the deafening banshee shrieking (trust me, I was there last year) of thousands of hormonal teenage girls and their parents as you wait for the afternoon panels.

3. Brings snacks, water, sunblock / hat, comics / books, etc for the wait outside (the lines stretch far outside the convention center, and there isn't much shade.)

4. I woudn't be surprised if there is cool stuff from the movie on the show floor, similar to the Owlship WB brought last year, and the Optimus Prime truck from 2005. Abrams, Harper Collins, Mattel, and Ubisoft are all exhibiting on the main convention floor, too - so I would definitely expect to see some of their Avatar products. (Thanks to Chrad for the heads up on some of these booths!)

Hope to see some of you there!

Avatar Taking Over San Diego! Comic-Con Banner Unveiled!

**UPDATE - July 2, 2009: Further info about differences between Na'vi and Avatars! Jim here again. Here is what my source has to say: "There is major difference between the Na’vi and the avatars. It was visible in the footage shown at Amsterdam, but the viewers were so stunned they didn’t notice. The Na’vi have four fingers and toes; the avatars have five. In addition to the eyes, the avatar’s nose is also slightly smaller than the Na’vi’s."

Pay attention guys! :-) That includes me!

**ANOTHER SAME DAY UPDATE: Exclusive insider info on the Na'vi image in the poster - this is from a trusted source: "Since one of the viewers of the Amsterdam presentation already mentioned it, the avatars do look somewhat like their human counterparts. This means the Na’vi look less human. Larger eyes for one. (Jim: Actually heard Neytiri has a striking resemblance to Zoe Saldana).

Unfortunately, geometric distortion was introduced when people photoshopped the banner picture, which was slightly oblique, to generate a full-frontal view. This made the facial features look smaller in relation to the size of the head, as well as distorting the nose.

The glowing spots are on the face, not an overlay of a star map. Whether they are naturally-occurring markings, tattoos made with bioluminescent bacteria, emanations of mysterious psychic powers, or simply applied dots of glowing makeup must be left to your readers’ imaginations at present."

Interesting!! Comicon is the place to be...

UPDATE: Now with the original, higher resolution pics from the official Comic-Con Twitter feed. Click for the big versions.

Michael here. This is awesome - It looks like Avatar will completely rule Comic-Con this year. The opening salvo of the marketing campaign are these banners that are appearing in downtown San Diego.

My guess is that this is Jake in avatar form, and that the dots of light are bioluminescent in origin. I love the design - it has enough "humanness" for the audience to relate to, but enough "other" to be definitively alien. That was the problem with most of the non-Davy Jones characters from the "Pirates" sequels - they're too cartoonish. But Davy and the Na'vis get it right.

I've heard from a number of sources that the Avatar panel will be first thing Thursday morning. So be sure you get to Comic-Con early if you want to see history in the making!

Another pic from the official Comic-Con Twitter page:

Here's an enhanced version of the poster and a full-face manip, courtesy of "Ludovic":

What's UP? A Clip From The Pixar 3D Animation AND Why It Will Break Records...

Jim here guys. There are some very minor spoilers here so don't read further if you want a pristine viewing experience at the theater next year. If you haven't seen this clip yet, it does a good job of setting the stage for what should be a grand adventure - AND a grand box office return as the demographics for this movie are across the board.

At Comic-Con this year, attendees were treated to a clip from the movie (not the short one below). The clip featured Ed Asner as an old man who rebels against going to a retirement home and instead uses his own home as a huge gondala of sorts with thousands of helium balloons attached to travel to the jungles of Venezuela (a promise he made to his deceased wife). Tagging along is Russell, a boyscout who needs to assist an elderly person to earn a badge. Their antics had the audience truly engaged and laughing eagerly - so have a look at the short clip below!

Here is why this movie could potentially break Pixar's own record for an original (and not a sequel) movie: Demographics. As I said above, the reach for this movie is staggering. Everyone from 5 year olds to 105 year olds will want to see this movie as there are compelling characters to identify with. Then add on 3D immersion and the rest is history. Increased revenues from the 3D premium, a broad demographic and the quality of Pixar combines for what could be a perfect storm of box office bonanza. In theory at least.

UP is slated for a May 29, 2009 release.

Comic-Con 2008: Pixar's UP & Pete Docter on 3-D!

Hi everyone, Michael here with some words from UP director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc.) at the Pixar / Disney panel regarding his plans for the stereoscopic aspects of the first ever 3-D Pixar film.

During the Q & A portion of the panel, I asked Docter the following:

Q:  "I was wondering, because it is the first Pixar movie that will be shown in stereoscopic 3-D, what your process is like in planning for a 3-D movie?"

A:   "I don't know. (crowd laughs) Yeah, we're still figuring it out ourselves. We have a whole team that's set up to operate specifically for the 3-D part of it. We're thinking it's pretty much just in terms of our normal storytelling: what's the best way to communicate this visually?

This team has done a lot of study in terms of what 3-D does, and how to maximize the effect of it and they are going to be advising us as we go along, so it's going to be a learning curve for everybody. We just got into it."

Check out Comingsoon.net for great in-depth descriptions of both the Bolt and UP panels and footage.  I thought both looked great: Bolt seems like it will be an extremely cute, funny movie (especially for pet owners), while UP is like Pixar doing Miyazaki.  Docter's answer to the 3-D question gives me a lot of confidence that Pixar is living up to their reputation as a studio that always puts the story first, and that will use all tools (including 3-D) to further that story.

Comic-Con 2008: Terminator: Salvation panel pics!

Michael here with some pictures of the Terminator: Salvation cast from the panel earlier today. The best news out of the panel in my opinion was director McG saying that the movie will be whatever rating it needs to be...he is not cutting the film in order to fit a predetermined rating. So an "R" is definitely still in the cards-- it will just depend on what McG thinks makes a better film.

Sam Worthington and Moon Bloodgood:



Sam Worthington:




Anton Yelchin and Bryce Dallas Howard:



McG:



Moon Bloodgood:

After today's amazing footage Terminator: Salvation is now firmly my second most anticipated movie of 2009.  Can't wait to see more!

Comic-Con 2008: Terminator: Salvation footage ROCKS!

Hey folks, Michael here, and Comic-Con 2008 has a clear winner in terms of raw spectacle, scope, and badass characters--and that winner is Terminator: Salvation, which just screened a whole bunch of footage featuring Christian Bale as John Connor, an insanely intense Avatar lead Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, the incredibly attractive Moon Bloodgood, and rapper Common as Connor's right hand man.

Worthington was amazing in the clips, especially in the scenes where he faces off against John Connor.  Director McG said that he wanted an actor with the manliness and toughness to stand up against Christian Bale, and that Sam has those qualities in spades.  Indeed, the animosity between the two is palpable and should be awesome to watch this coming May.  I definitely see what James Cameron was talking about when he said the following of Sam:

“You know how Russell Crowe has this kinda innate strength about him and how in GLADIATOR men would follow him into hell. Well Jake needs to have that and for a young guy. And most of these young guys, they’re either physical, meaning that they’re like buff handsome guys who are pretty good actors; or they have a kind of vulnerability that they can reach, but very few of them know how to stand up and be a man……He’s just a really good actor”

The full Terminator: Salvation teaser will debut in front of Quantum of Solace on November 7.

Comic-Con 2008: Quantum Quest panel!

Michael here.  Quantum Quest (aiming for a September 2009 release in both IMAX 3D and RealD) just had its panel, and the artwork and early CG animation they showed look very promising.  The opening shot--moving through the ice chunks of Saturn's rings until we rest on the Cassini craft--is breathtaking.  Moreover, the passion of the NASA/JPL scientists, astronauts, writers, and voice actors involved in the project is contagious.

Despite the educational outreach efforts of the film, the panel made it clear that Quantum Quest is first and foremost a great, fun time at the movies, and promised that it will be spectacular when viewed in 3-D.

The plot centers on "Dave the Photon", a gold-skinned, dreadlocked particle/wave of light with spiral tattoos on his chest and face (voiced by the new James T. Kirk, Chris Pine).   Born in the center of the Sun, the young Dave must confront the Core (William Shatner), a Godlike being, before escaping the confines of his birthplace.  Once outside his home, Dave meets an assortment of quirky characters--and perhaps a love interest?--on his voyage to the outer Solar System, where he must confront his fears and battle enemies (including the aptly named Ignorance and Major Moron, who only have a half a brain between them and seek to promote willful stupidity) to save the Cassini spacecraft and, hence, human knowledge of space.

The character designs are very creative.  Besides Dave, we have creatures with horns, dinosaur inspired creatures, a lithe female reptilian alien with acrobatic skills, and a smallish alien with multiple eye stalks popping from the top of its head.  

And, of course, the science in the film will be great--the project uses actual data and images from NASA probes to create its worlds.

The all-star voice actor cast also includes Neil Armstrong in his first ever film role, Samuel L. Jackson, Brent Spiner, Robert Picardo, Jason Alexander, Doug Jones, William Shatner, Gary Graham, James Earl Jones, Mark Hamill, Sandra Oh, Abigail Breslin, and Tom Kenny.  Neil and Chris Pine even recorded personal messages for the Comic-Con audience!

Check out more information on the film (including more on the characters, including artwork) at http://www.qqthemovie.com

I can't wait to see more of this.  It looks to be something special.

Comic-Con 2008: Wolverine trailer & Hugh Jackman!!!

Hey folks, Michael here.  Hugh Jackman just came out at the end of the Fox panel to rapturous applause, literally right off the plane from Australia after wrapping the Wolverine shoot merely hours ago!

After telling the audience how much he had always wanted to bring X-Men to Comic-Con, he played an AWESOME trailer. Gambit was shown throwing charged cards in a fanlike pattern, Sabretooth, Deadpool, and a few other mutants were present, the adamantium bonding process was shown, and there was a kickass action scene involving military vehicles, a helicopter, and claws.  The movie looks very much in the realistic vein of The Dark Knight.  And with an amazing director in Gavin Hood, we'll all hopefully be in for something special come May 1, 2009!

P.S. No Avatar announcements, but the Wolverine surprise was really cool.  The audience went insane!

Thanks to Ronald Sanchez & Tabitha DeVuyst (the awesome people sitting next to me) for the photo!