Brian Taylor To Direct Twisted Metal For Sony

Deadline reports that Sony is developing a Twisted Metal movie based on the classic 90's video game. The extreme version of an underground demolition derby was somewhat inspired by Roger Corman's Death Race but had it's own original racers. The face of the series is Sweet Tooth, a psychotic clown that drives an Ice Cream truck armed to the teeth. Brian Taylor one half of the directing duo Neveldine/Taylor has been hired to write and direct the film. It will be the first feature film that Brian will do without his partner Mark Neveldine. The pair will still work together on Crank 3 and possibly Ghost Rider 3, if the new film does well at the box office.

Taylor's credits are impressive when compared to other action films considering the rather small budgets he's given to work with. Brian is first and foremost a genre centric director and his films reflect that. Not to mention he makes these rather action packed films with very little money. His directing credits include Crank, Gamer, Crank II: High Voltage and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Brian's writing credits include a majority of the films he directed. He also co-wrote the underrated medical thriller Pathology and an adaptation of the DC Comics character Jonah Hex. The latter had the duo set to direct but dropped out and their script was bastardized leading to one of the worst films of 2010 .

Crank 3 On The Way, Idris Elba Wanted For Role

FilmStage has word via Empire/JoBlo that the writing/directing duo Mark Neveldine and Bryan Taylor confirm Crank 3 is happening. Along with bringing back Chev Chelios played by Jason Statham they want to bring Idris Elba into the mix. Elba recently worked with the directors on Ghost Rider: The Spirit of Vengence. The only issue would be that Idris is very busy these days with Pacific Rim, Kill Bill Laden (maybe), Thor 2, The Real RockNRolla and not to mention a new series/feature film of Luther also in the works.

“I would LOVE that! Actually, we joking-but-not-quite-jokingly joked about that with Idris [Elba] while we were over in Romania and Turkey [shooting Spirit of Vengeance]. Just trying to figure out a way of getting him into Crank 3. There are so many different ways that Crank 3 could go. We’ve been talking about the top 50 ideas we what to do for Crank 3, so we’re just trying to pair them down. By the way, Crank 3 is going to happen, the studios are really excited about it – it’s just all about timing.”

“…The important thing is what powers Chev [Chelios]. It was adrenaline that kept him alive in the first one, it was electricity in the second one, you know, it’s all about what will keep him alive in the third one. It’s just fun slinging those ideas around.”

Johnny Whitworth Confirms He's Playing Blackout In Ghost Rider 2

Johnny Whitworth (Pathology) while speaking with AMC revealed who he is playing in Ghost Rider: The Spirit of Vengeance. He'll be Blackout and it's the first time there has been confirmation about an actual comic villain being in the film. Johnny will be transformed into Blackout half way through the film a very formidable villain of Ghost Rider. In the comics he has many vampire characteristics so I wouldn't be shocked if they go that route in the film.

The film is more of a reboot than sequel as the directors/writers Mark Neveldine and Bryan Taylor are re-imaging the character and his origin. Similar to how The Incredible Hulk was both a sequel and reboot. Yet keeping Nicolas Cage as the lead actor in place. I'm not sure if they'll revealed if this is PG-13 or aimed for an R-rating but from sounds of things it could go either way.

Ghost Rider 2 Has New Origin Scene

It looks like Sony is really going for a reboot with Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Nicolas Cage (via ComingSoon) has confirmed the sequel will feature a new origin scene reinvisioned by directors Mark Neveldine and Bryan Taylor. I assume it could be similar to what we saw in The Incredible Hulk. Hopefully this means they've severed all ties to the original film.

Ciarán Hinds & Violante Placido Join Ghost Rider 2?

HeatVision reports that Ciarán Hinds (Munich, John Carter of Mars, Rome) and Italian actress Violante Placido (The American) are in talks for Ghost Rider: The Spirit of Vengeance. Hinds would play the film's villain "the devil" and Placido the female lead. I assume they're referring to the Rider villain Lucifer. The film will be directed by the dynamic duo of Neveldine/Taylor (Gamer, Crank) with Nicolas Cage returning. The site also reveals the film's plot.

"Johnny Blaze, aka Ghost Rider (Cage), hiding out in remote Eastern Europe and struggling to repress his curse. Blaze is recruited by a sect to take on the devil (Hinds), who wants to take over his mortal son’s body on the boy’s birthday."

Ghost Rider 2 Coming February 2012

Sony has announced the release date for Ghost Rider 2 which will be February 17th 2012. Neveldine/Taylor are directing it should be the only reason why audiences will care. The pair are responsible for some of the most interesting contemporary action films such as the Crank series and the 80's homage Gamer. They were previously hired by Warner Bros. to write and direct Jonah Hex before exiting. It's assumed the studio wanted a watered down PG-13 film instead and that's what they got giving them the critical/boxoffice bomb. I'm hoping Sony will give the action junkie directors a little more wiggle room with the film and it's rating. Certain Marvel characters like Punisher, Deadpool and Ghost Rider seem better suited for rated R films.

Films That Should Be Made: Big Guy & Rusty The Boy Robot

A mixture of The Iron Giant, Astro Boy and Godzilla it was a short lived comic and animated television series. Created by Frank Miller and artist Geof Darrow who previously worked together on Hard Boiled. This would be yet another great adaptation the mixture of genres would make it perfect for a science fiction fans. After Cloverfield brought back the idea of the large monster genre even with it's super short running time. People are dying to see a sequel well, I think this would be a better and bigger movie. Depending on who gets involved it could end up live-action mixed with CGI like Battle Angel or Avatar.



Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine (Crank, Pathology, Game) would be perfect for the project. Although it seems to be geared towards kids because of it's being adapted to a cartoon. The comic is more rough and violent than what children could handle. It's very adult, when it comes to the destruction of the city and civilians who get killed in the process.



Comic:
"revolves around an attack on Tokyo by a giant reptilian creature that is generated in an experiment gone wrong, and the failure of the newly-commissioned Rusty the Boy Robot to stop the threat. Subsequently, Japan requested help from the U.S. Armed Forces, whose ultimate defense, the robot Big Guy, launches from his air carrier base and uses his awesome arsenal and good old-fashioned American know-how to save the day."



Cartoon Series:
"story is based around New Tronic City, a fictional American city clearly modeled after New York City. Rusty is the most advanced robot with human emotional grid and nucleoprotonic powers that is going to replace the Big Guy, the Earth's last line of defense against all threats alien, domestic, or against the American way. However, Rusty is too inexperienced to stand on his own, so the Big Guy is re-commissioned to teach Rusty the way of trade. Rusty idolizes the Big Guy, regarding him as the best robot ever. Big Guy is actually piloted by Lieutenant Dwayne Hunter, who poses as his chief mechanic."