Harry here with an update. I received a message from Frank Darabont today which said that it was very very early days on FORBIDDEN PLANET. It's not like they are building sets and designing ID monsters or Robby yet. Frank is very much involved with FORBIDDEN PLANET, he's testing the waters, he's exploring the world of NEW LINE, he's searching for a writer for the film. He's they guy, but he isn't on the dotted line yet. Now, the coolest thing about the message was his P.S. You see... it seems that Darabont saw GLADIATOR last night. Here's his quote: "I did see Gladiator last night, though. How fucking cool is that?" So folks... Looks like GLADIATOR kicked Frank's ass like it has just about everyone else... Heh heh... Pretty cool. Let's continue to keep our fingers crossed on this one. It's my personal belief that Darabont sat in that KRELL chair and pressed the IQ boost button and... Well... if you look at him, you'll see three slightly reddish marks upon his brow. BTW... This months SATURDAY MORNING FILM CLUB movie for the kids that I'm hosting in Austin will be FORBIDDEN PLANET. Heheheheheee... Children will know the name of ROBBY THE ROBOT. I will it so.
Hey folks, Harry here with some... well, what I consider to be very very very good news. Ever since that announcement from NEW LINE that they had acquired the property. Ever since the little flurry of emails back and forth between Michael Deluca and me.... I've been digging and digging to hear who they nail down to direct this film.
Now, in that last article (CLICK HERE TO READ) Deluca had mentioned that they (NEW LINE) had talked with Frank Darabont... Specifically he said that they had had a 'preliminary talk' with him.
Well... From the spy with no name, sex or address.... But whom I know and trust, came this doozy late Monday night. Actually it was a phone call that informed me that Frank Darabont is not only the Director, but a Producer for FORBIDDEN PLANET at New Line. It is unknown, however, whether or not Frank will write this script himself or go with an outside screenwriter.
The source told me that New Line was actually looking for a screenwriter, so that seems to sound that Frank is probably too busy with projects like BIJOU and DOC SAVAGE to actually write it. And from what Deluca said in that earlier article... he wanted to get a great director attached to supervise the creation of this SERIOUS science fiction undertaking from the beginning. Well, Darabont is a massive science fiction, horror geek. He's created two films and has two Oscar Nominations to show for it. This is a very good step. I just hope they find a screenwriter up to the task of writing this film that is "the most imaginative and emotinonal science fiction epic since 2001," as Deluca wants to make.
