>> Englund Wants “V” to Happen Again

Robert Englund seems to love to talk about projects that don’t exist–previously stirring fans up about Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash and rumors of a “serious” Elm Street prequel. Keep that in mind when you read his thoughts from the London Film & Comic Con.

For the young-un’s, “V” was aTV mini-series that led to a short-lived NBC program about reptilian aliens taking over the Earth. About all I remember is an episode where a human lays an egg, which might sound really cool, but my friend Erik assures me the show hasn’t aged well.

–John

“We were at the London Film and Comic Con over the past weekend and we managed to sit in on the last few minutes of a talk that Robert Englund was giving. We not only heard the guy repeat that John Carpenter was ‘talking’ about having some sort of role in the FREDDY VS. JASON VS. MICHAEL movie (he’s been at New Line discussing the project according to Englund), but also that a new re-imagining of his hit 1980’s TV series V may be in the works.

Englund did add however, that it was unlikely that he would be involved in the new project, and that a whole new bunch of new, younger actors would be brought on board for the new show. It’s an interesting little rumour, and we’ll see how it develops, but we love the idea of a new V series. Even if it is without Englund (the man did say that he would love to return to the series, and said that he’d like to have seen the new show based around the original characters, twenty to thirty years on).”

Hollywood News

>> Maguire to Produce Live-Action “Robotech”

After slipping on a mask for Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire might be slipping into a giant robot for “Robotech.”

After a lengthy negotiation, Warner Bros. Pictures has picked up the rights to bring anime classic “Robotech,” which featured giant robots known as mechas, to the big screen. Maguire is producing through his Maguire Entertainment banner and is eyeing the lead role in what the studio plans on being a tentpole sci-fi franchise.

“We are very excited to bring ‘Robotech’ to the big screen,” Maguire said. “There is a rich mythology that will be a great foundation for a sophisticated, smart and entertaining film.”

Drew Crevello also is producing through his Supercool Hollywood BigTime Prods. Craig Zahler (“The Brigands of Rattleborge”) has been tapped to write the screenplay.

“Robotech” was a cartoon series during the 1980s from Harmony Gold USA and Tatsunoko Prods. It was re-edited and re-dialogued to combine three Japanese anime series to give the producers enough episodes to air as a daily syndicated series.

A sprawling sci-fi epic, “Robotech” takes place at a time when Earth has developed giant robots from the technology on an alien spacecraft that crashed on a South Pacific isle. Mankind is forced to use the technology to fend off three successive waves of alien invasions. The first invasion concerns a battle with a race of giant warriors who seek to retrieve their flagship’s energy source known as “protoculture,” and the planet’s survival ends up in the hands of two young pilots.

Frank Agrama of rights-holder Harmony Gold will exec produce; Jason Netter will serve in a producer capacity.

Matthew Reilly brought the project to Warners and is overseeing. Daniel Shafer brought the project to Maguire and will shepherd for the company.

The success of DreamWorks/Paramount’s $311 million-grossing “Transformers” has other studios looking to assemble a giant robot movie of their own. Last month, Regency picked up 1980s Japanese anime series “Voltron,” with Mark Gordon attached to produce. Ironically, Warners had the first giant robot movie back in 1999: Brad Bird’s animated feature “The Iron Giant.”

The Hollywood Reporter