James Cameron to direct Battle Angel Alita (1 Viewer)

[oscar_merkx]

"Titanic" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" director James Cameron has confirmed to NPR that he will next helm the big screen adaptation of Yukito Kishiro's anime comic Battle Angel Alita.

"We're in pre-production right now on a project called 'Battle Angel' which is something I've been working on for several years and we're just, we're finishing up the shooting draft right now. We've been designing, it's a big science fiction film and a couple things that will be interesting about this project," he says in the interview.

Cameron added that "the main character, even though it's a live action film, the main character will be done with CG animation and the second thing that's interesting is we're going to be shooting it in 3D using the stereo imagining system that we've been developing for the documentaries."

You can learn more about the character at Kishiro's official website http://jajatom.moo.jp/E-top/Egunnm/Egunnm%20top.html

This sounds like fun

 

[Steve Phillips]

I think Cameron will use his cameras to shoot everything in 3-D from now on; whether it gets a wide release in that format or not.

Worst case, it will likely follow the release pattern now being used for POLAR EXPRESS, in which the IMAX 3-D version runs in 100 or so certified theatres, while the wide release is flat.

This could change if Cameron can help get more screens ready for quality 3-D projection in time; and a lot of work is already going on to make that much easier and cheaper to do than it was in the past.

While more and more theatres are being set up for IMAX 3-D, I doubt that the number will approach anything close to enough to make a wide release possible anytime soon.

They really need to have at least 1000 screens ready for polarized projection; and it can be done if someone wants to spend the money to install the silver screens in the new multi-plexes and make enough projection lenses.

We had two dozen 3-D films in release in the early 80s, all polarized, many playing on 1000 screens at once but alas, most of those silver screens were in theatres long since torn down.

I really hope they don't go with the same single projector over/under 3-D system used in the 70's and 80's films though, as the quality and brightness of the image is seriously reduced that way, and an aspect ratio of 2:35 to 1 is forced due to the way the film frame is split horizontally to contain both the left and right pictures. This format was used in many 35mm Non-Imax 3-D engagements of GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS and the results were not pretty.


I've heard a lot of talk about a similar but improved over/under set up that allows a 1:85 to 1 ratio, and claims to output a far brighter and cleaner looking image. This would be a real step forward.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Either way, I am glad it's official. Word is Alita will be CG in part or whole, as the main character. And Cameron is back doing hard sci-fi. Great news for Cameron fans.

Very excited about this project,
Chuck

 

[Ray H]

So is this the top secret 3D project he was working on? Wasn't there some pretty big names attached to star?

 

[BryanV]

All I have to say is this:

Jean Reno MUST play the male lead!

 

[Steve Phillips]

He's apparently also developing a 3-D project about a space station (GODSPEED) and Harrison Ford was a name I heard tossed around. Maybe that one is further down the road.

 

[David Rogers]

Assuming this is confirmed, excellent!!! About frickin time Jim got off his ass and started directing features again.

And a SF flick too, and an anime adaptation at that. oooooooohhhh, shiny happy fan!

 

[Chuck Mayer]

It's good for the fans, and frankly, it's good for the SFX industry. Each Cameron film has brought significant breakthroughs, and Alita will be no exception. Cameron plans to realize Alita with CG, something that would cause me to blanch if another director (save maybe Spielberg) considered it. But here it's something to be excited about. I hope he's recharged the creative batteries. It's been far too long.

But he's been rather busy since 1997, and it's easy to see why. Excellent op-ed piece by Cameron (who proves he's a techie at heart).

Take care,
Chuck

 

[Glen C]

yuk. sounds like waaaay too much SFX and "technology"... nevermind anime comics....what a waste of time (hopefully he'll prove me wrong)

this guy has thrown away the better part of a decade now post-titanic

 

[Scott McGillivray]

Glen,

To say that Cameron has thrown away a decade is a pretty bold statement considering some of the other excellent work he has been doing outside of the mainstream. I am certain that he could have been hammering out many movies that would do well, but I think he is doing exactly what he enjoys.

 

[Carlo_M]

Yeah, reading that article, I'd hardly say that Cameron has "wasted" any time. Maybe you feel that you've wasted your time waiting for another Cameron film, but he's certainly filled his life with what he is passionate about.

 

[ChristopherDAC]

I'm always very wary of live-action adaptations of anime, and of American or other foreign adaptations of anime... and this would combine the two. Probably not going to interest me.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

I thought he was doing a futuristic sci fi movie with Harrison Ford....

When is he going to get that Titanic S.E out???

 

[Holadem]

I respect the man for taking a hiatus off Hollywood to pursue his passion but my selfish needs need attending to.

--
H - "needs need"?...

 

[MarcusUdeh]

J.C. has Lucas syndrome. Why is he doing his next feature in this manner? I guess good old fashion(Super 35) is out the picture to make room for the future of cinema HD-3D. I will not get excited until the near of this picture’s release. Early word of mouth could make or break this picture for me seeing it theatrically.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

It will be good to have Cameron back in the game.

 

[Kachi Khatri]

Not quite. He was just surreptitiously working on new groundbreaking technology for the sci-fi genre.

 

[Glen C]

I'm sure he's fulfilling personal ambitions and his riche$ have made that luxury a reality... good for him.

But as a Hollywood director he has essentially thrown away almost a decade of his prime years with no tangible contributions.

Many, many people have no access to Imax or even seeing the "films" he's created. I won't even get into "dark angel". Eek! To joe public it was a total waste of time. YMMV.

 

[Jason Seaver]

My milage says "screw them". If this is the sort of thing that he finds exciting/interesting, and he doesn't need to take jobs to put meals on the table, then why should he do anything other than what excites him, regardless of commercial considerations?

If he'd decided to make low-budget character dramas, people would be praising him for sticking to his desires. But because his dreams are grand and technical, he's treated like a sell-out, even when he's arguably the furthest thing from it.

 

[EricW]

i just hope he has someone else write the dialogue.