You knew there had to be at least one joke about Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark at this past Sunday’s Tony Awards and here’s Neil Patrick Harris in all his impressive athleticism.
(San Diego, April 1) – APRIL FOOLS! There will in fact be no Mars Attacks on Broadway– at least not yet anyway! We’re glad so many people enjoyed our little bit of fun, especially those who were excited to see it hit the stage.While Mars Attacks will not be appearing as a musical just yet, we do hope you will all check out the many exciting things happening with Mars Attacks in 2012– and beyond!
-Topps & IDW
About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE, Paramount’s Star Trek; HBO’s True Blood; the BBC’s DOCTOR WHO; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coasts Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; and the Eisner-Award winning Locke & Key series, created by best-selling author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, and Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio.
IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot, while Michael Bay‘sPlatinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film.
About Topps
Founded in 1938, The Topps Company is the preeminent creator and brand marketer of sports cards, entertainment products and distinctive confectionery. Topps’ leading sports and entertainment products include Major League Baseball, National Football League, UFC, WWE, Star Wars, Garbage Pail Kids and Mars Attacks. The Topps Company’s top confectionery brands include “Ring Pop,” “Push Pop,” “Baby Bottle Pop,” “Bazooka” bubble gum, “Sharkies” and “Juicy Drop Pop” products. For more information, visit www.topps.com.
Topps & IDW Announce Joint Venture
MARS ATTACKS: The Broadway Musical
(San Diego, March 29)– Coinciding with the Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, trading card giant Topps and comic book publisher IDW announced today an exciting joint venture: the co-production of a thrilling, big-budget Broadway musical based on the MARS ATTACKS saga, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2012. While Topps and IDW have each had success with their properties in film, a Broadway production is a first for both companies.
“Topps and IDW recently made a long-term commitment to MARS ATTACKS in the form of an ongoing comic book series, and this unique project is an extension of that,” said Ira Friedman, Topps VP of Publishing and Licensing.
Greg Goldstein, President of IDW Publishing, continued, “We’ve been hard at work preparing our new comic series since last fall, and a live stage production was the logical next step in expanding our partnership. This will be a ferocious, seat-of-your-pants musical that will engage audiences—a jaw-dropping extravaganza unlike anything theatre-goers have seen before.”
The musical, to be titled Mars Attacks: 21st Century Slaughter, will be written and produced by comics veteran John Layman, and set in the same continuity as the comic book that he is authoring. His story, adapted for the stage, chronicles the modern-day invasion of Earth by grotesque aliens from Mars, who utilize giant insects, killer robots and a variety of stunning death rays to conquer the planet.
“Ever since I saw The Sound of Music as a youngster living in New York I have dreamed of a career on Broadway, and I’m very excited to be branching out into theatre,” said Layman. “My approach to MARS ATTACKS on stage is sort of a science fiction version of West Side Story: a human and a Martian involved in a star-crossed romance, set against the backdrop of a violent interstellar war—with all of humanity caught in between! It’s going to be a rollicking good time, with songs that will make you want to get up and dance!”
Mars Attacks: 21st Century Slaughter is scheduled for rehearsals later this year with a Broadway debut planned for 2013. Topps and IDW are in negotiations with a high-profile director/songwriter team and are currently seeking a seven-foot tall male lead with extensive rock vocal experience.
IDW’s comic book series “Mars Attacks” launches this June. Topps will release a commemorative card set this July. For more information on Mars Attacks, follow their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MarsAttacks
About IDW Publishing
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE, Paramount’s Star Trek; HBO’s True Blood; the BBC’s DOCTOR WHO; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coasts Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; and the Eisner-Award winning Locke & Key series, created by best-selling author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, and Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio.
IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot, while Michael Bay‘sPlatinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film.
About Topps
Founded in 1938, The Topps Company is the preeminent creator and brand marketer of sports cards, entertainment products and distinctive confectionery. Topps’ leading sports and entertainment products include Major League Baseball, National Football League, UFC, WWE, Star Wars, Garbage Pail Kids and Mars Attacks. The Topps Company’s top confectionery brands include “Ring Pop,” “Push Pop,” “Baby Bottle Pop,” “Bazooka” bubble gum, “Sharkies” and “Juicy Drop Pop” products. For more information, visit www.topps.com.
Wow, just wow….
Daniel Corey and Raymond Schnurr team up to bring Sherlock Holmes’ arch nemesis to the stage
Daniel Corey is a director, screenwriter, playwright, and novelist. He has authored screenplays, teleplays, stage plays, two comic series, and a novel. In 2007, Daniel created DANGERKATT CREATIVE STUDIO, a company that serves as an umbrella for all of his creative endeavors.
www.professorjamesmoriarty.com
Raymond Schnurr is an experienced film composer, music producer, orchestrator and session conductor, working for many prestigious companies including Warner Brothers, Endemol, HBO and Walt Disney Pictures. In addition, Raymond has taken his work to recognized venues like the Hollywood Bowl.
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
It’s a new week and there looks to be a decent amount of news coming out of Image Expo, what else is coming down the pipeline as convention season ramps up?
Around the Blogs:
Kotaku – Sunday Comics: Kicked on the Curb – Each week Kotaku posts up some great web comics.
Kotaku – Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 DLC Delayed a Week on PS Vita – Got my Vita, such a fun game.
The Beat – Scenes From Image Expo Day Two – Looks like a fun show.
Bleeding Cool – The Not Quite Secret Origin Of Image Comics – Some nice comic history straight from the mouths of those that made it.
The Beat – Images From Image Expo Day 3 – Maybe I’ll go next year….
Bleeding Cool – Image Comic Moriarty To Become A Musical – Could be fun.
IGN – Image Expo: New Titles from Shadowline– Some of these look so good.
For their New Years celebration CNN got into a Broadway sort of mind having the Green Goblin from Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark abducting Anderson Cooper who was hosting for the channel. Check out the video below of the skit as well as the behind-the-scenes.
It’s worth watching just to see Kathy Griffin mock it all.
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On Monday’s Nightline, the show took a look at how the broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is doing after some shake-ups and changes.
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It’s Wednesday, so new comic book day! What’s everyone getting? While you ponder that, here’s the news you might have missed.
Around the Blogs:
The Mary Sue – Introducing DC Comics License Plates (Yah!), Available Only In Australia (Boo!) – Who do I need to lobby to make this happen in Virginia?
Comics Alliance – Cartoonist Susie Cagle on Her Tear Gassing and Arrest While Covering Occupy Oakland [Interview] – Interesting stuff.
Bleeding Cool – Read Julie Taymor’s Lawsuit Against The Spider-Man Producers In Full – I could make jokes, but I spent most the year making fun of the musical itself.
GamePolitics – DCUO Continues Massive Growth as F2P Game – Maybe I’ll finally play? But, congrats!
Official Press Release
SIR PATRICK STEWART TO JOIN VARIOUS CAST and CREW on COMIC-CON’s “DOROTHY OF OZ” PANEL
Actor Patrick Stewart will make his first San Diego Comic-Con appearance to discuss Summertime Entertainment’s future animated film; First footage and music to be debuted at Saturday, July 23rd panel in Hall H
San Diego, Calif., July 15, 2011 – Actor Patrick Stewart is set to join various cast and crew of DOROTHY OF OZ for the animated musical’s big Comic-Con debut. A long time Comic-Con fan favorite for his revered work in the Sci-Fi world via “Star Trek: the Next Generation” and the “X-Men” film franchise, this marks Stewart’s first public appearance at the original San Diego Con.
During the panel “Further Over the Rainbow: A First Look at Dorothy of Oz,” approximately 6500 lucky fans will have a chance to be the first to see a first reveal of footage and clips, and exclusive cast out-takes from the 2012 film starring Lea Michele (Dorothy), Martin Short (The Jester), Jim Belushi (Lion), Dan Aykroyd (Scarecrow), Kelsey Grammer (The Tin Man), Megan Hilty (China Princess), Hugh Dancy (Marshall Mallow), Oliver Platt (Wiser the Owl), and Patrick Stewart (Tugg). The panel will be moderated by “Access Hollywood’s” Scott Mantz. The event will take place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, July 23 at San Diego Convention Center’s Hall H.
Broadway and television actress Megan Hilty, DOROTHY OF OZ’s China Princess, also known for starring in the ‘Wicked’ musical and Steven Spielberg’s upcoming NBC series ‘Smash!’, is also scheduled to perform an exclusive song from the animated musical.
She and Stewart – who voices “Tugg,” a wise old tree and who is a new character in the further book adaptations of the classic Oz franchise – will join other cast and crew from the film including Roger Baum, author and creator of “Dorothy of Oz;” composer Deborah Lurie; producers Bonne Radford and Ryan Carroll, and some other surprise special guests. Together, they will all discuss the making of the film produced by Summertime Entertainment. An audience Q&A will follow the presentation.
About the panel
ROGER BAUM is the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum, the original creator of the popular and beloved fairy tales, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” The film is based on Roger Stanton Baum’s adventure books that are a continuation of the Oz franchise. A former banker and stockbroker, Baum is now a full-time children’s author and has written, “The Oz Odyssey,” “The Oz Odyssey II,” “Dorothy of Oz,” “Candy Cane: An Oz Christmas Tale, “Toto in Candy Land of Oz,” and many others.
RYAN CARROLL co-founded Summertime Entertainment with his brother Roland Carroll, and both are serving as Producers on DOROTHY OF OZ. Previous to founding Summertime Entertainment, Carroll independently produced numerous films released by various distributors including MGM and United Artists, which played at festivals such as Sundance and Slamdance. Carroll began his career in the entertainment industry at the world-famous Goodman School of Drama at DePaul University.
MEGAN HILTY made her Broadway debut as Glinda in Wicked. Hilty went on to perform that role in the National Tour and in Los Angeles. Hilty then starred in Two by Two, as part of the Reprise Series in Los Angeles, opposite Jason Alexander, Steve Webber and Faith Prince. Among her television credits are: FOX’S Bones; TNT’s The Closer; ABC’s Desperate Housewives; CBS’ CSI; ABC’s Ugly Betty; ABC’s Eli Stone; and Disney Channel’s The Suite Life of Zach & Cody.
Hilty’s voice can be heard on Disney Channel’s two series, The Secret Life of Magic Ghourd and Phineas & Ferb; Nick at Nite’s Glen Martin DDS; FOX’s American Dad; and as the singing Snow White in DreamWorks’ Shrek the Third. Next, her voice will be heard in Disney’s Tinker Bell & The Pixie Hollow Games. Hilty will next be seen on NBC’s new show SMASH!
DEBORAH LURIE was recently added to score the animated film. Her most recent projects include: Walt Disney Pictures and Rickshaw Production’s Prom; Paramount’s Justin Bieber: Never Say Never; Relativity Media’s Dear John; Focus Features’ 9. Also an orchestrator, arranger and producer of pop, rock and theater music, Lurie has worked frequently with Danny Elfman, composing additional music for Universal Pictures’ Wanted; Columbia Pictures’ Spiderman 3; and the IMAX film Deep Sea: 3D as well as arranging/orchestrating for Warner Bros.’ Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and Walt Disney Pictures’ Alice in Wonderland.
PATRICK STEWART has appeared in countless iconic roles including Captain Jean-Luc Picard on CBS’ Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men. His vocal talents can be heard on FOX’s series Family Guy and American Dad, and in animated films such as DreamWorks’ Prince of Egypt and Paramount Pictures’ Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. Stewart is currently performing in “The Merchant of Venice,” in the UK. A Tony, Golden Globe and Emmy nominee, Stewart will lend his experienced character voice to round out the “Oz” cast.
SCOTT MANTZ (Moderator) is the resident film critic and film segment producer for Access Hollywood. He has his own movie page on AccessHollywood.com, where the show highlights his latest in-depth reviews, blogs and weekly box office reports. Mantz can be seen every weekend on the show’s “MovieMantz Weekend Review.” He has been a guest correspondent on Bravo TV’s 13 Scary Movie Moments and 30 Even Scarier Movie Moments, as well as A&E’s popular Biography series for specials on Tom Cruise and Robert De Niro.
Other surprise guests to be revealed at panel.
