James Cameron will take Avatar break to work on The Devils adaptation
The 70-year-old filmmaker has confirmed his own production company Lightstorm Entertainment has acquired the rights to author Joe Abercrombie's new novel, and they'll be writing the script together.
He said in a statement on Facebook: "I've loved Joe's writing for years, cherishing each new read, throughout the epic cycle of the 'First Law' books, especially 'Best Served Cold' (LOVE IT!), and the 'Age of Madness' trilogy.
'But the freshness of the world and the characters in 'The Devils' finally got me off my butt to buy one of his books and partner with him to bring it to the screen.
"I can't wait to dig into this as I wind down on 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'. It will be a joyful new challenge for me to bring these indelible characters to life.'
The third 'Avatar' film is set to be released in December this year, with a fourth and fifth instalment planned for 2029 and 2031 respectively.
Cameron's next project will be 'The Devils', putting his stamp on the dark fantasy epic which focuses on a special force of monsters tasked to save Europe from flesh-eating elves.
Author Abercrombie said: "I can't think of anyone better to bring this weird and wonderful monster of a book to the screen.'
Cameron recently admitted he had too many "great ideas" packed into 2022's 'Avatar: The Way of Water' - which clocked in at three hours and 12 minutes - but he's gone even bigger with the upcoming 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'.
He told Empire magazine: 'In a nutshell, we had too many great ideas packed into act one of movie 2. The [film] was moving like a bullet train, and we weren't drilling down enough on character. So I said, 'Guys, we've got to split it.'
'Movie 3 will actually be a little bit longer than movie 2.'
His co-writer Amanda Silver, who wrote the script with Cameron and Rick Jaffa, stressed the second and third movies are separate films because "the characters needed to breathe".
She said: 'These movies are a lot more than just propulsive plot and gorgeous spectacle. I mean, these are real characters.'
The director previously declared he feels "pretty good" about the third movie after giving "selected people" an advance screening.
He told Stuff: "I've shown it to a few selected people and the feedback has been ... it's definitely the most emotional and maybe the best of the three so far.
"We'll find out, you know, but I feel pretty good about it."
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The Age
2 days ago
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Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
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Wood-fired dining is everywhere now but rarely this considered or precise, chef-owner Ben Williamson and head chef Ryan Carlson tapping the best local, seasonal produce and transforming it over a dramatic open hearth. The heritage-listed setting in a late 19th-century warehouse accounts for the rest of the charm. If you dine at just one Brisbane restaurant, make it Agnes. 22 Agnes Street, Fortitude Valley. Phone: (07) 3067 9087. See Essa A James Street local's pick A hidden, low-key antidote to the surrounding glamour of James Street, Essa is where those in the know go for their midweek date nights. Chef Phil Marchant is a master at getting out of the way of his seasonal produce – you might eat wood-fired bugs with bay leaf butter and sea herbs, or barbecue spatchcock chicken with mortadella and beluga lentils. Most will chase a table in the moodily detailed dining room, but at the counter opposite the wood fire, watching the chefs in action, is the regulars' tip. 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Star chef Louis Tikaram taps his local roots to present exceptional seasonal produce cooked with vibrant Cantonese flavours. You might order soy-poached chicken with Cantonese five spice roast duck, or wok-tossed typhoon shelter mud crab. Hit the restaurant early in the evening to catch the best of the riverside sunset, before heading upstairs for knockoffs at Stans, its vinyl-spinning, cocktail-slinging sister bar. 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane City. Phone: (07) 3558 9418. See Coffee Anthology The yardstick for Brisbane specialty coffee Rated as the eighth-best coffee shop in the world, Coffee Anthology's Adam Wang has built his reputation on a laser-focused eye for detail when presenting the best roasters from around the country. Like any coffee spot worth its weight in beans, the brew is available as espresso, filter or batch. 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See Exhibition Essential omakase in a subterranean CBD space Tim Scott moved on from the acclaimed Joy (also fabulous, if you can nab a booking) to open this precise, Japanese influenced restaurant in the heart of the CBD. Head down the stairs into a moody, subterranean bolthole as Scott channels his vivid creativity into an experience designed to showcase the best local produce (the restaurant's co-owner is Michael Nguyen of Thai Hoa Grocer – one of the best suppliers of fresh produce in the city). A must-do, particularly when combined with a cocktail from natty Dr Gimlette upstairs. Milquetoast Brilliant wines and British food in a rumpus room-like space Find the moody laneway opposite the newly opened InterContinental Hotel on Elizabeth Street and you've found Milquetoast, which occupies an old garage behind a roller door. Billed as a wine bar first, Milquetoast co-owner James Horsfall has compiled a 70(ish)-bottle list that focuses on small producers, while venue manager Aidan Perkins manages a cocktail list that focuses on higher end spirits. For food, chef Jack Burgess cooks a surprisingly innovative menu that drills down on a revitalised interest in British food. Treat this as a two-hander with rock bar Alice, across the laneway. Laneway/199 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane. Phone: 0420 740 514. See RDA Peerless French technique meets Australian produce Chef-patron Dan Arnold (RDA is short for Restaurant Dan Arnold) has taken years of training in Gallic kitchens and applied them to local produce presented over either a three-course, five-course or 'carte blanche' (chef's selection) menu. It's often breathtaking stuff that will reward seasoned diners, but is just as appealing to those on a date night. Head to Arnold's La Cache a Vin in Spring Hill if you're chasing something more provincial in style. 10/959 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley. Phone: (07) 3189 2735. See Rothwell's Trans-Atlantic dining in sumptuous digs Inspired by restaurants such as The Wolseley in London, and Musso & Frank Grill in Los Angeles, Rothwell's is a favourite among the power lunchers from the nearby financial district, but at night dims the lights to welcome occasion diners drawn by chef Ben Russell's (formerly Aria Brisbane) European-inspired menu. The heritage space, with its sumptuous booths and reams of marble, is the perfect place to celebrate over generous pastas and meat dishes, while knocking back a few martinis (served with a sidecar on ice). Co-owner Dan Clark also operates 1889 Enoteca in Woolloongabba if you're chasing Roman comfort food accompanied by an award-winning wine list. 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Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Predator: Badlands director Dan Trachtenberg compares Dek to Mad Max and Conan the Barbarian
Predator: Badlands director Dan Trachtenberg has said protagonist Dek is like Mad Max and Conan the Barbarian. The 44-year-old filmmaker explained the character - a Yautja hunter portrayed by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi - was inspired by the stoic outcasts from the Mel Gibson and Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring action flicks. Speaking with Empire magazine, Trachtenberg said of Dek: 'He's a thing of few words, pretty blunt. He cuts straight to the point. Literally and figuratively.' The director added Dek was seen as the 'runt of the litter' among his clan, and Trachtenberg wanted audiences to root for the character - who will be the first Yautja protagonist in the Predator series instead of the main antagonist. Trachtenberg explained: 'That feels like a big idea, not just within Predator, but in sci-fi generally. 'In most sci-fi universes, the 'creatures' are either bad guys or sidekicks. In [Predator: Badlands] it's, 'What if you were with the creature on this crazy mission to prove itself, seeing everything through its eyes?'' Looking to the future, Trachtenberg - who helmed 2022's Prey and the 2025 animated movie Predator: Killer of Killers - revealed he had a third, unannounced idea for a Predator project. He said: 'After Prey, I had three ideas. One was Killer Of Killers, one was Badlands and one ... I haven't done yet. 'So, there are other awesome ideas and time periods it'd be exciting to explore, and all that's been part of our discussion for [what's next].' Predator: Badlands follows the young hunter Dek (Schuster-Koloamatangi) after he has been outcast from his clan and sent to a remote planet where he forms an unlikely alliance with Thia (Elle Fanning) as the pair search for the ultimate adversary. The director previously said he had taken a 'big, crazy swing' with the upcoming action blockbuster - which is slated to hit cinemas on 7 November. He told Bloody Disgusting: 'It's a big, crazy swing, and I think that's what drives butts into seats. 'If you want the same old Predator experience, you can hit play on Predator or Prey or any other, whichever one is your fit.' Although the director didn't reveal any specific details about the character Fanning was portraying, Trachtenberg explained he had used story concepts from video games like Shadow of the Colossus to create Thia and the dynamic she has with Dek. He said: 'As inspired as I am by movies, I've been very inspired by video games [like] Shadow of the Colossus, where you have a protagonist paired with someone else who provides color and connection. 'There's a thing with a horse in Shadow of the Colossus that's devastating when you play the game. And so [Predator: Badlands] was a little bit inspired by that in terms of wanting to see the Predator with someone else, this character who's the opposite of him. 'He's very laconic, [Thia] is not. She's capable in ways that he is not. Physically, she's got a real thing that I'm so excited for you guys to see. But I want to let eventually some of that speak for itself.' Trachtenberg added Predator: Badlands would be more character-driven than previous Predator films, and would centre on the titular alien hunter. He said: 'I never thought [the Predator] was Jason Voorhees or Freddy Krueger. They had a code [like] hitmen or crime underworld Goodfellas. 'I felt like there was something cool to explore within that culture that's different than just adding a bunch of stuff on top of it. It felt like we're mining [concepts] as opposed to just throwing [more] at the franchise.'
