Jimmy Kimmel to Host Academy Awards
ABC late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has been announced as the host of next year’s Academy Awards. The position is the first for Kimmel, though he hosted the Emmy’s earlier this year as well as in 2012. ABC recently signed a contract to air the annual awards ceremony through 2028, and the move is seen largely as the network flexing its creative control over the process. Kimmel has long been a part of ABC’s Oscar coverage, hosting a special edition of his talk show after the ceremony every year. Beyond that, Kimmel has been a part of the talk show eco system since the 90s, and has a clear understanding of what hosting entails, making him a smart choice for the ceremony. Beyond that, it certainly raises the profile for his nightly talk show which makes it a shrewd decision for ABC. The 89th Annual Academy Awards ceremony airs on February 26.
(THR)
‘Game of Thrones’ Actor Peter Vaughn Dead at 93
Peter Vaughn’s watch has ended. The 93-year-old actor, most recently known for portraying Maester Aemon, the blind master of the Night Watch, on HBO’s Game of Thrones, passed away early this morning. Originally a stage actor, Vaughn served as an officer in World War II before returning to the stage in the post-war years. He lady made the jump to film, appearing in such movies as Brazil, The 39 Steps, and The Remains of the Day. His was a long career that spanned generations, creating an influence that will stretch for many generations to come. His performance on Game of Thrones will live on as one of the greatest parts of a legendary series, solidifying an already stalwart image.
Sega Developing Classic Games into Movie and TV Projects
Boy, they just keep trying to make video game movies a thing, don’t they? Despite the, shall we say, uneven history of adapting popular games into watchable movies, they keep trying. Next up is Assassin’s Creed which, from the looks of things, might just be the film to break the curse. Of course, we’ve heard that before, even earlier this year with Warcraft. Still, Hollywood has never been one to let a bad idea to go to waste, and now it seems that Sega has a whole slew of projects lined up and in various stages of pre-development. Sega classics Altered Beast and Streets of Rage are both being developed for film and TV. Altered Beast follows men becoming endowed with spirits of animals in order to fight the gods who kidnapped their wives. Streets of Rage, another classic Sega brawler, follows the Double Dragon formula of dudes punching other dudes. Neither has enough of a plot to stretch into a longer narrative, but the relatively open ended stories of both could make for some interesting B-movie action if done right. If history tells us anything, however, it won’t be done right. Personally speaking, I was a Sega kid growing up so, honestly, I hope I’m wrong. If I am I’ll be the first to apologize but I’m not holding my breath.
(Variety)
Dear God, They Made a Fifth ‘Transformers’
Everyone says they hate the Transformers movies, and yet they keep grossing more money than God at the worldwide box office. The last film, Age of Extinction, earned $1.1 billion around the globe, which should put to rest any conversation about why they’re dipping into this pot for a fifth time. Transformers: The Last Knight makes its way into box offices on June 23, 2017, and we finally got our first look in the form a teaser trailer. It’s…well…definitely another Transformers movie. Anthony Hopkins is in it, which is cool. But so is Mark Wahlberg which…I dunno, does Marky Mark cancel out Hopkins? Saying that feels like I’m giving him too much power. Whatever. Here’s the trailer.
(Paramount)
