Last year we heard about MGM’s plans to reboot the Robocop franchise. While I wasn’t adverse to the idea, I truly hoped they would just craft a new sequel. It might not have worked out so well for Singer’s Superman Returns, but the original Robocop was quite good for its time, claymation aside. That said, I can’t fault director José Padilha for wanting to place his own stamp on the iconic series. Now it seems he’s found just the man to make that happen.

Nick Schenk has been brought aboard to write the remake. Schenk’s known for his work on Clint Eastwood’s critically-acclaimed drama, Gran Torino. The studio had original planned to start production in February, but with no cast locked in, and a brand new writer attached, filming won’t take place anytime soon. Let’s just hope they don’t screw it up.

[via collider]

We really weren’t sure what would happen to our favorite spy after MGM filed for bankruptcy back in November. Thankfully, it seems our worries can be put to rest. Sony Pictures has struck a deal with MGM to co-finance, theatrically market and distribute the Bond films — that is, both Bond 23 and 24, assuming everything goes accordingly. It’s safe to assume production will likely move ahead as soon as possible.

Not much is currently known about the plans for the next entry in the series. From what I’ve gathered, Sam Mendes is still attached to direct. Daniel Craig, and Dame Judi Dench are both expected to return, however everything else remains in the realm of rumor, such as the casting of No Country for Old Men star Javier Bardem. Now that nothing’s really left to hold up the production, let’s hope we start hearing some more details in the months to come.

Tim is a pro-blogger and freelance writer out of San Diego, California. In addition to Fanboy.com, he contributes to the ModernMethod Network of sites as the Features and Reviews Editor for the Japanese culture and entertainment blog, Japanator. He’s also an Assocaite Editor for their popular gaming blog, Destructoid, and the collectible toy culture blog, Tomopop. For more information, follow him on twitter, or check out TimSheehy.com.

On this day in 1958 the then controversial film Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opened up, and while we live in a much more liberal society than that of 51 years ago I wonder if this film (or something on the level of this film) would get made today? The film was based on a play by Tennessee Williams; now when was the last time that Hollywood put major bucks and star power behind a story that didn’t start life as a comic book or television series?

Next off the play focused on controversial subjects like sexual relations and alluded to homosexuality, but on a deeper level it explored the theme of mendacity — the idea of living a lie. It’s depressing to me but in a pitch obsessed Hollywood I could never imagine a studio head green lighting anything so abstract. I can just imagine some producer telling Tennessee Williams that “I like the sex angle, but can you make a bit more upbeat and nix some of that dialogue?”

Now of course I won’t kid myself that the late 50s was a perfect era — people were still very closed minded, although in film like this you get a small taste of the larger revolution that would come in in the 60s. Sadly Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was a bit too ahead of its time for Hollywood, despite some amazing performances the film didn’t get an Academy Awards despite several nominations.

But if you get a chance give Cat another look: While Paul Newman is no longer with us, his work on the screen with Elizabeth Taylor has a real power to it. Also as a child that grew up thinking of Burl Ives as a somewhat comedic holiday themed pop singer, but he does an amazing job with his role as Big Daddy.

Editor’s Note: Alas I was off by a day! This film opened on September 20th, 1958.

My favorite thing about this cartoon is that after our father-and-son dog team feel so guilty about trying to kill the poor mouse — that they in fact continue to spend the rest of the cartoon trying to still kill the mouse! Which also makes me realize that Good Mouse Keeping must be one of the few cartoons to feature a “dog vs. mouse” theme. This Hanna-Barbera cartoon was released on this day in 1952 and shows off the theatrical high quality work that that the animation studio was doing for MGM before they went off on their own for the low budget world of limited animation TV shows.

Looking back at it I love the character designs used for Auggie Doggie & Doggie Daddy — which are a stark contrast to the Disney designs of the previous era which always strove for realism. Here the designs here are proudly flat and feature a strong outline on the outside of the character. This cartoon’s look-and-feel owes a great deal to UPA cartoons from that era, although director Mannie Davis gives a very user friendly take on a visual modernist approach. In fact the character designs of the two dogs contrast in a wonderful way with the mouse who is filled with a high level of detail.

This cartoon seems rather gentle by modern day standards, but keep in mind that it was produced in 1952 in an America that was striving to get back to normal after World War II. People wanted to forget about the last twenty years which also included the Great Depression, so you have that unique embrace of modernism. In fact not only is the look of this cartoon modern, but the even the attitudes of our favorite father-and-son dogs showing a sensitivity for a mouse (who wants to swipe their cheese) is unlike anything you’d see before this era. In fact it’s during this timeframe that you see Charles M. Schulz working from a similar psychological point of view with Peanuts.