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Producer/director Robert Rippberger (Those Who Walk Away) recently wrapped production on the sci-fi thriller Renner, which sees Frankie Muniz and Violett Beane taking on a manipulative A.I. Now Rippberger is heading to the European Film Market in Berlin to launch sales on his slate of upcoming films – the first project in the line-up being a horror thriller creature feature called Monstrosity, which is reminiscent of the classic sitcom The Munsters (which recently received a feature film update from Rob Zombie) in that it focuses on a family that consists of classic monsters. In this case, a werewolf, a vampire, a zombie, and Frankenstein’s Monster. The mixture also brings to mind the ’80s classic The Monster Squad.

Variety reports that Monstrosity, which is currently in pre-production, has the following synopsis: A young village boy goes missing down a mine shaft. His father blames a strange family in the neighboring house,...

U.S. director and producer Robert Rippberger, who recently wrapped sci-fi thriller “Renner” with Frankie Muniz, is headed to the European Film Market in Berlin to launch the sales unit of his banner Sie Films. Its slate will be fronted by his next project, the horror thriller “Monstrosity.”

“Monstrosity,” which is currently in pre-production, is a creature feature that Rippberger will produce and direct. To create its titular monsters, Rippberger recruited concept artist Aaron Sims, whose work includes “Stranger Things,” “Ready Player One” and “Wonder Woman 1984.” Production on the film is expected to kick off later this year in one of the Morgan International full-service special effects facilities in Europe. Writer Sabir Pirzada is producing “Monstrosity” alongside Rippberger.

“Monstrosity” opens on a young village boy who goes missing down a mine shaft. His father blames a strange family in the neighboring house, but of course far more is at play.

James Wan is unquestionably one of our true modern horror masters, as the man behind "Saw," "Insidious," and the shepherd of "The Conjuring" universe. The man has several huge franchises under his belt and, not for nothing, is probably responsible for the most reliable cinematic universe outside of Marvel. One of his biggest hits to date is "The Conjuring 2," a rare sequel that lived up to its predecessor.

Many horror fans remember the follow-up for introducing the demon nun Valak, played by Bonnie Aarons. But Wan's original plans for the movie's big demon were radically different. While the filmmaker had talked about these plans in the past, he's now offered a pretty incredible look at what could have been.

A Radical Departure

Taking to Instagram, presumably on a break from editing "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," Wan revealed the actual animatronic puppet/suit that would have been used...

James Wan has shared some brand-new images of what the demon was originally going to look like in The Conjuring 2. Hardcore horror fans will know that the director chose to remove the animatronic demon at the last minute, in favor of the demonic nun known as Valak. The choice was a wise one since Valak went on to star in 2018's The Nun, which has a sequel on the way. In a new social media post, Wan says that The Conjuring 2 is "one of my personal fav[s]. I focused on character-storytelling above anything else."

Before Valak came into The Conjuring 2, James Wan had some other ideas that were based more on demons. He says, "Here's my first design of the demonic entity haunting the family and Lorraine. Aaron Sims (concept designer) and myself took inspiration from our Dracula design for a movie I was attached to a long time ago called Castlevania.

Netflix and the creators of “Stranger Things,” Matt and Ross Duffer, are being sued by a company that says the idea for the hit show was stolen from a screenplay called “Totem.”

According to the lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in California federal court, Irish Rover Entertainment says that “Stranger Things” copies a lot from “Totem,” a screenplay written by Jeffrey Kennedy, including “plot, sequence, characters, theme, dialogue, mood, and setting, as well as copyrighted concept art.”

The lawsuit says the two projects are connected by a man named Aaron Sims, who worked closely with Kennedy during its development. Sims, the lawsuit says, was hired to create the concept art for the first two seasons of “Stranger Things.”

Also Read: 'Watchmen,' 'Fleabag,' 'Succession' and 'Stranger Things' Win 2020 Peabody Awards

Kennedy says he got the idea for “Totem” after the death of a childhood friend, Clint Osthimer,...

Exclusive: UTA has signed design and VFX studio Aaron Sims Creative in all areas. The signing signals UTA Production’s expansion into the concept design and visual effects space, as the agency will work with Asc to expand its reach, impact and integration with domestic and international film and TV productions.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with UTA in this pivotal next step of our studio’s growth. They have been essential in expanding our reach and access to the most exciting projects in the industry,” stated Asc founder Aaron Sims.

Sims has worked alongside numerous FX industry legends including Stan Winston and Rick Baker. The studio is renowned for its work on sci-fi, horror and adventure projects across television and film, including Netflix’s Stranger Things and Warner Bros’ Ready Player One, Wonder Woman and Aquaman among other titles.

Director Patty Jenkins, a frequent Asc collaborator,...

Open 24 Hours, Daddy’s Girl, and Dark Light join slate.

Los Angeles-based Spotlight Pictures has acquired world sales rights to the first three English-language genre films from Zee Studios International, the international arm of India’s Zee Entertainment.

Spotlight will launch sales at the Efm in Berlin next month on Open 24 Hours, Daddy’s Girl, and Dark Light.

Horror-thriller Open 24 Hours premiered at FrightFest London and Fantastic Fest last year and takes place in a rural all-night gas station where a paranoid woman takes a job after setting her serial killer boyfriend on fire. Brendan Fletcher and Vanessa Grasse star for director Padraig Reynolds.

Zee Entertainment, one of India’s largest media groups, is making a committed foray into the English-language movie production business. The initiative is spearheaded by Dubai-based Shibani Kapur, Zee’s CEO of international production.

“We are targeting high-concept, low-budget films, in the genre space and with the kind of international cast that a company like Lionsgate or New Line would recognize,” Kapur told Variety. “We want these movies to travel.”

Kapur’s unit Zee Studios Intl. aims to deliver up to four films per year, made with budgets between $1 million-$5 million. It has completed its first two productions and is currently finishing a third.

Its first picture was “Open 24 Hours,” a psychological horror film set in a rural gas station. Directed by Padraig Reynolds and starring Brendan Fletcher and Vanessa Grasse, it has been selected for all the major fantasy festivals including Sitges, Fantasticfest Frightfest U.K., Screamfest in L.

The long-awaited Gambit movie has hit a slight snag. Channing Tatum has been trying to get this movie off the ground for a long time and, lately, the production has been picking up steam. Recently, it was reported that the movie was set to begin filming in February. However, it's now said that Gambit has bumped back filming slightly, with the production now set to begin March 2018.

So, what does this mean? Odds are, things just had to get shuffled around a bit for less-than-serious reasons. If Gambit begins filming in March, that still leaves Channing Tatum and the production team plenty of time to get the movie finished in order to make the February 14, 2019, release date. So there's no need to move around your 2019 Valentine's Day plans just yet. The production is still set to take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, with stage work expected to be conducted at Big Easy Studios.

Without “Game of Thrones” in Emmy contention, the VFX race has become wide open, with “Stranger Things,” “Legion,” “Westworld,” “American Gods,” and “Black Mirror” stepping up with creepy characters and supernatural situations.

Highlights include the Demogorgon creature from “Stranger Things,” the exploding kitchen from “Legion,” the final reveal of Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) and all of her inner workings from “Westworld,” the incredible sex scene from “American Gods” with Bilquis, the Queen of Sheeba (Yetide Badaki), and the disgusting spider with a human head from the “Playtest” episode of “Black Mirror.”

Meet the Demogorgon from “Stranger Things”

The cool thing about the Demogorgon from “Stranger Things” (directed by the Duffer Brothers) is it fits so well with the ’80s low-tech vibe. As the boogeyman from the Upside Down (named from “Dungeons & Dragons”), the creature represents a wonderful hybrid of practical and CG.

Aaron Sims Creative did the design, and the...

Netflix’s “Stranger Things” from the Duffer Brothers unmasks the dark side of the ’80s, and its nightmarish Upside Down also represents the perfect allegory for Trump’s America, too. Everything gets unhinged when a monster invades from another dimension and kidnaps youngsters. It’s Spielberg meets King meets Kubrick.

Creating the Town of Hawkins

For the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, the Duffers shot in Atlanta, which still retains its mid-20th century sense of suburbia. “We weren’t making a slick, glossy version of the ’80s, but, rather, a gritty, textural feeling that is lost in high-definition movie-making these days,” said production designer Chris Trujillo.

For the central Byers house, the art department built a set with the right “lived in” look. It contained strategically interconnecting rooms, and set dressing from estate sale pillaging.

Cinematographer Tim Ives, meanwhile, took his cues from “E.T.,” using the Red Dragon and...

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Logan has been a bigger hit than anyone ever expected. Just yesterday, it was revealed that Hugh Jackman’s final adventure as Wolverine has passed $500 million at the worldwide box office, with $184 million coming from domestic showings and $339 million from overseas. That’s awfully impressive for an R-rated comic book movie, especially one that strays so far from the norm.

Last week, we saw an interesting batch of concept art from the James Mangold-helmed released and today, we’ve got even more to share with you. The photos in the gallery above offer up a fascinating look at alternate designs for each of the lead characters. Award-winning concept design and visual effects studio Aaron Sims Creative (Asc) is responsible for these pieces and looking at their take on Logan, it’s clear to...

A24 recently released Bryan Bertino’s The Monster, and to celebrate the film’s opening, Daily Dead had the chance to speak with one half of the legendary team that brought the titular monstrosity to life, Alec Gillis of Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. During our interview, Gillis discussed how he and creative partner Tom Woodruff Jr. approached the design of the creature, his experiences collaborating with Bertino, and more.

Congrats on your work on the film, Alec. I loved the fact that what you and Tom created here becomes this metaphor for something much bigger, too.

Alec Gillis: Oh, yes. That was one of the things that attracted us to the script when we read it. We knew we could pull the creature off, but if Bryan is able to pull these characters off with his actors, this could be a really unique horror film. We were happy to play that support role for this.

If Netflix’s “Stranger Things” has taught us anything (besides how to punch a hole through dimensions), it’s that childhood and creepy stuff go hand-in-hand.

That winning combo created the man behind “Stranger Thing’s” monster, Hollywood’s go-to creature guy Mark Steger, who has both performed and choreographed movements for all things eerie in projects such as “World War Z,” “American Horror Story” and “I Am Legend.” In an interview with IndieWire, Steger detailed some of the influences and surprisingly complex biological inspirations that went into creating the Demogorgon.

Read More: ‘Stranger Things’ Composers Discuss Creating That Haunting Theme Song

“I got a call to go meet with the Duffer Brothers, who I didn’t really know anything about at the time,” Steger said. “They showed me the lines for the creature and we discussed different film influences that they were playing with. John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing...

Warning: spoilers ahead.

Another piece of concept art has surfaced for Stranger Things and this one features a version of Barb's demise that's different than what made the final cut. This vision of her death is even more jacked up than what we ended up seeing in the series. Check it out:

The art was created by Aaron Sims, and in an interview with ScreenCrush, he explained what the original plan for Barb's death was:

“Based on our original discussion with the Duffers on this design, we wanted to go really graphic with it to highlight the horrific aspects of Barb being eaten, and something then growing on top of her—thus, the ribs poking out of her stomach in the first shot.”

There's another piece of concept art that you can see below with a few different changes. For example, she's got a spider crawling out of her mouth.

Barb (Shannon Purser) had a rough enough time in Stranger Things season one that creators Matt and Ross Duffer have gone out of their way to promise “justice for Barb” in season two (well, should the show get a season two). But apparently, things could have turned out even worse for the fan-favorite character. Artist Artist Aaron Sims has shared […]

The post ‘Stranger Things’ Concept Art Suggests Things Could’ve Been Way Worse for Barb; Plus: What’s Up With That Egg? appeared first on /Film.

If your summer this year will forever be synonymous with Netflix’s Stranger Things, then you’ve discovered the wonders and dangers that lurk within the small town of Hawkins on the nostalgic new series. For our latest Q&A feature, we caught up with Mark Steger, the actor who plays The Monster on Stranger Things, to discuss what attracted him to the role, getting into the mindset of the creepy creature, the films that influenced his performance, and much more.

Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us, Mark, and congratulations on your excellent work on Netflix’s Stranger Things.

Mark Steger: Thank you, I’m glad it’s resonated with so many people.

How did you prepare—mentally and physically—to portray The Monster on the series?

Mark Steger: In my work, I’m was always driving my body to transformed states and...

Netflix’s new original series “Stranger Things” follows a mysterious disappearance of a young boy named Will (Noah Schnapp) in Hawkins, Indiana, and the town’s subsequent search for him. In the series, Will’s three best friends Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) try to find Will themselves with the help of a mysterious new girl with telekinetic powers who calls herself Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). They soon discover that their town is being attacked by a faceless beast from a parallel dimension, and decide to call the beast the Demogorgon, based off the character in “Dungeons & Dragons,” and its alternate world the “Upside Down.”

Read More: ‘Stranger Things’: Watch a Video of Netflix’s Throwback Series Side by Side With Its Retro Influences

Now, concept artist Nuttavut Baiphowongse has released some early concept art of the Demogorgon on his Facebook page. Some feature...

Despite the grumbles of geeks everywhere, the most recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was not only a hit movie, but it's also getting a sequel. I skipped the movie completely but have heard from a few people that it actually is pretty good, so I'll watch it on Blu-ray. Early in development there was a heavier alien angle, when leaked it blew up the internet and with the bad buzz that followed that portion was said to have been very diminished. A casualty to that was an appearance of fan favorite villain Krang. Thanks to The Aaron Sims Company via ScreenCrush we have concept art for Krang and the mutant duo of Rocksteady and Bebop.

Krang looks incredible and menacing. His suit looks like it could do some real damage. Rocksteady and Bebop don't seem that much different from the cartoon designs. If these three characters are in the...

With a sequel to this year's reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles already set for release on June 3rd, 2016, there's no doubt we'll be seeing plenty more recognizable characters pop up from the comic books and animated series. In fact, the original script for the first film actually had much more sci-fi craziness, but it ended up being rewritten and cut in favor of a simpler (or rather more stupid) storyline. The casualties from those cuts meant that we didn't get to see new versions of well-known villains like Krang (and his exo-suit), and the duo of Rocksteady & Beebop, but now some concept art has surfaced. Here's unused concept art for Krang, Rocksteady & Beebop from Aaron Sims Company (via ScreenRant): As you can see, these are pretty ultra-realistic versions of the characters, much like the new designs of the turtles (which also had some creepy alternate designs here and...

The Aaron Sims visual effects company has designed characters for such films as "Edge of Tomorrow," "Noah," "Maleficent," "World War Z," "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," and countless others. One of the company's artists is Tsvetomir Georgiev, who worked on Michael Bay's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie. On his Facebook page, he decided to unveil some of the earlier designs, giving us a look at several characters that didn't appear in the movie, including Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady. Check out all the artwork below. Concept Art: (click to enlarge)...

First of all, if you haven't seen Dawn of the Planet of the Apes yet you need to go out and see it now. It's hands down one of the best films of the year. Whether you've seen it or not, here's a beautiful series of concept art that was created for the Matt Reeves-directed movie by the Aaron Sims Company.

Asc worked closely with Weta on both films to design all of the main and ancillary ape characters from the ground up. In the Rise of the Planet of the Apes, they sculpted a bust for Caesar to ensure a hyper-realistic feel. In Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Asc worked on aging the apes and creating the apes’ ceremonial look, which includes face paint and other ornamentation taken from nature.

These illustrations are stunning and cool. These are part of the reason that this film turned out so freakin' well.

Aaron Sims Company have posted some spectacular concept art that they created for the just released "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" over at Concept Art World. Designs for Caesar, Koba, Cornelia, Maurice and the ape society can be seen, the company working closely with Weta to design all of the main and ancillary ape characters from the ground up. Click the shots below to access the full gallery.

Last year, we reported that Marvel is teaming up with Hero Ventures for The Marvel Experience, a massive travelling show that will hit the road later this year. While the exact dates have not been announced yet, Marvel has released an illustration of what this 80,000 square-foot complex will look like from the outside. Take a look at the photo, then read the official press release for more details.

Canvassing a 2-acre footprint of more than 80,000 square feet, this state-of-the-art, custom built multi-Dome complex will represent the first time a venue of this type, size and scope will be utilized for a mobile tour. From the outside, The Marvel Experience resembles a temporary S.H.I.E.L.D. installation or "Mobile Command Center," with the facility's apex towering more than six stories high. Inside, a maze of connected Domes will lead guests through an array of interactive games and original...

An interrogation story with a bit of a twist. RL7 is a malfunctioning combat droid who seems to have memories of being a human. He/it remembers a wife, a child, a whole life that does not belong to a robot. As the story progresses RL7 fights to uncover the truth behind these mysterious memories.

Archetype was created by Aaron Sims, a character designer for Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Big Fish just to name a couple. As is the trend with my Fun With Short Films posts, Fox has snagged the rights to the short and plan on making it into a feature length film. As of now no production schedule is set, so we are left keeping our fingers crossed that we can see more of the story on the big screen sometime soon. Check it out and let us know what you think via Facebook,...

All of the fantastic art below, was created by Kelton Cram. He works as a conceptual artist for the Aaron Sims Company. Which is a design, previsualization and visual effects studio for film, TV and video games. In this sequel, the G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy, Cobra, they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence. The film stars D.J. Cotrona, Byung-hun Lee, Adrianne Palicki, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, RZA, Ray Stevenson, Channing Tatum with Bruce Willis and Dwayne Johnson. Directed by Jon M. Chu, and produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Brian Goldner, written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick based on Hasbro’s G.I. Joe® characters. Now Playing! ........................................................................ X-Men: First Class was directed by Matthew Vaughn, from a screenplay written by Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman, and Matthew Vaughn. The cast included: James McAvoy...

John Chu's G.I. Joe: Retaliation could have had a much different look and feel according to this series of awesome concept art. The art below was created by artist Aaron Sims, and it gives us on alternate look for Cobra Commander and several of the other characters, sets, and vehicles. I like a lot of the designs I'm seeing here, and they would have worked great in the film. Do you like any of these designs better than what you saw in the movie? If so which ones?...

Now that you’re informed about a (wee opportunity of it happening, but still) Transformers/G.I. Joe face-off, here’s a look at how Snake-Eyes and Jinx could have looked in G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Yes, we dug up some concept art for you! Check out the gallery after the jump. Thanks to Io9, which has just posted some concept art that was created by the Aaron Sims Company. They include different versions of Snake Eyes and Cobra Commander’s costumes. I’m sure all of the fans of 2009′s G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra will be quietly upset that none of the images above feature lips for Snake Eyes’...

Click to continue reading G.I. Joe: Retaliation Concept Art on | FilmoFilia

Related posts: New G.I. Joe: Retaliation Photo New G.I. Joe 2 Poster G.I. Joe: Retaliation Two Posters And Cobra Recruitment Video Another International Poster For G.I. Joe: Retaliation Revealed!

Artist, Alfonso de la Torre, had the pleasure of working on 2011's Green Lantern. He developed establishing visual effects shots with Nick Pugh, and creature designs with Neville Page and later on at the Aaron Sims Company. One of his more notable contributions was the sword construct that you see in the training scene between Hal and Kilowog. What you didn't see were constructs like, a hockey stick, bulldozer, dump truck, and a pickup truck, just to name a few. The rest you can see below. It even appears, from these images, that Kilowog (voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan) would've created a giant spider-like creature to attack Hal during that training session. Hal Jordan's Constructs Oa Civilians Green Man Lin Canar Chaselon Morro Voz Amanita Norchavius Hannu, C'Hu & Medphyll Click Images To Enlarge In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries.

Stan Winston Studio has provided us with some fantastic behind-the-scenes phots and concept art from 2005 Warner Brothers, Constantine, based on the DC Comics/Vertigo series, Hellblazer. The information below is an excerpt from The Winston Effect: The Art & History of Stan Winston Studio book. Which by the way would make a lovely gift during this holiday season. Winston's studio was called upon to create a variety of demonic characters for Constantine (2005), a Francis Lawrence film - based on the horror comic, Hellblazer - about an exorcist named John Constantine (Keanu Reeves). Constantine's sojourns in Hell reveal a scorched landscpae populated with scavenger demons and winged seplavites. At Lawrence's urging, the studio steered clear of typical medieval-era depictions of demons, and instead looked to the art world and real-life autopsy photographs for inspiration. Winston's artists ultimately produced a scavenger demon that looked like a desiccated corpse with a hollowed cranium.

Exclusive: Here’s the new Viewfinder List, the entertainment industry survey which polls studio executives, producers and creatives for their top 10 short films, commercials and/or music videos. This is similar to The Black List, as the Viewfinder List honors short form content and the directors who made them. The list was created by Jeff Schroeder (Brain Farm), Aaron Schmidt (Langley Park Pictures) and Patrick Chu (FilmNation). In recent years, some of the shorts got optioned and some of their directors got jobs and in this day and age, it all helps. Some of these have already been lined up for feature treatment, including the top two films on this year’s list. Here is the website for the full list: 26 Votes: True Skin, directed by Stephan Zlotescu (Short) Agent: CAA: Iam Entertainment – Scott Glassgold. Set up at Warner Bros with David Heyman’s Heyday producing. 22 Votes: Archetype, directed by...

Exclusive: Here’s the new Viewfinder List, the entertainment industry survey which polls studio executives, producers and creatives for their top 10 short films, commercials and/or music videos. This is similar to The Black List, as the Viewfinder List honors short form content and the directors who made them. The list was created by Jeff Schroeder (Brain Farm), Aaron Schmidt (Langley Park Pictures) and Patrick Chu (FilmNation). In recent years, some of the shorts got optioned and some of their directors got jobs and in this day and age, it all helps. Some of these have already been lined up for feature treatment, including the top two films on this year’s list. Here is the website for the full list: 26 Votes: True Skin, directed by Stephan Zlotescu (Short) Agent: CAA: Iam Entertainment – Scott Glassgold. Set up at Warner Bros with David Heyman’s Heyday producing. 22 Votes: Archetype, directed by...

With The Twilight Saga officially over (at least for now), its stars are moving on to other projects, hoping that the screaming chicks follow. Next up for Kellan Lutz? A role as a supernatural assassin in a flick called Tatua.

According to Deadline, Lutz has signed to star in the indie genre flick that's based on an original concept by comic book creators Paul Jenkins and Rob Prior. Tatua is about a man with a rare blood type that allows him to be tattooed with a powerful ink. He is able to pull those weapons straight off his skin, giving him an enviable leg up as a covert assassin.

Aaron Sims, the vfx wiz who helmed the viral sensation short Archetype (see below), is set to make his directing debut on the film, says Rick Schwartz, whose Overnight Productions has lined up the financing for a March production start in Toronto.

Twilight star Kellan Lutz has boarded Aaron Sims' indie genre film Tatua.

The film is based on a original concept by Paul Jenkins and Robert Prior. The story centers on an assassin that has a rare blood type that allows him to be tattooed with a ink that can be used as a weapon.

Aaron Sims will be directing from a script provided by Paul Layden. Rick Schwartz of Overnight Productions will be producing with Todd Breau and Kari Hollend.

Here is what the producer Rick Schwartz had to say about the actor joining the film.

"Kellan was in the foreground and the background of the Twilight Saga films, but he is a formidable physical presence and this is an opportunity for him to step up.

Production will begin March 2013 in Toronto.

Aaron Sims, who has made a mark in the industry as a concept artist, is poised to make his directorial debut with Tatua, reports Deadline.

Written by Paul Layden, the film - if it moves forward with its estimated $15 million price tag - will star Kellan Lutz (Twilight, Immortals). 

Lutz has been cast a supernatural assassin who uses his tattoos as weapons.  Yep.  He can pull his "ink" off of his skin to kill.

Read more...

Kellan Lutz is among the cast members that skyrocketed to superstardom because of the Twilight Saga series. Now that the series is over, the hottest vampire in the pack needs to capitalize on his fame quickly before it fades away and has found a new potential franchise to sink his teeth into.

Twilight star has signed on to star in the indie genre flick Tatua, which is based off an original idea from the comic book by Paul Jenkins and Rob Prior.

Lutz will star as a covert assassin that has a rare blood type that lets him be tattooed with a powerful ink, which he can then pull off of his skin and use as real objects, but given that the various lethal items are culled from a combo of blood, he must use the weapons quickly, before they dissolve. Things get awkward when his son is kidnapped.

Producer...

Kellan Lutz has signed to star in Aaron Sims' $15 million indie genre film "Tatua" based on an original concept by comic book creators Paul Jenkins and Rob Prior.

Paul Layden penned the script which follows a man with a rare blood type that allows him to be tattooed with a mystical ink.

As a result, he is able to pull lethal weapons straight off his skin which gives him an enviable leg up as a covert assassin. However, doing so weakens him physically in the process - not to mention the weapons dissolve quickly.

Soon the assassin’s son is kidnapped by one of his most notoriously violent targets. Shooting kicks off in March in Toronto.

Source: Deadline...

• Rock musician Lenny Kravitz (The Hunger Games, Precious) will get it on as celebrated singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye in an untitled biopic about the final years of the musician’s life, when he moved to Europe to overcome his substance abuse and ended up penning one of his most indelible hits, “Sexual Healing.” Julien Temple (The Filth and the Fury) will direct. [Evening Standard/Deadline]

• Amy Smart, Terry Crews, Eddie Cibrian, and Nia Long have all signed up for Tyler Perry’s Single Mom’s Club, Lionsgate announced Monday. Wendi McLendon-Covey (Bridesmaids) and William Levy (of Dancing With the Stars fame) costar in a...

Exclusive: Now that the Twilight Saga series is over, the fittest vampire in the pack, Kellan Lutz, has found a new potential franchise to sink his teeth into. Lutz has signed to star in the indie genre film Tatua. Based on an original concept by comic book creators Paul Jenkins and Rob Prior, Tatua is about a man with a rare blood type that allows him to be tattooed with a powerful ink. He is able to pull those weapons straight off his skin, giving him an enviable leg up as a covert assassin. Aaron Sims, the vfx wiz who helmed the viral sensation short Archetype, is set to make his directing debut on the film, says Rick Schwartz, whose Overnight Productions has lined up the financing for a March production start in Toronto. Paul Layden wrote the script, and Schwartz will produce with Todd Breau and Kari Hollend. Schwartz...

"The Twilight Saga" star Kellan Lutz has signed to star in the indie genre film Tatua , reports Deadline . Created by Paul Jenkins and Rob Prior, the film "is about a man with a rare blood type that allows him to be tattooed with a powerful ink. He is able to pull those weapons straight off his skin, giving him an enviable leg up as a covert assassin... The concept certainly is unusual, as the tattooed weapons are culled from the combination of the ink, the character.s blood and adrenaline. They must be used quickly or they begin to dissolve, and the whole process takes a toll on the body of the assassin. All this becomes an afterthought when the assassin.s son is kidnapped by one of his most notoriously violent targets." The site adds that Aaron Sims,...

Yesterday we brought you some cool concept art from The Amazing Spider-Man showing us a few different awesome looking costume designs that weren't used in the film. Today we've got some new art showing us some alternate designs for The Lizard. I thought the Lizard was a great villain for Spidey to take on, but I do think the creature design could have been a little better. Look over this concept art and let us know if you liked the design used in the movie, or if you like these better?

As you'll see below one of the early design was based on the look of actor Chris Cooper. The following Cooper lizard morphing images come from designer Aaron Sims. Makes me wonder if at one point they were actually looking to cast Copper in this role, which would have been amazing!

The other Lizard concept art you see are from Jerad S.

Earlier today we brought you a bunch of concept sketches from The Amazing Spider-Man that included some earlier versions of the Spider-Man suit, as well as sketches of the final battle between Spidey and The Lizard on the top of the Oscorp building. Adding to that we now have some early concept images of The Lizard, courtesy of Aaron Sims, who did some various design work on the film.    The Final Version One interesting note here is the use of actor Chris Cooper in these designs. Most likely Cooper was used as a model to give the studio an idea of what the transition from human to lizard would look like, and not because Cooper was an early contender for the role (though we imagine anything is possible). -- image below courtesy of Shh Do you...

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Earlier today, we have seen various concept art from The Amazing Spider-Man surfacing online, including George Hull's designs of the Lizard, the vaporizer machine, and OsCorp tower, and more recently, The Aaron Sims Company's take on the Lizard and Spider-Man's new suit. Well, now more early designs of the suit have made their way online, this time coming from concept artist Eddie Yang. With a thanks to the website io9 for the heads-up, check them out right below... Eddie Yang has previously provided concept art for movies such as The Avengers, Thor, Battleship, Men in Black, and many more, so be sure to head over to his website to check out more of his work. Anyway, what do you think of these? As usual, share your thoughts on the space provided below. The Amazing Spider-Man tells the story of Peter Parker, an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by...

The Aaron Sims Company, who have provided concept art for films such as Green Lantern and Wrath of the Titans have released more official conceptual art for Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man. These pieces of art include early designs for Spider-Man's new suit and the Lizard. Check out the concept art down below in one gallery. The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father,...

IFC Midnight has announced they will release Padraig Reynolds’ kidnapping thriller Rites of Spring on July 27 VOD and limited theatrical release in NYC. Rites of Spring stars Aj Bowen (The Signal, House of the Devil, A Horrible Way to Die, Hatchet 2) and Anessa Ramsey (YellowBrickRoad, The Signal). The film features creature design by Aaron Sims (A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child, Wrong Turn, The Mist, I Am Legend, Clash of the Titans, The Thing).

Chronicle producer John Davis has acquired the sci-fi short film Archetype, with plans to expand it into a full-length feature film. Click on the video player below to watch director Aaron Sims' seven-minute short, and read on for more details regarding this project.

Archetype Short Film

Aaron Sims is primarily known as a visual effects and pre-vis artist. His Aaron Sims Company has worked on recent hits such as War Horse, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and The Thing. Archetype centers on an eight-foot tall soldier robot who malfunctions on the battlefield, which causes him to develop unexplained human memories.

Aaron Sims will make his feature directorial debut with this expanded project, working from a screenplay by Guy Busick and Ryan Murphy, who is not the Glee creator. John Davis, who purchased the rights through his own discretionary fund, will produce with John Norris.

No production schedule was given for Archetype.

Aaron Sims’ sci-fi short film “Archetype” is apparently so good, Hollywood took notice and now “Chronicle” producer John Davis will be blowing it up into a full-length feature film, with Sims directing. Curiously, he won’t be writing the script, that will be the job of Guy Busick and Ryan Murphy. Odd, that. You’d think he’d at least get first crack at the script. Anyways, here’s what it’s all about: RL7 is an eight-foot tall combat robot that goes on the run after malfunctioning with vivid memories of once being human. As its creators and the military close in, RL7 battles its way to uncovering the shocking truth behind its mysterious visions and past. The short stars Robert Joy and David Anders of “Heroes” and “Alias” fame. Well, the voice of Anders, anyway. It’s kinda like “Robocop” crossed with “Short Circuit”. Minus the jokes. The short is only 5 minutes long,...

Aaron Sims. short film Archetype, a sci-fi thriller that made the rounds on YouTube a while back, has been picked up by Chronicle producer John Davis and will be developed into a feature-length film, THR reports. The seven-minute clip is constructed around combat robot RL7, who malfunctions during a mission and suddenly develops memories. But don.t take our word for it. Watch it yourself below and see what you think: The effects in Sims. short are outstanding. I.d love to know his budget. But the dude has skills, which he honed over the years working with several top design masters. THR notes that Sims studied under Rick Baker on movies like Batman Forever and Mighty Joe Young. He toiled away at Stan Winston Studio when they were contributing to Spielberg.s A.I. and the War of the Worlds remake. He currently operates his own visual effects house, ...

Chronicle and I, Robot producer John Davis has picked up the film rights to Archetype , a sci-fi short directed by Aaron Sims that you can watch below. Davis has a first-look deal with Twentieth Century Fox. In the short, starring Robert Joy and David Anders, "RL7 is an eight-foot tall combat robot that goes on the run after malfunctioning with vivid memories of once being human. As its creators and the military close in, RL7 battles its way to uncovering the shocking truth behind its mysterious visions and past." Heat Vision says that Sims runs the Aaron Sims Co., a previs and visual effects company with credits including War Horse , Rise of the Planet of the Apes and The Thing . Sims would direct the feature from a script by Guy Busick and Ryan Murphy. John...

Chronicle producer John Davis has acquired the rights to Archetype. He is planning to develop a full-length feature from Aaron Sims's sci-fi short, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The original short centres around RL7, a war machine that malfunctions in the field. It is brought in and questioned as to why it shut down its fellow robots with an electromagnetic pulse in the midst of battle. Sims also runs a VFX and design company that has worked on movies including Clash Of The Titans, Big (more)...