Amph "I'm Going to Kill You With My Tea Cup": The Chronicles of Riddick

Hmm... also, what "new" footage is on the unrated version as compared to the original theatrical release? I know the old DVD was released in both R and "unrated" versions, but I happen to own the "R" version and I'm just wondering what/how many scenes are added in.

 

Very interesting. I'll have to steal my copy back from a friend to see that.

 

Whoa, SciFi just put up some big news:

Twohy Readies Kyra Pilot

David Twohy, writer/director of the upcoming SF movie The Chronicles of Riddick, told SCI FI Wire that he's also writing the script for a two-hour SCI FI Channel movie centered on the Riddick character of Kyra, which would be the pilot for a spinoff series. "They want to do a sort of Kyra, The Lost Years," Twohy said in an interview. "I'll be writing the story for that, just so that the expanding universe has a creative continuity to it, and it doesn't get too corporate and there are too many hands in the [project]."

Kyra, played by Alexa Davalos in The Chronicles of Riddick, is a young woman who first appeared in Riddick's predecessor film, Pitch Black, as Jack, the girl who masqueraded as a boy and befriended the mass murderer and antihero Richard B. Riddick, played by Vin Diesel. The proposed Kyra SCI FI Channel project "will be a two-hour pilot, followed by a series, based on the Jack/Kyra character and how she went in search for Riddick and trouble befell her along the way," Twohy said. The series would fill in the five years between the end of Pitch Black and the beginning of The Chronicles of Riddick.

Twohy added that Davalos would likely not star in the pilot, "because, A, she wants to pursue a film career, not a cable career, and, , it might deal with a slightly younger version [of Kyra]. Because [Riddick takes place] five years later, she's playing 18, 19, 20. I think this character would be 15, 16, 17."

The Chronicles of Riddick opens June 11. It is being distributed by Universal Pictures, which is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns the SCI FI Channel and SCIFI.COM.


This is very, very interesting. More to the Riddick universe.

And this:

Diesel Frets Over Riddick

Vin Diesel, who reprises his most famous character in the upcoming SF epic movie The Chronicles of Riddick, told SCI FI Wire that he's nervous about the movie's debut, but not because he worries about whether it will revive his career. "Well, for some reason, I was more nervous last night [at the premiere] than I have ever been on any premiere," Diesel said in an interview a day after the film's gala June 3 world premiere. "I was nervous, because it was something that I had been working on for five years that is so close [to me], [that has] been such a labor of love, and that made me anxious for some reason last night. I don't know why I'm more nervous at this than I've ever been."

But Diesel repeated that he's not concerned about the film's effect on his career, which some observers have said has waned since his big success in films such as 2001's The Fast and the Furious and Riddick's predecessor movie, 2000's Pitch Black. "Having said that, the second I finished my first day of shooting with [Riddick co-star] Judi Dench, I won," Diesel said. "I had accomplished a real goal. ... The second the studio green-lit this epic that didn't spawn from a book that was in existence for 50 years [like The Lord of the Rings] [or] that didn't come from a comic-book character [like Spider-Man], [that] was completely an original project, I felt like I was satisfied."

In an earlier interview, Diesel told SCI FI Wire that he wasn't worried about whether the movie would revive his career. "No, [that's] not a concern," Diesel said. "It's not about that. If that was a concern, I would have done all the sequels [such as 2 Fast, 2 Furious], and I wouldn't have kind of lost myself in the creativity and the fun of The Chronicles of Riddick. Films like The Chronicles of Riddick take a lot more time than a studio-manufactured sequel. ... The idea isn't about maintaining someone's idea of whatever. It's got to be about making stuff that you're proud of, and if that takes a little bit more time to do, then you've got to take that time out. ... The fun for me is making the movie. ... It's about the character." The Chronicles of Riddick opens June 11. The movie is distributed by Universal Pictures, which is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.

 

"Now... as I said, there are two different versions of this film. Here's the difference: the unrated director's cut includes about 3 minutes of additional footage - two new (but brief and non-violent) scenes and MAYBE a few additional seconds of carnage. The difference are slight. "

Hmm... if I can find the DVD for less than $20, I might pick it up then. I mean, I HATE buying DVDs I already own unless there's a really good reason (i.e., the Alien Quadrilogy, or the forthcoming 'Predator: SE' DVD). This 'Pitch Black' DVD is kinda borderline for me. I figure I might be able to use the money I WOULD spend on the DVD to pay for 1 or 2 of the forthcoming Chronicles of Riddick action figures.

 

The video Game Escape from Butcher Bay is fantastic, if anyone is wondering. Definitley NOT a kid's game. Don't rent or buy if you are offended by brutal violence, rough prison-type atmosphere, and of course....BAD LANGUAGE! And I mean BAD language.

 

Hmm... if I can find the DVD for less than $20, I might pick it up then. I mean, I HATE buying DVDs I already own unless there's a really good reason (i.e., the Alien Quadrilogy, or the forthcoming 'Predator: SE' DVD). This 'Pitch Black' DVD is kinda borderline for me. I figure I might be able to use the money I WOULD spend on the DVD to pay for 1 or 2 of the forthcoming Chronicles of Riddick action figures.

Try walmart or FYE. I think that there's a rebate with it.

 

The video Game Escape from Butcher Bay is fantastic, if anyone is wondering. Definitley NOT a kid's game. Don't rent or buy if you are offended by brutal violence, rough prison-type atmosphere, and of course....BAD LANGUAGE! And I mean BAD language.

If you want brutal violence, rough prison-type atmosphere, and bad language, check out the game 'The Suffering' (also for XBox). It's a great horror/survival game (but it's an ACTION game, unlike, say, Resident Evil) and it's probably one of my favorite games of all time.

Just a shameless, off-topic plug.

 

Well, you wouldn't be watching the movie if you don't like the violence and language.

 

Another SciFi article:


Twohy Cut Riddick Scene

David Twohy, writer and director of the upcoming SF movie The Chronicles of Riddick, told SCI FI Wire that he reluctantly cut a key scene featuring actress Kristin Lehman as a character named Shirah. In the scene, Shirah appears to the film's protagonist, the antihero Riddick (Vin Diesel), with information about his mysterious past and his role in an epic battle raging in the universe.

"There was a concern that, ... between the Judi Dench character, [Aereon,] who was a little mystical herself, and the Shirah character, played by Kristin, that there was just a little too mysticism going on, and that it didn't allow the audience to get grounded as much as we needed them to be to go forth and enjoy the movie," Twohy said in an interview. "I'd be interested in putting [it] back in the film [in a director's cut on DVD.] ... [She] helps tell him what it is to be a Furyan and helps introduce the notion that your origin is with a race called the Furyans."

The scene is the main cut?but not the only one?that may find its way back into a director's edit at some point, Twohy said. "[The] first version of the movie is ... two hours and 50 minutes long, and [the final cut is] two hours," he said. "So 50 minutes of footage fell by the wayside between the first cut and the last cut. But, ... guys, that is not that unusual in the business. I mean, very few movies can say 'We lost one scene, and that's it.' It's been my history where I will shoot a lot more than we use. ... But I must say that the version we have out now has a lot of drive. It has a lot of energy, and it feels like a good pace for a summer film. ... But, ... to finish your question, yeah, it feels like certainly the director's version would be longer by about 15 minutes." The Chronicles of Riddick opens June 11. Riddick is being released by Universal Pictures, which is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.

 

I'm trying to remember what scene "Shirah" was in in the CoR novelization... and I honestly can't remember.

Saw the 'Pitch Black' novelization at Barnes & Noble today.... damn, that's a short book! 196 pages, for $7. Screw that. Maybe I'll pick it up at Waldenbooks where I've got a discount card.

 

I think that I can remember it. Maybe the scene in the beginning.

I don't think that I'll get the PB book for a while, I have the movie.

 

Same here.


Here's a word on a possible 2 and 3.

Twohy: Chronicles 2, 3 Planned

David Twohy, writer/director of the upcoming SF movie The Chronicles of Riddick, told SCI FI Wire that the film was envisioned as the first of three movies, but that it's still not a sure thing when or if the next films will get made. "They didn't sign me to do three," Twohy said in an interview. "They didn't sign [the actors] to do three. ... What we have said?[producer and star] Vin [Diesel] and I? ... is that we have thought about the characters and plotted the characters for three Chronicles. ... And so we know in our heads where we are going. And we've talked to the other [actors] about where their characters would be going in future installments of the film. Universal [Pictures, which is distributing the movie,] has ... been consistent with their wanting to see how this opening weekend [box office] did, and the second weekend, because the second weekend is a key to them to gauge drop off."

Twohy added that a second Chronicles of Riddick movie will pick up the story "the minute after this one ends. And I'll tell you how we sold it to the studio, how we got them enamored of the idea of three films, because at first they weren't. ... When I turned in the first draft of the script, I had leather binders made up that said The Chronicles of Riddick. ... And I put the executive's name stamped in gold down in the right hand corner, and I put a lock on it. And a week before I turned in the script I sent them the key. And the key said, 'This is the key that will open the doors to untold myth and riches' or something like that."

Twohy went on: "And so they had the key for a week. ... 'What the hell does this go to?' And then I sent them the covers, and they got it on the weekend. They had to stick their key in, turn the key, open up the script. And then in the first story meeting I had other volumes made for C2 and C3. And I just sat them down on the desk. And they were talking about the first script, and they're looking at it. 'Boy, can we read those?' I said, 'Nope. No key. You don't have the key.'" The Chronicles of Riddick opens June 11. Universal Pictures is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.



Haha, that's a great way to sell it!

 

Another article:

Feore Suffered For Riddick

Colm Feore, who plays the villainous Lord Marshal in the upcoming SF movie The Chronicles of Riddick, told SCI FI Wire that it was a challenge performing in a complete suit of armor. "The armor ... was very cool," Feore said in an interview. "I'm fundamentally of the belief that it's not how you feel, but how you look. And if you look cool, then everything else doesn't matter. But it sucked. I mean, it was ... pinching me here. It was knocking me out. It was metal, titanium. [The] hat, the gloves, were unbelievable."

The Lord Marshal is the general of a "legion vast" of Necromongers, armored warriors who travel in immense ships and lay waste to entire planets. As such, he appears in the movie encased in what appears to be heavy metal armor (but which was made out of a combination of metal and rubber). "The craftsmanship in this outfit was fabulous," Feore said. "But it doesn't do you any good when someone says, 'But we made this especially for you,' as they hammer it onto your head. You go, 'You know what? I'm not feeling the love here.' It's still metal, and it still hurts, so could you go a little bit easier?"

But Feore said that he was able to understand his character's motivation in forcibly converting entire races of people to his cause, the Necromonger faith. "What is the Necromonger selling? 'We'll take away your pain.' The pain of choices of living, of getting up every day and saying, 'What am I worth? What's my point? What is my purpose?' I say to you, 'Forget all that. Join the holy half-dead, and I'll give you a purpose. You're working for me now.'" The Chronicles of Riddick, starring Vin Diesel, opens June 11. Riddick is being released by Universal Pictures, which is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.

 

I was a tad miffed that they killed "the holy man" so soon

I don't recall Imam (Keith David) dying in the novelization... now you're gonna make me re-check.

Also, what "Lady MacBeth" plotline?

 

I saw the movie and I thuroughly enjoyed it. I had high expectations for it and they were fufilled. I'm so glad that I can finally anticipate another set of sci-fi movies (I hope they make more movies along with the sci-fi channle stuff (which is awesome!). I mean after LOTR and Matrix ended I was saddend and now at least we have Riddick for awhile more. And of course Episode III as well. Does anyone know if the anime is out yet?

Forcebewitya!

 

'Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury' is out this upcoming Tuesday, 6/15.

 

In the end, I think Pitch Black was a more solid film than COR, but COR still is pretty decent, despite it's flaws.

I disagree. I actually didn't like Pitch Black that much, it was too...cliche. I mean I think we've seen to many movies about people stranded on a desolate planet getting attacked by aliens. Anyway I guess you could make the same arguement against COR (SW, Dune, etc...). I think I will end up buying the new released Pitch Black DVD. I was waiting to see if Riddick lived up to expectations and it did, and seeing that I always have to have the entire legacy of any movie series I will buy it along with Dark Fury on tuesday (hope I get payed before then). Thanks for the info on the Dark Fury DVD syntax.

Forcebewitya!

 

...well, i also just got back from this one..

And i also thoroughly enjoyed "Riddick"...


BEWARE OF SPOILERS AHEAD!



Once again, i fail to understand the venom directed at Vin.. Find him to be quite a charismatic guy who's just got this way with delivering oneliners that you can't help but smile at...Course, the writing for his inner-monologues is pretty terrific stuff.. (And that Tea cup scene was GREAT!)



I really liked the imagination involved in this one.. Lotsa pretty niftily imagined and executed action sequences, and the Necromongers have some pretty interesting thoughts and designs behind them..

Dune-esque to be sure, but there's enough originality there to seperate them from being just another clone..

Tooo bad there's so much negative reaction to this, from a critical perspective... I would really like to see a sequel to see what happens after Riddick has taken control of the Necros...

Seems like Twohy REALLY is the next Carpenter, as this is a film that is not deserving of all the negative reaction it's gettin', and, like it's predecessor, it WILL eventually find an audience when it comes out on homevideo...

People comparing this to "Battlefield Earth" (which i've heard!) are nuts..