Battle Angel

[matrix_ghost]

http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2008/03/james-camerons-3d-battle-angel-update.html

1. Straight from source #1: "During 2004-2005 the entire second floor of the Lightstorm building was dedicated to the Battle Angel art department, which was "massive". The entire ceiling above the workspace was modeled to resemble the hanging sky city from the manga so that the artists could "live in" the world they were creating. Pretty cool, huh?"
YES. DAMN cool.

2. Source #2: Cameron already has his Battle Angel! Yes, you read correctly! It is a done deal apparently - her name is all over the scripts. She is a nobody right now, but look for her to use this movie like Arnie used Terminator to catapult herself to super stardom.
Believe me, I am working on a name! Only a matter of time...

3. Source #1: Cameron threw away Laeta Kalogridis' script and is cowriting with someone else (ghostwriter/story editor). The interesting thing about this news, to me, is that Cameron is basically writing the script himself (with some assistance), as opposed to having someone else (Laeta) write it for him. Good news, in my opinion. Laeta's name will still appear in the credits in some form for legal reasons, however.
AWESOME. A Cameron written film demands attention to be sure.

4. Source #1: "As for the script itself, Cameron is basically condensing the first 3 graphic anime books into the first movie, "but that can still change". Oh, the original Battle Angel script was "drivel"-- plagued by length and pacing issues which persisted despite multiple drafts.
We all hope that all those scripts troubles are well behind Mr. Cameron now!

5. Source #2: Cameron is definitely working on the Battle Angel script during the little downtime he gets on the "Avatar" post production and call backs.
Here Cameron is, doing a $250m (my estimate) sci-fi perf-cap 3D "Avatar" that he has been percolating for a decade and all the logistics of getting it done - oh and inventing/tweaking the damn 3D equipment to shoot it and the editing / effects to bring it all together with darn near 2 years of post production - and he has time to tackle "Battle Angel"? I mean even a little bit? Obviously his work is not work to him - it's a passion and who can blame him for that. All I know is, as a fan of everything he has done - don't stop! Can't wait to see them Jim. Both of 'em.

6. Source #3: **SPOILER ALERT** - Probably the biggest, most expensive and memorable scene in "Battle Angel" -
The Act 2 /Act 3 break is amazing. Battle Angel is on top of a roof with the ENTIRE city being overlooked - sweeping 3D vistas! She is being chased so she jumps off of the roof and plays toad on each car on the way down - the cars are flying! There are explosions, bullets flying and cars exploding all while people are driving. My source says most of the budget for the movie has gotta be blown right here on this sequence!! It is going to demand the best that the crews can deliver to get this right and Cameron is Mr. Perfectionist so I am drooling already.

 

[matrix_ghost]

Hmm seems Cameron is still sticking with his original plan . There was an AICN interview with Cameron . This was in the early stages of Avatar's development. According to Cameron , he wanted to begin some early tests/pre-prodoction work during post of Avatar. However he did also say that if Avatar would demand more attention , he'd focus on that first. THe COMIC-CON interview certainly suggest that ( the mother giving birth interview) but hopefully if this rumor is true , it'll be interesting to see Cameron doing these tests.

I always felt that BAttle Angel would be much harder to pull since it really is a CG human.


http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/

James Cameron's BATTLE ANGEL Update: A 14 Year Old ANGEL OF DEATH!! Tests Continue!!

Jim here. Got some news from one of my top sources in the Cameron camp and man oh man does BATTLE ANGEL ever sound Kick. Ass.

On what is happening right now for ANGEL:
Make no mistake this is the movie your website will be pursuing in time to come. The tests are "Beautiful" and "Complex" beyond your wildest dreams. Stunningly beautiful, considering the fact that some are old(ish). Imagine this for a second. A cyborg chick "the Angel of Death" taking out "a lot" of other part man, part machine type "people".



On what those tests contain:
Now picture the "Angel of Death" looking like a child. a 14 year old. Now imagine this, this little girl goes through these guys like butter. Did you see the KICK-ASS trailer? Well imagine that girl via the Matrix via Ghost in the shell, via AI. "Remember the True Lies bathroom brawl?" Well take out Arnold, and "copy and paste" Bruce Lee on acid via the Terminator. as seen through the eyes of a sweet innocent 14 year old cyborg girl. And all of this done via the mind of James Cameron, Holy **** what is not to love? The lights flicker and **** hits the fan. Awesome stuff.

With performance capture and CG anything is possible. That includes using an underage actor in very VERY violent scenes. This would be cutting edge stuff and who better to pull it off?

On Angel's future: You will be hearing the phrase "Angel of death" a lot in time to come. At least judging from the level of involvement now. I bet Angel will go green soon. The only thing I can see setting back Angel is Avatar. And you know why that is don't you.

ANGEL OF DEATH is a potential alternative title as it is what she is also known as. But I think BATTLE ANGEL will stick. AVATAR has potential sequels written all over it of course and that may be the next project for Cameron depending on studio and audience pressure after the massive response to AVATAR is felt. But you can count on BATTLE being made, big time.

Obviously casting for Angel is key. I am curious to know who you think would make a great Battle Angel? Choices are limited as the character is only 14 years old, but I have a few ideas. I had heard rumors that Cameron already has his Angel - but that was some time ago. Haven't heard anything since.

And we know from a MarketSaw exclusive interview with designer James Clyne that there is a VERY real possibility of BATTLE having some gladiatorial aspects of future sports and a wide social gap of the "have and have nots". And further that BATTLE ANGEL will have many different looks (new faces, bodies, and outfits) as she evolves in the movie. We learned from yet another MarketSaw exclusive interview with Mark Goerner that the movie follows and even amplifies Kishiro's original vision of BATTLE ANGEL.

Other stereoscopic 3D projects to watch that may closely resemble BATTLE ANGEL are APHRODITE IX and Spielberg's GHOST IN THE SHELL. All of them have young female cyborgs kicking some serious butt. Interesting how they line up after something that catches Cameron's eye.

I am thrilled to learn that Cameron is still doing tests for BATTLE. These tests are very, VERY secure - but we have the best sources on the planet so YOU get the updates! Stay here with MarketSaw for the latest and greatest on all things James Cameron AND 3D.

 

[dark_b]

i wanted to post this.

interesting. but people dont really think a movie over 200 millions will be again R right?

 

[matrix_ghost]

It's not going to be R rated. I have read somewhere that Cameron has said because of economical reasons , he'll have to go PG-13.
And it does make sense. It would be career suicide to spend 200 mil on a R rated movie. But yeah while the action is brutal , all they need to do is simply remove the blood and you've reduced the violence .

But he should make this after Avatar. And by that i mean the first Avatar movie , not the trilogy
Otherwise it'll take so long that by the time Cameron releases the first Battle Angel movie in cinemas , we'll be watching them with our kids

 

[AnorexicBatman]

Battle Angel will feel like a breath of fresh air to most people.
Gotta give to the Japanese creators on making something like this...

It's basically (Kill Bill + Terminator) * Ludicrous Speed

Plus we have never had such a young action protagonist. Lot's of ethical and moral dilemmas as well. They essentially took away her childhood and turned her into a killing machine. The Gunslinger Girl anime also has a similar concept

Loss of innocence and all that...

 

[matrix_ghost]

Battle Angel will feel like a breath of fresh air to most people.
Gotta give to the Japanese creators on making something like this...

It's basically (Kill Bill + Terminator) * Ludicrous Speed

Plus we have never had such a young action protagonist. Lot's of ethical and moral dilemmas as well. They essentially took away her childhood and turned her into a killing machine. The Gunslinger Girl anime also has a similar concept

Loss of innocence and all that...

Well from the look of things Kick-Ass is gonna be the first one to nail that
But yeah , my interest in this is more technical. Avatar really is the testbed for Battle ANgel and i'd really like to see Cameron going all out with the tech he created. It's one thing to nail the photorealism of a Na'Vi , it's a whole different thing to actually create a CG human. Not only that but the sheer amount of superhuman moves will be very tricky to pull off. The hardest part in creating CG characters pulling of superhuman feats is to get the movement right. A valid criticism with the spider-man movies is that while they are able to nail the look of the charactes in some cases , ité the action where things start to go a bit awry. It looks the like characters have no weight or simply just move too "cartoony".

 

[AnorexicBatman]

I hope this kicks of a series of serious i.e. well made manga/anime based movies
Peter Jackson's FULL METAL ALCHEMIST anyone?

OOH OOOH!!!

Gore Verbinski's EPIC: Pirates Of The Carribean Vs. The Straw Hat Pirates (One Piece)!
Depp could play Luufy as well, being a character actor and all.

 

[dark_b]

It's not going to be R rated. I have read somewhere that Cameron has said because of economical reasons , he'll have to go PG-13.
And it does make sense. It would be career suicide to spend 200 mil on a R rated movie. But yeah while the action is brutal , all they need to do is simply remove the blood and you've reduced the violence .

they can call it ''oil''

but smart man. R would really be a suicide

 

[matrix_ghost]

This is the AICN interview. It's dated Jan. 2007 and it mostly about Avatar

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31191

Harry – Now, while your doing the Visual Effects work on this, will you be doing any work on BATTLE ANGEL..

Jim – Probably, Yeah, I’ll probably be sliding into PRE on Battle Angel during that time, it’s hard for me to know, until I’ve gone through the process to know what my time management is going to be capable of. You know, if I spend 5 hours a day doing Visual FX, which is probable, that will leave me time to do Battle Angel.

If it winds up being 8 hours a day. NO. But I can’t answer that for right now. I’m hoping to telescope Pre on Battle Angel into post on Avatar. Which has always been the plan.

Interestingly enough there was another AICN interview back in Feb of 2006. ALot has been changed , such as the fact that Avatar is now being planned as a trilogy. However it does give you a nice idea of how things were planned ( and will probably stay...):
http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=22599

Harry talks to James Cameron, Cracks PROJECT 880, the BATTLE ANGEL trilogy & Cameron's live shoot on Mars!!!Hey folks, Harry here…. Just had an hour long conversation with James Cameron. In fact, I was asleep when he called. Usually I ignore the cel phone when asleep, but I was expecting a call from my girlfriend.

I answer the phone in garbled sleep voice. The other voice says, “Is Harry Knowles there?” I retort with a sleepy, slightly annoyed… “You got em!”

“Hi Harry, this is James Cameron.”

PANIC! Quint has my recording equipment for the cel phone. My computer is turned off to take notes. 0-60 had to be done in an eye blink. You see – I was expecting this phone call about 2 weeks ago. It all began with Quint in Santa Barbara when he met James Cameron. He deferred to ask about PROJECT 880, because he had heard other reporters getting the door slammed in their faces in regards to it. Well, edited out of that transcript was Cameron telling Quint that he would call me to tell me exclusively what Project 880 was and unload all the nitty gritty details were. He’d shoot 100% straight with me.

Obviously I was anxious. And when the day of his expected call came and passed, I wistfully saw it as another one that… got away.

As a result, all the equipment I had ready to record this historic conversation was gone. It was resting at Quint’s Sea Shack ready to interview the director of V FOR VENDETTA. AICN must get off it’s ass and get equipment to all it’s lead writers for exactly this reason.

Ok – so what’d he say?

PROJECT 880 is AVATAR, or as he put it, “a retooled version of AVATAR” We talked about the scriptment that got out and he said while he was annoyed that it got out, he realized it was really no different than adapting a novel, and that certainly adapting that scriptment, which was incredibly dense as it was, had been a great challenge in and of itself.

Now he still doesn’t know if it is going to be BATTLE ANGEL ALITA or AVATAR that comes next. You see deep within the N.S.A. like security of LIGHTSTORM, Jim has been constructing a Virtual Production Studio completely unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. Within that space are two separate teams concurrently prepping and getting ready to shoot back to back essentially over a 3 year span, BATTLE ANGEL ALITA and AVATAR.

Because of the films’ mutual lack of a BIG STAR in the lead role, his start up on filming isn’t having to be locked down. So both projects can be prepped right up to the last minute before he calls it as to which is getting made.

Why the back and forth? It isn’t because he’s trying to drive us crazy, it’s because he is so in love with both projects that he can’t just emotionally choose one over the other. What has to be decided is which project is the greater commercial introduction to the technology that he’s going to be unleashing upon us. You see. This isn’t just a “next film” to Jim, it’s about evolving cinema as we’ve come to know it. When you’re speaking to him, you’d find yourself not speaking to a crackpot, but to the most lucid evangelical techno-fetishist in the world, who just happens to be a filmmaking god. How can I say that?

Well, one of the side projects that he’s doing is working in conjunction with the MALIN SPACE SCIENCE SERVICES group… those are the guys that developed the M.O.C. Global Surveyor that’s been mapping Mars for the last couple of years. That’s completely changed everyone’s belief of what MARS is. Well, the next big NASA mission is going to have a Live Video Stereo Motion Image device that Cameron has been developing with M.S.S.S. to bring us back live 3D video images in full motion from the surface of Mars… all tied to the back of one of those nuclear powered Rovers that’ll be exploring, if all goes well, for years. See… Evangelical Techno-Fetishist.

I asked if we could expect any of the Cameron Company Regulars to be in BATTLE ANGEL ALITA or AVATAR. His response was, “I really hope so. Listen, I definitely have my favorites. If I’ve chosen to work with an actor once, it’s probably with a good reason, but if I’ve worked with an actor a couple of times, I’ve stayed friends with them.”

Now – BATTLE ANGEL ALITA is seen as the next “franchise” from Cameron. He sees it as a “3 film cycle.” I asked about whether or not he’s seen “Alita” yet, and he confirmed that on both ALITA and AVATAR he’s seen working models that he’s quite satisfied with.

With that we began talking about 3D. The camera he is going to be shooting with is called THE FUSION CAMERA, which is scheduled to shoot a U2 Concert in the next couple of days. I love that he knows where his camera is going. Anyway. Jim’s planning on shooting 3D not so much as the stab you in the eye, throw a flaming spear at you type of thing, but as, what he calls, “A More Lucid Window,” through which to observe the worlds that he’s going to unleash upon us.

When I began talking about the questionable Home Entertainment application in terms of immediate revenue return, like the 2D market today… especially with this film being seen widely in the superior stereoscopic format. Cameron said that all the at home viewing technology is developed and is sitting waiting for content. Before the technology giants like SONY come out with the perfect 3D at home screening units – they need to have at least 30-40 major popular titles to package to offer in an initial offering to the public. That’s where the retro-fitting of 2D films to Stereo Optics is coming in. 3D STAR WARS, INDIANA JONES, etc. I asked him which of his films would get that treatment and at this time he’s really concentrating on T2 and TITANIC. When I asked about ALIENS, he kinda went a little sheepish on me. It seems that he cringes a bit when he watches ALIENS, as the grain of the film bothers him and it was really pushing what could be done with models and costumes and he doesn’t really care to pull a George Lucas and “fix it”, because that is the best that film could be given the tools at the time, and he feels that after all this new fangled technology is out there – that in 30 years time, people will look at those films with a degree of fondness and appreciation for what they represent. And would take into granted their limitations of technology, the same way we do when looking at WIZARD OF OZ or GONE WITH THE WIND or TEN COMMANDMENTS.

Lastly, he wanted people to understand something in regards of the Digital projectors that would be being placed in theaters around the world. These projectors have the capacity to screen things at up to speeds like 120 to 140 fps. The entire industry is going to be shifting to higher frame rates, probably somewhere above 40fps where suddenly the strobing you see or can detect on those big massive battle scenes in films like TROY, which instantly make you disconnect. Those will go away. And on AVATAR and BATTLE ANGEL ALITA it is absolutely necessary to have those higher frame rates, one for the sheer projection of the Stereo images, but also the sort of images he’s planning on putting out there are just the type that at 24 fps, would start to kind of break-up and become unintelligible.

The very last thing I asked was in regards to him having a finish line in his head by which point he’ll know for a fact whether it will be BATTLE ANGEL ALITA or AVATAR – and he said it would be a couple of months and that he’d give me a call to keep me in the loop. It seems that Jim has been very respectful of the legwork that we’ve been doing to track what he’s been up to. And feels he should keep us in the loop.

OK – so the 5 Cameron films he’s going to hit us with look to be AVATAR, BATTLE ANGEL ALITA 1,2,3 and DIVE… which will be a drama shot in and projected with the latest digital 3D technology. Of my hour on the phone with Jim, I can say this. He is giddy, jocular, dead serious and scarily on target. He’s going to be bringing various key filmmakers to his shoot to show them what he’s doing in terms of these films. Basically, he’s the recruitment monkey to try and get the other guys in long pants to set up and play with the toys he’s been helping to innovate. In fact while on the phone with me, he began to inquire about John Carter of Mars and wants to talk to Favreau about the technology he’s using and it’s applications for BARSOOM. It’s this type of evangelical, “I’ve seen the future,” type of self-assured moxie that I love about Cameron.

Did I tell you he was planning on going to the International Space Station and shooting a documentary where he does a spacewalk and the whole 9 yards. Jim is a fascinating fellow to “shoot the **** with” and it looks like we’re going to be doing this again from time to time. Only next time, I hope it is with a bit of warning… and with my equipment bedside and ready. After all… an interview about the future of cinema shouldn’t be left to the waking mind… or maybe, it’s best that it came to mind half in and out of a dream. After all, that is exactly what he’s trying to do. Place a lucid window into the dreams he wishes to share with all of us.

 

[AnorexicBatman]

Advice for Mr. Cameron. Have the parents of Alita (OMG! Twist! They are alive!) be played by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sigourney Weaver...

Why?

Well proof of her badassness of course!
Fighting Female (Ellen Ripley) + Unstoppable Machine (Terminator)

 

[Crook]

^ That better not be an actual twist.

 

[AnorexicBatman]

Don't worry. Cameron won't do anything that harms the story.

 

[dude stannis]

i wanted to post this.

interesting. but people dont really think a movie over 200 millions will be again R right?

Terminator 3 cost $200 million and made $433 million.

^ That better not be an actual twist.

There's been rumblings of Cameron and Schwarzenegger doing a movie once Ah-nuld leaves office.

 

[dark_b]

Terminator 3 cost $200 million and made $433 million.

i said again R. and you know that terminator salvation was a bomb right?

 

[dude stannis]

Yeah Salvation died on it's arse. The only Terminator film not to double it's production budget. It was also the only PG-13 one.

As for Battle Angel, if Cameron thinks blood and F-words for whatever reason, are necessary, he can always add them in for an unrated DVD release, considering how much of a perfectionist he is, they'd probaby intergrate much better than the Die Hard 4 DVD did.

 

[dark_b]

using the F word is not enough for me to make a movie brutal. i think if it would be R it would be because of the killing.

 

[dude stannis]

using the F word is not enough for me to make a movie brutal. i think if it would be R it would be because of the killing.

Yeah honestly, this one F-word rule from the MPAA is bogus. True Lies had like 4 or 5 F-words, but they where spread really far apart over 2 hours and 20 minutes. That means on average there was more than half an hour between each F-word. I don't see how an F-word every half an hour is worse than just one F-word in two hours.

 

[dark_b]

the MPAA is crazy. stupid.

and noone can stop them.

 

[terry78]

Cameron is honestly the only other director aside from the Wachowskis that can actually film live-action scenes that look exactly like anime action scenes and not have it come off goofy. Here's to hoping this works.

 

[black_dust]

I thought Cameron recently said Battle Angel is on hold and he is doing a "Normal" (as in non sc-fi) film next?

 

[matrix_ghost]

http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2009/12/exclusive-james-cameron-interview-talks.html

Cameron on Battle Angel

16:20 On BATTLE ANGEL: "I am not even sure that I am going to do that film". And he has no one in mind for casting.

 

[AnorexicBatman]

The manliest action movie of all time will star ... a little girl...
Take that Terminator, McClane and Dr. Jones!

Cameron on Battle Angel
Quote:

16:20 On BATTLE ANGEL: "I am not even sure that I am going to do that film". And he has no one in mind for casting.

No! It can't be!!! Cameron needs to do this! It's Blade Runner + The Matrix!

 

[dark_b]

what kind of answer did you expect? he worked 4 years on a 300 or 400 million movie. 4 years guys.

of course he said this. ask him again in 3 years.

 

[matrix_ghost]

what kind of answer did you expect? he worked 4 years on a 300 or 400 million movie. 4 years guys.

of course he said this. ask him again in 3 years.

Back in 2006 he was interviewed by Harry Knowles.
Cameron said that his plan was to start pre-production of Battle Angel during post. of avatar. However he did say that if avatar took up more of his time , he'd focus on avatar .

And in other interviews , he also talked about using the sam tech. on Battle Angel. Hell while Avatar was being made , concept art was being done on Battle Angel. Even a script was being written.

I seriously hope that Cameron isn't serious about this and secretly is focusing on Battle Angel.

 

[dark_b]

he will do battle angle. its a project that he wants to do.

but now its just not the right time to ask him.