City of Ember

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Murray Brightens A Dark "City"
By Garth Franklin
Monday June 11th 2007 2:48am
Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan and Toby Jones have signed onboard Walden Media & Playtone's "City of Ember," a fantasy feature based on Jeanne DuPrau's book.

Murray will play the larger-than-life mayor of Ember, an insular world lit only by a magnificent number of glittering street lights. However, the once-powerful generator is failing and the lamps are flickering.

Two teenagers (Ronan plays one) must search the city for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the its existence and help the citizens escape before the lights go out forever. Jones will portray Barton Snode, the mayor's right-hand man.

Gil Kenan ("Monster House") directs, Caroline Thompson adapted the screenplay, and shooting begins this Summer in Belfast. 20th Century Fox will release the film next October.
 
I actually read that book a while ago. Nice little read. Have not read the sequel book yet, "People of Sparks".

Best of luck to the filmmakers.
 
Bill Murray doing anything is always good and this does seem like something different for Walden Media.
 
Robbins, Landau Packing for City of Ember
Source: Variety July 13, 2007


Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and newcomer Harry Treadaway have joined the cast of Walden Media and Playtone's City of Ember, reports Variety.

Directed by Gil Kenan, the film is currently shooting in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Playtone's Gary Goetzman and Tom Hanks are producers, with John D. Schofield executive producing.

The actors join a cast that includes Bill Murray, Toby Jones and Saoirse Ronan. "Ember" is set to open on October 10, 2008 through 20th Century Fox.

"Ember," based on Caroline Thompson's script, centers on an insular place where the only light comes from street lamps. As the power source begins to fail, two teens search for clues that will unlock ancient mysteries about the city.

Robbins will portray an inventor harboring a secret, Treadaway his teenage son.
 
latest update from IESB.net:

City of Ember Poster and Official Site!

Fox Walden is releasing a few tidbits from CITY OF EMBER this week! The film opens on October 10th and stars Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau and more!



First up is the official one sheet and the official site launch! Thanks to Fox Walden publicity for the goodies! Head over to CityofEmber.com for see the logo and ominous phrase "Escape is the Only Option" plus a countdown clock to the release. We'll be sure to post the full site launch when it happens.
For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights - underground. Built as a refuge for humanity and powered by a massive generator - this city will only sustain for 200 years. Now Ember is falling into darkness as the generator fails, and the dazzling lights begin to flicker and fade.
Despite growing concern for the future of their beloved city, Ember’s students find themselves confronting the next step in their lives. A rite of passage for all graduates, it is Assignment Day, the day on which the Mayor himself will stand before the graduating students as they choose, by lottery, how they will spend their lives working for their society. Lina, praying with all her might to be a messenger, is appalled to be assigned to the Pipeworks, the vast network of pipes underneath the city. Her classmate, Doon Harrow, who wants more than nothing else to work in the Generator, panics when he pulls the messenger assignment. The Pipeworks isn't the Generator, but it is close enough and Doon offers to swap assignments with Lina. She is thrilled and grateful and eagerly changes jobs. Thus, an unlikely friendship is born, one that, as it blossoms, will change the course of all the lives in Ember.
Lina takes easily to the job of messenger and finds herself zipping all over Ember, delivering important missives to even more important people, including the mayor himself. At home she cares for her aging and forgetful grandmother, and her baby sister Poppy. When an old metal box is discovered in their closet, Lina’s grandmother is overjoyed. Completely sure that the contents of the box are of the utmost importance, she is completely bereft of any memory as to why.
Lina manages to jimmy the lock open, and discovers some cryptic and decrepit papers inside. Unable to piece the papers together, Lina resolves to decipher their meaning and enlists Doon’s help.
As blackouts in the city become more frequent, Lina and Doon realize that the information inside that box could lead to the salvation of their city and their fellow citizens. Now racing against the clock, the two follow the clues, cleverly maneuvering around corrupt politicians and unsavory characters hoping to keep them from their goal: restoring the light in the CITY OF EMBER.
A Walden Media and Playtone co-production, this heart-thumping, edge-of-your seat adventure boasts an impressive cast and crew of acclaimed, award-winning talent. CITY OF EMBER was directed by Gil Kenan (Academy Award® nominee for “Monster House”), and was produced by Playtone’s Gary Goetzman and Tom Hanks. Recent Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan (“Atonement”) as Lina leads an impressive cast that also includes Academy Award® nominee Bill Murray, in the role of the larger than life Mayor of Ember, Harry Treadaway (“Control”) as Doon, Academy Award nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Secrets & Lies”) as Clary, and Toby Jones (“Infamous”) as Barton Snode, the Mayor of Ember’s right hand man. Academy Award® winner Tim Robbins plays Loris Harrow, father of Doon, and Academy Award® winner Martin Landau appears as Sol, the Pipeworks gauge minder. The film is from a script written by Caroline Thompson (“Edward Scissorhands”) based on the best-selling novel by Jeanne Duprau.
The creative production team includes Academy Award® nominated costume designer Ruth Myers (“Emma,” “The Addams Family”), Academy Award® winning senior special effects supervisor Kit West (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”), Academy Award® nominated special effects set supervisor John Evans (“Moonraker”), production designer Martin Laing (“Titanic”), cinematographer Xavier Perez Grobet (“Before Night Falls”), supervising art director Joe Billington (“Pearl Harbor,” “Troy”) and art director James Foster (“Children of Men.”)

Check out the first poster from the film below!

Here's the POSTER btw:
350sd4m.jpg
 
I actually read the novel and half of the sequel (for some reason, I think it lost the magic). I don't think the poster does the film any justice, however.
 
I actually read the novel and half of the sequel (for some reason, I think it lost the magic). I don't think the poster does the film any justice, however.
Well, it's only a teaser, hopefully the primary poster later on will be an improvement.
 
Well, it's only a teaser, hopefully the primary poster later on will be an improvement.

I definitely have faith in the film. They chose the perfect actress for the lead.
 
Telling my sister about it yesterday & then say's that the book is on her shelf, got to go read it now :)
 
Sounds pretty cool. I'm not familiar with the book, I might check it out.
 
I have to say, that looked really good.
 
I remember reading a bit of the book and I liked it, I just was never able to come around and finish it. Anyhow, I just saw the teaser and it looked pretty good, fans of the book should enjoy because it seems to follow along smoothly within its footsteps.
 
That looks pretty damn awesome, actually. I'll have to see it. :up:
 
Looks interesting...This is the guy that did Monster House.

Shouldn't be too bad.

-TNC
 
Just saw the trailer before the new Narnia. Looks interesting.
 
Hey guys!

Got my hands on some exclusive, first-look screen captures from the upcoming action/adventure film, City of Ember (in theatres, 10/10/08).

I’ve talked with Hunter Rider, and we’re both really excited about seeing Bill Murray in his role as the villainous Mayor Cole.

Synopsis: The latest fantasy novel adaption from Fox Walden is City of Ember. Based on the 2003 novel by Jeanne Duprau, Ember follows two kids, Lina and Doon, who live in the City of Ember, where the sky is always dark. As Ember’s power source begins to fail and the lamps start to flicker, they search for clues that will unlock ancient mysteries about the city and save the people of Ember. The film stars Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway, Toby Jones, Martin Landau, Mackenzie Crook, Mary Kay Place, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

Other notable mentions: Directed by Gil Kenan (Monster House, Oscar nominated) and screenplay by Caroline Thompson (Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands).

Watch the trailer and let everyone know what you think!

I have posted the exclusive screen shots below, there's a little description of what's going on underneath each of the images.

bill_murray_cityofember_gk.jpg

Bill Murray plays Mayor Cole; I'm really looking forward to his work in this film! He has such great comic timing, and I'm sure he'll do well to make this film good for all audiences, young and old.

coe_photo2.jpg

Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse Ronan, Atonement) with the "Instructions of Egress" that unlocks the mystery to finding a way out of the City of Ember.

coe_photo1.jpg

Gives you a good idea about the set design-- Martin Laing (Titanic, Pearl Harbor) really gave the movie an epic and unique post-apocalyptic aesthetic. Another tidbit, it was filmed in a former paint hall in Belfast, Ireland's Titanic Quarter. Other filming sites included England, Romania, Prague and Berlin.
 
Was that post an advertisement?

I'm definately seeing this...
 
It sounds interesting...but I wish the trailer would have stopped flashing, that got really annoying.
I'm sure the whole film isn't like that though...
I'll probably see it just for Saoirse Ronan, because she was fantastic in Atonement.
 

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