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EXCLUSIVE: David Fincher is trying again with Heavy Metal, the animated anthology film he set up two years ago at Paramount, only to see the studio drop the project.
Fincher’s shopping a version I would call vastly more appealing. I’m told that Fincher has Avatar director James Cameron ready to direct a segment, as well as 300 director Zack Snyder. Fincher is directing one himself. And, oh yeah, the whole thing will be 3-D animation. 
Heavy Metal is inspired by the `70s science fiction fantasy magazine., which previously was the basis for a 1981 film and a 2000 sequel. This version will consist of eight or nine individual animated segments, each by a different director, all of them infused with the spirit of the erotic and violent storylines that defined the magazine. In its Paramount incarnation, Fincher had Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator and Heavy Metal magazine publisher Kevin Eastman ready to direct a segment, as well as Tim Miller, who runs Blur Studios, the enterprise that was set to handle the animation. Not sure if they’re still doing segs.
I’ll drop in other directors and details as I get them. The project is in search of a financier and distributor. Anthologies usually appeal to a limited audience, but this sounds like one that will be a strong draw to the fanboy audience that loves Sin City. Like that film, this will deserve its R rating.
It is the second anthology film I’ve written about in two days, following the Relativity Media comedy that has 17 directors filming segments for a film styled after `70s cult classics Kentucky Fried Movie and The Groove Tube. I was remiss in not noting the number of writers on the picture. There are 14 of them. Can’t wait to sit through the credit roll at the end of the film.
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Well, that’s a different way to sell it. Should have less of a problem getting it lit, but budget will still most likely be an issue.
Either way, I’m in. Sounds killer.
I grew up in the age of Heavy Metal. I’m 28 now and a struggling film maker in the non corprate do it you self…publishing world the additude that can only be produced by that movemet that heavy metal started… my coment is more of a question. If budgeting is an issue than why not open the format as a contest to to achieve the metal that is’ heavy metal? “kinda like battle of the bands”
Notice how the sequel was made one year before the original. That’s a quick turnaround. Here’s a hint: the sequel is “Heavy Metal 2000″.
3D is the right way to go. Like the Blake Snyder mantra, “Give me the same, only different”, it needs to do something the first two didn’t, like have those futuristic barbarian women just jump out of the screen at me. Wow, I’m already drooling in my popcorn.
The sequel was not good. Go back to the original to see what made it good and what weakened it (the segments that worked were the funnier ones, not the self-serious ones.)
The animation has to be sick: lots of cartoon sex and head-splitting, screaming-in-agony death, and some real laughs, please. Really, that’s what I want in every movie. Oh, and robots snorting Nyborg.
You’re an idiot. The article clearly says, “a 1981 film and a 2000 sequel.” What are you talking about?
I loved the first movie and much enjoyed the sequel. I see no reason that genius should be sullied with a gimmick like 3D. If they make it in 3D, even the 2D version will have been made for 3D. Seeing those images made for 3D in 2D is distracting to say the least. (Reference films like Journey to the Center of the Earth.)
I agree that the sequel isn’t as good as the original, but it is still great – just different. I also agree that the humor of the first was lacking in the second. I expect that the new movie will have both comic and serious segments. This is only logical.
Buy cartoon porn. The rest of us actually care about seeing a ‘movie’. These things are great and all, but only in the context of the story(ies). If that is really what you want in every movie, you are likely so limited of intellect that I am wasting my time communicating with you at all.
Aces on the Nyborg snorting! You did get one thing right!
really?
Take your ‘comedy’ crap and STUFF IT! That’s the last thing we need ruining this venture!
What makes the original so good is its nostalgia factor, not its content. That great 70′s soundtrack, the dated animation, John Candy, etc. I don’t think you’ll be able to capture that in a remake. Also, when the original was released, the American mainstream had never seen violent, sexy, punk cartoons. Now every fanboy has at least a copy of “Akira” or “Ninja Scroll” on his hard drive. Not that it won’t make money – the words “James Cameron” and “3D” are worth a $70 million opening weekend all by themselves.
Bring it. This movie is long overdue.
Ofcourse they dropped it. The audience is so small because it’s too dirty for today’s average audience. If you see what’s making money it’s not things like this, it’s kids films, Pixar movies came up with many times what heavy metal 2 did. If you’re in the biz of selling what people see, it has to be something they want to see. The style of this will never go away, it would be great if someone could bring that style of animation or even not animated stuff into the theatres under a pg13 rating, or even G. That’s more of a challenge for an idiot, because a disillusioned producer will see only the illusion of the power of film, disguised with cursing and sex… but what the audience really wants is adventure! When you see something new and totally foreign and mysterious, like when alien came out the 1st time, that’s something, but when you copy something, that’s bullsh@#$… er ummm …right . Hope you get the point.
> Of course they dropped it. The audience is so small …
Yup. The audience for this is about the same size as the audience for “Eyes Wide Shut”. Only difference is that EWS was a relatively cheap film to make and this will cost $100 million plus marketing.
It might be a fun film but I think it’s virtually guaranteed to be a money loser.
i was an original fan of the mag when it came out. likewise i loved the ’81 movie as it used story lines from the first year of the mag. i would love to see a modern 3D story based on the mag… as long as it stays true to the spirit of the stories/artists/imagination of this ingenious and unique publication. oh and it definitely needs a slamming soundtrack… it is ‘Heavy Metal’ after all…
When I was little I caught the original Heavy Metal on cable. I must say that it fucked me up… Don’t know if they’ll be able to sell this to the 13 and youngers.
13 and under isn’t their target audience any way…
This will be ruined because all of the directors are well known fem1nist guys so we will get lots of anti-male violence and overbearing politically correct BS! Just like most movies made these days. This is not what the ‘Heavy Metal’ magazine was about (before Eastman took it over). In fact it was very NON-PC when it was most popular during the 70s / 80s. The directors attached are all talented but this will be a bittersweet experience because it will be ruined with lost of male-bashing.
Well said Darren T.
If he’s shopping it around to the likes of Paramount, then there’s no escaping of a PC bastardization of the original idea.
I’m against remakes on principle. I loathe the idea.
If he wanted to be slightly original, and wanted to make a movie in a similar vein as Heavy Metal…why not write something unique. Make a movie that stars all of the Heavy Metal album cover mascots of years gone by! I’d love to see a movie starring Manowar’s Dark Avenger character…and see him interact with Maiden’s Eddie…Overkills winged skull…etc…etc…etc…
But i bet this dude doesn’t even like real metal. And he’s approaching this from a financial perspective. I’m sure it’d have shitty false-metal bands doing the soundtrack anyways.
Other director choices? I think Eli Roth would do a great job directing one of the segments. He certainly has a handle one a good mix of violence and humor.
Can the South Park guys write it?
Their homage was brilliant!
I Hope Columbia Pictures Will Make This Movie
Cuz’ I LOVE Sony
If someone was willing to give “visionary” director Shane Acker fifty million dollars to make a bland movie about burlap dolls, someone else ought to have the satchel to fund David Fincher. Egad.
The difference is that while 9 was far too dark for kids and entirely too lame for adults, Heavy Metal has a distinct and reasonably sizable audience just waiting for guys like Fincher and Snyder to unleash their dark sides but good. Few properties boast the ability to accommodate multiple visions, and this project is an opportunity for greatness. Someone with fifty million dollars just needs to grow a pair.
But keep it a passion project. Keep the budget modest, forego some great big ad campaign, and give these guys free reign with the t ‘n a and blood ‘n guts. The fanboys, the Fincher fans, the budding masturbators of the world, and the Internet will take care of the rest.
Wouldn’t mind seeing Tarantino in the credits, either.
Yes, give a segment to Team America’s Parker & Stone!
I have the orginal Heavy Metal on DVD but I’ve seen it before dvds were invented. I have to agree about animation becouse I enjoyed looking at the graphic artwork in the mag. One vignette I wouldn’t seeing is one called Boddyessy by Richard Corben; I saw Heavy Metal 2000 when it first appeared on Starz a decade ago and I like the narrative to that one too. But if male bashing is in this paticular film it’s going to turn some of males off.
Oh Yeah!
The early years of Heavy Metal magazine, and the spirit of the 1981 movie, were almost exclusively based on the original French magazine, Metal Hurlant.
It is for example after having read the original pages of Metal Hurlant that Ridley Scott decided to do Blade Runner.
Later on, the quality of Heavy Metal magazine dropped as the arrangement between Metal Hurlant and Heavy Metal ended, and Heavy Metal decided to buy cheaper material. Since Kevin Eastman took over it became even worse.
David Fincher would be well inspired to go back to the roots and to have a look at the Humanoids (the company which originally published the magazine) books and graphic novels for some real quality material. Check out some of the titles at http://www.humanoids.com
While interesting, I just don’t know how this will be profitable for a studio.
The original “Heavy Metal” movie is Columbia TriStar’s most lucrative title – to suggest that a new bigger budget version of this movie with big name directors won’t make money is ignoring that fact there’s ALWAYS an audience for sex, violence, and rock and roll in films.
It may not get wide distribution in multiplexes (children’s films seem to dominate these days) but it’s Blu-Ray/DVD haul should be staggering.
Make sure it’s a hard “R” don’t pull any punches.
Too bad Russ Meyer isn’t alive to direct a segment!
Make sure to get the band “Airbourne” on the soundtrack!
I can’t wait for this!!!
Jon Zaremba
Considering the fact that Fincher’s a NIN (Nine Inch Nails) fan, your comment about him possibly not being a real metal fan is kind of unsound. Besides have you seen Se7en? Or Fight Club? There are a lot of great metal music in those movies, especially Se7en. Plus not to mention that Fincher’s directed music videos for Billy Idol, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, The Wallflowers, Nine Inch Nails, and A Perfect Circle.