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BREAKING… UPDATE… Another movie in Hasbro’s groundbreaking deal with Universal Pictures bites the dust. So has another Taylor Lautner project. If you recall, Universal was planning a slate of films based on Hasbro board games beginning with Battleship. Then, the studio put Ouija, Clue, Monopoly and Magic, The Gathering in turnaround. Now, it’s Stretch Armstrong, which Universal at first was determined to make but which now has been dropped and picked up by Relativity Media. 
The Universal version had Rob Letterman attached to direct and Taylor Lautner attached to star in a whopper of a deal to play the title character. But Deadline has learned that the Twilight Saga star is no longer attached. The Tay-Tay camp is claiming “it was our choice” to pull out of the film, but in fact a project insider told Deadline months ago right after Lautner’s Lionsgate film Abduction bombed that the studio was rethinking the project with Lautner as star but that Hasbro would make the final decision on the status of the project. Looks like that has happened. The Relativity release below makes no mention of Letterman either:
(Beverly Hills, Calif.) January 30, 2012 –Relativity Media has partnered with global branded play company Hasbro, Inc. [NASDAQ-HAS] to develop and produce a live-action tent-pole film based on Stretch Armstrong, the iconic action hero figure launched in the 1970s, it was announced today by Relativity’s Co-President, Tucker Tooley and Hasbro’s President and CEO, Brian Goldner.
Relativity will be the domestic distributor and will release the film internationally through its network of foreign output partners. The film is targeted for an April 11, 2014 release date.
The film will be produced by Relativity’s CEO, Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter), Hasbro’s Goldner (Transformers) and Bennett Schneir, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Motion Pictures (Battleship). Tooley (Immortals) will serve as executive producer.
Hasbro has become an entertainment powerhouse by creating hit movies and television shows from its rich portfolio of world class brands. Since 2007, Hasbro’s Transformers and G.I. Joe franchises have grossed nearly $3 billion at the worldwide box office. 2012 is shaping up to be another stellar year for Hasbro with its partners Universal Pictures releasing Battleship in April and Paramount Pictures releasing G.I. Joe: Retaliation in June. In television, Hasbro Studios produces shows like Transformers Prime and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic that can be seen on the HUB television network in the U.S. and in more than 140 countries globally.
“We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Hasbro, a company whose global reach and ability to innovate has made them immensely successful in the arena of brand re-imagination– as evidenced by their legacy of creating such franchises as Transformers and G.I. Joe,” said Tooley, “We look forward to bringing Stretch Armstrong to audiences worldwide.”
“Stretch Armstrong is a great example of Hasbro’s rich portfolio of intellectual properties that we are continuing to develop globally,” said Goldner, “We are excited to partner with Relativity on this movie as they are a growing and innovative studio.”
Stretch Armstrong is the classic action hero figure first launched by Hasbro in 1976 and re-launched in the 90’s, sold successfully throughout North America and in markets across the world. The original Stretch’s unique design broke free of traditional action figures, as he could be stretched over and over and always returned back to his original size. The nostalgic toy is considered to be rare and collectible to this day.
Relativity recently released Oscar®-winner Steven Soderbergh’s dynamic action-thriller Haywire in theatres. Looking ahead, Relativity will release the the heart-pounding Navy SEAL action-thriller Act of Valor (in theatres February 24, 2012) and magical adventure comedy Mirror Mirror (in theatres March 30, 2012), starring Oscar®-winner Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Nathan Lane, and Armie Hammer. The studio just wrapped production on the comedy 21 and Over and is currently in pre-production on Nicholas Sparks’ gripping love story Safe Haven and the international espionage thriller Hunter Killer.
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I think “Battleship” is going to surprise people and become a big global hit. “GI Joe 2″ is going to be a big hit too. There is still significant value in these pre-awareness properties with general audiences. Say what you will about Hollywood’s lack of creativity, but from a business perspective, movies based on pre-awareness properties have a big leg up. In this industry, there has always been commercial filmmaking, as well as artistic filmmaking. Sometimes the two types cross over (Dark Knight, Inception, etc), but the film business (from its very beginning) has always had both in equal parts. With all that said, I have no interest in seeing movies like “Mirror Mirror” (which looks like complete shit) but there is definitely a commercial audience out there who will go see them.
re: battleship, sadly I agree. It’s most likely going to be a big hit.
I agree. I saw the next “Battleship” trailer, and it looks entertaining in a “Mission Impossible” kind of way. Liam Neeson was a smart casting choice, even though he’s clearly not in much of the movie.
How did that guy become a big movie star?? I’m a big fan, but it still baffles me.
Liam became a star when he did a little movie called “Schindler’s List”….
Husbands and Wives
Yes, but it’s still weird he’s the go to action star right now.
You’re a big fan but you’re baffled how he became a movie star? Really??? Please tell me you don’t live in LA County. I hate the thought of someone like you driving on the same streets as me. At least tell me you don’t drive in Santa Monica.
I agree it is baffling that Neeson has become a huge action movie star, the Charles Bronson of today. I think it primarily started with him playing a Jedi in Phantom Menace. Not a good role and not a good film, but seen numerous times by many kids who are now young adults. His acting talent from his acclaimed dramatic roles in the 90s led to him being cast in Gangs of NY and Kingdom of Heaven playing strong, swashbuckling, tough characters, culminating in him being cast in Batman Begins as the samurai/ninja master and finally he goes full Chuck Norris in the smash action hit Taken. But the funny thing is that Neeson had always been willing to do those kind of roles, back in the start of his career he was in Excalibur, Krull, Chuck Norris’ The Delta Force, and the Dirty Harry sequel The Dead Pool. Plus in the 90s he did a Braveheart type film with a lot of sword-fighting, called Rob Roy, that probably had a lot to do with him being cast by Lucas as a Jedi.
The reason people like Liam Neeson doing action? Because he’s a real man. Unlike the plucked girly boys like Taylor Lautner, Matt Damon etc that usually populate action movies these days. Women (and other men) want to see men onscreen. Not girly boys (unless you’re one of the many pedo casting directors in Hollywood that is).
No pun intended, but TAKEN took Neeson to a whole ‘nother level, and showed Hollywood the man could be an action star.
Has the release date for Battleship been moved to April? When did that happen?
I feel bad for the kid Lautner.
You feel bad for a kid who starred in a successful franchise and has done movies on his own? I feel bad for the unknown actors out there just waiting, while the same people get films time and time again. Lautner will be fine.
well said.
Lautner is not yet among those who get cast for everything. He’s still trying to prove himself and Abduction didn’t help. And, remember, he was thisclose from getting fired from the Twilight sequels altogether. It hasn’t exactly been served on a silver platter for him.
Talented or not, I hope he’s saving his Twilight money.
Taylor Lautner is just another Josh Hartnett. Just another pretty face the suits will push until the public come around to the idea this guy is actually just that… a pretty face. So expect a half of dozen or so more terribly acted movies by Lautner before we say goodbye forever. At least his movies will always have a great supporting cast
Battleship looks awful. If hasbro is going to whore out their properties then at least think long term and not short term. Transformers was soooo successful cause the first movie was pretty damn good, much better than most of us thought it would be. GI joe sucked but the sequel looks like Paramount realized their mistake from the first one and actually looks pretty good.
A “pretty face”??? Seriously? The first transformers was “pretty damn good”? Wow. Low standards triumph.
GI Joe was a lot better than Transformers. Transformers action was hard to follow, it looked like piles of junk rolling down a hill, the robots were fairly indistinguishable. The action in GI Joe was better because they had a better cast playing characters with more personality. Shya Thebeef is a terrible action star and he can’t make the lame broad comedy of Transformers work. Obviously I realize that neither film was particularly great, but for what they were trying to be, GI Joe was the better film.
You believed that? Pretty sure the “Taylor Lautner not returning to Twilight” saga was all PR.
They didn’t even audition anyone else for the role of Jacob. So yes, his job was never really in danger. With the kind of rushed schedule they were on (the reason Hardwicke took a hike) and moving the entire production up to Vancouver, they were never going to take the time to recast a lead role.
PR that helped who? They’d already fired Catherine Hardwicke and Lautner was a nobody. Other actors were considered for his role before Weitz decided to keep him.
He has eight figures in the bank, earned by total luck and zero discernible talent. I’d reserve such feelings for someone else.
No need to feel bad. That’s like feeling bad for someone who won the lottery. Everyone that works in hollywood knows that the whole thing with him and Twilight was a big fluke. He was never destined to become a $10 million actor – and yet he found himself on that perch. Team TL has been trying to capitalize on that fluke – but he can’t act and has no appeal outside of taking his shirt off. He’s a little guy who was destined to become one those stunt actors doing the Waterworld show at Universal theme park, yet found himself being billed as the next Tom Cruise.
He’ll be fine, he’s made lots of money – but winning the lottery twice? I think not.
Couldn’t agree more. It was a total fluke that he landed Twilight. Fans aren’t flocking to see TAYLOR, they are flocking to see their favorite book character JACOB. The kid cannot act at all. I hope he does well in whatever profession it is he chooses down the road – he’s very talented in martial arts, etc, but I hope it’s not acting that he continues with.
Don’t feel bad for him, instead chastize the studio execs who pounced on him b4 he had the talent to carry a film. They’re the villains here.
Call the Waambulance.
He was/is greedy, asking ten million per pic, even for an indie (per Hollywood Reporter). He lined up and dropped out of deals and now apparently has nothing. The supposed Gus Van Sant deal looks like hot air his camp used to distract from Abduction bombing.
Joe Roth must be having a huge laugh over this. Lautner should have made Max Steel after all.
I still think a dark, gritty version of Clue would be awesome. The rest of these don’t interest me in the slightest.
YES! Clue would be amazing.
You’ve seen the Hub show?
I really hope this becomes a priority for Gore. It really is ripe for an inventive re-imagining.
At first I assumed you were kidding when you said a “dark gritty version of Clue.” Then I realized you were serious. Perhaps we can also hope for Oliver Stone or Michael Moore to direct Monopoly, or Terence Malick to direct LIFE, or Rob Zombie’s Twister. Operation directed by Eli Roth.
I would definitely pay to see “Operation” directed by Eli Roth. Rob Zombie’s “Twister,” too, for that matter. I’d also enjoy either Stone or Moore’s lefty take on the entirely horrible gameplay concept of Monopoly, wherein children are taught that becoming Mitt Romney is the greatest thing one can aspire to, no matter how many lives are shattered in the process. I’ve already SEEN Terrence Malic’s “Life” (it’s called The Tree of Life).
I think you were trying to be ironic, but you just named perfectly appropriate directors for all the games you mentioned. Sarcasm Fail.
LOL, you’re taking those seriously. You think Terence Malick would direct a movie derived from a board game. Keep waiting, it will happen right as soon as David Lynch directs My Little Pony. Or that Hasbro would want their family franchises that are all destined for PG ratings directed by the others. ” ..perfectly appropriate directors” in what alternate universe? The punchline you missed, is that dark, NC17/R rated adult takes on kiddie franchises defeat the whole reason those toy franchise family films exist.
Not the best news for Taylor Lautner. There must be a way for a studio to tap into his Twilight “value” but it needs to be in a broad-audience commercial movie that plays to his strengths. Probably something with a big idea that doesn’t require any real acting… The post-Twilight choices he’s made so far have been horrendous. He was funny on SNL — maybe a broad comedy?
Lautner should do a Terminator-type role — speak little, look great, and save the day.
I totally agree. If I was a studio exec, I would sleep much better knowing I had a property or a toy franchise to brand my film. Look at the films from 30, 40, 50 years ago. Disney animated films were mostly based on fairy tale properties, most live-action movies were based on books, plays, existing characters. Nothing has really changed. I think there can be a mix of new ideas too (although there’s really no such thing as an “original” idea from a story/structural perspective – just the way it’s re-packaged). If I was betting my own money, I’d choose a property over an unknown concept.
Very true. It’s easy for people to throw stones anonymously in a comments board, but I would do the same thing if my ass was on the line. Whether we writers like it or not, these things are smart business choices.
I never thought about that before re: Disney and old films.
Board games aren’t stories. Stretch Armstrong isn’t a character, he is silly putty. He is as much a dramatic property as Slinky is. You can’t compare fairy tales that are rich with human archetypes to a rubik’s cube.
I think there’s much more creativity and artistic invention involved in making a movie based on a simple concept or a character like a toy property — than making a movie based on a dramatic property. Every “commercial” movie needs a high concept to start with, but everything beyond that simple idea is a writer/producer/director’s imagination. I actually think that’s a more impressive achievement than adapting an existing novel/play, etc.
Spielberg’s “Lincoln Logs” is likely to be a big hit and turn this whole Hasbro thing around.
HAAAAAAAAAA!!!! Post of the week.
Coming soon, “Boggle: The Movie.” Starring Taylor Lautner as the G!
Taylor Lautner would be perfect in the sequel to ‘The Artist.’
Wow. I am giddy with joy to see a studio actually back away from what surely have been a DUMB movie. With a pug-faced, wooden star. Who had his chance and couldn’t draw. Now it’s time to give someone new a chance. Maybe someone who has the screen persona of a real alpha male. And some charisma, too.
My parents got Harrison Ford and Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. I get Taylor Lautner and Channing Tatum.
Stretch Armstrong is a Z-list property. It has zero currency today. No one cares about it.
Kinda like John Carter. Of Mars. Who can take that trailer seriously?
Some titles are AAA properties. Others, not so much.
Maybe this is a sign that major studios are learning to tell which are which.
And no, I do not work in this industry. Not for a studio. Not a writer. Nothing of the sort. I just like good movies, be they commercial or not.
I love how the geniuses decide to rename “John Carter of Mars” and call it instead “John Carter” – believing that it would be more appealing to a wider audience. Yeah, sure. Great idea. I think they should have just gone a step further and called it “John”, which I think appeals to even MORE people.
I’m fairly certain the studio removed the ‘From Mars’ from the title after the horrible box office on ‘Mars Needs Moms’.
Don’t see how this is a real loss for Lautner — he’ll be just fine. Glad to see this project out of Universal’s hands and in someone else’s.
Lautner is young and trying to figure out what roles are best for him. He’s good looking and likeable and has a bright future ahead.
Agree — Lautner just stepped off of a franchise gold mine and has a lot of potential to grow as an actor. I have no doubt that he’ll find another great project..
I believe “Abduction” had fewer shirtless scenes with TL than he had in any one of the “Twilight” episodes. He’s a girls’ actor, so they should know better than to rely on him for an action film with hardly a flash of skin.
Imagine, if you will, what they could have done with Stretch!
So does this kill Lautner’s chances of becoming the next Clooney/Pitt/Leo? I’m not in the industry and haven’t seen a Lautner movie and that’s all I heard about this kid is that he’s the next huge star.
Taylor Lautner did a fantastic job in the Twilight series, and pulled off convincing teen angst even before he bulked up. He needs another role as an awkward outcast who happens to be hot. It will work.
“Convincing teen angst?” He was a teenager when he filmed them. Not that tough.
Oh, another fabricated “project” for Lautner bites the dust… The guy has zero charisma, is not good-looking, is a bad actor. And yet his team tried to tell us he was the “new Tom Cruise”, LOL! He is more like the new Sal Mineo (only not as good as actor).
He “Can’t act and he is rich” yes I feel bad for him. Once the “Twilight Movies” are done so is he.
Why does the press release state Universal is releasing ‘Battleship’ in April? I thought it was slated for a May release because it’s a “big-budget tentpole” with hopes of it being a summer blockbuster? What’s going on???
It’s being released in April in international territories (as is Avengers). It releases in US on May 18
Someone at Universal finally came out from under their desk and said WTF are we doing. Easily the Hasbro movies if all were made could total more then a Billion Dollars. The titles alone would kill the films…give me a break Clue…first they got a look at Battleship and reigned in their enthusiaism..hisses were expressed when the trailer was shown at the Arclight Sherman Oaks. Someone screamed Transformers in Water World. How many buildings, freeways, helicopter can they destory..i guess alot. Peter Berg is an idea man, but has the attention span of a hummingbird. Can’t execute long term and just look at his “can’t focus” camera work that he loves. Makes one throw up. I say pull out Creature from the Black Lagoon, but stay away from Gary Ross. Reboot with hard working film people that desire to make a good movie…and limit the producers down to less then can be seated in a baseball dugout. Have a game plan…a script..reasonably produced and mutually agreed to budget..HIT. Where studios screw up they really dont know who they are hiring…the below the line people like a UPM, Ist Asst. Directors Production Designer can kill a movie by a slow death of a thousand cuts. Their studio production executives wake up taking a pee in an adversarial role. Nothing will change though…executives leave, die or say WTF am I doing and leave. The practice of egos, bloated budgets, personal agendas, and plain lousy work habits continue and the art gets left behind. Give me three days and for movie with a good script…I can crew it with the most respectable, hardest working, caring TALENTED professional film makers in Hollywood. It is all about the broth, ingridients, and the heat from the flame. Simple as that. BETTHEDUCK
Taylor Launter sets off my five-alarm gaydar. The guy just screams gay to me the moment he opens his mouth. And unfortunately, for the roles he wants, coming across that way just won’t work.
Taylor has a huge following from the Twilight films, he just needs the right role now.
The poster who wrote that his parents got Harrison Ford,Steve McQueen and Paul Newman and he gets Taylor Lautner,well that was funny and to the point.Is Lautner someone’s relative,lover,what?This Hollywood honestly thinks Lautner is an action hero guy?How about Pattinson redoing Die Hard or playing Indiana Jones? These vampire movies make a lot of money but seem to be a dead end for these guys.
You can’t look at it as a dead end, you can only look at it as ‘the biggest firkin fluke for them all’. Rob wanted to be a musician when he landed Twilight. He now has $30 million in the bank and would likely be playing guitar on 3rd street promenade had he not gotten the role.
TL would be a background dancer on Glee right about now had he not gotten the role.
Twilight was the BEST thing to ever happen to these guys.
Pattinson has nothing to do with Lautner, they are two very different people. Pattinson got good reviews for Water for Elephants and it was a box office success. Pattinson finished a movie with David Cronenberg, Cosmopolis, and he’s supposed to be great in it. Pattinson, unlike Lautner, is building up his acting resume by doing dramas and working with people like Cronenberg.
Kristen Stewart will be in a hit film this summer — Snow White and the Huntsman. I bet it’s going to work.
The problem for Lautner is that he desperately wants those action roles which he’s so unsuited for. He talks about wanting to be like Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, etc., but doesn’t fit the genre. Pattinson is so far sticking to period and romantic dramas which are a fit for him. His movies aren’t blockbusters but turn a decent profit.
I am eagerly awaiting for Tiddlywinks to evolve into a solid franchise. I’m pretty sure it will have legs. I hope those real important and smart Hollywood suit types read this post and get going on this real soon.
The simple fact is there aren’t a lot of movie stars left. By movie star I mean people with reliable box-office draw. So Hollywood likes to convince themselves they’ve “found” new ones.
TWILIGHT did money based on books. No one gave a shit about the casting. But if Lautner turned into a Tom Cruise or a Will Smith and made studios 200+ on everything he does, it would be great. Sadly, not the case.
Pattinson has focused more on building legit acting credentials. Stewart sucks. Anna Kendrick is the best actor to come out of that franchise.
First piece of good news this year.
To: Andrew, regarding Shya Thebeef.
Shia gave excellent performances in: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, The Battle for Shaker Heights and my favorite, The Greatest Game ever Played. I was very entertained by those films. Did you see any of them?
If he got rich from starring in Michael Bay films, whould you have said, NO, to that cash?
Regarding Taylor Lautner, I like him. However, it was a HUGE mistake to to Eff-Up, at Slate. I believe Robin B. would have served him better than WME, in the long haul. No one still really knows what went down there.
Taylor Lautner’s career, or lack thereof, is questionable from this point forward. The only project for 2012, is Breaking Dawn-2. It appears the only projects for 2013, are rumored…. AND we all know what that means. Hang on to your $$$$$ Taylor.