Joss Whedon’s ‘Dollhouse’ Shuts Down Production
Just days after learning that production on the new season of 24 has been shut down for two weeks, another FOX series is giving its cast and crew some unexpected vacation time. The highly-anticipated Dollhouse, from acclaimed TV guru Joss Whedon, has shut down production for two weeks as well.
Whedon_2 I’m told that because Joss directed two of the three episodes already shot, he has not had sufficient time to be in the writers room and tailor the upcoming scripts to his liking. A rep from 20th Century Fox — the studio behind Dollhouse — said Joss came to them asking for a couple weeks to regroup and they were happy to give it to him, adding that the situation is very similar to 24’s: With several episodes in the can and both series not scheduled to debut until mid season, they have the luxury of being able to shut down and reexamine their direction without delaying their premiere date.
Said the rep, “We have every confidence that [the extra time] will allow Joss to make the show the best it can possibly be. It’s very rare that you have a head writer who is also directing two episodes in a row. But we are happy that Joss is directing, because this is his vision.”
- from Zap2it
Will There Ever Be a ‘Serenity’ Sequel? Joss Whedon Puts the Rumors To Bed
very so often, rumors of a “Serenity” sequel pop up, and no matter how many times Joss Whedon says, “No, it’s not happening,” the rumors persist. Are they based on any behind-the-scenes maneuvers? Or if they’re not based on any reality in this ‘verse, why do they persist?
“The rumors are there because people really wish it would happen,” Whedon said.
Not just the fans — the cast, too, are partly responsible (Alan Tudyk, we’re looking at you). Why, just a few weeks ago at Comic-Con, while promoting “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” Summer Glau couldn’t contain herself. “Oh, I would love to go back and do another ‘Serenity’ movie,” she gushed. Um, I was asking about the comics — as in, any unfinished business with River you’d like to see in the Serenity comics?
“It’s just that I miss everyone,” she explained. “That experience for me was the best acting experience of my life. I had never really worked before, and we were truly like a family. It was an amazing and fun time for all of us. I feel so blessed that we got to do the film at all.” But, she added, “I feel at peace with it,” so if there weren’t another movie, she’d be OK.
Good, because it’s an “improbable fantasy,” Whedon said. Then again, “so was making ‘Serenity’ [given the cancellation of 'Firefly'], and so is half my career, which is why I never write it off.”
Like Summer, “I’d do it in a heartbeat,” Whedon said, “because I love those people so much.” But that doesn’t change the fact that the rumors are not being circulated “by anyone who owns a studio,” and “nobody’s knocking on our door.”
- from MTV
Joss Whedon Talks About His ‘Batman’ Movie That Never Was
Well, I actually did pitch a ‘Batman’ film when [Warner Bros. began developing "Batman Begins"], and it wasn’t what they did but the vibe was very similar,” said Whedon. “Mine was a bit less epic. It was more about the progression of him and it was more in Gotham City. He didn’t go to Tibet and meet cool people, but it was very similar in vibe [to Nolan's "Batman Begins"].”
After a little prodding, Whedon opened up a bit about his “Batman” idea, even going into detail about what villain he planned on using…or not using.
“In my version, there was actually a new [villain], it wasn’t one of the classics — which is probably why they didn’t use it,” he laughed. “It was more of a ‘Hannibal Lector’ type — he was somebody already in Arkham Asylum that Bruce went and sort of studied with. It was a whole thing — I get very emotional about it, I still love the story. Maybe I’ll get to do it as a comic one day.”
- from MTV
Joss Whedon talks Goners, Cabin in the Wood
From MTV:
“Goners” — Whedon once told us that he was writing a script for a movie, which he called a “very personal thing about human connection and questioning whether there is such a thing at all.” It was to be an original story, a horror fantasy, “a little darker than I’m used to,” about a young woman who gains some powers. “Not something I’ve written about before,” he joked, “but I’m excited to try some new territory.” Universal, however, has not been quite as excited just yet, as “Goners” “has gotten backburnered,” Whedon said, meaning it’s still in development. “I still have hope for it, though.”
“Cabin in the Woods” — Instead, Whedon moved on to a new movie project, which he co-wrote with “Buffy” alum and “Cloverfield” scribe Drew Goddard. “It’s genius, it’s funny,” Goddard said. “It’s got a harder and darker edge, but it’s also got classic Whedon qualities. It’ll rip your heart out and be heartfelt at the same time.” Enough with the hype, what’s it about? “There’s a reason the title is so straightforward,” Goddard teased. “It’s its own sub-genre, the cabin in the woods, and this is sort of our take on it. It’s fresh and new.”
Whedon, who said the pair are close to going out with the project, is also wearing a producer’s hat on this one; he said doing double duty is “very hard.” “Writing is like a cave,” he explained. “You have to go very far down, and you have to have time to get down there and come back up. But producing, that means you’re involved with everything. Right now, that has more to do with very preliminary stuff, budgeting and whatnot, but it’s still another thing on the list that keeps you having enough time to get into your artistic head.” Don’t worry, Goddard assures us, it’ll be worth the wait. “That man is a genre all to himself,” he said. “He’s comedy, horror, drama, all at once, and you’ll never be able to classify it as one thing. What do you call it? At the end of the day, it’s Joss.”