MTV snagged an exclusive photo from the mysterious Where the Wild Things Are, which they spotted at the New York Licensing Expo. Click on the tantalizing photo on the right to see the whole thing over on MTV. It isn't very big, but it is one of those evocative images that makes you absolutely crazy to see this movie. It really is perfect -- from the wolf suit down to those mysterious monster paws.

The rumors still abound about it. The fact that it is appearing at the Licensing Expo gives one hope that we will see it, and that they won't actually recast a child they have featured on the advertising. To catch you up, Kim talked to Tom Noonan at Cannes. He thought the film would be released as Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers had intended it to be.

Yet, as Monika reported at the beginning of June, Warner Bros is prepping a month of reshoots. It was unclear how much was being changed, but new casting calls went out for various stand-in roles. That suggests that it is more than a few pick-up shots, and that all the whispers of unhappiness and drastic alterations are true. The silence from all involved (with the exception Noonan and Forrest Whitaker) doesn't help. At least we can enjoy the picture and wonder.

[via Empire]

From Cannes last week, Kim shared a discussion with Tom Noonan about Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are. Although she wasn't able to ask about the whole Wild kerfuffle that has been going on, between test screenings and release dates, she said: "He seemed to think the film will be released in his current iteration, though of course, if that's not the case, he wouldn't necessarily be in the loop."

No, it looks like he wasn't. According to Bloody Disgusting, Warner Brothers has scheduled reshoots for Jonze's film, which will take place in Los Angeles from June 5-30. They say: "It is unclear how much is being reshot, but there are new casting calls out for various stand-in roles."

Considering the fact that test screenings reduced some kids to tears, begging to be let out of the screening, I imagine the reshoots will try to wipe away the scary bits. That'll be good for sensitive young tykes, but not so much for adults, and those who said positive things about the test screenings. Maybe they can just put out two; it would be a shame for the original vision to go to waste. Then again, all of this depends on SAG not striking.

What do you guys think? Should kids get a less-scary version? And, what should be done with Jonze's original vision?

During the roundtable interviews for Synecdoche, NY today, actor Tom Noonan, who plays one of the "wild things" in Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book, Where the Wild Things Are, chatted with us a bit about the film.

Noonan confirmed that the film was not shot using motion capture, but is "mostly live action -- they shot us (the actors) in a room, they video-taped us doing the parts, and then they trained acrobats and dancers and had them imitate our gestures, then put them in the costumes and had our voices coming out."

Things have been quiet in the land of the monsters. Too quiet. But support for the the film came from an unexpected source -- Forest Whitaker. He actually provides a voice for one of the monsters, Ira. "He puts the holes in the trees," the Oscar-winner told MTV. "I have a wife and kid, and we're the only family unit inside [the land of the Wild Things]."

Whitaker was appalled at the rumors that Warner Bros was planning to reshoot the entire film, and promised to call director Spike Jonze to get the story. In the meantime, he wanted to stress his support for the film, and report that at least three children handled a screening of it just fine -- his own. "My children are 9, 11, and 16. It was intense. They liked it, though. They enjoyed it ... It's a good movie. I saw an early cut of it. I brought my kids to see it, and I was really impressed."

Say what you want about Tarsem Singh, but you can't deny the man has a way with art direction. If you don't believe me, take a look at the trailer over at IGN for Singh's fantasy film, The Fall. Dan Gilroy's story focuses on a young girl in a hospital who befriends an American actor. The tales he tells her to pass the hours begin to bleed into the real world and suddenly everyone around her becomes part of the story. Lee Pace *(Friday Night Lights) stars as the storytelling actor, and Catinca Untaru as his captive audience. The trailer might not explain much about the film, but it now carries the seal of approval from respected directors David Fincher and Spike Jonze in the form of a 'so and so presents'. You never know, maybe it was their combined star power that helped get the film a deal with Roadside Attractions.

Unfortunately for Singh, his film career has been filled with very few ups and plenty of downs. Despite his success with music videos, critical response to his debut film, The Cell, wasn't exactly encouraging. As of late, it hasn't gotten much better for the director, and he was recently replaced by David Slade (30 Days of Night) as director on the thriller Unthinkable. The Fall is proving to be no exception to Singh's track record in Hollywood. The film was completed back in 2006, and only a few people got the chance to actually see it when it premiered at TIFF. Hopefully putting Fincher and Jonze's name on the marketing is going to help draw an audience. The Fall is expected to go into limited release in March.

*Correction: Pace stars in Pushing Daisies

Look no further, the wild things are in this post ...

Another photo from Where the Wild Things Are has popped up online (see above), courtesy of CinemaBlend. There's actually two photos, but one of them we've already seen (it features the little kid dancing around a group of unseen beasts). This new photo is actually pretty cool; this time we see the "wild things," except they have their backs toward us and are looking at what appears to be a setting sun. I read this book like a thousand times when I was a kid, and I'm stoked to see Spike Jonze directing because, honestly, aside from Tim Burton he's the only one nutty enough to take the challenge. And Jonze co-wrote the script with Dave Eggers! Insanity, folks -- insanity. Cannot wait for this; it arrives in theaters on October 3rd. A heartbreaking work of staggering genius ... or just plain heartbreaking? I guess we'll see ...

And speaking of images, a new one from Hellboy II: The Golden Army has arrived online -- and for the first time we get to see what Ron Perlman looks like as Hellboy. Well, actually, it's the second time we're seeing Perlman as Hellboy, and if you caught the first flick, then the dude looks pretty much the same. I'm sure something has changed (one more rip in his shirt?), but I'll leave it up to you fanboys to discover the new material. In the Guillermo del Toro-directed film, Hellboy and his team of creatures return to defend the earth against a bunch of other creatures. I guess you could call it a "Creature Feature" ... except not really. Hellboy II: The Golden Army arrives in theaters on July 11.

Finally, Slashfilm got their hands on Darren Aronofsky's script for The Wrestler ... and they're digging it quite a bit. This is the film Aronofsky decided to make after The Fountain tanked. It was something a little more commercial -- something that might actually make money at the box office -- and it was originally supposed to star Nicolas Cage in the lead role. Things have changed, and now Mickey Rourke is in the lead role as Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, a past-his-prime wrestler whose life has gone into the toilet. But there's always that one last shot at redemption, right? Slashfilm says, "Think Rocky, which is a very apt comparison. And the ending is something you would never expect. It's not an obvious choice. I'm sure some people will leave this movie really angry, while others will love it. One thing is for sure, I can't wait to see it on the big screen."

No, it's not another sequel to the Neve Campbell/Denise Richards classic! The extremely likable Lauren Ambrose (Claire on Six Feet Under, Denise Fleming in Can't Hardly Wait) will voice a character in the upcoming adaptation of Maurice Sendak's beloved childrens' book -- Where the Wild Things Are. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ambrose is playing KW -- "one of the giant characters in the land of the Wild Things. When a young boy named Max visits their strange world, KW and company turn him into their king."

Ambrose is taking over the role from Michelle Williams. Apparently Williams got along well with the filmmakers, but "her voice didn't match their original vision of how the Wild Things should sound." Where the Wild Things Are mixes flesh-and-blood actors, computer animation, and live-action puppetry. I can't wait to see it, I adored the book as a kid and I love pretty much everyone involved with the film. Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation -- a couple of my favorite flicks) will direct, and wrote the screenplay with Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, one of my favorite books). You can go into the Wild in Fall 2008.

In honor of the striking screenwriters, I wanted to write a list of my favorites, either contemporary or all-time. But I decided that it would be more respectful to not exclude any of them. Even the bad writers need recognition right now. I've tried writing screenplays, and I salute anyone who has had one produced, whether brilliant or not. Even if it weren't difficult to actually write a script, it's certainly tough to deal with the b.s. of Hollywood and the sad truth that your vision will likely not make it to the screen as devised. So, instead of concentrating on real writers, I figured I'd look at screenwriter characters, specifically those portraying the hardships of the job.

"Joe Gillis" from Sunset Blvd. (1950, Billy Wilder).

I imagine there's nothing scarier for a struggling screenwriter than the thought of ending up like poor Joe Gillis (William Holden). The opening shot of Wilder's classic shows the character floating face down in a swimming pool, and immediately he's labeled "an unsuccessful screenwriter." This sets up a hopelessness for the character, and for writers in general, as the film then flashes back to one of the greatest stories of Hollywood cynicism ever made. Gillis not only represents the difficulty of making it as a screenwriter, he also shares some juicy lines about how writers aren't recognized enough by the public ("Audiences don't know somebody sits down and writes a picture; they think the actors make it up as they go along."); about drastic alterations to his scripts ("The last one I wrote was about Okies in the dust bowl. You'd never know because when it reached the screen, the whole thing played on a torpedo boat.") and about the desperation that turns good writers into seemingly hack writers (replying to talk of his once promising talent, he says, "That was last year. This year I'm trying to make a living."). There were screenwriter characters before him, and plenty after, but Gillis will forever be the quintessential example.

It's probably hard enough adapt a book into a screenplay, especially if your source material only runs about 15 pages long. New York Magazine reports that they have managed to get hold of a copy of the screenplay for Where the Wild Things Are by Dave Eggers and Spike Jonze. Now for the good news: according to them, it is pretty darned good (that's if it's still the same version written back in '05). NY's Culture Vulture blog posts, "Where the Wild Things Are is filled with richly imagined psychological detail, and the screenplay for this live-action film simply becomes a longer and more moving version of what Maurice Sendak's book has always been at heart: a book about a lonely boy leaving the emotional terrain of boyhood behind".

If you have never read Wild Things, my first question would be -- did you even have a childhood? But I realize there are probably at least a few of you out there who, for one reason or another, never picked it up. Where the Wild Things Are centers on "Max, who one evening plays around his home, 'making mischief' in a wolf costume (chasing the dog with a fork, etc.). As punishment, his mother sends him to bed without supper. In his room, a mysterious, wild forest grows out of his imagination and Max journeys to the land of the Wild Things"

According to NY Magazine, the flick now makes Max an "8-year-old with an absent father, an older sister who's drifting away from him, a mother whose personal and job concerns leave her little time or energy for the rambunctious boy she dearly loves". Even though Culture Vulture didn't offer up many details, I've read enough Dave Eggers to know that no one can pluck the 'familial heartstrings' like he can, so I would be inclined to get behind their enthusiasm. Combine Eggers writing with Jonze's style and the odds seem pretty good that this could be the family film to beat in 2008.

While out promoting Superbad, rising comedic star Jonah Hill told MTV that he'll be starring in yet another Apatow-produced flick, Pure Imagination. Like with the previously announced Middle Child (which is currently out to directors), Hill wrote the script and will produce along with his pal Judd Apatow. These will be Hill's next two films, after the three (One Part Sugar, Horton Hears a Who, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) he's either wrapped or wrapping up now. Pic, which Hill said could incorporate some CGI, will apparently follow a guy who isn't sure whether his new girlfriend is real or not (which kind of reminds me of the premise for the upcoming Ryan Gosling flick Lars and the Real Girl).

According to Hill, "Basically, I go through a bunch of traumatic stuff, and I develop an imaginary friend. Then what happens is I meet a girl, and we start dating ... but the problem is I don't know whether she [actually] exists [or] whether she's a figment of my imagination." I imagine a problem like that could be solved rather easily, but Hill adds: "It's basically a relationship movie, but the whole time I'm trying to avoid finding out whether she's real or not." So here's this guy who's really digging his new girlfriend (who may or may not be real), but he avoids potential truths because he's having such a blast with her. Interesting. Sweet. Sincere. I think I like. Interestingly enough, Hill goes on to say that the goal is to mix their brand of down-to-earth relatable humor with some of the more extravagant (in terms of visuals) stuff you'll find in a Spike Jonze or Michel Gondry film. "It's kind of like a little bit artsier," he notes. An artsy loser comedy with tons of CGI? How can you go wrong. Look for both Middle Child and Pure Imagination to show up at some point in 2008/2009. Meanwhile, Hill can next be seen in Superbad (did you check out the brand new R-rated clip yet?) later this summer on August 17.

Although this year's New York Comic-Con was a disappointment with regards to their coverage of upcoming geek-related films, this summer's San Diego Comic-Con (July 26-29) will be picking up the slack; they've just unveiled a fine list of films that will be giving sneak preview presentations at The Con. Hopefully we'll be getting some tasty footage out of most of these; if not, I'm sure others (which include films that just recently started production) will provide pics, plot info, etc ... The full list of films (which is subject to change at any time, and will probably grow larger as Comic-Con gets closer) is as follows:

Alien vs. Predator 2: No Peace On Earth, American Gangster, Babylon AD, Balls of Fury, Beowulf, The Bourne Ultimatum, Coraline, Fred Claus, Get Smart, The Golden Compass, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, I Am Legend, The Incredible Hulk, Indiana Jones 4, Invasion, Iron Man, National Treasure 2, Resident Evil: Extinction, Speed Racer, The Strangers, Stardust, Star Trek XI, Sunshine, Sweeney Todd, 30 Days of Night, Trick 'r Treat, Wanted, Where The Wild Things Are, White Out.

Right off the bat, I find it interesting that Alien vs. Predator 2 has the title No Peace on Earth attached to it. That seems new, and I wonder whether or not it will stick. Also, where's The Dark Knight? There's no way Warner Bros. is letting their Batman Begins follow-up skip class that day; look for this one to show up unannounced. Some pics that folks will be especially interested in include Star Trek XI (will we finally get a finalized cast list?), Indiana Jones 4 (pics of Harrison Ford as Indy? A title? Sean Connery announcement?), The Incredible Hulk (our first peak at the brand new look of Hulk?) and Where The Wild Things Are (anyone else dying to see what Spike Jonze has done with this classic children's book?). Cinematical will be attending San Diego Comic-Con this year, so stay tuned for lots more as we get closer to the convention.

Most aspiring screenwriters view Charlie Kaufman as somewhat of a God. The way in which he plays with basic structure and surrounds his surreal stories with very real characters is definitely something to admire. He's a star. And he's a writer. Those two words represent two worlds that rarely connect in a way that doesn't leave the latter left feeling like a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of an old shoe.

After Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, not much was known about where Kaufman was heading with his career. There was a rumored horror collaboration with Spike Jonze, though nothing new has been mentioned in a long time. And since Jonze is currently hard at work on Where the Wild Things Are, fans of Charlie Kaufman are left wondering, well, what's next for their hero? Well, according to Production Weekly, Kaufman will make his directorial debut with a film called Synecdoche. Not only that, but he managed to snag Philip Seymour Hoffman for the lead role, as well as Michelle Williams.

As far as plot goes, pic will center on an "anguished playwright and several women in his life." Now, it's not mentioned whether Kaufman also wrote the screenplay, but I assume he did. Regardless, I'm just pumped to see Kaufman directing and can't wait to see what this thing looks like. Filming it set to begin early next summer.

It's really hard to tell whether this is real or not -- it's in a couple of places around the web, but no one lists a precise source for the request. Plus, the email addresses are personal, not directed to a specific firm or publicist. This site (which looks like it focuses on a musical) seems to be where the call originated; I suppose, given Spike Jonze's strong music ties, that such a thing popping up there is possible.

Anyway, here's the deal: Supposedly, there's an open call (It looks like maybe they didn't find him in NYC last month.) for the actor who will play Max in Jonze's screen version of Where the Wild Things Are. If you (And if you're a kid Max's age, reading Cinematical? We love you) or your kid is between seven and nine years of age -- they'll take a precocious seven-year-old or a short, young-looking nine, but eight is ideal -- who is "sensitive, loving, lovable, smart, with a sense of humor," not to mention "playful, rambunctious, mischievous," you might want to be emailing these folks, because your boy is in demand. Of course, since that describes pretty much every eight-year-old boy I've ever met, at least during his good moments, your kid might be part of a rather massive casting pool.

If anyone has more info about the legitimacy of this call, let us know in the comments.

Not long ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Paul Dano, a crucial component in the wonderful ensemble cast of Little Miss Sunshine. In the film, Paul plays Dwayne; an extremely angry Nietzsche-reading teenager who has taken a vow of silence until he is accepted into the Air Force Academy. Paul crashed onto the independent film scene in a big way when he starred as a young boy "involved" with a much older man in Michael Cuesta's directorial debut, L.I.E. Since then, Paul has gone on to star in films like The Girl Next Door, Taking Lives and The Ballad of Jack and Rose.

Most recently, he's had the chance to work with director Richard Linklater on the upcoming Fast Food Nation, as well as helped voice a Wild Thing in Spike Jonze's big-screen adaptation of the popular children's book, Where the Wild Things Are. Paul had a lot to say. So did I. Check it out:

Cinematical: How did you first get involved with Little Miss Sunshine?

Paul Dano: It was a long time ago, like three and a half years ago. I met with John (Dayton) and Valerie (Faris), the directors, and auditioned for the movie. At that point, they were trying to get it made. It went well, we talked and it seemed like they really wanted me to do the movie. And I really wanted to do the movie – it was a wonderful script. And then the movie kept getting pushed, kept getting pushed. And I live in New York, so whenever I was out in LA, I would say hi to them (Jonathan and Valerie), grab coffee, that sort of thing. A few years go by, I'm thinking maybe I'm too old or too tall, and luckily, it just got made. Another year later and who knows if I would have been fitting for the part. It boggles me this movie took so long to get made because the script was brilliant.

Got a small boy nearby that you wouldn't mind subjecting to some Wild Things? Is he yours? Do you both live in New York?

Then head on over The Church of St. Paul the Apostle (60th & Columbus) on Saturday, July 8th (between 10am and 4pm), because that's where WB will be holding an open casting call for Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are, which is the big-screen adaptation of Maurice Sendak's well-beloved book. The casting directors are looking for young boys between the ages of 7 and 11. (No, Michael Jackson does not work for the casting directors. Matter of fact, all kids must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.)

Adapted for the screen by Jonze (Adaptation.), Michael Goldenberg (Contact), and award-winning author / first-time screenwriter Dave Eggers, Where the Wild Things Are tells the story of "Max, a headstrong young boy who runs away from home and finds himself in a thriving forest bordering a vast sea. Misunderstood and rebellious, Max sets sail to the land of the wild things were mischief reigns."

The live-action / animation combo will star Benicio Del Toro, Forest Whitaker, Catherine Keener, Michelle Williams, Catherine O'Hara, and ... maybe your kid.