It would appear there is a new Western Horror coming out called High Moon. What caught my attention about it is the cast they have on board.
The film, written by Jordan Bayne and Asim Ahmad, is expected to star Rutger Hauer, Sean Bean, Cillian Murphy and Bayne. John Woo may executive produce.
Rutger Hauer is just cool with a side order of awesome. I have never seen an actor so capable of being edgy scary in one film and down right lovable soft and sensitive in another. He is also the star of one of my all time fav movies. Ladyhawke.
Then play Hauer off of Boromir and a creepy Scarecrow and I can’t wait to see what comes of it. Both Bean and Murphy have those classic looks that make them fit into movies that don’t take place in the present. The two of them often play strong deep characters and they do it so well.
I will let you know more about this as it comes up. It is certainly something I would keep an eye out for.
Rutger Hauer is a detective in this new movie called Dead Tone. Which is out now in your local DVD stores, i got a copy in im enjoying the movie
Cillian Murphy is such a spectacular actor – Sean Bean is marvelous too! I cannot say enough about these two men and their ability to take on any role.
It is also amusing to see Rutger Hauer in the cast considering, both Bean and Hauer, played the role of The Hitcher.
I cannot wait to see the finished product!!!!
there are other movies with the same name and no one’s been sued ;) but I just peeked and there’s an update about the movie and some pics of the sets being constructed. I know I’m drooling to see that cast in action ;)
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=38048918&blogID=425091014
But what if Warner Bros. wants to do a High Moon movie (with werewolves vs. vampires) based on the comic property later? They might have a vested interest in protecting their property instead of just shrugging it off.
Saying that a movie studio can do a High Moon movie (with vampires) with impunity is like saying I could make a jungle adventure Ka-Zar movie or a sci-fi Green Lantern movie just because comics and film are two different properties. Just as I would expect any comic book company making a teen song and dance oriented book called “High School Musical” without getting proper licensing rights to get the pants sued off of them.
Now, if the High Moon film pitch was a sci-fi disaster movie about the lunar tides going crazy and destroying the earth, there wouldn’t be similar content issues – but as it stands I think Warner Bros. could have a case here.
“Confusingly similar” is a term used for trademarks, not copyrights. Comics represent a strange case in trademark law and I’ve sadly been to law school, so while there could be a case made, and it might not be won, there could be enough to impede development on the project. I think Warner Brothers has more than enough for a ‘cease and desist’ until all the facts come out.
But, it also seems like this Jordon made up or exaggerated several elements of this story … so *shrug*
Having a movie with vampires or werewolves (or both) is not infringing on copyright. Also, considering comics and film to be the same mediums just because they are things you can see is a stretch.
I honestly see no hope of a lawsuit even if someone was silly enough to launch one.
Rodney,
“High Moon” as described above could be “confusingly similar” to High Moon’s trademarks owned by Warner Brothers. That’s were it gets into problems as both comics and films are visual mediums. I think lawyers will have a heyday with it .. especially if there are vampires and werewolves in BOTH of them.
Yes Tom, as the originating article says HighMoon is also the name of a webcomic, which has nothing to do with this project.
They are not infringing on copyright if they make something completely different on a separate medium. The similarity of the names means nothing. Otherwise, McDonald aircraft would get sued by McDonalds Restaurants.
Now if you made a store called McDonalds and sold burgers…
Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen. There’s already a project by this name:
http://www.highmooncomic.com
This has Cillian Murphy AND Sean Bean? I’m in! I’ll watch anything with those actors.
Looks like horror westerns are going to be the next big thing. Might have to dust off my zombie western script and shop it around.
I always thought that if Matthew Broderick wasn’t top billed in Ladyhawke and the score by Alan Parsons (*without* The Project, huge difference) hurt LadyHawke by leaps and bounds. Rutger Hauer still shined through in that film.
But when I think Rutger, I think Nighthawks, Hitcher*, Blade Runner…Blind Fury…Blood Of Heroes…Flesh & Blood…
and hey Rod…think of it this way: Scarecrow vs. Earle haha
*or, Hitcher vs Hitcher? haha
anyway what has my hopes up high is that John Woo is putting his name to this. That alone might push some more wieght to the picture. Who’s directing it, though?