Cowboys and Aliens

The Saloon Western board
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Cowboys & Aliens to Hit the Big Screen
Source: DreamWorks Studios
June 21, 2007

DreamWorks Studios and Universal Pictures have acquired the rights to Platinum Studios’ best-selling graphic novel Cowboys & Aliens, it was announced today by Adam Goodman, President of Production for DreamWorks Studios, and Donna Langley, President of Production for Universal Pictures.

Academy Award® winners Brian Grazer and Ron Howard will produce for Imagine Entertainment, along with Platinum Studios’ Chairman and CEO, Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, and Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Ervin Rustemagic and Rich Marincic of Platinum Studios will co-produce.

Created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, Cowboys & Aliens was published in 2006 by Platinum Studios and was the #1 ordered graphic novel of the year. Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby are expected to adapt the science fiction western adventure for the screen.

DreamWorks and Universal are co-developing and will co-produce the live-action feature film adaptation.

“This property captured our imagination as soon as we became aware of it,” said Adam Goodman. “We kept trying to make it happen and finally all the elements have come together with thanks to Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci, Universal, Imagine, Platinum, and the creative talents who have also joined us.”

“‘Cowboys & Aliens’ is a unique property with a rabid fan base that can’t wait to see this story on the screen,” said Donna Langley. “With this creative team in place, we have great hopes that it can meet the expectations of the fans, and we couldn’t be more excited to be part of this project.”

Imagine partners Brian Grazer and Ron Howard said, “This is incredibly exciting for us both creatively and professionally. ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ is unique and challenging material, and we can’t wait to roll up our sleeves and come up with a truly distinctive film.”

“This is a cool sci-fi and western mix and we couldn’t be more excited with the support we’re getting from this creative team,” said Scott Mitchell Rosenberg. “Wow! Working with Ron, Brian, and our friends at DreamWorks and Universal is a dream come true.”

Kurtzman and Orci currently have an overall producing deal with DreamWorks Studios. They wrote the screenplays for two DreamWorks projects, next month’s Transformers and 2005’s The Island. Among their other writing credits are Mission: Impossible 3, The Legend of Zorro, and next year’s Star Trek, which they are also executive producing. They also served as producers and writers on the hit TV series, “Alias.”

Writing partners Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby’s previous credits include the upcoming release Iron Man, and they were nominated this year for an Academy Award® for their Children of Men screenplay

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whats this going to be rated?..cause i cant see watching a dreamworks G rated western.

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Fergus and Ostby as writers at least shows promise.

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News

Robert Downey Jr. in Talks for Cowboys & Aliens
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
June 16, 2008

Iron Man’s Robert Downey Jr. is in negotiations to star in DreamWorks/Universal’s Cowboys & Aliens, a pulpy mix of the sci-fi and Western genres that could serve as a potential 2010 tentpole, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Imagine Entertainment partners Brian Grazer and Ron Howard are producing. Platinum Studios chairman and CEO Scott Mitchell Rosenberg also will produce, along with DreamWorks mainstays Steven Spielberg, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. Ervin Rustemagic and Rich Marincic will co-produce.

Cowboys & Aliens derives from a graphic novel written by Fred Van Lente and Andrew Foley from an original idea by Rosenberg. The story centers on an Old West battle between the Apache and Western settlers, including a former Union Army gunslinger named Zeke Jackson (Downey), that is interrupted by a spaceship crashing into the prairie near Silver City, Ariz.

The story draws a parallel between the American imperialist drive to conquer the “savage” Indians with its advanced technology and the aliens’ assault on Earthlings, who must join together to survive the invaders’ attack.

The latest draft of the script was done by Iron Man and Children of Men writers Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus.

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Favreau and Downey to Play Cowboys & Aliens
Source:Heat Vision
September 2, 2009

The Hollywood Report’s “Heat Vision Blog” is reporting that Jon Favreau has signed on to direct Robert Downey Jr. in the DreamWorks/Universal sci-fi Western Cowboys & Aliens, based on the Platinum Studios comic book series. This will be the third pairing of the duo who had enormous success with last year’s Iron Man and are currently finishing up that movie’s anticipated 2010 sequel Iron Man 2. It’s being reported that this will be Favreau’s next project on completion of the sequel.

The sci-fi Western explores what would happen if the traditional Old West enemies – cowboys and Native Americans – found the prairie attacked by aliens in mid-1800s Arizona.

The project has been in development for many years under a variety of producers and writers, the most recent version being written by executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, along with “Lost” executive producer Damon Lindelof. The project has long been in development by Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, who remain on as producers, along with Platinum president Scott Rosenberg.

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What happened to RDJ in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes?

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They finished filming in London some time ago. I think it’s due for release around christmas.

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[quote=“Phantom Stranger, post:5, topic:635”]Favreau and Downey to Play Cowboys & Aliens
Source:Heat Vision
September 2, 2009

The Hollywood Report’s “Heat Vision Blog” is reporting that Jon Favreau has signed on to direct Robert Downey Jr. in the DreamWorks/Universal sci-fi Western Cowboys & Aliens, based on the Platinum Studios comic book series. This will be the third pairing of the duo who had enormous success with last year’s Iron Man and are currently finishing up that movie’s anticipated 2010 sequel Iron Man 2. It’s being reported that this will be Favreau’s next project on completion of the sequel.

The sci-fi Western explores what would happen if the traditional Old West enemies – cowboys and Native Americans – found the prairie attacked by aliens in mid-1800s Arizona.

The project has been in development for many years under a variety of producers and writers, the most recent version being written by executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, along with “Lost” executive producer Damon Lindelof. The project has long been in development by Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, who remain on as producers, along with Platinum president Scott Rosenberg.[/quote]

Sounds interesting.
I tend to think that comic book tie ins are the best way for westerns to grab a wider, younger audience these days.

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Sounds interesting. RDJ is a fine actor and he made some entertaining movies the last time. :slight_smile:

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There have been blends of SF and western before
For me Back to the Future III worked wonderfully

Unfortunately I’m not keen on Downey, don’t know why exactly (haven’t seen Iron Man, in which he was excellent, according to some)

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Tropic Thunder, Iron Man, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang … all those were great fun! :slight_smile: I’m curious about the Guy Ritchi/Downey Movie Sherlock Holmes. Hopefully not another The League of the Extraordinary Men.

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Looks like a lot of fun:

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=71672

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Yeah, looks pretty decent. I am definitely becoming a big fan of Favreau’s films.

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Looking extremely promising with Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig… both solid actors.

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Love the actors involved and it doesn’t look half as bad as I would have expected, but unless I hear some really, really good things about this movie, I won’t be seeing it in the cinema. I still think the concept is very lame.

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I saw the teaser for this too and I must say I agree with Kay. It’s almost like they took the potential for a great western with great actors and added a silly. unnecessary sci-fi element just to get more viewers (I’m noticing a trend with this). Lame to put it mildly.

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they loose their minds or what??? first was the wild wild west a sci fi western crap, what’s next 'django goes to mars??'
they realy loose it for good! >:( >:( >:(

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Calm down. There’s nothing wrong with mixing genres.

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Unlike Wild Wild West this looks like it will have a origin for cowboys having strange gadgets instead of it being like a alternate universe were people in the past have futuristic weapons…

I think it looks allright its based on a comic which I heard is well written…

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I think it looks pretty good, but the name of it sounds cheap.