'Harry Potter' director will work his magic on new 'Doctor Who' movie

After decades of false starts and drawn out development, a "Doctor Who" movie may finally be headed to the big screen.  The BBC has brought in "Harry Potter" series helmer David Yates to develop a new incarnation of the character for a stand alone feature film.

Yates told Variety that he and Janet Tranter, head of BBC Worldwide Productions, are on the lookout for writers for the new project and will spend two to three years properly developing the material.  Yates was quoted as saying, "It needs quite a radical transformation to take it into a bigger arena."

Currently airing on BBC America, the "Doctor Who" TV series has become a profitable franchise since rebooting in 2005 under showrunner Russell T. Davies and current overseer Stephen Moffat.  The series has focused on a time-traveling Time Lord (the good Doctor), an alien whose form continually changes over time. This originally allowed the series to run from 1963 to 1989 and for eleven different actors to play the character (including the current run).

While praising the efforts of Davies and Moffat, Yates says its important for the series to start from "scratch" in a movie incarnation.

Yates noted, "We want a British sensibility, but having said that, Steve Kloves wrote the Potter films and captured that British sensibility perfectly so we are looking at American writers too."

A new version of the series likely means the current Doctor, Matt Smith, won't make the transition, but who will carry the mantle forward is still a question mark.  Also unclear is whether the BBC will fund the picture entirely or partner with either a Hollywood studio or financing company for an appropriate event level budget.

With the film a number of years away from production, it also means the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" helmer could direct another project before "Doctor Who."

Who would you like to see play "Doctor Who" on the big screen? Share your thoughts below.

A 360 DEGREE LOOK AT INTERIOR OF SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY

When the space shuttle discovery was decommissioned, pictures were taken of the interior and shown here in the link below in a panoramic 360 degree view. Using the arrows at the bottom you can navigate right, left, up and down as well as closeup for some spectacular views.

http://360vr.com/2011/06/22-discovery-flight-deck-opf_6236/index.html

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – part one: Review – Melodrama, 12A certificate lovemaking and emotional highs…

Bella and Edward finally get married in this Twilight film

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – part one
12A, 117mins

Hormones and haircuts drive a wedge between vampires and werewolves as The Twilight Saga grows up and heads into the dangerous territory of emotions, angst and teen pregnancy and leaves pointy teeth and snarling beasties slightly to one side as wedding bells chime for the happy couple.
Following right on from last year’s The Twilight Saga: Eclipse the film opens with a beautifully staged wedding ceremony – keeping Team Edward fans happy – as Bella (Kristen Stewart, just getting better and better) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson, at ease and super-pale) finally get to seal their love for each other.
Naturally its a sad time for Team Jacob fans (and Taylor Lautner beefcake aficionados may be disappointed to know he only gets his shirt off once, in the film's first scene, as he heads off for a sad run through the woods after receiving his wedding invite), though he and Bella share a slow dance at the wedding reception as even Jacob finally comes to terms with her decision.

 

 

The wedding takes up the first half hour of the film, with the usual angst and doubts set against hair and make-up issues (for Bella....Edward's hair is always perfect) until her loyal father (Billy Burke making a strong impression) finally get to walk her down the aisle...well, a tastefully constructed leafy path in the woods, but you know what I mean.
There is some fun to be had at the reception as clumsy speeches are made, with even minor characters from the earlier films making an impact. Anna Kendrick (who plays Bella's snide friend Jessica) makes a lovely in-joke in her speech about hunky Edward being just known as 'The Hair' while they were all at school.
With vows spoken and rings exchanged the happy human-vampire couple head off to sunny Rio de Janeiro and after a brief stop off in the vibrant city they take a motorboat out to the idyllic and isolated Isle Esme where a romantic beachhouse awaits.

 

Finally – well, three films later – able to consummate their love for each other it is time for a tastefully shot 12A certificate lovemaking scene (that involves Edward breaking the four-poster in mid-passion) and before you know it Bella is preggers – and that is just the beginning of their problems.
Luckily the local Brazilian cleaning lady is also mystic of some kind - handy that - and protective of the young human girl honeymooning with a demon (as the woman calls him). But when she sees Bella is pregnant her only response is one word... “death”!
Edward and Bella's hometown return leads to some long-awaited thrills (the emotional stuff is all well and good…but we need some werewolf action as well), with the film coming to the expected end as Bella bloodily gives birth, Jacob stands alongside the Cullen vampire clan to protect her and sets the scene for next year’s concluding film. Watch the credits for a tease on what is in store…

 

If the film's first hour is taken up with wedding and honeymoon, then the rest is pretty much absorbed with pregnancy and the looming threat of the the werewolf clan deciding to take against Bella and her unborn child.
There are some bad dialogue moments - such as Jacob shouting out “you did this” when he sees the heavily pregnant Bella for the first time! good call Sherlock...
As Bella gets more and more emaciated as the child eats away at her Kristen Stewart gets to reprise her now perfected tortured and angst-ridden expression. She is great in the role, but you yearn for her to smile once in a while.
Robert Pattinson is given less to do this time round, and in one amusing scene - not deliberate I'm sure - even resorts to looking up “demon children” on Yahoo...good to know that vampires need the internet too!
The Twilight films manage to cleverly blend melodrama with supernatural thrills, and while the film is not without its silly moments and cringeworthy dialogue it does deliver the drama and emotional highs we have come to expect…roll on the concluding film in November next year.

"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" premieres in L.A.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(CBS) Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner were greeted by thousands of screaming Twi-hards Monday night as they walked down the black carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."

Some of those Twi-hards were lucky enough to score tickets to see the film at the premiere and brought their screaming indoors. According to the Wall Street Journal they cheered as Lautner's character Jacob Black whipped off his shirt, which was of course within the first five minutes of the film. The fans also nearly lost their minds, according to the paper, as Edward Cullen and Bella Swan sealed their vows and consummated their relationship on their honeymoon.

"Lots of milestones are crammed into this one and there's a very accelerated bit of life lived in this movie," Stewart told Reuters of the film's plot, which includes a wedding and even pregnancy.

"Twilight" fans had been camping out outside the Nokia Theatre in anticipation of Monday's premiere since Thursday with hopes of catching glimpses of the film's stars.

The movie opens nationally Nov. 18 and of course serious "Twilight" fans have already bought their tickets in advance.

"Breaking Dawn - Part 1" is the first part of the end of the "Twilight" movies series. The second part will reach theaters in the summer of 2012.