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Castlevania: The Movie
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So my brother emailed me today, with some of the best news in a long time. Well, something I can look forward to that is. These articles are from ign.com:

Anderson Discusses Castlevania
Will Simon Belmont "whip it good?" How much involvement will Konami have? Answers within. by Chris Carle

June 29, 2006 - Paul W.S. Anderson has made a career of transmuting the world of videogames to the silver screen. His resume includes Mortal Kombat and the Resident Evil films, and he's currently working on adaptations of Castlevania and the Atari hit Driver. In short, he is the perfect keynote speaker for a conference entitled the "Hollywood and Video Games Summit." We caught up with him at this event recently and asked him about the upcoming Castlevania film.

"It's going to explain how the Belmont clan and Dracula first come into contact, so in a way, it's going to be a genesis story of the clash between the Belmonts and Dracula," Anderson explained. "It's going to span the ages as well, which is one of the fun things about the games. There are Castlevania games in the 1500s, there are Castlevania games in the Second World War, there are Castlevania in the future, and we're going to take the same kind of approach. It's going to be a very mythic story spanning hundreds of years, but the key characters are going to be Dracula and Simon Belmont. And the whip is going to be intact, although there'll be lots of other weaponry as well."

When asked what aspects of the game he would retain, Anderson answered, "I was a big fan of Castlevania originally as a 2D game. I think it's had a very patchy transition into 3D, although the last two 3D games have been pretty damn good. What I particularly liked about the last two games has been the artwork that's accompanied them. I think it's got a very lush, Romantic, gothic look to it, and that's very much going to be the look of the movie. And also, the music is excellent. I think that's a very strong aspect of the videogames, and that's something we're very keen [on]."

Fans of the game may wonder how much input Konami, the game maker, will have in the production. Addressing this question, Anderson responded, "Whenever I get involved in a videogame adaptation, I sit down with the people that created it, and we sat down and had a very big meeting with Konami, and I got complimented on my use of chopsticks, so I got respect. We talked about the things we wanted to keep intact. Very much, it was the artwork and it was the music, so if we can use the same composer, I think we will try to."

Anderson is currently in the middle of production on Resident Evil: Extinction, and then will turn his attentions to Castlevania. For more information on the film as it develops, keep your browser pointed to IGN FilmForce.

Rogue Playing Castlevania
New game-to-film adaptation details emerge! by IGN Staff

November 2, 2006 - Rogue Pictures has hooked up with genre filmmaker Paul W.S. Anderson and Crystal Sky Entertainment to help bring the classic videogame Castlevania to the big screen. Rogue, according to today's Variety will distribute the $50 million film in North America. Dimension Films, who had been previously linked with the project, dropped the movie after they failed to warm up to Anderson's script.

A number of new details have emerged about the Resident Evil and Mortal Kombat filmmaker's approach to the project. Anderson's script reportedly spans many time periods but mostly takes place in 15th century Transylvania. The movie is described as a fresh take on the Dracula legend, taking it back to the beginning with the story of Romanian prince Vlad the Impaler.

"You could almost call this movie Dracula Begins, Anderson told Variety.

Rogue co-president Andrew Rona says the movie is an "action/horror project in the vein of Underworld and Blade." He adds that the studio is hoping to turn Castlevania into a franchise.

Benedict Carver, president of co-backer Crystal Sky, says, "This is not what you'd call a typical videogame movie, it's a legend with a strong romantic element."

As in the game, much of the movie's drama is expected to be played out within Dracula's castle, a story element that appeals to Anderson. "Ever since I made Event Horizon, I've been obsessed with the idea of a location that's a character in the story, of being trapped in an environment that's out to get you," Anderson told the trade.

Anderson also says that the game's gothic visuals and eerie music will serve as his inspiration for the look and sound of the film.

Locations are reportedly being scouted in Hungary and Romania for a possible shoot starting in the spring. The castle set will be built in Budapest.

Keep watching IGN for more!

So yeah... I am getting chills just thinking about it. I just finished Castlevania Portrait of Ruin. Ironically, the Morris family is now the wielders of the legendary Vampire Killer Whip. It is in my blood, I have been destined to be a Castlevania fan. I always have been since that day way back when I was about 5....

Blogged by Marcus Morris at 5:22 PM