Ubisoft may be releasing Ghost Recon: Future Soldier on May 22, but if you’re someone who likes to get to know your characters on a more personal level, even those in FPS titles, you may want to check out Ghost Recon: Alpha, a short film that serves as a prequel to the game.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Alpha is a 25-minute film that follows the game’s four protagonists as they are dropped deep behind enemy lines after an attack on a European city. The plot plays an important role in the game and the film’s soldiers are the four protagonists you’ll play as in the game. There is also a special code in the film that gives access to an exclusive weapon in Future Soldier. The full film can be viewed below.

Given its April 6th debut, there’s a good chance most diehard “American Pie” fans have already seen “American Reunion” by now. If this latest slice left you craving second helpings, never fear. Screenwriter David H. Steinberg recently penned a novel. “Last Stop This Town” follows high school seniors Dylan, Noah, Pike and Walker as they spend their days drag racing down residential suburban streets, bribing homeless guys to buy them beer, and signing yearbooks at pathetic house parties. When Dylan suggests they live up their last weekend of high school at an underground rave in New York, the guys are ready to go crazy and make memories for the ages. Chock full of Steinberg’s signature humor, “Last Stop This Town” should be enough to tide you over between now and the premiere of “American Midlife Crisis.” Here, the writer talks process, poop humor, and why your story won’t go anywhere if you can’t develop characters that make people care.

BLAST: What draws you to coming of age stories? Did you have a particularly interesting coming of age yourself?

DAVID H. STEINBERG: I actually left high school after my junior year to go to college and I’m sure a psychologist would say that writing in the teen genre is my way of filling in the gap in my teenage experience. But I think there’s something more to it than that. It’s just a magical time. Those high school years are the time in everyone’s life when the flood of emotions and surging hormones makes everything seem so important and dramatic and you go through a million highs and lows every day. It’s a time when you really feel alive, and that’s something really cool and unique. Of course, there’s something to be said for those feelings subsiding as an adult and living without the daily drama, but for me, I actually loved that feeling of being invincible, that everything was possible, and that my whole life was still ahead of me. That youthful optimism (and maybe a bit of naiveté) is really what “Last Stop” is all about, as the four friends are about to graduate and go off into the unknown. But it’s also a book about homeless dudes throwing poop at you, so don’t let me pretend this is “Catcher in the Rye.”

BLAST: Which came first: the characters or the plot?

DS: It’s really all about the characters. Once you breathe life into them and know them intimately, then the plot unfolds because that’s what these guys would do. It’s like your vacation pictures. No one cares about the shots of buildings—they only want to see the ones with you in front of the fountain–because people care about people. So I start with high school archetypes—the player, the monogamous guy, the guy who can’t get laid, and the stoner—and then try to build on this to create three dimensional characters. If I’ve done my job well, they become real and unique. Pike starts out as “the stoner” but winds up being a completely new and different take on the original archetype. Look at Spicolli from “Fast Time at Ridgemont High”—same archetype, totally different character.

BLAST: How long has this novel been in the works?

DS: I originally wrote it as a screenplay, then adapted it into a novel because I fell in love with my guys. Overall, the process took four years–not very fast considering it’s under 200 pages. But I have a day job writing and directing movies, so cut me some slack.

BLAST: Which character from your “American Pie” series would you most like to hang out with?

DS: Nadia, duh.

BLAST: Which to do you prefer to write: fiction or screenplays?

DS: It’s hard to choose. Writing for film is a pretty amazing gig. Watching a movie in a crowded theater, seeing your name flash on the screen, and hearing them laugh at your jokes—there’s really nothing that can compare to that. On the other hand, screenplays are like sonnets—the structure and formatting is very restrictive. Plus, when you’re done, other writers re-write you, the director puts his stamp on it, actors improvise, editors move things around—it’s a hugely collaborative medium. Sometimes that’s awesome when talented people “plus” the script and make the movie great. Sometimes it’s not so awesome. Novels are liberating stylistically. I can write what characters are thinking and feeling, and screenplays obviously can only contain moments that can be seen or heard onscreen. But really, it’s about flying solo. If you love or hate my movie, I’m not sure how to take it—I only wrote the screenplay. But the book is all on me.

BLAST: How does your process for writing fiction differ from writing screenplays?

DS: You want to know the biggest brain adjustment? Writing in the past tense! Screenplays are all present tense because it’s technically stage direction. (“Dylan picks up the yearbook,” not “picked up the yearbook.”) But on a less mundane level, it’s really all the same. Create the characters and outline. Months and months of outlining. Write a draft really quickly, then months and months of re-writing.

BLAST: You’ve gotten a lot of praise for penning raunchy scenes that are also somehow sweet. How do you manage to walk this line?

DS: I have to own the raunchy humor, but the truth is I’m all about the drama and emotion of teenagers going through this traumatic time in their lives. Look at the “American Pie” movie posters. “American Pie 2″ was literally just a picture of the ten characters standing there, doing nothing, because the marketing department knew that audiences care about characters, not the specifics of the raunchy humor. I think movies that try to “out-gross” each other without giving us characters to root for ultimately fail because they’re hollow experiences. Look at “Project X.” Sure, it’s funny and crazy, but the characters are unlikeable and no one goes through any sort of relatable life moment. So at the end of the day, who cares?

Now I know there are definitely critical people out there who will think this sounds pretentious and self-aggrandizing because really, I’m a guy who wrote this book where a homeless guy throws poop at people. But for me, it’s about four high school kids going to desperate measures to get beer for a party. Without the characters and the universally relatable situation and emotion, the poop joke isn’t funny. So ultimately, yes, I’m writing some very lowbrow material here, but I’m always also trying to say something worthwhile about the experience of being a teenager.

Bob Marley fans who just can’t wait for Magnolia Pictures’ “Marley”, directed by Kevin Macdonald, to hit theaters on April 20 can take a shot at winning tickets, courtesy of none other than Blast Magazine.

Follow and tweet @blastmagazine to win passes to a pre-screening on April 19 at 7 p.m. at the Kendall Square Cinema.

“Marley” explores Bob Marley’s impact on music history and his role as a social and political figure. It details his life story and rise to fame using rare footage, performances, and interviews with those who knew him, including son Ziggy and wife Rita.

I can see the tagline now; “Next summer you will believe a bird can use a slingshot.”

In a recent interview with IGN, Rovio’s David Maisel detailed the progress of the Angry Birds movie, and it turns out — they’re taking it pretty seriously.

“It’s got to be everything that you’d expect from an Angry Birds movie as a fan of the game, plus so much more with surprises, innovative things, and twists,” he explains. “It’s something that we’ve worked already a lot on and we will over the next few years, but we’re going to try to keep it as tight as possible so that when you go into that theater, it’s an experience that you say, ‘Wow, I didn’t expect that.’”

Spoiler alert — the pig with the crown is the red bird’s father. Boom. Mind blown.

wireimage.com

Fans rejoice: “Arrested Development” is coming back…kind of.

At a cast reunion on Sunday at the New Yorker Festival, the creators and cast announced a new “Arrested Development” spinoff, and talked about plans for a movie.

The spinoff will be nine or ten episodes long, focusing on each character and providing a lead in for the new movie, according to creator Mitchell Hurwitz.  The first scene of the movie will be the characters of the show reuniting.

“Arrested Development” starred Jason Bateman, Michael Cera and Portia de Rossi, who played members of a dysfunctional family that was in the real estate and frozen banana company.

The new spinoff is supposed to start shooting next summer, according to Boston.com

The movie is still in the works and being negotiated.

Hey, remember that planned Uncharted movie we told you about? You know, the one  directed by David O’Russell with Marky Mark in the title role. The one where Nathan Drake is suddenly the member of a antique hunting family? Yeah, that one.

Well, it’s not happening anymore. At least, it probably won’t now that the film’s writer/director has unexpectedly quit the project.

No reason other than creative differences was given in the quick Variety blurb, but we’re all set to not ask any questions.

Hey, remember that part in Uncharted where we met the entire Drake family? And then we found out how they all searched for antiquities and international art? No, that’s probably because it never happened, but that hasn’t stopped David O. Russell, the director of the upcoming film adaptation from incorporating it into the movie.

Speaking with the LA Times, O. Russell told of his plan to turn the story into that of a treasure hunting Patridge family. “This idea really turns me on that there’s a family that’s a force to be reckoned with in the world of international art and antiquities … [a family] that deals with heads of state and heads of museums and metes out justice … We’ll have the family dynamic, which we’ve done in a couple of movies now. And then you take that and put it on the bigger, more muscular stage of an international action picture, but also put all the character stuff in it. That’s a really cool idea to me.”

Now, I know what you’re thinking. But hey — O. Russell also added that the script is just about halfway done, so there’s a lot of time to sit around and play videogames. Like, the Uncharted games. And then, oh I don’t know, do some rewrites, like you know everything…

After months of speculation, we have our Nathan Drake. Actor Mark Wahlberg, most famous for his role in Boogie Nights and for talking to animals, confirmed today that he will be stepping into the shoes of the adventurer in the feature film adaptation of Uncharted when it hits theaters.

The actor confirmed the casting in an interview with MTV, he also confirmed that director David O. Russell has created parts specifically for screen legends Joe  Pesci and Robert Deniro.

“I’m obviously in whatever David wants to do but the idea of it is so off the charts: De Niro being my father, Pesci being my uncle. It’s not going to be the watered-down version, that’s for sure,” he added. This would mark the first time that any other member of the Drake family appears.

Wahlberg worked with Russel before on the upcoming film The Fighter.

“David is one of the best writer/directors I’ve ever worked with. The idea that he has is just insane. So hopefully we’ll be making that movie this summer,” he continued.

Not too sure about this one — what say you?

If you’re expecting a film set in the expansive and alluring Halo universe soon, don’t get too excited, but keep reading.

Frank O’Connor, former producer at Bungie, who now works on Halo-related items every day under Microsoft, spoke with IGN about the future of the Halo world, specifically, if a feature-length film is possible.

He said he’d like to make the movie, but noted the time, place and people connected with the project had to be ideal.

“I do work every week connected to when a movie, or if a movie, is eventually made, are we ready to go? And the answer is very much so, yes. But we can afford to bide our time and wait for the exact perfect time and the exact perfect partner.”

He then flexed his Microsoft muscle and said he’s truly in no rush.

“And we’re Microsoft,” said O’Connor. “We’re muscular. We can afford, much like James Cameron, to sit here and wait for the best opportunity…And by the way, can you print, right after I said that, I do not think that Halo is going to be the next Avatar? Cuz I will be dragged through the streets, bleeding, unless I caveat that!”

He’s right and I agree with his reasoning, but that statement came off, at least to me, with a bite to it. You know, the movie could fail. Halo isn’t guaranteed money afterall.

Source: IGN

We already saw an utterly amazing Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time trailer, but this poster, released today, just doesn’t do it for us.

For one, Gyllenhaal has a kind of “What’s happening, I’m confused” look on his face, and, well, it could be so much more epic.

And another point; if gamers want to convince their girlfriends to attend the showing with them, why does Jake have a shirt on? I mean, slap a title on this image and use it as a poster. Much better don’t you think?

However you slice it, I’m excited for this movie based on the great video game. I’m ready to believe it’ll be the first decent to great adaptation. But we’ve said that before…

Source: Kotaku

Next summer’s action-adventure film “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” got a bit more interesting today, as mega-game site IGN unearthed some details on the video game to film adaptation project.

In this preview, we’re shown a bulked up Jake Gyllenhaal, who plays the lead, and the movie’s supporting cast, including a former Bond girl. Nice!

Additionally, Jerry Bruckheimer, the man famous for making sh*t blow up and look cool doing so, is signed on to produce, so we at least know some talent is hard at work on the project.

We never want to say “this will be the first good video game movie” because really, that’s a horrid jinx to put on anything. But, it does look pretty compelling, at least from this early preview.

Check out the preview trailer below. Sorry for the advertisement, IGN says so.

The way video games are cinematically scripted and executed these days, coupled with our growing love for the medium, makes a corresponding major motion picture a very attractive risk for movie houses. Well, today the Hollywood Reporter is stating that Columbia Pictures has signed on to bring the award winning story of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune to the big screen.

Kyle Ward, the man responsible for the Hitman flick and the Kane and Lynch film in development, is currently building the script, but all we know now is that it’s moving ahead. How? Not so sure.

The PS3 exclusive from developer Naughty Dog was a smashing success; with jungle-themed action, emotional weight of the main character Nathan Drake, and the fact that today it lives on as a “must have” for new PlayStation 3 gamers, how could it not be?

No word on who will play Nathan Drake, or anyone else in the game for that matter, but why not speculate?

Let us know who you’d think would make a great jungle adventurer.

Blockbuster and Sonic Solutions have joined forces to make a convenient, digital movie service for consumers to use at home and on the go.

The companies’ alliance would offer subscribers to access Blockbuster’s digital library through their electronic and mobile devices from the comfort of their own home or mobile phone.

So now, when you want to rent a movie, game, or anything from Blockbuster, you can access their database of entertainment through your computer, cell phone, Blu-ray disk players and web-connected televisions, among other things.

The partnership marks one of the most expansive video on demand and electronic sell-through choices in the market because of the library provided by the Blockbuster brand. Basically, the world of entertainment will soon be at your fingertips. No more waiting for On Demand to change this month’s movie listings, or going to the video store. Virtually anything and everything will be available for you anytime, anywhere.

Miramax has released the official trailer for the upcoming drama, City of Men. The film is the sequel to the Academy Award-Nominated film, City of God and opens on January 18, 2008.

In City of Men, producer Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardner) returns to the Brazilian favelas of his Academy Award-nominated film, City of God. Growing up in a culture dictated by violence and run by street gangs, teenagers Acerola (Douglas Silva) and Laranjinha (Darlan Cunha) have become close as brothers. With their eighteenth birthdays fast approaching, Laranjinha sets out to find the father he never met, while Acerola struggles to raise his own young son. But when they suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of a gang war, the lifelong friends are forced to confront a shocking secret from their shared past.

Download the official poster here.