"Nothing can escape it, not even light."
If you remember that 1979 sci-fi movie tagline, then you probably remember the movie to which it was attached: The Black Hole.
Remember that tagline because Disney in their infinite wisdom, and according to this Hollywood Reporter write-up, has decided to (waaait for it) REMAKE THE BLACK HOLE!
Yes, that wonderful updated-for-the-1970s version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, featuring deranged Dr. Reinhardt in the Capt. Nemo role, the silent but deadly robot Maximillian, the too cute V.I.N.CENT. and Ernest Borgnine (!) is getting the remake treatment from Joseph Kosinkski, the director of the in-production Tron Legacy.
The Black Hole has a place in the hearts of sci-fi fans (especially if you saw it at a young age) largely due to the incredible production design from Disney veteran Peter Ellenshaw. The Cygnus spaceship's gothic cathedral-like design still holds up today, as do the amazing matte paintings Ellenshaw executed to show the ship's cavernous interiors. And the robot Maximillian looks like he could pal around with Darth Vader.
Never once does the article say that they came up with an astonishing idea or fantastic new take on the original story (like they did with the recent Battlestar Galactica "reimagined" series); to be fair they say the science will be more realistic (no "searching for habitable life" I gather). Disney gets a new studio head, Rich Ross, and the first thing he does apparently is ask, "What haven't we remade already?" Way to show original, out of the box, Internet-era, 21st century thinking Mr. Ross!
SSDD: Same Shit Different Day. Oops, sorry, this is Disney, so that should be Same Stuff, Different Day.
Oddly enough, I was thinking of "The Black Hole" while watching "Zathura." Had no idea they were going to remake that retched movie. All I remember is that the Cygnus or one of the other ships was poised on the edge of the black hole. That's all I need to know.
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