News

Indian auteur Anurag Kashyap is back in Cannes with thriller “Kennedy,” starring Rahul Bhat in the title role.

The film, which also stars Sunny Leone, will play in the Midnight Screenings strand of the festival. Several films directed by Kashyap have played at Cannes, including “Psycho Raman” (2016), “Ugly” (2013), “Bombay Talkies” (2013) and “Gangs of Wasseypur” (2012). In addition, several films produced by him have made it to the Croisette, including “Masaan” (2015), “The Lunchbox” (2013), “Monsoon Shootout” (2013), “The Congress” (2013) and “Udaan” (2010).

The plot of “Kennedy” is being kept under wraps at the moment. “Kennedy is a ghost in the system looking for redemption,” is how Kashyap describes the film to Variety.

The filmmaker says that the character of Kennedy has been an obsession with him for years and was born when fellow Indian filmmaker Sudhir Mishra hired him to write a cop story set in the 1980s. That film never got made but the character stayed with Kashyap.

Coming from the house of Zee Studios and Good Bad Films, ‘Kennedy’ is essentially a police noir film, by Anurag Kashyap. The film revolves around an insomniac ex-cop, long thought to be dead, but still operating for the corrupt system, and looking for redemption. The film stars Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone in the lead roles and has been selected for a Midnight Screening at Cannes Film Festival 2023.

While announcing the film, Shariq Patel, Cbo, Zee Studios said, “It’s always a creatively enriching experience collaborating with Anurag Kashyap. With Kennedy, we are reaffirming our commitment to conveying Indian stories globally. We are thrilled that this film happens to be the only Indian film premiering at the 76th edition of Festival De Cannes.”

Director Anurag Kashyap also added, “It’s a film and genre I always wanted to explore. It’s more polar than noir, inspired by crime writing of...

"You're in danger! They're coming for you!" GKids has posted another US trailer with English dubbing for the French animated film April and The Extraordinary World, known as Avril et le monde truqué. This originally premiered at the 2015 Annecy Film Festival and already opened in 2016, so we're a few years behind on this. But that doesn't matter. It's always nice to catch up with lovely films from around the world! From the creators of the Academy Award-nominated Persepolis and the mind of renowned graphic novelist Jacques Tardi comes a riveting sci-fi adventure set in an alternate steampunk universe. It's 1941 but France is trapped in the nineteenth century, governed by steam power and Napoleon V, where many scientists vanish mysteriously. April goes in search of her missing scientist parents. This is already available to watch in French (featuring the voice of Marion Cotillard as Avril) with subtitles. Or you can watch...

I probably should say this first: this book is titled I, Rene Tardi, Prisoner of War in Stalag Iib, Vol. 1 . And it’s credited to “Tardi.”

One might easily assume “Tardi” means “Rene Tardi,” the chap who was a Pow. But one would be wrong.

Rene died in 1986, and never drew comics.

This “Tardi” is his son Jacques, who originally used both of those names for his bandes dessinees until the weight of all of those other French cartoonists who only use one name got to be too much for him, and he succumbed to the lure of the single moniker.

Even in a case, like this one, where that creates confusion. Style is more important than anything else, eh mes amis?

Rene Pow is a 2012 comic — translated into English for a 2018 publication in the Us — based on a series of notebooks that Jacques made during conversations with his father in the early ’80s.

Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp, which was granted a six-month debt waiver in May from a French commercial court to find a white knight, has posted a 34% year-on-year drop in its annual revenue and a loss of $125 million for the financial year that ended March 31.

The Paris-based company generated $170 million in annual revenues and said in its statement that the 34% drop was due to the fact that the previous year’s results had been boosted 75% thanks to the release of “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.” Although the pricey science-fiction movie tanked at the box office in most countries, it did fairly well in France (selling more than 4 million tickets), where EuropaCorp handled the theatrical release.

EuropaCorp, which hasn’t had a movie in production for a while, also saw its international sales revenues dip to $59 million, compared with $87 million last year. Sales on “Anna,” including to Lionsgate, accounted...

EuropaCorp posted a loss of €89M ($101M) for the last six months as a result of the poor theatrical performance of a number of its films in the U.S.

Luc Besson’s company’s struggle comes after the disappointing performance of titles including Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.

The company posted revenues of €81.4M ($91M) in the six months ending September 30, compared to €140.2 ($158M) for the six months to the end of September 2017.

It also took a €9.8M loss on Helen Mirren-fronted feature Anna, which it said was greenlighted in 2016 but was not yet released.

It’s been a tough few months for Besson and his firm; last month The Fifth Element director was accused of sexual harassment by a further five women – taking the total number of women accusing him of inappropriate behavior to nine.

Earlier this month, EuropaCorp made a distribution deal with...

Company to re-focus on Besson’s signature action and sci-fi films.

Luc Besson’s struggling Paris-based film empire EuropaCorp has released a set of final results for the 2017-18 year that suggest the heavily indebted company is turning a corner.

According to the figures released after the close of the Paris Bourse on Wednesday evening, the company posted a $95m (€82.5m) net loss for the year ending March 31, 2018, against the record $135.8m (€119.9m) loss of last year.

As previously announced in preliminary results published in May, EuropaCorp’s overall turnover rose 49% to $261.7m (€226.5m), from $175.3m (€151.7m) in 2016-2017 bolstered...

Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp has posted its full results for the fiscal year ending March 31, revealing a net loss of €82.5 million ($95.4 million) and consolidated revenues of €226.5 million, a 49% year-on-year increase.

As announced last month, “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” largely contributed to boosting the company’s revenue from theatrical distribution, as well as video and VOD sales in France and in the U.S. The company’s international sales business increased by 57.1% to €76.7 million ($90 million), representing about 34% of the total turnover for the last fiscal year.

The company also said its recent measures to cut overheads have so far allowed it to save €15.9 million. Its layoff plan is scheduled for the next fiscal year, which will end in March 2019.

The losses are not as deep as last year, which hit a company record of €119.9 million, but are still the second biggest in its history. EuropaCorp attributed the...

Although Luc Besson’s $180 million “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” fell short of box office expectations, the science fiction film drove the annual revenue of Besson’s company EuropaCorp to reach €223.7 million ($262.2 million), a 60% year-on-year increase.

EuropaCorp’s consolidated revenue figures for the financial year 2017-2018, which ended on March 31, were reported today by the company which is listed on the Paris stock exchange. Results have yet to be audited. EuropaCorp did not address the recent rape allegations filed against Besson in its official statement.

The company’s international sales business increased by 57.1% to €76.7 million ($90 million), representing about 34% of the total turnover for the last fiscal year.

“Valerian” boosted the company’s revenue from theatrical distribution, as well as video and VOD sales in France and in the U.S.

EuropaCorp’s TV and subscription-based VOD sales in France and the U.S. also rose by 35% to...

There are a multitude of reasons why any film may get unfairly overlooked. It could be a lack of marketing resources to provide a substantial push, or, due to a minuscule roll-out, not enough critics and audiences to be the champions it might require. It could simply be the timing of the picture itself; even in the world of studio filmmaking, some features take time to get their due. With an increasingly crowded marketplace, there are more reasons than ever that something might not find an audience and, as with last year, we’ve rounded up the releases that deserved more attention.

Note that all of the below films made less than $1 million at the domestic box office at the time of posting — VOD figures are not accounted for, as they normally aren’t made public — and are, for the most part, left out of most year-end conversations. Sadly, most...

Every week we dive into the cream of the crop when it comes to home releases, including Blu-ray and DVDs, as well as recommended deals of the week. Check out our rundown below and return every Tuesday for the best (or most interesting) films one can take home. Note that if you’re looking to support the site, every purchase you make through the links below helps us and is greatly appreciated.

April and the Extraordinary World (Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci)

Most writing on Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci‘s April and the Extraordinary World speaks as though they’ve adapted one of revered Frenchman Jacques Tardi‘s graphic novels. This isn’t quite the case. What they’ve actually done is bring his unique “universe” to life with help from previous collaborator Benjamin Legrand (writer of Tardi’s Tueur de cafards) instead. Legrand and Ekinci crafted this alternate...

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit the interwebs. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.

April and the Extraordinary World (Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci)

Most writing on Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci‘s April and the Extraordinary World speaks as though they’ve adapted one of revered Frenchman Jacques Tardi‘s graphic novels. This isn’t quite the case. What they’ve actually done is bring his unique “universe” to life with help from previous collaborator Benjamin Legrand (writer of...

Later this week, 2016 will cross the halfway mark, so now’s the time to take a look back at its first six months and round up our favorite films thus far. While the end of this year will bring personal favorites from all of our writers, think of the below 30 entries as a comprehensive rundown of what should be seen before heading into a promising fall line-up.

As a note, this feature is based solely on U.S. theatrical releases from 2016, with many currently widely available on home video, streaming platforms, or theatrically. Check them out below, as organized alphabetically, followed by honorable mentions and films to keep on your radar for the remaining summer months. One can also see the full list on Letterboxd.

10 Cloverfield Lane (Dan Trachtenberg)

Forget the Cloverfield connection. The actors who were in this film didn’t even know what the title was until moments before the first trailer dropped.

An invention, the tangible result from an idea constructed in the human imagination, represents a piece in the puzzle that is the course of progress whether it means advancement through bellic endeavors, the simplification of tasks, or the preservation of life. Modern civilization is the result of a sequence of inventions and discoveries that evolved through the efforts of tireless men and woman dedicated to science and technology; however, as it’s always the case, mankind has been know to use its most creative minds for selfish and power-hungry pursuits.

Setting these concepts and preoccupations in an alternative steampunk reality based on the graphic novel by Jacques Tardi, Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci’s “April and the Extraordinary World” navigates the curious possibility of a world where innovation stalled and in which humans must deal with the ramifications of this occurrence and adapt their lifestyles to the available practices. What emerges from this concoction of brilliant notions inspired by the source material and the filmmakers’ input is a highly ingenious and sumptuously designed tale anchored to an assertive, intellectual, and unconventional heroine. This delightfully sophisticated charmer firmly establishes itself as a visual marvel and one of the most originally confected animated films ever made.

Distancing its premise from similarly themed science fiction escapades, which work under the pretense that audiences must accept the universe at hand without much insight into its inner workings and origins, the film commences with a brief introduction that singles out a historical event responsible for the retrograde state of development. In this whimsical revision set in the mid-1900s Napoleon's lineage still reigns, as a major conflict with France's major enemy to the east was avoided. The consequential outcome for this deviation is a world in which coal, rather than oil, becomes the preferred fuel leading to massive deforestation and smog substitutes air. Scientists are perceived as a commodity whose brilliance must benefit the empire in its pursuit of new lands with forests to harvest. Fighting a war with the Us over Canada’s natural resources to fulfill its power needs is France’s priority while another threat develops under its surface.

Academically gifted an empowered by an audacious spirit, April (Marion Cotillard) is a young woman whose perpetual mission is to find her parents, Paul (Olivier Gourmet) and Annette (Macha Grenon), and grandfather Pops (Jean Rochefort), all of whom are scientist that disappeared 10 years prior under mysterious circumstances after being persecuted by the authorities just as they were about to test a serum that would make any living creature immortal. Now, April, whose chemistry knowledge is unparalleled, is attempting to recreate said formula and reunite with her singular pack.

Given that her venture and those of her immediate family have such immeasurable stakes, there are a few less than friendly figures seeking to capture her. Pizoni (Bouli Lanners), a robust, arrogant, and insanely persistent officer, wishes to use her as a vehicle for discovering where Pops is. Enlisting Julius (Marc-André Grondin), a scrawny young man willing to do the dirty work to avoid punishment for his deeds, to follow her, Pizoni hopes to regain the status he lost because of April’s folks. Thankfully, the brave girl has her talking cat Darwin (Philippe Katerine) as her most valuable comrade. Talking animals have never been so unforgettably enchanting and comically joyful as April's pet. Romantic and irreverent, Darwin is a scene-stealer that keeps one grinning continuously due to his amusingly tongue-in-cheek one-liners.

An array of characters like this pair with astoundingly intelligent writing makes for a framework that is taken to its greatest possible potential for wonder via the gorgeously crafted animation in display. Add a large portion of explosively candid humor to the mix, and the formula for a perfect work of wondrous art is created. From Einstein playing in a band, to a visual gag on what the Statue of Liberty would like if France wouldn’t have been friendly towards Americans, to its mesmerizing reimagining of Paris with two Eiffel Towers and uniquely appropriate public transport and infrastructure, “April” grabs hold of cell animation and dips it in a potion distilled from the works of iconic Japanese masters and considerable influence from other successful graphic novel adaptations into the medium.

Its genre-bending aspects are so fabulously calibrated, that is hard to pinpoint an exact designation for the spell the film casts other than how deliciously twisty it is. Near its final act, “April” introduces a group of villains directly extracted from a deranged fable, in the most authentically surprising manner. This coincides with the sensibilities of a film that isn’t afraid to fully experiment with the freedoms that fiction in this vein permits. Desmaeres and Ekinci’s leading lady, voiced with grace and chutzpah by Academy Award-winner Marion Cotillard, comes from a long line of male scientists, but though the fact that she is the first female born in the family to also pursue the field, her gender is never observed as an impediment or particularly special trait. It’s never about whether she can do it not based on her being a woman, but about how her unquestionable abilities can be used for good. When so much of current media glorifies instant fame or content about exploiting physical beauty for financial gain, to see an intrepid role model focused on the significance of using one’s hard work for the greater good utterly reinvigorating.

Power corrupts, especially in the hands of temperamental beings, and that’s a crucial point that “April” tackles from a thoroughly enjoyable perspective. Since selfish pursuits are common occurrences in our past and present, it’s clear humanity can’t be trusted with its own treasures. Therefore, erudite thinkers are recruited as pawns in a new intergalactic plan to save Earth’s beautiful vegetation. The uncompromising ambition of the film’s scope is as captivating as the detailed cinematic frames that convey it, and in that sense, the exuberant journey it follows from its opening sequence to the riveting conclusion feels like a natural progression. Not a single contrived or even lightly forced plot point in sight.

As the pages reminiscent of comic books from a much more artistically driven bygone era grace the screen in their moving iteration, “April and the Extraordinary World” transcends the constraints of steampunk literature and embraces traditional animation is if the two had been in perfect symmetry from the beginning. What “April” argues underneath the aesthetically extraordinary frames and its thrilling action is that science is magic at human reach, which takes our perseverance and purpose as a metaphorical wand. Choosing to use each newly found incantation for benevolent causes and not malevolent desires is the real battle.

"April and the Extraordinary World" is now playing in New York and Los Angeles. The film is being released by Gkids, the 8-time Academy nominated independent animation distributor.

The opportunity for CGI and animation to completely immerse the viewer in an imagined world gets fully realized in a way few films achieve with Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci's wondrous “April and the Extraordinary World.” Set in a steampunk version of Paris, this French import marries both style and substance in its efforts to present a wholly original vision adapted from the work of graphic novelist Jacques Tardi, creator of "Adèle Blanc-Sec" (which itself was turned into a 2010 film directed by Luc Besson). “April and the Extraordinary World” is kind enough to give details on its imagined history, as much of its audience may not be familiar with the Franco-Prussian War and what its absence might mean to the larger timeline presented. In the 1870s, Napoleon III has tasked Gustave (voiced by Jean Rochefort) with creating an army of super soldiers. The experiment goes wrong, killing the leader...

Most writing on Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci‘s April and the Extraordinary World speaks as though they’ve adapted one of revered Frenchman Jacques Tardi‘s graphic novels. This isn’t quite the case. What they’ve actually done is bring his unique “universe” to life with help from previous collaborator Benjamin Legrand (writer of Tardi’s Tueur de cafards) instead. Legrand and Ekinci crafted this alternate steampunk version of Paris as something inspired by the artist’s work rather than born from it. Tardi in turn helped by drawing original work later brought to life by Desmares’ animation team. The whole is therefore a culmination of its six-year production schedule populated by multiple creative minds working in tandem throughout. It may look familiar, but it’s very much brand new.

Their world is built on steam and coal because the best scientific minds have disappeared. Electricity wasn’t...

Plus: CinemaCon names Male Star Of Tomorrow; Soda Pictures dates High-Rise; and more…

Gkids has revealed its English voice cast for April And The Extraordinary World, the animation it acquired last year before its world premiere at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci’s steampunk adventure adapted from Jacques Tardi’s graphic novel about a girl’s journey through a world where scientists have been imprisoned featured a French voice cast led by Marion Cotillard.

The English voice cast will feature Paul Giamatti, Tony Hale, Susan Sarandon and J.K. Simmons. Both English and French versions will play in the Us when the film opens in New York on March 25 at IFC Center, and in Los Angeles at the Nuart Theater on April 1. National expansion follows on April 8.

Stephen Amell will receive the CinemaCon Male Star Of Tomorrow Award on April 14 in Las Vegas. Amell stars in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ [link...

Does Gkids have another Oscar contender on its hands? The American distributor behind 2015 animated Oscar nominees "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" and "Song of the Sea," has picked up Us rights to "April and the Extraordinary World." Directed by Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci (a storyboard artist on the original "The Adventures of Tintin"), "April" will screen in competition this month at the Annecy International Film Festival. Gkids plans an early 2016 release, Variety reports, in both French and English (as it did for Studio Ghibli-made "Kaguya"). This steampunk adventure follows a young girl on her journey to fulfill her destiny and comes from graphic novelist Jacques Tardi's tale of a dystopian world. Read More: Gkids on Taking Animated 'Song of the Sea' and 'Princess Kaguya' to Oscar Nom Success "April" begins in Paris 1941, where Napoleon V rules, there are two Eiffel towers and where...

April and the Extraordinary World will screen in competition at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival that started today and features the voice of Marion Cotillard in the lead.

Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci directed the steampunk adventure adapted from Jacques Tardi’s graphic novel about a girl’s journey through a world where scientists have been imprisoned.

Eric Beckman negotiated the deal for Gkids with Aska Yamaguchi for Studiocanal and the distributor plans an early 2016 release in French and English-language versions.

April And The Extraordinary World is a France-Canada-Belgium co-production between Je Suis Bien Content, Studiocanal, Kaibou Production Umt, Need Productions, Arte France Cinéma, Jouror Distribution, Rtbf, Proximus and Tchack.

Marc Jousset and Ekinci served as executive producers.

Christopher McQuarrie has signed on to direct and Colin Firth is set to star in an adaptation of French author Jean-Patrick Manchette's thriller novel "Three To Kill" at Andrew Lauren Productions.

Set on the French coast, Firth will play a disillusioned businessman witnesses a murder and finds himself being hunted by two relentless sociopaths.

Howard Rodman will write the script and Lauren will produce with Laura Bickford. Jacques Tardi previously adapted the novel into the acclaimed 2010 comic "West Coast Blues".

Source: Deadline...

Exclusive: Andrew Lauren Productions has committed to finance Three To Kill, an adaptation of the novel by French author Jean-Patrick Manchette. Christopher McQuarrie has signed on to direct and Colin Firth will star. Howard Rodman will write the script and Lauren will produce with Laura Bickford. Pic is a thriller set on the coast of France. A disillusioned businessman witnesses a murder and finds himself being hunted by two relentless sociopaths. The novel was adapted by Jacques Tardi into the graphic novel West Coast Blues, and that was nominated for two Eisner Awards in 2010. Manchette’s The Prone Gunman was separately turned into The Gunman, a Studio Canal Silver Pictures co-production that was directed by Pierre Morel with Sean Penn, Javier Bardem and Idris Elba starring. Related: Chris McQuarrie To Direct ‘Star Blazers’ From ’70s Anime Series Lauren most recently financed and co-produced The Spectacular Now, the Tim Tharp novel...

The fourth film for director Christopher McQuarrie will be an adaptation of Jean-Patrick Manchette's Three To Kill. Andrew Lauren Productions will finance the film with McQuarrie to helm and Colin Firth to star. The thriller set on the coast of France follows "a disillusioned businessman witnesses a murder and finds himself being hunted by two relentless sociopaths." The material was previously adapted into a graphic novel by Jacques Tardi, and was nominated for two Eisner...

Colin Firth is not a chap you usually associate with death and mayhem, though that seems to be changing, at least cinematically, with the darker tones of The Railway Man and playing a spy in Matthew Vaughn’s The Secret Service. He’s now on to star in Three To Kill, which will boast the directorial efforts of Christopher McQuarrie.From the sounds of the plot, which will be adapted from Jean-Patrick Manchette’s novel, Firth’s character won’t actually be the one doing the murderising in this case. He’s set to play a disillusioned businessman visiting the French coast who unwittingly witnesses a murder.When the two sociopaths who pulled off the killing decide to bump off anyone that could tie them to the crime, they start relentlessly hunting our hero. Manchette’s book has already hopped between formats once: Jacques Tardi turned it into a graphic...

Director Luc Besson and actress Louise Bourgoin discuss how they brought Adele Blanc-Sec to the big screen.

Visionary director Luc Besson (Leon, The Fifth Element) brings his unique style to the big-screen adaptation of Jacques Tardi's acclaimed comic book, The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec. Louise Bourgoin plays the title character, and in a recent Q&A, the director and actress discussed the film.

Luc Besson Q&A

Q: Tell us about how you met Jacques Tardi.

Besson: It's a long story. I first fell in love with his heroine, Adèle, about ten years ago. I tried to contact Tardi, but unfortunately he had agreed to do Adèle with another director. At the time, I was a bit saddened, but pleased that he had chosen a "great" director and wished him the best of luck. I waited impatiently to see the movie, which never came out. After three or four years,...

This is what comic-book movies look like when they’re not blown up into $200 million monstrosities: friendly and eldritch and kinda cosy even in the middle of outrageous escapades. I’m “biast” (pro): oo, a female adventurer!

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

I have not read the source material

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

It’s a shame this gloriously goofy French flick, from 2011, didn’t get a big-screen release in North America, because it is one of those juicy, chewy, pulpy adventures that is best appreciated flickering in the dark. Then again: the dreaded subtitles. And the hero is a chick, which — if we’re to believe Hollywood — no one wants to see. See it anyway, even if you must resort to the small screen now that it has, at least, gotten a DVD/blu-ray release in the U.S. You won’t be sorry.

Somewhere between "Indiana Jones" and "Amèlie" you'll find Luc Besson's "The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec." The movie is an adaptation of the hugely successful graphic novel series by legendary French artist Jacques Tardi and follows the eponymous writer and a number of recurring side characters in a succession of far-fetched incidents in 1910s Paris and beyond.  Parapsychology and ultra-advanced Ancient Egyptian technology all feature, along with a 136 million year-old pterosaur egg and the President of France. It's all pretty rollicking stuff and the 54 year old French filmmaker brings an unusual (and very well-received) blend of cutting-edge effects and an old-fashioned, steampunk influenced asthetic to the action-adventure genre. Starring Louise Bourgoin and the always watchable Mathieu Amalric, the movie comes from Besson's own production house (he also wrote the script and directed) and after a successful run in French cinemas in 2010, is finally arriving now...

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Aug. 13, 2013

Price: DVD $14.97, Blu-ray/DVD Combo $24.97

Studio: Shout! Factory

Louise Bourgoin gets colorful in The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec.

A world of fantasy and action is unleashed in the 2010 film The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec, adapted from the Eisner Award winner Jacques Tardi’s celebrated French comic book series.

The year is 1912. This is the story of an intrepid young reporter Adèle Blanc-Sec (Louise Bourgoin, The Girl From Monaco) and her quest for the power of life over death. Her journey would take her to distant lands to face many dangers beneath the sands. She will go to any lengths to achieve her aims, including sailing to Egypt to tackle mummies of all shapes and sizes. Meanwhile in Paris, a 136 million-year old pterodactyl egg on display in the natural history museum has mysteriously hatched, and the creature subjects the city to a reign of terror from the skies.

The Duchess of Cambridge is a headwear fashion inspiration to so many, including Adèle Blanc-Sec, the stylish French heroine of Luc Besson’s The Extraordinary Adventures Of ADÈLE Blanc-sec. Adèle and her gorgeous hats, travel from Paris to Peru and Egypt at the turn of the 20th century to unlock an ancient secret in the hopes of curing her near catatonic sister.

The year is 1912. This is the story of an intrepid young reporter Adèle Blanc-Sec and her quest for the power of life over death. Her journey would take her to distant lands to face many dangers beneath the sands. She will go to any lengths to achieve her aims, including sailing to Egypt to tackle mummies of all shapes and sizes. Meanwhile in Paris, a 136 million-year old pterodactyl egg on display in the natural history museum has mysteriously hatched, and the creature subjects the city to a reign of terror from the skies.

The 2013 Eisner Award Winners have been announced at San Diego Comic-Con with Chris Ware leading the wins for his celebrated work Building Stories, alongside Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ Saga which also won a number of awards.

The Eisners are awarded each year at the San Diego Comic-Con and are the most prestigious awards in the comics industry, being the comics equivalent of the Oscars.

The Eisners are named after Will Eisner, one of the most celebrated artist/writers in comics whose works included creating the superhero series The Spirit as well as his masterpiece, A Contract with God, one of the best books of the 20th century.

This year saw artist/writer Chris Ware pick up the lion’s share of the awards for his book/construction project Building Stories, winning Best New Graphic Album, Best Writer/Artist, Best Lettering, and Best Publication Design.

Also among the winners...

Fantagraphics co-publisher Kim Thompson died at 6:30 this morning, June 19, at the age of 56. “He was my partner and close friend for 36 years,” said Fantagraphics co-publisher Gary Groth. Thompson was born in Denmark in 1956. He grew up in Europe, a lifelong comics fan, reading both European and American comics in Denmark, France, and Germany. He was an active fan in his teen years, writing to comics — his letters appeared in Marvel’s letter columns circa early 1970s — and contributing to fanzines from his various European perches. At the age of 21, he set foot, for the first time, on American soil, in late 1977. One “fanzine” he had not contributed to was The Comics Journal, which Groth and Michael Catron began publishing in July of 1976. That was soon to change. “Within a few weeks of his arrival,” said Groth, “he came over to our ‘office,’ which was the spare bedroom of my apartment,...

This summer, let your imagination run free. Journey into an awe-inspiring world of action fantasy and visual wonder with popular French comics heroine Adèle Blanc-Sec as she leaps from the pages to the screen! On August 13, 2013, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with EuropaCorp, invite families and the young-at-heart across America to be captivated by one of the most highly anticipated international motion pictures of all time when Luc Besson’s The Extraordinary Adventures Of ADÈLE Blanc-sec unleashes on DVD and on two-disc Blu-ray Combo Pack. The Blu-ray combo pack allows viewers to enjoy The Extraordinary Adventures Of ADÈLE Blanc-sec on the platform of their choice and includes spectacular movie presentation on Blu-ray, DVD and a digital copy of the movie compatible with PC, Mac, iTunes, iPhone and AppleTV.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Brimming with heart-pounding action, breathtaking cinematography and visceral special effects, this acclaimed feature illustrates the magical power of moviemaking,...

There’s a real winner on the horizon. Unfortunately, it’s a ways off. Still, we’ve got the news about The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec coming to Blu-Ray and DVD, and it’s worth taking a look. Based on a wildly popular French comic, the story gives us something akin to the young, female Indiana Jones, and just off the trailer (nevermind the critical acclaim the film has already received), it looks like a fantastic family film.

Take a look a the trailer, and get all the details below.

Synopsis

The year is 1912. This is the story of an intrepid young reporter Adèle Blanc-Sec and her quest for the power of life over death. Her journey would take her to distant lands to face many dangers beneath the sands. She will go to any lengths to achieve her aims, including sailing to Egypt to tackle mummies of all shapes and sizes.

Comic-Con International has released the complete list of nominees for the 2013 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. The winners of the award will be revealed during the annual ceremony held at Comic-Con International in San Diego on July 19.

Official Press Release

Comic-Con International (Comic-Con) is proud to announce the nominations for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards 2013. The nominees, chosen by a blue-ribbon panel of judges, reflect the wide range of material being published in comics and graphic novel form today, from crime noire to autobiographical works to cartoon adventures.

Three titles lead the 2013 list with 5 nominations each. Chris Ware’s critically acclaimed Building Stories (published by Pantheon) has nods for Best Graphic Album–New, Best Writer/artist, Best Coloring, Best Lettering, and Best Publication Design. Also garnering 5 nominations are Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’s Fatale (published by Image) and Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye (published by Marvel...

Comic-Con International is proud to announce the nominations for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards of 2013. The nominees, chosen by a blue-ribbon panel of judges, reflect the wide range of material being published in comics and graphic novel form today, from crime noir to autobiographical works to cartoon adventures. Three titles lead the 2013 list with 5 nominations each.

Chris Ware’s critically acclaimed Building Stories (published by Pantheon) has nods for Best Graphic Album–New, Best Writer/artist, Best Coloring, Best Lettering, and Best Publication Design. Also garnering 5 nominations are Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’s Fatale (published by Image) and Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye (published by Marvel). Both are nominated for Best Continuing Series, Best New Series, Best Writer, Best Penciller/Inker, and Best Cover Artist. (Fatale also shares the coloring nomination for Dave Stewart.)Close behind with 4 nominations are Boom!/kaboom’s Adventure Time (Best New Series,...

Shout! Acquires EuropaCorp. Titles Shout! Factory has picked up U.S. rights to the EuropaCorp. films, The Extraordinary Adventures Of Adèle Blanc-Sec, directed by Luc Besson, and A Monster In Paris by Bibo Bergeron. Shout will roll the films out on a cross-platform release including home entertainment, VOD, Svod and television. The César-winning Adèle Blanc-Sec is an adaptation of the Jacques Tardi comic book series and was released in France in 2010. Louise Bourgoin and Mathieu Amalric star. Shark Tale director Bergeron’s Monster is a CG-animated adventure based on his own original story about an inventor, his best friend and a monkey who inadvertently create a monster with a talent for music. Vanessa Paradis, Sean Lennon, Adam Goldberg, Danny Huston, Bob Balaban, Catherine O’Hara and Jay Harrington form the voice cast. Scott Free London Lines Up ‘The Fishing Fleet’ Ridley Scott’s Scott Free London has acquired film rights...

Studiocanal is set to co-produce the steam-punk adventure-thriller "Un Monde trugue" inspired by graphic novelist Jacques Tardi, reports Variety. Franck Ekinci and Christian Desmares are set to direct the film from the original idea by Tardi and co-scribe Benjamin Legrand. Tardi is also acting as the pics key art director and graphic artist. Ekinci's Je Suis Bien Content will co-produce alongside Studiocanal, who in turn will distribute the film in the U.K., Germany and of course France. "Un Monde trugue" takes place in an alternative 19th-century where everything's still being powered by coal and steam. Here, a young woman called Avril tries to find her parents who have vanished mysteriously.

As I ascended a subway station escalator in Brussels, one of the movie posters on the wall caught my eye.

It showed a woman in period costume riding a pterodactyl. Enough to make anyone do a double take.

The film it's promoting is Luc Besson's new release Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec - or, in English, The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec - which debuted on screens in the Belgian capital yesterday, April 14, which was the day of my departure.

It's a pity I never got to see this intriguing fantasy feature, which opened in France on the same day. However, it wouldn't have had English subtitles so it would have been hard work understanding all the dialogue. A trailer that does have English subtitles is included below so you can get an idea about the movie.

Les Aventures Extraordinaires had premiered in Brussels a few days earlier, at...

Adapting the Franco-Belgian comics series, written/illustrated by artist Jacques Tardi, "Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec" ("The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Dry-White) is a new fantasy, feature film directed by Luc Besson ("The Messenger"), scheduled to premiere April 14th, 2010.

"Adèle Blanc-Sec" debuted as a comic strip in the newspaper "Sud-Ouest" in 1976, set in Paris, circa 1912, before The Great War (Wwi), when a 136 million year old pterodactyl egg housed in the Museum of Natural History hatches and wreaks havoc.

'Adèle Blanc-Sec', a cynical heroine, is first introduced as an author of popular fiction novels, who turns to investigative journalism as her research and subsequent adventures reveal further details of the 'mystical world' of crime.

Themes of the occult, corruption, official incompetence and the dangers of patriotism lend atmosphere to the series.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec"...

Adapting the Franco-Belgian comics series, written/illustrated by artist Jacques Tardi, "Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec" ("The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Dry-White) is a new fantasy, feature film directed by Luc Besson ("The Messenger"), scheduled to premiere April 14th, 2010.

"Adèle Blanc-Sec" debuted as a comic strip in the newspaper "Sud-Ouest" in 1976, set in Paris, circa 1912, before The Great War (Wwi), when a 136 million year old pterodactyl egg housed in the Museum of Natural History hatches and wreaks havoc.

'Adèle Blanc-Sec', a cynical heroine, is first introduced as an author of popular fiction novels, who turns to investigative journalism as her research and subsequent adventures reveal further details of the 'mystical world' of crime.

Themes of the occult, corruption, official incompetence and the dangers of patriotism lend atmosphere to the series.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec"...

[Update: English subtitled version of the trailer is now available.  Via /film]

As scheduled, Yahoo! France has premiered the trailer for Luc Besson's Les Aventures Extraordinaires D'Adèle Blanc-Sec, a serial-inspired action-adventure that stars the beautiful Louise Bourgoin in the title role.  Here's a recap on the synopsis incase your not up to speed:

The year is 1912. Adèle Blanc-Sec, an intrepid young reporter, will go to any lengths to achieve her aims, including sailing to Egypt to tackle mummies of all shapes and sizes.

Meanwhile, in Paris, it's panic stations! A 136 million-year old pterodactyl egg on a shelf in the natural history museum has mysteriously hatched, and the bird subjects the city to a reign of terror from the skies. But nothing fazes Adèle Blanc-Sec, whose adventures reveal many more extraordinary surprises...

Set in the carefree world before World War I, Adèle Blanc-Sec's adventures see the brave young woman fearlessly battling crooks, corrupt politicians, demon worshipers and mad scientists. Legendary cartoonist Jacques Tardi...

EuropaCorp has uploaded a making-of video for Luc Besson's Les Aventures Extraordinaires D'Adèle Blanc-Sec on youtube, revealing some on-set footages with a comparison to the live-action scenes and the panels from the original source material by comic artist Jacques Tardi.�� According to EuropaCorp's twitter, the trailer will premiere tomorrow on Yahoo! France so stay tuned for an update very soon. 

The theatrical release date in France is on April 14th.  You'll find the making-of video embedded below.