Uslan and DeSanto Catch the Spirit (PW.com)

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By Douglas Wolk

Publishers Weekly

12/15/2008

From February through April, DC's The Spirit series will have a guest writing team: Michael Uslan and F.J. DeSanto, the producers of the Frank Miller-directed Spirit movie that's opening this month. Uslan hasn't written many comics since he became the producer of the Batman movies (aside from the Batman graphic novel Detective No. 27 a few years ago), but he wrote stories for The Shadow, Beowulf, Detective Comics and other series back in the early '70s, when, as he put it at a recent interview in New York, "I was a Junior Woodchuck at DC Comics. They didn't have the term 'intern' then, but it was me and that skinny kid—what was his name?—Paul... Levitz! Levitz! I don't know what happened to him, but he was a Woodchuck too."

The difficulty with creating new Spirit comics, DeSanto noted, is that the character is so closely identified with Eisner: "It's not like Batman, where you have 70 years of Batman stories by so many different creators that you can do The Dark Knight or you can do the Brave and the Bold cartoon—it's Eisner, and that's it." So, before they started writing, he and Uslan made a list of elements of Eisner's work they had to incorporate into every Spirit story.

"They had to have cinematic storytelling, influenced heavily by Hitchcock," Uslan said. "In terms of the heart of the story, they had to be influenced by Frank Capra. There had to be humanity in these stories. They had to be character-driven. Eisner's humor had to be there. Eisner's violence quotient had to be there. Eisner's over-the-top villains had to be there, and Eisner's femme fatales"—the three issues Uslan and DeSanto have written are built around Plaster of Paris, Silken Floss and Lorelei, all of whom also appear in the movie, and they're connected by a plot involving Eisner's foremost villain, the Octopus. Drawn by the former Shadowpact team of Justiniano and Walden Wong, they're full of other little nods to Eisner's work; the first page of their first issue echoes the first page of the classic Spirit story "Ten Minutes."

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Anne Thompson, Frank Miller, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Will Eisner's The Spirit movie

Michael Uslan, THE DARK KNIGHT, THE SPIRIT executive producer: Mr. Media Audio Interview

Kids, if you want to grow up to be a successful executive producer of movies like Michael Uslan ("YOU-slin") did, the key is education – and patience. Lots and lots of patience.

Uslan secured the rights to make Batman movies years before Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, and Jack Nicholson dreamed of working together.

And he couldn’t give away the rights to Will Eisner’s The Spirit.

But his patience and determination paid off. This year, the sixth Batman movie – The Dark Knight – and first Spirit movie will come to a multiplex near you, joining previous Uslan productions such as Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, Batman and Robin, Batman Begins, Catwoman, Constantine, National Treasure, Swamp Thing – well, you get the idea.

And he’s not one to rest on his laurels, either. Uslan’s current projects in development include Shazam!, The Shadow, and Constantine 2.

If you love comic books, and especially movies made from comic books, please welcome Michael Uslan to Mr. Media.

You can LISTEN to this interview by clicking the BlogTalkRadio.com audio player below!

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© 2008 by Bob Andelman. All rights reserved.

Michael Uslan and F.J. DeSanto on Will Eisner's The Spirit (IGN.com)

Comic Book Resources on The Spirit Panel at New York Comic-Con

By Emmett Furey, Staff Writer

Mon, April 21st, 2008 at 11:58AM PST

(Updated: Tue, April 22nd, 2008 at 1:19PM PST)

On Saturday at New York Comic-Con 2008, writer/director Frank Miller, star Eva Mendes and producers Deborah Del Prete and Michael Uslan were on hand to talk about the upcoming big screen adaptation of Will Eisner’s “The Spirit,” and CBR News was there.

MTV’s Kurt Loder moderated the “Spirit” panel, and touted Will Eisner as one of the pioneers who invented modern comics as we know them. Frank Miller himself was influenced by Eisner.

Loder asked Miller how he was able to distill 12 years of “Spirit” stories into one movie. Miller said it wasn’t a matter of distillation but one of discovery. “I started out trying to apply a novelist’s rules to the project, but found it didn’t apply at all,” Miller said. Instead, Miller started by cherry picking the elements that he thought had to be in a “Spirit” movie. Miller said working with Prete on the script was an “amazing collaboration,” and that she was both a great storyteller and had a great deal of discipline. “She was there for every show, a bulwark against the forces of darkness.”

Mendes seconded Miller’s sentiment. “She is the badass of badass female producers,” Mendes said. “We couldn’t have done it without Deborah.”

Loder asked Miller how he arrived at the look for the film. “I threw out everything Eisner did,” Miller joked. In all seriousness, “I knew if I erected a rusty monument to ‘The Spirit,’ [Eisner] would rise from the dead and strangle me.” Miller was determined that the “Spirit” movie would be as bold as the source material was when it was first published in the ‘30s. The visual look of the “Spirit” film is the natural extension of the look pioneered in the “Sin City” film, which Miller thinks lends itself to Eisner’s story. “For purists, it may be a bit of shock,” Miller admitted.

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"The Spirit" Teaser Gives Just A Taste Of The Goods (io9.com)

Even the few moments of footage managed to captivate the entire audience, from the ringing phone and the cat-strewn floor to the rooftop acrobatics and the typically Miller-esque monologue.

Miller said, 'I tried to translate [Eisner's] vision into a modern film. Look for his touch, you'll see it. For purists it will be a bit of a shock, but I have to say it's a hell of a ride." Actress Eva Mendes was also along for the screening and took a bit of offense when MTV host Kurt Loder accused her of being one of Eisnner's many 'hot babes' to which Mendes replied, "Hell no, I play a jewel thief who has been married 15 times and has killed all of them. Does that sound like a hot chick?" Well, yeah actually.

Click here to keep reading io9's excellent coverage; don't miss the great comments from readers at the end of the post!

New York Comic-Con Report on The Spirit Panel (Comic Continuum.com)

The good folks at ComicContinuum.com provided bulleted coverage of the Lionsgate panel on Frank Miller's Will Eisner's The Spirit movie panel held on April 19, 2008 at the New York Comic-Con.

Here are a few highlights:

* Miller said adapting The Spirit wasn't so much distillation as discovery. He said based the script around Will Eisner's 14-page Sand Saref story.

* Miller said he is "very proud" of how the movie is coming together and praised Del Prete's help.

* Miller said the film had to be as bold as the comic was in the 1940s and purists might be in for "a bit of a shock."

* Uslan said he met with Eisner 14 years ago and promised to make The Spirit right.

* Mendes said she was a little nervous initially. "Is he going to be weird? Let me tell you, he's very weird and what a joy to work with.

"He's an amazing actor's director. He referenced movies I didn't even know."

* Del Prete said she was with Eisner at his last Comic-Con appearance in San Diego and talked to him about what was important to him for the film.

Click here to read ComicContinuum.com's entire report!

Will Eisner Events at New York Comic-Con!

You are invited to a free screening of
Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist
The Full-length Feature Film Documentary on the Legendary Storyteller
at the New York Comic-Con
Friday, April 18
12:00 noon
Room 1E10-1E11

Followed at 2:00 p.m. by
The Will Eisner Tribute Panel
featuring guests Mark Evanier, Paul Levitz, Michael Uslan, Carl Gropper, Andrew D. Cooke and Jon B. Cooke
SEATING IS LIMITED
Please go to NYCC Information Desk for your free ticket starting at 10:00 a.m.

All this and the first peak at Frank Miller's Will Eisner's The Spirit movie trailer on Saturday, April 19!

THE SPIRIT’s Frank Miller and Eva Mendes in Conversation with MTV News’ Kurt Loder at New York Comic Con

Lionsgate Reveals Poster and Teaser Trailer for Film Adaptation of “THE SPIRIT,” to Be Released on January 16th, 2009

March 28, 2008 01:38 PM

NORWALK, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New York Comic Con (NYCC) today announced Lionsgate will be at its 2008 event promoting THE SPIRIT, based on the classic comic book series created by Will Eisner and written for the screen and directed by Frank Miller.

At NYCC, production partners Lionsgate and Odd Lot Entertainment will present an exclusive first look at THE SPIRIT on Saturday, April 19 in New York Comic Con's IGN Theater, featuring the world premiere of the film’s teaser trailer. Mr. Miller and Ms. Mendes will be on hand to speak about their respective roles in the upcoming film, which is produced by Deborah Del Prete, Gigi Pritzker and Michael Uslan. Co-CEO of Odd Lot Entertainment Deborah Del Prete and Michael Uslan, President of Comic Book Movies, will also be speaking. MTV News Correspondent Kurt Loder will moderate the panel and the teaser trailer will debut to a global audience on MTV.com later that night in high definition, and on MTV the week of April 21. NYCC will also feature the debut of the film’s first teaser poster, which Mr. Miller and Ms. Mendes will sign in a formal autograph session scheduled for 5:00pm.

New York Comic Con is the second largest popular culture event in the United States and features guests including Neil Gaiman, Mike Mignola, Grant Morrison, and T.M.Revolution.

Frank Miller is an American writer, artist, and director best known for his film noir-style comic book stories. He is one of today’s most widely-recognized and influential graphic novelists. His works include The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City, and 300. Eva Mendes can be seen in films including Training Day, Once Upon A Time in Mexico, Hitch, We Own The Night, Ghost Rider, and this fall’s The Women. She plays Sand Saref in the new film. THE SPIRIT, which debuted in 1940, chronicles the adventures of a masked vigilante working on behalf of the police and is still regarded today for its deep and diverse narratives spanning film noir and crime drama as well as adventure, mystery, horror, comedy and romance.

"New York Comic Con welcomes the legendary Frank Miller with open arms, and we're delighted to have an actress of Ms. Mendes's caliber join us," Show Manager Lance Fensterman said. "It is a true honor to have them with us, and we earnestly thank all our friends at Lionsgate and Odd Lot Entertainment who are making this spectacular event possible."



ABOUT THE SPIRIT:

Adapted from the legendary comic book series created by Will Eisner, THE SPIRIT is a classic action-adventure-romance written for the screen and directed by genre-twister Frank Miller (creator of 300 and Sin City). It is the story of a former rookie cop who returns mysteriously from the dead as the SPIRIT (Gabriel Macht) to fight crime from the shadows of Central City. His arch-enemy, the OCTOPUS (Samuel L. Jackson) has a different mission: he’s going to wipe out Spirit's beloved city as he pursues his own version of immortality. The Spirit tracks this cold-hearted killer from Central City’s rundown warehouses, to the damp catacombs, to the windswept waterfront ... all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill our masked crusader. Surrounding him at every turn are ELLEN DOLAN (Sarah Paulson), the whip-smart girl-next-door; SILKEN FLOSS (Scarlett Johansson), a punk secretary and frigid vixen; PLASTER OF PARIS (Paz Vega), a murderous French nightclub dancer; LORELEI (Jaime King), a phantom siren; and MORGENSTERN (Stana Katic), a sexy young cop. Then of course, there’s SAND SAREF (Eva Mendes), the jewel thief with dangerous curves. She’s the love of his life turned bad. Will he save her or will she kill him? In the vein of Batman Begins and Sin City, THE SPIRIT takes us on a sinister, gut-wrenching ride with a hero who is born, murdered and born again.

THE SPIRIT will be released theatrically on January 16, 2009. More information about THE SPIRIT is available at: http://www.lionsgate.com/thespirit/.

ABOUT NEW YORK COMIC CON:

New York Comic Con is the East Coast's biggest and most exciting popular culture convention. Our show floor plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. Our panels and autograph sessions give fans a chance to interact with their favorite creators. Our screening rooms feature sneak peeks at films and television shows months before they hit either big or small screens. And with dedicated professional hours, New York Comic Con is a market place, bringing together the major players in the entertainment industry. New York Comic Con is the second largest pop culture convention in America and the only one that takes place in the comic book, publishing, media, and licensing capital of the world -- Gotham City. Further information can be found at newyorkcomiccon.com.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS:

The New York Comic Con operated by Reed Exhibitions, the world's leading events organizer. In 2006, Reed brought together over six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today, Reed events are held in 34 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and organized by 37 fully staffed offices.

Reed organizes a wide range of events, including exhibitions, conferences, congresses, and meetings. Its portfolio of over 460 events serves 52 industry sectors, including aerospace and defense, building and construction, design, electronics, energy, oil and gas, entertainment, food and hospitality, gifts, healthcare, IT/telecoms, jewelry, manufacturing, marketing and business services, pharmaceuticals, property, publishing, security, sport and recreation, transport and logistics, and travel.

Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations, and government departments, Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2005, Reed Elsevier made adjusted profit before taxation of £1,002 million on turnover of £5,166 million.
Contacts

New York Comic Con
Roger Bilheimer, 203-966-0792
or
Lionsgate
Stacey Mooradian, 310-255-4921
smooradian@lionsgate.com

Comics2Film.com: Flipping through Comic Book Movies with F.J. DeSanto

By Rob M. Worley
September 19, 2007
Comics2Film.com

The process of developing comic book properties independently became refined as Michael Uslan and F.J. DeSanto navigated the Hollywood waters in an effort to launch the upcoming movie based on Will Eisner's 'The Spirit.' Although it predates the Comic Book Movies umbrella, Uslan and DeSanto have been working for years to create a movie that is true to Eisner's comics.

Just as Hollywood was slow to spark to Uslan's vision of Batman as a moody, mature film, they've also had trouble "getting" into 'The Spirit'. Uslan rejected offers to make the character supernatural, or to put him in a costume. Things changed when Uslan walked into a meeting at an independent company called Odd Lot Entertainment:

"Years ago, he met Deborah Del Prete and told her, 'I have the single greatest comic book creation in the history of man.' She looked at him and said, 'Oh, you have 'The Spirit?' And the skies opened and the sun shone through and the choir sang, because we found someone who understood," DeSanto said. Once Del Prete's team got involved, Uslan and DeSanto began courting legendary comics creator Frank Miller in hopes of him taking his first solo turn behind the camera. After some initial reluctance, Miller signed on to write and direct the film, which sees Uslan producing and DeSanto co-producing.

"I think Frank felt confident that people who truly loved Will's material were behind this film", DeSanto says, "and that helped him overcome any reservations he might have had about coming onboard the project. The advantage Michael and I have is that we have one foot in the world of movies and the other in the world of comics, manga and anime. The relationships he and I have built over the years in both give us access to people and properties others normally couldn't get. There's a trust and respect for the properties and people see that and understand, and that's the foundation Comic Book Movies is being built upon."

While the lid of secrecy on the movie is tight, DeSanto's enthusiasm is high. "I'm so honored and thrilled to be involved with this film. I can't say much about it, but Frank's gonna knock it out of the park. The people that are involved with it all get it, all love it, and all know the material. There are a lot of 'Will is looking down at us' conversations. We know he's watching and we know he's sitting on Frank's shoulder sometimes giving him a hard time. But that was their thing, their dynamic."

DeSanto believes that "getting it" is a big part of what makes the Comic Book Movies operation work. Whatever film grows out of their efforts, fans can rest assured they'll approach it with a sense of protective custody about the source material.

"Michael and I are fans. We are of that ilk. We both taught ourselves to read at an early age from comic books. We're not some Hollywood guys who went, 'Oh my God, this comic book thing is taking off!', but on the flipside, we're not just fanboys who just go and set up movies" DeSanto enthuses. "Michael has been doing it for 30-plus years. I've been extremely lucky to have him as a mentor, to see how to inspire the same kind of passion in the hearts of people we want to partner with and even how to keep momentum up when obstacles arise. Michael says it best when he says we're living in a golden age of comic book movies, and now Comic Book Movies, the company, is determined to bring our fellow fans what we all want."

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MAJOR FANBOY ALERT: Scarlett Johansson Cast in Will Eisner's The Spirit

It's a triple feature for Johansson

By Borys Kit and Tatiana Siegel

The Hollywood Reporter

Aug 17, 2007

Scarlett Johansson (Getty Images photo)

Scarlett Johansson has lined up a series of roles that will see her moving quickly from modern relationships to comic strip noir to costume drama.

Johansson has joined the all-star cast of New Line Cinema's ensemble comedy "He's Just Not That Into You," which she will shoot first before then materializing as a femme fatale in "Will Eisner's The Spirit," being directed by Frank Miller for Odd Lot Entertainment and Lionsgate.

In the winter, she will don a crown for "Mary Queen of Scots," to which she's has been attached to some time. Johansson becomes the latest actor to book back-to-back-to-back roles in anticipation of a possible strike.

In "Into You," Johansson will play a pilates instructor/aspiring singer who has an affair with a married man and hopes that he will leave his wife for her.

She joins the already cast Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Bradley Cooper, Kevin Connolly, Justin Long, Ginnifer Goodwin and Drew Barrymore in the movie of interconnecting story arcs dealing with the challenges of reading or misreading human behavior.

Ken Kwapis is directing the movie, which Barrymore and Nancy Juvonen are producing via their Flower Films banner. Production executives Michele Weiss and Michael Disco are overseeing for New Line.

For "Spirit," Miller's adaptation of the classic Eisner film noir comic strip series, Johansson is in final negotiations to play a dangerous beauty named Silken Floss. Eisner's strip was known for its women with dangerous curves, and Miller is intent on keeping that tradition. Floss is a sexy and intelligent secretary with a vindictive instinct that makes her the perfect accomplice to the Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson), an evil mastermind.

Gabriel Macht is playing the title character, a detective who fakes his own death in order to fight crime in Central City as the masked man known as the Spirit. Production is scheduled to start in October, with the film scheduled to be released in 2009.

Odd Lot Entertainment and Lionsgate are production partners on "Spirit," with Lionsgate holding domestic and U.K. rights. Deborah Del Prete and Gigi Pritzker will produce along with Michael Uslan of Batfilm Productions Inc. Batfilm co-founder Benjamin Melniker and Steve Maier are executive producers. Odd Lot's Linda McDonough and Batfilm's F.J. DeSanto serve as co-producers.

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AND CLICK HERE TO HEAR MY AUDIO INTERVIEW WITH THR's TATIANA SIEGEL ON MR. MEDIA

LA Times: Revenge of the Dark Knight

"Honestly, to me, there's nobody else that could do this film. I saw him at Will Eisner's memorial service last year and I told him that I'd been turning comic books into movies for years, but that with 'Sin City' he's doing something better: He was making movies into comic books. I told him he had to make 'The Spirit.' He said there was no way he could do it. Then after three minutes he said, 'There's no way I can let anybody else do it.' "

--Michael Uslan, executive producer of The Spirit movie, on writer/director Frank Miller. He was interviewed by Geoff Boucher for a story about Miller's upcoming film work in the Los Angeles Times.