Press Release: Finding Dory swimming into theaters 11/25/15.

STILL SWIMMING!

Disney•Pixar’s “Finding Dory” to Dive into Theaters

November 25, 2015

Ellen DeGeneres, the Voice of the Beloved Blue Tang Fish in 2003’s “Finding Nemo,” Shares Plans for the All-New Big-Screen Adventure

Are documentaries a pathway through the glass ceiling for female directors in the fictional narrative arena?

Consider this a slightly interesting bit of news that hopefully will be a sign of things to come.  I generally don't post every press release I receive, mostly because there are other places you can go for that kind of thing.  But the press release regarding what was basically a casting announcement for Dakota Fanning caught my eye.  The film is called Every Secret Thing and it's also starring Diane Lane,  Danielle Macdonald, and Elizabeth Banks.  It concerns "two 11-year-old girls who are convicted of murdering a baby and are incarcerated until they turn 18.  Upon their release, children start to go missing; as the police turn their attention to the duo, the mystery surrounding the original murder comes back to light." The film's director is one Amy Berg.  Okay, so you have  female-driven film starring several major female talents and directed by a female director.  Always good news, but so what?  Well, Ms. Berg is making her feature film debut on the project, having previous cut her teeth in the realm of documentary film-making.

Press Release: A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD to go IMAX.

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX’S A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD

TO OPEN IN IMAX^® THEATRES WORLDWIDE FEBRUARY 2013

LOS ANGELES – Dec. 14, 2012 – IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX; TSX:IMX) today announced that A Good Day to Die Hard, the fifth installment in Twentieth Century Fox’s enduring action-thriller series starring Bruce Willis, will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX^®  format. The film will be released in IMAX^® theatres internationally starting Feb. 7 and domestically beginning Feb. 14. This is the first IMAX installment of the Die Hard film franchise.

"The exhilarating action sequences that are the hallmark of the Die Hard franchise, as well as its global setting, make it a perfect fit for The IMAX Experience®,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to partner again with the great team at Fox and for audiences worldwide to experience this franchise in IMAX for the first time.”

The IMAX release of A Good Day to Die Hard will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience^® with proprietary IMAX DMR^® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

About A Good Day to Die Hard

John McClane goes global. For the first time, the New York City cop, played by Bruce Willis, finds himself on an international stage – as a fish out of water in Moscow. The film introduces McClane’s estranged son Jack, an apple who hasn’t fallen far from the tree, and who may even be more of a hard-ass than his father. John and Jack must put aside their personal and professional differences, and work together to keep each other alive … and stop the Moscow underworld from controlling nuclear weapons.

About IMAX Corporation

IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you’ve never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX’s network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.

IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing.  As of Sept. 30, 2012, there were 689 IMAX theatres (556 commercial multiplex, 20 commercial destination and 113 institutional) in 52 countries.

IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, The IMAX Experience® and IMAX Is Believing® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

Press Release and Commentary: Disney names Jennifer Lee as co-director of Frozen and it will be a musical.

There are two things of note in the press release, which I've include in full after the jump.  One, obviously, Disney is making another go at having an animated feature directed by a woman and actually featuring female protagonists (plural!) at its center.  Obviously one can only hope this story has a happier ending than Brenda Chapman's experiences on Pixar's Brave and one can only hope we'll soon reach the point when hiring a female filmmaker to direct a major animated feature isn't considered major news.  Anyway, Ms. Lee recently co-wrote Wreck It Ralph.  The other bit, arguably almost burying the lead, comes right at the end.

"With original songs by Tony®-award winner Robert Lopez (“The Book of Mormon,” “Avenue Q”) and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (“In Transit”), “Frozen” journeys into theaters Nov. 27, 2013, in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters."

That's right, folks.  Disney is apparently crafting another old-school 90s-style musical and just like the Waking Sleeping Beauty era, they are stealing from Broadway to do it.  Interesting... Anyway, the press release is below and feel free to share your thoughts on this nugget of news.

Scott Mendelson

Press release: Disney announces boatload of Disney/Pixar/Marvel release information...

I'll let you decide what is newsworthy versus what is not.  Of course it would have been more newsworthy had Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier *not* gone the 3D route, but there you have it.  I'd be shocked if Guardians of the Galaxy and the newly announced Ant Man (my daughter will be excited as she's a big fan of The Wasp) don't go the 3D route as well.  The sad news is the removal of Phineas and Ferb from the summer 2013 schedule to parts unknown in 2014.  That can't be a good thing, right?  Anyway, the whole load of newly dumped info is after the jump.  The field is now yours. Oh, and just for fun, here's the newly released synopsis for the rather epic-sounding Thor: The Dark World.

In the aftermath of Marvel's Thor and Marvel's The Avengers, Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos... but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Scott Mendelson

Sony apparently plans to reveal all 120-minutes of The Amazing Spider-Man via clips and previews before July 3rd.

The press release is after the jump, but the short version is that Sony is taking a page from Warner Bros. and showing off six more minutes of The Amazing Spider-Man in select theaters before Men In Black 3, which opens this Friday (had life not gotten in the way, I would be currently writing a review of just that film).  I don't know if this is a six minute scene (ala the Dark Knight/Dark Knight Rises IMAX prologues) or yet another extended preview.  With The Avengers basically taking the wind out of the sails of every other major blockbuster and The Dark Knight Rises looking to dominate the second half of summer 2012 while Prometheus takes up the adult-skewing geek-nirvana slot, Sony is in a jam with their Spider-Man reboot. Fair or not (I'd argue fair), The Amazing Spider-Man is contributing exactly zero to the hype and/or cultural conversation.  Toss in rumblings of dissatisfaction which seems to coincide with two new writers (Transformers/Star Trek scribes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci) being hired to pen the theoretical sequel and you can literally see the sweat on Sony's brow.  I will say that the action sequences look quite impressive, and that may be enough to justify an IMAX 3D viewing when the time comes.  But for now, those seeing Men In Black 3 in 'IMAX 3D and select theaters' will be treated to six more minutes of "The Completely New and Totally Different Peter Parker Becomes Spider-Man Origin Story".  As always, share your thoughts below.

Scott Mendelson      

Press Release: Disney/Pixar's Brave to premiere on June 18th at grand opening of the new Dolby Theatre.

WORLD PREMIERE • GRAND OPENING

June 18, 2012

World Premiere of Disney•Pixar’s “Brave” Heads to Hollywood

for Grand Opening of the Dolby Theatre

Epic Action Adventure Joins 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival Lineup

BURBANK, Calif. and SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (May 18, 2012) – Disney•Pixar’s “Brave,” a groundbreaking adventure full of humor, heart and breathtaking action, extends its pioneering spirit to its world premiere on June 18, 2012, marking the Grand Opening of Hollywood’s Dolby® Theatre^SM. The red-carpet event is a special presentation for Film Independent’s 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival. Premiering in Dolby 3D, a state-of-the-art imaging solution providing audiences with a superior 3D experience, “Brave” is an epic tale set in the mystical Scottish Highlands where the film’s headstrong protagonist, Merida, is forced to discover the meaning of true bravery. The film hits theatres nationwide on June 22, 2012.

“With a spirited heroine and enchanting setting in the ancient Scottish Highlands, ‘Brave’ represents some exciting firsts for Pixar,” said Ricky Strauss, president, marketing, The Walt Disney Studios. “We are proud that the world premiere of ‘Brave’ will serve as the inaugural premiere at the new Dolby Theatre as part of the LA Film Festival, a fitting way to launch Merida’s extraordinary adventure.”

Press Release: Disney announces release date for Captain America 2.

The Walt Disney Studios has announced a release date for Marvel Studios’ sequel to the blockbuster Captain America: The First Avenger on April 4, 2014.  The second installment will pick-up where the highly anticipated Marvel’s The Avengers (May 4, 2012) leaves off, as Steve Rogers continues his affiliation with Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D and struggles to embrace his role in the modern world.

So now it appears that the studios are attempting to begin the unofficial summer season as early as April, thanks to the huge late-March business generated by The Hunger Games, along with the last two Fast/Furious entries, which pulled in blockbuster numbers in early-April 2009 and late-April 2011 respectively.  The last sentence seems to dispel any hope that a sequel would somehow primarily take place in the 1940s/World War II-era, although I wouldn't be surprised to see a story that blended flashbacks to Rogers's war efforts with a present-day story (it might be too soon to play the 'Winter Soldier' card, but I imagine that will pop up eventually).  Anyway, nothing more to report here.  I suppose the next step is to find a director, as Joe Johnston will apparently not be returning (which is a damn shame, but I digress).  Among those 'on the list' are F. Gary Gray (yay!), The Adjustment Bureau's George Nolfi (boo!), and Community directors Anthony and Joseph Russo (Sure, why not?).

Scott Mendelson

PRESS RELEASE: The Avengers to be released in IMAX (3D)

Not much to add here, but this is hardly a surprise.  Of course, now filmgoers like me who love IMAX have to hope that the converted 3D effects are actually halfway decent (Green Lantern is the high-water mark in this not terribly distinguished field).  Anyway, Marvel and Disney are clearly aiming gunning for the opening weekend record on May 4th, the same weekend where Spider-Man ($114 million) and Spider-Man 3 ($151 million) broke said record in 2002 and 2007.  What are your thoughts?  Are you a big enough fan of IMAX to justify watching yet-another live-action film that was shot in 2D but converted to 3D?  Or will your primary goal be finding the biggest 2D screen you can find?  Oh, and if I had known that the 3D poster above actually worked as 3D, I would have posted it last week (sometimes 3D embeds don't work on Blogger).  Anyway, it's a snazzy poster and I'll only add that poor Scarlett Johansson looks like that kid standing way back in the outfield hoping/praying that no one hits the baseball to her.  The full press release is after the jump.

Scott Mendelson

Press Release: Star Wars: the Complete Saga on Blu Ray

Bring home the adventure and share Star Wars™ with your whole family – when STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment! To be released beginning on September 12 internationally and on September 16 in North America, the nine-disc collection brings the wonder of the entire Saga direct to your living room, where you can revisit all of your favorite Star Wars moments – in gorgeous high definition and with pristine, 6.1 DTS Surround Sound. Dive deeper into the universe with an unprecedented 40+ hours of special features, highlighted by never-before-seen content sourced from the Lucasfilm archives.

The specs after the jump:

Press Release and Trailer: Superman: the Motion Picture Anthology (1978-2006) to Blu Ray on June 7th.

Yes, I will be picking this one up, unless Warner is kind enough to send it to be prior to June 7th. It was a great set in standard def, so hopefully it will fare no poorer in Blu Ray. I guess the only question is whether the Fleischer cartoons will be in high-def. That might be worth the purchase all by itself. Not much to add (glad to see the documentaries will be in HD), but the rather lengthy press release is after the jump.

Scott Mendelson

Press Release: Summit Entertainment aqquires domestic rights to Amanda Seyfried thriller Gone.

AMANDA SEYFRIED TO STAR IN GONE

Summit Entertainment Acquires US Rights to Thriller Lakeshore Entertainment Group and Sierra / Affinity to Commence Sales of Worldwide Rights at the 2011 European Film Market in Berlin

Los Angeles, CA February 9, 2011 – Summit Entertainment, Lakeshore Entertainment Group and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment jointly announced today that Amanda Seyfried will star in thriller Gone, a film to be directed by Heitor Dhalia from a script penned by Allison Burnett. Lakeshore’s Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi are producing the project alongside Sidney Kimmel. Chris Salvaterra and Dan Abrams will also produce. Summit has acquired U.S. distribution rights and Lakeshore and Sierra / Affinity are handling sales of worldwide rights to the film which commence at the 2011 European Film Market in Berlin. Principal photography is set to begin in April of this year.

Press Release: Batman Beyond Complete Series boxset to street November 23rd, completing the DC Animated Universe Collection.

BATMAN BEYOND: THE COMPLETE SERIES

LIMITED EDITION COMPILATION SET! INCLUDES ALL 52 ACTION-PACKED EPISODES PLUS THREE NEW BONUS FEATURETTES

WARNER HOME VIDEO TO DISTRIBUTE DVD SET NOV. 23

BURBANK, CA (August 18, 2010) – Warner Bros. Animation’s breakthrough series Batman Beyond comes to DVD for the first time in its entirety. Featuring DC Comics’ iconic hero, Batman, Batman Beyond: The Complete Series presents nearly 20 hours of animated action spread over 52 episodes, as well as all-new bonus featurettes and a 24-page, 8”x 12” collectible booklet. Batman Beyond: The Complete Series will be distributed by Warner Home Video on November 23, 2010 as a nine-disc limited edition DVD set for $99.98 (SRP).

Press Release: Rooney Mara cast as Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo remake.

DANIEL CRAIG AND ROONEY MARA

TO STAR IN THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

(Culver City, August 16, 2010) -- Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara have been cast in the lead roles of Columbia Pictures’ three-picture adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s literary blockbuster The Millennium Trilogy under the direction of David Fincher. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – the first film of the series, which also includes The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest – begins shooting next month in Sweden. The screenplay is written by Steve Zaillian and the film is being produced by Scott Rudin, Cean Chaffin, Ole Sondberg and Søren Stærmose. Mikael Wallen and Anni Fernandez are executive producers. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is set for worldwide release December 21, 2011.

The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson has been published in 44 countries and has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide thus far. In the U.S. alone, the series has sold over 10 million copies, and the sales were recently calculated at the remarkable rate of one book per second. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo has broken sales records in virtually every country in which it has been published. It has sold over 5 million copies in the U.S. and has out-sold any other e-book in that rapidly expanding market. A literary phenomenon, all three books currently sit atop the New York Times Best Seller lists. In describing the scale of Larsson’s achievement,The Economist said: “Stieg Larsson’s vivid characters, the depth of the detail across the three books, the powerfully imaginative plot, and the sheer verve of the writing make the trilogy a masterpiece of its genre.” Michiko Kakutani, of The New York Times, described the Lisbeth character: “Lisbeth Salander, Stieg Larsson’s fierce pixie of a heroine, is one of the most original characters in a thriller to come along in a while – a gamin, Audrey Hepburn look-alike but with tattoos and piercings, the take-no-prisoners attitude of Lara Croft and the cool, unsentimental intellect of Mr. Spock. She is the vulnerable victim turned vigilante; a willfully antisocial girl . . . who has proved herself to be as incandescently proficient as any video game warrior.” The three novels have all become #1 worldwide bestsellers, an achievement unrivaled in trade book publishing.

Press Release - Sony casts Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man

ANDREW GARFIELD CAST AS PETER PARKER IN COLUMBIA PICTURES’ NEXT INSTALLMENT OF “SPIDER-MAN”

CULVER CITY, Calif., July 1, 2010 – After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Andrew Garfield has been chosen to portray Peter Parker when Spider-Man swings back onto the screen in 3D on July 3, 2012. The new film will begin production in early December directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad will produce the film from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.

FYI - Fox Searchlight to hold nationwide sneak of Whip on Saturday night.

National sneak previews are pretty rare these days, so I thought you'd want to know about this one. If I can make it I'll review it accordingly. Apparently, there will be free T-shirts! The following is a press release.

FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

Proudly Presents

SNEAK PREVIEWS THIS SATURDAY!!

**Free T-Shirts at Every Location**

WHEN: Saturday, September 26^th

TIME: 7:00pm – 11:55pm (times vary by location)

LOCATION: Check your local listings

Click the following for additional details:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=167977624828

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=168675424828

Warner Bros press release for Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut

The following is a press release from Warner Bros home video...

DON’T MISS THE MUST-HAVE HOLIDAY GIFT AS

WATCHMEN: THE ULTIMATE CUT

STORMS ONTO BLU-RAY AND DVD NOVEMBER 3^rd

FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO

The limited quantity multi-disc set includes a whole new movie:

Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut, which weaves Watchmen: Tales from the Black Freighter into Zack Snyder’s Director’s Cut.

Be the first to own the must-have collectible for Watchmen fans when Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on November 3 from Warner Home Video. From director Zack Snyder, this new and complete version of the action-packed blockbuster weaves Watchmen: Tales from the Black Freighter, the animated story-within-a-story into the Director’s Cut of the film, creating a true ultimate version of the critically acclaimed story.

Available in a limited quantity of 70,000, Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut also features new commentary by Dave Gibbons and Zack Snyder along with almost 3 hours of extras, including Hollis Mason’s animated tell-all, Under the Hood. Also included is Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic. Overseen by "Watchmen" illustrator Dave Gibbons and produced by Snyder, Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic contains all 12 chapters of "Watchmen," the most celebrated graphic novel of all time, adding motion, voice and sound to the book's strikingly drawn panels, spanning everything from the mysterious demise of the Comedian to the crisscrossed destinies of loosely allied superheroes to their fateful impact on the world.

From Director, Zack Snyder (300, Dawn of the Dead) Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut stars Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children, Semi-Pro), Malin Akerman (27 Dresses, The Heartbreak Kid), Billy Crudup (Mission Impossible III, Almost Famous), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (TV’s Grey’s Anatomy, Supernatural), Patrick Wilson (Lakeview Terrace, Little Children), and Carla Gugino (Race to Witch Mountain, Night at the Museum).

SYNOPSIS
Someone’s killing our super heroes. The year is 1985 and super heroes have banded together to respond to the murder of one of their own. They soon uncover a sinister plot that puts all of humanity in grave danger. The super heroes fight to stop the impending doom only to find themselves a target for annihilation. But, if our super heroes are gone, who will save us?

Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut will be available on Blu-ray (4 discs) for $59.99, and DVD (5 discs) for $43.87.

BLU_RAY and DVD ELEMENTS

· Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut film

· Audio Commentary with Zack Snyder and Dave Gibbons

· The Phenomenon: The Comic that Changed Comics (RT: 28:50) - Learn how the subversive, thematically complex, award winning comic that changed literature, inspired analytical debate, and won countless fans, was created.

· Real Super Heroes, Real Vigilantes (RT: 27:28) - Explores the fascination and psychology behind real-world vigilantes and where that behavior crosses over into actually donning the hood and behaving as superheroes.

· Mechanics: Technologies of a Fantastic World (RT: 16:46) - The creators of Watchmen had a great understanding of engineering and science, allowing for plausible mechanics in their characters tools and the world itself. This featurette will guide the viewer through the filmmakers process of turning these technologies into cinematic reality.

· Watchmen: Video Journals

· My Chemical Romance video Desolation Row (RT: 3:16)

· Under The Hood (RT: 36:00) - A retrospective look on the biography by Hollis Mason – the original Nite Owl – and the world of those who stood for hooded justice.

· Story Within A Story: The Books of Watchmen (RT: 26:00) - Weave through the nuanced layers of detail to see how a comic-within-a comic acts as parallel commentary to the acclaimed work of Literature, Watchmen.

· Digital Copy of the Theatrical Version

· Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comics

BASICS

PRODUCT SRP

4-Disc Blu-ray set $ 59.99

5-disc DVD set $ 43.87

Standard Street Date: November 3, 2009

Languages: English, Quebec French, Latin Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Latin Spanish

Running Time: 215 min

Rating: R (for strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language)

DLBY/SURR DLBY/DGTL [CC]

The Credits
With operations in 90 international territories Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, Village Roadshow, HBO Home Video, and New Line Home Entertainment.

PRESS RELEASE (if I was at Comic Con, I would be camping out here).

Alas, due to impending jury duty, I was unable to attend this year's Comic Con. But I'm printing this press release for two reasons. A) I think my readers would be interested and B) if anyone reading this does get to attend these events, I'd love a rundown of anything interesting that was discussed. Anyway... once again, the proceeding is 100% press release:

Batman Movie Reaches 20^th Anniversary Milestone at Comic Con in San Diego

Legendary Producer To Talk Batman, The Joker, Archie, Pop Culture and Comic Books in the Movies

He helped make Batman an international movie star, spawned a generation of serious comic book movies and now he is marrying Archie off to Veronica. Michael E. Uslan, the executive producer of the Batman movie franchise – including the record breaking blockbuster The Dark Knight – is coming to Comic Con International July 23-28, 2009 to talk about his 30-plus years in the entertainment industry, as well as a slate of new projects in comics and film.

This summer movie season marks the 20^th anniversary of the movie that spawned a modern explosion of comic book films. In 1989, Batman, starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson, was released, breaking nearly every box office record of the day. It made believers out of studio heads who began to see that you could make a movie about comic book characters without it being campy.

With Oscars and Emmys awarded to multiple projects, Uslan is the godfather of the modern comic book movie, and is currently being entrusted with icons like Archie, who he is marrying off to Veronica in September as writer of the comic books. As a speaker, his commencement speech to Indiana University (his alma mater) was named by USA Today as one of the top 10 commencement speeches of all time. Moreover, he has a slate of new projects that include live action movies such as Shazam! and The Shadow. His slate includes a multitude of writing and producing jobs, as well as a new film development firm called The Uslan Company, where Uslan will act as a “producer for hire” to help usher along other producers’ and companies’ projects.

Below is a list of the panels Uslan will be attending at Comic Con this year:

• 11:30-12:30 Archie Comics: Archie Marries Veronica. It's the wedding of the century, but that is just the start, with plenty of surprise announcements about the future of Archie Comics, including the latest news about Archie on television and in feature films! Panelists include legendary The Dark Knight movie producer and Archie writer Michael Uslan, new Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater, iVerse CEO Michael Murphy, IDW Publishing COO Greg Goldstein, Archie Comics president/director of circulation Fred Mausser, and Archie Comics vice president/managing editor Mike Pellerito. The panel is moderated by Archie's public relations coordinator Rik Offenberger and features a Q&A session. An "Archie Marries Veronica" poster will be given to everyone attending the panel. Room 4

• 6:00-7:00 Comics to Film with Michael Ulsan. Godfather of the modern comic book film Michael Uslan (Batman, Constantine, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight) celebrates the 20th anniversary of his landmark movie Batman (1989) by recounting what it took to make it happen and how the industry has changed since then, advising newcomers how to make their comic book movie dreams come true. Q&A and surprise announcements will cap off the hour. Moderated by Tony Panaccio. Room 7AB

• 10:30-12:00 Comics Arts Conference Session #9: Is the Joker a Psychopath: You Decide! Psychology professors Robin Rosenberg (The Psychology of Superheroes) and Travis Langley (Henderson State University) discuss the technical definition of a psychopath and review the criteria for antisocial personality disorder does the Joker fit the clinical definition? Is he more than just crazy? They are joined by Joker experts Jerry Robinson (The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comic Books, 1938-1950), famed "Joker-fish" scribe Steve Englehart (The Point Man), and film producer Michael Uslan (The Dark Knight). Room 30AB

I expect a full report from anyone attending the 'Is the Joker a psychopath?' round table. Thanks.

Scott Mendelson