Movies in the Works: Dynasty, Night Stalker

Coming to a theater near you:

Dynasty (Yes, the TV show, made into a film)

The creators of the 1980′s iconic television series, Richard and Esther Shapiro, announced this week that they are wrapping up the final details on the script for a “Dynasty” movie, due out in theaters sometime in 2012. Richard and Esther said that with the film version, they want to do something completely different. They were inspired, they say, by the format of the latest Star Wars installment. (Just the format, not the space stuff… so unfortunately, we won’t be seeing our ‘dynasty’ stars in space.)

“Everybody has wanted to know about the beginning,” Richard Shapiro said. “During the course of all of ‘Dynasty,’ Alexis was in love with Blake, and obviously, there was a time when he was in love with her. That is the center focus of this film, the Blake and Alexis love story.”

“One of our highest rated shows was the episode that had a dream sequence that went back to when Blake was with Alexis,” Esther Shapiro added. “It was one of our highest rated shows. In this movie, what we’re going to try to do is address a lot of the questions the fans had over the years.”

Set in 1961, the “Dynasty” movie will follow Blake Carrington’s character as he slips into the world of privilege inhabited by his first wife, Alexis Carrington.

“In that day, the elite class did what it wanted,” Richard Shapiro said. “It had no rules. To watch Blake, a very straight shooter, step into that world — it’s fascinating to us and we hope it will be to the audience.”

The Shapiros are developing the movie with their daughter Florie Savage, and say that they have yet to cast the roles of Blake (the late John Forsythe) and Alexis (Joan Collins), but say they know what they are looking for.

“John Forsythe, he’s got to be blond and beautiful with blue eyes,” she said.  ”Someone who can play him at 25 or 26 years old. Young Alexis, she’s going to have to be between 17 and 22 years old in terms of the way it’s written. That’s what the actress will have to play. Does she have to be English? Well, it would be nice if she were, or if she could affect an English accent.”

Stay tuned for more info!

The Night Stalker

You remember that guy… Richard Ramirez, the one who terrorized Southern California residents for quite some time in the 1980′s, is being made into a film. Dubbed the “Night Stalker”, Ramirez was known for coming in through open doors and windows, choosing his victims close to freeways and leaving behind drawn pentagrams and AC/DC hats. He was found guilty of 13 counts of murder, 5 attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults, and 14 burgluries. I remember it well. I was pretty young at the time, but boy was I scared, every night, until this guy was caught!

Well, James Franco (Spider-Man, Pineapple Express) has announced that he will direct in and star in the adapted docu-thriller portraying Richard Ramirez himself.

The movie is adapted from the book about the 1980′s serial killer Ramirez by Philip Carlo.

Nicholas Constantine, who co-wrote the adapted screenplay, confirmed Franco’s collaboration. “I had no idea if he would do it, though, since it’s pretty dark subject matter,” he said. “They told me he was studying to be a director and this was perfect for him. We watched three short films he made, two of which were dark and one of which was about a serial killer. That confirmed James definitely had this dark side, and it definitely sealed the deal for us. Sure enough, James read the material and responded to it immediately.”

Will you watch either of these two upcoming films?