How does it feel to be involved with The Sorcerer’s Apprentice?

Jay Baruchel: It’s a great honor to be part of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, but it’s also very stressful because Fantasia is cherished and beloved by so many people around the world. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice sequence of Fantasia is one of the most iconic and important sequences in film history, so I didn’t want to screw this up. If you were going to create a retrospective of great film moments, I think the Fantasia sequence would be up there alongside Cary Grant being chased by the crop duster in North By Northwest. It has been exhilarating to get the chance to do something so important to so many people, but there’s a lot of weight on our shoulders and I didn’t want to get it wrong.

How do you deal with the stress of working on such an iconic project?

Jay Baruchel: There are two possible outcomes. You can either let the stress get the best of you and wilt in the face of adversity, or you can let the stress push you to work harder than you’ve ever worked before. The only other time in my career where I felt a similar weight on my shoulders was when I got to work for Clint Eastwood. It was tough. There’s a great sports analogy that comes to mind when I think about this. If you get drafted into the NHL and you get to play on the same line with the guys that made you want to start playing hockey in the first place, are you going to mess up under the pressure? Or are you going to show everyone the reason why you are standing there next to these amazing athletes? I had to bring my A-game to this project. I wanted to prove to everyone that they made the right decision in hiring me.

What was your highlight to the filming of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice?

Jay Baruchel: Shooting plasma bolts out of my hands has been a lifelong ambition of mine. Ever since I played Street Fighter II when I was a kid, I’ve been waiting to shoot energy out of my hands. For years, nothing happened. My hands finally get to work in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

What was it like to work with Nicolas Cage on the movie?

Jay Baruchel: Nicolas Cage is an amazing man and I have a great deal of affection for him. I love the man and I count him as a good friend of mine. He and I are cut from the same cloth. We’re kindred spirits who both march to the beat of our own drum. We’re both outsiders and we’re interested in the same things. We both love comic books, we like a lot of the same music, we like a lot of the same movies for the same reasons, and we’re both incredibly punctual. It was a real thrill for me to work with him because I can remember sneaking into Con Air when I was 15 years old.

What makes Nicolas Cage such an iconic actor?

Jay Baruchel: He has such a unique, distinct presence. To be on set and shooting scenes with him or even having conversations with the guy has been mind blowing for me. There would be moments throughout the six months of filming where I would almost step outside of my body and realize that I was talking to Nicolas Cage. That was really cool for me.

What was it like working with Teresa Palmer?

Jay Baruchel: Teresa is awesome. We have a very similar background and we have similar views on a lot of things. She’s kind, beautiful and easy to fall in love with on camera. I gained another best friend by working with her on The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

Did you want to wear Mickey Mouse’s wizard hat for the magical mop scenes?

Jay Baruchel: No, I was very thankful that I didn’t get to wear Mickey’s hat. Mickey can rock the hat. He looks neat wearing it, but it doesn’t look as cool on my head. It’s pretty hard to look cool with a pointy hat.

What’s your earliest memory of Fantasia?

Jay Baruchel: I was a little kid when I saw Fantasia for the first time and I’m pretty sure I had Fantasia sheets or a blanket on my bed back then. When I was a kid, everything I owned was either Winnie The Pooh or Fantasia. It was huge in my life.

Do you remember the first time you saw the movie?

Jay Baruchel: There are moments in your life when you remember seeing or hearing something for the first time. But when it comes to Fantasia, I don’t remember a life without it. It’s always been there for me. I can’t pinpoint my first viewing, but it’s been thrilling to pay homage to something that’s been in my life forever.

There is a scene in the movie where your character gets beaten up in a bathroom and he says, “Oh, God… This is just like high school all over again.” Did you have a tough childhood like your character in the movie?

Jay Baruchel: Yes and no. I think high school is a mix of the happiest memories of your life and the most miserable memories of your life. I had some real great times at school. House parties haven’t been as fun as they were when I was a teenager. That’s when a party at someone’s house is the most fun thing in the universe. However, that’s also the time of your life when you’re at your most awkward and you can’t stand the way you look. I went to a tough high school in Montreal and the cops were there every single week. Sure, I had my fights back then, but my parents eventually transferred me to a fine arts school. I went from the most dangerous high school to the artiest place ever. It was a strange transition, but it’s all been a great learning process for me.

Many people remember you for your role in Tropic Thunder. How much fun did you have shooting that movie?

Jay Baruchel: Tropic Thunder was sweet. It was real fun and an amazing experience. Between takes, Brandon Jackson and I would time ourselves and see how quickly we could unload and reload our guns with our eyes closed. I could do it in four and a half seconds. I had the record on set.

How did the Tropic Thunder set compare to other movies sets you worked on?

Jay Baruchel: It was very, very, different to my experience on Knocked Upwhere I was going to set every day with people that I had known for a long time. I lived with Seth Rogan for two years and I stayed with his parents in Vancouver, so he’s like blood to me. In that sense, filming Knocked Up was like a family reunion. I had an amazing mix of love, loyalty and impatience with the people on set there. Tropic Thunderwas very different because I went away to a far off place with Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Steve Coogan. I found myself shooting guns in the middle of the jungle with all these guys that became my friends, but they were untouchable icons that I didn’t know at the start of the film shoot. I knew Ben and Jack a little bit, but by spending six months in the jungle with them, I formed some real bonds.

Which film set do you prefer?

Jay Baruchel: I love both experiences equally and I would do either of them again in a heartbeat. Seth Rogan is one of my best friends in the whole world. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for that kid, and I can call him kid because I am five days older than him. Tropic Thunder and Knocked Up both changed my life, so I have equal affection for them. However, I also have a huge affection for The Sorcerer’s Apprentice because it has become a project I’m extremely proud of.

What would you be doing if you weren’t an actor?

Jay Baruchel: My main ambition in life is to direct horror movies in Montreal. Long before I started acting, I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life, so if I wasn’t acting I would be making an effort to direct horror movies. If not, I would probably be working at a video store or a record store and talking a lot of rubbish because I know a little about a lot of things. I’m a nerd and I read a lot. I have a head full of useless knowledge.

Where does your passion for horror come from?

Jay Baruchel: I’ve always had a passion for horror, but I don’t know where it came from. The two movie genres that excite me the most are action movies and horror movies – and that’s what I want to spend the rest of my life doing. When I was seven years old, I wanted to be a writer. When I was nine years old, I decided that I wanted to make movies. My mother videotaped me when I was seven years old and there’s a tape of me saying I want to make stuff that scares Stephen King out of his underpants. That’s my next goal. Let’s see if I can make that dream come true.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is currently out now on Blu-ray and DVD, from Disney Home Entertainment.

How would you describe your character in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice?

Becky Barnes is the love interest of Jay Baruchel’s character, Dave Stutler. Becky is a DJ and she’s a college student at NYU. She starts off the film as a very normal girl. She’s been a bit unlucky in love and then she meets Dave who is a bit of a geek and a nerd – and she is drawn to him. Dave and Becky went to the same school when they were seven years old and he has had a crush on her ever since. They reconnect in New York 15 years later and that’s when Becky gets thrust into this magical world of sorcery. It’s a very interesting ride for her.

Is Becky a damsel in distress?

Teresa Palmer: I guess she’s a little like a damsel in distress at the beginning of the movie. However, it gets a lot cooler for Becky as the story unfolds. She soon kicks butt and she gets to be a Lara Croft-type character. She gets to take control as she tries to save the world.

How intimidating was it to walk onto the set of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice for the first time?

Teresa Palmer: I’ve done a lot of independent Australian films and other movies, but this was different because it was my biggest film role. I did my own hair and makeup on my first movie, and I even wrote half of my scenes. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice was the polar opposite. It was a wonderful job.

How much of the movie is special effects?

Teresa Palmer: I think we shot about 75% of the film on sound stages. That means they had to recreate a lot of the iconic settings in the movie, like the Chrysler building. That stage was amazing. They built four stories of the building with the big eagle inside and they printed out sheets of the city view, so they put twinkling lights all around the place to represent the lights of the city. It was really beautiful. You forget you’re actually on a stage when you’re filming on a set like that. All of a sudden, they turn on the lights and you’re brought back to reality. You think to yourself, ‘Oh, wow… This isn’t real. It’s wood.’ It was weird, but it was very cool.

How difficult is it to act in a CGI world?

Teresa Palmer: It was certainly different. Someone will walk onto the stage with a special ball and wave it in front of you. They’ll explain that the ball is meant to be some sort of plasma bulb in your hand. Things like that are always a little bizarre. You have to start thinking in a different way, but it’s a great tool to learn.

When did you decide you wanted to be an actress?

Teresa Palmer: I grew up in Adelaide, Australia, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life when I graduated high school. I think it’s really difficult for an 18-year-old to know what they want to do for the next 50 years. I had no idea, but I worked on the weekends to earn some money and that’s when I met a director who asked if I wanted to be in his movie. He gave me a script and it was about youth suicide, which is an issue that’s on the increase in Australia, but it’s brushed under the carpet. I ended up doing the movie and it became a pretty controversial film. It got the attention of the Cannes Film Festival and it ended up premiering there, which is where my career started. As I said earlier, I did my own hair and makeup on the set of that first film and I wore my own clothes – and now I’m part of a huge blockbuster with Nicolas Cage. It’s been such a whirlwind ride for me. I picked up an agent in Cannes and they brought me straight to America to start work. And here I am.

Who were your acting heroes when you were growing up?

Teresa Palmer: I was a big fan of Audrey Hepburn when I was growing up, but I never thought of acting as a serious career option. There aren’t many opportunities to act in Adelaide and South Australia because there aren’t any big acting agencies there and we don’t have any acting schools. There aren’t many movies shot in Adelaide, so it was never a reality for me. I went to university and I started to teach – and then I was going to change careers to become a midwife because I’m obsessed with babies. But then the movie I worked on got picked up for Cannes and my life changed. It’s really weird how it all happened so quickly.

How much has your life changed since you moved to Hollywood?

Teresa Palmer: My life has mainly changed because I live in Los Angeles now and I’m away from my family and my friends in Australia. However, I’m the same person underneath. My friends come over to Los Angeles from Adelaide and they get blown away by everything here, but it’s just a job to me.

Do you enjoy the Hollywood lifestyle with all its partying and red carpet events?

Teresa Palmer: I’m not really a partygoer. I don’t drink alcohol at all. I don’t like the taste of it. A party for me involves board games in my pajamas on a Sunday night. We play Guesstures, Cranium and Twister – and that’s my idea of fun. I never go to events unless I need to go for work or to support a friend. To be honest, my life revolves around hanging out with my friends and going to the dog park. That’s about it, although I definitely get homesick from time to time.

What do you miss the most from home?

Teresa Palmer: I miss so much about Australia. I definitely miss the lifestyle because it feels much more laid back in Australia. We take work seriously, but your job does not define who you are. In Australia, we do our job but our friends, our family and our social life is equally as important, if not more important, than our work. It’s a refreshing way of life. I miss that and I miss my dogs at home as well.

Do you still wash the dishes when you go home to Australia?

Teresa Palmer: Of course I do! I love being back home because I stay with my mom. We cook together and I wear whatever I want as I walk my dogs down the street. Nobody looks at me twice in Adelaide. They don’t really care about the movie industry, so I get to be normal. I don’t have to worry about any of the other stuff that comes along with being an actor.

What have you discovered in Hollywood that you never experienced at home in Australia?

Teresa Palmer: I’ve discovered exercise since living in Los Angeles. Back in Adelaide, I would eat burgers all the time and I wouldn’t exercise at all – but it’s a big part of the culture in Los Angeles. You go for lunch and then you head to the gym or go on a hike and then you go out for dinner again. I’ve really got into exercise now. In fact, the most Hollywood thing about me is the fact that I have a personal trainer. He’s the guy who works with Jessica Biel because I want to get her bottom.

Are you ambitious, Teresa?

Teresa Palmer: Am I ambitious? Absolutely, but not in a detrimental way. I’m ambitious because I want to create good things and I want to be part of important and inspiring movies. However, I also want to do other things in my life. I want to have a family and I want to live a philanthropic life. I also want to start my own charity, as well as an animal shelter.

What makes you happy?

Teresa Palmer: I’m generally a very happy and bubbly person. Whenever I get unhappy it’s usually because I’m lonely or because of something trivial. If I didn’t get an audition I wanted or if I lost some self esteem because I didn’t get a job then I will certainly be unhappy for a while, but it soon passes.

How do you cheer yourself up at times like that?

Teresa Palmer: I find that writing my journal always helps me feel much better. It’s very therapeutic. I also find that being around my friends and my loved ones makes me very happy. The perfect day for me involves being near the beach in Adelaide with my friends and family. Everyone will be smiling and eating good food. We’ll chat, have fun and talk about fun times. That’s bliss to me. My work is bliss too, but it makes me smile to think of home.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is currently out now on Blu-ray and DVD, from Disney Home Entertainment.

You’ve worked with Nicolas Cage on numerous projects, including The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. What is his appeal?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I love the professionalism of Nicolas Cage. He’s such a professional actor. He’s always prepared and he’s always ready. He’s got a very inquisitive mind and he’s very well read. He studies everything in real depth and he’s got an amazing knowledge in a very broad spectrum, which is something I wish I could have myself. He’s also one of our greatest actors. He’s extremely versatile, he’s won an Academy Award, and he’s done some really interesting work over the years. He’s an artist who can switch back and forth from doing small independent pictures that are in his heart to movies that will appeal to a much broader audience.

Do you ever disagree with how Nicolas approaches a role?

Jerry Bruckheimer: There are always issues that come up during the shooting of a film. There will be a line or a certain move in a plot he doesn’t feel comfortable doing, but those are the things you work out with an actor. You want everyone to feel comfortable about who the character is and what the character says, so it’s great that he voices his opinion. Nick is wonderful because he writes some of his own dialogue in his movies. He doesn’t come up to me and say, “This doesn’t work.” He’ll say, “I’m not comfortable with this, but I could do it this way.” He’s always got great input.

What does your role as a producer involve on a movie like The Sorcerer’s Apprentice?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I’m involved with the process of developing the screenplay with the writers. I’m involved in the casting and I also hire the director with the assistance of the studio. I’m very involved in the preparation for the filming and once the filming starts, I’m certainly there. However, I’m not there all the time; I leave that to the director. I look at all the dailies and if I feel that we’re missing something, I’ll certainly have a discussion with them. I also get involved in the editing with the director, I get involved with the composer, with the sound effects crew, with the mixing team and with all of the promotions, so I’m involved in every aspect of making the film.

Which part of the filmmaking process is your favorite?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I think the editorial process is the most fun because that’s where you mold the clay. You have all this wonderful clay you’ve filmed and now you have to mold it into something that’s effective and entertaining. That’s what I love to do the most.

Do you feel like a sorcerer when you make movies?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I never feel like a sorcerer. The magic comes from all of the people that I work with. I just throw them all together.

Why is magic and sorcery so popular?

Jerry Bruckheimer: People always like to look at things that they don’t understand. I think that’s always fascinating to an audience. It’s entertaining to try and figure out what’s going on.

What’s magical in the world today?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I think what I do is magic. With this movie, we have taken ideas from one scene in an animation and we have turned it into a film that has traveled around the world and entertained people. To me, that’s pure magic.

So when did you last feel like an apprentice?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I’m still an apprentice. I’m still trying to learn what I’m doing here. I think you should always try to learn, especially from the people around you. That’s why I surround myself with talented people. You get a different perspective from each individual you work with – and that’s wonderful to me. If I don’t get up and learn something new every day then it’s not a successful day in my eyes.

Why are classic tales of good versus evil, like The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, so entertaining?

Jerry Bruckheimer: Because tales of good versus evil involve a lot of drama. When you have villains, you’ve got drama because you’ve got somebody pushing against your heroes. It always takes a great protagonist and antagonist to make a good film – and I certainly think we have that with The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

Can you talk about the casting of Jay Baruchel in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I’ve always been a fan of Jay Baruchel. In fact, we cast him in a television show years ago and I’ve always thought he was an exceptional actor. He’s got a wonderful sense of humor and a quirky side to him that I think audiences love. I think he’s going to go far.

Is it true that you have an interesting compilation of photographs taken on your film sets?

Jerry Bruckheimer: That is true. I always shoot pictures on sets because I love capturing images of the films we make. I have a nice collection of photographs and I even had an exhibition of stuff we shot on Pirates Of The Caribbean. It ran in a few countries in Europe and hopefully they’ll do it again at some stage in the future.

When did your passion for photography start?

Jerry Bruckheimer: When I was about 6 years old, I had an uncle who was a photo buff. He would always buy new cameras and I ended up with one of his old ones. There are loads of photos of me with that camera around my neck when I was a child, so I was always taking pictures from the time I was very little.

As a child, did you have a magic box of tricks?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I certainly did have a magic box as a child. I wasn’t very nimble at it because the tricks would fly all over the place, but I was certainly fascinated by it.

Did you dream about becoming a filmmaker from a young age?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I did. I was always thinking, ‘I want to be part of the magic that goes up on that 100-foot screen… How do you get involved in that?’ It took me a while to figure it out, but I finally got there.

Did you have a back-up plan in case you didn’t make it as a filmmaker?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I don’t know what my Plan B would have been. I have no idea. To be honest, I didn’t even know what my Plan A was. I just kept moving forward and this is where I ended up.

What dreams do you have left to fulfill?

Jerry Bruckheimer: Well, I’ve recently started a video game company, so that’s something we’re working on at the moment. We’ll have to see where that goes.

Did Disney have an impact on your life as a child?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I think Mickey Mouse had an impact on every young kid when I was growing up. I watched a lot of cartoons when I was growing up, along with the animated features like Snow White. I am a big fan of all the wonderful classic Disney animations that my parents took me to see. I’m also a big fan of Disney.

Your recent work with Disney is very family-oriented. Do you have any harder-hitting movies in the pipeline?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I have a range of projects in the pipeline and some of them certainly involve hard-hitting subjects. My company recently bought a book called Horse Soldiers, which is about the first soldiers that entered Afghanistan right after 9/11. The book tells their story and that’s something we hope to bring to the screen at some stage. It’s pretty hard-hitting and is similar to the stories of Black Hawk Down and The Hurt Locker.

You’re also working on the fourth Pirates Of The Caribbean movie. What can you tell us about it?

Jerry Bruckheimer: I’m very excited about the new Pirates movie. It’s a wonderful combination of very imaginative writers and a fantastic director, Rob Marshall. Good material draws good actors and good directors – and that’s certainly the case with this project because Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz and Geoffrey Rush are amazing.

What does Rob Marshall bring to the project?

Jerry Bruckheimer: Rob Marshall trained as a dancer and a choreographer, and then he became a director. He’s done a lot of television and some very successful films, but I’ll think he’ll add a lot of humor to the movies, as well as some wonderful action sequences. He’s an artist and he’ll do it differently than other people in the past. It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is currently out now on Blu-ray and DVD, from Disney Home Entertainment.

With The Sorcerer’s Apprentice on Blu-ray and DVD (here) in stores now, Killer Film catches up with the film’s director, Jon Turteltaub to talk about the film. Read on!

With the success of the “National Treasure” films, how was it like to work with Nicholas Cage in a different type of film, especially with a film that is very visual effect driven?

Jon Turteltaub: Nic and I had a great conversation before starting this film. Basically, we talked about how he let me take the reins in a lot of ways on National Treasure. That was such a buttoned-up character with a lot of intellectual and historical mumbo-jumbo to say. Balthazar, however, is a renegade… an outsider… a rock-and-roll-style hero. So this time, I let Nic take me on the ride… and I loved it.

Is there any special content made for the Blu-ray version? And are you a big fan of watching films on Blu-ray?

Jon Turteltaub: The Blu-Ray version is full of special content not available in other formats. (We gotta find SOME way to justify the extra charges!) As for me, I would always watch on Blu-Ray if I couldn’t see a film in a theater. But to be completely honest and inartistic… I love putting on headphones and watching a movie on my laptop. I feel so carried away and alone when I do that.

Did you originally have Nic Cage in mind for the role of Balthazar Blake?

Jon Turteltaub: Actually, Nic Cage had himself in mind for that role because Nic developed this movie and hired me later on. Nic was on-board long before I.

Did the original The Sorcerer’s Apprentice poem written in 1797 have much to do this with film? What main influences were there?

Jon Turteltaub: I was surprised to find out, shocked in fact, that most people I spoke to under the age of 40 had no idea what The Sorcerer’s Apprentice was. Certainly not by title. When I then described the Mickey Mouse cartoon with the brooms and the water they usually made that “oh yeahhhh” face. But I myself didn’t know that the source of the musical suite by Paul Dukas was the Goethe poem. When I found that out, I read the original poem and made sure that our film was true to the essential themes and ideas of Goethe’s piece…. student and teacher learning that everything comes in due time and not before.

If you had Balthazar’s powers, what spells would you cast?

Jon Turteltaub: I live in LA. I’d get rid of the traffic… but just the cars in front of me.

Lately, you’ve been making a lot of movies for Disney. Can you talk a little bit about that relationship and if there are plans to collaborate more in the future?

Jon Turteltaub: If by “lately” you mean, “every movie I have made since 1992″, then yes, it’s a lot. Disney is the only studio I’ve made films for. Frankly, it’s been a great partnership for me. I get the Disney brand and feel very comfortable working in that model. And I feel good about the fact that movies like “National Treasure” have helped to expand the brand outside of standard family fare. If they’ll have me again, I’m ready to keep making movies with Disney until no one wants me anymore.

What was the biggest challenge in creating a movie based on a well loved short cartoon? Was there ever any thought about making a live action animated movie with Mickey in it like they did with Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Jon Turteltaub: The biggest challenge lies in the phrase “well-loved”. We knew that in the mops and brooms sequence we were taking on a re-creation of a piece of film history. We worried constantly that it needed to be completely different, completely the same, very funny, very serious, out of context, in context… we were tearing ourselves every which way to make sure we created a sequence that wouldn’t have every film critic in the world ripping us to shreds. Eventually, we just decided to focus on the story at hand, Jay Baruchel’s character, and doing some very special work with the visual fx. As for Mickey and live-action… I doubt that was on anyone’s mind but it’s probably a good idea!

You have went from comedy to more action-driven films but do you ever see yourself tackling a different style of film, say… “romantic comedy” or something a bit Noir-ish?

Jon Turteltaub: While You Were Sleeping was a romantic comedy that I’m really proud of and I’d like to be proud of another romantic comedy one day. The reason for tackling action-driven films is simply that they were the best choices for me at the time. I don’t really care much about which genre a film falls into… I just want good characters, a good story, and something directorial to sink my teeth into. Face it, I can ruin any genre!

What was it like working with the younger cast members – Jay Baruchel and Teresa Palmer?

Jon Turteltaub: My ego is such that I forget that I’m so much older than Jay and Teresa. Of course, when Teresa said I was “fatherly” I went home and sobbed in my pillow. As actors, there isn’t really a sense of “new” and “old” so long as everyone is a pro… and these guys were top notch. I think actors are either good or bad… regardless of how long they’ve been at it.

Is everything you wanted to see on the Blu-ray for extra features on there?

Jon Turteltaub: TOO MUCH is on there. Get rid of those deleted scenes! I deleted them for a reason!

Which type of movies do you prefer making – adventure movies like the National Treasure series or more fantastical ones like this movie?

Jon Turteltaub: National Treasure and Sorcerer’s Apprentice are very similar styles of movie in my mind. They are big films, hinging on big set-pieces, taking on a lot of spectacle. My favorite movies to make are the ones where I make a lot of good friends and I get paid gobs and gobs of cash. (Did I just write that?)

Could there be a director’s cut of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice down the line?

Jon Turteltaub: You know, I always find the notion of a “director’s cut” to be ridiculously pompous and revisionist. First of all, 99% of movies ARE the director’s cut to begin with. The only movie that should get a special “director’s cut” is a movie that stinks. Otherwise, why is the director re-cutting it?

I know in a past interview, you have said that “Fantasia” was a brilliant but boring film. But prior to making “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”, did you feel that you need to watch the old animated film?

Jon Turteltaub: I watched the Sorcerer’s Apprentice sequence over and over… but I only watched the entire Fantasia again once. The featured sequence, however, was vital to how we approached making our film. We studied camera and lighting most of all. Even though it was animated, it had amazing “lighting” that Bojan Bazelli and I tried to emulate.

Because “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” did so well in the box office, do you have crazy ideas running in your mind for a sequel?

Jon Turteltaub: This must be a question from Australia or some parallel universe where the movie out-grossed Avatar. For this movie to have a sequel I think this interview is going to have to generate about a hundred million DVD sales.

How much freedom do you give your cast, especially Nic, Jay and Alfred?

Jon Turteltaub: The cast gets complete freedom to do absolutely anything they want…. in rehearsal. That’s where decisions are made. But when cameras role, we all have a pretty good idea of what’s going to be said and where everyone is going to stand. (That said, Jay Baruchel will always come up with something completely brilliant and completely unacceptable in a PG movie.)

What would you consider to be the best job in the world?

Jon Turteltaub: You know… the minute you call anything a “job” it ceases to be the best anything.

What is the “suckiest” question you’ve ever been asked?

Jon Turteltaub: “Do you want me to fix you up with my friend’s mom?”

As someone who has stated a preference for location shooting, how does making special effects movies that require a lot of green screen shooting change your approach? Does that lessen your enjoyment of the process?

Jon Turteltaub: I love green screen shooting, actually. It’s always nicely air-conditioned and usually someone other than me is going to be blamed if it looks bad. Location shooting is great because it gives the director ideas. There’s so much to draw on. When you’re on a set, however, you have to invent 100% of it. That’s hard!!

There’s a good mix of different elements in the film from magic to science, to comedy to awesome fight scenes and car chases. Do you have a particular favourite element of the film?

Jon Turteltaub: I like the use of the word “awesome” to describe the fight scenes. This is now my favorite question. My favorite element is the comedy because it surprises me. When I see an actor or writer invent something new and funny it always amazes me. And when the audience laughs it’s a direct, immediate sense of reward that I feel.

Teresa Palmer really seems to be one of those actresses that will be simply huge in a few years. Can you talk a bit about your experiences in working with this talented young actress?

Jon Turteltaub: Teresa is kind of a perfect person. She is so insanely gorgeous, but she’s also insanely sweet. Not fake actress sweet, but real Australian sweet. She has the courage to do whatever the role needs, but the humility to work hard and ask questions when she’s unsure. She also has that indefinable quality that makes audiences like her when she’s on screen. I hope she becomes as huge as you say. I may need to borrow money one day.

In terms of animation, movies have evolved so much since the days of Fantasia. Where do you hope animation will be in another 70 years time?

Jon Turteltaub: I really hope there IS animation in another 70 years. It’s so hard to predict the changing technology and it’s harder to predict social and cultural trends. Fact is, there may be no live-action movies in 70 years. The line between animation and live-action continues to dim. Most visual fx could be described really as a cartoon. Isn’t Avatar really just a form of animation? And lord knows that animated films like Up and Toy Story have shown that you can discover extraordinary emotional and thematic depth in animated features. So who knows?

How many people were in the green suits for the film?

Jon Turteltaub: Only in that big sequence with the mops and brooms were there a lot of green suits used. And in that scene it was probably about 15 people. And let me say this… as an experienced filmmaker and as a member of a very professional film crew… anyone wearing a green suit always looks like an idiot.

With the title and the Disney name, did you feel like you had to do justice to the “Fantasia” segment?

Jon Turteltaub: I was TERRIFIED of this. I was handed the keys to perhaps the single most important animated story in Disney history. I was so worried that I would blow it. But I just trusted that we were doing things with the right intentions and we worked our butts off to make a great scene. (Half of you reading are thinking… you should have worried more.)

Do any of the extra features recorded on set ever slow down the film making process?

Jon Turteltaub: Now this is a GREAT question! And the answer is… YES! YES! YES! Everyone HATES doing these things. Sometimes we call an actor to the set and we have to wait because he’s in the middle of his interview. Or we are about to shoot and there’s a camera crew lingering in the shadows thinking nobody sees them. Those poor bonus-material people sneak around in fear of being a nuisance all day long and they are constantly being told to “go away” by everyone they see. (And then when the DVD comes out, I and every actor and crew member thinks “Hey, how come I’m not in it more?”)

Is it a strange coincidence that Jay Baruchel has a slight resemblence to Mickey Mouse? How did he get the role of Dave?

Jon Turteltaub: No it’s not a coincidence at all. They’re actually related.

There’s a scene where Bathazar hands Dave a pair of old shoes. Do you have a pair of trusty shoes you enjoy wearing?

Jon Turteltaub: This is the most common question I get. Not a day goes by that I’m not asked this. And yes, I do. But they’ve changed over the years. The fatter I get the more I look for trusty shoes with no laces.

What type of extra features do you enjoy and look for on Blu-rays?

Jon Turteltaub: For me, the best “extra” you get on Blu-ray is the picture quality. that’s really the best part of it.

Would you be happy making every movie with Nicolas Cage and Jerry Bruckheimer?

Jon Turteltaub: I would be happy working with them forever… but not on every movie. Nor would they want to do every movie with me. It would get artistically stilted and dull. Part of the joy of movie-making is the collaborative nature of the art. That means that we are constantly getting good ideas from all the different people around us. If you always work with the same people you stop finding different ideas.

You guys did such a nice job of making modern day Manhattan seem like a place where magic could actually happen. How did you pick and choose where & when you were going to shoot?

Jon Turteltaub: The boring answer is that practical considerations play a huge role. The script dictates most of it…. the action that is needed to take place, etc. And permission has to be given by untold numbers of people to shoot in any given location. So, we end up at the best place possible, not the best place period. That said, we were looking for places that had something uniquely beautiful but also definitively New York. We wanted iconic New York imagery, but to see a new side of it. For example, subways feel very New York…. subways with wolves on them is special.

Did Shadowrun influence The Sorcerers Apprentice at all?

Jon Turteltaub: What’s Shadowrun? (Did I just insult somebody? I don’t know what that is.)

Everyone loves the “National Treasure” films, so did you feel pressure because of this prior to making “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”?

Jon Turteltaub: As someone once said to me, “If you think there’s a lot of pressure to follow up on a hit, try following up on a flop.” The success of the National Treasure films gave me confidence and breathing room. It also helped build my trust and camaraderie with Nic and Jerry. (And not everyone loved National Treasure, believe me.)

What do you think animation brings to live-action films?

Jon Turteltaub: Animation takes away instant creativity but replaces it with methodical and calculated creativity. It also allows you to “fix it later” in some ways. But most of all, animation releases boundaries. You are not limited by physics, shooting schedules, or safety. You can do whatever you want!

Did you have to consult any experts on Arthurian legends, to get the Merlin backstory accurate?

Jon Turteltaub: Yes. And guess what? They all disagree. There are so many different interpretations of this story…. particularly when we tried to get a clear answer to the question “How did Merlin die?” Unfortunately, the most common answer involved an incident we couldn’t show in a Disney movie.

Were you hoping to again shake current expectations of a family film on this?

Jon Turteltaub: You know, at this point, I think we’re no longer shaking expectations but trying to meet the new and improved expectations. Audiences now expect quite a lot from family films. There is a weird, undefined line between a family film and a kid’s film. It’s hard to say what that is but we all know it when we see it. The goal is to avoid making a kids film. This was actually a much bigger challenge 30 years ago. Spielberg and Lucas were the ones who broke this mold… and faced a huge amount of criticism for it. Jaws and Star Wars were written off as Kiddie Films by a lot of people and it took ages for either of those guys to get the respect they deserved as filmmakers.

Alfred Molina has had such a successful and varied career. Can you please talk about what led you to cast him in this movie?

Jon Turteltaub: Jerry told me to! And I’m glad he did… not just because he is brilliant in the movie but because he’s become such a close friend. Jerry had just used Fred on Prince of Persia so he was aware of how versatile, funny and powerful Fred could be. Sure enough, Horvath became all of those things as a result of Fred’s performance.

What do you think of 3D TV and what can it give to the experience of watching films like this?

Jon Turteltaub: I’m curious to see if 3D TV is worth it. For crying out loud, I can’t ever find the remote, how the hell am I going to find those damn glasses?

Can you tell us about filming in Manhattan? What were some of the difficulties you faced?

Jon Turteltaub: Shooting in New York is fantastic… always… because New York always makes you EARN your success no matter what you do. It’s a rough place…. which makes it a great place. And what makes it so hard is obvious… constantly changing weather, endless amounts of noise, nowhere to park 24 big rig trucks, and eleven million people who don’t give a crap about your stupid movie.

Do you believe in magic?

Jon Turteltaub: Nope.

How many mops did go through to make this movie?

Jon Turteltaub: One. Maybe two. (You think we spent money on visual fx and CGI so that we could use real mops?)

Aside from the wonderful special effects, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” has amazing production design, were you literally floored when you saw what was built on set for this film?

Jon Turteltaub: Did the production designer submit this question? If not, she should have. Naomi Shohan is such a brilliant and extraordinary woman. The sets she created (with her wonderful crew) are mind boggling and get lost in the VFX shuffle. I think audience assume everything is fake these days… but these massive sets were very real. And you are right… there were days I would walk onto the set and think, “Holy Crap” would you look at this?

What’s more important to you – critical or commercial success?

Jon Turteltaub: This is one of those existential questions that probably plagues all of us in our own way. Not just movie makers… but every one of us. Do I take a job just for the money even if it won’t make me happy? Do I marry this person because they are stable and good even though I don’t feel passion? The movie question isn’t really just about critics…. it’s about making movies that have meaning. The honest answer is that, with movies, the pain of a flop lasts a lot longer than the pain of bad reviews. However, there’s also an overall desire to make films that matter…. that are game-changers in some ways.

If you only had one power to save the world, what would it be?

Jon Turteltaub: Eliminate testosterone.

Your films have so much destruction and visual effects, but I’m curious… which of the following type of film would you like to take on in the future: a) Superhero b) Disaster c) Alien Invasion film?

Jon Turteltaub: Oddly, I’ve never thought of my films as having “so much destruction”. I’m the guy who made Cool Runnings and Phenomenon!! I also made three action/adventure films where the heroes never touch a gun. Maybe I need MORE destruction. Yeah! That’s what’s holding me back.

What were some of your favorite family films as a kid?

Jon Turteltaub: As a kid, every film is a family film. It’s not like I sat around with my pals in fourth grade watching The Godfather and Cabaret. When I was a kid, we liked EVERYTHING. I remember thinking that Disney’s The World’s Greatest Athlete and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes were the best movies ever.

What does Disney bring to the plate that no other studio does (or does as well)?

Jon Turteltaub: You know… what Disney understand that most other studios don’t isn’t about kids. It’s about parents. They know what parents will feel safe taking their kids to see and what parents will enjoy. Disney, because of its success, the brand recognition makes it vulnerable. Rarely will parents see a movie that offends them and say, “How dare the Sony corporation make a movie like that!” But if it’s a Disney movie you can bet there will be letters, protests and law suits. So they have gotten very good at understanding parents.

What is your definition of a film’s success?

Jon Turteltaub: For me, success is defined in a lot of ways. Certainly, financial success is important and underrated by many filmmakers. It matters to get the studio its money back and to generate income for them so that they will continue making movies and hiring us. A film is also a success if there’s a general feeling out in the universe that it was good. No one critic matters… but we all know when the vibe out there is good or bad. Awards can also mean success. For me personally, I feel I’ve had a success when the film makes a lot of money and more people tell me they loved it than tell me they didn’t.

Can you tell us who or what your inspirations are? Is there a particular movie or director that really influences you?

Jon Turteltaub: I’m a product of the Spielberg age of filmmaking… which must make Steven crazy because I don’t make films that look or feel as awesome as his. But Steven embraced normal, average human beings and made them glorious…. and he embraced movies and made them glorious. That really inspired me. The filmmakers that I probably try most to emulate are Stanley Donnen, Sidney Pollack, and Rob Reiner.

Were there any issues between yourself and the actors over how physical their roles were?

Jon Turteltaub: There are two entities that really want the actors to be safe… the actors and the insurance companies. So we have so many people around to make sure that everyone is safe at all times…. stunt men, fire men, security guards, special effects people, stand-ins, etc. But making movies is a dangerous business no matter what you do. You can’t know for a 100% certainty that the wolves aren’t going to eat Jay’s face off. So when I shout action I’ve got my fingers crossed that I’m not about to film a sequence that’s going to appear more on “WORLD’S MOST DISGUSTING DISASTERS” than in my own film.

Any chance of a 3 Ninjas reboot?

Jon Turteltaub: That would be fun… but I don’t know. Sadly, I just now read that Dino De Laurentiis died. Dino was involved in that film.

Did growing up in Beverly Hills play a big role in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry?

Jon Turteltaub: Sure, no doubt. My father was a big television writer/producer, so I was around a lot of people in the entertainment industry. Other kids I went to school with had parents in the business as well. The result of that isn’t that everyone has some nepotistic inroad…. but that we grew up feeling that the entertainment industry was accessible. It wasn’t some crazy dream that was somewhere out there in Hollywood… it was in our back yard and we were invited.

How did you break into Hollywood? Do you have any tips for anyone that wants to become a director?

Jon Turteltaub: I went to film school and that made no difference in terms of getting a break. What was my break was that I had a third cousin who knew a guy who was making really cheapo movies and it turned out that producer was someone I knew from Little League. I went in to meet him to get a job as a production assistant on the movie but during the interview I asked if I could direct it instead. He said yes. (Ridiculous.) As for advice… there really is no one best way to make it. Every single person breaks in a different way. The key is to make people believe you have something to offer them that they don’t have without you. It can be a script. It can be your face. It can be your sense-of-humor. It can be anything so long as you let them believe you have something they need.

Which Sorcerers Apprentice character is the most like you? Hopefully it’s Horvath…

Jon Turteltaub: I actually like Alfred Molina the most. Character wise, I’m probably closest to the ten year old Dave Stuttler whose dreams are shattered and doesn’t get the girl. (But later grows up to land the hot blonde chick. YAY!)

Jon, anything from the set that you did keep for yourself as a memento of the film?

Jon Turteltaub: I have Monica Bellucci in my basement.

What is your favorite Spielberg film?

Jon Turteltaub: No question for me it’s Jaws. However, I think Close Encounters is his best.

Jon, any final thoughts on The Sorcerer’s Apprentice?

Jon Turteltaub: You know, I’m really proud of the movie. It’s always hell making any film because we torture ourselves emotionally while making them. But when you go through a tough journey with good and creative people, you can’t help but feel proud of what you’ve accomplished. (I sound like a Boy Scout Troop leader). With this film, I’ve watched it with audiences so many times and I see how they respond to what we did. It’s a great feeling. And it makes all the time away from family and time spent with other smelly, tired people all worthwhile. So, tell the world. Rent it. Buy it. Download it!! (Just don’t pirate it.) Thanks!

And with that, remember The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is out now on Blu-ray and DVD.

The Flick:

Loosely based on Walt Disney’s Fantasia, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is a standard issue, lets please everyone weekend blockbuster. By standard issue I mean that it is mildly entertaining, at times funny, littered with cool visual effects, and almost instantly forgettable.

The plot is pretty simple. Balthazar (Nicolas Cage) is a sorcerer that trained under Merlin himself. All was right with the world except for an evil sorceress named Morgana Le Fay (Alice Krige), who of course wants to take over the world or something equally as dubious. One of Balthazar’s allies, Horvath (Alfred Molina) betrays him, so Balthazar is forced to trap Horvath along with Morgana in a nesting doll for all eternity. Fast forward 1300 or so years and we meet a young Dave (Jake Cherry), who has a creepy encounter with Balthazar. Balthazar gives Dave a ring and tells him he is very special and then all hell breaks loose when Horvath breaks free from the doll. Fast forward 10 more years and we meet older Dave (Jay Baruchel), who once again has an encounter with Balthazar, which leads to him becoming the sorcerer’s apprentice. Together the two of them vow to fight the forces of evil (Horvath and Morgana).

I have to give it to director Jon Turteltaub for making a quick moving and entertaining flick, but I also have to say that as for as movies go it was nothing more than average. It almost seemed like this film could have bypassed the theatrical route and made its debut on the Disney Channel instead, but alas of course that wouldn’t have been as profitable a route for the studios to take. I’m constantly surprised by how much we the movie going public are willing to call entertainment. We are so used to the watered down, standard issue movies that the Hollywood system throws out at us that we tolerate it, resulting in more watered down movies.

If you have children and are looking for a flick the’ll find entertaining, then the Sorcerer’s Apprentice definitely fits the bill, but it wasn’t quite a killer film.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: The audio on this disc is simply amazing. It created a wall of sound that completely engulfs the viewer during the visual effects scenes. It made my small home theatre system sound way better than it is. The video is beautiful as well. Creating a lush and crisp landscape of color that assaults the senses.

Special Features (all in HD)

The Science of Sorcery: A cool feature that illustrates how the film took a somewhat scientific approach to explaining some of the magical elements in the story.

Fantasia: Reinventing a Classic: This is a solid feature that shows how the broom scene was done. Totally worth checking out.

Magic in the City: A look at shooting on location in New York, this feature focuses on the locations and set design that went into creating the awesome battles that took place in the city.

The Fashionable Drake Stone: Actor Toby Kebbell gives some insight into his character, fashion aficionado, Drake Stone.

The Grimhold: An Evil Work of Art: A look at the nesting doll that held the evil sorcerers captive.

The Encantus: This very short feature (not quite 3 minutes) takes a look at the creation of the sorcerers book of spells.

The World’s Coolest Car: Short look at the car used in the flick. A car that Nicolas Cage actually owns.

There are a host of other features on this packed disc, such as deleted scenes, outtakes, and the DVD and Digital Copy version of the film.

The Flick: Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
The Blu-ray: Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

How did you get involved with The Sorcerer’s Apprentice?

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice began with my desire to play a magician in a movie. I played a magician of sorts in a movie called Next, which is when I became fascinated with ancient mythologies and philosophies from England. I loved the subject, so I had a conversation with Todd Garner – the producer of Next – and I said to him, “Boy, I’d really like to play a sorcerer from the times of King Arthur.” The very next day he said to me, “Nic, I’ve got it. Why don’t we create a movie around the sorcerer’s apprentice from the Fantasia movie?” It was perfect.

How important was it to transform your look for your role in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice?

Actors often change their looks for roles and I’m certainly part of that school of thought. In fact, I want to transform myself every time I get a new role. I’ll wear wigs, I’ll wear nosepieces, I’ll wear green contact lenses… I’ll do whatever I need to do to create a character. That’s what acting’s all about. That’s the fun of it.

How would you describe the look of your character, Balthazar Blake?

Jerry Bruckheimer says that Balthazar has the look of an ancient rock star, and I have to agree with him. He has a cool style that harkens back to the 500s or the 600s, which is where he came from. Merlin was his teacher, so it was appropriate.

How did it feel to play a sorcerer?

This is the role I’ve been waiting to do my whole life. When I was a kid, I used to love pretending to be a superhero. I was always playing around and shooting energy out of my hands. In that respect, I’ve been rehearsing for this role for years because Balthazar certainly shoots plasma out of his hands in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

How much of the movie is based on the sorcerer’s apprentice scenes of the Disney classic, Fantasia?

There are elements of the animation in the movie, but we fleshed out the idea into a two-hour action adventure. We have expanded the idea to present a thrilling magical world to audiences and I’m especially happy because it’s a family movie. I liked the idea of entertaining a family without having to rely on murder and guns. We’ve kept it very positive.

Why did you want to make it a family movie?

I wanted to create a movie that excited both children and parents because I am a big fan of family movies. When you’re playing supernatural characters in movies like Ghost Rider, Next or The Sorcerer’s Apprentice there is an infinite number of possibilities that you can do with the character, but I wanted this to have comedy and humor – and I wanted it to connect with big audiences. Do you remember the first time you saw The Wizard Of Oz? Did you feel enchanted and magical? We wanted people to have those feelings at the end of our movie. That was our goal.

How did Jerry Bruckheimer and Jon Turteltaub get involved with the project?

I talked the movie over with different writers and then we pitched the idea to Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney – and they loved it. I’d just finished National Treasure II with the director Jon Turteltaub and I thought he’d be perfect for the new movie. He likes to keep things in the fun zone and he keeps things comical, but he’s also edgy, so it was a good mix. He was the perfect man for the job.

What does it mean to you to be associated with Disney?

It’s an honor and I feel greatly privileged to work with Disney. I grew up watching Walt Disney’s movies and I love what he stands for. I love the entertainment that comes out of the studio and this movie is a dream come true for me, which is in the spirit of Disney. It has been a magical experience.

What was it like to work with Jay Baruchel, the actor who plays the sorcerer’s apprentice in the film?

Jay is great. He’s hilarious and he’s a really physical comedian when he wants to be, but he’s also got a little bit of a demon in him. He’s a little mischievous and there’s a playful dark side in him. He was a joy to work with on The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

Are you a fan of magic and wizards?

I definitely went through my magic phase when I was younger. I think all little boys do at some point. Everyone gets fascinated with magic tricks. I certainly did. I used to go to the Hollywood House Of Magic, which is where I bought a magic trick called ‘Gloripy’. It was a little handkerchief that had a ghost in it. The ghost would move the handkerchief around on its own – and it was really good. I could stun my friends with it. You feel very powerful when you have a magic trick up your sleeve. I used to love it.

When was the last time you performed a magic trick?

Balthazar is a wonderful sorcerer in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, but it’s been a while since I used the Gloripy trick. I also had another trick called The Rising Deck Of Cards, too. I could point towards a deck of cards and pick a card – and the card of my choice would rise up. That was also a lot of fun to play with.

Do you know any magical secrets?

Let me tell you something: Never give away your magical secrets. I worked on a movie in New Orleans where I used The Rising Deck Of Cards trick on a friend of mine. He kept asking me, “How are you doing that?” And I could tell he was getting a little nervous because he thought something weird was going on. That’s when I made the world’s worst mistake: I gave away the secret of my trick. He just threw the cards away after that and I lost all the power. Never give away your secrets.

When was the last time you were an apprentice?

The last time I was an apprentice was on a movie called Season Of The Witch. I had to learn how to ride horses for that movie and a young woman named Camilla was my instructor. She did a wonderful job. I’d not been on a horse before, so I was a little nervous – but I learned to love it, which was exciting. I definitely felt like an apprentice there.

What do you think is magical in our world today?

Any painting is a work of magic. Any book is a work of magic. Any science experiment is a work of magic. Any speech that moves people is a work of magic. When you think about magic, it’s not all hocus-pocus. It’s all about imagination and will power and positivity.

Do you remember the first time you realized you wanted to act?

I knew I wanted to be an actor when I was about six years old. I was trying to figure out how to get inside the television set because I was fascinated by it. My father built a little castle out of plywood in our back yard and I would go in there for hours making up stories and characters.

What characters did you make up?

I would pretend to be anything from a knight to a superhero to an astronaut. In fact, that castle was where I learned to act.

Do you have any advice for youngsters who want to follow in your footsteps and act?

Keep the child in you alive because it’s your imagination that will connect you to audiences. Your imagination is your best tool to be an actor. Don’t let people try to diminish it or make you feel bad for having an imagination. Use it whenever you can. I would urge children to play as much as they can and use their imagination as much as possible. It will really help you as an actor. Follow your instincts, work hard and you’ll go far.

**WALT DISNEY STUDIO HOME ENTERTAINMENT’S THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE ON DVD AND BLU-RAY NOVEMBER 30TH**

What’s most difficult to create and animate: fire, fluid water, or creatures like that tiny animated dragon?

John Nelson: Animated characters like the little dragon need to act and are animated by character animators. Fire, water and the like are done with a technique known as fluid dynamic simulations. The simulations are tricky because they are not animated but governed by constraints and you can get everything right and then change one of the constraints and have it look completely different. For the little dragon, the challenge was to get the performance of the little guy while also keeping the metal looking like metal and not have it turn into plastic. I think he looks like real metal and gives a good performance.

Would you say that today’s CG FX are more dependent upon a supervisor’s technical knowledge, artistic knowledge, or a third field I haven’t even thought of?

John Nelson: Being a good filmmaker is the most important, as you will know what will work cinematically. Next, knowing what you want creatively from the effect and how to achieve it technically. Finally, knowing the latest techniques and knowing what process is best to achieve your goal is also important (in addition to about a thousand other things).

When you’re animating something as high-tech looking as “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” do you ever think back to the Ray Harryhausen era and marvel at how far visual effects have come? What would you say is responsible for the biggest leap in the creation of visual effects?

John Nelson: I am amazed all the time at what Ray did with his way of doing thing with little more than himself, shooting actors and then animating stop motion characters in front of those rear projected backgrounds. I think many in this field were inspired to do what we do by seeing Ray’s films and films like “2001.” When I am tired from working 18-hours days and a bit down, I often think of the fact of how easy I have it because I have all these tools, tools that the old masters like Ray did not have. Creative solutions never go out of style. That is why Ray’s films still captivate audiences. I also look at the old films like “Tora, Tora, Tora,” “Darby O’Gill” or “The Wizard of Oz” and still love them.

Of the movies you HAVEN’T worked on, which do you think contain the most enviable visual effects, and why?

John Nelson: I loved “2001,” “Star Wars,” “Close Encounters,” “Spartacus,” “Darby O’Gill,” “The Aviator,” “Pirates 3,” (Davy Jones’ face!) “District 9,” “Inception,” “Avatar,” in addition to many others, both old and new. What makes me like a film with VFX is when I see clever filmmaking combined with realistic visual effects in a package that is solid storytelling. That can mean using an old effect in a new way or using a new effect to show something that hasn’t been seen before. The key is to be like a master musician and play just the right notes at just the right time.

Roger Ebert singled out the scene where the dragon in a Chinatown parade and a steel eagle on top of the Chrysler Building come alive. Can you talk about the strategies and/or challenges of creating those scenes?

John Nelson: The Chinatown dragon was hard because of the crowds involved and the magic we were doing had many forms. First the sorcerer Sun Loc had to come out of the grimhold as a thousand butterflies that formed his body, then he had to bring the dragon on his breastplate to life and make it crawl off the breastplate and under his skin, then the paper dragon with people holding it had to turn into the real dragon, then the dragon had to chase Dave throughout Chinatown. For each of these steps, our approach was to shoot our background plates with the actors as quickly as possible and also shoot references of what the real dragon skin might look like in addition to clean plates and high dynamic range stills (and do all that as quickly as possible!). That way when we go to create the VFX in the computer we have all the tools and photographic reference to achieve realistic images. Beyond that, it is the acting experience of the animators that bring the digital characters to life. The process was similar with the Chrysler eagle but its surface was metal and needed to be appear as metal and not bend like skin or plastic.

Could you explain how you put together the Tesla coil scenes?

John Nelson: We reviewed real Tesla coil footage and even shot some ourselves. Next we picked a song that the coils were to fire in sync with. Next we rigged a computer controlled lighting rig to fire interactive lights in sync with the music. Then we shot our backgrounds with the actors in that interactive light and went into post- production. In post-production we animated the Tesla coil arcs to match the music and interactive lights. We had to change some of the timings to make it work but, because we shot clean plates and had a complete digital copy of the set ,it was possible to do this.

What was your contribution to “Iron Man?”

John Nelson: I was the Senior Visual Effects supervisor and responsible for every visual effect in the film. I had the same role on “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.”

Were there concerns over comparisons to effects in the Harry Potter series or did you know from the get-go you’d take a different route of sorts?

John Nelson: We felt we wanted the effects in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” to be more grounded than the magic in the “Harry Potter” films. Those films are great and the VFX work done in those films are great, but we wanted our magic to be more grounded in reality. It was really a stylistic choice.

Can you talk about the intersection of visual effects, acting, and direction?

John Nelson: The director directs all components of the film including visual effects. Directing the actors in a big visual effect sequence is demanding in that you need to explain what the actors can see and what they can’t see — but will be added later so they can have a complete understanding of what it will ultimately look like. I particularly like to work the effects off the physical actions of the actors. It makes the effects more organic and character driven.

What have today’s visual effects creators learned from cartoon animators, and what have they learned from the old masters of Hollywood stunt work?

John Nelson: You can always learn from the masters and in many ways old techniques combined with new techniques can be very powerful. The cartoon masters’ new squash and stretch, anticipation, exaggeration and body language in addition to staging and the like. The best computer animators are usually the ones trained in classical animation techniques. The stuntmen always amaze me. On this film we had George Marshall Ruge who is absolutely one of the best. A good example is the magic swordfight where one of George’s stuntmen was in a green suit and fought Nick Cage with a sword that was hanging in mid-air. For that we removed the green suited stuntman or added a CG sword as needed. The key for all of this is to get as much practical as you can and let the VFX do the stuff you cannot do with practical effects.

Do you ever worry that the explanations you provide for the effects, like the ones we’re watching now from the DVD, might reduce a viewer’s awe at seeing a metal bull or a dragon?

John Nelson: Sometimes I feel like a magician giving away the secrets but I feel the people who view these explanations want to see what goes on behind the Wizard of Oz’s curtain.

The vehicle chases in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” look pretty complicated, too. Where they tough to pull off?

John Nelson: We had to shoot all of the car chases going no more that 25 MPH because on our first night of shooting, a car had a slight mishap and one of our cars slid into sandwich shop window at midnight. No one was seriously hurt. What we had to do was speed up all the chase stuff after that and add digital cars and props where necessary. In some sequences, we created totally digital sections of New York so we could destroy it and when necessary reverse explosions, etc. Mirror world was particularly difficult in this way. It was a tremendously complex task that worked upon the stunt driving of George Ruge’s stunt team driving backgrounds and that were passed off to the talented animators at Asylum VFX (where lots of fully digital shots were added) to pull it off.

How many of the effects in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” were CGI and how many were on-set practical effects and which type of effect do you prefer to work with?

John Nelson: I love to mix up practical effects with visual effect (usually made from CGI). The mix gives the effects more realism and uses the best parts of each technique to make the finished effect more real while also being able to achieve the fantastic.

With “Terminator 2,” you were one of the pioneers with using CGI. How has the technology evolved?

John Nelson: Computer generated imagery is much more real now. With the advent of image-based rendering (where we shoot high dynamic range stills of each background and used them to light the CG objects), realism has taken a large step forward.

I assume, when you started your career, you were mostly dealing with practical effects, because of the given technical options. Does that experience influence your approach in your work as a VFX supervisor today?

John Nelson: I really have been doing computer graphics for visual effects since 1983 so my career has paralleled the advance of CGI in our industry. I feel CGI can do anything but it is also the most complex and expensive way to achieve something. I come from being a cameraman so I like to photograph things. The easiest way to get a photo real picture is to photograph something. That is why I like to use as many real photographic elements as possible and only use CGI to get to achieve the stuff I can’t photograph.

Are there certain body types or looks that lend themselves better to visual effects involving humans?

John Nelson: Not really. The most important things in making a digital character work is to rig the body correctly so an animator has good control and then have a talented animator who knows when to use motion capture and when to just go ahead and animate something that looks good. Different body types add different emotions. Some are funny, some are sinister. Look at animated characters and you will see this.

What type of special effects do you specialize in?

John Nelson: I love the ones that are real and also elegant in the way they achieve their goals. History and comic books have always been an interest of mine so comic related and history related projects have always got me going. Really good stories get me going. One of the things I love about my job is that I get to research the reason why an effect might be useful to a story and then incorporate that reasoning into the way the effect works. In “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” we did this by saying the electrical charges the sorcerers can conjure is an extension of their neurological system which is electrically based. It is how we send signals from our brain to move our feet, etc. The only difference is that for our sorcerers, their neurological system is highly refined to channel large amounts of electricity.

Any time there’s magic, there’s magic dust. Given the fact that Disney probably started it all with Pixie dust, is there more pressure to get that right than other visual effects?

John Nelson: We just like using the dust to denote the attraction of force that the sorcerers are channeling right before they unload a concussion blast or right after it to show the power moving through the volume of the room.

“The Pelican Brief” and “In the Line of Fire” don’t come to mind as special effects movies. What sort of effects did you work on for these films?

John Nelson: For “Pelican Brief,” we did a Lear jet in the clouds at night (something that would be hard to photograph) and for “In the Line of Fire,” we shot political rallies of Bush and Clinton, removed Bush and Clinton, and added Clint Eastwood and other characters from our story. People said these rallies looked real because they were real.

What did you first think you might do when you got this job to do VFX on this film and what changed from that in the final filming? Is it normal on all films to change ideas as you film or do you always have a good hand on what you will do before you shoot the first scene?

John Nelson: The script is always changing but the ideas behind the script tend to be somewhat constant. You read the script and design the VFX work to satisfy the needs of the script and prep with all the other departments (stunts, camera, art dept, practical effects) to be ready so when we shoot the pages of the script all the components work together to work as well as possible and be shot as quickly as possible. In post-production, we will add what we need to but with each day of principal photography costing so much money, we try to get as much in the camera as we can! It is important to define what is important about the effect and have a firm idea of how to achieve that so when the specifics change you will be able to quickly re-organize your mind to get the correct photographic plates (background with actors). You can draw it or pre-visualize it and all of that helps especially for extremely complex work. The actual shots are defined when the director sees the actors rehearse their actions and then everything is adjusted to work how he wants to cover it.

1251 VFX shots seem impressive – do you know which movie is the record holder in that department at the time? How many VFX shots were in that record and what’s the average of VFX shots per modern theatrically released movie?

John Nelson: In the old days, a 400 shot show was a lot of VFX shots. Now the big films usually have over 1000 shots. The biggest ones are shows like “Lord of the Rings” or the new “Star Wars” films which have 1600 or more. Of course “Avatar” reached new heights as every shot was a visual effect shot.

Why do some CGIs look convincing, while others look as if they’ve been made from a PlayStation 2?

John Nelson: Usually realism depends on how well the backgrounds (and what reference) were shot combined with using CG techniques such as advanced lighting models that use high dynamic range imagery for image based rendering. Getting the specular reflections (the sheen reflected off the surface of an object) correct is the most important thing in making a CG object look real. Also keeping the digital camera moves looking like something a real camera could do is very important.

You worked on the visual effects for “Iron Man.” Can you talk about what you perceive as significant steps that you’ve taken in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” that have upped the visual effects ante?

John Nelson: We were making a PG movie and that required us to make effects that were not too intense for younger viewers. For example, when Alfred Molina comes out of the grimhold he is made of cockroaches that begin to form a human shape. We shot Alfred rising up into position even though at the beginning of the sequence the shape was not human but rather that of thousands of insects forming a mound. In each shot that follows, the transition takes place as the mound becomes more and more human shaped, ending with the insects crawling under Alfred’s skin and making him up. Making that effect without loosing our PG rating was very difficult but we did it.

How much chroma key was used vs. digital compositing? Which do you prefer working with?

John Nelson: We only used digital compositing and if we needed to pull a key off blue or greenscreen we did that digitally. If there was any cleanup, we would rotoscope as necessary or use a luminance matte (based on light intensity not color).

One of the more intriguing sequences in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” is the “attack” of the brooms because they each have personalities. How did you and your crew put the scene together and how long did it take?

John Nelson: We did testing to figure out how much we wanted to “anthropomorphize” (make human) the brooms and mops to show performance and emotion. We wanted each of the characters to appear as real mops, but also perform in a way to endear their performance to the viewer. The mops just want to do what they have been magically told to do and there is not stopping them. We tested this in rhythm to the music and it seemed to work. We developed this aspect of the possessed mops and brooms but stopped when their performance drew too much attention to them as individuals. We wanted them to act as a crowd.

This is probably an off-center angle, but did you reference any old films with magic and also comic book series such as, say Marvel’s Dr. Strange or DC’s Dr. Fate?

John Nelson: We looked at lots of stuff but the stuff that was the most influential was the script along with the concept about the sorcerer’s neurological system is more developed than normal people. And also the Arthur C. Clarke quote that, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

John, any final thoughts on The Sorcerer’s Apprentice?

John Nelson: It has been great answering all your questions. As you can see this is all takes an amazing amount of effort to get right. I hope you enjoy the Blu-ray with all the behind the scenes stuff.

Sorry Mickey and Alex Russo, you’re great wizards but only honorable mention ones…

10 – Avatar from Wizards (1977 - here)

Ralph Bakshi’s wonderfully dark adult-animated film started his fantasy stage after his X-rated Fritz the Cat. Mixing a little Lord of the Rings, some he would actually attempt to animate a few years later, with some nasty post-apocalyptic happenings, Avatar is a lone hero using his magic for peace, trying to prevent the world from having another Holocaust.

9 – Harry Potter from The Harry Potter series (2001-2011, here)

Here’s the most cliched choice. While many might cry afoul since Dumbledore should be here, but face it: it’s Harry’s world we care about and in the final few films, he’s more of a wizard now then ever, so there. ‘Nuff said.

8 – Ulrich from Dragonslayer (1981 – here)

Possibly the laziest wizard on the list. Who cares if the dragon called Vermithrax Pejorative is wrecking havoc on the county? Not him. But he’s smarter than us, and ultimately is the true hero (once his soul is restored). Amazing movie.

7 – Lo Pan from Big Trouble in Little China (1986 – here)

Not all wizards have to be good. Lo Pan is a cranky, old jerk, yet for all of his weather-manipulating right-hand #1′s and other goons, all he wanted was love. Well, a wife, and finding the right one “really p—es me off to no end.” Agreed.

6 – Thulsa Doom from Conan the Barbarian (1982 – here)

Yeah, Akiro is a wizard and whatnot, but Thulsa Doom (played marvelously by James Earle Jones) is the ultimate wizard villain. Not only does he order a rape and pillage of Conan’s village, but he sends the remaining children into slavery! He has a sexy woman by his side and when things get going rough, he morphs into a hideous snake. Bad. Ass.

5 – Dr. Lao from 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964 – here)

Yes, this might be a curious pick, since Dr. Lao was more of a circus performer, yet even still, he had some magical tendencies and with the help of some wonderful stop-motion animation, has a finale the most wizards don’t: memorable. Lessons to be learned.

4 – Gandalf and Sauron from The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003, here)

Well, when I said Harry Potter was a cliched pick, I forgot about this one. Gandalf is the ideal wizard: long white beard, pointy hat, tall, mysterious, yet kind and helpful. Sauron is the yang to Gandalf’s ying. Essentially the same, but one different paths. Movie wizards in the 21st Century wouldn’t have been as popular with Tolkien creations. Sorry, Harry.

3 – The Wizard from The Wizard of Oz (1939 – here)

Proving there’s no magic in the Midwest, leaving Kansas seems to have benefited Dorothy, has she gains new friends, who help her get back to her farm. The Wizard is an enchanting, spooky figure at first, but like most good wizard, they have a heart, and he grants the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Lion, along with Dorothy, their wishes for defeating the Wicked Witch. Political themes aside, he might be the most iconic of all wizards. “My dear, I’m a very good man; I’m just a very bad wizard.”

2- Merlin from Excalibur (1981 – here)

Nobody messes with Merlin. Well, at least this version of the immortal wizard. He has a dragon on speed dial, casts awesome spells as The Charm of Making, and beats a wench down (in Morgana). A Dark Ages’ Pimp.

and…

1 – Warlock from Warlock (1989 – here)

Okay, I’m ready for your hate mail. But why him you ask? One, this is a wicked little movie. Two, the plot revolves around the title character being sentenced to death in 1691 only to have Satan appear and send him to the 20th Century. From there, The Warlock must find three pages of the The Grand Grimoire book, which will reveal the “true” name of God. Once he has that, he will utter it backwards, uncreating God’s creation. Thematically, isn’t God just a wizard? Religious beliefs will make me the villain, yet that’s why I like this film and this pick so much, because it’s a battle between God and Satan (Gandalf and Sauron if you will). Great stuff, and oh, it’s produced by Roger Corman!

As always, comment below with your thoughts and opinions!

Blu-ray has the list of special features included:

* Magic In The City

o The Science Of Sorcery

o Making Magic Real

o Fantasia: Reinventing A Classic

o The Fashionable Drake Stone

o The Grimhold: An Evil Work Of Art

o The Encantus

o Wolves & Puppies

o The World’s Coolest Car

* Deleted scenes

* Outtakes

* Easter eggs:

o Three visual effects demos

No cover art has been revealed at this time.

The plot is pretty simple. Balthazar (Nicolas Cage) is a sorcerer that trained under Merlin himself. All was right with the world except for an evil sorceress named Morgana Le Fay (Alice Krige), who of course wants to take over the world or something equally as dubious. One of Balthazar’s allies, Horvath (Alfred Molina) betrays him, so Balthazar is forced to trap Horvath along with Morgana in a nesting doll for all eternity. Fast forward 1300 or so years and we meet a young Dave (Jake Cherry), who has a creepy encounter with Balthazar. Balthazar gives Dave a ring and tells him he is very special and then all hell breaks loose when Horvath breaks free from the doll. Fast forward 10 more years and we meet older Dave (Jay Baruchel), who once again has an encounter with Balthazar, which leads to him becoming the sorcerer’s apprentice. Together the two of them vow to fight the forces of evil (Horvath and Morgana).

I have to give it to director Jon Turteltaub for making a quick moving and entertaining flick, but I also have to say that as for as movies go it was nothing more than average. It almost seemed like the this film could have bypassed the theatrical route and made it’s debut on the Disney Channel instead, but of course that wouldn’t have been as profitable a route for the studios to take. I’m constantly surprised by what we the movie going public are willing to call entertainment. We are so used to the watered down, standard issue movies that the Hollywood system throws out at us, and we tolerate it, resulting in more watered down movies.

If you have children and are looking to kill some time at the movies, then this flick could be an option if you’ve seen all the other teeny flicks gracing the screen. Otherwise I’d wait for it to hit DVD or Blu-ray, because The Sorcerer’s Apprentice wasn’t quite a killer film.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

1. Inception ($60,400,000)

2. Despicable Me ($32,734,000)

3. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice ($17,373,000)

4. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse ($13,500,000)

5. Toy Story 3 ($11,742,000)

6. Grown Ups ($10,000,000)

7. The Last Airbender ($7,450,000)

8. Predators ($6,800,000)

9. Knight And Day ($3,700,000)

10. The Karate Kid ($2,200,000)

This week will see the release of Salt, Ramona and Beezus, and Countdown To Zero (Limited).

(July 2nd)

The Last Airbender

Jon:Donny, are you ready for more M. Night? We both outright have dismissed his last few films and rightfully so. They’re directed with a keen eye, yet the stories had much, much to be desired. The box office of those films proved that. So adapting an existing source could be what he needs to showcase his style again, and while I’m not familiar with the Nick cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender, this could be either a surprise this summer (and we need one) or more lame M. Night goofiness. I’m rolling the dice here: See it.

Donny: After his last effort The Happening (grass is NOT scary), I think I’ll let you tackle this one. I’m really NOT interested. Skip it.

Some people will be looking for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse this day, but it actually opens June 30th and we covered that in last month’s article.

(July 9th)

Despicable Me

Jon:After the incredible films in How to Train Your Dragon and Toy Story 3, I’m not sure if many will want a film that aimed at pure laughs, instead of great storytelling. But I could be wrong, because the 3D trailer looks great, concept reminds of a Spy vs. Spy, so it could charm based on those simplest of merits. See it.

Donny: I enjoyed the trailer for this one, and I’m all about the funny. See it.

Predators

Donny: I don’t know about Jon, but I’m totally stoked for this film. It’s time we got another Predator film that rocks! I’m gonna be there on opening night to See it.

Jon: I’ve always been a big fan of Predator 2 and I have longed for a new solo Predator film. I’m so lame, I pop in AvP or AvP: Requiem just for a quick fix of Predator. I need help. Luckily, I’ll get a super shot of Predator-awesomeness thanks to Nimrod Antal (thought I never say that) and Robert-please-to-God-no-more-Spy-Kids-movies-Rodriguez. See it.

The Girl Who Played with Fire

Jon: While I have never read the books, I did thoroughly enjoy The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and until David Fincher gets rolling with his American remakes (first is in 2012 tentatively), we will all enjoy these Swedish made thrillers. See it.

Donny: I’m with Jon on this one. I enjoyed the first one and I’m anticipating this one as well. See it.

(July 14th)

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Donny: I don’t care for Nick Cage’s flicks, but the trailer for this one sold me. I’m excited to see this flick and it’s something my kids want to see, so I get to enjoy it with the family. See it.

Jon: I’ve been skeptical, too. Until I sat back one day, re-watched the trailer and then Disney released that Fantasia inspired clip, and like magic, I feel like this could be the type of summer film we need now in 2010. Will it do better than Bruckheimer’s Prince of Persia? I don’t know, but I’ll See it.

(July 16th)

Inception

Jon:I usually wait until a director has a handful of films under his belt before I state this, but like David Fincher and Darren Aronofsky, Christopher Nolan is one of our best young directors in Hollywood. This film will be the hottest film of the summer and should also compete for top honors at year’s end. A solid cast, a bombastic, eerie score from Hans Zimmer, an interesting concept, and all in glorious IMAX 3D! There’s a reason why other titles this month chose not to open against Nolan’s The Dark Knight follow-up. I think this will be too much for you to handle Donny, with your heart and all, so I’ll gladly See it.

Donny: What Jon said. See it.

(July 23rd)

Salt

Donny: Unless Angelina decides to start making porn I’m gonna color myself bored. Add her to the list of things white people like, yet somehow I don’t. Skip it.

Jon: I thought she was done with action films? So why this over say a Wanted 2? This could go either way: dumb fun or dumb. Somehow an explosion will hinder people’s perception of quality, so maybe this might be bank, but Skip it.

Ramona and Beezus

Jon:Based on a series of young teen books, this month last little for younger kids, that might be too old for cartoons and too young for some PG-13 films. Selma Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place)might be Disney’s best young actress, even though they want to promote others on their network, but she was some insanely winning qualities that should make this a fine film for those its aimed at. See it.

Donny: I’m not really excited about this flick. I’m sure my kids will want to check it out, but I’m planning to Skip it.

(July 30th)

Dinner for Schmucks

Donny: This is the flick I’m looking forward to the most in July. I love Paul Rudd and the trailer is stupid funny. I know Jon doesn’t care for funny flicks so I’ll let him check out the stinker below and I’ll check this one out. See it.

Jon: Damn you, boss! I laugh! It looks funny, it looks funny, and I don’t want to be banished into seeing what you’re making me see below! Actually, I have a man-crush on Paul Rudd, so I’m totally gonna see it.

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore

Jon: It’s not in my being to immediately hate a dog movie, since I’m one of those guys, yet I fighting it here. I know the first film was well-liked amongst movie-goers, yet this looks all sorts of lame. I’m so glad Donny has kids, since I’ll Skip it.

Donny: Don’t listen to Jon, he’s gonna see this one and I’m gonna Skip it.

Charlie St. Cloud

Jon:I know this is marketed towards the Nicholas Sparks crowd and the teenage girls who have posters of Zac on their bedroom walls, yet the trailer makes this something of interest to me. Solid drama, combined with some ghostly happenings, with a little romance, should make it easier to take in. See it.

Donny: I’m so glad Jon said he is going to see this one, because I hate these ‘cry’ movies. Plus, I know he has a man crush on Efron, but you didn’t hear that from me. Skip it.

Something for everyone this month, and since we will have reviews for these films and more each weekend, we ask you to tell us what you are seeing or skipping below!

The Jon Turteltaub film centers on Master sorcerer Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) who recruits a seemingly everyday guy (Jay Baruchel) in his mission to defend New York City from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina). The rest of the cast includes Teresa Palmer, Monica Bellucci and Gregory Woo.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice pops into theaters everywhere on July 14th from Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Walt Disney Pictures. Also, be sure to check out all of the brand new individual character posters that came out for this film down below.:

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

At this point your excitement for Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance either skyrocketed or just completely went down the toilet. Regardless, it looks like Columbia Pictures wants this Marvel property to jump into principal photography this fall. No word on what exactly the story will be about, but David Goyer did pen the script if that makes you feel any better about this production.

Ghost Rider centered on theis stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze (Cage), who, in order to save the life of his mentor, agreed to give his soul to Satan. Instead, his soul bonded with the entity called Zarathos. When utilizing Zarathos’ powers Blaze’s flesh is consumed by hellfire, causing his head to become a flaming skull. He rides a fiery motorcycle and wields trademark blasts of hellfire from his skeletal hands. The 2007 movie starred Cage and Eva Mendes, directed by Mark Steven Johnson and ended up accumulating a hefty $228 Million overall.

At least we’ll get Nicolas Cage in all of his wig-wearing like glory. The roles the actor has been choosing as of late have been a lot more entertaining/intriguing, mainly noting Kick-Ass and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. The question is whether or not this combination will prove to be good once the final cut is made.

Cage will be sharing the screen with Jay Baruchel in the latest Walt Disney Pictures film The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, poised to appear in theaters everywhere on July 14th.