I'm really excited about this film. Between the graphic novels and the ST site itself which looks like it's going to become very, very interesting over time, I think this is going to be a great project for SMG to be a part of. While I'm no fan of The Rock, at this moment in time there was never any doubt that he'd be billed above Sarah.

Impossible | July 20, 15:45 CET

Maybe it will be different in the rest of the world: I had no idea who this rock person was, I had to look him up.

(Italy, here)

Zamm | July 20, 17:18 CET

I've always been a fan of "The Rock"...he revitalized WWE Wrestling along with Stone Cold, always thought he had the makings of a good actor. Having said that, there is no way his skills exist in the same universe as Sarah's...but then, Sarah's character already has a website so there...lol!

Calledon | July 20, 17:53 CET

In anticipation of Southland Tales and SMG's next big role, I rewatched Donnie Darko last night. Richard Kelly is an original, folks: a writer/director who creates his own particular, stylized universes, just as much as Joss or Tim Burton.

I might have some argument with Darko obsessives whether the movie is half as profound as they think it is, but Kelly presents his themes in a fascinating, unique manner that forces you to THINK and put the pieces of the narrative puzzle together yourself.

Whether it's The Rock or Smidge at the top of the marquee, it's Kelly who's the draw in this corner. Must see.

cjl | July 20, 18:58 CET

Yes, in Hollywood's mind, The Rock is above SMG on the theatre marquee. I didn't find this surprising at all. He's a big muscular guy, but is very well-spoken and has charisma. He first caught Hollywood's attention with his first appearance on Saturday Night Live when he was still a pro wrestler. Since then, he has been in a number of action movies, but his performance in Be Cool, playing a gay bodyguard who loves musicals, showed that he has range. So now he has a reputation for being an actor who used to be a pro wrestler (as opposed to a pro wrestler who wants to be an actor).

Oddjob | July 20, 19:27 CET

I think a lot of us are still traumatised by the bad CGI version of him in The Mummy Returns. I know I am.

Simon | July 20, 19:31 CET

Yeah, but considering the layout SMG with her 'big' name is closer to the focus of the poster and psychologically read first. But I don't know if that counts.

futile | July 20, 19:38 CET

I'd be more put out that SMG's name is below Seann William Scott's . . . but really, other than for agents, who are paid excessively to care about such trifles, what does it matter? Anyway, my son thinks the Rock is one of the Fantastic Four.

And the poster is OK, although I don't know what the smudgey purplish thing is meant to be - bloodstain? butterfly? rorschach test?

"smidge". That's great, cjl. I've never seen that abbreviation before. It's cute. And you're spot on about RK being the attraction here.

New combo tagline: "Serenity Tales - Just imagine! The future is worth fighting for!"

SoddingNancyTribe | July 20, 20:18 CET

SNT: The most commonly held view at the moment seems to be that the smudge is some skewed map of the USA, with the colours perhaps representing Republican/Democratic areas (the movie is set in an election year and all of the signs point to it being fairly political in a number of ways). Mention has been made of natural disasters playing a part in the movie, which could also explain the shape being different to that which we associate with the USA at present (earthquakes, flooding etc having possibly had a large impact on that side of things).

As for the various billings associated with the movie, SMG was the first of the three actors to sign on, and from what RK has said, she pretty much just wanted to work with him regardless of all of the politics over who goes where on the movie posters. As has been said above, her name does draw your eye before the others anyway...

[ edited by Impossible on 2005-07-20 18:43 ]

Impossible | July 20, 20:36 CET

Well personally, regardless of the ordering of the names, I would certainly be more impressed by SMG's name than the other two. But I find it a little odd, really it is just the name of the film and the cast, but no pictures, so it isn't particularly captivating. I assume there will probably be another one at some stage.

Razor | July 20, 21:23 CET

Impossible and SNT, someone here came up with the same graphic from another source. It's very close to what Impossible wrote, except the "skewness" (actual statistics term!) is actually more information.

I don't think this is anything close to the final poster. I also think RK is being deliberately confusing at this point. And that he spends way too much time on the Internet like we do.

dreamlogic | July 20, 21:55 CET

Nice one, dreamlogic. Up close, that's a rather beautiful image. I haven't been following ST discussion online for lack of time and general distraction, but may start doing so . . .

SoddingNancyTribe | July 20, 22:03 CET

I'd be more put out that SMG's name is below Seann William Scott's

That's just what I was thinking...

Rogue Slayer | July 20, 22:20 CET

This isn't the final poster I think. If you follow other movies(heck even Serenity with that poster last year with the ship and a nebula on it) then you see that they release a teaser first.

eddy | July 20, 23:09 CET

Did anyone see that wierd teaser thing for Southland Tales they showed in Kevin Smith's panel at Comic-Con.

I'm still trying to figure out what that was about.

sTalking_Goat | July 21, 02:14 CET

Perhaps SMG's part is smaller than The Rock's and SWS. That would explain how each are billed. My friend Oddjob is right. SMG ranks lower than both of them here in Hollywood. Although Seann needs a big movie really badly to keep any kind of clout. "The Dukes of Hazzard" could make or break him.

kdavid323 | July 21, 02:38 CET

The teaser is now online at the http://www.treer-products.com/

The clip definitely comes across as an advertising for something. I can't figure out what.

Please note the clip is NOT office friendly. :)

[ edited by Anne 5_by_5 on 2005-07-22 20:48 ]

Anne 5_by_5 | July 22, 22:21 CET