Zoom

[Brian in Mesa]

Allen Zooms To Zoom

Sci Fi Wire

Tim Allen told SCI FI Wire that he'll begin work on his next movie, the SF comedy Zoom's Academy, after he completes work on a remake of The Shaggy Dog. Based on Jason Lethcoe's comic book, Zoom's Academy is "about an aging superhero [Allen] who has lost his powers and is forced to mentor a group of very gifted young people," Allen said in an interview. "He has to encourage their handicaps, which are, in a sense, super powers. But on the surface they're handicaps."

Allen added, "He tells them that all super powers are that, handicaps on the surface. And by this resurrection of his caring spirit and a big, huge villain, I get my very powerful powers [back], and we save the world."

Lethcoe's comic is targeted at young adults, and Allen said that the story blends elements of X-Men, The Incredibles and the Spy Kids adventures. "I told them when I signed on, ... 'I don't want it as dark as the X-Men or as fanciful as Spy Kids,'" Allen said. "It's in between there. These aren't mutants. These are handicapped children, but the handicaps are special abilities. Of course, I'm from the '50s in the movie, and I say things like, 'And we just have to irradiate them!' I just want to bombard them with gamma rays. And they go, 'No, we don't do that anymore!' That's how I got my powers, but it also made me very sick. It's just terrific. It's so warm and different. I love science fiction. It's in the vein of [the Allen hit] Galaxy Quest, and that's another reason why I signed on. We're going to start in March, the week after I wrap The Shaggy Dog." Peter Hewitt (The Borrowers, Garfield: The Movie) is set to direct Zoom's Academy, which will be released in 2006, with its title possibly shortened to Zoom.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Courteney Cox Enrolls in Zoom
Source: Variety
April 26, 2005

Courteney Cox has been cast as the female lead opposite Tim Allen in Revolution's Zoom, being directed by Pete Hewitt, reports Variety. Production is scheduled for July, with Columbia Pictures to release the film on May 12, 2006.

Zoom is based on Jason Lethcoe's graphic novel "Zoom's Academy for the Super Gifted." Allen plays Jack, formerly Captain Zoom, an out-of-shape former superhero who has lost his powers and is reluctantly called back into action to turn a ragtag group of kids into a new generation of superheroes in order to save the world from destruction.

Cox will play Marsha, a scientist with the secret agency that runs the superhero program.

The film was written by Adam Rifkin, David Berenbaum, Tim Allen and Matt Carroll.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Chevy Chase Aboard Zoom
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
May 26, 2005

Chevy Chase will star in Revolution Studio's comedy Zoom, marking his first turn in a studio film since 2002's Orange County.

Columbia Pictures is planning a May 12, 2006 release.

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It'll be great to see Chevy in a movie again.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Fox and Marvel Sue Over Zoom
Source: Variety
June 21, 2005

20th Century Fox and partner Marvel Enterprises have filed suit against Sony Pictures Entertainment and Revolution Studios, alleging that their upcoming Zoom is confusingly similar to "X-Men."

Variety says the complaint comes before Zoom, a comedy starring Tim Allen has even started production.

But based on a recent version of the script, Fox and Marvel allege the film rips off "X-Men" with elements including teenage mutant super-heroes, an underground training facility, and a sinister government program.

Fox also has problems with the fact that Sony/Revolution are planning to release Zoom next May 12, just two weeks before X-Men 3 comes out. Sony/Revolution were previously planning to release Zoom August 2006, but moved the date to May a week after Fox announced its bow date for "X3."

"'Zoom's' release in May 2006 immediately before the release of 'X3' (or any release in proximity to the release of 'X3') is an unfair attempt by Sony and Revolution to manipulate the market and trade off the time, energy, resources and effort Marvel have invested in 'X-Men,'" the lawsuit states.

Lawsuit also notes that the graphic novel upon which the film is based -- "Zoom's Academy for the Super Gifted," by Jason Lethcoe -- was not strikingly similar to "X-Men," but claims that the script has become a near-copy.

 

[vince56]

I don't get it, they're making a movie about a Mazda commercial?

 

[Pariah]

It'll be great to see Chevy in a movie again.

I disagree. I love what Chevy Chase once was, but he is no longer that actor or even person, IMO.

He tries to do the same schtick that made him famous, but he doesn't have the heart for it anymore. When you see him on talk shows or worse, being caught by someone like Triumph the Comic Dog, he isn't funny. In fact, he seems angry and bitter for some reason.

On the bright side, maybe the payday from this movie will keep him from appearing on my television screen for Aflack Insurance.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Lawsuit Against Zoom Dropped
Source: Variety.Com
August 17, 2005

In the same week that the cast for X-Men 3 has been filling up, Variety reports that its studio, Fox and their partner Marvel Films, have dropped the suit filed in June against Sony and Revolution Pictures, claiming that the Tim Allen superhero comedy Zoom bore too much of a resemblance to their own mutant franchise.

In Zoom, Tim Allen plays an out-of-shape former superhero who is called upon to train the latest generation of superheroes at a special school. The biggest issues came from the fact that it was about a school for mutants and that Sony decided to release it two weeks before the intended Memorial Day 2006 release for X-Men 3 which may have "caused confusion."

The desire to settle the matter in court was quelled when Sony moved Zoom back to early August to avoid the Wolfgang Poseidon remake Poseidon, which had moved to the same May 13 date. Sony also made some changes to the Zoom script to maintain a PG rating, as well as changing a character's name and the location of a research lab to lessen the similarities between the two films.