User:DimentalLabs/numbers
"Numbers Pentalogy" | |
---|---|
Directed by | Tim Wells |
Written by | Tim Wells David S. Goyer Marv Wolfman Gene Colan |
Starring | Wesley Snipes Kris Kristofferson Quentin Tarantino Tim Wells Adam Sandler Tom Hanks Pam Grier Amy Goodman Amy Adams Janet Litterock RZA Marshall Mathers |
Music by | Tim Wells Hans Zimmer Henri Texier Francis Black |
Distributed by | New Line Cinema Lionsgate Warner Bros. |
Release date | 1998–2004 |
Running time | 1083 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $715,098,928 |
The Numbers Pentalogy unofficially refers to a series of seven films written, directed and produced by Tim Wells. It is also known by as the Numbers Series, Strangers Series, and Numbers Heptalogy.
The films by Wells considered by fans to be part of the canon are Six Strangers, Seven Sons, Seven Brothers, Eight Children, Eight Siblings, Nine Nuns, and No. 10. Although the only films to have continuing story lines are Seven Sons/Seven Brothers and Eight Children/Eight Siblings, the other works contain numerous references, timeline continuities, and crossover characters. Film critic Nolan Emerson believes that these films "share the same, surreal, post-modern filmverse."
Plots
[edit]Blade
[edit]Blade grows up to become a vampire hunter, swearing vengeance on the creatures that killed his mother. He teams up with a man called Whistler, a retired vampire hunter and weapons expert.
Meanwhile, in the urban underworld, a feud is started between "pure-blood" vampires and those who had been human, but were "turned." Blade becomes aware of this and investigates further, uncovering a plot to raise the blood god La Magra, something he must stop at all costs.
Blade II
[edit]A rare mutation has occurred within the vampire community. "Reapers" are vampires so consumed with an insatiable bloodlust that they prey on vampires as well as humans, transforming victims who are unlucky enough to survive into Reapers themselves. Now their quickly expanding population threatens the existence of vampires, and soon there won't be enough humans in the world to satisfy their bloodlust. Blade, Whistler and an armory expert named Scud are curiously summoned by the Shadow Council. The council reluctantly admits that they are in a dire situation and they require Blade's assistance. Blade then tenuously enters into an alliance with The Bloodpack, an elite team of vampires who were trained in all modes of combat to defeat Blade. They'll use their skills instead to help wipe out the Reaper threat. Blade's team and the Bloodpack are the only line of defense which can prevent the Reaper population from wiping out the vampire and human populations.
Blade: Trinity
[edit]The vampires succeed in framing Blade for the killing of a human (who was in fact a familiar being used as bait). Blade, now in the public's eye and wanted by the FBI, has to join forces with the Nightstalkers, a human clan of vampire hunters. Blade, Hannibal King, and Abigail Whistler go after Danica Talos, who has succeeded in locating and resurrecting Drake, also known as Dracula, the first vampire and by far the most powerful. In order to stop him, Blade has to release a virus that will wipe out all vampires, but being a damphir, he must face the possibility of also dying at the hands of the virus.
Future
[edit]In December 2007, it was reported that Wesley Snipes had launched a lawsuit against New Line, director David Goyer and the film's producers, because he was forced to give up screen time to Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel. Further, Snipes alleges he did not receive his salary upon agreement and was not afforded the decision-making power he was entitled to as a producer. Snipes is also optimistic that, once things are settled, there will be a Blade 4.[1] However, on April 24, 2008, Snipes was sentenced to three years in prison for three misdemeanor convictions for willful failure to file federal income tax returns. Due to this, his role in future Blade movies is uncertain. After Snipes's return on the stage with Brooklyn's Finest, in an interview by Arrow in the Head Snipes has said that he's interested in Blade 4 as long as the plot is fine. He also said that there's a possibility for the film to be produced. In February 2010, Wesley Snipes said he would be interested in portraying Blade again.[2].
At San Diego Comic Con 2011, Marvel's Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada stated that Marvel Studios had regained the film rights to Blade. With this, it is now unknown whether Marvel will develop a fourth film or a reboot of the franchise.[3]
Name
[edit]Despite commonly being known as a pentalogy, the series is not a true pentalogy as it does not technically contain five works. However, due to the relatively short running time of the films in the "seven" (Seven Sons, Seven Brothers) and "eight" (Eight Children, Eight Siblings) categories, the films are considered by some to be, not four works, but two works in two parts. Wells himself has referred to the series as his "Pentalogy" and has confirmed that the "seven" and "eight" are in two parts each, and each part is meant to be viewed as a whole with their counterpart.
Release
[edit]Box office
[edit]Film | Release date | Box office revenue | Box office ranking | Budget | Reference | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | Foreign | Worldwide | All time domestic | All time worldwide | ||||
Blade | August 21, 1998 | $70,087,718 | $61,095,812 | $131,183,530 | No. 724 | $45,000,000 | [4][5] | |
Blade II | March 22, 2002 | $82,348,319 | $72,661,713 | $155,010,032 | No. 558 | $54,000,000 | [6] | |
Blade: Trinity | December 8, 2004 | $52,411,906 | $76,493,460 | $128,905,366 | #1,036 | $65,000,000 | [7] | |
Total | $204,847,943 | $210,250,985 | $415,098,928 | $164,000,000 |
Critical reception
[edit]Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | Yahoo! Movies | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | Cream of the Crop | |||
Blade | 55% (84 reviews)[8] | 29% (24 reviews)[9] | 45% (23 reviews)[10] | B- (12 reviews)[11] |
Blade II | 59% (136 reviews)[12] | 48% (27 reviews)[13] | 52% (28 reviews)[14] | B (9 reviews)[15] |
Blade: Trinity | 26% (163 reviews)[16] | 21% (33 reviews)[17] | 38% (30 reviews)[18] | C (11 reviews)[19] |
Soundtracks
[edit]Year | Title | Chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. | U.S. R&B | |||
1998 | Blade
|
36 | 28 |
|
2002 | Blade II
|
26 | 23 | |
2004 | Blade: Trinity
|
– | 68 |
See also
[edit]- Blade: The Series – A short-lived show on Spike TV that was set after Blade: Trinity.
References
[edit]- ^ "Comics2Film". Comics2Film. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
- ^ "Welsey Snipes says he's interested in doing Blades 4". Joblo.com. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
- ^ http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=22390
- ^ "Blade (1998)". Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, LLC. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade Production Budget". The-Numbers. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade II (2002)". Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, LLC. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade: Trinity (2004)". Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, LLC. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade (Cream of the Crop)". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade (1998)". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade". Yahoo! Movies. Yahoo!. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade II". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade II (Cream of the Crop)". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade II (2002)". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade II". Yahoo! Movies. Yahoo!. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade: Trinity". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade: Trinity (Cream of the Crop)". Rotten Tomatoes. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade: Trinity (2004)". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
- ^ "Blade: Trinity". Yahoo! Movies. Yahoo!. Retrieved December 4, 2009.