Jumper is a 2008 science fiction film based on the science fiction novel Jumper by Steven Gould. The film is directed by Doug Liman and stars Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson.

Jumper is slated for a February 15, 2008 release. David (Hayden Christensen) is a young man who, following his mother’s death, discovers the ability to teleport. David searches for the man that he believes killed his mother, drawing the attention of both the National Security Agency and another young man with the same abilities as David.

Jumper is an upcoming 2008 science fiction film based on the 1992 science fiction novel Jumper by Steven Gould. The film is directed by Doug Liman and stars Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson and AnnaSophia Robb. Jumper is slated for a February 14, 2008 release.

Premise: “A genetic abnormality allows a young man to teleport himself anywhere. He discovers this gift has existed for centuries and finds himself in a war that has been raging for thousands of years between ‘Jumpers’ and those who have sworn to kill them.”

Film Trailer:

Cast:

  • Hayden Christensen as David Rice, a young man who discovers the ability to “Jump”, or teleport.
  • Samuel L. Jackson as Roland Cox, the leader of the Paladin organization, whose goal is to kill Jumpers deemed too powerful to exist.
  • Jamie Bell as Griffin, a Jumper who has fought and evaded Paladins since his childhood.
  • Rachel Bilson as Millie Harris, David’s childhood friend and also his crush.
  • Diane Lane as Mary Rice, David’s mother who abandoned her son when he was five years old.
  • Michael Rooker as William Rice, David’s father.

Production: In November 2005, New Regency Productions hired director Doug Liman to helm the film adaptation of the science fiction novel Jumper by Steven Gould. Screenwriter Jim Uhls was hired to rewrite an adapted screenplay by David S. Goyer. The studio announced plans to develop a trilogy based on the novel’s premise. In April 2006, actors Tom Sturridge, Teresa Palmer, and Jamie Bell were cast for Jumper with Sturridge in the lead role. The following July, actor Samuel L. Jackson was cast into Jumper as an NSA agent, with producer Simon Kinberg rewriting the original screenplay draft by Goyer. Principal photography was scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Rome, Toronto, and New York. In August, actor Hayden Christensen replaced Sturridge in the lead role as David just two weeks before the beginning of shooting, as the studio “became concerned about not having a more prominent actor in their trio of young stars.”

In September 2006, Jumper was filmed at various locations in Peterborough, Ontario. The next October, actress Rachel Bilson replaced Palmer in the role opposite Christensen, with principal photography already underway in Toronto. In December 2006, Liman negotiated with the Rome Film Commission for rare access to film for three days in the Colosseum. The scene in the Colosseum was originally written for the Pantheon, at which exterior shots were also filmed. The crew was required to keep equipment off the ground by using harnesses and to rely on natural light for filming the Colosseum’s scenes.

After filming in Rome, scenes were filmed in Toronto during December 2006 to January 2007 and wrapped at the Canadian location on January 19. Cast and crew traveled to Tokyo to film scenes. On January 26 in Toronto, 56-year-old David Ritchie, a set dresser, was fatally struck by frozen debris while dismantling an outdoor set in wintry conditions.

Another worker was injured and was sent to a hospital with serious head and shoulder injuries. As a result of director Liman insisting Christensen perform his own stunts while filming various scenes, the actor injured his hand, split open his ear, and developed a hyperdilated pupil that required hospital care. In February 2007, the next filming site was set up at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sixty students from the nearby Huron High School were cast as extras for the film.

Marketing: The first teaser trailer for the film premiered on October 10, 2007. The film has been involved in viral marketing using the site WhatWeird.com, and numerous YouTube videos semi-integrated into the lonelygirl15 storyline.

Graphic novel: Oni Press will release a graphic novel that will portray several back stories related to the film entitled Jumper: Jumpscars. The novel will be released on February 13, 2008, one day before the film’s wide release. A publisher for Oni Press commented on the tie-in to the film, stating: “The world that was being built around these characters was so well-realized and the mythology so interesting that other stories about this conflict would be plentiful and add to what the filmmakers were building.” The novel was written by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir and illustrated by Brian Hurtt.

Video game: A video game for the film will be made for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, and Wii consoles. The storyline will focus on the characters Griffin and Davey as he attempts to avenge the death of his parents. Nicholas Longano of the video game publisher Brash Entertainment stated, “From the very first script read, we knew this had to be made into a game. The teleportation elements make for some very compelling gameplay.” The game will be released on February 12, 2008, two days before the film’s wide release.

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