Wednesday, December 4, 2013

‘Terminator 5′: Emilia Clarke & Brie Larson Front-Runners to Play Sarah Connor

There’s still a whole lot we don’t know for certain about the upcoming Terminator 5, otherwise known as Terminator (2015). However, Arnold Schwarzenegger is confirmed to reprise as the titular killing machine (even though he’s now 66 years old), drawing from a screenplay written by Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island) and Patrick Lussier (Drive Angry) that will reboot the sci-fi franchise’s convoluted timeline, in order to setup for a potential new stand-alone movie trilogy.

Alan Taylor has left news of him directing the film as “rumor” for the time being, though that hasn’t prevented the Thor: The Dark World helmer from saying that – in the purely-hypothetical situation that he were to wind up directing the Terminator reboot – he would emulate Christopher Nolan’s approach with Batman Begins, where it concerns resetting and contemporizing the IP created by James Cameron some 30 years ago.

Watch the New Trailer for 300: Rise of an Empire!

Warner Bros. Pictures has released the new trailer for 300: Rise of an Empire, opening in 3D, 2D and IMAX theaters on March 7, 2014. Check it out below!

Directed by Noam Murro, the film stars Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, Hans Matheson, David Wenham, Rodrigo Santoro, Igal Naor, Callan Mulvey, Jack O'Connell and Andrew Tiernan.

Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel "Xerxes" and told in the breathtaking visual style of the blockbuster 300, this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield—on the sea—as Greek general Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war. 300: Rise of an Empire pits Themistokles against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), and Artemesia (Eva Green), vengeful commander of the Persian navy.

CBS Planning ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ Movie from ‘Saw’ Writers

Many a child of the 1980s and ’90s grew up reading all three installments in author Alvin Schwartz’s spooky tale literature anthology Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, which brings various creepy folklore and disturbing urban legends – with pieces of dark humor sprinkled here and there for good measure – to vivid life, in no small part thanks to the freaky black and white illustrations by Stephen Gammell (long the source of controversy among concerned parents and the American Library Association).

CBS Films has acquired a pitch for a Scary Stories movie adaptation, courtesy of Saw IV-VII, Piranha 3DD, and The Collection screenwriting duo Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton. The project already has a handful of producers and executive producers onboard, so the next step – after Dusntan and Melton finish their screenplay – will be to hire on a director, whose speciality is the macabre and supernatural (or, if not that, then someone interested in trying their hand at the horror genre).

Watch Peter Jackson Host A Hobbit Hangout On Google+

The Hobbit director Peter Jackson, along with co-stars Richard Armitage and Evangeline Lilly, will participate in a live chat via Google Hangout today (Wednesday), Dec. 4, at 10:15 a.m. PST / 1:15 p.m. EST. That’s very soon! You can follow along on YouTube, or just keep an eye on the player below. The footage should go live shortly.

Jackson and his cast are helping build anticipation for The Desolation of Smaug, the second chapter in his massive Hobbit trilogy, which will be in theaters on Dec. 13. Fans can sign up for the Google+ Hangout on this page. It’s there that you can submit questions for Jackson, hopefully letting him answer one or two before the roughly hour-long session concludes.

Veronica Mars Release Date Set For March

Since the successful Kickstarter campaign for the Veronica Mars movie wrapped up, we’ve known that the film would arrive sometime in 2014, but up until today, we didn’t know the exact date. Ahoy Pirates and Marshmallows alike, set your calendars for March 14, 2014, as that’s when Veronica Mars will be arriving in theaters. That's almost a year to the day from when the Kickstarter campaign launched last March.

EW got the exclusive on the release date news, along with confirmation that the film’s title will be Veronica Mars, matching the title of the TV series on which this story is based. At present, the film will share a release date with racing thriller Need for Speed, Grace Kelly biopic Grace of Monaco and Tyler Perry’s Single Mom’s Club. On the subject of the young adult genre audience, it’s also worth noting that Veronica Mars arrives a week ahead of the feature adaptation of Divergent.

Ben Affleck on the Difference Between His Batman & Christian Bale’s

Batman vs. Superman won’t hit theaters for another year-and-a-half – which means we likely won’t be seeing any official footage or imagery for at least another year – and yet news and rumors pertaining to the film seem like a daily occurrence. Before Thanksgiving, Warner Bros. registered potential titles for the film; yesterday, Man of Steel star Henry Cavill talked about Ben Affleck being cast as Batman; and earlier today, Affleck himself discussed his excitement for the project.

Now, in a separate interview, Affleck has talked even more extensively about being cast as Batman, arguably the most popular and recognizable superhero the world over. Why did he decide to take the role, knowing full well that the response from fans might be cruel? What differentiates his Batman from that of Christian Bale’s in The Dark Knight trilogy? Which regrettable movie is he trying to make up for by taking part in Batman vs. Superman? Read on to find out.

Gal Gadot Cast as Wonder Woman in Batman vs. Superman!

Warner Bros. has announced this morning that Gal Gadot, most well known for appearing in the "Fast & Furious" films, has landed the role of Wonder Woman/Diane Prince in Zack Snyder's upcoming Batman vs. Superman film.

In a statement, Zack Snyder stated: "Wonder Woman is arguably one of the most powerful female characters of all time and a fan favorite in the DC Universe. Not only is Gal an amazing actress, but she also has that magical quality that makes her perfect for the role. We look forward to audiences discovering Gal in the first feature film incarnation of this beloved character."

Batman vs. Superman will feature the return of Henry Cavill as Superman, facing off against Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Also starring Amy Adams, Diane Lane and Laurence Fishburne, the Zack Snyder-directed Batman vs. Superman hits theaters on July 17, 2015.

‘Fast & Furious 7′ Production Might Restart From Scratch

The tragic death of Paul Walker this weekend shocked the world and Universal Pictures pushed the pause button on the production of Fast & Furious 7 to give family, friends and everyone time to mourn the loss. The film hadn’t come close to finishing its scenes with Walker and now the director James Wan and co. have the challenging task (on several levels) of working around the unfortunate circumstances.

There’s no right answer to the question of how to tell the originally planned story of Fast & Furious 7 without Walker, let alone writing him out of the franchise in a way that’s appropriate for all parties.

We know the studio, Wan and the producers are meeting to figure out how to proceed with the fast-tracked sequel. According to insiders informing The Wrap, since the big budget production is insured, one of the options in consideration is scrapping most or all of what has been shot  - even though they’re already over half-way done – and starting from scratch with a new story.

Monday, November 18, 2013

The Good, The Bad & The Badass: Michael Mann

Last week, we took a look at the career of internationally acclaimed action icon Chow Yun-Fat. While Chow's known mostly for his work with John Woo, he'd no doubt be right at home in a movie directed by this week's subject...

Michael Mann is without a doubt one of my favourite living directors. He's certainly one of the great visual stylists working in the industry, and his movies (many of which were lensed by master DP Dante Spinotti) are influential to the point that when you say a “Mann-style shot” one immediately thinks of a man driving through a neon-lit city in the dead of night, accompanied by a cool electronic soundtrack. The other day, I was walking along the water in Montreal, with the city lights in the background, and the friend who was with me said that all we were missing was a Tangerine Dream soundtrack to make it seem just like a Mann movie. Without Mann, a movie like Nicholas Winding Refn's DRIVE would not exist.

Adam Driver Denies ‘Batman Vs. Superman’ Nightwing Rumors

After learning that Ben Affleck would be playing Batman in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel sequel – still known only as Batman Vs. Superman – perhaps the piece of news which has proven as divisive was the report that Batman’s former sidekick Dick Grayson – who in the comic books adopted the identity of Nightwing after outgrowing that of Robin – would somehow tie into the plot of the next film.

While we here at Screen Rant had some suggestions on who could play the role, Girls star Adam Driver was thought to be the front-runner, while other actors reportedly in consideration were Penn Badgley (Gossip Girl) and Ezra Miller (The Perks of Being A Wallflower). Warner Bros. producer David Alter has apparently confirmed that Robin will be part of the story, but what about Nightwing? And what about the actors supposedly in the running?

From the Set of Out of the Furnace, Starring Christian Bale

The country's economic downturn of the past five years has hurt many cities with unemployment running rampant and some cities unable to take care of its citizens and their debt. This came to a head earlier this year when Detroit, Michigan, a city already plagued by fallout from the market crash, declared bankruptcy, but the same could be said for the economically-depressed town of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Once a thriving steel town with a number of active steel mills and a population of 30,000, the town had fallen on hard times after the closure of the Carrie Furnace with thousands losing their jobs before people started to drift away turning it into a ghost town.

Now, here at ComingSoon.net, we've been to a lot of glamorous places in our pursuit of getting the early word on movies, but visiting Braddock and the set of Out of the Furnace, the second film from Crazy Heart director Scott Cooper, was certainly an experience that wasn't easily forgotten because we were brought closer to true poverty than anyone might ever hope to see in their lifetime.

Warner Bros. Releases New TV Spot for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Warner Bros. Pictures has released a new TV spot for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. You can watch it below!

The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece "The Hobbit," by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug opens in 3D, 2D and IMAX theaters on December 13.

Riddick And Riddick: The Complete Collection Hitting Blu-ray And DVD In January

There was a period of time when Vin Diesel was the next big thing. Those days might be past, but the actor has little to complain about. He’s still larger than life, thanks to having starring roles in two prominent Hollywood franchises. The first of these is obviously the Fast & Furious movies, but he’s also well known for playing the antihero Riddick, a warrior in the future who has starred in multiple feature films, the most recent of which hit theaters back in September and is headed onto Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD soon. Universal Studios Home Entertainment is releasing Riddick on January 14, 2014.

Riddick is the fourth movie in the franchise, depending on how you look at it. Two big theatrical releases hit theaters in 2000 and 2004. Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick featured plenty of Diesel planning a hardcore man of action who kills people with cups and gets up to other shenanigans. An additional flick, The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury was also made in animated form, with AEon Flux’s Peter Chung on board. Not only will Riddick hit Blu-ray next year, Universal Studios Home Entertainment is also releasing a full collection featuring all of the related movies called Riddick: The Complete Collection. If you are only interested in the most recent feature film, it still might be worth it to purchase the Blu-ray copy, as it will come in an Unrated Edition.

PREACHER Graphic Novel Goes to Pilot at AMC; Seth Rogen on Board to Produce?

AMC is looking to fill the void left by departing dramas Breaking Bad and Mad Men with an adaptation of the graphic novel, Preacher.  The network has apparently ordered the show to pilot, based on Garth Ennis’ story of a Texas preacher who becomes disillusioned with his belief system after accidentally merging with a supernatural force known as Genesis.  The source material isn’t afraid to tackle themes of a religious nature alongside other mature elements, making it a potentially controversial addition to AMC’s programming, which currently boasts The Walking Dead as its biggest draw.  In related news, it seems as if none other than Seth Rogen may be involved with bringing Preacher to the small screen in some capacity.  Hit the jump for more.

Javier Bardem May Play Blackbeard in Peter Pan Origin Film

Just as there are currently several Lance Armstrong biopics in various states of development, there are also multiple Peter Pan-inspired projects in the works. The Hunger Games director Gary Ross was reportedly in talks to helm Peter and the Starcatchers, while Channing Tatum and producer Joe Roth are said to be working on Neverland, with Gavin O’Conner (Warrior) sought to direct.

The third project is known as Pan, and has Hanna director Joe Wright in negotiations to direct a script by Jason Fuchs (Ice Age: Continental Drift), with Arrow‘s Greg Berlanti producing. While there is still no word on who could play Pan for Wright, (should the director end up on board) Warner Bros. sounds confident that the project will happen, as it’s being reported that an Oscar-winning actor is up for the role of Blackbeard the pirate.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Forget The Heat 2 - A Spinoff Is In The Works

While Sandra Bullock has turned a cold shoulder towards the idea of a sequel to the comedy hit The Heat , director Paul Feig and the folks over at Fox aren't ready to give up on the crazy characters therein. Deadline reports Fox and Feig are at work on a spin-off of The Heat, which would focus on Beth and Gina, the scene-stealing girlfriends of Melissa McCarthy's character's brothers.

Comediennes Jamie Denbo and Jessica Chaffin play loudmouths Beth and Gina respectively, and brought a world of wild improvisation to the set that really made an impression on Feig, who'd previously worked with the pair on their Showtime pilot Ronna & Beverly back in 2012. If you check out The Heat's DVD/Blu-ray special features you'll see much more of this dynamic duo. Outtakes reveal how hard Chaffin made it for her onscreen boyfriend (Joey McIntyre) to keep a straight face as she ran off one ridiculous impromptu line after another. Then, Chaffin and Denbo took their Boston girl shtick to the press junket, where they harassed and/or flirted with reporters for more special features.

’2 Guns’ Director Says a Sequel Could Happen

An obscure comic book movie adaptation, 2 Guns didn’t exactly stand out as a high point of the Summer 2013 movie season. For my money, though, it is a serviceable B-movie shoot-em-up/buddy throwback, with updated cultural references (Mexican drug cartels, corrupt government organizations), a commendable bromance with Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington, and even a genuinely memorable scene or two. (Who wants to play Russian Roulette with Bill Paxton?)

The Wahlberg/Washington pairing also turned out well from a studio investment perspective, resulting in 2 Guns exceeding its $61 million budget in terms of U.S. box office returns; and then, it more than doubled its cost, once you also figure in the foreign gross. Admittedly, those aren’t exactly the kind of numbers that can get a sequel green-lit without a moment’s hesitation, but it’s enough for director Baltasar Kormákur to have discussed the possibility with Wahlberg (who also produced the film).

David O. Russell Wrote A Horror Film That Eli Roth May Direct

David O. Russell and Eli Roth are two filmmakers that you really rarely hear about in the same breath. After all, the former is a three-time Oscar nominee with credits like Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter, while the latter has made his name with gorific horror titles like Cabin Fever and Hostel. You wouldn't even necessarily think that they would be hanging around in the same circles, but now we not only have word that Russell and Roth know each other personally, but also that they may soon team up on a project together.

With American Hustle set to hit theaters next month and expected to be a big part of Awards season over the next few months, Russell recently participated in The Hollywood Reporter's director roundtable (via The Playlist) with Steve McQueen, Paul Greengrass, Ben Stiller, Alfonso Cuaron and Lee Daniel, and during the 50-minute long conversation the Three Kings filmmaker revealed that between making I Heart Huckabees and The Fighter he actually wrote a script for a horror film that Roth is thinking about directing. ""I wrote a couple of things that someone might make," Russell told the table. "Eli Roth may actually do one, I wrote a horror a few years ago."

James Bond Lawsuit Settlement Opens the Door for the Return of Blofeld and SPECTRE

The legacy of the James Bond film franchise is not without its twists and turns, many of which are excellently captured in the documentary Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007.  One of the more difficult stories related to the film series involves Thunderball, which began with an original screenplay by Bond creator Ian Fleming and Kevin McClory, before Fleming decided to cut McClory out of the picture and publish the novel Thunderball—based on the idea the two hatched together—with nary a mention of McClory.  The result was a decades-long legal battle and two “unofficial” Bond films (Thunderball and Never Say Never Again), but at long last the entanglement has ended.

Hit the jump for more, including what this means for the Bond franchise going forward.

‘The Best Man Holiday’ Review

The Best Man Holiday picks up 15 years after the first film, reuniting us with author Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs), who is now expecting his first child with wife Robin (Sanaa Lathan). Harper’s writing career has fallen on hard times after the smash hit Unfinished Business (the catalyst of the drama in the first film), which is why the invitation for a holiday visit with his estranged friend, NFL star Lance Sullivan (Morris Chestnut), holds certain lucrative career opportunities.

Lance is retiring from the game soon, and Harper sees the chance to cash-in on a biography of the all-star player. However, first he’ll have to stitch the rift between himself and Lance over the infamous affair with Lance’s wife Mia (Monica Calhoun) – not to mention deal with all the drama that comes with having old friends like Julian (Harold Perrineau), Candy (Regina Hall), Shelby (Melissa De Sousa), Jordan (Nia Long) – and of course, acid-tongued Quentin (Terrence Howard) all under one roof again. While both old wounds and new pains threaten the group’s bond, they soon learn that there’s no better time than the holidays in which to celebrate life, love, and good friendship.

Batkid Saves San Francisco: Internet's Best Reactions

Stars, Major League teams teams and President Obama are singing the praises of five-year-old Miles, who dressed as a miniature caped crusader to fight crime.
San Francisco transformed into Gotham on Friday to make a wish come true for Batkid, whose secret identity is Miles. The  five-year-old Batman fan has battled cancer and is in remission after completing chemotherapy this summer.

Batkid's heroics earned the thanks from all over – from Batman studio Warner Bros. and DC Comics to the San Francisco Giants for saving the team's beloved mascot, Lou Seal. Stars such as Anna Kendrick, Olivia Munn and Nick Lachey confessed to getting a little verklempt thanks to epic photos of Miles saving damsels in distress and receiving a key to the city from San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. The day of super-heroics was made possible thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and thousands of volunteers who came out to cheer Miles on.

Will Smith to Headline ‘City That Sailed’ with Shawn Levy Directing

City That Sailed (a.k.a. The City That Sailed) is a project that’s had Will Smith’s attention for more than three years now, going back to right before he committed to making Men in Black III. The project now has the A-lister officially set as its lead, while 20th Century Fox has gone ahead and tapped Shawn Levy – director of Real Steel and the Night at the Museum franchise – to take the helm on this original fantasy-adventure.

An earlier script draft for City That Sailed was penned by writer/director Andrew Niccol (Gattaca, The Host), with a story about a (divorced?) New York street magician separated from his young daughter. The girl ends up being moved to London, where she finds magic candles (as you do in England) that grants her every wish. Problem is, that pesky plot device takes her desire to be closer to her dad way too literally, when it causes the entire island of Manhattan to separate from the North America continent and drift across the ocean.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

‘Batman vs. Superman’ Artwork Revealed at ‘Man of Steel’ Fan Event

Man of Steel is coming out on Blu-ray, and to commemorate that event – and further tease the upcoming sequel Batman vs. Superman - Warner Bros. hosted live event in New York, hosted by none other than Kevin Smith and featuring Man of Steel director Zack Snyder, Lois Lane actress Amy Adams, and Superman himself, Henry Cavill (via satellite)

While many of the topics discussed centered on things like making Man of Steel, the controversial plot details, inspiration in filmmaking, iconic characters (and annoying fans), there was inevitably some talk about what’s coming next in Batman vs. Superman. After days of rumors about everyone from Nightwing to Wonder Woman being in the film, Snyder and Co. had some big questions to answer, and revealed some big announcements about the titan team-up that’s coming in the sequel.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

A Sneak Peek at the New RoboCop Trailer

The full new trailer for RoboCop will be revealed online tomorrow (Thursday), but you can check out a sneak peek at the trailer below, thanks to ET.

Opening in theaters and IMAX on February 12, the Jose Padilha-directed film stars Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K. Williams, Jay Baruchel, Jennifer Ehle and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

In RoboCop, the year is 2028 and multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Their drones are winning American wars around the globe and now they want to bring this technology to the home front. Alex Murphy (Kinnaman) is a loving husband, father and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit. After he is critically injured in the line of duty, OmniCorp utilizes their remarkable science of robotics to save Alex's life. He returns to the streets of his beloved city with amazing new abilities, but with issues a regular man has never had to face before.

Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Caine to Star in Harry and the Butler

Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Caine will star in Harry and the Butler, to be directed by George C. Wolfe (Lackawanna Blues), it was announced today by producers Philippe Rivier of Spirit Films and Colin Callender of Playground Entertainment. The film, written by Damian F. Slattery, will start shooting on location in Louisiana in spring 2014.

Harry and the Butler is the story of Harry (Jackson), a one-time jazz virtuoso living in New Orleans who has given up on his dreams and now spends his days as the mechanic for a derelict rollercoaster and his nights in his makeshift home – a converted train caboose. When his former mentor bequeaths him a large sum of money, Harry – in a drunken celebration –decides to hire himself an aging, down-on-his-luck English butler (Caine) – an act of impetuous generosity that changes their lives forever.
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Bruce Campbell Says Talk of ‘Army of Darkness 2′ Is ‘Internet B.S.’

Well, this is frustrating. The latest round of rumors regarding an Evil Dead 4 – a.k.a. Army of Darkness 2 – started in March with word from creator Sam Raimi that he planned to write the script for the film over the summer. Things got a little crazier when it was announced that the project might even cross over with the more recent Evil Dead remake (eventually).

More recently, star Bruce Campbell (who plays series protagonist Ashley J. Williams) bolstered fans’ hopes when he said, in response to a question about whether or not he’d reprise his role, “The answer is yes.” This was particularly noteworthy, because while Raimi is prone to needlessly getting fans’ hopes up about a return to Evil Dead, Campbell has always been the pragmatist who likes to tear those hopes down.

‘Anchorman 2′ Character Posters: Ron Burgundy & Friends Straddle New York

Strap in, Anchorman fans. Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and the rest of his news team are stepping into the modern age of the 1980s for Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, a sequel that sends our heroes to New York City in an effort to revitalize their careers. Ahead of then lies romance, rivalry, fame and buckets of political incorrectness.

Since it’s been a few years since the release of Anchorman, it might be worth recapping the former members of the Channel 4 news team. There’s Ron, the news anchor, who is kind of a big deal; Brick Tamland (Steve Carell) reads the weather reports and is not completely comfortable with green screen technology just yet; Champ Kind (David Koechner), sports, a man who isn’t afraid to say, “I love you;” Finally there’s field reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), and his friends Octagon, James Westfall and Doctor Kenneth Noisewater.

Saw Sequel Reportedly In Development At Lionsgate

Do you hear that squeaking sound? But it isn’t a door or a piece of furniture in need of a good oiling, unfortunately; it’s the sound of a tricycle being pedaled by Billy the Puppet. Well, it’s actually being pedaled by a remote control or something, but that’s not the point. The point is, Legendary is reportedly once again interested in turning a profit on their mega-successful Saw franchise, which hasn’t made eyeballs rebel since Saw 3D came out in 2010. How can it simultaneously feel like it’s been so long since one of these films came out, while feeling like one of them just came out a few weeks ago?

Nothing is official, of course, but Bloody Disgusting’s sources were told exclusively that an eighth installment in the series is "incredibly active" in getting an eighth installment in the franchise developed. It’s unfortunate that someone’s very excellent idea for a story isn’t the impetus behind this decision, though we can hope. Maybe one of the producers has to skin a family member alive because such a great idea was written on their bones or something.

Jon Favreau in Talks to Helm Disney’s THE JUNGLE BOOK

New reports have Jon Favreau (Iron Man) in negotiations to helm Disney’s adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.  The 1894 novel is currently in public domain and screenwriter Justin Marks is currently working on a draft.  Disney, who previously adapted the property in the 1967 animated classic and the 1994 Stephen Sommers’ live-action film, is looking to start production as early as next year.  Hit the jump for more, including a comment from Favreau himself.

Deadline reports that Favreau is in negotiations with Disney to helm The Jungle Book.  The two have a lengthy history as Favreau directed both Iron Man and Iron Man 2 for the studio, and was previously attached to helm Magic Kingdom.  (It’s unclear from Deadline’s report whether Favreau is still involved in some capacity, if another director is in talks or if the project itself has been put on pause.)

Rumor Patrol: Another ‘Saw’ Movie in Development at Lionsgate

When Saw 3D was released on home media with the name Saw: The Final Chapter, it was about as convincing as when the fourth Final Destination movie was called “The“ Final Destination i.e. not at all. Sure enough, Final Destination 5 came out just a couple of years later and brought back the tried and tested formula of a group of people escaping a terrible accident only to be picked in Rube Goldberg-esque ways because Death was having a sulk over being cheated.

The Saw franchise is undoubtedly the most successful within the niche horror subset of torture porn, evolving from the simple but effective short film made by director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell (Insidious) back in 2003 to become an annual showcase of elaborate murder devices and then… well, the series never really evolved much beyond that.

Friday, November 1, 2013

‘Addams Family’ Animated Movie Back in Development

It’s been exactly twenty years since the release of Addam’s Family Values, the sequel to Men in Black 3 helmer Barry Sonnenfeld’s debut film as a director: 1991′s The Addams Family. The big-screen adaptation of the fondly remembered 1960′s TV series (which in turn was based on the morbidly funny one-panel New Yorker cartoons of Charles Addams) is arguably responsible for the TV-to-movie remake craze of the 90′s, and remains one of the best and most beloved of that particular genre.

While the two original films were successes, any hope of a threequel was put to rest after the death of the late, great Raul Julia (who played patriarch Gomez). A completely recast third film, Addam’s Family Reunion, was quietly punted to video and then forgotten. Talk of a 3D, stop-motion animated remake (in black and white) from Illumination Entertainment (the Despicable Me films) and directed by Tim Burton persisted, with a script from Burton’s Ed Wood writers, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, but that project never happened.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Will Combat Hans Zimmer Blandness With A Supergroup Score

In the world of music composers, we tend to make note of the select few elite masters of the trade. John Williams returning to the Star Wars franchise? Hell yeah. Michael Giacchino scoring Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland? We’ll take it. But Hans Zimmer’s recently announced collaboration with Pharrell Williams for the score of Marc Webb’s highly anticipated The Amazing Spider-Man 2 had us a little quizzical. And now we’re completely taken aback as a musical "supergroup" has formed for this film, according to a press release, comprised of The Smiths’ legendary non-Morrissey songwriter Johnny Marr, producer and Eurythmics musician Dave Stewart, and Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger. So, does this sound like a great idea for a movie score, or a mess as chaotic as the Sgt. Pepper album cover?

The news was announced by Sony Pictures’ Worldwide Music president Lia Vollack, who said "this kind of collaboration is only possible because of who Marc Webb is – not only director but also a musician – combined with who Hans is and what Spider-Man means to so many people. Nobody has ever approached film music in this way before and this likely can never be replicated."

Channing Tatum In Talks To Star In Jonathan Levine's Bad Romance

As though Channing Tatum didn't already have enough on his plate with five movies set to come out between now and the end of 2014, today he's added yet another big project to his upcoming slate. Sources have told The Hollywood Reporter that the actor is now in talks to both star in and produce Bad Romance, the latest title from writer/director Jonathan Levine.

While the trade report is flush with details about the people involved with the project, it's very light on any details regarding what the movie is about - and with a director like Levine at the helm that means that the project could end up falling into a wide variety of categories. The filmmaker made his directorial debut with the horror movie All The Boys Love Mandy Lane (which was made in 2006 but didn't get released until this fall), but in the years since he has done an excellent job mixing things up and never doing the same movie twice.

SLEEPAWAY CAMP Eyed for Franchise Reboot

The 1983 horror film Sleepaway Camp would likely have been resigned to the catacombs of copycat slasher flicks were it not for a disturbing and shocking final scene that cemented its place as a cult classic.  The success of the original spawned a number of sequels, but now Jeff Katz is looking to reinvent the source material for a new generation.  Katz optioned remake rights from writer/director Robert Hiltzik, producer Michele Tatosian, and actress Felissa Rose, who starred as the bullied teen Angela in the original film.  The remake seeks to pay homage to the psychosexual themes of the 1983 film while bringing a modern touch for today’s audience.  Speaking of the original Sleepaway Camp, Shout Factory recently announced that the film will make its Blu-ray debut in the spring of 2014.  Hit the jump for more, including the trailer for the original film.

‘Star Wars 7′ Struggling to Make 2015 Date; Disney CEO Won’t Allow Delay to 2016?

There’s been a good deal of rumor-mongering about the release date for Star Wars: Episode VII, with claims that the seventh installment in the sci-fi space opera juggernaut will launch in either November 2015 or December 2015, in spite of Disney’s continued assurances that a Spring/Summer 2015 premiere remains the target date.

Today, we add some additional fuel to that fire, in the form of another story that raises doubts about when the movie will hit theaters (and no less than one day after the one-year anniversary of the Mouse House’s original announcement that it was buying Lucasfilm). Such news rounds out a tough week of speculation and unconfirmed reports about the development process on Episode VII, after the story from a few days ago that suggested Disney and Lucasfilm have been forced to get the ball rolling on a fifth Indiana Jones movie (in order to get Harrison Ford to commit to appearing in the next Star Wars trilogy).

Joe Roth to Produce Blind Wrestlers Drama 'Unleash the Mules' at Sony

Chris Parker, who is working with Roth on "Heaven Is For Real," wrote the script for the faith-based inspirational sports film.
The producer and writer of the upcoming adaptation Heaven Is For Real have set their sights on another faith-based, inspirational true-tale.

Sony has picked up Unleash the Mules, inspired by a real story of a team of blind wrestlers.
Joe Roth, the man usually behind such spectacle tentpoles such as Alice in Wonderland and Oz the Great and Powerful, is producing. Roth’s son, Zack Roth, and Dennis Stratton will also be involved in producer roles.
Chris Parker wrote the script, which, according to sources, tells of how in 1956 Henry Lebash, chafing to leave his teaching job at the Missouri School for the Blind for a gig at up-and-coming IBM in California, nevertheless agreed to create a wrestling team before he left.
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Stunning New ‘Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ IMAX Poster; Budget Expansion Explained

The Quarter Quell is nearly upon us, and to herald its arrival there have been some pretty fantastic posters unveiled for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. In addition to character posters for each of the individual Tributes, who this time around have been selected from a pool of past victors, there is also a pretty inspirational poster showing Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) standing on a mountaintop framed by a set of Mockingjay wings in the clouds.

Some of the best movie posters in recent years, however, have been specially commissioned for IMAX releases, and have featured work by a range of different professional artists. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Star Trek Into Darkness and Skyfall, among others, all got the IMAX poster treatment and the latest design for Catching Fire is stunningly detailed.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

ENDER’S GAME Set Visit, Part Two: The Surreality of Meeting Harrison Ford

Midway through February of last year, the good folks at Lionsgate invited about half-a-dozen members of the online press (myself included) out to New Orleans, where director Gavin Hood was midway through production on his $110m adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s  seminal sci-fi novel, Ender’s Game.  Initially, it sounded like it’d be the usual studio-sponsored field trip:  we’d take a tour of some sort, watch a scene or two being filmed, cast members would be made available for interviews, and at some point the film’s director would find the time to talk to us about how things were coming along.  Pretty standard, far as set visits go.

As it turns out, our day on the Ender’s Game set was anything but “standard”.  Meet me after the jump to find out why we needed NASA clearance to get on Hood’s set, what kind of sets you can build inside a 1.87 million square foot building, and what happened during our two separate run-ins with Colonel Graff himself, Harrison Ford.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2's First Trailer To Debut With The Hobbit

Thanks to his efforts towards building the villainous team known as the Sinister Six in The Amazing Spider-Man franchise, director Marc Webb is certainly not lacking in any kind of nerd cred, but today he has earned himself some big points. Much in the same way that he did constantly through the shooting of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 this past summer, the filmmaker has taken to his Twitter account to announce that the first ever trailer for the new web-slinging wall-crawler movie will be in theaters with The Hobbit 3D this December.

Sadly, this means that we still have a good long while to wait before we get to see any footage from the superhero sequel. While this Friday will see the calendar turn over to November (where did this year go?), Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug won't be in theaters until December 13th - meaning that we have more than six full weeks to wait before the trailer arrives in theaters. Presumably the preview will be online before its theatrical release, but attached to the next Middle-earth film will be the only place to see it in 3D.

Universal to Remake South African Crime Movie 'iNumber Number'

Universal Pictures has optioned the remake rights to iNumber Number, a South African thriller written and directed by Donovan Marsh that premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Chris Morgan, the writer of Universal’s Fast & Furious flicks, and his partner Emile Gladstone will produce the remake via their Universal-based Chris Morgan Productions. Aram Tertzakian of XYZ Films is also producing.

The action thriller centered on an honest undercover officer who, after he's cheated from a major promotion, crosses over from cop to robber in order to orchestrate a major heist that he hopes will be a one-way ticket to easy street. Things go awry when the gang discovers his true identity and take his partner hostage.

‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Gets Script Polishing from ‘The Wolverine’ Writer; Filming Delayed

There’s less than a year to go before Anastasia Steele will be brought to life on the big screen in Fifty Shades of Grey, the erotic romance tale based on the novel (and former Twilight fan fiction) by author E.L. James. After a long search during which many actresses declined the role, Dakota Johnson (The Social Network) eventually agreed to strap in and play young Ms. Steele, but finding her counterpart hasn’t been easy either.

In the book, Ana’s adventures begin when she meets billionaire Christian Grey, an Adonis with a drawer full of blindfolds and anal plugs, so Universal Pictures and Focus Features needed to track down just the right talented hunk to play this physically perfect but emotionally distant man. For a short while Pacific Rim star Charlie Hunnam was set to play the part, but earlier this month he dropped out and left the studio scrambling to find a replacement before filming begins.

Troll Hunter Director To Make English-Language Debut With The Autopsy Of Jane Doe

Norwegian filmmaker André Øvredal caught our attention back in 2011 with his inventive horror-fantasy Troll Hunter. And at long last he's offering us a follow-up called The Autopsy of Jane Doe. Digital Journal reports the film will also be of the horror genre, but unlike Trollhunter it will be in English.

As you might rightly assume, The Autopsy of Jane Doe begins with the autopsy of an unidentified woman, who was young, beautiful, and evidently murdered. Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing penned the original screenplay that's plot follows a father-and-son team of coroners, whose quiet life working in a small town mortuary is disrupted by the curious questions that arise from bizarre clues found on the body of this Jane Doe. These clues not only hold the key to how she was killed but also to some truly terrible secrets.

Alexander Soskin to Direct Johnny Thunders Biopic

Alexander Soskin has signed to direct an adaptation of Nina Antonia's bio Johnny Thunders: In Cold Blood, set to begin production in 2014, L.A.M.F. Films in Los Angeles has announced. Thunders, the guitarist for the influential 1970s punk bands the New York Dolls and the Heartbreakers, once told a cheering audience at a concert, "OK, you got it, I'm gonna die tonight -- I'm gonna die up here," but he actually died in New Orleans in 1991. Though he was a notorious addict, some think his death involved foul play.

"Johnny's guitar actually sings," said Morrissey, among the many big names he influenced, including members of the Sex Pistols, KISS, and Guns N' Roses.
Soskin, an assistant editor on Sexy Beast, whose first short film, Tunnel Vision, won the gold and audience awards in the Nike Young Directors competition, is also attached to direct Gunned Down, starring Craig Fairbrass and Steven Berkoff, for Screen 360. Antonia's 1987 book, hailed by NME as "a gorgeously sordid biography," was updated in 2000 and has been in print for 25 years. The film concerns the wild rollercoaster ride of Thunders' life as seen by Antonia, who had no idea what she was in for when she befriended Thunders. He called her "the smartest chick I ever met."

‘Olympus Has Fallen’ Getting a Sequel Titled ‘London Has Fallen’

The White House got an unwelcome visit from paramilitary terrorists twice this year, in Antoine Fuqua’s Olympus Has Fallen and Roland Emmerich’s White House Down. Interestingly, while the former grossed less worldwide in theaters than the latter ($161 million vs. $205 million), Fuqua’s R-Rated solo man on a mission thriller outgrossed Emmerich’s blockbuster in the U.S. ($99 million vs. $73 million) and cost less than half as much to make; hence, it was declared the winner in the copycat movie showdown.

Further proof that Olympus Has Fallen deserves the crown for “Most Successful America, F-Yeah! Movie of 2013″? The film has earned a sequel – titled London Has Fallen – that is slated to begin principal photography in the eponymous UK capital city in May 2014, with a good chunk of the original cast already confirmed to reprise their roles.
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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

‘Fantastic Four’ Reboot: Rumored Reed Richards Actor Confirms Talks

Iron Man may have been the film that kicked off the idea of a shared cinematic superhero universe, but as fans are coming to realize, it is far from the last. While Marvel Studios works its way through Phase Two of its superhero movies (with next month’s Thor: The Dark World well on the way), Sony and Fox – who still retain movie rights to select Marvel characters – are putting plans in motion to create their own cinematic playgrounds.

Sony, of course, is busy planning to expand the Spider-Man universe in next year’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (and its sequels), but Fox arguably has a more difficult task at hand. The latter studio not only aims to unite the convoluted timeline of the numerous X-Men films with next year’s time travel tale X-Men: Days of Future Past, it’s also tasked with resurrecting the Fantastic Four brand.

'Trick 'r Treat' to Get a Sequel

The surprise announcement was made by Legendary CEO Thomas Tull at a special screening of the cult horror movie at Beyond Fest.
Trick ‘r Treat is getting a sequel.

The announcement was made by Legendary CEO Thomas Tull at a special screening and Q&A event for the movie at Beyond Fest, held at Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre.
The horror anthology written and directed by Michael Dougherty and made by Legendary has garnered quite a cult following for a movie that never got a theatrical release. (Warner Bros. was to have released it but backed out.)

Made in 2007, the movie starred actors such as Brian Cox, Anna Paquin, and Leslie Bibb and told four stories held together by the appearance of Sam, a silent little…thing... in an orange suit and a burlap sack as a mask that is a creepy embodiment of the spirit of Halloween.

John Belushi Biopic Casts Emile Hirsch In The Lead Role

Early last week we learned that the list of actors being considered for the lead in the upcoming John Belushi biopic had been whittled down to just four names. Emile Hirsch, Adam Devine, Adam DeMamp (of Comedy Central’s Workaholics) and Joaquin Phoenix were reportedly the final performers whom director Steve Conrad and the producers were considering for the part - and today they've officially made their decision. Hirsch, who was most recently seen earlier this year starring alongside Paul Rudd in David Gordon Green's Prince Avalanche, has been cast to play the Animal House and Saturday Night Live star.

Based on a script written by Conrad, whose credits include The Pursuit of Happyness, The Weather Man and the upcoming The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, the biopic will tell the true story of how Belushi used his incredible comedic genius to become one of the biggest comedians in film and television, only to have it all ripped away by drugs and alcohol. The star died at the young age of 33 in Los Angeles, California due to an overdose of cocaine and heroin. Dan Aykroyd, who was one of Belushi's best friends and frequent collaborators, will be serving as executive producer on the project (and will very likely be a character in the story).

Never Send a Boy to do a Man’s Job; Check Out a Promo Poster for THE EXPENDABLES 3

With director Patrick Hughes’ The Expendables 3 due August 15, 2014, I’d imagine we’re getting close to seeing the first trailer/footage from the film.  As most of you know, the next installment has Sylvester Stallone’s Barney Ross and his Expendables crew squaring off against Ross’ old partner Conrad Stonebanks, played by Mel Gibson.  Returning for the sequel are Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews and Arnold Schwarzenegger, with Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, and Harrison Ford joining the all-star cast along with Kellan Lutz, MMA star Ronda Rousey, welterweight boxing champion Victor Ortiz and Glen Powell.  No matter what you think of The Expendables franchise, you have to admit it’s a hell of a cast, and one I can’t wait to see kicking ass next summer.

So while we wait for the first footage to hit, we were sent a promo poster which you can check out after the jump.  It’s got the tag line, “Never send a boy to do a man’s job.”

‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2′ to Be Scored by Hans Zimmer & Pharrell Williams

Much of the time, the musical scores of superhero films are as outsized as their subjects. One need only hear the opening bars of John Williams’ classic opening theme for Superman or the pounding drums of Hans Zimmer’s Batman Begins score to evoke Metropolis or Gotham City.

For all its good qualities, 2012′s The Amazing Spider-Man sported a fairly lackluster example of the usually bombastic superhero score. Perhaps this is why that film’s composer, John Horner, has been switched out in favor of the aforementioned Zimmer for its sequel, The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Intriguingly, it looks like Zimmer will actually receive help on the film’s music with an somewhat unusual source – veteran rapper, producer, and composer Pharrell Williams.

Miles Teller Confirms Fantastic Four Talks

The rumors are true, folks: Miles Teller has indeed been having conversations about the possibility of playing the extra stretchy superhero Mr. Fantastic in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot. The problem, however, is that the success of another possible franchise for the star could possibly prevent him from taking the part. It's the kind of problem that we all wish we could have.

Fandango caught up with Teller at the on-going Savannah Film Festival down in Georgia where the actor essentially confirmed that he has been having conversations about starring in his first comic book movie. Asked about the possibility of starring in The Fantastic Four the actor said, ""Uh, you know, I don't know. If that happens, if everything works out, then I will be pretty pumped. But then I'll also be working for ... it's like seven months out of your year. Which is not a bad problem."
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