Saturday, October 26, 2013

Kevin Tancharoen Departs Mortal Kombat

Although he was optimistic about the project just last month, choreographer-turned-director Kevin Tancharoen, the man behind the Mortal Kombat reboot webseries, just announced via Twitter that he is no longer involved in bringing the property to the big screen.

"After 3 years of Kombat," Tancharoen writes, "I've decided to move on to other creative opportunities. I wish everyone involved in the movie big success. Thanks!"

Tancharoen's “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” recently released its second season. The cast includes Harry Shum, Jr. ("Glee") as the warlord adviser "Kuai Liang," Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers) as martial arts film actor "Johnny Cage," Brian Tee (The Wolverine) as Shaolin Monk "Liu Kang," and Mark Dacascos (Cradle 2 the Grave) as "Kung Lao" - a close friend of "Liu Kang." Additionally, Ian Anthony Dale (“Hawaii Five-O”) returns as the resurrected ninja “Scorpion,” and Cary Tagawa reprises the role he made famous in the first Mortal Kombat theatrical release as the powerful, arrogant sorcerer "Shang Tsung."

Warcraft May Add Vikings Star Travis Fimmel

With Duncan Jones' Warcraft movie set with an official release date and, as a result, an idea for when the movie will go into production, it was only a matter of time before the casting stories began rolling in. Late last month we learned that the production was eying both Paula Patton and Colin Farrell for two of the movie's biggest parts, and now Variety is reporting that Travis Fimmel, the actor best known for playing Ragnar Lothbrok on the critically-acclaimed History Channel series Vikings, is the top choice to play one another of the the main character in the feature video game adaptation.

While no deal is in place just yet, sources have told the trade that Fimmel is definitely the man that Jones and Legendary Pictures want for the part. Should the star sign on the dotted line he will reportedly play one of four lead roles. Unfortunately, because details about the film are being kept under wraps, exactly what those four roles are remains a mystery. The production is moving forward with a script from Charles Leavitt (The Mighty, K-PAX, Blood Diamond), but at this point there are no details available about either the plot or the ensemble of characters that will be involved.

Monsters vs. Aliens Helmer Rob Letterman Boards Captain Underpants

The project first announced back in 2011, DreamWorks Animation has found a director for their children's book series adaptation Captain Underpants. The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Monsters vs. Aliens helmer Rob Letterman will direct.

The "Captain Underpants" book series, written by Dav Pilkey, tells the story of two mischievous kids, George Beard and Harold Hutchins, who hypnotize their school principal and turn him into their comic book creation, Captain Underpants.

Scholastic first launched the "Captain Underpants" book series in September of 1997 and there are over 50 million Pilkey books in print in the U.S. alone. Eight "Captain Underpants" books have been published in 19 countries and several have debuted at #1 on various best-seller lists, including The New York Times and USA Today.

Jai Courtney Signs On For Russell Crowe & Angelina Jolie Films

Jai Courtney’s 2013 may have gotten off to a bad start thanks to A Good Day to Die Hard, but he’s bouncing back: the Australian actor has roles in the 2014 adaptation of YA novel Divergent as well as local thriller Felony (featuring Joel Edgerton) and just recently he’s been courted by Oscar-level talent for their own upcoming directorial projects. Courtney has signed on for roles in Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken and fellow Aussie Russell Crowe’s The Water Diviner, which will mark Crowe’s first time sitting in the director’s chair.

By happy accident, these movies each revolve around one of the two World Wars, putting Courtney square in the midst of historical drama. Unbroken concerns itself with real-life former Olympian Louis Zamperini and his time spent as a POW during WWII, while The Water Diviner follows a father’s journey to recover the bodies of his three sons, all slain during WWI. Courtney will play supporting parts in both films; Jolie has chosen Jack O’Connell (who will show up in 2014′s 300: Rise of an Empire) as her lead in Unbroken, while Crowe will direct himself in the principal role for The Water Diviner.

Ben Affleck Was 'Reluctant' to Take Batman Role

The actor says Zack Snyder landed him for the "Man of Steel" sequel by convincing him it would be both different from what had come before but also "in keeping with tradition."
Certain Batman fans weren't the only ones unsure about Ben Affleck being cast as the Dark Knight in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel sequel.

Affleck says he wasn't convinced he was the right man to don the tights, telling 411mania.com he was initially "reluctant" to accept.
"I felt I didn't fit the traditional mold, but once Zack showed me the concept, and that it would be both different from the great movies that Chris [Nolan] and Christian [Bale] made but still in keeping with tradition I was excited," Affleck said. "Doing something different and new is always tricky and part of the thrill and the risk is that initially it confounds expectations. "

Affleck also addressed Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara's description of the upcoming version of Batman being “tired, and kind of weary and seasoned." Tsujihara said the film's Batman will have been fighting crime for years when we first meet him.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Announces a Fan Event November 4

Gearing up for the December 13, 2013 release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, New Line and MGM today announced a global fan celebration to be held on Monday, November 4, at 5:00 pm EST and simultaneous times around the world. At each of the satellite-linked cinemas in four host cities--Los Angeles, New York, London and Wellington--Jackson and members of his cast and filmmaking team will gather with fans to show exclusive footage from the new film and answer questions in front of a live audience, as well as offer a few surprises.

CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper, who serves as special host for the entire event, will be based in New York, where he will welcome Richard Armitage, the film’s Thorin Oakenshield, and Orlando Bloom, who returns to the role of Legolas from The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Evangeline Lilly, who joins the cast as a new Elf warrior, Tauriel, will be based in Los Angeles. London will host new cast member Lee Pace, the film’s Elf King Thranduil; Luke Evans, who joins the cast as Bard the Bowman; and Andy Serkis, second unit director and, of course, the first trilogy's Gollum. Peter Jackson will then join the celebration from Wellington, New Zealand (where it will be Tuesday, November 5, at 11:00 am).

Milla Jovovich, Meryl Streep & Cameron Diaz in Talks for ‘The ExpendaBelles’

There are two all-female-cast action/thrillers – inspired by Sylvester Stallone’s hit macho action throwback franchise The Expendables – that are being developed by Hollywood right now. One is an untitled project that producer Adi Shankar (The Grey, Dredd, Killing Them Softly) is currently putting together, with Gina Carano (Fast & Furious 6) and Katee Sackhoff (Riddick) very loosely attached to star… whenever it comes together, that is.

Meanwhile, Expendables franchise producer Avi Lerner is backing a direct spinoff of Sly’s 1980s/90s-inspired action brand, called The ExpendaBelles. Since The Expendables 3 concludes principal photography in Bulgaria this week, Lerner was in the country and spoke to the country’s press about what everyone can expect from the (Estrogen-fueled?) spinoff. In addition, he dropped a few of the names of actresses who are currently in negotiations for the film.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Tom Rothman’s TriStar Names 3 Production Executives

Lindsay Sloane, David Beaubaire and Nicole Brown will join the revived TV and film company next month
Newly revived TriStar Productions is ramping up with the hiring of three production executives, the company said Wednesday.

Lindsay Sloane (right, in photo above) will join from Hypnotic as senior vice-president, focusing on television. David Beaubaire (center, above) from Paramount will be executive vice-president and Nicole Brown from Good Universe will be sr. vice-president, both focusing on film.

The trio will begin work on the Sony lot in November, according to TriStar Chairman Tom Rothman.

“Nothing is more important to a young company than the quality and composition of new colleagues, and I feel like we won the Triple Crown,” said Rothman. “David, Lindsay, and Nicole each have their own areas of expertise, but the plan is for us all to work collaboratively to make TriStar a uniquely integrated film and television company. They are all leaving great jobs to come here and I am honored and excited to get started working together.”

Tom Hardy Confirmed to Play Elton John in ‘Rocketman’ Biopic

Tom Hardy is an actor who definitely isn’t afraid of throwing himself wholly into his roles, bulking up to hugely muscular proportions as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises and Charles Bronson in Bronson, but also playing cooler-headed characters like Ricky Tamm in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Eames in Inception. Although he has a considerable amount of range, Hardy nonetheless tends to be cast within a fairly set range of roles: fighters, spies and tough guys.

After a string of much-lauded roles in highly-praised movies (we’ll write This Means War off as a fluke), Hardy is at a point in his career where a lot of doors are probably open to him. He could easily make the choice to carry on taking roles that fit within his proven set of acting skills, but instead it seems that Hardy has elected to try something a bit new and very different to what he’s known for.

Jamie Dornan Gets Sexy as Christian Grey in FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

After Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim) abruptly left the Fifty Shades of Grey adaptation, the search was on to cast the lead before the planned start date of November 1st.  It seems as if the search is over, as Jamie Dornan (The Fall) is reported as having landed the lead of billionaire and S&M connoisseur, Christian Grey.  Dakota Johnson (21 Jump Street) is still on board as Anastasia Steele; Sam Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy) will direct.  In related non-casting news, THR’s Borys Kit also reports that “Juno Temple (The Dark Knight Rises) passed on the part of Kate, Anastasia’s best friend, and Frank Grillo (The Grey) passed on bodyguard, Taylor.”  The adaptation of E.L. James’ bestselling novel is now set to kick off production and is scheduled to open August 1, 2014.

Chris Hemsworth Talks ‘Thor 3′ Story & Becoming More Superpowered

In the 2011′s Thor, moviegoers witnessed an arrogant prince take steps towards becoming the heroic God of Thunder, much of his power stemming from the mighty hammer Mjolnir. With it, Thor can leap vast distances, virtually granting him the ability to fly. The square-headed hammer can fly on its own, returning to its user when thrown or summoned, but it can only be used by someone deemed “worthy.” It’s a mystical artifact that according to Marvel Comics and hinted at in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was forged from a dying star.

When Thor returned to Earth and joined The Avengers last summer, we saw him battle without the hammer, having super strength and durability that allowed him to fight the Hulk with his fists. For Thor: The Dark World, his powers are enhanced yet again on the hero’s path to protect Asgard, Earth and the rest of the realms. With even greater threats yet to be introduced however, Thor will have to put those powers to the test if star Chris Hemsworth is right about Thor 3.

Paul Feig to Produce Animated PEANUTS Movie, Due November 6, 2015

It’s the time of year to play the Peanuts holiday classic, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and in no coincidence, today also brings news that Paul Feig will produce and oversee the animated Peanuts feature for Twentieth Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios.  Directed by Steve Martino (Horton Hears a Who!), the Peanuts feature will be based on the iconic characters created by the late Charles Schulz.  The script was written by Craig Schulz and the writing team of Bryan Schulz and Cornelius Uliano.  Now due out November 6, 2015, Peanuts will mark Feig’s first animated feature and he couldn’t be happier.  Hit the jump for what he had to say.

Deadline reported that Feig has landed a producer role on Peanuts as part of his first-look deal with Fox, even though it’s a decidedly more family-friendly project than we’re used to getting from the Bridesmaids and The Heat director.

Charlie Hunnam Discusses His ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Departure

It’s safe to say that – despite its detractors – E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey and its sequels have been among the most successful books to hit shelves – or e-readers, as the case may be – in recent years, and last year’s announcement that a film adaptation was in development surprised absolutely no one as a result. Yet, the much-anticipated (or –dreaded, depending on who you ask) project has faced greater-than-expected difficulty in actually coming together.

Nowhere Boy director Sam Taylor-Johnson is onboard, and Universal recently brought screenwriter Patrick Marber (Closer, Notes on a Scandal) in to refine the existing script. However, the mysterious departure of leading man Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim) now puts the Fifty Shades of Grey film in a rough place, especially if it intends to meet its 2014 release date.

Tom Cruise May Reteam With Oblivion Director For Racing Drama Go Like Hell

It would appear that director Joseph Kosinski and star Tom Cruise got along famously while making the film Oblivion, the sci-fi flick that hit theaters earlier this year, as the duo are already looking to reunite on a new project. The Wrap is reporting that both the star and the filmmaker are in negotiations to make Go Like Hell, an adaptation of A.J. Baime’s book “Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans."

Based on true events that occurred in the early 1960s, the film will tell the story of how Henry Ford II teamed up with Lee Iacocca and former racing car champion Carroll Shelby to help get the Ford Motor Company back into the sports car marketplace. Together they decide that the best way to do this would be to build and race a car in The 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the most dangerous and prestigious races in the world. This scheme, however, gets the attention of the folks over at Ferrari and motivated a great rivalry.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Idris Elba Rumored To Face Dinosaurs In Jurassic World

Jurassic World is really up and roaring after giving itself a name and a release date last month. The past week has seen quite a bit of casting news, with some of the child actors signing on, and Josh Brolin starting negotiations to star. Brolin and the previously cast Bryce Dallas Howard will surely be joined by at least two or three more big names, seeing as how this is sure to be one of the biggest movies of 2015, and gigantic blockbusters are no stranger to British actor Idris Elba, who is rumored to be in talks with Universal and director Colin Trevorrow to join the film. I shall refrain from jumping up and down with glee at least long enough to point out that it’s unsubstantiated hearsay at best, but the “news” appears in two different places that seem to have nothing to do with each other. At least coincidences are on our side.

Jurassic World Movie News recently reported that a source “whose fairly close to Jurassic World’s development” said Elba's name was in the running.
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Mao Zedong, Founder of Communist China, to Get Animated Film Treatment

The movie about the early years of "The Great Helmsman" has a $4.9 million budget and will be screened as part of celebrations marking the 120th anniversary of the leader's birth in December.

Mao Zedong's face already adorns every bank note, and a portrait of "the Great Helmsman" continues to grace the gates of the Forbidden City in the heart of the country's capital, Beijing. Now China's founding father is set to feature in an animated film about his teenage years.
The cartoon is being made to help propaganda efforts to boost Mao's image. China has an ambiguous attitude towards Mao. While he is revered for leading the revolution that brought about China's foundation in 1949, he is also resented because of the disastrous agricultural program known as the Great Leap Forward, which caused a famine that killed tens of millions of rural Chinese, and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), which is often referred to as “the 10-year catastrophe.” In today's China, the Great Helmsman is commonly described as 70 percent good, 30 percent bad.

Kevin Feige Confirms Marvel Contract Through Phase 3; Talks ‘Punisher’ and ‘Daredevil’

In five years, Marvel Studios has become one of the most successful (as in, $$$) film production studios currently active in the business, with its last two movies (The Avengers and Iron Man 3) both having grossed well over $1 billion worldwide in theaters. The future is also looking bright, with the next installment in Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor: The Dark World, expected to perform quite well at the box office (just not on the level as Tony Stark’s latest adventure).

Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige has played a key role in the company’s success, but for how much longer will he continue to do so? The Marvel executive talked to reporters at the London press junket for The Dark World this past week (look for Screen Rant‘s report on the event in the near future), where he spoke briefly about his contract with Marvel and the future of newly-reacquired franchises based on the The Punisher and Daredevil comic books.

Queen Band Members Want Ben Whishaw to Play Freddie Mercury in Biopic

The actor, who plays James Bond gadget guru Q, tops the list of talent wanted by the surviving members, according to drummer Roger Taylor.

LONDON -- Queen's drummer Roger Taylor has said James Bond co-star Ben Whishaw is at the top of the band's wishlist to play legendary frontman Freddie Mercury in the long-planned biopic of the singer.

Taylor revealed Whishaw as the front-runner after being gently probed on the One Show, which airs on the BBC's flagship channel BBC One in the early evening.
The drummer and singer is currently doing the British media promotional rounds with a solo album and a box set of his entire non-Queen catalog about to be released.

Along with Queen guitarist Brian May, Taylor has looked after all things for the band ever since Mercury's death from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991.

Nicole Kidman And Guy Pearce Join Indie Australian Thriller Strangerland

Australians are doing it for themselves, at least when it comes to Screen Australia, a production company who recently entered into a deal where they’ll invest a handful of millions into six different features. One of these films is the greenlit indie thriller Strangerland, which just signed stars Nicole Kidman, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving for the leading roles. What, no Paul Hogan?

The film will follow parents Catherine and Matthew Parker, who we’ll assume will be played by Kidman and Pearce, who are driven to the point of madness whenever their two teenage children go missing somewhere in the distant Australian outback, and they’re soon “forced to confront the mystery of their children’s fate,” according to the description from THR. That’s a pretty hardcore phrasing, and we’ll stretch our character assumptions to include some kind of a maniac played by Weaving. Perhaps the male roles will be opposites, but I can easily picture Weaving as a malicious bearded madman.

Weekend Box Office Wrap Up: October 20, 2013

The first (and only) horror release of October makes a play for the top spot, while its fellow new releases flounder at the box office.

For the third weekend in a row, the number 1 film is Gravity with $31 million. As if three straight weeks at number 1 wasn’t enough, Gravity is now the 10th highest grossing film of 2013 with $170 million. More importantly, the film is showing no signs of letting up, and could conceivably work its way into the top 5.

In at number 2 for the second week is Captain Phillips with $17.3 million. Despite some questions about the authenticity of the picture, the Tom Hanks drama retained a good part of its audience – dropping only 32% – and is just below its $55 million budget with $53 million in domestic grosses.
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