Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Stone Joins Cameron Crowe's Next Pic

Emma Stone will star in Cameron Crowe's as yet Untitled love story dramedy says Deadline.

Crowe penned the script and will direct. Story details are unknown but the tone is said to be akin to Crowe's "Almost Famous" and "Jerry Maguire".

Scott Rudin is producing the film.

Production begins next Spring.


YEA! YEA! and YEA!!

Luke Wilson Is "The Million Dollar Man"

Luke Wilson is in final talks to star in the indie sports comedy "The Million Dollar Man" says Variety.

Wilson will play a down-on-his-luck route driver for a soda company who's given a second chance in life as a football kicker.

Scott Marshall, son of director Garry Marshall, will call action here from writer Alex Schrader's script.

Mandvi Signs Wilson & Vaughn In "The Internship"

Aasif Mandvi has joined the comedy "The Internship" says Deadline.


In the film "Wedding Crashers" duo Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson play old school salesmen who try to reinvent themselves by becoming interns at a major tech company.

Mandvi will play Mr. Chetty, the tough head of the internship program Vaughn and Wilson’s characters take part in.

Max Minghella will play a ruthlessly competitive intern who plans to sabotage them. Josh Brener Tiya Sircar Teen Wolf" series co-star and NJ native Dylan O'Brien JoAnna Garcia Rose Byrne Comedian and actor Eric Andre and newcomer Tobit Raphael co-star. John Goodman will cameo.

Vaughn wrote the script from which Shawn Levy will direct.

Production has started in Atlanta.

Arianda Travels With "Fellini"

Nina Arianda will play Italian film star Giulietta Masina, wife of filmmaker Federico Fellini (Wagner Moura) in the biopic "Fellini Black and White" says Deadline.


Set in Los Angeles in 1957, the story follows Fellini's first trip to America to attend the Oscars, during which time he went missing for 48 hours and barely made it to the ceremony. Afterwards he returned to Italy to create his two most iconic films- "La Dolce Vita" and "".

The pic comes up with a scenario as to what may have happened during those two days - in this case discovering the jazz and surf scenes and falling for a veterinarian.

Terrence Howard, Peter Dinklage and William H. Macy are attached to play a jazz musician, the vet's lover and Fellini's publicist respectively.

Henry Bromell directs from his own script

Andrew Lazar is producing the film.

Production begins early next year.

Leguizamo Nabs The Counselor & Kick Ass 2

John Leguizamo has just landed 2 film roles in Ridley Scott's "The Counselor" and Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall says Deadline.


In 'Counselor'  Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy wrote the script in which Michael Fassbender will play a respected lawyer who thinks he can dip a toe in to the drug business without getting sucked in. It is a bad decision and he tries his best to survive it and get out of a desperate situation.

John will play a low level drug dealer.

Penelope Cruz is eyed to play Fassbender's fiancee Laura--a role that had Natalie Portman in its sights. Cruz's husband, Javier Bardem, is now to play the role of the villain, a criminal named Reiner who facilitates the lawyer's entry into the drug trade. The bad guy role is being likened to Bardem's turn in the film adaptation of McCarthy's "No Country for Old Men" This would be the first time the husband and wife have worked together since Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

Brad Pitt looks likely to take the small part of West Ray, a "mysterious figure that advises Fassbender's character on the drug trade". Cameron Diaz Rosie Perez and "Breaking Bad" brother in law Dean Norris also star.

Nick Wechsler, Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz will produce.

The cameras will role this September in London.

Meantime the Kick-Ass sequel sees Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz and Christopher Mintz-Plasse return to reprise their roles.

"Never Back Down" director Jeff Wadlow wrote a script and will direct the pic.

Here Leguizamo plays the bodyguard assigned to protect aspiring evil-doer Red Mist (Mintz-Plasse).

Production is hoped to begin by the fall.

Brand Hovers Over Pierre Pierre

Russell Brand is in talks to take the lead in the adult comedy Pierre Pierre says Variety.


The script by Edwin Cannistraci and Frederick Seton follows a French nihilist (Brand), who has plans to steal the Mona Lisa painting and transport it from Paris to London. Along the way, he runs into a French investigator, a murderer named Pigeonshit and his brothel-running mother.

Jason Reitman was originally set to direct with Jim Carrey set to star but was replaced by The Dictator and Borat director Larry Charles.

 Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal Steve Tisch and Brian Sher wil produce the film.

No production details have been released.

Chu Circles Masters Of The Universe Redux

Jon M. Chu is in early talks to helm a new live-action film version of the toy line "Masters Of The Universe" says Deadline.



The toys and the cartoon "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" series followed  He-Man, a prince who transforms into a warrior and becomes the last hope for a magical world that has been ravaged by the sinister Skeletor.

The property was previously adapted for the big screen in 1987  with Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella as Skeletor.

Attempts have been made over the years to revive it, but the film picked up steam thanks to a script by Alex Litvak and Mike Finch called "Grayskull" (that title can no longer be used).

Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch are producing the film.

Chu is in the middle of a 3D conversion on "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" ahead of some reshoots on that film due out in March next year.

Kitsch, Gleeson Get Grand Seduction

Taylor Kitsch and Brendan Gleeson are set to star in Don McKellar's remake of the 2003 French-Canadian film "The Grand Seduction" says Variety.



The story centers on a small harbor town that needs a doctor so that it can land a contract to secure a factory. Gleeson plays a village resident who employs tactics to seduce the doctor to stay permanently.

Gordon Pinsent, Mary Walsh, Cathy Jones and Liane Balaban also star.

Michael Dowse and Ken Scott, who wrote the original French film, wrote this version as well.

Roger Frappier and Barbara Doran are producing the picture.

Productin is underway in St John's, Newfoundland.

Murray Is A Sinner In "Saint"

Bill Murray is in early talks to star in the coming-of-age dramedy "St. Vincent De Van Nuys" says Variety.

The Black Listed script by director Ted Melfi follows a 12-year old boy who, in the wake of his parents' divorce, forms an unlikely friendship with the misanthropic war veteran and retiree (Murray) living next door whose life mainly consists of drinking, gambling and prostitutes. The elder soon becomes an unlikely mentor.

Fred Roos will produce the film.

New Skyfall Trailer--"Why Not Stay Dead?"

2 new trailers for the James Bond film-Skyfall are here...Both are action packed while offering key plot points at the same time....We see the villain Silva, Bond meets Q, and M steps away from the office....BIG Time!

Daniel Craig Ralph Fiennes, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Judi Dench, Simon Russell Beale, Rhys Ifans, Helen McCrory Ben Whishaw Tonia Sotiropoulou and Rory Kinnear star.

In the 23rd adventure in the longest-running film franchise of all time--Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Sam Mendes directs from a script by Patrick Marber John Logan Neal Purvis and Robert Wade

Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are producing the film.

The sequel arrives in theaters on November 9, 2012.



The Hobbit Becomes A Trilogy

After weeks of chatter it has now been confirmed-director Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey/The Hobbit: There and Back Again are set to become a trilogy.


Jackson has released a statement on his Facebook page that saying that Warner Bros has agreed to the arrangement which will include plans for some extensive additional shooting in New Zealand next year.

Here's the statement:
It is only at the end of a shoot that you finally get the chance to sit down and have a look at the film you have made. Recently Fran, Phil and I did just this when we watched for the first time an early cut of the first movie – and a large chunk of the second. We were really pleased with the way the story was coming together, in particular, the strength of the characters and the cast who have brought them to life. All of which gave rise to a simple question: do we take this chance to tell more of the tale? And the answer from our perspective as the filmmakers, and as fans, was an unreserved ‘yes.’

We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance. The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth.

So, without further ado and on behalf of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures, MGM , Wingnut Films, and the entire cast and crew of “The Hobbit” films, I’d like to announce that two films will become three.

It has been an unexpected journey indeed, and in the words of Professor Tolkien'himself, “a tale that grew in the telling.
What about the title?... "The Hobbit: An Expected Journey" is the subtitle for the first film. "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" was to have been the second film's title and the best guess is it will likely become that of the third film. This leaves the title of 'middle film' uknown.

Shortly after this statement was posted, Fusible found out that brand protection company MarkMonitor, which previously registered domain names involving the two previous 'Hobbit' titles, picked up several more over the weekend. Each of these new domain names were variations on two titles - “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” and “The Hobbit: Riddles in the Dark”.

The prequel sees Bilbo (Martin Freeman) travel on his journey with dwarves Thorin Oakshield (Richard Armitage) Bofur (Stephen Hunter), Bombur (James Nesbitt), and Bifur (William Kircher). Oin and Gloin (John Callen and Peter Hambleton) Jed Brophy as Nori, Adam Brown as Ori Mark Hadlow as Dori Balin (Ken Stott) and Dwalin (Graham McTavish)

Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage Benedict Cumberbatch Luke Evans Conan Stevens Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving Dean O'Gorman, Elijah Wood, Ian Holm, David Tennant, Barry Humphries., Lee Pace Bret McKenzie Orlando Bloom Billy Connolly Ian McKellen, former "Lost" actress Evangeline Lilly and Christopher Lee also star.

For now Journey will bow on December 14th 2012 while Again reaches cinemas on December 13th 2013.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Bichir Generates "The Heat"

Oscar nominee Demian Bichir and comedy writers/performers Jessica Chaffin & Jamie Denbo have joined the buddy cop comedy "The Heat" says Deadline New York.


Katie Dippold (Parks and Recreation) wrote the script that charts the tense working relationship between a high-strung FBI agent (Sandra Bullock) and an unconventional Boston cop (Melissa McCarthy) as they team to take down a Russian gangster.

Bichir plays a fell FBI agent, Chaffin & Denbo's roles are unknown.

"Bridesmaids" helmer Paul Feig calls action.

Taran Killam, Michael Rapaport Dan Bakkedahl and Kaitlin Olson also star.

Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark and Jenno Topping will produce the film.

The project is currently shooting in Boston.

DA Finds His Cain & Abel For "Noah"

Icelandic actors Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson and Arnar Dan are set to join Darren Aronofsky's biblical epic "Noah" says Iceland Review (via ThePlaylist).


An adaptation of the Biblical story of Noah's Ark, Russell Crowe stars as the man who must build an Ark to save all of creation from a coming flood.

The actors will play Cain & Abel, the sons of Adam & Eve --it's unknown how the brothers will feature in the story, but it's almost certainlygoing to be in some kind of flashbacks as most of the action takes place well after the infamous fratricide.

Saoirse Ronan, Douglas Booth, Logan Lerman, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Durand and Emma Watson also star.

Aronofsky & Ari Handel, wrote the original script for "Noah," but they evenually handed re-writing duties to John Logan (The Last Samurai, Gladiator).

Aronofsky, Mary Parent and Scott Franklin are producing the pic.

The film begins shooting this Summer in New York and Iceland to meet its March 28th 2014 U.S. release date.

Nichols Plays With Fusion; Reese Goes To Bootcamp

Writer/director Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter, Mud) is in talks to develop "The Boy Who Played With Fusion" as a directing vehicle for himself says Deadline.


Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping will produce the true life tale.

Chernin acquired the film rights to an article back in the March issue of Popular Science magazine about Taylor Wilson a 14-year old Arkansan who became the youngest ever to achieve nuclear fusion.

Meantime  Deadline also reports that a film adaation of M.A. Larson novel "Pennyroyal's Princess Boot Camp" is in the works.


Reese Witherspoon will produce and play a supporting role.

Larson will write the adapted script that follows an orphaned girl who travels to the Pennyroyal Boot Camp where she and her friends train to become warrior princesses in order to defeat an ever-growing threat of wicked witches.

Red Circle Redux & Rush Hour 4 Updates

Producer Arthur Sarkissian told Crave Online that James Mangold will helm the long-gestating English-language remake of Jean-Pierre Melville's 1970 crime thriller "Le Cercle Rouge" ("The Red Circle").


The original followed an ex-con (Alain Delon) who winds up getting pulled back into the world of crime, teaming with a hitman for a major heist.

Sarkissian's wish list for the lead role includes Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Tom Hardy. Mangold would shoot the film once he wraps "The Wolverine" thus-production hopes to start by next Summer in Hong Kong and Macau.


Sarkissian later told the site that a fourth film in the "Rush Hour film series is moving forward with stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker ready to return.

"I'm trying to do it closer to how I did Rush Hour 1. More down to earth. More gritty. Introduce two new characters and make it real the way the first one was. I personally was not happy with the third one. I thought 1 and 2 were very good. I think 3 got out of hand a little bit. It's not a matter of just bringing them back to do another segment of that or a sequel to it by putting them in another city and having them bicker. I don't want that. I want something new."

Will director Brett Ratner be back?

"He's more than welcome to do it, but he's got to do it in the right way" says Sarkissian.

A writer is expected to be hired soon.

Eklund Menaces "The Hive"

Michael Eklund has joined the cast of the indie thriller "The Hive" says Variety.


Set against the backdrop of a 911 call center where Halle Berry plays an emergency operator who must face her own fears in order to save a teenage girl (Abigail Breslin) from a disturbed killer (Eklund).

Brad Anderson ("The Machinist," "Transsiberian") calls action on the film from a script by Rich D'Ovidio.

 Justina Machado, Tara Platt, Evie Thompson, David Otunga, and Michael Linstroth also star.

Robert Stein, Jeff Graup and Michael Helfant are producing the movie.

Bakkedahl Feels The Heat

Dan Bakkedahl has signed on join the female buddy cop comedy The Heat says THR.

Katie Dippold (Parks and Recreation) wrote the script that charts the tense working relationship between a high-strung FBI agent (Sandra Bullock) and an unconventional Boston cop (Melissa McCarthy) as they team to take down a Russian gangster.

"Bridesmaids" helmer Paul Feig calls action.

Bakkedahl will play a DEA agent at odds with Bullock and McCarthy's characters.

Taran Killam, Michael Rapaport and Kaitlin Olson also star.

Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark and Jenno Topping will produce the film.


The project is currently shooting in Boston.

Wahlberg And Neeson Consider "Neuromancer"

Mark Wahlberg and Liam Neeson have offers to star in Vincenzo Natali's long-gestating adaptation of author William Gibson's cyberpunk classic novel “Neuromancer” says Moviehole.



The story follows Case (Wahlberg), the hacker and thief--a drug addict who, as punishment for some ill-advised thievery, has had his nervous system sabotaged by a mycotoxin that prevents him from "jacking in" to cyberspace.

Neeson is up for the role of Armitage, the shady ex-military type who offers to cure Case, provided he participates in a none-more-secret mission against the powerful Tessier-Ashpool family and the sinister artificial intelligence Wintermute.

A Prequel To The The Shining?

It seems that a prequel to author Stephen King's horror novel classic, The Shining is being discussed according to the LA Times.


The prequel would focus on what happened before Jack Torrance and his family arrived at the Overlook Hotel in the original film.

"Shutter Island" writer Laeta Kalogridis along with partners Bradley Fischer and James Vanderbilt would produce the feature, however a studio spokeswoman says it's "in a very early stage and not even formally in development."

The Times’ had no word on whether King would be involved.

The original book has been adapted twice for the screen--first by Stanley Kubrick and then as a TV Mini-Series in 1997

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Batman Rises...In Song

In honor of the release of Christopher Nolan's bat-capper "The Dark Knight Rises" Goldentusk takes James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer's driving theme to Batman Begins and puts lyrics to the muti-layered collaboration....Pretty Awesome.

Box Office Update: TDKR Trounces The Watch, Step Up

Moviegoers all but ignore The Watch and Step Up Revolution in favor of Christopher Nolan's bat-capper "The Dark Knight Rises" (my review)




Pamela McClintock of THR:

There were signs of resiliency at the domestic box office on Saturday as moviegoers returned to the multiplex in notable numbers following last week's theater shooting and Friday's opening Olympics ceremony -- but there was no rescuing new entries The Watch and Step Up Revolution.

The Dark Knight Rises easily won the weekend race, grossing $64.1 million for a weighty 10-day domestic cume of $289.1 million. Traffic was up notably on Saturday, helping to narrow the film's week-over-week decline. And worldwide, the tentpole will end the weekend with a worldwide gross north of $500 million.

From 20th Century Fox, The Watch's meager $13.5 million debut is another blow for Ben Stiller, who stars opposite Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill and Richard Ayoade in the R-rated sci-fi comedy, about a group of neighborhood watch volunteers who stop an alien attack. Earlier this year, Stiller's ensemble crime caper Tower Heist also disappointed.

The Watch, costing $68 million to produce before marketing costs, did see a 5 percent jump on Saturday. The comedy skewed male (60 percent), while nearly 60 percent of the audience was over the age of 25.

Summit Entertainment's Step Up 4 opened to $11.8 million, well short of the previous three films in the dance franchise pic (the last opened to $15.8 million). Summit took over the franchise from Disney. Step Up 4, released in 3D, received a B+ CinemaScore.

Costing $33 million to produce before marketing costs, Step Up 4 was fueled by younger girls. Females made up 64 percent of those buying tickets, while 71 percent of the audience was under the age of 24.

A number of holdovers picked up on Saturday, similar to Dark Knight Rises. Fox's Ice Age: Continental Drift saw a 32 percent jump to finish the weekend with $13.3 million and coming in No. 3 ahead of The Watch and Step Up 4, which placed No. 3 and No. 4, respectively. Ice Age 4's domestic cume is $114.8 million.

Ted, from Universal, was up 40 percent as it neared the $200 million mark domestically. The hit comedy has now grossed $193.7 million domestically.

While Christopher Nolan's final Batman pic is pacing behind The Dark Knight, Saturday's 39 percent jump was welcome news for Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures.

Dark Knight Rises fell 60 percent in its second weekend, compared to 53 percent for Dark Knight, which grossed $75 million in its second weekend.


Next Up: The Total Recall remake revs up to bend Colin Farrell's mind; Zachary Gordon opens up his newest Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

Taslim And Paget Will Kick Ass In "Fast Six"

Indonesian actor Joe Taslim ("The Raid") and model Clara Paget ("Johnny English Reborn")
 have joined the cast of "The Fast and the Furious 6" says The Daily Mail and Variety.



The story involves the crew heading to Europe for a heist job, one complication this time is a rival crew has already staked out the goods.

Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson are set to return as Brian O’Conner, Dominic Toretto and Agent Luke Hobbs respectively. In the pic--Luke Evans plays that rival heist gang leader.

Michelle Rodriguez is set to reprise her role as Letty Ortiz. Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson are also returning. There was unconfirmed noise that David Tennant was in talks for a small role. MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano will play a member of Johnson’s team.

Taslim will play the villain Jah, a cold-blooded killer who uses his martial arts and parkour skills against our heroes Paget will play a "gun-slinging action woman".

The same behind-the-scenes team from "Fast Five" are all back for this entry as well led by director Justin Lin. Chris Morgan wrote the script which reportedly includes a key scene in which an oil tanker explodes in Piccadilly Circus.

The film, which is about to begin production both on location and at Shepperton Studios, It is slated for a release May 24th 2013.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Black Shakes Out "Earthquake" Script

Oscar-winning writer Dustin Lance Black ("Milk," "J. Edgar") will rewrite the script for the large scale disaster epic "Earthquake" says Deadline.


Despite the title the film is NOT a remake of the 1974 classic starring Charlton Heston.

David Seltzer (penned a previous draft several years ago but the pic is only now gaining some fresh momentum.

Jj Abrams and Bryan Burk will produce

The project is not to be confused with "San Andreas: 3D".

Thor 2 Goes To Surrey?

As the comic book sequel "Thor: The Dark World" gets set to start filming soon, the Surrey Community (via CBM) posted about one potential sequence in the the film.

Under the codename "Thursday Mourning":  Here's an excerpt from a letter sent to residents around the Bourne Wood area Surrey, England:
"We're writing to let you know about some filming about to be undertaken in Bourne Wood in the coming months. Please find a brief overview & introduction to this project. “Thursday Mourning” is the working title of a major feature film. It is comic book adaptation set in another "fictional realm." We plan to start prep in Bourne woods in the week of 6th August for a period of 5 weeks where a temporary set will be constructed within the bowl area.

Filming is scheduled to take place for approximately 10 days from 10th September TBC. All of the proposed sequence is due to take place during the day. There is no night filming. We will be establishing a fictional village set in another realm, with yurts and village like dressing in the bowl. The sequence involves a battle between two kingdoms, ending in our comic book hero arriving to save the day. The sequence will involve a substantial amount of Stunts and controlled special effects all within the hours 0700 - 1900hrs.

We plan to use most of the areas that are usually occupied by film units for all our support vehicles. The sequence will involve approximately 300 extras who will arrive in the early hours prior to call time to go through costume and makeup, which we will undertake in marquees positioned on site. As always we will endeavour to keep any noise disruption to an absolute minimum.

We will have very friendly security looking after our set and trucks (most of whom you have probably met before) and to ensure that all members of the public can still enjoy the woods and walk your dogs as normally as possible. We may have to seal our set off periodically to members of the public for safety reasons as there will be quite a lot of activity at certain times. On completion of filming, we will remove all temporary sets and associated equipment and will be completely vacated from Bourne woods by the 13th October."


Alan Taylor will direct the sequel that is expected to be on a larger scale than the first film with double the amount of Asgardian characters and the inclusion of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) battling more mythical Norse creatures--Among them perhaps the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim.

Tom Hiddleston who plays Loki will return as will Natalie Portman playing Jane Jaimie Alexander is returning to play Sif and Idris Elba will be reprising the role of Heimdal. ‘Chuck’s’ Zachary Levi is lined up to replace Josh Dallas who will not reprise his role as Warriors Three member Frandral Anthony Hopkins will be back playing Thor's pops

"Saving Private Ryan" scribe Robert Rodat is set to perform a re-write of the sequel. First Thor co-writer Don Payne had written the first draft.

Production kicks off next month in London.

Nichols Is One Of "The Ten O'Clock People"

Rachel Nichols is in talks to join the film adaptation of author Stephen King's short story "The Ten O'Clock People" says Heat Vision.


The story centers on a man (Justin Long) who, when attempting to kick his smoking habit, has his eyes opened to a frightening reality in which many people in authority are monsters.

Nichols also plays a woman who can also see this horrible reality.

Tom Holland ("Child's Play," the original "Fright Night") wrote the adapted script and will direct

The tale was first published in the 1993 as part of the anthology "Nightmares And Dreamscapes". Five stories from the collection made up a basic cable anthology mini-series of the same name in 2006.

Nathaniel Kramer and E.J. Meyers are producing the film.

Production begins in September in New York City.

Gotham's Reckoning -My Review Of TDKR

Christopher Nolan's bat-capper "The Dark Knight Rises" is a very entertaining epic indeed....but it is not without its problems--reluctantly placing it somewhere close behind its pitch perfect predecessor.


The film opens eight years after the events of The Dark Knight and both Batman and his alter ego billionaire Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) have gone into hiding. As such Wayne Enterprises is crumbling after he invested in board member Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard ) and her clean energy project, designed to harness fusion power, and shut it down after learning that the core could be modified to become a nuclear weapon. Bruce also encounters cat burglar Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) and decides to keep an eye on her.

Meantime under powers granted by the Dent Act legislation inspired by the perceived heroism of the late Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Commissioner James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and the Gotham City Police Department have nearly eradicated violent and organized crime.  At a "Harvey Dent Day" event Gordon nearly exposes the cover-up of Harvey Dent's crimes, but decides at last second that the city is not ready to hear the truth. While following a lead in the abduction of a congressional representative (Brett Cullen), Gordon's speech falls into the hands of the villain Bane (Tom Hardy), who discovers the truth about Dent. Soon Bane attacks the stock exchange and bankrupts Bruce, forcing him to relinquish control of Wayne Enterprises. He entrusts Tate to keep full control of what's left. Bats now back in action locates Bane with Kyle's help, During the confrontation, Bane physically beats down Batman and places him in a foreign prison from which escape is virtually impossible....


Once again Nolan works from a screenplay he wrote with bro Jonathan Nolan, and a story that he and David S. Goyer concocted. While the film boasts many of the same key ingredients that made the rest of the trilogy soar--this time things tend to plod along for too long a period.  I never thought I would say this about a Nolan Batman film---It's main problem for me--editing and pacing. As long as TDK was--It's complex characters and layered storytelling were among its strengths. Not this time...

At the start of the film Batman has to be coaxed by Gordon and Officer Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to return and save the city. Battling back is something he is forced to do a second time later on as well. Having to take a similar journey twice in the same film just seems like filler and diminished the effort our hero makes to overcome as the climax draws near.

The other notable example; the stock exchange sequence begins as a taut exercise that includes a chase that starts in broad daylight and ends in the dead of night...


All of that said--The film boasts another round of great performances; Bale and regulars Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Oldman shine once again working well with the newbies. I must say I really enjoyed Hathaway's take on Selina Kyle much more than I thought I would. Slinky Sly and Sassy. Hardy encapsulated Bane quite well--proving a worthy bad guy. For me it's the work of JGL as Blake that stands out. His character has a fascinating arc and once again JGL hits a grand slam.

Other enjoyable touches: The cameo by Cillian Murphy. Film score composer Hans Zimmer does his BEST work of the trilogy--The callbacks to Batman Begins do help to give the film a sense of closure . The finale also allows for risks to be taken that you may not expect....


Some folks have said that TDKR is too dark...I say given what Nolan laid out in the previous efforts--The tone here was to be expected and in keeping with the character's journey really.

Not the wondrous finale I was hoping for---Still worthy. A film that finds a way to work-despite the whole not equal to the sum of its parts...

Smith And McCullah Enter The "Panic Zone"

"Legally Blonde" and "She's The Man" writers Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith penned a new original comedy script called "Panic Zone" says Variety.

The story deals with a woman over thirty-five trying to find love and is described as "sophisticated screwball comedies built around iconic stars".

Barnaby Thompson, Marc Platt, Adam Siegel Smith and McCullah will produce the pic.

Stiller, McGrath Ready To Rentaghost

Animation director Tom McGrath is in talks to direct the Ben Stiller-led live action comedy "Rentaghost" says Variety.

An adaptation of the British children's comedy TV series, that centered on a recently deceased 27-year-old man who, determined to be more productive in the afterlife, creates RentaGhost which leases out ghouls, ghosts and other specters to the living.

Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant ("Night at the Museum") are writing the script.

Kevin McCormick, Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Patrick Pidgeon will produce the film.

Akinnuoye-Agbaje Meets "Mister And Pete"

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje ("Lost") has joined the cast of director George Tillman Jr.'s "The Inevitable Defeat Of Mister And Pete" says Variety.


The script by writer Michael Starrbury follows two inner-city youths left to fend for themselves over the summer after their mothers are taken away by the authorities.

Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks, Jeffrey Wright, and Anthony Mackie co-star.

Tillman Jr, Rachel Cohen, Jana Edelbaum, and Robert Teitel are producing the film.

Shooting is underway in Brooklyn.

Hahn Vacay's With "The Millers"

Kathryn Hahn has joined the cast of the cast of the comedy "We're The Millers" says Variety.


The film is about a marijuana dealer who recruits a faux family so he can get out of the business after making one last score by smuggling 1,400 pounds of pot from Mexico.

Ed Helms would play the boss of the Jason Sudeikis character who may be hiding something nefarious and shady.Jennifer Aniston will play the fake wife -- who’s actually a hooker.Will Poulter ("The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader") plays the "son" Roberts plays a runaway who subs as a daughter. Molly Quinn co stars.

Hahn will portray the wife of a DEA agent who's on vacation.

Dodgeball's Rawson Marshall Thurber will direct from a Steve Faber and Bob Fisher penned script.

Vincent Newman, Tucker Tooley, and Happy Walters will produce the pic.

Canning & O'Hara Join "Sunsets"

Sara Canning and Catherine O'Hara are joining the cast of the indie "Sex and Sunsets" according to THR.



Based on the novel by author Tim Sandlin, True Blood's Ryan Kwanten plays a failed writer who meets the girl of his dreams (Canning) just as she is about to marry another man played by Ryan McPartlin.

O’Hara plays the girl’s eccentric and estranged mother.

Jeremiah Chechik will direct from an adapted script by Megan Martin.

Shooting kicks off in August in Banff and Los Angeles.

Goodman Shows Up For "The Internship"

John Goodman has joined the comedy "The Internship" says Variety.

In the film "Wedding Crashers" duo Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson play old school salesmen who try to reinvent themselves by becoming interns at a major tech company.

Goodman will cameo as the ultimate boss of the two leads.


Max Minghella will play a ruthlessly competitive intern who plans to sabotage them. Josh Brener Tiya Sircar Teen Wolf" series co-star and NJ native Dylan O'Brien JoAnna Garcia Rose Byrne Comedian and actor Eric Andre and newcomer Tobit Raphael co-star

Vaughn wrote the script from which Shawn Levy will direct.

Production has started in Atlanta.

Perez Joins Ridley Scott's Councelor

Rosie Perez has joined the cast of Ridley Scott's "The Counselor" in an unspecified role says Variety.


Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy wrote the script in which Michael Fassbender will play a respected lawyer who thinks he can dip a toe in to the drug business without getting sucked in. It is a bad decision and he tries his best to survive it and get out of a desperate situation.

Penelope Cruz is eyed to play Fassbender's fiancee Laura--a role that had Natalie Portman in its sights. Cruz's husband, Javier Bardem, is now to play the role of the villain, a criminal named Reiner who facilitates the lawyer's entry into the drug trade. The bad guy role is being likened to Bardem's turn in the film adaptation of McCarthy's "No Country for Old Men" This would be the first time the husband and wife have worked together since Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

Brad Pitt looks likely to take the small part of West Ray, a "mysterious figure that advises Fassbender's character on the drug trade". Cameron Diaz and "Breaking Bad" brother in law Dean Norris also star.

Nick Wechsler, Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz will produce.

The cameras will role this September in London.

More Added To Wolf Of Wall Street Cast

Jake Hoffman, son of Dustin HoffmanEthan Suplee and Katarina Cas have joined the cast of Martin Scorsese’s "The Wolf Of Wall Street" says Deadline.


The story is based on the Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) penned memoir that tells of his days as a hard partying, drug addicted stockbroker who was indicted in 1998 for security fraud and money laundering and served a 22-month federal prison stretch.

Hoffman will play shoe designer Steve Madden. Supplee plays fellow stock trader Chris Knight, Cas will play a character by the name of Caroyln.

Jonah Hill would play his best friend and business partner Danny Porush, a furniture salesman who joined his meteoric rise and colossal fall. Kyle Chandler will play FBI agent Coleman, who built the case against Belfort and took him down. Jean Dujardin, last year's Best Actor Oscar winner for "The Artist," will play money-laundering Swiss banker Jean-Jacques Handali. Cristin Milioti is in talks to play Belfort's first wife, an Italian-American hairdresser. Former "Pan Am" star Margot Robbie plays wife #2 Nadine. Former "The Walking Dead" co-star Jon Bernthal will play a drug dealer and money launderer. Actor/director and fomer "Meathead" Rob Reiner would play Befort's father Max. Kenneth Choi will play a friend and finance industry co-worker of DiCaprio's. P.J. Byrne will play “Wigwam” Cohen, one of the gang of brokers that hang around with Belfort. Jon Favreau is set to play a securities lawyer.

Terence Winter of Boardwalk Empire wrote the adapted script.

Scorsese, DiCaprio, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Irwin Winkler, Jennifer Killoran, Alexandra Milchan, Riza Aziz and Joey McFarland will produce the film

Production begins August in New York.