Thursday, July 31, 2014

Emily Ratajkowski Hearts Zac Efron In "We Are Your Friends"

Emily Ratajkowski has nabbed the female lead in the coming of age movie "We Are Your Friends" says The Wrap & Deadline.


 In the film Zac Efron plays an aspiring 23 year old Hollywood DJ named Cole who spends his days scheming with his childhood friends and his nights working on the one track that will set the world on fire. All of this changes when he meets a charismatic but damaged older DJ named James who takes him under his wing. Things get complicated when Cole starts falling for James' much younger girlfriend, Sophie (Ratajkowski).

Jonny Weston, Shiloh Fernandez and Alex Shaffer are also in various stages of negotiations to join the film.

and Meaghan Oppenheimer wrote the script--from which he will call action. He is the co-host on MTV's Catfish: The TV Show.

 Production starts August 18th in the San Fernando Valley.

Ratajkowski made waves with her appearance in singer Robin Thicke's controversial music video Blurred Lines which led to her casting as  Ben Affleck's mistress in David Fincher's adaptation of Gillian Flynn's novel   "Gone Girl" out this Fall. She also appears in the upcoming film adaptation of the HBO series "Entourage".

Will "Guardians" Cross Paths With "The Avengers"?...Thanos Photo

The biggest question hanging over James Gunn's film adaptation of Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" is when will this group of galactic heroic misfits come in contact with The Avengers?

Chatting with Yahoo Movies, director Gunn actors Chris Pratt and Vin Diesel offered their opinions:

Gunn (Director): "We talked about all sorts of possibilities [for a crossover] and I kind of know what the basic plan is. That could or could not include a couple of Avengers and a couple of Guardians meeting up, or all of the Avengers and all of the Guardians. But we do inhabit the same universe and they're pretty big personalities that are likely to, at some point or another, run into each other."

Chris Pratt (Peter Quill/Star-Lord): "If you go from five characters and you add another five characters, that's ten characters. That can be very difficult. That being said, Marvel knows their stuff. Knows there business. And I see this, rather than taking the worlds that already exist and putting them together, this opens up doors into brand new worlds. We take characters we didn't even know existed in the four corners of the universe and we see their stories."

Vin Diesel (Groot): "Marvel will have a lot of options after this movie, and one of the options will be integrating teams … I think the discussion's already been had."

Meantime  we saw a side-on glimpse of  the villainous Thanos (seen in the post-script of The Avengers--but it's "Guardians" that offers our real first look at  him.

Minor Spoilers Ahead:

Josh Brolin voices and mo-caps the character for two scenes in the pic- the first takes place about one-third during the movie and shows us the character in the flesh and on his throne. The second is a holographic video recording of just his face around the two-thirds mark.

Now, a user known as 'skiesthelimitx92' on Instagram seems to have used a phone to snap a photo of the character from that first sequence.We see that Thanos  how looks in this film (and likely subsequent movies) and it's a slightly different look--most notably the color which is a cooler purple compared to the hot pink of the one we saw in 'Avengers'.

Edward Zwick Charts "Soul ReViver" Film

"The Last Samurai" director Edward Zwick and producer Marshall Herskovitz are developing a live-action English-language adaptation of the 2012 Japanese Manga "Soul ReViver" says Deadline.


The story follows Jin and Clara, two soul revivers who have the ability to move between the worlds of the living and the dead and to bring certain people back whose mission on Earth was not complete at the time of their demise.

Herskovitz and Zwick will write the screenplay from which Zwick will direct.

The duo recently produced Ron Howard's "Heart Of The Sea" and Zwick recently directed the biopic drama "Pawn Sacrifice".

First Peek:"Into The Woods" Movie

Disney has released the first trailer for film adaptation of the classic 1980s Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical "Into the Woods".


The musical tells the story of a baker (James Corden) and his wife’s (Emily Blunt) attempt to have a family, but uses several classic fairy tale characters, such as Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood, to enhance the story.

Musical co-creator James Lapine is now adapting the script and the film is expected to feature new songs by Sondheim. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides director Rob Marshall will call action on the musical adaptation.

Meryl Streep will play The Witch. a character originated on Broadway by Bernadette Peters. Johnny Depp is playing a sexy version of the Big Bad Wolf. Soap actor Billy Magnussen  will play Rapunzel's (Stage and soap actress MacKenzie Mauzy) Prince Chris Pine is poised to play the film’s other prince. Tracey Ullman will play the mother to Jack the Giant Killer. Tammy Blanchard plays the role of Florinda, one of Cinderella’s evil step sisters. Christine Baranski also stars.

The film is scheduled for a Christmas 2014 release



A batch of fresh photos have also hit via Rope of Silicon .

Stephenie Meyer Ready To Go "Down A Dark Hall"

 ScreenDaily reports that "Twilight Series" author Stephenie Meyer's set to produce a new film adaptation of fellow author Lois Duncan's 1974 young adult suspense novel "Down a Dark Hall".


The story is set around the haunted and tragic past of Blackwood boarding school and its mysterious students as one newcomer must unravel a mystery.

Rodrigo Cortés ("Buried," "Red Lights") will direct from a script by Michael Goldbach and Chris Sparling

Meyer optioned the book 2012 but now the film is finally ready to go

The Twilight film series producer Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen are also going to produce.

Elle Fanning Romances In Mary Shelley Biopic


Elle Fanning ("Maleficent") is set to star as author Mary Shelley in the period bio-romance "A Storm in the Stars" says THR,

The story charts the passionate love affair between charismatic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and the well-educated 17-year-old Mary Wollstonecraft (Fanning). A year later, after they were married, she would write one of history's most greatest literary works, "Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus".

Acclaimed female Saudi Arabian filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour ("Wadjda") will helm using a script by Emma Jensen.

Amy Baer is producing .the pic

Financing is being secured ahead of a planned 2015 production start .

Jamie Foxx Is Iron Mike Tyson

Jamie Foxx is attached to play Mike Tyson in a new biopic about the famed boxer says Variety.


"Boardwalk Empire" creator and "The Wolf Of Wall Street" scribe Terence Winter is writing the screenplay.

Tyson's manager Rick Yorn is producing the film.

No distributor is onboard.

Michael Jai White starred as Tyson in a 1995 HBO telemovie, and James Toback directed the documentary "Tyson" in 2009. This would be the first feature-length biopic about his life.

It isn't known what part of the boxer's life it will cover though, from his mid-1980s success as the world's undisputed heavyweight champion, to his downfall in the 1990s including his rape conviction, his imprisonment and his infamous return during which he bit a part of Evander Evander Holyfield's ear off with his teeth.

Tyson tells The Daily Mirror that they will use "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"-style computer effects to allow Foxx to portray the younger version of Tyson in the past scenes while Foxx (who is around Tyson's age) could play him in present day scenes.

Since retiring in 2005, Tyson has cameoed in The Hangover films, did a one man show called Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth and most recently stars as a cartoon detective on the upcoming TV show Mike Tyson Mysteries for Adult Swim.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Alex Kurtzman Wrapped Up By "The Mummy"

Heat Vision reports that "Star Trek" co-writer Alex Kurtzman is in final talks to direct the Untitled Reboot of The Mummy Film Franchise at Universal Pictures.


This is not a surprise really...Earlier this month we learned that Kurtzman and "Wanted" and regular Fast and the Furious film franchise series scribe Chris Morgan would oversee a  Classic Monsters Cinematic Universe that would start  with the new "The Mummy" on April 22nd 2016.

The new 'Mummy' will essentially set the tone and feel for the rest of the universe, so Kurtzman's involvement is understandable. The new 'Mummy' is said to be more action-adventure oriented and set in the present day. It will also feature new characters.

Len Wiseman ("Underworld," "A Good Day to Die Hard") was previously attached to helm the project but left iast July over his commitment to direct the first few episodes of the new Fall TV series "Sleepy Hollow". Andrés Muschietti (Mama) took over before Universal decided to launch its Monster Cinematic Universe

Stephen Sommers called action on the action packed and fun first film in 1999 which starred Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz.

Reaction from audiences on the two subsequent sequels in The Mummy Returns in 2001 and
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in '08 was quite muted--though all three pics grossed over $400 million worldwide.

This one is expected to go in a different direction. The script  from "The Darkest Hour" and early "Prometheus" writer Jon Spaihts is said to take the action from the 1920's to contemporary times.

Kurtzman's involvement as Mummy director was only in doubt due to his attachment to the Spidey film series  spin-off villain film "Venom" for Sony Pictures. With The Amazing Spider-Man 3 delayed BIG Time and those grand plans in disarray, Alex's now free to try launching Monsters.

"Guardians" Post-Credits Scene Marks Return Of...SPOILERS....

We learned  last week that critics who have already seen James Gunn's film adaptation of Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" did NOT see a post-credits scene for for the film-with a plan in place to keep the surprise under wraps until it opens on Friday. It seems as if a bootleg copy of the post-credits sequence may have leaked just the same.

 SPOILERS AHEAD 

The scene was live over at Vulture very briefly before being pulled--It is essentially a one-off joke. Yet it boasts a surprise - a character Marvel owns and that Gunn has previously said that he's a big fan of. In a film that takes a lot of chances, the appearance is quite ballsy

The sequence opens on Benicio Del Toro as The Collector, beaten up and exhausted, sitting by what remains of his collection following events in the film. Cosmo, the Russian dog, comes over to lick his face as The Collector takes a drink from a green cup.

A voice offscreen says "What do you let him lick you like that for?" and pans over to.... Howard The Duck!!... This Howard doesn't look like the tubby, blue-eyed version seen in the 1986 film flop, it's a much more duck-like design. "Gross," the duck says before drinking from a similar green cup. Fade  to a title card: 'Howard the Duck created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik'.


SPOILERS END

The Guardians of the Galaxy comic book follows a US pilot who ends up in space during a universal conflict, then is forced to go on the run with a band of futuristic alien ex-cons.

Chris Pratt is Peter Quill/Star-Lord-The character is an interplanetary policeman and the Guardians leader who is born of a human mother and alien father.

WWE superstar Dave Bautista plays Drax the Destroyer who born as the human Arthur Douglas, whose family was attacked and murdered by the villainous Thanos (seen in the post-script of The Avengers--played by Josh Brolin in the Guardians film). Arthur's spirit was then placed into a powerful new body by Kronos, which resulted in Drax the Destroyer's creation. The superhero's powers include incredible strength and the ability to emit energy blasts from his hands.

Zoe Saldana is Gamora a "green-skinned humanoid who is the last of a species that was exterminated by a race known as the Badoon" who also "happens to be a skilled assassin."

"The Walking Dead" fave Michael Rooker plays Yondu Udonta who first appeared in a 1969. He hails from the Zatoan tribe on Centauri IV, the first planet to be colonized outside of the Sun's solar system in the 29th Century. Yondu does not possess any super-human abilities, but he is a skilled hunter with a bow and arrow, and has a mystical "sixth sense" that gives him limited empathic abilities with other life forms. He is one of the founding members of the group.

The lovely Ophelia Lovibond plays "The Collector" who "gathers artifacts and beings in the hopes of saving them from a foretold galactic annihilation."

John C. Reilly has been offered the role of Rhomann Dey in the film who is said to be "Agent Coulson of the 'Guardians' movies," a human agent who serves as a go-between with S.H.I.E.L.D. This is quite different from the comic character, described as an alien centurion in the Nova Corps. There's were reports that the studio was interested in either Hugh Laurie, Alan Rickman or Ken Watanabe to play the role of a colleague of the Dey's.

Glenn Close is "playing a leadership role in Nova Corps, the intergalactic space patrol. ... Close’s role would be the closest thing to the one that Samuel L. Jackson plays in Avengers movie.

Del Toro's Collector is billions of years old and does exactly that - collect rare or valuable items from across the universe. He also has the power of prophecy and created a museum of countless life forms to keep them safe from Thanos.

Lee Pace plays the villain Ronan The Accussor is an alien Kree with superhuman powers. He was a villain, but has become more heroic in the comics - so he'll probably have an arc in the film.

Actress Karen Gillan is set to play Nebula  a space pirate and the apparent granddaughter of Thanos.

Vin Diesel will be providing the voice for Groot who can absorb wood to gain strength, as well as control trees. The surprise here is that the is not as high as profile a role as many though it was going to be.

Bradley Cooper will provide the voice for Rocket Raccoon who has a penchant for big guns and is also a master tactician. He’s best friends with Groot and in the comics was captain of a starship.

Gregg Henry also stars. "Firefly" and "Castle" star Nathan Fillion has a cameo in the film.

Screenwriter Chris McCoy was hired to rewrite Nicole Perlman’s original script.

Interstellar Trailer: "The Answer Lies Above Us"

A new trailer for Christopher Nolan's sci-fi film Interstellar is here.


The idea has been around since 2006, when Steven Spielberg was attached to direct--the younger Nolan came on board to write the screenplay in 2007. As late as 2010, the idea was still in play for those two to collaborate.

The premise springs from "a scientific theory by Kip S. Thorne, a Caltech physicist and expert on relativity. His theory that says wormholes exist and can be used for time travel intrigued Spielberg, who attended a Caltech workshop on the subject with Thorne and other scientists."

Matthew McConaughey Jessica Chastain Casey Affleck Michael Caine Anne Hathaway and veteran character actor Bill Irwin  Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream) Mackenzie Foy (The Conjuring The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2) John Lithgow Wes Bentley David Oyelowo David Gyasi Game of Thrones actor Elyes Gabel Matt Damon and Timothee Chalamet star in the pic.

The script was penned by Chris and his younger brother Jonathan Nolan

Christopher Nolan Emma Thomas and Lynda Obst will produce the pic. Jordan Goldberg is executive producing.

All that was known about the plot at first was that it would follow a group of scientists who travel through a wormhole into another dimension.

The Ft. MacLeod Gazette added a key plot point. The "updated synopsis" includes a MINOR SPOILER:
Set in the future, the movie details the toll climate change has taken on agriculture, with corn the last crop to be cultivated. The scientists embark on a journey through a worm hole into other dimensions in search of somewhere other crops can be grown.

The film is set for release on November 7, 2014.

Watch The Test Footage Shot For "Deadpool" Movie

A few days ago came what appeared to be a pirated leak of test footage showcasing what an R-rated film based on the Marvel hero "Deadpool" could look like. X-Men film series producer Lauren Shuler Donner has been trying to get the project made for years now and recently confirmed it's still in the works at Fox.


Ryan Reynolds has long been attached to reprise his role as Deadpool which he previously played in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine". Then, more than a year ago, Blur Studios, Reynolds and director Tim Miller to essentially do a proof of concept reel - footage that The comic's creator Rob Liefeld talked about last year.

Then this past weekend someone's cell phone recording of the footage leaked online. Cease and desist orders were swift  but the clip was out there - in fact some say that the leak may have been deliberate to generate interest and measure reaction. Now, a good quality, official copy of the clip has been released .



WB Nabs "Dragonriders Of Pern"

Warner Bros. has picked up the screen rights to all twenty-two novels in author Anne McCaffrey's epic fantasy novel series  "Dragonriders of Pern" says Deadline.


First published in 1968, the stories center on a group of warriors and their telepathic dragons who try to save their home planet of Pern from a deadly airborne threat, a rain of spores that hails from the orbit of the Red Star.

No screenwriter is currently attached to adapt the work at this time,  David Hayter drafted a script for an earlier incarnation back in 2011 when Copperheart Entertainment, Dark Hero Studios and Angry Films had the rights.

Star Wars Films: Pegg And Johnson Play It Cool

During press rounds at San Diego Comic-Con, actor Benedict Cumberbatch let slip a comment that didn't confirm but did seem to suggest that rumors of his "Star Trek Into Darkness" cohort Simon Pegg making a small appearance in  J.J. Abrams' "Star Wars: Episode VII" are true.


Speaking with Vulture, Pegg was asked about this and said he won't be seen on screen. He uses his wording very carefully though, in such a way that it now has people thinking he'll have a voice role:

"Well, J.J. uses me in different roles, and we're good friends. I feel like my face in Star Wars would pop people out of the movie. Look, I love Star Wars, and I don't want people to watch and go, 'Oh, there's Simon Pegg's face.' The film is cleverly cast with these amazing, unknown actors."

When asked outright if he is in the film, he smiled and said:

"Of course I visited the set. It's amazing, and I love Star Wars. I want to see everything happening. It looks wonderful, and you need to believe those characters. Any type of stunt casting might just pop you out of the movie."

Abrams wrote the script with Lawrence Kasdan for the film. Oscar winner Michael Arndt ("Toy Story 3," "Little Miss Sunshine") vacated his job scripting the next film--after disagreements over which characters the film will focus on.

Kasdan ("The Empire Strikes Back," "Raiders of the Lost Ark") and Simon Kinberg ("Sherlock Holmes," "X-Men: Days of Future Past") have reportedly closed deals to pen the final two installments of the new "Star Wars" trilogy. Kasdan and Kinberg are also indeed writing the stand alone/origin Star Wars features. Company CEO Robert A. Iger recently revealed that the studio has three features in the works - not two as previously indicated.  "Godzilla" reboot director Gareth Edwards is going to direct the first of the upcoming Star Wars Spin-Off Films. "Fantastic Four" reboot and "Chronicle" director Josh Trank is officially set to direct the as yet Untitled Number 2 stand alone spin-off film.

The plan is to have each of these films come out in the years when we don't see a new episode of the saga - They would come out in 2016, 2018 and 2020. We still don't know which characters these spin-offs will focus on. Current franchise chief,
Kathleen Kennedy spoke to Yahoo about the stand-alone films saying that they will NOT affect the main narrative of the Episodes.

Looking ahead "Looper" and "Brick" writer-director Rian Johnson has inked a deal to both pen and call action on "Star Wars: Episode VIII" as well as write a treatment for "Star Wars: Episode IX".


In fact Johnson made  some comments about his work as writer/director of "Episode VIII" recently. Sure, they're mostly vague and/or jokes with all the secrecy,

He told Filmspotting: "With these films, I am trying to harken back to the original [Star Wars Holiday Special]. We have Jefferson Starship."

When asked about how he got hired for the job, he joked: "I can only assume it was a clerical error, like in the movie ' Brazil.' There's a Brian Johnson out there who is really mad."

The series MVP composer John Williams is set to score Episode VII, Episode VIII and Episode IX.
  

Kasdan and Kinberg would also join the projects as producers with Kennedy.

There is going to be
a scheduled two-week production hiatus in August to allow for adjustments in the shooting schedule following Ford's recovery from that injury where he  broke his left leg

Production is scheduled to take place through September at Pinewood Studio in England and on location in Ireland . The film has a confirmed release date of December 18, 2015.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Aldis Hodge And Neil Brown, Jr. Live Life "Straight Outta Compton"

Deadline reports that Aldis Hodge will play MC Ren and Neil Brown, Jr. will play DJ Yella in the upcoming N.W.A biopic "Straight Outta Compton".




N.W.A., short for Ni--az Wit Attitudes, was an influential hip hop group from Compton during the late 80's and considered one of the seminal acts of the gangsta rap scene.

Ice Cube's son O'Shea Jackson Jr. will play his father in the film.

 Jonathan Herman wrote the latest draft of the script--Scribes Andrea Berloff, S. Leigh Savidge, Alan Wenkus and Matt Alvarez have all been linked to the project as scripters in the past.

"The Italian Job" helmer F. Gary Gray is going to direct. Gray beat out the likes of John Singleton George Tillman Jr. and Elgin James for the job.

Universal took the film out of turnaround from New Line Cinema. The studio has set an August 14, 2015 release date for the film.

Joe Cornish May Move To "Skull Island"

"Attack the Block" director Joe Cornish has reportedly been offered to chart the upcoming King Kong reboot "Skull Island" for Legendary Pictures says Deadline.


The origin story will deal with the giant gorilla and his life on an island of prehistoric monsters before he was taken into captivity.

"Godzilla" scribe Max Borenstein will pen the script for the film which was announced this past weekend at San Diego Comic-Con. The film is targeting a November 2016 release.

Cornish's next film is the spy thriller "Section 6". The story deals with the formation of British spy agency MI6 during World War I, and its first director Sir George Mansfield Cummings (the inspiration for M in the James Bond Series). Jack O'Connell is pegged to star.

The Maze Runner Trailer: "We Get Out Now..."

A new trailer for the film adaptation of author James Dashner's bestselling 2009 book "The Maze Runne" ls here.


The young adult dystopian story follows Thomas (Teen Wolf series co-star and NJ native Dylan O'Brien) who awakens with no memory and finds that he is among a community of boys trapped inside an enormous maze. He soon learns they are part of a mysterious test, and finds it is his destiny to join the ‘maze runners’ and lead them to freedom.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster will portray Newt, an early friend for Thomas The character is a pertinent one to the entire story British actor Aml Ameen will play Alby, the honorable but stern leader of the Gladers. Kaya Scodelario ("Moon") is playing Teresa, Thomas's best friend, who falls into a coma after arriving with a message that she's the last one, and speaks to Thomas through telepathy. Will Poulter plays Gally an immediate foe to Thomas and doesn't trust him. Patricia Clarkson will play the enigmatic Chancellor Ava Paige, the woman who is testing children in order to find the strongest warriors

Noah Oppenheim wrote the first draft of the script when Catherine Hardwicke was due to helm, Grant Myers wrote the next draft of the script for new helmer Wes Ball (Ruin).

 Originally slated for a February 14th 2014 release, Maze will now hit screens September 19th.



Last October Fox exercised its option to buy "The Scorch Trials," the second book in the four-novel series. It was announced at San Diego Comic-Con that the sequel is officially moving ahead.

The studio has also released a heap of new posters for the film:

Bruce Campbell & James Buckley Sent To "Purgatory"

Bruce Campbell and James Buckley have joined the cast of the fantasy comedy Welcome to Purgatory says Screen.



The story follows three new arrivals to Purgatory as they navigate the Afterlife, helped by Guardian Paul. When the the gates of Heaven and Hell are broken, these new arrivals must put things right to avert a celestial war.

Jillian Murray, Nathan Jones, Stephen Marcus Tony Cook and Tory Kittles also star.
 
Gene Fallaize is calling action using a script he wrote with Tony Cook.

Tony Cook Fallaize and Evil Dead 2 co-writer Scott Spiegel are producing the film.

Production will take place at Pinewood Studio ahead of a 2015 release.

Eva Green Eyes "Miss Peregrine"

The fetching Eva Green is in talks to star in the film adaptation of author Ransom Riggs' novel "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children” says Variety.


The story follows a teenager who finds himself transported to an island where he must help protect a group of orphans with special powers from creatures out to destroy them.

Green would play the title character, who acts as a guardian for the orphans.

Jane Goldman (X-Men: First Class) is set to write the adapted script for director Tim Burton. Green previously worked with Burton in the 2012 movie Dark Shadows, which also starred Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter.

Peter Chernin is producing the film.

The movie is slated for a July 31, 2015 release

Sherri Shepherd Gets "Ride Along 2" Gig

Former ""The View" co-host Sherri Shepherd has joined  the action comedy sequel "Ride Along 2" at Universal Pictures says Deadline. No details regarding her role have been released yet.


Ice Cube and Kevin Hart are going to reprise their roles as the quick-witted security guard (Hart) who has his eye on an an Atlanta cop's (Cube) sister. The new film has Cube and Hart's characters traveling to Miami.

Ken Jeong will play a cocky computer hacker who fancies himself a ladies man but who also is key in solving the case that Cube and Hart are working on. The role is being described as similar to Joe Pesci’s scene-stealing third wheel Leo Getz in Lethal Weapon 2.

Benjamin Bratt Glen Powell ("The Expendables 3" "The Dark Knight Rises") and Olivia Munn ("Magic Mike") have been cast in the film

Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi will be back to pen the script for director Tim Story

Shot for just $25 million, the first Ride Along opened mid-January of 2014 to a record-breaking $41.5 million and stayed in the top spot for three weeks. It remains as one of the year's top films having  strong staying power and has made a highly impressive $117 million at home and more than $150 million dollars worldwide.

 Cube, Matt AlvarezLarry Brezner and Will Packer return to produce.

 Production happens this Summer to meet a January 15, 2016 release date.

Paul Greengrass Sets Sights On "Agent Storm"

Director Paul Greengrass is set to call the shots on a film adaptation on the true story film "Agent Storm" says THR.



The action centers on Morten Storm (pictured), a one-time Islamic radical who eventually became a double agent for the CIA, MI6 and DSIS.He ultimately must betray his friend and mentor Anwar al-Awlaki-al-Qaed 's biggest threat to the West.

Storm, Paul Cruickshank and Tim Lister wrote the book on which the film will be based. The book arrives in September

Greengrass also may also pen the adapted script as well.

 Scott Rudin who worked with Greengrass on "Captain Phillips" will produce the film.

Monday, July 28, 2014

First Peek: "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"

Warner Bros has released the teaser trailer for "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"--the final installment of Peter Jackson's trilogy film adaptation of author J. R. R. Tolkien's book.


As promised this film seems far more like the Lord of the Rings trilogy than either of the previous two - no more singing around the dining table, no light dwarf comedy here. Instead there's a lot of fighting, a lot of armies, and death.

 Bilbo (Martin Freeman) continues on his journey nearing the Lonely Mountain 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.

The film hits theaters on December 17, 2014.

Walken And Esposito Tipped For Disney's "Jungle Book"

It has been announced that Oscar winner Christopher Walken and former “Breaking Bad” villain Giancarlo Esposito have joined Disney's new live-action film adaptation of author Rudyard Kipling's classic India-set 1894 short story collection called The Jungle Book.


The majority of the tales focus on Mowgli (Neel Sethi), a young boy raised by wolves whose friends include a bear named Baloo and a panther by the name of Bagheera (Ben Kingsley). They also encounter a tiger adversary named Shere Khan (Idris Elba will both mo-cap perform and provide the voice).

Walken is set to voice King Louie, the leader of the jungle’s monkeys Louie sung the song I want to be like you in the 1967 animated film.Esposito, meanwhile, will be Akela, leader of the wolf pack that initially cares for Mowgli.

Lupita Nyong'o is playing Rakcha, the wolf who takes in the orphan Mogwli. Scarlett Johansson will portray the sling python Kaa.

The role of bear Baloo has yet to be cast.

Justin Marks will write the script for "Iron Man" director Jon Favreau.

Robert Legato ("Avatar") will oversee the motion capture elements in the film

The film is scheduled for release on October 9th 2015.

Since the property is in the public domain, Warner Bros is developing its own version with Harry Potter film series writer Steve Kloves working on the script. Filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu had been attached to direct, but he left over scheduling conflicts. Now motion capture actor Andy Serkis is set to direct that version.

RED BAND Trailer: "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For"

A RED BAND trailer for The Weinstein Company's "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For," has dropped as promised at San Diego Comic-Con.


The characters of Nancy Callahan (Jessica Alba), Hartigan (Bruce Willis) and Marv (Mickey Rourke) will indeed return, Nancy's mini-story will act as a bridge for both the other stories in this film as well as those in the first film-Rosario Dawson is back as well. The stories told in the sequel take place before and after the events in the first film.

Jaime King, who played Goldie and Wendy in Sin City, is officially set to reprise her role as Wendy. She will be joined by Jamie Chung, who will be taking over the role of deadly little Miho, previously played by Devon Aoki. Eva Green has been cast in the role of Ava Lord. Stacy Keach ("Prison Break," "The Bourne Legacy") has signed to play mob boss Wallenquist, described by Miller as "the one man who can't be redeemed in Sin City. He is pure evil."

Clive Owen was expected to come back. However, since his character undergoes a radical face change, Josh Brolin is playing Dwight Dennis Haysbert will play Manute in the film The role was previously played by Michael Clarke Duncan, who unfortunately passed away. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is poised to play a smooth talking gambler named Johnny, a role which was originally offered to Johnny Depp. Christopher Meloni plays a brutish cop. Julia Garner (Martha Marcy May Marlene) will play a young stripper opposite JGL's Johnny. Ray Liotta, Juno Temple and Jeremy Piven also star.

Robert Rodriguez is co-directing the film with Frank Miller using their adapted screenplay written with William Monahan.

The film will open on August 22nd 2014.

BE WARNED THE FOOTAGE INCLUDES DIALOGUE AND INTENSE IMAGES THAT ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR MINORS....PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK

First Peek: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

 The very effective teaser trailer for the start to the two film adaptation of the last book in author Suzanne Collins' trilogy- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 has arrived courtesy of Lionsgate.


Julianne Moore would play District 13 leader Alma Coin. In the book, she is in charge of the mysterious district where heroine  Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) launches her fight against President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and his tyrannical Capitol regime. The pair clash over Katniss' methods and motivations. "Game of Thrones," "Elementary" and "Captain America: The First Avenger" actress Natalie Dormer will play Cressida a film director working in the Capitol who winds up joining the rebellion with her assistant, Messalla, and her cameramen, Castor and Pollux. Australian actress Stef Dawson plays  District 4 victor Annie Cresta and Finnick’s (played by Sam Claflin) love interest. Evan Ross has been cast as Messalla the assistant to Cressida, who is part of the TV crew that follows Katniss and shoots short propaganda films. American Horror Story star Lily Rabe will play Commander Lyme, a District 2 victor of an unknown Hunger Games and one of the leaders in the Rebellion at District 13. All My Children co-star Patina Miller makes her film debut as Commander Paylor the rebel commander of District 8. Wes Chatham and Elden Henson will play Castor and Pollux. As brothers. The duo work on the TV crew that films Katniss, and Pollux also has intimate knowledge of the sewer system beneath the Capitol. Mahershala Ali was cast as Katniss’ protector Boggs. Character actor Robert Knepper will play Antonius said to be  President Snow’s  minister. Fans of the book have noted that there is no character by that name. The only character that has some resemblance to the name is Aurelius, but in the story he is a doctor, not a minister. If that is the case, then it would be the first time that the film has stepped away from the source material.

Josh Hutcherson,Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, and Lenny Kravitz will return.

Multi-award-winning "Game Change" and "The Butler" writer Danny Strong  and Peter Craig adapted the two-part finale.

 Francis Lawrence returns to direct.

Mockingjay Part 1 opens November 21st 2014

"The Avengers 2"-Paul Bettany Talks About Playing The Vision

Paul Bettany was mum at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend regarding his role as The Vision in  Joss Whedon's superhero team up sequel "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" , but did tell Slashfilm that his character "feels paternal to a number of people" and he's "really good at punching".


Vision is an android created by Ultron as a weapon to be used against the Avengers. Vision can fire beams of radiation and turn invisible--the character ultimately turned the tables on Ultron and became an Avengers member himself.

The robotic character is learning about the world, processing things in the moment at an exponential rate, so that he becomes more sassy as the movie rolls on:

"It’s been a really lovely working experience. In the plot there’s a lot of distrust, and that has to be navigated by the Vision. He does it in a quite extraordinarily shocking way. It’s a real roof raiser of a moment."

He confirms he has a cape, but wouldn't talk about the color. His costume design is made out of "materials that haven’t existed for a long time" which means it looks cool but its very uncomfortable and hot as hell. The character can also change his density, a fact that Whedon reportedly exploits several times in the film.

The sequel DOES NOT follow the Age of Ultron comics storyline--in which the big bad Ultron was created by Hank Pym who becomes Ant-Man. James Spader will both voice Ultron, and he'll have to do some kind of motion-capture as well--This news puts to rest the most popular theory suggesting that Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr,) robot butler J.A.R.V.I.S. (also voiced by Bettany) operating system from the Iron Man Films would turn into the villain.

Mavel vets RDJ, Chris Evans Chris Hemsworth Scarlett Johansson Samuel L. Jackson Jeremy Renner Mark Ruffalo, Clark Gregg and Cobie Smulders are all expected back Two time Iron Man co-star Don Cheadle is involved this time out according to USA Today.

TV's Hulk Lou Ferrigno has confirmed that he'll return to do the voice of the big guy in the sequel. Ferrigno has said four words as the character so far - "Hulk Smash" in 2008's "The Incredible Hulk" and "Puny God" in "The Avengers".

Thomas Kretschmann has landed the role of 2nd bad guy Baron von Strucker. In the comics, the seemingly immortal Strucker is one of the leaders of Hydra, and an enemy of both S.H.I.E.L.D and The Avengers He seemingly beat out rumored candidates Marton Csokas and Dougray Scott who were being considered for the BvS role. The character will have Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and her twin brother Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) apparently working for him in the sequel (American Horror Story favorite Evan Peters plays a different incarnation of the speedy superhero in Bryan Singer's "X-Men: Days of Future Past"--in a very cool sequence in the film). Korean actress  will play a bad gal role.

Radar Online has an unidentified source that claims that RDJ is campaigning to get his pals Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster a role in the movie.

 Latino Review has posted what appears to be details about the film's opening 15-20 minutes (SPOILERS).

Some non principal filming took place in South Africa Production on the 'Avengers' sequel continues to meet a release date of May 1, 2015.