The Last Reel

Bower & Fimmel Rev Up For "Overdrive"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sun, 19 May 2013 03:24:00 +0000

Jamie Campbell Bower and Travis Fimmel will star in the action thriller "Overdrive" says Screen Daily.

In the film Bower and Fimmel will play car thief brothers whose permanent vacation in the South of France turns deadly after they fall foul of a local crime kingpin.

"Towards Darkness" director Antonio Negret will call action using a script written by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas.

"Taken" helmer Pierre Morel will produce the film.

Production begins in southern Europe at the end of the year.

Csokas Is "Equalizer" Bad Guy

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sat, 18 May 2013 20:52:00 +0000

Marton Csokas will play the villain opposite Denzel Washington in Antoine Fuqua's big screen reboot of the 80's TV series "The Equalizer" says Heat Vision.

Edward Woodward starred in the 85-89 series about Robert McCall, a former operative of a covert intelligence organisation who seeks redemption for his dark past via offering his services to those being persecuted and in need of help. McCall brings justice to various baddies, killers, drug dealers, rapists on the streets of New York City. He also performed assignments for the head of his former organisation and dealt with his estranged son.

In the movie version, Washington's McCall is living a quiet life while working at a Home Depot, when one of his acts of kindness toward a prostitute (Chloe Moretz) gets him snared with the Russian mob.

Csokas will play a ruthless fixer working for the Russians

The role for Moretz was originally written for a twentysomething. However, Moretz seemjngly left Washington and studio execs very impressed during a chemistry reading with Denzel. As a result, the prostitute character is being redrawn with her in mind. Now, it's expected to be closer to something like Jodie Foster's star turn in "Taxi Driver".

Fuqua took the big chair after Rise of the Planet of the Apes helmer Rupert Wyatt left due to scheduling issues. Wyatt came on to the pic after "Drive" director Nicolas Winding Refn left the pic after the deal between Sony Pictures and Refn fell apart at the last minute back in January. Fuqua's next pic is supposed to be the boxing film "Southpaw" which is to begin production at the end of the Summer with casting talk underway.

Budgeted at a lean $50 million, the project is being seen as a potential franchise launcher. Winding Refn beat out the likes of Pierre Morel ("Taken"), Gavin O'Connor ("Warrior") and Gareth Evans ("The Raid") for the gig.

The film was scripted by Richard Wenk, whose credits include the actioners 16 Blocks, with Bruce Willis, and the recent Mechanic remake starring Jason Statham and Ben Foster, and The Expendables 2.

Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch, Alex Siskin, Mace Neufeld, Tony Eldridge, Michael Sloan (the show’s original co-creator), and Washington are gonna produce.

Production is slated to begin this summer in Boston. An April 2014 release is being targeted.

Jason Christopher's Quick Hits

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:05:00 +0000

Nobody Gets Out Alive director Jason Christopher is back....This time he shares his quick thoughts on four movies:

Side Effects

I really enjoyed this movie. Director Steven Soderbergh has a fun way of putting a vision on screen. This movie was definitely better than Contagion. Rooney Mara is cute Mara again not that skinny girl crazy looking Mara like in Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Channing Tatum...dude, I'm a fan of his stuff. I think he's a good actor and he's always in movies that I enjoy. I'm not a huge fan of Jude Law but dug him in this movie.Catherine Zita Jones is still hot for being like sixty. Nuts. This movie is definitely worth checking out. Wasn't the biggest fan of the last minute of the movie...literally the last minute. But all in all, good movie. 3.5/5

Jack Reacher

All right. This is going to be hard to explain. I didn't enjoy the movie but only because I'm not into these type of movies - overly produced action movies...with Tom Cruise. Main reason I checked it out was because BJ McDonnell was the camera operator which and did some good work. But the movie just isn't my kind of flick . I don't even know how to review it. Ha. If you like Tom Cruise being Tom Cruise...go for it. If you don't really care for Tom Cruise and gave up on him after Magnolia don't bother. Same if you're not huge into ridiculous action movies. If you are though, you'll probably love the movie...so I'm not going to give this movie a rating because that's
not really fair.

Jurassic Park 3D

Hell yeah! This is the first movie I can remember seeing in the theaters when I was a kid so I wanted to relive it again. The 3D was whatever but just enjoying this movie in the the theater again was a fabulous experience. Like when T-Rex breaks out of the fences...that is so intense! Damn good. Some 3D was cool though but for the most part -- whatever. Watch the movie again and just watch Jeff
Goldblum...dude is genius in it! Next time you watch it too, take notice how crazy Dr. Grant is. The dude is a maniac! (original movie) 4.7/5 (3D use) 4/5

I Give It a Year

A funny little British film. I'm not a huge fan of British comedy--only like about 10% of it. This movie was completely predictable but in a different way and I really enjoyed it. The guy that co-writes Bruno, Ali G Show, Borat, and stuff wrote and directed this movie so that's probably why found myself laughing out loud. It was good to see Minnie Driver in something too. Haven't seen her in something for a while. Predictable romance-comedy but still a fun watch! 3.5/5

-Jay

Nobody Gets Out Alive is now out Redbox, Amazon.com, etc. on 2/26/13 You can order the DVD And please go LIKE the Facebook Page to help spread the word!

Nolan In Talks For Bond Film

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:37:00 +0000

Christopher Nolan has been approached to direct "Bond 24", according to The Daily Mail.

Informal talks have begun between Nolan, his peeps and James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson .

"Skyfall" helmer Sam Mendeshas confirmed he's opted out of directing the next one.

Nolan is also committed to "Interstellar" which means it's unlikely that he could do the next Bond film even if he wanted to.

A Bond series source says: "It does no harm for Broccoli and Wilson to talk with Nolan, even if nothing happens this time round."

I think Nolan would make for a great 007 director--much the same way that Mendes did. Chris already done an American superhero--why not tackle a British one at some point in the future?s

Spike Lee Strikes "Gold"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:15:00 +0000

Spike Lee is going to direct the rags-to-riches true to life tale "Gold" says The Wrap. Lee takes over for the previously linked, Michael Mann, who has moved on to helm a Cyber-thriller

The story follows a rough-around-the-edges prospector who stumbles onto one of the largest gold mines in the world in the Indonesian jungle.

Patrick Massett and John Zinman wrote the true story based on the 1993 Bre-X Mineral Corporation mining scandal.

Massett, Teddy Schwarzman, Paul Haggis and Michael Nozik will produce the film.

Production is expected to start before the end of the year.

Russell Uncovers "A Legacy Of Secrecy"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

David O. Russell will write and direct the long-developing "Legacy Of Secrecy" says Showbiz 411.

Based on the book by authors Lamar Waldron and Thom Hartmann, which puts forth the theory that Mafia godfather Carlos Marcello told FBI informant Jack Van Laningham that he was behind President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas in November 1963.

Leonardo DiCaprio was attached to the film a few years ago to play van Laningham. Russell is also poised to have his "Silver Linings Playbook" star Robert DeNiro on to play Marcello.

Trio Track "November Man"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:30:00 +0000

Olga Kurylenko, Luke Bracey and Bill Smitrovich are set to join the action-thriller "November Man" says Variety.

Pierce Brosnan is set to play an ex-Central Intelligence Agency operative who finds himself pitted against his former pupil (Bracey) in a deadly game involving high-level CIA officials and the Russian president-elect. The two are in a race to find a woman (Kurylenko) hiding from her past who holds the key to the international conspiracy.

Dominic Cooper was linked to play the pupil role last year

Roger Donaldson ("Dante's Peak") directs the film which is based on Bill Granger's novel "There Are No Spies"--as part of the November Man book series. This has the potential to be a franchise launcher.

Michael Finch and Karl Gajdusek wrote the adapted script.

Production begins early next week in Europe.

Blunt, Baranski Travel "Into The Woods"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:17:00 +0000

Emily Blunt and Christine Baranski are in negotiations to join the film adaptation of the classic 1980s Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical "Into the Woods" says Variety.

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

Details of Baranski's role are unknown.

Musical co-creator James Lapine is now adapting the script and the film is expected to feature new songs by Sondheim.

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. Jake Gyllenhaal and Chris Pine are poised to play the film’s pompous princes.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides director Rob Marshall who will call action.

Production is due to get going this fall

Trek 2 Review: The Wrath Of "John"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:21:00 +0000

After the successfully concocted reboot in 2009--expectations were high that director J.J. Abrams and his team would deliver a great follow up...After years of being cloaked in secrecy and a top notch marketing campaign "Star Trek Into Darkness" is finally here...

The crew of the USS Enterprise is sent to observe planet Nibiru--once there they discover that a volcano is about ready to erupt--thus wiping out its primitive inhabitants. While attempting to halt the eruption, first officer Spock's (Zachary Quinto) life is in danger , forcing Kirk (Chris Pine) to break Starfleet's order number One better known as the "Prime Directive", revealing the Enterprise to the planet's civilization during Spock's rescue. A number of indigenous residents begin to worship the starship as it leaves.

Called back to Earth, Kirk is demoted to First Officer and Admiral Pike (Bruce Greenwood) re-assumes command of the Enterprise. Shortly afterward, Starfleet agent John Harrison (Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch) bombs a secret "Section 31" installation in London. Pike and Kirk attend an emergency meeting of high ranking officers at Starfleet headquarters. The meeting is attacked by a gunship piloted by Harrison. There are many casualties--Kirk takes the gunship down, but Harrison escapes.

Fleet Admiral Marcus ("Robocop" star Peter Weller) authorizes Kirk to hunt down Harrison, who has used transwarp beaming and fled to the Klingon home world of Kronos. Dr. McCoy (Karl Urban) tries to talk his friend out of going to no avail. Since Kronos lies deep within the Klingon Empire and The Federation is on the brink of war with the Klingons, the Enterprise is supplied with 72 long-range prototype photon torpedoes, and is ordered to fire them all at Harrison's location once he is found. Believing the torpedoes could be dangerous to the ship, "Scotty" (Simon Pegg) refuses to take them aboard and tenders his resignation. Chekov (Anton Yelchin) takes over Engineering. At same time that Admiral Marcus' daughter, scientist Carol Marcus (Alice Eve), joins the crew under a false name.

Arriving at the Klingon home world, the Enterprise's warp core malfunctions, stranding the ship. With repairs underway, Kirk, Spock and Uhura (Zoe Saldana) use a previously commandeered trader ship to reach Kronos. However, they are detected by Klingon patrol ships and are forced to land. Despite Uhura's attempts to negotiate, the Klingons prepare to kill the trio....

Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof wrote the script for director Abrams--and literally hit the ground running. And with that the sequel barely slows down to catch it's breath. There are plenty of nods to Trek lore to keep disciples giddy, while at the same time making things easy for those non-Trekkers in the audience to understand the plot. The twists and misdirects work for the most part. I really liked how the team used Section 31--which was created for the spin off series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Given that the film has so much going on during its just over 2 hour running time--That is no easy feat. Still I should add that "Into Darkness" could ultimately be the most debated and controversial film for the fans in the entire series.

As for the performances--they are top notch all the way around--Pine continues to infuse his Kirk with equal parts William Shatnerisms while at the same time making the role his own. Like Bond in Skyfall--Kirk is put through the wringer in "Darkness" Pine is up to the challenge.

Quinto's Spock begins the film right where we left him last time out. By the end he evolves further than anyone else and wears it quite well indeed. Once again the dynamic of Kirk and Spock is at the fore here.

Each of Trek's supporting characters are given moments to shine--I just wish John Cho's Hikaru Sulu had a bit more screen time.

Cumberbatch's "John Harrison" brings his "A" game. His cold stare deep voice and cunning make for quite the big bad bad. It's safe to say that I was dubious that he would be able to pull it off. I stand corrected happily The scenes in the brig---wow! And when his true identity is revealed--thanks to his delivery and overall performance makes it work.

Eve as Carol is undeserved here but there is little doubt that there are plenty of sparks between her and Pine to justify further exploration of their relationship going forward. Weller as her Admiral father is quite the tough guy---It's always good to see him in the genre that made him a star.

The film boasts some spectacular sequences but my absolute favorite was the spacesuit flight that Kirk and Harrison take in the second half of the film.

I do have a few quibbles. As much screen time as there is exploring Kirk/Spock--I kinda wish the film had some of the Kirk/Spock/McCoy triad--a hallmark of the franchise--As a consequence it's absence means less screen time for Urban which is a shame. Spock has a call back to an earlier film that is cringe worthy....Think Vader screaming "Noooooooo!" at the end of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. As much as I enjoyed composer Michael Giacchino's improved work over the last pic--He could have used the famous theme from The Original Series by the late great Alexander Courage peppered throughout--more than he did.

STID is a fun ride that both fans and non fans should find entertaining. I was skeptical and quite hard on Abrams in the lead up to the release--Some of it was deserved--but he and his team managed to win me over....Bring on Star Trek 3

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2 Revs Up

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:17:00 +0000

Production is officially set to begin in March 2014 on "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: The Green Destiny" says Screen Daily

Woo-ping Yuen will direct the sequel using John Fusco's screenplay which will be based on "Iron Knight, Silver Vase" the fifth book in Wang Dulu's Crane-Iron Pentalogy series.

Donnie Yen starring as Silent Wolf, and Michelle Yeoh reprising her role as Yu Shu Lien.

Harvey Weinstein and David Thwaites will produce the film

The goal is to give the pic a 2015 release.

Efron And Heard On "Autobahn"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:00:00 +0000

Zac Efron and Amber Heard will star in the car chase thriller "Autobahn" says Screen Daily

The story follows an American backpacker (Efron) who must protect his girlfriend (Heard) and flee Europe after he ends up as a driver for German drug smugglers.

Eran Creevy and F. Scott Frazier wrote the screenplay from which Creevy will direct

Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Ben Pugh and Rory Aitken will produce.

Production begins this Fall in Germany.

Butler Flocks To "The Raven"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:26:00 +0000

Gerard Butler is in talks to star in sci-fi action thriller "The Raven" says Heat Vision.

The story focuses on a young man with powers being chased around downtown Los Angeles by robotic police drones, while a giant police ship coordinates the effort from the skies above.

Ricardo de Montreuil calls action using a script by Michael Gilio and Justin Marks.

The film will be based on de Montreuil's 2010 short film which you can see here.

Stephen Levinson and Mark Wahlberg are producing the movie.

Liam Hemsworth ("The Hunger Games," "The Expendables 2") was previously attached, but that is no longer the case.

Production aims to begin later this year.

Hedlund Is Playing In The Sands Of "Mojave"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:52:00 +0000

Garrett Hedlund will replace Jason Clarke in the low-budget thriller "Mojave" says The Wrap.

Hedlund plays a suicidal artist who escapes into the desert after an existential crisis, only to encounter a "doppelganger-like" antagonist in the form of a brilliant, homicidal drifter.(Oscar Isaac).

William Monaghan wrote the script ftom whuch he will direct.

Charles Roven will produce the pic.

Hedlund and Issac apprared together in "Inside Llewyn Davis"

Thurman Will Drink OJ As "Anita"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Uma Thurman will star as anti-gay activist Anita Bryant in the biopic "Anita" says Deadline.

The story follows the singer and orange juice spokeswoman who, after allowing a gay screenwriter into her home, is forced to confront her past as an anti-gay Christian crusader. Bryant successfully campaigned to overturn a gay rights law in Florida and destroyed her show biz career in the process.

Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman will direct from a screenplay by Chad Hodge ("The Playboy Club").

"Sex And the City" creator Darren Star, Howard Rosenman, Jeffrey Schwarz and Dennis Erdman will produce.

Willis Has An "Expiration" Date

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:55:00 +0000

THR reports that Bruce Willis will star in the action thriller "Expiration".

Willis plays a hitman who is poisoned and has to find a cure before he dies.

The studio is in looking to lock down a director.

Brian Tucker ("Broken City") wrote the script and will produce the pic with Randall Emmett and George Furla.

Production is set to begin next March.

Scar-Jo Charts Capote's "Summer Crossing"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Variety reports that Scarlett Johansson will make her directorial debut on the film adaptation of author Truman Capote's novel "Summer Crossing".

The story follows a 17-year-old Debutant who decides to pursue romance with a Jewish valet parking attendant instead of traveling through Paris during a 1945 summer heat wave in New York.

Capote never published the book, opting instead to throw out the manuscript. A janitor in his building salvaged it and the work resurfaced at auction in 2004.

Tristine Skyler wrote the adapted screenplay.

Oleg Boyko, Sergei Bespalov and Barry Spikings will produce.

Production begins in the first half of next year.

Witherspoon, Others Join "Vice"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:49:00 +0000

Deadline reports that "Walk the Line" stars Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix are set to reunite for director Paul Thomas Anderson's adaptation of author Thomas Pynchon's novel "Inherent Vice".

In 1969 Los Angeles, Joaquin Phoenix will play a stoner detective named Doc Sportello, whose ex-girlfriend (Charlize Theron), sets things in motion when she comes to Doc with a story about her billionaire land developer boyfriend being kidnapped.

Martin Short and Jena Malone have also joined the film. Malone plays a former drug addict, the other two roles are being kept under wraps.

Benicio Del Toro is in talks to play the small but key role of an unlicensed attorney who's always trying to keep Doc out of trouble. Owen Wilson

Anderson wrote the adapted screenplay

Anderson, Megan Ellison, John Lesher and JoAnne Sellar will produce the film .

Robert Downey Jr. had been attached to the lead role

PTA has been talking about making Vice since 2010, but went off to make The Master instead. Word is PTA is looking to make Vice into a comedy in the vein of Cheech and Chong meets The Big Lebowski or Boogie Nights.

Production hopes to begin this summer.

Blanchett Ensnared By Mamet's "Blackbird"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Thu, 16 May 2013 06:19:00 +0000

Cate Blanchett will star in writer-director David Mamet’s Hitchcock-style thriller “Blackbird” says Variety.

The present-day set film will turn on a secret explanation for President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963. Blanchett plays Janet, who travels to Los Angeles for the funeral of her grandfather, a Hollywood visual effects artist who moonlighted for U.S. special ops agencies. Her grandfather’s well-kept secrets become a threat to her, forcing Janet to discover the truth about a man who dedicated his life to making illusion reality.

Saïd Ben Saïd will produce the film.

The premise sounds interesting...Cate, Mamet---I'm there!!!

Moretz, Butterfield Run Off To Join The "Circus"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Thu, 16 May 2013 05:52:00 +0000

Chloe Moretz and Asa Butterfield are hoped to reunite on “The White Circus” says Variety.

The adventure-romance takes place on a snowy New Year’s Eve, as a young pilot crashes his plane into a war-torn town on his first mission. There, he falls in love with a beautiful cabaret singer, befriends a talking circus bear and incites the townsfolk to liberate themselves from a despot.

Andrea Riseborough and Christian Friedel will also star. The dark fairy tale will be exec produced by Terry Gilliam.

“Circus” is the first full-length directorial effort from Canadians Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, who earned kudos for their Oscar-nominated animated short “Madame Tutli-Putli”. Another of their shorts, “Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More to Life,” was produced by Spike Jonze and boasts the voice talent of Meryl Streep and Forest Whitaker.

Moretz and Butterfield were the stars of Martin Scorsese’s Hugo

Box Office Preview: Darkness Falls

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

After a looong 4 year wat between movies J.J. Abrams’ sequel "Star Trek Into Darkness" (reviews) is finally here...

In the new film the Enterprise crew will face off with Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch's baddie "John Harrison" who might just be a version of Khan Noonien Singh in the film. Or is it perhaps Gary Mitchell instead? Someone else. All involved are still saying Harrison is the name of Cumby's character. I say hogwash--If that's the truth why the secrecy?...And why tell us early on that the big bad was someone we know from Trek lore? Here's my theory...

You'll recall that I discovered the film's biggest secrets last week---yes I went looking for them--But surprisingly that has not demished my curiousty and dare I say excitement to see how well or not it will play out. I will get my review posted ASAP---Hopng to get it out by Friday AM...We shall see...

Panela McClintock of THR:

The USS Enterprise takes flight once again in North America as J.J. Abrams' sequel Star Trek Into Darkness -- marking the 12th installment in the sci-fi franchise -- begins rolling out in theaters Wednesday night.

Based on pre-release tracking, box office observers believe Star Trek Into Darkness, from Paramount, has a strong shot of crossing $100 million in its four-day debut, by far the best result of any title in the series.

Abrams' 2009 origin pic Star Trek opened to $75.2 million over the May 8-10 weekend. Star Trek Into Darkness returns Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto in the roles of Captain James T. Kirk and Spock, respectively. Other returning castmembers include Zoe Saldana, Anton Yelchin, Simon Pegg, John Cho and Karl Urban.

Bryan Burk produced both films with Abrams, who directed Star Trek Into Darkness from a script by Robert Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof.

This time, a scheming villain played by Benedict Cumberbatch resorts to terrorism to threaten Earth.

Star Trek Into Darkness opened in select foreign markets last weekend, where it outpaced the 2009 film by 70 percent, taking in north of $31 million from seven territories. The space-set franchise has never been as popular overseas, but Paramount is determined to improve its standing.

Trio Keen On "Zachariah"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:07:00 +0000

Chris Pine, Amanda Seyfried and Chiwetel Ejiofor have joined Tobey Maguire in the sci-fi thriller “Z For Zachariah” according to THR.

Based on author Robert C. O'Brien's book, the story follows a teenage girl who lives alone and maintains a farm in the only valley with breathable air in the wake of nuclear war. Her world is turned upside down when two strangers wander in from the forest

Craig Zobel will direct from an adapted script by Nissar Modi.

Maguire Matthew Plouffe, Thor Sigurjonsson and Joni Sighvatsson will produce the film.

Gary Ross Stephen Bannatyne, Claudia Bluemhuber Jim Seibel and Bill Johnson will executive produce.

The property will be fast tracked with production set to start this August.

Leterrier Charts "Sea At War"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:30:00 +0000

Variety reports that Louis Leterrier ("Clash of the Titans," "The Incredible Hulk") is in early talks to direct the secret project "Sea at War".

The plot details are under wraps, all that we know is that the pic is described as a "mermaid adventure".

Luc Besson wrote the script and will produce with Christophe Lambert.

Leterrier's latest film, Now You See Me opens on May 31st.

Breslin Catches "Peste"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:11:00 +0000

Abigail Breslin will star in the contagion thriller "Peste" says Screen Daily.

The action begins with a plague that sweeps through a town and forces a girl’s family to make a devastating decision.

Mark Tonderai will direct using Barbara Marshall's script.

Sherryl Clark will pproduce the picture

Production begins in September.

The Tale Of Two Chefs

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:07:00 +0000

Scarlett Johansson will reunite with her Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau for his indie comedy Chef says Screen.

The story follows Carl Casper (Favreau) who loses his job as a chef in Los Angeles, and decides to start up a food truck to get his culinary juices flowing again, and reconnect with his family.

Scarlett Johansson is playing Molly, the restaurant manager and Carl's on-and-off love interest.

Favreau wrote the script from whuch he will direct.

Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale, and Robert Downey Jr. co-star.

Favreau, Karen Gilchrist and Sergei Bespalov are producing.

Production begins early July in Los Angeles.

This project is not to be confused with the other film called Chef, which has Bradley Cooper and Omar Sy attached to star

Derek Cianfrance (The Place Beyond the Pines) was set to helm Now though John Wells, fresh from calling action on August: Osage County, will direct instead.

Steve Knight's script follows Adam Jones (Cooper) a chef at a swanky Paris restaurant, who loses his job after a run of out of control behaviour. He decides to get clean and returns to the city with a goal to run a restaurant that can once more boast three Michelin stars.

Michelle Williams and Marion Cotillard are being consifered as potential female leads.

Stacey Sher, Michael Shamberg, and Erwin Stoff will produce the film

Deadline reports that there is now a legal tussle over the two films having the same title.

Patinkin & Gad "Wish I Was Here"

noreply@blogger.com (Tom) — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:55:00 +0000

Mandy Patinkin has joined Zach Braff's indie drama "Wish I Was Here". Braff made the announcement via Twitter.

Braff plays a 35-year-old an actor who is struggling to provide for his family. When his ailing father (Patinkin) can no longer afford to pay for his young children's private school, he reluctantly agrees to home school them.

Josh Gad has joined the cast as Braff’s brother Jonah who becomes smitten with a young cosplayer named Janine (Anna Kendrick) according to The Wrap

Jim Parsons will co-star.

Braff helms from a screenplay he co-wrote with his brother, Adam J. Braff.

Garden State filmmaker hopes to use some of the same people that he has worked with in the past.

Stacey Sher and Michael Shamberg will produce the pic.

Braff raised production capital via Kickstarter for the film and has raised $2.62 million in three weeks from more than 38,200 fans.

The plan is to shoot the film in Los Angeles in the summer