***Exclusive: Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel Officially Cast in TOTAL RECALL ***Confirmed: Jeff Bridges to Co-Star with Ryan Reynolds in R.I.P.D. ***Trailer for Alexander Payne’s THE DESCENDANTS Starring George Clooney ***Red-Band International Trailer for THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO Debuts in Europe; Green-Band Domestic Trailer Launches June 2nd

Exclusive: Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel Officially Cast in TOTAL RECALL; Filming Starts Monday in Toronto [UPDATED]

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: May 25th, 2011 at 3:33 pm

Last month we heard that Sony Pictures had offered Kate Beckinsale the role of Lori opposite Colin Farrell in their Total Recall remake.  With her husband, Len Wiseman, directing the project and given that they previously collaborated on the Underworld movies, it wasn’t really much of a surprise.  However, sources have now told us that she’s officially signed on and Jessica Biel is going to play the other female lead (Melina).  In addition to the casting news, we’ve been told filming starts Monday in Toronto.
For those playing catch up on the remake, Colin Farrell is set to star, Ethan Hawke has a cameo, and Bryan Cranston is poised to play the villain.  The remake will apparently be closer to Phillip K. Dick’s source material than the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger flick. Farrell plays a factory worker who begins to believe he’s a spy for either the nation stat Euromerica or New Shanghai, but he doesn’t know which.  Hit the jump for a recap of what we know about the film so far.
[Update: Heat Vision reports that Bill Nighy has joined the cast as the enigmatic Quatto, the leader of the resistance.] http://collider.com/kate-beckinsale-jessica-biel-total-recall/92933/

Confirmed: Jeff Bridges to Co-Star with Ryan Reynolds in R.I.P.D.; Filming in Boston This September

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 25th, 2011 at 2:35 pm

Last month, we reported that Jeff Bridges was in talks to co-star with Ryan Reynolds in the adaptation of the Dark Horse comic series R.I.P.D. The comics are about a group of dead lawmen in the “Rest in Peace Department” who try to keep other dead folks in line.  The Wrap now confirms that Bridges is on board to play Roy Powell, whom producer Neal Moritz described as “a gunslinger who’s been dead for hundreds of years.”  Reynolds plays Powell’s partner, Nick Cruz, a recently murdered cop who’s out for revenge.  Powell was originally set to be played by Zach Galifianakis, but he dropped out over concerns that the project would be delayed if Warner Bros. exercised Reynolds’ option on Green Lantern 2.  However, we have now confirmed that filming is set for mid-September in Boston.
My main concern over this project rests with director Robert Schwentke.  While the action scenes in Red were competent enough, he had a tough time finding the comedy and R.I.P.D. is being billed as a “supernatural comedy”.  In the meantime, we’ll wait and see if Reynolds will move to this film or if he’ll be headed back to Oa.  http://collider.com/ripd-jeff-bridges-ryan-reynolds/92921/

Trailer for Alexander Payne’s THE DESCENDANTS Starring George Clooney

by Matt Goldberg   Posted: May 25th, 2011 at 1:34 pm

It may not feature angry 3D sharks, but Alexander Payne’s new film The Descendants might be a better movie.  The film stars George Clooney as the “back-up” parent to two daughters.  He must step up when his wife suffers a serious boating accident off of Waikiki, and then he learns the hard truth that she was cheating on him.  Judging by the trailer, the flick looks to have the same strong character relationships tinged with humor and sadness as seen in Payne’s previous films.
Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film also stars Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, Beau Bridges, and Robert Forster.  The Descendants opens December 16th. http://collider.com/descendants-trailer/92891/

Red-Band International Trailer for THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO Debuts in Europe; Green-Band Domestic Trailer Launches June 2nd

by Matt Goldberg   Posted: May 25th, 2011 at 11:15 am

The release of David Fincher’s adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a little over six months away.  With that in mind, Sony has begun the film’s marketing campaign and a red-band trailer has already rolled out overseas (although technically it’s just “unrated” because the MPAA doesn’t evaluate international trailers).  While I’ve been checking YouTube to see that trailer, Deadline reports that a domestic green-band trailer is set to arrive Thursday, June 2nd so we won’t have to wait long to get our first look at the film.

Hit the jump for a description of the red-band trailer.  The film stars Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig, Robin Wright, Stellan Skarsgard, and Christopher Plummer.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opens December 21st. http://collider.com/girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-trailer-david-fincher/92858/