by Jason Barr Posted: January 6th, 2011
Sky Movies Premiere HD just sent over a clip and as well as a few images from their new film Neverland. Featuring a solid cast that includes Rhys Ifans (upcoming Spider-Man reboot), Golden Globe-nominee Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies), Oscar-nominee Bob Hoskins (1986’s Mona Lisa), and Charlie Rowe (Never Let Me Go), Neverland is described as a “bold new take” on J.M. Barrie’s famous Peter Pan tale. Nick Willing (Syfy’s Alice mini-series) pulls double duty, writing and directing the film.
Hit the jump to check out a behind-the-scenes clip as well as a couple of images from the film. Look for Neverland to be released in two 90-minute parts later this year. The film will air exclusively on Sky Movies Premiere HD.
Here’s the images which you can click to enlarge (photos by Patrick Redmond):
Finally, here’s the full press release:
SKY MOVIES HD RELEASE FIRST LOOK IMAGES AND FOOTAGE FROM NEVERLAND
The film – to be released in two 90-minute parts in 2011 appearing exclusively on Sky Movies Premiere HD – is a bold new take on the original mythology of JM Barrie’s famous story.
Featuring The Lost Boys, Captain Hook, The Indians, Croc and Neverland itself, the movie – written and directed by Nick Willing – marks the beginning of the classic yarn and marks the return of Bob Hoskins in the role of Mr Smee from Steven Spielberg’s Hook.
Raised on the streets of turn-of-the-century London, orphaned Peter (Charlie Rowe) and his pals survive by their fearless wits as cunning young pickpockets.
Now, they’ve been rounded up by their mentor Jimmy Hook (Rhys Ifans) to snatch a priceless treasure whose magical powers transports them to another world.
It’s here that the boys find themselves confronted by a band of 18th century pirates led by the power-mad Elizabeth Bonny (Anna Friel), and the Native American Kaw tribe led by a Holy Man (Danny Trujillo), which has protected the secret of the tree spirits from Bonny and her gang for ages.
As the fight to save this strange and beautiful world becomes vital, Hook, Peter, and the ragamuffin lost boys consider that growing old somewhere in time could be less important than growing up.
“The legend of Peter Pan spans generations, and never fails to delight and entertain,” said Ian Lewis, Director of Sky Movies.
“Despite many different interpretations, there’s never been a movie of how it all could have come to be – this is that story. Neverland is a fantastic coup for us and a landmark event for Sky Movies.”
Alan Moloney from Parallel Films said: “The story of Peter Pan is one that resonates for every generation.
Nick has brilliantly crafted something that makes sense of the story we all know and love. He takes us back in time and gives us the origins of Peter and Hook’s story in a way that will open this world up to everyone, no matter what their age.”
JM Barrie originally gave the rights to Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital in 1929 and Neverland will subsequently be supporting the great work of the famous children’s hospital.
Christine De Poortere, Peter Pan Director at Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity commented, “We’re delighted that Neverland will be benefiting Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity in the spirit of JM Barrie’s legacy.”
http://collider.com/neverland-movie-clips-images/68521/by Adam Chitwood Posted: January 6th, 2011
When Guillermo Del Toro left
The Hobbit, speculation was rampant regarding what the visionary director would choose as his next project. In
July, he put the speculation to rest as he announced that he would next take on H.P. Lovecraft’s epic novella
At The Mountains of Madness in 3D, with the help of James Cameron as a producer. In September
we broke the news that Universal was looking to cast James McAvoy in the starring role, while Del Toro had his sights set on Tom Cruise instead. It appears that pre-production is rolling right along, as Cameron recently gave an update on the project:
We’re very, very actively pre-producing the film right now with Universal. The design work is phenomenal, both the three-dimensional and two-dimensional design work, the physical maquettes, the CG test scenes; the artwork is phenomenal. The fans certainly won’t want for a visual feast with this film. But there’s [still] a bunch of number-crunching and “How you gonna do it?” and “How you gonna make it?”; “Where you gonna do it?” All that stuff.
Hit the jump for more from Cameron, including why he got involved in the project in the first place.
In talking with
FearNet (via
SlashFilm), Cameron spoke about what first drew him to the project:
One word, one man – Guillermo. We’ve been friends for twenty years. We’ve been trying to work together, really, for that entire time. And it has never quite congealed. We’re both Lovecraft fans. Me from my college days, when I discovered Lovecraft. I think I read everything he wrote in about a month. I powered through it. And if anybody can bring Lovecraft to the screen it’s gonna be Del Toro.
He’s got a real vision for the film. It’s very, very well-developed in his mind. You know, I’m just there to facilitate his vision. I don’t have any strong sense of authorship; zero sense of authorship. I’m just there to try to get it made and help him do the movie that’s in his head.
When Del Toro spoke with
Steve about the project at last year’s Saturn Awards, he explained how difficult it would be to get a studio to say yes to “an R-rated tentpole with a tough ending [and] no love story.” This is where Cameron comes in. With his muscle as a producer, it sounds like he’s acting as a safeguard for Del Toro’s vision, ensuring that his film doesn’t get watered down or converted into a more “family-friendly” flick.
Personally, I’m ecstatic to see what Del Toro and Cameron have in store here. While this update provides little in the way of details on the project, Cameron’s enthusiasm is infectious (say what you will about the man’s storytelling/screenwriting ability, but he’s got one of the best eyes for visuals in the business). I’m also quite fond of Cruise as the lead. I found Knight and Day to be a fantastically fun return to form for the actor, and could see this film as his comeback in more dramatic fare.
There’s no official start-date for production yet, but if Del Toro and Cameron can get the budgetary details hammered out, it seems feasible that they could begin rolling sometime later this year.
Here’s a brief synopsis of Lovecraft’s novella:
The story is written in first-person perspective by the geologist William Dyer, a professor from Miskatonic University. He writes to disclose hitherto unknown and closely kept secrets in the hope that he can deter a planned and much publicized scientific expedition to Antarctica. On a previous expedition there, a party of scholars from Miskatonic University, led by Dyer, discovered fantastic and horrific ruins and a dangerous secret beyond a range of mountains taller than the Himalayas. [Wikipedia]
http://collider.com/james-cameron-at-the-mountains-of-madness/68527/by Jason Barr Posted: January 6th, 2011
A new trailer for Greg Mottola’s (Superbad) Paul is now available online. In case you’re new to the program, Paul stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (who also penned the script) as a couple of geeks who are road-tripping across the U.S. when they close encounter (3rd kind) a runaway alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen). The unlikely heroes then begin an adventure to get Paul to his mother ship.
I have been looking forward Paul for quite some time and, in my opinion, this new trailer (which really showcases some sweet soundtrack material) is the best one released to date. In addition to Pegg and Frost, Paul’s outstanding cast also includes Kristen Wiig, Jason Bateman, Bill Hader, Joe Lo Truglio, Jane Lynch, Jeffrey Tambor, and Sigourney Weaver. Paul opens March 18, 2011. Hit the jump for the trailer:
Here’s the trailer [click over to
Apple to watch the trailer in HD]. You can also check out all our
Paul coverage here. It includes a set visit, posters, other trailers, on set interviews, and a lot more.
Here’s the official synopsis for Paul:
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) reunite for the comedy adventure Paul as two sci-fi geeks whose pilgrimage takes them to America’s UFO heartland. While there, they accidentally meet an alien who brings them on an insane road trip that alters their universe forever.
For the past 60 years, an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) has been hanging out at a top-secret military base. For reasons unknown, the space-traveling smart ass decides to escape the compound and hop on the first vehicle out of town—a rented RV containing Earthlings Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Collings (Frost).
Chased by federal agents and the fanatical father of a young woman that they accidentally kidnap, Graeme and Clive hatch a fumbling escape plan to return Paul to his mother ship. And as two nerds struggle to help, one little green man might just take his fellow outcasts from misfits to intergalactic heroes.
