**Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg Divorce in CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER; Lee Toland Krieger Will Direct **Zack Snyder Confirms That Viggo Mortensen Will Not Play Zod In Superman **Sony May Want David Fincher To Direct Angelina Jolie As Cleopatra **First Look At Roman Polanski's Carnage And Its All-Star Cast **Liv Tyler Won't Be In The Hobbit

Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg Divorce in CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER; Lee Toland Krieger Will Direct
by Brendan Bettinger Posted: March 22nd, 2011
Andy Samberg (Saturday Night Live) has signed on to star opposite Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation) in Celeste and Jesse Forever. The romantic dramedy centers on a couple that wants to remain friends following their impending divorce. Jones co-wrote the script with long-time actor, first-time writer Will McCormack. Lee Toland Krieger (The Vicious Kind) will direct.


Read what Jones had to say about the movie — which she compares to When Harry Met Sally and Blue Valentine — after the break.
........ http://collider.com/rashida-jones-andy-samberg-celeste-and-jesse-forever/81976/



 



Zack Snyder Confirms That Viggo Mortensen Will Not Play Zod In Superman
published: 2011-03-22 17:42:46 Author: Katey Rich
Poor Zack Snyder is out there right now just trying to promote his new film Sucker Punch, but inevitably any time he sits down with a journalist the conversation turns to Superman. Snyder has done a good job keeping mum about details for his upcoming reboot of the superhero story, but he did manage to at least do some damage control on a rumor that was already out there. Talking to Latino Review, Snyder confirmed that Viggo Mortensen will not be appearing in the film as General Zod, contrary to a rumor that surfaced in late February.


Even at the time the story was that Mortensen would likely have to turn down the role thanks to his commitment to Snow White and the Huntsman at Universal; while Snyder made no mention of that, he told LR "Viggo is not going to be in the movie let’s say that right now." Even if it's just to refute a rumor that didn't seem all that likely to begin with-- we're not even sure that Zod is in the movie, much less who will play him-- it's nice to see Snyder actually able to say anything about the film. Once Sucker Punch opens on Friday he'll be able to carry on in post-production in peace, and despite all of our best efforts to catch him at a junket, that's probably when the real Superman news will start coming out.
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Zack-Snyder-Confirms-That-Viggo-Mortensen-Will-Not-Play-Zod-In-Superman-23806.html





 Sony May Want David Fincher To Direct Angelina Jolie As Cleopatra
published: 2011-03-22 10:24:35 Author: Katey Rich
The Angelina Jolie-starring Cleopatra movie that recently had James Cameron and Paul Greengrass interested has set its sights on another high-caliber director. According to Deadline Sony is currently hoping that David Fincher will tackle the project, possibly at some point between finishing The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and its sequel, The Girl Who Played With Fire, which he's also expected to direct.


There's a lot up in the air about the movie right now-- Cameron wanted it in 3D, and it's unclear if they'll keep it that way, plus there are possible rewrites coming for the script originally written by Brian Helgeland. Jolie, who has been attached to the project from the beginning and would be the key element for its box office success, likely has final say in which director gets picked; given that Brad Pitt worked with Fincher three times before it's likely she'd be convinced as well, but still, that's one more thing to be worked out. And finally Fincher is a busy guy-- if Dragon Tattoo is a hit, they'll want him to move forward on Played With Fire immediately, which could make his work on this impossible.


Despite the fact that he's David Fincher and seemingly capable of anything, and that Jolie is as perfect an actress to play Cleopatra as there's ever been, I can't quite figure out what this project would be like. Fincher's only previous period film was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, by far his least interesting work, and I somehow can't picture him photographing all the Egyptian pyramids and casts of thousands. Then again, if you want a Cleopatra that's as different as possible from the 1963 epic flop, Fincher might be precisely the guy to turn to.
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Sony-May-Want-David-Fincher-To-Direct-Angelina-Jolie-As-Cleopatra-23796.html



 

First Look At Roman Polanski's Carnage And Its All-Star Cast
published: 2011-03-22 10:05:56 Author: Katey Ric
It's hard to even know what to say about Carnage, a film directed by Roman Polanski, based on a Tony Award-winning play and starring Christoph Waltz, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly and Jodie Foster. All I really need to know is how soon I can see it, and start predicting exactly how many Oscar nominations is might earn. If you want to ramp up your excitement even further, though, Empire Online has the first look at three images from the film-- two behind-the-scenes, and one that looks like a still from the action.


The images aren't exactly like getting your first look at a superhero costume or Hogwarts on fire or anything, but simply seeing all four of these actors is kind of thrilling, no? Carnage, based on the play God of Carnage, is about two sets of parents meeting to discuss a schoolyard dispute between their sons; in the tradition of plays like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? the evening goes downhill from there; as the New York Times review of the 2009 Broadway production put it, it "[takes] three or four smug, upper-middle-class characters and stripping them, with algebraic precision, to their lonely, frightened ids." What better actors to handle it, and what better director to guide them? Given that the film is currently in post-production, I'd make a strong bet on an Oscar-season spot for this movie later in the year.


Check out the three images below, and click them to see the full-size versions at Empire.
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/First-Look-At-Roman-Polanski-s-Carnage-And-Its-All-Star-Cast-23795.html

 

Liv Tyler Won't Be In The Hobbit
published: 2011-03-22 01:13:23 Author: Josh Tyler
One of the challenges of turning The Hobbit into a movie is that most of the characters from Lord of the Rings weren’t born, around the time this story takes place. That’s not a problem from a storytelling standpoint, but it probably is from the studio’s standpoint, since execs are always keen to bring in audiences by promising to show them more of the people they’ve already come to know and love.


One way or another they’re finding ways to bring in members from the Lord of the Rings cast into The Hobbit, and many of them have already been confirmed as participants. But one character, perhaps one of the few characters who’s actually alive during the time period involved and in a position to take part in the events of The Hobbit, won’t be back. Liv Tyler says nobody’s said anything to her about showing up in New Zealand to reprise her role as Arwen, and that makes her “kind of sad”.


While technically Arwen isn't in The Hobbit book, many characters which aren't in the book will show up in one of the two Hobbit movies, particularly in the second one which will use material outside of The Hobbit. Yet talking to Collider about The Hobbit the former Ringwraith-defeating Arwen says not only hasn’t she heard from anyone about it, she didn’t even know that filming had begun on the movie yesterday. Watch their full interview with her below, in which she also talks about Strangers 2, but mostly she talks about The Hobbit and seems sincerely bummed out that Arwen won’t be involved. Aren’t we all?
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Liv-Tyler-Won-t-Be-In-The-Hobbit-23789.html

**David Fincher May Direct CLEOPATRA Starring Angelina Jolie **First Look at Roman Polanski’s CARNAGE Starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly, and Christoph Waltz **Alexander Payne’s THE DESCENDANTS Set for December 16th; ONE FOR THE MONEY Falls to January 27, 2012

David Fincher May Direct CLEOPATRA Starring Angelina Jolie
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 22nd, 2011
Producer Scott Rudin’s Cleopatra biopic is continuing its search for a top-tier director. Last October, James Cameron was in talks for the gig, but he decided to direct Avatar sequels instead. Then Paul Greengrass started circling the project, but chose to helm Memphis, which is about the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Now Deadline is reporting that Rudin wants to re-team with David Fincher on the project which is set to star Angelina Jolie as the Egyptian queen.


Hit the jump for more on the project and the likelihood that Fincher will sign on to direct.
.......
http://collider.com/david-fincher-cleopatra-angelina-jolie/81784/

First Look at Roman Polanski’s CARNAGE Starring Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly, and Christoph Waltz
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 22nd, 2011
The first image from Roman Polanski’s new film Carnage (based off the play God of Carnage) has gone online. The film stars Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet, and Christopher Waltz as two sets of parents who come together to talk about a schoolyard fight between their kids. If that cast combined with this director doesn’t make you want to see this movie, you’re nuts. And while Polanski is known for the deadly seriousness of his movies, Foster says the movie has some humor:


“It all happens in real-time, so it’s about an hour and 45 minutes of negotiation between two sets of parents and how it all falls apart,” she said. “Kind of like Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, but a little funnier. There’s a lot of wit.”


So I guess it will be like Revolutionary Road but intentionally funny. Hit the jump to check out the first image from the film as well as a photo of Polanski on the set. Carnage is currently in post-production and may hit theaters before the end of the year.

http://collider.com/carnage-movie-image-roman-polanski/81794/

Alexander Payne’s THE DESCENDANTS Set for December 16th; ONE FOR THE MONEY Falls to January 27, 2012
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 22nd, 2011
For those who like to plan in far in advance, we have some release date news for you this morning. First up, Fox Searchlight has set Alexander Payne’s The Descendants for December 16th. The film stars George Clooney as a wealthy landowner who tries to re-connect with his daughters. While the release date puts it in prime position for awards season, it will have to contend with three blockbusters getting released the same day: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Presumably, Searchlight is going to start out with a limited release and then expand the film since releasing it wide as counter-programming would be incredibly risky. I’m also going to assume that The Descendants will make the rounds at various fall film festivals because if you make a modestly-budgeted film starring George Clooney, federal law requires that you show it at Toronto and/or Telluride.


Hit the jump for news on the release date for One for the Money starring Katherine Heigl.




http://collider.com/the-descendants-release-date-one-for-the-money/81800/

***Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, and Matt Dillon Sign on to Roman Polanski’s GOD OF CARNAGE ***Jack Black, Matt Dillon, and Renée Zellweger Join Matthew Weiner’s YOU ARE HERE; Rachel McAdams Offered Role

Jack Black, Matt Dillon, and Renée Zellweger Join Matthew Weiner’s YOU ARE HERE; Rachel McAdams Offered Role

by Adam Chitwood    Posted:October 25th, 2010

Fresh off an unsurprisingly stellar season four of AMC’s hit show Mad Men, creator/head writer/director/all-knowing-Oz Matthew Weiner is currently busy casting his feature film debut, the romantic dramedy You Are Here. Pajiba reports that Jack Black, Matt Dillon, and Renée Zellweger are currently attached to star, and with an offer out to Rachel McAdams to join the cast as well.

Last year, we reported that Weiner was looking to cast Jennifer Aniston, Bradley Cooper, and Zach Galifianakis in the project.  However, when the film didn’t materialize as fast as Weiner was hoping, filming was pushed back to this year in lieu of scheduling issues with the filming of Mad Men.  It looks like Weiner has chosen the current hiatus between seasons four and five to get the project back on track.  For more on the film, including a plot description and which characters each actor will play, hit the jump.

You Are Here was written by Weiner during his days as a writer on The Sopranos, so one could assume that it would be a bit, ahem, dark.  However, the description actually seems much lighter than one might expect.  Pajiba says:

It’s about two roommates in their 30s, preoccupied with dodging the responsibilities and rigors of adult life. That is, until the sudden death of one of the men’s fathers, which makes his unstable son the new owner of a general store, a country home and millions of dollars worth of Amish farmland.

Black is set to play the “unstable son” (which was previously the role Galifianakis was attached to, who I would’ve loved to see in this part), with Dillon as his “skirt-chasing, hard-partying roommate”.  Zellweger is said to play Black’s sister, jealous and angry over her omission from her father’s will.  Finally, McAdams, if she accepts the part, would play the father’s widow.

This actually sounds like an intriguing/entertaining story, but I can’t help but long for the previously attached cast.  Galifianakis proved in It’s Kind of a Funny Story that he can do drama, and from a Matthew Weiner script you can be sure the film will have its fair share of dramatic scenes.  Not to mention the fact that it’s been a while since we’ve seen either Dillon or Zellwegger in anything, well, significant.  But maybe that’s a good thing.  Say what you will about Zellwegger, but her performance in Jerry Maguire was spot on, and this could put Dillon back into Singles/There’s Something About Mary endearing asshole territory.

Nevertheless, I just can’t see Weiner making a bad film (unless he decides to include creepy Glen).  This season’s Don/Peggy episode “The Suitcase” was one of the best hours of television in the history of the medium, and the show’s shown no sign of creatively dwindling over the years.  It’s hard to see him fumbling his feature film debut.

http://collider.com/black-dillon-zellweger-mcadams-you-are-here-weiner/56448/

Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, and Matt Dillon Sign on to Roman Polanski’s GOD OF CARNAGE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted:September 23rd, 2010

Roman Polanski is lining up a terrific cast for his adaptation of Yasmina Reza’s Tony-winning play God of Carnage.  Deadline reports that Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, and Matt Dillon have signed on to star in the drama.  Per Deadline, “God of Carnage tells the story of two sets of parents who meet after their sons are involved in a schoolyard fight. The meeting goes disastrously wrong as each pair attacks the other’s parenting skills before turning on each other about problems in their own marriages.”  Remember kids: if you get into fight in the schoolyard, you’re probably going to break up your parents.
Foster is currently in the unenviable position of defending Mel Gibson as he stars in her first directorial feature in 15 years, The Beaver.  Winslet will next be seen in Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion and the HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce.  Waltz is currently shooting on Paul W.S. Anderson’s The Three Musketeers and will next be seen in Michel Gondry’s The Green Hornet and Francis Lawrence’s Water for Elephants.  Dillon most recently co-starred in Takers.
http://collider.com/foster-winslet-waltz-dillon-polanski-god-of-carnage/50638/