***David O. Russell Talking With Robert De Niro About The Silver Linings Playbook ***First Crazy, Stupid, Love Poster And Why Steve Carell Really Needs This To Work ***Megan Fox Fired From Transformers Because Steven Spielberg Fears Hitler? ***Guillermo Del Toro Would Love to Direct Maleficent ***Colin Farrell: 'Total Recall' in Canada!

David O. Russell Talking With Robert De Niro About The Silver Linings Playbook

published: 2011-06-20 14:46:51 Author: Eric Eisenberg
Apparently David O. Russell really wants to make a movie with Robert De Niro. When the director was still attached to make an adaptation of the video game Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, he made a deal with the actor to co-star alongside Mark Wahlberg and Joe Pesci. Now that Russell has moved on from that project, however, he apparently wants to bring De Niro with him.

According to Variety, The Ghetto Film School honored Russell with an award earlier today at New York's The Standard Hotel, with Melissa Leo and Blake Lively presenting the prize, but Russell showed up a half-hour late to the ceremony. What was his reasoning? Said the filmmaker, "I was in a meeting with Mr. De Niro, possibly about The Silver Linings Playbook: A Novel." Just like Uncharted, the project is already set with Mark Wahlberg to star and apparently Angelina Jolie has also met with the director about a role. In the film, a former teacher who has been released from a mental asylum tries to win back his ex-wife.

I wonder if this means that Pesci will be signing on soon as well. More importantly, this seems to solidify the idea that Silver Linings Playbook will be Russell's next film, beating out about 2 Guns, Cocaine Cowboys, a Russ Meyer biopic, The Fighter 2,and Maleficent. Then again, after what happeend with both Uncharted and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies I'm not willing to put money on it. http://www.cinemablend.com/new/David-O-Russell-Talking-With-Robert-De-Niro-About-The-Silver-Linings-Playbook-25312.html

First Crazy, Stupid, Love Poster And Why Steve Carell Really Needs This To Work

published: 2011-06-20 14:32:35 Author: Josh Tyler
We’ve gotten our hands on the first poster for Crazy, Stupid, Love, Steve Carell’s first movie after his departure from NBC’s The Office. The movie stars Steve as an uptight 40-something whose perfect life is thrown into chaos when he discovers his wife is cheating on him and wants a divorce. He teams up with Ryan Gosling, who tries to play wingman for him in the dating world. Sounds like kind of generic stuff, but I think this could be a good move for Carell. More on that after the poster.

Here’s the first poster for Crazy, Stupid, Love:
Steve Carell really needs this movie to be good. Not just because it’s his first film without the built in support of The Office behind him, but because, well… when was the last time he made something people loved? Steve Carell hasn’t really done anything people truly care about since Little Miss Sunshine in 2006. Since then he’s wandered into a string of forgettable, high-concept, low-delivery comedies. Some of them made money, though not a ton, many of them didn’t. All of them were forgotten the minute they left theaters. Is anyone sitting around rewatching Evan Almighty? Who’s rushing out to buy Dinner for Schmucks on Blu-Ray? No one.

For awhile it seemed like Carell had huge comedic potential. He seemed poised to become the next big, classic, comedy star. He’s still working but it hasn’t really happened. Most of his mediocrity has come in the form of crazy, high-concept comedies like Schmucks in which he was sort of funny even though the movie never worked. So… maybe it’s time he tried something a little more grounded?

There’s enough in this premise that could work, and Carell’s ideally suited to play a lonely, sad sack divorcee. It's characters like that which made us fall in love with him in the first place. Crazy, Stupid, Love could be just what Steve Carell’s post-Office career needs. http://www.cinemablend.com/new/First-Crazy-Stupid-Love-Poster-And-Why-Steve-Carell-Really-Needs-This-To-Work-25310.html

Megan Fox Fired From Transformers Because Steven Spielberg Fears Hitler?

published: 2011-06-20 12:14:27 Author: Josh Tyler
There are a million theories out there, attempting to explain Mega Fox’s sudden dismissal from the Transformers franchise and subsequent replacement by a human catfish. The one she’d like you to believe is that she simply quit because she was tired of robots and stuff. We’ve always believed, however, that Michael Bay didn’t like it when she called him Hitler, and so he fired her. But maybe it wasn’t Bay who didn’t want her.

Steven Spielberg is the executive producer of Transformers and the Daily Mail claims that Michael Bay recently told them it was Spielberg who made them fire her. Bay says, "You know the Hitler thing. Steven (Spielberg) said, fire her right now.”

I’m not sure I buy it. I guess we’re supposed to think that Spielberg is Jewish and thus really touchy about Hitler stuff, but he’s also an adult and I’d hope that would mean he’s able to, you know, apply logic to a situation. What Fox originally said was that Michael Bay, “…wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is. So he’s a nightmare to work for.” It was a metaphor for cruelty, not a way of threatening to march the Jews off to camps all over again. Maybe it was a dumb metaphor, but it’s not like Spielberg and Bay hired Megan Fox because she was smart. At the time Michael Bay seemed to get it, and simply fired back some snarky comments at her and moved on.

It seems weird that Spielberg would be so overly sensitive about his Jewish heritage that he’d run around firing people for simply using the word “Hitler”, as if he’s a professor at Hogwarts trying to keep people from saying “Voldemort”. It seems weirder still that Michael Bay would actually tell anyone that his boss is that ridiculous, even if it were true. I think the thing to keep in mind here is that the report of this Michael Bay quote from the Daily Mail, where there as likely to invent a fake quote as they are to report a real one. Don’t be surprised if Bay comes out and tells everyone he was misquoted, some time soon. http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Megan-Fox-Fired-From-Transformers-Because-Steven-Spielberg-Fears-Hitler-25304.html



Guillermo Del Toro Would Love to Direct Maleficent
Jun 21, 2011 by Courtney O.
Hero Complex recently spoke with Guillermo del Toro and asked the filmmaker if he would be interested in directing Disney's upcoming Maleficent feature, which is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty from the point of view of the sinister green witch who transforms into a majestic black and purple dragon.
Tim Burton was previously attached to direct the film, but has since dropped out.

"Let me put it this way, if they ask I'll take the meeting," Guillermo del Toro said. "I think Maleficent's dragon is the only design with the wings separate from the front legs, the only time that design has ever worked. And let me tell you how much of a fan I am. I have a collection of over two or three dozen Maleficent figures, some of them four or five feet tall. I own about 10 pieces of conceptual art from Sleeping Beauty that include the dragon and a lot more pieces that are just from Sleeping Beauty. It's one of my three favorite Disney films. I would love to. But I don't want to put too many hopes on it. They're probably on a fast track and I cannot take any more projects on a fast track."

No production date has been set.

Maleficent comes to theaters in 2013 and stars Angelina Jolie. The film is directed by Tim Burton. http://www.movieweb.com/news/guillermo-del-toro-would-love-to-direct-maleficent

Tue, 21 June 2011

Colin Farrell: 'Total Recall' in Canada!

Colin Farrell gets ready for his close-up on Friday (June 17) in Toronto, Canada.

The 35-year-old Irish actor is currently in Canada filming his movie, Total Recall.

Colin recently signed on to star in the movie Seven Psychopaths, which also features Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, and Mickey Rourke. It’s about a screenwriter who gets caught up in his pal’s dog-kidnapping plot.

Be sure to check out Colin’s next movie Horrible Bosses, which also stars Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, and Jason Sudeikis. The film will hit theatres July 8! http://justjared.buzznet.com/2011/06/21/colin-farrell-on-set-with-total-recall/

***New Poster for STRAW DOGS Breaks James Marsden’s Glasses ***Quentin Tarantino’s DJANGO UNCHAINED Opens Christmas Day 2012 ***Relativity to Distribute MACHINE GUN PREACHER This Fall; Paramount Picks Up Comedy Spec BASTARDS ***David O. Russell Circling MALEFICENT, Talks About Upcoming Projects and Why He Left UNCHARTED ***Akiva Schaffer May Direct NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH With Ben Stiller Circling Starring Role

New Poster for STRAW DOGS Breaks James Marsden’s Glasses

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: June 14th, 2011

I have yet to see the 1971 Straw Dogs (it’s on my Before I Turn 30 list), but I love that poster.  The image of Dustin Hoffman in the broken glasses tells me everything I need to know about the film, a thriller about a man pushed to the edge of reason when they move to a small village where the locals prove anything but hospitable.

James Marsden fills in for Hoffman in the upcoming remake, and now dons the broken glasses for a remake of the iconic poster.  There are a few twists: Screen Gems found a way to get Alexander Skarsgård’s beautiful Swedish face in the picture and added the slogan “Everyone has a breaking point.”  The image can’t be as powerful four decades later, but this is smarter than your average poster.  Kate Bosworth also stars in Straw Dogs, opening on September 16.  See the new poster and its inspiration after the jump. http://collider.com/straw-dogs-poster/96490/

Quentin Tarantino’s DJANGO UNCHAINED Opens Christmas Day 2012

by Brendan Bettinger   Posted: June 14th, 2011

How cool is your family?  For instance, if the new Quentin Tarantino movie opened on Christmas Day, would you have to ditch the folks for a couple hours, or could you bring them along?  The Weinstein Company will put these family ties to the test with a December 25, 2012 release date for Django Unhcained [Box Office Mojo].  The supporting cast is mostly set: Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, and Leonardo DiCaprio are all on board or about to be barring any sticking points in negotiations.  Much less certain is who will play Django, the freed slave taught the tricks of the trade by a German bounty hunter (Waltz) to liberate his wife from an evil plantation owner (DiCaprio).  Will Smith was the early frontrunner, though a deal has not come easy.  More recently, Idris Elba, Chris Tucker, and Jamie Foxx came up as possible Djangos.  Showbiz 411 hears Foxx is the closest to the role, but all is heresay until it’s in the trades.  Production is scheduled for later this summer or early fall — with the finish line in place, we’ll meet our Django soon enough.

Christmas Day is a Tuesday in 2012.  As of this writing, Django Unchained has the holiday all to itself, but Hunter Killer, Life of Pi, and The Lone Ranger open the Friday before, December 21.

http://collider.com/django-unchained-release-date/96506/

Relativity to Distribute MACHINE GUN PREACHER This Fall; Paramount Picks Up Comedy Spec BASTARDS

by Brendan Bettinger   Posted: June 14th, 2011

Lionsgate had tentative plans to release Machine Gun Preacher in the fall, but three other films — Warrior, Abduction, and Safe — will occupy the studio’s resources with September/October release dates.  Relativity’s fall is lighter, with Shark Night 3D in September and Immortals in November — as newcomers to distribution, the studio is eager for product to push.  The schedules worked out such that, per Risky Business, Lionsgate will hand off the domestic release for Machine Gun Preacher to Relativity.  (Lionsgate will still handle international distribution.)  Gerard Butler and Michelle Monaghan in the biopic about Sam Childers, “a drug-dealing biker who found God and became an activist on behalf of child soldiers in Sudan.  Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) directed the $30 million independent production from a script by Jason Keller.  No official release date is set, but Machine Gun Preacher is still on the agenda for Fall 2011.

Hit the jump for details on Bastards, the latest acquisition at Paramount. http://collider.com/relativity-machine-gun-preacher-paramount-bastards/96513/

David O. Russell Circling MALEFICENT, Talks About Upcoming Projects and Why He Left UNCHARTED

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 14th, 2011

When a director is coming off an Oscar nomination, or better yet a win, he or she automatically has some clout in choosing his or her next project.  It’s a tough decision, and you may only get once chance, so you best choose wisely. David O. Russell, coming off his Oscar nomination for The Fighter, seems to be circling 1,000 projects at the moment, and another one has just been added to the list.  THR reports that Russell is currently one of the directors being considered to helm Disney’s fantasy flick Maleficent. Angelina Jolie is attached to star, and Tim Burton was previously set to direct before backing out last month.

Disney is looking at a number of directors for the job (Darren Aronofsky and David Yates have been mentioned) and Russell has plenty on his plate already, so this deal is far from a sure thing, but it appears Russell is on the list of candidates.  The Fighter director recently dropped out as director of Uncharted, and today he explained a bit about why he left that project.  Hit the jump to check out what he had to say, which includes updates on a number of his upcoming projects. http://collider.com/david-o-russell-maleficent-uncharted/96494/

Akiva Schaffer May Direct NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH With Ben Stiller Circling Starring Role

by Adam Chitwood   Posted: June 14th, 2011

It looks like The Lonely Island member and Hot Rod director Akiva Schaffer may next helm a high-profile sci-fi comedy. Schaffer, who currently serves as a writer on SNL, has been offered the director’s chair on Fox’s long-in-development comedy Neighborhood Watch. Heat Vision reports that Schaffer has the offer, and that Ben Stiller is circling one of the starring roles. The plot revolves around a suburban neighborhood watch group that serves as a front for some dads just wanting some time away from their families. You know, for fantasy baseball and such. Things go awry, however, when the stumble upon a plot to destroy the world.

Originally, Peter Segal (50 First Dates) was going to direct the flick, but it appears that he’s now left the project. Last we heard, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg had come aboard to perform a rewrite of the script. Hit the jump for more. http://collider.com/akiva-schaffer-neighborhood-watch-ben-stiller/96438/

***Matthew Modine and Tom Conti Join THE DARK KNIGHT RISES [UPDATED] ***Darren Aronofsky Wanted for MALEFICENT and MOSES? ***Tom Cruise Confirmed for Joseph Kosinski’s OBLIVION ***Ethan Hawke Reveals His TOTAL RECALL Cameo Involves 5-Page Monologue ***SEINFELD Writer David Mandel to Write FLETCH Reboot

Matthew Modine and Tom Conti Join THE DARK KNIGHT RISES [UPDATED]
by Adam Chitwood Posted: May 20th, 2011
Just yesterday production began on what will be director Christopher Nolan’s final film in his Batman trilogy: The Dark Knight Rises. Today, the viral campaign for the film kicked off, giving us our first look at Tom Hardy as Bane, and now two more actors have been added to the cast. Variety reports that Matthew Modine and Tom Conti have signed on to the film. With the plot under lock and key, there’s no word on who the two actors will be playing. However, since this is Batman and every piece of news is greeted with fanfare, I wouldn’t be surprised if the two play fairly minor roles. Nolan similarly cast known actors in smaller parts for the last two Batman flicks (Anthony Michael Hall, Rutger Hauer, etc.).


The Dark Knight Rises also stars Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, and Michael Caine. It opens July 20, 2012.


[Update: Variety's story has been updated to say that 11-year-old Joey King (Ramona and Beezus) has joined the cast as well]
http://collider.com/matthew-modine-tom-conti-dark-knight-rises/91975/




Darren Aronofsky Wanted for MALEFICENT and MOSES?
by Adam Chitwood Posted: May 20th, 2011 at 2:53 pm


Since dropping out of Fox’s The Wolverine, director Darren Aronofsky has been linked to a number of projects. Everyone wants to know what he’ll choose as his follow up to the smashing success that was Black Swan. Earlier this month, it was reported that he was eyeing the sci-fi flick Human Nature with George Clooney attached to star. Now, Badass Digest reports that the director is being courted for two other high-profile projects: Disney wants him to helm Maleficent and Warner Bros. is courting the director for Moses.


Maleficent just recently lost its director, as Tim Burton bowed out a few days ago, but David Yates has been mentioned as a possible replacement. The film is set to start Angelina Jolie as the notorious Sleeping Beauty villain. Moses is one of two dueling projects centered on the biblical figure. Warner Bros’ version focuses on the Exodus, while the Fox version is said to be more in the vein of 300 (because violence and sex is exactly what the Old Testament is lacking). While neither of these sounds particularly up Aronofsky’s alley, neither did a sequel to Wolverine. Personally, I’d much rather see him take on that other biblical project: his long-talked-about Noah.
http://collider.com/darren-aronofsky-maleficent-moses/91971/






Tom Cruise Confirmed for Joseph Kosinski’s OBLIVION
by Adam Chitwood Posted: May 20th, 2011 at 2:20 pm


Tom Cruise has committed to star in Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski’s sci-fi flick Oblivion (also referred to as Horizons). Kosinski was originally going to make the film at Disney, until the Mouse House decided the PG-13 material didn’t fit with their model and dropped the film. They allowed the director to shop the project around, and it landed at Universal with a budget of $100 million. The script, originally written by William Monahan then rewritten by Karl Gajdusek, is based on an idea hatched by Kosinski himself.


The story takes place in an apocalyptic future where humans have been forced to live in clouds above the uninhabitable Earth below. Deadline reports that Cruise will play a soldier stuck on the planet, working on drones that patrol the surface searching out and destroying a “savage” alien life form. Naturally, he meets a woman who crash-lands and gets him thinking about his larger role in life. Production begins this October. The report also states that Cruise has also been mentioned in connection with Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim. More after the jump.
http://collider.com/tom-cruise-oblivion/91961/








Ethan Hawke Reveals His TOTAL RECALL Cameo Involves 5-Page Monologue
by Adam Chitwood Posted: May 20th, 2011 at 1:26 pm


While not much is known about the nature of Ethan Hawke’s cameo in director Len Wiseman’s (Live Free or Die Hard) remake of Total Recall, the actor recently revealed that this won’t be your quick-scene cameo. In speaking with Vulture, Hawke said that he’s shooting his scene next week and he’s doing a 5-page monologue, so it’s safe to assume that his character plays a bit of a crucial role in the flick.


Colin Farrell is set to star in the remake, which 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.
http://collider.com/ethan-hawke-total-recall-cameo-monologue/91957/






SEINFELD Writer David Mandel to Write FLETCH Reboot
by Matt Goldberg Posted: May 20th, 2011 at 10:59 am


Warner Bros. has hired screenwriter David Mandel to write the reboot of Fletch. As we reported back in February, Warner Bros. picked up the rights to Gregory Mcdonald’s mystery novels for what they’re calling not a remake but a “re-imagining”, which is studio-speak for remake. However, since two of the Fletch novels were previously adapted (1985’s Fletch and 1989’s Fletch Lives, both starring Chevy Chase as the eponymous reporter), I’ll call it a reboot. But whatever you want to call it, Warner Bros. says that this new version “will be a smart action comedy that plays out on a bigger canvas than the previous movies.”


Per THR, “The 11 mystery books, the first of which was published in 1974, center on a reporter named I.M. Fletcher who juggles writing exposes while avoiding headaches caused by his two ex-wives.” Since I’ve never read any of the Fletch novels, I don’t know if Mandel’s the right guy for the job, but his credits include Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Sacha Baron Cohen’s upcoming comedy The Dictator, and the underrated EuroTrip (that’s right: I’ll go to bat for EuroTrip), so I think Warners at least has a talented writer on board. The project is a high-priority for the studio and they’re looking at it as a vehicle for an A-list comedy star. Hit the jump for a synopsis of the first novel.
http://collider.com/fletch-remake-david-mandel/91920/