***Evangeline Lilly Cast As An Elf In The Hobbit ***7 Clips and a Featurette from LARRY CROWNE ***Anton Corbijn to Direct Adaptation of John Le Carré’s A MOST WANTED MAN

7 Clips and a Featurette from LARRY CROWNE Starring Tom Hanks and Julie Roberts

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: June 19th, 2011

Universal has sent over 7 clips and a featurette from Larry Crowne.  Directed by and starring Tom Hanks, the story centers on a laid-off middle-aged man (Hanks) who goes back to college and strikes up a relationship with one of his professors (Julia Roberts).  Larry Crowne is the first film Hanks has directed since 1996’s That Thing You Do, and he co-wrote the script with Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding).   While the story seems pretty simple, Hanks has proven himself behind the camera and people love the guy.  What I’m trying to say is…I’m pretty sure Larry Crowne is going to be a big hit for Universal.  Hanks and Roberts are joined in the film by Bryan Cranston, Cedric the Entertainer, Taraji P. Henson, Gugu Mbatha Raw, Wilmer Valderrama, Pam Grier, Rami Malek, George Takei, Grace Gummer, Rita Wilson, and Jon Seda.  Check out the clips after the jump.  Larry Crowne hits theaters July 1st. http://collider.com/larry-crowne-movie-clips/97456/

Anton Corbijn to Direct Adaptation of John Le Carré’s A MOST WANTED MAN

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: June 19th, 2011

By Wikipedia’s count, seven John le Carré novels have been adapted into films.  An eighth, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, is on the way.  According to THR, director Anton Corbijn (The American) will bring us the ninth.  Corbijn has signed on to direct A Most Wanted Man from a screenplay by Andrew Bovell (Edge of Darkness).  The story centers on a Muslim illegal immigrant caught up in the international war on terror.  The novel is loosely based on Murat Kurnaz, who was imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay for several years before release without charge in 2006.
The Amusement Park Films production is expected to begin shooting this winter in Hamburg.  Read the official book synopsis after the jump. http://collider.com/anton-corbijn-a-most-wanted-man/97370/

Evangeline Lilly Cast As An Elf In The Hobbit

published: 2011-06-19 18:35:32 Author: Josh Tyler
Liv Tyler won’t be in The Hobbit. While her Arwen character is an ancient immortal and thus technically alive at the time this prequel story takes place, Tyler confirmed awhile back that she hasn’t been asked to show up on set. So if you’re looking for a new female elf character to replace the Arwen in these new Middle Earth movies, who do you cast? Evangeline Lilly, of course. She’s like Liv Tyler, except without the Aerosmith connection.

Hobbit director Peter Jackson confirmed her involvement today on his Facebook page. Lilly has been hired to play a character newly created specifically for the feature version of The Hobbit. She’ll be a Woodland Elf named “Tauriel”. That name even has a translation already, because of course that’s how back-story obsessed author J.R.R. Tolkien would have wanted it, were he the one inventing this new elf-babe. PJ says “Tauriel” means “daughter of Mirkwood”. So now you have a pretty good idea of where she lives.

The addition of Lilly is important, not only because she’ll look good in pointy ears, but because it could help solve one of the 4 big story problems we predicted Peter Jackson would encounter in adapting Tolkien’s book for the screen. If Evangeline’s role is big enough, it could help clear up problem #4, which is that the original Tolkien version of The Hobbit contains no female characters. None. In Hollywood, the general consensus seems to be that girls need someone to identify with, if you want them buying tickets.

Evangeline isn’t the only person getting in the Middle Earth makeup chair down in New Zealand. Jackson has also confirmed the casting of actor Barry Humpries, to play the Goblin king. This is a villain character encountered by Bilbo and his Dwarf companions on their journey. You won’t see a lot of him, but he does play a pivotal role in the story. Jackson says he’ll portray the character “in much the way Andy Serkis created Gollum”. In other words, you won’t actually see him on screen, but you will see a computer generated character created based on his performance. http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Evangeline-Lilly-Cast-As-An-Elf-In-The-Hobbit-25300.html


The Hobbit Adds Evangeline Lilly and Barry Humphries
Jun 20, 2011 by Brian Gallagher
Director Peter Jackson is currently shooting The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in New Zealand, which is scheduled for release on December 14, 2012. The filmmaker took time out of his busy schedule to update his Facebook page with the news that Evangeline Lilly and Barry Humphries have joined The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey cast. Take a look at his entire Facebook post below.

Yikes! I can finally get back to some postings! We've finished our first block of shooting and moved straight into location scouting. More on that soon... But today, I'm thrilled to announce two new cast members who will be joining us for our second block of shooting.

Evangeline Lilly will be playing a new character-the Woodland Elf, Tauriel. Her name means 'daughter of Mirkwood' and, beyond that, we must leave you guessing! (No, there is no romantic connection to Legolas.) What is not a secret is how talented and compelling an actress Evangeline is; we are thrilled and excited she will be the one to bring our first true Sylvan Elf to life.

I'm also highly excited that Barry Humphries will be portraying the Goblin King, in much the way Andy Serkis created Gollum. Barry is perhaps best known for his business and social connections as the long-time manager of Dame Edna Everage. He has also been an ardent supporter of the rather misunderstood and unfairly maligned Australian politician, Sir Les Patterson. However, in his spare time, Barry is also a fine actor, and we're looking forward to seeing him invest the Goblin King with the delicate sensitivity and emotional depth this character deserves.

Evangeline and Barry, along with Welsh actor Luke Evans as Bard and Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug, just about rounds out the major casting. I cannot wait to get stuck into these new scenes!

More soon, including a flurry of answers to your questions. Sorry for the delay!

Cheers,
Peter J"

http://www.movieweb.com/news/the-hobbit-adds-evangeline-lilly-and-barry-humphries

***Bradley Cooper Wants to Write the Script for HYPERION ***New Trailer for the Guillermo del Toro-Produced DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK ***First Trailer and Images for 50/50 Starring Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt ***Confirmed: Orlando Bloom Will Reprise His Role as Legolas for THE HOBBIT

Bradley Cooper Wants to Write the Script for HYPERION

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 27th, 2011

Apparently The Hangover Part II star Bradley Cooper is a burgeoning screenwriter in addition to being one of the most in-demand actors at the moment. Cooper appeared on Charlie Rose (via SlashFilm) earlier this week, and during their interview the actor revealed that he’s written an adaptation of Dan Simmons’ sci-fi epic Hyperion on spec with a friend. Cooper said that they have submitted the script to GK Films and are currently in negotiations to script the film adaptation. He adds, “Ideally I’d like to direct it, but there’s no way.”

The project has been in development for quite some time, with Scott Derrickson attached to direct in 2009. Cooper’s deal isn’t official by any means, but he’s definitely interested in tackling the material. Hit the jump for a synopsis of Simmons’ novel. http://collider.com/bradley-cooper-hyperion/93406/

New Trailer for the Guillermo del Toro-Produced DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

by Adam Chitwood   Posted: May 27th, 2011 at 2:59 pm

A new trailer for Troy Nixey’s Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark has been released, and it’s just as creepy as the first one. The film was co-written and produced by Guillermo del Toro and centers on a family that moves into a new estate that houses very horrifying things. Every time the teaser trailer plays in a movie theater I’m at, the audience is audibly scared out of their minds. This new trailer gives a bit more plot info (though not a lot), and gives us a look at the cast. All in all, I can’t wait to see this in a full theater on a Friday night. Finally, a horror movie that’s actually scary. Starring Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, and Bailee Madison Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is set to be released on August 12^th.

Hit the jump to watch the new trailer and to check out the official synopsis.

http://collider.com/dont-be-afraid-of-the-dark-uk-trailer/93401/

First Trailer and Images for 50/50 Starring Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 27th, 2011 at 10:54 am

Summit Entertainment has released the first trailer for the dramedy 50/50.  Screenwriter Will Reiser based the story on his own battle with cancer. The trailer is fantastic and does a great job of balancing some funny jokes with the gravity of a guy (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) dealing with cancer.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer and the first images along with Steve’s thoughts on the film.  50/50 is directed by Jonathan Levine (The Wackness), also stars Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Angelica Huston, and Phillip Baker Hall star.  It opens September 30th.

http://collider.com/50-50-movie-trailer-images/86807/

Confirmed: Orlando Bloom Will Reprise His Role as Legolas for THE HOBBIT

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 27th, 2011 at 10:23 am

Back in December, we reported that Orlando Bloom might reprise his role as Elven sharpshooter Legolas for Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit.  Today on his official Facebook page, Jackson confirmed that he had Legolas bow:

Ten years ago, Orlando Bloom created an iconic character with his portrayal of Legolas. I’m excited to announce today that we’ll be revisiting Middle Earth with him once more. I’m thrilled to be working with Orlando again. Funny thing is, I look older—and he doesn’t! I guess that’s why he makes such a wonderful elf.

Bloom is the latest Lord of the Rings cast member to join The Hobbit.  While Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Elrond (Hugo Weaving), and Gollum (Andy Serkis) actually appear in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, Jackson has apparently made room for Legolas, Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), old Bilbo (Ian Holm), and Frodo (Elijah Wood).  Hit the jump for the synopsis of the novel.  The two-part 3D film is set for December 2012 and December 2013.

http://collider.com/hobbit-orlando-bloom/93365/

**Peter Jackson’s THE HOBBIT New Images and the Official Synopsis **New "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" Trailer is Here! **20th Century Fox Wants a Comedy Director for "Deadpool" **Mark Ruffalo Says Marvel Isn't Planning Another "Hulk" Movie **Henry Cavill Lifting Weights and Fight Training for "Superman" Reboot **David Slade on "Daredevil" and "Wolverine 2"

Production Officially Begins on Peter Jackson’s THE HOBBIT; Plus Two New Images and the Official Synopsis
by Dave Trumbore Posted: March 20th, 2011


Though the two-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit has been fraught with delays and difficulties, Warner Bros. has announced that production has finally started. There were concerns that The Hobbit would leave New Zealand due to a labor strike, but the 3D movies will indeed be shot consecutively against the familiar backdrops from The Lord of the Rings. As a prequel to the award-winning trilogy, The Hobbit takes place in Middle-earth 60 years prior to Frodo receiving The Ring. Instead, the two-part adaptation will follow Frodo’s Uncle Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he is swept up in a quest of his own.


Hit the jump for the full press release, synopsis and two production images.
http://collider.com/the-hobbit-movie-images-synopsis/81524/




 

"The Hobbit" Started Filming, See First Official Set Photos
Posted: March 21st, 2011 by WorstPreviews.com Staff
New Line Cinema and MGM have announced that Peter Jackson has started filming "The Hobbit" prequels in Wellington, New Zealand. In addition, Jackson has provided two shots of himself on the set of the new movies. Check them out below.


The two "Hobbit" films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology.


"The Hobbit" follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.


Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever ... Gollum.


Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities ... A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.


Cast includes:


* Martin Freeman - Bilbo Baggins
* Ian McKellen - Gandalf the Grey
* Richard Armitage - Thorin Oakenshield
* Ken Stott - Balin
* Graham McTavish - Dwalin
* William Kircher - Bifur
* James Nesbitt - Bofur
* Stephen Hunter - Bombur
* Rob Kazinsky - Fili
* Aidan Turner - Kili
* Peter Hambleton - Gloin
* John Callen - Oin
* Jed Brophy - Nori
* Mark Hadlow - Dori
* Adam Brown - Ori
* Cate Blanchett - Galadriel
* Andy Serkis - Gollum
* Elijah Wood - Frodo
* Jeffrey Thomas - Thror
* Mike Mizrahi - Thrain




Read more: http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=21041&count=0

Sun, 20 March 2011

Peter Jackson: 'The Hobbit' Starts Production - First Look!

Peter Jackson poses on the set of his upcoming film The Hobbit, which starts production on Monday (March 21) in New Zealand.
The Hobbit, the prequel to The Lord of the Rings series, follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug.
Martin Freeman stars as Bilbo with Cate Blanchett, Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood, and Andy Serkis reprising their roles from The Lord of the Rings.
WHAT DO YOU THINK of these first look photos of The Hobbit?

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2011/03/20/peter-jackson-the-hobbit-starts-production-first-look/


 

New "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" Trailer is Here!
Posted: March 21st, 2011 by WorstPreviews.com Staff


Disney has just unveiled a brand new trailer for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," which contains lots of new footage and a glimpse at Keith Richards, who is reprising his role as Jack Sparrow's father. Check out the trailer below.


Plot: Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) crosses paths with a woman from his past (Penelope Cruz), and he's not sure if it's love -- or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past.


Directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago), the fourth installment is scheduled to hit 2D and 3D theaters on May 20th.




Read more: http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=21047&count=0

 

20th Century Fox Wants a Comedy Director for "Deadpool"
Posted: March 21st, 2011 by WorstPreviews.com Staff


"Zombieland" writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick have apparently finished a draft of the "Deadpool" script. Just recently 20th Century Fox was getting serious about finding a director and getting the project in front of the cameras.


Ryan Reynolds, who played the character in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," was set to return with Robert Rodriguez in talks to direct. Eventually everything fell apart and Reynolds went on to other projects.


Now comes word from David Slade (30 Days of Night) that he was considering helming the film, but eventually decided to sign on for the studio's "Daredevil" reboot. He now revealed on his Twitter account that Fox is searching for comedy directors to tackle "Deadpool."


"Love DEADPOOL. [I] was never engaged in the (quite fantastic) script," he wrote. "Last I heard studio was looking at comedy directors. None of my business."


Source: Twitter




Read more: http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=21043&count=0



 



Mark Ruffalo Says Marvel Isn't Planning Another "Hulk" Movie
Posted: March 21st, 2011 by WorstPreviews.com Staff


In an interview with TotalFilm, Mark Ruffalo revealed that while there are plans for more "The Avengers" installments, there have not been any talks of another "The Incredible Hulk" film.


"There will probably be a couple more 'Avengers' movies, which would be fun to do," he said. "I don't know if they will ever do another 'Hulk.' How old is The Hulk meant to be? Six years from now I will be in my 50s."


About a year ago, "The Incredible Hulk" director Louis Leterrier said that if the Hulk appears in "The Avengers," that would ruin the future of the "Hulk" franchise. "In the world where Avengers exist, the 'Hulk' sequel wouldn't make sense," he said. "Because if Hulk wreaks havoc, the Avengers would come and stop Hulk."


Source: TotalFilm




Read more: http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=21042&count=0



 

Henry Cavill Lifting Weights and Fight Training for "Superman" Reboot
Posted: March 21st, 2011 by WorstPreviews.com Staff


In an interview with ScreenRant, director Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300) revealed that Henry Cavill is putting on muscle and learning to fight for the upcoming "Superman" reboot.


"Henry is gonna be hitting the iron pretty hard," he said. Producer Deborah Snyder added: "They've put him on a plan. He has started in England and as of April 1st we have him full time with us for all that training."


Cavill is getting in shape with the help of Mark Twight, who trained all the actors in "300." Meanwhile, Damon Caro ("300" fight choreographer) will be teaching the actor how to fight.


All this confirms Snyder's earlier comments, in which he stated that Superman will be very physical.


Click here to read more about "Superman."


Source: ScreenRant




Read more: http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=21045&count=0

 



David Slade on "Daredevil" and "Wolverine 2"
Posted: March 21st, 2011 by WorstPreviews.com Staff


Director David Slade (30 Days of Night, Hard Candy) has been doing a bit of catching up on his Twitter account, giving quick updates on the "Daredevil" reboot and "Wolverine 2."


"We have a great outline for a very strong character driven take on Mr. Matt Murdock," Slade wrote about "Daredevil." "It will bare no relation to the previous 'Daredevil' movie in any way. We are at early planning stages and have not yet discussed any cast."


He will be keeping himself busy with "Daredevil" and "The Last Voyage of Demeter," so it's unlikely that he'll be signing on for any other projects. But just to clear things up, Slade wrote that he will not be directing "Wolverine 2," despite being considered before Darren Aronofsky became attached.


"WOLVERINE, there have been no discussions about this project to date," said Slade. "Interesting to see what will happen with that as the again excellent script by Chris McQuarrie was set largely in Japan."


Source: Twitter




Read more: http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=21044&count=0

***Director Carl Rinsch’s 47 RONIN Starring Keanu Reeves to be Produced and Released in 3D ***Orlando Bloom Near Deal to Reprise Role as Legolas in THE HOBBIT Films ***Armie Hammer in Talks to Play J. Edgar Hoover’s Lover in Clint Eastwood’s J. EDGAR; Charlize Theron Offered the Role of Hoover’s Secretary ***MPAA Overturns NC-17 Ruling on BLUE VALENTINE

Director Carl Rinsch’s 47 RONIN Starring Keanu Reeves to be Produced and Released in 3D

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 8th, 2010

We’ve received word that Universal plans to shoot and release the upcoming Keanu Reeves action film 47 Ronin in 3D. Director Carl Rinsch, who has previously been attached to the upcoming Alien prequel as well as a Logan’s Run remake, will make his feature film debut on the project. The project officially got a greenlight last month, as well as a release date of November 21, 2012. There’s no word as to whether the entire film will be shot in 3D, or if some of the footage will be filmed in 2D and then post-converted like the upcoming Transformers: The Dark of the Moon.
Based upon a true story, 47 Ronin is the tale of 18^th century samurai who head out to avenge the death of their master. It’s the most famous tale of the samurai code of honor, “bushido.” For a director who has yet to make his feature film debut, Rinsch has been attached to some decidedly high-profile projects, and Reeves’ work on The Matrix trilogy has him well-versed in martial arts (“I know kung-fu”). Needless to say, this flick sounds fairly bad-ass on paper. We’ll find out if Rinsch lives up to his reputation come November 2012.
http://www.collider.com/2010/12/08/47-ronin-3d-keanu-reeves-carl-rinsch/

Orlando Bloom Near Deal to Reprise Role as Legolas in THE HOBBIT Films

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 8th, 2010

After the news that Cate Blanchett is set to reprise her role as Galadriel in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit films, one might think that the next bit of official casting news would include the return of Ian McKellen or Andy Serkis. A bit surprisingly, Deadline reports that Orlando Bloom is currently close to reaching a deal to return as Legolas in The Hobbit. While his character doesn’t appear in the J.R.R. Tolkein book, his father does. Nevertheless, this is fantastic news to LOTR fans, as Bloom brought a much-welcomed “bad-assness” to the role. The report states that McKellen (Gandalf), Serkis (Smeagol/Gollum), and Hugo Weaving (Elrond) are expected to return, but talks between their respective agents and the studio haven’t been completely worked out yet.
We recently told you that Jackson will shoot the films in 3D using the new RED EPIC cameras, and announced that Howard Shore would be officially returning to score The Hobbit films. Expect more information and casting announcements in the coming weeks, as the production start-date draws closer. The Hobbit Part 1 & 2 will be released in 3D on December 2012 and December 2013 respectively.

http://www.collider.com/2010/12/08/orlando-bloom-the-hobbit/

Armie Hammer in Talks to Play J. Edgar Hoover’s Lover in Clint Eastwood’s J. EDGAR; Charlize Theron Offered the Role of Hoover’s Secretary

by Tommy Cook    Posted: December 8th, 2010

Armie Hammer’s portrayal of the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network has deservedly garnered the young actor a lot of attention – with some even suggesting he could make a good Superman for Zack Snyder’s reboot. Now EW reports that Hammer is in talks to costar with Leonardo DiCaprio in Clint Eastwood’s upcoming J. Edgar Hoover biopic J. Edgar. Hammer would reportedly play Hoover’s advisor and lover Clyde Tolson (although there is much controversy surrounding the factual accuracy of that last part). The fact that Hammer has been cast in such a role suggests the film will not shy away from Hoover’s oft-disputed personal life.
Meanwhile, Vulture is reporting that Charlize Theron has been offered the role of J. Edgar Hoover’s personal secretary, Helen Gandy. Gandy began her career as a Justice Department file clerk and ended up working for Hoover for over 54 years.  For previous coverage on J. Edgar, click here.
http://www.collider.com/2010/12/08/armie-hammer-charlize-theron-j-edgar-hoover-clint-eastwood/

MPAA Overturns NC-17 Ruling on BLUE VALENTINE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 8th, 2010

The MPAA has overturned its original decision to give Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine an NC-17. The Weinstein Company recently mounted a legal campaign to get Blue Valentine an R-rating and knock The King’s Speech down from an R-rating to PG-13.  This is wonderful news for Blue Valentine and for sanity. I saw the film earlier this week and while it’s raw and emotional, there’s nothing in it that merits an NC-17.  According to Deadline, the MPAA’s decision to overturn the rating was reportedly unanimous.
Blue Valentine, which stars Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams as a married couple in a deteriorating relationship, should now open on December 31st without any problems from nervous exhibitors.  Now the trick is getting audiences to ring in the new year by watching the love between two people crumble and fall apart.
http://www.collider.com/2010/12/08/blue-valentine-mpaa-rating/

***Cate Blanchett Joins 'The Hobbit' Cast! ***Michelle Williams: 'Blue Valentine' Premiere with Ryan Gosling! ***Amy Adams & Christian Bale: 'Fighter' Premiere!

Tue, 07 December 2010

Cate Blanchett Joins 'The Hobbit' Cast!

Cate Blanchett will reprise her role of Galadriel from The Lord of the Rings trilogy in the upcoming adaptation of the trilogy’s prequel, The Hobbit.

The film will be split into two parts that will be filmed back-to-back starting this February, according to Variety.

Director Peter Jackson commented on Cate’s casting, saying “[she] is one of my favorite actors to work with and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her reprise the role she so beautifully brought to life in the earlier films.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK about Cate Blanchett reprising her role?

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2010/12/07/cate-blanchett-hobbit/
Read more: http://justjared.buzznet.com/page/2/#ixzz17W0GJmbD

 

 

 

 

Tue, 07 December 2010

Michelle Williams: 'Blue Valentine' Premiere with Ryan Gosling!

Michelle Williams walks the red carpet at the premiere of her film Blue Valentine held at the Museum of Modern Art on Tuesday (December 7) in New York.

Over the weekend, the 30-year-old actress attended a screening of the movie that was hosted by Robert DeNiro.

Make sure to watch as Michelle makes an appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Wednesday (December 8).

Also pictured inside: Michelle’s co-star Ryan Gosling!

FYI: Michelle is wearing an Azzaro dress and Charlotte Olympia shoes.

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2010/12/07/michelle-williams-blue-valentine-premiere-with-ryan-gosling/
Read more: http://justjared.buzznet.com/page/2/#ixzz17W0NmEar

 

 

 

 

Tue, 07 December 2010

Amy Adams & Christian Bale: 'Fighter' Premiere!

Amy Adams, Mark Wahlberg, and Christian Bale walk the red carpet at the premiere of their new movie, The Fighter, held at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Monday (December 6) in Hollywood.

The 36-year-old actress, who wore J. Mendel paired with Irit Design jewelry, arrived with her fiance, Darren Le Gallo. Christian and Mark were also joined by their significant others!

The Fighter opens on December 10.

FYI: Christian is wearing an Under Amour zip-up and Levi’s “Hesher” jeans.

10+ pictures inside of Amy Adams, Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg at the premiere of The Fighter…

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2010/12/07/amy-adams-christian-bale-fighter-premiere/

Read more: http://justjared.buzznet.com/page/4/#ixzz17W0m6Yw6

***Cate Blanchett, Ken Stott, Sylvester McCoy, and Mikael Persbrandt Join Peter Jackson’s THE HOBBIT ***Sony Picks up VALET GUYS as Starring Vehicle for Adam Sandler and Kevin James ***Mark Wahlberg Talks Seth MacFarlane’s Upcoming Feature Directing Debut, TEDDY BEAR

Cate Blanchett, Ken Stott, Sylvester McCoy, and Mikael Persbrandt Join Peter Jackson’s THE HOBBIT

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 7th, 2010

Cate Blanchett, Ken Stott (Charlie Wilson’s War), Sylvester McCoy (Doctor Who), and Mikael Persbrandt (Everlasting Moments) have joined the cast of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit.  Blanchett will reprise her role as Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlorien. Stott will play Dwarf Lord Balin, McCoy will play wizard Radagast the Brown, and Swedish actor Persbrandt will play shape-shifter Beorn.
Also joining the cast are actors Ryan Gage (Outlaw) as Drogo Baggins, and Jed Brophy (District 9) and William Kircher (Legend of the Seeker) as the dwarfs Nori and Bifur, respectively.  These actors will join Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner, Rob Kazinsky, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Adam Brown, and James Nesbitt.  Hit the jump for the press release.  The Hobbit will be released in 3D in December 2012 and December 2013.

Here’s the press release:

CATE BLANCHETT, KEN STOTT, SYLVESTER MCCOY, MIKAEL PERSBRANDT JOIN CAST OF PETER JACKSON’S “THE HOBBIT”

Los Angeles, CA—December 7, 2010—Cate Blanchett, Ken Stott, Sylvester McCoy and Mikael Persbrandt and have joined the cast of Peter Jackson’s highly anticipated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic “The Hobbit.”  Also joining them are Ryan Gage, Jed Brophy and William Kircher. The films, which are scheduled to commence principal photography in February 2011, mark Jackson’s return to Middle-earth following his Oscar-winning “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.  The announcement was made jointly today by Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Operating Officer, New Line Cinema, Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros. and Steve Cooper, co-Chief Executive Officer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Jackson, who directed all three “Lord of the Rings” films, will helm the two films back-to-back, telling the story of “The Hobbit” in two parts from a screenplay by Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro. 
Cate Blanchett (“Lord of The Rings” trilogy, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) will reprise her role from “Lord of The Rings” trilogy as Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlorien.  Ken Stott (“Charlie Wilson’s War”, TV’s “Rebus”) will play the Dwarf Lord Balin, Sylvester McCoy (TV’s “Doctor Who”) will play the wizard Radagast the Brown and well-known Swedish actor, Mikael Persbrandt (“Everlasting Moments”, “Day and Night”) will play the shape-shifter Beorn. British actor Ryan Gage (“Outlaw”, TV’s “Doctors”) will play Drogo Baggins, with New Zealand actors Jed Brophy (“Lord of The Rings” trilogy, “District 9”) playing the role of the dwarf Nori, and William Kircher (“Out of the Blue”; TV’s “Legend of the Seeker”) rounding out the company of Thorin Oakensheild in  role of the dwarf Bifur.
Peter Jackson welcomed the news of Cate Blanchett’s return to Middle-earth “Cate is one of my favorite actors to work with and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her reprise the role she so beautifully brought to life in the earlier films” On the casting of Scottish actor Ken Stott, Jackson commented “Fran and I have long been fans of Ken’s work and are excited he will be joining us on this journey.”  Jackson also welcomed the addition to the cast of Swedish actor, Mikael Persbrandt “The role of Beorn is an iconic one and Mikael was our first choice for the part. Since seeing him read for the role we can’t imagine anyone else playing this character.”
The actors join the previously announced cast including Martin Freeman (TV’s “Sherlock,” “Breaking and Entering”) as Bilbo Baggins, Richard Armitage (upcoming “Captain America: The First Avenger”), Aidan Turner (TV’s “Being Human”), Rob Kazinsky (TVs “EastEnders”), Graham McTavish (“Secretariat”), John Callen (TV’s “Power Rangers Jungle Fury”), Stephen Hunter (TV’s “All Saints”), Mark Hadlow (“King Kong”) and Peter Hambleton (TV’s “The Strip”).  Additional cast announcements include James Nesbitt (“Millions” and TV’s “Cold Feet”) and newcomer Adam Brown.
“The Hobbit” films received a green light on October 15, and have release dates targeted for December, 2012 and December, 2013.  Jackson will utilize groundbreaking visual effects and his incomparable storytelling to bring J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel to the big screen. Both “Hobbit” movies will be filmed in Digital 3-D, using the latest camera and stereo technology to create a high quality, comfortable viewing experience.
The two films are being co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production, Warner Bros Pictures handling domestic distribution and MGM distributing internationally.
Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Carolynne Cunningham are producing the films, with co-writer Philippa Boyens serving as co-producer and Ken Kamins and Zane Weiner as executive producers. The Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, also from the production team of Jackson, Walsh and Cunningham, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office.. In 2003, “The Return of the King” swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The trilogy’s production was also unprecedented at the time.
http://www.collider.com/2010/12/07/the-hobbit-cate-blanchett-peter-jackson/

Sony Picks up VALET GUYS as Starring Vehicle for Adam Sandler and Kevin James

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 7th, 2010

In recent “fat guy in ‘funny’ situations” movie news, Sony Pictures has made a deal for a film set to star Adam Sandler and Kevin James as valets. Valet Guys is being set up as a starring vehicle for Sandler and James as two valet parking guys who witness a murder and are forced to go on the run.  The project will be written by James and his writing partner Nick Bakay (Paul Blart: Mall Cop).  Bakay also wrote the upcoming James starrer Zookeeper, for which you can watch the (painful) trailer for here.
Deadline reports that Valet Guys will be a co-production between James’ Hey Eddie, Sandler’s Happy Madison, and Todd Garner’s Broken Road. Those three companies also produced Zookeeper. No matter how spectacularly unfunny most of James and some of Sandler’s movies may be, they sure do make money. James will next be seen this January in Ron Howard’s The Dilemma, and Zookeeper opens on July 8, 2011. Sandler’s film Just Go With It, with Jennifer Aniston hits theaters on February 11, and he’s currently filming Jack and Jill, in which he plays both a brother and sister.
http://www.collider.com/2010/12/07/adam-sandler-kevin-james-valet-guys/

Mark Wahlberg Talks Seth MacFarlane’s Upcoming Feature Directing Debut, TEDDY BEAR

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 7th, 2010

In October, we reported that Mark Wahlberg was in talks to join Teddy Bear (aka “Ted“), which was the feature directing debut of Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane.  At the time, we believed the plot was about a Boston man (Wahlberg) whose childhood stuffed animal/best friend has come to life.  Wahlberg has now told MTV some new details regarding the plot:

“But it’s about this kid who gets a bear for Christmas. And, you know, it’s the ’70s — it’s one of those Teddy Ruxpin-ish teddy bears where you squeeze it and it says, ‘I love you!’ The kid wishes and dreams that the bear would come alive — and a Christmas wish must be granted — and it does [come alive].”

Hit the jump for more on the project including the use of motion-capture for the teddy bear.

While we knew that MacFarlane would be providing the voice of the bear, Wahlberg also revealed that the R-rated comedy would have MacFarlane will be performing the role using motion-capture:

“Seth McFarlane’s voicing the bear — the bear is gonna look like a little teddy bear, but it’s motion-capture. It’s like ‘Avatar.’ It’s never been done before. It’s insane — I mean, what the bear does… ” Wahlberg trails off, unwilling to divulge the bear’s surely NSFW antics, but then continues with a smile, “The bear becomes famous, and that’s my ticket to getting things and living a life of privilege.”

Wahlberg says that he plans to shoot Teddy Bear at the beginning of next year.  He’s also attached to star in David O. Russell’s Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Allen Hughes’ Broken City.

http://www.collider.com/2010/12/07/mark-wahlberg-teddy-bear-seth-macfarlane-2/

***Peter Jackson to Shoot THE HOBBIT Films in 3D with 30 New RED EPIC Cameras ***Natalie Portman & Director Darren Aronofsky Interview BLACK SWAN

Peter Jackson to Shoot THE HOBBIT Films in 3D with 30 New RED EPIC Cameras

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 28th, 2010

Though I’m remiss to say it for fear of jinxing the project, it looks like Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit films really are moving ever closer to production. With the issues over filming in New Zealand settled and a great deal of casting recently confirmed, filming is gearing up to begin at last. And now, Jim Jannard, the owner and founder of RED DIGITAL CINEMA, has announced that Jackson will be using the company’s soon to be released EPIC digital cameras to shoot the two film adaptation in 3D.  Engadget reports that the new camera has 5k resolution, is able to shoot up to 128 frames per second, and has a new HDRx mode “for the highest dynamic range of any camera ever made.” All this is to say that RED has produced a camera that is considerably smaller, lighter, and more powerful than any on the market today.  Jackson had this to say about using the cameras:

I find the picture quality [of RED cameras] appealing and attractive, and with the Epic, Jim and his team have gone even further. It is a fantastic tool, the Epic not only has cutting edge technology, incredible resolution and visual quality, but it is also a very practical tool for film makers. Many competing digital systems require the cameras to be tethered to large cumbersome VTR machines. The Epic gives us back the ability to be totally cable free, even when working in stereo.

Jackson will reportedly be using at least thirty of the new EPIC cameras on the production. For more on the technology, and what we know about The Hobbit so far, hit the jump.
Given his rather long history with RED (he used the prototype RED ONE on his short film Crossing the Line), Jackson’s been a fan of the company for quite a while, stating that he’s “always liked the look of RED footage…the image RED produces has a much more filmic feel than most of the other digital formats.”  Jannard and his team apparently flew out to New Zealand earlier this year to let Jackson test the cameras, and it appears that he very much liked what he saw.
This is exciting news, as Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films are an absolutely magnificent sight to behold. With this new technology, and Jackson’s knack for making gorgeous films, The Hobbit flicks are sure to be stunning.  The past month or so has been chock full of Hobbit news: composer Howard Shore recently confirmed that he will be returning to the franchise to score The Hobbit films, casting seems to be nearly complete with Martin Freeman announced as Bilbo Baggins and litany of other exciting names mentioned for various roles, and Hobbiton is set to be a permanent tourist attraction when filming is completed.  Needless to say, Jackson’s dream of completing J.R.R. Tolkein’s epic saga is near fruition.
The Hobbit is set to start shooting in New Zealand early next year, with Part 1 to be released December 2012, and Part 2 in December 2013.
Here’s the press release:

November 28, 2010, RED Studios Hollywood, Hollywood, Ca. – RED announces that Peter Jackson’s two film adaptation of The Hobbit will be shot in 3D using RED DIGITAL CINEMA’S soon to be released EPIC Digital Cameras.
The successor to RED’s industry changing RED ONE, the EPIC has 5K resolution, can shoot up to 120 frames per second and has a new HDRx™ mode for the highest dynamic range of any digital cinema camera ever made. Taking everything they had learned from building their first camera, RED designed the EPIC from scratch and have produced a smaller, lighter camera that is an order of magnitude more powerful.
The Hobbit will be amongst the first productions in the world to use the EPIC and at least thirty cameras will be required by the 3-D production. The EPIC’S small size and relatively low weight, makes it perfect for 3-D – where two cameras have to be mounted on each 3D rig.
Jackson has a long history with RED, dating back to when he directed the short film ‘Crossing the Line’ as a very early test of prototype RED ONE cameras. “I have always liked the look of Red footage.” he says, “I’m not a scientist or mathematician, but the image Red produces has a much more filmic feel than most of the other digital formats. I find the picture quality appealing and attractive, and with the Epic, Jim and his team have gone even further. It is a fantastic tool, the Epic not only has cutting edge technology, incredible resolution and visual quality, but it is also a very practical tool for film makers. Many competing digital systems require the cameras to be tethered to large cumbersome VTR machines. The Epic gives us back the ability to be totally cable free, even when working in stereo.”
Jim Jannard the owner and founder of RED flew to New Zealand earlier this year with members of his team so that Jackson could test the EPIC and assess its suitability. “Everybody at RED is incredibly proud that Peter has chosen the Epic” says Jannard, “The Hobbit is a major production, and could have chosen any camera system that they wanted. The fact that they went with us is extremely gratifying.”
The Hobbit will start shooting in New Zealand early next year.

http://www.collider.com/2010/11/28/peter-jackson-the-hobbit-3d-red-epic-cameras/

Natalie Portman & Director Darren Aronofsky Interview BLACK SWAN

by Christina Radish    Posted: November 28th, 2010

The psychological thriller Black Swan, set in the world of New York City ballet, follows Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina whose is completely obsessed with and consumed by dance. When her company’s artistic director casts her as the lead in “Swan Lake,” she must learn to play both the innocence and grace of the White Swan, as well as the sensuality and seductive nature of the Black Swan. Unsure whether she can let go and get in touch with her dark side, Nina begins to question the motives of Lily (Mila Kunis), a new dancer who has impressed everyone with her natural ability to lose herself in her performance. As Nina’s fears take over her life, she quickly spirals out of control, into a world of paranoia and delusions.
During a press conference to promote the film’s release, Academy Award nominee Natalie Portman and director Darren Aronofsky discussed the difficulty of bringing ballet to the big screen, sacrificing yourself for your art and how flattering it is that people are responding so strongly to the film. Check out what they had to say after the jump:

Question: Darren, can you talk about first meeting with Natalie for this film, 10 years ago?
DARREN ARONOFSKY: I’ve been a fan of Natalie’s since I saw her in The Professional. Luc Besson is one of my favorite directors. It turned out that her manager is an old friend of mine from college, so I had a little inside line to meet. So, we met in Times Square at the old Howard Johnson’s, which is now an American Apparel. That shows you where America is going. We had a really bad cup of coffee and we talked about early ideas that I had about the film. She says that I had the entire film in my head, which is a complete lie.

NATALIE PORTMAN: No, what he described to me was so close.

ARONOFSKY: So, we talked a bit about it and I started to develop it, but it was a really tough film because getting into the ballet world proved to be extremely challenging. Most of the time, when you do a movie and you say, “Hey, I want to make a movie about your world,” all the doors open up, and you can do anything and see anything you want. The ballet world really wasn’t at all interested in us hanging out, so it took a long time to get the information to put it together. Over the years, Natalie would say, “I’m getting too old to play a dancer. You better hurry up.” I was like, “Natalie, you look great. It’ll be fine.” And then, about a year out from filming, or maybe a little bit earlier, I finally got a screenplay together. That’s how it started.
Natalie, why was this a dream role for you?
PORTMAN: Well, I had danced when I was younger, until I was about 12, and I always idealized it, as most young girls do, as the most beautiful art. It’s an expression without words. And I always wanted to do a film relating to dance, so when Darren had this incredible idea that was not just relating to the dance world, but also had this really complicated character – or two characters, really – to go into, it was just an opportunity, especially with Darren, who is a director I would do anything for. It was just something completely exciting.
Darren, can you talk about approaching this story from the feminine perspective, as opposed to The Wrestler, which was very masculine?

ARONOFSKY: I don’t think there’s really that much difference. I don’t make that much of a big deal out of it. I think people are people and, if their feelings are truthful, they can connect. It doesn’t matter if you’re an aging, 50-something wrestler at the end of his career, or an ambitious, 20-something ballet dancer. If they’re truthful to who they are and they’re expressing something real, then audiences will connect. That’s always been the promise of cinema. That’s why we can see a film about a 7-year-old girl in Iran, or an immortal superhero in America. It doesn’t matter, as long as they’re truthful.

Are you ever as manipulative a director as the ballet director is in the film?
ARONOFSKY: I wish I could be as manipulative as Thomas Leroy in the film. I’m really way too direct, and I’ve actually scared away a lot of A-list actors. Natalie Portman is the first A-list actor I’ve worked with in my career. Everyone else went, “You want me to do what? For how long? For how little money?” And they walk away. I’ve lost a lot of movie stars, along the way. I think a more manipulative director would be like, “Oh, it’s not going to be that hard. Come in and we’ll have fun.” I think that’s when wars start. They’re like, “You told me there would be sushi on set, every day!” I’m a little bit too direct and straight-forward.
Natalie, how did you approach transforming yourself for this role?
PORTMAN: It was a great challenge, and I had really, really amazing support. All of the teachers and coaches, the choreographer and director, first and foremost, were shaping and pushing along the way. I started with my ballet teacher a year ahead of time, and she started very basically with me. We would do two hours a day for the first six months, and that was really just strengthening and getting me ready to do more, so that I wouldn’t get injured. And then, at about six months, we started doing five hours a day. We added in swimming, so I was swimming a mile a day, toning and then doing three hours of ballet class a day. And then, two months before, we added the choreography, so we were doing probably eight hours a day. The physical discipline of it really helped for the emotional side of the character because you get the sense of the monastic lifestyle of only working out, that is a ballet dancer’s life. You don’t drink, you don’t go out with your friends, you don’t have much food and you are constantly putting your body through extreme pain, so you get that understanding of the self-flagellation of a ballet dancer.
Did you train separately for the White Swan and Black Swan?
PORTMAN: The choreography were different pieces for black swan and white swan. I had an amazing coach, Georgina Parkinson, who very sadly passed away two weeks before we started shooting, and she was the premiere coach for “Swan Lake” for Odile/Odette. She worked very specifically with me on everything from fingertips to where you put your eyes on different movements, that are ballet acting. There are little gestures you can do that really differentiate between those two characters.

What was your first meal after you finished filming this and could eat again?
PORTMAN: My first meal was pasta, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I ate it all the time.

ARONOFSKY: It’s funny, the thing about that was that this was a really hard film to make. There was really no money for the film and we had to push it back a lot of times. I actually don’t mind pushing because it means I get an extra two or three weeks to get my shit together, but I only found out recently that Natalie would just be screaming at her manager that she had to live on carrots and almonds for another three weeks. She was the one who suffered the most from not eating.

Darren, how did The Red Shoes influence you and your choices in making this film?
ARONOFSKY: I had heard of The Red Shoes, but I didn’t see it. And then, Scorsese did the restoration a few years ago and I was like, “You know what? I better go and see it.” It’s a masterpiece. It’s an unbelievable film. And I saw that there were similarities in the story, but I think that’s because we both went back to ballet and pulled from ballet for the different characters and stuff, so we ended up in similar places. But, I wasn’t really influenced by it. I really didn’t ever try to be influenced by it because it’s such a masterpiece. The dance sequences were so ahead of their time. I just kept it in the back of my head. It was a long time ago.

Natalie, what was it like to wear the pointe shoes?
PORTMAN: Pointe shoes are torture devices. Ballerinas get used to it, so it was definitely a case of it being a new experience for me, but they feel very medieval.

Did studying psychology at Harvard help you in playing this character?
PORTMAN: This was actually a case where something I learned in school did translate into something practical in life, which is very, very rare. It was absolutely a case of obsessive compulsive behavior. The scratching and the anorexia and bulemia are forms of OCD. Ballet really lends itself to that because there’s such a sense of ritual, with wrapping the shoes every day and preparing new shoes for every performance. It’s such a process. It’s almost religious, in nature. And then, they have this god-like character, in their director. It really is a devotional, ritualistic, religious art, which you can relate to as an actor because when you do a film, you submit to your director in that way. Your director is your everything and you devote yourself to them because you want to help create their vision.

Natalie, how do you find your own balance when you fully put yourself into a role, and how do you pull out of that when you’re done?
PORTMAN: As soon as I finish a scene, I’m back to being me. As soon as I finish shooting, I want to be myself again. I’m not someone who likes to stay in character. This clearly had a discipline that lent itself to me being more like my character, while we were shooting, than past experiences, but I just go back to my regular life after. One of the reasons Darren and I had such telepathy during this was that I feel like he is as disciplined, focused and alert as could possibly be, and that’s what I try to be. I’m not a perfectionist, but I like discipline. I’m obedient, but I’m not a perfectionist. I think it’s important to work your hardest and be as kind as possible to everyone you work with. The goal, every day, is keeping focused on that.

ARONOFSKY: I’ve dealt with a few method actors, but I think it’s a bunch of nonsense. It’s film acting. You just have to be on when the camera is rolling. Sure, if it’s a very intense scene, you may want to keep that energy up in between the takes, while the crew is resetting, and they would all do that, but when it’s “Cut!,” it’s “Cut!” Even when it’s “Action!,” and there’s a camera and all these lights and people are moving around you, it’s impossible to fully make believe that doesn’t exist. They’re so good because they’re able to make believe that that’s not there, convincingly. But, the second it’s “Cut!,” someone is coming over to touch your mic and someone is putting powder on your face, so it is make believe. I don’t know. Whatever works. Not to scare away method actors, but I actually want to scare away method actors ‘cause it’s a pain. It’s like, “Come on! What are you doing? It’s not real! Oh, you’re really brooding? Go to your trailer. I’ll see you in an hour.”

What was it like to work opposite Barbara Hershey as your mother?
PORTMAN: Darren did a really beautiful thing, where he had Barbara write letters to me in character, as Erica to Nina, for the first portion of the film, that he would hand to me on important days of shooting that I should feel my mother. Barbara wrote really gorgeous letters that were in character and really gave a sense of our history, our love and our connection.

ARONOFSKY: And I never read the letters. I just thought it should be between the two of them.
Darren, how did you develop your shooting style for the film?
ARONOFSKY: I think it’s all about what the story is that we want to tell. The whole cinema verite, handheld approach to The Wrestler was a big risk to bring over into this ballet film because I had never seen a suspenseful film that had this handheld camera and I didn’t know if it would work. I was worried that, during a really scary scene, everyone would wonder why Natalie wouldn’t turn to the camera man and go, “Help!” But then, we were like, “Fuck it, let’s just go for it.” It’s never been done, and I really enjoyed having a man hold the camera, so that I could really move the camera in ways that you can’t, in any other way. The result of that is that the first third of the film has a very different feel than the last half of the film because it’s got this very naturalistic feel, which I think is actually kind of cool. It makes people think they’re watching a very different type of movie that can’t ever freak out the way it freaks out, yet it gives you that immediacy of being in the moment and being in this other world, with little hints. In general, it just feels like a documentary, at the beginning, before it freaks out. It worked out for us.

Can you talk about playing with genre conventions for this?

ARONOFSKY: I’m not really much of a genre guy. This was my best attempt at a genre film. I just haven’t been able to do that. I think don’t need that anymore, where you just have a very specific genre. Audiences are very sophisticated. As long as it’s fun and entertaining, it’s okay. That’s what I was trying to do. I think it’s also very different, which people who are bombarded by so much media are hungry for. It’s a very, very different experience. We were going for something that just keeps you excited, keeps you going and hopefully is memorable, so that you talk about it to other people.
How do you think ballet dancers will respond to this portrayal of the art form?
ARONOFSKY: I think so many dancers are incredibly relieved that there’s finally a ballet movie that takes ballet as a serious art and not as a place to have a love affair. If you actually look at ballet, the ballets themselves – like “Sleeping Beauty,” “Romeo & Juliet” and “Swan Lake” – are incredibly dark and gothic. This movie could have been called Swan Lake. We took the fairy tale and the ballet of Swan Lake and translated all of those characters into characters in our movie reality. It’s really just a retelling of “Swan Lake.” It definitely shows the challenges, the darkness and the reality of how hard it is to be a ballet dancer, but I think it also represents the beauty of the art and the transcendence that’s possible within the art, all within retelling “Swan Lake.” There are going to be people who always have issues with things, but most of the dancers that we’ve met and talked to about it are like, “Finally, we have a real movie about ballet!”
Natalie, how do you feel about all of the Oscar talk for this film and your performance?
PORTMAN: The best thing you can hope for, when you make a movie and you put your soul into it like all of us did, is that people respond to it well. The fact that audiences have come away moved, excited, entertained and stimulated by this film is extraordinarily flattering. It’s a great honor.
http://www.collider.com/2010/11/28/natalie-portman-darren-aronofsky-interview-black-swan/