***Jamie Campbell Bower, Ed Speleers and Leebo Freeman Up for Role of Jace in THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS ***Rachel McAdams Talks MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, SHERLOCK HOLMES 2, and Working for Terrence Malick ***Seth MacFarlane Rebooting THE FLINTSTONES ***First Clip from J.J. Abrams’ SUPER 8 ***New SUPER 8 Clip

Jamie Campbell Bower, Ed Speleers and Leebo Freeman Up for Role of Jace in THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS
by Adam Chitwood Posted: May 16th, 2011 at 6:59 pm


Now that the cast of The Hunger Games is just about set, it’s time to move on to the next teen fantasy/adventure book series film adaptation: The Mortal Instruments. Lily Collins (Priest) is locked as the lead in the Scott Stewart-directed flick. The Wrap reports that Jamie Campbell Bower, Ed Speleers and Leebo Freeman all tested opposite Collins on the Sony lot last week.


Bower is somewhat of a veteran of teen books-turned-films, having appeared in both Twilight (as Caius) and Harry Potter (as Gellert Grindelwald). Speleers is best known for 2006’s Eragon and Freeman is a newcomer. The book series centers on 15-year-old Clary Fray who witnesses a murder only to discover that she has encountered the “Shadowhunters”, a secret tribe of warriors who are on a mission to destroy demons. Hit the jump for a synopsis of the first novel in The Mortal Instruments series.
http://collider.com/jamie-campbell-bower-ed-speleers-leebo-freeman-the-mortal-instruments/91232/




Rachel McAdams Talks MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, SHERLOCK HOLMES 2, and Working for Terrence Malick
by Christina Radish Posted: May 16th, 2011 at 5:58 pm

It is quite clear that Woody Allen loves Paris, and even though her character in his latest film, Midnight in Paris, is quite the contrary, actress Rachel McAdams admits to loving Paris too. In this romantic comedy set in the City of Lights, Gil (Owen Wilson) is a successful Hollywood screenwriter who is following his dream of becoming a novelist, much like his idols Hemingway and Fitzgerald. When he and his fiancée Inez (Rachel McAdams) tag along on a trip to Paris with her father, his literary ambitions seems to annoy everyone and makes them question his focus. When Inez realizes that this is more than just a slight preoccupation for Gil, she begins to question whether or not they still have the same aspirations.


At the film’s press day, Rachel McAdams talked about working with Woody Allen and the type of director he is on set, how much she enjoyed working in and around Paris, working with the First Lady of France (Carla Bruni), and how the best acting advice she’s ever received is just to be as honest and present as you can be. She also talked about reprising her role as Irene Adler for a cameo in Sherlock Holmes 2, and working with director Terrence Malick on a still untitled film. Check out what she had to say after the jump:
http://collider.com/rachel-mcadams-interview-midnight-in-paris/90928/




Seth MacFarlane Rebooting THE FLINTSTONES
by Ethan Anderton Posted: May 16th, 2011 at 1:03 pm


Sure, he’s had cut away jokes in Family Guy referencing everyone’s favorite Stone Age family, but now Seth MacFarlane is giving his full attention to The Flintstones. Deadline reports the animation master is set to reboot the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon series as both a TV and film property. Apparently the project has been in the works for sometime now, but there was a lot of red tape to work through, not to mention the fact that the rightholders to the prehistoric cartoon were worried as to how MacFarlane’s bold and sometimes raunchy and controversial brand of humor would be applied to the series reboot. It’s still unclear just how this new cartoon series is going to work, and no broadcast date is set, but the project will be set up at Fox. Honestly, this seems like a risky move, but I’m wholly interested in seeing what a guy like MacFarlane can do with such an iconic property.


[Update: We've been sent the press release with full details on the project, as well as quotes from MacFarlane. Hit the jump for more]
http://collider.com/seth-macfarlane-flinstones-reboot/91167/






First Clip from J.J. Abrams’ SUPER 8
by Matt Goldberg Posted: May 16th, 2011 at 2:24 pm


The first clip from J.J. Abrams’ Super 8 has gone online. Footage-wise, there’s not much here that you haven’t seen in the trailer. What’s interesting about the clip is the pacing and the camera angles. The clip is paced so quickly that it almost feels abbreviated and of course, there’s plenty of lens flare for no particular reason.


Hit the jump to check out the brief clip. The film stars Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard, Noah Emmerich, Gabriel Basso, Joel Courtney, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, and Amanda Michalka. Super 8 opens June 10th.
http://collider.com/super-8-clip/91176/




New SUPER 8 Clip
by Brendan Bettinger Posted: May 16th, 2011 at 9:24 pm


Paramount released the first clip from Super 8 earlier today, and followed up tonight with clip number two. The second clip opens right where the last clip ended, so together you have a full action-packed minute of Super 8, folks. (Actually, based on some choppy editing, I’m guessing they crammed at least couple minutes screentime devoted to kids goofing around with a camera then train crashery into said minute.)


Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard, Noah Emmerich, Gabriel Basso, Joel Courtney, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, and Amanda Michalka star. Written and directed by J.J. Abrams in collaboration with producer Steven Spielberg, Super 8 opens June 10. Watch both clips after the jump.
http://collider.com/super-8-movie-clip/91276/

***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/