***New Posters for PUSS IN BOOTS and CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE ***Full Cast for Woody Allen’s Next Film THE BOP DECAMERON Announced, Includes Jesse Eisenberg, Alec Baldwin and Ellen Page ***Darren Aronofsky Talks NOAH, Calls it His “Big Event Film” ***Exclusive New Image from KILLER ELITE Starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro ***Evangeline Lilly and Barry Humphries Join THE HOBBIT

New Posters for PUSS IN BOOTS and CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE

by Adam Chitwood   Posted: June 20th, 2011

New posters for Puss in Boots and Crazy, Stupid, Love have been released today. A spinoff of the Shrek franchise, Puss in Boots features the voices of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, and Zach Galifianakis. Guillermo del Toro serves as a consultant on the film, and when Steve saw some footage earlier this year he was very impressed. The poster for Puss in Boots features a cat walking away from an explosion, so it’s automatically better than any other poster ever. The film opens in 3D on November 4^th.
A poster for the dramedy Crazy, Stupid, Love has also been released. Steve Carell stars as a man still reeling from his divorce when he begins taking advice from a ladies man played by Ryan Gosling. In addition to Carell and Gosling, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, Marisa Tomei, and Kevin Bacon also star. Crazy, Stupid, Love hits theaters July 29^th. Hit the jump to check out the posters:  http://collider.com/puss-in-boots-movie-poster-crazy-stupid-love/97574/

Full Cast for Woody Allen’s Next Film THE BOP DECAMERON Announced, Includes Jesse Eisenberg, Alec Baldwin and Ellen Page

by Adam Chitwood   Posted: June 20th, 2011

Midnight in Paris is the best film Woody Allen has made in years. Whimsical, delightful and enchanting, it’s also one of the best times you’ll have at the movies all year. It’s this charm that I’m hoping Allen maintains for his next film The Bop Decameron, for which the full cast was just announced. Allen himself described this next effort as a “broad comedy,” and it’s set to shoot in Rome next month.
The cast for The Bop Decameron includes Allen himself, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Penélope Cruz, Judy Davis, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig and Ellen Page, with Alison Pill, Alessandra Mastronardi and more set to co-star. Hit the jump to read the full press release, which includes the full cast listing. http://collider.com/woody-allen-the-bop-decameron-cast/97570/

Darren Aronofsky Talks NOAH, Calls it His “Big Event Film”

by Adam Chitwood   Posted: June 20th, 2011

Coming off the major success of Black Swan, director Darren Aronofsky is looking to go a little bigger. While he left The Wolverine for personal reasons, he’s now trying to get his long-in-the-works passion project Noah financed, with Christian Bale reportedly being eyed for the lead. Based on the biblical tale, John Logan is currently re-writing the script while the project is being shopped around Hollywood. Recently, the director talked a bit about his idea for the project, calling it “a big event film.” Hit the jump to see what else he had to say regarding Noah. http://collider.com/darren-aronofsky-noah/97560/

Exclusive New Image from KILLER ELITE Starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro

by Adam Chitwood   Posted: June 20th, 2011

Open Road Films has provided us with an exclusive image from their upcoming release Killer Elite.  Based on a true story, the film centers on an ex-special ops agent (Jason Statham) who is tasked with rescuing his mentor (Robert De Niro).  Directed by Gary McKendry, the film stars Statham, De Niro, Clive Owen and Yvonne Strahovski.  Hit the jump to check out the image, featuring Statham and Owen going toe-to-toe. Killer Elite hits theaters on September 23^rd. http://collider.com/killer-elite-image-jason-statham-clive-owen/97403/

Evangeline Lilly and Barry Humphries Join THE HOBBIT

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 20th, 2011

Peter Jackson has added two more to the cast of The Hobbit. Evangeline Lilly (Lost) and Australian actor Barry Humphries have joined the cast of the two-part adaptation, currently filming in New Zealand. Lilly will be playing a new character—The Woodland Elf, Tauriel. Beyond the name, Jackson is remiss to reveal any other information about the role. Humphries, a talented voice actor and comedian, will be playing the Goblin King using motion-capture, akin to Andy Serkis’ performance of Gollum.
Hit the jump to read Jackson’s fully statement on the casting news. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released on December 14^th, 2012, with The Hobbit: There and Back Again hitting theaters on December 13^th, 2013. http://collider.com/evangeline-lilly-barry-humphries-the-hobbit/97486/

***Michelle Williams to Play Glinda in Sam Raimi’s OZ, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL ***Woody Allen Discusses His Next Film, Return to Acting ***Warner Bros. to Reunite Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg in TURKEY BOWL ***TV Trailer for CHARLIE’S ANGELS Reboot

Woody Allen Discusses His Next Film, Return to Acting
by Bill Graham Posted: May 17th, 2011 at 3:27 pm


Woody Allen may never stop making films. Long after he is dead, I am sure we will still be treated to summer releases of his newest film that was shot, edited, and stored in a vault somewhere. Having just arrived from the opening of Midnight in Paris at the Cannes Film Festival, he decided to round up some New York press and talk about his next untitled film project. Yes, he is promoting his next film before his current one has even released theatrically. Even the casting for the film seems nearly done, with Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Penelope Cruz, and Alec Baldwin all set to star alongside the recently announced Roberto Benigni and Allen himself. Hit the jump for more on the untitled film’s subject matter, which Allen has described as, “an out-and-out comedy,” and what role he will play.
http://collider.com/woody-allen-discusses-next-film/91411/




Michelle Williams to Play Glinda in Sam Raimi’s OZ, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL
by Matt Goldberg Posted: May 17th, 2011 at 3:23 pm


The triumvirate of witches in Sam Raimi’s Oz, The Great and Powerful is complete. The film stars James Franco as the future-wizard of Oz, Mila Kunis as Theodora (Wicked Witch of the West), Rachel Weisz as Evanora (Wicked Witch of the East), and now Variety reports that Michelle Williams has been cast as Glinda, the Good Witch. So it looks like Disney won their battle with Raimi who wanted Hilary Swank for the role, but Disney wanted Williams.
In this re-imagining/prequel to The Wizard of Oz, Franco is a snake-oil salesman who is transported to Oz and teams up with Glinda to fight her evil sisters in a power struggle for control of the magical land. While Raimi obviously knows the script better than I do, I think Williams is talented actress who adds value to any film. She tends to gravitate to serious indie fare so this is a nice change of pace for what is sure to be one of Disney’s 2012 tentpoles. Williams will next be seen as Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn and opposite Seth Rogen in Sarah Polley’s bittersweet comedy Take This Waltz.
http://collider.com/oz-the-great-and-powerful-michelle-williams/91412/
 




Warner Bros. to Reunite Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg in TURKEY BOWL
by Jason Barr Posted: May 17th, 2011 at 3:04 pm


Fans of The Other Guys‘ Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg team-up will be happy to hear that the two have definite plans of joining forces once again. Deadline reports that Warner Bros. has acquired a pitch, entitled Turkey Bowl, from 30 Rock writer/producer Robert Carlock and Friends writer/producer Scott Silveri that will reunite the former co-stars. Turkey Bowl will pit Ferrell and Wahlberg as guys from rival towns who engage in an annual football game with the stakes being the ultimate high: you guessed it, bragging rights. Per the report, Warner Bros. is looking to load the rival teams with cameo appearances a la Anchorman’s broadcaster throwdown.


Adam McKay and Ferrell’s Gary Sanchez banner will produce Turkey Bowl alongside Wahlberg’s Closest to the Hole label. Currently, there is no word on when the project is scheduled to go into production and/or who might occupy the director’s chair. Ferrell can currently be seen in the indie/dramady Everything Must Go. Wahlberg can next be seen alongside Kate Beckinsale and Ben Foster in the thriller Contraband before lensing Seth MacFarlane’s comedy Ted.
http://collider.com/will-ferrell-mark-wahlberg-turkey-bowl/91405/








TV Trailer for CHARLIE’S ANGELS Reboot
by Jason Barr Posted: May 17th, 2011 at 1:26 pm


ABC has released a television trailer for its upcoming Charlie’s Angels reboot. If you’re at all interested in the series, I would recommend hitting the jump to check it out as the 1:30 cut does a nice job of quickly introducing each of the “Angels.” In case you missed it, you can click here to check out a clip from the series that we posted earlier today. Charlie’s Angels stars Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor, and Annie Ilonzeh. The series will premiere this Fall on Thursdays at 8/7 CST.
http://collider.com/charlies-angels-trailer/91382/

**Impressive Promo Art for Steven Soderbergh’s HAYWIRE Starring Gina Carano **Woody Allen to Co-Star in His Next Film alongside Roberto Benigni **4 Clips and 10 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes Footage from PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES **Neil LaBute and Aaron Eckhart to Reunite for THE GEOGRAPHY OF HOPE; Ed Harris to Co-Star **Catherine Hardwicke to Direct Adaptation of THE BITCH POSSE

Impressive Promo Art for Steven Soderbergh’s HAYWIRE Starring Gina Carano

by Matt Goldberg   Posted: May 6th, 2011

Director Steven Soderbergh is setting up audiences for a one-two punch this year with the action film Haywire and the epidemic drama Contagion.  While Contagion will likely receive more attention due to its A-list cast (Damon, Paltrow, Winslet, Cotillard, and Law), Haywire is no slouch either.  The film stars Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, and in the lead role, MMA fighter Gina Carano as a spy who is double-crossed on a mission and comes home to protect her family and get revenge.
The aptly name Gina Carano fan site, “Gina Carano Fan Site” has come across some promo art for the film done by artist Neil Kellerhouse and it’s the kind of eye-catching work you will never see on a real poster because it doesn’t use floating heads or the standard blue-orange template.  No official materials have been released, but I highly encourage the studio behind the film to use the poster where Carano is running across the title.  Hit the jump to check out the promo art.  Haywire currently doesn’t have a release date, but it’s looking to hit theaters in August.
.......... http://collider.com/haywire-poster-image-promo/89335/

Woody Allen to Co-Star in His Next Film alongside Roberto Benigni

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 6th, 2011

Woody Allen has cast two more actors in his next untitled film.  One actor is a familiar face in Woody Allen’s films: Woody Allen.  Allen hasn’t co-starred in one of his movies since 2006’s Scoop, but he sounds pretty pleased with the decision to join the picture, which he tells USA Today is “comic picture, an out-and-out comedy.”  Also, if you thought you were done with Roberto Benigni, you were wrong because Allen says the Oscar-winning actor is also in the film.  After coming to the attention of mainstream American audiences in Life is Beautiful, Benigni thought it would be a good idea to adapt Pinocchio and then play Pinocchio and that no one would be creeped out by the prospect of a middle-aged man playing a young boy.
Allen and Benigni join previously-announced cast members Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Penelope Cruz, and Alec Baldwin.  Allen says he’s still casting for the film, which shoots in Rome this summer.  His new film, Midnight in Paris, will open the Cannes Film Festival and hit theaters in the US on May 20th.

.... http://collider.com/woody-allen-roberto-benigni-rome-comedy/89363/

4 Clips and 10 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes Footage from PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: May 6th, 2011

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth film in the swashbuckling franchise, hits theater May 20 and darn it if I haven’t missed Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in his five-year absence.  Disney has provided us four clips from the movie, not to mention 10 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage, to mark his return.  The last clip in particular is a great showcase for that guttural yell of Depp’s, a personal favorite.  The clips also highlight Penelope Cruz and Ian McShane’s introduction to the franchise — McShane is awarded an especially badass entry scene as Blackbeard.  Geoffrey Rush, Sam Claflin, and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey also star in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, directed by Rob Marshall (Nine).  Watch everything after the jump.
........ http://collider.com/pirates-caribbean-on-stranger-tides-movie-clips/89286/

Neil LaBute and Aaron Eckhart to Reunite for THE GEOGRAPHY OF HOPE; Ed Harris to Co-Star

by Adam Chitwood   Posted: May 6th, 2011

Aaron Eckhart is set to reunite with writer/director Neil LaBute for his next film The Geography of Hope. The 1970s-set indie centers on two crooks who flee to Baja, Mexico after a bank robbery gone bad. Once there, they encounter a number of American women and are torn between swindling or romancing them. 24 Frames reports that Ed Harris is set to co-star in the film alongside Eckhart as the other crook.
Eckhart and LaBute have collaborated four times before, most recently with 2002’s Posession. LaBute wrote the script for Hope years ago, but put it on the backburner when his theater career took off. The plan is to shoot The Geography of Hope sometime this year in Puerto Rico.
......... http://collider.com/neil-labute-aaron-eckhart-the-geography-of-hope/89404/

Catherine Hardwicke to Direct Adaptation of THE BITCH POSSE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 6th, 2011

Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke will again tackle teen angst with an adaptation of Martha O’Connor’s The Bitch Posse. Deadline reports that Hardwicke will direct from a script by Tristine Skyler (Getting to Know You). The film covers familiar territory for the director as it focuses on a group of three high school friends. A terrible incident occurs that changes their dynamic forever, and the book switches back and forth between the girls’ high school years and present day, which finds one of them in a mental institution, another in a loveless marriage, and the third a promiscuous failed writer.
Miranda Bailey and Matthew Leutwyler are producing the flick through their Ambush Entertainment banner. Hardwicke most recently helmed Red Riding Hood, which was released last month to middling reviews. Hit the jump for a synopsis of O’Connor’s novel.
............ http://collider.com/catherine-hardwicke-the-bitch-posse/89410/

**Images from Woody Allen’s MIDNIGHT IN PARIS **Set Photos From John Hillcoat’s THE WETTEST COUNTY IN THE WORLD **Cameron Crowe Talks Music Documentaries THE UNION and PEARL JAM TWENTY **Orlando Bloom and Juliette Lewis Interview SYMPATHY FOR DELICIOUS

Cameron Crowe Talks Music Documentaries THE UNION and PEARL JAM TWENTY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 25th, 2011

After having not released a new film in six years, Cameron Crowe is having a very busy year. If all goes according to plan, the writer/director will release not one, but three new movies this year. He’s been working simultaneously on his adaptation of We Bought a Zoo starring Matt Damon (filming just wrapped), the Elton John/Leon Russell documentary The Union (which just premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival), and the Pearl Jam documentary Pearl Jam Twenty (set for release this fall).

The director recently discussed working on the three projects and the differences and similarities between his two music documentaries. Hit the jump to see what he had to say.

.............. http://collider.com/cameron-crowe-the-union-pearl-jam-twenty/87418/

Set Photos From John Hillcoat’s THE WETTEST COUNTY IN THE WORLD

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 25th, 2011

A few set photos from director John Hillcoat’s The Wettest County in the World have hit the web. While the quality isn’t great, we do get a look at stars Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy and Jason Clarke in their 1920’s get-up. We previously saw LaBeouf in the first set photo from the film last month.

The Wettest County boasts a brilliant cast that includes LaBeouf, Hardy, Clarke, Mia Wasikowska, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, Dane DeHaan, and Jessica Chastain. Based on the book by Matt Bondourant, the story centers on two brothers (played LaBeouf and Hardy) who become bootleggers in the American south during Prohibition. Hit the jump to check out the set photos as well as a synopsis of the novel. .

.....................  http://collider.com/the-wettest-county-in-the-world-set-photos/87427/

Images from Woody Allen’s MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

by Adam Chitwood   Posted: April 25th, 2011

A number of images from Woody Allen’s latest film Midnight in Paris have been released. The romantic comedy centers on a man (Owen Wilson) who is in Paris with his wife (Rachel McAdams) but begins going off on his own a midnight to explore the nightlife the city has to offer. The trailer for the film was released last month, and actually shows a bit of promise given that Allen hasn’t really made a worthwhile film in quite some time.

The cast includes Wilson, McAdams, Michael Sheen, Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni, Marion Cotillard, and Adrien Brody. Hit the jump to check out the images. Midnight in Paris opens May 20th and will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

.................. read more; http://collider.com/midnight-in-paris-movie-images/87437/

Orlando Bloom and Juliette Lewis Interview SYMPATHY FOR DELICIOUS

by Christina Radish  Posted: Apri 25th, 2011

In the unusual drama Sympathy for Delicious, actors Orlando Bloom and Juliette Lewis play charismatic frontman The Stain and bassist Ariel, part of a band on the verge of superstardom, whose manager Nina (Laura Linney) is trying to lead them down the path to fame and fortune. When they hold auditions for a DJ to add to their band, they meet Dean O’Dwyer (Christopher Thornton), aka Delicious D, who they discover possesses the otherworldly power to heal people and they decide to incorporate his gift into their live show, with disastrous consequences.

At the film’s press day, co-stars Orlando Bloom and Juliette Lewis talked about the appeal of doing such out-there roles, how they related to and identified with their rock star counterparts, working with Mark Ruffalo on his feature directorial debut, and being a part of such a passion project for screenwriter/star Christopher Thornton. Orlando also talked about his excitement to work with Peter Jackson again, reprising the character of Legolas for The Hobbit, and Juliette talked about her desire to get back out on the road again with her own band, The Licks. Check out what they had to say after the jump: ............... read more; http://collider.com/orlando-bloom-juliette-lewis-interview-sympathy-for-delicious/85512/

**Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, and Alec Baldwin Join Penelope Cruz in Untitled Woody Allen Film **Hugh Laurie to Star in Andrew Adamson’s MR. PIP **Diane Lane Reveals MAN OF STEEL Will Yet Again Show Superman’s Origin **Sally Field Set to Play Mary Todd Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s LINCOLN

Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, and Alec Baldwin Join Penelope Cruz in Untitled Woody Allen Film
by Matt Goldberg Posted: April 13th, 2011
Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, and Alec Baldwin are joining Penelope Cruz in Woody Allen’s next feature film. Variety reports that the film is scheduled to shoot in Rome this summer. As usual, the plot and title are unknown at this point, but I’m willing to bet that if it’s a drama then the story will revolve around morals and murder, and if it’s a comedy there will be a neurotic Allen-surrogate. The casting of Eisenberg makes me think it’s the latter.


The untitled film will be the first collaboration with Allen for Eisenberg and Page, but it will be a reunion for Cruz and Baldwin. Cruz previously starred and won an Oscar for her work in 2008’s Vicky Christina Barcelona while Baldwin co-starred in Allen’s 1990 comedy Alice. Allen’s new film, Midnight in Paris, opens May 20th.
........... http://collider.com/woody-allen-jesse-eisenberg-ellen-page/85866/




Hugh Laurie to Star in Andrew Adamson’s MR. PIP
by Matt Goldberg Posted: April 13th, 2011
Hugh Laurie is set to star in an adaptation of Lloyd Jones novel’ Mr. Pip for writer-director Andrew Adamson (Shrek 2). According to Risky Business, “Mr. Pip tells the story of the last white man left on the war-torn island of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, who reopens a school and reads his favorite novel, Great Expectations, to the students, inspiring a gifted 14-year-old named Matilda.” For who can inspire a classroom full of fertile young minds better than The Last White Man (my rejected title for the film)?


Laurie is continuing to star on Fox’s House, and will co-star in the indie drama The Oranges with Leighton Meester and Catherine Keener. He’s also providing voice work for the upcoming animated film Arthur Christmas. Hit the jump for a statement from Laurie on joining Mr. Pip and a synopsis of the novel.
...... http://collider.com/hugh-laurie-mr-pip-andrew-adamson/85860/








Diane Lane Reveals MAN OF STEEL Will Yet Again Show Superman’s Origin
by Matt Goldberg Posted: April 13th, 2011
It looks like we’re in for yet another telling of Superman’s backstory. Diane Lane, who plays Martha Kent, tells E! Online that the script for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is being kept under lock and key and she was given only three hours to read it. Lane says she can’t talk much about it (obviously), but does say Man of Steel “does cover the entire range of years, from infancy on.” I wish we would just get a quick montage of Superman’s youth, but with casting name-actors like Lane and Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, it looks like we’re in for at least 40 minutes of stuff we already know.


Hit the jump for my thoughts on why it’s time to ditch the origin story for Superman. Man of Steel stars Henry Cavill, Michael Shannon, and Amy Adams. The film is set to open in December 2012. For all of our Superman coverage, click here.
.................... http://collider.com/superman-man-of-steel-origin-diane-lane/85855/






Sally Field Set to Play Mary Todd Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s LINCOLN
by Adam Chitwood Posted: April 13th, 2011
Sally Field is officially set to portray Mary Todd Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming biopic Lincoln. After years of development, it looks like Spielberg is finally moving forward with the film. Daniel Day-Lewis is set to play Lincoln himself (long-attached Liam Neeson dropped out of the picture last summer). Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright/screenwriter Tony Kushner (Munich) wrote the screenplay based on the book Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Spielberg had this to say regarding Field’s casting:


“I’m excited to be working with Sally for the first time. I’ve admired her films and she has always been my first choice to portray all the fragility and complexity that was Mary Todd Lincoln.”


Field had been mentioned with regards to the role for quite a while, but she’s now officially signed on. The actress recently nabbed the role of Aunt May in The Amazing Spider-Man. Lincoln will focus on “the political collision of Lincoln and the powerful men of his cabinet on the road to abolition and the end of the Civil War.” Filming is set to begin this fall, with an eye towards a fourth-quarter 2012 release. This one just jumped to the top of my “most anticipated” list for 2012. Hit the jump to read the full press release.
.... http://collider.com/sally-field-lincoln/85875/

**Alec Baldwin to Star in Woody Allen’s Next Film **CRAZY HEART Director Scott Cooper to Helm THE LOW DWELLER [UPDATED] **Alyson Hannigan Confirmed for AMERICAN REUNION **Cameron Diaz Interview BAD TEACHER

CRAZY HEART Director Scott Cooper to Helm THE LOW DWELLER [UPDATED]
by Adam Chitwood Posted: April 11th, 2011
Scott Cooper, whose feature film debut was 2009’s Crazy Heart, has been tapped to rewrite and direct the film The Low Dweller for Relativity Media. The script was written on spec in 2008 by Brad Ingelsby and sparked an intense battle for the rights to the film. In the initial deal, Leonardo DiCaprio was attached to produce and star in the film, with Ridley Scott directing. Deadline reports that DiCaprio and Scott will now simply be producing the film.


The Low Dweller is described as a dark drama set in 1986. The story focuses on Slim, “a man released after serving years in prison for murder who wants only to follow through on his promise to marry his long-suffering girlfriend. But when he discovers his brother has been murdered after getting involved in a gambling racket, his goals change and he avenges the murder.” Hit the jump for an update on the other projects that Cooper is currently attached to.


[Update: We've been sent the press release for the film and apparently, though based on the script The Low Dweller, the title of the film is Out of the Furnace. The full press release is included after the jump]
http://collider.com/scott-cooper-the-low-dweller/85359/








Alec Baldwin to Star in Woody Allen’s Next Film
by Jason Barr Posted: April 11th, 2011
Alec Baldwin is attached to star in Woody Allen’s next film, an untitled comedy that will shoot in Rome. Deadline breaks the news of Baldwin’s involvement while also proposing that The Social Network star Jesse Eisenberg could soon be a part of the film’s casting fold as well. In addition to this most recent project, Baldwin is set to star alongside Tom Cruise, Paul Giamatti, Julianne Hough, and Russell Brand in New Line’s Rock of Ages. He is also attached to the indie pic Lucky Them alongside Marisa Tomei and Thomas Haden Church. As for Allen, the writer/director will release his film Midnight in Paris starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen, Adrien Brody, and Marion Cotillard, stateside on May 20th.
..... http://collider.com/alec-baldwin-woody-allen/85401/
 




Alyson Hannigan Confirmed for AMERICAN REUNION
by Adam Chitwood Posted: April 11th, 2011
It looks like the upcoming American Pie sequel American Reunion may be a proper reunion after all. After some concern over whether or not the actress would sign on, Alyson Hannigan is set to reprise her role in the film alongside fellow original cast members Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott and Eugene Levy. Negotiations are also underway for Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tara Reid, Chris Klein, Mena Suvari, and Jennifer Coolidge to return as well. Deadline reports that Hannigan’s neogtiations took a while because she has a bit of leverage given that the plot of Reunion revolves around her marriage and child with Biggs’ character.


The franchise has been lingering in direct-to-DVD spinoffs ever since 2003’s American Wedding, but it appears the original cast is now up for one more go-around. Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle) are on board to write and direct the fourth installment of the franchise. Filming is set to begin next month. If you don’t mind potential spoilers, read our previous article with a breakdown of the possible plot for American Reunion.
...... http://collider.com/alyson-hannigan-american-reunion/85442/




Cameron Diaz Interview BAD TEACHER
by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub Posted: April 11th, 2011
At this year’s CinemaCon in Las Vegas, I got to participate in a small roundtable interview with Cameron Diaz for her new comedy Bad Teacher. Written by The Office writers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and helmed by the talented Jake Kasdan (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story), Bad Teacher centers on a “foul-mouthed, gold-digging seventh-grade teacher who, after being dumped by her boyfriend, sets her sights on a colleague (Lucy Punch) who is dating a substitute teacher (Justin Timberlake), who also is the scion of a watch fortune.” Bad Teacher also stars Jason Segel, Phyllis Smith (The Office), John Michael Higgins and Molly Shannon. As you might imagine with this talented group of actors, the films been on my radar for awhile now, and after watching both the green and red band trailers, I really can’t wait to check it out this June.


During the interview, Diaz talked about how Bad Teacher compares to There’s Something About Mary, working with Timberlake, Segel and Phyllis Smith, how the project came together and how the studio was very hands off, and a lot more. Hit the jump to either read or listen to the interview.
Click here for the audio, otherwise the full transcript is below. Bad Teacher gets released June 24.
Question: In earlier films, you had great success with you reacting to other people’s over-the-top, naughty, X-rated antics. In ‘Bad Teacher,’ you get to be doing the X-rated material and the poor behavior. Is that a weird reverse blow for feminism, that now you can behave badly and have that be the centerpiece of the film?


Cameron Diaz: I think for me, I’m not a feminist. Everything has evolved over a period of time. I think this character is meant to represent good and bad of what is possible in a human being, and I think that’s something that I appreciated the fact that there’s certain things she doesn’t apologize for and there’s certain things she admits that she needs to do better on. All of it being nothing. Then as an audience member, not appreciating that it isn’t so over-the-top done in a Hollywood way where you’re like, “Ah, please. Why did you have to take her that far?” She has a human level of incremental growth that we all have.


It seems anything goes: there’s swearing, there’s all kinds of stuff going on. Is there a limit to the raunchy stuff that’s happening? Exactly how far are we going with this dirty humor?


Diaz: There’s some bits. The word raunchy, to me, is all relative, of course. Everybody has their own level of behavior that we consider raunchy.


Is there a There’s Something About Mary scale that we can compare it to?


Diaz: I think that there’s a couple moments that people are like, “Wow. Didn’t expect that.” But it’s fun. It’s obviously all in good humor.


What do you think of Justin Timberlake now maturing as an actor?


Diaz: I think he’s doing a great job. He’s so talented, obviously. He’s proven himself as a comedian over the years, starting with Saturday Night Live. We got our wish list on this movie cast-wise. We wanted to have the best people possible for the parts, and we got Jason Segel, we got Justin Timberlake, we got Phyllis Smith. Being able to have these amazing comedians and all of the other wonderful actors and comedians who colorfully occupy these characters around us is really, really fun. I feel we scored on our cast members for this movie.


What’s Jake been like to work with on this movie? What does he bring to the table?


Diaz: He’s fearless. He loves to push it and have fun and he goes straight to the edge first and then maybe backs off a little bit. He’s a lot of fun. He has a great laugh and you hear it during the take, which is encouraging.


Projects change and shift as people get involved in the project. When you first got involved, how did the project shift to encompass your tone or the way you wanted the way to play the character?


Diaz: It’s the exact script I got the day I read it the first time to when we shot it. It didn’t change at all. Maybe 4 words got changed in the whole script. It was a great script. We all went, “There it is.” It’s rare you get a script that you go, “Let’s not touch this” or where you go, “Man, we better fix this.” There wasn’t anything in that script. It breathed very easily into its own identity.


Sometimes producers or people in power like to justify why they’re there and offer notes. You didn’t have to deal with any stuff like that?


Diaz: No. Lee and Gene did an amazing job at creating these characters, and there was really nothing — they would come to set and throw out some alternative lines, and that was it. That was all. They’d be, “Ah, say this!” during the middle of the take, and we’d start laughing and go, “Okay, I’ll try to get it out without laughing.” That was about it. It was really such a pleasure to do it. We did this movie very quickly. We were hauling ass; we went non-stop. There was not a moment of downtime. I knew that going in, that there’s not very many takes, we all had to come hit the ground running every day, we packed a lot in every day. It was a small film. We made it work because one, that’s the luxury of having a great script. Oftentimes on bigger budget films where scripts are not working, they have the money to go, “We’ll fix it as we go.” You spend a lot of time on set trying to figure it out and unravel the mystery of the characters and the plot, as you’re filming. We’re really lucky. We went, “Let’s just take this as is and shoot it.”


Which is more exhausting: shooting the modern action film or shooting a comedy like this where you spend the entire day representing the human id run rampant?


Diaz: I’ll tell you what’s really exhausting: shooting the action movie for 6 months and then going directly into shooting the human id running rampant.


For 6 weeks or a much shorter time?


Diaz: Exactly. I went 6 months of the action movie, had about 4 days off, and went straight into this movie. I was tired. I was like, “God, I should have taken a nap.”


After spending a whole day being a horrible human being, do you want to shake it off?


Diaz: You roll into it the next day. The great thing about Elizabeth is she says the truth, she says it how she sees it. There’s great wisdom in what she says, in fact. It’s how she delivers it, which I’m sure would be more effective or more appreciated if she delivered it in a less cutting way, but that’s not who she is. The fun thing is that she ends up understanding herself better knowing her truth and realizing what she has to offer. I appreciate that she chooses not to change how she delivers it.


What’s Phyllis Smith been bringing? She’s hilarious on The Office and I know a lot of them write down material. Is she so on all the time?


Diaz: She’s a genius. Honestly, she is the funniest. I’ve never seen something so effortless, someone deliver a created character with such effortlessness. There’s a lot of times I would call her Lynn, and I’d be like, “Ah, Phyllis” because she was so Lynn. When she’s not on-camera, she’s Phyllis. I loved working with her. There was so many times when I could not hold myself back from laughing. I felt really bad sometimes, because there’s such brilliance in her performance and I’m laughing, “Oh my god, Phyllis.” She’s so funny.


I feel like I remember she never did anything before The Office. So this is her second thing before The Office.


Diaz: Yeah, I think so. She’s amazing.


What about working with America’s favorite Sasquatch Jason Segel?


Diaz: Amazing. You mean the uber-charming, incredibly seductive, 6-foot-5 man meat they call The Segel? Amazing. He’s wonderful. He doesn’t miss. Everything is dead-on. He hits it every time. He’s hilarious and so much fun to work with. He keeps it all light and fuzzy and friendly and wonderful.


When you’re playing a character like this that’s letting everything loose, what do you get to bring out on screen that you don’t when you’re playing more moral characters or more likeable characters? It seems like there’s a freedom as an actor and showing an audience something you haven’t done before.


Diaz: Playing Elizabeth was very liberating, only because you really don’t care. She doesn’t care, so you can’t really care. In the end of it all, I think that her lack of self-respect comes from she wasn’t given skills, she wasn’t given the skills to recognize what she has to offer and who she is and to value herself. What I do appreciate is that there’s something innately in her that wants other people to understand that about themselves. That’s her gift.


She’s trying to liberate all of us to not care.


Diaz: Exactly, and to empower themselves, because the way that she has empowered herself is probably not the best way, and she learns that. As she’s learning it about herself, she’s able to pass on the wisdom to others.


When you are going to CinemaCon and you’re going to stand in front of 3000 to 5000 theatre owners, how much do you think about what you’re going to say, or is it just improv?


Diaz: I’m going to go with straight from the heart when I get there.


Everyone else has sung Celine Dion so far. Do you have a song set?


Diaz: What?


Everyone else has sung Celine Dion. Jack Black did it–


Diaz: Jack Black is gifted. No, I do not sing, and I would not be able to pull off a Celine Dion song. Even if I did it poorly, people would still be, “What’s going on? What’s she singing?”
http://collider.com/cameron-diaz-interview-bad-teacher/84901/

**Alyson Hannigan Confirmed For American Reunion **Tom Wilkinson Joins Samuel L. Jackson In The Samaritan **Alec Baldwin Attached To Woody Allen's Rome Project, Jesse Eisenberg Rumored **Trailer for PASSION PLAY

Tom Wilkinson Joins Samuel L. Jackson In The Samaritan
published: 2011-04-11 20:54:22 Author: Eric Eisenberg
You will never find anyone who can say with a straight face that they don't like Tom Wilkinson. The man has played in over fifty films spanning the last five decades and has always shown incredibly versatility, going from prestige films like In The Bedroom, to superhero movies like Batman Begins, to comedies like The Full Monty. Simply put, the more Tom Wilkinson the better, so let's all celebrate the fact that he's just been cast in a new project.


Wilkinson has joined Samuel L. Jackson, Luke Kirby and Ruth Negga in The Samaritan, according to Variety. In the film, Jackson plays a criminal who is trying to go straight after spending 20 years in jail, but gets roped in to a grift by his former partner's son. Wilkinson will play a crime boss that gets caught up in the plan. Directed by David Weaver, the film is already in production in Toronto and is scheduled to move down to Rio de Janiero next month. The film is doesn't have a set release date yet, but is expected to hit theaters next year.


While researching this story, the thing that took me by surprise is the fact that Wilkinson and Jackson have actually never been in a film together, which is strange for two actors with such extensive resumes. Let's hope that there's more than one scene that allows the two of them to square off.
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Tom-Wilkinson-Joins-Samuel-L-Jackson-In-The-Samaritan-24150.html
 


Alyson Hannigan Confirmed For American Reunion
published: 2011-04-11 18:20:49 Author: Eric Eisenberg


Of all the American Pie alumni, Alyson Hannigan is easily the most successful - though I suppose it's not that hard when your cohorts include Jason Biggs, Tara Reid, Chris Klein, Shannon Elizabeth, Thomas Ian Nicholas, etc. Part of the incredibly successful sitcom How I Met Your Mother and still swimming in geek praise after all of her years on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she is the one member of the cast who would probably benefit least from a fourth American Pie movie, but one can't deny the power of nostalgia.


Deadline reports that Hannigan has officially signed on American Reunion, which will bring the cast back together for the first time since 2003's American Wedding. But while Hannigan may have missed playing the part of band geek Michelle, apparently she's quite familiar with the rules of supply and demand and, as the site puts it, "leverage[d] for a nice piece of the pie." The report says that the story revolves around her character's marriage and family with Biggs' character, Jim. The film will shoot while How I Met Your Mother is on break.


The more I hear about this sequel, the more I get a really bad Little Fockers vibe. It seems as though the people behind this seem to think that these are characters that we've grown up with, but I'm not sure anyone sees the original three films as more than a collection of sex and toilet jokes. Why do I care if Jim and Michelle have a kid? It was boring enough when they were getting married. At the very least let's hope there's a heavy focus on the other characters.


http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Alyson-Hannigan-Confirmed-For-American-Reunion-24148.html






Alec Baldwin Attached To Woody Allen's Rome Project, Jesse Eisenberg Rumored
published: 2011-04-11 17:51:46 Author: Eric Eisenberg
Last month it was announced that Woody Allen would be setting and filming his next movie in Rome, but said that he was superstitious divulging details about both the story and the actors involved. Then Penelope Cruz blabbed that she is attached, and apparently that was enough to open the floodgates. Deadline reports that Alec Baldwin has officially signed on for the untitled film in a (surprise!) unspecified role. What's more, the site also says that Jesse Eisenberg is in line for a lead role. While the film would be the first time the young Eisenberg works with the famed director, Baldwin starred alongside Mia Farrow in 1990's Alice.


Albeit Eisenberg only reached A-list status in the last year thanks to his performance in David Fincher's The Social Network, I'm amazed that he and Allen have only just found each other. I don't want to sound insensitive in any way, but this may be the perfect opportunity to pass off the neurotic Jew torch.
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Alec-Baldwin-Attached-To-Woody-Allen-s-Rome-Project-Jesse-Eisenberg-Rumored-24147.html






Trailer for PASSION PLAY Starring Mickey Rourke, Megan Fox, and Bill Murray
by Matt Goldberg Posted: April 11th, 2011

A trailer for the upcoming drama Passion Play has gone online.  The film stars Mickey Rourke as a jazz trumpeter who falls in love with winged circus performance (Megan Fox).  The film was widely panned when it played at the Toronto Film Festival last year and while Image entertainment has set the film for a limited theatrical run on May 6th, it will be dumped on to DVD a few weeks later on May 31st.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  Passion Play also stars Bill Murray and Rhys Ifans. http://collider.com/passion-play-trailer/85273/

**Clive Owen and Andrea Riseborough to Star in IRA Thriller **Casting Call: Penelope Cruz in Woody Allen Film, Maggie Grace in TAKEN 2, Thandie Newton in GOOD DEEDS, Jay Baruchel in COSMOPOLIS, Ryan O’Nan in FREELANCERS **Sofia Vergara in Talks to Join THE THREE STOOGES

Clive Owen and Andrea Riseborough to Star in IRA Thriller from MAN ON WIRE Director James Marsh

by Matt Goldberg   Posted: April 6th, 2011

Director James Marsh may have earned an Oscar for his documentary Man on Wire, but he’s no stranger to narrative features.  He previously directed The King starring Gael Garcia Bernal and the crime drama Red Riding 1980.  Vulture now reports that he’s got another fiction film up his sleeve and that Clive Owen is attached to star.  Marsh tells Vulture that his new film “is much more like Red Riding, it’s a genre film, it’s a thriller.”

The untitled project (formerly titled Shadow Dancer) is set in Northern Ireland during the early 1990s and will co-star Andrea Riseborough (Never Let Me Go) as a former IRA terrorist turned informer.  The film also stars Aidan Gillen (The Wire) Gillian Anderson (The X-Files).  Shooting on the low-budget film is set to begin this May in Dublin.

...... http://collider.com/clive-owen-andrea-riseborough-james-marsh-ira-thriller/84653/

Casting Call: Penelope Cruz in Woody Allen Film, Maggie Grace in TAKEN 2, Thandie Newton in GOOD DEEDS, Jay Baruchel in COSMOPOLIS, Ryan O’Nan in FREELANCERS

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 6th, 2011

We’ve got quite a few casting stories for you this afternoon. First up, it looks like Penelope Cruz is set to re-team with director Woody Allen. The actress won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work in Allen’s Vicky Christina Barcelona and now EW reports that she’s set to work with the director again, presumably on his next film that is set in Rome. There are currently no plot details on the flick, which is set to start filming this summer.

Maggie Grace has closed her deal to return in producer Luc Besson’s Taken 2. There was previously some hubbub over whether star Liam Neeson would reprise his role from the first film, but everything was squared away and now Deadline reports that the film is ready to go with director Olivier Megaton (Transporter 3). Hit the jump for the casting news of Thandie Newton starring in Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds, Jay Baruchel joining David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis and Ryan O’Nan nabbing a starring role in Freelancers.

...... http://collider.com/penelope-cruz-woody-allen-maggie-grace-taken-2-thandie-newton-good-deeds-jay-baruchel-cosmopolis-ryan-o-nan-freelancers/84667/

Sofia Vergara in Talks to Join THE THREE STOOGES

by Adam Chitwood   Posted: April 6th, 2011

Hot off the heels of the news that the Farrelly brothers have set Will Sasso and Sean Hayes as Curly and Larry, respectively, in their long-in-the-works The Three Stooges movie comes word that actress Sofia Vergara is eying a role in the film. The Wrap reports that the actress is in talks for the role of “Lydia.”

After numerous casting changes/rumors/auditions, it looks like the Brothers Farrelly are at last nearing production on the film. With Larry and Curly cast, producers now look to Moe. Apparently Hank Azaria is the frontrunner to grab that role. The film will not be a biopic, but rather a feature-length Three Stooges movie divided into “three 27 minutes segments, driven by physical comedy.” 20^th Century Fox hopes to get production started sometime this spring.

...... http://collider.com/sofia-vergara-the-three-stooges/84685/

**Only Christopher Nolan Knows "The Dark Knight Rises" Ending **Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" Trailer **Gary Oldman Says Christopher Nolan May Return for "Batman 4"

Only Christopher Nolan Knows "The Dark Knight Rises" Ending
Posted: March 28th, 2011 by WorstPreviews.com Staff


In an interview with AbsoluteRadio, Gary Oldman talked about the level of secrecy around the script for "The Dark Knight Rises" that Christopher Nolan has set up.


"To get into the production office, you have to have someone meet you and there are keys and various doors that lock," he explained. "The script you read in the production office, and there is no ending because [Nolan] tells you the ending so that it doesn't leak and get out, and people spoil it on the internet."


Oldman also mentioned that his character will have interaction with Bane, played by Tom Hardy. "I have quite a bit to do with Tom in this one," he said.


Source: YouTube




Read more: http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=21129&count=0






Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" Trailer
Posted: March 28th, 2011 by WorstPreviews.com Staff


Today we have the trailer for the upcoming Woody Allen film "Midnight in Paris," starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, and Adrien Brody. Check it out below.


Plot: A romantic comedy about a family traveling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.


"Midnight in Paris" is scheduled to hit theaters on May 20th, in limited release.




Read more: http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=21127&count=0






Gary Oldman Says Christopher Nolan May Return for "Batman 4"
Posted: March 28th, 2011 by WorstPreviews.com Staff


DigitalSpy caught up with Gary Oldman at the Jameson Empire Awards and asked him to confirm that "The Dark Knight Rises" is the last Batman installment that Christopher Nolan will direct.


"Chris is always negotiating," said Oldman. "So when he says that [he won't come back], I don't know."


Nolan is known for playing games. After "Batman Begins," he pretended to be unsure about returning to the franchise for both "The Dark Knight" and "The Dark Knight Rises." He ended up getting his way every time and Warner Bros even funded "Inception" as a way to bring Nolan back for another Batman movie.


This time, however, he actually stated that "The Dark Knight Rises" will be his last. But he has yet to make that clear to the cast, because even Christian Bale isn't sure that Nolan is done with Batman. Otherwise, the actor wouldn't be promising to reprise his role as many times as Nolan needs him.


Source: DigitalSpy




Read more: http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=21118&count=0

**Trailer for Woody Allen’s MIDNIGHT IN PARIS **Kelly Macdonald Replaces Reese Witherspoon in BRAVE Lead Role [UPDATED] **Johnny Depp Sneaks into Martin Scorsese’s HUGO CABRET **New Poster for THE TREE OF LIFE

Concept Art for Pixar’s BRAVE; Kelly Macdonald Replaces Reese Witherspoon in Lead Role [UPDATED]
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 28th, 2011
I’m already looking past Cars 2 and on to Pixar’s next film Brave. That’s partially because Cars 2 looks awful and partially because Brave will feature the studio’s first female protagonist. It was also going to be the studio’s first film with a female director (Brenda Chapman), but there was a bit of controversy last October when Chapman was replaced by Mark Andrews, who previously directed the Pixar short One Man Band.


Behind-the-scenes drama aside, Brave looks like it could be a great film. The film is set in Scotland and centers on a tomboyish princess who accidentally unleashes evil on her kingdom and must save the day. The princess was to be voiced by Reese Witherspoon but scheduling conflicts forced her to drop out. She’ll be replaced by they actually scottish Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire). Hit the jump for more details on the film plus a first look at the concept art. Brave is set to hit theaters in 3D on June 22, 2012. [Updated: Disney has provided some high-resolution images of the concept, which you can check out after the jump]
........read more;
http://collider.com/brave-concept-art-kelly-macdonald/82827/






Trailer for Woody Allen’s MIDNIGHT IN PARIS Starring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 28th, 2011

The trailer for Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris has gone online. The film centers on a man (Owen Wilson) who is in Paris with his wife (Rachel McAdams) but begins going off on his own a midnight to explore the nightlife the city has to offer. It’s tough to be excited for Midnight in Paris since Woody Allen insists on turning out one film per year regardless of whether or not it’s a film worth making. While he has a great cast lined up (Michael Sheen especially looks to be having some fun), a Woody Allen film these days is a crapshoot and at best he feels like he’s repeating himself. Hopefully Midnight in Paris will offer a change of pace, but nothing in the trailer hints that it will.


Hit the jump to check out the trailer. Midnight in Paris also stars Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni, Marion Cotillard, and Adrien Brody. It opens May 20th and will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
......more; http://collider.com/midnight-in-paris-trailer/82862/






Johnny Depp Sneaks into Martin Scorsese’s HUGO CABRET
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 28th, 2011
Martin Scorsese’s 3D family film Hugo Cabret already has an impressive cast. The film stars Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Ben Kingsley, Christopher Lee, Emily Mortimer, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jude Law, Michael Stuhlbarg, Emily Mortimer, Ray Winstone, Frances de la Tour and Richard Griffiths. Now it turns out some guy named Johnny Depp is also in the movie. Le Parisien [via The Playlist] published a still from the movie and it shows Depp as M. Rouleau, “an abstract painter who helps the children on their adventure.”


Hit the jump to check out the image of Depp along with a set photo of the mechanical man that Hugo (Butterfield) and his eccentric friend Isabelle (Moretz) encounter. Hugo Cabret is due out November 23rd.
............ http://collider.com/johnny-depp-hugo-cabret-image/82865/






New Poster for THE TREE OF LIFE Starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn; Opening in the UK on May 4th?
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 28th, 2011

Fox Searchlight has released a new poster for Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life. While this summer is filled with superheroes and other big franchise properties, I’m glad that Searchlight is boldly throwing in a Malick movie that will mostly likely confuse and divide audiences (but judging by the trailer, it will be a very pretty confusion and division). This new poster isn’t an astounding design, but it does provide tiny images of the film’s gorgeous-looking cinematography.


Empire is also reporting that the film will open in the UK on May 4th. That’s slightly confusing since the film is set to make its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, which doesn’t begin until May 11th. We’ll see how that shakes out, but it’s currently set for release in the US on May 27th. Hit the jump to check out the poster.
....... http://collider.com/the-tree-of-life-poster-uk-release-date/82893/

**New Posters for FAST FIVE and MIDNIGHT IN PARIS **Samuel L. Jackson to Star in Neo-Noir Thriller SAMARITAN **Confirmed: Kevin Costner to Play Jonathan Kent in Zack Snyder’s SUPERMAN Reboot **Betty Thomas to Direct DESPERADOS; Described as a “Female HANGOVER” Starring Isla Fisher

New Posters for FAST FIVE and MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 17th, 2011



Universal has just released a new poster for Fast Five that doesn’t emphasize the cars or even the actors. No, this new poster puts the emphasis on a clear blue, tranquil sky, because when I think of the Fast and the Furious franchise, I think tranquility. Also, I’m definitely not a fan of the “Summer begins April 29th” tagline. The summer movie season begins the first Friday in May. If Universal thought the movie could compete in the summer, then they would have kept it at June 10th. They didn’t because April, while not the summer movie season, has been good for the franchise’s box office. You’re a late-spring movie, Fast Five. Deal with it.


There’s also a new poster for Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris. I’m not sure what Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” has to do with the plot (also, Van Gogh was Dutch so again, I’m missing the French connection), but it’s on the poster along with star Owen Wilson. Hit the jump to check out the posters.



............ http://collider.com/fast-five-poster-2/81098/






Samuel L. Jackson to Star in Neo-Noir Thriller SAMARITAN
by Adam Chitwood Posted: March 17th, 2011
Samuel L. Jackson is set to star in the neo-noir thriller Samaritan. Variety reports that Jackson will topline the flick to be directed by David Weaver (Century Hotel). The story centers on Foley (Jackson), a former grifter who, after serving a 20-year prison sentence, sets out to turn his life around. It’s not long, however, before the son of his former partner shows up and complicates things.


Luke Kirby (Shattered Glass) is poised to play Jackson’s former partner’s son, while Ruth Negga (Breakfast on Pluto) will take on the role of an “elusive woman” who crosses paths with Jackson’s character. Weaver co-wrote the script with Elan Mastai (Alone in the Dark). Samaritan is on somewhat of a fast track, with production set to begin next week in Toronto with an eye towards an early 2012 release. Jackson will move straight from Samaritan into Joss Whedon’s The Avengers.
..... http://collider.com/samuel-l-jackson-samaritan/81107/



 



Confirmed: Kevin Costner to Play Jonathan Kent in Zack Snyder’s SUPERMAN Reboot
by Adam Chitwood Posted: March 17th, 2011
A couple weeks ago, it was reported that Kevin Costner was being considered for a key role in Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot. Well now Warner Bros. has confirmed that the actor has closed a deal to play Jonathan Kent, Clark Kent’s adopted father. Henry Cavill is poised to play the Man of Steel, and Diane Lane recently joined the cast as Kent’s adopted mother, Martha. Regarding Costner’s addition to the cast, Snyder had this to say:


“Jonathan Kent is the only father figure Clark has ever had, the man who was there to help Clark understand what he was meant to do in the world as Superman. Kevin will be able to communicate the quiet strength of this rural American man who raised the greatest super hero of all time.”


It looks like casting is ramping up on the film, so expect more names announced in the coming weeks. Yesterday, Zack Snyder spoke a bit about the project, saying that this flick will assume “there’s been no other Superman movies.” The currently untitled Superman reboot, produced by Christopher Nolan, is set to start filming soon for a December 2012 release. Hit the jump for the full press release.
........ http://collider.com/kevin-costner-superman/81152/



 



Betty Thomas to Direct DESPERADOS; Described as a “Female HANGOVER” Starring Isla Fisher
by Brendan Bettinger Posted: March 17th, 2011
I think a name like Wayne McClammy destines you to be either a comedy director or a character on Spongebob Squarepants. McClammy chose the former, helming the viral Jimmy Kimmel Live segments “I’m Fucking Matt Damon” and “I’m Fucking Ben Affleck,” a slew of Sarah Silverman Program episodes, and was in talks to make his feature debut with Desperados. Sadly, Universal never reached a deal with McClammy. 24 Frames reports that Betty Thomas (Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel) is next in line for the job and sources suggest she will accept the offer.


Desperados is described as a “female Hangover” in which three women travel to Las Vegas “to set right a situation that had one of the women leaving a scathing message for a man she actually likes.” Isla Fisher is attached to star; the studio is currently looking to fill the other two lead roles. The script by Ellen Rapoport (The Jamie Kennedy Experiment) landed on the Black List of Hollywood’s best unproduced screenplays two years ago.


Thomas has a spotty resume of late, but I like her hire if only because it’s always unfortunate when you have to put a man in charge of a distinctly female comedy from a fresh female voice.
........ http://collider.com/betty-thomas-isla-fisher-desperados-movie/81176/

**Woody Allen to Shoot Next Film in Rome **Shane Black Talks IRON MAN 3; Confirms He’ll Write the Script **Tom Cruise Confirmed to Star in Guillermo del Toro’s AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS; Filming Begins in June [UPDATED] **Marvel Planning to Adapt THE INHUMANS **Sony Pictures Pays Big Bucks for PAN Starring Channing Tatum

Shane Black Talks IRON MAN 3; Confirms He’ll Write the Script
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 7th, 2011
Last month we learned that Shane Black (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang) had been hired to direct Iron Man 3. However, Marvel “hadn’t figured out” if Black would also write the script. Now it looks like they’ve solved that problem and come to the correct answer: Black will direct and write Iron Man 3. Black, whose previous screenplays include Lethal Weapon and The Last Boy Scout, confirmed he would write Iron Man 3’s screenplay to an audience at the Omaha Film Festival. He also revealed other interesting aspects about the film, which you can find out after the jump.

............

http://collider.com/iron-man-3-shane-black-2/79293/



Woody Allen to Shoot Next Film in Rome
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 7th, 2011
Woody Allen is continuing his European tour by shooting his next film in Rome. Allen tells Variety, “I love these sophisticated and civilized metropolises. Each time it’s been like writing a love letter to these places and projecting my feelings for them on the screen. I hope to be able to do the same with Rome.” The untitled film is currently in the script stage, but Allen plans to shoot this summer.

While Allen will always be celebrated for how he captured New York City, in the last decade he has taken his films to England (Match Point, Scoop, Cassandra’s Dream, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger), Spain (Vicky Christina Barcelona), and Paris (the upcoming Midnight in Paris). Most of Allen’s movies do well in Europe and several of his movies have premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Midnight in Paris, which stars Rachel McAdams, Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Marion Cotillard and French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, will open the Cannes Film Festival in May.

.................

http://collider.com/woody-allen-rome/79318/




Tom Cruise Confirmed to Star in Guillermo del Toro’s AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS; Filming Begins in June [UPDATED]
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 7th, 2011
In September of last year, we reported that Guillermo del Toro wanted Tom Cruise to star in At the Mountains of Madness. The film—which is based on the horror novella by H.P. Lovecraft and recounts a scientific expedition that uncovers ancient horrors dwelling in the mountains of Antarctica—has long been a passion project of del Toro’s and it looked like he was finally going to get it off the ground as a 3D film and with James Cameron attached as a producer. Cruise had been circling the role as recently as last month and it looks like he’s finally on board. Producer Don Murphy tells io9 that not only is Cruise attached to star, but filming is scheduled to begin in June.

Murphy also added that “the script is very close to the H.P. Lovecraft source material,” which I find puzzling. Hit the jump for my thoughts on Cruise signing on and the difficulty in adapting Lovecraft’s story. [Update: The Playlist just tweeted that reps for Cruise say he's not yet confirmed for the film; Update 2: Hitfix has learned that Murphy was quoted indirectly. The producer directly tells Hitfix, "no start date has been set AT ALL."]

Update 3: Steve here. I’ve been told that Universal killed the project on Friday and del Toro is going to take on Pacific Rim. Read our story here.



............. http://collider.com/at-the-mountains-of-madness-tom-cruise/79321/


Marvel Planning to Adapt THE INHUMANS
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 7th, 2011
Marvel has The Avengers set for next year, but there’s no rule that a studio can only have one team of superheroes. Since Marvel doesn’t own the screen rights to X-Men (they belong to Fox), the studio is reportedly considering an adaptation of The Inhumans. “The Inhumans” were created by alien experiments on primitive homo-sapiens. The alien race behind the experiments, the Kree, abandoned their work and the Inhuman went on to form a society of their own, which is led by the king Black Bolt and his family Medusa, Karnak, Gorgon, Triton, Crystal, Maximus the Mad, and the canine Lockjaw. Devin at Badass Digest does a good job of selling the property as “Rome meets Star Wars meets The X-Men.” Here’s the logline he found on the film over at It’s on the Grid:

Aliens who were put on Earth as sleeper cell aliens to eventually call back their race to take over the planet. Ultimately, the group of aliens fully assimilates and don’t want to cause war.

The project is currently out to writers and I’m curious to see how this will play out. It would be neat to see a kind of reverse-engineered Avengers where Inhumans is the starting point and then Marvel simultaneously goes into production on movies for each character.
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http://collider.com/the-inhumans-movie-marvel/79327/


Sony Pictures Pays Big Bucks for PAN Starring Channing Tatum
by Matt Goldberg Posted: March 7th, 2011
Every piece of classic literature is getting a reboot these days and it was foolish to think Peter Pan would buck the trend. Last week, a pitch went out for a package called “Peter Pan Begins” with Channing Tatum attached to star, screenwriter Billy Ray (Shattered Glass) writing the script, and Joe Roth (Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland) producing. Because audiences must know Peter Pan’s origin story, the pitch ignited a bidding war and Heat Vision reports that Sony Pictures came out on top to the tune of about $1 million.

We still don’t know much about the pitch, which is now titled “Pan” (so there goes the title for my Spanish-language drama about satyrs who bake bread), but HV says that the prequel envisions Peter Pan and Captain Hook as brothers. Let me guess: Hook is jealous that Peter got to stay a kid. Wonderful.
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http://collider.com/peter-pan-prequel-sony/79351/

***Kate Winslet and Director Todd Haynes Interview MILDRED PIERCE ***Tribeca Film and Miramax to Release LAST NIGHT This Spring ***Woody Allen’s MIDNIGHT IN PARIS to Open 2011 Cannes Film Festival

Kate Winslet and Director Todd Haynes Interview MILDRED PIERCE

by Christina Radish    Posted: February 2nd, 2011

The five-part HBO mini-series Mildred Pierce, based on James M. Cain’s 1941 novel and premiering March 27^th, tells the epic story of a proud single mother struggling to earn her daughter’s love during the Great Depression in middle-class Los Angeles. Mildred Pierce (Kate Winslet) is a uniquely independent woman and her story is an intimate portrait of a new divorcee, struggling to carve out a new life for herself and her daughter, Veda (Evan Rachel Wood), for whom she is unreasonably devoted.

During a recent interview to promote the intriguing new project, actress Kate Winslet and co-writer/director/executive producer Todd Haynes talked about their approach to this complex and nuanced work, the marathon experience of bringing this story to life, working in television for the first time, and steering clear of the original film, in developing the portrayal of this woman. Check out what they had to say after the jump:

http://collider.com/kate-winslet-todd-haynes-interview-mildred-pierce/69347/

Tribeca Film and Miramax to Release LAST NIGHT This Spring

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 2nd, 2011

Tribeca Film and Miramax have just sent out a press release announcing their plans to release the drama Last Night this Spring.  The film premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and stars Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes, and Guillaume Canet.  Tribeca Film will distribute the film theatrically and also through national VOD platforms.  Miramax will handle home video, television sales, and long-term digital rights.

Last Night “centers on a married couple (Knightley and Worthington) apart for an evening when the husband takes a business trip with a colleague (Mendes) to whom he’s attracted.  While he’s resisting temptation, his wife encounters her past love (Canet).”  Hit the jump for the full press release.

http://collider.com/last-night-tribeca-film-miramax/74151/

Woody Allen’s MIDNIGHT IN PARIS to Open 2011 Cannes Film Festival

by Talia Soghomonian    Posted: February 2nd, 2011

Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, a romcom which was shot in Paris last year, is set to open the 64^th Cannes Film Festival on May 11^th and will be released in French theaters on the same day. The movie features an international all-star cast, including Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Owen Wilson, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Léa Seydoux and Gad Elmaleh.

But the talk of the town is the very special cameo appearance by a certain French leading lady. Find out who after the jump.

In 2009, while Allen was promoting Vicky Cristina Barcelona in Paris, he announced at a press conference that he would love to cast Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. The French First Lady accepted the offer and filmed her scenes last summer in Paris. Her husband, President Nicolas Sarkozy, is reportedly a huge Woody Allen fan.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is no stranger to showbiz. The Italian-born beauty was part of the supermodel clique of the 90s that included Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Christy Turlington, before successfully recycling herself as a folk singer, perhaps fancying herself as a modern-day Joan Baez or Patti Smith. She has released three successful albums and announced Monday in an interview with the daily newspaper Le Parisien that a fourth one was in preparation.

In the U.S., she is more well-known for her sense of style and chic. And Woody Allen, who always has such a knack for casting “It” girls, obviously felt that he simply couldn’t shoot a film in the Capital of Fashion without its glamorous First Lady. The movie is also a homage to the city.

Festival director Thierry Frémaux declared:

“Midnight in Paris is a wonderful love letter to Paris. It’s a film in which Woody Allen takes a deeper look at the issues raised in his last films: our relationship with history, art, pleasure and life. His 41st feature reveals once again his inspiration.”

What’s more, the director has always had a bigger fan base in Europe than in America. In recent years, he has shot movies based in European cities. Match Point was set in London and Vicky Cristina Barcelona in Madrid. Both premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, as did his last year’s You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.

It should be an interesting festival this year, considering Robert De Niro is president of the jury. The 2011 Cannes Film Festival will run from May 11^th to May 22^nd.

http://collider.com/woody-allens-midnight-in-paris-to-open-2011-cannes-film-festival/74136/