***New Prometheus Set Photos Scream H.R. Giger ***Wendell Pierce And Clifton Collins Jr. Join Jason Statham In Parker ***Adam Sandler Will Play Dracula For the Creator Of Samurai Jack ***Zombieland 2 Isn't Dead But Jesse Eisenberg Isn't Sure It's Still Relevant ***Man of Steel Set Construction Photos from Plano, Illinois ***Animal Farm Coming from Andy Serkis and Director Rupert Wyatt? ***Prometheus Cave Set Photos

New Prometheus Set Photos Scream H.R. Giger

published: 2011-07-05 16:45:56 Author: Eric Eisenberg
Before Ridley Scott's Alien Prequel morphed into Prometheus it was reported that H.R. Giger, the famous surrealist painter who designed the look of the xenomorphs in Scott's 1979 classic, would be lending his design skills to the new production. Then the nature of the project changed, but over the last few months there has been much debate as to whether or not the new film is still a prequel or not and given the look of these new set photos, I'd say that the two universes are still very much connected.

Posted over on Alien Prequel News (via Rope of Silicon) the two new photos would scream the word "GIGER" if they had mouths. As you probably could expect, there's a lot of variations on the color black, it looks like there are limbs growing out of the walls, and everything seems to be going with a "human spine" flavor. My favorite thing about these photos, though, is the scale. In the picture below you can see a chair under the archway, and unless that's an incredibly small chair, that archway is probably about 20 feet tall at the middle.

Check out the image below and head over to Alien Prequel News for the other.
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/New-Prometheus-Set-Photos-Scream-H-R-Giger-25538.html

Wendell Pierce And Clifton Collins Jr. Join Jason Statham In Parker

published: 2011-07-05 16:16:08 Author: Sean O'Connell
Character actors Clifton Collins Jr. (Star Trek, Capote) and the intrepid Wendell Pierce (HBO’s Treme and The Wire) have signed on for roles in Taylor Hackford’s adaptation of Parker, Variety reports.

Hackford hasn’t pushed himself too hard since collecting a Best Director Oscar nomination for the 2004 musical biopic Ray with Jamie Foxx. Outside of the little-seen Love Ranch, with his beautiful bride Helen Mirren, the Oscar winner has been content to wait for the right project. Now it sounds like he’s ready to climb back behind the camera, and he’s acquiring a fine cast for a crime-thriller with a Robin Hood hook.

Parker, which is in pre-production, stars Jason Statham as a career thief whose code of honor won’t allow him to steal from people who need the money more than he does. The character was conceived by novelist Donald E. Westlake, who wrote 24 Parker stories under the pseudonym Richard Stark. Over the years, actors ranging from Mel Gibson to Lee Marvin have played Parker (or a variation of the character) in films like Payback and Point Blank. Aside from Collins Jr. and Pierce, Statham also will be joined by pop superstar and American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez.

While Parker sounds like a straight up genre film, particularly with Statham in the lead, the inclusion of outstanding character actors in supporting roles and the placement of Hackford behind the lens means the film has the potential to rise above standard action fare. Could it climb into the Oscar race like similar efforts The Departed or Gone Baby Gone? We’ll know more when the film reaches theaters in 2012. http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Wendell-Pierce-And-Clifton-Collins-Jr-Join-Jason-Statham-In-Parker-25537.html

Adam Sandler Will Play Dracula For the Creator Of Samurai Jack

published: 2011-07-05 13:17:15 Author: Josh Tyler
Adam Sandler is preparing to get in on the vampire craze, sort of. He’s been hired to play Count Dracula in a new 3D family comedy. Not looking forward to seeing the Sand-man with fangs? Don’t worry, it’s a cartoon.

The film is the latest from Sony Pictures Animation, the people behind Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. It’s called Hotel Transylvania and since it’s directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, this could be really, really good. Tartakovsky is the mind behind such brilliant pieces of animation as the underrated series Samurai Jack. Putting him to work with the people who did Cloudy seems like a perfect fit. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs stands tall as one of the best animated movies released in recent years, I’d put it up there on a deservedly lofty plateau with Toy Story 3 and How to Train Your Dragon.

Here's Sony's official description of Hotel Transylvania:

Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Dracula's (Sandler) lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free from meddling from the human world. But here's a little known fact about Dracula: he is not only the Prince of Darkness; he is also a dad. Over-protective of his teenage daughter, Mavis, Dracula fabricates tales of elaborate dangers to dissuade her adventurous spirit. As a haven for Mavis, he opens the Hotel Transylvania, where his daughter and some of the world's most famous monsters – Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more – can kick back in safety and peace. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

I’m less certain about Sandler as the voice of Count Dracula, than I am about this project in general. Presumably this will be a family-friendly, not so scary version of the Count which seems like something Sandler should be able to do. Adam Sandler is great as a live-action cartoon after all, why not make him an animated one? But the Zohan doesn’t have much of a voice work track record. About the only animated work he’s done is in Eight Crazy Nights where, truth be told, I never thought he was very good.

Adam’s providing a voice for one of the monkeys in Zookeeper this weekend, if you’re unfortunate enough to see that movie pay attention to the sounds coming out the mouth of an ape named “Donald”.

UPDATE! David Spade and Kevin James have also joined the cast along with Cee Lo Green, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon, Fran Drescher and Andy Samberg.  http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Adam-Sandler-Will-Play-Dracula-For-the-Creator-Of-Samurai-Jack-25534.html

Zombieland 2 Isn't Dead But Jesse Eisenberg Isn't Sure It's Still Relevant

published: 2011-07-05 12:48:07 Author: Josh Tyler
After the surprise box office success of Zombieland in 2009, everyone involved was quick to promise a sequel. Then everyone involved immediately ran off and did other things, managing to find ways not to work on Zombieland 2 at all. It’s kind of like what happened with Star Trek, except Star Trek is Star Trek and that material will be relevant no matter how long it takes them to make the next one. Zombieland 2 on the other hand, maybe not.

Word is that they are now working on some sort of Zombieland sequel script, but star Jesse Eisenberg is starting to sound increasingly less interested in doing it. The thing is, since Zombieland he’s become kind of a big deal, thanks to The Social Network. More than that, he seems to get that there’s an expiration date on how long people will be interested in seeing a sequel to their little zombie film.

Here’s how Eisenberg explained what’s up with Zombieland 2 in an interview with Little White Lies.

They’re writing the script right now but I haven’t seen it and I suspect that the longer we wait, the less relevant it will be. I mean, all the actors would love to do it and the director would love to do it but I’m not sure what’s happening.

That doesn’t sound very hopeful. Couple that with the news from a few months ago that Woody Harrelson is kind of out on the whole thing, and we might be better off leaving Zombieland 2 in the grave. http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Zombieland-2-Isn-t-Dead-But-Jesse-Eisenberg-Isn-t-Sure-It-s-Still-Relevant-25533.html


Man of Steel Set Construction Photos from Plano, Illinois
Jul 6, 2011 by Courtney O.

Take a glimpse at some photos of the Man of Steel set constructions in Plano, Illinois, courtesy of Superman Homepage. Take a look at the sets below!

"It actually changes every day," Mayor Bob Hausler said. "They're doing a fast job of constructing their buildings for their sets." http://www.movieweb.com/news/man-of-steel-set-construction-photos-from-plano-illinois

 

 

Animal Farm Coming from Andy Serkis and Director Rupert Wyatt?

Jul 6, 2011 by Brian Gallagher

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is gearing up for release on August 5, which features Andy Serkis portraying the ape leader Caesar using motion-capture technology. It seems Andy Serkis may team up with Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt on a new adaptation of the George Orwell classic novel Animal Farm.

Both Andy Serkis and Rupert Wyatt discussed using motion-capture techniques to put a new spin on Animal Farm, which was adapted twice before. The 1954 Animal Farm was an animated version, while the Jim Henson Company produced Animal Farm as a TV movie in 1999. The story centers on a group of animals who rise up against their human owners, only to find their system of "equality" to slant more and more towards a totalitarian system.
This new version is likely still quite a ways off, since there doesn't seem to be a screenwriter attached, and this potential project will also likely hinge on how well Rise of the Planet of the Apes does at the box office next month.

http://www.movieweb.com/news/animal-farm-coming-from-andy-serkis-and-director-rupert-wyatt

***Columbia Pictures Seeking a New Star To Cameo In ZOMBIELAND 2; Updated ***Kirsten Dunst Interview ALL GOOD THINGS ***New Photo of Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

Columbia Pictures Seeking a New Star To Cameo In ZOMBIELAND 2; Updated

by Ben Garman    Posted: November 27th, 2010

Columbia Pictures has another “superstar cameo” up their sleeves for Zombieland 2, the sequel to Ruben Fleischer’s hilarious 2009 zom-com. The news is tantalisingly sparse but hints that the studios are searching for another famed movie icon to briefly feature in the new film and presumably echo the hilarity of the mind-blowing surprise cameo in Zombieland. Also, we’ve news that in their second undead-bashing misadventure together, zombies aren’t the only blight for Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg to combat, as the script requires a ‘lead villain’ who’ll inevitably cause some trouble, and Harrelson’s character finds himself in hot competition with a “hunky rival”. Is it possible that this rival may transpire to be the ‘love interest’ we heard talk of in the past?
Hit the jump for suggestions of who might cameo. Spoilers and speculative spoilers follow.
UPDATE: Screenwriter Rhett Reese has denied the Zombieland 2 cameo rumors.  Hit the jump for more.

Update: On his twitter feed today, one of the scribes to Zombieland 2, Rhett Reese, denies the recently reported rumours regarding a possible cameo in the sequel, saying: “The Zombieland 2 rumors reported today are false.” He later tweeted an update which read: “The Zombieland 2 rumors feel like they were the product of a game of ‘Telephone’. Distorted.” So that seemingly debunks that. Or does it? Which bit of the rumour is he denying, that Columbia Pictures are on the lookout for a new cameo, or the supposed stars of said cameo? Here’s what we originally had.
In Zombieland, it was comedy legend Bill Murray, who cropped up in what is probably one of the most memorable cameos to grace the silver screen. Harrelson and his group of zomb-apocalypse survivors move in to Murray’s mansion, meet the great man himself, and spend the evening reminiscing about the highs (Ghostbusters) and lows (Garfield) of his movie career.
For Zombieland 2, Columbia Pictures are on the hunt for another iconic figure to step in to his shoes. According to BloodyDisgusting, the studios are looking along the lines of Harrison Ford and Anthony Hopkins. No clue if those are the exact two names being considered, or if “along the lines of” means more or less any mainstream Hollwood oldie.
Anthony Hopkins seems plausible, if a little unlikely. It’s certainly not too much of a stretch to imagine a zombie Hannibal still cannibalising. On the other hand, I’m not so sure whether Indy and his whip would be so at home. The genius of the previous cameo though was that Murray played himself, not one of his famed characters, which pretty much leaves the floor open to all celebrity contenders – in other words, your guess is as good as ours…
Zombieland 2 has already been confirmed to be shooting in 3D and written to maximise the impact of the added dimension. In fact, writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, who also penned the original, told MTV: “We entirely want to write with 3-D in mind…We want you to be looking down at your popcorn to make sure there isn’t blood on it. There will be a lot of fluids flying!”
Whether the old team of misfits will be fully reassembled is unclear at the minute, as Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg are the only two of the original cast confirmed to date. That said, from previous talks with Fleischer, Wernick and Reese, it seems clear that it was definitely their intention to build upon the current characters rather than starting afresh. Hopefully, some official casting news will shed some light on that in the not too distant future. Whatever happens, get ready for a new set of rules to be set and broken.
http://www.collider.com/2010/11/27/cameo-zombieland-2/

Kirsten Dunst Interview ALL GOOD THINGS

by Christina Radish    Posted: November 27th, 2010

The drama All Good Things, co-starring Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst, was inspired by the events of the most notorious missing person’s case in New York history. Both a love story and murder mystery, the story of Robert Durst, of the wealthy real estate dynasty, was that of a man suspected of, but never tried for, the murder of his wife Kathie, who disappeared in 1982 and was never found. Renamed David Marks (Ryan Gosling) and Katie McCarthy (Kirsten Dunst) for the film, newly discovered facts, court records and speculation about the case and the circumstances surrounding it are the foundation for an imaginative and spellbinding story of family, obsession, love and loss.
During a roundtable interview at the film’s press day, actress Kirsten Dunst talked about her desire to make sure her character never came across as a victim, the experience of meeting some of the real woman’s family members and how difficult it was for co-star Ryan Gosling to play the more physically aggressive moments. She also talked about what it was like working with Lars Von Trier on Melancholia, said she’s looking forward to seeing what they do with the Spider-Man franchise since she’s a fan of Andrew Garfield, and mentioned that she’d be shooting her role in On The Road in a couple weeks. Check out what she had to say after the jump:

Question: When you do a movie like this, do you try not to have and opinion on whether this man murdered his wife or not?
KIRSTEN DUNST: I wanted to make sure I wasn’t a victim throughout the film. (Director) Andrew Jarecki and I really talked about that because he didn’t want me to bring in the shovel, but I had to go in there like I was going to kill him. That is how I wanted it to be. I don’t know what happened, but yes I think he probably killed his wife. Otherwise, the family would have helped find her. This big corporation with all this money helped her family, none whatsoever. It was their daughter-in-law. Why wouldn’t they help find her?
Did you do any research into this story, or did you feel that you really didn’t need to because it was just a movie?
DUNST: Well, part if the reason not a lot of people knew about it is because it got shoved under the rug. In terms of research, Andrew kind of did a documentary about everything that happened, so I saw that a year before we made the film. He had gone and researched and interviewed anyone who was willing to talk about what happened. I also met with Kathie’s brother, who is portrayed in the film, and I had dinner at the family’s house and everything.
What did the family say to you?
DUNST: It’s hard. They have lost their family member and they have never had the satisfaction of knowing anything. I think that they were relieved. There must be some closure to know that her story is getting out there again. I don’t know if the case could reopen. I don’t know what could happen. I know they were happy with me playing her. I basically just listened to them. They are the ones that this tragedy happened to. I didn’t ask too many questions.
What did they tell you about her, that wasn’t there on the page, that you wanted to carry over into your performance?
DUNST: I met what would have been her niece and they said she looks so much like the real Kathie who went missing. It’s difficult asking family members because all they said is that they love their sister, she way so bright and so beautiful, and she would light up a room. I think they are happy with my portrayal of her, but it was in the script. There were all these things about her going to medical school and trying to make whatever happened work. The way the script portrayed her and the way I played her, I just did not want her to be victimized at all. Every decision she made, you might think he made it for her, but I would turn that in my own mind because I didn’t want to play it in a way that women in the audience would be like, “Get out of there. What are you doing?”
Was it hard to get into this woman’s mind-set?
DUNST: It was hard with certain subject matters. I thought about the abortion scene a lot. It was something that his character decided. She was not going to have this baby. In my own way, I had to figure out how I could make it so that it could be my choice and I was not just succumbing under his rule. I just thought, “I wouldn’t want to bring a baby into this marriage, since it is really not going well. I am young enough. I can have another child with someone else, somewhere down the line. Maybe he is not ready, right now in his life. A lot of things have happened.” I tried not to cry and play it like, “Oh, poor me,” because that would be really boring. I didn’t want people to feel like, “Just leave and have your baby.” She also didn’t have the means, and it was a different time. She didn’t come from money and she couldn’t be a single mother so easily, like we have the option to now.
Would you have tried to get out of the relationship, if you had been in her situation?
DUNST: I don’t know. That was an enmeshment that was so strong. I think every woman goes through a relationship where she is with a guy that is really not right for her. You get lost in it. You can be in something that is not the greatest for you, but if you are at a point where you are married and you are already away from your family, with this money, living in Vermont, you’re isolated. I haven’t ever gotten to the point of enmeshment that I couldn’t see out of it.
What was it like working with Kristen Wiig?
DUNST: I loved her. Every time she came on set, we’d hang out in the trailer and just laugh. I remember once, we abducted Ryan’s dog and dressed him up, shot bunch of pictures and sent them back to Ryan over email with all these weird messages from his dog. I had the best time with her. It was a relief because it was such a heavy movie. To have her around was really, really fun.
Ryan didn’t stay in character the whole time you were filming, did he?
DUNST: I was also in my own world, and it was just the world we lived in. The only time I could see that it was really bothering him was in the scene when he rips me out of the room by my hair. We had a stunt guy who was like, “Get her by the roots, so that it doesn’t hurt as much,” but I also went with him, so it wasn’t like I was pulling against him or anything. But, he was so upset by doing that that he sent flowers the next day. That was hard for him.
Did working together come easy for you?
DUNST: We had eight weeks of rehearsal, but all we did was talk and talk. We had separate sessions with Andrew and we would talk about the people and their perspectives in the film, and how we could do it different. With different people, it could definitely have been a little cliché with the victimized wife. That is a dangerous ground to tread on. But, Ryan and I are pretty immersed when we are working, and not afraid to improvise together. We knew the people we were playing. We felt them, innately. It did not ever feel like anything phony or forced, in any way.
What kind of place are you in right now, with the roles you are choosing? You recently did a Lars Von Trier movie, and you’re doing On The Road next?
DUNST: I just did that movie with Lars over the summer. They were like, “You want to work with Lars von Trier?,” and I said, “Oh, yes please. Of, course.” I just want to work with great directors. I love Walter Salles. I am working with him for On The Road, and my part of that shoots in a couple weeks. I don’t have any plan. I am not like, “I only want to do serious films,” or something like that. I did Upside Down, over the Spring, which was romantic and fun.
Have you intentionally been working a lot?
DUNST: No. We shot All Good Things two years ago, and then I waited for a year and just read scripts. And then, I did Upside Down last Spring. Then, I had a couple months off in the summer. And then, I did Lars’ movie for two months. I’ve had off since September. I have a week of work for On The Road, but I have yet to find what I am doing next.
What is your role in On The Road?
DUNST: I am playing Carolyn Cassidy Camille, the role that is Camille in the book.
Were you a fan of the writing in On The Road?
DUNST: I was a fan of On The Road, but mostly because I had a crush on a guy when I was 15 or 16, so I read the book. The way it is written is so poetic, but is more of a masculine connection for a reader. I was more of a Silvia Plath fan.
What do you think of the change of direction in the Spider-Man franchise?
DUNST: I felt like what we had in those films was so special, with me and Tobey [Maguire] and Sam [Raimi]. It was such a unique experience because it was these independent minds and actors, making this huge film. It was great. All these kids are such huge fans, and to be a part of a movie like that is very special, especially a good franchise. So, to end on three, was the perfect way to leave it.
Didn’t a fourth film get close to happening, though?
DUNST: Yeah, but I also feel like it was time. They always want to push things for money reasons, and it didn’t come together the way they wanted or envisioned. I love Andrew Garfield so much as an actor, and Emma Stone, too. I think they we will be great in the new version.
Will you check the movie out?
DUNST: Of course. I’m going to see the movie, yeah.
Having grown up in the business, what do you like about it now, as opposed to when you were a kid?
DUNST: I think the way I work has changed. My style of working, what I do before I do a film and just being on a film set are different now. I just feel more free and fearless than I ever have been. Especially after working with Lars, I feel a sense of anything goes, really. Of course, you have to be in the right place emotionally, but he would film the rehearsal and just film us walking around the room, doing whatever we wanted to do, which could be scary for some people, but it was so exciting and opened up a whole new way of how things could work.
You did some cosplay for Murakami in Tokyo awhile back. What was that about and how did that come about?
DUNST: They just called me out of the blue and said, “Do you want to do this thing with Takashi Murakami?” I was like, “Sure, why not? I will be part of art.” It was scary doing that, though. It was freaky running around in that costume in Tokyo.
http://www.collider.com/2010/11/27/kirsten-dunst-interview-all-good-things/

New Photo of Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

by Kimberly Lucas    Posted: November 27th, 2010

A new image of Michelle Williams as the titular character in My Week With Marilyn has been released, proving more and more that she was a superb choice to play the one and only Marilyn Monroe. The photo exudes the grace and ease that made the original bombshell so beloved and famous. The film is based of the memoirs of Colin Clark, an employee of Sir Laurence Oliver, who experienced firsthand Monroe’s and Olivier’s tumultuous relationship during the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl in 1956. This film boasts of some of Britain’s finest actors, with Kenneth Branagh as Olivier, Dominic Cooper, Julia Ormond, Judi Dench, Emma Watson, and Eddie Redmayne as Colin Clark.  Williams told the Daily Mail that she didn’t immediately want the role, but was pulled in by Monroe’s depth:

“I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist, eventually. Physically and vocally, everything about her is different from me. I’ve kind of gone to school and had teachers help me understand Marilyn, so I could project an essence of her. When I first approached the part, I thought that there were three, even four parts to Marylin.”

For more quotes and information on the film, continue after the jump.

Williams has become very dedicated to the role, saying “I feel like we live together… At a certain point, something else does take over. I don’t quite feel myself these days.” Reactions thus far have been extremely positive to her portrayal of the icon. This film will be released and distributed in 2012 by The Weinstein Company, who take the award season very seriously. If rumor becomes truth, then Williams should be a contender for the Best Actress category.
She will be seen next in Blue Valentine along side with Ryan Gosling and received a positive response at its Sundance showing. But, recently, it was given an NC-17 rating which is being fought by The Weinstein Company, who views the rating as unfair.   Since very few theaters will show a NC-17 film, this appeal is very important to its release.
The article also revealed an interesting look into the life of co-star Kenneth Branagh, who is juggling principal photography on My Week with Marilyn and post-production on Thor, which has the impending release date of May 6th 2011. As director of Thor as well as a lead in this film, Branagh has had to fly between Hollywood and London every few days to finish work on both movies.
A synopsis of the book The Prince, the Showgirl, and Me: Six Months on Set with Marilyn and Olivier (Via Amazon):

Clark, son of historian Sir Kenneth Clark, spent his days just after college as third assistant director (read gofer) on the set of the 1957 British film The Prince and The Showgirl.  What made this film unique, and the reason Clark decided to keep a daily journal, was the unlikely pairing of Marilyn Monroe and Sir Lawrence Olivier in the title roles. Monroe hoped this would give her a more serious image; Olivier hoped to boost his film career.  But Monroe was insecure; treated badly by her new husband, Arthur Miller; and often late and on drugs.  Olivier, the consummate professional, had no patience.

Here’s another look at Williams as Monroe.

http://www.collider.com/2010/11/27/michelle-williams-my-week-with-marilyn-movie-image/