Is this any way to pay back a director you worked with before? Despite John Woo gearing up for production next spring on the WWII epic "Flying Tigers," Tom Cruise who has longed to play a pilot in a war film, has hired a writer to tackle the exact same subject matter in a project for 20th Century Fox and New Regency.
Kirk Ellis ("John Adams") has been tasked to rewrite a script by Christopher McQuarrie ("The Usual Suspects," "Valkyrie") and Mason Alley. The McQuarrie script has been banging around for a couple of years now, but Cruise seems eager to see if it can take shape into something he could sign on to. However, a couple of things should be noted. Firstly, Cruise usually has a number of projects in development for him at any given time and likes to have a few different options before settling on a decision. Second, in these kind of situations with two similar projects in development at the same, whichever one gets made first usually wins. Look no further than the abandoned Doug Liman helmed "The Three Musketeers" earlier this year (instead we'll get Paul W.S. Anderson's version, sigh).
10/07/2010
Tom Cruise Hires Writer For WWII Project 'Flying Tigers,' Not Attached To 'El Presidente'
Dwayne Johnson & Tyler Perry To Star In 'Take My Wife' (Um, No Thanks)
A bidding war has erupted for a curious project. Titled "Take My Wife" (oy!), the script, by Greg Coolidge and Kirk Ward, has Dwayne Johnson and Tyler Perry attached to play two corners of a love triangle. See, Perry's ex-wife is demanding alimony, but he won't have to pay it unless she finds a new husband. But it's not enough for Johnson to just enter the picture. Perry has to, ahem, groom him. This premise doesn't play out in our head without these two locking lips.
Lionsgate wants to make the film, which Perry would star in but not direct, but it's still an independent pitch gathering interest from outside parties, though the studio already has a lengthy working relationship with the multi-hyphenate. Perry has figured in most of his movies as an actor so far, but he's usually in drag and/or under heavy makeup, so it's interesting that he would be in demand playing your average straight male. He's a bit burly in real life, too, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see a physical element with ex-wrestler Johnson, considering both characters eventually vie for the leading lady/beard.
Johnson will next be seen in "Faster" followed by franchise pictures "Fast Five" and "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island." And Perry's got "For Colored Girls" coming this November, followed by another turn as Madea in "Madea's Big Happy Family" along other more clandestine ways to conquer the world through an endless stream of shitty sitcoms.
Paramount Nabs Rights To Jason Reitman's 'Young Adult' Penned By Diablo Cody
Paramount's been said to be circling this picture from day one and now it's official. The studio that nabbed Jason Reitman three Oscar nominations for "Up In The Air," will be the new home to his upcoming picture, "Young Adult"; his second collaboration with screenwriter Diablo Cody who penned his breakout hit, "Juno" (Reitman is 32 and has two Oscar Best Director nominations under his belt, not too shabby).
The picture stars Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Patton Oswalt and we can tell you right now having read the script, it's perfect casting. "Young Adult" centers on a divorced 30-something young-adult fiction writer (Theron) who returns to her Minnesota home to chase after her now-married-with-kids ex-boyfriend (Wilson). Oswalt plays an semi-crippled old high school acquaintance who befriends the narcissistic and misguided female. Shooting begins this month in New York and Minneapolis.
It will be interesting to see where this picture goes tonally as on paper it's much darker than anything Reitman's directed before. It will definitely be a great stretch for him and Theron who will play the most unlikeable character we've ever seen. [THR]
Ben & Casey Affleck To Rewrite Yankees Wife Swap Pic 'The Trade'
Ben Affleck recently was offered the Warner Bros. crime flick "Tales Of The Gangster Squad," but a "yes" wasn't immediately forthcoming. Now we know why. The actor/director is teaming with his brother Casey to rewrite the Yankees wife swap pic "The Trade."
The project was first announced as a starring vehicle for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon last winter. The story is based on real-life players Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich, who in 1973 revealed that they had been swapping wives and fell for each other's partners. Peterson and Kekich's ex-wife are still together today, while the other couple has since split up. Affleck is eyeing the role of Peterson with Matt Damon playing Kekich.
Shortly after the news surfaced, Damon said a script for the film "didn't exist" but that's not necessarily true. It was written by Dave Mandel was and ranked #35 on the 2009 Black list. In addition, screenwriters Brian Koppelman and David Levien ("Oceans 13,” “Rounders”) have been clocking that story for years and collecting information so they could eventually end up writing the film. But Damon, someone who generally wants a solid script in hand before signing on to anything -- Doug Liman playfully called him a "script whore" recently -- most likely didn't like the draft and wants to see something different. Enter Ben and Casey.
Angelina Jolie To Star With Brad Pitt In Darren Aronofsky's 'Tiger'? Film To Shoot In 2011?
Geez, speak of the devil. While we posted an open letter to Darren Aronofsky earlier today imploring him to think long and hard before signing on to "X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2," news arrives that one of the more interesting projects on his plate might be close to getting in front of cameras.
In an interview with Quien, screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga ("Babel," "Amores Perros") reveals that his previously announced adaptation of John Vaillant's forthcoming non-fiction book "The Tiger" for director Darren Aronofsky and star/producer Brad Pitt is set to begin location scouting later in the year.
"These days I'm traveling to New York to lend clarity to the last detail, in November would be doing a tour of Siberia to check locations," Arriaga said. However, most intriguingly, he indicates that the the film will shoot next year and Angelina Jolie will co-star with her partner, Brad Pitt.
New Trailer & Poster From Danny Boyle's '127 Hours'
While we've already seen the teaser trailer for Danny Boyle's harrowing one-man-show, "127 Hours" starring James Franco and basically no one else aside from a few brief cameos, now the full-blown trailer has arrived. And we must say, having seen the film at TIFF earlier this fall, we're much more on board with this new version. The new poster isn't perfect either, but our bet is you'll see several along the way while Fox Searchlight tries to nail the right tone.
It's basically a good problem to have. "127 Hours" was basically the film of the Toronto International Film Festival despite the fact that "The King's Speech" won the audience award. Karina Longworth called the film, somewhat pejoratively, a "determinist tract styled like an energy-drink commercial," and while that's stylistically on the mark, it also forgets its harrowing intensity and life-affirming (sans fromage) tone. Our review from TIFF said, "Deeply humane, rawly felt and astonishingly executed "127 Hours" is one of the best films of year," and that's undeniably spot on. "127 Hours," much like "The Social Network" probably, will be all over the Academy Awards with several nominees. Best Picture, Actor and director are sure-fire nominee bets.
Here's the official synopsis:
Ridley Scott To Produce 4-Hour Mini-Series Adaptation Of Philip K. Dick's 'The Man In The High Castle'
Nearly three decades after Ridley Scott delivered his landmark "Blade Runner," based on Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sleep, the director is returning to the author's world and will be producing a new four hour mini-series based on his work.
"The Man In The High Castle" is being produced by Scott and the BBC and overseas rights are now up for sale (so hopefully it will reach North American television sets). Playwright Howard Brenton (who also penned the Brit spy series "Spooks") while adapt the Dick novel presents an alternate history of the world that takes place after the end of a longer World War II in which daily life is subject to Fascist imperialist rule.
No word yet on stars or a director but those details will probably come in line once a script is done and production schedules start being made. But it's some intriguing material and we hope its done right as Dick adaptations have a spotty track record (at best). [Deadline]
'Slumdog Millionaire' Actor Anil Kapoor & French Actress Lea Seydoux Join 'Mission: Impossible 4' As Villains
"Slumdog Millionaire" actor Anil Kapoor and French actress Lea Seydoux have been added to the growing cast of the fourth installment of "Mission: Impossible," but most intriguingly, they will be joining the previously announced Michael Nyqvist as villains in the film.
Lea Seydoux is probably best known to arthouse crowds on this side of the ocean for her turn in "La belle personne." More recently, she appeared in Ridley Scott's "Robin Hood" and was one of the final candidates for the part of Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher's "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo." As for Anil Kapoor, he may be more familiar, as he played the game show host in the Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" and is a longtime fixture in Bollywood cinema.
The film, which has already started shooting, now boasts quite the ensemble cast and it seems like numerous baddies for Ethan Hunt and his crew to tackle. Kapoor and Seydoux join Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Vladimir Mashkov, Michael Nyqvist, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg and Josh Holloway in the film. It will hit theaters on December 16, 2011. [Deadline]
An Open Letter to Darren Aronofsky: A Few Reasons Why You Might Want to Skip 'Wolverine 2'
The blogosphere is all abuzz this week with the one-two punch of comic book-related big screen deals: first, Zack Snyder, contested director of "300" and "Watchmen," will direct the Christopher Nolan-supervised, David Goyer-scripted reboot of the mother-0f-all-superhero-franchises, "Superman." But wait! As a follow-up to the "Superman" stories, it was noted that Darren Aronofsky, riding the high from all the festival buzz his supernatural ballet thriller "Black Swan" is garnering, was first in line for the gig and may still direct a high profile superhero franchise joint — 20th Century Fox's "Wolverine 2." Well, we're here to write a letter to you, Mr. Aronofsky, hoping you will stop for a moment to consider this career move.
You remain the rare director who has followed through on the initial visual and storytelling promise you displayed in your debut feature "Pi" and sophomore effort "Requiem for a Dream." Taking the second sequel to what was an inauspicious — no, embarrassing — opening to a new spin-off franchise ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine") is something that an eager up-and-coming music video or commercial director would take, not something that a seasoned professional like you, who spent an agonizingly long time getting his difficult sci-fi opus "The Fountain" off the ground, would rush into (hey, we like Hugh Jackman too, but 'Wolverine' was painful).
And besides, you have so many other cool projects that you could do instead. You are one of those directors who are perennially attached to about a dozen different projects at any given time, and we must say, these proposed projects all sound way more interesting than "Wolverine 2," whose script by Christopher McQuarrie reportedly pits the adamantium-clawed superhero against ninjas in Japan (been there, slashed that). These include the long-gestating (and, we reluctantly admit, most likely deceased) Noah's Ark project, more recent fare like an adaptation of non-fiction survival thriller "The Tiger" with Brad Pitt, highbrow literary adaptation "Serena" with Angelina Jolie, and most intriguingly, "Jackie," about Jackie Kennedy in the days following JFK's assassination, which would star your lovely partner Rachel Weisz. Hell, maybe MGM will get its shit together and you can do your worthy "Robocop" reboot.
Natalie Portman Will No Longer Star In 'Pride And Prejudice And Zombies,' Will Only Produce
Natalie Portman seems determined to break our tiny little geek hearts this week. First, she turned down the lead role in Alfonso Cuarón's "Gravity," and now word arrives that citing scheduling conflicts, the actress will no longer be starring in the adaptation of the best-selling "Pride And Prejudice And Zombies."
This isn't the first roadblock to hit the film as earlier this week, long-attached director David O. Russell left the film after Portman couldn't agree to a start date with the director. He instead has moved on to the road-trip comedy "Old St. Louis" which will shoot next spring. Portman will stay on board the project producing under her Handsomecharlie banner, but it now remains to be seen who take over the lead role of the ass-kicking Elizabeth Bennett (let the rumors begin).
So just to recap: no Portman in either "Gravity" or "Pride And Prejudice And Zombies." But the question now is, what is the project causing a schedule conflict? Could it be the Wachowskis' "Cloud Atlas"? If so, that could go a long way in making up for passing on these two gigs.
Stink Guaranteed: Mike Myers To Play Pepé Le Pew
Get ready America, because Mike Myers is coming back to stink up theaters across the nation, but this time, it's on purpose.
The actor/comedian who bombed horribly with his last original effort "The Love Guru," and who gained a small shred of credibility and dignity by appearing in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds," is set to return to the big screen as Pepé Le Pew. That's right. The horny French skunk is getting his own movie.
It's unclear why Pepé is getting his own movie when more recognizable Looney Tunes characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig are sitting on the sidelines, but we'll presume that Warner Bros. knows what they're doing. Citing the weirdest poll ever conducted, Vulture reports that Mike Myers is more recognized than Bugs Bunny, but that audiences have a more favorable impression of Bugs Bunny than Mike Myers. What this actually has to do with Pepé Le Pew we have no idea, but he's the least recognized of them all.
Will StudioCanal Throw Sam Mendes' 'On Chesil Beach' A Lifeline?
Last we heard, the word surrounding Sam Mendes' adaptation of Ian McEwan's "On Chesil Beach" was not promising. In a story eventually pulled from the web, the Telegraph noted that producers (Focus Features) postponed the film after a lengthy pre-production, noting that "there need to be leaves on the trees." While a male co-star hadn't been found (although we were told by a good source that Mendes badly wanted Andrew Garfield), production had been pushed to next year and it was unknown if Carey Mulligan -- linked to the lead role -- or even Mendes himself, would be returning. Well it appears that the film now has some signs of life again.
In a piece in the Guardian (via Bleeding Cool) today about French finance of British film, this intriguing tidbit was buried in the report: "StudioCanal is also looking at the Sam Mendes project On Chesil Beach, based on Ian McEwan’s novel, after US studio backer Focus Features dropped out." Of course, "looking" could mean anything at this point, and ultimately could lead to nothing, but it does seem as if the project is trying to find new backers to help get it in front of cameras and that Mendes at least is still involved (though still no word if Mulligan is still eyeing the lead role).
Things have otherwise been quiet on the Mendes front. He's circled a couple of major franchise films during the year -- "Oz The Great And Powerful" (which went to Sam Raimi) and "Hunger Games" (which went to Gary Ross) -- and of course, he's still attached to "Bond 23," but that project is still a ways off. Even with new management scheduled to take over MGM any day now, they will have no money to pour into anything else but "The Hobbit."
New Trailer & Photos Of 'The Tourist' With Depp & Jolie
It's not the most exciting things you'll see in your lifetime or even today, but some new photos and a second trailer for Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck's "The Tourist" have arrived.
Truthfully, the new trailer isn't that much, different from the first one; it's a romantic spy drama that looks a little bit more thrilling and serious than it did on paper (various versions were a little fluffy). The picture stars Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie and well, at least the trailer and photos are more remarkable than the recent poster. But with A-list talent like that, the Sony-thinking is probably just put them up their front and center and who cares what the rest of the movie is about.
Directed by Von Donnersmarck (the German filmmaker behind "The Lives Of Others"), "The Tourist" is on the 2005 French film "Anthony Zimmer," that follows a bumbling American tourist (Depp) as he finds himself romantically involved with an international spy (Jolie) in this quasi-Hitchcock-ian tale of a man in the wrong place at the wrong time. While those that called this picture an awards season contender certainly now have egg on their face, this should still be a breezy antidote to that stuff-serious Academy-fare when it's released right in the thick of it on December 10, 2010. More below the jump.
'Office' Scribes Are Out; Dan Aykroyd Re-Writing 'Ghostbusters 3' Now
So much for heralded comedic screenwriters Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg. The writers of the American "The Office" generated some serious heat in Hollywood in the last two years when they were hired to write "Ghostbusters 3," Harold Ramis' "Year One" and "Bad Teacher" starring Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz as helmed by director Jake Kasdan.
But Ramis' "Year One" — his first directorial effort since 2005's "The Ice Harvest" — was a disastrous return: savaged by critics, ignored by audiences and the reviews weren't exactly kind to the writers' participation either. Their first Hollywood effort essentially arrived DOA (and while Bill Murray didn't see it, he said those that did told him it was the "worst" thing they'd ever seen, ouch) . Now according to Vanity Fair (via Cinematical) Dan Aykroyd says he's rewriting the script they've been developing for what seems like at least a year.
So it sounds like "The Office" writers are out, perhaps because of Murray's comments and Aykroyd admitted he's now at the helm of the screenplay, but not before defending Stupnitsky and Eisenberg's work.
Review: 'I Spit On Your Grave' Is A Deadening, Hateful Experience
In “I Spit On Your Grave,” young pageant-ready novelist Jennifer Hills seeks solitude outside city limits, eager to complete construction of her next work. She stops at a gas station, filling up the tank just as a group of local men gawk and linger, objectifying the nubile beauty from what they would consider a faraway land. These locals, covered in lower-class grime and elbow grease, are the malevolent male gaze, and they seek the debasement and the degradation of the young woman not only for who she is, but what she stands for. A symbol of untouched beauty and, judging by her revealing wardrobe, open expression, Jennifer’s final crime in the eyes of these men is her vehicle. She is in transit, merely stopping by, her transportation offering an escape from her unfortunate situation. She is going places. These boys are not.
In 1978, Meir Zarchi’s “I Spit On Your Grave” began with this stripped-down premise, but like other low budget grind house filmmakers, his education wasn’t steeped in filmmaking. As such, the original 'Grave,' like other horror pictures of the era, has a distinct flavor and rhythm -- an ugly picture that drew its share of controversy, the movie, in its more horrific moments, has a quality that’s not entirely filmic as much as it is volatile and savage. Harrowing sequences of violence play out with a clumsy gravity. Attempts at realism that likely don’t pass the authenticity test still ring with the threat of a more unique kind of violence, borne out of a violation most viewers don’t imagine in their darkest fears. Even today, it's uneasy, upsetting viewing.
'Saw 3D' Soundtrack Features Hinder, Saliva, My Darkest Day, Chester Bennington's Dead By Sunrise & More
It looks like a tortuous movie is getting an equally tortuous soundtrack.
Running sixteen tracks long and featuring mostly bands we've never heard of who are probably godawful, the soundtrack to the three dimensional incarnation of the tired franchise has arrived. And if you're a lunkhead still who is trying to pass shop class on third try, some the names might get you excited. Saliva! Hinder! My Darkest Day! OMG Chester Bennington of Linkin Park's side project Dead By Sunrise! (dude's all proud cause he has a role in this dreck).
Anyway if you think this soundtrack is the equivalent of Christmas arriving two months early, you can buy it on October 26th and then go see the movie and see what mutilation occurs when Krokus blasts through the theater speakers when the film opens on October 29th. [AOL Radio]
NYFF '10 Review: 'The Robber' Is A Relentless, Character-Based Thriller
All too often in heist movies, pesky nuances like character or motivation, are pushed to the wayside in favor of exhilarating action set pieces. A great recent example of this is Ben Affleck's technically proficient "The Town," in which we know very little about any of the characters (besides the fact that they sport Boston accents of varying authenticity and are all very mad), but which feels crammed, every 20 minutes or so, with high-octane heist sequences. All of which makes "The Robber," an Austrian thriller based on a novel (which itself was based on a series of actual crimes), such a blast: it's a heist movie which is almost completely character-based. For this reviewer, it was the surprise thrill of this year's New York Film Festival.
"The Robber" begins, appropriately enough, with Johan Rettenberger (Andreas Lust from "Revanche"), running around a small track in an Austrian prison. He's a bank robber about to get released from jail, but judging by his interview with an interested parole officer, he hardly has any feeling on the matter. Still, there's something glistening behind those eyes: he'll get out, do his part to be in society, but still keep up with his passion, er, passions (more on that in a minute).
Review: 'Down Terrace' Not Quite A New Gangster Classic, But Still Damn Good
Crime stories have a long and celebrated lineage in film. Like horror, it’s a fun, but often disappointing genre. You have to wade through a lot of shit to get to the gold. But when they're good, they're really good. Great modern gangster films – the past decade has seen some bona fide new classics with "The Pusher Trilogy," "City of God," "Gomorrah," "A Prophet" and even the recent "Animal Kingdom" – transcend and twist the genre, revitalizing what was once rote.
The new British crime film, "Down Terrace," while not quite on the level of the aforementioned films (it might be on B-squad, but like Willem Dafoe in "The Life Aquatic" it's the B-squad leader, at least), is nonetheless well-made and darkly comic. It's one of the stronger comedies of the year, in fact, but also puts a fresh spin on the Brit crime movie.
When the excellent trailer hit recently, we noted other strong UK-based crime movies such as "Layer Cake," "Long Good Friday," "Get Carter" and "Sexy Beast" as "classic examples" despite the British gangster movie having "become a fairly maligned genre, swamping U.K. multiplex screens and supermarket shelves with abysmal, low-rent, laddy fare." 'Terrace,' a true gem just waiting to be discovered by the right audience (on DVD, most likely, and with some time, it could really find a strong, cult following), is successful not in its defiance of crime movie cliches, but in its embrace of them, like how a filthy shower, once scrubbed clean, can sometimes look brand-spanking new.
John Madden’s 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' Begins Filming October 10
Johnny-come-lately reports will mislead you, but be certain; there's almost nothing new in Fox Searchlight's press release about John Madden's "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" which starts principal photography in India later this week, but a reminder of the project doesn't hurt.
The cast already includes Tom Wilkinson, Judi Dench, Dev Patel, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy and one new element is that fact that Peter O'Toole no longer seems to be part of the ensemble (and Smith replaced Julie Christie a few months ago, so there's been a few bits of juggling going round).
The project seems to put Madden (the director of "Shakespeare In Love") back on familiar territory after a detour into seedier drama ("Killshot" with Mickey Rourke and Joseph Gordon-Levitt) was essentially buried and forgotten by the Weinstein Company.
Based on the book "These Fine Things" by Deborah Moggach, the project "is a comedy of Eastern and Western manners with the shrewd Indian executive who sees a gap in the market when he notices that a lot of elderly folk in the U.K. are farmed out to dismal retirement developments. He hits on the idea of converting an old guest house in Bangalore."
Here's the official synopsis:
Watch: Givenchy Ad Starring Justin Timberlake & Directed By Pierre Morel
File this under: another fashion ad with interesting talent that is still kinda boring.
With fashion houses luring the likes of David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, Guy Ritchie and Frank Miller for spots this year, this latest ad for Givenchy's weird mp3 player inspired (???) fragrance Play, stars Justin Timberlake and was directed by Pierre Morel ("Taken," "From Paris With Love"). Nope, sorry, no parkour here. Just some black and white photography, some pulsating music and JT trying to impress a lady by causing rolling blackouts in downtown Paris. Sacre bleu!
Anyhow, watch the spot below. Extra points if anyone can tell us what the spot actually tells us about the smelly water it's promoting. [AdRants]
Review: 'Life As We Know It' Ends Up Being Pretty Much Everything You Expect
We've generally given Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel a hard time around these parts but not without good reason. Heigl has starred in a string of increasingly terrible, incredibly predictable and thoroughly undercooked romcoms while Duhamel has pretty much been a non-entity in whatever film he happens to be in. So color us surprised that in the latest, seemingly run-of-the-mill romantic comedy "Life As We Know It," not only do Heigl and Duhamel shine in their parts, but the film attempts a surprisingly fresh take on the genre that is, unfortunately, done in by an ending that sells both the film and the actors short.
The film starts out with a fairly standard set up: Holly (Katherine Heigl) and Messer (Josh Duhamel) are set up on a blind date by their mutual friends and from the first moment its apparent they are not a match. While she is dressed to the nines, Messer shows up an hour late looking hobo chic. They decide to go out anyway, but Holly calls it off after Messer takes gets a phone call confirming an appointment for a booty call later in the evening. While Holly would like nothing better than to never see him again, they are each best friends of married couple Peter (Hayes MacArthur) and Allison (Christina Hendricks). Holly and Messer keep bumping into each other at various social gatherings but their mutual dislike for each other is not a secret.
However, things take a turn for the serious when Peter and 
Allison are killed in an accident and, as stipulated in their will, leave the guardianship of their young daughter Sophie (Alexis, Brynn and Brooke Clagett) to Holly and Messer. Yes, it's pretty much the cinematic equivalent of the "Seinfeld" sentenced-to-be-a-butler sitcom gag but it's sold with enough convincing that audiences will let it slide. Anyhow, fearing Sophie will end up with a foster family and with no other next of kin, Holly and Messer agree to both move into Peter and Allison's home and care for the child until they figure out what the next steps are.
Robert Downey Jr. To Produce & Star In Old Steve McQueen Heist Project, 'Yucatan'
An old unrealized Steve McQueen project is under new development. There have been several biopics and pictures in the works about the famous actor who passed away in 1980 of cancer, but this is something entirely different.
Anthony Peckham, known for writing "Sherlock Holmes," has been hired by Warner Bros. to write, "Yucatan," which will be the next project shepherded by Team Downey, the production shingle of Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan. Dan Lin of 'Holmes' and "The Box" will also co-produce with the married duo.
The picture will star Downey as a "renegade deep sea salvage expert hired to steal a mysterious hidden treasure hidden deep underwater in the Mayans ruins of Yucutan," according to Deadline. Quickly being known as an in-house WB writer (he also penned"Invictus," and "Book of Eli"), Peckham has been paid a sweet seven figure deal to write this heist project that's been in development over at the studio since 2005.
Red-Band Trailer For 'Faster' Showcases Slab Of Red Meat Vigilante Justice
Consider us mixed on George Tillman Jr.'s "Faster." We're as accepting of old-school vigilante action as much as the next guy. But Tillman's resume doesn't inspire confidence, as he's had a forgettable career of very few highlights. Then there's Dwayne Johnson, a personality we like who has otherwise been forced to star in a series of children's pictures that made us wonder if the former wrestler was interested in his calling, that being middle-to-lowbrow tough guy actioners.
And yet, the red-band trailer for "Faster" has hit, and it doesn't skimp on the violence. Johnson plays an ex-con out to avenge the death of his brother during a heist-turned-double cross, along the way drawing the attention of intrepid cop Billy Bob Thornton. We figured the film would be inoffensive, forgettable PG-13 fluff along the lines of "Walking Tall" but then Johnson walked into an operating room and pumped a dying man full of lead, dodging squibs of blood, and we realized this might be something else. With the reputations of kiddie star Johnson and journeyman Tillman, its a surprise to see the studio going hard-R, especially with Johnson as a character who, in the trailer alone, mows down defenseless men relentlessly. But, refreshingly, it looks violent, straightforward, and with textbook practical effects, a welcome sight in a usually CGI-enhanced world.
"Faster" opens on November 10th. Peep the trailer below, but be warned: it's spoiler-licious.
Edward Burns & Genesis Rodriguez Join Sam Worthington Thriller 'Man On A Ledge'
Sam Worthington has yet to convince us that he's the next great hope for leading men. Yeah, sure, he was in "Avatar" but like the rest of the cast in that movie, he played second fiddle to the special effects. Moreover, his leading turns in "Terminator Salvation" and "Clash Of The Titans" left a bit to be desired.
So, all that said, we're kind of looking forward to the thriller "Man On A Ledge." Starring Worthington, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie and Elizabeth Banks, the film follows an ex-cop (Worthington) who framed for a crime, who is released from prison for his father's funeral, and threatens suicide from a hotel ledge. Across town, meanwhile, his brother (Bell) is planning a heist, which may be connected to the cop's actions. Mackie plays the cop's ex-partner while Banks will be the negotiator looking to talk him down from the titular precipice.
Now two more have been added, with Edward Burns and Genesis Rodriguez joining the cast. Intriguingly, Burns will play a rival hostage negotiator who tries to take over the proceedings when he suspects Banks of having a conflict of interest. Rodriguez will play Bell's girlfriend. Twists and turns abound it would seem.
Filming kicks off in November in New York with Asger Leth ("Ghosts of Cite Soleil") directing.
Billy Ray To Write & Direct Remake Of Oscar-Winner 'The Secret In Their Eyes'
As you may remember, in advance of its release, we were as down on "Let Me In" as anyone. The guy who did "Cloverfield," remaking one of the best-reviewed horror films of recent memory, less than two years after its release, starring the irritatingly precocious kid from "(500) Days of Summer?" No thank you. When we caught it, however, we found that the film was at least as good as the positive buzz around it: faithful to the original where it matters, while cutting back the fat and expanding on the interesting bits, it's a model of how to do a remake, and may even, over time, prove to be the superior version. Of course, no one saw the thing, but there we go...
As a result, we're going to be a little more cautious before we get on our high horses about the news that Billy Ray ("Shattered Glass," "Breach") has been hired by Warner Bros. to write and direct a remake of last year's winner of the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, the Argentinean thriller "El Secreto De Sus Ojos," or if you prefer, "The Secret In Their Eyes." The plot involves Benjamin Esposito, a retired criminal court investigator who's haunted both by an unsolved murder, and by his unrequited colleague for his former boss, and is told through a tricksy dual structure, cutting between 1999 and 1974.
It took a little while for us to be won over by the film when we saw it: there's a few jarring stylistic choices early on, and settling into the film's rhythm requires a little effort. But by about the midway point, and were convinced that the film was one of the better executed, more emotionally engaging thrillers that we'd seen in a long while, with a truly killer ending. And so long as veteran screenwriter Ray, who's also writing the movie version of "24," and rewriting "Hunger Games" for Gary Ross, takes some tips from the Matt Reeves playbook (for instance, don't try and recreate the film's indelible money shot, it won't work), there's no reason this can't match the original.
Our biggest concern is that Ray's directorial efforts have been strong, intelligent efforts, with great performances, but a little dry emotionally, and we're concerned that the film's love story may get lost among the plotting as a result. It's also unclear if the film will be relocated to the States, or if it'll pull a "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" and keep it in Argentina -- the political subtexts to the original get fairly short shrift, so there's no reason it couldn't be moved, necessarily. There's no word on a start date, or any other talent involved as yet. [Deadline]
Emily Blunt, Rachel Weisz & Mark Duplass To Topline Lynn Shelton's Untitled New Comedy
Update: Variety reports that Mark Duplass, who starred in Shelton's "Humpday" will be joining the film playing a man who comes between the two sisters.
We're beginning to suspect that Rachel Weisz has cloned herself. The actress has two projects in the can, the well-reviewed drama "The Whistleblower," and Jim Sheridan's supernatural thriller "Dream House," and now, no less than four new films lined up. She's making an appearance alongside Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams and Javier Bardem in the untitled Terrence Malick film that's currently shooting, she takes the lead in Terrence Davies' "The Deep Blue Sea" in November, and was the first to sign on for the ensemble cast of Fernando Meirelles' "360," and has now somehow found the time to fit in another project along the way, one that's just as tantalizing as the others.
In an apparent bid to pick up all ten available Oscar nominations in 2012, Weisz will star alongside Emily Blunt (who's almost as busy, with "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" currently filming, and recently signing on to Rian Johnson's "Looper") in an untitled new film from director Lynn Shelton, who was behind last year's Sundance hit "Humpday." The film will revolve around a pair of sisters, played by Blunt and Weisz, and like Shelton's earlier film, will be semi-improvised.
Joely Richardson, Steven Berkoff & David Dencik Join 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo'
"The Social Network" is out in the world, and proving to be perhaps the most universally praised film of David Fincher's career, but we're not sure that the director's noticed, as he's now in Sweden, a few weeks into shooting on his next film, the adaptation of Stieg Larsson's blockbuster crime novel "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo." And with filming underway, Fincher's spilled the beans on a handful of new additions to the cast.
The film toplines Daniel Craig as crusading journalist Mikael Blomkvist, and Rooney Mara as computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, with Robin Wright, Stellan Skarsgard and, most recently, Christopher Plummer all on board. Recently, Fincher talked to Swedish paper SvD to promote "The Social Network," and revealed that Joely Richardson ("The Patriot"), Steven Berkoff ("The Tourist") and Swedish actor David Dencik are also on board, although there's no word of who they'll be playing.
10/06/2010
Inevitable: Sandra Bullock In Negotiations To Save Alfonso Cuaron's 'Gravity'
Faster than you can say, "fuck that, this project bores me, pass," a new actress (sorta) has been thrown back into the mix for "Gravity." Poor Alfonso Cuaron. How many times does the dude have to have his heart broken this week?
So like, what, minutes ago, Natalie Portman turned down the lead role as an astronaut in Cuaron's sci-fi action drama, "Gravity," because, well, none of us really know why (we'll get to that in a sec).
In talks now is Sandra Bullock, who has reportedly been Warner Bros. first choice for the role for a long time now because of her incredible 2009 box-office performance. Yes, her numbers last year (approximately $453.9 million just domestically) even blew Angelina Jolie's phenomenal 2008 numbers out of the water ("Wanted," "Changeling" and "Kung Fu Panda" grossed an approximate $385.6 million domestically). Jolie, ironically the female who first kicked off this project as its first choice.
Johnny Depp Could Join Kathryn Bigelow's 'Sleeping Dogs' With Tom Hanks
Johnny Depp and Tom Hanks. Two actors we thought we'd probably never hear in the same casting sentence.
But it may happen. Filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow is ramping up her first, post-'Hurt Locker' film, a South American drug parable called "Sleeping Dogs" (previously known as "Triple Frontier"), and with Hanks reported to be in talks for the lead late yesterday, now Depp is also potentially joining the fold. Deadline says the director is courting the actor, he apparently likes the role and is down with the idea of working alongside Hanks, but as usual, it's all up to scheduling.
The film is set to shoot in South America in February, but that's also the same time when Tim Burton's "Dark Shadows" is looking to start production. Aside from his longtime allegiance to Burton and a project that has been on the table for a lot longer than "Sleeping Dogs" has, "Dark Shadows" is also a co-production with Depp's company and Graham King's who has worked closely on several Depp projects including the still unreleased, "The Rum Diary" which King's new company will probably release next fall.
Delayed Nic Cage Flick 'Season Of The Witch' Will Get Dumped Into Theaters On January 7, 2011
You're dying to know. So what happened to the Nicolas Cage supernatural adventure vehicle "Season Of The Witch"?
Well, all's been quiet on that front for months. In February, Lionsgate pulled the film from its innocuous March 19, 2010 release date and there hasn't really been a peep since. Well, until now. Variety reports the film has been bumped to a dumping ground season of January 7, 2011. As discussed today by the LAT, January isn't always the season where bad films go to die (see their collection of stats and recent money-makers like "Book of Eli" and "Cloverfield"). It's true. It just mostly is that season.
Directed by Dominic Sena (who directed Cage in "Gone In Sixty Seconds" and also helmed "Swordfish" which starred Halle Berry's bare breasts), the film centers on a pair of medieval knights ordered to accompany a mysterious young woman accused of witchcraft to a remote abbey for trial. The journey will test their strength and courage as they discover the secret of the woman's power and find themselves fighting a battle of biblical proportions. The picture stars Cage, Ron Perlman, newcomer Claire Foy (the female in question), Robert Sheehan and Christopher Lee. Tellingly, the studio hasn't even bothered post-converting it into 3D to make some extra bucks. Here's the trailer below which was released months ago.
Natalie Portman Turns Down Lead Role In Alfonso Cuaron's 'Gravity'
Alfonso Cuarón's troubled, ambitious and potentially great sci-fi thriller "Gravity" will continue the search for its leading lady as Natalie Portman has officially turned down the lead role.
The news is a major bummer for the $80 million production, which can only move forward if it can find a bankable lead female star to topline the pic. Angelina Jolie was the favored choice but turned down the part twice, so Warner Bros. took a long look at their list of contenders and made an offer to Portman. It was last reported that she was in active negotiations, but clearly, she has moved on.
The question now facing the production is which direction to go in. Cuarón was willing to bring the film in on a smaller budget to get an actress of his choice, but Warner Bros., who are worried about marketing a female-led sci-fi action film (not exactly a guarantee of box office success), want a more bankable name. We imagine they'll go back and look at recognized names like Sandra Bullock, Naomi Watts and Scarlett Johansson who have been mentioned as candidates while other names linked as potential leads that have included Marion Cotillard, Carey Mulligan, Sienna Miller, Abbie Cornish, Rebecca Hall, Olivia Wilde and Blake Lively.
At this point, we don't care who is cast really, we just want the film to get made. We hope that Portman's pass on the project isn't a harbinger of worse things to come. Here's hoping Cuarón and Warner Bros. can find a leading lady for the project soon. [Deadline]
'Batman 3' Reportedly Confirmed For April 2011 Shoot In New Orleans
According to a report, the rumors are true. Last we heard, Christopher Nolan's "Batman 3" (did you hear he's directing it??) was likely to start shooting in March or April of 2011 in New Orleans (Michael Caine said April himself).
Coming Soon essentially confirms all of these aforementioned rumors and speculation and says, indeed, it's all true. With Christian Bale allegedly bulking up for the role, this all makes sense. This should mean in a few weeks we'll have plenty of casting rumors that are probably more reliable than early nonsensical reports like Johnny Depp as the Riddler, etc. A more recent rumor pegged Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the Riddler, probably because of his Nolan connection in "Inception," but that report was still too early to be taken seriously.
There will be pressure to shoot in 3D, even though Nolan and his team are not entirely keen on it. Most directors might have to cave, but considering the filmmaker's "Inception" is closing in on the $800 million mark worldwide without 3D, the director probably has more than a leg to stand on. "Batman 3" (its working title of course) is currently scheduled for a July 20, 2012 date, which means the film will have to face off that summer against Marvel’s “The Avengers” (May 4), Peter Berg's board game-with-aliens picture “Battleship” (May 18), J.J. Abrams' “Star Trek” sequel (currently slated for a June 29 date) , and the rebooted 3D “Spider-Man” by director Marc Webb (scheduled for July 3). "John Carter of Mars" is also expected in the summer of 2012 and other possibilities include "Wolverine 2" and possibly the "Godzilla" reboot (presumably in 3D).
First Look At Kevin Smith's Horror Film 'Red State'
Kevin Smith has been surprisingly quiet lately, but that's probably because he's in the midst of shooting his horror film, "Red State." However, he recently hit Twitter to give fans a first look at the film and it's tastefully enigmatic.
Details on the film have mostly been kept under wraps, but it follows a group of kids who encounter a crazed preacher (based on Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church) who gives a whole new meaning to the term "extreme fundamentalism." And the picture above, seemingly taken from behind the preacher as he plays to his congregation, is an interesting pique.
The film which stars Kevin Pollack, Michael Parks, Kyle Gallner, Melissa Leo, Dermot Mulroney, Michael Angarano, Steven Root and John Goodman is currently shooting and will most likely hit theaters sometime next year. [via /Film]
Musical 'Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons' Heads To The Big Screen
We'll be honest, the only thing we know about the musical "Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons" is thanks to a scene in this summer's "The Other Guys" where Steve Coogan bribes Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg with tickets to the show, and they later come back to report that it was "delightful." And they aren't the only ones to think so.
Since opening in 2005, the Broadway musical has racked up $1 billion in ticket sales worldwide, won four Tony Awards and a Grammy. So it's no surprise then that the film rights spurred a huge bidding war among film producers to bring it to the big screen. Well, a winner has emerged with Graham King putting up seven figures to snag the rights.
And really, we can't blame him. Featuring the music and lyrics of the group's standards, including "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Rag Doll," "Oh What A Night," and "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," the thing is practically guaranteed to make "Mamma Mia!" sized money.
Indeed, studios definitely know the box office potential of musicals with well-known songs. Green Day's "American Idiot" is in development and a musical based on the songs by The Beach Boys was recently picked up by Fox 2000. No word on a director or production timelines, but you can bet this is on the top of the list for GK Films. [Deadline]
Juliette Binoche Reveals She Has A New Film With Abbas Kiarostami In The Works
During press rounds for the NYFF premiere of Abbas Kiarostami's "Certified Copy," we sat down with actress Juliette Binoche, who you may know for being the face of the 2010 Cannes Film Festival and winner of the festival's Best Actress award. At the close of a round-table interview, the actress, while discussing the difficulties in playing her character in the film, revealed she would be re-teaming with the director in the future saying, "I said to [Kiarostami] in the mail, recently, because we have another project... I'm just wishing I'll be less tense on the next project."
After persisting a bit, she gave some bare bones information on two new films of Kiarostami's, the latter one being theirs. "He's doing a project in Japan, he was going to do it in Korea but now he's doing it in Japan. The new script we'll do together will be available in November, so I don't know yet.. I know a synopsis, but.." In response to even more persistence, Binoche politely laughed and said "No! You have to be patient for it to grow because he has his own rhythm." We respectfully pulled back and decided to dig around a bit, hoping to find some scraps to put together that might make sense.
In an interview with New York Times this past spring, the director noted that his "next film would be a road movie too." Would this be the now-set-in-Japan film? It's possible, as the Binoche project sounds much too recent to have been talked about in May. Unpredictable and fearless, this is a man that does what he wants, take it or leave it, so we're curious to see what he has in store. "Certified Copy" will roll out via IFC Films and VOD in early 2011, and we more than implore you to see it.
Does Emma Stone In 'Spider-Man' Mean No Emma Stone In '21 Jump Street'?
Does good news for Sony, Marc Webb and and Andrew Garfield mean bad news for Jonah Hill, directors Phil Lord, Chris Miller and well... Sony?
The L.A. Times is reporting that Emma Stone's recent confirmed casting in the "Spider-Man" 3D reboot may preclude her involvement in Hill's "21 Jump Street" adaptation that was written by screenwriter Michael Bacall ("Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World," the "Les Grossman" project).
The issue? Scheduling. Isn't it always (imagine how much money studios could generate if they could create cloning technology)? "Spider-Man" is set to start filming in December of this year (probably pushed to early 2011 as they usually are) and "21 Jump Street" is hoping to shoot early in 2011 as well. There's two options for the project that's not a cash-cow franchise that can't be moved (guess which one?). One: delay their schedule and wait a few months until Stone is free. Or two: recast.
While waiting is an option, apparently scheduling issues lay further down the road as Hill and Stone have to take on other projects and "Spider-Man" will shoot through the entire winter of 2011."Spider-Man" 3D is set for a July 2012 release, while "21 Jump Street" doesn't have anything more than a vague TBD Winter 2012 release date attached according to BOM. Sony are no dummies though. One film is a major priority, while the other is an interesting new franchise that could take off. Keep an eye out for developments and or for a new pretty face to join Hill if it comes to that.
DreamWorks Now Circling 'Halo' Movie But Will Base It Off Novelizations To Avoid Legal Issues
If it seems like the "Halo" movie has been kicking around Hollywood forever, well, it kind of has. Let's rewind a bit shall we?
Five years ago, Columbia Pictures president Peter Schlessel first got the ball rolling on the adaptation of the hit video game when he began development of the project outside of the studio system to avoid hitting the usual snags these kind of projects run into. He got Alex Garland ("28 Days Later," "Never Let Me Go") to pen the the screenplay, earning him a $1 million check courtesy of Microsoft.
The script was then sent out to the major studios with a major price tag: $10 million against 15 percent of the grosses. It was a very tough sell but eventually Fox and Universal decided to partner on the project and split the cost -- $5 million each -- but bargained down the gross percentage to 10. Things continued to move forward with Peter Jackson and his team being brought on board to produce with Neill Blomkamp directing. However, Jackson and co. also snagged a lucrative first dollar percentage gross deal and suddenly, Fox executives were not happy at the rising cost of production versus the increasingly small piece of the pie they would be getting in return. They eventually demanded Jackson and co. cut back their deals, but predictably, they walked away from the project.
Of course, this move pissed off Universal who were already in the red having spent $12 million on the project and they took Fox to court. While things were settled out of court, the rumor is that Universal pretty much got hosed and were left holding the bag.
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