Friday, May 28, 2010

James McAvoy is wanted for X-MEN: FIRST CLASS

From ComingSoon.net:

"Twentieth Century Fox has closed a deal with James McAvoy (Wanted, The Last King of Scotland) to star as Charles Xavier in X-Men: First Class, to be directed by Matthew Vaughn.

X-Men: First Class begins production this summer for a June 3, 2011 release. Bryan Singer, who conceived the story for First Class and directed the original X-Men and its sequel X2, is producing along with Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg.

Additional casting is underway and will be announced shortly.

X-Men: First Class, following the classic Marvel mythology, charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men."

Agent Kay supports CAPTAIN AMERICA

From ComingSoon.net:

"As rumored, Tommy Lee Jones will act in Captain America: The First Avenger in a still-unknown role. Hayley Atwell, who plays Peggy Carter in the Joe Johnston-directed comic book adaptation, confirmed the news to LeicesterSquareTV.

Rumors place the Men in Black star in the part of General Chester Phillips, the military officer who chooses Steve Rogers for the super soldier program and who aided in his training soon after the serum took effect.

Phillips was retconned into continuity in 'Tales of Suspense #63' in 1965, just two years after Captain America was brought to Marvel's forefront as the leader of the Avengers. Phillips remained a character in the Marvel universe until 2003 when he (now retired) was killed by assassins from the underwater rival-to-Atlantis continent Lemuria.

In addition to Atwell, Jones is joining Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Sebastian Stan, Toby Jones, Samuel L. Jackson and Dominic Cooper in the July 22, 2011 release."

Sounds cool. Can't wait!!!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

The game's afoot again December 2011

From HeatVision Blog:

"Warner Bros. has scheduled Sherlock Holmes 2 for a mid-December 2011 release and is getting close to giving the go-ahead for a movie about beloved DC Comics superhero 'Flash'.

The Dec. 16 release date next year for the Sherlock sequel was shown on a slide during a presentation here Thursday by Warner chairman and CEO Barry Meyer. The first Sherlock was released this past December.

Meyer said the 2011 film slate will have roughly 25 movies.

As other big releases already set, he mentioned:
-- Red Riding Hood: April 22, 2011
-- The Hangover 2: May 26
-- Green Lantern (3D): June 17
-- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II (3D): July 15
-- Journey to the Center of the Earth 2 (3D): Sept. 23
-- Happy Feet 2 (3D): Nov. 18
-- New Year's Eve: Dec. 9

Given that 2011 will be the last year with a Potter release, Meyer said he guesses that the most successful franchise in motion picture history will have exceeded $7.5 billion in worldwide boxoffice once the final installment ends its theatrical run. And he said his team has been preparing for the franchise's end.

Meyer particularly highlighted that DC Comics characters are key parts of Warner's future, mentioning a July 20, 2012 release date for the latest 'Batman' film by Christopher Nolan and a holiday season 2012 'Superman' film.

He added that the studio is also 'nearing' a greenlight for a Flash movie, with films featuring Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Mad magazine characters also in development."

UPDATE:

The film is coming December 16, 2011. Up against Alvin and the Chipmunks 3D and Mission: Impossible IV. SOMEBODY'S gonna move.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

The LOONEY TUNES are back!

From ComingSoon.net:

"Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, two of the most popular Looney Tunes characters of all time, are returning to the big screen in three all-new animated 3D shorts. The studio will attach the cartoon shorts to three of its upcoming family features—all three features to be released this year in 3D. The first short will be seen with Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore on July 30th; the second with Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, on September 24th; and the third with Yogi Bear, on December 17th. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution.

In the new cartoon shorts, each three minutes in length, Wile E. Coyote is as determined as ever to catch the elusive Road Runner, who continues to leave his hapless nemesis in the dust with a taunting 'beep-beep'. However, bringing the classic characters into the 21st century, the resourceful Wile E. will now be employing an arsenal of state-of-the-art ACME gadgets to snag his quarry—with all of the action in stereographic 3D.


In making the announcement, Fellman said, 'Audiences have always delighted in Wile E. Coyote's dogged pursuit of the Road Runner, with hilarious, albeit predictable, results. We are thrilled to be presenting these characters for the first time in 3D, which will heighten the excitement and humor of the chase, not to mention the impact—at least for Wile E. We're sure these three new adventures will entertain a new generation of fans while reminding us all why these two characters have been beloved for so long.'

The shorts will act as a lead-up to a new 26-episode half-hour series called 'The Looney Tunes Show,' which will air on Cartoon Network this fall featuring Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck as roommates with the other classic Looney Tunes cartoon characters as their neighbors."

A Fox Slips Away...

From ComingSoon.net:

"Earlier this month, Megan Fox was spotted doing previz shots for Transformers III, but now Variety is reporting that she will not appear as Mikaela in the third installment after all.

Paramount Pictures reportedly decided not to pick up her option as the studio and director Michael Bay want to take the story line in another direction and plan to cast another actress as the love interest for Sam Witwicky, played by Shia LaBeouf. The trade says the decision 'was unrelated to a September interview with a British magazine in which Fox compared Bay with Adolf Hitler'.

The third installment is scheduled to hit theaters on July 1, 2011."

From Slashfilm:

"Fox is not willing to let movie studios or film journalists write her narrative. Proving that she will not go quietly into that good night, representatives for Fox told People magazine that it was in fact her idea to leave the franchise that made her a star: 'Megan Fox will not be starring in Transformers III…It was her decision not to return. She wishes the franchise the best.'"


America is all out of love and wants Megan Fox to come back.



But wait!

From ComingSoon.net:

"With the news that Megan Fox is not returning for Transformers III, speculation has already begun about who may replace her in the now coveted role. After the news hit earlier today, TheWrap posted an interesting bit:

Prince of Persia star Gemma Arterton is the front-runner to replace Megan Fox in Transformers III, TheWrap has learned.

An individual close to the casting process says the actress has already had discussions with Bay about the coveted role."

Now just who... is ... this... Gemma... uhh...


Huh. Maybe the world ain't slowing down after all!



MUSIC:

"All Out of Love" by Air Supply
"The World Ain't Slowin' Down" by Ellis Paul

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Jon Turteltaub talks NATIONAL TREASURE 3

From ComingSoon.net:

"Nicolas Cage will be returning as Ben Gates soon in the third installment of Disney's hit franchise National Treasure and the very affable director of the series, Jon Turteltaub, stopped to talk to ComingSoon.net at the Hollywood premiere of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time about the upcoming film, why he's such a fan of Nic's and why he's not worried about a potential shooting schedule conflict with Ghost Rider 2.

ComingSoon.net: 'You've worked with Nicolas Cage a few times now. What is it about him that you enjoy working with?'
Jon Turteltaub: 'He's a gentleman. He is one of the most professional actors but especially compared to what we think the wild Nic Cage is like. This is a guy who works really hard and has none of that movie star nonsense. All those bad stories you've heard about movie actors - none of those are true with Nic Cage. You also get someone who never bores you. Every time you're watching him do a scene you're going to get something unexpected. For a director, that's what you want because if they're only doing what you ask them to do - you have to be good as a director. He can fill in anything you're missing and do something special and that's what directors need.'

CS: 'Up until this point, he's been known for being an actor who doesn't do sequels. National Treasure: Book of Secrets is the first one he's ever done. Did that surprise you?'
Turteltaub: 'I wasn't surprised he did National Treasure. I was surprised he'd never done a sequel before. That was the surprise especially with The Rock. That's a movie that can make a phenomenal sequel. I think it's kind of a testament to Nic's variety that he'd never really done a sequel. His films are never kind of so that you can just knock out a sequel - there's something always complicated there. So I guess we made a simple enough movie. National Treasure was designed to be that kind of movie... a treasure hunt where you can go on several treasure hunts. It's really a tribute to Nic and how he created that character. People go see sequels to see characters and not stories, they've seen the story.'

CS: 'When does National Treasure 3 start shooting?'
Turteltaub: 'I think we start shooting late fall, early winter. Hopefully that's the goal and I think it will come out Christmas 2011. That's assuming everyone is available, the script is good and I haven't thrown a tantrum.'

CS: 'I know Nic has to start shooting the next Ghost Rider soon so will that conflict with your movie?'
Turteltaub: 'I doubt it. Usually scheduling conflicts come up if you're trying to land an actor and the actor has to choose between two movies. We won't make National Treasure without Nic and they won't make Ghost Rider without Nic so everyone will find a way to make both movies. It's not like Nic is going to go, 'I'll make Ghost Rider instead.' He'll make both. Also an actor's schedule is three to four months. Whereas a movies takes a year and a half. So it won't be an issue.'

CS: 'Where would you like to see National Treasure 3 go?'
Turteltaub: 'Where Avatar went. $700 million dollars. I want to see 3D and space. There could be treasure on Pandora. It's possible that somewhere hiding in that tree that fell down was Thomas Jefferson's earrings or something. I don't know. That would be the worst movie ever. Horrible!'

Jon Turteltaub's new film with Cage, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, opens in theaters on July 16."

Well, let's hope he can do both, because I know nobody wants to see a Disney-fied Ghost Rider.

UPDATE:

From Slashfilm:

"In National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Nicolas Cage’s character Ben Gates goes after the President of the United States’ book of secrets, an unofficial book which contains the answers for the biggest coverups in American history. In addition to his mission to restore his family’s name, Gates is advised by the President of the United States to 'read Page 47'. And of course, the information which is contained on Page 47 is never revealed, which many suspected might be a possible third film. Others wrote it off as nothing more than a throwaway gag.

But even if it was just a throwaway gag, we all know that can become something of franchise canon. For instance, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale never intended for a sequel for Back to the Future, and the ending of the film where Doc Brown returns from the future with a flying DeLorean was just intended to be a funny gag to end the movie on. In fact, they didn’t decide to do a sequel until after the film became a big success, at which time they added the 'To be continued…' caption to the conclusion of the film (it was never included in the theatrical print). The writers later stated that the ending gag in the first film painted them in a corner for the sequel. So is Page 47 just a throwaway gag or will it be the starting point of National Treasure 3?

Collider talked with screenwriters Doug Miro and Carlo Bernard who said the following:

'We were asked to start there [when writing the third film], so that is where we’ll start. The plan is to start from what’s on Page 47. The idea of the Book of Secrets is spectacular. It’s a great idea. The second movie sort of introduced it and used it as the center of the movie, so it is smart to make the third movie ‘okay, what treasure hunt will come out of the book of secrets’, which is kind of what the end of the movie started.'

The screenwriting team has been working on the screenplay for the third film since June 2009. We’ve heard in numerous interviews with Cage and director Jon Turteltaub that they wanted the plot to take place in Europe. What might be on page 47 that brings them there? Cage has said, whatever it is — it must be 'life altering'."

Captain Jack Sparrow in 3D!

From ComingSoon.net:

"A lot of the 2011 summer tentpole releases have already been announced as being either filmed in 3D or converted afterwards, but so far, May 2011 has been somewhat devoid of 3D release announcements... until now!

Walt Disney Pictures has announced that the fourth installment of Jerry Bruckheimer's popular action franchise Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, directed by Rob Marshall, will be filmed in Disney Digital 3D. Bruckheimer's only previous 3D movie before that was last year's G-Force.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is still slated for release on May 20, 2011."

Too bad Johnny Depp has a problem with 3D. It's not a matter of opinion, he has a physical condition with his eyes and 3D doesn't work for him.

If the remake fits...

From ComingSoon.net:

"Walt Disney Pictures has made a deal with screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna (27 Dresses, The Devil Wears Prada) to write a live-action reimagining of the classic fairy tale Cinderella. Simon Kinberg will produce.


[It's] not known whether the movie will be released in 3D or if there will be deviations from the original story. While most people know the story from Disney's 1950 animated classic, there are variations going back as far as the 1st century BC.

McKenna's credits also include the upcoming Morning Glory."

It would be interesting to see either Katherine Heigl or Anne Hathaway as Cinderella. Maybe Meryl Streep as the Wicked Stepmother.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

NAPOLEON DYNAMITE returns... as a cartoon?

From MediaBistro:

"An animated television series based on the 2004 film Napoleon Dynamite is currently in development at Fox.

Most of the original cast from the 2004 cult favorite are on board to reprise their roles from the film, according to people familiar with the project. Actors lending their voices include Jon Heder as the title character Napoleon Dynamite, Efran Ramirez as Pedro, Aaron Ruell as Kip Dynamite and Jon Gries as Uncle Rico. Likewise Jared and Jerusha Hess, who created the characters and wrote and directed the film, are closely involved with the potential animated series.

If Fox picks up the project, which is in the pilot phase, it would make sense to plug the show into its Sunday night animation lineup, joining 'The Simpsons' and 'Family Guy'. With 'The Cleveland Show' already renewed through 2011, Fox may have to cancel 'American Dad' in order to make room for the new series on Sundays, or move one of the shows to a different night.

Jared and Jerusha Hess have a longstanding relationship with Fox, with the company's Fox Searchlight arm having distributed Napoleon Dynamite as well as their latest film Gentlemen Broncos.

News of the potential series comes just a few days before the broadcaster holds its annual upfront presentation to advertisers in New York Monday."

YAY!!!

The Nautilus... REcommissioned?

From ComingSoon.net:

"The plans for Walt Disney Pictures to produce a new adaptation of Jules Verne's 1869 underwater adventure novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea seem to be back on track, thanks to director [Oscar-nominated] David Fincher, who approached the studio's new production head Sean Bailey with interest in making the movie his first major studio tentpole project for all audiences, possibly since Alien 3 in 1992. Fincher is currently in negotiations with the studio as is screenwriter Scott J. Burns (The Informant!), who has been slated to write the new take on Verne's classic story.

Previously, Disney adapted Vernes' novel into the 1954 film starring Kirk Douglas that is considered by many to be one of the studio's classic live action films. Last year, director McG had started to develop a new version of the story that focused on an origin story for Captain Nemo, and that version was fast-tracked with a $150 million budget, but was then axed soon after Richard Ross took over as Disney Chairman last year. Ross then went on record that the idea of doing a new version of 20,000 Leagues wasn't dead, but that they would proceed in a different direction.

Bailey had been developing the project covertly, but with Fincher and Burns in talks for deals, it seems likely the project will begin forward movement again. It's thought that the time Burns would need to write a new script would allow Fincher to direct another movie after finishing his upcoming The Social Network for Sony."

Yet at the same time, Fincher's got 10 other projects that also need his attention:

Ness,a bio-pic of law enforcement agent Eliot Ness with Matt Damon as a possible Ness.

The Killer about a top assassin, with his conscience getting the better of him, and a cop on his tail

The Goon, a CG-animated crime caper with Clancy Brown as the voice of The Goon and Paul Giamatti as the voice of Franky

Heavy Metal, Fincher is set to direct one of the film’s eight or nine segments, which will also feature other directors such as Zack Snyder, Gore Verbinski and Guillermo del Toro, as well as James Cameron. The film is envisioned as being an animated, adult-themed R-rated film

Chef, a comedy with Keanu Reeves (really?)

The Reincarnation of Peter Proud about a professor who is beginning to have flashbacks of a previous life

Pawn Sacrifice, another biopic on the life of chess champion Bobby Fischer

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a remake of a Swedish film involving complicated international financial fraud and the buried evil past of a wealthy Swedish industrial family

Old Spidey meets New Spidey

From ComingSoon.net:

"Alvin Sargent, who has worked on every Spider-Man movie, has been brought back to polish the script for Sony's Spider-Man reboot.

The veteran screenwriter is working off a script by James Vanderbilt. Sargent also wrote a draft for Spider-Man 4 before that movie was scrapped.

The Marc Webb-directed reboot is scheduled to start shooting later this year for a July 3, 2012 release in 3D and 2D theaters.

Heat Vision says that Sargent 'has become the studio's go-to guy for punching up weighty scenes. The new Spider-Man is rumored to be more emotionally anchored and realistic than the previous movies. Word is that Peter Parker will be a 17-year-old high school kid struggling with shifting hormones and an outsider status. And let's not forget the death of his uncle.'"

What would be cool is if they at least brought one actor back from the original Spider-Man to play a part in the new film. Like Leonard Nimoy in the new Star Trek.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

IRON MAN 2 goes Disney?

From D23:

"Of all the things a Disney fan might expect from box office smash Iron Man 2 — A-list celebrities, dazzling special effects, heart-racing action — a Richard Sherman tune might not be one of them. But moviegoers get just that when seeing the new movie, which took in a staggering $133.6 million this past weekend.

'It's a small part of the film,' scoffs Richard modestly, speaking exclusively to D23. Sherman's melody, 'Make Way for Tomorrow Today,' is the theme for the 1974 Stark Expo in the film, and can also be heard over the closing credits (an orchestral arrangement of the song is played over the Stark Expo 2010 web site). The Expo looks suspiciously like an updated version of the 1964 New York World's Fair for which Walt Disney himself played a leading creative role. In fact, the character of Howard Stark (father of Tony Stark — played by Robert Downey, Jr.) looks suspiciously like Walt himself and his on-camera addresses are reminiscent of Walt's personal talks with his audience during his many television appearances. 'Tony's father is a cross between Walt Disney and Howard Hughes,' explains Richard, who's crafted dozens of enduring Disney songs over the years — from 'It's A Small World' to 'A Spoonful of Sugar' — with his brother, Robert.

'The filmmakers wanted a Disney-esque song to be the theme song of the Stark Expo,' continues the Disney Legend. So who better to approach than then composer of one of the most iconic songs of the 1964 World's Fair? 'It's very much a Disney-style up-tempo number,' says Richard, who confirms the piece gives a wink and a nod to his 1964 composition for the Carousel of Progress. 'It's the feel of 'There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.' It has the same exciting Disney quality.'

Richard, who calls Iron Man 2 a 'great, fun movie,' says he thinks his old boss would be thrilled with Disney's acquisition of the Marvel label. 'It's entertaining — Walt was an entertainer,' he points out. 'I think Walt would be pleased about this. He's smiling down.'

Richard has reason to smile too: 'Make Way for Tomorrow Today' is slated to appear in the upcoming Captain America film ('different style, same song,' Richard notes), ensuring the music of this true Disney treasure will continue to be enjoyed by a whole new generation."

If you haven't heard this great melody go to - http://www.starkexpo2010.com

It's good to know that the Sherman brothers are still recognizable after all these years.

The plot for COWBOYS & ALIENS

From ComingSoon.net:

"DreamWorks Pictures has revealed the official synopsis for Iron Man films director Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens, starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell and Noah Ringer. Opening July 29, 2011, the film was written by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof:

'1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear.

But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.

Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.'"

Harrison Ford is a villain? Again?!

Shia LaBeouf admits REVENGE OF THE FALLEN was bad

From ComingSoon.net:

"Shia LaBeouf told The Associated Press that Transformers III 'brings the heart back to the franchise.' He starts working on the third installment on Tuesday.

The new script restores a human element that got lost in the second movie, LaBeouf said. 'When I saw the second movie, I wasn't impressed with what we did,' LaBeouf said at the Cannes Film Festival. 'There were some really wild stunts in it, but the heart was gone.'"

UPDATE:

From LATimes:

"The last time Shia LaBeouf came to Cannes, in 2008, it was to promote Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the revival of the swashbuckling adventure franchise that went on to earn a whopping $787 million around the world. LaBeouf is back on the Croisette this weekend to flog Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, another revival of a classic from several decades ago. But he's not willing to forget about what he says were rampant problems with Indy 4 -- and he doesn't expect fans to, either.

'I feel like I dropped the ball on the legacy that people loved and cherished,' LaBeouf said, explaining that this upped the ante for him before he began shooting the Wall Street sequel. 'If I was going to do it twice, my career was over. So this was fight-or-flight for me.'

Meeting with reporters Saturday on a terrace at the Hotel du Cap, he had some strong, confessional words about his acting in the film, which he said he felt didn't convince anyone that he was the action hero the movie claimed him to be. 'You get to monkey-swinging and things like that and you can blame it on the writer and you can blame it on Steven [Spielberg, who directed]. But the actor's job is to make it come alive and make it work, and I couldn't do it. So that's my fault. Simple.'

LaBeouf said that he could have kept quiet, especially given the movie's blockbuster status, but didn't think the film had fooled anyone. 'I think the audience is pretty intelligent. I think they know when you've made ... . And I think if you don't acknowledge it, then why do they trust you the next time you're promoting a movie.' LaBeouf went on to say he wasn't the only star on the film who felt that way. 'We [Harrison Ford and LaBeouf] had major discussions. He wasn't happy with it either. Look, the movie could have been updated. There was a reason it wasn't universally accepted.'

LaBeouf added, 'We need to be able to satiate the appetite,' he said. 'I think we just misinterpreted what we were trying to satiate.'

Asked whether this was difficult to say, given his deep relationship with Spielberg, LaBeouf continued with the directness.

'I'll probably get a call. But he needs to hear this. I love him. I love Steven. I have a relationship with Steven that supersedes our business work. And believe me, I talk to him often enough to know that I'm not out of line. And I would never disrespect the man. I think he's a genius, and he's given me my whole life. He's done so much great work that there's no need for him to feel vulnerable about one film. But when you drop the ball you drop the ball.'"

You gotta admit, the fella's honest.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Casting the 3D MUSKETEERS

From ComingSoon.net:

"Just a month after it was reported that director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) would be directing Warner Bros.' The Three Musketeers, Heat Vision is reporting that director/producer Paul W.S. Anderson is stepping up his own planned contemporary 3D version of Alexandre Dumas' French swashbucklers with the casting of eight actors.

According to the story, Logan Lerman, most recently seen in Chris Columbus' Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief will headline the movie playing D'Artagnan, leader of the other Musketeers, played by Punisher: War Zone's Ray Stevenson (Porthos), Clash of the Titans's Luke Evans (Athos) and Pride & Prejudice's Matthew Macfadyen (Aramis). Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz and Casino Royale and 'Clash' star Mads Mikkelsen will join the cast as the primary villains Cardinal Richelieu and Rochefort, respectively. It's probably a surprise to absolutely no one that Anderson's own wife Milla Jovovich has been cast as Milady de Winter, Athos' ex-girlfriend.

Orlando Bloom, co-star of the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies, is in negotiations to play the Duke of Buckingham but hasn't been confirmed yet."

Sounds cool! Good to see even though Logan Lerman is not Spider-Man, he's still getting movie offers.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

No Twins for TRANSFORMERS III

From ComingSoon.net:

"Director Michael Bay says that Skids and Mudflap, which caused some controversy for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, will not be back for next summer's Transformers III. Bay posted a simple message on his forums stating that 'The Twins are not back in T3'."

Friday, May 7, 2010

BLACK is Back!

From ComingSoon.net:

"Columbia Pictures announced today that Men in Black III will be released in 3D on May 25, 2012. Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are returning to produce and Barry Sonnenfeld, who directed the first two installments of the blockbuster franchise, will direct the film from a screenplay written by Etan Cohen, based on the comic book by Lowell Cunningham. Steven Spielberg is set to executive produce.

Deals are set for Will Smith, Sonnenfeld and the producing team to return to the blockbuster franchise with the intent to begin production by this fall and the studio is in advanced negotiations with Tommy Lee Jones to reprise his role as Agent Kay. Josh Brolin is also in talks to star as a young Agent Kay.

Commenting on the announcement, Jeff Blake, Chairman of Sony Pictures Worldwide Marketing and Distribution said, 'Sony's summer of 2012 will get off to a red hot start with an incredible new 3D adventure for the Men in Black. We couldn't be more excited that the original filmmaking team responsible for the first two worldwide hits is reuniting for this third installment. We love where the story is taking Agents Jay and Kay and know this new chapter will deliver a fresh fun twist for fans of the franchise while also introducing the Men in Black to a whole new generation of moviegoers.'

The first two Men in Black films, which were released in 1997 and 2002, went on to become two of the most successful films in Columbia Pictures history, taking in more than $1 billion combined worldwide. The first film in the franchise won an Academy Award® for Best Makeup and was nominated for two other Oscars®."

Even Will Smith gets in on the act!!

J.J. Abrams' SUPER 8 trailer mysteriously appears

From ComingSoon.net:

"The teaser for J.J. Abrams' secret project Super 8, which is now playing in theaters with Iron Man 2, [is now online]. An official website for the Steven Spielberg-produced film is also now online at Super8-movie.com. The project starts shooting this fall for a summer 2011 release."



Gives off great vibes of Close Encounters of the Third Kind.


UPDATE:

From The Hollywood Reporter:

"What if Stephen King and J.K. Rowling brainstormed an idea together? Just how big would the potential audience be? Cosmic. Well, moviemaking heavyweights J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg began collaborating on a hush-hush project a year ago called Super 8 that they concocted from discussions of their own early filmmaking experiences. Despite Bad Robot's Cheney-level secrecy, bits and pieces about the project (some right, some wrong) started bubbling up last week. Abrams has written the original script and will direct the film this fall for a summer 2011 release through Paramount, where Bad Robot resides. Spielberg is producing the project, along with Abrams and his producing partner Bryan Burk. The film will be in the $45 million-$50 million range. It has nothing to do with Cloverfield and will be shot traditionally (i.e. not hand-held). It's potentially a huge movie for Paramount, despite its midrange budget, which is why it's got a slot during Paramount's already crowded 2011 summer slate.

The studio will have to fit it in with Thor, Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom, Transformers III, [Captain America: The First Avenger].... And [Star Trek: Untitled Sequel] isn't expected until June 29, 2012, with an as-yet-unfinished screenplay by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof, so Abrams could still direct that after Super 8 if he chose (which, technically, he hasn't yet).

[The trailer is] 90 seconds long and plays out with utter simplicity. I'll leave it to others to ruin the surprises for the multitudes flocking to see it run in front of Iron Man 2's midnight screenings tonight (the trailer is not actually attached to the IM2 reels, though they are locked away together in combo-locked canisters as they're delivered this morning to theaters at 8 a.m.).
But it's straightforward, effective and very, very enticing. Abrams shot it independently of the actual film shoot about a month ago, and the Bad Robot team cut together the teaser while putting together his new NBC series 'Undercovers' and the trailer for their November release Morning Glory over the past month. In terms of tweaking audience appetite for absolutely having to see the movie, Abrams and Spielberg are masters. This quick, visceral and creepy tease of Super 8 certainly does the trick.

What it doesn't let anyone in on is the plot of the movie or the rest of the context that we had heard actually generated the idea. Namely, the possibility that a group of kids in 1979 are playing around making movies with their Super 8 cameras (as Abrams and Spielberg did as kids) and accidentally capture something ... sinister, on film.

Now, despite all our requests, Abrams and camp have refused to confirm anything about the plot. Abrams has said he doesn't want to comment on this -- he'd rather maintain the mystery and let the images speak for themselves. Fair enough, and certainly expected. So take all these plot descriptions you're reading around the web with a giant heap of salt. But the project is being produced by Amblin along with Bad Robot. So if you can imagine the supernatural styles of current BR and early '80s Spielberg combined, you should have a pretty good idea of where all this is going.

Bad Robot's first feature project, Cloverfield, was rolled out in a similarly out-of-nowhere fashion, its teaser also filmed and cut together independent of the movie shoot. That teaser was thrown on the front of Transformers when it hit theaters in the summer of 2007. That monster movie ultimately grossed $168 million worldwide for Paramount when it opened in January 2008. But again, Super 8 has nothing to do with Cloverfield. And Super 8 is a solo J.J. Abrams movie, something we've never seen before and something sure to play much bigger.

For added pleasure, if you want to get an explanation from Abrams himself about why he handles his creative life with such passionate protectiveness, check out this TED speech [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpjVgF5JDq8] he gave two years ago about the Mystery Box. As for Super 8, we're all gonna have to wait another year until that mysterious train pulls into the station."

I do highly encourage people to watch that TED speech (it's 18:03) - he's enormously funny (this guy needs a comedy), informative and has fantastic opinions on great movies.

Brad Bird accepts MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE IV

From ComingSoon.net:

"On Thursday, Paramount Pictures announced that Mission: Impossible IV was being pushed back from May 27, 2011 to December 16, 2011. Now the director has been confirmed as well.

Tom Cruise talked to Empire magazine and said that it is indeed Brad Bird taking on the director's chair, as rumors had suggested. Bird is of course the director of critically-acclaimed movies The Iron Giant, The Incredibles and Ratatouille.

Cruise, who is starring and producing with J.J. Abrams, said 'we're working with Brad right now. I don't know if I'm allowed to talk about it but everything's signed... Brad is doing it.'

He added that 'we're having a lot of fun. I like working with people I just love hanging out with, you get to hang out and laugh and talk stories and movies and technology: what are we going to do?'"

Cool!!! This is also good news for The Hangover 2 because now they won't have to deal with Tom Cruise. However, it's gonna be a close race between M:I IV and Alvin and the Chipmunks 3D.

Vin Diesel vs. Dwayne Johnson?

From ComingSoon.net:

"Deadline New York is reporting that Dwayne Johnson is eyeing a starring role in Fast Five, the fifth installment of the Fast and Furious franchise coming to theaters on June 10, 2011.

In the movie, Dom (Vin Diesel) and Brian (Paul Walker) are fugitives being pursued by relentless lawmen. [It's possible] Johnson's character would lead those lawmen if the deal goes through.

Justin Lin is returning to direct. Chris Morgan wrote the script."

OOH BOY!!! This is getting good!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Catherine Keener and Emma Stone rock on to THE CROODS

From ComingSoon.net:

"Catherine Keener [(The 40-Year-Old Virgin)] and Emma Stone [(Zombieland)] are joining Nicolas Cage and Ryan Reynolds in the voice cast of DreamWorks Animation's comedy The Croods. The film is described as follows:

'Surviving in a volcanic world is tough enough, but caveman Grug (Cage) gets a rude awakening when an earthquake forces him to leave behind the only world he knows. With his family in tow, he ventures out into the volatile world in search of a new home. The situation becomes even more complicated when Grug's family - but in particular his eldest daughter - become smitten with a nomad (Reynolds) they encounter on their dangerous journey. This quirky, imaginative stranger's search for 'tomorrow' is at odds with Grug's reliance on the traditions of yesterday.'

Keener will voice Ugga, the mother of the Crood clan, and Stone will voice Eep, their daughter.

Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon) and Kirk DeMicco have written and are directing the 3D film, which is set for release March 30, 2012. It's based on a screenplay originally developed by Monty Python's John Cleese and DeMicco."

OH. MY. GOSH!!! I LOVE EMMA STONE!!!!!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS gets first class promotion!

From Slashfilm:

"20th Century Fox has officially announced that director Matthew Vaughn will helm the X-Men series prequel/reboot X-Men: First Class. When it was reported that they were fast-tracking this project into production, they weren’t kidding. The film is set to go into production this Summer, and the studio has set a June 3rd 2011 release date. We also have a look at the tenative plot synopsis:

X-Men: First Class, following the classic Marvel mythology, charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known."

Here's what original director Bryan Singer had to say,

"'I’ve been a fan of Matthew’s since Layer Cake,' said Singer. “He has a deft hand with multiple characters and storylines, and a great love of the X-Men universe. I feel the combination of this story and his vision will make for an exciting and original X-Men film.'"

Interestingly, Vaughn was one of the front-runners to direct X3: The Last Stand before Brett Ratner was hired. Then he tried to get onboard Thor and lost to Kenneth Branagh. But now, he's a part of a more violent superhero saga (one involving green-and-yellow-tights and a swearing little girl).

Getting inside INCEPTION

From Slashfilm:

"Warner Bros has finally issued an official plot synopsis for the film:

'Acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan directs an international cast in an original sci-fi actioner that travels around the globe and into the intimate and infinite world of dreams. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible—inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. This summer, your mind is the scene of the crime.'"

Make any sense so far? Good, me neither. Guess it has to be seen to be believed?

J.J. Abrams mystifying audiences again?

From ComingSoon.net:

"Does anyone remember when a mysterious teaser for a new J.J. Abrams movie appeared in front of Michael Bay's Transformers three years ago? We do, and at the time, it was one of the most exciting and surprising things to happen in quite some time, because it effectively kicked off an intense viral campaign that had many people playing a guessing game about every aspect of a movie that turned out to be Cloverfield.



Apparently, J.J. Abrams and Paramount are at it again, and thanks to the detecting skills of Drew McWeeny at HitFix--yes, the former 'Moriarty' from Ain't It Cool is now playing 'Sherlock Holmes'--we can expect another 'secret' teaser trailer in front of Iron Man 2 on Friday.

Except this time, not even the theater projectionists will be able to have a look at it before Thursday because Paramount has sent all the trailers for the movie in a locked mystery can that requires a combination code they won't even receive before Thursday afternoon.

The HitFix story even has a picture of the instruction letter that comes along with the reels received at some theaters:



The card says that the secrecy is to 'protect the film from any possible piracy issues' except that the movie will already have been playing internationally for a week and it very specifically says that it contains only the first and last reels of the movie plus the trailers.

According to McWeeny, the reason for this secrecy is because Paramount has included the first teaser trailer for an Abrams project called Super 8, which looks to be at least thematically some sort of sequel to the 2008 monster movie Cloverfield. Although the movie hasn't even begun to film yet, it's doubtful Abrams will direct it. Cloverfield director Matt Reeves is currently busy with the vampire movie Let Me In, so theoretically, it could be his next project."

UPDATE:

From ComingSoon.net:

Vulture has more on the trailer which definitely goes into SPOILER territory. Read the following only if you want to know what's shown in the trailer...

Insiders familiar with the trailer tell us that it shows a bunch of kids who are shooting a movie with a Super 8 camera in the seventies or eighties. When they develop the film, they notice that there's an alien creature in the frame. Our sources also say that Super 8 is absolutely connected to 2008's Cloverfield (possibly a prequel, but not a sequel).


UPDATE 2:

From ComingSoon.net:

"Vulture was able to catch up with J.J. Abrams last night and asked him about his secret trailer that is attached to prints of Iron Man 2 this weekend.

Abrams said, 'You have to check [out the trailer]. But it has nothing whatsoever to do with Cloverfield, despite your expert reporting.' So what is Super 8 about? 'I won't be able to tell you until it's done,' he said."

Well, Abrams has successfully kept everybody in the dark. If you haven't seen Cloverfield, take a look. It's not as scary as it looks (except for one REALLY scary scene).

Hugo Weaving IS the Red Skull

From ComingSoon.net:

"Marvel Studios announced today that Hugo Weaving has been cast to star as Johann Schmidt aka the Red Skull in the studio's highly anticipated movie Captain America: The First Avenger opposite Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell. In the early comics, Johann Schmidt was drafted into loyal service of The Third Reich and renamed 'The Red Skull'. The character will be updated for the feature adaptation. Joe Johnston will direct the film penned by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely.

Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige will produce Captain America: The First Avenger. Alan Fine, Stan Lee, David Maisel and Louis D'Esposito will executive produce. The film will be released in the US on July 22, 2011 and distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Captain America: The First Avenger will focus on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America.

Weaving was last seen in The Wolfman and his voice is very recognizable as Megatron from Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as well as Noah the Elder from Happy Feet. His other film credits include starring in V For Vendetta, The Matrix franchise, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy."

About time, Marvel.

Spielberg saddles up with WAR HORSE

From ComingSoon.net:

"Steven Spielberg has chosen to next direct War Horse. DreamWorks Pictures acquired the rights to Michael Morpurgo's World War I novel of the same name in December.

Scholastic describes the title as follows:

'In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey´s courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?'

The studio has set an August 10, 2011 release for the film."

This sounds interesting - almost Black Stallion in WWI. As long as we don't hear the horse's thoughts.

But in picking up War Horse, what has Spielberg dropped:

From MTV Movies Blog:

"Harvey
Spielberg was set to direct Harvey, a remake of the classic 1950 film starring Jimmy Stewart as a man with an invisible 6-foot-tall rabbit for his best friend. But in December, Spielberg backed away from the project after a year and a half of development. [He also almost cast Robert Downey Jr.]

Indiana Jones 5
From producer Frank Marshall to actor Shia LaBeouf, several Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull participants are expecting Spielberg to swing back into the adventure franchise — but Harrison Ford is still waiting on the script.

Lincoln
How could we forget Spielberg's proposed Abraham Lincoln biopic that would have seen Liam Neeson starring as the 16th President of the United States? The film has still not come to fruition, with the last update coming nearly two years ago.

Matt Helm
Last July, Spielberg's name was dropped in connection with Matt Helm, a spy thriller based on the secret agent novel series from Donald Hamilton. The project was always in doubt, however, due to tricky ties between Spielberg's DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures.

Pirate Latitudes
DreamWorks announced development of Pirate Latitudes last year, though it was unclear at the time whether or not Spielberg himself would direct the film. The movie is an adaptation of the late Michael Crichton's novel about piracy in the 17th century.

Robopocalypse
Cloverfield screenwriter Drew Goddard is adapting Daniel H. Wilson's Robopocalypse about... well, just read the title and you'll have a good sense for the plot. Spielberg was mentioned as a possible director for the project just last month.

Untitled Gershwin Biopic
Star Trek actor Zachary Quinto was mentioned as a candidate to headline an untitled Gershwin biopic for Spielberg back in February. For all of you artless barbarians out there, George Gershwin is the man responsible for some of the most memorable Broadway shows of all time. Believe it."