Oliver Stone Could Cast Shia LeBeouf in Pinkville

Pinkville, director Oliver Stone's film about the Mai Lai Massacre that took place during the War, could finally be getting made and with the young Shia LeBeouf no less. The movie almost shot in with a cast that included Bruce Willis, Woody Harrelson, Michael Pitt, Channing Tatum, amd Michael Pena. Thanks to the writer's stirke, the film was delayed.

On the commentary track for Wall : Money Never Sleeps, Oliver Stone says that he's been talking to the Wall Street 2 star LeBeouf about acting in the film, in the role that was originally going to be filled by Channing Tatum. LeBeouf would play a US Army helicopter named Hugh Thompson.
The My Lai Massacre was a dark, dark time in this country's military history, where a U.S. Army killed anywhere from 350 to over 500 unnarmed South civilians in the hamlets of My Lai and My Khe. Many of the victims were women, children, elderly people, and even infants. Pinkville was the military codeword for the My Lai hamlet.

The massacre was reported by Thompson (LeBeouf's character in the film), who then intervened by landing his helicopter between the US troops and a group of civilians that were retreating, ordering his gunners to shoot any soldier that attacked the civilians. Thompson was later given the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Given the material, this will be a troublesome film to make and there's no telling what sort of opposition Stone will face.

Duncan Jones says Warcraft movie could be great

 

Duncan Jones, director of Moon and the upcoming Source Code, is a talent to watch.

His low-budget lunar debut helped him shed the 'David Bowie's son' tag, and Source Code looks like it'll be an extremely inventive sci-fi thriller.

Jones has never been one to hide his geeky tendencies, and in a recent chat with Badass Digest, he spoke of his love for videogames, and asserted his belief that World of Warcraft could be the first truly great videogame movie.

Of his gaming passion, Jones said: "I'm very cynical of the number of directors who say they're actual gamers."

"I'm a real gamer and I think there are less real gamers involved in directing only because you have to spend so much time making films that there's no time to be a hardcore gamer."

"I'm just slightly insane and I stay up all night playing games."

Jones went on to say: "I'm hugely jealous of Sam Raimi… I really believe World of Warcraft could be the launch of computer games as good films."
"And from the little I've read of interviews with him the way he's approaching it makes so much sense. It's not worrying about how the game plays, it's about creating the world of the game and investing the audience in that world."

With Raimi busy on Oz at the moment, could Jones be the person to step up and bring Warcraft to the screen?

If he could bring the same sensibilities to a huge-scale fantasy epic that he brought to Moon, we'd be all for it.

Source: Badass Digest

Diane Kruger signs on for Farewell My Queen

Eva Green has officially dropped out of Benoit Jacquot’s Marie Antoinette biopic Farewell, My Queen.

But fear not, an equally gorgeous European has stepped in to take her place, with Diane Kruger set to don a powdered wig and giant, frilly frock as the young queen. We imagine.

Set towards the end of the French Revolution, the film is an adaptation of Chantal Thomas’ novel. It should be interested to see what Jacquot, who directed School Of Flesh and The Untouchable, will do with the material.

Kruger joins Gerard Depardieu in the film, though it is currently unknown which role the actor will play.

Farewell, My Queen goes in front of cameras in spring 2011.

Source: The Playlist

Total Recall remake will shoot in March 2011

Total Recall will be officially mashed through the remake machine when shooting on the re-do begins in March 2011.

Len Wiseman of the first two Underworld movies is in the director’s dock, and he’s reportedly sent out offers to a high profile leading man.

No, not Arnold Schwarzenegger, but… Colin Farrell. Talk about a 180. Still, Farrell does have a charisma button that he occasionally flips, meaning he could make for an interesting (and leaner) reimagining of Quaid.

Should the new film stick to the same premise as the 1990 original, that is. A loose adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, the original Recall grabbed $119m in box office kerchings and was made on a budget of $50m.

Which looks positively restrained in comparison to the remake, which is to be shot in Toronto on a budget of $200m. Expect it in cinemas by 2012.

Animated TRON TV series on the way

TRON: Legacy writers Adam Horowitz and Eddie Kitsis have spilled the beans on an upcoming TRON TV animation.

Like Star Wars spin-off The Clone Wars, the show will bring the events that took place between the movies to life.

Speaking to Box Office Magazine, Horowitz said: "There's a 10-part micro series that will premiere next summer that Eddie and I wrote."

"We've hired an incredible team; we've got a guy running the show named Charlie Bean who is an amazing director."

When asked if the movie would fit in with the continuity of the movies, Kitsis stated: "Absolutely. And we're treating it very seriously."

"The animated show will take place from when Flynn is in a safe house. It's from when Clu takes over the grid to before when Sam comes in. So if you were wondering what the grid was like before that, then watch the show."

Horowitz added some further details: "We hesitate to tell too much just yet, but it will fill in the blanks of some things and explore some new areas as well."

"Bruce Boxleitner is in it, Elijah Wood, Linda Moore, Paul Reubens, Lance Henriksen. I mean, we've got a really cool group of actors."

TRON: Legacy didn't exactly set the box office alight in the way Disney would have hoped for, so it'll be interesting to see if there's still an audience for this.

Source: Box Office Magazine

Kylie Minogue wants to make a movie comeback

Diminutive pop star Kylie Minogue has already made her 2011 New Year’s resolutions, revealing that she hopes to make a return to the big screen very soon.

Having starred in Neighbours as Charlene Robinson before turning into a world-renowned popstress, Minogue also had a role as the green fairy in Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge!

Chatting with Kate Thornton during a Kylie special that will air on Radio 2, Minogue confessed:

“I don’t know why I haven’t done it yet. Musicals are, it’s no surprise, right up my alley and I would be in seventh heaven doing a musical. It’s going to happen somehow but I need to be a bit more pro-active.”

We’re sure that someone like Rob Marshall would love for her to headline his next big musical number. Though let's hope Kylie doesn't pair up with Cher like Christina Aguilera did for Burlesque.

Source: Digital Spy

Little Fockers celebrate a top Christmas

 

Little Fockers rocked the top of the US box office this Christmas, the family's domestic fall-outs and make-ups cracking the top spot with a taking of $34m.

Happily, the far better critically received True Grit wasn’t far behind, the Coen Brothers’ new adaptation of Charles Portis' book entering the charts in second place (a very respectable $25m).

Last week’s number one Tron: Legacy warped under the pressure of new releases, derezzing to third place ($20m), while Voyage Of The Dawn Treader docked in fourth ($10.8m) and Yogi Bear was booted from second to fifth ($8.8m).

David O. Russell’s decent The Fighter proved a continued draw in sixth ($8.5m), while holiday special Gulliver’s Travels opened in seventh place with a very disappointing $7.2m. That’ll serve Jack Black right for ruining a classic book with 3D gimmickry.

Meanwhile, Black Swan frolicked just one place from seventh to eighth ($6.6m), Tangled loosed its tresses into ninth place (from fifth, $6.5m), and the pure pulling power of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie ensured The Tourist got the 10th place with $5.7m, despite universal panning.

Source: Box Office Mojo

Stephen Dorff discusses his Blade spin-off movie

Somewhere star Stephen Dorff has spoken up about the possibility of reprising the villainous role he played in the original Blade film for a film prequel.

In reaction to the sudden resurgence in popularity of neck-chewing vamps, Dorff has been in touch with Blade director Stephen Norrington about creating a new film based around his villain, Deacon Frost.

“Me and Steve Norrington had a cool treatment for that, and when vampires got all this trending again, we thought we should do the adult version, more of like a Scarface Deacon Frost movie,” he tells blog, Dark Lord Bunnykins.

“Blade was such a ‘90s thing. I didn’t want to do a Blade movie, I just really wanted to take Deacon and then do a whole other thing which was much more today.”

Dorff better move fast while he’s still young enough to pull off a Frost prequel. Unless those Tron guys agree to give him a digital facelift further down the line...

Source: Digital Spy

The Smurfs’ Take Over The Big Apple

As we are all filled with anticipation for the new live action/CGI Smurfs film to be released, we can’t help but want a little bigger peek into what the film is going to look like. We had a short teaser trailer come about and now Coming Soon was kind enough to print an official picture  with the headlining smurf cast presented. The official synopsis is presented below:

Audiences everywhere are in for a Smurfy good time as the Smurfs make their first 3D trip to the big screen. When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they tumble from their magical world and into ours – in fact, smack dab in the middle of Central Park. Just three apples high and stuck in the Big Apple, the Smurfs must find a way to get back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down. The film is set for release August 3, 2011.

Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, and Hank Azaria star on camera opposite an all-star voice cast. Anton Yelchin will play Clumsy Smurf; comedy legend Jonathan Winters, who voiced roles in the “Smurfs” television series, will voice Papa Smurf; Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Katy Perry will play Smurfette; Alan Cumming will play Gutsy Smurf; “SNL’s” Fred Armisen will voice Brainy Smurf; and George Lopez will play Grouchy Smurf.

In the live-action roles, Azaria will play the Smurfs’ nemesis, the evil wizard Gargamel. Harris and Mays star as an expectant couple whose lives are turned upside down when the Smurfs cross over from their magical village to New York City. Vergara plays Odile, Harris’s boss, a cosmetics executive.

The Smurfs hits theaters August 3rd, 2011.

The Avengers to Assemble in New Mexico

Thor not only kicks off the summer movie season of 2011, but it sets in motion the events that will culminate in the Marvel superhero team-up epic, The Avengers, the following year. With story elements of Thor taking place in New Mexico, and the production actually shooting in Santa Fe and Galisteo, it’s no surprise to see Marvel Studios returning to the mountainous state once again for their biggest project ever.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Marvel Studios officially announced the agreement today, making The Avengers the single largest film production in the state’s history. The current schedule has Joss Whedon’s The Avengers shooting in New Mexico between April and September of next year, using both Albuquerque Studios and of course, the beautiful and vast surrounding locations that so many other major Hollywood films have used in the past.


The Avengers also is set to shoot scenes in Michigan and New York but production will primarily take place in New Mexico’s largest city Albuquerque. Having been there myself earlier this year on the set of Cowboys & Aliens, there are not many areas in the U.S. that offer such a wide variety of natural and vast scenery to take advantage of for on-location shooting.

Thor opens May 5, 2011; 
The First Avenger: Captain America hits July 22, 2011
The Avengers is scheduled to debut May 4, 2012.

Source: New Mexico Film

Anne Hathaway talks Judy Garland project

Anne Hathaway may have spent her last movie (Love And Other Drugs) rolling around in the sack with Jake Gyllenhaal, but she’s not going to mope now that’s over – instead looking to the future.

While rumours were shot down last week that she’d be starring in the Barbarella remake, Hathaway will definitely be starring in a Judy Garland biopic – if it ever gets made.

“It’s a very sensitive project and there have been so many stories told about her life that we’re really trying to get it right,” she tells BBC Radio Four’s Front Row. “So we’re taking our time with it.

“I know it seems like it’s sort of an endless process but it’s very, very slow incremental steps. I had a meeting about it a couple of weeks ago and we’re all very motivated.”

So at least the reason for the project’s slow birth is that they want to get it right – not that Hollywood thinks it’s a duff.

The singing aspect of the movie is also something that’s being debated, with it unclear whether Hathaway will do a Reese Witherspoon and sing herself, or mime to Garland’s existing vocals.

 “I certainly don’t sing like Judy Garland but the talk is to have me do the singing,” Hathaway says. “But I think people might cry murder if they don’t get to hear Judy’s beloved voice so the talk is for me to sing but I don’t know if that’s exactly what will happen.”

Source: Front Row

Vin Diesel talks third Riddick film

Vin Diesel has hopped onto Facebook to post a message about his third Riddick movie, and he's divulged an intriguing little snippet of information.

According to the muscle man’s post, his third outing as the intergalactic alien-killing criminal will see the actor taking on three different looks.

 “[Director David Twohy] has a new challenge in store,” Diesel writes. “He wants me to have three different body looks for this next chapter… There is the DiNorscio type, the Dom type, and the lean Furyan type… but all in the same movie, haha…”

Which basically means we’re going to see Riddick as fat, ripped and skinny (Vinny's referencing three of his own films there). Could this third Riddick involve some kind of weird viral infection that causes Riddick’s body to change and mutate?

Whatever happens, Diesel seems up for it. “When it comes to art, we all like a challenge,” he says.

Little Fockers

Will Tony Scott direct 24: The Movie?

Could Tony Scott be the director to pull 24: The Movie out of production hell?

Ever since 24 arrived in 2001, reinvigorating TV schedules and Kiefer Sutherland's acting career, rumours of a movie version have persisted.

Since the series came to an end this year, speculation has been rife. We've already had one slightly naff 24 TV movie, which aired between seasons six and seven.

Now it looks like Tony Scott could be calling the shots on Jack Bauer's big-screen outing.

The show's executive producer Howard Gordon spoke to AssignmentX to about the status of the movie.

Gordon said: "The rumours are that Tony Scott has an idea that he is going to run by or has run by Kiefer Sutherland. I don't know what the status of it is."

On a script that had previously been turned in by Billy Ray (Flightplan, State of Play), Gordon commented: "There was a script, but ultimately it wasn't the right proposition."
"It wasn't strong enough or compelling enough to the studio obviously to move ahead with it."

So nothing firm there, but a director of Scott's heft could help to get the project moving again.

He seems like the ideal candidate to helm Bauer's cinematic outing, with a track record of tense, kinetic action thrillers.

Kiefer Sutherland has previously stated that the movie wouldn't play out in real time, and would instead condense a 24-hour period into two hours.

Source: AssignmentX

Alex Pettyfer to play racing driver James Hunt

Alex Pettyfer is continuing his efforts to make good on his Next Big Thing tag, by signing up to play British racing driver James Hunt.

DreamWorks, who are also producing Pettyfer's next big shot at stardom, I Am Number Four, are behind the adaptation of Shunt: The Story of James Hunt, a biography by Tom Rubython.

Hunt became the Formula One champ in 1976, and he was deemed to be a big factor in the growing popularity of the sport.

Hunt is quite a character for Pettyfer to get his teeth into. He was known for his fiery attitude behind the wheel, as well as his eccentric behaviour away from the track.

Hunt went on to become a commentator on the sport, before he died in 1993, aged only 45.

His life story certainly seems ideal for a cinematic adaptation, with a decent character to invest in amidst the high-speed racing action.

I Am Number Four is due for release in February, and following that Pettyfer can be seen in Beauty and the Beast update Beastly, which arrives in April.

Source: Deadline

Wrath Of The Titans will be better than Clash

Clash Of The Titans earned itself a bad rep this year thanks to its lacklustre 3D conversion and potholed story, but star Sam Worthington has promised that the sequel will be an improvement.

Talking with Moviefone this weekend, the Aussie native acknowledged that Clash had its shortcomings. But he fully intends to rectify those with sequel Wrath Of The Titans.

“I just think we can improve on it,” he says. “I think the first one, we kind of let down some people. And yeah, I totally agree. The only point of doing a sequel is either the audience demands it or you believe you can better the first one.

“What we’re setting out to do with this one — the writers and the director and myself — is improve.”

Worthington goes on to add that he thinks he “can act fucking better, to be honest…” Meanwhile, it seems he’s been trawling the net to find out just what went wrong in the eyes of moviegoers.

“[I'll] take all the notes from people that I have been reading about on the ‘net and give them a movie they fucking want,” he says. “This one I want to kind of try to satisfy a lot more people.”
Wrath indeed...

Source: Moviefone

H.R. Giger is working on the Alien prequel

Ridley Scott isn’t the only one making a belated return to the Alien film franchise with his upcoming prequel – celebrated concept artist H.R. Giger is also set to return.

The Swiss surrealist, of course, was integral in the creation of the xenomorph in the first Alien movie – and bagged an Oscar for his efforts.

Now, Giger’s wife Carmen Scheifele has revealed that he will be re-teaming with Scott to work on the film’s 3D prequel.

Which makes sense, considering the prequel is set to go back to before the beginning, and explore the origins of the first film’s infamous Space Jockey.

Previously, Giger felt that his work on fourth Alien film Resurrection was so badly interpreted that he had his name scrubbed from the credits.

We're sure Scott will treat whatever genius stuff Giger comes up with for the prequel with the utmost gooey respect.

Source: Digital Spy

Dan Brown taking on Lost Symbol

Dan Brown will be personally adapting his book The Lost Symbol, the third in his Da Vinci Code saga, for the big screen.

Previously, Steven Knight had been hired to write the script adaptation for the third film in the series, but now Brown has taken the reigns.

Neither Tom Hanks – who played Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon in The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons – nor director Ron Howard have yet signed on for Lost Symbol.

But considering their first two films made over $1.24bn at the worldwide box office, we’re sure they’ll get some pretty hefty offers to come back.

Lost Symbol sees Langdon unravelling mysteries around the Freemasons during a 12-hour quest in Washington, DC.

Source: Risky Business

McG wants to direct Ouija

Directors Breck Eisner and McG are neck-and-neck in their bid to turn spooky board game Ouija into a movie.

Both have pitched their takes on the project to Universal Pictures – McG this Friday, Eisner the week before. Now all they can do is sit back and wait as the studio decide whose concept is better.

Why so much kerfuffle over a movie about a spirit board? Well, the studio are hoping to create the next Indiana Jones or Pirates Of The Caribbean with Ouija.

Instead of taking the concept into supernatural horror territory, Universal are planning on making a big budget adventure film.
They’ve already set a release date of 9 November, 2012, which means they’ll have to make a decision pretty soon.

Who’s best suited to the job? Both directors have had their duffs, but both also have the aptitude and experience to take something this big on.
McG, if nothing else, is always ambitious, while Eisner’s The Crazies was a surprisingly effective take on the zombie genre.

If only a to-the-death cagefight between the two directors was utilised to make the final decision. Now that’s something we’d pay to see…

Source: Heat Vision

Ron Howard talks Stephen Kings' The Dark Tower

Filmmakers have been trying to adapt Stephen King's The Dark Tower series for years, and in September it was confirmed that Ron Howard would be the latest director to have a stab at the project.

Howard is taking a unique approach to King's rich and complex series; the novels are extremely dense, and draw from influences as diverse as The Lord of the Rings and Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns.
Howard's adaptation is set to take the form of three movies (of which he'll direct the first at least), with an additional two television series airing between the films.

Akiva Goldsman is on scripting duties for the mammoth project, but it's not sure what Howard will direct beyond the initial movie.

Talking about the project, Howard said: "Filmically, there are tones in this that I've never used before, tones of fantasy menace and elements of horror and real fear. And there's the burden, on the characters, of this journey that's really palpable. That's what we need to get on the screen.

"I think there's something about Green Mile or a Shawshank Redemption, the complexity and the ballast of them, those are two [King adaptations] where you do get the horror and suspense that's there on the page."
Interestingly, in another Frank Darabont King adaptation, The Mist, there's a cheeky nod made to The Dark Tower via a film poster.

Talking about the large-scale, cross-media approach to the project, Howard adds: "It's different to anything I've ever done and in really interesting ways... There's this entire world and all of these references and there are the books and the graphic novels and just talking to Stephen and it's all this ongoing conversation with the material and it's really exciting.

"In all of it, he leaves a lot open to interpretation and so it gives a great deal of latitude."

Source: FirstShowing

Al Pacino confirmed for The Irishman

Al Pacino and Joe Pesci will join Robert De Niro in crime drama The Irishman.
Directed by Martin Scorsese, Irishman will be De Niro’s ninth time working with the legendary auteur, and finds the actor playing renowned Mafia hitman Frank ‘The Irishman’ Sheeran.

Both Pacino and Pesci were rumoured to be involved, but De Niro confirmed it once and for all during an interview with MTV.

“We do have the one that we’re definitely doing,” he told them. “Me, Joe Pesci, Pacino and Marty Scorsese directing.”

We wonder if Scorsese will be looking to enlist Sharon Stone as well, considering she also worked with Pesci and De Niro on their last film together, 1995’ Casino…

Source: MTV

 

Limitless trailer debuts

The first trailer for Bradley Cooper’s trippy, druggy drama Limitless, previously titled The Dark Fields, has debuted online.

Following the life and times of a down-and-out writer with a serious case of the block, Cooper’s latest sees the bumming wannabe author offered a life-changing drug that could, well, change his life.

When a new pill is popped, it opens the brain up, allowing the taker to use his or her entire brain - and not just the usual 20%.

Soon, Cooper’s writer is having the time of his life, both working and playing hard. But is it all as good as it seems?

Check out the trailer below…

Wait, a glossy Hollywood film that advocates drug-taking as an acceptable – nay, beneficial – way of living your life?

Naturally, there are consequences, which should give Cooper the opportunity to prove he’s more than just a comedy joker or an action beefcake. The ratty wig certainly convinces.

Most exciting, he’ll be sharing scenes with one Robert De Niro – which should ensure that even if the premise is a little bit déjà vu, there should be some powerhouse acting on display.

Limitless opens on 18 March, 2011.

Robert Pattinson's Water for Elephants get a trailer

The trailer for Robert Pattinson's latest movie, Water for Elephants, has arrived online.

The film sees the Twilight star playing Jacob Jankowski, a veterinary student who packs it all in and runs away to the circus when his parents are killed in a car accident.

There he meets and falls for performer Marlena (Reese Witherspoon, who wears the leotard, and the period look, well). Her husband August (a flamboyant Christoph Waltz) could be a problem though.

The whole story is told from the perspective of an elderly Jankowski (Hal Holbrook), and the circus scenes appear to be very visually impressive.

Pattinson doesn't have much dialogue in the trailer, and we don't really get much of a feel for his performance. Could this be the one that helps him to get some recognition as a talented thespian rather that Twihards' man meat?

Water for Elephants is directed by I Am Legend helmer Francis Lawrence, and is set to be released in the UK on 22 April 2011.

Source: /Film

Sacha Baron Cohen interested in Torrente remake

Borat and Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen is in talks to head up a remake of Spanish film Torrente.

An action-comedy series, the Torrente film franchise already consists of three films, with a fourth in the offing, and is the creation of writer-actor Santiago Segura.

Segura plays Jose Luis Torrente, who font-of-all-knowledge Wikipedia describe as an “ugly, bald, overweight, dirty, corrupt, lying, fascist, racist, chauvinistic and anticommunist retired cop”.

We wonder which one of those adjectives got Cohen interested. The Brit actor has reportedly met with New Line numerous times and is very interested in the role – notably, he wants to keep the remake set in Spain, ala David Fincher’s Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

The Torrente reboot script is being handled by Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer and David Mandel, who are also writing Cohen’s next film, The Dictator. Cohen is currently filming Martin Scorsese’s Hugo Cabret and is in talks to star in a Freddie Mercury biopic. There is life after Bruno, it seems.

Source: 24 Frames

’20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’

Turns out Jon Favreau is bringing us news this entire week. After announcing yesterday that he’s leaving Iron Man behind and moving on to Magic Kingdom, he also told the LA Times (via /Film) that David Fincher is indeed directing 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for Disney.

He was rumored for the past few years to be doing another adaptation of the classic Jules Verne novel of the same name, and this will likely be his follow-up to the currently-shooting Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; while other projects are lined up, they’ve been “in development” for quite some time, as long as a few years. All that apparently needs to happen next is for Scott Z. Burns’ script to be finished and deemed ready to shoot, and then production will begin.

Not much else to say except that like most people, I’m a huge fan of most of the man’s work, and right now I consider his latest movie The Social Network to be the best I’ve seen so far this year. So if he wants to do an adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, why not? He’s produced enough work where he should be able to do whatever he wants, and where we give him a chance to do something great with it. And, really, there’s no reason to assume he won’t do so here.

‘Beaver’ Opens Wide On April 8th 2011

One of our most highly anticipated films of next year is Jodie Foster‘s The Beaver, starring the Mel Gibson. Coming from the #1 Black List script, the film had a vague spring 2011 release, and now we have an exact date.

Summit Entertainment has just announced a March 23rd limited run and a April 8th wide expansion for the film. The drama also stars Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence, and Cherry Jones. It’s kind of surprising it won’t make a Sundance premiere with that date.

Synopsis: Two-time Academy Award(R) winner Jodie Foster directs and co-stars with two-time Academy Award(R) winner Mel Gibson in THE BEAVER – an emotional story about a man on a journey to re-discover his family and re-start his life. Plagued by his own demons, Walter Black was once a successful toy executive and family man who now suffers from depression. No matter what he tries, Walter can’t seem to get himself back on track…until a beaver hand puppet enters his life.

Firestarter remake being prepped

A new version of Stephen King horror Firestarter is in the works over at Universal Pictures.

The studio are pairing up with Dino De Laurentiis Co. in order to reinvigorate the concept into a “franchise property”, with advances in visual effects and the plot’s timelessness apparently key in getting the reboot into production.

King’s 1980 novel was first adapted into a film starring a mini Drew Barrymore in 1984. Barrymore played Charlie McGee, who a government agency are after thanks to her special pyrokinetic powers.

Vacancy scribe Mark L. Smith is polishing the script as we speak, and should be meeting potential directors at some point next year.

Smith’s reboot is apparently going to update McGee, affording her “more edge”. Edgier than a girl with the ability to start fires using just the power of her mind?

Source: Variety

Eminem new boxing drama Southpaw

Eminem has signed on to star as a welterweight boxer in drama Southpaw.

Being set up by Sons Of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter, the film will be Eminem’s (aka Marshall Mathers) first since 2002’s more than decent 8 Mile.

In Southpaw, the rapper-turned-actor’s character works his way to the welterweight boxing title, only for tragedy to tear his world apart.

The film is the result of seven years’ worth of searching on both Eminem and Sutter's part; the pair spent much of the Noughties looking for the right project to take on together. Sutter tells Deadline:

“I know he’s very selective and doesn’t do a lot. But he shared so much of his personal struggle in this raw and very honest album, one that I connected with on a lot of levels.

“He is very interested in the boxing genre, and it seemed like an apt metaphor, because his own life has been a brawl.”

After Eminem’s stellar turn in 8 Mile, we’re definitely interested to see what he will do with Southpaw.

Source: Deadline

 

The 68th Golden Globe Awards

The nominations for the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards have been announced.


The awards are voted for by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which has only 90 members (compared to the Academy's 6000+ members), so some strange decisions often end up slipping through.


Best Picture: Drama


Black Swan

The Fighter

Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network


Best Picture: Comedy or Musical


Alice in Wonderland

Burlesque

The Kids Are Alright
Red

The Tourist


Best Director


Darren Aronosfsky (Black Swan)
David Fincher (The Social Network
)
Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech)
Christopher Nolan (Inception
)
David O. Russell (The Fighter)


Best Actor: Drama


Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network
)
Colin Firth (The King’s Speech
)
James Franco (127 Hours
)
Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine)
Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter)


Best Actress: Drama


Halle Berry (Frankie and Alice)
Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole
)
Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone)
Natalie Portman (Black Swan
)
Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)


Best Actress: Comedy or Musical


Anette Benning (The Kids Are Alright
)
Anne Hathaway (Love and Other Drugs)

Angelina Jolie (The Tourist
)
Julianne Moore (The Kids Are Alright
)
Emma Stone (Easy A)


Best Actor: Comedy or Musical


Johnny Depp (Alice in Wonderland)
Johnny Depp (The Tourist
)
Paul Giamatti (Barney’s Version)
Jake Gyllenhaal (Love and Other Drugs)
Kevin Spacey (Casino Jack)


Best Supporting Actress


Amy Adams (The Fighter
)
Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech
)
Mila Kunis (Black Swan
)
Melissa Leo (The Fighter
)
Jackie Weaver (Animal Kingdom)


Best Supporting Actor


Christian Bale (The Fighter
)
Michael Douglas (Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps
)
Andrew Garfield (The Social Network)
Jeremy Renner (The Town
)
Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech)


Best Foreign Language Film


Biutiful

The Concert
The Edge
I Am Love
In a Better World


Best Screenplay


Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy (127 Hours
)
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg (The Kids Are All Right
)
Christopher Nolan (Inception
)
David Seidler (The King’s Speech)
Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network)


Best Original Score


Alexandre Desplat (The King’s Speech)
Danny Elfman (Alice in Wonderland
)
A.R. Rahman (127 Hours
)
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network
)
Hans Zimmer (Inception)


Best Animated Film


Despicable Me

How to Train Your Dragon

The Illusionist

Tangled

Toy Story 3


Best Original Song


“Bound To You” (Burlesque)
“Coming Home” (Country Strong)
“I See The Light” (Tangled)
“There’s a Place For Us” (The Chronicles of Narnia)
“You Haven’t Seen The Last of Me”  (Burlesque)


Source: /Film

Angelina Jolie shoots down Catwoman rumours

Angelina Jolie has broken the hearts of a thousand comic book fans by confirming that she’s not been approached to play Catwoman in Chris Nolan’s trilogy-capper The Dark Knight Rises.

While out and about promoting new film The Tourist, Jolie told MTV: “I haven't heard anything about it, but I thought they did it.”

By ‘it’ she’s either referring to Michelle Pfeiffer’s stellar turn in Batman Returns, or Halle Berry’s, uh, less celebrated solo outing, Catwoman.

When told she would be perfect for the role, Jolie played coy: “I see. Thank you. Flattering.”

Is she just keeping schtum at the behest of Chris Nolan? Or is Jolie really not interested in starring in another comic book adap? Let the Dark Knight Rises rumours roll on…

Source: MTV

If Catwoman appears in Dark Knight Rises, who do you think should play her? Debate below...

First Fast Five image arrives

The first image from Fast & Furious sequel Fast Five has cropped up online.
Featuring Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson in what looks like a very terse exchange, it’s about as beefy as an army of McDonalds quarter pounders. And then some.

The fourth sequel in the high-powered franchise is set to reunite the stars of every Furious film thus far for a cross-country action movie.

The basics: Paul Walker’s ex-cop Brian has busted Vin Diesel’s Dom out of jail. Johnson’s federal agent isn’t happy, and goes after them. Stuff blows up.

 

Witherspoon rules out superhero movies

Films like 'Iron Man', 'Spider-Man' and the 'Batman' series have become box office smashes in Hollywood - and several other superhero properties are being turned into movies.

However, the Oscar winning actress has insisted that she has no plans to appear in a superhero movie.
She said, "The movies that are being made feel different. There are a lot of really, really, really big movies about robots and things - and there's not a part for a 34-year-old woman in a robot movie.
"I've never done the superhero movie. That doesn't interest me too much."

While the popularity of big epic blockbusters has meant finding the films she wants to be in hard to come by, she isn't complaining.

She added, "I also have kids, so when I'm not working, it's not like I'm sitting around doing nothing. I'm taking care of two kids who are rapidly growing up in some bizarre time warp. I mean, somehow I now have an 11 year old!"

Is Anne Hathaway The New Barbarella?

Word is circling that actress Anne Hathaway may be onboard to star in the remake of the 1968 cult film ‘Barbarella’, which starred Jane Fonda as an interstellar bombshell.

Anne Hathaway, like Natalie Portman, seems to be connected to virtually every other upcoming Hollywood production that features a prominent female protagonist. Now this year’s Oscar co-host is rumored to be onboard for the long-gestating remake of the cult campfest, Barbarella.

Assuming there is even an inkling of truth to this rumor, Hathaway would undoubtedly tackle the role of the exquisite 41st century space agent Barbarella – a role made famous by former anti-war activist-turned aerobics instructor/writer/actress Jane Fonda back in 1968.

News of Hathaway’s involvement with the Barbarella remake should definitely be taken with a healthy dose of salt, since even the source of the rumor,  Pajiba, describes her as being “attached” to the project, which is currently without a director. Robert Rodriguez and actress

 Rose McGowan were fresh off their on and off-set Grindhouse collaboration (sorry, bad pun not intended) back in 2007 when reports had them pegged as tackling the Barbarella remake. However, that never amounted to anything more than talk.

Robert Luketic (Killers) was at one point up for helming the Barbarella remake, but it seems he is out of the picture as well. There’s not really any single director currently working who immediately jumps to mind as an excellent fit for handling this material – unless it turns out that Uwe Boll has an evil doppelgänger (i.e. someone who’s actually a classy and a talented filmmaker), in which case we say, let him have it.

The original Barbarella is a pretty silly but fun flick full of sci-fi action involving ray guns, “psychedelic” spaceships, goofy aliens armed with whip-like appendages, and a herione that likes to wear outfits that make her look like a James Bond girl of the future. It’s an undeniably hokey film, but it’s that very quality that has earned the 1968 pic a cult following for over four decades.

Hathaway can easily bring the right mix of charming personality, voluptuous looks, and that slight air of self-aware humor to the lead role of Barbarella, if she does indeed sign on for the project. Is there another actress you’d like to see take on the part instead?

Source:  Pajiba

Michael Lang Named Miramax CEO

Miramax today announced that Michael Lang has been appointed chief executive officer, effective immediately.  Lang will be based at the new Miramax headquarters in Santa Monica and will oversee the renowned Miramax film , which was acquired by Filmyard Holdings on December 3, 2010.

“I have known and worked closely with Mike for almost 20 years and have always respected his talents,” said Richard Nanula, chairman of Miramax and a principal at Colony Capital.  “We are confident that he is the right person to lead Miramax in its next phase of growth.”

“I have always admired the Miramax library, which includes many respected titles and award-winning films,” said Lang.  “Based on the quality of these assets, I believe bringing new life to this library — by working with traditional and new partners – will be an exciting and unprecedented story of growth and innovation.  I am honored by this , and I look forward to working with my partners as we build a new kind of media company.”

Lang, 45, most recently served as a consultant to Filmyard in its acquisition of Miramax.  Prior to that, he was EVP, Business Development and Strategy at Fox Entertainment, responsible for strategic initiatives across News Corp’s entertainment assets, including Fox’s film, broadcast network, sports and cable channels.  Lang played key roles in the acquisition of MySpace and the formation of the MySpace Music joint venture, and he led the creation of Hulu, with major broadcast partners.  In addition, Lang was involved in Fox’s mobile, digital and video game initiatives.  He joined Fox in 2004.

Prior to Fox, Lang served as a consultant on media-related investments.  In the late ’90s, he was a founding executive of Z.com.  Lang began his career at The Walt Disney Company in Strategic Planning.  Lang earned his MBA with high distinction at Harvard Busines and he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Claremont McKenna .

About Miramax

The Miramax library is a collection of 700 motion  which were produced, financed or distributed by Miramax Films since 1979.  The Miramax library holds some of the world’s most sophisticated, thought-provoking and critically-acclaimed independent films including , lies, and videotape, The English Patient, Shakespeare In Love, Reservoir Dogs, Chicago, Good Will Hunting, Pulp Fiction, My Left Foot, Cinema Paradiso, Life is Beautiful, Amélie, Kill Bill, Volume I and II, No  for Old Men, as well as scores of commercially successful films such as Bridget Jones’s Diary, the Scream, Hellraiser and Scary Movie franchises and Spy Kids. Collectively the Miramax archives have received 284 Academy Award nominations and 68 Oscars, including 4 Best Picture Awards.

The man seems enthusiastic about Miramax and it's library of great films including those listed above along with films like Sling Blade, Halloween H20 and many others. I love Miramax films and am particularly excited about them being out from under Disney's control and under the control of someone who seems to be as much of a fan of the films as I am.

James McAvoy up for for Pride and Prejudice

The screen adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has seen a fair few names come and go throughout its short gestation period.

Collider have picked up on some casting news from Pajiba, stating that Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy are being considered for the lead roles of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy.

Scarlett Johansson and Bradley Cooper's names, among others, had previously been linked to the roles, and it's unclear whether Hathaway and McAvoy have actually ousted them or simply been added to the list.

They'd make for an interesting choice. Considering the novel's irreverent, ironic take on the material, it'd add a bit of extra-textual fun if it featured the stars of Becoming Jane.

Both convinced in that movie, which drew on the similarities between Austen's own love life and the romances she scribed. They've proven their screen chemistry, and shown they could play it straight if that's what is required for Zombies.

Mike White is directing the adaptation (he replaced David O. Russell) and Natalie Portman is still producing (though she's no longer starring, as was originally the case).