News: As Seen on the Web

Ashley Greene Might Be In The Apparition

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 11:40:00 GMT

Ashley Greene, Alice Cullen of the Twilight franchise, is currently in talks to star in the Dark Castle produced film, Apparition.

The story is inspired by true events, revolving around a young couple at college who are haunted by a supernatural apparition that is unleashed when an experiment goes horribly wrong.

The film, written and directed by Todd Lincoln, starts shooting on February 1, 2010.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Friday 6 November 2009

Bradley Cooper To Star In Dark Fields

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 11:26:00 GMT

Bradley Cooper has just signed on to star in the Neil Burger directed thriller, The Dark Fields. The film was originally meant to star Shia LaBeouf but the Transformers star ended up backing out at the last minute.

The story follows a down and out writer who manages to get hold of a brand new top secret pharmaceutical drug that makes you smarter. The immediate effect of the drug propels the writer to financial and social success, however he soon comes to discover that the drug has lethal and lingering side effects, and it doesn't take long for a mysterious group to start pursuing him.

The script is an adaptation of a book by Alan Glynn and is written by The Thomas Crown Affair scribe, Leslie Dixon.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Friday 6 November 2009

New Posters For Kick-Ass

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 11:23:00 GMT

Lionsgate has premiered the first official posters for Matthew Vaughn's adaptation of Mark Millar's comic book Kick-Ass. The posters come in the form of four character posters, which combine to form the title of the movie, as you can see below.

Kick-Ass tells the story of average teenager Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), a comic-book fanatic who is inspired by his obsession to become a real-life superhero. As any good superhero would, he chooses a new name - Kick-Ass - assembles a suit and mask to wear, and gets to work fighting crime. There�s only one problem standing in his way: Kick-Ass has absolutely no superpowers. His life is forever changed as he inspires a subculture of copy cats, is hunted by assorted violent and unpleasant characters, and meets up with a pair of crazed vigilantes, including an 11-year-old sword-wielding dynamo, Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz) and her father, Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage).

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Friday 6 November 2009

Michael Fassbender Takes A Single Shot

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 11:29:00 GMT

Michael Fassbender has signed on to star in the upcoming David Jacobson pic, A Single Shot. Fassbender joins Forest Whitaker, William H. Macy and Thomas Haden Church and will play a poacher on the lam from a pair of killers.

Fassbender recently starred as Lt. Archie Hicox in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds and in the critically acclaimed Fish Tank. His magnanimous portrayal of Bobby Sands in Steve McQueen's Hunger proved that actors, unlike Orson Welles - bless him for trying in The Lady From Shanghai - don't have to be Irish to do an Irish accent.

So it would seem Fassbender is set to dive into mainstream stardom. The brilliant actor is on George Miller's shortlist to star in Mad Max IV: Fury Road. Although not entirely bankable as an action star at this point, he seems to be testing the water with the lead in Neil Marshall's highly anticipated Roman pic, Centurion.

A Single Shot is set to start shooting in Ontario, Canada next January.

Alain Nouvel

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Thursday 5 November 2009

Anthony Hopkins To Play Ernest Hemingway

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 11:11:00 GMT

Anthony Hopkins has agreed to play Ernest Hemingway in Andy Garcia's biopic, Hemingway And Fuentes. The film is a drama about the two decades Hemingway spent in Cuba that ultimately led to the creation of his Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Old Man and the Sea, his final book published before he shot himself in the head with his own prized shotgun.

Garcia teamed up with Hemingway's granddaughter to pen the script, with the film focusing mainly on his close friendship with Gregorio Fuentes and their love for deep-sea fishing. It was Hemingway's other amorous affair with a beautiful Italian girl that inspired him to write the famous fishing tale.

At the moment Garcia is looking for funding, and in his search he discovered some sage advice from grand vizier, Francis Ford Coppola, who told him "the way you make a movie is, you begin." Garcia will play Fuentes and Annette Bening is also set to star as the Nobel Prize winning author's third wife, Mary Welsh Hemingway.

Garcia has been planning the pic since the Seventies when he came into contact with a group of local fisherman from Cuba who had been involved in some of Hemingway's giant Marlin fishing adventures during the 40's and 50's.

With these stars attached it seems almost impossible that Garcia will not be able to find funding. The film is aiming to start shooting after Hopkins has completed his role as Odin in the upcoming Thor.

Alain Nouvel

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Thursday 5 November 2009

Danny Boyle Reteams With Searchlight To Create 127 Hours

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 11:00:00 GMT

It looks like Danny Boyle will be directing 127 Hours for Fox Searchlight, the production house that grabbed eight Oscars with Slumdog Millionaire. The film is the brutal, savage, and harrowing story of Aron Ralston.

In May 2003 while climbing through the mountains of Utah a boulder pinned Ralston's right forearm against the wall. Over the next five days as Ralston's arm started to rot, he decide that his only way out was to take his dull knife and amputate the limp. He started by breaking his own arm in two places so that he would be able to cut through more easily. After cutting through his own flesh he managed to free himself. With half his arm still wedged in the rock he then climbed a the sheer face of a 65 foot wall. Emerging bloody, dehydrated and famished he luckily ran into a family, who came to the rescue by giving him some food and water and calling in a helicopter.

Boyle has penned a treatment and Simon Beaufoy is in talks to write the screenplay. Christian Colson is set to produce the film which is aiming for a late 2010 release.

Alain Nouvel

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Thursday 5 November 2009

Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin win Oscar Hosting duties

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 11:32:00 GMT

Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are set to share the hosting duties at the 82nd Academy Awards. While Martin is a seasoned host, having performed in 2000 and 2002, this will be Baldwin's first time at the Oscars, although he is not unaccustomed to the spotlight as he is a fan favourite host on Saturday Night Live.

Baldwin and Martin are a fitting duo as they will soon be appearing on the big screen together, alongside Meryl Streep, in the upcoming Nancy Meyer film, It's Complicated. The co-hosts have taken over the duties from Hugh Jackman, who pulled out of the running last week. Some fans had hoped that he would opt to try and repeat his charismatic performance from last year while others had hopes that this year's Emmy Host Neil Patrick Harris would get the high profile gig.

Although multiple hosts have been something of a rarity over the past two decades it was the trend during the 70's and 80's. The move seems to correlate with the shaking up of the Awards ceremony, following the decision to expand the Best Picture award to 10 nominees. It comes at a time when the Academy is struggling to maintain viewership, which hit an all time low in 2008 when No Country For Old Men won Best Picture. Many think that the pool of popular films worthy of the prize has shrunk to disastrously low levels. With the expansion of the number of nominees for best picture, it seems that there is potential for the Academy to cast a wider net, which could include more genre and independent pics.

And what does Martin have to say about the partnership? "I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin."

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Wednesday 4 November 2009

Gerard Butler Joins Coriolanus

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 11:07:00 GMT

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gerard Butler has signed on to star in Ralph Fiennes directorial debut film, Coriolanus. The film is being described as a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare's political and family drama.

Butler will play the role of Tulles Aufidius, a commander of the Volscian Army who has fought with Corialanus, played by Fiennes, on many occasions and considers him his biggest enemy. Butler joins a cast that includes Jessica Chastain, William Hurt, Eddie Marsan and Vanessa Redgrave.

The film, penned by The Last Samurai and Gladiator scribe John Logan, is set to begin shooting in Serbia in March 2010.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Wednesday 4 November 2009

New Moon Volturi Featurette

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 10:45:00 GMT

Last week we brought you a featurette on the Wolf Pack from the upcoming much anticipated Twilight sequel, New Moon, but this week it's the turn of the Volturi.

As the oldest coven of vampires, the Volturi lay down the law and do whatever it takes to protect the vampire secret. Michael Sheen plays the leader, Aro, and is joined by Dakota Fanning, Jamie Campbell Bower, Christopher Heyerdahl, Cameron Bright, Charlie Bewley and Daniel Cudmore.

Check out the featurette in the player below:

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>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Wednesday 4 November 2009

Owen Wilson To Voice Marmaduke

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 11:27:00 GMT

Owen Wilson signs on to voice the Great Dane Marmaduke in Fox's adaptation of the famous long-running comic strip, joining Lee Pace and Judy Greer.

The strip, created in 1954 by Brad Anderson and Phil Leeming, is scripted by Tim Rasmussen and Vince Di Meglio. The story follows the Winslow family, who move from Kansas to Orange County with Marmaduke, their slobbering Great Dane who delivers chaos wherever he goes. Marmaduke winds his way into a volatile turf war between Mutts and Pedigrees while trying to gain the loving affections of a purebred and attempting to overcome his own fall from ordered grace.

Along with Wilson, Greer and Pace, the impressive cast of borrowed voices includes Amanda Seyfried, Ron Perlman, Jeremy Piven, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Steve Coogan, Stacy Ferguson, William H. Macy, Damon Wayans Jr., George Lopez, David Walliams and Finley Jacobsen.

The film, set to be directed by Shanghai Noon helmer Tom Dey and produced by John Davis, has a June 2010 release date.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 3 November 2009

First Trailer For How To Train Your Dragon

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 11:16:00 GMT

Dreamworks have released the first trailer for How To Train Your Dragon, the new animation from director Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch).

The film is an adventure comedy based on the book by Cressida Cowell. Set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, it tells the story of a Viking teenager who lives on the island of Berk, where fighting dragons is a way of life. Initiation is coming, and this is his one chance to prove his worthiness to his tribe and father by slaying a dragon. But when he encounters an injured dragon and is unable to finish the job, his world is turned upside down by an unlikely friendship. The voice cast includes Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Ferguson, Kristen Wiig, and America Ferrera.

See what you make of the trailer in the player below.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 3 November 2009

Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time Trailer Goes Live

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 11:10:00 GMT

Our first reaction on seeing the first trailer for Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time was, well, a bit meh! But then we remembered that's exactly what we thought about the original promo for Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl, and we all know how well that turned out!

So, for now, we're gonna overlook some of the dodgier aspects of this first look at director Mike Newell's big-budget adaptation of the beloved computer game series and focus instead on what is sure to be a rollicking good adventure.

Jake Gyllenhaal stars as the roguish Dastan, a former street urchin who inadvertantly gets hold of a magical dagger, hooks up with a lovely princess (Gemma Arterton) and falls foul of an evil wizard (Ben Kingsley).

Take a look at the trailer below (or in high-res here) and don't forget to let us know your thoughts in the comments section...

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Trailer Park | MySpace Video

Glen Ferris

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 3 November 2009

Three Added To Let Me In

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 10:26:00 GMT

Three new cast members have joined the cast of Let Me In, the remake/adaptation of the Swedish film Let The Right One In.

Elias Koteas will play a policeman, Cara Buono is set to play as Owen's mother and Sasha Barrese is Virginia. The three new members join Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moretz.

An official press release points out, "The filmmakers note that while the new film will pay respect to the original Swedish version, they intend to forge a unique identity for Let Me In, placing it firmly in an American context."

Although there are many people who are pessimistically opposed to the remake/adaptation, President and CEO of Hammer films had this to say, "This project is very personal to Matt as it is to the many passionate fans of the original story... The brilliance of that story deserves to be seen by audiences on a wide scale and we are excited that the pieces are in place to make that a reality."

Elias Koteas can be seen in the upcoming Martin Scorsese pic Shutter Island, which will be released in February 2010, while Cara Buono is most notably remembered as Keli Moltisanti from The Sopranos and Sasha Barrese played the fiance in the successful R-rated comedy, The Hangover.

Let Me In is set for release sometime in 2010.

For those select few who oppose the adaptation, it might be a good idea to boycott The Departed and chase Quentin Tarantino out of Hollywood with torches and pitchforks for his overt homages to other films. The question it raises, what makes a book ripe for adaptation but a film adaptation sacrilegious? If you have any comments, please feel free to add them below...

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Tuesday 3 November 2009

Roger Rabbit Sequel To Be Penned By Original Scriptwriters

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:26:00 GMT

Robert Zemeckis has just revealed that writing for the sequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit? has begun. Original scripters, Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman are in the process of writing the new screenplay.

For the past few months, Robert Zemeckis has been slipping weighted suggestions about the possibility of returning to the Roger Rabbit story for a second installment. In April of this year, the Back To The Future director said he had a good idea for a sequel. In July, he said he had been talking with Roger Rabbit star Bob Hoskins about the possibility and the following day he told Comic Con audiences that he could neither confirm nor deny plans for a sequel.

It is unknown at this time what the finished product aims to achieve aesthetically, but Zemeckis has recently been heavily involved in utilizing motion capture technology, with films like Beowulf and the upcoming A Christmas Carol. Gathered from a patchwork of quotes taken from numerous interviews, Zemeckis said: "I'll tell you what is buzzing around in my head now that we have the ability - the digital tools, performance capture - I'm starting to think about Roger Rabbit." He then went on to say in another interview, "The 2D characters from the original movie will remain 2D. They will not be dimensionalized. Not to say there won't be 3D."

Zemeckis' dedication to the emerging developments in the motion capture field were made apparent when he said, "I'm really committed to getting this art form off of the ground, but of course I would [shoot live action again] and I'm never going to say never to anything, but right now though I really want to make sure that we get this out there so that younger filmmakers have these absolutely breathtaking tools that they can use."

It's all very open right now but considering the first installment and its combination of live-action and 2D animation, it wouldn't be surprising to see him add motion capture to the mix as he aims to push the format that much further.

Fans of the original must be thrilled with anticipation to see what Zemeckis and the original screenwriting duo come up with next, let us know what you think in the comments section below...

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Monday 2 November 2009

EXCLUSIVE! Joe Wright Is NOT Directing My Fair Lady Remake

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:53:00 GMT

When Screenrush grabbed two minutes with Joe Wright on the red carpet for the London Film Festival's Closing Gala film Nowhere Boy, there was really only one thing on our mind to ask him about - My Fair Lady.

Over the last few days the rumour mills have been churning out stories that the Atonement director and Keira Knightley will be reteaming on a remake of the classic George Bernard Shaw adaptation, which was released in 1964 starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison and has been delighting family audiences ever since.

So we were more than a little taken about when Wright flatly denied any involvement in the project, saying that he had mulled over the idea for a couple of days after the script was sent to him, as he would do with any other project, but decided to pass on the opportunity.

Unfortunately he could not tell us which director's lap the project has now fallen into, or give any further details about Knightley's possible involvement, but be sure to stay tuned to Screenrush because as soon as we know, you'll know.

Watch the clip of our interview with Joe Wright in the player below (or click here to watch in the big player):

More about this movie

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Friday 30 October 2009

Mad Max 4 Finds New Cast Members

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:28:00 GMT

Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy are in negotiations to star in Fury Road, the fourth installment in the Mad Max series. Writer-director George Miller has been working on the project for over a decade, and although Mel Gibson was attached at one point to return to the lead role that he played in the first three films of the series, Hardy will instead be tackling the role of Max, with Theron playing the female lead.

Little is known plot-wise about the film as Miller aims to keep a lid on what is set to be a highly anticipated event. Fans of the series have been waiting since 1985 for the next film in the series. All that is known at this point is that the film takes place a short while after the end of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

Hardy recently gave an impressive performance in the title role of Bronson, and will next be seen in Christopher Nolan's sci-fi thriller Inception. The actor's mainstream career took off after his role as Handsome Bob in Guy Ritchie's RockNRolla.

Miller will produce Fury Road, to be distributed by Warner Bros, along with Doug Mitchell. Filming is set to begin next summer in Australia and in the meantime Miller is hard at work updating designs for the vehicles of the film. The straight desert roads and the cars covering them have played an important part in the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Friday 30 October 2009

The Guard Grabs Gleeson And Cheadle

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:11:00 GMT

Brendan Gleeson, who plays Alastor �Mad Eye' Moody in Harry Potter, and Hotel Rwanda star Don Cheadle will team up to take on an international drug smuggling operation in director John Michael McDonagh's pic, The Guard.

Gleeson is set to play Seargeant Gerry Boyle, an unorthodox Irish policeman who joins up with unrelenting FBI Agent Wendell Everett, played by Cheadle. Boyle's confrontational personality along with a subversive sense of humour, a dying mother, and a penchant for prostitutes leaves him with little interest in the global cocaine smuggling operation that brings Everett to his door.

The film, which also stars Mark Strong, Liam Cunningham, Fionnula Flanagan, David Wilmot, Rory Keenan, Pat Shortt and Katarina Cas, has just started principal photography in the West of Ireland.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Friday 30 October 2009

More On Attack The Block

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:50:00 GMT

Joe Cornish, known as one BBC's radio comedy duo with Adam Buxton, gears up for his "directorial debut" with Attack The Block. The film will show a group of south London bad lads contending with aliens who have invaded their council block.

Whether the film will be produced by Big Talk, Film 4 or Optimum is not clear yet. However it is known that Edgar Wright, Nira Park and James Wilson of Shaun of the Dead are on board for the project hopefully carrying over their award winning success into this film.

Future plans for Cornish also include working on Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn and Ant Man again with Edgar Wright. Attack the Block promises a transmission of Cornish's popular humour mixed with his first performance as a director.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Friday 30 October 2009

The Evil Dead Is Returning To Cinemas!

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:37:00 GMT

You better find a cushion to hide behind because Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead is returning to the big screen. Grindhouse Releasing will be distributing the low-budget horror classic in select cinemas across the U.S. and Canada for a midnight movie run. No dates or locations have yet been announced but you can get the full story from the press release below:

SAM RAIMI'S THE EVIL DEAD RETURNS TO THE BIG SCREEN!

'The Ultimate Experience in Grueling Horror' is Back!

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Grindhouse Releasing is bringing Sam Raimi's original horror classic The Evil Dead back to the big screen as a midnight movie.

Raimi and producers Robert Tapert and Bruce Campbell gave the go-ahead for a series of Evil Dead revival screenings to Grindhouse Releasing partner Bob Murawski, the film editor of Raimi's Spider-Man 1, 2 & 3, Drag Me To Hell and the Evil Dead sequel Army Of Darkness.

Stephen King hailed The Evil Dead as "the most ferociously original film of the year" when the film premiered in 1981. Shot in Michigan and Tennessee, Raimi's low-budget debut was released independently with a self-imposed 'No One Under 17' rating for its graphic violence and gore.

The Evil Dead launched Raimi and Tapert's careers and made star Bruce Campbell a cult movie icon, spawning two hit sequels:Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn and Army Of Darkness. The Evil Dead trilogy has become a fan phenomenon, ranked among the most popular and acclaimed cult horror movies of all time.

A special screening of the Evil Dead trilogy sold out L.A.'s New Beverly Cinema this summer.

With a remake reportedly in the works, this theatrical release gives fans a chance to experience the original as it was intended to be seen.

"Nothing can prepare an audience for what they are about to see, because nothing punishes an audience like Evil Dead - especially on the big screen," says Bruce Campbell. "I'm really glad it's back. People are gonna be hurt."

Formed by actor/director Sage Stallone and Bob Murawski, Grindhouse Releasing restores and distributes classic horror and exploitation films. The company teamed with Quentin Tarantino in the '90s to revive Lucio Fulci's Italian horror classic The Beyond.

A similar theatrical break is planned for The Evil Dead, with midnight screenings in select theaters across the U.S. and Canada.

Dates and venues will be announced at GrindhouseReleasing.com. For bookings, contact David Szulkin at info@grindhousereleasing.com.

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Thursday 29 October 2009

Nowhere Boy Trailer Goes Live

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:55:00 GMT

Sam Taylor-Wood's directorial debut is clearly impressing a lot of people. Not only has it been given the prestigious title of Closing Film at this year's London Film Festival, but it's attracting critical praise from all over the shop.

Now you've got the chance to take a look at what all the fuss is about with the first trailer from the film which chronicles the early years of future Beatle John Lennon.

The film, which stars the likes of Aaron Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne-Marie Duff, Thomas Sangster and David Morrissey, is due for release on Christmas Day this year.

Take a look at the trailer below and don't forget to tell us your thoughts in the usual place...

Glen Ferris

>> Real the whole article | on Screenrush - Thursday 29 October 2009