Dimension Films Earns Rights To "The Black Marks"

Dimension Films announced that it has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the heist comedy The Black Marks from Darius Films starring Kurt Russell, Matt Dillon and Jay Baruchel. The film is written and directed by Jonathan Sobol (A Beginner's Guide to Endings). The announcement was made today by Bob Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company.

Crunch Calhoun (Russell), a third rate motorcycle daredevil and semi-reformed art thief, agrees to get back into the con game and pull off just one more lucrative art theft with his untrustworthy brother Nicky (Dillon). Crunch reassembles the old team and comes up with a plan to steal a priceless historical book, but the successful heist leads to another, far riskier, plan devised by Nicky. What the brothers don’t realize is they each have their own agenda and their plan goes awry in this con movie about brotherhood, honor and revenge.

Darius Films principal Nicholas Tabarrok is producing the film with Jeff Sackman as executive producer.

The deal was negotiated for Dimension Films by Andrew Kramer, President, Business and Legal Affairs and Jeff Sackman on behalf of the filmmakers. Russell, Dillon and Baruchel are represented by Creative Arts Agency. Dillon is also managed by Untitled and Baruchel by Thruline.

The Black Marks begins production this month.

Two New "The Amazing Spider-Man Images"

Like most teenagers his age, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. In his journey to put the pieces of his past together he uncovers a secret that his father held… a secret that will ultimately shape his destiny as Spider-Man. This is the first in a series of movies that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story. On July 3rd, 2012, the untold story begins.

SuperHeroHype

Benedict Cumberbatch Beams Up Villain Role in Star Trek Sequel

While he was an accomplished actor already, in the eyes of many, the name Benedict Cumberbatch drew blank stares. Honestly if you still pull the average guy off the streets and ask if they know who you're talking about, you're still pressed for luck.

But online and in the nerd circles, we all most definitely know him by name after his starring turn on the BBC smash Sherlock as a modernized version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's literary hero. Soon after, calls from movie-land arrived his way from the likes of Tomas Alfredson, Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg.

As UK television watchers are in the middle of series two of Sherlock comes arguably the biggest, most high-profile role for the British actor yet. First reported by Trek Movie and clarified through Variety, Cumberbatch will face off mano-a-mano against the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise as the villain of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek sequel.

The same baddie role first offered to Benicio Del Toro and later up in the air for others including Edgar Ramirez - Khan. A creative decision I hated then, and continue to do so now. But we're past my bitching on said subject. It doesn't open until May 2013 so there's plenty of time for that.

That notwithstanding, this will be the first time for him to make an impression on the general movie-going public and that's a good thing.

What A Surprise: 'Horrible Bosses 2' is Coming

In what has become a norm in Hollywood these days, when a low-budget comedy turns out to be a surprise hit (i.e. The Hangover, last year's Bridemaids), the natural thing to do is simple: sequel.

Yup, fresh on the heels of today's news that Bridemaids 2 is in the works (what Kristen Wiig is suddenly too big to star in a sequel to the one hit movie she's made?) word comes from the Hollywood Reporter that last year's other breakout comedy hit, Horrible Bosses, is getting the sequel treatment as well.

The screenwriting duo of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein - who penned the original - have just closed a deal to work on the sequel.

Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis are expected to return with the first film's director, Seth Gordon, in early negotiations to come back as well.

No word on when it will be released but it's safe to say we'll be seeing this baby in theaters by Summer 2013.

I thought Horrible Bosses was a smart, dark little comedy that had a great take on the all-but-forgotten killing your hated boss routine.

The one thing that bothers me about this is what story is there left to tell?  I mean, all three successfully got rid of their bosses (well except for Jennifer Aniston but they pretty much got her in the end), which leaves me with the question of where else is there to go?  Is this going to be just another Hangover 2 where the same characters and premise are used from the first film because the studio knows it will get asses in the seats and make tons of money?  I sure as hell hope not, but, well...we all saw how the aforementioned "Wolf Pack" sequel turned out.

I hope history doesn't repeat itself.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

"Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" TV Spot

In the new film, Johnny (Cage) - still struggling with his curse as the devil's bounty hunter - is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy (Fergus Riordan) from the devil (Hinds). At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy - and possibly rid himself of his curse forever.

ComingSoon.Net

Bad Idea Alert: Universal Mulling Over Kristen Wiig-Absent Bridesmaids 2

Universal thinks Bridesmaids should be their Hangover (They spent months ahead of its release calling it a "female Hangover" after all) from the way THR says right down to their money-grubbing desire for a beat-for-beat remake posing as a sequel.

Star/co-writer Kristen Wiig and writer Annie Mumolo, however, aren't hearing anything of it, insisting on no sequel. Partially the trades hint at because of a low-balling $100,000 bonus Wiig and the other lead actresses received from the studio as they wallowed in all that hot Bridesmaids cash.

So what's a studio in desperate need of a sure-thing to do as its writing duo remain in cement against one and its star producer Judd Apatow, wisely, trying his best to stay out of it? Lop off Wiig and focus on a Melissa McCarthy-headlining Bridesmaids 2 instead.

That frame of mind didn't work for Evan Almighty (Remember that?) and despite all their public optimism the reception to the Matt Damon-absent The Bourne Legacy will not be pretty this August if they do with the marketing what everyone thinks they will, i.e. slap on clips of Damon from earlier Bournes alongside new lead Jeremy Renner and trick audiences into thinking Jason Bourne shows up.

"All Things Fall Apart" Trailer

Deon is a football player who suffers a deadly disease. However, despite receiving love and praise for his entire life due to his athletic ability, he’s still a good person who loves his family and is willing to share the glory on the football field. His mother Bee is incredibly proud, his younger brother Sean is understandably jealous, and Bee’s boyfriend/Deon’s surrogate father Eric sees the football star as a winning lottery ticket.

Yahoo Movies

Amanda Seyfried and Taylor Swift for "Les Miserables"?

If these reports on Twitch are true, it looks like two more lead roles in director Tom Hooper's upcoming big-screen adaptation of Les Miserables have finally been cast.  The first report has Amanda Seyfried being offered the role of Cosette, the adult version of that little girl in the Les Miz logo artwork above, who is the adopted daughter of Jean Valjean (played by Hugh Jackman).  Seyfried is no stranger to movie musicals, having previously starred in the hit movie version of Mamma Mia.  The author of the Twitch article does seem a bit confused about her role in the film:  yes, Cosette is the daughter of Fantine, who will be played by Anne Hathaway, but since Fantine actually (*SPOILER*) dies much earlier in the story when Cosette is still only a child, it doesn't really matter that there's only a three-year age difference between Seyfried and Hathaway.

The other report has been rumored for awhile and was met with a less-than-thrilled response from fans of the stage musical, but it looks like they better get used to it:  country star Taylor Swift has reportedly been offered the role of Eponine, the lovestruck teenage street kid who falls for the student revolutionary Marius (played by Eddie Redmayne), who, unfortunately for Eponine, is already in love with Cosette.  A character beloved by teenage theater fangirls for getting to sing "On My Own", probably the most popular theatrical anthem to unrequited love written in the last thirty years (although Wicked's "I'm Not That Girl" is running a close second these days), rumored other contenders for the role included Scarlett Johansson, Evan Rachel Wood, and Lea Michele. 

I'm a little torn on this one, since I've never been much of a Taylor Swift fan.  I was actually rooting for Lea Michele to get the part - not only did she make her Broadway stage debut alternating in the roles of Young Cosette and Young Eponine in Les Miserables in 1995, but in 2008 she played the adult Eponine in a Hollywood Bowl concert version of the show, where she sang the crap out of "On My Own".  She plays such a brat on Glee, you almost forget how talented she actually is.

But it looks like that's not to be.  I'm going to keep an open mind and hope Swift surprises us with this one and does a great job.  If she and Seyfried sign on, they'll be joining a cast that includes the aforementioned Hugh Jackman and Eddie Redmayne, as well as Russell Crowe, Sacha Baron Cohen, Aaron Tveit, and possibly Helena Bonham Carter (that one still hasn't been officially confirmed).

Les Miserables is scheduled to be released on December 7, 2012.

Schwarzenegger's Next Flick Gets Biblical

After having left acting and spending eight years in politics as the Governator of California, Schwarzenegger is finally ready to bring his cheesy 80's action hero one-liner persona back to the big screen. His comeback kicks off with next years Expendables 2 in August and then in January 2013 he can be seen in the Last Stand, both of which are filming now. The third flick in his comeback, Black Sands, is currently in pre-production.

Very little has been revealed about the plot of Black Sands other than the need-to-know info ofcourse (Schwarzenegger will be kicking ass and taking names). TheArnoldFans had somehow obtained a title change (Black Sunday, which is apparently not true) along with a quote from the man himself where he said  “I’m a kind of angel… I can not currently say more about this film.” Originally the feel of the flick was said to be “like High Plains Drifter meets Man on Fire,” but now this report says it could be like “a cross between Constantine and Commando.”

I personally don't go into Schwarzenegger flicks expecting substance, Oscar worthy performances or plots that make much sense for that matter, but I still love the hell out of damn near anything he does. The man is a certified bad motherfucker, fucking fat Mexican nannies and Batman & Robin not withstanding. The tone of the film sounds similar to End of Days, which for me anyway is a definite bonus, other bloggers and critics however are already moaning and groaning at the thought. I can't say I understand their frustration though. Having Schwarzenegger face off against Satan himself and deliver such classic lines as the one below is exactly the kind of popcorn fun I can get behind.

More Superman Lives Stuff to Shake Your Head Against Tim Burton

At the rate this is getting out, real live footage will leak on YouTube.

It was nearly three years ago a Japanese Tim Burton fan-site dropped a bomb this side of Hiroshima on the interwebs: a picture of what purported to be Nicolas Cage's costume-test as Superman for Tim Burton's Superman Lives. No one from Burton, Cage or even Warner Brothers/DC Comics' camps ever stepped up to deny the photo. So we were all left to wonder if it was the real McCoy or a half-assed photoshop job of a dazed-out looking Cage on an action-figure, as some speculated.

That same site has now come out with more concept art from the ill-fated Superman revival film including their 90s-centric take on the classic red-and-blue suit he would have worn in the first act (before being killed by Doomsday), a Robocop-looking suit created by the Eradicator for the newly-resurrected, but powerless Man of Steel and an \S/ tomb among other odd, wacked out designs.

One look at these and you'll thank God it's Zack Snyder and Chris Nolan spearheading the Superman movie-series now.