Josh Lucas Joins J. Edgar

You kids remember Josh Lucas? He was one of those perfectly-acceptable supporting actors who got a big career bump, and a lot of "next big thing" press, headlining Stealth and Poseidon. Only both would-be blockbusters bombed and Lucas disappeared from the public eye for awhile.

Now he's back joining the cast of Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar, reports "TOLDJA!" He'll play aviator Charles Lindbergh whose infant son was infamously kidnapped and murdered.

Filming starts next month. An opening this fall isn't out of the question even though it's listed for an unspecified 2012 release. Eastwood's productions typically tend to go fast.

Ben Affleck Considering American Bullshit

Gone Baby Gone was, hands down, the finest film of 2007, and a major revelation that popular actor-turned-public punching bag Ben Affleck had serious directorial chops. The problem is few people gave it a shot at the time. So it didn't burn through box-office receipts nor did it cause a ripple effect during that year's awards-circuits.

But thanks to The Town and its success last September, generally a dumping ground for studio's prestige crap, Affleck is now one of the hot directors floating in moviedom marking one of the great comebacks this side of John Travolta and Robert Downey Jr.

So what's next? Warner Brothers wants to make him one of their MVP helmers next to Clint Eastwood and Christopher Nolan and unsuccessfully offered him Superman: The Man of Steel and Tales from the Gangster Squad. While WB also has Replay and The Trade, both of which Affleck is still mulling, Sony wants a piece of Chuckie Sullivan too.

As per "TOLDJA," Affleck is also eyeing American Bullshit, the recent Black List-inducted script by Eric Warren. It's described as, "the true story of Abscam, the FBI's 1980 undercover sting operation of Congress to root out corruption which was the brainchild of the world's greatest con man."

I'm sure we'll hear of a few more projects before Affleck makes his decision.

Fox Gunning for Bond

At the end of every adventure, the Broccolis reassure us, "James Bond will return."

While it's no longer in question when that will occur (November 9, 2012), who will direct (Sam Mendes) and who will fuck anything female with a pulse and kill any baddie in eyes-view (Daniel Craig going for his third outing), a distributor hasn't been wrangled up.

To their credit, "TOLDJA" has been saying from the start the studio with the home-court advantage is Paramount. Thanks to their association with new MGM heads Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum, the big-cheeses at Spyglass responsible for J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot and its sequel next June. Then there's Sony who handled distribution for Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, and said to the studio of choice for the Broccolis.

Not surprisingly a third studio is in contention (courtesy of THR): 20^th Century Fox. Not the first time they've been pegged to take over the marketing and distribution for 007. Just ask We Are Movie Geeks two years back. Fox already distributes the Bond catalog on home-video so it's not like this would be a sudden change of pace.

My money's on Sony given their recent success and association with the property. But a decision is expected to be made in a few weeks whereupon I'll be proven wrong and it'll be Paramount. Probably.

2pac Biopic Synopsis Revealed!

A film I've long awaited an official synopsis or casting announcement for has finally revealed more in depth information on the synopsis and character breakdowns. Our Friends over at Moviehole have the exclusive scoop on what to expect in the Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Brooklyns Finest) directed bio pic for the late rapper Tupac Shakur's bio pic.

The former music video director said he’s interested in finding an unknown actor to play the iconic hip-hop legend.

“That’s the goal, I want to discover someone new,” he revealed. “I want to discover a lot of new people if I can. Obviously I’m going to have to put some people in it that you know, just because actors have different skills. I want to go to the streets and find him anywhere he might be in the world.”

The original intent was to begin shooting last September, but that came and went with nothing new announced or any movement on the project. They're now officially gearing up for an April start in Los Angeles. I wonder if this means casting is already complete or close to being completed and a press release is imminent.

The official synopsis :

“The rise and fall of TUPAC SHAKUR is chronicled, from his days attending the Baltimore School of the Arts as a teenager, to his decision to leave his mother’s dead-end life behind and embrace the Thug Life in California, to his wild success as a rapper and his dangerous war against the East Coast scene. A true poet who was waylaid by fame’s trappings, his earliest ambition was to change the world and make a difference in people’s lives, and before his tragic murder in Las Vegas in 1996, that’s exactly what 2Pac did…”

Stephen J. Rivele, one of two screenwriters hired to write the film spoke to Vulture back in August about the direction the project would be taking:

"This is the story of an artist whose character is at odds with his medium. He was a really sensitive, very romantic, talented young poet who also could sing, dance, and act. But the realities [of the hip-hop record business] were that he had to create this persona of the gangster,"

"He was obviously very angry, and had been subjected to a great deal of violence at home, in the streets and in prison. But he was just beginning to shed that anger and look for a purer voice...He was in the process of changing himself, and entering a new phase of his life — essentially a Romantic vision — and had set up a new label, and a new production company to create it. He saw the contradiction between the musical persona of 'Thug Life,' and his essential nature as a gentle, sensitive person. And that was partly responsible for his murder: He was not a gangster, but the people around him were. They saw he was going to leave, that they were going to lose him, and so I think they decided to kill him."

Spider-Man Won't Be Harassing Jameson in the Reboot!

FYI. Have to give a shout-out to this awesome picture done up by artist Paul Salvi on his blog!

Anyway, we'd come to accept J.K. Simmons wouldn't don the Hitler mustache and cigar again for Marc Webb's Spider-Man do-over. But we assumed someone else would. Remember that What's Playing report stating Sam Elliott and John Slattery?

Production's been underway since before Christmas break. Yet still no word on the identity of the new J. Jonah Jameson.

IGN Movies says there's a reason for that. He won't be in the 3D reboot next July, kiddos.

I guess that means the humor for the movie(s) will derive from the wall-crawler's wise-cracks and his interaction with Flash Thompson – two staples from the comics missing from the three Sam Raimi/Tobey Maguire/Kirsten Dunst installments.

Guess the plan is to introduce him in the 4D sequel, assuming there is one.

First Look: "Sherlock Holmes 2"

Being one of the most highly anticipated films of 2011, "Sherlock Holmes 2" has been clouded in mystery save for a couple of set shots. Entertainment Tonight has changed that with first look footage featuring Holmes and Watson's next journey.

"We said, if I remember rightly, on the last one that we had so much fun, and if everyone else would too, that if they wanted us to do more, we would -- and it seems they wanted us to do more, so that's why we're back," Jude tells Kevin. "It's gone to the next level."

"There is something -- I call it "sequelitis" -- about having a movie that takes off and is set up to do a couple more," says Robert. "I just feel you have to work harder and not compare it to anything else, because it'll just drive you crazy."

"Rubber" Trailer

RUBBER is the story of Robert, an inanimate tire that has been abandoned in the desert, and suddenly and inexplicably comes to life. As Robert roams the bleak landscape, he discovers that he possesses terrifying telepathic powers that give him the ability to destroy anything he wishes without having to move. At first content to prey on small desert creatures and various discarded objects, his attention soon turns to humans, especially a beautiful and mysterious woman who crosses his path. Leaving a swath of destruction across the desert landscape, Robert becomes a chaotic force to be reckoned with, and truly a movie villain for the ages. Directed by legendary electro musician Quentin Dupieux (Steak, Nonfilm), aka Mr. Oizo, RUBBER is a smart, funny and wholly original tribute to the cinematic concept of no reason.

"Water For Elephants" International Trailer

Veterinary school student Jacob (Pattinson) meets and falls in love with Marlena (Witherspoon), a star performer in a circus of a bygone era. They discover beauty amidst the world of the Big Top, and come together through their compassion for a special elephant. Against all odds – including the wrath of Marlena’s charismatic but dangerous husband, August (Christopher Waltz) – Jacob and Marlena find lifelong love.

Blurry Spider-Man Runs Across The Street

A site that I never heard of, but is all kinds of awesome and now has me as a big fan, has the first picture of "Spider-Man" in action from the new Marc Webb directed flick. A reader for On Location Vacations snapped a picture of Andrew Garfield dodging cars on Grand Ave on the Left Coast ie LA.

Even though the scene was being shot around 11ish in the evening, the suit looks much brighter than the initial shot just recently released. It almost looks like a suit you would be in a local costume shop rather than the intricate one we saw Garfield skulking around in.

Farmiga and Wasikowska Join "A View from the Bridge"

I had no idea they were making this into a movie.  Apparently, they are.  According to Variety, Vera Farmiga (Orphan, Up in the Air) and Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, The Kids Are All Right) have joined Anthony LaPaglia in A View From the Bridge, which will start filming in June.

Based on the 1955 play by Arthur Miller, A View From the Bridge is the story of Eddie Carbone, a Brooklyn shipyard worker who becomes unhinged with jealousy when his niece Catherine falls for one of the illegal immigrant cousins who has moved into their home.  LaPaglia will play Eddie, a role he won a Tony Award for in the 1998 Broadway revival.  Farmiga will play his wife Beatrice, and Wasikowska will play Catherine.  The cast will also include Sam Neill and Sebastian Stan (Black Swan).

I saw last year's Broadway revival of A View From the Bridge with Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson as Eddie and Catherine, and it was an incredibly intense play.  I would have loved to have seen them reprise those roles for the upcoming film, but I've heard LaPaglia's performance in the last production was terrific as well, so I'm looking forward to seeing it.