Scarlett Johansson To Play An Alien

Of course it is not the ugly variety with acid blood, but a sexy one that seduces men, it all sounds a bit like Species and in truth a bit crap, although I am sure many guys will be hanging out for an R rating and the promise of a bit of Scar Jo nudity.

Heat Vision has the scoop!

Scarlett Johansson as the perfect woman? A perfect alien woman?

That is what FilmNation is selling at AFM, launching Under the Skin, a sci-fi drama from Sexy Beast writer-director Jonathan Glazer.

According to the company, and sure to please many of Johansson’s many admirers, “Johansson plays an alien on earth, disguised as the perfect aesthetic form of a mesmerizing woman. She scours remote highways and desolate scenery looking to use her greatest weapon to snare human prey -- her voracious sexuality.”

But, wait, there’s more. “She is deadly efficient, but over time becomes drawn to and changed by the complexity of life on earth. With this new found humanity and weakening alien resolve, she finds herself on a collision course with her own kind. Taking her point of view throughout, the film presents a unique look at our world through alien eyes.”

Glazer co-wrote the script with Walter Campbell and is eying a production late spring 2011.
 
In a statement, FilmNation CEO Glen Basner said, “We’re so very excited to be working on this arrestingly original movie. How could we pass up the chance to work with a visionary director like Jonathan, especially when combined with the intriguing notion of Scarlett Johansson as a ruthless alien seductress?”
 
Skin is produced by Nick Wechsler and James Wilson and based on the Canongate-published novel by Michel Faber. Film4's Tessa Ross is executive producing with Tanya Seghatchian stewarding at the U.K. Film Council, with the assistance of Scottish Screen.

Johansson, repped by CAA, shoots The Avengers this winter.

Leonardo DiCaprio To Star In & Produce 'The Devil in the White City'

Coming off the back of the mighty "Inception" whatever Leo decided to make next would have even more buzz than usual. He has "Prisoners" and the Clint Eastwood Hoover biopic in the pipes and today the Hollywood Reporter revealed that DiCaprio has another big option freshly added to his plate.

Erik Larson’s acclaimed novel The Devil in the White City is getting another shot at the big screen, this time with the help of Leonardo DiCaprio and his Appian Way shingle.

DiCaprio is attached to star and will produce with his Appian Way partner Jennifer Killoran, along with Double Feature principals Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher.

The Devil in the White City spent three years on the New York Times bestseller list, has sold 2.3 million copies and has been translated into 17 languages.

The nonfiction story focuses on the lives of two men who turned the 1893 Chicago World's Fair into their playground. One man, Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair's construction, in a short period of time was forced to overcome immense obstacles to construct the famous "White City" around which the fair was built. The other, H.H. Holmes, was a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor who is believed to be responsible for scores of murders around the time of the fair. Holmes devised and erected the World's Fair Hotel, complete with crematorium and gas chamber, near the fairgrounds and used the event as well as his own charismatic personality to lure victims to their death.

DiCaprio is to play the murder-minded Holmes.

White City has long captivated Hollywood’s top talent, although the period setting always seemed to pose budgetary roadblocks. Kathryn Bigelow was attached to direct and produce at one point, and Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner were also developing an adaptation.

Paramount was the home of the book until 2004, when it let the option lapse, but then it re-optioned it in 2007 for Double Feature to produce.

The project lapsed again, although Double Feature still hung on to the book. Right now, it has no studio home or financing, although DiCaprio’s involvement may change that sooner than later.

“I think that a guy who is that intelligent and that charismatic is nothing less than complex, and it’s that complexity that (DiCaprio) is drawn to,” said Killoran about DiCaprio's decision to play the evil Holmes. “And because people don’t know much about (Holmes), it makes it even more interesting.”

The plan now is to find a writer or a writer-director to help nail down the vast story, then move to setting it up.

I seem to recall David Fincher being interested in directing this at one point in it's many developmental lives and a Fincher/DiCaprio pairing could be special, the most exciting thing about this announcement though is that Leo will be playing the charismatic serial killer, that is a really interesting change of pace for him. 

Two New Trailers!!!

First up we have "Unknown white male" starring Liam Neeson, it looks like a very cool thriller with a splash of Hitchcock and a dollop of Bourne. Neeson as always looks like delivering the goods and he's on a real roll with genre flicks.

Next up we have "Sanctum" a visually awesome looking cave diving movie that's premise is the tried and tested "survival after a disaster" deal.

James Cameron's name is front and center as he's producing and they mention Avatar (Shock!) although I don't really recognize any of the actors bar Richard Roxburgh. 

Emily Blunt Joins Looper

Looper is set to be the next film from director Rian Johnson, the man behind the brilliant genre bending "Brick" and "Brothers Bloom." Already cast are Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon Levitt (Star of Brick) and now the Trades report Emily Blunt has signed on to join the cast.

The film is said to center on a time travel concept where assassins are sent from the future to to take out targets in their younger years thus leaving no trace in the present. From what I can gather Willis will play an assassin hunting Joseph Gordon Levitt and the son of Emily Blunt's character, although another report suggest Levitt and Blunt's characters come into contact when he hides out in the barn on her farm.

"Looper" is set to start filming in January and It's high on my list of anticipated films given the concept and talent involved, hopefully it joins the likes of Inception and District 9 in the Sc Fi revival.

The Tourist Poster

Comingsoon.net via Colombia Pictures has gotten hold of the first poster for the Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp romantic thriller "The Tourist."

I really liked the look of the film from the trailer and I understand the studios feeling they can lay back and sell it off the star duo but this has to be one of the blandest posters I have ever seen, I had thought they may have tried to emulate the old style man on the run thrillers that the trailer evoked, but instead it seems someone just took a screencap and shoved it in paint.

Tobey Maguire To Produce And Star In Good People

Comingsoon.Net via Production Weekly has revealed that former Spider-Man Tobey Maguire has set up his next project, an adaption of crime thriller "Good People" by Marcus Sakey.

I recall the writer's book "The Blade Itself" being bought up by Ben Affleck to turn into a movie and apparently the rights to his third novel "At the City’s Edge" have also been snapped up, for a writer who has only written five thrillers it is quite a testament to his ability that three of them are already set to become films.

Niels Arden Oplev, who directed the Swedish adaptation of Stieg Larsson's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" will helm the movie and below is a synopsis from Sakey's official website.

A family, and the security to enjoy it: that’s all Tom and Anna Reed ever wanted. But years of infertility treatments, including four failed attempts at in vitro fertilization, have left them with neither. The emotional and financial costs are straining their marriage and endangering their dreams.

Then one night everything changes. Offered a chance at a future they'd almost lost hope in, they seize it. One simple choice. A fairy tale ending.

But Tom and Anna soon realize that fairy tales never come cheap. Because their decision puts them square in the path of ruthless men. Men who've been double-crossed, and who won’t stop until they get revenge.

No matter where they find it.

This seems like a good deal for all involved, it's ideal material for Oplev to ease his transition into US cinema and it offers a strong lead role for Tobey Maguire, all we need now is for the female lead to be well cast and this one becomes a very promising project.

Captain American Submarine Pics Dock

The Liverpool Daily Post has gotten hold of some exclusive pics of a cool looking submarine being used in the Marvel comics adaption "Captain America."

Below are a couple of pics and some info about the vehicle, so far we've not any official stills from the movie but the set shots have been much better than on most of these movies.

THE DAILY POST can today reveal these exclusive photos taken of the full size submarine created for blockbuster Captain America.

Comic enthusiasts and film fans have eagerly awaited proof of a boat that was rumoured to have been built at Stanley Dock.But heavy security meant the large Liverpool set for the upcoming Marvel film was kept under wraps.

The dock area was transformed into 1940s New York before cast including actor Chris Evans arrived to film the Marvel Studios blockbuster, Captain America: The First Avenger.There was speculation Hollywood film bosses would build a full size German U-Boat inside the closed set. The First Avenger: Captain America, directed by Joe Johnston, is due for release in the UK in July 2011.

Captain America was first thought up to help encourage patriotic feeling during World War II.The big-budget film will tell the origin of Captain America, one of Marvel’s most iconic superhero comic book characters. The story will follow a young soldier called Steve Rogers, who volunteers to undergo a series of experiments and becomes Captain America.

True Grit Trailer

Here we go! the second big contender after Black Swan has dropped it's first trailer and wow does it look amazing!

I love the old John Wayne version of "True Grit" and was curious as to how the Coen's would approach the material, well now I have my answer and I couldn't be happier with how this looks.

The cinematography is stunning and very reminiscent of the way they captured the landscape in "No Country for Old Men" and the action looks like it will have some style and impact, but it is the overreaching feel of quality that grabs you the most, from the glimpses of the acting to the credible look of the old west and costumes, this movies just oozes class.

"True Grit" opens on December 25th and you can check out the trailer below.

First Official Scream 4 Image

The Scream franchise has had ever decreasing returns in terms of quality since the groundbreaking first film, so who knows what this belated fourth installment has to offer.

Entertainment Weekly has the first official still from Courtney Cox and co's latest run in with Ghost-Face.

Kate Beckinsale Back For Underworld 4

I like the Underworld movies, well the first two anyway, I think they have a solid mythology and I prefer their action based style over more vamps and werewolves horror shenanigans.

The 3rd film in the franchise was a prequel and starred Rhona Mitra, but Underworld 4 will be a sequel so no doubt it will have a stand alone title as the 2nd one did, and news arrives this evening via TOLDJA! that Kate Beckinsale has signed on to reprise her role as vampire death dealer Selene.

Kate Beckinsale has signed on for a fourth installment of Underworld. The new pic has been written by John Hlavin with a rewrite by J. Michael Straczynski. No director yet. Screen Gems, which distributed the first three, is back for the fourth. Production starts March in Vancouver.