Monday
Feb252013

Warner Bros Hearts Will Beall 

Maybe you shouldn't believe everything the internet tells you?

Last Summer it was reported that Will Beall was typing up the Justice League for The Brothers Warner. This was before Gangster Squad was an epic fail for the studio. Theaters couldn't wait to escort that turkey from the theater. Soon after Gangster Squad bombed, rumors swirled that Beall's Justice League script had been tossed. Probably not a coincidence.

While Twitter & various forums keep telling us that Beall's Justice League script is awful and he is on the outs at W.B., Variety laughs at our naivety and is reporting Beall is being locked up at the studio. Warner Bros has signed a two script deal with the writer, although it isn't known at the time which movies are included in his new contract. An interesting maneuver considering Beall is a relative novice on the scripting scene.

This could mean that the internet lied to us and WB really adores the Justice League script and is moving along with it or it's telling us that although he couldn't hack it with heroes, they think he can own some other projects. Maybe he is working on another DC property or something completely unreleated.

Monday
Feb252013

Oh, Amazing Spider-Man Sequel! What Big Eyes You Have!

"Amazing?" Not really. But it's good and an improvement from the threads from The Amazing Spider-Man. Not that there was anything wrong with the costume Andrew Garfield sported there.

Coming Soon has the First Look at the new suit the web-slinger sports in Marc Webb's as-yet-titled sequel (The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a place-holder title).

You always hear the wardrobe people talk up how they make subtle changes between films. Not hard to spot here; the noticeably big eyes. Maybe the largest we've see from Spidey so far – I'd have to make close inspections on the Sam Raimi suit(s) to say definitely. A more cartoon, kid-friendly look this time around – a sign Webb is lightening up the tone on his sophomore Spider-Man effort?

Friday
Feb222013

"Victory Tour" Posters for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Debut

One can already see how causal fans and movie-goers who made The Hungers Games such a monster success last March will react to these "Victory Tour" posters for the forthcoming Catching Fire.

Both are quite the eye-catchers, slick and showcase how viral marketing, when done right, can be as effective as plain old trailers and photos. No need of posting both, so we'll put up the cooler of the two, and that's saying something since both are excellent.

Source: Facebook and HitFix

Friday
Feb222013

BREAKING: Bryan Singer Has Good Taste; No CG Dinklage in Days of Future Past

In the week since it broke, the identity of Peter Dinklage in X-Men: Days of Future Past has caused much online fodder. Speculation (Not telling if it was legitimate rumor or just fan-forum suggestion) pegged him playing a motion-capture/CG character. Because hey, why hire a great actor like Dinklage in a straight role where his dwarfism is irrelevant? An insulting prospect when you think about it.

Bryan Singer set the record straight speaking to IGN Movies during his Jack the Giant Slayer press-rounds:

"He's not going to be a CGI character. He'll be himself. Not that he'll be playing Peter Dinklage, he'll be playing this character. It's not a shy character."

Good taste prevails. Thanks for reminding us you have that, Bryan.

Friday
Feb222013

Awesomeness Got Even Awesomer - James Marsden Joins Anchorman 2

His bread and butter may be playing "the other guy" in romantic triangles onscreen. But like his more famous, Australian co-star, James Marsden has the range to do anything. Take a gander at his filmography. He sings, he dances, he plays the romantic lead, he's the action hero when he needs to be, and he's literally played a cartoon brought to life.

With that mad array of acting, how did he never break out into full stardom? Sigh. But he still gets work and here is a real chance to shine. He's joined the cast of Anchorman: The Legend Continues where he'll be Ron Burgundy's antagonist; a rival anchor.

Hopefully with a stache fitting to outdo Channel 4 Action News Team.

Friday
Feb222013

Adam Sandler the Romantic Returns

Unless I'm reading into this too much, this is Adam Sandler's way of saying Grown-Ups 2 is crap (I realize it shouldn't take motor mouth Stephen Hawking to figure that out) and his wide, but dwindling, fan base won't accept it as they didn't embrace Jack & Jill and That's My Boy.

His next phoning-it-in/fart joke/fat guy falls/random celebrity bit-part comedy was supposed to be the Western The Ridiculous 6. Fill in the blanks which of his Saturday Night Live pals-turned-puppets play which role. That's been nixed for the time being (Reportedly wasn't shitty enough to Sandler's liking and undergoing a rewrite). So he's on the hunt for his next feature settling on an untitled romantic comedy, his return to the genre that first made women love him, at Warner Brothers.

And not one to jinx it, and evidentially an attempt to reclaim that magic, they're talking to Drew Barrymore for the female lead. Hey, makes sense. The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates are two of his biggest hits and Barrymore has worked best off him. Assuming the deal comes together (Unless Barrymore's management are idiots), they'll play "a couple who, after a disastrous blind date, find themselves stuck together with their kids from a previous marriage."

They're looking for a director who won't be Dennis Dugan and expect one of Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade or Nick Swardson to play one of Sandler's kids.

Source: Variety

Friday
Feb222013

Mandarin Is Too Cool For School In Iron Man 3 Poster

Guess he's been in the LA scene too long. Went from being a decades-long racist stereotype (Was green-skinned in the mid 90s Iron Man cartoon!?) to what looks like Terrence Stamp's bored "I've taken over the world and now I have nothing to do" demeanor midway through Superman II.

No clue if it's a real scene or a character pose intended for posters like this and production stills, but I dig it. Ben Kingsley's portrayal is what fuels my interest in Iron Man 3. Are the Ten Rings used in action and retain their other-worldly powers or are they ceremonial and suggest the supernatural without going there, a la Ra's al Ghul in The Dark Knight trilogy. If it's the former, that would fit into the rumored, cosmic ending of Tony hooking up with the Guardians of the Galaxy.

These are the questions that keep me awake at night.

Friday
Feb222013

New Bruce Lee Movie In the Works

Though most from my generation are familar with Bruce Lee from the early 90s film, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (still one of Rob Cohen's only good movies), it came out two decades ago so it doesn't shock me Hollywood wants to do an updated version.

News this week is that Birth of the Dragon, a film based on Bruce Lee's last official fight with Wong Jack Man (no idiots, no relation to Hugh Jackman), is in the works with Oscar nominated writers Christopher Wilkinson and Stephen Rivele (Nixon, Ali) writing the script.

For those unfamilar, Lee's fight with Wong Jack Man was shown in Dragon as ending with Jack Man breaking Lee's back (Lee actually broke his back weighlifting in his backyard)

This fight - which took place in 1965 in Oakland, California - is somewhat shadowed in secrecy as few where actually there to witness it though it is known Lee won the fight by TKO after chasing Jack Man around for a lengthy period of time (this led Lee to become a more complete, well-rounded fighter as he felt the fight lasted too long...the birth of Jeet Kune Do).

No official start date is set for the project though it could begin filming by next year.

Whoever nabs the role of Bruce Lee though, they have almost impossible shoes to fill (Jason Scott Lee somehow pulled it off).

Source: Deadline

Thursday
Feb212013

Megan Fox & Michael Bay Reunite For Ninja Turtles

Money talks, politics make strange bedfellows, you get the idea.

Michael Bay (or Steven Spielberg depending on whose word you take to heart) fired Megan Fox's ungrateful ass from the Transformers franchise for her not-so-kind commentary to the press. Hey, you don't call someone Jewish Hitler. That shit ain't right.

She hasn't exactly been red hot since her exit from the film series that made her famous. Jennifer's Body, Jonah Hex, The Dictator, This is 40 didn't set the box-office on fire. So low and behold, who is here to rescue her faltering career?

Michael Bay. You didn't misread that.

Bay has taken to his official website with a single statement, "TMNT: we are bringing Megan Fox back into the family!" I suppose that answers who will play April O'Neil in the Bay-produced Ninja Turtles revival.

Wednesday
Feb202013

Mark Hamill Opens Up About Episode VII

Mark Hamill, of the three Star Wars leads, has kept the closest ties since Return of the Jedi. Not out of a sense of desperation or lack of funds. He's the premiere voice over actor in showbiz and has been for decades, earned a fortune from the Wing Commander games in the 90s and owns point off Star Wars (still makes money from the original). Cash is not the issue.

Hamill goes to the conventions and meets and greets fans because he appreciates them and what Star Wars has done for him. So of course, he's the first one, among him, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, to publicly go into details about Episode VII. Besides the typical, "Sure, I'd love to come back!" non-newsy quotes.

The real note-worthy item from Entertainment Tonight comes here:

"'First off, will he appear in Star Wars VII? 'They're talking to us,' he reveals. 'George [Lucas] wanted to know whether we'd be interested. He did say that if we didn't want to do it, they wouldn't cast another actor in our parts – they would write us out.'"

Always imagined George Lucas' big contribution was making sure the original actors kept their jobs. Why hire a young, fit mime-artist as C-3PO or a random dwarf actor for R2-D2 if Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker are still ready and willing to do it? That seems to be the case.

It's also encouraging to hear the "We'll write you out if you're not game" is code for their roles are supporting roles if not cameos. This needs to be about new characters going on new adventures in the universe. Provided the Droids play a role.

Follow the link above for the rest including Hamill downplaying how much he knows (No way that's true), them not signed on, and what characters he thinks are deserving of a spin-off flick. Again, unlike Ford and Fisher, he never left the universe. The Force is still strong with this one.