"Nature Calls" Red Band Trailer Featuring Patton Oswalt & Johnny Knoxville

 Oswalt stars as Scoutmaster Randy Stevens, whose dwindling, apathetic troop ditches a scout meeting in favor of a TV-themed slumber party hosted by Randy’s brother Kirk (Knoxville), his polar opposite and arch nemesis. When Randy rounds up the boys in the middle of the night, stealing them for an highly unauthorized/unorganized trip to the woods, all hell breaks loose as Kirk pursues with a pair of gun-toting employees (Riggle and O’Neal). Drinking, nudity, mishandled fireworks and tremendously inappropriate behavior around minors ensues, in the grand tradition of comedy classics like The Bad News Bears and Meatballs.

 Yahoo

New Trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

You're either with Peter Jackson you're not.

Those still cling to the hope Jackson can reclaim the same magic that wowed us eleven years ago. Others see this as the cinematic equivalent of stretch pants. Both sides have merits. Truth is, right or wrong, Jackson is going to have to win many over again (Yes, The Lovely Bones was that bad and Guillermo del Toro was that much better a directing choice!)

Thankfully relying less on nostalgia for the Lord of the Rings trilogy and excerpts from the book appealing only to the devoted (Look! Singing Dwarves!), this new trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a straight-forward affair. More focus on Martin Freeman's Bilbo Baggins and, of course, Gollum. Have to hand it to Weta. They've outdone themselves here.

It's an upgrade from the teaser trailer, that's for sure. But that isn't saying much. Still remain indifferent.

Another 'Halloween' Remake: What Could Have Been

I'm not much for remakes in Hollywood nowadays - especially when it comes to classics - but this is one I'd actually be interested in seeing.

Federico D'Alessandro - Head Storyboard Artist and Animatrics Supervisor for the most recent Marvel Studios films including The Avengers - has released both a Pitch Reel and Keyframes he created for a now dead Halloween project over at Platinum Dunes (you know, Michael Bay's company) a few years back.

I have to say, while it is kind of odd they would remake the original John Carpenter classic (which is getting a wide re-release next month in theaters) considering Rob Zombie did it less than 5 years ago, the video and pictures do enough to sell the project.

D'Alessandro actually commented on the potential remake and what could have been, which you can read below:

"As a lifelong HALLOWEEN fan it would be a dream to direct a reboot of the franchise that's so near and dear to my heart. I created this animatic to show the tone and storytelling that I would bring to the project if I were lucky enough to have that chance. If you like it, please repost...if this gets enough hits, who knows, maybe I'll get that opportunity!"

“It turned out pretty cool, but unfortunately while I was in the middle of working on it, talks fell through between Platinum Dunes and the Weinsteins…so I missed the boat on that one,” D’Alessandro tells us. “With Halloween being re-released to theaters soon, and October coming up, I’m hoping that readers could get a kick out of seeing a horror themed pitch animatic for a major property.”

What do you think?

Source: SlashFilm

No More Monkeying Around - Rupert Wyatt Exits Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Two vital components made Rise of the Planet of the Apes one of the surprise hits of summer 2011. Andy Serkis' leading performance as Caesar, so good it brought up the debate once again why the Academy continuously snubs motion-capture acting. The other was Rupert Wyatt's direction. Let's face it, leading up to its release, we were all laughing, "A Planet of the Apes prequel?! Who's gonna pay to see that?"

Plenty.

Enough that 20^th Century Fox positioned its sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes with a prime Memorial Day 2014 release and a paycheck for Serkis to stay fat on mo-cap bananas. And enough for Wyatt to effectively shut his critics up, myself included. Unfortunately while Fox was wise to make Serkis' recommitment as their first priority for the follow-up to move forward, they relied on a sequel clause to keep Wyatt onboard. The deal was reportedly firm enough to kept Wyatt from directing Londongrad with Michael Fassbender to play ex-KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko. Until now.

"TOLDJA" indicates Wyatt is on his way out. Their wording is wonky (Reads very "Have your cake, eat it too"). But it comes down to this. He's not "comfortable" making that May 23, 2014 release date with the current time afforded him. The same official reason given to Gary Ross' exit from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. And like that what they really mean is this is an clash over money, me thinks.

Wyatt's earned whatever he wants. If he does so exit Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the studio will have no problem finding his replacement. Good luck expecting the same results.

Weekend Box Office: September 14-16

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1.  Resident Evil: Retribution - $21.1 millon

2.  Finding Nemo 3D - $17.5 million

3.  The Possession - $5.8 million

4.  Lawless - $4.2 million

5.  ParaNorman - $3.039 million

6.  The Expendables 2 - $3.030 million

7.  The Words - $2.880 million

8.  The Bourne Legacy - $2.875 million

9.  The Odd Life of Timothy Green - $2.5 million

10.  The Campaign - $2.4 million

The fifth Resident Evil film easily took the top spot this weekend with an estimated $21.1 million.  That's a smaller opening than the previous film, Resident Evil: Afterlife, which opened with $26.7 million in 2010, and the first of the sequels not to earn more than the movie before it, but not a bad start considering it's, well...the fifth movie in a series based on a video game.  It also was the first major release to take over the IMAX screens since The Dark Knight Rises opened in July.  As a result, Batman dropped out of the top ten for the first time, but it still earned another $2.1 million over the weekend to bring its domestic total to $441 million.

It looks like the 'bringing-classics-back-to-theaters-in-3D' trend is starting to fade a bit, as Finding Nemo 3D earned $17.5 million.  Not a bad start, but it's the lowest opening of the Disney 3D re-releases so far (although not by much: Beauty and the Beast 3D opened with $17.8 million a few months back).  Obviously nothing is going to hurt Nemo, seeing as it's still Pixar's second-highest grossing film behind Toy Story 3 and is sure to be a popular holiday gift when it's released on blu-ray in December, but none of the recent 3D re-releases have been able to come close to The Lion King's $30.2 million opening last year.

In extremely limited release - 5 theaters - Oscar hopeful The Master did major business this weekend, earning an estimated $730,000.  Just to compare:  The Master's per-screen average this weekend was $146,000, while Resident Evil's was $7000. 

It's also worthy to note that The Possession has been holding on very well.  Unlike most horror films, which have one good weekend and die, The Possession held the top spot for the weeks in a row (granted, without much competition), and only dropped 38% this weekend when it fell to third place.  That's not bad.

There are bunch of new releases coming next weekend, including the 'we needed this?' remake Dredd 3D, Jennifer Lawrence taking a break from fighting for District 12 in The House at the End of the Street, Jake Gyllenhaal's cop drama End of Watch, Clint Eastwood's Trouble With the Curve, and festival favorite The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  Basically, something for everyone.

First Look at New 'RoboCop'

First day of filming, first photos of the title character.

Why can't all big budget films be this easy?

Today, we have our first look at Joel Kinnaman (The Killing) as Alex Murphy AKA RoboCop in director Jose Padilha's remake of the 1987 sci-fi classic.

The film - which just began filming in Toronto today - in set to be released August 9th, 2013 and also co-stars Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, and Samuel L. Jackson, as well as Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K. Williams, Jay Baruchel, Jennifer Ehle, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

I'm not too thrilled with Hollywood remaking pretty much every hit film from the 80s nowadays (as soon enough they'll start plucking stuff from the 90s), but this picture seems to have enough talent behind it where it may be halfway decent.

Though I did think the same about another Paul Verhoeven classic, Total Recall, at this time last year as well.  How did that one turn out again?

In RoboCop, the year is 2028 and multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Their drones are winning American wars around the globe and now they want to bring this technology to the home front. Alex Murphy (Kinnaman) is a loving husband, father and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit. After he is critically injured in the line of duty, OmniCorp utilizes their remarkable science of robotics to save Alex's life. He returns to the streets of his beloved city with amazing new abilities, but with issues a regular man has never had to face before.

Source: ComingSoon

Tom Rothman Leaving 20th Century Fox

Well this is a surprise.

Longtime Co-Chairman and CEO of 20th Century Fox, Tom Rothman, is leaving the studio beginning next year, January 1st, 2013.

Rothman - whose been with the studio for nearly two decades - sent out this letter to Fox employees today:

My Dear Friends,

I have decided that, after more than 18 years — the bulk of my adult working life — I am resigning as Chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment, effective January 1, 2013.  During my time at Fox, thanks to you, we have together accomplished more than I ever imagined possible, from the founding and nurturing of Searchlight, to overseeing the two biggest films in box office history, to consistently ranking at the top among studio profitability year in and year out (including our most recent strong fiscal year), and, most of all, making dozens of exceptional films that I believe will stand the test of time.  I’m proud as hell of that run.  But I’ve done the same thing, at the same place, for a long time (indeed, in the 75 year history of our studio, no one has supervised movies for longer except Darryl Zanuck himself).  I do need some new challenges and to write a new chapter.

I love Fox and all of you and take comfort knowing that, although there is never a perfect time to leave, because the slate for the next several years is in awesome shape, this is at least a pretty good one.  I know that Jim G. and all of you will continue our long tradition of winning ways, and I will be rooting hard for you.  I will also be around until the end of the year to help with the transition and celebrate some of the hits we are about to have.

Finally, let me say, how eternally grateful I will always be for the privilege and the honor of having had this job, and above all else, working with you all –  quite simply, the best, most talented, and the kindest colleagues in the world.  If I can leave you with one thought, it’s this:  for all these years, I have tried to do the job with, above all else, integrity.  I think our company stands for doing what is right, even if that is not always easy, and for prizing honesty and forthrightness.  I hope that you will carry that mission forward.  As for me, a bunch of you guys know what the tattoo on my ankle says.  It’s what I wish for us all:  “Excelsior”!

With Love and Gratitude,

Tom

What's ironic about his departure is that Fox's film division has been having some of its greatest critical and commercial success in recent years with hits like X-Men: First Class, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Chronicle (not to mention the planned sequels to those films, two of which that already have release dates).

Jim Gianopulos (another co-chairman with Fox) will be taking over all film-related duties starting next year.

Maybe he'll go ahead and let Bryan Singer make a legit X-Men 3?

Nah, wishful thinking.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Trailer to Steven Spielberg's Lincoln

The trailer for Steven Spielberg's Lincoln is here.

Happy to say everything on display is exactly how you imagined Lincoln as directed by Spielberg and starring Daniel Day-Lewis, who yes looks superb as our greatest U.S. President in the final months of his life.

"Transformers 4" June 27th 2014 With New Robot Cast

You can say what you want about the Transformers franchise and Michael Bay, but they go together like wine and cheese. Big money, big action, everything you want in a summer blockbuster. Sure, all three movies are pretty much the same, but tell that to the general public who are eating these CGI robots up like a cheeseburger at 2am after drinking your face off.

Of course the studio would be crazy not to make more of these films and Brian Goldner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hasbro, certainly agrees. He showed off a placeholder logo for the new film in the series, you can view below.

The big wig also let it be known that there will be a new cast of robots, their idea that it will sell more merchandise, something Transformers: Dark Of The Moon failed to do. As long as these flicks are vomiting money and puts asses in the seats, the franchise could pretty much go on forever. That is a scary thought.

I wonder what they'll call this installment? Transformers: The New Batch? Transformers: Cash Rules Everything Around Me? Transformers: Because We Can?

ComingSoon.Net, TransformersWorld, Bleeding Cool

"Citadel" Trailer

Tommy Cowley (Aneurin Barnard) lives a quiet life in a decaying apartment complex with his highly pregnant wife. The couple is attacked one day by a group of hooded young thugs, and after a shocking act of violence, Tommy is left to raise his newborn daughter alone.

So shaken by the events that he's developed extreme agoraphobia, Tommy alternates days hiding out indoors in his new flat from imagined threats and intense therapy sessions aimed at bringing him back to normalcy. When the same hooded gang, seemingly intent on kidnapping his daughter, begins terrorizing his life again, he’s torn between his paralyzing fear and protective parental instinct. With the help of a vigilante priest who has uncovered the genesis of this ruthless, potentially supernatural gang, Tommy must overcome his fears and venture into the heart of the abandoned tower block known as the Citadel to save his family.

Yahoo Movies