J.K. Simmons Joining 'Terminator: Genesis'

While nothing about the film's plot is still officially known, next summer's Terminator reboot - entitled Terminator: Genesis - is gearing up for filming starting next month and now word comes that the always great J.K. Simmons (most well-known for the original Spider-Man trilogy) is in-talks to join the cast.

Simmons would play 'weary and alcoholic detective who has followed a bizarre case involving Sarah Connor and robots for more than three decades (since 1984 which, not coincidentally, is the year the original movie, directed by James Cameron, was released).'

The report of Simmons signing on also notes that this new film 'will thread together multiple ideas from the previous movies as it relaunches the story of a cyborg from a future where computers gained intelligence and waged war against mankind.'

Even though I think Simmons joining the cast is a great thing as the guy is a fantastic actor, I'm still curious as to what and how exactly this film will play out.  We've known for months that this reboot will tie in both the original 1984 film and it's 1991 sequel, but now with word coming that Simmon's character has been following the case for 'three decades', it's almost baffling as to how this will all come together post-1991 as it was assumed the 2003 threequel and 2009 future world entry were being ignored.

Regardless, this whole damn thing has me curious so let's see where it goes.

Terminator: Genesis - to be directed by Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World) and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in his title role, Emilia Clarke as Sarah Connor, Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese, Jason Clarke as John Connor, and now J.K. Simmons - is set to open July 1st, 2015.

Source:  The Hollywood Reporter

'Captain America 3' to face off against 'Batman vs. Superman'

 

When Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige asserted that the studio wasn't abandoning the May 6, 2016 release spot to WB's Batman vs. Superman only yesterday, one wondered about what their film would challenge WB's behemoth, short of Avengers 3 or Iron Man 4.

THR now reports that pic will be Captain America 3, which had only just retained the Russo brothers and writers Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely to return to direct and write. Zack Snyder's film, in comparison is deep in pre-production and begin filming in a few weeks. While some die-hard fanboys like to cry, "But Marvel staked that date FIRST!", Marvel didn't state what their film was at the time. Had they announced it right off the bat, WB would've likely stayed away. The news also smacks of Marvel letting the news out to 'encourage' WB to move off "their" date.

Production-wise, Zack Snyder's film has the advantage. The casting news and the novelty of the concept is something no studio could buy -- free publicity. Captain America 3 won't be ready to go into production until late this year, at the earliest. Time will tell which studio will blink, but my money's on Marvel moving Captain America 3 to April 2016.

New Red-Band Trailer for 'Sabotage'

With its release coming in a few short weeks, a new red-band trailer as been released for the Arnold Schwarzenegger starring Sabotage.

Though previous trailers have emphasized the film's extreme violence and intense action, this new footage actually shows the more 'humanistic' side of Schwarzenegger's character, which hopefully bodes well for the film itself.  I'd love to see Schwarzenegger prove he can play a real, three-dimensional role.

)

Sabotage - directed by David Ayer (End of Watch) - also stars Sam Worthington, Joe Manganiello, Mireille Enos, Josh Holloway, Olivia Williams, Harold Perrineau, Terrence Howard, Max Martini, and Kevin Vance.

The film opens March 28th.

Li Bingbing Is Su Yueming In "Transformers: Age of Extinction" Poster

Opening in theaters and IMAX on June 27th, the action adventure stars Mark Wahlberg, Jack Reynor, Nicola Peltz, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Sophia Myles, T.J. Miller, Han Geng and Titus Welliver

New "Godzilla" Poster Is All Artsy And Stuff

Marketing for Godzilla is staring to stomp into the collective minds of the masses.

I really enjoyed the last trailer, I thought it did it's job and actually made me care about seeing a Godzilla film. Before that, no desire whatsoever. Hope the general public, or at least the internet junkies, feel the same way.

Now The Brothers Warner and their former but still hanging around bedfellow Legendary Pictures have released a "Mondo Poster" for your viewing pleasure.

Attendees of Austin's SXSW might have the luxury of taking one of these bad boys home with them if they are lucky of enough to be present at the Ritz Theater for a screening of the original 1954 Godzilla. The film is hosted by Gareth Edwards tomorrow 3/11 at 9:30pm.

Opening in 3D, 2D and IMAX theaters on May 16, the Gareth Edwards film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn and Bryan Cranston. An epic rebirth to Toho's iconic Godzilla, this spectacular adventure pits the world's most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

COURTESY OF YAHOO

Spielberg Shows Interest In Remake of WEST SIDE STORY

When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way, or so we'll all be singing soon if Spielberg has his way.
it appears, according to Deadline, that Fox unlocked the 1961 musical-classic for a remake due to director Steven Spielberg's interest in it but notes:

No writer has been set yet and Spielberg hasn’t done anything more than register his interest, which traditionally has always been enough to get a studio hot and bothered.

West Side Story, winner of ten Academy Awards including Best Picture (1961), is a Broadway adaption of William Shakespeare's classic "Romeo and Juliet" and tell the story of star-crossed lovers Maria Nuñez (a Puerto Rican immigrant and sister of Bernardo, leader of 'The Sharks') and Tony Wyzek (leader of the "white boy" gang The Jets) against the back-drop of racial tension and escalating gang activity amongst New York City youths in Summer 1957.

It's a relevant story no matter when it's made, which is part of it's appeal; but given the recent main-stream attention of equal rights for illegal immigrant workers as well as LGBT-tolerance, I'd expect to see the remake touch upon those. 

It's been a while since we've had a mainstream musical in theaters up until 2012's Les Miserables, which was a critical and financial success, so here's hoping West Side Story goes ahead and does the original the justice it deserves. 

First Look at SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR Takes Us Back to 2005

Entertainment Weekly brings the first look at the timely follow up to 2005's Sin City, which will turn 10 years old next year.
We get our look at Jessica Alba (Nancy Callahan), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Johnny), and Mickey Rourke reprising his role as Marv.

 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets in on the action, too, playing the hard-luck gambler Johnny. Miller penned a new story for Gordon-Levitt’s segment, but Rodriguez and Miller remained tight-lipped on the specifics of the plot. “He beat the wrong guy at poker,” teases Rodriguez. “It begins the journey that describes the title of his story: ‘The Long Bad Night.’”

 

Jessica Alba’s Nancy Callahan is still dancing at Kadie’s, but she’s changed since John Hartigan’s (Bruce Willis) death in the original 2005 cult classic. “She’s out for revenge,” says Miller, who co-directed the film. “She is sick of being treated — as she puts it — ‘as a piece of ass.’” Robert Rodriguez, who also returns to co-helm the project, adds: “You see a little girl in that first film. By the end of this, she’s the avenging angel.” Alba’s acting work has taken a backseat to other endeavors in the past few years, but Miller assures us that she is “eight times the actor [that she was] when I did the first film.”

Mickey Rourke reprises his role as the murderous Marv with his signature flattop ‘do and stern demeanor for Miller’s story “Just Another Saturday Night.”

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For also stars Powers Boothe, Bruce Willis, Juno Temple, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven, Josh Brolin, Eva Greene, Rosario Dawson, and Dennis Haysbert and once again follows several stories that over-lap in various ways through the visually jaw-dropping direction of Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller.

The film will be released in 3D August 22, 2014. 

Brand New Trailer for GODZILLA Hopes To Wipe Your Memories of the Year 1998 Away

Following up last week's chilling poster for Legendary/WB's monster-reboot, GODZILLA, comes a new trailer that is sadly short on dramatic H.A.L.O. jumping and heavy breathing; but extremely heavy on Brian Cranston screaming and crying about stuff.

Also it appears we're finally getting some brief glimpses of the other monsters Godzilla will be throwing down with. Some say Rodan, others say Mothra, and hell some say Ghidorah; so what do you all think, those of you who are fans of the Big-G?

GODZILLA will be directed by Gareth Edwards (Monsters) and stars Aaron Taylor Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Ken Watanabe, Bryan Cranston and Sally Hawkins and makes it's way into theaters May 16.

"An epic rebirth to Toho's iconic Godzilla, this spectacular adventure, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, pits the world's most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence."

They Found Your Quarterback Punk For POINT BREAK's Remake.

 

Deadline reported that Johnny Utah's character (previously played by Keanu Reeves in the 1991 classic) has been cast for the planned remake of Point Break, to star alongside Gerard Butler who will be taking over the role from the late Patrick Swayze.

Luke Bracey, who played Cobra Commander in last summer's G.I. Joe: Retaliation, joins the remake of Kathryn Bigelow's film, directed by Ericson Core who's only mainstream directing credit was the 2006 Mark Wahlberg starring Invincible.
Core worked as cinematographer on The Fast and the Furious as well as Dare Devil.

Point Break, which starts filming this summer, will be written by Kurt Wimmer who has had some fair experience in the past with SALT, Equilibrium, Total Recall, and Law Abiding Citizen, and will follow the story of Johnny Utah, an FBI rookie, teaming up with an unstable detective to uncover the truth behind a string of bank robberies which draws him close to a group of dangerous surfers believed to be the suspects. 

R.I.P. Harold Ramis (1944 - 2014)

Though most know Harold Ramis most famously as Egon from Ghostbusters, it was actually his talent behind the camera that made him a name in the film industry, writing and directing such classic comedies as Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation, Groundhog Day, and Analyze This.

Ramis sadly died today at the age of 69, sucummbing to an autoimmune disease that he had battled for the past four years.  He passed in his Chicago-area home, surrounded by family.

He leaves a mark on Hollywood in terms of 'the American comedy' and is responsible for many quotable lines from a variety of films, with my most favorite being, "He had a business card?  Wow, that's a real fuckin' acheivement." 

Condolences to his family and friends.