The Last Exorcism

If your a fan of realistic set religious type horror films, like I am, You'll be very interested in The Last Exorcism. It's a realistic take on a Reverend's final exorcism.

Courtesy of Bloody Disgusting and Lionsgate you can now read the synopsis below, and enjoy the new poster, with the chilling tag line "believe in him".

"When he arrives on the rural Louisiana farm of Louis Sweetzer, the Reverend Cotton Marcus expects to perform just another routine "exorcism" on a disturbed religious fanatic. An earnest fundamentalist, Sweetzer has contacted the charismatic preacher as a last resort, certain his teenage daughter Nell is possessed by a demon who must be exorcized before their terrifying ordeal ends in unimaginable tragedy.

Buckling under the weight of his conscience after years of parting desperate believers with their money, Cotton and his crew plan to film a confessionary documentary of this, his last exorcism. But upon arriving at the already blood drenched family farm, it is soon clear that nothing could have prepared him for the true evil he encounters there. Now, too late to turn back, Reverend Marcus’ own beliefs are shaken to the core when he and his crew must find a way to save Nell – and themselves – before it is too late.

THE LAST EXORCISM is written by Huck Botko & Andrew Gurland and directed by Daniel Stamm. Strike Entertainment and STUDIOCANAL present an Arcade Pictures production. "

Head over to the official website for more information and the official Facebook page for the first image from the upcoming film.

Synopsis for Favreau's "Cowboys & Aliens "

DreamWorks Pictures has revealed the official synopsis for "Iron Man" films director Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens, starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell and Noah Ringer. Opening July 29, 2011, the film was written by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof:

1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear.

But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.

Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.

The director of two successful Iron Man films is directing Harrison "Indiana Han Solo Jones" Ford, and Daniel "James Bond" Craig, in a western where they're attacked by aliens. Did we really need to know anymore about it than that? I never read the comic, but the sounds great, what an original concept.

Judge Dredd Filming This Fall

We reported earlier this week that a Judge Dredd reboot planned for 3D was being sold at cannes. We now have the official press release, which includes more information regarding the production:

Reliance BIG Pictures, together with IM Global, the international sales company that Reliance acquired only last week, will finance DNA’s 3D production of JUDGE DREDD, a $45 million film adaptation of the iconic 2000 AD comic-book character created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra.

Filming will take place over the fourth quarter of 2010 in Johannesburg.

JUDGE DREDD is being made by the writer/producer partnership behind The Beach, 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later, Sunshine, and Never Let Me Go. Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich will produce a script written by Garland.

Pete Travis, director of Omagh, Vantage Point, and Endgame will direct. Wagner will be a creative consultant on the film.

DNA has engaged Michael Murphy (District 9) as South African co-producer.

Jason Kingsley and Chris Kingsley, owners of Rebellion/2000 AD, will co-produce.

Said John Wagner: 'Alex Garland’s script is faithful to the original concept that made Judge Dredd a favourite bad-ass hero. It’s a high-octane slay ride through the dark underbelly of the vast future city. A fan pleaser. With their track record, I have every faith in Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich.'

Said Alex Garland: 'I grew up reading Judge Dredd. The incredible writers and artists of 2000 AD were formative influences on me. Andrew, Allon and I have developed this adaptation of Judge Dredd with an emphasis on adrenaline and realism, but with all the scale and spectacle of Mega-City One. We think Pete’s propulsive, edgy style is a perfect match for the project.'

The deal was negotiated on behalf of Reliance by IM Global CEO Stuart Ford assisted by attorneys Strook and Strook with DNA principals Macdonald and Reich, DNA head of business affairs Jo Smith, and Miles Ketley of Wiggin & Co. Ford’s IM Global will handle international sales on the project

Being that they plan to bring a certain level of scale and spectacle to Mega-City One, and the production as a whole, all on a small budget, I'm guessing we'll be getting a cast of mostly no-name actors. This isn't all bad news actually, if it had been a 200 million budget filmed in LA, with some douche director, you know damn well they'd probably cast Gerard Butler for Dredd.

No word yet on a release date, but if I had to guess I'd say we're looking at maybe September 2011, as every other month is already filled with either large 3D releases and/or way too much competition for a low budget Judge Dredd reboot.

Why Sharlto Copley quit "I Am Number Four"

As recently reported by the trades Sharlto Copley dropped out of I Am Number Four, Citing a conflict of scheduling against his A-Team promotional-rounds.

His role (that of the mentor/guardian figure for the title character) will now be played by Timothy Olyphant. His career is going through resurgence as of late thanks to his headlining the hit series Justified on FX.

Well according to FilmDrunk the real reason for his departure from the project is actually a lot more stupid, and much funnier.

The real story, is that Sharlto Copley wanted to wear a prosthetic nose and fake ears like Spock and look like an alien in the movie, while director DJ Caruso was adamant that the aliens were supposed to look just like regular humans, hence why they’re able to fit in.  This was apparently such a sticking point that neither would budge, and Copley left the project.

As ridiculous as this sounds, I'm not that surprised. Almost every time a "scheduling conflict" is cited as the reason for someone leaving a project it's bullshit. This is just hilarious though, I can't imagine how that argument must have gone.

New Trailer 'The Adjustment Bureau'

Universal Pictures has released the trailer for writer/director George Nolfi's The Adjustment Bureau, starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, John Slattery, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Michael Kelly and Terence Stamp. Opening September 17th, the film is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick.

In the film, ambitious politician David Norris (Damon), on the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas (Blunt) - a woman like none he's ever known. But just as he realizes he's falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart.

David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself--the men of The Adjustment Bureau--who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path...or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.

I love Matt Damon as much as the next action junkie, but are you not feeling refreshed to see him in something other then a Jason Bourne/military type film, I am.

This looks like something that was much needed for Damon's career, especially after the shaky cam well intentioned, but crappy over all Green Zone.

First Pics of Co...Wait, That's Not Conan!

Apparently it is. I haven't been following production of the new Conan film, because, I actually love the original. I can't tell you why. Its unlike anything else in my DVD collection, but AH-nold's Conan will forever be the staple of the franchise for me. 

If you don't share a passion for the nostalgic like me, you may be excited to see these photos of Jason Momoa in the upcoming reboot of the character created by Robert E. Howard. No offense to the young actor, but I'm just not feeling it. But see for yourself.  More photos are available at LATINO REVIEW

The film is said to focus more on Conan's days as a young man, which loosely follows a story arc currently being ran by Dark Horse Comics. With respect to the character, I'll put my differences aside with the casting and start trying to gather more information as its available and keep you guys in the loop. Who knows, they may create a great film. From these pics, it looks like Conan will be rampaging through forests instead of deserts. 

Box Office Predictions May 14 - 16

The returning champ this weekend will undoubtedly be Iron Man 2.

Opening this weekend is Robin Hood, the Ridley Scott Russell Crowe re-imagining. This will likely be the biggest weekend Robin Hood will see, still only coming in at second, but with Shrek coming out next weekend, and Sex and the City the weekend after, I'd say Robin Hood has one chance of making any real money and that's now.

Also opening in limited release, but expected to make a decent mark, are Letters to Juliet and Just Wright. How to train your dragon continues to make money, most likely even over shadowing the recent Nightmare remake release, this weekend. Nightmare can expect to exit the top ten all together most likely by the end of the month at the very latest.

1. Iron Man 2 (Marvel/Paramount) - $50 million

2. Robin Hood (Universal) - $32 million

3. Letters to Juliet (Summit) - $13 million

4. Just Wright (Fox Searchlight) - $9.5 million N/A

5. How to Train Your Dragon (DreamWorks Animation/Paramount) - $4.4 million

6. A Nightmare on Elm Street (New Line/WB) - $4.1 million

7 Date Night (20th Century Fox) - $3.4 million

8. The Back-Up Plan (CBS Films) - $2.8 million

9. Furry Vengeance (Summit) - $2.5 million

10. Babies (Focus Features) - $1 million

Check back to TMT on Sunday for the Box Office Estimates and again Monday for the actual numbers.

Universal Soldier IV will be 3D

Foresight Unlimited is pushing forward with fall shoots for action thriller: "Universal Soldier IV"

"Soldier IV" will reunite Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren, who co-starred in the third installment, "Universal Soldier: Regeneration" in 2009. Only this time they'll be unleashing their barrages of fists and lead in 3D. John Hyams is also returning to direct the project, which is set to begin filming in October.

Foresight will be selling "Soldier" at Cannes this year.

It's been a long time since anyone's seen Van Damme outside of a direct to video release. Even the last Universal Soldier released in 2009, was direct to video. Why they've decided to bring the series back to the big screen after three sequels going direct to video, is beyond me.

Lundgren also has a part in Stalone's new mercenary action flick this summer 'The Expendables".

Tim Burton And DreamWorks Making 'Monsterpocalypse?'

 

DreamWorks has just acquired the screen rights to Monsterpocalypse the board game, and they are already negotiating with Tim Burton to direct.

Talks are in the early stages, and right now only game creator Matt Wilson is attached to be co-producer. Monsterpocalypse is a kaiju-themed collectible miniatures game. It's a board game that involves battles against a variety of enemy monsters that take place in a metropolis filled with buildings.

Burton is a huge Godzilla fan and "Monsterpocalypse" involves kaiju-themed monsters.

Nothing shocking here, hollywood still out of original ideas, developing another boardgame, and they look to hire the weirdest director in the business. I'm curious what part Johhny Depp will be playing in this?

Transformers 3 Headed In The Right Direction?

Remember in Transformers 2 how funny those two, hip to the times but not crossing any lines with how closely they attempted to portray a certain ethnic group, Mudflap and Skids were? I sure don't.

It seems Michael Bay has taken more than one persons advice on the ill conceived robotic ice cream truck twins, and has decided to ban their involvement with the next installment of the Transformers franchise. A report from iesb.net says he has confirmed such on his forum:

"The twins are not back in T3."

So there you go folks. You have confirmation from the horses mouth or ass, whichever you like, that the two will be banned from the next film. He still has plenty of time to consult with George Lucas on whether or not Jar Jar Binks should make an appearance in the films climax.