Exclusive: Universal Looking at James McAvoy to Star in AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS, but Guillermo Del Toro Wants Tom Cruise

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 2nd, 2010 at 2:40 pm

In July, we reported the exciting news that Guillermo del Toro would finally be making his long-in-development passion project At the Mountains of Madness with James Cameron producing and in 3D.  Sources have now told us that Universal wants James McAvoy to play the lead in the film, but del Toro wants Tom Cruise to star.  Chris Pine’s name was also being tossed around, but his busy schedule may be too packed.

We know that Cruise and del Toro probably met before when discussing the possibility of a new take on Van Helsing with Cruise to star and del Toro producing.  That didn’t work out, but del Toro must have left with a positive impression of the actor.  Hit the jump for a synopsis of At the Mountains of Madness and for a refresher on what both Cruise and McAvoy have on their plates.

Telluride Film Festival Line-Up Announced; Includes Errol Morris’ TABLOID and Peter Weir’s THE WAY BACK

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 2nd, 2010 at 2:03 pm

The line-up for the 2010 Telluride Film Festival has been announced and there are some exciting inclusions.  If I were attending Telluride, the two films at the top of my must-see list would be Errol Morris’ new documentary Tabloid which is about former-Miss Wyoming/convicted rapist/dog-cloning advocate Joyce McKinney, and Peter Weir’s war film The Way Back, which is the director’s first film since 2003’s Master and Commander.

The line-up also includes other films that are making the festival rounds including Mark Romanek’s Never Let Me Go, the financial-collapse documentary Inside Job, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Biutiful, Sylvain Chomet’s The Illusionist, Mike Leigh’s Another Year, and Stephen Frears’ Tamara Drewe.  Hit the jump to check out the full line-up.  The Telluride Film Festival runs from September 3 – 6th.

Jon Hamm to Star in Jennifer Westfeldt’s FRIENDS WITH KIDS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 2nd, 2010 at 12:40 pm

Jon Hamm is set to star in Jennifer Westfeldt’s Friends with Kids.  Westfeldt, who is Hamm’s long-time girlfriend, and Hamm are trying to pull the film together during Mad Men’s off-season.  Showbiz 411 reports that the two are also trying to get Kristen Wiig and Anne Hathaway to come on board.  No word if Westfeldt will direct from her own script.

Hamm will next be seen in theaters in a couple weeks in Ben Affleck’s The Town and next March in Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch.  He’ll also appear in the comedy Bridesmaids co-starring Wiig (she also co-wrote the script).

First Look at Ian McShane as Blackbeard in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 2nd, 2010 at 11:28 am

The first image of Ian McShane as Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has leaked online.  As you can see, he’s got a blackbeard and is dressed in pirate garb.  Not really sure what else you would expect.

Here’s what we know of the plot: “Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) finds himself on an unexpected journey to the fabled Fountain of Youth when a woman from his past (Penelope Cruz) forces him aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard.”  Hit the jump to check out the full image.  You can click here to see previously released set photos of Cruz and Geoffrey Rush.  Pirates of the Caribbean opens in 3D on May 20, 2011.

New Posters for THE NEXT THREE DAYS and MONSTERS

by Jason Barr    Posted: September 2nd, 2010 at 11:12 am

The poster for Paul Haggis’ (Crash) The Next Three Days has debuted online.  A remake of the 2007 French film Pour Elle (or Anything for Her), the film stars Russell Crowe whose life begins to fall apart when his wife (played by Elizabeth Banks) is arrested for a murder she claims she did not commit.  The trailer, which debuted a few weeks ago, positioned the film as an intelligent action/thriller and the film’s collage poster does little in the way of disputing that claim.

Also after the jump is a very cool domestic poster for Gareth Edwards’ sci-fi thriller Monsters.  Continue reading to check out both. The Next Three Days hits theaters on November 19^th.  Monsters opens on October 26th.

Casting Call: Mackie in Talks for MAN ON A LEDGE; Emma Bell to Lead 5NAL DESTINATION; Bellucci Joins MANUAL OF LOVE 3; Jessica McNamee in THE VOW

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 2nd, 2010 at 10:19 am

We have four pieces of casting news for your reading pleasure.  First up, Variety reports that Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker) is in talks to star opposite Sam Worthington in the cop-thriller Man on a Ledge.  The story centers on a female   psychologist and a former NYPD officer who threatens to jump to his death.  No word on what role Mackie would be playing in the film.  Mackie was recently in talks to star in the next Mission: Impossible film but the role ultimately went to his Hurt Locker co-star Jeremy Renner.

Hit the jump to read about Emma Bell leading 5nal Destination (aka Final Destination 5), Monica Bellucci joining Manual of Love 3, and Jessica McNamee coming on board The Vow.

Serious Injury to Female Extra Suspends Chicago Shooting of TRANSFORMERS 3

by Germain Lussier    Posted: September 2nd, 2010 at 9:23 am

Filming on Transformers 3 was suspended Thursday after a stunt gone awry reportedly resulted in the serious injury of a 24-year-old extra in East Chicago. The Michael Bay action sequel was shooting an elaborate car stunt on a closed highway when a cable connecting two cars snapped, whipped around and the car crashed. The woman inside the car, Gabriella Cedillo, wasn’t a member of the stunt team and was airlifted to the hospital. [Update: The AP reports that she is in critical condition.]

Hit the jump for more details and some video footage of the accident scene.

International Trailer for BURIED Starring Ryan Reynolds

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 2nd, 2010 at 8:36 am

A new international trailer for the thriller Buried has gone online.  The film stars Ryan Reynolds as a man who is buried alive and has 90 minutes before his oxygen runs out.  Steve really dug the film when he saw it at Sundance and it’s one of my 15 most-anticiapted films for the rest of 2010.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  Buried will be playing at this year’s Fantastic Fest (and you have the chance to watch it while buried), opens in limited release on September 24th, and opens nationwide on October 8th.

Darren Aronofsky Explains Why He Left ROBOCOP; Wasn’t because of 3D

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 2nd, 2010 at 8:16 am

Back in July 2008, we reported the exciting news that director Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) had signed on to helm a remake of Paul Verhoeven’s Robocop.  However, a year later he decided to move off the project to direct the psychological thriller Black Swan instead.  There were rumors that Aronofsky had left because he disagreed with MGM’s desire to make the film 3D.  Speaking to MTV yesterday, Aronofsky dispelled that rumor, saying that MGM’s precarious financial situation was to blame:

“The studio is in question, as everyone knows, with ‘The Hobbit’ and all that stuff, and ‘Black Swan’ was ready to go.  It just became an easy decision.”

Aronofsky went on to say that he is in no way opposed to 3D and with the right project he would be totally into it.  Hit the jump for more on what he had to say regarding 3D filmmaking.

International Trailer for DUE DATE Starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis

by Bill Graham    Posted: September 2nd, 2010 at 7:38 am

Zach Galifianakis’ star is on the rise, and every glimpse I get at Todd Phillips’ upcoming comedy Due Date seems to reinforce that reality. Teaming the bearded child with Robert Downey Jr., was a great move, and the new international trailer that hit today showcases more of the craziness that we can all look forward to this fall. While the new trailer recycles a lot of footage seen in the original, this one starts off with a bang. The first 40 seconds showcases new footage so hit the jump to check out the trailer.  Due Date opens November 5th.

3 SILENT CLASSICS BY JOSEPH VON STERNBERG Criterion DVD Review

by Jackson    Posted: September 2nd, 2010 at 6:49 am

The transition from silent films to the “talkies” was difficult for many in the motion picture industry.  For many (particularly those in front of the camera), it would result in the death of their careers.  Others (particularly directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford and Cecil B. DeMille) would go on to bigger and better things in the sound era (Alfred Hitchcock and John Ford, among them).  Another such director was Josef von Sternberg, whose career began at the very end of the silent era, but whose brilliance was already apparent in the years leading up to the release of The Blue Angel.  Now, thanks to The Criterion Collection’s 3 Silent Classics by Josef von Sternberg box set, some of his early silent films are available in restored glory. My review after the jump:

First Images of Rihanna on the Set of BATTLESHIP

by Jason Barr    Posted: September 1st, 2010 at 9:55 pm

I’ll be honest, up until about fifteen minutes ago I had no clue that Rihanna was trying her hand at acting much less that she had been cast in Peter Berg’s (Hancock) ultra-necessary adaptation of Hasbro’s Battleship.  I guess I must have slept right through that one.  Regardless of my own ignorance, though, the film is currently in production and some images of Rihanna in full Naval dress have landed online.  Starring alongside Rihanna in the film are Taylor Kitsch (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood).  In spite of the fact that Universal almost sank the adaptation as recent as this June, it is currently scheduled to hit theaters on May 18, 2012.

Regardless of how interested you are in her acting career, Rihanna is easy on the eyes.  To check out the images for yourself, hit the jump.

Spike TV Announces Nominees for SCREAM 2010

by Jason Barr    Posted: September 1st, 2010 at 9:18 pm

The nominees for Spike TV’s “Scream 2010” have been announced and Christopher Nolan’s Inception leads all films with fourteen nominations.  While there are certainly more prestigious awards that films (especially Inception) would like to be honored with, the award show always looks like a good time from my couch and I imagine it’s nice to be recognized for your work regardless of the outlet.  Moreover, while fans may vote for the winners, the nominees themselves are chosen by an advisory board made up of industry professionals including: Tim Burton, John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Neil Gaiman, Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino, and Joss Whedon.  In short, it’s not like the kind people at Spike are calling me up asking for my opinion on who deserves a “Scream” nod (Note: I am available just in case though).

Officially, the “Scream Awards” honor “the best in sci-fi, fantasy, comics, and horror” and will air on Spike on October 19^th.  In addition, they are responsible for one of the few times a year that I feel compelled to watch Spike TV (I’ll admit to occasionally indulging in an episode or five of Pros vs. Joes).  To check out the press release which includes a full list of this year’s nominees, hit the jump.

Neil Gaiman’s Comic Book THE SANDMAN Now Headed to Television

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: September 1st, 2010 at 9:15 pm

Though there had been talk about a film adaptation about the seminal comic book series The Sandman from Neil Gaiman (who also wrote the source material for such adaptations as Coraline and Stardust), but now Heat Vision reports the property is now in the early stages of being developed into a TV show over at Warner Bros. The studio is currently acquiring the rights from DC Entertainment and have already begun talks with various writers and producers for the TV adaptation. Apparently the top choice right now is Eric Kripke, most well known for creating Supernatural, but at the moment author Neil Gaiman is currently not involved with these developments which could create problems down the road. For those unfamiliar with the property you can find story details are after the jump.

Angelina Jolie Passes on GRAVITY; Film’s Future Now Uncertain

by Ramses Flores    Posted: September 1st, 2010 at 9:05 pm

We’ve written about director Alfonso Cuaron’s (Children of Men) upcoming sci-fi film, Gravity, in the past.  The ambitious sounding project about “a female astronaut as she attempts to make her way back to earth after a satellite crash sets off a chain reaction of further crashes” has been getting ready to set up production for the past couple of months with hopes of meeting a 2012 release date.  The one thing that seems to be the film’s main problem is that Warner Bros. has been looking for an actress who can hold the screen and draw an audience for the risky sounding project.  Angelina Jolie was supposedly in talks to join the project but we now have news that the actress has officially passed on the film.

It makes sense for Warner Bros. to want Jolie for the film.  The actress is a huge star around the world and Salt’s $244 million worldwide box office gross only proves that some more.  Even though Gravity is set to be an $80 million film, the studio seems to really want to be sure that audiences will show up to watch an ambitious sci-fi film where the heroine is the only person onscreen for a large part of the movie.  Robert Downey Jr. is also attached to star, but he will be playing a small role and will not be carrying the film.  More after the jump:

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