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News for July 2014

Woman with middle name 'Skywalker' told she infringes copyright
Laura Matthews tried to renew her passport with the signature L. Skywalker, referencing the Star Wars character, but was told that her adopted name is a trademark and cannot be accepted.
From: The Guardian - Film News 31/07/2014

Penélope Cruz clarifies Gaza comments: 'I wish for unity, and peace'
Following an open letter in the Spanish press which condemned Israel's military action against Palestinians in Gaza, Penélope Cruz has said she only wanted to promote peace.
From: The Guardian - Film News 31/07/2014

Elle Fanning to play Mary Shelley for Wadjda director Haifaa al-Mansour
Pioneering Saudi film-maker has cast the young Maleficent actor as the Frankenstein author in A Storm in the Stars.
From: The Guardian - Film News 31/07/2014

Rob Zombie Reveals The Secret Of 31
After a couple of months of mystery following the unveiling of a teaser poster featuring nothing but a gruesome clown face, Rob Zombie has finally revealed what 31 is all about. His next film, contrary to previously stated intent, will be another horror movie after all: some "hardcore business for bloodthirsty gorehounds".
From: Empire Online 31/07/2014

Dick Smith 1922-2014
Dick Smith, the renowned "Godfather of Makeup", has died aged 92. Smith was a legend in the field, pioneering an astonishing number of different techniques and trickery in-camera. He's best known for his work on an impressive list of classics, including Taxi Driver, The Godfather, The Exorcist and Amadeus. Indeed, it's a tribute to his talents that - The Exorcist aside - audiences often forget that these films had such extraordinary special effects and makeup, all hiding in plain sight.
From: Empire Online 31/07/2014

Jamie Foxx To Play Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson has been cheerfully playing himself in recent years in the Hangover and Scary Movie films, Rocky Balboa and Grudge Match. But in a newly developing biopic, Jamie Foxx is set to take on the mantle of the controversial former heavyweight champion of the world. Foxx's manager Rick Yorn is currently putting the as-yet untitled project together.
From: Empire Online 31/07/2014

See The Epic Movie An 11 Year Old Martin Scorsese Wanted To Make
Martin Scorsese is one of those directors who you can tell has a clear vision of what he wants to see up on the screen. While some directors might have vague ideas that eventually are realized within a healthy proximity to the images they want to convey (usually found in post), Scorsese is one of those minds who are not satisfied until every small detail of said vision is on display in meticulous detail. Think back to the opening of Hugo, with the beautiful imagery of Paris leading into a gorgeous, long take sweeping through a crowded train platform - all in gorgeous 3D to boot. That's not an accident, that's the result of carefully planned imagery, which Scorsese has long had a knack for, even when he was only 11.
From: Cinema Blend 31/07/2014

Peter Jackson Wants Guillermo Del Toro For New King Kong Movie, Skull Island
There are two things to know before starting to get into this article. First: some artists out there are just besties for life, so if you ask one about the other, they'll automatically get warm and cuddly, no matter the context. Second: if you're a movie executive, you're probably not going to get Guillermo del Toro to make your movie, since the guy is busy from now until Ragnarok. It's just how it is. All that said, it's not a huge surprise that when a juicy Peter Jackson-related vacancy in the directing game opens up, he's totally going to talk up his buddy Guillermo as a candidate.
From: Cinema Blend 31/07/2014

Jodie Foster And George Clooney Look To Cash In With Money Monster
Sometimes actors make great directors. Ron Howard, Kevin Costner, George Clooney and Jodie Foster can all attest to that fact, as they've all directed and/or starred in films that would go on to become Academy Award nominees, if not winners.
From: Cinema Blend 31/07/2014

Quentin Tarantino, Chris Nolan & J.J. Abrams Save Film From Extinction
Digital filmmaking has overtaken analog, but there are some directors who refuse to let film stock die out. And so Hollywood studios are stepping in to lend support to Kodak in its time of crisis.
From: Cinema Blend 31/07/2014

The Avengers 3 Aiming For 2018
Oh Marvel, you release date wizards. Right before San Diego Comic Con, the studio swooped in like vultures to claim the May 4th, 2018 release date, just after they had already announced a whole bunch of other releases. Given that Avengers opened at the beginning of May 2012, and we're getting Avengers: Age Of Ultron at the start of May 2015, it makes sense that the 2018 spot is waiting for that big third Avengers blow-out, wouldn't you say, Kevin Feige?
From: Cinema Blend 31/07/2014

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles studio apologises for 9/11 PR gaffe
Paramount Australia says sorry for mistakenly combining a picture of a burning skyscraper with 'September 11', the release date of their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot.
From: The Guardian - Film News 30/07/2014

Cruz, Bardem and Almodóvar denounce Israel over Gaza
In an open letter, some of Spain's biggest film personalities call on EU to condemn Israel's military actions against Gaza.
From: The Guardian - Film News 30/07/2014

Mike Tyson says Jamie Foxx will play him in his movie life story
Former heavyweight champion says he and the actor are 'in discussion' about a proposed biopic, which would use the same CGI wizardry as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
From: The Guardian - Film News 30/07/2014

Emile Hirsch Joins Just Jim
As if his breakthrough performance in Richard Ayoade's Submarine wasn't impressive enough, 23 year-old Craig Roberts is looking to take a leaf from his colleague's book by gearing up his own directorial debut, Just Jim. And he's snagged Emile Hirsch to co-star with him.
From: Empire Online 30/07/2014

Elle Fanning Finds A Storm In The Stars
The story of how Mary Shelley came to write Frankenstein has been well documented, but how about how she came to be Mary Shelley? A Storm In The Stars promises to explore the younger romantic life of the real-life author, with Elle Fanning set to star.
From: Empire Online 30/07/2014

Domhnall Gleeson Heads To The Revenant
As if Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu's The Revenant wasn't already loaded down with great talent, plus some chancer named Leonardo DiCaprio, the director is adding one more solid actor to the line-up. Domhnall Gleeson is now in negotiations.
From: Empire Online 30/07/2014

Alex Kurtzman Set To Direct Universal's New Mummy
He's already partnering with Fast & Furious writer Chris Morgan to oversee the development of the studio's new breed of monster movies, but Alex Kurtzman is looking to get involved with The Mummy in a much closer fashion - he's in the final stages of hammering out a deal to direct it.
From: Empire Online 30/07/2014

Read This Delightful Letter Tom Hiddleston Wrote Joss Whedon About Avengers
No matter how talented they might be, actors are still reliant on other people to do their jobs. They need a writer to give them something to work with and a director that understands where they're trying to take their performance. They need to be put into a position to succeed.
From: Cinema Blend 30/07/2014

Thanos Won't Appear In Avengers: Age Of Ultron
There was a sizzle in the air during that post-credits sequence in The Avengers. Who is this purple guy, and what are his plans for Earth? He's gone unmentioned in the Marvel films since - though comic book fans know him as the Mad Titan Thanos.
From: Cinema Blend 30/07/2014

Con Air 2 Might Take Place In The Most Ridiculous Location Possible
Set the bar as high or as low as you want: one of the great American action movies of the nineties is Simon West's Con Air: a bombastically ridiculous slice of Jerry Bruckheimer excess where one man must stand alone against a plane taken over by vicious convicts.
From: Cinema Blend 30/07/2014

Harrison Ford Is Back Up On His Feet Following His Star Wars: Episode VII Injury
It was all the way back in the first half of June when Harrison Ford had a bit of an accident on-board the Millennium Falcon while shooting Star Wars: Episode VII. Thanks to a malfunctioning hydraulic door, the legendary actor broke his foot, and reports said that he would possibly be off his feet for as many as eight weeks. This was very obviously bad news for the cast and crew of the upcoming sci-fi epic - but the good news is that Ford is now on the mend.
From: Cinema Blend 30/07/2014

Toronto adds Face of an Angel and Tusk to film festival lineup
New batch of films confirmed for festival, including Michael Winterbottom's The Face of an Angel and Kevin Smith's Tusk.
From: The Guardian - Film News 29/07/2014

Headhunters' Morten Tyldum On For Chain Of Events
Norwegian filmmaker Morten Tyldum is steaming firmly into Hollywood's good graces. He's graduated from Headhunters to The Imitation Game and now has Chain Of Events, a global thriller with a '70s-era feel to it, to keep him occupied.
From: Empire Online 29/07/2014

Paul Dano Considers War And Peace
Though it has been adapted several times before, Leo Tolstoy's huge tale of drama between aristocratic Russian families is once more the target of a TV project, this time a collaboration between the BBC and The Weinstein Company. Paul Dano and Lily James are mulling offers to star in the miniseries.
From: Empire Online 29/07/2014

See The Deadpool Test Footage Snippet
While the Deadpool movie appears to be still unable to find a strong foothold at 20th Century Fox, it has been in development for years. Thanks to director Tim Miller, the Merc With A Mouth got closer than other attempts. Along with Blur Studios, he created a short piece of test footage to show how Deadpool might work on screen. A snippet of that leaked recently, but now Miller and co. have officially put it online.
From: Empire Online 29/07/2014

Comic-Con 2014: Quentin Tarantino on the Django-Zorro crossover
Director joins panel Q&A on Dynamite's comic-book sequel to his western - and confirms next project The Hateful Eight.
From: The Guardian - Film News 28/07/2014

LA court dismisses sex abuse claim by UK actor against Bryan Singer
The court found no legal basis for the lawsuit against the X-Men director, leading to speculation that a separate abuse claim may also be dropped.
From: The Guardian - Film News 28/07/2014

Inconceivable! Director Rob Reiner still planning Princess Bride musical
Original film's director Rob Reiner reveals new plans to turn the cult classic into a Broadway musical, after Disney's adaptation goes quiet.
From: The Guardian - Film News 28/07/2014

After Ant-Man: Edgar Wright to direct adaptation of Grasshopper Jungle
More insects ahead as Wright brings Andrew Smith's young-adult story, featuring 'horny, hungry' 6ft praying mantises, to the big screen.
From: The Guardian - Film News 28/07/2014

Britain's black actors must be given a better choice of roles, says star of Spielberg series
Treva Etienne of Falling Skies fame, the latest black Briton to find success in America, fears a generation of domestic talent is being wasted.
From: The Guardian - Film News 27/07/2014

Marvel fans delighted by parade of stars from upcoming movies at Comic-Con
Crowd of 6,500 gets peeks of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man and gets news of Guardians of the Galaxy sequel.
From: The Guardian - Film News 27/07/2014

Comic-Con: Sin City 2 performances '10 times, 100 times better'
A Dame to Kill For director Robert Rodriguez hails advances since 2005 original based on Frank Miller's graphic novel.
From: The Guardian - Film News 27/07/2014

Susan Sarandon reveals past sexual relationship with David Bowie
Thelma and Louise co-star says they got together just over 30 years ago when working on the horror film The Hunger.
From: The Guardian - Film News 26/07/2014

Italian cinema boom brings la dolce vita back to the big screen
As the Venice film festival approaches, Italy's own movie industry appears in fine fettle - but not everyone is cheering.
From: The Guardian - Film News 26/07/2014

Daniel Radcliffe shows his devilish side at Comic-Con
Harry Potter star discusses his new fantasy-horror film Horns Salma Hayek talks about her kick-ass housewife role in Everly.
From: The Guardian - Film News 26/07/2014

Philadelphia's Rocky steps under threat from Frank Gehry redesign
The starchitect has been tasked with freshening up Philadelphia Museum of Art and could potentially remove a portion of the famous steps Rocky Balboa triumphantly scales.
From: The Guardian - Film News 25/07/2014

Fifty Shades of Grey trailer provokes attack from US moral watchdogs
Morality in Media criticises trailer for 'cultivating rape culture' while Parents Television Council calls for action against morning broadcasters for airing adult content.
From: The Guardian - Film News 25/07/2014

Remote Irish island to feature in Star Wars: Episode 7
Online speculation suggests the World Heritage Site of Skellig Michael as possible spot for Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy.
From: The Guardian - Film News 25/07/2014

Christopher Nolan on Interstellar: 'It's about what it means to be human'
Matthew McConaughey and his Interstellar director leave Comic-Con fans starstruck in surprise appearance for Interstellar sci-fi film.
From: The Guardian - Film News 25/07/2014

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles leave Comic-Con audience in shell shock
Jonathan Liebesman's cinematic reboot of the reptilian Renaissance men took centre stage on day one of Comic-Con.
From: The Guardian - Film News 25/07/2014

Social media storm in wake of Secret Cinema's Back to the Future shambles
Fans take to social media to vent their anger at the immersive film company's last-minute cancellation of Back to the Future screenings.
From: The Guardian - Film News 25/07/2014

Jeff Bridges tells Comic-Con of struggle to get Lois Lowry's The Giver filmed
Bridges' father, whom the actor had hoped to direct in the title role, died before plans for the film could came to fruition.
From: The Guardian - Film News 25/07/2014

Toronto film festival rules that The Judge is its opening night film
Robert Downey Jr comedy drama calls Toronto to order as it is elevated to prestigious red-carpet slot.
From: The Guardian - Film News 25/07/2014

Sigourney Weaver hankering after fifth instalment of Alien saga
The actor has hinted at the possibility of a final outing as Ellen Ripley after reiterating her view that the Alien story is unresolved.
From: The Guardian - Film News 25/07/2014

Courtney Love considering host of 'new Brad Pitts' for lead role in Cobain biopic
Plans for the Kurt Cobain film are under way, according to the Hole singer, who is currently considering demo reels.
From: The Guardian - Film News 24/07/2014

Darth Vader has better approval rating than 2016 US presidential candidates
Nate Silver's statistics site FiveThirtyEight polled people about the favourability of different Star Wars characters, and only Jar Jar Binks was less popular than Obama.
From: The Guardian - Film News 24/07/2014

Whitney Houston's family on biopic: 'please please let her rest'
'No one connected with this movie knew Whitney or her relationship with Bobby,' says the singer's mother Cissy Houston about planned Lifetime film.
From: The Guardian - Film News 23/07/2014

Hollywood criticised for negative portrayal of LGBT characters
A study by the US gay rights campaigning organisation Glaad has found that only 17 of the 102 movies from major studios in 2013 featured lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender characters and, of those 17, the majority were offensive and defamatory portrayals.
From: The Guardian - Film News 23/07/2014

Actor Dora Bryan dies, aged 91
Distinguished career included Bafta for role in A Taste of Honey, West End success and star turn in Absolutely Fabulous.
From: The Guardian - Film News 23/07/2014

China to build $1bn Gallic-themed 'film city' and Cannes-style festival
Chinese authorities, who are working with Cannes counterparts on film festival, are planning film-themed tourist centre three hours from Shanghai.
From: The Guardian - Film News 23/07/2014

Xena's Lucy Lawless Joins Agents Of SHIELD
Dust off your chakram because Xena herself, Lucy Lawless, has signed up for the second season of Marvel's Agents Of SHIELD. ABC's series now doesn't just offer connective tissue with the Marvel Cinematic Universe now, it's forever bonded with Xena: Warrior Princess too. Sure, it may sound like a tenuous connection but try telling that to the Comic-Con brigade as the geek streams cross and potentially explode the planet.
From: Empire Online 23/07/2014

Anthony Hopkins And Evan Rachel Wood Head To Westworld
Beloved and old-school robots-take-over-an-amusement-park Michael Crichton sci-fi Westworld was successful enough to spawn a sequel, Futureworld, and a TV show, but since its '70s heyday, there's not been too much chatter about bringing the engaging idea back to either the big or small screen - but all this has changed with the news that HBO and Jonah Nolan (co-writing with wife Lisa Joy) are finally making it happen, with killer acting talent in the form of Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood and James Marsden already lined up to star, as revealed by FilmDivider.com. Exec producing are J.J. Abrams - how does he find the time? - and Jerry Weintraub.
From: Empire Online 23/07/2014

New The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies Still
The rechristened The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies is the final in the (unexpected) Hobbit trilogy, and the most eagerly anticipated, what with the battles, and the dragons, and the necromancers, and - with any luck - aerial dogfights, as director Peter Jackson has hinted at before. Now, stoking the flames of excitement, is a new still from the film featuring Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans).
From: Empire Online 23/07/2014

Vin: Fast & Furious 7 hardest film ever
Vin Diesel says Fast & Furious 7 was "the hardest and most important" film he's worked on. The action movie's production was delayed after franchise star Paul Walker died suddenly in a car accident last year. And Vin confesses working without his longtime colleague was a huge challenge.
From: Film-News 23/07/2014

Dwayne Johnson: DC announcement imminent
Dwayne Johnson says he is "dying" to make a new casting announcement. The 42-year-old actor is currently promoting his new film Hercules, and for days he's been teasing about portraying a popular DC Comics superhero in a forthcoming feature.
From: Film-News 23/07/2014

Thomas Berger, author of Little Big Man, dies aged 89
Second world war veteran wrote comic tall story of Battle of Little Big Horn that became film starring Dustin Hoffman.
From: The Guardian - Film News 22/07/2014

Buy it, Sam: Casablanca piano goes up for auction
The piano from Rick's Cafe in the classic romance Casablanca will be auctioned at Bonhams this autumn.
From: The Guardian - Film News 22/07/2014

Fifty Shades of Grey trailer teaser whips up rumours of Beyoncé involvement
The singer has posted a 15-second clip from the upcoming adaptation on her Instagram, featuring fingers, skirts, someone opening a door and a heavy-breathing remix of Crazy in Love.
From: The Guardian - Film News 21/07/2014

Paul Thomas Anderson's Inherent Vice to premiere at New York film festival
NYFF lays claim to Thomas Pynchon adaptation starring Joaquin Phoenix as festivals vie for likely Oscar contenders.
From: The Guardian - Film News 21/07/2014

Alan Turing biopic The Imitation Game named as London film festival opener
Prestigious red-carpet slot in London's West End goes to life story of renowned codebreaker, starring Benedict Cumberbatch.
From: The Guardian - Film News 21/07/2014

Is The Sinister Six Movie Cancelled?
Going into the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Sony seemed to be extremely confident about their Marvel Comics future. In fact, they were so confident that they bared their ambitions possibly a little too much by announcing two more Amazing Spider Man sequels.
From: Cinema Blend 20/07/2014

Marvel's 7 Untitled Films: Here's What We Think Is Coming
Marvel has just laid down the (infinity) gauntlet by announcing their next SEVEN films. Well, release dates, at least. The new schedule, which some are assuming is Phase 3, takes them to 2019, and suggests the world these heroes inhabit is about to expand considerably.
From: Cinema Blend 20/07/2014

R.I.P. James Garner
James Garner died last night at the age of 86. The ruggedly handsome actor will be remembered always for the 1950s western Maverick and for playing Jim Rockford in the 1970s series The Rockford Files.
From: Deadline 20/07/2014

Woody Allen's magic touch wows New York despite return of sex allegations
Exiting the New York premiere last week of his latest film, Woody Allen was delighted with the reception (and the A-list guests).
From: The Guardian - Film News 19/07/2014

Marvel Studios Announces 5 New Projects Through 2019
Marvel Studios is well known for planning way into the future. While their next movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, isn't out until August 1st, the company already has The Avengers: Age of Ultron set for next May, Ant-Man coming out next July.
From: Cinema Blend 19/07/2014

Ben Whishaw Is The New Voice Of Paddington
If there was ever a movie you'd expect to run smoothly from production to release, it'd be a children's movie.
From: Cinema Blend 19/07/2014

R.I.P. Skye McCole Bartusiak
Skye McCole Bartusiak, who was best known for her role portraying Mel Gibson's youngest daughter in The Patriot, died today at the age of 21. No cause of death was given.
From: Deadline 19/07/2014

Shubert CEO Phil Smith Says B'way Biggie Will Buy Off-Broadway 'Mall'
Shubert Organization chairman and CEO Philip J. Smith confirmed the deal by Broadway's biggest landlord to purchase New World Stages, an off-Broadway complex on West 50th Street just outside the Broadway theater district.
From: Deadline 19/07/2014

Mark Romanek set to direct The Shining prequel Overlook Hotel
Mark Romanek, director of Never Let Me Go, is Warner Bros pick to direct Overlook Hotel, the studio's prequel to the classic Stanley Kubrick horror film The Shining.
From: The Guardian - Film News 18/07/2014

Skyfall location in Scottish Highlands blighted by litter and fly-tipping
The spectacular Scottish Highlands location of Glen Etive, used as James Bond's ancestral home in Skyfall, is under threat after suffering extensive damage from littering campers and fly-tippers.
From: The Guardian - Film News 18/07/2014

Woody Allen's Magic in the Moonlight: first reviews published
It's a 20s Riviera romance with conjurors and psychics, Colin Firth and Emma Stone - and the word is, US critics predict a hit, albeit a whimsical one for the older audience.
From: The Guardian - Film News 18/07/2014

Philip Seymour Hoffman 'found the world too much,' says Le Carré
Author of spy thriller A Most Wanted Man adapted for cinema with Hoffman in lead role says he feared for actor's safety.
From: The Guardian - Film News 18/07/2014

Midnight Rider film-makers plead not guilty to manslaughter charges
Randall Miller and Jody Savin say camera assistant's death on Gregg Allman biopic was "not a crime".
From: The Guardian - Film News 18/07/2014

Star Wars Episode 7: British actor Christina Chong joins cast
Actor is latest addition to JJ Abrams' ensemble for the classic sci-fi franchise starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford.
From: The Guardian - Film News 18/07/2014

Tom Cruise's Jack Reacher is BBFC's most complained about movie of 2013
Twenty-six people wrote to British Board of Film Classification to protest against 12A certificate despite violence, over 100 fewer than raised similar issues over 2012's A Woman in Black.
From: The Guardian - Film News 17/07/2014

BFI to boldly go all sci-fi with biggest ever themed season
There will be Flash Gordon at the British Museum, X the Unknown at Bletchley Park and Village of the Damned in the pretty West Sussex market town of Midhurst, no offence intended.
From: The Guardian - Film News 17/07/2014

Chinese farmers quit fields to build giant Transformers models
As Transformers: Age of Extinction becomes a huge success in China, a group of farmers have downed tools and started building giant replicas of the robots.
From: The Guardian - Film News 17/07/2014

Here, there and everywhere: Ron Howard to make Beatles on tour movie
Oscar-winning director behind Rush and A Beautiful Mind to make authorised documentary about Fab Four from band's beginning until final gig together in 1966.
From: The Guardian - Film News 16/07/2014

Ant-Man: Kevin Feige rejects Marvel criticism over Edgar Wright exit
Ahead of the release of Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel president says new director Peyton Reed will deliver 'absolute best version' of Ant-Man and that superhero production house is not 'big evil studio' opposed to creativity.
From: The Guardian - Film News 16/07/2014

Angelina Jolie welcomes post-reshuffle role for William Hague
Following Hague's departure as foreign secretary in a cabinet reshuffle, the actor and director welcomed his new role tackling sexual violence in war zones.
From: The Guardian - Film News 16/07/2014

Christian Bale In Talks For The Deep Blue Good-By
With 21 books in John D. McDonald's series, 20th Century Fox has film franchise aspirations for the Travis McGee character at the heart of their attempts to adapt The Deep Blue Good-By. But try as it might, the studio has found the project stubbornly lingering in development hell despite the interest of Leonardo DiCaprio as producer and potential star. There appears to be light at the end of the tunnel, however, with news that Christian Bale is in early talks to tackle the role instead.
From: Empire Online 16/07/2014

Martin Scorsese's Silence lined up for Oscars... in 2016
The drama about a pair of priests spreading Christianity in Japan is potentially to be released by Paramount in late 2015.
From: The Guardian - Film News 15/07/2014

Jon Favreau's Jungle Book Finds Its Mowgli
With several well known names already aboard Jon Favreau's ambitious new Jungle Book for Disney, the search has been on to find the actor to play Mowgli, the human at the centre of the tale. Now Favreau has settled on 10-year-old newcomer Neel Sethi, who will be plunged into the world of blockbuster filmmaking for his first big gig. The director published a picture of the young star-to-be on his Instagram account.
From: Empire Online 15/07/2014

Vivian Maier: mysterious and eccentric nanny who took stunning photographs
Documentary out this week tells remarkable story of Maier and the photographs she shot - and then deliberately kept secret.
From: The Guardian - Film News 14/07/2014

Grim outlook for Grimsby as Sacha Baron Cohen sets comedy in town
Lincolnshire town - shown as litter strewn, dilapidated and full of beer-swilling children - fears it will suffer as Staines has.
From: The Guardian - Film News 14/07/2014

Boyhood producer offers a jokey 'Time Back Guarantee' to disgruntled audience members
John Sloss, producer of Richard Linklater's much-admired new release Boyhood, has offered cinema patrons who are "not absolutely thrilled" by the film a chance to have the time spent in the cinema "returned" to them.
From: The Guardian - Film News 14/07/2014

Sacha Baron Cohen angers residents of Grimsby and Tilbury
Essex port doubles for Lincolnshire town in Baron Cohen's new movie, which apparently portrays Grimsby as a rundown badlands strewn with litter and peopled by beer-swigging children and hooligan parents.
From: The Guardian - Film News 14/07/2014

Superwoman returns: Nicola Horlick raises funds to finance films
City 'superwoman' turned movie mogul aims to put £146m into Hollywood projects.
From: The Guardian - Film News 14/07/2014

Christopher Walken Is Captain Hook For NBC
Shivering timbers globally today is news that Christopher Walken has signed on to play everyone's favourite coathanger-handed buccaneer in NBC's Peter Pan Live. Sure, it's a US network TV show that may never see the light of day on this side of the pond but it's Christopher Walken so we thought you'd want to know.
From: Empire Online 14/07/2014

Katherine Heigl's Not Difficult To Work With, Says Katherine Heigl
As a part of a hit series (Grey's Anatomy) and a comedy smash (Knocked Up), Katherine Heigl was once poised to be the next big thing. And for a while, she was, churning out rom-com after rom-com, from 27 Dresses to The Ugly Truth, Killers and Life as We Know It. But Heigl soon developed a bad reputation, becoming plagued by the word "difficult." But she's not! At least that's what Katherine Heigl says.
From: Cinema Blend 14/07/2014

Stan Lee Confirms His Avengers Cameo, Wants To Be In Batman V Superman
Some things are unavoidable. Death. Taxes. And a Stan Lee cameo in every Marvel Studios movie. Because James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy largely is set in outer space, it was believed Stan Lee might not make the cut. This this happened. Joss Whedon's hammering away at his second Avengers movie. Guess who is making his way to the set for his screen time?
From: Cinema Blend 14/07/2014

Transformers: Age Of Extinction Is The Highest-Grossing Movie Of The Year
They talked shit, but people went. The reviews were harsh, but people went. Fans said it was the worst so far, but people went. And now Transformers: Age Of Extinction has taken only three weeks to become the highest-grossing film of 2014. I hope you're happy, Planet Earth!
From: Cinema Blend 14/07/2014

Kurt Russell Leaks Hateful Eight Start Date
There was a terrible span where Quentin Tarantino's proposed western The Hateful Eight looked like it'd be shelved forever, mostly out of spite. But thankfully, Tarantino has forgiven fans for their voracious nature, and The Hateful Eight is poised to ride after all! And production could start early 2015, so says one of its slated stars Kurt Russell.
From: Cinema Blend 14/07/2014

Gary Oldman, Or GTFO: 10 Quintessential Gary Oldman Roles
This week, the too-chatty Gary Oldman stars in Dawn Of The Planet of The Apes. It's yet another role for him in a big blockbuster where he's asked to make something out of not much. His family gone, his civilization destroyed, all he has is a rage against his new ape overlords. He brings strength as well as grief to this part, infusing a stock villain character with pathos and a masculine tragedy.
From: Cinema Blend 14/07/2014

Second Stage Nails Down 'American Psycho' Musical U.S. Premiere
Off-Broadway powerhouse Second Stage will present the U.S. premiere of the much praised (and much debated) American Psycho, the musical adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' 1991 novel (and 2000 Christian Bale-starring film) about excess, murder and flashing the right labels. The show — with music by Duncan Sheik, book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, staging by Rupert Goold and a starring performance by Matt "Dr. Who" Smith - opened last December at London's Almeida Theatre and was considered a shoo-in for Broadway next season. It still may be.
From: Deadline 14/07/2014

Dante Harper Boards Fox 2000′s 'The Secret Of The Temple'
Dante Harper has been set by Fox 2000 to rewrite The Secret Of The Temple, based on the Jake Halpern New Yorker magazine article published two years ago.
From: Deadline 14/07/2014

'Devil Inside' Helmer William Brent Bell Set To Direct 'The Inhabitant'
The Devil Inside's helmer William Brent Bell been hired to direct a supernatural thriller called The Inhabitant said to be in the vein of The Conjuring. Lakeshore Entertainment's Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Vertigo's Roy Lee, Matt Berenson (A Place Beyond The Pines), Jim Wedaa and Adam Stone are producing from a script by Stacey Menear.
From: Deadline 14/07/2014

Paramount Acquiring Martin Scorsese's 'Silence' For 2015 Oscar Season
Paramount Pictures is in talks to acquire U.S. distribution rights to Silence, and the tentative plan is to release the film November 2015, right in that holiday corridor where awards-bait pictures dwell. Silence is one of those pictures on Scorsese's bucket list, an adaptation of the Shusako Endo novel that Scorsese has longed to make for more than a decade.
From: Deadline 14/07/2014

Rose Leslie Joins The Last Witch Hunter
It's been a couple of years since we heard anything about The Last Witch Hunter, which promised to pit Vin Diesel against the crone-tastic forces of supernatural evil. To be honest, we were beginning to wonder whether it had boiled dry in the development cauldron. Not so! Summit is adding eye of newt Game Of Thrones' Rose Leslie to the mix.
From: Empire Online 13/07/2014

J.C. Chandor Charts Course For Deepwater Horizon
After making a dramatic take on real-life events with the financial crash-focused Margin Call and then heading out to sea for the fictional All Is Lost, writer / director J.C. Chandor appears ready to combine real-life events with watery strife, because he's in talks to oversee Deepwater Horizon.
From: Empire Online 13/07/2014

Steven Spielberg's BFG Gets A Release Date
Dumbo isn't the only loveable, giant-lugged game in Hollywood this week. Also once-animated and also now en route to a live-action redo is Steven Spielberg's The BFG - or Big Friendly Giant for the acronym-averse - which now has an official release date. It makes its worldwide bow in the UK and July 22, 2016 is the date to circle in your long-range diary, putting it up against Guy Ritchie's King Arthur.
From: Empire Online 11/07/2014

Roger Allam & More Join Mr Holmes
Just yesterday, the first image of Ian McKellen as the 93 year-old version of Sherlock Holmes from Bill Condon's Mr Holmes arrived via the actor's Twitter feed. While there also came word that Hiroyuki Sanada would be joining the cast, today Screen International reports that the ensemble will be further boosted by Roger Allam, Hattie Morahan, Phil Davies, Frances de la Tour, Milo Parker and Patrick Kennedy.
From: Empire Online 10/07/2014

Rachel Weisz Up For The Light Between Oceans
Derek Cianfrance's new film The Light Between Oceans finds a couple taking on a big responsibility without thinking through all the consequences. And he's now set to cast Rachel Weisz as the harbinger of said consequences.
From: Empire Online 10/07/2014

Emmy Nominations 2014 Announced
It's Emmy nomination time across the pond again, and as per usual, there is the standard batch of choices that will please lots of people, a few obvious omissions - no Orphan Black love? Again? - and one or two head-scratchers.
From: Empire Online 10/07/2014

English couple terrorised in 'Scottish referendum horror movie'
White Settlers, set for release just before the referendum on Scottish independence, features a relocated English couple under siege from locals.
From: The Guardian - Film News 08/07/2014

Baywatch spin-off movie to feature John Cleese as villain
Monty Python comic to take role in movie featuring Baywatch stars but which does not have rights to original TV series' name.
From: The Guardian - Film News 08/07/2014

Chinese tourism firm to sue Transformers film studio
Chongqing Wulong Karst Tourism Company says producers failed to show its logo prominently in film as promised.
From: The Guardian - Film News 08/07/2014

Transformers: Age of Extinction becomes highest-grossing film of all time in China
Michael Bay's blockbuster overtook Avatar's previous record in just 10 days, the result of a deliberate courting of the massive and growing Chinese cinema market.
From: The Guardian - Film News 08/07/2014

Summer film preview: what do we have to look forward to?
With the summer halfway done, we take a look at upcoming releases from Michel Gondry to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
From: The Guardian - Film News 08/07/2014

BFI sets diversity rules for access to lottery funding
Films applying for money from British state backer must sign up to new policies on minorities and the socially disadvantaged.
From: The Guardian - Film News 08/07/2014

More New Writers Tackle Ant-Man Screenplay
It has a cast that includes Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, but Ant-Man apparently still doesn't have a screenplay that Marvel Studios are happy with. Following the departure of Edgar Wright over creative differences, and a subsequent pass by Adam McKay, the latest draft looks has been taken on by the writing team of Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari.
From: Empire Online 08/07/2014

So, Did Kevin Smith Really Write That Fake Batman V. Superman Screenplay?
Last night, Kevin Smith promised the world answers as to whether or not he had written a fake script to Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice.
From: Cinema Blend 08/07/2014

Live Like One Of The Royal Tenenbaums With An American Museum Of Natural History Sleepover
There's loads of romance to be found in Wes Anderson's odd love letter to New York City, The Royal Tenenbaums. But one of the most enviable activities the Tenenbaum children enact is hiding away in the American Museum of Natural History. And now you can do it too. Well, sort of.
From: Cinema Blend 08/07/2014

Sylvester Stallone To Play A Mob Killer In Scarpa
Whether he likes it or not, Sylvester Stallone is going to get out of the action movie business soon. The Expendables 3 is probably his swan song in that particular franchise, and he might be planning one last Rambo. After that, the smart move may be to transition to character work in stuff like Reach Me, playing older mentor types. But why not throw in a nasty bit of gangster stuff while we're at it?
From: Cinema Blend 08/07/2014

Soderbergh: Film isn't fun
teven Soderbergh says making movies "just stopped being fun". The critically acclaimed filmmaker has directed classics like Traffic, Erin Brockovich, Ocean's Eleven and Magic Mike in the past.
From: Film-News 08/07/2014

'The Americans' Matthew Rhys Enlists For World War II Duty In 'Darling Buds of May'
Having battled the United States as a Soviet sleeper spy on FX's The Americans, Matthew Rhys has signed up for World War II in the independent feature Darling Buds of May. Directed by Christian Carion, whose 2005 World War I film Joyeux Noel was Oscar nominated for best foreign film, Buds follows Rhys as a stranded British army officer who teams up with a German fugitive to find his son in Nazi-occupied France.
From: Deadline 08/07/2014

Kate Lyn Sheil Joins Kristen Stewart, Nicholas Hoult In 'Equals'
Actress Kate Lyn Sheil (House of Cards, You're Next) has been cast in Equals, the futuristic love story from director Drake Doremus (Like Crazy, Breathe In) starring Twilight's Kristen Stewart and X-Men's Nicholas Hoult.
From: Deadline 08/07/2014

Universal Options Femme-Driven Workplace Comedy Spec From Laura Solon
Universal and Bluegrass Films have optioned an untitled female-driven workplace comedy spec from English comedienne-turned-writer Laura Solon. It's the first feature sale for Solon, who most recently wrote on TV Land's Hot In Cleveland.
From: Deadline 08/07/2014

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt movie to shoot in Malta in August
Romance will be filmed on Gozo and is Jolie and Pitt's second movie together.
From: The Guardian - Film News 07/07/2014

Czech Jewish groups protest against film festival award for Mel Gibson
The Karlovy Vary film festival presented the actor and director with an award for outstanding contribution to cinema.
From: The Guardian - Film News 07/07/2014

Steven Soderbergh Heads To Red Oaks
With not one but two TV projects either about to hit US cable (medical drama The Knick) or in development (a small screen spin-off of The Girlfriend Experience), Steven Soderbergh is seemingly busier than ever, and that's saying something. Now he will also spend time producing a third show, Red Oaks, for Amazon. And he's recruited Craig Roberts, Paul Reiser, Richard Kind and Oliver Copper to star.
From: Empire Online 07/07/2014

Emily Mortimer Heads For Spectral
If a supernatural force takes over a European city, who are you gonna call? Well, the Ghostbusters are still stuck in limbo, so for action thriller Spectral, Legendary has decided to instead summon a team boasting James Badge Dale. And assuming she makes a deal, Emily Mortimer will be joining him.
From: Empire Online 07/07/2014

The One Thing Andy Serkis Could Do In Dawn Of Apes That He Couldn't Do In Rise
How on Earth does Andy Serkis not have an Oscar yet? Chalk it up to the limiting criteria of the Academy that they have not recognized the incredible work this British thespian has been doing in the realm of motion-capture performance in sagas ranging from The Lord of the Rings films to this weekend's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
From: Cinema Blend 07/07/2014

Transformers Producer Says No G.I. Joe Crossover Is Planned... Yet
Marvel and DC are crossing their cinematic characters over. Fox is contemplating a mash-up of the X-Men and Fantastic Four. Sony has a big Spider-Man universe. If you own a massive backlog of characters with similar demographics, why wouldn't you have them collide? At least that's the question that many have posed to Hasbro, who own Transformers and G.I. Joe. Could the two mythologies collide?
From: Cinema Blend 07/07/2014

Why Guy Pearce Almost Turned Down Iron Man 3
Guy Pearce's role in Iron Man 3 attracted a lot of controversy. As weapons designer Aldrich Killian, he provided a threat to Tony Stark that left the board room and entered the real world, before revealing his relationship to the Mandarin.
From: Cinema Blend 07/07/2014

Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Teases A Sneak Peek At Some 'Fantastic Beasts'
Universal Studios The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley opens this week, giving Harry Potter fans a new way to immerse themselves in J.K. Rowling's universe.
From: Cinema Blend 07/07/2014

Star Wars: Episode VII Leaked Footage Is Totally Fake, Still Pretty Impressive
Could you imagine if J.J. Abrams had the chutzpah to film a blockbuster as high-profile and eagerly anticipated as Star Wars: Episode VII in broad daylight, in extreme public, where any Joe Schmoe with an iPhone could record "practical" effects on the runways of a German airport?
From: Cinema Blend 07/07/2014

Ruffalo: We strive for creativity
Mark Ruffalo thinks that creativity is a completely unique act. The rugged actor is currently starring as disgraced music producer Dan in Begin Again, a movie that explores love and music. Keira Knightley takes on the role as singer/songwriter Greta who meets Dan just when she needs him.
From: Film-News 07/07/2014

Eva Green: Sin character is evil
Eva Green says her Sin City character is a "real b***h". The French actress takes on the role of femme fatale Ava Lord in action thriller Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. It's a guilty pleasure for the 33-year-old, who has nothing in common with her ruthless character.
From: Film-News 07/07/2014

Carnavale Cruise: 'Black Orpheus' Will Set Sail From Rio To Broadway
Prolific director George C. Wolfe and Pulitzer-winning playwright Lynn Nottage are on board with producers Stephen Byrd, Alia Jones-Harvey and Paula Marie Black to recast Marcel Camus' Black Orpheus as a Broadway musical.
From: Deadline 07/07/2014

BFI Tightens Film Funding Rules To Require On- & Off-Screen Diversity
The British Film Institute's Film Fund is the largest public film fund in the UK. Per annum, it invests over £27M ($46.2M) into development, production, international sales and distribution and supports about 30 new films each year. Now, it's getting serious about diversity and will require movies meet a list of standards before doling out any cash. In order to ensure that titles receiving funding "reflect and represent the diversity of the UK", a "three ticks" approach is being set up.
From: Deadline 07/07/2014

British film enters a new golden age as studios struggle to meet demand
The glory days of Pinewood and Elstree are back with film-makers flocking to make their next big hits in Britain.
From: The Guardian - Film News 06/07/2014

Why on earth should we moan? A Hard Day's Night is back …
Richard Lester, the director of the Beatles' first film, now re-released, recalls their anarchic wit and fiercely protective gang mentality.
From: The Guardian - Film News 06/07/2014

Star Wars: Episode VII Welcomes Two Newcomers To The Cast
J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: Episode VII has already enlisted a number of well known and extremely talented actors, from the members of the original cast to franchise-newbies like Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis and Max von Sydow.
From: Cinema Blend 06/07/2014

McQueen: The Man & Le Man film documentary
It was announced today that filming will take place on the documentary about the making of the legendary Steve McQueen film "Le Mans". MCQUEEN: THE MAN & LE MANS resumes filming at the legendary 24 hour racing track, 44 years after the original film LE MANS launched its production in 1970.
From: Film-News 06/07/2014

Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz Sex Tape clip
When Jay (Jason Segel) and Annie (Cameron Diaz) first got together, their romantic connection was intense - but ten years and two kids later, the flame of their love needs a spark. To kick things up a notch, they decide - why not? - to make a video of themselves trying out every position in The Joy of Sex in one marathon three-hour session.
From: Film-News 06/07/2014

Shaun the Sheep gets green light
Aardman Animations Shaun the Sheep Movie has been confirmed as the second film to be part of Into Film's pioneering new initiative 'Green Light to Opening Night'. The project from the new nationwide charity - which aims to put film at the heart of children and young people's learning, contributing to their educational, cultural, creative and personal development and supported by the BFI with Lottery funding - will enable young people from across the UK to follow a film from its inception to release and go behind-the-scenes with the filmmakers.
From: Film-News 06/07/2014

R.I.P. Sound Editor Paul Apted, 47
Sad news for Hollywood today. Paul Apted, the sound editor on a long list of movies including most recently the Fox 2000 hit The Fault In Our Stars, has died. According to reports, he succumbed to colon cancer at age 47, which is just way too young.
From: Deadline 06/07/2014

Rogen: Friendship at centre of films
Seth Rogen feels friendship "offsets more subversive material" in films. The 32-year-old comedian is no stranger to making films with his pals. His latest project is The Interview, which he co-wrote and co-directed and is now in post-production. The film reunites Seth with James Franco, 36, who first appeared with him in US TV show Freaks and Geeks. The pair also starred together in Pineapple Express and This Is the End, as well as a viral video parody of Kanye West's Bound 2 video.
From: Film-News 05/07/2014

The Steven Spielberg director's collection
Eight memorable films from one of the most acclaimed directors in motion-picture history come together for the first time ever in the Steven Spielberg Director's Collection, available on Blu-ray™ on 13th October 2014, from Universal Pictures International Entertainment.
From: Film-News 05/07/2014

Downfall director to make biopic of the man who tried to kill Hitler in 1939
Oliver Hirschbiegel to celebrate the life of Georg Elser, a carpenter whio tried to blow up Hitler, Göring and Goebbels.
From: The Guardian - Film News 04/07/2014

Rupert Everett: being gay stifled my career
Actor says sexuality creates difficulties in Hollywood, and movie studios and directors have problems 'in their own backyard'.
From: The Guardian - Film News 04/07/2014

Scarlett Johansson wins defamation case against French novelist
Hollywood actor's complaint about character's affairs upheld, but court throws out argument that novel exploited her image.
From: The Guardian - Film News 04/07/2014

James Franco Sued Over His New Charles Bukowski Movie
There are a lot of actors who routinely find themselves in more trouble than James Franco, but I'm not sure there's one who routinely finds himself in the middle of more weirdness. From obnoxious Oscar campaigns to invisible art to underage girls, he's almost a magnet for the bizarre, which is why the following lawsuit shouldn't surprise you in the least.
From: Cinema Blend 04/07/2014

Fast & Furious 7: What We Know So Far
Could the seventh Fast & Furious movie be the gang's final ride? No one would have assumed that after the critically acclaimed and financially successful Fast & Furious 6 raced through multiplexes in 2013.
From: Cinema Blend 04/07/2014

When Will We See The Final Trailer For The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies?
Peter Jackson knows that you are ramped up for the final installment in this lovingly detailed (of not slightly extended) adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. A full trailer for the newly-titled The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, is coming, and Jackson took to Facebook to update fans on its progress.
From: Cinema Blend 04/07/2014

Hot July 4 Clip: Dinesh D'Souza Docu 'America' On Abraham Lincoln
If your last film was the second-highest-grossing political documentary of all time, you need to think big with your follow-up.
From: Deadline 04/07/2014

INT'L BOX OFFICE: Russians Give Warm Welcome To '22 Jump Street'
Sony/MGM's 22 Jump Street, which has done well during the height of the World Cup and has proven to be a good comedy option and counter-programming, had a $1M opening in Russia. The number is significant because in one day it surpassed 21 Jump Street's full weekend gross in the territory.
From: Deadline 04/07/2014

Disney plans Enchanted sequel
Disney is planning a sequel to the hit 2007 fantasy romance Enchanted seven years after the original film hit cinemas, reports Deadline.
From: The Guardian - Film News 03/07/2014

Midnight Rider film-makers charged over death of camera assistant Sarah Jones
Director Randall Miller among those charged with involuntary manslaughter in Georgia in wake of fatality on railway track during filming.
From: The Guardian - Film News 03/07/2014

First Look At Superman in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice
Just a few days ago we saw the first look at Henry Cavill as Clark Kent in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice.
From: Empire Online 03/07/2014

Ken Jeong Takes Ride Along 2
As we noted last month when he locked in a lead role in diplomatic comedy International Incident, Ken Jeong can be something of a Marmite presence in movies: you either enjoy his high-energy antics or you wish to Zeus he'd tone it down a bit. Still, he feels like the right sort of comic persona to fit in with the Ride Along sequel that is quickly coming together following the first movie's success this year.
From: Empire Online 03/07/2014

New Sex Tape Clip Online
We've had various trailers for the new Cameron Diaz / Jason Segel comedy Sex Tape trying to tease and tantalise us all for the past few months. But as the film prepares to launch itself upon America in the next couple of weeks, the first clip has arrived.
From: Empire Online 03/07/2014

Roman Polanski to film in Poland - as long as he won't be extradited
Roman Polanski intends to film his next project in Poland, but only if the government can assure that he won't be extradited to the US on child sex charges.
From: The Guardian - Film News 02/07/2014

Bench from The Fault in Our Stars goes missing in Amsterdam
'It's gone all right' says an Amsterdam city spokesman of the bench which is a focal point for the teenage lovers in the smash hit weepie.
From: The Guardian - Film News 02/07/2014

Hollywood studio announces boot camp to produce female directors
Female film-makers offered programme at 21st Century Fox to counter industry's gender imbalance.
From: The Guardian - Film News 02/07/2014

Pierce Brosnan angling to join next Expendables movie
Former Bond star wants to join crew of not-so-young action heroes in next of Sylvester Stallone's series of films.
From: The Guardian - Film News 01/07/2014

Twilight star to play William Shatner in Stanley Milgram film
Kellan Lutz will appear in Experimenter, a film about infamous psychologist Stanley Milgram who was portrayed by Shatner in a TV movie.
From: The Guardian - Film News 01/07/2014

More Cast For Jared Hess' Heist Comedy
Formerly known as Loomis Fargo, the currently untitled heist comedy from Napoleon Dynamite's Jared Hess is continuing to fill its cast. To join the already aboard Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig and Jason Sudeikis, Hess has now also nabbed Kate McKinnon, Ken Marino, Leslie Jones, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Devin Ratray and Ross Kimball.
From: Empire Online 01/07/2014

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