By Amanda Ack Eva Green (Casino Royale) has been cast as “Ava Lord” in Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller’s upcoming Sin City: a Dame to Kill For. The film will also star Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Josh Brolin. For more information on the film, click here.
Soderbergh to make one more film before retiring
By Amanda Ack Steven Soderbergh, director of Contagion and the upcoming Side Effects, has revealed his plans to remake his own 1991 film Kafka. The film will be his last project. For more information on Soderbergh’s career, click here.
New trailers to air during Super Bowl broadcast
By Amanda Ack Universal, Disney, and Paramount will air new TV spots for their upcoming films during this Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVII broadcast on CBS. Films to be advertised include Oz the Great and Powerful, Star Trek Into Darkness, and The Fast and the Furious 6. For more information, click here.
Paul Giamatti in talks to play ‘Spider-Man’ villain
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Paul Giamatti is in negotiations to play “The Rhino” in Marc Webb’s upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Felicity Jones is also reportedly in talks for a role, though her character has not yet been named. For more information on the film and on Giamatti and Jones’ other projects, click here.
Sony Pictures Classic to distribute Linklater’s ‘Before Midnight’
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Sony Pictures Classic has acquired the distribution rights to Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The film marks the end of the trilogy that began with 1995’s Before Sunrise and 2004’s Before Sunset. For more information on the film, click here.
SAG honors outstanding performances
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic The Screen Actors Guild recognized the past year’s achievements in film and television at the organization’s annual awards ceremony on Sunday. Top honors went to Argo for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and Downton Abbey for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. For the full list…
Ron Howard to direct “The Graveyard Book” adaptation
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Ron Howard is in negotiations to direct Disney’s upcoming live-action film adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. The director will also oversee the writing of the screenplay. For more information on the film and on Howard’s other upcoming projects, click here.
‘Evil Dead’ remake cut to avoid NC-17 rating
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Fede Alvarez’s remake of Bruce Campbell’s Evil Dead was given an NC-17 rating by the MPAA and has undergone cuts to bring the rating down to an R. The film will premiere at the SXSW film festival in March. For more information on the film, click here.
Kevin Kline and Dakota Fanning to star in Errol Flynn biopic
Kevin Kline is set to star in The Last of Robin Hood, a biopic about actor Errol Flynn, best known for the 1938 film The Adventures of Robin Hood.
‘Argo’ wins big at Producers Guild Awards
By Amanda Ack The Producer’s Guild of America bestowed their top honor upon Ben Affleck, director and producer of Argo, at the organization’s awards show on Saturday. The award makes Affleck’s film a frontrunner in the Oscar race. For more information on the awards, click here.
Bradley Cooper in talks to play Lance Armstrong
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Bradley Cooper is in negotiations to play cyclist Lance Armstrong in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming biopic about the athlete. The film will be based on Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong, a book proposal by New York Times writer Juliet Macur. For more information on the project, click here.
J.J. Abrams to direct new ‘Star Wars’ film
By Amanda Ack Star Trek director J.J. Abrams is set to helm the first installment of Disney’s Star Wars franchise relaunch. The film will be released in 2015 and will be the first Star Wars feature since 2005’s Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. For more information on the project, click here.
Anne Hathaway to star in ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ movie
By Amanda Ack Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables) is set to star in screenwriter Abi Morgan’s upcoming adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. No director appears to be attached to the project as of yet. For more information on the film, click here.
Disney closes deal for new Depp-produced ‘Don Quixote’ pitch
By Amanda Ack Disney has closed a deal for a new, as-yet-untitled re-imagining of Don Quixote. The project will be produced by production company Infinitum Nihil’s Johnny Depp and and Christi Dembrowski. For more information on the film, click here.
Ben Whishaw signs on to micro-budget drama
By Amanda Ack Ben Whishaw (Skyfall, Bright Star) has been cast in Lilting, writer/director Hong Khaou’s directorial debut. FilmLondon’s low-budget filmmaking funding strand, Microwave, is backing the movie, which will be made for less than £120,000 ($194,000). For more information on the film and on Microwave, click here.
‘Justified’ actor to star in horror-Western
By Amanda Ack Timothy Olyphant (FX’s Justified) has been cast in S. Craig Zahler’s upcoming Bone Tomahawk, described as a “brutally violent horror-Western.” Olyphant will star opposite Kurt Russell, Peter Sarsgaard, and Richard Jenkins. For more information on the film, click here.
Matt Damon in talks to join George Clooney’s next film
By Amanda Ack Matt Damon is in negotiations to join the cast of George Clooney’s upcoming period drama The Monuments Men. Actors already signed on to the project include Daniel Craig, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, and Jean Dujardin. For more information on the film, click here.
‘Skyfall’ breaks UK box office record
By Amanda Ack Skyfall has surpassed Avatar as the biggest-selling movie in British history. The film has earned over £94 million in 40 days. For more information on Skyfall‘s box office success, click here.
‘Pacific Rim’ sequel script ordered
By Amanda Ack Legendary Pictures is already preparing for the sequel to Guillermo Del Toro’s upcoming Pacific Rim. Del Toro and Travis Beacham will co-write the script. Pacific Rim hits theatres on July 12, 2013. For more information on the film, click here.
Disney inks exclusive deal with Netflix
By Amanda Ack Netflix will now be the sole U.S. subscription service to get Disney’s first run live-action and animated films. The agreement includes titles from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios and Disneynature. For more information on the deal, click here.
Guillermo Del Toro to direct ghost story
By Amanda Ack Guillermo Del Toro’s next directorial effort will be Crimson Peak. The film’s storyline is being kept under wraps, but Del Toro describes it as “a very set-oriented, classical but at the same time modern take on the ghost story.” For more information on the film, click here.
‘Hobbit’ film makes moviegoers ill
By Amanda Ack Peter Jackson’s upcoming The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey reportedly made some viewers sick at an early screening in New Zealand. Some audience members complained of headaches, nausea, and dizziness, possibly caused by the film’s unusually high frame rate. For more information, click here.
‘Glee’ actor cast in indie drama
By Amanda Ack Jacob Artist, best known for playing “Jake Puckerman” on the current season of Glee, has been cast in Gregg Araki’s upcoming White Bird. The film will also star Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) and Eva Green (Casino Royale). For more information on Artist and on the film, click here.
Samuel L. Jackson to appear in next ‘Captain America’ film
By Amanda Ack Samuel L. Jackson will appear as Nick Fury in Marvel’s upcoming Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Also reprising their roles from The Avengers are Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is set to hit theaters on April 4, 2014. For more information on the film,…
‘Chronicle’ actor to play Harry Osborn in ‘Spiderman’ sequel
By Amanda Ack Dane Dehaan (Chronicle, Lawless) has been cast as Harry Osborn in the upcoming sequel to The Amazing Spiderman. Director Marc Webb broke the news via Twitter this morning. For more information on Dehaan and on the film, click here.
‘Zero Dark Thirty’ named Best Picture by New York Film Critics Circle
By Amanda Ack The New York Film Critics Circle named Zero Dark Thirty as their Best Picture of the Year. The film’s director, Kathryn Bigelow, was named Best Director. For the full list of awards, click here.
