By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Elizabeth Olson (Martha Marcy May Marlene) are reportedly in early talks for Gareth Edwards’ upcoming Godzilla. Production is expected to begin in March. For more information on the film, click here.
Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman cast in thriller
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman have signed on to star in writer-director Rowan Joffe’s upcoming Before I Go to Sleep. Shooting will begin at the end of this month. Fore more information on the project, click here.
Synopsis released for Webb’s ‘Spider-Man’ sequel
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Sony has released an official start-of-production notice for Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2. For the synopsis and other information on the film, click here.
David Bowie, Iggy Pop biopic in the works
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Altered Image and Egoli Tossell Film are partnering up to co-produce Lust for Life, a film about the collaboration between David Bowie and Iggy Pop in 1970s West Berlin. Gabriel Range (Death of a President) is slated to direct. For more information on the project, click here.
Del Toro to produce new ‘Secret Garden’ adaptation
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Guillermo Del Toro has signed on to co-produce Universal Pictures’ new film version of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel The Secret Garden. Lucy Alibar, who co-wrote Beasts of the Southern Wild, is set to pen the screenplay. For more information on the project, click here.
‘Star Wars’ makeup artist dies
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic British makeup artist and prosthetics Stuart Freeborn, best known for his work on the Star Wars films, died Feb. 6. He was 98. For more information on Freeborn’s life and career, click here.
‘The Heat’ release date pushed back
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic The release date for Paul Feig’s upcoming comedy The Heat, starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, has been moved from April 5 to June 28. Reasons for the shift are currently unknown. For more information, click here.
‘Skyfall’ screenwriters to pen Refn’s ‘Barbarella’ series
By Amanda Ack, Fim Critic Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, who co-wrote Skyfall with John Logan, have signed on to write Drive director Nicholas Winding Refn’s upcoming Barbarella TV series. The series will be based on the same French sci-fi comic book character that inspired the 1968 film Barbarella, starring Jane Fonda. For more information on the project, click here.
Eva Green to star in ‘Sin City’ film
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.
Fox closes $400 million co-financing deal
20th Century Fox has made a deal for over $400 million dollars to help fund its upcoming projects, including the next two Avatar films
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…
‘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.
‘Impossible’ director to direct sci-fi film
By Amanda Ack The Impossible director Juan Antonio Bayona has signed on to helm an as-yet-untitled sci-fi feature for Warner Bros. The film’s screenplay will be written by Eric Roth, who won an Oscar for his screenwriting work on Forrest Gump. For more information on the project, click here.
‘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.
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.
