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'Dark Void' Video Game-to-Feature Planned as Brad Pitt Vehicle
18 November 2009 11:30 PM, PST
Indian company Reliance Big Entertainment and Brad Pitt's Plan B production company are teaming up to develop a feature film version of the forthcoming video game 'Dark Void' as a potential starring vehicle for Pitt.
According to Risky Business, the film will be based on Capcom's upcoming third-person shooter. The game revolves around a cargo pilot named Will who, after crashing in the Bermuda Triangle, ends up in a parallel universe where a band of humans must fight an alien threat they had long been thought extinct. Will and the other humans are outmanned but have a number of weapons and powers to help them beat back the alien incursion.
The game will be released for Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in January.
The game was always intended to have a cinematic feel. "As a game, 'Dark Void 'was developed with a wide-screen mentality—a world full of adventure presented in cinematic scope and scale, »
Sam Worthington to Appear in 'Last Days of American Crime'
18 November 2009 11:25 PM, PST
The folks over at Mania are reporting that Sam Worthington will star in an adaptation of Radical Publishing's forthcoming "The Last Days of American Crime". The publishing house describes the project as follows:
From critically-acclaimed writer, Rick Remender, comes a fast-paced, futuristic crime story.
In the not-too-distant future as a final response to terrorism and crime, the U.S. government plans in secret to broadcast a signal making it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit unlawful acts. To keep this from the public, the government creates a distraction, installing a new currency system using digital charge cards. Into the midst of this scenario, career criminal Graham Brick is forced to accelerate the heist of his career with an untested new crew in order to beat the deadline. What could possibly go wrong?
"It's really motivated by Mamet's 'Heist' film and James Ellroy's [novel] 'American Tabloid'," Remender told Mania. "Ellroy being »
Depp Hedging on 'Pirates 4'?
18 November 2009 11:20 PM, PST
Johnny Depp’s return to the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' franchise appears to be no sure thing.
In recent months, Disney studio chief Dick Cook — whom Depp is said to have a close creative relationship with — left the company. Meanwhile, Chicago director Rob Marshall was named Gore Verbinski’s replacement as helmer of the franchise, the next installment of which will be titled Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
All of this has caused Depp to admit "a fissure, a crack" in his overall enthusiasm for the project. Apparently, his feelings had not changed as of Tuesday night, when speaking to MTV at the Museum of Modern Art’s Tim Burton retrospective in New York, he mentioned a lack of script or story to pin his hopes on.
"The thing is, I'd love to do it," Depp said. "If there's a script and a story that is outside of »
Antoine Fuqua, Spike Lee Together on 'Miss'
18 November 2009 11:10 PM, PST
Who says there’s better living through crime? Antoine Fuqua and Spike Lee, that’s who.
Fuqua, who has directed films ranging from the crime thriller Training Day to the adventure saga King Arthur, will be directing an adaptation of "Miss: Better Living Through Crime", a French graphic novel. The book revolves around a poor white girl and a black pimp — named Nola and Slim, respectively — who partner up as killers-for-hire in early 1900’s New York.
Spike Lee, the groundbreaking director of such films as Do the Right Thing, Jungle Fever and He Got Game, will serve as executive producer, Variety reports. Lee’s most recent film was the 2008 war movie Miracle at St. Anna.
Fuqua’s latest, Brooklyn’s Finest starring Richard Gere, Don Cheadle and Ethan Hawke, will be released next March.
Miss will be produced through Vigilante Entertainment, and John Ridley, who wrote the upcoming World War »
'47 Ronin' Lands a Director
18 November 2009 11:00 PM, PST
47 Ronin’s no prequel to Alien, but it doesn’t sound so bad, either.
Apparently, Hollywood is gearing up for a samurai picture that stars Keanu Reeves and is written by Chris Morgan, whose other writing credits include Fast & Furious and Wanted. For the director’s chair, the production has already zeroed in on Carl Rinsch, an established commercial director who was once attached to the 'Alien' franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Rinsch’s spots for Mercedes and Heineken frequently had futuristic themes, and he was hand-picked by Ridley Scott, who was set to produce the next 'Alien' film, to make his feature directorial debut. Those plans were waylaid, however, when Fox informed Scott they would prefer he helm it.
Now it looks like Rinsch’s first feature will be 47 Ronin instead. Universal is setting up the film with Scott Stuber and Pamela Abdy producing, »
Black Cat Buzz Ensnares Julia Stiles, Anne Hathaway
18 November 2009 10:55 PM, PST
Julia Stiles as the Black Cat? The web's been abuzz of late with news that the actress, who most recently starred in The Bourne Ultimatum, met with a casting company about the upcoming Spider-Man 4, according to Ugo.
It should be noted, however, that just about every actress on the planet has been reported as auditioning for the part, including Rachel McAdams and Romola Garai.
Moreover, Deadline Hollywood is reporting today that Anne Hathaway has been approached to star in the fourth installment. She is purportedly wanted for a starring role, but not to replace Kirsten Dunst.
Last week, McAdams debunked the rumor she met with producers over the role of Felicia Hardy/Black Cat, occasional nemesis and love interest of Spider-Man/Peter Parker. Garai, meanwhile, admitted to being among hundreds of actresses who had attended open auditions, but said she was not going to be cast in Spider-Man 4. »
CBS Films Reveals 'Extraordinary Measures'
18 November 2009 10:50 PM, PST
CBS Films has released the trailer for its debut theatrical movie release, Extraordinary Measures. You can watch it by clicking on the Trailer tab above.
Extraordinary Measures stars Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser and Keri Russell. The plot was inspired by the true story of John Crowley, who defied conventional wisdom and great odds, and risked his family's future to pursue a cure for his children's life threatening disease. The official synopsis describes the film thus:
From his working class roots, John Crowley (Brendan Fraser) has finally begun to taste success in corporate America. Supported by his beautiful wife Aileen (Keri Russell) and their three children, John is on the fast track. But just as his career is taking off, Crowley walks away from it all when his two youngest children, Megan and Patrick, are diagnosed with a fatal disease. With Aileen by his side, harnessing all of his skill and determination, »
'Star Trek' Gets Re-Energized on Blu-ray
16 November 2009 9:45 PM, PST
Franchise reboots have become a go-to moneymaker for Hollywood in the past few decades. Find a popular, but overexposed series of films that has all but breathed its last breath. Add a new cast of pretty, bankable faces, updated and explosive special effects and a script that toes the line between tribute and parody, stir, and hope audiences will show up for the results. But nine times out of ten, a franchise reboot pales in comparison to the original and succeeds at little but making the audience long for the movies they initially loved. Thankfully, J.J. Abrams' reboot of the 'Star Trek' saga avoids all of these pitfalls and emerges as a smart, fun and original version of the world of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Star Trek starts from the very beginning as George Kirk is named captain of the Enterprise for 12 minutes before a tragic »
Join the 'Legion', See the Galaxy
16 November 2009 9:35 PM, PST
What to expect from a Jerry Bruckheimer-produced sci-fi film? How about instances of male bonding with giant explosions in the background?
Luckily, it appears the Bad Boys and Pirates of the Caribbean series producer has the perfect property to adapt into such a film: "Alien Legion", based on a comic book published during the '80s by Marvel’s Epic line.
According to USA Today, screenwriters Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, the scribes behind Wanted and the upcoming A-Team, are handling the adaptation. Haas has described "Alien Legion" as "the Creature Cantina (from Star Wars) goes to war," while series creator Carl Potts said the property is as much influenced by war movies as sci-fi.
"Imagine a much grittier Star Trek blended with The Dirty Dozen and Kelly's Heroes," said Potts, adding that, modern special effects being what they are, the breadth of the alien creatures in the comic »
Sean Connery, Shirley Bassey Together Again
16 November 2009 9:30 PM, PST
Every once in a while in the world of cinema, the imagery and the music blend so harmoniously and magnificently that they attain legendary status; it's hard to imagine any other combination working quite so well. And one of the best examples of this can be found in the opening titles of the 1964 James Bond film, Goldfinger. Sean Connery's visage combined with the powerhouse voice of Shirley Bassey singing the title track (not to mention Maurice Binder's title sequence) created an indelible cinematic image that resonates as much today as it did back in the '60s.
And now comes word that the singular voice of Shirley Bassey and the thespian talents of Sean Connery will be combined once again — for the first time since 1964 — for the CGI animated movie Sir Billi. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bassey has signed up to sing the title song, "Guardian of »
The Trailer for 'Crazy Heart' Starring Jeff Bridges
16 November 2009 9:25 PM, PST
The trailer for Jeff Bridges' drama Crazy Heart has arrived online, and you can check it out by clicking on the Trailer tab above. This film is garnering a lot of attention for Bridges, and Oscar buzz seems to be following in its wake.
Bridges has been nominated four-times for an Academy Award, but hasn't yet taken home a statue. He was nominated for The Contender (2000), Starman (1984), Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) and The Last Picture Show (1971).
In Crazy Heart, Bridges stars as the richly comic, semi-tragic romantic anti-hero Bad Blake in the debut feature from writer-director Scott Cooper. Bad Blake is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who’s had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean (Golden Globe® Nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal »
'Thor's' Warriors Three Have Been Cast
16 November 2009 9:20 PM, PST
Thor fans, here are your Warriors Three:
Actors Stuart Townsend, Ray Stevenson, and Tadanobu Asano have signed on to play adventurers from the mythical realm of Asgard, who fight alongside the Marvel Comics character Thor in his upcoming movie. The news comes from Comic Book Movie, which has the lowdown on each member of the trio.
- Fandral the Dashing is a swashbuckler who will run headlong into danger. He is also described as something of a ladies man, despite only moderate success on that front.
- Hogun the Grim is a fierce warrior as well as master and collector of different weapons. His ancestors were killed off by someone called Mogul of the Mystic Mountain, leaving Hogun in a mostly-foul mood.
- Volstagg the Valiant is actually based on the character of Falstaff. Throughout his comics history, Volstagg was given to boasting, but often shown as causing more problems than he solved. »
Disney.s '20,000 Leagues' Canceled
16 November 2009 9:15 PM, PST
A new version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea has proven too costly for Disney, which has put the project aside for now.
According to Variety, the studio does have an ambitious, water-based shoot planned for the near-future, but it will likely be the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film by director Rob Marshall.
Captain Nemo: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea had been on the fast track under Disney chief Dick Cook, with director McG looking to steer it. Representatives for the studio recently confirmed it will not be proceeding with the movie, and representatives for McG have stated the Terminator: Salvation director has officially withdrawn.
The lack of any big name star signing — although Will Smith had been rumored as a possible lead — likely hurt the project in Disney’s eyes. However, the studio commented that big-budget genre flicks such as John Carter of Mars and Tron are still a priority. »
Warner Bros Remains Indecisive About Superman
16 November 2009 9:10 PM, PST
We know that James McTeigue would like to helm a new Superman movie, and he's been quite clear about his ideas for starting with a blank sheet. Unfortunately, Warner Bros has been quite clear that it has little if any intention of moving forward on a new Superman film anytime soon.
In a new interview with MTV, McTeigue confirmed that the studio seems completely flummoxed about what to do next. "It's in a weird place at the moment," he said. "They're trying to work out what they're doing. Warner Brothers is trying to figure out their next move on it. There's some things you can do with the 'Superman' franchise, there's other things you can't do. So it hasn't gone anywhere."
Meanwhile, McTeigue isn't waiting around for Warner Bros. to figure it all out. "I think it's ripe for a retooling," he said. "I would love to—if it happened, »
A Baby Arachnid in 'Spider-Man 4'?
16 November 2009 9:05 PM, PST
Superman Returns did it, and now, if a new report from SpoilerTV is accurate, Spider-Man 4 may do it, too. And just what is the "it"? Why, having the titular lead father offspring with his main squeeze, of course.
SpoilerTV got a hold of a casting breakdown info for Spider-Man 4, which invites auditions for a two-year-old boy. And according to the description, the boy must have red hair:
Casting Call: [Toddler Boy] 2 or 3 year old boy to play 2 year old, Caucasian with Red Hair, an adorable toddler with an engaging personality, on set experience preferred. Identical Twins Only.
Now it all makes sense. Maybe.
As most of you already know, Mary Jane, Peter Parker's love interest, is a redhead. So, connecting 'a' to 'b' to 'c' (always dangerous in this business, we grant you) Mary Jane may have a child in the film...and it could be Peter Parker's.
Or, she »
Amanda Tapping Seeks Sanctuary for Kids
15 November 2009 11:06 PM, PST
In the spirit of the Syfy series Sanctuary in which she stars, actress Amanda Tapping (Stargate Sg-1, Stargate Atlantis) has helped to found a non-profit organization aimed at giving children a better life.
The organization, called Sanctuary for Kids, was started by Tapping, Sanctuary creator and writer Damian Kindler and Jill Bodie. The idea was borne out of their collective desire to use the public profile of Sanctuary and the active fan base of the show to make a difference.
"We all feel very lucky and honoured to be able to do jobs we love with people we love in this industry," said Tapping. "Jill, Damian and I all felt a very strong desire and real responsibility to do something with the reach and audience we have through Sanctuary and the sci-fi community. We didn't want to waste the influence that the series has, or the meaningful connections we personally »
Courteney Cox Dishes On 'Scream 4'
15 November 2009 10:15 PM, PST
Speaking with The Associated Press, actress Courteney Cox dropped a few hints about the possible setting for Scream 4, the fourth installment with her real-life husband David Arquette and Neve Campbell, who plays the series' lead character, Sidney Prescott.
"There are really only a few of us that survived," Cox said, dispelling rumors that her character Gale Weathers and her husband's character of Dwight Riley will get offed in the opening of the film.
"They're probably back living in Woodsboro," Cox added, "I think that he's probably still deputy, and I've had a lot of kids. I don't know. I'm probably miserable, and then I'm sure a lot of murdering will happen."
Cox may couch her remarks tentatively, but it's pretty obvious that she's dropping story points from the actual script.
Kevin Williamson is penning the script, and recently promised the New York Post that "there are a lot of »
A Fond Farewell to Edward Woodward
15 November 2009 10:10 PM, PST
He was a remarkably talented British thespian, but American audiences knew him best as Robert McCall, the "retired" CIA operative from the popular CBS series The Equalizer, which ran from 1985-89. His name was Edward Woodward, and today the veteran of stage and screen passed away at the age of 79.
In a statement, his agent Janet Glass of the Eric Glass Ltd. agency in London said Woodward died in a Cornwall hospital near where he lived. He had been suffering from pneumonia. His family was by his side.
Those on the other side of pond knew Woodward well from the 1973 cult classic movie The Wicker Man, in which he played police sergeant Neil Howie, searching for a missing girl on an isolated island. That part came in the wake of his appearances in the British spy series Callan, Woodward's big breakthrough into television and movie acting.
But it was playing »
CinemaSpy Exclusive 'Star Trek' Prize Pack Giveaway
15 November 2009 10:05 PM, PST
Thanks to Titan Publishing and Paramount Home Entertainment, CinemaSpy is giving away two prize packs, each consisting of a copy of last summer's Star Trek feature film — directed by Jj Abrams — on Blu-ray, along with the hardcover book, "Star Trek: The Art of the Film".
That's right, we're giving away both together! While some of our esteemed online colleagues last week announced giveaways of the book by itself, this is your chance to win both the book and the movie in one package. Imagine flipping through the pages of Titan's impressive coffee table art book while watching the film in glorious high definition!
This is a great combo for two lucky winners. You can enter our contest one of two ways:
1.) Head over to our Twitter page, follow us (if you don't already) and re-tweet the following:
Rt @CinemaSpy Win exclusive Star Trek Prize Pack. Includes film on
Blu-ray »
Review: 'Star Trek: The Art of the Film'
15 November 2009 10:00 PM, PST
The critical and popular success of Jj Abrams Star Trek last spring ensured that its November 17 release on Blu-ray and DVD will be one of the most eagerly awaited events on the home entertainment calendar. To coincide with the release, Titan Books has published "Star Trek: The Art of the Film", a visual companion to Abrams' reboot of the legendary franchise. Thanks to our friends at Titan we have been able to obtain a preview copy and we're happy to say it's a worthy complement to the movie.
"Star Trek: The Art of the Movie" is not to be confused with "The Art of Star Trek", which was published by Pocket Books and covers the original Star Trek timeline. The new hardcover book's 162-pages are printed on glossy paper, and not surprisingly display more images than words. Nonetheless it covers a wealth of material.
Every one of the »
20 articles
