According to Screen Daily, Law Abiding Citizen now has a director in Frank Darabont. Citizen is the first movie to be produced under Gerard Butler's production shingle; you can read all about Evil Twins and its upcoming slate here (I am gently encouraging you to be interested in this fledgling company).
Production is set to begin on August 18th in Detroit, which I hear is becoming the new Shreveport. It's being filmed on a shoestring budget of $40 million, and the screenplay has been penned by Kurt Wimmer.
The plot has been changed quite drastically since it was first tossed around. Originally, Butler was an assistant D.A. who finds himself at the center of a traumatized victim's vigilante plot. Now, it has been revamped into the story of a criminal mastermind who controls a city from the confines of his prison cell. (Which explains why Darabont was drawn to it, and why he's a good pick. Prison dramas are a good specialty for him.) Butler is the assistant D.A. who stands in the mastermind's way.
An extended clip from M. Night Shyamalan's new film The Happeningis now online (watch it above or in higher quality over on Yahoo), with an introduction from M. Night himself saying how he was inspired by films like The Godfather and The Exorcist. What we get are snippets of scenes we've seen previously from the trailers, as well as the extended version of the train scene when Mark Wahlberg walks up to those conductors and says, "With whom?" (I love that part and I don't know why.) This is M. Night's first R-rated film, and he claims it's "the scariest movie he's ever made." I guess we'll see about that.
Or maybe someone already did. Yes, folks, there's the "early screening scooper" over at Collider who's written in with a very, very negative review of The Happening (check it out here, but watch for spoilers). This person goes after the acting most of all, as well as the awkward pacing -- going so far as to say "it's bad on an epic scale." Now it's clear M. Night asked for a certain small town, passive-aggressive tone out of Wahlberg, which he's delivered before (to a certain degree) in films like Boogie Nights. But I do agree that his whole shtick seems very odd here, though we're seeing one scene out of context so I won't go off and declare The Happening an absolute failure.
Personally, I hope this film is good. I WANT to love this thing. It looks creepy and uncomfortable, and I dig that about it. Who knows; fingers crossed. The Happening lands in theaters on Friday, June 13th.
UPDATE: JoBlo has revealed a new Red Band trailer for The Happening. Check it out over here. (P.S. And it might contain spoilers, so beware!)
Other than the official videos released by Zack Snyder, it has been shockingly quiet on the Watchmen front. (And if you missed the videos, there's one on set design and one on costuming so far.) It was, unsurprisingly, a tight set. Those who visited (ahem) still aren't allowed to publish anything about it.
While watching the two behind-the-scenes videos thus far, I saw all those extras and wondered "How the heck did they keep them all quiet?" Well, they didn't. One of them has been sending quiet reports to Comic Related throughout production -- and the amount of stuff she knows is incredible. I'm amazed this has been lurking in a corner of the Internet and no one noticed. She was an extra during many a crucial scene -- and she has written the first description of Billy Crudup's performance as Doc Manhattan.
Her latest post features numerous photos, and a map, illustrating the sets. Start there and work your way backward. Now that this is hitting the wider Internet, it may be yanked, so enjoy it while you can. Those who have not read the graphic novel may want to avoid it, as it's full of spoilers. Those who have, and are worried about Snyder's handling of the material, will find many an answer here. If you too want to see the movie fresh, I will save your innocence and assure you of one thing -- the ending remains unchanged.
The first trailer for City of Ember has just arrived online (watch it above or over on the film's official site). Cinematical premiered the teaser poster for City of Ember not long ago, and it looks like the folks from 20th Century Fox and Walden Media are itching to get the buzz going on this one by debuting a trailer long before the film's October 10th release date. This will also be the same trailer that plays in front of Prince Caspian this weekend. Based on the best-selling novel, City of Ember was produced by Tom Hanks and stars Bill Murray, Saoirse Ronan, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, Toby Jones and Harry Treadaway. Directed by Gil Kenan (Monster House), the synopsis for Ember looks like this:
"For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights - underground. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing . . . and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. Now, two teenagers in a race against time, must search Ember for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the city's existence, and help the citizens escape before the lights go out forever."
What say you? I think it definitely has potential, especially with that cast. (Seems like a cool book, too.)
I'm not sure what they're putting in the water over in Cannes, but some pretty wild deals are beginning to emerge from that fest in France. Only a day after Werner Herzog signed to direct Nicolas Cage in a remake of Bad Lieutenantcomes word from The Hollywood Reporter that Herzog and David Lynch have teamed up on a film called My Son; a murder drama to be tentatively shot next March. Based on a true story, My Son will tell of a "San Diego man who acts out a Sophocles play in his mind and kills his mother with a sword." HR says the film will jump between the murder scene and this disturbed man's story. Nice family film from two completely sane directors.
Additionally, and this shouldn't come as a surprise (considering the two guys we're talking about), My Son will be shot guerrilla-style with digital video. Herzog, who co-wrote My Son with Herbert Golder, will first shoot Bad Lieutenant in July before directing the Victorian-era drama The Piano Tuner for Focus Features. One can only imagine what the finished product will look like when you've got Herzog and Lynch working together on the same movie -- especially one with a nutty storyline like this one. Not for nothing, but I think I'd rather watch the documentary of them making this film rather than the film itself. You?
Okay, I'm going to try to write this post without pissing off a gazillion people. See, our resident Twilight expert, Kim, is flying to France right now, and so I'm the lucky guy left to write about Twilight. And speaking of the biggest teen vampire film to hit the states since The Lost Boys, a brand new poster for Twilight has been released by Summit Entertainment. (You can check it out to the right and click to enlarge.) Additionally, we've decided that now is the time to introduce our official Twilight gallery (see below). Fans of the film should definitely save that gallery link and check back daily as we'll be adding more photos real soon.
And there's more! CulturePulp's Mike Russell tipped us off to this super funky comic strip he created, which was inspired by a recent trip of his to the set of Twilight. The comic strip is supposed to compliment an article he wrote for The Los Angeles Times. The comic is a damn funny read, as Mike takes you through a scene where they're playing vampire baseball and running at 30mph. Don't know, but it sounds good.
Confession time! I've never read Twilight, and I have absolutely nothing against the book or its fans. However, the only thing that worries me about this film is Kristen Stewart. Hate me forever, but she always plays the disturbed, "I have several emotional issues that stem from my childhood" kinda gal. Not a bad thing, mind you, but I've never seen her give us an ounce of power, of energy, of anything, really.
So here's a question for you fans: Do you think Kristen Stewart is the right actress to play your beloved Isabella Swan? Have you seen her other films? (Or maybe Isabella is a really boring person, because then Stewart would be excellent in the role.
And we have the embed, courtesy of IGN. The quality is not ideal, so if you're looking to freeze frame, you may want to view the Quicktime version over there.
The trailer is predictably creepy, but also typically vague. There is not much of a sense here as to what the movie will be about other than an unexplained phenomenon and missing girls -- I felt compelled to go back and look at the plot details just to appreciate it a little better. With all the cool movies coming out this summer, I don't know if I'm hooked enough to buy a ticket yet to this one. Nearly, though!
I know it can't be -- but the sadistic looking dude with the needle looks an awful lot like Alex Krychek.
If you need an additional Mulder and Scully fix, there are two viral videos that were released this weekend. They feature the two FBI Agents reminiscing about each other, which suggests this movie is a reunion on all fronts. They are a bit odd, mostly because they are so short and random. They're included after the jump.
Remember the days when FBI profilers hunted serial killers the old fashioned way, assisted by their fellow law enforcement officers? But ever since Clarice Starling had to go and enlist the help of Hannibal Lecter, now it is just standard protocol to pair up with a serial killer.
Deal with the Devil is the latest version of that tale -- except this one is a comic book by Mike S. Miller. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it's just been picked up by Lionsgate. The story follows FBI Agent Anthony Goodwin, a legendary manhunter until his final case. The killer he was after, Kevin Runyan, turned the tables and became his hunter. He loses his career and his suspect -- who turns up four years later, asking for his help. Goodwin must decide whether to help the man stop a dangerous copycat killer.
Say it ain't so! I want this to be nothing more than hyperbole and ugly rumor mongering. But let's look at it anyway: According to Flicks.Co.NZ, there are troubling stories surrounding the set of Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones.
The first is a bit of a yawner. Reportedly, Jackson is having creative differences with his art director over the best way to portray Heaven -- a pretty key location in the book, if you remember. Things even reached a point where the production had to take a break as the disagreement was sorted out, according to reports.
But then came word (today) from The Bad and Ugly that the film has now been delayed, and instead of a March 13, 2009 release date, it's been pushed to Fall, 2009. No word on whether this was due to production issues or if they'd rather hold the film for a potential Oscar push.
Additionally, Susan Sarandon seemed like she was pretty iffy on the film and especially her performance while speaking to press at the London premiere of Speed Racer: "I play the comic relief, an alcoholic grandmother – my first grandma – but she doesn't really seem like a real grandmother because she has a lot of hair and jewelery and nails and liquor. I don't think I ever talk without a cigarette and a drink in my hand. Peter Jackson is really a nice guy and very interesting. It was really a very different way of working. We had a good time, I'm really curious to see what it's like because he kept pushing me to be more and more extreme and sometimes that's when you make your big mistakes so I'm not sure how it will come off -- it will be interesting to see it from the point of view of the audience."
After the gut-wrenching terror of No Country for Old Men (I haven't been that tense in a movie theater since, well, ever), I can safely say that I am incredibly relieved that the Coens' next film, Burn After Reading, looks like it is going to be a lot more fun. First Showing now has some stills from the Coens' black comedy, and it would appear that the brothers are returning to what I like to call their 'Raising Arizona roots.'
Burn is the story of a CIA agent (played by George Clooney) who is assigned to investigate the case of a former agent named Ozzie Cox (John Malkovich) who has taken his revenge on the agency by writing a tell-all memoir. When Cox's ex-wife (played by Tilda Swinton) steals the only copy and leaves it behind at her gym, the gym's owner (Frances McDormand) and star personal trainer (Brad Pitt) see an opportunity to engage in a little blackmail.
The Coen flick just got the nod to open the Venice Film Festival this year, but Burn will not be making an appearance at Cannes this year (which is a little strange considering the luck they had at the French festival last year). This makes it zero for two for Pitt now that his other high-profile film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, also failed to make the list for Cannes. Burn After Reading is scheduled for wide release on September 12th, 2008.
Holy Cullens! Hold onto your seats, all you Twilight fanatics. This is the first official ensemble piece with final hair, makeup and costume (those other photos, we believe, were test shots, but this one gives our first official look at the characters inside the Twilight universe) Click on the image for a larger view -- you know you want to -- then let's take a moment to dissect the loveliness, shall we?
We've been covering the various bits of Twilight news, set visit write-ups and behind-the-scenes goodies extensively here, but this is the first time that we've seen the cast in character like this. Aside from the fact that the image looks totally cool and perfectly captures that "Twilight-vibe," can I just say that any doubts anyone out there is still harboring about Robert Pattinson as Edward should be totally laid to rest by this picture?
Cinematical has just received a batch of exclusive images from The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (see gallery below for more). The first poster for this sequel hit the other day, and I imagine a trailer will be knocking on all our doors real soon. In this third Mummy installment (technically fourth if you include The Scorpion King), father-and-son duo Rick (Brendan Fraser) and Alex O'Connell (Luke Ford) find themselves in the Far East where they unearth the mummy of the first Emperor of Qin. Needless to say, said Emperor (as played by Jet Li) is your basic, run-of-the-mill shape-shifting entity, cursed by a wizard centuries ago, and out to wreak some havoc. The beautiful Maria Bello and Michelle Yeoh round out the cast.
Rob Cohen directed this one, and if you like what you see in the gallery below, make sure to head on over to Rob's official Mummy production blog. Dude's been keeping that loaded with all sorts of tasty goodies ever since production first began, so definitely check that out, as well as the film's official website (which just went live). The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor arrives in theaters on August 1.
The low-key Spanish import Fermat's Room falls into that (very small) sub-genre that I've just now designated as "math horror." (Vincenzo Natali's Cube also belongs in this group, and maybe even a few other movies that I can't think of right now.) This is a strange but engaging Spanish thriller in which four well-established mathematicians convene after receiving a mysterious invitation, and then find themselves trapped inside a shrinking room. The only way out is to solve a bunch of math riddles, but the biggest question is this: Why the heck is someone trying to kill four mathematicians in the first place?
Handsomely shot and boasting fine work from its five main only actors, Fermat's Room is the sort of mystery / thriller that will appeal to folks who enjoy a good mind-bender as much as they dig a good foreign flick. It's certainly not as bizarre (or nearly as bloody) as Natali's Cube, but I'm betting the films would make for a pretty interesting double feature all the same. And while some of the in-movie puzzles are relatively obvious (hell, they even borrow one from Jim Henson's Labyrinth!), the movie as a whole proves to be sort of a puzzle in its own right. The third act revelations might not be all that shocking, but they work well enough in the low-key context of the piece.
I am bracing myself for the negative comments on this one. Variety has announced that Mel Gibson is taking the lead role in Edge of Darkness, the big-screen adaptation of the 1985 BBC miniseries.
It will be Gibson's first acting role since Signs and We Were Soldiers in 2002. He will play a straitlaced police officer whose activist daughter is killed. He takes on investigation of the case, and discovers a trail of corruption that led to his daughter's death. Sounds just up Gibson's alley. He's been a fan of the miniseries for years.
It is being directed by Martin Campbell, who also directed the BBC miniseries, and penned by William Monahan, who was the Oscar-winner behind The Departed. Graham King (also an Oscar winner for The Departed) is producing, alongside Michael Wearing (who produced the BBC original). Filming is set to begin in August, on location in Boston. A solid team all around, and I don't think I've ever seen a bad BBC production.
This is one movie I keep forgetting is actually being made. Ron Howard's adaptation of Angels and Demonshas been simmering away, sending out casting calls, not quite reaching any level of heady anticipation. Maybe this news will do it. Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer has landed the part of Vittoria Vetra, the daughter of a CERN physicist who is embarked on a journey to uncover the truth behind her father's murder. Of course, Robert Langdon (still played by Tom Hanks) accompanies her, and they must foil a terrorist plot in the process.
The studio has yet to confirm. Naomi Watts was reportedly the last to be in talks for the role. No other parts have been cast.
I'm not an avid reader of Dan Brown, so I must ask: is the plot of Angels and Demons really that similar to The DaVinci Code? Is it really that a pretty foreign girl loses a member of her paterfamilias, and Robert Langdon must help her? Is it via the works of coded works of Michaelangelo? Is the Catholic Church evilly involved? I am guessing it is, since one of the characters in need of an actor is an aide to the Pope. Fill me in, because I will never read the book.
Angels and Demons is still set for release May 15th, 2009.
According to Screen Daily, Law Abiding Citizen now has a director in Frank Darabont. Citizen is the first movie to be produced under Gerard Butler's production shingle; you can read all about Evil Twins and its upcoming slate here (I am gently encouraging you to be interested in this fledgling company).
Other than the official videos released by Zack Snyder, it has been shockingly quiet on the 
I'm not sure what they're putting in the water over in Cannes, but some pretty wild deals are beginning to emerge from that fest in France. Only a day after 
Remember the days when FBI profilers hunted serial killers the old fashioned way, assisted by their fellow law enforcement officers? But ever since Clarice Starling had to go and enlist the help of Hannibal Lecter, now it is just standard protocol to pair up with a serial killer.
Say it ain't so! I want this to be nothing more than hyperbole and ugly rumor mongering. But let's look at it anyway: According to 
After the gut-wrenching terror of No Country for Old Men (I haven't been that tense in a movie theater since, well, ever), I can safely say that I am incredibly relieved that the Coens' next film, 
I am bracing myself for the negative comments on this one. 
This is one movie I keep forgetting is actually being made. 
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SCOOP: Spider-Man 4 and 5 Might be Shot at the Same Time!
Cinematical Seven: Disney's Awesome Live-Action Kid Adventures
