Making an impression at James T. Kirk's father in STAR TREK, Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth is now Thor, according to Nikke Finke. In addition, she reports that British actor Tom Hiddleston (THE GATHERING STORM) has been cast to play Thor nemesis Loki. The Marvel feature is set for release on May 20, 2011. Kenneth Branagh is directing the film about the Norse god of thunder.
IESB reports that THE HANGOVER star Bradley Cooper has landed the role of Lt. Templeton “Faceman” Peck in THE A-TEAM. Joe Carnahan is directing the feature redux for 20th Century Fox. Recently, news has hit the Net that Cooper was in the lead for the role of Green Lantern. Previously it was announced that Common would play BA Baracus, the role made famous by Mr. T.
THE HANGOVER writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore have been tapped to turn Disney's themed amusement park land Tomorrowland into a feature film, according to ComingSoon.net. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is set to star as test pilot Rip, who gets transported to the future. Lucas and Moore will take a non-retro look at the future for what they describe as "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN in space."
Monica Bellucci (THE MATRIX RELOADED) has conjured up a part in Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer's THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE, according to VARIETY. The screen beauty will play Nicolas Cage's Balthazar Blake's long-long love, the sorceress Veronica. Other cast members include Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer and Toby Kebbell. The Jon Turteltaub-directed film follows a modern day sorcerer who takes an apprentice to help him fight evil forces in NYC.
According to VARIETY, Warner Bros. has acquired the feature film rights to ITV's TV series PRIMEVAl, which airs in the U.S. on BBC America and SyFy. Weed Road's Akiva Goldsman and Kerry Foster are producing along with Emily Cummins. Weed Road is looking for a writer. The show revolves around a secret team of scientists that set out to close wormholes and deal with the prehistoric and futuristic creatures than happen to sneak through.
Shock Till You Drop is reporting that Lightning Media has picked up distribution rights to horror spoof DIAGNOSIS: DEATH, starring FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS' Bret McKenzie, Jemaine Clement and Rhys Darby. Jason Shutter will helm from his script with Raybon Kan, who will also star in the film. Cast also includes Jessica Grace Smith and Suze Tye. The story follows people who go into experimental facility for radical cancer treatment and begin seeing ghosts.
VARIETY is reporting that THE ORPHANAGE director Juan Antonio Bayona and writer Sergio Sanchez are teaming up again. The new project is said to be based on a true story that will "pose large technical challenges." Big visual effects, maybe?
Spain's Apaches Ent. will produce the film with Telecinco Cinema and Bayona's Spongeman. Filming is set to start in spring 2010. Sanchez has finished the first draft and Apaches is shopping the project to partners at Cannes.
Magnolia's genre arm Magnet Releasing has acquired the U.S. rights to John Woo's historical epic RED CLIFF, according to VARIETY. Magnet plans to release an edited version of the two-part film in the fall. The Chinese-lingo flicks have already earned $100 million in Japan. The film follows the events of the Battle of Red Cliffs during the ancient Three Kingdoms period in China.
KUNG FU PANDA helmer John Stevenson is a hot commodity in Hollywood these days. AWN previously reported that he was attached to direct the live-action HE-MAN movie, GRAYSKULL and now
Via THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, DreamWorks is working on a remake of FRIGHT NIGHT. The original 1985 horror/comedy followed a teenager who discovers that his neighbor is a bloodsucker. Michael Gaeta and Alison Rosenzweig will produce the film with Michael De Luca. Mark Sourian will shepherd for DreamWorks. Gaeta/Rosenzweig Prods. is looking for a writer.
If Guillermo del Toro's classic rendition and a modern version starring Keanu Reeves aren't enough, Abel Ferrara is planning his own take of Robert Louis Stevenson's THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, starring Forest Whitaker and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, according to VARIETY. Titled JEKYLL AND HYDE, the modern take on the material will have Whitaker and 50 Cent playing the two sides of the main character's split personality.
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER is running the news that Terry Gilliam has found a new partner for his long-suffering film THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE in Oscar-winning producer Jeremy Thomas. Penned by Tony Grisoni, the fantastic spin on the tale of the aged knight who chases windmills has a filmmaker becoming Quixote's sidekick Sancho Panza. Nine years ago Gilliam tried making this film with Johnny Depp, but a series of problems shuttered the project.
MGM is gearing up to acquire distribution rights to the fifth TERMINATOR film, reports VARIETY. Due to a lawsuit filed against franchise owners Halcyon, MGM has a 30-day right of first refusal on the franchise. MGM passed on TERMINATOR SALVATION, but now, with star Christian Bale and director McG in line to return, MGM sees less of a risk with the Arnold Schwarzenegger-less direction the franchise is taking. Insiders wonder whether MGM can handle the pricetag associated with the franchise.
As they walk the Croisette in Cannes, France, UP director Pete Docter, producer Jonas Rivera, co-director Bob Peterson and executive producer John Lasseter will share with fans worldwide their first Cannes Film Festival experience through the micro blogging site Twitter.
Disney-Pixar's newest animated comedy adventure film UP will be the first animated movie and first 3D film ever to serve as the Opening Ceremony film at the Cannes Film Festival on May 13, 2009.
Universal Pictures and Dark Horse Comics plan to adapt the comic The Secret into a feature film, VARIETY reports. Scott Miam will adapt Mike Richardson's graphic novel. Richardson will produce alongside Scott Stuber.
Illustrated by Jason Shawn Alexander, the comic follows a group of teens whose prank goes terribly wrong.
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER reports that Warner Bros. and Silver Pictures have hired Evan Daugherty to write another draft of their big screen adaptation of HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE titled GRAYSKULL. KUNG FU PANDA helmer John Stevenson will direct. The new take on the material will have Adam as a soldier who stumbles upon the world of Eternia where Skeletor is raising an army to rid the world of magic. Justin Marks had written the last draft.
Cult director Takashi Miike is set to remake the samurai flick THIRTEEN ASSASSINS, reports VARIETY. U.K.-based Recorded Picture Co.'s Jeremy Thomas and Toshiaki Nakazawa (SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO) are producing. Based on Eiichi Kudo's 1963 film, the story centers on a group of 13 assassins who set out on a suicide mission to murder an evil warlord. Thomas' Hanway Films will broker sales. Toho has already secured rights for Japan.
Collider.com is reporting that Sam Mendes is set to direct a screen adaptation of Vertigo Comic's THE PREACHER. Mendes hopes to begin filming in 2010. CORPSE BRIDE's John August is writing the script.
Blue Sky Studios announced their next animated feature, RIO, will be released by Twentieth Century Fox on April 8, 2011.
Carlos Saldanha, whose ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN earned a worldwide box office of more than $650 million, is set to direct the digital 3-D animation feature. Chris Jenkins (SURF'S UP) and Bruce Anderson (DR. SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO!) will produce.
VARIETY reports that Dark Castle will remake William Castle's 1965 chiller I SAW WHAT YOU DID AND I KNOW WHO YOU ARE! MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D team of Todd Farmer and Patrick Lussier will pen the redux, with Lussier directing.
In the original, which was based on Ursula Curtis's novel OUT OF THE DARK, the story centered on two girls who prank phone call the wrong person.
New pic will be produced by Silver, Andrew Rona and Steve Richards. Warner Bros. will distribute.
May 12 to 20 is your chance to vote online for your favourite short among the finalists of the 5th NFB Short Film Competition -- Cannes 2009. Just go to www.nfb.ca/cannes or www.youtube.com/nfb.
Paris/London 12 May 2009. Award-winning independent producers Moi j'aime la television (MJTV) and Helion Pictures are making a trilogy of feature-length films based on their hit long-running television half hour comedy series GENIE IN THE HOUSE.
While not besting X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE's opening weekend of $85M, Paramount's STAR TREK took the top spot at the U.S. box office for the Mother's Day weekend. With visual effects from ILM, Lola Visual Effects, Evil Eye Pictures, and Svengali Visual Effects, the series reboot beamed in $79.2M, substantially higher than initial estimates. It grossed $79.2 million over the three day period in 3,849 locations, almost $3 million higher than initial estimates thanks to strong attendance on Mother's Day.
Disney has released a new teaser trailer for THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG. In the trailer, fans get a taste of the plot, which is a take on the classic fairy tale. The lead Tiana is voiced by DREAMGIRLS star Anika Noni Rose and her amphibian love interest, Prince Naveen, is voiced by Bruno Campos (TV's NIP/TUCK).
With the dawning of 3-D movies and entertainment, studios are looking to promote their pictures in new and exciting ways -- ways that connect with movie goers and expand the 3-D experience beyond the theater.
ICE AGE 3: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS is the third installment of the ICE AGE film series and will be released in RealD (digital 3-D) in theaters nationwide. Produced by Virtual Images, the poster-sized displays utilize a unique, high-tech 3-D technology that produces images of remarkable depth and clarity.
