Film News Roundup – September 2009 – Week 3
Why Battle: L.A. is Black Hawk Down meets Alien
Aaron Eckhart told a group of reporters that he was scheduled to begin filming the alien invasion movie Battle: Los Angeles today; the film portrays the fight between marines and aliens in the City of Angels. Battle: Los Angeles is slated for release in February 2011.
‘Resident Evil’ Franchise Gets Quasi-Reboot with ‘Begins’
While Sony Screen Gems is prepping for Resident Evil 4: Afterlife, the 3D sequel slated to arrive in theaters August 27, 2010, the studio is already looking forward to the fifth film. Instead of moving forward with the ongoing story, the studio is planning a quasi-reboot, which is tentatively titled Resident Evil Begins. While it’s a long, long, long way off, the idea is to redo the story of a special military unit who fights a powerful, out-of-control supercomputer and hundreds of scientists who have mutated into flesh-eating creatures after a laboratory accident.
‘Hancock 2′ Director Confirms Will Smith And Charlize Theron Will Return For Sequel
Little over a year after “Hancock,” movement on a sequel has begun to pick up with Peter Berg set to return as director, two new writers hired to pen the script, Will Smith consulting on the story, and Smith and co-star Charlize Theron on board to reprise their roles. For the sequel, Berg said we can expect the appearance of at least one more all-powerful god. What’s more, he’s got his eye on a well-known name to play a third superhero.
A-Team’s Murdock role offered to rising star
An offer has been made to rising star ‘District 9′ Star Sharlto Copley for the role. There is no confirmation that Copley has accepted as of yet. Already cast in the film are Liam Neeson as Col. John ‘Hannibal’ Smith, UFC fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson as Sgt. Bosco ‘B.A.’ Baracus and Bradley Cooper as Lt. Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck. Set for release next year, the film, which is being directed by Joe Carnahan has already begun shooting in Vancouver, Canada.
Timothy Dalton Is In Toy Story 3!
Playing hedgehog called Mr. Pricklepants
The former 007, Hot Fuzz star and all-round nice guy, will be lending his voice to the Disney/Pixar threequel, Disney president John Lasseter announced at a London-based Disney Animation Showcase. Dalton will voice Mr. Pricklepants, a hedgehog toy with thespian tendencies.
Matt Damon talks 4th BOURNE Movie
Paul finished cutting “The Green Zone” except for some effects. It’s coming out in March,” Damon said. “He hasn’t had a break literally since he did “The Bourne Supremacy” – which is six years ago now. So he was like I need to take a break…so he’s been on vacation for about three weeks and he’s going to take a few more and then he said he’d come to New York and we’d sit down and we’d talk seriously about it.”
Josh Hartnett aims for ‘Gunslinger’
Williams to produce Nahon revenge tale
Josh Hartnett has signed on to star in “Gunslinger,” a revenge-driven tale set in the near future in the snowy wasteland of a post-apocalyptic America. Hartnett will play a man who, along with his brother, sets out to kill the gang who killed their parents. “This story takes a unique and startling look at what might happen when the lawlessness of the Old West returns … but with better weapons,” producer Mark Williams said.
Johnny Depp on board for fourth ‘Pirates’
Sequel slated for 2011 release
Disney says a new “Pirates of the Caribbean” film is on yonder horizon. Johnny Depp sailed onstage Thursday on a pirate ship in Anaheim, Calif., to help announce the forthcoming installment of Disney’s blockbuster franchise. Depp will reprise his role as Capt. Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” slated for summer of 2011. It’s the fourth in a series.
Del Toro Double Dares You
The Walt Disney Studios, in collaboration with acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is launching a new production label called Disney Double Dare You, to create new animated films full of chills and thrills for audiences of all ages. All films will be produced under the guidance of del Toro, who originated the concept and the design of DDY and who will also direct certain projects. The first project in development for the new label is called “Trollhunters,” an original del Toro story which he will produce.
Stallone, Willis, Schwarzenegger form “dream team”
“Arnold, Bruce and I will be working together for the first time, maybe in two weeks, so I had to grow back my beard and get ready to film it in Los Angeles. It’s very difficult to get us all together at the same time. It’s impossible to get all those egos in the same room,” the 63-year-old Sylvester Stallone joked. “I wanted to do a film that was more about men and just doing things that we did back in the ’80s and ’90s with films that were a little bit more men on men, and actual physical stunts and also a story that isn’t super-gigantic. And the thing was to find certain personalities that never would ever work together normally and put them altogether. It’s like a dream team.”
Charles Darwin film ‘too controversial for religious America’
“It is unbelievable to us that this is still a really hot potato in America. There’s still a great belief that He made the world in six days. It’s quite difficult for we in the UK to imagine religion in America. We live in a country which is no longer so religious. But in the US, outside of New York and LA, religion rules,” said Jeremy Thomas, the Oscar-winning producer of Creation.
Morgan in talks to join ‘Red Dawn’
Actor in negotiations for reboot of the 1984 film
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (“Watchmen”) is in final negotiations to join the cast of “Red Dawn,” the MGM/UA reboot of the 1984 film. “Red Dawn” follows a group of teenagers who band together to fight back when their home town is invaded by an joint force of Chinese and Russian soldiers. Morgan will play the leader of the U.S. Special Forces team who discovers the teens’ stronghold while behind enemy lines.
‘Indiana Jones 5′ in the Works!
Harrison Ford told France’s Le Figaro that he’s ready to reprise his role as the outspoken professor-turned-hero for the fifth time — if the script is right. “The story for the new ‘Indiana Jones’ is in the process of taking form,” Ford explained. “Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and myself are agreed on what the fifth adventure will concern, and George is actively at work. If the script is good, I’ll be very happy to put the costume on again.”
Kitano returns to gangster genre
Director focuses on violent struggle for survival
Helmer-thesp Takeshi Kitano’s next pic will return to the gang genre that brought him international recognition. The as-yet-untitled pic is skedded for a 2010 bow, with Warner distribbing. Kitano’s 15th pic as a helmer focuses on a violent struggle for survival in Japan’s Yakuza gang world, with betrayal and revenge major themes. Kitano also acts in the pic but did not go into detail about his role in Sunday’s announcement. Co-stars are Tomokazu Miura, Kippei Shiina, Ryo Kase, Soichiro Kitamura and Fumiyo Kohinata.
Duo make a return to ‘Silent Hill’
Roger Avary, Samuel Hadida sign on for game adaptation
Roger Avary and Samuel Hadida of Davis Films are climbing back up “Silent Hill.” The screenwriter and producer have signed on for a sequel to their 2006 video game adaptation. The original, based on the Konami game, centered on a woman who travels to a desolate town to seek help for her ailing daughter only to find supernatural occurrences taking place there. Davis Films aims to shoot the movie next year after “Resident Evil 4,” which it’s now prepping.
Bits and Pieces
- ‘The Road’ Pushed Back To Thanksgiving
- Columbia Pictures Acquires FX Guru’s Screenplay ‘Supermax’
- Sarah Polley to play Queen of Sweden
- Cars 2 Plot Details Revealed
- Kitamura on King Adaptation ‘Home Delivery’, Weisz is ‘Bleeding’
- ‘Up in The Air’ Gets Early Release
- Warner Bros. Drops ‘He-Man’ Movie
- Jeff Bridges in talks for Coen Bros. ‘True Grit’
- Rainn Wilson to get ‘Super’ for James Gunn
- Disney reveals 7 surprise news scoops and del Toro’s secret!
- John Lasseter draws a crowd at D23
- McAvoy, Penn set for Redford’s ‘Conspirator’
- D23 Disney Expo: “Tron Legacy”
- Three join ‘Love and Other Drugs’ romantic comedy
- Eva Mendes has eyes for ‘Other Guys’
- Lionsgate goes for Soderbergh’s ‘Knockout’
- Three actors cast in ‘Janie Jones’
- ‘Sex and the City’ sequel casts hunk
- Spielberg on Lincoln’s ticket
- Tomas Alfredson helming Nicole Kidman for ‘The Danish Girl’
- Antoine Fuqua’s ‘Brooklyn’s Finest’ to Overture
- Linklater’s ‘Orson Welles’ gets a date
- Anton Yelchin swims with ‘Beaver’
- Tia Carrere set for ‘Wave Dancer’
The Fine Print
This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire weeks’ news. All stories are chosen by me for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.
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