'Taken 2' Featurette: Liam Neeson Discusses His Character's Motivations

In the first Taken the story was simple: Liam Neeson's character Bryan Mills' daughter is captured, and he heads off to France to rescue her. In Taken 2 the various pieces have changed ' it's Mills ex-wife that is kidnapped, and Istanbul serves as the setting ' but the goal has stayed the same: recover his 'taken' loved one by any means necessary.

In addition to a new setting and problem, Neeson must match wits with a new foe, played by Rade Serbedzija.  Serbedzija's character Murad ' who lost his son whilst Neeson's character was on his first recovery mission ' wants Bryan to share in his pain, and so puts in motion a plan to capture and kill all three members of his family ' a plan that obviously doesn't go over well with Mills. In a new featurette for Taken 2, Neeson elaborates on his character's drive, the relatability of the story, and what he is willing to do to recover his ex-wife.

An important element of the series that Neeson hones in on is the idea that this man, who has been put through so much, has become a machine. In Taken we saw how far Mills was willing to go to just to get information about his daughter Kim's whereabouts, and in the sequel he appears to have pushed his limits even further.

It's a relatable story ' going to extremes for one's family ' and that, Neeson feels, is the real appeal of these Taken films. Audiences might say it's the chance to see Liam Neeson serve up his signature brand of vengeance that brings them to the theater, but that's a debatable issue.

In addition to the brief interview with Neeson, the featurette includes several new looks at the film's various action scenes. As expected director Olivier Megaton (Colombiana) seeks to ramp up every element from the first film, but also keep the focus on the character of Bryan Mills.

There's a few more bombastic action sequences this time around, a byproduct of a bigger budget and fan base, but the hand-to-hand combat that sold audiences the first time around appears to be in top form.

Though, if producer Luc Besson is looking to turn Taken into a franchise, where Mills must constantly try and save another member of his family, that might test our patience ' and, more importantly, our suspension of disbelief. But for now the sequel looks to be a fun return to form for Neeson, and a chance for the first film's supporting actors (like Famke Janssen) to play larger roles.

Taken 2 hits theaters on October 5, 2012.

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Source: 20th Century FOX

Open Discussion ' August 31, 2012

As usual ' talk about whatever you like as long as it's related to movies, TV or Screen Rant itself ' just remember to play nice.

Michael Bay Comments on Leaked 'Ninja Turtles' Movie Script

As one of Hollywood's biggest blockbuster directors, Michael Bay doesn't make a habit of defending himself or his filmmaking approach; frankly, he no longer ha$ to. However, the situation with the live-action movie reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bay is set to produce only seems to be getting worse and worse in the eyes of fans.

After an early script for the film ' now simply titled Ninja Turtles ' was allegedly leaked online, it didn't take long to see that the writing bar had been set lower than fans were ready to accept. Now Michael Bay has commented on the script in question, claiming that it was produced long before he or anyone at his company was attached to the project. But that likely won't be enough to sway skeptics.

It would be hard to find anyone to vocally support the supposed script for Ninja Turtles, since its crimes against artistic license have been well-documented already. No longer mutants at war with the shadowy Foot Clan ninjas, Leo, Don, Raph and Mikey are presented in the new film as extraterrestrial beings facing off against a covert military force (can you tell Michael Bay's involved yet?), all while cracking pop-culture jokes and zany references. The script was so objectionable that Turtles co-creator Peter Laird deemed no aspect worth saving, recommending that it would be best for all concerned if it was trashed entirely.

Michael Bay has apparently decided that enough is enough, and is attempting to distance himself and his production company from the script. The comment from Bay was spotted by Latino Review, and might raise a few eyebrows among those who have been following the TMNT reboot for some time:

'The leaked script for Ninja Turtles that different sites continue to comment on was written well before I, or anyone at Platinum Dunes, was involved with the project.

That script saw the shredder a long time ago.

This is tired, old news ' Wait for the movie!'

While it's true that the script was not produced in the last few months, and is in all likelihood not the one that director Jonathan Liebesman will be following, the case is not that simple. For starters, the script ' if legitimate ' was dated as having been completed in January of this year, roughly a month before Michael Bay and Platinum Dunes were attached. It's fair for Bay to claim that the script didn't ever stand a chance of being accepted if it was lacking in quality, but there aren't many signs that producing a story that fans would approve of is the top priority.

One co-creator of the Ninja Turtles may have publicly denounced the absurdity of the leaked script (we believe the term 'fundamentally flawed' was used), but the other seems completely on board. Optimism on Kevin Eastman's part isn't a crime in itself, but his perspective on the potential of the reboot may not be as clear as some would like. When explaining the film's delay until May 2014, Eastman explained that the latest script being developed wasn't just strong, but 'as good as the last version ' they've really knocked it out of the park.' If there is any chance that the 'last version' referred to is the one that Bay claims saw the shredder (no pun) a long time (read: months) ago, then those words may not instill much confidence.

As for Bay's hope that fans will wait until the film is finished to pass judgement, that is a sentiment that even we can understand. Sure, there may not be many fan-favorite creative minds shaping the story ' not to mention rewriting the characters' origins ' but that doesn't mean the movie has to be terrible. Dropping the title to simply Ninja Turtles may serve the the purpose of slicker marketing, but it could also be the first hint that the movie could speak to the previous trilogy's now-adult audience.

Where the action and fight choreography of the reboot is concerned, there really is no better place to turn for inspiration than The Raid: Redemption. That's the style that's influencing the reboot, according to Eastman, and anyone who doubts it's a wise move need only read our review of The Raid. Should Ninja Turtles even come close to the tension and pace set by The Raid, fans might just see Raph and the gang in a whole new light. Pairing serious martial arts choreography with a slightly grander setting, and some beloved villains and thugs thrown in for good measure could be a winning combination, provided it's handled with enough care. 'Could' being the operative word.

We can only hope that the Internet unrest will act as a reminder to Bay and Liebesman that the Ninja Turtles may be a dormant film property, but there are still plenty of fans invested in its direction.

To what extent the film will be 'shredded' by fans remains to be seen, when Ninja Turtles opens in U.S. theaters on May 16th, 2014.

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Source: Latino Review

Screen Rant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PanzGAJnLl0

If men are going to talk about hamburgers, they should be going to a cookout, not going to kill someone.

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Looper: The 8BIT (Sorta) Version

Looper The Movie The 8 Bit Game from Deepak Chetty on Vimeo.

Made by Deepak Chetty

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Avengers Baby Shawarma

Click to continue reading SR Geek Picks: 8-Bit 'Looper', Life-Size LEGO 'Iron Man', 'Dark Knight' Meets 'Avengers' & More

]]> http://screenrant.com/dark-knight-avengers-iron-man-2-alternate-opening-looper-8-bit/feed/7http://screenrant.com/neil-marshal-black-sails-pilot-starz/ http://screenrant.com/neil-marshal-black-sails-pilot-starz/#commentsWed, 29 Aug 2012 15:48:11 +0000Sandy Schaeferhttp://screenrant.com/?p=202565

It's important for a TV show pilot to make a strong impression, which accounts for why film directors are often hired to take the helm. Martin Scorsese took charge on the first episode of HBO's Boardwalk Empire (he eventually earned an Emmy for his efforts), while Walking Dead TV show creator Frank Darabont called the shots on the pilot for his zombie-apocalypse saga ' back when he was running things.

Starz has likewise gone and set filmmaker Neil Marshall to helm the pilot for its Treasure Island prequel show, Black Sails. The high-seas adventure series has also secured Michael Bay and his Platinum Dune partners as executive producers.

Marshall has carved out a niche for himself as a master of low-budget horror and period-thriller fare, thanks to films like Dog Soldiers, The ...

Click to continue reading Neil Marshall Directing Pilot for Starz' 'Treasure Island' Prequel Series 'Black Sails'

]]> http://screenrant.com/neil-marshal-black-sails-pilot-starz/feed/1http://screenrant.com/september-2012-movies-preview/ http://screenrant.com/september-2012-movies-preview/#commentsWed, 29 Aug 2012 15:37:07 +0000John Hanlonhttp://screenrant.com/?p=201326

The fall 2012 film season has finally arrived. The summer blockbusters have come and gone. During the next few months, viewers will now be treated to some of the smaller movies that could win big come awards season ' though films like The Hobbit and James Bond's Skyfall will still deliver the blockbuster experience.

Two of the most highly-anticipated movies of the year will arrive in September with director Paul Thomas Anderson releasing The Master, his first movie since the Oscar-winning film There Will be Blood (2007), and Clint Eastwood returning to acting in Trouble with the Curve. Eastwood hasn't appeared in a film since Gran Torino in 2008, so there's much anticipation about his new project. PTA's return to the director's chair and Eastwood's return to acting are only two of the ...

Click to continue reading 10 Movies We're Looking Forward To: September 2012

]]> http://screenrant.com/september-2012-movies-preview/feed/12http://screenrant.com/open-discussion-august-29-2012/ http://screenrant.com/open-discussion-august-29-2012/#commentsWed, 29 Aug 2012 12:23:30 +0000Vic Holtremanhttp://screenrant.com/?p=198774

As usual ' talk about whatever you like as long as it's related to movies, TV or Screen Rant itself ' just remember to play nice.

Click to continue reading Open Discussion ' August 29, 2012

]]> http://screenrant.com/open-discussion-august-29-2012/feed/29http://screenrant.com/batman-the-dark-knight-returns-first-clip/ http://screenrant.com/batman-the-dark-knight-returns-first-clip/#commentsWed, 29 Aug 2012 05:49:42 +0000Robert Yaniz Jr.http://screenrant.com/?p=202525

Among hardcore comic book fans, there are few tales as memorable and iconic as The Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller's 1986 contribution to the Batman mythos (even Christopher Nolan's epic trilogy capper The Dark Knight Rises borrowed several plot points and themes from Miller's work). Which is why it's no surprise that the story is in the process of being adapted as a two-part animated film.

Although we've already seen the film's trailer, Warner Bros.' first clip from  Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 offers a glimpse into the aesthetic and tone of the project. The animation looks like a more modern incarnation of the classic 1990s Batman: The Animated Series.

Bruce Timm ' who served as a writer on B:TAS and has remained involved with Batman's animated ...

Click to continue reading First Clip from 'The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1' Animated Movie

]]> http://screenrant.com/batman-the-dark-knight-returns-first-clip/feed/12

First Clip from 'The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1' Animated Movie

Among hardcore comic book fans, there are few tales as memorable and iconic as The Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller's 1986 contribution to the Batman mythos (even Christopher Nolan's epic trilogy capper The Dark Knight Rises borrowed several plot points and themes from Miller's work). Which is why it's no surprise that the story is in the process of being adapted as a two-part animated film.

Although we've already seen the film's trailer, Warner Bros.' first clip from  Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 offers a glimpse into the aesthetic and tone of the project. The animation looks like a more modern incarnation of the classic 1990s Batman: The Animated Series.

Bruce Timm ' who served as a writer on B:TAS and has remained involved with Batman's animated adventures ' is executive producing the film with original RoboCop Peter Weller as the aged Caped Crusader himself.

For those Bat-fans who haven't read the graphic novel on which this film is based, here's the official synopsis:

It's been a decade since Bruce Wayne hung up his cape, following most of the other superheroes who had been forced into retirement. Facing the downside of middle age, a restless Bruce Wayne pacifies his frustration with race cars and liquor ' but the bat still beckons as he watches his city fall prey to gangs of barbaric criminals known as The Mutants.

The return of Harvey Dent as Two-Face finally prompts Wayne to once again don the Dark Knight's cowl, and his dramatic capture of the villain returns him to crime-fighting ' simultaneously making him the target of law enforcement and the new hope for a desolate Gotham City. Particularly inspired is a teenage girl named Carrie, who adopts the persona of Robin and ultimately saves Batman from a brutal attack by the Mutant leader. Armed with a new sidekick, and re-energized with a definitive purpose, the Dark Knight returns to protect Gotham from foes new'and old.

Longtime fans and comic book aficionados will likely rejoice that this story is being adapted, but newbies to this particular Batman story may feel a sense of déjà vu, given the noticeable parallels between this film and The Dark Knight Rises. Even the Gotham police officers' reaction to Batman's sudden reappearance is almost identical to the one in Rises.

Whether or not this animated incarnation lives up to the hype, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 is likely to be as divisive a film for the geek community as Zack Snyder's Watchmen, with some praising the loyalty to the source material (the lack of a squid notwithstanding) and others criticizing its comparative shallowness.

What do you think, Screen Rant readers? Judging by this clip, is The Dark Knight Returns getting the treatment it deserves?

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 25th. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 will follow in early 2013.

Joss Whedon To Write & Direct ABC's 'SHIELD' TV Pilot

It only took five days after The Avengers opened in North American theaters for Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger to announce that a sequel would be in development, but it took three months the secure Joss Whedon's return as the writer and director. As part of the deal, Joss Whedon will be working with Marvel Studios for the next three years where he will help oversee Phase Two of the Marvel cinematic universe.

The unexpected part of the agreement is that Whedon would also be developing a live-action Marvel TV series for ABC, one which we can now safely say will be based on the S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) organization.

After Disney released the official statement regarding Whedon's involvement with the future of the franchise, we put together a list of 10 Marvel Comics properties that Whedon could potentially develop for the small screen. Of the suggestions, only two really made sense, one more than the other.

There was Runaways, a series Whedon actually wrote several issues for and one that was about ready to begin shooting last spring for a theatrical release this year alongside The Avengers with Peter Sollett directing. And there was our number one choice, SHIELD, a show that would follow the secretive organization that helped rally the superheroes introduced in the films thus far. This is what I said at the time:

With Whedon's show taking place in the same continuity as the films, and SHIELD being a part of all of them in some way, there are plenty of opportunities to have the show and movies promote each other. Just think of the guest appearance possibilities. Better yet, if the Helicarrier were to be used, Marvel Studios already has the sets and digital assets constructed from The Avengers film production. Adding credence to this rumor is Deadline's scoop from a few weeks ago indicating that Marvel's TV division has a 'a kernel of an idea' that they're talking with ABC about, one that would be set in the film universe but wouldn't star any of its characters. Its described as a 'high-concept cop show' and was 'referred to as Shield.' Coincidence?

For more discussion and thoughts on the series, check out episode 52 of the Screen Rant Undeground podcast.

Deadline has the confirmation that their initial scoop was correct and SHIELD is on its way to becoming a reality. Production will begin right away with Whedon co-writing the project with his brother Jed Whedon and Jed's wife Maurissa Tancharoen (sister of Mortal Kombat savior Kevin Tancharoen), both of whom Joss worked with on Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog and Dollhouse.

The plan is for Joss Whedon to direct the pilot of SHIELD as well for the series that has a safer bet of lasting more than his previous television endeavors simply due to the nature of his involvement in the bigger picture plans of the studio. The show will not star the core characters of The Avengers but cameo appearances are very likely, especially in positioning the series to be set in the same universe. What this means is that as each of the films leading up to The Avengers debut, we could potentially see the series dealing with the events taking place in each of the film's stories. Expect Disney to take full advantage of cross-promotional opportunities.

While the idea of basing a show around SHIELD allows the series to practically explore all facets of the Marvel Comics universe in terms of characters and stories, we're very curious as to what Whedon's specific plans are. By signing the three-year exclusivity deal with Marvel Studios to helm The Avengers 2, it seems that this TV show is Whedon's reward of sorts for climbing aboard and we are excited at the potential and curious as to how much the show will actually integrate with the films.

SHIELD beats out Guillermo del Toro's in-development The Incredible Hulk show for ABC as the first live-action Marvel series to get the official green light. The last we heard on the Hulk front, just prior to Whedon's signing, was that del Toro is waiting on a certain unnamed writer's schedule to free up before they revise the screenplay.

Iron Man 3 releases May 3, 2013, Thor: The Dark World on November 8, 2013, Captain America: The Winter Soldier on April 4, 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy on August 1, 2014 and The Avengers 2 on May 1, 2015.

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Follow Rob on Twitter @rob_keyes.

Source: Deadline

Open Discussion ' August 29, 2012

As usual ' talk about whatever you like as long as it's related to movies, TV or Screen Rant itself ' just remember to play nice.

Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci to Produce 'Dragonology' Movie

Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are busy guys. The Hollywood power duo are producing and writing next year's Star Trek 2, have signed on to write and executive produce The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and are also developing reboots of both The Mummy and Van Helsing franchises.

Oh yeah. And they're also producing the upcoming heist thriller Now You See Me, the sci-fi literature adaptation Ender's Game, and the upcoming Fox TV series Sleepy Hollow. Phew ' just typing it all out is making me tired.

Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the pair are adding one more project to their plate: an adaptation of the popular children's book series, Dragonology. The series, which included 12 books and a series of board games and toys, is a fake non-fiction-style manual about dragons written by Dr. Ernest Drake, a 19th century 'dragonologist' and member of the Secret and Ancient Society of Dragonologists (S.A.S.D.).

The movie will reportedly focus on 'a team of dragonologists who embark on a quest to avert a plot to use the world's remaining dragons to wipe out humanity.'

Universal got started on the project in 2008, with screenwriter Leonard Hartman drafting the first screenplay. With Orci and Kurtzman on board, the movie will get a new screenwriter and Hartman will move into an executive producer role.

Orci and Kurtzman have been involved in a number of box office hits from Star Trek to Transformers. Perhaps Dragonology will be the next blockbuster for the pair. After all, dragons have always been a staple of the fantasy genre (from Smaug in The Hobbit to the lovable Toothless in How to Train Your Dragon) and, as far as concepts go, Dragonology sounds like a pretty solid bet for a big-budget family adventure film.

The first Dragonology book came out in 2003, which means that most of the original readers are likely now in their late teens or early twenties. Were you a fan of the Dragonology books as a kid? If so, share your thoughts on this news in the comments.

Stay tuned for more Dragonology movie news.

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Source: The Hollywood Reporter

 

Paul Verhoeven: The 'Total Recall' Remake 'Was Not Good'

The original Total Recall - directed by Paul Verhoeven (RoboCop) and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger at the top of his game ' was so financially and critically successful, it's a wonder there was never a sequel. By contrast, the remake starring Colin Farrell will be lucky to make its money back.

Last Friday, there was a screening for the 1990 version of Recall at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood with Verhoeven in attendance, and during a Q&A, the director said, among other things, that the remake 'was not good.'

Courtesy of MovieLine, check out his entire statement:

'Arnold being [in the original 'Total Recall'] made the movie a little light, and I think that's very important for these Philip Dick stories. I think if it would have been done in a straight way, I'm not so sure that it would have worked ' at least, not at that time. And recently [in the 'Total Recall' remake], it did not. I get to say that because the producer of the new one said that [the original] was cheesy or something. And Colin Farrell called it in an interview 'kitschy.' So I dare to say that his version was not good.'

In fact, producers Toby Jaffe and Neal Moritz told our very own Rob Keyes:

Neal: It's funny, though. I remember loving the [the original 'Total Recall'], and I did love the movie when I saw it, and when we started to embark on this, when we were getting the rights, we watched the movie again, like we love the movie, but we didn't realize how cheesy it was today. But when we saw it originally, it wasn't cheesy.

Toby: Yeah, it shows you how everything is sort of'

Neal: Evolved.

Toby: 'relative to the context in which you see it. I mean, back then it was incredibly fresh and cool, and when you look at it today the whole filmmaking process has evolved so much that a lot of those sets and production design, and even the effects are rudimentary.

In fairness, it's easy to see why a producer might call Total Recall cheesy by today's standards. It is, without a doubt, an over-the-top film. But then, that wasn't really an accident on Verhoeven's part ' the film, in some ways, is a satire of the typical Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle (e.g. Commando).

And the special effects, while perhaps not realistic, were and are effective to this day, in this writer's opinion. Few effects in all of special effects history seem quite as bizarre and unnervingly organic as Cohaagen's eyeballs protruding out of his head as a result of being exposed to the open Martian atmosphere. It's the sort of strange organic look that CGI has yet to be able to convincingly replicate, despite countless attempts (see: 1982's The Thing VS. 2011's The Thing). If there's an uncanny valley for digital eyeballs, then there's definitely an uncanny valley for weird, gooey, computer-generated gore.

Cohaagen's death scene in 'Total Recall' (1990)

The Total Recall re-do is just the latest remake to disappoint at the box office. In the past few years, remakes have disappointed far more often than not, including the aforementioned The Thing (a prequel/remake hybrid), Fright Night, Arthur, Straw Dogs, and a whole host of horror movies. Will the upcoming Red Dawn or The Evil Dead manage to break the trend and make bank? Only time will tell.

Make sure to head over to MovieLine to read the full (and very interesting) Q&A with Paul Verhoeven, where he talks about the 1990 Total Recall and much, much more.

The Total Recall remake is currently number 15 at the box office.

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Follow me on Twitter @benandrewmoore.

Source: MovieLine

'Prometheus' Concept Art Reveals Alternate Creature Design

Ridley Scott's Prometheus, at one point among the most highly anticipated films of 2012, has come to rest somewhere in the middle ' with its fair share of adoring fans and annoyed detractors. Contentious to say the least, Prometheus' story (scripted by Damon Lindelof and Jon Spaihts) presented a few inconsistencies that it left audiences questioning the little details.

But what if Ridley Scott and co. had been as thoughtful about the production and its lofty themes as we'd hope for? What if Scott had planned out several of the film's key scenes so many times that he had back-up scenarios upon back-up scenarios? While we can't say that was true about the entire film, we can confirm that one scene from Prometheus ' occurring about midway through the film ' could have played out a few different ways.

From here on out a few specifics from the film's second act are going to need to be spoiled, so those who have yet to see Prometheus should turn back now.

About a third of the way through the film, Prometheus' geologist Fifield and biologist Milburn encounter a worm that has been genetically mutated by the film's mysterious black goop. Milburn, being of a curious and scientific mind, puts his head close enough to the worm that it is able to attack and kill him. Fifield on the other hand, is not so lucky, and is horribly scarred by some sort of corrosive fluid.

A few scenes pass by before the surviving members of the research vessel come to discover Fifield's new visage, a mutated collection of skin, muscle, and hair; but when they do he's hell-bent to kill them all. In the actual film, through the use of practical make-up, Fifield looks like this:

But in case the practical make-up didn't 'work' on the day or look believable in editing, Ridley Scott had several CGI versions of the character to use as back-ups. As we already know, the practical version of Fifield won out, but CineFX has obtained some concept art that shows how the character would have looked in CGI form.

It's not necessarily a far stretch from the practical version, but the CGI Fifield looks much more alien (not Alien) than the production might have intended. The melted face idea is there, but these CGI creations would have given some audience members the impression Fifield had become an entirely new creature, or worse, made them wonder who this random alien attacking the crew was. And since they were already struggling to understand the Engineers that would have compounded the problem even further.

We're glad to see that Scott, a pioneer in sci-fi filmmaking, stuck to his guns and kept the practical effects in, but it's also interesting to see how other versions of the mutation could have played out.

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Source: CineFX (via Bloody Disgusting)

 

'Justice League': Ben Affleck NOT Directing; Wachowskis Being Considered?

While the first phase of DC Entertainment's Justice League plans don't truly begin until after Zack Snyder's Superman reboot The Man of Steel releases, fans are already chomping at the bit to know how the DC superhero team-up movie might play out. We've seen several different rumors pop up over the course of the month ' including a discussion about whether or not Joseph Gordon-Levitt should assume the Batman role ' but the most intriguing has been DC's reported courting of Ben Affleck to direct Justice League.

Unfortunately, though, those rumors about Affleck directing weren't true ' he was never planning on the directing the film, and news of him doing so were purely rumor-filled gossip. That same rumor mill is now churning with word that several other high-profile directors are in the running for the Justice League director's chair. Read on to find out who.

In an interview with 24 Hours Vancouver, Affleck confirmed he is not set to helm The Justice League, but says it sounds 'really exciting':

'I'm not working on the Justice League. One of the problems with entertainment web sites is that they need to fill pages, and that's how rumours get started'Justice League sounds really exciting, but it's not something I'm working on.'

Like Marvel's Avengers, it appeared that DC was looking for a proven director to assume control over what should be a very prized property. Affleck's connections to the role of Superman in the biopic Hollywoodland were only slight, but his skills as a director were nothing to scoff at, and his newest film, Argo, looks to be a serious awards season contender. That's all to say: it's something of shame that this rumor didn't pan out.

Dreams of Christopher Nolan (who has numerous times said he is uninterested), Guillermo Del Toro, or Brad Bird directing the film have already begun to manafest, but for now we know as much as fans do, which is pretty little. During the Warner Bros. panel at Comic-Con, Man of Steel director Zack Snyder suggested that the success of his superhero film would determine the future of more DC Comics properties, saying that after they get Superman's 'house in order' anything is possible.

And as it stands with Justice League, some of those 'possibilities' for a director are apparently more likely than others'

NEXT PAGE: New Justice League Director Rumors'

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'The Wolf of Wall Street' Set Photos: Leonardo DiCaprio As Jordan Belfort

Any time Martin Scorsese begins production on a new film, it's worth paying attention to, especially when that project involves frequent collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio. The duo's forthcoming The Wolf of Wall Street has only been filming for a few weeks now, but today we've got set photos featuring Leo's character, a New York stockbroker who refuses to succumb to Wall Street-based corruption.

Given the money mogul nature of the role, we wouldn't expect anything less than DiCaprio sporting a slick-backed hairdo and a neatly pressed suit (of course, he also sports those things on a daily basis). In the photos snapped from The Wolf of Wall Street's set, we see DiCaprio hailing a cab and looking extremely concerned.

That constant over-the-shoulder looks might have something to do with his character laundering $200 million from the same folks who wanted him to back a mob-based corruption. It's somewhat familiar territory for director Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed), but this film puts an interesting spin on it.

The Wolf of Wall Street uses the memoir of Jordan Belfort as its basis, with DiCaprio playing the author. Belfort was a major player on Wall Street ' his firm served as the basis for the Vin Diesel film The Boiler Room - and went on to commit many of the crimes that will take place over the course of the Scorsese's film.

Check out the set photos courtesy of Celebuzz:

Since teaming up with Scorsese for 2002's Gangs of New York, 'Marty and Leo' have made four feature films together ' most of them critically acclaimed, and some of them ' like 2006's The Departed - received Academy Awards. Their last collaboration, Shutter Island (2011), was the duo's first collaboration since Departed, but now it appears they're getting the band back together.

Joining DiCaprio for The Wolf of Wall Street will be Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Margot Robbie, Cristin Milioti, and Oscar winner Jean Dujardin in one of his first English-speaking roles.

The Wolf of Wall Street will hit theaters in 2013.

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Source: Celebuzz

'Premium Rush' Star and Director Talk NYC Bicycle Culture & Survival Skills

The new thriller Premium Rush  (read our review) offers something that most other films in the genre don't: a look at the frantic and often dangerous world of New York city bike messaging. As star Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character (Wilee ' 'The Coyote Man') points out at the onset: bike messengers work within the punishing gauntlet of NYC street traffic, face nearly impossible deadlines, and are pretty much reviled by much of the citizenry, who consider them annoyances on two wheels. If that all wasn't enough, Wilee is handed a parcel that puts him in the crosshairs of some very bad people, turning an already hazardous job into a life-or-death race across town.

In our interview with Gordon-Levitt and Premium Rush writer/director David Koepp, we discussed the fascinating sub-culture the film explores, and the very real hazards of trying to film a movie in the streets of New York City.

The last few years have seen Joseph Gordon-Levitt's star rise considerably, thanks to starring turns in acclaimed dramas like 50/50, blockbuster behemoths like Inception and The Dark Knight Rises, promising genre fare like upcoming sci-fi film Looper - and, of course, Premium Rush. Koepp, on the other hand, has a long and famous track record, both writing scripts for films like Mission: Impossible, Carlito's Way, Spider-Man and Jurassic Park, and directing genre fare like Stir of Echoes and Secret Window.

However, despite the collective experience of the star and director, Premium Rush definitely presented some new filmmaking challenges and experiences ' not least of which was trying to construct a movie that uses the bustling streets of The Big Apple as its playground.

Dania Ramirez in 'Premium Rush'

SCREEN RANT: So much of this movie takes place in actual New York City streets ' what was it like trying to film in one of the busiest and most congested cities in the world?

DAVID KOEPP: 'We got huge cooperation from the city and the cops and still it wasn't nearly enough. It was really ambitious: We were on the streets ' I think we shot for fifty-one days, with thirty days of second unit ' I think that there were maybe three days of [interior shoots]. The rest was all on the streets ' and not on the sidewalk, you know? Moving, on the streets. We'd had this genius moronic idea of having all [the characters'] conversations be on phones, while moving through different parts of the city ' you never had just two people in a room talking; like, never.

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT: [Interrupting] Which was fun for me.

DK: It's fun! But it takes some planning [Laughs with Levitt]. It was a challenge.

SR: Did you ever fear the wrath of New Yorkers who might be a bit peeved that your production was, say, holding up traffic?

DK: Yeah! One thing I did when I started screening it in New York ' the first thing I'd do to the audience is I'd apologize. I'd say, 'I'm sure that 50% of you were inconvenienced by this production at one point or another, and thank you for your patience.' [Laughs]

Not everyone was patient, you know? People lost their sh*t on us. There was one time some pedestrian got mad at a [production assistant] because the PA wouldn't let him cross the street ' which was a good decision, because we were barreling down it and we would've hit him. So the guy head-butted the PA and broke his nose and put him jail ' I mean in prison (I was thinking of where this guy should go) ' wait, not prison, or jail - the hospital. So he breaks the PA's nose because the guy tried to protect him, and I thought, 'This is so outrageous!' It's like if someone was building a building on the corner, and they asked you to cross the street so you didn't get hit by the crane ' you wouldn't get angry with them! Movies are part of the New York economy' I don't know' That guy made me a little upset. Then the 'New York Post' ' god bless 'em ' wrote an editorial: 'It's About Time Somebody Hit One of These Movies in the Nose.' I'm like, 'It's a felony!' I don't know'

SR: Good 'ol New York.

DK & JGL: [Laughing]

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Dania Ramirez in 'Premium Rush'

SR: Let's talk about New York City bikers and maybe what attracted you both to exploring this particular sub-culture.

DK: Honestly, I was attracted to the images before the sub-culture. I was attracted to the idea of a guy on a bike going from the far Upper West Side to far Lower East Side, because I hadn't seen that before. The idea of putting cameras in traffic, in the point of view of a bike, and moving as fast as we possibly could, I thought was really exciting. And then, pretty soon, logically that [character] becomes a messenger because you don't just want somebody out for a pleasure ride ' you want somebody with purpose. And then [bike messengers] just turned out to be a fascinating species. They're really interesting people who are driven and have a real ethos; they want to ride their bike, if they get paid to ride their bike that's great, but also it is a culture, you know? It's like their lifestyle choice: that bikes are better than cars, and moving around by bike is the right thing to do. So I found it all pretty fascinating.

SR: Joseph, in preparing to play Wilee did you focus more on the physical challenge, or were you concerned with immersing yourself in the culture as well?

JGL: Both. I mean I had to spend probably more time physically ' just to make sure that I was going to be in shape and able to do twelve-hour work days on a bike and not make the crew wait for me to catch my breath. I did a lot of that training at home in LA for six weeks, but once I got [to New York] ' because there aren't really bike messengers in LA; it doesn't work, LA is too sprawled out ' once I got here I made friends with a few guys who did it, and I would echo what David said: I was struck by the fact that there really is an ethic to it.

I found  a lot of environmentalism, a lot of wanting to support local commerce ' a real conscious and positive and progressive way of thinking about life. All of which stemmed from the simple love of riding a bike, which probably comes from when they were kids, well before they were thinking about any of this stuff. But it's true that if more people rode bikes and fewer people drove cars, the world would be better for it. And I would certainly hope that if people coming out of this movie are itching to ride a bike, then it's certainly done a good thing.

SR: Do you have any crazy stories or anecdotes about what you experienced while riding around with actual bike messengers in the city?

JGL: I mean, I think it was more just riding around, seeing the city. I have four doubles in this movie ' there's five of us who play Wilee. It's me; Austin, who is a real bike messenger and one of the fastest ' if not THE fastest ' in the world; a Hollywood stuntman whose job it was to get hit by cars; then there was one guy who is really good on a track bike and one guy who was really good on a trial bike. So five of us. And just riding around town with Austin, and sort of getting a sense of, 'Oh, this is what a Saturday is like,' when it's all centered around the love of riding a bike around ' it's a different kind of Saturday. It really does put your focus on the journey more than the destination ' and it does make you focus on the city itself, and the communities of people in that city. Riding around Manhattan and Brooklyn is mostly where we would go, and you end up in cool places you wouldn't have ended up otherwise. Sorry if that's not specific.

SR: David, how did you come up with the idea for the 'biker vision' technique used in the film? And what was it like trying construct those sequences?

DK: We called in the script and prep 'Bike-o-vision' ' which we trademarked with a little '',' not that it means anything. But the idea was to have a cinematic way to illustrate those split-second decisions that you make when you're coming up to an intersection. When we were getting ready to write the script, I got my bike out and rode around ' but I rode around as I felt those guys did. And I only wanted to do it once ' because, you know, I got kids and I'm not that good on it ' but [the bike messengers']  self-defense skills are so highand you can't do that if you don't know how to do it.

But I rode around and just thought 'don't stop,' so I'd run lights and what not. As you approach an intersection I noticed that your senses ' it's like rock climbing, when you're not thinking about anything else ' there's nothing else from your day, you're just thinking about that hand-hold. And as you approach an intersection and you know you're going through, your eyes are darting around and soaking up so much information; you're getting reflections off the car next to you that let's you know there's a guy coming from there; you're looking at a pedestrian and you're thinking, 'he's hesitating and he's texting ' does that mean he's about to turnaround and go the other way? Or is he going to keep coming this way?' And I thought that was one of the most cinematic things I'd ever seen in my head. How to get that onto film was the challenge. So we came up with 'Bike-o-vision'' Then trying to get that into reality, it was just a logistical nightmare.

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Premium Rush is now playing in theaters.

'The Way, Way Back' Set Photo: Steve Carell VS. Sam Rockwell

Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, while not exactly household names, have had a presence in TV and movies since the late '90s. The writing pair even earned themselves an Oscar for last year's The Descendants, directed by Alexander Payne and starring George Clooney.

This year, Rash and Faxon are doing themselves one better by both writing and directing The Way, Way Back, a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of a Boston vacation community. We hadn't heard much about the project's progress lately, but now we have a new set photo that teases a confrontational scene between stars Steve Carell and Sam Rockwell.

Rash (who is perhaps best known for playing the Dean on Community) and Faxon (who is set to star in the upcoming Fox series Ben and Kate) have been trying to get The Way, Way Back off the ground for several years ' it appeared on the Black List back in 2007 ' but a revolving door of directors failed to make that happen. It wasn't until the project ended up in the hands of producer Kevin Walsh that Rash and Faxon were actually able to step forward and assume the directors' chair(s).

And now the film is nearing completion, while still struggling to balance the grueling schedules of two TV stars. Rash and Faxon hope to take it to festivals and see how it plays if they can get a decent cut of the film together after production.

The film itself ' not to be confused with the Colin Farrell film The Way Back - follows a teenager summering at a New England community with his mother (Toni Collette). Over the course of this coming-of-age film, the young teenager befriends a water park manager (played by Sam Rockwell) who, based on the photo, must at some point be at odds with Steve Carrell (who plays the obnoxious boyfriend of Collete's character).

Rash and Faxon say a lot of the film's narrative comes from their own experiences vacationing in the Carolinas and New England. Rash says that specific scenes were pulled directly from the two's younger years, though they feature a few embellishments for film entertainment's sake.

After scoring big with their work on The Descendants, Rash and Faxon should certainly have an easier time selling this movie than they would have before. While both will go their separate ways on their respective TV series, they plan to continue collaborating and hopefully get The Way, Way Back into theaters soon.

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Source: NY Times

Movie News Wrap Up: August 25th, 2012

This week:

Marianne Jean-Baptiste sees the future of law enforcement in RoboCop; Winona Ryder joins Jason Statham in Homefront; Sam Claflin is Finnick in Catching Fire; Adrian Brody revs up for Motor City; and Todd Phillips bets on The Gambler. 

 

Oscar nominee, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, has snagged a role in director Jose Padilha's RoboCop remake.

According to Variety:

'Jean-Baptiste will portray the character of Detroit Police Chief, Karen Dean.'

The remake of Paul Verhoeven's 1987 film, which stars Joel Kinnaman, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman and maybe Clive Owen, starts shooting in Toronto next month.

This has a good cast, but will it be able to match the original? Doubtful, although I might give it a pass if someone asks the question, 'Can you fly, Bobby?'.

Source: Variety

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Winona Ryder is in negotiations to join the cast of the Sylvester Stallone scripted Homefront.

Jason Statham and James Franco star in the film, which is set to be directed by Gary Fleder.

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

'The project, based on a book by Chuck Logan, centers on a an ex-DEA agent (Statham) who moves to a small town in the hope of a quiet life but runs afoul of a villainous meth kingpin named Gator (Franco). Ryder will play a former biker chick partnered with Franco.'

Frankly, there has been a dearth of Ryder movies over the last decade, so it'll be good to see her back on the big screen.

Source: THR

 

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Sam Claflin has been cast in the role of Finnick in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Here's a character description for the uninitiated:

'Charismatic and clever, Finnick was a District 4 Hunger Games victor when he was fourteen.'

Claflin has been on the cusp of stardom for some time, having been cast in Snow White and the Huntsman and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Will this role push him over the edge?

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Adrian Brody looks set to replace Gary Oldman in Motor City.

According to Variety:

'The film follows a felon who, after being released from prison, begins tracking down the men who framed him.'

Gerard Butler stars in the Joel Silver-produced film which will be directed by Albert Hughes.

It sounds like generic action/thriller fare, but hey ' you never know.

Source: Variety

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It looks like Martin Scorsese knows when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. The director has dropped out of directing the remake of the 1974 drama, The Gambler. However, the big news is that he's going to be replaced by The Hangover director Todd Phillips!

 

The Hollywood Reporter writes:

'William Monahan wrote the screenplay, which centers on a UCLA literature professor with a gambling problem who runs afoul of gangsters.'

James Caan starred in the original, and it looked like Leonardo DiCaprio was going to take the lead when Scorsese was in the director's chair, but that no longer appears to be the case.

Who could replace him '  Robert Downey Jr? Bradley Cooper? Zach Galifianakis?

Source: THR

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That's it for now. See you at the movies.

'The Hole' Trailer: Unleash Your Deepest Fears in 3D

Trailers for Joe Dante's The Hole have been circulating the Internet for years. Now that the film is finally being released stateside ' the film first screened in 2009 ' Bold Films has released one more.

The Hole's story centers on two siblings and a neighbor who discover a mysteriously locked trap door in the siblings' new home. Of course, being mischievous children in a horror movie, they unlock the door and discover what horrors the mysterious hole contains.

Joe Dante's vision for The Hole is actually quite unique and doesn't revolve so much around the idea of a bottomless pit, but rather what the pit unleashes. However, the film is being touted as a 3D release, so we wouldn't be surprised if the Gremlins director pulled a few 3D-specific tricks on the audience ' like the shot of nails falling toward the camera.

On the other hand, the idea that the hole keeps hidden all of a person's biggest fears could make for some serious scares, something Dante is more than comfortable with. Shots and sequences in The Hole's trailer run the gamut of creepy iconography - from clowns to (zombie?) children to mysterious shadows. Basically, if it's a scary movie trope, it'll likely be in this film.

And to make things even more loony, there's a character (played by Bruce Dern) that looks suspiciously similar to Doc Brown from Back to the Future. We're sure it's purely coincidental that a white-haired scientist capable of explaining the majority of the film's plot ' who likes to wear a hefty pair of glasses on his head ' is in no way meant to resemble the Christopher Lloyd character.

Joe Dante's proclivity for more family-friendly fare as of late has been permeated by a few horror nods here and there ' most notably on two episodes of Masters of Horror ' but The Hole is a chance for him to return to his roots. Since his 1978 cult classic Piranha has already been given its own 3D remake, why can't Dante take a crack at the new technology telling an altogether different story?

The Hole is out in theaters on September 28, 2012 and stars Terio Polo (Little Fockers), Nathan Gamble, Chris Massoglia, and Haley Bennet.

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Source: Yahoo

Cameron Crowe Adapting Drug Addiction Memoir 'Beautiful Boy'

After staying out of the director's chair for nearly six years, it appears that Cameron Crowe is finally getting back into his groove. While the noted Almost Famous and Jerry Maguire director has consistently displayed a tendency to pick up ' and subsequently drop ' projects, his notoriety as a unique writer/director is always worth paying attention to.

Crowe's latest project is Beautiful Boy, based on the non-fiction book of the same name. Along with directing the feature film adaptation, Crowe is looking to write the script, which will reportedly incorporate both Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction and a memoir by Nic Sheff titled Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamines as its source material.

For those not in the know, A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction follows a David Sheff's experience dealing with his son's addiction, while Tweak is told from the son's perspective. Obviously, Crowe wants to chronicle how the entire family dealt with this serious issue.

Oscar winner Steve Zaillian was originally tasked with writing the Beautiful Boy script, with Paramount producing, but that's no longer the case. The Wrap reports that Crowe's film will now be backed by Plan B and New Regency.

As was mentioned, Crowe has several projects set to either shoot or enter pre-production in the next year, including Deep Tiki with Emma Stone. That project is reported to start shooting in Hawaii as soon as it finds its male lead, but could be placed on the backburner as Crowe adapts Michael Chabon's 'Telegraph Avenue' for HBO. Like we said, Crowe is a very busy man.

'Beautiful Boy' author David Sheff and son Nic

Since first exploding onto the Hollywood scene with an adaptation of his own novel Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Crowe has consistently been known to deliver films that are as socially conscious as they are heartwarming. His most recent film, We Bought a Zoo, signaled a return to form for the director, and dealt with weighty issues (death and loss) while still retaining a family-friendly sense of humor.

Beautiful Boy's heavy subject matter should make for a more dramatic film, but if there's anyone we'd trust to keep us thinking, laughing, and crying all at the same time it'd be Crowe.

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Source: The Wrap

'Boss' Season 2, Episode 2: 'Through And Through' Recap

After enduring attacks from basically everyone with an iota of power in last season's finale, Tom Kane (Kelsey Grammer) has proven he is still a rather popular target by narrowly dodging (?) a bullet at his groundbreaking ceremony for the O'Hare expansion that was to be a significant part of his mayoral legacy. In the wake of the shooting, Boss takes a step back so that Kane can rebuild his office, and, perhaps scraps of his personal life, too, in 'Through and Through.'

Boss is that kind of show where the portent of doom hangs over every episode, so much so that it's expected for any of the characters to have some kind of run in or brush with death. Though one might think that would limit the chances for surprise in the series, it actually works to the show's advantage by allowing the writers to craft some kind of meaningful story or dialogue around something as tragic as an assassin's bullet nearly killing the mayor's wife.

Unlike other programs that rely on characters checking in and out of the hospital and treat life-threatening wounds like they're no more serious than a particularly bad paper cut, Boss actually succeeds in building some suspense around the chances for Meredith (Connie Nielsen) to recover. This allows for Grammer to stretch Kane's otherwise pitiless demeanor into something more akin to the man he may have once been.

There was a flash of Kane and Meredith as a more fully functional political power couple in the season premiere, where Meredith stepped in for some last minute seat arrangements that would promote a more harmonic flow amongst those in attendance of the O'Hare expansion groundbreaking. The two spoke in the manner of those who were intimately acquainted, and yet there was little in the way of anger, considering what had recently transpired between them ' let alone what had been transpiring for the past few years. It was the kind of comfort one gets over the passage of time that movies and television have told us sometimes happens in arranged marriages. And while Tom and Meredith's marriage may not have been arranged in the typical sense, it has been intimated that their union was meant more as an investment in their political future than it was stemming from any sense of true love or commitment.

That is why it's so refreshing to see Kane on the precipice of an uncertainty that has nothing to do with his condition, or his political future and legacy. While Meredith's life hangs in the balance, so, too, does Kane's chance at crafting that redemptive ending to his story that has begun to be his driving force. And in his moment of uncertainty, Kane is forced to lean on those he may not have been ready to, after the betrayal he suffered at the hands of Kitty (Kathleen Robertson) and Ezra (Martin Donovan).

Enter Ian Todd (Jonothan Groff), whose teary-eyed exit from the mayor's office seemed to have doomed him from the permanent position he'd been seeking. But with a renewed sense of purpose after Meredith's shooting, Ian makes it his number one priority to see that Kane takes him seriously. Beyond helping Kane give Kitty the cold shoulder, Ian orchestrates a brilliant little manipulation of Emma (Hannah Ware) that will get her out of prison and back under the watchful eye of her father ' which Ian spins as the best way possible to get revenge on him for throwing her under the bus. This should also be a bright spot in the season, as the possibility of Hannah and Kane under the same roof will likely have all sorts of grand implications, considering the penchant the family shares for prescription drugs and all sorts of illegal dealings.

That's basically what 'Through and Through' is about: Building on the potential for the season 2 storylines. While Meredith is cementing her place as something meaningful in Kane's life simply through the possibility of her being removed from it, Hannah and Ian are ' in their own special way ' making themselves readily available for Kane's inevitable verbal abuse and villainy.

Perhaps most important, however, is the way Kane manages to wrangle Mona Fredricks (Sanaa Lathan) from the lecherous grasp of Alderman Ross (James Vincent Meredith). After suffering a loss at the hands of Kane last season, Ross springs to action once word of Meredith's shooting presents him with an opportunity for some political grandstanding. Ross also believes this is the time for him to force a vote on the Lennox Gardens initiative. With Kane temporarily out of the picture, how could he possibly lose, right? Unfortunately for Ross, Kane shows up just in time to put the alderman down once more and convince Fredricks if she wants to make a real difference, she'd best partner up with the only guy who has the power to force such change. It doesn't take long for Fredricks to realize that all she's really doing is trading one devil for another, but given the amount of time Kane gives her to make the decision, it does feel a little like she just sold her soul.

Though mostly dowsed in melodrama, the episode does have two stand out moments. One where Kane realizes McGantry (Daniel J. Travanti) had weaseled his way into seeing Meredith before he could, and the morphine addled question Meredith asks her husband: Was he responsible for her being shot?

So far, Boss is creating a cohesive season by circling its wagons, but we'll have to wait and see if a drama that is more unified and intimate comes from such a move.

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Boss continues next Friday with 'Ablution' @9pm on Starz.

Jason Momoa Cast As the Villain in David Hayter's 'Wolves'

X-Men and Watchmen writer David Hayter has been trying to jump behind the director's chair for quite some time and, despite his prominence in screenwriting and video games (he's the voice of Solid Snake in the Metal Gear Solid franchise), he has yet to make that happen.

His passion project Wolves has been in development for the better part of three years, but now, thanks to the casting of the film's villain, it's finally about to start shooting.

The film has already secured a lead in X-Men: First Class' Lucas Till and a potential love interest in Merritt Patterson (Kyle X/Y), and now it Jason Momoa has been cast as the villain. Perhaps best known for his role as Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones' first season ' followed by his portrayal of Conan the barbarian in Conan the Barbarian - Momoa will certainly look the part as the leader of a pack of werewolves.

Hayter's script follows a teenage werewolf named Caleb Richards who has been accused of murdering his parents and must go on the run. While on the lam, he encounters Momoa's aforementioned villainous werewolf character. Known primarily for playing heroes with a darker side, Wolves will mark the first time Momoa has played the antagonist.

Werewolves haven't dominated our popular culture like vampires have in recent years, but their presence in the Twilight films and MTV's Teen Wolf should help this project find a following. With any good werewolf project, which we hope this is, comes the potential for some truly memorable wolf make-up. Thankfully, celebrated artist Dave Elsey is on the job.

Elsey's previous screen credits include work on Mission: Impossible and X-Men: First Class, but he's probably best known for collaborating with Rick Baker on make-up for The Wolfman, for which he won an Oscar.

Dave Elsey on the set of 'The Wolfman'

With Elsey behind the make-up there's the guarantee that, at the very least, the werewolf effects will look believable. As far as the rest of the production, who's to say what we can expect? Aside from Momoa, the cast is comprised of relative unknowns, with the voice of Solid Snake being the next most notable name on the cast and crew list.

Still, Hayter's presence on some successful Hollywood blockbusters should help give this film some buzz, and will hopefully give Hayter the opportunity to direct more in the future.

Wolves begins shooting in September

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Source: The Hollywood Reporter

'The Apparition' Review

In The Apparition, Twilight Saga star Ashley Greene is partnered with Gossip Girl/Captain America star Sebastian Stan as young couple Kelly and Ben, who move into a new suburban wasteland home owned by Kelly's parents. For a night, everything in the house seems perfect, until doors mysteriously begin opening on their own, furniture starts to move itself, and a sickly, pock-marked mold begins to appear at random in certain rooms.

Kelly is immediately freaked out and ready to run, but objections from Ben and a fear of parental disappointment goad her into remaining in the haunted house. However, as the paranormal events increase in severity, Kelly begins to uncover secrets from Ben's past that point to a horrifying reality: it isn't the house that's haunted, it's them.

The Apparition is the debut feature-film from writer/director Todd Lincoln, and cinematically speaking, it is a failure on every level. The screenplay is insufferably bad, brimming with horror movie cliches, hilariously bad character decisions, motivations, and dialogue so mundane and cookie-cut that you will be able to call each terrible line out before a character inevitably utters it aloud. The direction is amateurishly cumbersome, with shots, framing and angles that are often distractingly weird or just downright wrong; the editing is just as awkward, lingering too long on certain moments to no effect ' or conversely, jump-cutting the audience from one scene/circumstance to another so abruptly and roughly that it is cartoonishly funny. Even the soundtrack is wrong ' a strange blend of low-key techno-trance beats and the usual ominous horror movie percussion ' often so poorly synched with visual component that it knocks you right out of the film.

Don't hope for any help from the pretty young leads, as teen heartthrobs Greene and Stan have the most awkward and dead chemistry I've seen in a while. The first twenty minutes of The Apparition are enough to establish (beyond the general premise) that this movie is going to be D.O.A. ' and not just because of its ghostly antagonist. Kelly and Ben are never a convincing couple in the least, meaning that later on, when they're so gung-ho about saving one another, it's hard for the audience to care whether or not they make it through the night at all (some people possibly even praying that they don't, lest the movie drag on).

Tom Felton, Ashley Greene and Sebastian Stan in 'The Apparition'

Harry Potter alum Tom Felton shows up to slum it as a mysterious person from Ben's past who has specialized scientific ghost knowledge. Felton actually has real talent, and manages to throw himself into the role of 'Patrick' with genuine conviction ' unfortunately for him, the story's handling of the character (particularly his needlessly drawn-out introduction) immediately detracts from his effectiveness, while the dialogue Felton is handed (a baffling mixture science geek and supernatural techno-babble) deep-sixes the performance entirely. In fact, the revelations and narrative exposition provided by Patrick pretty much deep-sixes the entire film; we are basically getting a mixture of Paranormal Activity, The Grudge and Ghostbusters - only something much, much dumber than any of those films (and with the exception of the latter, that's really saying something).

As a final insult: The Apparition is yet another case of bait-and-switch movie marketing, with trailers and advertisements that not only reveal every juicy or scary bit of the film, they also completely misrepresent the narrative drive of the film; if you were intrigued by the whole 'If you believe, you die,' tagline, don't be fooled: it has little (to nothing) to do with the plot of the actual movie.

The Apparition is the rare story of filmmaking failure that is so complete and total that it will exacerbate its audience in nearly every possible. It's not kitschy enough to be 'so bad it's good' fun; the only reason it gets a half-star is due to the one or two instances (max) in which Lincoln is able to stage a creepy or unnerving ghost scare in somewhat creative fashion. But one or two (halfway) successful ideas do not a good horror movie make ' especially when we saw them in the trailer.

The Apparition is now playing in theaters, but think long and hard before paying the ticket price (or ever seeing the movie at all). It is rated Rated PG-13 for terror/frightening images and some sensuality.

[SPOILER ALERT: Watch the trailer below and you've seen the entire movie.]

Our Rating:

0.5 out of 5

'Premium Rush' Review

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has come a long way since his supporting actor days in childhood films like Beethoven and Angels in the Outfield ' not to mention his breakout hit, alongside fellow Bat-franchise veteran, Heath Ledger, with 10 Things I Hate About You. After memorable roles in a variety of critically-acclaimed films like The Lookout, 500 Days of Summer, Inception, and The Dark Knight Rises, Levitt has carved out a robust and well-respected spot in Hollywood.

However, despite subtle comedic timing and sharp dramatic chops, the actor is set to test his charisma as an action lead in writer/director David Koepp's bike messenger thriller Premium Rush. Koepp also has a robust filmography, with writing credits on Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, and Spider-Man, but a mixed turnout when in the director's chair (Stir of Echoes, Secret Window and Ghost Town, among others). Does Premium Rush provide enough fun character moments and heart-pounding action to give the actor and director an opportunity to shine?

Unfortunately, even though Levitt delivers a solid performance and Koepp dishes out plenty of jaw-dropping bike tricks, the core storyline and overall execution of Premium Rush are both exceptionally clunky. The bike messenger setup, paired with the New York City backdrop, definitely provides some of the film's best moments ' especially with Levitt at center stage ' but nearly every other element is underwhelming; from the film's thin (albeit amusing) villain played by Man of Steel's Michael Shannon, to forgettable supporting players and a number of cheesy assertions about camaraderie among bike messengers.

The primary story is believable enough ' even if the 'style over substance' approach of the filmmaking somewhat undercuts a few of the more serious moments. Levitt plays Wilee ('The Coyote Man'), a Columbia law school graduate who races around Manhattan on a steel frame, fixed gear, bicycle with no brakes ' weaving in and out of traffic as he moves sensitive packages from point A to point B. After a fellow bike courier, Manny (Wolé Parks), steals Wilee's last package of the day out from under him, The Coyote is forced to take a different parcel all the way from 116th Street down to China Town' during premium rush (hour). Unknown to him at the time, the letter he's carrying is being chased by a mysterious and impulsive man in a suit named Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon), who will seemingly stop at nothing to acquire Wilee's fare ' including threaten the life of Wilee's girlfriend / fellow bike courier, Vanessa (Dania Ramirez). Once Wilee discovers what's actually at stake, he becomes locked in a life or death situation ' which, to a thrill-seeking peddle-junky, might just be the ultimate rush.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Dania Ramirez in 'Premium Rush'

Just as the narrative will (literally) pull viewers up and down Broadway in an exhausting will he/won't he storyline, the tone of the film moves recklessly between manipulative emotional beats, eye-rolling lines of dialogue, and some pretty disturbing fits of violence. The sharp changes in tone are further complicated by a Vantage Point-like flashback mechanic of winding back the clock to show a connected scene from the perspective of an entirely different (non-Wilee) character. It's a necessary evil here, since Wilee's portion of the narrative doesn't really begin until 5:00pm ' whereas three other plot arcs begin earlier in the day. However, just because it's necessary doesn't mean that the flashbacks create a successful flow or tone to the overall proceedings.

That said, the herky'jerky approach to the Premium Rush story succeeds in keeping the suspense up ' offering plenty of tense encounters as well as cathartic/intentionally cheesy one-liners and traded barbs. Levitt is playing a variation of his Inception character, Arthur ' if Arthur was a thrill-seeking bicycle savant. Wilee is witty, intense, and takes his job very seriously ' even if he allows himself the opportunity to show off once in awhile. Levitt's performance this round won't cement him as the next blockbuster action man ' though his courageous skinny guy routine is much better than his contemporaries (like Shia LaBeouf) and won't stall the actor's rising star.

Shannon is equally enjoyable as antagonist Bobby Monday, a smart balance of Premium Rush quirk and savage violence. He's provided with a competent enough foundation ' which is quickly thrown out the window as he competes with Levitt in a cat and mouse chase. By the time the credits roll, there are so many elements in play that it might be hard for some viewers to grasp exactly how they were supposed to feel about Monday, as well as what role his actions (not to mention Wilee's self-abusive retorts) had in the larger proceedings.

Wilee and Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon) in 'Premium Rush'

Most of the other characters are pushed aside (Manny and Vanessa especially), in favor of the film's carefully crafted (and very cool) bicycle stunt set pieces, which see the couriers (and NYPD bike cops) hopping staircases, threading moving greyhound buses, sliding under stopped construction vehicles, and crashing over Taxi hoods, car doors, hand rails, and other such obstacles. Koepp revels in the urban jungle of New York City by setting up the treacherous nature of courier work early on, dropping in some insider know-how, and gifting Levitt with one of the film's best inventions ' a freeze motion intuition that allows viewers to experience Wilee's split-second decision process when faced with life-threatening obstacles in his way. Go right and knock over a pedestrian who will then get run over by speeding car; go left and crash into a baby stroller full speed; go straight and weave past a stopped taxi to clearer road ahead. Straight. The trick pulls double duty, succeeding in both training the audience for potential hazards later on, as well as providing some much needed laughs as Levitt topples end over end without actual consequence.

By wholeheartedly embracing the fast-paced courier world, Koepp employs a number of style-over-substance choices that can muddle the tone of the film, but do payoff in the long run ' helping Premium Rush differentiate itself from similar thriller movies. Ultimately, the main story beats will be extremely familiar to regular moviegoers, but the fixed-gear, no brakes, bike messenger covering will likely be enough to make the experience somewhat fresh and memorable. The twists and turns (of the story) are easy to see coming, but a few solid performances and some eye-popping practical bike stunt work should provide interested viewers with a middle-of-the road rush that's a bit short of 'premium.'

If you're still on the fence about Premium Rush, check out the trailer below:

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Follow me on Twitter @benkendrick for future reviews, as well as movie, TV, and gaming news.

Premium Rush is Rated PG-13 for some violence, intense action sequences and language. Now playing in theaters.

Our Rating:

3 out of 5