Ben Stiller Chats About Producing Richard Ayoade's'Submarine'« FirstShowing.net

If you followed our coverage from the Toronto Film Festival, one ofmy favorite films(and favorite of nearly everyone who saw it) was the charming coming-of-age comedySubmarine, directed byRichard Ayoade("The IT Crowd") and starring the youngCraig Robertsas Oliver Tate (above). Well, inEmpire's postwith new updates fromBen Stiller, instead of covering therepetitivenews thatZoolander 2isstillwaitingfor the studio, I'm focusing on Stiller's comments aboutSubmarine. What is his connection? Stiller, along with his company Red Hour Films, produced the film in the UK, so he's highly responsible for making it happen.

Here is most of what Stiller had to say about Richard Ayoade'sSubmarinefrom Empire'srecent update:

"Garth Marenghi{Ayoade's fictional character} I had seen and was a fan of. That was all I knew. So I can’t say that we had any kind of relationship beforehand. We just got sent the script – I don’t even know, to tell you the truth, how we got hold of it – but Richard's agent might be our agent too. But we thought it was a really great script and then I saw his videos that he had directed and just thought he had a reallyinteresting sensibility. We met and he’s just a very thoughtful guy. And I thought what he did with the movie wasvery assured and bold, for a first film. Just his process was very specific. I had a really good experience with him."

That's always good to hear. And in case you think Stiller didn't really know about it, when asked about the star Craig Roberts, he continues with even more glowing comments:"I thought Craig wasamazingtoo. I felt like he and Yasmin (Paige) both, you could sense that they so trusted Richard as a director. I loved that he is very honest but alsovery funny. Their relationship is so funny but also has the awkwardness. The cast and the director– everyone's just doing their thing and not apologising for it."They definitely don't need to apologize for it either! It was a wonderful film and will probably end up as one of my favoritesthisyear, too.

For those anxious to finally watchSubmarine, since I've been hyping it so much, the good news is that it wasbought by The Weinstein Company in Torontoand will be arriving in theaters sometime later this year after it also plays theSundance Film Festival. I'm just happy to hear that the experience behind-the-scenes was as positive as the end result on the screen, as I know onceSubmarinehits theaters it should instantly become a favorite of a lot of moviegoers. We will continue to keep you updated and let you know when TWC releases a trailer as well. In the meantime, be sure toread my reviewfrom Toronto - I'll be seeing it again at Sundance!

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Watch Ben Craig's Short'Modern Times'That Has Studios Buzzing« FirstShowing.net

If you're already wondering if the title has something to do with Charlie Chaplin, it does, but you'll find out exactly how once you watch it.Heat Visionrecently featured a short film that's been floating around the web since December calledModern Timesthat was conceived and directed by Scottish art directorBen
Craig. The reason it was featured is because its getting lots of buzz around Hollywood and subsequently Ben Craig has been pursued by studios like Warner Bros, Fox and Paramount for upcoming projects. The short can be seen below and, despite the name, is a futuristic sci-fi that film fanswillshouldfall instantly in love with.

Watch Ben Craig's shortModern Timesbelow and read the story about how he made it over onHeat Vision.

Wasn't that just wonderful? It kind of feels like2001: A Space Odyssey,Moonand J.J. Abrams'Star Trekall rolled into one, which is actually quite awesome. And now you know why it's also titledModern Times. Please tell me that's something that we'llactuallybe able to experience in our"near"future, because holy hell is that one amazing movie screen. Craig came up with this after thinking"who was going to {watch all} these old movies andwhere?"He learned by watching commercial shoots, then shot the live-action portion over a weekend. He then spent two more months in post-production, learning along the way. The result is obviously spectacular, I just hope he can successfully extend that same quality into a feature-length movie.

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First Official Look at Rooney Mara in'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'« FirstShowing.net

Back in August we found out thatThe Social NetworkstarRooney Marahadsnagged the lead roleof Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher's adaptation ofThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, thefirst installmentof the popularMillennium Trilogy. If there were any doubts that Mara would fit into the tough female lead role, almost all of those doubts should be removed asW magazine(viaJoBlo) has delivered the first two photos of Mara all decked out in Salander's trademark short, pitch-black haircut, leather jacket and tattoos. Looking simultaneously sexy and kick-ass, I'm definitely interested to see what Mara does with the character. See the photos below!

Here's our first look atRooney Maraas Lisbeth Salander courtesy ofW magazine:

The character is described as"a gamin,Audrey Hepburnlook-alike but withtattoosandpiercings, the take-no-prisoners attitude ofLara Croftand the cool, unsentimental intellect ofMr. Spock. The vulnerable victim turned vigilante; a willfully antisocial girl."It looks like they've nailed that if the above pictures are any indication. And if you feel silly for being skeptical, well Mara herself wasn't sure she was right for the part. The actress says,"“Before I read the book,I didn’t think I could do it. I locked myself in a room for a week and read all three books, and decided I really wanted to be Lisbeth. But I thought I had no shot at it.” How about them apples?Now what do you think of Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander?

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Shane Black Directing a New Adaptation of'Death Note'Manga« FirstShowing.net

After seeing previews for small theatrical screenings of theJapanese live-action adaptationsof thepopular mangaDeath Note, I could not have been less interested in checking out the international film trilogy. However, news fromDeadlinethatShane Black(writer of theLethal Weaponfranchise and director ofKiss Kiss, Bang Bang) has been hired by Warner Bros. for a new live-action adaptation of theDeath Noteseries. The story follows a boy named Light Yagami who stumbles upon the Death Note, a notebook that delivers death to any human whose name is written on its pages, and vows to use it to rid the word of evil.

For a little more information on the story, here's the official synopsis:

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds theDeath Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god.Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But whencriminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L totrack down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life? Light tests the boundaries of the Death Note powers as L and the police begin to close in. Luckily Light's father is the head of the Japanese National Police Agency and leaves vital information about the case lying around the house. With access to his father's files, Light can keep one step ahead of the authorities. But who is thestrange man following him, and how can Light guard against enemies whose names he doesn't know?

Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry are adapting the manga after working on Doc Savage, an upcoming drama that Black will direct for Sony. Black says,"It’s my favorite manga. I was just struck by its unique and brilliant sensibility. What we want to do is take it back to that manga, and make it closer to what is socomplexandtruthfulabout thespirituality of the story, versus taking the concept and trying to copy it as an American thriller."The gritty, film noir feel ofKiss Kiss, Bang Bangshows Black has the right sensibilities for a film like this, but that's the only film he's directed. Of course, once being at the top of the spec script market, Black has plenty of experience in Hollywood and I don't doubt his skills one bit.How about you?

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Jennifer Love Hewitt to Helm Ghostly Tale'Wait Till Helen Comes'« FirstShowing.net

After a hook-handed, fisherman killer never forgot what she did last summer,Jennifer Love Hewittwent on to become the"Ghost Whisperer"for all the geriatrics who watch CBS. Now the actress will go from ghost whispering to telling a ghost story asVarietyreports she is set to make her feature directorial debut withWait Till Helen Comes. Written by Sanchez Mandryk and based on thenovel of the same nameby Mary Downing Hahn, the story focuses on a family who has recently moved to the Maryland countryside where the tormented ghost of a little girl suddenly becomes involved with the young daughters of the family.

Even creepier is the house in which this family has moved was once a church and the little girl spirit only seems to be interesting in haunting the 12-year old daughter in the family, but forms an intimate though dangerous friendship with her 7-year-old stepsister. Sounds like this could end up like a mix ofThe Good Sonand countless ghost stories that use the innocence of children to make a dangerous spirit even more scary. If you're skeptical of Love Hewitt's directing talents, apparently the actress has had some experience behind the camera directing several episodes of"Ghost Whisperer,"so she's primed for a feature film now.Anyone interested?

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Paramount Goes IMAX in 2011, M:I4 to Have IMAX-Shot Scenes« FirstShowing.net

Earningquite a bit of good moneyonTron Legacy,IMAXis on a roll right now and to keep it up, they need to line up some big stuff in2011. Well - Paramount and IMAX officially announced that they'll be releasing four of their big tentpole movies from 2011 on IMAX: J.J. Abrams'Super 8, Michael Bay'sTransformers: Dark of the Moon, Brad Bird'sMission: Impossible - Ghost Protocoland Spielberg/Jackson'sThe Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn. Best of all, they say thatMission: Impossiblewill feature"scenes shot with IMAX cameras"that, likeThe Dark Knight, will feature a fullframe IMAX shots.

If you love seeing movies on a gigantic IMAX screen, then there's some good stuff coming up to enjoy on it (especially while we wait forThe Dark Knight Rises), that's for sure."Consumer demand forThe IMAX Experiencehas never been higher,"said Paramount's Rob Moore."Coupled with the rising popularity of the IMAX brand, the growing number of IMAX screens and the increased interest from our top filmmakers to have their movies offered in this format, IMAX is and continues to be a key part of our release strategy."Always glad to hear them supporting IMAX.The Adventures of TintinandTransformers 3were shot in 3D and will be released inIMAX 3D, howeverSuper 8and the newMission Impossiblesequel won't be in 3D.

"When you combine the incredible storytelling talents of J.J. Abrams,Michael Bay,Brad Bird, andSteven Spielbergwith technologies that transport the audience into the story, you create an awe-inspiring experience that takes movie-goers to places they only dream of -- and that is what the core and spirit of our partnership with Paramount Pictures is all about,"said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment."We are very excited to share these amazing event films with IMAX exhibitors and movie-goers and look forward to working with these brilliant filmmakers as they showcase their talents in our format."

I'm most excited to learn thatMission: Impossible - Ghost Protocolis getting entire IMAX scenes, as those blew me away inThe Dark Knight. We haven't seen that utilized again sinceTransformers: Revenge of the Fallenand that was kind of a waste anyway. This time though we have Pixar mastermindBrad Birdat the helm and know that he's dabbling in IMAX makes me anxious with excitement to see something from this new sequel already. No word on the length or exact number of scenes we'll see in IMAX, but the more the merrier.Super 8will be released onJune 10th, 2011;Transformers: Dark of the Moonwill be released onJuly 1st, 2011;Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocolwill be released onDecember 16th, 2011; andThe Adventures of Tintinwill be released onDecember 28th, 2011.Which of these are you most excited for?

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David O. Russell Rewriting and Directing Adaptation of'2 Guns'?« FirstShowing.net

There's been a lot of buzz surrounding Mark Wahlberg's reunion with directorDavid O. Russell(The Fighter) for thevideo game adaptationUncharted: Drake's Fortune. However, before that project, Russell was slated to directVince VaughninOld St. Louis, the story a traveling salesman who has been an absentee father and how his life changes when his daughter becomes a part of it. Now it sounds like a new project with Vaughn is being set up instead asTHRreports Russell is in early talks to rewrite and direct an adaptation of2 Guns, a pulp story about cops and thieves and the men that are something in between.More below!

Based on Steven Grant'sgraphic novel of the same name, here's the short and sweet synopsis of the wholly intriguing story:

Trench has targeted a local bank to rob, and asked Steadman in on the job. Trench figures it's a great way to score -- considering it's a cover for mob money. They'll be thieves ripping off thieves. But what Steadman doesn't know is that Trench is a DEA agent. And what Trench doesn't know is that Steadman's a Naval Intelligence officer. They're both cops! And neither one knows that they're not robbing the mob, they've been set up to steal $50 million from the CIA!

Vaughn has been attached to the project since Universal picked up the property back in 2008, and apparently he's still attached now. The prospect of Russell and Vaughn collaborating on a project like this is enticing. And for anyone who doubts Vaughn doing more than his normal fast-talking, wit-filled diatribes for minutes at a time, he did see a little bit of action inMr. and Mrs. Smith. It sounds like 2 Guns won't take off until afterUncharted: Drake's Fortune, but it's not clear what that will mean forOld St. Louis.Thoughts?

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Adam Sandler& Andy Samberg Teaming Up for'I Hate You Dad'« FirstShowing.net

Though one of the funnymen has already left behind the late night sketch comedy series"Saturday Night Live"while the other is responsible for reinvigorating the series through hilarious Digital Shorts likeLazy Sundayand most recentlyI Just Had Sex, the two will soon be working together.THRreportsAdam SandlerandAndy Sambergare in talks with Columbia Pictures to lead the comedyI Hate You, Dad, the story of a father who moves in on the eve of his son's wedding and promptly begins feuding with the bride-to-be. Apparently Sandler would be playing Samberg's son though the age difference between them is less than 12 years.

Of course, since something as little as a difference in sex isn't stopping Sandler from playing a twin brother and sister in Jack and Jill, I'm sure Sandler won't mind putting on some make-up to look a little more aged. The project is still in the early stages of development though as no director is still attached. Sandler's Happy Madison production banner is behind the project, but the script has been sitting around since late 2008. Funnily enough, this project isnotsome sort of spin-off fromI Love You, Mandespite the title similarities and the fact that Samberg also had a role in the Paul Rudd and Jason Segel comedy.

Last time Sandler worked with fellow, former"SNL"cast members the result wasGrown Upsand it ended up on my list of theworst five films from 2010. I'm hoping that with Samberg's more contemporary comedic sensibilities involved we'll get a decent comedy this time around. Until then, Sandler is trying out another romantic comedy in February with the release ofJust Go With Itwhich puts him alongside Jennifer Aniston. I think this new project sounds a bit more promising for some decent comedy from Sandler though.How about you?

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Ridley Scott's Alien Prequel'Prometheus'Ready to Launch in 2012« FirstShowing.net

Whoa - it's here, the official announcement that Ridley Scott'sAlienprequel (or, no longer anAlienprequel, you'll find outwhy) is in development.Deadlinereports that 20th Century Fox has officially announced the titlePrometheusand a release date ofMarch 9th, 2012. But here's the catch, it might not exactly be anAlienprequel after all, as it has morphed into something"more original."And this original idea apparently involves five major roles, one of which will be played byNoomi Rapace, the others haven't been cast, but actresses circling roles called"Vickers"areAngelina JolieandCharlize Theron. More quotes below!

As wealready know,Lost'sDamon Lindelofcame in last year to rewrite Jon Spaihts's original script that he initially drafted for Scott. Well, it expanded into"new directions"(as was hinted atin a recent update) and has become something else. So here's how it's explained in its current form by Ridley Scott himself:

"While Alien was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved anew, grand mythologyanduniversein which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien'sDNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film areunique, large and provocative. I couldn't be more pleased to have found the singular tale I'd been searching for, and finally return to this genre that's so close to my heart."

Wow, Lindelof must've struck someseriousgold, because it sounds like he's riled up Scott in a big way and even made sure to get Fox on-board ready to go with a 2012 release date. Deadline spoke to Lindelof who, as well, seemed ecstatic to even be working on the same project:"In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots, I was incredibly struck by just howoriginalRidley's vision was for this movie. It's daring, visceral and hopefully, the last thing anyone expects. When I sat in a movie theater as a kid, feet raised off the floor for fear that something might grab my ankles, I never dreamed in mywildest imaginationI would one day get to collaborate with the man responsible for it. Working alongside him has been nothing short ofa dream come true."And with that dream realized, together they're set to bring usPrometheusin 2012!

That's all the info Deadline has for now, also adding that"the other major roles will be cast shortly,"as I'm sure production will be aiming to get underway sometime soon this year. This probably explains why Jolie leftGravityand why Noomi Rapace (ofThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) was one of Scott's top contenders originally. This really sounds incredible, an entirely new sci-fi series from Ridley Scott and Damon Lindelof that brings in new characters in a new universe. And I bet he'll somehow still sneak in an explanation for the"Spacey Jockey"fromAlien. Stay tuned for more updates as they arrive!Until then - what do you think?

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Lena Headey is the Villainous Ma-Ma in Pete Travis'Judge Dredd« FirstShowing.net

She's already kicked-ass and fought Terminators as the titular character in"The Sarah Connor Chronicles", now it seems actressLena Headeywill be facing off against Karl Urban in director Pete Travis'Dreddthe new adaptation ofJudge Dredd. ApparentlyBleeding Coolhad heard rumblings of the casting before it turned up at a reliableJudge Dreddfansite, and Headey has already been shooting on the film for a week. So who's she playing? The actress is taking on the villainous role ofMadeline Madrigal(aka Ma-Ma), the leader of a gang who over run the Peach Tree City Block where the majority of the action in it takes place.

The script is said to describe the villain as a woman in her late 50's or early 60's with a big scar through her cheek and lip. Obviously the age range has probably been changed since Headey isn't anywhere near that old. We've already seen arough first lookat Karl Urban in costume as Judge Dredd, but I'm hoping for a more official, high quality glimpse at this new adaptation soon.Dreddtakes us to the wild streets of Mega City One, the lone oasis of quasi-civilization on Cursed Earth. Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) is the most feared of elite Street Judges, with the power to enforce the law, sentence offenders and execute them on the spot– if necessary.Thoughts?

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Mysterious New Sci-Fi Project'Alien Sleeper Cell'in Development« FirstShowing.net

Maybe I'm making a bigger deal out of this than I should, but you never know, something like this could be the nextDistrict 9.Varietyposted a news article talking about producerBill Blockand his companyQEDInternational's upcoming line-up of projects, from aJust Causeadaptation toThe FieldstoCrosshair, but they also mention one in specific, without providingtoomany details. One project he's working on is calledAlien Sleeper Cell, written by newcomerMorgan Davis Foehl, an assistant editor onI Now Pronounce You Chuck& Larry, that deals with"otherworldly beasties."That's all they say and that's all we can find.

There really isn't anything else about thisAlien Sleeper Cellout there. What makes it interesting is that Bill Block was one half of the producing team (Peter Jackson the other) onDistrict 9. Now Block is a half of the producing team on this too, partnered with Adrian Askarieh'sPrime Universe Prods. Once the script is complete, Block's QED Intl. and Prime Universe will package the project and seek out independent financing or partner with a studio to fund it. So it's obviously in theveryearly development stages, butAlien Sleeper Cellsounds like something to keep our eye on, it might be pretty cool.Anyone hear anything about it?

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Frances McDormand Aims to Capture Animals in'Madagascar 3'« FirstShowing.net

Though they may not be the best films to come out of DreamWorks Animation, families seem to love the antics of the wild animals in theirMadagascarfranchise. And the adventure is slated to continue withMadagascar 3. Since DreamWorks' Jeffrey Katzenberg recently commented on plans for afourth installmentof the animated franchise, this third one better deliver. It sounds like they're on the right track with some new voice talent coming on board asHeat Visionreports the talentedFrances McDormand(Fargo,Burn After Reading) has landed the role of a calculating and goal-oriented animal control officer who leads her team to capture the animals.

This will be the first time McDormand has used her voice for an animated feature, so part of me wishes it was something a little better (I'm just not a big fan of theMadagascarmovies). In May of 2009,we heardthat the story would have our heroes (Ben Stiller,Chris Rock,David SchwimmerandJada Pinkett Smithare reprising their roles) relocate from Africa to Europe via a traveling circus. That still sounds accurate since some new characters are supposed to include an Italian sea lion, a Russian tiger and a Latina jaguar (but apparently the nationalities of these characters could change). However, Katzenbergrecently mentionedsomething about the animals being back in the NYC zoo too. Hopefully he didn't spoil the ending.Anyone interested?

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American Society of Cinematographers Awards 2011 Nominees« FirstShowing.net

Its been a hell of a year for cinematography, at least I thought. There were quite a few truly gorgeous films, but it's time to take a look at this year's nominees in the feature film category of the 25th AnnualAmerican Society of CinematographersOutstanding Achievement Awards. The five nominees are:Black Swan'sMatthew Libatique,Inception'sWally Pfister,The King's Speech'sDanny Cohen,True Grit'sRoger DeakinsandThe Social Network'sJeff Cronenweth. In the photo above is Libatique working onBlack Swan."These five people haveset the standardfor today's cinematography,"said ASC's Richard Crudo.

This is the ninth nomination for Deakins, most of the others have come from various Coen Brothers films, too. In addition to his nomination forTrue Grit, Deakins will also be honored as the recipient of the ASC's 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award. So no matter what, he's a winner! This is the third nomination for Wally Pfister followingBatman BeginsandThe Dark Knightpreviously. Cohen, Cronenweth and Libatique are all first-time nominees. I'm amazed this is Libatique's first, he also shotRequiem for a Dream,Inside Man,The FountainandIron Man 1& 2- yet no nominations before this?!"The artistically diverse approaches these talented cinematographers employed are a glimpse at whatvisionaries with a cameracan accomplish,"said ASC President Michael Goi in the press release."They arevisual storytellersof the highest caliber."

Strong words from the pres, but nonetheless true. I certainly can appreciate great cinematography when I come across it and these five movies are definitely the best work out of this past year. My top pick personally isThe King's Speech, just because they used the most refreshingly unconventional and unique approach to shooting a period piece, yet it still looked absolutely stunning, truly representative of the old adage that"every frame should look as beautiful as a photograph"- and they certainly did! I've been trying to setup an interview with Danny Cohen, who's also a fairly young newcomer, but haven't had any luck yet. The winner of the ASC Awards will be announced at their celebration in Hollywood onFebruary 13.Good choices?

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DreamWorks Animation Announces'Monkeys of Bollywood'Movie« FirstShowing.net

An interesting assembly of musical and cinematic talent is coming together for DreamWorks Animation next ambitious project.Varietyreports the animation studio is currently developingMonkeys of Bollywood, an animated musical in the spirit of internationally famous Bollywood cinema. The story will be set in Mumbai and follows two monkeys who try to stop an ancient demon from conquering the world. Not much to get excited about, but composerA.R. Rahman, responsible for scoring bothSlumdog Millionaireand127 Hours, is certainly a selling point. And that's not all the talent involved to get you excited for a musical of this sort.

ComposerStephen Scwartz, who not only wrote musicals likeGodspellandWickedbut also scored and wrote songs for Disney hits likePocahontasandEnchanted, is also on board for the animation studio's first feature musical. And if that wasn't enough, Gurinder Chadha and Paul Berges, the producing team that deliveredBend It Like Beckhamand the Bollywood style romantic comedyBride and Prejudiceis behind the project. That's a great collection of people to put an animated Bollywood musical together.

Though the story is original, the Hindu epic poemThe Ramayanaapparently inspired the project.Wikipediasays the poem"depicts the duties of relationships, portraying ideal characters like the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal wife and the ideal king."It's quite a bold move to venture into animated musical territory that has been dominated by Disney for so long, but this assembly of talent is the right way to go. We'll keep you posted as this project develops.Interested?

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Greengrass Planning Film on Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr« FirstShowing.net

We already know director Lee Daniels has been developingSelma, a period drama focusing on the five-day, four-night protest march against those who were not in support of passing theNational Voting Rights Act of 1965that started in Selma, Alabama as well as the events leading up to it. Now another filmmaker is preparing his own location-specific Civil Rights related drama.Vulturereports directorPaul Greengrass(United 93) has been planning to makeMemphis, a film that chronicles the events leading up to the assassination ofMartin Luther King, Jr.in Memphis, Tennessee. Greengrass even wrote the film himself based on his own research.

Unless I'm mistaken this would be the first film to focus specifically on King's activities to organize the city's sanitation workers in the spring of 1968 before his assassination on April 4th of the same year. Vulture notes that this would be less of a biopic and more of a portrayal of the chaos and turmoil King's personal and professional life was enduring at the time. Not only was his marriage falling apart, but he was gaining weight, smoking and drinking heavily and losing some of his most important allies. Sounds like a hell of a movie to me. Nothing is official yet, but producer Scott Rudin might get involved and the picture could land at Focus Features.Interested?

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James Franco and His Entire Family May Make a Movie Together?« FirstShowing.net

This past Christmas we highlighted a special127 Hoursthemedholiday greetingfromJames Francoand his real-life grandmother. But now it sounds like we might get a feature film with the whole Franco family sometime in the future. Incase you didn't know, James Franco's younger brotherDave Franco(left) is also an actor who has appeared in films likeCharlie St. CloudandGreenbergalong with TV series like"Greek"and"Scrubs."Well the younger Franco, while talking toMTVrecently, revealed that he's working on a script for a film in which theentire Franco familywould star. This will be the most genuine family comedy ever.

You may have also seen Dave starring with his future Oscar host brother in some Funny or Die videos teachinginvaluable lessons about acting. Apparently they're working on some more for the online comedy behemoth, but then he also revealed this bit of news:

"There's also a feature film that I'm writing for my brother and I to star in, where we playversions of ourselvesnamed Davie and James. Without giving away too much, it all takes place aroundThanksgiving and Christmas breakaround our hometown of Palo Alto {California}. Ourreal familywill be in it, myreal friendsfrom home will be in it, and the vibe of it is going to be anextended version of our Funny or Die videos. It's going to be difficult for me, because it's now a 90-minute version of him giving me shit and making fun of me."

That sounds like it could really be a great project, but is the entire Franco family as talented as the two brothers? Perhaps it will be somewhat of a mockumentary so their acting skills don't have to be honed so perfectly? All I know is James has been taking on some very interesting projects recently, and this would be yet another intriguing installment in the actor's career. As for Dave, his star is certainly rising, and as difficult as it might be to measure up to his brother's work, he seems to be doing his best.Are you interested in a Franco family film?

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Rogen& Goldberg Detail Hard R-Rated Animated'Sausage Party'« FirstShowing.net

Last summer, some vague news surfaced whenThe Playlistlearned about a new animated film calledSausage PartyfromEvan GoldbergandSeth Rogen. At the time no plot details were revealed, but Goldberg said the project would be a computer animated film and involved directorsConrad Vernon(Monsters vs. Aliens) andMark Osborne(Kung Fu Panda). Then laterJonah Hill, who was said to be part of the project as well,said himselfit would be an aggressive, hard R-rated animated flick. Now whilst promotingThe Green Hornet, Goldberg and Rogen have given up some simple plot details, and this sounds like it's going to be a weird comedy.

In talking toScreenrant, Rogen revealed,"It’s a Rated-R, super dirty,mockery of a Pixar movieaboutsausages in a supermarketthat need to get back to their aisle before the fourth of July."Goldberg gave a little but more away in his description atCinemaBlend,"It’s about sausages, hot dogs, and they’re whole goal is to get purchased. And they get lost and they need to get back to they’re aisle before the Fourth of July starts. I don’t want to give away too much."

Sounds unique and potentially hilarious (plenty of double-entendre dick jokes I'm sure), but getting a hard R-rated animated movie isn't going to be an easy task, especially when you don't have an established name like"South Park"in the title. Still, I'm definitely interested and hoping these guys get it off the ground sooner than later.How about you?

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Casting Tidbits: Jeremy Piven, Jennifer Lawrence& Kevin James« FirstShowing.net

Ok, so I still live with my parents, which I admit is bogus and sad. However I do have Casting Tidbits, and I still know how to party. But what I'd really like is to do"Wayne's World"for a living. It might happen. Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt! First up,The WrapreportsJeremy Pvien("Entourage") andMike O'Malley("Glee") will star in the Miley Cyrus action comedySo Undercoverfrom director Tom Vaughan (What Happens in Vegas). The story follows a tough, street-smart private investigator (Cyrus) who's hired by the FBI to go undercover in a college sorority. Piven plays an FBI agent while O'Malley plays Cyrus' father.

Second,Deadlinehas a list of the young actresses who have emerged as the frontrunners to star alongside Taylor Lautner in thepreviously announcedadaptation ofIncarceron. The story follows a young boy (Lautner) who lives in a prison that is a complete society in a world stuck in the 17th century and run by computers. But things get interesting when the boy comes into contact with the prison warden's daughter, who kind of lives in a jail of her own, and they find a key that can change everything. Up for the role of the warden's daughter areBlake Lively(The Town),Jennifer Lawrence(fresh off an amazing performance in Winter's Bone) andEmma Watson(of theHarry Potterfranchise). We'll keep you posted when a decision is made.

Next,Deadlinehas word thatKevin Jameswill re-team withThe Zookeeperdirector Frank Coraci for yet another comedy. The two will collaborate on a currentlyuntitled projectthat follows a physics teacher who moonlights as a mixed martial arts fighter to raise money and save the music program his students love. But the stakes are even higher as he makes it all the way to the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Coraci has done some decent work with Adam Sandler inThe Wedding SingerandClick, but it's hard to find anything funny about Kevin James.

Finally,The WrapreportsRon Livingstonhas booked two new projects. First, the Office Space star has landed a role inThe Odd Life of Timothy Green. Director Peter Hedges (Dan in Real Life) will helm the film from a story by Ahmet Zappa about a couple unable to conceive (Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Garner) who bury their wishes for a baby in a box in their backyard. Some time later, they discover a child there, but the child is not all that it appears. It's not clear what role Livington will play. Additionally, the actor has also been cast inTen Year, the ensemble high school reunion drama featuring Justin Long, Channing Tatum, Kate Mara, Anthony Mackie and many more.

Well, that's all for this edition ofCasting Tidbits. Be sure to stay tuned for more casting updates on the way.

Kelly Osbourne co-stars as a sorority sister alongside Eloise Mumford, Lauren McKnight, Megan Park, Morgan Calhoun and Alexis Knapp.
Miley's"momager"Tish Cyrus will also produce, while Jodi Zuckerman-Weiner will exec produce for Cyrus' production company Hope Town Entertainment, along with Rob Cowan.

Piven next stars in Mark Pellington's indie drama"I Melt With You,"which will be one of the hottest acquisition titles at Sundance next week. He also plays a key role in Robert Rodriguez's latest"Spy Kids"sequel, and is set to star in the indie"Drift."

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Charlize Theron Takes'Snow White& the Huntsman'Over'J. Edgar'« FirstShowing.net

After considering two very different roles in two very different projects, it looks likeCharlize Theronhas finally made her choice. Though it had previously been mentioned Theron wasleaning towardstaking the role of Helen Gandy, a Justice Department file clerk who ended up being J. Edgar Hoover’s secretary in Clint Eastwood'sJ.Edgarbiopic, she's apparently chosen to play the evil queen inSnow White and the Huntsman. Since this Snow White project was meant to be filming by now, the delayed schedule must have conflicted with Eastwood's film, but another high profile project may have been a factor.More below!

This news of Theron finally signing on came in the form of another bit of casting forJ. EdgarfromDeadline."Gossip Girl starEd Westwickhas joined the cast as Agent Smith. Rather than being a manipulative villainous computer program in The Matrix, this character is a clean cut operative with writing skill and once Hoover discovers the man can write, he conscripts the agent to write the FBI director's biography. But complications arrise when Smith gets a little too close to the truth. But before that news came along with Theron's denial ofJ. Edgarand confirmation ofSnow White and the Huntsman, it had been said she turned down the historical drama for another big project.

Vulturereports that Theron apparently dropped out of the project because she's considering taking the lead role in Ridley Scott'sAlienprequel. The actress is supposed to have the script in hand this week a decision to follow shortly thereafter. However, it seems kind of strange to turn down a solid part for just the chance to take the lead role in another film, even if it is anAlienprequel. The studio wants a big name like Theron, but Scott is still sweet on Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). Despite Vulture's reliability, the news on theAlienprequel from all sources has been all over the place, and we'll just wait for some official news. We'll keep you posted as more information becomes available.

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Lukas Haas and Diego Luna Join Mark Wahlberg in'Contraband'« FirstShowing.net

We've already heard that the lovely Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster and Giovanni RibisiwouldjoinMark Wahlberg inContraband, the remake of the Icelandic thrillerReykjavik-Rotterdam. The story follows a security guard and former alcohol smuggler on the Iceland-Netherlands route who is tempted back into illicit business by a dubious friend after encountering financial problems.Baltasar Kormakur(the original film's star and producer) is directing the film, and he's just brought on some great supporting talent asWhat's PlayingreportsLukas Haas(Inception) andDiego Luna(Milk) have just signed on to star in the frigid thriller.

Aaron Guzikowski, who wrote theBlack ListedscriptPrisoners, is writing the American remake, and this sounds like a promising project for Wahlberg. It sounds like this might be the actor's immediately next project despite being linked to more than a few projects. Recently there's been talk about his producing an adaptation of the much buzzed about shortThe Raven, as well as starring inBroken Cityand David O. Russell's adaptation of the video gameUncharted. But with a release date of March 16, 2012, Contraband seems to be the most put together project at this point. It's certainly got potential with this cast, so I'm cautiously optimistic for now.How about you?

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Stephen Sommers Not Returning to Direct the Sequel to'G.I. Joe'« FirstShowing.net

Considering he didn't really offer much in the vein of spectacular style or incomparable vision forG.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, I'm not really upset with the news from24 FramesthatStephen Sommerswon'treturn to direct thesequel. This completely contradicts the news we heard last August when it was reported Sommers wouldreturn for the sequel, but apparently a couple agents to unnamed directors have been contacted recently about helming the sequel instead. This isn't surprising considering therumors of troublewith Sommers on the set of the toy adaptation along with the fact that the filmmaker is alsolined upfor anOdd Thomasmovie.

However, no project with Sommers is involved is ready to shoot immediately, so it sounds like the director and Paramount Pictures may simply have had a falling out. It shouldn't be too hard to find a director that can craft action sequences with the same craziness in which a child might play with their own G.I. Joe action figures. Hopefully this time some better writing will come in the form of a script byZombielandscreenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick who came on board the projectover a year ago. But we still don't know who will direct the sequel with Sommers gone, and knowing is half the battle.Who do you want to directG.I. Joe 2?

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McG Lands Directing Job for Universal's Action-Adventure'Ouija'« FirstShowing.net

It almost rhymes… McG andOuija!Deadlineannounces that after quite a line-up of potential directors for theirOuijamovie, Universal's top choice is none other thanMcG(Joseph McGinty Nichol), infamous for theCharlie's Angelsmovies and the rather dislikedTerminator Salvation. Various up-and-coming directors like Pierre Morel and Breck Eisner have beenlinkedpreviously, but McG was in the latest batch and won the job in the end. Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes is producing along with Hasbro. Production begins in summer for a 2012 release, and McG is"about to begin negotiations,"according to Deadline. Is he thebestchoice?

Though the plot is still being kept underwraps, it involves a family getting caught up in some supernatural adventure with flares ofThe MummyandIndiana Jones. So it's a bit more thanParanormal Activitymeets Hasbro supernatural board game. In betweenTerminatorand this project, McG did shoot another romantic comedy calledThis Means War, so he's stayed away from sci-fi and is finally venturing into adventure with this. I think it'll be fun and honestly, with McG and a project like this, I'm sure this is the best we would ever get anyway. Adam Horowitz& Edward Kitsis, the duo behindTron Legacy, wrote the screenplay forOuija. What do you guys think– is there any chance this will turn out fun and entertaining?Is McG a good pick?

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Trent Reznor Scoring David Fincher's'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'« FirstShowing.net

Looking back at 2010, one piece of last year that Iknowwill be talked about for years is Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' score for David Fincher'sThe Social Network, that's not only topping a lot of best soundtrack lists (including the/Filmcast's Best of), but is just an amazing contemporary score than many folks listen to on a daily basis. So I'm not really surprised, but Iamvery excited to report thatTrent Reznoris scoring Fincher's next film,The Girl with the Dragon Tattooremake, that he's shooting. The Nine Inch Nails musician confirmed during a live chat with Jon Pareles onTimesTalktonight (caught byThe Film Stage).

Obviously not only did his work onThe Social Networkjust turn out phenomenal in the end, but he must've become friends with Fincher, as that would explain why he wants him back for more. Reznor has apparently been working on the film for about six weeks so far and said to"expect something different"thanThe Social Network, but they've obviously got a long ways to go, so plenty can change. I'm guessing that Reznor might also work with producer/composerAtticus Rossagain, but that hasn't been confirmed yet. Fincher is still hard at work onThe Girl with the Dragon Tattooas Sony has the film set for release thisDecember 21st. Reznor's style will fit well into a brilliant, dark"techno-thriller"like this, which makes him a perfect choice.

If you can't tell, I've been listening to the score while writing this and it really is incredible (it's worth every penny!). It's a great accompaniment to almost any kind of work you're doing, although it' particularly fitting because I'm working on a website right now too– how meta! Anyway, this is fantastic news to hear, as I've found myself enjoying most of the work that mainstream musicians have done on various soundtracks, and I'm happy to see Reznor continue working in film once again. I'm already looking forward to hearing/seeingThe Girl with the Dragon Tattooeven though we've still got another 12 months to go. Bring it on, Fincher!

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Paul Rudd& Leslie Mann Married Again for'Knocked Up'Spin-Off« FirstShowing.net

They've already played a married couple in the 2007 comedyKnocked Up, but nowPaul RuddandLeslie Mannwill be wed to each other again.Varietyreports the two actors are apparently reprising their roles fromJudd Apatow'spregnancy comedy for the director's nextuntitled projectwhich is already slated for release onJune 1, 2012. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but Apatow seems to love having his wife (Mann) play house alongside great male comedic talent like Rudd and Adam Sandler (seeFunny People). Apatow will both write and direct the film, and we can probably expect plenty of Apatow's regulars to appea as well.

If the film does follow the same characters fromKnocked Up, there's a chance Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl could reprise their roles in a supporting capacity. InKnocked Up, Mann played Heigl's sister who was having relationship problems of her own as she suspected her husband (Rudd) of cheating. Instead he was simply looking for some time away from the chaos of marriage and family. The two played off of each other very well, and since their kids were played by Apatow's real-life daughters Maude and Iris, we can probably expect to see them too. While I find Leslie Mann to be a decent actress, I would like to see Apatow go outside of his house to get some more female talent involved with his work.What do you think?

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Barbra Streisand to Produce, Direct& Star in Adaptation of'Gypsy'« FirstShowing.net

Though she's extremely well known for using her vocal and acting talents on screen, the iconicBarbara Streisandhasn't taken part in a big screen musical sinceYentlin 1983. Now it looks like she's ready to return to the genre in a big way asThe New York Postreports Streisand is negotiating to produce, direct and star in an adaptation of the classic1959 Braodway musicalGypsy. Of course, the role is a bit different than the musical roles that Streisand has taken previously as the story follows Mama Rose,"the ultimate show business mother,"as she raises her two daughters to perform on stage albeit with some psychotic fits of rage every now and then.

Loosely based on the1957 memoirof Rose Lee, the musical paints a fairly pretty picture of show business even if Mama Rose is a bit on the crazy side (in fact the real Rose Lee apparently killed an agent by pushing him out a window). And in case any of you musical aficionados don't think Streisand is too much"like butter"to pull of such a brutal role as Mama Rose, you'll be happy to know 92-year-old Broadway legendArthur Laurents, who wrote the book to the show, has given Streisand his full blessing. Laurentis said:

"Barbra and I have had long talks on this very subject. She had a mother who she always thought was Mama Rose. I don't want to get into the details, but the point is she knows.She's got it in her. She's going to be much more than people expect."

This isn't the first time the Broadway musical has seen a film adaptation since the1962 Marvyn LeRoy directed iterationstarring Rosalind Russell, Natalie Wood and Karl Malden. Considering the only films Ms. Streisand have made in the past decade areMeet the Fockersand the recently releasedLittle Fockers, she has no place to go but up. And considering her high profile status, despite the fact that she hasn't worked in film much over the recent years, her name will definitely reel in quite an impressive musical cast.Anyone interested?

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Jodie Foster Signs Up for Neill Blomkamp's Sci-Fi Flick 'Elysium'« FirstShowing.net

The film hasn't even yet begun pursuit of a studio for distribution, but it sounds like there should be no hesitation when Neill Blomkamp's sci-fi filmElysiumgets shopped around Hollywood. In addition toDistrict 9starSharlto Copleyand A-List starMatt Damon,Deadlineis now reportingJodie Foster, who is experiencing a comeback of sorts, has committed to star in the secretive project. No details on the story have yet been revealed, but we know it's not a sequel to the Best Picture nomineeDistrict 9and the story is set in the far future on another planet. The film could be about basket weaving, and all this talent would still have me foaming at the mouth.

Though Foster has laid low since her turn in the 2008 children's fantasyNim's Island, she's set for quite a return to the spotlight as she is both directing and starring inThe Beaver. And the film will likely get a decent amount of attention since it's also the first film featuring Mel Gibson since his exposed controversial recorded outburstlast year. Of course, interest in the film should be based on the fact that thetrailermakes the flick look pretty damn good. After all, it was #1 on the Black Lista little while back, so that has to count for something. Stay tuned as more information becomes available onElysium.Do you like the cast so far?

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Stephen Dorff Confirms 'Blade' Prequel But Not Much Progress Yet« FirstShowing.net

Last summer, wereported on a rumorthat actorStephen Dorff, next seen in Sofia Coppola'sSomewhere, would star in a prequel spin-off to Marvel'sBladethat would be about Dorff's vampire villain Deacon Frost. It was set to be a new trilogy created by filmmaker Stephen Norrington, who directed the firstBlademovie but has been struggling to get anything into production recently, includingThe Crowreboot (whichhe's no longer attached to). Anyway, we've posted updateshereandthere, but finally have anewquote from Dorff himself. He does shed some light on the new prequel, but it doesn't sound like it's further along than before.

The new quote comes from a blog actually calledDark Lord Bunnykins(viaCinema Blend) which, believe it or not, supposedly got following quote directly from Dorff (most likely doing interviews forSomewhere). I thought the quote was informative and lengthy enough to include the entire text for your reading pleasure.

"Yeah, well, that was something we were talking about. Me and Steve Norrington had a cool treatment for that, and when vampires got all {trendy} again, we thought we should do the adult version, more of likea Scarface Deacon Frost movie. And it sounded cool, this treatment, but then there was {sic} so many legal things. Like, New Line owned Blade and Marvel's got… all this hype into The Avengers and this group movie which sounds like such amistake. And Blade was such a '90s thing…

"I didn't want to do a Blade movie, I just really wanted to take Deacon and do then do a whole other thing which wasmuch more today. So the idea me and Steve had, we might just end up fictionalizing it and just making anew characterwhich might even be better for us. And he's someone I really like and would love to work with again. So hopefully whenever we get a chance we'll get into that."

Honestly,"whenever we get a chance"doesn't sound very hopeful at all, and considering Norrington hasn't been able to recover his career since dive-bombing it withThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemenin 2003, I don't think his involvement is helping it get off the ground any sooner. Dorff's most interesting comments are about their decision to change the title and character, yet keep the same story but without Marvel, which is actuallynota bad idea to get this going, but potentially disastrous too. Additionally, he'sdefinitelynot as excited aboutThe Avengersas I am, but I don't think it's a"mistake"like he said. Is Marvel's focus on bigger characters and connecting their universe together hurting the little characters under the Marvel name which deserve a chance to shine as well? That's the question Droff is asking, but I truthfully don't know the answer.

We'll continue to keep an eye out for any more news on thisBladeprequel with Dorff and Norrington, but it sounds like we still have to wait at least a few more years.Is anyone actually excited for the prequel?

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Lydia Hearst-Shaw Sending Up Lindsay Lohan for a New Comedy« FirstShowing.net

If you've never heard ofLydia Hearst-Shaw, she's essentially a non-slutty, less publicized version of Paris Hilton. Great-granddaughter of publishing giantWilliam Randolph Hearst, the heiress has more fame to her name than being the offspring of a historical media man. Aside from working as a journalist (writing forPage SixofThe New York Post), she's more well-known as a model (appearing inVogue,GQand more) and most recently, acting roles in"Gossip Girl"and a couple low profile indie films likeThe Last International Playboy. NowThe New York Postreports the heiress is taking aim at troubled Hollywood starletLindsay Lohanfor her next role.

Apparently Hearst-Shaw will lead a screwball comedy calledDogs in Pocketbooksin which she'll play a comic character based on Lohan and her publicized trials and tribulations with fame. ScreenwriterCharles Casillorevealed,"Lydia will play a bratty movie goddess in and out of rehab, in trouble with the law, and hounded by greedy agents, predatory paparazzi, off-the-wall stalkers and crazed media."As for the model's limited acting experience, Casillo says,"She's one of thefew supermodels who can actually act. She's smart, well-read, charming and very beautiful. We looked at a lot of actresses for this role, and I was really knocked out."

However, for those interested in seeing Lohan's life skewered on the big screen, Casillo says,"{The movie} is in no way mean-spirited towards Lindsay. It's the kind of thing she has spoofed about herself in the past. It's more of a satire about the crazy people around her and the situations they generate. It satirizes the obsession with modern celebrity."I feel like he's saying that just to cover his own ass and not make it sound like Lohan is a victim in this scenario. Either way, while Lohan's troubles are complicated, she doesn't seem to be making any effort to change her ways and stay out of mischief, so let the lampooning run wild like Lohan herself!What do you think?

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