"Amazing Spider-Man 2" trailer to debut before "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"

Despite the fact that I didn't particularly care for The Amazing Spider-Man, the sequel actually looks pretty good and the fact that it was filmed in my hometown of Rochester, NY is a plus.  The film wrapped several months ago and since then we haven't heard a peep as to when a trailer might debut.

Until now.

Director Marc Webb tweeted an interesting tweet last night.  To say it was cryptic is an understatement the size of the OsCorp building  Probably because it was in Dwarvish.  That's right Dwarvish.  Anyone who's a fan of The Hobbit probably picked up on it rather quickly, but for those not Middle Earth aficionados, many rushed to the Internet for a translation.  (Yes there is a translation server for Dwarvish.  The depth of the Nerdverse knows no bounds.)

In any case the translation was roughly, "Trailer for 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' comes in front of 'The Hobbit' in 3D.

I was already psyched for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, but this is just icing on the cake.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug hits theaters on December 13th, while The Amazing Spider-Man 2 swings into theaters May 2, 2014.

Sigourney Weaver joins director Neil Blomkamp's "Chappie"

Opinions were varied on Neil Blomkamp's Elysium.  I personally loved it but some thought it was extremely boring.  There's no denying that Blomkamp is a visionary, and I respect his decision to take on original projects rather than established franchises.

Up next for Blomkamp is the sci-fi film Chappie, which involves an A.I. robot that gets kidnapped by two criminals and is adopted by a dysfunctional family.  Well according to "THR," sci-fi icon Sigourney Weaver has hopped on board alongside Sharlto Copley, Hugh Jackman, and Dev Patel. 

No word yet on what character Weaver will play, but I'm guessing the matron of this "dysfunctional family."

Filming has already begun in Johannesburg, South Africa.

"Olympus Has Fallen" getting a sequel

I haven't seen Olympus Has Fallen yet, but it's definitely on my list and looks like a decent action thriller.  It certainly did better than White House Down and got better reviews.  Plus despite taling off in the last few years I'm still a big fan of Gerard Butler and hey, its got Morgan Freeman in it!

Apparently the $160 million the film made worldwide was enought to garner a sequel.  "Screen Daily" reports taht Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart, Radha Mitchell, and Angela Bassett will return for the sequel, London Has Fallen.  Can't say I'm sold on the title* but it's nice to know all the principles will be back, although no word yet on if director Antoine Fuqua will return.  The plot involves a plan to strike the city during the funeral of the British Prime Minister. 

London Has Fallen will begin shooting next year and more than likely will shoot for a spring 2015 release.

*Director Edgar Wright tweeted that London Has Fallen should be renamed London Bridge is Falling Down, Falling Down, Falling Down.  Ah those British.  So cheeky.

Yes! "The Wolf of Wall Street" will be released on time for Christmas

A couple weeks ago I reported that Martin Scorsese's latest film, The Wolf of Wall Street, was in danger of missing its release date because editing issues and an NC-17 rating.  Well fear not fellow Marty fans, you'll be able to experience The Wolf of Wall Street in all its glory come December 25th.

"The Hollywood Report" reports that when confronted with the option of trimming the film (reportedly over 3 hours long) or pushing it back to 2014, Scorsese stepped up the plate and got this sucker in the can.  For those of you who don't know The World of Wall Street* follows the true story of Jordan Belfort, a Wall Street broker who started his own company and swindled investors out of millions before being caught by the FBI.  

I'm currently reading the book** now which is phenomenal so I have high hopes for this film considering the director and actors involved.  In fact I'm calling it now: this film will be nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (DiCaprio), and Best Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill) come Oscar time.

To quote Bart Scott, "Can't wait!"

*This will be the first film that Scorcese has used digital cameras rather than film.

**Ironically reviewers of the book mentioned that it reads like Goodfellas, another classic Martin Scorsese film.

First time director snags Highlander reboot

Seems like I've been talking about the Highlander reboot for as long as Connor MacLeod has been alive.  Last we heard Ryan Reynolds dropped out of the Summit Entertainment project in June (thank God!) and since then pretty much nothing.  Well while the project may not have an actor for the main role, it now has a director.

"Deadline" reports that first time director Cedric Nicolas-Troyan will helm the project for Summit Entertainment.  Up til now Nicolas-Troyan has only been a visual effects supervisor for films like One Hour Photo and Snow White and the Huntsman.  However, Nicolas-Troyan claims to be a huge fan of the films and television series. In fact the director was leery to do a reboot because of that fact.  However, after reading the script, Nicolas-Troyan was captivated and totally on board.  He also wants to draw inspiration from the original films and the television series.  Furthermore, he hopes to cast an up-and-comer in the role of Connor MacLeod.

I am TOTALLY on board with this.  Nicolas-Troyan is a fan, he respects the source material, AND he wants to go with a new actor rather than an established commodity.  Like Nicolas-Troyan I was originally nervous about a reboot but this news really sets me at ease.

Highlander expects to start filming sometime in 2014.

Halloween news, Trick 'R Treat 2 is coming soon

As a child Creepshow was one of my favorite Halloween films.  I just loved the whole vignette idea.  That's probably why I'm such a fan of Trick 'R Treat.  I actually remember seeing trailers for the film but it never made it to the theaters.  Thank goodness for Netflix.

In any case while Trick 'R Trick was in the tradition of Creepshow, all four vignettes were interconnected which kind of set it apart from Creepshow.  And boy were they creepy, especially the one involving the children killed during a fateful bus ride.  Still gives me the shivers.

I never really thought that Trick 'R Treat would ever receive a sequel, but then again I never thought Deuce Bigelow would either.  Hopefully THIS sequel will be a step up.

"Entertainment Weekly" got a chance to sit down with director Michael Dougherty at the recent Beyond Fest.  The director of the cult classic stated that after six years, a sequel is finally moving forward.  As to the script he couldn't really reveal any information as it is in the early stages, but Dougherty wants to explore other archetypes rather than zombies, werewolves, or vampires.  He's also hoping that the sequel will actually appear in the theater and is looking to do a trilogy.  ('Natch!)

Dougherty also made a classy move but crediting the fans for making the sequel possible.  Fan demand and word of my mouth got the ball rolling on this one.  In my opinion that's always the way to go about creating a sequel for a cult classic.  Listening to the fans???  What an innovative idea!

No time table yet on a release date but if all runs smoothly hopefully we will see this sucker sometime in October 2015 or '16. 

Sam Raimi will direct Army of Darkness 2!!!!

To quote Kim Jong Il from Team America: World Police, this was inevitable.

Fede Alvarez, who recently directed the Evil Dead remake, responded to a Twitter question the other day as to the chances of of him directing Army of Darkness 2.  Alvarez promptly dropped the bomb that Sam Raimi, the director of the original Evil Dead films, would in fact be directing Army of Darkness 2.

That's news to make a Deadite cry.

Now granted the source comes from Twitter so take that for what's worth, but at least this is moving in the right direction.  If you're going to do a sequel to Army of Darkness, you HAVE to have Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi involved. 

Let's hope that the IMDB page stating that Army of Darkness 2 will hit theaters in 2016 is accurate.

Director bows out of Mortal Kombat

I was never a huge fan of the Mortal Kombat movies, mostly because video game adaptations are usually putrid.*  I always preferred the video games to the movies. 

Maybe director Kevin Tancharoen feels the same way.  After three years with virtually no movement except for a script, Tancharoen has bowed out of the Mortal Kombat reboot in order to pursue other creative projects.

While as I mentioned a script is in place, apparently budget costs and location sites were the culprit.  I can't say I really blame Tancharoen for this.  The same thing happened with Guillermo del Toro and The Hobbit debacle.

Now to be fair Tancharoen has not said he's completely removing himself from the project, just the director aspect.  Perhaps, he'll stay on as an executive producer.  It's the least the production company can do after three years of Development Hell.

One thing's for sure, Casper Van Dien is pissed.

*I will say however that as the quality and storylines of videogames progress, my opinion is apt to change.

Release of Monuments Men delayed

Those of you looking forward to seeing The Monuments Men with George Clooney and Matt Damon this December are going to have to wait a little longer.

The film was scheduled to be released this Christmas but it's been pushed to an "unspecified time" in 2014.  "Deadline" reports the reason behind the delay is that visual effects for the film will not be complete by December 18th, the scheduled release date.

If I had to hazard I guess I think audiences won't see The Monuments Men until fourth quarter next year.  Reason being the all-star cast, the fact that Clooney is directing, and that this movie is primed for awards season.

I guess it's safe to say that The Monuments Men is in a statue state right now.*

See what I did there?

Stephen Lang to reprise role for all 3 Avatar sequels; Cameron pegs three separate writers to pen the scripts

Whether you thought Avatar was an amazing sci-fi epic, Pocahontas in space, or as "South Park" refers to it "Dances with Smurfs," there's no denying its appeal.  And $700 million domestic box office translates to a sequel.  Or in this case three.

Sam Worthington recently dropped the news that the sequels would begin filming in October of 2014 and now we have some additional, and surprising, news.  Stephen Lang, who played Colonel Miles Quaritch and the requisite villain in the original film, will return for the sequels.  This despite having died at the end of the first movie. 

I thought Lang was one of the highlights of the first film and I'm glad to see that he's returning, but I wonder exactly how Cameron will pull this off.  Will he return as a Na'vi, human form, an android,....Ben Affleck?  Who knows.

Another piece of news are the writers of the aforementioned sequels.  James Cameron has tasked three writers to script a sequel apiece.  Josh Friedman will write the first sequel, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver the second, and Shane Salerno the third.  Let's hope these scripts are slightly more original.

There are also plans to create a series of novels to flesh out what is proving to be a massive story.  One thing you can say about Cameron, he doesn't just create movies, he creates WORLDS.

Here's hoping the upcoming sequels will be more about substance than spectacle.

Avatar 2 is set for a December 2016 release date with the third and fourth films occuring December 2017 and December 2018 respectively.

John Belushi biopic in the work, Joaquin Phoenix and Emile Hirsch rumored front runners for role

This is exciting news.

While a John Belushi biopic has been in development for a long time, it looks like there is finally some movement on the project.  While director Todd Phillips (The Hangover) was initially tied to the film, screenwriter Steve Conrad has replaced him. The picture is also moving forward as an Indie pic, rather than a big budget production.

"THR" also reports that Conrad is currently searching for actors for the main role with Joaquin Phoenix, Emile Hirsch, and Adam Devine at the top of the list.  Additionally, Conrad is looking for an actor to play Dan Aykroyd, and Nelson Franklin of "Veep" and "New Girl" fame appears to be the frontrunner. 

While a previous Belushi picture, Wired, came out in 1989 starring Michael Chiklis, the whole Belushi family rejected it and it met with poor reception.  This time around however Belushi's widow, Judy Belushi Pisano, is producing the film with Aykroyd serving as an executive producer as well. 

I'm psyched for this film.  I always loved Belushi* and his tragic death was a huge blow to the comedy world.  If I had my druthers I think I'd actually pick Devine for this role.  He has Belushi's build and as a natural comedic performer I believe he'd fit perfectly.  Phoenix is an interesting choice but I think Emile Hirsch would be awful.  Seems like a complete miscasting to me. 

The untitled project is slated to begin production in Spring 2014 in New York City.

*John Belushi was originally supposed to play Dr. Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters, but upon his death the role went to Bill Murray.

Ben Kingley working on undisclosed Marvel project

I loved Iron Man 3.  In fact I'd hazard to say that it was the best of the bunch, and at the very least a step up from Iron Man 2.  However, I fully acknowledge that plenty of fans were outraged about the use, or in this case misuse, of Kingsley's character The Mandarin.

Despite incurring the wrath of fanboys though, it looks like Marvel is still interested in Kingsley taking on roles in their universe.  In a recent interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Kingsley stated he was working on a secret Marvel project, but wasn't allowed to elaborate.  With all the rumors that fly around when it comes to comic book movies, you might think Kingsley was just blowing smoke.  However, Marvel producer Kevin Feige ALSO admitted he couldn't say anything, which leads me to believe that Kingsley's comments are genuine.  In any case Kingsley seems like a stand up guy so I don't see why he would lie. 

Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Review: Gravity

Plot:  Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a mission specialist for NASA on her first assignment in space.  Stone and fellow astronaut Lt. Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) are on their last space walk, making some final repairs to the Hubble Space Telescope when disaster strikes.  A Russian missile strike on a defunct satellite has caused space debris to accelerate around the Earth's orbit, destroying anything in its path.  Before long Kowalski and Stone are in a desperate fight for their lives, running out of oxygen, safe harbor, and most importantly-time.

Review:  The word "groundbreaking" gets thrown around a lot in Hollywood in regards to films, almost to the point of cliche.  Yet in the case of director Alfonso Cuaron's latest phenomenal film Gravity, "groundbreaking" is the exact right word to use.  Not only is this a finely crafted masterpiece of a movie, it is also quite literally a game changer in the film industry.  What Bonnie and Clyde was to violence in films and The French Connection was to car chases on screen, Gravity is to cinematography and space films.  Not since Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey has there been a film like this. 

As I mentioned previously, what separates Gravity from other movies is Cuaron's vision of space and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki's ability to capture that vision.  Lubezki's work here is unparalleled, unveiling the beauty, majesty, and danger of space.  It begins and ends with the point of view of the camera.  Some of the most harrowing moments come from the POV of Stone.  We are literally in the suit with her as she tumbles uncontrollably through space, which serves to heighten the terror.  The audience feels what she is feeling.  Other wide range shots of the stars or the Earth miles above the surface, makes it look like the film was shot in space.  You cannot tell the difference.  In a very real sense, space itself becomes a character in the film.

Alfonso Cuaron has already established himself as one of the premier dynamic directors of his generation with films like Y Tu Mama Tambien, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Children of Men, but Gravity is truly his masterpiece and the one film he will be remembered for long after he's gone. His singular vision of what it's like to face real danger in space is a revelation.  Gravity is the first film in a long time that kept me on the edge of my seat through almost the entire movie.  Cuaron's direction evokes a tension from his audience that's unparalleled.  Though the film clocks in at a tight ninety minutes, when you're done you'll feel like you've been through the ringer.  It's an emotional roller coaster that leaves the audience exhausted.  Alfonso Cuaron's pacing is excellent, interspersing terrifying moments such as a fire in space, with moments of heartfelt tenderness between Kowalski and Stone. 

Let me be upfront by the way.  I absolutely LOATHE Sandra Bullock as an actress.  I think her Best Actress Award for The Blind Side was a joke and most of the movies she stars in are garbage.  Having said that Bullock absolutely crushes it in Gravity.  Bullock carries the film much the same way that Tom Hanks carried Cast Away, but her performance is even better.  It's ironic that the tag line for Gravity happens to be "Don't Let Go" because that's exactly what Bullock's Stone can't do in her own life.  Stone recently lost her four year old daughter and suffers from a depression that makes her drive for hours on end so she doesn't have to face reality.  Life has become empty and meaningless.  Yet when she is thrust into a situation where she must scrape and claw for every breath, from one harrowing danger to another, to fight for her life at every step, Stone somehow finds the desire to live and not just survive.  Sandra Bullock presents a multi-layered character, someone the audience can not only relate to but root for as well.  Not only is this an incredibly physical role for Bullock (reports state that she was in a harness upwards of fourteen hours a day during filming) but a wrenching emotional performance as well.    In my opinion the best performances often come from the combination of the physical AND the emotional.  That's exactly what Sandra Bullock delivers with her performance as Dr. Ryan Stone.

Concurrently, George Clooney's Kowalski presents a perfect balance to Bullock's Stone.  A true space cowboy on his last space flight, Clooney slips easily into the role of a smooth talking, devil-may-care astronaut with a sizable ego and a closet full of stories.  Yet he is also a determined and knowledge commander, a leader that gets Stone through several crisises both physical and emotional.  I can't see anyone else playing this role other than Clooney.

Gravity will no doubt dominate come Oscar time.  I don't see a scenario where Bullock, Cuaron, and Lubezki don't get nominated.  Without having seen some of the upcoming award season films I'd say hand the Oscars to Cuaron and Bullock right now, but I'll reserve judgement for the moment.  Even Hans Zimmer's understated but brilliant score may finally land him a nomination. 

Nevertheless, awards or no awards, Gravity is a landmark achievement in film making and something not to be missed.

My rating:  10/10

Tim Burton in talks to direct sequel to Beetlejuice

If you're a child of the 80s and 90s you probably saw Beetlejuice more than once.  Quirky, zany, funny, horrific, it's classic Tim Burton before he decided to make everything with Johnny Depp.  Also up until the following year's Batman, Beetlejuice was the film Michael Keaton was the most known for.

Well looks like the "ghost with the most" may be back.  "The Wrap" reports that Tim Burton is currently in talks to direct the sequel to the 1988 hit film.  Michael Keaton also plans to return.  Burton was set to direct an adaptation of Miss Peregrine's Home for Unusual Children but may have since begged off.  Seth Grahame-Smith, who wrote Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, is currently writing the script as well.  All we know is that the film is set some twenty-seven years after the first film.  There's probably no chance that Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis return, because let's face it, ghosts don't age.  (Obviously the same wouldn't apply to Keaton since he'd be under a heap of makeup.  See pic above.)  But I could definitely see Winona Ryder coming back.  Maybe her kids would be involved?

I have mixed emotions about this project.  On one hand a sequel to Beetlejuice is an intriguing prospect.  However, I'm really getting tired of Burton either revisiting old projects, rebooting old television shows, or adapting books into film.  He hasn't done anything original in years and if somehow he casts Johnny Depp in this I might lose my shit.

I wonder.  If I say Johnny Depp three times will he go away from Tim Burton movies?

This is my BOOM SEQUEL! Bruce Campbell signs on for sequel to Army of Darkness

I loved the Evil Dead reboot from earlier this year, but if you revel in the original trilogy like I do, I couldn't help regretting it wasn't a straight sequel involving Bruce Campbell.

Request answered.

At Wizard World Nashville Comic Con this weekend the King himself was on hand discussing past and present projects.  When asked point blank whether there would be a sequel to Army of Darkness, Campbell stated, "All right sir, the answer is yes."

Now I know we've heard this sort of thing in the past but Sam Raimi recently confirmed that he spent the entire summer writing the sequel.  To have Campbell give a definitive "yes" to this project is finally a step in the right direction.

Now if we can just get a sequel to Bubba Ho-Tep.....

Review: Runner Runner

Plot:  Richie Furst (Justin Timberlake) is a former Wall Street hotshot who lost his job and is now making his way through Princeton financial school.  Desperate for tuition money, Furst uses his talent for numbers on an online poker site to pay for school.  When Furst is cheated out of all his money however, he makes the bold move to fly to Costa Rica and confront the website's owner Ivan Block (Ben Affleck).  Surprisingly, Block admires Furst's guts and talent and offer him a job.  The perks are appealing to Furst, not just the money but Block's ex-girlfriend Rebecca (Gemma Arterton).  However, before long Furst finds himself dealing with the FBI, corrupt politicians, and his increasingly unstable boss.  Someone's life is about to fold.  The question is who?

Review:  In spite of the fact that Runner Runner comes care of the people who brought audiences the fantastic Rounders, Runner Runner proves to be a disappointing film.  Pedestrian, cliched, and occasionally entertaining, Runner Runner is nothing more than a predictable thriller.

The strength of Rounders was in its characters.  Mike, Worm, Teddy KGB, Knish; each had their own distinct traits and mannerisms that made them intriguing.  With Runner Runner its writers Brian Koppelman and David Levien completely forgot how to flesh out a character.  Neither writer succeeds in making Richie a likable or relatable character.  In point of fact, he's a little off putting in that he lures unsuspecting college students into gambling and is willing to give up a promising future in finance almost immediately, for a quick buck in Costa Rica.  Even Koppelman and Levien's weak attempts to evoke empathy for Richie through his relationship to his degenerate father Harry (John Heard) fall flat.  Ivan Block meanwhile comes across as your typical rich tycoon, someone who is manipulative, arrogant, and believes he's untouchable.  Even FBI Agent Shavers (Anthony Mackie) comes across as a cliched law enforcement official looking to stick it to "The Man." 

To their credit Timberlake and Affleck do well with what little they're given.  Timberlake conveys strength and ingenuity throughout Runner Runner.  In some ways his performance turns Richie into a slightly lesser version of Ivan Block, the implied message being that but for a few decisions, Richie could easily become like Block.  Additionally, Timberlake's tumultuous relationship with his father is believable if slightly contrived.  Timberlake continues to improve with each film he's in and although already a dynamo when it comes to comedy, he's definitely becoming a serious actor.  The role of Ivan Block seems tailor made for Ben Affleck.  Affleck fits into the character of Block like a well worn leather glove.  He excels at conveying Block's deviousness and arrogance.  Affleck also delivers some fantastic one liners, one of the few saving graces of this film.  Unfortunately, Affleck doesn't do menacing very well and the few times Block's actions required a certain amount of fury, Affleck couldn't quite measure up.  Historically though, Affleck has always had problems depicting true anger on screen.

As strong as Affleck and Timberlake were, Gemma Arterton and Anthony Mackie were equally bad.  Arterton was so vanilla and forgettable as Richie's love interest, that she might as well not have been in the film.  I never bought the relationship between her and Timberlake.  The chemistry was severely lacking.  Meanwhile Mackie, who I usually love in most things, comes across as too stale and one note for my taste.  Mackie plays Agent Shavers as the cliched pissed off government official always handing out threats and zingers in equal measure.  There is zero nuance to Mackie's Shavers.

Speaking of nuance, Runner Runner as a whole possesses little as a film.  Its biggest problem as I've alluded to is that it is predictable.  The audience knows early on the exact way the plot is going to go down.  It's easier than connecting the dots to form a triangle.  Eventually you find yourself waiting for the next item to check off your "Cliched Thriller" list.  And the "twist" at the end of the film?  Let's just say that if you don't see it coming five minutes before it happens you probably can't see the big "E" at the eye doctor's office either.

There's little entertainment to take away from this movie, which is a shame considering the writers and cast involved.  Runner Runner?  More like Bummer Bummer.

My rating:  4/10  

Oliver Stone and Jamie Foxx may re-team for an MLK biopic

A while back I reported on this blog that Paul Greengrass was developing an MLK biopic named Memphis but it ended up being rejected by the King family.  A second picture called Selma is now in the hands of director Ava DuVernay but that's languishing in development Hell. 

You can now add a third MLK film to the list.

"The Wrap" reports that two time Oscar winning director Oliver Stone is in talks with DreamWorks to direct a film about the famous civil rights leader.  Fellow Oscar winner Jamie Foxx is also in talks to play the part of King.  If both sign on it will be the first time the two have worked together since 1999's Any Given Sunday.  Screenwriter Kario Salem has been working on the script for over three years, conducting extensive interviews to make the screenplay as authentic as possible.  Dreamworks acquired the rights to King's story, including the "I Have A Dream" speech back in 2011.

I could see this scenario playing out very well.  Foxx is an excellent actor and absolutely has the chops to handle the role.  Oliver Stone, while not having the most success in recent movies, certainly knows 1960s America well.  I think he would excel in a film like this.

No news yet on when the film might be released, but this has Oscar bait all over it so I'd expect late 2015.  Jamie Foxx can be seen in next May's The Amazing Spiderman 2.

Spawn re-make still a possibility; Jamie Foxx (sort of) attached

Been awhile since I've reported anything about the proposed Spawn remake which creator Todd McFarlane is helming.  But now we may have a glimpse into the direction McFarlane wants to go.

In a recent interview with "Assignment X," McFarlane said he wants to make the film for about $10 million, reduce the superhero aspect significantly, and make it a hard R.  I think those are all admiral goals.  Especially considering Spawn the character is more of an anti-hero than anything else.  And if you think about it, the timing couldn't be more perfect because anti-heroes are in now.  You only have to look at television shows like "Breaking Bad," "Dexter," and "Sons of Anarchy" to see that.  As for keeping it a hard R, I think that's a given.  You're talking about a violent special forces agent who is murdered and returns from Hell as an axe wielding semi-demon bent on escaping his fate and fucking over the Devil to boot.  Not really something that screams Care Bears and Rainbow Brite.

As for the $10 million budget that might be a little more difficult, especially since McFarlane wants Jamie Foxx to play the main character.  They've discussed the project numerous times, but I don't think an actor of Foxx's caliber would be willing to work on spec for this one.

Here's hoping that this one gets made sooner rather than later.

"Finding Dory" "50 Shades of Grey" "Gods of Egypt"....Casting news comin' at ya!!!!

Three films enter, three actors join.  Like Thunderdome.  Or not.

Anyhooo...I have a bit of casting news for three VERY different films.

First up is weird actor extraordinaire, Willem Dafoe who told "Total Film" that he will reprise his role as the scarred Gil in Pixar's Finding Dory.  Dafoe also added that he's already begun work on the project and that he believes Finding Dory will be better than Finding Nemo.  That's high praise considering that the consensus is that Finding Nemo is the best Pixar film ever.

Next up is everyone's favorite Mom Porn film 50 Shades of Grey.  "Deadline" reports that actress Jennifer Ehle (Zero Dark Thirty) has been cast as the main character Anastasia's mother, Carla.  This comes on the heels of Ehle also being cast in the heist film The Forger, directed by Phillip Martin.

Lastly, Brenton Thwaites has signed on for a lead role in director Alex Proyas's film Gods of Egypt.  This news comes, once again, care of "Deadline."  Thwaites joins Geoffrey Rush, Gerard Butler, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.  The film revolves around an attempt to destroy Set (Butler) the ancient Egyptian god of the desert.

No word on a release date yet for Gods of Egypt but 50 Shades of Grey releases August 1, 2014 and Finding Dory hits theaters June 17, 2016.

Another heist movie for director Danny Boyle

Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting, 28 Days Later; these are just a few of the films that define Danny Boyle as a director.  He's quite simply one of the best in the world.  While I haven't seen Trance yet, by all accounts it's an atypical heist movie.  Looks like Boyle liked the genre so much he's hitching his wagon, or should I say plucking his diamond, to another heist film.

"Variety" reports that Boyle is set to direct a feature film version of the documentary Smash and Grab: The Story of the Pink Panthers*.  The documentary revolves around the real Pink Panther network of jewel thieves who have pulled off crimes in Dubai, Switzerland, France, and Spain, among other countries. 

As cool as this documentary probably is (and by all accounts it's getting rave reviews) this material sounds dynamite in the hands of Boyle.  Really feels like something right up his alley.  Boyle is currently circling several projects so this may not necessarily be his next project.  However, I'm sure Boyle will be announcing his next film very shortly.

*The Pink Panthers received their moniker from Interpol.  One of their first heists was a $500,000 diamond in London, England.

"Ted 2" will drop in 2015

Aside from the "Thunder Buddies" song which became very annoying after seeing it so many times on commercials, I thought last year's Ted was hysterical.  Some of the one liners killed me.  ("I look like Snuggles' accountant!")  Talks of a sequel began soon after the film was released and now it seems we have a bit of a firmer date on when that sequel will hit theaters.

"Deadline" reports that Ted 2 will release on June 26, 2015.  No details on the plot just yet or if Mila Kunis will return but I don't see a scenario where Kunis doesn't come back*.  The first film was a huge success making over half a billion dollars worldwide.  Let's hope Seth McFarlane puts as much devotion into this film as he did with the original.  And that Patrick Stewart returns to narrate of course.

McFarlane is currently filming  A Million Ways to Die in the West with Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, and Neil Patrick Harris.  That movie releases May 20, 2014.

*Forget about Kunis, let's hope to Hell Sam Jones comes back!

Third times the charm, writers of the first two "Amazing Spider-Man" movies will return for the third film

I didn't particularly care for The Amazing Spider-Man.  It's not that the film was bad, it just felt empty and lacking in substance and soul.  There's no denying the box-office numbers though, and it looks like everyone associated with the film is in it for the long haul.  Although the sequel doesn't hit until next May, the third and fourth feature films are already in the works.  And it appears as though all of the writers from the first two movies will return at least for the third.

"The Hollywood Reporter" reveals that writers Jeff Pinkner, Alex Kurtzman, and Robert Orci will all return for the third Amazing Spider-Man which isn't set to debut until June 10, 2016.  A fourth film will follow on May 4, 2018.  Why all the pre-planning you ask?  Apparently the people behind these films are structuring these movies to facilitate a larger story arc.  For example, while Norman and Harry Osborn will be introduced in the next film, they'll play a minor role.  Their roles won't come to fruition until the third film.

Well I suppose if you are going to treat a series of movies in this manner, it's best if  you remain consistent.  Retaining the same writers goes a long way to accomplishing that goal. 

As I said I didn't really like the first film but the cast for the second movie looks excellent.  Paul Giamatti, Chris Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Sally Field, and Andrew Garfield are all a part of it, so that seems encouraging.  Plus part of the film was shot in my hometown of Rochester, New York so how can I not check it out?

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opens May 2, 2014.

Double dose of casting: Lizzie Caplan joins Seth Rogen comedy and Joely Richardson hooks up with AH-NULD

A little casting news this evening.  The first comes via "Empire" magazine which reports that Lizzie Caplan (Mean Girls, Hot Tub Time Machine) will join the Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg comedy The Interview.  The film involves a talk show host and his producer who somehow get involved in a plot to assassinate the premier of North Korea.  Caplan will play an intelligence operative named Lacey.

Meanwhile, although the film Maggie is already in production, "The Wrap" reports that Joely Richardson (Event Horizon, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) has signed on to zombie movie alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Joely will play Maggie's mother which is reportedly a small role.

I'm glad to see both of these actresses getting gainful employment.  Caplan is a very underrated actress and I loved Joely Richardson in television's "Nip/Tuck."

Both films are set to release sometime in 2015.