Casting for Sarah Connor and John Connor commences for "Terminator 5"

Like it or not Terminator 5, whether it's a reboot or a direct sequel, is coming our way.  After the Terminator: Salvation debacle I'm not too hopeful, althought the fact that AH-NULD is supposedly involved bodes well.  I also like the fact that Alan Taylor, one of the directors of "Game of Thrones," could helm the project.  Now comes the news that one of his fellow co-workers may join the cast of the fifth entry.

According to "Schmoes Know," "Game of Thrones" actress and resident hottie Emilia Clarke is up for the role of Sarah Connor* as are Brie Larson, and Margot Robbie.  I am a huge fan of Clarke.  Forget about the fact that she is smoking hot, she's a damn talented actress.  Clarke could strike just the right balance between toughness and vulnerability that this role requires.

As for the John Connor role actors Garrett Hedlund (above) and Boyd Holbrook of "Hatfield and McCoys" fame are up for the role.  If I had to pick between the two I'd go Hedlund.  I know he takes a lot of shit but I like him.

The real question is why they would cast the roles of Sarah and John with similar ages.  I mean after all John is Sarah's son.  Obviously there has to be some type of time travel angle to this.  And where exactly does Schwarzenegger fit into all this?  I'm speculating here but this could be a big okie doke and Hedlund will really be playing the role of Kyle Reese.

*Ironically one of Clarke's co-stars on "Game of Thrones" Lena Headey starred in the short lived television series "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles."

Saoirse Ronan will not join 'Star Wars Episode VLL'

I'll be perfectly honest, as good an actress as Saoirse Ronan is purported to be, I've never watched her in anything.  Having said that I don't really have an opinion one way or the other on this news.

In an interview with IndieWire, Ronan states that while she did audition for a major role last month, she did not win the part.  To be fair all the hot young talent in Hollywood has been auditioning for these parts.  (Who wouldn't want to join Star Wars?)

I'm kind of torn on the whole casting thing when it comes to Star Wars.  On the one hand I'd like to have some established actors involved* but casting a relative unknown in various parts might be a good way to go.  After all Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher were NOT household names before Star Wars.  The whole idea is striking the right balance I think.

My biggest problem is that I'm sick and tired of waiting for concrete casting news.  The film is about to roll in a few months.  The least they could do is confirm that Ford, Hamill, and Fisher are back.  But maybe it's a good sign that Abrams and crew want to get the casting right.  After all, George Lucas cast Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker solely through a video audition and we all know how that turned out.

*I sooo want Benedict Cumberbatch to play a Sith Lord.

Dwayne Johnson will star in a military horror film....

I'm thrilled that Dwayne Johnson has decided to go back into action films.  For awhile I thought he was going to wreck his career with films like The Tooth Fairy and The Game Plan, but he's helped rejuvenate the Fast and Furious franchise, he was excellent in Michael Bay's Pain and Gain, and he will soon grace the screen as Hercules. 

You can now add military horror to Johnson's list. "The  Hollywood Reporter" reports that Johnson will join the film Seal Team 666, based on the novel by Weston Ochse.  The story follows a group of special Navy Seals who fight demons and other supernatural monsters. They discover that a greater supernatural force is threatening the world and then it's on like Donkey Kong.

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this project.  It could end up being really dark and gritty or totally cheesy.  I remember seeing the novel at Barnes and Noble and thinking the latter.  Currently no other actors are attached and there is no director.

Johnson can next be seen in Hercules: The Thracian Wars, releasing next year.

Lionsgate developing the very unnecessary 8th film in the 'Saw' franchise

I want to play a game.  It's called let's stop with the Saw movies already!

What started out as one of the most original horror films in over a decade resulted in six sequels in he same amount of years, each one worst then the last.  I had sincerely hoped that with Saw 3D's release three years ago, audiences had finally seen the end of the franchise.

I was wrong.

"Bloody Disgusting" reports that production company Lionsgate is pushing for an eighth Saw film.  Lionsgate wants a "creative and fresh way to bring the movies back to the audiences."  You know what that tells me?  Reboot.  Groan.

The unfortunate nature of these films is that they cost only about $10 million to make and end up grossing four times that amount at the box office.  So long as audiences keep showing up there's no reason to stop making them.  In fact I'm a bit surprised we aren't on Saw X right now.  But just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD do something.  And I can think of no better example than the Saw franchise. 

No word on a story, director, or production start date but I wouldn't doubt it if we see Saw XIII next October.

Yes!!! Sequel to 'The Wolverine' currently in the works

After the marked disappointment of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, I was pleasantly surprised how awesome James Mangold's The Wolverine was.  The plot was fantastic, the acting superb, excellent direction, and beautiful cinematography. 

Despite performing only so-so at the box office domestically, The Wolverine raked in $413 million worldwide.  Let's face it, the days of a sequel being solely determined on how much money it makes in the United States is a thing of the past.  China has become an unbelievable market on the world stage and money, after all, is a global language.

It's not surprising then that a sequel to The Wolverine is already in the works.  "Deadline" reports that director James Mangold is currently making a deal to write the treatment for the sequel, with requisite adamantium clawed wild man Hugh Jackman set to return.*  Mangold apparently has a idea of where he wants to take the plot but is keeping mum on the details.  Using the silver samurai source material was a great move for the last film and I truly hope Mangold and company go that route again.  Plenty of good Wolverine stories yet to be pawed (clawed?) through.

Lauren Shuler Donner is set to produce again.  This movie is VERY early in the development phase and I wouldn't bet on a sequel hitting theaters until 2016 or late 2015 at the earliest.

*For those of you counting at home, this would mark the eighth time Hugh Jackman would play the famed X-Man.  (X-Men, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, X-Men: First Class <cameo>, The Wolverine, X-Men: Days of Future Past <set to release next May>)

Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart join action comedy "American Ultra"

Resident pale mannequin--er actress--Kristen Stewart and Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg are set to re-team for the movie American Ultra.  The script comes care of Max Landis (Chronicle) and will be helmed by director Nima Nourizadeh (Project X).  The plot involves Eisenberg playing:

"an unmotivated stoner named Mike, who lives with his girlfriend Phoebe (Stewart) in a small, sleepy town.  One night their lives take an unexpected turn when Mike's past comes back to haunt him, and he becomes the target of a government opeartor set to wipe him out."

This sounds a little bit like a stoner version of Date Night, and considering I didn't like that film I'd probably like this one even less.  Additionally, fifteen minutes into Project X I wanted to gouge my eyes out, so Nourizadeh's involvement isn't helping my interest any.  I hate to say it but anything with Kristen Stewart in it at this point kind of turns me off.  Although Jesse Eisenberg's in it so it's kind of a wash.  Maybe I'll check it out after all.

American Ultra begins shooting in Spring 2014.

Adaptation of video game Kane and Lynch may be coming to theaters; Gerard Butler and Vin Diesel in talks to star

I've never been big on video game adaptations (Super Mario Bros. anyone?) but the plots for video games have become progressively more intricate, in some ways surpassing movie plots.  Take the video game "Arkham Asylum."  The plot was exponentially better than Batman and Robin.  To be fair however I probably could have taken a steaming dump in the toilet and it would have contained a better plot. 

One of the more popular games in recent years has been "Kane and Lynch."  The plot:

The game follows Kane, a death row inmate who, along with a schizophrenic killer named Lynch, is sprung from prison to retrieve a stolen fortune.  Kane travels to Los Angeles, Japan, and Cuba with Lynch acting as the team's watchdog in order to save his wife and daughter.

I've never played the game myself but the plot sounds like a very anti-heroesque story which is all the rage right now.  I think it could make for a good thriller.

Unbeknownst to me, this project has apparently been gestating for quite some time, as far back as 2008 in fact. At the time Bruce Willis was set to play Kane but that fizzled out.  Since then the project has descended into Development Hell, however "THR" now reports that the project has some life again.  Gerard Butler is apparently in talks to join the project.   He would be taking over for Bruce Willis in the Kane role.  Also Vin Diesel isn't just in talks, he's flat out been offered the role of Lynch.  Director F. Gary Gray (The Negotiator) is attached to direct.  He previously worked with Butler on Law Abiding Citizen.

While I'm kind of lukewarm on the project, the idea of Butler and Diesel teaming up appeals to me.

Currently there's no production start date or release date.