Knightley stars at Duchess launch

The actress was sewn into 27 separate dresses for the role Actress Keira Knightley has graced the red carpet in London's Leicester Square for the world premiere of her latest costume drama The Duchess. Wearing a shoulderless cornflower blue dress, the 23-year-old was greeted by screams and camera flashes. In the film, she plays Georgiana Spencer, an 18th Century noblewoman who embarks on a loveless marriage. Knightley said she was pleased by the positive reviews: "It's much better than people saying you're awful." "It was a very exciting character to play," she added. "I think she was an incredible woman and the fact that the film's getting good reviews is obviously really exciting." Asked whether she had had reservations about signing up for another period drama, Knightley said: "No, not really." "I think you've just got to go with the script and whether the character's interesting," she told BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba. Knightley stopped to sign autographs for fans "And I thought the opportunity to work with Ralph Fiennes and Charlotte Rampling and Saul Dibb, the director, is one that I couldn't pass up. "So I went for the corsets and the wig and just thought: 'I might as well.'" Diana link                                Knightley's real-life character endured a "lonely, vulnerable" marriage. Her husband, the fifth Duke of Devonshire had several affairs, including one with his wife's best friend, and a love triangle developed. Knightley has played down parallels between Georgiana and her real-life descendant, Diana, Princess of Wales. However, publicity material has made an explicit link between the two women. A tagline for the film reads, "there were three people in her marriage", echoing a phrase used by Diana in a 1995 television interview. Dominic Cooper (left) and Ralph Fiennes also walked the red carpet Dominic Cooper, who plays future prime minister Charles Grey in the film, said Georgiana Spencer's story stood on its own merits. "I was fascinated by her and her life," he said, adding that she had been an "iconic figure" in the 18th century. "She was into gambling, there were affairs that took place, the desperate passion. "It was those truthful heartfelt moments at the heart of the story that I really connected with." Other celebrities at the premiere included Ralph Fiennes, Anna Popplewell, Camilla Rutherford and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson.

WALL.E

By Richard Corliss

On an Earth long abandoned by humans, one little dustbuster keeps picking up the trash. The compact critter is code-named WALL.E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter — Earth), and he's the funniest, most soulful entity you're likely to meet in movies this summer. His encounter with another robot, the sleekly feminine EVE, forms the valentine heart of this science-fiction love story. Stanton, whose Finding Nemo remains Pixar's top-grossing movie, playfully challenges audiences with WALL.E's first 45 minutes, which has virtually no dialogue, yet communicates its humor and feelings as directly as Charlie Chaplin's best silent films. The Earth scenes are non-talking, but in no way silent — WALL.E's mechanical voice and most of the movie's other aural components are the work of Ben Burtt; he's been recognized as the medium's presiding wizard of sounds since the original Star Wars, for which he created the voices or noises of the creatures, droids and swishing light sabers. Like the early shorts of Pixar creative boss John Lasseter (Luxo Jr., Red's Dream), this one is the story of a machine with palpable human emotions.

In that sense, WALL.E is the company's most sophisticated toy but its purest, most personal movie yet: ultimate Pixar.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton Cast in Prince of Persia!

May 20, 2008
Source: Hollywood Reporter
by Alex Billington

It's now official - Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton will play Prince and Princess in the upcoming video game adaptation Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Gyllenhaal will play Dastan, a young prince in sixth century Persia who must join forces with Tamina (Arterton), a feisty and exotic princess, to prevent a villainous nobleman from possessing the Sands of Time, a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world. Obviously Arterton's agent is kicking ass, because she's gone from nearly nothing to a big name in both Quantum of Solace and now Prince of Persia! Jerry Bruckheimer is producing and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire's Mike Newell is directing this video game adaptation, with filming slated to begin in June in Morocco and England.

Its obvious that they've tweaked the storyline a bit, changing the names of both the Prince and Princess Farah, but considering Jordan Mechner, one of the game's original creators, has been intricately involved in the development of the script, I'm not at all worried. I've been looking forward to this adaptation since I first heard about it, and now it sounds like Gyllenhaal is going to go down in history as the actor that lead the way in finally showing Hollywood how great video game movies can actually be. Gemma Arterton is also a gorgeous addition, but I can't say much for her acting yet. However, I am intrigued by the choice to use more Americanized actors as opposed to more ethnic alternatives. Thoughts?

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is currently set to arrive in theaters next summer on June 19th, 2009. We'll be sure to bring you more updates as we hear them!

Disney, Bruckheimer Acquire The Increment

Source: Variety

May 14, 2008

 

Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have acquired screen rights to "The Increment," a geopolitical thriller novel by David Ignatius to be published by WW Norton next year, reports Variety.

The title refers to a shadowy, elite group of British undercover intelligence operatives who are conscripted by a CIA agent to help a weapons scientist defect from Iran.

Ignatius, a Washington Post columnist, wrote "Body of Lies," the 2007 novel that was adapted by William Monahan into the upcoming Ridley Scott-directed thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe.

Miramax lines up 'Train' remake

Billy Bob Thornton circling project

 

By Gregg Goldstein

April 22, 2008

 

NEW YORK -- Miramax is producing an English remake of Patrice LeConte's French drama "Man on the Train" with writer Daniel Taplitz and producer Bob Cooper.

Thomas Bezucha ("The Family Stone") is in negotiations to direct the tale of a drifter casing a conservative small town for a bank robbery. The man befriends an elderly professor who seeks to energize his life by becoming his partner in crime.

Billy Bob Thornton is said to be circling the project, but no actors have been set. It's hoped that production will begin this year once a cast is locked down.

Taplitz ("Chaos Theory") is adapting Claude Klotz's original screenplay to the 2002 film, which was released domestically by Paramount Classics. It won the Venice Film Festival award for best film and best actor (Jean Rochefort).

The project is Miramax's latest stab at a foreign film remake. The company also is heading into production with an adaptation of the Italian drama "Everybody's Fine" with Robert De Niro.

 

First Look: Disney's Rapunzel

 

April 22, 2008
Source: SlashFilm
by Alex Billington

Largely because there is a lack of anything else newsworthy so far this week, I thought I should throw this out there before we hit the summer movie season anyway. We first mentioned Rapunzel in the announcement of Disney and Pixar's Full Animated Line-Up Through 2012, although the film has been in the works for quite a long time. The animated film is now slated for release in December of 2010 after recently being revamped at Disney. You can check out a few new concept art photos below.

In this new telling of the classic fairy tale, Rapunzel, audiences will be transported to a stunning CG fantasy world complete with the iconic tower, an evil witch, a gallant hero and, of course, the mysterious girl with the long golden tresses. Expect adventure, heart, humor, and hair… lots of hair, when Rapunzel unleashes her locks in theaters for the 2010 holiday.

Directors Glen Keane and Dean Wellins want Rapunzel to look and feel like a traditional hand-drawn animated Disney film, but in 3D. They're using a certain rendering technique that will make the surface look painted while still maintaining the depth and dimensions of 3D animation. Some test footage was originally screened at Siggraph in 2005, which is where the concept art of Rapunzel to the left originally came from. Since then the project has revamped and we can't confirm whether that's still the same design we'll eventually see. The visual style for this film is based on French Rococo artist Jean-Honoré Fragonard's painting "The Swing." Stay tuned for more on this Disney project as it develops.

Disney Announces Slate of 10 Animated Pics Through 2012

Source: The Walt Disney Studios

April 9, 2008

 

The Walt Disney Studios unveiled a diverse and ambitious slate of 10 new animated feature films from Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios to be released through the year 2012 at a New York press conference held today by Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, and John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios:

The line-up includes new films from Disney and Pixar's accomplished team of filmmakers, and features vocal performances by such top celebrity talents as John Travolta and Miley Cyrus (Bolt), Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson (The Bear and the Bow), Anika Noni Rose and John Goodman (The Princess and the Frog), as well as return engagements by Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and the rest of the "Toy Story" vocal ensemble (Toy Story 3). The roster of new animated features includes six new films from Pixar Animation Studios, four from Walt Disney Animation Studios, and the first four in a series of direct-to-DVD films featuring Disney Fairies from DisneyToon Studios. Starting later this year with the release of Disney's (Bolt), all Disney and Pixar animated features will be presented in state-of-the-art Disney Digital 3-D(TM). Additionally, newly converted 3-D versions of the beloved classics, Toy Story and Toy Story 2, are set to debut in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

Among the upcoming animated films on the 2008 release schedule are WALL·E (Pixar) from Academy Award®-winning director/writer Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo) opening nationwide June 27th; (Bolt) (Disney) from the talented new directing team of Chris Williams and Byron Howard, due in theatres on November 26th; and the Disney DVD and Blu-ray release of Tinker Bell, the first in a new franchise of original entertainment set in the world of Fairies, on October 28th. The Studio's 2009 animated slate includes the summer release of Pixar's first 3-D feature, Up, from director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc.) and co-director Bob Peterson, the Christmas Day release of Disney's original animated fairy tale The Princess and the Frog from acclaimed veteran Disney directors John Musker and Ron Clements (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules) and the Disney DVD and Blu-ray release of Tinker Bell North of Never Land (working title). 2010 brings the highly anticipated return of Buzz and Woody in the Disney Digital(TM) 3D summer release of Pixar's Toy Story 3 directed by Lee Unkrich (Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc.); followed by the Christmas arrival of Disney's version of the classic fairy tale, Rapunzel, featuring the directing debuts of animation legend Glen Keane and directing partner Dean Wellins, and the Disney DVD and Blu-ray release of Tinker Bell A Midsummer Storm (working title).

In the summer of 2011, Pixar's newt marks the directing debut of multiple Oscar®-winning sound designer Gary Rydstrom. Christmas 2011 brings Pixar's first fairy tale, The Bear and the Bow, from acclaimed filmmaker/writer Brenda Chapman (The Prince of Egypt). The Disney DVD and Blu-ray release of Tinker Bell A Winter Story (working title) also debuts in 2011. The year 2012 will mark the return of Lightning McQueen, Mater the tow truck, and an international cast of favorite and new car characters in Pixar's Cars 2, directed by Brad Lewis (producer of Ratatouille). Scheduled for Christmas 2012 from Walt Disney Animation Studios is King of the Elves, an adaptation of a Philip K. Dick short story, directed by Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker (Brother Bear).

Commenting on the announcement, Cook said, "We couldn't be more proud and excited about our upcoming line-up of feature projects. With so many great films literally on the drawing boards and computer screens, we felt that now was the perfect time to give moviegoers all over the world an update on the state of our art. In a year when our Studio is marking the 80th anniversary of Mickey Mouse, the character that started it all for us, it seems especially timely to share our plans for the future of animation. With John Lasseter and Ed Catmull guiding our creative efforts both at Emeryville and in Burbank, this is as exciting a time as any in our history."

Lasseter added, "This is an amazing time for animation at Disney and Pixar, and it's a thrill to be working on such a diverse and original group of films with such an all-star team of filmmakers. The thing I love best about my job is that I get to work at both Disney and Pixar with filmmakers who are passionate about their projects and who are the absolute best in the business. We're excited to be pushing the boundaries of 3-D and computer technology to tell our stories in the best possible way. At the same time, we're drawing on our past to emphasize memorable characters, original edge-of-your-seat stories, and believable worlds. Walt Disney and his creative team taught us how to blend comedy, powerful emotion, and action-filled excitement in our films, and this group of incredible filmmakers is bringing their own originality and sensibilities to the process."

WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS/ PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS RELEASE SCHEDULE 2008 -- 2012:

2008:

WALL·E (Domestic Release Date: June 27th, 2008)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director/Screenwriter: Andrew Stanton
Producer: Jim Morris
Co-Producer: Lindsey Collins
Sound and Character Voice Designer: Ben Burtt
Composer: Thomas Newman, with an Original Song Performed by Peter Gabriel
Voice Talent: Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Sigourney Weaver, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy

What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn off the last robot?

Academy Award®-winning writer-director Andrew Stanton ("Finding Nemo") and the inventive storytellers and technical geniuses at Pixar Animation Studios transport moviegoers to a galaxy not so very far away for a new computer-animated cosmic comedy about a determined robot named WALL·E.

After hundreds of lonely years doing what he was built for, WALL·E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) discovers a new purpose in life (besides collecting knick-knacks) when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. EVE comes to realize that WALL*E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet's future, and races back to space to report her findings to the humans (who have been eagerly awaiting word that it is safe to return home). Meanwhile, WALL·E chases EVE across the galaxy and sets into motion one of the most incredible comedy adventures ever brought to the big screen.

Joining WALL·E on his fantastic journey across a universe of never-before-imagined visions of the future is a hilarious cast of characters including a pet cockroach, and a heroic team of malfunctioning misfit robots.

 

BOLT (Domestic Release Date: November 26th, 2008, Disney Digital 3-D(TM))
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Chris Williams, Byron Howard
Producer: Clark Spencer
Voice Talent: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman

For super-dog Bolt (voiced by John Travolta), every day is filled with adventure, danger and intrigue -- at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the canine star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet -- a cross-country journey through the real world. Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and with the help of two unlikely traveling companions -- a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens (voiced by Susie Essman), and TV-obsessed hamster in a plastic ball named Rhino -- Bolt discovers he doesn't need superpowers to be a hero. Miley Cyrus ("Hannah Montana") brings her vocal talents to the role of Penny, Bolt's human co-star on the television series.

TINKER BELL (Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: October 28th, 2008)
DisneyToon Studios
Director: Bradley Raymond
Producer: Jeannine Roussel

Enter the magical world of fairies and meet the enchanting creatures of Pixie Hollow, who "nurture nature" and bring about the change of the seasons. Changing the colors of the leaves, moving a sunbeam to melt snow, waking animals from their winter slumber, or giving a patch of sproutlings a sprinkle of water are all within the realm of these seasonal specialists. Tinker Bell thinks her fairy talent as a "tinker" isn't as special or important as the other fairies' talents. But when Tink tries to change who she is, she creates nothing but disaster! With encouragement from her friends Rosetta, Silvermist, Fawn and Iridessa, Tink learns the key to solving her problems lies in her unique tinker abilities ... and discovers that when she's true to herself, magical things can happen.

2009:

UP (Domestic Release Date: May 29th, 2009, Disney Digital 3-D(TM))
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Pete Docter
Co-Director: Bob Peterson
Producer: Jonas Rivera
Writer: Bob Peterson
Voice Talent: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger, Jordan Nagai

From the Academy Award®-nominated team of director Pete Docter ("Monsters, Inc.") and co-director Bob Peterson comes "Up," a comedic adventure taking off (and lifting spirits) in summer 2009. Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life. "Up" takes audiences on a thrilling journey where the unlikely pair encounter wild terrain, unexpected villains and jungle creatures. When seeking adventure next summer -- look "Up."

TOY STORY in 3-D (Domestic Release Date: October 2nd, 2009)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: John Lasseter
Producers: Ralph Guggenheim, Bonnie Arnold
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger

Originally released by Walt Disney Pictures in 1995, "Toy Story" was the first feature film from Pixar Animation Studios and director John Lasseter. The film went on to receive Oscar® nominations for Best Original Score, Best Original Song, and Best Original Screenplay, and earned Lasseter a Special Achievement Award (Oscar®) "for the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." The 3-D version of this landmark film is being personally overseen by Lasseter with his acclaimed team of technical wizards handling all the necessary steps in the conversion process.

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2009)
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: John Musker, Ron Clements
Producer: Peter Del Vecho
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Jenifer Lewis, John Goodman

A musical set in the greatest city of them all, New Orleans, "The Princess and the Frog" marks Disney's return to the timeless art form of traditional animation. The film teams Ron Clements and John Musker, creators of "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin," with Oscar®-winning composer Randy Newman to tell the most beautiful love story ever told ... with frogs, voodoo, and a singing alligator.

TINKER BELL NORTH OF NEVER LAND - working title (Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2009)
DisneyToon Studios
Director: Klay Hall
Producer: Sean Lurie

In autumn, Tinker Bell is entrusted with crafting a great treasure that can rejuvenate the Pixie Dust Tree. But when her friend Terence offers to help, Tink's temper and stubbornness get the better of her, shattering both her creation and her friendship with Terence. To set things right again, she must embark on a journey far North of Never Land ... and along the way, she will discover an even greater treasure.


2010:

TOY STORY 2 in 3-D (Domestic Release Date: February 12th, 2010)
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: John Lasseter
Co-Directors: Lee Unkrich, Ash Brannon
Producers: Helene Plotkin, Karen Robert Jackson
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger

Originally released in 1999, "Toy Story 2" went on to become one of the most popular animated features of all time. The film picks up as Andy is heading off to Cowboy Camp and the toys are left to their own devices. When an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggin (owner of Al's Toy Barn) kidnaps Woody, and Woody learns that he's a highly valued collectable from a 1950s TV show called "Woody's Roundup," the stage is set for a daring rescue attempt by the gang from Andy's room. The film introduced such other memorable characters from "Woody's Roundup" as Jessie the cowgirl, Bullseye the horse, and the Prospector.

TOY STORY 3 (Domestic Release Date: June 18th, 2010, Disney Digital 3-D(TM))
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Lee Unkrich
Producer: Darla K. Anderson
Writer: Michael Arndt
Composer: Randy Newman
Voice Talent: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, Estelle Harris, John Ratzenberger, Ned Beatty

The creators of the beloved "Toy Story" films re-open the toy box and bring moviegoers back to the delightful world of Woody, Buzz and our favorite gang of toy characters in "Toy Story 3." Lee Unkrich (co-director of "Toy Story 2" and "Finding Nemo") directs this highly anticipated film, and Michael Arndt, the Academy Award®-winning screenwriter of "Little Miss Sunshine," brings his unique talents and comedic sensibilities to the proceedings.





RAPUNZEL (Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2010, Disney Digital 3-D(TM))
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Glen Keane, Dean Wellins
Producer: Roy Conli

In this new telling of the classic fairy tale, "Rapunzel," audiences will be transported to a stunning CG fantasy world complete with the iconic tower, an evil witch, a gallant hero and, of course, the mysterious girl with the long golden tresses. Expect adventure, heart, humor, and hair ... lots of hair, when Rapunzel unleashes her locks in theaters for the 2010 holiday.

TINKER BELL A MIDSUMMER STORM - working title (Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2010)
DisneyToon Studios
Director: Carolyn Gair
Producer: Margot Pipkin

After being confronted by her antagonist Vidia, an irritated Tinker Bell retaliates by taking a photograph of Vidia ... without considering the consequences. Now, the two must set aside their differences and cooperate to prevent evidence of the existence of fairies from falling into human hands.


2011:

NEWT (Domestic Release Date: Summer 2011, Disney Digital 3-D(TM))
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Gary Rydstrom
Producer: Richard Hollander
Writers: Gary Rydstrom, Leslie Caveny

What happens when the last remaining male and female blue-footed newts on the planet are forced together by science to save the species, and they can't stand each other? That's the problem facing Newt and Brooke, heroes of "newt," the Pixar film by seven-time Academy Award® winner for sound Gary Rydstrom, and director of Pixar's Oscar-nominated short, "Lifted." Newt and Brooke embark on a perilous, unpredictable adventure and discover that finding a mate never goes as planned, even when you only have one choice. Love, it turns out, is not a science.

THE BEAR AND THE BOW (Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2011, Disney Digital 3-D(TM))
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Brenda Chapman
Producer: Katherine Sarafian
Voice Talent: Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson

A rugged and mythic Scotland is the setting for Pixar's action-adventure "The Bear and the Bow." The impetuous, tangle-haired Merida, though a daughter of royalty, would prefer to make her mark as a great archer. A clash of wills with her mother compels Merida to make a reckless choice, which unleashes unintended peril on her father's kingdom and her mother's life. Merida struggles with the unpredictable forces of nature, magic and a dark, ancient curse to set things right. Director Brenda Chapman ("The Prince of Egypt," "The Lion King") and the storytelling wizards of Pixar conjure humor, fantasy and excitement in this rich Highland tale.

TINKER BELL A WINTER STORY - working title (Disney DVD and Blu-ray Release Date: 2011)
DisneyToon Studios
Producer: Sean Lurie

The fourth, as-yet-untold story of Tinker Bell and her fairy friends will take place in winter, completing the cycle of the seasons.


2012:

CARS 2 (Domestic Release Date: Summer 2012, Disney Digital 3-D(TM))
Pixar Animation Studios
Director: Brad Lewis

All the world's a racetrack as racing superstar Lightning McQueen zooms back into action, with his best friend Mater in tow, to take on the globe's fastest and finest in this thrilling high-octane new installment of the "Cars" saga. Mater and McQueen will need their passports as they find themselves in a new world of intrigue, thrills and fast-paced comedic escapades around the globe. "Cars 2" is being directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar®- winning film "Ratatouille."

KING OF THE ELVES (Domestic Release Date: Christmas 2012, Disney Digital 3-D(TM))
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Directors: Aaron Blaise, Robert Walker
Producer: Chuck Williams

Legendary storyteller Phillip K. Dick's short story (his only experiment in the fantasy genre) becomes the basis for this fantastic and imaginative tale about an average man living in the Mississippi Delta, whose reluctant actions to help a desperate band of elves leads them to name him their new king. Joining the innocent and endangered elves as they attempt to escape from an evil and menacing troll, their unlikely new leader finds himself caught on a journey filled with unimaginable dangers and a chance to bring real meaning back to his own life.

Taken

Bottom Line: Liam Neeson lends visibility to formulaic human-trafficking action thriller.

 

By Bernard Besserglik

Liam Neeson puts one of many hurtings on many bad guys.

PARIS -- Take one bankable, internationally acclaimed Hollywood star. Add two moderately priced actors with name recognition, any two. Concoct a plot, no matter how hackneyed -- for example, a retired CIA agent is forced into action when a gang of traffickers kidnaps his daughter. Throw in masses of fistfights, shootings and at least two high-octane car chases. Season with Paris settings, and bring to a happy ending. The result: a fair bet for boxoffice success.

EuropaCorp, Luc Besson's production, distribution and sales group, has become a past master of this kind of filmmaking-by-the-numbers, and "Taken," Pierre Morel's action thriller that Besson co-scripted, might do good business at home and abroad among audiences unconcerned with the finer points of characterization or psychological insight.

Liam Neeson plays ex-spook Bryan Mills, who is on the phone with his 17-year-old daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), when she and her friend Amanda (Katie Cassidy) are abducted by members of what proves to be a group of Albanian traders in gullible young women. After some histrionics from Bryan's ex-wife and Kim's mother, Lenore (Famke Janssen), the action shifts rapidly from Los Angeles to Paris.

With subsequent developments, disbelief has to be not so much suspended as hanged by the neck until dead. The infinitely resourceful Bryan races around the city, extracting information from the most tenuous of clues as he tracks down his daughter's persecutors, dealing out death and vengeance along the way.

All his actions, including a particularly gruesome torture sequence, are justified in the name of "the family," a view adopted even by a corrupt French police official to explain away his own villainy.

Some of Bryan's escapes are of the "with-one-bound-he-was-free" variety -- so implausible as to be comic, though without the tongue-in-cheek irony of the James Bond movies.

Neeson fully earns his crust in his role as nonstop action man. Required by the script to limit his range to two basic expressions -- passionate concern for his daughter and implacable wrath for her abductors -- he manages on occasion to hint at vulnerabilities and flaws underlying the character.

Janssen and Grace, however, are trapped in two-dimensional roles, while the numerous bad guys are so briefly developed and so rapidly dispatched that the press kit does not consider it necessary to specify the actors' names. The villains, with few exceptions, are Easterners of varying degrees of odiousness, and the movie is unlikely to find admirers in Albania and the Arab world.

Morel, a veteran cinematographer directing his second feature -- his first, "District 13," also was produced and co-scripted by Besson out of the EuropaCorp. stable -- moves the action along briskly, serving a screenplay (co-authored by Robert Mark Kamen) that rarely rises above the strictly functional. High production values and wide promotion should ensure the movie enjoys its day in the sun.


Disney's Future is Full of Sequels Galore!

March 3, 2008
Source: AICN, SlashFilm
by Alex Billington

An interesting scoop has popped up over at AICN that claims that in 2011, Disney will be bringing us four new sequels! Included amongst them are Tron 3D, Cars 2, Pirates of the Caribbean 4, and National Treasure 3. Has even Disney ran out of original ideas? Or is this just a case of building off of guaranteed successful franchises so they can support more original ideas? No matter what the case, all but just about one of these (Tron 3D) makes me go "huh?" when asking why they'd even consider these.

Their scooper didn't provide them with too many details, which not only means that this isn't a very solid scoop (and probably a big rumor), but considering 2011 is three years away, most of this will probably change by then anyway. However, what does sound fairly official is that Disney is at least trying to plan for these four sequels by 2011, if not before or after.

Back in September last year, we brought you the news that Joseph Kosinski had been signed to direct "the next chapter" of Tron. Our guess is that this means Tron 3D is the "next chapter" and that they're going to dabble in 3D this time around instead of just focusing on a straight sequel. Well there goes all the good geeky values of the original movie. I can tell you right now that by trying to develop this movie for 3D, it's going to lose all of the great storytelling values it should have in exchange for cheap gimmicks. Especially Tron, with the lightcycles and everything.

As for Cars 2, this is one of the more interesting possibilities to come out of this. We've already heard that they're putting out the entire Toy Story trilogy in 3D, with Toy Story 3D arriving in 2010. Even Brad Bird has said that "Pixar does not look at sequels as a financial plan" and they rarely consider them, give or take Toy Story. But if there was one other movie that I would expect them to possibly consider making a sequel for, it would be The Incredibles. Cars was even Pixar's lowest box office performer ever - so how does this make sense? But SlashFilm has reported rumors about a Cars sequel previously, so maybe it is legit.

And finally, both National Treasure 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean 4 seem almost inevitable. The second National Treasure made $43 million more at the box office last December (for a total of $216 million) than the first movie. And the third (and supposedly final) Pirates of the Caribbean made $309 million at the box office last summer, which was $114 million less than the second film. Either way you look at it, both films made more than enough money to warrant sequels - and it would seem likely that Disney would want to continue both of them.

Jim Hill of Jim Hill Media reported last month that the plot for National Treasure 3 might involve sending "the Gates family off to Easter Island and beyond in search of Atlantis. More importantly, the pure, clean power source that was supposedly lost forever when this ancient civilization sank beneath the sea. Which - were it to be harnessed today - would immediately put an end to global warming. Not to mention making gas & oil obsolete."

As for Pirates of the Caribbean 4, two plot rumors have surfaced, including one involving a journey to find the lost city of Atlantis (didn't we just mention this?), and the other involving an apparently "less expensive" search for the Fountain of Youth (as seen on the map at the end of the third movie). The big question here, though, is whether anyone even wants another Pirates of the Caribbean movie. But the sad fact of the matter is that even if they make it, the movie is going to make money, a lot of it, no matter what you and I think.

I'm curious to know whether this plan for numerous sequels in 2011 seems that terrible or if it just seems like Disney is (appropriately) taking advantage of successful franchises that they've created? All four of the films mentioned above could turn out to be enjoyable popcorn summer flicks, so I'm not too worried. Disney doesn't exactly have the worst track record, but they might be going too far this time. We'll be sure to update you on Disney's official plans for the future once we know more.



First Look: Disney/Pixar's WALL·E

 

Source: Anthony Baratta

April 7, 2008

 

During WonderCon 2008, ComingSoon.net was privileged to be invited to Pixar Studios for a guided tour, a sneak peek at WALL·E (click the photos for bigger versions!) and a roundtable interview with writer/director Andrew Stanton.

The one thing you come to realize about Pixar is that everything they do is deliberate, focused, and researched. Pixar uses their studio not only as a showcase for their previous movies, but as a way to vet the movie creation process. Thousands upon thousands of panels are drawn storyboarding the plot. Hundreds of frame-able quality art are created of each character, showing profiles, expressions, and movement indicators. Clay sculptures are crafted to show face designs in extreme expressions and body poses.

On display that day were story panels and concep art for Finding Nemo and Ratatouille. Clay sculptures from Ratatouille blanketed a set of walls and standing display cases.

Extreme attention to detail.

Even so, they have probably the worst acronym for their in-house employee education program – P.U. (Say each letter out loud. :-) e.g. Pixar University. I could not believe our tour guide said it with a straight face. Thankfully I didn't burst out laughing and get escorted out of the building. I guess I'm not mature enough to work at Pixar.

After the tour we were able to see the first 35 minutes of WALL·E in Pixar's own super-duper THX surround sound digital theater.

WALL·E has some big shoes to fill as the next Pixar film. A long string of box office hits has continued non-stop since the release of Toy Story in November 1995. I had seen the same previews as everyone else up to that point, and was not really impressed by the idea. When the movie started I was expecting disappointment. I'm not great with predictions, and the movie has some potential flaws that could outweigh the best parts of the movie – but overall this is a fun movie.



First the potential flaws: The premise of the movie is that Earth was so overrun with rampant commercialism and therefore garbage from all those purchases, that the inhabitants had to flee Earth. The population left in Starship (The Axiom) to wait out the cleanup efforts by the robots left behind. Even the cleanup robots fall into disrepair and WALL·E is the last one left, doing what he his programmed to do.

I'm not sure how the moviegoing public will react to such in-your-face preaching about the dangers of Wal-Mart and Costco. Nor the hints at weather run amok, like the hyper-dust storms that whip up out of nowhere to savage the city where WALL·E lives.

Also, within the Axiom – the logical conclusion of life without the need for physical movement is life as a couch potato – "slugs" plugged into their own personal Xbox/PlayStation.

Sci-Fi movies have preached before -- Planet of the Apes; Them, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Soylent Green -- and still they entertain. So WALL·E is just following along in a rich tradition. The question is will the love story between WALL·E and EVE stand above the distractions or be dragged down with the weight of them?

So, on to the positives: WALL·E himself has much more life and responsiveness than I originally expected. The Pixar animators have done a tremendous job of bringing Andrew Stanton's vision to life while still keeping within the basic premise of a working robot. While his emotional range is limited to his robotic abilities/movement, that does not really limit his emotional range. EVE actually is more limited than WALL·E because she has just her eyes for her emotional states.

The movie does a good job of setting up the film and WALL·E's daily routine. It also takes the time to explain the background of Earth's state through vignettes as WALL·E scoots around the city. Video billboards, newspaper articles, etc. fill in the story line in a well-constructed way that plays with you. Daring you to do two things at once - scanning the background for more clues and watching WALL·E live his life.

WALL·E himself is charming because of his childlike look at the world. It's a kid's playground with quite literally tons of stuff to inspect, explore and play with. He's the ultimate child collector, inspecting, organizing and cataloging everything he finds interesting.

The budding relationship between WALL·E and EVE is key for the rest of the film. Everything else that happens later hinges on your acceptance of WALL·E's and EVE's "feelings" for each other. I think it works. WALL·E is the earnest geeky suitor with limited social skills. EVE is the aloof, sexy (think iMac on estrogen) counterpart that comes to find WALL·E endearing and lovable.



We finished up with a Q/A sessions with Andrew Stanton. You can listen to the full interview here (don't mind the odd sound coming from somebody else's recorder several times).

The most interesting part of the interview was Andrew's discussion about how they worked to get the same camera angle and lens focus techniques from the old Sci-Fi movies into WALL·E. They actually brought in a cinematographer (Dennis Muren), constructed small scale sets, and had him conduct classes for the animators and programmers.

This attention to the camera really shows up in the visuals of the movie. Before Pixar used to mention the special effects boundaries they were pushing, "the feel of under water" or "animated hair" - in WALL·E the boundaries are not being pushed they are being reclaimed; harkening back to the Sci-Fi movies of yesterday, with the camera angles, lens flares, and odd focal lengths.

WALL·E opens in theaters on June 27, 2008.

Bruce Willis starrer 'Surrogates' adds cast

 

By Carly Mayberry and Carolyn Giardina

April 3, 2008

 

Ving Rhames, Radha Mitchell and Rosamund Pike have joined Bruce Willis in the sci-fi thriller "The Surrogates" for Disney.

Jonathan Mostow is directing the film based on the graphic novel by Robert Venditti and artist Brett Weldele of Top Shelf Comix. Michael Ferris and John Brancato -- the writing duo that last teamed with Mostow on "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" -- penned the script. Mandeville Film's David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman are producing along with Max Handelman and Elizabeth Banks.

Ned Vaughn ("Frost/Nixon") was also previously cast in the film, which is set in the future where humans live risk-free lives through robot surrogates that are eternally young, perfect-looking versions of themselves.

Rhames plays a charismatic cult figure who disdains the use of surrogates and tries to lead an uprising against the "new world order."

Mitchell plays the professional partner of Willis' character, a cop that through his surrogate investigates the murders of others' surrogates.

Pike plays his wife.

Production is set to begin in late April on the film, which will be released through Touchstone.

Rhames, who recently wrapped production on Paramount Vantage's "The Goods: The Don Ready Story" and will appear in the upcoming "The Gift," is repped by Innovative Artists.

Mitchell, repped by CAA, manager Rick Ax and attorney Doug Stone, will appear in the upcoming "Henry Poole Is Here" and "The Children of Huang Shi."

Pike just wrapped production on "An Education" and will appear in the upcoming "Fugitive Pieces." She is repped by Endeavor and Magnolia Entertainment.

'Superhero Movie' Los Angeles

Disney and Stan Lee Team on Three Pics

 

Source: Variety

April 1, 2008

 

Variety reports that Walt Disney Pictures and Stan Lee have set three projects that will be executive produced by Lee and Gill Champion and their POW! Entertainment.

The three projects will each be based on a story by Lee.

Nick Ratchet will be written and directed by Richard LaGravenese. Larry Jacobson and Sonny Grosso are in talks to produce.

Blaze will be written by Gary Goldman.

Tigress will be written by Zoe Green. State Street Pictures' Robert Teitel and George Tillman will produce.

Exclusive: Ben Barnes Talks Prince Caspian

Narnia's newest member sits down with RT.

 

by Joe Utichi | March 25, 2008

Newcomer Ben Barnes on stepping into the magical world of Disney's Prince Caspian.

"In Prince Caspian, the magic has gone from Narnia, because it's been taken over by greedy, ambitious humans, so it's going to be much darker, and while The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe was almost a fairytale story, this is much more of a summer action movie. The joy of the series is that they're all, individually, completely different genres of story, and so there's quite a different tone for this film. It's balanced by director Andrew Adamson, who has this extraordinary ability to focus on minute details and the vastness of the Narnia story at the same time.



You have to spend the time getting the story right because as amazing as the special effects might be if you don't give a shit about the characters then your film won't work. You have to make people care and you have to show all those different sides of the character and Caspian's fairly well layered, I think. He's an orphan whose father has been killed by his uncle and he's ambivalent about being a leader. He really is on the threshold of manhood and it's quite cathartic; he has to fight his own people.

I'm definitely going to be doing Voyage of the Dawn Treader and we're lined up to start in November. We were going to start straight away but we had problems with the strike and exam schedules for children and all of that. We're taking our time with it which I think is sensible. The first one was great but Caspian's going to be even better, so we have to take the time to make Dawn Treader even better."

RT will have more from Ben Barnes as our coverage of Narnia continues. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is released in the US on 16th May, Australia on 5th June and the UK on 26th June.




Narnia the Voyage of the Dawn Treader Begins Production

Posted By: PuppetMaster / Source
Filed Under : family , fantasy ,

 

According to Production Charts CS Lewis's novel   “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.” has gone into development. According to NarniaFans Michael Apted is attached to direct, and Ben Barnes, Liam Neeson, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley and Eddie Izzard are all signed to reprise their roles.  I grew up reading some of the books but never read The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The synopsis from Amazon goes like this;

 

Lucy and Edmund, with their dreadful cousin Eustace, get magically pulled into a painting of a ship at sea. That ship is the Dawn Treader, and on board is Caspian, King of Narnia. He and his companions, including Reepicheep, the valiant warrior mouse, are searching for seven lost lords of Narnia, and their voyage will take them to the edge of the world. Their adventures include being captured by slave traders, a much-too-close encounter with a dragon, and visits to many enchanted islands, including the place where dreams come true.

First Look: Pixar's Up

January 28, 2008
Source: Upcoming Pixar
by Alex Billington

 

 

The first photo from Pixar's upcoming 2009 film Up has been revealed. As of right now, all eyes and ears are set on Pixar's Wall-E, due out this summer. As was the exact same last year, the first concept art photo for Wall-E was revealed in January and now the first concept art photo of Up has been revealed this January. To be clear, this is apparently just a concept art photo. At first I was taken aback by the fact that it wasn't Pixar's typical CGI look, but that explains why.

Thanks to our friends at Upcoming Pixar for finding this photo originally. The first trailer for Up will play in front of Wall-E this summer.

Up is Pixar's 10th animated film that is scheduled for release on May 29th, 2009. In this "coming of old age" story, a seventy-something hero, alongside his clueless wilderness ranger sidekick, travels the globe, fighting beasts and villains, and eating dinner at 3:30 in the afternoon. In short, it's about an elderly man who lives in a house that "looks like your grandparents' house smelled" and fights beasts and villains all around the world.

Up is co-directed by Pixar regulars Pete Docter, who directed 2001's Monsters Inc, and Bob Peterson. The screenplay for the film was also written by Bob Peterson, who wrote 2003's Finding Nemo.

14 Exclusive Stills from Doomsday

Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com

January 16, 2008

We're told a slew of new pics from Universal's Doomsday are hitting the web shortly, however, you won't find the images below anywhere else but here. That's Rhona Mitra you see below kicking copious amounts of ass. And in case you haven't seen it yet, the trailer went live this afternoon.

Le lundi 14 janvier 2008

Tapis rouge pour Astérix aux Jeux olympiques

Stéphane Rousseau, qui campe l'un des principaux personnages du film Astérix aux Jeux olympiques, s'est présenté sur le tapis rouge accompagné de son amie, Maud Saint-Germain.

PHOTO: AFP

 

Marc-André Lussier

La Presse
Paris

Le 30 janvier, Astérix aux Jeux olympiques prendra l'affiche simultanément sur un circuit de 5000 écrans en Europe. Du jamais vu pour un film français. Au coeur de cette opération conquérante, une distribution prestigieuse où Stéphane Rousseau figure au premier plan.

Les Champs-Élysées étaient encore plus animés que de coutume hier soir à l'occasion de la grande première d'Astérix aux Jeux olympiques. C'est qu'il y en avait de la vedette au mètre carré dans les environs. Et pas seulement de la vedette de cinéma. De la vedette sportive aussi. Dont Zinedine Zidane. Dieu pour ainsi dire.

Toute l'équipe de cette superproduction très attendue - Clovis Cornillac, Alain Delon, Benoît Poelvoorde, Stéphane Rousseau, Franck Dubosc et bien d'autres - s'est ainsi retrouvée à côtoyer de nouveau les nombreuses personnalités qui ont accepté de faire une apparition dans un film où figurent aussi de nombreux athlètes. Outre Zizou, Michael Schumacher, Amélie Mauresmo et Tony Parker sont notamment de la fête.

Il est clair en tout cas qu'on veut ici sortir le grand jeu. Tous les moyens ont été pris afin que cette superproduction, tournée pour 80 millions d'euros (environ 120 millions de dollars), soit couronnée de succès: opération publicitaire monstre; rencontres de presse «à l'américaine» où furent conviés cette fin de semaine des scribes venus de partout en Europe (sans oublier les cousins gaulois d'outre-Atlantique); sortie simultanée sur un circuit de 5000 écrans sur le continent européen.

«On verra bien ce que ça va donner!» disait hier Thomas Langmann, producteur et coréalisateur du film. Qui, avec Astérix aux Jeux olympiques, concrétise enfin un rêve vieux de plus d'une dizaine d'années. C'est en effet lui qui avait au préalable soumis à son père - le producteur Claude Berri - l'idée d'adapter les aventures d'Astérix au cinéma. Les circonstances ont toutefois fait en sorte que le fils a été écarté des deux premiers projets. Ce n'est qu'à partir du moment où son père a décidé d'abandonner la franchise (après un troisième opus tué dans l'oeuf), que Langmann a pu exercer sa force de conviction auprès d'Albert Uderzo. Le cocréateur (avec René Goscinny) de la bande dessinée, apparemment ulcéré déjà par le ton parfois irrévérencieux du Mission Cléopâtre d'Alain Chabat, venait en effet de refuser de donner son aval au projet que voulait mettre sur pied Claude Berri (tiré d'Astérix en Hispanie), et dont la réalisation devait être confiée à Gérard Jugnot.

«C'est alors que j'ai saisi ma chance, explique Langmann. Je suis reparti de zéro. Et j'ai écrit une adaptation des Jeux olympiques pour laquelle j'ai obtenu l'accord d'Uderzo.»

Un rôle difficile à camper

Si Gérard Depardieu - irremplaçable - est de retour dans le rôle d'Obélix (l'acteur était absent au lancement), Clovis Cornillac enfile cette fois le costume du plus futé des guerriers gaulois à la place de Christian Clavier. Cela dit, une très large place est laissée aux deux personnages autour desquels tourne l'intrigue d'Astérix aux Jeux olympiques: Brutus (Benoît Poelvoorde), le fils mal aimé de Jules César (Delon), et Alafolix (Stéphane Rousseau), jeune athlète gaulois qui en pince pour Irina (Vanessa Hessler), une splendide princesse grecque sur laquelle le vil Romain jette aussi son dévolu.

L'acteur québécois, porte-drapeau de l'équipe de la Gaule, ne fait d'ailleurs pas ici que de la figuration. Loin de là. Le personnage qu'il incarne est celui dont on suit la trajectoire tout au long de ce récit, jusqu'à la course de chars «olympique» qui scellera une fois pour toutes le sort du destin amoureux d'Irina et d'Alafolix.

«Je savais que le rôle qu'on m'avait confié était important, déclarait hier Rousseau à La Presse. Mais il restait à voir quels seraient les choix privilégiés par Langmann et le coréalisateur Frédéric Forestier dans leur montage final.»

Un héros romantique

Rousseau, qui entreprend dans quelques jours une tournée de spectacles qui le mènera à l'Olympia le 5 février (où il tiendra l'affiche pendant une semaine), prête ainsi ses traits à un héros parfaitement romantique.

«J'ai parfois eu envie de m'éclater comme mes prestigieux camarades mais dès que je faisais quelque chose d'un peu plus fou, on me rappelait gentiment à l'ordre en me disant: Stéphane, n'oublie pas que tu es le grand amoureux dans cette histoire!»

Langmann n'hésite d'ailleurs pas à affirmer que l'humoriste québécois avait sans doute le rôle le plus difficile à camper.

«Il est entouré de vedettes qui, elles, ont des rôles très payants, fait-il remarquer. Nous avons d'ailleurs eu beaucoup de difficulté à trouver notre Alafolix. J'avais évidemment adoré Les invasions barbares mais jamais je n'aurais pensé un seul instant à Stéphane pour notre film. Puis, je l'ai vu dans une interview à la télé et l'idée a commencé à faire son chemin. Je suis ensuite allé le voir sur scène à deux reprises et je n'ai alors plus eu aucun doute.

«Stéphane a la gueule, la candeur, l'humour et l'humilité qui convenaient parfaitement au personnage, poursuit Langmann. Vanessa et lui forment un couple formidable, qui semble sortir tout droit d'un conte de Disney!»

L'approbation d'Uderzo

«Et Uderzo a donné son approbation!» ajoute fièrement Rousseau. Précisons à cet égard que le célèbre dessinateur avait droit de regard sur le choix de tous les interprètes des personnages principaux.

Nous aurons évidemment l'occasion de revenir sur le film d'ici la sortie québécoise, prévue le 11 juillet seulement, mais on peut quand même affirmer pour l'instant que la volonté de «recentrer» la franchise est très nette. Beaucoup plus sage que Mission Cléopâtre, Astérix aux Jeux olympiques est visiblement destiné à un public familial.

Reste que les attentes n'en sont pas moins énormes. Un sondage réalisé par le magazine spécialisé Le film français révèle en outre que le troisième volet des aventures du petit guerrier gaulois est le deuxième film le plus attendu de 2008 en France auprès des 15-24 ans, tout de suite après Indiana Jones.

C'est dire que la pression est à la mesure de l'ambition du film.

____________________________________________________
Les frais de voyage ont été payés par Unifrance.

L'avant-première d'Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques a réuni pléthore de stars dimanche soir à Paris... Au milieu des traditionnels people (Vincent Cassel, Cécile de Ménibus, Marc-Olivier Fogiel, PPDA, Samuel Le Bihan, Jean-Pierre Castaldi, Christophe Dominici, Jack Lang, Christophe Rocancourt, des élèves de la Star Ac'...), on a pu croiser sur le tapis rouge l'équipe du film au quasi-grand complet. Gérard "Obélix" Depardieu, à Cuba, était excusé.

L'avant-première d'Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques
Des people, et des stars

Alain Delon bien entouré

L'ex-dreamteam de Ferrari:

 L'ancienne dreamteam de Ferrari - Jean Todt et Michael Shcumacher (entourés de leurs compagnes respectives (Michelle Yeoh pour le premier, Corinna pour le second) était aussi de la partie...

Franck et Daniele

Clovis et Caroline

Avant première colossale d'Asterix à Paris

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x41wvz_avant-premiere-asterix-aux-jeux-oly_shortfilms

Champs-Elysées avait des allures de camp retranché hier soir. Devant l’entrée, les centurions  filtraient avec précaution. Il a fallu avoir bu un chaudron entier de potion magique pour réussir à forcer le passage.
L’empereur César (Alain Delon) et Astérix (Clovis Cornillac) étaient entourés d’une pléiade d’acteurs également à l’affiche d’Astérix aux Jeux olympiques, présenté en avant-première. Benoît Poelvoorde (Brutus), Franck Dubosc (Assurancetourix), José Garcia (Couverdepus), Adriana Karembeu (Madame Agecanonix) Photo de gauche à droite: Thomas Langman (réalisateur) Jean Todt sa femme l'actrice Michelle Yeoh et le septuple champion du monde de F1 Michael Schumacher (Schumix) étaient de la fête ici avec sa jolie fourrure !

 

First Look: Disney's The Princess and the Frog

January 14, 2008
by Alex Billington

After Disney's Enchanted late last year dazzled me, I'm anxiously awaiting anything Disney's got next. Their triumphant return to hand-drawn 2D animation began with a few scenes in Enchanted, but The Princess and the Frog is Disney's actual first fully traditionally animted movie since Home on the Range in 2004. The story is about Princess Tiana, voiced by Dreamgirls' Anika Noni Rose, and the movie arrives in theaters in 2009. Our very first look at the princess can be found below.

The Princess and the Frog is being co-directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, whom previously worked together to bring us the Disney classics Aladdin, Hercules, and Treasure Planet.

A musical set in the legendary birthplace of jazz — New Orleans — The Princess and the Frog will introduce the newest Disney princess, Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose), a young African-American girl living amid the charming elegance and grandeur of the fabled French Quarter. From the heart of Louisiana's mystical bayous and the banks of the mighty Mississippi comes an unforgettable tale of love, enchantment and discovery with a soulful singing crocodile, voodoo spells and Cajun charm at every turn.

The Princess and the Frog is currently set to be released sometime in 2009.

New Trailer for Disney/Pixar's WALL·E!

Source: Walt Disney Pictures  

December 18, 2007

 

The new trailer for Disney/Pixar's WALL·E is now online! From Academy Award-winning writer/director Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo), the computer-animated cosmic comedy centers on a determined robot named WALL·E. It opens in theaters on June 27.

 
http://www.firstshowing.net/2007/12/17/must-watch-next-new-wall-e-trailer/

 

Jerry Bruckheimer Updates Prince of Persia - Shooting Starts in June

December 3, 2007
Source: Collider
by Alex Billington

Ever since the idea of a Prince of Persia movie was first announced, I've been making sure to follow it extra closely. I think putting the project in the hands of producer Jerry Bruckheimer is instant success. Just look at what Bruckheimer has done in recent years: National Treasure 1 & 2, Pirates of the Caribbean, "The Amazing Race" on CBS, King Arthur, Bad Boys II, Black Hawk Down. His production value are incredible, and I might be hard-pressed to even say unmatchable. If you imagine all of that put into a Prince of Persia project, you've got instant success. There hasn't been an update on the project since Mike Newell (Donnie Brasco, Mona Lisa Smile, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) was announced as the director, but Bruckheimer has finally spoken about it.

Our friends at Collider caught up with Bruckheimer during press events for National Treasure: Book of Secrets, due out in a few weeks. Collider started out by asking the ever-so-important question: how they'll make a good movie out of Prince of Persia in a world where video game movies are destined to suck. And what does "the Bruck" respond with?

"We hired a very interesting director, Mike Newell, who did one of the Harry Potter's and also did Donnie Brasco and he's a very inventive, ingenious director and I think he's going to bring something really special to it. We're just starting to… we have a screenplay, we're just starting to develop the look of it. It'll be unique and fresh."

Thank goodness for that! If there is anyone I have faith in turning out the first good video game adaptation, it would definitely be the duo of Bruckheimer and Newell. He also confirms that if it works, as in makes money and is successful, they'll be aiming to turn this into a franchise, just as he did with Pirates of the Caribbean. Bruckheimer also went on to say that it definitely will be a period film and they won't try and make it contemporary. They're aiming to start filming in June of next year as long as the writers strike ends in due time and the directors and actors strikes don't kick in either.

As a final question, Collider asked how Jerry was first introduced to the video game.

"It's a game that was brought to us early on and I thought it was very exciting and thought it was an interesting… first of all it's an interesting period and it's something that other people weren't doing. So I always like to go into new arenas that other filmmakers aren't in."

I'll continue to say it and continue to believe it: just as Michael Bay was perfect for bringing Transformers to the screen, Jerry Bruckheimer is perfect for bringing Prince of Persia to the screen. Unfortunately Jerry really didn't have anything too new to bring to the table, besides that a screenplay is developed and that they're aiming to start production in June of 2008. Are you still looking forward to Prince of Persia on the big screen?


Nicolas Cage Voices G-Force

The Hollywood Reporter

Tuesday, November 20th, 2007

Nicolas Cage, Steve Buscemi and Tracy Morgan have agreed to provide the three lead voices in Disney's upcoming live action animal flick G-Force. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jerry Bruckheimer is producing the film.

The plot follows the adventures of an ultra-intelligent animal commando team that works for a government agency trying to prevent a billionaire from taking over the world. Cage is set to play Speckles the mole. Buscemi is playing Bucky the hamster. And Morgan will voice Blaster the guinea pig. Bill Nighy and Will Arnett will play the human characters in the film.

Bruckheimer stated, "It's a good story; it's unique characters, it's half animation, half live action. It falls right into the Disney family of films -- the kind of films we make, like "National Treasure", which entertain everybody from the smallest kid to the oldest grandparent."

Shooting has already begun in Los Angeles.

Disney/Pixar’s “Ratatouille” races past the $600 million mark at the worldwide box office; best reviewed film of the year is second biggest Disney/Pixar release of all-time internationally

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 19, 2007

    Disney/Pixar’s “Ratatouille,” the best reviewed movie of 2007, raced past the $600 million mark at the worldwide box office over the weekend, and now stands as the second biggest international release of all-time for a Disney/Pixar production, it was announced today by Mark Zoradi, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group. 

    The film’s worldwide cume climbed to $602.6 million over the latest three-day period (11/16-18/07).  With its international gross-to-date of $396.5 million, “Ratatouille” now stands as the fifth most popular film released this year and the top grossing non-sequel.  The film ranks as the #1 animated release in 17 international territories and is the #1 film of the year (including all categories) in France.  The film is expected to pass the $400 million international plateau sometime during the week, making it the sixth release from Disney (live-action or animated) to achieve this milestone.  Amongst all animated titles ever released in industry history, “Ratatouille” is only the third non-sequel to cross this threshold.  “Ratatouille” also becomes the ninth release from Disney to pass the $600 million global mark, an achievement unmatched by any other Studio.  Domestically, “Ratatouille” has posted an impressive gross-to-date of #206.1 million. 

    Commenting on the announcement, Zoradi said, “Not only is ‘Ratatouille’ the best reviewed movie released this year, it now has the distinction of being one of Disney’s all-time biggest global releases.  We are so proud of this latest achievement from Pixar and director Brad Bird, and enormously gratified that audiences all over the world responded in such a big way to this beautiful, intelligent, entertaining, and highly original film.  The success of ‘Ratatouille’ in the international marketplace is nothing short of phenomenal and we’re thrilled that the film has claimed the #1 spot for the year in some of the top markets.”

Bruce Willis to star in 'Surrogates'

Jonathan Mostow to direct the sci-fi thriller

Source: Variety

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Bruce Willis will star in “The Surrogates,” a sci-fi thriller that Jonathan Mostow will direct for Disney.

The studio is eyeing a February production start in Boston.

A Willis deal comes just as United Artists unplugs “Pinkville,” the My Lai massacre drama in which Willis was going to star for director Oliver Stone next month.

Michael Ferris and John Brancato scripted “The Surrogates” based on a graphic novel from Top Shelf Comix. They collaborated with Mostow on the last film he directed, “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.” The scribes also wrote “Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins,” the Halcyon-financed sequel that McG will direct at Warner Bros. (Daily Variety, Oct. 10).

“The Surrogates” is being produced by Mandeville’s David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, along with Max Handelman and Elizabeth Banks.

Story is set in the near future, where humans live in isolation and interact vicariously through surrogate robots who are better-looking versions of themselves. Willis plays a cop who, through his surrogate, investigates the murders of others’ surrogates. The cop is forced to venture from his own home for the first time in years and unravels a conspiracy.

Movie is expected to be released through Touchstone, and becomes the eighth picture slotted for an early 2008 production start by topper Oren Aviv.

Disney also is readying the P.J. Hogan-directed “Shopaholic”; the Adam Sandler-Adam Shankman comedy “Bedtime Stories”; “Witch Mountain,” to star Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson; “High School Musical 3”; “Hannah Montana”; the Robert Zemeckis-directed Jim Carrey starrer “Christmas Carol”; and the Sandra Bullock comedy “The Proposal.”

Prince Caspian

Fact Sheet

Prince Caspian, the second instalment of The Chronicles of Narnia, which is due for release in the spring/summer of 2008, is on an even more ambitious scale than The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and will feature bigger battles, more effects shots, more CGI creatures and some of the largest sets ever created for a Hollywood movie. Here are some facts, figures, and essential trivia about what’s sure to be one of the most talked about films of the year.

The Chronicles of Narnia books have sold more than 100,000,000 to date and have been translated into 35 different languages.

Costumes

Costume designer Iris Mussenden says she drew inspiration from the art of painter El Greco for the costumes of the Telmarines

Total number of individual items of clothing made for the film’s main cast: 1042

Total number of individual items, including helmets, masks, boots and gloves, made for King Miraz and his Lords and the Telmarine army:  3722

Number of metal rivets used per item of chain mail (also known as “brigandines”) worn by the Telamarine soldiers: 2184

Total number of metal rivets used: approximately 850,000

Total number of crewmembers working in the costume department: 70

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Cast member Skandar Keynes, who plays Edmund Pevensie, grew 6 ½ inches in the time between making The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian

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The cast and crew of Prince Caspian came from 15 different countries, including the Czech Republic, New Zealand, the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Canada, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Mexico, Italy and France. More than 9 different languages were spoken on set.

Locations

Number of continents director Andrew Adamson visited looking for locations for the film: 5

Only continents he didn’t scout: the Arctic and Antarctica

Principal locations for the film: New Zealand, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Poland

Prague’s historic Barrandov Studios, where many of Prince Caspian’s main sets were built, was founded in 1931 and has recently become a popular destination for Hollywood. Other recent film shot at Barrandov include Casino Royale and The Bourne Identity.

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During production of Prince Caspian the film’s caterers provided meals for as many as 1,100 cast and crew members daily. The total number of meals served during the shoot was in excess of 200,000.

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Director Andrew Adamson gave cast member Anna Popplewell (Susan Pevensie) time off from the film’s shoot so she could fly to London to attend her school prom. Anna changed into her ball dress in a bathroom and had time for two dances before she had to return to Prague.

Armor

Visualist Richard Taylor of New Zealand’s Weta Workshop designed nearly 600 pieces of armor and weaponry for Narnia's new inhabitants, the Telmarines, including 200 polearms, 200 rapiers, 100 falchions, 250 shields and 55 crossbows.

Taylor also designed soft shields and stunt gear for use with live horses during the film’s key battle scenes

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Total worldwide box-office for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was $745 million, making it one of the most successful films of all time.

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Skandar Keynes and Anna Popplewell won their parts in The Chronicles of Narnia in competition with thousands of other candidates from all over the world only to discover that they live round the corner from each other in North London.

Sets

Prince Caspian production designer Roger Ford has worked in the film business for more than four decades but the set for King Miraz’s castle, which was built at Barrandov Studios, was the biggest he has ever designed.

King Miraz’s castle occupied 20,000 square feet and is partly based on Pierrefonds Castle, which is located outside Paris in France.

The castle took 200 carpenters, plasterers and painters 15 weeks to build.

CGI work during the film’s post-production will further increase the scale of Miraz’s castle by a factor of three.

A log bridge that will feature in Prince Caspian’s climactic final scene was built over the River Soca in the Bovec Region of Slovenia and took a team of 20 engineers and workmen 1 month to construct.

Ford based his design for the bridge on the one Julius Caesar built across the Rhine in his battle against the Germans.

To accommodate Ford’s plans industrial engineers temporarily rerouted the flow of the River Soca.

The London tube station where the Pevensie children begin their adventure in Prince Caspian isn’t located in London at all. Ford built the realistic set at the Henderson Studios on New Zealand’s North Island.

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In contrast to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, make-up artist Tami Lane and Oscar winning make-up designer (for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) Howard Berger decided to create Narnians of many different ages and races for Prince Caspian. The new film will feature female Centaurs for the first time as well as Centaur children and an 80-year-old Faun.

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If some of the locations in Prince Caspian look familiar it’s because the production shot in some of the same remote areas of New Zealand’s South Island that previously appeared as Middle Earth in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Make-up

The 130 extras who play Narnian creatures in Prince Caspian wore special creature suits and spent several hours having make-up applied each day.

Make-up effects designer Howard Berger worked with a team of 50 make-up artists and supervised 4,600 individual make-up sessions over the course of the production.

Actor Warwick Davis spent 3 ½ hours each day having a facial prosthetic applied to transform him into the Black Dwarf Nikabrik.

To make sure the cast of the film would be ready to shoot at the required time, Howard Berger, Tami Lane and their crew arrived on set every morning 5 hours before the rest of the crew. 

Howard and Tami’s earliest wake-up call: 1:30 a.m.

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