Frickin' Eh Movie News 07.20.08: Termination Edition
Posted by Matthew Motiuk on 07.20.2008
Iron Man 2's new writer, Terminator Salvation trailer and the new Terminator actor, The Dark Knight sets records, and more!
I am quite sick this weekend, having contracted something earlier this week. I have almost no energy and, whether a result of the medication I'm taking or the illness itself, can't seem to focus in on anything, so if there are errors, it's because I can't really see what I'm typing. But anyway, here's the news:
Pitt and DiCaprio to Be Inglorious Bastards?
Variety reports that Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Bastards is searching for a co-financing partner to handle offshore territories for the WWII drama with intersecting storylines.
The director met with Brad Pitt in France on Tuesday to talk about the possibility of Pitt playing the key role of Aldo Raine. Tarantino also plans to meet with Leonardo DiCaprio for another lead role, that of Hans Landa, on Thursday.
DiCaprio and Pitt would be appearing in a Tarantino-helmed project for the first time, though Pitt previously spoke Tarantino-scripted dialogue in a small but memorable stoner turn in the Tony Scott-directed True Romance.
The film will shoot this fall in Germany and also in France, where Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been residing.
This could turn out to be very different than any other Tarantino film, with a story that's out of step with his usual fare and two fresh actors. Both Pitt and DiCaprio are skilled actors and should do a good job if they are in fact cast in the roles. We'll just have to see what happens.
Theroux to Take Over Writing Iron Man 2
Marvel Studios' first production and this summer's current top-grosser Iron Man, has been so successful, grossing over $560 million worldwide, that it was a foregone conclusion that a sequel would happen sooner rather than later. What might be surprising is that according to Variety, they're changing writers for the second movie, going with actor/filmmaker Justin Theroux to pen the sequel, which is planned for a late April release in 2010.
While Marvel Studios negotiates with director Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. to bring them back for the sequel, they've hired Theroux, who some might know from his acting roles in McG's Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and HBO's "Six Feet Under." He also wrote and executive produced Ben Stiller's upcoming war comedy Tropic Thunder (also starring Robert Downey Jr.), and presumably Marvel saw that he could write comedy and action suitable for shellhead's sequel. (Marvel Studios themselves haven't commented on any of the developments on the sequel as of yet.)
This is a bit odd. Why wouldn't they stick with the same writer? Unless there's some unknown reason why they would have to switch out. Most likely they think Theroux will add some sort of new twist to the movie, which could go either way. This could be a rather unnecessary gamble that could end up biting them in the ass.
DeVito Directing True Confessions
Danny DeVito will direct The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, starring Morgan Freeman, Pierce Brosnan and Saoirse Ronan, reports Variety.
DeVito wrote the script, an adaptation of the best-selling young adult novel written by Avi. The film is in pre-production and will begin shooting in September.
Ronan will play a daring girl who makes a transatlantic crossing in the 1830s from England to America, and finds herself caught between a ruthless captain and a mutinous crew.
The film will be produced by Michele Weisler, Lori McCreary, Beau St. Clair and Patrick Meehan. Thomas D. Adelman and Hawk Koch will be executive producers.
Also producing is DeVito's Jersey Films 2nd Avenue, Freeman and McCreary's Revelations Entertainment and Irish DreamTime, the company run by Brosnan and St. Clair.
Hmm . . . the story sounds a little weird, to start with, followed by Danny DeVito (a weird person to start with) writing and directing. So this is going to be just plain weird, that's guaranteed. However, Freeman and Brosnan are two great actors, so this could end up being not bad. I'll be interested to see how this one shapes up.
Terminator Salvation Teaser
Warner Bros. Pictures has revealed the teaser trailer for Terminator Salvation, hitting theaters on May 22, 2009. The sci-fi action-thriller stars Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Bryce Dallas Howard, Moon Bloodgood, Common, Jadagrace and Helena Bonham Carter.
In the film, set in post-apocalyptic 2018, Bale stars as John Connor, the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright (Worthington), a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet's operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.
Well, as a teaser, there's not too much there, but it leaves you wanting more, and gives you a good taste of how good Christian Bale is going to be as John Connor. The description here sheds a lot more light on the story, and it's definitely a bit different than I thought. I expected this to be a straightforward futuristic war, but the direction they're taking this has me even more intrigued.
Woo Directing Caliber
John Woo will direct comic book adaptation Caliber, to be unveiled at next week's Comic-Con in San Diego, reports Variety.
The film looks likely to be a three-way co-production of Johnny Depp's Infinitum Nihil, Barry Levine's Radical Comics and Lion Rock, the U.S.-based company that Woo runs with longstanding partner Terence Chang.
Radical Comics' hit story sets King Arthur and his knights as 19th century gunslingers in the Pacific Northwest.
Woo, who is currently editing part two of his epic Red Cliff, previously announced that he will helm Lion Rock's $40 million film 1949, a period romancer set against the tumultuous background of the Chinese Revolution.
Woo's other Stateside projects include a remake of 1969 French crime drama The Sicilian Clan, which starred Alain Delon and Lino Ventura, and The Divide, the story of a Chinese laborer working on America's transcontinental railroads in the 19th century.
King Arthur is a 19th century gunslinger in the Pacific Northwest? What? Does that even make any sense? Sounds pretty ridiculous to me. John Woo is somewhat hit and miss at the best of times, and with such a strange story, I'm not quite sure what this will end up being.
Three Have a Crazy Heart
Jeff Bridges (Iron Man), Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Dark Knight) and Robert Duvall have signed on to star in the music-based drama Crazy Heart for CMT Films and Informant Media, reports Variety.
Scott Cooper wrote and will direct the film, which is based on the debut novel by Thomas Cobb. The story centers on a down-on-his-luck, alcoholic country music singer (Bridges) who is able to get his life and career back on track through his relationship and experiences with a female reporter (Gyllenhaal).
Composer and producer T Bone Burnett will produce original music for the film and soundtrack. Duvall and Robert Carliner are producing via their Butchers Run Films. Judy Cairo, Cooper and Burnett are also producing. Bridges, Michael A. Simpson, Eric Brenner and Jeff Yapp executive produce.
Shooting is scheduled to start next month in and around Santa Fe, N.M.
Wow, this sounds like the embodiment of country music. Sadly for me, that's no longer much of a joke, because I've started liking country music. Anyway, all three should be perfect for the movie, and despite my dislike music-based films, this could turn out being an interesting, unique movie.
Roland Kickinger is the T-800
The Clinton News-Record has revealed that former bodybuilder Roland Kickinger will play the T-800 in Warner Bros. Pictures' Terminator Salvation, coming to theaters on May 22, 2009. Kickinger talked about his role in the film, quotes that should be considered spoilers:
This month, however, Kickinger begins filming what is likely the role of his life to date, as his portion of Terminator Salvation begins to take shape.
"There's a very strong scene in the film where John Connor for the first time meets the Terminator, and he doesn't know if he's a good guy or a bad guy," said Kickinger.
"It's Arnold's character in the first Terminator. That's basically my role, but 20 years before, so it establishes how the Terminator [came] about."
Well, the Terminator would have to be played by a bodybuilder, and Kickinger seems to be as good a choice as any. As with Arnold playing the Terminator, acting skill isn't important either. Hopefully he turns out to fit the role well.
The Dark Knight Sets Opening Day Record
Box Office Mojo is reporting that Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight has set a new opening day record with $66.4 million in a record 4,366 theaters (including 94 IMAX theaters) nationwide.
With brisk advance sales and early sell-outs reported all week from Fandango, it looks like the latest installment in Warner Bros' Batman franchise has delivered an opening day gross bigger than the previous five movies were able to make in their opening weekends alone. Even though Dark Knight opened with roughly $7 million more than Spider-Man 3 grossed in its opening day last year, to claim the opening weekend record (currently $151.1 million) for The Dark Knight might be somewhat premature, since Spider-Man 3 opened in May with school in session, while theoretically, The Dark Knight could be more frontloaded with so much more interest and demand in seeing it opening day. Then again, word-of-mouth has generally been as positive as the reviews with 93% of Superhero Hype readers rating the movie with a 9 out of 10 or above and many have expressed a desire to see the movie a second or third time, even opening weekend. Stay tuned for the final weekend box office estimates tomorrow afternoon.
Universal's movie musical Mamma Mia! starring Meryl Streep has made an estimated $9.6 million on Friday, while Will Smith's Hancock pulled ahead of Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy II: the Golden Army for third place.
Most of this bit is nonsense and speculation of stuff we'll know pretty soon, but the important thing is that The Dark Knight did break the opening day record. Thank goodness Spider-Man 3 has been beaten. I expect they'll beat the weekend record, too, it just seems to have that much justified hype behind it.
Rapid-Fire: A View to a Kill (1985, starring Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, Tanya Roberts)
Yes, that's right, I caught another one of Best Buy's three DVDs for $25 sale, and as always, they had a good stock of James Bond to select from. In my ongoing pursuit of filling out my Bond collection, I was obligated to buy some, and this is the first of the trio that I've watched. So this week I present:
It's James Bond – or rather, the real James Bond – so you know this isn't going to be a bad review. I love the old James Bond movies, and this one is no disappointment. Like all the rest, it's got the action, the explosions, the women, the sly comments, the gadgets, and everything else. So know that going in.
The story, as far as Bond goes, is fine. A villain wants to take over the world, and this one is not overly Soviet-centric. In fact, it weighs heavily on America, and it does not include Sheriff JW Pepper, so I'm happy already (that is the one Bond character I cannot stand in the least). While it's a little hard at the start to figure out exactly what direction we're heading in, it turns out to be typical fare, and it's enjoyable as always.
Moore is probably my second favourite Bond (behind Brosnan) and he doesn't change everything in this movie. Walken as the villain, Max Zorin, is a good fit, because he just looks sinister. Seriously, I'd be scared of the guy if I saw him on the street. Roberts' voice gets a bit grating at times, and she's not an overly useful Bond girl, but she's probably the best choice for an American Bond girl there is; she symbolizes America very well. Grace Jones as May Day is a little weird and off-putting at the start, but she grows on you, actually. Patrick Macnee is a nice change to the Bond movies as a sidekick for Bond in the form of Tibbett, and he handles the role really well.
What else can I say? There's the requisite explosions, underwater sequence, flying (although in a different vein than usual), and everything else you expect. This one deserves a watch if you like the good ol' James Bond.
Closing Time . . .
Time to hopefully get some rest and recover. I seriously have that little energy. Until next week . . .
