Archive for the ‘News Items’ Category

Robert De Niro, 50 Cent reunite for new film

Sunday, March 27th, 2011
Actor Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro is reportedly set to reunite with rapper Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson for a new film project.

According to Deadline, De Niro has signed on to star in Freelancers, a new crime drama from music video director Jessy Terrero.

The film will mark the second time De Niro will have worked with Jackson, after the two both starred in the 2008 thriller Righteous Kill.

Freelancers follows a young man, played by Jackson, who signs up to the NYPD after his father is shot and killed in the line of duty.

(more…)

Elizabeth Taylor dies, aged 79

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor has died at the age of 79.

The actress died of congestive heart failure in the early hours of this morning.

Taylor’s publicist Sally Morrison said in a statement: “She was surrounded by her children – Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd and Maria Burton.”

Her son Michael added: “My mother was an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest, with great passion, humour and love.

(more…)

David Slade: ‘Daredevil a true reboot’

Monday, March 21st, 2011
David Slade, Director

David Slade has confirmed reports claiming that he has signed to direct a new Daredevil movie.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse helmer announced his attachment to the 20th Century Fox reboot on Twitter.

“So without breaking confidentiality, yes Daredevil, we have a great outline for a very strong character driven take on Mr Matt Murdock,” Slade tweeted on March 19.

Slade also revealed that his Daredevil film would “bare no relation to the previous Daredevil movie in any way”.

(more…)

‘Limitless’ tops US box office

Monday, March 21st, 2011
Robert De Niro and Bardley Cooper in 'Limitless'

Neil Burger’s action thriller Limitless has topped the US box office in its opening weekend by taking $19 million.

The film, starring Bradley Cooper and Abbie Cornish, held off competition from Gore Verbinski’s animation Rango, which took $15.3 million, and Matthew McConaughey’s comeback legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer, which entered in third place with an estimated $13.4 million.

Rounding out the top five films was Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s latest outing Paul, which took $13.2 million for its launch, despite topping the UK box office last month.

Next weekend sees the wide release of Zack Snyder’s fantasy epic Sucker Punch, as well as the family-oriented Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.

This week’s US box office top ten in full:

1. (-) Limitless – $19,000,000
2. (2) Rango – $15,300,000
3. (1) Battle: Los Angeles – $14,600,000
4. (-) The Lincoln Lawyer – $13,400,000
5. (-) Paul – $13,200,000
6. (3) Red Riding Hood – $7,300,000
7. (4) The Adjustment Bureau – $5,900,000
8. (5) Mars Needs Moms – $5,300,000
9. (6) Beastly – $3,300,000
10. (7) Hall Pass – $2,600,000

Billy Bob Thornton in talks for ‘Bad Santa 2’

Saturday, March 19th, 2011
Billy Bob Thorton at a CD signing

Billy Bob Thornton has announced that he is in talks to star in a sequel to Bad Santa.

The Eagle Eye actor played a criminal who poses as a mall Santa Claus in the 2003 comedy directed by Terry Zwigoff.

Speaking at a panel at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas on Friday, Thornton revealed that he is currently in negotiations to reprise his role in the forthcoming Bad Santa 2.

The Weinstein Company announced that it was partnering with Miramax Films to develop a Bad Santa sequel last December. Thornton said in November that he was interested in returning for the follow-up.

(more…)

‘Batman’ star Michael Gough dies, aged 94

Thursday, March 17th, 2011
Michael Gough

British actor Michael Gough has passed away at the age of 94.

The screen star appeared in more than 150 film and TV roles, including the first four Batman movies as Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred Pennyworth and as The Celestial Toymaker in Doctor Who in 1966.

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Gough started his career in the 1947 movie Blanche Fury and gained a cult following for his parts in Hammer Films productions such as 1958’s Dracula and 1962’s Phantom Of The Opera.

He was cast by Tim Burton in the big screen relaunch of Batman in 1989 before Michael Caine took over the role in 2005’s Batman Begins. Gough continued to work with Burton late into his career, featuring in Sleepy Hollow and taking on voice acting jobs in Corpse Bride and Alice In Wonderland.

(more…)

Darren Aronofsky quits ‘The Wolverine’

Thursday, March 17th, 2011
Darren Aronofsky

Darren Aronofsky has quit the director’s chair for 20th Century Fox’s The Wolverine.

The Oscar-nominated Black Swan director released a statement saying that he exited the blockbuster because it would have taken him away from his family for an extended period of time.

Fox had planned to film a large portion of the Christopher McQuarrie-scripted Wolverine, which sees the title character become a samurai, in Japan.

Aronofsky said: “As I talked more about the film with my collaborators at Fox, who have been totally supportive throughout my work on the movie, it became clear that the production of The Wolverine would keep me out of the country for almost a year.

(more…)

‘Hereafter’ is pulled from Japanese cinemas

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
Hereafter

Warner Bros has withdrawn Hereafter from cinemas in Japan following last Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.

The drama, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Matt Damon, opens with a sequence reconstructing 2004’s Indian Ocean tsunami as it decimates a seaside resort.

According to AP, Warner Entertainment Japan’s Satoru Otan said that the movie is “not appropriate” after the country experienced its strongest earthquake in recorded history last Friday.

It is estimated that more than 1,000 are dead and 10,000 unaccounted for after the quake triggered a tsunami which affected Japan’s Honshu island.

(more…)

‘Battle: Los Angeles’ tops US box office

Monday, March 14th, 2011
Aaron Eckhart in 'Battle: Los Angeles'

Jonathan Liebesman’s Battle: Los Angeles has taken an estimated $36 million for its opening weekend to arrive at number one on the US box office chart.

The science fiction epic toppled last week’s number one Rango, which falls to second place with a total of $23 million.

Catherine Hardwicke’s supernatural horror Red Riding Hood, starring Mean Girls alumnus Amanda Seyfried, enters in third with $14.1 million, followed by the Matt Damon science fiction thriller The Adjustment Bureau, which took $11.4 million.

Rounding out the top five films of the weekend is Disney’s latest 3D animation Mars Needs Moms, which took a disappointing $6.8 million.

This week’s US box office top ten in full:
1. (-) Battle: Los Angeles – $36,000,000
2. (1) Rango – $23,050,000
3. (-) Red Riding Hood – $14,100,000
4. (2) The Adjustment Bureau – $11,450,000
5. (-) Mars Needs Moms – $6,800,000
6. (4) Hall Pass – $5,105,000
7. (3) Beastly – $5,090,000
8. (8) Just Go With It – $4,000,000
9. (9) I Am Number Four – $5,702,000
10. (7) The King’s Speech – $3,625,000

Bradley Cooper: ‘There won’t be any more A-Team’

Sunday, March 13th, 2011
Bradley Cooper attends a special screening of 'Limitless' in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Bradley Cooper has confirmed speculation that there are currently no plans for a sequel to last year’s remake of The A-Team.

Cooper, who starred in the film alongside Liam Neeson, Quinton Jackson and Sharlto Copley, admitted that the poor commercial success of the film meant that any future instalments are highly unlikely.

“I loved it too,” Cooper told Empire, when a fan wrote in and told the former Alias actor how much he had enjoyed their version of the classic ’80s series.

“But unfortunately, outside of you, a few of your friends and myself, there just wasn’t enough revenue to supply a second instalment of that franchise,” Cooper confirmed.

(more…)