SILVER-SCREEN
Let the Star Wars: Episode VII casting rumors begin! Jonathon Rhys Meyers may be in talks to star in the new installment of the blockbuster science fiction series. Although it's been all but confirmed that Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill are all already on board, Meyers would be the first new actor the join the Star Wars family.
Meyers already has a packed schedule, between starring in NBC's new Dracula series, and playing the villian Valentine Morgenstern in the film adapation of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, which also has two sequels; Meyers being cast in Star Wars might committ him to another long-term project. Director J.J. Abrams does have a personal connection with the actor, since he previously worked with him on Mission: Impossible III, so maybe he can convince Meyers to sign on!
Star Wars: Episode VII has a tentative release date of 2015.
It seems everyone in Hollywood wants to be in a musical right now! Chris Pine and Jake Gyllenhaal are reportedly in talks to star in Disney's adaptation of the Broadway musicial Into the Woods. The project has already tapped Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp to star, as well. Both Streep and Depp have previous silver screen musicial experience: Streep in Mamma Mia! and Depp in Sweeney Todd.
This week is full of casting news! Emilia Clarke, one of the breakout stars of Game of Thrones, who plays Daenerys Targaryen on the HBO hit, has been cast in The Garden of Last Days, a film adapation the novel by Andre Dubus III. The Garden of Last Days tells three interwoven stories, all set in Florida, and centers on the themes of family and sexuality. Dubus is also the author of A House of Sand and Fog, adapted in 2003 starring Jennifer Connelly.
Casting news alert! Disney has announced that Lily James will potray Cinderella in the live-action interpretation of the Disney classic. James is best-known for her role as Lady Rose MacClare, cousin of the Grantham family and resident troublemaker on the British period-drama Downton Abbey. Her first role in a big-budget film was Wrath of the Titans, but Cinderella could make the young actress a household name.
The news of this new adaptation is not at all surprising, with the recent influx of fairytale reimaginings in the last year. Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman, both released in 2012, retold the story of Snow White, but altered the classic story to enable Snow White a more active role in her own survival. Disney recently released Oz The Great and Powerful starring James Franco as Oz telling the story of before Dorthory arrived in the Emerald City. In 2014, Disney plans to release Maleficent a retelling of Sleeping Beauty from the point-of-view of the villain, Maleficent, played by Angelina Jolie. A remake of Beauty and the Beast is rumored to also be in the works.
J.J. Abrams brought Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, and Spock back for a new generation, has signed on to direct the new Star Wars film, and now is in talks to direct a movie adaptation of Stephen King's time-travel novel, 11/22/63. Published in 2011, but orginally conceived in 1971, the novel tells the story of Jake Epping, a high school English teacher, who uses a portal within a diner to travel back in time where he tries to change history on the day of President Kennedy's assassination. We're also thinking that Abrams may have a thing about time-travel, right Lost fans?!
Although Marvel Comic's Iron Man 3 has yet to open in the United States, it is already a financial success internationally, opening to $195.3 million in 42 markets, blasting past The Avengers' overseas opening of $185.1 million!
The last installment of the Iron Man series, starring Robert Downey, Jr., as Tony Stark aka Iron Man, made only $100 million on its international debut. This may indicate that the next Avengers movie will possibly break Iron Man 3's overseas opening. The Avengers was even bigger nationally, which bodes well for Iron Man 3's stateside opening weekend beginning on Friday, May 3rd.
Check out the official Iron Man 3 trailer below.
Everyone knows that Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt can dance, but no one suspected Broadway was also in the cards! The two talented actors are at the top of the list to play Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, roles originally portrayed on the silver screen by Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando respectively. No news on who would play which part.
Gordon-Levitt has sung numerous times, and helps run the collaborative production company, hitRECord, but Tatum’s singing abilities are a complete mystery, and both Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson involve some serious musical chops! Both actors are in high demand however, so 20th Century Fox will have to move quickly if it wants both in the film.
Spring Breakers, set to hit theater nationwide on March 22nd, follows four party girl best friends on their ambitious quest to have the most epic, balls-to-the-wall spring break possible. In an attempt to save up enough money to get out of their boring college dorm, they hatch a plan to burglarize a fast food joint after a wild night of partying. They make it to spring break paradise only to have their plans come to a screeching halt when the girls, wearing only bikinis, are arrested on drug charges. Hungover and scared when they appear before the judge, an infamous drug and arms dealing rapper, Alien (James Franco), bails them out of jail. The foursome’s freedom comes with a catch though as Alien takes them under his wing, expecting the girls to carry out his dirty work in return for his good deed, leading them onto the craziest vacation they could’ve ever dreamed up.
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