The movies that are lining up for awards consideration are starting to make themselves known, and one of those is Hitchcock, Sacha Gervasi’s film with Anthony Hopkins in the title role. The movie concentrates on the period around the making of Psycho, when the great director pu his reputation on the line to make a film many people thought was going to be a nasty disaster. Helen Mirren and Scarlet Johansson also star. It’ll hit UK cinemas on February 8th, 2013.
Great New Poster For Hitchcock Debuts
Sacha Gervasi’s Hitchcock is one of the most intriguing films arriving in the next few months, with Anthony Hopkins as the great filmmaker, with the movie concentrating on the making of Psycho, and Hitchcock’s relationship with his wife Alma (Helen Mirren), who was a vital collaborator throughout his career.
A new poster has arrived, which also let’s us know Scarlet Johansson and Jessica Biel co-star. It’s currently set for UK release on February 8th 2013.
The Queen (Blu-ray)
Director: Stephen Frears
Running Time: 103 mins
Certificate: 12
Release Date: May 28th, 2012
While the world of film loves to make royal biopics, nearly all of them are historic, with even something like The King’s Speech causing some to wonder whether its subject matter is too close to the present to make it suitable for a movie (seriously, some people complained about that). It’s very unusual therefore for a mainstream royal biopic to take on the current royal family, especially concerning events that are in the recent past. The Queen does though and does it very well, winning Helen Mirren an Oscar in the process. Now the film is making its first appearance on Blu-ray, just in time for the monarch’s Diamond Jubilee.
Following the death of Princess Diana, the Queen (Mirren) and royal family attempt to deal with what they believe should be a private matter between themselves and the Spencer family. However as attacks from the media and public begin to grow, and with new PM Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) advising her, the Monarch slowly comes to realise that her apparent inaction is becoming a threat to her position. [Read more…]
Catherine Zeta-Jones Joins Red 2, With The Original Team Returning
After Red turned into a decent sized hit, Summit Entertainment has been keen on a sequel, which is now moving forward with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Byung-hun Lee added to the cast. The sequel also reunites Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, and Helen Mirren, according to Deadline.
Dean Parisot directs from a screenplay by Erich Hoeber and Jon Hoeber, who also wrote the script for the first movie. Red 2 brings back the team of retired CIA operatives as they use their old-school style to take on a new set of enemies all across Europe.
There’s no more details on the plot that that, or info on who Catherine Zeta-Jones and Byung-hun Lee might be playing. Rumours have also suggested Morgan Freeman may return too, even if those who’ve seen the first movie may be wondering how. The film is scheduled to be released on August 2, 2013.
Jessica Biel Joins Alfred Hitchcock & The Making of Psycho
It’s the closest Jessica Biel is likely to get to being in a film as good as Psycho, but the actress has joined Sacha Gervasi’s Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, according to Deadline, about the creation of the classic 60s chiller. Biel is playing the role of actress Vera Miles, who played Lila Crane in Psycho.
Earlier this month Scarlett Johansson signed on to play Janet Leigh, joining Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Hitchcock and Helen Mirren as his wife, Alma. The film will follow every aspect of the creation of director Alfred Hitchcock’s famous thriller Psycho, based on Stephen Rebello’s book that goes behind-the-scenes on everything from the story’s original inspiration to the controversy surrounding the creation of the famous shower scene. It’s an interesting story, as most thought Hitchcock had gone nuts making a low budget, black and white movie in the much derided (at the time) horror genre, and he had to fight to get it made.
The movie will shoot later this year.
Scarlett Johansson On For The Making Of Psycho
Scarlett Johansson and James D’Arcy have signed up for Sacha Gervasi’s rather intriguing movie, Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, a movie that sounds like it’ll be great fun for film fans. The project already has Anthony Hopkins playing Alfred Hitchcock and Helen Mirren is as his wife, Alma, who was almost as important to the Hitchcock filmmaking machine as Alfred was.
As the title suggests, the film is about making of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960s classic, Psycho. Scarlett Johansson will play the movie’s lead actress, Janet Leigh, with James D’Arcy playing Anthony Perkins. John McLaughlin wrote the script from the Stephen Rebello book with the same name.
Rebello’s book goes behind-the-scenes of the creation of the film from the story’s original inspiration to the controversy surrounding the creation of the famous shower scene. He drew his inspiration from interviews with cast members as well as Alfred Hitchcock’s private files.
The film will shoot later this year for release in 2013. (Source: Variety)
Dean Parisot Set To Direct Red 2
For quite a while now Summit Entertainment has been mulling over the idea of making a sequel to Red. The Bruce Willis action flick wasn’t a gargantuan hit at cinemas, but it outdid expectation and then did really well on DVD and that seems to have convinced the studio a follow-up is worth it, as THR reports they’ve hired Dean Parisot to direct Red 2.
Robert Schwentke, director of the first film, opted not to return for round two, and so the job’s gone to the Galaxy Quest and Fun With Dick & Jane helmer. Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich and Morgan Freeman are all likely to return (although if you’ve seen Red, you’ll be wondering how at least one of the actors will manage to make an appearance in the flick, seeing as their character’s supposed to be dead), but no deals are in place yet.
There’s no news on the storyline either, although Erich and Jon Hoeber, who wrote the screenplay for the first film have also penned the sequel. Production is scheduled for later this year, most likely after Willis completes Die Hard 5.
The Debt (DVD)
Director: John Madden
Running Time: 113 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: January 23rd, 2012
The Debt starts out in 1997, with Rachel (Helen Mirren) being lauded for her role in a Mossad mission 30 years before, in which she and two other agents are known for going into East Berlin to bring a Nazi War Criminal to justice, killing him in the process. After a dinner in her honour, shocking news comes through that one of the other agents, David (Ciaran Hinds), has thrown himself in front of a truck, and it seems to have something to do with their shared past.
Flashing back to 1965 – when Helen Mirren was Jessica Chastain, Ciaran Hinds was Sam Worthington and Tom Wilkinson was Martin Csokas – we find out exactly what happened on the mission. Rachel enters East Berlin and a rundown apartment where David and Stephan have been cooped up together for months, with only each other for company. When the mission goes wrong and the plan to get the Nazi out of East Berlin fails, the situation gets ever more intense while the trio try to find a way to extract the criminal to Israel. [Read more…]
Helen Mirren Wants To Be Hitchcock’s Wife
Last January it was announced that Anthony Hopkis was onboard to play the title role in Alfred Hitchcock And The Making of Psycho. Since then it seems the project has had a few problems, which have resulted in it moving from Paramount Pictures to Fox Searchlight. However now things are getting back on track and THR reports that Helen Mirren is in talks to play Hitchcock’s wife, Alma Revile.
The dramatic comedy is based on Stephen Rebello’s non-fiction book of the same name and focuses on Hitchcock’s quest to make his 1960 horror classic Psycho, which no studio wanted a part of. Hitchcock secured financing himself and shot the movie with TV crew to keep the costs down, as everyone assumed the great man was throwing his career away on a schlocky low-rent horror movie that was beneath him. The movie will also look at the filmmaker’s relationship with his wife, who was as vital a part of the Hitchcock machine as Alfred was, although she rarely gets the credit.
Sacha Gervasi (Anvil! the Story of Anvil) is directing from a screenplay by John J. McLaughlin (Black Swan) and author Stephen Rebello. An April production start date is planned.
General movie news courtesy of Movie Muser