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Free State of Jones Trailer – Matthew McConaughey heads for the Civil War

January 11, 2016 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

It seems like a long time ago that Matthew McConaughey was becoming a bit of a joke, who many people thought was a lousy actor who only produced an endless string of mediocre rom-com. Now he’s an Oscar-winner who tends to only make interesting choices and movie that are worth a watch.

Now he’s got Free State Of Jones, which has released its first trailer.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Written and directed by four-time Oscar nominee Gary Ross (The Hunger Games, Seabiscuit, Pleasantville), and starring Oscar® winner Matthew McConaughey, Free State of Jones is an epic action-drama set during the Civil War, and tells the story of defiant Southern farmer, Newt Knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the Confederacy. Banding together with other small farmers and local slaves, Knight launched an uprising that led Jones County, Mississippi to secede from the Confederacy, creating a Free State of Jones. Knight continued his struggle into Reconstruction, distinguishing him as a compelling, if controversial, figure of defiance long beyond the War.’

It’ll be in cinemas in May.

[Read more…]

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ACTORS: Matthew McConaughey DIRECTORS: Gary Ross

Matthew McConaughey Developing Free State Of Jones With Gary Ross

November 6, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Matthew McConaughey may defend his previous life as king of lazy rom-coms, but most people would agree that the more picky McConaughey of recent years is a far better proposition. The actor is continuing his run of interesting projects by getting on board to star in Free State Of Jones, according to Deadline.

The film is based ‘based on the untold and extraordinary story of Newton Knight, the leader of one of the greatest rebellions in Civil War history… McConaughey is in talks to play the Mississippian, who defected from the Confederate Army, banded together with a group of like-minded soldiers, and set out to form their own State known as the Free State Of Jones.’

Knight is seen by some as a hero and by others as an outlaw, however it seems clear he really didn’t believe in the Confederacy’s attempts to retain slavery, as he eventually married a former slave himself, which was one of the first mixed race marriages in Mississippi after the Civil War.

The hope is to get backing for the film so that it can shoot at the beginning on 2015.

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ACTORS: Matthew McConaughey DIRECTORS: Gary Ross

Jennifer Lawrence Reuniting With Hunger Games’ Gary Ross For East of Eden

September 26, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Jennifer Lawrence

People seem to like working with Jennifer Lawrence, as it often appears she gets her choice of role not just because she’s a great actress, but because they like having her around. That appears to be true of The Hunger Games director Gary Ross, who is reuniting with Lawrence for a film version of East of Eden, along with another adaptation entitled Burial Rites, according to Deadline.

East of Eden had been in development at Universal since 2004, but it’s been difficult to get it off the ground. Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) had been set to direct in 2009, although the rights to the book lapsed and the project never got off the ground. Recently, the studio and producer Brian Grazer put together a new deal, attaching Gary Ross to direct and now Jennifer Lawrence is set to star.

Lawrence will play Cathy Ames, the estranged wife and mother of two boys. The young men compete for their father’s attention, while believing their mother isn’t around anymore. The novel was previously adapted into director Elia Kazan’s 1955 film East of Eden, which starred James Dean in his feature debut. Jo Van Fleet won an Oscar for the role Lawrence will play.

Burial Rites meanwhile is based on a Hannah West novel about a young Icelandic woman who is accused of murder in 1829. The story is set between the murder and the trial, as prosecutors press for a public execution. Jennifer Lawrence will play the accused murderer. It isn’t clear when either film will shoot, although it’s unlikely to be until after Jennifer has completed filming the final two Hunger Games movie.

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ACTORS: Jennifer Lawrence DIRECTORS: Gary Ross

The Hunger Games – The Unseen Version (Blu-ray)

August 30, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci
Director: Gary Ross
Running Time: 142 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: September 3rd 2012

In the early days of DVD, studios went to great trouble putting together really good packages, with feature-length documentaries, plenty of featurettes and various other bits and pieces to please film fans. These releases are becoming increasingly rare, with even major mega-budget blockbusters often getting paltry extras that are only there because they’re expected and give the marketers something to write on the back of the box. It’s nice then that The Hunger Games gets a two-disc Blu-ray release with around three hours of features, including an extremely good 122 minute ‘making of’ documentary. [Read more…]

Gary Ross Locked For Peter And The Starcatchers

August 21, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago it was reported that after passing on The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, director Gary Ross was mulling taking on Disney’s Peter and the Starcatchers. Now Deadline reports that he’s locked in the movie as his next directorial effort.

The film is a prequel to J.M. Barrie’s classic Peter Pan, following Peter, who meets a young girl named Molly on a Neverland ship. Molly tells Peter about a trunk of magical ‘starstuff’ that must never be retrieved by ‘Black Stache’, the name Captain Hook went by before losing his hand. Peter and Molly set off on an adventure to keep this mystical substance out of the nefarious pirate’s hands.

The project was first set up at Disney way back in 2005, when Jay Wolpert was hired to adapt the book by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. After years of languishing in development, in May Jesse Wigutow was hired to write the screenplay. The tale has already become a Broadway play, which took home five Tony Awards earlier this year.

Ross was also considering directing The Secret Life Of Houdini for Summit, but no deal was ever signed and he’s now decided not to make the film, so he can concentrate on the Peter Pan film.

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DIRECTORS: Gary Ross FILMS: Peter And The Starcatchers

Gary Ross Set To Direct Peter & The Starcatchers

July 18, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Director Gary Ross stepped away from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire saying he had a more personal, better paying project he wanted to work on. That project seems to have been put on the backburner, as he’s now in talks to take on Disney’s Peter and the Starcatchers, according to THR.

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DIRECTORS: Gary Ross

Hunger Games Helmer Gary Ross To Direct Houdini Biopic

May 3, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

The Hunger Games director Gary Ross recently backed out of making the sequel, Catching Fire, with one of the stated reasons being that there was another, more lucrative movie he was interested in. Now we know what that film probably is, as THR reports that the director has entered negotiations to direct The Secret Life of Houdini.

There hasn’t been much info on this project since February 2011, when screenwriter Noah Oppenheim signed on to adapt the biography the boon, The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero by William Kalush and Larry Sloman. The book is partly a traditional biopic of Harry Houdini’s exploits as a world-famous magician, but also alleges he was working as a British spy at the same time. The studio is looking to launch a franchise behind this adaptation, by creating a character they see as a hybrid of Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones.

Interestingly Francis Lawrence, who stepped in to direct Catching Fire, is also attached to director a Houdini, although his is at Sony while Ross’ is at Summit.

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DIRECTORS: Gary Ross

Gary Ross Won’t Direct Hunger Games Sequel

April 7, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

A few days ago a report emerged saying that tough negotiations were going on between Lionsgate and director Gary Ross over the Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire. Apparently it had been tricky coming to terms for the first movie and the follow-up was proving just as awkward.

At the time the report emerged, it seemed likely the two sides would sort thing out, and that Ross would indeed helm the movie. However it turns out that was wishful thinking as it’s now been revealed that Ross is officially out and has decided to go for a different movie that will give him a bigger paycheck and more control. The director had been offered a substantial pay rise for Catching Fire, but he decided he’s prefer to a different movie, based on his own original script. It’s also believed The Hunger Games was his favourite of Suzanne Collins’ book, and he had less interest in making the others.

Catching Fire will shoot this autumn for release November 2013, but Lionsgate will now have to rush to find a new director. (Source: The Playlist)

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ACTORS: Jennifer Lawrence DIRECTORS: Gary Ross FILMS: The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Hunger Games (Cinema)

March 20, 2012 By Stephen Sclater Leave a Comment

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks
Director: Gary Ross
Running Time: 143 mins
Certificate: 12A
Release Date: March 23rd, 2012

As many know by now, Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games is a young adult bestseller that’s become a phenomenon around the world. It’s now been transferred to the screen and is one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the year. So far the novel trilogy has amassed over 26 million in book sales (mostly due to popular word of mouth) and this will no doubt grow after the pretty much inevitable success of the movie.

The Hunger Games is set in North America in a dystopian future. The Hunger Games have been introduced by the government as a tactic invented to help control and punish each District for a previous uprising. Each of the 12 Districts have to select a male and female teenager, who must then all fight each other to the death in a televised event, for the honour and hope of their Districts. [Read more…]

First Hunger Games Clip Debuts

March 5, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

All the indicators suggest that the months of hype have worked and that The Hunger Games will hit it huge when it’s released on March 23rd, with some already forecasting a $100 million plus US opening for the movie. Now the first clip from the film has been released, which is short but shows Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) showing that she’s pretty impressive with a bow.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. THE HUNGER GAMES is directed by Gary Ross, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, the first in a trilogy published by Scholastic that has over 16 million copies in print in the United States alone, has developed a massive global following.’

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ACTORS: Jennifer Lawrence, Wes Bentley DIRECTORS: Gary Ross FILMS: The Hunger Games