GENERAL MOVIE NEWS

General movie news courtesy of Movie Muser (www.moviemuser.co.uk)

Beasts Of The Southern Wild’s Quvenzhane Wallis Up For Annie

February 9, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

quvenzhane-wallis Becoming the youngest Best Actress Oscar nominee ever is an impressive achievement, and may well lead to a big career for Beasts Of The Southern Wild’s Quvenzhane Wallis. The nine-year-old is now up to replace the recently departed Willow Smith in the planned new version of the musical, Annie.

After being in development for so long that Smith is now too old for the role (it’s also suggested she wants to dial back of her career and just be a kid for a bit longer), things seems to be moving forward fast, with Easy helmer Will Gluck signing up to direct a few days ago. And now EW reports that Wallis is being considered for the lead. She doesn’t have the role yet, but she’s definitely in contention.

The film is a new take on the musical, with Will Smith and Jay-Z working together to give the story a more contemporary update, which presumably means the songs will be getting a bit of a hip-hop vibe.

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ACTORS: Quvenzhane Wallis DIRECTORS: Will Gluck FILMS: Annie (2014)

Jesse Eisenberg & Emile Hirsch Take On Midnight Sun

February 9, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Emile Hirsch

Jesse Eisenberg, Emile Hirsch and Diane Kruger are teaming up for Midnight Sun, according to Screen Daily, and it seems they’re going to help create the atomic bomb! Actor turned filmmaker Chris Eigeman is set to write and direct, with the movie currently looking for backers at the European Film Market.

The reports says the film is ‘Set in 1943, the drama follows two young post graduates recruited by the US Government to work on a top-secret project in New Mexico. Along with one of the students’ new wife, they drop their jazz-filled lives in New York and move to a secret community of scientists in the desert.’

It’s not a huge leap from their to assume they’re working on The Manhattan Project, the programme that resulted in the atom bomb and the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Richard Rhodes, winner of the Pulitzer prize for book The Making of the Atomic Bomb, is an advisor on the project, so hopefully it’ll stick fairly close to the truth of the project. The current plan is to shoot the movie this summer.

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ACTORS: Jesse Eisenberg, Emile Hirsch, Diane Kruger FILMS: Midnight Sun

The Alan Partridge Movie Is Now Shooting And The Cast Has Grown!

February 8, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Sean-Pertwee For years there have been rumours of an Alan Partridge movie, and now they’re realy coming true, as it’s been revealed that the film is now shooting in Norfolk. Variety also reports that the cast has grown substantially, as Steve Coogan will be joined by the likes of Sean Pertwee, Colm Meaney, Anna Maxwell Martin, Monica Dolan and Dustin Demri-Burns.

They’ll team up with Partridge veterans Felicity Montagu, Tim Key, Simon Greenall, Phil Cornwell, Nigel Lindsay and Darren Boyd, who’ll all be back for more madness.

The Alan Partridge Movie has been written by Coogan, Neil and Rob Gibbons, Peter Baynham and Armando Iannucci, with Declan Lowney directing. Unfortunately there isn’t too much info known about the plot, other than it will follow Alan trying to resurrect his flagging media career.

You don’t have to wait too long to find out is Alan can make a successful jump to the big screen, as it’s due out in the UK on August 13th.

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ACTORS: Steve Coogan, Sean Pertwee FILMS: The Alan Partridge Movie

Nicholas Hoult, Michael Shannon, Elle Fanning & Kodi Smit-McPhee Are The Young Ones

February 8, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

It may be called The Young Ones, but this isn’t a remake of the classic 1980s sitcom. Instead it’s a dystopian sci-fi flick which has drawn together a pretty good cast, with Variety reporting that Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Elle Fanning and Kodi Smit-McPhee have all signed on to star.

Jake Paltrow (younger brother of Gwyneth) is set to direct the movie, which about about a future where water is incredibly scarce, causing humanity to turn on itself in the scramble for the precious resource. The film focuses on an a 14-year-old boy named Jake (who we’re presuming will be played by Kodi Smit-McPhee) who must use his wits to survive.

There’s no info on exactly who the new cast members will play, but presumably they’ll be split between those who have water and those who don’t.

The project has been in development for a long time, as two years ago Casey Affleck and Jamie Bell were set to star (Fanning was also involved at that stage too), with Noah Baumbach producing. Filming started a few days ago in South Africa’s Northern Cape desert.

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ACTORS: Nicholas Hoult, Michael Shannon, Elle Fanning, Kodi Smit-McPhee DIRECTORS: Jake Paltrow FILMS: The Young Ones

Kristen Stewart & Elizabeth Banks Put On The Big Shoe

February 8, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Kristen-stewart It’s a common stereotype that women likes shoes, so it’s surprising the world of film hasn’t made more movies about them (the movies haven’t yet got past the idea that all women spend their entire lives daydreaming about weddings).

Now Kristen Stewart and Elizabeth Banks are set to help the footwear cause by signing up to star indie comedy The Big Shoe, for director Steven Shainberg (Secretary).

The film is about a talented shoe designer (Jim Sturgess), whose unscrupulous family wants to mass produce his greatest creations so they can make a quick buck. He’s resistant and breaks away from his family, but his folks want their potential cash cow back in the fold and so hire a muse (Kristen Stewart) and a psychotherapist (Elizabeth Banks) to get him to toe the family pine.

Shainberg will direct from a screenplay he co-wrote with Mickey Birnbaum, which is said to use the same blend of eroticism and humour as his 2002 indie Secretary. Shooting should begin June 17th.

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ACTORS: Kristen Stewart, Elizabeth Banks FILMS: The Big Shoe

Paranorman Studio Laika Announces Boxtrolls, With A Great Voice Cast Attached

February 8, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

here-be-monsters-alan-snow After the Oscar-nominated success of Paranorman, animation studio Laika has revealed their third movie, The Boxtrolls, based in Alan Snow‘s book Here Be Monsters! Open Season co-director Anthony Stacchi and Coraline/ParaNorman story artist Graham Annable are set to direct the movie, which already has an impressive voice cast attached.

Ben Kingsley, Toni Collette, Elle Fanning, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade, Tracy Morgan, Jared Harris, and Isaac Hempstead-Wright are all set to lend their dulcet tones to the 3D stop-motion/CG hybrid, which has already entered production with a October 17th, 2014 release set.

Here’s a rundown of the plot: ‘The Boxtrolls is a comedic fable that unfolds in Cheesebridge, a posh Victorian-era town obsessed with wealth, class, and the stinkiest of fine cheeses. Beneath its charming cobblestone streets dwell the Boxtrolls, foul monsters who crawl out of the sewers at night and steal what the townspeople hold most dear: their children and their cheeses. At least, that’s the legend residents have always believed.

‘In truth, the Boxtrolls are an underground cavern-dwelling community of quirky and lovable oddballs who wear recycled cardboard boxes the way turtles wear their shells. The Boxtrolls have raised an orphaned human boy, Eggs (voiced by Mr. Hempstead-Wright), since infancy as one of their dumpster-diving and mechanical junk-collecting own. When the Boxtrolls are targeted by villainous pest exterminator Archibald Snatcher (Mr. Kingsley), who is bent on eradicating them as his ticket to Cheesebridge society, the kindhearted band of tinkerers must turn to their adopted charge and adventurous rich girl Winnie (Ms. Fanning) to bridge two worlds amidst the winds of change – and cheese.’

Deadline has posted some concept art from the film, which you can see below.

The-Boxtrolls-concept-art

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ACTORS: Ben Kingsley, Toni Collette, Elle Fanning, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade, Tracy Morgan, Jared Harris

Five New Star Trek Into Darkness Images Debut

February 8, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Star Trek Into Darkness is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated movies of the year, with audiences keen to see where JJ Abrams will take the franchise after completely rebooting it a couple of years ago. To help up the excitement, EW has debuted five new images from the film, including looks at Chris Pine’s Kirk, Zachary Quinto’s Spock, Zoe Saldana’s Uhuru and Benedict Cumberbatch’s villainous John Harrison.

And who’s betting the red shirt surrounding Harrison don’t make it to the final credits?

Here’s the official synopsis: ‘In Summer 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes Star Trek Into Darkness. When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

‘With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.’

The film hits cinemas May 17th, 2013.

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ACTORS: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana DIRECTORS: JJ Abrams FILMS: Star Trek Into Darkness

The Grinch Is Getting Animated At Universal Pictures

February 8, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

grinch-pic1 Universal Pictures and animation house Illumination Entertainment had success dipping into the world of Dr. Seuss for The Lorax, so they’ve decided to reteam for another of the children’s author’s classics, with a CG animated remake of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Peter Candeland is set to make his feature directorial debut with the project. This is just the latest screen version of the Grinch, as it became a classic animated TV special in 1966, and then in 2000 Universal made a live-action version with Jim Carrey starring.

The story is, of course, about the titular Grinch, an incredibly grumpy character who is determined to ruin Christmas for all the Who’s in Whoville.

Christopher Meledandri is producing alongside Dr. Seuss’ widow, Audrey Geisel. Meledandri is a Seuss veteran as he produced both The Lorax and 2008’s Horton Hears a Who in 2008. (Source: Variety)

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Ellen Page To Make Directorial Debut With Miss Stevens, With Anna Faris Starring

February 8, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

While an awful lot of actors like to direct films, they often wait until they’re in their 30s at least to make the move behind the camera. However Ellen has decided the grand old age of 26 is right for her to make her directorial debut with Miss Stevens.

Deadline reports that Anna Faris is attached to star as a high school teacher who has to look after a group of students when they head to the state drama competition. Julia Hart wrote the screenplay.

It isn’t known when the movie might shoot, but it won’t be for a few months at least, as Page will soon be heading to the set of X-Men: Days Of Future Past. She’s set reprise her role as Kitty Pryde, who’s believed to have a major role in the time-travelling movie, which brings together the First Class cast with the original X-Men.

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ACTORS: Anna Faris DIRECTORS: Ellen Page FILMS: Miss Steven

Tom Hardy Set To Headline Locke, With Steven Knight Directing

February 8, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Tom Hardy is a busy man, but it seems he’s found a bit of a window in his schedule as he’s signed up to go a bit Jason Statham in the movie Locke, which is due to start shooting later this month, according to THR.

The film is written and directed by Steven Knight, who’s perhaps best known for his screenplays for Eastern Promises and Dirty Pretty Things, and who recently completed his directorial debut, Hummingbird.

According to a release, ‘Locke is the story of one man’s life unraveling in a tension-fuelled ninety minute race against time. Ivan Locke has the perfect family, his dream job, and tomorrow should be the crowning moment of his career. But one phone call will force him to make a decision that will put it all on the line.’

Steven Knight commented, “I’m really excited to be working with Tom Hardy on an innovative piece of filmmaking which will exercise his immense talent to the full.”

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ACTORS: Tom Hardy DIRECTORS: Steven Knight FILMS: Locke