Sunday, January 11, 2015

Weekend Movie News 1-9-15 to 1-11-15

        Hello ladies and gentlemen, here is some movie news with some of my thoughts and opinions (which will be in BOLD print). So without further ado...


(NOTE: All of these stories come from comingsoon.net)


        Following a rumored short list of potential actors and actresses last November, new names have emerged today said to be in contention to play both Jean Grey (aka Phoenix) and Scott Summers (aka Cyclops) in Bryan Singer’s upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse. What’s more, Latino Review also lists two names up for a young Ororo Munroe (aka Storm)! New names for the Jean Grey role include Sophie Turner (“Game of Thrones,” Barely Lethal) and Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan (Atonement, The Grand Budapest Hotel). They join the previously-rumored Elle Fanning (Maleficent, The Boxtrolls) and Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit, 3 Days to Kill) in the updated short list. Joining the previously-rumored Timothee Chalamet (Interstellar, Men, Women & Children), Ben Hardy (“EastEnders”) and Charlie Rowe (“Red Band Society”) on the Cyclops shortlist are Taron Edgerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Testament of Youth), Jamie Blackley (If I Stay, Snow White and the Huntsman) and Tye Sheridan (Mud, Joe). According to Sneider, Sheridan is the current frontrunner for the part. As for Storm, the two names now rumored are Zendaya Coleman, the star of Disney Channel’s “KC Undercover” and Alexandra Shipp, best known for headlining Lifetime’s recent biopic Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B. Cyclops and Phoenix were previously played in the X-Men films by James Marsden and Famke Janssen (with Tim Pocock playing a younger Summers in X-Men Origins: Wolverine) while Storm has been played in the past by Academy Award winner Halle Berry. It’s uncertain exactly how large of a role any of these mutants will have in the 2016 feature, although it is widely believed that casting is taking into account plans to feature these characters in subsequent X-Men films. Confirmed to star James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac and Nicholas Hoult (with more names expected to be confirmed shortly), X-Men: Apocalypse is scripted by Simon Kinberg, Mike Dougherty and Dan Harris. Said to be the conclusion of a trilogy started with X-Men: First Class and continued with X-Men: Days of Future Past, cameras will start rolling on the next adventure in Montreal beginning April, 2015 for a May 27, 2016 release.

        This is a really nice list of young and talented actors for these roles. First for Cyclops I've been championing for Timothee Chalamet, but now I'm for Tye Sheridan who is one of the best actors under 20 years old and he would fit this role perfectly. For Jean Gary Chole Grace Moretz had been rumored to take the part, but she dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. With this list I'm going to have to go with either Elle Fanning or Hailee Steinfeld simply because they are recognizable names and plus Hailee Steinfeld is an Academy Award nominated actress. As for the two rumored for Storm I honestly don't know who I would choose simply because I don't know anything about the two and I've never seen their respected works.



        Sony Pictures has revealed the new trailer for Neill Blomkamp’s Chappie, the March 6, 2015 release starring Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Ninja and Yo-Landi Vi$$er, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Sigourney Weaver and Hugh Jackman. Every child comes into the world full of promise, and none more so than Chappie: he is gifted, special, a prodigy. Like any child, Chappie will come under the influence of his surroundings – some good, some bad – and he will rely on his heart and soul to find his way in the world and become his own man. But there’s one thing that makes Chappie different from anyone else: he is a robot. The first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself. His life, his story, will change the way the world looks at robots and humans forever.


        This was a great trailer. It showed a lot more of the film and it kind of confirmed that this will be an updated version of Short Circuit just with a few of Neill Blomkamp's style. This film looks really amazing and I'm hoping that Blomkamp can redeem himself after Elysium and I cannot wait to see it. 



        Casting continues today for Walt Disney Pictures’ upcoming remake of Pete’s Dragon, set to be directed by David Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints). Following word earlier this week of the addition of Wes Bentley (The Hunger Games, Interstellar), Variety reports that Michael C. Hall (“Dexter,” Kill Your Darlings) has also signed on, joining previously-announced Academy Award winner Robert Redford (All is Lost, Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Bryce Dallas Howard (The Help, Jurassic World), Oakes Fegley (This is Where I Leave You) and Oona Laurence (“Penny Dreadful”). The original film, a hybrid of live action and animation, was released in 1977 and followed the adventures of Pete (Fegley), a young orphan boy with an imaginary friend, Elliot, who just happens to be an enormous animated dragon. The new version will offer the dragon via CGI and will have the Pete character joined by a human friend, Natalie (Laurence). Hall, who is also well-known for his leading role on HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” recently starred in director Jim Mickle’s Cold in July opposite Sam Shepard and Don Johnson. Lowery has also co-written the screenplay for Pete’s Dragon with Toby Halbrooks and is set to begin production shortly in New Zealand. Jim Whitaker (American Gangster, The Odd Life of Timothy Green) is attached to produce.

        This is great casting. Michael C. Hall did an amazing job in Dexter and he's very been very underrated throughout his entire career and I think this film is perfect for his career. This film is shaping up to be really great especially with the cast that's been assembled and I'm really anxious to see how it does. 



        Those expecting a Jason Bourne/Aaron Cross-crossover in the Untitled Next Bourne Chapter will be sorely disappointed, as series producer Frank Marshall told Collider that Matt Damon and Jeremy Renner’s superspies will not have a rendezvous in the new film. “We don’t have plans for that,” he said. “You never know. I never say never. But that’s not the plan. They’re on separate tracks.” “Separate tracks” indicates that there are still plans percolating for Renner’s Cross of The Bourne Legacy to return, though likely not with originally-attached Justin Lin directing as he has moved on to Star Trek 3 at Paramount. Although both Damon and Renner have spoken optimistically about teaming up, the fact is Aaron Cross was a creation of screenwriter Tony Gilroy, and if missives in the press are to be believed, there is no love lost between he and Damon and Greengrass, so they will likely do whatever they can to distance themselves from the spinoff series. Matt Damon returns to his most iconic role as Jason Bourne in the fifth installment of Universal Pictures’ “Bourne” franchise. Acclaimed director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum, Captain Phillips) also returns for this much-anticipated chapter, and Frank Marshall again produces alongside Jeffrey Weiner for Captivate Entertainment. Greengrass, Damon and Greg Goodman also produce. The action-thriller is written by Greengrass, Damon and Christopher Rouse, and will be released by Universal on July 29, 2016.

        I'm not surprised by this news. It's obvious the studio wants the franchise to get back on track and making a Bourne film with just Jason Bourne is the right way to go. As for the behind the scenes stuff I honestly think that eventually that both will crossover into one epic movie. But right now I'm just glad to see Matt Damon go back to this character and franchise.



        Those who saw 2013′s The To Do List know that Aubrey Plaza is no stranger to raunchy antics, and now Deadline reports the “Parks and Recreation” star is set to play a spring break party girl opposite Zac Efron and Robert De Niro in Lionsgate’s comedy Dirty Grandpa. The film follows an uptight guy named Jason Kelly (Efron) who, right before his wedding, is tricked into driving his foul-mouthed, former Army general grandfather Dick (De Niro) to Florida for spring break. Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding) and Zoey Deutch (Vampire Academy) co-star in Dirty Grandpa, which is directed by Dan Mazer (I Give It a Year) from a script by John Phillips. Bill Block, Jason Barrett, Barry Josephson and Michael Simkin produce the film, which will be released on August 12, 2016. Plaza can be seen this year starring in Hal Hartley’s Ned Rifle and will also headline the indie hotel maid comedy Fresno, co-starring Judy Greer and Natasha Lyonne.

        This is really great casting. Aubrey Palza is a very talented actress and putting her into a film like this (which right now is her comfort zone) is a great move. This movie sounds really funny and I'm excited to see Efron and De Niro on screen together and I'm curious how their chemistry's will work.

        So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, which of these stories peaked your interest or was there another story that interested you? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

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