Tuesday, November 11, 2014

11-11-14 Movie News

        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)


        The sequel announced earlier this year, Variety today reports that My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 has both found a home at Universal and a director in Kirk Jones (Nanny McPhee, What to Expect When You're Expecting). Nia Vardalos, who wrote and starred in the original, will return alongside star John Corbett for a story that catches up on Toula and Ian more than a decade into their marriage. No official plot description has, as of yet, been revealed, but it is said that the sequel will focus on a new, even bigger wedding. Playtone's Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Gary Goetzman will again produce with Paul Brooks, Scott Niemeyer and Steven Shareshian executive producing alongside Vardalos.

        I'm really glad to hear this. It makes sense for a big studio take on the because it was critically received and it was successful at the box office. I mean when a film makes over $368 million on a $5 million budget and has a rating of 76% on rottentomatoes.com, then it's a no-brainer to produce the film. I really enjoyed the first film and I'm really looking forward to the sequel.



        Robert De Niro is looking to reteam with Silver Linings Playbook helmer David O. Russell and star Jennifer Lawrence for the upcoming Joy, based on the life of "Miracle Mop" inventor Joy Mangano. The Hollywood Reporter has the news, bringing word that De Niro is currently in talks. De Niro would play the father of Lawrence's Joy, a single mom who, beginning with the Miracle Mop in 1990, became world famous selling her inventions on the Home Shopping Network. Joy will begin production in February 2015 and will shoot from a script by Annie Mumolo (Bridesmaids), currently being rewritten by Russell.

        If this happens then it is perfect casting. David O. Russell tends to work with people multiple times (this would be his 3rd film with Jennifer Lawrence and 2nd with De Niro) and collaborating with these two again seems like a great idea. The film will be released around Oscar season and look for it to be in contention for the 88th Academy Awards.



        Following last month's announcement of its move to 2016, James Wan's The Conjuring 2 is now set for the more specific release of June 10, 2016. Unlike the recent spinoff film, Annabelle (which explored the back story of The Conjuring's terrifying doll), it is believed that The Conjuring 2 will continue the based-on-truth adventures of paranormal investigators Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga's Ed and Lorraine Warren. As was the case with the original, The Conjuring 2 features a screenplay by Chad and Carey Hayes. The June 10, 2016 date means that The Conjuring 2 will take on Jon M. Chu's heist sequel Now You See Me 2 as well as Seth Gordon's video game adaptation Uncharted. Little development has been seen so far on the latter project, so it's quite possible Uncharted will ultimately move to another date.

        This is a really interesting date. First off I'm glad to hear that the film has a release date, but I don't think it bodes well for the film. It's going up against a sequel to one of the highest grossing films of 2013 and a very popular video game that is just starting its franchise. All I can say is that this weekend is shaping up to be a very competitive one and I wouldn't be shocked if one of these films moved there release dates.



       A new trailer has just arrived for Lionsgate's upcoming Mortdecai, starring Johnny Depp in the title role and you can check it out below. Juggling some angry Russians, the British Mi5, his impossibly leggy wife and an international terrorist, debonair art dealer and part time rogue Charlie Mortdecai (Johnny Depp) must traverse the globe armed only with his good looks and special charm in a race to recover a stolen painting rumored to contain the code to a lost bank account filled with Nazi gold. Also starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor, Olivia Munn, Jeff Goldblum and Paul Bettany, Mortdecai is directed by David Koepp and hits theaters January 23, 2015.


        This was an ok trailer. On one hand it has Johnny Depp who is doing something different with his career, but on the other hand it's him playing another cooky character (somewhat). Look Depp has talent (he's got a few Oscar nominations under his belt), but his career has been in somewhat of a tailspin lately and of this film doesn't do so well then his career is looking bleaker and bleaker.



        Variety is reporting that action superstar Dwayne Johnson and comedy sensation Kevin Hart will combine their gifts for New Line's buddy action-comedy Central Intelligence, to be directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber of We're the Millers and Dodgeball fame. Hart will play a former high school sports star turned accountant who, on the eve of a class reunion, is contacted by a former classmate who used to be a bullied "loser" but is now a contract killer for the CIA. In case you hadn't guessed, that zero-to-hero is played by Johnson, who will recruit Hart's character to help foil a plot to sell classified military secrets.

        Scott Stuber (Ted, Identity Thief) will produce through his Bluegrass Films banner, along with Peter Principato and Paul Young of Principato-Young Entertainment. Ed Helms, who worked with Thurber on "Millers," is executive producing. Ike Barinholtz and Dave Stassen wrote the original script, with Sean Anders and John Morris penning a subsequent draft and Thurber taking another pass on the latest script. Central Intelligence will begin shooting in the spring, with Johnson also in development on two more "Journey to the Center of the Earth" sequels as well as playing Black Adam in Shazam, both for New Line. Hart has just finished filming a Ride Along sequel and has comedies The Wedding Ringer and Get Hard ready for release in early 2015.

        This film sounds really interesting. You have one of the best comedians on the planet (Kevin Hart) and one of the most talented, most improved and most sought after actor in the business (The Rock) being put on-screen togehter. The films plot fits both of these two real well and I'm really looking forward to seeing it. 

        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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