Russell Crowe To Play Robin Hood AND The Sheriff In “Nottingham’”

Director Ridley Scott tells MTV that not only will Russell Crowe play The Sheriff in his upcoming revisionist take on the Robin Hood story, but the actor will be doing double duty as Robin Hood.

I’ve got to admit I would have never imagined a property like Robin Hood as a type of film where you could have one actor play two different roles… but if anyone can convincingly portray two completely different people in the same film then it’s Russell Crowe, who is hands down the most diverse actor in the business with the most pure range we’ve seen in a long long time.

BUT… one potential downside in a gimmick like this is that the gimmick (Crowe playing the two lead roles) could overshadow the movie’s story itself. People start talking about “that movie where Crowe plays Hood and the Sheriff” instead of about “Nottingham”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very interested to see how this “gimmick” plays out… I just hope it doesn’t overshadow the film itself.

Paul Newman passed away

"Every time I get a script it's a matter of trying to know what I could do with it. I see colors, imagery. It has to have a smell. It's like falling in love. You can't give a reason why."

-- Paul Newman

This just in: Legendary actor Paul Newman passed away late last night of cancer. He was 83. Throughout his career in Hollywood, Newman was nominated for countless awards, including Oscars (nominated for ten and didn't win until his seventh time ... and stayed home the year he won!), an Emmy and even a Grammy. Newman's most memorable roles came in films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Color of Money (for which he won an Oscar), The Hustler, The Long Hot Summer, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Sting, Cool Hand Luke ... and so many more. In his down time, Newman was married to Joanne Woodward for 50 years, and is also very well known for his philanthropic ways, his race car driving and business ventures (Newman's Own ...).

His final role came as the voice of Doc Hudson in Pixar's Cars.

Newman leaves behind his wife of fifty years, actress Joanne Woodward, with whom he had three children, his Newman's Own food empire, which was also based in Westport, as well as hundreds of great movie classics that will never be forgotten.

You can read full obituaries and overviews of Newman's life and career at CNN and Newman's local paper Westport Now.

Dark Knight Blue ray cover

Superhero Hype! has gotten its hands on a couple early images from the upcoming Blu-ray DVD for Christopher Nolan's record-setting action movie Dark Knight, which has grossed over $520 million domestically and another $450 million internationally.

Although the standard commercial version of the Blu-ray release will probably have the same poster image of Batman standing in front of a building emblazoned with his logo, we've received an image of a Blu-ray cover featuring an image of Heath Ledger's Joker, and we also have a look at the insert of the Special Edition Blu-ray, which will be available at the same time.






UPDATE: We just received some more images of covers for the standard Dark Knight Blu-ray, as well as the packaging for a 2-Disc Batpod Limited Edition, from BDS23420:

2-Disc Batpod Special Edition



2-Disc Batpod Back Cover



Blu-ray Front Cover



Blu-ray Back Cover



Both Blu-ray Covers





If that isn't enough Dark Knight Blu-ray goodness, here's and advertisement for the DVD and Blu-ray release:

Dark Knight is scheduled to be released on DVD and Blu-ray on December 9, 2008, and though it's not available to pre-order yet, you can keep an eye on it Amazon.

First look at Alice in Wonderland

For those who didn't know, Tim Burton is directing a twisted remake of Disney's Alice in Wonderland, first announced in November last year. In addition to the news earlier this week that Johnny Depp would be playing the Mad Hatter in the film, INF Daily (via SlashFilm) has snapped the first few photos of young actress Mia Wasikowska on set in England. She is playing Burton's version of Alice and definitely looks like she fits the role. This film isn't set to hit theaters until sometime in 2010, but it's off to a strong start with a great cast and exciting first look photos like this. These may not be much to go off of, but I've got a good feeling these (and the Depp news) will jump start the early buzz on this movie.

Thanks again to INF Daily for posting these. The photos come from a set in Cornwall, England, where the film was shooting on a massive ship. You can see a lot more photos over on their site.

The script for Alice in Wonderland (which will be presented in 3D), obviously based on Lewis Carroll's classic novel, was penned by Disney writer Linda Woolverton (of Beauty and the Beast, Homeward Bound, and Lion King) and is being directed by Tim Burton himself. It's expected to be a visually stunning film that will combine performance-capture imagery, the kind you see in Beowulf, with live-action footage. My guess is that the oddball characters from the fairy tale, like the caterpillar and the rabbit and the Queen of Hearts, will be done in CG, while (obviously) Alice and the Mad Hatter will all be real actors. Even though I'm not a big fan of the story, this definitely looks good so far! Will this new Alice in Wonderland be the next Disney classic?

Final Trailer for Frank Miller's The Spirit

This looks great, seems incredibly entertaining, and sounds like it should be very fun, so why am I not convinced that it will be?! I guess that footage from Comic-Con really threw me off, but this trailer puts me right back on track. Frank Miller's visual style really shines through and this finally looks like it will be a solid hit. Or at least I can say that it'll be entertaining as all hell, right?

Watch the final trailer for The Spirit:

You can also watch The Spirit trailer in High Definition on AOL

The Spirit is both written and directed by legendary comic book author Frank Miller, who previously worked with Robert Rodriguez to direct segments of Sin City. The film is based Will Eisner's newspaper comic strip of the same name that originally debuted in 1940. Lionsgate pushed up its release from January next year. The Spirit will now hit theaters everywhere on December 25th, Christmas Day, later this year.

Benjamin Button Gets a New Trailer!

There's a new trailer for David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button that's playing in front of Eagle Eye this weekend. FirstShowing.net already featured a TV spot earlier today, but this looks so much better. I don't know what it is this week, but I've seen so many amazing trailers, and this is yet another one for you to feast your eyes upon. This trailer finally has some dialogue in addition to amazing visuals, and I love the phrase: "Life can only be understood backward. It must be lived forward." If this turns out bad, at least it will look absolutely incredible. After watching this, I've got a good feeling that it definitely will be one of Fincher's best. If you watch any trailers this weekend, make sure you at least watch this one!

Watch the new trailer for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button:

You can also watch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button trailer in High Definition on Apple

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is directed by visionary filmmaker David Fincher, of Se7en, The Game, Fight Club, and Zodiac previously. The screenplay was penned by Oscar winner Eric Roth, of Forrest Gump, The Horse Whisperer, Spielberg's Munich, and The Good Shepherd. The film was adapted from a short story written by legendary writer F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1922. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button arrives in theaters everywhere on December 25th, Christmas Day.

Fan Made: Angelina Jolie -- The Doll

When I see fan creations like the one above, I wonder how so many celebrity dolls turn out so crappy. I mean, they do all those fancy face scans and likeness tests, but half the time the little doll barely resembles the celebrity it's showcasing. Well, all of that technology is pretty much a waste when you take into consideration the image at the top of this post. The above Angelina Jolie doll is a creation of artist Noel Cruz, and was just featured earlier this month in The Daily Mail. However, this isn't some hand-made doll, born from scans and hi-tech gadgets. Actually, Cruz just "removed the factory paint" from an ordinary doll and repainted her Jolie-style. That's it. No extra molding -- just some perfectly whipped-up color and a wig. Talk about some stellar talent right there.

What would something like this cost? Well, a private bidder purchased it for £2,000 (or roughly $3,700) on eBay. Yeah, a little more expensive than the last Barbie doll you bought, huh? Those looking to save a little money can instead pick up an Angelina Jolie Tomb Raider doll on eBay for about $10 (sexy lips still included).

George A. Romero's Next Zombie Flick Confined to an Island?

George Romero is about to begin filming a new Zombie film in Toronto, but thankfully, it isn’t the Diary of the Dead sequel that has been mentioned in interviews. Romero revealed the following to SchlockAroundTheClock:

“It’ll be about three weeks in [past the outbreak] and it doesn’t start with the people in the mansion [at the end of Diary]. It starts with the blonde who drove away and the national guardsmen who robbed the people. So those are the only characters that return. What it’s about is tribalism. How the internet creates a Hatfields and McCoys situation. It’s on an island, where people have been lured by someone on the net as a safe haven, but really what these guys are trying to do is hold them up at the boat docks.”

Movieset spoke with Nicolas Chartier, the president of Voltage Pictures, who joked that while the film is yet to be officially titled, it is being referred internally as “Something of the Dead“.

“We’re shooting underwater zombies,” Chartier revealed. “They’re swimming, grabbing people’s legs, pulling them down. It’s a lot of fun.”

So there you have it. A film which takes place three weeks after the outbreak, with a group of survivors fending off underwater zombies on a secluded island. Sounds good to me. Lets just hope its better than Diary of the Dead…

Oprah Winfrey lends voice to Disney

It's hard to remember sometimes that Oprah Winfrey really is an actress and not only a talk-show host or media mogul.

She won't be on screen but her voice will be heard in an upcoming Disney movie. Winfrey will voice the character of Eudora in the hand-drawn animated movie "The Princess and the Frog."

Endora is the mother of Tiana, the main character. Tiana is being voiced by Anika Noni Rose. "The Prince and the Frog" is set in New Orleans and expected to be released on Christmas of next year.

Source: Variety

Disney, Depp return to 'Caribbean'

For the sake of sanity, we're compiling all of the Johnny Depp stories that have come out of Disney Studios' presentation at the Kodak Theatre earlier today including the previously unreported announcement that Depp would be returning as Captain Jack Sparrow for Pirates of the Caribbean 4, but first, he'll be reteaming with director Tim Burton to play the Mad Hatter in the motion-capture animated Alice in Wonderland and playing Tonto in The Lone Ranger. Obviously, Disney and Johnny Depp's next few years will be closely linked with these three projects in development.

Below, you can find the two previous reports posted earlier today with links to the original stories for anyone who wants to continue commenting there:

During Disney's preview today in Hollywood, the studio questioned who could possibly play the titular character in its upcoming feature The Lone Ranger.

With that, Disney rolled out the USC marching band to come down and play the Ranger's theme song. This was followed by an appearance by Depp himself who took to the stage in full Captain Jack Sparrow attire...wearing The Lone Ranger's mask.

What do you think of this?

Steven Spielberg's kidding again

DreamWorks has acquired the dramatic rights to the science fiction novel "Chocky" from Pollinger Ltd., the U.K. agency that handles the literary estate of the late author John Wyndham.

Steven Spielberg is said to be keen to make the adaptation his next directing project.

"Chocky" tells the story of a boy who has a mysterious imaginary friend with whom he frequently argues. As the boy's father gets increasingly suspicious, it becomes clear that an alien entity has taken up residence in the boy's consciousness. With Spielberg's proclivity for exploring the darker aspects of childhood, the material is clearly in his wheelhouse.

Continue reading...

I Am Legend Prequel Moving Forward

Variety is confirming what Francis Lawrence told ShockTillYouDop.com at Comic-Con International two months ago, that Warner Bros. is starting to get the ball rolling on a prequel to the 2007 Will Smith blockbuster I Am Legend, which grossed $584 million internationally.

Lawrence will be returning to direct, and Variety reports that Will Smith will return as Dr. Robert Neville, as well as co-produce with his Overbrook Entertainment partner James Lassiter and the original movie's producer Akiva Goldsman. The screenplay is written by D.B. Weiss based on a detailed outline that was created by the combined forces of Smith, Goldsman, Lassiter and Lawrence, which will cover the final days of humanity in New York City before a man-made virus creates a plague that wipes out the population, leaving Neville alone with the mutated inhabitants.

Source:ComingSoon

Final Poster for Quantum of Solace

ComingSoon.net has now gotten our hands on the full final poster for MGM/Columbia Pictures' 22nd James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, which opens on November 14.

The final poster is essentially the same image of Daniel Craig and Olga Kurylenko looking worse for wear as they walk through the desert away from a smoldering building, which we won't say more about to avoid any spoilers.

What do you think?

Quantum of Solace is directed by Marc Forster, of Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction, and The Kite Runner previously. The screenplay was penned by both Robert Wade (Die Another Day, Johnny English, Casino Royale) and Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, Casino Royale). This is the 22nd Bond film in the series that first began back in 1962 with Dr. No. Sony Pictures will be releasing Quantum of Solace in theaters on November 14th this year.

Clint Eastwood's "Changeling" Trailer

Yahoo! Movies has debuted the new trailer for the Clint Eastwood-directed thriller, Changeling, starring
Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan, Colm Feore, Amy Ryan and Michael Kelly. The Universal Pictures release opens October 24th.

In the film, based on actual events, Christine Collins' (Jolie) prayers are met when her kidnapped son is returned. But amidst the frenzy of the photo-op reunion, she realizes this child is not hers. Facing corrupt police and a skeptical public, she desperately hunts for answers, only to be confronted by a truth that will change her forever.

You can watch the trailer in High Definition QuickTime and Flash format here!

The International Trailer

The International is Tom Tykwer's latest film about an Interpol agent, played by Clive Owen, who attempts to expose a high-profile financial institution's role in an international arms dealing ring. We haven't actually seen Owen in a film since Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Shoot 'Em Up last year and watch this trailer reminds me why I love the guy so damn much. Additionally, Tom Tykwer is a fascinating director who can pull off incredibly visceral and thrilling films, like Perfume, one of my personal favorite films from last year. Maybe this is Clive Owen's answer to Daniel Craig ending up as James Bond, since this has that feeling, but at the same time this just looks like it'll be an awesome action flick on its own.

You can also watch The International trailer in High Definition on Apple

The International is directed by German filmmaker Tom Tykwer, of Run, Lola, Run and Perfume: The Story of a Murderer previously. The original script was penned by first-time screenwriter Eric Singer. Sony Pictures is releasing The International in theaters everywhere on February 13th, 2009.

Rumor Confirmed Damon Will be Fincher’s Eliot Ness

It all Started with an article at Cleveland.com . The article mentioned that Matt Damon would play Cleveland's safety director Eliot Ness, who gets wrapped up in the killings, as well as details on Ohio's lack of tax breaks for filmmakers.

Today filmschoolrejects.com wrote:

A source involved in the production has confirmed that Matt Damon will be playing Eliot Ness - the iconic head of The Untouchables and Cleveland Chief of Police during the brutal Torso Murders, that Ehren Kruger will be penning the script, and that Paramount is starting production on it in February or March of next year.

Starting from the top, Torso is a graphic novel first published in 2001 by Image Comics that tells the story of the "torso" murders, in which at least 13 people were killed between 1934 and 1938. Fresh off of the Al Capone case in Chicago, Eliot Ness moves to Cleveland to help clean up the city. But when dismembered body parts start washing up near Lake Erie Sound, Ness starts on another lengthy investigation.

'Inside Man' sequel moving forward

The Hollywood Reporter tells us that Spike Lee is moving forward with a sequel to Inside Man over at Universal -- a project that's been in the works for awhile now, but took a backseat when Lee decided to make Miracle at St. Anna. The director would return to the film in the same role, with Terry George (Hotel Rwanda, Reservation Road) currently in negotiations to write the screenplay.

Universal and Lee made a killing on the first Inside Man, which, in my opinion, was one of the more enjoyable heist flicks of the past few years, and so it's no surprise they're looking to dive in for more. Though they're not signed on yet, both Denzel Washington and Clive Owen are interested in reprising their roles -- and THR says the sequel will "continue the relationship between the two man characters but in a new high-tension situation." Not a big fan of the "it made $175 million so we have to do the sequel" thought process, but if there's a duo I'd like to see reunited on screen, it would be Clive and Denzel. Both were excellent in the first film.

What do you think? Down for more Inside Man? And where could you see them taking these characters?

Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire Officially Returning for Spider-Man 4?!

Back in May, Cinematical was the first to report that Sony Pictures might shoot Spider-Man 4 and Spider-Man 5 at the same time using James Vanderbilt's script that the site said spans two films.

Now, Deadline Hollywood Daily has added on that director Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire have apparently signed on the dotted line for Spider-Man 4, which the studio is targeting for a May 2011 release.

READ MORE

Guillermo del Toro is Booked Through 2017

Variety has published an article talking about director Guillermo del Toro's schedule, which is now booked through 2017. Here are several clips:

Universal — which has a three-year first-look deal with the helmer inked in June '07 — and del Toro are making a long-term commitment by setting up four directing projects, including remakes of "Frankenstein," "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "Slaughterhouse-Five."


The fourth project is an adaptation of "Drood," a Dan Simmons novel acquired by U that will be published in February by Little, Brown.

Of course, del Toro's first priority is New Line and MGM's "The Hobbit," to which he has committed the next five years. He has begun writing "Hobbit" with Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, collaborating via video conferencing and trips to New Zealand every three weeks.

While it's difficult, if not impossible, to plan projects five years into the future, at this point U execs think "Drood" is the most likely to be del Toro's first post-"Hobbit" directing vehicle.

In addition to the four pics, the studio still has its sights set on del Toro's pet project, an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness."

You can read more on these and other projects here!

City of Ember Poster

The first full poster for Fox Walden's City of Ember has just made its way online and the quickest way to describe it is simply to say that it's epic. Since when did combining the posters for The Goonies and Journey to the Center of the Earth become the latest hot thing in Hollywood? I think Fox Walden has done a good job so far marketing City of Ember, with the light bulbs and dark and misty atmosphere as their biggest selling points, but this poster is pretty awful. If you haven't already seen it, be sure to check out the trailer on firstshowing, it actually looks pretty damn good, contrary to the imagery scene below. Now if only they could design a great poster to go along with that as well, this movie would've been a surefire success.

I'm actually trying to give City of Ember the benefit of the doubt as much as I can because I think it could be one of the best kids movies this year. I haven't seen that many trailers for these kind of movies that actually left me excited to see the movie, but this is one of them. Are you a fan of this epic poster?

City of Ember is directed by Gil Kenan, of the animated movie Monster House previously, with a script by Caroline Thompson, of Homeward Bound, The Secret Garden, and Nightmare Before Christmas previously. The film is based on the Book of Ember series of books written by Jeanne DuPrau. City of Ember arrives in theaters on October 10th this year

Jeff Nathanson Penning '39 Clues', Spielberg to Direct?

Remember that ginormous project called 39 Clues that was announced awhile back -- a worldwide mystery to span books, interactive games, trading cards and a movie deal, courtesy of Steven Spielberg? The first book in the series, The Maze of Bones, hits shelves all over the world next Tuesday, the same day as its interactive online game. Will it spark an obsession along the lines of Twilight or Harry Potter? Time will tell.

Steven Spielberg has confidence in it, though. Acccording to Variety, he's hired his old pal Jeff Nathanson to pen the script, marking their fourth collaboration together. They paired up previously on The Terminal, Catch Me If You Can, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Spielberg is still eying Clues' director's chair, and it will be interesting to see where this can fit into his busy schedule, where Tintin and Lincoln were taking precedence. Does he want this worldwide money hunt (the prize for solving the project's mystery is $10,000) to be over before the movie, or will the bloom be off the rose by then? What if the whole multiplatform concept fails spectacularly? Are the books still filmable? The ambition of 39 Clues leaves me doubting whether it can deliver -- but I can hardly pretend to have better judgment than Spielberg. At any rate, I'll be watching the book pages with interest to see what audiences make of The Maze of Bones -- if anyone out there buys it, give us the scoop!

Mark Millar on Wanted 2... and 3

Mark Millar talked to Newsarama about Universal Pictures making a Wanted 2 and possibly Wanted 3.

The first film, based on Millar's graphic novel, was directed by Timur Bekmambetov and stars James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Common and Angelina Jolie. It has earned $258.3 million worldwide.

Millar says he was approached right after the premiere by producer Mark Platt about his thoughts on continuing the story:

"What I will be doing is providing them with a very small amount of stuff for a story, and that will be used as a basic story that they can build from. It will be a small outline that can possibly be picked apart and not used – but it will be something exclusively for the second film, and no one will ever really see it."

Given that the film version of the story differs from the comic book version in a number of ways (some quite substantial) Millar's outline will be set in the film's continuity, but will reach back to the comics. "It will be some of the stuff that we didn't utilize from the first book for the movie – like chapters three and four – there will be some stuff from that, so in the loosest sense it will be based on the book, but only very little," Millar said.

Don LaFontaine, "King of Voiceovers", Dies at 68

In a world where one man used his distinctive voice to lend gravitas and then some to trailer after feature after episode, it really is a shame to see Don LaFontaine pass away at the age of 68. According to ET Online, LaFontaine died due to complications from a collapsed lung.

This video above pretty much summarizes what an impact this man had on modern moviegoing, and it helps to be reminded that there was a genuine personality behind his very particular talent, a notion that his official website only reinforces in spades. Whether it was a Geico spot or the Big Momma's House 2 trailer, his booming delivery will remain imitated (as witnessed after the jump, in what is perhaps the only funny moment from "Frank TV"), but only because it was so iconic.

Kruger up to a revenge

Diane Kruger has been cast as Bridget Von Hammersmark, the role that had been pegged for Nastassja Kinski, in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Bastards." German star Til Schweiger also has nabbed a role in the World War II movie.

"Bastards" revolves around a French girl's revenge on the Nazis and also follows a band of American Nazi killers. Both story lines eventually converge.

Source: hollywood reporter

Transporter 3

JoBlo debuted the US version of the Transporter 3 poster and it's that same kind of image that you'll be very familiar with - Jason Statham jumping through the air with his two guns drawn. This looks so familiar because it was the same design used on the posters for the first and second Transporter movies, as we've added below as well. In very short time, the buzz for Transporter 3 has blasted through the roof. I'm guessing it'll have a solid opening weekend, which is a testament to the badass nature of Jason Statham. Anyway - check out the poster in all of its glory below.

For reference, we've thrown this poster up next to the posters for the first and second Transporter movies. It's great to always see them continue designs and not skimp with something weak for the finale.

Transporter 3 is directed by French filmmaker Olivier Megaton, of Exit, The Red Siren, and Angie previously, with a script penned by both Robert Mark Kamen and Luc Besson, the same two who also wrote the first and second Transporter. Lionsgate will be releasing Transporter 3 on November 26th later this year. How about this for an end to a trilogy?