This week’s Movie News Cheat Sheet is loaded with some great stories, but sadly, they’re almost all for films that are a ways away.
Of the bunch, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 will be the first out the gate, so as tantalizing as these new images are, you’ll only have to hold out for another five months. Elysium is next and after having the chance to finally indulge in the film’s synopsis, it’s a good thing it isn’t slated to debut later than March 1, 2013. The Lone Ranger should follow, but considering the film’s been a production nightmare, I wouldn’t be surprised if a rocky post led to a release date shift.
Check out all the details on some of the industry’s hottest upcoming projects as well as a trio of trailers for some nearer releases that’ll hopefully hold you over for a bit below.
1. Synopsis for Elysium: It’s been nearly three years since District 9 hit theaters so it’s about time Neil Blomkamp’s follow-up, Elysium, makes its way into theaters. Despite a March 1, 2013 release date, we’ve known little to nothing about the project as plot details are top secret – until now. Apparently the movie is currently being previewed for audiences and Collider has a copy of the screening invitation, an invitation that includes a synopsis of the film. The story takes place in the year 2159 when there are two types of people – the wealthy living on the space station Elysium and the rest who call an overpopulated and derelict Earth home. Jodie Foster’s Secretary Rhodes is fighting to keep anti-immigration laws in place to maintain the lifestyle on Elysium while Matt Damon’s Max winds up taking on a mission that could achieve equality. Elysium also stars Wagner Moura, Sharlto Copley, William Fichtner and Diego Luna. Check out the full synopsis for yourself over at Collider.
2. Joe Cornish for Snow Crash: Attack the Block director Joe Cornish is gearing up to get behind the lens again for Paramount Pictures. The studio recruited Cornish to write and direct an adaptation of the Neal Stephenson book Snow Crash, Paramount’s second attempt at bringing the story to the big screen. It’s set in the near future when the country is comprised of corporate-franchise city-states entirely controlled by private enterprise and the mafia. The focus of the story is a computer virus in a drug form. It’s spread visually and, when contracted, fries the victim’s brain. When Hiro Protagonist isn’t working as a pizza delivery guy, he’s tapping into his hacking ability, trying to put an end to the drug known as Snow Crash. According to Deadline, Kathleen Kennedy and Kennedy/Marshall are producing and are considering the project a priority.
3. No Ninja Turtles Yet: The industry was abuzz when news hit that Jonathan Liebesman was set to direct Michael Bay’s Ninja Turtles reboot, but even though that update made the project feel especially imminent just a few months ago, according to ComingSoon.net, the film is now delayed. Originally set for a Christmas Day 2013 release, the motion capture CGI production, similar to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, now won’t hit theaters until May 16, 2014.
4. Jean Dujardin Goes for The Wolf of Wall Street: Hot off his Oscar win, Jean Dujardin is making moves, possibly picking up a new project, Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort, a guy who’s swift rise on Wall Street lead to a reckless money-drive lifestyle, stock market manipulation, a drug addiction and ultimately prison. Dujardin is in talks to take the role of Jean-Jacques Handali, a Swiss banker who assisted Belfort with his boiler room-like firm. The Wolf of Wall Street also features Jonah Hill as Danny Porush, Belfort’s friend and co-worker, and Kyle Chandler as the FBI agent who put a stop to Belfort’s operation. (via Variety)
5. More Problems for The Lone Ranger: After all this trouble, the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced The Lone Ranger better be good when it finally hits theaters. Last summer, when Disney crunched the numbers and figured out that on a $250 million budget, The Lone Ranger would have to earn $800 million to turn a profit, the studio demanded the producers lower the cost. The number came down to $215 million and the Lone Ranger team got the go-ahead again, but now THR reports that the film, which started shooting on February 28th in New Mexico, is days or maybe even weeks behind schedule and is running over budget, nearing that $250 million mark yet again. The film likely won’t finish shooting until August and while that’ll give Gore Verbinski more than enough time to be ready for a July 3, 2013 release, that’s still way over its planned 120-day shooting schedule. But still, one insider tells THR that while the spending is out of control, “if you were going to bet on anyone, it would be on Gore, Johnny [Depp] and Jerry.”
6. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 Images: Not that The Twilight Saga has really ever disappeared over the last four years, but thanks to the new images on EW, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 really feels like it’s just around the corner. The set comes with a number of stills from the film featuring Bella (Kristen Stewart), Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner), but someone else is stealing the spotlight this time around – young Mackenzie Foy who plays Bella and Edward’s daughter, Renesmee. Dakota Fanning and Cameron Bright are also back as Jane and Alec as are Casey LaBow and MyAnna Buring as Kate and Tanya of the Denali Coven in Alaska. Check out all the images for yourself right here.
7. Likely No More I Am Legend for Will Smith: Apparently Warner Bros and Overlook Entertainment are moving forward with the I Am Legend sequel having hired producer Akiva Goldsman back in February, but should this project really come to fruition, there’s a good chance Will Smith won’t reprise his role as Robert Neville as previously suggested. Via Movies.com, when asked if he plans to take part in I Am Legend 2, Smith replied, “I’m not actually working on it. If it’s great, I’m into it,” after which the report probed deeper, asking if he’d reconsider to which Smith simply stated, “Probably not.” Smith also joked, “I figure I’ve got about six or seven more years where I can run and jump a little bit and then I’m going butt and gut for the rest of my career. Butt and gut.”
8. Devil’s Knot Adds 6: Atom Egoyan’s been hard at work on his latest feature this week According to Deadline and Variety, Egoyan is likely adding Alessandro Nivola, Collette Wolfe, Justin Castor, Kris Polaha, Amy Ryan and Dane DeHaan to the cast of Devil’s Knot. The film already stars Colin Firth as Ron Lax, the private detective working the West Memphis Three case pro bono and the man responsible for connecting one of the victim’s stepfathers, Terry Hobbs (Nivola), to the crime. Ryan is in talks to play Lax’s soon-to-be ex-wife while DeHaan is in negotiations for the role of a teen connected to the young victims. Wolfe is locked to play Lax’s assistant, Polaha is Val Price, the public defender, and Castor is still in talks for the role of Jason Baldwin, one of the West Memphis Three. Reese Witherspoon was also recently attached to play Hobbs’ wife.
9. Trailers: Resident Evil: Retribution, For a Good Time Call …, Sinister: Resident Evil fan or not, the brand new Resident Evil: Retribution trailer is quite convincing. Even having seen all four films, I wouldn’t call myself a franchise diehard, but this new piece does pack the action, firepower and zombies to suggest it’ll be a blast – and a particularly well-made blast at that. On a lighter note, the new trailer for For a Good Time Call … rocks a number of laugh-out-loud worthy jokes while also presenting its leads, Ari Graynor and Lauren Miller, as an absolutely hilarious and charming duo. Back over on the dark side we’ve got the first trailer for Sinister. Haunted house movies are a dime a dozen lately, but even in a mere two minutes and 30 seconds, this trailer suggests Sinister has some fairly innovative layers to it.
10. Box Office: What a bummer for the newcomers. Even with a star-packed cast, Rock of Ages only managed to snag the 3rd spot with $15.1 million. As for That’s My Boy, even though Adam Sandler’s films tend to do rather well despite dismal reviews, this one posted a mere $13 million, just good enough for #5. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted held on especially well, losing just 41.1% of its opening profits for $35.5 million and easily winning the top spot at the box office. Prometheus, on the other hand, took a surprisingly rough hit, dropping 60.4% and earning $20.2 million. Another surprise, Snow White and the Huntsman held strong after taking a rough 59% weekend one to two hit and only dropping 40.1% from weekend two to three for a $13.8 million haul. (via Box Office Mojo)
