Moviefone News

'Angry Birds' Movie Flies Forward

Katie Roberts — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:27:52 EDT

The idea to make a movie based on insanely-popular game "Angry Birds" was first introduced years ago, but the project had yet to gain any forward momentum. Now (fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how eager you are to see those birds fly in 3-D), it looks like the film will come to fruition after all, with sources telling The Wrap that veteran screenwriter Jon Vitti has been hired to pen a script. Vitti, an Emmy-winning writer and producer on shows such as “The Simpsons,” “King of the Hill,” and “The Office,” is no stranger to turning existing stories into successful big screen features, having contributed his writing and consulting talents to films such as “The Simpsons Movie,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” and the first two “Ice Age” movies. But he may face an uphill battle with "Angry Birds," which has no real plot and whose outcome is based purely on gamers' performance. And turning video games into movies has always been a dicey prospect in Hollywood, both in terms of quality and finances; for every successful “Tomb Raider” or “Resident Evil,” there's a “Doom” or “Super Mario Brothers” waiting in the wings. Vitti will have the help of Catherine Winder, former Lucasfilm Animation and Fox Animation executive, who'll serve as producer on the project alongside “Despicable Me”'s John Cohen. “I'm very excited that Jon and Catherine have joined us, bringing with them their vast expertise,” said Mikael Hed, CEO of 'Angry Birds' maker Rovio Entertainment, which is backing the film financially. “I'm confident we are building the right team to deliver an amazing movie experience to our fans.” The movie, to be released by Sony, is set to hit theaters sometime in July 2016. We'll hold on to our slingshots until then. [via TheWrap]

Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique: First Look at the Actress in 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'

Katie Roberts — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:07:09 EDT

“X-Men: Days of Future Past” director Bryan Singer has been tweeting up a storm (and tweeting about Storm) ever since he took the helm of the latest installment of the “X-Men” franchise, and on Monday he gave fans yet another taste of what they can expect from the film, revealing the first glimpse of Jennifer Lawrence re-applying her Mystique makeup. The striking image shows Lawrence decked out in head-to-toe blue body paint, revealing every last curve of the Academy Award-winning actress's body. Her yellow eyes and red hair pop against her bright skin, and she's seen standing in front of a green screen backdrop. This is Lawrence's second time appearing as the shape-shifting mutant (who Singer described as “vengeful'), having first stripped down in 2011's “X-Men: First Class.” “Days of Future Past” promises to meld that world with the one seen in the first three “X-Men” films, purportedly featuring a time-traveling Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page), who warns the mutants of the past about a catastrophic future. Stars Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Anna Paquin, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, James McAvoy, and Michael Fassbender, among many others, are all slated to reprise their roles. “X-Men: Days of Future Past” hits theaters July 18, 2014. [via Twitter h/t CinemaBlend]

First look: #JenniferLawrence as a vengeful #Mystique. #XMen #DaysOfFuturePast twitter.com/BryanSinger/st…
— Bryan Singer (@BryanSinger) May 20, 2013

'Anchorman 2' Teaser: 'The Hair Will Be Beautiful'

Katie Roberts — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:59:59 EDT

The Channel 4 news team is back and classier than ever in the newest teaser trailer for “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.” Likening the gang to Jesus and Jay-Z, a voiceover assures us that just as those great men returned, so will Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), and Champ Kind (David Koechner). “And when they do,” the narrator promises, “one thing is for sure: their hair will be perfect.” And by the beard of Zeus, their follicles are indeed perfect. Short and sweet, the clip gives us a quick glimpse of our heroes, who look and sound the same -- and as self-delusional -- as they did in 2004, the last time they graced the big screen. There's no sign of anchorwoman Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) or any of the other stars appearing in the flick (including Harrison Ford, Kristen Wiig, Nicole Kidman, Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler), but we're still pumped to see the old gang back together again. “Anchorman 2” drops December 20.

'Epic' Premiere NYC: Amanda Seyfried, Colin Farrell Walk the Green Carpet (PHOTOS)

Dana Taddeo — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:11:35 EDT

Amanda Seyfried and her "Epic" co-stars walked a green carpet for the animated film's premiere on Saturday. Fake grass and assorted shrubbery lined Seyfried, Colin Farrell, and Jason Sudeikis's path at the event, and one of their co-stars, comedian Judah Friedlander, even took a moment to relax and lie in the grass, much to the delight of photographers. "Epic" tells the classic story of the ongoing battle between the forces of good, who keep the natural world alive, and the forces of evil, who wish to destroy it. When a teenage girl (Amanda Seyfried) finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she teams up with an elite band of warriors and a crew of comical, larger-than-life figures, to save their world…and ours. The Leafmen characters featured in "Epic" are inspired by William Joyce's book "The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs," which introduced the Samurai-like warriors. Check out the "Epic" premiere photos below. The movie hits theaters May 24.

'Fast & Furious 6' Unscripted: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker Talk Badasses & the Franchise's Future (VIDEO)

Dana Taddeo — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:06:11 EDT

Why were Paul Walker and Vin Diesel chased by helicopters in real life? In the latest episode of Unscripted, the "Fast & Furious 6" stars talk about their wild night at a real-life illegal street race, what "Fast" characters are the most badass, and how many more films are left in the action franchise's future. In the latest adrenaline-pumping "Fast" installment, Agent Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) enlists Dom (Diesel) and his team to bring a rival gang, led by Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), to justice in exchange for a clean criminal record. Not a bad deal. Watch Diesel and Walker go Unscripted above. "Fast & Furious 6" speeds into theaters May 24.

Seth MacFarlane Says He Won't Host the Oscars Next Year

Katie Roberts — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:34:53 EDT

Hollywood can breathe a sigh of relief: Seth MacFarlane has just confirmed that he won't return to host next year's Oscars. MacFarlane, whose bawdy, politically incorrect performance as host of this year's telecast received mixed, mostly-negative reviews (two words: “Boobs Song”), announced on Twitter Monday that he simply didn't have the time to commit to the gig. “Traumatized critics exhale: I'm unable to do the Oscars again,” MacFarlane wrote. “Tried to make it work schedule-wise, but I need sleep.” Indeed, by the time next year's ceremony rolls around, MacFarlane will be deep in post-production on his next directorial vehicle, the comedy-western “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” in which he will also star. Despite early reports that he had been invited back to host the Academy Awards telecast, MacFarlane's other commitments -- he also helms Fox's “Family Guy” -- were just too numerous. “However, I highly recommend the job, as [Craig] Zadan and [Neil] Meron are two of the most talented producers in the business,” MacFarlane said of the pair, who produced this year's ceremony and are returning to the gig in 2014. Zadan and Meron came to MacFarlane's defense in the wake of negative reviews of his performance, accusing critics of not understanding the host's subversive humor. With MacFarlane out of contention, it's someone else's turn to be subversive. But MacFarlane says he already has an idea of who might fit that bill. “My suggestion for host is Joaquin Phoenix,” he wrote. [via THR]

'Blue Jasmine' Poster Debut: Cate Blanchett Is Strikingly Stoic (PHOTO)

Dana Taddeo — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:42:46 EDT

Details about Woody Allen's latest film, "Blue Jasmine," may be hard to come by, but we've got something that will give fans of the director something to ponder for a while: the official poster (below), featuring a strikingly pensive Cate Blanchett. What we do know is that the film tells the story of a fashionable New York housewife in the final stages of an acute crisis. Sure, this may raise more questions than answers, but that just makes you want to see "Blue Jasmine" more, right? The movie also stars Alec Baldwin, Peter Sarsgaard, Louis C.K., and Bobby Cannavale. Check out the poster below, and discover what "Blue Jasmine" is all about when it hits theaters July 26. Click to zoom

'Star Wars Rebels': New Animated Series Will Take Place Between 'Episode III and 'Episode IV'

Drew Taylor — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:15:44 EDT

Shortly after Disney acquired Lucasfilm a number of projects in development at the studio were either canceled outright or locked up in a dark closet somewhere (like Seth Green's off-color spoof series "Star Wars Detours"). One of those projects that was quietly canceled was the long-running "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" TV series, which debuted in 2008 on the Cartoon Network and had gained a healthy following in the years that followed, amassing more than 100 episodes. Fans were promised that a new, altogether different series would be announced soon, though, and today that has come to pass. New computer-animated series "Star Wars Rebels" has been announced, to air on Disney XD in fall 2014. This, admittedly, sounds pretty cool. "Star Wars Rebels" will be set in the period of time between "Star Wars: Episode III" and "Star Wars: Episode IV." In a brief promotional video on the Star Wars website, you can see executive producer Dave Filoni (who also oversaw "Clone Wars") lovingly caressing an "Art of Star Wars" book, saying they drew inspiration from original designer Ralph McQuarrie's concept art for the first film. Filoni is joined by Simon Kinberg, who will serve as an executive producer and script the one-hour pilot of the series (which will air on the Disney Channel initially); Kinberg is heavily involved in Disney's grand design for the "Star Wars" universe, serving as a consultant on the J.J. Abrams-directed "Star Wars: Episode VII" and writing a standalone feature set in the universe. Filoni will be joined by Greg Weisman, an executive producer who has worked on everything from "Young Justice" to "Spectacular Spider-Man" but is probably best known for the beloved Disney animated series "Gargoyles." The official statement describes the series as taking place "in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape." The statement then quickly adds: "Details about the show are a closely guarded secret at this point." This seems to be a particularly fertile setting in the "Star Wars" universe, as Brian Wood's recent, totally brilliant "Star Wars" comic book takes place about three months after the original "Star Wars" ended. "Star Wars Rebels" will hit Disney XD in fall of 2014, while "Star Wars: Episode VII" follows closely in the summer of 2015. Make sure your lightsabers are fully charged. [via Star Wars]

James Badge Dale, 'Iron Man 3' Star, Is Also in 'World War Z' and 'The Lone Ranger'

Drew Taylor — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:40:25 EDT

James Badge Dale has always been one of those promising character actors who you knew to keep an eye on; he starred as a squirrely everyman caught in a vast conspiracy in AMC's short-lived series "Rubicon," and anchored the very best scene in Robert Zemeckis's "Flight" (he was the cancer patient in the staircase). But this summer he not only flirts with superstardom, he takes superstardom out to a five-course meal and brings it back to his place. In successive months, James Badge Dale stars in three of the summer's biggest, most talked-about blockbusters. You can currently see him as a gum-chewing bad guy in the excellent "Iron Man 3"; next month he battles hordes of flesh-eating zombies in the highly anticipated "World War Z," and in July he stars alongside Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer in Disney's mega-budget "The Lone Ranger." We got to speak with the actor about what it was like being in these projects and how comfortable he is with the title "The King of Summer." Take that Will Smith! First off, congratulations. Did you ever think you would be starring in three of the hottest movies of the summer season? I did not plan it this way. Let me be very clear about that. But it must be a thrill for you? It's great. I had a great time doing all three films. All three films are very different. And to have them all open up in one summer a month apart, I've never experienced anything like this before. It's thrilling. Let me first talk about "Iron Man 3." Were you a fan of the comic book before you signed on? Let me tell you about my childhood, about my level of geekdom -- I got beat up by the kids who used to read comics. I was definitely down the geek ladder. I wasn't cool enough to read the comic books. My cousin is actually a massive comic book fan and she walked me through the Marvel universe. She was my technical advisor of the film. She gave me all the info on the characters and the world. And I brought her to the premiere. That's a good trade-off. You know, you don't work for free. Did you reference anything specific from the comic book? No. They kind of gave me free reign to do what I wanted to do. And Savin seemed to be a combination of the old template of the Coldblood character and another character in the 'Extremis' arc. The great thing about Shane Black and especially Downey -- you get on set with Downey and they are very much about the creative process as it's happening then and there. And they like to play. You're not boxed in by anything. I've seen about 20 minutes of "Lone Ranger" and it looks pretty amazing. What brought you to that project? They said I could grow a moustache and I was like “I'm on board, yeah. Let's do it.” No I'm kidding. To me, it was Gore Verbinski. There's not many guys out there like him. He makes big movies that are very good. The story works, it was a great script, and we had a lot of fun on it. And I'd never done a western before. That was the great thing about "Iron Man 3," that was the great thing about "World War Z" -- I've never done a zombie movie before, I've never done a comic book film before. This was all new. And as an actor you want to do things that are new and exciting. I was going to ask you about some of the amazing directors you've worked with -- Martin Scorsese, Steve McQueen, Joe Carnahan, Robert Zemeckis -- do you sort of watch them and pick up things from each of them? I'm a watcher, I am. When I did "The Departed" in '05, I was very young. And I didn't really know how to conduct myself on set. But what I did was watch Matt Damon watch Martin Scorsese. Damon studied Scorsese and talked to him about film every chance he got. Because sometimes you just have one moment with these directors... You should talk to them and watch them work and soak it in, because it can only help you as an actor and understand your place in the whole film process. So I try to steal a page from Damon's playbook and watch and study the different methods. Damon wants to direct soon. Is that something you want to try, too? I'm still trying to figure out this acting thing. Talk to me in 10 years. What can you tell us about "World War Z?" "World War Z" -- that's a big movie in scope and size. It's based on this book by Max Brooks, which I think is a brilliant book, but the idea of the zombie epic becoming a worldwide plague. You think of it in terms of disease. I think the brilliance of the movie is what happens with society and economy and government and the way that these things break down. If you had a worldwide economic collapse, what would the results of those be? In a strange way it's very realistic. The kind of ongoing creative process of "World War Z" has been highly publicized. Were you brought back for those reshoots? No. As in the book, it's almost like a series of vignettes. So the part that I'm in is isolated and it wasn't touched. Have you seen it yet? Yeah I have seen it. It's pretty cool. I saw it at 11 o'clock in the morning. I've never seen a zombie movie at 11 a.m. Let me put it this way: it changed the way I dealt with the rest of the day. So it maintains its intensity even though it's PG-13? I know that's what everybody's worried about with a zombie film. But people were jumping out of their seats at the screening I was at -- at 11 in the morning. That's when you know it's good. Yeah. When people are screaming at 11 a.m., it's good. So can we start calling James Badge Dale "The King of Summer" from now on? [Laughs] You know how many people in my neighborhood would just rip me apart for that one? I'm going to take that as a yes. [Laughs] Thank you.

'Catching Fire' at Cannes: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth Celebrate 'Hunger Games' Sequel (PHOTOS)

Dana Taddeo — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:40:11 EDT

Jennifer Lawrence and the cast of "Catching Fire" invaded the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday to celebrate the latest "Hunger Games" installment. Liam Hemsworth and Sam Claflin, aka Gale and Finnick, joined Lawrence in France for a photocall and party for the sequel. Ms. Everdeen looked sophisticated in a black strapless top and black pants, and then went glam in a white strapless dress and hot pink pumps on the red carpet during the party. In "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," the second adaptation of Suzanne Collins's book series, Hunger Games victors Katniss (Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) embark on an obligatory "Victor's Tour" of the 12 Capitol-controlled districts of Panem, and soon learn they will be thrown back into the arena to again fight for their lives in the 75th Annual Hunger Games. Check out the photos below! "Catching Fire" hits theaters November 22.

Box Office: Is 'Star Trek Into Darkness' a Hit or a Miss?

Gary Susman — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:21:19 EDT

On paper, 'Star Trek Into Darkness' looks like a smash. It earned a starship-load of money, debuted at No. 1, and dethroned two-week box office champ "Iron Man 3." And yet, box office analysts think it underperformed, falling far short of the $100 million premiere they'd expected. Are the pundits right? Were the "Star Trek" numbers less than stellar? Or do the analysts have a warped perspective? Alas, even cold Vulcan logic may not be able to solve this one; it really depends on your point of view. Here are the arguments on both sides. Hit: "Star Trek Into Darkness" earned an estimated $70.6 million in North America over the weekend. Add another $13.5 million from screenings Wednesday at midnight and throughout Thursday, and the movie has a total so far of $84.1 million. Miss: Distributor Paramount was expecting a $100 million weekend. These figures didn't come close. Hit: Still, $70.6 million is a pretty huge opening. Miss: Not by the standards of the previous installment, 2009's "Star Trek," which opened at $75.2 million from Friday to Sunday, plus another $4.0 million from Thursday screenings. Hit: The film's take includes an impressive $13.5 million from 336 IMAX screens. That means "Star Trek" earned 16 percent of its take from IMAX, compared to 10 percent for "Iron Man 3" during its debut two weeks ago. Miss: Even with 3D and IMAX surcharges, "Into Darkness" couldn't outperform the 2009 "Star Trek," which sold only standard-price tickets. Hit: The movie averaged $18,241 per screen, the highest of any film in current wide release. Miss: Tiny indie dramedy "Frances Ha," which opened opposite "Star Trek" this weekend, debuted on just four screens but averaged nearly twice as much, $33,500 per venue. Hit: While the last "Star Trek" earned less than half its take overseas, the new one is doing twice as well as last time in many countries around the world. Having opened a week ago in most territories, it's already grossed $80.5 million overseas, thanks to redoubled marketing efforts abroad by Paramount. Miss: Paramount missed some marketing opportunities at home. A merchandising dispute between J.J. Abrams and CBS (which holds the rights to the "Star Trek" characters) meant few licensed products on retailers shelves and a far less ubiquitous presence than the film should have had in terms of grabbing retail consumers' attention. Hit: A late move to a Thursday opening date may have increased the movie's premiere earnings. Miss: Or it may have harmed those earnings, since the last-minute shift may have confused ticketbuyers. Hit: Still, no other wide-release summer-blockbuster-hopeful dared to open against it, so "Into Darkness" had the multiplex pretty much to itself. Miss: The movie still faced stiff competition from holdovers "Iron Man 3" and "The Great Gatsby," which earned almost $60 million combined this weekend. And next weekend, it'll get slammed by the one-two punch of "Fast and Furious 6" and "The Hangover Part III." Hit: "Into Darkness" earned an A from CinemaScore, indicating especially strong word-of-mouth among the fans who saw it. Miss: So why, after 47 years of "Star Trek" TV series and movies and books and videogames, can't the franchise break out beyond its base of loyal fans?

Box Office: 'Star Trek Into Darkness' Misses $100M Domestic Mark on Opening Weekend

Alex Suskind — Sun, 19 May 2013 12:01:38 EDT

LOS ANGELES — "Star Trek: Into Darkness" has warped its way to a $70.6 million domestic launch from Friday to Sunday, though it's not setting any light-speed records with a debut that's lower than the studio's expectations. The latest voyage of the starship Enterprise fell short of its predecessor, 2009's "Star Trek," which opened with $75.2 million.

Beyonce Pregnant Again? Sources Confirm 'Epic' Star Is Carrying Baby No. 2

Dana Taddeo — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:17:55 EDT

Turns out those Beyonce pregnancy reports are more than just speculation. Multiple sources have confirmed to E! News that the "Epic" star and her rapper husband, Jay-Z, are expecting baby number two. While the couple have yet to comment or confirm, fellow hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons tweeted his congratulations to the couple. Hmm, interesting. Very interesting. Speculation about whether Blue Ivy's mom was again with child began after photos of Bey looking a little bit bigger in the tummy region while on tour popped up on the Internet. The NY Post then reported that sources had confirmed to them that the singer was, in fact, pregnant. As you may recall, Beyonce announced her first pregnancy without saying a word -- she just showed up at the MTV Video Music Awards sporting an unmistakable baby bump and rubbed her belly. In other words, there's no telling when or how Beyonce will announce baby number two. We'll be waiting! [via E! News, NY Post]

'Hangover 3' Red Band Trailer: Take a Walk Down a NSFW Memory Lane (VIDEO)

Jenni Miller — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:59:19 EDT

Cue the Boyz II Men, 'cause our days with the Wolf Pack are almost over. First, let's remember the good times with Phil, Stu, Alan, Doug, and all the other miscreants they ran into. This video, narrated by Zach Galifianakis, is like a balm to soothe our wounds. Remember that time with the tiger? How about the smoking monkey? What about when Mr. Chow jumped out of the car trunk naked? Inappropriate baby jokes! Mike Tyson being himself! Of course, "The Hangover Part III" ups the ante even more -- angry chickens, an exotic animal (this time a giraffe), Tijuana, probably some dead bodies, and lots of jokes about wieners. What more could you ask for? Put on your headphones if you're at work -- or turn the computer speakers down real low if your mom is home -- and enjoy. "Hangover 3" hits theaters May 23.

Why 'Man of Steel' Didn't Use 'Superman' in the Title

Jenni Miller — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:23:29 EDT

Even superheroes need a makeover sometimes. It's happened before, with Batman and Iron Man and plenty of other comic book characters; even Superman isn't immune. For the upcoming "Man of Steel," director Zack Snyder and co-writers David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan made sure to distance their movie from previous installments by not putting "Superman" in the title, and giving the movie some technological tweaks and a grittier vibe. Goyer explained by in an Empire podcast a few weeks ago. "We always knew we would be using the Superman glyph or the shield as we call it. But 'Man Of Steel' was also supposed to represent our take, which was he's a man, but he's not made of flesh and blood, metaphorically he's a man of steel. So that was sort of the whole thing wrapped up in a nutshell." It doesn't hurt that a 2006 attempt to bring Supes back to the big screen, directed by Bryan Singer and starring Brandon Routh, didn't exactly turn the world on its ear. Even with a new name, it will be hard for fans to shake the mental image of a lantern-jawed Christopher Reeve as Superman. However, Henry Cavill could do a pretty darned good job of giving us a fresh look at an old friend. And a bad-ass General Zod will be pretty cool, too. [via Empire]

Marvel Phase Three: 'Doctor Strange,' 'Iron Man 4,' 'Hulk' Movies May Be Coming

Jenni Miller — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:51:09 EDT

You didn't think Marvel was going to let you off the hook that easily, did you? Nope, the comic book company is already planning Phase Three of its sprawling media empire. Sounds sinister, doesn't it? It's not! We promise. Phase One began with "Iron Man" and culminated in "The Avengers." Similarly, Phase Two just kicked off with the release of "Iron Man 3" and will end after a total of five movies with 2015's "The Avengers 2." Even though Marvel is still knee-deep in Phase Two, studio prez Kevin Feige gave EW a very early preview of what's coming down the pipeline. Feige said, "I'd say 99 percent of our time right now is purely spent on Phase Two… It's five colossally giant motion pictures that we have to produce. So that's taking up the time. But within the next year or so we'll start the advanced planning for post-'Avengers 2.'" The Marvel honcho was fairly forthcoming for details on movies that are still in their nascent stages. We do know that Edgar Wright's "Ant-Man" is a sure thing, and "Doctor Strange" is "one of the prime candidates." We all know that "Iron Man 4" would go over like gangbusters, but also that Robert Downey Jr. is still in talks over his part in the future of Tony Stark. "Black Panther" is still just a hope and a dream, though eagle-eyed writers have noted that Marvel might be filming some of "The Avengers 2" in Cape Town, a hint that, followed to conclusion, leads some to believe that BP could be a new recruit. The rest of the Marvel cast of characters -- Daredevil, Ghost Rider, zombies, and so on -- are either very unlikely or still in the wishful thinking stages. But what about The Hulk, you say? Feige told EW, "Mark [Ruffalo] could stand in his own movie. … We're talking about it. We're excited to sit down and go, 'What is a stand-alone Hulk movie?'" We've got a few years to find out. [via EW] EARLIER: Comic-Con 2012 Marvel Panel: 'Iron Man 3' Trailer, 'Guardians Of The Galaxy' Announced

Joss Whedon Confirms Tony Stark for 'Avengers 2'; Teases Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch

Jenni Miller — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:33:46 EDT

"The Avengers 2" isn't due out until 2015, but we're all eager beavers for as much info as possible. Luckily, writer/director Joss Whedon is happy to oblige. Whedon was at the ABC Upfronts this week chatting up the new Marvel show "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," when he revealed a few more details regarding the follow-up to 2012's big-budget blockbuster. Earlier, Whedon had let slip some juicy tidbits about "a brother/sister act" that would appear in "The Avengers 2," which fans speculated would be Scarlet Witch and her twin Quicksilver. In an interview with IGN, the director more or less confirmed that assumption. "You know, they had a rough beginning. They're interesting to me because they sort of represent the part of the world that wouldn't necessarily agree with The Avengers. So they're not there to make things easier. I'm not putting any characters in the movie that will make things easier." Another confirmation from Whedon? Tony Stark will (not surprisingly) be back for the sequel as well, even though he destroyed his suits at the end of "Iron Man 3." "Well, I feel like in 'Iron Man 3,' even though he said, ‘I've changed' -- he blew up his remote suits, but I don't think anybody thinks he doesn't have one anymore. The question is, if The Avengers are called, does he show up? And the answer is, ‘Yes!'” How will Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver figure into all of this? Guess we'll have to wait until the next time Whedon decides to let another tidbit slip. Perhaps on Twitter? [via IGN]

Noah Baumbach's 'Frances Ha,' or How to Make a Movie in Secret

Alex Suskind — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:54:19 EDT

It's almost impossible to compare a small, independent film with today's no-holds-barred superhero blockbusters. However, if there's one thing that Noah Baumbach's "Frances Ha" manages to have in common with, say, "The Avengers," is secrecy. For the film -- which was shot in secret during 2011 and 2012 -- Baumbach decided to withhold parts of the script from the cast, providing them with only the scenes in which their characters appeared. This method appears to have paid off, as critics have been swooning over "Frances" since it premiered at Telluride Film Festival last fall. Of course, the secrecy factor is where the blockbuster comparisons end for "Frances Ha." The black-and-white movie follows Frances (Greta Gerwig), an aspiring 27-year-old dancer who is looking to come to grips with adulthood as she struggles to keep a job in New York City. Here, Baumbach offers some tips on shooting a secret film, talks about why all of his movies have great soundtracks, and reveals how he ended up writing "Madagascar 3." Moviefone: You didn't set out to shoot this in secret. But, either way, it seems like a tough thing to do. Noah Baumbach: We gamed the Internet! It was deliberate to keep the low profile, but I didn't think Oh, we won't be reported [in the media] somewhere down the line. We just didn't announce ourselves and then that was really it. But it's like, we were [in New York City] doing it. If people had walked by us and recognized us, they would have discovered something. Was shooting low-profile a good experience? It seems like it worked to your benefit. I mean, we could have done the same work and everything we did, even if we had been [more official]. But I think there's something kind of nice, particularly in 2011-12, to be the only ones who know about it. Writing is a private experience and filmmaking is sort of necessarily a communal group thing, but it's kind of nice in a way for the crew to feel sort of focused and private about it; it was our thing and nobody else's. It seemed pretty secret within the production itself. You withheld some of the script from the actors. Yeah, I didn't show the script. No actor -- except Greta [who co-wrote the film] -- had the script beyond their scenes. And what we'd do, we would send them -- and we shot chronologically, so we could do this -- the pages for that week, maybe a few days in advance, but not past that. So not only did they just get their scenes, they got them as those shooting days approached. And I think it just kept people in the moment and not overly concerned with the movie as a whole. It's my job to be concerned about that. And because the movie was in chapters, and some people are kind of in a chapter and then disappear for awhile and then come back in another chapter, it kind of made that easier, too. Actors didn't really need to know what they were doing in the meantime or anything like that. And, if they asked, I would just make something up for them [laughs]. It's funny to hear that method being used for an indie film. Most of the time you hear about those techniques used on a giant superhero movie (withholding the entire script from actors, shooting in secret, etc.). Yeah, who the villain is is not important here [laughs]. But, you know, I suppose in our own way, we're looking for some of the privacy that [those films have]. A lot of people are going to have David Bowie's “Modern Love” stuck in their heads after this movie. That's a good one to get stuck in your head. Was that always the song you had in mind? I thought about a few different things, but I think that song's kind of perfect. It's so joyful. I feel like everything about it sounds great -- his vocal is so great, the way he kind of shout-sings it. It just feels so immediate. When I was a kid and I got the “Let's Dance” record for the first time, it was the first song on it and I remember just hearing that song; I don't think I'd heard a better song and I would just play it over and over again. All of your movies have really great soundtracks: “Margot at the Wedding” had Steve Forbert, “Greenberg” had a James Murphy score. Even movies you wrote but didn't direct, like “Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou,” have great music. Yeah, although we wrote the David Bowie into the [“Life Aquatic”] script because it was always written that Seu Jeorge's character, Pele, would play David Bowie. I mean, it's always interesting. With “Greenberg” I was listening to LCD Soundsystem's “The Sound of Silver” while I was working on it. I didn't necessarily feel like that music was tonally right for “Greenberg,” but I felt like the guy who made this music should probably score “Greenberg.” So I met James Murphy, and we became friends and he wrote a score, which is awfully different from LCD Soundsystem. I thought they were beautiful. I really love what he did. With “Frances,” I had this instinct that, when I was cutting it, it could really hold a big, bold score, and I started to put in all these old French New Wave scores. It felt like the movie was so strong and flexible that it could hold it, and I really pushed it. I felt like it really elevated and broadened the movie. You almost couldn't get too big or too romantic. Fans of your work were pretty surprised that you ended up writing "Madagascar 3," since you had really only done smaller indies up to that point. How was that experience? It was a great experience. I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about the animation process, which was really interesting to me, because you work over such a long period of time. And I liked those guys so much and I think they're so good at what they do. I have a movie that I am developing there that I would direct. But yeah, I loved it. It's not altogether different from when I work with Wes [Anderson]. It's like I felt my job there was to help make the movie as good as possible. And there's something nice about that as an alternate to what I do with the movies I direct, which is so rigourous and I am involved with every part of it until the very end. It doesn't stop until you let go of it, which I probably need to do. Did they approach you? They came to me, and I worked with Ben [Stiller] on “Greenberg,” so Ben, I think, liked the idea, and I really liked the other two movies and I like Chris Rock a lot, too. It seemed like fun. That said, when I started it, I didn't know how long the process was -- I had never done animation. Earlier on Moviefone: Greta Gerwig, 'Frances Ha' Star, Isn't Interested in 'Being a Great Actor in a Sh-- Movie'

Christopher Nolan for James Bond Movie? Director Reportedly Courted to Direct

Drew Taylor — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:38:45 EDT

If there's one thing that is very, very, very clear, it's that “Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan loves James Bond. Ever since he decided to do massive movies, he has included sequences that could have been lifted directly from one of the dashing adventures of Britain's most suave superspy. Nolan knows how to mimic James Bond set pieces in tone and intensity. There's the Hong Kong sequence from “The Dark Knight,” the whole third act of “Inception” (with the snow fort, which seems to have been a hodgepodge lift of various Bond tropes), and the opening sequence of “The Dark Knight Rises,” which had more jaw-dropping spectacle than all of “Quantum of Solace” combined. Now, Nolan may get his chance to do a 007 entry himself. According to the UK paper the Daily Mail (so please, find the biggest grain of salt you can and take it), “informal talks have begun” between Nolan and the Bond powers that be -- namely producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson -- for him to helm the next chapter in the franchise. After the worldwide critical and commercial success of “Skyfall,” it was assumed Sam Mendes would be game to direct another Bond outing, but commitments to theatrical productions, as well as the exhausting amount of effort that it takes to get a Bond movie off the ground, sidelined those plans. It would be fascinating if the series entered an “auteur” phase, with big name directors, known for their singular artistic visions, took on a series known for its workmanlike dexterity more than its creative adventurousness. Right now Nolan is in the middle of prepping “Interstellar,” his big-budget space exploration film that will star Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Matthew McConaughey, and (of course) Michael Caine. That film will be out on November 7th, 2014. It's unclear whether Nolan would have the time (or the energy) to jump from one gigantic project to the next, but we're crossing our fingers that this isn't simply tabloid chatter. [via Daily Mail]

Edward Furlong, 'Terminator 2' Star, Arrested Again

Dana Taddeo — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:27:41 EDT

Edward Furlong, star of "Terminator 2" and "American History X," was arrested last night for violating a restraining order his ex-girlfriend filed against him, according to TMZ. The troubled, 35-year-old actor has been arrested twice before, TMZ reports, for domestic violence charges involving the same woman. He was sentenced to six months in jail in March on the same charges, but didn't serve the full term. This time, when police arrived at his ex's home in West Hollywood, they found Furlong hiding under a stairwell close to her home. Furlong was later taken into custody and charged with a felony. He's now being held on $100,000 bail. [via TMZ]