Moviefone News

Baz Luhrmann Passed on Directing 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'

Katie Roberts — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:27:21 EDT

While promoting his latest interpretation of a classic work, “The Great Gatsby,” director Baz Luhrmann revealed that he once had a chance to adapt an even more lucrative feature: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.” During an interview on Britain's “The Graham Norton Show,” Luhrmann discussed how after he directed Warner Bros.'s “Romeo + Juliet,” the studio approached him with an offer to helm the first “Harry Potter” film. Luhrmann admitted that since he was unfamiliar with Rowling's then fairly new books -- and in the midst of planning his next feature -- he turned down the job. “The first one came along and they rang me, and while I love the pictures and the books now, then I thought, ‘What's that?' And said, ‘Well that sounds interesting, but I'm thinking of doing a reinvention of the modern musical,' and that was ‘Moulin Rouge,'” Luhrmann said. “So I'm an obvious idiot, because I should have taken ‘Harry Potter.'” Indeed, it's fun to imagine what Luhrmann would have brought to the series. While Chris Columbus -- who directed “Sorcerer's Stone” -- took an overly faithful approach to his interpretation that many critics agreed lacked some luster, Luhrmann no doubt would have pumped his film full of adrenaline. Might he have made Harry, Ron, and Hermione sing and dance? Would his trademark frenetic camera work and penchant for flashy flourishes have lent itself well to the Quidditch and spell-casting? Whatever approach Luhrmann might have taken, he's no doubt wishing he had some magic of his own to help him go back in time and rethink his decision. While “Moulin Rouge” helped usher in a new age of Hollywood musicals, it made just over $179 million at the worldwide box office, compared to the $7 billion total of the eight “Potter” films. [via Digital Spy h/t CinemaBlend] EARLIER: Defending the Harry Potter Sequels

Someone Just Paid $1.5 Million to Sit Next to Leonardo DiCaprio in Space

Dana Taddeo — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:53:25 EDT

One-and-a-half million dollars can buy you a lot: a nice house, a few cars, a trip to outer space with Leonardo DiCaprio. Wait, what? At last night's (May 23) amFAR charity auction at the Cannes Film Festival, an unnamed bidder payed that hefty sum for a seat next to "The Great Gatsby" star on a Virgin Galactic trip, according to People. Virgin CEO Richard Branson's "Galactic" venture will send tourists into space for the first time. People also reports that, a few minutes later, emcee Sharon Stone convinced another daring couple to shell out $2.3 million for two seats on the same flight. All three bidders will spend three days with DiCaprio training for the flight in Texas, and will then strap themselves in next to the actor on the space flight. According to Us, DiCaprio is not the first star to join the journey -- in March 2012, Ashton Kutcher became the 500th person to sign up for the trip. All together, the event, which benefited AIDS research, raised $25 million. [via People h/t US]

Tim Curry Is Fine After Suffering a Massive Stroke: Report

Katie Roberts — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:40:46 EDT

Beloved British actor Tim Curry is reportedly recovering well after suffering a massive stroke at his Los Angeles home Thursday night. Representatives for the 67-year-old star of such cult classics as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Clue” said Curry was “doing great” following the incident. “He absolutely can speak and is recovering at this time and in great humor,” said his longtime agent Marcia Hurwitz, refuting suggestions that the collapse had affected Curry's ability to communicate. Britain's the Daily Mail reports that Curry had previously suffered from debilitating asthma attacks following a chest infection. Those health concerns forced him to pull out of a London production of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” in 2011. [via The Daily Mail h/t The Wrap]

Tom Cruise Exits 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' for 'Mission Impossible 5'

Drew Taylor — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:30:38 EDT

Well, this is something of a surprise: According to Deadline, Tom Cruise has exited Warner Bros.' high-profile big-screen version of ‘60s spy show “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” which is co-starring Armie Hammer and being directed by Guy Ritchie. The project was previously being overseen by Steven Soderbergh, potentially as his final movie before retirement, with George Clooney set to star in the part that Cruise just vacated. Clooney's back injury, sustained during the filming of “Syriana,” kept him from doing such a physical role, and after that Soderbergh had trouble finding a suitable replacement that the studio was happy with, so he quietly left the project. It picked up steam again when Ritchie and his “Sherlock Holmes” producing partner Lionel Wigram were handed the film. Cruise would have played Napoleon Solo, a character originated in the series by Robert Vaughn. Hammer will still play Illya Kuryakin, a Russian agent. Both spies report to the United Network Command for Law Enforcement, a sort of utopian international spy organization dreamed up at the height of the Cold War. Cruise will next be seen in Doug Liman's manga adaptation “All You Need Is Kill” (best title for anything ever), next summer. He supposedly left the “U.N.C.L.E.” project so he could focus on the fifth “Mission: Impossible,” which is currently being written by “Iron Man 3” co-writer Drew Pearce, with “Jack Reacher” director Christopher McQuarrie loosely attached to helm. Based on reports, Cruise will spend the rest of the year getting “Mission: Impossible 5” up and running, which will once again be produced by J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot team. The search is now on for a replacement for Cruise, with production on “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” still set to commence this fall. [via Deadline]

'Now You See Me': Isla Fisher, Mark Ruffalo Celebrate the Magical Film in L.A. (PHOTOS)

Dana Taddeo — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:19:07 EDT

There were no magic tricks yesterday at a special screening of "Now You See Me" -- just the smiling faces of the movie's stars. Isla Fisher, Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, and Dave Franco were all on hand for the event in L.A., where attendees got a sneak peek of their magical heist film. Fisher, who brought her mom along as her date, looked beautiful in a printed mini-dress. Ruffalo tended to the crowd at the ArcLight Theater in Hollywood, signing autographs and posing for pictures. "Now You See Me" follows a group of Las Vegas illusionists who pull off a series of heists, much to the dismay of a dumbfounded FBI group investing the magical crew. The magicians act as modern-day Robin Hoods, stealing from corrupt business leaders during their shows and handing out the profits to their audiences. Woody Harrelson and Morgan Freeman also star. Check out the photos below, and be amazed by "Now You See Me" when it hits theaters on May 31.

'Fast and Furious 6' Review: 10 Things You Should Know About the Action-Packed Sequel

Drew Taylor — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:02:50 EDT

This weekend, the sixth (!) installment of the "Fast and Furious" franchise tears into theaters nationwide. In this entry, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker) are brought out of retirement by Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) to help stop a terrorist (Luke Evans) who utilizes fast cars in his heists. If you thought that "Fast Five" was crazy awesome, just wait until you see this movie -- the already loose approximation of physics is pushed even further. It's insane, and so enjoyable. But, if you're unsure about jumping into "Fast and Furious 6" without reading the instruction manual first, then here's a guide to 10 things to know about the film. Buckle up. It's going to be a wild ride. 1. It Might Be a Good Idea to Brush Up on Your 'Fast and Furious' History "Fast and Furious 6" represents a culmination, not just of the mini-trilogy, which started with the fourth film and ends here, but of the entire franchise (it even weaves in events from the largely standalone "Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift"). As such, it might be a good idea to brush up on your "Fast and Furious" lore. There were characters and callbacks to earlier films that I didn't even pick up on, and I consider myself a devout member of the Church of Dominic Toretto. In a weird way it makes you appreciate the "mythological" underpinnings of a series that started as a muscle car variation on "Point Break." 2. The Gang's All Here! Part of what makes "Fast and Furious 6" so much fun to watch is that the cast of the entire series -- not just Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, but characters from a number of the sequels, including Michelle Rodriguez -- reunite for this entry. What's more -- director Justin Lin has added some additional firepower to the mix, including Gina Carano, last seen kicking ass in Steven Soderbergh's unfairly marginalized "Haywire," and at least one cast member from the delirious Indonesian martial arts movie "The Raid." 3. The Rock Continues His Year of Never-Ending Ass-Kicking Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has had a truly unstoppable year with great turns in both "GI Joe: Retaliation" and the sorely underrated "Pain and Gain." He returns in "Fast and Furious 6" as Hobbs, a secret agent type who enlists the help of Vin Diesel and Paul Walker to stop a bad guy who uses fast cars to steal really dangerous stuff. The Rock is now about as big as a house and watching "Fast 6" you wonder if he has to custom order T-shirts that can fit over his massive biceps. Well, it doesn't matter. He's still great and he can genuinely out-growl Vin Diesel, which is really saying something. 4. It's Not Really About Underground Street Racing Around "Fast Five," the series turned from being exclusively about cops and criminals set in the underground world of street racing, to something more -- a genuine caper movie that just happened to feature dudes who could drive cars really, really well. This new movie is sort of like a spy-versus-spy scenario, with the villains just as adept at using cars to heist stuff as the heroes. It's an ingenious movie, and while the time devoted to the culture of underground street racing is probably at an all time low (which could infuriate longtime fans), as far as the franchise maturing and evolving, it's a welcome change of pace. 5. There Are at Least Two Action Sequences That Will Floor You The less you know about "Fast and Furious 6," the better, especially when it comes to two key action sequences in the movie's third act, which are absolute jaw-droppers. We won't say what happens specifically, but you'll know them when you see them: one involves an out-of-control tank, the other a plane. 6. Stick Around Through the Credits Trust us. There's a little bonus scene not unlike the Marvel movies (except way, way cooler). 7. Luke Evans Is Kind of a Weak Bad Guy Compared to The Rock and Vin Diesel, both hulking brutes, Luke Evans is kind of a weak bad guy. The stuff he does is cool but he doesn't exactly instill fear in your heart. honestly, if you want to see a British dude who is still really scary, you can always walk over to "Star Trek Into Darkness." In that movie Benedict Cumberbatch's austerity never gets in the way of his scariness. 8. See It in the Biggest, Loudest Theater You Can "Fast and Furious 6" is a giant movie full of roaring muscle cars and roaring muscle men, so if you can, see it in the biggest, loudest theater you can find. You'll be thankful later. 9. The Music Could Have Been Better One of the great things about the "Fast and Furious" franchise has always been its choice of songs. This reached its apex with "The Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift," which featured tunes by Teriyaki Boyz, an amazing Japanese hip-hop outfit. Most of "Fast and Furious 6" is set in London, and yet the soundtrack doesn't give us a blast of British grime (I was hoping and praying for at least one Dizzee Rascal tune on the soundtrack), it's just kind of anonymous electro noise. 10. Yes, There Will Be A 'Fast and Furious 7' Again: stick around during the credits. It sets up the next movie, and it looks like it will be positively turbo-charged.

"Fast & Furious 6" vs. "The Hangover: Part III": Which Movie Should You See? (VIDEO)

Dana Taddeo — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:42:04 EDT

This Memorial Day weekend marks the release of two anticipated installments from two very different franchises. The adrenaline-pumping actioner "Fast & Furious 6," and the debauchery-ridden comedy "The Hangover: Part III" will battle it out at the box office, begging the question, "Who will come out on top at the end of the long holiday weekend?" Well, Moviefone may just have your answer. Mr. Moviefone (aka Russ Leatherman) and our (pajama-clad) Editor-in-Chief, Tim Hayne, joined HuffPost Live host Jacob Soboroff to discuss this weekend's contenders, and how they stack up against each other and their respective predecessors. Check out this week's Moviefone Live above!

'After Earth' Unscripted: Will and Jaden Smith on Filming With Deadly Snakes & On-Set Parenting (VIDEO)

Dana Taddeo — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:34:17 EDT

Sometimes, parents just don't understand -- but in this case, they do. Will and Jaden Smith have proven themselves to be a dynamic on-screen duo, but their father-son chemistry is evident off set, as well. In the latest episode of Unscripted, the "After Earth" stars take on the questions you sent in, and we learn their special nicknames for each other, how they grew closer on set, and how Jaden got stuck in the middle of a deadly snake circle (hint: he blames his dad). In "After Earth," Will and Jaden play Cypher (Will) and Kitai (Jaden), a father and son (obviously) who crash land on Earth 1,000 years after a cataclysmic disaster forced humans to flee the planet. Because Cypher is seriously injured, Kitai needs to set out alone on the feral planet to find help. Watch the adorable episode of Unscripted above, and see the duo in action when "After Earth" lands in theaters May 31.

'Epic' Director Chris Wedge on Why He Almost Brought the Movie to Pixar and the Film's 'Gladiator' Influences

Drew Taylor — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:46:40 EDT

This weekend, "Epic," an animated, well, epic that concerns a human girl (Amanda Seyfried) who is shrunk down to microscopic size, hits theaters. It's an amazing romp -- just as impressive as any of the big budget action movies of the summer, but sweeter and more gorgeously rendered. Featuring an all-star cast that includes Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Steven Tyler, Aziz Ansari, Chris O'Dowd, Beyonce, and Jason Sudeikis, "Epic" is the kind of movie you can take your children too and still be breathlessly entertained. We got to chat with the film's director, Chris Wedge about how he almost left and took the project to Pixar, action movies that inspired the film, and what it was like working with famous composer Danny Elfman. Moviefone: You almost left and took this movie to Pixar. What happened there? It's not a story any of us like to dwell on but it took a little bit of convincing to get the film on its feet to get a green light. I was crazy about making this movie and at the time Fox didn't see it. They very generously gave me turnaround rights, which meant they were alright with me shopping it to other studios. I don't think they thought that I would. But at the same time I was developing some live-action projects that weren't going anywhere. So I was getting pretty desperate. A handful of projects I had poured my heart and soul into weren't happening. So I did take the movie over to Pixar and I think they were eager to start. How close did it get? At that point I think the dynamic started to shift around a bit. To Fox's credit, I did need to do some work on the story. I'm sure it would have been a different movie if it had gone to Pixar. But I've got to say I'm pretty happy the way it came out. I was given an awful lot of creative freedom on this and I'm very happy with the outcome. I really didn't feel as though I made any compromises. What you see on the screen is the best I could come up with. What about the story so captured your imagination that you had to get it made? What captured my imagination was the notion that you can go into the forest and maybe if you looked a little bit closer than you normally do you could see something that you never knew was there. The notion that you could make a big fun heroic action movie was what was driving me. Finding the story and getting the characters figured out was the challenge. I'm assuming that the William Joyce book the film was based on [“The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs”] focused purely on the Leaf Men and the movie's human characters were invented? There wasn't even that much in the book. Listen, I love Bill's book. I've always loved it. It's a charming children's book that's beautifully rendered by Bill and it's a cute little story that you can read at bedtime. But it was never anything that he had interest in making a movie out of. We took the notion that the Leaf Men were out there for this story but amped them up into these samurai warriors. I may have said this but I wanted to make an action movie. I wanted to make a kinetic, thrilling action movie. Part of the way you made that kinetic feeling was in the way it was shot. There are sequences that are unbroken for seemingly minutes on end. Where did that come from? I collected a lot of influences and opinions in my brain. I've got definite touchstones of references in movies that I brought to this. You just make this as you go. It's your movie, it's your story. Beat by beat you decide where to put the camera. If there's a long language shot it's because two characters are having a conversation. If the camera is moving it's to give it a little bit more excitement. If we're cutting quick it's because there's a lot of excitement. It's just a matter of how you choose to tell the story. What were some of those touchstones? At the very beginning it was "Robin Hood." "The Adventures of Robin Hood" with Errol Flynn. We thought it would be fun if we threw some swashbuckling in there. Some hands-on-hips, arms akimbo kind of thing. If you go back and watch that movie you might think it's old fashioned, but nobody writes dialogue that's snappier these days. It's just great stuff. I wanted an update of that feeling. But as we went along, I realized I wanted an update on the filmmaking too. I remember when we were just starting to think about this "Gladiator" had just come out. The first action sequence in that movie really struck me. That's why we start our movie out with an ambush -- I wanted to see our characters in that way, through action, and get used to the tone of the movie. And lastly what was it like working with Danny Elfman? Oh, it was fantastic. It was dreamy. He's a gentle genius. He made the movie twice as good as it is.

'Star Trek 13': What Will Happen Next?

Eric Larnick — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:23:43 EDT

With "Star Trek Into Darkness" at the top of the box office right now, die-hard Trekkies have only one thing on their minds: What's next?! J.J. Abrams's revamped take on the space-exploring franchise has introduced Kirk, Spock, and Bones to a whole new generation of viewers -- but with the director's plan to take on a new episode of "Star Wars," where does it leave the brainchild of Gene Roddenberry? Obviously, we haven't seen the last of "Star Trek," but what form will its next adventure take? Which characters will make their presence felt? And when will we get to see it? As we boldly step into uncharted new territory, Moviefone asked a panel of leading "Star Trek" experts for their insights into the future of the series. With a little bit of detective work, their theories shed the first light on what will happen next on-screen and off. Anthony Pascale, TrekMovie I expect that Paramount will target the 50th anniversary and get the next movie out for the summer of 2016. The core team of Abrams, Burk, Orci, Kurtzman, and Lindelof will all be back as producers or executive producers, but there may be new creative as well, certainly a new director –- likely someone in Abrams's circle of trust who will continue with the same feel of the first two films. I hope they continue what they did with "Into Darkness" and tell an allegorical story that makes people think about our current society, although that doesn't have to be done on Earth. I think there will be a debate on if they should do something entirely new, such as a new adversary race, or develop their own spin on something already established from the canon (like The Borg, The Dominion, The Gorn, etc). My view is that "Star Trek" is different than superhero movies where they expect you to use the characters from the comic books. "Star Trek" is about exploring today's human condition through the lens of exploring strange new worlds, emphasis on "new." So I think the fans would welcome Abrams' team fully embracing their new universe and telling us a story entirely of their making. Just make sure to drop enough fun Trek tidbits along the way. And, more importantly, I think we should see these characters continue their arcs towards becoming the heroes that we knew from the original show, but not limited to that because they are different and are allowed to stretch them in new and interesting ways. (All that and a really cool space battle. You need one of those!) Brian Wilkins, Editor, TrekNews.net The franchise has an important anniversary rapidly approaching. In just two years, "Star Trek" will turn 50. According to my sources, Paramount is targeting the summer of 2016 for the release of the next film to coincide with the golden anniversary. Where the story goes from here is really anyone's guess. I'm sure Abrams, along with screenwriters Damon Lindelof, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman, have a basic outline for the Enterprise crew's next on-screen outing. However, those plans aren't set in stone and direction could change at any time. Moviegoers may have picked up on a few hints of what the future may hold. Following Starfleet's off-the-record manhunt that took Kirk, Spock, and Uhura past the neutral zone and onto the Klingon home world of Kronos, Admiral Marcus ominously told Kirk that "War is coming." With an already turbulent relationship with Starfleet and the "warrior race" making relatively small appearances in both the 2009 and 2013 films, a logical way to end the trilogy would be an all out battle between them and arguably Star Trek's best known villain: the Klingon Empire. I'd say it's safe to assume that we'll see some aesthetic updates made to the NCC-1701 during her next big screen appearance. Regardless of the adventure or the release date, the next film will ultimately determine the direction the franchise for years to come. Chris Wales, TrekCore “There are very few people who know really what the long-term plans are with Star Trek.” So said Brian Miller, Senior VP at Paramount in an interview with TrekCore last month, before quickly adding his own name to the list of people in the know. Putting J.J. Abrams into the director's chair for the latest films could hardly be a clearer statement of intent: while Hollywood's rapidly-rising director has turned his hand to the A-class of summer blockbusters, he's actually far more at home on the small screen, taking novel concepts and turning them into genre favorites like "Lost" and "Alias." Which is why Star Trek's future will be back on the television. Recent reports have suggested that the unfathomable decision to split the TV rights to the show from the film rights have placed holders CBS and Paramount at loggerheads, at least when it comes to rolling out Abrams's vision for the future of the franchise. It would certainly explain his seemingly bizarre decision to sign up for "Star Wars." So where next? The original plan had to take Abrams's shiny new universe and launch at least one related TV series, probably around the time of the third film. Given the already impressive résumés of the cast, we clearly can't expect to see the Enterprise and its new crew appear in a new series (save for the odd cameo, anyway). This brings us to the question of Star Trek's soul (its katra, you might say). The two new movies to date have been full of both sound and fury but both felt somewhat absent when it came to "Star Trek's" most unique quality: its moral core. Creator Gene Roddenberry himself used to explain that episodes were “like short Bible stories”: most often an exploration of some of the most fundamental questions about humanity and our existence, coated in a sweet sci-fi frosting. Abrams has enough good writers around him who appreciate the show to ensure that the final chapter of his trilogy is much closer to the sort of story-telling" Star Trek" is known for. "Star Trek" will be back on TV, a spin-off from the main films that will have a tie-in to some facet of the next film; the movie cast and the ship will appear in at least the pilot. This will all happen around 2015, 2016 at the latest. And whilst it will look completely different to anything you've seen before, it will at least feel like a family member among the others, rather than an impostor bearing the name. As Brian Miller said at the outset: there are very few people who know what the long-term plans are. But there are most definitely plans. Bonnie Malmat, TrekToday I would like to see the third "Star Trek" movie delve into the ramifications of the loss of the Vulcan and Romulan homeworlds. The militarization of Starfleet as a result of Nero's actions in "Star Trek" (2009) was addressed in "Star Trek Into Darkness," but how is the Federation affected by the loss of one of its founding planets? How do the Vulcan address the loss of their homeworld and the need to quickly build up their population to avoid the loss of their race? What about mixed couples? Would Vulcans be encouraged to breed with other Vulcans at the expense of those relationships? Could the destruction of both Romulus and Vulcan mean a reunification of the Romulans and Vulcans due to the need for both races to build population and avoid extinction? Would this be possible, politically and, if so, how would that affect the Federation? Would the Vulcans on New Vulcan turn inwards and become less interested in Starfleet and the galaxy at large? Or would they not want to lose their influence in Starfleet? Another topic would be how the destruction of a major enemy (Romulus) would affect Starfleet. Would the Klingons expand into their former areas, or would other antagonist races take the opportunity to fill the vacuum left by the destruction of Romulus? Gustavo Leao, TrekWeb Abrams will only produce because of his duties as director of "Star Wars: Episode VII," so the quality of "Star Trek XIII" is in the hands of the new director who hopefully understands "Trek" -- Bryan Singer? Chris Nolan? Nick Meyer? Bill Shatner LOL ? Sound off in the comments: What will happen next with the "Star Trek" franchise?

Quicksilver in 'X-Men: Days of Future Past': Evan Peters Cast as Magneto's Son

Katie Roberts — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:22:36 EDT

Looks like Joss Whedon will be following Bryan Singer's lead after all: Singer just announced that Quicksilver will appear in “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” Whedon first teased the possibility of using twins Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch in his follow-up to “The Avengers” back in April, confirming the news earlier this month. At the time, there was some speculation that the duo could theoretically also pop up in “Days of Future Past,” since both Fox and Disney own the rights to the villains-turned-heroes. Now, Singer's announcement on Twitter Thursday that Evan Peters (“Kick Ass”) has been cast to play the superfast Quicksilver has turned that probability into a certainty.

Before he was an #Avenger, he was just a REALLY fast kid. Thrilled to say #EvanPeters is joining #XMen #DaysOfFuturePast as #Quicksilver.
— Bryan Singer (@BryanSinger) May 23, 2013

Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are the children of “X-Men” villain Magneto, and first appear in the Marvel universe as antagonists before joining forces with the Avengers. Judging by their presence in “Days of Future Past,” Singer's looking to focus on their early, evil days. Not only will Singer be first in getting his version of the twins into multiplexes -- “Days” debuts July 14, 2014, while “The Avengers 2” isn't due until May 1, 2015 -- but he's also beaten Whedon to the punch in casting. While Peters is a lock for “Days,” there's been no confirmation on who will play either of the twins in “Avengers 2,” aside from some recent reports that Whedon has based his characterization of Scarlet Witch on Irish actress Saoirse Ronan. For her part, Ronan would be happy to join the “Avengers” team, telling The Mary Sue she would take the part if offered. “I love Joss and I love those films, and I love his handle on them and how he portrayed these kinds of superheroes,” she said. “I think it's very different from what anyone else has done. So yeah, I'd love to be in it.” [via Twitter and ScreenCrush]

'Poltergeist' Reboot May Actually Be a Sequel

Katie Roberts — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:19:48 EDT

A remake of ‘80s cult horror classic “Poltergeist” was announced in 2011, but not much information about the project had been scared up until now. What was once thought to be a complete reboot might instead be a sequel, if two recent reports are to be believed. Earlier this week, Bloody Disgusting posted a short synopsis of the movie, which would follow a similar trajectory to the original, focusing this time on the Bowen family (the Freelings were featured in the original) and their young daughter, Madison, who's abducted by the titular ghosts. Like the original, a team of paranormal investigators would be recruited to help bring Madison home; in the new version, the family matriarch can also communicate with the dead. But while that summary certainly sounds like a direct remake of the first “Poltergeist” film, Moviehole posted some additional plot details a few days later that seem to indicate the new movie will follow in the footsteps of this year's “Evil Dead” update -- keeping the name and a few select details of the original while presenting an entirely new plot. The site says the film will exist in the same universe as the previous “Poltergeist” movies (there were three altogether), and that the Bowen family moves into the Freelings's former home many years later. There they find abandoned possessions belonging to the family -- including a black-and-white television set -- and come upon some of the same suspicious occurrences that plagued the house's former owners. Sam Raimi's involvement as producer would indicate that the “Evil Dead” trajectory theory isn't too far off from what filmmakers have in mind. We'll see what director Gil Kenan (“Monster House”) has in store soon -- the movie is set to start shooting later this year. [via Bloody Disgusting and MovieHole h/t SlashFilm]

'Rush' Trailer: Death Is Something That Happens to Other People

Drew Taylor — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:47:08 EDT

This fall Ron Howard, who is no stranger to based-on-a-true-story movies ("Apollo 13," "A Beautiful Mind," "Frost/Nixon," "Splash" -- wait, no, not "Splash"), will once again tackle a true-life tale in "Rush," a film about the life of British Formula 1 racecar driver James Hunt (played by Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth). In the newest trailer, Hemsworth sets things up nicely: "There's a lie that all drivers tell themselves -- that death is something that happens to other people. That's how you find the courage to get in the car in the first place. But more powerful than fear itself is the will to win." Most of the movie is centered around Hunt's rivalry with Niki Lauda (played by Daniel Bruhl from "Inglourious Basterds"), an Australian racecar driver. And by the looks of things, it gets pretty heated, on and off the track. "Rush" has an exemplary creative team behind the scenes, including screenwriter Peter Morgan ("Frost/Nixon") and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle ("Trance"), and the film boasts an equally impressive supporting cast, which includes Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara, and Natalie Dormer. In short: it looks like something that could be potentially Oscar bait-y but also hugely exciting. "Rush" opens in America on September 20th.

Brad Pitt Shocks Fans at 'World War Z' Screening (VIDEO)

Dana Taddeo — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:09:16 EDT

Fans settling in for a screening of "World War Z" got a very exciting, non-zombie-related surprise: Brad Pitt. The movie's star popped in on the screening in Hoboken, NJ, and was met with applause and cheers from the crowd. Earlier in the day, Pitt attended another screening for the sci-fi zombie flick in New York at the Museum of Modern Art. The actor was sans fiancee Angelina Jolie, who just revealed she had a preventative double mastectomy, but was surrounded by his A-list friends at the MOMA, according to People. Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Bacon were reportedly on-hand, among others. But, according to People, Pitt was more concerned with his trip to Jersey than with impressing his famous pals: "They said we got to do a showing in the city and I said okay, but we can't do it without showing it to the people who we made the film for," he told the fans at the screening. "So we decided to do it no other place than Jersey." As you can see in the video above, fans were thrilled to see the movie star, so we think he made the right choice. "World War Z" hits theaters June 21.

Comedy Movie Blunders: 16 of the Worst 'Oops' Moments From the Genre (PHOTOS)

Dana Taddeo — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:22:56 EDT

We don't love classics comedies like "Anchorman," "Animal House," and "Airplane" for their flawless story-lines or great character development, we love them because they are hilarious. The characters usually get themselves into ridiculous situations, like fatal street fights with rival news teams, for example. So, it's OK for our favorite comedies to have a few flaws, right? Not exactly. As with any other movie, filmmakers make mistakes during shooting and editing -- a reappearing, then disappearing plate here, a visible stunt wire there. No one's perfect, after all. But, some blunders are just too blatant to ignore, so we decided to point them out for you. You're welcome. Take a look below at what we think are some of the worst "oops" moments from some very funny movies. As usual, all photos are courtesy of moviemistakes.com.

Weekend Movies: 'The Hangover 3,' 'Fast & Furious 6,' & 'Epic' (VIDEO)

Dana Taddeo — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:51:42 EDT

Your Memorial Day weekend movie choices provide a little something for everyone -- action, comedy, and family-friendly fantasy. "Fast & Furious 6," "The Hangover Part III," and "Epic" are hitting theaters, and we have the details on all three to help you decide what to see over the long holiday weekend. If you're an adrenaline junkie, a gear head, or just a fan of Vin Diesel, the "Fast & Furious" franchise's sixth installment skids into theaters on Friday, and all of the "Fast" cast is back. "Fast 5" left off with Dom (Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker), and their crew high off an elaborate heist in Brazil that netted them $100 million, but also forced them to flee, so they scattered themselves around the world to avoid being caught. "Fast & Furious 6" catches back up with the crew, who are now tired of living life on the run. Enter Agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), who has been hard at work tracking a lethal group of drivers, their boss (Luke Evans), and his second-in-command Letty (who everyone thinks is dead), across 12 countries. Hobbs can only think of one way to catch the criminals -- out-match them. So, naturally, he turns to Dom and his crew for help, and offers them all pardons in return. Sounds like a pretty good deal. For fans of the series, this might just be the most exciting one yet. Speaking of franchises, "The Hangover Part III" hits theaters today, May 23, (a day earlier than originally planned). This time around there is no wedding and no bachelor party, but there is, however, a funeral. After Alan's dad (Jeffrey Tambor) dies, Stu (Ed Helms), Phil (Bradley Cooper) and Doug (Justin Bartha) decide it's time for Alan to reevaluate his life, so they send him to rehab. But things never work out the way the Wolfpack plans. While on the road, they are stopped by a gangster (John Goodman) and his crew. Naturally, they kidnap Doug (Justin Bartha) and are forced to go find Chow (Ken Jeong), who owes Goodman $21 million. Soon, they end up in Tijuana, where Chow is hiding, and find their way back to Las Vegas. The trailer depicts everything we've come to expect from Todd Phillips's trilogy of bad decisions and debauchery, but only time will tell if returning to the desert where it all began will prove to be a good choice for the franchise. On the family front, Blue Sky -- the studio behind the "Ice Age" movies -- brings us "Epic." Based on William Joyce's childrens's book, "The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs," the 3D, animated adaptation follows human teenager M.K. (Amanda Seyfried), as she's shrunk by a magical plant bulb and discovers the world of the Leaf Men and the rest of their garden-dwelling friends. She soon meets a Leaf Man teenager named Nod (Josh Hutcherson), and joins him and a troupe of bugs as they try to save their garden and protect that magical bulb from the evil Mandrake (Christoph Waltz), who is set on destroying it. The movie also features the voices of Colin Farrell, Beyonce, Steven Tyler, and Jason Sudeikis. Which movie is on your Memorial Day must-see list?

'Dazed and Confused' Sequel: Richard Linklater Says It May Shoot This Fall

Drew Taylor — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:55:04 EDT

Richard Linklater is one of those amazingly talented directors who constantly surprises and delights. His latest delightful surprise, "Before Midnight," the third film in a series that started with "Before Sunrise" and continued with "Before Sunset," opens this weekend. It's easily one of the best films of the year and an absolute must-see. While engaging in a Reddit Q&A, ostensibly on the subject of "Before Midnight," he revealed that a pseudo-sequel to another one of his most beloved films, "Dazed and Confused," could be closer than you think. The film, which is titled "That's What I'm Talking About," was fully financed and ready to go as of a couple of years ago, but a number of projects got in the way (additionally, there was a hang-up when it came to distribution). But during the Q&A he said that he was, "Hoping to make it this fall, actually. A college comedy. I feel like mixing it up with a big ensemble." We had a friend who went to a special "Before Midnight" screening in Los Angeles on Monday and said that Linklater's comments about "That's What I'm Talking About" during the Q&A there were less optimistic. Linklater said that the film is about the first week of college, before any classes actually start, where everyone is just hanging out, getting to know each other, and partying. In other words: it sounds amazing. The director has said in the past that it's more of a "spiritual" sequel to "Dazed and Confused" than an out-and-out sequel that follows the same characters. Whatever it ends up being, consider us first in line. [via Slashfilm] EARLIER: Richard Linklater, 'Before Midnight' Director, on 'Bernie,' the 'School of Rock' Musical, and 'Dazed and Confused'

'The Hangover Part 3' Review: 10 Things You Should Know About the Comedy Sequel

Drew Taylor — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:21:33 EDT

"Star Wars," "The Lord of the Rings," "Toy Story," "The Godfather," and now… "The Hangover." The bawdy bro comedy that spawned an even bawdier, more bro'd-out sequel, has now reached its conclusion, and the franchise has officially been inducted into the hallowed ranks of the cinematic trilogy. What makes this such an unlikely trilogy is that the first film was so self-contained and simple -- it wasn't bogged down with the kind of loaded mythology that can be unspooled over subsequent films. In fact, there was barely enough plot to keep that original movie together (the sequel was more or less just a rehash of the first with Bangkok filling in for Las Vegas and a monkey in place of a baby). Still, if it makes money, the studio has to make more. And here we go again on the "Hangover" train. 1. It Doesn't Follow the Formula of the Other Two The original "Hangover" featured three dimwits (Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and Ed Helms) who lose consciousness during a bachelor party and awake to find their friend (Justin Bartha) missing and their memories of the night before completely gone. The sequel was pretty much the same, although Bartha wasn't missing he was just kind of… hanging out away from the rest of the guys. This movie takes a different approach, which you can tell from the opening scene of supporting character Chow (Ken Jeong) escaping from a maximum-security prison in Thailand. From there, things get really nuts. Bartha is taken out of the equation but in a more logical way, and there are no instances of mistaken drugging or amnesia or "oh my god what happened" nights. 2. It Doesn't Take Place in Las Vegas All of the advertising for "The Hangover, Part III" has centered around the fact that the Wolfpack is returning to Las Vegas, which is where the original film took place. While this is true for a portion of the movie, most of it actually takes place in Tijuana, which makes sense given its notorious reputation for debauchery and criminal exploits. 3. It's Not as Atrociously Sexist as the Other Two… Maybe it was the structure of the two other films (and their bachelor-party connection), but they tended to paint women as nagging, whiny hangers-on with very little to actually contribute to the story besides someone to mock or lie to. (The female character with the most dimension was Heather Graham in the first one… and she was a prostitute.) For this one, women aren't seen as the ultimate enemy but rather something worth fighting for. They represent the normal, calming relationship that exists outside of the hedonistic free-for-all that the movies used to lionize. Even Graham makes a return appearance, but as a woman with a full life (even if she is literally barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. D'oh!). 4. …Although if You're an Animal Lover, This Might Not Be the Movie for You "The Hangover Part III" starts with a giraffe decapitation (endlessly teased in the trailers) and continues to include chickens being shot, thrown out a window, and smothered with a pillow, and two dogs having their necks broken. 5. There Isn't All That Much "Crazy" Stuff in This One The earlier films made it a point to emphasize (with neon lettering and double-underlines) how outrageous they were. The locations were meant to drive this point home (Las Vegas! Bangkok! And now Tijuana! That's where anything can happen!) But even their attempts at outré humor seemed to fall a little flat, with the explanation of the night before always failing to live up to the visual gag of waking up surrounded by mayhem. Thankfully, "The Hangover Part III" doesn't attempt to indulge in the levels of vulgarity that the first two achieved. It's still very R-rated, but doesn't shove it in your face. 6. Zach (Once Again) Steals the Show Interestingly enough, they have decided to center the movie around Zach Galifianakis's character, Alan, who has gone off the rails following his father's death. In fact, the craziness of the movie starts when they're driving Alan to rehab. The character goes through a noticeable arc and it's great that director Todd Phillips and his creative team decided to at least try to emotionally anchor the movie (somewhat). It might not always work, but the scenes between Galifianakis and an un-credited Melissa McCarthy are easily the most enjoyable in the movie. 7. Oscar Nominee Bradley Cooper Is Pretty Wasted Bradley Cooper, coming off of last year's amazing "Silver Linings Playbook," is more or less a background extra in this movie (although one that gets to say the F-word a lot). Although, he does get one truly amazing moment: as he's dangling off the edge of Caesar's Palace and Alan is trying to take a cell phone photo of him, he first gets annoyed and then pauses and says, "Did you get it?" It's a very real, very funny little bit and a testament to Cooper's power as an actor. 8. Stay Through the Credits It's not exactly a Marvel movie teaser, but it's worth sitting through the credits (don't worry, you won't have to sit through the whole thing). It's like an alternate reality glimpse of what this movie could have been (you'll be very thankful it wasn't like this). 9. John Goodman Is Great After appearing in a bunch of Oscar-caliber movies last year ("Argo," "Flight," "ParaNorman"), Goodman gets to turn in an appropriately hammy performance as the chief bad guy. He gets one of the best lines (too good to spoil here) and gets to thunder around, menacing people, and barking orders. It's unlikely "The Hangover Part III" will follow in those films' Oscar-nominated footsteps, unless a new category is created for Least Believable Depiction of a Giraffe Decapitation. 10. It Really Does Feel Like the Last One Thankfully it goes out on a high note; this is easily the best of the three. Whew.

Morgan Freeman Falls Asleep During Interview for New Movie

Drew Taylor — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:40:54 EDT

The publicity circuit for a new movie can be exhausting -- as an actor you've got to do countless interviews and promotional spots, trumpeting a film that you might not even like that much. But very few times has this level of exhaustion been captured on tape... until now. While Morgan Freeman was doing local TV interviews with Michael Caine for their new magician thriller "Now You See Me," he nodded off several times (more like "Now You Zzzz Me," right?). While Caine was being enthusiastic about the movie, discussing the scale of the tricks, Freeman begins to close his eyes. Then his head droops and you realize, he's taking a little nap. The interviewer (from a Fox affiliate in Seattle) either doesn't realize that he's temporarily lost the "Shawshank Redemption" star or doesn't want to bring it to anyone's attention, so he lobs a softball question about what it takes to be a narrator, and everybody is once again on the same page. Seeing a movie star fall asleep during an interview is like capturing footage of bigfoot and a unicorn making out; it's the rarest of the rare. "Now You See Me," which also stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Isla Fisher, Melanie Laurent, Dave Franco, and Elias Koteas, opens on May 31st. [via Q13Fox h/t Gawker]

'We're the Millers' Trailer: Jennifer Aniston Strips Down

Drew Taylor — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:40:51 EDT

If your hunger for raunchy humor (and Mexican locations) isn't satisfied by this weekend's "The Hangover, Part III," then you can rest easy because "We're the Millers," an upcoming comedy starring Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, and Emma Roberts, is coming this August -- and it looks pretty funny. The movie, directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber ("Dodgeball"), concerns a small time pot dealer (Sudeikis) who is enlisted by a wealthy client (Ed Helms) to retrieve a staggering amount of weed from Mexico. Feeling that a family is a better cover for cross-country drug smuggling, he cajoles a local stripper (Aniston), a homeless teen (Roberts), and a nerd who lives in his building (Will Poulter) to pose as a family. They're the Millers. As the trailer suggests, things get out of control. Honestly it's amazing how much they get away with showing in a green-band trailer (there's also a red-band equivalent that's only slightly more risqué), which includes Aniston doing a pretty vigorous striptease. It looks like there will be some pretty notable cameos, too, like the always-hilarious Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn playing a couple of swingers. Coming at the tail end of summer, we'll need all the laughs we can get after being pummeled into submission by all the big budget action and superhero movies we can handle. "We're the Millers" opens on August 9th.