On Gear Live: Samsung S95C: The OLED TV You Can’t Afford (to Ignore!)

Lionsgate Picks Up Kick-Ass

Kick-Ass finds a distributorMark Millar and John Romita Jr.‘s brutal, satirical comic book, Kick-Ass, turned quite a few heads last month when a clip from the film adaptation was showcased at San Diego Comic Con. One of those heads turned out to be the key to landing their U.S. and Canadian distributor, Lionsgate Films.

Director Matthew Vaughn has, with the help of his own company Marv Films and Plan B Entertainment, financed the film after studios turned it down (most likely due to prepubescent Hit Girl’s uber samurai-carnage).

Lionsgate, which aims to see a wide-release in 2010, beat out Universal, Paramount and Fox Searchlight (among others) for the rights.

Considering its proclivity towards violence (Saw, The Midnight Meat Train, Hostel: Part II) and eyebrow-raising material (Religulous, W.), I would say that Vaughn and company should feel safe in the company’s money-making arms.

Read More | The Hollywood Reporter

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Remake News: The Orphanage, Twilight Zone and More


The Orphanage: One of the most haunting movies I’ve seen in the past few years is being given an English-language redo. The Orphanage, the 2007 Spanish film from director Juan Antonio Bayona, will now be in the hands of Larry Fessenden. Guillermo del Toro, the producer on the original project, will serve the same role on this version. Guillermo also assisted Larry with the new script.

Click to continue reading Remake News: The Orphanage, Twilight Zone and More


Casting Corner: Jon Hamm, Billy Crudup and More

Jon HammBilly Crudup

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Jon Hamm: The Mad Men star has been cast opposite Ben Affleck in The Town, a film that Affleck will also direct. Ben will play a career thief who becomes romantically-involved with a bank manager (Vicky Cristina Barcelona‘s Rebecca Hall). Unfortunately, an FBI agent (Hamm) hunting the criminal also has his eyes set on the same woman. Production starts this month in Boston.

Click to continue reading Casting Corner: Jon Hamm, Billy Crudup and More


Warner Bros. Casts Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern

Ryan Reynolds cast as Hal Jordan/Green LanternFor what seemed like decades, Warner Bros. had been searching for the star of their latest comic book adaptation, Green Lantern. They finally announced yesterday that they would be picking The Proposal star Ryan Reynolds, who beat out The Hangover‘s Bradley Cooper, Justin Timberlake, and Jared Leto.

He also beat out my beloved Nathan Fillion, whom fans have shown support for through homemade trailers. Of course, unfortunately studios tend to pick the bigger names over those who are more capable and suitable for the role. I mean we’re talking about Ryan Reynolds, the current king of romantic comedies who somehow conned Scarlett Johansson into marrying him (and did so by asking via text message). And as such, if he’s not in a romantic comedy, he’s always playing a wise-cracking smart-ass with little or no dynamic.

I have to give credit where credit is due, and unfortunately he does get kudos for scoring roles as both Marvel and DC superheroes—he’s so far the first and only.

He’ll be playing the Silver Age version of the Green Lantern, test pilot Hal Jordan. The film is expected to hit theaters December 2010.

Read More | E! Online

The Colorful Characters from Burton’s Alice in Wonderland

Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter

No matter how you feel about ‘s uneven work (Mars Attacks? Planet of the Apes?), there’s one thing that cannot be denied: His films are a visual treat.

Next year, the director will introduce , an adaptation of the Lewis Carroll story. The movie, which uses live action and performance-capture technology, will be offered in 3-D.

Click to continue reading The Colorful Characters from Burton’s Alice in Wonderland

Read More | ScreenCrave

Possible Strikeout for Soderbergh’s Moneyball

Moneyball's Steven Soderbergh and Brad Pitt

It looks like may have struck out just days before its planned start.

Although production was set to begin on Monday, Columbia Pictures head Amy Pascal has placed the film in limited turnaround. This means the adaptation of Michael Lewis’ Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game might not be seen at all. had been committed to play Billy Beane, the real-life baseball player turned Oakland A’s manager. The book told the story of Beane’s use of computer-based analysis - instead of a deep pocket book - to build a competitive baseball team.

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Read More | Variety

First Look: Bana and McAdams in The Time Traveler’s Wife


Oh dear. If a two-minute trailer can get me teary-eyed…I doubt I could ever make it through the book.

, thanks to her performance in The Notebook, has already proven a talent for weepy romances. Now it looks as if she will do it again.

In The Time Traveler’s Wife, McAdams stars as Clare, the wife of a man with a rare genetic disorder. (Star Trek) plays Henry DeTamble, the husband who has no control over his random journeys. The story is based on the Audrey Niffenegger novel of the same name.

Look for the adaptation to unfold in theaters on August 14.


First Look: Leonardo DiCaprio in Scorsese’s Shutter Island


When comes calling, the stars show up.

For his first film since Revolutionary Road, Leonardo DiCaprio reteams with his three-time director for , another Boston-area set thriller from author Dennis Lehane (Gone Baby Gone, Mystic River). The story centers around a search for a criminally-insane patient from a mental institution.

, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson, Ben Kingsley, Jackie Earle Haley, Emily Mortimer and Max von Sydow all join DiCaprio for this adaptation. Shutter Island opens on October 2.


A-Team Hoping to Recruit Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper and A-Team's Face

The success of The Hangover has put Bradley Cooper on the .

Cooper’s $45 million weekend was just capped off with news of a makeover. The former Alias star is now in official talks to join a big-screen adaptation of the NBC series. Bradley is line to play Lt. Templeton Peck (a.k.a. “Faceman” or “Face”), the part originated in the ‘80s by Dirk Benedict.

Actor could also make up a quarter of that memorable group. The Taken star is currently in negotiations to step in as Col. John “Hannibal” Smith. That cigar-smoking character was made popular by George Peppard.

Click to continue reading A-Team Hoping to Recruit Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper

Read More | Variety

Casting Corner: Simon Baker, James McAvoy, Christina Aguilera and More

Simon BakerChristina Aguilera

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Simon Baker: The Mentalist hunk has been added to an adaptation of a Jim Thompson novel. The Killer Inside Me, a tale about a sheriff turned murderer, will feature Baker as a attorney on the hunt for the killer (Casey Affleck). Jessica Alba will star as a prostitute while Kate Hudson will play Affleck’s girlfriend.

Click to continue reading Casting Corner: Simon Baker, James McAvoy, Christina Aguilera and More


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