Ian McKellen Ceased Elijah’s Punk Music on ‘The Hobbit’ Set
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: MGM, New Line, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Sequels, Celebrity Gossip, Filmmaking, Upcoming Releases,
Ian McKellen made a deal with Elijah Wood to stop him playing punk rock songs when they were filming The Hobbit.
The 73-year-old screen legend wasn't a fan of the 31-year-old actor's choice of music when they were in the make-up trailer together, so had to find a compromise which worked for them both.
"We brokered a deal, where he could have 15 minutes of music, then I could have 15 minutes of no music," McKellen told Empire.
The star had a great time reprising his role as Gandalf the wizard for the movie - a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy - but admits some of the modern shooting techniques left him in tears. In the film, Gandalf is a huge man and in order to make the scenes with the diminutive hobbits and dwarves look convincing McKellen had to film his scenes on his own, and the process depressed him:
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Emma Watson Starts a Band with Co-Stars
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Drama, Romance, Celebrity Gossip, New Releases,
Emma Watson formed a band with her co-stars from The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The 22-year-old actress teamed up with her castmates - including Logan Lerman - to start a group called Octopus Jam and write some songs.
"Throughout the movie we all made music together. Our band was called Octopus Jam. I sing and Logan Lerman is a classical composer, and he created a piece for me. Most nights we would sit and play music, so that was fun," she said.
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Russell Brand Ready to Rock New Film
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Adaptation, Music, Comedy, Casting, Celebrity Gossip, Upcoming Releases,
Forgetting Russell Brand just isn’t possible anymore. When the British-born comedian hosted MTV’s VMAs in 2008, he was relatively unknown. Now, he’s cropping up in star-studded comedies and pulling in huge bucks at the box office. He’s playing himself in Hop, the biggest movie hit of the year, and next week he’ll lead Arthur to the theaters.
Now, we’re hearing Brand is returning to his movie roots: he’ll be playing a rock star in an upcoming film role. He played eccentric star Aldous Snow in both Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek, to much success. Rumor says that Brand is negotiating a role in Rock of Ages, a big screen adaptation of the Broadway hit of the same name. The plot centers on a 1980s rock bar in LA owned by a washed-up rocker (Alec Baldwin). Happening star Stacee Jax (Tom Cruise) will headline a concert sponsored by the bar. Reportedly, Brand will play Lonny, the bar’s operator.
Mary J. Blige and Julianne Hough are already attached to the film, a gossip says that Amy Adams is in talks for another role.
Read More 
| Huffington Post
Gypsy Remake Starring Barbra Streisand Canceled
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Adaptation, Remakes, Casting, Celeb News,
Barbra Streisand will no longer be playing Rose in the planned Gypsy film remake -- the movie’s no longer getting made.
Arthur Laurents, who wrote the book that inspired the original 1959 Broadway musical, has withdrawn rights permission for the film. He maintains that Barbra Streisand had nothing to do with his decision, but he never liked the 1962 film version of the story in the first place.
Streisand’s rep hasn’t commented on the sudden change in plans.
Read More | LA Times
Willow Smith to Star in Annie Remake
Somebody cue Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons, because we just discovered the Worst. Remake. Ever…and, it hasn’t even been made yet. Take a good look at Will Smith’s pretty daughter Willow. Now, imagine her with red hair.
Actually, the red hair is probably the first thing that’s going to go in the new Annie remake, and that’s only one of the reasons this is the worst idea we’ve ever heard. Willow Smith will take on the iconic role in a new film that’s being produced by -- guess who? -- her daddy’s company Overbrook Entertainment.
Our knee-jerk dislike of the remake idea (the original film, made in 1982, has long been filed in our Untouchable Classics category) probably won’t affect the Smiths, who may soon officially change their surname to Midas. After Jaden Smith raked in more than $300 million in his Karate Kid remake that featured absolutely no actual karate, there’s nothing this family can’t pull off.
Annie is the story of a redheaded orphan whose life is changed when she is adopted by the fantastically rich Daddy Warbucks. Carol Burnett defined the role of the mean orphanage owner who helps concoct a scam to steal Annie back from Warbucks, which eventually fails. The movie, like the Broadway musical that preceded it, is peppered with sensational songs.
And perhaps now, Willow’s “Whip My Hair.” Re-using old scripts is awesome.
Read More | Huffington Post
Aretha Franklin: Halle Berry Should Be Me
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Biopics, Music, Casting, Rumors,
Aretha Franklin has been very vocal in her wish that Halle Berry should play her on the big screen. When asked about the role, Berry said she was very flattered by Aretha’s wish, but that she can’t sing a note. Franklin, however, doesn’t care.
“I never expected Halle to sing,” Aretha reportedly told a source. “She’s an actress, not a singer. Many actors have portrayed vocalists by lip-syncing to the artist’s original recordings.”
Faking it is a time-honored tradition in Hollywood (see: Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady), but we’d like to offer Franklin two more names she ought to consider: Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson. Both women are accomplished actresses, and both could certainly belt out an Aretha song for the big screen.
Read More | Perez Hilton
New Film Explores Life of Young John Lennon
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Biopics, Drama, Music, Trailers, Upcoming Releases,
John Lennon is known the world over as a prolific songwriter, a slightly mad genius whose musical gifts were, at times, far too heady for the public at large. We also know of his tragic end, which came much too soon.
What many do not know is the story that came before The Beatles and before the fame—the young John Lennon in his pre-musical giant days. Nowhere Boy, an ambitious new film, plans to paint that picture clearly for audiences.
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Read More | Yahoo! News
Sacha Baron Cohen to Play Queen’s Freddie Mercury
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Biopics, Drama, Music, Casting, Upcoming Releases, Videos,
Sacha Baron Cohen will be sporting a mustache once again for his next movie.
The actor, best known as his alternate personality Borat, has been tapped to play late singer Freddie Mercury in a film about rock band Queen.
The movie will focus on the band’s early years up to their performance at Live Aid in 1985. (You can see clips from that event above and after the jump.) Oscar nominee Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen) will pen the script.
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Read More | Daily Mail
No Best Song Performances at the Academy Awards
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Music, Awards,
If you’ve ever found yourself tuning out during the ritual Academy Awards musical performances, this announcement may come as good news to you: next month’s telecast won’t be featuring any.
To be clear - I should, of course, say the Best Song nominees won’t be performing any. I wouldn’t be surprised if co-producer Adam Shankman threw a musical montage into the broadcast somewhere.
While I can’t say I would entirely miss that portion of the program, it saddens me to think that beautiful songs like “Falling Slowly” (Once) might not get the attention they deserve. And where else could you possibly see “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” performed before a sea of tuxedos?
Click to continue reading No Best Song Performances at the Academy Awards
Read More | Entertainment Weekly
Leonardo DiCaprio taking lessons to sound like Frank Sinatra
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Universal, Biopics, Casting, Upcoming Releases,
Leonardo DiCaprio is taking singing lessons to sound like Frank Sinatra. Leo is hoping to portray the legendary Sinatra in a new biopic, but needs to prove to director Martin Scorsese he has the vocal talent to carry it off. “Leonardo has hired a top vocal coach to get him sounding like Sinatra. He is a massive fan of the singer and has always wanted to play him. He would be upset to miss out on the leading role because his singing wasn’t up to scratch. He is now in intensive vocal coaching lessons to replicate Sinatra’s distinctive style.” said a source.
However, Leonardo faces competition from stars including George Clooney, Justin Timberlake, Harry Connick Jr. and Jamie Foxx. It was recently claimed Jamie - who played jazz musician Ray Charles in Ray - is being lined up to portray the Rat Pack singer after film bosses saw similarities between the two stars’ backgrounds.
Click to continue reading Leonardo DiCaprio taking lessons to sound like Frank Sinatra
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