Tuesday, July 31, 2012

'Rush Hour' Producer Wants Fourth Movie To Be 'Gritty'

Rush Hour

By Ryan Gowland

The past five years have been completely "Rush Hour" sequel-free, but whether you've been craving a fourth installment to the franchise or not, one is in the works anyway as long as it's "done the right way" which apparently still means Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker and Brett Ratner.

That seemed like an impossibility a year ago, when Ratner told Vulture that it would be too expensive "to pay me, Chris [Tucker], and Jackie [Chan] to come back" for "Rush Hour 4," but according to franchise producer Arthur Sarkissian, that's exactly what's happening.

Read more after the jump!

"I am working on 'Rush Hour 4' right now with Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan," Sarkissian told Crave Online at the Television Critics Association press tour. "I'm trying to do it closer to how I did 'Rush Hour 1,' more down to earth, more gritty, introduce two new characters and make it real the way the first one was. I personally was not happy with the third one. I thought 1 and 2 were very good. I think 3 got out of hand a little bit. It's not a matter of just bringing them back to do another segment of that or a sequel to it by putting them in another city and having them bicker. I don't want that. I want something new."

Who exactly those "two new characters" might be is unknown, but Sarkissian suggested that they could be two younger cops or perhaps wives of the two leads. "Maybe younger, maybe Chris is now married, maybe Jackie is married to Octavia Spencer, I don't know," said Sarkissian, adding Spencer's name into the mix even though "The Help" actress did not appear in any of the "Rush Hour" films. "Married to Chris's cousin, they live in Shanghai, Chris goes out to visit them. I don't know."

Without a screenplay written, Sarkissian is merely speculating about the potential sequel, though it is still possible Ratner could be brought in to direct, despite Sarkissian's admitted unhappiness with "Rush Hour 3," saying that if Ratner "wants to do it he's more than welcome to do it, but he's got to do it in the right way." That would mean adhering to Sarkissian's "gritty" take, which could mean a sequel that takes its inspiration from the "Fast and the Furious" franchise.

"One of the things that surprised me and actually excited me was how they did 'Fast Five,'" said Sarkissian. "They kept the characters, they took them and they put them in a whole different world. They put them in the world of a heist movie and it worked. I think that was brilliant what they did because if you're not careful, what happens is you just keep repeating yourself."

According to Sarkissian, both Chan and Tucker are interested in returning, and more will likely be revealed once he chooses between the "four or five names" of screenwriters that they are considering.

Do you want to see a fourth "Rush Hour"? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags brett ratner, Chris Tucker, jackie chan, rush hour 4



Exclusive 'Harry Potter Wizards' Collection' Clip: Changing Directors

In honor of Harry Potter's 32nd birthday, MTV Movies Blog is proud to bring you an exclusive clip from the upcoming ultimate Blu-ray and DVD collection, "Harry Potter Wizard's Collection."

In the clip above, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Alfonso Cuarón look back at the making of "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," when the series' original director, Chris Columbus, stepped down.

Learn more about the collection after the jump!

For "Prisoner of Azkaban," Cuarón assigned Radcliffe, Grint, and Emma Watson with some homework. They had to write essays about their characters' backgrounds. True to Hermione, Harry, and Ron, Watson wrote the most, Radcliffe wrote a few pages, and Grint just didn't do it.

The featurette comes from the 31-disc "Harry Potter Wizard's Collection," which will be available on September 7, but orders must be made by July 31, if you'd like to own the set.

What did you think about the clip? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags Harry Potter



Emma Stone To Star In Cameron Crowe's Next Film

Emma Stone

By Ashleigh Schmitz

Big screen "it-girl" of the moment, Emma Stone has recently joined Cameron Crowe's new movie, an untitled love story, with Sony Pictures. Deadline reports that Crowe will direct the film, which has a "tone reminiscent of past Crowe films 'Almost Famous' and 'Jerry Maguire.'"

This film has the potential to be great, considering that Stone hasn't made any real missteps with her choices and Crowe's projects are usually smart and poignant. Add to that equation executive producer Scott Rudin, who has been behind many Oscar-winning and nominated movies in recent years ("Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close", "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and "Moneyball" from last year alone), and this film has huge momentum going into production.

While story details are limited, Jeff Sneider of Variety tweeted late yesterday, "After sitting on a shelf for years, Crowe's recent rewrite of DEEP TIKI has the project gaining momentum at Sony again..." not long before Deadline's exclusive, leading many to believe that Crowe's "Deep Tiki" script is moving forward with Stone and a yet to be named male lead rather than Reese Witherspoon and Ben Stiller, who were both previously attached to the project.

Crowe is scheduled to begin directing the film next spring, and if everything continues according to plan, The Playlist estimates that the film will hit theaters sometime in 2014.

Next up for Stone is "Gangster Squad," which recently moved its release date from September to January due to re-shoots.

Is Emma Stone a good fit for Cameron Crowe? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags cameron crowe, emma stone



Monday, July 30, 2012

Warner Bros. Working On 'The Shining' Prequel

Image of Warner Bros. Working On 'The Shining' Prequel

'Skyfall' Olympic TV Spot: The Unflappable James Bond

Image of 'Skyfall' Olympic TV Spot: The Unflappable James Bond

Michael Cera Tours 'Arrested Development' Sets

Michael Cera Arrested Development

The new season of "Arrested Development" is happening. We mean actually, for real happening. Last week, Ron Howard tweeted out a picture of the first script, which was a nice sign of progress but not close enough to making new episodes a reality.

Then today, Jason Bateman tweeted out two pictures of the under-construction set with a familiar face taking a tour. Yep, that's George Michael himself (not the famous singer-songwriter), Michael Cera walking around the model home and Lucille's apartment. Oh the memories!

Check out the full pictures after the jump!

Bateman tweeted out the two pictures with the captions "My son, arriving yesterday" and "A grandson, looking for his Gangee," which get us excited, but not nearly as pumped as we are to see Cera resting his hands on his back and closing his eyes for one picture in ways that couldn't be more George Michael.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

'The Watch,' 'Step Up,' And More: Double Feature Friday!

Attack the Watch

This week in theaters, there are aliens in the neighborhood, an imaginary girl in real life, and something wrong with the fried chicken.

Check out all of this week's pairings in Double Feature Friday!

"The Watch" & "Attack the Block"
Some of the television ads for "The Watch" have downplayed the science fiction elements of the comedy, but one look at the full synopsis for this alien invasion flick and memories of last year's instant cult classic "Attack the Block" should come rushing back. Joe Cornish's original "aliens in the neighborhood" film boasts genuine laughs, scares and enough gore to satiate the more hardcore horror fans. It was the kind of the movie that was so original and so clearly well-made that it compelled you to anticipate whatever comes next from the filmmaker. Definitely check it out instead.

"Step Up Revolution" & "Scarface"
Listen, I understand that using dance as a way to call attention to the gaps between the classes and bring about permanent social change in Miami might be the P.C. way to address the climate of today, but back in the 80s, all you needed was a lot of cocaine and some balls. The release of the fourth "Step Up" movie calls for a look back on the real Miami revolution, which occurred back in 1983, was directed by Brian De Palma, and starred Al Pacino.

"Ruby Sparks" & "Little Miss Sunshine"
After six years away, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are back in the director's chair with their latest heart-warming offering "Ruby Sparks." Their first feature film, "Little Miss Sunshine," earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, won for Best Original Screenplay, and started the trend of calling every year's indie-Academy crossover "This year's 'Little Miss Sunshine.'" It's likely that you haven't gone back to this film in a while, but it holds up and is worth the revisit.

"Killer Joe" & "The French Connection"
William Friedkin makes hard movies. This is the guy behind "The Exorcist" and "The French Connection." His latest film, "Killer Joe" continues that tradition with some serious gross-outs, so why not go back and see where he came from with the movie that won him an Academy Award for Best Director. Gene Hackman is in rare form in this hard-nosed 1971 crime drama about drug smuggling in New York City. Hackman plays Popeye Doyle, and once you see "The French Connection," you won't forget it.

What are you watching this weekend? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

If one movie is never enough for you and you're looking for a flick to get you in the mood for this week's new release, Double Feature Friday is here to help. Every week we break down the new releases and pair them with older movies that you should catch before heading out to the theater. Or just skip the new movie and check out the classic we recommend.

Tags Killer Joe, ruby sparks, step up revolution, the watch



'The Master' Moves Up, 'Killing Them Softly' Pushed Back In Dailies

The Master

Do you want the good news or the bad news first? The good news is that "The Master" has been moved up to September. The bad news is that we have to wait longer for "Killing Them Softly."

Also, find out about moonshine and learn how to make meth in today's Dailies!

» The next movie from "Kill List" director Ben Wheatley sounds amazing. [The Playlist]

» Learn all about moonshine in this new "Lawless" infographic. [Crave Online]

Clint Eastwood, Justin Timberlake Drink In 'Trouble With The Curve' Pics

Trouble with the curve

We've been anxiously awaiting Clint Eastwood's next film "The Trouble with the Curve" for a while now. Not only is Eastwood returning from his three-year retirement to act in a movie directed by someone else'in this case, longtime producing partner Robert Lorenz in his feature film debut'but he's also teaming up with the likes of Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman.

Entertainment Weekly has our first look at the film, which is due out in theaters on September 28. The two stills the outlet premiered show Eastwood getting close with his onscreen daughter (played by Adams) as well as having some male bonding time with Timberlake's character.

"The Trouble with the Curve" tells the story of an aging Atlanta Braves scout with increasingly poor eyesight who goes on a road trip with his adult daughter to investigate "green power hitter" Bo Gentry (played by newcomer Joe Massingill). Timberlake plays a rival scout named Johnny who has a friendly history with Eastwood's character Gus, the man who scouted him when he was a baseball player.

'[Gus] gets his chance to prove whether he still has value as a scout'and as a dad,' Lorenz told EW. 'They're having trouble communicating. They always have, and now they've come to a point in the relationship where it's either going to change or it's not. He needs a little help, and she decides it's worth the effort.'

Johnny helps facilitate between Gus and his daughter, and of course develops an interest in her as well. According to EW, Gus is not pleased about their relationship, but that's only the tip of the iceberg in this emotional baseball drama.

What do you think of the first images from "The Trouble with the Curve"? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

Tags Clint-Eastwood, justin timberlake, The Trouble with the Curve



Friday, July 27, 2012

'Breaking Bad' Creator Vince Gilligan Wants To Do A Western Next

Vince Gilligan

As "Breaking Bad" moves on toward its destined-to-be-horrific ending, we're awaiting eagerly to see how thing work out for Walter White, but we're probably just as curious about what the show's mastermind, Vince Gilligan, will move onto next.

At the Saturn Awards, the fine fellows from Collider talked with Gilligan about where he'll set his sights after saying good-bye to Mr. White. His answer couldn't have pleased us more.

He wants to do a "pullout-all-the-stops Western." Sold.

Learn more after the jump!

We frankly love the idea, and Gilligan seems eager to further explore the genre.

"I would love to do a Western. And in fact I think of Breaking Bad as a Western in a great many senses. We shoot in beautiful Albuquerque, New Mexico. The enormous skies with the beautiful cumulus clouds and the stark desert landscapes make me think of 'America,' " Gilligan told Collider. " Indeed [Billy the Kid], one of the most famous western outlaws of American history, his stomping grounds were New Mexico. And apparently Jesse James made his way out there at some point. There's also all this marvelous Western history that takes place in the Southwest and in large part in New Mexico. I feel lucky that we shoot there and I'd love after this is all over just to do a full-out, pullout-all-the-stops Western."

At this point, we would pretty much blindly follow Gilligan where ever he chooses to go next, but the idea of a Western from him only make it easier.

Would you like to see a Vince Gilligan Western series? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags breaking bad, vince gilligan



Elisabeth Moss Will Return For Season Six of 'Mad Men'

Peggy Olson

By Ashleigh Schmitz

Fans of Elisabeth Moss on AMC's "Mad Men" can breathe a collective sigh of relief as creator Matthew Weiner confirms the actress will be back as Peggy Olson for the show's sixth season.

Moss 'is going to be on the show next year,' Weiner told TV Line. 'I can't say how much, in what capacity or what [her story] is going to be, but she has not left the show.'

Learn more after the jump!

Spoiler ahead!

In the fifth season Peggy quits her job at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce and accepts an offer from a competing firm. Prior to her season five departure she had flirted with the idea of leaving and joining former Sterling Cooper ad man Duck Philips at his new firm, but chose to stay.

Peggy's career move was cause for concern because 'when people leave Sterling Cooper, sometimes it is the end for [the character],' Weiner said.

Moss has earned Emmy nominations the last four years for her portrayal on "Mad Men" - in 2010 for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series and in 2009, 2011 and 2012 for outstanding lead actress in a drama series.

Are you glad Elisabeth Moss is returning? Let us know what you think in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men, matthew weiner, TV



Lady Gaga Dresses Appropriately For 'Machete Kills'

Lady Gaga Machete Kills

So far, the casting process for Robert Rodriguez's "Machete Kills" has made headlines with the addition of each new actor. First Rodriguez wanted Mel Gibson, and then he got Mel Gibson. Next thing you know, Charlie Sheen is playing the president of the United States.

Well, the latest cast member is a person we have come to expect the unexpected from, so it's not quite as surprising.

Lady Gaga has officially joined the cast of "Machete Kills," and Rodriguez tweeted out a picture of her in character for the announcement.

See the full image after the jump!

According to the image, Gaga will be playing a character called La Chameleón. All we really know about her at this point is her name, she "kicked SO MUCH ASS!" and she has a penchant for fur.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

The Rumored Third 'Hobbit' Movie: Our Mixed Feelings

Peter Jackson

Peter Jackson is really testing us here. With whispers of a third "Hobbit" movie floating around since San Diego Comic-Con, we're not really sure how to feel about any of this. The idea toys with two of our closest held beliefs: 1) there should be more Peter Jackson-direct Middle-earth movies and 2) they should be good movies.

We love the "Lord of the Rings" movies, and, not to get completely ahead of ourselves, but it looked like we were going to love the two "Hobbit" movies. Sure, stretching the relatively slim children's book into two movies seemed risky and slightly cash-grabby, but with the addition of the appendices material, we were sold. (Of course we want to see Gandalf and a team of wizards and elves fighting a Benedict Cumberbatch-voiced Sauron in the woods!)

Two films kind of made sense. We'll never turn down an additional trip to Middle-earth as long as we think there's a solid movie there. For all the planning that went into this nearly two-year production, there simply had to be a clear, delineated plan for how to break up the story into two films that could hold up to the one year break between them. Each installment would need a clear beginning, middle, and end, even if they were only one half of the story.

So for Jackson to want to shoot additional material next summer for a third film, that would significantly change that carefully constructed plan. Unless Jackson plans on filming a standalone movie in the two months he's requesting from Warner Bros, he'll have to pull footage and story elements from the other installments to make a third. This throws that plan off. Each chapter becomes a little barer.

But as some around the newsroom at MTV Movies Blog have pointed out, Jackson has earned our trust. The man knows storytelling better than us, so if actually he sees three movies, there are probably three movies in there somewhere. We'll have to wait and see what comes of this development, since nothing has been decided just yet. All of this fuss may have been for nothing.



'Life Of Pi' Trailer Sets Sail For Oscar Season

Image of 'Life Of Pi' Trailer Sets Sail For Oscar Season

'Gangster Squad' Release Postponed After Aurora Shooting

Gangster Squad

Yesterday, we reported that "Gangster Squad" would look significantly different when it debuts in September due to reshoots and recutting that became necessary after the massacre in Aurora, Colorado, but now it's clear that the extra work has made the original release date impossible.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros has postponed the Josh Brolin-Sean Penn led crime drama until January to make room for the required reshoots and edits. The scene at the heart of the controversy, where a team of gunmen open fire in a movie theater, eerily reflected last week's tragedy.

The studio is currently considering January 11, which only has one other movie scheduled to debut, "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters." The main concern for Warner Bros at this point is whether the cast will be available to do the reshoots and then do press for the film early next year.

Tags gangster squad



Tuesday, July 24, 2012

New 'Lawless' Photos Reintroduce Mask-less Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy

One film you'll have to keep an eye out for this August is "Lawless," the Prohibition-era bootlegging drama from Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, and director John Hillcoat. We had chance to check it out at a screening during San Diego Comic-Con, and it's worth looking forward to, especially after Hardy killed it in "The Dark Knight Rises."

Now there are some new photos (via Hey U Guys) featuring the Bondurant boys from the film. The images give you a pretty good idea of the look of the movie, plus we always appreciate any more sneak peeks at Guy Pearce as an eccentric lawman from up north.

Check out the images after the jump!

Lawless Gang

Lawless Pearce

Lawless Jessica Chastain



'Gangster Squad' Loses Theater Scene Following Colorado Shooting

Gosling gangster

Following the tragic shooting in Aurora, Colorado during a screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" Friday, Warner Bros. has opted to remove and reshoot some major scenes in their upcoming Los Angeles crime movie "Gangster Squad."

Variety has confirmed the Los Angeles Times' initial report that Warner will be scrapping the "Gangster Squad" scene where a group of the film's titular gangsters storm a movie theater with machine guns and kill many of those in attendance. That scene is depicted in "Gangster Squad's" trailer -- which, unfortunately, was being screened before "The Dark Knight Rises" -- and WB was quick to yank it from theaters on Friday as well.

In addition to losing that scene, Variety says that some other parts of the movie will be reshot as well, at least according to their source. At this point, it doesn't seem like "Gangster Squad" will be delayed from its September 7 release date. Warner Bros has not made an official statement about the matter yet.

This ultimately just amounts to bad timing for the Ruben Fleischer period drama, though Warner Bros is clearly making the right move going forward.

Variety reports that, like at Warner Bros, TV executives made sure to pull any TV episodes or movies that might be airing that have scenes that could be related back to the Aurora massacre. We're glad everyone in Hollywood is being so careful during such a sensitive time. Warner Bros is likely very glad right now that Batman has such an anti-gun stance in "The Dark Knight Rises," considering how violent that film is.

Do you think Warner Bros made the right move in yanking this scene and filming reshoots? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

Tags gangster squad



Toronto International Film Festival Line-Up Includes Malick, Affleck, Wachowskis

Looper

Has the summer movie season gotten you down? Did some of those hopeful-looking blockbusters disappoint you? Well, we have some good news for you. Today we learned the date of the start of fall movie season: September 6, the opening of the Toronto International Film Festival.

This year, the TIFF line-up is heavily skewed toward world premieres, instead of relying on repeats from Cannes and Sundance. Among the high-profile bows scheduled for the fest are Terrence Malick's "To The Wonder," the Wachowskis' "Cloud Atlas," and Rian Johnson's "Looper," which will open TIFF.

Read more about the line-up and check out the full list after the jump!

There's a lot to digest here, and every time we take another look at the list, we catch another surprise. There's "The Place Beyond The Pines," Derek Cianfrance's follow-up to "Blue Valentine" with Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" with Emma Watson has received some glowing reviews already. "Argo," "The Silver Lings Playbook," "Hyde Park On Hudson," there's so much here. Take in the list below (via The Playlist) and bask in the warmth of oncoming fall movies.

World Premieres
"Looper" (Rian Johnson) (Opening Film)
"Cloud Atlas" (The Wachowskis & Tom Tykwer)
"Argo" (Ben Affleck)
"The Silver Linings Playbook" (David O Russell)
"Love, Marilyn" (Liz Garbus)
"Free Angela And All Political Prisoners" (Shola Lynch)
"The Place Beyond The Pines" (Derek Cianfrance)
"Midnight's Children" (Deepa Mehta)
"Hyde Park On Hudson" (Roger Michell)
"Great Expectations" (Mike Newell)
"Inescapable" (Rubba Nadda)
"Twice Born" (Sergio Castellitto)
"English Vinglish" (Gauri Shinde)
"The Perks Of Being A Wallflower" (Stephen Chbosky)
"Thanks For Sharing" (Stuart Blumberg)
"End Of Watch" (David Ayer)
"Imogene" (Robert Puccini and Shari Springer Berman)
"A Late Quartet" (Yaron Zilberman)
"Much Ado About Nothing" (Joss Whedon)
"Frances Ha" (Noah Baumbach)
"The Time Being" (Nenad Cicin-Sain)
"Writers" (Josh Boone)
"At Any Price" (Ramin Bahrani)
"Venus And Serena" (Maiken Baird)
"Byzantium" (Neil Jordan)
"Quartet" (Dustin Hoffman)
"Ginger And Rosa" (Sally Potter)
"A Liar's Autobiography" (Ben Timlett, Bill JOnes, Jeff Simpson)
"Foxfire" (Laurnet Cantet)
"In The House" (Francois Ozon)
"The Impossible" (JA Bayona
"Hannah Arendt (Margarethe Von Trotta)
"Mr. Pip" (Andrew Adamson)
"Capital" (Costa-Gavras"
"The Attack" (Ziad Doueriri)
"Zaytoun" (Eran Riklis)
"The Deep" (Baltasar Kormakur)
"Dreams For Sale (Nishikawa Miwa)
"The Last Supper" (Lu Chuan)

International/North American Premieres
"To The Wonder" (Terrence Malick)
"Anna Karenina" (Joe Wright)
"The Reluctant Fundamentalist" (Mira Nair)
"The Company You Keep" (Robert Redford)
"Jayne Mansfield's Car" (Billy Bob Thornton)
"A Royal Affair" (Nikolai Arcel)
"Dangerous Liasons" (Hur Ji-Ho)
"Thermae Romae" (Hideki Takeuchi)
"Caught in the Web" (Chen Kaige)
"Dormant Beauty" (Marco Belloccchio)
"Everybody Has A Plan" (Ana Piterbarg) w/Viggo Mortensen
"Kon-Tiki" (Espen Sandberg
"Reality" (Matteo Garrone)
"A Few Hours Of Spring" (Stephan Brize)
"The Hunt" (Thomas Vintenberg)
"The Iceman" (Ariel Vromen)
"Lore" (Cate Shortland)
"No" (Pablo Larrain)
"Outrage Beyond" (Takeshi Kitano)
"Rust And Bone" (Jacques Audiard)
"The Sapphires" (Wayne Blair)
"Tai Chi O" (Stephen Fung)

Canadian Premiere
"The Sessions" (Ben Lewis)

What do you think of the TIFF line-up? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags Argo, Cloud Atlas, looper, Terrence Malick



Monday, July 23, 2012

Kenneth Branagh Says 'Screw It,' Casts Himself As 'Jack Ryan' Villain

'Dark Knight Rises' Round-Up: Legacies, Reasons And Cameos Aplenty

Dark Knight rises

by Ashleigh Schmitz

Bats, cats and a ticking time-bomb are just a few things about "The Dark Knight Rises" that have us counting down to second, third and fourth viewings. But they're not the only things making this film a great conclusion to Nolan's trilogy.

Read on for insight and interviews that will answer questions and push you in the direction of your nearest cinema!

Let's Go See The Movie
The tragedy in Colorado still hangs heavily on our minds, but "Dark Knight Rises" remains a movie well worth seeing. 'It is worth at least the one, glorious theatrical sitting. And even if one 'murdering psychopath' managed to sideline Bruce Wayne's crime-fighting career for eight years, I won't follow that example here," we argue, and neither should you.

Five Reasons To See "Dark Knight"
If you need further encouragement to see "Dark Knight," look no further than our five-point review. From lovely ladies joining the cast to a new, terrifying masked villain and the couldn't-have-dreamt-it-better ending, our five reasons for seeing the third installment of Nolan's trilogy will sway any naysayers.

Christopher Nolan Talks About The Opening Image
From bats to fire to ice, Nolan describes how the opening image from each of the three films sets the tone for each part of the trilogy. "I just like to try to open in the film with some sense of where the thing's going to go," he said. ''The Dark Knight' was the fire, 'Begins' was the bats. This was ice."

Who Was That Guy?
That guy from "Game of Thrones," "24," "The Wire" and "Justified" ' just a few of the almost-familiar faces from your favorite shows that you'll see in "Dark Knight." This article is your go-to guide for putting names to those faces you think you recognize, but just can't place, as well as a few that you might not have noticed at all.

Is This The Best Batman of the Trilogy?
A thoughtful look at how the last piece fits into the trilogy and holds its own as a singular film. MTV Movies writer Kevin P. Sullivan brings insight to why this movie deserves a place in history, and your heart, while encouraging you to judge it for yourself.

Tell us what you think of "The Dark Knight Rises" in the comments or on Twitter!

Tags the dark knight rises



Chris Hemsworth Could Star In Spielberg's 'Robopocalypse'

Robopocalypse

For a breakout whose success stems largely from the Marvel Universe, Chris Hemsworth has landed a number of high profile roles outside the world of capes and mystical hammers. The latest could be with one of the biggest directors of all time.

According to Deadline, Steven Spielberg wants Hemsworth to face the "Robopocalypse," the director's next project after this fall's "Lincoln."

The project comes from the novel by Daniel H. Wilson and a script by "Cabin in the Woods" director Drew Goddard.

Deadline didn't specify what role Hemsworth would be taking on, other than it would be the lead in the thriller about, well, the robot apocalypse.

This is all well and good'we love seeing Hemsworth getting more work'but when are we going to see some footage from "Lincoln"? Yes, the corpse of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is still festering in our minds, but, Steve, it's time. Let us see some Daniel Day Lincoln!

Do you want to see Chris Hemsworth in "Robopocalypse"? Let us know what you think in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags chris hemsworth, Robopocalypse, steven spielberg



Saturday, July 21, 2012

Learn How To Help Aurora, Colorado And The Victims Of The Shooting

TDKR Shooting

The folks over at Next Movie have put together a guide for doing whatever you can to help the victims, families and friends of those affected by the shooting in Aurora, Colorado.

You have find out more about helping out the Red Cross in Colorado by checking out the article.

Head over to MTV News to follow all of the latest from Aurora as updates come rolling in.



Friday, July 20, 2012

'Dark Knight Rises': The Cast's Best Films

TDKR

Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight Trilogy" always had the benefit of a brilliant ensemble cast, pulling from some of the best actors working today.

In preparation for "The Dark Knight Rises," we're taking a look back at some of the cast's best films.

Christian Bale - "The New World"
Unfairly considered the film that people forgive Terrence Malick for, "The New World" mixes the director's visually poetic style with a story older than our nation. Colin Farrell starts the film off as Captain John Smith and the lead of the film, but the movie then shifts its focus to Q'orianka Kilcher as Pocahontas and her relationship with John Rolfe, played by Bale, who fits easily into just about any time period. "The New World" comes with all the trappings of a Malick movie: stunning imagery, a dreamlike voice-over, and feelings that will stay with you long after the movie ends.

Anne Hathaway - "Rachel Getting Married"
Hathaway earned her first'but unlikely her last'Academy Award nomination for her role as a recovering drug addict in Jonathan Demme's examination of an unusual wedding. After ten years in and out of drug rehab programs, Hathaway's Kym may finally have found a cure. Her one-day pass for her sister's wedding results in an emotional look at the life of a family and the different kinds of relationships that come with it.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt - "Brick"
Rian Johnson's "Brick" takes the characters and tropes of a pre-war film noir (think Bogart) and transplants them, almost entirely intact, into a California public high school. The result is an experiment in genre that takes some adjusting to but delivers a familiar story in a completely fresh way. "Brick" made a strong argument for Gordon-Levitt's potential as a leading man and helped form the friendship between actor and director that led to their most recent collaboration, "Looper."

Tom Hardy - "Bronson"
Hardy's physical transformation for Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises" brings him back to the massive size he reached for Nicolas Winding Refn's hallucinatory story of the UK's most notorious inmate, Charles Bronson. The visuals and storytelling styles of "Bronson" make Refn's most recent film, "Drive," seem conventional by comparison, and Hardy's career took off after this film became a hit within festival circles and art house theaters.

Gary Oldman - "JFK"
Oliver Stone's conspiratorial, factually-dubious retelling of the Kennedy assassination is a masterwork of filmmaking. Regardless of the history behind the story, Stone examines the paranoia and unrest of the era in a way that transcends "accuracy," yet feels honest throughout. Oldman does his part, turning in one of his career's best performances as Lee Harvey Oswalt that is equal parts terrifying and intriguing.

What's your favorite movie featuring a "Dark Knight Rises" cast member? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags anne hathaway, christian bale, gary oldman, joseph gordon-levitt, the dark knight rises, Tom Hardy



Bryan Cranston Meets The Three-Breasted Alien In Dailies!

Bryan Cranston Alien

San Diego Comic-Con is the magical place where Walter White meets the three-breasted alien. It is a wonderful place.

Also, Jeremy Renner rides a bike, and Will Ferrell gets political in today's Dailies!

» Steven E. de Souza, the writer of such Amurican classics as "Commando" and "Predator" has some theories about the Bane/Bain Capital conspiracies. [Death and Taxes]

» Yes, we will post about every new photo that comes from "Looper." It's the only way we know how to cope. [The Playlist]

Looper JGL

» "The Campaign" gets four (count 'em) new TV spots. [ComingSoon.net]

'The Dark Knight Rises' Shooting Leaves At Least 12 Dead, 50 Wounded

Image of 'The Dark Knight Rises' Shooting Leaves At Least 12 Dead, 50 Wounded

Thursday, July 19, 2012

'Arrested Development' Movie Will Probably Feature Mae Whitman's Ann

If the latest rumors about the "Arrested Development" movie are true'as started via Twitter by Jason Bateman himself ' then we are very close to the first official day of filming of the highly-anticipated and long-delayed production.

In an effort to temper our excitement over the fact that the movie is actually happening, anytime MTV News encounters any of the series' stars we ask them for their thoughts on the project and what they know about the movie, which is exactly what went down when we encountered the criminally underrated, multi-talented Mae Whitman (aka George Michael's uber-Christian girlfriend Ann) recently at Entertainment Weekly's Comic-Con bash.

"My dream scenario is just that everybody gets brought back, every loose end is somehow incorporated because there were so many loose ends and what makes that show so special is all the small intricacies and how everybody ties in together," Whitman said when asked about her hopes and dreams for the big screen version. "To me it would be a grand finale fireworks thing if everybody somehow found this big connection and I definitely know that Mitch [Hurwitz] is extremely talented and will find a way to do that."

So what has she heard about her role in the film and how many days will she be filming?

"All I know that I can say is that wild horses couldn't keep me away."

We won't know for a while whether Ann makes a big appearance in the movie or new season, but in the meantime, look for Whitman's wonderful performance as part of the "special souls" in future hit, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."

Do you want to see Ann in the "Arrested Development" movie? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags arrested development, mae whitman



Spooky New 'ParaNorman' Images Materialize

Image of Spooky New 'ParaNorman' Images Materialize

'The Master' Teaser Poster Makes A Splash

The Master Poster

By Meg Malone

While we're excited to see Philip Seymour Hoffman take on his newly cast role in "Catching Fire," we're also intrigued by his upcoming film "The Master," especially since a new poster hit the web yesterday. The image was released via an exclusive from The Huffington Post.

Thoughts on this partially submerged imagery? The curvature shading in the poster and the sweat on the top portion are nice touches on the bottle look. In "The Master" trailer focusing on Joaquin Phoenix's character, Freddie Sutton, (you can watch at the movie's official website), we already know "drinking and dancing" was part of the lead-up to some incident so a bottle calls that to mind. Additionally, the wet direction of the poster also makes me think of those scenes in the trailer along the ocean as well.

Check out the full poster after the jump!

In "The Master," Hoffman portrays Lancaster Dodd, a religious leader and a man of many hats as he points out in the trailer. Dodd takes Freddie, whose life is not all that together, under his wing ' though the trailers seem to show that relationship becoming a bit rocky. Paul Thomas Anderson is directing and Amy Adams also rounds out the impressive core cast. As the Huffington Post pointed out, rumors (albeit denied ones) have circulated that the life of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard provided the basis for the film.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

'Finding Nemo' Sequel Actually Happening With Director Andrew Stanton

Finding Nemo

By Meg Malone

Let the happy memories of swimming along with Marlin and Dory (well, minus a few perils of the ocean here and there) come flooding back, because there's some exciting news on the Pixar front. In an exclusive report, Deadline confirmed that Andrew Stanton will be back for the sequel to the 2003 underwater adventure, "Finding Nemo."

Stanton directed and also co-wrote the screenplay for the original "Finding Nemo," which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. He later directed "Wall-E," which also earned an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and more recently, Stanton directed the live-action "John Carter," which premiered in March but unfortunately wasn't as hot a box office commodity as was hoped.

Deadline reported that the studio is said to be impressed with the concept Stanton has for the "Finding Nemo" sequel ' though, Deadline also noted that when it comes to development, Pixar doesn't provide comments. According to The Hollywood Reporter, in addition to Stanton joining the sequel as the director, the film will also be written by Victoria Strouse and produced by Lindsey Collins, and there is a potential 2016 theatrical release.

Spoiler Alert: Nemo was found by the end of the first movie, so we're wondering what direction this new project may take. I'm hoping we won't have to completely re-live the stress of Nemo's disappearance for a second time for the sake of avoiding emotional trauma. In any case, the ocean is a pretty big place, so we're sure something good will be dreamed up for our aquatic friends.

If you absolutely cannot wait for the sequel, fear not because as Deadline reminded us in their report, this September, "Finding Nemo" will be getting a 3-D theatrical re-release. I would love if some sort of marketing push was done to make 3-D goggles instead of 3-D glasses. Let's get that petition started!

What do you think a "Finding Nemo" sequel could look like? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!

Tags andrew stanton, finding nemo, pixar



Matt Damon On Rejoining 'Bourne': 'It's All About The Script'

The Bourne Legacy

Matt Damon might have been at Comic-Con to promote "Elysium," but he couldn't seem to get away from one major shadow from his past. The actor isn't starring in "The Bourne Legacy," though recently we found out that there might be room for him to return to the franchise that he made a hit. Now all people want to know is if he'd be interested in doing that.

'Look, I've been interested in doing another one for five years,' Damon told Crave Online. 'We just can't figure out the script. I'm up for it, but again it's all about the script, It's got to be a good one."

That reiterates what he's said in the past, and Damon went on to make similar statements to ComingSoon.net.

"I really want to do another one and I think Paul Greengrass does too," he said, "But I think it's the same question we've had after each one. If we really feel we can do it and that it will deserve to live with the other three that we did. If we can make one where we go into it feeling it can be even better than those, and it ends up being in that same ballpark, then we should do it. But If we can't, then we really should leave it alone."

E! Online also spoke to Damon about the project, and he gave them an answer from a different angle. "The Bourne Legacy" has a new star (Jeremy Renner) and a new director (Tony Gilroy, who wrote the first three), so Damon thinks there might not be room for him to return.

"I think the movie will be really good," Damon said of "The Bourne Legacy." "Tony [Gilroy] is really smart, he's a really good writer and a really good director and I'm sure he made a good movie. The question will be if they can franchise that movie, because if they can, then they'll be done with me. They'll just keep making those."

Somehow we doubt that anyone at Universal would turn down the opportunity to have a "Bourne" film team up Renner and Damon, but he does make a valid point. Even though producer Frank Marshall has said it's his dream to see the two of them onscreen together, we might need to wait several more years before that happens.

Would you want to see Damon return to the "Bourne" franchise? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

Tags matt damon, the bourne legacy



Jamie Foxx Almost Never Heard About 'Django Unchained'

Image of Jamie Foxx Almost Never Heard About 'Django Unchained'

Back when Smith was attached to the project, Foxx had the misfortune of finding out about the role after the fact. "When I saw it, I actually saw it on the internet and saw that Will Smith was playing him, so I was like, 'Wow, another great project that I didn't know anything about,' " Foxx said. "Then I quickly switched management."

Though Smith's attachment meant he couldn't have the role, Foxx celebrated the idea of that casting. "Really, I thought it was already gone. I thought, 'What a great opportunity for Will Smith to do something really, really courageous,' " he said. "I guess scheduling and other things came into play, and he wasn't able to."

Once Foxx was in the mix for the part, he spoke with Tarantino about what he could bring to the role. "Then I got a chance to meet Quentin with the whole process of looking for someone," Foxx said. "When I met him, I talked about my experiences growing up, me growing up in the South, and the words that I read on the page weren't so knee-jerk-ish for me, because these are things that people say in the South. It's not to say that anybody's good or bad in the South. It's just the way things are and were back then."

What did you think of the interview with Jamie Foxx? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags comic-con drive, Django Unchained, Jamie Foxx, quentin tarantino



Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Comic-Con: 'Hobbit' Cast Say Filming Was Like Returning Home

There are few properties as closely associated with geek culture as the world of J.R.R. Tolkien and "Lord of the Rings," so naturally "The Hobbit" had to make a San Diego Comic-Con appearance ahead of its December bow.

Some of the cast members stopped by MTV News' space at Comic-Con to talk about returning to Middle-earth and bringing that world to the convention.

One of the newest cast members, Richard Armitage, who plays Thorin the dwarf, was happy to bring the fans what they love. "It's been awesome, and coming here today and seeing the way the fans are expecting the film, it's really exciting, because you see that expectation and the love for the books and the trilogy," he said. "So that's been great."

Gandalf the Grey'sorry, Ian McKellen couldn't tell much of a difference, filming "The Hobbit" as opposed to "Lord of the Rings." "Much of it is the same. If you've got 900 people working on the set one day, we'll probably know them all by sight, and you [Serkis] probably know everyone's name," he said. "I'm not as diligent as that, but the new people are the actors, so a lot of new actors, but they're not new to us because we've know them of old, from back home in the U.K. It feels very much the same but a little bit different. A little bit more streamlined."

Andy Serkis shared many of the same insights, expect that everyone seemed older. "We're all a little bit older, and there are more children about on set," he said. "The crew is fantastic. Literally, it is a bit of a time warp actually, isn't it? Because they're exactly the same people doing exactly the same jobs. Apart from that, the energy and the feel of it is pretty similar."

What was your favorite panel at Comic-Con? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags comic-con drive, Ian McKellen, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey



Is There A Three-Breasted Alien In 'Total Recall'?: An Investigation

Image of Is There A Three-Breasted Alien In 'Total Recall'?: An Investigation

San Diego Comic-Con wasn't all fun and games. There were important issues that needed to be discussed with the important people involved. Chief among them, obviously, is whether or not there will be a three-breasted alien in "Total Recall."

Next Movie sent a correspondent out into the field (aka the Sony press line) to get to the bottom of this hot-button issue and find out the truth once and for all.

There you have it. There will be a three-breasted alien in "Total Recall." Although, they could have just watched this trailer from about a month ago to find that out, but it's a lot more fun to ask Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Are you glad to hear the three-breasted alien made the cut? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags Comic-Con, total recall



Johnny Depp Will Star In New Wes Anderson Film

Johnny Depp

By Meg Malone

While we are used to seeing Johnny Depp and Tim Burton collaborations, this time Depp will be working with another beloved director of quirky-awesome films. Yesterday Deadline reported that Wes Anderson has tapped Johnny Depp to star in "The Grand Budapest Hotel" ' an upcoming project that Anderson wrote and will also be directing.

This news appears to confirm a report from last week via Twitch that said Anderson had approached Depp ' as well as a host of other big names including Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Edward Norton and Jude Law ' to appear in a yet-to-be-titled project. With the news of Depp's casting, it seems likely that "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is this previously name-unknown project, so here's to hoping the rest of the potential casting from that initial report comes to fruition as well.

Anderson's latest, "Moonrise Kingdom," arrived in theaters in May, and at the recent San Diego Comic-Con, the trailer screened for Depp's film "The Lone Ranger," which is set for a July 3, 2013 release.

In the meantime while we wait for more details on "The Grand Budapest Hotel," may I suggest we all play a big ol' round of "Wes Anderson Bingo" to celebrate this casting news?

What do you think a Johnny Depp and Wes Anderson movie would look like? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!

Tags johnny depp, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson



Monday, July 16, 2012

Peter Jackson Toys With Possibility Of Third 'Hobbit' Movie

The Hobbit

Could there be three "Hobbit" movies? If the way Peter Jackson discussed shooting additional footage during the WB press conference at San Diego Comic-Con is any indication, it certainly seems like a possibility.

While Jackson said that all reports of a third movie were premature, he conceded that he's leaving his options open about what to do with all the material.

"It's very premature. I mean we have an incredible source material with the appendices because 'The Hobbit' is obviously a novel but we also have the rights to use this 125 pages of additional notes where Tolkien expanded the world of 'The Hobbit' published at the end of 'Return of the King' and we've used some of it so far and just in the last few weeks as we've been wrapping up the shooting and thinking about the shape of the story, Fran and I have been talking to the studio about other things we haven't been able to shoot and seeing if we persuade them to do a few more weeks of shooting, probably more than a few weeks actually, next year," Jackson said.

"And what form that would actually end up taking, well the discussions are pretty early. So there isn't really anything to report but there's other parts of the story that we'd like to tell that we haven't been able to tell yet."

In Jackson's opinion, all of the "Hobbit" source material spins the film more toward the realm of children's movie. Adding the side plot about Gandalf's quest brought it closer to "Lord of the Rings." "And it was all together a lot darker and more serious than what is written in 'The Hobbit'," Jackson said. "And also to be honest I want to make a series of movies that run together so if any crazy lunatic wants to watch them all in a row there will be a consistency to it, a consistency of tone."

The director also said that the appendices material allows the narrative to make an easier transition into the darker tones of "Lord of the Rings." "So I don't want to make a children's story to go into 'The Lord of the Rings' so we are providing a balance. I mean a lot of the comedy and the charm comes from the characters. You're dealing with Bilbo Baggins who is a bit more reluctant to go on an adventure than Frodo was and with Dwarves who have a personality and camaraderie all of their own, so there's a lot of humor but there are still some serious themes involved."

Would you like a third "Hobbit" movie? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags Comic-Con, peter jackson, the-hobbit



'Looper' Is In The Tradition 'Blade Runner,' Says Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt might be making a name for himself in movies like "(500) Days of Summer," "The Dark Knight Rises" and "50/50," but it will likely be Rian Johnson's "Looper" that defines him as an actor.

JGL took to the stage during "Looper's" Hall H Comic-Con panel to admit that this is the first movie that's ever been written specifically for him. When he talked to MTV News exclusively earlier that day, he said he thinks that "Looper" will go down as one of the greatest sci-fi films around.

"It's a sci-fi movie in the tradition of 'Blade Runner,' 'The Matrix' or 'Inception' that gives you a lot to think about," he said. "It's got the badass action, and it's a thrill if you want to just watch it for that. But if you want to, you can find a really dignified drama underneath the genre."

Fans of Gordon-Levitt's work with Johnson in "Brick" should be excited to see them reunite in "Looper" because apparently they have been working on this project ever since the 2005 film wrapped. Gordon-Levitt said Johnson has spent so much time thinking about "Looper" over the years that every twist and turn is fully realized, and that makes for a better movie.

"He and I have been really good friends since we made 'Brick' together," Gordon-Levitt said. "He's literally one of my best friends in the world and has been for years now. It wasn't even that long after we finished shooting 'Brick' that he started talking to me about this time-travel idea that he had. And then years later, he finally showed me the script."

Emily Blunt also stars in the movie, and she told MTV News that she thinks that "Looper" works great as a movie that melds a lot of science fiction and action with drama.

"I loved 'Looper' so much 'cause it has that completely kick-ass, action/thriller element to it, but yet there's a real complex story in there," she said. "The movie is three steps ahead of you at every single turn, and I think it's rare to find a movie like that. I had to read [the script] three times before I really understood it. Even on the third time, I was like patting myself on the back for keeping up with it. I was like, 'I'm with it this time. I'm there.' I hadn't even come to my character yet, I was 30 pages in, and I called my agent. I said, 'Get me in the room with this guy now! This script is amazing.' "

What are you most looking forward to about "Looper"? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

Tags Comic-Con, emily blunt, joseph gordon-levitt, looper



Comic-Con: 'Breaking Bad' Cast Updates Us On The State Of The Whites

By Ryan J. Downey, with reporting by Josh Wigler

Considering the series began with Walter White stranded in the desert contemplating suicide, followed not long after by the liquifying of a dead body, to say that this new season of "Breaking Bad" kicks off with Walt "at his darkest" certainly carries a tremendous amount of weight. But perhaps, maybe, it was all a dream? Maybe this season, the folks in "Breaking Bad" will awaken to find that everything is just fine (no cancer, no meth), like Bobby Ewing's wife in "Dallas."

Sitting down with MTV News San Diego Comic-Con alongside his on-screen family of Anna Gunn and RJ Mitte (who, of course, play Walt's wife and son, respectively), Bryan Cranston told us a story about a fan interaction that made him wonder.

"We were on the floor today and we were signing autographs and one fan handed me her cellphone. And on the back of the cellphone was Snow White. And she goes, 'Cause she's a member of the family!' And I went, 'Yeah!' And I signed it 'Walter and Snow White.'"

"I thought, 'Wouldn't it be nice if it turned out to be this fantasy life?'" he added. But of course, that's not the case. "It's a tragedy life for the White family. It started out precarious. The best it ever was was 'touchy.' Even during the pilot, it was like kind of depressed. And it's gone downhill from there."

As awful as things are for the White family on "Breaking Bad," at least one cast member thinks being parented by a drug-dealing dad could have its upside.

"Junior is still loving everybody, so we're all good," Mitte pointed out. But what happens if/when Jr. learns the truth about his pops? "I either think one he's going to be accepting of his father, or two, he's going to be like, 'What is going on in your mind?'" Cranston couldn't believe Jr. might be accepting.

"A father is a father, no matter how you look at it," Mitte countered. "Wouldn't you like to have a dad that's pretty much like Scarface?"

Tags breaking bad, Comic-Con, comic-con drive



Sunday, July 15, 2012

Comic-Con: 'Godzilla' Teaser And Poster Surprise At WB Panel

Godzilla Poster

In the weeks leading up to San Diego Comic-Con, rumors began to swell that Godzilla, the king of all monsters, would make an appearance during the Warner Bros-Legendary panel.

Well, he did, and everyone loved it.

Let's back up a second. Director Gareth Edwards was on hand to present a trailer for his take on the iconic monster. The trailer reportedly had a gritty feel, showing some serious destruction in a ruined city after a monster fight. Flies swarmed around two fallen kaiju, the defeated opponents of Godzilla.

Check out more after the jump!

The trailer concluded with the main monster himself, Godzilla, the design a throwback to the original look of the creature. His roar also came straight from the original Japanese movies.

Comic-Con: Matt Damon Joined 'Elysium' Because Of 'District 9'

Image of Comic-Con: Matt Damon Joined 'Elysium' Because Of 'District 9'

Like the rest of us, Matt Damon was very impressed with Neill Blomkamp's directorial debut "District 9." In fact, that's the main reason he wanted to come on board Blomkamp's upcoming sci-fi project "Elysium" when he was offered a part.

Damon has dabbled in genre before, but this is his first full-blown sci-fi movie. MTV News caught up with him while he was promoting the project at Comic-Con and asked him why he knew this was the right time to head to outerspace.

Comic-Con: 'Pacific Rim' Footage Levels Hall H

Even as "Elysium" won over scores of attendees yesterday in Hall H and people declared it the early winner of San Diego Comic-Con 2012, the general reply to all the praise was "Let's wait until 'Pacific Rim.'"

Arguably the most anticipated of all the panels, Warner Bros kicked off their review of upcoming titles with a look at Guillermo del Toro's giant monsters versus giant robots movie.

Calling the footage "well-received" would be the understatement of the convention. The reaction was nothing short of hysteria.

Before wowing crowds with images of robots fighting monsters, del Toro stopped by MTV News to talk "Pacific Rim" and the movies he loved that inspired it.

"With Warner, I had the relationship with having prepped 'The Hobbit.' With Thomas [Tull] and Jon [Jashni at Legendary], I found an absolute dream. It was like clash of the geeks. It was fantastic," del Toro said. "Discussing with them kaiju and robot battle sequences in an office full of toys and collectibles and posters and original art is like a game changer for me.

"It is the best experience I have ever had professionally, and I really loved creatively and in every way every second of it, so it was truly, truly a respite for the fan-man."

Tags Comic-Con, comic-con drive, guillermo-del-toro, Pacific Rim



Saturday, July 14, 2012

Comic-Con: Ten Things We Learned At The 'Breaking Bad' Panel

Breaking Bad

By Tyler Christian

For a show as both critically and commercially successful as AMC's "Breaking Bad," it was only a matter of time before it made its mark at a place like San Diego Comic-Con. It's one of those rare shows that has managed to become progressively better each season to a point where it's been considered the best show on television today. After season 4 ended with a huge bang (and "ding"), season 5 is right on the horizon, and these are the ten biggest things I learned at this illustrious debut panel.

1. Before the panel started, the Comic Con exclusive season 5 trailer was shown to the crowd, which featured riveting footage from both the past and forthcoming seasons of the show.

2. Creator Vince Gilligan asked the crowd if they think that Walter White has fully transformed into Heisenberg. The response was full of silence, and I swear I heard a cricket chirp in the midst of it. As for me, I definitely agree with the crowd's reaction.

3. Gilligan also took the time to acknowledge that Walt's cancer will certainly not be forgotten for the final two seasons.

4. Anna Gunn said that Skyler's lack of knowledge for how deep Walt's business reputation is won't prevent her from protecting the family alongside Walt.

5. Jonathan Banks said that he thinks that Mike doesn't always have things in control like the viewer supposes he does, and has also been "lost" for years because of his past.

6. Bryan Cranston explained that the Gus Fring storyline has helped create an even bigger ego for Walt, to a point where the character hopes to take over the entire crystal meth drug trade of the southwestern United States.

7. Cranston also went on to say that the season premiere is more "intellectual" than shockingly violent compared to the last season's premiere, but also praised the approach for being just as captivating and compelling.

8. In addition, Cranston hyped up the crowd by proclaiming that the opening teaser for the season premiere is "the most revealing one yet" in the show's history.

9. Aaron Paul teased the supposed best line of the season premiere, which was [SPOILER] "Magnets, bitch!"

10. In response to a fan question, Bryan Cranston stated that his favorite episodes of the show are the "Pilot" and "4 Days Out." Paul on the other hand couldn't choose a specific episode, but he said his favorite scene in the show was the ending fight between Walt and Jesse from the season 4 episode "Bug."

Tags breaking bad, Bryan Cranston, Comic-Con, TV



Comic-Con: Ten Things We Learned At The Sony Panel

Looper

By Ryan Gowland

It was sci-fi day at the Sony panel, with the studio revealing footage for the upcoming "Total Recall" remake along with "Looper" and "Elysium." It was a busy day for Hall H with plenty of unhappy attendees waiting in line for hours and hours and still missing out on seeing the latest from "The Walking Dead" and "Game of Thrones." Still, the house was still packed for Sony's presentation, and everyone got a taste of some footage from three beautiful-looking sci-fi films.

Here's what we learned.

1. The biggest difference between the Total Recall remake and the original is tone.

The other two films in the panel are both derived from original ideas, leaving "Total Recall" as the sole remake. Inevitably, talk about the original 1990 film arose, as the only footage shown was an extended version of the trailer that revealed more of Kate Beckinsale trying to attack Colin Farrell and Jessica Biel in a precariously high elevator and other action snippets. With the question of how director Len Wiseman plans to make his "Total Recall" different, the fundamental reason seemed to be tone.

"I think one of the biggest differences between this incarnation and Arnie's film, [director Paul] Verhoeven's film is the tonal shift," said Farrell. "The original has such a wonderful, kind of absurd sense of humor to it, even the violence kind of had an air of comedy to it and this one is played a little straighter. What I'm saying is that I don't have one-liners - thank God. Most of that responsibility falls on Kate's very able shoulders."

Beckinsale also felt that the tone was different, particularly for her character as Farrell's wife, played by Sharon Stone in the original. Beckinsale revealed that her character would be "sort of a mix of a couple of characters from the original movie" and said that her role and Stone's were further differentiated because "our tone is very different."

That doesn't mean there won't be nods to the original, according to Wiseman "The first script that I read' the fact that the film doesn't go to Mars was such a departure already that I went in - there were certain things that I wanted to bring to life in this one that I thought really, just as myself if I wasn't involved in it, that I would want to see," said the director.

"I always wondered who that person was that saw 'Ondine,'" Farrell quipped. "You know what, I hadn't done a big action film in six or seven years. I had, for the last few years, done things that felt personal and felt more intimate and I really enjoyed the work. There's a lot of fun to be had in a film like this - apart from the obvious stuff like the money's better - but genuinely, besides all that there's loads of fun to be had."

2. Len Wiseman convinced the cast to join by sleeping with them

While its true that director Len Wiseman usually casts his wife in his projects, apparently Beckinsale isn't the only one of the cast that was seduced by Wiseman's charms. Farrell got the ball rolling by discussing how he came on board the project. "When I met Len the first time, I read the script and I was a bit dubious as to the idea of my second remake - I was like 'Oh God, could I get any less original?'" said Farrell. "But I read the script and I really liked and I sat with Len and then he showed me artist renderings of the world he was going to create for the movie..."

"That's how he reels you in," Beckinsale interjected.

"That's how he reeled me in," Farrell responded. "I can't imagine what he showed you a picture of back in the day."

Biel admitted that she too was drawn to the project because of "the 'Len spell' that he apparently cast on everybody including myself" to which Bryan Cranston asked: "Wait, everybody here slept with him?"

"The casting couch is not dead," Biel said.

3. Colin Farrell did think about using an Austrian accent

During the Q&A, Farrell was asked if he thought about keeping his Irish accent for the role. "I suppose I could of," said Farrell before looking over at Wiseman. "Can we do it again?" Then Farrell admitted that he had thought about "messing around with an Austrian accent for about seven minutes" before deciding against it.

"I thought you were Austrian," joked Cranston.

The audience's request for Farrell to attempt the accent went unfounded.

4. At least one person didn't have to stand in line for hours

During the Q&A session, one attendee stepped to the microphone and explained that, unlike hundreds that sat outside Hall H in a line that stretched all the way down the nearby marina, that he had only spent two minutes in line to get inside the Sony panel.

"Thanks for your patience, man," responded Farrell.

5. Like Total Recall, Looper was influenced by Phillip K. Dick (But also Terminator)

While not a literal adaptation, writer/director Rian Johnson admitted that his upcoming "Looper" was initially conceived "about ten years ago" when he was "kind of steeped" in Dick's books. From there, Johnson created a story about a mafia in the future hiring hitmen in the past to kill off their needed targets when they are sent back in time. Johnson said he was also influenced by the first "Terminator" when it came to utilizing time travel in the story.

"It's a very different film than the first 'Terminator' but time travel sets up this situation with these character and then gets out of the way," Johnson explained. "It's really about this situation and these people dealing with it."

6. Bruce Willis is a real sweetheart

Too busy shooting "A Good Day to Die Hard" overseas, Willis was not on hand for the panel, but was still a large part of the conversation. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who revealed that his role was written for him by Johnson and who looks and talks eerily like Willis in the movie, got to know the iconic actor pretty well in order to portray him in the film. When asked about working together, Gordon-Levitt revealed that Willis is actually a "soft-spoken" man. "You know why? He doesn't want other people listening to him, and also he doesn't have to speak up," said Gordon-Levitt. "And I think it goes to show a lot of guys -big, macho guys - that like to have a big presence in the room, they're sort of scared that they don't have a presence in the room. And a guy like Bruce, who's not scared of anything I imagine, he doesn't have to raise his voice, he doesn't have to make sure people know he's there."

Blunt had similar impression. "I remember I sent my dad his favorite picture ever from me working on a movie where Bruce was covered in blood, and I was sitting at that time between takes in the sun and I think he had concerns for my pale British skin and he came over with literally a flowery parasol - I don't know where he found it, this flowery umbrella - and he came and sat next to me and we talked about such nice things. We talked about love and all kids of stuff - and family - and the photographer took a picture and it's him covered in blood holding a parasol. Saving me. That's him. He's a doll."

7. Emily Blunt's character is still a mystery

While panel attendees were again shown an extended trailer that went deeper into the role of the loopers in the movie, mob boss Jeff Daniels received more screen time than Blunt. Turns out that Blunt couldn't say much about her character, but could call out Gordon-Levitt's.

"I can't say too much about my character Sarah," explained Blunt. "She and her family get embroiled in all of this mess when Joe is a pussy and let's Bruce go on the run. She's a very, very tough...she's a bad-ass."

Later, Blunt did elaborate slightly about her character. "It was definitely a challenge and a departure for me," said Blunt. "Play someone who isn't from where I'm from, is nothing like me, looks not like me. The hardest thing really was learning how to chop wood properly."

8. Elysium looks terrific

The most footage arrived when writer/director Neill Blomkamp took the stage for the final portion of the Sony panel. While Blomkamp was quick to point out that the footage was not finished and would, in fact, contain many shots still in pre-visualization, the footage still looked incredible. While it would be impossible to recount it all here, the footage did fill in much of the movie's story that the recently leaked synopsis did not. Like Blomkamp's "District 9," "Elysium" mixes action with social commentary, revealing a desolate Earth where the poor struggle to survive while the rich enjoy the beauty and splendor of a space station called Elysium. Matt Damon's bald, working-class character is inadvertently exposed to radiation while on the job and is only given 5 days to live. Getting to Elysium becomes his primary goal, but to do so he must get outfitted with a metal exoskeleton (that allows him to pull the heads off of robots), kidnap a bureaucrat (William Fichtner) and fight through a similarly outfitted Sharlto Copley, who is tasked with stopping Damon before he can reach Elysium.

9. Sharlto Copley isn't a movie star yet

During the Q&A, Copley was asked what it was like to become a "full-fledged star," a tag the actor is clearly uncomfortable with. "Well, I don't know about the 'full-fledged stardom' thing, but certainly, my life is - I move around a lot," said Copley. "People say where do you live and I don't know right now. Right now I'm living in London trying work out how to play Angelina Jolie's true love [in "Maleficient"] - I still can't believe that's happening. My friends from school are like, 'No way! You play nerds!' I'm like, 'Apparently not!'"

"Elysium" could offer Copley another shot at "full-fledged" stardom, and the actor clearly was pleased to play a villain, even choosing the role himself. "When I read the first draft that Neill showed me," said Copley. "I said to him, 'this villain seems to be something that I resonate with.' You don't a chance to do entertaining, original villains very often, and so he's definitely allowed me to do that and I think, hopefully, I've done something a little bit different from what you'd expect from a movie villain."

10. Damon and Copley breathed in lots of fecal matter during the shoot

Shot partly in Mexico City, a large garbage dump was used as a location for a large action scene in the movie, which required Copley and Damon to breathe in air from a duststorm (created by hovering helicopters) made up almost entirely of fecal matter. "They told us that the dust was comprised mostly of fecal matter," Damon explained. "So at the end of these scenes where Sharlto and I are just sweating, because we're running around, we have all this armor and it's hot. So at the end of these scenes, the helicopter would come through and we would be black with dust. And we'd look at each other and go: 'This is fecal matter.' And Neill would come up with his respirator on and he'd pull it down and he'd go: 'I promise you the photography looks great.'"

Damon wasn't complaining, however. "I just tried not to think about it," he said.

Tags Comic-Con, Elysium, looper, total recall



Mila Kunis And Michelle Williams Talk 'Oz' Witches

The world we see in "Oz The Great and Powerful," is not the world we're going to be used to from watching "The Wizard of Oz." In the same way, witches Glinda, Theodora and Evanora are not going to be the same cookie-cutter good-versus-evil characters we're used to from the classic 1939 film.

MTV News had the chance to catch up with stars Mila Kunis and Michelle Williams and director Sam Raimi while they were at San Diego Comic-Con, and the two actresses admitted that they're characters are very different than what we're familiar with. Even though we know Kunis will portraying a younger version of the Wicked Witch of the West, she played coy about whether it was her green arm at the end of the recently-released trailer.

"No one said it was my shade of skin," Kunis said. "It was just a shade, maybe of a green tone, not particularly on me. We don't know these things yet."

Even though Glinda the Good is, well, Glinda the Good, Williams also said that her character might not be what we expect.

"I think I would hope to be inspired by [the 'Wizard of Oz' character]," Williams said. "Our story pre-figures 'The Wizard of Oz' ' that's who my character turns into, that's her in her most crystallized perfect form,' she added. "I thought it was an opportunity to see who she might have been when she was younger, when she was at the precipice of her powers and wasn't fully realized into the Glinda that we know and love from the classic film."

"Oz, The Great and Powerful" comes out on March 8, 2013.

What do you think of the new developments in these familiar characters? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

Tags Comic-Con, comic-con drive, mila kunis, Oz The Great and Powerful



Friday, July 13, 2012

'Hobbit' Reel At Comic-Con Won't Be In 48 FPS

Hobbit

For a movie as anticipated as Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit," a good amount of controversy arose after a presentation earlier this year at CinemaCon. Bloggers complained that the footage shown in 3-D at 48 frames per second made Middle-earth look like a bad soap opera.

It isn't hard to imagine that those specific complaints would upset Jackson, who has championed the new format, but the director has stood by the footage. But for "The Hobbit" presentation at Comic-Con, Jackson is presenting footage in run-of-the-mill 2-D and 24 frames per second.

The LA Times spoke with Jackson about the lead-up to the panel and what he hopes will come out of it.

Check it out after the jump!

Jackson told the LA Times he wants to put the focus of the panel squarely on the content of the footage and not the format.

"There is a huge audience waiting to see 'The Hobbit,' and any positive press from Comic-Con will truthfully have little impact on that," he said. "However, as we saw at CinemaCon earlier this year, with our 48 frames per second presentation, negative bloggers are the ones the mainstream press runs with and quotes from. I decided to screen the 'Hobbit' reel at Comic-Con in 2-D and 24 frames per second, so the focus stays firmly with the content and not the technical stuff. If people want 3-D and 48fps, that choice will be there for them in December."

While principal photography recently wrapped on "The Hobbit," Jackson suggested that he's not quite done with filming yet. "The material is so rich," he said. "In fact only this last week or two, we've been talking to the studio about allowing us to shoot some additional material next year, to fully complete the story."

Are you disappointed "The Hobbit" isn't presenting footage at 48 frames per second? Let us know what you think in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags Comic-Con, peter jackson, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey



'Oz The Great And Powerful Trailer' Finally Arrives

OZ

By Meg Malone

Just as we hoped after seeing the debut poster last week, we didn't have to wait too long to get a closer look at director Sam Raimi's upcoming film, "Oz: The Great and Powerful." Disney released the trailer yesterday, and based on what's here, Raimi's take on author L. Frank Baum's imagined world is certainly captivating.

After an opening sequence in black and white (which side note, but does it remind anyone else a bit of scenes from last year's "Hugo," with the early-days-of-film look and magician content?), Oscar Diggs (James Franco) takes the next tornado to Oz, and that's when things get really intriguing.

For all the dusty gray in the original poster, the trailer doesn't hold back on stunning visuals once Diggs makes it into Emerald City territory. The rich colors pop right off the screen, from the crystal blue sky to the lush botanical surroundings to mysterious little creatures that remind me of those things Lockhart unleashed on Harry and company in class one day in "Chamber of Secrets" (anybody?).