MovieSet Dailies

MovieSet Dailies

Blogging Behind the Scenes to bring you the Latest Scoops

New Photos From the Set of Captain America

Posted September 8th, 2010 by: MovieSet

Disclosure: I did not know until yesterday that Captain America originated as a genetically engineered (more specifically, “experimentally serum”-ed) super-human meant to fight the Nazis. My major concern when I heard this was that, and this had not occured to me (and in fact still does not bother me) respecting other superheroes: he’s old, but he hasn’t aged.

To which I was answered “well, he’s a superhero’”, with all the disdain and eye-rolling that particular comic book nerd could muster (and that is a LOT) for this particular comic book neophyte (and by that I mean, one who has never read, touched, nor even seen a physical copy of Captain America). And then, “or maybe he was cryogenically frozen for a while…”

Nevertheless, interest piqued, and piqued again when new on-set photos of Captain America: The First Avenger popped up today, courtesy of The Daily Mail:

captain1 New Photos From the Set of Captain America

(Note: This is not in fact Captain America: Chris Evans, but Captain America: Stunt Double.)

captain3 New Photos From the Set of Captain America

The First Avenger is currently filming in England (because it actually takes place during World War II, which may have been foresight into prolonging the franchise, etc, or maybe most of Captain America’s comic book escapades were set in the appropriate time period, I don’t know, but in any case it’s intriguing) with Evans, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, et al.

Still awaiting pictures of Red Skull (See? I listened).

He Just Doesn’t See You That Way: New Clip from Mark Romanek’s Never Let Me Go

Posted September 8th, 2010 by: MovieSet

NeverLetMeGo Poster 180x267 He Just Doesnt See You That Way: New Clip from Mark Romaneks Never Let Me GoMy first introduction to the work of Mark Romanek was the video for Nine Inch Nails’ Closer, which is at the same time one of the greatest and the most disturbing music videos ever made- and now part of the Museum of Modern Art (NYC)’s permanent collection. (Trivia: the pig’s head? Real. Think about the stench after a day of filming. Ick.) He was also behind the camera for NIN’s The Perfect Drug, Madonna’s Bedtime Story, Michael and Janet Jackson’s Scream, Johnny Cash’s [cover of Nine Inch Nails'] Hurt, Jay-Z’s 99 Problems, Fiona Apple’s Criminal…

…Which is why I was thrilled the day I heard he’d be directing a big-screen adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s widely revered, Man Booker shortlisted Never Let Me Go, a novel that in a very out-of-character turn, I am now refusing to pick up out of anticipation for the film.

Officially, the synopsis:

Kathy, Tommy and Ruth live in a world and a time that feel familiar to us, but are not quite like anything we know. They spend their childhood at Hailsham, a seemingly idyllic English boarding school. When they leave the shelter of the school and the terrible truth of their fate is revealed to them, they must also confront the deep feelings of love, jealousy and betrayal that threaten to pull them apart.

Plus on top of the Romanekness:

a) Alex Garland (author of Lord of the Flies-esque The Beach, a book I did read and very much enjoyed) wrote the screenplay for Never Let Me Go (reportedly before the book was even published). And,

b) it stars Keira Knightley, who I believe to be a great actress (see: Antonement, Pride & Prejudice), as well as Vogue favorite- and October cover girl- Carey Mulligan, and our future Peter Parker Andrew Garfield. And, oh, Charlotte Rampling.

So you can’t help but expect something special.

He Just Doesn’t See You That Way (Clip)

Listicle: Movie News, Rumors, Excitement

Posted September 7th, 2010 by: MovieSet

Because we know it’s hard to focus the morning after a long weekend, here are 5 items in short form to start your day off right:

1. Natalie Portman’s performance in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan has been garnering rave-with-a-capital-R reviews, and now it’s rumored she’s been offered the lead (a first-time astronaut stranded on a space station) in Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity. (We very much enjoyed Duncan Jones’ Moon, and so are looking forward to this.) Angelina Jolie passed on the part twice, which led to a lot of hand-wringing and brow-furrowing as everyone began to whisper that the film wouldn’t be made AT ALL,  even though Cuaron was reportedly also considering, or at the very least thinking about considering, Scarlett Johansson or Blake Lively. [Hollywood Reporter]

2. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (the Tudors, personal favorite Match Point) will play a Jewish diplomat having an affair with a Swiss woman (supermodel Natalia Vodianova) at the outbreak of World War II, in Belle du Siegneur, based on the novel by Albert Cohen. First-timer Glenio Bonder is directing. Rock legend Marianne Faithfull will make an appearance as well… [Deadline]

3. James Franco masturbates. A lot. He admits this. Of more interest, at least to some, he also talks about filming 127 Hours’ amputation scene in this incredibly short Q&A with the Hollywood Reporter.

4. YES. Raekwon has teamed up with Damon Dash and is co-directing a film called C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me). So far there are almost no details whatsoever (which doesn’t at all detract from the awesomeness of this news) except that he may be staying behind the camera, possibly, at least for now, telling Vulture “I’m playing the outskirts on this one because I kind of feel like that’s where I’m at. You know, I don’t know. At this point, I probably won’t be in it, but we don’t know”.

5. It’s rumored that Summit is working on, yes, another Twilight movie, this one based on Stephanie Meyer’s spin-off The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner. (For those of you who haven’t read the series six or seven times, like myself, Bree Tanner was introduced as a 3-month-old vampire in Breaking Dawn, and killed less than ten pages later. Maybe even five.) We find this somewhat confusing, or potentially redundant, since as far as we know, Meyer gave Breaking Dawn screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg a copy of the at the time unpublished novella so she could incorporate some of Bree’s storyline into the film (we could speculate that this was because the Breaking Dawn book is not nearly captivating enough on its own to warrant TWO movies, but we won’t complain about anything that provides us with more Robert Pattinson and/or Kristen Stewart). The Bree Tanner rumormill also spins out this tidbit: Let Me In star Chloe Moritz and the younger Fanning, Elle, have been mentioned as. [Cinematical]

Role of Bella & Edward’s Daughter Cast…Maybe

Posted September 5th, 2010 by: MovieSet

I can’t even begin to tell you how long I’ve been waiting for this little bit of gossip… The role of Bella and Edward’s daughter, Renesmee, has been cast- or so we hear on the grapevine.

The source of this rumor is a photo on the Facebook page of MMG Model Management, and because I like to split hairs I’ll go ahead and point out that the caption actually reads: “Kayla is the little girl up for the role (emphasis mine) of Bella’s daughter in the new film in the Twilight Sage (sic): Breaking Dawn.”

breaking dawn casting news Role of Bella & Edwards Daughter Cast...Maybe

This is Kayla, the girl in question, obviously, and her brother Daniel. I find  it nearly impossible to look directly at this picture, partly because of that completely unnatural pose, and partly because she’s almost uncomfortably pretty, which incidentally would make her perfect the perfect choice for Bella and Edward’s half-vamp child.

Breaking Dawn screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg has confirmed that the bloody, spine-breaking, C-section birth of Renesmee will in fact be as gruesome in the movie as it is in the book: “…we’re working on it to be as intense as it is in the book.”

But then again maybe not: “I don’t think it’s about the amount of blood you show. It’s about the intensity of it. It’s on their faces. It’s all from Bella’s point of view when you’re seeing what’s going [on].”

In other casting news, Rami Malek (Night at the Museum, Pacific) has signed to play Benjamin, an Egyptian vampire on the side of good who (in another of Stephanie Meyer’s ultra-convenient plot devices) has the ability to manipulate the elements.

On the Set: Atlas Shrugged

Posted September 4th, 2010 by: MovieSet

Remember that scene in Dirty Dancing, where Baby is in the dining room trying to convince Robbie to help out with “the Penny situation” and he pulls a dog-eared Ayn Rand paperback out of his pocket and says to her “Read it. I think it’s a book you’ll enjoy. But be sure to return it, I have notes in the margin.”?

Well I had this post all set up about that scene and Robbie’s favorite novel and the Atlas Shrugged movie and being able to tell that pretentious jerk that two of the names once thrown around as potential Dagny Taggarts were of those of- gasp- MOVIE STARS, not that Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie haven’t come up with great performances on occasion (Monster and Girl, Interrupted, respectively) but you just KNOW that guy would start going off about objectivity and authenticity and his notes in the margin… Etc.

It’s not Atlas Shrugged. He gives her The Fountainhead.

And that ruins the entire thing (and I have spent DAYS trying to work it out).

But, moving on. As it turns out the role went to Taylor Schilling (recently signed to star with Zafron in The Lucky One, the latest in a long line of Nicholas Sparks adaptations, which are becoming a genre unto themselves, another post entirely). Grant Bowler (True Blood) plays steel magnate Hank Reardon; Edi Gathegi (The Twilight Saga: New Moon), Patrick Fischler (Dinner for Schmucks), Matthew Marsden (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) co-star.

Reason TV released this interesting behind the scenes video from the set (actually, they released it in July, but I didn’t stumble across it until a week or so ago).  It’s worth a look (or two) for the commentary from Bowler and director Paul Johansson (whose biggest credit so far is One Tree Hill and, incidentally, is John Galt), as well as a few peeks at a pretty good-looking set.

On the set of Atlas Shrugged

It seems like one person or another had been trying to get a film out of Atlas Shrugged since, well, 1957 (Rand was reportedly working on her own screenplay in the months before she died), as of now, part one of the planned trilogy is due in 2012.

First Pics of Rihanna in Battleship

Posted September 2nd, 2010 by: MovieSet

One day, a year or two ago, as I was taking a walk around the seawall of Vancouver’s Stanley Park, my companion said to me “Do you think the ships on this other play Battleship with the ships on the other side?” It doesn’t seem that funny now, but at the time I just about fell over laughing, I think. I tell you this because it’s exactly how I feel about the board game: it doesn’t seem that fun now, but I liked it when I was a kid, I think. And I can’t help but think that this is how most people feel about it.

Which doesn’t seem to bode well for the movie, does it.

Somebody involved knows this, because Rihanna is in it, and pretty much everybody knows that a movie featuring explosions and a famously hot chick will get back at least what it cost to make it.

But anyway, the first pictures of RiRi on set recently turned up, and they’re underwhelming:

Rihanna1 First Pics of Rihanna in Battleship

Rihanna2 First Pics of Rihanna in Battleship

Rihanna3 First Pics of Rihanna in Battleship

My first thought was that she belonged in a sci-fi movie, to which I was answered “it is a sci-fi movie.” (There are aliens.) But what I mean is, she needs to look like she’s in a sci-fi movie, like Milla in The Fifth Element, which would work with the new screaming red hair, or one of her Grace Jones-esque stage outfits, right?

Battleship is directed by Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, big and little screen) so it may turn out to be good, maybe, and also stars Brooklyn Decker, Tom Arnold, Taylor Kitsch, and Alexander Skarsgard.*

*One of these things does not belong.

International Trailer for Buried Looks Terrifying, Awesome

Posted September 2nd, 2010 by: MovieSet

buried International Trailer for Buried Looks Terrifying, AwesomeAfter releasing two teasers on this side of the Atlantic which showed basically no film footage whatsoever, Lionsgate has treated those lucky folks in the UK to a new trailer for Buried, which looks terrifyingly clausterphobic, compelling, and very Hitchcock. And great.

The entire movie takes place in a plywood box the size of a coffin, and the only actor you’ll see onscreen is Ryan Reynolds. He plays Paul Conroy, an American contractor in Iraq, kidnapped and buried alive (obviously), with only a lighter, cell, phone, and 90 minutes of oxygen.* And that’s more than I need to say, because here:

Buried (International Trailer)

Written by Chris Sparling and directed by Rodrigo Cortes (who told MTV “This is not a film to be seen but a film to be experienced…I didn’t want the film to be seen only with the eyes but also with the muscles and with the bone and with the skin and with the blood”- yikes), Buried is in wide release October 8.

*I cannot even begin to imagine the panic and terror and hyperventilation, like my mind literally refuses to go that far.

Tupac Biopic Gains Writers, May Actually Film

Posted August 31st, 2010 by: MovieSet

Tupac Shakur Tupac Biopic Gains Writers, May Actually FilmFirst of all, I’ll admit that when I saw Poetic Justice the first time, I had no idea that Tupac Shakur was someone. And secondly, I still only remember two scenes from that movie, and he wasn’t in either of them.

And also, can you believe Tupac was only 25 when he was killed?

On the subject, the much gossiped about Tupac biopic will soon have a script: Oscar-nominated writers Stephen J. Rivele and Chris Wilkinson, the duo behind Nixon and Ali (as well as an upcoming Jackie Robinson flick, itself the subject of much, or at least some, speculation).

The script will centre on the last day of his short life, and no, it will not name names. The writers are more interested in the why, Rivele telling Vulture:

He was obviously very angry, and had been subjected to a great deal of violence at home, in the streets and in prison. But he was just beginning to shed that anger and look for a purer voice…He saw the contradiction between the musical persona of ‘Thug Life,’ and his essential nature as a gentle, sensitive person. And that was partly responsible for his murder: He was not a gangster, but the people around him were. They saw he was going to leave, that they were going to lose him, and so I think they decided to kill him.

Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, great movie, maybe you should watch it if you’re not doing anything) is still looking for the Unknown, but production is maybe-sort-of-tentatively scheduled to begin as early as November.

We can only hope that a good film that does well at the box office will put an end to the seemingly endless stream of “new” “undiscovered” “recently discovered” “private” “personal” Tupac recordings.

Trailer for Dana Brown’s Surfing Doc Highwater

Posted August 31st, 2010 by: MovieSet

highwater1 Trailer for Dana Browns Surfing Doc HighwaterI’m definitely in that end-of-August-nostalgia-haze right now, wishing that summer would drag on forever like it did when I was a kid, and envying surfers’ life-long summers and perfectly sun-bleached hair. Plus, it’s pouring rain here in Vancouver. Which makes today either the perfect day to mention Highwater, a documentary from Dana Brown (son of Bruce Brown, who directed legendary surf movie The Endless Summer), or the worst day as we’ll all just end up a little more depressed.

Shot mostly on digital video during 2005’s Triple Crown of surfing, it doesn’t look quite as crystal as Brown’s classic Step Into Liquid, and the emphasis on competition means the surf shots won’t be as languid, but all the action takes place on Oahu’s North Shore, aka the 7 Mile Miracle, known for being the hardest surf in the world (and yep, yet another surfer died out there during the 3 months of filming).

Highwater apparently took a year and a half to edit, and is only just getting a (very) limited release. The trailer is below, two or three viewings will almost, almost, make you forget that fall is only a few weeks away.

Highwater Trailer

As Seen on Twitter on 2010-08-31

Posted August 31st, 2010 by: grip

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