[E]verybody in the world ripped us off. It's been done to death at this point. It's on TV three nights a week, much less Bond and everything else. The worst thing that could have been done would be to just slavishly follow some cookie-cutter pattern of visual style and storytelling style. It's a bigger movie in the terms of the journey of it and the scale of it and the amount of stories in it and where it's going. The great thing about Jason Bourne was that he was claustrophobically stuck down and trying to figure out this moral question. The whole second film is about an apology. It's really about this guy trying to morally come to grips with the conflict between who he thinks he is and what he's done. This character in this film has no moral conflict whatsoever. Jeremy Renner's character has the reverse of amnesia. He knows exactly where he's come from. He knows exactly what the stakes are if he doesn't achieve his journey. It's a very different tone, yet it will be very rewarding to people. You should be able to see the movie and not see any of them before. It's been kind of ironic. The people that were having the most trouble getting their heads around the fact that we were doing this are actually the people who I think will ultimately be the most happy about what we're doing. It has a lot of payback for the true fans.

• 00:00-00:47 - Introduction
• 00:48-7:48 - We skipped the screening of The Vow. Are we bad?
• 7:49-12:41 - Safe House review (read mine here)
• 12:42-16:22 - The Bourne Legacy trailer (watch it below)
• 16:23-23:50 - Brad watched "The River" (I wrote about it here)
• 23:51-25:22 - Jean Dujardin auditions for villain roles (Watch the video below)
• 25:23-26:27 - Is it time for the Oscar Super PAC? (source)
• 26:28-28:29 - [Listener Question] What in the world does Christopher Nolan have to do with The Dark Knight Rises to get an Oscar nom? [Snicket]
• 28:30-32:15 - Miscellaneous question... is there anything about the iPad 3 that could make you want to buy it?
• 32:16-33:07 - [Listener Question] Do you ever watch soccer on TV and not just MLS. [darnoc]
• 33:08-39:15 - Over / Under
  • 3.5 More North Carolina Losses
  • 6 Oscars for Biggest Winner on Oscar Night
  • .5 Oscars for Naomi Watts as Princess Di in Caught in Flight
  • $50 million for Star Wars: Episode IV in 3-D in 2015
  • 45g of carbs tonight for Laremy tonight
  • [Listener Submission] $100 million The Dark Knight Rises makes more than The Hobbit [Tom]
• 39:16-40:22 - [Listener Question] Does it bother either of you when a movie is set in a foreign country, yet none of the actors use the correct accent? [Kristen K]
• 40:23-42:52 - [Listener Question] Do you think that it is unethical to download movies or TV shows from torrents if they are never released or shown in your country? [Abdul Moheed]
• 42:53-49:07 - Fandango's user poll of the worst actors in romantic comedies
• 49:08-1:00:09 - Journey 2: The Mysterious Island review and a pre-screening story (read mine here)
• 1:00:10-1:09:55 - Box-Office Predictions
• 1:09:56-1:12:54 - Confronting talkers at the movies
• 1:12:55-1:15:00 - Closing

Enjoy, and remember you can stay up-to-date on all the latest images added to the site either on the homepage, on the movie stills homepage or by simply adding the RSS feed to your feed reader and you will never miss a pic.

• Snow White and the Huntsman (6 new pictures)
• Lockout (12 new pictures)
• The Bourne Legacy (Hi-res look at Jeremy Renner in the lead role)
• Battleship (1 new picture)
• This is Forty (The first picture)
• Act of Valor (Full gallery of 30 images)
• Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (Full gallery of 23 images)
• Mirror Mirror (1 new picture)
• G.I. Joe: Retaliation (1 new picture and 6 screenshots from the Super Bowl trailer)
• Intruders (First look at the poster)
• Think Like a Man (Full gallery of 10 images)
• Argo (1 new picture)
• The Cold Light of Day (First look at the poster)
• The Amazing Spider-Man (1 new picture)
• I Hate You Dad (The first picture)
• 7500 (The first picture)

20. Stoker
TBA 2012

19. The Wettest County
August 31

Tom Hardy in The Wettest County
Photo: The Weinstein Co.

18. Argo
September 14

Ben Affleck in Argo
Photo: Warner Bros.

17. The Gangster Squad
October 19

Sean Penn and Josh Brolin in The Gangster Squad
Photo: Warner Bros.

16. Anna Karenina
TBA 2012

15. The Master
TBA 2012

14. The Place Beyond the Pines
TBA 2012

Ryan Gosling in The Place Beyond the Pines
Photo: Sierra Affinity

13. The Grandmasters
TBA 2012

Tony Leung in The Grandmasters

12. The Bourne Legacy
August 3

Jeremy Renner in The Bourne Legacy
Photo: Universal Pictures

11. Cogan's Trade
TBA 2012

Brad Pitt in Cogan's Trade
Photo: The Weinstein Co.

Most Anticipated Navigation

#1-10 | #11-20 | #21-30 | #31-40

Throughout the initial century of moviemaking, the default style of commercial cinema was classical; it was meticulous and patient. At least in theory, every composition and camera move had a meaning, a purpose. Movies did not cut without good reason, as it was considered sloppy, even amateurish. Mainstream films once prided themselves on keeping you the viewer well-oriented because they wanted to make sure you always knew where you were and what was happening.

Chaos cinema apes the illiteracy of the modern movie trailer. It consists of a barrage of high-voltage scenes. Every single frame runs on adrenaline. Every shot feels like the hysterical climax of a scene which an earlier movie might have spent several minutes building toward. Chaos cinema is a never-ending crescendo of flair and spectacle. It's a shotgun aesthetic, firing a wide swath of sensationalistic technique that tears the old classical filmmaking style to bits. Directors who work in this mode aren't interested in spatial clarity. It doesn�t matter where you are, and it barely matters if you know what's happening onscreen. The new action films are fast, florid, volatile audiovisual war zones.

One exception is given to Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker, saying the film offers the viewer a glimpse at a scene from the character's perspective, but at the same time detaches itself in an effort to give the audience some understanding of what's going on. It's a valid point and I also think the same could be said for Paul Greengrass' Bourne films, which are featured in the videos, but not commented on for reasons I'm not exactly clear on. I felt Greengrass was attempting to give the viewer a third person, real world approach with his Bourne features and the only real reason they are of note now is because filmmakers took audience love for that immersion and ran wild with it as "shaky cam" became a point of derision as the years went by.

Stork does include Battle: Los Angeles, which I believe could have been better used in a direct comparison with Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down. The one was clearly trying to be the other in style and vision, but considering they were two different beasts I think his point of perspective would have been hammered home rather than passively commented on in the second video.

As he points out with The Hurt Locker (but not with the Bourne films or Black Hawk Down), this new way of filmmaking can be used to an action director's advantage and not always a bad thing. Personally, I would also say I've never had much of a problem following these action scenes in the way Stork seems to, but then again I've always enjoyed excellent sound design, which is one of the reasons I also love the opening car chase from Quantum of Solace, of which Stork rips apart. As a film that is meant to directly move from Casino Royale, I thought that sequence immediately thrust you back into the story at a breathless pace. Yes, you may be disoriented and weary afterward, but I was always under the impression that was the intention. Get your heart racing and your mind into the action, the exposition followed shortly thereafter to help you gain your bearings.

This isn't to say I'm a fan of this new style of filmmaking, it gives me a headache in a lot of cases just like everyone else and for the most part a lot of the glossy, commercial-style editing has turned most action scenes into non-starters. They all roll together and aren't necessarily hard to understand, but instead hard to care about. There are filmmakers, however, that are doing it right, but as Greengrass showed with Green Zone, even those with an understanding of the medium sometimes get it wrong and even Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and The Dark Knight aren't free from exception as they too move in a little too close at times in an attempt to gain intimacy, but sometimes losing clarity.

Watch the two videos below, I would love to hear what you think.

David Cronenberg will see A Dangerous Method hit the Toronto and Venice Festival circuit this month and next, he's busy working on Cosmopolis starring Robert Pattinson and Paul Giamatti and now Media Rights Capital has made a preemptive acquisition of the Jonathan Lethem novel "As She Climbed Across The Table," in a package that has Cronenberg directing and Bruce Wagner (A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors) writing. Lethem's book is described as a satirical science fiction in which particle physicist Alice Coombs rooms with Philip Engstrand, an anthropologist researching conflicts between and within disciplines. Their relationship drives the romantic aspect of the story. [Deadline]

Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon and Tye Sheridan in discussions to star in Mud based on an original screenplay by Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter), who will also direct. The film is described as a powerful, redemptive tale of a charismatic fugitive named Mud (McConaughey) and his unlikely friendship with fourteen year old Ellis (Sheridan). Ellis is determined to help his new friend escape from both the law and some very serious bounty hunters, in order to reunite Mud with his soul mate, Juniper (Witherspoon). I am one of the few critics in the world that disliked Nichols' Take Shelter, which I saw at Cannes. You can read my review right here.

20th Century Fox has announced the complete voice cast for Ice Age: Continental Drift, the fourth film in the animated franchise. Along with the returning cast that includes Ray Romano as Manny, John Leguizamo as Sid, Denis Leary as Diego, Queen Latifah as Ellie, Chris Wedge as Scrat, are back long with Seann William Scott and Josh Peck as possums Crash and Eddie. New characters to be voiced include Jeremy Renner as ship captain Gutt, Wanda Sykes as Sid's stowaway Granny, Aziz Ansari as the prehistoric rabbit Squint, Keke Palmer as Manny's headstrong daughter Peaches, rapper Drake as a handsome young mammoth and love interest for Peaches, and Jennifer Lopez as sabre-toothed tigress Shira. Heather Morris, Joy Behar, Nicki Minaj, Josh Gad, Alan Tudyk, Nick Frost, Kunal Nayyar, Alain Chabat and J.B. Smoove also have roles. The film is set for a July 13, 2012 release. [Dark Horizons]

Bruce Campbell has confirmed he will play a role in Sam Raimi's Oz, the Great and Powerful when he posted to his Twitter account the following message, "I. Am. In. Oz. Sam Raimi refuses to tell me what character I will portray. Just know that the role is PIVOTAL." In all likelihood this will be another small cameo role for Campbell similar to how he played small roles in all three of Raimi's Spider-Man films including a ring announcer in the first, an usher in the second and a maitre d' in the third. Campbell joins a cast that includes James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Joey King, Zach Braff and Abigail Spencer with Disney scheduled to release the feature on March 8, 2013. [Bruce Campbell]]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/allen-finney-return-bourne-leder-set-remake-all-quiet-western-front All Quiet on the Western Front. I also have more news on The Bourne Legacy and G.I. Joe 2, so have at it...

This fourth film won't center on Matt Damon's title character, but will still revolve around the CIA's Operation Treadstone with Jeremy Renner and Oscar Isaac both playing agents trained in the program. Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton are also attached to the project with Norton expected to play the film's villain. The picture is currently slated for an August 3, 2012 release. [Variety]

Joe Mazzello (the young kid in the original Jurassic Park) is set to play the role of Mouse in G.I. Joe 2: Cobra Strikes joining previously cast Channing Tatum, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Ray Park, Byung-hun Lee, Elodie Yung, RZA, D.J. Cotrona, Adrianne Palicki and Ray Stevenson. Jon Chu is directing the feature for an anticipated August 10, 2012 release. [Deadline]

Oscilloscope Laboratories has set a December 2 release date for Lynne Ramsay's We Need To Talk About Kevin (read my Cannes review here). Additionally, Paramount Pictures has set a December 9 limited release for Jason Reitman's Young Adult with the film set to expand nationwide one week later on December 16.

A new report says original "Dark Shadows" TV series actors Lara Parker (Angelique), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans and Josette du Pres), David Selby (Quentin Collins) and Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins) all spent three days at Pinewood Studios on the set of Tim Burton's Dark Shadows filming cameos in the feature film starring Johnny Depp as the vampire Barnabas Collins. The film is set for a May 11, 2012 release. Co-starring in the film are Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Bella Heathcote, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Thomas McDonell and Chloe Moretz. [Bloody Disgusting]

Mimi Leder (The Peacemaker, Deep Impact) is heading back to World War I and will apparently direct a new film adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's classic 1929 novel All Quiet on the Western Front. The story was previously adapted for the screen and directed by Lewis Milestone who went on to win an Oscar for Best Director in 1930 and the film went on to win Best Picture, which is to say Leder is stepping onto hallowed ground. Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell wrote the screenplay, which explores the physical and emotional effects of trench warfare on a 19-year-old German soldier and his friends in uniform.

If you ask me, the original has one of the finest final shots I've ever seen in cinema, leaving you with a lasting impact you will never forget. Any chance Leder can duplicate this feat or is she getting in over her head? [The Hollywood Reporter]]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/isaac-joins-bourne-villain-wolverine-2-buzz-sin-city-2-jurassic-park-4-machete-kills The Bourne Legacy, Sin City 2, Jurassic Park IV and Wolverine 2. But I do take a moment to report on Hugh Jackman's Les Miserables and Charlie Kaufman's sophomore directorial effort. Enjoy!

Steven Spielberg was on hand at the San Diego Comic Con to promote his upcoming film The Adventures of Tintin, of which I just added a new still right here, and told the audience Jurassic Park 4 is still in the works and they have a writer working on a treatment with the hope of making it in "the next two or three years." This isn't exactly new news as previous information was revealed a little over a month ago when we learned Spielberg and screenwriter Mark Protosevich (Thor, I Am Legend) had met twice to fashion a story for a potential fourth film in the franchise. I am assuming Protosevich is the writer he was referencing at Comic Con. [Slashfilm]

Rodriguez also mentioned the Machete franchise will continue rolling with the second film, Machete Kills, already greenlit, which will be followed by Machete Kills Again In Space should the sequel perform well enough. Both titles were referenced at the end of the 2010 feature as you can see in the video included here, though Rodriguez has added "In Space" to the third film. [Slashfilm]

Hugh Jackman made an appearance at the San Diego Comic Con to promote the upcoming release of his film Real Steel and gave those on hand some villainous news when it came to The Wolverine saying:

"I'm filming Les Miserables in February, but before that I will be filming Wolverine 2 in October. Chris McQuarrie has written a fantastic script and it should turn out really good. I'll fight the Silver Samurai in it so that should be exciting. Most of the filming will take place in Japan."

Speaking of Les Miserables, which will be directed by Tom Hooper, the Oscar-winning director of The King's Speech, it is being reported Paul Bettany has met Hooper about playing the Inspector Javert role and Russell Crowe is also interested in the part. The film is inspired by Victor Hugo's 19th Century masterpiece and will feature Jackman in the role of Jean Valjean as he is released from prison and breaks parole to create a new life for himself whilst evading the driven Inspector Javert. [The Daily Mail via The Playlist]

Next up it has been revealed Lionsgate's Dredd will hit theaters on September 21, 2012. The film is directed by Pete Travis (Vantage Point) and is described as a new adaptation centered on the character Judge Joe Dredd (Karl Urban) created by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra from the British science fiction anthology "2000 AD". [Variety]

Lastly, Steve Carell, Jack Black and Nicolas Cage are attached to star in Charlie Kaufman's sophomore directorial feature Frank or Francis, a film The Playlist says follows "a volatile back and forth between a film director (Frank) and an online blogger (Francis), who takes delight in berating his cinematic talent." There is no word on who may play what role. Kaufman's last film was the polarizing Synecdoche, New York in 2008. Shooting on Frank or Francis is expected to being in 2012. [Deadline]]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/ed-norton-talks-face-jeremy-renner-the-bourne-legacy Some curious news has popped up as Variety reports Ed Norton (Fight Club) is in negotiations to play the villain in Universal's The Bourne Legacy opposite Jeremy Renner. What we don't know is just what kind of villain we're talking about.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the previous Bourne films didn't necessarily have a villain as much as they had someone pulling the strings on the other end -- Chris Cooper in The Bourne Identity, Brian Cox in The Bourne Supremacy and David Strathairn in The Bourne Ultimatum. I wonder how all of this plays into the plot. Will Norton play an "other-side-of-the-fence" assassin opposite Renner or simply be another CIA official?

If we're talking about another CIA official, are we running a severe risk of simply treading the exact same territory? To be honest, that's exactly what it sounds like based on the limited plot details Variety has to offer.

Variety tells us what is known about the plot is that Jason Bourne will not be featured in this film and that Renner will play another assassin trained in the same program that Bourne was trained who goes out to find his true identity. Uh, yeah, we've seen that story.

This information, however, clashes a bit with earlier reports that Renner's character was an operative from a covert government program that is even more dangerous than the Treadstone brainwashing program that hatched Bourne. That description sounded at least a bit more interesting. At least a different program could involve different techniques, but if Renner is just going to be another super-spy hindered by amnesia I can't say I am all that interested.

The Variety story also confirms Rachel Weisz has joined the cast in what I can now only assume will be a new Pamela Landy role, a la the one played by Joan Allen in The Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum.

Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton) is set to direct The Bourne Legacy, which is currently slated for an August 3, 2012 release.]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/weisz-eyes-bourne-legacy-harrelson-locks-hunger-games-ethan-hawke-joins-total-recall Deadline is reporting Rachel Weisz is in "deep talks" for a role in The Bourne Legacy opposite Jeremy Renner whose carrying on the franchise as a new character: an operative from a covert government program that is even more dangerous than the Treadstone brainwashing program that hatched Bourne. The film is slated for a August 3, 2012 release under the direction of Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton).

Weisz is also in talks to star in Oz: The Great And Powerful for Sam Raimi at Disney and there is no word yet on whether she can film both.

New casting for The Hunger Games squashes earlier rumors that John C. Reilly would play Haymitch, the only District 12 tribute to ever survive the Hunger Games, as The Hollywood Reporter announces Woody Harrelson has secured the role.

Ian McKellen has revealed on blog that Hugo Weaving will be returning to Middle Earth as Lord Elrond in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit.

Screen Daily reports Aaron Eckhart, AnnaSophia Robb and Sean Bean have signed on to star in the as-yet untitled "dark" Peter Pan project (working title is Pan) set up at New Line. Ben Hibon, the man who directed the impressive animated sequence in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, will direct. Robb will play Wendy, Eckhart is attached as Hook and Bean is attached as Smee. In this adaptation of the story, the Captain Hook character is reimagined as a tormented former detective on the trail of a childlike kidnapper. Pre sales are kicking off here in Cannes with shooting expected to start in October.

James Wan's Insidious was a big, low budget hit earlier this year and now his next film, Spectre, has Nicole Kidman in talks to star as the project (plot still unknown) makes its way to Cannes in search for a buyer.

Hollywood 1927. Georges Valentin is a silent movie star who seems blessed : he is handsome, athletic and an excellent dancer. The arrival of the talkies causes Georges to fall into oblivion, alcohol and poverty. As for the young extra Peppy Miller, her star shoots to the heavens.

In Sleight of Hand, also starring French actors Jean Luc Couchard, Nora Arnezeder and Patrice Cols, the international cast plays a crew of small time crooks in Paris, who inadvertently end up possessing a rare gold coin belonging to a notorious French gangster. The leader of the crew calls his uncle (Depardieu), a retired criminal, to help them raise the money to repay the gangster. The series of mix-ups and double crosses culminate as the gangs are pit face to face, chasing through Paris

The goal here is to quickly bust through a batch of news stories and weigh in with a few opinions to give you something to listen to for 20-25 minutes. We try to get in and out without much fluff giving two minutes to the majority of news and five minutes to a couple of other topics.

I'll be the first to admit this first one is a little rough as both Laremy and I need to work on our transitions from one topic to the next and learn how to consolidate our thoughts. It's a process. Dumb things will be said when you try to move at a quick clip, such as when I stupidly say Edgar Ramirez may have been too old for the Bourne role. Oops.

Laremy and I will be at Cannes together and are currently planning on doing short audio reports from France in-between seeing films and then maybe daily audio recaps, but for now give this a listen and let us know what you think and be kind... Also, if you have an idea for a title for the podcast fire away, we are taking any and all suggestions. We will also start taking discussion topic ideas and questions from the readers as we move forward, hopefully making this as much of a community podcast as possible.

This week our topics included The Hunger Games, the trailer for The Change-Up (included above), this summer's superhero movies (based on this article), Harry Potter vs. Transformers at the box-office (based on this article), Jeremy Renner being cast in The Bourne Legacy, Terminator 5 talk and ranking the Fast and Furious films.

Like I said, it's a bit of a rough start, but I hope you find something to enjoy. You can listen below or download the audio by right-clicking here and saving it to your computer.

Once we have a title and some consistency we'll add it to iTunes and whatnot, but we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves.

You can also find Laremy's writing at Film.com.]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/jeremy-renner-cast-as-lead-bourne-legacy Well, it didn't take long after I posted that article about Joel Edgerton as writer/director Tony Gilroy's new favorite to lead The Bourne Legacy for it to become old news as Deadline reports Jeremy Renner has officially signed on.

Renner is not replacing Matt Damon who starred as the titular character in the first three films in the franchise, instead he'll be playing a character named Martin, an operative from a covert government program that is even more dangerous than the Treadstone brainwashing program that hatched Bourne.

This marks Renner's third major franchise role since being nominated for an Oscar for The Hurt Locker as he is starring oppositeTom Cruise in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol later this year and it is anticipated he may be taking over for the franchise afterward. He is also playing the character of Hawkeye in Marvel's The Avengers feature in 2012, a character Marvel would look to spin-off based on the film's success.

Filming on The Bourne Legacy is currently expected to begin in July for a planned August 3, 2012.]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/edgerton-is-the-latest-tipped-for-bourne-legacy-lead Joel Edgerton (Animal Kingdom) will next be seen opposite Tom Hardy (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises) in Lionsgate's Warrior where the two will stand toe-to-toe as a pair of MMA fighting siblings. Edgerton will also be seen in Universal's remake of The Thing later this year as he's slowly becoming more of a domestic presence. Problem is... his star may not be bright enough.

Today Vulture posted an article citing sources that say Edgerton is writer/director Tony Gilroy's current choice to take over the lead role in the fourth film in the Jason Bourne franchise, The Bourne Legacy.

The role is that of Martin who, like Matt Damon's Jason Bourne, was part of a Treadstone-like program. Universal brass, however, aren't convinced Edgerton has the name-recognition to carry the franchise. There is also a high probability of him landing the second lead role in the U's Snow White and the Huntsman, a role previously slotted for his Warrior co-star, followed by Viggo Mortensen who dropped out, then Hugh Jackman turned it down leaving the studio with the current vacancy in the film that currently stars Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart.

As for the Bourne feature, it seems Gilroy is having a hell of a time filling this role as his previous first choice, Oscar Isaac (Robin Hood, Sucker Punch), was also vetoed by the studio at a time when it was reported Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) had been offered the part. Shortly after that news came out previous candidates insisted they weren't out of the race yet as Edgerton along with Luke Evans (Clash of the Titans), Dominic Cooper (An Education) and Garrett Hedlund (TRON: Legacy) still had a shot. Obviously that has now proven true.

Word is the film is coming together nicely and the goal for both Universal and the Robert Ludlum estate is to get going by July so a decision needs to happen soon as a few other potential names have entered the fray. Vulture says you can add James McAvoy (Wanted) and Shia LaBeouf (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) to the studio's wishlist for the Bourne role. Personally, neither of those names intrigue me much, though I would gladly take McAvoy over LaBeouf as he presents a more calm and cool character whereas I feel the always jittery LaBeouf just wouldn't be a good fit based on the mood I got from the original trilogy of films.

The Bourne Legacy is currently slated for an August 3, 2012 release and it sounds like we may have a star very soon.]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/stooges-has-a-larry-hobbit-has-a-lindir-and-bourne-lead-still-up-for-grabs Hayes joins 'Stooges': 20th Century Fox continues to fill out its cast for the Farrelly Brothers' Three Stooges remake, with Sean Hayes ("Will and Grace") entering the fold as Larry. Hayes joins Will Sasso ("$#*! My Dad Says"), who was cast as Curly last week. The casting of TV actors seems a bit odd, especially since names like Jim Carrey, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro were once attached to the project. It now looks like the Farrellys are finding actors who best fit the roles, rather than just gathering big names. I have to give them credit for that. Stay tuned, the third leg in the tripod (Moe) will likely be cast this week. [Variety]

"Hobbit" adds another: Bret McKenzie ("Flight of the Concords") will play Lindir, an Elf of Rivendell, in The Hobbit. McKenzie actually appeared as an extra in the first and third Lord of the Rings films. McKenzie joins a cast that already includes Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, with Andy Serkis, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett reprising their roles from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The 14-month, two-film shoot kicked off on March 21. [Variety]

'Rock' lands its lead: The big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical Rock of Ages has found its star in the form of Diego Gonzalez Boneta. The 20-year-old outlasted the hundreds of young men who auditioned for the part and has roles in Mean Girls 2 and "90210" to his credit. He'll play Drew Boley, a 22-year-old who moves to Los Angeles with dreams of making it in the music industry before taking a job as a bus boy in the rock club The Bourbon Room, where much of the action takes place. He'll co-star aklongside Julianne Hough, with Tom Cruise, Mary J. Blige, Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand already in tow for supporting roles. [Deadline]

Joel Edgerton, Dominic Cooper, Garrett Hedlund and Luke Evans

Warner Bros. picks up 'Wild Guns': The spec for Wild Guns, described as having shades of Tombstone and Sherlock Holmes, has been picked up by Warner Bros. The story is set shortly after the Civil War and follows Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday as they team up to rescue the daughter of Sitting Bull, who was kidnapped by a powerful Shaman with mysterious powers. It's just the latest step in the Hollywood Western renaissance following the overwhelming success of True Grit. Another Wyatt Earp project, The First Ride of Wyatt Earp, was announced a few weeks ago starring Val Kilmer as an aging Earp reflecting on the ride that made him a legend. [Heat Vision]

Red Sox owner feels 'Lucky': Marisa Tomei, Thomas Haden Church, Allison Janney and Alex Baldwin are among the names attached to the indie Lucky Them, which will be financed by Boston Red Sox owner John Henry and wife Linda Pizzuti Henry. Huck Botko (The Virginity Hit) will direct and co-write the project, whoch centers on a rock-music journalist assigned to track down her ex-boyfriend. Lucky Them was the final producing project for the late Paul Newman and his wife Joanne Woodward took the reins after his death. [Variety]

Nolan for 'Blade Runner' sequel?: Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, but Rutger Hauer's comments on the recently announced plans to sequelize and/or prequelize Blade Runner reveal he thinks Christopher Nolan is the only man for the job. "But otherwise you can't do it," he said. "Blade Runner is such a unique film. How do you describe a diamond? I don't think you should ever touch it again." [Hero Complex]]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/hunger-games-casting-rumors-lily-collins-as-snow-white-and-renner-for-bourne I'm going to lead things off with big news from the Bourne universe. We've reported on the supposed "shortlist" of actors being considered to replace Matt Damon in The Bourne Legacy, and Latino Review exclusively revealed that the offer is about to go out to Jeremy Renner (who wasn't even on the the list). This would be just one more notch in the belt of Jeremy Renner, who has secured his current "that guy" status. Already with roles in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, The Avengers and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (set pics of that one here), we'll be seeing plenty of Renner over the next couple of years. I do think Renner is a good choice, but can he really be considered the "future" of two huge spy franchises at the same time?

It should be noted that shortlist contender Oscar Isaac (Robin Hood, Sucker Punch) was writer/director Tony Gilroy's first choice, but it was a choice Universal Pictures didn't approve of. Latino Review wouldn't reveal Universal's reasoning.

Moving on to that Hunger Games thing we keep hearing all about, Deadline has the scoop on who might be in position for the major male roles in the film alongside lead actress Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone). Liam Hemsworth (The Last Song) is said to be the front-runner for the role of Gale Hawthorne, while Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) is on the top of the list for the role of Peeta Mellark. Gale is the hunting partner of Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen character, while Peeta accompanies Lawrence into the deadly Hunger Games reality show. Any thoughts from fans of the novels?

We've previously reported that director Joe Wright will reunite with his Atonement and Pride and Prejudice star Keira Knightley for Anna Karenina, which will co-star Jude Law and Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass), but it now looks like another frequent collaborator could be joining the cast as well. According to The L.A. Times, Wright's Hanna and Atonement star Saoirse Ronan could be joining the cast as well, though the helmer declined to confirm it.

Lionsgate announced yesterday (via Coming Soon) they've set an August 17, 2012 release date for The Expendables 2. It was reported that Sylvester Stallone won't be reassuming directorial duties, though a replacement hasn't yet been announced. Sly isn't working on the script either, as one has already been delivered by Ken Kaufman (Space Cowboys) and David Agosto. I'd assume all this extra downtime has been spent in the gym.

Will Beall, the former L.A. cop-turned-screenwriter who received raves for his The Gangster Squad script that Warner Bros. scooped up, is also now in negotiations to write the studio's Logan's Run remake, according to Heat Vision. The update of the 1976 sci-fi classic will star Ryan Gosling, with Nicolas Winding Refn (Bronson, the upcoming thriller Drive) set to direct. Warner also tapped Beall to write a Lethal Weapon reboot back in January.

Marvel has chosen Drew Pearce to write Iron Man 3 after being impressed by is script to another comic book adaptation Runaways. Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) was announced as the Iron Man 3 director a few months ago, so why not just let him write his own script as well? I mean, it was Black's scripts for action-comedies like Lethal Weapon that put him on the map in the first place. Iron Man 3 has set a May 3, 2013 release date, in case you're looking that far ahead. As for Runaways, Deadline notes it is still in Marvel's plans but they're focusing on a new round of sure-fire cash cows first.

Dreamworks plans to release a theatrical spin-off starring the scene-stealing penguins from the Madagascar movies. THR reports the Megamind team of Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons will pen the script. The Penguins have already been spun-off into a short that appeared on the Madagascar Blu-ray and a Nickelodeon TV show called "The Penguins of Madagascar" that finished as the second most-watched animated show of 2010 amongst 2-12 year-olds behind "SpongeBob SquarePants."

And finally, Steve Carell will star in Seeking A Friend For The End of The World, the directorial debut of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist screenwriter Lorene Scafaria. Deadline reports Keira Knightley is in negotiations for the female lead. The film has a comic and romantic tone, despite taking place at a time when mankind is coming to terms with the fact that an incoming asteroid will end humanity. ]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/superman-villain-candidates-bourne-contenders-and-spider-man-5-scripter Quickly, nothing too new with this first bit as Heat Vision reports the unsurprising news James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) will be back to pen the sequel to the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man. Vanderbilt wrote the script for the upcoming film as he was originally hired to pen what would have been Spider-Man 4 as well as 5 and 6, which were said to have an interconnected storyline.

The Amazing Spider-Man is set to hit theaters on July 3, 2012 with Andrew Garfield starring in the title role under the direction of Marc Webb. There is no word, yet, as to whether Webb will return for the next installment.

Continuing on the superhero track, a couple of actors are currently rumored for the villain role in Zack Snyder's Superman: Man of Steel. Deadline adds Michael Shannon ("Boardwalk Empire") to the bunch and Latino Review throws Edgar Ramirez's (Carlos) name into the mix. Viggo Mortensen was last mentioned as a potential candidate, but that news was recently squashed.

Names not included from our previous report include Jake Gyllenhaal, Kellan Lutz and Tobey Maguire. You can click here for the rest of the previously reported candidates.

It was announced two days ago Adam Shankman's Rock of Ages starring Tom Cruise would be released on June 1, 2012. Today the adaptation of the the Tony-nominated Broadway musical about 1980s rockers added Paul Giamatti to the cast as he'll play the manager of the rock band headed by Stacee Jaxx (Cruise). Amy Adams is reportedly being heavily courted for the role of the journalist who falls into a bedroom romp with Cruise's character. Anne Hathaway was previously offered the role, but had to turn it down when she signed on to star in The Dark Knight Rises. Russell Brand is also now confirmed for a role after being previously rumored.]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/maguire-gyllenhaal-hedlund-and-others-all-considered-for-bourne-legacy Jake Gyllenhaal Garrett Hedlund Taylor Kitsch Kellan Lutz Tobey Maguire

UPDATE: Deadline adds Joel Edgerton, Josh Hartnett, Paul Dano, Michael Pitt, Oscar Isaac, Michael Fassbender, Luke Evans, Alex Pettyfer and Benjamin Walker to the mix.

Variety revealed this evening Universal is currently preparing to fill the shoes of Matt Damon in the continuing of the Jason Bourne saga, The Bourne Legacy, and they offer up five names as rumored candidates the studio and filmmakers are looking at. Making the list are Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire, Garrett Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch and Kellan Lutz.

Gyllenhaal recently failed to inspire domestic moviegoers with Prince of Persia, but should Source Code do well in April perhaps his stock will rise. Nothing about Maguire's resume says "stealth assassin" to me, so his name is a bit of a curiosity. Hedlund played local yokel Beau Hutton in Country Strong and, like Gyllenhaal, delivered uninspiring numbers on a blockbuster effort with TRON: Legacy.

Kitsch is probably best known to movie watchers as Gambit from X-Men Origins: Wolverine and to TV fans as Tim Riggins from "Friday Night Lights." However, he'll next be seen as the lead character in Disney's John Carter of Mars and he also has a role in Peter Berg's Battleship, perhaps making him prime for a major tentpole franchise. Finally there's Twilight actor Kellan Lutz who will try to break away from the Edward and Bella franchise this year as Poseidon in Tarsem Singh's Immortals.

Before we judge, don't think about comparing these names to Damon. The character they will be playing won't be Jason Bourne as the new film is being developed around a new character, a move that will help maintain the franchise namesake as well as allow for Damon to return in future installments should the spin-off be successful.

Everything said, looking at the names assembled, I remain unmoved. None of them interest me. Gyllenhaal seems too obvious, Maguire does nothing for me, Hedlund gets a big negative from me and the other two don't move the dial. I'd prefer a complete unknown, and I would actually like to see them fill this role with a non-white actor. Along with the Bourne name, it seems like a perfect opportunity to make a fresh start with a minority actor at the head of a major studio franchise. Just an idea of course. And no, I don't mean Tyrese, or T.I., or Chris Brown. I mean an actor, someone along the lines of Idris Elba, though I assume he's probably a little too old for the role they're trying to fill. Maybe Edgar Ramirez? Who cares if he already starred (and died) in The Bourne Ultimatum?

As far as the new film's progress, Universal has already tapped the Bourne trilogy scripter Tony Gilroy to write the fourth installment as well as direct it. Gilroy recently told Hollywood Elsewhere, "The easiest way to think of it is an expansion or a reveal. Jason Bourne will not be in this film, but he's very much alive. What happened in the first three films is the trigger for what happens. I'm building a legend and an environment and a wider conspiracy... the world we're making enhances and advances and invites Jason Bourne's return [down the road]."

He continued, "Everything you saw in the first three films actually happened, and everyone who got into [it] will be rewarded for paying attention. We're going to show you the bigger picture, the bigger canvas. When you see what we're going and see what we're doing it'll be pretty obvious... but Jason Bourne's activities in the first three films is the immediate trigger."

Universal has already set a August 3, 2012 release date for The Bourne Legacy, which means casting could be coming very soon.]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/damon-wont-be-back-gilroy-sorts-out-some-bourne-legacy-details Jeff Wells has some clarification from Tony Gilroy himself regarding the recent news he signed on to direct his own script for The Bourne Legacy, the fourth film in the franchise. Gilroy co-wrote The Bourne Identity and played a part in both of its sequels and has gone on to pen this fourth film, but amidst speculation of Matt Damon's return and the source material for the new film based on Robert Ludlum's series of books, Gilroy is out to set the record straight.

First off it sounds like Damon isn't coming back, as Gilroy tells Hollywood Elsewhere, "It's a completely original screenplay. This is not a reboot or a recast or a prequel. No one's replacing Matt Damon. There will be a whole new hero, a whole new chapter...this is a stand-alone project."

He continues saying, "The easiest way to think of it is an expansion or a reveal. Jason Bourne will not be in this film, but he's very much alive. What happened in the first three films is the trigger for what happens. I'm building a legend and an environment and a wider conspiracy...the world we're making enhances and advances and invites Jason Bourne's return [down the road].

"Everything you saw in the first three films actually happened, and everyone who got into [it] will be rewarded for paying attention. We're going to show you the bigger picture, the bigger canvas. When you see what we're going and see what we're doing it'll be pretty obvious....but Jason Bourne's actvities in the first three films is the immediate trigger."

I don't know about you, but this has me actually excited for this film considering I think we all agree the Jason Bourne character's story had run its course.]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/tony-gilroy-hired-to-direct-bourne-legacy Talk of a fourth installment in the Jason Bourne franchise has been going on since about February 2008, and as the stories seemed to change with each coming season things seemed to really start revving again this past June when Bourne Identity, Supremacy and Ultimatum screenwriter Tony Gilroy returned to the franchise to write The Bourne Legacy, the fourth film in the action franchise.

At the time Gilroy was not immediately considered a directorial candidate though the thought wasn't entirely ruled out. On top of writing the fourth film, Gilroy was also hired to write a set of franchise guidelines dubbed the "Bourne Bible," which should be thought of as something keeping the storyline intact should other writers come aboard and the franchise continue beyond four films.

Well, now it appears Gilroy is going to get even more involved with the franchise as the Duplicity and Michael Clayton writer director has been hired to helm Bourne Legacy, stepping in where director Paul Greengrass left off after helming the last two chapters in the franchise. However, Matt Damon's involvement isn't yet assured as he has said previously he'll only return if Greengrass is helming. Well, that won't be happening so now what?

Outside of telling us what we already know, Mike Fleming's Deadline article adds nothing new to the equation. For now this is all we have as story details haven't even been revealed, but I suspect if you keep an eye on producer Frank Marshall's Twitter feed additional information is sure to surface at some point.

For a look back at the news I've reported on the fourth Bourne film since 2008 click here.]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/clearing-things-up-bourne-legacy-likely-not-damons-bourne

I didn't want to write this, but considering I have already written two items recently and not one of them is necessarily accurate I felt it was best I did. Third time's a charm anyway right? Here goes.

First off, my article announcing Tony Gilroy was returning to write The Bourne Legacy, the fourth film in the Bourne franchise isn't exactly a correct reading of the facts. Gilroy is returning to the franchise, but he's being brought in to "write the treatment," not a screenplay. That's my fault. While he may still write the script that's not his immediate task.

It was also mentioned Gilroy would be writing the "Bourne Bible," which I mistook for some kind of book venture related to the goings on in the Bourne franchise. While that isn't necessarily wrong, the use of that material is where I was off. This won't be a book for sale as much as it will be a set of rules, guidlines and information pertaining to the world Bourne lives in for future filmmakers and screenwriters to heed as the franchise moves forward. In the comments on my first article Jesse was on to this long before I was, and it makes total sense considering where the franchise is actually heading.

My article asking "Should Matt Damon Return or be Recast for 'Bourne 4'?" appears to be a worthless one as all signs now point to a new film that won't need him. The Playlist did a little sleuthing and a Universal Studios source told them current reports were "misleading." They say the next Bourne film is not a prequel or a sequel, but "a continuation of the franchise," which, of course, is still misleading and leads to even more speculation, but at least it's a change in the current. Ed Davis at The Playlist suggests this new information means the series will likely continue to tell related stories in the Operation Treadstone storyline.

This makes sense, to a point. Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Bourne kill everyone like him that worked in the Treadstone project? Didn't Clive Owen play the last of the brain-washed assassins in the field in The Bourne Identity and at the end of that film weren't the doors on Treadstone shut? Of course, that opened the franchise up to Blackbriar, but even that was snuffed out by the close of The Bourne Ultimatum.

Maybe I am forgetting something, but by my count everyone is either dead or behind bars, which makes a "continuation of the franchise" without Damon's Bourne virtually impossible based on the news we are getting. Perhaps a midstream tangent is viable, but a continuation? I know David Straitharn had some operatives working for him in Ultimatum, but they seemed like nothing more than assassins for hire, not some new story thread that can lead to further films. The doors on Treadstone and Blackbriar, based on my observation seem to be shut. Does anyone out there see it differently? Am I missing something?]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/should-matt-damon-return-for-bourne-4 With yesterday's news that Tony Gilroy has been brought back to the Bourne franchise to write The Bourne Legacy, the question in the air was whether or not Matt Damon would return to the role. Last we heard from Damon he was saying he wouldn't return unless Supremacy and Ultimatum director Paul Greengrass also returned, and with Greengrass already saying he's out we have our conundrum. However, could it be for the best?

One super-spy that's never shied from being recast is James Bond and he seems to be doing just fine (it's MGM that's having the problems) and wasn't everyone talking about Bourne early on and how this character could be the next Bond? Now's the chance.

When we last left Jason Bourne he was flying off a building and swimming for safety. He's fully aware of his roots and with those that would cause him harm, for the most part, out of the way, it would seem a series of new adventures could begin. The question is, what kind of new adventures?

I agree with the few commenters on the Gilroy article saying Bond and Bourne aren't exactly comparable. Bond movies are mission movies, while Bourne is all about the chase, but let's face it, the chase is over. To make another Jason Bourne movie and have him being chased or chasing down the truth behind his past would be tiresome at best. I love The Bourne Ultimatum, but like "Winchester" said in the comments "there was - even by it's turn in 2007 - some serious repetition of action moments and styles from Bourne Supremacy" in Bourne Ultimatum. To do it all again in 2012 would be more than just repetition, it would be forgotten and dismissed.

Just as the Bourne movies to this point virtually dismissed everything that went on in Robert Ludlum's source novels, it would be best if the action and elements of the first three Bourne films were also left behind. As producer Frank Marshall has expressed in the past, it would be best to begin culling elements from other stories written by Robert Ludlum now that Universal has acquired the entire library.

Matt Damon and Julia Stiles in The Bourne Ultimatum
Photo: Universal Pictures

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As for Damon, why not recast? Hasn't the Jason Bourne character Damon portrayed satisfied his story arc with little room left to go other than an apartment complex with five other friends and coffee shop below? Isn't this the best time to bring in a new actor if Universal wants the franchise to continue? Otherwise, if you are going to bring Damon back shouldn't Bourne basically burn down the entire U.S. government or end up dead in the end? There is only so much exposing of government dirty laundry one character can do. Isn't there?

I won't even begin to speculate as to who could or should replace Damon, much of that depends on the direction they take the story. I could imagine them picking up The Bourne Legacy 10-15 years after Ultimatum at a point where Bourne has entirely dropped his alter-ego and is living by the name David Webb or something else and has become a hired assassin or perhaps runs a curio shop in Manhattan's Chinatown where he sells mogwai to unsuspecting inventors. Who knows? There are plenty of possibilities, but I think Jason Bourne as we know him has run his course, and unless the writers plan on killing him this fourth film will need to some kind of major turnaround.

Bourne isn't like Bond, or even Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt who will be returning in Mission: Impossible 4. It's never been about the mission for Bourne, it's been about reaction and I'm not sure there is enough left to provoke the character that hasn't already been explored. Of course, I am just spit-balling here and trying to come up with editorial content and am in no way a screenwriter, but I know watching another movie with Jason Bourne running through the streets of a foreign city while engaging in hand-to-hand combat with an unnamed assassin has pretty much been done... Aren't we going to need a little more this time around, and perhaps a new actor to add an additional freshness to it all?]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/tony-gilroy-heads-back-to-bourne-franchise-for-4 Producer Frank Marshall keeps busy on Twitter and he has today announced The Bourne Identity, Supremacy and Ultimatum screenwriter Tony Gilroy has returned to the franchise to write The Bourne Legacy, the fourth film in the action franchise that has, to this point, starred Matt Damon as the amnesia inflicted super-spy Jason Bourne. Deadline also reports the news adding Gilroy's also writing what studio insiders are calling the "Bourne Bible," which should be thought of as something keeping the franchise together should other writers come aboard and should the franchise continue beyond four films.

Gilroy co-wrote The Bourne Ultimatum with Scott Z. Burns and George Nolfi and Nolfi was originally set to pen the fourth film when Marshall told IESB.net, "I think [Bourne's] headed down south. I think he's headed to South America." However, Nolfi's script didn't make the grade and Josh Zetumer was brought in to write what was described as a "parallel script" at which time Universal told The Hollywood Reporter, "Our hope is that Nolfi, a key member of the 'Bourne' team, will return after he is done with The Adjustment Bureau." It would appear neither take excited Universal execs.

Despite having the same name as Eric Lustbader's recent book, The Bourne Legacy will not follow the book's plot. Instead Gilroy will look at both Nolfi and Zetumer's scripts, incorporate what he likes and add his own touches reports Heat Vision.

Expectation is to have The Bourne Legacy ready for a 2012 release, but who will direct and will Damon be back to star?

Paul Greengrass directed the last two Bourne films and has since said he's done with the franchise and Damon has said he'll only return if Greengrass does, which also led to speculation the fourth film would be a prequel.

Damon's slate currently involves Liberace and Contagion, both for Steven Soderbergh. Will he be interested in fitting one more Bourne feature into his schedule? Would he be stupid not to?]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/the-bourne-4-news-now-turns-to-prequel-chatter untitled fourth installment in the Jason Bourne franchise. Just recently he talked to Empire saying, "There'll probably be a prequel of some kind with another actor and another director before we do another one. Just because I think we're probably another five years away from doing it - we've got to get a script."

This fourth film, one I think many will say is unnecessary, has seen several writers come and go and most recently Paul Greengrass dropped out of directing the film after having directed Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum, two films that have basically inspired the action genre over the past five years.

No one has ever come out and flat out denied a fourth film is going to happen as many seem to remain optimistic and the fact Damon continues to discuss the film as an actual project, even if he says it's five years off, is encouraging to those that want to see another installment.

Damon and Greengrass most recently teamed to make Green Zone, which hits theaters on March 12, and if history tells us anything, the press junket for that release will be loaded with Bourne questions and considering both Green Zone and the Bourne franchise are Universal properties I don't imagine studio reps will be stepping in to squash commentary.

As for Damon's plate, he's got The Adjustment Bureau coming out on July 30, a role in the Coens' remake True Grit and another role in Eastwood's Hereafter, both coming out late 2010. He's a busy man.

I guess one question we could discuss, is should they make a prequel who's got the looks and stature to pull off a young Matt Damon? An actor you could believe becomes the man Jason Bourne is? To be honest, it sounds like a good idea. It's just simply a matter of going the James Bond route and we already know there is a ton of history before Bourne lost his memory, we just don't know what that history entails. I'm at least interested in the prospect. You?]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/greengrass-bounces-out-of-bourne-4 The Playlist is reporting Paul Greengrass has bailed on directing a fourth Jason Bourne film.

The reasons given include the August revelation that Josh Zetumer was brought on by Universal to write what sounded like a completely new draft of the script following the one turned in by George Nolfi (The Bourne Ultimatum). Greengrass is said to have not been included in the decision.

Next is an apparent spat between director and studio regarding the ballooning cost of Greengrass's upcoming war film Green Zone which has bounced all over the release schedule and is now slated for a March 12, 201o release. Word is Greengrass has been reshooting and editing the picture and the price tag has continued to go up in the process.

Considering this is another war film set in the Middle East I can certainly understand the studio's concern. As The Playlist points out, Green Zone star Matt Damon revealed to Empire, "[Green Zone is] great, I've seen it. They're finishing some of the effects, and it'll be ready for March. We got a $100m Iraq movie, so we'll see! I do have high hopes for it, though. I think it's really good. I know the Iraq movies haven't been particularly popular so far, but hopefully this will find an audience. It's a thriller, really, set against the canvas of Iraq in 2003." Hmmmm, a $100 million Iraq movie is not likely to excite many studio heads.

The report goes on to mention Damon's loyalty to Greengrass, which puts the possibility of a Bourne 4 in serious jeopardy. You can get even further details by reading here.

I personally don't see Greengrass leaving as a bad thing. I think we have gotten more than our fair share of his take on the Bourne franchise with The Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum, and some new blood wouldn't hurt. However, if Damon isn't coming back let's just wrap it all up and go home. The trilogy works as is and there is really no need for another one. Do you agree?]]> http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/article/caution-this-movie-may-cause-motion-sickness

Only two days ago Caitlin Petrakovitz at io9 posted an article headlined "Stop Shaking My Movies Like A Polaroid Picture" taking a look at what she deemed to be the good, the bad and the ugly of hand-held camerawork in films and television. Her "good" includes District 9 and "Battlestar Galactica," her "bad" looks at Paul Greengrass's work on the last two Bourne films and her "ugly" includes Quarantine and Cloverfield.

I agree with Caitlin on the Bourne films and actually think Greengrass's cameramen need some practice in holding a camera steady. My problem, however, is never with action sequences, which is where Caitlin says she feels "as though the movement detracts from the pivotal action." Even the complaints regarding the action in Batman Begins I didn't necessarily have a problem with. My biggest issue is when I am watching a couple of people having a conversation and their heads keep floating all over the screen as if they are lost at sea, such is the case throughout much of The Bourne Supremacy, which is the first time I can personally recollect the technique being used in an exaggerated form in a movie that wasn't approaching the film as if it were a mockumentary.

You'll notice in Caitlin's list above Quarantine and Cloverfield are her "ugly" films and both are filmed with actors holding the cameras as they tell the story in a mockumentary approach, an approach that has grown in popularity since the release and success of The Blair Witch Project back in 1999. The release of Cloverfield really brought the conversation over "shaky cam" back into the fold, but apparently District 9 is doing the same, even though I can't remember a moment where the camerawork in that movie ever became all that epileptic.

So, I have to ask, do you have a problem with hand-held camerawork in movies? Is it something you notice and are there specific moments when it bothers you and others when it doesn't?

I recently found a lot of pleasure in Marc Webb's use of hand-held camerawork in 500 Days of Summer and it just happened to be the main reason I interviewed him, but for the most part I think I have trained myself just to realize it as part of the cinematic landscape.]]>