Total Film News

James Cameron Interview: On His Doubters

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:09:56 GMT

August 21 was Avatar Day, the day the world finally got to see the 3D space opera (well, 15 minutes of it) that’s been two decades in the making and two years in the hyping – it’s going to change cinema, dontcha know?

Only the world shrugged its shoulders, or at least the bloggers did. What was this cheesy cartoon nonsense? Delgo? FernGully? Planet Videogame inhabited by cerulean-blue Jar-Jars? And it looked even worse if you were watching the teaser trailer on your laptop, 12”x8”, flat as a steamrolled pancake…

Of course, the long-form theatrical trailer did much to silence the naysayers, introducing more story and coherence.

It was enough to get Total Film (very) excited again. So, adrenalin pumping, heart thumping, we flew to LA to meet up with Cameron on the Fox Lot, where he submersed us in 33 minutes of his magnum opus.

Having luxuriated in the extraordinary footage, it’s not hard to see why a dressed-all-in-blue Cameron then strode in the room like a 9ft Na’vi, brimming with confidence. The guy must feel like a skyscraper right now, knowing what he’s going to reveal on December 18.

So, how was Avatar Day for him? Read below to find out...

What did you make of the reaction to Avatar Day? There was a fair bit of sniping – references to Delgo and FernGully…

"That’s how I pitched it. I told the studio if it was FernGully with better effects! That made them nervous."

Next: James Cameron On The Backlash

In retrospect, do you think it was an error to put on the event?

"Avatar Day, to me, was so necessary. They [Fox] were going to release a teaser trailer anyway. They had to because that’s the normal course of things. And I was most concerned about seeing the material in a short form, especially on a small screen.

I thought the shock of the new… You know, inherently blue faces just don’t look real, so it’s very easy to dismiss it, regardless of how well accomplished it is. So that’s why I wanted to do Avatar Day, and have a more immersive first look at the movie.

"In fact, the original plan was that the teaser wasn’t supposed to go out until after Avatar Day, but the studio kind of screwed it up a little bit, as they are wont to do."

But were you satisfied with the public response?

"Fortunately, Avatar Day proved to be a big save because 100,000 people got up out of their houses and drove to a cinema to see 15 minutes of a movie that wouldn’t come out for almost five more months.

"Which is pretty remarkable in and of itself. It’s a pretty good metric of the advanced viral hype, because we hadn’t hyped the film - this was all viral hype.

"They love to criticise you for hyping the movie, except we hadn’t yet!"

Next: Satisfaction guaranteed? Not in the Blogosphere

Not everyone who watched the 15 minutes then left the cinema satisfied…

"The reaction was absolutely the antonym to whatever criticism we had based on viewing the teaser online, on your laptop, because the exit polling and all the post-interviews were 100 per cent.

"It was not 100 per cent in the blogosphere, based on the teaser trailer itself, and I think we learned some stuff from that experience - that people seem to crave more story.

"It wasn’t sufficient just to dazzle them with the imagery. Most of the comments were “Jury’s still out, because we don’t know the story yet.”

"I thought that was tremendously telling, because it really shows that no matter how dazzling the visuals are, or promise to be, people still want to know what it’s about.

"They want to know who the people are. So the long-form theatrical trailer is much more story-focused. Because we have a great story, you know? We just weren’t selling that."

Did the blogs annoy you?

"The film will be judged in due course. It’s not like we shrug and say, “Well, they didn’t like our trailer, let’s not release the movie.”

"The movie’s coming out. It’s inevitable, like having a baby - baby’s coming out, movie’s coming out. So you just have to focus on making the film the best that it can possibly be."

For the full James Cameron interview, check out the January Issue of Total Film magazine. It comes with a free 36-page supplement dedicated to the man and his work, and with a specially-penned intro by Cameron’s biggest fan, Guillermo del Toro.

Nicholas Flamel books bought up again

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:09:34 GMT

Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura has nabbed the rights to book series The Secrets Of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel.

Given that he's the man who helped launch the Harry Potter franchise, it's not surprising that the producer would want to try and find another, similar set of tomes to adapt.

And Michael Scott's planned six-part series would seem to be the perfect case. The novels follow 15-year-old twins Sophie and Josh as they travel across several continents with the titular alchemist.

The series' Potter-like potential was spotted by New Line three years ago, where it was set up as a possible franchise. But since the company has floundered and folded back into Warners, the rights became available.

So far, three books - The Alchemyst, The Magician and The Sorceress have been published with The Necromancer out next May.

Given that he's got a deal with Paramount, di Bonaventura will likely offer any potential film there first, since he's already brought them success with the likes of Transformers and GI Joe.

Will we finally see another franchise (besides Twilight, that is) to rival Harry's game? Will this beat out Percy Jackson? Stay tuned…

[Source: Variety]

Have you read the books? Will they make good movies?

Anne Hathaway for Spider-Man 4?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:36:55 GMT

Anne Hathaway is the latest name attached to a possible role in Spider-Man 4.

The way things are going, just about every actress will have been linked to the latest Spidey franchise outing by the time the thing actually starts shooting.

We've been through Romola Garai, Rachel McAdams and, even more recently, Julia Stiles (below), who was reported to have met the film's casting team.

And now Deadline Hollywood's Nikki Finke is reporting that Anne Hathaway has been approached for a starring role, but isn't replacing Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane.

So the next possible black cat contender steps into the ring. Fifteen bazillion actresses enter, only one can leave with the role - assuming Black Cat is even in the movie to begin with.

And of course Hathaway is being considered - she's a name actress with a proven track record.

While we'd love to see her take on a role in the film, someone wake us when an actual decision is made…

[Source: Deadline Hollywood]

Who do you want to see in Spider-Man 4, either as Black Cat or another character?

Eddie Murphy feeling Fluffy?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:36:46 GMT

Eddie Murphy could be headed back to one of his comfort zones, signing on to produce and possibly star in The Misadventures Of Fluffy for Paramount.

But wait! Though it sounds like a typical Murphy-flavoured family comedy, it's apparently an R-rated outing pitched by writers Sam Pitman and Adam Cole-Kelly which will chronicle a road trip through New York for talking critters.

And according to the Risky Business Blog, it's got a vein of Trading Places-style social satire running through it too.

So while he's ditching edgier fare like the Richard Pryor biopic, could this be his way of sneakily getting back to more interesting movies?

Only time will tell…

[Source: Risky Business Blog]

Does this sound like a good move for Murphy? Tell us!

Sam Worthington goes back to the future

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:53:00 GMT

Avatar's Sam Worthington is clearly not done with science fiction - he's attached to star in near-future tale The Last Days Of American Crime.

The Minority Report-esque plot focuses on the US government's plan to covertly broadcast a signal that would make it impossible for anyone to commit a crime.

It's been adapted from Rick Remender's comic book, which is ready to hit the shops as a miniseries next month.

There's no word on who might direct the movie yet, but if Duncan Jones wasn't already busy on Source Code and trying to get Mute made, he'd have our vote. Or maybe they could convince Neill Blomkamp to sign on?

[Source: Variety]

Thinking caps on: who do you want to see in the director's chair?

Meet Avatar's military muscle

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:52:51 GMT

There's a brand new Avatar featurette online, which explores the military technology that humanity brings to Pandora.

Jim Cameron and his cast and crew (including Weta's Richard Taylor) explain and explore some of the nifty (and, in some cases) huge pieces of machinery that are used to explore the place.

Of course, this is Cameron, so the human government is naturally A) obsessed with a natural resource (in this case, fabled sci-fi macguffin Unobtanium) and the weaponry it will use to get at it even as the Na'vi try to protect their home.

The usual warning applies - there is some fresh footage to be found here and while no one really goes into the plot, you can definitely see a few spoilers hanging around...

Take a look and let us know your thoughts!

Brad Pitt headed into Dark Void

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:52:42 GMT

Brad Pitt's production company has grabbed up the rights to video game Dark Void in order to develop it as a possible vehicle for him.

Void finds a pilot crash-landing in the Bermuda Triangle, waking up to discover he's on a parallel, primitive world where humans are battling aliens who come bristling with superior technology.

Don't all rush out to buy it, though - the game hasn't even hit the shops yet and won't be out until January.

And we'll likely have to wait for the movie, too, since there's no writer, director or other actors in place yet...

[Source: Variety]

Brad Pitt vs aliens. Would you watch?

Kick-Ass has a UK distributor!

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:52:29 GMT

Good news for everyone who has been slavering at the thought of seeing Matthew Vaughn's comic adaptation Kick-Ass.

The film has been nabbed by Focus Features International for the UK, Australia, Latin America and around Europe, which means we'll get to see it via Universal.

For those who haven't been paying attention, it adapts Mark Millar's twisted tale of Dave Lizewski who, despite lacking super powers or any real discernible skills, decides to live his dream of being a superhero.

"Everyone at Focus and Universal has been interested in this bold and brilliant film for some time, as Matthew Vaughn is one of the most talented international filmmakers working today," Focus Features co-chief executive Christian Grass told Variety.

One question - if you've been so interested for so long, why not offer Vaughn funding when he asked every studio for help before he made it?

Still, we're just glad it'll now be hitting our cinemas. There's no word on a release date yet, but with the US schedule set for April, hopefully it'll be sometime early next year.

[Source: Variety]

Kick-Ass news! Excited?

Get ready for Frat Boy

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:51:50 GMT

Warner Brothers has brought Wedding Crashers director David Dobkin aboard its new comedy Frat Boy.

The high (or should that be low brow?) concept pitch sees a baby abandoned on the steps of a frat house on an American campus and ends up being raised by the various members of the fraternity until he's old enough to go out into the world.

According to Pajiba's source, the film is described as "think Tommy Boy meets Old School." Do we have to?

Given that Dobkin's guy-centric hits (well Crashes was a hit, while Fred Claus didn't work so well) have starred Vince Vaughn, might we see him taking a part? Though to be honest, the crazed manchild role sounds more up Will Ferrell's street.

Right now, Scott Rothman's first draft script is being re-written by Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul, who last worked on Yes Man and next year's intriguing-looking laugher Hot Tub Time Machine.

We're hoping they push it more towards Old School and further away from Tommy Boy. Much, much further…

[Source: Pajiba]

Spielberg developing Under The Dome

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:50:44 GMT

Steven Spielberg and Stephen King are teaming up to adapt King's latest novel, Under The Dome as a TV miniseries.

DreamWorks TV has the rights to the novel which finds an invisible forcefield suddenly appearing over a small town in Maine (it's King, so the location's not a shocker).

As the place becomes cut off from the rest of the world, the locals must fight for their survival and warring factions start to cause problems for everyone.

It'll be the first time they've worked together in ages, following on from Spielberg optioning King's novel The Talisman, which he's tried to make work as both a film and a TV series, but has yet to crack the budget issues.

Let's hope he gets things moving a little more quickly this time...

[Source: Variety]

Antoine Fuqua gets Better Living Through Crime

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:30:52 GMT

Antoine Fuqua will direct the adaptation of graphic novel Miss: Better Living Through Crime.

Spike Lee has signed on to executive produce the movie, which focuses on Nola and Slim who forge an unlikely crime partnership.

How unlikely? Nola is a white girl kicked out of an orphanage and living on the streets with her wits. Slim is a black pimp with a dodgy past and together they become hired killers.

Red Tails writer John Ridley is hard at work adapting the source, which was created by Philippe Thirault, Marc Riou and Mark Vigouroux.

[Source: Variety]

Glad to see Fuqua and Lee collaborating? Speak up!

Sam Worthington on for The Texas Killing Fields?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:30:40 GMT

Sam Worthington and Bradley Cooper might be lining up to star in The Texas Killing Fields.

The film is taking a long time to get to the screen, no doubt partly due to its complex, dark subject matter, in which a couple of cops discover their latest case has a connection with the legendary Texas Killing Field incident.

Four bodies were found in the same place between 1983 and 1991, with only two of them identified and all unsolved.

Penned by a Texan police officer, the script has attracted the likes of Danny Boyle, who briefly considered directing the film, but pulled out figuring that it would need megastars to get moving.

Now it might have them, with Bradley Cooper and Sam Worthington attached and some serious clout behind the camera too - Michael Mann is producing the film and wants his daughter, Ami, to direct it.

Whether she'll stay on board is another matter - despite her famous parentage, she's only had limited experience, including some second unit work on Heat.

But with the actors attached, and assuming they find time in increasingly busy schedules, this is one tough movie that might actually make it to cinemas…

[Source: Pajiba]

Aaron Sorkin headed back to TV

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:52:08 GMT

While he's spent the time since Studio 60 was cancelled working on movies, Aaron Sorkin has been tooling away on a new idea for a TV series set behind the scenes of a show.

Yes, the writer behind David Fincher's The Social Network is following up Sports Night and Studio 60 with an untitled project he's keeping close to his chest.

"I'm going to be starting on a new TV series when filming is done on the upcoming movie The Social Network, he tells TV Guide.

"It's going to be what turns out to be the third in the trilogy of TV shows that take place behind the scenes of a TV show, but this will be a different kind of TV show. That's all I can let out of the bag right now.”

While we're big Sork fans, the whole "once bitten" (or in this case twice, since Sports Night, above, was brilliant but only lasted two seasons) theory comes up - can he make a TV-based show work like he did with The West Wing.

There has been speculation that he'll set this new project at a cable news show, which should allow him to indulge his speech-making, politics-prodding style much more comfortably than Studio's SNL-style setting.

Oh, and in equally exciting news, he wants to reunite some of his past cast members. “If you're a writer, when you're find an actor like Josh Malina, Felicity Huffman, Brad Whitford, Matthew Perry, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, all these great actors that I've worked with, you just want to stick them in your pocket and work with them forever, so I hope so.”

The campaign for a Sork-based mega-cast starts here!

[Source: TV Guide]

What do you want a new Sorkin show to be about? Should he really be tempting the wrath of the whatever from high atop the thing?

Sam Neill joins Guardians Of Ga'hoole

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:51:16 GMT

Zack Snyder has added the likes of Sam Neill, Geoffrey Rush and Hugo Weaving to his animated adventure Guardians Of Ga'Hoole.

In fact, he seems to be hiring half the available actors around for job, since Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Abbie Cornish (below), Emily Barclay, Emile de Ravin, Ryan Kwanten and Jay Laga'aia are also aboard.

We're not finished! Helen Mirren, Miriam Margoyles and Jim Sturgess have already been recording their voices. Phew…

The plot? It follows a young owl named Soren, who listens to his father's tales of the titular guardians, who battled the evil Pure Ones to save owlkind.

The 3D 'toon should fly in ready for Christmas next year…

[Source: THR]

Jennifer Hudson is Winnie

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:07:31 GMT

On the heels of Morgan Freeman preparing to hit our screens as Nelson Mandela in Invictus comes news that Jennifer Hudson will portray the man's wife in a biopic.

The Dreamgirls star has signed on to Winnie, which will follow Mandela's ex-wife through her complicated life.

She began as his crusading partner, imprisoned for supporting him and struggling to be a wife and mother as he spent 27 years in jail.

But in later years, her image was troubled by her relationship with a bodyguard who killed a 14-year-old informer and her fraud convictions.

But with South African director Darrell J Root co-writing and directing the film, Hudson seems convinced that we'll get the full story.

“I was compelled and moved when I read the script,” she tells Variety.

“Winnie Mandela is a complex and extraordinary woman and I’m honored to be the actress asked to portray her. This is a powerful part of history that should be told.”

[Source: Variety]

Bruckheimer developing Alien Legion

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:05:46 GMT

Jerry Bruckheimer's been quietly developing what he likely hopes is another big tentpole film - comic book series Alien Legion.

The latest update on the movie's progress through development hell comes via USA Today (handily linked by the team at FirstShowing), which focuses on the book's creator, Carl Potts and the fact that Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, the writing team behind Wanted and the A-Team film, are currently assigned to the latest draft.

The comic series' plot finds a disparate group of aliens recruited into an outer space version of the French Foreign Legion.

"Bruckheimer's never done a science-fiction before, so that challenge, I think, is something that would hold his interest," Potts tells the newspaper.

"The success they've had with blending CGI and live-action characters in the Pirates of the Caribbean series could translate easily to an Alien Legion film."

It's still a ways off, since it appears to be a tough nut to crack, but it also sounds like a fun concept…

[Source: USA Today via FirstShowing]

Does this sound like a good idea to you? Speak!

Branagh finds Thor's Warriors Three

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:05:12 GMT

Forget all those Jude Law/Robert De Niro rumours, at least where Thor's Warriors Three are concerned - Kenneth Branagh has found actors for the roles.

Ray Stevenson, last seen in Punisher: War Zone, Battle In Seattle's Stuart Townsend and Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano, probably best known for Mongol: The Rise Of Genghis Khan, have signed up to play the Asgardian adventurers who fight alongside Thor in the film.

They join a cast that includes Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth, with Branagh planning to kick off shooting in January ready for a May 2011 release date.

[Source: Variety]

Are they the right choices? And do you think De Niro might still play a role?

Third Alice In Wonderland poster arrives

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:04:58 GMT

Continuing its drip feed poster promotion for Alice In Wonderland, Disney has unveiled the latest new image - which features Johnny Depp's The Mad Hatter and The Caterpillar.

There have been lower resolution looks at the insect voiced - and, from the looks of his face, designed slightly after - Alan Rickman, but this is his first proper appearance in promotional art for the film.

The design for Burton's take on Wonderland is still looking trippy and rich, and all three posters so far have shown it off to great effect.

Take a look at the image and let us know your thoughts...

[Pic Source: Coming Soon]

Carl Rinsch up for 47 Ronin

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:40:53 GMT

Carl Erik Rinsch is close to directing 47 Ronin, with Keanu Reeves starring, for Universal.

You might recall former ad director Rinsch as the man originally pushed by Ridley Scott to handle the Alien prequel before taking the job himself.

While he's no longer attached to Alien, it looks like he'll almost certainly tackle the period samurai swordsmen tale with Reeves playing one of a group of warriors who avenge the death of their master.

It's partly based on true events, but will be spiced up with 300-style battle scenes, with a script by Wanted co-writer Chris Morgan.

[Source: Variety]

Is Rinsch the right man for this job? Tell us!

Stephen Daldry attached to Young@Heart

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:40:29 GMT

Working Title looks to be throwing some real power behind its recently announced film remake of senior choir documentary Young@Heart.

Writer Will Reiser, who last worked on I'm With Cancer, is polishing the latest draft of the script and according to Pajiba, the company is approaching actors with the idea that Stephen Daldry will direct the movie.

Since the film will likely focus on the conductor of the choir who helps to motivate his aged performers, and given how affecting the original documentary is, it sounds like the sort of uplifting musical project Daldry's well suited to.

As for the possible actor? Steve Carell is apparently "considering" it, though we don't know whether he'll plump for it or even be able to squeeze it into his packed schedule.

[Source: Pajiba]

Does this sound like a good move for Daldry or Carell? Speak!

A new Exorcist?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:25:58 GMT

The Exorcist is one of those films that few people think really needs to be remade - but what if the original writer and director were involved, and it was a miniseries, not a movie?

That's a possibility currently being talked up by William Peter Blatty, who wrote both the novel and the book on which the film is based, and who was interviewed by Cemetery Dance magazine recently.

Asked if there's anything he'd change about the film, Blatty replied, "I would love to have been able to include the subplot involving Karl and his daughter Elvira which I did in my first draft, but that script ran to 172 pages, much, much too long."

And there's more! "But I might have it my way in the near future, inasmuch as I've written an Exorcist miniseries script that not only faithfully includes all the main elements of the novel, but also some rather spooky new material and scenes, as well as a totally new (and perhaps much more satisfying) ending. I've also updated it. Billy Friedkin has agreed to direct."

Yes, it's not often that the original filmmakers get together to consider a new version of a horror classic… Of course, it might never actually come together and could still turn out to be awful, but it's definitely a better idea than handing it over to a first-time director and a studio that needs a PG-13 rating…

[Source: Cemetery Dance via Bloody Disgusting]

Is this a good idea? Would you watch?

See exclusive Avatar footage!

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:25:44 GMT

The new issue of Total Film hits shelves this Thursday 19th November, and along with all the usual film news, reviews and features, we are also offering you an exclusive clip of Avatar, courtesy of LG's new Chocolate phone.

That isn't the only Avatar coverage we've got in the new issue, far from it - we have an entire supplement devoted to Avatar maestro James Cameron, celebrating his complete works from Piranha II to Dark Angel, and interviews with the man himself and his collaborators - a must have for any Cameron fan!

First step to watch the exclusive Avatar footage - grab a copy of the new Total Film.

To watch the footage, simply follow these steps;

1) With your copy of Total Film in hand, turn to our special James Cameron supplement and find the LG logo.

2) Go to www.lge.co.uk/avatar/exclusive to launch their special LG Chocolate BL40 webcam.

3) Hold up the LG logo to the webcam, and watch the exclusive Avatar footage!

4) No webcam? No worries. Head to www.lge.co.uk/avatar/exclusive for instructions on how to view the clip.

Seen the trailer? Going to track down the footage? Tell us your thoughts!

Edward Woodward dies aged 79

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:25:33 GMT

Veteran actor Edward Woodward has died aged 79 at Truro Hospital in Cornwall after a long illness.

The star, best known for his roles in cult horror The Wicker Man and US TV series The Equaliser, had also appeared on BBC soap Eastenders earlier this year.

Confirming his passing, agent Janet Glass paid tribute to the actor, calling him a “superb human being who never had anything bad to say about anyone”.

"Universally loved and admired through his unforgettable roles in classic productions, he was equally fine and courageous in real life, never losing his brave spirit and wonderful humour throughout his illness.

"His passing will leave a huge gap in many lives," she added.

Actor Simon Pegg, who worked with Woodward on 2007 film Hot Fuzz, left a tribute to Woodward on his Twitter account; "So sorry to hear we have lost the great Edward Woodward. Feel lucky to have worked with him."

The cult actor had been battling a series of serious illnesses, including pneumonia, over the past few months.

Although maintaining his sense of humour and high spirits throughout his hospitalisation, Woodward finally succumbed this morning, surrounded by family.

Share a memory of your favourite Edward Woodward performance below.

Could Brian Cox play a dwarf?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:25:08 GMT

While some of the roles in The Hobbit - like, say, Ian McKellen - are foregone conclusions, there are plenty of meaty characters left to play. And Brian Cox might be on the list to nab one of them.

According to Ain't It Cool, his name is emerging as a "major contender" to play one of the main dwarves in the film(s).

There a certainly some important dwarves characters in the book, so if he does take part - and for now, he needs to be listed strictly as a rumour - he could be in line for the likes of haughty leader Thorin or Balin, who helped Bilbo on his quest.

Cox is certainly a great thesp and the Hobbit team would be crazy not to offer him something. Here's hoping it turns out to be more than wild speculation.

[Source: AICN via Slash Film]

Do you want to see Cox as a dwarf? If not, what should he play?

Leaves Of Grass trailer online

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:24:54 GMT

A new promo for Leaves Of Grass, the pot comedy starring Edward Norton (twice) is online and you can watch it below.

Directed by Tim Blake Nelson, the film follows the misadventures of a philosophy professor (Norton), forced to return to his small Oklahoma hometown when his slacker twin brother is apparently murdered by the local drug lord.

But, as the trailer makes clear (and since the poster points out) his bro is very much alive, but needs his help to stay that way. Cue misunderstandings, mobsters and lots of pot comedy.

It looks like it might be worth a chuckle or two, though it doesn't seem to have a distribution deal in place so we might be waiting for this one.

Take a look below and let us know what you think...