The New Star Wars: The Force Awakens Teaser is Here!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has completed principal photography. ..#TheForceAwakens #StarWarsVII

Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm have released the second Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser at Star Wars Celebration today and we have it for you!! Check it out below.

The movie, directed by J.J. Abrams stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Crystal Clarke, Pip Anderson, Christina Chong and Miltos Yerolemou

Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters on December 18, 2015.

Tribeca Film Festival 2015 Has Begun! Drive-In Movies & Free Events!

tribeca film festival 2015 logoLiz and Melissa are your eyes and ears of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. They’ve got a headstart – Liz has already seen 24 and Melissa has seen 15! They’ll be attending the festival, watching movies and interviewing actors and directors. Make sure to follow them to see what they’re up to!

Follow the ladies on:

What are you seeing this year?

Clue_Press_3bTRIBECA DRIVE-IN FILMS

BACKTOTHEFUTURE_web_1FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS

  • TRIBECA FAMILY FESTIVAL STREET FAIR: April 25, 10am – 6pm Greenwich Street / North of Chambers
  • Free Screening of: Back to the Future: April 25, 6pm at BMCC
  • Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day 1: April 23, 10am – 6pm Greenwich Street / North Chambers

Quick facts:

  • 3,147 Feature submissions
    • World Premiere: 67
    • International Premiere: 4
    • North American Premiere: 13
    • U.S. Premiere: 5
    • New York Premiere: 11
    • Restoration: 1
  • Total Number of Feature Directors: 124
    • Feature-Length Female Directors: 32
    • Feature-Length Male Directors: 93
    • First-Time Directors: 41
    • First-Time Female Directors: 14
    • First-Time Male Directors: 27
    • Returning Directors: 62

Tribeca Film Festival Theme: New York Stories – National Lampoon, James Franco, Christopher Walken & More!

Stephen Elliott (James Franco) and Neil Elliott (Ed Harris)Anna Kooris

Stephen Elliott (James Franco) and Neil Elliott (Ed Harris)Anna Kooris

The Adderall Diaries – Stay tuned for Liz’s Review & Interview!

Directed and written by Pamela Romanowsky. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative.
Elliott (James Franco), a once-successful novelist inflicted with writer’s block and an Adderall addiction strives to escape his problems by delving into the world of a high-profile murder case. Amber Heard, Ed Harris, and Cynthia Nixon co-star in this adaptation of Elliott’s best-selling memoir.


ANESTHESIA_Press_2 Tribeca

Anesthesia – Stay tuned for Melissa’s Review

Directed and written by Tim Blake Nelson. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative.
On a snowy night in New York City, a Columbia professor is brutally mugged on the doorsteps of an apartment building. Director Tim Blake Nelson’s haunting meditation of city life traces the chain of events that precipitate the attack, examining the inextricable and unforeseen forces that bring a group of disparate individuals together. Featuring a star-studded ensemble including Sam Waterston, Kristen Stewart, Glenn Close, and Cory Stoll.


APPLESAUCE_Press_1 Tribeca

Applesauce – Stay tuned for Liz’s Review

Directed and written by Onur Tukel. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative.
TFF alumnus Onur Tukel plays a husband who innocently reveals on talk radio the worst thing he’s ever done. Though his gaffe never makes it on air, it sets off a chain of hilariously uncontrollable events that draw his wife and another couple into an uneasy mixture of infidelities, confessions, and severed body parts.


Drunk Stoned_Press_3 Tribeca

DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: The Story of the National Lampoon – Stay tuned for Liz’s Review

Directed and written by Douglas Tirola, co-written by Mark Monroe. (USA) – New York Premiere, Documentary.
Using rare, never-before-seen archival footage and in-depth interviews with fans and founders, Douglas Tirola traces National Lampoon’s evolution from underground countercultural movement to mainstream household brand. Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead is a riotous and revealing chronicle of a trailblazing comedic institution and a celebration of creative expression at its radical, envelope- pushing finest.


 

Indian_POint_Press_3 TribecaIndian Point – Stay tuned for Liz’s Review

Directed and written by Ivy Meeropol. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary.
Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant looms just 35 miles from Times Square. With over 50 million people living in close proximity to the aging facility, its continued operation has generated controversy for the surrounding community. In the brewing fight for clean energy and the catastrophic possibilities of complacency, director Ivy Meeropol weaves a startling portrait of our uncertain nuclear future.


Live from New York-SNL6 Tribeca

Live From New York!

Directed by Bao Nguyen. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary.
A New York institution and comedy powerhouse, Saturday Night Live has been churning out hilarious sketches and launching top comedy talent for 40 years. In honor of the occasion, director Bao Nguyen looks back at the show’s history, influence, and most memorable moments.


Character: Asad Ali Photographer: Mobeen Ansari

Character: Asad Ali Photographer: Mobeen Ansari

Song of Lahore – Stay tuned for Melissa’s Review

Directed by Andy Schocken and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. (USA, Pakistan) – World Premiere, Documentary.
Until the late 1970s, the Pakistani city of Lahore was world-renowned for its music. Following the Islamization of Pakistan, many artists struggled to continue their life’s work. Song of Lahore turns the spotlight on a group of stalwart musicians that kept playing and ultimately attracted listeners from around the world. In English, Punjabi, and Urdu with subtitles.


Speedy

Directed by Ted Wilde. (USA) – Newly restored print from the Criterion Collection, Narrative. Silent comedy legend Harold Lloyd stars as a die-hard Yankees fan who can’t keep a job, but is determined to save the last horse-drawn trolley in New York. This lighthearted slapstick classic features visits to Coney Island and Yankee Stadium, an incredible cameo by Babe Ruth, and hair- raising cab rides through the city streets.


TransFatty_Press_1 Tribeca

TransFatty Lives

Directed by Patrick O’Brien, co-written by Patrick O’Brien, Scott Crowningshield, Lasse Jarvi, Doug Pray. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary.
Director Patrick O’Brien is TransFatty, the onetime NYC deejay and Internet meme-making superstar. In 2005, O’Brien began to document his life after being diagnosed with ALS and given only two to five years to live. TransFatty Lives is a brazen and illustrative account of what it’s like to live when you find out you are going to die.


Bob Mankoff, Farley KatzPhotographer: Kirsten Johnson

Bob Mankoff, Farley KatzPhotographer: Kirsten Johnson

Very Semi-Serious

Directed by Leah Wolchok. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary.
The New Yorker is the benchmark for the single-panel cartoon. This light-hearted and sometimes poignant look at the art and humor of the iconic drawings shows why they have inspired and even baffled us for decades. Very Semi-Serious is a window into the minds of cartooning legends and hopefuls, including editor Bob Mankoff, shedding light onto their how their humor evolves.


The Wannabe_PatriciaAndVincent

The Wannabe

Directed and written by Nick Sandow. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative.
Gotti-obsessed and hopelessly in love, Thomas (Boardwalk Empire’s Vincent Piazza) and Rose (Academy Award®–winner Patricia Arquette) are looking to fit in to a neighborhood where mob- ties equal social currency. Amidst events surrounding the 1992 trial of John Gotti, Thomas and Rose attempt to make their mark. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese.


 

When I Live My Life Over Again-00002 TribecaWhen I Live My Life Over Again – Stay tuned for Melissa’s Review

Directed and written by Robert Edwards. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative.
Jude (Amber Heard) is a would-be singer-songwriter still struggling to make her mark. Cash- strapped and homeless, she begrudgingly returns to the Hamptons home of her father (Christopher Walken), an over-the-hill crooner desperately charting his musical comeback, in this spunky, soulful dramedy about the personal costs of artistic ambition and the bonds that carry us through.


Wolfpack_Press_1 Tribeca

The Wolfpack – Stay tuned for Melissa’s Review

Directed by Crystal Moselle. (USA) – New York Premiere, Documentary.
Everything the Angulo brothers know about the outside world they learned from obsessively watching movies. Shut away from bustling New York City by their overprotective father, they cope with their isolation by diligently re-enacting their favorite films. When one of the brothers escapes, the world as they know it will be transformed. A Magnolia Release.


 

Short Films

Aphasia

Directed by Luke LoCurcio, written by Robin Rose Singer. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Emily is your average 26-year old who texts her friends, chats on Facebook, orders online, and uses GPS to get where she’s going in Aphasia, until one day she suddenly comes face-to-face with the consequences of living a digital life.


 

The Artist Is Absent: A Short Film on Martin Margiela

Directed and written by Alison Chernick. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary.
The Artist Is Absent profiles the influential Margiela, who has been a major force in fashion for over 20 years, yet the man himself remains elusive, maintaining his anonymity in an age of celebrity.


 

Best Man Wins

Directed by Stéphane Dumonceau, written by Frederick Waterman, Stéphane Dumonceau. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative.
When a celebrated New York chef discovers an affair between his super-model wife and his best man in Best Man Wins, he devises a plan to deal with each of them.


 

Better to Live

Directed by Linda G. Mills. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary.
Drama majors tackle anxiety, cutting, and suicide, in the unscripted and raw Better to Live, as they build a “reality” show for 5,000 college freshmen.


 

Blitz

Directed and written by Faraday Okoro, written by Faraday Okoro. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative.
In Blitz a father and son agree to a “winner takes all” chess blitz in order to settle a bet.


 

Every Day

Directed by Gabe Spitzer. (USA) – New York Premiere, Documentary.
At 86, Joy Johnson was the oldest woman to run the 2013 New York City Marathon. This is the story of an inspiring athlete with an uncommon passion for her sport, and for life.


 

Last Call

Directed and written by Stefan Nadelman. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary.
In 1972 Sheldon Nadelman began working as a day-shift bartender at the Terminal bar in midtown Manhattan. Over the next decade he shot over 1500 black-and-white photographs of his customers, who ranged from the working class to the downtrodden. Twenty-five years after the bar closed for good, Sheldon recollects their stories.


 

Man Under

Directed by Paul Stone. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary.
Since 2010, over 250 people have been killed by New York City subway trains. Man Under is the personal journey of one MTA motorman’s struggle to get his life back on track after a desperate woman turns his train into her suicide weapon, shedding light on one of NYC’s darkest secrets.


 

We Live This

Directed and written by James Burns. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary.
We Live This is the story of four boys from the projects who have come together to pursue their dreams. Most new Yorkers who ride the MTA have opinions about them, but what lies beneath these young performers is more than what meets the eye.

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL begins tomorrow! RND has a few (40) recommendations

tribeca film festival 2015 logoThis year’s fest is bigger and better than ever! We’re very excited here at Reel News Daily to bring you the very best of what’s screening. Get ready for interviews, roundups, special events, and reviews coming your way. Here are the films we recommend… so far!

 

Follow the ladies on:

Tribeca Film Festival 2015 MarqueeDocumentary Selections

INDIAN POINTIndian_POint_Press_3 Tribeca

TFF 2015 DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
  • Release Year: 2015
  • Runtime: 94 minutes
  • Directed By: Ivy Meeropol
  • Country: USA
Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant looms just 35 miles from Times Square. With over 50 million people living in close proximity to the aging facility, its continued operation has generated controversy for the surrounding community. In the brewing fight for clean energy and the catastrophic possibilities of complacency, director Ivy Meeropol weaves a startling portrait of our uncertain nuclear future. 

SCREENING TIMES

FRI 4/17 5:30 PM SVA Theater 2 Beatrice
SUN 4/19 3:45 PM Regal Cinemas Battery Park 11-1
WED 4/22 3:30 PM Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea 6
FRI 4/24 6:15 PM Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea 4

Read More →

‘Pitch Perfect 2’ Screenings Available in Select Cities!

pitchperfect2poster

Regal Crown Club has just released passes for an upcoming screening of the highly anticipated sequel Pitch Perfect 2! Membership is required to attend the screening so go to https://www.regmovies.com/Crown-Club and sign up for a free account

The screenings are on Wednesday May 6th

The select cities are:

Fresno, CA

Oceanside, CA

Sacramento, CA

Jacksonville, FL

Miami, FL

Royal Palm Beach, FL

Tampa, FL

Winter Park, FL

Honolulu, HI

Avon, IN

Walled Lake, MI

Hazelwood, MO

Cary, NC

Charlotte, NC

Las Vegas, NV

Columbus, OH

Mason, OH

Westlake, OH

Norman, OK

Tigard, OR

Nashville, TN

Austin, TX

San Antonio, TX

Norfolk, VA

Wanna go?! Click the link below and grab passes while supplies last!

http://www.gofobo.com/index.php/main/national_campaign/UkNDcGl0Y2hwZXJmZWN0Mg

Stay tuned for more cities!

Matthew Vaughn to Direct ‘Flash Gordon’?

flash-gordon

According to The Hollywood Reporter, director Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class) is in talks to direct a new version of Flash Gordon for 20th Century Fox.

J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay (upcoming Star Trek 3), have written the script and John Davis (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) and George Nolfi (The Adjustment Bureau) are set to produce the film.

Flash Gordon was first brought to life as the hero in a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond in 1934. The story followed the adventures of Gordon, a yale polo player, and his companions Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov as they escape Earth during a meteor attack and sets off to find the people responsible. His story has been translated over television, comic books, novels and movies. including the 1980 film starring Sam J. Jones as Flash Gordon.

The film would mark the fourth comic book film for Vaughn who most recently released Kingsman: The Secret Service this year.

More as it becomes available

Rumor: ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ Tease to Debut Thursday

Batman-v-Superman-Dawn-of-Justice-Logo

According to Latino-Review, director Zack Snyder will reportedly offer a glimpse at the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer on Thursday, ahead of the release of the full trailer on Monday.

The website is reporting that the filmmaker will share five seconds of footage Thursday at 9 a.m. PT, timed to coincide with the beginning of the panel for Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California.  Afterward, a link will be provided for fans to sign up to see the full trailer in one of the listed theaters on Monday. The trailer reportedly will also appear with Avengers: Age of Ultron, which opens May 1.

Again, this is all speculative and until Warner Bros. or Zack Snyder confirm this should be looked at as a rumor, but keep your eyes peeled to Zack Snyder’s Twitter nonetheless

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will open in theaters on March 25, 2016

Mullet Nation! ‘Joe Dirt 2’ Trailer is Here!

Joe Dirt 2

There is a God and he loves us all! The teaser trailer for the upcoming sequel Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser has arrived! David Spade returns to the titular role along with Christopher Walken, Dennis Miller, Brittany Daniel, and Adam Beach who all return from the original film.

Spade re-teams with Fred Wolf who co-wrote and executive produced the sequel to the Columbia Pictures cult favorite. Wolf also serves as the director. The film is produced by Happy Madison Productions.

Spade returns as the mullet-wearing, rock and roll loving, down on his luck white-trash-hero who embarks on another epic journey, this time through the recent past, the heartland of America – and his own mind – to get back to his loved ones. Joe Dirt is back with a vengeance, and a mop.

Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser will premiere on Crackle beginning July 16

 

CW Fight Club! Superhero vs Supervillain Cage Match!

arrowflash0625141280jpg-44d491_1280wOK…this is pretty amazing! CW has just debuted a epic three minute trailer for the final episodes of their hit DC shows The Flash and Arrow! Check out all the amazing goodness in the video below.

The Flash returns tomorrow, April 14th with their 18th episode entitled “All-Star Team-Up”: The synopsis reads:

Barry (Grant Gustin) is surprised when Felicity Smoak (guest star Emily Bett Rickards) arrives from Starling City along with her boyfriend, Ray Palmer (guest star Brandon Routh), who flies in as the Atom. They’ve come to visit S.T.A.R. Labs as Ray needs help with his suit. Their timing turns out to be fortuitous because it’s all hands on deck after a meta human named Brie Larvin (guest star Emily Kinney) unleashes hundreds of robotic bees to attack and kill her former co-workers, including Dr. Tina McGee (guest star Amanda Pays). A group dinner with Barry, Felicity, Ray, Iris (Candice Patton) and Eddie (Rick Cosnett) turns into a disaster.

Arrow returns this Wednesday, April 15 with episode 19 entitled “Broken Arrow”. The synopsis reads:

Lance (Paul Blackthorne) continues his mission to take down the Arrow (Stephen Amell) so Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) orders Oliver to keep a low profile. However, when a meta-human named Jake Simmons (guest star Doug Jones), who kills people with blasts of energy and plasma, starts terrorizing Starling City, Oliver is forced to ask Ray (Brandon Routh) for help. The unlikely duo is forced to team up to save the city.

McG To Direct ‘Shadowhunters’ for ABC Family

McG

Deadline is reporting that McG is set to direct the opening episode of Shadowhunters for ABC family. The show is based on Cassandra Clare’s YA fantasy book series The Mortal Instruments, which, if you remember, had a feature film adaptation of the first book in the series, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones in 2013. McG will also act as executive producer on the show alongside writer-showrunner Ed Decter.

Shadowhunters follows 18 year old Clary Fray, who finds out on her birthday that she is not who she thinks she is, but rather comes from a long line of Shadowhunters human-angel hybrids who hunt down demons. When her mother Jocelyn is kidnapped, Clary is thrown into the world of demon hunting with mysterious Shadowhunter Jace and her best friend, Simon. Now living among faeries, warlocks, vampires and werewolves, Clary begins a journey of self-discovery as she learns more about her past and what her future may hold.

Shadowhunters will debut on the network in 2016

First Look at Netflix Original Series: ‘DreamWorks Dragons: Race to the Edge’

Dragons

Today, Netlflix and Dreamworks Studio announced that an all-new original series based on the How to Train Your Dragon series would be coming to the streaming service on June 26th. The show will be called DreamWorks Dragons: Race to the Edge and it will feature Hiccup and Toothless in an all new adventure. We have a sneak peek at the show’s opening credits for you to view below!

The show follows Hiccup and the Dragon Riders beyond the boundaries of Berk as they come upon an ancient artifact known as the Dragon Eye, which leads them to discover a slew of unknown dragons in new lands. The only hitch is a gang of marauding dragon hunters, who are also after the secrets and power of the Dragon Eye.

All thirteen episodes will be available on June 26th

 

3 New Clips from Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ Have Arrived!

avengers age of ultron

During the MTV Movie Movie Awards last night, the Avengers cast was on hand to present Robert Downey Jr. with the MTV Generation Award. They were also there to unleash a brand new 90-second clip from the film which you can view below!

 

Today, two more clips have been released by Marvel studios and we have them for you below!

When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for a global adventure.

The movie stars Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, along with Chris Evans as Captain America,Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow andJeremy Renner as Hawkeye. Also starring Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, James Spader as Ultron as well as Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch, Aaron Taylor-Johnsonas Quicksilver and Paul Bettany as Vision. Written and directed by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige.

Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron opens in theaters on May 1, 2015.

Eddie Redmayne in Talks to Star in the Upcoming Harry Potter Spin-off

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Variety is reporting that recent Academy Awards winner Eddie Redmayne is the frontrunner to play Newt Scamander in Warner Bros. Pictures’ highly anticipated Harry Potter spin-off, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Although not officially offered the role, director David Yates is said to be very high on the actor, but is still considering a few other actors for the role as well. Nicholas Hoult has recently been linked to the role as well.

The film, a prequel of sorts to the Harry Potter franchise, is inspired by one of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts textbook “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” and tells the adventures of the book’s fictitious author, Newt Scamander. “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling is currently writing the screenplay for the film.

The film is scheduled for a November 18, 2016 release.

Trailer for Upcoming ‘Scream: The TV Series’ Debuts!

Scream-Series-Logo

If you watched the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday you would have caught the first look promos of MTV and Dimension TV’s upcoming “Scream TV Series” during the broadcast. Didn’t watch? No worries because we have the promos and trailer below!

What starts as a YouTube video going viral, soon leads to problems for the teenagers of Lakewood and serves as the catalyst for a murder that opens up a window to the town’s troubled past.

The “Scream TV Series” stars Bex Taylor-Klaus, Willa Fitzgerald, John Karna, Connor Weil and Amadeus Serafini.

The series will premiere on MTV on June 30th.

Official Trailer:

Promo 1:

Promo 2:

New ‘Terminator: Genisys’ Trailer Has Arrived!

terminator_genisys_movie_poster_2

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Production have debuted a new trailer for the upcoming Terminator Genisys and we have it for you below!

In 2029, John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the Resistance, continues the war against the machines. At the Los Angeles offensive, John’s fears of the unknown future begin to emerge when John is notified by his army unit, Tech-Com, that Skynet will attack him from two fronts, past and future, and will ultimately change warfare forever.

On the verge of winning the war against Skynet, Connor sends his trusted lieutenant Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back through time to save his mother’s life and ensure his own existence. However, Kyle finds the original past changed. After being orphaned at age nine by a T-800, sent to kill her when she was young to prevent the future in which Skynet is defeated, Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) has been brought up by another Terminator T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) programmed to protect her. This Terminator has then trained her to face her destiny, which she adamantly tries to reject.

Now, Kyle and Sarah have to escape the T-800 and the recent T-1000 sent by Skynet to kill them, as well as John Connor himself, who has been converted into a human/cyborg hybrid, with the help of the old Terminator and find a way to stop Judgment Day from ever happening.

The movie also stars Academy Award Winner J.K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi, Matthew Smith, Courtney B. Vance and Byung-Hun Lee. Directed by Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World)

Terminator Genisys will hit theaters on July 1, 2015

New ‘Ant-Man’ Trailer is Here!

Ant Man

Trailer #2 for the upcoming Marvel film Ant-Man has been released online and you can view it below! The trailer will also be attached to Avengers: Age of Ultron in theaters in a few weeks.

Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

The film also stars Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne, Corey Stoll as Darren Cross aka Yellowjacket, and a host of others. The film is directed by Peyton Reed. 

Ant-Man arrives in theaters on July 17th

Sony Pictures and MRC Team Up to Make ‘The Dark Tower’

Longing_the_Dark_Tower_by_andyfactor-1The once believed to be “unfilmable” book series may have just found a dance partner. Deadline is reporting that Sony Pictures and MRC are teaming to make a live-action version of the Stephen King series “The Dark Tower”. Sony and MRC will co-finance the franchise with Sony developing the first feature film and MRC beginning work on a tie-in television series.

The film will be based on King’s book, The Gunslinger, which just so happens to be the first book in the series. Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind) and Jeff Pinker (The Amazing Spider-Man 2) are currently writing the screenplay.

“I’m excited that ‘The Dark Tower’ is finally going to appear on the screen,” says King. “Those who have traveled with Roland and his friends in their search for the Dark Tower are going to have their long-held hopes fully realized. This is a brilliant and creative approach to my books.”

“There are few projects out there that compare with the scope, vision, complex characters and fully drawn world that Stephen King has created with The Dark Tower,” adds Sony chairman Tom Rothman. “I am a giant fan. And, as Stephen himself does, we love the direction that Akiva and Jeff have taken. This is a great opportunity for a director to put his or her stamp on a cool global franchise.”

No release date and cast has been released at this time. Keep checking back for updates.

‘EX MACHINA’ plays God with our emotions.

ExMachinaPosterHow far are we from a true functioning, fully self aware A.I.? We’ve all seen the Youtube videos of robots that can walk and “talk” and serve us things. These creations are programmed to respond to our needs, but what happens when we get so good at creating artificial intelligence, the machine doesn’t need us anymore? Writer Alex Garland, who brought us SUNSHINE and 28 DAYS LATER, now strolls us through a world where this very matter is at hand. EX MACHINA is the story of a young and brilliant programmer, Caleb, who wins a contest that allows him to visit the creator of what, in today’s society, would be the equal of Google. Nathan lives on a compound in the middle of nowhere. His home is state of the art in every way possible. But Caleb isn’t  just there to pick the brain of a prodigy, he is there as a pawn in a much bigger game. Nathan has created an A.I. so perfect, that it defies what Caleb imagined to be the realm of possibility. His challenge: test “Ava”. But the real test is something much more sinister. Read More →

‘TRUE STORY’ stars James Franco and Jonah Hill in roles you never saw coming.

True StoryPosterThe mind is a dangerous place. Power is a dangerous thing. Manipulation is a dangerous game. Fame is a monster. Infamy is forever. TRUE STORY, based on real life events, is the story of former New York Times writer, Mike Finkel. Once highly regarded for gutsy journalism, his choice to fabricate pieces of one story come crashing down on him. Let go from the NYT, he moves back to middle America with his lonely and tremendously supportive wife. Soon after his return, Mike receives a phone call about a man who, when arrested for the murder of his family, claimed to be the NYT reporter, Michael Finkel. Naturally intrigued, he sets up a meeting with now inmate, Christian Longo. Armed with only his wits and a notepad, Finkel agrees to tell Longo’s story, that is, if he can get it.

TrueStoryJonahHillJamesFranco

The question in this film is who’s playing whom? The manipulation of both men walk a razor thin line throughout. Jonah Hill is excellent as Finkel. Thoughtful, gentle, needing to understand why Longo acts as he does. James Franco is downright frightening in this role. The roller coaster ride of this character’s journey is plain to see, with engrossing effort on Franco’s part. These two duel it out in each scene, many times with nothing but eye contact that speaks 1000 words where there are none. This is some serious acting going on here. We all know Hill is perfectly capable of this level of intensity with Moneyball and The Wolf of Wall Street under his belt. Franco, while  I am a huge fan already, really knocks it out of the park as Longo. As an audience member, he is likable and seemingly sincere, all while having an undercurrent of potential sociopath. The way these two play off one another is movie magic. I really think it would be a shame to ignore these performances come awards season.

TrueStoryFelicityJones

Felicity Jones plays Finkel’s wife, Jill, with huge range, as usual on her part. She is vulnerable yet strong, as a woman stuck between a healthy marriage and the ambition of a husband hungry to rebuild his name. Once again, it’s the quiet moments that are some of the most frightening for her. Left alone in the house with remnants of Longo’s drawings and writings, she is visually confronted by his enigmatic musings that are wholly unsettling to stare at. This film is perfectly timed in its release with the popularity of The Jinx and the wildly successful podcast Serial. If you are a fan of either (which, frankly, you should be) True Story will be right up your alley.

TrueStoryJonahHill

Bottom line, TRUE STORY will chill you to your bone. It will give you pause. The film is so profoundly menacing because it is based on actual events. That creepy crawly feeling under your skin lasts long after you’ve exited the theater. The question still remains; “Who do you believe?”

TRUE STORY is now available on VOD and comes to theaters Friday, April 10th.

SYNOPSIS: When disgraced New York Times reporter Michael Finkel meets accused killer Christian Longo—who has taken on Finkel’s identity—his reporting job morphs into an unforgettable game of cat and mouse. Based on actual events, Finkel’s relentless pursuit of Longo’s true story encompasses murder, love, deceit, and redemption.

Cast:
Jonah Hill
James Franco
Felicity Jones
Robert John Burke
Ethan Suplee
Gretchen Mol

Dominic Cooper in Talks to Star in AMC’s ‘Preacher’

Dominic Cooper

The Wrap is reporting that Dominic Cooper is closing in on a deal to star in AMC’s adaptation of the comic Preacher. Cooper would play the lead role Jesse Custer, a small town Texas priest who begins to question his faith and  finds himself merged with a supernatural entity, Genesis, birthed from both an angel and a demon.

The news comes just moments after The Hollywood Reporter’s report that Lucy Griffiths (True Blood) has joined the cast as Emily Woodrow, a new character created just for the show. The character is described as a no-nonsense single mother of three. Emily’s a waitress, the church organist, a bookkeeper and Jesse’s loyal right hand. Stoic and strong, wise beyond her years, she can’t help but have a little thing for Preacher Jesse

These two join a cast which includes Joseph Gilgun as the vampire Cassidy, Ruth Negga as Tulip, and Ian Colletti as Arseface.

The show will be produced by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen along with Neal Moritz’s Original Film. The pilot was written by Sam Catlin and has Rogen and Goldberg attached to direct.

Preacher is set to shoot this year and  premiere on the network in 2016.