Movie News Rush 13

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1"

The news - Here's the teaser trailer that came out during the MTV Movie Awards.



"Captain America: The First Avenger"

The news - The cast for this film keeps getting bigger with Stanley Tucci ("The Lovely Bones") now attached to play Dr. Abraham Erskine, who in the Marvel Comics series was a scientist behind the super-soldier program that gave Cap' his powers.

Screen Rant
USA Today
UGO Movie Blog
Latino Review
MTV News
First Showing

"Mortal Kombat"

The news - A new film is in the works for the successful video game franchise that has already seen two film adaptations (one pretty good, one not). The video below was directed by Kevin Tancharoen ("Fame") and stars Michael Jai-White as Jax, Jeri Ryan as Sonya Blade, Ian Anthony Dale as Scorpion and Matt Mullins as Johnny Cage.

What do you think? Is this the hard R-rated "Mortal Kombat" film that we need?



Rope of Silicon
Screen Rant
UGO Movie Blog
Latino Review
CHUD
First Showing

"The Sorcerer's Apprentice"

The news - The final trailer for the film has come online with only a little more than a month to go for this film to hit theaters. Does it look like some fun summer escapism?

"The Bourne Legacy"

The news- Even though director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon have opted not to return for a fourth "Bourne" film, Tony Gilroy has been brought on to write a script for the film (Gilroy has written for all three previous "Bourne" films). Universal is aiming for a release in 2012.

The Geek Files
First Showing
Rope of Silicon
Latino Review
Screen Rant

"Len Grossman" Project

The news - Tom Cruise's portrayal of movie producer Len Grossman in "Tropic Thunder" was a big hit in 2008 and has been brought back into the spotlight for this year's MTV Movie Awards. Now Paramount is movie ahead with a full-length feature film around the character. While I enjoyed Cruise's hijinks as Grossman in "Tropic Thunder," I haven't thrown my support of a Len Grossman movie into the ring just yet.

Watch the 2010 MTV Movie Awards at MTV.com!

Latino Review
Rope of Silicon
First Showing

UPDATED: Director Paul Greengrass Leaves 'Bourne 4'

For months we’ve heard that the fourth installment in the successful "Bourne" franchise is moving forward with both star Matt Damon and "Supremacy/Ultimatum" director Paul Greengrass attached to return. A story was being worked on, but there was still no completed script.

Two scripts for the film are being written, one by George Nolfi (co-writer of "Ultimatum," and another Matt Damon movie, "The Adjustment Bureau") and one by Josh Zetumer, the latter being brought in not that long ago to write a “parallel” script.

Now news comes that Greengrass has left "Bourne 4."

The news comes to us from The Playlist, which says that Greengrass and Universal Studios called things quits last week. While the official story is that there were "creative difference," the real reason, as The Playlist explains, is money.

It's a long and elaborate story but to sum it up, basically Greengrass wasn't happy that they hired Zetumer to develop a parallel script. And Universal isn't happy with Greengrass because he went way over budget on "Green Zone" and is apparently still spending money editing that. And because Universal is a bit finicky with their money right now (and are in desperate need of a huge hit), everything fell apart.

To make matters worse, apparently Matt Damon is loyal to Greengrass. So if the director doesn’t come back we’ll likely either have to face the prospect of a "Bourne 4" without Damon or none at all.

So with Greengrass off the project for the foreseeable future (he may come back), and Damon’s involvement hanging in the balance, this really does hinder us from seeing a "Bourne 4" anytime soon. The film was announced to have a summer 2011 release date with shooting to start in fall 2010. Unless things pick back up very soon, I don’t see those dates being met.

What do you think of Greengrass reportedly walking away from "Bourne 4"?

UPDATE: Dirctor Paul Greengrass has confirmed he is dropping out of the planned fourth film in the Bourne series.

Variety reports that Universal Pictures has now issued a statement from Greengrass saying: "My decision to not return a third time as director is simply about feeling the call for a different challenge. There's been no disagreement with Universal Pictures.

"The opportunity to work with the Bourne family again is a difficult thing to pass up, but we have discussed this together and they have been incredibly understanding and supportive.

"I've been lucky enough to have made four films for Universal, and our relationship continues. Jason Bourne existed before me and will continue, and I hope to remain involved in some capacity as the series moves on."

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Latino Review, Screen Rant, First Showing

New Screenwriter Hired for 'Bourne 4'

Universal is keeping its plans for a "fourth Bourne" movie on track by hiring a new writer.

Writer George Nolfi was due to hand in his screenplay for the next "Bourne" film in June. But at the end of July, franchise star Matt Damon said they still didn't have a script for the next installment.

The studio has now hired Josh Zetumer to write a "parallel script", reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Zetumer, a Hollywood newcomer, is gaining a reputation after penning a big-screen remake of "Dune" for director Peter Berg and Paramount. That project was due out in 2010 but there's been no casting and production has not yet started, so it's likely to be after that when it hits the big screen.

Nolfi, who worked on "The Bourne Ultimatum," has been busy writing, producing and directing "The Adjustment Bureau," an adaptation of a Philip K. Dick short story which will also star Matt Damon.

As that movie nears its September start date, Nolfi has had to put aside his "Bourne 4" screenplay, which has prompted execs to bring in Zetumer so the project is not slowed down and is still able to meet its 2011 release date.

A Universal spokesman said: "Our hope is that Nolfi, a key member of the Bourne team, will return after he is done with 'The Adjustment Bureau.'"

Story details of the "fourth Bourne" adventure are not yet known. Robert Ludlum wrote three Bourne novels, each adapted into a film; after Ludlum's death in 2001, Eric Van Lustbader penned five more: The Bourne Legacy (2004), The Bourne Betrayal (2007), The Bourne Sanction (2008), The Bourne Deception (2009) and The Bourne Objective (due out in 2010). It's possible one of the Lustbader novels is the basis of the next film installment.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Source: The Geek Files

'Bourne 4' May Be Delayed

The last we heard about a fourth installment in the successful "Bourne" series, star Matt Damon, director, Paul Greengrass ("Bourne Supremacy"/"Ultimatum"), and producer Frank Marshall were in the stages of trying to get the story right and wanting the script to be as good as the first three before they move forward.

An aimed release date of summer 2011 was reported at one point, a script was supposed to surface this summer and there was even mention of a hoped production start date of next summer. However, info has just surfaced that may mean that "Bourne 4" is still a while away.

Matt Damon recently spoke in a group interview about his new History Channel special called "The People Speak" where he gave an update on the status of the fourth Bourne movie. He doesn’t say that the movie is not happening anymore, but doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that it will be anytime soon:

“None us have kind of seen [a script] yet, and Paul’s still cutting a movie that we worked on ['Green Zone'], so we’ll get together and talk about it… I just saw [producer] Frank Marshall, and we were talking about it… Then I’ve talked to Paul Greengrass quite a bit about that.”

George Nolfi was the one who was supposed to have written "Bourne 4," but apparently his script - due this month - has yet to surface. What’s interesting is Damon is starring in Nolfi’s "The Adjustment Bureau" which is based on a Philip K. Dick short story and co-stars Emily Blunt.

"Bourne 4" may be getting extra time to develop properly with "The Adjustment Bureau" being pushed to be released first. "Bureau" currently has a production start date of September this year with an estimated release date of sometime in 2010.

I’d like to think that any delays on "Bourne 4" have to do with the fact they want to get the movie right, instead of there being some sort of behind-the-scenes trouble. It’s better for the fourth Bourne to take a long time and be quality, than to be rushed for the sake of it and ending up being disappointing.

"Oh yeah, we won't do it unless it's good," Damon said. "Promise."

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, Sci Fi Wire

Movie News Mash 11

Robin Hood

I'm still calling this movie "Nottingham" in the labels for my posts. Might have to change that since the movie isn't called that anymore.

Anyway, new casting for the film. Oscar Winner William Hurt will play William Marshall, the Earl of Pembroke.

As a recap of the long line of actors for the movie, this version of Robin Hood follows Robin from his early days in King Richard's army to his return to Nottingham to his creation of a band of mercenaries who challenge the sheriff and eventually try to prevent civil war. Russell Crowe will play Robin Hood, Cate Blanchett will play Maid Marian, Oscar Isaac will play King John, Mark Strong will play Sir Godfrey, Vanessa Redgrave will play Queen Eleanor, and Léa Seydoux will play Princess Isabella. The script was written by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris (of "Bulletproof Monk," "Sleeper Cell") as well as Oscar winner Brian Helgeland (of "L.A. Confidential").



"Jonny Quest"

Zac Efron (of "High School Musical") is stepping out of his dancing shoes to go on adventures as Jonny Quest, based of the old cartoon series about the adventures of an 11-year-old boy and his family.

Dwayne "The Rock" Jonhson is rumored to be in the role for Race Bannon.

Efron is 21 right now, so the age of Quest will have to be moved up from 11. And WB is wary of making the movie altogether since the studio believes "Speed Racer" may have tainted the vintage cartoon-to-movie conveyor belt.



"Bourne 4"

Jason Bourne franchise producer Frank Marshall has taken to updating fans of the next installment in the "Bourne" franchise via his Twitter account with recent posts saying, "Bourne4 is in the works for Summer 2011" and "George Nolfi is the writer of Bourne4, should have a draft by June.”

Expect to hear more on these movies soon! Catch ya' later!

Bourne 4

In an interview with Parade Magazine, Matt Damon spoke about bringing Bourne back to the silver screen.

Q: Is it official that you’ll return as Jason Bourne for a fourth time?

A: We’re working on it. This time it would be from an original script rather than a book by Robert Ludlum. But the director, Paul Greengrass, is busy and I am too, so we’ll see what happens.

Q: Are you ready to be Bourne again?

A: Listen, when I did the first movie, I was 29 years old. I am 37 now, and after a tough fighting scene, the next day you wake up and feel your body more. That’s just the way it is.

"The Bourne Identity" came out in 2002 and the trilogy completed in 2007. The first three films in this expanding franchise grossed almost $1 billion worldwide and were based on novels by Robert Ludlum. Now Universal has bought the rights to everything Bourne and a plan is being made to make a fourth thanks to the ambiguous ending of the third. This new film will be entirely created anew with no prior Bourne book to be based on, so how well will it fare compared to the other Bourne films?

Are you ready for another Bourne movie?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

More Bourne 4 News

Matt Damon (Jason Bourne) and Paul Greengrass ("Supremacy" and "Ultimatum" director) have not yet signed on to do a fourth Bourne film, but one is still currently in the works.

Frank Marshall, producer of the films and also owns all the rights to the Robert Ludlum library, wants to make a fourth film, but not based on any more Bourne books.

See, Ludlum only wrote the original trilogy, but many other authors have been allowed to write from Ludlum's original works and to continue the adventures of Jason Bourne.

According to UGO Movie Blog, "Frank Marshall does not have the rights, per se, to Bourne. He has the rights to the works of Robert Ludlum. There are plenty o’ Bourne books out there that have yet to be made into films - but they are not Ludlum and, hence, not gonna be coming out from Marshall and (one would suspect) Damon/Greengrass. "The Parsifal Mosaic" is not a Bourne book - but it is a Ludlum spy novel."

Marshall wishes to make the foruth Bourne movie based on "The Parsifal Mosaic."

In an interview done by ComingSoon.net with Marshall, the producer described "The Parsifal Mosaic" as a story that "deals with a U.S. spy who falls in love with another spy who is revealed to be a double agent just before her death. When he retires from the business, though, the spy learns that she may still be alive and sets out to learn the truth."

Other interesting parts from the interview.

Q: Would this come at all from the new book, "The Bourne Betrayal"?

Marshall: No, the "Bourne Betrayal" was written by a friend of Ludlum's.... It had nothing to do with us.... We want to stay true to the original character.

Q: Any ideas for a "Bourne" title?

Marshall: Well, there's a lot of jokes. "Bourne Again," "Bourne Yesterday," "Bourne Free," "Bourne on the Fourth." I actually want to do that. Call it that and release the movie on the fourth.

More news to come! Catch ya' later!

More Bourne. More Ludlum

Latino Review has an excellent post on new Jason Bourne movies coming out and about other films based on Robert Ludlum novels. Check it out!

"Universal Pictures has made an overall deal with the estate of 'The Bourne Identity' author Robert Ludlum that gives the studio exclusive rights to the Jason Bourne character and first look at other Ludlum novels.

The deal with Ludlum Entertainment paves the way for more installments in the Bourne saga, which was originally envisioned as a three-picture series but has become Universal's answer to James Bond.

After the first three films grossed a total of more than $1 billion worldwide, U signed Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass for a fourth film that George Nolfi is penning. Produced by Frank Marshall and Ludlum Entertainment chairman-CEO Jeffrey Weiner, the film will be readied for a summer 2010 release.

Weiner will take offices on the Universal lot as part of the deal and hire development executives as the company takes an active hand in developing projects, including some not based on books by Ludlum. Weiner was the author's accountant for 16 years before being tapped by Ludlum to be estate executor and to run the holding company that produces his movies and publishes his books and videogames.

'Universal has done such an excellent job with the first three films that they deserve the opportunity to keep Jason Bourne at the studio forever,' Weiner told Daily Variety.

The deal was put together by U co-president of production Jimmy Horowitz and president of production Donna Langley, who said that the gritty action style has rubbed off on other action fare.

The deal also gives Universal an inside track on other Ludlum books that would be developed with Ludlum Entertainment. That is especially valuable for U, whose chairman Marc Shmuger and co-chairman David Linde have made franchises a priority.

Universal tried but didn't win 'The Matarese Circle' when that Ludlum Cold War thriller was shopped last April, with Denzel Washington attached along with 'Wanted' scribes Michael Brandt and Derek Haas. MGM and Relativity won the auction; they've set David Cronenberg to direct a film expected to begin production next year. Ludlum titles routinely turn into seven-figure packages, including the $4 million Paramount paid for 'The Chancellor Manuscript' in 2005, with Leonardo DiCaprio attached to star and produce with Red Wagon.

Universal is developing another Ludlum book, 'The Sigma Protocol,' with Strike Entertainment partners Marc Abraham and Eric Newman. Summit Entertainment has 'The Osterman Weekend,' [which will be a remake of 'The Osterman Weekend' from 1983] with Simon Kinberg set to write and direct.

There are plenty more where those came from.

'There is a deep Ludlum library. Over 25 of his novels have never been exploited in movies,' Weiner said. He recalled that Ludlum watched a couple of his titles get turned into movies during the early 1980s, and he was underwhelmed by the result. The author died while 'The Bourne Identity' was in production. Now, the estate has contractual approval not only on screenplays but also on characters and even actors, Weiner said.

'The goal is to pick the right people to be in business with, so you don't have to wield these things like a club,' Weiner said. "If you get to that point, you're in business with the wrong people."

If you like Bourne and Ludlum, then you must be happy.
More news to come! Catch ya' later!

The Bourne (add name of Fourth movie here)

According to Latino Review, Universal Pictures is going to make a fourth Bourne film.

The trilogy is based on the three books written by Robert Ludlum. Now that all the stories are used from Ludlum, the fourth film will be based on an original story.

Reminds me how the Bond films leaped from the Ian Fleming novels to original stories as well.

George Nolfi will write the script. He was co-writer of the third Bourne film.

Latino Review reported, "Studio toppers Marc Shmuger, David Linde and Donna Langley are making the continuation of the Bourne franchise a top priority in their effort to mount tentpoles, and they've secured director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon to attach themselves to a new film."