Michael Keaton Says "At Least I Didn't Age Like Val Kilmer" In BIRDMAN Pics

 

Michael Keaton's new movie Birdman was filming in New York City recently, and there's some pictures from the set which show Michael Keaton running in his underwear, and a good look the flashy "Birdman" costume. 

(sadly not Harvey Birdman, just plain old Birdman)

IWatchStuff

 

 

The film tells the story of an actor (Michael Keaton) – famous for portraying an iconic superhero – as he struggles to mount a Broadway play. In the days leading up to opening night, he battles his ego and attempts to recover his family, his career, and himself.

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the film co-stars Lindsay Duncan, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Emma Stone and Naomi Watts.

Benicio del Toro Bringing Oddball Charm to Guardians of the Galaxy

Benicio del Toro was supposed to play Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness. Until they balked at his asking price and went for the cheaper, and unknown, Benedict Cumberbatch. Hindsight being what it is, Paramount wishes they gave into his demands.

No sweat for the Oscar-winner as he's going orbital elsewhere. He has joined the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy. Marvel is keeping their lips sealed on his identity. He's signed a multi-picture contract. Not exactly saying much, everyone signs their life away especially to join ranks at Marvel. But the plan for him to play a big role in future films. Knee-jerk speculation says Thanos. Not sure if that's it, but a good suggestion nevertheless.

For such a weird property (and their only project slated for next summer), Marvel is making up for that by getting as many name-actors as possible.

Weekend Box Office: May 31 - June 2

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1.  Fast & Furious 6 - $34.5 million

2.  Now You See Me - $28 million

3.  After Earth - $27 million

4.  Star Trek Into Darkness - $16.4 million

5.  Epic - $16.4 million

6.  The Hangover Part III - $15.9 million

7.  Iron Man 3 - $8 million

8.  The Great Gatsby - $6.2 million

9.  Yei Jawaani Hai Deewani - $1.6 million

10.  Mud - $1.2 million

While I think most expected Will Smith's After Earth to underperform this weekend, I don't think that even the most pessimistic box office pundits saw this one coming.  Not only did After Earth's estimated $27 million fail to best Fast & Furious 6's second weekend for the top spot, it was also trounced by the magician comedy Now You See Me.  Yikes.

Now how did this happen?  As easy as it may be to blame director M. Night Shyamalan, it doesn't fall on him this time.  Sony did everything but put a pair of Groucho glasses over his name in all of the marketing materials to hide that the fact that he was directing this movie.  This one falls on Will Smith.  While giving his son multimillion dollar movies to star in, audiences aren't quite as enamoured with the idea, especially when Jaden Smith doesn't quite have the acting chops to pull off a starring role on his own just yet.  Plus they'd rather see the funny, charismatic Will Smith of Independence Day, and not the bland Will Smith from After Earth's trailers.

Combine that with the film's positively toxic reviews, and we have our first box office dud of Summer 2013.  Luckily, Superman is literally flying over in two weeks to bring the box office back where it belongs.

In the meantime, while Fast 6 did drop nearly 65% from its big opening last weekend, that movie has made crazy money already: $170 million domestically, and a whopping $310 million worldwide.  Wow. 

Audiences barely cared about The Hangover 3 last weekend, and they care less now:  that dropped 62% to earn just $15.9 million this weekend.  Star Trek Into Darkness and the animated Epic were tied for fouth place with $16.4 million.  We'll know by tomorrow when the actual figures for the weekend come in.

There's a Bollywood movie in the top ten this weekend: Yei Jawaani Hai Deewani, which earned $1.6 million at just 161 theaters. 

Next weekend, which will be the calm before Man of Steel, sees the release of the Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson comedy The Internship, the thriller The Purge, and Joss Whedon will be taking on Shakespeare with Much Ado About Nothing.

Poster For Whale Documentary "Blackfish"

Many of us have experienced the excitement and awe of watching 8,000 pound orcas, or “killer whales,” soar out of the water and fly through the air at sea parks, as if in perfect harmony with their trainers. Yet, in our contemporary lore this mighty black and white mammal is like a two-faced Janus—beloved as a majestic, friendly giant yet infamous for its capacity to kill viciously. Blackfish unravels the complexities of this dichotomy, employing the story of notorious performing whale Tilikum, who—unlike any orca in the wild—has taken the lives of several people while in captivity. So what exactly went wrong?

Shocking, never before seen footage and riveting interviews with trainers and experts manifest the orca’s extraordinary nature, the species’ cruel treatment in captivity over the last four decades and the growing disillusionment of workers who were misled and endangered by the highly profitable sea-park industry. This emotionally wrenching, tautly structured story challenges us to consider our relationship to nature and reveals how little we humans have learned from these highly intelligent and enormously sentient fellow mammals.

INDIEWIRE

A Look Inside Heath Ledger's Joker Diary

 

Since 2008's The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger's iconic performance as The Joker has become synonymous with the truly masterpiece of a film.  Yet, going on five years later, there has never been much released regarding Ledger's process for the film (behind-the-scenes footage, interviews on set, etc.).

What was known however - in one of the few interviews Ledger gave regarding the film before his death - was his intense preparation to become one of Hollywood's most iconic villains.

Speaking with Empire Magazine, the late actor had this to say:

“I sat around in a hotel room in London for about a month, locked myself away, formed a little diary.”

We finally have the first look at this diary thanks to the German documentary show, Too Young to Die, which interviews Ledger's father, Kim, as he goes through the scrapbook/journal (if you notice, Ledger's Oscar is sitting right next to the book).  Within the diary, there are clippings from Batman comics, pictures of clowns, cutouts from Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, and a written description of his hospital room monologue scene.  Finally, in a chilling final note, the words "BYE BYE" are scribbled across the last page.

You can view the video below which is narrated in French, however; thanks to You Tube, a narration is provided:

This is the Joker’s diary. In order to inhabit his character, he locked himself up in a hotel room for weeks. He would do that. He liked to dive into his characters, but this time he really took it up a notch.

The hospital scene is interesting because when he was a kid, his sister Kate liked to dress him up as a nurse. He was really funny like that. He also was in the movie. This is a make-up test which was done eight months before. Before the end of the shooting he wrote “bye bye” on the back of the page. It was hard to see this.

Source: The Film Stage

Sam Mendes Locked for 'Bond 24', Likely for 'Bond 25'

This is what happens when you deliver - far and away- the most successful James Bond film of all-time.

Skyfall and Academy Award winning director Sam Mendes has signed-on to helm Bond 24, and is likely for Bond 25 as well.

It's regular with James Bond films that even though the same actor stay on for a number of pics, different directors are brought in each time to bring their own flavor or style to the franchise.  That is obviously not the case with Sam Mendes, as Sony, MGM, and EON Productions  all saw how both commercially and critically great Skyfall was and did everything in their power to keep him around for as long as possible.

Mendes is said to be getting a huge payday for a Bond 24/Bond 25 deal as well as the creative freedom to develop the next two installments at his own pace while finishing up his stage and theater commitments.

Word is Bond 24 won't hit until 2016(!) because of this, but Sony and the other powers-that-be felt it was worth the wait to deliver a film that can equal or top Skyfall.

My only question is, how much longer can Daniel Craig keep going after this?  Will Bond 25 be his swan song and a new actor brought in to kick start the next 25 films of Bond?  He'll be past 50 when this is all said and done so maybe this will be it for the actor.

Whatever the case, it's a great move for the franchise, and a great move for Sam Mendes bank account.

Source: Showbiz 411

Fassbender, MacAvoy, and Dinkelege Are Stylin' In DAYS OF FUTURE PAST Set Pics

Fass Levels are at MAXIMUM in our first glimpse of X-Men: Days of Future Past's Erik Leshnerr (Michael Fassbender) as he seems to be walking across a street with James MacAvoy's Charles Xavier. Courtesy of Lainey Gossip via Collider

 

Well hot damn, Fassbender looks good.

Also here's Peter Dinkelege cosplaying as Tom Selleck's Magnum P.I.

 

-cough-

X-Men: Days of Future Past is directed by Bryan Singer, and comes out July 18, 2014 and stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Ian McKellan, Hugh Jackman, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Omar Sy, Daniel Cudmore, Booboo Stewart, Fan Bingbing, and Halle Berry

The X-Men must travel in time to change a major historical event that could globally impact man and mutant kind.

"That Hot Red Head" from Dr. Who Will Be In Your GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Thing

 

THR Reports that Karen Gillan, best known as Amelia Pond on BBC's kid's show "Dr. Who", will join Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy as lead female villain. 

 

Gillan will be joining a cast of Glenn Close, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace, and Michael Rooker.

"A U.S. pilot who ends up in space in the middle of a universal conflict and goes on the run with futuristic ex-cons who have something everyone wants."

Guardians of the Galaxy comes out August 1, 2014. 

Bumblebee Goes Back in Time in TRANSFORMERS 4..

 

Well, in case you didn't know, a Transformers 4 is a thing that is happening, and it appears THIS is your Bumblebee, which might shock you since Bumblebee has been a sexy new Camarao since 2007 and now he's gone back to the past as a 1967 Camaro SS

 

This picture was posted by the Transformers 4 Facebook, which has more pictures that have been posted the past two days on account of filming which has officially started in New Mexico.

Transformers 4 comes out June 27, 2014 and stars Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz, Sophia Myles and Li Bingbing.

Prisoners Trailer Will Creep You Out In Its Simplicity

Prisoners is unsettling in the simplest way.

Two little girls disappear. And there is nothing their parents or even the local authorities can do to find them. Even with the suspect looking straight at you, and about to be released. What would you, or any of parent for that matter, do to ensure those children come back?

"We're not going to help kill him but we won’t stop him either. Let him do what he needs to," Viola Davis says. This trailer hits the right notes of unease and I want to see where this goes.