Matt Damon & Paul Greengrass In Talks to Return for The Bourne Teet

All that talk of keeping Jeremy Renner for a Bourne Legacy sequel was, thankfully, just talk.

Reports Twitch, Universal is in dual negotiations to get Matt Damon and helmer Paul Greengrass back on the Bourne saddle. The money must be astronomical (It was the only logical conclusion after Legacy shit its box-office britches last August) but Damon's MO has not changed since Bourne 4 morphed into the Jason Bourne-absent entry after talks fell through.

If Greengrass doesn't come back, Damon doesn't.

Mad RESPECT (in all caps) to a man putting his money where his mouth is and remaining loyal. Then again he and Greengrass also said The Bourne Ultimatum was the end, until they reneged after one whiff of the cash cow's milk. And this may be the failure of Elysium talking too, if we're being completely honest.

Divergent: The Teaser Trailer About Nothing

The kids say Divergent is a big deal, and Lionsgate/Summit pay attention to what they say. They had a nice, long bath in Twilight money for the last four years. They're just beginning to get soaked over The Hunger Games profits. So any young-adult fiction that takes off should immediately be taken into serious consideration as the next big thing.

I'd just like to know how Divergent is supposed to be this big thing and, more importantly, what the Hell it's supposed to be about. The much-hyped teaser trailer for the Neil Burger-directed adaptation debuted on the MTV Video Music Awards tonight in between everyone cooing over that 'N Sync reunion.

Obviously I'm not a teenage girl here, i.e. the key demo. But I get why Twilight (One of the few movie-news writers who has treated the property, its fans and its creator with respect FYI) and The Hunger Games took off. Failing to see the appeal of this, but then again, it's only the teaser.

Weekend Box Office: August 23-25

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1.  Lee Daniels' The Butler -  $17 million

2.  We're The Millers - $13.5 million

3.  The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones - $9.3 million

4.  The World's End - $8.9 million

5.  Planes - $8.5 million

6.  Elysium - $7.1 million

7.  You're Next - $7 million

8.  Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters - $5.2 million

9.  Blue Jasmine - $4.3 million

10.  Kick-Ass 2 - $4.2 million

A bunch of new releases this weekend could not move Lee Daniels' The Butler and We're The Millers off of there respective first and second place spots from last week.  In its second weekend, The Butler dropped a mere 30% from its $24 million opening last week, earning an estimated $17 million.  The film has turned out to be quite the late-summer hit, having earned $52 million domestically so far.  Audiences looking for laughs continued to find it with We're The Millers, which now has $100 million in its sights with another $13.5 million this weekend.   

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, is not going to be the next Twilight.  The adaptation of the popular young adult book series has earned a weak $14 million since opening last Friday, and could only muster a third place finish for the weekend.  Meanwhile, The World's End, the finale to director Edgar Wright's Cornetto Trilogy, opened pretty well with $8.9 million.  That's the best opening for the trilogy (previous films being Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz), although it opened in more theaters than either of those films did.

The last new release this weekend was the horror thriller You're Next.  Although horror films usually do well on opening weekends (and are pretty much forgotten after that), this one didn't quite have that kind of pull this weekend, landing in seventh place with just $7 million. 

Summer movie season officially comes to a close next weekend, as the Labor Day holiday weekend brings us the Riddick sequel no one really asked for, the Ethan Hawke action thriller Getaway, and...you know you can't wait for it: One Direction: This Is Us.  Then, we're on to fall movie season!

Why Ben Affleck as Batman is a Great Thing

Unless you've been living under a rock since last week, you might have heard Warner Bros. surprise announcement that Ben Affleck has been cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman in the tentatively titled Man of Steel follow-up, Batman vs. Superman.

This news was met with online outrage from both fanboys and fangirls, insisting Ben Affleck is an awful choice for the new Batman and started numerous petitions to have him replaced (one such petition even made it to the homepage of the White House).  Those involved, cited Affleck's 'no talent' as an actor, his 'wrong' look for the role, and even his own personality as not being fit to handle the role of the Dark Knight.

I for one (and I'm sure I'm not the only) found these criticisms to be absolutely ridiculous.

Ben Affleck may not be Daniel Day-Lewis when it comes to acting but the man is for sure a 'good' actor, having been nominated by many prestigious film organizations, including but not limited to:  BAFTA, Broadcast Film Critics Association, Chicago Film Critics Association, Golden Globes, Hollywood Film Festival, and Venice Film Festival.  To say Ben Affleck is a 'bad' actor is and of itself, incorrect, as many informed and educated professionals of the film industry think otherwise, individuals who know a thing or two about judging someone's talent as an actor.

As for his supposed 'wrong' look to play both Bruce Wayne/Batman, last I checked, Ben Affleck fits exactly the bill of what the character has always been described and illustrated as in both the comic books and graphic novels:  tall, dark, handsome, physically imposing, and of course, a square jaw.  In terms of physical characteristics, what is the difference again between himself and such fan favorites as Jim Caviezel and Jon Hamm?

Finally, the notion that Affleck's own personality doesn't possess that 'edginess' or 'toughness' to portray such a dark character as Batman.  Really?  Have these people not seen The Town?  Take away the Boston accent and short hairstyle, and that for damn sure seems a lot like how a badass, conflicted Bruce Wayne/Batman would be.

I think what many are not seeing though is the overall 'bigger picture' involved.

Look, ten years ago, Ben Affleck as Batman would be an absolute joke.  The man was making some awful films (Gigli, Paycheck, Surviving Christmas) and looked like just another young, fizzled out star in Hollywood.

However, this is where Affleck proved to be the exception.

He started directing, beginning with 2007's Gone Baby Gone (which he also wrote), continuing with 2010's The Town (which he also wrote and starred in), and just recently, last year's Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Argo (which he also helped write, produce, and of course, starred in too).

Affleck has now become a respected, multi-talented force in Hollywood.  And also, it should be no surprise that his acting abilities have much improved since he stepped behind the camera, attaining a better understanding of the film making process.

The fact that a talent such as Affleck will not only be playing Batman for at least the next 5-7 years, but also contributing creatively in terms of writing and directing his own 'solo' films, is a great thing for the Batman franchise.  It shows the character will continually be treated with both the respect and admiration it deserves by a quality film maker.

So for those people out there who are implying Ben Affleck being cast as Batman is somehow the worst thing that's ever happened in the history of mankind...common.  Stop being so ridiculous, take a step back, and actually look at how great a thing like this actually is.

July 2015 can't come soon enough.

When Michael Bay Gives You The Look...FIRST Official Set Pic From TRANSFORMERS 4

 

When Michael Bay gives you the look, your wallett better bend over, and you better make up some new mean things to say on your message boards, because when Bay has that gleam in his eye, you know he's about to purchase 6 more mansions, and probably BUY the city of Detroit to use a set-piece to be fully demolished in Transformers 5.

The very first "official" picture of the set and cast from the upcoming summer blockbuster, Transformers 4 comes by way of Michael Bay's official site and shows stars Mark Wahlberg (2 Guns, Max Payne) and Jack Reynor (making his "major" debut) ontop of like a Cybertronian pyramid or some shit, with a bunch of camera guys and Michael "Fucker of Childhoods" Bay staring in awe at the Bayhem he's about to cause below.

Just Another Day On The Set of Transformers 4

Pictured left to right: Jack Reynor; Mark Wahlberg; 2nd Assistant B-Camera Casey “Walrus” Howard; 1st Assistant B-Camera John Kairis with back to camera; B-camera Operator Lukasz Bielan; Director Michael Bay; and Director of Photography Amir Mokri.

Ben Affleck Contracts Captain Trips - Exits The Stand

As much as I dig the revelation of Ben Affleck as the new Batman, this means there will be casualties. His directing career (the driving force behind his comeback that led to the Oscar-winning Argo and his being Christian Bale's successor in talking in a growling voice) gets put to the side-burner, like Live By Night intended as his Argo follow-up. It will still happen. It just won't shoot early next year as originally planned.

Such a move also forces his hand in exiting other projects penciled on his To Do list, in this case The Stand. Affleck has reportedly parted ways from the Stephen King novel, which he has been involved with for the last year or so. Unfortunate because he seemed like the right guy to properly adapt the post-apocalyptic virus thriller-turned-battle over good and evil to the silver screen.

In his place, Warner Brothers has assigned the job to Scott Cooper, writer-director behind Crazy Heart, a film primarily known for Jeff Bridges' Overdue/Career Win Oscar victory, and the forthcoming Out of the Furnace, a revenge incidentally starring Christian Bale and Casey Affleck.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Episode VII Will Look Like a Movie

One can't say in a wise-ass tone, "Who else did you expect?" Everyone and their mother thought Michael Giacchino would score Star Wars: Episode VII since he's been J.J. Abrams' composer of choice since Mission: Impossible III and John Williams, with all due respect, is getting on up there in years. They went with Williams anyway.

That change of pace won't continue for cinematography. The Boba Fett Fan Club reports Dan Mindel, who's been the go-to DP for Abrams, will lens Episode VII. Here's the kicker. They're shooting on 35MM film. You know, like a real movie.

It is a sad state that reporting the usage of film is news-worthy. But we live in a time when using video is quick and cheap (Though Kodack has been offering competitive rates to lure studios back) and not all filmmakers have the clout of Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino to demand film only. And it's a nice return to form for Star Wars after George Lucas opted for digital starting on Attack of the Clones.

Batman, You Were the Bomb in Phantoms, Yo!

Well, you can add three Academy Award winners to wear the cape-and-cowl and the first guy to play a superhero for a rival studio and comic-book company (If you don't count Ryan Reynolds, which I don't - Deadpool wasn't a superhero). And yeah technically he played Superman too.

In an absolute stunner, Warner Brothers has announced Ben Affleck will play Bruce Wayne and his night-prone alter ego (or the other way around, depending on how you see it) for the untitled Superman/Batman team-up film directed by Zack Snyder and Henry Cavill returning as the Last Son of Krypton. They're still calling it the Man of Steel sequel. Though we're hearing from studio peeps that is not the case here. This is viewed more as a side project (The Avengers to Iron Man, if you will) with a true sequel to this year's Superman do-over to come after this.

But back to the Batman at hand. To call this a surprise is putting it lightly. Hell I'm not sure there are any words to express this move. Affleck has had one of the true career comebacks in recent years. His Oscar victory for the historical-drama Argo (my favorite film of last year) was the accumulation of that. He's been WB's boy for awhile, yes (He was offered both Justice League: Mortal and Man of Steel) but I always thought he tired of those blockbuster Armageddon/Sum of All Fears days. But I'll admit it's a good surprise.

Source: The Wrap

Teaser for MONSTERS Sequel: MONSTERS: DARK CONTINENT Is Out

From Empire:

Seven years on from the events of Monsters, and the ‘Infected Zones’ have spread worldwide. Humans have been knocked off the top of the food chain, with disparate communities struggling for survival. American soldiers are being sent abroad to protect US interests from the Monsters, but the war is far from being won.

Noah, a haunted soldier with several tours under his belt, is sent on a mission: an American soldier has gone rogue deep in the Infected Zone, and Noah must reach him and take him out. But when Noah's unit and transport are destroyed, he finds himself with only a young and inexperienced cadet for company - the brother of the man Noah has been sent to kill.

The two soldiers must go on a life-altering journey through the dark heart of monster territory, accompanied by a young local woman to guide them. By the time the three of them reach their goal, they will have been forced to confront the fear that the true monsters on the planet may not be alien after all.

'Game of Thrones' Star Joins THE HUNGER GAMES 3: BREAKING DAWN

 

Lionsgate has just announced through it's Twitter news page that Natalie Dormer, who is currently playing Joffrey Baratheon's fiancé, Margaery Tyrell, on "HBO's Game of Thrones" will be joining the 2-part finale to the Hunger Games' franchise, The Hunger Games: Breaking Dawn Mockingjay.

Dormer will be playing Cressida, a director from The Capitol (The city that looks like Naboo from The Phantom Menace) who makes propaganda films about Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen, to help energize the rebels who support Everdeen's cause.

The Hunger Games' fan-wiki describes Cressida as:

a young woman whose head is shaved bald and tattooed with vivid green vines.

Which means like everything else in the film adaption of Suzanne Collins' books, she'll just be a normal looking blonde with like, a funny hair-style or something.