'Southpaw' - Starring Jake Gyllenhaal - Hits Theaters July 31st

One of the films I'm most interested in seeing this year is the boxing drama Southpaw.

Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and written by Kurt Sutter (Sons of Anarchy), the film tells the story of a left-handed boxer who wins a title bout but then suffers many personal tragedies which sideline his life.  To win back both his career and the love of his daughter, he must fight his way back to the top.

As you can see, that left-handed boxer (Billy Hope is the character's name) is played by none other than a absolutely ripped Jake Gyllenhaal.  I had read an interview with Fuqua where he discussed how he had Gyllenhaal in the boxing gym everyday for months, really putting the guy through hell.  It looks like it all seemingly paid off.

The Weinstein Company has now set a prime summer release date of July 31st for the flick, possibly hoping to build some early Oscar buzz just as Boyhood did last summer.

The film also stars Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker, Naomie Harris and professional boxer Victor Ortiz.

Source: The Weinstein Company

Tom Cruise to Re-team with Doug Liman for Drug Trafficking Film 'Mena'

Last year's Edge of Tomorrow kicked ass, period.

For anyone who hasn't seen it or won't see it because of Tom Cruise, listen, just give the film a chance.  It is a GREAT action movie and might even change your thoughts on Tom Cruise too.

Likely having enjoyed working together so much on the aforementioned film, Cruise and director Doug Liman are said to be re-teaming for Mena, a  true fact, drug trafficking drama that Universal bought the spec script for last year for $1 million by writer Gary Spinelli.

The film tells the story of Barry Seal, a pilot in the 1980s who served as both a gun runner and drug trafficker for the CIA and Medellin cartel.  Seal was eventually shot to death in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The title refers to Mena, Arkansas, a location where a lot of the illegal activity took place under the noses of both Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and then-Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton.

If all works out, the plan is to shoot the film this year.

Cruise can next been seen in Mission: Impossible 5, due out this Christmas.

Source: Deadline

John Krasinski To Lead Michael Bay's Benghazi Film '13 Hours'

Well here's a surprise.

Last year, news came out the director Michael Bay (Transformers franchise) would be helming a film about the true accounts of what happened in Benghazi, Libya on September 11th, 2012.  This was a story that gained national news and criticism due to the 'unclear facts' of how and what caused terrorists to attack a U.S. Special Mission Compound near a CIA Annex that left a handful of Americans dead.

Now word has come out that none other than Jim from The Office - John Krasinksi - will be headlining the film, likely to shoot sometime this year.  The actor apparently - no pun intended - blew Bay away with his reading (Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt was originally eyed for the part).

However, the role Krasinski will be playing isn't clearly known.

Variety reports Kransinksi will be playing a NAVY Seal in the flick (which would certainly be an against type for the often thought of 'comedic' actor), while The Hollywood Reporter states he'll be playing a security operator named Jack Silva.

Whatever the case may be, this certainly marks as a breakthrough role for the actor who has been venturing towards more dramatic work recently with roles in both 2012's Promised Land and Nobody Walks.

As for Michael Bay, well, let's just see if the man can direct a straight up dramatic thriller and avoid his usual flare for explosions and teenage, comedic undertones.  A film about terrorism certainly calls for a more 'serious approach'.

Chuck Hogan - an American author who wrote Prince of Thieves: A Novel which the 2010 film The Town was based - wrote the script, an adaptation of Mitchell Zuckoff's book Thirteen Hours: A Firsthand Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi.  Paramount Pictures acquired the rights to the book last February, before it was even published.

We'll keep you posted on more developments with this project.

Source: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter

Ansel Elgort Eyeing Lead Role in Edgar Wright's 'Baby Driver'

Hot off 2014 where he became a household name (and face) for The Fault in Our Stars, Ansel Elgort is in 'early talks' to star in Edgar Wright's Baby Driver.

The plot centers on a young, talented getaway driver (Elgort) who aims to be the best in the game by relying on the beat of his personal soundtrack.  But when he gets coerced into working for a crime boss and a heist goes wrong, he must face the music to save his life, love and freedom.

Wright is obviously coming off his exit from Marvel's Ant Man last year and has been looking to get his next project together.  He will both write and direct the film which will be distributed by Sony and co-financed by Tom Rothman's TriStar and MRC Productions.

Rothman - who fought hard to land the project - has a long-standing relationship with Wright and had this to say regarding the film:

“We’re delighted to be riding shotgun as Edgar Wright takes the wheel of his next film.  TriStar is in the business of backing original voices, and he is all that.”

Elgort can next be seen in The Divergent Series: Insurgent coming out this spring.

Source:  Variety

Bradley Cooper Looking to Make Directorial Debut with 'Honeymoon With Harry'

I'll admit, I've never been the biggest fan of Bradley Cooper.

Good actor, yes.  Seemingly nice guy, yes as well.  But there's always been just something about the dude I didn't like, maybe it's because I always felt he was trying too hard to be a 'great actor' or 'an A-list celebrity'.

I have to say though, recently - after reading a lot about his performance in American Sniper and the respect he's earned from many for his efforts - he's starting to grow on me.

I think he's likely to get his 3rd consecutive Oscar nomination this week, and if so, it would put him in a rare class of actors to be nominated by the Academy three years in a row.  That's pretty impressive.  Not to mention, if he does land the nom, I expect him to be the 'dark horse' to secure the trophy.

On top of that, it looks like the guy wants to find a new challenge in directing, with word coming that he's circling the project, Honeymoon With Harry, which he would also star in alongside Robert De Niro.

The film has long been in-development - with Crazy, Stupid, Love scribe Dan Fogelman coming in now to do a rewrite - as it tells the story of a formerly woman obsessed, booze hound (Cooper) who meets the girl of his dreams, only for her to die before their wedding.  Devastated, the man heads off on their honeymoon anyway, only to find the girl's father (De Niro) there too, who has come to spread her ashes.  The two find each other, both grieving in the loss of the same woman, together.

I think this would mark a great move for Cooper as what better way to follow-up the surge he's on right now then to direct, despite having the clout currently to pick any acting project he wants.

Expect more on this project in the coming weeks with Cooper soon-to-be finishing up his current stage act in The Elephant Man.

Source:  Deadline

Ethan Hawke Came 'As Close as Anybody Could' To Playing Doctor Strange

Well, if you followed comic book film-related news last year, you'll probably know that for a long while, Joaquin Phoenix was 'in-talks' to play the lead role in Marvel's 2016 release of Doctor Strange.  After it was revealed Phoenix's deal with studio had fallen-through, many actors were discussed for the project, including Ethan Hawke (currently an Oscar fave for Boyhood).

As you probably know by now, another Oscar fave this year - Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game) - nabbed the role and will be starring in the flick.  But while sitting down for a recent podcast interview with MTV's Josh Horowitz, Hawke revealed he actually came 'as close as anybody could' to getting the role.  He says a lot of it probably had to do with the film's director, Scott Derrickson, having worked with the actor before for Sinister.

You can listen to the podcast below with Hawke discussing the project.

All I'll add is this:  While I'm sure there are many Ethan Hawke fans out there who are disappointed the actor didn't land the gig, there are plenty more Benedict Cumberbatch fans out there who went nuts that he did.  That dude is like a God among a lot of people, and almost certainly will get a Best Actor nomination, if not win, at the Oscars this year.

Also, ironically enough, both actors took part in this year's The Hollywood Reporter Roundtable - The Actors, which I recently posted about below.

Source:  MTV, Happy Sad Confused

2014 'The Hollywood Reporter' Roundtable - The Actors

One of the things I've come to love about awards' season the past couple years is the annual roundtable The Hollywood Reporter puts together for reps from different categories of filmmaking; these can be actors, actresses, writers, directors, cinematographers, etc.

The point of these roundtables though is get a handful of individuals together who work in the same profession (and do the same job specifically) and allow them to discuss their craft along with the motion picture they are involved with that's being touted for annual awards.

In the video below, you will see this year's Actors Roundtable - Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything), Channing Tatum (Foxcatcher), Michael Keaton (Birdman), Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner) and Ethan Hawke (Boyhood).

To call the discussion amongst these actors 'entertaining' is a bit of an understatement.

You can tell through the first five minutes that these actors - who have all followed their own, unique path - are so respectful and inquisitive about both their craft and each other.  To hear Ethan Hawke talk about his fondness for Michael Keaton, or Channing Tatum discuss how he is pretty much scared of every role he takes for fear of failure, or Benedict Cumberbatch discuss the detailed research he did for his role as Alan Turing...it's all utterly fascinating.

For any genuine film buff (you know, not the ones who are just curious about which comic book movie is coming out next year), this video is worth a near 49 minutes of your time.  You will not be disappointed.

Source:  The Hollywood Reporter

Trailer for 'True Story'; A New Jonah Hill / James Franco Film...and it's a Drama

Rummaging through the daily Hollywood news scene - or lack thereof during the Holidays - I came across this new trailer that's just been released for a film starring Jonah Hill and James Franco.

Now you probably assume reading that sentence that it's some sort of comedy or satire based upon the type of films these two usually team up for - but in this case - it's actually a full fledged drama, and from the looks of it, a pretty damn interesting one.

True Story is centered around actual events involving disgraced New York Times reporter Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill) who meets accused killer Christian Longo (James Franco) - after taking on Finkel's identity - to uncover the truth behind the murder of Longo's wife and children, leading him on a path deceit and redemption.

This certainly looks to be a change of pace for both Hill and Franco in terms of what we usually see the duo in, but for Hill specifically, it's his first drama since last year's The Wolf of Wall Street (which earned him his 2nd Oscar nomination).

Felicity Jones (likely Oscar nominee for this year's The Theory of Everything) also stars.

True Story is set for release sometime in 2015.

Sound off of what you think of the trailer below.

Source:  YouTube

First Poster and Red-Band Trailer for 'The Gambler' Starring Mark Wahlberg

Who would have ever thought you'd see Marky Mark playing a literature professor?

Now who ever thought that literature professor would be the remake of the 1974 James Caan starrer, The Gambler?

Well if you actually thought it, you're pretty damn special.

The first poster and trailer (red-band which means lots of swearing) has hit for Paramount Pictures remake of The Gambler starring Mark Wahlberg and directed by Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes).

The film - as you would expect - is based around a gambling addict (a very lean looking Wahlberg) who happens to be a brilliant literature professor that gets in deep with the wrong people.

The flick also starts the always terrific John Goodman as well as Brie Larson and Jessica Lange.

Be on the lookout for the film this Christmas as it hits theaters in a limited Oscar qualifying run on December 19th before going wide on January 2nd of next year.

Source:  Paramount Pictures

'The Terminator' Celebrates 30th Anniversary with Special Screening

Though James Cameron's sci-fi classic, The Terminator, came out four years before I was born, I've probably seen the film more times than I can count (its sequel, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, is a count I wouldn't even attempt).

With the original's 30th anniversary this year, the American Cinematheque Egyptian Theater in Hollywood will be holding a special screening on October 15th with none other than James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Gale Anne Hurd in attendance.  The date in particular is just 11 days shy of the film's initial release of October 26th, 1984.

Cameron, Schwarzengger, and Hurd will also be answering questions following the screening (here's hoping someone has the brains and the balls to ask Cameron what he thinks about the franchise rights reverting back to him in 2019 and if he plans to do anything with them).

Here's the official press release below:

The American Cinematheque, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and SKED TK celebrate the 30th anniversary of sci-fi thriller, THE TERMINATOR, with a special screening and panel discussion on October 15, 2014 at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.  Schwarzenegger joins writer/director James Cameron and writer/producer, Gale Anne Hurd for a conversation moderated by journalist Geoff Boucher.

In THE TERMINATOR, Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as the most fierce and relentless killing machine ever to threaten the survival of mankind!  An indestructible cyborg — a Terminator (Schwarzenegger) — is sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), the woman whose unborn son will become humanity’s only hope in a future war against machines. This legendary sci-fi thriller, fires an arsenal of action and heart-stopping suspense that never lets up!

“The Terminator was my first baby, and I’m pleased that people still remember it enough to celebrate its birth 30 years ago,” Cameron said.  “Of course I’ll be there!”

“The Terminator has tremendous sentimental value to me personally and I take great pride in knowing that fans continue to support the film 30 years later,” said Hurd.

Geoff Boucher, CEO of SKED TK and founder of the award-winning Hero Complex and former senior writer for Entertainment Weekly will moderate the Q&A panel. Boucher, through the SKED TK banner, also produces a successful screening and podcast series “HUMANS FROM EARTH” in association with Grant Moninger and Nerdist each month at The Egyptian Theatre.

Tickets for The Terminator 30th anniversary event are available at: www.fandango.com for $25; American Cinematheque members can purchase tickets beginning September 24th with general admission tickets going on sale September 25th.

Source:  American Cinematheque