Principal Photography Begins On '13 Flowers of Nanjing' Starring Christian Bale

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS ON ACCLAIMED FILMMAKER ZHANG YIMOU’S FIRST MULTI-LINGUAL FILM

13 FLOWERS OF NANJING STARRING CHRISTIAN BALE

HONG KONG – January 10, 2010 – Principal photography has begun at Nanjing Studios outside of Nanjing, China on 13 Flowers of Nanjing starring Christian Bale, the next film from master filmmaker Zhang Yimou.

13 Flowers of Nanjing is set in 1937 in Nanjing, China during Sino-Japanese war, where a few brave refugees find sanctuary in a Church compound.  The group, thrown together by the terrible chaos of war, risks their lives for the Church’s school children as they struggle to survive the violence and persecution brought on by the violent invasion of the city.  Through tremendous adversity, heroism presents itself among the least likely individuals as they bravely navigate their treacherous surroundings to try and save themselves and each other.  13 Flowers of Nanjing is a story of heroism and love: for those around you, for one’s family, and the love between an unlikely couple which fate brings together.  Christian Bale will play John, an American, trapped thousands of miles from home and seemingly, with nowhere to turn.

Produced by Zhang Weiping and Bill Kong, the film will incorporate both Chinese and English dialog into its narrative.  Zhang Yimou will be reuniting with Beijing New Pictures and Edko Films Limited for the project.  David Linde will executive produce. The team has also tapped Xiaoding Zhao as director of photography (House of Flying Daggers, Curse of the Golden Flower); renown special effects supervisor Joss Williams (Aliens, The Bourne Ultimatum, Munich); production designer Yohei Taneda (Kill Bill Vol. 1); composer Qigang Chen (Under The Hawthorn Tree); production and costume designer William Chang (In The Mood of Love, 2047) ; and costume designer Graciela Mazon (The Legend of Zorro, From Dusk Till Dawn).

Director Zhang Yimou is one of the most renowned Chinese directors working today.  He has won countless international awards and honors during the span of his career for films like Raise the Red Lantern, To Live, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Red Sorghum, the first film he directed in 1987.  In 2008, he directed the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Currently, versatile and renowned actor Christian Bale is receiving rave reviews for his portrayal of Dicky Eklund in The Fighter, where he stars alongside Mark Wahlberg for director David O’Russell. Bale’s acting credits also include both commercial and critically lauded films such as Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Terminator Salvation, The Machinist, Rescue Dawn, 3:10 to Yuma, American Psycho, Metroland and Velvet Goldmine among many others.

Yimou, Kong and Linde previously worked together on Yimou’s House of Flying Daggers and the Oscar® nominated action film Hero which grossed over $200 million worldwide.  Kong and Linde have a long relationship working together in both distribution and production including Ang Lee’s four-time Oscar winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon which grossed over $120 million domestically.

New 'The Dark Knight Rises' Rumors....Arise

Well, here we are in the beginning of 2011 and still no official announcement for The Dark Knight Rises.  Gotta tip my hat to Chris Nolan on this one though, can't remember the last time a major film like this was less than four months from production and still not one press release has been issued.  Anyway, I'm sure a few new TDKR rumors will give everyone their Batman fix until something is announced.

According to Collider (great site by the way, those guys over there do one hell of a job) is reporting they've received three bits of TDKR information.  They are, however, fully aware of Chris Nolan's CIA-style tactics, and remind everyone to treat this news as just rumors until something officially comes out.

1.)  Eva Green and Naomi Watts have been cast in the film.  It is unsure what roles they will play, but the source speculates Green will play Talia al Ghul (anyone else think that's spot on casting?) and Watts will play Vicki Vale (the character Kim Basinger played in Tim Burton's Batman).

My take:  I firmly believe Catwoman will be in this film but also feel Green is just too pefect to play Talia al Ghul, so with that, I think Watts will be playing Selina Kyle/Catwoman.  We shall see.

2.) Principal photography is set to begin May 6th and post-production begins on November 28th.  That's nearly eight months of shooting and over seven months of post.  Very similar to the schedule The Dark Knight was on.  Also, the apparent script leak that hit the net is absolutely fake and the real script will be sent out to the cast next week.

My take: This information sounds spot on to me as Collider makes note that Michael Caine recently went on record to state the film would shoot from May to November.  As for the script leak, there was a script leak?  Shows how legit that was.

3.)  A new Batmobile and Batcave will be in the film.  The new version of the Batmobile is said to be sleeker then The Tumbler, but still have as many gadgets and be just as powerful.  The Batcave, on the other hand, will be from the same cave saw in Batman Begins, however, more updated with the classic look such as the circular bay for the Batmobile, the Batcomputer, and storage area for the Batsuits.  Also, the source speculates to be on the lookout for a new Batsuit as well.

My take:  Gotta believe this fully.  Sorry, I just have to.  Not one peice of the info sounds at all phony or fake.  It sounds legit based on everything we've heard over the past year and think all the ideas mentioned couldn't be more exciting to see on screen.

I say an official announcement is coming in the next month.  Mark my words.

Update on Wed, January 12, 2011 by John DiNicola

Update: Heat Vision now reports both Green and Watts have NOT been cast in The Dark Knight Rises and that six other actresses are still being considered including Keira Knightley, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Biel, Kata Mara, Charlotte Riley, and Gemma Arterton.  Click the link for more details.

Ivan Reitman Talks 'Ghostbusters 3'

Ivan Reitman, out promoting his most recent directoral effort, No Strings Attached (aren't people sick of Ashton Kutcher yet?), was asked about the current status of the long-awaited (like over twenty-years long-awaited) Ghostbusters 3.  Via ComingSoon.net, here's what Reitman had to say:

ComingSoon.net: So, you know we have to ask you what's going on with "Ghostbusters 3," right?
Ivan Reitman: [laughs] We have a really good script, but Bill (Murray) has to read it. He hasn't read it. There has been all kinds of chatter online about him reading it and not liking it. He has not read a thing. He's never read anything. And I just sent it to him. So we'll see. God knows how long that will take. But we'll see.

CS: There have been a ton of stories online. Lots of back and forth...
Reitman: There is almost nothing that is accurate online about that film. Will you write that for me?

CS: I will!
Reitman: There is nothing... I mean, all these stories... there has been a ton of stuff about casting, about who's in... none of it is true.

CS: The whole Sigourney Weaver thing about her son taking over and Bill Murray coming back as a ghost...
Reitman: Oh, no, yeah... I mean, Sigourney Weaver has a role in this movie. All the original characters have parts. As well as a whole bunch of new characters... it's got a really good story, this one. Maybe the best of the whole series. I hope we get to do it.

My take?  If this movie don't start filming before the end of this year, it ain't ever gonna happen.  Murray has been pretty vocal about his hesitation to slap on the proton pack again (even though I think he's a complete jerk for not wanting to do the film.  Why would you not want to do the film?).  Ultimately, if he gives the OK, which I eventually think he will, then this thing should start coming together quickly.  I mean hell, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis have been nursing this baby for the last decade, not like much prep work would be needed.

Stay tuned to TMT as more news should be out in the coming months.

New Synopsis for 'Warrior' Starring Tom Hardy

Two brothers face the fight of a lifetime – and the wreckage of their broken family – within the brutal, high-stakes world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighting in Lionsgate’s action/drama, WARRIOR.

An ex-Marine haunted by a tragic past, Tommy Riordan returns to his hometown of Pittsburgh and enlists his father, a recovered alcoholic and his former coach, to train him for an MMA tournament awarding the biggest purse in the history of the sport. As Tommy blazes a violent path towards the title prize, his brother, Brendan, a former MMA fighter unable to make ends meet as a public school teacher, returns to the amateur ring to provide for his family. Even though years have passed, recriminations and past betrayals keep Brendan bitterly estranged from both Tommy and his father.

But when Brendan’s unlikely rise as an underdog sets him on a collision course with Tommy, the two brothers must finally confront the forces that tore them apart, all the while waging the most intense, winner-takes-all battle of their lives.

In theaters September 9th.

Gareth Edwards to Direct 'Godzilla'

You know that Godzilla reboot we've been hearing about for the past year?  The one that Legendary Pictures is producing?  Well, according to Heat Vision, it finally has a director: Gareth Edwards.  Though his name may not be known to many, he's been earning praise recently for his work on the low budget (like six-figure low budget) alien-invasion flick, Monsters.  The film has won Edwards three British Independent Film Awards, including Best Director, Best Achievement in Production, and Best Technical Achievement.  Legendary was so taken by this guy that they picked up the rights to his low-budget alien film while giving him the chance to bring one of the world's most famous monsters back to the big screen.

Edwards will begin work on the film immediately with a new screenwriter (David Callahan wrote the original script).  A release date is set for some time in 2012 so this thing should be rolling before cameras by the end of the year.

Just to give an idea of what this guy is capable of, I embedded a trailer for Monsters below.  Check it out and let us know what you think:

Universal Gets 'Unbroken'

Ever hear of a film project more than 50 years in the making?  Read on and I'll explain.  TOLDJA! is reporting Universal Pictures has purchased the film rights to Laura Hillenbrand's new bestselling book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.  Hillenbrand is the author of Seabiscuit, which Universal adapted into a major motion picture back in 2003, and well, you're well aware of the critical and commercial success that followed.  Sounds like they're gunning for the same scenario here.  They've got Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, the upcoming Water for Elephants) attached to direct and are hoping to get Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) to write the script.

Unbroken centers on the true story of Louis Zamperini, a one time Olympic track prodigy who endured tremendous hardship as a POW during WWII.  His story [via TOLDAJA!]:

Hillenbrand's Random House book, currently number 2 on The New York Times bestseller list, fleshes out Zamperini's survival story in remarkable detail. As a youth, Zamperini transformed from a Depression Era troublemaker into the “Torrance tornado,” a world class runner who became the youngest American to compete on the U.S. team. He ran in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games and though he didn’t medal, Zamperini ran a final lap so fast that Adolph Hitler asked to meet him. Expected to mature into gold medal form--and a threat to break the 4-minute mile--by the 1940 games set for Tokyo, Zamperini 's dreams were dashed by WWII. By the time he crossed the Pacific en route to Japan, Zamperini was an Air Force bombardier. After emerging unscathed after several dangerous bombing runs, Zamperini crashed in the Pacific while on a rescue mission. Most of their crew-mates dead, Zamperini and two others floated in a raft for 47 days. After surviving hunger, thirst and incessant shark attacks in a raft that drifted 2000 miles, Zamperini was caught by the Japanese Navy and then the hardship really began. First dispatched to a hellhole called Execution Island (named because Japanese guards routinely beheaded prisoners), Zamperini's Olympic feats got him transferred to another POW camp where he could have lived in relative comfort. But when he refused to read anti-American propaganda statements over the radio, Zamperini was sent to serve hard time. Starved, subjected to medical experiments, slave labor, and brutal beatings by guards, Zamperini was specifically targeted by a sadistic overseer named Mutsuhiro Watanabe.  Called “The Bird" by the POWs, Watanabe made it his mission to break Zamperini’s spirit with brutal beatings and mental and physical torture. Zamperini would not break, but the guard kept trying right up until the war ended and the war criminal slipped away and eluded manhunts. The Bird lived on in Zamperini’s nightmares, though. After once waking to discover he was choking his terrified wife, Zamperini was convinced his freedom depended on returning to Japan to kill his tormenter. On the verge of divorce, alcoholism and a total breakdown, Zamperini discovered another way. Dragged by his wife to a tent where Billy Graham preached, Zamperini embraced his message and decided to forgive all of his captors. The nightmares ceased. Zamperini even traveled to Japan and met most of the guards  to forgive them in person. When The Bird finally resurfaced, Zamperini returned to Japan and prepared to meet and forgive him, too. Watanabe refused, but Zamperini outlived The Bird, who died in 2003.

Universal originally bought the writes to Zamperini's life back in 1957, however, efforts to get the film made remained idle until 1998.  That year, during a segment broadcast on CBS for the Nagano Winter Olympics, Zamperini carried the Olympic torch, striking interest in his story yet again.  Nicolas Cage was in talks to star along with Anoine Fuqua to direct, but the project yet again fell through.

Now, Universal once again has the film on the fast track, with a seven-figure deal to get the movie made under the guidance of Hillenbrand's bestseller.  We'll see if they finally succeed in bringing this amazing man's story to life.

James Franco Planning to Direct Two Feature Films

Is there anything this guy can't do?  Not only is James Franco currently busy preparing to win an Oscar for 127 Hours (Sorry Colin Firth, but I refuse to give any kudos to another critically acclaimed, yet boring British film i.e. The Queen, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and the list goes on) while readying to host the awards show on February 27th, but he's also lining up two feature directorial efforts.

Showbiz 411 is reporting that Franco is in negotiations to direct an adaptation of the William Faulkner 's literary classic, As I Lay Dying, a film which Franco wrote the screenplay for.  Along with this, Franco is also working to adapt the Cormac McCarthy novel, Blood Meridian, a project he would both write and direct as well.  The article also makes note that Franco is doing all this while taking classes at Yale University and Rhode Island School of Design.

James, it's a shame more people in Hollywood aren't as ambitious as you *cough* Will Smith *cough*.

Below is a synopsis for both novels [via Amazon]:

As I Lay Dying

One of William Faulkner’s finest novels, As I Lay Dying was originally published in 1930, and remains a captivating and stylistically innovative work. The story revolves around a grim yet darkly humorous pilgrimage, as Addie Bundren’s family sets out to fulfill her last wish: to be buried in her native Jefferson, Mississippi, far from the miserable backwater surroundings of her married life. Told through multiple voices, it vividly brings to life Faulkner’s imaginary South, one of the great invented landscapes in all of literature, and is replete with the poignant, impoverished, violent, and hypnotically fascinating characters that were his trademark.

Blood Meridian

An epic novel of the violence and depravity that attended America’s westward expansion, Blood Meridian brilliantly subverts the conventions of the Western novel and the mythology of the “wild west.” Based on historical events that took place on the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s, it traces the fortunes of the Kid, a fourteen-year-old Tennessean who stumbles into the nightmarish world where Indians are being murdered and the market for their scalps is thriving.

Fox Passes on '24' Movie Script

This was a sad weekend for fans of Kiefer Sutherland and 24.  EW reports that 20th Century Fox recently passed on the feature-film script by Billy Ray (State of Play) which would have continued the story of everyone's favorite rouge-government agent.  But don't worry, this doesn't mean the development of a 24 film is dead.  Longtime executive producer of the series, Howard Gordon, tells EW that Tony Scott (who's said to be attached to direct the film) would be meeting with Sutherland sometime soon to find a new way to approach the story.  Gordon sounds hopeful the film we eventually get made:

“I was disapppointed [Fox] passed on the script but I’m certainly hopeful that the movie will get made at some point,” he said. “Anecdotally, I’ve heard from people who are really missing the show and I do think there is more life in Jack Bauer.”

Sounds like we'll be hearing more about this project in the new coming year.  With that said, Happy New Year everyone!

Christian Bale to Star in Nanjing Heroes

I actually thought he was going to use the next six months to workout for The Dark Knight Rises...I guess not.  According to The Hollywood Reporter, Christian Bale is set to star in acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou's Nanjing Heroes.  The film is to be set around the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, when Japanese troops killed thousands of Chinese citizens in the then nation's capital.  Bale will play an American priest named John who helps save Chinese citizens from death.  The film will be shot in 40% English, and the rest in Mandarin Chinese.  The $90 million budgeted film is set to start filming January 10th.

A few things to take away from this news.  1) Bale is without a doubt in control of his career as he's chosen to do not only a foreign produced film but also one that won't even be primarily in English.  2) This will already be one of the more anticipated films of the next couple years as the director, Zhang Yimou, is basically China's Christopher Nolan (go figure), having been chosen to direct the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Beijing in 2008.  3) If Bale's amazing performance in The Fighter is anything to go by, he might be up for Best Actor at next year's Oscars after winning this year's upcoming Best Supporting Actor Oscar (that's right, I'm guaranteeing it now).

Tom Hardy NOT Playing Hugo Strange

While everyone and their mother waits to find out what the heck The Dark Knight Rises will be about, the always trustworthy Batman-On-Film has dropped a little tidbit for everyone.  Since British thesp Tom Hardy was reported to be cast in the film a few months back, speculation has been rampant as to what character he would be playing.  BOF doesn't quite have the answer as to what role it will be, but rather, what role he won't: Hugo Strange.

The character of Hugo Strange has been widely speculated to be in the next film with rumors that the 3rd Batman film would be based off the comic book story arc, Prey, featuring the crazy scientist and master psychologist.  Along with this, the trailer for next year's video game release, Batman: Arkham City, featured the character as well, fueling speculation the character would be in the next movie.

My take?  I believe Hugo Strange will be in the film and that Christopher Nolan is going to surprise everyone with who he casts.  I'm thinking Pete Postlethwaite, as he worked with Nolan in Inception and has a good relationship with Warner Bros. right now, having played vital roles in both Clash of the Titans and The Town.  As for Hardy, I think he will play a hard-nosed cop (Sergeant Max Cort possibly?) on a mission to bring down Batman.  Regardless, we'll all know soon enough as an official announcement is expected early next year.