First Look At Ben Affleck As Batman In "Batman Vs. Superman"

Zack Snyder just broke Joss Whedon's back by showcasing the first image of The Batman alongside his amazing new wheels. Zack tweeted this photo today as principal photography for the untitled Batman vs. Superman film has started. Admittedly, the lighting in the picture isn't the best but you get a sense of what the Batsuit looks like and it's clear that he isn't covered in riot gear unlike some mainstream adaptations of Batman recently. 

Much like Zack Snyder's previous films, this looks like a comic book has sprung to life right out of the page. This verison of Batman has all the basic features; a utility belt, a cowl, high-tech gloves and a cape. He's not covered in steel plating or bullet-proof vests. Notably, the logo from the Comic-Con teaser of Batman vs. Superman is on Ben Affleck's chest, and whilst it may seem a little huge it's also reminsice of Batman in The Dark Knight Returns (a story this film is inspired by). Alongside Batman is the Batmobile, which is very simiplistic and classic in design yet feels modern and sleek.

We now await the new pictures of Superman and a possible Wonder Woman outfit!

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Tom Cruise Shines in New 'Edge of Tomorrow' Trailer

If there's one point this new trailer for Warner Bros. Edge of Tomorrow should make to all summer audiences - whether that be young folks, old folks, or just adolescent teens - Tom Cruise is the 'ultimate' movie star, plain and simple.

Director Doug Liman and the studio could have cast a still rising, notable actor such as Taylor Kitsch, Channing Tatum, or Garrett Hedlund (for a role that was originally written for a young man), but they knew they needed a guy who would give his all for this film, and nobody dedicates himself more to filmmaking then Tom Cruise.

The trailer looks fantastic.  Everything from the special effects, to visuals, to clever dialogue; I am absolutely psyched to see this film.

In the flick, Tom Cruise plays a military officer who has never seen a day of combat yet finds himself living the same day over and over as he battles a swarm of alien invaders.  Emily Blunt co-stars as a Special Forces soldier who teaches Cruise's character how to defeat the enemy and put a stop to his never ending cycle of living the same day again and again.

The epic action of “Edge of Tomorrow” unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world.

Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission.  Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop—forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again…and again.

But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt).  And, as Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy.

Edge of Tomorrow opens June 6th.

'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby' To Have 3 Different Cuts Released

Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (directed by newcomer Ned Benson) had a screening unlike anything seen before.

The film - starring James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain - tells the story of a married couple whose relationship disintegrate.

The 'catch' with the film's screening though, was that there were two different cuts of shown back-to-back.  Him centered on the story from McAvoy's point-of-view while Her centered on Chastain's.

The Weinstein Company picked up the rights to release the film on September 26th this year, and have now announced the film will actually have three different cuts released.

The main, wide release will be termed Them, which is a combination of the two points-of-view while the two other cuts - Him and Her - will get separate, limited releases as well.

While I think something like this is unique to see in terms of filmmaking, I can't imagine someone paying to see essentailly the same film three times, even though each is technically different.

Whatever the case may be, it'll definitely be on my radar to check out come this fall, depending on whichever cut I actually see.

Source:  Deadline

Another '90s pop culture reboot... this time it's Power Rangers

 

It was only a matter of time before Haim Saban's Power Rangers franchise (a huge phenomenon back in the early '90s) was revived for another big-screen outing. After re-acquiring his darling franchise from Disney four years ago, Saban, seeing the billions amassed by Paramount's Transformers and G.I. Joe feature films, has partnered with Lionsgate Films to revive the big screen franchise for a new generation.

Not surprisingly, the companies are revisiting the show that started it all... "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers." So fans shouldn't expect a big-screen spinoff of, say, "Power Rangers RPM" or "Power Rangers in Space." No news on who is involved (let alone a release date), but I wouldn't be surprised if big news breaks at the fabled Power Morphicon convention this August.

Three New "Edge Of Tomorrow" Posters

The action unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world. Lt. Col. Bill Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop—forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again…and again.

But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt). And, as Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy.

Five New "Maleficent" Character Posters

Explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty" and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king’s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever.

COURTESY OF MOVIEFONE

John McTiernan Wants Back in the Directing Game

For anyone born post-2000, they probably don't have a clue who John McTiernan is.  They have grown up in the world of superhero and comic book movies and - for all intents and purposes - don't understand the craft of a 'true' action movie.

Low and behold, Mr. John McTiernan.

This man directed not only some of the best action films ever made (including Predator, Die Hard, The Hunt for Red October, Last Action Hero, Die Hard with a Venegance, and The Thomas Crown Affair) but also just good, quality films.

Anyone can just blow stuff up (a la Michael Bay), but McTiernan always made sure to focus on the story and characters involved - because he knew without that - there'd be no connection to the action going on.

Anyway, likely the reason you haven't heard McTiernan's name mentioned in a while is because he's actually been in jail for close to the past decade due to his involvement in a wire tapping scandal.

But now, with that under the bridge, the man can get back to doing what he does best: making action movies.

In his first interview since being released from prison, McTiernan states his first film out of the gate - Red Squad - is currently being rewritten as he felt unhappy with its current draft form but is hard at work on getting it right.  It's rumored the film will star Nicolas Cage (on a career comeback?) and Colin Farrell about a team of mercenaries who have gone rouge with their latest mission taking them to Mexico to bring down a drug lord.

McTiernan also states he spent his time in prison writing a sequel to The Thomas Crown Affair, entitled Thomas Crown And The Missing Lioness.  While there has been movement over the years to make a sequel to the Pierce Brosnan starring 1999 caper flick, nothing has sufficed.  Maybe now with McTiernan back, it'll get going.

Honestly, I just hope the guy gets a chance again in Hollywood because he knows how to make a film that not only sells tickets but actually tells a story too (something that's gotten lost in today's filmmaking).

Source:  Empire

20th Fox Has Finally Possibly Snagged a Director for ASSASSIN'S CREED

 

With A-list commodity Michael Fassbender still locked in and ready to roll, the hunt for a director has also finally close with Justin Kurzel reported to be taking the helms for Ubisoft and 20th Fox's Assassin's Creed.

Kurzel and Fassbender JUST finished their take on William Shakespeare's Macbeth set to hit theaters in 2015 and according to Deadline:

No deal yet, but they are eager to get this film started, so it’ll come soon. 

Well I'd sure hope so, given the film is slated for an August 7 release in 2015.

Ubisoft is also moving forward with Splinter Cell starring Tom Hardy, based off the critically and financially successful series of games under the late author Tom Clancy's name. 

STAR WARS: EPISODE VII Officially Announces It's Cast WITH An Image!

 

After what seems like years of every single internet site reporting almost every actor under 30 for every and any role in Disney's highly anticipated Star Wars: Episode VII we now have a confirmed cast list straight from the official Star Wars site.

The Star Wars team is thrilled to announce the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

Boyega broke into the spot-light back in 2011 with the British sci-fi thriller Attack the Block, with Daisy Ridley being the one almost truly unknown, British actor Domhnall Gleeson broke out from his Harry Potter roles with a brief appearance in 2012's DREDD as well as last year's emotional dramedy About Time which he headlined with Rachel McAdams.
Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver recently co-starred in Inside Llewyn Davis but have both had good success on their own, with Driver starring in HBO's hit GIRLS as well as Isaac starring in such films as Sucker Punch, DRIVE, and The Bourne Legacy.

Andy Serkis is probably (currently) the most well known, starring almost exclusively in motion-capture for The Lord of the Rings, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and KING KONG.

Max von Sydow is the true veteran here, having acclaimed turns in such films as The Seventh Seal and The Exorcist he's recently starred in big-budget fare such as Shutter Island and Robin Hood.

The release goes on:

Director J.J. Abrams says, "We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."

Star Wars Episode VII will release December 18, 2015. 

Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer. The movie opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.

Disney's Sierra McCormick To Raise Some Hell in SOME KIND OF HATE

 

From Disney to Damnation, A.N.T. Farm's Sierra McCormick and Teen Beach's Grace Phipps have been cast alongside Indie actor Ronen Rubinstein for Some Kind of Hate which begins shooting this week.

From Variety:

“Hate” begins shooting this week in Los Angeles with Adam Egypt Mortimer directing from a script he co-wrote with novelist Brian DeLeeuw (“In This Way I Was Saved”).

Well every Disney child has to have their break-out or bust, recent stars like Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame have had great luck with more daring roles such as Sucker Punch and Springbreakers for Hudgens and this summer Efron has The Neighbors co-starring with Seth Rogen.

“Hate” follows a tightly wound kid who is a favorite target for the local high school bullies. Sent away to a remote desert reform school, the harassed teenager accidentally summons a vengeful spirit to exact revenge on his tormentors.