Johnny Knoxville Voicing Leonardo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
...what the what? It appears that the de facto leader of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the blue-masked, katana-wielding Leonardo, will be voiced by none other than Jackass star Johnny Knoxville in Jonathan Liebesman's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot. This is a bit odd, considering Knoxville's known for his wacky shenanigans whereas Leonardo's known for his... anti-wacky shenanigans. If anything, Knoxville would have fit more naturally as Michelangelo, the dude with the 'tude. However, this isn't my way of saying Knoxville can't portray Leonardo in a fitting way, especially if the film's script calls for a less serious Leonardo, or if Knoxville can be firm and wise in playing the part.
Also joining the voice cast is Monk's Tony Shalhoub as the turtles' father figure, Splinter. His casting is more fitting, as Shalhoub's turn as Monk is much more in line with Splinter. I know there were worries that Splinter wouldn't be in the film due to his lack of screen time in the first trailer, but what's a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film without Splinter or pizza? Then again... there was a distinct lack of pizza in the trailer, too.
Now that the first two voices have been announced, it's only a matter of time before we find out who'll portray the rest of the brothers in the Michael Bay-produced reboot. Are there any actors out there that you'd want to portray your favorite turtles? Let us know!
[via /Film]
Adam Driver To Play Villain In New Star Wars
Adam Driver has recently been rising in his own popularity. With a Gap modeling deal, a small role in Inside Llewyn Davis, and his important role as Lena Dunham's character Hannah's boyfriend on the hit HBO series Girls, it seems as if he's striving to become a household name. In the midst in these efforts, sources told Variety magazine that Adam Driver is close to signing a deal for the villain in J. J. Abrams' Star Wars: Episode VII.
While nothing has officially been announced, 30-year-old Driver appears to be the first of any casting Disney has revealed for the latest Star Wars installment. It's scheduled to shoot at London's Pinewood Studios in April. Within the next month more of the major cast members will be announced.
The role of the villain that Driver will play has been rumored for the past few weeks in the casting process, but it seems that he has risen to the top of the list for the actor to play the part. A major cause for delay has been his main acting project on Girls. The HBO comedy series production schedules for Season 4 and future series were causing scheduling conflicts, but sources revealed to Variety that the issue was taken care of and a deal will be delivered shortly.
Driver has a lot of other projects in store for viewers though. Right now he is filming Midnight Special with Warner Brothers and is attached with Martin Scorsese's next project Silence. Another film of his, This Is Where I Leave You, will be coming out this upcoming fall.
[via Variety]
Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill reuniting for another film
The Wolf of Wall Street best friends Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill were already linked to co-produce a proposed TV series based on Q-Tip's life, had a bromantic moment on SNL recently, and are now set to reunite on the big screen. Deadline is reporting that 20th Century Fox has acquired the rights to a Vanity Fair article about a security guard, Richard Jewell, who was hailed as a hero after finding a backpack filled with explosives at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, but was then quickly vilified when the media painted him as a potential suspect.
Hill is set to portray Jewell, while DiCaprio will play a lawyer that helped Jewell through the ordeal. The article, which you can read here, focuses not only on Jewell, but how the rise of 24-hour news media was quick to point the finger at him before evidence cleared his name. Depending on the creative team that takes on the film (no writers/directors have been announced), I could envision this film being just as much a comment on the overindulgence of 24-hour news networks and general audiences that lay blame before all of the facts are cleared as it would be highlighting Jewell's personal journey. Furthermore, it appears that the film would be a vehicle for Hill to further display his dramatic chops, perhaps as a way for DiCaprio to groom him into the next great dramatic actor.
This sounds like a great film to keep track of over the next few months as more details are confirmed and announced.
[via Deadline]
Harrison Ford to replace Bruce Willis in The Expendables 3
Sylvester Stallone's love letter to forgotten testosterone-driven action films, The Expendables, has found a good audience. While they feature too much plot and not enough one-liners, the Expendables films have at least been entertaining, if only for the fact that they combine some of the greatest action stars of the past 30 years. Today, news came out that another action icon will be joining the fraternity via Stallone's personal Twitter:
WILLIS OUT... HARRISON FORD IN !!!! GREAT NEWS !!!!! Been waiting years for this!!!!
— Sylvester Stallone (@TheSlyStallone) August 6, 2013
It appears that Mr. Indiana Jones himself will become expendable, joining franchise newcomers Nicolas Cage, Jackie Chan, Milla Jovovich, and Wesley Snipes. However, the news is a bit bittersweet as Bruce Willis will not be returning. I'm a fan of Ford, but he doesn't carry the same machismo that Willis does. As the stable continues to grow, I'm sure more names will be announced. Are there any other actors you feel could fit the franchise?
[via /Film]
Ryan Gosling, Zac Efron eyed for Star Wars Episode VII
Well well well, it seems as if Disney and J.J. Abrams are swinging for the fences with the upcoming 7th Star Wars film if this rumor is true. Reports have come out that both Ryan Gosling (Only God Forgives) and Zac Efron (Me and Orson Welles) have auditioned for roles in the next episode of the space opera. While Gosling and Efron aren't exactly household names (definitely not on the same level as, for example, George Clooney, Robert Downey, Jr, etc.), they have their large followings.
Word has it that Gosling auditioned for the role as Luke Skywalker's son, Ben Skywalker, who didn't have a large role in the Star Wars Expanded Universe novels. There's no official word on who Efron auditioned for, but it can be assumed that he was auditioning for the main role of Jacen Solo, Han and Leia's son. Last month, it seemed as if the new trilogy would focus on Jaina and Jacen Solo, so it's within reason that Efron would audition for the main protagonist. However, the official plot hasn't been confirmed, so everything is still speculation.
Regardless, having Ryan Gosling and Zac Efron attached would be huge for the future of Star Wars.
[via /Film]
Christian Bale is done with Batman
While Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Rises) and Christopher Nolan (Inception) have previously said they wouldn't return to the Batman universe, many people still held out hope that Bale would take up the cowl in the proposed Justice League film DC and Warner Bros. have tried to get off the ground for awhile now. However, Bale recently refuted the notion that he would put on the Batman suit in the superhero ensemble, stating:
”I have no information, no knowledge about anything. I’ve literally not had a conversation with a living soul. I understand that they may be making a Justice League movie, that’s it. It’s a torch that should be handed from one actor to another. So I enjoy looking forward to what somebody else will come up with.”
Of course, with the way The Dark Knight Rises ended, it would be easy to conclude that Joseph Gordon-Levitt would become the next Batman. After all, The Dark Knight Rises was really a film made to pass the torch to the next generation. Of course, there's been no word about another Batman film, let alone one set in the same universe that Nolan and Bale populated for the Dark Knight trilogy. With rumors that the universe seen in Man of Steel is separate from that of the Dark Knight universe and the Justice League portrayal won't be the same Batman character we have grown to love over the past decade, this news comes as a pretty obvious statement. Still, with the way WB has handled the DC film properties lately (Man of Steel only barely serving as an exception to this), it just seems like Bale was necessitated to clear the air to at least help make sense of their attempt to create a unified universe the way Marvel has done with their film properties.
[via Collider]
William Fichtner confirmed to play Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot
Michael Bay is definitely taking some liberties with the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action film reboot. While no roles have been confirmed, other than the voices of Leonardo (Pete Ploszek), Michelangelo (Noel Fisher), Donatello (Jeremy Howard), Raphael (Alan Ritchson), and Splinter (Danny Woodburn) , both Will Arnett (Arrested Development) and Megan Fox (Transformers) have been attached to the film. Earlier this week, it was reported that William Fichtner will be portraying the turtles' arch-nemesis, Shredder (Prison Break).
This is an interesting development as Shredder has traditionally been portrayed as a former Japanese samurai... ninja... bad guy. I'm all for changing up various elements when it comes to adaptations, especially when it comes to reboots for new generations. However, this casting choice might be a bit off. Michael Bay's name already carries a level of apprehension, the least of which involving the rumored script for the film that I may or may not have read through. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is at least a year away, so we can only hope that the final product will do the franchise justice.
[via Collider]
Tom Hardy starring in Takashi Miike's first English-language movie, The Outsiders
Tom Hardy has built up a reputation as a versatile actor, playings roles that are both physically and mentally taxing from Bronson to Warrior to last year's The Dark Knight Rises. His dedication to the craft is definitely paying off, as he has a variety of films coming up, such as George Miller's reboot of the Mad Max franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road, Steven Knight's directorial debut, Locke, Michael R. Roskam's (Bullhead) Animal Rescue, and is in talks to portray Elton John in the proposed biopic of the singer, Rocketman.
Yet despite having a full slate of projects to carry him well into next year, word has come out that Hardy will star in The Outsider, which will serve as Takashi Miike's English-language debut. A few days after the trailer for his film, Wara No Tate was released, the news of an English-language Takashi Miike film is the perfect way to cap off the week. The Outsider, which will be produced independently by Silver Pictures, will focus on Hardy's character, a former World War II GI, becoming a part of Japan's Yakuza. Takashi Miike certainly knows how to direct a Japan-set period piece, and with Hardy attached to the project, this has makings to be another cult film for the director.
[via Deadline]