Straight out of Hollywood
Archive for April 26, 2011
‘The Hunger Games’ Selects Its District 3 Tributes
0786 days
by Screen Rant
in TV News
It’s hard to believe that three days have passed since we last brought you a casting update for The Hunger Games, isn’t it? Lionsgate has clearly realized the benefits of announcing news about the adaptation’s cast a bit at a time – and, due to the nature of the business, that strategy allows the film to constantly make headlines around the movie news blogosphere.
Today brings the update that the nameless District Three “tributes” in Hunger Games will be played by newcomers Ian Nelson and Kalia Prescott. Okay, technically Prescott isn’t a newcomer, seeing as that she appeared as an uncredited extra in Where the Wild Things Are – but close enough.
For those of you who are still wondering just what this Hunger Games movie is, here’s a more official description that ...
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‘Green Lantern’ Gets Bigger Effects Budget; Sinestro & Kilowog Posters
0786 days
by Screen Rant
in TV News
As Warner Bros. ramps up the marketing campaign for Green Lantern, one of its biggest 2011 summer tentpole films, we’ve been seeing extended trailers, TV trailers, and posters hitting the Web almost daily.
Today brings two new Green Lantern character posters, this time spotlighting fan-favorites Sinestro and Kilowog. In addition to the posters, we have word that DC/WB is pouring more money into Green Lantern‘s budget, in order to refine and polish the film’s many visual effects.
If you’re a stranger to the Green Lantern comic book mythos, then you definitely need to be brought up to speed about who Sinestro (played by Mark Strong) and Kilowog (voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan) are. Sinestro was once known as “the greatest Green Lantern,” for his unshakable willpower and many ...
Click to continue reading ‘Green Lantern’ Gets Bigger Effects Budget; Sinestro & Kilowog Posters
"Green Lantern" Gets A Budget Upgrade
0786 days
by Dark Horizons
in Other News
In engineer speak, power equals the amount of work done over the time taken to do it. The same equation can be applied to Hollywood budgets but substitute power for money.
With the work level on tentpole productions staying the same or increasing, and the time allotted to each being shrunk to fit a pre-determined calendar, it's inevitable that costs are going to blow out.
This Summer two of the big superhero films are in an intense race to the finish line, Fox's "X-Men: First Class" and Warner's "Green Lantern", with both likely to cut it very close. Of the two though it's 'Lantern', with its extensive use of visual effects, that faces the more uphill battle.
The crunch has gotten so tight that today comes word, via Variety, that Warners has had to add on an additional $9 million to the film's budget. The reasoning is simple - the studio has to hire additional visual effects houses to help get the movie finished in time for its June 17th release date.
Warner’s exec VP of digital production Chris de Faria says "There is no problem on ‘Green Lantern'. We try to add things to make the movie better until the 11th hour. That doesn’t mean we’re risking the movie up to the 11th hour."
Reactions at test screenings have reportedly lead to some scenes being put back into the movie, including a pre-credit CG sequence, while the new money will likely cover some of the 3D conversion which apparently wasn't included in the original budget.
The article also asks the very pertinent question - when will the incessant need to meet tighter and tighter deadlines come to an end? A Marvel exec says it'll take a colossal delay or failure for thinking to be significantly changed - “I think the day (the system) breaks is the day everyone will revise their thinking. Until that day comes, filmmakers are going to push it to the limit. I think it’s sad that we will have to watch one of us fail to learn our lesson.”
Meanwhile, Hitfix has posted a list of all the alien lanterns from the comics that will appear in the film in the background alongside the five main ones - Hal Jordan, Thaal Sinestro, Abin Sur, Tomar-Re and Kilowog. These will include: Boodikka, Bzzd, Hannu, Larvox, Green Man, Medphyll, Morro, R'amey Holl, Rot Lop Fan, Salaak, Stel and Voz.
Also, Bleeding Cool has posted two new character posters from the film which can be viewed below. Click for larger versions.
"The Avengers" First Photo, Press Release
0786 days
by Dark Horizons
in Other News
While Joss Whedon revealed the news on the weekend, Marvel Studios has now issued released a press release confirming the start of production for Marvel's "The Avengers". To make sure it makes headlines, they've also included the first photo from the set which you can see below.
Here's a copy of the official press release:
"Production has commenced today in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Marvel Studios' highly anticipated movie "Marvel's The Avengers," directed by Joss Whedon ("Serenity") from a screenplay by Whedon. The film will continue principal photography in Cleveland, Ohio and New York City. Robert Downey, Jr. ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2") returns as the iconic Tony Stark/Iron Man along with Chris Hemsworth ("Thor") as Thor, Chris Evans ("Captain America: The First Avenger") as Captain America, Jeremy Renner ("Thor," "The Hurt Locker") as Hawkeye, Mark Ruffalo ("The Kids Are Alright") as Hulk, Scarlett Johansson ("Iron Man 2") as Black Widow, Clark Gregg ("Iron Man," "Thor") as Agent Phil Coulson, and Samuel L. Jackson ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2") as Nick Fury. Set for release in the US on May 4, 2012, "Marvel's The Avengers" is the first feature to be fully owned, marketed and distributed by Disney, which acquired Marvel in 2009.
Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in "Iron Man," "The Incredible Hulk," "Iron Man 2," "Thor," and "Captain America: The First Avenger," "Marvel's The Avengers" is the super hero team up of a lifetime. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster.
Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1963, "Marvel's The Avengers" brings together the mightiest super hero characters as they all assemble together on screen for the first time. The star studded cast of super heroes will be joined by Cobie Smulders ("How I Met Your Mother) as Agent Maria Hill of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as Tom Hiddleston ("Wallander") and Stellan Skarsgård ("Angels & Demons," "Mamma Mia!") who will both reprise their respective roles as Loki and Professor Erik Selvig from the upcoming Marvel Studios' feature "Thor."
"Marvel's The Avengers" is being produced by Marvel Studios' President, Kevin Feige, and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Louis D'Esposito, Patty Whitcher, and Jon Favreau. Marvel Studios' Jeremy Latcham and Victoria Alonso will co-produce.
The creative production team also includes Oscar nominated director of photography Seamus McGarvey ("Atonement"), production designer James Chinlund ("25th Hour"), Oscar winning costume designer Alexandra Byrne ("Elizabeth: The Golden Age"), Oscar winning visual effects supervisor Janek Sirrs ("Iron Man 2," "The Matrix"), visual effects producer Susan Pickett ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2"), stunt coordinator R.A. Rondell ("Superman Returns"), and four-time Oscar nominated special effects supervisor Dan Sudick ("Iron Man," "War of the Worlds"). The editors include Oscar nominated Paul Rubell ("Collateral") and Jeffrey Ford ("Crazy Heart").
Marvel Studios most recently produced "Iron Man 2" which was released in theatres on May 7, 2010. The sequel to "Iron Man," starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow as well as Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke, took the number one spot its first weekend with a domestic box office gross of $128.1 million. To date the film has earned over $620 million in worldwide box office receipts.
In the summer of 2008, Marvel produced the summer blockbuster movies, "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk." "Iron Man," in which Robert Downey, Jr. originally dons the super hero's powerful armor alongside co-stars Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow, was released May 2, 2008 and was an immediate box office success. Garnering the number one position for two weeks in a row, the film brought in over $100 million its opening weekend and grossed over $571 million worldwide. On June 13, 2008, Marvel released "The Incredible Hulk" marking its second number one opener of that summer. The spectacular revival of the iconic green goliath grossed over $250 million in worldwide box office receipts."
"The Avengers" First Photo, Press Release
0786 days
by Dark Horizons
in Other News
While Joss Whedon revealed the news on the weekend, Marvel Studios has now issued released a press release confirming the start of production for Marvel's "The Avengers". To make sure it makes headlines, they've also included the first photo from the set which you can see below.
Here's a copy of the official press release:
"Production has commenced today in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Marvel Studios' highly anticipated movie "Marvel's The Avengers," directed by Joss Whedon ("Serenity") from a screenplay by Whedon. The film will continue principal photography in Cleveland, Ohio and New York City. Robert Downey, Jr. ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2") returns as the iconic Tony Stark/Iron Man along with Chris Hemsworth ("Thor") as Thor, Chris Evans ("Captain America: The First Avenger") as Captain America, Jeremy Renner ("Thor," "The Hurt Locker") as Hawkeye, Mark Ruffalo ("The Kids Are Alright") as Hulk, Scarlett Johansson ("Iron Man 2") as Black Widow, Clark Gregg ("Iron Man," "Thor") as Agent Phil Coulson, and Samuel L. Jackson ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2") as Nick Fury. Set for release in the US on May 4, 2012, "Marvel's The Avengers" is the first feature to be fully owned, marketed and distributed by Disney, which acquired Marvel in 2009.
Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in "Iron Man," "The Incredible Hulk," "Iron Man 2," "Thor," and "Captain America: The First Avenger," "Marvel's The Avengers" is the super hero team up of a lifetime. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster.
Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1963, "Marvel's The Avengers" brings together the mightiest super hero characters as they all assemble together on screen for the first time. The star studded cast of super heroes will be joined by Cobie Smulders ("How I Met Your Mother) as Agent Maria Hill of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as Tom Hiddleston ("Wallander") and Stellan Skarsgård ("Angels & Demons," "Mamma Mia!") who will both reprise their respective roles as Loki and Professor Erik Selvig from the upcoming Marvel Studios' feature "Thor."
"Marvel's The Avengers" is being produced by Marvel Studios' President, Kevin Feige, and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Louis D'Esposito, Patty Whitcher, and Jon Favreau. Marvel Studios' Jeremy Latcham and Victoria Alonso will co-produce.
The creative production team also includes Oscar nominated director of photography Seamus McGarvey ("Atonement"), production designer James Chinlund ("25th Hour"), Oscar winning costume designer Alexandra Byrne ("Elizabeth: The Golden Age"), Oscar winning visual effects supervisor Janek Sirrs ("Iron Man 2," "The Matrix"), visual effects producer Susan Pickett ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2"), stunt coordinator R.A. Rondell ("Superman Returns"), and four-time Oscar nominated special effects supervisor Dan Sudick ("Iron Man," "War of the Worlds"). The editors include Oscar nominated Paul Rubell ("Collateral") and Jeffrey Ford ("Crazy Heart").
Marvel Studios most recently produced "Iron Man 2" which was released in theatres on May 7, 2010. The sequel to "Iron Man," starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow as well as Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke, took the number one spot its first weekend with a domestic box office gross of $128.1 million. To date the film has earned over $620 million in worldwide box office receipts.
In the summer of 2008, Marvel produced the summer blockbuster movies, "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk." "Iron Man," in which Robert Downey, Jr. originally dons the super hero's powerful armor alongside co-stars Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow, was released May 2, 2008 and was an immediate box office success. Garnering the number one position for two weeks in a row, the film brought in over $100 million its opening weekend and grossed over $571 million worldwide. On June 13, 2008, Marvel released "The Incredible Hulk" marking its second number one opener of that summer. The spectacular revival of the iconic green goliath grossed over $250 million in worldwide box office receipts."