Shia LaBeouf Is Donezo With 'Transformers'
"I'm not coming back to do another one. I don't think [director Michael Bay] will either," he said. "It's still a hot property, I think, especially coming out of the third one. So I imagine they'll reboot it at some point with someone else."
Could this be political aftermath since 2009's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen received negative reviews and earned LaBeouf and Megan Fox a shared "Worst Screen Couple of 2009" nomination? Probably not, since the film still grossed $800 million.
LaBeouf, who has a thing for uber-successful but critically panned films (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps followed the same trajectory) is still amped about next month's release ofTransformers: Dark of the Moon.
"This is the best movie we've made, I'm serious," he said. "It's not a joke. I'm dead honest, man. I get myself in trouble all the time, but this is our best installment. It's our best movie."
Confirmed: Orlando Bloom Will Reprise His Role as Legolas for THE HOBBIT
Back in December, we reported that Orlando Bloom might reprise his role as Elven sharpshooter Legolas for Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit. Today on his official Facebook page, Jackson confirmed that he had Legolas bow:
Ten years ago, Orlando Bloom created an iconic character with his portrayal of Legolas. I’m excited to announce today that we’ll be revisiting Middle Earth with him once more. I’m thrilled to be working with Orlando again. Funny thing is, I look older—and he doesn’t! I guess that’s why he makes such a wonderful elf.
Bloom is the latest Lord of the Rings cast member to join The Hobbit. While Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Elrond (Hugo Weaving), and Gollum (Andy Serkis) actually appear in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, Jackson has apparently made room for Legolas, Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), old Bilbo (Ian Holm), and Frodo (Elijah Wood). Hit the jump for the synopsis of the novel. The two-part 3D film is set for December 2012 and December 2013.
Here’s the synopsis for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit:
Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, is a peaceful sort of cozy hole in the Shire, a place where adventures are uncommon and rather unwanted. So when the wizard Gandalf whisks him away on a treasure hunting expedition with a troop of rowdy dwarves, he’s not entirely thrilled. Encountering ruthless trolls, beastly orcs, gigantic spiders, and hungry wolves, Bilbo discovers within himself astonishing strength and courage. And at the ultimate confrontation with the fearsome dragon Smaug, the hobbit will brave the dangers of dark and dragon fire alone and unaided.
New HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS – PART 2 Poster; Final Seven Minutes to Be Split into Seven More Movies
On the heels of yesterday’s in-your-face poster for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Warner Bros. has released yet another close-up poster. This time, the poster features Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and so it begins that Deathly Hallows – Part 2 will follow the advertising pattern of the previous Harry Potter films and give a banner to every single freaking character. The poster may proclaim “It All Ends”, but I don’t think that’s referring to the infinite stream of upcoming character posters.
In a related fake story, The Onion News Network reports that Warner Bros., unable to part with their beloved franchise, will break the final minutes of Deathly Hallows – Part 2 into its own film franchise. The film’s fake producer also wants to explore new movies that will examine what background characters are up to and then more films exploring what their brooms are up to. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 opens in 3D on July 15th.
Here’s the official synopsis for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2:
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. The much-anticipated motion picture event is the second of two full-length parts.In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort.It all ends here.“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, reprising their roles as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The film’s ensemble cast also includes Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Ciarán Hinds, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Matthew Lewis, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters and Bonnie Wright.The film was directed by David Yates, who also helmed the blockbusters “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.” David Heyman, the producer of all of the Harry Potter films, produced the film, together with David Barron. Screenwriter Steve Kloves adapted the screenplay, based on the book by J.K. Rowling. Lionel Wigram is the executive producer.Behind the scenes, the creative team was led by director of photography Eduardo Serra, production designer Stuart Craig, editor Mark Day, composer Alexandre Desplat, visual effects supervisor Tim Burke, and costume designer Jany Temime.Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Heyday Films production, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” which marks the last installment in the most successful film franchise of all time.“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” will be released worldwide in theatres and IMAX, in 3D and 2D, beginning July 15, 2011.”
First Teaser Poster for THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN Part 1
Summit Entertainment has released the first official teaser poster for director Bill Condon’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1. While I’m sure fans were hoping for a cool image of Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner, they’re going to be stuck with some clouds and the day the movie is coming out. However, with this poster getting released, I’d wager the first trailer will be hitting soon. Hit the jump to check it out. The next chapter in the Twilight saga opens November 18th.
Here’s the official synopsis for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn:
In the highly anticipated next chapter of the blockbuster The Twilight Saga, the newfound married bliss of Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) is cut short when a series of betrayals and misfortunes threatens to destroy their world.After their wedding, Bella and Edward travel to Rio de Janeiro for their honeymoon, where they finally give in to their passions. Bella soon discovers she is pregnant, and during a nearly fatal childbirth, Edward finally fulfills her wish to become immortal.But the arrival of their remarkable daughter, Renesmee, sets in motion a perilous chain of events that pits the Cullens and their allies against the Volturi, the fearsome council of vampire leaders, setting the stage for an all-out battle.The suspenseful and deeply romantic Breaking Dawn continues the epic tale of supernatural fantasy and passionate love that has made The Twilight Saga a worldwide phenomenon.Currently in Production. U.S. release via Summit Entertainment, November 18, 2011, and November 16, 2012.
First Look at Rhys Ifans (Minus a Bag on His Head) from THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
Last week, we got our first look at Rhys Ifans in Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man. Kind of. Ifans plays Dr. Curt Conners, a scientist who accidentally becomes The Lizard when he tries to regrow his lost arm. Moral of the story: if you’ve lost an arm, take comfort in the fact that you’re not a man-reptile. Anyway, while I imagine that the character will be mostly (if not entirely) CGI, the set photo from last week showed Ifans with a bag over his head presumably to hide some level of transformation. Today, we now see Ifans in human-form and without the bag, but with a long green glove on one arm. That’s so the animators can CGI out the actor’s arm, although if he were method, he would just chop it off. Computer graphics ruin everything.
First Trailer for FINAL DESTINATION 5
The trailer for Final Destination 5 has gone online. This time the big disaster is on a suspension bridge. As always, those who don’t have the courtesy to die in giant disasters get hunted down by the grim reaper and eliminated in gruesome, Rube Goldberg-projects of doom. In a hint that the series may be running out of creative ways to off its characters, Final Destination 5 preys on our fears of LASIK and acupuncture.
Hit the jump to check out the trailer. Final Destination 5 stars Emma Bell, Nick D’Agosto, Miles Fisher, Arlen Escarpeta, Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, P.J. Byrne, Ellen Wroe, Courtney B. Vance, David Koechner, and Tony Todd. The film opens in 3D on August 26th.
Here’s the official synopsis for Final Destination 5:
In this fifth installment, Death is just as omnipresent as ever, and is unleashed after one man’s premonition saves a group of coworkers from a terrifying suspension bridge collapse. But this group of unsuspecting souls was never supposed to survive, and, in a terrifying race against time, the ill-fated group frantically tries to discover a way to escape Death’s sinister agenda.
Johnny Depp Says THE LONE RANGER Will Reinvent the Role of Tonto
When it was reported that Johnny Depp would be playing Tonto in the adaptation of The Lone Ranger, some were left wondering why an actor of Depp’s stature would take the sidekick role. The answer: he wouldn’t. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Depp expresses bewilderment that Tonto would take orders from The Lone Ranger:
“I remember watching [the 1949-1957 TV series in reruns] as a kid, with Jay Silverheels and Clayton Moore, and going: ‘Why is the f—ing Lone Ranger telling Tonto what to do?’”
Apparently Johnny Depp was a foul-mouthed kid. Hit the jump for what he and director Gore Verbinski (Rango) are planning for the film adaptation.
Depp tells EW:
“I liked Tonto, even at that tender age, and knew Tonto was getting the unpleasant end of the stick here. That’s stuck with me. And when the idea came up [for the movie], I started thinking about Tonto and what could be done in my own small way try to — ‘eliminate’ isn’t possible — but reinvent the relationship, to attempt to take some of the ugliness thrown on the Native Americans, not only in The Lone Ranger, but the way Indians were treated throughout history of cinema, and turn it on its head.”
And if you’re wondering, “Wait. Isn’t Depp a white guy? Won’t this be redface?”, Depp is part-Indian (or so he was told growing up):
“I guess I have some Native American somewhere down the line. My great grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek.”
The Lone Ranger is set to hit theaters some time next year.
First Look at ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER
The first image from Timur Bekmambetov’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has gone online. In case you couldn’t get the plot from the title, the movie is about America’s 16th President secret life as a vampire slayer. Based off the book by Seth Grahame-Smith, the story re-imagines that Lincoln’s mother and grandfather were killed by a vampire and that the president’s resolve to end slavery was due in part to the “fact” that vampires were involved with the slave trade. However, he also learns that there are good vampires and bad vampires and that he can’t simply just kill them all willy-nilly.
Hit the jump for the image and to learn how the production is devoted to historical accuracy in this incredibly silly story. The film stars Benjamin Walker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anthony Mackie, Dominic Cooper, Alan Tudyk, Jimmi Simpson, and Refus Sewell. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter opens in 3D on June 22, 2012.
In a lengthy story on the film’s production, The New York Times (who also provided the image above) reports that the movie “embeds Lincoln, played by Benjamin Walker, within a meticulously researched, surprisingly authentic, three-dimensional past — but with vampires.”
Production designer François Audouy is using computer effects and actual locations to blend the real and the artificial, and using Civil War maps that are actual reproductions of ones provided by the Library of Congress and Illinois state historian Thomas F. Schwartz. Schwartz, who is also contributing to the Steven Spielberg’s vampire-less Lincoln biopic, Lincoln, was a consultant on the film and advised Vampire Hunter on “how they might slip vampires into Lincoln’s story with minimal damage to the historical record.” No one has told the production that by slipping vampires into Lincoln’s story, the damage to the historical record has already been done.
And as to the design of the vampires? Bekmambetov is keeping that aspect under wraps for now as Audouy tells the Times, “The one thing I’m not supposed to talk about is the look of the vampires,” but he promises something “unexpected.” I’m expecting fangs. So if the vampires have fangs, it will be expected.
