Everybody Wants A Piece Of Amber Heard In Trailer For Controversial ‘London Fields’

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June 6, 2018

Oh…hey, London Fields is finally coming out, eh? This comes as a genuine shock to yours truly and I’m sure plenty of others who remember the controversial film’s aborted public premiere three years ago (!!!) at TIFF. It still played for press, however, and was subsequently hammered, with director Matthew Cullen complaining that producers had included footage he didn’t approve. Lawsuits followed, including a $10M claim against star Amber Heard, who was then dealing with a very public divorce from co-star Johnny Depp with allegations of physical abuse. Oh, and Heard filed a lawsuit of claiming producers used a body double to make it seem like she did a whole bunch of nudity.

And now the film is actually coming out, but after all that shit does anybody even care? The adaptation of Martin Amis’ 1989 novel about a clairvoyant femme fatale who sees her own murder has been on the wish list for numerous filmmakers, including Michael Winterbottom and David Cronenberg. But it proved too tough a nut to crack for them, and it was music video director Cullen and screenwriter Roberta Hanley who got it done.

Heard plays the aforementioned femme fatale, Nicola Six, surrounded by an all-star cast of dudes who really want to have sex with her. Along with Depp the film stars Billy Bob Thornton, Jim Sturgess (name spelled wrong in the trailer, not a good sign), Theo James, Cara Delevingne, Jason Isaacs, and Jaimie Alexander.

A sign of a bad movie is an overlong synopsis which gives everything away. With that said, here’s the lengthy as shit synopsis:

Recently arrived in London in the hope of writing one last book before succumbing to a fatal illness, American author Samson Young (Billy Bob Thornton) falls in with a cast of characters who just might give him the story he is looking for. First, there is Keith Talent (Jim Sturgess) a small- time crook and dart player always on the lookout for his next scam. Then there’s Guy Clinch (Theo James), an upper class banker who hangs out at Ned’s favorite pub, searching for distraction from his boring life, his spoiled wife, and their monstrous toddler. And, just like a scene from a movie, into their lives walks Nicola Six (Amber Heard), a spectacularly beautiful woman-of-mystery who instantly ensnares all three men with her charms. Of course, Ned and Keith want to possess her, but Sam sees something else—in Nicola he sees the heroine of the book he so desperately wants to write. Following her, studying her, and watching her become a different woman depending upon which man she is seducing, Sam starts weaving a tale, based on Nicola, or Nicola as he imagines her to be. He also discovers that the reason she lives like there’s no tomorrow, is that she’s fed up with her life and has secretly been plotting her own murder. Now that Sam knows the climax of his story, the only question is who will the murderer be? Is it Keith, the criminal, Guy, the millionaire, or is it Sam himself—a dying man practicing a dying art, who will do anything to end his book—and his life—with a big bang?

London Fields opens this August.

Lee Daniels Lines Up Billie Holiday Biopic; Andra Day And Lakeith Stanfield May Star

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John Nolan

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June 6, 2018

With Fox series’ Empire and Star, Lee Daniels has found the acclaim on the small screen that has mostly eluded him on the big. It’s been five years since he directed The Butler, and now he appears to be ready to get back behind the camera for Billie, a biopic on legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday.

Variety reports Daniels will direct and produce the film which has a script by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Suzan-Lori Parks. “Rise Up” singer/songwriter Andra Day is in talks to play Holiday, with Altanta‘s Lakeith Stanfield also eyed for the male lead.

Holiday, also known as “Lady Day”, was known for her strong, improvisational vocal style heavily influenced by jazz instrumentalists. She broke out in the Harlem jazz scene of the early 1930s and would go on to perform with all of the era’s greats. But Holliday also lived a fast, turbulent life and it was her alcoholism that led to an early death in 1959 at the age of 44. Hollywood previously told the story of her life in the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues starring Diana Ross, as well as the 1986 play Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.

The hope is to get production started by the end of the year.

First Trailer For Bradley Cooper’s ‘A Star Is Born’ Gives Lady Gaga Room To Shine

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John Nolan

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June 6, 2018

The buzz isn’t just building for Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut, a remake of classic romance A Star is Born. It’s absolutely exploding after the rave reviews it received at CinemaCon, which is a lot like Comic-Con in that sometimes the footage is kept a secret from those who can’t attend. Well, finally we’re getting a look at what all the fuss is about, and based on this trailer Cooper may have an awards contender on his hands.

Cooper directed, wrote, and stars alongside Lady Gaga in the musical romance about a seasoned country star who discovers and falls in love with a talented aspiring singer. Their whirlwind romance lifts both of their careers, but also causes complications that could threaten everything. Gaga has done some great work acting on the small screen, winning an Emmy for her performance in American Horror Story, but she’s never done anything on this level. Based on this she looks like a natural, and I’m also surprised by Dave Chappelle in a soulful, dramatic turn. Sam Elliott also co-stars along with Andrew Dice Clay.

A Star is Born opens October 5th after originally being set for May. I’m guessing you can understand why the move was necessary because this looks like a winner.

First Look At Ryan Gosling And Claire Foy In Damien Chazelle’s ‘First Man’

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John Nolan

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June 6, 2018

With Whiplash and La La Land, Damien Chazelle set a high bar that will be very hard for him to reach. Good thing his next film, First Man, has to do with the first astronauts to soar to the moon and back. Not only is this Chazelle’s first movie he’s directed from another screenplay, but he’ll have to prove he can do more than tell stories about music. Good thing he’s brought along His La La Land star Ryan Gosling, who we’re now getting a look at as Neil Armstrong.

People debuted the new images from First Man, which tells the story of Armstrong as he readies to be the first to ever walk on the moon. Set during the years 1961-1969, the film will do more than follow Armstrong’s training, but will go into his life at home. Claire Foy plays Armstrong’s wife, Sharon, and Chazelle talked about her casting and the reason why she was a necessary addition…

“Ryan and Claire Foy had never worked together, but I remember right from the beginning they just slipped into these roles, and just became a family on camera,” Chazelle says. “There was this sort of chemistry and bond between Ryan and Claire onscreen that really felt like the young Neil and Janet Armstrong that I had read about.”

“Ryan and I described the movie to each other as it’s about the moon and the kitchen, which means basically we wanted to tell the story about one of the most epic accomplishments in human history, but root it very much in the intimate and the day to day details of what it was actually like.”

Also starring Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Jon Bernthal, Jason Clarke, Brian d’Arcy James, Patrick Fugit, and Ethan Embry, First Man opens October 12th.

Giveaway: Enter To Win ‘Pacific Rim: Uprising’ On Blu-ray!

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John Nolan

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June 6, 2018

We’re happy to offer our readers the chance to win Pacific Rim: Uprising on Blu-ray combo pack courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.!

SYNOPSIS: John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) stars in Pacific Rim: Uprising as the rebellious Jake Pentecost, a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity’s victory against the monstrous “Kaiju.” Jake has since abandoned his training only to become caught up in a criminal underworld. But when an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to tear through our cities and bring the world to its knees, he is given one last chance to live up to his father’s legacy. Jake is joined by gifted rival pilot Lambert (The Fate of the Furious’ Scott Eastwood) and 15-year-old Jaeger hacker Amara (newcomer Cailee Spaeny). Rising up to become the most powerful defense force to ever walk the earth, they set course for a spectacular all-new adventure on a towering scale.

To enter, simply complete the required steps in the Rafflecopter contest form below. Five winners will be selected on June 12th and notified by email. Good luck!

Pacific Rim: Uprising hits home on June 19th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BONUS FEATURES ON 4K ULTRA HD, 3D BLU-RAYTM, BLU-RAYTM, DVD & DIGITAL:

Deleted Scenes with Commentary by Director Steven S. DeKnight
Hall of Heroes – John Boyega takes us through the awesome weaponry and cutting-edge enhancements of the latest generation of Jaegers featured in the film.
Bridge to Uprising – The cast and crew discuss how the world of Pacific Rim has changed in the ten years since the events of the original film.
The Underworld of Uprising – Humanity won the Kaiju War, but every war has casualties. John Boyega and Steven S. DeKnight give a tour of the coastal “Relief Zones.”
Becoming Cadets – Step into the Shatterdome, and learn the grueling physical and mental preparation required of the young actors who portrayed the PPDC cadets.
Unexpected Villain – Learn the secret reason that turned one of the most beloved heroes of the original film into a villain obsessed with humanity’s destruction.
Next Level Jaegers – The cast and crew discuss the amazing technological advances of the Jaeger program in the years since the events of the original film.
I Am Scrapper – Actress Cailee Spaeny shares the backstory of Scrapper, Amara’s incredible self-built Jaeger and its many unique abilities.
Going Mega – Filmmakers take us through the technical and creative challenges of creating the most deadly threat the Pan Pacific Defense Corp has ever faced: the Mega Kaiju!
Secrets of Shao – Meet the woman behind Shao Industries. Actress Tian Jing shares her insights on the enigmatic tech tycoon Liwen Shao.
Mako Returns – Actress Rinko Kikuchi and director Steven S. DeKnight explain the significance of Mako Mori’s return and her importance to the events of Pacific Rim Uprising.
Feature Commentary with Director Steven S. DeKnight

Barry Jenkins To Direct Every Episode Of Amazon’s ‘The Underground Railroad’ Series

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John Nolan

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June 6, 2018

Early last year we learned Moonlight director Barry Jenkins was attached to an upcoming Amazon series titled The Underground Railroad. Just having Jenkins on board, mere weeks after a Best Picture win for his acclaimed drama, was enough to garner headlines and show once again how big of a player Amazon is in the streaming market. Well now that it’s been given the greenlight we’re learning how deep Jenkins’s involvement runs, and it’s another reason to get excited.

Jenkins will direct every episode of The Underground Railroad, which is based on the book by Colson Whitehead. The 11-episode series reimagines the 18th-century Underground as a literal system of secret railways beneath the southern soil. The book centered on Cora, a runaway slave from Georgia in search of the Underground in a desperate bid for freedom.

Here’s what Jenkins had to say: “Working with Amazon and a wonderful group of screenwriters to develop Colson’s novel into a limited series has been an extremely rewarding experience. Translating his singular voice into a cohesive and equally singular visual language is a task I very much look forward to.”

Next up for Jenkins is wrapping up on his adaptation of If Beale Street Could Talk, which will likely open later this year just in time for awards season. [ScreenDaily]

Miles Morales Swings Into Action In New ‘Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse’ Trailer

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John Nolan

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June 6, 2018

Fans have been eager to see the Ultimate version of Marvel’s Spider-Man, Miles Morales, on the big screen so much they campaigned for him to be the lead of Spider-Man: Homecoming. Well, they didn’t win there (although the character may have been backdoor introduced to the MCU), but their wish has been granted with Sony’s animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and the full trailer has come swinging onto the web.

Fan favorite filmmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller are on board as screenwriters and producers, Shameik Moore (Dope) voicing Miles. The Brooklyn born hero with the Black-Latino background isn’t just an ethnic rehash of Peter Parker. In fact, Parker still exists in this alternate universe, voiced by Jake Johnson, and becomes a somewhat unusual mentor for Miles. Mahershala Ali voices Miles’ uncle, Aaron Davis aka Prowler, with Liev Schreiber as Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin, Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy, Lily Tomlin (!!!) as Aunt May, Luna Lauren Velez as Rio Morales, and Brian Tyree Henry as Miles’ father.

Here’s the official synopsis: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the creative minds behind “The Lego Movie” and “21 Jump Street,” bring their unique talents to a fresh vision of a different Spider-Man Universe, with a groundbreaking visual style that’s the first of its kind. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales, and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse opens December 14th.

Doug Liman In Driver’s Seat For ‘The Cannonball Run’ Reboot

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John Nolan

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June 6, 2018

The long developing reboot of The Cannonball Run has picked up an unexpected passenger. After a deal couldn’t be worked out with Dodgeball‘s Rawson Marshall Thurber, he’s now been replaced by Edge of Tomorrow director, Doug Liman.

Liman, who is coming off the Tom Cruise thriller American Made and is currently shooting the YA adaptation Chaos Walking, will direct the updated version of 1981’s The Cannonball Run. For those unfamiliar, the campy comedy featured a group of colorful racers locked in a chaotic cross country race. The film was known for its celebrity cast that included Burt Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and more. The original was a smash hit at the time, which led to some pretty terrible and unsuccessful sequels. The most recent is 1989’s atrocious Speed Zone, which is still only slightly worse than obvious ripoff/homage 2001’s Rat Race.

The most recent script was penned by Night at the Museum writers Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant but with Liman on board a new writer will take a shot. Assuming they can get some big names there’s no reason why this can’t be a winning action-comedy franchise.

On a slightly sour note, I can only assume this will be another obstacle in the path to an Edge of Tomorrow sequel. I’m starting to believe it will never happen and if that’s the case they should just come out and say so. [Deadline]

‘Halloween’: Michael Myers And Jamie Lee Curtis Are Back In Killer First Official Images

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John Nolan

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June 6, 2018

Halloween has come early for horror fans. With the first trailer just a few days away, USA Today has revealed the debut images from Halloween, featuring the return of Michael Myers and the original final girl herself, Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode.

Directed by David Gordon Green from a script he co-wrote with Danny McBride, this is another franchise film that basically ignores everything that came before it. The story takes place 40 years after the original movie when Laurie first narrowly escaped from Myers’ killing spree. When Myers escapes from the asylum he’s been held at, Laurie decides it’s time to face the killer who has been tormenting her nightmares one final time. She’s been training for this eventuality all of her life and is ready to take him on.

Judy Greer plays Laurie’s daughter Katie, with Andi Matichak as the granddaughter. Nick Castle and stunt actor James Jude Courtney don the aged-up mask of Myers aka The Shape, or at least that’s what he was known as in the first two Halloween movies.

Here’s a little more detail on what to expect from the long-awaited sequel: A British documentary crew comes to the States to visit Michael in prison for a retrospective of the maniac’s night of terror — but their project becomes way more interesting when Myers escapes custody, retrieves his signature mask and seeks revenge on Laurie, with others naturally being part of his impressive career body count along the way.

I’m no big fan of Halloween but these are some killer images that have me excited to see what Green does with it. That shot of Myers, with the well worn mask and everything, coming out of the closet is going to haunt my nightmares.

Halloween opens October 19th. Watch for the new trailer this Friday!

Joss Whedon Is Returning To TV With Freeform’s ‘Pippa Smith: Grown-Up Detective’

By

John Nolan

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June 6, 2018

Joss Whedon could use some good news because it’s been rough out there for him lately. Last year he was hired to take over Justice League after Zack Snyder’s departure, and the film, which was expected to be an Avengers-sized hit, ended up huge disaster. He was then hired to work on a Batgirl movie but was removed, with some saying his public persona has become too problematic for a female-led property. Ironic and a little bit troubling for the guy who built a career with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and other shows with strong female antagonists.

Fortunately, Whedon isn’t done yet, and he’s making his return to television as exec-producer of Freeform’s developing series, Pippa Smith: Grown-Up Detective. The dark comedy series centers on the title character who used to be a kid detective, but now asa 20-something adult deals with relationships, addiction, and the continued solving of mysteries. Siobhan Thompson, best known for her work with CollegeHumor, and Baskets writer Rebecca Drysdale, are the show’s creators.

This might be a good way for Whedon to do some career rehabilitation without spending much time in the spotlight. I think he’s still an important voice out there with a lot of stories to tell, so it’ll be very interesting to see the reaction to him on this project. [Variety]