Christina Hendricks Drives Into New Movie

Nicholas Winding Refn’s (Valhalla Rising, Bronson) latest movie Drive is picking up more and more talent as the days go by. The lastest is the lovely Christina Hendricks from TV’s Mad Men who will be appearing in an as yet unspecified role.

Based on James Sallis’s crime novel Drive features Ryan Gosling as a stunt driver with a sideline as a getaway driver for armed robbery gangs in Los Angeles. But when he agrees to help the boyfriend of a neighbour (Carey Mulligan) pull off a crime, the job goes badly wrong and he and the woman end up on the run.

If Gosling and Mulligan weren’t enough to tempt you, Hendricks will be joining a cast which also features Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Albert Brooks and Oscar Isaacs. We’re not sure what part she’ll play yet, but anything that gets her back on the big screen gets a thumbs up from us.

Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland 2

We all loved the original Zombieland, so we’re massively excited at the prospect of a sequel (about the only time that’s going to happen any time soon, let me assure you). Ruben Fleischer, the director of the first movie has been speaking on the set of 30 Minutes Or Less about the film and has confirmed that it will be shot in 3D.

Responding to James Cameron’s claim that 3D “cheapens the medium“, Fleischer said, “I even love the schlockier movies that are in 3-D. I think it’s cool to see stuff fly at your face. The idea of zombies splattering into the lens is exciting for me. I understand Mr Cameron’s point as far as not overdoing it and not making it gimmicky, but I still go for that stuff. That’s the part I’m excited about!”

He also revealed a few teaser details about where the plot might be heading and it appears there’s still room for a bit of movement. Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick has apparently both played with the idea of a sequel which takes place directly after the first and with one that take place several years in the future. There’s also talk of some prequel elements…geez make up your mind fellas.

Fleischer said, “One of the fun things about Zombieland is it jumps all over the place in terms of the storyline. What’s fun about the sequel is we have freedom and flexibility to show different periods. We might have scenes before the zombies, or we might have some months after. Through the voice-over and the way the movie is structured, we can really explore all different sides of it.”

It might be a while coming though as Fleischer has a number of projects he needs to finish before cracking on with this one including an untitled cop drama for Dreamworks and Babe In The Woods, not to mention whether Jesse Eisenberg will be available in the wake of Facebook film, The Social Network. Either way, it’s something for you splatter fans to get excited about. Watch this space.

Rick Moranis Could Return For Ghostbusters III

It has been reported that Rick Moranis could return after a period of self-imposed exile to appear in a third Ghostbusters movie. At this point we should advise you that there are some (very small) spoilers in this story. Sorry dudes…

Not sorry enough to not publish them however! Bloody Disgusting has suggested that the actor – who stepped away from film-making in 1991 to raise his children after the death of his wife – has been tempted back to the franchise. Moranis played Louis Tully in both previous Ghostbusters films, even becoming an honoury Ghostbuster in the second.

An inside source also reported that Dana Barrett’s (played by Sigourney Weaver) son Oscar will be part of the new, younger spook-catching team and is in fact the love child of Bill Murray’s Peter Venkman.

Screenwriters Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky’s story is thought to centre on original Ghostbusters Venkman, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) handing over the reins to fresh recruits.

Judd Apatow Launches New Sitcom

Judd Apatow’s seemingly unstoppable ascent in Hollywood continues as HBO announces that they have commissioned a pilot for a new sitcom from the popular director responsible for hits The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up among other successful titles. The sitcom has yet to be given a title but is rumoured to focus on the lives on a group of twenty-something girls.

The director will be joined by writer/director/actress Lena Dunham who is looking to cement her status in Hollywood with a notable project. Judd Apatow will be producing the show alongside Dunham who also takes a producer credit on the project.

Apatow said of Dunham: “Lena has a unique, truthful comic voice,” he said. “I am excited to work with her and learn from her.”

Co-producer Jenni Konner said: “Lena has a unique, truthful comic voice,” he said. “I am excited to work with her and learn from her.”

She added: “She has a staggeringly honest point of view and hilarious clear vision”.

Apatow’s previous ventures into television have had mixed results with his Fox comedy Undeclared only managing one season before being axed. Freaks and Geeks which ran on NBC suffered a similar fate.

Casey Affleck: ‘Phoenix Doc Not A Hoax’

After seeing the trailer for Casey Affleck’s I’m Still Here, we were left feeling dazed, confused and with a sudden urge to shave. We were also left feeling like this ‘documentary’ was in fact a big fat fake.

Affleck recently addressed the claims that his movie is a mockumentary in a press briefing after a screening of the movie. The Hollywood Reporter has quoted Affleck as saying, “I can tell you that there is no hoax. That never even entered into my consciousness until other people began to talk about the movie.”

If he’s telling the truth then I’m Still Here’s graphic depiction of drug and alcohol abuse are very real. It’s also safe to say that these scenes would have been emotional for Affleck to film as not only are the two friends but they’re also brothers-in-law as Casey is married to Summer Phoenix, Joaquin’s sister.

I’m Still Here is released on 17th September.

Natalie Portman Offered Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity

Early reviews for Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan must have really struck a chord with Alfonso Cuaron as he’s offered the prize role in his next movie, Gravity, to star Natalie Portman.

After Angelina Jolie repeatedly turned down the lead role, for some reason, Alfonso started looking at superhero movie stars; Green Lantern’s Blake Lively and Iron Man 2’s Scarlett Johannson.

Well now Natalie Portman, star of the upcoming Thor movie, has been offered the part of a female astronaut, whose crewmates have been killed in a collision with space debris, leaving her stranded on a space station. The movie is to be shot in 3D and though the technology has had its ups and downs, we suspect that 3D is safe in Alfonso’s hands. It had better be – it’s costing $80 million to make.

Robert Downey Jr. has also signed on for a supporting role and Portman is expected to make her decision shortly, according to Risky Business Blog. Shooting is slated to begin at the end of January 2011 and there’s not a lot of wiggle room there – Downey Jr. has other big projects in the works (The Avengers, Iron Man 3 and Sherlock Holmes 2)and can’t afford to wait around for a leading lady to show up.

Martin Freeman Turns Down Lead Role In The Hobbit

Sherlock star Martin Freeman has reportedly turned down the lead role in the upcoming adaptation of The Hobbit.

A source told The Sun that Martin was offered a seven-figure deal to play Bilbo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings prequel but turned it down in order to continue playing John Watson in Sherlock.

“It was one of the most difficult decisions of his career. MGM, who are making the film, only got a formal offer over in the last couple of weeks. It was too late for Martin because he had already signed up for another series of Sherlock. It was agonising but he had no other choice.”

Well, what’s bad for The Hobbit is good for Sherlock and you know what, we’re OK with that. The show was a smash hit when its three episode run burst onto our screens earlier this year and is set to return with more specials and 90-minute episodes.

The source went on to say, “All the actors had to read four pages of script to camera which is being shown to Peter Jackson. He is looking for a hidden gem now Martin has ruled himself out of the job.”

With The Hobbit producers still grappling with legal issues and the fact that Guillermo Del Toro washed his hands of the project recently, it looks like MGM could miss out on the late 2012 release date they’ve been aiming for.

Arterton To Sign For Alien Prequel?

We were already looking forward to the Alien prequels, before we heard that Gemma Arterton would be providing the ass-kicking eye candy, but now we will be marking the release date on the calender when it’s finally announced. We’d certainly like to hug her face if you know what we mean!! (ahem).

Arterton revealed that she will be meeting with the director about starring in the prequels in an interview with The Sunday Times this weekend. The star of upcoming movie Tamara Drewe told how Scott Scott requested a meeting after seeing her performance in J Blakeson’s thriller The Disappearance Of Alice Creed.

Scott recently detailed his planned additions to the Alien franchise, saying that the two-film story will be “really tough, really nasty”. We hope young Gemma is capable of following in Sigourney Weaver’s mammoth footsteps..

Ridley Scott Talks Alien Prequels

In the land of the movie franchise, the prequel is gold-dust. Some barely merit one (a film about a 9 year-old Rocky or a five year-old Potter would have been pretty dull for even the most ardent fan) but for others, taking a look at what happened before the events portrayed in the cherished originals are a sure-fire way to box office success – even if they’re crap (we’re talking to you Lucas).

That is why we are looking forward to the next couple of movies in the largely unsullied Alien series. We learned some time ago that director Ridley Scott was planning a two-part prequel to his original and with with Lost co-creator Damon Lindoff close to turning in a script, he spoke to The Independent about the direction of the new films.

“The film will be really tough, really nasty,” he said of the 3D two-parter. “It’s the dark side of the moon. We are talking about gods and engineers. Engineers of space. And were the aliens designed as a form of biological warfare? Or biology that would go in and clean up a planet?”

So there could be a higher power at work then? That is of course a theory that has dominated the thoughts of the film’s fans for several years…

Scott also spoke of his desire to put his own stamp back on a franchise which was somewhat hijacked by James Cameron: “Jim’s raised the bar and I’ve got to jump to it,” he says. “He’s not going to get away with it.”

Liam Neeson For The Grey?

It seems that Liam Neeson had a great time with Joe Carnahan when they worked together on The A-Team because he’s reportedly in negotiations to star in the director’s next project – wilderness survival flick The Grey (not a film about a man’s battle with middle age or alien abductions it seems).

According to The Wrap. he’ll play the leader of a group of pipeline workers who become stranded in the wilds of Alaska after a plane crash.

He’ll have his hands full trying to stay alive in the icy conditions but to make it worse, the group come under attack by a group of territorial wolves. As wolves don’t usually bother humans, we wonder what Carnahan’s thinking, but then again, the man responsible for The A-Team probably doesn’t think further than the next explosion.

Ridley and Tony Scott’s production company will be backing the project and Carnahan hopes to get filming starting early next year. Watch this space for more cast updates.

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