In the lead up to the trailer due to be launched this Thursday, we see that Disney (via Apple Trailers) have released some hi-res concept artwork of the Edgar Rice Burroughs adaptation due out next year. Originally titled John Carter of Mars, the new and spiffier title of John Carter may diminish any bad feelings people still have for Disney’s ill-fated Mission to Mars, based on the theme park ride of the same name.
From Academy Award(R)-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton comes “John Carter”–a sweeping action-adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). John Carter is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose highly imaginative adventures served as inspiration for many filmmakers, both past and present. The film tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.
Click on the images below to be taken to their individual image links, where you can access hi-res versions.
John Carter is due in US cinemas on March 9th, 2012 from Disney. It does not currently have an Australian release date.
It’s hard to believe it has been three months since Peter Jackson released the first of his production diaries for his forthcoming The Hobbit, to be released in two parts as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again. Now the bearded Kiwi is back with another ten minutes or so of behind-the-scenes footage from his prequels to the highly successful The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Here we actually get a bit more footage of the production, including Second Unit Director Andy Serkis (who plays Gollum in the film), along with interviews with the cast and crew and some fabulous scenes of location shooting on the south island of New Zealand.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is released on 26 December 2012 in Australia from Roadshow.
With Cars 2 topping the box office in the US, Disney/Pixar have wasted no time in delivering a new teaser for next year’s Brave, their first non-sequel since 2009’s Up. In Brave, Scottish princess Merida (Kelly McDonald) defies her parents by persuing an interest in archery, but inadvertently jeopardizes her father’s kingdom in the process.
The new teaser, which played in the US in front of Cars 2 this weekend, only runs for just over a minute, and is much darker in tone than some of the other recent animated efforts on the market.
This comes hot on the heels of the teaser poster that was announced late last week.
Brave is due for release on 22 June 2012 in the US from Disney. No Australian release date has been set.
One of the most unnecessary remakes of the year, the adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was made all the more interesting by the presence of David Fincher (The Social Network) at the helm of this US version of the blockbuster Swedish thrillers.
After the red-band trailer was ‘leaked’ on the weekend, some suspecting the work of Sony themselves in a bid to increase the cool cache of the flick, we finally get a look at the clean green band trailer (thanks to Movie-List) for Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, dubbed here as the “feel-bad movie of Christmas”.
Starring Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist, and Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander, we also get a decent quality version version of Karen O’s cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song”, as produced by Trent Reznor.
Although some of the shots look very similar to the original film, Fincher has yet to lead us astray (we’ll defend Alien3 if we have to, dammit) and our levels of anticipation around this film now continue to grow. It has the same kind of finger-on-the-pulse cool vibe that we’ve come to expect from the contemporary master, combining the hip edge of Fight Club with the sticky and slightly repulsive aesthetic of Se7en and Zodiac.
UPDATE #2: In addition to adding the HD trailer above, we’ve also got a hi-res version of the “uncensored” poster for the film as well. Just click on the image below.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will be released 12 January 2012 in Australia from Sony, making it the “feel bad movie of the New Year” for Australians.
With Cars 2 due out in cinemas at the end of the month, the Disney/Pixar machine is in top-flight marketing mode for the sequel to 2006 animated film. So it was with some surprise that the glimpse of the next original animation, the Scottish-themed Brave, due out in June 2012.
Total Film has posted this image of Merida (voiced by Kelly MacDonald), the flame-haired archer who inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Wise Woman (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.
(Click to enlarge)
It’s interesting to compare this with the original sketch art that came out a few months ago. More CG, not doubt, but it seems to be very close to the original vision, much as Tangled resembled its painted origins. There are higher-res versions of these as well, and all you have to do is click on them.
Here’s some the official press stuff:
Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In “Brave,” a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts.
Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane).
Directed by Mark Andrews (“The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “John Carter of Mars”) and Brenda Chapman (“The Lion King,” “Prince of Egypt”), and produced by Katherine Sarafian (“Lifted,” “The Incredibles”), “Brave” is a grand adventure full of heart, memorable characters and the signature Pixar humor enjoyed by audiences of all ages. The film takes aim at theaters on June 2012, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.
Brave will be released in cinemas on 22 June 2012 from Disney. The Australian release date is yet to be confirmed.
As it turns out, hearts will go on…and on. Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox and Lightstorm Entertainment have issued a joint press release announcing the Titanic will go down again in 2012. Following hot on the heels of the success of James Cameron’s Avatar, Titanic – the studio’s most successful feature ever – will be released in 3D. Of course it will.
Cameron states, “There’s a whole generation that’s never seen Titanic as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. And this will be Titanic as you’ve never seen it before, digitally re-mastered at 4K and painstakingly converted to 3D. With the emotional power intact and the images more powerful than ever, this will be an epic experience for fans and newcomers alike”.
Those words sound a little too close to the promotional materials behind the works of one George Lucas, upon the 1997 re-release of the Star Wars Trilogy. Yet this will no doubt be coupled with a Blu-ray release, and that is something that fans around the world have been craving for years.
Titanic stars Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet as a pair of star-crossed lovers on the doomed voyage, and raked in a whopping 11 Academy Awards and $1.2 billion around the world at the box office.
The release will coincide with the dual anniversary of Paramount Pictures and the launch of the Titanic, both reaching the ripe old age of 100 next year. Letters from the Queen will no doubt follow.
With the re-issue of Titanic in 3D, there is also the frightening possibility of Celine Dion gaining an extra dimension.
Titanic will be re-released worldwide on 6 April 2012 by Fox.
One of the most anticipated films of 2012 is undoubtedly the blockbuster sequel to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises. We have already seen a few glimpses of the production happening around the Interwebs, and now Warner Bros. has released an official press release confirming the shooting locations of The Dark Knight Rises.
Filming will take place on three continents, with an all-star cast working under the direction of Christopher Nolan.
BURBANK, CA, May 19, 2011 – Principal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ The Dark Knight Rises, the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy.
Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar® winner Christian Bale (The Fighter) again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.
The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake.
Returning to the main cast, Oscar® winner Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) reprises the role of Lucius Fox.
In helming The Dark Knight Rises,Christopher Nolan is utilizing IMAX® cameras even more extensively than he did on The Dark Knight, which had marked the first time ever that a major feature film was partially shot with IMAX® cameras. The results were so spectacular that the director wanted to expand the use of the large-format cameras for this film.
The screenplay for The Dark Knight Rises is written by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is being produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on Batman Begins and the record-breaking blockbuster The Dark Knight. The executive producers are Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. The Dark Knightis based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by Bob Kane.
Behind the scenes, The Dark Knight Rises reunites the director with several of his longtime collaborators, all of whom worked together on the The Dark Knight. The creative team includes director of photography Wally Pfister, who recently won an Oscar® for his work on Nolan’s Inception; production designer Nathan Crowley; editor Lee Smith; and Oscar®-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (Topsy-Turvy). In addition, Paul Franklin and Chris Corbould, who both won Oscars® for the effects in Inception, will supervise the visual and special effects, respectively. The music will be composed by Oscar® winner Hans Zimmer (The Lion King).
The locations for The Dark Knight Rises span three continents and include the American cities of Pittsburgh, New York and Los Angeles, as well as sites in India, England and Scotland.
UPDATE: The viral marketing campaign, found on Twitter @thefirerises, has revealed this exclusive image of Tom Hardy as Bane in the upcoming film (click for larger version):
The Dark Knight Rises is a presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Legendary Pictures. Slated for release on July 20, 2012, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
Only a day after Joss Whedon announced the start of production on the forthcoming The Avengers, Marvel Studios has confirmed the start of production on the film. They have also released the first image from the film – although it doesn’t give away much at the moment.
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.
So while the image doesn’t really give away anything that we didn’t know already — that is, the confirmation of four of the characters that will appear in the film, along with a lovely set of stairs and a S.H.I.E.L.D logo — it is good to see it finally all coming together.
The Avengers is due out on 4 May 2010 from Disney.
With Thor only hitting Australian cinemas this week, and not in the US until early May, director Joss Whedon (Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Firefly) has revealed on Whedonesque that shooting on The Avengers begins today.
Hi Pumpkins, joss here.
Tomorrow we start shooting (I THINK I’m legally permitted to say that). Day one. That’s right. We’ll be shooting the pivotal death/betrayal/product placement/setting up the sequel/coming out scene, at the following address:
[Marvel Lawyers rush in, take Joss’s keyboard, blowtorch a picture of his family like in “Stormy Monday”, drink his milkshake, leave the seat up, fluff his pillows, violently unfluff his pillows, leave]
Went too far. My bad. Anyhoo, it should be a fun day, followed by the eighty thousand other fun days it will take to finish this. I’ll be checking in from time to time, if there’s news or I crave attention (i.e. am awake) . None of it will be Avengers news — I have some very denty pillows to remind of that — but I may have tidbits. (They’re not about Firefly. I should say that up front, if only to protect Sis Mo from the HATORZ.)
Some of you may be saying, Joss! Why this link, here, now, why, huh, howcum? My friend Allyx turned me on to these guys, and I’ll tell you, they’ve gotten me through this intensely pressurized, preply time. I strongly recommend checking out their other vids — I’ve watched them many many times, and I have a very special place for “Teamwork” in my heart. These guys are the guys. And IS there a better movie title than “Eagles Are Turning People Into Horses”? I thought not.
So wish me luck. DO IT! LUCK! NOW! I’m off to finish some Buffy pages, and then figure out what the movie is about already. I’m pretty sure it’s about the Justice League [Marvel Lawyers re-enter, unspeakability occurs] or possibly something else. I’ll get it. I’ve been looking forward to this. For about 46 years.
Catchphrase!
It was only last year at San Diego’s ComicCon that the entire cast was seen together for the first time, confirming Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man), Clark Gregg (Agent Coulsen), Scarlet Johannsen (Black Widow), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Chris Evans (Captain America), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) and Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/The Hulk).
For people not in the loop, The Avengers is the super-powered super-team consisting of all of the . With only Captain America: The First Avenger to go before The Avengers assemble in 2012, and Thor out in cinemas last week, this marks the coming together of the Marvel Universe on screen in a journey that began with Iron Man in 2008.
Those of us in a hemisphere lucky enough to have seen Thor already will have seen its product placement/setting up the sequel scene after the credits, and while we won’t be cruel and spoil it for you here, it does reveal much of The Avengers plot, or at least the main essence of the storyline. We’re told that if you know your Avengers history, it is going to be a doozy.
The Avengers will also mark the change of studio for the recent Marvel films, with the property now fully owned by Disney. As such, The Avengers is due out in cinemas on 5 May 2012 from Disney. Before then, we’ve got Captain America: The First Avenger to look forward to in June.
In the lead up to the trailer due to be launched this Thursday, we see that Disney (via Apple Trailers) have released some hi-res concept artwork of the Edgar Rice Burroughs adaptation due out next year. Originally titled John Carter of Mars, the new and spiffier title of John Carter may diminish any bad feelings people still have for Disney’s ill-fated Mission to Mars, based on the theme park ride of the same name.
