Martin Scorsese’s highly anticipated 3D adventure, HUGO, was officially released nationwide today. (Check out our review right HERE) Last weekend, I was lucky enough to attend the NY press junket. Even without the presence of Martin Scorsese, the amount of talent at the press conference was intimidating. Sacha Baron Cohen, Emily Mortimer, Chloe Grace Moretz, Asa Butterfield, Sir Ben Kingsley, producers Graham King and John Logan & author Brian Selznick were all in attendance. A lot was covered during the 40-minute event. Here are some of the highlights of what was said…

SACHA BARON COHEN on his character:  Well, there is actually, there is a bit of romance between myself and Emily’s character, which is actually the first romantic plot I’ve had that’s not been with a black prostitute or a man. So it was actually my first.  We didn’t actually have a kissing scene, but there was a bit of romance in there. So that was a little bit different.  And as for the rest, playing an authority figure, well, he’s a bumbling authority figure. And he’s dark, but he does have some beauty and softness underneath him. So a bit like my other characters.

ASA BUTTERFIELD on the difficulties of playing Hugo:  Well, Hugo, he’s an orphan and because he’s had to grow up far faster than anyone else his age should have, I found it quite hard to relate to him because of all the hardships he’s gone through in his life. So I just had to come up with false past for him that was similar to mine and relate to him in that way.

CHLOE GRACE MORETZ on her accent: I’d probably say the hardest part about it was I was trying to conquer the accent. That was probably the most challenging thing I had to do as a character…. My brother Trevor and I kind of created the voice, and we worked together on the whole thing really.

EMILY MORTIMER on Martin Scorsese: He doesn’t sort of tell you what to do, and guide you through every step of the performance. He just shows you all the people’s movies. He did that on Shelter Island as well. So it’s more like he just helps you to understand the world of the film by showing you other people’s films, which is his inspiration anyway.
(One of the films everyone was asked to watch is UNDER THE ROOFS OF PARIS)

SACHA BARON COHEN on the root of Evil: I mean certainly when I sort of approach the character of the station inspector; I wanted to know why was he so obsessed with chasing children? Was he actually, you know, a classic villain or was there reason for his malice? And, I sat down with John and Martin and we started talking about perhaps he was World War I veteran, and maybe he was injured. So we came up with the idea of the leg brace. Originally, it was a false leg, which the audience wouldn’t have realized until it was going to be the first chase. Then I was going to turn a corner and then my leg was going to fly off and go into camera in 3D. And that was going to be the first big 3D moment. Unfortunately, practically I was made aware that I would have had to kind of strap up my leg for four months in order to do that. So we kind of abandoned that, and I started wearing a leg brace instead.

SIR BEN KINGSLEY on staying in character:  I tended to stay in character because so many of many of my major scenes were with Asa. And in order to feed that relationship because action and cut can be shockingly short, that space you have to establish a deep rapport with your fellow actors. So I think I tended to. Also, my shape was so defined as older George. So like it was very difficult for me to snap back into Ben because I mean it just didn’t happen. I just stayed because I was stuck with George.

JOHN LOGAN on film: Brian Selznick’s amazing novel he talks about movies as dreams, as ways to dream, as ways for all of us to dream. I know, when I was a kid growing up, that’s what they were for me because I was asthmatic. I couldn’t go out and play. I have to be in a dark room, and watching movies on TV allowed me to liberate every thought I’d ever had. And when I read Brian’s book for the first time that’s really what struck me more than anything was it was touching the 8-year-old me. And so, for me it was always about how does that damaged child find the place that he belongs?

SIR BEN KINGSLEY on wounded souls:  Well, I think the core value of its magic is its fearlessness in putting wounded characters on the screen. That’s a very brave move.  It’s not very fashionable. It’s not sugar coated. A wounded man who is totally retired from his life. He almost committed suicide of the spirit, orphan, orphan, a girl who lost her brother in the Battle of the Somme in 1914, a dreadful way to lose a brother, and a chap who lost his leg. Wounded, wounded, wounded, wounded, wounded. And I think that’s an incredibly bold move to make in the present context. That’s where the magic comes from. And as Sacha was saying, where’s the wound? Because if there is no wound, the healer has no function and the healer is the youngest person on the screen who pulls all these threads together. But you won’t have an audience empathizing with you if nothing needs comforting. It won’t happen. So I think all of this individually paradoxically nourished that scar inside us in order to make the magic, in order to make him the greatest magician on the screen and make all the magic happen.

EMILY MORTIMER on technology: I was saying yesterday that there is something about Scorsese using the latest 3D technology to push the boundaries of filmmaking in 2012 or 2011 or whatever. To make a film about the very first technology ever used to put magic on the screen over 100 years ago is just so perfect.  And somehow you get a sense of every film that was made in between Mêlées and Scorsese.

SACHA BARON COHEN on the use of 3D:  If I could just continue that. It felt like here’s the logical extension of filmmaking that if Miller was alive that he definitely would have been using 3D.  That was the interesting thing because of the whole debate in cinema at the moment whether 3D is a gimmick or not.  Scorsese really showed that it was a logical development of the filmmaking process.

CHLOE GRACE MORETZ on Scorsese: You know, not only did I grow as an actor on this film with Scorsese, I grew in my knowledge of film history, which I’ve always been a history buff. Of course, I walked on the set knowing a little bit about it thinking oh I can have a conversation with him. And then you get into the conversation and he’s like dah-dah-dah-dah. And I’m like, “Okay, I’m not prepared for this.”

SACHA BARON COHEN on collaboration:  I think that’s the key about Scorsese that he’s totally collaborative, which I was surprised about.  Because I expected him to be some incredible author, which he is an author. But part of his power and part of the reason why his films are that successful and that enduring is the fact that he’s ready to collaborate fully with all his actors.

BRIAN SELZNICK on writing the book: I made this book thinking it could not be filmed because the book at the end of the story, the object of the book itself actually becomes part of the plot. And what happens when you turn the page because a big chunk of the narrative in my book is told with images like a movie.  But even so, it’s celebrating movies. It’s really about what happens when you turn the page, and the power of the book itself.  So I just imagined it couldn’t be a movie. And like I said, I got the call that Scorsese wanted to make it. And I thought, well, maybe this actually can be a movie. And, I realized I never would have thought of him. Like if someone had asked me, “Who would you imagine directing this movie?” But, of course, the second we hear his name, we all realize there was no one else who could have made this movie. It was if I had sat for 2-1/2 years at my desk during which time in real life I was thinking I was writing something no one would read because it’s a book about French silent movies for children. Which isn’t a guaranteed best seller.  You know, but it’s as if I did all of that for Marty.

BRIAN SELZNICK on his cameo: I had the great thrill of being put into the last scene of the movie. I got a line. I think a lot of you saw the movie. I’m sure you’re excited to meet me now because of that. But Sir Ben was incredibly generous with me. I suddenly found myself next to Sir Ben saying my line to Sir Ben. And we spent a lot of the day filming the last tracking shot in the kitchen waiting for the action and to do the three-minute tracking shot again. And the camera never goes into the kitchen, but we would open the cabinet doors and it was fully stocked with food.

SIR BEN KINGSLEY on the sets:  It’s a huge gift to us. It constantly fed us.  Between takes I used to wander around the station, and the detail was extraordinary. You never left that world, did you? I mean it was so embracing and so sustaining, a huge gift to the actors, all to scale and not a lot of CGI really. I mean compared to what there might have been, very little.

ASA BUTTERFIELD on the sets: And, the working clocks were incredible because they were real. You could actually wind them and they had weights on.  And it was just incredible. I mean, as Sir Ben said it was a gift to the actors to work that way.

SACHA BARON COHEN on the film’s target audience: It seems to me that Marty makes films for himself.  He is an artist, a true artist and he makes the movie that he wants to see. So my first line in the movie had the word malfeasance in it, which I barely understood. And I said, “Aren’t you worried that some of the children won’t understand this let alone the grown ups?” He said, “No, it’s the right word to use there.” And he’s one of the last remaining artists that is out there. And I think we should respect that. The movie is not focus grouped, and it’s not tailored for a 7-year-old in Iowa or Berlin or anywhere to appreciate it. Marty has made a work of art in the same way that Melies did.  So I think that is a beautiful thing and it’s an incredible achievement for a filmmaker still to be able to do that. Thanks to Graham for being able to fund that.

HUGO is now playing in 3D & 2D nationwide!

 Jerry Cavallaro – www.JerryCavallaro.com

Beverly Hills, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will celebrate the career of Oscar®-winner Vanessa Redgrave with its first-ever European tribute to an actor, on Sunday, November 13, in London. The event, hosted by David Hare, will include special guests Meryl Streep, Ralph Fiennes, Joely Richardson, James Earl Jones and Eileen Atkins. Past Academy President Sid Ganis will introduce the evening.

The salute will explore Redgrave’s dramatic range and exquisite skill. Hare has created three film sequences, each with its own narrative, showing the depth and array of characters that Redgrave has inhabited.

A member of the distinguished Redgrave acting family, Vanessa rose to prominence in 1961, playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Since then, she has made dozens of stage appearances and has appeared in more than 70 films. In addition to the Oscar she received for her supporting performance in “Julia” (1977), and her nominations for “Morgan!” (1966), “Isadora” (1968), “Mary, Queen of Scots” (1971), “The Bostonians” (1984) and “Howards End” (1992), Redgrave’s honors include Olivier, Tony®, Emmy®, Screen Actors Guild and Cannes Film Festival awards. She stars in “Anonymous,” now in release, and the upcoming “Coriolanus.” Redgrave is also appearing in the West End stage production of Driving Miss Daisy.

“An Academy Salute to Vanessa Redgrave” is an invitation-only event.

Pictured: Vanessa Redgrave backstage at the 1977 (50th) Academy Awards ceremony. Courtesy of A.M.P.A.S

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY
www.oscars.org
www.facebook.com/TheAcademy
www.youtube.com/Oscars
www.twitter.com/TheAcademy

ROURKE WILL BE THE 254th CELEBRITY TO HAVE HANDS &
FOOTPRINTS IN CHINESE CEMENT ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 31st

(Hollywood, Calif., October 18, 2011)–The most famous place in Hollywood, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (www.chinesetheatres.com), is set to honor its 254th celebrity, Oscar(R)-nominee Mickey Rourke, with his own hand and footprints ceremony on Monday, October 31 at 11:00 AM. The masters of ceremony and guest speaker will be announced.

Up next, Rourke can be seen in the visually-stunning 3D epic adventure Immortals, starring Henry Cavill, Luke Evans, Kellan Lutz, Isabel Lucas, Freida Pinto, Stephen Dorff, and John Hurt. Directed by Tarsem Singh, written by Charles Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides and produced by Gianni Nunnari, Mark Canton and Relativity’s CEO RyanKavanaugh, Immortals tells the story of the ruthless King Hyperion (Rourke), who leads his bloodthirsty army on a murderous rampage across Greece to find a deadly weapon that will destroy humanity. A mortal chosen by Zeus named Theseus (Cavill) must lead the fight against Hyperion and his evil army with the fate of mankind and the Gods at Stake. The film will be released by Relativity Media on November 11, 2011.

Rourke received widespread acclaim for his performance in Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and wins for Best Actor at the Golden Globe Awards, BAFTAs and Independent Spirit Awards. Rourke’s career is one marked by his ability to create riveting performances and to leave indelible impressions on audiences. His impressive list of feature credits includes John Madden’s Killshot, Tony Scott’s Domino and Man on Fire, Robert Rodriguez’s Sin City and Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Larry Charles’ Masked and Anonymous, Steve Buscemi’s Animal Factory and Francis Ford Coppola’s The Rainmaker. Rourke earned a place for himself in Hollywood with his stellar ability to mesmerize audiences in earlier films, including Michael Cimino’s Desperate Hours, Alan Parker’s Angel Heart, Mike Hodges’ A Prayer for the Dying, Adrian Lyne’s Nine 1/2 Weeks, Cimino’s Year of the Dragon, Stuart Rosenberg’s The Pope of Greenwich Village, Barry Levinson’s Diner, Lawrence Kasdan’s Body Heat, Francis Ford Coppola’s Rumble Fish, Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate and Steven Spielberg’s 1941. Rourke recently starred in the blockbuster sequel, Iron Man 2 and was also seen in The Expendables.

Grauman’s Chinese Theatre hands and footprints ceremony is rich in tradition and provides the four million plus people a year who visit the site an opportunity to experience the lore of Hollywood up close, for here lay the handprints and footprints of Hollywood’s most notable talents. Unlike any other award in Hollywood, be it an Oscar(R) or a sidewalk ceremony, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre handprints-footprints tribute is the most selective of all,since over the course of nine decades, only 250-plus such honors have been presented.

Movieexhibitor Sid Grauman, one of Hollywood’s best known and most creative showmen, opened The Chinese in 1927 and launched the handprints-footprints ceremony a year later. Among the first handprints and footprints were those of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Recent celebrants have included: Brad Pitt,George Clooney, Johnny Depp and Jennifer Aniston.

Today, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre forecourt is among the world’s most photographed tourist sites, annually attracting as many visitors as the Taj Mahal in India and the Prado Museum in Madrid. In any given year, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre hosts over 40 red carpet film premieres and since it opened, it has hosted three Academy Award(R) ceremonies and numerous world premieres, including those for internationally-acclaimed film franchises, such as Star Wars and Harry Potter.

Mickey Rourke’s ceremony will be broadcast live via streaming video on: http://www.chinesetheatres.com.

About the Chinese Theatres
Since 1927, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre has been the home of the most important, star powered red carpet movie premieres and special events, where Hollywood’s biggest and brightest talents have come to watch their movies. The most famous movie theatre on the globe is world-renowned for its unique forecourt of the stars, featuring cement hand and footprints of major movie stars, from Marilyn Monroe to Brad Pitt, and numerous stars from all eras of Hollywood. In addition to being amajor international tourist destination, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, and its six adjacent cinemas, the Chinese 6, are everyday working movie theatres, hosting millions of moviegoers year round. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre was declared a historic-cultural landmark in 1968, and there has always been a restorationprogram in process to maintain the theatre’s beauty. With its current, on-going facelift and new added amenities and event spaces, guided by a new and vigorous ownership team, the Chinese Theatres and its famed “hands in cement” forecourt will continue to be the preferred location for tourist visits and the entertainment industry’s most prestigious red carpet premieres for years to come.

IMMORTALS
Release Date: November 11, 2011

DIRECTOR: Tarsem Singh (The Fall, The Cell)
WRITERS: Charles Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides

CAST:  Henry Cavill- THESEUS (Superman: Man of Steel)
            Stephen Dorff- STAVROS (Somewhere)
            Isabel Lucas- ATHENA (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen)
            Freida Pinto- PHAEDRA (Slumdog Millionaire)
            Luke Evans- ZEUS (The Raven, The Three Muskateers)
            Kellan Lutz- POSEIDON (Twilight series)
            John Hurt- OLD ZEUS (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 & 2)
            Mickey Rourke- KING HYPERION (The Wrestler)
PRODUCERS: Gianni Nunnari, Mark Canton, Ryan Kavanaugh   
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Tucker Tooley, Tommy Turtle, Jeff G. Waxman

Visionary director Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) transports us in this epic tale of treachery, vengeance and destiny in Immortals, a stylish and visually spectacular 3D action adventure. As a power-hungry king razes ancient Greece in search of a legendary weapon, a heroic young villager rises up against him in a thrilling quest as timeless as it is powerful.

The brutal and bloodthirsty King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) and his murderous Heraklion army rampage across Greece in search of the long lost Bow of Epirus. With the invincible Bow, the king will be able to overthrow the Gods of Olympus and become the undisputed master of his world. With ruthless efficiency, Hyperion and his legions destroy everything in their wake, and it seems nothing will stop the evil king’s mission.

As village after village is obliterated, a stonemason named Theseus (Henry Cavill) vows to avenge his mother, who was killed in one of Hyperion’s brutal raids. When Theseus meets the Sybelline Oracle, Phaedra (Freida Pinto), her disturbing visions of the young man’s future convince her that he is the key to stopping the destruction. With her help, Theseus assembles a small band of followers and embraces his destiny in a final, desperate battle for the future of humanity. Immortals is produced by Gianni Nunnari (300), Mark Canton (300) and Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter).

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/immortals
Official Site: http://www.immortalsmovie.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/immortalsfilm

Whitney Houston has joined the cast of SPARKLE which began principal photography this week in Detroit, Michigan. SPARKLE is a remake of the 1976 film and tells the story of the title character Sparkle (Jordin Sparks), the youngest of three sisters and a music prodigy who struggles to become a star while facing issues that are tearing her family apart. Starring alongside Houston in the musical drama are Grammy® nominated and platinum recording artist Jordin Sparks (“American Idol” winner, Season 6), Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher, Captain America: The First Avenger), Mike Epps (Jumping the Broom, Friday After Next), Carmen Ejogo (I, Alex Cross, Pride and Glory), Tika Sumpter (What’s Your Number?, “Gossip Girl”), Omari Hardwick (Kick Ass, The A-Team) and Grammy® Award winner, Cee-Lo Green.

SPARKLE is being directed by Salim Akil (Jumping The Broom) from a screenplay written by Mara Brock Akil (“The Game”, “Girlfriends”) and produced by Debra Martin Chase (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Just Wright) along with Salim Akil, Mara Brock Akil, T.D. Jakes and Curtis Wallace (Jumping the Broom, Not Easily Broken). Whitney Houston is also Executive Producing along with Gaylyn Fraiche (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2), and Howard Rosenman (Sparkle, The Family Man). Original music provided by multi-Platinum and Grammy® Award-winning artist R. Kelly. “SPARKLE is a movie I have wanted to remake for a long time and I am so glad to finally see my wish come true and to be part of this stellar team of actors and producers,” said Houston.

Last year, Whitney spent the majority of the year on a world tour in support of her album “I LOOK TO YOU” which to date has sold two million copies worldwide. After the tour, she lent her support to her manager and sister in law, Patricia Houston, who has created and developed a line of beautiful organic scented candles, MARION P, named after the nickname Whitney gave to Patricia. There are five different scents, which were chosen based on a trip Whitney and Patricia took to Israel a few years ago. “I’m delighted to be a partner with Pat Houston and the creation of her beautiful candle line. It’s the essence of everything pure. It’s not just a candle, it’s an experience. I have never endorsed anything before this. These candles are truly inspiring – they are 100% soy and also made with shea butter so that when the candle melts down, you can use it as a body moisturizer. Also, you are doing a good deed as a portion of the sales goes to Patricia’s teen mentoring program,” said Whitney. The candles are available on MarionPCandles.com and also through Whitney’s website, WhitneyHouston.com.

Whitney recently attended Teen Summit, Patricia’s annual teen mentoring event which “Rebuilds, Restores and Repairs” the lives of young teens. The event took place in North Carolina and Whitney spoke to the teens, alongside Kim Burrell, Rickey Minor, and Quinton Aaron (The Blind Side) and others. The event was a huge success and a portion of the candle sales will go toward this charity, which is in its 6th year.

With over 170 million combined album, singles and videos sold worldwide during her career with Arista Records, Whitney Houston has established a benchmark for superstardom that will quite simply never be eclipsed in the modern era. She is a singer’s singer who has influenced countless other vocalists female and male. Music historians cite Whitney’s record-setting achievements: the only artist to chart seven consecutive #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits (“Saving All My Love For You,” “How Will I Know,” “Greatest Love Of All,” “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “So Emotional,” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”); the first female artist to enter the Billboard 200 album chart at #1 (her second album, Whitney, 1987); and the only artist with seven consecutive multi-platinum albums (Whitney Houston, Whitney, I’m Your Baby Tonight, The Bodyguard, Waiting To Exhale, and The Preacher’s Wife soundtracks, and My Love Is Your Love). In fact, The Bodyguard soundtrack is one of the top 10 biggest-selling albums of all-time (at 17x-platinum in the U.S. alone), and Whitney’s career-defining version of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” is the biggest-selling U.S. single of all-time (at 4x-platinum).

Houston made her movie debut in The Bodyguard (November 1992), in which she co-starred with Oscar-winning actor/director Kevin Costner. The film not only broke box office records worldwide but was ultimately responsible for the biggest selling motion picture soundtrack album of all time, voted the Grammy-winning Album Of the Year. Her film work continued with Waiting To Exhale (which opened December 1995, preceded by the soundtrack album in November). The critically acclaimed film, starring Whitney with Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine and Lela Rochon, and directed by Forrest Whitaker, went on to gross over $70 million (in ‘90s dollars). She followed those up with “The Preacher’s Wife” with Denzel Washington and the Emmy winning “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” which was made for TV and garnered huge ratings for ABC TV at the time.

HBO’s press release: 

ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER STEVEN SODERBERGH AND
PRODUCER JERRY WEINTRAUB BRING
ACADEMY AWARD® WINNERS MICHAEL DOUGLAS AND MATT DAMON
TO HBO FOR HBO FILMS’ BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

STEVEN SODERBERGH DIRECTS FROM A SCRIPT BY RICHARD LAGRAVENESE; 
JERRY WEINTRAUB EXECUTIVE PRODUCES;
GREGORY JACOBS, SUSAN EKINS PRODUCE

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 11, 2011 – Academy Award® winner Steven Soderbergh (“Contagion,” “Traffic,” “Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen”) and Emmy® Award-winning producer Jerry Weintraub (“Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen,” “The Karate Kid” series, HBO’s Emmy®-nominated “His Way”) will bring the film BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, starring Academy Award® winners Michael Douglas (“Wall Street,” “Traffic,” “Solitary Man”) and Matt Damon (“Contagion,” “Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen,” “Invictus”) to HBO Films, it was announced today by Len Amato, president, HBO Films.

Executive produced by Weintraub and produced by Gregory Jacobs (“Contagion,” “The Informant!”) and Susan Ekins (“Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen,” “The Karate Kid” series), BEHIND THE CANDELABRA takes a behind-the-scenes look at the tempestuous relationship between legendary entertainer Liberace and Scott Thorson, his younger live-in lover. Directed by Soderbergh from a script by Oscar® nominee Richard LaGravenese (“Water for Elephants,” “The Fisher King”), the film stars Douglas as Liberace and Damon as Thorson.

“This is a story that’s going to surprise a lot of people,” said Amato. “It’s funny, heartbreaking and always fascinating, and we are delighted that Jerry and Steven brought the film to HBO. With Steven at the helm, directing such accomplished actors as Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, this is a dream project for us.”

Says Weintraub, “I’ve wanted to make a film about Liberace for a very long time, and after the amazing experience I had with HBO on ‘His Way,’ I knew that they were absolutely the right place for this movie. I am thrilled that we have the incomparable Michael Douglas to inhabit the role of Liberace, as well as the exceptional Matt Damon to play the pivotal part of Scott Thorson.

I am thrilled that we have the incomparable Michael Douglas to inhabit the role of Liberace, as well as the exceptional Matt Damon to play the pivotal part of Scott Thorson. Putting these two fine actors in the creative hands of Steven Soderbergh – it doesn’t get better than that!”

“From the inception of this project, we’ve had two priorities: getting it right creatively, and getting as many people as possible to see it,” says Soderbergh. “HBO’s fearless approach to original programming and their unparalleled ability to pull in viewers make them the perfect fit for us. Apart from my hair growing back, I couldn’t be happier.”

“Richard Plepler and I developed an enormous respect and affection for Jerry when we worked with him on his HBO documentary, and we hoped that it would be the beginning of a long and productive relationship,” says Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. “We are extremely excited that he is returning to HBO with this riveting film and sensational array of talent.”

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA will start production in summer 2012, with locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Palm Springs. Tara Grace, vice president, development and production, HBO Films, will serve as production executive on the project.

Big congrats to the St. Louis-based filmmakers over at Crunchy Cool Films. They’ve scored a major casting coup by securing three A-list horror villains for their upcoming shocker THE BLOODFEST CLUB which starts filming in our town soon. Horror vets Bill Moseley, Michael Berryman, and William Forsythe have all signed on for roles in the film!

BLOODFEST CLUB will be the second film from the writing team of Oscar Madrid and Jim Ousley. Their first, HOOCH & DADDY-O (2005), was an award-winning mock documentary (available on Netflix). about a fictional 80′s cop show. BLOODFEST CLUB will mark the directorial debut of Madrid and stars writer Ousley as Sonny Kane, a slow-witted, Chuck Norris-obsessed janitor at a High School that takes on a bloodthirsty alien roaming the hallways killing students.

Moseley will star as Dr. Colin Dante, the sinister history professor in search of lost artifacts on campus. Berryman will play Sensei Noddy Donigan, the janitorial mentor who doesn’t always dispense the best advice. Forsythe will appear as Principal Donald Bircher, the no-nonsense task-master of Chatsworth Academy. All three of these actors appeared in Rob Zombie’s THE DEVIL’S REJECTS (2005)

Here’s some more background on these actors:

Bill Mosely-

A Yale graduate, Bill Moseley first came to the attention of horror fans world-wide as ‘Chop-Top’ in Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986). His reputation as a true horror film icon was cemented with his portrayal of Otis in Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses (2003) and its sequel, The Devil’s Rejects. In 2008, he gained critical acclaim as ‘Luigi Largo’ in the horror opera Repo! The Genetic Opera. He has also appeared in the films Grindhouse (2007) and Halloween (2007), and has appeared on television, guest starring on ER, Carnivale, and The Practice.

Michael Berryman-

Michael Berryman is probably best known for his role as ‘Pluto’ in Wes Craven’s 1977 horror film The Hills Have Eyes and the 1985 sequel The Hills Have Eyes Part II. He has also made appearances in the science fiction and fantasy movies My Science Project (1985), Weird Science (1985), Armed Response (1986), Evil Spirits (1990) and The Guyver (1991). He appeared in the Academy Award-winning drama One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975). In 2005, he starred in Rob Zombie’s The Devil’s Rejects.
William Forsythe-

William Forsythe has made a career of playing everything from quirky characters, to tough guys and villains in a wide range of films. He has appeared alongside Robert De Niro in Once Upon a Time in America (1984), starred in the Coen Brothers’ Raising Arizona (1987), and portrayed ‘Flattop’ in Warren Beatty’s Dick Tracy (1990). In 1996, he appeared in Michael Bay’s The Rock and nearly a decade later he endeared himself to the hearts of horror fans everywhere as ‘Sheriff Wydell’ in The Devil’s Rejects. Mr. Forsythe has brought his sizable talents to the small screen as well, in episodes of Entourage, CSI: Miami, and Boardwalk Empire.
For an earlier WAMG article on BLOODFEST CLUB with the trailer, go HERE and look for future coverage of the film here at We Are Movie Geeks.

America’s Highest Honor for a Career in Film to be Presented June 7, 2012

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 9, 2011 -  Sir Howard Stringer, Chair of the American Film Institute’s Board of Trustees, announced today the Board’s decision to honor Shirley MacLaine with the 40th AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor for a career in film.

The award will be presented to MacLaine at a gala tribute on Thursday, June 7, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA. TV Land will broadcast the 40th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute on TV Land later in June 2012. The event will celebrate MacLaine’s extraordinary life and all her endeavors – movies, television, Broadway, author and beyond.

“Shirley MacLaine is a powerhouse of personality that has illuminated screens large and small across six decades,” said Stringer. “From ingenue to screen legend, Shirley has entertained a global audience through song, dance, laughter and tears, and her career as writer, director and producer is even further evidence of her passion for the art form and her seemingly boundless talents. There is only one Shirley MacLaine, and it is AFI’s honor to present her with its 40th Life Achievement Award.”

Last year’s AFI Tribute brought together icons of the film community to honor Morgan Freeman. Sidney Poitier opened the tribute, and Clint Eastwood presented the award at evening’s end. Also participating were Casey Affleck, Dan Aykroyd, Matthew Broderick, Don Cheadle, Bill Cosby, David Fincher, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Ashley Judd, Matthew McConaughey, Helen Mirren, Rita Moreno, Tim Robbins, Chris Rock, Hilary Swank, Forest Whitaker, Betty White, Renee Zellweger and surprise musical guest Garth Brooks.

The highest honor given for a career in film, the AFI Life Achievement Award is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following criteria as mandated by the AFI Board of Trustees:

“The recipient should be one whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time.”

About Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine’s illustrious career comprises more than 50 feature films highlighted by an Academy Award® win and six nominations, six Emmy® Awards nominations and the title of international best-selling author. Recently, MacLaine appeared in the ensemble film, VALENTINE’S DAY, and the Lifetime made-for-TV movie COCO CHANEL. She released her latest New York Times best-seller, “I’M OVER ALL THAT – AND OTHER CONFESSIONS” on April 5th, 2011. MacLaine can be seen next in BERNIE, staring Jack Black and Matthew McConaughey. She can also be seen on stage during her one-woman show tour as it hits cities across the globe.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Oct. 3, 2011 – The 15th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards, presented by Starz Entertainment, are pleased to announce that five-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close will be honored with the “Hollywood Career Achievement Award” at the festival’s Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony, which will take place October 24, 2011 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

The announcement was made today by Carlos de Abreu, Founder and Executive Director of the Hollywood Film Festival. “It is a privilege to honor and to celebrate Glenn Close’s extraordinary talent and remarkable career,” said Mr. de Abreu.

The Hollywood Film Awards Gala launches the awards season and in the past eight years a total of 73 Oscar nominations and 27 Oscars were given to the honorees of the Hollywood Awards.

The 2011 Hollywood Film Festival has also announced that they will honor Academy Award-nominated actress Michelle Williams with the “Hollywood Actress Award” for “My Week with Marilyn,” Academy Award-nominated actor Christopher Plummer with the “Hollywood Supporting Actor Award” for “Beginners,” actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt with the “Hollywood Breakthrough Actor Award” for “50/50,” actress Jessica Chastain with the “Hollywood Breakthrough Actress Award” for “The Tree of Life,” “Coriolanus,” “The Debt,” “The Help,” and “Take Shelter,” and actress Felicity Jones with the “New Hollywood Award” for “Crazy Love.” Other honorees include the cast of “The Help” (Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Chris Lowell, Ahna O’Reilly, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Cicely Tyson and Mike Vogel), Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, Editor Stephen Mirrione, Production Designer James Murakami, and Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Farrar at their annual Awards Gala. In addition, Gore Verbinski’s “Rango” will be honored at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony, along with additional honorees to be announced in the coming weeks.

About Glenn Close:

Five-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close enjoys a career that has spanned every medium from film to television to the stage. She next stars as the title character in “Albert Nobbs” alongside a distinguished cast that includes Janet McTeer, Mia Wasikowska, and Brendan Gleeson. A passion project of Close’s for nearly 20 years, “Albert Nobbs” is directed by Rodrigo Garcia with whom Close has worked two previous times (“Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her” and “Nine Lives”). In addition to writing the screenplay with John Banville, Close also served as producer of the film, which earned her raves at the 2011 Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals.

Close made her feature film debut in George Roy Hill’s “The World According to Garp,” for which she received her first Academy Award nomination. She was subsequently honored with Oscar nominations for her performances in Lawrence Kasdan’s “The Big Chill,” Barry Levinson’s “The Natural,” Adrian Lyne’s “Fatal Attraction,” and Stephen Frears’ “Dangerous Liaisons.”

Her other films include “Jagged Edge,” “Reversal of Fortune,” “Hamlet,” “Meeting Venus,” “The Paper,” “101 Dalmatians,” “102 Dalmatians,” “Air Force One,” “Cookie’s Fortune,” “The Safety of Objects,” “Le Divorce,” “Heights,” and “Evening.”

Close received the Donostia Award for career achievement at the 2011 San Sebastian Film Festival. She has been honored with Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards, and Tony Awards, as well as a Crystal Award from Women In Film, a GLAAD Media Award, a People’s Choice Award, the National Association of Theatre Owners’ Female Star of the Year award, and a Gotham Award for her contributions to the New York independent filmmaking community. She is a trustee emeritus of the Sundance Institute, having served as a board member for 16 years.

The festival and awards will mark their return on October 20 for a weeklong series of screenings and awards. The Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on October 24, 2011.

ABOUT STARZ ENTERTAINMENT, LLC:

The festival and awards presenter is Starz Entertainment, LLC, a premium movie and original programming entertainment service provider operating in the United States. The company offers 17 premium channels including the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® brands with approximately 19 million and 32.9 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs in total more than 1,000 movies and original series every month across its pay TV channels. Starz Entertainment is recognized as a pay TV leader in providing HD, On Demand, HD On Demand and online advanced services for its STARZ, ENCORE and MOVIEPLEX brands. Starz Entertainment (www.starz.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation and is attributed to the Liberty Starz tracking stock group (NASDAQ: LSTZA).

SOURCE: Hollywood Film Festival

Timberlake Stars as “Neil Bogart” in Music Saga and Larger-Than-Life Story
of 70s Music Legend and Founder of Casablanca Records

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 26, 2011 – Grammy® and Emmy® award winner Justin Timberlake has signed on to star in the feature film SPINNING GOLD from Boardwalk Films, a division of Boardwalk Entertainment Group. The movie also marks Timberlake’s first venture as a feature producer. Timothy Scott Bogart, who also is penning the script, Evan “Kidd” Bogart, and Gary A. Randall, founding partners of Boardwalk Entertainment Group, also will produce. Rick Yorn is Executive Producer.

Additionally, Boardwalk Records is producing the album in conjunction with the movie, including classic hits reimagined by today’s biggest artists.

SPINNING GOLD chronicles the life of music legend Neil Bogart, the late father of Tim and Evan, who founded Casablanca Records in 1974 and is credited with discovering, launching and nurturing the careers of a generation of music superstars. KISS, Parliament, Donna Summer, and The Village People were just a few of the acts on the roster of Casablanca Records, whose sound and image would come to define 70s pop culture.

Boardwalk Entertainment Group partner, producer and screenwriter, Tim Bogart, said, “This movie is literally three decades in the making, but we knew that without the perfect actor to bring our father to life on film, his essence and impact on the lives and careers he inspired would never be fully captured – from the moment we met Justin, we knew we’d found our Neil Bogart. With Justin also a producer on the movie, together we’re crafting this saga about a young dreamer who started with nothing and came of age in the 60s and 70s, believing anything was possible and every risk was worth taking. Though he died at only 39, he lived to see all his dreams come true.”

About Boardwalk Entertainment Group

Boardwalk Entertainment Group is a multi-faceted production and media company encompassing film, television, music and technology. In addition to producing the feature Spinning Gold, Boardwalk is in production on the music reality series Majors & Minors for The Hub TV Network, and in development on projects at various networks including ABC, NBC, USA, A&E and Syfy. Boardwalk Records also is releasing albums from new and established artists, including Wallpaper. and ZZ Ward, whose LPs drop in 2012. The company also maintains strategic alliances with major music companies such as Sony’s RCA Records, Bug Music, Inc. and BMI.

Jake Scott to Direct Feature Based on Late Musician’s Life

PRESS RELEASE:

LOS ANGELES, CA (AUGUST 15TH, 2011) - Actor/singer-songwriter Reeve Carney (Broadway’s Spiderman: Turn off the Dark) has been cast as Jeff Buckley in the forthcoming “Untitled Jeff Buckley” film, it was announced today by the filmmakers. To be directed by Jake Scott (Welcome to the Rileys), and written by Ryan Jaffe (story by, The Rocker), the filmmakers hold a robust rights package that includes the exclusive rights to Jeff’s music and personal archives, and is fully supported by Buckley’s mother, Mary Guibert, who serves as executive producer. Michelle Sy (Finding Neverland) and Orian Williams (Control) are producing, with Alison Raykovich (Jeff Buckley Music) serving as associate producer. Producers are currently out to additional cast for the project.

The film will chronicle the life of Buckley, one of the most critically acclaimed musical artists of his time, who died tragically at age 30 in a drowning accident in Memphis, Tennessee’s Wolf River. Production will commence in New York and Memphis in November.

Carney currently stars on Broadway as Peter Parker in the high profile production of Spiderman: Turn off the Dark.  Reeve also co-starred in Julie Taymor’s THE TEMPEST for Miramax. His current single, “Rise Above 1 featuring Bono and The Edge” (Music From SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark), was performed by the trio on the season finale of American Idol this year. In addition, Reeve and his band Carney opened for U2 on the last stop of the U2 360° tour.  Their debut album Mr. Green Vol. 1 is available on DAS Label/Interscope.

“We are over the moon that Reeve has agreed to take on this challenging role. I’ve seen him perform several times…he’s been getting ready for this all his life. It certainly doesn’t hurt that he looks so much like Jeff,” said Guibert regarding the choice.

Scott commented, “We are excited to have found in Reeve the perfect combination of musical prodigy, impish charm, innate intelligence & sensitivity to play Jeff.”

The as-yet untitled script is based on screenwriter Jaffe’s in-depth examination and research into Buckley’s life, which includes scores of interviews, unlimited access to the Jeff Buckley Estate archives, and Jeff’s personal journals, drawings, and letters. Producers also optioned the book “Dream Brother: The Lives and Music of Jeff and Tim Buckley” by David Browne, for research purposes.

Buckley’s only studio release during his lifetime was the widely acclaimed album Grace, which includes his legendary interpretation of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” and is acknowledged by critics as a modern classic. His momentous posthumous album, Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk, garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Male Rock Vocal for the song “Everybody Here Wants You.” Captivated by the world of music, Buckley lived and breathed it until the last moments of his life.  He had said, “I was captured by music at a really early age…It was my mother, it was my father, it was my plaything, my toy.  The best thing in my life.”

Reeve is represented by Paradigm and David Sonenberg for DAS Communications, Ltd.

Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba, Rob Corddry,
James Gandolfini and Craig Robinson Provide The Character Voices In This Fun-Filled Alien Break-Out Tale

Film To Feature Cameos By Cast Members Of Classic Original Film In Addition To New Principle Actors

Principal Photography Begins in Shreveport, Louisiana

July 19, 2011 – Lionsgate and the filmmakers of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 3D, the next installment in the long standing franchise, are pleased to announce the cast of the film, which picks up the story where the original 1974 film left off and will deliver a new chapter in the Leatherface saga with the goal of making it as horrifying as the original — in 3D.

The cast includes an all new actor in the iconic villain role of Leatherface, an exciting cast of principle actors, and featured cameos by several cast members of the original 1974 film, famously directed by Tobe Hooper.

About The Cast

GUNNAR HANSEN, the original Leatherface who has never acted in another Texas Chainsaw franchise film, is set to appear in a cameo, with MARILYN BURNS, the original film’s lead actress, playing the role of Verna Carson.   Reprising his role as the Grandfather, JOHN DUGAN also makes his first series appearance since the original film.

Beloved character actor BILL MOSELEY, who played the role of Choptop in Tobe Hooper’s 1983 sequel, will play Drayton Sawyer in this film.  Moseley will be standing in for Jim Siedow, who previously played the part before his passing in 2003. The two actors appeared together in the 1983 film and were quite comfortable together.  Director Luessenhop explains how “Moseley is the perfect choice to capture some of the essence that Siedow had brought to the character.”

Playing Leatherface will be discovery DAN YEAGER. Director John Lussenhop knew he was perfect for the role immediately, after a chance meeting.  He describes the 6’ 6” actor as having “huge farm boy arms, a brooding brow.  He’s quiet, circumspect, and immediately struck a menacing chord with me.  After five minutes, I could no longer think of anyone else for the role.”

ALEXANDRA DADDARIO (PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF, HALL PASS) has been cast in the lead female role of Heather Miller. The story centers around Heather, as she makes a trip to small-town Texas to collect her inheritance, unaware that her inheritance includes a live item – her cousin, the notorious serial killer Leatherface.

Rounding out the cast of friends visiting the inherited house are TANIA RAYMONDE (“Lost”) playing the role of Heather’s best friend Nikki, with acclaimed R&B singer TREY SONGZ making his film debut as Heather’s boyfriend Ryan and KERAM MALICKI-SANCHEZ (PUNISHER: WAR ZONE and JOHN Q) as Ryan’s friend. SHAUN SIPOS (“Melrose Place,” FINAL DESTINATION 2 and the upcoming HICK) plays Darryl in the film, a hitchhiker along for the ride who knows more than he lets on.

An all new cast of law enforcement and government professionals take on Leatherface in this chapter of the saga: THOM BARRY (THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS, INDEPENDENCE DAY, “Cold Case,”) plays the role of Sheriff Hooper, with PAUL RAE (TRUE GRIT) in the role of town mayor Burt Hartman. SCOTT EASTWOOD (FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, INVICTUS, GRAN TORINO) will portray Deputy Carl Hartman, a young officer who is battling a powerful attraction to Heather while hunting Leatherface. Noted character actor RICHARD RIEHLE (OFFICE SPACE) will play Sawyers family attorney Farnsworth.

About The Film

The film is a collaboration between filmmakers Carl Mazzocone and Mark Burg (the “Saw” franchise), Lionsgate, who will handle U.S and U.K. Distribution and Nu Image, who handled International sales and provided production finance. Mike Paseornek, President of Motion Picture Development and Production, and Jason Constantine, Lionsgate’s President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions are jointly overseeing the project at the studio.

John Luessenhop (TAKERS) is directing the film, which is to be produced by Carl Mazzocone. Production commences this week at Millennium Studios in Shreveport Louisiana. Mazzocone, who served as President of Production at Twisted Pictures for four years before returning to independent producing, pursued the underlying rights to the property and ultimately secured an overall deal to make up to six future sequels. Nu Image’s Avi Lerner, Danny Dimbort and Trevor Short are executive producing, along with and Mark Burg of Evolution Entertainment.

July 18, 2011 – Lionsgate and the producers of the film adaptation of the worldwide bestselling book “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” are thrilled to announce that Dennis Quaid (THE ROOKIE, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, VANTAGE POINT and the upcoming FOOTLOOSE) will be starring opposite Brooklyn Decker in the film, which is expected to begin shooting mid-Summer 2011, and will be released on May 11, 2012. It was previously announced that Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, Matthew Morrison, Chace Crawford and Rob Huebel will also be starring in the project.

Quaid’s character Ramsey and his much younger wife Skyler (Decker) are expecting twins. Impending fatherhood is just another way for the hilariously competitive Ramsey to try to one-up his adult son Colin, who is also expecting his first child.

Kirk Jones (WAKING NED DEVINE, NANNY MCPHEE) is directing the film, which was acquired from a script by Heather Hach and re-written by Shauna Cross (WHIP IT). The film is based on the book by Heidi Murkoff that has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 500 weeks. Lionsgate has worldwide rights to the film.

Quaid is represented by WME and attorneys Stewart Brookman and Tom Hansen of Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren & Richman, LLP, who negotiated the deal on his behalf.

Robert Melnik, EVP Business & Legal Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of Lionsgate. Alli Shearmur, President of Motion Picture Production and Development, and Jim Miller, SVP Motion Picture Production and Development are overseeing the production for Lionsgate.

Mike Medavoy, Arnie Messer and David Thwaites are producing, with Doug McKay co-producing, through their Phoenix Pictures. Heidi and Erik Murkoff will executive produce along with their literary manager Alan Nevins of Renaissance Literary & Talent.

About the film

Based on the 16 million copy best-selling book, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING is an ensemble romantic-comedy is in the vein of LOVE ACTUALLY and VALENTINE’S DAY. The film is a modern look at love through the eyes of four interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn’t always deliver what’s expected.

Actor Joins Relativity’s Cast alongside Roberts, Collins,
Hammer, and Lane

(Beverly Hills, CA) July 18, 2011 – Relativity Media has closed a deal with Sean Bean (HBO’s Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings: The Return of The King) to play the role of the King in its upcoming Untitled Snow White feature, directed by Tarsem Singh (Immortals, The Cell).

Bean joins the previously announced cast in which Oscar®-winner Julia Roberts plays the Queen, Lily Collins (The Blind Side) plays Snow White, Armie Hammer (The Social Network) plays Prince Andrew Alcott, Robert Emms (Anonymous) plays Prince Alcott’s valet, Renbock, and Nathan Lane (The Lion King, The Birdcage) plays the Queen’s hapless and bungling servant, Brighton. The Seven Dwarfs are being played by Mark Povinelli (Water for Elephants), Jordan Prentice (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle), Danny Woodburn (Watchmen), Sebastian Saraceno (Bedtime Stories), Ronald Lee Clark (Epic Movie), Martin Klebba (Pirates of the Caribbean series) and Joey Gnoffo (The Benchwarmers). The studio has also cast Mare Winningham (Brothers) as Baker Margaret and Michael Lerner (Elf) as Baron.

The film started shooting June 20, 2011 on location in Montreal and wraps mid-September. The theatrical release date is set for March 16, 2012.

In Relativity’s Snow White, a spectacular reimagining of the classic fairy tale, an evil queen steals control of a kingdom, and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright in a spirited adventure comedy filled with jealousy, romance, and betrayal that will capture the imagination of audiences the world over.

The film’s producers are Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter), Bernie Goldmann (300) and Brett Ratner (Rush Hour franchise). The script was written by Melisa Wallack (Meet Bill) and Jason Keller (Machine Gun Preacher).

Looking ahead, Relativity will release David Ellis’ Shark Night 3D on September 2, 2011, followed by Marc Forster’s Machine Gun Preacher on September 23, 2011, then the highly-anticipated Immortals on November 11, 2011, starring Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Isabel Lucas, Freida Pinto, Luke Evans and Kellan Lutz with John Hurt and Mickey Rourke. Relativity’s expansive 2012 slate also includes its Haywire (in theatres January 20, 2012), Act of Valor (in theatres February 17, 2012), The Raven (in theatres March 9, 2012), Untitled Farrelly/Wessler Project (in theatres April 13, 2012), House at the End of the Street (in theatres April 20, 2012), Safe Haven (in theatres June 1, 2012) and Hunter Killer (in theatres December 21, 2012).

July 15, 2011 – Lionsgate and the producers of the film adaptation of the worldwide bestselling book WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING are thrilled to announce that Matthew Morrison (“Glee”) will be starring opposite Cameron Diaz in the film, which is expected to begin shooting mid-Summer 2011, and will be released on May 11, 2012. It was previously announced that Jennifer Lopez, Brooklyn Decker, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, Chace Crawford and Rob Huebel will also be starring in the project.

Morrison’s character Evan is teamed up with Diaz’s Jules on a popular celebrity dance show. All their heat on and off the dance floor soon sparks a bun in the oven that will force them to synch their bi-coastal lives and re-asses what matters in life – all while in the national spotlight.

Kirk Jones (WAKING NED DEVINE, NANNY MCPHEE) is directing the film, which was acquired from a script by Heather Hach and re-written by Shauna Cross (WHIP IT). The film is based on the book by Heidi Murkoff that has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 500 weeks. Lionsgate has worldwide rights to the film.

Morrison (twitter: @Matt_Morrison) is currently on a summer tour to promote his self titled debut album which includes duets with Sir Elton John, Sting and Gwyneth Paltrow. He has received an Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations for his role in the Fox hit, “Glee,” returning for a third season this fall. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for his role in “Light in the Piazza.” Morrison is represented by manager Eric Podwall and CAA.

Robert Melnik, EVP Business & Legal Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of Lionsgate. Alli Shearmur, President of Motion Picture Production and Development, and Jim Miller, SVP Motion Picture Production and Development are overseeing the production for Lionsgate.

Mike Medavoy, Arnie Messer and David Thwaites are producing, with Doug McKay co-producing, through their Phoenix Pictures. Heidi and Erik Murkoff will executive produce along with their literary manager Alan Nevins of Renaissance Literary & Talent.

About the film

Based on the 16 million copy best-selling book, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING is an ensemble romantic-comedy is in the vein of LOVE ACTUALLY and VALENTINE’S DAY. The film is a modern look at love through the eyes of four interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn’t always deliver what’s expected.

BAFTA Los Angeles has announced that Academy Award® nominated and BAFTA winning actress Helena Bonham Carter will be honored with the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year at the 2011 BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards.

“Helena Bonham Carter is an actress of immense versatility, and her range across movies of all genres is at once remarkable and fearless” says BAFTA Los Angeles Chairman Nigel Lythgoe. “She unwaveringly maintains her integrity and, through her choice of roles, continually challenges both herself and her audiences’ perception of her.”

The Britannia Award is BAFTA Los Angeles’ highest accolade, a celebration of achievements honoring individuals and companies that have dedicated their careers or corporate missions to advancing the entertainment arts.

As previously announced, Academy Award® winning writer/director John Lasseter will receive the Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Filmed Entertainment, and BAFTA winning director David Yates will receive with the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing. This year, the gala event will be held on Wednesday, November 30 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The Britannia Awards are presented annually at a gala dinner, where peers and colleagues celebrate the work and accomplishments of the distinguished honorees. Proceeds from the gala ceremony support BAFTA Los Angeles’ ongoing education, scholarship, community outreach and archival projects.

Source: BAFTA/LA

Steve Buscemi, Fran Drescher, Cee Lo Green, Kevin James, Andy Samberg, Molly Shannon,
and David Spade On the Guest List;

Genndy Tartakovsky to Direct

CULVER CITY, Calif., July 2011 – It was announced earlier this week that Adam Sandler will voice the lead role of Dracula in Sony Pictures Animation’s 3D family comedy HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, by Bob Osher, president, Sony Pictures Digital Productions, and Michelle Raimo-Kouyate, president of production, Sony Pictures Animation. The film will be released on September 21, 2012, by Columbia Pictures.

The film will be directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, a star in the animation community, well-known for his work on Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone Wars, and “Dexter’s Laboratory”; he recently conceptualized and storyboarded the final action sequence for Iron Man 2 and provided the stylish and memorable prologue for the film Priest. The film is produced by Michelle Murdocca (Open Season, Stuart Little 1 & 2) and the animation is by Sony Pictures Imageworks.

Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Dracula’s (Sandler) lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free from meddling from the human world. But here’s a little known fact about Dracula: he is not only the Prince of Darkness; he is also a dad. Over-protective of his teenage daughter, Mavis, Dracula fabricates tales of elaborate dangers to dissuade her adventurous spirit. As a haven for Mavis, he opens the Hotel Transylvania, where his daughter and some of the world’s most famous monsters – Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more – can kick back in safety and peace. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

Also confirmed to join the cast: Kevin James will play Frank – also known as Frankenstein – with Fran Drescher voicing Eunice, his in-your-face, over-the-top, and larger-than-life Bride. David Spade plays Quasimodo, once the hunchback of Notre Dame and now a crazy, passionate gourmet chef always looking for his next piece de resistance. Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon will play Wayne and Wanda, a pair of married, harried werewolves, parents to an ever-increasing litter of pups, who are looking forward to their family vacation at the hotel. Cee Lo Green is also joining the cast as Murray, a boisterous Mummy, once entertainer to the great Pharaohs, now the life of the party, and always feeling the urge to let loose and sing. Finally, Andy Samberg will voice the role of Jonathan, a 21-year-old regular guy, carefree and full of life, whose world travels land him at the Hotel.

Hotel Transylvania continues Sandler’s long association with Sony Pictures, where he has made or produced 23 films over the years. The studio recently released Just Go With It, which opened #1 and took in more than $214 million worldwide, and last summer, the studio released Grown Ups, the biggest worldwide hit of Sandler’s career, earning over $260 million worldwide. For more than a decade, Sandler has been one of the world’s biggest comedy stars, putting together a track record of comedies that have become must-see events around the world and showing a power at the box office that very few comedians can match. He will next star for Sony in both title roles of Jack and Jill, set for release November 11, 2011, and is currently shooting I Hate You, Dad, opposite Andy Samberg and Leighton Meester.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Adam to create a comedic Dracula for a new generation,” said Raimo-Kouyate in commenting on the announcement. “We have a unique story about that iconic character, starring a phenomenal cast directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, that re-imagines Transylvania and its legendary monsters in the way that only animation can.

About Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its 2009 worldwide hit, the mouth-watering 3D comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and the 2007 Academy Award®-nominated Surf’s Up with a full slate of feature films including the live-action/animation hybrid film The Smurfs (3D) and the family comedy, Hotel Transylvania (3D). The division is also in production with Aardman Animations on two feature films, the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas (3D) and the stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits (3D). Open Season 3, the third adventure in Sony Pictures Animation’s successful Open Season franchise, was released on DVD and Blu-Ray January 2011. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions.

Even our most casual readers seem to know that we are big fans of DAN FOGLER at WAMG. I love chatting with the man and our interviews always seem to go off topic in the best possible way. I recently got the chance to talk with him about a slew of projects he is working on.

HELLBENDERS

MAN UP

HYSTERICAL PSYCHO & MOON LAKE AT COMIC CON

DON PEYOTE

FATHERED!

@MRDANFOGLER talks Twitter

RANDOMNESS

As I already said, our interviews tend to go way off topic. Here are some random but strangely hilarious moments from our chat.

DAN FOGLER ON SCULPTURE

Dan talks about a new hobby he picked up.

We also talked a lot about TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT & the awesomely 80s Atomic Tom music video. I will post that footage when the film is released on DVD, Blu-Ray & VOD on July 19^th!

Jerry Cavallaro – www.JerryCavallaro.com

Film To Be Released Mother’s Day Weekend 2012

June 30, 2011 – Lionsgate and the producers of the film adaptation of the worldwide bestselling book “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” are thrilled to announce that Anna Kendrick (50-50, END OF WATCH, UP IN THE AIR Lionsgate’s upcoming RAPTUREPALOOZA) and Brooklyn Decker (JUST GO WITH IT, BATTLESHIP) have been cast to star with Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez in the film, which is expected to begin shooting mid-Summer 2011, and will be in theaters everywhere on May 11, 2012.

Kendrick will play Rosie in one of the film’s interlocking stories. Her character reunites with an attractive old flame after a turf war between their respective food trucks, and they embark on a funny, poignant journey together in the wake of a surprise pregnancy.

Decker will play Skyler in one of the film’s interlocking stories. The perennially perky character, who is married to a much older man, sails through her pregnancy with twins much to the consternation of her peers.

Kirk Jones (WAKING NED DEVINE, NANNY MCPHEE) is directing the film, which was acquired from a script by Heather Hach and re-written by Shauna Cross (WHIP IT). The film is based on the book by Heidi Murkoff that has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 500 weeks. Lionsgate has worldwide rights to the film.

About the film

Based on the 16 million copy best-selling book, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING is an ensemble romantic-comedy is in the vein of LOVE ACTUALLY and VALENTINE’S DAY.  The film is a modern look at love through the eyes of four interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn’t always deliver what’s expected.

Kendrick is represented by CAA, and attorney Todd Rubenstein of Morris Yorn Barnes Levine Krintzman Rubenstein & Kohner, who negotiated the deal on her behalf.

Decker is represented by Marilyn Talent for management, Gersh Agency, and attorneys Schreck Rose Dapello Adams & Hurwitz, LLP, who negotiated the deal on her behalf.

Robert Melnik, EVP Business & Legal Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of Lionsgate. Alli Shearmur, President of Motion Picture Production and Development, and Jim Miller, SVP Motion Picture Production and Development are overseeing the production for Lionsgate.

Mike Medavoy, Arnie Messer and David Thwaites are producing, with Doug McKay co-producing, through their Phoenix Pictures. Heidi and Erik Murkoff will executive produce along with their literary manager Alan Nevins of Renaissance Literary & Talent.

June 24, 2011 – Lionsgate and the producers of the film adaptation of the worldwide bestselling book “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” are thrilled to announce that Jennifer Lopez (MONSTER IN LAW, MAID IN MANHATTAN) has been cast to star with Cameron Diaz in the film, which is expected to begin shooting mid-Summer 2011, and will be released on Mother’s Day Weekend 2012. Lopez will play Holly in one of the film’s the interlocking stories, a woman who adopts a baby from abroad with her husband after difficulty conceiving.

Kirk Jones (WAKING NED DEVINE, NANNY MCPHEE) is directing the film, which was acquired from a script by Heather Hach and re-written by Shauna Cross (WHIP IT). The film is based the book by Heidi Murkoff that has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 500 weeks. Lionsgate has worldwide rights to the film.

Lopez is represented by manager Benny Medina, UTA, and attorneys Barry Hirsch and Bob Wallerstein.

Rob McEntegart, the Motion Picture Group’s Senior EVP, negotiated the deal on behalf of Lionsgate.  Alli Shearmur, President of Motion Picture Production and Development, and Jim Miller, SVP Motion Picture Production and Development are overseeing the production for Lionsgate.

Mike Medavoy, Arnie Messer and David Thwaites are producing, with Doug McKay co-producing, through their Phoenix Pictures. Heidi and Erik Murkoff will executive produce along with their literary manager Alan Nevins of Renaissance Literary & Talent.

About the film

Based on the 16 million copy best-selling book, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING is an ensemble romantic-comedy is in the vein of LOVE ACTUALLY and VALENTINE’S DAY. The film is a modern look at love through the eyes of four interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn’t always deliver what’s expected.