Terminator: Genisys Living Poster Lands

He is back

After the first imagery from the film broke, we wondered when the official Terminator: Genisys promotional campaign would begin to gear up. Turns out that’s today, as the “living” poster for the film, featuring a grinning T-800 face slowly turning into the sand of an hour glass, has arrived.

Yes, while it might look like our robotic subject is suffering a serious case of metal fatigue, it’s a wink to the film’s time-hopping and reality-jumping nature. Genisys reportedly starts in 2029, with the war between the human rebels and Skynet’s malicious machines is in full swing. Present and correct – though played now by different actors – are John Connor (Jason Clarke) and Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) who are taking advantage of pushing back against the antagonistic artificial intelligence to send Reese to 1984 on his mission to save Sarah Connor from termination at the hands of a killer cyborg.

Except when Reese arrives, he discovers that the timeline has been altered and this Sarah (Emilia Clarke) was orphaned years ago by a Terminator attack. She has been raised by an Arnold Schwarzenegger-style ‘bot that has been living and ageing among humans. The changes are, somewhat naturally, already sparking plenty of debate.

With Matt Smith also among the cast and Thor: The Dark World’s Alan Taylor calling the shots, Terminator: Genisys is set for UK release on July 3. And if the presence of the poster has you speculating that the trailer can’t be far behind... Correct! It’ll be demanding our clothes, our boots, our motorcycles and our visual attention on Thursday.

from Empire News

Paddington gets bear hug at cinemas

Family film Paddington, based on Michael Bond's books about the marmalade-loving bear, tops the UK box office chart after its first weekend in cinemas.



from BBC News - Entertainment & Arts

Will Ferrell Takes Aim At A Shakespearian Theatre Comedy

For a potential new film

Behind the scenes at a competitive, ego-driven Shakespearian theatre company mind sound like the seeds for a slightly niche comedy, though it did once provide three seasons’ worth of comedy drama for Canadian TV series Slings And Arrows. Sony will be hoping for slightly more mainstream appeal with a new, untitled pitch that has Will Ferrell interested.

Production company Mosaic has spawned the idea for a comedy that focuses on the intense, maddening world that lies behind the scenes of a top Shakespearian company. No other details have been released, but according to Variety, writers David Guion and Michael Handelman have been tasked with turning the concept into a script for Ferrell to star in.

They’ve written on the likes of The Internship (which featured a brief cameo from the actor), Men In Black III and the upcoming Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb, so while their track record might not be 100% guaranteed hilarity, they have some experience with high concept films.

It’s still early days for Ferrell’s involvement, and it’ll have to join the list of projects he’s developing with the studio including Devil’s Night and Border Guards. In more concrete film matters, he’ll next be seen in prison comedy Get Hard alongside Kevin Hart, which arrives here on March 27, and is shooting Daddy’s Home with his Other Guys co-star Mark Wahlberg.

from Empire News

Jean-Claude Van Damme Set For The Kickboxer Remake

He'll replace Tony Jaa

The team behind the Kickboxer remake might have been disappointed when Tony Jaa had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts, especially with the film about to start shooting. All those worries have been swiftly banished, however, with word of a real coup: Jean-Claude Van Damme has agreed to sign on in his place.

Yes, the man who saw his career launch with films like the original Kickboxer is stepping in to play a martial arts master who trains a vengeful warrior. Stuntman and actor Alain Moussi takes over the leading mantle as Kurt Sloan, a talented fighter who heads to Thailand intending to learn the secrets of advanced kickboxing mostly so he can confront Tong Po (Dave Bautista), the man who killed his brother.

"We are so excited to have Kickboxer roll into production and to have JCVD in the role of Master Chow, passing the torch to Alain, to have him lead the franchise to a new generation " says producer Ted Field. John Stockwell is directing this one, kicking off shooting this week in New Orleans before finishing up production in Thailand.

from Empire News

Boyhood Scores At The New York Film Critics Circle Awards

The Lego Movie takes Best Animated Film

Boyhood! It’s not just for 50 Best Films Of 2014 lists, you know. It’s also lining up to be among the toasts of the award season. Richard Linklater’s years-in-the-making coming-of-age odyssey has walked away with Best Film from the New York Film Critics Circle.

The Critics Circle, which has been handing out gongs since 1936, also gave Linklater Best Director for the film, while Patricia Arquette won Best Supporting Actress. But it didn’t all go Boyhood’s way – Timothy Spall was named Best Actor for Mr. Turner, with Marion Cotillard taking Best Actress for her roles in Two Days, One Night and The Immigrant. James Gray’s film also took home an award for its cinematographer, Darius Khondji.

Elsewhere, The Lego Movie won Best Animated Film and Jennifer Kent scored Best First Film for her terrifying, emotional The Babadook. The full list of winners is below.

Best Film

Boyhood

Best Director

Richard Linklater – Boyhood

Best Actor

Timothy Spall – Mr. Turner

Best Actress

Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night and The Immigrant

Best Supporting Actress

Patricia Arquette – Boyhood

Best Supporting Actor

J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

Best Animated Film

The Lego Movie

Best Screenplay

Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Cinematography

Darius Khondji – The Immigrant

Best First Film

Jennifer Kent – The Babadook

Best Foreign Language Film

Ida

Best Non-Fiction Film
Citizenfour

Special Award

Adrienne Mancia

from Empire News

Jason Statham Gets Moody In The First Wild Card Pic

He's starring in the action thriller

Gambling problems seem to be a perennial spur for drama and action in movies, and in the coming months we’re already preparing to meet Mark Wahlberg’s take on the trope in The Gambler. But for an even tougher version, here comes Jason Statham in his latest thriller, Wild Card.

Statham plays Nick Wild (we really hope no one says he’s such a card, as the idea of him playing cards as part of his betting addiction is already making the Pun-O-Meter smoke and rattle), a Las Vegas bodyguard with a lethally particular set of skills and some real money issues.

But when his best friend is beating up by a thug, our anti-hero takes matters into his own fists and strikes back, only to discover the assailant is the son of a powerful mob boss. Thus Nick is plunged shaved bonce first into the criminal underworld, menaced by enforcers who want his scalp for their gangster bosses.

Statham’s old Expendables 2/The Mechanic director Simon West is behind the camera for this one, working from a script by screenwriting legend William Goldman. With Michael Angarano, Milo Ventimiglia, Dominik García-Lorido, Anne Heche, Sofia Vergara, Max Casella, Jason Alexander, Hope Davis and Stanley Tucci all aboard, Wild Card hits US screens on January 30, but has yet to announce a UK date.

from Empire News

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 Still Perched Atop The US Box Office

Those Penguins Of Madagascar waddle in second

This past week, America celebrated Thanksgiving, which usually means slipping into a food coma while relatives squabble on the Thursday before millions brave packed stores and violent fellow shoppers to pick up bargains on Black Friday. The holiday can also act as a boost for Hollywood, as families seek somewhere to sit in darkness and not talk/entertain the kids. So figures can be inflated as films arrive on Wednesday and Thursday, but that didn’t help the new arrivals facing off against The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.

Despite concerns it was down in earning power compared to the previous franchise entries, the first half of the Mockingjay story still handily won its second weekend, taking in $56.8 million and boosting its US total to $225.6 million. The only wide-release competitor to even come close was DreamWorks Animations’ The Penguins Of Madagascar in second, which managed $25.8 million ($36 million if you add in the days its was on release before the weekend). It’s by far the lowest opening for the series if you count this spin-off as part of the Madagascar world, and points to the Penguins not quite achieving the momentum they needed to carry their own franchise, even if they did score a TV series. It'll be interesting to see whether Universal/Illumination's Minions can succeed outside of the Despicable Me films next year.

Disney’s Big Hero 6 only seemed to take a minor hit from the new cartoon competition, with Baymax and co. slipping one place to third for $18.7 million and $165 million so far, with plenty of international territories left to explore. Interstellar also fell a place, landing in fourth with $15.8 million. New arrival Horrible Bosses 2 could only claim fifth, earning just $15.7 million for the weekend and $23 million across five days, a far cry from the original 2011 film, which took in $28.3 million without the benefit of additional days on release. Don’t expect to see Horrible Bosses 3 shoved into pre-production too quickly assuming it even gets made.

Dumber And Dumber To took damage on the comedy front, down two places to sixth with $8.2 million, while Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory Of Everything expanded its screen count and surged up the charts, making $5 million for a $9.6 million running total. Gone Girl was down to eighth, earning $2.4 million, with Birdman staying in ninth for $1.8 million and St. Vincent sinking to 10th with $1.7 million.

To see Katniss put the hurt on Skipper and the crew in the full chart listings, head to Box Office Mojo.

from Empire News