WonderCon 2012: LOOPER Panel Recap; Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Writer/Director Rian Johnson Premiere the First Trailer

With all the massive movies coming out this year (The Amazing Spider-Man, The Hunger Games, The Avengers, Prometheus, Resident Evil: Retribution, etc), you might have lost track of Rian Johnson’s (Brick) Looper in the mix. That’s about to change. As part of Sony’s presentation at WonderCon 2012, the first trailer from the time-traveling sci-fi flick was shown. While you can get a look at some still images from the film here (including Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s awesome make-up), the trailer hasn’t released just yet. You’ll just have to trust me when I say that this is definitely a film to keep an eye on, even if coverage of other movies attempt to drown it out. The question you have to ask yourself is this: if faced with the order to assassinate your future self, could you pull the trigger?

Looper, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt, opens on September 28th. Hit the jump to check out our recap.

Let’s start off with a walk-through of the trailer for Looper. It opens with a narration by Gordon-Levitt explaining to us what it’s like to live the life of a Looper, assassins hired by the mob to execute criminals sent 30 years in the past. While Gordon-Levitt talks about how rewarding the profession is, the image on the screen shows him standing in the dirt next to a corn field with a white sheet laid out on the ground about twenty feet in front of him. Out of thin air, a man appears on his knees with his hands bound behind his back and a hood drawn over his face. Gordon-Levitt’s character wastes no time in blowing the target away with a modified “Looper gun.” Back at whatever time-jumping station he works out of, Gordon-Levitt drop the gun off in a conveniently labeled bin that reads “Looper Guns Here.”

The trailer goes on to show a group of young Loopers alternately living the high life and executing their marks; all in a day’s work. Things go swimmingly until Gordon-Levitt’s future self (Willis) shows up on the edge of a corn field on his knees with his hands bound. Gordon-Levitt hesitates and that’s all Willis needs. He spins around and Gordon-Levitt fires his gun, hitting nothing but a make-shift vest of gold bars strapped to Willis’ back. Willis hefts a gold brick in Gordon-Levitt’s direction, distracting the younger assassin long enough to escape. Then, the chase is on! Gordon-Levitt attempts to track down and assassinate his future self before his fellow Loopers can put them both out of commission for good.

While the trailer moved too quickly to get a good look at Gordon-Levitt’s make-up, the still images do a fantastic job of letting us see what the Younger Willis will look like. Then, director Rian Johnson and Gordon-Levitt himself took the stage to talk about the film. Their comments follow below:

Johnson spoke about the long-germinating project, one he’s wanted to write for a while. He had Gordon-Levitt in mind when he wrote the part.As for the huge cast (Looper also stars Paul Dano, Piper Perabo, Garret Dillahunt and Jeff Daniels), Johnson praised the lot of them and specifically called out Blunt who “really kicks ass.”When asked how he liked working with Willis in the film, Gordon-Levitt replied, “He’s Bruce-fuckin’ Willis! That’s all I have to say!”Gordon-Levitt had to sit through three hours of make-up to be transformed into the younger version of Willis.Gordon-Levitt was thrilled to take on this role, especially because he was able to transform into someone he really wanted to match. He stripped audio from Willis’ films (specifically Sin City) and listened to them on his iPod.The film shot in New Orleans and in China.The aforementioned Daniels had a great line in the trailer, something akin to, “This time travel stuff will fry your brain.”For Johnson, the biggest challenge on the shoot was reigning in the time travel aspect of it, calling it the “secret ingredient from Iron Chef.”Hard to believe, but Gordon-Levitt has been acting for 25 years now. He considers himself privileged to work with people he loves (and whose work he loves) on meaningful projects. He said, “maximizing box office potential doesn’t necessarily lead to a good movie; in fact, it rarely does.”Gordon-Levitt compared Johnson to a young Christopher Nolan and Steven Spielberg. Johnson spoke to the influence of a lot of different elements in the film, saying “part of the fun is the way it surprises you.”As Johnson and Gordon-Levitt worked together in Brick, Johnson says he feels like he learned a lot on that film and knew more of what he was doing on Looper. Gordon-Levitt said that he was being humble and that Johnson knew exactly what he was doing on Brick. He compares their working relationship to the early years of high school vs your senior year, where things are similar but you know each other better.Johnson reveals that Looper will deal with all sorts of moral quandaries involved with time travel, especially the basic questions around finding yourself standing across the way from your future self.For fans of Breaking Bad, Johnson will be directing another episode.Gordon-Levitt expressed interest in doing a musical if a good enough project came along.Johnson expressed a desire to be lucky enough to work with Gordon-Levitt for the rest of his career.As a big fan of sci-fi, Gordon-Levitt is most excited for fans to see Looper, even though he has The Dark Knight Rises, Premium Rush, Lincoln and Django Unchained opening this year!Johnson brought in Shane Carruth, the writer/director/star of time-travel flick, Primer, as a consultant on time-traveling.Gordon-Levitt’s make-up was so convincing that his own mother and best friend were freaked out because he acted like himself but appeared completely different.

While we have the entire summer to get through before we can see Looper, which opens September 28th. Luckily for the film, the heavy hitters will have come and gone by then (even Resident Evil: Retribution opens a full two weeks beforehand). With the excellent caliber of filmmakers both in front of and behind the cameras coupled with the always-entertaining mash-up of mob movie and time traveling, Looper is already on my list for most anticipated films of the year.

Get caught up with all of our WonderCon coverage here and check out the synopsis for Looper below:

In the futuristic action thriller Looper, time travel will be invented – but it will be illegal and only available on the black market.  When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target 30 years into the past, where a “looper” – a hired gun, like Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) – is waiting to mop up.  Joe is getting rich and life is good… until the day the mob decides to “close the loop,” sending back Joe’s future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination.  The film is written and directed by Rian Johnson and also stars Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, and Jeff Daniels.  Ram Bergman and James D. Stern produce.

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TOP 5: 21 JUMP STREET, THE AVENGERS, CASA DE MI PADRE, DARK SHADOWS Trailer, SXSW 2012 Coverage

From here on out, when I see a movie and can’t quit thinking about it one week after my initial viewing I’m going to refer to it as the Martha Marcy May Marlene effect. I was uncertain how I felt about it while watching. Flash-forward one week later and I’m still uncertain. Combine some great performances from Elizabeth Olsen and John Hawkes, reserved but effective cinematography, sparse dialogue and even fewer musical cues and what I got was one of the most paranoia-filled movie experiences I’ve ever had. While that may sound like a backhanded compliment, if writer/director Sean Durkin was trying to evoke the type of emotions I think he was with Martha, it may be the highest compliment I can pay him.

In this, the St. Patty’s edition of the “Top 5?, you can find 21 Jump Street interviews with Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube and more, The Avengers bits in which Joss Whedon discusses the pic, its current runtime, The Avengers 2, etc., Casa de mi Padre interviews with Will Ferrell, Nick Offerman and more, the first trailer and poster for Tim Burton‘s Dark Shadows, and all of our SXSW 2012 coverage. A brief recap and link to each ensue after the jump.

1. 21 JUMP STREET Interviews with Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube and More

To be honest, I’m past the point of needing to be convinced to watch 21 Jump Street. While I’m in the Windy City this weekend for some St. Patty’s festivities, numero uno on the list for next weekend’s plans is catching this pic in my local theater. No if’s, and’s, or but’s. If you’re still on the fence about paying to see it yourself, this finger-blasting PSA should remove all doubt. If more convincing is what you require, check out these video interviews with Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, Rob Riggle, co-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, and the one and only Ice Cube.

2. Joss Whedon Talks THE AVENGERS & THE AVENGERS 2

When Joss Whedon premiered he and director Drew Goddard’s The Cabin in the Woods at SXSW 2012 people were excited. When he used some of that time to discuss The Avengers and The Avengers 2 people became more excited. In short, excitement abounds at SXSW 2012 (something we’ll discuss more below in #5). If Whedon discussing things like current Avengers runtime, Easter eggs, DVD extras, etc. isn’t enough, this week also brought us a considerable amount of new footage via this Japanese trailer.

3. CASA DE MI PADRE Interviews Will Ferrell, Nick Offerman and More

I remain skeptical about Will Ferrell’s Casa de mi Padre. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Ferrell’s considerable talents as much as the next 25 year-old who doesn’t dislike him just for the sake of being difficult. That said, I’m weary that Ferrell’s over-the-top nature may be turned up to 12 in Padre (which is about two notches above my over-the-top comfort level). All of this in mind, I encourage you to check out Matt’s review and all of our video interviews with Ferrell, Nick Offerman, Diego Luna, and the lovely Genesis Rodriguez in the spirit of developing your own Padre expectations.

4. First Trailer and Poster for DARK SHADOWS

I’m going to rely on our readers for this one because my knowledge of the ABC’s original Dark Shadows soap opera is ultra-limited. Am I supposed to think that Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows adaptation is the lovechild of The Addams Family and Sweeney Todd? Because the film’s first poster and trailer makes me think exactly that. I hope that I turn out to be very wrong, but for right now Tim Burton/Johnny Depp fatigue has set in. Yawn.

5. SXSW 2012 Coverage

In all honesty, my time with Collider has allowed me to take part in some very cool events and I’m thankful for that. And that’s about where my perspective ends and my envy of Matt and Scott for being in Austin at SXSW begins. In case you’ve missed any of the plethora of film reviews that those two have provided from the festival, be sure to click here for all of our SXSW 2012 coverage. And, while I’m here, kudos to the guys for churning that coverage out. I’ll only hold it against you for getting to see The Cabin in the Woods before me for seven years tops.

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Awesome New Trailer for Ridley Scott’s PROMETHEUS

A new trailer for Ridley Scott‘s Prometheus has gone online, and it’s pretty damn great.  It succinctly tells you the story, and then provides what I really hope Scott has gone for: a blockbuster sci-fi horror film.  Today, sci-fi horror has to stick to a mid-range budget, but I’m loving the scope of what I’m seeing from this trailer.  However, the best part may be at the very end when Michael Fassbender‘s character, an android (click here for the viral video released earlier today), gives just the slightest vibe of Ash (Ian Holm) from Alien.  For those unfamiliar with the connection, Prometheus isn’t a direct sequel to Alien, but it has that film’s “DNA”.  When you see the trailer, the connection will be abundantly clear.

Hit the jump to check out the full trailer, and click here to see the IMAX version that was also release today.  Also be on the lookout for our coverage of the movie’s panel, which was held today at WonderCon in Anaheim, California.   The film also stars Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green, and Charlize Theron.  Prometheus opens in 3D on June 8th.

Trailer via AMCTheaters.

Here’s the official synopsis for Prometheus:

Ridley Scott, director of “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” returns to the genre he helped define. With PROMETHEUS, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

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New Trailer for ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER

A new trailer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has gone online. The film posits that one of our nation’s greatest Presidents spent his spare time slicing and dicing vampires. I was a bit surprised by the first trailer in that the whole “Abraham Lincoln kills vampires” thing is played super serious, so I went into this new trailer with a different mindset. We get a better sense of the story, but I’m still not entirely enthused by the film. The trailer excels when it shows off the scenes that highlight the epic scope, but the rest of the time it’s basically Lincoln spinning his axe around all fancy-like. Timur Bekmambatov directed the film, and I’m assuming that if you were a fan of his action pic Wanted, the style of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter will be right up your alley.

Hit the jump to watch the new trailer, and check back for our full report on the film’s WonderCon panel later today. The film stars Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell, and Anthony Mackie. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter opens in 3D on June 22nd.

Here’s the official synopsis for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter:

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter explores the secret life of our greatest President, and the untold story that shaped our nation. Visionary filmmakers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (director of Wanted) bring a fresh and visceral voice to the blood-thirsty lore of the vampire, imagining Lincoln as history’s greatest hunter of the undead.

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New IMAX Trailer for PROMETHEUS

In keeping with today’s unofficial “Prometheus Day” theme, a new IMAX trailer for director Ridley Scott‘s sci-fi film has gone online. A fan Q&A with Michael Fassbender and Charlize Theron is already up, the film’s WonderCon panel with Scott and screenwriter Damon Lindelof takes place later today, and tonight Scott and Lindelof will be debuting a new trailer (followed by a Q&A) at Downtown Disney. In short, there’s plenty of Prometheus goodness to go around on this fine Saturday.

The trailer features quite a bit of new footage, including a look at terror, the space jockey, quite a bit of action, and more terror. It still plays sort of like a teaser, which I’m happy with. The longer we can wait before the trailers give away the whole plot of the movie, the better. Noomi Rapace takes a prominent role here, and she appears to be more than just a normal astronaut or soldier-type. Be sure to check back here later today for our full report from the film’s WonderCon panel. Hit the jump to watch the trailer. The film also stars Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green and Guy Pearce. Prometheus opens in IMAX 3D on June 8th.

Here’s the synopsis for Prometheus:

Visionary filmmaker Ridley Scott returns to the genre he helped define, creating an original science fiction epic set in the most dangerous corners of the universe. The film takes a team of scientists and explorers on a thrilling journey that will test their physical and mental limits and strand them on a distant world, where they will discover the answers to our most profound questions and to life’s ultimate mystery.

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JOHN CARTER Fan Base Demands a Sequel; Check Out a New Fan-Made Trailer

It’s safe to say that Disney’s sci-fi epic, John Carter, has been a box office disappointment thus far. But given that the movie has been out less than a week and that a rabid fan base is lending its support, there may yet be hope for the survival of the franchise. Recently we were contacted by the folks who cut this awesome fan-made trailer and run this John Carter fan site to let us know about the rapidly-expanding fan base behind the film. Started by fans, the Facebook group “Take Me Back to Barsoom! I want a sequel!” is recruiting followers in an attempt to make enough noise to encourage Disney to greenlight a sequel. While I personally wouldn’t mind a return voyage to Mars, the thing that’s going to make the biggest splash and get the studio’s attention is plain and simple dollar bills. Social media goes a long way these days to resurrect things like NBC’s Community, but the roughly $250 million budget on the first John Carter is going to demand more than a Facebook page. I encourage fans of the source material to check out both of the above sites and by all means go see the film a second (or more) time to lend your support. In the mean time, you can get caught up on all of our previous coverage of John Carter here. Hit the jump to check out another awesome fan-made trailer (and if Disney is listening, please consider hiring these guys for your marketing team next time around…seriously). 

Here’s the official synopsis from John Carter followed by the unofficial trailer titled, “Heritage.”

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.

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Three Featurettes and Trailer Preview for SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

A full-length trailer for Snow White and the Huntsman is set to arrive next week, and in anticipation of the trailer drop three featurettes and a “trailer preview” have been released. The featurettes are actually pretty cool, as they give us a look into how director Rupert Sanders is crafting this truly epic take on Snow White; Huntsman could not be more different from Mirror Mirror. The visuals look spectacular and it appears we’re in for a stylized take on a medieval war film. The featurettes also take us inside costume designer Colleen Atwood’s work on the film’s wardrobe, and highlight stars Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron talking about the film and their characters. Oh yes, and there’s that trailer preview. It’s safe to say we now live in a world where trailers for trailers are a thing. Hooray!

Hit the jump to check out the featurettes and trailer preview, and be sure to check back here next week when we’ll have the full trailer up for your viewing pleasure. Snow White and the Huntsman opens on June 1st.

Here are the featurettes, followed by the trailer preview (via Screen Rant and Xfinity):

Here’s the official synopsis for Snow White and the Huntsman:

In the epic action-adventure Snow White and the Huntsman, Kristen Stewart plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Charlize Theron) who is out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) who was dispatched to kill her. Sam Claflin joins the cast as the prince long enchanted by Snow White’s beauty and power.

The breathtaking new vision of the legendary tale is from Joe Roth, the producer of Alice in Wonderland, producer Sam Mercer and acclaimed commercial director and state-of-the-art visualist Rupert Sanders.

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