New Image from RIDDICK Shows Off Mercs

Continuing with star Vin Diesel’s stream of set photos and images from Riddick, the actor unveiled a new image from the film today giving us our first look at the mercs. The third installment of the series that began with Pitch Black was followed by 2004’s The Chronicles of Riddick finds our antihero left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that’s infested with alien predators. Riddick activates an emergency beacon that alerts mercenaries to come collect their bounty: one ship carrying a new breed of merc and another ship captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is incredibly personal. This image shows us some of the mercs, and I’m fairly certain the one in the center is WWE star David Bautista.

Hit the jump to check out the image. The film also stars Katee Sackhoff, Jordi Molla, Matt Nable, Conrad Pla, Raoul Trujillo, Nolan Funk, Keri Hilson, and Bokeem Woodbine.

Image via Vin Diesel’s Facebook.

Here’s the synopsis for Riddick:

The latest chapter of the groundbreaking saga that began with 2000's hit sci-fi film Pitch Black and 2004's The Chronicles of Riddick reunites writer/director David Twohy (A Perfect Getaway, The Fugitive) and star Vin Diesel (the Fast and Furious franchise, xXx). Diesel reprises his role as the antihero Riddick, a dangerous, escaped convict wanted by every bounty hunter in the known galaxy.

The infamous Riddick has been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that appears to be lifeless. Soon, however, he finds himself fighting for survival against alien predators more lethal than any human he’s encountered. The only way off is for Riddick to activate an emergency beacon and alert mercenaries who rapidly descend to the planet in search of their bounty.

The first ship to arrive carries a new breed of merc, more lethal and violent, while the second is captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is more personal. With time running out and a storm on the horizon that no one could survive, his hunters won’t leave the planet without Riddick’s head as their trophy.

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24 Movie Not Going Forward This Year; Script Apparently Sets Up Possible Trilogy

Fans eager to see the 24 movie get going are gonna have to wait a bit longer. While all signs pointed to the feature film adaptation of the popular Fox TV series going into production this spring, Deadline reports that 20th Century Fox has decided not to go forward with the film this year. Apparently budget issues are to blame, and the studio wasn’t convinced everything could be worked out in time to shoot the movie before star Kiefer Sutherland has to report back for the second season of his new series Touch this fall (if it’s renewed). Hit the jump for more, including the possibility of a film trilogy.

Billy Ray wrote the script for the film (with a polish by Mark Bomback) but Deadline notes that Ray had apparently constructed the script to play out in a three-picture arc (ie. 24: The Trilogy). This makes sense, given that the idea of fitting the real-time series into one two-hour movie was fairly daunting. The creatives involved certainly have experience with long-form storytelling, so a 24 movie trilogy isn’t a bad idea.

The studio was in the midst of honing in on a director, and they were apparently high on Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) just before the decision was made to hold off. The film could still go forward next year during Sutherland’s next hiatus (again, if Touch is picked up beyond this first season), but there’s no guarantee given that the film has yet to receive a green light. Though the quality of the series wavered throughout its run, I actually think the concept would make for an entertaining film experience. Jack Bauer is certainly an action hero in his own right, and I’m intrigued to see how the real-time experience could translate to the big screen.

Deadline notes that the film has one big factor in its favor: producer Brian Grazer. When American Gangster nearly fell apart, Grazer didn’t take “no” for an answer and put the pieces back together with Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in the leads. He’s also been working steadfastly on the adaptation of The Dark Tower with director Ron Howard and scribe Akiva Goldsman. Though Universal passed on the ambitious undertaking, the trio didn’t give up and now Warner Bros. is looking to put the film on track for a 2013 production start.

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Rob Riggle 21 JUMP STREET Interview

21 Jump Street is going to surprise you.  Not only is it one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in a long time, it’s got some great action and awesome performances from all involved.  If you had told me that the pairing of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum would be comedy gold, I would have never believed you.  But it is.  Also, another big surprise was Ice Cube.  I’ve seen the film twice and both times he brings the house down with his almost everything he says.  Trust me, you want to see 21 Jump Street and I’d advise seeing it with a crowded theater.  It’s a blast.  For more on the film, here’s Matt’s glowing review, Brendan’s set visit, a five-minute red band clip, and all our coverage on directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller‘s awesome movie.

Last week I got to speak with Rob Riggle in New York City about the film (he plays one of the teachers at the High School).  During the interview we talked about how he got cast, the table reads, how things changed a long the way, karaoke, his favorite director, actor and movie, and the importance of just going for it in a comedy.  Hit the jump for more.

Finally, if you missed my video interviews with Ice Cube or directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, just click the links.

Rob Riggle

What’s his favorite director, actor and movieWhat’s his karaoke songHow did he get involved in 21 Jump StreetHow did things change from the table read to what is finally getting releasedThe importance of fully committing to karaokeHow many table reads did they doThe importance of being willing to just got for it in a comedy

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Paul Rudd May Replace Owen Wilson in ADMISSION Opposite Tina Fey

Quite the comedic pairing may now be in the works. Tina Fey has long been attached to Paul Weitz’s adaptation of the Jean Hanff Korelitz novel Admission, and we recently reported that Owen Wilson was eyeing a role in the project. The story centers on an Ivy League admissions officer (Fey) whose life is thrown for a loop by both a potential student and an alternative high school teacher who has long fancied her. Wilson was looking at taking on the high school teacher role, but 24 Frames now reports that Wilson is no longer attached and producers are currently out to Paul Rudd to take over the role. Apparently Rudd is very interested in the project (who wouldn’t be interested to star opposite Fey?), but no official deal has been struck.

Weitz has experience in the dramedy arena with About a Boy and I’m excited to see Fey stretch her dramatic chops. Rudd is icing on the cake if he signs on, and he’s more than proven his talent in both the comedy and drama realms. I’m highly enthused by the pairing of Fey and Rudd, so hopefully a deal comes through. Admission is expected to shoot this June while Fey is on hiatus from 30 Rock.

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Robert Rodriguez Says SIN CITY 2 and MACHETE KILLS Will Film This Year

Given that the festival takes place in his home city, it’s no surprise that filmmaker Robert Rodriguez took part in the 2012 SXSW Film Festival. Rodriguez took the opportunity to provide another update on his production company Quickdraw Productions and the many projects he currently has in development. In addition to touting the launch of Quickdraw Animation (two animated feature films, Heavy Metal and a family film, are already in development), Rodriguez gave a status report on the long-promised Sin City 2 and the Machete follow-up Machete Kills, saying both projects are poised to go into production this year. Hit the jump for more.

Rodriguez gave a big “Quickdraw Productions” update at last year’s Comic-Con, promising sequels for Sin City and Machete and announcing that he’s working on bringing Heavy Metal to the screen (for which he now says has a finished script and is moving into the storyboard phase). He announced that he has two sequels for Machete planned: Machete Kills and Machete Kills Again. At SXSW (per THR), Rodriguez said that Machete Kills is on track to start shooting this April. The plot apparently has Machete tasked with taking down a madman cartel leader and an eccentric billionaire arms dealer who has hatched a plan to spread war across the planet with a weapon in space. So, you know, Danny Trejo slicing and dicing space-obsessed uber villains should make for a good time.

Sin City 2 is a project that’s been “in development” for quite a while. We first heard about the prospect of a follow-up soon after the first film hit theaters in 2005. Numerous casting rumors have floated around over the years (Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie), but Rodriguez says the film is finally poised to shoot this summer. We know the plot involves three separate stories from Frank Miller: A Dame to Kill For and two new ones that have yet to be announced. Oscar-winning The Departed screenwriter William Monahan did a pass on the script, and with years and years of development hopefully the wait will be well worth it. No cast has been announced as of yet, but Rodriguez confirmed that the cast of both Machete Kills and Sin City 2 “will be of the same caliber and eclecticism as the first films.”

While Machete Kills has Danny Trejo attached and other aspects that lead me to believe filming will actually start in April, I’m less optimistic about Sin City 2. We’ve been promised movement on the follow-up for years now with little-to-nothing by way of actual development. It is promising to hear that a script has come to fruition, so I don’t think a 2012 start date is out of the question, but I’m not holding my breath.

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Warner Bros. Puts ARTHUR & LANCELOT Back on Track with Colin Farrell in Talks to Star

For a while there it looked like Arthur & Lancelot was destined to linger in development hell for the next several years. Warner Bros. put the project in motion last year with David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers, The Change-Up) set to direct his own script. The pic landed a couple of promising leads—Game of Thrones star Kit Harington as Arthur and The Killing star Joel Kinnaman as Lancelot—but the studio abruptly put the project on hold just before its January start date to address budget issues. When Harington and Kinnaman signed on to other projects (Haringon to The Seventh Son and Kinnaman as the lead in the Robocop remake), the film looked to be in doubt given that both would have to return to their respective TV series later this year. Cue: Colin Farrell. Hit the jump for more.

Variety reports that Arthur & Lancelot is now back on with Colin Farrell in talks to star. The report doesn’t specify which role he will take, but WB seems to be happy with a more recognizable star in place. They were apparently wary of two lesser known actors toplining the film, so it looks as though they’re going the star route as both Harington and Kinnaman dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Farrell’s casting is a bit of a surprise; a number of young actors vied for the two leads culminating in multiple screen tests and chemistry reads.

Though Dobkin has a comedy background, he’s planning on playing Arthur & Lancelot straight. He previously told Steve that he basically rebuilt the Arthur legend from the ground-up:

“I pulled the legend apart. I only kept a few things. I kept certain characters, I recreated the entire launch of the legend and why it starts the way that it starts, I don’t want to give away too much but it’s always had a flaw. I pulled the flaws out, I reinvented the characters as grounded characters. I took a much more realistic and grounded approach towards everybody, you know why would this character be this way and why would this character be that way? You know Arthur’s superpower is compassion and vision. I will tell you this, the whole thing is wrapped around the birth of democracy as a concept and it’s positing Arthur as the first man to say all men are created equal.”

Though I’m a bit wary of a “realistic” take on the Arthur legend (remember King Arthur?), Farrell’s involvement is reassuring. He’s got incredible charisma and I’m interested to see what actor they choose to star alongside him. Charles Roven (The Dark Knight) and Richard Suckle (The International) of Atlas Entertainment are producing. The film was previously set for release in March of 2013, but I think it’s safe to say that date is blown. Farrell will next be seen in the reboot of Total Recall.

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SXSW 2012: LOVELY MOLLY Review

In films featuring demonic possession, the literal demon and the madness it brings can be used to represent some kind of emotional torment.  Writer-director Eduardo Sanchez warps the possession-horror drama in Lovely Molly by leading with the emotional torment, and leaving the audience to wonder if there’s a literal demon at work of if the protagonist has finally succumbed to her childhood trauma.  Just as madness consumes the main character’s tortured soul, Sanchez and actress Gretchen Lodge consume us with a terror that is far more effective than tired satanic symbols and flashy supernatural phenomenon.

The film grabs you from the start by opening with a scene of Molly (Lodge) recording herself holding a knife to her throat.  She desperately wants to kill herself, and struggles to pull the blade before breaking down and saying, “He won’t let me…”  We then go back to a much saner time in Molly’s life, and watch her marriage to Tim (Johnny Lewis).  The newlyweds decide to move into Molly’s childhood home even though the house brings back countless painful memories for Molly, but she’s determined to overcome her trauma by starting a new family.  However, Tim’s job as a trucker keeps him on the road, and she’s left alone to face her inner demons, and quite possibly, a real demon.  Molly becomes increasingly paranoid, begins to hear noises, and her mind starts to unravel with violent and disturbing consequences.

For almost the entire runtime, Lovely Molly does an incredible job of remaining ambiguous on whether or not Molls is possessed by a demon.  There are a few hints that one might be lurking, but in one way, it’s almost irrelevant if there’s a literal demon or not.  Madness is madness, and it’s always terrifying and tragic.  Molly tries using a camcorder to record herself and prove to others that the demon is real, but no one else (including the audience) can see the demon on tape.  The camcorder “found footage” is used sparingly and provides a detached perspective that’s no less horrifying than Sanchez’ gothic and creepy look at Molly’s world.  When the camcorder captures her possession, we can only hear the audio but her cries are agonizing.  For all intents and purposes, Molly is being raped and even if it’s psychosomatic rape, it’s just as brutal and perhaps more so since defense isn’t difficult—it’s physically impossible.

Watching Molly’s slow destruction wouldn’t work without Lodge’s incredible performance.  The actress is a revelation and she perfectly plays every emotional beat.  The character swings from defiant to afraid to hopeful to manipulative and all of these emotions are wrapped in a madness she’s struggling to resist.  Lodge is fearless in showing Molly’s growing detachment from her loved ones, and moving down the violent path that lies ahead.  Half of the film’s power relies on her, and Lodge completely understands that she has to play the character as apparently schizophrenic to other characters, and potentially possessed by a literal demon when she’s alone.

Sanchez almost always knows how to keep the audience guessing, but his priority is making sure that whatever the “answer” may be, the movie is terrifying.  Aside from a few cheap jump scares near the beginning, Lovely Molly is treated like a high-class horror film with deep shadows and stark contrasts.  The sound design is even creepier as Sanchez employs a constant high-pitched whine that would drive anyone mad if they listened to it long enough.  The only points where the movie ceases to scare is when it has to force a plot point or a twist.  Lovely Molly has a perfect closing image, but then Sanchez tacks on an epilogue that breaks the carefully-constructed ambiguity of Molly’s illness.

These few missteps aside, Eduardo Sanchez has taken the tired exorcism genre and cast aside the salvation-bearing male authority figures.  In their place he and Lodge have created a complex, tragic character who has been haunted all her life, and then collides with the inescapable horror of her traumatic past.  In a disturbing twist, Lovely Molly makes us want to take comfort in the demon because at least an exorcism is a “cure”.  Instead, Lodge’s breathtaking performance and Sanchez’ powerful direction send us spiraling into a young woman’s insanity, and there’s nothing any priest or ritual can do to save her or us.

Rating: B+

For all of our SXSW 2012 coverage, click here. Also, here are links to all of my SXSW reviews so far:

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