ARTWORK FROM DISNEY'S "FROZEN"! EDDIE REDMAYNE, JAMES MARSDEN, LEE PACE, SULLIVAN STAPLETON IN THE RUN FOR "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY"! FANTASY SAGA "WOOL" MOVIE ADAPTATION

 One of the most talked about pieces of movie info in last few days is the start of the casting process for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, the movie adaptation of Marvel's comic book about a team of superheroes. A whole slate of young actors are currently doing tests for the lead role of Guardians' leader Peter Quill. According to latest updates in the run for the role are Lee Pace, who is currently playing Elven king Thranduil in THE HOBBIT, James Marsden, who already has superhero experience from playing Cyclops in XMEN, Eddie Redmayne, whom you will soon watch in LES MISERABLES, Sullivan Stapleton, Australian hunk who is playing the lead role in 300 prequel RISE OF AN EMPIRE, young Jim Sturgess, and two people who are, for some strange reason, always mentioned in most of the Hollywood

castings even though they never seem to get any big role (either for the lack of talent or charisma) - Garret Hedlund (ERAGON) and Joel Edgerton (WARRIOR). The role in question - of Peter Quill - is of a

former NASA astronaut who comes to learn that his father is an alien, which leads him into outer space. Armed with a sentient ship and a suit that enhances his strength, Quill eventually transforms himself into the Star-Lord.The film is scheduled for August 2014!

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

Here's an interesting sci fi project coming up in the future: 20th Century Fox will do a movie adaptation of WOOL, a five part novel saga from

Hugh Howey who published the books himself. The film, to be directed by J. Blakeson (THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ALICE CREED), will be set in subterranean silos that house the remnants of humanity on a post apocalyptic Earth. "MovieWeb" brings the synopsis: "Thousands of them have lived underground. They've lived there so long, there are only legends about people living anywhere else. Such a life requires rules. Strict rules. There are things that must not be discussed. Like going outside. Never mention you might like going outside. Or you'll get what you wish for".

DISNEY'S FROZEN ARTWORK

And I have an update for you on Disney's 53rd animated feature film FROZEN which will hit cinemas in winter 2013. Jennifer Lee, who

worked on WRECK IT RALPH has joined Chris Buck (TARZAN, THE LITTLE MERMAID) in directing this winterish movie adaptation of the famous SNOW QUEEN fairy tail from Hans Christian Andersen

with a little twist in the story. Featuring the voices of Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel, FROZEN is the coolest comedy-adventure ever to hit the big screen. When a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter,

Anna, a fearless optimist, teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff and his sidekick reindeer Sven on an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa, the Snow Queen, and put an end to her icy spell. Encountering 

mystical trolls, a funny snowman named Olaf, Everest-like extremes and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction.

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DISNEY WANTS CATE BLANCHETT FOR EVIL STEPMOTHER IN "CINDERELLA"! DAMIAN LEWIS IN JAGUAR'S "DESIRE"! CHARLIZE THERON IN "SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE" REMAKE

I think we are close to getting all possible fairy tales adapted into movies. We've seen ALICE IN WONDERLAND, SNOW WHITE, while

MALEFICENT, OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL, HANSEL AND GRETHEL and LITTLE MERMAID are getting their movie versions too, so we didn't even doubt that everybody's favourite CINDERELLA will hit the big screens too in a live action version. I did inform you a year or so ago that Disney is planning CINDERELLA movie and the latest update is that the studio wants Cate Blanchett to play the evil stepmother! What, what, what?!? Blanchett evil? It seems they see her that way :( This means she might walk the steps of Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron who played or will play evil fairy tale icons in SNOW WHITE and MALEFICENT. The film is being directed by Mark Romanek who is most famous for

brilliant ONE HOUR PHOTO and for directing some famous music videos. As you know, Blanchett is no stranger to fairy tales since this December she is again playing elven queen Galadriel in THE HOBBIT!

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

In television news today, "The Hollywood Reporter" writes about Julian Fellowes, the creator of deeply monotonous DOWNTON ABBEY and GOSFORD PARK (colour me bored), is preparing another period series but for US television. He will write and produce series about the millionaires of 1880s New York titled THE GILDED AGE for NBC.  The new show will be set in a vivid time with dizzying, brilliant ascents and calamitous falls, of record breaking ostentation and savage rivalry - a time when money was king. Wait, wait! It isn't any more???  The same site also reports about Charlize Theron taking the lead role in American version of South Korean film SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE, about a woman who spends 13 years in prison for a crime she did not commit and then sets about exacting the revenge she has plotted during her time behind bars. Theron is no stranger to tough stories, since you probably know that her own mother shot her husband and Charlize's father when he had tried to attack them drunk when Charlize was a little girl.

JAGUAR'S DESIRE

 Our favourite redhaired hunk Damian Lewis has got himself a new gig: the HOMELAND star, whom we shall watch next year in ROMEO AND JULIET, will star in Jaguar's short promo film DESIRE! Promoting the famous cars the film tells the story of Clark (Damian Lewis), who delivers cars for a living, running into trouble after a chance encounter with a mysterious, young woman (Shannyn Sossamon) in the middle of a lawless desert. Directed by Adam Smith, this is a story of betrayal, retribution, passion and greed. The whole thing will be shot in Chile's Atacama Desert. I wonder if he'll get paid in money or in a jaguar? Which payment would you prefer?

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AMAZING 2ND "LES MISERABLES" TRAILER! POSSIBLE "MERLIN" SPINOFFS? "STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS" PLOT REVEALED! KELLAN LUTZ IN "TATUA"

You've seen him recently in that horrid saga we won't mention here (spits over his shoulder), before that he was a powerful good in historical epic IMMORTALS, and you will also watch him as motion captured

 TARZAN in German epic adventure, but it seems that blond hunk Kellan Lutz has another interesting project too, one with rather unusual plot: as "Deadline" reports, Kellan will take the lead role in indie film TATUA. To be shot next year in Canada, the story of the movie will revolve around an assassin that has a rare blood type that allows him to be tattooed with a ink that can be used as a weapon! And after yesterday's news on BBC's MERLIN show ending this Christmas forever, here's a piece of hope: there are rumours that the producers are in early stages of developing potential Merlin spin-offs based around the world created in the current show. As I've mentioned before there were also rumours that SPARTACUS could also get spin-offs (possibly on Caesar) when WAR OF THE DAMNED season ends the whole show next year.

STAR TREK 2 PLOT

A special treat for us today is the official synopsis for STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS which has just been revealed by the studio. Hitting theatres next May (and we haven't seen any pics nor a trailer so far) J.J. Abrams' sci fi movie will again star Karl Urban, Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, John Cho and Anton Yelchin with Benedict Cumberbatch as the new villain. Here's the plot: When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable

force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

LES MISERABLES CLIP 2

Today you can also check out the second trailer for this December's most awaited musical LES MISERABLES. Differently from the first clip, this one offers more of the amazing songs, more love and epic

scenes and introduces a bigger part of the cast. The first deeply positive reviews of the film have started arriving around the net from the people who've seen early screenings. It seems it will be a huge Oscar contender next year!  The musical movie focuses on ex-prisoner Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Russell Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's (Anne Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), their lives change forever. The cast also includes Eddie Redmayne and Helena Bonham Carter. In December 2012, the world's longest running musical brings its power to the big screen in Tom Hooper's sweeping and spectacular interpretation of Victor Hugo's epic tale.

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BBC EPIC SHOW "MERLIN" TO FINISH FOR GOOD THIS CHRISTMAS! 5TH SEASON THE LAST ONE! MATTHIAS SCHOENAERTS JOINS MICHELLE WILLIAMS IN "SUITE FRANCAISE" WW2 DRAMA!

It is official: although it is currently breaking its own records in UK and although it is the show viewed in the biggest number of countries around the

world, BBC's epic series MERLIN will finish with the current fifth season! The hit fantasy drama will draw to a close this Christmas in Britain with a two-part finale. The producers think that the story has reached its apex and the fifth and the least run of the show will lead to a spectacular finale that draws on the best known elements of this much-loved story and brings to a conclusion the battle for Camelot. The final episodes will be coloured with impending doom since Merlin (Colin Morgan) knows that king Arthur (Bradley James) will die at Mordred's hand which will make

him more ruthless and focused in the show's finale. BBC's bosses said that they have ambitious plans for new drama in the Saturday evening slot in 2013. But do not despair Merlin fans, it was also announced that the plans of making movies out of the show are still on: MERLIN's 

co-creator Julian Murphy said to "Digital Spy" that the films would inevitably be done in the form of a reboot and that, if the films happen, it is not yet known if they would be done with the same actors. MERLIN's final season will be aired in USA on SyFy from Friday January 4th.

SUITE FRANCAISE

Some time ago HOLLYWOOD SPY has informed you about the plans for new period drama SUITE FRANCAISE with Oscar winning

 Michelle Williams in the lead role and now she's got herself the main partner in the film. Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts (you've seen him full naked in RUST AND BONE with equally naked Marion Cotillard on top of him) is apparently in negotiations to take the lead male role. According to "Daily Mail", based on a section of Irene Nemirovsky's novel of the same title, the World War II drama tells the love story between a French woman (Michelle Williams) and a German officer placed at her home she shares with her mother-in-law (Kristin Scott Thomas) in Nazi-occupied France. Saul Dibb, who already has experience in filming period pieces since he helmed THE DUCHESS, will direct the film. It is interesting that

Nemirovsky intended to write the novel in five parts, but managed to write only the first two parts before she died in Auschwitz. You already know that you will be watching Michelle next year as good witch Glinda in OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL.

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HOLLYWOOD SPY EXTENSIVE & EXCLUSIVE SPOTLIGHT ON "SPARTACUS: WAR OF THE DAMNED" EPIC SHOW! THE STORY, THE CHARACTERS, EXCLUSIVE PICTURES!

Are you excited, gladiator lovers? The premiere of the third, and the final, season of SPARTACUS: WAR OF THE DAMNED is getting close - the concluding run of the worldwide popular epic series will start on January 25th next year at Starz! The epic conclusion of a legendary journey will unleash a battle unlike anything ever seen before on televison. Are you ready for glorious action and stunning story? To get yourself prepared for the upcoming season, check out HOLLYWOOD SPY's mega extensive spotlight on the show with everything you need to know - from the story and tidbits and characters old and characters new, to amazing new promo pictures!

WAR OF THE DAMNED STORY

Gaius Claudius Glaber is dead. Many months have passed since his defeat, and the rebel army, led by Spartacus and his generals Crixus, Gannicus and Agron, continue to amass victories over Rome. With

 the rebel numbers swelling to thousands of freed slaves, it has become a force that has started to challenge even the mighty armies of Rome. Spartacus is more determined than ever to bring down the entire Roman

Republic. Following the death of Ashur, Naevia and Crixus fight as one with newfound strength and determination. And Gannicus, always seeking to embrace life to the fullest, shares his bed with the beautiful 

and dangerous Saxa. Together, the rebels engage in one bloody skirmish after another and prepare for the inevitable: a full out war with Rome. The Roman Senate turns to its wealthiest citizen, Marcus Crassus, for

aid. A powerful, strategic politician, he respects his opponent and refuses to make the same mistakes Glaber and his predecessors have. With a young and fiercely competitive Julius Caesar as an ally, Crassus

is determined to crush Spartacus and his rebellion. The epic conclusion of a legendary journey, SPARTACUS WAR OF THE DAMNED will unleash a battle unlike anything ever seen before.

WAR OF THE DAMNED WARRIORS

Spartacus (trustworthy Liam McIntyre) has amassed an army in the thousands. He knows he is not only responsible for the lives of every man, woman, and child in his rebellion but also for continuing to inspire them to fight for freedom from oppression and to stand up against the mighty Roman Republic! He is joined by Crixus, Agron and Gannicus. Crixus (handsome Manu Bennet) has had tough times rescuing his beloved Naevia from the Roman mines, but now he has a mind focused on war, and the defeat of the Roman Republic. He’ll do it all with Naevia by his side, and he’ll see hell before being separated from her again. Gannicus (dashing Dustin Clare) is still highly respected as

former Gladiator champion and great warrior but he shuns authority in favor of wine and women, sharing his bed with the beautiful Saxa. Despite his boyish lust for life, he is a key asset that Spartacus depends upon. Brave and hot tempered Agron (irresistible Dan Feuerriegel)

has become Spartacus’ right hand man responsible for his leader’s safety while fighting for the cause. Gorgeous young slave Nasir (delightful Pana Hema Taylor) has become a fearsome warrior thanks to the

 training by Spartacus and Agron. He is still involved in a tender and passionate sexual relationship with brave Agron who develops deep feelings for the young fighter.

WAR OF THE DAMNED ROMANS

Wealthy Crassus (Simon Merrells)  is the last hope the Roman Senate has to defeat the rebellion. Although rich, the honor of military success has always eluded him, so now he has opportunity to gain that recognition using all means at his disposal to defeat Spartacus. Since bringing death to Spartacus will require more than just money, he will call upon a young and battle experienced Julius Caesar to help, much to the envy of his oldest son Tiberius, who wants only to prove himself to his father. Tiberius (Christian Antidormi) is living in the shadow of Julius Caesar; an ambitious and self-important young man who is, in many ways, the son Crassus wishes he had. It’s a fact that

Tiberius is very aware of, and one that causes much friction between himself and Caesar. Julius Caesar (naughty Tod Lassance) is arrogant and intelligent but despite his heritage, and his formidable skills

 as both warrior, tactician, and commander of legions, he lacks the wealth to see his ambitions play out, which is why he sees the hunt on Spartacus as his great opportunity!

WAR OF THE DAMNED LADIES

Laeta (stunning Anna Hutchinson), Intelligent, beautiful, and as independent as any Roman woman can be, was married off to her husband when she was just 12 years old. She has only known life as a

privileged Roman elite but will soon have to rise above that and shed her selfishness when her people look to her for leadership. Kore (lovely Jenna Lind) is a house slave to the Crassus family, proficient in several languages as well as managing the household and well-versed in the

classics. Kore has been serving Marcus Crassus since Tiberius’ birth who, in many ways, looks to her as a mother figure. Sibyl (enchanting Gwendoline Taylor), a shy, sweet and innocent young slave, is given 

her freedom when Gannicus ends her master’s life. From that point on she becomes enamored with him, in his shadow at every turn, hoping to find her affections reciprocated by the brash swordsman. Saxa (sexy Ellen Hollman) is as physically striking as she is rude and brash and

just as violent as any man in the rebellion. When not skilfully playing with twin daggers  she embraces life with the same vigor and passion as Gannicus and has taken to sharing his bed. She finds excitement and kinship with a man who’s every bit her equal.
UPDATE: click for new character pics and new trailer!

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HUGH LAURIE IS BLACKBEARD IN NBC'S PIRATE SHOW "CROSSBONES"! "CASTLE WOLFENSTEIN" & "EXILE TO BABYLON" MOVIE ADAPTATIONS

Now here's a piece of news to cheer you up this Monday. You already know that pirates are the new trend on TV and we'll be seeing a number of pirate shows

 in the future beginning with Starz and their BLACK SAILS with Toby Stephens. But the latest update is that NBC is moving ahead with their own buccaneer show titled CROSSBONES! Here's the strangest piece of info - Hugh Laurie is in talks to take the lead role of the iconic swashbuckler Blackbeard in the series! According to "Deadline" the ten part epic adventure series set in 1715 would see HOUSE star playing Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, who reigns over a rogue nation of thieves, outlaws and miscreant sailors. Part shantytown, part marauder's paradise, the island is unlike any other and presents a mounting threat to international commerce. To combat the threat, skilled undercover assassin Tom Lowe is sent to take down Blackbeard, but the closer he gets, the more enthralled with the community he becomes. Developed by Neil Cross (LUTHER) CROSSBONES will be television adaptation of Colin Woodard's book "The Republic of Pirates", which is set during the golden age of piracy in the early 1700s.

CASTLE WOLFENSTEIN

In the whole storm of video game movie adaptations the latest one is CASTLE WOLFENSTEIN which will be turned into an action adventure film by PULP FICTION scribe Roger Avary. The story of the video game centres on a young U.S. Army captain and a British special

agent on a top-secret mission to Castle Wolfenstein, where Hitler will be for the unveiling of a new secret weapon. After reaching the Castle, the heroes are confronted with Himmler's SS Paranormal Division and must fight, not only for their survival, but for a mission that could alter the course of the war. The arcade game was first released back in the 1980s!

EXILE TO BABYLON

Another movie adaptation will be seen in Dark Horses' film project on their comic book EXILE TO BABYLON. The film, scheduled for next year, is set in the year 2040, where the world's precious resources are in high demand, and security is found on the streets. A private military operative of reeducated gang members - the Blackshield Angels - is the only hope of liberating a vital fuel supply from a criminal overlord. Blackshield's best agent struggles through betrayal, love, and a seemingly unending war zone - Zone 12 - to complete his mission in a dangerous world where tattooed warlords reign supreme and giant satellites watch men from above like gods.

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HOLLYWOOD SPY EXCLUSIVE SPOTLIGHT ON LAVISH TURKISH EPIC "CONQUEST 1453" OR "FETIH 1453" ON THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE!

Here's something epic and exotic for you at the same time today: a spotlight on lavish historical epic CONQUEST 1453 or FETIH 1453 coming to us from Turkey. Turkey has had a number of successful television and movie projects in recent years, mostly due to the fact that they can sell and present them to hundreds of millions of viewers in other Muslim countries around the world who share tradition and culture with them. This ambitious project, depicting the infamous Turkish invasion of Eastern Roman capital Constantinople which lead to the beginning of many centuries of bloodshed and darkness in that part of the world, had its premiere earlier this year in 

 Turkey, USA and in some European countries. Although visually spectacular, the blockbuster film was largely criticised for nationalism, for overly gentle depiction of Ottoman tyranny and for many historical inaccuracies (Constantine XI, who mostly lived in celibate is shown as a hedonist; Constantinople is depicted overly magnificent even though it had been comprehensively sacked by western crusaders in 1204; sappers tunnelling under the immense land walls that had not been breached in

1,000 years, are shown as proud Muslims but in reality they were captured Serbian miners brought there to toil as slaves).

FETIH 1453 STORY

The story of the film is set in the year of 1453, when the Byzantine capital of Constantinople was surrounded by Ottoman Turks. The city was but a shadow of its former glory due to the empire's ever receding coffers,

while the Ottoman Empire continued to grow rich. After years of tolerating the existance of Byzantium, the ambitious and warlike sultan, Mehmet II (Devrim Evin) launched his campaign to end the Byzantine Empire and take Constantinople for the Ottomans, resulting in arguably the greatest siege of that age. Before launching the invasion, Mehmet II had restored Gallipoli dockyard so that 100 galleys could be produced there in a year. Meanwhile Roman Emperor Constantine deemed Sultan Mehmet inexperienced and he didn't see a threat in him since Turkish prince Orhan was Constantine's

captive at that time. After uniting his armies, Mehmet II sent a messenger to Emperor Constantine declaring that he would no longer send the subsidy he had been paying for Orhan. After that, he started the building of the Rumelian Fortress across the Anatolian Fortress in the European side of Bosforus. This actually meant that he was declaring war against Eastern Roman Empire. This circumstance came to European states’ attention too. But to help Eastern Roman Empire was almost impossible because of the war between French, English and

German Kings who had their throne fights. Pope’s attempts remained inconclusive too. And then on April 2nd 1453, the Byzantine soldiers on the ramparts saw Sultan Mehmet arriving with thousands of Turkish soldiers…

STORY FROM HISTORY

Mehmed the Conqueror was only 21 when he conquered Constantinople and brought an end to the Byzantine Empire, absorbing its administrative apparatus into the Ottoman state. Later on Mehmed continued his conquests in Asia, with the Anatolian reunification, and  

in Europe, as far as the Kingdom of Serbia. Although Mehmed II is regarded as a national hero in Turkey the people of the conquered nations regard him as a bloodthirsty tyrant who wrapped them in centuries of darkness throwing their cultural and national development

in deep setback and enslaving half of the world under his rule. Even though he circled the city with his warships and used new type of cannons to destroy the walls, the city fell only after a two month siege when Mehmed managed to transport a number of his ships overland

 in order to surround the whole Constantinople. Some years after that Mehmed II visited the site of Troy and boasted that he had avenged the Trojans by having conquered the Greeks (Byzantines)! He also claimed

he was a new Caesar of Rome, but nobody acknowledged him the title. He did manage to perform administrative and legal reforms thus bringing prosperity to Ottoman Empire. As with a number of other Turkish sultans, it is suspected that he was poisoned by his own son Bayezit.

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