HENRY CAVILL FOR "GODZILLA"! BRAD PITT IS "PONTIUS PILATE"? "SHADOW OF COLOSSUS" EPIC FILM! "CINDERELLA" LEFT WITHOUT MARK ROMANEK!

 Lots of movie news from the epic genre today, people, and you know your trusted HOLLYWOOD SPY is one of web's biggest sources for all things epic and

  historical! The latest piece of info coming from "Deadline" says that Brad Pitt wants to wear sandals again after his rather weak attempt in TROY where he tried to play Achilles. He is now apparently negotiating with Warner Bros to star in their biblical epic which will depict the life of infamous PONTIUS PILATE, the judge at Jesus Christ's trial who sentenced God's son to death by crucifixion. The movie on the fifth Prefect of the Roman province of Judaea from AD 26-36 will be based on historical fact, and will chronicle the life of Pontius Pilate leading up to the sentencing and crucifixion of Christ.In last two years at least five or six Biblical films have been announced but none got into production, except Russell Crowe's NOAH which will be a futuristic epic.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

In other epic news today, "The Hollywood Reporter" writes about the Sony Pictures movie adaptation of famous video game SHADOW OF COLOSSUS. Josh Trank, who had CHRONICLE sleeper hit earlier last year, will direct this fantasy adventure centred on a young man named Wander, who was tasked with defeating sixteen massive colossi in order to save a girl named Mono, and restore peace and order to his kingdom. Speaking of fantasy projects, Disney has parted its ways with Mark Romanek who was supposed to helm their movie adaptation of CINDERELLA adding the blond beauty to other already filmed fairy tales from SNOW WHITE to ALICE IN WONDERLAND and HANSEL AND GRETEL. Romanek's vision of the classic tale was apparently too edgy and too grim and dark for Disney. As I reported some time earlier this winter Cate Blanchett is supposed to play the evil stepmother, while a bunch of young actresses including Alicia Vikander and Saoirse Ronan are auditioning for the titular role.

HENRY CAVILL IN GODZILLA

Also kinda epic, but in a monstrous way is GODZILLA which is getting a remake at Warner Bross. Gareth Edwards will direct the movie on the

 legendary monster which is to hit cinemas together with the remake of TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES in May 2014. The info coming from "Digital Spy" is that Henry Cavill is in the run to take the lead role in the remake, and other candidates for the roles are Caleb Landry Jones and Scoot McNairy. Frank Darabont who got his fame back with his successful work on THE WALKING DEAD is writing the script. You already know that after playing Superman in MAN OF STEEL, Henry will also star in another epic adventure - THE GREAT WALL with Benjamin Walker and Zhang Ziyi - a historical mystery centred around the construction of the Great Wall of China.

Read More

"BIG SUR" TRAILER WITH JEAN MARC BARR, JOSH LUCAS! ANJELICA HUSTON, MILLA JOVOVICH IN 19TH CENTURY "THE WINTER QUEEN"! JULIA ROBERTS, MATT BOMER, MARK RUFFALO IN "THE NORMAL HEART"

Here's an interesting project for you and it's a period piece: Russian director Fedor Bondarchuk will helm a movie adaptation of Boris Akunin's international bestselling novel THE WINTER QUEEN. Milla Jovovich, Anjelica Huston and David Thewlis will lead the cast in the story of intrepid young police detective Erast Fandorin and a mystery that begins with the suicides of several wealthy young men throughout 1886 Russia and ends in an extensive plot for global domination. Fandorin's naïve wit and the suave yet volatile Count Zurov (David Thewlis) are his only protection from the ever more elaborate attempts on his life as he follows the conspiracy from Russia to England and back again; navigating unknown worlds with charm if not with ease. The enigmatic femme fatale Amalia (Milla Jovovich) seems to be somehow at the centre of it all, but can the saintly British aristocrat Lady Astair (Anjelica Huston), founder of a string of orphanages which have greatly benefited from the wills of the affluent dead men, really be trusted?

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

A project HOLLYWOOD SPY has announced more than a year ago is finally moving on: according to "The Hollywood Reporter" the adaptation of Larry Kramer's THE NORMAL HEART  will see the light of the day at HBO in 2014. Based on the Tony winning play, this 

telepic will star Julia Roberts, Matt Bomer and Mark Ruffalo. To be directed by Ryan Murphy, the man behind GLEE, AMERICAN HORROR STORY and THE NEW NORMAL, the story of the film will take place in New York City during the early '80s onset of the HIV/AIDS crisis. Julia Roberts plays a paraplegic physician working with some of the earliest patients of the disease.  Mark Ruffalo will play writer and activist Ned Weeks through whose eyes we shall follow the rise of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City between 1981 and 1984, and Matt Bomer, who is gay in his real life too, will play Ruffalo's boyfriend, a fashion designer who has AIDS, while Alec Baldwin will play Ruffalo's brother, a rich lawyer who has difficulties accepting his brother as a gay person.

BIG SUR TRAILER

The only trailer I have for you is a visually very striking one for BIG SUR,  Michael Polish's big screen adaptation of the Jack Kerouac novel which stars Jean-Marc Barr, Kate Bosworth and Josh Lucas, and depicts the consequences of the fame that the novel

 brought to its troubled author once it finally was published years later. French star Jean-Marc Barr plays Jack Kerouac, a man besieged by sudden notoriety and unable to cope with its trappings, such as TV appearances, recognition and wealth! Kate Bosworth plays his

 fiancee and the centre of the love triangle between Kerouac and his best friend Neal Cassady played by Josh Lucas. To premiere at Sundance Film Festival, the film takes place in Big Sur, California, where Kerouac visited his friend Lawrence Ferlinghetti, as well as San Francisco.

Read More

EMILY BLUNT, MICHAEL FASSBENDER IN RUN FOR "GONE GIRL"! JOHN KRASINSKI, JOSEPH GORDON LEVITT, MICHAEL ROSENBAUM IN RUN FOR "GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY"! "METEGOL" ANIMATED TRAILER

Now these are certainly exciting pieces of news: according to "Digital Spy" British rose Emily Blunt is the top contender for the lead role

 in the movie adaptation of GONE GIRL bestseller by Gillian Flynn which was sold in over two million copies last year. To be produced by Reese Witherspoon (who was originally mentioned for the role) the movie will tell the story of a man who comes home to discover his wife has disappeared - the story then alternates between the perspectives of the husband and the missing wife herself. Charlize Theron has also been mentioned for this role, while names mentioned for the lead male role include Michael Fassbender, Jon Hamm and Ryan Gosling. 20th Century Fox has paid $1,5 million for the movie rights! We shall see Millie Blunt at the Golden Globes later this month since she is nominated for best comedy/musical actress for SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN!

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

And the casting games for 2014 super hero flick GUARDIANS OF 

THE GALAXY are continuing: after a bunch of uber cool names, from Eddie Redmayne and James Marsden to Zachary Levi, Jim Sturgess and Lee Pace, have been mentioned for the lead role of Star-lord, the new actors thrown in the game are Emily Blunt's hubs John Krasinski, Joseph Gordon Levitt and even SMALLVILLE's Michael Rosenbaum. One of them will get the role of the intergalactic policeman and the leader of the Guardians. Meanwhile Old Spice advert star Isaiah Mustafa, Brian Patrick Wade and former WWE Superstar Dave Bautista are in the running for the role of Drax the Destroyer, the green-skinned warrior created with the sole purpose of destroying villainous Thanos!

METEGOL TRAILER

Here's another delightful trailer for you - it is for Argentinian animated film METEGOL coming from famous director Juan Jose Campanella. The film tells the story of Amadeo, a shy but talented boy, and of a foosball team that is trying to get back together after having been dismantled. With the help of the foosball players, Amadeo will have to face his most terrible rival on the football pitch: the Champ. Guided by their leader, the charismatic Right Winger, the foosball players and Amadeo will set off on a great adventure together, like a true team, to get back the dignity that the Champ stole from them.

Read More

TRAILERS FOR "UNFINISHED SONG" WITH TERENCE STAMP, GEMMA ARTERTON, VANESSA REDGRAVE & "SIDE EFFECTS" WITH CATHERINE ZETA JONES, JUDE LAW, CHANNING TATUM! CONCEPT ART FOR SF FILM "SNOWPIERCER" WITH CHRIS EVANS, JAMIE BELL, OCTAVIA SPENCER!

Continuing the lovely trend of films with senior actors (I've spotlighted a number of them recently), we have a delightful comedy UNFINISHED SONG  (previously titled SONG FOR MARION) and you can check out the first trailer for it today. This is a London-set

comedic drama about shy, grumpy pensioner Arthur (Terence Stamp) who is reluctantly inspired by his beloved wife Marion (Vanessa Redgrave) to join a highly unconventional local choir. At odds with his son James, it is left to charismatic choir director Elizabeth (Gemma 

Arterton) to try and persuade Arthur that he can learn to embrace life. Arthur must confront the undercurrents of his own grumbling persona as he embarks on a hilarious, life-affirming journey of musical self discovery.

HOLLYWOOD SPY HEADLINES

One of the future projects we are looking forward to is definitely sf action SNOWPIERCER which will probably arrive to cinemas later this year, but we now have interesting concept art pictures for the film which is set in a futuristic time in which a disastrous attempt to prevent

global warming has created an ice age in which the survivors struggle to adapt to existence in the only safe climate aboard the titular Snowpiercer. This is actually a huge train which constantly moves and 

never stops and which carries a whole society within its wagons - survivors who live in the train separated into classes. A rather amazing cast includes Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, Edd Haris, John Hurt...

SIDE EFFECTS TRAILER 

Another interesting trailer I can offer you today in the dry holiday period is the second one for Steven Soderbergh's thriller SIDE 

EFFECTS which opens up in cinemas this February. Starring the sensational trio Jude Law, Catherine Zeta Jones and Channing Tatum the  provocative thriller revolves around Emily and Martin (Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum), a successful New York couple whose world unravels when a new drug prescribed by Emily's psychiatrist (Jude Law) - intended to treat anxiety - has unexpected side effects. The tagline is - one pill can change your life.

Read More

HOLLYWOOD SPY EXCLUSIVE SPOTLIGHT ON ITV'S PERIOD SERIES "MR. SELFRIDGES" WITH JEREMY PIVEN, FRANCES O'CONNOR, KATHERINE KELLY ON THE EARLY DAYS OF FAMOUS BRITISH STORE

You've probably noticed how TV companies love to make rival projects, and this is especially visible in UK. BBC and ITV recent rival projects on similar topics were DOWNTON ABBEY vs UPSTAIRS DOWN- STAIRS, and you remember a while ago when I spotlighted BBC mini series THE PARADISE set in the first English department store, how I told you that ITV is preparing a counterstrike in the form of MR. SELFRIDGES series. Well, that show is finally about to hit the small screens and will try to steal the success of THE PARADISE which was rather popular among the viewers.

THE STORY & THE CAST

The story of ITV's new period series will be set in Selfridges department store at the start of the 20th Century and will try to depict a time of decadence, female empowerment and shopping. TV star Jeremy  

Piven portrays Harry Selfridge, the maverick American businessman who founded the landmark Oxford Street store and reinvented the concept of shopping for Edwardian-era women. His mission was to make shopping as thrilling as sex. Pioneering and reckless, with an

almost manic energy, he created a theatre of retail where any topic or trend that was new, exciting, entertaining - or sometimes just eccentric - was showcased. After shipping his wife Rose (Frances O'Connor) and children over to British shores while he runs his store, Harry crosses paths with glamorous stage entertainer Ellen Love whose alluring

 looks make her the chosen face of Selfridges. Busy at work within the lavish department store are business-minded shop assistant Agnes (Aisling Loftus), flamboyant creative director and early-day Don Draper, Henri Leclair (Grégory Fitoussi), trusted chief of staff Mr Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill) and confident head of accessories, Miss 

Mardle (Amanda Abbington). Meanwhile Harry is busy making important connections to increase his standing in British society – namely in the form of Lady Mae (Katherine Kelly) - a powerful socialite whose connections prove vital in building the Selfridges empire and who will become his financial backer and his muse.

MR. SELFRIDGES TIDBITS

The series starts airing today, Sunday January 6th over in UK at ITV, while its life over on American small screens will start in March at PBS 

Masterpiece.The creator of the show is Andrew Davies, Emmy and Bafta winning writer who is known for his adaptations of period novels such as PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, VANITY FAIR, MIDDLEMARCH, SENSE AND SENSEBILITY. Through the innovations & spectacular

events Harry Selfridge staged within the store, the stories will shine a light on hidden moments of the history of women, be it fashion, cosmetics, technology or domestic affairs! Something for the ladies, while their gents watch GAME OF THRONES.

Read More

ROMANTIC TRAILER FOR "SAFE HAVEN" WITH JOSH DUHAMEL & JULIANNE HOUGH AND A TENSE AND SCARY ONE FOR RUSSIAN DISASTER BLOCKBUSTER "METRO"

I really couldn't imagine a better combination - Nicholas Sparks, who wrote so many amazing love books and films (DEAR JOHN, THE LAST SONG, THE NOTEBOOK, THE LUCKY ONE) and Lasse Hallstrom, the director

 of amazing warmth (CHOCOLAT, SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN, DEAR JOHN, CIDER HOUSE RULES) are working together in new romantic drama SAFE HAVEN which is ready to open up in cinemas this February. Starring handsome Josh Duhamel and gorgeous Julianne Hough, with Cobie Smulders and David Lyons, this is the story about a young woman with a mysterious past who lands in Southport, North Carolina where her bond with a widower forces her to confront the dark secret that haunts her. Believe it or not, this February will be filled with extremely dark horrors or violent action flicks, so this might be your only chance to see something romantic in the month of love.

SCARY METRO TRAILER

 It has been a very slow holiday week, so the only other trailer I have to show you today is an extended, extremely exciting and scary trailer for

Russian blockbuster METRO (SUBWAY) which is currently showing in Russian cinemas and might get a worldwide release later this year. The story of the movie revolves around an accident in Russian subway which leaves the train stuck in the subterranean tunnels which suddenly start filling with water. The extended clip from the film shows the first reactions of the passengers after the crash and all of the nasty human characteristics which come to surface in such absent hours. As "Twitch" reports, the director manages to to tell a compelling story with complex characters shining through in the middle of chaos with the use of absolutely bare minimum dialogue.

ATTENTION! 

And I have bad news, people. I've had a death in my family today, so I will probably have to take a day or two long break in order to take care of the things in this unexpected sad event. Bare with me, please, I will be back as soon as possible. Since it is generally an extremely slow holiday week in the movie news business, you will not miss much info. See you when I get back, keep reading and commenting. I will try to pop over here when I grab a few free moments during the day to answer your comments and visit your places.

Read More

JULIAN MORRIS' PRINCE PHILIP BACK TO "ONCE UPON A TIME", ROSE MCGOWAN & ETHAN EMBRY ALSO IN! NEW TRAILER FOR GEMMA ARTERTON'S & JEREMY RENNER'S "HANSEL & GRETEL WITCH HUNTERS"

Well, I was just about to quit watching ONCE UPON A TIME when it return to the second season this January since it kinda turned from

 fantasy show into a crime or mystery one, and the lack of focus on the lead characters has watered down the whole series, but they do plan to have new cast additions so I might very well give them another chance: first the most amazing news is that wonderful Julian Morris, who so brilliantly (show's co creator Adam Horovitz praised him personally in a recent tweet) portrayed Prince Philip at the beginning of the season but was then killed off, will return to the cast! Two new names will be Rose McGowan who will appear in an origin episode as young version's of Regina's mother Cora (played by Barbara Hershey), stunning Chad Michael Collins will play Doctor Frankenstein's brother Gerhardt, while Ethan Embry will also join them in an unknown role!

HANSEL & GRETEL WITCH HUNTERS TRAILER 2

Your first trailer in the new year, my little freaks, will be the second trailer for a rather unfortunate movie HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS. The bizarre movie adaptation of the famous kids fairy tale was first

  supposed to premiere in 2012 but was moved to January this year, a month known as the graveyard for films. After getting "a taste for witch blood" during their original adventure in the gingerbread house, the famous siblings Hansel and Gretel grow up to become warriors fighting against the forces of supernatural evil. 15 years later, the pair find themselves subject to a plot to end their threat to the witches. The new trailer shows us more of the siblings, revealing something of their fairytale past and their transformation into bounty hunters. As you know, the lead roles went to Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner with Famke Janssen as the main witch. The film is out January 25th in USA.

Read More