Cut Print Review » Casting http://cutprintreview.com Australian Movie Reviews, Film News & Competitions Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:56:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Casting begins on Judd Apatow’s ‘Knocked Up’ spin-off http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/casting-begins-on-judd-apatows-knocked-up-spin-off/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/casting-begins-on-judd-apatows-knocked-up-spin-off/#comments Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:44:25 +0000 Tel Benjamin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=16861 One of my favourite Judd Apatow (40 Year old Virgin, Funny People) comedies would have to be his sophomore directing effort Knocked Up, the 2007 Seth Rogen (Green Hornet, Superbad) vehicle that proved to be a perfect example of comedy gold with heart. That’s why, back in January, I was excited when Hitflix got the scoop from Apatow himself that his next job as writer/director would be set [...]]]> One of my favourite Judd Apatow (40 Year old Virgin, Funny People) comedies would have to be his sophomore directing effort Knocked Up, the 2007 Seth Rogen (Green Hornet, Superbad) vehicle that proved to be a perfect example of comedy gold with heart. That’s why, back in January, I was excited when Hitflix got the scoop from Apatow himself that his next job as writer/director would be set in the same universe as Knocked Up. The plot for the untitled film supposedly revolves around Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann’s characters Pete and Debbie, the married couple living with Katherine Heigl’s character Alison in the original film. Hence, the film is set to be a spin-off rather than a direct sequel or prequel, similar to what Get Him To The Greek was to Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Having not heard anything of it since, I was under the impression it was just one of the many Hollywood ideas left to float in limbo but some very interesting news has surfaced from two separate sources, both confirming that this comedy is now in pre-production. Deadline’s Mike Fleming has it that none other than comedy legend, writer and director Albert Brooks (Broadcast News, The Muse) is in negotiations to play the father of Rudd’s character Pete in the new spin-off. No word on how his role comes into play as the plot is under wraps, but I’m expecting it to be in the vein of Robert DeNiro’s Meet the Parents performance.

Meanwhile, Hollywood Reporter has the exclusive that the beautiful Megan Fox (Jonah Hex, Transformers) is being optioned to star alongside Mann, Rudd and Brooks. I’m sure some are skeptical by this casting decision, but I’m willing to believe Fox has some comedy acting chops that are just waiting to shine and, after Jonah Hex, let’s be honest, she needs a hit. Rudd and Mann had great chemistry in Knocked Up, so with the right supporting cast and a classic Apatow screenplay, this has the potential to be something great.

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/casting-begins-on-judd-apatows-knocked-up-spin-off/feed/ 1 Kevin Costner cast in Superman reboot ‘Man of Steel’? http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/kevin-costner-cast-in-superman-reboot-man-of-steel/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/kevin-costner-cast-in-superman-reboot-man-of-steel/#comments Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:55:17 +0000 Tel Benjamin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=16310 The guys at Deadline have it that Mr Waterworld himself Kevin Costner is in talks to star in Superman: Man of Steel alongside Henry Cavill (Tudors), who was recently cast to don the blue tights, and Lindsay Lohan, who is rumored to be playing villain Ursa.

To be directed by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen), Man of Steel is the latest attempt by [...]]]> The guys at Deadline have it that Mr Waterworld himself Kevin Costner is in talks to star in Superman: Man of Steel alongside Henry Cavill (Tudors), who was recently cast to don the blue tights, and Lindsay Lohan, who is rumored to be playing villain Ursa.

To be directed by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen), Man of Steel is the latest attempt by Warner Bros. to reboot the Superman franchise after the sub-par box-office performance of 2006′s Superman Returns. The film is being produced by Snyder’s wife Deborah Snyder, Christopher Nolan, Nolan’s wife Emma Thomas and Charles Roven (who obviously mustn’t be married). Chris Nolan, who is currently working on his sequel to 2008′s The Dark Knight, is also writing the screenplay with frequent collaborator David S. Goyer.

No word on who Costner is set to play, but my bet is on it being Jor-El, Clark Kent’s scientist father who sends the tyke to Earth in the first place. He was previously portrayed by Marlon Brando in the 1978 Superman.

Man of Steel is due out December 2012 and if Snyder’s latest film, Sucker Punch, is as awesome as the trailers suggest I’m going to have trouble waiting.

Superman Posing Kevin Costner cast in Superman reboot Man of Steel?

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/kevin-costner-cast-in-superman-reboot-man-of-steel/feed/ 0 Not so unlucky now Mr. Cavill… http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/not-so-unlucky-now-mr-cavill/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/not-so-unlucky-now-mr-cavill/#comments Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:12:50 +0000 Katina Vangopoulos http://cutprintreview.com/?p=15341 A sigh of immense relief. That would’ve been the first reaction for Henry Cavill as the world was let in on the latest superhero secret. At the announcement the Englishman is to be the next Superman (in yet another reboot of the franchise), months of speculation have finally come to a close, and now Cavill can breathe easy knowing his shot has finally come.

The ‘unluckiest man in Hollywood’ tag [...]]]> A sigh of immense relief. That would’ve been the first reaction for Henry Cavill as the world was let in on the latest superhero secret. At the announcement the Englishman is to be the next Superman (in yet another reboot of the franchise), months of speculation have finally come to a close, and now Cavill can breathe easy knowing his shot has finally come.

The ‘unluckiest man in Hollywood’ tag would no doubt be a huge weight on anyone’s shoulders – but for Cavill it has truly been brutal. While finding success on BBC’s The Tudors (shown on Foxtel’s Showtime in Australia), he has been unlucky to barely miss out on some major roles. There was the last Superman film (Superman Returns, going to Brandon Routh), then Batman Begins (lost to Christian Bale) and of course the latest Bond reboot (now helmed by Daniel Craig). While for Bond he was considered too young, by author Stephenie Meyer he was deemed too old to play the role of Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise, which he was the hot favourite for (as well as her personal dream choice while writing the books). The poor guy couldn’t win.

With smaller roles in Stardust and Tristan+Isolde, the jump to Superman will bring a different kind of weight for Cavill, as it arguably unsuccessfully did for Routh. The new announcement has been in the pipeline for some time but it seems now that Superman Returns will be totally disregarded in the history of the franchise. Ok, so it didn’t make the big bucks it probably should’ve – but what’s to blame there? It’s almost as if the Man of Steel franchise wasn’t being taken seriously at that point… but it sure as hell will be now. Zack Snyder’s (Watchmen, 300) made a big impact with the small amount of films he’s released; it’s understandable that someone well and truly on a roll is the best person for the job. And of course there’s Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Inception) slated as the produce. Nuff said. We should expect plenty of action and a meatier story than we’re used to from the previous films – how extremely interesting it would be if they used anything at all from Smallville as a case study (still going after 10 seasons if you were wondering… can hardly believe it myself). Highly unlikely, but with these two on board anything can happen.

As for Cavill, it’s his time to step up. After the one (or four) that got away, all eyes will be on him until the 2012 release with high and intrigued anticipation. These kinds of roles are life-changing for anyone lucky enough to be a ‘chosen one’. He should be thanking his lucky stars. And if Superman: Man of Steel blows us away, so will we.

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/not-so-unlucky-now-mr-cavill/feed/ 3 Soderbergh assembles an epic cast for ‘Contagion’ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/soderbergh-assembles-a-epic-cast-for-contagion/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/soderbergh-assembles-a-epic-cast-for-contagion/#comments Sun, 21 Mar 2010 09:15:39 +0000 Leigh Credlin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=9982 After surprising many by casting adult film star Sasha Grey as the lead in his recent film The Girlfriend Experience, Academy Award winning director Steven Soderbergh has decided to enlist the crème-da-la-crème of A-List actors to headline his latest cinematic offering Contagion. In this action/thriller Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow and Laurence Fishburne will battle the threat posed by a deadly disease. Whilst [...]]]> After surprising many by casting adult film star Sasha Grey as the lead in his recent film The Girlfriend Experience, Academy Award winning director Steven Soderbergh has decided to enlist the crème-da-la-crème of A-List actors to headline his latest cinematic offering Contagion. In this action/thriller Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow and Laurence Fishburne will battle the threat posed by a deadly disease. Whilst exact character descriptions have yet to be revealed, it is known that some of the cast will make up an international team of doctors contracted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to deal with the outbreak and that Jude Law will be playing, as he told MTV Movies Blog, “a kind of unbridled blogger who’s a sort of scaremonger”.

I am totally psyched for this movie, and think that it could be a combination of Babel and Children of Men. The only problem that I can see arising is that with an extremely talented cast like this one, some actors may not be given enough ‘meaty’ scenes to shine in. Other than that, bring on Soderbergh’s epidemic I say.

[Source: /Film]

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/soderbergh-assembles-a-epic-cast-for-contagion/feed/ 3 Carey Mulligan signs on for biopic ‘Effie’ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/carey-mulligan-signs-on-for-biopic-effie/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/carey-mulligan-signs-on-for-biopic-effie/#comments Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:01:25 +0000 Leigh Credlin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=9914 In her breakthrough role as Jenny Miller in An Education, Carey Mulligan captured the hearts of the entire world, with many labelling her as “the next Audrey Hepburn”. Since then, it seems that everybody wants a piece of the young actress, with the likes of Oliver Stone, Jim Sheridan and Michael Mann jumping at the chance to cast her in their films. Also keen to work with Mulligan again is Emma Thompson who, after co-starring together in An Education, has chosen her to star in the upcoming film Effie.

Written by Thompson (who as well as winning an Oscar for best actress has one for best screenplay) this biopic focuses on the relationship between Victorian poet and artist, John Ruskin (to be played by Thompson’s husband Greg Wise), and his young wife Effie Gray. After marrying Effie, who inspired some of his most beautiful and poignant work, Ruskin suddenly realised that he had made a mistake and therefore postpones their consummation. Filming is hoped to begin shooting soon on location in Venice and Scotland.

For her screenplay, Thompson will draw heavily on the actual letters written by Grey, so don’t be surprised if comparisons to Jane Campion’s Bright Star begin to be made, as she too used the love letters of John Keats and Fanny Brawne to write the screenplay of her film.

Under Thompson’s wing, I think that this role is a great one for Mulligan, providing her with the chance to move away from the naive young girls she has successfully played countless times before. Additionally, the role of the struggling wife is a role particularly favoured by the Academy, with Grace Kelly, Kim Hunter, Marcia Gay Harden and Jennifer Connelly (among others) all winning for their portrayals of neglected spouses. Therefore, if the film is as good as it sounds, Mulligan may find herself with the Oscar that Sandra Bullock stole from her this year.

Source: [The Film Stage]

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/carey-mulligan-signs-on-for-biopic-effie/feed/ 3 Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess to spend ‘One Day’ together http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/anne-hathaway-and-jim-sturgess-to-spend-one-day-together/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/anne-hathaway-and-jim-sturgess-to-spend-one-day-together/#comments Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:09:08 +0000 Leigh Credlin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=9880 Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess are reportedly in early negotiations to star in One Day, the next feature film from Lone Scherfig, director of last year’s coming-of-age drama An Education. Based on David Nicholls novel, the film follows the love affair between Emma (Hathaway) and Dexter (Sturgess), who first meet in 1988 at their graduation and proceed to meet one day a year for the next 20 years, until they finally realise they are meant to be together.

Hathaway and Sturgess make for a likeable and attractive couple and, under the direction of Scherfig, will most likely give enjoyable and consistent performances. It will be interesting to see them handle the scenes set in 20 years time and whether or not Hathaway will once again be able to maintain a convincing British accent, after giving us a pretty good one in Becoming Jane. In a nutshell, I’m predicting that this is going to be a combination of When Harry Met Sally, Love Story and An Affair to Remember for the younger generation.

Source: [The Hollywood Reporter]

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/anne-hathaway-and-jim-sturgess-to-spend-one-day-together/feed/ 0 Glenn Close pulls on the pants for ‘Albert Nobbs’ adaptation http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/glenn-close-pulls-on-the-pants-for-albert-nobbs-adaptation/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/glenn-close-pulls-on-the-pants-for-albert-nobbs-adaptation/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:02:41 +0000 Leigh Credlin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=9889 Returning to film after dabbling in television (her role as a tough-as-nails lawyer in Damages has earned her many  awards), Glenn Close will star alongside Orlando Bloom, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Amanda Seyfried in the forthcoming film Albert Nobbs.

In 19th Century Ireland, Close plays a woman who, for the last twenty years, has disguised herself and lived as a man in order to take advantages of the luxuries, opportunities and wealth not offered to women. Whilst disguised as the title character, she finds herself involved in an unusual love triangle and realises that she has confined herself to a prison of her own making. Making up the last two sides of the triangle are Seyfried as a maid who becomes involved with Nobbs and Bloom who will play her lover. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Michael Gambon and Janet McTeer are also on board for the film, which is to be directed by Rodrigo Garcia, who has previously worked with Close in Nine Lives and Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her.

After five failed bids at Oscar glory and a plethora of memorable characters, it appears that Close is taking her chances of winning an Academy Award into her own hands. Having previously appeared in the Off-Broadway incarnation The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs, it would seem that Close is leaving nothing to chance in her bid for the Little Gold Man, as this time round she is personally involved in the writing and the producing of the adaption. Even if the film itself is mediocre, if Close is able to carry the weight of the film and deliver a powerhouse performance (which I think she will) there is no doubt that she will be rewarded for her efforts.

[Sources: Cinematical, Deadline, IMDB]

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/glenn-close-pulls-on-the-pants-for-albert-nobbs-adaptation/feed/ 1 Evan Rachel Wood and Guy Pearce join Kate Winslet in ‘Mildred Pierce’ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/evan-rachel-wood-and-guy-pearce-join-kate-winslet-in-mildred-pierce/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/evan-rachel-wood-and-guy-pearce-join-kate-winslet-in-mildred-pierce/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:34:19 +0000 Leigh Credlin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=9865 For her duel powerhouse performances in The Reader and Revolutionary Road, Kate Winslet won just about every major film award going, including the Oscar, BAFTA, SAG and two Golden Globes. Yet, there is still one coveted acting award not sitting in her trophy cabinet: the Emmy award. However now that casting is complete on her new HBO miniseries “Mildred Pierce” further accolades, including the Emmy, are more than likely forthcoming.

Adapted from James M. Cain’s novel, this Depression set drama tells the story of Mildred Pierce (Winslet), a middle-class single mother of two, working as a waitress to make ends meet and struggling to earn her eldest daughter Veda’s love. Joining Winslet in director Todd Hayes’ (Far from Heaven) five-part miniseries are Evan Rachel Wood, who will play Mildred’s bitchy, scheming daughter Veda and Guy Pearce as the heroine’s wealthy playboy love interest. Rounding out the cast are recent Oscar nominee Melissa Leo as Mildred’s BFF Ida, Brian F. O’Byrne as her ex-husband Bert and James LeGros, a business partner of his.

HBO’s forthcoming adaption is not the first of Cain’s novel, having previously been adapted into a star-vehicle for Joan Crawford, who went on to win the Best Actress Oscar for her performance. With filming scheduled to begin on location in New York in April, this is sure to be an awards magnet for all involved.

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/evan-rachel-wood-and-guy-pearce-join-kate-winslet-in-mildred-pierce/feed/ 0 Matt Damon set to play Robert F. Kennedy in biopic http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/matt-damon-rfk/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/matt-damon-rfk/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:10:30 +0000 Leigh Credlin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=9844 In what would have to be a director’s casting match made in heaven, all American actor Matt Damon is set to play all American politician Robert F. Kennedy in an upcoming biopic directed by Gary Ross (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit). From a screenplay by Steven Knight, who has adapted the Kennedy biography ‘My Life’ by Evan Thomas, RFK begins during the aftermath of JFK’s assassination and follows Bobby as he steps out from his brother’s shadow and becomes a political leader in his own right.

This is not the first time the younger Kennedy has been the subject of a biopic. In 2006, Emilio Estevez’s ensemble piece Bobby depicted the events of June 5th 1968; the night the presidential candidate received the gunshot wound that would eventually kill him. However, I believe that this second biopic is going to be light years ahead of that film (which was a critical and commercial failure), and this is primarily because of the inspired piece of casting that Damon is. Yes there is the obvious and uncanny resemblance that Damon bears with the assassinated senator, but he also has the acting ability to pull off such a role (another Oscar nomination will probably be heading his way) and thanks to his role in The Bourne Trilogy, has enough star power to ensure that it performs well at the box office upon its release. No other casting has been announced.

[Source: News In Film, IMDB]

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/matt-damon-rfk/feed/ 2 Viggo Mortensen to get his Freud on in Cronenberg’s ‘The Talking Cure’ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/viggo-mortensen-to-get-his-freud-on-in-the-talking-cure/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/viggo-mortensen-to-get-his-freud-on-in-the-talking-cure/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:55:05 +0000 Leigh Credlin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=9777 After his original choice Christoph Waltz (who is in high demand thanks to his Oscar-winning turn in Inglorious Basterds) dropped out to co-star with Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson in circus flick Water for Elephants mastermind director David Cronenberg (pictured above) has persuaded his old pal and frequent leading man Viggo Mortensen to play Sigmund Freud in his biopic The Talking Cure. Joining Mortensen on Freud’s couch are previously announced Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightley.

Adapted from Christopher Hampton’s play of the same name, The Talking Cure focuses on the relationships between celebrated psychoanalysts and rivals Freud and Carl Jung (Fassbender) and Sabina Spielrein (Knightley), a disturbed Russian girl brought in by her father to see Jung, who subsequently develops personal and intimate relationships with both men.

With filming tentatively scheduled to commence in May (after Knightley finishes her West End theatre run), I simply cannot wait for this film to be released. With its immensely talented and popular cast, brilliant director, dramatic subject matter and it’s “biopic factor”, it wouldn’t surprise me if The Talking Cure becomes a major contender in next year’s awards season. Expect it to be a dark, psychological, Hitchcock-esque mind bender.

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/viggo-mortensen-to-get-his-freud-on-in-the-talking-cure/feed/ 0 Abbie Cornish joins Vera Farmiga for Madonna’s royal scandal biopic ‘W.E’ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/abbie-cornish-joins-we/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/abbie-cornish-joins-we/#comments Sun, 14 Mar 2010 03:08:28 +0000 Leigh Credlin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=9749 Given that her last attempt at acting halted her then husbands burgeoning directing career, I am slightly pleased that Madonna has decided not to grace the silver screen again for her next film outing, but has instead chosen to step behind the camera and try her hand at directing. The reigning Queen of Pop’s film will depict the scandalous affair between British monarch King Edward VIII and socialite Wallis Simpson that led to his decision to abdicate the throne in 1936 so he could marry the twice-divorced American. Simpson’s story is set to be told parallel with Wally Winthrop’s, a modern-day woman who is obsessed with the Duchess of Windsor and finds herself facing her own similar romantic dilemmas.

The two actresses that Madonna has chosen to play the two women are Vera Farmiga (recent Oscar nominee for Up in the Air) and recently announced Abbie Cornish (who I still can’t believe was snubbed at every awards show this season for Bright Star). Both Farmiga and Cornish, playing Simpson and Winthrop respectively, are exceptional actresses who have the ability to completely absorb themselves into their characters and are ultimately what I think will be the films saving grace. Although I just hope that Madonna doesn’t do to Farmiga and Cornish careers what she very nearly did to ex-husband Guy Ritchie. No other casting announcements have been made, although David Tennant was previously considered to play the king.

[Source: Daily Mail]

]]> http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/abbie-cornish-joins-we/feed/ 1 Adam Sandler persuades Nicole Kidman to ‘Just Go With It’ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/adam-sandler-persuades-nicole-kidman-to-just-go-with-it/ http://cutprintreview.com/news/casting/adam-sandler-persuades-nicole-kidman-to-just-go-with-it/#comments Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:38:38 +0000 Leigh Credlin http://cutprintreview.com/?p=9737 Please, please, please say it isn’t so. In what is quite possibly the most disturbing and unexpected piece of casting news of the week, Nicole Kidman, the Academy Award winner currently deemed by critics to be box office poison and one of my personal favourite actresses, has reportedly joined the cast of the upcoming rom-com Just Go For It.

That’s right, the actress responsible for powerhouse performances in films like The Hours, Dogville and The Others is joining Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston and current Sports Illustrated cover girl Brooklyn Decker, in a less-than-lacklustre story of a man (Sandler) so afraid of commitment that he tells his girlfriend (Decker) that he is married. When she threatens to leave him, he persuades a woman (Aniston) and her children to act as his family to prove his honesty. Kidman is poised to play Rae Ann Devlin, a character whose exact role in the film has yet to be announced.

Whilst many believe that Kidman could simply be appearing in a cameo appearance, ala her ex-husband Tom Cruise’s cameo in Tropic Thunder, I can’t help but think that this particular career move is still going to be massacred by the critics, especially since her previous forays into the comedy genre, such as The Stepford Wives and Bewitched, have been critical and commercial flops. And this is a shame really, because she once possessed a winning talent for dark humour and comedy, such as To Die For and Margot at the Wedding. So maybe if Nicole really wants to do comedies (which at the moment it seems she does) then I think she should look for a script that is darker, and not so much romantic-fluff. This casting announcement is equally unexpected because her recent line up of films Rabbit Hole (completed) and The Danish Girl (announced), hinted to her fans of a possible return to the dramatic, powerhouse performances that once made her the Queen of Hollywood and the toast of award ceremonies. I wait for this film with baited breath.

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