ForestWhitaker Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Brody, Whitaker, Wood, and Gigandet Sign on for 'The Experiment'
Filed under: Drama », Thrillers », Casting », Scripts »
Here we go again! The latest film to get put through the remake ringer: Das Experiment. But at least this incarnation is getting a pretty interesting cast. Variety reports that Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker, Elijah Wood, and Cam Gigandet will star in The Experiment, Paul Scheuring's (Prison Break) take on the German psychological thriller.For the uninitiated, Experiment focuses on a collection of ordinary guys who sign up for a research study. They must become a group of guards and prisoners to see what affects power and control can have on a man. Of course, those affects will be bad. Brody will be the de facto head of the prisoners, while Whitaker will play the guard who becomes corrupt with power. One can assume that the other two will fall in line on one of the two sides, although their roles aren't being shared at this time.
Man, I wonder if they'll get any pointers from Rider Strong? The Boy Meets World kid got all sick with power on Veronica Mars when Logan had to partake in this very experiment for class. But seriously -- with Brody and Whitaker at the front, this could be one sweetly dark flick. As for the Scheuring side, Prison Break never appealed to me so you wonderful readers will have to weigh in on that end. Filming begins in Iowa next month, so are you ready to tap into your darker, power-hungry side?
If Not Keanu, How About Whitaker and 50 Cent for 'Jekyll and Hyde'?
Filed under: Drama », Horror », Casting », Remakes and Sequels »
You just never know what Hollywood is going to give us. First, we get the rarely emotive Keanu Reeves set to take on the world of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which wasn't an idea that pleased many readers. Almost a week later, we're getting another remake of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and this cast might surprise you more than the first -- although it's still sure to be better. Variety reports that Abel Ferrara is re-imagining the story into a contemporary setting, calling it Jekyll and Hyde, and getting Forest Whitaker and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson to star. (To be fair: Fangoria got the scoop a few weeks ago.)Variety just says they'll play "the lead roles," but the Fangoria link fills in the particulars. While I would love to see Whitaker really command the role and both Jekyll and Hyde, which I'm sure he could do with ease) Ferrara is, sadly, splitting up the duties. Whitaker will play Jekyll, while 50 Cent plays Hyde. Nicholas De Cegli, who also grabs a role, said: "It's gonna be played totally straight. In this movie, it's the rich white people who get terrorized, and I'm going to be playing one of those white guys."
It sounds interesting, but I'm still wishing we could see Whitaker grab both and command the world of split personalities. But what do you think about this new reimagining?
Forest Whitaker Might Be 'Expendable'
Filed under: Action », Casting »
When news first hit regarding Sylvester Stallone's ensemble action flick The Expendables, it came as no surprise that some of the big names in action were willing to sign up. But it wasn't like the film had anyone attached who could be considered an 'actor with a capital A' -- however, that's about to change now that The Hollywood Reporter confirms that Forest Whitaker is in talks to take on the role of Agent Will Sands.According to THR, "Whitaker would play the CIA liaison for a group of mercenaries who are clandestinely sent to South America to overthrow a dictator." Stallone has already secured action heavyweights Jet Li, Jason Statham, and UFC star Randy Couture to star. But those of you out there who had their fingers crossed for that 'Demolition Man' reunion with the return of Sandra Bullock are going to be disappointed since Millenium Films has since dismissed the rumor as "wishful thinking" -- although, I'm not quite sure who in their right mind would be anticipating a reunion between Bullock and Stallone, of all people.
Whitaker already has four other films being released this year, and is currently filming the drama My Own Love Song with Renée Zellweger, as well as finishing up some post-production voice work on the long-delayed adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. The talks with Whitaker for Expendables are still ongoing, but it's going to be an awfully tight timeline now that Stallone is already scouting locations for a February shoot.
The Expendables is expected to arrive in theaters in 2010.
Watch This: 'Powder Blue' Trailer (aka Jessica Biel Stripper Flick)
Filed under: Drama », Independent », Fandom », Images », Trailers and Clips »
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The first trailer for the indie Powder Blue has arrived online, and it's one of those montage previews full of quick erotic cuts (did Jessica Biel just pour hot wax down her naked backside?) set to a familiar indie-centric score. Do we have any idea what this film is about after watching the trailer? Not at all, but it sure as heck looks enticing enough to warrant a screening.
Here's what we know of Powder Blue: It follows four Los Angeles residents (a mortician, an ex-con, a suicidal ex-priest and a stripper) who are brought together on Christmas Eve by a mixture of circumstances, and it stars Jessica Biel, Ray Liotta, Forest Whitaker, Patrick Swayze and tons of other people (wiki description after the jump). The trailer itself screams Crash, and if it was up to the editor, we probably would've received two and a half minutes of half-naked stripper Biel ... but who's complaining? No release date yet, and, surprisingly, this isn't playing at Sundance ... so until we find out when and where we can watch this flick in full, enjoy the trailer below ... and then screencaps of Biel and Swayze in a pimped-out blonde wig (doesn't he look like a member of Poison?) in the gallery beneath that.
Warning: NSFW
Casting Bites: Josh Charles, Justin Long, and Nick Nolte
Filed under: Drama », Casting »
Josh Charles started out strong, but sure fizzled, didn't he? I mean, he started his career with Hairspray, before heading to the Dead Poets Society, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, and soon after, the sexually dysfunctional Threesome. But now he's cameo guy, and there's a new one on the way.The Hollywood Reporter posts that Charles and Justin Long are joining the Christina Ricci and Liam Neeson-starring After.Life. Long will play the boyfriend of a woman caught between life and death (Ricci), while Charles plays his friend. (Poor guy, relegated to token roles.) This is that long-in-gestation feature that once starred Kate Bosworth, and even had a poster released waaaay back in February of 2007. But it finally seems to be moving forward.
Meanwhile...
Four Leaf Tayback, also known as Nick Nolte, has grabbed a role in My Own Love Song, according to Variety. Pretty much nothing like his last release film, Tropic Thunder, this project follows a former singer in a wheelchair during a road trip to Memphis with her friend. Renee Zellweger and Forest Whitaker star, but there's no word on who Nolte will play. Maybe her dad?
Surprise, Surprise: Now We Get Battling Louis Armstrong Projects
Filed under: Drama », Music & Musicals », Casting », Scripts »
Just a few weeks ago, there was word that Charles S. Dutton was working on a Louis Armstrong miniseries with Quincy Jones, and John Sayles -- one heck of a dream team. But of course, this is Hollywood and one project can never be enough -- especially when we're talking about a recognizable icon. Now word comes that we're getting a feature film as well. Variety reports that Forest Whitaker is not only going to star as Louis in an upcoming biopic called What a Wonderful World, but also direct it. (This is the second music icon Whitaker is becoming -- he already played Charlie Parker in Bird.) Now, while Sayles is the powerhouse behind Dutton's project, Ron Bass (Rain Man) will be writing this feature with the help of Armstrong's estate. They're allowing the Oscar-winning scribe exclusive access to personal accounts, letters, and other archive material, which should give the film some interesting depth as it starts "during the musician's impoverished early years in New Orleans and [will] primarily chronicle his career as a trumpet virtuoso and improvisational singer."
The dueling projects certainly won't completely overlap since the miniseries is taking on Armstrong's whole life, and the feature will add exclusive insight into the man. But still, I can't help but wish they were all working together. Sayles and Whitaker? That'd be magic.
'Winged Creatures' Trailer
Filed under: Drama », Trailers and Clips »
Last year, bit by bit, we got casting notices for the uber-drama Winged Creatures, which collected a powerful group of actors -- Forest Whitaker, Kate Beckinsale, Jennifer Hudson, Dakota Fanning, Jackie Earle Haley, Guy Pearce, and Jeanne Tripplehorn. Now a trailer has finally hit the Internet, which you can see above.
As the trailer outlines, the film follows a group of people who suffer post-traumatic stress after a random shooting at a Los Angeles diner. Talk about a soul-sucker. The trailer alone should steal some of the wind from your happy sails, but it looks like it will be in the most worthy way. Initial buzz at IMDb has pegged the film to be a 9.1/10, so this could be one of those heavy, challenging dramas worth our time and energy. The film premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival, but a release date is yet to be set.
Forest Whitaker Supports 'Wild Things'
Filed under: Classics », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Warner Brothers », RumorMonger », Celebrities and Controversy », Family Films »
Things have been quiet in the land of the monsters. Too quiet. But support for the the film came from an unexpected source -- Forest Whitaker. He actually provides a voice for one of the monsters, Ira. "He puts the holes in the trees," the Oscar-winner told MTV. "I have a wife and kid, and we're the only family unit inside [the land of the Wild Things]."Whitaker was appalled at the rumors that Warner Bros was planning to reshoot the entire film, and promised to call director Spike Jonze to get the story. In the meantime, he wanted to stress his support for the film, and report that at least three children handled a screening of it just fine -- his own. "My children are 9, 11, and 16. It was intense. They liked it, though. They enjoyed it ... It's a good movie. I saw an early cut of it. I brought my kids to see it, and I was really impressed."
Buscemi and More at the Indie Spirit Awards
Filed under: Awards », Cinematical Indie »
Cinematical is live at the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards! Our own Patrick Walsh will report back throughout the afternoon.
Just saw Forest Whitaker and his gorgeous wife, Jason Bateman and his gorgeous hair, and Julian Schnabel in what appeared to be pajamas. Now Illeana Douglas is telling Jiminy Glick how she "blew Lew Wasserman at age thirteen" to make it in the business. It's that kind of day. The crowd is screaming at a limo, it might be Angelina Jolie time, unless they're smuggling her in by underground tunnel. Oh snap, Steve Buscemi is here. That dude is one of my all time favorites, I'm going to go grab a photo or two.
Alright, now Glick is telling Mr. Pink how he'd "like to mount" Sienna Miller, a nominee today for Buscemi's Interview. Buscemi is talking about his heroes ("Robert Altman and John Cassavetes") and a production company he's starting with Stanley Tucci so they can make movies with their friends. He's been interrupted by the crowd chanting "Meg! Meg! Meg!" Yes, it's Meg Ryan. Not sure how she's involved with independent film, but always nice to see familiar face-lifts. Sorry, Jiminy's rubbing off on me. It's getting cold, and the skies remain foreboding. The Santa Monica pier amusement park rises bold and stark. Kids are huddled on the beach in the mist. I want to die with you Wendy on the street tonight in an everlasting kiss...
For more photos and coverage, head on over to Moviefone.
Keanu Reeves Is No Longer 'The Night Watchman' -- He's a 'Street King'
Filed under: Drama », Thrillers », Fox Searchlight », Movie Marketing »
So while I seriously doubt that most people were actually going to confuse the crime drama, The Night Watchman with Zack Snyder's Watchmen at the box office, the similarity in titles probably wasn't helping much in the marketing department. It looks like someone at Fox Searchlight thought the same thing and Slashfilm is now reporting that the studio has decided it was time for a name change. The title of James Ellroy's The Night Watchman will now be known as Street Kings. Frankly, neither of these titles are 'rocking my world,' but at least now it's going to clear up a lot of confusion.Street Kings stars Keanu Reeves as Tom Ludlow; an LA cop who has recently lost his wife. With his life already in shambles, it gets even worse when he is framed for a murder and his abandoned by his fellow boys in blue. Ellroy wrote the script along with John Ridley (U Turn and Three Kings) and David Ayer (writer for Training Day) is at the helm. The cast also includes Forest Whitaker as Reeves' supervisor, Amaury Nolasco (Prison Break) and TV's infamous Dr. House, better known as Hugh Laurie, will play another cop on the force.
Filming began back in July and we got our first look at Reeves in his 'blues' when Erik brought us over 20 photos of the actor hard at work on the set. The flick is now in post production, so I guess Fox figured that it was now or never if they were planning on a change -- and personally I think they made the right decision. Street Kings arrives in theaters this spring.
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