GeorgeTillmanJr. Tagged Articles at Cinematical
'Faster' Lures Dwayne Johnson Away From Kiddie Comedy
Filed under: Action », Independent », Thrillers », Casting », Deals », DIY/Filmmaking », Newsstand »
Whenever I get into a debate about the future of action movies, not five minutes goes by before someone brings up how Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has stomped on their soul. His propensity for Disney films and tutus has dismayed those who saw him as this generation's Schwarzenegger. While he's not one of my favorite actors, there's no denying he's got charisma, and I was hoping that 20,000 Leagues rumor would come true and save him from foppish comedy. Happily, he may have looked at his resume and decided it had a little too much camp and not enough muscle, because Variety reports that he's set to star in CBS Films' Faster with George Tillman Jr. directing. Faster boasts a comforting, meat-and-potatoes action plot: Johnson will play an ex-con who is hell bent on avenging his brother's murder. Lest you think he's a wrongfully imprisoned ex-con, this looks to be a tale of honor among thieves, as Johnson and his brother were double crossed during a heist. One went to jail, the other went to the morgue, and Johnson's coming for those responsible. Good times with guns will be had by all.
Production is set to begin in January 2010. As you pass posters for The Tooth Fairy (which arrives in theaters at the very same time), you can take comfort that he's violently making up for it. Even if it's not as bloody as you might hope, at least there's no possible way he can wear a tutu in it.
Another 'Notorious' Poster for Biggie Smalls Biopic
Filed under: Drama », Music & Musicals », Fox Searchlight », Images », Posters »
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It really was about time that Christopher 'Notorious B.I.G.' Wallace received his own biopic. Unfortunately, judging by what I've seen so far, Notorious has been flirting with being one step up from a movie of the week -- and for someone so influential in music history, that's a shame. The latest poster for the biopic has just been released, and like most of the marketing for this film, it leaves you feeling a tad underwhelmed.
Before being crowned "the savior of East Coast hip-hop", Christopher Wallace could have been just another statistic. But, during his short career, he created some of the most influential sounds in hip-hop -- along with launching his producer, Sean 'Diddy' Combs into the spotlight. Notorious was directed by George Tillman Jr. (Barber Shop) and stars Jamal Woolard as Wallace, Angela Basset as his mother, Violetta, and Antonique Smith (RENT) as his ex-wife, Faith Evans.
A few posters have already been released, but in most cases they looked like rejected covers from Source magazine (if you don't believe me, take a gander at some of the previous one-sheets). By the looks of it, this latest poster is going for a decidedly more 'dignified' look -- and in this case, dignified seems to mean ripping off of the Ray poster. Luckily, no matter what the posters or the trailers may look like, at least this movie is going to have one hell of a soundtrack. Check out the full version of this poster after the jump.
Notorious arrives in theaters on January 16, 2009.
Jamal Woolard is 'Notorious'
Filed under: Drama », Music & Musicals », Casting »
No, that's not the Notorious B.I.G. That's Jamal Woolard, who has just been cast by Fox Searchlight to play him, Christopher Wallace, aka Biggie Smalls, in the upcoming biopic Notorious. Man, the only possible critique I could come up with is that his eyebrows are a little dark. That's some spot-on casting. They're definitely not Dead Wrong.
Voletta Wallace, Smalls' mom, is happy with the casting as well: "it was Jamal's charming personality, warm spirit, wonderful sense of humor and beautiful smile that won my heart. He is a talented and charismatic actor and I am excited that he will bring Christopher's character to the big screen." Topping that off, Woolard also has the real-life experience to make this pop. THR adds to the press release, explaining that Jamal is a drug-dealer-turned-rapper just like Wallace was.
Under the directorial eye of George Tillman Jr., we've got Woolard as Wallace, Angela Bassett as Voletta, Derek Luke as Sean Combs, and Anthony Mackie as Tupac Shakur. Production begins March 24 in New York.
Cops Vs. Teens Drama 'The Siege Of Fulton Ave.' Snags a Director
Filed under: Action », Drama », Thrillers », Deals », Newsstand », Dreamworks »
Most teen house parties don't end in a police siege, or at least the ones that I went to. But that is exactly what happened in Westchester County, New York in May 2004; a complaint about noise and underage drinking at a house party turned into a three-hour standoff between police and almost forty teenagers barricaded in a suburban home. It's a strange story about a group of teens that decided to just turn off the lights and not answer the door rather than deal with reality of the cops on the front lawn. The real-life event is the basis of the teen drama The Siege of Fulton Ave. and The Hollywood Reporter has announced that George Tillman Jr. (Men of Honor) has signed on to direct.The film is based on a New York Magazine article Standoff at Rye by David Amsden that provided a hour-by-hour account that luckily ended with only infuriated parents and relatively light criminal charges being laid. Jeff Roda wrote a script and the film is being producer in part by State Street, who were behind the Barbershop franchise, and by Contrafilm who also produced the new Jim Carrey thriller The Number 23. There is no word of any casting choices yet, but if the film stays true to the original events it's going to have to be a pretty sizable list.
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Discuss: The Movies That Haunt You
