Olga Kurylenko Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Note: Click the image below to view full poster

Whenever your small-ish film is getting ready to enter a big, congested film festival, you need to get creative in order to get the word out there -- which is exactly what the folks behind the indie flick Kirot did with this fantastical upside down/sideways poster featuring a gun-toting Olga Kurylenko, who I'm sure you remember as the gal in both Quantum of Solace and Max Payne. Cinematical has received this exclusive poster ahead of the film's premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this coming Sunday.

The Israel-France-USA co-production was directed by Danny Lerner (Frozen Days) and stars Kurylenko as a woman who desperately wants to reunite with the daughter she left back home in Russia, though at the moment she's busy tending to her job as an assassin involved against her will with the local sex-traffic mafia. Already I'm diggin' the Nikita vibe to it, and it'll be nice to see Kurylenko stretch her legs a bit in a lead role without having to play second fiddle to some male action hero. I posted the TIFF synopsis after the jump for those interested in the entire set-up, but whatever you do, scope out the poster below -- it's pretty neat.

I may have to hold my nose for this one. Hitman 2 is in development, says Variety, and 20th Century Fox has hired Kyle Ward to write a script that incorporates elements from "Hitman 5," a video game due for release in late 2010. So a movie sequel will be cribbing from a video game sequel, and more crappy product will fill the corporate pipeline.

Reportedly, the first Hitman was made for $30 million. It grossed $40 million in the US and $60 million overseas, according to Box Office Mojo. The overseas total and DVD sales must have pushed it well into the black, ensuring that a sequel would be inevitable. Putting aside the bottom line, the film itself was relentlessly mediocre. I entered with modest expectations, having heard that Fox had taken the project away from director Xavier Gens, who made the ferocious horror thriller Frontière(s). The studio denied the rumors, but Hitman felt flat and flaccid, only occasionally offering glimpses of the brilliance Gens had shown. Whether it was sophomore slump or studio interference, I ask you: did anyone leave the theater pumping their fist in the air, shouting, "More! I want more! More Hitman! Now!"

I didn't think so. Timothy Olyphant, who was so good in Deadwood, wasn't a very compelling assassin, and Olga Kurylenko supplied nothing more than decorative value. For those who care, Hitman 2 finds Agent 47 "at a low point. He must build himself back up psychologically and physically to reclaim his mantle as the world's most feared assassin." I can hardly wait.

We here at Cinematical have been big fans of Neil Marshall since we discovered the scrappy-yet-slick charms of his Dog Soldiers. And then came The Descent, which most people think is horror brilliance supreme (I sure do), and that one was followed by the "Romero meets Carpenter" action stew Doomsday. So what is Mr. Marshall cooking up next? Our own Jessie Barnes gave us a quick pic from Centurion a few weeks back, but now (thanks to Rotten Tomatoes UK), we have 90-some seconds of footage from the UK / Scotland shoot.

The old-style swords 'n' armor action epic (written by Marshall) ponders what might have happened to the legendary "9th Legion," which was widely regarded as the ass-kickenest bunch in the whole of the Roman Empire before they fell off the face of the Earth. Bankrolled by Cloud Nine and Celador, the film hasn't snagged a U.S. distributor yet, but they can probably worry about that when the movie is finished. Thanks again to RT for doling out this video clip. If you'd like to hear just a bit about Centurion from Marshall and his stars Dominic West and Olga Kurylenko, then you don't need to go very far.

I guess Olga Kurylenko has decided to make a career out of playing chicks with an ax to grind. I mean, is it just me or does she have a thing for revenge? In the world of action, women usually have two choices: damsel or butt-kicking femme fatale, and Kurylenko has seemingly found her niche as the ridiculously hot tough chick -- which is just fine by me because unlike some of her co-stars, at least Kurylenko looks like she could take you in a fight. But for those of you out there hoping she would be donning another skimpy outfit for Neil Marshall's ancient action flick Centurion, keep your pants on, because in Empire's first look the gal is all covered up wearing freaky makeup (if I know Kurylenko, however, it won't be for long before she reveals a little skin regardless of this whole Clan of the Cave Bear look she has going on).

Centurion centers on the famed 9th Legion fighting for their lives behind enemy lines after a devastating guerrilla attack, and joining Kurylenko for the hacking and slashing are Michael Fassbender (Inglorious Basterds), who plays the title character, Dominic West, and Noel Clarke. Marshall spoke with Empire during a set-visit and he described Kurylenko's character Etain thusly: "Her family were butchered by the Romans, she had her tongue cut out by the Romans, she's had a hell of a time and she's out for Roman blood." In reality, the 9th Legion were Cesar's most faithful soldiers who were believed to be lost during their stay in Britain while fighting the Scots -- a theory that while the inspiration for plenty of historical novels, has since been debunked. But, true or not, I won't hold it against Marshall, because it probably made for a much more interesting story than the truth.

Centurion is currently filming on location in Scotland, and is expected to arrive in theaters with Kurylenko in all her avenging glory later this year.

We've all seen the many ways that Jason Segel is a big dude, but now he's gearing up to see what life is like on the other side. The Hollywood Reporter posts that he's in talks to sign onto Jack Black's Gulliver's Travels along with Emily Blunt. Black's Gulliver washes up on the island of Lilliput, where people are only 6 inches tall, and befriends a wee one named Horatio (Segel). Horatio not only has the honor of having a friend who can squash him -- he's also the love interest of the island's princess (Blunt). Lucky girl.

In less lucky circles, Hilary Swank is no longer getting debonair love from Jeffrey Dean Morgan. After romancing it up in P.S. I Love You, THR posts that he's going to stalk her in The Resident. She'll play a young doc who nabs a loft in Brooklyn, only to find that her charming landlord (Morgan) is actually a psycho who pulls her into "a terrifying game of cat and mouse." They really lack the chemistry, so this should be an improvement.

What does Daniel Craig get right in his new outing as James Bond? What does Quantum of Solace get wrong? Can Marc Forster really direct action? Is Olga Kurylenko really the "hottest Bond girl ever?" Which directors could and should take on Bond's 23rd outing? And above and beyond all these topics, what does this week's guest Kevin Kelly, of Joystiq and Spout, think needs to happen to save Bond from both his corporate overlords and world-destroying villains? You can listen to the podcast here at Cinematical by clicking below:



As ever, you can download the entire podcast right here -- and those of you with RSS Podcast readers can find all of Cinematical's podcast content at this link.

A week from today, Cinematical is boarding a plane with a bag full of your questions for James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, and Quantum of Solace director Marc Forster. Destination: London, England. Because we're not waiting for Bond to come here ... we'd rather take your thoughts directly to him. In the meantime, Yahoo! has debuted a brand new trailer for the upcoming James Bond sequel, and darn it if this puppy won't go down as one of the best damn trailers of 2008. Hello Olga Kurylenko!

Quantum of Solace picks right up where Casino Royale left off, with a damaged Bond still getting over the death and betrayal of his lover Vesper, while he continues his mission to seek out and destroy the secret organization responsible for her death. Watch the new trailer after the jump or over on Yahoo! in high definition.

Quantum of Solace hits theaters on November 14.

Just in case you weren't paying attention yesterday, Quantum of Solace is the title of the latest James Bond movie (previously referred to as "Bond 22"), which arrives in theaters this November. Yes, it sounds a little Supermanish, but as Jessica pointed out, the title does come from 007 creator Ian Fleming himself. So, we mustn't make too much fun of it, even if 2008 is fast becoming the most ridiculous year for movie titles (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; Repo! The Genetic Opera). Yesterday, we also received the official plot synopsis of the sequel, a direct follow-up to Casino Royale. Now, as if the new installment was coming out this month instead of nine months from now, Empire has put up some new cast photos in order to acquaint us with the main characters of Quantum of Solace.

Of course, if you've seen Casino Royale, you're already familiar with at least four of the seven characters, and there isn't much that's new or interesting about the looks of Bond (Daniel Craig), M (Dame Judi Dench), Rene Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini) or Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright). But it is quite exciting to see the beautiful new Bond girls, Agent Fields (Gemma Arterton) and Camille (Olga Kurylenko), and the new villain, Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric), who Empire describes as being refined, as if he "could almost be Bond with madder eyes." I guess I was jokingly half-hoping Amalric's villain would have a fat lip and one of his eyes sewn up, but that would just be preposterous. These Craig-starred Bond films are certainly less hokey than that, and most of us agree that they're better that way.

Columbia Pictures has just issued a press release announcing Olga Kurylenko as the new Bond girl (and Bond's leading lady) in Bond 22. According to the release, Kurylenko will play "the dangerously alluring Camille, who challenges Bond and helps him come to terms with the emotional consequences of Vesper's betrayal." The Ukranian actress is probably best known for her part opposite Timothy Olyphant in the recently-released Hitman. See the full press release below (which, in case you were wondering, clearly states that Gemma Arterton will be playing a fellow MI6 agent).

"Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli of EON Productions Ltd, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios announced today the start of principal photography on the eagerly anticipated 22nd James Bond adventure. Daniel Craig reprises his role as 007 in the film which is directed by Marc Forster and follows the success of Casino Royale, the latest and highest grossing film in the series.

Starring alongside Craig is an impressive international cast led by the critically acclaimed French actor Mathieu Amalric as the sinister villain, and the Ukranian actress Olga Kurylenko who plays 007's leading lady. Returning to Bond 22 (working title) from Casino Royale are Judi Dench in her role as M, Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter and Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis. Newcomer to the Bond franchise, Gemma Arterton, will play the role of MI6 Agent Fields.

Commenting on the announcement, Wilson and Broccoli said, "We are fortunate to continue in the Bond tradition of attracting the finest international actors for our starring roles. Mathieu in the role of Dominic Greene, a leading member of the villainous organization introduced in 'Casino Royale,' will be a powerful counterpart to Daniel's portrayal of Bond. Olga Kurylenko will play the dangerously alluring Camille, who challenges Bond and helps him come to terms with the emotional consequences of Vesper's betrayal."

More after the jump ...

Just a few weeks after the launch of a teaser trailer for the video game flick Hitman, Twitch has a look at a new French poster for the film (there are also a few stills, but it doesn't look like anything we haven't seen already). The film version of the best-selling Eidos Interactive game is the first English-language feature for director Xavier Gens, and the script was written by Swordfish scribe Skip Woods -- but I will try not to hold that against the movie. Back in January, when Deadwood's Timothy Olyphant was confirmed as Agent 47, I wasn't sure he was the right choice for the part. But, after catching the trailer, I will admit he's a pretty good match -- and the Ava Maria was a nice touch. Olyphant stars as the precise and genetically engineered assassin, Agent 47, who is caught up in political intrigue in a chase across Europe -- with plenty of killing along the way. Rounding out the cast is Dougray Scott, Robert Knepper, and Olga Kurylenko.

Now, I never quite managed to get though the 2nd game back in 2002; since it turns out I am not as adept at systematic murder as I thought. But, I definitely gave it points for the "creative' violence and cinematic visuals of exotic locations; both of which are a pretty solid foundation for any good action movie. The production took its time to get rolling, and fans probably remember the seemingly endless stream of conflicting casting reports before Olyphant finally scored the part. Despite Hitman's slow start, the film hasn't wasted any time since; the production began shooting last March, and is already slated for release on October 17.