Cinematical

'The Dark Knight' Trailer, Chock Full O'Forshadowing

Elisabeth Rappe — 2008-05-04T20:42:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Warner Brothers, Fandom, Newsstand, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Trailers and Clips

Finally, the wait is over! The second full length trailer for The Dark Knight is up and it is all kinds of cool. Unlike the feeling left by the two Incredible Hulk trailers, I feel like there's plenty of scary Joker goodness waiting for me in the theatre.

Maybe it was the long wait, maybe it's just that there's a point of excitement one reaches, but this trailer seems kind of ... understated? I don't want to say flat, because it is anything but -- yet compared to the explosions and shrill laughter of the first, this one suddenly brought Batman back into the real world. When the bootleg was leaked, my e-mail box was flooded with people complaining that Ledger was too "gritty" and "realistic" in his performance. I don't share the complaints, but the Joker is definitely missing the eerie, superhuman element. I like it, but I can see why many might not.

Love the foreshadowing surrounding poor Harvey Dent. I'm already half in love with the handsome D.A.; I can't wait to see how Nolan handles his fall from grace. Watch it, and rave about it. Or complain. I think this might be the trailer that divides an audience -- I'm watching the comments to see! The Dark Knight hits theatres July 18th.

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'Terminator 4' Has a Title, a Female Lead, and a Start Date

Eugene Novikov — 2008-04-21T09:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, Warner Brothers, Fandom

After a lot of hemming and hawing, some hopeful casting news, and outrage over McG being attached to direct, it looks like Terminator 4 is good to go.

There are a few things to glean from this Hollywood Reporter story. First, obviously, is what's in the headline: Moon Bloodgood, who played Generic Love Interest in Pathfinder and starred in the canceled television series Journeyman, has been cast as the female lead, a survivor of the nuclear holocaust we witnessed at the end of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. She joins Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, and Anton Yelchin. Second, notwithstanding earlier reports to the contrary, the third sequel is apparently still called Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins. Finally, the movie is scheduled to begin principal photography on May 5th, which means that barring some Terry Gilliam-scale disaster, this long-speculated-about project is actually happening.

Count me among the McG skeptics. Previous installments of this franchise have been helmed by world-class action movie craftsmen (disclaimer: I am a fan of Jonathan Mostow), and I'm not convinced that McG has either the chops or the instincts to fill their shoes. The mincemeat he made of a terrific story in We Are Marshall doesn't inspire confidence, and the pyrotechnics of the Charlie's Angels films don't tell me much. That said, I'm excited for the Terminator saga to continue, since there's a lot more of this story to tell (and since Google is currently building SkyNet). Has anyone been watching the Fox TV show?

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Moviefone Ranks the Top 25 Child Stars of All Time

Monika Bartyzel — 2008-04-09T15:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Fandom, Images

With all of the little tykes and tots who have hit the big screen over the years, one would think that it might be one heck of a daunting challenge to narrow the list down to a top 25, but I think Moviefone may have done it. They've posted a list of the Top 25 Child Stars of All Time, and they've hit just about every child star I can think of, including a few I forgot about.

The list starts with Kirsten Dunst. She might not have had a lot of movie gigs in her early days, but she certainly wowed audiences with her portrayal of Claudia in Interview with the Vampire. I, for one, was so impressed that I had a much different vision of her future career, and am still waiting for the day that she can tap into what made her shine all those years ago. From there, we've got a collection of old and new names, moms and sons, and all the biggies.

The queen of children's entertainment Shirley Temple meets up with newer talent like Anna Paquin and Christian Bale (remember Empire of the Sun?). There's also some funky trivia tidbits as well. Growing up, I was a rabid fan of Hayley Mills, from her classic In Search of the Castaways, to her brief stint in the first incarnation of Saved by the Bell. But did you know that she was cast to be Stanley Kubrick's Lolita before Disney got her out of the deal?

Check out the list, and weigh in below. Do you think they got it right, and is anyone missing?

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Best Movie Blog April Fools Gag 2008

Eugene Novikov — 2008-04-02T09:32:00+00:00

Filed under: RumorMonger, Comic/Superhero/Geek

Bahahahahahaha. Yesterday was chock full of huge, monumental movie news. A disproportionate amount of it involved the geek realm, with casting and sequel bites galore. For example, we reported that Christian Bale and Brandon Routh were headlining the new Justice League movie as Batman and Superman. JoBlo insisted that all the rumors are true and Jake Gyllenhaal is replacing Tobey Maguire in the role of Spider-Man. (On the other hand, maybe it's Nicholas Brendon, or -- dear god no -- Jason Biggs.) From GFR, we learned that the Cloverfield monster was going to be putting in an appearance in Transformers 2. IGN even created an entire fake trailer for The Legend of Zelda movie! In slightly less shocking news, it turned out that Iron Man might get an April release date after all, depending on where you live.

But my favorite piece of news announced yesterday? Slashfilm's bombshell that Daniel Day-Lewis was headlining a Peter Weir remake of Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo -- the one about a man who decides to build an opera house in the Peruvian jungle. This version, however, will be set 50 years in the future and feature a soundtrack by Mick Jagger. Weird, subtle, and just plausible enough (at least until you get to the futuristic setting) to make you frown before remembering what day it is. (After reading the first paragraph, I did more than frown: I rushed to start a Cinematical post!) Well-played, gentlemen.

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BREAKING: Christian Bale and Brandon Routh Sign for 'Justice League!!!'

Erik Davis — 2008-04-01T00:01:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Casting, Deals, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek

Holy "Where the hell did this one come from" Batman! In a last ditch effort to win back fans, Warner Bros. has apparently convinced both Christian Bale and Brandon Routh to reprise the roles of Batman and Superman for their upcoming live-action Justice League of America film (currently titled Justice League Mortal). A press release just sent to Cinematical comes with this hilarious quote from a studio rep: "Brandon wasn't too hard to convince; he half-jokingly told us he's dreamt about this opportunity every night for the past several months."

Both men have signed a three-picture deal, which means Warners has plans to extend Justice League beyond the initial film, due out in 2009. Currently, there's no word on whether Armie Hammer (the actor supposed to play Batman) will still appear in some capacity, be it as a younger version of Batman or as a random extra in a background shot. On why he ultimately decided to take the role when there's a good chance it could confuse fans and screw up Nolan's franchise, Bale said, "I don't see me taking on this role getting in the way of anything, aside from someone else's paycheck. The script is awesome. Batman is awesome. Brendon and I look forward to taking this one to the next level."

Sounds like the studio is finally getting serious about this film, bringing on two actors with established fanbases -- guys they know will bolster the flick's box office. There are still a lot of unanswered questions, like what happens to Bryan Singer's The Man of Steel now and will Chris Nolan even go ahead with a third Batman film with Bale doing JLA? Well, one thing is for sure: This whole project just got a lot more interesting ...

For more, check out the entire press release over here.

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A Third Batman? Christian Bale Says 'Wait and See"

Elisabeth Rappe — 2008-03-17T18:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Thrillers, Warner Brothers, Fandom, Newsstand, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, ShoWest

Christian Bale was on hand at ShoWest to promote some footage from The Dark Knight, and gave a revealing interview to Entertainment Weekly. The magazine immediately pumped him for Batman information, and Bale was forthcoming -- but noncommittal.

When asked if there would be a third installment, Bale wouldn't confirm or deny. "Um, look, let's wait and see." When the magazine "mistakenly" referred to it as a sixth installment, Bale was quick to correct them, and elaborate on the possibilities of a trilogy. "No, no, no, no, no. Part 3 is what I'd consider it, yeah, I don't say part 6. Batman Begins - that was the beginning there, with all due respect to the others. We are re-creating this. You know, obviously the decision is out of my hands. I would, knowing the Dark Knight story, I would like very much to complete a trilogy. And I think that knowing the story of The Dark Knight, it leaves you anticipating something that really can get very, very interesting for a third. Now, the question would be: Is Chris going to be doing it? Because to me I find it tricky to imagine working on it without it being a collaboration with Chris."

So, can we safely assume that Heath Ledger's premature death does not affect the trilogy's storyline? That has been the biggest question on everyone's mind. If you combine this interview with Aaron Eckhart's latest, I am still of the belief that Joker ends up in Arkham, and Two-Face could be the main villain in a third film. I can't imagine they didn't leave Joker's fate open ended, considering the villain's place in Batman's world, but no one from the film seems to feel the storyline cannot continue. Perhaps a bigger question is why Nolan isn't confirmed to continue the series.
That is not to say that no one on The Dark Knight has felt the impact of Ledger's death. Bale gave his first statement (I believe) on his co-star's tragic demise. "Yeah, I'm absolutely fine talking about him. You know, I don't like kind of trivializing the tragedy in conjunction with an interview to do with the movie, which is clearly far less important. But Heath was a joy. He really was like that, because he was a very unique man. I enjoyed watching him work, working with him - you know, we had a lot of the old gang from the first one together, and then there were new members, Heath obviously included. What was so great to see with Heath is just how seriously he took it. And we don't mean in any way to sound sort of pretentious with that, but just in the fact that if we don't take it seriously, then how can any audience ever take it seriously? And he did one hell of a job." ShoWest was the first time Bale had seen any of the finished clips and his reaction only adds to the anticipation of seeing Ledger's Joker. "It's wonderful, it's fantastic, and, you know, it gave me goose bumps throughout, looking at Heath up there. And I just hope that this can celebrate him, celebrate his work."

Bale also has plenty to say on what drew him to The Dark Knight in the first place, and where the Terminator reboot stands now. Pop on over to EW to read the whole thing. The next chapter in the Batman saga opens on July 18th, 2008.

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Terminator IV Changes Names

James Rocchi — 2008-03-11T14:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, Fandom, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek

A rose by any other name, the sages tell us, would smell as sweet. In that spirit, Coming Soon has a story noting that the McG-helmed, Christian Bale-led fourth film in the Terminator franchise, previously known as Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, will now have a wholly different title. It will, of course, still be a wholly unnecessary extension tacked on to the first two films; it will still be directed by McG; it will still have almost nothing to do with James Cameron's original vision for the films; it will lack Arnold Schwarzenegger; however, it will not be called Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins. No replacement title has yet been announced.

Currently slated for release May 2009, Terminator IV will ostensibly kick off a three-film series detailing the man-machine war that's the backbone of the Terminator films; Christian Bale (Rescue Dawn, Batman Begins) will star as the adult John Connor alongside newcomer Sam Worthington (Who, amusingly enough, is also scheduled to appear in ... James Cameron's Avatar). And yet, new name or not, I have almost no enthusiasm for this project.

Will you check Terminator IV out when it lands in May 2009, or does the cash-hungry smell of desperation and futility that lingers about this whole idea put you off?

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New Images from 'The Dark Knight'

Elisabeth Rappe — 2008-03-10T18:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Warner Brothers, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, Images

The New York Times has a few new stills from The Dark Knight accompanying their excellent article. I didn't have to log in, so it doesn't look like registration is required to read or view. If it is, and all you want are the photos (for shame!), Superhero Hype has them. The one posted above is definitely the best one.

Also, Harvey Dent has gone live with the next viral challenge. It looks like he will be making campaign stops in most major cities -- and he's leaving very choppy voice mails for anyone who's given him a cell phone number.
In this election year, I think it will be hilarious to stand on a street corner with a Harvey Dent sign -- and I plan on doing it as soon as I can round up some company.

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Christian Bale Saves Mankind On May 22nd, 2009 in 'Terminator Salvation'

Elisabeth Rappe — 2008-02-26T10:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Warner Brothers, Distribution, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

I just can't decide.

On one hand, it seems to make perfect sense that Christian Bale is playing John Connor. Who else can save mankind? He's Batman, for crying out loud.

And yet ... it is the fourth Terminator movie. Directed by McG, who's saving grace seems to be that he's not Brett Ratner. While it fits with Bale, Ruler of Fanboys, it doesn't fit with Bale, Ruler of Critics. Bale doesn't really do sequels, let alone fourquels, especially of a character he didn't originate.

It is either going to be brilliant fun, or something that leaves us wondering what kind of dirt McG blackmailed him with. Either way, we'll find out on May 22nd, 2009. Warner Bros has announced it as the release date for Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins. Fans of the franchise have been waiting forever to see Connor fight the war against the machines, and now they can start crossing off the days on the calender.

The storyline is being kept under tight wraps, and will actually be part of a planned story arc that will span three movies. Will this be a trainwreck of Matrix proportions, or an intricate sci-fi saga? With all the time travel questions that are brought up just in The Sarah Connor Chronicles (which allegedly has no relation to this new trilogy), it could get very complex. Think about all the weird ramifications that are brought up when you send your own father back in time . . .

Or they'll just fight robots for three movies, and end with a beautiful sunrise and humanity triumphant.

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Marion Cotillard to Join Depp and Bale in 'Public Enemies'

Christopher Campbell — 2008-01-28T13:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Drama, Casting, Noir, Universal, Johnny Depp

If you've seen Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose, you've seen one heck of a great performance. But will we see another from the actress, or was playing Edith Piaf the role of a lifetime? While I can't imagine her ever making such a huge transformation or giving such a notable, career-defining performance again, I'm excited to see where her Oscar nomination takes her and I hope that she can at least follow it up with some interesting parts. We've already heard that her next major role will be in Rob Marshall's Nine, an adaptation of the musical inspired by Fellini's 8½. After that, she could be heading to Chicago (not Marshall's Chicago, the real city) for Michael Mann's Public Enemies. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Cotillard is in negotiations to play Billie Frechette, the torch singer girlfriend of John Dillinger, who will be played by Johnny Depp. Channing Tatum, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Dorff and Jason Clarke have also joined the cast.

As Monika relayed last week, Billie will be a major character in the plot of Public Enemies, which also stars Christian Bale. The movie will reportedly balance between Dillinger's crime story and his love life while also focusing on FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Bale), who famously pursued and caught Dillinger in the mid-1930s. It is interesting to note that Public Enemies will be another singing role for Cotillard, who did not actually perform any of the Piaf songs in La Vie en Rose. But while the actress is not a born singer nor a long-trained one, she did sing in in the 2001 French film Les Jolies Choses (Pretty Things) and will be singing in Nine. Also, if you think Cotillard is suddenly getting work just because of her La Vie en Rose acclaim, you're mistaken. You may have seen her in either of her two English-language movies (Ridley Scott's A Good Year and Tim Burton's Big Fish), in any of the three Taxi movies, as the female lead in the sweet Amelie wannabe Love Me If You Dare, in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amelie follow-up, A Very Long Engagement or in any of the many other French films in which she has appeared.

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Story Details for Bale & Depp's 'Public Enemies'

Monika Bartyzel — 2008-01-21T17:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Drama, RumorMonger, Scripts

First, Depp thought about becoming Dillinger. Then, he became Dillinger. Then, Bale signed on to battle him. Personally, I don't need any more information for the upcoming Michael Mann flick Public Enemies. It focuses on old-school criminals and the birth of the FBI and J. Edgar Hoover's notoriety, and features two of the most talented, irresistible actors today -- Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Then again, stories have ruined flicks before, so it's probably a good idea to wait and get word about the script.

If sources over at Latino Review are right, this will be one sweet, dramatic, crime-filled ride. Their source, Caxe, says: "I wasn't too excited about this project after Miami Vice, but now that I've read it -- sh*t, I cannot wait until 2009, because it seems Michael Mann might actually be back in top form with Public Enemies." He says it's not a biopic, but will detail Dillinger's desperation as his ways become obsolete and Purvis tracks him. "We have a great, twisting plot that balances Dillinger's crime story and his love affair [with a young girl named Billie] with the overall picture of organized crime in the 1930s and how the government was trying to stop it." Topping that off, he says it's filled with great characters, historical accuracy, slick dialogue, and "flat-out fantastic action sequences." We have to wait until 2009 to see if he's right, but for now, you can get more details over at Latino Review.

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Bale and Depp to Battle in Michael Mann's 'Public Enemies'

Scott Weinberg — 2008-01-11T09:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Drama, Universal

Two of the hottest actors on the planet right now are Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. And I don't mean "hottest" as in "sexiest," honest, although I'm sure there are a few women out there who might disagree. So who is the director that could bring Batman and Captain Jack Sparrow together in one movie? Scorsese? Spielberg? Uwe Boll? Nope, it's Michael Mann, a filmmaker who clearly knows a little something about getting the most out of his leading men.

According to Variety, Mr. Depp and Mr. Bale will co-star in Mann's Public Enemies, with the former playing infamous bank robber John Dillinger and the latter portraying persistent FBI agent Melvin Purvis. Damn. Already I want to see this movie. Production on the Universal project (which is based on a book by Bryan Burrough) is expected to begin in March ... which means the film could be ready for the end of the year! (Couldn't it?)

Check out Chris Campbell's earlier report on this project right here. Obviously we'll bring you more news on this one as soon as it comes in.

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Stars in Rewind: Christian Bale is Jum-Jum

Monika Bartyzel — 2008-01-07T16:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Trailers and Clips, Stars in Rewind

For a while I have been wondering what Michael Cera will be like when he gets older and can't rely on the super-cute teenage boy thing. Will he always be the same? Will he thrive? Or, will he grow up awkwardly and not being able to find work until he scores his own Little Children? I think I've finally found the answer -- he'll be Christian Bale!

Back in 1987, at the age of 13, Bale played Jum-Jum in Mio min Mio, an adaptation of an Astrid Lindgren novel that cast the young actor alongside the likes of Timothy Bottoms and Christopher Lee. Jum-Jum is the friend of a young boy who has been taken off to a magic land where his real father is king (Bottoms), and he is Prince Mio -- a boy who must stop an evil knight named Kato (Lee) and free some enslaved children. Pardon the Swedish, but the brief clip is worth it for a quick glimpse of the boy who would become the Dark Knight. My, how far he's come!

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That 'Dark Knight' Trailer Is Now Everywhere, But Still Not Officially!

Ryan Stewart — 2007-12-15T08:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Warner Brothers, Fandom, Exhibition, New in Theaters, Remakes and Sequels, Summer Movies, Trailers and Clips

Warner Bros. really needs to get on the ball. That new trailer for The Dark Knight, which arrived yesterday attached to prints of I Am Legend and which we told you about earlier, has now leaked all over the place in a fourth-rate bootleg. I guess that's how the studio wants people to see it -- from the vantage point of a camcorder hidden in a guy's jacket. Come on, Warners, what are you thinking? Anyway, I have to say I'm not terribly impressed by this trailer. First of all, there's no great Joker moment like we would expect -- he appears to just be a typical knife-wielding thug with a bit of flair. Also, there are no show-stopping lines to report. I remember enjoying Michael Caine's speech from an earlier teaser trailer, about how Batman's aggressive actions 'pushed the mob into the arms of a man they didn't fully understand' but that's absent from this full-length trailer. In fact, it's mostly full of action beats.

I wasn't over-the-moon about Batman Begins and I don't really expect to be about The Dark Knight, either. Christopher Nolan is a fantastic director, but dialogue isn't his best-foot forward and The Joker is a character who demands a great writer. By the time I actually heard him say "Why so Serious?" in this trailer -- the line we've already seen all over the marketing a hundred times, I started to get a sinking feeling that that's the best we're going to get. But who knows, maybe I'm wrong, and they'll probably get my $11 bucks to find out, which is all that really matters, right?

Update -- Check here on Sunday, where we've been told the trailer will appear.

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Joe Carnahan Gets the OK from Pablo Escobar's Son for 'Killing Pablo'

Jessica Barnes — 2007-12-06T14:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Drama, Scripts

In the ongoing battle of Pablo Escobar biopics, I think Smokin' Joe Carnahan finally has managed to one-up Oliver Stone in the war between the two (possibly three) Pablo Escobar films currently in development. Carnahan recently updated his personal blog with news that he had received a letter from Juan Pablo Escobar, the only son of the infamous drug baron. It would appear that Carnahan has managed to impress the family member, since according to Joe, "He offered me unlimited access to his family's history, including photos, films, letters and the like". Carnahan's film is based on the book by Mark Bowden, and focuses on the "cocaine cartel dismantled by US Special Forces and intelligence, the Colombian military, and a vigilante gang controlled by the Cali cartel".

The whole thing started back in October when news of Stone's film first began to hit, and that they were aiming for a pre-strike production date (which as we all know never materialized, but it probably did nothing to help the bad blood between the productions).Considering that Carnahan wasn't exactly happy with having to compete with Oliver Stone and Antoine Fuqua's Escobar, getting the seal of approval from Escobar's only heir could be what Carnahan needs to trump Stone's project; which is based on the book written by Pablo's brother, called Mi Hermano Pablo. Carnahan has been struggling for years to get his Escobar flick into production so you can see where he is coming from when he shouted "no fair" when multiple projects were being rushed into production. Carnahan has already scored Javier Bardem (though Bardem may bow out because of scheduling conflicts) and Christian Bale for his film which automatically gives it another advantage over the yet-to-be-cast Escobar. Killing Pablo is set for release in 2009 ... if Joe ever gets around to filming it.

[via Filmstalker]

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Cinematical Seven: Hottest Hunks of Horror

Monika Bartyzel — 2007-10-16T21:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers, Fandom, Cinematical Seven, Lists, Images, Trailers and Clips

hunk (Slang)
a. a handsome man with a well-developed physique.

The hunk ... He's a fairly disputed figure in the world of cinema, subjected to the taste and whims of anxious, heterosexual women everywhere. The hunk's popularity is often fleeting -- the beefcake stud for one year is often forgotten by the next. But most importantly, the hunk is entirely, and completely, subjective. One woman's pearl is another woman's stale, salty oyster.

One might argue that some tastes are, therefore, off, but subjectivity and sex are one of the world's big blessings. We don't all lust for the same people, and thus, the earth can stay safe. Otherwise, imagine a world-wide Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered. It wouldn't be pretty. So, what follows are my list of hunks.

I am sure you will question some of my picks, and I will admit -- some don't have the stellar physique that the others do. That being said, each of them have been in horror movies, and they've done their fair share of testosterone bewitching. But this is just my own, subjective taste, which will probably bother and bewilder some. But that's where the comments come in. Share your horror hunks, who have chased, or been chased, on-screen -- extra points if they're a little surprising. This is Halloween, after all, which is all about a world that's just a little different...

Gallery: Hottest Hunks of Horror

Christian Bale

Forget about The Machinist -- I wouldn't start this with bony, sick thrills. Bale's big, hunky foray into horror lies firmly in the realm of American Psycho. Bale's Patrick Bateman is both slimy and perverted, but with his specific beauty routine, Bateman is hunky. Ice packs, 1000 crunches, body scrubs, and protective moisturizing lotions give Patrick the edge, which make him pretty to look at. Sure, he kills people in psychotic and bloody ways, he loves Sussudio a little too much, and he loves to flex and stare at himself in the mirror while having sex, but he's got the physique and all those superficial goodies that make him the perfect hunk.

Watch the trailer for American Psycho ... or head straight to the gallery!

Gary Oldman

Gary Oldman rocked the Transylvanian war hero as Vlad, before becoming the pretty creepy yet highly erotic Dracula in Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula. His stint as Mason Verger in Hannibal, well, that wasn't so hot -- I admit it. But then he came back as the seemingly deranged Sirius Black in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and he once again proved that he could take on any visage. Oldman is the chameleon hunk, who relies more on his presence than his look. And yes, I have a weakness for him. I admit it -- I missed key Azkaban info when I watched the movie, because I was too busy staring at his Wanted picture. But you readers would probably prefer him a little more sane-looking and kempt in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Watch the trailer for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ... or head straight to the gallery!

Timothy Olypant

Before he tried his darnedest to survive against the likes of Dreamcatcher, and I still think he should've been the hero, Timothy Olyphant was the hunky twist in Scream 2. Two years after Billy and Stu went nuts in Woodsboro, Sidney is at college and things go terribly wrong when the movie on her gruesome story hits the big screen. Fellow student Mickey looks to be nothing more than a hunky movie buff, but he found his way into a his own horror story after hooking up with a certain mom on the Internet. He's got the look, the eyes, and the hunky body -- and he's the kind of guy who can make a Santa hat sexy.

Watch the trailer for Scream 2 ... or head straight to the gallery!

Henry Rollins

Including him on this list will probably kill any chance of him ever taking me seriously and becoming my conversation-laden friend, but I just can't help it. (Please forgive me, Henry!) Now he's not a big horror hero, although he co-stars in the recent flick Wrong Turn 2: Dead End, he's definitely an outer and inner hunk. There's no denying his muscles and physique, which are still pretty impressive for a man who is in his mid-40's. It's his brain, however, that really puts him over the top. The whole package, he's got the hunk bits and the head, which makes him the perfect hunky contender.

Watch the trailer for Wrong Turn 2: Dead End ... or head straight to the gallery!

Danny Huston

I'm cheating a little here, since Danny Huston's horror film 30 Days of Night is still a few days away from release, and yes, I admit he doesn't look to be the hottest in it. I'm ignoring the drool and the icky teeth they gave him for his role as the tough vamp Marlow. Sure, he isn't as hunky in the film as he in in real life and other movies, but if he retains half of the charisma he had in The Proposition while being dirty and hairy, some of the hunk should still shine through.

Watch the trailer for 30 Days of Night ... or head straight to the gallery!

Justin Theroux

Yes, I already included American Psycho and Christian Bale, but to leave either Bale or Justin Theroux off this list wouldn't be right -- they both have the physique and the classic hunk appeal. His role as Bateman's cohort in American Psycho might have been brief, but he's hunky nonetheless. You might remember his deranged, taught muscle frame from Charlie's Angels. If you want to see more of him in the horror realm, there is also his starring role in The Legend of Lucy Keyes. Although it was widely ignored, it stars Theroux and Julie Delpy, so it can't be all bad.

Watch the trailer for American Psycho ... or head straight to the gallery!

Christopher Walken

Believe it or not, this final inclusion is completely serious. Before co-starring with my man Elias Koteas in The Prophecy (which produced a few crappy sequels that he starred in as well), Christopher Walken was Johnny Smith in The Dead Zone. I was barely more than a tot when I first saw the film, but Walken quickly became one of my favorite men, sucking me in through David Cronenberg's adaptation of Stephen King's novel. He's the unique, haunting hunk, and he's definitely only for certain tastes. Now if only he would star in a horror dance movie...

Watch the trailer for The Dead Zone ... or head straight to the gallery!

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Javier Bardem Has Finally Agreed to Play Pablo Escobar?

Monika Bartyzel — 2007-10-02T12:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Drama, Casting

The Pablo Escobar biopic Killing Pablo has been in the works for ages. Way back in 2003, Joe Carnahan was tapped to adapt Mark Bowden's Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's Greatest Outlaw, and to direct as well. A few years have passed, and now it looks like things are getting a move on. In April, the director told Cinematical that he was "constantly battling" with Javier Bardem to get him to play the big drug man. In June, Bardem talked with Ryan Stewart and seemed a bit apprehensive: "We are still ... he sent me the script. It's something that is in the back of our heads." But now Variety reports that producer Bob Yari is fast-tracking the project, and that Bardem and Christian Bale are set to star.

However, the site describes Bardem as only "slated" to appear. Has he actually, 100% signed on, or do they only expect him to? If he has, Carnahan must have worked through those battles and apprehension. To further confuse things, they also say that Bale is only in talks to play the guy who leads the hunt against the infamous drug cartel leader -- Major Steve Jacoby. At least as far back as July, IMDb has listen the actor as the production's only attached cast.

Whatever the case may be, while Yari is said to be fast-tracking the project now, he's not going crazy. The plan is to shoot next June if SAG agrees on a contract. If not, they'll wait until the strike is over. He says: "This has been a passion project of mine for years, and it will be a tentpole for our company [Yari Film Group]. I have been patient to get this done because I wanted the ideal director and cast. It was worth the wait." Now we'll just have to wait for the strike to determine when the early '90s hunt for Escobar hits the big screen.

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'The Dark Knight' Heads to Hong Kong, Suffers Crew Member Accident

Christopher Campbell — 2007-09-25T11:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Action, Warner Brothers, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels

It's been more than five months since The Dark Knight began shooting in Chicago, but the Batman Begins sequel is very far from being completed. Currently the movie is filming in England, and according to Variety, the production is on its way to Hong Kong, where it will film a number of scenes this fall. Locations will include Central District, which is the city's business district, and Western District, which is ironically the least Westernized part of Hong Kong. The movie may also feature the Symphony of Lights, a touristy light and laser show that occurs nightly around Victoria Harbor. The shoot is scheduled to last nine days, and will happen in November.

Variety claims the HK sequences will be the first time Batman is depicted on-screen fighting crime outside Gotham. But it isn't likely the trade really knows the plot or what scenes will actually be filmed in the Chinese city. Anyway, Batman Begins did already show us Bruce Wayne in China, of course it was prior to becoming the Caped Crusader and he wasn't exactly fighting crime. The trade does point out that it is also unknown whether Hong Kong will be called Hong Kong in the movie, or if it will have a fictional name, a la Gotham. However, considering there's an actual graphic novel titled Batman: Hong Kong, I assume the DC Universe's acknowledgment of the city will extend to the movie franchise. In any case, The Dark Knight will reportedly be the highest profile film to shoot in the former British colony in many years.

In other, more tragic Dark Knight news, a crew member was killed on the set yesterday afternoon when he drove a 4x4 camera truck into a tree. According to BBC News, the sequel was doing a test run for a sequence involving the Batmobile near Chertsey, Surrey, England. The unnamed crew member, a special effects technician, was pronounced on the scene, an effects facility in Longcross. Surrey Police and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating the incident.

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TIFF Interview: I'm Not There Director Todd Haynes

James Rocchi — 2007-09-12T11:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Drama, Music & Musicals, Festival Reports, Podcasts, Focus Features, Interviews, Toronto International Film Festival, Cinematical Indie

I walked directly from the delayed press screening of I'm Not There, the new film from director Todd Haynes (Safe, Far From Heaven) to our interview. It didn't feel like enough time -- and also like you couldn't possibly prepare enough to take on the layers and levels and tricks and treats of Haynes's sprawling, fractured take on the life and times of Bob Dylan. Haynes spoke with Cinematical about finding truth through myth, pop and politics and which Bob Dylan songs he can, in fact, still listen to after capturing six different iterations of one man. You can listen directly here at Cinematical by clicking below:

You can also download the entire interview right here.

(I'm Not There opens November 21st.)

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TIFF Review: I'm Not There

James Rocchi — 2007-09-12T10:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Drama, Music & Musicals, Theatrical Reviews, Festival Reports, Focus Features, Toronto International Film Festival, Cinematical Indie

I'm Not There may be a brilliant myth-making exercise, a fearsome piece of pop art, a truly fascinating film. It may also be a hollow jumble of post-modern pick-up-sticks -- a chaotic stack of signifiers and images and in-jokes with nothing at the heart. Part of me wants to see it again as soon as possible; crack its codes, follow the arcs, catch anything I missed. I also wanted to not see it ever again -- to let it be a dream, a blur, like a few notes of music that find you at an unexpected moment and you hear the rest of your life.

Six actors, six stories "Inspired by the Life and Music of Bob Dylan." Well, even as a casual Dylan fan (or, more specifically, someone with a copy of Desire on vinyl), I think you've got a lot to work with. And director Todd Haynes -- who co-wrote the script with Oren Moverman -- puts a lot on the screen. A young African American rides the rails playing folk music. An arch, overgrown juvenile delinquent gives cryptic answers to unknown questioners. A folksinger who walked away from it all in the '70s. A '60s vision of style itself stalking London. The actor who played the folksinger, once, in a movie, dealing with fame and family. A hippie-cowboy-monk in some never-was Old West.

And all the Dylans -- none of whom are Dylan -- cross and connect and clash. The youngest is played by African American teen Marcus Carl Franklin. British actor Ben Wishaw is next, cryptic and dry. Christian Bale broods and seethes through a mockumentary. Cate Blanchett staggers and swaggers through Don't Look Back re-imagined as a Fellini fever dream. Heath Ledger's actor drifts through a very '70s California break-up with Charlotte Gainsbourg. Richard Gere wanders in a carnival-western cosmos shot through a haze of dust and sunlight. Like the blind men and the elephant, Haynes and his cast fumble at immensity and come back with distortions, misrepresentations, textures.
Some of the film -- a lot of the film -- is unsettlingly literal. It's a trainspotter's film in many ways; I'm sure somewhere a Wikipedia page is being updated right now with specific annotations matching scenes in I'm Not There to the life and the work that inspired it. It's audacious, now and then past the tipping point. Drunk on pop culture, and a very specific vintage, I'm Not There engaged my brain more often than it touched my heart. It's a bit brittle, a bit cold.

And any film that combines fiction and pop music is a risk: The ghosts of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Xanadu hover close overhead as grim warning. I'm Not There is so sleek and stylish as to nearly disappear from sight as you're watching it. But at the same time, you recognize the pleasure of the cleverness -- the gall of looking at one of America's pop cultural icons through a fractured lens and, yes, at the end, bringing it all back home. Now and then I'm Not There feels like an extended, inventive inside joke with a soundtrack to die for.

But it's a good joke to be inside of, and the music is terrific. Blanchett's getting raves for her turn, but I found myself watching Bale -- hardened, strained, tragic, magnetic. And the supporting cast is either baroque and bizarre with David Cross as a bemused Alan Ginsberg, Bruce Greenwood as "Mr. Jones," Michelle Williams as a retro-pop queen -- or careful and quiet, with Charlotte Gainsbourg's sad '70s wife and Julianne Moore as an ex-artist pouring her heart out into a camera drip by drip. There are great one-liners here -- images, words, music -- that leap off the screen and shock you; there are moments that you want to unpeel and dig into. I'm Not There explains itself as "Inspired by the life and music of Bob Dylan," but it's also a chronicle of his times -- a curt, quick assessment of America in the '50s, '60s and '70s made out of the public image and private life and lyrics and music and album art and movies and work of one man. I'm Not There is not Dylan, but it can't be. I'm Not There is art as entertainment, cultural criticism re-written as spooky carnival show, a study of an artist captured from so many perspectives the artist almost disappears; that's no coincidence.

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