Damon Houx
Though we're still a ways out from the release of James Mangold's 'The Wolverine,' this week has been populated with next summer's biggest films announcing themselves through trailers. Though the Hugh Jackman 'X-Men' spin-off film doesn't seem to be unleashing a trailer this week, they have put out a motion poster.
When 'The Adventures of Tintin' was released last December it was supposedly the start of a trilogy that Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg were going to produce together and trade off directing duties. The film didn't perform strongly in America (though that was expected), but international numbers didn't made a sequel look like a done deal. Now Jackson has weighed in on the follow up, and it's going to happen.
"There come a time when good man must wear mask." So intones Johnny Depp to Armie Hammer in 'The Lone Ranger' trailer, which reveals that director Gore Verbinski is up for being a little weird in his big budget blockbuster.
Though it's an early report, we're hearing word that Michael Bay has lined up his younger leads for 'Transformers 4.' The names of the non-robots in disguise? Brenton Thwaites and Nicola Peltz.
'Tron: Legacy,' like 'Tron' before it, was hyped and hoped to be the next big thing. With 'Legacy,' Disney spent years prepping audiences for the return of the light cycle and deadly discs to the big screen, even though the first film was viewed as a cult hit that tried and failed to be the next 'Star Wars.' But even though 'Tron: Legacy' was not the runaway success hoped for, Disney may be going back for more.
Was it that long ago that 'Family Guy' was dumped by Fox, and it looked like creator Seth MacFarlane had his shot, and that shot was over? That period from 2003-2005 when 'Family Guy' almost went away seems like a lifetime ago, as now MacFarlane has three cartoon shows going on Fox, just had a hit movie with 'Ted,' is about to host the Oscars and has just lined up his next feature film, in which he'll star and direct.
‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ is only two weeks away from release, and we're about to get word on the film. The movie screened today in New York and Los Angeles, and the review embargo for lifts Monday, December 3, at midnight EST. We'll have a review for you then, but until that time here's two new TV spots for the movie.
Though we're still months away from 'Iron Man 3's release, that doesn't mean we aren't going to get a trickle of steady publicity from now until May 3, 2013. The film has just released four new stills, including our first look at Rebecca Hall.
We're still a little confused about which film 'Texas Chainsaw 3D' is a sequel to. The first film spawned three sequels, with only one helmed by the original's Toby Hooper. Then there was the Michael Bay-produced remake, and it's prequel. But this seems drawn more from the original films than the reboots, even though it's sort of labeled a third film. At the end of the day they're all basically remakes of the first film anyway. Now there's a new trailer and TV spot for the film.
Holy Snikt! Bryan Singer's 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' is not only offering the new Magneto Michael Fassbender and Professor X James McAvoy along with the original versions played by Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, it looks like Hugh Jackman may be joining the cast for his seventh go-around as Wolverine.
Even with all the word of last minute tweaks, it looks like we're less than a month away from Quentin Tarantino's 'Django Unchained,' and now there's a new trailer that offers a lot of shooting, and a smattering of new footage.
Take this for what it's worth: Actor Jason Flemyng, longtime Matthew Vaughn collaborator, may have spilled the beans on who's directing 'Star Wars Episode 7' -- that being Vaughn, obviously. In an interview he seems to take for granted that Vaughn has the job before somewhat backtracking. Are the beans spilled?