First Look: Aaron Johnson Soldiers Up for “Godzilla” in First Set Photos

March 23, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images Leave a comment

godzilla-aaronsm Well, now we know. Aaron Johnson will be playing a soldier in Gareth Edwards‘ reboot of Japanese monster movie “Godzilla”, as evidenced by the first set photos from the film obtained by Just Jared.

Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen and Juliette Binoche join Johnson in the film about humans battling a giant dinosaur-esque monster who stomps through a metropolis, but only Johnson, in full military gear, was glimpsed on the first few days of filming. He’s pictured standing with some fellow soldiers next to what appears to be a huge missile on some train tracks, so Godzilla may be in for some trouble.

This production came together quickly and rather last minute, with the cast seemingly still negotiating when they all arrived in Vancouver to begin filming last week, but for good reason, as the big budget blockbuster is already set for a May 16, 2014 release. See the first photos of Johnson prepping to battle “Godzilla” below, and check out JJ for even more.

Elizabeth Olsen joins Aaron Johnson in negotiating to headline “Godzilla” reboot

February 6, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

The script is still being finalized, but Gareth Edwards and the “Godzilla” reboot producers are moving full steam ahead on casting to prepare for a scheduled March production start. Today Variety reports Bryan Cranston and Elizabeth Olsen have entered negotiations to join the cast, and previously rumored front-runner Aaron Johnson is in talks as well.

The film is set for a May 16, 2014 release, so despite a messy lawsuit currently playing out in the courts, it will have to begin shooting soon. Frank Darabont is putting the finishing touches on a script and none of the actors’ deals will be finalized until that is done and they get to take a look at the final draft. There are, of course, no plot details, but I think it’s safe to assume our fearless trio will be doing a lot of looking up as they try to save a city from being trampled.

Olsen was one of the darlings of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, where she broke out in Sean Durkin’s “Martha Marcy May Marlene”, and she has stuck religiously to the indie scene ever since. She’s been back at Sundance in the two years since, with films like Josh Radnor’s “Liberal Arts”, Rodrigo Cortes’ “Red Lights”, John Krokidas’ “Kill Your Darlings” and Naomi Foner’s “Very Good Girls.” She recently wrapped up shooting on Spike Lee’s remake of Korean horror “Oldboy” and “Godzilla” will mark Olsen’s very first foray into big budget blockbuster franchise territory, which has become an inevitable check mark on every young rising actor’s must list.

Aaron Johnson emerges as frontrunner for “Godzilla” reboot

January 10, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

We knew it wouldn’t be Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but now it looks like “Godzilla” won’t be fended off by Scoot McNairy, Caleb Landry Jones or Henry Cavill either. Instead, a new contender has taken the frontrunner role in this casting game, with Deadline now reporting Aaron Johnson has emerged as the first choice for the lead role in Gareth Edwards’ reboot of the classic Japanese monster movie.

Frank Darbont is now putting the final touches on a rewrite, and Johnson is said to be interested, but waiting to make his decision until after he sees the final script. Despite a messy legal battle with exiting producers, Edwards is expected to get cameras rolling in March, with the film already set for a May 16, 2014 release. Deadline further reports Johnson would have a second franchise on his hands if he accepts the role, indicating this probably won’t be a stand-alone movie.

Johnson, of course, broke out as the star of 2010′s comic book adaptation “Kick Ass”, and he recently completed work on its sequel. A perennial name on various high profile properties casting for young male leads (“X-Men: First Class”, “Winter’s Tale”, etc), he was seen in this year in Oliver Stone’s “Savages” and Joe Wright’s “Anna Karenina”, in which he played Count Vronsky opposite Keira Knightley.

British actor Robert Emms to play Insect Man in “Kick-Ass 2″

August 21, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Chloe Moretz are about to get a new superhero sidekick. Deadline reports British rising star Robert Emms has been tapped to play the role of Insect Man in “Kick Ass 2″, the sequel to Matthew Vaughn’s 2010 comic book adaptation.

Jeff Wadlow takes over the directing chair from Vaughn on the sequel, since the original director will be too busy prepping an early 2013 shoot for the “X-Men: First Class” sequel. In the 2010 film based on the comic book of the same name by by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr, Johnson played Dave Lizewski, an ordinary teenager and comic book fan who decides to become a real life superhero, giving himself the moniker Kick-Ass. He was aided by the foul-mouthed and highly trained Hit-Girl, played by Moretz. Emms’ Insect Man is a cop by day, but chooses street justice in his off-time since the law can’t take care of everything, as we well know from every action movie ending with sirens being heard only after the bad guy has been neutralized. Lyndsy Fonseca is also returning for the sequel, and a September shoot is scheduled.

Emms made his feature film debut only last year, in Roland Emmerich’s Shakespearean actioner “Anonymous”, and also had roles in Tarsem Singh’s Snow White redo “Mirror Mirror” opposite Armie Hammer, as well as Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse” opposite Jeremy Irvine. He also starred in British indie “Broken” opposite Cillian Murphy.

Watch: Kiera Knightley and Aaron Johnson fall in love in stunning first trailer for “Anna Karenina”

June 20, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Videos Leave a comment

It’s got Oscar bait written all over it but this newly released first trailer reminds us why “Anna Karenina” can already be found on potential awards season winner lists. Director Joe Wright showcases his skills as one of the great auteurs with absolutely gorgeous visuals, taking the audience from one stunning scene to another by apparently using just the one tracking shot.

Star Kiera Knightley, who has already garnered two Oscar nominations from her work with Wright (“Atonement“, ”Pride and Prejudice“) looks right at home in this period drama, based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy. In the film, Knightley’s titular Anna marries Jude Law’s high-ranking official before meeting and falling in love with Vronsky, played by Aaron Johnson – for whom this role may just be the one to kick his career up a notch.

Among the supporting cast are Kelly Macdonald, Alexandra Roach, Matthew Macfadyen, Domhnall Gleeson, Emily Watson and Olivia Williams.

Click below for an official synopsis, the trailer and full size poster. “Anna Karenina” is set to hit screens in September for Europe and November in the US.

Lyndsy Fonseca also returning for “Kick-Ass 2″ with Aaron Johnson and Chloe Moretz

June 1, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Every wannabe Superman needs his Lois Lane, and Aaron Johnson‘s Kick-Ass will be reunited with his love interest as Lyndsy Fonseca tells her official website that she will be reprising her role as Katie Deauxma in “Kick-Ass 2″, along with original cast members Johnson, Chloe Moretz and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

Fonseca shares: “It’s a small part because of [The CW series] “Nikita”, but I’m in it, I start shooting in September.” In the 2010 Matthew Vaughn directed “Kick-Ass”, Johnson played Dave Lizewski, an ordinary teenager and comic book fan who decides to become a real life superhero, giving himself the moniker Kick-Ass. He was aided by the foul-mouthed and highly trained Hit-Girl, played by Moretz, and longed for pretty classmate Katie. Unlike her much crueler counterpart in the comics, Fonseca’s Katie was much kinder and ultimately became romantically involved with Dave after he reveals his superhero alter-ego to her. Jeff Wadlow will direct the sequel from a script he wrote. Nicholas Cage is also expected to return to make a cameo appearance as the villainous Big Daddy.

The almost-Katniss Fonseca also appeared in “Hot Tub Time Machine” but sticks mostly to TV roles, including “Nikita”, just picked up for a third season, in which she plays Alex, and the concurrently running “How I Met Your Mother”, in which she sometimes appears as the daughter to which Future Ted is telling the long-winded version of how he met her mom.

Aaron Johnson and Chloe Moretz set to return for “Kick-Ass 2″

May 31, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

The original stars of Matthew Vaughn’s “Kick-Ass” – Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz and Christopher Mintz-Plasse – are close to finalizing deals to return for the recently greenlit sequel, according to Deadline.

Jeff Wadlow takes the directing reigns on the sequel since Vaughn is committed to directing the “X-Men: First Class” sequel that was recently set for a July 18, 2014 release date. In the original film, based on the comic book of the same name by by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr, Johnson played Dave Lizewski, an ordinary teenager and comic book fan who decides to become a real life superhero, giving himself the moniker Kick-Ass. He was aided by the foul-mouthed and highly trained Hit-Girl, played by Moretz. Since the two stars have enjoyed considerably higher profiles in Hollywood since the film in 2010, there had been a question of whether they would be able to return or whether their characters would have to be recast, but now it seems everything is coming together and a planned fall shoot is in sight.

Moretz was recently seen opposite Johnny Depp in Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows”, which was unfortunately mostly passed over in the shadow of “The Avengers”, and recently landed the titular role in Kimberly Pierce’s remake of Stephen King classic horror “Carrie.” Johnson was last seen opposite Glenn Close in her Oscar-nominated role as “Albert Nobbs” and will next be seen alongside Taylor Kitsch and Blake Lively in Oliver Stone’s “Savages.”

Watch: Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson rescue Blake Lively in first trailer for “Savages”

April 5, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos Leave a comment

“Just because I’m telling you this story doesn’t mean I’m alive at the end,” narrates Blake Lively as her character O introduces us to the hyper sexual and violent world in which she resides in the first trailer for Oliver Stone’s drug cartel thriller “Savages.” Yes, it’s one of those stories, in which certain death for most if not all parties involved seems inevitable.

Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson play best friends and business partners Chon and Ben, two Southern Californian pot growers whose business is starting to really become lucrative. No surprise then that the Mexican drug lords want a piece of the action. When they refuse to work for Salma Hayek’s organization, Benicio Del Toro is dispatched to kidnap O, the girlfriend they share between them, setting off a chain of violent events that may or may not culminate in everybody killing each other.

“Savages”, based on the best-selling novel by Don Winslow, will be released on July 6th, and will coincide with the publication of “The Kings of Cool”, a prequel novel that traces the beginnings of Ben, Chon and O’s unusual friendship.

Watch the brilliant and intense first trailer below.

Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively and Aaron Johnson featured on first “Savages” poster

April 2, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images Leave a comment

We’re just a couple of months away from the release of one of our most anticipated films of the year, and today we finally have our first look at the poster for Oliver Stone’s drug cartel thriller “Savages.” The trio of young stars, Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson and Blake Lively are joined on the hyper colorful and dramatic poster by John Travolta, Salma Hayek and Benicio Del Toro, playing various friends and foes of the two pot-growing best friends, Ben and Chon, played by Johnson and Kitsch, respectively. Lively plays O, the wild child girlfriend the boys both love – and unlike other love triangles, unselfishly share between them. When Hayek’s Mexican drug cartel decide the boys should work for her, she unleashes her brutal enforcer Del Toro to kidnap the girl for ransom.

“Savages”, based on the best-selling novel by Don Winslow, will be released on July 6th, and will coincide with the publication of “The Kings of Cool”, a prequel novel that traces the beginnings of Ben, Chon and O’s unusual friendship.

JoBlo had the exclusive reveal of the poster, which you can see below, and also report the trailer will be released on Thursday.

Jessica Brown Findlay lands “Winter’s Tale”; Aaron Johnson and Garrett Hedlund front-runners for male lead

March 21, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

Now that the project is officially a go at Warner Bros, Akiva Goldsman is moving fast on his passion project, a big budget adaptation of Mark Helprin’s 1983 fantasy novel “Winter’s Tale”, and today Deadline reports he has cast his leading lady. “Downton Abbey” star Jessica Brown Findlay beat out the likes of Bella Heathcote and Lily Collins to land the role of Beverly Penn, while the lead role of young thief Peter Lake currently has two front-runners, Aaron Johnson and Garrett Hedlund. Last we heard, Tom Hiddleston and Benjamin Walker were testing for the role, but it appears Goldsman has skewed a bit younger.

UPDATED: Variety reports it is Hiddleston and Luke Evans who have the “inside track” on the Peter Lake role, while Hedlund and Johnson aren’t mentioned at all.

The film takes place in a New York City that is markedly different from the island as we know it. It takes place in the 19th Century and follows Peter, who became a thief out of necessity following a bad childhood, only to end up estranged from the group and making a mortal enemy of its leader, Pearly Soames. On a house robbery, Peter meets and falls for the terminally ill Beverly Penn. She becomes the catalyst and the force of change in his life. Another major character is a mythical flying white horse, Athansor, who acts as Peter’s guardian. Russell Crowe has committed to playing the role of Soames, along with Will Smith, who will cameo as a judge. Oscar winning screenwriter Goldsman will make his directorial debut on the project, which has a start date of October 15th in New York.

Findlay is most known to American audiences for her series regular role as Lady Sybil on hit PBS/BBC production “Downtown Abbey”, which follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants early in the reign of King George V. She has also appeared on teen favorite “Misfits” and can be seen in a starring role in British indie drama “Albatross” opposite Felicity Jones.

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