Benjamin Walker Joining Chris Hemsworth in Ron Howard’s “In the Heart of the Sea”

May 7, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

benjamin-walker Stage and screen actor Benjamin Walker has landed a major role opposite Chris Hemsworth and Tom Holland in Ron Howard’s nautical actioner “In the Heart of the Sea”, according to Deadline.

Based on Nathaniel Philbrick’s factual retelling “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex”, Hemsworth will play a first mate aboard whaling ship the Essex, which began a journey from Nantucket bound for the South Pacific in 1819 and was rammed and sunk by a giant sperm whale, the incident that served as inspiration for Meville’s “Moby Dick.” The initial crew of 20, to be led by Hemsworth’s character, dwindled as they struggled to survive aboard three lifeboats, facing hunger, disease and inclement weather. Holland is set for the role of Young Nickerson, an aspiring whaler, while Walker has the plum role of George Pollard, Jr., the unqualified, antagonistic captain of the Essex who would be come to be immortalized in fiction as Captain Ahab. Filming begins in September in London.

Broadway vet Walker starred in cult hit “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” and most recently in a revival of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” opposite Scarlett Johansson. His big screen metal has not been fully tested following the disastrous “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, while other potential star-making films like Ed Zwick’s “The Great Wall” and Alex Proyas’ “Paradise Lost”, fell apart before filming even began. Luckily this project seems solid and has great potential to be the breakout that the talented and charismatic Walker is long overdue for.

Benjamin Walker wins co-lead role in “The Great Wall” alongside Henry Cavill

June 8, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Casting Leave a comment

Looks like Abe Lincoln will be joining Superman in China!

Deadline reports that Benjamin Walker will be teaming up with Henry Cavill in Ed Zwick‘s new film “The Great Wall“, nabbing the role from Alexander Skaarsgard who was also in the running.

A period action film set in 15th century China, “The Great Wall” stars Cavill and Walker as traveling British warriors, “who happen upon the hurried construction of the massive wall. As night falls, the warriors realize that the haste in building the wall isn’t just to keep out the Mongols. There is something inhuman and more dangerous.”

It’s a great coup for Walker, who has yet to prove his leading man status in Hollywood, though that test will come in just a few short weeks. A Broadway vet, he starred in the hit musical “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” before being cast in the highly anticipated “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter“, an adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith’s novel, out in theaters on June 22nd.

Alexander Skarsgard and Benjamin Walker vying to scale “The Great Wall” with Henry Cavill

June 4, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Will the war between vampires and mortals never cease? “True Blood” vampire Alexander Skarsgard and “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” himself Benjamin Walker are vying for the co-lead in ancient Chinese actioner “The Great Wall”, according to Deadline. New Superman Henry Cavill has already committed to the film.

Cavill and either Skarsgard or Walker will play “British warriors traveling through 15th Century China and happen upon the hurried construction of the massive wall. As night falls, the warriors realize that the haste in building the wall isn’t just to keep out the Mongols. There is something inhuman and more dangerous.” Ed Zwick will direct.

Skarsgard plays the dreamy and brooding (is there any other kind of vampire?) Eric on HBO’s hit series “True Blood”, now heading into its sixth season. He recently co-starred in Taylor Kitsch-headlined “Battleship” and has wrapped up filming on indies “Disconnect” and “The East”, starring opposite Brit Marling and Ellen Page. Broadway vet Walker starred in cult hit “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” and will have his first big test at a career on the big screen when he plays “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, out in theaters on June 22nd.

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.

Watch: Benjamin Walker dominates new trailer for “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

March 17, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos Leave a comment

Honest Abe speaks! We’ve already seen plenty of montage footage from “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, but in the new trailer released today, Benjamin Walker finally gives voice to the axe-wielding, vampire killing 16th President of the United States. Through narration, Abe explains why exactly you and I have only heard the squeaky clean, vampire-less history of his life and why he just hates vampires so damn much. Brief glimpse here of Australian actress Robin McLevy as Lincoln’s mother, whose death when he was young sets off his quest, and Rufus Sewell as Adam, one of Lincoln’s main vampire nemeses.

Tim Burton produced and Timur Bekmambetov directed the sprawling, CGI filled 3D revisionist biopic that will be released on June 22nd. Watch the new trailer below.

Who will have “Sex on the Moon”? Ten guys we could see as daring NASA thief Thad Roberts

March 1, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Features 5 Comments

The team behind the massive critical and commercial success “The Social Network” are at it again. Producers Scott Rudin and Dana Brunetti have teamed up with author Ben Mezrich – whose book “The Accidental Billionaires” was the basis from which the Oscar-winning film was made – for another film. Mezrich’s new book, “Sex on the Moon”, is another true story that’s no less juicy and scandalous and filled to the brim with young, morally ambiguous and party-hard geniuses, and the filmmakers have fittingly set “Easy A” helmer Will Gluck to direct.

Our lead character, Thad Roberts, is a 25-year-old upstart working in NASA’s highly selective co-op program, with very real ambitions to go to space one day (as “the first man on Mars” to be exact). But Roberts is no nerdy rocket scientist. In order to prepare for space, he is in tip top physical shape, and has earned a pilot’s license. With effortless charm and cool, Thad becomes a leader amongst his fellow students and stages elaborate adventures to take them on. When he meets and falls in love with beautiful fellow co-op student Rebecca, his next adventure becomes even more daring – and a lot more illegal, as the two conspire to lead a small team on a mission to steal and sell priceless moon rocks from NASA’s seemingly impenetrable facilities.

Ambitious, competitive, charming, rebellious, beyond intelligent, and madly in love. No small task, but here are ten young actors we think would thrive in this role.

Lily Collins and “Downton Abbey” star Jessica Brown Findlay added to “A Winter’s Tale” shortlist

February 28, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 3 Comments

Many upcoming films that were casting young stars a few months ago have been put on hold, but apparently not Akiva Goldsman’s passion project. According to THR, “A Winter’s Tale”, a time-shifting sci-fi romantic epic will be testing actors in New York next week and actresses on March 12. Back in November, we heard that up for the male lead were Benjamin Walker and Tom Hiddleston, and for the female lead starlets lining up included Elizabeth Olsen, Bella Heathcote, Gabriella Wilde and Sarah Gadon. Now, THR’s new report indicates Heathcote, Hiddleston and Walker are still set to test, and Lily Collins and “Downton Abbey” star Jessica Brown-Findlay will test for the female lead as well. It’s unclear if the previously shortlisted ladies are still in the running.

Watch: First look at Dominic Cooper and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” international trailer

February 14, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos 1 Comment

Just yesterday we saw the American teaser trailer for “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” and like all good first trailers, it teased and tantalized without giving away too many secrets of Benjamin Walker’s axe-wielding, almost superhuman action hero of a 16th President. For international audiences though, Fox is going full out exposition, chocking it full of explanatory dialogue and closer looks at the bloodsucking monsters Walker’s Honest Abe will be fighting. One good thing about the new trailer is that we are given our first look at two key characters left out of the initial teaser: Mary Elizabeth Winstead as love interest Mary Todd (eventually Lincoln) and Dominic Cooper as Henry Sturgess, the vampire who seeks Abe’s help in defeating his own species.

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, produced by Tim Burton and directed by Timur Bekmambetov, will be released on June 22nd. See the new international trailer below.

Watch: Benjamin Walker kicks ass as “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” in first trailer

February 13, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos 3 Comments

One of our favorite risings stars, Benjamin Walker had some bad news last week as it was announced that Alex Proyas’ ambitious 3D action epic “Paradise Lost” – in which Walker had been attached as one of the two main leads – had been halted for good. The good news for Walker is that epic action looks to be in his future still, as the first trailer for “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” looks as fantastic as its previous promo materials and makes us even more excited for its summer release. Tim Burton produced and Timur Bekmambetov directed the sprawling, CGI filled revisionist biopic on the 16th President of the United States, and Walker in the title role is joined by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anthony Mackie, Dominic Cooper and a slew of other up and comers.

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” will be released on June 22nd. Have we mentioned how excited we are for this movie?? Get on the bandwagon and watch the new trailer below.

Watch: First footage of Benjamin Walker and Anthony Mackie from the set of “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

January 13, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos 1 Comment

We’ve seen the first pictures and poster of Benjamin Walker as the titular revisionist US President “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, but today we get our first footage from the set of the film. Walker looks totally transformed and eerily like the Lincoln from history while standing in front of Congress. No vampire shenanigans happening in this first video from the movie, just some green screens and a lot of guys in suits, including Anthony Mackie, who plays William, Ab’s best friend. Timur Bekmambetov directed the film on location in New Orleans this spring and the cast also includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Dominic Cooper.

MTV was on the set to talk to Walker, Mackie, Bekmambetov and more about the film. “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” is one of our most anticipated movies of the year and will be released on June 22, 2012.

Page 1 of 312 3 »

benjamin walker