New images of Emma Watson and “Bling Ring” friends in the Sofia Coppola directed pic

December 7, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Images Leave a comment

Emma Watson impressed us in this year’s surprise critical hit “The Perks of Being a Wallflower“, with Linda Ge suggesting “[Watson infused] Sam with true dimension and makes her a character to root for and feel empathy towards”, so our anticipation for her next project is definitely now amped up. Working with Academy award winning director Sofia Coppola, the two are working on the emsemble feature “Bling Ring“.

Based on a true story, Watson, Taissa Farmiga, Israel Broussard, Katie Chang, Claire Pfister and Georgia Rockplay play a gang of affluent and popular Los Angeles teenagers who decided to rob a string of celebrities’ homes, including Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel Bilson and Orlando Bloom. The group of six youngsters stole over $3 million worth of cash and belongings from October 2008 through August 2009.

Now French mag Premiere (via Playlist) have released some stills from the pic, and they show a sombre looking Watson – perhaps trying on some of the stolen goods.

The mag has the film set for a June release but that is more than likely a Europe release date – and suggests the exciting possibility of a Cannes Film Festival premiere. Coppola is no stranger to the festival having premiered “Marie Antoinette” there in 2006 and although “Bling Ring” still doesn’t have any North American distribution, a positive reception at Cannes could easily change that.

Find the scans below the cut along with previously released official stills from the film.

Emma Watson to reunite with “Perks” co-star Logan Lerman on Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah”

June 7, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

UPDATE: Variety reports Dakota Fanning was Aronofsky’s first choice, but had to pass when scheduling conflicted with upcoming flick “Very Good Girls.”

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” co-stars Logan Lerman and Emma Watson are set to share the screen again (the trend continues), according to Deadline. Watson is now in negotiations to join the cast of Darren Aronofsky’s biblical epic “Noah”, while Lerman a couple of days ago, along with British actor Douglas Booth.

Russell Crowe stars as Noah, who built an ark and piled it up with two of every animal. Booth plays his youngest son, Shem, and Lerman plays middle son Ham. The eldest, Jepeth, still needs to be cast as well as his love interest. Watson will play Ila, who “develops a close relationship with Shem.” Aronofsky wrote the original draft of the script and John Logan wrote the latest. Filming begins soon.

Watson and Lerman play Sam and Charlie in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, which is released on September 14th. The “Harry Potter” alum was last seen in “My Week with Marilyn” and recently wrapped up Sofia Coppola’s “Bling Ring.” She’s playing herself in Seth Rogan’s “The End of the World”, and is attached to psychological drama “Your Voice In My Head.”

Jason Reitman sets newcomers Tom Lipinski and Maika Monroe for “Labor Day”

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

Jason Reitman has proven to be something of a career-maker for relatively unknown young stars, raising the profiles of Ellen Page, Anna Kendrick and Patton Oswalt with his three most recent movies, so newcomers Tom Lipinski and Maika Monroe should be quite excited as Variety reports the writer-director has chosen them to star in his next film, “Labor Day.”

The two will join Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet in the drama based on the novel by Joyce Maynard. Brolin stars as Frank Chambers, an escaped convict who seeks shelter with Winslet’s Adele, a divorced mother with an introverted teenage son. While the novel centers around the young teenager, there’s no word yet if that remains the case with the film or who might play him. In flashbacks, Lipinski will play the younger version of Frank while Monroe will play Mandy, his farmgirl girlfriend whom he eventually marries and has a child with before heading off to the Vietnam War. Reitman adapted the novel himself and will direct.

Lipinski, bearing a striking resemblance to Brolin, has been making the TV guest-starring rounds since 2010, appearing on shows including “Suits”, “Law & Order” and “Pan Am.” “Labor Day” will mark his feature film debut. Monroe is currently filming Sofia Coppola’s “Bling Ring” and will next appear opposite Zac Efron in Ramin Bahrani’s untitled family drama.

Newcomer Israel Broussard takes male lead in Sofia Coppola’s “Bling Ring” opposite Emma Watson

March 6, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Sofia Coppola has always had a knack for bringing the best out of potential future movie stars (see: Kirsten Dunst, Scarlett Johansson, Elle Fanning) and it seems she’s keen on discovering some more untapped talent for her new movie “The Bling Ring” as well. Emma Watson and Taissa Farmiga will be joined by a gaggle of even more unknown names, including Israel Broussard as the male lead, according to THR. Additionally, Katie Chang, Claire Pfister and Georgia Rock will make their feature film debuts in this project as well.

The young actors, led by Watson and Broussard, will all play members of the real-life gang of affluent and popular Los Angeles teenagers who decided to rob a string of celebrities’ homes, including Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel Bilson and Orlando Bloom. The group of six youngsters stole over $3 million worth of cash and belongings from October 2008 through August 2009. Leslie Mann becomes the first “adult” cast member, playing two of the kids’ mom. Coppola wrote the script and will direct in Los Angeles this spring, and has said she wants the film to reflect the celebrity and brand obsessed culture prevalent amongst youth today.

Seventeen year old Broussard made his acting debut two years ago on TV series “Romantically Challenged” and then his feature film debut a few months later in Rob Reiner’s puppy dog love story “Flipped.”

“American Horror Story” star Taissa Farmiga joins Emma Watson in Sofia Coppola’s “Bling Ring”

March 1, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

After a breakout role on hit FX series “American Horror Story”, Taissa Farmiga is following in big sister Vera Farmiga’s footsteps and taking a shot at the big screen, and she’s already off to a great start. Variety reports she has landed a lead role opposite Emma Watson in Sofia Coppola’s “The Bling Ring”, as well as the female lead in indie “Jamesy Boy.”

In “Bling Ring”, Watson and Farmiga will play two of the gang of affluent and popular Los Angeles teenagers who decided to rob a string of celebrities’ homes, including Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel Bilson and Orlando Bloom. The group of six youngsters stole over $3 million worth of cash and belongings from October 2008 through August 2009.

“Jamesy Boy” follows a young member of a suburban street gang who gets sent to a maximum facility prison and is mentored by a convicted murderer. Spencer Lofranco plays James and the cast also includes Mary-Louise Parker, James Woods and Ving Rhames. Farmiga will play James’ love interest. Trevor White wrote the screenplay and will direct.

Farmiga is expected to shoot “Jamesy Boy” before “Bling Ring.”

Farmiga made her acting debut just last year in her sister’s directorial debut “Higher Ground”, playing the younger version of the main character (casting your younger sister to play a younger version of yourself – genius!). But it’s clearly “American Horror Story” that has put her on the map and into the minds of casting directors. The series is expected to return for a second season but with a brand new storyline with new characters and presumably, without most of season 1′s cast.

Hogwarts graduate Emma Watson to lead Sofia Coppola’s “Bling Ring”

February 29, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

It’s world-saving wizardry to petty theft for Emma Watson, as Variety reports the “Harry Potter” actress has been chosen by director Sofia Coppola to star in her based on a true story (that’s already been done as a Lifetime movie) ensemble feature “The Bling Ring.”

Watson will presumably play one of the gang of affluent and popular Los Angeles teenagers who decided to rob a string of celebrities’ homes, including Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel Bilson and Orlando Bloom. The group of six youngsters stole over $3 million worth of cash and belongings from October 2008 through August 2009. The antics of these kids has already been the subject of a Lifetime TV movie of the same name, as well as a feature in Vanity Fair, and one of the convicted burglarshad her ordeal captured by an E! reality show crew. Needless to say there’s a certain level of fascination with this story.

“Twilight” star Robert Pattinson was recently seen discussing business with Coppola, sparking rumors that he, too, could be joining the Bling Ring, which would mark a reunion for the “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” co-stars. Coppola wrote the script and will direct in Los Angeles this spring.

Watson grew up in front of audiences, taking Hermione Grainger from age 11 to 17 through 8 “Harry Potter” movies and now seems on the verge of an interesting transition to adult roles. She took some time off to focus on college, but has returned to acting with a supporting role in “My Week with Marilyn”, which has garnered Michelle Williams an Oscar nomination, and the female lead opposite Logan Lerman in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” It was also recently announced Guillermo del Toro will direct her in a revisionist take on “Sleeping Beauty” and she will reunite with “Harry Potter” director David Yates on psychological/relationship drama “Your Voice in My Head.”

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