Ansel Elgort Is Augustus Waters in "The Fault in Our Stars" Opposite Shailene Woodley

From siblings to star-crossed lovers! EW reports rising star Ansel Elgort has been offered the male lead in "The Fault in Our Stars" opposite Shailene Woodley - who plays his sister in the currently-filming dystopian adaptation "Divergent." The two Read more

Dylan O'Brien Lands "The Maze Runner" Lead; Ki Hong Lee Also Joins

UPDATE: Director Wes Ball tweets that Ki Hong Lee has also joined the cast as Minho, a fellow Glader and ally to Thomas throughout the series. Lee is probably best known as a regular on short-lived ABC Family Read more

Shailene Woodley Confirmed for "The Fault in Our Stars"

I mean, duh, we called it. It has now been officially confirmed with glowing quotes from director, producer and author in tow that the increasingly in demand Shailene Woodley will play the lead role of Hazel Grace Lancaster Read more

Up and Comers Presents: 20 Faces to Watch in 2013

After a somewhat unpredictable year in which the stars we expected to break out largely didn't but fresh faces came out of nowhere to surprise us all, we are ready to look ahead to the new talent waiting to Read more

Up and Comers Presents: The Breakout Stars of 2012

Another year, another new crop of fresh talent. Just like last year, the hardest part is narrowing down which of the dozens of the year's rising stars shone the brightest. This year we heralded the arrival of the unlikeliest Read more

jon favreau

Scarlett Johansson, Michelle Williams Eyeing Dueling “Chef” Films

May 15, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

chef Too many cooks in the kitchen? Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. There are currently two films heading into production called “Chef” and it’s become a bit of a problem and lawyers are getting involved but while that’s happening, casting is underway on both.

The first one we heard about was written by Steve Knight and will be directed by John Wells and stars Bradley Cooper as a disgraced Parisian chef who sobers up and returns to the scene to try to redeem his reputation with a new restaurant. Omar Sy is also linked to the project, and Deadline reports Michelle Williams and Marion Cotillard have come up as potential female leads.

The other “Chef”, a more comedic take on the same genre to be directed by Jon Favreau, was also written by Favreau and stars Favreau as another disgraced chef who stages a comeback, only he does it by opening up a food truck. Robert Downe, Jr. recently agreed to co-star and the project just got even more “Iron Man”-y with the addition of Scarlett Johansson, according to THR.

It’s likely both films will see audiences, but only one will be called “Chef” when they do. Which will it be?

Jon Favreau eyeing quintet of rising stars, including Dominic Cooper and Paul Dano, for “Jersey Boys”

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

Good news and bad news for fans of smash hit Broadway musical “Jersey Boys.” The bad news is that Warner Bros has put the big screen adaptation, which has Jon Favreau attached to direct, into turnaround, according to Variety. This means Favreau and Co. now have to shop the project around to other studios and hope that someone likes it enough to pick it up. But meetings are already taking place, with Paramount talking to the filmmakers tomorrow and Twentieth Century Fox also in play. Warner Bros had it fast-tracked to begin filming in January and a December 2013 release date target, but all that will probably be pushed back now.

The good news is that if and when it finds a new home, Favreau already has a rather impressive line-up of young actors lined up for the lead roles in the film. While none have had official offers yet, Variety reports in recent weeks Favreau landed on John Magarao, James Badge Dale, Paul Dano, Dominic Cooper and Vincent Piazza.

Read more

Watch: Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks meet “People Like Us” in first trailer

March 29, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos Leave a comment

Hot off the success of “The Hunger Games, Effie herself Elizabeth Banks introduces the first trailer for her next movie, “People Like Us”, which is surely hoping for a bit of an awareness bump thanks to its suddenly way more famous star. Formerly titled “Welcome to People”, Chris Pine stars in the family drama as a man who is reunited with a sister and nephew he never knew he had after the death of his alcoholic father. His father left him a large inheritance, along with instructions to give some of the money to the daughter he hid from his wife and son. Banks and Pine play the newfound brother-sister duo, with Olivia Wilde on board as Hannah, Pine’s character’s girlfriend. Michelle Pfeiffer is also on board to play Pine’s mother.

The directorial debut of uber-successful screenwriter Alex Kurtzman, “People Like Us” boasts a confident summer release date of June 29th. Watch the first trailer, courtesy of Moviefone, below.

Read more

First look: Chris Pine on the set of “Welcome to People”

January 22, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images Leave a comment

Alex Kurtzman’s directorial debut “Welcome to People” is racking up an impressive cast, with Olivia Wilde the most recent addition to the cast, joining Elizabeth Banks and Chris Pine in the drama about a man who is reunited with a sister and nephew he never knew he had after the death of his alcoholic father. Banks and Pine play the brother-sister duo, with Wilde on board as Hannah, Pine’s character’s girlfriend. Michelle Pfeiffer is also on board to play Pine’s mother.

Recently, B-list actor and A-list director Jon Favreau – you may have heard of such tiny indie hits as Iron Man and this summer’s Cowboys vs Aliens – took to Twitter to announce that he just shot a cameo for the film: “Did a cameo role today in Welcome To People. Fun to act again, even if it was only for a day.”

No word on a release date yet. See below for several images of Pine cruising in a red convertible on his first day of shooting, courtesy of Just Jared.

Read more

Watch: First Trailer for “Cowboys and Aliens”

November 17, 2010 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images, Videos Leave a comment

It’s here!! Daniel Craig’s Jake Lonergan is a stranger who shows up and leads the town of Absolution in defense against an alien invasion and other mysteries in Jon Favreau’s highly anticipated genre-crossing actioner “Cowboys and Aliens”, out next July, and today we finally have a look at the fast-rising Olivia Wilde in her role as Ella, someone who may know a little something about Jake’s mysterious past.

See some stills of Wilde in character below.

Read more

Teaser poster for “Cowboys and Aliens” debuts; trailer Wednesday!

November 15, 2010 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images Leave a comment

The teaser poster for Jon Favreau’s highly anticipated genre-bender “Cowboys and Aliens” was released today via Yahoo! Movies, with a promise of the teaser trailer to be released online on Wednesday and attached to prints of “Harry Potter” starting Friday. Based on the graphic novel from Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, Daniel Craig stars as a stranger with no no memory who stumbles upon the town of Absolution, the only clue hinting at his identity a mysterious shackle on his wrist. Co-starring the fast-rising Olivia Wilde, Harrison Ford and Sam Rockwell, the film will be unleashed on theaters July 29, 2011.

Peek at the full size poster and official synopsis below. Check back on Wednesday to wtach the teaser trailer!

Read more