Bradley Cooper Leaves “Jane Got a Gun”; Will Joseph Gordon-Levitt or Tom Hiddleston Replace Him?

May 1, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

bradley-cooper To say “Jane Got a Gun” is something of a troubled production is likely to be the understatement of the year, and its troubles just won’t seem to end. After Bradley Cooper appeared to save the day by committing to play the villain role in the film, now he’s out again, according to Deadline.

Natalie Portman stars in the film, which is now being directed by Gavin O’Connor, as a woman who must defend her home when her outlaw husband returns injured and with a pursuing gang in tow, forcing her to turn to an ex-lover (Joel Edgerton) for help. Cooper was to play the leader of the pursuing gang, but now filmmakers are desperately searching for yet another replacement, with Deadline further reporting Jake Gyllenhall, Tobey Maguire, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hiddleston are amongst the actors they’re talking to. At least they have until June, which is when the supporting villainous role will need to be on set to begin filming.

Gordon-Levitt and Hiddleston both seem rather busy with other projects so it’s unclear if any of this will work out. Gordon-Levitt’s got his directorial debut “Don Jon’s Addiction” rolling out this summer, while Hiddleston will be heading off to Cannes to premiere “Only Lovers Left Alive” and is set to star opposite Hayley Atwell in Robert Capa biopic “Close Enough.” Still, if Cooper could almost manage to do “Jane” and David O. Russell’s “American Hustle” and Cameron Crowe’s next feature all around the same time, there’s hope.

Julia Garner joins “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For”; Eva Green lands female lead

January 29, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

UPDATE: Eva Green has been cast in the female lead role of Ava Lord, the titular Dame to kill for.

Indie rising star Julia Garner is the latest to join the ever-growing cast of sequel “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For”, according to Deadline. She joins fellow newcomers Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Juno Temple, Josh Brolin, Ray Liotta and Jeremy Piven in Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’s follow-up to their 2005 stylized hit “Sin City,” based on Miller’s graphic novel of the same name.

Miller and Rodriguez are already underway filming on the sequel to 2005′s “Sin City” based on Miller’s graphic novel, and a large chunk of the original cast is returning, including Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis, Jaimie King, Jessica Alba and Rosario Dawson. Gordon-Levitt will play a newly created character named Johnny, while Garner will play a young stripper. Green’s Ava Lord is a femme fatale described as “every man’s most glorious dreams come true, she’s also every man’s darkest nightmares.” “Sin City: A Dame To Kill For” will be released on October 14, 2013.

She played a member of the cult Elizabeth Olsen escapes from in “Martha Marcy May Marlene” and a classmate of Logan Lerman’s in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, and Garner was back at Sundance this year, taking the starring role in a gruesome family drama/horror “We Are What We Are”, which premiered in the Park City and Midnight category and was picked up for distribution by Entertainment One.

Juno Temple joins “The Dark Knight Rises” co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt in “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For”

January 18, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Juno Temple, Jeremy Piven and Ray Liotta are the latest cast members to join Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller’s comic book sequel adaptation “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For”, according to The Playlist.

Miller and Rodriguez are already underway filming on the sequel to 2005′s “Sin City” based on Miller’s graphic novel, and a large chunk of the original cast is returning, including Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis, Jaimie King, Jessica Alba and Rosario Dawson. Gordon-Levitt will play a newly created character named Johnny, a “smooth gambler” role that had originally been offered to Johnny Depp, but there are no details on who the newest cast members will play. It’s also unclear if Temple has taken the female lead role that had not yet been cast last we heard, a role originally meant for Angelina Jolie. If so, it’s quite a get for the young British actress.

Temple, a current nominee for BAFTA’s EE Rising Star Award, last appeared in Christopher Nolan’s Batman conclusion “The Dark Knight Rises” and will next be seen opposite Michael Angarano in indie comedy “The Brass Teapot”, the trailer to which we unveiled earlier today. She recently completed filming on Disney’s Sleeping Beauty reimagining “Maleficent” opposite Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning, as well as supernatural thriller “Horns” with Daniel Radcliffe and Max Minghella.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt committs to “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For”, won’t lead “Guardians of the Galaxy”

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

Glad this is finally settled. No, hotly in demand actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt will not star in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy”, or the “Godzilla” reboot. Instead, according to Deadline, Gordon-Levitt has committed to a starring role in sequel “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For”, which is already filming.

Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller are directing the sequel to 2005′s “Sin City”, based on Miller’s graphic novel, and a large chunk of the original cast is returning, including Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis, Jaimie King, Jessica Alba and Rosario Dawson, while newcomers don’t stop with Gordon-Levitt. Josh Brolin is among the names being tossed around as potential cast additions, while the film’s female lead has still yet to be cast as well, even though filming has been on-and-off-going since November. Gordon-Levitt will play a newly created character named Johnny, a “smooth gambler” role that had originally been offered to Johnny Depp.

Gordon-Levitt is arguably the most sought-after young actor in Hollywood right now, especially after a breakout year in 2012 that saw him play an integral transition character in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises” (is “Justice League” next?), as the lead of Rian Johnson’s impressive sci-fi thriller “Looper” and as son Robert to Daniel Day Lewis’ “Lincoln.” Next, his directorial debut “Don Jon’s Addiction”, in which he also co-stars opposite Scarlett Johansson, which the now multi-hyphenate will premiere at Sundance in a couple of weeks.

Gareth Edwards eyeing Henry Cavill, Scoot McNairy and Caleb Landry Jones for “Godzilla” lead

January 7, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

So it looks like whatever Joseph Gordon-Levitt does next, it won’t be the reboot of “Godzilla”, to be helmed by indie breakout filmmaker Gareth Edwards. Despite an initial report from THR that Gordon-Levitt is amongst a select few potential leading men being considered for the lead role, they now update that Gordon-Levitt has already passed. Which is good news for he other guys on the list, who are, according to a Variety reporter, Henry Cavill, Scoot McNairy and Caleb Landry Jones.

There’s apparently some disagreement on who would be the best guy to fend off the iconic Japanese giant monster, with reports indicating the bigger names like Gordon-Levitt and Cavill are studio choices (more bankable, etc) while McNairy and Jones, lesser known, have shown great dramatic chops and are the choices of Edwards and the creative team. No official offers have gone out yet, with the script now being given a final polish by Frank Darabont, but a March start date is scheduled, so we could be finding out sooner rather than later who will lead the fight against Godzilla.

McNairy would seem to have a leg up on the competition, as he and Edwards broke out together in 2010′s low budget sci-fil thriller “Monsters”, and he certainly has seen a rise to his profile, especially after having a breakout year in 2012. Jones has blockbuster experience after playing Banshee in “X-Men: First Class”, but has stuck mostly to indies, most recently with two movies at the Toronto International Film Festival, Brandon Cronenberg’s “Antiviral” and Neil Jordan’s “Byzantium.” And while Cavill is a “studio choice”, it’s certainly unfair to downplay his talents, which he honed on four seasons of “The Tudors” before becoming Zack Snyder’s Superman and “Man of Steel” and gently nudged over to the “bankable” column.

Holy crossover, Batman! Joseph Gordon-Levitt also in the mix for Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy”

January 2, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

In an intriguing turn of events, Joseph Gordon-Levitt of all people has popped up in conjunction to Marvel’s current search for a leader of Phase 2 film “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Deadline reports his name is now in the mix but couldn’t nail down whether he had already been offered the role of Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, or not. Others who had been in contention include Eddie Redmayne, Lee Pace, Jim Sturgess, Joel Edgerton and Jack Huston, and most recently, Zachary Levi.

This newest bit of rumor is particularly intriguing, of course, because Gordon-Levitt had seemed poised to play a big role in upcoming adaptations of DC comics over at Warner Bros after having played John Blake in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises.” Hell, there were even rumors he could be taking over as Batman in 2015′s “Justice League”, DC’s answer to Marvel’s “The Avengers.” That rumor never solidified, and if Gordon-Levitt is indeed available to Marvel filmmakers for their rigorous 9-picture deals, it would seem to deflate the Batman rumors even more.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” is already set for an August 1, 2014 release, so filming should begin by early next year under the direction of James Gunn. We’re not so fond of this potential crossover choice, nor were we of Levi’s potential casting, since he’s already Fandral in “Thor.” Seriously, Marvel, there are other actors out there.

Gordon-Levitt is coming off a strong 2012 after starring in Nolan’s Batman conclusion, Rian Johnson’s sci-fi thriller “Looper” and Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” opposite Daniel Day-Lewis. He recently completed filming on his directorial debut, the romantic comedy “Don Jon’s Addiction” in which he also stars opposite Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore. That film is headed to Sundance next month.

Sundance out of competition premieres announced; first look images from “The East”, “Stoker” and more

December 3, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis and Linda Ge in Images Leave a comment

Just last week Sundance Film Festival announced their 2013 picks, the films that will be competing against each other to win the coveted Grand Jury prizes and hopefully go on to bigger box office and critical success. Now today Sundance have announced the Out of Competition premieres and there are a lot of familiar and exciting rising stars in attendance.

Some of our most anticipated films of 2013 are included in today’s released line up, including Park Chan-Wook‘s English language thriller “Stoker” starring Mia Wasikowska, and “Breathe In“, the second directorial effort from Drake Doremus. Doremus, who hit the 2010 festival with “Like Crazy” which won him the Grand Jury prize, reunites with Felicity Jones in this new film – which again stars Jones as a foreign exchange students in America.

Brit Marling and writing partner Zal Batmanglij are back again with “The East“, starring Marling as an operative whose loyalties are tested when she goes undercover to infiltrate a mysterious anarchist collective attacking major corporations. The pic also features Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, Toby Kebbell and Shiloh Fernandez.

Noir film “The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman” with Shia LaBeouf and Evan Rachel Wood will also premiere at the 2013 festival, as will the Amanda Seyfried-starrer “Lovelace“. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who starred in the 2012 festival hit “Smashed“, will be back again in “A.C.O.D“.

For Brie Larson and Elizabeth Olsen, Sundance 2013 will be especially busy, as both have films in and out of competition – “The Spectacular Now” and Joseph Gordon-Levitt‘s directorial debut “Don Jon’s Addiction” for Larson, and Beat pic “Kill Your Darlings” and the Naomi Foner helmed “Very Good Girls“, also starring Dakota Fanning and Boyd Holbrook for Olsen.

Click below for the first images from these films and the official synopses for the featured films.

Newest “Justice League” rumor has Joseph Gordon-Levitt answering the Bat-Signal

November 26, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

So it probably won’t be Armie Hammer after all. The newest rumor surrounding Warner Bros’ answer to Marvel’s “The Avengers” comes from Hitfix and has Joseph Gordon-Levitt reprising his role in “The Dark Knight Rises” in DC superhero team-up pic “Justice League.”

Much has been made of the ending to Christopher Nolan’s final Batman film, which saw Christian Bale in the role of Bruce Wayne and Gordon-Levitt as police offer John Blake. We won’t go into too much detail, but suffice to say there’s been speculation ever since it was released on how the franchise could continue, perhaps with Gordon-Levitt taking a more prominent role. Now Hitfix has a source that says Gordon-Levitt “absolutely will be appearing in ‘Justice League’ as the new Batman.” This comes on the heels of Superman reboot “Man of Steel” director Zack Snyder hinting that he may have something to do with “Justice League” as well, which everyone is indicating to mean Henry Cavill will be donning the red cape in the prospective 2015 ensemble actioner as well.

Fast Track: 15 A-List Newcomers Who First Launched Their Careers on Television

November 15, 2012 | Posted by Up&Comers Contributor in Features Leave a comment

A list by Emiah Gardner

If you’re a Hollywood follower, you know the drill. Small-time star has a bit-part in a big movie and suddenly goes wild. Soon, that star achieves A-list status and is able to choose any part he wants after paying his dues as a walk-on. Well, that’s how it used to be, anyway. With the growing number of movie actors who are TV actors and vice versa, it’s become kosher for TV and movie worlds to collide. In fact, some of the fresh-faced new A-listers are some of the TV show elite, using the small screen to catapult their rise to the silver screen. Check out this list of 15 big screen rising stars who launched their career in television.

Brie Larson joins Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut, “Don Jon’s Addiction”

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

After racking up three new projects in the first six months of 2012, Brie Larson can now add a fourth to the list. Variety reports that the rising actress has joined Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut “Don Jon’s Addiction“.

The film stars Gordon-Levitt as “a porn-addicted, modern day Don Juan who sets out to become a less selfish person after meeting a recently widowed older woman”, to be played by Julianne Moore. Larson will play Gordon-Levitt’s sister, and Tony Danza his father, the pic also stars Scarlett Johansson and Rob Brown.

It’s been a great year for Larson, who starred in the TV show “United States of Tara” before breaking out this year in the acclaimed “21 Jump Street” remake. After filming on “Addiction” finishes, the young actress will be joining Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller in “The Spectacular Now”, a coming of age dramedy. She is also set to star alongside Olivia Wilde in two pics, playing sisters in the rom com “Relanxious” and as therapist and patient in the indie drama “Squirrel to the Nuts”.

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