Daniel Radcliffe to Headline True Life Crime Thriller “Tokyo Vice”

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

daniel-radcliffe Daniel Radcliffe is making a very nice transition from “Harry Potter” to serious actor, and now adds another intriguing project to his growing portfolio. Deadline reports Radcliffe is set to star in crime thriller “Tokyo Vice”, which is based on the real experiences of American journalist Jake Adelstein.

Anthony Mandler will direct the film in early 2014, and Radcliffe will play Adelstein circa the early 90s, when he had the distinction of being the very first American journalist working in the Japanese language as a reporter in Japan. While working for the Yomiuri Shinbun newspaper, Adelstein covered the crime beat and ran afoul of yakuza boss Tadamasa Goto, often referred to as “the John Ghotti of Japan”, when he began investigating how Goto was able to enter the United States for a liver transplant. Goto’s enforcers put Adelstein’s job and life in jeopardy with death threats as a result.

After becoming an international movie star at a very young age thanks to eight massively popular “Harry Potter” movies, Radcliffe quickly cast off the typecasting and made smart post-franchise role choices. Surprise horror hit “The Woman in Black” helped, as did a revealing turn on the West End and Broadway stage in “Equus.” He’ll next be seen as Beat writer Allen Ginsburg in “Kill Your Darlings” alongside Dane DeHaan and Elizabeth Olsen and stars opposite Zoe Kazan in indie rom com “The F Word” as well as supernatural thriller “Horns.” And even with a new adaptation of “Frankenstein” also in the books, he’s still fitting in theater work, this summer returning to the West End in “The Cripple Of Inishmaan.”

Jack Huston Joins Jennifer Lawrence in David O. Russell’s Abscam Drama

March 26, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

jack-huston David O. Russell’s newest film has already been shooting for a couple of weeks now, but one last cast member is jumping on board, with Deadline reporting “Boardwalk Empire” star Jack Huston has joined Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence in the 1970s set political thriller.

The untitled film, originally called “American Bullshit”, will follow the real life political drama Abscam, which was set up by the FBI in the 1970s and 80s. An FBI employee posed as a fictional Middle Eastern sheik named Kraim Abdul Rahman, who was videotaped taking meetings with government officials in which they agreed to take money for helping him gain asylum in the US, among other illegal activities. The investigation culminated in the conviction of a United States Senator and five members of the House of Representatives. Various cast members have been spotted around the Boston area dressed in their best 70s garbs – including Lawrence with this amazing updo – shooting the film which already has an Oscar-friendly December 13th release date.

Huston, who plays scarred and mask Richard Harrow on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire”, recently premiered Beat Generation origin tale “Kill Your Darlings”, in which he plays Jack Kerouac, at Sundance. He most recently completed work on edgy art world dramedy “Posthumous” opposite Brit Marling.

Daniel Radcliffe to Play Igor in New Version of “Frankenstein”

March 1, 2013 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Casting Leave a comment

daniel-radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe continues to make smart and interesting career decisions post his “Harry Potter“-franchise days. In his next move, the British actor is final negotiations to star as Igor in the classic tale “Frankenstein”.

Variety reports that the film, based on Mary Shelley’s 19th century novel, will begin filming in the fall froma script by Max Landis (“Chronicle”) and Paul McGuigan in the director’s chair.

Eagle-eyed readers may note that in Shelley’s novel, there is no character called Igor. Igor is a creation from the early 20th century Frankenstein , and is usually portrayed as the tradional hunchbacked assistant – certainly a departure for Radcliffe.

After reaching worldwide fame as Harry Potter in the insanely popular Harry Potter franchise, Radcliffe has refused to be typecast. He starred in horror flick “The Woman In Black” before being cast as iconic Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in the indie drama “Kill Your Darlings“, which premiered at Sundance to critical acclaim. He will also star in his first romantic comedy, “The F Word”, opposite Zoe Kazan, and head back to the supernatural in thriller “Horns“.

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.

Sundance flips for Dane DeHaan in Beat Generation origin tale “Kill Your Darlings”

January 19, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Reviews 3 Comments

Has the 2013 Sundance Film Festival just discovered its first breakout star? Judging by the reaction from the audience flowing out of the world premiere of Beat generation origin tale “Kill Your Darlings”, the answer is a resounding yes. Hollywood.com editor Matt Patches enthuses, “Kill Your Darlings is high caliber in every department. Radcliffe and DeHaan are ferocious as Ginsberg and Carr.” That would be “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe and our 2012 Breakout Star Dane DeHaan playing Beat writers Allen Ginsberg and Lucien Carr in John Krokidas’ feature directorial debut, which FirstShowing.net Managing Editor Ethan Anderton says “is electrified with energy, emotionally charged.”

Sundance 2013 Preview: 13 Films We’re Excited For

January 15, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Features 4 Comments

We are just about 48 hours away from the kick-off of a brand new edition of the Sundance Film Festival, where many rising stars begin their year and perhaps their career. Exhibit A: newly minted Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis, whose “Beasts of the Southern Wild” performance was first given its stamp of approval by the Sundance audience last year. Exhibits B & C: her Best Actress category competitors, Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chatain. Both of them got their big break via Sundance in recent years too – Lawrence in 2010 with “Winter’s Bone” and Chastain in 2011 with “Take Shelter” – and have clearly leveraged those moments into successful and promising careers with longevity.

This looks to be another strong year filled with potential breakouts and we can’t wait to be introduced to them. Here are 13 films playing at the festival beginning next week that we are very excited for.

Start Here: The Spectacular Now >>

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Up And Comers Presents: 13 Films To Look Forward To In 2013

January 3, 2013 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Features, Lists 3 Comments

It’s always difficult to determine which of the upcoming slate of films to get excited for. It may star your favourite actor or actress, and an award-winning director may be attached, but that can never guarantee a good film. And you’re also often woefully underinformed. There may have been early festival reviews or a teaser trailer but a lot of 2013 releases – and a lot of the films on this list – have given nothing away yet, and may even still be filming.

But that’s what makes it exciting. Can your favourite actor pull off a new genre? Will the intriguing plot and acclaimed director come together to actually give you a great film? In a year’s time we may be raving about some of these films, or we may have forgotten about them completely, but that’s what makes film journalism so fun.

So in no particular order, click below to discover which films we think could light up the big screen in 2013.

First official image of Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan and Jack Huston in Sundance-bound “Kill Your Darlings”

December 14, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images 1 Comment

Today the Sundance Film Festival put online its full schedule for the 2013 season, and with it, our first look at an official image from one of the films we are most looking forward to at the festival, Beat generation origin biopic “Kill Your Darlings.”

The first image, which seems to be a screengrab from a trailer that we hope to see soon, shows Daniel Radcliffe as Allen Ginsberg, Dane DeHaan as Lucien Carr, Ben Foster as William Burroughs and Jack Huston as Jack Kerouac. Described as “a riveting true story of a crime, a friendship, and the nexus that spawned a cultural movement”, the John Krokidas film follows the quartet, along with Elizabeth Olsen as Edie Parker, as they meet on the campus of Columbia University in the 1940s and are bonded forever in the wake of a murder.

“Kill Your Darlings” premieres at Sundance in the US Dramatic Competition on Saturday, January 19th. See the first image below and be sure to check the grid for the full schedule.

“Chronicle” star Dane DeHaan joins Andrew Garfield to play Harry Osborn in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2″

December 3, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

Peter Parker’s expanding class of friends and foes are nearly complete. Director Marc Webb announced via Twitter today that “Chronicle” star Dane DeHaan (one of our favorites!) has landed the pivotal role of Harry Osborn in the sequel to “The Amazing Spider-Man”, which sees Andrew Garfield returning as the webbed crusader, as well as Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy. Jamie Foxx was also recently cast as villain Electro.

DeHaan beat out not one but two shortlists of other young actors vying for the part, but we think Webb made absolutely the perfect choice in the end. Shailene Woodley is also joining the cast to play Mary Jane Watson, with both newcomers presumably having supporting roles in this first sequel but to be greatly expanded in the conclusion of the trilogy. Filming begins early next year with a release date already set for May 2nd, 2014.

Last seen on the big screen in “Lawless” opposite Tom Hardy and Shia Labeouf, DeHaan heads to Sundance next January with Beat generation origin pic “Kill Your Darlings” alongside Elizabeth Olsen and Danielle Radcliffe, and also has Derek Cianfrance’s “The Place Beyond the Pines” opposite Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper awaiting release.

See Webb’s Twitter announcement below.

Rooney Mara, Daniel Radcliffe, Shailene Woodley and more will premiere films at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival

November 28, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in General News 2 Comments

As we begin to look towards this year’s awards season, a new crop of films have just been announced for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival - the festival where potential awards contenders first get unveiled.

This year’s selection is mostly “devoted to exploring the myriad forms of human sexuality” noted the festival’s director John Cooper, and several of our favourite rising stars will be premiering new pics.

James Ponsoldt’s “The Spectacular Now” with Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller will debut at the festival competing in the US Dramatic Competition, along with the Rooney Mara/Casey Affleck starrer “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints“, and “Kill Your Darlings“, the Beat drama with Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan and Elisabeth Olsen.

Also competing will be Kaya Scodelario and Aneurin Barnard in Francesca Gregorini’s “Emauel and the Truth About Fishes” (which Rooney Mara was originally slated to star in), “Fruitvale” with Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer, and “The Lifeguard” with Kristen Bell and Martin Starr.

There are sixteen titles in all competing for the US Dramatic Competition, including other films that feature Juno Temple, Scoot McNairy, Jonathon Groff, Corey Stoll and Alison Brie .

In recent years many of the Sundance award winners have gone to become Oscar contenders (“Junebug”, “Frozen River”, “Winters Bone“), with this year’s big awards hopeful “Beasts of the Southern Wild” premiering at Sundance 2012 and going on to win at the Cannes Film Festival as well.

Take a look below the cut for further information on all the entries to this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Which do you think we’ll still be talking about this time next year?

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