Natalie Portman is Michael Fassbender’s Lady “Macbeth”

April 30, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

They said she would be played by “a Hollywood leading actress”, and they weren’t kidding. Natalie Portman is now set for the role of Lady Macbeth opposite Michael Fassbender in a big screen adaptation of iconic Shakespeare classic “Macbeth”, according to Screen Daily.

The film is expected to shoot later this year under the direction of fast rising Australian director Justin Kurzel, with Fassbender in the role of the ambitious Scottish army captain who resorts to regicide in order to steal the crown, plunging the rest of his life into turmoil and regret, and leading his country into civil war. Lady Macbeth, long considered one of the best and most complex Shakespearean villains, goads her husband into his murderous ambitions and is also subsequently wracked with guilt and torment. Out, damned spot!

Portman and Fassbender obviously really enjoyed working together on Terrence Malick’s latest feature, which wrapped last November. Fassbender had been set to star opposite Portman on the currently-shooting “Jane Got a Gun”, but while seemingly lots of backstage drama and “scheduling conflicts” forced his departure, he and Portman still appear to be on great terms. She’ll next be seen reprising her role as Jane Foster opposite Chris Hemsworth in “Thor: The Dark World.”

Michael Fassbender to Play “Macbeth” in Shakespearean Classic

April 29, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

All those intriguing projects being put together to go out to buyers at Cannes are starting to make themselves known, and here’s one of the most intriguing. Screen Daily reports Michael Fassbender is attached to play the titular role in a big screen adaptation of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy “Macbeth” for fast rising Australian director Justin Kurzel.

The film is expected to shoot later this year with Fassbender in the role of the ambitious Scottish army captain who resorts to regicide in order to steal the crown, plunging the rest of his life into turmoil and regret, and leading his country into civil war. Lady Macbeth, long considered one of the best and most complex Shakespearean villains, is being cast and talks are underway with “at least one Hollywood leading actress.” My vote unequivocally goes to Jessica Chastain, who would nail this role, but of course there are plenty of other worthy choices as well.

Fassbender is currently reprising his role as Magneto in “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and is already attached to another literary role, that of novelist Thomas Wolfe in biopic “Genius.” He has wrapped up shooting on Steve McQueen’s “Twelve Years a Slave” as well as Terrence Malick’s untitled Texas-set romantic drama with Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara.

“The Intouchables” Star Omar Sy Joins “X-Men: Days of Future Past”

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

omar-sy Director Bryan Singer has taken to Twitter to announce even more cast additions to sequel “X-Men: Days of Future Past” which, frankly, feels a bit crowded already. Today it’s French actor Omar Sy, who recently broke out in international hit “The Intouchables”, who has come on board the comic book adaptation in an unspecified role.

Thus far only Sy and “Game of Thrones” star Peter Dinklage are fresh faces to the mutant franchise, while the rest of the cast will be a mix of Singer’s original 2000s’ “X-Men” trilogy – Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Ellen page, Shawn Ashmore and Anna Paquin – and last year’s prequel “X-Men: First Class” – Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, Nicholas Hoult and James McAvoy. The two disparate time periods these characters inhabit will be traversed with a time travel storyline that’s one of the most iconic from the Marvel comics which should put Page’s Shadowcat character front and center. The film is scheduled for release on July 18, 2014 and filming will begin soon.

Sy, who has been steadily acting in his native France for a decade, moved to Los Angeles last year but will continue to make French movies. He is attached to culinary comedy “Chef” opposite Bradley Cooper as well as “Chocolat”, a biopic of Rafael Padilla, “a former slave born in Cuba who became the first black artist in France during the Belle Epoque era” which will film in early 2014. He’ll next be seen in Michel Gondry’s “Mood Indigo.”

Ellen Page, Shawn Ashmore and Anna Paquin returning for “X-Men: Days of Future Past”

January 28, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

They were youngsters in the original “X-Men” trilogy, but now Ellen Page (Shadowcat), Shawn Ashmore (Iceman) and Anna Paquin (Rogue) are returning to the franchise as adults in time-travel themed “X-Men: Days of Future Past”, joining a new class of mutants including Jennifer Lawrence (young Mystique), Michael Fassbender (young Magneto), James McAvoy (young Xavier) and Nicholas Hoult (young Beast) who reside in the past. Bryan Singer, also returning to the franchise’s director’s chair for the first time since “X2″, made the trio’s return official on Twitter last week. Thus far, Ian McKellen (Magnento) and Patrick Stewart (Professor X) are also returning from the original cast, with presumably more to come.

Page’s return was probably crucial to this film, as comic fans are well aware that Kitty Pryde aka Shadowcat is central to the storyline which takes place partly in an alternative dystopic future in which all mutants are trapped in internment camps. Shadowcat travels back in time (well, her consciousness does, but let’s not get into that convoluted mess) to meet the younger versions of the X-Men to prevent one fateful event from happening which triggers the gloomy alternate future. With the way the films have messed with comic canon, it’s unclear at this point how to-the-books Singer will stick with this new adaptation. The film is scheduled for release on July 18, 2014 and filming will begin soon.

Page has stayed away from superhero franchises since her last stint as Kitty Pryde in 2006, and is a much respected indie actress after landing an Oscar nomination for “Juno.” She’ll next be seen in Brit Marling’s Sundance premiere “The East.” Paquin has become a franchise queen of a different sort, playing the lead role of Sookie on HBO’s hit vampire series “True Blood”, now in its 6th season. Ashmore is a regular on new Fox series “The Following.”

Michael Fassbender is cult character Frank Sidebottom in first still from “Frank”

January 10, 2013 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Images Leave a comment

Starring Michael Fassbender, Scoot McNairy and Maggie Gyllenhaal, – and based on a book by one of our favourite authors, Jon Ronson – Film4 have today released the first image of rock’n'roll comedy “Frank“.

Based on Ronson’s memoir, “Frank” stars Domhnall Gleeson as Jon, a wannabe musican who joins an eccentric group of musicians led by Fassbender’s mysterious Frank and his terrifying sidekick Clara, played by Gyllenhaal.

A fictional story loosely inspired by Frank Sidebottom, the persona of cult musician and comedy legend Chris Sievey, the trademark giant plastic head has made Sidebottom a cult character.

Ronson has scripted the film along with Peter Straughan – who adapted another of Ronson’s book, “The Men Who Stare At Goats” – and Lenny Abrahamson will direct. Filming started this past week in New Mexico, USA.

Joel Edgerton joins Natalie Portman and Michael Fassbender in “Jane Got a Gun”

December 11, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Lynn Ramsay’s “Jane Got a Gun” just keeps getting more impressive. Already set to star Natalie Portman and Michael Fassbender, the cast now boasts Aussie rising star Joel Edgerton as well, with Deadline reporting the in demand actor is now in negotiations to join the western.

Portman plays Jane, a woman who is forced to turn to an ex-lover (Fassbender) for help in defending her home when a violent gang of criminals descends to extract her outlaw husband (Edgerton). Filming is set to begin in early 2013, presumably after Portman and Fassbender finish shooting Terrence Malick’s newest movie together.

One of our Faces to Watch of 2012, Edgerton broke out in 2010′s Australian crime drama “Animal Kingdom” and then further impressed audiences in 2011′s MMA-fighting flick “Warrior.” He can soon be seen in Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar front-runner “Zero Dark Thirty” and next May in Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby.” He’s currently in the hunt for the lead in Marvel’s next superhero franchise, “The Guardians of the Galaxy.” Not one to forget his indie roots though, he’s currently filming “Felony”, which he also co-wrote and which co-stars fellow Aussie up and comer Jai Courtney.

Scoot McNairy joins “The Rover” with Robert Pattinson and “Frank” opposite Michael Fassbender

November 15, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Scoot McNairy’s career continues on an upward swing, as Deadline reports the “Argo” actor has landed two intriguing upcoming projects, David Michod’s futuristic Australian thriller “The Rover”, already starring Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson, and rock n roll comedy “Frank”, which has Michael Fassbender and rising star Domhall Gleeson attached.

“The Rover” sees Pearce as a a man who pursues a group of thieves through the Australian outback after they steal something valuable from his car. Pattinson would play one of the thieves. Michod also wrote the script based on an idea he conceived with “Animal Kingdom” star Joel Edgerton. “Frank” has Fassbender as the leader of an eccentric rock band, and Gleeson will find himself in over his head when he joins the group. Lenny Abrahamson will direct from a script by Jon Ronson and Peter Straughan. No word on who McNairy will play in either film just yet.

McNairy began gaining notice after a breakout turn in Gareth Edwards’ low budget surprise hit thriller “Monsters”, and he recent earned acclaim playing one of the hostages in Ben Affleck’s Oscar hopeful “Argo.” He’ll next be seen opposite Brad Pitt in Andrew Dominik’s “Killing Them Softly” and has wrapped up shooting on Steve McQueen’s “Twelve Years a Slave”, also opposite Fassbender. Not slowing down for a bit, McNairy is currently shooting in-flight actioner “Non-Stop” with Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore.

Michael Fassbender to play novelist Thomas Wolfe in biopic “Genius” opposite Colin Firth

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

Michael Fassbender is set to play one of those iconic American novelists of the 20th Century in biopic “Genius”, reports THR from the American Film Market. Fassbender is signing up for the role of “Look Homeward, Angel” author Thomas Wolfe in the film, while Colin Firth will play Max Perkins, the “genius” editor who made the careers of Wolfe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and more 20th Century luminaries. Michael Grandage will direct the film based on A. Scott Berg’s National Book Award winning biography “Max Perkins: Editor of Genius.”

Fassbender, who was seen in “Prometheus” earlier this year, is currently filming Terrence Malick’s new untitled feature with Natalie Portman, Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara in Austin, Texas. He recently completed work on a third collaboration with “Hunger” and “Shame” director Steve McQueen, “Twelve Years a Slave” and will reprise his role as Magneto in “X-Men: Days of Future Past”, recently confirmed to be directed by Bryan Singer.

Set photos reveal Michael Fassbender and Boyd Holbrook wooing Natalie Portman on Terrence Malick’s next

October 10, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images Leave a comment

Just like with “Knight of Cups” before it, set photos are the method through which we are gathering scraps of info on elusive director Terrence Malick’s next untitled feature. The film formerly titled “Lawless” is now filming in Austin, Texas, and today we have our glimpse of two unannounced cast additions cozying up to Natalie Portman. Set against the backdrop of the music scene in Texas, the film is loosely described as being about two intersecting love triangles.

Michael Fassbender is seen holding Portman in his arms, while rising star Boyd Holbrook looks much more restrained, though there are subtle hints of intimacy between the two during their scene as well. Is this one of the intersecting love triangles the film is purported to be about in action right before our eyes? Of course, this adds more questions to how the cozy duos of Christian Bale and Haley Bennett and Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara fit into Portman’s seemingly already complicated love life. Gosling and Mara have been pictured filming in Austin in recent weeks as well, and Gosling and Fassbender apparently had at least one brief scene together, but thus far, that’s been the only “intersecting” we’ve seen take place.

With “To the Wonder” and “Knight of Cups” on the docket for release before this film, it may be a long while before we get any answers. For now, some new set photos of Portman, Gosling, Holbrook and Fassbender can be seen below, and Just Jared has even more.

Michael Fassbender and “Harry Potter” star Domhnall Gleeson take on rock n roll comedy “Frank”

September 4, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Michael Fassbender and Domhnall Gleeson are attached to indie rock n roll comedy “Frank”, according to Variety. Lenny Abrahamson will direct from a script by Jon Ronson and Peter Straughan. Fassbender will play the leader of an eccentric rock band, and Gleeson will find himself in over his head when he joins the group.

Fassbender starred in “Prometheus” earlier this summer and is currently shooting Ridley Scott’s “The Counselor” opposite Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem. He may join Natalie Portman in Western “Jane Got a Gun” but will in all likelihood be tied up with “X-Men: Days of Future Past” through early next spring.

Gleeson, who played Ron’s older brother Bill Weasley in the final two installments “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”, will soon be seen as Levin opposite Alicia Vikander as Kitty in Joe Wright’s new adaptation of “Anna Karenina”, which sees Keira Knightley as the titular Russian literary icon. He recently wrapped time travel romance “About Time” opposite Rachel McAdams.

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