Joel Edgerton Joining Michelle Williams in Remake of “The Double Hour”

May 15, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

joel-edgerton Michelle Williams has found herself a co-star for the remake of “The Double Hour” that she committed to back in December. Deadline reports Joel Edgerton will play the male lead opposite Williams in the remake of the 2009 Italian thriller.

The original film followed a maid and an ex-cop who meet at a speed-dating event and retreat to his place for a little privacy, only to be interrupted by robbers who appear to be in cahoots with the maid. No word on how closely the English-language remake will follow that twisty premise, as the new logline is much more vague: “A psychological thriller that tells the story of two lovers who find themselves victims in the midst of a dangerous and well planned robbery.” Joshua Marston wrote the script and will direct the remake.

Edgerton broke out in 2010 Australian crime thriller “Animal Kingdom” and has not slowed down a bit since. Last seen in “Zero Dark Thirty”, he’s currently in Cannes with “The Great Gatsby”, which opened the festival today and in which he plays Tom Buchanan opposite Carey Mulligan’s Daisy. After Cannes he heads back to New Mexico where he has been shooting troubled Western “Jane Got a Gun” with Natalie Portman. He’s also wrapped filming on indie Aussie drama “Felony” with Jai Courtney.

Young “Gatsby” Callan McAuliffe Rebels Against “Our Robot Overlords”

May 9, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

callan-mcauliffe Rising Australian teen actor Callan McAuliffe has landed the lead role in sci-fi thriller “Our Robot Overlords”, according to THR. Ben Kingsley and Gillian Anderson were previously set to co-star.

Jon Wright will direct the film which is set in the midst of a war between humans and robots. McAuliffe plays a teen who gathers a group of other kids to help him search for his long lost father, discovering a way to fight back against the robots in the process and learning there’s more to the war (and the world) than his own family problems. What is with all these future worlds popping up where the very survival of the human race depends on some angst-filled teenager? Anyway, filming begins in Ireland on June 3 with a $21 million budget.

McAuliffe made his American film debut as the star of Rob Reiner’s “Flipped” and also appeared alongside Alex Pettyfer in “I Am Number Four.” He’ll be seen as a young Jay Gatsby in Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” starting tomorrow. He’s wrapped indie “Beneath the Harvest Sky” (formerly titled “Blue Potato”) and is currently filming “Kite” opposite Samuel L. Jackson.

Watch: Joel Edgerton and Carey Mulligan discover who “The Great Gatsby” is in new trailer

April 4, 2013 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Videos Leave a comment

With a great cast, a classic tale and an incredible director, our excitement for the hotly anticipated 3D adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” has always been high. Over the last few months the excitement has really ramped up, thanks to images and trailers showcasing everything we love about director Baz Luhrmann, but today’s trailer really delivers – and now we can’t wait for it’s premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Huge fans of Luhrmann, we’re so pleased to see his trademark over-stylised direction, with lush colours that pop off the screen, gorgeous costumes, sweeping cinematography (which we imagine can only help with the 3D aspect), and what sounds like the soundtrack of the year.

The newly released trailer contains much more exposition, giving us backstory for Gatsby and Daisy (played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan in what are sure to be awards-worthy performances) and also provides more information on Tom, Daisy’s brutish husband played by Joel Edgerton.

Also starring Tobey Maguire as the narrator Nick Carraway, Callum McAuliffe as a young Gatsby and Isla Fisher as Tom’s lover, Luhrmann’s film will premiere at Cannes on May 15th – but will actually be on wide release in US on May 10th.

Check out the trailer below the cut.

Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” to Open 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival

March 12, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in General News Leave a comment

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Ever since it was delayed from a Christmas 2012 release to May 2013, speculation has pegged Baz Luhrmann’s splashy 3D adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” to be eyeing the Cannes Film Festival Opening Night slot, and today the festival has made it official.

Luhrmann and his all-star cast – Leonardo Dicaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher and Jason Clarke – will walk up the famed red carpeted stairs to the Grand Theatre Lumiere and kick off the 2013 festival on May 15th. The film, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic American novel set in the roaring 20s, will screen in the Out of Competition category. “It is a great honor for all those who have worked on The Great Gatsby to open the Cannes Film Festival,” said Luhrmann. “We are thrilled to return to a country, place and festival that has always been so close to our hearts, not only because my first film Strictly Ballroom was screened there 21 years ago, but also because F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote some of the most poignant and beautiful passages of his extraordinary novel just a short distance away at a villa outside Saint-Raphaël.”

Luhrmann’s 2001 musical extravaganza “Moulin Rouge” also opened Cannes. This year’s festival runs from May 15th-May 26th and once again, we hope to bring you exclusive coverage straight from the Croisette. The full lineup of films will be announced on April 18th. Meanwhile, “The Great Gatsby” will actually be released in the US theaters five days prior to its big Cannes premiere, on May 10th.

Jason Clarke In, Chris Hemsworth Out of Thriller “Candy Store”?

February 27, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

jason-clarke Last we heard back in November, Australian action star Chris Hemsworth had attached himself to Stephen Gaghan’s crime thriller “Candy Store”, but that may no longer be the case. In an interview with MTV at the Oscars on Sunday, Hemsworth’s fellow countryman Jason Clarke offered up that he will star in the film.

The film follows an elite operative who retires to Brooklyn, only to find the enemy he once fought setting up shop in his new neighborhood. It’s possible Hemsworth is still attached to the role of the protagonist while Clarke will play the villain, but since Hemsworth’s attachment was tenuous at best even at the time we reported it, it seems much more likely that Clarke, with an increased profile in Hollywood, will be taking over the lead role.

Clarke, one of our Faces to Watch in 2013, had a hell of a 2012 with roles in John Hillcoat’s “Lawless” and Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty”, in which he gave a scene-stealing, Oscar-worthy performance opposite Jessica Chastain. In 2013 he’ll see Channing Tatum starrer “White House Down” and Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” released, and most recently he landed his biggest role yet, as the lead of Matt Reeves’ sequel “The Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”

Jason Clarke to star in “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”

February 19, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

jason-clarke “Zero Dark Thirty” breakout star Jason Clarke has signed on to topline sequel “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”, the follow-up to 2011′s surprise hit “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”, reports THR. Matt Reeves is taking over directing duties from Rupert Wyatt and Clarke is the first actor to sign on to the sequel. Original stars James Franco and Freida Pinto are not expected to return.

Part of the reason they will likely not return is because the sequel takes place 15 years after the events of the first film, which saw genetically fortified apes – led by Andy Serkis as Caesar – launching a successful revolution and overtaking humans. Part of the story will follow a group of scientists still trying to survive alone in San Francisco, while another storyline will follow Caesar’s ongoing struggle to remain in control of his new kingdom. Presumably Clarke will play one of the scientists. Filming is set to begin this spring.

Clarke, one of our Faces to Watch in 2013, already had a hell of a 2012 with roles in John Hillcoat’s “Lawless” and Kathryn Bigelow’s “Zero Dark Thirty”, in which he gave a scene-stealing, Oscar-worthy performance opposite Jessica Chastain. In 2013 he’ll have Channing Tatum starrer “White House Down” and Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby”, in which he plays Isla Fisher’s husband, to show off his considerable talents even more.

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.

Watch: New trailer chronicles the rise of “The Great Gatsby” from Callan McAuliffe to Leonardo Dicaprio

December 19, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos Leave a comment

Everything we love about Baz Luhrmann is on full, opulent display in the new trailer for his 3D imagining of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel “The Great Gatsby.” There’s hyper-stylized 1920s New York (subbed by a soundstage in Australia), gorgeous costumes, anachronistic music and of course, a hard-partying but lovelorn Leonardo Dicaprio at its center.

Along with Carey Mulligan, looking like the perfect Daisy Buchanan and Joel Edgerton as her brutish husband Tom, we also get our first glimpse of Gatbsy’s roots in the form of Aussie up and comer Callan McAuliffe, who plays the rich playboy in his youth. Newcomer Elizabeth Debicki, Tobey Maguire, Isla Fisher and Jason Clarke also star.

“The Great Gatsby” was originally slated to open next week, but will now open on May 10, 2013, appearing to follow the “Moulin Rouge!” model, which worked out quite well both critically and box office-wise. The new trailer can be viewed below.

Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton and more star in gorgeous character posters for Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby”

December 19, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Images 1 Comment

After being pushed back by six unexplained months, promo for Baz Luhrmann‘s 3D film “The Great Gatsby” is finally beginning – and to start us off Warners Bros have debuted five new gorgeous character posters.

An adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic, “The Great Gatsby” follows narrator Nick Carraway, who is played by Tobey Maguire, during the rip-roaring 1920s.

Carraway rents a house next door to a reclusive millionaire – Jay Gatsby played by Leonardo DiCaprio – who holds extravagent parties but is never seen. Carey Mulligan won the coveted role of Daisy Buchanan, the object of Gatsby’s longing, and Joel Edgerton stars as Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s husband. Isla Fisher will play Myrtle, a married woman who is having an affair with Tom – and whose death in a car accident sets the stage for the dramatic climax of the story – and Elizabeth Debecki will be Jordan Baker, Daisy’s long-time friend and Nick’s girlfriend.

A visually stunning trailer was released earlier this year, and we called it “a sort of hyper reality doubling for 1920s New York, the costumes, set pieces and cinematography pop with color and hazy, blurry, glowy hints of magical realism.” These posters mirror that magical realism, and also provide quotes from our main characters – giving audiences who haven’t read the book a glimpse into their minds.

“The Great Gatsby” is set for release May 2013.
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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.

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