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.”

Watch: Chris Hemsworth Returns in First Trailer for “Thor: The Dark World”

April 23, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos Leave a comment

thortrailer

Sequels have to be bigger and badder than the original, as a rule, and Marvel has clearly been strictly enforcing it thus far for their Phase 2 films. The first trailer for “Thor: The Dark World” has arrived and indeed, it already feels grander, more epic and more dangerous than 2011′s “Thor.” Chris Hemsworth returns as the God of Thunder to battle the Dark Elves, whose Earth-destroying capabilities far surpasses that of the lone giant robot The Destroyer that Thor fought in the first film. More of the action will also take place off Earth this time around, with even Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster transported to Asgard and beyond with her intergalactic superhero boyfriend.

Tom Hiddleston as Loki is back for the third time but I for one am hoping he’ll have a limited role this time around. There are other villains in the Marvel universe, after all. “Thor: The Dark World”, directed by Alan Taylor, will be released on November 8th, following next month’s “Iron Man 3.” Marvel Phase 2 is well underway and we could not be more psyched. Watch the trailer below.

Tom Hiddleston In Early Talks For “The Crow” Remake

April 22, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

Tom Hiddleston could be stepping into the shoes of the late Brandon Lee (and, briefly, Bradley Cooper) as The Wrap reports the British actor is in early talks with filmmakers about taking on the lead role in Relativity Media’s new adaptation of “The Crow.”

Hiddleston is the latest start linked to the role of Eric Draven, a rock star brutally murdered while trying to protect his fiance from a gang of thugs. He is resurrected by supernatural forces and seeks revenge. The original film starring Lee – itself adapted from comics by James O’Barr – spawned three sequels but with a different victim and resurrection each time. F. Javier Gutierrez is directing the latest incarnation of the gothic superhero tale, which Hiddleston is so keen on that he did his own makeup test in London and brought it to a recent meeting with producers. He will also undergo more proper visual tests soon as Devan has a specific look that is important to the franchise’s die-hard fans. With many false starts in its wake, production is for now tentatively scheduled for this fall.

Most known to audiences as main villain Loki in both “Thor” and “The Avengers”, Hiddleston is expected to continue to have a presence in the Marvel cinematic universe but has proven to be a versatile actor in plenty of other roles. He especially impressed us in 2011, with roles in “War Horse” and “Midnight in Paris” in addition to his Marvel duties. He has wrapped up filming on Jim Jarmusch’s “Only Lovers Left Alive” opposite Tilda Swinton and is attached to play wartime photographer Robert Capa in the long-gestating biopic “Capa.”

Lightning Strikes for Chris Hemsworth on First Poster for “Thor: The Dark World”

April 19, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images Leave a comment

thor2sm It’s officially Marvel season! “Iron Man 3″ has been kicking off its worldwide promo tour – with screenings in London returning ecstatic results – and now “Thor: The Dark World” is prepping to begin its marketing push. Today USA Today has unveiled the first poster from the November release, featuring star Chris Hemsworth in some inclement weather.

Alan Taylor takes over the directing duties from original helmer Kenneth Branagh, and “The Dark World” will take Thor beyond Asgard and Earth to the Nine Realms, where dark elves, led by Christopher Eccleston, make up the villainous armies he must defeat. Tom Hiddleston is set to return as Loki but will have a smaller villainous presence than in “Thor” and “The Avengers”, while Anthony Hopkins as Odin and Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings as Thor’s human allies will return as well.

Marvel bigwig Kevin Feige also describes the unusual source for the original image on the poster. It didn’t come from a photoshoot, but from just another day on the set. “It’s rare that you have a poster that is just Chris Hemsworth shooting on the set,” says Feige. “But he just looks like Thor. We just put in some lightning, and he’s got his hammer and you’re there. It’s just an incredibly striking image.”

See the full poster below and prepare for “Thor: The Dark World” when it’s released on November 8th. The first trailer will be released next week.

Tom Hiddleston to Play Wartime Photographer Robert “Capa” in Biopic

April 17, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

This one has been in development hell for quite some time, but it appears there’s movement on one of two dueling biopics of wartime photographer Robert Capa, with British actor Tom Hiddleston confirming to Shortlist (via Playlist) that he will play the titular role in Paul Andrew Williams’ “Capa.”

Back in 2010, it had appeared now-Spider-Man Andrew Garfield and Gemma Arterton may have the lead roles, though even then we were skeptical and it appears that skepticism was founded. Arterton is no longer attached to the film despite having starred in Williams’ “Song for Marion” last year, so now Hiddleston will need a co-star to play Gerda Taro, a fellow wartime photojournalist with whom Capa had an intense love affair. Michael Mann had long been attached to direct a rival biopic, “Waiting for Robert Capa” but he’ll be, uh, waiting for a while longer on that with other projects on his plate in the immediate future.

Hiddleston was one of our Breakout Stars of 2011, the year that brought us his mischievous Loki in “Thor”, noble Captain Nicholls in “War Horse” and charming F. Scott Fitzgerald in “Midnight in Paris.” He hasn’t slowed down since, reprising Loki in “The Avengers” last year and soon headlining Jim Jarmusch’s vampire saga “Only Lovers Left Alive” opposite Tilda Swinton.

Chris Hemsworth attached to untitled Michael Mann thriller

February 14, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Director Michael Mann has not made a movie since 2009′s “Public Enemies” but appears finally ready to get back behind the camera, and Variety reports he has boarded an untitled thriller set up at Legendary Pictures which has Australian action star Chris Hemsworth attached to the lead role. There are not plot details, other than to say the film takes place “in a world of cyber threats and attacks.” Mann has been developing the project for over a year and co-wrote the screenplay with Morgan Davis Foehl. Filming is tentatively scheduled for June.

Hemsworth is looking to fill the rest of his year now that Steven Spielberg’s “Robopocalypse”, which had been slated to begin this spring, is on hold for the time being. Having just wrapped “Thor: The Dark World” in London, the plan is to film the Mann pic over the summer and then transition to maritime actioner “In the Heart of the Sea”, which Ron Howard is in negotiations to direct. Howard first directed Hemsworth in F1 racing biopic “Rush”, which is slated for release in September. All this activity likely leaves Hemsworth just enough time to catch his breath before picking up Mjilnor to play Thor again in “The Avengers 2.”

Jim Sturgess and Zachary Levi frontrunners for “Guardians of the Galaxy” lead

December 21, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

So apparently Marvel has exhausted the entire pool of rising male stars in their 20s and 30s and are left with no choice but to start casting people they’ve already cast before into different roles for their Phase 2 films. They’re searching for a Star-Lord to lead “The Guardians of the Galaxy”, and according to Variety, Joel Edgerton, Eddie Redmayne, Lee Pace and Jack Huston didn’t cut it for director James Gunn, so the search has now narrowed in on British actor Jim Sturgess and “Chuck” star Zachary Levi, with a possible unnamed third actor set to test after the holidays.

That would be Zachary “Fandral” Levi, who is already playing a key supporting role opposite Chris Hemsworth in “Thor: The Dark World.” In fact, Marvel has been keen on Levi for a while, having originally offered him the role of Asgard warrior Fandral in the original “Thor.” He had to turn it down due to his TV commitments, but now that he’s free of that, Marvel apparently wants as much of Levi as possible, especially since, as Variety reports, he knocked his “Guardians” audition out of the park.

Too good to be true? The brothers Hemsworth may “Triumph” in onscreen team-up for Steve McQueen biopic

November 13, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

You better not be teasing us now, The Wrap. Buried in a story about Chris Hemsworth becoming attached to Stephen Gaghan’s crime thriller “Candy Store,” the paper also reports Hemsworth is being eyed for a role in “Triumph”, a biopic of iconic American actor Steve McQueen, and that film has also offered a role to Liam Hemsworth, Chris’s younger “Hunger Games” star brother.

The film is set up at Sony Pictures and the script – following the story of McQueen and his stunt double Bud Elkins – is still being written by Brandon and Philip Murphy, so this sounds like it’s far from being finalized. But the good news is that the Hemsworths may be open to doing a movie together, and if not this one, then perhaps another one. Why haven’t we thought of this great idea before, and now that we have, yes please, can we have it soon? Ahem.

Meanwhile, Hemsworth’s involvement with “Candy Store” seems at least slightly more plausible, and if everything falls into place, he will be taking on the role of an elite operative who retires to Brooklyn, only to find the enemy he once fought setting up shop in his new neighborhood.

The older Hemsworth is currently reprising his role as the God of Thunder and Avenger on “Thor: The Dark World” and will next star in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of “Robopocalypse.” The younger Hemsworth is reprising his role as Jennifer Lawrence’s best friend in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”, and recently wrapped up corporate espionage thriller “Paranoia”, as well as heist actioner “Empire State.”

First look at Chris Hemsworth and Jamie Alexander back in action on the set of “Thor: The Dark World”

September 11, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images Leave a comment

Filming has only just begun on Marvel superhero sequel “Thor: The Dark World”, and they’re wasting no time in jumping right into a big scale epic battle sequence. Today Chris Hemsworth was pictured donning Thor’s armor and red cape, wielding Mjolnir alongside Jamie Alexander as Asgardian friend and fellow warrior Sif in a fight against some nasty looking aliens, and Comic Book Movie has gathered up some nice shots of the action.

Alan Taylor takes over the directing duties from original helmer Kenneth Branagh, and “The Dark World” will take Thor beyond Asgard and Earth to the Nine Realms, where dark elves, led by Christopher Eccleston, have been heavily rumored to be the villainous armies he must defeat. Tom Hiddleston is set to return as Loki but will have a smaller villainous presence than in “Thor” and “The Avengers”, while Anthony Hopkins as Odin and Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings as Thor’s human allies will return as well.

“Thor: The Dark World” is set for a November 8, 2013 release, following “Iron Man 3″ and preceding “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” See the first set photos below, and head over to CBM for plenty more.

Kat Dennings confirmed to return for “Thor: The Dark World”

August 21, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Indie darling turned bona fide TV star Kat Dennings has been confirmed to be reprising her role in sequel “Thor: The Dark World”, according to Deadline. This completes the gang of returning Marvel characters, led by Chris Hemsworth as the titular Norse God/Avenger, along with Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Idris Elba as Heimdall and Jamie Alexander as Sif on the alien side, and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster and Stellan Skarsgard as Erik Selvig on Earth. In addition, newbies include Zachary Levi, who takes over the role of Fandral vacated by David Dallas, and Christopher Eccleston as big baddie Malekith.

Alan Taylor takes over directing duties from Kenneth Branagh, and the plot, while under wraps, is expected to center around classic Marvel villains the Dark Elves, who are pulled from Norse mythology and ruled over by Eccleston’s Malekith. Filming is set to begin imminently on location in England and Iceland. Dennings’ role as snarky sidekick Darcy Lewis has reportedly been expanded for the sequel. “Thor: The Dark World” is scheduled for a November 8, 2013 release.

There had been question of Dennings’ return since – like Dallas and ABC series “Once Upon a Time” – she is now the star of a hit TV series that demands the majority of her time. But it appears CBS and “2 Broke Girls” have hammered out a schedule with Marvel Studios that will allow her to do both. The original “Thor” was the last time Dennings appeared on the big screen. “2 Broke Girls” heads into its second season next month.

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