Watch: Benjamin Walker dominates new trailer for “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

March 17, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos Leave a comment

Honest Abe speaks! We’ve already seen plenty of montage footage from “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, but in the new trailer released today, Benjamin Walker finally gives voice to the axe-wielding, vampire killing 16th President of the United States. Through narration, Abe explains why exactly you and I have only heard the squeaky clean, vampire-less history of his life and why he just hates vampires so damn much. Brief glimpse here of Australian actress Robin McLevy as Lincoln’s mother, whose death when he was young sets off his quest, and Rufus Sewell as Adam, one of Lincoln’s main vampire nemeses.

Tim Burton produced and Timur Bekmambetov directed the sprawling, CGI filled 3D revisionist biopic that will be released on June 22nd. Watch the new trailer below.

Watch: First look at Dominic Cooper and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” international trailer

February 14, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos 1 Comment

Just yesterday we saw the American teaser trailer for “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” and like all good first trailers, it teased and tantalized without giving away too many secrets of Benjamin Walker’s axe-wielding, almost superhuman action hero of a 16th President. For international audiences though, Fox is going full out exposition, chocking it full of explanatory dialogue and closer looks at the bloodsucking monsters Walker’s Honest Abe will be fighting. One good thing about the new trailer is that we are given our first look at two key characters left out of the initial teaser: Mary Elizabeth Winstead as love interest Mary Todd (eventually Lincoln) and Dominic Cooper as Henry Sturgess, the vampire who seeks Abe’s help in defeating his own species.

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, produced by Tim Burton and directed by Timur Bekmambetov, will be released on June 22nd. See the new international trailer below.

Watch: Benjamin Walker kicks ass as “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” in first trailer

February 13, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos 3 Comments

One of our favorite risings stars, Benjamin Walker had some bad news last week as it was announced that Alex Proyas’ ambitious 3D action epic “Paradise Lost” – in which Walker had been attached as one of the two main leads – had been halted for good. The good news for Walker is that epic action looks to be in his future still, as the first trailer for “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” looks as fantastic as its previous promo materials and makes us even more excited for its summer release. Tim Burton produced and Timur Bekmambetov directed the sprawling, CGI filled revisionist biopic on the 16th President of the United States, and Walker in the title role is joined by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anthony Mackie, Dominic Cooper and a slew of other up and comers.

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” will be released on June 22nd. Have we mentioned how excited we are for this movie?? Get on the bandwagon and watch the new trailer below.

Watch: First footage of Benjamin Walker and Anthony Mackie from the set of “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

January 13, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos 1 Comment

We’ve seen the first pictures and poster of Benjamin Walker as the titular revisionist US President “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, but today we get our first footage from the set of the film. Walker looks totally transformed and eerily like the Lincoln from history while standing in front of Congress. No vampire shenanigans happening in this first video from the movie, just some green screens and a lot of guys in suits, including Anthony Mackie, who plays William, Ab’s best friend. Timur Bekmambetov directed the film on location in New Orleans this spring and the cast also includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Dominic Cooper.

MTV was on the set to talk to Walker, Mackie, Bekmambetov and more about the film. “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” is one of our most anticipated movies of the year and will be released on June 22, 2012.

First Look: Benjamin Walker makes for one sexy, badass “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” in first poster

December 15, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images 1 Comment

Today IGN has unveiled our first look at one of our most highly anticipated movies of 2012. Benjamin Walker smolders in the understated yet highly conceptual first poster for “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, hiding his face, wielding an axe. Just another Saturday night at the White House.

The self-explanatory title refers to this revisionist historical tale revolving around the 16th President of the United States, who has one singular goal in his life: to rid the world of vampires, one of whom killed his mother when he was a child. His subsequent run for political office and every landmark decision he ever made, from the Emancipation Proclamation to the Civil War, were made with that one goal in mind. Joining Walker in the titular role are a slew of up and coming actors, including Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Todd (eventually Lincoln), Dominic Cooper as Henry Sturgess, Lincoln’s vampire mentor and Anthony Mackie as Will, Lincoln’s best friend. Director Timur Bekmambetov and producer Tim Burton recently wrapped up shooting in New Orleans and are aiming for a summer blockbuster release date of June 22, 2012.

There may be some other Lincoln story in the works for next year as well, but put us down for the badass, axe-wielding, monster-fighting Great Emancipator.

Watch: Emile Hirsch and Olivia Thirlby vs. invisible aliens in first “The Darkest Hour” trailer

August 3, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos Leave a comment

If you’re young and hot and partying in some exotic location in a movie, you know you’re in trouble. Do kids ever go on vacation in a foreign country without running into some situation that leaves them bloody and running for their lives? While others have encountered rich guys with torture fantasies and human organ traffickers, the kids in “The Darkest Hour” run into something a little more alien. Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Rachael Taylor and Max Minghella are four friends on a dream vacation in Moscow, but a night of partying goes south when orbs of light descend from the skies and immediately begin sucking up the earth’s electricity and killing every person that gets close enough to touch them.

Though the aliens and special effects look a bit childish and non-threatening from what we’ve seen, being glowing spheres of orange light and all, it’s still a nice change from the usual robot/giant bug model used by nearly every other alien invasion movie. Will the movie live up to its promise of “highlighting the classic beauty of Moscow alongside mind-blowing special effects from the minds of visionary filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov (‘Wanted,’ ‘Night Watch’) and director Chris Gorak”?

“The Darkest Hour” opens in theaters on December 23, 2011.

First Look: Emile Hirsch tries to escape “The Darkest Hour” in first still from alien invasion flick

July 20, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images Leave a comment

Emile Hirsch doesn’t look to be enjoying the gorgeous sights of Moscow too much in our first look at alien invasion thriller “The Darkest Hour”, thanks to Coming Soon. Hirsch looks appropriately dirty and terrified for a young man under attack from monsters, hiding from an unseen assailant while the tranquil beauty of the Saint Basil’s Cathedral looks on, untouched in the background.

Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella and Rachael Taylor co-star alongside Hirsch in the film about five young people who become stranded in Moscow and try to survive in the aftermath of a devastating alien attack. Summit Entertainment also stresses “the 3D action thriller highlights the classic beauty of Moscow alongside mind-blowing special effects from the minds of visionary filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov (‘Wanted,’ ‘Night Watch’) and director Chris Gorak.”

“The Darkest Hour” opens in theaters on December 23, 2011. Click below for the full resolution still.

First look: Benjamin Walker as “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

May 9, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images 3 Comments

As Steven Spielberg preps his Abraham Lincoln biopic “Lincoln”, filming is already underway in Louisiana on a very different sort of film about the 16th President of the United States, and The New York Times has the first look. In “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, rising star Benjamin Walker plays a highly trained axe-wielding warrior whose mission in life is to rid the world of the undead, after one of the creatures attacked and killed his mother when he was a child. And if he has to become President, end slavery and preside over the Civil War to accomplish that singular goal, so be it!

Screenwriter and author of the novel on which it’s based, Seth Grahame-Smith likens Abraham Lincoln as a vampire hunter to the topical subject of Barack Obama’s recent killing of Osama Bin Laden. “There’s something in the American psyche, we want our presidents to be warriors. We’re giving that to Abraham Lincoln, sort of posthumously in this case.”

Joining Walker in the titular role are a slew of up and coming actors, including Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Todd (eventually Lincoln), Dominic Cooper as Henry Sturgess, Lincoln’s vampire mentor and Anthony Mackie as Will, Lincoln’s best friend. Filming began in March and continues as director Timur Bekmambetov and producer Tim Burton aim for a summer blockbuster release date of June 22, 2012.

See the first still taken by the NYT of Walker bearded up, in costume and looking eerily like the real Lincoln, below.

Robin McLeavy joins “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” after all, as Lincoln’s mother

March 14, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

At one point, little-known Australian actress Robin McLeavy had been rumored to join the cast of “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” as female lead and love interest Mary Todd to Benjamin Walker’s axe-wielding 16th President, but as we know, the role officially went to Mary Elizabeth Winstead instead.

But it appears McLeavy made enough of an impression on the filmmakers (producer Tim Burton and director Timur Bekmambetov) that they have set her to play a smaller but still pivotal role instead, that of Lincoln’s mother Nancy Hanks Lincoln, whose bite and subsequent death by vampire sets into motion the young Abe’s life and destiny. Seth Grahame-Smith adapted from his novel of the same name, chronicling the shockingly historically accurate life and times of Lincoln, with the added twist that everything he does, including becoming President and presiding over the Civil War, is out of a desire to avenge his mother’s death and rid the world of vampires.

The film, shooting this month in New Orleans, also stars Dominic Cooper as Henry Sturgess, Lincoln’s vampire mentor, Anthony Mackie as William Sewell, Lincoln’s best friend and Jimmi Simpson as Josh Speed, a Lincoln sidekick in battle. Oscar-winning composer Trent Reznor had been set to score and appear in a cameo in the film, but upon the news – which was supposed to be a surprise – being spread on the internet, he pulled out of the project, a development I still have not forgiven the internet for.

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” is set for a June 22, 2012 release.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is Mary Todd in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

February 17, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

This time it’s official, guys. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, one of our favorites here at Up and Comers and so often shortlisted for high profile roles to come along in recent months, has officially been cast as Mary Todd (eventually Lincoln), love interest and female lead to Benjamin Walker’s axe-wielding, vampire-killing 16th President in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, THR reports today. Earlier reports from Latino Review had little known Aussie actress Robin McLeavy taking the role but it was quickly debunked by her reps.

Winstead has already shared her elation at the news on Twitter, proclaiming “I am happy. That’s all for now.” and then several minutes later linking THR’s report of the news. She will join a whole cast of fellow up and comers, including Dominic Cooper as Lincoln’s vampire mentor, Henry Sturgess, Anthony Mackie as Abe’s best friend Will and maybe Scoot McNairy as sidekick Josh Speed. Timur Bekmambetov directs the Tim Burton-produced film from a script by Seth Grahame-Smith, adapted from his own novel that casts a mostly historically accurate portrait of Lincoln, with the added twist that he also hunts vampires under the cover of night, and makes some of his most influential and revolutionary political decisions with that goal in mind.

This is the first big role Winstead has landed after breaking out as dream girl Ramona Flowers in last summer’s “Scott Pilgrim vs the World”. Since then she’s been a finalist in every high profile casting from Cameron Crowe’s “We Bought a Zoo” (eventually landed by Scarlett Johansson) to Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers” (he gave it to his Wonder Woman Cobie Smulders) and Zack Snyder’s “Superman”, though her casting in “Lincoln” surely takes her out of the running to be Lois Lane.

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” is set to begin production next month for a release on June 22, 2012.

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