Alicia Vikander Lands Female Lead in “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” Opposite Armie Hammer

May 8, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

alicia-vikander Fast rising Swedish actress Alicia Vikander has landed another high profile role, this time the female lead in Guy Ritchie’s reboot of spy comedy “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” starring Tom Cruise and Armie Hammer.

This is the 1960s buddy cop comedy style spy series that Warner Bros has been trying to put together for the big screen for some time, with previous iterations featuring Soderbergh behind the camera, Clooney in front, etc. Cruise is taking the Napoleon Solo role, with Hammer in line for his sidekick Illya Kuryakin. The two work for United Network Command for Law Enforcement (or U.N.C.L.E.) and use their charm, wit and advanced spy technology on missions. Vikander is taking the role a British agent with U.N.C.L.E. who “has a thing for cars.” She will be an original character who did not appear in the original TV series. And if she has to be someone’s love interest, we are just praying it’ll be Hammer.

One of our Breakout Stars of 2012, Vikander arrived on the scene in Hollywood thanks to the on-two punch of Joe Wright’s “Anna Karenina” and Danish Best Foreign Language Oscar nominee “A Royal Affair”, and has been landing increasingly impressive stateside jobs ever since. She’s wrapped Bill Condon’s Wikileaks drama “The Fifth Estate” and crime thriller “Son of a Gun” opposite Ewan McGregor, and will next be seen in sorcery actioner “The Seventh Son” with Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.

WATCH: Tom Cruise and Olga Kurylenko find Earth a memory worth fighting for in new “Oblivion” trailer

December 10, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Videos Leave a comment

Plot details had been vague for Joseph Kosinski‘s “Oblivion” but this newly released trailer finally fills in some blanks – we’re in for a sci-fi epic, featuring a dystopian feature, an existential crisis and Tom Cruise as Wall-E.

Set sixty years after an alien attack nearly wiped out the human race and left Earth inhabitable, Cruise stars as Jack Harper, a man who goes down to Earth to repair the drones that keep the planet safe from reattack. Soon he is kidnapped and discovers that not everything is as it seems.

Also starring Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough and Olga Kurylenko – the latter two of which beat out numerous actresses for the lead roles – the trailer offers something for all target audiences including explosions, a new and interesting story, and some great chemistry between our leads. And no matter what we may think, Cruise in an action film can still bring in a box office haul.

Click below to check out the trailer, and also take a look at a new poster for the film. Originally set for a July release, “Oblivion” will now hit theaters on April 12th, 2013.

British TV actress Charlotte Riley lands role in “All You Need is Kill” opposite Emily Blunt and Tom Cruise

August 22, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

British actress Charlotte Riley has landed a major potential breakout role in Doug Liman’s graphic novel adaptation “All You Need is Kill”, according to Variety. The actress perhaps most known for being engaged to Tom Hardy will be joining Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in the futuristic Groundhog Day-esque thriller that will film later this fall.

In “All You Need is Kill”, Cruise plays a soldier in a futuristic war against an alien race who finds himself reliving the day he dies over and over again, and becomes more adept at surviving as he learns more throughout each repeated day. Blunt and Riley play fellow soldiers. One – presumably Blunt – Cruise’s character notices for the first time on his 158th repeated day, and who he discovers could lead to his final salvation or downfall.

Riley, who was at one point considered for the Catwoman role in “The Dark Knight Rises”, recently wrapped up shooting on epic miniseries “World Without End” opposite Sarah Gadon, Tom Cullen and many others. She played Cathy opposite Hardy’s Heathcliffe in a 2009 TV Movie adaptation of “Wuthering Heights.”

Emily Blunt lands “All You Need is Kill” opposite Tom Cruise, remains top contender for “The Thin Man”

April 16, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Looks like British actress Emily Blunt is having a bit of a moment. Variety reports Warner Bros is in negotiations with the “Five Year Engagement” star to play the female lead in “All You Need is Kill”, Doug Liman’s sci-fi thriller starring Tom Cruise. Additionally, the actress remains one of the studio’s favorites for the female lead in Rob Marshall-Johnny Depp comedy “The Thin Man.”

In “All You Need is Kill”, Cruise plays a soldier in a futuristic war against an alien race who finds himself reliving the day he dies over and over again, and becomes more adept at surviving as he learns more throughout each repeated day. Blunt plays another soldier, presumably the one he notices for the first time on his 158th repeated day, and who he discovers could lead to his final salvation or downfall.

In “The Thin Man”, Blunt is reportedly a “top contender”, along with Emma Stone and Kristen Wiig, for the role of Nora Charles, wife to Depp’s Nick Charles, a former detective. The two are unwittingly drawn into investigating a decades old murder, trading flirtation and banter along the way.

After breaking out in “The Devil Wears Prada”, Blunt seemed poised for stardom then seemed to get bogged down in duds like “The Wolfman” and “Gulliver’s Travels.” But positive buzz on “Five Year Engagement”, set to open the Tribeca Film Festival this weekend and releasing on April 27th, is clearly putting the talented comedienne back on the radar. Sure to garner her more buzz is Rhian Johnson’s time-travel thriller “Looper”, in which she stars opposite Joseph Gordon-Levitt. That film opens on September 28th.

Andrea Riseborough and Olga Kurylenko snag female leads in Tom Cruise sci-fi epic

January 19, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 4 Comments

Two relatively unknown young actresses are about to get a big boost to their profile in Hollywood. Variety reports British actress Andrea Riseborough and former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko have landed the highly coveted female leads opposite Tom Cruise in the sci-fi epic formerly titled “Oblivion” (and then “Horizons”). Jessica Chastain had been offered one of the roles, but as previously reported, had to pass when she committed to doing Kathryn Bigelow’s “Kill Bin Laden”, which films at the same time. Kurylenko and Riseborough beat out just about every other young actress for their roles, including Olivia Wilde, Brit Marling and Noomi Rapace.

“Tron: Legacy” helmer Joseph Kosinski directs the film about a man named Jack who lives in the clouds above the earth and goes down to the surface to repair drones that keep the planet safe from an alien race that has practically wiped out the human race. The two female leads are Julia, Jack’s wife, and Victoria, a beautiful mysterious woman who crash lads in an escape pod and leads him to question everything he knows. No word on who will play which character, but the presumption had always been that Chastain would play the wife, so it stands to reason – via the wording in Variety’s report – that Kurylenko will be taking over that role while Riseborough would play the mysterious intruder. Filming begins soon with a release date already set for a July 19, 2013.

Riseborough stars as Wallis Simpson in Madonna’s much talked about “W.E.” and is headed to Sundance next week to premiere James Marsh’s Irish spy thriller “Shadow Dancer.” Kurylenko played the female lead opposite Daniel Craig in “Quantum of Solace” and has appeared to escape the Bond Girl curse with a promising career post-Bond. She is a part of Terrence Malick’s next untitled film (working under the title “The Burial”), also starring Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams, and is currently filming “Seven Psychopaths” opposite Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson and Abbie Cornish.

Watch: Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta camp it up in totally 80s “Rock of Ages” trailer

December 13, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos 2 Comments

And suddenly, a new challenger emerges for the title of worst first trailer of a 2012 release. Relative unknowns Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta lead a large all-star cast (including Tom Cruise, Mary J. Blige and Alec Baldwin) for the musical set in the rock scene of the 1980s Hollywood. She’s a small town girl and he’s a big city boy, but they share one dream: to become a rock star. Adam Shankman directs the big budget, big scale summer blockbuster based on the hit Broadway show.

Aiming for a tone that’s outrageous almost to the point of parody but not quite hitting it, the bad jokes and half-hearted delivery from the otherwise impressive cast seem to fall flat, though there are moments that suggest the film could be better than the trailer would have you believe – a “We’re Not Gonna Take It” vs. “We Built This City” mashup/battle between Catherine Zeta-Jones’ conservative church group and Russell Brand’s rambunctious rock fans being one intriguing standout. With most of the trailer focusing on the build-up to revealing Cruise’s rock star Stacey Jaxx, the budding romance between Hough’s Sherrie and Boneta’s Drew remains mostly hidden and therefore brimming with potential.

“Rock of Ages” will be release on June 1, 2012.

Lea Seydoux and Paula Patton get physical in new “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” clip

December 2, 2011 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Videos Leave a comment

It’s all action and no talk in this new clip for “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”.

In this fourth film in the franchise, Tom Cruise‘s Ethan Hunt, and colleagues, are tasked with clearing the name of IMF which has been framed for a terrorist bombing. Also starring Jeremy Renner, who will be taking over the franchise after this film, Lea Seydoux, Paula Patton and Simon Pegg, the clip focuses on Patton and Seydoux trading blows, perhaps indicating one of them may be a traitor to Hunt’s team.

Seydoux was one of our 20 Faces to Watch in 2011 feature but apart from a small role in the charming Woody Allen flick “Midnight in Paris”, has continued to star in mostly European films, including “Farewell, My Queen” with Diane Kruger and “As Linhas de Torres” with John Malkovich. This will also be a high profile role for Patton, who has yet to break out but has a few interesting upcoming roles, including the thriller “Disconnect” with Jason Bateman and Alexander Skarsgård.

Hayley Atwell to star in “20,000 Leagues” sequel, unless she wins “Oblivion” role

November 8, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

“Captain America” actress Hayley Atwell is keeping her options open. She is still in the running for one of the female leads opposite Tom Cruise in an untitled sci fi epic formerly called “Oblivion”, but if that doesn’t work about, she has tentatively attached herself to “The Return of Captain Nemo”, a $10 million 3-D British film that is a sequel to “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” Deadline reports she will not appear in “Captain Nemo” if she is the one chosen to star opposite Cruise, as there will likely be scheduling conflicts.

In the Pearry Teo directed film, which will be shot entirely on green screen, Atwell would play the heroine Sara, with David Morrissey playing her uncle, the chief advisor to President Ulysses S. Grant, who has just ordered the release of Captain Nemo from prison to investigate mysterious “sea monsters” that have been sinking ships on the East Coast. Hugh Bonneville had previously already been cast in the title role. But Atwell’s involvement is contingent on a decision from the filmmakers of the Cruise sci-fi film. She recently tested for the role of Victoria, a mysterious woman who crash lands on the surface of a post-apocalyptic earth, and is contending against Diane Kruger and Kate Beckinsale for the role.

Atwell broke out this summer when she played with an abundance of charm and grace the role of Peggy Carter opposite Chris Evans in “Captain America: The First Avenger”, and has been hitting one shortlist after another. “Oblivion” is her second shot at starring opposite Cruise, after losing out to Rosamund Pike for the female lead in “One Shot.”

“Captain America” star Hayley Atwell among finalists for second female lead in Tom Cruise sci-fi epic

October 26, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Jessica Chastain is about to meet her competition. The “Tree of Life” actress was the first to be cast for one of two female leads in a new untitled sci fi epic film starring Tom Cruise, formerly titled “Obivion” and “Horizons.” Chastain beat out the likes of Brit Marling, Olivia Wilde, Noomi Rapace and Olga Kurylenko for her role and now three new actresses are in contention for the other female lead. Deadline reports Diane Kruger, Kate Beckinsale and “Captain America” star Hayley Atwell will be reading opposite Cruise this weekend in Philadelphia, where he is shooting “One Shot.”

“Tron: Legacy” helmer Joseph Kosinski directs the film about a man named Jack who lives in the clouds above the earth and goes down to the surface to repair drones that keep the planet safe from an alien race that has practically wiped out the human race. While there had been conflicting reports before about what each role entails, it has apparently now become clear that Chastain will be playing Julia, Cruise’s wife on earth. Atwell, Kruger and Beckinsale are reading for the role of Victoria, a mysterious young woman who crash lands in a pod and leads Jack to question everything he knows.

German actress Kruger, star of “Inglourious Basterds”, and Brit actress Beckinsale, star of the lucrative (and never-ending) “Underworld” series, are more established than Atwell, who had her breakout moment earlier this year when she played love interest Peggy Carter to Chris Evans’ “Captain America: The First Avenger.” No stranger to shortlists, she has come close but ultimately lost out twice to fellow countryman Rosamund Pike for recent projects. Pike won the role of ancient Greek princess Andromeda in “Wrath of the Titans” and the female lead in Cruise’s currently-filming “One Shot.” With Pike out of contention here, perhaps Atwell will finally nail it.

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