Friday, November 20

• Zack Snyder's Guardians of Ga'Hoole Cast Coming Together

  

  Zack Snyder is a busy director these days, working on both the fantasy-action movie Sucker Punch and the 3-D animated Guardians of Ga'Hoole, based on the children's novel series written by Kathryn Lasky, simultaneously.

  Variety reports that Guardians is lining up an impressive cast of voices, including Sam Neill, Geoffrey Rush, Hugo Weaving, and David Wenham. They're leading an equally strong group of supporting voice actors, such as Helen Mirren, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish, Emilie de Ravin, Ryan Kwanten, Emily Barclay, Miriam Margolyes and Jay Laga'aia.

  Guardians tells the story of how an owl named Soren (Sturgess), who is entranced with his father's stories about the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, protected owlkind. Once Soren is kidnapped, he gathers together a group to escape and join the Guardians.

  
  
  Next Showing: Guardians of Ga'Hoole is scheduled to open September 24, 2010

  Posted 11/20/2009 by Ryan

  Related: David Wenham | Emilie de Ravin | Emily Barclay | Geoffrey Rush | Helen Mirren | Hugo Weaving | Ryan Kwanten | Miriam Margolyes | Jim Sturgess | Jay Laga'aia | Zack Snyder | Abbie Cornish | Guardians of Ga'Hoole

Thursday, August 20

• Benicio Del Toro Stretches out His Claws in Trailer for The Wolf Man

  

  From the atmospheric trailer, it's clear how much of a debt the the reboot of The Wolf Man owes to its 1941 predecessor. All very goth and retro, even Victorian, the trailer is peppered with ominous dialogue. On the plus side, one element that's not vintage 1940s are the special effects. It's most definitely not an update along the lines of An American Werewolf in London, except for the scenes where Benicio Del Toro transforms into a werewolf.

  Not only is the trailer a feast for your eyes, but there's a cautionary tale in here too about the value of getting sufficiently strong restraints. It's a public service announcement we can get behind.

  
  

  Posted 08/20/2009 by Bill

  Related: Anthony Hopkins | Benicio Del Toro | Emily Blunt | Hugo Weaving | The Wolfman

Friday, June 12

• Guillermo del Toro Confirms McKellen, Serkis, and Weaving Returning for The Hobbit

  Many fans are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Guillermo del Toro's vision of The Hobbit, due in 2012. For the uninitiated, The Hobbit is based on the J. R. R. Tolkien book of same name, which takes place before his Lord of the Rings trilogy.

  Several of The Hobbit's characters were featured in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies — leaving many to wonder if members of Jackson's cast would appear in del Toro's adaptation. According to the director himself, we can expect at least three familiar faces. In an interview with BBC Radio 5, he confirmed (around the 2:10:45 mark) that Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, and Hugo Weaving will reprise their roles as the wizard Gandalf, the treacherous Gollum, and the elf lord Elrond, respectively.

  No other casting decisions have been announced. The screenplay was written by del Toro and Jackson, along with Lord of the Rings co-writers Phillipa Boyens and Fran Walsh.

  
  

  Posted 06/12/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Hugo Weaving | Ian McKellen | Peter Jackson | Guillermo del Toro | Philippa Boyens | Fran Walsh | Andy Serkis | The Hobbit