Wednesday, October 21

• Willem Dafoe Says John Carter of Mars Will Be "Mind-Blowing"

  

  Other than a few cast additions, the last news we had heard about Pixar's already-delayed live-action production John Carter of Mars came from actress Lynn Collins, who will play the Martian princess Dejah Thoris opposite Taylor Kitsch. Collins said that "some hair and makeup tests" had begun, but knew little else about the production.

  Now, two-time Academy Award-nominated actor Willem Dafoe confirms that pre-production on the CGI/live-action mash-up is chugging along. Dafoe will portray Tars Tarkas, a four-armed, nine-foot-tall Martian, or "Barsoomian," as they are referred to in the classic 11-volume novel series by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Dafoe said that although his character will be rendered digitally, his performance should shine through, thanks to the incredible skills of the Pixar artists.

  [Pixar will] use my face, but they'll enhance it in a way — both after and before — in a way that I may not be recognizable. But, I'm good with that. It's particularly cool, because he's a creature, but he's got this huge range of character. And, he does cool things in the movies.

  When asked if he had developed a voice for his alien character yet, Dafoe told Ain't It Cool News:

  No, but there's a whole period where we're going to work with the language and the movement, and find out how I'm going to be nine feet tall, and all that stuff ... like, a long period of time where we're going to go to Thark school, you know what I mean? We're going to create our culture. So, it's going to be very cool. These guys know how to do this, and they've got great people. And, the designs and things are just mind-blowing.

  
  
  Next Showing: John Carter of Mars is scheduled for a 2012 release

  Posted 10/21/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Taylor Kitsch | Willem Dafoe | Lynn Collins | John Carter of Mars

Wednesday, September 30

• Three Additions to Cast of Pixar's John Carter of Mars

  The Hollywood Reporter writes that three more actors will star in Pixar's first live-action movie, John Carter of Mars. Thomas Haden Church, James Purefoy, and Mark Strong have joined a cast that already includes Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton, Taylor Kitsch, and Lynn Collins.

  The story involves John Carter (Kitsch), a Civil War veteran who is transported to Mars. But this isn't the barren red planet we know; this Mars is a violent society involving "12-foot-tall green barbarians," according to IMDb.

  Church will portray a warrior with a desire for power, Purefoy a captain, and Strong the ruler of a people called the Thems. Directing the movie is Andrew Stanton, who also co-wrote the script. Stanton has already helmed several Pixar features, including Wall-E, Finding Nemo, and A Bug's Life.

  The movie is still in pre-production and is scheduled for a 2012 release.

  
  

  Posted 09/30/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Samantha Morton | Taylor Kitsch | Willem Dafoe | Andrew Stanton | Lynn Collins | James Purefoy | Thomas Haden Church | Mark Strong | John Carter of Mars

Sunday, September 27

• Lynn Collins Says Pre-Production on John Carter of Mars Has Begun

  Disney's live-action John Carter of Mars, a big-screen adaptation of the classic book series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, was originally scheduled to begin principal photography in November. The movie has now been pushed back to early 2010. However, according to actress Lynn Collins, who will play the Martian princess Dejah Thoris, pre-production for the film has begun. At the premiere of The Burning Plain, Collins told MTV:

  We're actually getting into some hair and makeup tests this week to sort of see what the look is going to be like. So, it's really collaborative and really creative and I'm really excited about it.

  Collins' character is the subject of Burroughs' first novel in the Martian series and the love interest of the main character, John Carter. A Civil War veteran, Carter is mysteriously transported to Mars, where he becomes embroiled in the conflict between the Red and Green Martians. Collins' X-Men Origins: Wolverine co-star Taylor Kitsch will play the lead role and Collins had nothing but nice things to say about the prospect of working with him on John Carter.

  Taylor is so amazing. We went to Pixar and saw some of the workups of some of the fighting that we have to do. I was like, "Oh my god, there's just no guy better for the job. He's so athletic and wonderful and such a great actor and so positive."

  John Carter of Mars will also feature Samantha Morton, Dominic West, Polly Walker, and Academy Award-nominated actor Willem Dafoe.

  
  
  Next Showing: John Carter of Mars is scheduled for a 2012 release

  Posted 09/27/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Taylor Kitsch | Lynn Collins | John Carter of Mars

Tuesday, September 1

• More Cast Additions to John Carter of Mars

  More Hollywood talent has been added to Disney's live-action John Carter of Mars movie, joining X-Men Origins: Wolverine's Taylor Kitsch in the title role. Previous cast announcements have included Academy Award-nominated actor Willem Dafoe as Carter's Martian (Barsoomian) ally Tars Tarkas, and Lynn Collins as Carter's love interest and martian princess Dejoh Thoris. Now it's been reported that Samantha Morton, Dominic West, and Polly Walker will "go Martian" in the movie.

  John Carter of Mars is based on the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs character who appeared in the 11-volume Barsoom series of books. The movie is planned as the first installment of a Mars trilogy and is based on the first novel, A Princess of Mars, which was first published in 1912. In the novel, Captain John Carter, a Confederate Civil War veteran, is mysteriously transported to Mars (Barsoom), where he finds that the lesser gravity gives him super-human strength and agility. Carter becomes embroiled in the conflict between the Red and Green Martians and falls in love with Dejoh Thoris, a Red Martian.

  Principal photography is expected to begin this November in Utah and continue through July 2010.

  
  

  Posted 09/01/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Samantha Morton | Taylor Kitsch | Willem Dafoe | Polly Walker | Dominic West | Lynn Collins | John Carter of Mars

Sunday, June 14

• Wolverine Stars Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins Reunite in John Carter of Mars

  In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, actors Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins didn't share much screen time. However, that's going to change in John Carter of Mars.

  Variety reports the two Wolverine stars will reunite in the Disney movie. It will be the live-action debut of Wall-E director Andrew Stanton, who also co-wrote the script.

  Kitsch will play the title character, a Civil War veteran who is mysteriously transported to Mars. There he finds the dying planet is experiencing its own racial war. Collins will play the Princess of Mars.

  John Carter of Mars starts shooting early next year.

  
  

  Posted 06/14/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Taylor Kitsch | Andrew Stanton | Lynn Collins | X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Thursday, April 30

• Gambit to be the Next X-Men Movie?

  The plans to make X-Men: First Class, X-Men Origins: Magneto, and Deadpool, should X-Men Origins: Wolverine have a successful opening weekend, have already been documented, but apparently another X-Men movie is being discussed, this time focusing on the Cajun, card-playing Gambit. Wolverine and X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner told IESB that there are "internal discussions" regarding a Gambit spin-off and "they are going to figure all that out." Shuler Donner hopes that maybe Bryan Singer would return to direct:

  Nothing would please me more than to bring Bryan [Singer] on for another movie. And, if it's like the first Deadpool or the first Gambit, I think, I mean, I hope he would be interested...

  This is good news for Taylor Kitsch, the actor playing Gambit, who told MTV would "love to go darker" with a Gambit movie:

  I want to go into the Thieves Guild part of his story [the union of thieves that Gambit was raised in]. How cool would it be to see him stealing things to survive because the stakes are so high? Come on, Fox, let's do it.

  Kitsch may get his wish. It's all riding on this weekend.

  
  

  Posted 04/30/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Lauren Shuler Donner | Taylor Kitsch | X-Men: First Class | X-Men Origins: Wolverine | Deadpool | X-Men Origins: Magneto

Tuesday, April 28

• 4 New Clips from Wolverine

  With the big day in sight, Fox is releasing more clips of X-Men Origins: Wolverine to excite the fans (at least those not ravenous enough to download the leaked workprint). Check them out below:

  Here's Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), pre-adamantium surgery:

  Here, Blob (Kevin Durand) gets sensitive:

  Wolverine meets Gambit (Taylor Kitsch):

  This scene follows the previously released helicopter sequence:

  
  
  Next Showing: X-Men Origins: Wolverine opens Friday

  Posted 04/28/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Danny Huston | Hugh Jackman | Taylor Kitsch | Kevin Durand | X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Tuesday, April 14

• 5 Videos Introduce X-Men Origins: Wolverine Characters

  For those remaining that haven't seen the pirated version of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, MTV has revealed 5 character clips from the upcoming movie that introduce John Wraith (Will.I.Am), Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), Gambit (Taylor Kitsch), Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber) and, of course, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). Check them out in rapid succession below:

  
  
  Next Showing: X-Men Origins: Wolverine opens May 1

  Posted 04/14/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Hugh Jackman | Liev Schreiber | Taylor Kitsch | Ryan Reynolds | X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Friday, March 13

• 3 New X-Men Origins: Wolverine Photos

  Marvel has revealed three new photos for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, including pics of William Stryker (Danny Huston, Gambit (Taylor Kitsch), and Agent Zero (Daniel Henney).

  With a new trailer already released, these photos plus the ones of Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), Silver Fox (Lynn Collins), Wraith (Will. I. Am.), Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber), and Wolverine himself (Hugh Jackman), may be all we get for a while.

  
  
  Next Showing: X-Men Origins: Wolverine opens May 1, 2009

  Posted 03/13/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Danny Huston | Hugh Jackman | Liev Schreiber | Taylor Kitsch | Lynn Collins | Ryan Reynolds | Daniel Henney | X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Monday, January 19

• New X-Men Origins: Wolverine Cast Pic

  AICN received word from Hugh Jackman himself concerning recent reshoots being done on X-Men Origins: Wolverine along with an awesome cast pic. Here's what Hugh had to say...

  Hey everyone! It's Hugh Jackman, sending this note from freezing Vancouver. I have read a lot of your online comments regarding the footage that we are currently shooting and I share your passion for the Wolverine character and the movie - I owe it all to you guys!

  I wanted to reach out and let you know that due to scheduling conflicts with certain cast members and location/weather considerations, we had to wait until now to shoot a couple of scenes. Please rest assured that WOLVERINE will be badass and hopefully meet all of your expectations. I am stoked by the positive response to the teaser, which clearly reflects the tone and scope of the film. If you like that, we've got much more in store!

  In the meantime, here's an exclusive shot of some characters you may recognize...

  Cheers, Hugh

  
  

  Posted 01/19/2009 by Jim

  Related: Hugh Jackman | Liev Schreiber | Taylor Kitsch | Lynn Collins | Ryan Reynolds | X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Monday, December 1

• New Origins Images of Wolverine and Gambit Surface

  X-Men Origins: Wolverine was the talk of Comic-Con this summer after an impressive promo reel wowed the San Diego crowd. Expectations are high for the X-Men spin-off's release on May 1, 2009 and Hugh Jackman already hinted at the possibilities of a Wolverine sequel. He's currently on the road doing press for his romantic turn opposite Nicole Kidman in Australia, so we can probably expect some more Wolverine news to surface in the coming months.

  The new issue of British Movie Mag Empire has two new photos from the film featuring Wolverine in the midst of a primal roar (popping veins and all) and Taylor Kitsch as Gambit playing a little cards. MTV has the Empire pics on their Splash Page. The images don't tell you a whole lot more about the movie, but they do look pretty cool.

  
  

  Posted 12/01/2008 by reelz

  Related: Hugh Jackman | Taylor Kitsch | X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Tuesday, February 19

• Wolverine's cast expands yet again

  Methinks things are starting to get a bit nutty down Wolverine Way. The already robust cast of X-Men Origins: Wolverine is swelling to Altman-like proportions with today's news, courtesy of Variety, that Friday Night Lights' Taylor Kitsch and the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am have joined Gavin Hood's X-Men spinoff, in the roles of Gambit and Wraith, respectively.

  The logic behind Marvel attaching the prefix "X-Men Origins" to the title is starting to emerge. Rather than a full-fledged spinoff, Wolverine is looking more and more like just another ensemble X-Men flick.

  Source: Variety

  
  

  Posted 02/19/2008 by reelz

  Related: Taylor Kitsch | Gavin Hood | X-Men Origins: Wolverine