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In 1996, two notable blockbusters, each based on TV shows, were released by Paramount. On May 22, Brian De Palma's "Mission: Impossible" hit screens, detailing the adventures of super-spy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) as he went on the lam after being framed for killing his super-spy teammates. It was a massive hit and set the stage for a supra-action franchise that has lasted to this day. The film cost a sizeable $80 million to make but earned $457 million at the box office. 

Six months later, on November 22, the eighth film in the "Star Trek" franchise, "Star Trek: First Contact" was released to much acclaim. "First Contact," based on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," boasted a time travel plot wherein the U.S.S. Enterprise traveled back to the year 2063 to face off against the malevolent cyborgs known as the Borg. It wasn't as thoughtful or diplomatic as the show on which it was based,...

As the old saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention”, and that certainly held true when the creative minds behind action-packed Mission: Impossible II found themselves looking to the Star Trek universe for some visionary inspiration.

Have you ever wondered who helped transform this single film into a multi-billion-dollar juggernaut? Enter Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga, the writing wizards who mesmerized us with their 1996 hit movie Star Trek: First Contact. This film not only brought out the wildest imaginations of Star Trek aficionados but also caught the keen eye of Cruise himself.

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible II | Paramount Pictures

The actor, along with his then-producing partner Paula Wagner, enlisted Moore and Braga to rewrite the script for Mission: Impossible 2 after talks with the movie’s original writer, David Marconi, fell through.

The Unlikely Connection: How Star Trek Saved Mission: Impossible 2

Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible...

In the summer of 1996, Tom Cruise and director Brian De Palma achieved something that Hollywood would spend much of the next decade trying to replicate: a genuinely great movie adaptation of a popular television show that blew up at the box office. The first Mission: Impossible movie was somehow both an ode to the face-swapping, hi-tech hijinks of the original 1960s series while also serving as the perfect star vehicle for Cruise. Even De Palma was at the peak of his powers as an auteur, having just made his most underrated movie in Carlito’s Way.

In the years that followed, other big screen updates of small screen favorites would try to repeat the formula with often disastrous results. Film versions of shows like Wild Wild West, Lost in Space, The Avengers (not that one), and The Mod Squad all amounted to miserable trips to the multiplex. Meanwhile Mission: Impossible’s...

It's difficult to imagine now, but there was a time when Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible was seen as a one-off movie instead of an entire franchise. Recently, writers Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga discussed how their 1996 hit movie Star Trek: First Contact brought them to the attention of Cruise, who then asked them to rewrite the script for Mission: Impossible 2 after talks ended with the movie's original writer David Marconi. Ronald D. Moore says this about how Star Trek helped save the Mission: Impossible franchise.

"[First Contact] came out November 1996, and a Paramount exec that worked on First Contact approached us shortly after the premiere, in December. We had been approached by Don Granger [who was the feature exec on Star Trek at the time]. He called us and said 'Hey, we're having trouble getting M:i-2 off the ground. I think you and Brannon might be good candidates to help.""It was obviously a big opportunity for us,...

In today’s film news roundup, Lamorne Morris is starring in “Death of a Telemarketer,” Wonderfilm has attached a director to “Greco’s Game” and Fantastic Fest will host the U.S. premiere of “I Lost My Body.”

Castings

Lamorne Morris, Jackie Earle Haley, Alisha Wainwright and Haley Joel Osment are starring in the independent comedy-drama “Death of a Telemarketer.”

The film, written and directed by Khaled Ridgeway, follows a too-slick-for-his-own-good telemarketer (played by Morris) who finds himself in a life or death circumstance when he is held hostage at gunpoint for trying to con a middle-aged man (portrayed by Haley) to win a sales contest at work. The film co-stars Matt McGorry, Gil Ozeri, Woody McClain, Sujata Day, David So, Ian Verdun, Gwen Gottlieb and Starletta DuPois.

Datari Turner is producing the film for Datari Turner Productions, along with James J. Yi and Meagan Good. Filming is underway in Los Angeles.

“The Foreigner” is a twisty political thriller about an deputy minister (Pierce Brosnan) who’s plotting to pardon some imprisoned Ira fighters without reigniting the Troubles. “The Foreigner” is also a revenge saga in which Jackie Chan plays a Vietnamese (?) explosives expert who’s obsessively determined to identify and eliminate the bombers who blew up his teenage daughter. Believe it or not, those two narratives don’t really complement one another all that well. It turns out there might be a good reason why no one’s ever watched “In the Name of the Father” and thought to themselves: “You know what that movie was missing? Jackie Chan.”

On paper, it almost makes sense why someone would try to sandwich these very different storylines together — immigrants, so often assumed to be the perpetrators of domestic terrorism, are often the most overlooked of its casualties. And it’s possible this mash-up...

Legend is a much abused word in the movie business – but Jackie Chan really is a legend. The undisputed king of martial-arts movies kicked up a notch with slapstick and jaw-dropping stunts, the star is acrobatic poetry in motion. American audiences know him best from his three Rush Hour action comedies with Chris Tucker (No. 4 is on the drawing board), but true aficionados rightly point to Chan's death-defying Hong Kong cinema epics – see Drunken Master, Police Story and Armor of God – as pinnacles of the form. The lifetime achievement Oscar...

The Foreigner is a gripping and relevant action thriller directed by a master of the smart action genre, Martin Campbell (Casino Royale and Goldeneye.) Justice, retribution and redemption are at the heart of this provocative story of two men whose hidden pasts explode in the present.

The film marks a blazing return to the screen by Jackie Chan (the Rush Hour trilogy, Skiptrace) and Pierce Brosnan (Tomorrow Never Dies, The November Man), two actors in roles that take full advantage of and build upon their legendary star status.

(Left to Right) Jackie Chan as Quan and Pierce Brosnan as Hennessy at Hennessy’s office in The Foreigner

The film tells the story of humble London restaurant owner Quan (Chan), whose long-buried past erupts in a revenge-fueled vendetta when the only person left for him to love — his teenage daughter — is taken from him in a senseless act of politically-motivated terrorism.

Update, Writethru: Last week’s international box office champ, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, roped another win this session, notably holding court in Korea with a royal $16.1M debut. That’s the biggest bow ever for an 18+ rated movie there, and contributes to the $50.5M sophomore outing in 77 total offshore markets for the Matthew Vaughn-helmed sequel. The overseas cume on Kingsman 2 is now $126.2M. Worldwide, the total is $192.9M, putting $200M in sight this week.

Versus Kingsman: The Secret Service, Golden Circle is ahead 53% in the same markets and at current exchange rates, with several majors still to bow. This weekend saw No. 1s hold in 20 markets, and 15 new hubs also grab the top spot.

Those Korea numbers in particular are something to be Marv-eled at: they’re three times better than the start of the first film, as well as bigger than the openings of this year’s Transformers: The Last Knight,...

Stx Entertainment has released a new trailer and photos from The Foreigner, the latest film from the ageless big screen icon Jackie Chan. This action-packed thrill ride is very much in the same vein as the action classic Taken, with Jackie Chan playing a father with a very "special set of skills" that he uses to go after a group of terrorists. This timely action thriller also stars Pierce Brosnan and comes from the director of Casino Royale.

The Foreigner tells the story of humble London businessman Quan (Chan), whose long-buried past erupts in a revenge-fueled vendetta when the only person left for him to love -- his teenage daughter -- is taken from him in a senseless act of politically-motivated terrorism. In his relentless search for the identity of the terrorists, Quan is forced into a cat-and-mouse conflict with a British government official (Pierce Brosnan), whose own past may...

Jackie Chan is the undisputed master of martial arts movies, especially those that call for the veteran actor and stunt performer to use his environment to his advantage in increasingly complex fight scenes. But there comes a point when even Chan--now 63--has to make things a little easier on himself. That time is now. As the final trailer for The Foreigner reveals, Chan has no fucks left to give. That's not to say he phones it in regarding the action department; quite the opposite, actually. Directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) and scripted by David Marconi from …...

The latest trailer for the Martin Campbell-helmed actioner The Foreigner starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan was just released. The film, which is being distributed by Stx is being released on Oct. 13 stateside and in China on Sept. 30 where it should bring in huge grosses as he is so beloved in the Middle Kingdom. The action thriller, adapted by David Marconi from the novel The Chinaman by Stephen Leather, follows a London businessman (Chan) whose long-buried past…...

Simon Brew Sep 14, 2017

From the director of Casino Royale and The Mask Of Zorro comes The Foreigner. Here’s the latest trailer…

For the first time since 2011’s Green Lantern, director Martin Campbell has a new film coming to cinemas. Campbell, who’s previously directed movies such as Casino Royale, GoldenEye, The Mask Of Zorro and Edge Of Tomorrow, has more recently done a couple of films for television. But he’s putting the finishing touches to his latest venture, The Foreigner, that stars Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan.

The script for this one has been penned by David Marconi, and he in turn has adapted Stephen Leather’s novel, The Chinaman. Jackie Chan will take on the role of a London restaurant owner, who seeks to track down the terrorists who killed his daughter.

The new trailer for the movie has now been released, and here’s a taste...

The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan, is a timely action thriller from the director of “Casino Royale.”

The film tells the story of humble London businessman Quan (Chan), whose long-buried past erupts in a revenge-fueled vendetta when the only person left for him to love — his teenage daughter — is taken from him in a senseless act of politically-motivated terrorism.

In his relentless search for the identity of the terrorists, Quan is forced into a cat-and-mouse conflict with a British government official (Brosnan), whose own past may hold clues to the identities of the elusive killers.

Jackie Chan and James Bond in the same film? Whoa yeah!

Directed by Martin Campbell, the screenplay is by David Marconi, based on the Novel “The Chinaman” by Stephen Leather.

Catch it in theaters Friday, October 13, 2017.

Visit the film on Facebook: /ForeignerMovie

Twitter: @ForeignerMovie

The post The Foreigner Trailer Stars Jackie Chan And...

It’s been awhile since we’ve seen Jackie Chan in a serious acting role, which is why “The Foreigner” could be a game-changer. The multi-hyphenate actor, martial artist, director and singer has had success with children’s franchise hits “Kung Fu Panda” and “The Karate Kid,” and his comedy chops are well known to “Rush Hour” fans. Now, audiences get a different side of him in “The Foreigner,” a slick revenge thriller which released its official trailer today.

Read More: ‘Dunkirk’: 9 Things You Need to Know About Christopher Nolan’s WWII Blockbuster

Based on the unfortunately titled novel “The Chinaman,” by British crime novelist Stephen Leather, the movie has thankfully been renamed. Chan plays Quan, a restaurant owner with some serious combat skills whose daughter dies in an attack by the Ira. When the authorities botch the case, he is determined to find the people responsible and avenge his daughter’s death.

London-based thriller exec’d by Enemy of the State writer David Marconi.

Nic Auerbach’s The Contract has set a Jan 18, 2016 release through VOD platforms and home entertainment.

The film centres on a financier, played by Robert Fucilla, who becomes embroiled in a violent underworld after his multi-million pound house is mysteriously taken over by squatters.

Co-stars include Danny Webb, Isabelle Allen, Nicky Evans, Sarah Armstrong, Patrick Ryecart and Dean Bardini.

Producer is Dean Fisher (City Rats) and executive producer is David Marconi, writer of Enemy of the State and Die Hard 4.0.

The Contract marks the first feature film release of Bow Street Media, run by Fisher.

The international film distribution and sales company will distribute films through its own online platform, Popcorn Movies, as well as via DVD, cinema and other digital distribution outlets, and plans to attend markets at Cannes, Berlin and Afm.

The company also plans to produce and finance feature films for release...

Last month, it was reported that the producers behind new Jackie Chan action thriller The Foreigner were in talks with Nick Cassavetes to direct the film, based on Stephen Leather’s novel The Chinaman. The movie is now untitled and Cassavetes is no longer circling, but it appears Martin Campbell is ready to take on the job instead. This actually represents a full circle for the film, as Campbell was actually involved in its development before being lured away to tackle Relativity Media’s Hunter Killer. But with that company in financial dire straights, Hunter Killer is in limbo and Campbell is once again free to take on other projects.Chan will play a restaurant owner in London’s Chinatown who is devastated in an attack orchestrated by rogue Irish terrorists. When the justice system brings him no satisfaction, he decides to track down the people responsible himself. With David Marconi...

Martin Campbell ("Casino Royale," "Goldeneye") is in talks to direct a now untitled Jackie Chan film, previously known as "The Foreigner," for Stx Entertainment. David Marconi and Peter Buchman penned the adaptation of the Stephen Leather novel.

Chan will play a humble restaurant owner in London's Chinatown who is forced to push his moral and physical boundaries to track down the group of rogue Irish terrorists responsible for the death of his beloved daughter after the justice system fails him.

Meanwhile, Catherine Hardwicke ("Twilight," "Red Riding Hood") is set to direct a film adaptation of Jerry Spinelli's bestselling 2000 young adult novel "Stargirl" for Gotham Group, Hahnscape Entertainment and Bcdf Productions.

The story follows a homeschooled teenager who enrolls in an Arizona high school, altering the ecosystem of the student body with her nonconformity. Kristin Hahn will adapt the script and produce with filming to begin this Fall.

Source: Variety...

Con Air, Last Action Hero, Brainscan and Die Hard 4.0 could all have been very different films, going by the early drafts of their scripts.

The life of a Hollywood screenwriter might sound like a glamorous one, but it's not all premieres and champagne.

As one of the smaller cogs in an often complex machine, the writer can often find his or her work changed almost beyond recognition by other hands. Such is the case with the following movies, which were all changed quite drastically in one way or another between their original draft and their final cut.

Some scripts were pressed into service as sequels. Some began in one genre and wound up in another. Rather than put together an exhaustive list, we've chosen a few examples of the script changes that intrigued or bemused us most.

Con Air

Nic Cage with lank hair and a thick southern drawl. An...

Variety is reporting that recent "The Good, The Bad & The Badass" subject Jackie Chan is final talks to star in an action thriller titled The Foreigner for Stx Entertainment. Nick Cassavetes (The Other Woman, Alpha Dog) is in negotiations to direct the planned movie from a script by Enemy Of The State and Live Free Or Die Hard screenwriter David Marconi, which is based on the 1992 Stephen... Read More...

With fresh chatter that he’ll be back in the saddle for a third Shanghai film to follow Noon and Knights, there’s more solid information about another new Jackie Chan project. He’s taking the lead role in a new action thriller called The Foreigner.According to Variety, Nick Cassavetes is in talks to direct the film, which David Marconi has adapted from Stephen Leather’s 1992 novel The Chinaman. The story finds a restaurant owner in London’s Chinatown who has to track down the terrorists who killed his daughter. It’s a typical blending of action and emotion for Chan, though could be something different for Cassavetes, whose directing CV includes films more like The Notebook, The Other Woman and My Sister’s Keeper. It does, however, hark back to one of his earlier films, John Q.Whoever ends up in the director’s chair should have the cameras rolling this October.

Jackie Chan remains the busiest actor around and at 61 years of age, he doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time just yet. Jackie has just signed on to star in the upcoming movie “The Foreigner“, where Jackie will play restaurant owner in London’s Chinatown who has to go after Irish Terrorists who killed his daughter. The book was adapted by David Marconi (Enemy of the State, Mission Impossible 2) which was titled “The Chinaman” and will be released by Stx Entertainment.

This sounds like it’ll be a great flick and one that will be straight out action and seems like little comedy involved, but if you want comedy/action then soon Jackie will be making Rush Hour 4 with Chris tucker and Shanghai Dawn with Owen Wilson.

Jackie also has Skiptrace coming out in the near future, so out of these movies which ones are you looking forward to the most?...

The Die Hard series may be alive and well, but there's a unique story behind the writing of each one…

As any action fanatic will tell you, Die Hard is among the best films of its type ever made. Tautly directed by John McTiernan, deceptively well shot by cinematographer Jan de Bont, and full of charismatic turns from Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman and Bonnie Bedelia, it’s seldom been bettered, even by its sequels.

The key to the first film's success, and the sequels in their best moments, is hero John McClane. Tough, sarcastic but ultimately human and relatable, he cuts a very different figure from the beefed-up, larger-than-life heroes of 1980s and 90s action cinema. When John McClane gets shot or injured, he actually feels pain. It's something we were keenly aware of in the 1988 original, but gradually ebbed away as the Die Hard franchise drifted from thriller territory...

Exclusive: David Marconi action-thriller, Peter Fudakowski’s romance [pictured] among slate.

London-based sales and production outfit Moviehouse Entertainment has signed four completed titles to its roster in time for the Afm.

Jack Laskey and Zhu Zhu star in completed romance thriller Secret Sharer, the feature directorial debut of Oscar-winning producer Peter Fudakowski (Tsotsi).

Inspired by Joseph Conrad’s novella, the film South China Sea-set film tells the story of a young sea captain’s journey to maturity and the challenges he faces.

Action-thriller The Contract, written by David Marconi (Enemy of the State), follows a London City fund manager in a race against time over one explosive night.

Produced by Dean Fisher, Robert Fucilla and directed by Nic Auerbach, The Contract stars Fucilla, Sarah Armstrong and Danny Webb.

Director Jay Weisman’s 3D action sci-fi Shockwave, which world premiered at London’s FrightFest, charts mankind’s battle for the last supplies of water on the moon.

Finally, Discoverdale...

UK producer-financiers The Fyzz Facility, run by producers Wayne Marc Godfrey and Robert Jones, is to open an La office this month.

The co-funders, which provide development, bridging, senior debt, tax credit and Gap funding, have invested in 50 films since 2010.

These features include London Fields, starring Amber Heard and Billy Bob Thornton; Toronto drama Cake starring Jennifer Aniston, Anna Kendrick and Sam Worthington; comedy The Hooligan Factory from Nick Nevern and Jason Maza; and The Prince starring Bruce Willis and John Cusack.

Upcoming films backed by the company include The Survivalist from writer-director and former Screen Star of Tomorrow Stephen Fingleton, which made it onto the 2012 Black List; sci-fi-thriller Vice starring Bruce Willis; and Martin Scorsese’s historical thriller Silence, which will star Liam Neeson and Andrew Garfield.

Most recently, the company has part-funded the Kurt Russell cowboy epic Bone Tomahawk, along with Bus 657 starring Robert De Niro.

In late 2014, the company will produce psychological thriller...

Omar Sy will star in the new film by directors Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache; Scanner-Rhodes Productions is producing thriller Squat, which is shooting in London.

Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache will commence shooting social comedy Samba at the end this month, which also stars Charlotte Gainsbourg, Tahar Rahim and Izya Higelin. Gaumont, Quad Films and Ten Films are co-producing with Gaumont also handling international sales and French distribution. A release is planned for late 2014.

For more updates and new projects visit

Principal photography is underway on Nic Auerbach’s Squat, starring Robert Fucilla and Sarah Armstrong alongside Danny Webb, Jonathan Rhodes, Isabelle Allen and Nicky Evans. Written by David Marconi, the thriller centres on a financier, who becomes embroiled in a violent underworld when his multi-million pound house is mysteriously taken over by squatters. Dean Fisher is producing through his company Scanner-Rhodes Productions .

Nic Auerbach directs, Scanner-Rhodes’ founder Dean Fisher produces.

Scanner-Rhodes Productions has begun a five week London shoot for David Marconi’s thriller Squat.

Nic Auerbach directs, Scanner-Rhodes’ founder Dean Fisher produces. Marconi’s writing credits include Enemy of the State and Live Free or Die Hard.

Robert Fucilla and Sarah Armstrong head up the British cast, with Danny Webb, Isabelle Allen, Nicky Evans, Patrick Ryecart, Jonathan Rhodes and Dean Bardini supporting.

The film follows a financier who becomes embroiled in a violent underworld when his multi-million pound house is mysteriously taken over by squatters.

It is Scanner-Rhodes Productions’ seventh feature and follows 2012 crime-thriller Interview with a Hitman, made in partnership with Kaleidoscope Film Distribution, North Star Ventures and Northern Film and Media.

It's 25 years since Bruce Willis first brought John McClane to the screen in the first of the 'Die Hard' films, kickstarting one of the big screen's most successful franchises.

In the original and four sequels, McClane has been the reluctant hero, invariably caught in the wrong place, and proving the only human obstacle between good and the triumph of evil.

Bruce Willis has made the reluctant hero all his own in the 'Die Hard' films over 25 years

To mark the 25th anniversary, plus the home entertainment release on DVD of 'A Good Day to Die Hard', Bruce Willis reflects on the changing nature of his die-hard character, through five films. Watch Him In Our Exclusive Clip Above.

Plus here are 25 mind-blowing facts from all five films. Did you know...

1. The line "yippee-ki-yay," translates in Urdu to "Here - eat this" and is used in...

A little over a month ago, we posted that in celebration of it’s 25th anniversary there will be a Die Hard Marathon showing all four movies starting around Noon on February 13th followed by the premier of A Good Day To Die Hard at 10Pm getting out just before Midnight. That’s almost 12 action-packed hours of Die Hard awesomeness! As you can guess, there was no way I could refuse to take this opportunity to see one of the greatest action-movie series of all time for the first time on the big screen, or make that Mega-Screen since I decided to see this at Wehrenberg’s Chesterfield Galaxy 14 Cine, which in my opinion is one of the best movie theatres here in the St. Louis area. For $25 you got all five movies plus a collectable lanyard that entitles you to a 25% discount at concessions throughout the whole day and with their wide-selection,...

Before she aids the God of Thunder later this year in Thor: The Dark World, Jaimie Alexander will back up Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Last Stand. From director Kim Jee-woon, this old school actioner pits a small town sheriff's department against a ruthless drug lord with a high-powered militia who are making a beeline for the border. Also starring Johnny Knoxville, Luis Guzman, Rodrigo Santoro, Eduardo Noriega, Forest Whitaker and Peter Stormare, The Last Stand opens January 18th. In a recent interview, Alexander talked about The Last Stand and how its action compared to that of the fantasy world of Thor, as well as her favorite action sequences to film, her favorite weapon used in the movie and the benefits of working with an international cast and crew. She also gave us an update on Thor: The Dark World and revealed a bit more about what we can expect to see from her character,...

Jaimie Alexander, known for playing Lady Sif in Thor, stars as a more mortal crime-fighter alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Kim Jee-woon's The Last Stand. Though we'll be running our full interview with Alexander later this week, we wanted to bring you her comments on some of her future projects, including Thor: The Dark World, writer/director David Marconi's Intersection with Frank Grillo and an undisclosed action movie. Alexander also revealed her wish to star in a wacky comedy with the likes of Will Ferrell. Also starring Rodrigo Santoro, Luis Guzmán, Johnny Knoxville, Forest Whitaker, Peter Stormare and Zach Gilford, The Last Stand opens on January 18th. Check out what Alexander had to say about her upcoming projects after the jump. During the interview, I asked Alexander about an update on Thor: The Dark World, how her experiences with directors Kenneth Branagh and Alan Taylor compared and how much more...

French-Moroccan actor Roschdy Zem (he's starred in a few films directed by French-Algerian filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb, like Outside The Law, a film covered on this site in the past), stars in this Luc Besson-produced actioner set in the Sahara desert, titled Intersection. Witten and directed by David Marconi, Intersection follows a diverse group of survivors of a terrible crash in the Sahara, each with an interesting story, and in some case, shady pasts and motivations, who find themselves prisoners of the desert, as they fight to survive and hopefully escape. The film is set to open in France in January 2013. No word on whether it'll travel, although I won't be...

A few days ago, we reported “Agent 13,” a sci-fi adaptation with Charlize Theron and director Rupert Wyatt attached, was being prepared for an intense bidding war amongst studios, and it seems the project has indeed found a home.

Deadline reports Universal has beat out rivals Paramount, MGM, and Fox to secure the high-profile project from Wme, who put together the package deal. With Wyatt's summer blockbuster “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” pleasing everyone on both critical and financial fronts, it's easy to see the reason for interest too, especially with Theron set to already head up the stellar-looking “Prometheus” this summer. “Agent 13” will not be Wyatt's next film however, as a locked agreement with Andy Serkis, reprising his role of Caesar for the 'Apes' sequel, puts that project front and center on the director's plate.

Written by T.S. Nowlin, “Agent 13” is based off a comic...

Two days ago, we reported on an intense bidding war between all the major studios for Agent 13, a sci-fi project from writer T.S. Nowlin that has both director Rupert Wyatt and Charlize Theron attached. Well, it looks like the mysterious movie has found its home; Variety reports that Universal has won the bidding war and will be making a deal with Wme to formally acquire the project. In addition to starring, Theron will also be producing Agent 13.

Considering it’s in early development, plot details are scarce — but if we go by what Variety is saying, it is, indeed, based on a comic book/novel series from writers Flint Dille and David Marconi that lasted from 1986-1988, one which mixes science fiction with the setting of the 1930′s, giving it a pulpy dime novel feel. (In addition to two graphic novels, Agent 13 also spawned three “regular” novels.) With the title character being male,...

We reported yesterday that Charlize Theron has signed on for Rupert Wyatt's upcoming sci-fi action film Agent 13. Today comes the news that Universal Pictures has picked up the project.

Agent 13 is based on a little known comic book from 1988, created by G.I. Joe and Transformers series writers Flint Dille and David Marconi, who most recently wrote the 2007 sequel Live Free or Die Hard.

The main character in the comic book is male, and will remain that way. Charlize Theron is taking on a role that is not known at the moment. Some speculate she will play Maggie Darr, an operative in Agent 13's service who battles supernatural elements, complete with noir-ish overtones.

There is no word on when shooting is set to start.

Agent 13 comes to theaters in 2014 and stars Charlize Theron. The film is directed by Rupert Wyatt.

Universal is finalizing a deal to pick up Agent 13, a sci-fi project that sees Charlize Theron attached to star and Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt attached to direct. T.S. Nowlin is the writer behind the pitch, which is based on a little known comic book from 1988. It was created by G.I. Joe and Transformers cartoon writer Flint Dille and David Marconi, who went on to pen the Will Smith thriller Enemy of the State as well as Live Free or Die Hard. The comic had post-modern pulp overtones, replete

read more...

Last week, we took a look at the relative dearth of leading men in Hollywood: why Tom Cruise, Will Smith, et al. remain at the top of the tree and why so few serious competitors have emerged since. But one of the most exciting things about our job is getting to watch the new names that emerge, breakouts who have the potential to join the A-listers, or at the very least, deliver a host of hugely exciting performances for decades to come.

So we've decided to kick off our On The Rise selection for 2012 by looking at some of the actors who we're tipping for big things in the next few years. Last time we made these kinds of picks and predictions we did pretty well, listing the likes of Joel Edgerton, Edgar Ramirez, Jason Sudeikis, Adam Scott, Jake Johnson and David Oyelowo who have all gone on to become much-sought-after names,...

Despite appearances in movies like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Live Free or Die Hard, actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead has never strayed too far from her horror roots, which started with 2006's Final Destination 3 and Black Christmas and continued to last year's The Thing. For Winstead's latest journey into the genre, she will team with The Last Exorcism director Daniel Stamm for The Darkness.

Written by Megan Holley (Sunshine Cleaning) and loosely based on Henry James' classic novel Turn of the Screw, The Darkness will follow Winstead as a young American student who looks after young children in a British manor and is convinced they are the victims of a haunting.

Screen Daily reports that The Darkness will start shooting in Europe this summer and that British distributor HanWay Films has already agreed to release the movie internationally. "We were blown away by The Last Exorcism," said HanWay managing director Thorsten Schumacher.

Those who have seen Thor may recognize Jaimie Alexander for her role as Thor.s home-realm pal Sif. Outside of that, a good portion of her work has existed on the small screen. Prior to Thor, she played a role on ABC Family.s Kyle Xy, and since the film she.s appeared in episodes of Covert Affairs and Nurse Jackie. But it looks like we.re about to see more of her on the big screen soon enough. Not only is she set to play a role in the upcoming Jee-woon Kim film Last Stand, which stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, but she.s managed to land the starring role in a David Marconi thriller Intersection. Variety shared the news, stating that Alexander will play the female lead in the film, which stars Frank Grillo. The movie will follow a woman who, with the help of her lover, plots to kill...

She'll be reprising her role as the Lady Sif in Thor 2 before too long, but before that, Jaimie Alexander has opted for some less fantastical thrills in Intersection. She'll star alongside Frank Grillo (The Grey) in the murderous tale, which is being directed by David Marconi.Alexander and Grillo play a married couple, but Alexander is cheating on her husband and plotting his death with the help of her lover. The plan goes askew when the husband and his rival are stranded together after a car crash on a remote Moroccan desert road.This being a Europacorp production, Luc Besson is producing along with Gareth Upton (Colombiana), and had a hand in the screenplay. Marconi is credited as a writer on the film too, and this seems to be the first time he's directed since the crime thriller The Harvest in 1992. He also wrote Enemy Of The State and...

Jaimie Alexander (Thor) has joined the cast of Intersection as the female lead, starring alongside Frank Grillo (The Grey).

The story centers on a wife (Jaimie Alexander) who hatches a plan to kill her husband (Frank Grillo), with the help of her lover. The plan takes a turn for the worse, though, when her husband and lover are involved in a car accident on an isolated desert road. It is said other actresses such as Brooklyn Decker and Gemma Arterton were in contention for the role.

David Marconi (Live Free or Die Hard, Enemy of the State) will direct from his own original screenplay, with Gareth Upton producing.

Production is scheduled to begin later this month.

Intersection comes to theaters in 2013 and stars Frank Grillo, Jaimie Alexander. The film is directed by David Marconi.

Above: Le film à venir (1997).

Notebook is unfurling a series of tributes to Raúl Ruiz entitled Blind Man's Bluff: along with some previously published articles, here in English for the first time, the bulk a compilation of new, shorter pieces from a few generous critics and Ruizians on favorite moments from a vast, subterranean filmography. For more from Raúl Ruiz: Blind Man's Bluff see the Table of Contents.

The Golden Boat (1990)

A man follows a trail of beat-up shoes left discarded along a New York sidewalk. They lead him to an older man, who sits crouched on the street, crying. “This, my son, is not my place,” the older man proclaims—and then stabs himself. So begins The Golden Boat—“a game between soap opera and reality,” as Ruiz called it—his first film in America, made in exile over a few long weekends during a teaching stint at Harvard.

Agent 13: The Midnight Avenger is to return to print courtesy of Hermes Press. The publisher has acquired the rights to Flint Dille and David Marconi's classic 1988 graphic novel, and plans to reissue it next year. Agent 13 is a pulp adventure created by Dille and Marconi in the 1980s. The series spawned two graphic novels, three prose novels, multiple radio shows and a role-playing game. "Consider us the advance guard in bringing this lost cult figure back, with 2012′s re-release of Agent 13: The Midnight Avenger," read a statement from Hermes. "Believe me, he's soon going to start popping up (more)...

Kyle ChandlerVulture has the names of the first two cast members for the mysterious J.J. Abrams-Steven Spielberg collaboration Super 8. Kyle Chandler (TV's Friday Night Lights) and Elle Fanning, who will soon be seen starring in Sofia Coppola's Oscar-contender Somewhere, have been announced but no details were given about their roles. I didn't even really think about this until now, but the trailer for the film debuted some four months before any cast members were even announced. Now that's an interesting promotional strategy.

While out promoting I'm Still Here, Casey Affleck revealed in a radio interview that he's planning to reunite with his Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford director Andrew Dominick for an adaptation of a crime novel set in Boston. Here's the quote from Affleck: I don't know if I'm allowed to talk about it, but it's a Boston-based crime... It's based...

The Oscar-nominated director of Downfall, Oliver Hirschbeigel, has signed on to direct the thriller The Dark Side of the Moon (Die dunkle Seite des Mondes) based on the novel by Swiss author Martin Suter.

At this moment, still no word about the possible cast, but at least, we do know that David Marconi (man responsible for Live Free or Die Hard and Enemy of the State) is in charge for the script.

You can check out the The Dark Side of the Moon synopsis that goes like this: “Business lawyer Urs Blank, forty-five, has his feelings under control. Blank is an expert in merger negotiations and the star of the industry.

Recently, however, torments him feel somehow uncomfortable one reason why it extensively with his lovely Lucille tries so that introduces a completely different life than he. By Lucille he meets the magical world of hallucinogenic mushrooms.

In an overwhelming trip,...

Promising German director Oliver Hirschbiegel has closed a deal to direct thriller The Dark Side of the Moon. According to Variety, Hirschbiegel will direct the film from a script written by David Marconi. Rather than being based on the Pink Floyd album of the same name, the project is based on the international best-seller by Swiss novelist Martin Suter in which, a successful lawyer has a life-changing experience while tripping on mushrooms. Perhaps he listened to the seminal rock album during his psychedelic journey? Hirschbiegel is best known for directing 2004's Downfall, which depicted Adolf Hitler in his final days holed up in a German bunker. Although inevitably courting controversy for its humanization of a historical monster, the film was mostly praised for breaking down a final WWII taboo so bravely and authentically. Hirschbiegel most recently directed Five Minutes of Heaven, which stars Liam Neeson as an ex-ira who serves...

Director Oliver Hirschbiegel first came to our attention with the exceptional “Downfall”, a film about Hitler’s last days.

Sadly, he then followed that up with “Invasion”, a fairly lifeless reworking of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, although that seems to have had more to do with problems with the studio than with Hirschbiegel himself.

Variety have news this morning of a new project for Hirschbiegel, namely an adaptation of The Dark Side of the Moon, a novel by Swiss author Martin Stutor.

David Marconi (Enemy of the State, Die Hard 4.0) will draft the script, all about a lawyer who starts to dabble in magic mushrooms, discovering in the process of the ensuing trip that the life he had built for himself was no longer satisfying. As a result, he begins to withdraw from society. Apparently, the novel has already been translated into eight different languages and shooting is due to start in Switzerland,...

"Downfall" director Oliver Hirschbiegel is set to helm the thriller "The Dark Side of the Moon" for Millbrook Pictures says Variety.

Based on the bestselling novel by Swiss author Martin Suter, the story centers on a successful attorney whose life is turned upside down after a mind-opening mushroom trip.

Realising his life doesn't make sense, he begins to withdraw from society. David Marconi ("Live Free or Die Hard") adapted the script.

Shooting is scheduled to begin next spring around Switzerland, Germany and France. Karl Spoerri is producing.

Oliver Hirschbiegel directs mushroom trip thriller German director Oliver Hirschbiegel has signed on to direct the thriller The Dark Side of the Moon, based on Swiss author Martin Suter's bestselling novel.

According to Variety, the film is based on a screenplay by David Marconi (Live Free or Die Hard).

The novel centers on a successful attorney whose life is turned upside down after a mind-opening mushroom trip.

Production is slated to begin in spring in Switzerland, Germany and France.

According to Variety, German director Oliver Hirschbigel is set to direct an adaptation of author Martin Suter’s Die dunkle Seite des Mondes (in English it translates to The Dark Side of the Moon). Writer David Marconi (Live Free or Die Hard) will pen the screenplay that tells the story successful attorney whose life is turned upside down after a mind-opening mushroom trip. During his drug trip, he realized that all he strived and worked so hard for has ceased to make sense, and begins to withdraw himself from society. This sounds like an interesting book, and it will be interesting...