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Throughout Hollywood history, stars have signed on and then swapped out projects for something else and only realized they made the right or wrong call when the box office numbers came in. Vin Diesel, for example, was originally down to play Agent 47 in "Hitman," the film adapted from the popular video game franchise but turned it down. Most would say the "Fast and Furious" films dodged a bullet though, considering the movie received scathing reviews upon release and currently boasts a paltry 16% on Rotten Tomatoes. Even so, that's pretty generous next to the even bigger dumpster fire he starred in the following year instead.

Initially, Diesel was the top pick for the role of 47, the iconic assassin with a shaved head and a barcode on his neck who is employed by a mysterious organization. As one of the biggest...

Vin Diesel was bitten by the acting bug very early in his life, having acted in a New York stage production of "Dinosaur Door" at the age of seven. The way Diesel came to be involved in "Dinosaur Door" was kismet. It seems that he and a few buddies had broken into the theater to vandalize it, but were caught by the theater manager. Rather than calling the police, Diesel and friends were offered parts in the play, which they accepted. Diesel ended up studying writing and filmmaking in college.

Diesel made his motion picture debut in 1990, playing an unnamed orderly in the Robin Williams/Robert De Niro drama "Awakenings." He was 23. Also a burgeoning filmmaker, Diesel also wrote and directed the short film "Multi-Facial" in 1995, a film about his own multiracial background. In 1997, Diesel wrote, directed, and starred in the character-based crime movie "Strays," a film that played at the Sundance Film Festival.

Do you know which Vin Diesel movie is rated the highest on Rotten Tomatoes? It's 1999's "The Iron Giant," the timeless animated classic in which Diesel voices the titular 50-ft. tall metal-eating robot, who emerges as a strong emotional anchor in the narrative. In addition to featuring stellar voice work, the film is a beautiful, engaging tale about the everyday issues that plague us, all the way down to its highly emotional climax. But while "The Iron Giant" sits at a thoroughly deserved 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, let's shift our attention to the actor's lowest-rated film on the platform. No, it's not "The Last Witch Hunter" (although that is a strong contender for Diesel's worst movie). Rather, it's a sci-fi action flick that not only flopped at the box office, but whose theatrical cut was also disowned by its director. I'm talking about Mathieu Kassovitz's wildly convoluted, mind-bogglingly outlandish "Babylon A.D,...

The following contains spoilers for "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" season 1, episode 4, "Can't Say I Remember No At Attlin."

"Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" episode 4 once again brings Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law) and his adolescent castaway crew to a new planet, where we meet just enough new faces that they get a chance to make an impact. One key figure on the episode's planet, At Achrann, is Troik clan member Hayna (Hala Finley), who soon gains respect for Neel (voiced by Robert Timothy Smith) and his anti-violence streak. While Finley has a good few projects on her acting CV, film fans might perk up their ears even more when they see her father, Troik leader General Strix. 

If Strix looks familiar, you've probably paid attention to international cinema in the 1990s and 2000s. The general with a penchant for training child soldiers is played by none other than actor and filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz,...

Kinology has boarded international sales to “The Big War,” an epic €30-million live action-cgi characters hybrid movie which will mark the directorial comeback of “La Haine” filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz.

The ambitious feature is adapted from “La Bête Est Morte,” an iconic two-part graphic novel illustrated by Edmond Calvo during War World 2 in Nazi-Occupied France and published after the country was liberated.

Pitched as a “”Paddington” meets ‘Saving Private Ryan,'” “The Big War” is a true passion project for Kassovitz who bought rights to “La Bête est Morte” nearly two decades ago and has now joined forces with well-respected animation producer Aton Soumache, whose credits range from literary adaptations such as the Cesar-winning “The Little Prince” to the global smash-hit “Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, the Movie.”

Kassovitz and Soumache have assembled a dream team for “The Big War,” including Caroline Thompson, the award-winning screenwriter of “Edward Scissorhands” and “The Nightmare before Christmas,...

Mathieu Kassovitz, whose last film was the 2011 French action-drama Rebellion, is returning behind the camera thirteen years later. According to Deadline, Kassovitz will be taking on a passion project — a film titled The Big War. The Big War will be an English-language film that aims to showcase a hybrid of live-action and animation. The script will reportedly be written by The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride and Edward Scissorhands screenwriter Caroline Thompson. Kassovitz explains, “This is a project I’ve been working on for twenty years.”

Kassovitz is also known for working in front of the camera as an actor on projects such as Amélie and Munich and the hit TV series Le Bureau Des Legendes. He expounds on his new upcoming film, “It is inspired by cult French graphic novel La Bete Est Morte, which was written during the Second World War. It reimagines that war as enacted by animals.

Exclusive: La Haine filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz is returning to the director’s chair to make English-language passion project The Big War, which will mark the first movie he has helmed in 13 years.

“This is a project I’ve been working on for twenty years,” Kassovitz explained about the live action-animation hybrid project, which he has scripted with The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride and Edward Scissorhands scribe Caroline Thompson.

“It is inspired by cult French graphic novel La Bete Est Morte, which was written during the Second World War,” says the Frenchman, also known for starring in movies including Amélie and Munich and hit TV series Le Bureau Des Legendes. “It reimagines that war as enacted by animals. The Nazis are the wolves who go after the ‘vermin’ — the rabbits — who represent the war’s victims. The story focuses on two rabbits who go after their family who have been...

Out with the old, in with the new! Hulu is ushering in the new month with plenty to add to your to-watch list but not before it says farewell to dozens of its current movies and shows available for streaming. Its first loss will come on the first of the month with the critically acclaimed “Lucky,” starring the late Harry Dean Stanton, but the streamer will remove titles all month long, from the “Pusher” trilogy to “Magic Mike.”

Don’t miss out—- find out everything leaving Hulu in February, including The Streamable’s picks for the top of your watch list!

30-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month hulu.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Leaving Hulu in February 2024? “Lucky” | Thursday, Feb. 1

Accomplished character actor Harry Dean Stanton stars in the drama, one of his final on-screen roles before his death at the age of 91, as, fittingly, a 90-year-old on...

The episode of Best Horror Movie You Never Saw covering Gothika was Written and Edited by Paul Bookstaber, Narrated by Kier Gomes, Produced by John Fallon and Tyler Nichols, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Back in the late 90’s, early 2000s the horror genre was in that weird phase of encapsulating what it truly wanted to be. Hot off the heels of Scream, horror movies focused much more on the teenage angst, and lifestyle. But there comes a time when some hidden gems make their way to the silver screen that branch off the beaten path with a more adult-themed tale, drenched in psychological/mental horror. What if one day you’re living your average life, working your 9-5, and suddenly black, out only to wake up, institutionalized and accused of committing a crime you can’t seem to remember doing? In 2003, director Mathieu Kassovitz gave us a True...

Michelle Yeoh's action films consistently showcase her signature skills and make them worth watching for her stunts alone. While some of her films are better than others, Yeoh's performances bring a level of skill and dedication that elevate the action sequences. Yeoh's breakout moment came in the 1985 film Yes, Madam, where her inventive and gripping action sequences established her as a top-notch performer from the start of her career.

Very few actors have been synonymous with the action genre for as long as screen legend and history-making Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh. Although she trained to become a professional dancer, an injury early in her fledgling career pushed Yeoh to pursue choreography and drama. In the '80s, Yeoh made a name for herself in the Hong Kong cinema scene, appearing in martial arts films. Adept at performing her own stunts, Yeoh secured the starring role in her third-ever picture,...

Mr. Vin Diesel has made a name for himself playing monotone bruisers; big guys who look like they want to smash your skull in if you get in your way. But he's also a family man when it comes to the "Fast and Furious" films. He's also been a talking tree, a sci-fi warrior, a mobster, a military grunt in a Steven Spielberg movie, and more. While Diesel seems solely committed to playing Dom in the "Furious" saga these days, we shouldn't forget about his other work, some of which is quite good (and others ... not).

To get to the bottom of what Diesel's best role is, we here at /Film asked our readers to weigh in. Then we compiled the results in a special, massive supercomputer. The results may actually surprise you. They kind of surprised me! So let's take a look at Vin Diesel's best roles, starting at the bottom.

There’s no denying that making a film is difficult.

Not only does getting a story from script to screen cost millions, but it also requires both cast and crew to devote years to a singular project.

Despite filmmaking being a labour of love, there are still occasions when a director – the person who arguably spends the most amount of time working on a film – can dislike the final results.

The majority of cases stem from studio interference: when filmmakers have to make changes to their work due to creative differences with the financiers.

Other common causes for dissatisfaction are when directors are rushed into a project (mainly sequels), when they regret an early artistic decision, or – in Steven Soderbergh’s case – when they knew 15 minutes in there was a problem but continued anyway.

Below are 20 directors who dislike their own films, including David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick and a few Marvel directors.

This June on HBO and HBO Max will play host to a new season of “Westworld,” a new adaptation of “Father of the Bride” and much more.

The big new Warner Bros. release on HBO and HBO Max this month is “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” which actually debuted on the HBO Max streaming service on May 30. The third film in the Wizarding World prequel franchise first hit theaters in April, and is now available to stream in 4K.

There’s also the updated version of “Father of the Bride” premiering on June 16, while a pair of noteworthy documentaries are coming on the early side this month: “The Janes” premieres June 8 and follows unlikely outlaws in pre-Roe v. Wade America who defied state legislation that banned abortion, while “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain” debuts on June 9.

As for original series, the fourth season of “Westworld” premieres on June...

With its list of new releases for June 2022, HBO Max is joining in what should be a TV summer to remember.

Not content to let Netflix’s Stranger Things or Prime Video’s The Boys to dominate the summer TV landscape, HBO is coming through with a new season of one of its big hits. Westworld season 4 is set to premiere June 26 on both HBO and HBO Max. What will this season of the increasingly confusing sci-fi drama be about? Per HBO’s synopsis it will be “A dark odyssey about the fate of sentient life on earth.” So you know, only that.

Irma Vep is the only other Max Original of note this month. Based on a 1996 cult classic of the same name, this limited series stars Alicia Vikander as a disillusioned movie star looking to remake the early 20th century French silent film serial Les Vampires.

It’s...

Downton Abbey star Allen Leech plays a man battling for survival in a blizzard in the Colorado Rockies.

French sales company WTFilms has taken world rights on Colorado Rockies-set survival thriller Cold Meat, featuring Downton Abbey star Allen Leech in the lead role.

It is Paris-based WTFilm’s second collaboration with UK production company Featuristic Films, after working together on James Kermack’s action thriller Knuckledust in 2020.

Leech stars as a man travelling through the Colorado Rockies who saves a young waitress from her violent ex-husband when he stops off at a diner.

He sets off again in a fierce...

The list of industry notables rethinking the on-set use of firearms is growing longer. Dwayne Johnson joined the ranks this week when he pledged that his Seven Bucks production company would end the use of real guns on its movies. Legislation looms in California that would make it a requirement. Hollywood will need solutions to simulate gunfire — and Copenhagen Industries, from the country that brought you the most stringent gun laws in Europe, may have a solution.

For the last five years, the Danish company has been working on Violette, a simulated firearm that doesn’t use bullets, blanks, or dummy rounds. Instead, it uses a mix of propane and oxygen to create a small explosion that simulates the muzzle flash and bang of a gun. Its founders are Søren Haraldsted, an armorer and special effects consultant whose credits include “Melancholia” and “Babylon A.D.,” and Daniel Karpantschof, an entrepreneur who...

"If history makes men, some men make history." Samuel Goldwyn Films has released an official US trailer for the French biopic drama De Gaulle, about the legendary French politician Charles de Gaulle. The film takes place during World War II, just as France is dealing with the Nazi army invading their country. It already opened in France last year, and is finally arriving in the US this fall. Set in France, June 1940. The de Gaulle couple is confronted with the military and political collapse of France... Charles de Gaulle joins London while Yvonne, his wife, finds herself with her three children on the road of the exodus. Starring Lambert Wilson as Charles de Gaulle, with a cast including Isabelle Carré as his wife Yvonne, plus Olivier Gourmet, Catherine Mouchet, Pierre Hancisse, Sophie Quinton, Gilles Cohen, Laurent Stocker, Philippe Laudenbach, and Tim Hudson as Churchill. This French biopic seems as campy...

Apparently, Vin Diesel will not stop until everything he touches becomes a franchise. His career might be littered with several major box office bombs like Babylon A.D. and Bloodshot, but you have to at least admire the actor’s persistence for sticking with both the Fast and Furious and Riddick series for two decades.

Diesel’s third major franchise, though, not including his voice-only role as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Groot, has a patchy track record to say the least. xXx is a time capsule of what people were into at the turn of the millennium, and the somewhat zeitgeisty flick did decent business after raking in $277 million at the box office, reinforcing the leading man’s credentials as Hollywood’s latest action hero.

Similar to how he opted out of 2 Fast 2 Furious, the noted vest enthusiast unfortunately didn’t return for sequel State of the Union,...

Based on his filmography over the last two decades, Vin Diesel would apparently be more than happy if his entire career consisted of nothing but franchises. Since the year 2000, the action star has appeared in 24 movies, and only eight of them have been in roles that weren’t either Dominic Toretto, Xander Cage, Groot or Richard B. Riddick.

Out of those eight, The Pacifier was once the subject of sequel talks, The Last Witch Hunter is currently having a follow-up written and both Babylon A.D. and Bloodshot were clearly designed with franchise potential in mind before they bombed at the box office. That’s just four movies in 20 years that were made without the studio planning for further installments.

Out of all of his recurring characters, though, you get the sneaking suspicion that Diesel loves Riddick the most. He persevered with the series after the big budget space opera sequel flopped,...

Vin Diesel seems to be on a career-long quest to star in as many franchises as possible, with the action hero currently having Fast and Furious 9 and 10, Avatar 2 and 3, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, fourth outings for XXX and Riddick and a follow-up to The Last Witch Hunter all in various stages of development.

When you also factor in his voice cameo as Groot in Ralph Breaks the Internet and the fact that 2005 family comedy The Pacifier, 2008 box office bomb Babylon A.D. and this year’s Bloodshot were all clearly designed with sequels in mind, then Diesel has appeared in just four movies in the last 20 years that weren’t either part of a franchise or made with the intention of launching one.

The 53 year-old might play one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most popular characters, but there’s no doubt he’d love a...

By the time this weekend’s box office numbers come in, Vin Diesel may come to regret his decision to release Bloodshot in the middle of the Coronoavirus pandemic. While the comic book flick wasn’t expected to do particularly big business anyway, the uncertainty surrounding virtually all aspects of life at the moment seems to be keeping people away from theaters, and the chrome-domed action star looks set to endure yet another box office bomb.

Bloodshot hasn’t exactly been greeted warmly by reviewers, but the movie’s 79% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is much higher than the critical consensus that puts it at a worrying 33%, although Diesel has always been vocal in admitting that he makes movies for his fans and nobody else. However, early projections indicate that his latest star vehicle won’t even manage to crack $10 million domestically.

Preview screenings on Thursday night brought in $1.2 million,...

Towards the end of the twentieth century, something happened with male fashion for some men. The bald head, muscles, and tank top triple threat became a thing - even if you weren’t going bald. Guys like Stone Cold Steve Austin and Michael Jordan had popularized it for the masses. Aspiring actors like Vin Diesel, who then was a bouncer on the New York club scene, helped make the look in Hollywood.

Related: Every Fast And Furious Movie Ranked (According To IMDb)

He’s done more than just look like a monster and drive cars really, really rapidly and angrily. While he’s taken some missteps in his career, he’s actually one of the most charismatic leading men that Hollywood has today. It’s hard to believe that in slightly over 20 years, the hospitality orderly you might have noticed in Awakenings has amassed a pretty decent set of great action movies.

Two exciting, action-packed Martial Arts movie debut on DVD this week from Anchor Bay Entertainment and The Weinstein Company: Reign Of Assassins and The Lost Bladesman.

“‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ relocate to ancient China in the dazzling martial-arts epic “Reign Of Assassins”

–The Hollywood Reporter

Reign Of Assassins is an epic Mma Battle Produced by John Woo & Directed by Su Chao-Pin and Starring Michelle Yeoh. It arrives on DVD, Digital HD & On Demand November 1

Michelle Yeoh (Babylon A.D., Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend), Jung Woo-Sung (The Good, The Bad, The Weird; A Moment to Remember, The Warrior) and Xueqi Wang (Iron Man 3, Bodyguards and Assassins, Warriors of Heaven and Earth) star in Reign of Assassins, the exciting martial arts thriller produced by the legendary John Woo (Mission Impossible: II, Face/Off, The Killer), arriving on Digital HD & On Demand and on DVD from...

Icelandic cinema scored one more victory at the 2016 Harpa Awards, which took place at the Nordic Embassies during Berlinale on February 15, 2016. Composer Atli Örvarsson won the award for Best Film Score for the Icelandic film "Rams," while Johann Johannson took home the Honorary Award.

“The award for Best Film Score goes to a man with a unique sound,” said the jury who consisted of Thomas Robsahm, Konrad Sommermeyer and Christineauf der Haar. “The accordion perfectly matches the loneliness, the nature and the sound of the sheep calling out for each other - the bleating. The music, the atmosphere and the pictures fit perfectly together. It feels as if the director and the composer really are in close contact – and telling their story together.”

Grímur Hákonarson's "Rams" took home the Un Certain Regard Award at last year's Cannes Film Festival and has since screened at numerous festivals around the world charming critics and audiences alike. Cohen Media Group released the film stateside earlier this month.

Read More: 'Rams' Director Grímur Hákonarson on Icelandic Pastoral Life and Casting the Right Sheep

Atli has worked with Hans Zimmer in Los Angeles for a number of years. Since moving back to his original hometown Akureyri in northern Iceland, he has scored a number of Hollywood films and TV series as well as Icelandic films. The film "Rams" was coincidentally shot in the remote countryside village where his mother grew up and is based on a true story about two elderly brothers living on the same farm and leading a very rural countryside life - but have not spoken to each other for many decades. Atli is the son of Iceland´s most distinguished accordionist Örvar Kristánsson who passed away last year. Atli created the score to a large degree using his father’s old accordion which is heavily featured in the score.

Atli’s credits include orchestrating and writing music for some of Hollywood’s biggest projects, including the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series. He has contributed music to films from "Angels and Demons" to "The Holiday. As a composer, Atli Örvarsson displays musical diversity throughout his action-film scores in "The Eagle," "Vantage Point," "Babylon A.D.," the Morgan Freeman caper "Thick as Thieves," "The Fourth Kind," and the Nicolas Cage medieval fantasy "Season of the Witch." Atli’s most recent credits include "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones," the dark and edgy film "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters," the drama/thriller "A Single Shot" starring Sam Rockwell, the hit NBC series "Chicago Fire" and "Chicago Pd," and working with Hans Zimmer to contribute music to the Zack Snyder's Superman reinstallment "Man of Steel."

The Harpa Awards were invented in 2009. The aim was to put a spotlight on Nordic talent, skills and know-how and to promote the great Nordic film talents in music and acting for the international film industry and thereby strengthening the opportunities for cooperation between the Nordic countries and the international film market. More information you can visit http://www.nordicfilmmusicdays.com/

Take a look at Örvarsson on the accordion in the video below.

This compact little satire — set in 1990s Balkans — is a small, personal story about huge unfairnesses and injustices. Bleakly, bitterly, blackly funny. I’m “biast” (pro): love Benicio Del Toro and Tim Robbins

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

I have not read the source material

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

The title of the film is, ironically, the least ironic bit of absurdity four humanitarian aid workers confront in this bleakly bitter black comedy set in the Balkans in 1995. (One unintentional bit of bleakness: the reminder that 1995 is 20 years ago.) The three veterans — Mambrú (Benicio Del Toro: Sicario, Guardians of the Galaxy), B (Tim Robbins: Welcome to Me, Life of Crime), and Katya (Olga Kurylenko: The Water Diviner, Oblivion) — may come from very different parts of planet Earth, but they are united in their comparative privilege, relative to this one small...

TV drama reunites Tom Hardy with Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, Locke).

Drama series Taboo, starring Tom Hardy, is to begin filming in London this week and new additions to the cast have been revealed.

The eight-part drama series has been created by Steven Knight, who previously worked with Hardy on TV series Peaky Blinders and feature Locke, and isdirected by Kristoffer Nyholm (Danish TV series The Killing, The Enfield Haunting) for BBC One and FX.

Hardy plays James Keziah Delaney who returns to 1814 London after 10 years in Africa to discover that he has been left a mysterious legacy by his father. Driven to wage war on those who have wronged him, Delaney finds himself in a face-off against the East India Company, whilst playing a dangerous game between two warring nations – Britain and America.

Alongside Hardy’s protagonist is Michael Kelly (House of Cards, Everest), who plays Us doctor Dumbarton, Jonathan Pryce (Pirates...

I like Vin Diesel. He is an enormously likable person when you meet him face-to-face, and much of what makes him so charismatic in person is communicated clearly through his on-screen presence in the 34 films he's made since he wrote and directed and starred in his short film "Multi-Facial" back in 1995. That short film eventually got him a lot of attention in Hollywood, but by far, the best reaction was the one that Steven Spielberg had. He was preparing to shoot his film "Saving Private Ryan," and he had screenwriter Frank Darabont create and incorporate a new character named Private Caparzo specifically so he could cast Diesel in the film and work with him. A year later, Brad Bird was the first to make use of Vin's most unusual pipes as the voice of the title character in "The Iron Giant," something James Gunn did to such effective purpose in...

Vin Diesel still struggles with the loss of his friend and Furious co-star Paul Walker, so taking on the role of an immortal in the upcoming film The Last Witch Hunter helped him deal with his grief. "Death was a huge theme last year," Diesel told The Associated Press Friday. "There was something therapeutic about playing this role after going through [Walker's death]." Diesel is no stranger to fantasy and sci-fi films, having starred in The Chronicles of Riddick series, Babylon A.D. and Guardians of the Galaxy, but this one was special for him. { "nid":

read more...

Thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy, the world may be in love with a dancing baby Groot, but Vin Diesel – who memorably provided the character’s voice in Marvel’s latest smash hit – certainly isn’t taking it easy following that film’s success. Instead, the actor has a number of projects in the works, including next year’s Fast & Furious 7 and his in-development return to the xXx franchise.

However, The Last Witch Hunter is one of the few upcoming films on Diesel’s schedule that doesn’t depend on an existing fanbase. In fact, it marks the actor’s first onscreen non-sequel role since Babylon A.D., which grossed a disappointing $72 million worldwide in 2008. That means its success will lie largely ...

Click to continue reading Vin Diesel Talks ‘The Last Witch Hunter’...

Summer movie season is a magic time of year when Hollywood traditionally rolls out its most appealing merchandise. It’s true that some summer movie seasons are better than others. This is our ranking of all the summer movie seasons since 1980 from worst to best.

On January 20th, 1975, Steven Spielberg and Universal Studios released Jaws. The movie landscape would be forever changed from that date. Jaws is widely credited as being the first blockbuster film because it was the first movie to make over $100 million (non-adjusted). The fact that the film had a meager $8 million budget meant that it was a huge cash cow for the studio and rocketed Spielberg to the the forefront of a new generation of filmmakers for a new era of movie mass-consumption. George Lucas and Spielberg followed up in 1977 with Star Wars, which became a sensational and very profitable hit. It helped to convince production...

The Academy has announced the new class of invited members for 2014 and, as is typical, many of which are among last year's nominees, which includes Barkhad Abdi, Michael Fassbender, Sally Hawkins, Mads Mikkelsen, Lupita Nyong'o and June Squibb in the Actors branch not to mention curious additions such as Josh Hutcherson, Rob Riggle and Jason Statham, but, okay. The Directors branch adds Jay and Mark Duplass along with Jean-Marc Vallee, Denis Villeneuve and Thomas Vinterberg. I didn't do an immediate tally of male to female additions or other demographics, but at first glance it seems to be a wide spread batch of new additions on all fronts. The Academy is also clearly attempting to aggressively bump up the demographics as this is the second year in a row where they have added a large number of new members, well over the average of 133 new members from 2004 to 2012. As far as...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 271 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures.

Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2014.

“This year’s class of invitees represents some of the most talented, creative and passionate filmmakers working in our industry today,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “Their contributions to film have entertained audiences around the world, and we are proud to welcome them to the Academy.”

The 2014 invitees are:

Actors

Barkhad Abdi – “Captain Phillips”

Clancy Brown – “The Hurricane,” “The Shawshank Redeption”

Paul Dano – “12 Years a Slave,” “Prisoners”

Michael Fassbender – “12 Years a Slave,” “Shame”

Ben Foster – “Lone Survivor,” “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”

Beth Grant – “The Artist,” “No Country for Old Men”

Clark Gregg – “Much Ado about Nothing,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”

Sally Hawkins – “Blue Jasmine,...

Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong’o of 12 Years a Slave were two of the 271 artists and industry leaders invited to become members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which determines nominations and winners at the annual Oscars. The entire list of Academy membership—which numbers about 6,000—isn’t public information so the annual invitation list is often the best indication of the artists involved in the prestigious awards process. It’s worth noting that invitations need to be accepted in order for artists to become members; some artists, like two-time Best Actor winner Sean Penn, have declined membership over the years.

Pop quiz: What do Chris Rock, Claire Denis, Eddie Vedder and Josh Hutcherson all have in common? Answer: They could all be Oscar voters very soon. The annual Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences invitation list always makes for interesting reading, shedding light on just how large and far-reaching the group's membership is -- or could be, depending on who accepts their invitations. This year, 271 individuals have been asked to join AMPAS, meaning every one of them could contribute to next year's Academy Awards balloting -- and it's as diverse a list as they've ever assembled. Think the Academy consists entirely of fusty retired white dudes? Not if recent Best Original Song nominee Pharrell Williams takes them up on their offer. Think it's all just a Hollywood insiders' game? Not if French arthouse titans Chantal Akerman and Olivier Assayas join the party. It's a list that subverts expectation at every turn.

Sean Harris, currently filming on Macbeth, sets up short film ‘White’ through Indiegogo.

British actors Sean Harris and Montserrat Lombard have joined forces to make short film White, a dark fairy tale for adults. They have turned to crowdfunding platform Indiegogo in a bid to raise money for production, where an excerpt of the production can be seen.

Harris, who co-wrote and stars in the film, appeared in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus and is currently completing filming on a new big screen version of Macbeth starring alongside Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard.

Lombard, who also co-wrote the screenplay and directs, is best known for her role in the BBC TV series Ashes to Ashes.

The pair has brought on board crew including production designer Sonja Klaus (Mr Selfridge, Babylon A.D.), and make up designer Emma Scott (Les Miserables, Wuthering Heights).

When the first XXX (2002) was made, Vin Diesel was at the top of his game having just come off The Fast and the Furious. But after a few big screen disappointments – including The Chronicles of Riddick, The Pacifier, and Babylon A.D. - the name ‘Vin Diesel’ didn’t have quite the drawing power it once had.

But that’s in the past. Since Diesel’s return to the Fast & Furious franchise, his star has been steadily on the rise again. Fast and Furious 7, though delayed, is coming in 2015 and will likely be the most ...

Click to continue reading Vin Diesel Says ‘XXX 3: The Return of Xander Cage’ Script Will Be Finished Next Month

The post Vin Diesel Says ‘XXX 3: The Return of Xander Cage’ Script Will Be Finished Next Month appeared first on Screen Rant.

Two very different kinds of families are facing off at the box office this weekend: One is a Robert De Niro-led mafia clan in the witness protection program and the other is a family who may not be entirely rid of the demonic spirits who possessed their young son.

We hate to break it to Mr. De Niro, despite his mafia patriarch credentials, it’s not even a contest. Insidious Chapter 2, James Wan’s sequel to his runaway hit, Insidious, will win the weekend, while Luc Besson’s The Family might not even make second place. Instead, Wan will...

On what will likely be the quietest weekend of the year, sci-fi sequel Riddick easily took first place with $19.03 million.The Top 12 earned an estimated $66.1 million, which is the lowest figure yet in 2013. Still, that's up 27 percent from last year, which makes this a decent start to the month of September.Opening at 3,107 theaters, Riddick's $19.03 million debut is right in line with modest expectations. Adjusting for ticket price inflation, Riddick had slightly higher initial attendance than Pitch Black, but was way below 2004's The Chronicles of Riddick (which cost around three times as much). Otherwise, star Vin Diesel doesn't have a ton of movies to compare to, though it is worth noting that this opening is well above 2008's Babylon A.D. ($9.5 million).With school and the NFL season getting underway, many people tend to stay away from movie theaters around this time of year. As a result, it has...

We’re back with another edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting all the recent independent horror news sent our way. Today’s feature includes first details Dark, casting news for Bedlam Stories, DVD release details for Evidence, a Q&A with the creators of Zombie Gnomes, and much more:

Bedlam Stories Casting Update: “Director Pearry Teo’s (Necromentia, The Gene Generation, and the upcoming The Dark Prince) newest twisted horror movie has added a seasoned indie veteran to their cast, Scream Queen Jessica Cameron.

Set in the 1920s, intrepid reporter Nelly Bly fakes insanity to gain admission into the infamous Bedlam Asylum. While researching her expose, Nellie meets a young patient, Dorothy, who has delusions of a fantasy land she calls “Oz.” Digging deeper into the dark history of the asylum, Nellie uncovers evidence of human experimentation on another inmate, a young girl named Alice, who’s “Wonderland” mirrored Dorothy’s imaginary world.

An exclusive clip has come our way for The Fourth Kind director Olatunde Osunsanmi's latest film, entitled Evidence, and we have it for ya here! Read on for full release details and more!

Look for the flick on premium VOD on June 21 and in theaters on July 19 in Los Angeles, New York, and major Us markets, followed by an unrated DVD and Blu-ray release on August 20th.

From the Press Release

Image Entertainment, an Rlj Entertainment (Nasdaq: Rlje) brand, has officially slated Evidence from director Olatunde Osunsanmi (The Fourth Kind). The film stars Stephen Moyer (HBO’s “True Blood,” Strange Love), Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill, Man on Fire), Torrey Devitto (The CW’s “The Vampire Diaries”), Caitlin Stasey (I, Frankenstein), and Dale Dickey (HBO’s “True Blood”) and was written by John Swetnam. Evidence will debut on premium VOD on June 21, 2013, and in theaters on July 19, 2013, in Los Angeles,...

A couple of new clips have come our way for The Fourth Kind director Olatunde Osunsanmi's latest film, entitled Evidence, and we have 'em for ya here! Read on for full release details and more!

Look for the flick on premium VOD on June 21 and in theaters on July 19 in Los Angeles, New York, and major Us markets, followed by an unrated DVD and Blu-ray release on August 20th.

From the Press Release

Image Entertainment, an Rlj Entertainment (Nasdaq: Rlje) brand, has officially slated Evidence from director Olatunde Osunsanmi (The Fourth Kind). The film stars Stephen Moyer (HBO’s “True Blood,” Strange Love), Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill, Man on Fire), Torrey Devitto (The CW’s “The Vampire Diaries”), Caitlin Stasey (I, Frankenstein), and Dale Dickey (HBO’s “True Blood”) and was written by John Swetnam. Evidence will debut on premium VOD on June 21, 2013, and in theaters on July 19, 2013, in Los Angeles,...

Image Entertainment has picked up Evidence and has wasted no time in giving it a release date. Its newest film is now coming on VOD this Friday June 21st, and is coming to theaters on July 19th. The film stars True Blood’s Stephen Moyer and Silent Hill’s Radha Mitchell, and is a thriller that should be of interest.

Update: We have a bunch of images from the production, as well as a poster for the movie, from Image Entertainment.

Check out the press release:

Los Angeles (June 18, 2013) – Image Entertainment, an Rlj Entertainment (Nasdaq: Rlje) brand, has officially slated Evidence from Director Olatunde Osunsanmi (The Fourth Kind). The film stars Stephen Moyer (HBO’s “True Blood,” Strange Love), Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill, Man on Fire), Torrey Devitto (CW’s “The Vampire Diaries”), Caitlin Stasey (I, Frankenstein) and Dale Dickey (HBO’s “True Blood”) and written by John Swetnam. Evidence...

A second set of new stills and new artwork has come our way for The Fourth Kind director Olatunde Osunsanmi's latest film, entitled Evidence, and we have 'em for ya here! Read on for full release details and more!

Look for the flick on premium VOD on June 21 and in theaters on July 19 in Los Angeles, New York, and major Us markets, followed by an unrated DVD and Blu-ray release on August 20th.

From the Press Release

Image Entertainment, an Rlj Entertainment (Nasdaq: Rlje) brand, has officially slated Evidence from director Olatunde Osunsanmi (The Fourth Kind). The film stars Stephen Moyer (HBO’s “True Blood,” Strange Love), Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill, Man on Fire), Torrey Devitto (The CW’s “The Vampire Diaries”), Caitlin Stasey (I, Frankenstein), and Dale Dickey (HBO’s “True Blood”) and was written by John Swetnam. Evidence will debut on premium VOD on June 21, 2013, and in...

For someone who is seen as an action star, Vin Diesel hasn't actually starred in that many different action movies. Sure, he's been in movies like Babylon A.D. and A Man Apart, but those have been largely forgotten in time, especially compared to the monster franchise that is The Fast and the Furious (and he's not even in two of the six Ff movies!), and the monster-hunting franchise that started with Pitch Black. Now that the former has become a huge player at the box office, Vin Diesel is using his rekindled Hollywood clout to get another entry in the latter off the ground. It's simply called Riddick and it hits theaters September 6, 2013. Once again written and directed by David Twohy, Riddick finds the fugitive with the universe's best night vision living...

Read More...

Filmmaking is no picnic, as anyone who has seen anything from the Friedberg & Seltzer duo or Uwe Boll knows. Making an even sub-standard film requires a ludicrous amount of effort, and often, a filmmaker will sign on for a project with the best intentions, only for exterior factors to cause the final product to differ significantly from the original vision.

The result? Directors who hate their own movies, but thankfully, there is a semi-formal process should a director want to disown their film, and that’s by ascribing a pseudonym to the director’s credit.

Pre-2000, the name “Alan Smithee” was used when a director wanted to distance themselves from a project, and though all it takes these days is a Google click to find out who was the progenitor, it still allowed filmmakers a formal way to scratch an unsavoury project from their CV and basically pretend like it never happened.

Black Sails

Toby Stephens ("Jane Eyre," "Die Another Day") has been cast in the lead role of Captain Flint in the upcoming eight-episode pirate drama series "Black Sails" on Starz. Pre-production is currently underway in South Africa.

Michael Bay serves as executive producer on this series set 20 years before the events in Robert Louis Stevenson’s "Treasure Island" and chronicles the adventures of fabled buccaneer Captain Flint and his men. [Source: Deadline]

1,000 to 1: The Cory Weissman Story

David Henrie ("The Wizards of Waverly Place") will play the lead role in "1,000 to 1: The Cory Weissman Story". Beau Bridges and Jean Louisa Kelly also star.

The true story tale follows a young basketball player who suffered a catastrophic stroke as a freshman at Gettysburg College but, through determination and an indomitable spirit, returned to the court for one remarkable moment in the last game of his senior year. [Source: Broadway World]

Zero Theorem

Mélanie Thierry ("Babylon A.D.,...

It looks like it's full steam ahead on the next feature film from Terry Gilliam, and so far it's looking quite promising. The director has already lined up Christoph Waltz in the lead role of the sci-fi flick "The Zero Theorem," which apparently mostly takes place in a chapel, centers around four main characters, and possibly includes nudity of some kind. And while word has mostly been quiet since the film was announced back in August, it looks like the cast is beginning to take shape. Chatting with Le Petit Journal, "Babylon A.D." and "The Princess Of Montpensier" actress Mélanie Thierry revealed her participation in Gilliam's picture and tossed one more intriguing name into the mix. "I'll have two big films," she said about her upcoming projects. "The new film by Denys Arcand, who I love. A film on four seasons, shot in real time. And I just signed for the new Terry Gilliam!

Check out this entertaining sci-fi movie video compilation created by YouTube user HatinHand called The Sci-Fi Portfolio. The video quickly takes us through a ton of our favorite sci-fi films, and a few we could really care less about, but it's still a solidly fun edit that I'm sure most of you will enjoy watching. I'm a big fan of sci-fi films, and I'm incredibly excited for a few new ones coming out this year such as Prometheus, Total Recall and Looper, which are all included in the video. Enjoy the video, and let us know which one is your favorite sci-fi film of all time!

Music:

1. "K.I.L.L." by Nick Murray 

(2. A bit of "528491" by Hans Zimmer from "Inception")

3. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Marilyn Manson

4. "Intro" by The Xx

Chapter One: Into The Grid

Blade Runner

Dark City

Gamer

Gattaca

Inception

I, Robot

Looper...

DVD Release Date: March 27, 2012

Price: DVD $29.95

Studio: Music Box

Tomer Sisley prepares for high adventure as Largo Winch.

The 2008 action-thriller movie The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch is the first big-screen adaptation of the wildly popular Belgian series of Largo Winch graphic novels by Philippe Francq and Jean Van Hamme.

The Heir Apparent follows the exploits of the dashing, twenty-something titular heir Largo Winch (Tomer Sisley, Sleepless Night), the heretofore unknown adopted son of the murdered billionaire founder of an international corporation. Poised to take over the business, the ever-resourceful Largo must first overcome an onslaught of drug traffickers, assassins, corporate raiders and double-dealing insiders.

Oh, he’s also hungry to enact the revenge on his father’s murderers. Bouncing across the globe, Largo uses his wits and intelligence — along with his fists, feet and a phalanx of motorcycles, helicopters and speedboats — to get the job done and get back in...

Now that Vin Diesel has accepted his lot as one of the faces of Universal’s Fast and the Furious franchise (with sixth and seventh installments on the way), the 44-year-old tough guy is revisiting more characters from his CV, starting with Riddick.

Originally the murderous anti-hero of 2000’s Pitch Black, Richard B. Riddick is a fighter from Furya with a unique “eyeshine” ability, which allows him to see in the dark. The character spawned two successful video games and a Diesel-centered sequel titled The Chronicles of Riddick.

But the Summer 2004 movie was a bit of a disaster for Universal, barely recouping its reported $105 million budget at the worldwide box office, before outside expenses like marketing a June release. Future adventures in Riddick’s “chronicles” were put on hold, with little hope of returning. Diesel never gave up though, talking up a second sequel in 2009 when he returned to the fold for Fast and Furious.