2020 – Page 25 – Movie Retakes

Lord, Miller & Tatum Reunite for Universal’s Untitled Monster Project

Lord, Miller & Tatum reunite for Universal’s untitled monster project

It’s been six years since we last saw Channing Tatum, Phil Lord and Chris Miller properly team up for both The LEGO Movie and 22 Jump Street and now the trio are reuniting for an untitled monster thriller at Universal Pictures, according to Deadline.

The film, which is being penned by Wes Tooke (Midway) baed on an original idea and story treatment from Reid Carolin (Magic Mike), is described as “a modern day, tongue-in-cheek thriller inspired by Universal’s classic monster legacy” that will see Tatum in the lead role.

Though not stepping into the director’s chairs for this project, Lord and Miller and Aditya Sood will produce via their Lord Miller banner alongside Tatum, Carolin and Peter Kiernan via their Free Association production banner, while Universal’s Senior Vice President of Production Jay Polidoro and Director of Development Lexi Barta, Lord Miller’s Will Allegra and Free Association’s Michael Parets will oversee the project for the studios.

The untitled film marks the latest project in development from Universal Pictures tapping into their classic monster library following Leigh Whannell’s highly-acclaimed The Invisible Man and its in-development sequel, as well as the David Koepp-penned The Bride of Frankenstein, Paul Feig’s Dark Army, Dexter Fletcher’s Renfield, the Robbie Thompson-penned Frankenstein, the Elizabeth Banks-starring and directed Invisible Woman, musical project Monster Mash, Karyn Kusama’s Dracula, the Ryan Gosling-pitched/starring and Whannell-helmed Wolfman and Josh Cooley’s Little Monsters.

The project also becomes the latest in development for the Oscar-winning duo set at Universal under their major first-look deal with the studio, which also includes a Miami-set comedy from Natalie Morales and Cyrina Fiallo and an untitled comedy from The Lucas Bros., while also set to helm the tentatively titled astronaut action pic Project Hail Mary at MGM with Gosling in the lead role.

(Photo Credits: Getty Images)

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CS Recommends: Hulk Statue, Plus Soundtracks, TV & More!

Stuck inside? Don’t know what to watch/read/play/listen to? ComingSoon.net has got you covered. In this week’s CS Recommends our staff kicks off gives you solid tips on the best media to consume during your downtime, including Sideshow Avengers Assemble Hulk Statue and more! Check out our picks below!

MAX EVRY’S RECOMMEND: Sideshow Avengers Assemble Hulk Statue

Hulk Marvel Statue – $580.00
from: Sideshow Inc.

I’m super into this new statue I’ve added to my collection from Sideshow’s Avengers Assemble collection, which reimagines Marvel characters to their most iconic essence. This take on the Hulk is superb, combining elements of some of my favorite artists to draw Big Green over the years (Jack Kirby, Todd McFarlane, Ed McGuinness, Art Adams, Joe Bennett) and melding them into one amazing statue that is as beautiful to look at as it is enormous. I love this line, and I love this statue, and hope the company continues churning out more beauties like this to give us a fun alternative to the movie versions that have urned themselves into the pop culture psyche. Right now the statue has FREE SHIPPING in the U.S.!

KYLIE HEMMERT’S RECOMMEND: Ratched

Click here to watch Ratched!

Click here to purchase One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest!

Created by Ryan Murphy and Evan Romansky, Ratched is a prequel series to the Oscar-winning drama One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest starring Jack Nicholson, as well as a prequel origin story to the novel written by Ken Kesey following the infamous character Nurse Mildred Ratched, played effortlessly by Sarah Paulson in the show. In the series, Mildred begins working as a nurse at a leading psychiatric hospital where new and unsettling experiments have begun on the human mind. Beneath her stylish exterior lurks a growing darkness and plenty of secrets, and even though she hasn’t yet reached the full villain status of One Flew‘s Nurse Ratched, the series introduces a compellingly flawed, manipulative, emotional, and well-rounded character while carefully laying the groundwork for who she becomes later in life.

Ratched is extremely vibrant, giving the appearance of an idealistic setting in a story that is largely full of death, mistreatment, abuse, and cruelty, intertwined with genuine moments of love and humanity – simply put, the story is complex, bizarre, wonderful, and upsetting. There also may not have been a better ensemble cast on the small screen this year than in Season 1 of Ratched. Everyone brings their A-game, each ready to steal the scene – and, in Sophie Okonedo’s case, succeeding every single time. You don’t need to have read the book or seen the movie to jump right into the series and appreciate its characters or storytelling, though it will be interesting to see how they continue the story of Mildred Ratched next season as the character further evolves into her final transformation.

GRANT HERMANNS RECOMMENDS: Samurai Jack

Click here to purchase!

I’m not afraid to admit that as a kid, my taste in film and TV wasn’t always the best and I missed out on some great shows because of it and one in which I’m incredibly glad I decided to give another chance was Cartoon Network’s Samurai Jack. When I was younger, the moody atmosphere and seeming lack of story development and humor made it a real bore for me, but when it was announced it would get an Adult Swim final season revival, I elected to give it another go and found the original series to be a poignant, incredibly animated and compelling tale exploring a number of mature themes and artful styles that was incredible from start to finish, especially in said final season.

MAGGIE DELA PAZ’S RECOMMEND: Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)

Click here to purchase the film!

Click here to purchase the novel!

Before Jumanji went on to become a billion-dollar box-office franchise with the latest Dwayne Johnson-led sequels, Columbia Pictures had first made the attempt to kickstart the Jumanji franchise 15 years ago with 2005’s standalone spinoff Zathura: A Space Adventure. Also based on Chris Van Allsburg’s children’s book of the same name, the sci-fi adventure film was directed by MCU alum and The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau from a screenplay adapted by David Koepp and John Kamps.

The film centers around two young brothers Walter and Danny, who like the first film suddenly find an unknown board game within their house. Due to Danny’s curiosity, he started playing the game with the unwilling participation of Walter. From then on, things quickly escalated as they discover that their house has now been mysteriously transported into space. Now, the brothers must find a way to work together by setting aside their quarrels in order for them to win against the game’s challenges that include a visit from human-eating aliens.

Zathura is an underrated Jumanji spinoff that definitely deserves more recognition due to its fast-paced and entertaining storyline that’s ahead of its time. Despite receiving positive reviews from critics, this film is often forgotten due to its poor box-office performance with a worldwide gross of over $65 million against a reported budget of $65 million. What I like the most about the film is its well-balanced mix of heart and humor that was also fantastically presented in the 1995 Robin Williams-led iconic film. I also loved that the film had retained the original’s child-like wonder aspect which the latest installments had unfortunately lost.

So, if you’re looking for a fun movie to add on your family’s holiday movie list, I highly-recommend you to check out or revisit Zathura!

JEFF AMES’ RECOMMEND: Solo: A Star Wars Story (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack/Deluxe Edition)

Click here to purchase!

What an awesome pre-Thanksgiving surprise! John Powell has released a deluxe edition of his fabulous score for Ron Howard’s vastly underappreciated Solo: A Star Wars Story, featuring 35 tracks that amount to just over two hours of music. I’ve long been a fan of Powell’s work and thought his work here gave him the perfect opportunity to show off his extraordinary talent. Yeah, there are a lot of cues lifted from previous Star Wars scores, particularly in the exciting track, “Kessel Run in Less Than 12 Parsecs,” but that doesn’t make them any less enthralling; and Powell does a fine job blending newer themes written for Solo (with help from John Williams) with the older motifs we all know and love. The only disappointment comes from knowing that (at least as of now) there aren’t any other Solo movies in the foreseeable future, but hopefully this won’t be Powell’s last journey to that galaxy far away!

ComingSoon.net recommends all readers comply with CDC guidelines and remain as isolated as possible during this urgent time.

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20th Century Studios Taps Dan Trachtenberg to Helm Fifth Predator Movie

20th Century Studios taps Dan Trachtenberg to helm fifth Predator movie

It’s been nearly five years since Dan Trachtenberg last stepped in the director’s chair for his feature debut, 10 Cloverfield Lane, and now it looks as though he’s found his next project in the form of a fifth Predator film at 20th Century Studios, according to Deadline.

Plot details are currently unknown on the film, but sources report that it will not pick up on the unresolved plot threads from the fourth installment in the sci-fi action franchise, 2018’s The Predator, co-written and directed by original film co-star Shane Black (The Nice Guys). That film ended with the military, led by Boyd Holbrook (The Fugitive), finding a special mech suit entitled the Predator Killer onboard the titular creature’s ship built to help humanity fight against the alien race.

The script for the forthcoming fifth title is set to be penned by Patrick Aison, who’s previously worked as a writer and producer on Fox’s Wayward Pines, Audience Network’s Kingdom, Amazon Prime Video’s Jack Ryan and USA Network’s Treadstone. John Davis, who has been attached as producer of the franchise since the 1987 original, is set to once again produce the film.

The original Predator centered on a group of elite paramilitary soldiers heading into a guerrilla-held territory of Central America on an operation to rescue hostages, only to encounter the technologically-advanced titular alien and enter into a fight for their lives. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the original film was a smash success, grossing nearly $100 million at the box office and garnering positive reviews from critics in the years since its initial negative reception. It success spawned a franchise that included three sequels, two film crossovers with the Alien franchise, five video games and countless comics and novels.

After helming the acclaimed short films Portal: No Escape, More Than You Can Chew and the Black Mirror episode “Playtest,” Trachtenberg went on to make his feature directorial debut in Paramount Pictures’ 10 Cloverfield Lane, which was a critical darling and grossed over $110 million at the global box office. He was briefly attached to the upcoming film adaptation of Sony’s Uncharted before dropping out of the project, which is now being helmed by Venom‘s Ruben Fleischer.

(Photo Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

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CS Interviews: Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer Discuss Fireball

The fascinating new documentary Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds is now streaming on Apple TV and ComingSoon.net was able to sit down and talk with the film’s directors, Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer, who discussed what it was like to travel around the world to discover the power behind meteorites.

Here’s the synopsis: A journey across the planet and universe explores how meteorites, shooting stars and deep impacts have awoken wonder about other realms — and make people rethink their destinies.

ComingSoon.net: Is it wrong for me to say this documentary, while fascinating, scared me a little bit?

Oppenheimer: I hope it’s only half terror. I was in South Korea after the release of our last feature Into the Volcano and I met up with the Koreans who annually go down to Antarctica to search for meteorites for scientific work; and it was talking with Werner and seeing some of these remarkable stones, which is so exotic, but also thinking of the cultural significance of meteorites and impact craters to human societies around the world through time that I felt this was a topic rather like volcanoes which is not a science topic but an entanglement of nature and culture. And it speaks to cosmologies and anthropologies. So, I got back from that trip and put some ideas together with Werner and we took it from there.

CS: Fireball shows people worshipping meteors and also builds a strong case for why we should fear them. Where do you guys stand on this discussion?

Herzog: I think it’s not a debate, we must not be didactic. We must be very expedient of science and be in awe of what we are looking at. That’s how science functions and that’s how cinema functions.

Oppenheimer: It was something of a revelation to me to discover that NASA does have a planetary defense coordination office. So, the threat is taken seriously. The larger objects in the far future that might strike the Earth are being detected and being monitored. It’s not that when you see one of these things it’s coming straight at us. By and large they’re in a race track going around the sun like the Earth is. So, these potential threats can be identified centuries in advance of a potential problem. So, I certainly don’t lose sleep over the threat. It’s fascinating, the idea the existential threat has a deep history in the human imagination — the fear of comets and what it means and what the gods are saying when they’re interfering in human affairs with these signs in the sky. In the 19th century there was a lot of anxiety about the potential for a comet to strike the Earth. One of the first disaster movies, 1916 — a Danish film — The End of the World, which the scenario is astronomers see an object they predict is going to strike the Earth. And so, it does have a deep resonance for us. And that’s before we get to talk about the aliens and life forms that have been carried by these stones.

CS: What do you think Fireball says about religion?

Oppenheimer: I think these are very alternative ways of seeing the world and using the human imagination to piece together what we see in the natural world. And when you think about how important the night sky was for our ancestors, in past civilizations, and the passages of stars, celestial bodies across the night sky dictated the tides and the pace of the seasons; and these were fundamental, or the practices of agriculture and navigation. And so, if something shows up in the night sky that wasn’t there the day before, then it’s gonna mean something. And it’s up to us to figure out what it means.

CS: With all the wonders and miracles that are inherent in meteors, why do you think people aren’t as fascinated with them as they probably should be?

Oppenheimer: I think they’re just topics that we don’t know much about. I mean, I’m a geologist. I didn’t realize that there are some meteorites if you snip them, they smell like the contents of a vacuum cleaner. Molecules, organic molecules from the earliest times of the solar system. Not biological, a biotic inorganic molecule — amino acids and sugars. Yes, there is a popular culture around the demise of the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous. But there’s an awful lot more to these stones that I wasn’t aware of that I discovered through making this movie

CS: Of all the places that you journeyed to in the film, which location did you find to be the most fascinating?

Herzog:There’s some obvious places, Antarctica … and then the sports arena in Oslo where we find a jazz musician who started a new branch of science.

Oppenheimer: I loved our array of locations — on the roof of a sports arena in in Oslo and on the polar plateau in Antarctica. So, there’s certainly some variety — the Vatican Observatory. Who knew that the Pope has an astronomer? So, these were discoveries for us as much as they are for the audience.

CS: You mentioned the scene in Antarctica, which was my favorite scene in the film. What was it like to be out there to be on this patch of land that just goes on for miles?

Herzog: I think the commentary puts it in perspective. A person can walk on for 5,000 miles — as large a distance in crossing the continental United States. You can walk 5,000 miles without encountering a human. And the day will end in five months because the sun is circling in the sky doesn’t go down. So those are the dimensions.

Oppenheimer: I think one of the sensations for me in Antarctica is a very extraordinary aloneness. I mean, not in a mawkish sense, but it’s such a vast terrain. And you are almost in that situation where you’ve stepped outside the space capsule in a very, very hostile atmosphere — very, very, very cold. And you’re enduring a lot of extreme weather gear to cope with it. I find my spirits soars actually when I’m in Antarctica and out on the top of Erebus volcano … I feel alive.

CS: Are you still surprised by these different locations and societies that you visit?

Herzog: The world is full of full of surprises and full of awesome things. It’s just right around you. Everything.

Oppenheimer: I think one of the things that we know — those of us that live in cities, and that’s more than half of the world’s population now — where we have become very dissociated from nature in the natural world. Even though I live in a village, outside Cambridge in England, I’m lucky if I see a dozen stars in the night sky. And I think you could ask many people who live in cities, When did you last see the Milky Way? You can probably ask kids, Have you ever seen a single Milky Way, and they might not even know what you’re talking about.

Herzog: This is something that we read last week about the earthquakes in the valley in 1996 or something. Someone called the 911 emergency room …

Oppenheimer: Oh, yeah, that is referring to the earthquake that struck LA in ‘94 in the winter and at night. So, people ran outside their homes. And pretty soon people were calling emergency services because they spied a silvery cloud in the sky and thought maybe there was some emanations from the San Andreas Fault from noxious gases. And whereas what had happened was the earthquake had knocked out the power grid and people were seeing the Milky Way for the first time.

CS: So, what you’re saying is that we just need to look up a little bit more, right?

Oppenheimer: Yeah, we all have lights in our backyards. We can’t get away from light pollution now. That’s not good news for astronomers. But there is a Dark Sky Park, and I think this is a wonderful thing, to kind of rediscover the night nocturnal; and that aura of the infinitude of night sky, the stars.

CS: I would say that’s why a documentary such as Fireball is important because it helps us remember just how amazing our planet is.

Oppenheimer: One of the places where we filmed was at Arizona State University at the center of meteorites studies, where we have a really wonderful collection of historic specimens, as well as very recent ones. We sniffed the Aguas Zarcas meteorite that fell in Costa Rica last year, which has this remarkable pungent odor of organic molecules. But there’s the collection, a lot of that collection, I think it’s from one of the pioneers of meteoritics science, Harvey Nininger. And he observed a bright fireball in the sky — I can’t remember where — in Texas or New Mexico and he said, I figure if I head out to the desert, I’ll be able to find the stone that hit the ground. And so, he goes out and everyone says, you know, you’re crazy, there’s no way of finding it with all the rocks out in the desert there. And sure enough he didn’t find it. But the remarkable thing was he found a lot of other meteorites. And that’s when people realized if you can be systematic about how you go out and you go these places where the surfaces are undisturbed for long periods of time, like the desert, on land or in Antarctica, you’ll find these stones and they are extraordinary relics of the earliest period of the solar system.

CS: What is a good starting place for somebody to get in this type of field?

Oppenheimer: A conventional route might be through the geosciences through geology, geochemistry, and chemistry as well. But, I think, like volcanoes there are different angles, astronomy, planetary science, planetary missions. There’s archeoastronomy — there’s a whole field of where people are looking at indigenous knowledge of the night sky, the significance of meteors. There are different ways to approach it and they are all very, very fascinating.

CS: You guys first met while making Encounters at the End of the World. How has your relationship changed over the course of these projects?

Werner: I think it hasn’t, because I was immediately surrounded by the presence of Clive at the top of a volcano and in Antarctica — five degrees below zero. I said we should stay in touch a film together some day. Ten years later, we were out of touch. I mean, not completely. Clive showed up for the volcanoes and this film on meteorites. In both cases we would do it in the spirit of friendship, in the spirit of respect.

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Ronan, Rockwell & Oyelowo Team Up for New Murder Mystery Film

Ronan, Rockwell & Oyelowo team up for new murder mystery film

According to Deadline, four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, Oscar winner Sam Rockwell and Golden Globe nominee David Oyelowo have officially signed on to star in an untitled murder mystery pic set at Searchlight Pictures.

Set in 1950s London, the untitled film begins when a desperate Hollywood film producer sets out to turn a popular West End play into a film. However, when members of the production are murdered, world-weary Inspector Stoppard (Rockwell) and overzealous rookie Constable Stalker (Ronan) find themselves in the midst of a puzzling whodunit within London’s glamorous Theatreland and sordid underground.

The film will be directed by Tom George from a screenplay written by Mark Chappell. It will be produced by Damian Jones with Head of Development & Production Katie Goodson-Thomas, Director of Production Richard Ruiz, and Senior Development Executive Pete Spencer set to oversee the project in behalf of Searchlight Pictures UK.

The untitled project marks Ronan and Rockwell’s latest collaboration with Searchlight, who have previously worked on acclaimed films such as Ronan’s Brooklyn and The Grand Budapest Hotel as well as Rockwell’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Jojo Rabbit.

Ronan is best-known for her acclaimed performances in drama films such as 2007’s Atonement, 2015’s Brooklyn, 2017’s Lady Bird, and 2019’s Little Women which all earned her Oscar nominations. She will next be seen in Francis Lee’s romantic drama Ammonite starring alongside Kate Winslet and in Wes Anderson’s star-studded dramedy The French Dispatch.

Rockwell’s notable film credits include: Lawn Dogs, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Matchstick Men, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Seven Psychopaths, Iron Man 2, Richard Jewel, Vice, and the most recent one is Disney’s The One and Only Ivan.

Oyelowo gained critical acclaimed for his role as Martin Luther King Jr. in Ava DuVernay’s biopic drama Selma which gave him his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor. He will next bee seen in George Clooney’s The Midnight Sky, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, and Chaos Walking.

(Photo Credits: Getty Images)

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CS Interviews: Jimmy Hawkins and Karolyn Grimes Discuss It’s a Wonderful Life

It’s a Wonderful Life has stood the test of time to become a perennial holiday classic for audiences of all ages. This year, Paramount unveiled a 4K UHD Steelbook copy of the film and to celebrate, ComingSoon.net sat down with two of the film’s stars, Jimmy Hawkins and Karolyn Grimes, who played Tommy and Zuzu Bailey, respectively, and discussed the impact and legacy Frank Capra’s film continues to have in pop culture nearly 75 years later.

It’s a Wonderful Life was released on December 20, 1946 and grossed a modest $3.3 million against a $3.18 million budget (RKO recorded a $525,000 loss). Critical reaction was mixed at the time and the film drifted out of the public psyche until networks began airing it on TV in the late 70s/early 80s. In 1990, the film was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress and is now regarded as one of the finest films ever made.

Here’s the synopsis, via IMDB: An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.

It’s a Wonderful Life stars James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore and Henry Travers and was directed by Frank Capra from a screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett and Capra.

Jimmy Hawkins starred as little Tommy in the film when he was just four years old and later went on to appear in 68 films and TV shows, including The Donna Reed Show, Leave it to Beaver and Annie Oakley; and also serves as producer on films such as Evel Knievel (1971) and TV movies such as A Time for Miracles (1980) and Smart Cookies (2012).

Purchase It’s a Wonderful Life on 4K UHD Steelbook (4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital)!

ComingSoon.net: It’s a Wonderful Life is almost 75 years old. You were only four and a half at the time. But I’ve read interviews where you said that you have detailed memories of the filming. So what are your most vivid memories about the set?

Jimmy Hawkins: Well, just walking on the set every day. It took 12 days to shoot all the stuff with the Bailey kids in it. And so, I’d get up real early in the morning. It was dark outside and you’d take street cars and buses to Culver City. And then walk onto this beautiful stage 14. And when you walk into that living room, it’s all lit up and lighting for the first take of the day. The Christmas tree is there. And it’s just all the commotion going on and the front of the house, the facade for the outside of the house, too. And they had real snow outside, you know? And that was kind of interesting to see. It’s 90 degrees outside when we were shooting the film, the exteriors, but it was just terrific. I remember Frank Capra and how he improvised a lot. I would go over the script the night before with my mom, and that would always change the next morning when we got on the set because Frank Capra had business. He always had actors doing little business. And so, he would explain to me what he wanted me to do in the scene, sitting on this man’s lap and putting a pencil on his head. And then this lady over here will say something, and then when she finishes saying that, you say this line, you know that? I’d say, “Oh yes sir, I know that.”

And then, when we came out of the living room scene going into the kitchen, he had me do that, “Excuse me” line. And then I end up — well, he had me say it a few times on the way to the kitchen and he’d stop all the action and then he’d squat down and talk to me one-on-one face-to-face and tell me exactly when you get to this spot right here, say excuse me, keep pulling on this man’s tailcoat. Okay. Go there. And so, he was always doing stuff like that, improvising. And so, those are the kind of memories I have. And you know, I don’t remember anything at four and a half. Like you’d be surprised of how much you remember when it comes down to it. And then, all these things come past your mind and you go, “Ah, I remember doing that. Yeah, oh wow.” And I would chew bubblegum all the time. So he didn’t mind. You would just chew the gum in the picture. That’s all right. He didn’t care. That’s more natural, he said.

So, and then all the stories that you learn along the lines when I started writing books about it and talking to cast members and how their experience was with Capra; and Dimitri Tiompkin’s estate and talking to Mrs. Tiompkin and just all the different things that it took to make the picture — the set decorator, you know, [told] me what the town looked like. It’s just a great experience to talk to everybody and get us all back together again after so many years. And it’s been quite a thrill, and working with Paramount on their different projects. But what I like about it is they keep up to date with the movie, and you know how they have a Blu-ray 4K in special packaging, what they call the SteelBook. And I mean, when you see the movie like that, I mean, you feel like you’re right there. I mean, you just step into it. It’s so crisp and just like better than it ever was when it showed in theaters.

So you know, people, they want to see it best as it can and streaming never does that. Streaming can’t be — 4K, Blu-ray, nothing. It just is a nice, clean copy. But they want that film. They seem to want that disc they can play whenever they want to, and a lot of people, I see them, and they ask me, because I guess this SteelBook has caught on and people like to have that as part of their collection, whether they ever open it up and play it, they like this idea of having it. And they ask us, you know, the different appearances we’ve made in Seneca Falls at the “It’s a Wonderful Life” Museum. And they said, “Oh are they going to come out with SteelBook?” And I said, “Oh I didn’t even know if they do SteelBook.” But they know more than we do. It’s really something. They bring up stuff with the movie and [I’m like] oh really? No, it’s great talking to them and they bring their children to our appearances and explain that when they were that age, they watched the film with their parents, and they’re passing this movie onto their children. And the kids, they love the film. They don’t understand at 6 or 7 the whole Bailey Building and Loans and stuff like that, but they know they like the movie; and they don’t mind sitting and watching it with their parents.

So it’s a great experience to see the enthusiasm that the parents have and they’re passing it onto their kids. It’s been quite a thrill, the different places that It’s a Wonderful Life has taken us. I rang the bell at the Stock Exchange in New York. I showed it to the prisoners of Attica two years ago at Christmas, and Karolyn Grimes — Zuzu — and I went there for a two-hour Q&A. And these guys were incredible. It’s just an experience. This movie has taken us everywhere. It’s great to talk about it, getting the opportunity to talk to you about it, and like I said, you’re a part of the legacy now and you can carry on, write about it and tell other people about it. It just keeps growing and getting bigger and bigger. When it’s on NBC at Christmas time, that’s the most popular show on TV that night. It’s going to be 75 years old next year and it’s bigger and better than it ever was.

CS: Like you said, you were four years old at the time. And obviously, you probably weren’t aware of Jimmy Stewart, Frank Capra and Donna Reed, or at least the impact that they had in pop culture at the time. At what point did you start to realize: Wow! I was in a movie with Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed and Frank Capra?

Hawkins: Well, of course, I stayed in the business. I did over 400 TV shows and co-starred with Elvis in pictures. I was eight years on the Donna Reed Show, so I got to know her through all that time, and then we stayed friends after the show, had lunches. And I was with her right before she passed away and was at her house and brought her an ornament to put on the tree. But the first time I guess, what you’re asking, is when did I realize It’s a Wonderful Life was big, or that it was growing? Because when it went out [on it’s initial release], it was just a day — well, for us, 12 days working. And you went to another movie. And the same way in talking to all the other characters from the film, it was just another movie to do. The hope was to be good and be popular, but nobody ever expected it to be what it became. Nobody. It was just work and you were hoping Capra and Stewart after World War II would make a success of it and then continue on with their lives. But nobody thought it would ever do what it’s done now. So 1992 is when I first realized that everybody was watching it. They got to see it because it fell into public domain and people all over TV stations everywhere could show it for free. And they took advantage of that. And so, television made It’s a Wonderful Life what it is today. I talked to Sheldon Leonard about the film — he played Nick the Bartender — and asked him myself, what do you think, after all those years, it became popular? He said, remember one thing, Jimmy, the movie never changed, not a frame changed. The people changed. They needed that message more than ever. They didn’t need it in 1946. They were onto other things. But when the 70’s came in and it fell into public domain, it started showing up every Christmas getting bigger and bigger. And the audience needed that message. They needed to know that they’re all important, and each man’s life touches so many others. They are important. That’s when George Bailey got to see. He didn’t think anything he did was important. But everything. He went to work, helped somebody, did something, touched somebody’s life and went on to do this. And he got to see all that and he saw that sort of way life was the wrong thing to do because we can make a difference in everybody’s life. That’s what the audience found out. I’m important. I make a difference.

CS: You talked about working with Donna Reed and the relationship that you had with her. Did you ever bump into Capra Stewart again?

Hawkins: Oh no, no. I would bump into Capra at the Academy. I’m a member of the Motion Picture Academy and they were having a director’s choice. And great directors would come and show what they thought was their best movie. Well, he was there, and so, I talked to him while we were out in the foyer, ready to go on. And learned more about him. And Jimmy Stewart, I did Winchester ’73 with him. But I’d met him at parties, and then they brought me in to play his son in law in a TV series that they were putting together at Warner Brothers and NBC or one of the networks. And they brought me in and they tested me to play his son in law in the series. And I was producing movies then. I was doing a picture called Evel Knievel that I raised the money towards and was a producer on with George Hamilton. And I came back from Butte, Montana, where we were shooting up a day earlier to do this test. And they were testing this guy, that guy, and I always thought my career — whatever I did, always thought of Jimmy Stewart when I did things. And because I was just a guy in a situation, always looked at, how would you say that line if he were in that movie? And I wasn’t a great actor, but I was great at doing that. And it never stopped. It never stopped, whether it was the Annie Oakley series or The Ruggles back in 1949; and then I did Petticoat Junction for three or four years, Ozzie and Harriet for three or four years, and just kept working — Leave it to Beaver — just all this stuff. And I never, ever stopped. But you got Evel Knievel, and I said, I like this and I enjoy this. So, very lucky. A great career. I really have a wonderful life.

CS: You stopped acting around about the mid-70’s. How had Hollywood changed by that point?

Hawkins: Well, it really had changed. Especially now, I’m producing a film now on the life of Mary Edwards Walker. She’s the only woman to ever win the Congressional Medal of Honor. And she was a surgeon in the Civil War. A great story. I’d like to do stories that are uplifting, positive. Ones that make you go: If that woman went through that and came out like she did, well maybe my life actually may get better. And I did the Satchel Paige Story with Lou Gossett … and I’ve done a lot of uplifting movies because I like that theme. I like that people see something and then they can do something like that. If that person did something, they could overcome their obstacles. It was a great time. But it’s not like that anymore. Too much greed and I don’t like it anymore. It’s just not fun. It’s different, just different.

I’d have been lucky to be in that Golden era, no doubt about it. I worked with every major star in the 40’s. And then, when it came to television, whether it’s Fred McMurray or Donna Reed or you name them all, I got a chance to work with them as more of an adult, and it was very rewarding. The people were as nice as you saw them on the screen. 90 percent of the time, they were just real nice people. Frederick Burns, very nice person. I’m just very lucky to be with nice people doing nice shows.

Karolyn Grimes starred in It’s a Wonderful Life as Zuzu, who delivered the film’s most memorable line, “Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.” Grimes worked as an actress until 1954, starring in films such as The Bishop’s Wife and Rio Grande.

ComingSoon.net: I read a story a while ago where you recalled seeing It’s a Wonderful Life for the first time in 1980 and suddenly remembering that you were in the film Can you tell us more about that moment? Is that something that really happened?

Karolyn Grimes: What happened was, I started getting people knocking on my door wanting interviews. And they asked me if I was in that movie and I said, well, yeah. And so, they said, “Could we have an interview?” And I said, “Well, sure.” So I dragged all my stuff up from the basement and showed them my memorabilia and over the years the same thing kept happening, and I was pretty shocked. I thought, my goodness, what’s going on here? And then, I started getting fan mail. And so, I thought, well, I better watch this movie. So I sat down and I watched the movie. I was 40, but you know, my life has been very busy. And I was raising seven kids. I lived in the car, in the laundry room and kitchen and all of that. I didn’t have time to really watch the movie, so I never did. I had seen bits and pieces of my part in the movie, but I never really sat down and got the whole content — and oh, what a joy! I mean, it was an experience I’ll never forget my whole life. I cried and cried and cried. And it just touched my life so much that I realized that I had to be a part of the message from this film. So that’s what I made up my mind to do back in 1980. And I was still raising kids, so I didn’t do too much until 1993. The Target Company reunited the Bailey kids and sent us on a tour around the United States. And that’s when I kind of hooked on the road because I really met the people. And they tell me stories of how this movie had affected their lives in such a positive way. Well, I just got hooked. And so, I’ve been on the road ever since.

CS: Do you remember how you first got involved with the production?

Grimes: Well, I had an agent. I had already done four movies before I did that one. I started when I was four years old. And I was just one of those little starlets in Hollywood. And it was just another interview. It wasn’t any big deal. And I actually had an experience that wasn’t too cool because when I was waiting to be interviewed — there were five of us little girls — a mother accidentally spilled some coffee on my dress — accidentally, we’re not sure. [Laughs] Anyway, it didn’t bother me one bit. I walked in there with a soiled dress and talked to Frank Capra because it was a one-on-one thing. He handpicked every single person in that movie, even the extras. He handpicked them all. He was that particular. He was a perfectionist. And so, I mean, I just acted like myself and I got the part.

CS: Were you aware that you were in a movie with greats like Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, directed by Frank Capra?

Grimes: I never knew a thing like that. I had worked with Bing Crosby, Randolph Scott. I mean, all these movie stars. And fortunately, my parents never really let me think that I was special in any way and that these weren’t real movie stars. [Laughs.] I didn’t even think I knew what a movie star was. These were just my friends and I was raised like that. So yeah, I never really knew that these were special people and that they were real stars. I had no clue. And Jimmy Stewart contacted me in 1980, actually, and that was another reason I watched the film, because a lot of people had been asking him whatever happened to that little girl? And he had his secretary call me in the middle of Kansas, and there I was. And so, he called me out of the blue. It was really kind of incredible. And so, we kind of developed a friendship after that and it was really good.

CS: That’s a cool story. That could make its own movie right there.

Grimes: Well, it could.

CS: And speaking of Jimmy Stewart, you share some of the film’s most iconic scenes with him — do you recall filming those scenes? Did you have to do numerous takes?

Grimes: Well, yes, we had to do numerous takes. Sometimes we’d spend days just on doing a segment. But it was the fourth, fifth movie I had done. And it was just normal, everyday stuff. But being up tall in his arms and kind of towering over everything, I remember all of the people in the last scene. I remember so many things about that movie that I had so many wonderful experiences on, because, for one thing, there were kids, other kids, and I could play with other kids. You worked for three minutes and then you sit for an hour. And then you work for three minutes and you sit for an hour. And for a kid that’s six years old, that’s tough. So to me, having other kids there to play with and to interact with, it was pretty great. So that, I remember very well, just having other kids, Jimmy Hawkins and Carol [Coombs]. And it was great just to have kids around. So I do remember a lot of things about the film.

CS: When was it that you really knew that you had been a part of something truly special?

Grimes: I didn’t know until 1980. When I started getting fan mail, it blew me away. I mean, this was for a life 40 years — 35 years ago, you know, and all of a sudden I’m getting fan mail for playing this little girl in the movie? I was blown away. I had no idea that the movie was so like, well received and that people loved it and it was an American tradition and in their homes every year at Christmas. I didn’t know. So I mean, it was a great, big shock to me. And that’s when I really found out what a wonderful film it was. And after I sat down and watched it, I vowed that I would definitely promote that film and I would try to be a part of it from now on. And once I started meeting the people, the fans did my appearances, I mean, they share with me stories of how this movie has affected their lives. It’s incredible.

I mean, everyone — happiness, sadness, maybe a gal’s mother had started her watching the movie years and years ago, when she was a child, and the mother is now gone, but she would never miss out on watching that movie every year at Christmas because it brought her back to that time when she was with her mom. You know, those kind of things you can’t buy, the memories in your heart. And It’s a Wonderful Life just gives you those over and over again.

CS: You were in a number of projects after It’s a Wonderful Life, including The Bishop’s Wife and Rio Grande. Why did you ultimately decide to step away from acting?

Grimes: My mother started getting sick when I was eight, and she died when I was 14. And then my father got killed in a car wreck a year later when I was 15. So I was orphaned and the court in Hollywood decided that my best interest was to send me to live with my father’s brother and his mean wife in Missouri. So that’s what happened. I got out of Hollywood. That was the end. You know, I was all alone. I never went back. I went to college and lived like a normal person.

CS: Oh wow! And then suddenly you’re thrust back into this world you left behind …

Grimes: It was unlocking great memories I had in the past. I had been so busy that I never relived those moments. But once I started to relive those wonderful times as a child, it became such a huge part of my life because I meet people and they tell me these wonderful stories about how that movie’s affected their lives. So it became kind of a champion for me. And I wanted to be part of that. I wanted to be able to touch people’s lives and then to be able to share with them how much the movie meant to me as well, because I had just discovered it. So, I don’t know. It’s a wonderful opportunity for people to come together and share values and share love. And see, that’s what I think the movie gives to people. And I think it’s so great that Paramount brings out a new DVD every year to celebrate that. I just think it’s wonderful because it gets better and better. It’s sharper and it’s just great. It’s so wonderful, it’s like, right there. You feel like you’re a part of that film.

CS: There was talk of a sequel that was set to release back in 2015 that would’ve ultimately focused on your character. What ultimately happened to that project?

Grimes: Well, I don’t know. It was a great project and I think it would’ve been a great story. It was a follow-up — a rest of the story sort of thing. And I thought that was great. I thought it was well done. But you know, legal things and all kinds of things tied things up, so some things never happen. But there’s still hope. They’re still hoping that it will happen. You never know.

CS: When you watch It’s a Wonderful Life, what is the one thing that that film does that resonates with you personally?

Grimes: Well, I tend to get all caught up in the world and daily activities and the traumas and everything that happens in life. And I need to refocus and I know that. And It’s a Wonderful Life brings my feet back and kind of brings all that scattered energy that’s all around. It’s the one force that makes me feel more positive and gives me more energy to face whatever we have to face as human beings right now. It’s a wonderful medication for that because it heals the spirit. It heals the soul and it gives us hope. And I definitely recommend that as medicine for 2020.

CS: We need this movie more than ever. That’s for sure.

Grimes: Yes, we do.

CS: You talked about having a friendship with Jimmy Stewart. What was he like off-screen?

Grimes: He was George Bailey in real life. He was a man who did things for his fellow men, and he didn’t need to be patted on the back. He didn’t need to have publicity for that. He was a gentle soul. He had morals. He had values. And you know, he didn’t get married until he was 38 and he stayed with Gloria and he loved her to the very end. He was a man … I had a fan — you got a minute? — who I met in New York at a fun thing we were doing with Jimmy, and he had made it possible for her to come to New York from upper New York. And she was kind of blue collared. She came down to New York City and she was so excited to meet him for the first time in her whole life. And she had been a fan of his since before he was famous. And he had done some things for her. Over the years, her husband was dying of Parkinson’s disease and they were getting ready to lose their home. And she called Jimmy and told him about it. The next day, the veteran’s hospital took him in so they didn’t have to lose their home. She knows that he was a part of that happening. And she ended up getting breast cancer. And so, she went to visit her daughter in San Francisco. This was after I had met her and she wrote me letters afterwards. And he arranged for her to come down to his house to see his rose garden. So he was in his rose garden with her. I mean, she was a devout fan. She just worshiped him. And she was in his rose garden with him. And that was in November. And in January, she got her wings. So he gave her a wonderful gift, but no one ever knows things like that. No one knew then what he did for people and how he helped them personally. He just was a great guy. And I have to say, he grew up in Indiana, Pennsylvania, this little town, and his father owned a hardware store there. And his father taught him a lot of wonderful things about morals. And I just think he was a great guy.

The post CS Interviews: Jimmy Hawkins and Karolyn Grimes Discuss It’s a Wonderful Life appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

CS Reviews: Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist

Rating:

7/10

Starring:

William Friedkin

Written and directed by Alexandre O. Philippe

Click here to watch Leap of Faith!

Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist Review

Fans of The Exorcist should check out the new documentary Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist, which offers plenty of unique insight into the crazy production of everyone’s favorite demon-possesses-a-child gore fest straight from the mouth of the film’s Oscar-winning director. That is, unless you’ve already tuned in for Friedkin’s previous commentary recorded for the 25th Anniversary Special Edition DVD way back in the late 90s or watched the hundreds of documentaries, featurettes and fan videos that have floated around the internet over the last few decades.

Honestly, there’s not much more to say about The Exorcist; and yet, in Leap of Faith, Friedkin spends a good 90-minutes gleefully regurgitating oft-told stories about the contentious production, namely his intense dealings with composer Bernard Herman over the film’s score — “I think I can save this piece of shit!” — criticisms over the much maligned opening sequence in Iraq and some of the film’s more controversial moments involving child actress Linda Blair.

Chances are, you’ve heard all of this before; and while Friedkin’s energy is infectious — it’s clear he still carries a fondness for his picture even after nearly 50 years and 38 additional directing credits, including the classic cop drama The French Connection — particularly for a man who just turned 85, his conversational style at times feels more pompous than informative.

It doesn’t help that he sidesteps topics such as his abusive directing style that left stars Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair with injuries they deal with even to this day; and blames any and all contentious interactions with individuals such as composer Lalo Schifrin, whose sprawling score was rejected on the spot in favor of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells, on creative differences rather than his own abrasive personality.

At times, Friedkin is a little too revealing about his directing process to the point of unintentional hilarity. Take, for example, the scene in The Exorcist when a clock behind Father Merrin suddenly stops working. What does it mean? Is it foreshadowing? Is it symbolic? No, says, Friedkin, it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

“I don’t think there’s any conscious meaning behind my choices, but really I was just following my instinct,” the man explains. That’s great! But think of all the people who spent the last 45+ years debating the meaning behind that goddamned clock!

William Friedkin: accidental genius or brilliant man of intuition? You be the judge.

Though, it is telling that, in some weird way, Friedkin seems to believe The Exorcist’s production incurred divine intervention due to the importance of its story, which is clearly the only way to explain how and why everything came together at the right time to form a perfect blockbuster — one that continues to resonate in the public psyche despite its numerous sequels, remakes and rip-offs.

Is there such a thing as too much information ruining a classic film? Debatable. Regardless, someone should probably pull Friedkin aside and explain that a good magician never reveals his secrets.

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Marvel Enlists Bob’s Burgers’ The Molyneux Sisters to Pen Deadpool 3

BEGIN SLIDESHOW

Marvel enlists Bob’s Burgers’ The Molyneux Sisters to pen Deadpool 3

According to Deadline, Bob’s Burgers executive producing and writing duo Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Loeglin, also known as The Molyneux Sisters have been tapped to pen Marvel Studios’ highly-anticipated third installment to the Ryan Reynolds-led Deadpool films.

pic.twitter.com/jtC2PiwhrM

— Deadpool Movie (@deadpoolmovie) November 20, 2020

Kevin Feige and Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger have both previously expressed an interest for future Deadpool films to maintain the R-rated content present in the first two films during their Fox tenure and sources report that Marvel Studios is looking to keep this intact, which would establish the third Reynolds-led outing as the first R-rated film from the Disney-owned studio. Meetings with writers have been ongoing for months, with the star and creative head finding he liked the pitch from the Great North co-creators the most and will work hand in hand with Feige and the duo to develop the script.

It’s currently unclear as to whether director David Leitch will return to helm the third installment in the franchise, with sources reporting that given his busy schedule through 2021, it’s unlikely but that the door remains open should he become available, though no word has been given as to why Deadpool 1 and 2 writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are not returning to pen the latest outing.

Deadpool 2 premiered in May of 2018, and became the second highest grossing R-rated film with $743.8 million worldwide, sitting behind just the first Deadpool movie. Directed by David Leitch, Deadpool 2 finds Ryan Reynolds reprises his role as the Merc with a Mouth alongside Zazie Beetz (Atlanta) as the luck-manipulating mutant Domino and Josh Brolin as Cable, the time-traveling son of the X-Men’s Cyclops. Jack Kesy (The Strain, Baywatch) stars as Black Tom, with Japanese actress Shioli Kutsuna and Julian Dennison (Hunt for the Wilderpeople) playing Yukio and Firefist.

Add Deadpool 2 to your 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD collection today and buy your copy by clicking here!

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Glenn Close Joins Apple’s Ensemble Sci-Fi Drama Swan Song

After landing Golden Globe winner Awkwafina to join the cast, Apple’s upcoming sci-fi drama Swan Song has expanded its ensemble roster with the addition of seven-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close (Damages, Fatal Attraction), according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Swan Song is set in the near future and explores how far someone will go, and how much they’ll sacrifice, to make a happier life for the people they love. Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians) is set to portray Kate, a close friend and confidant to Mahershala Ali’s Cameron in the film, while the Hillbilly Elegy star will appear as a scientist named Dr. Scott and Naomie Harris (No Time to Die) set for the role of Poppy, Cameron’s wife.

Oscar-winner Benjamin Cleary (Stutterer) will write and direct the project. Production on the feature is expected to begin in the spring. The movie will receive a theatrical release in addition to streaming on Apple TV+.

“Benjamin’s script for ‘Swan Song’ immediately connected with us,” Matt Dentler, Apple’s head of feature development and acquisitions, previously said in a statement. “We cannot wait to bring Benjamin’s vision together with Mahershala’s undeniable talent to deliver this powerfully layered story to audiences around the world.”

Cleary previously said in a statement, “I’ve been developing ‘Swan Song’ for a while and when I sat down with Apple it was immediately clear they completely understood my vision. Once Mahershala agreed to join us I knew we had something really special. To be making this movie with Mahershala and Anonymous at Apple is an absolute dream.”

“Benjamin Cleary is a rare talent who deftly weaves human emotion into his filmmaking in a way that harkens to many of the great films that began at Anonymous Content such as ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ and ‘Being John Malkovich,’” Anonymous Content’s Adam Shulman and Jacob Perlin previously said in a statement. “We are tremendously grateful to be working with Mahershala Ali and Ben on this thought-provoking project, that we’re sure will be a conversation starter.”

Adam Shulman (Defending Jacob) and Jacob Perlin (The Amazing Johnathan Documentary) are set to produce Swan Song for Anonymous Content along with Ali.

Ali’s upcoming projects include the sci-fi thriller Sovereign, the animated TV series adaptation Invincible, and, of course, starring as the new Blade in Marvel’s upcoming reboot. ⁣

(Photo Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

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IO Interactive Reveals James Bond Origin Story Game in Development

IO Interactive reveals James Bond origin story game in development

While fans eagerly await Daniel Craig’s final outing as the iconic MI6 agent and the game developer’s final installment in their latest Hitman trilogy, IO Interactive has surprised fans with the announcement of a James Bond video game in development exploring the origin story of Ian Fleming’s super spy. The announcement teaser can be viewed below!

Project @007 (working title) is a brand new James Bond video game with a wholly original story.

Earn your 00 status in the very first James Bond origin story, to be developed and published by @IOInteractive.

More details: https://t.co/x2QeO2VKZB pic.twitter.com/d9aDhAbe90

— IO Interactive (@IOInteractive) November 19, 2020

The game, featuring the work title Project 007, will feature a wholly original James Bond story and allow players to step into the shoes of the world’s favorite secret agent to earn their 00 status in the very first origin story of Fleming’s fictional British MI6 spy.

IO Interactive, the studio behind the long-running Hitman franchise and the Kane & Lynch titles, are currently recruiting elite talent from around the world to join the team that will build out this exciting and unique gaming title. The gaming rights for the Bond franchise has exchanged hands multiple times over the years, with Rare delivering the fan-favorite GoldenEye 007 in 1995, while Electronic Arts delivered everything from Tomorrow Never Dies to James Bond 007: From Russia With Love during their run. Activision was the last publisher to release titles under the spy banner, with some projects including 007: Quantum of Solace, James Bond 007: Blood Stone and 007 Legends, all of which used the likeness of current film star Daniel Craig.

Craig is currently awaiting for the debut of his fifth and final outing in the central role, No Time to Die, which is currently slated for an April 2, 2021 release worldwide.

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Year: 2020