Film Junk » Western

Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman Developing Doc Holliday Western Series for HBO

Aaron — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:30:17 +0000

The western genre has started to become a trend on television lately as ABC's Hangtown, CBS' The Rifleman, and TNT's The Gateway are all currently in development, not to mention AMC's current show Hell on Wheels. Now, HBO is stepping up to the plate with a series of its own based on the life of Doc Holliday. The currently untitled series is being developed by notable screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind) and will take its cues from Mary Doria Russell’s critically praised novel Doc, published back in May. Though mostly known for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and his involvement in the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, the new series will focus on seldom highlighted portions of Doc Holliday's life, such as a love triangle between his prostitute wife, Kate Elder, Wyatt Earp, and himself. Goldsman's frequent collaborator Ron Howard will direct the eventual pilot episode. Though mostly known for writing features, Goldsman also has TV experience, having written and directed episodes of Fox's Fringe. As he was interested in expanding further into TV, HBO provided him with the right environment, commenting that "storytelling seems to be king and genre seems to be almost irrelevant." In addition to Ron Howard's involvement, the project also somewhat surprisingly features his parents in producing roles since his father Rance is a big Holliday fan. Writing duties will belong to Adam Cooper and Bill Collage (Accepted) who will also executive produce with Goldsman and his producing partner Kerry Foster. With this set of people involved, will you be interested in a new western series on HBO?

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!

Sacha Baron Cohen Joins Django Unchained

Sean — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:50:35 +0000

By now, the casting of Quentin Tarantino's next film Django Unchained must be nearing completion, as the movie is scheduled to go before cameras in early 2012 and he seems to be running out of roles. Over the past few weeks it was announced that Wu-Tang member RZA had been cast in the film, along with James Remar (Dexter), James Russo (Public Enemies), Tom Wopat (Jonah Hex), and Todd Allen (Friday Night Lights). Now we've got one last strange and unexpected cast member to add to the list: Ali G himself, Sacha Baron Cohen. Where will this chameoleonic comedian fit into the film? Read on to find out. According to Variety, Cohen has been cast for the role of Scotty, "a gambler who buys Django's wife as a female companion." Like many of Tarantino's outside the box casting choices, it seems that he had Sacha Baron Cohen specifically in mind when he was writing the part. How do you say no to that? Cohen is currently finishing up work on his next comedy The Dictator, but also has an upcoming role in Martin Scorsese's Hugo. He hasn't taken on many serious or dramatic projects thus far in his career, but I have no doubt that he pull it off. His performance in Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street was solid, and he has been attached to the upcoming Freddie Mercury biopic for a while now. Are you excited by Sacha Baron Cohen's involvement, or is this just another off-putting addition to an increasingly eclectic cast?

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!

Kerry Washington Confirmed for Django Unchained

Sean — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:57:14 +0000

After a few months of steady updates, it appears that all of the major roles have finally been cast for Quentin Tarantino's next film Django Unchained. This week we have confirmation that Kerry Washington has officially secured the role of Broomhilda, the female lead of the film. She is the wife of Django (Jamie Foxx), who is raped by three brothers while Django himself is brutalized and left for dead. Django is then eventually freed by a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) who helps him exact his revenge on the plantation owner and rescue Broomhilda. Tarantino reportedly had Washington in mind for the role from the start, but was also interested in potentially casting an unknown if he could find someone that was up to the task. Apparently he couldn't find anyone because he ended up coming back to Washington. It sounds like a potentially challenging role for Kerry Washington and one that will require some nudity and at least one very intense scene. She is best known for her performances in Ray, The Last King of Scotland, Save the Last Dance, and yes, the Wayans Brothers classic Little Man. She also played Alicia Masters in the Fantastic Four films. Some people also thought that it might be a bigger name that would get the role (ie. Halle Berry, Zoe Saldana) but ultimately Tarantino went with his gut instinct (which is rarely wrong). What do you think, did Quentin make the right choice?

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Joins Django Unchained

Sean — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:49:45 +0000

Week after week, the casting of Quentin Tarantino's upcoming film Django Unchained is inching nearer to completion as we close in on its November production start date. Recently we learned that Kurt Russell would be replacing Kevin Costner in the role of Ace Woody, the right hand man of villain Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). Since then we've seen a few more smaller roles filled out by the likes of Don Johnson, M.C. Gainey and FX guru Tom Savini. Now this week yet another actor is reportedly in talks to join the film: Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Variety reports that he intends to take the part, but he has some scheduling issues to work out before he can fully commit. Word on the street is that the scheduling conflict has arisen from his press obligations for the bike messenger thriller Premium Rush, which hits theatres in January. However, just hours after this news story hit the web, Sony announced that Premium Rush had been pushed back to August. It would appear that JGL managed to pull some strings behind the scenes and free himself up. Costner, take note... THIS is how you respond when Quentin Tarantino asks you to be in his new movie. It's still unclear what role Joseph Gordon-Levitt will play in the film. We do know that Don Johnson will play a plantation owner named Spencer Bennett while Tom Savini and M.C. Gainey will play brothers Elvis and Big John Brittle, slave owners who rape Django's wife Broomhilda and brand Django himself with the letter "R". The script reportedly contains three Brittle brothers... will Joseph Gordon-Levitt play the third? Are you excited to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt join Django Unchained?

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!

Another Zorro Reboot in the Works

Sean — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:17:45 +0000

Looks like Zorro is heading back to the big screen, and this time around, it will not be Antonio Banderas behind the mask. According to Deadline, Sony is in the process of setting up another re-imagining of the Spanish outlaw based on the 2005 novel Zorro by Isabel Allende. The book is an origin story that is also written as a mock biography, apparently treating the character as a real historical figure, and even making reference to many existing stories including the last feature film The Mask of Zorro. Does this mean the movie will be shot as a mockumentary? Probably not, but it might be a cool idea. At any rate, Sony is insisting that since it is based on this book, it will NOT be a remake. Of course it won't. Writers Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia have been hired to pen the script, taking them out of their element and marking their very first project for the big screen. Federman and Scaia's credits include such TV shows as Jericho, Human Target, and yes, the new Charlie's Angels. They also recently wrote a made-for-TV feature called River Of Doubt, about Teddy Roosevelt’s 1914 trip down the Amazon River. It's worth noting that this isn't the only Zorro reboot on the horizon. Earlier this year we heard rumours about a strange post-apocalyptic take on the character called Zorro Reborn, with FX guru Rpin Suwannath in line to direct. That movie is being set up at Fox, and while it's unclear which one will see the light of day first, I think we can at least agree that Sony's version is a little more true to the character. Which version are you most interested in seeing?

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!

Kurt Russell to Replace Kevin Costner in Django Unchained

Sean — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 01:07:27 +0000

Earlier this month there was a minor disappointment surrounding Quentin Tarantino's next film Django Unchained as Kevin Costner was forced to leave the project due to "scheduling issues." He had been attached to play Ace Woody, the right hand man of plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), who pits the slaves against each other in gladiatorial combat. Of course, leave it to QT to take a potential setback and turn it into an amazing opportunity. According to Heat Vision, Kurt Russell is now in talks to take Costner's place... might as well trade one '80s star for another, right? If all goes according to plan, Tarantino will re-unite with Russell after previously casting him as Stuntman Mike, the primary antagonist of his Grindhouse flick Death Proof in 2007. Death Proof obviously didn't revive Russell's career in the same way that Pulp Fiction did John Travolta's, but it will be great to see him get another chance to be in the spotlight. Then again, the cast of Django Unchained is already pretty stacked with Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz currently on board. The movie is scheduled to go into production in November. What do you think? Is Kurt Russell a solid choice and does this news make you even more excited for Django Unchained?

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!

The Lone Ranger Rides Again at Disney

Aaron — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 02:42:35 +0000

Last month, we reported the surprising news that Disney had pulled the plug on their adaptation of The Lone Ranger due to a ballooning budget of $250 million or more. Now, Deadline claims that after a tough overhaul of the project, the filmmakers can start shooting in January or February. Reworking the film mainly involved trimming the salaries of its main players, Johnny Depp, Gore Verbinski, and Jerry Bruckheimer, while also cutting back on some of the grand spectacle the movie originally featured. Currently the budget stands at $215 million, so while perhaps not a major revamping, it's enough for Disney to give the film a greenlight. It's unclear whether The Lone Ranger will retain its release date of December 21, 2012, or move to another spot. While this news isn't considered official just yet, Disney is expected to make an announcement regarding the film next week. Back when The Lone Ranger was canceled, many people held up the financial failure of Cowboys & Aliens as a contributing factor to the decision. While that probably was the case, there's always been the issue of Disney's other upcoming blockbuster films such as John Carter and Oz: The Great and Powerful, which also have hefty price tags. Consequently, there's more pressure on these big budget films to succeed. While I'm glad that Verbinski and Depp get to reteam once again, I'm also glad that this rebudgeting has occurred to help keep things under control. I could imagine the previous version of the film having a completely off-the-rails type of storytelling similar to what the Pirates movies became. Of course, it could still end up that way now too. After all, $215 million is still quite a bit to play with. What are your thoughts on the relaunching of The Lone Ranger?

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!

Kevin Costner Drops Out of Django Unchained

Sean — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:05:54 +0000

After assembling a pretty huge cast for his upcoming film Django Unchained, it appears that Quentin Tarantino is being forced to go back to the drawing board for at least one of the major roles. According to Variety writer Justin Kroll, Kevin Costner has turned down his role in the film. He was set to play Ace Woody, the right hand man of villainous plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). Although a scheduling conflict is being cited as the reason for his departure, is it possible that he started to have second thoughts about playing the bad guy in a potentially controversial film? It's not clear what upcoming projects might be causing the conflict. We know that Costner is playing Jonathan Kent in Zack Snyder's upcoming Man of Steel, but that doesn't seem likely to be the culprit since it's a pretty small role. His other upcoming projects include A Little War of Our Own (which he is directing), a comedy called Learning Italian and a History Channel TV series called Hatfields & McCoys. Would he really choose any of those projects over a star-studded Quentin Tarantino movie? It's hard to say. Costner previously played a serial killer in the 2007 thriller Mr. Brooks, so he's not necessarily averse to taking on bad guy roles. Either way, it is unfortunate that we won't get to see Costner work with Tarantino in the near future. Are you disappointed by this news? Who else would you like to see cast in his place?

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!

Blackthorn Trailer: Butch Cassidy is Back

Sean — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:02:42 +0000

With the box office failure of Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens currently causing studios to second guess the commercial appeal of westerns (and leading to the cancellation of Disney's The Lone Ranger), it may seem like the current resurgence of westerns on the big screen is about to come to to an end. But the truth is, even if a few less studio westerns are being greenlit for a while, they will never really go away. Case in point: this week Apple debuted a trailer for Blackthorn, an upcoming western from Spanish director Mateo Gil that will get a U.S. release courtesy of Magnolia Pictures this fall. The movie revisits the tale of Butch Cassidy, famously portrayed on screen by Paul Newman in George Roy Hill's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and later by Tom Berenger in Richard Lester's Butch and Sundance: The Early Days. Some believe that Cassidy actually survived his showdown with the Bolivian authorities and lived out the rest of his years under the alias James Blackthorn. Sam Shepard plays Cassidy/Blackthorn, who eventually grows tired of his exile from the U.S. and heads home, but along the way crosses paths with an "ambitious young criminal" played by Eduardo Noriega. Mateo Gil is a frequent collaborator of Alejandro Amenábar's, having co-written scripts for Open Your Eyes, The Sea Inside and Agora. Blackthorn hits select theatres on Oct. 7th; check out the trailer after the jump and see what you think.

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!

Tony Scott to Direct The Wild Bunch Remake and More

Aaron — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 03:37:59 +0000

Yesterday, the movie blogosphere ignited with the knowledge that Ridley Scott had signed on to make another Blade Runner movie, but his brother Tony was making some news of his own, too. Like his older sibling, Tony is lining up to tackle a movie classic, specifically a remake of the 1969 Sam Peckinpah western The Wild Bunch. A remake for the film has been in the works for a few years now; once receiving a script from David Ayer (Training Day) that had a modern take on the material. It's not known if Scott will go that route or maintain a more traditional approach. Screenwriter Brian Helgeland, who has worked with Scott previously on The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 and Man on Fire, will tackle the new script. The original film centers on an aging group of outlaws who try for one last big job before the world they know changes completely. Unsurprisingly, The Wild Bunch isn't the only film Scott has in development. His next film will probably be the biker flick Hell's Angels for Fox 2000. Scott wants Jeff Bridges for the lead role of gang leader Sonny Barger, although he's yet to meet with the actor who is currently on tour with his new music album. If the Oscar-winning actor agrees to star, the film wouldn't begin shooting until next spring at the earliest. The story is set around the Laughlin riots of 2001 when the Angels were battling with a rival gang called The Mongols. The script comes from Scott Frank, who has done some impressive work before with films like Minority Report and The Lookout. Of course, it is also worth noting that Scott still plans on making a "reinvention" of his 80's sensation Top Gun a high priority. So...make of that what you will. Overall, what are your thoughts on Scott taking a shot at The Wild Bunch and how do you think he'll approach the material? What do you think of his other potential projects?

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!

Gore Verbinski’s The Lone Ranger Was Going to Have Werewolves In It

Sean — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:58:53 +0000

When it came out this past weekend that Disney had decided not to move forward with Gore Verbinski and Jerry Bruckheimer's The Lone Ranger due to budgetary concerns, a lot of people were wondering why the hell a simple western would require a budget of $250 million. By comparison, the recent remakes of True Grit and 3:10 to Yuma had budgets of $38 million and $55 million respectively, and both of those films had some big stars in them. Well, as it turns out, there's an interesting little detail about this new version of The Lone Ranger that most of us have been overlooking. We all know that the movie is being set up as a major tentpole along the lines of Pirates of the Caribbean, and much like that movie, there were also plans for supernatural elements and CG creatures. Specifically, The Lone Ranger and Tonto were going to go up against werewolves. Over at Hollywood Elsewhere, Jeffrey Wells got his hands on some inside information from a screenwriter who has been following the project along with a snippet of the script by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Mask of Zorro). It clearly shows that the plot involved some sort of Native American wolf monster, and while that was supposed to tie in to Tonto's background, it's also hard not to be reminded of a certain teen vampire franchise. Here's what his source had to say:

"It was going to be a Tonto show mainly. Tonto as the top dog and more dominant than the Lone Ranger. Tonto and the Indian spirits like Obi Wan Kenobi and the force. The driving engine was going to be Native American occult aspects worked in with werewolves and special effects. But flavored with doses of Native American spirituality in a serious way. But then Cowboys & Aliens came along and tanked and Disney got cold tenderfeet, spooked by the idea of a pricey mashup. If Cowboys & Aliens had made $200 million, this wouldn't be happening. A Bruckheimer-style western in the wake of Cowboys & Aliens is nothing anyone is feeling secure about at this stage. Trust me, the writers of tentpole garbage are all scared now."

Assuming this is all true, Disney's decision makes a bit more sense but I still don't see why they couldn't just start the project over again without all the supernatural stuff. Is that really necessary to sell a major blockbuster with Johnny Depp? I think that Verbinski probably could have made the werewolf stuff work, but it does sound pretty ridiculous conceptually. Do you think this project will eventually get made? Would you have liked to see The Lone Ranger and Tonto fight werewolves?

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!

Disney Shuts Down Gore Verbinski’s The Lone Ranger

Aaron — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 20:46:02 +0000

In a shocking move, this week Disney has apparently decided to axe Gore Verbinski's upcoming tentpole film The Lone Ranger despite the bankability of Johnny Depp, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Verbinski himself. Armie Hammer had been attached to star as The Lone Ranger himself. Reportedly, the studio had concerns over the movie's budget, which was ballooning up to $250 million. After attempts to lower the cost, Disney decided to drop the project altogether. Now they'll have to find another film to fill their Christmas 2012 release slot, or simply forgo releasing a big film for the holiday season. This news represents a growing trend in Hollywood of canceling big name films with major talent attached. We've already seen Guillermo del Toro's At the Mountains of Madness passed over with Tom Cruise set to star, and a few weeks ago a potential Ron Howard-directed trilogy of The Dark Tower failed to make the cut. With the economy inspiring less and less confidence these days, studios are clearly cutting back on exorbitant budgets when they can. Disney already has huge budgeted films like Andrew Stanton's John Carter and Sam Raimi's Oz the Great and Powerful in various stages of production right now and apparently they couldn't risk another $200+ million on The Lone Ranger. Still, it is surprising that the duo of Depp and Verbinski, who have made Disney billions with the Pirates movies, couldn't inspire a little more confidence. I suppose big names aren't a guarantee to success, though, as Cowboys & Aliens has shown us this summer. Before you lose all hope, there is still a chance that the film could be made...eventually. Everyone involved is still intent on seeing the movie through, but whether that means shopping it around at other studios or putting it back together at Disney with a lower budget sometime down the line is currently unknown. What's your reaction to this decision? How many of you were excited for a Lone Ranger film?

FOR MORE DAILY MOVIE GOODNESS, VISIT FILMJUNK.COM!