June 24, 2012
This holiday season is shaping up to be all about taking classic books to the big screen. Here's a round-up of some of the most highly anticipated:
F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic The Great Gatsby is being given a bold remake by Baz Luhrmann. Luhrmann's adaptation features Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway, Carey Mulligan as Gatsby's lost love Daisy, and Joel Edgerton as Daisy's husband Tom. Gatsby hits theaters Christmas Day 2012.
Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, the lush Russian epic about a woman drawn into an adulterous affair brought to life again. This time the title character is being played by Keira Knightly and features Aaron Johnson as her lover Count Vronsky and Jude Law as Alexei Karenin. The film opens November 9.
Peter Jackson's widely anticipated The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will finally be in theaters December 14. The first of a two-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, The Hobbit features Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins and is rounded out by a star-studded cast, including Cate Blanchett (Galadriel), Evangeline Lily (Tauriel), Ian McKellan (Gandalf), Christopher Lee (Saruman), Andy Serkis (Gollum), and Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield).
The conclusion to Stephenie Meyer's wildly popular Twilight series, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 reaches theaters November 16. New to this cast is Mackenzie Foy as Renesmee, the daughter of Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson), who married at the end of Breaking Dawn: Part 1.
Do you hear the people sing? Director Tom Hooper is certainly hoping you will December 14 when Les Miserables opens in theaters. While Victor Hugo's masterpiece is no stranger to the big screen, this is the first musical adaptation based on the Broadway musical. The film features an all-star cast, led by Hugh Jackman (Jean Valjean) and Russell Crowe (Inspector Javert), and including Anne Hathaway (Fantine), Amanda Seyfried (Cosette), Sacha Baron Cohen (Thenardier), Helena Bonham Carter (Madame Thenardier), Eddie Redmayne (Marius), Samantha Barks (Eponine), and Aaron Tveit (Enjolras). Colm Wilkinson, who originated the role of Valjean on Broadway, appears as the Bishop of Digne.
July 26, 2011
A&E has given the green light to a new miniseries Stephen King's Bag of Bones, based on the book of the same name by Stephen King. The miniseries will be a four-hour event shown over a period of two nights. Filming for the Sony Pictures Television project begins next month. Pierce Brosnan and Annabeth Gish will star with Mick Garris directing. The script was written by Matt Venne. The series is expected to air at the end of 2011.
Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange celebrates its 50th anniversary next year. In celebration, Burgess will be debuting his own musical adaptation of the book, to be performed by grads from the Royal Northern College of Music.
Filming is already underway for the film adaptation of K.L. Going's Young Adult novel Fat Kid Rules the World, but the cast is still being added to: actor Billy Campbell has just signed onto the film. The film is set to star Jacob Wysocki and Matt O'Leary. Matthew Lillard is directing the screenplay, co-written by Michael Galvin and Peter Speakman.
July 18, 2011
It may be the end, but Harry Potter is going out on top. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 broke opening box office sales records for an opening weekend with $168.6 million in ticket sales. The record was previously held by The Dark Knight.
Friday's ticket sales, including those midnight showings, totalled $92 million, beating the previous record, which was held by Twilight: New Moon.
World-wide sales for the film's first weekend were reported at $476 million.
Opening this Friday, Sarah's Key, based on the novel by Tatiana de Rosnay. The film stars Kristin Scott Thomas.
The first trailer has been released for Hugo, based on Brian Selznic's Invention of Hugo Cabret. Martin Scorsese directs the adaptation.
John Cusack has signed on to replace Tobey Maguire in Lee Daniels' adaptation of The Paperboy, based on the book by Pete Dexter. The film co-stars Zac Efron. Expected cast announcements, yet unconfirmed, include Matthew McConaughey and Nicole Kidman.
Encore Network is launching its first original programming, including an adaptation of the classic novel Moby-Dick. The adaptation stars William Hurt, Ethan Hawke, Donald Sutherland, and Gillian Anderson and premiers August 1.
June 21, 2011
Lost star Evangeline Lilly and Barry Humphries have been added to the cast of Peter Jackson's highly anticipated films of The Hobbit. Lilly will play the Woodland Elf, Tauriel. Humphries joins the cast as the Goblin King. Previously announced additions to the cast included Luke Evans as Bard and Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug. The first film will be released December 2012.
June 16, 2011
Relativity Media has signed on Lasse Hellstrom to direct the film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks's newest bestseller Safe Haven. Hellstrom previous directed the adaptation of Sparks's Dear John and has directed several film adaptations, including The Cider House Rules (based on the novel by John Irving) and The Shipping News (based on the novel by Annie Prouxl).
June 7, 2011
Jamie Campbell Bower (The Twilight Saga, Harry Potter) and Lily Collins (Priest, The Blind Side) will be co-starring in Mortal Instruments, based on the book by Cassandra Clare. Bower will play Jace Wayland. Collins will star as Clary Fray.
May 31, 2011
Peter Jackson's Hobbit films have release dates! The first film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will release December 14, 2012. The second film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again will release almost exactly one year later, December 13, 2013.
Golden Globe winner Donald Sutherland will be rounding out the Hunger Games cast as President Snow. Though a smaller role in the first book, President Snow is featured more prominently in the subsequent books of the trilogy.
May 26, 2011
The unnamed Avox girl in the upcoming Hunger Games film will be played by Amber Chaney.
May 24, 2011
The role of Cinna in the highly anticipated Hunger Games film will be played by Lenny Kravitz! The news was announced last night. One of the only remaining roles to be cast is the menacing President Snow, whose minor role in the first book becomes much larger in the subsequent books.
May 20, 2011
Peter Jackson's The Hobbit, based on the classic J.R.R. Tolkien has added Stephen Fry to its cast. Fry, according to Entertainment Weekly, will play "the Master of Laketown, the leader of Esgaroth, a settlement of Men." Also announced, the Master's civil servant Alfrid will be played by Ryan Gage, while Conan Stevens joins the cast as an Orc named Azog.
Current Hunger Games Cast
Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen)
Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne)
Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark)
Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket)
Willow Shields (Primrose "Prim" Everdeen)
Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy)
Stanley Tucci (Caesar Flickerman)
Wes Bentley (Seneca Crane)
Paula Malcomson (Mrs. Everdeen)
Latarsha Rose (Portia)
Brook Bundy (Octavia)
Dayo Okeniyi (Thresh, District 11 Tribute)
Amandla Stenberg (Rue, District 11 Tribute)
Jack Quaid (Marvel, District 1)
Leven Rambin (Glimmer, District 1)
Isabelle Furhman (Clove, District 2 Tribute)
Alexander Ludwig (Cato, District 2 Tribute)
Ian Nelson (District 3 Tribute Boy)
Kalia Prescott (District 3 Tribute Girl)
Tara Macken (District 4 Tribute Girl)
Ethan Jamieson (District 4 Tribute Boy)
Jacqueline Emerson (Foxface, District 5 Tribute)
Chris Mark (District 5 Tribute Boy)
Kara Peterson (District 6 Tribute Girl)
Ashton Moio (District 6 Tribute)
Sam Ly (District 7 Tribute Boy)
Leigha Hancock (District 7 Tribute Girl)
Mackenzie Lintz (District 8 Tribute Girl)
Sam Tan (District 8 Tribute Boy)
Annie Thurman (District 9 Tribute Girl)
Imanol Yepez-Frias (District 9 Tribute)
Jeremy Marinas (District 10 Tribute Boy)
Dakota Hood (District 10 Tribute Girl)
