Set photos of an armored Kristen Stewart and the star’s own description of Snow White and the Huntsman ‘s bloody edge had me thinking this could be the more transgressive of the two Snow White projects in the works (the other being Tarsem’s newly titled Mirror, Mirror , starring Lily Collins and Armie Hammer). The first official SWATH banner art, however, suggests something a bit more kid-friendly, even Alice in Wonderland -esque. Or am I reading too much into the fantastical, Photoshopped flora and fauna swirling around Stewart, Chris Hemsworth , and the disembodied head of evil queen Charlize Theron ?
There goes the Tower Heist contingent of this year’s Oscars. Less than a day after Brett Ratner resigned as producer of the 84th Academy Awards telecast following a series of controversial remarks made while promoting Tower Heist , his star Eddie Murphy has forfeited his spot as this year’s host.
In case you haven’t heard, the Oscars have entered a state of crisis — or a state of freedom, if you prefer. Now that Eddie Murphy is out as host of this year’s Academy Awards, let’s vent as quickly as we can and think of the single best option for a replacement emcee.
Eddie Murphy is leaving the Oscars in support of his buddy Brett Ratner . Here’s his statement: “First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support each party’s decision with regard to a change of producers for this year’s Academy Awards ceremony,” Murphy said earlier today. “I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.” Aw, well that’s a shame. We understand the Eddie wanted to work with his long-time collaborator, but we sure would have loved to see what they would have come up with. Oh well. Blame Ratner and his big mouth. More On Bossip! Shhhh! Embarrassing Secrets That Damn Near Ruined These People’s Careers And Lives! R.I.P. A Celebration Of The Life Of Dwight Arrington Myers AKA “Heavy D The Overweight Lover” [PICS] Galleries: Rihanna And Friends “Ball So Hard VACA” (Photos) Bad Credit, No Credit? No Problem: The 10 Best Cities To Live In Without A Car (L.A. Is On This List??)
Most critics are lukewarm on the Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller caper flick. By Kevin P. Sullivan Ben Stiller and Gabourey Sidibe in “Tower Heist” Photo: Universal Pictures The 99 percent finally have their own heist movie! In “Tower Heist,” Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller team up to take back money from an evil executive who Ponzi-ed it away from the staff of his New York apartment building. The reviews certainly aren’t glowing, and most paint it as a less entertaining “Ocean’s Eleven” but admit there are some laughs to be had. We’ve rounded up some of the reviews to give you an idea of what the critics are saying. Take a look below to find out if you should join in on “Tower Heist.” The Story “The employees at a gilded Manhattan apartment complex, led by manager Ben Stiller, decide to rob the ass of a Madoff-like billionaire in the penthouse (a supremely slimy Alan Alda ). Why? He’s bilked them out of their pensions. Stiller recruits a bankrupt resident ( Matthew Broderick ) and a bellhop ( Michael Pe
Benicio Del Toro, Jimmy Smits and Esai Morales are among the stars named in a protest of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ new rule to block Puerto Rico from competing in the Foreign-Language Oscar race.
Yesterday it was announced that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon will tackle their first major feature project together since Good Will Hunting — a biopic about Boston mob boss Whitey Bulger that will star Damon and be directed by Affleck. It’s worth wondering though — is a mob film the right follow-up to the esteemed break-out project that earned both actors/screenwriters Academy Awards and established them as marketable Holllywood stars?
The entertainment world may have been a little shocked earlier this month to learn that Eddie Murphy would be hosting this year’s Academy Awards but three-time Oscar host and Murphy’s Bowfinger co-star Steve Martin has complete faith in the comedian’s statuette-presenting ability. And a few mildly funny words of advice.
‘He’s a huge movie star. He has huge international appeal,’ producer Brett Ratner tells us on Emmy Awards red carpet. By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Eddie Murphy Photo: Bruno Vincent/ Getty Images The American public may no longer be convinced about Eddie Murphy ‘s enduring comedic gifts, based on the number of folks who purchased tickets to “Imagine That” and “Meet Dave.” Even Eddie Murphy may no longer be convinced about Eddie Murphy’s enduring comedic gifts . But one man with no such doubt is Brett Ratner , who is producing the 2012 Academy Awards and who has tapped Murphy to host. “I think there’s no question about it. He’s the greatest,” Ratner told us Sunday night at the Emmy Awards about Eddie taking on the gig and slaying the crowd. “My first idea was the show had to go in the direction of more comedy with a single host, and there’s nobody better on that stage than Eddie Murphy.” “I grew up watching ‘ Raw ‘ and ‘ Delirious ‘ and being a big fan of him,” Ratner added. “He’s a huge movie star. He has huge international appeal. There’s nobody better. He’s a pro. The guy is a pro.” That’s certainly true, even if it has been a couple of decades since Eddie’s days as the foulmouthed king of the standup comedy world. Ratner, for his part, appears to be attempting to hit a sort of Eddie Murphy reset button, for years trying to kick-start another ” Beverly Hills Cop ” film and now coming out this fall with ” Tower Heist ,” a flick that finds the comedian cussing and riffing like it’s the ’80s all over again. Perhaps for Murphy, in Ratner he trusts. Which is why, according to the filmmaker, Eddie took zero convincing to take on the Oscar gig. “It’s not the kind of job you want to convince anyone to do. They either want to do it or they don’t,” Ratner told us, adding that Eddie is going to commit more than 150 percent effort to the job. “200, not 150! 200!” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
Academy Awards executive producer Brett Ratner directed Murphy in the upcoming ‘Tower Heist.’ By Kara Warner Eddie Murphy Photo: Getty Images After trying out a pair of young Hollywood stars for last year’s Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has settled on a seasoned vet to helm the 84th annual Academy Awards: Eddie Murphy. “I am enormously honored to join the great list of past Academy Award hosts from Hope and Carson to Crystal, Martin and Goldberg, among others,” Murphy said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to working with [producers] Brett [Ratner] and Don [Mischer] on creating a show that is enjoyable for both the fans at home and for the audience at the Kodak Theatre as we all come together to celebrate and recognize the great film contributions and collaborations from the past year.” Ratner is equally excited to re-team with Murphy, whom he directed in the upcoming “Tower Heist.” “Eddie is a comedic genius, one of the greatest and most influential live performers ever,” Ratner said. “With his love of movies, history of crafting unforgettable characters and his iconic performances — especially on stage — I know he will bring excitement, spontaneity and tremendous heart to the show Don and I want to produce in February.” In other Oscar-related news, rumor has it that veteran host Billy Crystal will also be incorporated into the show. We still haven’t heard much from new Oscars producer Ratner , however, other than his initial statement that the gig is “a dream come true.” “This wasn’t even in my dreams, it’s so far out,” he said last month. “This is something I never could have imagined.” The filmmaker, who directed Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in the “Rush Hour” comedy trilogy as well as 2006’s comic book adaptation “X-Men: The Last Stand,” isn’t wasting any time in getting started on his plans for the show, which will air live from the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles on February 26, 2012. “Work begins now,” he said. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Photos 2011 Academy Awards Red Carpet
