According to TMZ , a diver working on a water tank on the set of The Lone Ranger drowned this morning in Los Angeles: “Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the movie wasn’t being shot today, and the person who died in the tank was prepping it — possibly cleaning it — when someone noticed no bubbles from the gear were surfacing. That’s when they pulled the man out of the water.” The Johnny Depp blockbuster is filming for a July 3, 2013 release. More info to come. [ TMZ ]
Greta Gerwig has gone from so-called Mumblecore actress, appearing in indie titles LOL , Hannah Takes The Stairs and Nights and Weekends to bigger fare by the likes of Ivan Reitman and Woody Allen in No Strings Attached and the recent To Rome with Love . But what most audiences may not know, is that she’s picked written some of the material she’s played on screen, including her latest Frances Ha , which she co-wrote with director Noah Baumbach . The comedy is Gerwig’s second match-up with Baumbach following 2010’s Greenberg and the pair began bouncing ideas off each other, eventually creating the hysterical black and white feature that debuted at the recent Toronto International Film Festival and will be having its U.S. premiere at the upcoming New York Film Festival . “We started trading some ideas after Greenberg Gerwig said in New York this week. “I knew I wanted to work with Noah again, and luckily he felt the same way.” Baumbach and Gerwig emailed sent email back and forth, creating Frances Ha ‘s electric personalities and hypnotic banter. In the film, Gerwig plays Frances, a New Yorker who is constantly on the move. Her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner) ups and moves into a plush apartment with a friend in New York’s TriBeCa neighborhood, leaving Frances to fend for herself. A budding dancer, she is dropped from her apprenticeship at a dance company, but her slow descent never does little to undermine her determination to succeed. Friendship is at the heart of the film and the sometimes racy lifestyle of twenty-somethings living in New York is played out honestly, even with some discomfort. “If you want to get technical about it, anything other than women falling in love is under-represented across the board [in movies],” said Gerwig. “When we were writing it, Frances and Sophie emerged rather than something that was imposed. It became clear that this was the most important relationship in her life and we decided that that was the story we would focus on.” Though Gerwig and Baumbach were obviously very aware of the script, the Oscar-nominated director of The Squid and the Whale decided not to let the other actors see the entire screenplay. He decided to experiment with actors only focusing on only their material and be left in the dark as to how their words and deeds fit into the bigger picture. “I thought there might be something interesting to having actors play at the moment and what was in front of them instead of having them in some ways tell the overall story, so that was the experiment…I didn’t want them to think how this scene falls in the movie,” said Baumbach. “They may know all too well where a scene falls in the movie. You don’t want the characters to know that really.” Gerwig received praise for her performance at a pre-NYFF screening of the film this week. Her character is a case study in contrasts. She’s smart, but makes bad decisions. She’s determined, but is constantly stumbling. She has strong relationships, but she’s often left in the lurch. Gerwig wrestled up a persona that would have been difficult for just any actor to pull off Frances’ unique peculiarities. Asked how she tackled Frances, Gerwig wasn’t quite sure how her personality came about. “I never really particularly meant to have a different way of acting than anyone else,” she said. “I don’t mean to sound like Johnny Cash, but that line, ‘I play guitar like this because I don’t know any other way’ – I don’t know any other way to act.” Continuing she added, “It’s always weird when you talk about acting because it inevitably descends into something mystical. But it’s from the inside coupled with needing to know why I am saying something. Working on the script doesn’t make acting any easier. It actually in some ways makes it more difficult because you know what something is supposed to be.” IFC Films picked up Frances Ha and will release the film in theaters and VOD at a future date.
Also in Friday afternoon’s round-up of mostly movie-related news briefs, Pakistan faces the deadliest day yet over riots stemming from anti-Islam video The Innocence of Muslims . The Napa Valley Film Festival unveils details for its upcoming event. And two new features are headed to theaters. Here Comes The Devil Headed to Theaters The thriller had its U.S. premiere Thursday at Fantastic Fest. Francisco Barreiro and Lura Caro star in the film by Bogliano as parents whose preteen son and daughter inexplicably reappear after being lost overnight on a desolate, cave-riddled mountainside after a casual hike became every parent’s nightmare. The good luck and good fortune of their return soon changes, as the children’s behavior suggests ominous and unspeakable events the night the children were lost that continue even now. Magnet Releasing picked up the film and announced it at the premiere. The filmmakers, cast and audience toasted the news with champagne at the screening. Napa Valley Film Festival Sets Slate Ten narratives and nine documentaries will screen in the festival’s competition lineup at the second annual event taking place in California’s famed wine country. The festival runs November 7 – 11. For details on its roster, visit their website . Any Day Now Heads to U.S. and Canadian Theaters Music Box Films picked up the film directed by Travis Fine. Inspired by a true story, the feature centers on a gay couple in the 1970s who take in an abandoned mentally handicapped teen. The film will have a theatrical releases in December. Around the ‘net… Make a Doritos Ad, Get a Part in Transformers 4 Hollywood director Michael Bay is partnering with Doritos on a competition that invites would-be filmmakers to shoot their own home-made chips advertisement. Two selected adverts will air during the Super Bowl in January and the final winner will get the chance to appear in Bay’s next project, Transformers 4 , The Guaridan reports . Deadliest Day of Violence Over Innocence of Muslims Despite calls for peaceful protest, violence raged in Pakistan where between 12 and 19 people were killed in the worst day of rioting over the anti-Islam video. Movie theaters were also burned in the Pakistani cities of Peshawar and Karachi, Deadline reports . Homer Simpson Votes for Romney It’s not exactly film news, but animation’s favorite dad is voting for Mitt Romney. In the season premiere of The Simpsons set for September 30th, Homer Simpson said he’ll vote for the GOP hopeful because “he did invent Obamacare,” THR reports .
Also in Friday morning’s round-up of news briefs, Jesse Eisenberg has tapped Vanessa Redgrave for an Off-Broadway play. A judge has ruled on a request to close Innocence of Muslims video. And a look at the Specialty offerings coming out this weekend. Clint Eastwood Owns The Chair Thing at Premiere The 82 year-old Oscar winner has taken some heat for his empty chair speech at the Republican National Convention, but at his premier for Trouble With the Curve he chatted with a press contingent that – somehow – noticed there were 16 empty chairs nearby – “Oh my god yes,” he said with a laugh. He added that he worked with people on the film that fall across the political spectrum, but his latest is not a political film. And he will continue to stomp for Romney, A.P. reports . John Travolta Eyes Vince Lombardi Biopic At the Zurich Film Festival, Travolta said he’s considering a remake of the John Woo film, The Killer as well as starring in a biopic of legendary football star Vince Lombardi. The Killer remake will shoot in 3-D, Screen Daily reports . Jesse Eisenberg, Vanessa Redgrave Set for Off-Broadway in The Revisionist Redgrave will star along with Eisenberg in The Social Network ‘s Off-Broadway play that will be directed by Kip Fagan. The plot centers around Eisenberg’s character is a blocked sci-fi writer attempting to escape his problems in Poland. “A 75-year-old cousin played by Redgrave latches onto him as a means of connecting with her distant American family, gradually revealing details of their complex post-war past.” THR reports . Riots Continue as Judge Denies Actress’ Move to Shut Down Innocence of Muslims Western embassies closed in anticipation of Friday prayers as protesters fought police in Pakistan. The government there ran ads on television showing U.S. President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemning the video made by a U.S. resident that prompted the furor. A judge in California did not agree with an Innocence of Muslims actress that the film should be taken down, Deadline reports . Wallflower , Diana Vreeland , Head Games , How To Survive a Plague A run down of this weekend’s specialty openers, with a spotlight on some documentaries about a fashionista extraordinaire, sports risks and pioneers who faced down AIDS. Also check out a coming-of-age feature that has been all the rage on MTV (and it’s even good). Deadline reports .
Also in Wednesday afternoon’s round-up of news briefs, recent Toronto International Film Festival Gala Inescapable is headed to U.S. theaters. Tech and media moguls are among Forbes ‘ list of America’s richest individuals. And, an actress of the video at the center of rage among some Muslims worldwide, Innocence of Muslims is suing the film’s producer and YouTube. Tom Hanks’ Saving Mr. Banks Heads into Production in L.A. The story is an account of Walt Disney’s twenty-year pursuit of the film rights to P.L. Travers’ popular novel, Mary Poppins , and the testy partnership he develops with the uptight author during the project’s pre-production in 1961. Two-time Academy Award®-winner Tom Hanks will portray Disney (the first time he has ever been depicted in a dramatic film) alongside fellow double Oscar®-winner Emma Thompson in the role of the prickly novelist. Daniel Craig, Quentin Tarantino Among BAFTA Los Angeles Honorees Craig, Tarantino along with Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Will Wright will be among the recipients of the 2012 BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards on November 7th. Craig will receive the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year, while BAFTA Award-winning director Quentin Tarantino will receive the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, will receive the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy. Video game designer Will Wright will receive the Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment. Inescapable Heads to U.S. Theaters The thriller starring Alexander Siddig, Joshua Jackson and Marisa Tomei screened as a Gala at the recent Toronto International Film Festival. Directed by Canadian-based filmmaker Ruba Nadda ( Cairo Time ), Inescapable revolves around a Syrian expatriate (Siddig) whose journalist daughter goes missing in Damascus. He returns to his homeland to find her, despite the risks, and calls on a former love (Tomei) to help him, as well as an embassy official (Jackson) who is helpful at first, but may have an agenda of his own. IFC Films acquired the title from Myriad Pictures. Alliance Films is distributing in Canada. Around the ‘net… Forbes’ List of Richest Americans Filled with Tech and Media Moguls America’s richest man is still Bill Gates (at $66 billion) followed by Warren Buffet ($46 billion). Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg fell to 36th on the list, tying with News Corp’s Rupert Mrudoch at $9.4 billion. Others on the list, David Geffen (57th at $5.6 billion), Viacom and CBS chairman Sumner Redstone (91st at $4.1 billion), George Lucas (120th at $3.3 billion) and Steven Spielberg (125th at $3.2 billion), Deadline reports . Innocence of Muslims Actress Sues Producer and YouTube Cindy Lee Garcia, an actress at the firestorm of controversy throughout the Muslim world igniting violent demonstrations has filed a complaint in L.A. Superior Court agains the film’s producer, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula (aka Sam Bacile) saying she was duped into appearing in the film. She is also going after YouTube and its owner Google for refusing to take the video down, THR reports .
Also in Tuesday morning’s round-up of news briefs, Charlie Kaufman has turned to crowd funding (seemingly quite successfully) for a stop motion animation project. Richard Gere ‘s Arbitrage is set to open a Middle Eastern film festival. And Park Chan-wook is set to direct a Corsican mafia story. Judge Rules James Cameron & Fox Did Not Interfere with Copyright for Avatar A U.S. district court said that Avatar did not infringe on the copyright of a screenwriter’s novel, Bats and Butterflies . The court said the novel is a “children’s story with a simple protagonist,” while Avatar is a “more complex story about a conflicted protagonist,” Deadline reports . Philip Seymour Hoffman to Direct Supernatural Drama Ezekiel Moss The script, written by Keith Bunin, which appeared on the 2011 Black List revolves around a mysterious stranger with the power to speak with the dead. He arrives in a small Nebraska town, transforming the lives of the people there including a widow and her young son, THR reports . Charlie Kaufman Stop Motion Project Turns to Crowd Funding Kaufman and his producing partners are using crowd funding source Kickstarter for their adaptation of a play, Anomalisa and have raised $406,237 for its production in 60 days. “We want to make Anomalisa without the interference of the typical big studio process,” said a pitch video, Deadline reports . Arbitrage to Open Abu Dhabi Film Festival The Richard Gere starrer, which open to initial box office success in the U.S. in limited release last weekend will open the Abu Dhabi Film Festival. Gere and co-star Nate Parker are expected to attend the screening of the film set against the backdrop of hedge fund manipulation. The festival in the United Arab Emirates takes place October 11 – 20, THR reports . Park Chan-wook to Direct Corsica 72 Park Chan-wook ( I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK ) will direct from the script that made the 2009 Black List. Set on the French island of Corsica in 1972, the story revolves around two friends heading in two different directions. One toward the a life in the mafia while the other toward a simpler life with his sweetheart. But when the Corsican mob kills the latter’s brother, the two enter a blood feud that leads to a final showdown, Variety reports .
Also making the rounds: Eric Roth will receive an honorary award at the Austin Film Festival, the latest doc from the filmmakers behind Sweetgrass and Foreign Parts makes a deal, and the Sylvester Stallone-Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle The Tomb gets a 2013 release date. David Gordon Green And Nicolas Cage: Two Great Tastes? THR reports that Nic Cage will star as an ex-con and mentor to a teenage boy in a gritty Southern-set adaptation of Larry Brown’s novel Joe . The versatile David Gordon Green ( All The Real Girls , George Washington , Pineapple Express , The Sitter ) will direct, either reining in or letting Cage’s signature nouveau shamanic acting method run free. Cinema Guild Acquires TIFF Doc Leviathan The documentary by directors Lucien Castaing-Taylor (Sweetgrass) and Véréna Paravel (Foreign Parts) will be distributed in the U.S. by Cinema Guild after screening next week at the Toronto Film Festival and subsequently at the New York Film Festival. The experimental documentary about fishing “captures the collaborative clash of man, nature, and machine. Shot on a dozen cameras — tossed and tethered, passed from fisherman to filmmaker — it is a cosmic portrait of one of mankind’s oldest endeavors.” Eric Roth To Receive Honors At Austin Film Festival The annual event, held October 18-25 in Austin, TX, will award the Forrest Gump and Curious Case of Benjamin Button screenwriter with the Distinguished Screenwriter Award. The Oscar-winner will also take part in “A Conversation with Eric Roth,” along with a retrospective of his work and screening of 1999’s The Insider . Martin Scorsese, Steve James, and Steven Zaillian To Make Roger Ebert Doc America’s most beloved critic announced via Twitter that he’ll be getting his own (much deserved) documentary, with a trio of heavy hitters behind the camera: Hoop Dreams director Steve James, writer Steven Zaillian, and executive producer Martin Scorsese will join forces on the adaptation of Ebert’s memoir Life Itself . “Whatever they do I will be fascinated,” Ebert wrote to Indiewire. Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger Are Coming To A Theater Near You in 2013 The Expendables and Planet Hollywood buddies will hit theaters in their own team-up, The Tomb, which will now be released on September 27, 2013 via Lionsgate, reports THR .
When Lindsay Lohan signed on to play Elizabeth Taylor in Lifetime’s Liz & Dick it was tough to know what to expect. Now that three new photos from the tele-biopic have landed, we have our answer: Behold, LiLo dressed up as Liz Taylor circa 1960 on the set of Cleopatra , LiLo as Liz Taylor marrying Richard Burton in 1964, and DEAR GOD, LILO AS LIZ TAYLOR WITH GIANT POOFY ’80S HAIR AND SHOULDER PADS. Guys, poofy ’80s hair was not part of the deal. It’s the Joan Collinsesque car shot that I find most mesmerizing: Art imitating real paparazzi-hounded life, that downturned gaze, the angst emanating from that pout, that giant helmet of hair in orbit around her head. November 3 can’t come fast enough, though that does give you two months to stockpile all the booze and popcorn and Aqua Net you’ll need to plan those Liz & Dick viewing parties… [Lifetime via Vulture ]
Also in Thursday’s round-up of news briefs, the Academy approves some new rules for the next Oscars. A crime thriller gets a North American home and is headed to theaters. And, Charlize Theron is teaming on a story about a recently slain war journalist. Academy Approves New Slate of Rules for Next Oscars Among the changes, there will now be five nominees vying for the Original Song category. Also, the “Art Direction” award will now be known as the “Production Design” award. The Academy Awards ceremony is slated for Sunday, February 24, 2013. Crime Thriller Graceland Heads to Theaters Filipino crime saga Graceland will be released next year in theaters and VOD via Drafthouse Films. The Tribeca premiere spotlights the corrupt underbelly of the Philippines’ capital “exposing a world of deceit, exploitation, and startling depravity.” It is slated for the upcoming Fantastic Fest. The deal was negotiated by James Emanuel Shapiro on behalf of Drafthouse Films and Glen Reynolds of Circus Road Films on behalf of the film’s producer Rebecca Lundgren. Around the ‘net… The Avengers to Cash In on Labor Day Marvel’s The Avengers is seeking to increase its nearly $1.5 billion worldwide gross by heading to 1,700 theaters, hoping to capitalize on Labor Day moviegoers. It is the third biggest grossing film so far, Deadline reports . Charlize Theron to Produce Film About Slain War Reporter Theron and producer Basil Iwanyk are teaming on a film about the life of journalist Marie Colvin, who was killed in February while covering the civil war in Syria, THR reports . Clint Eastwood’s Republican Convention Prompts Mixed Reaction Delegates in Tampa have begun debating whether spotlighting a Hollywood celebrity was a good idea. THR asked 30 random convention attendees and just five said his presence was “meaningful.”
Also in Monday morning’s round-up of news briefs, accused Dark Knight Rises killer James Holmes told a classmate he’d intended to kill people ahead of the theater shooting that left 12 dead. Sleepwalk with Me soared atop the new specialty box office releases becoming one of the biggest this year. And Adrien Brody will play a villain in a new role. Jamie Bell, Connie Nielsen Join Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac The drama that has been dubbed “pornographic” starring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Shia LaBeouf and stellan Skarsgard begins shooting in Germany Tuesday and now Billy Elliot star Jamie Bell and Danish star Connie Nielsen ( Boss ) have joined the cast, THR reports . Ben Affleck Kills Justice League Rumors The actor-director laid to rest rumors that he’d join Warner Bros.’ Justice League project, saying he isn’t involved in the studio’s planned superhero ensemble. “Justice League sounds really exciting, but it’s not something I’m working on,” he said. THR reports . Sleepwalk with Me Wows in 1 Theater, Samsara Very Strong: Specialty Box Office Sleepwalk with Me as predicted lead the pack of new specialty releases. With $65,000 at only one engagement, the feature nonetheless sprinted into very specific record-breaking territory. Also opening with a strong start in its debut, Oscilloscope’s Samsara averaged a fantastic $37,500, Deadline reports . James Holmes Told Classmate He’d Kill People Ahead of Dark Knight Rises Shooting Four months before he allegedly opened fire in a crowded theater in Aurora, CO, James Holmes told a classmate at the University of Colorado that he intended to kill people before flunking oral exams in his graduate studies program, THR reports . Adrien Brody Joins Motor City He will replace Gary Oldman as the villain in Albert Hughes’ Motor City , which also stars Gerard Butler and Mickey Rourke, Variety reports .
